Author: claimsbot

1. An envelope tracking power supply circuit for generating an output voltage according to an envelope of a high frequency signal, the envelope tracking power supply circuit comprising:
a voltage follower circuit section for receiving an envelope signal corresponding to the envelope and outputting a voltage according to the envelope signal;
first and second parallel resistors connected in parallel between the output of the voltage follower circuit and an output terminal of the output voltage;
first and second hysteresis comparator sections for detecting respective voltage drops in the first and second parallel resistors and generating voltages according to the voltage drops; and
first and second switching converter sections for performing switching according to the respective voltages outputted from the first and second hysteresis comparator sections and outputting a voltage to the output terminal.
2. An envelope tracking power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switching converter sections have first and second switches adapted to turn onoff according to the voltages outputted from the first and second hysteresis comparator sections and first and second inductors for receiving currents flowing through the first and second switches, respectively; and
wherein the first inductor has an inductance smaller than that of the second inductor.
3. An envelope tracking power supply circuit according to claim 2, wherein the first hysteresis comparator section has a hysteresis width greater than that of the second hysteresis comparator section.
4. A high-frequency amplifier comprising:
the envelope tracking power supply circuit according to claim 1; and
an amplifier for receiving the output voltage supplied from the output terminal of the envelope tracking power supply circuit and amplifying the high frequency signal.
5. An envelope tracking power supply circuit for generating an output voltage according to an envelope of a high frequency signal, the envelope tracking power supply circuit comprising:
a voltage follower circuit section for receiving an envelope signal corresponding to the envelope and outputting a voltage according to the envelope signal;
at least one resistor connected between the output of the voltage follower circuit and an output terminal of the output voltage;
first and second hysteresis comparator sections for detecting voltage drop in the resistor and generating voltages according to the voltage drop; and
first and second switching converter sections for performing switching according to the respective voltages outputted from the first and second hysteresis comparator sections and outputting a voltage to the output terminal.

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 of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object, the method comprising:
using a computer to perform:
receiving data identifying the storage object,
generating a freeze list including one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object, wherein the generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object,
associating one or more quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, and
generating one or more freeze vectors as a function of the one or more quiesce characteristics associated with said each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, wherein the one or more freeze vectors include quiesce attributes and split attributes for an identified logical storage object that are conditional upon quiesce attributes and split attributes of said each logical storage object below the identified storage object, and wherein the generating the freeze list further includes assigning a measure of quiesce strength to each freeze method.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a mirror.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a snapshot.
4. A computer-readable storage media storing program instructions that are executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
receiving data identifying a storage object,
generating a freeze list including one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object, wherein the generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object,
associating one or more quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, and
generating one or more freeze vectors as a function of the one or more quiesce characteristics associated with said each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, wherein the one or more freeze vectors include quiesce attributes and split attributes for an identified logical storage object that are conditional upon quiesce attributes and split attributes of said each logical storage object below the identified storage object, and wherein the generating the freeze list further includes assigning a measure of quiesce strength to each freeze method.
5. The computer-readable storage media of claim 4 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a mirror.
6. The computer-readable storage media of claim 4 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a snapshot.
7. A system for identifying methods of quiescing a storage object, the system comprising:
a computing device including a processor; and
a storage media storing program instructions that, if executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
receiving data identifying the storage object,
generating a freeze list including one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object, wherein the generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object,
associating one or more quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, and
generating one or more freeze vectors as a function of the one or more quiesce characteristics associated with said each logical storage object of the logical storage objects below the identified storage object, wherein the one or more freeze vectors include quiesce attributes and split attributes for an identified logical storage object that are conditional upon quiesce attributes and split attributes of said each logical storage object below the identified storage object, and wherein the generating the freeze list further includes assigning a measure of quiesce strength to each freeze method.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a mirror.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the split attributes for the identified logical storage object include an indication of whether the identified logical storage object can be frozen using a snapshot.

1. A system to collect image data which is representative of an aerial image of a mask used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, wherein the image of the mask is produced by an optical system having a platform moveable between a plurality of locations in a first direction and a plurality of locations in a second direction, the system comprising:
an image sensor unit disposed on or within the moveable platform, the image sensor unit includes:
a sensor array, located in a wafer plane of the optical system, including a plurality of sensor cells wherein each sensor cell includes an active area to sample the intensity of light of a predetermined wavelength that is incident thereon; and
a film, disposed over selected portions of the active areas of the plurality of sensor cells, to increase the spatial resolution of each sensor cell wherein the film is comprised of a material that impedes passage of light of the predetermined wavelength; and

