The work routines of many tradesmen today require that tools and materials be brought to the job and moved around the job location; and that some work be performed on a workbench. For work such as heavy maintenance, plumbing or carpentry the tools are heavy and numerous. Supplies such as plaster buckets, paint cans, pipe fittings and the like add weight and heft to the worker's on-the-job materials. Many tradesmen transport their tools and supplies in a pick-up truck, thus having to load and unload these items daily, To meet the tool and supply handling needs of diverse workers and tradesmen, a wide variety of work site utility carriers are used.
When tradesmen have to move tools and material around at the work site, the usual transport means is a dolly typically having four wheels and some kind of handle for pulling and steering. The numerous tools themselves must be organized and quickly available for use, and virtually all tradesmen therefore use a portable, lockable metal toolbox. On occasion it is also necessary to move articles besides tools and supplies around the work site that cannot practically be loaded and carried on a dolly, such as a desk, plywood sheets, or a washing machine. For this task a sturdy hand truck is needed.
Work sites typically require a work bench or table as well. This item too must therefore be available on the site to the workman wherever the need for a work table arises. All of these worksite utility items—the dolly, the toolbox, the hand truck and the work table—must be not just transportable to the site but also must be readily loadable across the tailgate of the tradesman's pick-up truck and rolled into position in the truck bed.
Some of the prior art utility carriers usefully combine the functions of a hand truck and a tool cart. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,328 issued 13 Dec. 1960 to Muir; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,531 issued 6 Jul. 1993 to Blohm which also includes a work surface. Hand trucks with permanently mounted tool carts or boxes are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,839 issued 9 Jan. 2001 to Kizewski which also has a dolly mode and a flat work surface; and by U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,659 issued 31 Dec. 1996 to Boes et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,569 issued 30 May 1995 to Walls shows a hand truck outfitted with a storage container and capability to carry heavy cylinders using straps.
Many hand trucks include a pivoted or extendable flat surface to provide a work bench. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,004 issued 3 Mar. 1957 to Hamrick and U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,718 issued 19 Jun. 1990 to Voegele. The hand truck of U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,788 issued Jan. 29, 2002 to Ciccone also shows a dolly mode that optionally provides an extendable work table. U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,482 issued 6 Jul. 2004 to Stallbaumer slows a hand truck-dolly combination with detachable handles, work surface and tool tub that may be placed in a raised or lowered mode.
Some hand trucks are convertible by various means to a fuller work bench. U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,895 issued Jul. 1, 1997 to Wunder shows a hand truck with retractable legs enabling conversion into a work table. U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,815 issued 20 Apr. 1995 to Miller is a conventional hand truck-dolly that mounts a detachable work table top. U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,472 issued 28 Sep. 1999 to Borgatti is a collapsible hand truck and machine stand. U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,583 issued 11 Mar. 2003 to Mueller shows a dolly for wheeling a power saw attached to a support that swings to the horizontal to provide a table saw when the dolly is tipped upright.
The folding work bench/tool table of US patent application publication 2002/0179181 of Dec. 5, 2002 by Murphy combines a dolly frame that mounts a removable tool box, A work table is hinged to two rear legs pivotally mounted on the dolly rear castor frames and two front legs hinged at the dolly frame midsection. The table is held by lockable braces either in an upright mode or a lowered mode in which the table secures the tools.
While the preceding prior art work site utility carriers each offer some versatilities and multiple uses, none provide the full functionalities of a hand truck, a retractable work bench, a safe place to store tools, and a dolly. Moreover, none provide a mechanism specifically adapted to allow the utility carrier to be loaded readily by a tradesman into and out of the bed of a pick-up truck.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for transferring path or routing information of internetworking equipment, such as a router, brouter (which serves both as a bridge and a router), etc., which is connected to communication circuits and communicates path or routing information between networks. Throughout the following description and claims, the terms "path" and "routing" are used interchangeably.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, internetworking equipment (e.g., routers) of this type are connected to communication circuits, such as public networks, ISDNs (integrated services digital networks), etc. In order to enable data communication between the networks, the routers carry out propagation and control of path information (routing information) in the networks. Protocols for the propagation of the routing information include dynamic routing protocols, such as an RIP (routing information protocol). The routers request periodical transmission of all pieces of routing information according to the RIP, to thereby exchange the routing information between the networks.
This routing method requires a function (hereinafter referred to as "periodical update function") to make a simple path calculation from information for routers to execute a gateway operation for data next and from metric information indicative of the number of the routers (including a local one) and transmit all pieces of routing information periodically (e.g., once in 30 seconds), and a function (hereinafter referred to as "age-out function") to erase the router information and metric information when there is no data input for a predetermined period of time. Besides the periodical update function, the routing method covers a function (hereinafter referred to as "triggered update function") to transmit only changed routing information, if any, immediately.
With use of the RIP, according to the routing information method described above, all pieces of routing information need not be set statically, so that change of the routing information attributable to disconnection of the path can be automatically tackled with speed. In some cases, the routers based on this routing method may carry out routing by utilizing a timer-charged circuit, such as an ISDN. Preferably, in these cases, the connection time for the circuit should be minimized so that the circuit can be internetworked only when necessary.
When periodical updating is carried out, the circuit is frequently internetworked for periodical transmission, and sometimes may be left internetworked. In the case where the routing is effected with use of the timer-charged ISDN, therefore, a method is conventionally used such that the routing information is statically set to ensure practical costs.
In general, the routing information can be set statically in a very simple network arrangement (including one or two networks). In the least intricate network arrangement (including three or more networks), however, the routing information cannot be easily set without good knowledge of networks.
Conventionally, therefore, routing protocols are not expected to use the periodical update function. In this case, the purpose of application requires the circuit to be disconnected when there is no communication, and information is held without time-out control. Further, the routing protocols are bound to be worked only in specific circuits between specific routers.
According to this routing method, however, the information can be transmitted only a specific number of times, so that it is expected to be delivered correctly to destination routers without fail during the transmission. Once the information is subjected to mismatching, moreover, it cannot be restored with ease, so that the utmost care should be taken to avoid such mismatching. In case of mismatching, furthermore, the information must be able to be restored.
When the routing information is changed, triggered updating is normally effected such that the information is transmitted immediately. In the case of an interface which has no broadcast function (broadcast-type general message receiving function), e.g., an interface such that the partners of internetworking are changed by the source of transmission using an ISDN, however, a triggered update is transmitted to all the partners, so that the routers are subjected to a substantial load. In the case where the number of partners of transmission is large, in particular, the load on the routers is a great problem.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motion monitor based on detection of modal noise produced by minute motions in a single- or multimode-optical fiber illuminated by a coherent or partially coherent light source, and more particularly to such a motion monitor for detecting body motions due to breaths, heartbeats, and determining breathing rate and heart rate.
2. Discussion of Background
A significant cause of death in infants (birth to about 2 years) is "Crib Death" or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Medical authorities generally agree that some infants simply stop breathing during sleep (apnea) or their heart rates fall dangerously low (bradycardia) and that death from these conditions can be prevented if the condition is detected and help is provided within a short time (one or two minutes) by trained personnel or parents.
Apnea monitors already exist, but their cost creates an affordability problem that limits their use. Also, the existing monitors tend to be unreliable, typically having high false positive rates. Also, existing monitors are obtrusive and difficult to use because the subject must wear a belt or other device connected to the monitor. This further limits their use.
Of interest in the patent literature are U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,684 to Butter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,233 to Jeunhomme and U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,706 to Claus et al.
Butter discloses a fiber optic intruder alarm system for protecting the perimeter of an area utilizing a multimode optic fiber as a deformable sensing element, wherein a length of multimode optic fiber is buried in the ground, coherent light is directed through the buried optic fiber and the speckled output light pattern of the fiber is rectified, integrated and threshold detected to determine the presence of an intruder.
Jeunhomme discloses a fiber optic vibration detecting device, but with no means for quantifying the output of the optic fiber, and suggests that observed vibrations can be used to trigger an alarm and/or lighting in the case of a breathing deficiency of a monitored patient.
Claus et al disclose a modal domain optical fiber sensor for vibration monitoring and as a mechanical motion sensor. Claus et al teach filtering the speckle pattern at the output of an optical fiber to a single lobe, termed a single speckle or a single correlation cell elsewhere in the scientific literature, and finds application to monitoring force on mechanical structures, such as a cantilever beam.
However, in the prior art, how to reliably derive information relating to breaths, heartbeats, breathing rate, or heart rate of a monitored person is not well documented, and a need exists for such a monitor which is both inexpensive and reliable.


