Author: claimsbot

1. A FinFET device comprising:
a first fin and a second fin, each fin comprising a channel region and source and drain regions extending from said channel region,
Wherein said first fin and said second fin have different heights.
2. The FinFET device in claim 1, further comprising a gate conductor positioned adjacent said first fin and said second fin, wherein said gate conductor runs perpendicular to said first fin and said second fin.
3. The FinFET device in claim 2, wherein said gate conductor crosses said channel region of each of said first fin and second fin.
4. The FinFET device in claim 1, wherein said first fin and said second fin are parallel to one another.
5. The FinFET device in claim 1, wherein a ratio of the height of said first fin to the height of said second fin comprises a ratio of one to 23.
6. The FinFET device in claim 5, wherein said ratio is used to tune to performance of said transistor.
7. The FinFET device in claim 5, wherein said ratio determines a total channel width of said transistor.
8. A FinFET device comprising:
a first fin and a second fin, each fin comprising a channel region and source and drain regions extending from said channel region; and
a gate conductor positioned adjacent said first and said second fin, wherein said gate conductor runs at an angle of sixty-seven and one-half degrees with respect to said first fin,
wherein said first fin and second fin have different heights.
9. An integrated circuit comprising:
a first FinFET transistor having a first fin; and
a second FinFET transistor having a second fin,
wherein each of said first fin and second fin comprise a channel region and source and drain regions extending from said channel region, and
wherein said first fin and said second fin have different heights.
10. The integrated circuit in claim 9,
wherein said first FinFET comprises a first gate conductor positioned adjacent to said first fin,
wherein said first gate conductor runs perpendicular to said first fin,
wherein said second FinFET comprises a second gate conductor positioned adjacent to said second fin, and
wherein said second gate conductor runs perpendicular to said second fin.
11. The integrated circuit in claim 10, wherein said first gate conductor crosses said channel region of said first fin, and wherein said second gate conductor crosses said channel region of said second fin.
12. The integrated circuit in claim 9, wherein a ratio of the height of said first fin to the height of said second fin comprises a ratio of one to 23.
13. The integrated circuit in claim 12, wherein said ratio is used to tune the performance of said circuit.
14. The integrated circuit in claim 12, wherein said ratio determines channel widths of said first FinFET and said second FinFET.
15. A method of manufacturing a FinFET device comprising:
forming an active silicon layer on a structure;
patterning a mask above said active silicon layer;
performing a thermal oxidation to reduce a height of a shortened region of said active silicon layer not protected by said mask;
removing said mask; and
patterning said active silicon layer into fins, wherein fins created from said shortened regions have a smaller height when compared to fins created from other regions of said active silicon layer.
16. The method in claim 15, further comprising forming said structure by growing a bottom oxide on a silicon substrate.
17. The method in claim 15, wherein said patterning of said active silicon layer comprises:
patterning a second mask over said active silicon layer; and
etching regions of said active silicon layer into said fins.
18. The method in claim 15, further comprising patterning a gate conductor over said fins such that said gate conductor crosses channel regions of said fins.
19. The method in claim 15, wherein said thermal oxidation process is controlled to reduce said height of said shortened region to 23 of the height of said active silicon layer.
20. The method in claim 15, wherein said thermal oxidation process is used to tune the performance of said FinFET device.
21. The method in claim 15, wherein said thermal oxidation process determines a total channel widths of said FinFET device.
22. An integrated circuit comprising:
a plurality of FinFET devices, each having at least one fin, wherein each fin comprises a channel region and source and drain regions extending from said channel region,
wherein at least two fins in said integrated circuit have different heights.
23. The integrated circuit in claim 22, wherein each of said FinFET transistors, further comprises a gate conductor positioned adjacent to said fin, wherein said gate conductor runs perpendicular to said fin.
