The present invention relates generally to first aid articles and more specifically tourniquets suitable for one handed application. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a tourniquet having a base defining first and second ends. A constricting band is attached to and extends from the first end of the base. A handle is engaged with the constricting band. The constricting band engages a self cinching buckle which includes polygonal frame member and a self cinching member engaged with the polygonal frame member. A hook member is attached to the first end of the base and is configured to engage the polygonal frame member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices used in first aid. More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in tourniquets used for emergency medical use.
2. Description of Related Art
Loss of blood is a major cause of death in emergency situations in which the injured person is alone or medical assistance is not immediately available. The use of a tourniquet to stop blood loss from an injured arm or leg is a well-known technique for stopping blood flow in these situations. In general, for emergency use where the victim is alone, the victim must be able to apply the tourniquet to his or her own arm or leg and occlude blood flow using only one hand. A typical tourniquet is a tightly tied or wound band applied around a body part, e.g., an arm or a leg, in an attempt to stop severe bleeding or uncontrolled hemorrhage in an emergency situation.
In recent years, several tourniquets designed for one-handed application have become available. These tourniquets typically include a strap 10 engaged with a substantially rigid base 15 and threaded through or looped around a handle 20 as illustrated in FIG. 1. In order to tighten the tourniquet around a limb, strap 10 is threaded through buckle 25 and handle 20 is twisted thereby causing strap 10 to constrict circumferentially about the limb. A significant drawback to these known tourniquets is, under certain circumstances, they do not facilitate speedy deployment to trapped limbs. In order to deploy these tourniquets to trapped limbs, strap 10 must be manually disengaged from the buckle 25 and subsequently routed around the limb and reengaged with buckle 25 before being tightened. That process requires acute concentration as well as precise dexterity, characteristics that are often not available to an injured person in crisis or a first responder in a high stress environment. In addition, that process delays tourniquet application where even a few seconds of delay can cause fatal blood loss.
Another drawback of known tourniquets designed for one-handed application is that they are sometimes difficult to cinch even when the strap is engaged with the buckle requiring several tugs on the strap and sometimes aid of a second hand. Often, it necessary for an injured person to apply the tourniquet to its own limb. The injured person may have suffered severe trauma and may not have the presence of mind, the patience or the stamina to overcome cinching difficulties.
The use of a tourniquet by military personnel, law enforcement personnel and first responders imposes weight and size restrictions. Such personnel carry a variety of critical equipment and they will be disinclined to carry a tourniquet if it is too heavy or if it is too bulky. Accordingly, there is a need for a lightweight, low profile tourniquet that can be rapidly applied by a first responder or by the victim using one hand.


A surgical light is provided, the surgical light comprising a light head including at least one illuminant configured to generate an illuminated area on a surgical site, and a sensor attached to the light head, wherein the sensor is configured to identify items used in surgery, and the sensor is attached to the light head such that a detection volume of the sensor is directed to the illuminated area.

During surgical interventions, there is a risk that instruments, pads or compresses remain in a surgical wound of a patient. Therefore, up to now, in order reduce this risk, e.g., operating room nurses have to identify the instruments and have to count all items being used by a surgeon or by a surgeon assistant. Despite this process, sometimes, some compresses and even instruments stay inside the patient's body after the surgeon has closed the wound. This is dangerous for the patient due to possible post-surgical inflammations and infections. For a hospital, such occurrences lead to a lot of costs due to necessary additional subsequent surgeries.
Therefore, expensive systems have been developed for monitoring the whereabouts of the instruments and objects in an operating room environment. For example, document US 2007/0268133 A1 discloses a system for tracking surgical items in an operating room environment. This system uses several directional antennas with RF transceivers, pointing mechanisms and an ultrasonic transducer for tracking and locating objects and items utilized during surgical procedures in operating room environments.
Therefore, the object underlying the present disclosure is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of unreliable or costly processes and to provide an economic and effective device for tracking items used during surgical procedures.

Surgical light, system including the surgical light and method for operating the surgical light


A semiconductor integrated circuit (1) having an integrated circuit region (1a), and a plurality of I/O cells (6) each having an element formation region for external electrical connection from the element formation region. An input/output signal electrode pad (3), a power supply electrode pad (4) and a GND electrode pad (5) are placed on an element formation region of each I/O cell (6).

A conventional semiconductor integrated circuit will be described with reference to drawings.
FIG. 9A is a plan view of an ordinary construction of a semiconductor integrated circuit. FIG. 9B is a sectional view taken along line D-D′ in FIG. 9A. FIG. 9C is an enlarged view of portion E in FIG. 9B.
This conventional semiconductor integrated circuit has a five-layer wiring structure.
In the following description, a structure in which each of input/output signal electrode pads corresponding to those provided outside an element formation region for an input/output circuit in other structures is provided on an element formation region for an input/output circuit is referred to as a pad on element (POE) structure.
An ordinary construction in an electrode portion of the semiconductor integrated circuit having a five-layer wiring structure and a POE structure will be described briefly with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9C.
In FIGS. 9A to 9C, reference numeral 51 denotes the semiconductor integrated circuit (also called a semiconductor chip), reference numeral 52 an electrode pad having a POE structure; reference numeral 58 a first protective film of PSiN or the like; reference numeral 59 a second protective film of polyimide or the like; reference numeral 63 an interlayer insulating film; and reference numeral 65 a silicon substrate.
The electrode pad 52 having a POE structure has a stacked via structure formed by an uppermost-layer pad metal 60, a lower-layer pad metal 61 formed in a wiring layer immediately below the uppermost-layer pad metal 60, and a via 62 for connection between the two pad metals 60 and 61. This stacked via structure is effective in limiting cratering caused in a bonding step such as a wire bonding step.
A first power-supply-layer metal 68 for supplying power is formed below the electrode pad 52. A lowermost-layer metal 57 for supply of a signal to an input/output signal circuit is formed as a layer under the first power-supply-layer metal 68. The electrode pad 52 and the lowermost-layer metal 57 are electrically connected to each other by a stack structure of a lead metal 64.
A description based on the above description of the ordinary construction will be made of a semiconductor integrated circuit having a conventional electrode pad structure with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view corresponding to a portion F shown in FIG. 9A.
In the conventional semiconductor circuit having a POE structure, as shown in FIG. 10, a power supply electrode pad 54 is formed on a power supply cell 66, a GND electrode pad 55 is formed on a GND cell 67, and an input/output signal electrode pad 53 is formed on an element formation region of each of I/O cells 56 (an input/output circuit region).
Such a structure in which electrode pads are placed on element formation regions of cells for the purpose of reducing the chip size has already been proposed.
For example, a semiconductor integrated circuit has been proposed in which an interlayer insulating film is provided on a logic circuit or a driver circuit, and an electrode pad for an input signal or an output signal is formed on the interlayer insulating film (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-244235).
In the above-described conventional semiconductor integrated circuit, however, the dependence of the chip size on the area of electrode pads tends to increase since the size of the active element region for the essential function of a semiconductor element is reduced with the adaptation of the diffusion process to finer design rules.
With the development of semiconductor integrated circuits operated at lower voltages, there is a tendency to increase the numbers of power supply pads and GND pads relative to the number of I/O cells for input and output signals for stabilization of signals for example. Because of the increase in the numbers of power supply pads and GND pads, the tendency of the dependence of the chip size on the area of electrode pads is further increased.
Conventionally, a reduction in electrode pad area in such semiconductor integrated circuits and, hence, a reduction in size of the semiconductor integrated circuits have been achieved by the method of reducing the size of electrode pads by reducing the pitch between the electrode pads.
There is a problem that, with the reduction in size of electrode pads by reducing the width of pads, assembly operations including operations to form wires and bumps on electrode pads and an operation to perform molding for resin encapsulation have become considerably difficult to perform.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of manufacturing the same