1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and system for data processing in general, and in particular to a method and system for providing automatic notification. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing automatic notification of an end of lease of a computer and its location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
More and more companies prefer computer leasing over purchasing. The lease term of a typical computer lease usually lasts approximately two, three, or four years. At the end of a computer lease, a company needs to return all the lease computers; otherwise, the company must continue to pay at the lease rate for any lease computers that have not been returned. The task of finding all the lease computers is usually quite straightforward when there are only a few lease computers. However, when there is a large number of lease computers, such as several thousand units, installed at various locations within a company, then the task of finding all the lease computers becomes daunting.
A database can be used to keep track of information such as whether or not a computer lease for a specific computer is about to expire, along with the location of the computer according to its first installation. However, computers tend to be relocated many times within a huge organization after their first installation, and yet the database is usually not updated after the relocation of computers. As a result, the database tracking method becomes very impractical. Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an improved method for providing automatic notification when a computer lease is about to expire, and for providing the location of the computer to which the computer lease belongs.


In recent years, along with the rapid proliferation of the Internet, there has been a demand for an increase in capacity of a communication traffic. In response to this demand, an increase in transmission speed of a single channel per system and an expansion of the number of channels in accordance with the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) are progressed. In the WDM, plural optical signals assigned to different carrier wavelengths (channels) can be transmitted simultaneously and a communication capacity can be increased according to the number of channels. Further, in the WDM, the respective channel wavelengths are sufficiently separated from one another. For example, the communication capacity reaches 1 terabit/sec by transmitting 100 channels using one common optical fiber with the modulation of 10 gigabit/sec per channel.
In the middle and long-distance optical communications in these years, a C band (1530 to 1570 nm) that can be amplified by an optical fiber amplifier (EDFA: erbium-doped fiber amplifier) is used widely. In the WDM, for example, with respect to 100 channels used in optical communications, 100 types of laser devices corresponding to the respective channels are required. Therefore, costs for inventory control, inventory count, and the like of the laser devices are increased. In order to solve this problem, in the middle and long-distance communications, there is a demand for a wavelength tunable laser device that can cover the entire C band singly.
An example of the light source of the wavelength tunable laser device includes a light source including a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), a wavelength tunable filter, and a reflector (external resonator type wavelength tunable laser or the like). The wavelength tunable filter controls the oscillation wavelength of the laser by changing the refractive index of a filter portion (the refractive index of a material of a filter portion). Examples of the publicly known document in which a wavelength tunable laser device provided with such a light source is described include Patent Documents 1 to 4.


The machines used for these works have a particular morphology. They are generally equipped with stocks or a torsion bar system making it possible to position the profile section to be machined under a broaching tool and to drive it with the movements necessary to the milling operations that make it possible to produce the part.
These movements are combinations of longitudinal displacements and rotations about the long axis of the part.
To machine all the faces of a profile section in order to obtain a finished part, it is necessary to work in at least 2 phases having different lays. The first phase is for machining a part of the surfaces by taking reference on two rough faces. The second is for machining the remaining rough faces, after reversing the part and calibrating on the previously machined faces.
This part reversal and recalibration operation is performed manually by the operator of the machine. The invention makes it possible to perform this operation automatically. It thus eliminates the fatigue associated with this operation for the operator and the risk of poor positioning of the part after reversal. It thus allows for a significant productivity gain.


Capacitive touch control technologies may sense whether there is a user's finger or other conductive object by a detection capacitor, and a corresponding function can be implemented simply by a light touch with a finger. Currently, touch screens have been widely applied to electronic devices, to implement touch control operations.
In the process of conceiving the present disclosure, the inventor finds that there are at least the following problems in the existing technologies:
(1) Existing electronic devices support only one-dimensional input, but cannot support multi-dimensional input, and pressure detection is not sufficiently accurate.
(2) A simple finger touch control function is only applicable to a limited number of application scenarios. This does not adapt to the development trend of technologies of integrating multiple application functions in one electronic device.


This invention relates to a method of depositing a high-emissivity carbon coating on a substrate by reactive RF sputtering. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of depositing a carbide-carbon coating on a substrate by reactive RF sputtering having a composition gradient such that the coating is composed primarily of a carbide compound near the substrate and primarily of carbon near the exterior surface.
Thermoelectric generators are frequently used as an energy source in aerospace applications. Temperature regulation in these generators is a critical problem for both orbital satellites and deep space probes. A high-emissivity coating on the metallic thermoelectric generator casings would improve the performance of satellite thermoelectric systems by radiating large quantities of heat while operating at low temperatures. The high-emissivity coating must be capable of withstanding the stresses imposed during launch and the elevated temperatures and vacuum conditions encountered during operation.
Carbon has many of these properties and would serve well as a high-emissivity coating. However, carbon does not adhere well to the metals often used in thermoelectric generator casings, namely iridium and aluminum. Attempts have been made to blend carbon with an epoxy and paint the mixture onto the casings, but this process adds undesirable weight to the generator. A more promising method is to sputter deposit a coating with a composition gradient such that the surface of the coating near the substrate is rich in material that adheres well to the substrate while the exterior surface of the coating is rich in carbon. Previous methods of deposition have involved rotating a substrate between two targets of different materials and gradually changing the deposition parameters on the two targets to obtain the desired composition gradient. This method is too complicated to be practical for the massive parts of the generator which must be coated.


In the field of image processing, neighborhood masks are commonly employed when it is necessary to consider the environment of a pixel to be processed. A neighborhood mask is defined as a selection area in the image. With the changes in image processing, the neighborhood masks are becoming increasingly extensive. At the same time, the research and development and manufacturing costs of architectures supporting image processing place major constraints on their development in terms of silicon surface area and electricity consumption, notably when these architectures are designed for embedded applications intended for the general public. The issue in this field is therefore to have open-ended and flexible computation architectures which, given the same circuit, are capable of supporting the existing processing operations as well as those to come whose computational complexity will be greater. One of the known solutions for meeting these needs consists in using modular architectures, based on stream processing units each comprising a set of neighborhood processors operating in parallel on neighboring data. A first exemplary architecture is described in the patent application EP 08 05369. Each processing unit comprises a set of processors and a storage unit containing all the neighborhoods accessible to the processors. However, a processor can access only the neighborhood which is assigned to it. Furthermore, the dimension of the storage unit is fixed. Consequently, the size of the neighborhoods accessible to the processors is limited to that provided at the time of the design of the circuit. A second exemplary architecture is proposed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and described in K. Kim et al., “A 125 GOPS 583 mW Network-on-Chip based parallel processor with bio-inspired visual attention engine”, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 44, no. 1, January 2009. Each processing unit comprises a set of processors and a local memory. Each processor has full access to the local memory of the processing unit to which it belongs. The local memories of different processing units can communicate with one another and each processor can communicate with left and right neighboring processors, including if a neighboring processor is located in another processing unit. These communications between local memories and between processors make it possible to extend the size of the neighborhoods accessible to the processors. The architecture is, however, ill suited to such a use: on the one hand, the communication from processor to left/right neighboring processor between processing units allows only one datum to be exchanged per cycle, which in practice limits the extension of the size of the neighborhoods. Also, the communication from local memory to local memory entails overwriting at least a portion of the data present in one of the local memories, which constrains the order in which the data must be processed.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process for the modeling and control of production integrated-processing equipment (PIPE). It further relates to a class of PIPEs which have operations sequences. It also relates to the use of PIPE-specific models to control material movement within the PIPE and loadings of the PIPE. It also relates to the use of such PIPE-specific models to analyze and extrapolate PIPE performance. It also relates to the use of PIPE-specific models to evaluate and develop PIPE designs and PIPE control schemes. The invention further relates to a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) system that includes a PIPE-specific model for automatic PIPE control and to the use of PIPE-specific models in the design of CIM systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Many manufacturing plants or factories are using or introducing highly-complex production integrated-processing equipment (PIPE). This integrated equipment is also known as modular equipment or cluster tools. PIPEs are capable of performing multiple, independent processing steps without leaving a controlled environment. By performing sequences of processing steps in one machine, substantial yield improvements over conventional processing equipment may result. This automated processing reduces contamination and unnecessary human handling. The complexity of this integrated equipment, however, introduces severe problems in analysis of the PIPE performance.
Prior to this invention, PIPE manufacturers and users have taken one of two approaches to understand PIPE performance: spreadsheets or physical experimentation. Spreadsheets provide a basis for approximate analytic calculations. While such an approach results in computer calculations that provide impressive-looking numeric results, little or no effort is expended in establishing the underlying accuracy of such spreadsheet calculations. A major area of approximation is the description of internal movement through the PIPE. This internal material movement is complex, and poorly understood. One approximation in spreadsheet calculations has been to surrender to this complexity and describe the operations sequence or path through the PIPE as being random.
The second approach taken by PIPE manufacturers and users has been physical experimentation. There is clearly a need for performance analysis, especially with regard to throughput and cycle time, since PIPEs, in general, are multi-million dollar pieces of equipment. A single physical experiment can cost tens-of-thousands of dollars and provide only one data point. The need for performance analysis has compelled manufacturers and users to perform such experiments in order to improve on the accuracy of spreadsheets. Millions of dollars may be spent doing performance analysis by this method. Any answers obtained by this method are case-specific, and any change in physical design, operating conditions, or recipes will negate the results and require repeating the effort.
Performance Analysis and PIPE Productivity
One of the goals of performance analysis is to calculate the cycle time of a standard manufacturing unit, i.e., part, lot, or cassette, as a function of process recipe. The process recipe is the set of processing steps to be performed by the PIPE. Despite the processing advantages provided by PIPEs, realistic calculations of throughput and capital cost per part impact the user's choice of a PIPE for a particular process step or steps. The calculation of throughput of a PIPE workstation is based primarily on the PIPE's cycle time.
Table 1 demonstrates the impact of cycle time on the capital cost per part. In this example, 25-wafer cassettes are being processed by a PIPE. The PIPE in this example has a modest capital cost of $1 mm which is amortized over 5 years. The capital cost per part is a direct function of the cycle time of the cassette in the PIPE. A variation of a factor of four in cycle time results in a variation of a factor of four in the capital cost per part. Clearly the accurate calculation of PIPE cycle time is crucial information in making decisions on equipment selection and numbers of machines needed at a workstation. Further, the total operating cost per wafer may be twice the capital cost.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ PIPE PRODUCTIVITY vs CYCLE TIME ASSUMPTIONS: PIPE CAPITAL COST = $1,000,000 5 YEAR AMORTIZATION ($200,000/yr) 325 WORK DAYS ($615 in amortization/d) 20 PROCESSING HOURS PER DAY CASE 1 CASE 2 ______________________________________ CYCLE TIME 0.5 HRS 2 HRS # CASSETTES/d 40 10 COST/CASSETTES $15.38 $61.50 COST/Part $0.62 $2.45 ______________________________________


