A slab bolster upper for supporting rebar in a reinforced concrete structure while the concrete is poured and thereafter cures, is of molded plastic construction and is formed with horizontal and vertical voids that facilitate concrete placement and break up potential shear planes. Opposite ends of each unit are provided with complementary buckles to interconnect with like units to form a continuous support of desired length.

In reinforced concrete construction, it is necessary to support the reinforcing bars (xe2x80x9crebarsxe2x80x9d) in their designated locations during placement of the concrete and thereafter as it cures. This is accomplished in its most rudimentary form by simply resting the rebar on pieces of concrete placed on the form surface. Obviously, this approach may be unsatisfactory for many reasons, such as the lack of any means for fixing the rebar at their designed positions, as a result of which the rebar may be displaced as the concrete is poured.
In response to the shortcomings of this method of supporting rebar, welded wire supports have been developed and are used extensively in the reinforced concrete construction industry. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,867 is directed to a welded wire rebar of one type, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,816 describes another welded wire rebar support design. With metal supports, however, there is a potential problem of corrosion. Coating the wire with epoxy is a method of dealing with this problem, but coating is expensive, and if the coating is damaged, corrosion may still occur.
Plastic supports are generally non-corrodible and therefore overcome the problems noted above with welded wire supports, but they usually lack the open construction provided by wire supports that permits full flow of concrete through and around the support during concrete placement. While U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,729,949 and 6,089,522 disclose supports that may be formed of plastic and have openings formed in them to facilitate concrete placement, the supports shown in these patents are individual units as opposed to supports that may extend for several spans. U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,390 discloses a plastic bolster that may extend across several spans and uses a pair of spaced legs and a control body that resists deformation through the use of pin-like projections that bite into the underlying surface.
The above-noted problems associated with prior art bolsters are obviated by the bolster of the present invention. Specifically, the bolster of the present invention is preferably molded of non-corrodible plastic, is of inverted T-shape for greater stability, and provides an open construction that facilitates distribution of concrete during placement through and around the bolster.
The base of the bolster of the present invention may be molded integrally with the rebar support section that projects substantially perpendicularly away from an upper surface of the base and terminates in a rebar-engaging cap that extends in generally parallel relationship to the base. Both the base and the support section may be of truss-like construction, which results in a high weight-to-strength ratio, with a major portion of the base and web being occupied by voids, thereby enhancing concrete flow through and around the bolster.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the base may be molded with a series of posts spaced along and projecting from an upper surface and a rebar-engaging cap molded separately and mechanically interconnected to outer ends of the posts by means of joint elements molded in the posts and the cap. The latter may also be provided with transverse ridges on its outer rebar-engaging surface to break up shear planes. Additionally, the junctures of the posts and the base are strengthened by gussets that project upwardly from the base and extend both longitudinally and laterally of the base upper surface. To further strengthen the bolster, opposite longitudinal edges of the base are provided with continuous upstanding ribs, and the ribs and gussets further serve to break up shear planes.
The post construction of this embodiment is conducive to flexible injection mold tolling that can mold a wide range of sizes without the need for different molds for each size. The portions of the mold that forms the posts are simply adjusted.
The bolster of the present invention may be utilized separately, or in a preferred form of the invention, may be provided with complementary buckles at opposite ends to permit connection with like units to form a continuous bolster of desired length. In this regard, both the base and the rebar support section are each provided with complementary buckles so that the units, when interconnected, are joined at both their upper and lower extremities, thereby enhancing the strength and stability of the composite bolster.
In either case, that is, whether formed as discrete units or with interconnecting buckles, the bolsters may be formed of any convenient length to suit a desired application. In a preferred embodiment, the length is selected to facilitate handling and storage, e.g., about 2.5 feet in length. The inverted T-shape of the units, which permits the units to be nested, and the convenient unit length, greatly facilitate packaging the units for shipment.
The bolsters of the present invention may be formed from a variety of plastics, such as polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyproylene, nylon, or ABS. Additionally, the plastic may be reinforced with a variety of fibers, such as fiberglass, Keviar, carbon fibers, or metal fibers.
These and other features and advantages of the bolster of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description.


An apparatus for the isotropic irradiation of cavity walls includes in a first channel of a catheter a light conducting fiber which has a cortically shaped tip for deflecting a light beam radially outwardly through a transparent portion of the catheter and a resiliently expandable sleeve tightly disposed around the catheter and having its interior in communication by a second channel with a fluid supply for expanding the sleeve so as form a light scattering structure whose scattering characteristics are adjustable dependent on the degree of sleeve expansion.

The invention relates to apparatus for the isotropic irradiation of the walls of cavities, especially spherical cavities, by means of a catheter containing a light conducting fiber and a deformable sleeve which is expandable by admission of a fluid.
Such apparatus are utilized for the illumination of the walls of cavities such as hollow organs. It is important that the light is uniformly distributed over the whole cavity walls.
Uniform distribution of the light radiation is a necessity, for example, in connection with internal photodynamic therapy, by means of laser light, of photosensitized tumors. A locally insufficient irradiation dosis does not completely destroy the tumor and leads to recurrences while excessive irradiation doses damage healthy wall areas. The tolerance range is generally only relatively small.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,938 discloses an apparatus which includes a light conducting glass fiber which is insertable into a spherical organ cavity such as a bladder in such a manner that its end is disposed centrally therein. For uniform scattering of the light the organ is filled with a dispersion liquid. A similar apparatus is described by D. Joeham et al. in "Porphyrin Localization and Treatment of Tumors", New York: Alan R. Liss, June 1984, pages 249 to 256.
In "Photochemistry and Photobiology" 46, No. 5, 1987, pages 619 to 624, W. M. Star et al. utilize for cavity irradiation a centrally arranged radiation emitter with spherical emission characteristics.
The first arrangement however requires high centering accuracy for the light emitting end of the glass fiber. Often such accurate positioning cannot be achieved particularly in situations in which the irradiation equipment is to be inserted into the hollow organ through a narrow catheter. In the second case the catheter itself generates shadows which result in insufficient irradiation of the organ wall areas near the axis of the catheter since the emitter is small relative to the diameter of the catheter.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the irradiation of cavity walls such as organs which provides for highly spherical emission characteristics especially with regard to the back portion of the cavity, that is, adjacent a catheter through which the radiation is introduced into the cavity and which is easily insertable through narrow openings in the organs or passages leading to the organ cavities.

Apparatus for the isotropic irradiation of cavity walls

Gesellschaft fur Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH


A control device includes a first communication circuit, a microphone, and a first control circuit. The first control circuit: acquires background noise in the room through the microphone and calculates a signal level of the background noise; transmits, to a playback device, a first control signal directing playback of a first test signal through a loudspeaker; acquires the first test signal through the microphone and calculates a signal level of the acquired first test signal; estimates a signal level of a second test signal using the signal level of the first test signal as a reference; increases a set value of a sound volume of the second test signal when a signal level obtained by subtracting a predetermined value from the estimated signal level of the second test signal is less than or equal to the signal level of the background noise; transmits, to the playback device, a second control signal directing playback of the second test signal through the loudspeaker; acquires the second test signal through the microphone, calculates a frequency response of the room, and calculates a correction coefficient based on the calculated frequency response; and transmits a third control signal including the calculated correction coefficient to the playback device.

An audio device that plays back a sound signal such as music is usually installed for use in a room in a house. The audio device includes a loudspeaker and a playback device which is provided with one or more of a compact disc (CD) player, a media server device, and an amplifier. In the room where the audio device is installed, an installment position of the loudspeaker is limited according to a style of the room, a shape and arrangement position of furniture, and the like, or the position of a user listening to a sound played back by the audio device is changed. The acoustic characteristics, for example, frequency characteristics, of the sound output through the loudspeaker and reaching the ears of the user vary according to the style of the room, the shape and arrangement of furniture, and the like.
When a sound signal is played back by the audio device, it is desirable that an intended sound is provided to the user by the audio device with less influence on the sound due to the installment position of the loudspeaker in the room where the audio device is installed and the position of the user listening to the sound played back by the audio device. However, the intended sound may not be reproduced due to the style of the room where the audio device is installed, furniture, and the like.
There is a disclosure of a technique for measuring frequency characteristics of the room using a microphone which is specialized for measurement and which has known characteristics, and correcting frequency characteristics of a playback device based on the frequency characteristics of the room such that an intended sound reaches a user. Measurement of frequency characteristics needs arithmetic processing such as frequency analysis. An audio video (AV) amplifier having incorporated therein a high-performance digital signal processor (DSP) for executing such arithmetic processing has been commercialized.
For example, PTL 1 discloses a method and device for measuring an impulse response for measuring transmission characteristics of a measured system such as an acoustic device, an acoustic space, and a transmission line for an electric signal.