An underdrain system having a bottom formed of concrete. The concrete bottom includes a plurality of depressions formed therein. A porous plate is operably associated with at least one of the depressions. An anchor assembly is provided for anchoring the porous plate to the concrete bottom in an efficient and cost effective manner. Preferably, the anchor assembly permits the porous plate to be readily replaced. An optional insert may be used to enhance the distribution of the flow of fluid through the porous plate.

Various underdrain systems have been developed for filter systems that filter water and wastewater. One commonly used underdrain system is a monolithic false bottom underdrain system. This underdrain system typically includes a cast in place concrete structure that overlays the structural floor or true bottom of the filter housing or compartment. The concrete structure includes a plurality of cone shaped depressions formed herein. "Cone shaped" as used herein includes within its definition pyramidal shaped depressions. A thimble is disposed at the lowermost point of the cone shaped depressions. Fluid flows through the thimble and corresponding cone shaped depressions during the various cycles of operation of a filter including the filtration mode and backwashing mode. Fourteen porcelain spheres are commonly disposed in each of the cone shaped depressions. Five of the porcelain spheres are approximately 3 inches in size, one of the porcelain spheres is approximately 1 ⅜ inches in size and the eight remaining porcelain spheres are approximately 1 ¼ inches in size. One of the 3 inch porcelain spheres is disposed directly over a porcelain thimble positioned in the bottom of the cone shaped depressions. The remaining four 3 inch balls are disposed directly above the porcelain sphere positioned over the thimble. The 1 ⅜ inch porcelain sphere is located in the center of the four 3 inch porcelain spheres. The remaining eight 1 ¼ inch porcelain spheres are positioned on the outer periphery of the four 3 inch porcelain spheres. The porcelain balls are expensive and time-consuming to install. Further, it is important to insure that the balls are spherical to insure that the balls do not spin owing to the flow of water passing the balls. This spinning can cause undue wear on the walls of the depressions. The porcelain balls are also subject to becoming dislodged from the corresponding depression. This can lead to significant problems with the operation of the filter.
Another commonly employed underdrain system is a pre-cast wheeler bottom. This type of underdrain system is typically shipped in blocks of specific sizes such as 2′×2′ as opposed to a monolithic false bottom underdrain system as previously described. The pre-cast blocks are positioned on concrete walls in the filter housing or compartment. A plurality of depressions are formed in the pre-cast blocks. A plurality of porcelain spheres are disposed in each of the depressions. This underdrain system suffers from similar drawbacks to the monolithic false bottom underdrain systems.
A pyramidal shaped liner has been employed in the depressions of the concrete bottoms where the walls have deteriorated. However, this pyramidal shaped liner formed from plastic only addressed the structural deficiency of the walls and still required the use of numerous porcelain spheres or balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568 discloses retrofitting a monolithic false bottom filter underdrain system by replacing the porcelain balls with one or more porous plates. The primary if not exclusive reason for substituting the porcelain balls with a porous plate stated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568 is to obviate one or more gravel support layers that are sometimes used with monolithic false bottom underdrain systems. The porous plates are permanently anchored to the concrete bottom of the monolithic false bottom underdrain system. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568 teaches permanently anchoring the porous plates to the concrete bottom by embedding an anchor in the concrete bottom.
There are numerous disadvantages to the retrofit underdrain system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568. One principal disadvantage is that the porcelain balls are replaced with an inferior fluid distributor. Specifically, unlike the porcelain balls, porous plates are not particularly good distributors. This causes significant problems during operation of the filter. For example, fluid directed through a porous plate is more likely to pass through the central portion of the porous plate rather than be evenly distributed over the entire surface area of the porous plate. This results in maldistribution of the fluid in the filter bed. The retrofit underdrain system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568 employs multiple layers of porous plates to achieve better distribution. However, adequate distribution is not achieved owing to limitations on the distribution capabilities of the porous plate. Further, using multiple porous plates unnecessarily increases the cost of the retrofit underdrain system. The retrofit underdrain system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,568 is unnecessarily difficult and time consuming to install. Specifically, embedding the anchoring members in concrete to permanently secure the porous plate to the concrete bottom is a difficult and time-consuming process due in part to the presence of reinforcing steel used in the concrete. The difficulty in the installation process can lead to structural failure. Moreover, the porous plate cannot be readily replaced when necessary owing to its permanent attachment to the concrete bottom.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for converting communications messages includes accepting a set of related HL7 V2 messages to be converted, the messages conforming to HL7 V2 specifications. Additionally, an XML schema derived from an HL7 V3 specification Reference Information Model (RIM) is given, and conversion mapping rules are provided. The V2 messages are automatically converted to a V3 message or document, conforming to the selected XML schema, using the conversion mapping rules.