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus in the field of cardiotomy perfusion, and in particular, it is directed to cardiotomy reservoirs which are used in extracorporeal blood circuits.
2. The Prior Art
There are a wide variety of medical and surgical procedures in which a patient's blood is conducted extracorporeally through a blood circuit for treatment and thereafter returned to the patient. Typical extracorporeal blood circuits include, for example, cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal hemodialysis.
Effective circulation and control of a patient's blood are essential to successful heart surgery. In modern surgical procedures, blood is circulatd through the patient mechanically by establishing a cardiopulmonary bypass circuit in which the blood is forced through a bloodline or tube with a blood pump. This circuit removes blood from the patient, oxygenates the blood, and then returns the blood to the patient.
In addition, blood which accumulates in the patient's pericardium or heat cavities during the course of surgery is transported away from the surgical site. This is generally accomplished by means of a "cardiotomy sucker" which aspirates the blood from the areas of accumulation. During an operation of only thirty minutes, as much as 250,000 cubic centimeters of blood may be aspirated from the patient through the "cardiotomy sucker." Consequently, unless it can be successfully returned to the patient, this aspirated blood must be replaced by blood from other sources. In attempting to return this aspirated blood to the patient, however, one encounters of number of obstacles.
Blood removed from the surgical site through a "cardiotomy sucker" invariably contains tissue fragments, blood clots and other debris which prevent the blood from being returned directly to the patient through the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. This difficulty can generally be minized by allowing the blood to pass through filters which remove all particles larger than a predetermined size, for example, twenty (20) microns. However, this filter will sometimes become occluded and must, consequently, be replaced.
A somewhat more difficult obstacle to recycling aspirated blood is due to the fact that blood which is removed from the surgical site through a "cardiotomy sucker" has a substantial amount of air bubbles suspended within it, thereby resulting in a foam-like solution. Oxygenators which are used in the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit have traditionally had some limited defoaming capability, because small air bubbles remain in the blood after the oxygenating process. However, aspirated blood differs greatly from oxygenator blood for which the oxygenator defoamer was designed. Although bubbles are present in both oxygenator and aspirated blood, the bubbles contained in oxygenator blood are typically within the same, specific micron range as the bubbles produced by the oxygenator. Aspirated blood, on the other hand, contains bubbles with no such size uniformity, and the quantity of bubbles may vary from a steady stream to a froth. As a result, defoaming aspirated blood is significantly more difficult than defoaming oxygenator blood and has provided a significant challenge to those skilled in the art.
In order to more effectively prepare aspirated blood for return to the patient, a device known as a cardiotomy reservoir has been used. Cardiotomy reservoirs currently in use have the capability of holding large volumes of blood separate from the main extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Many of the cardiotomy reservoirs currently in use also include internal filters which separate out the above-mentioned debris. Typical prior art cardiotomy reservoirs also contain a small defoaming element which defoams the blood as it passes through the cardiotomy reservoir. After the blood has been so treated, it is then recycled to the patient through the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit.
Although the cardiotomy reservoirs presently in use have greatly improved the quality of the blood which is returned to the patient, current cardiotomy reservoirs have proven inadequate in many respects. Current cardiotomy reservoirs use a defoaming substance which is composed of the same material used in the defoamer within the oxygenator. This defoamer, which is a uniform single density defoamer, cannot effectively defoam aspirated blood where there are a wide variety of sizes and quantities of air bubbles suspended within the blood.
Additionally, the design of present cardiotomy reservoirs allows blood to pass quite rapidly through the reservoir. That blood is, therefore, not in contact with the defoaming element for any significant length of time and this results in inadequate defoaming of the blood. Even if the outflow of blood from current cardiotomy reservoirs is intentionally interrupted, significant volumes of blood are held in the lower portion of the cardiotomy reservoir and are not in contact with the defoamer element at all. Consequently, the temporary interruption of blood outflow from present cardiotomy reservoirs does significantly improve their defoaming capability.
Finally, cardiotomy reservoirs which include internal filters occasionally clog due to excessive debris and/or blood clots resulting from inadequate heparinization, accelerated metabolism of the heparin, or blood coagulopathy. When the internal filtr of the cardiotomy reservoir becomes clogged, the entire cardiotomy reservoir must be changed. This interrupts and disrupts the cardiotomy reservoir circuit. Equally important, the blood trapped within the clogged cardiotomy reservoir cannot always be recovered and returned to the extracorporeal circuit; hence, significant volumes of blood must sometimes be discarded. Even if the trapped blood is recovered, it will often not be used because there is an insufficient guarantee of sterility. In addition, there is often even no attempt to recover this trapped blood, because the time needed to recover the blood to the extracorporeal circuit may be too lengthy. Each of the above-mentioned situations adds significantly and dangerously to the normal risk involved in heart surgery.
Accordingly, it would be a significant improvement in the art to provide a cardiotomy reservoir having a defoamer which is specifically designed to handle blood containing suspended air bubbles of many sizes, such as blood aspirated during heart surgery, Additionally, it would be an improvement in the art to provide a cardiotomy reservoir in which the defoamer is always in substantial contact with the blood which is located within the reservoir. Further, it would be an improvement in the art to provide a cardiotomy reservoir which would allow for the rapid replacement of a clogged filter, without compromising asepsis or blood recoverability. Finally, it would be an improvement in the art to provide a method for defoaming aspirated blood which adequately separates the air from the blood while minimizing the risk to the patient incident to the defoaming process. Such a novel cardiotomy reservoir apparatus and method is described and claimed herein.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding ladder tree stand and more particularly pertains to providing a hunter an elevated stationary support for hunting with a folding ladder tree stand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tree stands is known in the prior art. More specifically, tree stands heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of providing a stationary support for hunting are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,198 to Hunter discloses a pole seat and ladder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,888 to Amacker discloses a folding ladder stand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,030 to Lobozzo discloses a deer stand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,732 to Daniels discloses a portable folding tree stand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,632 to Mintz discloses a folding deer stand apparatus.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a folding ladder tree stand that provides an elevated stationary support for hunting, provides a way to readily access this elevated stationary support, and provides a structure that can be readily placed in an operable configuration for use or a stowed configuration for transport.
In this respect, the folding ladder tree stand according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a hunter an elevated stationary support for hunting.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved folding ladder tree stand which can be used for providing a hunter an elevated stationary support for hunting. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quantitative dispenser, and in particular, to a quantitative dispenser which comprises a divider a with scale or scale-like means that is adapted to dispense a constant amount of powdery material such as powdered milk stored in a volumetric body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many powdery or grain-type materials in our daily lives, for example, powder detergent, nourishing drug pills, healthy medicines, powdered milk, and the like, each of which has to be administrated or used at its own specified dosage. Each powder thereby needs its own measuring means, i.e., cup, spoon or the like for dispensing the powder from its container. These measuring means thus have various sizes depending on the kind of products and various serving conditions, and hence most of them cannot be used in common. This results in production of a lot of garbage at the end of their use, which is a waste of natural resources. In addition, big cans containing a large volume of powdery material are inconvenient to carry. This often causes trouble for their users, such as the use of many small cans or removing fractions with paper or the like.
As an example, currently, there is a powdered milk box which consists of 3 or 4 cylindrical compartments for containing powdered milk. These compartments are engaged with each other through screw threads. At the top of the box, there is a funnel with a screw cap on its central outlet. That funnel can be engaged with each compartment through, again, the screw thread. When dispensing, a screw cap on the outlet of the funnel and turning the box upside down, allows powdered milk in the first compartment to be poured into a milk bottle or the like.