Playback system, control device, control method, and program

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


The present invention provides an ESD protection device with isolated islands and an n well. At least one of the isolated islands has an end apart from the boundary of a drain diffusion region of the ESD protection device, to form a gap between. The n well overlaps with the isolated islands and is kept at least a designated distance away from a channel region of the ESD protection device. An interlocked structure of isolated islands is also provided in this invention to direct ESD current flowing forward and backward to the channel region of the ESD protection device, thereby increasing the distributed resistance of the drain diffusion region. Several benefits, such as lower drain capacitance, lower standby power consumption and a wider range of adjustable resistance, are achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices and relevant methods for forming those devices. In particular, the present invention relates to ESD protection devices with islands for constraining ESD current flow and wells thereunder for the prevention of substrate leakage.
2. Description of the Related Art
As products based on integrated circuitry (ICs) become more delicate, they also become more vulnerable to the effects of external environment, especially to ESD stress occurring when one pin of an IC is grounded and anther pin of the IC contacts an electrostatically-precharged object. Therefore, input pins, output pins, input/output pins, the power-bus pins for an IC for communicating with external systems, must all be well equipped with ESD protection devices or circuitry to meet the minimum level of ESD robustness required by commercial applications.
NMOS devices, either with the gate grounded or with the gate coupled to a positive voltage during an ESD event, have commonly been used as primary ESD protection devices for ICs. It is well known that the drain contact of an NMOS device must be kept a few microns apart from the gate of the NMOS device. What is implied is that the drain side of an NMOS device confronting ESD stress in the front line must have a distributed resistor connected in series between the channel under the gate and a coupled pad, and the resistance of the distributed resistor must be larger than an acceptable value. If the ESD transient current starts to localize at a weak spot near the gate, it causes the entire ESD current to rush in, thereby causing local heating and eventually damaging the NMOS device. On the other hand, the distributed resistor helps to raise the potential of the adjacent diffusion area, and hence induce a more uniform ESD current flow towards the whole channel.
The advanced salicide process, which forms silicide material on drain/source regions to reduce the resistance of active regions and speeds up the circuit operation rate, however, makes construction of the above-mentioned resistor more difficult and costly.
One known solution for the problems induced by the salicide process is to use the salicide block process, which blocks the formation of silicide on certain diffusion regions. However, this solution is inefficient due to the process complexity and the extra mask required.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,439 (hereafter referred as ""439 patent) discloses an MOS transistor structure comprising a number of isolated islands in the drain diffusion region (as shown in FIG. 1). The ESD transient current flows around these isolated islands from the drain contacts 10, toward the drain-gate edge, thereby increasing drain resistance to improve ESD protection. Due to the manufacture of plasma treatment or carrier ejection in high electric field operations, however, these isolated islands may trap some negative charges inside the isolator material, enhancing recognized gate-induced-drain-leakage (GIDL) current and, therefore, unnecessarily increase standby power consumption.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,892 (hereafter referred as ""892 patent) discloses an MOS transistor structure comprising a resistor means whose width is substantially equal to the width of the active zone, wherein the resistor means comprises a number of strips of titanium silicide extending substantially parallel to each to increase drain resistance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,087 (hereafter referred as ""087 patent) discloses an ESD protection device using a second gate as silicide-blocking mask for the drain region, wherein the second gate overlies an N-well region and separates the drain of the host transistor into two portions. These two mentioned patents both encounter the problem of the resistor means (""892) or the second gate (""087) contributing resistance rendered un-reducible by the limitation of design rule. In other words, there is a range of resistance unachievable if a drain layout is implemented according to ""892 or ""087 patents.
An object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of GIDL current and maintain standby power consumption at a reasonable level.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ESD protection device that has a distributed resistor with a wider adjustable resistance in its drain side.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a way of re-directing current flow in the drain side of an ESD protection to increase the resistance of the distributed resistor.
The ESD protection device according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor bulk of a first conductivity type, a first doped region of a second conductivity type, a second doped region of the second conductivity type, a channel region, at least one island, and a well of the second conductivity type. The first doped region and the second doped region are formed in the semiconductor bulk. The first doped region further has a boundary. The channel is formed between the first doped region and the second doped region. The island with one end is formed in the first doped region to form a gap between the end and the boundary of the first doped region. The well is formed in the semiconductor bulk, overlaying with the island and being kept at a design distance from the channel region. The well may partially or entirely overlap the island.
In view of the existence of the well, even though the island has trapped charges inside, GIDL current, which flows from a drain side to the substrate under the negative-biased gate, will be limited since at least part of the island overlaps the well. Further, the well also contributes to a lower PN junction capacitance coupling the first doped region and makes the ESD protection device of the present invention more suitable for high speed input/output application.
The wider the gap, the smaller the distributed resistance of the first doped region is. It implies that the distributed resistance of the first doped region can be fine-tuned to a reasonably low level.
Another ESD protection device according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor bulk of a first conductivity type, a first doped region of a second conductivity type, a second doped region of the second conductivity type, a channel region and an array of islands. The first and the second doped regions are formed in the semiconductor bulk. The channel region is formed between the first doped region and the second doped region. The array of islands is distributed at least in the first doped region to force ESD current flowing both backward and forward toward to the channel region. The forward and backward directions are oriented between 90 and 270 degrees of each other.
With the assistance of the islands, ESD current in the first doped region is forced to flow in a serpentine way, forward and backward, toward the channel, such that the distributed resistance of the first doped region is significantly enlarged.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming an ESD protection device. A well of a second conductivity type is formed in a semiconductor bulk of a first conductivity type. An island overlapping with the well is formed on (or over) the semiconductor bulk. A channel region is formed in the semiconductor bulk and is kept at a designated distance from the well. A first doped region and a second doped region of the second conductivity type are formed adjacent to two sides of the channel region, respectively, wherein the first doped region overlaps the well and the island. The island has one end separated from a boundary of the first doped region to form a gap inside the first doped region.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming an ESD protection device. A plurality of islands is formed on (or over) a semiconductor bulk of a first conductivity type. A channel region is formed in the semiconductor bulk. A first doped region and a second doped region are formed adjacent to two sides of the channel region, respectively. The first doped region overlaps the islands, which forces ESD current in the first doped region to flow both backward and forward to the channel region.

Electrostatic discharge protection devices and methods for the formation thereof


Disclosed is 1-(2-(4-((2,3-dihydro(1,4)dioxino(2,3-c)pyridin-7-ylmethyl)amino)piperidin-1-yl)ethyl)-7-fluoro-1,5-naphthyridin-2(1H)-one monohydrate, which has strong antibacterial activity. The compound is highly safe and useful as an original drug for pharmaceutical preparations. Also disclosed is a method which is useful for producing 1-(2-(4-((2,3-dihydro(1,4)dioxino(2,3-c)pyridin-7-ylmethyl)amino)piperidin-1-yl)ethyl)-7-fluoro-1,5-naphthyridin-2(1H)-one monohydrate.

In medical practice, a wide variety of antibiotics and synthetic antibacterial agents have been used for the treatment of infectious diseases. However, resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) have recently emerged. The treatment of patients infected with such a resistant organism has been a critical concern. In addition, multiresistant organisms that acquired resistance to multiple drugs have emerged. Infectious diseases caused by multiresistant organisms have been major problems worldwide as intractable diseases.
The appearance of antimicrobial agents which are effective against these resistant organisms has been strongly desired, and, for example, a quinolone compound considered to be effective against MRSA is disclosed in WO 99/07682 (PATENT DOCUMENT 1). Further, the compounds disclosed in WO 2004/002490 (PATENT DOCUMENT 2) and WO 2004/002992 (PATENT DOCUMENT 3) are known as the compounds having action mechanisms different from those of the existing drugs.    PATENT DOCUMENT 1: International Patent Publication No. WO 99/07682 pamphlet    PATENT DOCUMENT 2: International Patent Publication No. WO 2004/002490 pamphlet    PATENT DOCUMENT 3: International Patent Publication No. WO 2004/002992 pamphlet

Naphthyridine derivative monohydrate and method for producing the same


The invention relates to a method and to a connector set for connecting beams from wood material, in particular solid wood, glued laminated wood, laminated veneer wood, or plywood board, in particular for connections that are under a compressive as well as a tensile load, wherein a connector has at least one plate-shaped portion for insertion into prefabricated slots in the beam or the beams, wherein at least the plate-shaped portion of the connector is composed of synthetic resin densified wood, wherein the synthetic resin densified wood is composed of a plurality of hardwood layers disposed on top of one another and synthetic resin, and wherein wood screws for fixing the connector are provided.