Health Level Seven (HL7) is a standards-producing body, which develops data standards for storing and exchanging information across the healthcare industry. HL7's mission statement is "To provide a comprehensive framework and related standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information that supports clinical practice and the management, delivery and evaluation of health services. Specifically, to create flexible, cost effective standards, guidelines, and methodologies to enable healthcare information system interoperability and sharing of electronic health records."
The HL7 standards cover both clinical and administrative aspects of the healthcare industry, including laboratory, clinical genomics, medical records, patient care, pharmacy, public health reporting, regulated studies, accounts and billing, claims and reimbursement, patient administration and personnel management scheduling.
From 1990 until 2003, HL7 produced a family of message specifications denoted HL7 Version 2. The latest specification in the family is HL7 V2.5, which is incorporated herein by reference. Further information regarding HL7 standards is available at www.h17.org/library/standards_non1.htm.
HL7 V2 messages contain information regarding healthcare-related events such as doctor visits, laboratory test results, and patient observations. The following is a sample V2 message reporting laboratory test results:
MSH|{circumflex over ( )}~\&|||||19941122100053||ORU{circumflex over ( )}M01|EVN|M01|199411181141|PID|||661041||GARDNER{circumflex over ( )}REED{circumflex over ( )}M|PV1||I|E7{circumflex over ( )}703{circumflex over ( )}{circumflex over ( )}LDS|OBR||{circumflex over ( )}A000520|LYTES{circumflex over ( )}Serum Electrolytes|OBX|1|NM|NAS{circumflex over ( )}Serum Sodium|1|138|mmol/L|OBX|2|NM|K{circumflex over ( )}Serum Potassium|1|3.2|mmol/L|OBX|3|NM|CL{circumflex over ( )}Serum Chloride|1|114|mmol/L|OBX|4|NM|CO2{circumflex over ( )}Serum CO2|1|24|mmol/L|
Each V2 message consists of segments, represented by rows in the example shown above. Each segment begins with a three-letter code defining the segment type. The first segment is the message header, denoted MSH. The PID ("patient Identifier") segment contains patient identification information. Other segment types include PV1, which stands for "patient visit," and OBX, which stands for "observation." A table listing additional segment types is given in the detailed description section hereinbelow.
HL7 V2 segments are divided into data fields, separated by vertical bar symbols, each field containing data elements. Data elements may conform to any of several data types including text characters, such as a patient name, or numerical information, such as a patient age or a quantitative blood test result. Complex data types, including two or more data elements, are also defined. Data fields may be defined as "required" or "optional," and may be repeated several times within a segment.
During the late 1990's, work began on a new family of message specifications, later to be published as the HL7 V3 specification. HL7 V3 follows an XML structure. For a better understanding of the methods to be described, the concept of XML-based structures will now be explained in greater detail.
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a simplified version of Standard Generalized Mark-Up Language (SGML), designed initially for Web documents. XML allows designers to create their own customized markup languages, enabling the definition, transmission, validation, and interpretation of data between applications and between organizations. XML is a formal recommendation of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Additional information regarding XML is available at www.w3c.org/xml. Markup symbols are used in XML to describe the contents of a page or file, defining the meaning of the data that is being described. The term "markup" refers to a sequence of characters or other symbols that are inserted at certain places in a document, to describe the document's storage layout and logical structure. The markup symbols are often called "tags." XML is extensible due to the fact that the markup tags are user-defined, thereby enabling the designer to define a complete language to suit a particular application. The designer defines a DTD, or Document Type Definition, which is a collection of XML markup declarations that, as a collection, defines the structure, elements, and attributes that are available for use in a document that complies with the DTD. The designer may also use the newer XSD, or XML Schema Definition format for defining tags.
The HL7 V3 family of specifications is centered around a single, unified Reference Information Model (RIM) covering all domains of the healthcare industry. The RIM defines all data structures, data types and vocabularies, as well as the relationships between them. The RIM includes dozens of classes, representing the building blocks from which all healthcare-related messages and documents are built.
Four fundamental classes are defined: Entity, Role, Participation and Act. Other classes are typically specializations of one of the fundamental classes. For example, a Procedure class representing a medical procedure is a specialization of the Act class. Observations are specializations of Acts as well, representing laboratory orders and results, diagnoses and more. Patients and healthcare providers are represented through the associations of Entity-Role-Participation.
For example, a person is an Entity that may have the Role of a physician and the Participation of an attending physician in the Act of admitting a patient to a hospital. Each class contains attributes that carry information about the class. Each attribute is formatted according to a predefined data type. The class attributes and data types are defined in the RIM. Using this class representation, any healthcare-related event can be expressed in terms of a unified, predefined data structure. Further details regarding HL7 V3 can be found at www.hl7.org/library/standards_non1.htm.
All HL7 V3 specifications are reductions or specializations of the RIM to address the needs of specific usages in the healthcare industry. For example, the Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) is a specification for producing and exchanging clinical documents, derived from the HL7 RIM, in a standard, XML-based structure. Further details of the CDA specifications can be found in a publication by Dolin, et al. entitled "HL7 Clinical Document Architecture, Release 2, Committee Ballot #02," Dec. 8, 2003, published by the HL7 Structured Documents Technical Committee, which is incorporated herein by reference. The CDA specification documentation is also available from www.hl7.org/Library/Committees/structure/CDA.ReleaseTwo.CommitteeBallot02.Dec.2003.zip.
A derivation of the RIM for a particular usage is sometimes referred to as a "schema" or "XML schema." Other XML schemata derived from the RIM cover Regulated Clinical Research Information Management (RCRIM), Clinical-Genomics, Medication, etc.
In addition to HL7 V2 and V3, a version denoted HL7 V2.XML was approved by the HL7 organization, consisting of encoding rules for converting HL7 V2 messages into XML format. Further details regarding HL7 V2.XML are available in an HL7 Specification entitled "HL7 Version 2: XML Encoding Syntax, Release 1," Jun. 4, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. Several commercial conversion tools have been developed for converting HL7 V2 messages to HL7 V2.XML format. Such tools are available, for example, from iNTERFACEWARE Inc. of Toronto, Canada (www.interfaceware.com), or from Lumrix.net of Bern, Switzerland (www.1umrix.net/hl7xml.php).