24. The integrated circuit in claim 23, wherein said gate conductor crosses said channel region of said fin.
25. The integrated circuit in claim 22, wherein fins within each of said FinFET devices are parallel to one another.
26. The integrated circuit in claim 22, wherein a ratio of the height of shorter fins to taller fins comprises a ratio of one to 23.
27. The integrated circuit in claim 26, wherein said ratio is used to tune the performance of said integrated circuit.
28. The integrated circuit in claim 26, wherein said ratio determines a channel width of said FinFET devices.
29. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising FinFET devices, comprising:
forming an active silicon layer on a structure;
patterning a mask above said active silicon layer;
performing a thermal oxidation to reduce a height of shortened regions of said active silicon layer not protected by said mask; and
removing said mask;
patterning said active silicon layer into fins, wherein fins created from said shortened regions have a smaller height when compared to fins created from other regions of said active silicon layer.
30. The method in claim 29, further comprising forming said structure by growing a bottom oxide on a silicon substrate.
31. The method in claim 29, wherein said patterning of said active silicon layer comprises:
patterning a second mask over said active silicon layer; and
etching regions of said active silicon layer into said fins.
32. The method in claim 29, further comprising patterning gate conductors over said fins such that said gate conductors crosses channel regions of said fins.
33. The method in claim 29, wherein said thermal oxidation, process is controlled to reduce said height of said shortened region to 23 of the height of said active silicon layer.
34. The integrated circuit in claim 29, wherein said thermal oxidation process is used to tune the performance of said FinFET devices.
35. The integrated circuit in claim 29, wherein said thermal oxidation process determines channel widths of said FinFET devices.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for designing a jacket of an offshore fixed platform, the jacket having a plurality of jacket members including main leg members, diagonal members and horizontal members, the method comprising:
preparing a plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups, wherein each buoyancy tank group comprises a plurality of air bags; and
installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket;
wherein more than 80 percent of jacket members between water surface and 40 meters (about 130 ft) below water surface are slender members with D (member diameter)t (member wall thickness) less than or equal to 30.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the air bag is made of nature rubber and multiple layers of polyester nets bonded together through a vulcanized process.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the air bag comprises a middle tubular section and two cone sections at each end.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of the air bag comprises a plurality of rows of side ring pairs longitudinally attached to the sides of the air bag middle section.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the act of preparing a plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups comprises:
dividing a plurality of air bags into a plurality of groups, each group comprising two or more air bags; and
forming a sheet of air bags for each group by connecting adjacent air bags within the group laterally.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the act of forming a sheet of air bags comprises connecting the plurality of rows of side rings of each air bag with the corresponding plurality of rows of side rings of an adjacent air bag by a plurality of wires.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket comprises wrapping the prepared plurality of air bag sheets around the jacket main legs near water surface in a near vertical orientation.
8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket comprises wrapping the prepared plurality of air bag sheets around some jacket horizontal members near water surface.
9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on a jacket member comprises connecting a steel ring attached at the each end of an air bag to a wire circulating around the jacket member, wherein the wire circulates around the jacket member through a plurality of padeyes welded at the jacket member surface.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the jacket does not employ any conventional ballast tanks inside jacket main leg bottoms.
11. A method for installing a jacket at an offshore installation site, comprising:
preparing a plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups, wherein each buoyancy tank group comprises a plurality of air bags; and
installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket;
injecting air into each of the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks to achieve a first predetermined internal air pressure level;
transporting the jacket to the installation site with a transportation apparatus;
removing the jacket from the transportation apparatus, wherein the jacket becomes self afloat maintaining positive reserve buoyancy after removing from the transportation apparatus;
releasing air from each of the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks; and
removing the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks air bags from the jacket after the jacket installation is complete;
wherein more than 20 percent of the jacket total reserve buoyancy is contributed by attached non-steel air bags.
12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising reinjecting air into one or more air bags to achieve the first predetermined internal air pressure level after arrival at the installation site and before the jacket is off a transportation apparatus; .
