The object of the present invention is to realize reduction of the level jitter generated from a noise component at a signal saturation level or a waveform distortion in a portion except for signal polarity portions (rising edge and falling edge), and good error characteristics. In the present invention, a predetermined upper or lower limit value is set to reproduction signals, the reproduction signals are subjected to a limiter processing for correcting reproduction signals of the upper limit value or more, or the lower limit value or less to the level of the upper limit value or the lower limit value, respectively, the signal subjected to the limiter processing is subjected to a partial response equalizing (PR equalizing) processing, and PR reproduction is performed to improve the level jitter at PR detection time and the error rate at information reproduction time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reproducing information by irradiating an optical recording medium with a reproduction light beam, and in particular to a method and apparatus for reproducing information using a magneto-optical recording medium of domain wall displacement detection type.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a magneto-optical recording medium has been used for a rewritable high-density recording system in which information is recorded by writing magnetic domains in a magnetic thin film using the thermal energy of a semiconductor laser and from which the information is read using a magneto-optical effect. Also, in recent years, a demand has grown to further enhance the recording density of this magneto-optical recording medium to obtain a large-capacity recording medium.
By the way, the linear recording density of an optical disk, such as a magneto-optical recording medium, greatly depends on the laser wavelength of a reproduction optical system and the numerical aperture of an objective lens. That is, when the laser wavelength λ of the reproduction optical system and the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens are determined, the diameter of a beam waist is also determined. Hence, the detectable spatial frequency at the time of reproduction of recording marks has an upper limit of around 2 NA/λ.
Therefore, in order to increase the density of the conventional optical disk, it is necessary to shorten the laser wavelength of the reproduction optical system and to increase the NA of the objective lens. However, the improvement of the laser wavelength and the numerical aperture of the objective lens has limitations. Consequently, various techniques have been developed to improve the recording density by devising the construction of the recording medium and a reading method therefrom.
For instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-290496 proposes a signal reproduction method and apparatus for recording a signal in a recording layer that is a multilayered film including a reproduction layer and a recording layer magnetically connected to each other, and at the time of reproduction, displacing the domain wall of a recording mark of the reproduction layer without changing recording data in the recording layer by utilizing a temperature gradient caused by irradiation with a light beam for heating to thereby magnetize almost the entire region of the reproduction layer in the spot of the light beam for reproduction in the same direction, detecting the change of the deflecting surface of reflection light of the light beam for reproduction and reproducing the recording mark below the diffraction limit of light.
According to this method, a reproduction signal becomes a rectangular shape, so that it becomes possible to reproduce the recording mark below the diffraction limit of an optical system without lowering a reproduction signal amplitude, thereby largely improving the recording density and the transfer rate.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a construction of a magneto-optical recording and reproduction apparatus using a magneto-optical recording medium of domain wall displacement detection type. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a magneto-optical disk of domain wall displacement detection type. This magneto-optical disk 1 has a construction where a magneto-optical recording film 3 is formed on a substrate 2 made of glass or a plastic, and a protective film 4 is further formed on the magneto-optical recording film 3.
The magneto-optical recording film 3 is produced by stacking a plurality of magnetic layers, and information is reproduced from the film by displacing the domain wall of a recording mark of the reproduction layer and enlarging magnetization in a reproduction spot without changing recording data in the recording layer by utilizing a temperature gradient caused by irradiation with a light beam for reproduction in a manner to be described in detail later. Then, changing of the deflecting surface of reflection light of the light beam for reproduction by the medium is detected and the recording mark below the diffraction limit of an optical system is reproduced.
The magneto-optical disk 1 is supported above a spindle motor (not shown) by magnet chucking or the like and is set so as to be freely rotated with respect to a rotation axis. Reference numeral 5 denotes an optical head that irradiates the magneto-optical disk 1 with laser light for recording/reproduction and gains information from reflection light. This optical head 5 includes a condensing lens (for instance, NA: 0.60), an actuator that drives the condensing lens, a semiconductor laser (for instance, wavelength λ: 650 nm), a beam splitter, a polarizing beam splitter, and a photosensor that detects reflection light from the magneto-optical disk 1. The laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser is applied to the magneto-optical disk 1 through a group of optical components such as the condensing lens.
At this time, the condensing lens is controlled by the actuator so as to move in a focusing direction and a tracking direction in order to sequentially focus the laser light on the magneto-optical recording film 3 of the magneto-optical disk 1 and to perform tracking along a guide groove formed in the magneto-optical disk 1.
The laser light reflected from the magneto-optical disk 1 is detected by the photosensor through the group of optical components. The photosensor is divided into a plurality of sensors, with the laser light being deflected in different defection directions corresponding to the polarity of the magnetization of the magneto-optical recording film 3 and being condensed on the respective sensors corresponding to the different defection directions. Then, differential amplification of outputs from those sensors generates a magneto-optical signal. This magneto-optical signal is inputted into a partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) processing circuit through LPF (not shown) and the like, thereby gaining reproduction information with higher accuracy. In this specification, a PR equalizing circuit 11 for performing waveform equalization of a reproduction signal and a Viterbi decoding circuit 12 for performing Viterbi decoding are collectively referred to as the "PRML processing circuit".
A controller 6 controls an LD driver 7, a magnetic head driver 8, and the like by inputting, input information, the number of rotations and recording radius of the magneto-optical disk 1 and recording sector information as well as the environmental temperature and the like; and outputting a recording power, a recording signal, and the like. Reference numeral 9 denotes a magnetic head that applies a modulation magnetic field to a laser irradiation region of the magneto-optical disk 1 at the time of a recording operation and is arranged so as to oppose the optical head 5 with the interposition of the magneto-optical disk 1 therebetween. The magnetic head 9 is driven by the magnetic head driver 8.
At the time of information recording, the optical head 5 irradiates the magneto-optical disk 1 with recording laser light and simultaneously a magnetic field having a different polarity is applied from the magnetic head 9 in accordance with a recording signal. Also, the magnetic head 9 moves in the radial direction of the magneto-optical disk 1 in an interlocked manner with the optical head 5 and sequentially applies the magnetic field to the laser light irradiation region of the magneto-optical disk 1 at the time of recording, thereby recording information.
Next, an operation for recording information will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7E. FIG. 7A shows a recording signal, FIG. 7B shows a recording power of the semiconductor laser, FIG. 7C shows a modulation magnetic field of the magnetic head 9, FIG. 7D shows a recording mark string recorded in the magneto-optical disk 1, and FIG. 7E shows a reproduction signal.
At the time of recording of the recording signal as shown in FIG. 7A, a light beam for recording having the predetermined recording power as shown in FIG. 7B is applied from the optical head 5 to the magneto-optical disk 1 concurrently with the start of the recording operation, and the modulation magnetic field as shown in FIG. 7C based on the recording signal of FIG. 7A is simultaneously applied to a light beam irradiation region of the magneto-optical disk 1 from the magnetic head 9.
Here, so-called pulse magnetic field modulation is adopted in which the applied magnetic field is modulated in accordance with the recording information and the recording laser light is modulated in a pulse manner in stationary cycles. As a result of those operations, in the course of cooling of the magneto-optical recording film 3 of the magneto-optical disk 1, the recording mark string as shown in FIG. 7D is formed in the magneto-optical disk 1. The slanted line portions and open portions of the recording mark string as shown in FIG. 7D represent magnetic domains having mutually opposite magnetization directions. Also, adopting such magnetic field modulation recording enables magnetic domains smaller than a spot size to be formed.
Next, a reproduction operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8D. In the following description, a case will be described as an example, in which the magneto-optical recording film 3 of the magneto-optical disk 1 has a three-layer structure composed of a record holding layer (recording layer) where recording marks are held; a domain wall displacement layer (reproduction layer) where a domain wall is displaced to directly contribute to a reproduction signal; and a switching layer that switches a connection state between the recording layer and the reproduction layer.
FIG. 8A shows the state of magnetic domain reproduction, FIG. 8B shows a recording film state, FIG. 8C shows a medium temperature state, and FIG. 8D shows a reproduction signal. At the time of information reproduction, as shown in FIG. 8A, the magneto-optical recording film 3 is heated to a Ts temperature condition at which a domain wall of the reproduction layer of the magneto-optical recording film 3 is displaced, by irradiation with a light beam for reproduction. At this time, the switching layer as shown in FIG. 8B is placed under a state where it is connected with the recording layer and the reproduction layer by an exchange coupling in a region having a temperature below Ts.
When the magneto-optical recording film 3 is heated to the temperature Ts or higher by the irradiation with the light beam, the temperature of the switching layer reaches a Curie point and the switching layer is placed under a state where the connection with the reproduction layer and the recording layer is disconnected. Therefore, concurrently with the reaching of the domain wall of a recording mark to this Ts temperature range, the domain wall of the reproduction layer is instantly displaced to a position at which the domain wall exists with stability in terms of energy with respect to a temperature gradient of the reproduction layer, that is, to the maximum temperature point in the linear density direction of a temperature rise due to the irradiation with the light beam, while going across a land.
As a result, the magnetization state of the great majority of a region covered with the light beam for reproduction becomes the same, so that it becomes possible to obtain a reproduction signal having a shape close to the rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 8D even from a minute recording mark that cannot be reproduced according to an ordinary light beam reproduction principle. Accordingly, it becomes possible to reproduce the recording mark below the diffraction limit of an optical system with almost no lowering of a reproduction signal amplitude and to substantially improve a recording density and a transfer rate.
Next, a reproduction signal processing method of the PRML processing circuit shown in FIG. 6 will be described. In partial response signal processing applied to an ordinary optical disk reproduction signal, a partial response PR (1,1) or PR (1,2,1) is generally used because the optical disk reproduction signal has DC components and inter-code interferences due to lowering of a spatial frequency resulting from limitations of the optical system exert an influence.
When a magneto-optical medium of domain wall displacement detection type is used, however, the inter-code interferences due to the limitations of the optical system do not occur and a merit in adopting partial response that is a differentiating system is advocated against the backdrop of an increase in influence of crosstalk resulting from a reduction in track pitch and the like. For instance, by adopting a partial response PR (1, −1), it becomes possible to perform reproduction signal processing where the influence of low-frequency crosstalk components that are optically readable spatial frequencies is eliminated.
FIGS. 9A to 9H illustrate an example of PR (1, −1) reproduction signal processing. Note that a case where a (1, 7) RLL code is used as a modulation code will be described as an example. FIG. 9A shows an information signal string, FIG. 9B shows a recording signal string, FIG. 9C shows a recording mark string in the case where the recording signal is recorded in the magneto-optical disk, FIG. 9D shows a magneto-optical reproduction signal of domain wall displacement detection type in the case where the recording marks are reproduced, FIG. 9E shows a sampling signal level in the case where the reproduction signal of FIG. 9D is sampled with reference to PLL clocks, and FIG. 9F shows a signal level in the case where PR (1, −1) equalizing processing is performed on the sampling data of FIG. 9E.
FIG. 9G also shows a histogram of the signal level of FIG. 9F, that is, so-called level jitter. FIG. 9H shows a result of PR reproduction processing judgment where a three-value-level judgment is performed on the signal level of FIG. 9F and it is judged whether the signal level is "0" or not. In more detail, when the signal level is "0", a judged result gives "0", and, when the signal level is not "0", a judged result gives "1".
Here, the information string as shown in FIG. 9H is reproduction of the information signal string as shown in FIG. 9A, which means that it is possible to reproduce the information. The fundamental processing principle of the PR processing has been described above. However, usually the three-value-level judgment as shown in FIG. 9H is not directly performed, a technique is used in which the signal level of FIG. 9F is further processed and subjected to PRML processing which performs reproduction signal processing using maximum likelihood decoding (ML) or Viterbi decoding, whereby reproduction information with less errors is obtained.
In conventional magneto-optical reproduction of domain wall displacement detection reproduction type, the reproduction signal waveform becomes a rectangular waveform having no inter-code interference, as described above. FIG. 10A shows an example of this reproduction signal waveform. As shown in FIG. 10A, when attention is focused on a saturation amplitude portion (portion surrounded by a circle A) where no level fluctuation of the signal waveform originally exists, many high-frequency noise components are actually contained. Also, in a portion (portion surrounded by a circle B) where no level fluctuation originally exists, there sometimes occurs a situation where a level fluctuation and a waveform distortion occur.
Those high-frequency noise and waveform distortion lead to a level error at the time of PR detection, that is, those become a cause for deterioration of level jitter in the signal level histogram shown in FIG. 9G. In ordinary cases, those noises are removed using a low-pass filter (LPF). However, the LPF affects not only the noises but also the inclinations of the rising edge and falling edge of signal polarity changing of the rectangular reproduction signal. Consequently, there is a case where the excess application of the LPF results in deterioration of jitter at the edge positions of the signal polarity changing and an adverse effect is exerted on PLL detection and the like.
FIG. 10B also shows a sampling level in the case where sampling is performed after the reproduction signal of FIG. 10A has passed through the LPF. As can be seen from this figure, the rising edge and falling edge of the signal polarity changing are gently changed. If the rising edge and the falling edge are changed in this manner, this leads to a problem in that levels of the reproduction signal at sampling points with interposition of the edge position therebetween are changed as indicated by arrows in FIG. 10B and this in turn changes levels in the histogram.