Methodology for mapping HL7 V2 standards to HL7 V3 standards

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are a system and a method for extending a user interface. A system for extending a user interface according to the present invention includes a master configured to generate or manage a session between devices in order to extend the user interface to a peripheral device of a user that includes a user terminal; and an input/output (I/O) device including the user terminal configured to receive a command for controlling a device that is included in the session generated or managed by the master, or to output or execute the command for controlling the device that is transferred through the session. According to the present invention, users of a smart terminal having a limited input/output interface may extend a user interface using widely used information and communication technology (ICT) peripheral devices (a monitor, a printer, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like).

In the related arts, a technology that enables a user to work together with another user by searching for peripheral devices or by sharing content of the user using a public desk is widely used. In existing technologies, a user uses peripheral devices using a smart terminal of the user (a bonjour protocol, a universal plug and play (UPNP) protocol), or uses a peripheral device by moving smart terminal contents of the user to the peripheral device.
The related arts have desired to propose a method that enables cooperation or may use peripheral devices using a smart terminal. However, even though an available peripheral device is present nearby, there is an issue that it is impossible to control the smart terminal using the peripheral device, or an expensive cooperation environment needs to be purchased.

System and method for extending user-interface, and storage medium storing the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention relates to an improved process for in-situ preparation of alumina-(Ti,Zr) borides composite. The present invention particularly relates to fast and in-situ process for synthesis and consolidation of Al2O3—Zr/Ti B2 composites of approximate-95% density with controlled grain-growth in the range of less than or the order of 5 micrometer or less grain size using a dynamic Self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process.

Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,882 where alumina-zirconium/Titanium or both diborides are prepared from Al2O3 and Ti/Zr diboride particulate mixing. The mixture is pressed and sintered as pressure-less or hot pressing or hot isostat pressing (HIP) at around 2000° C. This process is conventionally followed but the grain-growth of borides as well as alumina hinders the densification and are undesired. The processing time is longer and requires costly high temperature furnaces. Similar processing are also reported by T. Watanbe and S. Kouno, Bull. Am. Ceram. Soc., 61, 970, 1982 and G. Suskin, G. Chepovetsky, J. Mater. Eng. Performance, 5, 396, 1996.
Reference is also made to patent GB 2285267 where composite of zirconium diboride with zirconium oxide and other oxides, AlN, ZrN and BN have been reported. The product has used low melting point borides such as Ni/Co boride. These will lead to larger grain-growth as well as reduce the high temperature uses of such composite. The composite powder is prepared by Self-Propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process from elemental powders (K. Upadhya, J. Yang, W. Hoffman, Bull. Am. Ceram Soc., page 51, 1997 A. Makino, C. K. Low, J. Am. Ceram Soc. 77(3), 778, 1994. Also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,662 by J Jung.) followed by milling, pressing and sintering at high temperatures in the range of 1900-2000° C. or hot isostat pressing at 1800° C. or more. This process also leads to coarser grains and costly high temperature furnaces to get a 95% or more dense materials. Beside these, the use of elemental powders makes the process cost intensive, also milling of the synthesised powder composite powder is required, which are very hard when processed through elemental stating powders. This step includes lot of impurity of the milling media during processing
It is also known to carry out preparation of alumina-Ti/Zr diboride composite by SHS process from their oxides and aluminothermic reduction (Jenq Liu and P. Darrellown by J. Am. Ceramic society, 1991, 74 (1), pp 241-43, V. Sundaram, K. V. Logan and R. F. Speyer; J. Mater. Res., 1997, 12, pp 1681-1684. S P. Ray: Metallurgical Transaction A, 1992, 23A, pp 2381-2385. S. Postrach, J. Potschke: J. Euro. Ceram. Soc., 2000, 20, pp 1459-1468). The prepared powders are milled and sintered at in the range of 1800-2000° C. or hot isostat pressing at 1800° C. or more. This process also leads to coarser grains and costly high temperature furnaces to get a 95% or more dense materials. However, the powders are loosely bound so milling is easy and hence the impurities are included to the lesser extent compared to particulate mixing process.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,405 which discloses the reaction synthesis and consolidation of ceramic composite of group IVA metal diboride-alumina. While the said patent reports a good dense body the composite had bulky agglomerates of alumina.