The invention relates to a method for connecting beams from solid wood or glued laminated wood, and to a connector set for beams from wood material, in particular solid wood, glued laminated wood, laminated veneer wood, or plywood board, in particular for connections that are under a compressive as well as a tensile load, wherein the connector set has at least one connector having at least one plate-shaped portion for insertion into prefabricated slots in the beam or the beams, wherein at least the plate-shaped portion of the connector is composed of synthetic resin densified wood, and wherein the synthetic resin densified wood is composed of a plurality of hardwood layers disposed on top of one another and synthetic resin.
Known connectors for beams from solid wood or glued laminated wood, which can be used for connections that are under a compressive as well as a tensile load, are composed of metal plates which are inserted into prefabricated slots in a beam or a plurality of beams. The metal plates have through openings. Upon insertion of the steel plates, the latter are secured in the beams by rod dowels which usually are likewise composed of steel. To this end, the beams have to be drilled, wherein the difficulty lies in precisely hitting the through openings in the steel plates.
A connector for beams from solid wood or glued laminated wood in which steel plates that are not pre-perforated are used is known from German patent document DE 197 24 285 C2. Special rod dowels which on the tip thereof have a drill portion and can drill through both the beam as well as the steel plate are used for fixing the steel plates.
A rod connection for timber framing by means of connector plates, in which the connector plates are composed of compressed artificial wood is known from German patent document DE 862 659 B. Instead of the final connector plates, connector plates from a more readily workable material such as plywood or hardboard are initially fitted in the joining of a framework and after drilling are used as templates for the final connector plates. The pre-drilled connector plates from compressed artificial wood are then fitted to the framework members to be connected. Both the framework members as well as the connector plates in this instance are pre-drilled, and dowels are inserted into the pre-drilled openings. Care is to be taken herein that the hole diameter in the connector plates is somewhat larger than the hole diameter in the framework members.

Method and connector set for connecting beams of wood material


A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a wafer having a first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip, and a scribe line between and adjoining the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip; forming a notch in the scribe line, wherein the notch has a bottom no higher than a top surface of a semiconductor substrate in the wafer; forming a first insulation film over the wafer, wherein the first insulation film extends into the notch; removing a portion of the first insulation film from a center of the notch, wherein a remaining portion of the first insulation film comprises an edge in the notch; and sawing the wafer to separate the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip.

In a typically integrated circuit formation process, semiconductor wafers, each including a plurality of identical semiconductor chips, are manufactured first. After the manufacturing, the semiconductor wafers are sawed to separate the semiconductor chips, so that each of the semiconductor chips may be packaged individually.
On a semiconductor wafer, scribe lines are placed between the semiconductor chips. The scribe lines may be free from integrated circuits, or have test circuits formed therein, wherein the test circuits may be sacrificed without affecting the functionality of the semiconductor chips.
Typically, seal rings are formed to protect the integrated circuits in the semiconductor chips from moisture and contaminations. However, for the packaging processes, some of the back-end-of-line processes need to be performed for forming bond pads and/or mounting solder balls. These processes include forming protection layers (molding compounds), forming redistribution lines, and forming bond pads. Various layers of materials and corresponding interfaces are thus created. These interfaces are not properly protected, and some of the interfaces may be exposed to the external environment after the die-sawing process for separating the semiconductor chips. As a result, moisture may penetrate through these interfaces and corrodes the copper lines in the semiconductor chips. In addition, since the formation of copper lines often involves fluorine, the corrosion of the copper lines further results in the fluorine to be released. Fluorine has the effect of accelerating the corrosion of the aluminum pad by moisture. Further, the exposure of the interfaces may further cause the delamination of the protection layers. Any of the above-discussed problems may cause the degradation of the circuit performance, or circuit failure. A new integrated method for protecting the interfaces from moisture penetration is thus needed.

Protecting sidewalls of semiconductor chips using insulation films

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


The present invention relates to structural analysis of the optic nerve head (ONH). In one approach, a 3D volume of intensity data which includes the optic nerve head is acquired using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The vitreoretinal interface (VRI) and the optic disc margin are identified from the 3D data. The minimum area of a surface from the optic disc margin to the VRI is determined. This minimum area can be displayed as an image or in the alternative, a value corresponding to this minimum area can be displayed. The minimum area measurement provides relevant clinical information to determine the health of the eye.

The optic nerve is made up of approximately 1 to 1.5 million nerve fibers or axons along with supporting glial cells and blood vessels (Anderson, D. (2004) "The Optic Nerve Head in Glaucoma" Duane's Ophthalmology). The optic nerve head (ONH) is the exit in the outer retina where all the nerve fibers pass through the chorioscleral canal or neural canal opening on their path to the brain. As shown in FIG. 1, the nerve fibers i.e. 102 are shown in the figure as striations distributed across the entire retina in the nerve fiber layer (NFL) or retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and converge at the ONH 101. At this point, the nerve fiber bundles are at their most concentrated, forming what is known as the neuroretinal rim 103. The neuroretinal rim is a 3D structure bounded by the optic disc margin on the outside and the optic cup margin on the inside. The optic cup is a physiological excavation that results if the chorioscleral canal is larger than the optic nerve itself. As will be discussed further below, the boundary of the optic cup margin is open to interpretation and such vagueness has hindered the clinical utility of measurements of the neuroretinal rim.
Different optic neuropathies manifest themselves as atrophying of nerve fibers. In glaucoma, for example, the NFL thins as a direct result of ganglion cell apoptosis (the retinal neurons responsible for transmitting visual information) which leads to nerve fiber loss. In other types of optic neuropathies the NFL will also typically thin as a general result of nerve fiber injury (Frohman E et al. (2008). "Optical Coherence Tomography: A Window into the mechanisms of multiple sclerosis" Nat. Clin. Prac. Neurol. 4(12): 664-675). In theory, any nerve fiber loss will manifest itself as thinning at the neuroretinal rim as any retinal nerve fiber belongs to that particular landmark. Therefore, an objective and accurate structural measurement of the neuroretinal rim is central to disease management and diagnosis. Unique to the eye, the ganglion cell nerve fibers are unmylenated, and the ability to directly measure them creates potential diagnostics in the field of neurology.
The gold-standard structural assessment of the ONH is based on a manual estimation of the delineation of optic disc and optic cup margins performed by an expert clinician based on an ophthalmic examination with anophthalmascope and/or fundus photography (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,173). This assessment is highly subjective. Using stereo fundus photography, depth cues may be inferred to improve the estimate, but the method remains subjective, indirect, and variable (See for example Coleman A. et al. (1996). "Interobserver and intraobserver variability in the detection of glaucomatous progression of the optic disc" J. Glaucoma 5:384-9 and Tielsch J. et al. (1988) "Intraobserver and interobserver agreement in measurement of optic disc characteristics" Ophthalmology 95:350-6). Furthermore, the disc margin is often hard to see in fundus images as a result of either poor image quality or because the boundary is obscured by other anatomy such as the nerve fiber bundles themselves or the vessel structure also converging in that region. The measurements are also difficult to repeat because of their subjective nature hindering their ability to accurately determine if changes in the metric are a result of disease progression or, more simply, the difference in the subjective evaluation. While efforts have been made to develop means to remove subjectivity, by allowing comparison over time, by directly superimposing two digital images (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,885), and automation to identify pixels associated with cup, rim and vessels (see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,898), the method remains largely subjective in nature.
Automated measurements of the ONH exist, but have different drawbacks. One commercial device offering such functionality is the HRT (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph, Heidelberg Engineering, Inc, Germany), which uses a 670 nm wavelength laser as its light source to build a 3D image of the surface topography of the ONH (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,351). It is a confocal system and covers approximately 2500 microns axially. Its ability to accurately image the topography of the ONH relies entirely on the user's choice of the focal plane, about which a series of 2D confocal images are acquired—spaced at around 80 microns apart—and then summed to form a representative 2D image. A 3D image is constructed based on the intensity profile across the axial range; depth is simply the profile's largest response. FIG. 2 shows a portion of the analysis report of the HRT. The image shows three regions corresponding to the optic cup and optic disc analysis. The central region 201 corresponds to the optic cup and the other two regions 202 and 203 correspond to the optic disc where 202 indicates the slope.
The HRT's ability to automatically measure ONH structure relies on a manual delineation of the optic disc margin, and then bases the optic cup margin as the intersection of the vitreoretinal interface (VRI) or inner limiting membrane (ILM) at a fixed offset from the disc's reference plane, which is automatically defined. As such, the HRT simply determines the optic cup margin as an area away from the reference plane and within the contour of the optic disc margin. This is not based on a given repeatable landmark, as might be used by the clinician, and the variability of the reference plane itself is an additional source of variation in the measurement (See Heidelberg on-line FAQ: http://www.heidelbergengineering.com/technical-support-heidelberg-engineering/faq-topics/hrt3-glaucoma-faqs/#faq—791 and Poli A. et al. (2008). "Analysis of HRT images: comparison of reference planes" Ophthalmology & Visual Science 49(9)).
The Stratus-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin Calif.) with an axial resolution of approximately 10 microns, is able to find the disc margin automatically, but due to a similar definition of the optic cup margin as the HRT in terms of an offset, still suffers from robustness issues. FIG. 3 displays a two-dimensional (2D) illustration of how the optic cup margin is defined in the Stratus system. After defining the optic disc margin 303 at the endpoints of the RPE 302, the optic cup margin 305 is defined in reference to a plane parallel to the plane of the optic disc 303 at an offset 304 where it intersects the VRI 301. The choice of the offset from the plane of the disc is arbitrary and determines the size of the cup, leaving its anatomical meaning unclear. Should the user wish to best correlate the cup as then delineated by the automated software to that defined by the clinician from fundus photographs, it needs to be manually adjusted (see Savini G et al. (2009). "Agreement between optical coherence tomography and digital stereophotography in vertical cup-to-disc ratio measurement" Graefe's Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol 247(3):377-383). More importantly, the choice of offset can inadvertently affect the ability of the measurement to distinguish disease from normal structure (see Leung C. et al (2005). "Analysis of Retinal nerve fiber layer and optic nerve head in glaucoma with different reference plane offsets using optical coherence tomography" Invest Ophthalmol and Vis Sci 46:891-899).
This definition of the cup in terms of an offset has continued with some newer Spectral Domain OCT (SD-OCT) devices. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional schematic illustrating the definition of cup and disc as available in the commercial software (version 4.0) of the RTVue instrument (Optovue Inc., Fremont, Calif.). The optic disc 401 is defined as the termination of the RPE 402. This defines the disc's plane. The optic cup 403 is defined to be where a plane at an offset of 150 microns above that plane (a line in the 2d cross section above) intersects the VRI 404. Based on these definitions, measurements relating to the neuroretinal rim including the rim volume (shown in cross-sectional view) 405 and the nerve head volume (shown in cross-sectional view) 406 are derived.
In light of the above there is a need for an automated, repeatable and accurate method of analyzing the ONH that provides anatomically relevant and unambiguous definitions of the optic disc and optic cup margins to make and display clinically meaningful measurements.

