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The subject matter of the present application relates to microelectronic packages and assemblies incorporating microelectronic packages.
Semiconductor chips are commonly provided as individual, prepackaged units. A standard chip has a flat, rectangular body with a large front face having contacts connected to the internal circuitry of the chip. Each individual chip typically is contained in a package having external terminals connected to the contacts of the chip. In turn, the terminals, i.e., the external connection points of the package, are configured to electrically connect to a circuit panel, such as a printed circuit board. In many conventional designs, the chip package occupies an area of the circuit panel considerably larger than the area of the chip itself. As used in this disclosure with reference to a flat chip having a front face, the “area of the chip” should be understood as referring to the area of the front face.
Size is a significant consideration in any physical arrangement of chips. The demand for more compact physical arrangements of chips has become even more intense with the rapid progress of portable electronic devices. Merely by way of example, devices commonly referred to as “smart phones” integrate the functions of a cellular telephone with powerful data processors, memory and ancillary devices such as global positioning system receivers, electronic cameras, and local area network connections along with high-resolution displays and associated image processing chips. Such devices can provide capabilities such as full internet connectivity, entertainment including full-resolution video, navigation, electronic banking and more, all in a pocket-size device. Complex portable devices require packing numerous chips into a small space. Moreover, some of the chips have many input and output connections, commonly referred to as “I/Os.” These I/Os must be interconnected with the I/Os of other chips. The components which form the interconnections should not greatly increase the size of the assembly. Similar needs arise in other applications as, for example, in data servers such as those used in internet search engines where increased performance and size reduction are needed.
Semiconductor chips containing memory storage arrays, particularly dynamic random access memory chips (DRAMs) and flash memory chips are commonly packaged in single- or multiple-chip packages and assemblies. Each package has many electrical connections for carrying signals, power and ground between terminals and the chips therein. The electrical connections can include different kinds of conductors such as horizontal conductors, e.g., traces, beam leads, etc., which extend in a horizontal direction relative to a contact-bearing surface of a chip, vertical conductors such as vias, which extend in a vertical direction relative to the surface of the chip, and wire bonds which extend in both horizontal and vertical directions relative to the surface of the chip.
Conventional microelectronic packages can incorporate a microelectronic element which is configured to predominantly provide memory storage array function, i.e., a microelectronic element that embodies a greater number of active devices to provide memory storage array function than any other function. The microelectronic element may be or include a DRAM chip, or a stacked electrically interconnected assembly of such semiconductor chips. Typically, all of the terminals of such package are placed in sets of columns adjacent to one or more peripheral edges of a package substrate to which the microelectronic element is mounted. [Change to “112”—later—to match text] For example, in one conventional microelectronic package 12 seen in FIG. 1, three columns 14 of terminals can be disposed adjacent a first peripheral edge 16 of the package substrate 20 and three other columns 18 of terminals can be disposed adjacent a second peripheral edge 22 of the package substrate 20. A central region 24 of the package substrate 20 in the conventional package does not have any columns of terminals. FIG. 1 further shows a semiconductor chip 11 within the package having element contacts 26 on a face 28 thereof which are electrically interconnected with the columns 14, 18 of terminals of the package 12 through wire bonds 30 extending through an aperture, e.g., bond window, in the central region 24 of package substrate 20. In some cases, an adhesive layer 32 may be disposed between the face 28 of the microelectronic element 11 and the substrate 20 to reinforce the mechanical connection between the microelectronic element and the substrate, with the wire bonds extending through an opening in the adhesive layer 32.
Conventional circuit panels or other microelectronic components are typically configured to be coupled to a microelectronic package having one or more first type microelectronic elements therein. Such circuit panels or other microelectronic components typically cannot be coupled to a microelectronic package having one or more microelectronic elements therein that are of a different or second type.
In light of the foregoing, certain improvements in the design of circuit panels or other microelectronic components can be made in order to improve the functional flexibility or electrical performance thereof, particularly in circuit panels or other microelectronic components to which packages can be mounted and electrically interconnected with one another. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a controller for hot swapping of an extended I/O (input-output) device to a computer body, and more particularly to a controller for hot swapping which can realize connection of an extended I/O device to a computer body without relying upon any software when the computer body is in operation.
In conventional small-sized portable computers, there are computer systems that, for reasons of the restriction of space for mounting on the body side, small frequency of use and the like, use extended I/O devices, called xe2x80x9cport barsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdocking stations,xe2x80x9d for connecting I/O ports, such as serial ports and parallel ports, floppy disk drive units and the like.
Conventional controllers for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to a computer body are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9712,/1997. This computer system has an extended I/O device, such as a docking station or a card dock, that is detachably mounted on the computer body. The extended I/O device is connected to the computer body through a docking connector. An I/O controller contained in the computer body detects docking and controls the extended I/O device.
This conventional controller for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to a computer body will be explained in more detail.
The conventional controller for hot swapping comprises a computer body and an extended I/O device. The computer body comprises: an I/O controller for controlling various I/O units and ports; a connector connected to the I/O controller through a plurality of data lines; a system controller connected to the I/O controller through a system bus; and CPU connected to the system controller through a CPU bus, for executing softwares. The extended I/O device comprises: a connector; a hard disk drive unit, a floppy disk drive unit, and output ports connected to the connector; a data line for connecting the hard disk drive unit to the extension connector; a data line for connecting the floppy disk drive unit to the extension connector; and data lines for connecting I/O ports to the extension connector.
According to the conventional controller for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to the computer body, as soon as the connection of the connector in the computer body to the connector in the extended I/O device is confirmed a connection signal is output from the I/O controller to the extended I/O device. Based on the input of the connection signal, the hard disk drive unit, the floppy disk drive unit, and the I/O ports are controlled, thus permitting the hard disk drive unit, the floppy disk drive unit, and the I/O ports to be used as extended devices for the computer body.
Another conventional controller for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to a computer body will be explained. This conventional controller for hot swapping include an I/O controller provided in an extended I/O device, and connectors for connecting a system bus in a computer body to the I/O controller. The other construction is the same as that described in the above computer system. According to this computer system, the connector in the computer body is connected to the connector in the extended I/O device to connect the I/O controller provided in the extended I/O device to the system bus in the computer body.
According to the conventional controllers for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to a computer body, the provision of the I/O controller in the computer body necessitates a large number of signals for the connection of the extended I/O device to the computer body, leading to an increase in the number pins for the connectors and an increased size of the connectors and, in its turn, an increased size of the computer body. On the other hand, the provision of the I/O controller in the extended I/O device necessitates a special software having initialization data for the I/O controller in order to enable hot swapping. This limits the kind of softwares that can use the extended I/O device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a controller for hot swapping of an extended I/O device to a computer body that can reduce the number of signals required at the time of connection of the computer body to the extended I/O device and can realize hot swapping without relying upon any special software.
According to the first feature of the invention, an apparatus comprises: a computer body including a processing unit and a first I/O (input-output) controller having a first register for containing predetermined data in a predetermined address; and an extended I/O device which is hot swappable to the computer body and comprises a second I/O controller having a second register, said second register having an address corresponding to the predetermined address of the first register,
said apparatus further comprising control means for detecting, upon providing power to the computer body, connection of the I/O device to the computer body, and for controlling the initialization of the first and second I/O controllers based on the detection results.
Preferably, when the detection results indicate that the extended I/O device is not connected to the computer body, upon providing power to the computer body, the first I/O controller is initialized; and, after initialization of the first I/O controller, upon connection of the extended I/O device to the computer body, said control means copies initialization data in the set register in the first I/O controller into the register in the second I/O controller. On the other hand, preferably, when the detection results indicate that the extended I/O device is already in connection to the computer body upon providing power to the computer body, said control means initializes the register in the second I/O controller instead of the set register in the first I/O controller. Preferably, the address of the register in the second I/O controller is identical to the predetermined address of the set register in the first I/O controller. The control means may receive a swapping signal from a connector for connecting the extended I/O device to the computer body. A system controller may be included in the computer body. Preferably, upon connection of the extended I/O device to the computer body, the control means instead of the system controller controls the first and second I/O controllers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to multiplexed telemetering systems and, in particular, to low-power bio-telemetry systems for obtaining EEG and other physiological data.
In recent years, a number of telemetry systems have been developed for obtaining physiological data from conscious, unrestrained individuals or animals. For the most part, the development effort has been directed toward the problem of providing compact, lightweight and low-power equipment which can be mounted, for example, on the individual's head with the individual free to move about unencumbered by trailing wires and other disturbing influences. Examples of such prior systems are described in the following publications: "A Four Channel Integrated Circuit Telemeter for Seizure Monitoring", R. W. Vreeland and C. L. Yeager, Digest of 7th International Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering, 1967, Stockholm, Sweden; "A Compact Six-Channel Integrated Circuit EEG Telemeter", Vreeland, Yeager and Henderson, Jr., Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1971, 30:240-245; and "A Multichannel Implantable Telemetry System", Medical Research Engineering, March-April, 1969 by Fryer, Sander and Datnow.
Although these prior systems have been most helpful, there is a continuing need for improvement. In particular, it is highly desirable to provide bio-telemetric systems which can be physically mounted on the subject to be studied and which then are capable of continuously operating for unusually long periods of time without any need for battery changes or other similar maintenance. As will be appreciated, the desire for a lengthy period of undisturbed operation is based upon the benefits which result when the subject of the study is permitted to function throughout the entire period in an undisturbed and unrestrained manner. Obviously, the long periods require the development of systems having unusually low-power consumption. In particular, the power consumption should be such that the need for battery changes can be avoided at least for overnight periods and, preferably, for periods extending for several or more days. Aside from the need for the longer operating periods, other recognized needs include the provision of more available channels for the studies as well as a reduction in the size of the instrumentation and the simplicity of its circuitry. In conventional multi-channel systems one of the factors contributing to power consumption is a separate amplifier for each of the channels with the multiplexing being performed subsequent to the amplification. Such arrangements apparently have been considered necessary to obtain a suitable signal level for the multiplexing. As will be described, a feature of the present system is the use of a single amplifier for all channels. In other words, the present system permits multiplexing at the amplifier input. However, this type of multiplexing imposes another problem in that the gating pulses needed to establish the channels then may be coupled into the channels. This undesired coupling will be recognized as unacceptable when it is considered that, for example, the gating pulses may be in the order of 6 volts while the data sample signals which are to be measured and analyzed by the system may be about 100.mu.v. Such a signal to noise ratio effectively denies the production of any worthwhile data.
The present invention resolves this transient coupling problem by employing special complimentary, metal oxide semiconductor (C/MOS) switches to perform the multiplexing prior to amplification by a single amplifier. As is known, the C/MOS switches utilize and "N" channel FET in parallel with a "P" channel FET and the enabling or gating of these C/MOS switches requires pulses of opposite polarity. Because of the opposite polarity, the portions of the gating pulses that otherwise would be coupled into the channel are effectively cancelled. The invention further employs a particular pulse position modulation for the amplified output as well as other particular features which significantly reduce the power requirements. For example, the system employs a clock-controlled shift register to provide a synchronizing interval or spacing as contrasted with the need for a separate synchronizing pulse. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a radar apparatus provided with a transmitter for the periodic transmission of mutually disjunct groups of N radar transmitter pulses, with N=4, 5, 6, . . . , a receiver for the receipt of echo signals of the radar transmitter pulses and a video processor for detecting possible objects on the basis of the received echoes and for estimating parameters of these objects.
Radar apparatus of this type are well-known in the art. The devices in question are radar apparatus in which a listening time is observed between two successive radar transmitter pulses to enable the receipt of echo signals. The drawback of these known radar apparatus is that, for distant targets, the interval between two pulses shall be chosen to be large which, however, would preclude the unambiguous determination of a target""s radial velocity.
The inventive radar apparatus meets this drawback to a significant extent and is characterized, according to an aspect of the invention, in that the video processor is designed to process echoes in a listening time observed between two groups of radar transmitter pulses. For one target, N echoes are received on the basis of which both target range and radial velocity can be determined unambiguously.
A favourable embodiment of the radar apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the video processor is provided with memory means for storing a row of complex video strengths determined by the receiver. This row can be searched for a pattern of echo signals that corresponds to the transmitted pattern. Besides, by considering the phase shift of the N echo signals, it is possible to determine the Doppler frequency and, thus, the radial velocity of the target associated with the echo signals.
A further favourable embodiment of the radar apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the video processor is provided with a digital filter for processing a continuous subrow from the row of video strengths. This entails the advantage that the subrow may be considerably shorter than the row, which allows the use of a digital filter with a limited number of inputs. More precisely: the subrow shall be so long to enable the simultaneous processing of the N echo signals reflected by a point target. It will then suffice to pass the row of complex video strengths through the digital filter in order to obtain a substantially optimal detection.
A very favourable embodiment according to a further aspect of the invention is characterized in that the digital filter comprises a Fourier transformer or an equivalent linear transformer. Not only does this enable a substantially optimal detection but also renders it possible to simultaneously determine, on the basis of the phase shift of the N echo signals, the Doppler frequency and, thus, the radial velocity of a target.
A further favourable and simple embodiment of the radar apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that within a group, the pulses are mutually phase-coherent and a time interval between two pulses is always a multiple of a unit of time.
A favourable embodiment according to a further aspect of the invention is characterized in that the: transmitter is designed to position the pulses in a group in order of time in such a manner that for a point target the Fourier transformer delivers an output signal for at least substantially one subrow.
A favourable embodiment according to a further aspect of the invention is characterized in that out of all possible suitable pulse patterns, a pulse pattern is selected for which in case of a point target, the Fourier transformer delivers an output signal with minimum side lobes.
The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a radar apparatus according to which groups of N radar transmitter pulses are periodically transmitted, with N=4, 5, 6, . . .
According to an aspect of the invention, the inventive method is characterized in that, in a listening time between two groups of radar transmitter pulses, the received radar echo signals are applied to a video processor to estimate parameters of a possible detected target.
A favourable realization of the inventive method is characterized in that the received radar echo signals are digitized and sequentially passed through a digital filter with at least N inputs for combining the N echo signals reflected by a target.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a favourable realization of the method is characterized in that within a group, the radar transmitter, pulses are transmitted non-equidistantly in time, in which case the radar transmitter pulses within a group are positioned such that at least for a point target, the digital filter delivers output signal at least substantially once.
A favourable realization of the method according to a further aspect of the invention is characterized in that the received radar echo signals are digitized and sequentially applied to a Fourier transformer with N inputs and M outputs, where M greater than greater than N. The velocity of a target can then be determined at the same time. The radar transmitter pulses within a group are preferably positioned such that at least for a point target, the Fourier transformer delivers an output signal with minimum side lobes.
A favourable realization according to a further aspect of the invention is characterized that for each transmitted group and each subrow a predetection is generated for at least the strongest output signal of the Fourier transformer or an equivalent transformer. A detection is generated if at least P practically identical predetections are generated for the same subrow from Q consecutively transmitted groups, with P=1, 2, . . . , Q=1, 2, and Pxe2x89xa6Q. | {
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In some cases, an ailment may affect the quality of a patient's sleep and/or affect the patient's activity level. For example, chronic pain may cause a patient to have difficulty falling asleep, disturb the patient's sleep, e.g., cause the patient to wake, and prevent the patient from achieving deeper sleep states, such as one or more of the nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep states. Chronic pain may also cause a patient to avoid particular activities, or activity in general, where such activities increase the pain experienced by the patient.
Other ailments that may negatively affect patient sleep quality and patient activity level include movement disorders, such as tremor, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, or spasticity. Such movement disorders may result in irregular movement or activity, as well as a generally decreased level of activity. Further, the uncontrolled movements associated with such movement disorders may cause a patient to have difficulty falling asleep, disturb the patient's sleep, or cause the patient to have difficulty achieving deeper sleep states.
Psychological disorders, such as depression, mania, bipolar disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other disorders including sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, gastrointestinal disorders and incontinence, may also similar affect the ability of a patient to sleep, or at least experience quality sleep. In the case of depression, a patient may “sleep” for long periods of the day, but the sleep is not restful, e.g., includes excessive disturbances and does not include deeper, more restful sleep states. Further, during the day, psychological disorders may also affect the general activity level of a patient. For example, patients with depression may spend a significant majority of their time in bed or otherwise prone. Movement disorders and psychological disorders are examples of neurological disorders.
Congestive heart failure is another example of a disorder that affects both sleep quality and activity. Patients with congestive heart failure may lack the stamina for activity during the day, and may have difficulty breathing at night, which may affect the quality of their sleep. In some cases, the above-identified ailments may be treated via an implantable medical device (IMD), such as an implantable stimulator or drug delivery device.
Further, in some cases, poor sleep quality may increase the symptoms experienced by a patient due to an ailment. For example, poor sleep quality has been linked to increased pain, movement disorder and psychological disorder symptoms in chronic pain patients. The link between poor sleep quality and increased symptoms is not limited to ailments that negatively impact sleep quality, such as those listed above. Nonetheless, the condition of a patient with such an ailment may progressively worsen when symptoms disturb sleep quality, which in turn increases the frequency and/or intensity of symptoms. The increased symptoms may, in turn, limit patient activity during the day, and further disturb sleep quality. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In modern telecommunications and electronics, semiconductor-based and photonic-based circuits are used to achieve highly integrated miniature-size components with high bandwidth and high-speed processing capacity. However, semiconductor CMOS-based electronics face fundamental energy and scaling limitations. According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) it is aimed at 22 nm structures forming integrated circuit chips in the year 2015. Presently, photonic components, for example, based on silicon photonic waveguides at present use 65 nm technologies. Photonic concepts, however, are fundamentally limited by the wavelength being used, e.g. currently 1550 nm for Si photonics. Smaller dimensions usually lead to frustrated modes with a considerable reduction in bandwidth. To benefit from large bandwidth and high speed, a miniaturization of photonics concepts below the diffraction limit given by the employed wave lengths is therefore highly desirable.
Conventionally, information carried by photons needs to be converted into electric signals for further processing, routing or manipulation. This is because mass and charge-less photons do not interact (strongly). The conversion from optical into electronic signals requires large amounts of energy. This additional step decreases the possible bandwidth, processing and communication speed. Conventionally, miniaturized solid-state lasers, photonic waveguides and photo detectors are used. It would be desirable to provide information or signal processing means that potentially dispense with such solid-state lasers and photo detectors. It would also be desirable to realize sub-wavelength devices for light manipulation and logic operations such as switching or routing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the science of forensics and more specifically to an evidence collection device, which allows a cartridge casing or other evidence to be collected and stored without compromising DNA or other trace evidence.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The collection of fired cartridge casings is commonly done with gloved hands, tweezers, or other simple objects. It appears that no tool or device exists specifically for this purpose. It is important to note that a pencil or chopstick or similar item can be used to pickup a cartridge casing from the inside, these “tools” do not retain the cartridge casing and do not provide any way to safely transport and store the cartridge casing. Typically, once the cartridge casing is collected (usually from the floor or ground at a crime scene), the cartridge casing is dropped into a paper “coin” envelope or placed into a small, cotton filled box. Recent research has established that these methods can be destructive to trace evidence. The handling of cartridge casings with gloved hands will remove a substantial amount of DNA evidence and other trace evidence (fibers, hairs, etc). Further, the currently used envelope and box used for transporting and storing the casings also can remove DNA and other trace evidence from the casing. It appears that the closest prior art is a state of the art method for transporting a knife from a crime scene. A foam block is inserted into one end of a plastic tube. A tip of the blade of the knife is stuck into the foam block.
Recent technological advances has made the use of “touch” DNA as evidence practical and effective in processing crime scenes and other areas of forensic interest. When an object is handled, microscopic elements of skin cells and body liquids are often transferred to objects such as fired and unfired cartridge casings. While highly valuable for DNA identification, this minute evidence is also extremely fragile. DNA and other trace evidence can be readily rubbed off or cross contaminated by handling the cartridge casing with a glove, or storing and transporting the cartridge casing with current methods and tools.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a evidence collection device, which allows a cartridge casing to be collected in a manner that will prevent the destruction or degradation of DNA and other trace evidence; which allows a cartridge casing to be picked up from an inner perimeter, while not compromising DNA and other trace evidence and which protects the user from being contaminated with potentially hazardous materials or substances, such as blood diseases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for reverse disproportionation of ethylene and stilbene to produce sytrene. The catalyst comprises tungsten, potassium, and iridium on a support, preferably silica gel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of styrene from stibene and ethylene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,206, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference. Use of conventional disproportionation catalysts such as cobalt molybdate on alumina, or tungsten oxide or silica, alumina or silica-alumina, for reverse disproportionation is taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,635, Fattore, et al, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference, teaches a process for disproportionating olefins using a catalyst of tungsten and bismuth on a support, preferably silica.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,107, Fattore, et al, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference discloses use of a catalyst of tungsten and copper or tungsten and Group VIII metals, preferably Fe, Co or Ni, on silica or other support. It is claimed that this catalyst requires no activation before use in disproportionation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,414, Helden, et al, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference, teaches a conventional olefin disproportionation catalyst with a promoter, a Group IIIa metal on an alumina carrier. Conventional olefin disproportionation catalysts are said to contain titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, tin, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, and iridium. This reference teaches that additional components, e.g., coactivators, hydrogenating components, components for isomerization of the double bond, and the like may also be added. Coactivators listed include cobalt oxide, and compounds of iron, nickel, and bismuth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,961 teaches conversion of a mixture of dibenzyl and stilbene with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst of chromium oxide, tungsten oxide, an oxide of an alkali metal and silica or alumisilicate. Styrene yields of 78 to 80 weight percent, based upon conversion of ethylbenzene, dibenzyl and stilbene, are claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,930, Kenton, et al, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference, teaches disproportionation of olefins using a rhodium oxide promoter on conventional olefin disproportionation catalyst, e.g., tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium or tellurium on silica.
U.K. Pat. Specification No. 1,205,677 teaches disproportionation of olefins using a conventional catalyst, such as molybdenum trioxide, tungsten trioxide or rhenium heptoxide on alumina, silica, or alumina-silica, and incorporation into this conventional catalyst a second component to effect double bond isomerization of olefins. Group VIII noble metals are suggested as being suitable, with preferred isomerization catalysts containing platinum and especially palladium. An alkali or alkaline earth metal ions are added to the catalyst to serve as a base to inhibit the oligomerization of branched chain olefins.
None of these prior art catalysts are believed to possess sufficient activity and stability to permit their use in a commercial reverse disproportionation process.
Another failing of most prior art catalysts, is that a relatively high temperature activation procedure is necessary before the catalysts are suitable for use. These catalysts are extremely active, but have very short lives before carbon and coke deposition destroys catalytic activity. Frequent regeneration and activation of the catalyst are necessary for a successful commercial process. It is desirable to minimize stress on the catalyst, and on the equipment by eliminating large temperature swings necessary for activation and regeneration of the catalyst. It is also desirable if the catalyst has great stability, and is able to operate for relatively long periods. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is a known procedure, and prescribed by law in most countries, to monitor electric circuits for the occurrence of so-called residual currents or ground residual currents. If such a residual current is ascertained which has exceeded a given value, the electric circuit in question is switched off by a residual-current circuit breaker. The specific value at which an electric circuit is switched off is, for example, a mere 30 mA, the limit for ventricular fibrillation in humans.
A drawback here is that, aside from the actual source of the fault, all of the other pieces of electrical equipment are also switched off. In the currently usual situation, it is not possible to continue to operate an electrical system with such a low-resistance ground connection. The residual-current circuit breaker in question is immediately switched off as soon as an attempt is made to once again start up the affected electric circuit or the affected electrical system. The system can only be restarted once the fault has been remedied. | {
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This invention relates to apparatus for the dry cooling of coke and, more particularly, to an apparatus for the dry cooling of coke wherein a cooling gas is routed through a distributor in the bottom of a vertical cooling chamber and wherein the cooled coke is continuously withdrawn through the bottom of the chamber.
In the production of coke from coal, the coal is heated to elevated temperatures in the absence of air in a battery of coke ovens. On completion of the coking operation, the red hot coke is removed from the coke ovens and must be quickly cooled to prevent its burning when exposed to the oxygen in the atmosphere. One method of cooling the red hot coke is to quench the coke with a water spray. Another method, a dry method, involves the quenching of the coke by passing a cooling gas therethrough. One apparatus for the dry cooling of coke is described in German Pat. No. 1,173,870. The cooling chamber of this device is sized for receiving approximately four to six coke oven charges. The cooling chamber is subdivided into several cells and the bottom of each cell is provided with discharge openings through which the cooling gas passes upwardly through the coke contained in the cells. A separate gas supply is provided to each cell enabling the individual control of cooling gas to the cells. This permits uniform cooling of the coke across the cross-section of the cooling chamber.
The subdivision of the cooling chamber into several individual cells to achieve a uniform distribution of the cooling gas and cooling of the coke represents a considerable structural expense primarily because of the need for the partitions in the cooling chamber. In addition, the individual cells require separate openings for each cell to remove the cooled coke. This creates a considerable cross-sectional area across the bottom of the chamber and/or cells through which cooling gas cannot be admitted from below. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical connectors and, especially, to an optical connector having an improved stop ring.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional optical connector will be described below. As FIG. 7(a) shows, an optical fiber cable 10 comprises a fiber element 11, a core wire 13, a braid 15, and a sheath 17. When the optical fiber cable 10 is attached to a connector, a variety of components are attached to the optical fiber cable 10. Different lengths of the sheath 17, braid 15, and core wire 13 are removed in order to expose the fiber element 11, core wire 13, and braid 15. Then, as FIG. 7(b) shows, a ferrule 19 is attached to a front end of the optical fiber cable 10 before components of the connector are attached. FIG. 8 shows the optical fiber cable 10 attached to the connector 1.
In FIG. 8, the optical fiber cable 10 is attached to the ferrule 19 via the fiber element 11 and the core wire 13. The fiber element 11 goes through the ferrule 19 and attached to the front end of the ferrule. The core wire 13 is inserted into and attached to the rear opening of the ferrule 19.
The connector 1 comprises a plug frame 20, a coil spring 30, a stop ring 40, a deformable ring 50, a pressure ring 60, an insulative hood 70, and a knob 80. These components are assembled in sequence at the front end of the optical fiber cable 10. The ferrule 19 attached to the optical fiber cable 10 is inserted into the plug frame 20 from back through an opening of an inner flange 21 until an outer flange 18 of the ferrule 19 abuts against the inner flange 21.
The coil spring 30 is placed between the outer flange 18 of the ferrule 19 and the stop ring 40 which is made from a metal to bias the ferrule 19 forwardly so that upon plugging, the ferrule 19 is movable in the axial direction.
The stop ring 40 is placed behind the plug frame 20 so as to cover the coil spring 30. The front section of the stop ring 40 is inserted into the rear opening of the plug frame 20. FIG. 9 shows the stop ring 40 and the plug frame 20. In order to connect the plug frame 20 and the stop ring 40, a pair of arcuate projections 41 are provided on the stop ring 40 while a pair of slots 22 are provided in the plug frame 20. When the front end of the stop ring 40 is inserted into the rear opening of the plug frame 20, the rear section of the plug frame 20 snaps the stop ring 40, with the arcuate projections 41 of the stop ring 40 are fitted into the slots 22 of the plug frame 20.
The deformable ring 50 made from aluminum is placed on the rear section of the stop ring 40, and the front section of the deformable ring 50 is cramped on the rear section of the stop ring 40. The braid 15 (FIG. 7(a) and (b)) is fixed between the deformable ring 50 and the stop ring 40. The rear section of the deformable ring 50 is reduced to provide a reduced section 51 over which the pressure ring 60 made from stainless or brass is placed and cramped. The sheath 17 (FIG. (a) and (b)) is fixed between the pressure ring 60 and the reduced section 51 of the stop ring 50.
The insulative hood 70 covers the deformable ring 50 and the pressure ring 60. A protruded edge 71 is provided on the front end of the insulative hood 70 so that when the insulative hood 70 is inserted over the deformable ring 50, the protruded edge 71 engages the front edge of the deformable ring 50 to prevent the insulative hood 70 from coming out of the deformable ring 50. The protruded edge 71 also is fitted in a circular groove in a middle section 44 of the stop ring 40 and engages a shoulder of a rear section 46 of the stop ring 40 to prevent the insulative hood 70 from coming out of the stop ring 40.
How to attach these connector components to the optical fiber cable 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. As FIG. 7(c) shows, the insulative hood 70, the pressure ring 60, the deformable ring 50, the stop ring 40, and the coil spring 30 are attached in this order to the optical fiber cable 10. As FIG. 7(a) shows, the sheath 17 of the optical fiber cable 10 is removed to expose the fiber element 11, the core wire 13, and the braid 15. As FIG. 7(b) shows, the ferrule 19 is attached to the optical fiber cable 10 via the core wire 13 and fiber element 11.
As FIG. 8 shows, the ferrule 19 is inserted into the opening of the inside flange 21 of the plug frame 20. The coil spring 30 is placed into the rear opening of the plug frame 20 such that the front end of the coil spring 30 is held by the plug fame 20 via the ferrule 19 while the rear end of the coil spring 30 is held by the stop ring 40. The front end of the stop ring 40 is inserted into the rear opening of the plug frame 20 such that the arcuate projections 41 are fitted into the slots 22 of the plug frame 20. The braid 15 are arranged on the rear section of the stop ring 40 and the deformable ring 50 is placed on the stop ring 40 to hold the braid 15 and the deformable ring 50 is crimped. Then, the front end of the sheath 17 is placed on the reduced section 51 of the deformable ring 50 and the pressure ring 60 is moved to the right in FIG. 7 and crimped on the reduced section 51 of the deformable ring 50. Finally, the insulative hood 70 is moved to the right in FIG. 7 to cover the deformable ring 50 and rear section of the stop ring 40.
As FIG. 7(d) shows, the knob 80 is attached to the plug frame 20 by moving the knob 80 and the optical fiber cable in directions shown by arrows. As FIG. 8 shows, openings 81 are provided in the respective faces of the knob 80, and projections 25 are provided on the plug frame 20 (FIG. 9) to engage the openings 81 to fix the knob 80.
FIG. 10 shows a optical connector which the inventor has developed before. FIGS. 10(a) and (b) are an axial section and a top plan view of the connector. In FIG. 10(a), the axial section is shown above the central line while the side view of the connector 1 is shown below the central line. The optical fiber cable and ferrule are omitted from these figures. The components, structures, functions, and assembling of the connector are substantially the same as those of the conventional one except for those hereinafter described. Like components are given like reference numerals throughout the figures.
FIG. 11 shows a stop ring 40 of the connector of FIG. 10. FIGS. 11(a) and (b) are half-sections side and top views of the stop ring 40, respectively. The stop ring 40 is made from a metal by cutting.
Unlike the conventional one, the front section 42 of the stop ring 40 is provided with upper and lower arcuate projections 41 and a circular projection 47. As FIG. 10(a) shows, when the stop ring 40 is attached to the plug frame 20, the circular projection 47 is attached to the plug frame 20. An inside inclined face 27 is provided on the plug frame 20 from the slot 22 to the end of the plug frame 20 corresponding to the circular projection 47 so as to receive the circular projection 47 when the stop ring 40 is attached to the plug frame 20.
The rear section 46 of the stop ring 40 is provided with a knurl 49. As FIG. 12 shows, the rear portion 46 of a conventional stop ring 40 has a flat part because a complicated form cannot be made by cutting or, if possible, the cost is prohibitively high. Consequently, the rear section 46 has poor grip to the braid 15 (FIGS. 10(b) and (c)), and the braid is fixed by only the pressure of the deformable ring onto the knurl 49.
In FIG. 11, the intermediate section 44 between the rear section 46 and the front section 42 of the stop ring is provided with a reduced diameter having an even thickness to receive the inside projection 71 of the insulative hood (FIG. 10(a)). In this example, the inside projection 71 extends the entire circumference of the insulative hood.
Where the stop ring is made from a metal, it is necessary to use cutting for forming it, resulting in the high manufacturing cost. In addition, as the optical fiber cable becomes thin, the weight of a connector puts more burden on the optical fiber cable, causing the breakage of the optical fiber cable when it is attached to the connector.
Where the stop ring is made by molding, it is weaker than the metal one, causing breakage. In addition, it is necessary to reduce the crimping power to the stop ring, failing to prevent the braid from coming out of the stop ring and deformable ring. Where the rear portion of the stop ring is flat, the separation of the braid takes place more frequently. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The technology disclosed in this specification relates to clock and data recovery circuits which extract data from data signals and recover clocks synchronized therewith.
Widespread use of multimedia technologies has led to an increasing demand for transferring a large amount of data at a high speed. Thus, attention is given to high-speed serial data interfaces, such as serial AT Attachment (ATA), Universal Serial Bus (USB), etc. High-speed serial data interfaces require reduction in the time needed for recovering clocks and data as the data transfer rates increase.
Examples of a circuit for performing data recovery using a multiphase clock are described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2006-262165, 2007-184847, and 2004-128980. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Portable airless fluid sprayers are known. Such sprayers generally provide a compact handheld device that provides the speed and professional finish of an airless sprayer. These sprayers are highly useful for spraying fluids, such as paint, on wood siding, wood fences, metal surfaces, stucco, lawn furniture, and lattices. Typically paints that are suitable for such sprayers include latex paints, oil-based paints, stains, varnishes, and sealers. Given that the spray gun is portable, it is generally provided with a portable paint supply container that typically has an approximately one quart capacity. In other examples, a remote paint container (such as paint pail or paint can placed on a floor) can be utilized. An extended intake assembly (e.g., a suction tube assembly) provides a fluid path to the spray gun and has a length sufficient to allow the spray gun operator to move about a work site, for example. A number of such devices are sold by Wagner Spray Tech Corporation of Plymouth, Minn. under the trade designations 4.2 Power Stainer, 4.2 Power Sprayer, 4.8 Power Painter, and 5.2 Power Painter, among others.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Semiconductor devices, such as LSIs (Large Scale Integration), have recently been requested to have a higher speed and a higher degree of integration. To respond to the request, gate electrodes to be formed on a substrate have been miniaturized. There is known a technique related to a Fin type transistor which is a type of fine transistor.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-12924
[Patent document 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-123431 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
For 3GPP Rel-8 (commonly referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE)), broadly speaking, uplink control information may be sent in two ways: (a) without simultaneous transmission of data (i.e., uplink shared channel (UL-SCH)); and (b) with simultaneous transmission of UL-SCH. Here we are concerned with (b) where control and data are sent on the same subframe.
When user equipment (UE) has a valid scheduling grant, network resources are assigned for the UL-SCH in a corresponding subframe. In the subframe, the uplink layer 1 (L1)/layer 2 (L2) control signaling may be multiplexed with the coded UL-SCH onto a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) prior to modulation and discrete Fourier transform (DFT) transform precoding. The control signaling may include hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgements and channel status reports. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Reference is made to commonly-assigned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/022,230, filed Dec. 20, 2001, entitled: DRY INK REPLENISHMENT BOTTLE WITH INTERNAL PLUG AGITATION DEVICE, by Meetze, et al and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/022,229, filed Dec. 20, 2001, entitled: SELF-CLEANING MECHANISM ENABLING VISIBILITY INTO CONTAINERS OF PARTICLES, by Litwiller.
This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of material that tends to clump or congeal when shipped or stored in containers. Many materials are packaged and shipped in particulate, pelletized, or granulated form, and some liquid/solid mixtures such as suspensions tend to form gels or to congeal into gelatinous clumps when shipped or stored. Unless special packaging arrangements are made, such liquid/solid mixtures and particulate or granulated matter typically settle and become more densely packed over time. A frequent consequence of such dense packing is often the formation of clumps when particles or liquid/solid mixtures are removed from their containers. For many products, such settling and clumping does not matter for the intended use. For other products, the particles, granules, and congealed material can be restored by agitating and/or aerating the particles or mixtures before the intended use. A common household example pertaining to particulate matter is the process of sifting flour before measuring and adding the flour to a batch for bread, cake, and similar baked items. Certain candies are also known to stick together in their containers during storage. Similarly, shaking of liquid/solid suspensions such as salad dressings restores the desired mixture composition. For some products, however, it is not practical or possible to perform such agitation and aerating from outside of the packaging in which the material has been stored or shipped. The present invention deals with a novel apparatus and method for providing in situ agitation and aeration within a container that is sealed before use. This apparatus and method obviates the need for human intervention such as shaking or tapping a container, thereby making the degree and type of agitation more reliable.
Although the handling and use of any number of particulate, granulated or pelletized products and liquid/solid mixtures may benefit from the present invention, the invention is described in relation to sealed containers that transport and load dry marking inks such as toner or a combination of toner and developer particles into printing machines such as electrophotographic copiers, printers, etc.
Generally, in the process of electrostatographic printing, a photoconductive insulating member is charged to a substantially uniform potential to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive insulating layer is thereafter exposed to a light image of an original document to reproduced. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member corresponding to the information areas contained within the original document. Alternatively, in a printing application, the electrostatic latent image may be created electronically by exposure of the charged photoconductive layer by an electronically controlled laser beam or light emitting diodes. After recording the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a developer material charged of opposite polarity into contact therewith. In such processes the developer material may comprise a mixture of carrier particles and toner particles or toner particles alone (both these single component and dual component development systems shall hereinafter be called xe2x80x9ctonerxe2x80x9d). Toner particles are attracted to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner powder image that is subsequently transferred to copy sheet and thereafter permanently affixed to copy sheet by fusing.