Process for in-situ preparation of aluminia—(Ti,Zr) borides composite

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


The invention provides an active matrix type display device which realizes an image display of multiple gray scale exhibiting high numerical aperture and high definition with a least number of wiring by having an image memory circuit equivalent to a static memory circuit without using two voltages, that is, high and low voltages. Pixels are arranged at portions where a plurality of scanning lines (selection signal lines) and a plurality of signal lines (data lines (video signal lines)) intersect each other, each pixel is comprised of a pixel electrode, a switching element which selects the pixel electrode and a memory circuit which stores data to be written in the pixel electrode, and a power supply line which applies an AC voltage to the memory circuit is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active matrix type display device, and more particularly to a pixel memory system liquid crystal display device and an electroluminescence type display device exhibiting high numerical aperture and high definition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display devices have been widely adopted as display devices which can perform a color display of high definition for note-type computers and display monitors.
As such liquid crystal display devices, simple matrix type liquid crystal display devices each of which adopts a liquid crystal display element which sandwiches a liquid crystal layer with a pair of substrates which form parallel electrodes arranged in an intersecting manner on respective inner surfaces and active matrix type liquid crystal display devices each of which adopts a liquid crystal display element having switching elements for selecting per pixel on one of a pair of substrates have been known.
A thin film transistor (TFT) type liquid crystal display device which is a typical example of the active matrix type liquid crystal display device applies signal voltages (video signal voltage: gray scale voltage) to a pixel electrode using a thin film transistor TFT provided to each pixel as a switching element and hence, there is no crosstalk between pixels so that the multi-gray scale display having high definition can be realized.
On the other hand, when this type of liquid crystal display device is mounted on an electronic device such as a portable type information terminal or the like which uses a battery as a power source, the reduction of the consumed power which is initiated by the display becomes necessary. To that end, many proposals have been made conventionally with respect to ideas to make each pixel of the liquid crystal display device have a memory function.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an example of the constitution of one pixel of a liquid crystal display device which makes each pixel have a memory function. FIG. 14 shows a so-called dynamic memory type, wherein a memory capacitor is provided to an output side (pixel electrode side) of a thin film transistor TFT mounted on a point of intersection between a signal line and a scanning line and display data is held for a given time after inputting the display data into the memory capacitor. In the drawing LC indicates a liquid crystal capacitor.
This dynamic memory type has to be refreshed periodically since the data held in the memory capacity leaks as time elapses. Particularly, when the memory function of the pixel is constituted using the polycrystalline silicon semiconductor, there is a tendency that the leak current is increased. Accordingly, it is necessary to shorten the refreshing cycle.
However, when the refreshing cycle is shortened, it brings about a drawback that an advantageous effect that the unnecessary writing can be omitted by giving the memory function to each pixel so that peripheral circuits and the power consumption can be reduced is decreased.
To solve the above-mentioned drawback, an active matrix type display device which adopts a static memory type in place of the dynamic memory type has been proposed.
FIG. 15 is an essential part circuit diagram for explaining an example of memory circuit of a static memory type described in FIG. 3 of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 333094/1992. In the drawing, a portion surrounded by a chained line indicates a pixel memory. This circuit is comprised of a NMOS transistor 111, a PMOS transistor 112 and inverters 121, 122. Scanning signals Vg are supplied to gates of the NMOS transistor 111 and the PMOS transistor 112, while gray scale signals (brightness signals) Vd are supplied to a drain of the NMOS transistor 111. A source of the NMOS transistor 111 is connected to an input of the inverter 122 together with a source of the PMOS transistor 112.
An output DM of the memory circuit which selects the liquid crystal drive voltage is taken out from an output of the inverter 122. The inverter 121 receives this signal DM as an input and an output of the inverter 121 is connected to a drain of the PMOS transistor 112.
The NMOS transistor 111 takes the xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d state when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d and becomes the xe2x80x9cONxe2x80x9d state when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d. To the contrary, the PMOS transistor 112 becomes the xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d state when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and becomes the xe2x80x9cONxe2x80x9d state when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. Accordingly, the memory circuit interrupts the brightness signal Vd when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d and connects the output of the inverter 121 to the input of the inverter 122 so that data storage state is obtained. Further, when the scanning signal Vg is set to xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, the memory circuit connects the brightness signal Vd to the input of the inverter 122 so as to obtain the data passing state.
FIG. 16 is an essential part circuit diagram for explaining another example of a memory circuit of a static memory type described in FIG. 2(b) of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 194205/1996. In the drawings, a portion surrounded by a chained line indicates a pixel memory. This circuit is comprised of switching elements 21, 22, 23 and 24 which are formed of thin film transistors arranged at intersecting portions between scanning lines 3 and signal lines 4. The switching elements 22, 23 constitute an inverter and forms a memory circuit. A scanning voltage (pulse) is applied to the scanning line 3 and, in synchronism with this step, a signal which controls the opening/closing of the switching element 24 is inputted to the switching element 21 though the signal line 4.
As other prior art which provides a memory to each pixel, there have been known techniques disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 102530/1994, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 286170/1996, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 113867/1997, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 212140/1997, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 65489/1997 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 75144/1999.
However, in any one of these prior arts, a DC voltage whose voltage level is not changed is applied to a power supply node of a memory circuit of each pixel every hour and hence, a technical concept to apply an AC voltage whose voltage level is changed along with the lapse of time to a power supply node of a memory circuit has been neither disclosed nor suggested in these prior arts.
Accordingly, in any one of these prior arts, it is necessary to particularly provide wiring for supplying a DC current for each pixel to maintain the storage of memory of each pixel.
In the above-mentioned conventional constitution, since the liquid crystal display device adopts the static memory type, it is necessary to supply two fixed voltages to each pixel, that is, high and low voltages which are originally unnecessary in a pixel array portion of the liquid crystal display device and hence, particular wiring for such fixed voltages becomes necessary and this leads to the lowering of the numerical aperture particularly in the transmission type liquid crystal display device.
Further, not to mention with respect to the transmission type liquid crystal display device, even in the reflection type liquid crystal display device and the electroluminescence display device, wiring of peripheral circuits such as drivers which drive pixels becomes large in number so that the peripheral region of the display device becomes large thus interrupting the miniaturization of the liquid crystal display device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an active matrix type display device which can solve the above-mentioned various problems of the prior art and can realize a multiple-gray scale image display exhibiting high numerical aperture, high definition and the least number of wiring which has an image memory circuit equivalent to a static memory circuit without using two fixed voltages, that is, high and low fixed voltages which are originally unnecessary in a pixel array portion of the liquid crystal display device.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the invention, the data holding of the image memory is performed by a circuit constitution which uses pixel drive pulses, for example, liquid crystal AC drive pulses with respect to liquid crystals as a power supply.
That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, pixels are arranged at portions where a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines intersect each other, each pixel is comprised of a pixel electrode, a switching element which selects the pixel electrode and a memory circuit which stores data to be written in the pixel electrode, and a power supply line which applies an AC voltage to the memory circuit is provided to the memory circuit.
According to a second aspect of the invention, an active matrix type display device includes a plurality of pixels which are arranged in the row direction and the column direction and a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines which are provided corresponding to respective pixels and are extended in the row direction, and
each pixel is comprised of a pixel electrode, a switching element which selects the pixel electrode, a memory circuit which stores display data of the pixel electrode, and selection circuit which selects a voltage applied to the pixel electrode and supplies one of the selected electrodes to the memory circuit.
According to the third aspect of the invention, one pixel (unit pixel) is constituted by collecting a plurality of element pixels (cells), the unit pixels in a plural number are arranged in the row direction and in the column direction, a plurality of row selection lines which are extended in the row direction and a plurality of column selection lines which are extended in the column direction are provided corresponding to the element pixels, each element pixel includes a pixel electrode, a switching circuit which selects the pixel electrode, a memory circuit which stores the turn-on/turn-off of the pixel electrode, and a selection circuit which selects a voltage applied to the pixel electrode, and
a row selection circuit which drives a plurality of row selection lines and a column selection circuit which drives a plurality of column selection lines by supplying one of voltages applied to the pixel electrodes to the memory circuit, and
a plurality of element pixels which belong to one unit pixel are simultaneously selected through the row selection circuit and the column selection circuit.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the gray scale is displayed by controlling the number of element pixels in the turn-on state out of a plurality of element pixels which belong to one unit pixel based on data written in the memory circuit.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the gray scale is displayed by controlling the rate between the turn-on period and the turn-off period of the element pixels which belong to one unit pixel based on data to be written in the memory circuit.
Due to such constitutions, the number of wiring can be decreased thus preventing the lowering of the numerical aperture of the pixels whereby the image display of a multiple gray scales and high definition can be realized.
The invention is not limited to the above-mentioned constitution and the constitutions of embodiments which will be explained later and various modifications are considered without departing from the technical concept of the invention.