Automated analysis of the optic nerve head: measurements, methods and representations


Initiation of a network slice event is disclosed. The network slice event can be initiated in response to, and according to a determined a network slice event instruction. The network slice event can result in modification of network slices of a network. The modification of the network slices can correspond to a change in the performance of the network. The modification of the network slices can comprise adding a new slice, removing an existing slice, adapting an existing slice, etc. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc., can be employed to provide an inference related to determining the network slice event instruction. The slice event can be implemented via a network controller, for example an ONAP component, based on the network slice event instruction.

Next-generation mobility networks, including 5G cellular networks and systems, are anticipated to enable disruptive digital transformation in the society that will enable people, machines, businesses and governments with unprecedented capabilities to communicate and share information effectively. Beyond the cutting-edge radio access technologies, 5G aims to integrate cross-domain networks so that service providers can offer network-on-demand as a service. With the advances in 5G, new mobility services, convergence of fixed and rich mobile services across several industry verticals and new services-revenue-business models can be enabled. The demands on 5G can be high in terms of handling a variety of use cases associated with mobile-to-mobile and the 'internet of things' (M2M/IoT), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), telehealth, targeted mobile advertising, connected cars etc. These new services can require a wide range of aggregate bit rates, low latencies, vehicular speeds, device types and device capabilities, device densities, etc., to provide consistent end user quality for a given service in heterogeneous environment.

Automated network design and traffic steering


An end cap includes a lid portion configured to close an end surface of an edge protector body, an insertion portion provided to the lid portion and configured to be inserted from the end surface of the edge protector body to the side of a bottom portion of a groove with respect to an inner lip portion, and a cantilevered beam-shaped rod portion provided on the lid portion, configured to be inserted from the end surface of the edge protector body between the inner lip portion and a notched groove (an engaged portion), and provided at a distal end side thereof with a projection (an engaging portion) engageable and disengageable with respect to the notched groove.

The present invention relates to an edge protector including an edge protector body having an opened end surface, a groove formed along the longitudinal direction thereof for allowing insertion of an upper edge portion of a door outer panel, and having a substantially C-shape in cross section, and an end cap configured to be inserted from the end surface of the edge protector body and configured to close an opened surface of the edge protector body.


A battery-type power supply device realizes data transmission while also supplying power to a battery-driven external load device in a state in which the battery-type power supply device is mounted in a battery box of the external load device. The battery-type power supply device is mountable in the battery box of the external load device, has a shape and dimensions conforming to battery standards, and is capable of housing a small-size battery therein. An output transistor is interposed between a housed battery and an outer electrode terminal, and opening and closing of the output transistor are controlled by a PWM control section at a duty ratio corresponding to an instruction received from an external information processing device by a radio communication section, so that the battery type power supply device thereby functions as a switching power supply. Opening and closing of the output transistor are controlled by a transmission section in order to transmit data to the external load device through the outer electrode terminal. Connections of the transmission section and the PWM control section to the output transistor is switched by a connection switching section.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a radio reception driving device that is mountable in a battery box of an external load device such as an electric toy. The radio reception driving device actuates or stops operation of the external load device such as a toy by causing a transistor interposed between a housed battery and an external electrode to turn on or off according to a user command from an external remote control that is received through a radio reception section.
However, the radio reception driving device cannot perform data communication with the external load device in which the radio reception driving device is housed. In order to realize such communication, it is necessary to separately provide a communication path between the radio reception driving device and the external load device, and there has been the problem that providing such a communication path complicates the structure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Battery-type power supply device and battery-driven load device


The present disclosure relates to a control device, a control method, and a mobile object that effectively use storage capacity while saving the storage capacity and efficiently plan a movement route by storing or forgetting (deleting) a past detailed map according to importance during autonomous movement. When a global route is set, by storing or forgetting (deleting) a detailed map according to the importance on the global route to plan a local route from a frequently used global route, it is possible to efficiently plan a local route by combining detailed maps stored in the past.

Generally, an autonomous mobile object makes a movement plan by combining a plurality of maps. For example, in the case of a car navigation device, a global route is planned by using a map such as a road network, and a local route that avoids an obstacle is planned by using a local detailed map created by sensor observation.
Therefore, in a range where the detailed map is provided, the shortest route can be planned so that efficient movement is possible. However, since the data size of the detailed map is large, it is necessary to increase the storage capacity in the car navigation device in order to retain the detailed map in a wide range.
Therefore, a technology has been proposed in which a detailed map is stored in an external storage medium, and only a surrounding map that becomes necessary is decompressed in a memory (see Patent Document 1).
Furthermore, a technology has been proposed in which the data size of a detailed map is reduced by destroying the detailed map that has been retained every arrival at a waypoint from a waypoint, the waypoints having been determined according to a global route plan (see Patent Document 2).
Moreover, a technology has been proposed in which upon creation of a three-dimensional grid map, data of height equal to or below a certain height is deleted to reduce map capacity (see Patent Document 3).

Control device, control method, and mobile object


A plug includes a pin having an axial contact at its opposite end with a mounting rod connected to a center conductor. At the interface between the pin and the inner wall of the plug body, a support sleeve mounted on the shaft and bearing axially against a collar formed on said rod is provided. Axially, a locking ring is secured to the shaft so that the support sleeve is clamped between the collar of the rod and the locking ring, if necessary, leaving a degree of freedom of rotation between the sleeve and the pin. Radially, the outer surface of the sleeve comes into direct contact with the inner wall of the bore of the plug body, to which it is directly secured. The direct attachment of the sleeve to the plug body may be obtained by a snap-in connection with notches cooperating with a counterpart groove.