Method and apparatus for reproducing recording mark below diffraction limit of light from optical recording medium


An ergonomically enhanced backpack comprises a frame having a semi-rigid dorsal plate contoured to the shape of the lumbar region. The dorsal plate is secured to the body by a combination of shoulder straps and waist belt. An expandable cargo compartment is behind the dorsal mounted plate and sandwiched between the dorsal plate and a panel or netting. Drawstrings combined with the belt allow the user to pull the panel or netting toward the dorsal plate, and thus compress the load against the lumbar area closer to the body's center of gravity. In the first embodiment, that panel has a hinged door giving access to the cargo compartment. A detachable, soft shell bag is mounted over the cargo compartment.

The ability of hikers, mountaineers, or other outdoors enthusiasts to carry heavy loads in their knapsacks with relative ease depends in great part upon the placement of the burden or load in relation to the body and its distribution over the shoulders, hips and lumbar area of the user. In theory, the most efficient load placement would be immediately above the human body center of gravity, i.e., the center of the pelvis. Moreover, in order to minimize pressure against the body tissues, the load-bearing area of the knapsack should be spread widely over the contacting area of the body. Knapsacks of the prior art have addressed the latter issue by securing the lower part of the knapsack to a relatively wide belt that spreads the load around the waist. A specimen of this type of knapsack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,759 Dreissigacker et al. The former issue of weight distribution has been addressed by providing shallow, but very high, knapsacks which distribute the weight over relatively small horizontal footprint and not too far from the spine. Examples of those narrow knapsacks are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,740 Carlson, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,159 Gregory. Tall knapsacks are rather unwieldy and impractical. Each item of their contents must be packed on top or below another. In order to remove an item near the bottom of the bag, every other item above it has to be taken out. Another disadvantage associated with tall knapsacks, is that they shift the center of gravity of the combined body and bag quite high which may cause the user to lose his balance when leaning forward, backward or sideways.
The instant invention results from a methodical attempt to resolve the above disadvantages of the knapsacks of the prior art.


A spring-biased support pole 10 for supporting a boat cover 40 over a boat during transport of the boat as well as docking of the boat. The support pole comprises a base 14 and a support rod system 100 connected to the base. The support rod system comprises at least two support rod sections 110, 120 that are telescopically connected to one another and a spring 20. The spring is positioned between the telescoping connection of a first support rod section and a second support rod section, such that the spring controls vertical movement of the second support rod section with respect to the first support rod section and provides a biasing force that is applied to the second support rod section and to the cover supported by the support pole.

The present invention relates generally to support poles for supporting boat covers attached to a boat. More specifically, the invention relates to a spring-biased support pole having a base such that the support pole may be tilted and can be safely used to support the boat cover on the boat while the boat is being transported.
A boat is generally covered when not in use with a flexible material, such as a canvas tarp. Typically the boat cover extends over the top of the boat from bow to stern. When the boat is left at a dock, the cover over the boat reduces the amount of dirt that will accumulate on the boat and further protects the boat and any contents stored in and on the boat from weather, theft or vandalism. When a boat is towed by a motor vehicle, a cover over the top of the boat will improve the wind resistance of the boat and also enables the boat owner to store articles in and on the boat during transport.
Boat covers are generally attached to the boat around the boat via metal snaps or other tie-down mechanisms. When the boat is being towed by a motor vehicle, for example when transporting the boat to and from a body of water, the tarp will move, or flap with respect to the boat. When the boat is towed on a highway at high speeds, the boat cover may violently flap in the wind, causing undo wear and tear to the cover and sometimes damage to the boat.
Mechanisms currently used to tighten covers attached to boats can break and occasionally permit the cover to fly off of the boat when travelling down the road, causing a danger to passing vehicles as well as possible damage to such vehicles, to the boat and to the cover itself.

Adjustable height spring-biased support pole


According to one embodiment, a power detector includes a reference voltage generator, a square signal generator, a detection circuit, and an output circuit. The reference voltage generator is configured to receive a bias voltage and generate a reference voltage. The square signal generator is configured to receive a voltage having a high frequency input voltage superimposed on the bias voltage and output a signal including the reference voltage, a voltage of a square of the high frequency input voltage, and a high-frequency signal. The detection circuit has a first lowpass filter, a first operational amplifier configured to amplify error between an output voltage of the first lowpass filter and the reference voltage and output the error as a control voltage, and a feedback transistor configured to feed a feedback current according to the control voltage back to an output terminal of the square signal generator.