In such a printing machines, the toner material is consumed in a development process and must be periodically replaced within the development system in order to sustain continuous operation of the machine. Various techniques have been used in the past to replenish the toner supply. Initially, new toner material was added directly from supply bottles or containers by pouring to the developer station located within the body of the automatic reproducing machine. The addition of such gross amounts of toner material altered the triboelectric relationship between the toner and the carrier in the developer station, thereby resulting in reduced charging efficiency of the individual toner particles and accordingly a reduction of the development efficiency when developing the electrostatographic latent image on the image bearing surface. In addition, the pouring process was both wasteful and dirty in that some of the toner particles became airborne and would tend to migrate into the surrounding area and other parts of the machine. Accordingly, separate toner hoppers with a dispensing mechanism for adding the toner from the hopper to the developer station in the printing machines on a regular or as needed basis have been provided. In addition, it has become common practice to provide replenishment toner supplies in a sealed container that, when placed in the printing machine, can be automatically opened to dispense toner into the toner hopper. In some of these designs, the toner cartridge may itself serve as the toner hopper. After this type of toner cartridge is mated to the printing machine at an appropriate receptacle, mechanisms are inserted into the toner cartridge that serve to transport the toner from the toner cartridge into the developer station or an intermediate toner hopper on a regulated basis. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,806 issued to Matsunka et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,121 issued to Meetze et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,323 issued to Meetze. In other designs, the toner cartridge is mated to the appropriate receptacle of the printing machine and then toner is dumped all at once from the toner cartridge into a toner hopper within the printing machine. Such toner in the hopper is then drawn into the developer station on a regulated basis. The toner cartridge, once its contents are dumped, is removed from the receiving receptacle and is either discarded or recycled.
In any design utilizing a customer replaceable toner cartridge for replenishment, one difficulty that arises is the uniform dispensing of the toner. In particular, toner particles are known to settle and clump during shipment and storage. This clumping phenomenon is caused for a variety of reasons: 1) particles of smaller size can fill and pack spaces between larger articles; 2) toner particles are often tacky; and 3) the electrostatic properties of toner particles enable charge attractions between particles. The result is often agglomerations, or clumps, of particles within the toner cartridge. These agglomerations often compact and form bridging structures within the toner cartridge, and such bridging structures adhere to the sides of the toner cartridges. Simple probes and augers as disclosed in patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,806 issued to Matsunka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,121 issued to Meetze et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,323 issued to Meetze may penetrate such agglomerations and bridging structures but do not break them up. Even rotation of the cartridges after mating onto a printing machine toner receptacle does not impart enough energy to shake the clumped toner particles apart from its various clumps and bridging structures. Since toner cost is a major component of the total cost of printing, any significant amount of toner left in a toner cartridge significantly increases the effective cost of using the printer. Worse, customers that do not receive the expected print volume from a cartridge may assume that the cartridge is faulty and make a warranty claim. In other cases, such customers have been known to make a service call that consumes valuable service and technician time.
In response to the above problems related to removal of substantially all toner from toner cartridges, various devices and procedures have been developed. One effective procedure when performed correctly is simply the shaking of a toner cartridge by human operators prior to mating the cartridge with the printing machine receptacle. However, many operators do not read the instructions and do not know or remember that toner cartridges need to be shaken. In addition, even when operators read instructions, humans inevitably interpret product instructions subjectively such that an instruction to xe2x80x9cvigorously agitatexe2x80x9d a cartridge may lead to too much force by a few operators and too little by others. The result is that some cartridges are shaken or pounded hard enough to be damaged while others are not shaken enough to break up clumps and bridges that may have formed. Once the cartridge is mated to the receiving receptacle while the toner particles remain clumped and bridged, the operator is left with several choices: One is to leave the cartridge as is and to risk wasting toner and/or believing that the printing system is consuming too much toner. A second choice is removal of the cartridge with its seals open, thereby risking contaminating the toner itself plus spilling the difficult-to-clean particles. A third choice is to try to strike, squeeze, or otherwise agitate the toner cartridge in situ. In addition to the probability that some toner nevertheless remains within the cartridge, such agitation in situ risks damage to the mating receptacle and associated parts of the printing machine. The end result is a frequent waste of valuable toner and a resulting increase in the costs of operating the printing machines plus the risk of warranty and service events.
Manufacturers of printing and other systems understand that human operators do not always follow instructions or perform the instructed activities correctly. In effect humans are inherently uncontrollable elements when asked to perform control processes. Accordingly, a number of automated solutions have been attempted. For toner cartridges that are mounted onto printing machines in order that toner be extracted in a regulated fashion, such cartridges are now often cylindrical in shape with spiral ribs located on the inside peripheral walls of the cartridges. An example of such prior art cartridges is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,323 issued to Meetze incorporated and is hereby incorporated by reference. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,806 issued to Matsuoka et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,816 issued to Staudt et al. that both disclose substantially cylindrical toner cartridges having on their peripheral surface a spiral groove. The toner cartridge and the receiving apparatus operate to rotate the cartridge and to thereby transport the toner within the spiral groove. The apparatus includes a supplying element in the form of an opening and a regulating device. Although toner cartridges with such spiral grooves are effective in urging toward the mouth of the cartridge, such grooves by themselves do little to break up the clumps or bridging described above. Even when the apparatus includes a probe, auger, or similar device that penetrates the stored toner in a cartridge, current designs place such probes only along the central axis of the cartridge. Toner clumped or agglomerated along the periphery of the toner cartridge may not be jostled or mixed by either the rotation of the cartridge or by the probe itself.
At least one prior art device employed a helical member such as a spring inside the toner cartridge for the express purpose of breaking up clumps, bridges, and other agglomerations. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,907, issued to Gallant, a cylindrical toner cartridge includes a dispensing opening at one end and an integral toner transport, mixing, and anti-bridging member rotatably supported within the container. The transport, mixing, and anti-bridging member comprises a first coiled spring element having a cross section substantially the same as the cross section of the cartridge and freely rotatable therein, which spring is wound in the direction to transport toner along its length toward the dispensing opening. The member also comprises a second coiled spring element having a cross section substantially smaller than the first spring element but being substantially concentrically positioned and being attached to the first spring element but wound in a direction opposite to the first spring element. In this manner, rotation of the cartridge while the spring members remain substantially fixed results in the scraping of clumped toner from the sides of the cartridge and mixing and penetration of any agglomerations and bridges within the interior of the cartridge by the inner spring.
One limitation to the above prior art cartridges and devices is that each is designed to work in or in conjunction with toner cartridges that rotate once mated to a toner receptacle on the printing machine. Without rotation of the cartridge, neither spiral grooves nor fixedly located springs actively engage toner particles within the cartridge. Additionally, recent advances in imaging and toner production has led to smaller toner particles that now may average less than 10 microns. In order to overcome electrostatic forces that tend to attract particles together, a substantial amount of aeration of the toner particles is preferred. It would be advantageous, therefore, to devise a toner cartridge assembly that both aerates toner and that automatically breaks up clumps and bridges within the toner even without rotating motion of the cartridge.
Although the above background for the present invention and several of its embodiments are explained in relation to toner cartridges, the present invention is believed to have wide applicability to any container of material, especially particulate matter prone to settle and clump and material prone to form gels or to congeal that nevertheless are easily removed once agitated.
Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention is a mechanism for agitating material held in a container, comprising: (a) device that stores potential energy; (b) a lock-down mechanism that prevents release of energy from the spring member; (c) a releasing mechanism that, when engaged with the lock-down mechanism, prevents release of the potential energy from the spring member and, when disengaged from the lock-down mechanism, allows release of such potential energy from such spring member; and (d) an agitating member powered upon release of potential energy from the spring member, at least a portion of such agitating member being powered to move through the material held in the container.
A further embodiment of the present invention is a process for agitating material held in a container, comprising: (a) storing potential energy in a spring member; (b) engaging a releasing mechanism with a lock-down mechanism to prevent release of the potential energy stored in the spring member; (c) releasing the potential energy from the spring member upon disengagement of the releasing mechanism from the lock-down mechanism; and (d) agitating the material held in the container by an agitating member powered by the released potential energy.
A further embodiment of the present invention is a process for agitating marking materials materials in a cartridge, comprising: (a) storing potential energy in a spring member; (b) engaging a releasing mechanism with a lock-down mechanism to prevent release of the potential energy stored in the spring member (c) releasing the potential energy from the spring member upon disengagement of the releasing mechanism from the lock-down mechanism; and (d) agitating the toner materials held in the cartridge by an agitating member powered by the released potential energy.
Yet a further embodiment of the present invention is a cartridge for holding marking materials, comprising: (a) a device that stores potential energy; (b) a lock-down mechanism that prevents release of energy from the potential energy storage device; (c) a releasing mechanism that, when engaged with the lock-down mechanism, prevents release of the potential energy from the potential energy storage device and, when disengaged from the lock-down mechanism, allows release of such potential energy from such potential energy storage device; and (d) an agitating member powered upon release of potential energy from the potential energy storage device, at least a portion of such agitating member being powered to move through the toner material held in the cartridge. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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11-β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase 1) glucocorticoid (cortisol in human, corticosterone in rodent) is a counter-regulatory hormone, which resists against the action of insulin (Dallman M F, Strack A M, Akana S F et al., 1993; Front Neuroendocrinol 14, 303-347). This controls the expression of hepatic enzymes related to gluconeogenesis, and increases substrate supply by releasing amino acid (decrease of protein synthesis and increase of proteolysis) from muscle, and glycerol (increase of lipolysis) from adipose tissue. Glucocorticoid is also important in differentiation of preadipocytes into mature adipocytes capable of storing triglyceride (Bujalska I J et al., 1999; Endocrinology 140, 3188-3196). This may be critical in disease states where glucocorticoid induced by “stress” is related to central obesity which itself is a strong risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease (Bjorntorp P and Rosmond R, 2000; Int. J. Obesity 24, S80-S85).
Activity of glucocorticoid is controlled not only by secretion of cortisol but also at the tissue level by intracellular interconversion of inactive cortisone and active cortisol by 11-β hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, 11βHSD1 (activating cortisone) and 11βHSD2 (inactivating cortisol) (Sandeep T C and Walker B R, 2001 Trends in Endocrinol & Metab. 12, 446-453). Isoform 11-β hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) is expressed in liver, adipose tissue, brain, lung and other glucocorticoid tissues, and is a potential target for treating a number of diseases (such as diabetes mellitus, obesity and age-related cognitive disorder) that can be improved by a reduction of action of glucocorticoid (Seckl et al. 2001; Endocrinology 142, 1371-1376).
The role of 11βHSD1, as an important regulatory system in local glucocorticoid efficacy, and thus production of hepatic glucose have proved (Jamieson et al. 2000; J. Endocrinol, 165, 685-692). The fact that an intracellular interconversion mechanism of inactive cortisone and active cortisol may be important in humans was initially shown by treatment with carbenoxolone (antiulcerative drug inhibiting both 11βHSD1 and 2) (Walker B R et al., 1995; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 80, 3155-3159). This leads to increased insulin sensitivity indicating that 11βHSD1 may control the effects of insulin by reducing tissue levels of active glucocorticoids (Walker B R et al, 1995; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 80, 3155-3159). Also, studies on compounds having a therapeutic effect on type 2 diabetes mellitus by inhibition of 11βHSD1 have been recently actively conducted (Ji Seon Part et al., biological pharmacology, Anti-diabetic and anti-adipogenic effects of a novel selective 11βhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitor, 2-(3-benzoyl)-4-hydroxy-1,1-dioxo-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-2-yl-1-phenylethanone (KR-66344), 2011; Sundbom M et al., Inhibition of 11beta HSD1 with the S-phenylethylaminothiazolone BVT116429 increases adiponectin concentrations and improves glucose homeostasis in diabetic KKAy mice, BMC Pharmacology 2008; 8:3 (12 Feb. 2008); Clarence Hale et al., Chem Bio/Drug Des 2008; 71:36-44; Clarence Hale et al., Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 11: 2009, 109-117; G. Hollis R. Huber, 2010; Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 13: 1-6, 2011: Clarence Hale et al., J. Med. Chem. 2010, 53, 4481-4487)
Clinically, Cushing's syndrome is related to an excess of cortisol, which is associated with glucose tolerance, central obesity (caused by simulation of preadipocyte differentiation in this depot), dyslipidemia and hypertension. Cushing s syndrome clearly shows a number of similarities to metabolic syndrome. Although the metabolic syndrome is not generally related to excess circulating cortisol levels (Jessop D S et al., 2001; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86, 4109-4114), abnormally high 11βHSD1 activity within tissues would be expected to have the same effect. In a case of an obese person, although he has a plasma cortisol level lower than or similar to a lean control, the 11βHSD1 activity in his subcutaneous fat was highly increased (Rask E, et al. 2001; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1418-1421). Also, the central fat related to the metabolic syndrome shows a much higher 11βHSD1 activity than subcutaneous fat (Bujalska I J et al., 1997; Lancet 349, 1210-1213). Accordingly, it is thought that glucocorticoid, 11βHSD1 and metabolic syndrome have relations therebetween.
11βHSD1 knockout mice show attenuated glucocorticoid-induced activation of gluconeogenesis enzymes in response to plasma glucose levels lacking or reduced in response to stress or obesity (Kotelevtsev Y et al., 1997; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 94, 14924-14929). This indicates that inhibition of 11βHSD1 is useful in reduction of plasma glucose and hepatic glucose output in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, these mice express an anti-arteriosclerotic lipoprotein profile that shows a low triglyceride level, an increase of HDL cholesterol and an increase of apo-lipoprotein AI level (Morton N M et al., 2001; J. Biol. Chem. 276, 41293-41300). Such a phenotype is caused by an increase of hepatic expression of enzymes of fat catabolism and PPARα. Also, this indicates that 11βHSD1 inhibition is useful in treatment of dyslipidemia of the metabolic syndrome.
The most reliable demonstration of a relation between metabolic syndrome and 11βHSD1 was obtained from a recent study on transgenic mice over-expressing 11βHSD1 (Masuzaki H et al., 2001; Science 294, 2166-2170). When 11βHSD1 is expressed under the control of an adipocyte specific promoter, 11βHSD1 transgenic mice show high adipose levels of corticosterone, central obesity, insulin resistant diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and bulimia nervosa. Most importantly, an increase levels of 11βHSD1 in the fat of these mice are similar to those observed in diabetes mellitus individuals. Fat 11βHSD1 activity and plasma corticosterone levels were normal, but hepatic portal vein levels of corticosterone were increased three times. This is thought to be a cause of themetabolic effects in liver.
It is clear that a mouse can completely imitate metabolic syndrome by over-expressing 11βHSD1 only in fat to a similar level as that of an obese human.
Tissue distribution of 11βHSD1 is widely spread, and overlaps with that of glucocorticoid receptor. Accordingly, inhibition of 11βHSD1 may potentially oppose the effects of glucocorticoid in a large number of physiological/pathological roles. It is widely disclosed that 11βHSD1 is present in human skeletal muscle and glucocorticoid opposes insulin's anabolic effects on protein turnover and glucose metabolism (Whorwood C B et al., 2001; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86, 2296-2308). Accordingly, skeletal muscle may be an important target for 11βHSD1-based treatment.
Glucocorticoid can also reduce insulin secretion and worsen the effects of glucocorticoid induced insulin resistance. Pancreatic islets express 11βHSD1, and carbenoxolone can inhibit the effects of 11-dehydro corticosterone on insulin release (Davani B et al., 2000; J. Biol. Chem. 275, 34841-34844). Accordingly, in treatment of diabetes mellitus, 11βHSD1 inhibitor may not only act at the tissue level on insulin resistance but also increase insulin secretion itself.
Skeletal development and bone function are also regulated by glucocorticoid action. 11βHSD1 is present in human bone osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and treatment of healthy volunteers with carbenoxolone showed a decrease in bone resorption with no change in bone formation markers (Cooper M S, et al. 2000; Bone 27, 375-381). Inhibition of 11βHSD1 activity in bone could be used as a protection mechanism in treatment of osteoporosis.
Glucocorticoid may also be involved in ocular disease such as glaucoma. 11βHSD1 has been shown to affect intraocular pressure in humans and inhibition of 11βHSD1 may be expected to alleviate an increase of intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma (Rauz S et al., 2001; Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science 42, 2037-2042).
It is known that stress and glucocorticoid affect a cognitive function (de Quervain et al., 1998; Nature 394, 787-790). 11βHSD1 controls the level of the glucocorticoid action in the brain and thus is helpful in neurotoxicity (Rajan, V. et al., 1996; Neuroscience 16, 65-70; Seckl et al., 2000; Neuroendocrinol, 18, 49-99). Based on the known efficacy of gluticorticoid in the brain, inhibition of 11βHSD1 in the brain may result in reduced anxiety (Tronche, F. et al., 1999; Nature Genetics, 23, 99-103). Inhibition of 11βHSD1 in a human brain may prevent reactivation of cortisone into cortisol, and protect against harmful glucocorticoid-mediated effects on neuronal survival and other aspects of neuronal function, including cognitive disorder, depression and increase of appetite.
There appears to be a certain relation between 11βHSD1 and metabolic syndrome both in humans and rodents. A drug that specifically inhibits 11βHSD1 in type 2 obese diabetic patients will lower blood sugar by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis, reduce central obesity, improve the atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype, lower blood pressure, and reduce insulin resistance. Insulin effects in muscle will be enhanced, and insulin secretion from beta cells of Pancreatic islets may also be increased.
At present, there are two main recognized definitions of metabolic syndrome.
1) The adult treatment panel (ATP III 2001 JMA) definition of metabolic syndrome indicates that it is present if the patient has three or more of the following symptoms: waist measurements of 40 inches (102 cm) or more for men, and 35 inches (88 cm) or more for women serum triglyceride level of 150 mg/dl (1.69 mmol/1) or more HDL cholesterol levels of less than 40 mg/dl (1.04 mmol/1) for men, and less than 50 mg/dl (1.29 mmol/1) for women blood pressure of 135/80 mm Hg or more and/or blood sugar (serum glucose) of 110 mg/dl (6.1 mmol/1) or more.
2) The WHO advisory committee has recommended the following definition which does not imply causal relationships and is suggested as a working definition to be improved upon in due course: The patient has at least one of the following symptoms: glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus and/or insulin resistance together with two or more of the following: raised arterial pressure raised plasma triglycerides central obesity microalbuminuria.
Accordingly, The present invention provides a novel compound and a pharmaceutical composition including the same for inhibiting human 11-β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase type 1, which are more excellent in activity and solubility, and is more efficient in formulation and transfer. | {
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An article fabricated on a production line may be inspected for certain features, including defects that might degrade the performance of the article or a system comprising the article. For example, a hard disk for a hard disk drive may be fabricated on a production line and inspected for certain surface features, including surface and subsurface defects that might degrade the performance of the disk or the hard disk drive. Accordingly, apparatuses and methods operable to inspect articles for features such as defects are merited. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a built-in semiconductor chip with a magnetic-line-of-force- or light-detecting or -emitting element mounted thereon, such as a Hall element, a photodiode, a light emitting diode and a semiconductor laser, and to a mold for forming a package.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional semiconductor device containing a semiconductor chip having an element mounted thereon to detect, for example, a magnetic line of force or light.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a semiconductor chip 80 has a magnetic-line-of-force- or light-detecting element, such as a Hall element and a photodiode, and is so sealed in a package 82 that its major surface 81 is vertically oriented with respect to a mount surface 91 of a mount substrate 90-of an electronic machinery. By the "major surface" appearing in a later description is meant a chip's surface on which is formed a magnetic-line-of-force- or light-detecting or -emitting element. External leads 83 extend from the package 82 in a direction parallel to the major surface 81 of the chip. The external lead 83 has a narrowed forward end portion inserted into a socket hole 93 of the mount substrate 90. A semiconductor device 200 thus provided is called a single in-line package type.
The semiconductor device 200 can detect, for example, a magnetic line of force A (or light) coming in a direction parallel to the mount surface 91 because the major surface 11 of the semiconductor chip 10 is oriented vertical to the mount surface 91.
However, a mount thickness H as indicated by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 becomes greater since the semiconductor device 200 is so configured that the major surface 81 of the chip is formed in the direction perpendicular to the mount substrate 90. It is, therefore, not possible to detect a magnetic line of force or light coming from the direction vertical to the mount surface 91. | {
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Spinal cord stimulation is a well accepted clinical method for reducing pain in certain populations of patients. Implantable stimulation devices have been developed to provide therapy for a variety of treatments. For example, implantable stimulation devices can be used to stimulate nerves, such as the spinal cord, muscles, or other tissue. An implantable stimulation device typically includes an implanted control module (with a pulse generator), a lead, and an array of stimulator electrodes. The stimulator electrodes are implanted in contact with or near the nerves, muscles, or other tissue to be stimulated. The pulse generator in the control module generates electrical pulses that are delivered by the electrodes to body tissue. As an example, electrical pulses can be provided to the dorsal column fibers within the spinal cord to provide spinal cord stimulation.
The stimulator electrodes are coupled to the control module by the lead and the control module is implanted elsewhere in the body, for example, in a subcutaneous pocket. The lead is often anchored at one or more places in the body to prevent or reduce movement of the lead or stimulator electrodes within the body which could damage tissue, move the stimulator electrodes out of the desired position, or interrupt the connection between the stimulator electrodes and the control module.
Many conventional lead anchors possess inadequate lead retention strength when the lead is subjected to tensile loading. This may cause the lead to migrate proximally from the desired neurostimulation site. According to recent studies, lead migration occurs in approximately 13% of cases. Additional studies suggest that electrode migration may be the most common reason for failure to maintain long-term pain control with spinal cord stimulation. One possible cause is that anchors that rely on sutures alone vary in retention strength upon the suturing technique of the physician. Other problems associated with lead migration include lead breakage, and loose connection.
Another problem commonly associated with conventional lead anchors is patient discomfort. Many conventional lead anchors are unnecessarily bulky and awkward to carry. Other lead anchors that are not large are uncomfortable because they have jagged or sharp edges. Because spinal cord stimulators are generally worn for prolonged durations of time, patient comfort with respect to the lead anchor is important. | {
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The present invention relates to an improvement of such a plotter using various kinds of pens and, more particularly, to an anti-dry structure of a drawing needle pen.
In a conventional plotter used in computer graphics or the like, various kinds of felt pens, ball-point pens, or drawing needle pens are prepared in a pen socket, and one of the pens is selected and held by a pen carriage so as to perform drafting. Especially, in such a plotter as is used for framing in newpapers, magazines or the like, a drawing needle pen must be able to draw very thin lines of 0.1 to 0.3 mm in width.
When the drawing needle pen is exposed to air for a few minutes, even though delayed-drying ink is used, moisture evaporates from the ink through the pen tip and the ink solidifies. Due to this the pen becomes scratchy and the line thickness becomes irregular, and in the worst case, a line cannot be drawn at all. For this reason, conventionally, the tip of the drawing needle pen stored in a pen socket is inserted in a water-containing pot so as to prevent the moisture evaporation, or the drawing needle pen held by a pen carriage is subjected to preliminary drawing. In this manner, the drawing capability of a pen is visually ascertained, and then actual drawing is started. However, when the former, i.e., the conventional technique using the water-containing pot, is employed, a water droplet adheres to the pen tip and the vicinity thereto, where the drawn ink is diluted. Therefore, it is impossible to use the drawing needle pen immediately after the pen is taken from the water-containing pot. On the other hand, when the latter, i.e., the conventional technique of preliminary drawing, is employed, solidified ink at the pen tip is not always removed. Therefore, actual drawing is often delayed until the pen tip is cleaned. | {
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The present invention relates in general to containers, and, more particularly, to shipping containers.
As society becomes more and more mobile, family members often find themselves widely dispersed. Although geographically separated, many families prefer to be interred together. Therefore, when a family member passes away, the family often desires to transport the remains back to a central burial site.
Transporting remains from one location to another has therefore become a very large industry.
There are many problems inherent in such transportation, and one such problem is the cost thereof. One cost factor is connected with the shipping casket itself. Caskets formed of wood are often expensive because of labor costs. Such caskets are also heavy, bulky, and present many problems to a carrier. For these reasons, transporting remains from one location to another can be very expensive. With other costs involved in funerals being very high, transportation costs should be kept as low as possible, so that the average person can affort to move the remains of the family member back to a central, or family, burial site, and still give that family member a decent funeral.
Often, carriers have very strict specifications which must be met by such containers, and such specifications are often subject to change. The known containers often just barely meet the minimum standards, and are not amenable to changing to meet changed specifications.
The container embodying the teachings of the present invention is easily manufactured, transported, is lightweight and is fully and easily disposable. | {
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SD-interferometry and SD-OCT are technologies based on analyzing the spectrum of the interference signal produced between optical signal from an object under investigation and a local optical reference signal. OCT can produce in real time a cross section image of the object, i.e. a two dimensional (2D) image in the space (lateral coordinate, axial coordinate). SD methods can be implemented in two formats, as described in the article “Optical coherence tomography”, by A. Podoleanu, published in Journal of Microscopy, 2012 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2012.03619.x: (i) spectrometer based (SB) or (ii) by using a tunable laser or a swept source (SS).
OCT schematic diagrams implementing different SD-OCT modalities are presented in FIGS. 1 and 2. They consist in an optical source, 1, a Michelson interferometer, where an optical Splitter 2 and a Reference Mirror, 4, are used to produce a reference beam. A Microscopy Interface optics, 5, is employed to convey light from the Splitter 2 to, and from the Object 3 to be examined, up to a optical spectrum reader, 6, that performs spectral analysis of the interference of light between the reference beam returned by reference mirror 4 and the beam returned by the Object, 3, in the form of an electrical signal, 60, in relation to the spectrum of light at the interferometer output. The path traversed by the object wave from the splitter 2 to the object 3 and back represents the object path length, OPL. The path traversed by the reference wave from 2 to 4 and back represents the reference path length, RPL. An optical path difference (OPD) in the interferometer is defined as OPD=(OPL−RPL). The interface optics 5 contains a transversal scanning unit, 51, consisting in one or two transversal scanners, 511 and 512 to scan the object beam laterally over the object 3. The interference signal resulting from the superposition of the object and reference beams is filtered spatially in the interface optics 5 by other elements in 52, such as lenses, converging mirrors, pinhole (not detailed) before being sent to the optical spectrum reader unit 6.
For those skilled in the art it should be obvious that this is a generic scheme describing the principle of spectral domain interferometry (SDI) equipped with lateral scanning to perform OCT. In practice, fibre optics can be used, to convey light from 5 to 6, in which case the fibre performs the role of the pinhole 52. The splitter 2 can also be implemented in fibre. Also, a reference beam can be provided by light recirculation between optical splitters, as shown in FIG. 17. Obviously, other interferometers can be used as well.
Mechanical scanning of the OPD in time domain (TD)-OCT is replaced by reading the charges on the array in the spectrometer 61 in SB-OCT in FIG. 1 or by tuning the frequency of the laser source 12, in SS-OCT in FIG. 2.
2E points are sampled from the spectrum, either by using 2E pixels on the linear camera in the spectrometer, in case of the SB-SDI or by tuning the emission of the tuning source 12 in at least 2E resolvable spectral points in the case of SS-SDI.
The depth resolution is determined in both cases by the coherence length, cl, calculated by using the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the spectrum bandwidth, Δλ, of the optical source 11 in SB-SDI or by using the tuning bandwidth Δλ of the SS 12 in SS-SDI, as cl˜λ2/Δλ, where λ is the central wavelength. Parameters cl and 2E are shown as determining the axial resolution and the axial range respectively of the A-scan so obtained in FIGS. 1 and 2. In both cases, 2EδX=Δλ and the axial range is proportional with another coherence length, cl˜λ2/δλ, where δλ is the bandwidth per photo-pixel of the camera in 61 or the line-width of the SS, 12.
The larger the modulus of OPD, the larger the number of peaks and troughs in the spectrum of the Michelson interferometer output, hence the reference to such spectrum as channelled, as shown in FIG. 3. Using 2E pixels, up to E cycles can be translated out of the signal 60. The optical spectrum reader 6 translates the channelled spectrum (CS), into an electrical signal 60. Irrespective of SB or SS method, the reading of the channelled spectrum at the output of the optical spectrum reader 6 delivers a signal of frequency proportional to the modulus of the OPD:f=U|OPD| (1)where U is a conversion factor characterizing each SDI set-up.
SD-OCT refers to spectral interrogation of the spectrum at the interferometer output, ie of the CS signal. There are two possibilities, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The operation of SD-OCT is based on the demodulation of the optical spectrum output of a low coherence interferometer. Inspecting the prior art in FIGS. 1 and 2, both SDI concepts, SB based SDI and SS based SDI, fit within the same structure, as sketched in FIG. 3(a)′. The spectral analysis of the interference spectrum at the output of the interferometer is performed having different elements in the source 1 and optical spectrum reader 6, either by using a broadband source, 11 in 1 and a spectrometer, 61 in 6 in the SB-SDI case in FIG. 1 or by tuning the optical source 12 in 1 and using a photo-detector 63 in 6, in the SS-SDI case in FIG. 2. The prior art executes spectral analysis using an FFT processor, 62. For the FFT operation to work properly, a calibrator, 620 is necessary to provide the channelled spectrum in equal slots of optical frequency, as explained below.
Spectrometer Based Optical Coherence Tomography (SB-OCT)
In FIG. 1, the optical source 1 is broadband, 11, the Processing Unit 6 employs a spectrometer, 61, usually built using a prism or a diffraction grating, and a linear photo-detector array, using a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) linear camera. Such method is referred to in what follows as spectrometer based (SB)-OCT. The spectrum exhibits peaks and troughs (channelled spectrum) and the period of such a modulation is proportional to the OPD in the interferometer, as shown in the article “Displacement sensor using channelled spectrum dispersed on a CCD array” published by Taplin et al., in Electron. Lett. 29, No. 10, (1993), pp. 896-897. The larger the OPD, the larger the number of peaks in the spectrum, S, 60, as shown in FIG. 3(a) when using a mirror as Object, 3, for two OPD values, for OPD of ˜3cl (left) and ˜6 cl (right). The linear camera in the spectrometer 61 needs pixels of sufficient small size, δλ, as shown in FIG. 3(b) to be able to sample the succession of peaks and troughs in the channelled spectrum. By downloading its charge content, the linear camera in the spectrometer transforms the optical spectrum into an electrical signal in time, as shown in FIG. 3(c). If multi-layered objects are imaged, such as retina or skin, each layer imprints its own spectrum modulation periodicity, depending on its depth.
The spectrum at the interferometer output, CS, is read in a time T by downloading the charge from the linear camera array, in 61. In doing so, an output signal, 60, is delivered by the Processing unit 6.
A block 62, FFT processor, provides fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the signal, 60, delivered by the linear camera in the spectrometer 61 and translates the periodicity of the signal CS, into peaks of different frequency, related to the OPD. Such a profile is essentially the A-scan profile of the square root of reflectivity in depth, signal 60′, as shown in FIG. 3(d) and at the bottom of FIG. 1, when the Object 3 is a mirror. For sensing applications this is the output of the measurement. For OCT applications, several A-scans for different transversal positions over the object 3, using 51, are required to assemble a cross section OCT image.
Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT)
In FIG. 2, the Processing unit 6 employs a Photo-detector, 63 and a Swept source (tuneable laser) 12 is used as optical source 1, operating according to a method referred to as swept source (SS)-OCT.
The illustration in FIG. 3 equally applies to SS-OCT, where Δλ and δλ are respectively the tuning bandwidth and line-width of the swept source 12. The signal 60 is in this case the temporal signal output of 6 when tuning the frequency of the swept source 12. In FIG. 2, the laser line, δλ, of the narrow band swept source 12, as shown in FIG. 3b, needs to be much narrower than the spectral distance between adjacent peaks in the channelled spectrum, as shown in FIG. 3a. FIG. 3c illustrates the signal output of the Photo-detector block 63 in FIG. 2, when tuning the SS 12. If in the ideal case, the laser line is approximated with a Dirac delta function (infinitesimally small line-width OX), then the photo-detected signal, 60, takes the exact shape of the channelled spectrum. A fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the signal 60 produced by 62 translates the periodicity of the channelled spectrum into peaks of different frequency, related to the OPD. In this way, an A-scan is obtained, as shown in FIG. 3(d) and at the bottom of FIG. 2, when the Object 3 is a mirror. The time required to tune the wavelength determines the time to produce an A-scan.
Flying Spot Versus Full Field Imaging
Each OCT method can admit different versions of scanning and detection. Any OCT system is equipped with two or three scanning mechanisms. Flying spot implementations use galvo-scanners, resonant scanners, piezo-elements and acousto-optic modulators as Scanning devices 511 and 512 in FIGS. 1 and 2 to deflect the beam over the Object, 3, point by point. Full field implementations use a 2D array, a CCD or CMOS camera, to capture several points in the scene at once. In FIG. 1, when operating in full field, the scanning device 51 between the splitter 2 and the object 3 is reduced to one scanner only, cylindrical optics is used in the Interface Optics 5 to illuminate the object 3 with a line and the camera in the spectrometer 61 is a 2D camera, as explained in “Line-field spectral domain optical coherence tomography using a 2D camera”, by J. Wang, C. Dainty, A. Gh. Podoleanu, published in Proc. SPIE 7372, 737221 (2009). A B-scan image is generated with no mechanical scanning, with lateral direction along one direction of the 2D camera in 61 (let us say along the rows) where for each pixel within the line projected on the object 3, the channelled spectrum is projected along the rectangular direction over the 2D camera (columns respectively). For each position of the lateral scanner 511, the 2D array delivers a cross section image (a B-scan), in the plane formed by the line projected on the object 3 and by the depth axis. Then the scanner 511 is moved to a new position to collect the next B-scan.
In FIG. 2, when operating in full field, the lateral scanning device 51 is removed, and the Pinhole in 52 and Photo-detector 63 are replaced with a 2D camera. In full field SS-OCT, processing is performed on each camera pixel to return an A-scan while tuning the Swept Source 12 in FIG. 2. In this way, the whole volume of the object is acquired with no mechanical scanning, as presented in “Evaluation of the signal noise ratio enhancement of SS-OCT versus TD-OCT using a full field interferometer”, published by J. Wang, M. Hathaway, V. Shidlovski, C. Dainty, A. Podoleanu, in Proc. SPIE 7168, 71682K (2009). Full field versions are compact solutions, however with the disadvantage of cross talk between pixels in the camera. Full field also provides an alternative for high speed acquisition in SS-OCT without the need of fast tuning rates for the SS. Access to high speed collection of 3D data can be either via increase in the sweep rate, or by combining a fast camera, such as a CMOS, with a slower SS, in a full field SS-OCT set-up, where the tuning speed is dictated by the frame rate of the camera in 63.
Therefore, the scanning elements in 51 and the optical elements in the interface optics 52 should be interpreted generically as covering al these different possibilities, where when flying spot is used, signal is received on a point photo-detector while in the full field case, repetitive deflection of the object beam is replaced with parallel reading of the interference signal by a 1D or a 2D array of photo-detectors. In such cases, the effect of the pinhole in 52 is now replaced, for each photo-site, by the small size aperture of each such photo-site and scanning device 51 moves in front of 6 (function taken by scanning the charge in photodetector arrays). So in the context of this disclosure, scanning means and detecting means should be interpreted generically as accomplishing the same function irrespective if mechanical scanners are used in the flying spot architecture or scanning the charge in linear array or 2D arrays of photo-detectors in the full field architecture.
Irrespective of the different principles of scanning used in SD-OCT, flying spot or full field, signal 60′ is produced in prior art via FFT in 62.
Resampling Problem
A first problem of the prior art, presented by SD interferometry is that the data coming from the spectrometer 61 in FIG. 1 and from the photo-detector block 63 (or camera in SS-full field implementations) in FIG. 2 is not provided linearly in optical frequency. This problem requires linearization of data, which takes time. In SB-OCT, the spectrum is not diffracted linearly in optical frequency over the linear camera, 61, used in the spectrometer. In SS-OCT, the variation of the optical frequency of the source 12 is not linear in time. For instance, many swept sources use a Fabry-Perot tunable filter. To achieve high line rate, these filters are excited with sinusoidal signals that leads to nonlinear variation in the frequency of the optical signal so generated. FFT of any data signal 60, which is not organized in linear optical frequency slots leads to smaller amplitude peaks, broader peaks, and to even multiple peaks in the final A-scan, signal 60′.
Therefore, specific FFT signal processing methods, linearization and calibration procedures have been developed and every prior art SD interferometer used in sensing and SD-OCT system uses extra devices, and extra procedures in a calibrator block, 620, to present the data to the FFT processor 62 in equal frequency slots. All these systems add extra cost and extra procedures take time and require significant computing resources.
SD-OCT has now reached over 1 MHz line scan rate, i.e. an acquisition of a spectrum can proceed that fast. However, the numerous steps of complicated real-time data processing procedures cannot be performed at these speeds. Numerical post-processing involves numerous steps, such as data resampling, numerical spectral shaping and apodization, Fourier transformation, and summation over parts of individual A-scans. These take time.
So far, several techniques have been demonstrated to calibrate the interferometric data for both SB-OCT and SS-OCT implementations.
Thus, in SB-OCT, a hardware optics method consists in placing a customized prism in the spectrometer, illustrated by the calibration block 620 in FIG. 1, which distributes the spectrum over the photo-detector array in the spectrometer linearly in optical frequency [Z. Hu and A. V. Rollins, “Fourier domain optical coherence tomography with a linear-in-wavenumber spectrometer,” Opt. Lett. 32, 3525-3527 (2007)]. Other methods are software based, such as using parametric iteration [B. Park, M. C. Pierce, B. Cense, Seok-Hyun Yun, M. Mujat, G. Tearney, B. Bouma, and Johannes de Boer, “Real-time fiber-based multi-functional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at 1.3 μm,” Opt. Express 13, 3931-3944 (2005)] and phase linearization techniques [R. Leitgeb, W. Drexler, A. Unterhuber, B. Hermann, T. Bajraszewski, T. Le, A. Stingl, and A. Fercher, “Ultrahigh resolution Fourier domain optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 12, 2156-2165 (2004)]. In this case, calibration block 620 signifies all extra operations required, resampling, interpolation, linearization, zero padding, etc, performed over the data from the processing block 6 before being applied to the FFT processor 62.