Active implantable devices generally include a housing commonly referred to as the generator. The generator is typically electrically and mechanically connected to one or more intracorporeal "leads." These intracorporeal leads are electrodes which are intended contact the bodily tissues (e.g., myocardium tissue, nerve tissue, muscle tissue, etc.) to which electrical stimulation pulses are applied and/or from which an electrical signal is collected.
Standardized connection systems exist to ensure interchangeability of the leads and generators produced by different manufacturers. For example, "IS-1" and "IS-4" standards define a number of dimensional and electrical characteristics relating to pacing or resynchronization pulse delivery leads. For defibrillation leads, wherein the electrical stresses are most severe in view of the high energy to be channeled from the generator to the lead, the "DF-1" and "DF-4" standards define dimensional and electrical characteristics of the connection system.
The present invention more particularly relates to a multipolar electrical connection plug for a lead for an active implantable medical device. A multipolar electrical connection plug is a single-body lead including both stimulation and shock electrodes. The complexity of these leads, which is high due to specific constraints in terms of power related to one or the other uses (i.e., stimulation or shock), is further enhanced by the development of multisite devices and intracardiac sensors such as endocardial acceleration (EA) sensors.
Some leads have a single plug and a plurality of electrical contacts. The plurality of electrical contacts simultaneously connect to various terminals of the generator (e.g. for various energy levels). For example, each of the plurality of electrical contacts may connect to a different generator terminal for the collection of depolarization signals, for the application of pacing pulses, for the delivery of a defibrillation shock energy, or for the transmission of signals collected by a sensor. An advantage of leads having a single plug is that single-plug leads can be subject to single standard. In this context, a single "multipolar" and "isodiameter" connector (e.g., having multiple contacts and a smooth cylindrical shape) to be inserted in a counterpart cylindrical cavity of the connector head of the generator is in compliance with the IS-4/DF-4 standard (ISO 27186-2010).
European Patent Application No. 1641084 A1 and its U.S. counterpart U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0068645 describe an example of such a four-pole connection plug. Connection plugs of those applications are of the isodiameter type having an axial electrical contact pin at one end. Connection plugs of those applications also have three annular electrical contact areas on the body of the plug. The annular electrical contact areas are made by consecutive cylindrical rings and are alternately separated by intercalary insulating cylindrical areas. The insulating cylindrical areas electrically isolate the electrical contact areas from one another. Accordingly, it is possible to simultaneously perform all the necessary electrical connections between the generator and the lead pins in a single movement by inserting the connection plug into the cavity of the connector head of the generator.
However, the realization of such a connection plug raises many manufacturing problems and challenges. ISO standards constrain the outer diameter to merely 3.2 mm (e.g., according to ISO 27186), thereby limiting design possibilities. The impact of compliance with such tight dimensional tolerances in an industrial manufacturing process can be significant in terms of time and cost.
A further difficulty arises with respect to "coaxial configuration" leads. Coaxial configuration leads include a mobile central conductor housed in an axial lumen of the lead body and a plurality of other conductors extending from a periphery of the lead body. The axial contact pin is connected to the central conductor. The pin-conductor assembly has a rotational degree of freedom relative to the outer body of the plug and relative to the lead body.
Coaxial configuration leads are mainly used to allow an anchoring screw deployment mechanism (e.g., located at a distal end of the lead) to be driven by manipulation of the proximal end of the lead (e.g., wherein the plug is). For example, a surgeon may hold the proximal end of the lead body with its plug connection with one hand and rotate the pin extending from the plug with the other hand. The torque applied to the pin is transmitted via the inner conductor to the deployment and driving mechanism of the anchoring screw, which allows control of the penetration of the latter into the heart wall. Such a pin-driven lead structure is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,241,180 B1 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0211144 A1.
The presence of a movable element in the plug of coaxial configuration leads causes additional difficulties in the design and manufacturing thereof. One difficulty in the design of coaxial configuration leads is attributable to the need to maintain specific dimensional tolerances (e.g., specified by ISO standards) while achieving a minimum functional space necessary for free rotation of the axial pin. Another difficulty is attributable to sealing requirements. In some cases it is advantageous to provide sealing between the external environment and the internal regions of the plug and of the lead body (e.g., including the central lumen which receives the mobile axial conductor). Such sealing functions to prevent the penetration of body fluids between the mobile parts and in the inner areas of the plug and of the lead body. Sealing can be important in the case of a lead with defibrillation electrodes, given the important electrical energy and the high voltage passing through the plug during the application of the defibrillation shock. The structure of such a plug and the method of assembly of the mobile axial pin are challenging and difficult aspects of both the plug design and the implementation of the manufacturing method.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0211144 A1 discloses a pin mounting assembly having two concentric members. The disclosed assembly has a ring-shaped part mounted around the shaft of the pin (e.g., acting as a bearing if the pin is mobile in rotation) and a circumferential collar surrounding the ring around its periphery. The circumferential collar acts as a coupler with the plug body and is encapsulated or screwed during manufacturing. This configuration allows a rotational degree of freedom between the pin and the plug body if necessary. However, the pin mounting assembly disclosed in Publication No. 2010/0211144 leads to a relatively complex and expensive manufacturing process, requiring the production of parts with very tight tolerances in order to meet the imposed dimensional constraints. More importantly, the disclosed configuration fails to provide a satisfactory solution to the issue of very narrow tolerances despite the presence of mobile parts (e.g., the pin possibly being handled without axial or radial clearance with respect to the lead body). Additionally, the disclosed configuration fails to adequately provide absolute tightness of the internal regions of the plug and of the lead body with respect to the external environment.

Electrical connection plug for multipolar lead of active implantable medical device


A mobile device securely communicates with an electronic device within an automobile. The mobile device transmits encrypted spatial state information and the electronic device provides commands to the automobile in response. Spatial state information may include location, motion, or the like. Commands to the automobile may include door unlock commands, remote start commands, horn honk commands, or the like.

Many automobiles may be subject to a relay attack. For example, a third party electronic listening device may relay a signal from a driver's key fob to a car and record the transmission. The driver does not know that the relay has occurred because the intended action (e.g., door unlock) has been performed, but the result is that the third party now has the ability to perform the intended action without the driver's knowledge.

Electronic device for secure communications with an automobile


A magnitude only equalizer equalizes a magnitude of a received wireless signal without regard to phase distortions introduced, and transmits the magnitude equalized signal to a timing recovery loop for improved correlation peak detection in a sync based timing recovery scheme. A channel equalizer receiving the output signal from the timing recovery loop equalizes the signal and corrects any phase distortions introduced by the magnitude only equalizer. The magnitude only equalizer includes at least one filter utilizing only real coefficients and constrained such that the direct term of the overall filter structure within the magnitude only equalizer is unity.

Sync based timing recovery schemes generally assume no multipath characteristics for the received signal. When operating over a channel exhibiting long multipath profiles (significant temporal dispersion or significant delay spread), such timing recovery schemes can break down because correlation peaks may become indistinct (that is, either clear correlation peaks are not apparent or false peaks manifest). In effect, the long channel impulse response smears any underlying correlation peaks, making precise peak detection impossible.
Temporal dispersion in the received signal due to multipath interference is generally corrected by an equalizer in the receiver. A simplistic solution to the problem of multipath interference with correlation peaks would be to rectify the temporal dispersion utilizing an equalizer; however, a conventional receiver structure requires both carrier and timing recovery to be operative before equalization may be effectively employed.
The problem is thus circular in nature, with successful equalization requiring timing recovery to be operative and ideal sync based timing recovery for a multipath signal requiring equalization to be operative. In short, using a full equalizer to clean up the sync correlation peaks is neither advisable nor feasible.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for improvement of timing recovery despite multipath interference.

Blind magnitude equalizer for segment sync-based timing recovery of receivers


The camera system is constituted by the camera main body and the interchangeable lens, which is removably attachable to the camera main body. The camera main body has an imaging unit, a main body shake detector, a main body image blur corrector, and a body microcomputer configured to control the imaging unit, the shake detector, and the image blur corrector. The interchangeable lens has a shake detector, an image blur corrector, and a lens microcomputer configured to control the shake detector and the image blur corrector. The body microcomputer selects either the main body or lens shake detector, activates the selected shake detector, and stops the other shake detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera system and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly relates to a camera system for a single-reflex digital camera with image blur correctors built into an interchangeable lens and the camera main body, and to a method for controlling this system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Single-reflex digital cameras with which an optical image of a subject is converted into an electrical image signal and can be outputted are rapidly growing in popularity. With a single-reflex digital camera such as this, the camera system is made up of a camera main body and an interchangeable lens that is removably mounted on the camera main body. With this camera system, the camera main body has the basic function of forming images of subjects, and the interchangeable lens has the optical function of constituting part of the imaging optical system.
With this single-reflex digital camera, when the user looks at a subject through the viewfinder, the light that is incident on the interchangeable lens (that is, the subject image) is reflected by a reflecting mirror disposed along the optical path to the rear of the interchangeable lens, and is incident on a pentaprism. As a result, the subject image is converted by the pentaprism into an erect image, and the user can see the subject image through the optical viewfinder.
Also, with this single-reflex digital camera, since a plurality of interchangeable lenses of different focal length can be mounted on a single camera main body, the user can photograph a wide variety of scenes using the interchangeable lens best suited to each scene.
Meanwhile, there has been a proposal for standards for a single-reflex camera system in which the communication system between the camera main body and the interchangeable lens, the lens mount, and so forth are standardized in order to make such products more convenient to use. This would make these products interchangeable as long as the camera main body and interchangeable lens met the standards, so a user could combine camera main bodies and interchangeable lenses made by different manufacturers.
Thus, these single-reflex digital cameras have become a system that is extremely convenient to use, which means that as these single-reflex digital cameras become more popular, they can be used not only by the professionals and experienced amateurs who used them in the past, but also by beginners and so forth.
Nevertheless, even with a single-reflex digital camera, just as with ordinary digital cameras, hand shake often adversely affects the resulting photographic image. Therefore, as the number of pixels increases in the imaging sensors built into the camera main body, and as the enlarged printing of these photographic images becomes more prevalent, the effect of hand shake becomes more pronounced. The effect of hand shake is even more pronounced when the camera is used by a novice.
In view of this, a camera system has been proposed for a single-reflex digital camera, in which an optical image blur correction device for adjusting the optical path and thereby correcting image blur caused by hand shake is built into an interchangeable lens (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application H10-73860, for example).


A tissue mimicking phantom is disclosed, in which the tissue-mimicking phantom comprises: at least an upper gelatin layer, each configured with at least a sunken area; at least a lower gelatin layer, each disposed beneath the at least one upper gelatin layer while being configured with at least a microchannel network having blood-mimicking fluid flowing therein; and at least a micro-heater. By the use of the sunken area of the at least one upper gelatin layer to simulate shapes and depths of different trauma wounds, the healing of anyone of the trauma wounds can be accessed clinically through a physical properties test while subjecting the trauma wound under different negative pressures and different dressings.