In wireless communications devices using radio waves, it is necessary for the device to comply with communication standards in order to efficiently utilize radio waves while preventing interference with the other devices. For example, in mobile phones, it is necessary for the mobile phone to control its transmission power at a specified value, using a power detector that detects transmission power.
In order to accurately detect transmission power for diversified communication standards, it is demanded to provide a wide detectable power range (dynamic range). Moreover, in order to accurately detect transmission power for highly sophisticated, diversified modulation modes, a root-mean-square detector formed of bipolar transistors or the like is used.


An apparatus and method is disclosed for determining the bending strength of curved surgical needles. The apparatus includes a means to releasably grip the butt end portion of the needle connected to a rotatable flywheel. A knife edge is positioned in the path of the rotating needle and engaged thereby, while a load cell to which the knife edge is connected, generates signals in dependence upon the bending movements applied to the needle. Such signals are transmitted to appropriate monitoring and recording instrumentation. The rotation of the needle with respect to a center of rotation and with respect to the knife edge are maintained to within precise limitations.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to testing the bending strength of needles. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus and method to determine the bending strength and ductility of a curved surgical needle by precision application of known bending moments and by monitoring the resultant forces and moments generated.
2. Description of Related Art
Various methods and apparatus for measuring the bending strength of surgical needles are known. Generally, a needle to be tested is fixed at one end in a device for measuring stress and strain. A bending force is then applied to the needle. The amount of force necessary to achieve bending of the needle is then measured. In particular, with curved surgical needles, the accurate and consistent application of a bending moment has proven to be difficult, particularly due to the curvature of the needle. For example, in order to apply a bending moment which is consistent over a period of time and rotational span, the force and the direction of the moment arm must be maintained with consistency and extreme precision. Furthermore, this precision must be maintained throughout the bending action of the needle.
There are known methods to measure stress, strain and other material strength characteristics of a sample of material These methods include manual manipulation of the material to subjectively feel the strength. This method is not uniform and does not indicate force requirements for deformation of the material. Extensometers measure minute deformations of a test specimen caused by tension, compression, bending or twisting.
It is significant to obtain both strain and deflection readings simultaneously because both types of strain, e.g., axial strain and bending deflection will occur even when stress is applied in only one direction. Therefore, in order to fully evaluate a specimen, both stress measurements are needed. Some techniques for determining axial and bending moment values may interfere with each other and prevent simultaneous accurate measurement.
In dynamic testing apparatus, a specimen of material is subject to a variety of test loads. These may include tension, compression and torsion. A major problem with many apparatus is that the devices which secure or clamp the test specimen have created unwanted, nonuniform stresses and strains on the specimen because of the manner in which the specimen is secured. For example, gripping of the ends of a specimen will introduce compression tension or shear forces, resulting in errors in the test results. If a sample is not perfectly aligned with the two gripping devices, non uniform loading of the sample will result.
Difficulties encountered in prior attempts to test the bending strength of curved needles are shown in FIG. 1 which illustrates a known device 1 for measuring the bending strength of a curved surgical needle 2. The barrel end 3 of the needle is placed in the needle gripping fixture 4 of the instrument. Rotary actuator 5 has a peg 6 for contacting the needle 2. To measure the bend strength of needle 2, actuator 5 is rotated in the direction of arrow 7 about central axis 8. Peg 6 contacts the concave side of the needle and is supplied with sufficient force to bend the needle. The applied force is measured by appropriate force sensing instrumentation.
Bending stresses are developed in the needle around the area contacted by the gripping fixture. However, it can be seen that the point of application of the force by peg 6 will change relative to the needle, causing inaccuracies in the resultant measured stresses. These stresses are non-uniform in magnitude and direction, and such non-uniformity introduces a source of error in the measurement of the bending strength of the needle.
I have invented an apparatus and method for securing and testing needles for determining the bending strength and ductility in a manner which provides improved accuracy and precision, with resultant uniform and accurate measurements.

Apparatus and method for testing the bending strength of needles


An apparatus and method are disclosed whereby if the arc in a DC or long-pulse AC vacuum arc plasma process (eg in vacuum deposition) starts to extinguish, this is automatically detected and a re-ignition process is activated. Detection of a tendency for the arc to extinguish is detected by monitoring the main power supply voltage, which will increase if the arc is extinguished.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically re-igniting a vacuum arc plasma source, in particular a direct current (DC) vacuum arc or a long pulse AC vacuum arc, and in particular to such methods and apparatus that are capable of enhancing vacuum arc deposition by minimizing pressure fluctuations in the deposition process.
Vacuum metal arc deposition offers high deposition rates and produces dense coatings by the use of dense, energetic plasmas of electrically conducting elements. The high ion flux is created from minute, extremely hot, and discrete locations on the arc cathode known as cathode spots. In order to ignite the arc, a mechanical metal trigger can be used, but the ignition process may generate contamination that should preferably be avoided especially in semiconductor applications. Frequently, the arc plasma extinguishes during the deposition process, and in dual plasma deposition involving both gaseous and metallic elements, the chamber pressure can surge significantly within a few seconds after the arc extinction because a large amount of gas is bled in to react with the metallic ions in the cathodic plasma to produce the film. It is in practice very difficult to immediately adjust the gas flow after the are extinction, and the sudden burst of gas may result in inhomogeneity in the composition and structure of the film. Thus, rapid re-ignition that can minimize this problem is desirable in many applications.
Apparatus for automatic re-ignition of a vacuum arc, comprising: (a) means for sensing a main power supply voltage, (b) means for generating an ignition signal, and (c) control means for controlling said ignition signal generating means in response to an output from said main power supply voltage sensing means whereby an ignition signal is generated when said main supply voltage is above a predetermined value.
Preferably the ignition signal generating means comprises a pulse generating means, wherein pulses generated by the generating means are used to control switch means for transferring stored energy from an energy storage means to a spark component, and wherein the control means controls the application of the pulses to the switch means.
In a first embodiment of the invention the pulse generating means generates a continuous series of pulses and the control means allows the pulses to be applied to the switch means only when the main power supply voltage is above the predetermined value.
In a second embodiment of the invention the control means causes the pulse generating means to generate pulses only when the main power supply voltage is above the predetermined value.
Preferably the switch means comprises a thyristor.
Since different cathodes and different plasma arcs may extinguish at different points, preferably the main power supply sensing voltage includes means for adjusting the predetermined voltage to a desired value. Preferably, the predetermined voltage is fVw where Vw is the normal working voltage when the arc is established, and Vi/Vw less than f less than 1 where Vi is the idle voltage of the main power supply when the arc is extinguished. The main power supply voltage sensing means may comprise first and second resistors in series, and wherein f is determined by the values of the first and second resistors. One of the two resistors may be a variable resistor to provide the control of the value of the main power supply voltage considered to be indicative of arc extinction.
According to another broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for automatic re-ignition of a vacuum arc, comprising sensing a main power supply voltage, and generating an ignition signal when said main power supply voltage is above a predetermined value indicative of the arc becoming extinguished.

Method and apparatus for automatically re-igniting vacuum arc plasma source


A hazard warning system for vehicles including hazard detection sensors and a primary transmitter for a primary vehicle configured to transmit information regarding a hazard and a path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary receiver for a secondary vehicle is configured to receive the information regarding the hazard detected by the hazard detection sensors, and the path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary vehicle control module is configured to notify a driver of the secondary vehicle of the hazard when the secondary vehicle is traveling along a path similar to that of the primary vehicle.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.
Vehicles equipped with dedicated short range communication (DSRC) typically provide position information and basic status information. While typical DSRC systems are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement, particularly for vehicle platoon applications in which multiple vehicles travel in a platoon behind a lead platoon vehicle. With current vehicle platoons, issues may arise where the lead vehicle must stop quickly, such as due to a hazard. In some instances, when the lead vehicle stops quickly it may be difficult for the following vehicles to stop in time. The present teachings address various issues with existing DSRC systems and vehicle platoon applications. For example, the present teachings advantageously provide advance warnings of hazards by way of DSRC to platoon vehicles, as well as non-platoon vehicles.


A cloud-based video/audio conferencing system and method performs locale based aggregation of a full duplex media stream to organize multiple connections to a conference call that originate from the same physical location or a shared locale. The cloud-based video/audio conferencing system performs synchronization of the microphone and speaker audio signals of the same-locale connections. In this manner, a conference call may be held with multiple user devices making connections from the same physical location. User experience is enhanced by allowing each user in the same location to use his/her own individual devices to connect to the same conference call.

