Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150198524 | NEAR FIELD METROLOGY - Metrology systems and methods are provided herein, which comprise an optical element that is positioned between an objective lens of the system and a target. The optical element is arranged to enhance evanescent modes of radiation reflected by the target. Various configurations are disclosed: the optical element may comprise a solid immersion lens, a combination of Moiré-elements and solid immersion optics, dielectric-metal-dielectric stacks of different designs, and resonating elements to amplify the evanescent modes of illuminating radiation. The metrology systems and methods are configurable to various metrology types, including imaging and scatterometry methods. | 07-16-2015 |
20150219449 | REFLECTION SYMMETRIC SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY TARGETS AND METHODS - A method for target measurement is provided which comprises designing a reflection-symmetric target and measuring overlays of the target along at least one reflection symmetry direction of the target. Also, a tool calibration method comprising calibrating a scatterometry measurement tool with respect to a reflection symmetry of a reflection symmetric target. Further provided are methods of measuring scatterometry overlay using first order and zeroth order scatterometry measurements of a reflection-symmetric scatterometry targets. Also, a scatterometry target comprising a reflection-symmetric target having two cells in each of at least two measurement directions, wherein respective cells have different offsets along one measurement direction and similar offsets along other measurement directions. Further, a scatterometry measurement system comprising a reflection symmetric illumination and calibrated to measure reflection symmetric targets. Also, metrology tool comprising an illumination path and a collection path of the tool which are symmetric to reflection symmetries of a target. | 08-06-2015 |
20150316490 | REMOVING PROCESS-VARIATION-RELATED INACCURACIES FROM SCATTEROMETRY MEASUREMENTS - Metrology methods and respective software and module are provided, which identify and remove measurement inaccuracy which results from process variation leading to target asymmetries. The methods comprise identifying an inaccuracy contribution of process variation source(s) to a measured scatterometry signal (e.g., overlay) by measuring the signal across a range of measurement parameter(s) (e.g., wavelength, angle) and targets, and extracting a measurement variability over the range which is indicative of the inaccuracy contribution. The method may further assume certain functional dependencies of the resulting inaccuracy on the target asymmetry, estimate relative donations of different process variation sources and apply external calibration to further enhance the measurement accuracy. | 11-05-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140111791 | PHASE CHARACTERIZATION OF TARGETS - Systems and methods are provided which derive target characteristics from interferometry images taken at multiple phase differences between target beams and reference beams yielding the interferometry images. The illumination of the target and the reference has a coherence length of less than 30 microns to enable scanning the phase through the coherence length of the illumination. The interferometry images are taken at the pupil plane and/or in the field plane to combine angular and spectroscopic scatterometry data that characterize and correct target topography and enhance the performance of metrology systems. | 04-24-2014 |
20140136164 | ANALYTIC CONTINUATIONS TO THE CONTINUUM LIMIT IN NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF WAFER RESPONSE - Simulations of metrology measurements of a structure may be performed on a metrology model of the structure at two or more different truncation orders up to a maximum truncation order. The simulation results can be fitted to a function of a form that reflects the fact that a truncation order of infinity is an analytic point that admits Taylor series expansion. The function can be extrapolated to a truncation order approaching infinity limit to obtain a high fidelity result. Fitted parameters for the function can be obtained using simulation results for two or more truncation orders that are less than the maximum truncation by fitting the simulation results for the truncation orders to the function. A simulated metrology signal can be obtained by performing a simulation using an optimized truncation order that is less than the maximum truncation order, the function and the one or more fitted parameters. | 05-15-2014 |
20140146322 | Apodization for Pupil Imaging Scatterometry - The disclosure is directed to various apodization schemes for pupil imaging scatterometry. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodizer disposed within a pupil plane of the illumination path. In some embodiments, the system further includes an illumination scanner configured to scan a surface of the sample with at least a portion of apodized illumination. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodized pupil configured to provide a quadrupole illumination function. In some embodiments, the system further includes an apodized collection field stop. The various embodiments described herein may be combined to achieve certain advantages. | 05-29-2014 |