For most medical researches, animal experiments using rats or rabbits for in vivo bioassays are usually inevitable. However, as the muscle tissues of those experimental animals and those of human are after all not quite the same, it is noted that conventional animal experiments may not be able to generate accurate assessments relating to the actual condition of trauma wounds on human tissue. In addition, since the health conditions of different testing animals may be different that it is almost impossible to manually create trauma wounds of exactly the same shape and depth on those animal so as to prepare they for in vivo test, even when subjecting those testing animals under exactly the same environment, the healing of trauma wounds on different testing animals may not be the same. Therefore, it is common to waste a lot of time trying to conclude optimum healing parameters from in vivo test and thus design a therapeutic apparatuses for healing trauma wounds.
Over the past several years, vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.) therapy has been popularized and used as an adjunctive treatment in the management of many trauma wounds, which can help heal certain non-healing wounds by removing fluids and infectious material from the site and is applied to a special foam dressing packed in the wound cavity or over a flap or graft. In such V.A.C. system, special foam dressing with an attached evacuation tube is inserted into the wound and covered with an adhesive drape in order to create an airtight seal. Negative pressure is then applied by the use of a vacuuming pump and the wound effluent is collected in a canister. Although the exact mechanism has not been elucidated, it is evident that negative pressure contributes to wound healing by removing excess interstitial fluid, increasing the vascularity of the wound, and/or creating beneficial mechanical forces that draw the edges of the wound closer together. However, most current V.A.C. studies focus their researches upon the improvement of either the V.A.C. therapeutic apparatus itself or foam dressing packed in the wound cavity, and there is no available testing platform for clinically accessing the performance and physical properties of such V.A.C. therapeutic apparatus or foam dressing with respect to trauma wounds of different shapes and depths and under different negative pressures and different dressing. Thus, currently, there is no way of knowing how well the performance and physical properties a newly developed V.A.C. therapeutic apparatus are until it is actually being applied clinically to a test animal or human volunteer. In consequence, when it comes to the development of V.A.C. therapeutic apparatus or relating foam dressing, many efforts can be wasted in the process.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Rotating polygon mirrors are configured such that angles formed by a rotation axis and mirror surfaces differs from one another in the mirror surfaces in order to shift a collecting point of a scanning light flux in a sub-scanning direction in association with rotation at constant angular speed. A collecting point position forming optical system is configured such that the collecting point is moved in an inspection range Zr in a height direction Z. The XYZ scanning is performed by moving the inspection object in the sub-scanning direction such that the collecting point shifted in the sub-scanning direction and the height direction is linearly scanned in the height direction of the inspection object in synchronization with the rotation of the rotating polygon mirror at the constant angular speed, and the an appearance positional coordinate of the inspection object is determined by a confocal method to perform the appearance inspection.

Conventionally, there are two main types of methods of geometrically measuring and inspecting a stereoscopic shape, i.e., a method of projecting various light beams to an object to measure and inspect the reflected light with a photodetector and a method in which the object is measured with a camera from plural directions under natural light of general illumination and the inspection is performed by determining the stereoscopic shape from a correlation among plural images.
The former is classified into various kinds by a light projection method, a type of the photodetector, a positional relationship thereof, and the like. In such classifications, as shown in FIG. 11A, there is a method in which a collecting light state of the reflected light by the confocal optical system is detected to search a focal position and thereby the inspection is performed by obtaining height information on the inspection object. In FIG. 11A, the irradiating light emitted from a light source 101 is emitted toward an inspection object 103, i.e., toward an irradiation direction as shown by a dotted line, a light separation mirror 104 transmits the irradiating light, and the irradiating light is collected at a collecting point Pa on the inspection object 103 by a collective lens 121. In the reflected light reflected by the collecting point Pa on a surface of the inspection object 103, the reflected light (incident reflected light) reflected toward an opposite direction to the irradiating direction is incident to the collective lens 121 again, the reflected light is reflected toward a direction orthogonal to the irradiating direction by a light separation mirror 104, and the reflected light is incident to a reflected light collective lens 105. Then, the reflected light passes through a micro hole of a shielding plate 106 while a collecting point Qa is formed in the micro hole of the shielding plate 106 by the reflected light collective lens 105, the reflected light is incident to a photodetector 107, and the photodetector 107 performs the photoelectric conversion of the light intensity into a photoelectric conversion signal output Ia. At this point, there is an optically confocal relationship between the collecting point Pa of the irradiating light collective lens 121 and the collecting point Qa of the reflected light collective lens 105 (that is, the micro hole of the shielding plate 106).
When the inspection object 103 is moved by a moving amount z from the irradiating light collecting point Pa toward the irradiating direction and located at a position of an inspection object 103-1, the reflected light reflected by the surface of the inspection object 103-1 is shown by a broken line, the reflected light collecting point is moved from the point Qa to a point Qa-1 which is close to the reflected light collective lens 105. Therefore, an image size of the reflected light is enlarged on the shielding plate 106, a quantity of the light passing through the micro hole of the shielding plate 106 is decreased in the reflected light collected by the reflected light collective lens 105, and the photoelectric conversion signal output Ia is decreased in the photodetector 107.
FIG. 11B shows a relationship between the moving amount za of the inspection object 103 and the photoelectric conversion signal output Ia of the photodetector 107. The photoelectric conversion signal output Ia becomes the maximum at the position of za=0 where a reflecting point of the inspection object 103 corresponds to the irradiating light collecting point Pa, and the photoelectric conversion signal output Ia becomes less at a position where the moving amount za is separated from zero. That is, the height information can be obtained at the irradiating light collecting point Pa of the inspection object 103 to perform the appearance inspection by moving the inspection object 103 in the irradiating direction or an opposite direction to the irradiating direction (hereinafter referred to as Z direction) to determine the moving amount za at which the photoelectric conversion signal output Ia becomes the maximum.
FIG. 11A shows an example of a method of moving only the inspection object 103. However, when the positions in the Z direction of the collecting point Pa of the irradiating light and the inspection object 103 are changed (hereinafter referred to as Z scanning), the same effect is obtained. It is clear that a method of moving the whole of the optical system while fixing the inspection object 103, which is of the Z scanning method, has the effect similar to the method of moving only the inspection object 103. FIGS. 12A and 12B show other Z scanning methods.
FIG. 12A shows a method in which the Z scanning is realized by moving only the irradiating light collective lens 121 in the optical system in the Z direction to move the irradiating light collecting point Pa to a point Pa−1. The method is useful in the case where the irradiating light incident to the irradiating light collective lens 121 is close to a parallel light. Only the irradiating light collective lens 121 is the moving body and the irradiating light collective lens 121 is usually light, so that high-speed measurement and simplified mechanism are achieved (for example, see Patent Document 1).
FIG. 12B shows a method in which an optical distance da between the irradiating light collective lens 121 and the inspection object 103 is changed by inserting parallel glass 110 havin g a thickness ta and a refractive index nn between the irradiating light collective lens 121 and the inspection object 103, and thereby the irradiating light collecting point Pa is moved to a point Pa−2 to realize the Z scanning. In the method, the plural pieces of parallel glass having the different thicknesses or refractive indexes are sequentially inserted between the irradiating light collective lens 121 and the inspection object 103, a disc in which the plural pieces of parallel glass are arranged is rotated at high speed, and thereby the high-speed Z scanning can be achieved (for example, see Patent Document 2).
Furthermore, there is a method, in which the reflected light from the inspection object 103 is branched into plural light beams by the plural light separation mirrors 104, the photoelectric conversion signal outputs Ia of branched reflected light beams are simultaneously measured to form the optical system equivalent to the Z scanning method by the plural shielding plates 106 and the plural photodetectors 107 which are placed at positions having different distances from the reflected light collective lens 105 in each branched reflected light, and thereby a time necessary for the Z scanning (for example, a time necessary to move the inspection object 103 and a time necessary to move the irradiating light collective lens 121) can be neglected to realize the high-speed Z scanning (for example, see Patent Document 3).
Thus, the height information on the inspection object 103 can be obtained at the irradiating light collecting point Pa by performing the Z scanning in the confocal method. Furthermore, the inspection object 103 is moved in an X direction and a Y direction which are orthogonal to the Z direction and orthogonal to each other, and the position of the irradiating light collecting point Pa is changed in the Y direction with respect to the inspection object 103 (hereinafter referred to as Y scanning) while the position of the irradiating light collecting point Pa is changed in the X direction with respect to the inspection object 103 (hereinafter referred to as X scanning), and thereby a stereoscopic coordinate (positional coordinate) of the inspection object 103 can be obtained to perform the appearance inspection (for example, see Patent Document 1). Similarly the positional coordinate of the inspection object 103 can be obtained to perform the appearance inspection, in the case where the inspection object 103 is fixed while the whole of the optical system is moved in the X direction and in the Y direction, or in the case where the inspection object 103 is moved in the X direction or in the Y direction while the whole of the optical system is moved in the X direction or in the Y direction.
One of means for achieving the high-speed X scanning and Y scanning is a method in which an optical system for scanning the irradiating light is newly provided in the above optical system to realize the X scanning and Y scanning (for example, see Patent Document 4). There is also a method in which multi-point simultaneous measurement is performed in an XY lattice manner by arranging many confocal optical systems including the light sources 101 to photodetectors 107 in the measuring optical system (for example, see Patent Document 5).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S62-245949    Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H9-126739    Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H5-40035    Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H3-231105    Patent Document 5: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H9-257440