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the air bag comprises a middle tubular section having a plurality of rows of side ring pairs longitudinally attached to the sides and two cone sections at each end.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the act of preparing a plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups comprises:
dividing a plurality of air bags into a plurality of groups, each group comprising two or more air bags; and
forming a sheet of air bags for each group by connecting adjacent air bags within the group laterally.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of forming a sheet of air bags comprises connecting the plurality of rows of side rings of each air bag with the corresponding plurality of rows of side rings of an adjacent air bag by a plurality of wires.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket comprises wrapping the prepared plurality of air bag sheets around the jacket main legs near water surface in a near vertical orientation.
17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket comprises wrapping the prepared plurality of air bag sheets around some jacket horizontal members near water surface.
18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank groups on the jacket comprises connecting a steel ring attached at the lower end cone section of an air bag to a wire circulating around a jacket member, wherein the wire circulates around the jacket member through a plurality of padeyes welded at the jacket member surface.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the act of removing the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tank air bags from the jacket comprises cutting the connecting wire between each air bag and the wire circulating the jacket member by a ROV.
20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the act of injecting and releasing air from air bags is conducted through a main control center above water surface.
21. The method according to claim 11, wherein the installation site is a deepwater water location with a water depth greater than 60 meters (200 ft).
22. The method according to claim 11, wherein the jacket does not employ any conventional ballast tanks inside jacket main leg bottoms.
23. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the air bag is made of nature rubber and multiple layers of polyester nets bonded together through a vulcanized process.

1. A method for sensing AC current drain through a structured current sensor made of a low ohmic metal alloy by a load attached to an electrical device selected from a group comprising AC outlet, AC plug, AC current sensing unit and AC current sensing adaptor, each including said current sensor structured into a portion of at least one of a terminal selected from a group comprising a power pin, a power socket, AC terminal and a combination thereof for connecting and conducting the current drawn by said load through said terminal and said structured current sensor, said electrical device further comprising a CPU and a current signal amplifier for amplifying a voltage drop developing over said current sensor, said method comprising the steps of:
a. attaching a load to said AC device;
b. operating said load;
c. feeding the voltage drop developing over said current sensor made of low ohmic metal alloy to said amplifier,
d. amplifying said voltage drop signal; and
e. feeding the amplified signal to said CPU for processing.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said CPU is fed with a voltage reference of said AC power for processing said amplified current drain signal coinciding with said reference for deriving the power consumed by said load.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said electrical device further comprising at least one of an RF transceiver and an optical transceiver for communicating a processed data pertaining to at least one of the current drained and the consumed power via at least one of in air and through an optical cable respectively.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said structured portion is made to fit a size, a shape and a given low ohmic value for developing a voltage drop commensurate within one of a given current drain values and range.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said power socket is structured with a plurality of sockets for use in a multi AC power outlet, each said socket includes one said structured portion for connecting and feeding a voltage drop to an input of one of a plurality of current signal amplifiers;
connecting each output of said plurality of amplifiers to one port of a plurality of ports included in said CPU, said terminal is connected to an AC power source, said method comprising the further steps of:
a. connecting each said socket to one load of a plurality of loads;
b. operating said loads;
c. feeding each voltage drop pertaining to each load to one of said plurality of amplifiers;
d. amplifying said each voltage drop signal;
e. feeding the individually amplified signals to said CPU;
f. processing each individual amplified signal coinciding with said reference for deriving the power consumed by one of each said load individually and a combined power consumed by said plurality of loads; and
g. communicating a processed data pertaining to at least one of the current drained and the consumed power via at least one of each said socket and the plurality of sockets via at least one of in air and through an optical cable respectively.