However, there are several disadvantages for this kind of dispensing box: for example, a certain amount of powdered milk has to be loaded in each compartment before dispensing. The amount of powdered milk can not be varied according to different situations so that the amount of milk dispensed may be too much or too little. Also, the number of usages for the container is limited to the number of compartments.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a more economically efficient and more convenient quantitative dispenser in order to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, the objects and advantages of the invention can be achieved by providing a quantitative dispenser which will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to its preferred embodiment.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric lamps and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a lamp having a treated lense to reduce peripheral glare primarily for use as automobile or vehicle driving lamps, spotlights or the like.
2. History of the Prior Art
There is a well developed history of utilization of lamps for spotlights or driving lamps where the lamp includes an internal parabolic reflecting surface for collecting the light emission from a bulb or resistive element located near the focus of the parabolic surface, collimating the light into a beam which is directed through the lense or suitable transparent media to illuminate a specific viewing area.
Since the lense is usually refractive and the parabolic surface is often slightly open to provide a desired beam pattern, there exists peripheral illumination outside of the beam width in which the light is less intense and which is even desirable for many ordinary uses.
However, when such lamps are used as driving lights for vehicles in fog, smoke or rainy conditions, reflection from the peripheral illumination is distractive and actually impairs visibility in the desired viewing area.
A particularly successful attempt was made to overcome the above disadvantages by the patent to Hulbert, U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,135, issued Aug. 21, 1973, for "Light Treating Means." The Hulbert device teaches the treating of the light by coating specific areas of the lense with a blue translucent pigment whereby the teaching indicates that a "light mixing" takes place which serves to change the color spectrum and to reduce glare. While glare is in fact reduced by the Hulbert device, a great amount of peripheral illumination is still present which can and does present some problems when the lamp is used in conditions of fog, smog, rain or on wet surface.
On the other hand, by utilizing the blue mixed light, there is an enhancement in color differentiation and object identification within the illuminated beam pattern of light.
Another problem exists with the Hulbert device when used as a vehicle head lamp that is that the primary beam is surrounded by a reflected blue halo during use in highly reflective environments which can be distractive to approaching motorists as well as to the driver of the vehicle. Also, since the Hulbert lamp appears blue during daylight conditions as well as when used in a highly reflective environment, its use is prohibited under many state laws in which blue has been adopted for use by law enforcement vehicles only.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the measurement of a multiple phase flow. Here, microwave radiation is used to measure the two-phase fluid content of oil field flowlines and also the two-phase fluid content of fluid-saturated porous media.
2. Background Information
A multiple fluid mixture has at least one physically distinct and mechanically separable fluid within at least one other physically distinct and mechanically separable fluid in a physical/chemical system. In the case at hand a multiple fluid mixture would be something such as a combination of water and oil.
Some of the factors that complicate the measurement of the multiple fluid mixture are: whether the mixture is in a static or dynamic state; and whether the method is intrusive or non-intrusive. One simple method of analyzing a multiple fluid mixture involves capturing of a sample volume of the mixture and then analyzing it (or simply allowing the mixture to separate into its component phases). This method, however, is an intrusive one and involves too much time and effort to capture a sample volume. Furthermore, when captured, there is no guarantee that the sample volume is an adequate representation of the entire sample. If so, the calculation for the total concentration of the two components in the mixture will be erroneous. For that reason a non-intrusive method would be preferable.
Multiple fluid mixtures may also be measured by subjecting a sample (either in a static or dynamic state) to photonic laser, or infra-red radiation. In these cases, a multiple fluid mixture is subjected to the specific radiation and the attenuation of the radiation is used to calculate the component phases. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,157,470 to Kotuka et al.; 4,470,647 to Chraphyvy et al.; and 4,394,575 to Nelson; see also V. E. Shrock, "Radiation Attenuation Techniques in Two-Phase Flow Measurements", Nat'l ASME/AICHE, Heat Transfer Conference, Minneapolis (1969); and Davis, "VHF Electrical Measurement of Saturations in Laboratory Corefloods", SPE 8847 (1980).
The other factor that was mentioned above, i.e., whether the mixture is in a static or a dynamic state, would reflect mainly on the particulars of the measurement system. For example, in most applications it is most desirable to measure the mixture when it is in a fluid or flowing state. A common example would be an oil field flowline pipe that may transport liquid. However, there are examples where it may be desirable to measure multiple fluids in a static system. For example, a laboratory situation may be set up in which a sample petroleum formation, containing a porous medium (such as Berea Sandstone), has a two-phase mixture. Both cases could be applications of the same measurement technique.
The techniques described above are useful in understanding how fluid concentrations may be measured in a multiple fluid mixture. However, as applied to petroleum applications, i.e., multiple fluid mixtures of water and oil in a flowline or a test core, microwaves work to distinguish between multiple fluids. Some work has already been done in which microwaves are used to determine the concentration of multiple fluids, as outlined below. The devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,167,736 to Tomlinson; 4,196,385 to Vesterpaard et al.; 4,423,623 to Ho et al.; and 4,503,384 to Nagy et al. all are intrusive into the fluid that they are measuring and are undesirable because of that fact. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,289,020 and 4,301,400, to Paap, show devices that manipulate the fluid channel through which crude oil flows and are undesirable because they contain "dead spaces" where the flow may eddy and throw off the measurement system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,971 to Besido shows a device that monitors the moisture content in the sheets of material. It uses a method that detects a resonant frequency shift only. U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,333, to Walker, shows a microwave window and antenna, but does not disclose how measurements are made to determine fluid content. The following patents are issued to Lorne A. Davis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,982 discloses a device that scans a two-dimensional sample. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,482,634 and 4,490,676 disclose a method ('634) and an apparatus ('676) for monitoring fluid in a core of material. However, both patents only measure power level, not phase shift. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,486,714 and 4,543,821 use microwave circuitry that is similar to 4,482,634, but show different methods of fluid delivery to a test core. Two articles relate to some of these patents and are: Haskin and Davis, "A Comparison of Laboratory Linear and Pattern Flow Chemical Floods Using a Volumetric Linear Scaling Concept for Oil Saturation and Distributions", SPE 10197 (1981) (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,982); Brost and Davis, "Determination of Oil Saturation and Distributions in Field Cores by a Microwave Spectroscopy", SPE 10110 (1981) (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,482,634 and 4,490,676).
Other articles disclose the use of microwaves to measure fluid contents. R. W. Parsons was one of the first investigators to disclose a method to determine in situ saturations of multiple fluid phases in a laboratory coreflood using microwave attenuation, see Parsons, "Microwave Attenuation--A New Tool for Monitoring Situations in Laboratory Flooding Experiments", Soc. Pet. Eng. Jour. 302 (August, 1975). However, the signal penetration depth in this method is limited to one inch and the frequency is 21.26 Gigahertz. P. E. Baker discusses a similar method (at the end of the Parsons' paper, see page 309). Bentsen and Saeedi show a method that is similar to Parsons, see Bentsen and Saeedi, "Liquid-Immiscible Displacement in Unconsolidated Porous Media", Jour. Can. Pet. Tech. 93 (January-March, 1981). Their method measures only microwave attenuation, has a penetration depth of only 1.27 centimeters, and operates on a microwave frequency of 27 Gigahertz. Wasan et al. also show a method similar to Parsons, see Wasan et al., "Microwave Spectroscopy Analysis of Surfactant/Polymer Flooding: Interrelationships Between Chemical Slug Properties, Coalescence Phenomena, and Tertiary Oil Recovery", SPE 8327 (1979). For example, Wasan et al. measure microwave attenuation using a frequency of 21.83 Gigahertz. Another similar device is described in Gladfelter and Gupta, "The Effect of Fractional Flow Hysteresis on Recovery of Tertiary Oil", Soc. Pet. Eng. Jour. 509 (December, 1980). Here, measurements of multiple fluids are made with microwave attenuation and depth penetration is limited to 1.91 centimeters. An article that reviews all the current methods to measure multiple fluids and petroleum applications is Saraf, "Methods of In-situ Saturation Determination During Core Tests Involving Multiphase Fluid Flow", Report 1981-6 Petroleum Recovery Institute (March, 1981).
These references mostly use only one measurement technique, i.e., signal attenuation, to determine fluid concentrations. This has some drawbacks, in that: some physical properties are masked in different flow regimes when you use signal attenuation; you may be limited to determining the concentrations of only two fluid phases (with one measurement technique); and you do not have a confirmation of the fluid concentrations when you use a single method.