A rewind device for a photosensitive sheet in an image forming apparatus comprises a supply shaft reversing device which winds back the photosensitive sheet by rotating a supply shaft rotatively supporting a photosensitive sheet roll in the reverse direction to the drawing direction of the photosensitive sheet and a control device which measures a rotation amount of the photosensitive sheet roll in the drawing direction for the photosensitive sheet and that in the reverse direction. The control device is composed so that it may stop the winding back of the photosensitive sheet by the supply shaft reversing device in order to constantly wind back a fixed amount of the photosensitive sheet by comparing both of the rotation amounts.

An image forming apparatus of the photosensitive latent image transfer type is composed so that it may form a visible image by pressing an image receiving sheet onto a portion of a photosensitive sheet at a pressure part therein, which is successively drawn from a photosensitive sheet roll and has latent images formed thereon at an irradiation part in the apparatus. However, there is a fixed distance between the irradiation part and the pressure part. Consequently, when a portion of a photosensitive sheet having a latent image formed thereon is carried to the pressure part, some portion of the photosensitive sheet between the pressure part and the irradiation part remains unexposed. Accordingly, if the next exposure is started in this condition, the unexposed portion is wastefully drawn without any treatment.
Therefore it is suggested that a distance corresponding to the unexposed portion of the photosensitive sheet should be wound back every time the formation of visible image at the pressure part is completed. Thus rewind devices for photosensitive sheet have already been developed, which may eliminate the above wastefulness by starting the next exposure at a portion immediately after the portion having been exposed in the preceding operation (hereinafter called exposure portion). As one of these rewind devices, for example, is known a disclosure (Application No. 63-101851) of Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7(a), in the image forming apparatuses having such a rewind device, at first an exposure is started at the irradiation part in the apparatus while a portion of a photosensitive sheet is being drawn from a photosensitive sheet roll(in the figure, an unexposure portion of a photosensitive sheet is shown with thick solid lines and an exposed portion thereof is shown with broken lines). Simultaneously as the exposure portion is carried to the pressure part in the apparatus by the drawing of the photosensitive sheet, an image receiving sheet is pressed onto the exposure portion and thereby a visible image is formed on the image receiving sheet. Thus as shown in FIG. 7(b), after the completion of the exposure at the irradiation part, a further drawing of the photosensitive sheet is continued until the rear edge of the exposure portion T reaches the pressure part.
In this way, when the formation of visible image on the image receiving sheet is completed, the drawing of the Photosensitive sheet is stopped for a moment as shown in FIG. 7(c). Next as shown in FIG. 7(d), the rewind device is actuated to wind back the photosensitive sheet. The winding back by the rewind device is performed until the rear edge of the exposure portion T reaches just before the irradiation part as shown in FIG. 7(e). Consequently, as shown in FIG. 7(f), by starting the next exposure after the completion of the winding back operation, a wasteful consumption of the photosensitive sheet is preventable since the unexposed portion between the newly exposed portion and the preceding one is reduced to a small amount.
However, in the method wherein a photosensitive sheet is simply wound back by reversely rotating a supply shaft of the photosensitive sheet roll, it is difficult to wind back the photosensitive sheet accurately just before the irradiation part. This is because the outside diameter of the photosensitive sheet roll varies depending on the remaining amount of the photosensitive sheet, and therefore the rewind amount per one rotation differs according to the outside diameter of the photosensitive sheet roll. Consequently, in the conventional photosensitive sheet rewind devices, a fixed rewind amount is predeterminately set in a control part since a distance between the irradiation part and the pressure part is constant. Thus the photosensitive sheet at the distance corresponding to the preset rewind amount is wound back by the control operation.
However, when the movement of the fixed distance like this is applied not only to the drawing operation for the photosensitive sheet but also to the winding back operation, the same control as in the drawing operation is necessary. As a result, the conventional rewind devices have problems in that they need a complicated composition and therefore their costs are very high due to the necessity of controlling a driving device for photosensitive sheet in both the drawing operation and the winding back operation.

Photosensitive sheet rewind device for image forming apparatus


The present invention relates to a novel composition and method for loading delivery systems such as liposome compositions with radionuclides useful in targeted diagnostic and/or therapy of target site, such as cancerous tissue and, in general, pathological conditions associated with leaky blood vessels. The composition and methods of the invention find particular use in diagnosing and imaging cancerous tissue and, in general, pathological conditions associated with leaky blood vessels in a subject. The present invention provides a new diagnostic tool for the utilization of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging technique. One specific aspect of the invention is directed to a method of producing nanoparticles with desired targeting properties for diagnostic and/or radio-therapeutic applications.