20140257734 | PUPIL PLANE CALIBRATION FOR SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY MEASUREMENT - Methods and calibrations modules are provided, for calibrating a pupil center in scatterometry overlay measurements. The calibration comprises calculating fluctuations from a first statistical figure of merit such as an average of an overlay signal per pixel at the pupil and significantly reducing, for example minimizing, the fluctuations with respect to a second statistical figure of merit thereof, such as a pupil weighted variance of the fluctuations. | 09-11-2014 |
20150015883 | APERTURE ALIGNMENT IN SCATTEROMETRY METROLOGY SYSTEMS - Methods and algorithms are provided, as well as new metrics for misalignment of apertures with respect to the optical axis of a metrology system. The methods comprise aligning aperture(s) to an optical axis of a scatterometry metrology tool using correction term(s) derived by minimizing an overlay variation measure calculated with respect to overlay measurements of a periodic structure. These methods result in highly sensitive misalignment metrics, which may be used in calibration stages or on the fly to align the system's apertures, and enable reducing target size due to the resulting enhanced alignment accuracy. | 01-15-2015 |
20150116717 | SCANNING IN ANGLE-RESOLVED REFLECTOMETRY AND ALGORITHMICALLY ELIMINATING DIFFRACTION FROM OPTICAL METROLOGY - Angle-resolved reflectometers and reflectometry methods are provided, which comprise a coherent light source, an optical system arranged to scan a test pattern using a spot of coherent light from the light source to yield realizations of the light distribution in the collected pupil, wherein the spot covers a part of the test pattern and the scanning is carried out optically or mechanically according to a scanning pattern, and a processing unit arranged to generate a composite image of the collected pupil distribution by combining the pupil images. Metrology systems and methods are provided, which reduce diffraction errors by estimating, quantitatively, a functional dependency of measurement parameters on aperture sizes and deriving, from identified diffraction components of the functional dependency which relate to the aperture sizes, correction terms for the measurement parameters with respect to the measurement conditions. | 04-30-2015 |
20150204664 | SYMMETRIC TARGET DESIGN IN SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY METROLOGY - Metrology methods, systems and targets are provided, which implement a side by side paradigm. Adjacent cells with periodic structures are used to extract the overlay error, e.g., by introducing controllable phase shifts or image shifts which enable algorithmic computation of the overlay. The periodic structures are designed to exhibit a rotational symmetry to support the computation and reduce errors. | 07-23-2015 |
20150233705 | REDUCING ALGORITHMIC INACCURACY IN SCATTEROMETRY OVERLAY METROLOGY - Methods and systems for minimizing of algorithmic inaccuracy in scatterometry overlay (SCOL) metrology are provided. SCOL targets are designed to limit the number of oscillation frequencies in a functional dependency of a resulting SCOL signal on the offset and to reduce the effect of higher mode oscillation frequencies. The targets are segmented in a way that prevents constructive interference of high modes with significant amplitudes, and thus avoids the inaccuracy introduced by such terms into the SCOL signal. Computational methods remove residual errors in a semi-empirical iterative process of compensating for the residual errors algorithmically or through changes in target design. | 08-20-2015 |
20150292877 | ESTIMATING AND ELIMINATING INTER-CELL PROCESS VARIATION INACCURACY - Metrology methods and targets are provided, for estimating inter-cell process variation by deriving, from overlay measurements of at least three target cells having different designed misalignments, a dependency of a measured inaccuracy on the designed misalignments (each designed misalignment is between at least two overlapping periodic structures in the respective target cell). Inaccuracies which are related to the designed misalignments are reduced, process variation sources are detected and targets and measurement algorithms are optimized according to the derived dependency. | 10-15-2015 |
20150316783 | Apodization for Pupil Imaging Scatterometry - The disclosure is directed to various apodization schemes for pupil imaging scatterometry. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodizer disposed within a pupil plane of the illumination path. In some embodiments, the system further includes an illumination scanner configured to scan a surface of the sample with at least a portion of apodized illumination. In some embodiments, the system includes an apodized pupil configured to provide a quadrupole illumination function. In some embodiments, the system further includes an apodized collection field stop. The various embodiments described herein may be combined to achieve certain advantages. | 11-05-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150025867 | FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE SIMULATIONS OF MASS PARTICIPANTS IN REAL TIME - The invention is a highly efficient simulator that is not necessarily dependent on the number of participants—it can scale out to a mass number of participants and still run on a single very low-end computer. The simulator populates itself with individuals and, in accordance with a model of the system that comprises rules that govern the behavior of the individual participants, generates and records signals related to the activities that each participant carries out in real time to create a simulation of how the actual system performs. The recorded signals are stored in a data base, which can be mined for decision making. | 01-22-2015 |