Similarly, to compensate for the swept non-linearity in SS-OCT, several methods have been reported, such as: hardware approaches consisting in clocking the analog to digital converter with an electronic trigger-signal (k-clock) generated by a second interferometer [R. Huber, V. Wojtkowski, and J. G. Fujimoto, “Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): A new laser operating regime and applications for optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 14, 3225-3237 (2006), M. Gora, K. Karnowski, V. Szkulmowski, B. J. Kaluzny, R. Huber, A. Kowalczyk, and M. Wojtkowski, “Ultra high-speed swept source OCT imaging of the anterior segment of human eye at 200 kHz with adjustable imaging range,” Opt. Express 17, 14880-14894 (2009), J. Xi, L. Huo, J. Li, and X. Li, “Generic real-time uniform K-space sampling method for high-speed swept-Source optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 18, 9511-9517 (2010)] and hardware and/or software approaches consisting in optimizing the waveform applied to the tunable filter [C. Eigenwillig, B. Biedermann, G. Palte, and R. Huber, Opt. Express 16, 8916 (2008), Christoph V. Eigenwillig, Benjamin R. Biedermann, G. Palte and R. Huber, “K-space linear Fourier domain mode locked laser and applications for optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 16, 8916-8937 (2008), I. Trifanov, A. Bradu, L. Neagu, P. Guerreiro, A. Ribeiro, and A. G. Podoleanu, “Experimental Method to Find the Optimum Excitation Waveform to Quench Vechanical Resonances of Fabry-Perot Tunable Filters Used in Swept Sources,” Photon. Techn. Lett. 23, 825-827 (2011)]. Software approaches consist in re-sampling the data after the analogue-to-digital (A/D) conversion [S. Vergnole, D. Levesque, and G. Lamouche, “Experimental validation of an optimized signal processing method to handle non-linearity in swept-source optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 18, 10446-10461 (2010), Y. Yasuno, V. Dimitrova Vadjarova, S. Makita, M. Akiba, A. Morosawa, C. Chong, T. Sakai, Kin-Pui Chan, M. Itoh, and T. Yatagai, “Three-dimensional and high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography for in vivo investigation of human anterior eye segments,” Opt. Express 13, 10652-10664 (2005), B. Chang Lee, M Yong Jeon, and T. Joong Eom, “k-domain linearization of wavelength-swept laser for optical coherence tomography,” Proc. SPIE 7894, Optical Fibers, Sensors, and Devices for Biomedical Diagnostics and Treatment XI, 789418, Feb. 16, 2011]. Unfortunately, all the methods mentioned above require either additional expensive equipment and/or are computationally expensive and limit the real time operation of the OCT systems.
All extra hardware devices, such as a clock in the swept source 12 driving a dual input digitiser for the signal from 63, or controller of the filter in the swept source 12 or software linearization techniques are included in an extra calibration block 620 in FIG. 2.
The block 620 either raises the cost of SD-OCT systems or slows down the image production. Even after applying linearization and calibration methods using the methods mentioned above, total compensation of nonlinearities is not achievable, irrespective of method, SB or SS.
Time to Produce an En-Face C-Scan Slice and Time to Collect a Volume in SD-OCT
A second problem of the prior art is that it cannot produce a 2D en-face map (C-scan OCT image) in real time. Therefore, prior art requires first to assemble the A-scans into a volume and second, produce software cuts in order to generate C-scans. SB-OCT and SS-OCT set-ups, irrespective of their versions, flying spot or full field, output A-scans, i.e reflectivity profiles along the axial coordinate, perpendicular to the C-scan plane. C-scans present the more familiar orientation as that provided by a microscope (transversal section to the on axis beam). C-scans provide enhanced visualization and additional information on tissue microstructure. They are also useful in the process of deciding where to sample the next high-resolution cross-section B-scan. C-scan sections can be obtained in SB-OCT and SS-OCT only after a whole volume of the Object 3 is acquired, i.e. via a post-acquisition process only. In prior art, in a first step, a series of B-scan OCT images is taken, at different transverse coordinates, Yv, with v=1, 2, . . . V, to sample the whole volume. This is followed by a second step, where the 3D volume so generated is sliced by software to obtain a C-scan. Therefore, in SD-OCT, the time to produce a C-scan is determined by the time required to collect all volume data, TV, plus the processing time necessary to assemble the A-scans into a volume and perform the software cut of such volume, Tcut. A 1 MHz line rate for instance allows the data for a B-scan image of 500 lines to be acquired in 500 microseconds. If 500 such frames of 500 pixels in depth in the A-scans are acquired, this means a volume of 5003 of pixel data captured in TV=0.25 s. This represents the minimum time interval to acquire the data necessary to produce a C-scan image. Extra time, TA is required to process the data, assemble the A-scans, generate a spatial volume of the sample and produce the, C-scan software cut in the volume, Tcut. In the prior art, Fourier transformations are used to generate axial reflectivity profiles (A-scans) from the reading of the output spectrum of the interferometer for every given pixel in transversal coordinate, (h, v), h=1, 2, . . . H, v=1, 2, . . . V. The volume is created from assembling together the A-scans for all H and V pixels along the X and Y coordinate respectively. Then, from such a volume, the corresponding en-face slice is software cut. This takes time.
In order to reduce the time for the en-face cut, a solution was proposed in the article “Real time en-face Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography with direct hardware frequency demodulation” published by B. R. Biedermann, W. Wieser, C. V. Eigenwillig, G. Palte, D. C. Adler, V. J. Srinivasan, J. G. Fujimoto, and R. Huber in Optics Letters, Vol. 33, Ho. 21/1, (2008), pp. 2556-2558. In this article, the amplitude of a single frequency band is extracted from the photo-detected signal while tuning the optical frequency of the optical source, by mixing the photo-detected signal with a signal of a particular chosen frequency delivered by a local oscillator. An en-face image contains points at the same axial position. This means that for the points in the en-face image, the same modulation of the channelled spectrum is produced. Points at the same OPD value produce the same number of peaks in the channelled spectrum and so when the channelled spectrum is read by tuning the optical frequency, a particular frequency is obtained for the pulsation of the photo-detected signal. However, this method also requires linearization and calibration of data. This method presents also the disadvantage that supplementary modulation of the swept source is needed to ensure a Gaussian profile for the final coherence gate. If more en-face images are required from more depths, then more filters or mixers need to be assembled in the digital interface. To produce a new en-face image at a different depth, the volume of data need to be read along the axial coordinate to produce the modulation corresponding to the depth wherefrom an en-face image is to be inferred from. If the calibration is imperfect, then the amplitude of the signal and the brightness in the image are lower.
Problem of Mirror Terms
Another disadvantage of the prior art SDI and SD-OCT methods is that the modulation of the channelled spectrum, as shown by equation (1) is the same for positive and negative values of the OPD. Several methods have been devised to recognise modulation for positive OPD values from modulation for negative OPD values, such as using a phase or a frequency modulator or by inserting a dispersing element in the interferometer. Such methods produce full axial range, i.e. allow utilisation of both signs of the OPD. Iterative numerical methods have been proposed in conjunction with a dispersing element along with methods to linearize the data before FFT, such as WO2010/007025A1 by Drexler W., Hover B., Povazay B., Matz G., “Method for image range extension in optical coherence tomography”. This patent application describes numerical procedures, which are taking long time to complete and as another disadvantage, they are capable of delivering a cross section image only. When en-face images are required, the time for processing is large, made from three components, time for full axial range reconstruction, time for resampling, interpolation/linearization/calibration, and time for volume construction and en-face cut.
Therefore, a need exists for processing methods in SDI, which do no require calibration or linearization in order to provide instantaneous signal for any given depth in the object, which translates in a need for systems using other functional blocks than Fourier transformation.
There is also a need for methods and systems to decode the channelled spectra faster in SDI applications and produce C-scan (en-face) images scans from different depths quicker in OCT applications.
A need also exists in terms of performing dispersion compensation faster.
A need exists for speeding up the signal processing in dispersive interferometers to provide quicker full axial range cross section imaging. In this respect, a need also exists to perform full axial range en-face imaging.
A need also exists for signal processing methods and devices more suitable to optical spectrometers that provide the spectrum reading in parallel. | {
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Some telecommunications service providers, including cellular and paging companies, provide a "short message service" which allows a user to send and receive displayable messages via a "short message entity." For purposes of this specification, a short message entity is a device that is capable of composing or disposing of short messages. Both wireline and wireless terminals, including cellular telephones and pagers, may function as short message entities. Further, short message service includes the capability of conveying a short message from an originating short message entity to one or more terminating short message entities. For example, current paging systems can transmit a displayable message that consists of a telephone number to be called. Some wireless systems can also send alpha-numeric text for display on the screen of a wireless terminal thus allowing users to send more detailed messages. Alpha-numeric text can also be sent to computing devices such as desk and lap-top computers over wireless or wired terminals or devices. Unfortunately, current short message services can only handle displayable messages of limited size. However, to compete with the burgeoning electronic mail industry, telecommunications service providers would like to be able to transmit longer "short" messages to terminating short message entities.
The Telecommunications Industry Association ("TIA") has prescribed interim standards (designated "IS" concatenated with an identifier) for transmitting displayable messages to short message entities over various wireless air interfaces and networks. Each interim standard specifies a protocol including operations, parameters, operational messages and procedures for transmitting a displayable message as a single data package. For example, IS95A and IS-637 specify protocols for wireless systems that use Code Division Multiple Access ("CDMA") technology. Further, the IS-136 family of standards specify protocols for short message service in Time Division Multiple Access ("TDMA") systems. The IS-91 family of standards specifies protocols for short message service in advanced mobile phone service ("AMPS/NAMPS") systems. Finally, IS-41-C specifies protocols for short message service over inter-system networks. Analogous protocols exist in the paging industry. Unfortunately, each of these standards specifies a maximum length for the displayable message. The standards do not contemplate transmission of longer displayable messages.
Typically, an originating short message entity generates a displayable message for transmission to a terminating short message entity. The displayable message is transmitted over a "conveying network" or "pipeline" between these short message entities. The conveying network includes the network elements and air interface traversed by the displayable message. The conveying network may include some signaling mechanism such as, for example, Signaling System 7 ("SS7"), X.25, Internet Protocol ("IP"), Asynchronous Transfer Mode ("ATM"), or Frame Relay. Further, the air interface may be digital such as TDMA, CDMA or other digital air interface. Alternatively, the air interface may comprise an analog interface. It is noted that the originating and terminating short message entities do all of the processing with the short message service at the application protocol layer. The intervening conveying network simply acts as a conduit for information between these two end points. Unfortunately, the conveying network can only transmit up to a maximum amount of data or information as a single data package due to, for example, operational standards as described above or specific implementation of portions of the conveying network. The capacity of the conveying network thus limits the size of displayable message that can be transmitted in a data package.
Developers in the paging industry have dabbled with systems that divide a displayable message into multiple fragments for transmission. However, such systems are primitive because there is no method to handle fragments that are received out of order, or to provide for retransmissions to make up for lost fragments. Further, fragmentation of operational messages has been used in lower layer operations in wireless networks. However, to adapt this capability for use in transmitting displayable messages, wireless service providers would have to install numerous software and hardware upgrades to existing networks--an expesive task. | {
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SBR systems are used to treat wastewater. A typical conventional SBR system includes one or more SBRs which contain a large population of microorganisms that ingest contaminants in the influent wastewater to form biological flocs and treat the wastewater. SBR systems typically use four phases to treat wastewater: fill, react, settle, and decant. During the fill phase, the SBR is filled with the influent wastewater and may be aerated, mixed without aeration, or not mixed and not aerated. The react phase involves adding oxygen, mixing, or a combination thereof, to provide treatment by converting biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to microorganisms to form biological flocs. During the settle phase, the biological flocs formed in the previous phases are allowed settle to the bottom of the SBR to form settled sludge. The decant phase involves slowly decanting the clear water from the settled sludge to provide a treated effluent.
However, during the settling phase of a typical conventional SBR system, the biological flocs are only marginally heavier than water and therefore settle very slowly. Moreover, the solids separation in the settle phase may be unreliable due to many types of settling problems that are caused by: overgrowth of filamentous organisms, viscous bulking caused by the overgrowth of either zoogleal organisms or exocellular polysaccharide material, pin floc, straggler floc, and the like. This may limit the capacity of a conventional SBR system and can compromise the quality of the treated effluent. | {
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The invention relates to an exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustion engine, especially a diesel engine, which is controlled electronically and which includes means for the treatment of the engine exhaust gases by the addition of a reducing agent stored in a storage tank.
For a reduction of the nitric oxides in exhaust gases of a vehicle diesel engine, it is known to add ammonia to the exhaust gases upstream of a catalyzer, two ammonia sensors being provided for detecting the charge level limits in the catalyzer (DE 4,217,552 C1). The addition of ammonia from a storage tank is controlled by means of these sensors, with which the ammonia concentration in the catalyzer is measured. The purification of the exhaust gases is carried out by treatment of the exhaust gases with ammonia which is added in the in the needed amounts and which serves as the reducing agent.
It is known from DE 4,003,515 A1 to reduce the nitric oxides content of exhaust gases of a vehicle diesel engine by the addition of urea as a reducing agent. This process is carried out that is the urea is added to the exhaust gases, in the direction of flow of the exhaust gases, upstream of a zeolite-containing catalyzer.
In any case however, at one point, the reducing agent stored in the tank will be consumed whereupon the NO.sub.2 content in the engine exhaust gas becomes excessively high.
The object of the invention is to provide an exhaust gas purification system of the type described above, which, however, even in the event of a failure of the exhaust gas treatment arrangement, has no inadmissibly high emissions of nitric oxides. | {
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The present invention relates to devices for sensing the presence of an object in a storage compartment, in particular a minibar. It also relates to a system for the remote collection of data originating from these sensor devices.
Hotel operators are particularly aware of the growing problems linked to the management of minibar installations. They encounter both difficulties in correctly invoicing consumption which is often based on erroneous consumption data supplied by the clients themselves at the end of their stay or collected by staff, and difficulties in efficiently managing the daily restocking of these minibars. Furthermore, they wish to be able to vary the price of the articles consumed in the minibar according to the type of client and particular events.
Systems for sensing objects intended for minibar management using presence sensors are already known for example by Patent DE-A-42 40 623.
There are also known models of minibars equipped with object presence sensors using feelers, which have the drawback however of being sensitive to impact and containing mechanical parts to form the contacts which may deteriorate over time. There are also infrared sensor devices which have the drawback of having a sensory response which is sometimes sensitive to the external characteristics of the object to be detected, in particular its color and packaging, and of implementing links by optical fibers which over time entail connection reliability problems.
Current devices have the common drawback of only providing information on the object's presence or absence, and do not therefore allow a truly quantitative and qualitative management of storage compartments and in particular minibars. | {
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The invention relates generally to cross-point switches and in particular to arrays of cross-point switching arrays allowing for fault tolerance.
A cross-point switch provides for switching between various data lines. An example of a cross-point switch is given in FIG. 1, in which eight input lines A.sub.0 -A.sub.7 can each be selectively coupled to one of eight output lines B.sub.0 -B.sub.7. Here the input lines are connected to horizontal conduction paths and the output lines are connected to vertical conduction paths. At each intersection of a row and column there is placed a control switch, for instance switch 12, between the input line A.sub.0 and the output line B.sub.1. The switch 12 may be a thyristor, a transistor or a gate. It may be controlled either by external control signals or by special waveforms applied to the input and output lines, Once the switch 12 has been activated, the input line A.sub.0 is connected to the output line B.sub.1 by a low impedance path. Any switch which has not been turned on presents a high impedance and accordingly does not connect the row and column to which it is attached. The intersection between a row and column is called a cross-point and the switch at the cross-point is therefore referred to as a cross-point switch.
In FIG. 1, the cross-point switches are represented as diodes with the implication that data flow over the input and output lines occurs only in one direction, i.e. data flows from the input lines A.sub.0 -A.sub.7 to the output lines B.sub.0 -B.sub.7 and not in the opposite direction. However, it is possible to have bi-directional cross-point switches which allow data flow in both directions. Such a bi-directional switch can be represented as a pair of anti-parallel diodes, though it is to be understood that other types of switches can be used.
The switch represented in FIG. 1 is known as a two-sided switch. This means that lines on one side, e.g. A.sub.0 -A.sub.7, are connected to lines on another side of the switch, e.g. B.sub.0 -B.sub.7. Another type of switch is the one-sided switch in which the columns, B.sub.0 -B.sub.7 are not necessarily connected to external lines but serve only, in the simplest case, for internal connection. The one-sided switch serves to interconnect the lines on one side of the switch A.sub.0 -A.sub.7 to each other. This is accomplished by using one of the columns as an interconnecting line. For instance, the lines A.sub.0 and A.sub.2 can be interconnected by turning on bi-directional switches 12 and 14. With these switches activated, column B.sub.1 serves as an interconnecting line between rows A.sub.0 and A.sub.2. It is to be appreciated that any of the columns can be used for such an interconnection and therefore rather than activating switches 12 nd 14, other similar pairs such as switches 16 and 18 can be activated with the same effect.
For simplicity, it will be assumed that one line is connected to only one other line. It is to therefore be appreciated that if complete connectivity is to be attained between the eight lines A.sub.0 -A.sub.7, then only four columns, for instance, B.sub.0 -B.sub.3, are needed to provide the interconnection because one column is connected to two rows. This is known as a non-blocking configuration because no previously made connection blocks a subsequent connection.
Cross-point switches have a long history in the telephone industry. Until recently, the cross-points were provided by electro-mechanical switches. More recently, the switching array of FIG. 1 has been realized in integrated semiconductor form. Because of the miniaturization available in semiconductor integration, many more lines can be interconnected in a reasonably sized cross-point switch. However, it is obvious that as the number n of lines increases, the number of cross-points increases approximately as n.sup.2. For one-sided switches, this dependence is more precisely n.sup.2 /2. Thus, an eight-line one-sided cross-point switch requires 32 cross-points, a number very easily attainable, even in MSI level integrated circuits. But because of the geometric dependence, if 1,024 lines are desired to be interconnected, a total of 524,288 cross-points are required. This size array is very difficult to obtain in integrated circuit fabrication.
One method of reducing the size of the cross-point switching array is to divide the switch into cascaded sections such as described by Mansuetto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,745. The first section is composed of smaller switching arrays, the outputs of which are separately connected to different secondary switching arrays. A refinement of this switching system is the subject of a U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 298,705, filed Sept. 2, 1981, by Melas et al and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,245. In this system, the individual switches are square arrays and are cascaded into three sections. This system suffers several drawbacks. The inter-array wiring is irregular, the configuration requires that some lines are input lines, others are output lines and the configuration is blocking in some situations. Another type of three-section switch is the CLOS configuration. While this system is similar to that of Melas et al., it can be made non-blocking but at the expense of larger and non-square switching arrays.
An important consideration in cross-point switches and in semiconductor ICs in general is reliability. There is a seemingly unavoidable probability that one of the cross-points will fail. If one of the cross-points fails in an open position, i.e. it is stuck in a high impedance state, then full connectivity of the simple network cannot be assured because the failed cross-point will block the final connection. An open fail can however be compensated by providing one for or more extra columns so that if one cross-point is unavailable, then an operable substitute is always available. However, if the cross-point fails in the closed position, i.e. the cross-point is shorted, then a simple redundancy does not provide fault tolerance because the column and row connected by the cross-point are always connected.
The telephone industry has emphasized reliablity of their switching networks and many fault tolerant systems have been described. For instance, Pepping et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,749 describe a switching system in which a spare block of multiplexers/demultiplexers is included at the system level to assume duties of any of four blocks that has failed. Zaffignani et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,407 describe a switching system in which every component has a back-up. Mansuetto et al., referred to above, describe a fault-tolerant cross-point switch in which additional diodes are provided during fabrication. During the wiring phase, any failed diode can simply be avoided, with complete connection nonetheless possible. However, this is a static allocation scheme and does not provide tolerance for faults which develop during operation. Such post-assembly faults require dynamic allocation for convenient fault tolerance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device using a horizontal electric field, and more particularly to a thin film transistor substrate of a horizontal electric field applying type and a fabricating method thereof that are adaptive for simplifying a process.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display device controls light transmittance of a liquid crystal having a dielectric anisotropy using an electric field to thereby display a picture. To this end, a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel (hereinafter, a liquid crystal panel) for displaying a picture by a liquid crystal cell matrix, and a driving circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel.
In FIG. 1, a related art liquid crystal display panel is comprised of a color filter substrate 10 and a thin film transistor substrate 20 that are joined to each other with a liquid crystal 24 therebetween.
The color filter substrate 10 includes a black matrix 4, a color filter 6 and a common electrode 8 that are sequentially provided on an upper glass substrate 2. The black matrix 4 is provided in a matrix type on the upper glass substrate 2. The black matrix 4 divides an area of the upper glass substrate 2 into a plurality of cell areas to be provided with the color filter 6, and prevents a light interference between adjacent cells and an external light reflection. The color filter 6 is provided at the cell area divided by the black matrix 4 in such a manner to be divided into red (R), green (G) and blue (B) areas. Thus, transmitting red, green and blue lights. The common electrode 8 is formed of a transparent conductive layer entirely coated on the color filter 6, and supplies a common voltage Vcom that serves as a reference voltage upon driving of the liquid crystal 24. Further, an over-coated layer (not shown) for smoothing the color filter 6 may be provided between the color filter 6 and the common electrode 8.
The thin film transistor substrate 20 includes a thin film transistor 18 and a pixel electrode 22 provided for each cell area defined by a crossing between a gate line 14 and a data line 16 at a lower glass substrate 12. The thin film transistor 18 applies a data signal from the data line 16 to the pixel electrode 22 in response to a gate signal from the gate line 14. The pixel electrode 22, formed of a transparent conductive layer, supplies a data signal from the thin film transistor 18 to drive the liquid crystal 24.
The liquid crystal 24, having a dielectric anisotropy, is rotated in accordance with an electric field formed by a data signal from the pixel electrode 22 and a common voltage Vcom from the common electrode 8 to control light transmittance, thereby implementing a gray scale level.
Further, a liquid crystal display panel includes a spacer (not shown) for maintaining a cell gap between the color filter substrate 10 and the thin film transistor substrate 20. The spacer may be, for example, a ball spacer or a column spacer.
In the liquid crystal display panel, the color filter substrate 10 and the thin film transistor substrate 20 are formed by a plurality of mask processes. Herein, one mask process includes many processes such as thin film deposition (coating), cleaning, photolithography (hereinafter, photo process), etching, photo-resist stripping and inspection processes, etc.
Particularly, because the thin film transistor substrate includes the semiconductor process and requires a plurality of mask processes, it has a complicated fabricating process which serves as a major factor in increasing manufacturing costs of the liquid crystal display panel. Therefore, the thin film transistor substrate has been developed toward a reduction in the number of mask process.
Liquid crystal displays are largely classified into a vertical electric field applying type and a horizontal electric field applying type based upon a direction of the electric field driving the liquid crystal.
The liquid crystal display of a vertical electric field applying type drives a liquid crystal in a twisted nematic (TN) mode with a vertical electric field formed between a pixel electrode and a common electrode arranged opposite to each other on the upper and lower substrate. The liquid crystal display of vertical electric field applying type has an advantage of a large aperture ratio, while having a drawback of a narrow viewing angle of about 90°.
The liquid crystal display of horizontal electric field applying type drives a liquid crystal in an in-plane switching (IPS) mode with a horizontal electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrode arranged in parallel to each other on the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display of horizontal electric field applying type has an advantage of a wide viewing angle of about 160°.
The thin film transistor substrate in the liquid crystal display of horizontal electric field applying type also requires a plurality of mask process which is a drawback and complicates the fabricating process. Therefore, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost, it is necessary to reduce the number of mask processes. | {
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Devices for warming physiological fluids, such as for example whole blood and packed cells, to a desired temperature before providing the warmed physiological fluids to a patient are well known. Once such prior art device is the HOTLINE.RTM. system made by the assignee of the instant invention. Such a device uses a heater and hardwired control for heating a fluid such as for example water to a desire temperature, so that the water can in turn warm the infusate to be provided to the patient via a fluid conduit. Inasmuch as the feedback for such system is hardwired, its feedback response is somewhat limited. Moreover, given the limitation of the display mechanism in the prior art HOTLINE.RTM. device, no meaningful interfacing between the device and the user is achieved.
So, too, given that the first generation HOTLINE.RTM. device is hardwired, in order to determine the integrity of its temperature sensing components, a technician has to physically open up the device, and then test each one of the individual components. This need for disassembling the machine in order to test the integrity of its sensors and other components, needless to say, is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the hardwired control circuit for the prior art device does not provide the flexibility or capacity to enable the adding or modification of data that a clinician may want, but which had not been hardwired into the system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a semiconductor manufacturing process, and more particularly to a method of forming a conductive plug to avoid voids.
2. Description of Related Art
When the density of the integrated circuits increases, the surface of a chip might not provide enough area for interconnects to lay thereon. For the need of interconnects with reduced size of metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors, more than two metal layers become the necessary way for many integrated circuits. For some complicated products, such as microprocessors, even more metal layers are needed to complete the interconnection between individual devices within the microprocessor. Different metal layers are connected by conductive plugs.
Usually, a conductive plug is formed by etching an insulating layer to form a contact hole, then filling a conductive material such as tungsten into the contact hole. Because the adhension between the conductive material and the insulating layer is defficient, a glue/barrier material must be formed between the conductive material and the insulating layer. Commonly used glue/barrier materials include Ti, TiN.sub.x or TiW formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
However, the conductive plug of an integrated circuit formed by a conventional process is apt to generate voids. For more clearly understanding the reason, an example is used to explain the conventional process of fabricating the conductive plug of an integrated circuit.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional diagram of a conductive plug of an integrated circuit formed by a conventional manufacturing method. An insulating layer 12, such as borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) or oxide, is formed on the silicon substrate 10 or on a metal line. After, a portion of the insulating layer 12 is removed by etching to form a contact window 13 which exposes a region 10a of the conductive material by, for example, an anisotropic etching. A diffusion barrier layer 14 is formed on the region 10a of the conductive material and the periphery of the contact window 13, and extended to the upper surface of the insulating layer 12. The diffusion barrier layer 14 can be, for example, a TiN.sub.x layer which prevents diffusion and improves adhension. Then, a conductive material 16, for example, a tungsten, copper or aluminum, is filled into the contact window 13, by PVD or CVD. Since the step coverage is bad, a void 18 is formed therein.
In the above mentioned manufacturing method of the conductive plug of the integrated circuit, a diffusion barrier layer is deposited before the conductive material is filled into the contact window of the insulating layer as a glue/barrier layer. Therefore, the contact window becomes narrower, and deposition sites on the diffusion barrier layer become recessed, which results in voids generating when the conductive material is deposited. As a result, the large voids seriously affect the characteristics of the device such as resistance raising and short circuit. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a recliner assembly for pivotally adjusting a seat back relative to a seat cushion of an automotive vehicle seat. More particularly, the invention relates to a recliner assembly including a spring bushing for synchronizing a pair of disc recliners to unlock simultaneously and providing a lost motion connection allowing the disc recliners to lock independently.
2. Description of Related Art
Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting a seated occupant in the vehicle. The seat assemblies typically include a generally horizontal seat cushion and a generally vertical or upright seat back pivotally connected to the seat cushion by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly allows selective pivotal adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined positions. Each of the seat cushion and seat back commonly include a rigid frame structure supporting a cellular foam pad that is encased by a fabric trim cover.
Disc recliners are well known in the vehicle seating art and are commonly used to pivotally connect the seat back to the seat cushion. Typically, disc recliners include a cylindrical outer disc fixedly secured to the seat cushion and a cylindrical inner disc fixedly secured to the seat back and rotatably coupled to the outer disc. Disc recliners further include an internal locking mechanism for locking the inner and outer discs together to thereby maintain the angular position of the seat back relative to the seat cushion. The locking mechanism typically includes an annular rim of teeth on the inner disc and several pawls each with a plurality of teeth. The pawls are movable, either slidingly or pivotally, in a radial direction between an engaged position and a disengaged position. With the pawls in the engaged position, the teeth on the pawls are interlocked or meshingly engaged with the rim of teeth on the inner disc, thus locking the inner and outer discs together and maintaining the angular position of the seat back relative to the seat cushion. When the pawls are moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position, the teeth on the pawls are spaced from the rim of teeth on the inner disc, thus allowing rotation of the inner disc relative to the outer disc and thereby providing adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion.
The seat assemblies commonly include an inboard disc recliner and an outboard disc recliner which are coupled together by a rod or cross-talk tube so that only one recliner lever or release handle is required to operate the seat back. Typically, the recliner lever is coupled to the cross-talk tube adjacent the outboard recliner. Ideally, when the occupant manipulates the recliner lever to adjust the relative angle of the seat back or other desired operation of the seat back, the inboard and outboard recliners are synchronized and unlock simultaneously. Likewise, when the recliner lever is released the recliners lock simultaneously, preventing further movement of the seat back.
A problem arises when the prior art seat assemblies are manufactured and assembled. If the inboard recliner is not perfectly aligned with and extending parallel to the outboard recliner, the recliners will not be properly mounted on the cross-talk tube joining the recliners. Improper mounting causes the recliners to bind, increasing the effort required to operate the seat back. In addition, imperfect alignment of the recliners may result in the inboard recliner remaining open or unlocked after the recliner lever is released, thereby holding the outboard recliner unlocked. This situation arises when the recliner lever is released and the teeth on the pawls of the inboard recliner are in tip-to-tip or tooth-to-tooth engagement with the rim of teeth on the inner disc. In this condition, the pawls are prevented from returning to the locked position such that the inboard recliner will remain unlocked, and because the inboard and outboard recliners are joined by the cross-talk tube, the outboard recliner will also remain unlocked. Imperfect alignment is common within normal acceptable build tolerances.
In International Patent Publication Number WO2006105657 a bushing is operatively connected between a cross-talk tube and a locking mechanism of an inboard recliner. The bushing provides a lost motion connection between the cross-talk tube and the locking mechanism such that imperfect alignment of the inboard and outboard recliners does not allow the inboard recliner, when the locking mechanism is in a tooth-to-tooth condition, to hold the outboard recliner unlocked after the recliner lever is released. In other words, due to the lost motion connection the inboard and outboard recliners can lock independently.
It is desirable to provide a recliner assembly including an improved lost motion connection or spring bushing coupled between a cross-talk tube and a locking mechanism of an inboard recliner to allow the inboard recliner and an outboard recliner to lock independently and to also synchronize the inboard and outboard recliners to unlock simultaneously. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Recently, research and development efforts have been directed to semiconductor memory devices utilizing ferroelectric memory cells in hopes of providing memories which are non-volatile and provide fast access. Examples of such semiconductor devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,664 to Eaton, Jr. and in the article Eaton, Jr., et al., "A Ferroelectric DRAM Cell for High Density NVRAMs," ISSCC DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, pp. 130-131, February 1988. Conventional examples of such devices, however, have experienced the corruption of data due to unknown causes. The observed failure mode is that data are corrupted when previously written data are inverted as a power supply is turned on which had previously been turned off. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Electrical power may be generated by a variety of technologies implementing a variety of physical principles. One physical principle used to generate power is electromagnetic induction. One implementation of electromagnetic induction is a linear alternator, which is typically arranged so that a permanent magnet oscillates linearly along the central axis of a wound wire coil to induce an electromotive force in the wire coil. When connected to a load, the electrical current may be harnessed to provide electrical power. While linear alternators are practical and efficient, such arrangements typically emit an electromagnetic field that is generated by the magnets and coil of the linear alternator. Depending on the implementation, external electromagnetic fields are undesirable because such fields create an undesirable environment. Specifically, electromagnetic fields may interfere with sensitive instrumentation situated near a linear alternator. Therefore, linear alternators are not practical for implementations where electrical power generating equipment must be located near instrumentation that is sensitive to electromagnetic emissions.
In the prior art, shielding techniques have been used to limit interference from electromagnetic fields. Such shielding techniques typically include surrounding a linear alternator with metal sheeting or plating in an attempt to contain electromagnetic interference. Such techniques may substantially add to the weight of a linear alternator and make the alternator impractical for weight sensitive applications. In addition, shielding techniques also may create thermal management problems for any equipment that is being shielded, along with any equipment situated near the shielded equipment.
Because of the limitations of the prior art, there exists a need for novel apparatus and methods for mitigating electromagnetic interference emitting from linear alternators. | {
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This invention relates generally to medical devices and methods of performing surgical procedures and more particularly to the anastomosis of blood vessels, ducts, lumens or other tubular organs.
Arterial bypass surgery is a common modality for the treatment of occlusive vascular disease. Such surgery typically involves a formal surgical incision and exposure of the occluded vessel followed by the joinder of a graft, e.g., a mammary artery, saphenous vein, or synthetic graft (all collectively referred to hereinafter as the “bypass graft”), to the occluded vessel—(hereinafter the “native” blood vessel) distally (downstream) of the occlusion. The upstream or proximal end of the bypass graft is secured to a suitable blood vessel upstream of the occlusion, e.g., the aorta, to divert the flow of blood around the blockage. Other occluded or diseased blood vessels, such as the carotid artery, may be similarly treated. Moreover, similar procedures are conducted to place a graft between an artery and a vein in dialysis patients. such as the carotid artery, may be similarly treated. Moreover, similar procedures are conducted to place a graft between an artery and a vein in dialysis patients.
While such surgical procedures are widely practiced they have certain: inherent operative limitations. For example, sewing the graft to the host vessel, known as anastomosis, requires complex and delicate surgical techniques to accomplish the optimum result. Various complications must be avoided when anastomosing a bypass graft, whether it be a natural graft or a synthetic graft. For example, it is important that the juncture between the native vessel and the bypass graft form a smooth uniform transition without narrowing or regional irregularities which could tend to reduce blood flow. Moreover, any protuberances into the lumen could obstruct blood flow and may produce turbulence, thereby increasing the risk of clotting and/or restenosis. In addition, the difference in size between the typically larger internal diameter of the bypass graft and the typically smaller native artery may also produce unwanted turbulence in the blood. All of these characteristics can greatly diminish the effectiveness and patency of the graft.
Various devices and methods of use have been disclosed for effecting anastomosis of blood or other vessels, ducts, lumens or other tubular organs. Examples of such devices and methods are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,127,903 (Bowen), U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,095 (Brown), U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,920 (Wesolowski), U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,218 (Schmitt et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,926 (Suzuki), U.S Pat. No.4,214,586 (Mericle), U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,981 (Schomacher), U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,819 (Kasler), U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,736 (Kasler), U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,415 (Wozniak), U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,263 (Harbuck), U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,008 (Tretbar), U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,761 (Raible), U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,148 (Hardy, Jr. et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,109 (Healy), U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,236 (Healy), U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,029 (Patel), U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,001 (Taheri), 4,816,028 (Kapadia et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,318 (Solem et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,502 (Chen), U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,057 (Cummings et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,499 (Lipatov et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,619 (Ehrenfeld), U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,908 (Chen), U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,289 (Jessen), U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,058 (Miller), U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,963 (Brinkerhoffet al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,490 (Wilk et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,501 (Regula et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,389 (Anderson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,352 (Hanson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,738 (Gustafson et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,739 (Jessen), U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,497 (Venbrux), U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,644 (Pietrafitta et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,514 (Gerry et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,712 (Maginot), U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,714 (Owen), U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,635 (Sauer et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,902 (Raulerson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,167 (Maginot), U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,987 (Fahy) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,226 (Trerotola et al.).
In our co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/861,584 filed on May 22, 1997 entitled Anastomosis System And Method of Use, which is assigned to the same assignee as this invention and whose disclosure is incorporated by reference herein, there is disclosed and claimed anastomosis systems and methods of use which overcome many of the disadvantages of the prior art. | {
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Press gauge is mainly used for pressure monitoring in closed environments. The test range of a press gauge used for barometric pressure measurement is usually from 0 to 30 Kg/cm2, while the upper limit of test range of a press gauge for oil pressure measurement can reach or even exceed 3000 Kg/cm2, such that the upper limit of the test ranges of the latter could be up to 100 times that of the former. When user is not clear about the application range of the press gauge itself, it may cause press gauge to rupture or even lead to an explosion due to excessive applied pressure. The press gauge in the prior art, such as the Chinese Taiwan Patent Application No. 098208087, discloses a press gauge structure which is difficult to guarantee the safety of the press gauge due to a lack of a pressure relief protection structure. In addition, the base of press gauge structure in the patent above is made of zinc-aluminum alloy, thus the production and processing efficiency is low, while the cost is high; and a membrane in the press gauge structure is fixed through screw at its centre, which increases the thickness of the press gauge. The shortcomings above need to be further improved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention is in the field of noise and vibration control. More specifically this invention relates to an apparatus for isolating the structure borne vibration, and therefore the noise transferred from one part of a building to another.
In many building applications, furring channels are used to attach one part of a building structure, for example wallboard or other sheet material, to another part of the building structure. Noise, transmitted structurally as vibration, is often transmitted from one part of the building to another through the furring channel connection points.
When hanging a ceiling from a structure, furring channels are often attached to the joists, and the ceiling panels are then hung from the furring channels. In order to reduce the noise and vibration transferred via these connections, there are vibration isolating mounting methods. One of these methods is using a resilient channel. This is a metal channel with at least one flange, which is attached to the mounting surface via this flange, and wherein the remainder of the channel is offset from the mounting surface, thereby, when the wallboard or ceiling structure is mounted to the channel portion, it is isolated from the mounting surface. There are many opportunities for the resilient channel to fail by “shorting-out”. If the deflection of the channel is not enough, the channel may come in contact with the stud. Also, mounting of the drywall or other material to the channel is often done where the mounting mechanism passes through the drywall, and inadvertently goes through too far, and comes in contact with the mounting surface. Further, the resilient channels are not used in conjunction with standard furring channels, but are specifically ordered for the application. Mounting clips are available for mounting standard furring channels to a mounting surface, such that the drywall/ceiling is vibrationally isolated from the mounting surface. These clips can be expensive to manufacture. Prior art clips, in some cases only provide minimal deflection.