The present invention relates to a tool that is used in the construction of frames.
For purposes of this description, a frame is a structure having multiple members that are fitted together and united. In constructing frames, attachment of the individual members to one another, by welding or similar means, often requires the use of clamps or vises. Even when using such clamps, it is often difficult to secure adjacent members at precise angles.
For example, in manufacturing awnings, a fabric cover is fit over a frame typically formed by a segments of metal tubing. These frames may define a simple rectangular volume or a complex geometric volume. In constructing such a frame, each individual member is ordinarily attached to adjacent members by a weld. Clamps are commonly used to secure adjacent members at the proper angle and orientation for welding. However it is still difficult to secure adjacent members at precise angles using clamps. When more than two members meet at a joint, it becomes even more difficult to secure the members at the proper angle and orientation for welding. A series of welds is often needed to secure a joint uniting more than two members. In short, construction of these awning frames is often difficult and time-consuming.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a tool that facilitates the securing and welding of frame members at precise angles and orientations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that allows a single weld to be used to secure three or more members at a joint.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that is easy to use, even in construction of complex frame structures, such as those used in the manufacture of awnings.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to signal transfer points (STPs) used in telecommunication networks and, more particularly, to cabinet designs for STPs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advanced Intelligent Networks (AIN) are modern telephone networks that separate call control from the actual trunk that carries the voice or data transmission of a call. In general, AIN Networks include a system in which the network queries a database to determine how a call should be processed once a set of call digits have been received from a phone. AIN Network generally includes three basic elements. A signal control point (SCP) is a computer controlled database that is for storing customer""s specific information that is used by the network to determine how to route and/or process calls. A signal switching point (SSP) is a digital telephone switch that is operable to communicate with SCPs and to obtain the customer""s specific instructions for processing the call. A signal transfer point (STP) is a packet switch that shuttles messages between the SSPs and the SCPs. All three, namely the SCP, the SSP, and the STP communicate via what is known as out-of-band signaling. Out-of-band signaling generally refers to the signaling that is for controlling a call. In other words, out-of-band signaling does not include the actual call data or voice information. Typically, the three described systems utilize a signaling system No. 7 (SS7) protocol or a variant thereof.
When a call is dialed, the SSP creates a query to the database within the SCP to find out how a call should be processed. The query is passed via out-of-band signaling through at least one STP to the SCP. The SCP interprets the query based on criteria within its databases and based upon information provided by the SSP. Once the SCP retrieves and transmits a return message through the STPs to the SSPf SSP may properly process the call within the network.
The STP is, in essence, a router for the SS7 network. It relays messages through the network but does not originate them. It is similar to a voice switch except that it only routes control signals. STPs also serve as gateway devices that may convert messages that flow between dissimilar systems. For example, a STP within the US may provide conversions between ANSI SS7 and ITU-T SS7. STPs may also provide other functionality including various security functions and message filtering wherein messages of a non-conforming nature are not passed through from one point to another. Other STP functions include traffic monitoring for billing purposes and for developing usage statistics.
Compact PCI is an adaptation of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification for industrial and/or embedded applications requiring a more robust mechanism form factor than desktop PCI. Compact PCI uses industry standard mechanical components and high performance connector technologies to provide a system optimized for rugged applications. Compact PCI is electrically compatible with the PCI specification allowing low cost PCI chip sets to be used in a mechanical form factor suited for rugged environments. In general, Compact PCI is a rugged variation of the PCI bus that was designed by PC makers wanting to create industridi grade PCs. The motivations for the design were to put more PCI cards into one PC (eight instead of four) and to make the resulting PC more rugged, and better able to withstand shaking and rough environmental conditions.
The physical configuration of the hardware conforms to the Eurocard (VMR-style) standard. The cards are identical to VME cards in size but differ in that they use a high-density 2-millimeter pin and socket connector (contact space) for interfacing the card to a passive backplane. Typically, the Compact PCI comes in a rugged 3U or 6U Eurocard form factor and has either a 32 or 64 bit data bus with transfer rates of up to 528 megabits per second.
As mentioned before, Compact PCI typically includes a passive backplane. Each shelf on the front side of a Compact PCI system includes slots for eight cards. Traditionally, a controller goes into slot one leaving seven slots for other specialized peripheral cards. Accordingly, cabinets made to house Compact PCI equipment typically provides cooling only to a front portion of the cabinet. The xe2x80x9cfront portionxe2x80x9d is the portion that is in front of the backplane.
Traditionally, active cards go in the front side while passive circuitry goes on the backside. In a typical configuration, a Compact PCI card having active elements includes pin outs that are passed through the backplane to passive transition modules on the back side. The transition modules terminate the signals into connectors wherein that may readily be accessed from behind. Because the circuitry on the back side of the backplane is passive, there has been no need hereto before to provide cooling or thermal management for the back side of the Compact PCI cabinet in a telecommunications environment.
A current design goal for the present invention is to utilize Compact PCI in the design of modern telecommunication systems. As systems become more complex, however, Compact PCI systems are being pushed to the limit in terms of capacity. A typical cabinet for a Compact PCI system may have several shelves of cards all generating tremendous amounts of heat energy for a cabinet of that size. Accordingly, thermal management issues may become acute. As telecommunication networks continue to increase in sophistication, there will be an ever-increasing need to add more circuitry within the Compact PCI cabinets. Unfortunately, however, this also means that more space must be found to provide the additional card slots. Greater thermal management must be achieved to maintain temperatures at an acceptable level if new cards are added. What is needed, therefore, is a cabinet architecture that provides for greater circuit capacity and yet accommodates an efficient thermal management system therefor, preferably within the context of a Compact PCI-compliant equipment rack.
The Compact PCI cabinet includes an inlet port for receiving external air, a set of blowers for drawing the air into the cabinet and for expelling the air from an exhaust port of the cabinet after having cooled internal active circuits, and a plurality of louvers and openings that create thermal convection within a back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet to cool active components coupled to the back side of the backplane of the Compact PCI system. More specifically, a bottom panel, lining one wall of the chamber that receives the external air through the input port, includes a plurality of louvers that allow some of the air to be conducted into the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet. Additionally, a plurality of perforated air openings located approximately at the bottom and back end of a side panel of the Compact PCI cabinet also is included to receive and conduct air from the external environment. Finally, the invention includes forming openings between a plurality of card guides located approximately at the top of the back side of the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet wherein air may be conducted into the back portion of a Compact PCI cabinet or out of the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet. The air is conducted here, from and into the exhaust from the blowers.
Because exhaust from the blowers is being partially directed into the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet, that exhaust must be cooled before it is used to cool active components in the rear portion of the cabinet. Accordingly, a pin field is placed in the air path between the blowers and the openings through which the air may be conducted into the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet. The pin field is coupled to a heat sink that is for extracting heat energy from the pins. Accordingly, heat is convected away from the exhaust into the pins and up into the heat sink where it is radiated outwardly from the cabinet.
Finally, the invention includes placing a thermistor in the exhaust path so that the fan speed of the blowers maybe adjusted according to the temperature of the exhaust after passing through the pin field. Thus, acoustic concerns are addressed by minimizing fan speed and associated noise levels so as to operate the blowers at nearly a minimal level required for maintaining the internal temperatures within the PCI cabinet at an acceptable level.
In another embodiment of the invention, the louvered panel at the bottom of the Compact PCI cabinet is installed at an angle relative to vertical so that a greater amount of the air received at the inlet port is conducted into the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet and so that the louvers create lower amounts of air resistance to that air which is being conducted into the back portion of the Compact PCI cabinet.