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said current sensor is said structured portion of a combination of said power pin and power socket used in said AC current sensing adaptor.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said structured portion is made to fit a size, a shape and a given low ohmic value for developing a voltage drop commensurate within one of a given current drain values and range.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said electrical device is enclosed in one of a body and a cover with a visible color coded ratings selected from a group comprising a power consumption range, a power consumption value, a current drain range, a current drain value, a power voltage range, a power voltage value, a colored front cover, a colored rear cover, a colored frame, a colored whole body and combinations thereof.
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said power socket is structured with a plurality of sockets for use in a multi AC power outlet, each said socket includes one said structured portion for connecting and feeding a voltage drop to an input of one of a plurality of current signal amplifiers;
connecting each output of said plurality of amplifiers to one port of a plurality of ports included in said CPU, said terminal is connected to an AC power source, said method comprising the further steps of:
a. connecting each said socket to one load of a plurality of loads;
b. operating said loads;
c. feeding each voltage drop pertaining to each load to one of said plurality of amplifiers;
d. amplifying said each voltage drop signal; and
e. feeding the individually amplified signals to said CPU for processing.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said electrical device is enclosed in one of a body and a cover with a visible color coded ratings selected from a group comprising a power consumption range, a power consumption value, a current drain range, a current drain value, a power voltage range, a power voltage value, a colored front cover, a colored rear cover, a colored frame, a colored whole body and combinations thereof.
11. An apparatus for sensing AC current drain through a structured current sensor made of a low ohmic metal alloy by a load attached to an electrical device selected from a group comprising AC outlet, AC plug, AC current sensing unit and AC current sensing adaptor each including said current sensor structured into a portion of at least one of a terminal selected from a group comprising a power pin, a power socket, AC terminal and a combination thereof;
said electrical device further comprising a CPU and a current signal amplifier for amplifying a voltage drop developing over said current sensor by the current drawn by said load and feeding an amplified current signal to said CPU for processing.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said CPU is fed with a voltage reference of said AC power for processing said amplified current drain signal coinciding with said reference for deriving the power consumed by said load.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said electrical device further comprising at least one of an RF transceiver and an optical transceiver for communicating a processed data pertaining to at least one of the current drained and the consumed power via at least one of in air and through an optical cable respectively.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said structured portion is made to fit a size, a shape and a given low ohmic value for developing a voltage drop commensurate within one of a given current drain values and range.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said power socket is structured with a plurality of sockets for use in a multi AC power outlet, each said socket includes one said structured portion for connecting and feeding a voltage drop to an input of one of a plurality of current signal amplifiers;
each output of said plurality of amplifiers is connected to one port of a plurality of ports included in said CPU for feeding the individually amplified current drain signal for processing each individual amplified signal coinciding with said reference for deriving the power consumed by one of each said load individually and a combined power consumed by said plurality of loads;
a processed data pertaining to at least one of the current drained and the consumed power via at least one of each said socket and the plurality of sockets is communicated via at least one of in air and through an optical cable respectively.
16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said structured portion is made to fit a size, a shape and a given low ohmic value for developing a voltage drop commensurate within one of a given current drain values and range.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said current sensor is said structured portion of a combination of said power pin and power socket used in said AC current sensing adaptor.
18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said electrical device is enclosed in one of a body and a cover with a visible color coded ratings selected from a group comprising a power consumption range, a power consumption value, a current drain range, a current drain value, a power voltage range, a power voltage value, a colored front cover, a colored rear cover, a colored frame, a colored whole body and combinations thereof.
19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said power socket is structured with a plurality of sockets for use in a multi AC power outlet, each said socket includes one said structured portion for connecting and feeding a voltage drop to an input of one of a plurality of current signal amplifiers, each output of said plurality of amplifiers is connected to one port of a plurality of ports included in said CPU for feeding the individually amplified current drain signal for processing.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said electrical device is enclosed in one of a body and a cover with a visible color coded ratings selected from a group comprising a power consumption range, a power consumption value, a current drain range, a current drain value, a power voltage range, a power voltage value, a colored front cover, a colored rear cover, a colored frame, a colored whole body and combinations thereof.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. Shock absorbing device for a stretched cable including an elongate deformation element in the form of a helix through which the cable can be passed, and a holding element, the deformation element having two overlapping end sections which are guided through the holding element and, when the cable is overloaded, the deformation element is plastically deformable by reducing the diameter of the helix, wherein
the holding element has an opening through which the overlapping end sections pass, and bevels at both ends of the opening, each of the bevels being arranged to enclose an angle with a longitudinal axis of the opening.