Video and audio conferences, or conference calls, may be held involving multiple participants located at the same physical location, such as the same conference room, with other participants located at a remote location. When a video/audio conference includes multiple participants at the same physical locale, the participants' experience is often not optimal.
The "same locale" problem in video/audio conferencing arises from the fact that generally only one actual device is able to be active for the conference call in any given locale. The device will inevitably be further from some participants in the room than others. This results in varied intelligibility of participants based solely on how near or far the participants are from the single active microphone. Further, the experience of those participants in the shared locale itself is also less than ideal since those furthest from the device are often left struggling to hear the single in-room device's speaker output.
Generally the reason that only one device per locale can be active at a time during a conference call has to do with the way that current Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conferencing software is designed. When one participant connects to a cloud based or peer-to-peer conference call, the participant is sent an audio mix of all other participants except himself. This makes sense as one has no need to hear oneself echoed back to him when speaking.
This audio mixing scheme is generally done per-connection and is completely ignorant of each connection's locale or physical location. That is, a cloud based or peer-to-peer conference call system or method is not aware of the physical location of each connection to the conference call. The audio mixing scheme works well for person-to-person calls and is the current approach employed by cloud based conferencing services such as Skype, GoToMeeting, Facetime, WebEx and others. However, on multi-participant calls when some number of participants shares the same physical location, the experience degrades and the problems associated with multiple participants at the same locale are compounded as more and more participants share the same locale. In other words, the more participants per physical locale, the more the overall experiential quality of the conference call degrades.
Using the conventional VoIP conferencing system, the conference experience may be improved by having multiple participants in the same physical locale use multiple devices to join the conference. That is, every participant has his/her own microphone and own set of speakers. However, using multiple active devices at the same physical location to hold a conventional VoIP conference call is actually not possible. The first issue is audio feedback. Since each same-locale participant receives an audio mix with only his own microphone absent, the participant will still be receiving the microphones of his colleagues who are connected in the same physical locale. The colleagues' audio stream will come out of the participant's speaker and go back into the colleagues' microphones where the audio signal originated and back out the participant's speaker and back into the colleagues' microphones, and so on. This results in the same classic audio feedback problem associated with a Public Address (PA) system when the speaker accidentally points his microphone at the PA speaker. A high pitched squeal ensues which is highly unpleasant.
In the conventional cloud-based VoIP conferencing system, the feedback problem can be eliminated by giving the audio server producing each connection's audio mix a token which identifies participants sharing the same physical locale as such. The conferencing system would use that token to produce locale-based mixes where the mix sent to any connection in a particular physical locale would be absent of the microphone signals of the multiple devices sharing that locale. Thus, if participant A and participant B are in the same room, participant A's microphone signal would not emanate from participant B's speaker and vice versa. The feedback problem is thus solved.
However, even with the feedback problem solved, other problems remain. For instance, each participant's audio client connection will have different latencies. Devices generally have different audio device hardware and driver buffer sizes which is one factor contributing to connection latency variations. An even bigger contribution to differing connection latencies is due to the nature of the Internet itself.
In a packet-based VoIP system, one technique employed to create the illusion of a continuous media stream is the use of adaptive jitter buffering. These buffers dynamically adjust to an ideal size to minimize packet loss with the lowest possible latency based on current network conditions. Since network conditions change often due to congestion, topologies, WiFi loss, etc., each audio client will generally end up with differently sized jitter buffers relative to one another throughout the course of a conference call.
The end result of these differing connection latencies is a poor conference experience on both ends of the call. In the shared physical locale, the participants will experience unsynchronized speaker signals among the in-room devices, which will render the conference call unusable. In the remote locale, the participants will have a similar experience. The microphone signal the remote participants will be receiving from the shared locale will contain a mix of all of the in-room device microphones, which will be similarly desynchronized and jumbled because of the differing latencies.
A side effect of the desynchronization in the shared locale is that the in-room device's Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) software will fail to function for its intended purpose of echo cancellation. AECs are designed to cancel the remote (farend) signal being played out of a device's speakers from the device's microphone (nearend) signal being sent up to the audio server. The desynchronization of the microphone signals at the shared locale will cause the AEC operation to become ineffective so that remote participants end up hearing themselves echoed back to them anytime they speak. This severely degrades the participant experience. In some cases, the remote participants may hear their own voices echoed multiple times, depending on the number of devices in the shared locale. Therefore, the conventional VoIP conference system does not permit multiple active devices to be used at the same physical location for holding a conference call.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dynamic locale based aggregation of full duplex media streams


A current-sensor structure comprises a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces and an edge. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction. The current sensor is aligned with the edge of the conductor or the conductor has a width W and the current sensor is within a distance of W/2.5, W/3, W/4, W/5 or W/6 of the conductor edge. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed.

Sensors are widely used in electronic devices to measure attributes of the environment and report a measured sensor value. In particular, magnetic sensors are used to measure magnetic fields, for example in transportation systems such as automobiles. Magnetic sensors can incorporate Hall-effect sensors that generate an output voltage proportional to an applied magnetic field or magneto-resistive materials whose electrical resistance changes in response to an external magnetic field.
A current sensor is a device that detects electric current (AC or DC) in a wire and generates a signal proportional to that current. The generated signal can be an analog voltage or a current or even a digital output. One method for detecting and measuring an electrical current in an electrically conductive wire uses a Hall sensor based on the Hall effect. The Hall effect is the production of a voltage difference (the Hall voltage) across an electrically conductive material (such as a wire), transverse to an electric current in the material and to an applied magnetic field perpendicular to the current. The voltage difference can be measured and, if the applied magnetic field is known, the current in the electrically conductive material can be deduced. Such a current sensor can be called a magnetic current sensor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,426 describes a current determiner that extends along a substrate in a direction perpendicular to the extent of the input conductor. U.S. Pat. No. 9,291,648, US2016/109550, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,635,993, 4,536,706, 4,516,070, 8,760,149 and 9,222,992 all describe magnetic current sensors.
It is important to exclude stray magnetic fields from the magnetic current sensor. Since the current deduced is dependent on the local magnetic field applied to the magnetic sensor, any unknown or undesirable magnetic field can cause incorrect measurements. It is also important to provide a consistent and accurate current measurement at the moment of measurement for both direct and alternating electrical currents for a wide range of frequencies.
There is a need therefore, for current-sensor structures that provide consistent and accurate current measurements in environments with stray magnetic fields and for electrical currents having a wide frequency range from direct current to alternating currents with frequencies up to several kHz or even MHz.


Techniques of displaying comments relative to video frames are described herein. The disclosed techniques include obtaining page data comprising a video file and rendering the page data to play a video comprising a plurality of frames; obtaining a comment file comprising a plurality of comments on the video; displaying the plurality of comments relative to the plurality of frames while playing the video; detecting a computer performance parameter during rendering the page data; and reducing a density of displaying comments in response to determining that the computer performance parameter is less than a predetermined value.

With rapid developments of the Internet and smart terminals, more and more users play video files through smart terminals, comments display is a phenomenon that a large number of comments in a form of subtitles are shown in the same picture with video when watching. A large number of comments floated over the top of the video are like dense shells, so it's named comments. The comments are presented on the video in real time with playing the video, so that a viewer can see the comments sent by other viewers and himself when watching the video, which improves the user experience.

Method and device of displaying video comments, computing device, and readable storage medium