A mounting apparatus is needed for mounting standard furring channels to a mounting surface, such that drywall/ceiling mounted to these furring channels will be vibrationally isolated from the mounting surface. Further, a vibration isolating mounting apparatus is need for mounting other substrate to a mounting surface, such as mounting a ceiling grid for a floating ceiling to the mounting surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In general, a thermal recording sheet is obtained by mixing a normally colorless or pale colored dye precursor and a color developer such as a phenolic compound, each dispersed to fine particles and mixed, adding a binder, a filler, a sensitizer, a lubricant, and other additives to form a coating color, and coating the coating color on a substrate such as paper, synthetic paper, films, or plastics, which develops a color by a momentary chemical reaction caused by heating with a thermal head, a hot stamp, a thermal pen, laser light or the like to obtain a recorded image.
Thermal recording sheets are applied in a wide variety of areas such as measuring recorders, terminal printers for computers, facsimiles, automatic ticket venders, and bar code labels. However, with recent diversification of these recording devices and advance towards higher performance, quality requirements for thermal recording sheet have become higher and more difficult to achieve. For example, for high-speed recording, a thermal recording sheet which can provide a high recording density even with a small thermal energy is in demand. On the other hand, in view of storage stability of recording sheet, a thermal recording sheet is required which is superior in light resistance, heat resistance, water resistance, oil resistance, and plasticizer resistance.
Further, with the popularization of plain paper recording system such as electrophotographic or ink-jet systems, the thermal recording system has become often compared with these plain paper recording systems. For this reason, for example, stability of recorded portion or stability of unrecorded portion (background portion or white portion) before and after recording are required to be closer in quality to those of plain paper recording, as in the case of toner recording. Further, the thermal recording sheet is required to have a background color stability to heat of above 100.degree. C because the thermal recording sheet is used as a label for foodstuffs which are subjected to, sterilization at high temperatures, and in cards such as skiing lift tickets which are heat laminated.
As to the background color stability of thermal recording material, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (OPI) 04-353490 discloses a thermal recording material containing 3-dibutylamino-7-(o-chloroanilino) fluorane, 4-hydroxydiphenylsulfone compound having a melting point of above 120.degree. C., and a mixture of sodium salt of 2,2'-methylenebis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphate and magnesium silicate having a relatively good background color stability and good stability of recorded image even at a high temperature of about 90.degree. C.
On the other hand, recording on the thermal recording sheet is generally achieved by contacting a thermal head or IC pen as a heating element directly on the thermal recording paper. In this method, a color developing melt or the like tends to adhere to the heating element, resulting in a degraded recording function. Further, a thermal recording method using a thermal head is limited in increasing the density of the heating element, the resolution is typically about 10 dots/mm, and recording of a higher density is difficult. Then, a noncontacting recording method with light is proposed as a method for further improving the resolution without degrading the recording function.
Japanese Patent OPI 58-148776 discloses that thermal recording is possible using a carbon dioxide laser as a recording light source, by converging and scanning the laser light on the thermal recording paper. This recording method requires a high laser output power in spite of the fact that the thermal recording paper absorbs the oscillation wavelength of the carbon dioxide laser. The recording apparatus is impossible to be designed compact partly because of the use of a gas laser, and has a problem in fabrication cost.
Further, since conventional thermal recording paper is hard to absorb light in the visible and near-infrared regions, when a laser having an oscillation wavelength in the visible or near-infrared region, a required heat energy cannot be obtained unless the laser output power is increased to a great extent.
Still further, optical recording materials comprising combinations of conventional thermal recording materials and light absorbent materials are proposed in Japanese OPIs 54-4142, 57-11090, 58-94494, 58-209594, and so on.
Japanese OPI 54-4142 discloses that in a thermal recording medium having a substrate coated thereon with a thermal recording layer mainly comprising a leuco dye, using a metal compound having a lattice defect, the metal compound absorbs light of the visible or infrared region to convert it to heat, thereby enabling thermal recording. Japanese OPI 57-11090 describes an optical recording medium having a recording layer comprising a colorless or pale colored color forming substance, a phenolic substance, and an organic polymer binder, containing therein a benzenedithiol nickel complex as a light absorbent, which allows recording with laser light. Japanese OPI 58-94494 discloses recording medium having a substrate coated thereon with one or more thermal color forming materials, and one or more near-infrared absorbent material comprising a compound having a peak absorption wavelength in the near-infrared region of 0.7 to 31 .mu.m. Japanese OPI 58-209594 discloses an optical recording medium characterized in that at least one set of a near-infrared absorbent material having an absorption wavelength in the near-infrared region of 0 8 to 21 .mu.m and at least one thermal color forming material is coated on a substrate.
The thermal recording medium disclosed in Japanese OPI 04-353490 has a heat stability of background color (hereinafter referred to as "heat stability") that a Macbeth density of the background color is 0.11 after the medium is treated in a hot air dryer at 95.degree. for 5 hours, which is fairly good in stability, but is yet insufficient in terms of heat resistance temperature.
With heat resistance of conventional thermal recording materials using a phenolic color developer, it has been impossible to heat laminate the recording surface or the entire recording medium with a film or the like after thermal recording. On the other hand, with heat resistance of conventional optically recordable thermal recording medium using a phenolic color developer as a recording material, when the unrecorded optically recordable thermal recording surface or the entire recording medium is heat laminated with a film or the like, or the recorded surface or the entire recording medium after thermal or optical recording is heat laminated with a film or the like, the overall surface develops a color, and is thus impracticable.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a thermal recording medium capable of thermal recording or optical recording which has a heat resistance to an extent that can be heat laminated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is known that high melting point tetrafluoroethylene polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene homopolymer (PTFE) dissolve in relatively high boiling point solvents, see for instance P. Smith and K. Gardner, Macromol., Vol. 18, 1222-1228 (1985). Lower boiling point compounds, such as the lower perfluorinated alkanes usually do not dissolve polymers such as PTFE under autogenous pressure. It is believed that to dissolve PTFE under autogenous pressure a compound with a critical temperature above about 340.degree. C. is needed (see commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/936,449, filed Aug. 28, 1992). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Terrestrial communications throughout the world has grown to rely heavily on optical fiber communications technology. And there is an increasing flow of signaling information that requires use of multiple optical fibers in communication links from one point to another. The various origination, termination, and relay points for optical fiber distribution systems form huge matrices—much more complicated than, say, a map of the railroads or the electrical power grid infrastructures in the United States and abroad. In fact, some optical fiber links do run along power lines and railroad right-of-ways. But, they also run under seas, across farmers' fields, down city streets, into campuses and within buildings and homes.
Management of complex fiber optic communication systems requires many different types of specialized optical and electronic equipment to ensure that correct signals are continuously being sent and received with minimum interruptions and that any failures are detected and quickly rectified.
At a very basic level, it is necessary to use an optical tap to extract a portion of the optical signal in each fiber within a transmission cable so that its functionality can be monitored. In some cases, monitoring the total optical power level is sufficient [see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/203,566 dated Mar. 11, 2014 by G. Miller et al titled MULTI-PURPOSE APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING, AMPLIFYING, REPLICATING, AND MONITORING OPTICAL SIGNALS ON A MULTIPLICITY OF OPTICAL FIBERS]. In other cases where multiple optical channels are simultaneously transmitted on a single fiber using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), it is often necessary to use arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) to separate the individual optical channels before they are directed to monitoring equipment [see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/205,368 dated Mar. 12, 2014 by G. Miller et al titled APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE FIBER OPTICAL CHANNEL MONITORING AND CHANNEL REPLICATION OF WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXED (WDM) SIGNALS]. In other cases, optical splitters and optical switches are also employed for monitoring purposes. Due to the large number of optical fibers used in modern optical communication systems, many optical taps, AWGs, splitters and switches are employed. A multiplicity of these components is typically located inside of an equipment enclosure and these enclosures are mounted in racks that fill equipment bays often with a multiplicity of interconnecting fiber optic patch-cord cables [see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/072,528 dated Nov. 5, 2013 by G. Miller et al titled HIGH DENSITY ENCLOSURE FOR OPTICAL MODULES].
Clearly, it is desirable to reduce both the time and expense associated with interconnecting the various pieces of communication equipment within equipment bays and to minimize the optical attenuation associated with these interconnections. And this has been an ongoing evolutionary process for all types of equipment, enclosures and patch-cord cables used in modern fiber optical communication systems.
The state-of-the-art for interconnecting various optical components like optical taps is to pack some manageable number of them into a modular container (also referred to as a cassette) that has optical connectors on one or more of its narrow sides. These modular containers are, in turn, closely packed side-by-side into an equipment enclosure that is mounted in an equipment rack such that most or all of the optical connectors on the modular containers face outward for convenient access.
However, for various reasons, including the desirability of increasing the packing density of the cassettes within an equipment enclosure, the cassettes are sometimes located internal to an equipment enclosure well away from the front panel. [see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/072,528 referenced above] In such cases, the connection between an equipment cassette and the front panel of the equipment enclosure is typically made with an optical fiber or multi-fiber optic ribbon cable internal to the equipment enclosure that terminates with an optical connector mounted on the outer surface of the enclosure. Then optical patch-cord cables, also terminated with optical connectors, are used to interconnect equipment enclosures.
While use of optical patch-cord cables in this manner is a broadly used installation practice within equipment bays, it is apparent that in some cases it might be desirable to eliminate one or more optical connectors mounted on the surface of equipment enclosures and simply feed the optical patch-cord cable directly through a hole in the enclosure's surface (panel) so that it may continue to an internal equipment cassette where it can be connected (terminated). This strategy would have several advantages: (1) it would eliminate both the cost and optical attenuation associated with an optical connection located on the surface of the equipment enclosure, (2) the patch-cord could possibly be terminated with an optical connector outside of the equipment enclosure, where access is not limited, and simply passed through a conveniently located hole in the outer surface of the equipment enclosure, (3) this strategy might be used at both ends of the fiber optic patch-cord cable for even greater savings of cost and installation time. However, at present there are no fiber optic cable feedthroughs that are inexpensive, easy to install, and capable of securing a pre-terminated (with optical connector) fiber optic cable patch-cords in place. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Streaming live or prerecorded video to client devices such as set-top boxes, computers, smartphones, mobile devices, tablet computers, gaming consoles, and other devices over networks such as the internet has become increasingly popular. Delivery of such video commonly relies on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HDS), Smooth Streaming, and MPEG-DASH.
Adaptive bitrate streams are often segmented such that client devices can transition between different variants of a video stream at segment boundaries, depending on factors such as network conditions and the receiving client device's processing capacity. For example, a video can be encoded at a high quality level using a high bitrate, at a medium quality level using a medium bitrate, and at a low quality level using a low bitrate. Each alternative variant of the video stream can be listed on a playlist such that the client devices can request segments from the most appropriate variant for current conditions. A client device that initially requested segments from a high quality variant when it had sufficient available bandwidth for that variant can switch to requesting segments from a lower quality variant when the its available bandwidth decreases.
A client device generally has a buffer so that it can download video data into the buffer, and then extract the video data from the buffer for decoding and playback. When an entire segment is downloaded into a client device's buffer before playback reaches the end of that segment, the client device can request the next segment from the same or a different variant based on current network conditions. However, if network conditions deteriorate while the client device is downloading a segment such that the client device plays all the video data available in the buffer before additional video data can be downloaded, the client device can experience a buffer underrun.
In many adaptive bitrate streaming solutions a client device pauses video playback when it experiences a buffer underrun. The client device then waits until enough additional video data has been received in the buffer to allow it to begin playback again. If the client device waits too long to resume playback, the buffering delay can interrupt the viewing experience and frustrate users. However, if the client device does not wait long enough, or if network conditions change such that the client device plays back buffered video data of a segment faster than it downloads remaining portions of that segment, the client device can be forced to again pause playback and further buffer additional data within the same segment. Starting and stopping video playback for buffering multiple times within the same segment can be annoying for viewers and further deteriorate the viewing experience.
What is needed is a system for minimizing the number of playback pauses that occur due to buffer underruns within a single segment of an adaptive bitrate streaming variant, while also minimizing the length of such pauses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of network security techniques. In particular, various embodiments relate to hidden data identification and methods for filtering media files that are embedded with malware, spam or sensitive information.
Description of the Related Art
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data. Linear or one-dimensional (1D) barcodes represent data by varying the width of and spacing between parallel lines or rectangles. Two dimensions (2D) barcodes use dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns to represent data. A unit of a 2D barcode, such as a matrix barcode or Quick Response (QR) code, may represent more than 1K bytes of data depending upon the version and encoding employed. A QR code that encodes text, music, images, Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and/or emails can be generated as an image file and transmitted through short message service (SMS) and/or multimedia messaging service (MMS) or via the Internet. Barcode reader utility software running on a computing device, such as a smart phone, may scan a barcode by a camera connected to or integrated within the computing device. The barcode reader decodes the encoded content and then may show the content.
Some barcode reader utility software may carry out further operations based on the type of encoded content. For example, when the encoded content includes or represents a URL, the barcode reader utility software may launch a web browser and open the URL directly (via URL redirection, for example, which allows QR codes to send metadata to existing applications on the device running the barcode reader utility software). It is convenient for a smart phone user to open a web page by scanning a barcode instead of typing in the URL manually. As such, QR codes have become more prevalent as part of product/service advertising strategies targeting mobile-phone users via mobile tagging. Personal information or business cards may also be encoded within 2D barcodes (e.g., QR codes) and can be printed out or transmitted through a network.
Other ways to embed hidden content in media files include digital watermarking and steganography. Digital watermarking is a kind of marker covertly embedded in a noise-tolerant signal such as audio or image data. Digital watermarks are only perceptible under certain conditions, i.e., after using some algorithm, and are otherwise imperceptible to human senses. Both steganography and digital watermarking employ steganographic techniques to embed data covertly in noisy signals but remain imperceptible to human senses. Digital watermarks may be used to verify the authenticity or integrity of the carrier signal or to show the identity of its owner. It is prominently used for tracing copyright infringements and for banknote authentication.
As media files may carry encoded and hidden data that are imperceptible to human senses, some malware use these techniques to intrude into user devices or transfer sensitive information. For example, a malicious web site may distribute a barcode that contains its URL to smart phone users and induce the users to scan or decode the barcode. After the smart phone decodes the barcode, the smart phone may launch its web browser and open the malicious website. The website may contain malware that can, among other things, gain access and/or control of the smart phone, disrupt operation of the smart phone and/or gather sensitive information stored on or entered into the smart phone (e.g., usernames and passwords entered into apps and/or websites).
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for methods and system that can resist the spread of media files containing malware or sensitive information embedded therein in human imperceptible form. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As discussed in the background of U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,690 to Rahmes et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, topographical models of geographical areas may be used for many applications. For example, topographical models may be used in flight simulators and for planning military missions. Furthermore, topographical models of man-made structures (e.g., cities) may be extremely helpful in applications such as cellular antenna placement, urban planning, disaster preparedness and analysis, and mapping, for example.
Various types and methods for making topographical models are presently being used. One common topographical model is the digital elevation map (DEM). A DEM is a sampled matrix representation of a geographical area that may be generated in an automated fashion by a computer. In a DEM, co-ordinate points are made to correspond with a height value. DEMs are typically used for modeling terrain where the transitions between different elevations (e.g., valleys, mountains, etc.) are generally smooth from one to a next. That is, DEMs typically model terrain as a plurality of curved surfaces and any discontinuities therebetween are thus “smoothed” over. For this reason, DEMs generally are not well suited for modeling man-made structures, such as skyscrapers in a downtown area, with sufficient accuracy for many of the above applications.
Another approach to producing topographical models has been developed by the Harris Corporation, assignee of the present invention, and is commercially referred to as RealSite®. RealSite® provides a semi-automated process for making three-dimensional (3D) topographical models of geographical areas, including cities, that have accurate textures and structure boundaries. Moreover, RealSite® models are geospatially accurate. That is, the location of any given point within the model corresponds to an actual location in the geographical area with very high accuracy (e.g., within a few meters). The data used to generate RealSite® models may include aerial and satellite photography, electro-optical, infrared, and light detection and ranging (LIDAR).
RealSite® models not only provide enhanced accuracy over prior automated methods (such as automated DEM generation), but since they are produced using a semi-automated computer process they may be created much more rapidly than comparable manually rendered models. Yet, even though the RealSite® model generation process begins with actual data of a geographic location, some user delineation may be required to distinguish objects within an input data set before automated computer algorithms can render the final models. Thus, producing RealSite® models for large geometric areas of several kilometers, for example, may require a significant amount of time and labor.
Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,690 discloses a significant advance of an automated method for making a topographical model of an area including terrain and buildings thereon based upon randomly spaced data of elevation versus position. The method may include processing the randomly spaced data to generate gridded data conforming to a predetermined position grid, processing the gridded data to distinguish building data from terrain data, and performing polygon extraction to make the topographical model of the area including terrain and buildings thereon.
Change detection is an important part of many commercial Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-related applications. Moreover, given the recent explosion of available imagery data and the increasing number of areas-of-interest throughout the world, the trend is towards rapid, automated change detection algorithms. To make effective use of these imagery databases care should generally be taken that the newly collected imagery match the existing/reference imagery's characteristics such as coverage, field-of-view, color, and most notably, sensor location and viewpoint.
Unfortunately, this presents a difficulty since in many cases it is time-consuming, very difficult or even impossible to replicate the original collection scenario due to: sensor-scheduling (in the case of space-based), cost of re-flying the sensor (in the case of aerial-based), or that the sensor is no longer in use (both cases). Thus large amounts of collected imagery may go underutilized in regards to change detection.
The current state of the art in change detection involves either: (1) geo-registering two images (reference and new collect images) together so that the automated change detection algorithms will have a high rate of success, or (2) performing sophisticated pixel-correlation change detection algorithms that tend to be slow, iterative in nature, and manually intensive, since the algorithms often need to be tweaked between runs. The first case requires a high degree of correlation in the location and parameters of the sensor, or sensors, if they are different between the two collects. The second case does not require as high a degree of correlation although some is still needed, but it is neither automated nor fast. Neither approach is satisfactory.
An article by Walter entitled “Automated GIS Data Collection and Update,” pp. 267-280, 1999, examines data from different sensors regarding their potential for automatic change detection. Along these lines an article entitled “Automatic Change Detection of Urban Geospatial Databases Based on High Resolution Satellite Images Using AI Concepts” to Samadzadegan et al. discloses an automatic change detection approach for changes in topographic urban geospatial databases taking advantage of fusion of description and logical information represented on two levels. U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,159 discloses identifying moving objects in a video using volume growing and change detection masks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,483 discloses a mapping system for the integration and graphical display of pipeline information that enables automated pipeline surveillance.
Accordingly, although a growing body of geospatial scene model data exists, it has not yet been exploited in the area of automated change detection of sensor images. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As a rule, in order to perform different valve functions, widely differing valve assemblies with components specially designed for the particular function are developed, which adversely affects manufacturing costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a material and process for providing a protective corrosion inhibitor coating to an aluminum surface and relates specifically to a material and process for providing a cationic film corrosion inhibitor coating to the exposed aluminum surfaces of submarine weapons positioned in submarine torpedo tubes for launch.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Since the introduction of high-strength aluminum alloys for construction of submarine weapons, a continuing problem has been seawater induced corrosion. As used herein, "aluminum" is considered to include aluminum and all aluminum alloys. Numerous attempts have been made to eliminate or minimize this corrosion problem but none have proven completely successful. Some of the techniques considered have included providing a paint or special coating on the weapons and/or the torpedo tubes, use of sacrificial anodes attached to the weapons during tube storage, and the use of premixed corrosion inhibitors in the torpedo tube to replace the conventional use of seawater. All of these methods have limitations and valuable weapon assets continue to be lost to the ravages of corrosion. Additionally, the repair of corrosion damage on the weapons is a time consuming and expensive liability.
Paint and coatings on the weapons suffer from the serious disadvantage of having their integrity broken by scratches and abrasions resulting from repeated tube loading and unloading evolutions. These scratches and abrasions, not only expose the bare aluminum but, also create an unfavorably large cathode-to-anode area ratio with the unpainted torpedo tubes which intensifies the corrosion reaction. Limited coating repair can be performed on the submarine or tender but the original integrity can never be fully restored without making extensive repairs to the weapons. At present, touch-up painting of the weapons, combined with routine preventive maintenance, is the primary corrosion prevention method.
Efforts to coat the interior of torpedo tubes with tar-based paints, to minimize the cathode-to-anode area ratio, have also been considered but no fully successful paint has been found that will maintain adhesion over a long period of time. The resulting paint chips damage the torpedo tube slide valve seals and, even when successful, painting of torpedo tubes is a difficult maintenance problem.
The use of sacrificial anodes, such as zinc and magnesium, attached to the weapon, has been shown to result in a significant reduction of corrosion levels. However, the resulting zinc and magnesium hydroxide precipitates cause serious problems in the operation of the torpedo tube slide valves and in the contamination of the submarine trim and drain system, and as a result, preclude this process from being used.
The use of corrosion inhibiting solutions in the weapon tubes instead of seawater has also been considered but never implemented because of the large volume required for the repeated flood down and draining evolutions which occur. Since space is at a premium on all submarines, there is currently no place to store the required large quantities of inhibitor solutions. Also, some trim and drain system modifications could be expected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The solventless resin compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,182 have special merit as electrical insulation materials because of their low viscosity and their stability at elevated temperatures, both of which favor the use of vacuum-pressure impregnation technique in the production of insulated conductors. While those compositions have consequently seen extensive use in insulation applications and, in fact, have qualified for use in service at temperatures as high as 220.degree. C., there persists a well-recognized need for vacuum-pressure impregnatable (VPI) resin compositions for electrical insulating purposes at temperatures up to in the 220.degree.-250.degree. C. range for protracted periods. The numerous attempts to produce such heat stable VPI resins have taken a variety of forms, but all have failed for one reason or another to satisfy the demand. Addition of inorganic oxides and silica, for instance, has proven to be of very little benefit. Thus, lamellar silica enhances thermal stability beyond such other inorganic materials but substantially increases viscosity of VPI resins, detracting from their usefulness.
Various heat resistant polymers such as polyimides, fluoro silicones, polyphenylsulfide and the like are useful as films, molded parts and wire enamels but cannot be used at VPI resins for insulating electrical machinery nor can they be used to impregnate mica paper to make prepregged mica tapes. Liquid enamels made with high temperature polyimide polymers usually contain less than 15% solids and, in addition, a volatile compound is generated during cure. Polyimides, such as KAPTON.TM. find uses in heat resistant electrical insulation as films but cannot be used as VPI resins for reasons set out above.
None of the commercially-available heat resistant VPI resins which we have tested is more heat stable than those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,182 referenced above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Various apparatuses and methods have been developed to produce fuel cells from components developed in web or roll form. Conventional assembling approaches typically involve cutting several of the input web components to form stacks of such material in batch operations. The singulated materials are then manipulated using various mechanical and vacuum means to properly position the singulated materials during fuel cell assembly.
Although many of these processes can be automated, such approaches typically involve numerous handling, registration, and alignment steps performed by complex, time consuming, and typically expensive automation equipment. The number and complexity of processing steps associated with conventional fuel cell manufacturing approaches typically reduces product throughput, which negatively affects the productivity of an automated fuel cell assembly line. Moreover, many conventional fuel cell fabrication apparatuses and methods are not well suited for a high degree of automation, particularly such apparatus and processes which have tight positional tolerance requirements.
There is a need for improved fuel cell manufacturing apparatuses, methodologies, and fuel cell assemblies produced from such apparatuses and methodologies. There is a further need for such apparatuses, methodologies, and fuel cell assemblies that can be implemented in an automated assembly environment, such as in an automated fuel cell assembly plant. The present invention fulfills these and other needs, and addresses other deficiencies in prior approaches. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an image-receiving sheet, and more particularly to an image-receiving sheet, for use in electrophotographic system, thermal transfer system or the like where the image-receiving sheet is heated at the time of image formation, that enables an opaque detection mark to be rendered transparent upon exposure to heat and pressure at the time of image formation.
In recent years, formation of a monochromatic image of black as well as formation of a full-color image by mixing of three-color toners of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or four-color toners of the above three colors, yellow, magenta, and cyan, and black using an electrophotographic system has been put to practical use.
In order to steadily record and hold record information, such as letters and images, an image-receiving sheet used in the electrophotographic copying machine comprises a substrate having thereon a receptive layer. This image-receiving sheet is used, for example, for OHP (overhead projector) as information transmission means which is used in lecture meetings, schools, enterprises, other briefing sessions, exhibitions and the like.
In the electrophotographic system, detection means is provided in order to detect paper jamming or to discriminate one side of paper from the other side, or, in the case of color image formation, to register image patterns of three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or four colors of the above three colors, yellow, magenta, and cyan, and black on an identical image-receiving sheet. In particular, in image formation on a transparent image-receiving sheet, for example, optical detection means is provided wherein light from a light source is applied to a transparent image-receiving sheet and the presence or absence of reflected light or the presence or absence of transmitted light is detected by a photosensor.
For example, a detection mark has been formed using an opaque ink or an ink having metallic luster. Further, the applicant of the present invention has proposed, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 49581/1995 and 56376/1995, an image-receiving sheet having an opaque detection mark that can be rendered transparent upon heating at the time of image formation and, when the formed image is projected by an overhead projector, permits only a necessary image to be projected without creation of a visually noticeable shadow in the projection of the detection mark.
The detection mark described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 49581/1995 and 56376/1995 is formed by coating a transparent resin varnish comprising a resin, a low-boiling good solvent, and a high-boiling poor solvent and then drying the coating to cause gelation, thereby forming an opaque porous layer. This detection mark, when heated at the time of image formation, permits the resin to be melted and rendered transparent, thus erasing the detection mark.
In the above conventional image-receiving sheets, the capability of the detection mark to be rendered transparent upon heating at the time of image formation and the coating strength and the like of the detection mark layer vary depending upon the resin constituting the detection mark, that is, the type of the resin and the difference in degree of polymerization or molecular weight even in the same type of resin.
Further, in copying machines and printers for image formation in an electrophotographic system, a thermal transfer system or the like, the image-receiving sheet has become carried at a high speed in order to improve the processing efficiency. This has led to lowered energy in heating and pressing at the time of image formation.
Under the above circumstance, application of satisfactory heat and pressure to the detection mark in copying machines and printers in a high-speed electrophotographic system or thermal transfer system has become impossible, posing a problem that the conventional image-receiving sheet is unsatisfactory in the erasability of the detection mark upon heating at the time of image formation.
In order to solve this problem, an attempt has been made to reduce the coating thickness of the detection mark (not more than 1.7 g/m.sup.2 on dry weight basis) to improve the erasability of the detection mark. The reduction in the coating thickness of the detection mark leads to a problem that the initial properties such as light transmittance and reflectance properties of the detection mark (i.e., properties before thermal printing at the time of image formation) are lowered where by the detection mark becomes hard to be detected.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art and to provide an image-receiving sheet having an opaque detection mark that, when an image is formed by copying machines or printers in high-speed electrophotographic system, thermal transfer system or the like, can be rendered transparent upon exposure to heat and pressure at the time of image formation to such an extent that the detection mark is no longer visually noticeable, and, before image formation, does not undergo a lowering in infrared transmittance and reflectance properties before heating at the time of image formation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to heat sinks for cooling heat generating components.
2. Background Art
Heat sinks may be used to cool electronic devices for example. One known heat sink includes a copper or aluminum cooling block having cooling passages that are machined into the cooling block. The cooling passages receive a cooling liquid that receives heat from the electronic device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, more particularly relates to a method for manufacturing a CMOS semiconductor device which sufficiently activates an impurity introduced into a polycrystalline silicon gate electrode and reduces an effective thickness of the gate insulating film.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increasing miniaturization of CMOS transistors has led to demand for a shallower junction between the source region and drain region. To obtain such a shallower junction, it is required that ions be implanted with a low energy and the activation annealing be performed at a lower temperature and in a shorter time than the past. When using polycrystalline silicon as a gate electrode, if annealing at a low temperature for a short time, the impurity implanted into the polycrystalline silicon gate electrode is not sufficiently activated. Therefore, the gate electrode becomes depleted and the effective thickness of the gate insulating film becomes greater resulting in the problem of the performance of the CMOS transistor dropping. To solve this problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-310666 (in particular the claims and paragraph) discloses a method of manufacturing a CMOS transistor using predoping for introducing an impurity into a gate electrode formation material in advance before processing to the shape of the gate electrode. This publication describes to form a polycrystalline silicon film on a gate oxide film, implant boron (B) ions into the region of the polycrystalline silicon film for forming the p-type gate electrode (pMOS formation region), implant phosphorus (P) ions into the region of the polycrystalline silicon film for forming the n-type gate electrode (nMOS formation region), perform activation annealing at these regions simultaneously, then process them to form gate electrode shapes. The activation annealing is performed specifically at about 850° C. for 30 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere. However, when annealing for such a long time, the predoped boron migrates from the gate electrode through the gate oxide film to the substrate side. The so-called “boron penetration” phenomenon occurs. This boron penetration ends up causing the performance of the transistor to drop. In this way, while it is desirable to apply sufficient heat for annealing in order to activate the predoped material, if too much heat is added, boron penetration ends up occurring. Improvement of the activation and boron penetration are in a trade-off relationship resulting in a narrow margin of processing and difficult production.
Further, the gate width of the gate electrode has to be made narrower to miniaturize a CMOS transistor. If the gate width becomes narrower, the resultant roughness of the gate shape will lead to variations in the transistor characteristics. Further, it is known that with predoping, the roughness of the gate shape also becomes larger. This increase in roughness is particularly remarkable at the n-type gate electrode side (for example, see Sugatani, S. et al., “Requirements for Dry Process of 100 nm Node CMOS Integration”, Dry Process International Symp. 2002, pp. 255-262). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Metal panels are being increasingly used to define building surfaces such as roofs and sidewalls. One type of metal panel is a standing seam panel, where the edges of adjacent standing seam panels of the building surface are interconnected in a manner that defines a standing seam. Standing seam panels are expensive compared to other metal panels, and building surfaces defined by metal panels may be more costly than other types of building surface constructions.
It is often desirable to install various types of structures on building surfaces, such as heating, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment. Installing structures on metal panel building surfaces in a manner that punctures the building surface at one or more locations is undesirable in a number of respects. One is simply the desire to avoid puncturing what can be a relatively expensive building surface. Another is that puncturing a metal panel building surface can present leakage and corrosion issues.
Photovoltaic or solar cells have existed for some time, and have been installed on various building roofs. A photovoltaic cell is typically incorporated into a perimeter frame of an appropriate material (e.g., aluminum) to define a photovoltaic module. Multiple photovoltaic modules may be installed in one or more rows on a roofing surface to define an array. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Steep slopes, embankments, and sub-grades of earth often require stabilization to prevent soil movement. Often, stabilization can be accomplished by using high quality, select soils in the slopes or embankmnents. However, it is often desirable to reuse the soils originally found at the construction site. In such cases, it is often necessary to construct additional structures for effective stabilization of the soil.
Although some soil stabilization applications are effectively achieved by using underlayments and layers of sheet materials, or anchor sheets, which are covered with backfill materials, other applications require the construction of retaining walls. Moreover, some applications require the construction of retaining walls that incorporate anchor sheets for maintaining the retaining wall and soil in their desired positions. Existing retaining walls are typically constructed of a plurality of uniformly shaped, molded blocks which may either be connected together or simply stacked atop each other. For example, some known blocks have bores which receive pins or dowels to connect the molded blocks in vertically adjacent tiers. Still other types of existing molded blocks have opposing top and bottom surfaces which are often configured for interlocking engagement.
As noted, existing retaining walls may also include one or more laterally extending anchor sheets that maintain both the retaining wall and the retained soils in the desired positions. Typically, a portion of each anchor sheet is attached to the retaining wall by the use of connectors, such as clips, pins, etc. disposed in matching holes, etc., or the retained portion may be merely secured between adjacent tiers of molded blocks by the weight of the blocks.
Retaining walls may also be constructed of blocks of naturally occurring stone materials, such as granite, flagstone, fieldstone, etc. Because the blocks of naturally occurring stone material are quarried from the earth rather than being formed in a mold, they typically vary in shape from one block to the next. There are a number of drawbacks of existing retaining walls constructed of natural stone materials. For example, because the blocks are non-molded and non-uniform, they are not as readily stackable as their modular counterparts. As a result, whereas the retaining wall constructed of molded blocks may have a fairly uniform width from the base to the top of the wall, a retaining wall constructed of non-molded, natural stone material typically requires a width at the base of the wall which can be up to as much as one-half the overall height of the wall. As such, typical retaining walls constructed of non-molded blocks require large amounts of materials, and they are rather expensive to construct.
Therefore, there is a need for improved retaining wall structures constructed of naturally occurring, non-molded blocks which address these and other shortcomings of the prior art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Home automation is automation of the home, housework or household activity. Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, appliances, security locks of gates and doors, and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security. Current smart home systems are designed for simple controlling or monitoring, for example, controlling light bulb from smartphone. Some systems are designed to be smarter by allowing user to create some straightforward rules, for example: turn off lights at 10 pm every day. In real-life scenarios, however, these types of rules don't usually provide the best experience, especially to facilitate a relaxing lifestyle at home. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It has been reported that high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, such as high-pressure, mercury-vapor lamps, can constitute a safety hazard if the outer envelope is broken and the lamp continues to operate, because of the generation of short wavelength ultraviolet radiations which are passed by the quartz arc tube. Lamps which are protected by a fuse are generally known in the art and a projection lamp which is fused in order to prevent dangerous arcing currents is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,381 dated Nov. 4, 1958.
High-intensity discharge lamps have also been provided with an incandescent filament included between the arc tube and the outer envelope for purposes of ballasting the discharge and also generating some visible light. While the purpose of the ballasting and light-generating filament is not that of a link or safety switch, such a filament will normally oxidize and fail, particularly under lamp start-up conditions, if the outer envelope is broken, since this permits the filament to come in contact with air. Of course, such a supplemental ballasting filament consumes an appreciable portion of the total power consumed by the lamp, which decreases the lamp operating efficiency. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Bladder dysfunction is associated with frequent incidents of urinary tract infection. A person with bladder dysfunction, due to injury, disease, or other cause, is unable to readily detect a possible infection; accordingly, such persons are at high risk for urinary infections. Other persons also may have a high risk of urinary tract infection, due to other causes. There is now available non-invasive means for detecting the volume of urine in the bladder, which has been quite helpful for those persons with bladder dysfunction, due to which the fullness of the bladder cannot be physically detected by the person.
Such non-invasive means are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,871 to Ganguly et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,985 to McMorrow et al. However, those devices are only capable of detecting urine volume in the bladder, and are not directed toward detection of possible infection. For those persons at high risk for urinary tract infection, especially those with significant bladder dysfunction, it would be desirable to have an early warning of impending urinary tract infection, i.e. an ability to detect infection at an early stage, at which point it can be more readily and inexpensively treated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Difficulty has been encountered in securing sutures against movement relative to body tissue. A knot may be tied in a suture to prevent loosening of the suture. However, the knot weakens a portion of the suture and reduces the overall force transmitting capability of the suture. It has been suggested that a suture could be secured using a suture retainer in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,735,875 and 6,010,525.
When a suture retainer is used to maintain a suture in a desired position relative to body tissue, the material of the suture retainer may be pressed against the suture. During pressing of the material of the retainer against the suture, the suture may be heated to promote a flowing of the material of the suture retainer and bonding to the material of the suture retainer to the surface of the suture by heating material of the suture retainer into its transition temperature range.
When the material of the suture retainer is heated into its transition temperature range, the material changes from a solid condition in which it has a fixed form to a soft or viscous condition. When the material of a suture retainer has been heated into the transition temperature range, the material can be molded around an outer side surface of a suture and bonded to the suture without significant deformation of the suture. The transition temperature ranges for various polymers which are suitable for forming suture retainers are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,875. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signaling in a Multi User-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing Downlink Control Information (DCI) in a MU-MIMO wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The rapid growth of the wireless mobile communication market has resulted in a greater demand for various multimedia services in a wireless environment. Recently, to provide such multimedia services, which include a large amount of transmit data and increased data delivery rate, research is being conducted on Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication systems that provide a more efficient use of limited frequencies.
A MIMO wireless communication system can transmit a signal over independent channels per antenna and thus increase transmission reliability and data throughput without the use of an additional frequency or need for additional transmit power, as compared to a single-input single-output system. Furthermore, the MIMO wireless communication system can be extended to a MIMO system in a Multi User (MU) environment supporting a plurality of users. Such an MU-MIMO system enables the plurality of users to share spatial resources ensured by the multiple antennas, thus further improving the spectral efficiency.
In the next generation communication system employing MU-MIMO, research is actively in progress to provide a variety of Quality of Services (QoS) with a data transfer speed of about 100 Mbps. Representative examples of such communication systems include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 system and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. Both the IEEE 802.16 system and the LTE standard employ Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme so that a broadband network can be supported in a physical channel.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a generic downlink frame structure used in a wireless communication system employing OFDM according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the generic frame structure used in OFDM downlink includes a 10 ms radio frame 101 divided into 20 equal slots 103 of 0.5 ms. A sub-frame 105 consists of two consecutive slots such that one frame includes 10 sub-frames.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a generic structure of a resource grid for the duration of one downlink slot 103 is illustrated. The available downlink bandwidth consists of NBWDL sub-carriers with a spacing of 15 kHz. The value of NBWDL can vary in order to allow for scalable bandwidth operation up to 20 MHz. One downlink slot also consists of NSymbDL symbols, each symbol including a Cyclic Prefix (CP) added as a guard time such that the value of NSymbDL depends on the length of the CP. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the generic frame structure with normal CP length has NSymbDL=7 symbols.
In a wireless communication system employing OFDM technology, data is allocated to a Mobile Station (MS) using Resource Elements (REs) 107 of a resource block 109. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, a resource block 109 consists of 12 consecutive sub-carriers in the frequency domain and NSymbDL consecutive symbols in the time domain. Depending on the required data rate, each MS can be assigned one or more resource blocks in each transmission interval of 1 ms (i.e., 2 slots or 1 sub-frame), the resource assignment being performed by a Base Station (BS). The user data is carried on a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) and the downlink control signaling, used to convey scheduling decisions to individual MSs, is carried on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). The PDCCH is located in the first OFDM symbols of a slot.