Liposomes can serve as vesicles to deliver a wide range of encapsulated and/or membrane-incorporated therapeutic or diagnostic entities. Liposomes are usually characterized as nano-scale vesicles consisting of an interior core separated from the outer environment by a membrane of one or more bilayers. The bilayer membranes can be formed by amphiphilic molecules e.g. synthetic or natural lipids that comprise a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic domain [Lasic, Trends Biotechnol., 16: 307-321, 1998]. Bilayer membranes can also be formed by amphiphilic polymers constituting particles (e.g. polymersomes and polymerparticles).
Liposomes can serve as carriers of an entity such as, without limitation, a chemical compound, or a radionuclide, that is capable of having a useful property or provide a useful activity. For this purpose, the liposomes are prepared to contain the desired entity in a liposome-incorporated form. The liposome incorporated entity can be associated with the exterior surface of the liposome membrane, located in the interior core of the liposome or within the bilayer of the liposome. Methods for the incorporation of radionuclides into liposomes are e.g. surface labeling after liposome preparation [Phillips, Adv Drug Deliv Rev., 37: 13-32, 1999], label incorporation into the lipid bilayer of preformed liposomes [Morgan et al., J Med. Microbiol., 14: 213-217, 1981], surface labeling of preformed liposomes by incorporating lipid chelator conjugate during preparation [Goto et al., Chem harm Bull. (Tokyo), 37: 1351-1354, 1989; Seo et al., Bioconjucate Chem., 19: 2577-2584, 2008], and aqueous phase loading of preformed liposome [Hwang et al., Biochim Biophys Acta., 716: 101-109, 1982; Phillips et al., Int J Rad Appl Instrum B, 19: 539-547, 1992; Gabizon et al., J Liposome Res., 1: 123-125, 1988; Henriksen et al., Nucl Med. Bio., 31: 441-449, 2004]. The incorporation of entities into liposomes by the aqueous phase loading of preformed liposome is also referred to as "loading" and thereby "encapsulating" or "entrapping" the entities.
Encapsulating entities into the interior of liposomes through aqueous phase loading seem to have the greatest in vivo stability, because of the protected location of the entity inside the liposome. The purpose of encapsulating an entity into a liposome is often to protect the entity from the destructive environment and rapid excretion in vivo. The entrapment of the entity provides the opportunity for the encapsulated entity to apply the activity of the entity mostly at the site or in the environment where such activity is advantageous but less so at other sites where the activity may be useless or undesirable. It is known that liposomes having PEG chains attached to the outer surface have prolonged circulation time in the blood stream. These liposome compositions can effectively evade the immune system, which would otherwise attack the liposomes soon after injection causing fast clearance or rupture of the liposome and premature release of the agent entrapped inside. By increasing the blood circulation time, the agent entrapped in the liposome stays within the liposome until it reaches the target tissue. This phenomenon is referred to as passive targeting delivery, where an accumulation of long-circulating nanoparticles in tumor areas or inflammatory sites is due to leaky vasculature and lack of an effective lymphatic drainage system in these areas. For example, a radio-diagnostic entity entrapped within a long-circulating liposome can be delivered by passive targeting to a diseased site within a subject to facilitate a diagnosis thereof. Active- or ligand targeting delivery systems is referred to liposome compositions with ligands attached on the surface targeted against cell surface antigens or receptors [Allen, Science, 303: 1818-1822, 2004]. Combining the properties of targeted and long-circulating liposomes in one preparation comprising a radionuclide encapsulated liposome composition would significantly enhance the specificity and intensity of radioactivity localization in the target site e.g. a tumor.
Ideally, such liposome compositions can be prepared to include the desired entity, e.g. a chemical compound or radionuclide, (i) with a high loading efficiency, i.e., high percentage of encapsulated entity relative to the total amount of the entity used in the encapsulation process, and (ii) in a stable form, i.e., with minimal release (i.e. leakage) of the encapsulated entity upon storage or generally before the liposome reaches the site or the environment where the liposome entrapped entity is expected to apply its intended activity.
Entrapment of radionuclides such as copper isotopes into liposomes by the aqueous phase loading of preformed liposome can be obtained through use of chemical compounds called ionophores capable of transporting metal ions across lipid membranes. Upon crossing the membrane barrier the radionuclide then binds preferably to a chelator, encapsulated in the interior of the liposome composition, due to its stronger affinity thereto, allowing the release of free ionophore, and the entrapment of the radionuclide in the liposome composition.
Copper isotopes are of great interest for use in diagnostic and/or therapeutic application. For diagnostic applications this relates to the positron-emitters 61Cu and 64Cu which can be used in positron emission tomography (PET) diagnostic imaging. 64Cu is an interesting copper isotope possessing all decay modalities, and with a half-life of 12.7 h it is favorable for biological studies. A half-life of about 6-12 h appears to be ideal to allow for sufficient accumulation of liposome in inflammatory tissues or cancerous targets, yet providing enough background clearance to permit early identification of the target [Gabizon et al., Cancer Res., 50: 6371-6378]. Furthermore, 64Cu can be used as a model nuclide representing the chemical properties of all copper isotopes.
Ideal radioisotopes for therapeutic applications are those with low penetrating radiation, such as β-, α- and auger electron-emitters. Examples of such radioisotopes are 67Cu, 67Ga, 225Ac, 90Y, 177Lu and 119Sb. When the low energy emitting radioisotope in the form of a radiopharmaceutical reach the target site, the energy emitted is only deposited at the target site and nearby normal tissues are not irradiated. The energy of the emitted particles from the different radioisotopes and their ranges in tissues will vary, as well as their half-life, and the most appropriate radioisotope will be different depending on the application, the disease and the accessibility of the disease tissue.
Ideal radioisotopes for diagnostic applications are those with relatively short half-life, and those with high penetrating radiation to be detected by imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and/or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The half-life of the radionuclide must also be long enough to carry out the desired chemistry to synthesize the radiopharmaceutical and long enough to allow accumulation in the target tissue in the patient while allowing clearance through the non-target organs. The radionuclide, 64Cu, has proven to be a versatile isotope with respect to is applications in both imaging [Dehdashti et al., J Nucl Med. 38: 103P, 1997] and therapy [Anderson et al., J Nucl Med., 36: 2315-2325, 1998]. Radiopharmaceuticals and for example radiolabeled liposome compositions consisting of radionuclides, such as 61Cu (T1/2=3.33 h) and 64Cu (T1/2=12.7 h) can be utilized for imaging by the positron emission tomography (PET) technique, with the main advantages over single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) being: a) employing annihilation coincidence detection (ACD) technique whereby only photons detected simultaneously (<10−9 sec) by a pair of scintillators opposite each other are registered, instead of collimator, the sensitivity is markedly improved (×30-40) and the spatial resolution is enhanced by about a factor of two (<5 mm), since the detection field is (non-diverging) defined cylindrical volume and both the sensitivity and the resolution do not vary within the detection field [Kostarelos et al., Liposome Res., 9: 429-460, 1999]; b) PET scanners provide all images in the unit of radioactivity concentrations (e.g. Bq/ml) after corrections for photon attenuation, scatters and radoms, thereby considering PET to be a more quantitative technique than SPECT [Seo, Curr. Radiopharm., 1: 17-21, 2008].
Patent EP386 146 BI describes a composition and method of use for liposome encapsulated compounds for neutron capture tumor therapy. However, these liposomes were loaded with stable elements (e.g. boron), that become radioactive only after activation. The method in the invention lacks the utilization of ionophores and chelators.
WO/2001/060417 describes radiolabeled liposomes that are suitable for cancer therapy, loaded with heavy radionuclides (i.e., atomic weight over 150) emitting alpha particles, based on ionophoric loading using the calcium ionophore, A23187. From a diagnostic standpoint, this approach is not valuable, and the use of PET is not possible.
WO/2004/082627 and WO/2004/082626 describe liposomes with a radiolabeled complex encapsulated along with the pharmaceutical compositions useful for treating and/or detection of endometriotic implants or leaky blood vessels within the implant. The radioactive nuclide is complexed with one of the group consisting of oxine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and the radioactive nuclide is a positron-emitter or a gamma-emitter, the positron-emitter selected from the following, but not limited to, 11C, 18F, 76Br, 77Br and 89Zr, and the gamma-emitter selected from the following, but not limited to, 67Ga and 111In. However, these liposomes are not loaded with positron-emitters using ionophores other than oxine, and the pharmaceutical compositions are only directed toward treating and/or detecting endometriotic implants or leaky blood vessels within the implant.
US 20090081121 describes the loading of the radionuclides 111In, 177Lu, 90Y and 225Ac into liposome compositions using oxine as ionophore. The nuclide then binds preferably to diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) or another chelator, encapsulated in the interior of the liposome, due to its stronger affinity therefore, allowing the release of free oxine, and the entrapment of the radionuclide. From a diagnostic standpoint, this approach is not useable for PET imaging applications, but only SPECT, because of the limited use of radionuclides.
WO/2006/095234 discloses a peptidomimetic moiety binding to integrin receptors which can be covalently linked to chelators which bind radionuclides such as 60Cu, 62Cu and 67Cu for various types of imaging. Methods for preparation of liposomes for MR-imaging which comprise chelated Tm and Gd are also mentioned. The method of preparation does not utilize ionophores.
In a theoretical study, Kostarelos et al., analyzed the therapeutic potential of liposomes labeled with one of the radionuclides 131I, 67Cu, 188Re or 211At, but chemical procedures for the preparation of the labeled liposomes were not suggested [Kostarelos et al., J Liposome Res, 9:407-424, 1999].
Only a few radiopharmaceuticals based on radioactive copper isotopes are discovered and available today. Examples are 60Cu-ATSM as hypoxia marker, and 64Cu-ATSM and 64Cu-PTSM, which are suggested as potential agents for tumor therapy. Further classes of substances are copper-labeled peptides and antibodies in which the radioactive copper is linked to the biomolecule via a bifunctional chelator. Yet no copper loaded liposome compositions are available.
Thus, there is a need in the technical field of diagnostic applications to provide various liposome compositions that are useful for delivery of a variety of compounds, such as, for example, radio-diagnostic and imaging entities useful for PET, such as, but not limited to, the radionuclide 61Cu. Therefore, the present invention provides a new method for loading preformed liposome compositions with radioactive copper isotopes or other radionuclides by using the chemical compound, carbostyril. The positron-emitter 64Cu is used as a model nuclide representing the chemical properties of all copper isotopes.

