A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.

A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.

Metal straps used to tie or bundle one or more items are provided. The metal strap includes a length of cable and a ferrule. The ferrule is pre-attached adjacent one end of the cable, and the ferrule can receive a free end of the cable, and can secure the cable to the ferrule after the cable is wrapped around one or more items.

A method of forming an electronic device includes forming a plurality of closed loops over a semiconductor substrate. Each closed loop has a first and a second polysilicon gate structure joined at first and second ends. Each closed loop includes an inner portion and an end portion. In the inner portion the first polysilicon gate structure runs about parallel to the second polysilicon gate structure. In the outer portion the first polysilicon gate structure converges with the second polysilicon gate structure. The method further includes forming a plurality of trench contacts. Each of the trench contacts is located between a respective pair of closed loops, passes through an epitaxial layer and contacts the substrate. The length of the trench contacts is no greater than the length of the inner portions.

A rope control device a main body defining a central opening and first and second side portions, projections extending from the main body, an end recess defined by the first and second projections, an end friction surface formed at a juncture of a projection and the main body, and a bar. With the bar in a first position, the first rope portion is extended through the central opening and at least partly around the bar. With the bar in a second position, the main body and the bar define first and second opening portions of the central opening and the first rope portion is extended through the first and second opening portions and at least partly around the bar. The second rope portion is arranged within the first end recess such that, when the rope is under tension, the second rope portion frictionally engages the first end friction surface.

A power MOSFET IC device including an array of MOSFET cells formed in a semiconductor substrate. The array of MOSFET cells comprises an interior region of interior MOSFET cells and an outer edge region of peripheral MOSFET cells, each interior MOSFET cell of the interior region of the array comprising a pair of interior MOSFET devices coupled to each other at a common drain contact. In an example embodiment, each interior MOSFET device includes a source contact (SCT) trench extended into a substrate contact region of the semiconductor substrate. The SCT trench is provided with a length less than a linear portion of a polysilicon gate of the interior MOSFET device, wherein the SCT trench is aligned to the polysilicon gate having a curvilinear layout geometry.

A power MOSFET IC device including an array of MOSFET cells formed in a semiconductor substrate. The array of MOSFET cells comprises an interior region of interior MOSFET cells and an outer edge region of peripheral MOSFET cells, each interior MOSFET cell of the interior region of the array comprising a pair of interior MOSFET devices coupled to each other at a common drain contact. In an example embodiment, each interior MOSFET device includes a source contact (SCT) trench extended into a substrate contact region of the semiconductor substrate. The SCT trench is provided with a length less than a linear portion of a polysilicon gate of the interior MOSFET device, wherein the SCT trench is aligned to the polysilicon gate having a curvilinear layout geometry.