An aspect of the OFDM technology is the use of reference signals that are provided within the resource blocks for each MS. The reference signals are used by an MS for cell search, channel estimation, neighbor cell monitoring, mobility measurements, and the like. Moreover, the types of reference signals include a Cell-specific Reference Signal (CRS) and an MS specific reference signal, also known as a Dedicated Reference Signal (DRS).
FIGS. 2A through 2G illustrate downlink CRSs used in 1-antenna, 2-antenna and 4-antenna configurations according to the related art.
Referring to FIGS. 2A through 2G, pre-defined REs are used to carry the CRS sequences depending on the number of antennas. In the single antenna system illustrated in FIG. 2A, a CRS is placed in the RE associated with the #0 and #4 symbols of each slot in the time domain. In the frequency domain, the CRS is placed in the RE associated with each 6th subcarrier, there being a staggering of 3 subcarriers between symbols. In the two and four antenna systems of FIGS. 2B through 2G, CRSs are placed in REs in a fashion similar to that of the single antenna system, there being an offset of 3 subcarriers between CRSs for the different antennas. Moreover, with reference to the 2-antenna system (FIGS. 2B and 2C) and 4-antenna system (FIGS. 2D through 2G), REs used for CRS transmission of one antenna are not used for transmission on the other antenna(s).
FIG. 3 illustrates a downlink DRS for use in a wireless communication system employing OFDM technology according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 3, a DRS pattern, indicated by elements (R5), is illustrated in a pair of resource blocks along with unnumbered CRSs of a 4-antenna system. In contrast to the CRS, which uses 8 REs per resource block pair, the DRS uses 12 REs within the pair of resource blocks. The DRSs are supported for 1-antenna transmission of PDSCH and the MS is informed by a higher layer as to whether the DRS is present. Moreover, the DRS is transmitted only on the resource blocks upon which the corresponding PDSCH is mapped, the PDSCH and antenna port using the same pre-coding.
The downlink control signaling, used to convey scheduling decisions to individual MSs, is carried on the PDCCH, which is located in the first OFDM symbols of a slot. The information carried on the PDCCH is referred to as Downlink Control Information (DCI). Depending on the purpose of the control message, different formats of DCI are defined. More specifically, the 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 36.212 defines various formats of DCI based on different needs of the communication system at the time of scheduling. For example, DCI Format 0 is used for the scheduling of a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), and DCI Format 1 is used for the scheduling of one PDSCH codeword. In TS 36.212, there are 10 DCI formats (i.e., formats 0, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2, 2A, 3 and 3A), each DCI format including various information that may be used in conjunction with the reference signals for receiving data transmitted by the BS.
As the technology regarding wireless communication systems continue to advance, improvements are being made regarding transmission and reception of greater amounts of data. These improvements often require additional or different control information to be transmitted from a BS to an MS. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for providing and using control information in a wireless communication system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fluid injection device including an injection pipe and a suction pipe.
2. Related Art
A method for excising, incising, and crushing a living tissue by using a fluid injection device has preferable characteristics as a surgical instrument such as capabilities of preventing heat damage and preserving blood vessels and other capillary tissues. When an operation is performed using the fluid injection device, injected liquid, excised tissues or the like which remains on the portion of surgery becomes an obstacle for securing vision in some cases. As a technology for overcoming this problem, such a fluid injection device further including a suction pipe capable of removing liquid or excised tissues by suction is known.
As an example of this type of fluid injection device, a device which has an injection pipe for injecting high-pressure fluid as a pipe disposed within a suction channel of a suction pipe in such a position as to be concentric with the suction channel has been proposed (see JP-A-1-313047).
Another example of the fluid injection device currently proposed includes an injection pipe for injecting high-pressure fluid as a pipe inserted eccentrically with respect to the inner circumferential surface of a suction pipe (see JP-A-6-90957).
A further example of the fluid injection device sharply changes the volume of a fluid chamber by using a volume varying unit to convert fluid into pulse flow and inject the pulse flow through an injection opening as pulses at high speed (see JP-A-2008-82202).
According to the technology disclosed in JP-A-1-313047, the inner circumferential surface of the suction pipe and the outer circumferential surface of the injection pipe are concentrically disposed. Thus, the size of the suction channel at a suction opening (the length of the clearance between the inner circumferential surface of the suction pipe and the outer circumferential surface of the injection pipe) becomes half of the difference between the inside diameter of the suction pipe and the outside diameter of the injection pipe. In this case, it is difficult to remote excised tissues larger than the size of the suction channel at the suction opening by suction. When the diameter of the suction pipe is increased to secure the sufficient size of the suction channel, the vision for surgery is narrowed.
According to the technology disclosed in JP-A-6-90957, the injection pipe is inserted eccentrically to the inner circumferential surface of the suction pipe. In this case, the size of the suction channel corresponds to the difference between the inside diameter of the suction pipe and the outside diameter of the injection pipe, and thus becomes larger than the size of the suction channel in the concentric structure shown in JP-A-1-313047 when the suction pipe and the injection pipe have the same diameters as those in the concentric structure. However, there is a possibility that vibration is generated at the top end of the injection pipe, that is, in the vicinity of the injection opening at the time of injection of high-pressure fluid. In this case, injection of fluid toward the target surgery portion becomes difficult.
Moreover, according to the structure which inserts the injection pipe eccentrically to the suction pipe as the structure shown in JP-A-6-90957, the position of the injection opening cannot be directly recognized by visual check. Thus, injection of fluid to the accurate position of the target surgery portion is difficult.
According to the fluid injection device disclosed in JP-A-2008-82202, excision can be achieved by using a smaller amount of fluid than the amount of high-pressure fluid injected as continuous streams used by the methods shown in JP-A-1-313047 and in JP-A-6-90957. In case of the structure disclosed in JP-A-2008-82202, however, there is a case in which a suction pipe is required for improvement of visual recognizability of the surgery portion or for removal of excised tissues by suction. In this case, the injection pipe can be inserted eccentrically to the inner circumferential surface of the suction pipe for increasing the size of the suction channel as in the structure shown in JP-A-6-90957. However, when fluid is injected as pulses in this structure, it is expected that vibration of the injection pipe becomes larger than vibration generated by continuous flow injection.
When vibration is generated on the injection pipe, abnormal noise is produced by contact between the injection pipe and the suction pipe. Moreover, when the suction pipe is resonated by vibration generated at the top end of the injection pipe (injection opening), injection of fluid toward the surgery portion becomes difficult. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue resulting from the uncontrolled, progressive multiplication of cells, serving no physiological function. A tumor may be malignant (cancerous) or benign. A malignant tumor is one that spreads cancerous cells to other parts of the body (metastasizes) through blood vessels or the lymphatic system. A benign tumor does not metastasize, but can still be life-threatening if it impinges on critical body structures such as nerves, blood vessels and organs (especially the brain).
A non-invasive method for tumor treatment is external beam radiation therapy. In one type of external beam radiation therapy, an external radiation source is used to direct a sequence of x-ray beams at a tumor site from multiple angles, with the patient positioned so the tumor is at the center of rotation (isocenter) of the beam. As the angle of the radiation source is changed, every beam passes through the tumor site, but passes through a different area of healthy tissue on its way to the tumor. As a result, the cumulative radiation dose at the tumor is high and the average radiation dose to healthy tissue is low. The term radiotherapy refers to a procedure in which radiation is applied to a target region for therapeutic, rather than necrotic, purposes. The amount of radiation utilized in radiotherapy treatment sessions is typically about an order of magnitude smaller, as compared to the amount used in a radiosurgery session. Radiotherapy is typically characterized by a low dose per treatment (e.g., 100-200 centi-Gray (cGy)), short treatment times (e.g., 10 to 30 minutes per treatment) and hyperfractionation (e.g., 30 to 45 days of treatment). For convenience, the term “radiation treatment” is used herein to mean radiosurgery and/or radiotherapy unless otherwise noted by the magnitude of the radiation
One problem encountered in external beam radiation treatment is that pathological anatomies (e.g., a tumor) may move during treatment, which decreases accurate target localization (i.e., accurate tracking of the position of the target). Most notably, soft tissue targets tend to move with patient breathing during radiation treatment delivery sessions. Respiratory motion can move a tumor in the chest or abdomen, for example, by more than 3 centimeters (cm). In the presence of such respiratory motion, for example, it is difficult to achieve the goal of precisely and accurately delivering the radiation dose to the target, while avoiding surrounding healthy tissue. In external beam radiation treatment, accurate delivery of the radiation beams to the pathological anatomy being treated can be critical, in order to achieve the radiation dose distribution that was computed during the treatment planning stage.
One conventional solution for addressing the problem of tumor motion due to respiration is the use of gating techniques. Gating techniques dose not directly compensate for breathing motion, in that the radiation beam is not moved while it is being directed in the patient. Rather, the radiation beam is turned off when the tumor is thought to have moved from its reference position. However, a disadvantage of using a gating technique is that it significantly increases the amount to time required for delivering the radiation treatment. Another disadvantage is such an approach may result in inaccurate treatment of the tumor due to the assumptions made in tumor position.
One conventional solution for tracking motion of a target utilizes external markers (e.g., infrared emitters) placed on the outside of a patient (e.g., on the skin). The external markers are tracked automatically using an optical (e.g., infrared) tracking system. However, external markers cannot adequately reflect internal displacements caused by breathing motion. Large external patient motion may occur together with very small internal motion. For example, the internal target may move much slower than the skin surface.
Another conventional solution for tracking motion of a target involves the use of implanted fiducials. Typically, radiopaque fiducial markers (e.g., gold seeds or stainless steel screws) are implanted in close proximity to, or within, a target organ prior to treatment and used as reference points during treatment delivery. Stereo x-ray imaging is used during treatment to compute the precise spatial location of these fiducial markers (e.g., once every 10 seconds). However, internal markers alone may not be sufficient for accurate tracking. Yet another conventional solution combines the tracking of internal fiducial markers with the tracking of external markers in which x-ray imaging of the internal fiducial markers is synchronized with the optical tracking of the external markers. However, such a combined tracking approach still has the disadvantage of requiring the tracking of internal fiducial markers.
The tracking of internal fiducial markers can be difficult for the patient, because high accuracy tends to be achieved by using bone-implanted fiducial markers. The implanting of fiducial markers in bone requires a difficult and painful invasive procedure, especially for the C-spine, which may frequently lead to clinical complications. In addition, tracking bone-implanted fiducial markers may still may not provide accurate results for movement or deformation of soft tissue targets. Moreover, whether the fiducial marker is implanted in the bone or injected through a biopsy needle into soft tissue in the vicinity of the target area under computerized tomography (CT) monitoring, the patient must still undergo such invasive procedures before radiation treatment.
A conventional technique that tracks the motion of a tumor without the use of implanted fiducial markers is described in A. Schweikard, H Shiomi, J. Adler, Respiration Tracking in Radiosurgery Without Fiducials, Int J Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, January 2005, 19-27. The described fiducial-less tracking technique use deformation algorithms on CT data sets, combined with registration of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) and intra-treatment X-ray images of nearby bony landmarks (where the tumor itself may not be visible in the x-ray image in most cases) to obtain intermittent information on the tumor location. This target location information is then combined with conventional correlation techniques to achieve real-time tracking.
One disadvantage with all the above described conventional methods is that, with the exception of external marker tracking, they require the repeated exposure of the patient to non-therapeutic radiation from the intra-treatment x-rays that are taken to obtain intermittent information on the fiducial or target location. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to a method for connecting structural units and a connection arrangement of two structural units for a vehicle body.
Many variations of generic methods for connecting two structural units for a vehicle body are known. Such methods are used at different sites in motor vehicles to increase stiffness and for reducing the weight of a vehicle body, in particular in a lightweight vehicle body. For producing the connection arrangement of two structural units, in particular lightweight materials of many different designs are used, which due to a high torsional stiffness and with this very high weight-specific energy absorption, are excellently suited for absorbing crash energy in motor vehicles. As additional stiffening element a filler and/or a foamable synthetic resin is introduced into the structural units, wherein the filler or the synthetic resin connects the structural units with the adjoining components.
From DE 12 1009 049 313 B4 for example a connection arrangement of two structural units for a vehicle body is known which each have a carrier unit which is configured as hollow profile with a reinforcement element arranged in the carrier unit. The reinforcement element is connected with the corresponding carrier unit with structural foam, wherein the reinforcement elements of the two structural units are each configured with a joining section and are joined with each other via the joining section. The components, which are connected with structural foam, are permanently fixed in their position.
The object of the invention is to provide a method for connecting structural units and a connection arrangement of two structural units for a vehicle body, which enable a tension-free stiffening of a carrier unit of the vehicle with simple and cost effective means.
According to the invention, the object is solved by providing a method for connecting structural units including providing at least two structural units for a vehicle body, each of the at least two structural units comprising at least one carrier unit configured as a hollow profile, and at least one reinforcement element arranged in the carrier unit, the at least one reinforcement element being connected with the at least one carrier unit with structural foam, orienting the at least two structural units, prefixing the reinforcement elements in the carrier units; heat treating the structural units; permanently fixing the reinforcement elements by applying the structural foam and/or an adhesive; joining the at least one reinforcement element of one of the at least two structural units with the at least one reinforcement element of the other one of the at least tow structural units via a joining section provided on the respective at least one reinforcement element. The object is further solved by a connection arrangement including two structural units for a body of a vehicle, each said two structural units comprising at least one carrier unit configured as hollow profile and at least one reinforcement element arranged in the carrier unit, wherein the at least one reinforcement element is connected with the carrier unit with structural foam, wherein the two structural units are interconnected by the steps of orienting the two structural units; prefixing the reinforcement elements in the carrier units; heat treating the structural units; permanently fixing the reinforcement elements by applying the structural foam and/or an adhesive, and joining the at least one reinforcement element of one of the at least two structural units with the at least one reinforcement element of the other one of the at least tow structural units via a joining section provided on the respective at least one reinforcement element. Advantageous embodiments and refinements of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.
In order to provide a method for connecting structural units and a connection arrangement of two structural units for a vehicle body, which enables a tension free stiffening of a carrier unit of the vehicle with simple and cost effective means, it is proposed according to the invention that the structural units to be interconnected are oriented and the reinforcement elements are prefixed in the carrier units prior to a heat treatment of the structural units and after the heat treatment are permanently fixed by foaming and/or gluing. Advantageously the method according to the invention makes it possible that the structural units to be interconnected and the reinforcement elements are exactly oriented relative to each other in the carrier units after their mounting, and are fastened or permanently fixed in their oriented position after a heat treatment. This achieves that the carrier units are fastened or permanently fixed in an optimal and defined position relative to each other so as to be well able to absorb and distribute the forces to be transferred. This is necessary in order to ensure the function of the structural units and to prevent a buckling of the preferably skeleton-like carrier units or the reinforcement elements. The method according to the invention allows realizing an exact orienting and a fixing of the structural units and the reinforcement elements in the carrier units, because the movements of the components relative to each other can be accounted for after a heat treatment. The secure connection according to the invention of the structural components with the carrier structure of the vehicle body can improve the stiffness of the vehicle body in a targeted manner and also withstand compressive loads which do not ideally act perpendicularly on the structural components and may thus lead to torques and compressive forces. Thus ensures a very good absorption of crash energy in vehicles. A further advantage of the method is that the structural unit according to the invention can be configured very lightweight but still torsion stiff and can absorb a large portion of the crash energy acting on the vehicle because it can have a very high specific energy-absorption capacity. By improving the stiffness of the carrier structure of the vehicle according to the invention, the demands on the material and the strength of the carrier structure can be adjusted to the respective application.
In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention the prefixing can be implemented as mechanical hooking and/or chemical connection. As a result the components to be connected can advantageously be pre-mounted and fixed in a defined position. Thus a chemical agent can for example be applied over a large surface area and/or constructive mechanical fastening means can be integrated in the components to be fixed to each other. In both cases a correspondingly configured vehicle body part can be prefixed or pre-mounted fast and cost-effectively. Advantageously, such a prefixing of the components enables small relative movements in closed profiles or between two components, which movements may necessarily result from the heat treatment. Using separate mechanical fastening elements or a lightweight chemical agent only generates very small material costs and manufacturing costs while maintaining the vehicle weight.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention internal tensions can be lowered in the structural units. The internal tensions in the components can lead to warping during the fixing and heat treatment which may lead to dimensional inaccuracies in the vehicle body. The warping may also require reworking during the final mounting such as mounting of further components, tolerance compensation etc., which causes high costs and long mounting times. As a result of the prefixing and subsequent heat treatment for decreasing internal stresses in the components, embodiments of the method according to the invention advantageously enable a mostly tension-free assembly of the components so that reworking can be avoided. The mounting means used in the pre-mounting can avoid generating internal stresses during the mounting. Because mechanical hookings and also the chemical connection in the form of adhesives only cause minor internal tensions, the internal tensions remaining in the metallic components due to small tolerances can be effectively decreased by the heat treatment. Tension-free mounted components can have a very long service life.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the carrier units and/or the reinforcement elements of the structural units can be made from different materials and/or different material combinations. This allows advantageously a simplification of the joining technique during composite construction, in particular of structural units made of different materials and/or different material combinations, which allows designing a lightweight component in accordance with a lightweight concept with different strength properties. This allows constructively adjusting the stiffness or the specific energy-absorption capacity of the structural units in a targeted manner to a crash scenario, and also allows positively influencing the crash behavior of the carrier structure or a section of the carrier structure of the motor vehicle. A further advantage of the method according to the invention is that the use of different materials and/or different material combinations is optimally suited for complicated structural units and junction geometries thereby making it possible to stiffen the carrier structure of the motor vehicle cost effectively.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the materials and/or the material combinations have different heat expansion coefficients. The strongly differing heat expansion coefficients can lead to mechanical tensions, which advantageously can be constructively taken into account and utilized in a positive manner. The thermal properties of a component positioned between two components can for example be used in a targeted manner for positioning of the component. The fact that the temperature-dependent length change of a component during heat treatment can be compensated by adjusting the starting length, means that for example components with strongly differing heat expansion coefficients such as aluminum and fiber reinforced plastics can be joined without problems. As an alternative it is possible to join components of a structural unit that have essentially identical heat expansion coefficients but in which the thermally induced length changes act essentially in different directions as a result of constructively compensating the length change of the components compensated in order to avoid generating mechanical tensions.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the materials and/or material combinations can be made of metals and/or non-metals such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics, fiber plastic composites or aluminum. This allows advantageously generating an extremely lightweight component with different strength properties, which can thus be designed fully in accordance with a lightweight concept, wherein the structural foam can serve as barrier between the structural components with different materials and/or different material combinations. As a result contact corrosion between the components of the structural unit can advantageously be effectively avoided and a structural unit can be produced which is optimized with regard to occurring loads.
Preferably the heat treatment can be implemented as curing process of a cathodic dip-coating. This also creates particularly good conditions after the subsequent drying for the adhesion of the introduced structural foam. In particular this method allows an economic treatment of the surfaces of a large number of the structural units in the mounted state and providing them with optimal corrosion protection. The cathodic dip-coating is optimally suited for such carrier structures of the motor vehicle because they can be varnished at a temperature of about 185 C in an automated and environment-friendly manner. A further advantage of the cathodic dip-coating is the even coating of metal surfaces and hollow spaces with even layer thicknesses and good surface qualities.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least one reinforcement element of the structural unit can have at least one reinforcement rib. This allows configuring the structural unit advantageously torsion stiff and still particularly lightweight which allows distributing and transferring compressive forces over a large surface onto adjoining component surfaces. The stiffening rib can be configured uneven or even and as a result absorb increased compressive loads particularly well. A further advantage of the invention is that the variable configuration of the geometry of the stiffening rib, in particular by a targeted and/or uneven material thickness of the stiffening rib, allows adjusting the load-bearing capacity of the structural unit and the entire energy absorption capacity. A further advantage is the large surface of the structural unit, which has the stiffening rib, which allows achieving a high torsional stiffness of the foamed structural unit after introducing the structural foam.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the reinforcement elements can be connected with the corresponding carrier unit via the structural foam and/or the adhesive in a form fitting and/or force fitting and/or materially bonding connection. As a result no elaborate mounting steps or cost-intensive joining methods are required for connecting the reinforcement elements with the corresponding carrier unit so that additional costs and mounting costs can be reduced. Thus multiple complicated components of the structural units can be connected and stiffened fast and simple and cost-effectively in hard to access regions or junctions. The purpose of the structural foam and/or the adhesive is to preferably position a reinforcement element or a structural unit in a carrier unit or to fix it in its position in order to stiffen the carrier unit. Such large-area foamed structural units or carrier structures of a motor vehicle can have a particularly high torsion stiffness with low stiffness steps and can be configured with high load-bearing capacity. The structural foam or the adhesive can have a high elastic shear modulus while having a low specific weight. In addition the structural foam can prevent an electrochemical reaction between the materials of the interconnected components, which can lead to corrosion. As a result the stiffness and the quality of the vehicle body can be effectively improved.
Further a connection arrangement of two structures for a vehicle body of a vehicle is proposed which each include at least one carrier unit which is configured as hollow profile with at least one reinforcement element arranged in the carrier unit, where the respective reinforcement element is connected with the corresponding carrier unit with construction foam, and wherein the reinforcement elements of the two structural units are each configured with a joining section and are joined to each other. The at least two structural units to be connected to each other are oriented and the reinforcement elements in the carrier units are prefixed prior to a heat treatment and after the heat treatment are permanently fixed by foaming and/or adhesive connection. This results in a cost-effective production of the components and a torsion stiff and lightweight structural unit, which advantageously can be used in different regions of the vehicle body because it can be connected with further structural units and can be produced in different sizes.
In an advantageous embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the carrier unit can be configured as partially closed hollow profile. This enables achieving a further improvement of the stiffness and the load-bearing capacity of the carrier unit according to the invention without addition of additional material. Preferably the carrier unit can beside the low weight and the high stiffness have the advantage of an improved specific energy absorption capacity. Due to the configuration according to the invention of the carrier unit the impact energy acting on the carrier unit can be absorbed in a controlled manner and in particular the energy absorption capacity of the carrier unit according to the invention can be significantly improved in a simple and cost-effective manner.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the prefixing can be implemented by using an adhesive with high expansion on rubber basis, which is capable of withstanding the different longitudinal expansions of the materials without damage. Because it is possible to use only small amounts of the adhesive for the prefixing of the components the manufacturing method can be significantly simplified. Beside a secure connection and a precise mounting of the structural unit the mounting costs can be significantly lowered. Because for the prefixing of the structural unit and the adjoining components the adhesive is only applied over individual points or over a short distance with a small surface, a sufficiently large gap remains between the structural unit and the adjoining components so that a surface treatment or varnishing or foaming in the hollow spaces can occur in a targeted manner, which allows permanently fixing the structural unit in its position particularly easily after the heat treatment.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, a PUR-structural foam can be used as structural foam. This advantageously ensures a stable and durable connection between the structural unit and the carrier structure of the vehicle body, wherein the structural foam is not visually perceptible. In addition the structural foam can prevent ingress of humidity and effectively dampen the relative movements between the structural unit and the carrier structure of the vehicle body. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an EEPROM structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing EPROM tunnel oxide (ETOX) cell that will not result in any damages to its source region.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) is a kind of memory that is now extensively used in computers and electronic products. The advantage of EEPROM is its ability to retain written programs and data permanently, yet can reuse those memory spaces by erasing those programs and data. The erase operation is simple. One only has to pass an electric current into the memory circuit for a predefined period. Fresh new data or programs can then be re-programmed in and stored. Moreover, memory store, erase and read operations can be repeated many times and can be carried out in a bit-by-bit manner, and so an EEPROM is very similar to a disk drive functionally. Additionally, another kind of EEPROM memory known as flash memory developed by Intel that operates in a block-by-block manner is now in the market. Although data have to be modified one block at a time, its fast operational speed is more than compensated by this minor defect.
FIGS. 1A through 1C and FIGS. 2A through 2C are various top and cross-sectional views showing the progression of manufacturing steps in producing a conventional ETOX cell. FIG. 1A is a top view showing the initial layout in ETOX cell fabrication. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view along line AA' of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view along line BB' of FIG. 1A.
First, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a substrate 10 is provided. Then, a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method is used to form field oxide layers 12 above the substrate 10 to define the device area. Next, a gate oxide layer 14 (tunnel oxide layer) is formed above the substrate 10 using a thermal oxidation method. Thereafter, a polysilicon layer preferably having a thickness of about 1000 .ANG. is formed covering the whole substrate structure using, for example, a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition method. Then, a dielectric layer 18 is formed over the polysilicon layer, wherein the dielectric layer 18 can be an oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) composite layer. Subsequently, the dielectric layer 18 and the polysilicon layer are patterned to remove the dielectric layer and polysilicon layer lying above the device area, and forming a polysilicon layer 16. Finally, a substrate structure as shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C is obtained.
FIGS. 2A through 2C are top and cross-sectional views showing the subsequent stage in the manufacturing of a conventional ETOX cell. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view along line AA' of FIG. 2C, FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view along line BB' of FIG. 2C and FIG. 2C is a top view of the final layout.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, high concentration of ions are implanted into the source region inside the device area to form a buried ion-implanted region 19. Subsequently, thermal oxidation is carried out to grow a gate oxide layer above the source region. Oxide layer formed by the thermal oxidation is thicker in areas above the source region because the source region has heavily doped ions. Thereafter, a layer of polysilicon preferably having a thickness of about 3000 .ANG. is deposited over the whole substrate structure to form a second polysilicon layer 21 using, for example, a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition method. After that, an oxide layer 22 is deposited over the second polysilicon layer 21 using, for example, an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition method. The oxide material for forming the oxide layer 22 can be TEOS oxide, for example.
Thereafter, using the dielectric layer 18 as an etching stop layer, conventional photolithographic and etching processes are used to pattern the second polysilicon layer 21 and the oxide layer 22. Thus, the second polysilicon layer 21 becomes a control gate. In the subsequent step, a self-aligned source terminal etching operation is carried out to pattern the first polysilicon layer 16 into a floating gate. Then, a common source region is formed above the substrate 10. Finally, a complete substrate structure is formed whose top view is shown in FIG. 2C.
In the above method, since the dielectric layer 18 does not form a good protective layer for the first polysilicon layer 16, subsequently formed substrate structure will have data storage problems. Hence, few manufacturers will use this method to fabricate flash memory.
Furthermore, in using a conventional manufacturing method, a trench will be formed above the common source region of the substrate 10. This trench will cut off normal connection between common source regions, and will lead to functional abnormality of ETOX cell. Furthermore, even connection between common source regions still exists; damages caused by etching will raise the resistance in the common source regions. Hence, read/write efficiency of an ETOX cell will be lowered.
To reduce damages caused by the trench, one method is to increase junction depth of the source region. However, this will reduce the effective channel width of an ETOX cell, leading to difficulties in reducing ETOX cell dimensions.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a method for manufacturing ETOX cell that will not damage the source region. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of Art
The present invention relates generally to increasing the operational efficiency and extending the estimated operational lifetime of flash memory devices, and in particular to doing so by adaptively tuning operating parameters of flash memory chips and employing other less extreme preventive measures in the interim, via an interface that avoids the need for direct access to the test modes of the chips.
Description of Related Art
Computer systems have increasingly come to rely upon solid-state drives (SSDs) to replace or at least supplement hard-disk drives (HDDs) as key storage system components. Despite their higher cost (which continues to drop) and lower storage capacity (which continues to increase), SSDs currently offer a variety of advantages over HDDs, including lower power requirements, faster access times and greater shock resistance, among others.
Most SSDs rely upon persistent (non-volatile) NAND-based flash memory, which employs floating-gate MOSFET (FGMOS) transistors to represent binary “0” and “1” values. Newer flash memory technologies (e.g., “MLC” or multi-level cell, and “TLC” or triple-level cell) enable storage of more than one bit per transistor cell. Alternative flash-based technologies, such as NOR-based flash memory, are also employed on occasion for specific applications, such as code execution, due to its faster read speeds.
In any event, a flash memory device, such as an SSD, typically includes a flash memory controller (or flash controller) and one or more flash memory chips. A “host” system (e.g., a laptop or desktop PC, or an enterprise server) may employ one or more internal and/or external SSDs for persistent storage. To access that storage, a host system sends “system memory commands” to an SSD, requesting that the contents of a particular file be read, written or “deleted” (i.e., “freeing up” the area of memory it occupied for future use by other files). SSDs implement those system memory commands via their flash controller, which associates a file with the particular flash memory chips and areas of flash memory in which that file is or will be stored, and ultimately sends many lower-level “controller memory commands” to one or more flash memory chips in the SSD.
It should be noted that certain characteristics of flash memory affect the nature of these controller memory commands. For example, NAND-based flash memory can effectively change a “1” value to a “0” value, but not vice-versa. Thus, while even a single byte or word of data could be read from flash memory, a write operation could not overwrite currently stored data, because the new data might require that a “0” bit be changed to a “1” bit. Instead, flash controllers employ what is known as a “program/erase cycle” or “P/E cycle,” which erases an entire “block” of memory (setting all bit values in that block to “1”), effectively “freeing up” that block of memory to be written in the future—i.e., by writing only the desired “0” values while leaving the “1” values unchanged.
But, performing one or more P/E cycles every time a host system issues a write command would be an inefficient use of time, leaving the host system waiting a relatively long time for the write to complete. Flash controllers therefore attempt to “free up” or “recycle” large numbers of blocks of flash memory as part of a “background” process (i.e., as part of their standard “garbage collection” process that reclaims unused areas of flash memory) so that a write command issued by a host system rarely directly necessitates a P/E cycle. The initial write operation to a “free” block is generally considered to be the “program” step (P) of a P/E cycle, while the subsequent “erase” (E) of that block may not occur until much later—e.g., during the flash controller's garbage collection process.
When a host system erases a file, the flash controller merely “marks” those portions of blocks containing the data as “unused.” But when a host system overwrites a file (e.g., when a user modifies and saves the file), the flash controller must actually “move” the contents of that file by writing it to free blocks of flash memory, causing the prior blocks to be marked as unused and later reclaimed as part of the background garbage collection process. While all blocks are initially “free” to be written, write commands issued by a host system over time will indirectly cause a flash controller to perform multiple P/E cycles on various blocks of flash memory (a phenomenon referred to as “write amplification”). Eventually, once “almost all” (e.g., 90%) blocks have been written once, the flash controller, during its background garbage collection process, will accumulate enough “valid” (as opposed to unused) data from multiple blocks to fill an entire block, “move” that data by writing the data into a free block, and then erase the multiple blocks, thereby creating additional free blocks ready to be written as a result of subsequent host system write operations.
Flash memory chips are typically organized into multiple “logical units” or LUNS, each of which physically includes multiple “blocks” of memory, where each block is effectively the smallest erasable unit of memory on the flash chip. Each block in turn is organized into multiple “pages” of bytes. For example, a 1 TB (terabyte) flash memory drive (e.g., an SSD or other flash memory storage device) might include 8 flash chips, each of which has a capacity of 128 megabytes (1 gigabit). Each 128 MB flash chip might be organized into 4 LUNs (32 MB each), where each LUN includes 128 blocks (256 KB each), each block includes 64 pages (4K each), and each page includes 8 sectors (512 bytes each).
An SSD's flash controller serves as an interface between the individual flash memory chips in the SSD and the host computer system. As will be discussed in greater detail below, P/E cycles take a toll on the flash memory, effectively reducing the “operational lifetime” of individual flash memory chips, and thus of the entire SSD (often measured “after the fact” as the total number of P/E cycles performed on the flash memory before it “wears out”). For example, blocks of flash memory “wear” or “degrade” (used interchangeably herein) each time they are written and become less capable of being written reliably over time (a problem known as “endurance”), and, depending upon their use (e.g., in a USB thumb drive), may not be able to retain data reliably for long periods of time between writes (a problem known as “retention”). In addition, read operations on a cell of flash memory often corrupt or “disturb” the contents of neighboring cells (a problem known as “read disturb”). As will also be discussed below, flash controllers employ various techniques to manage an SSD's flash memory chips and address these endurance, retention, read disturb and other problems, so as to improve operational efficiency and extend the operational lifetime of the SSD.
It should be noted that flash memory chips also include, in addition to the physical flash memory itself, a “state machine” that implements the controller memory commands received from the flash controller. Although one could implement this state machine as a microcontroller, it is important to distinguish the functionality performed by this state machine (i.e., interpreting controller memory commands—e.g., to read and write particular areas of flash memory, and erase particular blocks) from the higher-level and more extensive functionality performed by an SSD's flash controller—such as formatting the flash memory, performing garbage collection and addressing endurance, retention, read disturb and other problems, as well as implementing system memory commands by effectively “translating” them into many lower-level controller memory commands targeted to the particular areas of flash memory in which a file's contents are or will be stored.
In addition to its state machine, flash memory chips also include control registers to store “operating parameters” (where each particular LUN on the chip has an associated set of operating parameters) that are employed by the state machine to implement controller memory commands. In order to implement any controller memory command (e.g., read, write, or erase), the state machine applies an “electrical stimulus” to the flash memory itself. Such electrical stimuli include voltage levels, for example, which are applied for a particular period of time. These levels not only depend upon the type of operation being performed (e.g., read, write or erase), but may also vary over time (e.g., increasing voltage upon a retry after a failed read operation).
The state machine applies these varying levels of electrical stimulus in accordance with the values of the operating parameters (associated with the designated LUN) stored in the control registers of the flash memory chip. For example, typical operating parameters include threshold voltage levels that differ for read, write and erase operations. They also may include start and end voltage values for each operation, as well as a duration or incremental rate/amount of change in value over time, e.g., instructing the state machine to increase a particular voltage level gradually over time (but not in excess of threshold amounts). Voltages might range, for example, from 0 to 35 volts. Other operating parameters may include, for example, a maximum number of retries (e.g., 15) before a read operation is deemed to have failed, and pass voltage values for unselected word lines, among others. Essentially any constraint on the electrical stimulus applied by the state machine can be implemented in accordance with operating parameter values stored in the control registers of the flash memory chip.
It is important, however, to distinguish variations in electrical stimulus applied by the state machine from modifications to one or more of the operating parameters during the chip's operational lifetime. For example, a state machine typically employs a “retry” mechanism to verify write operations—by retrying the write operation until all memory cells have been verified or until a specified threshold number of retries is reached, in which case the write operation will be deemed to have failed. Over time, write attempts may occur more frequently, and more retries may be necessary to achieve successful verification. The number of retries may jump from 3 to 5 to 7 over some period of time. But, the operating parameter specifying the maximum number of retries (e.g., 15) may remain fixed. Similarly, one operating parameter may specify an incremental increase (e.g., 2 volts) in the voltage level for each retry, while another operating parameter specifies the maximum voltage for write retries (e.g., 20 volts). Even though these operating parameters are designed to remain fixed, the electrical stimulus applied by the state machine (e.g., the voltage level applied during a write) will vary over time during each subsequent retry—e.g., increasing from 5V to 7V to 9V, etc.—but not exceeding 20V.
As a general rule, the operating parameters of flash memory chips are determined (with respect to each LUN) when each batch of flash memory chips is manufactured, and they typically remain fixed thereafter during the operational lifetime of the flash memory chips. A flash memory chip's operational lifetime can be said to begin after it is manufactured and incorporated into a flash memory device, such as an SSD (though it will not likely “age” or degrade significantly until it is powered up and used in the field). As a practical matter, an SSD's operational lifetime can be said to be coextensive with (and equivalent to) the operational lifetime of the flash memory chips contained therein, as the SSD cannot typically function without all of its flash memory chips (unless overprovisioned).
When a batch of flash memory chips is manufactured, the manufacturer typically performs diagnostic tests on one or more “test chips” in an effort to determine an “optimal” set of operating parameters (with respect to each LUN) that meet desired specifications—e.g., reliable read and write operations for 10,000 P/E cycles with a retention time of 6 months. This is typically accomplished by placing each chip into a “test mode” to enable the issuance of diagnostic commands that access and modify the chip's operating parameters. Once this “offline characterization” process is completed and an optimal set of operating parameters is determined for each LUN, these same optimal operating parameters are stored in the control registers of each flash memory chip in that batch.
These operating parameters are typically not expected to be modified in the field, and test mode access is generally intended to be limited to use by the manufacturer and service technicians. However, if knowledge of the diagnostic commands and the mechanism for entering and exiting the test mode can be obtained (with or without the permission of the manufacturer), then modification of these operating parameters may be possible during the chip's operational lifetime. But flash manufacturers are not always willing to provide test mode access information to third parties, as it can reveal proprietary information such as the names, values and precise functionality of the chip's operating parameters.
Once flash memory chips are manufactured and incorporated into flash memory devices, such as an SSD, their usage in the field may vary widely during their operational lifetime. For example, a USB thumb drive may be written infrequently and powered down for long periods of time until its contents are read again (requiring relatively high retention). Enterprise SSDs, on the other hand, may be read and written frequently over time (requiring relatively high endurance).
As noted above, flash memory degrades over time, depending greatly on the nature of its use. What makes a set of operating parameters “optimal” for usage in a USB thumb drive may not be optimal for use in an enterprise SSD. Moreover, no single set of operating parameters (for a given LUN) is likely to be optimal during each “stage” of a flash memory chip's operational lifetime. As flash memory degrades, for example, higher voltages may be necessary to reliably write its contents. Conversely, lower voltages may be sufficient earlier in its operational lifetime, provided that they yield sufficient levels of retention. Finally, due to manufacturing variations, flash memory chips from the same batch (and even individual blocks of flash memory) may exhibit different levels of wear in the same application.
All of this suggests that no single set of operating parameters is likely to be optimal indefinitely, and that operating parameters therefore should be varied during a flash memory chip's operational lifetime. But, without an understanding of how flash memory degrades, it is difficult to determine how and when to modify the operating parameters within each LUN of a flash memory chip, and whether other less extreme preventive measures can be employed in the interim.