Wireless and wired sensors are used in a wide variety of industries. For example, wireless pressure sensors are routinely used in automobiles and other vehicles, such as to monitor the pressure of tires on the vehicles. Also, the tires of a vehicle can often suffer from excessive temperatures, such as due to overloading of the vehicle or high temperatures in some regions of the world. Wireless temperature sensors can be used in a vehicle to monitor the temperatures of its tires.
Tire monitoring systems routinely need to be low in cost and use sensors that are wireless, small in size, and highly reliable with low drift. Existing tire pressure monitoring systems often use piezoresistive pressure sensors. These types of monitoring systems often require the use of radio frequency (“RF”) electronics as well as signal conditioning and processing circuitry. These types of monitoring systems also often require the use of batteries to power the sensors and related electronics and circuitry. However, these types of monitoring systems are often not attractive due to the weigh of the systems and due to the limited lifetime of their batteries, which can be discharged much faster in the harsh environment of vehicle tires.


This invention relates to a separation system and process as illustrated in FIG. 1 useful for the product produced by Armstrong method as disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,779,761; 5,958,106 and 6,409,797, the disclosures of each and every one of the above-captioned patents are incorporated by reference.


Multi-focal type optical lenses having a plurality of focal points are known from the past, as one type of ophthalmic lenses used for a human eye optical system. For example, with contact lenses used as corrective optical elements for refractive error, alternative optical elements after lens extraction or the like with the optical system of the human eye, or with intraocular lenses used for insertion in the human eye, by applying multi-focal lenses, it is possible to compensate for the decrease or loss of accommodation function of eye in the human body.
Particularly in recent years, there is an increase in people continuing to use contact lenses even when they reach the age of having presbyopia. People with presbyopia have a decrease in focus accommodation function, so a symptom appears of having difficulty focusing on nearby items. Thus, multi-focal contact lenses which can also focus on nearby objects become necessary for presbyopia patients. Also, for patients who have undergone cataract surgery, the lens which is in charge of the adjustment function is removed, so even if an intraocular lens is inserted as a replacement, the symptom of difficulty seeing close up remains. A multi-focal function that offers a plurality of focal points is necessary for that intraocular lens as well. Thus, there is a great increase in the need for multi-focal lenses reflecting the aging society of recent years.
However, as a method for realizing this multi-focal lens, examples are known of a refraction type multi-focal lens for which a plurality of focal points are formed based on the principle of refraction, and of a diffractive type multi-focal lens for which a plurality of focal points are formed based on the principle of diffraction. With the latter diffractive type multi-focal lens (diffractive multi-focal lens), equipped are a plurality of diffractive structures formed in concentric circle formed on the optical part of the lens, and a plurality of focal points are given by the mutual interference effect of light waves that passed through the plurality of diffractive structures (zones). Thus, compared to the refraction type lens with which a focal point is given by the refraction effect of light waves at a refracting surface comprising boundary surfaces with different refractive indexes, with the diffractive type multi-focal lens, there are advantages such as being able to set a high lens power while inhibiting an increase in lens thickness.
Typically, the diffractive multi-focal lens has a diffractive structure by which the diffractive zone pitch gradually becomes smaller as it goes from the lens center toward the periphery according to a rule called the Fresnel zone, and this has multiple focal points by using different orders of diffracted light generated from that structure. In particular, when using a diffractive multi-focal lens as a contact lens or an intraocular lens, normally, 0th order diffracted light is the focal point for far vision, and +1 order diffracted light is the focal point for near vision. By distribution of this diffracted light, it is possible to make a bifocal lens having focal points for far and near vision. The general Fresnel zone constitution is basically the zone pitches having the zone radius determined by Equation 1 below. This Equation 1 is hereafter called a Fresnel zone setting equation. Besides, the zone radius and the zone diameter refer to the radius of the zone outer diameter.
                              r          n                =                              nK            P                                              [                  Equation                                                              1                ]
rn is the outer diameter radius of the nth zone obtained from Equation 1. K is a constant. P is addition power for setting the focus point of first order diffracted light with the focus point of 0th order diffracted light as a reference, and by varying this, it is possible to change the focal point position of the first order diffracted light.
For example when the focal point by 0th order diffracted light is a focal point for far vision, and first order diffracted light is set as the focal point for near vision, when P (the addition power noted above) is made larger, the focal point position for near vision moves closer to the lens. Specifically, when using that lens for the human eye, objects that are closer become visible. Conversely, when P is made smaller, the focal position for near vision recedes away from the lens. In this case, when the lens is used in the human eye, the near points that are visible recede away.
For patients with advanced presbyopia, or patients who have an intraocular lens inserted, power of accommodation of the crystalline lens decreases or is lost, so it is preferable to use a lens for which the focal point is matched in the nearer direction as with the former example. In other words, an item is needed for which the addition power is set to be large. On the other hand, for patients for which the power of accommodation has not decreased that much, even if the near focal point position is not made that near, it is possible to see near objects by joint use with one's own residual power of accommodation, so there are cases when large addition power does not need to be set. Taking into consideration the status of the eyes of these patients, it is possible to obtain bifocal lenses that can be suitably used at different required powers for each patient by setting P.
Furthermore, in recent years, with the goal of improving visual performance in the intermediate region between two focal points of a focal point for far vision and a focal point for near vision, diffractive multi-focal lenses with a focal point set for intermediate vision have been proposed. This diffractive multi-focal lens with three or more focal points set has a plurality of types of reliefs for which their respective diffractive primary lights give mutually different focal point distances formed overlapping, having a synchronous structure for which the grating pitches for the reliefs overlap with each other periodically. As specific examples, for example, disclosed previously by this patent applicant, there are Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A-2010-158315 (Patent Document 1) and PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. JP-A-2013-517822 showing the subordinate concepts thereof (Patent Document 2).
However, with the diffractive multi-focal lens with three or more focal points set using the background art constitution, there was the problem that it was difficult to sufficiently ensure the degree of freedom for tuning the optical characteristics respectively requested for the plurality of focal points. In particular, with the inventions noted in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when setting the plurality of focal points, effective tuning technology was not yet established by which while adjusting the light intensity of each focal point, there is suppression of noise form peaks due to multi-order light or the like that is generated secondarily on the optical axis other than the target focal points.
Also, with the invention noted in Patent Document 1, when setting the intermediate focal point between the far focal point and the near focal point, there was the problem that it is difficult to set the intermediate focal point to an optional target position on the optical axis.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor process, and more particularly to a fabrication process to form a multi-tip floating gate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Memory devices for non-volatile storage of information are currently in widespread use, in a myriad of applications. A few examples of non-volatile semiconductor memory include read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) and flash EEPROM.
An advantage of EPROM is that it is electrically programmed, but for erasing, requires exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
In many circuit designs it is desirable to have a non-volatile memory device that can be erased and reprogrammed in-circuit, without the need to remove the device.
EEPROM devices have the advantage of electrical programming and erasing, achieved by charging and discharging actions controlled by the control gate. The actions also affect the conductivity of the channel between source and drain.
One of the advantages of flash memory is its capacity for block-by-block memory erasure. Furthermore, memory erasure is fast, normally taking just 1 to 2 seconds for the complete removal of a whole block of memory. Another advantage of flash memory is its low power consumption. The voltages of a control gate, a source, and a drain are adjusted to program or erase in a split gate flash memory.
FIGS. 1a to 1c are cross-sections of the conventional method for fabricating a floating gate of a split gate flash memory.
In FIG. 1a, a silicon substrate 101 is provided. A gate oxide layer 102, a doped polysilicon layer 103, and a nitride layer 104 having an opening 105 are sequentially formed on the silicon substrate 101.
In FIG. 1b, the doped polysilicon layer 105 exposed by the opening 105 is oxidized to form an oxide layer 106, and an edge of the oxide layer 106 is a Bird""s Beak shape edge.
In FIG. 1c, the nitride layer 104 is removed. The doped polysilicon layer 103 is anisotropically etched to form a floating gate 103a using the oxide layer 106 as an etching mask.
A split gate flash memory is completed after a control gate is formed on the floating gate and the silicon substrate 101 is implanted to form source/drain devices.
In the program step, high voltage is applied between the source and control gate. The high voltage applied to the source goes to the floating gate by the electric capacity coupling, and a high electric field is produced on the film gate oxide layer. The voltage is injected into the floating gate through the film gate oxide layer from the drain.
In the erase step, high voltage is applied between the drain and the control gate. A high electric field is produced on the film gate oxide layer by the electric capacity coupling. The voltage is injected into the drain through the film gate oxide layer from the floating gate, such that the gate oxide layer is damaged by the high voltage.
When the edge of the floating gate is a tip, the electrical field is easily concentrated, and the point is easily discharged. If the point discharge is increased, the erasing effect is strong.
In addition, the die size is larger due to the addition of programming circuitry and there are more processing and testing steps involved in the manufacture of these types of memory devices.
The present invention is directed to a method for fabricating a multi-tip floating gate to increase the erasing effect.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a floating gate. A semiconductor substrate is provided, on which a gate dielectric layer, a conducting layer, a first insulating layer, and a patterned hard mask layer with an opening are sequentially formed, such that the opening exposes the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer and the conducting layer are sequentially etched to form a round-cornered trench using the patterned hard mask layer as a mask. The patterned hard mask layer is removed. A second insulating layer is formed in the round-cornered trench. The first insulating layer and the exposed conducting layer are sequentially removed using the second insulating layer as a mask, and the conducting layer covered by the second insulating layer remains as a floating gate.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method for fabricating a floating gate. A semiconductor substrate is provided, on which a gate dielectric layer, a conducting layer, a first insulating layer, and a patterned hard mask layer with an opening are sequentially formed, such that the opening exposes the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer and the conducting layer are sequentially anisotropically etched to form a bottom corner trench using the patterned hard mask layer as a mask, wherein the round-cornered trench does not expose the semiconductor substrate. The patterned hard mask layer is removed. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer, and the round-cornered trench is filled with the second insulating layer, wherein the material of the second insulating layer is different from that of the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer is planarized until the first insulating layer is exposed, and the second insulating layer remains in the round-cornered trench. The first insulating layer and the exposed conducting layer are sequentially anisotropically etched until the gate dielectric layer is exposed, and the conducting layer covered by the second insulating layer remains as a floating gate.