The methods of the invention detect epidermal growth factor RNA, epidermal growth factor receptor RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof in blood plasma, serum, and other bodily fluids. The inventive methods are useful for detection, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or evaluation of neoplastic disease.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods for detecting tumor-derived or tumor-associated mammalian ribonucleic acid (RNA) in bodily fluids such as blood plasma and serum obtained from an animal, most preferably a human. Specifically, the invention is directed towards methods for detecting RNA in bodily fluids from a human bearing a premalignant lesion or a malignancy, ranging in severity from localized neoplasia to metastatic disease. The methods of the invention are particularly drawn to detecting RNA encoding all or a portion of particular genes associated with neoplastic growth, development, or pathogenesis. In particular, these methods are drawn to genes associated with tumor growth factors such as tyrosine kinase mediated growth factors (for example, epidermal growth factor, EGF) and their receptors (for example, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), and her-2/neu), as well as oncogenes such as c-myc oncogene. The methods of the invention are further particularly drawn to detecting RNA derived or associated with tumor-associated ribonucleoprotein, such as but not limited to heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNP A2/B1) and associated ribonucleoprotein. In view of the essential role of RNA in expressing genes and producing proteins encoded thereby, detection and monitoring of RNA provides a convenient and reliable method for assessing and monitoring gene expression associated with neoplastic disease, thereby enabling the detection, diagnosis, monitoring, evaluation, and prognosticating of cancer and premalignancy.
2. Background of the Related Art
The pathogenesis and regulation of cancer is dependent upon gene expression, comprising production and translation of RNA to produce proteins involved with a variety of cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, regulation, and death. Furthermore, some gene expression, resulting in the existence of RNA and the proteins translated therefrom in cells and tissues, although not necessarily involved in neoplastic pathogenesis or regulation, may comprise a phenotype of recognizable characteristics for particular neoplasms, for example, either by being expressed at elevated levels or by being inappropriately expressed in said cells or tissues.
Tyrosine kinase-mediated growth factors and their receptors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), and her-2/neu, play important roles in the growth of many epithelial cancers and their response to insult or injury. Oncogenes such as c-myc play important roles in the pathogenesis of many cancers. Other proteins, such as hnRNP A2/B1 and associated ribonucleoproteins including hnRNP A2 (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2) and hnRNP B1 (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein B1) are overexpressed early in the development of some cancers. Detection of RNA encoding EGF, EGFr her-2/neu, c-myc or hnRNP A2/B1 provides a method for detecting and monitoring a wide spectrum of cancers and premalignancies, and can have prognostic significance. Tyrosine kinase-mediated growth factors and their receptors further provide potential targets for cancer therapies such as monoclonal antibody-based therapies (for example, herceptin for her-2/neu and CA-225 for EGFr), small molecule therapies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as well as vaccine therapies. Detection of EGF, EGFr and her-2/neu RNA can thus provide methods for selecting and monitoring patients for such therapies.
RNA associated with cancer and premalignant or neoplastic states, such as RNA encoding EGF, EGFr her-2/neu, c-myc or hnRNP A2/B1 are referred to herein as tumor-derived or tumor-associated RNA. Co-owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/155,152, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, provides methods by which mammalian tumor-associated or tumor-derived RNA in bodily fluids such as plasma and serum can be detected and utilized for detecting, monitoring, or evaluating cancer or premalignant conditions. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/155,152, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, further taught that tumor-associated or tumor-derived RNAs include erb-B-1 mRNA (also known as epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA), her-2/neu MRNA (also known as erb-B-2 mRNA), c-myc mRNA, and hnRNP A2/B1 associated RNA were advantageously detected in bodily fluids such as blood plasma or serum.
RNA encoding EGF, EGFr, her-2/neu, c-myc, and hnRNP A2/B1 being recognized as tumor-associated RNAs, there is a newly-appreciated need in the art to identify premalignant or malignant states characterized by said RNA in animals including humans by detecting said RNA in bodily fluids such as blood plasma or serum.
The present invention provides methods for detecting EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, and hnRNP A2/B1 RNA, or any combination thereof, in bodily fluids, preferably in blood and most preferably in blood plasma and serum, and in other bodily fluids including but not limited to urine, effusions, ascites, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, cervical secretions, vaginal secretions, endometrial secretions, gastrointestinal secretions, sputum and bronchial secretions, and breast fluid and associated lavages and washings. The inventive methods comprise detecting extracellular mammalian tumor-associated or tumor-derived RNA such as EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA c-myc RNA or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA, or any combination thereof, in said bodily fluids.
In preferred embodiments, the methods of the invention comprise the step of amplifying and detecting extracellular EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, and/or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof from bodily fluids of an animal, most preferably a human.
In particularly preferred embodiments, the present invention provides methods for detecting EGF RNA, or EGFr RNA, or her-2/neu RNA, or c-myc RNA, or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA, or any combination thereof in blood or a blood fraction, including plasma and serum, and other bodily fluids. In these embodiments, the method comprises the steps of extracting mammalian RNA from blood, plasma, serum, or other bodily fluid, wherein a fraction of the extracted RNA comprises extracellular EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA; or any combination thereof; in vitro amplifying RNA or cDNA corresponding thereto encoding EGF, EGFr, her-2/neu, c-myc, or hnRNP A2/B1 or any combination thereof; and detecting the amplified products produced from said mRNA or cDNA.
In a first aspect of this embodiment, the present invention provides methods for detecting EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 or any combination thereof in blood or blood fractions, including plasma and serum, in an animal, most preferably a human. Said methods advantageously permit detection, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or evaluation of proliferative disorders, particularly stages of neoplastic disease, including premalignancy, early cancer, non-invasive cancer, carcinoma in-situ, invasive cancer, metastatic cancer and advanced cancer, as well as benign neoplasms. In this aspect, the method comprises the steps of extracting mammalian RNA from blood or blood plasma or serum, in vitro amplifying qualitatively or quantitatively a fraction of the extracted RNA or the corresponding cDNA wherein said fraction comprises EGF-, EGFr-, her-2/neu-, c-myc-, or hnRNP A1/A2-encoding RNA or combination thereof, and detecting the amplified products of said RNA or cDNA.
The invention in a second aspect provides methods for detecting EGF-, EGFr-, her-2/neu, -c-myc-, or hnRNP A2/B1-encoding RNA or any combination thereof in any bodily fluid. Preferably, said bodily fluid is whole blood, blood plasma, serum, urine, effusions, ascitic fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, cervical secretions, vaginal secretions, endometrial secretions, gastrointestinal secretions, bronchial secretions including sputum, secretions or washings from the breast, and other associated tissue washings from an animal, most preferably a human. In this aspect, the method comprises the steps of extracting mammalian RNA from the bodily fluid; in vitro amplifying in a qualitative or quantitative fashion a fraction of the extracted RNA, wherein said fraction comprises extracellular EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof, or more preferably cDNA corresponding thereto, and detecting the amplified product of said RNA or cDNA.
In these embodiments, the inventive methods are particularly advantageous for detecting, diagnosing, monitoring, treating, or evaluating proliferative disorders in an animal, most preferably a human, said proliferative disorders particularly including stages of neoplastic disease, including premalignancy, early cancer, non-invasive cancer, carcinoma-in-situ, invasive cancer, metastatic cancer and advanced cancer as well as benign neoplasm.
Thus, in another aspect the invention provides methods for evaluating an animal, most preferably a human, for premalignant or malignant states, disorders, or conditions. The inventive methods comprise detecting extracellular mammalian tumor-associated or tumor-derived RNA including EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA c-myc RNA and hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof in bodily fluids, preferably blood and most preferably blood plasma and serum as well as in other bodily fluids, preferably urine, effusions, ascites, amniotic fluid, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, cervical, vaginal, and endometrial secretions, gastrointestinal secretions, bronchial secretions, breast fluid, and associated tissue washings and lavages.
The methods of the invention are also useful for identifying EGF-, EGFr-, her-2/neu-, c-myc-, or hnRNP A2/B1-expressing cells or tissue in an animal, most preferably a human. In these embodiments, detection of an in vitro amplified product of EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or cDNA corresponding thereto using the methods of the invention indicates the existence of EGF, EGFr, her-2/neu, c-myc, or hnRNP A2/B1-expressing cells or tissue in a human.
The invention further provides diagnostic kits for detecting EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNPA2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof in bodily fluid, preferably blood plasma or serum, wherein the kit comprises oligonucleotide primers, probes, or both primers and probes for amplifying and detecting said EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNPA2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof or cDNA derived therefrom. In advantageous embodiments, the kit may further comprise instructions and reagents for performing methods for extracting RNA from the bodily fluid, reverse-transcribing said RNA into cDNA or reagents for performing in vitro amplification.
In preferred embodiments of the inventive methods, EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof is extracted from whole blood, blood plasma or serum, or other bodily fluids using any effective extraction method including but not limited to gelatin extraction methods; silica, glass bead, or diatom extraction methods; guanidinium thiocyanate acid-phenol based extraction methods; guanidinium thiocyanate acid based extraction methods; methods using centrifugation through cesium chloride or similar gradients; phenol-chloroform based extraction methods; or other commercially available RNA extraction methods. In this aspect of the invention, RNA is extracted from plasma, serum, or other bodily fluid. In other aspects of the invention, extraction may alternatively be performed using probes that specifically hybridize to a particular RNA.
In preferred embodiments of the inventive methods, EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof, or more preferably cDNA derived therefrom is amplified using an in vitro amplification method such as reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); ligase chain reaction; DNA signal amplification; amplifiable RNA reporters; Q-beta replication; transcription-based amplification; isothermal nucleic acid sequence based amplification; self-sustained sequence replication assays; boomerang DNA amplification; strand displacement activation; cycling probe technology; or any combination or variation thereof.
In preferred embodiments of the inventive methods, amplification products of EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof, or more preferably cDNA produced therefrom, are detected using a detection method such as gel electrophoresis; capillary electrophoresis; conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or modifications thereof, such as amplification using biotinylated or otherwise modified primers; nucleic acid hybridization using specific labeled probes, such as fluorescent-, radioisotope-, or chromogenically-labeled probes; Southern blot analysis; Northern blot analysis; electrochemiluminescence; laser-induced fluorescence; reverse dot blot detection; and high-performance liquid chromatography.
In particularly preferred embodiments of the inventive methods, RNA is converted to cDNA using reverse transcriptase following extraction of RNA from a bodily fluid and prior to amplification.
The methods of the invention are advantageously used for providing a diagnosis of, or as a predictive indicator for determining risk for a human of developing a proliferative, premalignant, neoplastic, or malignant disease comprising or characterized by cells expressing EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof.
The methods of the invention are particularly useful for providing a diagnosis of or for identifying in animals, particularly humans, who are at risk for developing or who have developed malignancy or premalignancy of cells comprising epithelial tissues. Most preferably, malignant or premalignant diseases, conditions, or disorders advantageously detected or diagnosed using the methods of the invention are diseases or disorders of breast, ovaries, lung, cervix, colorectal, stomach, pancreas, bladder, endometrium, kidney, head and neck, and esophageal cancers, and premalignancies and carcinoma in-situ such as bronchial dysplasia, atypical hyperplasia of the breast, ductal carcinoma in-situ, colorectal adenoma, atypical endometrial hyperplasia, and Barrett""s esophagus.
In certain preferred embodiments of the methods of the invention, EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or combinations thereof, or cDNA derived therefrom is amplified in a quantitative manner, thereby enabling quantitative comparison of said RNA present in a bodily fluid such as blood plasma or serum from a human. In these embodiments, the amount of extracellular EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, or hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or combinations thereof are detected in an individual and compared with a range of amounts of said extracellular RNA detected in the bodily fluid in a plurality of humans known to have a premalignant or malignant disease, or known to be free from a premalignant or malignant disease.
The invention further provides methods for identifying individuals having an EGF-, EGFr-, her-2/neu-, c-myc-, or hnRNP A2/B1-expressing malignancy or premalignancy, or a malignancy expressing any combination of said RNAs, thereby permitting rational, informed treatment options to be used for making therapeutic decisions. In particular, the methods of the invention are useful in identifying individuals having a premalignancy or malignancy that would benefit from a therapy directed at cells and tissues that express EGF, EGFr, her-2/neu-, c-myc-, or hnRNP A2/B1, such as monoclonal antibody therapy, anti-sense therapy, and vaccine therapy.
Another advantage of the use of the methods of the invention is that the methods can produce markers for assessing the adequacy of anticancer therapies such as surgical intervention, chemotherapy, biotherapy such as monoclonal antibody therapy or vaccines, anti-angiogenic therapy, and radiation therapy, and is also useful for determining whether additional or more advanced therapy is required. The invention therefore provides methods for developing a prognosis in such patients.
The methods of the invention also permit identification or analysis of EGF RNA, EGFr RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, hnRNP A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof, either qualitatively or quantitatively, in the blood or other bodily fluid of an animal, most preferably a human that has completed therapy, as an early indicator of relapsed cancer, impending relapse, or treatment failure.
Specific preferred embodiments of the present invention will become evident from the following more detailed description of certain preferred embodiments and the claims.