a processing unit, coupled to the image sensor unit, to generate image data which is representative of the aerial image, wherein the processing unit generates the aerial image of the mask by interleaving the intensity of light sampled by each sensor cell at the plurality of location of the platform.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor unit further includes a substrate having a wafer-shaped profile, wherein the sensor array is disposed on or in the substrate.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing unit generates a first data set using the intensity of light sampled by each sensor cell when the platform is positioned at a first location relative to the aerial image.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the processing unit generates a second data set using the intensity of light sampled by each sensor cell when the platform is positioned at a second location relative to the aerial image.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first location and the second location are adjacent locations along an axis in the first direction and wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is less than the distance between the two opposing edges of each exposed active area of each sensor cell of the sensor array, wherein the opposing edges are transverse to the axis.
6. The system of claim 4 wherein the first location and the second location are adjacent locations along an axis in the first direction and wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is less than the diameter of the exposed active area of each sensor cell.
7. The image sensor unit of claim 1 further including:
a substrate having a wafer-shaped profile, wherein the sensor array is disposed on or in the substrate; and
at least one battery, disposed on, in, or within a cavity in the substrate, to provide electrical power to the sensor array.
8. The image sensor unit of claim 7 further including communications circuitry, disposed on the substrate, to provide data to external circuitry using wireless communication.
9. The image sensor unit of claim 8 wherein the communications circuitry provides data using wireless communication during collection of data by the image sensor unit.
10. The image sensor unit of claim 1 wherein the image sensor unit further includes:
a data storage device, coupled to the sensor array, to receive and store data which is representative of the intensity of light sampled by the sensor cells; and
at least one rechargeable battery to provide electrical power to the data storage device and the sensor array.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the film is disposed between the active areas of the sensor cells and a protective outer layer of the sensor array and includes a plurality of apertures which are arranged such that one aperture of the plurality of apertures overlies a corresponding active area of a corresponding sensor cell to expose a portion of the active area of the corresponding sensor cell and wherein light of the predetermined wavelength is capable of being sensed by the portion of the active area that is exposed by the corresponding aperture.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the distance between adjacent locations along an axis in the first direction is less than the distance between the two opposing sides of each aperture of the plurality of apertures, wherein the opposing sides are transverse to the axis.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the distance between adjacent locations along an axis in a first direction is less than the diameters of the apertures in the film.
14. A system to collect image data which is representative of an aerial image of a mask used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, wherein the image of the mask is produced by an optical system having a platform moveable between a plurality of locations, the system comprising:
an image sensor unit disposed on or within the moveable platform, the image sensor unit includes:
a sensor array located in a wafer plane of the optical system, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of sensor cells wherein each sensor cell includes an active area to sample the intensity of light of a predetermined wavelength that is incident thereon; and
a film, disposed over selected portions of the active areas of the plurality of sensor cells to enhance the spatial resolution of each sensor cell wherein the film is comprised of a material that impedes passage of light of the predetermined wavelength; and

a processing unit, coupled to the image sensor unit, to generate image data which is representative of a portion of the aerial image of the mask wherein the portion of the aerial image includes a plurality of non-contiguous sub-images, and wherein the processing unit generates each sub-image using the intensity of light sampled by one or more sensor cells when the platform is positioned at a plurality of locations relative to the aerial image.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the film is disposed between the active areas of the sensor cells and a protective outer layer of the sensor array and includes a plurality of apertures which are arranged such that one aperture of the plurality of apertures overlies a corresponding active area of a corresponding sensor cell to expose a portion of the active area and wherein light of the predetermined wavelength is capable of being sensed by the portion of the active area that is exposed by the corresponding aperture.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing unit generates each sub-image using the intensity of light sampled by a given sensor cell at a plurality of adjacent locations along a first axis.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the image sensor unit further includes a wafer-shaped substrate, wherein the sensor array is integrated in, or disposed on the substrate.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the distance between adjacent locations of the plurality of locations along the first axis is less than the distance between the two opposing sides of a plurality of the plurality of apertures in the film, wherein the opposing sides are transverse to the first axis.
19. The system of claim 17 wherein the distance between adjacent locations of the plurality of locations along the first axis is less than the diameters of the apertures of the plurality of apertures in the film.
20. The image sensor unit of claim 14 wherein the image sensor unit further includes:
data storage circuitry, coupled to the sensor array, to receive and store data which is representative of the intensity of light sampled by each sensor cell; and
at least one rechargeable battery to provide electrical power to the data storage circuitry and the sensor array.
21. A system to collect image data which is representative of an aerial image of a mask used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, wherein the image of the mask is produced by an optical system having a platform moveable between a plurality of locations, the system comprising:
an image sensor unit disposed on or within the moveable platform, the image sensor unit includes:
a sensor array, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of sensor cells wherein each sensor cell includes an active area to sample the intensity of light of a predetermined wavelength that is incident thereon; and
a film, disposed over the active areas of the plurality of sensor cells and comprised of a material that impedes passage of light of the predetermined wavelength, wherein the film includes a plurality of apertures which are arranged such that one aperture of the plurality of apertures overlies an associated active area of a corresponding sensor cell to expose a portion of the active area and wherein light of the predetermined wavelength is capable of being sensed by the portion of the active area that is exposed by the associated aperture; and