20150038164 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING MOBILE TELEPHONE USERS LOCATIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS, WHILE MAINTAINING USERS PRIVACY CONSTRAINTS - A system provides a database ready for querying and analyzing locations of mobile phone users. The database is secured from possibility of breaching a privacy of a single user, has: (a) a signal tracker; (b) an aggregator-classifier and a step aggregator; (c) a timer; (d) a sector gate keeper and a step gate keeper for inspecting each aggregated registration record and each aggregated step record, and for forwarding to a sector gate keeper and to a step gate keeper respectively only those aggregated registration records and aggregated step records that evolve from at least a predefined number N of different users; (e) a sector writer and a step writer for receiving aggregated registration records, and aggregated step records, each evolving from at least a predefined number N of different users, and for writing all said records within a database. | 02-05-2015 |
20150134409 | ACCURATE MECHANISM FOR ESTIMATING A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER'S MARKET SHARE - A method of enabling a specific mobile communication service provider (Dt) to estimate his market share on a street level in real time during a specific period of time over a particular point of interest (POI) is disclosed. | 05-14-2015 |
20150150035 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING EXPOSURE TO PHYSICAL ADVERTISMENTS - In a system and method for monitoring exposure of people to physical advertisements, a computing device receives positional data records associated with each of a plurality of mobile devices within a given geographical region, from a base station, sets a mobility descriptor for each corresponding user, determines whether each user is predicted to be within a predetermined viewing range of one or more advertisements, in response to the set mobility descriptor, instantaneous speed and direction, and a predetermined viewing range, and counts the number of users who are predicted to be within the predetermined viewing range. | 05-28-2015 |
20150163638 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING THE WHEREABOUTS OF PEOPLE IN URBAN SETTINGS - A method for tracking the whereabouts of people, particularly in urban settings, according to which a cell grid is established within a given geographical region and positional data records associated with each of a plurality of mobile devices within the region, are received from a base station. An Estimated Location Indicator (ELI) associated with a data object in each of every cell of the grid traversed by the corresponding user within a given period of time is generated, from the received positional data records and for each corresponding user of the plurality of mobile devices. A shortest predicted path is generated between each of the generated An Estimated Location Indicators. | 06-11-2015 |
20150186902 | USING FINANCIAL VISUALIZATION ANALYSIS FOR GAINING INSIGHTS FROM CELLULAR SIGNALING AND DEVICE HOLDERS DATA - The invention is a system for analyzing and displaying results of the analyses of the large amounts of data related to the locations of the users of mobile communication devices available from the devices in a way that can be immediately useful as a decision making tool to a business by yielding actionable insights from the data. | 07-02-2015 |
20150338232 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING GEOGRAPHICALLY BASED SOUND CUES TO A USER OF A MOBILE DEVICE - A method for providing geographically based sound cues to a user of a mobile device, each sound cue informs the user on a nearby point of interest. The method is an eight step process that has as its eighth step: sounding said sound cue at the right and left earphones of the device at respective levels that are based on said calculated right-left balance. | 11-26-2015 |
20150373498 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING DISTANCED AUDIO BY A PORTABLE DEVICE - Providing distanced audio from a remote location using mobile devices, which a change in the orientation of a destination mobile device to a pointing orientation, aimed to an object of interest, is detected using an exploration application that is installed in advance on the mobile device. The azimuth to which the mobile device is currently pointing is calculated and all point and/or of objects of interest which are within a predetermined range from the pointing device, are detected. Then the exploration application automatically connects to a remote server which continuously collects the current location information of any user of a mobile device and maps its location with respect to stationary object or points of interests, or to moving objects. The server provides via the application, one or more audio alerts to the user of the destination device that one or more object or points of interest are in range. | 12-24-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100010751 | System and method for gemstone cut grading - A system for grading the cut of a diamond utilizes a number of appearance metrics to generate scores for a number of cut components that affect cut quality. These cut components include brightness, fire, scintillation, overweight, durability, polish, and symmetry. The cut grading system employs a cut grading algorithm that processes the individual scores obtained for the cut components to generate an overall cut grade for the diamond. The scoring methodology and the cut grading algorithm are designed to emulate actual observation grading such that the overall cut grade represents a fair indication of the cut quality of the diamond. In one practical embodiment, the cut grading system is fully automated and computer-implemented. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010752 | System and method for gemstone cut grading - A system for grading the cut of a diamond utilizes a number of appearance metrics to generate scores for a number of cut components that affect cut quality. These cut components include brightness, fire, scintillation, overweight, durability, polish, and symmetry. The cut grading system employs a cut grading algorithm that processes the individual scores obtained for the cut components to generate an overall cut grade for the diamond. The scoring methodology and the cut grading algorithm are designed to emulate actual observation grading such that the overall cut grade represents a fair indication of the cut quality of the diamond. In one practical embodiment, the cut grading system is fully automated and computer-implemented. | 01-14-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100165689 | REJUVENATION OF ANALOG MEMORY CELLS - A method for data storage in a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells fabricated using respective physical media, includes identifying a group of the memory cells whose physical media have deteriorated over time below a given storage quality level. A rejuvenation process, which causes the physical media of the memory cells in the group to meet the given storage quality level, is applied to the identified group. Data is stored in the rejuvenated group of the memory cells. | 07-01-2010 |
20100250836 | Use of Host System Resources by Memory Controller - A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes a host having a host memory and a memory controller that is separate from the host and stores data for the host in a non-volatile memory including multiple analog memory cells, storing in the host memory information items relating to respective groups of the analog memory cells of the non-volatile memory. A command that causes the memory controller to access a given group of the analog memory cells is received from the host. In response to the command, a respective information item relating to the given group of the analog memory cells is retrieved from the host memory by the memory controller, and the given group of the analog memory cells is accessed using the retrieved information item. | 09-30-2010 |
20120044762 | REJUVENATION OF ANALOG MEMORY CELLS - A method for data storage in a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells fabricated using respective physical media, includes identifying a group of the memory cells whose physical media have deteriorated over time below a given storage quality level. A rejuvenation process, which causes the physical media of the memory cells in the group to meet the given storage quality level, is applied to the identified group. Data is stored in the rejuvenated group of the memory cells. | 02-23-2012 |
20130007352 | HOST-ASSISTED COMPACTION OF MEMORY BLOCKS - In a system that includes a host and a memory controller that is separate from the host and stores data for the host in a non-volatile memory, a method for data storage includes transferring from the memory controller to the host one or more source blocks from the non-volatile memory for compaction. The source blocks are compacted in the host by copying valid data from the source blocks into one or more destination blocks. The destination blocks are transferred from the host to the memory controller, and the destination blocks are stored by the memory controller in the non-volatile memory. | 01-03-2013 |
20130339555 | PARALLEL STATUS POLLING OF MULTIPLE MEMORY DEVICES - An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with multiple memory devices over a bus that includes a plurality of parallel data lines. The processor is configured to request the memory devices to provide respective status reports, and to receive the status reports from the memory devices such that, in a given clock cycle of the bus, the multiple status reports from the respective memory devices are received in parallel over respective different subsets of the data lines of the bus. | 12-19-2013 |
20140344498 | Use of Host System Resources by Memory Controller - A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes a host having a host memory and a memory controller that is separate from the host and stores data for the host in a non-volatile memory including multiple analog memory cells, storing in the host memory information items relating to respective groups of the analog memory cells of the non-volatile memory. A command that causes the memory controller to access a given group of the analog memory cells is received from the host. In response to the command, a respective information item relating to the given group of the analog memory cells is retrieved from the host memory by the memory controller, and the given group of the analog memory cells is accessed using the retrieved information item. | 11-20-2014 |
20150012785 | Advanced Programming Verification Schemes for Analog Memory Cells - A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of analog memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch. | 01-08-2015 |