Method enabling use of extracellular RNA extracted from plasma or serum to detect, monitor or evaluate cancer


Methods of forming by polymerization reaction a silicate gel which exhibits intumescence upon application of heat and various products formed from the resulting ceramic foam materials. Specific formulations and processing steps best suited to particular applications are set forth, together with examples of various types and configurations of the resulting products. These include structural materials, such as sheets of wall board, very low density insulation materials, articles useful as a protective barrier from heat or flame, vitreous materials useful as heat resistant tiles or as abrasive wheels or blocks for grinding or polishing, and ceramic foam materials incorporating silica gel and processed solely with microwave heat.

The above-referenced parent patent, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses and claims a method of forming a silicate gel by polymerization reaction which exhibits intumescence upon application of heat. The present application relates to more specific applications of this method and to the fabrication of products or materials produced thereby.
The parent patent discusses various prior art processes and materials involving the hardening of aqueous alkali metal silicate compositions to form a gel or solid product, and the distinctions and advantages of the method of the parent patent. It has been found through further experimentation that certain, more specific parameters within the scope of the method more generally disclosed and claimed in the parent patent provide enhanced properties of the end products, especially as employed in particular applications. Also, further useful products and applications utilizing such methods have been devised, and are disclosed herein.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide useful articles and materials comprising silicate gels formed by polymerization reaction, and novel methods for the production of such articles.
More specific objects within the scope of the foregoing are to provide:
1. structural materials, e.g., sheets suitable for use as wall board, having mechanical properties similar to conventional gypsum board, but of lower density, higher strength and higher degree of fire protection;
2. very low density ceramic foam materials for use in sheets or blocks as bulk insulation in construction applications;
3. a fireproof article including an encapsulated gel material between a pair of liners or substrates useful as a protective barrier layer in packaging and building systems;
4. a vitreous material produced by heating the intumesced ceramic foam to a temperature at which it begins to soften or melt; and
5. ceramic foam materials using silicic acid (silica gel) as a principal additive ingredient and intumesced with microwave heat.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.


A rotating helical charger for compressible media consists essentially of a housing (1), in which two symmetrically constructed displacement disk (6, 7) are rotated by drive elements (18-23). The two displacement disks are equipped on one side with helical ribs (14). To form a conveying space (15), the ribs engage each other and seal with their free frontal sides (24) against the opposing displacement disk. To maintain the sealing effect, a pressure chamber (26) is provided, which communicates with the outlet (16) of the charger and may be acted upon by an axially displaceable annular disk (28), actively connected with an axially movable displacement disk (6). The pressure chamber (26) may be connected by means of a valve (32) with the atmosphere.

1. Field of Invention
The invention concerns a rotating helical charger for compressible media.
2. Description of Related Art
A helical charger with rotating displacement disks is disclosed in FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,422. The disclosed helical charger is characterized by conveying a gaseous working medium, comprising, for example, air on an air-fuel mixture, almost without pulsation, and can therefore be used advantageously for the charging of internal combustion engines. In the disclosed compressor, several approximately sickle shaped work spaces are arranged between helical ribs. During operation of the compressor, the spaces move from an inlet to an outlet, while their volume is constantly reduced and the pressure of the working medium correspondingly increased. In these helical chargers the quantity moved at a given volumetric compressor efficiency, together with the maximum charging pressure, are determined by the drive gear ratio, as the internal pressure ratio is fixedly determined by the helical geometry selected. If a rigid driving connection is provided between the helical compressor and the driving internal combustion engine, the charger will charge even in operating states in which charging is not required, for example under a partial load or even during idling. This could lead to a loss of efficiency and possibly to unfavorable increases in temperature, if the working medium being conveyed is expanded and returned to the inlet of the charger.
In contrast to the aforementioned charger, in a charger disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,114, only one displacement disk is mounted on an axle journal. The second disk is connected fixedly in rotation with a drive shaft. During the rotation of the first disk, the second disk is entrained in the same rotating direction and at the same rotating velocity. In the process, the disks perform a relative motion in the form of a circular displacement.
In FIGS. 8 and 9, of U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,114, a two-speed, single stage machine is disclosed in which the two mobile displacement disks are mounted loosely on stationary eccentric axles. One of the axles is hollow so that the working medium may be passed out of the machine. At their circumference the displacement disks are provided with gear rims, engaged by a common toothed gear mounted on a drive shaft.
These multiple speed machines have the advantage that each of the displacement disks are completely balanced individually and that a more uniform conveyance almost without pulsation is possible. In addition, the radial displacement, and thus the eccentricity, between the two rotating axes is smaller than with single speed machines, resulting in lower sliding velocities between the helical ribs. In principal therefore, higher rpm's may be obtained with this type of charger.
Another variant of this working principle is shown in FIG. 5 and 6 of the aforecited reference. In this machine one of the disks is again connected with a central drive shaft. In the course of the rotation this one disk, the second disk is entrained in the same direction of rotation by means of force transfer by the helical ribs. In order to equalize the axial pressure between the work spaces created between the disks, an axially mobile annular disk tightly abutting against the rear side of one of the disks is provided. Through a pressure equalizing chamber connected with the machine outlet and by means of a flat spring, the annular disk presses the two displacement disks together. The disadvantage of this arrangement consists of the fact that the annular disk must be sealed against the housing, which may be effected at the outer circumference with a large diameter and thus high sliding velocities. Furthermore, no measure is provided to relieve the pressure equalizing chamber located between the annular disk and the housing. However, such a measure would be meaningless, as the flat spring applies a constant pressure.

Rotating helical charger with axially movable displacement disk


A process for preparing alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids. An organic halide is reacted with carbon monoxide and a hydrogen donor compound, in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst and an inorganic base, at a temperature of at least 90.degree. C.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids by a reductive double carbonylation of organic halides.
Alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids, such as lactic acid, alpha-hydroxybutyric acid and alpha-hydroxyoctanoic acid, are important industrial products. They are used either directly (for example in the foodstuffs field, in the case of lactic acid), or as intermediates in organic synthesis.
There are various access routes to alpha-hydroxy acids. The most advantageous from the industrial standpoint are (1) fermentation (preparation of lactic and alpha-hydroxybutyric acids, in particular), (2) hydrolysis of alpha-halocarboxylic acids in alkaline medium and (3) acid hydrolysis of aldehyde cyanohydrins (alpha-hydroxynitriles).
Regardless of the value of these various processes, they are limited by certain disadvantages. Thus, fermentation processes are not of general use, and lead to complex mixtures from which the recovery of the alpha-hydroxy acid sought proves complicated. The organic synthesis processes involve the preparation of starting substances by carrying out multi-stage methods (preparation of alpha-halo acids or alpha-hydroxynitriles, for example).
For all these reasons, the industry continues to seek processes for preparing alpha-hydroxy acids employing readily accessible reagents. The present invention relates to such a process.
More specifically, the present invention is a process for preparing alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids, comprising the step of reacting an organic halide with carbon monoxide and a hydrogen donor compound, in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst and an inorganic base, at a temperature of at least 90.degree. C.