a processing unit, coupled to the image sensor unit, to generate image data which is representative of at least a portion of the aerial image of the mask, wherein the processing unit generates the portion of the aerial image of the mask by interleaving the intensity of light sampled by the sensor cells at the plurality of locations of the platform.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the processing unit generates:
a first data set using the intensity of light sampled by the sensor cells when the platform is positioned at a first location relative to the aerial image; and
a second data set using the intensity of light sampled by the sensor cells when the platform is positioned at a second location relative to the aerial image, wherein the first location and the second location are locations on a first axis.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first location and the second location are adjacent locations along the first axis and wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is less than the distance between the two opposing sides of each aperture of the plurality of apertures in the film, wherein the opposing sides are transverse to the first axis.
24. The system of claim 22 wherein the first location and the second location are adjacent locations along the first axis and wherein the distance between the first location and the second location is less than the diameters of apertures of the plurality of apertures in the film.
25. The system of claim 22 wherein the processing unit generates:
a third data set using the intensity of light sampled by sensor cells when the platform is positioned at a third location relative to the aerial image; and
a fourth data set using the intensity of light sampled by sensor cells when the platform is positioned at a fourth location relative to the aerial image.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein the second location and the third location are adjacent locations along a second axis and wherein the distance between the second location and the third location is less than the distance between two other opposing sides of each aperture of the plurality of apertures in the film, wherein the two other opposing sides are transverse to the second axis.
27. The system of claim 25 wherein the third location and the fourth location are adjacent locations along a third axis and wherein the distance between the third location and the fourth location is less than the distance between the two other opposing sides of each aperture of the plurality of apertures in the film, wherein the two other opposing sides are transverse to the third axis.
28. The system of claim 25 wherein the second location and the third location are adjacent locations along a second axis and wherein the distance between the second location and the third location is less than the diameters of the apertures of the plurality of apertures in the film.
29. The system of claim 25 wherein the third location and the fourth location are adjacent locations along a third axis and wherein the distance between the third location and the fourth location is less than the diameters of the apertures of the plurality of apertures in the film.
30. The system of claim 21 wherein the film is disposed between the active areas of the sensor cells and a protective outer layer of the sensor array.