20150081973 | HIERARCHICAL DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - A data storage system includes a plurality of non-volatile memory devices arranged in one or more sets, a main controller and one or more processors. The main controller is configured to accept commands from a host and to convert the commands into recipes. Each recipe includes a list of multiple memory operations to be performed sequentially in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to one of the sets. Each of the processors is associated with a respective set of the non-volatile memory devices, and is configured to receive one or more of the recipes from the main controller and to execute the memory operations specified in the received recipes in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to the respective set. | 03-19-2015 |
20150193293 | ADVANCED PROGRAMMING VERIFICATION SCHEMES FOR MEMORY CELLS - A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch. | 07-09-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100286581 | TRAUMA CERVICAL STABILITY DEVICE AND METHODS OF USING SAME FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES - Trauma cervical stability devices for use by ambulatory personnel arriving at the scene of an injured patient are disclosed. The trauma cervical stability devices comprise a cap element, releasable and adjustable head straps, a shoulder harness, and at least one adjustable member operatively connected to the cap element and the shoulder harness. The trauma cervical stability devices are compact, easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture, and can be placed on a patient with little or no movement of the patient. The trauma cervical stability devices are also useful in diagnosing the severity of damage to a neck and the stability of the patient's neck by applying forces to the patient's head using the trauma cervical stability device. In another embodiment of the devices the devices comprise head straps | 11-11-2010 |
20120203154 | Rollable Compact Transparent Splint - The invention relates to a rollable splint set which comprises an essentially rectangular substrate, said substrate is made of a transparent or translucent thin layer of thermoplastic material having transverse and longitudinal flexibilities that enable the substrate to assume the following three states: (a) a packed-state in which the splint is maintained in a compact rolled configuration; (b) a pre-use, unrolled state in which the splint automatically assumes a C-configuration in cross section; and (c) a use-state in which the splint wraps an extremity in a C-configuration or a U-configuration in cross section. | 08-09-2012 |
20140046327 | Intraosseous Device For Inserting A Cannula Into A Bone - The invention relates to a device for the insertion of a cannula into a bone of a patient, which comprises: (a) an activator assembly for activating the device; (b) needle assembly which comprises a stylet and cannula; (c) barrel assembly for containing said stylet and cannula in a loaded state prior to the device activation; and (d) a setting assembly for adjusting the penetration depth of said cannula into the patient's bone. | 02-13-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100065106 | FLOATING WATER INTEGRATED PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - A WIPV (Water Integrated Photovoltaic) module including a photovoltaic (PV) device bonded to a geomembrane with an adhesive interface, the adhesive interface being formed with a buoyancy chamber that is at least partially filled with a material, wherein a volume of the buoyancy chamber and properties of the material are selected such that the PV device does not completely sink below an upper surface of a body of water when the WIPV module is placed on the body of water. | 03-18-2010 |
20110010208 | METHOD FOR INTEGRATED CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION & ADAPTATION - A method for integrated climate change mitigation and adaptation including analyzing available energy sources and grading said energy sources in terms of both climate change mitigation factors and climate change adaptation factors, and choosing and implementing energy sources that score highest in terms of both mitigation and adaptation. | 01-13-2011 |
20110049059 | WATER QUALITY CONTROL IN COVERED RESERVOIR - A system for controlling water quality of a reservoir including one or more covers that at least partially cover a reservoir, one or more water quality sensors that sense physical, chemical, and biological water quality characteristics of water in the reservoir, a mixer for circulating/mixing water layers of the reservoir, and a controller in communication with the water quality sensors that processes input from the sensors to circulate/mix water layers of the reservoir that are exposed to an uncovered surface of the reservoir so as to control water quality characteristics of water in the reservoir. | 03-03-2011 |
20150013767 | FLOATING ANCHOR CURB MODULE - A floating anchor curb includes a frame and a wrap member wrapped around the frame. The frame has an inner ballast volume partially filled with water. A tensioning element is disposed in or on the frame, and is arranged to apply tension on the wrap member. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016889 | FLOATING ANCHOR CURB SYSTEM - A floating anchor curb system includes a floating cover for spreading over a body of water and one or more floating anchor curbs over which the floating cover is placed. Each of the floating anchor curbs includes one or more hollow chambers partially fillable with a ballast liquid to form a ballast. | 01-15-2015 |