As noted above, “endurance” is one of the key problems exhibited by flash memory. The application of electrical stimulus (e.g., quantity and duration of voltage levels applied cumulatively over time) gradually degrades flash memory until it eventually “wears out” and can no longer be written reliably. In other words, flash memory degrades as a result of cumulative programming (P/E cycles) that apply varying degrees of electrical stimulus (referred to herein as “stress”) over time. Cumulative write and erase operations result in more frequent read errors and retries over time. Eventually, the number of retries may exceed a predetermined threshold number of retries.
The cumulative number of P/E cycles a flash memory chip (or component LUN or block of flash memory) has endured at any given time can be roughly analogized to the “age” of that chip. But the “cumulative wear” of a chip over time also depends upon the level of stress it endures during those P/E cycles. For example, higher voltages applied during a write operation will result in greater wear. One can thus estimate cumulative wear of flash memory over time (from P/E cycles) as a product of the cumulative number of P/E cycles and the level of stress applied to that flash memory.
As a general matter, the rate of wear (i.e., cumulative wear per P/E cycle) at any given time is proportional to both the number of P/E cycles and the amount of stress applied during those P/E cycles. However, this rate is not linear—due to variations in manufacturing and the fact that electrical stimulus varies over time based on the actual usage of a flash memory chip in accordance with its operating parameters. In short, no single factor can be said to determine or reflect the “health” of flash memory at any given time—i.e., its actual cumulative wear or how much life remains.
For example, two flash memory chips exposed to the same number of P/E cycles, but with different levels of stress over time, may exhibit very different levels of cumulative wear. In other words, they may be the same “age” but have very different levels of “health.” If their operational lifetime is measured (after the fact) as a cumulative number of P/E cycles before they “wear out,” then one may effectively live longer than the other (e.g., 50,000 P/E cycles as compared to 10,000 P/E cycles).
Moreover, variations in manufacturing may cause one flash memory chip to “wear out” faster than another, even though both were exposed to the same number of P/E cycles at the same stress levels (i.e., the same estimated cumulative wear). As will be discussed in greater detail below, certain “outlier” blocks of flash memory may wear at a faster rate than other similarly situated blocks—i.e., at a faster rate than expected based upon their estimated cumulative wear.
Although a cumulative number of P/E cycles is often used as a specification of a flash memory chip's estimated operational lifetime (just as a person's estimated lifetime may be said to be 70 years), this specification typically presumes fixed operating parameters and an assumed (typically “worst case”) usage scenario. Just as a person's “lifestyle” can affect his or her health, a chip's actual usage and exposure to electrical stimulus can affect its health. While a chip's “age” can be measured in cumulative P/E cycles, this factor alone is not necessarily the best indicator of the current “elapsed life” or health of that chip. Just as an old person may be more healthy than a younger person (taking into account various health factors, such as weight, heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, etc.), the health of a chip can be assessed more effectively by monitoring various indicators of wear or degradation.
Moreover, just as a person's health can improve (and lifetime be extended) by monitoring and treating these various health factors, so too can the health of a flash memory chip improve (and its operational lifetime be extended) by monitoring various indicators of wear over time (such as bit error rates, number of read retries and program and erase timing, as well as a current cumulative number of P/E cycles), and “treating” such wear by “prescribing” certain preventive measures to reduce the rate of wear, including identifying and resting outlier blocks of flash memory and varying the chip's operating parameters over time (as discussed in greater detail below).
In other words, while P/E cycles cause wear, they are far from the only indicator of the health of a flash memory chip (or of individual blocks of flash memory). Moreover, while the cumulative number of P/E cycles (“age”) always increases over time, the actual rate of wear may increase or decrease during any particular time period or “stage” of a chip's operational lifetime. In other words, while a flash memory chip's health may generally deteriorate proportionally with the cumulative number of elapsed P/E cycles, it may do so at a faster or slower rate (depending, for example, on when stress levels are increased and when certain preventive measures are employed).
It is thus apparent that the operational lifetime of a flash memory chip can be extended beyond the chip's specified estimated number of P/E cycles by adaptively varying operating parameters and taking other less extreme preventive measures in accordance with monitored indicators of health (and not just age) over time in an effort to slow the rate of (inevitable) wear.
Apart from the problem of endurance, another problem exhibited by flash memory is a limited retention time—i.e., the duration of time after flash memory is written until its contents can no longer be successfully read. This retention problem results from a leakage of charge that naturally occurs over time. Typical retention periods might range from 3 months to 10 years, depending upon the application.
But, the retention problem is somewhat inversely correlated with endurance. For example, the application of a higher voltage when writing flash memory results in a longer period of retention, but causes greater wear and thus a lower level of endurance. Moreover, frequent P/E cycles also limit endurance, but effectively minimize the retention problem because the relevant block of flash memory has relatively recently been rewritten.
Thus, one must balance the goals of maximizing endurance and retention when identifying “optimal” operating parameters and determining when to vary them, as well as when to employ less extreme preventive measures in the interim to slow the rate of wear. Prior attempts to address these problems have included “wear leveling” and “bad block management.” For example, wear leveling endeavors to distribute wear evenly to blocks of flash memory by tracking writes among blocks and moving data to different blocks in an effort to distribute wear more evenly. While this technique is generally effective in allocating wear evenly among blocks of flash memory and minimizing the number of “worn out” blocks, it does not reduce the overall level of wear, nor does it address the problems posed by outlier blocks. Bad block management (i.e., avoiding usage of blocks that are “dead on arrival” or wear out early) helps to address the problem of prematurely ending the operational lifetime of a flash memory chip—e.g., by reallocating the contents of “bad blocks” to unused portions of “good blocks” of flash memory. But it also fails to reduce the overall level of wear.
While others have attempted to increase the operational lifetime of flash memory chips by varying operating parameters over time (see, e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/769,208 and 12/388,366), all of these approaches have relied solely on a cumulative number of P/E cycles to assess the level of wear of the flash memory (i.e., the “age” of the flash memory, as opposed to its “health”). Moreover, some have incorporated certain functionality into the flash memory chips themselves, in a manner that creates an inherent interoperability conflict with third-party flash controllers and flash storage devices.
What is needed is a system and a set of techniques that can assess a current level of health of a flash memory chip (or component LUNs, blocks, etc.) during its operational lifetime, and can modify its operating parameters accordingly (i.e., transition to a new “health stage”), as well as employ certain less extreme preventive measures in the interim, so as to increase the chip's operational efficiency and effectively extend its operational lifetime, and thus extend the operational lifetime of the SSD or other flash storage device into which it is integrated. One must also somehow procure test mode access to the chip, directly or indirectly, in order to ensure the ability to modify its operating parameters. | {
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The invention concerns a process and a stamping device for stamping a coke coal cake with low cake height and large cake base surface and subsequent introduction into a coking furnace with furnace chamber with a large furnace base surface.
Coking furnaces operating according to the state of the art "non-recovery process" have a large furnace base surface with a comparatively low chamber height of the furnace in order to be able to utilize the heating system of the furnace as optimally, that is, as heat effectively, as possible.
Introducing the coke coals into the furnace chamber here takes place by means of a conveyor belt system as an allotment conveyor whose feeding device is conducted to the open furnace door over a cantilever construction.
This manner of coke coal introduction requires a great expenditure of time, whereby the furnace chamber doors must be opened almost completely to effectively place the charging facility, which is relatively expensive as regards construction, in the furnace chamber for charging.
The introduction of coke coals into the furnace is thereby configured in the following steps:
a) Opening the furnace door; PA1 b) Introducing the charging band (allocation conveyor) and simultaneous filling of the coke coals; PA1 c) Extracting the charging band (allocation conveyor) with simultaneous filling of the coke coals and simultaneous leveling of the coke coal surface; PA1 d) Closing the furnace door.
DE 195 45 736 A1 discloses a process and an associated coking furnace machine for filling a coking furnace with coals. Underlying this is the objective of filling the furnace chamber and compacting the coal introduced, especially in connection with improving non-recovery coke ovens. This takes place according to a process whereby, outside the furnace chamber of the coking furnace, the coals are already poured with uniform height into a coal filling and compacting chamber (the hutch) and subsequently compacted with suitable devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,034 discloses a process and an associated machine for activating the furnace chamber doors, for pressing the coke out of the furnace chamber and for loading an adjacent, previously emptied furnace chamber with a compact coal charge.
This concerns a combined coking furnace servicing machine for pressing the coke out and for filling the coke coals. To be able to move the coking furnace servicing machine along the front of the furnace chamber, the latter is mounted on rails along the long axis of the block; the head of the pusher has a water-cooled cooling facility to prevent damage and delay owing to the considerable heat of the ejected material and the temperature within the furnace chamber. Filling the empty furnace chamber takes place by means of an endless conveyor as loading conveyor (allocation conveyor). Even with this device, the conveyor discharge is constructed in such a way that it can be set into the furnace chamber of the coking furnace in the manner of a telescope.
Here, the following finding is common to the state of the art processes:
The time interval and the degree of opening of the furnace doors have a disadvantageous action in several respects in connection with the necessary coking temperatures.
First, the furnace chamber cools down very quickly, which once again demands energy and time to bring it up to the coking temperature, and second, all machine parts, even such of the conveyor belt system, are subject to very high wear and tear as a result of the high temperature in a still hot furnace chamber, especially in the initial phase. This brings frequent and cost-intensive maintenance and repair costs along with it, and moreover leads to furnace standstill times during which coke production is at rest. | {
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As used herein, the term solid/liquid probe refers to a shaft and flange assembly that allows introduction of a sample on the surface of a heat resistant material into a heated gas stream in the atmospheric pressure ion (API) source of a mass spectrometer. The term ESI probe refers to a commercially available device for ionization of analyte in a liquid stream using a high voltage that is interfaced to a mass spectrometer through the API source. The term APCI probe refers to a commercially available device for ionization of analyte in a liquid by nebulizing the liquid into droplets and vaporizing the liquid droplets with subsequent ionization using a corona discharge with mass analysis by a mass spectrometer. The current practice in mass spectrometry is to have either APCI or ESI ionization methods, both of which ionize analyte from a liquid stream. No commercial API instrument includes a direct solids/liquid introduction probe.
Atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometers (APIMS) instruments currently available lack flexibility. They primarily accept only liquid effluent from which analyte ions are produced by electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, or photoionization. A recent configuration has been published in which a gas chromatograph was also interfaced to the API source so that either a liquid or a gas stream from a gas chromatograph could be ionized (WO 2006/060130 A2, McEwen). Typically, primary ions are formed at atmospheric pressure by initiation of a gaseous electrical discharge by an electric field or by electrospray ionization (ESI) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,499 (Fenn) and; U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,166 (Valaskovic). The primary ions in turn ionize the gas phase analyte molecules by either an ion-molecule process as occurs in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), by a charge transfer process, or by entraining the analyte molecules in a charged droplet of solvent produced in the electrospray process. In the case of analyte being entrained in a charged liquid droplet, the ionization process is the same as in electrospray ionization (ESI) because the analyte molecules are first entrained in the liquid droplets and subsequently ionized.
Electrospray ionization (ESI) is a powerful method for producing gas phase ions from compounds in solution. In ESI, a liquid is typically forced from a small diameter tube at atmospheric pressure. A spray of fine droplets is generated when a potential of several thousand volts is applied between the liquid emerging from the tube and a nearby electrode. Charges on the liquid surface cause instability so that droplets break from jets extending from the emerging liquid surface. Evaporation of the droplets, typically using a counter-current gas, leads to a state where the surface charge again becomes sufficiently high (near the Raleigh limit) to cause instability and further smaller droplets are formed. This process proceeds until free ions are generated by either the evaporation process described above or by field emission that occurs when the field strength in the small droplets is sufficiently high for field evaporation of ions to occur. Molecules more basic than the solvent being used in the ESI process are preferentially ionized. Because ESI generates gas phase ions from a liquid, it is an ideal ionization method for interfacing liquid chromatography (LC) to mass spectrometry (MS). The power of ESI for the analysis of compounds as large and diverse as proteins won the 2003 Nobel prize in Chemistry for John Fenn. The combination of ESI with MS with liquid separation methods is extremely powerful analytically and results in large numbers of LC/MS instruments being sold each year.
Because ESI is most sensitive and most suitable for basic and polar compounds, most LC/MS instrumentation incorporates an alternative atmospheric pressure ionization technique called atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). APCI was initially developed by Horning, et al. using 63Ni beta decay for ionization. See Horning, E. C.; Horning, M. G.; Carroll, D. I.; Dzidic, I.; Stillwell, R. N., New Picogram Detection System Based on a Mass Spectrometer with an External Ionization Source at Atmospheric Pressure. Anal. Chem., 1973. 45: p. 936-943. A discharge ion source has since replaced the 63Ni as the source of ionization. A discharge is generated when a voltage, typically applied to a metal needle, is increased to a range where electrical breakdown (formation of free electrons and ions) of the surrounding gas occurs (typically several thousand volts). The primary use of this ionization method has been as an ionization interface between liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. See Dzidic, I.; Carroll, D. I.; Stillwell, R. N.; Horning, E. C., Comparison of Positive Ions formed in Nickel-63 and Corona Discharge Ion Sources using Nitrogen, Argon, Isobutene, Ammonia and Nitric Oxide as Reagents in Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 1976. 48: p. 1763-1768. This ionization method relies on evaporation of the liquid exiting the liquid chromatograph with subsequent gas phase ionization in a corona discharge. The primary ions produced in the corona discharge are from the most abundant species, typically nitrogen and oxygen from air or solvent molecules. Regardless of the initial population of ions produced in the corona discharge, diffusion controlled ion-molecule reactions will result in a large steady state population of protonated solvent ions. These ions in turn will ionize analyte molecules by proton transfer if the reaction is exothermic or by ion addition if the ion-molecule product is stable and infrequently by charge transfer reactions. While this technique tends to be more sensitive than ESI for low molecular weight and less polar compounds, it nevertheless is not sensitive for highly volatile compounds and those less basic than the LC solvent. Thus, neither APCI nor ESI are good ionization methods for a large class of volatile and less polar compounds. For this reason, other ionization methods, such as photoionization have been applied to LC/MS to more effectively reach a subset of this class of compounds (See, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,002,146, 5,245,192, 6,646,256, 6,630,664, US20030111598). Photoionization at atmospheric pressure uses an ultraviolet (UV) source for ionization of gas phase molecules. Typically, a plasma-induced discharge lamp that produces radiation in the range of 100-355 nm is used to generate ionization. Such a source is sold by Synagen Corporation for use with LC/MS.
Thus, liquid chromatographs interfaced with the atmospheric pressure ionization methods of ESI and APCI are in common use and frequently the mass spectrometers associated with these ionization methods have advanced analytical capabilities such as MSn (MS/MS, MS/MS/MS, etc.) and/or high mass resolution and accurate mass analysis. However, LC/MS instruments do not effectively address a large class of important volatile and less polar compounds. Herein is described atmospheric pressure ionization of vaporizable compounds introduced into the ionization region as a neat liquid, solid, or as tissue or materials on instruments designed for LC/MS applications without interference with the operation of these liquid introduction techniques.
Solid probe introduction is commonly interfaced to mass spectrometers which use vacuum ionization methods such as electron or chemical ionization. The solid probe is limited to molecules that can be made to vaporize in vacuum by application of heat. Because solid probes on current mass spectrometers interface with ion sources that operate in vacuum, it must be inserted into the mass spectrometry through a pressure drop device. Commonly, the pressure drop device is a ball valve device with polymeric “O”-rings that seal the probe so that a vacuum can be achieved through a roughing pump before the ball valve is opened. Because this is a time intensive process and involves inserting the sample into vacuum, volatile compounds can be pumped away. Further, the device is available only on instruments having chemical and/or electron ionization, methods that operate substantially below atmospheric pressure.
To our knowledge, the only references to use of a direct insertion probe for introduction of samples into an API source are articles by McEwen, et al. (See McEwen, C. N.; McKay, R. G.; Larsen, B. S., Analysis of solids, liquids, and biological tissues using solids probe introduction at atmospheric pressure on commercial LC/MS instruments, Anal. Chem., 2005, 77, 7826-7831. McEwen, C.: Gutteridge, S., Analysis of the Inhibition of the Ergosterol Pathway in Fungi using atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP) method, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2007, 18, 1274-1278.) In these articles the only description given of the solids/liquid introduction was use of a Teflon® plug in a glass sleeve with a hole drilled through for insertion of a melting point tube into a hot nitrogen stream within the API source housing. A major disadvantage of this method is that in order for the melting point tube to align with the hot nitrogen the hole through which the tube was inserted had to be a tight fit. Inserting the melting point tube through the opening with sample on the exterior of the melting point tube resulted in sample being deposited on the Teflon® plug with subsequent cross contamination of later runs. Another drawback of the arrangement was the melting point tube, being made of glass, was hand held and would sometimes break when inserted through the plug which could result in injury. Finally, the probe was describe only for a QT of ‘fishbowl’ ion source housing which required drilling a hole through a glass sleeve which was a difficult process even for glass blowing experts. This approach is not viable on commercial instruments nor is it practical from a manufacturing point of view. Further, no description has been given of such a probe which does not interfere with the normal ESI/APCI operation of the mass spectrometer. In addition, no mention was made of using a fine stream of heated gas to image chemical composition from a surface nor was mention made of using adsorption materials for sample concentration.
Dzidic, et al. described the use of platinum wire to introduce chloro-nitrobenzene by volatilization into a specially built API source that used 63Ni as the source of ionization. The only description was that the platinum wire was resistively heated in a stream of nitrogen gas. From ion source descriptions in other publications, it is likely that the sample was introduced into the nitrogen stream outside the ion source and carried into the ionization region through a heated tube similar to the GC/API-MS experiments these authors carried out. (See Dzidic, I.; Carroll, D. I.; Stillwell, R. N., Horning, E. C., Atmospheric Pressure Ionization (API) Mass Spectrometry: Formation of Phenoxide Ions from Chlorinated Aromatic Compounds, Anal. Chem., 1975, 47, 1308-1312.). An open source experiment was reported in which a sample on a surface was ionized using charged droplets either from an electrospray device or from APCI in which the droplets were charged using a corona discharge. (See Cotte-Rodriquez, I.; Takats, Z.; Talaty, N.; Chen, H.; Cooks, R. G., Desorption Electrospray Ionization of Explosives on Surfaces: Sensitivity and Selectivity Enhancement by Reactive Desorption Electrospray Ionization, Anal. Chem., 2005, 77, 6755-6764.) The mechanism for this device is believed to be charge droplets hitting a surface with subsequent pickup of sample into smaller droplets that spatter into the gas phase with subsequent ionization. Another open source ionization method for direct analysis in real time uses an electric discharge device to produce metastable nitrogen or helium species which form reactant ions that when directed at analyte produces analyte ions (U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,785 B2, Laramee and Cody). Neither technique describes the use of heated gas to vaporize materials and both devices use open air sources which have the potential to emit hazardous gases into the surrounding area. Several patents describe multi-probe sources, non of which use a direct introduction solid/liquid introduction probe (US20010013579 A1, Andrien, Whitehouse, Shen, Sansone, U.S. Pat. No. 7,078,681 B2, Fischer, Gourlen, Bertsch, US20060255261 A1, Whitehouse, White, Willoughby, Sheehan).
Because work in the Horning group in the 1970's developed the APCI technique, we give here some important references. A review paper by E. C. Horning, et al discusses both GC/APIMS and LC/APIMS ion sources (See Horning, E. C.; Carroll, D. I.; Dzidic, I.; Haegele, K. D.; Lin, S.-N.; Oertil, C. U.; Stillwell, R. N., Development and Use of Analytical Systems Based on Mass Spectrometry. Clin. Chem., 1977. 23(1): p. 13-21). This article shows diagrams of each ion source and refers back to two previous publications for details on LC/APIMS and on GC/APIMS. (Respectively see Carroll, D. I.; Dzidic, I.; Stillwell, R. N.; Haegele, K. D.; Horning, E. C., Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Corona discharge Ion Source for use in a Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Computer Analytical System. Anal. Chem., 1975. 47: p. 2369-2373 and see Dzidic, I.; Carroll, D. I.; Stillwell, R. N.; Horning, E. C., Comparison of Positive Ions formed in Nickel-63 and Corona Discharge Ion Sources using Nitrogen, Argon, Isobutene, Ammonia and Nitric Oxide as Reagents in Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 1976. 48: p. 1763-1768.
Commercial mass spectrometers have been manufactured that analyze gaseous compounds using corona discharge APCI, e.g. ABB, Inc., Extrel Quadrupole mass spectrometers, described in Ketkar, S. N.; Penn, S. M.; Fite, W. I., Real-time Detection of Parts per Trillion of Chemical Warfare Agents in Ambient Air Using Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Tandem Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 1991. 63: p. 457-459. and Sciex. mass spectrometers, described in Lave, D. A.; Thompson, A. M.; Lovett, A. M.; Reid, N. M., Adv. Mass Spectrom., 1980. 8B: p. 1480. and Reid, N. M.; Buckley, J. A.; Pom, C. C.; French, J. B., Adv. Mass Spectrom., 1980. 8B: p. 1843. Two patents (EP 0819937 A2 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,344) which disclose use of a Venture pump in combination with water vapor introduction for analysis of trace volatiles in air from sources such as breath and fragrances emulating from skin and clothing. Papers by L. Charles, et al and by G. Zehentbauer, et al have been published that reportedly improve on this method. (Respectively see Charles, L.; Riter, L. S.; Cooks, R. G., Direct Analysis of Semivolatiel Organic Compounds in Air by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical ionization Mass Spectrometry. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2000. 48: p. 5389-5395. and see Zehentbauer, G.; Kirck, T.; Teineccius, G. A., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2000. 48: p. 5389-5395.) All of these methods introduce the sample into the API ionization region as a vapor and not directly as described in this application.
Pyrolysis with ionization of the gaseous pyrolysate has been reported, (see Snyder, A. P.; Kremer, J. H.; Mouzelaar, H. L. C.; Windig, W.; Taghizahed, K., Curie-point pyrolysis atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry: preliminary performance data for three biopolymers. Anal. Chem., 1987. 59: p. 1945-1951. while W. E. Steiner, et al has reported APCI of warfare agent simulants (see Steiner, W. E.; Glowers, B. H.; Haigh, P. E.; Hill, H. H., Secondary Ionization of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants: Atmospheric Pressure Ion Mobility Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 2003. 75: p. 6068-6076.
A wafer thermal desorption system has been described for introducing samples into APIMS (in published US patent application US2002148974). Several patents (for example, JP2002228636, WO2002060565, U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,136, US2003092193, US2003086826, U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,513, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,781, JP09015207, and JP06034616) discuss the use of GC and APIMS for the analysis and quantitation of trace gases such as hydrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, freons, silanes, and other compounds that are gases at ambient temperature, primarily for the semiconductor industry. McLuckey, et al. (Atmospheric Sampling Glow Discharge Ionization Source for the Determination of Trace Organic Compounds in Ambient Air, Anal. Chem., 60, 1988, 2220-2227.) disclosed a method for observing volatile organic compounds in air using a glow discharge.
Currently available mass spectrometers do not combine LC/MS and solids/liquid probe in a single instrument or use API solids/liquid probes in any fashion. The great majority of mass spectrometers are either designed for LC/MS operation or vacuum ionization operation with a solids probe, but not both. Many laboratories will have both instruments with solids probe with a vacuum ionization source and LC/MS instruments with API ionization available, but a growing number of laboratories have only API LC/MS instrumentation. Therefore, it is desirable to devise an ionization source that allows commonly available LC/MS mass spectrometers to also be capable of direct sample introduction by means of a direct introduction liquid/solids probe. Such an instrument would extend the coverage of compounds that can be analyzed by currently available LC/MS instruments. Such an interface probe would have the additional advantage that the advanced capabilities common in LC/MS instruments, but not common in vacuum ionization instruments (e.g. techniques known to those practiced in the art such as cone-voltage fragmentation, MSn, high-mass resolution, accurate mass measurement) would become available to liquids/solids direct analysis without purchase of new and expensive instrumentation.
Further, the heated gas stream used to vaporize materials reduces thermal fragmentation relative to direct resistive heating of samples off of a metal wire or ribbon. Apparently, the gas stream applies heat to the sample/air interface so that molecules are immediately removed from the surface when they attain sufficient thermal energy to overcome surface forces. Application of a thin stream of hot gas allows selected areas of a surface to be heated with vaporization of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. Imaging of the surface for these compounds which may be metabolites, for example, becomes available. The compounds vaporizing from the surface are ionized by a corona discharge or by photoionization. Alternatively, a resistive heater or conductive heating can be used to vaporize compounds, the resistive heating method being especially applicable for pyrolysis. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bridge device for providing a transition between two bordering floor segments of different levels and, more particularly, is concerned with a bridge device having a securement shank placed under one of the floor segments, a terminal shank integrally attached to the securement shank and disposed adjacent to and so as to protect the bordering edge of the one floor segment, and a transition shank articulated with the terminal shank and extending toward the other of the floor segments so as to provide the transition between the bordering floor segments over a range of different levels.
2.Description of the Prior Art
European patent document No. EP 0 407 928 B1 by the inventor herein discloses a bridge device for providing a transition between two bordering floor segments of different levels. The bridge device is a one-piece structural profile having a securement shank, a terminal shank and an inclined transition shank all of which are integrally connected and fixed relative to one another. The securement shank is rectangular in cross section, has a thickness less than 1.5 mm and is provided with perforations. The terminal shank is formed on an end of the securement shank. The transition shank is formed onto the terminal shank at the end side and, at its outer end, comprises a contact segment for a bordering floor segment. As a rule, such a profile is applied in an adhesion process with its securement shank under one bordering floor segment, such as ceramic tile covering. The free height of the terminal shank, which protects the bordering edges of the ceramic tile covering against damage, corresponds to the height of the ceramic tile covering. Against this structural profile a bordering floor segment, for example a carpet covering, is brought from the other side against the structural profile so as to engage flush with the contact segment of the inclined transition shank. The transition shank forms a stepless gradual transition from the lower floor segment to the higher floor segment. Such profiles must be matched in each instance to the different heights of the bordering floor segments such that a multiplicity of profile sizes are necessary in order to meet the requirements of different applications in practice.
From German patent document No. DE 44 39 963 A1 a device is known for covering open joints between two floor segments of different levels. Here, an angle section is provided in which a securement shank, tapering in cross section toward the outside, is fastened under the floor segments. Onto this securement shank is formed a rectangular support shank on whose upper side a hinge header is realized. Onto this hinge header can be articulated a cover profile rail which, in each instance, rests on one floor segment with its arms directed to both sides, covering the open joint between the two floor segments of different levels. However, since this cover profile rail rests with its two arms on the floor segments of different levels bordering the open joint, the pivoting of the cover profile rail about its articulation relative to the support shank is only possible to a small extent. It is therefore desirable to provide in a cover profile rail having synthetic material nominal bending sites which permit bending the corresponding arms of the cover profile rail such that in the case of the coverage a height compensation is possible to a greater extent.
However, such a coverage device of an open joint cannot be accommodated under ceramic coverings placed on a floor segment using an adhesive process due to the relatively thick securement shanks tapering toward to the outside. The formed-on support shank must be disposed at a sufficient spacing from the bordering edges of the covering in order for the cover profile rail with its hinging seat to be placed thereon. Such a support shank can therefore not assume any protective function for bordering ceramic tile coverings. Moreover, when placing such ceramic tile covering, an overlapping cover profile rail is undesirable which forms a step and which, in addition, disturbs the visual impression of the transition from a higher to a lower floor segment.
The present invention is directed to a bridge device for providing a transition between two bordering floor segments of different levels. The bridge device comprises a securement shank positionable under one of the floor segments, a terminal shank attached at a lower end on an end of the securement shank and extending upwardly therefrom for protecting the bordering edges of the one floor segment and a transition shank providing a profile flap pivotally held by and articulately linked to the terminal shank and extending away from a side of the terminal shank facing away from the one floor segment and toward the other floor segment such that the transition shank is swivelable so as to be able to bridge different height gradations in a visually appealing manner and thereby accommodate bordering floor segments at different levels.
Due to the articulated linkage of the transition shank on the side of the terminal shank it is possible to swivel and position the transition shank over a relatively wide range so as to be decreasing as well as also increasing relative to the other floor segment. The transition shank can be placed on the other bordering floor segment or can, delimiting the other floor segment at its corresponding edges, be placed in front of the other floor segment on the floor.
A preferred embodiment of the device includes the terminal shank having a cylindrical recess formed on the side thereof facing toward the other floor segment and a hinge pin attached to the terminal shank within the recess and extending outwardly therefrom and the transition shank having a hinging seat of cylindrical shape formed on an end thereof such that the recess on the terminal shank and the hinging seat on the transition shank provide two complementary profiles which are simple in terms of fabrication technology, are articulated with one another in a simple manner and have sufficient strength relative to loading that occurs during use. Furthermore, a top side of the transition shank abuts nearly flush the top side of the terminal shank such that the formation of steps or edges is avoided.
Other features which can be provided in the bridge device, such as when the one floor segment is ceramic tiles, includes its terminal shank having an upper end with an extension directed toward an edge of the one floor segment to be protected by the terminal shank and a spacing element on the terminal shank spaced between the upper and lower ends of the terminal shank and providing an open joint between the bordering edge of the one floor segment and the terminal shank that can be filled with a material, such as grout, to maintain the position of the terminal shank of the bridge device relative to the one floor segment.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is important for a mobile network to govern the current location of a mobile station, in order to provide prompt service for the mobile station. In this way, the mobile network can rapidly determine the location of the mobile station, set up the connection and transfer information to/from the mobile station, when there is information such as call or short message to be sent to the mobile station or when the mobile station sends out information. A mobile station may be moving while it is engaged in a communication or in an idle state. To ensure the continuity of an already initiated connection, the mobile station is handed over between the access points. When a mobile station is not engaged in a communication, the network must be able to determine its current cell in order to setup and route an incoming connection.
Location management in current mobile network such as GSM is carried out by two basic operations: paging and location updating. At the radio link level, paging refers to that procedure whereby the network searches for the exact cell through which a mobile station can be reached. This is done by sending out polling signals through all the candidate base stations. If paging is successful, the mobile station will send a paging response to the base station through which the mobile terminated connection can be set up. Location updating refers to that procedure whereby the mobile updates the stored current location and informs the network about its current location when the current location of the mobile station is not consistence with that stored inside the mobile station, so the current location of the mobile station can be managed by the mobile network and an exhaustive search through all possible base stations can be avoided.
FIG. 1 shows the paging and the location updating procedure implemented in a GSM network. Similar approaches are also employed in other mobile networks. With the conventional location management strategy, the network coverage area is divided into smaller cell cluster called Location Areas (LA). A location area is the granularity at which the network keeps track of the locations of the mobile stations, i.e., a location area is that group of cells in which the mobile station must be located. When a mobile station moves from one location area to another, a location updating procedure is triggered and the mobile station informs the network about this change of location area.
To enable the mobile station to detect a change of location area, the base stations periodically broadcast the identifiers of the location area they belong to; the identifier is called the location area identifier (LAI). On the other side, the mobile station ‘listens’ to the LAI currently being broadcasted and compares it to a recorded LAI (the LAI where it was last located). If the two LAIs are identical, the mobile station does not do any work. However, if the two lAIs are different, the mobile station interprets this as a change of location area, a location updating procedure is triggered and the old LAI is replaced with the new one. At the same time, the mobile station notifies the mobile network the change of its LAI. The mobile network processes the updating procedure on its side in response to receiving the notification, so as to promptly manage the current location of the mobile station.
In the conventional location updating management mechanism, a base station continuously broadcasts the LAI of the location area it belongs to, while a mobile station continuously ‘listens’ to the broadcasted LAI, and compares it to the registered one. If the two lAIs are different, the mobile station notifies the mobile network the change of its LAI. The mobile network processes the updating procedure on its side, in response to receiving the notification. Then the problem is raised that the overhead of the network increases very much and the network resource is wasted. Furthermore, the power of the mobile station is consumed very quickly because of continuously transmitting signals from the mobile station to the mobile network.
In practice, the activities of many users of mobile stations can be modeled. For instance, quite a number of office workers go to the offices in the morning, stay there for 9 hours, and go back to home. Thus, the location updating process can be done at specific switching points, such as at the points when the user arrives at the offices and when he/she arrives at home, if the mobile network knows about the mobility pattern of a mobile user. In this way, the continuous information exchange between a mobile station and a mobile network is avoided. The information exchanged between the mobile station and the mobile network is reduced then, the location updating process in the system and the process in the mobile station are simplified.
Research already shows that using mobility model of individual user can increase the efficacy of location management. But all proposed methods store and use the mobility model on the mobile network side with little participation of mobile stations, except for them to know location area and compare old and new location areas. Amount of other work is done on the mobile network side.
The mobile station is becoming more powerful with the development of the technique of the embedded microprocessor and storage. Many processes done in the mobile network, in turn, can be done in the mobile station. In addition, a mobile station can locate itself through GPS (Global Positioning System), the LAI received from the mobile network or their combination. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Various flow control techniques are often utilized to control the flow characteristics of an airstream or other fluid flow over a surface. For example, airflow over an airfoil can be manipulated using flow control techniques to alter the separation location of the flow on the airfoil and to reduce drag. There are numerous types of existing flow control techniques used to control some characteristic of an airflow. For example, static techniques include bumps and projections placed on a surface to strategically disrupt or guide an airflow over the surface. Active flow control techniques include changing a shape of an airfoil, electronically altering the skin friction of a surface, and using synthetic jet actuators to pump an actuating airflow into and out of a surface to interact with and alter the ambient airflow.
Active flow control devices that introduce an actuating airflow into the ambient airflow, such as with synthetic jet actuators, can be particularly effective in various low speed environments. However, as the airspeed of the corresponding aircraft increases, and consequently the speed of the ambient airflow to be controlled increases, most synthetic jet actuators are not capable of producing actuating flows of sufficient velocity to affect the ambient airflow in the desired manner.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is presented. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a device in an oil/gas treatment plant where excess gas from a number of sources is intercepted and is led through a collection conduit for advancing for recovery.
By oil/gas treatment plant is meant plant for oil production where hydrocarbon gases are separated from the Oil, refining plant, plus all types of processing plants from which combustible gases are formed which must be handled in a separate plant.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention has particular application in connection with oil production plants where the gaseous hydrocarbons are separated from the oil. Such plants comprise separate collection conduits for the leading away of excess gases to a flame tower where the gases are either released directly out into the atmosphere (cold torch) or burned off. The collection conduit systems are connected via conduits having valves to their respective separators and compressors in the plant. When an abnormal situation, such as too high a gas pressure, leakages, conduit breakage and the like, arises in one of these conduit systems or apparatuses, associated measuring instruments will register this and open associated valves so that the excess gases are led into the collection conduit system. However it often happens that such valves are not closed satisfactorily after they have been in operation, and therefore they continue to leak gases into the collection conduit system. Repairs of such valve leakages however must as a rule be postponed until the usual periodic examination of the plant.
When the excess gas is burned off the collection conduit must as a rule be supplied with a combustible gas in order to obtain a uniform gas supply for maintaining a flame in the flame tower, while when the gas is to be released unburned out into the atmosphere an inert gas is often supplied. In a normal operating situation the combustible gas feeds constitute, together with the said valve leakage gases (that is to say processing gases) the main sources for that excess gas which is burned off in the flame tower. There is consequently a continuous need for diverting and possibly burning off excess gases in a flame. Measurements have shown that the volume of gas which is released or burned off per twenty four hours can constitute up to 36000 m.sup.3 per plant.
In society there is increasing interest in the condition of the environment, and one is particularly aware of the escape of air gases, such as CO.sub.2, which can produce the so-called greenhouse effect. In this connection it is desirable to reduce the extent of the escape of torch gases. Furthermore it is clear that the excess gases represent a significant resource and that a better utilisation of the excess gases, in addition to the environmental, will also yield a contribution positive to the economy of the plant.
2. Description of Related Art
There are processes described hitherto for the recovery of excess gases in the treatment of oil products, which include a plant where excess gases are burned off in a flame tower.
In GB-Patent Application 2.066.936 a refining plant for oil is disclosed where excess gases in the form of hydrocarbon fractions are to be recovered. These excess gases are diverted from a torch conduit system and are condensed in one or more steps by compression and cooling down whereby the condensate is led back to the process. The gas residue however is led out into a torch tower and burned off. Thus according to the known solution the intention is that the residue amounts of hydrocarbon gases shall still be led continuously to the flame tower, or alternatively these residue gases shall be used as a fuel gas.
In DD-Patent Specification 266.006 a plant is disclosed for conducting together from several sources combustible gases having very dissimilar compositions into two main streams. The joint conduction is controlled by means of computers which regulate the mixture based on measurements of the calorific value of the gases. In this case there is also included a torch system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of processing polyurethane and more particularly to the art of providing effective release between polyurethane and other surfaces.
2. The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,015 to Wismer et al discloses fabricating bilayer safety glass by casting a polyurethane film between a glass sheet and a mold coated with a release agent to facilitate separation of the polyurethane surface from the mold. No particular release agents are suggested.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,077 to Rieser et al discloses fabricating bilayer safety glass by assembling a preformed plastic sheet between a glass sheet and a mold coated with a release agent such as polyvinyl fluoride, polyethylene glycol terephthalate, organopolysiloxanes and high silica content glass resins.
U.S. Application Ser. No. 49,673 filed June 18, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,299 discloses laminating a preformed thermoplastic sheet to a glass sheet using a glass pressing mold with an optically smooth coating of a silicon-based polymeric release agent to facilitate separation of the laminate from the mold without impairing the optical quality of the plastic surface.