Apparatus and method for appearance inspection


Method, apparatus and system for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system that includes at least one of a traffic class mechanism in conjunction with virtual channel resources so as to be able to associate Load/Store and DMA flows to/from an input/output adapter, and a relaxed ordering mechanism for associating a relaxed ordering bit to Load/Store operations to an input/output adapter. Functionality for controlling the input/output adapter data flow is provided in a host bridge that connects the input/output adapter to a system bus of the data processing system.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the data processing field and, more particularly, to a method, apparatus and system for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system.
2. Description of Related Art
In a data processing system, it is important to ensure that operations involving the flow of data to and from an input/output adapter (IOA) are kept ordered relative to one another in order to assure a consistent programming model between the IOA and the device driver software which is controlling the IOA. This is conventionally accomplished by following strict ordering rules with respect to the data flows. It is also important to keep operations involving the flow of data to and from one IOA separate from flows to and from other IOAs so as to eliminate performance bottlenecks due to interactions of the flows between different IOAs.
In a data processing system using PCI(Peripheral Component Interconnect)-Express, it is known that interactions between data flows can be controlled by providing the data processing system with a traffic class (TC) mechanism in conjunction with virtual channel (VC) resources provided by PCI-Express. VCs comprise a separate set of resources through which IOA data flow operations can be routed, and TCs provide a mechanism for defining a priority between data flow operations being routed through a VC. By using the TC mechanism in conjunction with VCs, IOA data flow operations, for example, DMA (Direct Memory Access) and MMIO (Memory Mapped Input/Output) operations, can be differentiated from one another to help eliminate bottlenecks and to generally improve overall system performance. In addition, the PCI-Express specifications describe a relaxed ordering (RO) bit in the transaction flow, which can be used to relax the ordering between operations within the same TC and VC.
The specifications for PCI-Express describe how different TCs/VCs and the RO bit are handled below a PCI Host Bridge (PHB), hut do not describe how TCs/VCs are associated with IOAs or how the RO bit is controlled for Load/Store operations. In general, there are not enough TCs/VCs to be able to provide every IOA unit with its own TC/VC. Accordingly, a mechanism is needed to associate a TC/VC with an IOA unit. In particular, such a mechanism is needed in order to associate Load/Store operations from the data processing system above the PHB to Direct Memory Access (DMA) operations from below the PHB because ordering rules between the two flows need to be obeyed when the two flows are combined, and are modified based on whether or not the flows are in the same TC/VC. In order to be able to separate flows for IOA units that are to be treated separately, for example, different IOAs or different functions of IOAs, a mechanism is needed to associate the Load/Store and DMA flows to/from an IOA unit. Similarly, a mechanism is needed to associate the RO bit state with a Load/Store operation to control the ordering between operations in the same TC/VC.
It would, accordingly, be advantageous to provide a mechanism for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system that includes a TC mechanism in conjunction with VC resources so as to be able to associate Load/Store and DMA flows to/from an input/output adapter. It would also, accordingly, be advantageous to provide a mechanism for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system that includes an RO bit in the transaction, so as to be able to relax the ordering between operations to/from an IOA.

Isolation of input/output adapter traffic class/virtual channel and input/output ordering domains

International Business Machines Corporation


A GPU comprises: a GPR comprising registers; an L1 cache coupled to the GPR and configured to implement a pixel mapping by: segregating pixels of an image into regions, the regions comprise a first region and a second region, the first region comprises first pixels, and the second region comprises second pixels, loading the first pixels into the GPR in a horizontal manner, and loading the second pixels into the GPR in a vertical manner; and an ALU configured to read the first pixels and the second pixels independently of a shared memory.

Hardware accelerators are computer hardware components that perform operations in place of software in general-purpose central processing units (CPUs). Chip designers implement hardware accelerators when the hardware accelerators perform those operations more efficiently than the software. A graphics processing unit (GPU) is one type of hardware accelerator that uses memory components to create images intended for output to displays.

Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)-centric operations in graphics processing units (GPUs)


Methods and apparatus are provided for avoiding attempts by a UE to attach to a RAT network when that RAT network is unavailable. According to certain aspects, the UE may detect scenarios when the RAT network is unavailable and take preemptive action to prevent the UE from attempting to acquire service on that RAT. For example, the UE may effectively remove that RAT from a list of supported RATs by sending a UE capability message indicating that RAT is not supported, which may prevent network-initiated transitions of the UE to that RAT. The UE may also remove the unavailable RAT from an internal list of supported RATs, which may prevent UE-initiated transitions to that RAT.

Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, and broadcast services. These wireless communication networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources. Examples of such multiple-access networks include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) networks, Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) networks, and Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks.
A wireless communication network may include a number of eNodeBs that can support communication for a number of user equipments (UEs). A UE may communicate with an eNodeB via the downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the eNodeB to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the eNodeB.
As wireless communication technology advances, a growing number of different radio access technologies are being utilized. For instance, many geographic areas are now served by multiple wireless communication systems, each of which can utilize one or more different radio access technologies (RATs). In order to increase versatility of UEs in such systems, there recently has been an increasing trend toward multi-mode UEs that are able to operate in networks using multiple different types of RATs. For example, a multi-mode UE may be able to operate in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) systems, as well as long term evolution (LTE) systems.
While allowing a UE to operate across systems with different RATs helps enhance service coverage, switching between such systems may present a challenge, for example, due to different operating requirements.

Methods and systems for avoiding transitions between radio access technologies when packet data networks are inaccessible


A fiber optic cable pulling method uses a series of large-diameter capstan winches placed at intermediate access points along the conduit through which multiple runs of fiber optic cable is to be pulled. Each capstan winch simultaneously pulls a portion of each of the cables through a segment of the conduit at a substantially uniform velocity and tension. The capstan wheel of each winch is sized frictionally to engage the cables without exceeding its minimum bending radius. The cables simultaneously wind around each capstan wheel. The winches are independently controlled to maintain pulling tension on each portion of the cable below a predetermined tension which, if exceeded, could damage the fiber optics in the cable. The capstan winches are spaced sufficiently close together to pull a portion of the cables in parallel through each conduit segment of a tension ordinarily less than the maximum tension porvided by the capstant winches. If a portion of the cable catches in a segment of conduit, the winches cease pulling along the entire length of the cable. The cables are pulled from a common pull rope and the speeds of the intermediate winches are set relative to an end winch and one another so that the cables slip slightly on the capstant wheels to continuously apply substantially equal tensions to the cables in each segment.