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 urethral suppository comprising:
(a) a carrier base material;
(b) a therapeutic agent; and
(c) a buffering agent;
wherein the suppository is formed into a solid structure configured for insertion into the urethra of a patient; and
wherein the carrier base material comprises methyl butyl ketone (MBK) wax base.
2. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the suppository has a substantially uniform composition.
3. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the carrier base material has a melting point such that the suppository is substantially melted at body temperature.
4. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the carrier base material is a water soluble carrier base.
5. The urethral suppository of claim 1, wherein the carrier base material comprises MBK wax base and paraffin.
6. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic agent is an anesthetic agent.
7. The urethral suppository of claim 6 wherein the anesthetic agent is present in a quantity sufficient to prevent or ameliorate a urinary tract disorder.
8. The urethral suppository of claim 7 wherein the urinary tract disorder is interstitial cystitis.
9. The urethral suppository of claim 6 wherein the anesthetic agent is at least one anesthetic agent selected from the group consisting of lidocaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, articaine, cocaine, etidocaine, flecainide, mepivacaine, pramoxine, prilocaine, procaine, chloroprocaine, oxyprocaine, proparacaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine, dyclonine, dibucaine, chloroxylenol, cinchocaine, dexivacaine, diamocaine, hexylcaine, levobupivacaine, propoxycaine, pyrrocaine, risocaine, rodocaine, and pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives and bioisosteres thereof, and combinations thereof.
10. The urethral suppository of claim 9 wherein the anesthetic agent is at least one anesthetic agent selected from the group consisting of lidocaine, prilocaine, benzocaine, mepivacaine, etidocaine, articaine, bupivacaine, procaine, and tetracaine.
11. The urethral suppository of claim 10 wherein the anesthetic agent is lidocaine.
12. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the buffering agent is present in a quantity such that the buffering agent buffers the suppository at a pH that ensures that a sufficient portion of an anesthetic agent that is present in the suppository is present in an uncharged state so that the anesthetic agent can cross cell membranes of cells surrounding the urethra.
13. The urethral suppository of claim 12 wherein the buffering agent maintains the pH of the suppository in a range of from about 7 to about 12.
14. The urethral suppository of claim 13 wherein the buffering agent maintains the pH of the suppository in a range of from about 7 to about 9.
15. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the buffering agent is at least one buffer selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate buffer, calcium bicarbonate buffer, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris or THAM), MOPS (3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid) buffer, HEPES (N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N\u2032-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer, ACES (2-(2-amino-2-oxoethyl)aminoethanoesulfonic acid) buffer, ADA (N-(2-acetamido)2-iminodiacetic acid) buffer, AMPSO (3-(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)amino-2-propanesulfonic acid) buffer, BES (N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid buffer, Bicine (N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethylglycine) buffer, Bis-Tris (bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)imino-tris(hydroxymethyl)methane buffer, CAPS (3-(cyclohexylamino)-1-propanesulfonic acid) buffer, CAPSO (3-(cyclohexylamino)-2-hydroxy- 1-propanesulfonic acid) buffer, CHES (2-(N-cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid) buffer, DIPSO (3-N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino-2-hydroxy-propanesulfonic acid) buffer, HEPPS (N-(2-hydroxyethylpiperazine)-N\u2032-(3-propanesulfonic acid), buffer, HEPPSO (N-{2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N\u2032-(2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid) buffer, MES (2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid) buffer, triethanolamine buffer, imidazole buffer, glycine buffer, ethanolamine buffer, phosphate buffer, MOPSO (3-(N-morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid) buffer, PIPES (piperazine-N,N\u2032-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer, POPSO (piperazine-N,N\u2032-bis(2-hydroxypropaneulfonic acid) buffer; TAPS (N-trishydroxymethyl)methyl-3-aminopropanesulfonic acid) buffer, TAPSO (3-N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamino-2-hydroxy-propanesulfonic acid) buffer, TES (N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) buffer, tricine (N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine buffer), 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol buffer, and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol buffer, and combinations thereof
16. The urethral suppository of claim 15 wherein the buffering agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate buffer and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer.
17. The urethral suppository of claim 16 wherein the buffering agent is sodium bicarbonate buffer.
18. The urethral suppository of claim 1 further comprising a polysaccharide.
19. The urethral suppository of claim 18 wherein the polysaccharide is present in the suppository in a sufficient quantity to prevent or ameliorate a urinary tract disorder.
20. The urethral suppository of claim 19 wherein the urinary tract disorder is interstitial cystitis.
21. The urethral suppository of claim 18 wherein the polysaccharide is at least one polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid, hyaluronan, chondroitin sulfate, pentosan polysulfate, dermatan sulfates, heparin, heparan sulfates, keratan sulfates, dextran sulfates, and carrageenan.
22. The urethral suppository of claim 21 wherein the polysaccharide is heparin.
23. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the suppository is from about 10 mg to about 1000 mg in weight.
24. The urethral suppository of claim 23 wherein the suppository is from about 400 mg to about 600 mg in weight.
25. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic agent is an anesthetic agent, and wherein the suppository comprises from about 1 mg to about 100 mg of anesthetic agent.
26. The urethral suppository of claim 25 wherein the suppository comprises from about 30 mg to about 60 mg of anesthetic agent.
27. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the suppository comprises from about 0.5 mg to about 100 mg of buffering agent.
28. The urethral suppository of claim 27 wherein the suppository comprises from about 1 mg to about 20 mg of buffering agent.
29. A urethral suppository comprising:
(a) a carrier base material;
(b) a therapeutic agent; and
(c) a buffering agent;
wherein the suppository is formed into a solid structure configured for insertion into the urethra of a patient;
wherein the suppository is in a configuration selected from the group consisting of a cylinder, a cone, and an ellipsoid; and
wherein the carrier base material comprises methyl butyl ketone (MBK) wax base.
30. A urethral suppository comprising:
(a) a carrier base material;
(b) a therapeutic agent; and
(c) a buffering agent;
wherein the suppository is formed into a solid structure configured for insertion into the urethra of a patient;
wherein the suppository is elongated structure with a transverse dimension of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm; and
wherein the carrier base material comprises methyl butyl ketone (MBK) wax base.
31. The urethral suppository of claim 30 wherein the suppository is an elongated structure with a transverse dimension of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.
32. A urethral suppository comprising:
(a) a carrier base material;
(b) a therapeutic agent; and
(c) a buffering agent;
wherein the suppository is formed into a solid structure configured for insertion into the urethra of a patient;
wherein the suppository is an elongated structure with a length of from about 5 mm to about 50 mm; and
wherein the carrier base material comprises methyl butyl ketone (MBK) wax base.
33. The urethral suppository of claim 32 wherein the suppository is an elongated structure with a length of from about 15 mm to about 35 mm.
34. The urethral suppository of claim 1 wherein the suppository comprises a quantity of buffering agent that comprises from about 1 percent to about 30 percent by weight of the overall weight of the suppository.
35. The urethral suppository of claim 1 further comprising a quantity of a suspending agent sufficient to prevent active ingredients within the suppository from aggregating.
36. The urethral suppository of claim 35 wherein the suspending agent is silica.