U.S. Application Ser. No. 65,797 filed Aug. 13, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,.350 discloses reducing the reactivity of a glass surface with a molecular layer of a fluorocarbon bonded to metal ions adsorbed at the glass surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Modern communication solutions enable vast quantities of live information to be exchanged within and between enterprises, but there is still a need for increased relevancy to enable parties to interact with only the information they actually need to effectively communicate with their peers. The large volume of information typically encountered on a daily basis can result in an overwhelming quantity of information through which to filter. The onslaught of information typically results in much of the information being stored to be processed, if at all, at a later time rather than the flow of information being processed as it is received. Consequently, a fraction of received information is seen and eventually processed, a fraction is seen but not fully appreciated and therefore falls through the cracks, and the remainder might never be seen at all. As an example, a large enterprise may generate billions of possible exceptions and decision points per year. Software applications can pull certain of these exceptions and decision points up at the job function or “role” level, but most enterprise applications and business users still encounter poor, unfiltered monitoring and an increasingly disparate set of tools to communicate with other systems within the same or different enterprises. Employees, challenged by the sheer number of competing messages and tasks that cross their workspaces, resist incoming data, and even the relatively few messages that are seen and processed are often insignificant to the task at hand. Loss of valuable information is potentially harmful to an enterprise because such information may concern, for example, the next major client or the next big cost-saver for the enterprise. Enterprises and associated users need an effective way to help ensure that valuable information is seen, prioritized, and addressed rather than being lost among the vast quantity of unimportant information that is also received. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to platforms of a telecommunications system, and particularly to such platforms having a multi-processor configuration and Internet Protocol (IP) capabilities.
2. Related Art and other Considerations
An Internet Protocol (IP) network comprises Internet Protocol (IP) routers, links that transport Internet Protocol (IP) packets between routers, and hosts. An Internet Protocol (IP) router forwards Internet Protocol (IP) packets received at incoming links to suitable outgoing links for onward transportation through the network. The outgoing links are selected by looking at a destination IP address in the IP packets and comparing them with information in a routing table. The routing table contains information about a next hop (router) address to which to send the packets, and also information about which outgoing link to use to reach that next hop address. An Internet Protocol (IP) host is a device that contains Internet Protocol (IP) functionality to generate or receive IP packets, but no IP forwarding functionality. Often a device contains both host and router functionality. A link is attached to a host and/or a router via a link interface. A link interface has an assigned IP address.
When a host is connected to an Internet Protocol (IP) network via a link attached to a link interface, the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the link interface is used as a destination IP address for the host. If more than one link is connected to a host, any of the IP addresses of the link interfaces may be used to address the host. The IP address of a link interface that is connected to a router may also be a next-hop address if the link is connected to another router.
Various types of transport services can be provided to a software application that uses an IP network for communication. Such transport services include the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) transport service; the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) transport service; and the raw IP transport service (e.g., direct access to the Internet Protocol (IP) transport function). The TCP and UPD transport services provide additional functionality on top of the IP network transport function. TCP provides a connection-oriented service with reliable transport of data. That is, data is protected from loss, reordering, misinsertion, etc. UDP is a relatively non-reliable datagram service. Both TCP and UDP transport services operate end-to-end on a data flow. That is, TCP and UDP functions are not involved in intermediate nodes in the IP network, only the nodes where the data flow originates and terminates.
Typically, TCP, UDP, and raw IP transport services are provided to a user application via a socket interface. A “port” concept makes it possible for several applications to use TCP or UDP transport simultaneously via the same source IP address. Applications are separated from each other by using different TCP or UDP port numbers. Different user applications may use the same TCP or UDP port number if they use different IP source addresses, but if the same IP source address is used, different port numbers must be used. Some port numbers are reserved for specific, well-known applications.
A TCP segment or UDP datagram contains information about source and destination port numbers. A TCP segment or UDP datagram is sent in an IP packet. The IP packet contains information about the source and destination IP addresses.
When a user application initiates TCP or UDP communication, the user application creates a socket interface with the desired port number, and binds it to an IP source address. If TCP transport is used, a connection is established toward a destination socket specified by a destination port number and a destination IP address. If UDP is used, no connection is established. Instead, the destination socket is specified for every UDP datagram that is sent by submitting the destination port and the destination IP address. The raw IP transport service provides no additional functionality on top of the IP layer. The raw IP transport service basically provides a socket interface towards the IP layer transport function. Port numbers can not be used to separate different users when using the raw IP transport service. Instead, the protocol number in the IP header specifying the user protocol is used to separate different users. The protocol number is specified by a software application when it binds to a raw IP socket.
Functionality is generally provided for transporting IP packets over an ethernet Local Area Network (LAN). To the IP host and router function entity, the IP over ethernet link appears as a generic link. The ethernet dependent functionality is hidden from the IP host and router function. This includes an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) that is used to translate IP addresses to ethernet Medium Access Control (MAC) addresses. When an IP over ethernet link needs to find out the ether net MAC address to a link interface attached to a host or router on an Ethernet LAN that has a specific IP address assigned to it, the IP over ethernet link function broadcasts an ARP Request message on the Ethernet LAN. The ARP request message contains the IP address whose MAC address is requested and also the MAC address of the link that sent out the ARP request, so that the response can be sent to the correct link interface. The IP over ethernet link interface that has the requested IP address will then respond with an ARP response message containing the requested MAC address. The IP over ethernet link entity that sent out the request then stores the MAC address of the IP address and uses it when data is to be sent to the concerned IP address. The ARP protocol is a standard function.
There also may be functionality in an IP network for transporting IP packets over an Asynchronous Transport Mode (ATM) network. The ATM dependent functionality is hidden from the IP host and router function. To transport IP packets over ATM, the ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5) is often used. The ATM dependent functionality includes, for example, functionality for encapsulating IP packets into AAL5 Service Data Units (SDUs). Encapsulation of IP packets into AAL5 SDUs is specified in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comment (RFC) number 1483. The ATM dependent functionality also includes functionality for translating IP addresses to ATM addresses.
In prior art multi-processor systems having internet capabilities, typically each processor involved with internet transmissions has a distinct internet protocol address which is closely tied to the hardware and Ethernet interface of the processor. The processors collectively form a local area network (LAN). Internet protocol (IP) traffic is routed to and from these processors either by a dedicated router connected to the same LAN or by one of the processors of the LAN running special router software.
It has become desirable in at least some multi-processor environments to view the processors from an external perspective as a single processing resource having a single IP address. What is needed in such situations, therefore, and an object of the present invention, is method and apparatus for handling IP-related applications on different processors all having the same IP address. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to distributed information protection and network security and, more particularly, to a method for secure single-packet remote authorization using a daemon that passively monitors a network for a specially constructed encrypted packet and anonymously accepts or rejects subsequent connection attempts based on the characteristics of said packet.
(2) Description of Prior Art
Network technology is invaluable for sharing resources. However, connecting a computer or network to the Internet is a risky proposition. There is a high probability that eventually, someone will gain unauthorized access. To exploit a server-side application vulnerability, an intruder needs to gain access to an open port leading into the system, or trick the host system into opening one (through shellcode that exploits a software vulnerability and opens a backdoor into the system for example). This requires a combination of the host system's unique IP (Internet protocol) address, and the ability to talk to the server's TCP (Transmission Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol) stack and corresponding ports that serve as the door into the host system.
Firewalls help to prevent the ability of attackers to exploit software vulnerabilities through the use of port and protocol filtering to minimize server access from arbitrary IP addresses, and also through the use of NAT (network address translation) for protected internal hosts. Unfortunately, conventional firewalls operate under a fixed ruleset which, if predicted or examined through various scanning methods, can offer little protection for vulnerable services. Consequently, a variety of more robust authorization techniques have evolved to increase security.
For example, U.S. Patent Application Nos. 20050182968 and 20030140248 both by Izatt et al. show an “Intelligent firewall” that analyzes incoming packets to determine whether or not they are acceptable to forward on to a destination in the network. If the packet is not acceptable, access to the network is denied and the packet is dropped with no denial of access message being sent to the source of the packet. As a result, there is no detectable response to the sender of denied access from the firewall.
United States Patent Application 20050240994 by Burcham published Oct. 27, 2005 shows a method for maintaining network access and security that uses a perimeter client and a perimeter server.
“Port knocking” is a method of externally opening ports on a firewall by generating a connection attempt on a set of prespecified closed ports. Once a correct sequence of connection attempts is received the firewall rules are dynamically changed to allow the computer that sent the connection attempts to connect over specified port(s). Port knocking is typically implemented by a daemon (a computer program that runs in the background) that watches the firewall log file for connection attempts and that modifies the firewall configuration accordingly. The port knock sequence itself is a secret handshake comprising any number of TCP, UDP packets to numbered ports on the host system. The complexity of the knock can be anything from a simple ordered list of ports to a complex time-dependent, source-IP-based encrypted string. The portknock daemon listens for knocks on certain ports (either via the firewall log or by packet capture) and allows access accordingly. When the concept of port knocking was announced in 2003 (Krzywinski, M., Port Knocking: Network Authentication Across Closed Ports, SysAdmin Magazine 12: 12-17; 2003), many competing implementations were rapidly developed. There are now over 30 different software projects dedicated to various implementations of port knocking. The two most important characteristics of port knocking in terms of enhancing security are: 1) the passive communication of authentication information from a remote system to the host system, with no return of data (anyone who casually scans the target system will not be able to tell that there is any server listening on the ports protected by the knock server); and 2) the server side use of a packet filter to intercept all attempts to connect with the server that are not associated with a valid port knocking sequence. Consequently, even if an attacker possesses the host system's IP address, TCP and UDP ports that serve as the door to the host system are completely inaccessible without first issuing a valid knock sequence.
The present inventor has implemented an open-source daemon called fwknop (Firewall Knock Operator), which supports an entirely new mechanism for network authentication and authorization called Single Packet Authorization that requires only a single encrypted packet in order to gain access to protected services. This new mechanism offers many advantages over both shared and encrypted port knock sequences as discussed below.
Unfortunately, port knocking is not designed to provide bullet-proof security, and, indeed, replay attacks can easily be leveraged against a port knock server in an effort to masquerade as a legitimate client. Moreover, in port knocking schemes the communication of information within packet headers as opposed to the packet payload severely limits the amount of data that can effectively be transferred. The port fields of the TCP and UDP headers are 16 bits wide, so only two bytes of information can be transferred per packet in a traditional port knock sequence. This assumes that other fields within the packet header are not also made significant in terms of the knock sequence, but any conceivable implementation would not be able to transmit nearly as much information as a protocol that makes use of payload data. If only two bytes of information were all that were required to communicate the desired access to a portknock daemon then this would not be a significant issue, but it is not enough to simply create a mapping between a knock sequence (however short) and opening a port. An encryption algorithm can help, but even a symmetric block cipher with a reasonable key size of, say, 128 bits forces at least 8 packets to be sent at two bytes per packet. As soon as multiple packets become involved, we need to try to ensure that the packets arrive in order. This implies that a time delay is added between each successive packet in the knock sequence. Simply blasting the packets onto the network as quickly as possible might result in out of order delivery by the time the packets reach their intended target. Because the knock server is strictly passively monitoring packets and consequently has no notion of a packet acknowledgment scheme (such as built into the Transmission Control Protocol), a reasonable time delay is on the order of about a half second. Given a minimum of 8 packets to send, we are up to four seconds just to communicate the knock sequence. In addition, if there were ever a need to send more information, say on the order of 100 bytes, the time to send would be longer than most people would be willing to wait.
Unfortunately, under current port-knocking schemes, a consequence of sending multiple packets in a slow sequence is that it becomes trivial for an attacker to break any sequence as it is being sent by the port knocking client. All the attacker needs to do is to spoof a duplicate packet from the source address of the client as a knock while the sequence is in progress. This duplicate packet would be interpreted by the knock server as part of the sequence, and hence breaking the original sequence. There is existing software (programs like hping available at http://www.hping.org) that makes it exceedingly easy to spoof IP packets from arbitrary IP addresses.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide an authentication and authorization scheme employing Single Packet Authorization that does not suffer from this type of easy injection attack. It would also be advantageous to prevent attackers from replaying captured messages against the knock server. A mechanism should be in place that makes it easy for the server to know which messages have been sent before and not honor those that are duplicates of previous messages (it is not enough just to encrypt knock sequences as encryption can be deciphered as well).
There currently are no known traditional port knocking methods that elegantly prevent replay attacks, though some make it difficult (such as altering knock sequences based upon time, iterating a hashing function as in the S/KEY system, or even manually changing the agreed upon encryption key for each successful knock sequence). However, each of these known methods requires keeping state at both the client and the server, and does not scale well once lots of users become involved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention is generally concerned with data storage and access systems. More particularly, it relates to a portable data carrier for storing and paying for data and to computer systems for providing access to data to be stored. The invention also includes corresponding methods and computer programs. The invention is particularly useful for managing stored audio and video data, but may also be applied to storage and access of text and software, including games, as well as other types of data.
One problem associated with the increasingly wide use of the internet is the growing prevalence of so-called data pirates. Such pirates obtain data either by unauthorized or legitimate means and then make this data available essentially world-wide over the internet without authorization. Data can be a very valuable commodity, but once it has been published on the internet it is difficult to police access to and use of it by internet users who may not even realize that it is pirated. This is a particular problem with audio recordings, and, once the bandwidth becomes available, is also likely to be evident with video.
Over the past three or four years compressed audio sources have become increasingly widely available on web pages. One widely used audio data compression format is MP3 (MPEG-Audio Layer 3 of the MPEG1 compression algorithm), which is an internationally defined standard including a definition of compressed audio information such as speech or music. It relies on psycho-acoustic properties of human hearing to achieve very large data compression factors. It is thus feasible to download usefully long passages of music in a practically convenient short time. Pirate data suppliers have not been slow to realize the potential of this, and many unauthorized websites have sprung up offering popular industry considerable concern and there is an urgent need to find a way to address the problem of data piracy. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Collecting bags for receiving and controlling human body wastes are well known and have been provided in numerous shapes, sizes and constructions for many years. Also, collecting bags being provided with a comfort layer to increase user comfort have been provided. Some examples are found in patent publications EP1389081 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,180.
In most available collecting bag products in the field of ostomy care, i.e. for bags being part of an ostomy device, such a comfort layer comprises a non-woven material typically made from polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester fibres. The non-woven material is typically heat laminated onto the barrier material of the collecting bag or attached by a welding process. The welding process causes the fibre structure of the non-woven material to melt, and experience shows that this results in a relatively hard or non-flexible welding zone. The resulting attachment or connection between the non-woven and the barrier film layer is relatively strong, i.e. the strength required to peel the two layers apart in a peel strength test is relatively high, but in some cases the materials break instead of being peeled apart, if submitted to such a test. However, the strength of the individual non-woven fibres is compromised or greatly reduced in the melted areas of the material thereby leaving those areas more exposed to failure caused by external forces working on the collecting bag, such as tearing or pulling forces. Indeed, the fact that the welding zone is relatively hard leaves the welding zone area exposed and much more sensitive to notches being created. In the worst case, such a failure may result in the collecting bag being torn up and open and consequently leaking its contents. Furthermore, the process of welding the non-woven onto the barrier material leaves the zone or area of the welding quite visible because all material in the welding zone is mixed and results in a relatively uniform surface after cooling, thus compromising the visual appearance of the collecting bag.
Thus, there is a need for an improved collecting bag that overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages and provides an increased security against failure caused by external forces. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Urinary incontinence, in which the ordinary bodily muscle functions fail to prevent unintended leakage of urine, is a common malady among women, particularly older women. It is estimated that up to 50% of women occasionally leak urine involuntarily, and that approximately 25% of women will seek medical advice at some point in order to deal with the problem. Stress incontinence, the most common type of urinary incontinence, refers to the involuntary loss of urine resulting from abdominal pressure rise, occurring during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, etc. When stress incontinence occurs, it is usually the result of the abnormal descent of the urethra and bladder neck below the level of the pelvic floor. Many women wear sanitary napkins or diapers in order to deal with incontinence, and some women resort to surgical procedures.
Pessary devices are known to help relieve involuntary urination in a female. Such devices are designed for arrangement in the vagina for compressive action on and support of the bladder. Typical pessary devices are large in width during use, and may elastically expand, inflate, or unfold to provide compressive action within the vagina. Such pessary devices can be uncomfortable for a user and/or can require the user to activate or operate the device prior to or upon insertion of the pessary device into the vagina. This can result in an undesirable usage experience.
As such, there remains a need for a pessary device with improved comfort during use. There also remains a need for a pessary device that is small in size yet effective. In addition, there remains a need for a disposable pessary device that can be used daily. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Dryers are typically used to remove moisture from fine, dusty particulate matter such as carbon black or cement particles. For example U.S. Pat No. 3,333,344 discusses the use of rotary dryers in the manufacture of carbon black. Rotary dryers usually have a revolving cylindrical shell which is a vessel that is enclosed by a furnace housing. The material to be dried is inside the shell. A heating medium such as hot gases surrounds the shell and is contained in the furnace housing. Heat is transferred from the heating medium to the shell by radiation and convection. Heat is then transferred from the heated shell to the material to be dried that is inside the shell by conduction and radiation. The thermal energy which is transferred to the material to be dried that is inside the shell evaporates the liquid from the material. The only gases that are flowed inside the shell are those used to purge vapors of the evaporated liquid. Lifting vanes, often simply called lifters, are attached to the inner periphery of the shell to lift and shower the material to be dried. The showering increases the amount of the surface area of the material to be dried that is exposed to heat and to purge gases.
The material to be dried in standard rotary dryers is thus only indirectly heated. The heating medium is physically separated from the material to be dried by the wall of the shell of the dryer. The heating medium heats the shell, and then the heated shell heats the material to be dried. This indirect mode of heat transfer results in a low dryer thermal efficiency. The dryer thermal efficiency is the fraction of the total energy supplied that heats and evaporates liquid from the material to be dried. Various techniques have been used to improve the thermal efficiency of rotary dryers. For instance, the lifters have been modified to increase contact between the material to be dried and the wall of the shell of the dryers. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,334. Also, one end of the shells of rotary dryers has been enlarged to increase material hold-up and to increase the amount of time that a given particle of material to be dried is in contact with the hot shells of the dryers. Also, indirectly heated tubes have been installed in dryer shells. These tubes extend through the dryer shell and provide for additional indirect heat transfer from the heating medium into the material to be dried. The heating medium heats the tubes that pass through the dryer shell, and the heated tubes then pass the thermal energy on to the material to be dried. Although the above and other improvements have been made in the art to improve the thermal efficiency of rotary dryers, there is still significant room for improvement. | {
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This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-186535, filed Jun. 30, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium, a reproducing method, and a reproducing apparatus and, more particularly, to an optical recording medium having a structure in which a plurality of recording layers are stacked, and a reproducing method and apparatus for the medium.
Optical recording media such as optical disks are used in various forms. For example, as external storage media of computers and as music media, CDs (Compact Discs) such as CD-ROM (read only), CD-R (write-once), and CD-RW (rewritable) are extensively used. Also, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) are becoming popular as optical recording media having larger capacity and are used in video recording, in computer storaging, and the like in recent years. DVDs also have diverse types: DVD-ROM (read only), DVD-R (write-once), and DVD-RAM (rewritable).
Of these optical recording media, a read only medium, for example, has a recording layer in which pits having a depth xc2xc the wavelength of a laser beam are formed as recording marks. When this pit is irradiated with a laser beam, the phase of reflected light from the pit shifts by xc2xd from that of reflected light from the periphery of the pit. Consequently, these reflected light components produce interference. Therefore, compared to the case in which a portion having no pit is irradiated with a laser beam, the intensity of reflected light detected by a photodetector lowers. A read only optical recording medium uses this principle in reproducing recorded information.
DVDs have a structure in which a pair of disks each having a thickness of 0.6 mm are adhered. A DVD in which recording layers are formed on both opposing surfaces of these disks is called a dual-layered DVD. Of such dual-layered DVDS, a DVD that allows information recorded in a pair of recording layers to be read out from one side is called a single-sided, dual-layered DVD.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing a conventional single-sided, dual-layered DVD. As shown in FIG. 1, this conventional single-sided, dual-layered DVD 101 has a structure in which a substrate 102 having a recording layer 104 on one principal surface and an opposing substrate 103 having a recording layer 105 on one principal surface are adhered via an interlayer 106 such that the recording layers 104 and 105 oppose each other. Note that the recording layer 104 is a semitransparent film and the recording layer 105 is a reflecting film.
Information recorded in the recording layer 104 of this conventional single-sided, dual-layered DVD 101 is read out by sending a laser beam 107, focused on the recording layer 104, from the side of the substrate 102, and detecting the intensity of the reflected light by a photodetector. Although reflected light from the recording layer 105 is also detected, the focal depth of this layer beam 107 is small, so the intensity of the reflected light from the recording layer 105 is much lower than that of the reflected light from the recording layer 104. Accordingly, only the information recorded in the recording layer 104 can be selectively read out.
On the other hand, to read out information recorded in the recording layer 105, a laser beam 108 focused on the recording layer 105 is sent from the side of the substrate 102. As in the above case, only the information recorded in the recording layer 105 can be selectively read out.
In this prior art as described above, in reading out information recorded in one of the recording layers 104 and 105, information recorded in the other is prevented from becoming noise by using the small focal depth of the laser beam used to read out information. This allows read-out of information recorded in the recording layers 104 and 105. Hence, in this prior art it is necessary to move the focal position of the laser beam.
To move the focal position, a mechanism for moving a lens must be incorporated into an optical disk drive. This significantly increases the time and cost necessary to manufacture the optical disk drive of this prior art. Also, when the focal position is thus moved, reading out recorded information naturally requires a long time. Accordingly, it is difficult for this prior art to realize a high read rate.
It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to read out information recorded in a single-sided, multilayered optical recording medium at high speed.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the cost and time required to manufacture a reproducing apparatus for a single-sided, multilayered optical recording medium.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical recording medium using a reflectance difference to reproduce recorded information, comprising a first recording layer, an interlayer provided on one principal surface of the first recording layer, and a second recording layer provided on the interlayer, wherein the interlayer guides converged light irradiating the first recording layer to the second recording layer such that a beam diameter of the light on the second recording layer is substantially equal to a beam diameter of the light on the first recording layer.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical recording medium using a reflectance difference to reproduce recorded information, comprising a first recording layer, an interlayer provided on one principal surface of the first recording layer and made of a third-order nonlinear optical material, and a second recording layer provided on the interlayer.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical recording medium using a reflectance difference to reproduce recorded information, comprising a first recording layer, an interlayer provided on one principal surface of the first recording layer, and a second recording layer provided on the interlayer, wherein the interlayer comprises first and second portions juxtaposed on the first recording layer, and a refractive index of the second portion is higher than that of the first portion.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing method of an optical recording medium comprising a first recording layer, an interlayer provided on one principal surface of the first recording layer, and a second layer provided on the interlayer, comprising the steps of irradiating the first recording layer with converged light, and detecting the intensity of reflected light produced by irradiation of the converged light, wherein the interlayer guides the converged light irradiating the first recording layer to the second recording layer such that a beam diameter of the light on the second recording layer is substantially equal to a beam diameter of the light on the first recording layer.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus of an optical recording medium having a structure in which a plurality of recording layers are stacked, comprising an optical recording medium comprising a first recording layer, an interlayer provided on one principal surface of the first recording layer, and a second recording layer provided on the interlayer, a light source for irradiating the first recording layer with converged light, and a detector for detecting the intensity of reflected light produced by irradiation of the light, wherein the interlayer guides the converged light irradiating the first recording layer to the second recording layer such that a beam diameter of the light on the second recording layer is substantially equal to a beam diameter of the light on the first recording layer.
The term xe2x80x9creflectancexe2x80x9d means a value actually measured by irradiating a reflector with light, when it is used like xe2x80x9cthe difference between reflectancesxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdetect the reflectancexe2x80x9d. That is, when this is the case the reflectance not only changes in accordance with the wavelength of the light used and the material and thickness of the reflector but also is influenced by the shape of the reflector. Accordingly, xe2x80x9cdetect the reflectance of that portion of an optical recording medium, which is irradiated with converged lightxe2x80x9d is equivalent to xe2x80x9cdetect the energy or intensity of reflected light produced when the first recording layer is irradiated with converged lightxe2x80x9d. Also, when the term xe2x80x9creflectancexe2x80x9d is used in connection with a single thin flat film like xe2x80x9cthe reflectance of a first recording layerxe2x80x9d, this reflectance is uniquely determined only by the wavelength of the light used and the material and thickness of the thin film.
In the present invention as described above, converged light irradiating the first recording layer is guided to the second recording layer such that the beam diameter of the light on the first recording layer is equal to the beam diameter of the light on the second recording layer. This means that when this converged light is focused on the first recording layer, the light is also focused on the second recording layer at the same time. In the present invention, therefore, unlike the prior art, reflected light detected by the photodetector can contain light components reflected by the first and second recording layers respectively with sufficient intensities. Hence, by appropriately setting the light transmittance and the like of the first recording layer, it is possible to read out both information recorded in the first recording layer and information recorded in the second recording layer at the same time.
In the present invention, readout information is usually separated in accordance with information recorded in the first recording layer and information recorded in the second recording layer. However, information read out by the above method need not be separated. For example, when both first and second recording layers are used to record one information, i.e., when a recording mark pattern formed on the first recording layer and a recording mark pattern formed on the second recording layer are related, it is unnecessary to separate readout information.
In the present invention as described above, it is possible to simultaneously read out information recorded in the first recording layer and information recorded in the second recording layer without moving the focal position of converged light. Accordingly, the present invention can read out information recorded in a single-sided, multilayered optical recording medium at very high speed. Also, the present invention obviates the need for a mechanism for moving the focal position of converged light. This can reduce the cost and time required to manufacture a reproducing apparatus for a single-sided, multilayered optical recording medium.
In the present invention as described above, the interlayer guides converged light irradiating the first recording layer to the second recording layer such that the beam diameter on the second recording layer is substantially equal to the beam diameter on the first recording layer. This interlayer is made of, e.g., a third-order nonlinear optical material. The interlayer can also have first and second portions juxtaposed on the first recording layer, and the refractive index of the second portion can be higher than that of the first portion.
In the present invention, a reflectance R1 of the first recording layer and a reflectance R2 of the second recording layer preferably satisfy:
0.1 less than R1 less than 0.4
0.5 less than R2xe2x89xa61, and
R2xe2x89xa0R1/(1xe2x88x92R1)
When this is the case, the reflected light intensity or reflectance detected changes between four values, and sufficient reflected light intensity is obtained. So, this is advantageous in separating readout information.
In the present invention, the first and second recording layers are preferably different from each other in at least one of a recording density and a recording method. In this case, readout information can be separated by using this difference.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. | {
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This invention relates to adaptors for valves and in particular, though not exclusively to adaptors for connecting equipment to the inflation valve of pneumatic tires, and to a gas analyzer for testing the oxygen content of the inflation gas of pneumatic tires. As used herein the term "pneumatic" includes air and other elastic fluid(s) and gas(es).
Pneumatic tires are normally mounted on a wheel rim and are inflated by connecting an inflation valve to a suitable source of compressed air or other suitable elastic fluid(s) or gas(es).
The inflation valve also permits connection of a tire pressure gauge to test the inflation pressure as well as other test equipment as commonly used.
Previously, it has been necessary to provide a range of adaptors for connecting the equipment to different valve sizes commonly encountered in use. This is inconvenient as the user must change the adaptor for each different valve size and the adaptors are easily misplaced or lost. | {
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Field of the Invention
The technical field relates to device and more particularly related to portable device for controlling electrical adjustable apparatus.
Description of Related Art
In related art, an electrical adjustable apparatus (such as electrical adjustable table) having the ability to adjust the height of carrying structure (such as desktop) has been provided. The electrical adjustable apparatus comprises at least one actuating structure (such as table leg(s)), and the actuating structure's length can be controlled and adjusted by a motor. A user can adjust the actuating structure's length for raising or lowering a carrying structure of the electrical adjustable apparatus to a suitable height for the user via operating a control interface of the electrical adjustable apparatus
However, a situation often occurs that the electrical adjustable apparatus of the related art collides with an obstacle and still continues to stretch/shorten during stretching/shortening because the user is not aware of the obstacle in the raising/lowering path of the carrying structure. Above-mentioned situation may make an article placed on the carrying structure fall from the carrying structure or damage the carrying structure, the motor or the obstacle.
Therefore, there is a need to find out a better and more effective solution to handle such problems. | {
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Many thin film PV device and, particularly, NDSC devices, as of the type disclosed in the above patents, are capable of being fabricated in a laminate arrangement between two large area substrates without undue expense. One typical arrangement involves two glass substrates, each utilising an electrically conducting coating upon the internal surface of the substrate. Another typical arrangement involves the first substrate being glass or polymeric and utilising an electrically conducting coating upon the internal surface of the substrate, with the second substrate being polymeric or metallic. In some arrangements, the internal surface of said second polymeric substrate is coated with an electrically conducting coating, whereas in other arrangements, said second polymeric substrate comprises a polymeric foil laminate, utilising adjacent electrically conductive material, such as carbon. Also, in some arrangements, the external surface may be a laminated metal film, and in other arrangements, the external surface may be coated by a metal. In other arrangements the substrate is made of metal or metallic mesh or the internal surface of the substrate is coated by metal. At least one of said first and second substrates is substantially transparent to visible light, as is the attached transparent electrically conducting (TEC) coating.
In general, a photovoltaic device comprises active photovoltaic regions, connecting means to connect these regions electrically and dividing means to separate these regions.
In particular, the active photovoltaic regions of NDSC device comprise a working electrode of nanoparticulate dye-sensitised wide band gap semiconductor (e.g. titanium dioxide known as titania) attached to one conductive coating; a counter electrode, typically consisting of a catalytic layer attached to the other conductive coating or to a conductive material; and an electrolyte containing a redox mediator placed between the working and the counter electrodes.
Many NDSC module designs would be advantaged by an increased size of individual NDSC devices. However, such transparent electrical conductors (TEC), which usually comprise a metal oxide(s) or metallic mesh, have relatively high resistivity when compared with normal metal conductors, resulting in higher than sought resistive losses for large area NDSC device, which affects the efficiency of the NDSC device especially in high illumination conditions.
In one arrangement, described in the prior art, these losses are reduced by the use of connecting means such as a pattern of electrically conductive material (ECM) in the form of bus bars, pads, grid of lines or any other pattern on the TEC coating(s) or inlaid or surface laid conductive mesh or wires. The said electrically conducting means occupy certain part of surface of a photovoltaic module, thus reducing area available for the active photovoltaic regions of NDSC. This results in reduction of overall efficiency of NDSC device since only a part of solar radiation incident to the device strikes its active photovoltaic regions.
In another arrangement, described in the prior art, these losses are reduced by forming two or more relatively small separate NDSC devices and separating and connecting them internally within a single NDSC module. Once again, the internal connectors and/or separators between the separate NDSC devices occupy certain part of surface of the photovoltaic module, thus reducing overall efficiency of NDSC device. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,430, issued Nov. 10, 1992, to Rhee et al. discusses collagen-synthetic polymer conjugates prepared by covalently binding collagen to synthetic hydrophilic polymers such as various derivatives of polyethylene glycol. U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,775, issued Jun. 28, 1994, to Rhee et al. discusses various insert, naturally occurring, biocompatible polymers (such as polysaccharides) covalently bound to synthetic, non-immunogenic, hydrophilic polyethylene glycol polymers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,955, issued Jul. 12, 1994, to Rhee et al. discusses various activated forms of polyethylene glycol and various linkages which can be used to produce collagen-synthetic polymer conjugates having a range of physical and chemical properties.
Ser. No. 08/403,358, filed Mar. 14, 1995, discusses a crosslinked biomaterial composition that is prepared using a hydrophobic crosslinking agent, or a mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic crosslinking agents. Hydrophobic crosslinking agents can include any hydrophobic polymer that contains, or can be chemically derivatized to contain, two or more succinimidyl groups.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,923, issued Dec. 3, 1996, to Yeung et al. discusses a composition useful in the prevention of surgical adhesions comprising a substrate material and an anti-adhesion binding agent, where the substrate material preferably comprises collagen and the binding agent preferably comprises at least one tissue-reactive functional group and at least one substrate-reactive functional group.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,587, issued Mar. 25, 1997, to Rhee et al. discusses bioadhesive compositions comprising collagen crosslinked using a multifunctionally activated synthetic hydrophilic polymer, as well as methods of using such compositions to effect adhesion between a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces can be a native tissue surface.
Japanese patent publication No. 07090241 discusses a composition used for temporary adhesion of a lens material to a support, to mount the material on a machining device, comprising a mixture of polyethylene glycol, having an average molecular weight in the range of 1000-5000, and poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, having an average molecular weight in the range of 30,000-200,000.
West and Hubbell, Biomaterials (1995) 16:1153-1156, discuss the prevention of post-operative adhesions using a photopolymerized polyethylene glycol-co-lactic acid diacrylate hydrogel and a physically crosslinked polyethylene glycol-co-polypropylene glycol hydrogel, Poloxamer 407®.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,672,336 and 5,196,185 describe a wound dressing comprising a micro-particulate fibrillar collagen having a particle size of 0.5-2.0 μm. This composition generally comprises an aqueous phase and may not form a hydrogel as described in the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,213 describes a cross-linked aliphatic poly-ester hydrogel useful as an absorbable surgical device and drug delivery vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,275 describes an acrylate or methacrylate based hydrogel adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,501 describes a polyoxyalkylene based thermoreversible hydrogel useful as a drug delivery vehicle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,677 and 5,041,292 describe a hydrogel comprising a protein component cross-linked with a polysaccharide or mucopolysaccharide and useful as a drug delivery vehicle.
Biodegradable injectable drug delivery polymers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,333 and by Jeong et al. (1997) “Nature,” 388:860-862. Biodegradable hydrogels for controlled released drug delivery are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,677. Resorbable collagen-based drug delivery systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,347,234 and 4,291,013. Aminopolysaccharide-based biocompatible films for drug delivery are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,300,494 and 4,946,870. Water soluble carriers for the delivery of taxol are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,506.
Polymers have been used as carriers of therapeutic agents to effect a localized and sustained release (Langer, et al., Rev. Macro. Chem. Phys., C23 (1), 61, 1983; Controlled Drug Delivery, Vol. I and II, Bruck, S. D., (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1983; Leong et al., Adv. Drug Delivery Review, 1:199, 1987). These therapeutic agent delivery systems simulate infusion and offer the potential of enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity.
Other classes of synthetic polymers which have been proposed for controlled release drug delivery include polyesters (Pitt, et al., in Controlled Release of Bioactive Materials, R. Baker, Ed., Academic Press, New York, 1980); polyamides (Sidman, et al., Journal of Membrane Science, 7:227, 1979); polyurethanes (Maser, et al., Journal of Polymer Science, Polymer Symposium, 66:259, 1979); polyorthoesters (Heller, et al., Polymer Engineering Scient, 21:727, 1981); and polyanhydrides (Leong, et al., Biomaterials, 7:364, 1986).
Collagen-containing compositions which have been mechanically disrupted to alter their physical properties are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,428,024; 5,352,715; and 5,204,382. These patents generally relate to fibrillar and insoluble collagens. An injectable collagen composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,075. An injectable bone/cartilage composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,532. A collagen-based delivery matrix comprising dry particles in the size range from 5 μm to 850 μm which may be suspended in water and which has a particular surface charge density is described in WO 96/39159. A collagen preparation having a particle size from 1 μm to 50 μm useful as an aerosol spray to form a wound dressing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,185. Other patents describing collagen compositions include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,672,336 and 5,356,614. A polymeric, non-erodible hydrogel that may be cross-linked and injected via a syringe is described in WO 96/06883.
The following pending applications, assigned to the assignee of the present application, contain related subject matter: U.S. Ser. No. 08/903,674, filed on Jul. 31, 1997; U.S. Ser. No. 60/050,437, filed on Jun. 18, 1997; U.S. Ser. No. 08/704,852, filed on Aug. 27, 1996; U.S. Ser. No. 08/673,710, filed Jun. 19, 1996; U.S. Ser. No. 60/011,898, filed Feb. 20, 1996; U.S. Ser. No. 60/006,321, filed on Nov. 7, 1996; U.S. Ser. No. 60/006,322, filed on Nov. 7, 1996; U.S. Ser. No. 60/006,324, filed on Nov. 7, 1996; and U.S. Ser. No. 08/481,712, filed on Jun. 7, 1995. The full disclosures of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference. Each publication cited above and herein is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. There are a variety of materials suitable for use as bioadhesives, for tissue augmentation, for the prevention of surgical adhesions, for coating surfaces of synthetic implants, as drug delivery matrices, for ophthalmic applications, and the like. Yet in many cases the setting time for these materials can be less than optimal, whereas for surgical and other medical applications, a rapidly acting material is often preferred. In other cases, currently available materials may exhibit swelling properties that are undesirable for certain surgical applications. Thus, what is needed is a rapidly acting material, for use as, for example, a tissue sealant for hemostatic and/or wound sealing applications. It would also be desirable to provide materials that exhibit minimal swelling properties. | {
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1. Technical Field
A method of forming a gate in a semiconductor device, is disclosed which can prevent abnormal oxidization and lifting at an interface of the stack gate which comprises polysilicon and a metal. The disclosed method can be applied to even the single metal gate, by replacing a re-oxidization process for reducing damage to the gate oxide film generated during the gate patterning process with an oxygen plasma treatment.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the conventional process of forming a gate electrode using a polysilicon film, a re-oxidization process is performed for the purpose of reducing micro-trench damage occurring in the gate oxide film when the polysilicon film is etched and for increasing the device reliability by oxidizing the electrode material remaining in the semiconductor substrate and increasing the thickness of the gate oxide film at the gate edge. It is important to perform the re-oxidization process since the thickness and film quality of the gate oxide film at the gate edge significantly influences hot carrier properties, sub-threshold properties (off-leakage, GIIDL, etc.), punch-through properties, the operation speed of the device, reliability, and the like.