Process for preparing alpha-hydroxy acids


A patch-driven video 3D special effects system constructs an output display of a desired three-dimensional shape with real-time video picture information displayed on the surface of the shape by dividing a video source plane into a plurality of polygonal patches and manipulating said patches in three dimensions to create the shape. The special effects system is controlled by a keyframing control system in which a small number of selected parameters are used to define several general purpose 3D shapes. These parameters are then specified in each keyframe. By varying the selected parameters, the general purpose object can be reshaped into a number of familiar shapes such as cubes, cones, etc. A pre-defined program converts the selected parameters into patch shapes and vertice positions which are used by the video special effects hardware to actually create the images.

Video special effect systems for spatially transforming two-dimensional real-time or "live" television video images are well-known. These systems are capable of generating two-dimensional video images which can be displayed and transformed in a variety of ways including rotation, translation and perspective manipulation.
A typical television special effects processor operates by first digitizing a normal analog television signal to generate a plurality of digital pixels which represent the digitized picture. The pixels for each television frame are then stored as "source" pixels in a field memory. The source pixels stored in the memory are sequentially used to generate output pixels in each scan line in the output picture. More specifically, a control circuit which has been programmed with the desired mathematical image transformation equations repetitively fetches source pixels from the memory. The source pixels are fetched from memory locations which will generate the next pixel on the output scan line. Using the image transformation equations, a transformation circuit computes the pixel value of the next pixel in order to generate an output transformed video signal. With specialized hardware, the entire process of storing and computing the transformed video information can be repeated at a rate sufficient so that the output video image changes at a television processing rate and produces "live" transformed television images. An example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,750 entitled "Method and System for Spatially Transforming Images" issued on Dec. 23, 1986.
Special effects are normally displayed in sequences that span a series of video frames. In each step in the sequence the video image is transformed from one video field to the next video field in order to generate an overall effect which lasts a predetermined period of time. For example, the image may move, or translate, across the display screen, change size and rotate over a period of time. Such a sequence may involve thousands of slight individual transformations from field to field. Consequently, in order to display a special effects sequence, it may be necessary to carefully specify a long series of sequential transformations which will be carried out over a number of video fields. If the number fields spanned by the transformation is large, the manual specification of each individual transformation is tedious and time-consuming.
Therefore, conventional video special effects systems utilize a method called "keyframing" in order to allow a user to quickly compose effects. A keyframing system has two modes: a "program" mode in which the special effect sequence is defined and set up and a "run" mode in which the pre-defined effect sequence is shown on a live display.
In the program mode, in order to define a special effects sequence, a user defines one or more keyframes. Each keyframe is a set of parameter values which define the video image at a particular point in time during the effect sequence. Each effect sequence must have at least two keyframes: one at the start of the effect sequence and one at the end of the effect sequence. Other keyframes may also be defined between the starting keyframe and the ending keyframe at selected points in the sequence, for example, when the direction of movement changes or one effect changes to another. In addition, in the program mode, the user specifies the time duration between each keyframe in the pre-defined sequence. This time duration may be only one field or may extend across many fields.
After the keyframes have been defined, the special effects system software utilizes mathematical interpolation algorithms to generate transformation specifications for each unspecified video field which occurs in the effects sequence between keyframes. Thus, to create a special effects sequence, the user need only specify only a few keyframes at "key" points in the sequence.
Finally, in the run mode, the user and system specified sequence of transformations is run in a continuous process with live video displayed. After the user is satisfied with the effect, either the keyframe specifications or the entire sequence of transformations is stored for later playback.
For example, a simple effects sequence and the keyframes which define it are shown in FIGS. 21A-21E and 21-1 to 21-3. In the sequence shown in FIGS. 21A-21E, a reduced-size video image starts in a position at the top right corner of the viewing area (FIG. 21A). The image swings down and to the left side of the screen while increasing in size (FIGS. 21B and 21C). The image then moves to the right and further increases in size (FIG. 21D) so that at the end of the effect the image becomes full-sized and is centered (FIG. 21E). This effect sequence only varies three parameters: X, Y and Z position. The three keyframes which define the sequence are shown as keyframes 21-1, 21-2 and 21-3. All a user needs to do to define this sequence is to specify: 1) at what point in the sequence the keyframes occur; 2) what the X, Y and Z positions of the image are in each keyframe and 3) what kind of interpolation algorithms the system software will use to define the intermediate frames between the three keyframes. The system software then computes the image X, Y and Z positions for each field in the effect sequence.
While the aforementioned two-dimensional keyframing system is easy to setup and is capable of generating a variety of digital special effects at a real-time video rate and of simulating certain three-dimensional effects, it does not have true three-dimensional capability. For example, it is not possible with such a system to rotate a three-dimensional object with real-time video displayed on all surfaces as the object rotates.
There are several video special effects systems which are capable of generating true three-dimensional video special effects which can construct a three-dimensional object and then manipulate the constructed three-dimensional object by rotating it, translating it, etc. In the video special effects system described herein, a flat source surface is divided into a plurality of flat polygonal "patches" and a 3D surface is first constructed by manipulating the patches in three dimensions by rotating, translating and scaling each patch to construct the 3D surface. Then, in order to manipulate the entire constructed surface, the vertices of each patch are transformed in order to establish their location in the final transformed 3D shape. Once the patches have been transformed, real time video is mapped to each transformed patch face by using the target points in each patch to determine the necessary source points.
While the aforementioned keyframe method of specifying the desired effect sequence can be used with such a patch-driven system, additional complexities are introduced due to the number of parameters that must be specified in each keyframe. In a two dimensional system, only a small number of parameters such as X, Y and Z position, translation, scaling and perspective are applicable and need be manually specified in each keyframe. However, with the patch-driven 3D system, the parameters for each patch must be specified if the 3D object is to be constructed as part of the special effects sequence. If the 3D object consists of only a few patches, then only a small number of parameters must be specified in each keyframe, but a 3D object which is comprised of a large number of patches or which is curved requires the specification of a large number of parameters in each keyframe resulting in a time-consuming setup operation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a patch-driven 3D video special effects system in which 3D objects can be quickly and easily defined.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a patch-driven 3D video special effects system which is compatible with conventional keyframe control.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a patch-driven 3D video special effects system which allows complex 3D objects to be quickly defined with a small number of parameters for each keyframe.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a patch-driven 3D video special effects system which allows a 3D object with a pre-defined shape to be changed to another 3D object with another shape in the course of a special effects sequence.

Method for controlling a 3D patch-driven special effects system


A peristaltic pumping and metering apparatus and method whereby tube walls are squeezed inwardly against cores contained in the tubes. A plurality of rings are frictionally driven in epicyclic manner, to thus deform a contoured belt against the core-containing tubes.

There is a major need for peristaltic pumps the tubes of which will last longer than those of prior-art peristaltic pumps. Various tube materials have been employed in an effort to increase tube life and achieve other benefits, but despite such materials the problem of wear continues to be a major one.
It is conventional in peristaltic pumps to flatten or "pinch" tube walls against a surface. The relationships between the parts may be such that the tube is partially occluded, fully occluded, or over occluded. Flexural fatigue occurs where the tube is repeatedly creased, and this and other factors cause spallation of the inner surface of the tube. Shedding of tube particles from the inner wall of the tube is a problem not only because of decreased tube life, but because the interior size of the tube can be caused to vary in an irregular manner--thus creating changed and/or unpredictable flow rates. The repeated creasing of the tube, as it is flattened against a back-up surface, can also cause cracking of the tube, or permanent deformation thereof with consequent diminished flow rate.
It is important that an apparatus and method be provided by which the tendencies toward fatigue, spallation, cracking, permanent deformation, and variations in flow rate are minimized. It is also important that this be achieved in a simple and effective manner having no major effect on the cost of the peristaltic pump or meter.
Relative to another aspect of the invention, it is desired to provide an extremely simple peristaltic pump that in many instances does not require gearing, and does not require complex components. It is also desired that the simple and economical arrangement of parts be such that fluid may be pumped or metered in opposite directions simultaneously, and with minimized creep or crawl of the tubes.

Peristaltic apparatus and method for pumping and/or metering fluids


A reactor water cleanup system includes a reactor pressure vessel containing a reactor core submerged in reactor water. First and second parallel cleanup trains are provided for extracting portions of the reactor water from the pressure vessel, cleaning the extracted water, and returning the cleaned water to the pressure vessel. Each of the cleanup trains includes a heat exchanger for cooling the reactor water, and a cleaner for cleaning the cooled reactor water. A return line is disposed between the cleaner and the pressure vessel for channeling the cleaned water thereto in a first mode of operation. A portion of the cooled water is bypassed around the cleaner during a second mode of operation and returned through the pressure vessel for shutdown cooling.