It is highly desirable for tires to have good wet braking performance and good braking performance on snow and ice. It has traditionally been very difficult to improve simultaneously a tire's braking characteristics on wet surfaces and snow and ice surfaces. This is because a good wet braking tread formulation needs to provide a high energy dissipation at low temperatures between about −20° C. and about 0° C. at a frequency of 10 Hz. Such a high energy dissipation is related to a stiffening of the rubber tread at temperatures between −10° C. and −40° C. at 10 Hz, which negatively impacts braking on snow and ice.
It would therefore be desirable to have a rubber composition for tires wherein the wet braking performance and braking on ice and snow are simultaneously improved.


Integrated circuits are made possible by processes which produce intricately patterned material layers on substrate surfaces. Producing patterned material on a substrate requires controlled methods for removal of exposed material. Chemical etching is used for a variety of purposes including transferring a pattern in photoresist into underlying layers, thinning layers, or thinning lateral dimensions of features already present on the surface. Often it is desirable to have an etch process that etches one material faster than another facilitating, for example, a pattern transfer process. Such an etch process is said to be selective to the first material. As a result of the diversity of materials, circuits, and processes, etch processes have been developed with a selectivity towards a variety of materials.
Etch processes may be termed wet or dry based on the materials used in the process. A wet HF etch preferentially removes silicon oxide over other dielectrics and materials. However, wet processes may have difficulty penetrating some constrained trenches and also may sometimes deform the remaining material. Dry etches produced in local plasmas formed within the substrate processing region can penetrate more constrained trenches and exhibit less deformation of delicate remaining structures. However, local plasmas may damage the substrate through the production of electric arcs as they discharge.
Thus, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to produce high quality devices and structures. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology.


Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment, as examples. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and semiconductive layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various material layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon.
The semiconductor industry continues to improve the integration density of various electronic components (e.g., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.) by continual reductions in minimum feature size, which allow more components to be integrated into a given area. These smaller electronic components also require smaller packages that utilize less area than packages of the past, in some applications.
One smaller type of packaging for semiconductors is a flip chip (FC) ball grill array (BGA) package, in which semiconductor die are placed upside-down on a substrate and bonded to the substrate using micro-bumps. The substrate has wiring routed to connect the micro-bumps on the die to contact pads on the substrate that have a larger footprint. An array of solder balls is formed on the opposite side of the substrate and is used to electrically connect the packaged die to an end application.
Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated. The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale.


The present invention relates to pumps in general, and more particularly to plunger-type pumps.
There are already known and in widespread use various constructions of pumps which, depending on the requirements of such pumps, such as the pressure conditions, types of media to be pumped, volume to be pumped, and whether the operation is to be intermittent or continuous, have different shapes and operating parameters. Among such pumps, there has been already proposed a plunger-type pump in which a plunger is mounted in a pump housing and extends into a pumping chamber defined by the latter for reciprocation therein. In a pump of this type, one-way valves are to be provided both at the inlet side and on the outlet side of the pump and, in this connection, it has already been proposed to construct the inlet valve as a valve sleeve which is mounted on the plunger for movement longitudinally thereof and for limited reciprocation therewith. Then, the sleeve valve subdivides the pumping chamber into a suction space and a pumping space, the former surrounding, and the latter being located within the sleeve valve.
Pumps of the latter type achieve excellent results while being simple. However, experience with this type of pumps has shown that the seaing of the interface between the sleeve valve and the plunger leaves much to be desired. Usually, such a seal is constructed as an interface seal and is achieved by selecting the proper tolerance between the inner surface of the valve sleeve and the outer surface of the plunger, and by properly selecting the materials of the two components which bound the interface. While, under many circumstances, this type of seal may work to satisfaction, it has been established that this type of seal cannot be used with certain media to be pumped, particularly with aggressive media. A further limitation to the use of this type of seal resides in the fact that this type of seal can only be used up to a certain pressure existing in the pumping chamber. While it is not absolutely impossible to properly select the tolerances between the abovementioned surfaces for any pressure region or pressure differential existing across the sleeve valve, it has been found that the high precision which is required for high pressure involves costs which are prohibitive.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ventilator for cleaning the air inside the rooms of buildings.
2. Prior Art
Presently, there are many different types of ventilators for circulating the air between the inside and the outside of the rooms of a building. One type of the ventilators uses a plurality of pivoting slats. These slats are arranged in cross formation and installed in vertical and horizontal directions in a square frame. Both ends of each slat are attached to the opposite or facing side edges of the square frame in a pivotal fashion.
In this type of conventional ventilator, both ends of each slat are kept in contact perpendicularly with the inner wall surfaces of the side edges of the square frame. Accordingly, projecting pieces are used for mounting the slats. The projecting pieces are provided so as to project perpendicularly from the inside wall surfaces of the frame, and holes formed at both ends of the slat are fitted over these projecting pieces so that the slats can pivot.
However, if the frame is round in shape and not a square, it is difficult to install a plurality of slats in a pivotal fashion and in a cross formation inside the round frame.


Many of the answers that mankind and scientists are searching for lay deep underground in various layers that have formed over many millions of years. These inaccessible areas continue to hide the answers and proofs that many scientists and researchers seek.
In addition, in support of exploration of the planetary bodies in our solar system, it will be necessary to install a measurement unit, such as a lunar seismometer for measuring moonquakes, within the lunar surface. In order to isolate the seismometer from solar radiation and the extremes of heat and cold, it will be necessary to sink the seismometer into the regolith without leaving a hole above the unit for intrusion from the surface of the complicating ambient conditions.
In support of research on deep geologic formations, the way that scientists can sometimes try to access a small amount of this otherwise inaccessible material for analyses is to drill and bring up a core sample of the material. In some locations, core sampling is considered impractical or even destructive of the condition sought to be measured. Even if scientists can obtain a small core sample, their act of removing this material from its underground location will often change the material and contaminate the answers being sought.
It is a known uncertainty of physics and science that the act of retrieving and moving a material to observe it could change the properties of the material. By bringing a core sample out of the earth to a laboratory, the sample is subject to changes in ambient pressure, temperature, moisture content, and structure. The core sample is now in an altered state due to a changed relationship with other ground materials, the level of magnetism and other earth energies that pass through it, the exact directional position in the ground, the exposure to sunlight and artificial light, and a whole host of various electric magnetic pollution and signals and gases and toxins, etc.