This invention relates to method and apparatus for pulling wire cables and fiber optic cables through underground conduit, and more particularly to pull ropes for pulling such cables.
Fiber optic cable is composed of a bundle of long, thin fibers of glass, plastic or other transparent material, closed within a protective sheath. Encoded light pulses carrying audio and video signals are sent through the fiber much like electric current travels along a wire. The advantage of fiber optic cable over conventional cable lies in its transmission characteristics. Because of the fiber's thinness and superior attenuation characteristics, a fiber optic cable can carry a much higher rate of information over many more channels than a comparably sized wire cable.
However, fiber optic cable is more difficult to lay than conventional cable. It lacks the tensional strength of conventional wire cable and will fracture at a much lower pulling tension. Furthermore, because of its construction, fiber optic cable is relatively inflexible. Typically, the fibers are bundled in a spiral fashion around a stiff steel support wire within a hard plastic protective sheath. Bending of the cable beyond a limited range can break the fibers within.
Because of these material drawbacks, conventional pulling methods and apparatus have proven inadequate for pulling more than a relatively short length of fiber optic cable through an underground conduit. These methods usually comprise placing a single winch at the conduit exit, passing a pull rope attached to the fiber optic cable through the conduit to the winch, and operating the winch to pull the rope and cable through the conduit until the rope is completely wound on the winch and the cable reaches the conduit exit. Pulling a cable in such a manner requires considerable tension to overcome the frictional drag of the cable and pull rope along the conduit surface. The winch pulling tension necessary to overcome this drag quickly increases as the length of pull increases. Lubricant is conventionally used to reduce drag but does not solve the problem. Typically, no more than 2,000 feet of cable can be pulled before the winch tension exceeds the cable's tensional limit. (However, the length of pull varies with the condition of the conduit.) In contrast, many times that length of wire cable can be pulled without the cable breaking.
The extra pulling requires more time and manpower in moving the winches and setting up the apparatus. Moreover, connecting the relatively short lengths of fiber optic cable adds substantial additional cost to installation of the cable. Each connection demands expensive and time-consuming splicing. The extra splicing in turn creates resistance to the transmitted light pulses which must be overcome by the installation of additional signal repeaters along the cable to boost the signal strength.
To increase the maximum continuous length of fiber optic cable which may be pulled, several techniques have been developed. My own prior invention of a intermediate capstan winch system and pulling method, described in my above-cited patents has proven to be the most effective over nearly five years of use. Nevertheless, improvements remain to be made.
Typically, pulling cable through conduit by conventional means begins by connecting the cable to be pulled to a pull rope that has previously been placed in a conduit. The preferred method for installing the pull rope is to blow it in to the conduit pneumatically. The pull rope is then connected to the cable at the entry end of the conduit and is pulled toward the exit end of the conduit by a winch located at the exit end. Usually, the cable comes wound on a spool, and as the cable is pulled through the entry end of the conduit, the cable unwinds from the spool.
Frequently, conduit for cable is placed in the same passageway along with other underground utilities through a network of manholes. Because space for these utilities is limited, conduit must often be routed around other utilities by curving and twisting the conduit. Moreover, conduit must sometimes be installed in places where it is necessary to turn at 90 degree angles, e.g., when cables are routed into buildings from underground manholes.
Each place where the conduit bends, the outer surfaces of the pull rope and cable chafe against the inside of the conduit as each are pulled through the conduit. As a result, friction and resistance are generated. In addition, even in straight conduit, there can be substantial resistance and friction between the pull rope or cable against the conduit.
As a result of friction and resistance, tension is created in the pull rope. Since friction occurs over the whole length of pull rope, the largest tensile forces will occur at the most downstream portion of the conduit, i.e., at the exit end of the conduit. Consequently, this causes the highest levels of abrasion, on the conduit and on the rope, to occur toward the exit end of the conduit, on long pulls of cable.
Since lengths of conduit are commonly 2000 feet and longer, and the length of pull rope in successive segments of conduit is sometimes longer than 10,000 feet, extensive friction by the pull rope against the conduit is generated. Accordingly, the friction generated by longer pulls can cause extensive abrasion of the pull rope, the conduit, and the cable.
In addition, the amount stretch in the pull rope is another factor that a cable installer must consider. As the length of pull becomes longer and the tensile forces become greater, the pull rope will be subject to a large amount of stretch. The additional amount of stretch in longer pulls may become critical thus limiting the maximum length of pull.
In light of the foregoing, there is an established need for low friction pull ropes that are less inclined to abrade and stretch.
Today, the most common types of pull rope are made from fibers of either polyethylene, polyester, cotton, or a combination thereof. Typically, these ropes are either twisted or braided. In addition, ropes made with a braided plastic outer cover in combination with a polyester core have also been used for pulling cable. As will be seen, however, each of the above materials and rope structures have drawbacks that make the search for a more suitable rope a continuing exercise.
One of the most widely used materials used in producing pull ropes is polyethylene. Generally, polyethylene rope is either single braided or twisted, and is usually is yellow in color. Even though twisted Polyethylene is somewhat more common as a pulling rope, both the twisted and the single braided ropes share the same disadvantages. Included as disadvantages are stiffness which makes it difficult to blow into conduit, high elasticity manifested by excessive stretching; abrasiveness to the point of cutting PVC conduit; high resistance from friction when hot thus increasing tension forces. Finally, polyethylene rope will not hold water that is sometimes required for lubrication during the pull.
Polyester rope is softer and therefore more readily blown into conduit. Moreover, braided polyester rope is less prone to stretch than is polyethylene rope. Never the less, polyester rope has several disadvantages. The most notable is that it is highly resistive, it frays easily, and it wears out quickly.
Finally, a more recent addition to the assortment of pull ropes is rope constructed of a braided plastic outer cover over a braided or twisted polyester core. This type of pull rope has the advantage of low friction and thus low abrasion resulting in little need for lubrication. However, this type of rope also has disadvantages, e.g., it is difficult to splice, it is difficult to tie knots, it is hard to blow in conduit, it does not store easy, and it is very bulky.
In the pulling of fiber optic cable, experience has proven it desirable to divide a long conduit, e.g., 20,000 or more feet, into shorter, e.g., 2000 to 3000 foot lengths, and to place intermediate capstan winches at manholes or access openings at the end of each segment. This arrangement allows long, unbroken fiber optic cables to be pulled into conduit without exceeding the maximum tensile strength and bending radius limits of the cable. It means, however, that the pull rope must be pulled over very long distances over which it is subjected to high abrasion and wear. It also means that the conduit itself, particularly the downstream segments, are subjected to substantial abrasion from pulling tens of thousands of feet of continuous pull rope through it. This factor in pulling fiber optic cable makes the disadvantages of conventional pull ropes more critical in modern fiber optic cable placement methods.
In addition, the use of intermediate capstan winches requires that operators be able to control frictional engagement of the pull rope and cable surfaces with the circumferential surfaces of the winch. By using conventional pull ropes that create higher levels of friction and resistance on such surfaces, an operator could find that engagement and disengagement of the frictional surfaces are difficult to control. Consequently, this could result in too much tension, which in turn could damage the fiber optic cable.
Another consideration is that conventional pull ropes have considerably more frictional resistance against conduit inner surfaces than do fiber optic cables. Because of this, the transition from pull rope to fiber optic cable over an intermediate capstan could be difficult to control by the operator. One way to lessen the effects of this transition would be to use a low friction pull rope, i.e., one with a frictional resistance closer to that of fiber optic cable.
For all of the foregoing reasons, the need remains for a method and apparatus for pulling long runs of fiber optic cable quickly and efficiently while keeping friction and resistance to a minimum.

Low friction pulling of fiber optic cable in conduit


A suspension assembly for a head gimbal assembly of a disk drive includes a laminated flexure that includes a tongue for attachment of a read head. The suspension assembly includes a load beam that, in a first aspect of the present invention has a protruding dimple that contacts the tongue. In this aspect of the invention, a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating is disposed between and contacting the dimple and the tongue. For example, the DLC may be disposed on the tongue at the location of contact with the load beam dimple. Alternatively, in a second aspect of the present invention, the tongue may have a protruding dimple that contacts the load beam. In this aspect of the invention, a DLC coating is disposed between and contacting the dimple and the load beam.

Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data in computers and other consumer electronics devices. A magnetic hard disk drive is an example of an information storage device that includes one or more heads that can both read and write, but other information storage devices also include heads—sometimes including heads that cannot write. For convenience, all heads that can read are referred to as "read heads" herein, regardless of other devices and functions the read head may also perform (e.g. writing, flying height control, touch down detection, lapping control, etc).
In a modern magnetic hard disk drive device, each read head is a sub-component of a head gimbal assembly (HGA). The HGA typically also includes a suspension assembly that includes a mounting plate, a load beam, and a laminated flexure to carry the electrical signals to and from the read head. The read head is typically bonded to a tongue portion of the laminated flexure. The HGA, in turn, is a sub-component of a head stack assembly (HSA) that typically includes a plurality of HGAs, a rotary actuator, and a flex cable. The mounting plate of each suspension assembly is attached to an arm of the rotary actuator (e.g. by swaging), and each of the laminated flexures includes a flexure tail that is electrically connected to the HSA's flex cable (e.g. by solder reflow bonding or ultrasonic bonding).
Modern laminated flexures typically include electrically conductive copper traces that are isolated from a stainless steel support layer by a polyimide dielectric layer. So that the signals from/to the head can reach the flex cable on the actuator body, each HGA flexure includes a flexure tail that extends away from the head along the actuator arm and ultimately attaches to the flex cable adjacent the actuator body. That is, the flexure includes electrically conductive traces that are electrically connected to a plurality of electrically conductive bonding pads on the head (e.g. by gold ball bonding), and extend from adjacent the head to terminate at electrical connection points at the flexure tail.
The read head typically comprises a slider that includes an air bearing surface (ABS) that faces the magnetic disk surface, a trailing face, and a back face that is opposite the ABS and that faces away from the ABS. A read/write transducer and a plurality of head bond pads are typically disposed on the trailing face of the slider. The read/write transducer typically comprises a magneto-resistive read element (e.g. so-called giant magneto-resistive read element, or a tunneling magneto-resistive read element), and an inductive write structure comprising a flat coil deposited by photolithography, and a yoke structure having pole tips that face a disk media. Conventionally, the back face of the slider is typically permanently bonded to the tongue portion of the fragile laminated flexure by an adhesive, in a position such that the plurality of head bond pads are aligned with corresponding bond pads on the laminated flexure.
The load beam of the HGA suspension assembly serves to preload the read head against the surface of the spinning disk, by a preload force conventionally known as the "gram load." Such preload is functionally important to the development of the air bearing, since the pressure of the air bearing (when integrated across the air bearing surface) sums to be in equilibrium with the preload. Structurally, the preload is transferred from the load beam to the read head through a dimple contact interface between the load beam and the flexure tongue. For example, the dimple may protrude from the load beam and contact a flat surface of the flexure tongue, or else a dimple may protrude from the flexure tongue and contact the load beam.
The dimple contact is conventionally a stainless-steel-contacting-stainless-steel interface, which can become degraded by fretting wear over time. Specifically, fretting wear and corrosion may occur from prolonged relative pivoting motion at the dimple contact location, which may further cause undesirable stick and slip and corrosion at that interface, which also may create undesirable iron oxide particulate contamination within the disk drive. Hence, there is a need in the art for improved HGA suspension assembly structures and materials that may reduce wear or corrosion at the dimple contact location.

Disk drive head suspension assembly having a DLC coating between dimple and tongue