2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the holding element includes a bearing shell, the bevels being built onto the bearing shell, and a compression sleeve surrounding the bearing shell.
3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the bearing shell is designed in two parts, each bearing shell part partly surrounding a respective one of the end sections of the deformation element.
4. Device according to claim 3, wherein a width of the bearing shell parts is greater than a width of the compression sleeve, while the bevels are each assigned to a flange part of the respective bearing shell part and between which flange parts the compression sleeve engages.
5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the two bearing shell parts are designed to accept end sections of a tubular deformation element and each has a semi-circular part corresponding to the tube diameter and straight cross-parts projecting from the semi-circular part, the bevels being arranged on both the semi-circular parts and the straight cross-parts.
6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the bearing shell comprises first and second bearing shell parts.
7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the holding element includes two clamping parts which can be joined together, which together form the opening for the overlapping end sections of the deformation element, the bevels being arranged on both clamping parts.
8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the opening is provided to accept the end sections of a tubular deformation element and the clamping parts which form the opening each have a cross-parts provided with a semi-circular recess corresponding to the cross section of the tube and two straight side parts attached to the cross parts, the bevels being arranged on both the cross parts and the side parts.
9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the clamping parts forming the opening are identical in design, one side part includes a projection oriented transversely to the opening axis and the other side part is in the form of a fork and is provided with a groove oriented transversely to the opening axis, such that the two clamping parts, when reciprocally rotated through 180\xb0, can be brought together in such a way that one clamping part projects with the projection into the groove of the other clamping part and its groove accepts the projection of the other clamping part, the holding element further including a compression bolt guided through the fork-shaped side parts and the projections inserted therein to thereby join the assembled clamping parts.
10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the projections and the grooves have a wedge-shaped cross section.
11. Device according to claim 7, wherein both clamping parts are made from corrosion-resistant steel or from steel with a corrosion-resistant layer or coating.
12. Device according to claim 2, wherein the compression sleeve is made from aluminum and the bearing shells and bearing shell parts are made from corrosion-resistant steel or from steel with a corrosion-resistant layer or coating.
13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing shell is made from the same material andor with the same surface coating as the deformation element.
14. Device according to claim 1, wherein the clamping parts are designed to be self-locking once assembled.
15. Device according to claim 1, wherein the holding element comprises first and second bearing shell parts wherein define the opening therebetween, the first bearing shell part surrounding a first one of the overlapping end sections and the second bearing shell part surrounding a second one of the overlapping end sections, each of the first and second bearing shell parts having a semi-circular part corresponding to a diameter of the respective one of the overlapping end sections and straight parts projecting from the semi-circular part, the bevels being formed on the semi-circular part and the straight parts at both ends of the opening.
16. Device according to claim 1, wherein the holding element comprises first and second clamping elements which define the opening therebetween, the first clamping element partly surrounding a first one of the overlapping end sections and the second clamping element partly surrounding a second one of the overlapping end sections, each of the first and second clamping elements having a cross-part defining a semi-circular recess corresponding to a cross-section of the respective one of the overlapping end sections and straight side parts attached to the cross-part, the bevels being formed on the cross-part and the straight side parts at both ends of the opening.
17. Device according to claim 1, wherein the angle between each of the bevels and the longitudinal axis of the opening is 45\xb0.
18. Device according to claim 1, wherein the bevels are flat.
19. Device according to claim 1, wherein the bevels are rounded.
20. Device according to claim 1, wherein the bevels are arranged completely round both ends of the opening.