Conventional boiling water reactors include auxiliary systems including, for example, a reactor water cleanup (RWCU) system, and a residual heat removal (RHR) system which is effective for several functions including shutdown cooling (SDC) of the reactor.
The RWCU system continually cleans the reactor water to remove impurities including fission and corrosion products, and is sized to process the water volume of the reactor system within a cycle that repeats typically every several hours. The system is typically operated during startup, shutdown, and refueling operation, as well as during normal plant operations. The system typically includes in serial flow communication with the reactor pressure vessel a pump for removing reactor water at reactor temperature and pressure (e.g. about 250.degree. C. and about 70 kg/cm.sup.2), regenerative and non-regenerative heat exchangers which cool the extracted reactor water, and a cleaner or filter-demineralizer, for removing the impurities. The cleaned flow is returned through the shell side of the regenerative heat exchanger where it is heated before being returned to the pressure vessel. The purified liquid effluent stream leaving the cleaner is also connected to a conventional main condenser and radiation waste tank, the former being used for also obtaining reactor blowdown in which excess reactor water is channeled through the RWCU system to the main condenser, and in the latter waste impurities are periodically purged thereto,
The RHR system typically includes for performing the shutdown cooling function a pump disposed in flow communication with the pressure vessel for pumping a portion of the reactor water to a non-regenerative heat exchanger wherein it is cooled and then returned to the pressure vessel through a conventional feedwater line or directly to the reactor pressure vessel. The RHR system is typically operated only at reactor pressures below about 9 kg/cm.sup.2, and is, therefore, designed for accommodating such relatively low pressure. Furthermore, the RHR shutdown cooling system is also sized for channeling reactor water from the pressure vessel at flowrates substantially larger than those used in the RWCU system in order to effectively cool the reactor water upon shutdown.
In each of the RWCU and RHR shutdown cooling systems described above, many of the components thereof are provided in duplicate to ensure redundancy of operation. For example, two each of the non-regenerative and regenerative heat exchangers and the cleaners are typically provided with crosstie pipelines being used for connecting them in parallel flow communication. Furthermore, numerous valves are also used for selectively blocking, switching, and regulating flow in the systems. The redundancy of components not only increases the reliability of the overall systems, it also allows each of the redundant components to be separately maintained while the reactor remains online and operational. In order to maintain or repair one of the redundant components, suitable valves are positioned for allowing operation of one of the components while isolating the redundant component from the flow circuit. The redundant component may then be removed or repaired while the overall system remains in operation.
However, the resulting systems are, therefore, relatively complex and include a substantial number of redundant components and valves. Maintenance requirements are. therefore, relatively high, and, many of the components may only be maintained or serviced upon shutdown of the reactor. For example, although the redundant heat exchangers are disposed in parallel flow with each other, they are typically disposed in serial flow in a single flow branch of the respective systems. Although each of the redundant heat exchangers may be serviced by closing off its respective valves to isolate the heat exchanger, those valves themselves may not be serviced unless the flow thereto is cut off which typically requires reactor shutdown.


The invention provides a method of forming a resistance film with even thickness and at high speed even in a substrate having micro depressions and projections in its surface. A fine particle dispersion solution is prepared by adding a solution which decreases the absolute value of a ξ potential at the fine particles and a solution which decreases dispersion stability of the fine particles into a solution in which metal oxide fine particles are stably dispersed, a substrate having an insulating surface is immersed in the fine particle dispersion solution to deposit a fine particle aggregation film, and then a resistance film is obtained by performing heat treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of immersing a substrate in a fine particle dispersion solution, depositing a fine particle film on a surface of the substrate, and forming an antistatic film. Particularly the invention relates to the film depositing method suitable for forming the antistatic film on the substrate whose surface has micro depressions and projections, and an image display device and a television device which are formed thereby.
2. Related Background Art
In the method of depositing various kinds of functional films on the substrate, vacuum evaporation, sputtering, a CVD method, and the like are widely known as the method of depositing the film from a gas phase. Spray coating, a dipping and pulling-up method, spin coating, electrolytic plating, electroless plating, colloidal electrodeposition, a sol-gel method, liquid-phase deposition, and the like are well known as the method of depositing the film from a liquid phase. These film depositing methods are appropriately used depending on characteristics of each method.
In the vacuum evaporation and the sputtering which are of the method of depositing the film from the gas phase, although film characteristics can be precisely controlled, directional properties exist in depositing the film. Therefore, although the vacuum evaporation and the sputtering are suitable for the film deposition on the plane-shaped substrate, it is difficult to deposit the film on the whole surface of the substrate in which the surface is not smooth. Throughput is also low because a vacuum film depositing apparatus is required. When the film is upsized, there is a problem that the apparatus becomes very expensive.
In the atmospheric pressure CVD method, although a vacuum installation is not required, generally it is necessary to heat the substrate on which the film is deposited to a high temperature, and it is necessary that the substrate has high heat-resisting properties. Because a temperature distribution of the substrate is reflected to a characteristic distribution of the film, the even temperature distribution is required in depositing the film, and the temperature distribution is difficult to control particularly in the substrate having a complicated shape.
Generally the gas phase film depositing method is suitable for production of a thin film because a film material is supplied as gas. However, because material density is low, there is the common problem that film deposition speed is relative low. On the other hand, the liquid phase film depositing method has advantages that solute density can be largely increased and the film deposition speed is large, and the throughput is high, when compared with the gas phase film depositing method. Therefore, the liquid phase film depositing method is widely used in fields in which cost reduction is required.
In the electrolytic plating and the electroless plating, the film deposition speed is high, the film can be deposited over the substrate at once at a low temperature, and the film deposition can be performed at low cost. However, in the electrolytic plating and the electroless plating, the film material is limited to a metal material in which oxidation and reduction are easy to occur.
In the electrodeposition, because pigment fine particles in colloidal dispersion are attracted to the substrate Coulomb attraction in an electrophoresis phenomenon, it is necessary that the substrate itself is conductive.
In the dipping and pulling-up method, the spin coating, and the spray coating, the film can be deposited on the substrate having a large area with an extremely simple apparatus, and these methods are the low-cost film depositing means used in various fields. A sol-gel solution, a fine particle dispersion solution, and the like can be used as the film material, and a degree of freedom is large in selecting the substrate material and the film material. However, surface tension has a large influence on these film-depositing methods when a solution layer formed on the surface of the substrate is dried, so that it is difficult that the film is evenly deposited on the substrate having a micro, complicated shape. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the film is deposited on the surface of a substrate 5 having micro depressions and projections by these methods, as shown in FIG. 9B, the solution containing the film material is attracted to the depressions on the surface of the substrate by the surface tension, and it is inevitable that films 41 are thick in the depressions and films 42 are extremely thin in the projections. As shown in a partially enlarged view of FIG. 9C, ideally it is desirable that the film has the even thickness in both the depressions and the projections. However, currently the film shown in FIG. 9C is not realized.
In the liquid phase deposition (LPD), a technology in which an oxide thin film is mainly grown on the surface of the substrate by utilizing a solution chemical reaction between film raw materials solved in the solution is actively developed in recent years, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-116424 discloses the technology. In the technology, the film can be deposited across the surface at a relatively low temperature irrespective of the shape of the substrate. The technology is promising in the future. However, currently a film deposition time is long and the available substrates and film materials are restricted.
On the other hand, a phenomenon in which the fine particles are absorbed to the surface of the substrate in the solution depending on conditions is well known, and the technology which prevents the absorption of foreign materials is widely researched particularly in the field of a washing technology (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H03-74845 and H09-22885).
However, the absorption of the foreign material becomes only a state in which the surface of the substrate is sparsely contaminated by the extremely small amount of foreign material, and the absorption of the foreign material can not positively be utilized as means for forming the functional film on the substrate.
The technology, in which the thick and even fine particle film is deposited on the whole area of the insulating substrate surface having the micro depressions and projections at high speed by the simple technique as shown in FIG. 9C, is not developed in the conventional technology described above.
A plane type of display device which utilizes electric field electron-emission (FED) can be cited as an example of a member which needs the above-described technology.
In the plane type of display device (FED), it is necessary to provide a withstanding atmospheric pressure support body (spacer) because the inside is in a vacuum. In the spacer, it is necessary that an even antistatic film is formed on the whole insulating substrate so that the spacer withstands high voltage and electric charges are not accumulated on the surface by electron collision (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-311605 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,345) and No. 2000-311609 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,263). In addition, in order to restrain the emission of secondary elections on the spacer surface, it has recently been studied to manufacture the spacer by forming an antistatic film on a substrate having micro depressions and projections on its surface (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-223858 (US-2003-141803A)). Therefore, the above-described film depositing methods are studied for the means for forming the antistatic film.
A problem of the invention is to realize the even resistant film deposition on the insulating substrate surface having the micro depressions and projections at high speed and at low cost, which is difficult to realize by the conventional gas phase film deposition technology and liquid phase film deposition technology, particularly the dipping and pulling-up method, the spin coating, and the spray coating. Mainly the film depositing method of the invention enables the antistatic film to be formed on the withstanding atmospheric pressure support body (spacer) having the micro depressions and projections, which is used for the plane type of display device.