The prior art discloses simple surveying appliances having a sighting device, with the aid of which a spatial point is sighted manually and the sighting direction is then altered manually to a next spatial point to be surveyed, for example by means of adjusting screws on a theodolite drive.
DE 196 48 626 discloses a method and an apparatus for area surveying with a laser rangefinder having a laser transmitter and a laser receiver. The laser rangefinder is mounted on a stand. The apparatus furthermore comprises a tilting and rotating device for orientation and direction measurement, a telescopic sight and also an electronic evaluation unit for angle data capture, distance data capture and data transfer to a computer. For surveying a space, the appliance is positioned at a central location in the space, from where all spatial and/or area corner points to be detected can be sighted and impinged upon by the laser beam. In accordance with the disclosure of DE 196 48 626, the spatial points to be surveyed are in this case each sighted individually, if appropriate—in the case of relatively large distance—with the observation being supported by means of a telescopic sight.
A similar apparatus and associated surveying method are disclosed in DE 44 43 413, the supplementary published patent application DE 195 45 589 and WO 96/18083, which claims the priority of DE 44 43 413. These describe a method and an apparatus for surveying and marking on distant lines, areas or in at least partly closed spaces. One or more relevant spatial points are surveyed according to in each case two solid angles and the distance relative to a reference location by means of a laser distance measuring appliance mounted in a cardan-type fashion. The laser distance measuring appliance can be swiveled about two mutually perpendicular axes equipped with goniometers. In accordance with one embodiment described in said documents, spatial points to be surveyed are headed for manually and marking points are calculated from the survey data, on the basis of a prescribed relative relation between surveying and marking, said marking points then being moved to automatically by the measuring and marking apparatus.
Known construction surveying appliances typically comprise a base, an upper part mounted so as to be able to rotate about an axis of rotation on the base, and a sighting unit, mounted so as to be able to swivel about a swivel axis, with a laser source, which is designed to emit a laser beam, and an imaging detector, for example equipped with an orientation indicating functionality for indicating an orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a spatial point as a sighting point, and also with a distance determining detector for providing a distance measuring functionality. By way of example, the orientation indicating functionality may be a reticle in the viewfinder of a camera as imaging detector.
Modern, automated construction surveying appliances furthermore comprise rotary drives, which make the upper part and/or the sighting unit drivable in a motorized manner, goniometers and, if appropriate, inclination sensors for determining the spatial orientation of the sighting unit, and also an evaluation and control unit, which is connected to the laser source, the distance determining detector and also the goniometers and, if appropriate, inclination sensors.
In this case, the evaluation and control unit is equipped, by way of example, with a display having input means for inputting control commands from a user on the display (e.g. touchscreen) or what is known as a joystick that is directable, for the purpose of altering the orientation of the sighting unit by directing the joystick, and for presenting an image from the imaging detector or the camera on the display, wherein the orientation of the sighting unit can be indicated by means of the orientation indicating functionality on the display, e.g. by means of overlaying. Functionalities are known in which the input means on the display are in the form of arrows, the marking and touching of which enable a user to alter the orientation of the sighting unit in a horizontal or vertical direction.
Computer technology reveals remote control units that are equipped with motion sensors and the movement of which is converted into an alteration in the position of what is known as a cursor or indicator arrow on a computer screen, in the form of what is known as a “computer mouse” or in the form of controllers for computer games.
The document JP 2004 108 939 A describes a system for controlling a total station by moving a remote control. The remote control unit contains acceleration and gravity sensors that detect movements by the remote control. The detected movements are converted into control commands and sent to the total station. What is not described in this case is scalability of the sensitivity level, i.e. of the transmission ratio between a movement by the remote control unit and a resultant speed and/or extent of the change in the orientation of the total station. The lack of scalability is particularly disadvantageous for fine orientation to a target.


Efforts have been made to make a thin composite resin-made container body to protect the environment and reduce costs. As an example, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-313443 is a composite container that supplements rigidity of the container body reduced by being thinner, using a cylindrical paper label, in other words, a paper cylinder that covers the trunk of the container body.
Conventionally, this kind of composite container is made by forming the container body, then covering the container body with a separately made paper cylinder; it can take hours to combine the two so a limit has come to cost reductions.
However, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-116082, it is common for this kind of container body to be made by moving a preform P in a lateral direction (horizontal direction) to a two-piece, split-mold blow molding die BM that opens and closes by rocking, and blow molding after closing the mold.


The present invention relates to a personal care apparatus and, in particular, to an apparatus for collecting, containing and disposing of waste matter, during the replacement of a stoma bag for those people having had surgical operations for removing a bladder or colon.
Surgical procedures such as colostomies, cystostomies, urostomies and ileostomies involve rerouting of the colon or ureter so that waste materials can be discharged through an artificial opening formed in the ostomy patient's (also referred to herein as ostomate) body. This artificial opening, called a stoma, is typically located in the abdomen and may be about 0.5 to 1.0 inch or more in diameter. A stoma is connected directly to the kidney by a rerouted ureter or to the intestines by the rerouted colon and the discharge of waste matter in each instance is made through the stoma.
The new artificial opening, or stoma, made on the abdominal wall, has no voluntary sphincter control by the ostomate. Collection of involuntary waste seepage is by bag or other receptacle attached to the ostomate's body. Disposable and semi-disposable bags for such purposes are available from several commercial sources. The disposable bags come as assembled units which are applied to the body. Such bags are attached to the body over the stoma by means of a ring-like member known as a wafer or face plate and a sealing ring of double sided adhesive which must be assembled and positioned over the stoma with precision to achieve a reliable attachment and seal. It is essential that this ring be mounted directly and concentrically over the stoma and further, that it be tightly secured to the body, otherwise, leakage of waste onto the surrounding skin area can occur. After removal of the filled bag, the common practice in the past has been to first clean and dry the stoma and surrounding skin area before application of the sealing ring to the skin, followed by connection of the face plate to the sealing ring and then attachment of a new bag to the face plate. It is most important that the skin area surrounding the stoma be kept clean and dry during replacement of the bag to avoid infection and to achieve a good connection between the skin, sealing ring and face plate. Adhesive tape is sometimes applied over the edges of the face plate and sealing ring for extra reinforcement. Inadvertent disconnection of a bag can cause considerable inconvenience and embarrassment to an ostomate.
In the replacement of the ostomy appliance, the general procedure is first to remove the ring and the receptacle. The ostomate applies an absorbent material of choice on top of the stoma to absorb any waste matter and prevent it from leaking onto the surrounding skin prior to the application of the adhesive. The surrounding skin must be cleaned and dried. This is generally accomplished by the use of a commercially available “prep” agent, which removes the skin oils, cleans the skin, and leaves a dry skin surface. Upon application of the adhesive, the absorbent material is removed from the stoma and a wafer or ring is placed over the stoma in a precisely centered position. Generally, one must remain in a standing position and using a mirror to achieve the centered position. The ostomy appliance is then attached to the ring and tightly secured to the skin.
Several patents and publications describe devices designed to assist ostomates in the replacement of an ostomy device, including the following patents incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,709 describes an ostomy-changing facilitating device for absorbing fluids from the stoma during the change of the more permanent ostomy appliance. The ostomy-changing facilitating device includes a tubular member with absorbent material filling the bore of the tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,343,119 describes a cap device for home use to temporarily cover the stoma resulting from a urostomy, colostomy or ileostomy procedure. It provides a means of preventing leakage during routine cleaning around the stoma during the ostomy pouch replacement process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,850 describes a medical-surgical method and apparatus for facilitating the replacement of ostomy appliances. A hollow cylinder, filled with sterile absorbent material is used to center the sealing ring prior to the replacement of the ostomy appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,433 describes an appliance for facilitating replacement of a waste bag by ostomy patient comprising a base, an upright post removeably seated in said base, and a slideable collar supported on an abuttment on said post. One end of the post includes an opening which covers the stoma and collects any seepage during the replacement procedure. This particular device requires that the face plate and adhesive sealing ring be preassembled on the post and collar, after which the post is removed from the base and positioned over the stoma.
The aforementioned prior art do not include all the features and advantages of the present invention, more specifically, the present device provides an absorbent waste receptacle with a dual absorbency chamber designed to effectively collect, contain and dispose of both urine and excrement; whereas the prior art typically provides only a hollow chamber, or a chamber entirely packed with absorbent material. The device of the present invention does not require preassembly of an ostomy appliance (such as pouch and wafer) or preassembly of the device itself, therefore allowing an ostomate to take ample time to prepare and perform the pouch replacement process. Furthermore, the device of the present invention provides an absorbent waster receptacle that is customizable to a particular ostomate's stoma as well as being disposable for a sanitary and discreet disposal of waste.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for lighting a group of selectively positioned candles and more particularly to a means for lighting a group of birthday type candles that are threadably mounted on an elongated igniting fuse line or string.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Birthday candles are well known and have been for many years used as a means to light up birthday cakes. The number of candles that are used on a cake vary, of course, depending upon the age of the person whose birthday it might be. A birthday candle is generally formed having an elongated wax body 60 mm long with a diameter of approximately 5 mm and is provided with an internally positioned wick that extends outwardly from the top of the wax body.
These candles, when placed on the surface of the cake, are often arranged to form various decorative design configurations by placing them in straight or curved rows and circles. They can also be arranged to form, for example, heart shapes, stars or positioned to define letters, and so on.
However, when a large group of candles are positioned on a cake they often present several problems when they are to be lit with a match. Usually one does not know which candle to light first so that he or she does not get burned in the process of lighting the remaining candles. Birthday type candles are provided with an extended wick formed from a cotton material which is very soft and sometimes bent to the side of the candle. This too creates a problem in lighting the wick. After several candles are lit it becomes increasingly harder to reach the remaining unlighted candles without getting burned. Further, when trying to light a large group of candles the first few lighted candles have already started to melt which causes the wax to drop on the icing of the cake. Often the flames of the first lighted candles become rather large.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a simple and safe device and/or method of lighting a group of closely mounted candles that are commonly found with respect to birthday cakes.