In recent years, in order to lower the resistance of the gate, the polysilicon film and the metal film are stacked to form the gate. The stack structure of the polysilicon film and the metal film, however, has such problems as rapid dimension expansion; or an increase in the surface resistance, or related problems caused during a subsequent high temperature annealing process or the oxidization process. In particular, the most significant problem in the process is that lifting occurs since the metal film is oxidized in a given oxidization atmosphere. A new process that was developed in order to overcome this problem is the selective oxidization process. In other words, in the selective oxidation process, the metal film is not oxidized but only the polysilicon film and the semiconductor substrate are oxidized, in a hydrogen (H2) rich oxidization atmosphere. However, the current selective oxidization process has a problem in that it is possible when the tungsten film or the tungsten nitride film is used as the metal gate electrode. Further, as this oxidization process is possible in the H2 rich atmosphere and at a very high temperature of 700° C., it may have influence on the characteristic of the MOSFET device. | {
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There are known bearing units for a vehicle wheel hub provided with special vents and sealing devices for blowing into the tyre air pressurized by a source of pressurized air mounted on board of the vehicle. These solutions allow to adjust and/or monitor the air pressure in the tyres.
For a better understanding of the state of the art and problems inherent thereto, there will be at first described a bearing unit of the above mentioned type, with reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. A bearing unit of this kind is known, for example, from EP-713 021, EP-656 267, U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,480, DE-37 38 529, FR-2 714 943.
In FIG. 1, a bearing unit comprises an outer race 1, an inner race 2 formed by two axially adjacent half-races 2a, 2b and two sets of bearing balls 3, 4 interposed between the outer race 1 and the inner half-races 2a, 2b. In a radial plane located between the two sets of balls 3, 4 there are several outer radial ducts 5 passing through the bearing outer race 1, and several inner radial passages 6 obtained through the inner bearing race 2. The inner passages 6 are generally defined by the coupling of complementary recesses formed according to a specular symmetry on facing surfaces of the two inner half-races 2a, 2b.
Mounted in the annular space defined by the outer race 1, the inner race 2 and the two sets of balls 3, 4 is a sealing device that allows pressurized air to pass through the outer 5 and inner 6 ducts of the bearing. The sealing device is constituted by two annular sealing members 7 facing one another axially and disposed symmetrically with respect to the radial plane in which the ducts 5 and 6 of the bearing unit lie. The sealing members define an intermediate annular chamber 8. Air pressurized by a pressurized air source mounted on board of the vehicle, which may be part of an automatic system or a system controlled by the driver, passes through specials ducts obtained in the suspension standard of the wheel where the bearing is housed, passes through the outer ducts 5, in the intermediate annular chamber 8, through the inner ducts 6, and from here is conveyed through other ducts to the wheel rim and finally the tyre. | {
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In an establishment with an open environment, such as a retail store or conference room, there can be one or more electronic displays for displaying information to patrons or other visitors. Such monitors can be mounted in locations that are readily visible, such as above entrances or aisles, near store shelves or product displays, on walls, or in other suitable locations. The displays can be used for a variety of purposes, such as advertising and providing various other forms of information that may be of interest to the visitors. However, if the visitors are anonymously present in the environment, the displays may only be able to show information of general interest, since little to nothing can be known of the visitors unless and until those visitors present some form of identification. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plastic welding and molding apparatus and, more particularly, to radio frequency (RF) heated thin wall molds for applying RF energy to heating, welding, or molding plastic elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Thermoforming of plastic material is well known and has been employed to develop tip welds in plastic tubing used for catheters. Similarly, assembly welds, such as butt welds and annular welds of plastic tubing or other plastic elements can be done by a thermowelding process.
Apparatus for effecting thermoforming may include mechanical heating elements which perform a thermoforming function primarily by heat transfer through conduction. Commensurately or in the alternative, heat transfer by radiation has been used. The presently most widely used apparatus for thermoforming constitutes the use of electrically energized inductive heating devices. Such devices are capable of performing high quality welds but suffer from several drawbacks. First, the power requirements are relatively substantial. Second, it is essentially impossible to monitor with any precision the temperature of the tubing being welded; the power applied is primarily a function of the skill of the operator based upon experience. Third, due to the relatively large mass of the apparatus, the thermal inertia is substantial, which delays both heating and cooling thereby extending production cycle time. | {
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Fabrics, including pile fabrics, are customarily rolled into rolls for storage and shipment. When stored or piled, any continual pressures causing the surface of the fabric of one wrap to be pressed against the backing of the fabric in an immediately adjacent wrap tends to mat down or otherwise flatten and mar the surface of the fabric. This problem is especially troublesome in pile fabrics such as velvets, tufted rugs, tufted upholstery and similar surface-textured fabrics.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,222 to Smiley, a method and means are disclosed for winding pile fabrics and collecting them on a windup roll in such a way as to eliminate or diminish the pressure exerted on the face of the pile fabric within the roll. To accomplish this a strip is attached to the fabric at each side thereof, that is, along each selvage edge of the fabric, so that the strip extends longitudinally along the selvage edges of the fabric. This strip resembles a long narrow tape having an attaching tab along one edge thereof. Preferably, this strip is sewn on to the selvage edge of the fabric, but it can also be cemented to the fabric or attached thereto by any other conventional means. The strip has two shoulders, preferably formed from corrugated paper, one shoulder of which projects upwardly from the longitudinal mid-plane of the strip and the second shoulder of which projects downwardly at one side edge of the strip so that an attaching tab is formed at the other side edge of the strip. In other words, the upwardly projecting shoulder is closest to the attaching tab portion while the downwardly projecting shoulder extends along the other edge of the tape. Thus, the attaching tab lies along one edge of the tape, the downwardly projecting shoulder lies along the other edge of the tape, and the upwardly projecting shoulder is disposed intermediate the attaching tab edge and the downwardly projecting shoulder.
Since the upwardly and downwardly projecting shoulders are made of corrugated paper and are therefore relatively wide, the inner edge of the downwardly projecting shoulder is aligned with the outer edge of the upwardly projecting shoulder so that as the tape is wound on a roll, these shoulders meet with the two edges bearing against each other so that the attaching tab is wound along a helical path. These shoulders act as spacers between succeeding wraps of the tape and the height of at least one of the shoulders is at least equal to, and preferably slightly greater than, the height of the pile in the fabric to which the tape is to be attached and used.
Means are also disclosed in this patent for winding a pile fabric with the tape secured to its selvage edges on a collecting core. The core is provided with flange means on each end having radial faces adapted to bear against the inner face of the downwardly projecting shoulder on the first or initial wrap of the tape secured to the fabric about the core. These radial faces are spaced apart a distance sufficient to hold the fabric taut as it is wrapped about the core with the inner face of the downwardly projecting shoulder bearing against the radial face of the flange. Succeeding wraps of the fabric and the tape are wound on the core with the inner face of the downwardly projecting shoulder bearing against the outer face of the upwardly projecting shoulder of the preceding wrap so that the shoulders in each succeeding wrap are held in the same radial plane and the fabric in each succeeding wrap is maintained taut.
While the above described means disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,222 to Smiley were found to be effective for their intended purpose, they have limitations. For example, it is costly and time-consuming to attach the tab to the selvage edges of the fabric and time-consuming and difficult to unroll the fabric from the collecting core and remove the fabric from the tape. In addition, it is difficult to impart and maintain sufficient transverse stretch or tension in the fabric as the tab is attached to it and as the fabric with the attached tab is collected on the core. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The four stroke internal combustion engine has changed little since its inception over 100 years ago. The 1973 energy crisis spurred public and governmental requirements for more fuel-efficient automobiles during the 1970's. Increases in fuel efficiency were brought about primarily by the introduction of small displacement engines and smaller, lighter weight automobiles. The Japanese, already manufacturing autos with these characteristics, quickly gained market share at the expense of U.S. automakers. However, all of these down-sized automobiles lacked an important consumer want, good acceleration. To satisfy this complaint, manufacturers used several methods to increase output while still meeting government mandated mileage levels. Primarily, these methods included using already developed performance enhancing technologies such as the use of larger valves, higher compression ratios, higher r.p.m.'s, more valves per cylinder, and super-charging or turbo-charging. While these efforts produced engines with outputs comparable to pre-1973 levels and good fuel economy, they are also very costly to produce.
Today, another crisis is emerging in the form of increasing requirements for reducing emissions from vehicles. The most efficient method to reduce emissions is not to produce them in the first place. In this regard, electric vehicles may eventually prove successful, but as of now, technical problems remain and these vehicles will likely be costly to produce. 0n the other hand, reducing emissions produced by current engines is most effectively done by burning less fuel which in turn is most effectively accomplished by reducing engine displacement. As conventional poppet engines are reaching the limits of development, this would seem to imply a return to the poor performance automobiles of the seventies. While some performance gains can be recaptured through reduced vehicle weight and other technical improvements, it is expected that the resultant vehicle will not match current performance levels and be more costly to produce. This trade-off creates a difficult dilemma for the auto manufacturer. The public demand for clean air on one hand must be balanced against individual consumer demands for high performance and low costs on the other.
What is needed to meet the dilemma resulting from society's demand for lower emission engines is a compact, lightweight engine capable of producing markedly increased output per liter without increasing costs. Then, a smaller displacement version of this "superengine" could match current performance levels and allow any cost savings from the engine to offset cost increases incurred by other fuel conserving measures. In this manner, both the public demand for lower emissions and the individual consumer demands for performance and can be met at no additional costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remote control devices and more particularly to a remotely controlled motor speed control circuit for use in remotely controlled model vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The remote control of model cars, boats and airplanes is typically accomplished by the use of a radio control system such as the one shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. The system includes a plurality of user adjustable controls, or joysticks, 10 which are adjustable over a range of positions in one or two planes and correspond to the desired setting of one or more control parameters in the model, e.g., the position of the rudder, ailerons and/or engine throttle.
An encoder 12 in the base unit generates a series of pulses each having an average width of 11/2 milliseconds and a basic frame length of from 10 to 16 milliseconds. In response to the position of a given joystick, assigned pulses within the series are caused to vary over a range of from 1 to 2 milliseconds in width. The pulses generated by the encoder are then used to modulate a radio transmitter 14 having a carrier frequency which is usually within one of the three bands of frequencies located near 27, 50 and 72 megahertz.
The transmitted signal is received by a radio receiver 16 located within the model. The receiver detects the transmitted signal, recovering the continuous series of pulses which are then used to drive a decoder 18 which multiplexes the pulses, assigning a particular pulse of the series to a corresponding one of several control servos 20. In response to the width of its assigned pulse each servo drives one of the controls of the model connected thereto.
A model typically includes one or more DC motors, such as the motor 22, to provide power to be used, for example, in driving the model. The speed of the motor is controlled by a motor speed control 24 in response to the width of an assigned pulse from decoder 18.
It will be appreciated that the remote radio control of models presents some unique problems due in part to the great premium on space, and usually weight. Such restrictions severely limit the quantity of batteries which the model can carry. Since the principal source of power consumption within the model is usually the DC motors, their efficiency significantly affects the performance of the model. The small DC motors also present unusual problems due to their series resistance which varies from a very low value when the motor is stopped, or running slowly, to a much higher value at full speed. The low starting resistance of the motor results in a very high starting current which contributes greatly to the limited starting torque available.
Heretofore, control of the speed of DC motors used in models has primarily been accomplished by the use of servos, similar to those used to drive the other controls, which servos are used to drive rheostats or operate switches which vary the resistance in series with the motor. Not only is the use of series resistance to control motor speed very wasteful of the limited power available, but it aggravates the poor response inherent in such small motors. The series resistance also limits the starting current, resulting in poor low speed control, especially under varying load conditions.
One prior art device for electronically controlling the speed of a DC motor is described in the April 1976 issue of the magazine Radio Controlled Modeler at pages 6 and 66. This device includes a pulse width demodulator for receiving input control pulses. When a particular input pulse exceeds a reference width, the demodulator generates an output pulse having a width proportional to the excess width. The output is then fed through a Darlington circuit to control the motor speed. Although effective in generating a high motor starting current, the device is inefficient in controlling the motor at moderate and high speeds because of the large voltage loss occurring across the saturated Darlington transistors.
An electronic bidirectional device for controlling the speed of a DC motor is disclosed in the May 1976 issue of Radio Controlled Modeler at pages 12, 147-148, 151 and 154. This device uses a similar pulse width demodulator for generating first and second output pulses when the input pulse has a width greater than or less than the reference. The two output pulses are used to drive two inputs of a bridge type motor driving circuit. This device suffers from the disadvantage of requiring two separate batteries, i.e., one for powering the demodulator and another for powering the motor drive circuit so as to isolate the high current inductive load from the demodulator. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to write head drivers for physical data storage devices such as tape drives, hard disk drives, and the like, and particularly, to a novel current mode write head driver provided with current measurement capability while performing a write operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In write head drivers there is a requirement to measure and monitor the write current during the write operation. For the case of voltage mode write head drivers this is done by measuring the voltage applied to the write circuit. This is easily accomplished because the write current is determined by the external resistance in series with the write head. For the case of current mode write drivers another method must be used to measure the current.
FIG. 1 illustrates a simple voltage mode write driver circuit 20 according to the prior art. For this write driver, the current Ih through the write head is determined by the value of the resistors R1, R2, and the voltage source V1 22 assuming that the NFET devices M1, M2, and PFET devices M3, M4 have a low voltage drop from source to drain when they are turned on. Neglecting the voltage drop in the FET devices and the write head, the current through the head, Ih, is just Ih=V1/(R1+R2).
FIG. 2 illustrates a simple current mode write driver circuit 50 according to the prior art. For this driver, the current through the write head L1 is determined by the value of the current source I1 52. It is understood that no resistors are in series with the write head, L1. For this current mode driver the current through the write head, L1, is not a function of the voltage V1 22.
It would be highly desirable to provide a system and method that enables the measurement of the current through the write head during the write operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an input circuit comprising at least two input paths which are alternately connectable to a common output and have a common switch to ground, and further comprising switches for the input paths, in particular, for combination tuners with input circuits for UHF and VHF and a common preamplifier component.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a known input circuit of this kind (German Auslegeschrift No. 25 03 785) a combination tuner is provided with three separate input paths located at a common input and alternately connectable, via individual, series-connected switches, to a common output. The input paths constitute selection members or filters for the UHF, the high VHF band and the low VHF band ranges. The common output is connected to a control electrode of a common preliminary stage transistor. The danger inherent in this design is that the fully functioning selection members, due to their desired high selection characteristics when the switching path is open, couple unacceptably high signals into the usable signal of the actuated selection member through the capacitance of the switches. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method and system to continuously correct phase errors that occur in a magnetic resonance measurement sequence (data acquisition) in which multiple sequentially radiated multidimensional, spatially-selective radio-frequency excitation pulses are used. The invention in particular concerns techniques to correct a multidimensional, spatially-selective radio-frequency excitation pulse based on correction values for a preceding multidimensional, spatially-selective radio-frequency excitation pulse.
Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance (MR) tomography is an imaging method that enables the acquisition of two-dimensional or three-dimensional image data sets that can depict structures inside an examination subject with high resolution. In MR, the magnetic moments of protons in an examination subject are aligned in a basic magnetic field or primary magnetic field (B0) so that a macroscopic magnetization appears along a longitudinal direction. This alignment is subsequently deflected out of the steady state, parallel to the basic magnetic field, by the radiation of radio-frequency (RF) pulses (excitation, TX). A transverse magnetization is thereby generated. Special RF transmission coils of an MR system are typically used for the RF radiation.
The decay of the transverse magnetization back into the steady state (the magnetization dynamic) is subsequently detected as MR data by one or more RF reception coils of the MR system (imaging, RX). A spatial coding of the acquired MR data is achieved by the application of different magnetic field gradients (for slice selection, phase coding or frequency coding). A targeted dephasing/rephasing of the transverse magnetization to achieve what is known as a gradient axis can occur by the application of gradient fields. The gradient fields can be applied along axes (gradient axes) of an apparatus coordinate system of the MR system via coils provided for this purpose. The different gradient axes can be controlled via separate channels. It is also possible to achieve a rephasing of the transverse magnetization (known as the spin echo) by the radiation of an RF pulse. The detected (and therefore spatially resolved) MR data initially exist in a mathematical arrangement in the frequency domain, known as k-space, and can be transformed into the spatial domain, known as image space by subsequent Fourier transformation. K-space can be scanned (filled with data) along different trajectories by the targeted switching (activation) of the magnetic field gradients. A conventional and widely used scan includes the successive detection of frequency-coded k-space lines for different phase codings. A corresponding coordinate system aligned to the spatial coding is designated as a phase-gradient-slice (PGS) coordinate system. In particular, the PGS coordinate system can be aligned on a patient coordinate system that determines the anatomical planes (for example transversal, sagittal and coronal planes) of the examination subject.
Recently, RF excitation pulses have been developed in an attempt to shorten the measurement time, for instance for multidimensional, selective excitation. Such RF excitation pulses use special k-space trajectories to excite the transverse magnetization. Regions that are clearly spatially defined (and bounded, for example) in two dimensions (2D) or three dimensions (3D) can thereby be excited. For example, gradient fields along multiple axes are used for this purpose. It is also possible to provide a special amplitude modulation of the RF excitation pulse.
This can in turn allow the number of sample points to be limited, and thereby reduce the time required to implement a complete measurement sequence. Examples of such pulses are known, for instance, from “Two-Dimensional Spatially-Selective RF Excitation Pulses in Echo-Planar Imaging” by S. Riesenberg et al. in Mag. Reson. Med. 47 (2002), 1186-1193. Such RF excitation pulses are known as echoplanar, spatially-selective RF excitation pulses, or can use spiral-shaped trajectories.
However, due to the greater complexity in comparison to conventional one-dimensional (1D) RF excitation pulses—for example with a constant gradient field, thus slice-selective excitation—a greater tendency toward artifact formation given system inaccuracies can occur in multidimensional, spatially-selective RF excitation pulses. In particular, phase errors can occur, i.e. incorrect phases during the RF excitation pulse.
One class of system inaccuracies relates to systematic error sources that are inherent to the system and typically exist systematically, and have no or only a slight time dependency, such as time synchronization errors of the MR systems produce artifacts and errors in the execution of the k-space trajectories during the excitation. These errors steam from systematic time shifts between the amplitude or phase of the RF excitation pulse and the gradient fields and/or between the amplitude or phase of the RF excitation pulse and the radio-frequency, for instance of a numerically controlled oscillator. Additional sources of artifacts can be gradient delay between the different gradient axes, incorrect amplitudes of the gradients, a channel-specific and/or global delay of the radio-frequency of the RF excitation pulses and the gradient fields. Such artifacts are known as “TX ghosting” or “phase mismatch”; see in this regard “Calibration of Echo-Planar 2D-Selective RF Excitation Pulses” by M. Oelhafen et al. in Mag. Reson. Med. 52 (2004), 1136-1145, and “Robust Spatially Selective Excitation Using Radiofrequency Pulses Adapted to the Effective Spatially Encoding Magnetic Fields” by J. T. Schneider et al. in Mag. Reson. Med 65 (2011), 409-421.
An additional class of system inaccuracies concerns time-variable error sources, such as component heating and system parameter drift in general, and component instabilities. The examination subject can be a source of time-dependent error sources, for example due to an overall (gross) movement of the examination subject, organ movement, or physiological variations such as heart beat, breathing or brain movement. For example, an organ movement can produce a shift of the regions of different susceptibilities, which in turn results in time-dependent, B0-dependent artifacts. Moreover, eddy currents that develop during the application of the RF excitation pulse can affect the phases and k-space trajectory, which can produce artifacts.
The aforementioned time-dependent error sources have a particular importance to MR measurement sequences with repeated imaging, thus for instance “multislice EPI”. A transverse magnetization is repeatedly excited multiple times, for example in order to image different slices or regions. However, such MR measurement sequences can also include different repeated preparation of the transverse magnetization, such as diffusion coding, spin labeling or the use of contrast agents for functional MR (fMR), perfusion or diffusion imaging. Such measurement sequences extend over a time period of minutes.
In this regard, in many cases it is not possible (or is possible only to a limited extent) to ensure a high stability of the system parameters or the parameters of the measurement system, such that even a comprehensive, individual calibration to correct phase errors at the beginning of the measurement sequence (as is known from the aforementioned publications by J. T. Schneider et al. and M. Oelhafen et al.) can have only a limited period of validity. Moreover, these known calibration techniques have additional disadvantages: a relatively long time period is often required for the implementation of the calibration, such that the time period of the entire measurement sequence is undesirably increased. It can also be necessary to implement these calibration techniques as separate sequences (for example before the actual measurement sequence), which can make a particularly complicated implementation necessary with regard to the operation of the MR system.
Many techniques were described above with regard to the excitation of the transverse magnetization. It should also be noted that similar problems and system inaccuracies can occur with regard to the imaging: complicated k-space trajectories can be used not only during the excitation but also for the imaging. There corresponding problems and artifacts can occur, which determine a time synchronization of the amplitude and phase of the RF excitation pulse and the gradient fields, as well as the amplitude and phase of the RF excitation pulse and the radio-frequency of the RF excitation pulse. Examples of such imaging are, for example, echoplanar imaging (EPI) and variants thereof that are known to those skilled in the art under the following terms: “blipped EPI”, “spiral EPI” or radial EPI acquisition sequences. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally relates to a shooting rest assembly for supporting a weapon on a stand, such as, for example, a hunting blind.
2. Description of Related Art
Blinds, including stands, elevated stands, etc., are used by hunters to conceal their presence from game animals. For example, elevated stands are elevated above the ground to remove the hunter from a line of sight of game animals. Elevated stands typically have a seat and/or a foot rest to support the occupant of the elevated stand. Some elevated stands have one or more guard rails that extend at least partially around the occupant to assist in retaining the occupant in the elevated stand. Elevated stands of various brands and manufacturers have varying shapes, sizes, and configurations of guard rails. Further, some hunters choose to manufacture their own homemade elevated stands. The varying shapes, sizes, and configurations of guard rails create difficulties in manufacturing aftermarket components that attach to the guard rails.
Elevated stands typically do not include features that support a weapon. As such, the weapon is typically held by the occupant of the elevated stand or leaned against the guard rail. In any event, when a game animal approaches, the occupant must raise the weapon, which may disadvantageously attract the attention of the game animal. Also, in some situations, the occupant can steady the weapon on the guard rail; however even in such situations, the occupant typically must assume an awkward position to do so.
As such, there remains an opportunity to develop a shooting rest assembly for supporting a weapon in a stand. There also remains an opportunity to develop a shooting rest assembly having multiple ranges of motion for supporting a weapon when the weapon is being partly supported and aimed and when the weapon is completely at rest on the shooting rest assembly, i.e., unsupported by the occupant. | {
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Organic EL elements are optical semiconductor devices which have been increasingly used as backlights in liquid crystal displays and self-luminous thin flat-panel display devices. However, the organic EL elements are much more likely to be deteriorated when exposed to moisture and oxygen. More specifically, the metal electrode and organic EL layer separate from each other at their interface by the impact of moisture; metal is oxidized to cause an increase in resistance; the property of light-emitting materials contained in the light-emitting layer of the organic EL element is altered by moisture; and so forth. For these reasons, organic EL elements have the drawbacks of the loss of luminescence and/or reduced luminance. Moreover, in optical semiconductors such as inorganic LEDs, electric circuits and/or the like connected to optical semiconductors may sometimes deteriorate when they are exposed to moisture and others.
In an effort to solve the foregoing drawbacks, numerous methods have been proposed for protecting optical semiconductors such as organic EL elements from moisture and oxygen. One method involves laminating an organic EL sealant layer, which contains (A) a compound having a glycidyl group and (B) an acid anhydride curing agent as main components, onto an organic EL element (for surface sealing) and then attaching glass or film (see, e.g, Patent Literature 1).
Due to its susceptibility to degradation by moisture and/or oxygen, the organic EL element is often sealed with a laminate film formed of a resin layer made of resin and an inorganic compound layer made of inorganic compound. There are two types of methods for sealing an organic EL element with a laminate film: 1) an organic EL element is covered with an inorganic compound layer and thereafter further with a resin layer, and 2) an organic EL element is covered with a resin layer and thereafter further with an inorganic compound layer (see Patent Literature 2).
As sealants for photosensors, LEDs and/or other devices, epoxy resin compositions have been proposed that contain a compound represented by Zn(CnH2n+1COO)2 and an imidazole compound serving as a curing accelerator (see, e.g., Patent Literature 3). Further, as powder coating materials, compositions containing a metal complex have been proposed wherein an amine compound and a carboxylate are coordinated with a metal ion such as a zinc ion (see, e.g., Patent Literature 4). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Some vehicles include sensors that are configured to detect information about the surrounding environment. Computing systems are configured to process the detected information to determine how to navigate and/or maneuver the vehicle through the surrounding environment. Some vehicles include driver assist systems that can help to avoid collisions with objects detected in the surrounding environment. Depending on the circumstances, the driver assist system may activate only the brakes, or it may also steer the vehicle away from the object if sufficient space is available. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a method and system for data processing and, in particular, to data processing within a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a NUMA data processing system and a method in a NUMA data processing system of supplying requested data by shared intervention.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well-known in the computer arts that greater computer system performance can be achieved by harnessing the processing power of multiple individual processors in tandem. Multi-processor (MP) computer systems can be designed with a number of different topologies, of which various ones may be better suited for particular applications depending upon the performance requirements and software environment of each application. One of the most common MP computer topologies is a symmetric multi-processor (SMP) configuration in which multiple processors share common resources, such as a system memory and input/output (I/O) subsystem, which are typically coupled to a shared system interconnect. Such computer systems are said to be symmetric because all processors in an SMP computer system ideally have the same access latency with respect to data stored in the shared system memory.
Although SMP computer systems permit the use of relatively simple inter-processor communication and data sharing methodologies, SMP computer systems have limited scalability. In other words, while performance of a typical SMP computer system can generally be expected to improve with scale (i.e., with the addition of more processors), inherent bus, memory, and input/output (I/O) bandwidth limitations prevent significant advantage from being obtained by scaling a SMP beyond a implementation-dependent size at which the utilization of these shared resources is optimized. Thus, the SMP topology itself suffers to a certain extent from bandwidth limitations, especially at the system memory, as the system scale increases. SMP computer systems also do not scale well from the standpoint of manufacturing efficiency. For example, although some components can be optimized for use in both uniprocessor and small-scale SMP computer systems, such components are often inefficient for use in large-scale SMPs. Conversely, components designed for use in large-scale SMPs are impractical for use in smaller systems from a cost standpoint.
As a result, an MP computer system topology known as non-uniform memory access (NUMA) has emerged as an alternative design that addresses many of the limitations of SMP computer systems at the expense of some additional complexity. A typical NUMA computer system includes a number of interconnected nodes that each include one or more processors and a local "system" memory. Such computer systems are said to have a non-uniform memory access because each processor has lower access latency with respect to data stored in the system memory at its local node than with respect to data stored in the system memory at a remote node. NUMA systems can be further classified as either non-coherent or cache coherent, depending upon whether or not data coherency is maintained between caches in different nodes. The complexity of cache coherent NUMA (CC-NUMA) systems is attributable in large measure to the additional communication required for hardware to maintain data coherency not only between the various levels of cache memory and system memory within each node but also between cache and system memories in different nodes. NUMA computer systems do, however, address the scalability limitations of conventional SMP computer systems since each node within a NUMA computer system can be implemented as a smaller SMP system. Thus, the shared components within each node can be optimized for use by only a few processors, while the overall system benefits from the availability of larger scale parallelism while maintaining relatively low latency.
A principal performance concern with CC-NUMA computer systems is the latency associated with communication transactions transmitted via the interconnect coupling the nodes. In particular, read transactions, which are by far the most common type of transaction, may have twice the latency when targeting data resident in remote system memory as compared to read transactions targeting data resident in local system memory. Because of the relatively high latency associated with read transactions transmitted on the nodal interconnect versus read transactions on the local interconnects, it is useful and desirable to reduce the number of read transactions transmitted over the nodal interconnect and as well as to reduce the latency of such remote read transactions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a backlight module, and more particularly, to a light guide plate (LGP) applied to a backlight module.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a conventional backlight module, FIG. 2 is a locally-enlarged cross-sectional diagram of the prism pattern in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a curve chart showing the relationship between the luminance and the light emitting angle of the light emitting surface of the LGP in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, a backlight module 100 includes a light source 110, a reflective sheet 120 and an LGP 200. The light source 110 is disposed adjacent to a light incident surface 210 of the LGP 200 and the reflective sheet 120 is adjacent to a bottom surface 220 of the LGP 200. The light provided by the light source 110 travels into the LGP 200 through the light incident surface 210 and then travels out through a light emitting surface 230 of the LGP 200, so as to form a planar light source, and then travels to a liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel, not shown herein) on the light emitting surface 230. The reflective sheet 120 may reflect the light to the light emitting surface 230.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom surface 220 of the LGP 200 has a plurality of flat surfaces 240 and a plurality of prism patterns 250 disposed alternately with the flat surfaces 240, and each prism pattern 250 is composed of a first slanted surface 252, a second slanted surface 254 and a third slanted surface 256. When the light traveling into the LGP 200 through the light incident surface 210 is transmitted to the first slanted surface 252, a part of the light is totally reflected and then travels to the LCD panel through the light emitting surface 230. Referring to FIG. 3, as the light travels out through the light emitting surface 230 (FIG. 1), the luminance of the light between the light emitting angle of −30° and the light emitting angle of 30° is relatively great, so that each distribution curve on the curve chart of luminance vs. light emitting angle has a peak between the light emitting angle of −30° and the light emitting angle of 30°.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, each distribution curve in FIG. 3 represents a ratio of a base length c to a base length b. The distribution curves G1-G4 in FIG. 3 respectively represent c:b=1:1, c:b=4:3, c:b=2:1 and c:b=4:1. However, in the conventional LGP 200, each distribution curve has another peak between the light emitting angle of 30° and the light emitting angle of 90°. Therefore, when the conventional LGP 200 is used to provide a planar light source, the light travelling from the light emitting surface 230 is less concentrated and the luminance efficiency thereof is lower. | {
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1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to impact-modified polycarbonate compositions which comprise a graft polymer comprising silicone/acrylate composite rubber as the graft base, wherein the content of silicone rubber is 65-95 wt. % (based on the graft base), talc having a d98 value (also called “top cut”) of less than 20 μm and phosphorus-containing flame retardant, as well as the use of the polycarbonate compositions for production of shaped articles and shaped articles themselves.
2. Description of Related Art
US 2002/077417 A1 discloses flame retardant compositions comprising (a) polycarbonate, (b) graft polymer with a silicone/acrylate composite rubber, wherein the ratio of silicone to acrylate is 99:1 to 1:99, (c) optionally filler, such as, for example, talc, (d) phosphoric acid ester as a flame retardant, (e) optionally further additives, such as, for example, ABS, SAN and antidripping agents. Compositions comprising Metablen® 5-2001, which is a graft polymer with a graft base of silicone/butyl acrylate composite rubber which comprises approx. 17 wt. % of methyl methacrylate, approx. 9 wt. % of organosiloxane and approx. 74 wt. % of butyl acrylate, are disclosed as examples. US 2002/077417 A1 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising a graft polymer with a silicone/acrylate composite rubber as the graft base, wherein the content of silicone rubber is 65-95 wt. % (based on the graft base), and talc having a d98 value of less than 20 μm.
JP-A 08-259791 discloses flame retardant compositions comprising polycarbonate and a silicone/acrylate rubber with 30-99% of siloxane.
JP-A 2000-017136 discloses compositions comprising polycarbonate, 1 to 40 wt. % of oligomeric phosphoric acid ester and graft polymer with a graft base of silicone/acrylate rubber, which contains 60-99 wt. % of polyorganosiloxane, optionally polytetrafluoroethylene and optionally talc. JP-A 2000-017136 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising a talc having a d98 value of less than 20 μm.
JP-A 2002-069282 discloses compositions comprising polycarbonate, composite rubber (such as, for example, Metablen® Sx005), oligomeric phosphoric acid ester, silicone oil, optionally polytetrafluoroethylene and optionally additives. JP-A 2002-069282 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising talc.
WO-A 00/39210 discloses compositions comprising polycarbonate, copolymer, oligomeric phosphoric acid ester, graft polymer (for example Metablen S2001) with a silicone/acrylate rubber as the graft base, wherein the content of polyorganosiloxane is greater than 50 wt. %, preferably greater than 70 wt. %, optionally polytetrafluoroethylene and a reinforcing substance, such as, for example, talc. WO-A 00/39210 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising a talc having a d98 value of less than 20 μm.
EP-A 0 641 827 discloses compositions comprising aromatic polycarbonate, graft polymer of vinyl monomer on diene rubber, phosphoric acid ester, polytetrafluoroethylene, inorganic filler, such as, for example, talc, and composite rubber of silicone rubber and acrylate rubber. EP-A 0 641 827 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising a talc having a d98 value of less than 20 μm.
JP-A 07316409 discloses compositions comprising polycarbonate, phosphoric acid ester, graft polymer with a silicone/acrylate rubber as the graft base, wherein the content of polyorganosiloxane is 1-99 wt. % and the content of polyalkyl (meth)acrylate rubber is 99-1 wt. %. JP-A 07316409 does not disclose, however, compositions comprising a talc having a d98 value of less than 20 μm. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of touch panels and, more particularly, to a high-accuracy in-cell touch panel structure of narrow border.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern consumer electronic apparatuses are typically equipped with touch panels for use as their input devices. According to different sensing manners, the touch panels can be classified into resistive type, capacitive type, acoustic type, optical type and other type.
The principle of touch panels is based on different sensing manners to detect a voltage, current, acoustic wave, or infrared to thereby detect the coordinates of touch points on a screen where a finger or other medium touches. For example, a resistive touch panel uses a potential difference between the upper and lower electrodes to compute the position of a pressed point for detecting the location of the touch point, and a capacitive touch panel uses a capacitance change generated in an electrostatic combination of the arranged transparent electrodes with a human body to generate a current or voltage for detecting touch coordinates.
With the widespread use of smart phones, the multi-touch technique is getting more and more important. Currently, the multi-touch is implemented by projected capacitive touch technique.
The projected capacitive touch technique makes use of two layers of indium tin oxide (ITO) to form a matrix of sensing units arranged in intersected columns and rows, so as to detect precise touch positions. The projected capacitive touch technique is based on capacitive sensing, wherein it designs plural etched ITO electrodes and adds plural sets of transparent conductor lines that are on different planes and vertical with each other to form X-axis and Y-axis driving lines. These conductor lines are all controlled by a controller for being sequentially scanned to detect capacitance changes that are sent to the controller.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior touch panel structure 100. On the prior touch panel structure 100, the sensing conductor lines 110, 120 are arranged in the second direction (Y-direction) and in the first direction (X-direction). When a touch sensing is being performed and the sensing conductor lines 120 have to transmit the sensed signals to the control circuit 131 on a flexible circuit board 130, a great amount of wires at the side of the panel 140 is required for connection to the flexible circuit board 130. Such a prior design increases the border width of the touch panel and thus is not suitable for the trend of narrow border.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved touch panel device to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-mentioned problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Database systems are commonly employed by organizations for storing large amounts of data for easy and fast access. Accordingly, database systems are required to be reliable and scalable. In addressing the high reliability requirement, HADR database systems provide for a replication scheme by protecting against data loss in the event of a hardware or software failure. In particular, HADR database systems can replicate data changes from a source database, referred to as a primary database, to a target database, referred to as a standby database. In order for data replication to occur, the primary and standby databases are synchronized, and log data is shipped from the primary database to local log files on the standby database. Thus, the standby database can replace the primary database without a loss of data when the primary database experiences partial or complete failure during operation.
A database can be scaled by dividing the database into partitions, or nodes. Each database partition consists of its own data, indexes, configuration files, and transaction logs. Database partitioning can occur within a single server or across a cluster of servers, where partitions can be located on different database servers.
One such partitioning arrangement is referred to as Database Partitioning Feature (DPF), which provides a great deal of flexibility for physically or logically partitioning databases. For example, a database organization scheme can be employed in which table data is divided by DPF across multiple DPF partitions. Each table row is distributed to a database partition. When a query is processed, the request is divided so each database partition processes the table rows it is responsible for. The ability to divide a table across multiple storage objects using DPF permits the size of the table to be increased, resulting in greater scalability of a database system.
When an HADR database configuration includes a DPF environment, a primary database is divided into a plurality of primary partitions and a standby database divided into a plurality of standby partitions. Each database partition can have its own set of computing resources, including a processor such as a CPU and storage. Each primary partition, also referred to as an active partition, is configured for pairing with a standby partition. Thus, the primary partitions can be synchronized with their corresponding standby partitions, whereby log data is shipped to the corresponding standby partitions, such that the partitioned standby database can replace the primary database in a takeover operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a modified zeolite Y having increased stability and preferably also a small zeolite unit cell size.
2. Description of Background Art
In the application of zeolites, e.g. for catalysts for the processing of petroleum, especially for the production of so-called middestillates, it is known that an increased stability and, in particular, a small unit cell size dimension (a.sub.o) improves the performance of the catalyst (compare for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,271). In view hereof, it has been endeavoured in different ways to increase the stability and, in particular, to reduce the unit cell size from the one obtained upon synthesizing (usually a.sub.o =24.63-24.70 .ANG.) to as low a value as possible. Thus, GB-A-2,085,861 discloses how zeolite NaY can be modified by a combination of ammonium and aluminum ion-exchange steps It appears that this treatment is capable of increasing the catalyst activity and reducing the unit cell size to 24.45-24.52 .ANG.. However, it was found that this production process gives a low residual ion-exchange degree in respect of the aluminum ions.
GB-A-2,014,970 discloses an ultrahydrophobic zeolite Y which has been given a unit cell size dimension a.sub.o of 24.20-24.45 .ANG. by two ammonium ion-exchange steps with an intermediate calcination step at 550.degree.-800.degree. C. in steam (water vapor).
EP-B-0,028,938 discloses the use of such a modified zeolite for selective conversion of hydrocarbons boiling above 371.degree. C. into midbarrel fuel products having a distillation range of 149.degree.-371.degree. C.
GB-A-2,114,594 describes the selective production of hydrocarbon middistillates by using, e.g. modified zeolite Y which has been calcined in steam at high temperature and has a unit cell size in the range 24.36-24.58 .ANG., especially below 24.40 .ANG.. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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