Loading technique for preparing radionuclide containing nanoparticles


A method (40) is provided for performing a trustworthiness test on a random number generator, RNG, (20) comprising a physical unclonable function, PUF-module (21). The trustworthiness test is implemented as a known answer test, KAT, and the method (40) comprises: receiving (41), in the PUF-module (21), an input based on test data, T, received from a verifier (11) provided with at least one test data-test result pair, (T, R), providing (42) an output from the PUF-module (21), determining (43) a test result, R′, based on the output from the PUF-module (21), and providing (44) the test result, R′, to the verifier (11). A random number generator (20), computer program and computer program products and a method performed by or in a verifier are also provided.

There are many products relied on as being secure in the sense of having cryptographic functionality that cannot be tampered with. It should be difficult for a user to change a cryptographic functionality of a product, and a manufacturer of the product should be able to ensure that the cryptographic functionality in the product can be used only as intended, i.e. according to its specification. It is known that random number generators (RNGs) are common targets for attacks on the cryptographic functionality. It is therefore important to make the RNGs secure and also to be able to test them to assure their trustworthiness. Sometimes it is a RNG which is broken, not the cryptographic algorithms themselves.
There are two different types of random numbers generators which are used in cryptographic systems: a true random number generator (TRNG) and a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG). The true random number generator (also denoted entropy generator) collects entropy from the physical world. For instance, entropy data may be collected from low-level physical effects such as thermal noise and noise captured from a computer's microphone, or effects like mouse movements and hard disk seek times. The pseudorandom number generator typically processes the output of the TRNG to expand it in order to provide more bits and also, in some cases, provide additional post-processing in case the output of the TRNG is biased, or more generally, when the output statistical distribution is not the desired one.
The pseudorandom number generators are deterministic, i.e. a given seed will always get expanded into the same pseudo-random sequence. PRNGs can be used on cryptographic algorithms (e.g., block ciphers or hash functions) to process a seed from a TRNG into a longer sequence of apparently randomly looking bits.
In most cases, it's rare for an application to use the raw output of the TRNG directly. For example, a low-level entropy collector may use cryptographic constructions such as hash functions in order to mix the outputs of various entropy sources. The produced bits may then be used as seeds to the PRNGs. As another example, in a secure random number generator, a hardware circuit may collect high-entropy electronic noise, which is then processed to produce the output. This 'raw randomness' may then be used as seed to the PRNG.
The post-processing by a PRNG of a seed value from a TRNG has some implications. The presence of a PRNG implies that the underlying TRNG can occasionally produce a biased output (with either 1s or 0s predominating) without this being detectable by an application. However, the underlying TRNG circuit could get faulty, e.g. due to a random error or due to a maliciously inserted intentional backdoor, and continuously produce low-entropy seeds, again without this being detectable by an application.
To assure that a RNG works as expected, tree types of tests are applied: statistical tests, known answer tests and runtime health checks.
In statistical tests the main idea is to subject output sequences generated by an RNG to tests to determine whether these output sequences are "good enough" from statistical perspective (i.e. have sufficient randomness). The nature of these tests varies. Some look at simple properties such as bias (the number of ones (1s) and zeroes (0s)) while others check more complex features, e.g. linear complexity, approximate entropy, looking for presence of certain patterns, running simulations, compression tests, etc. While the statistical tests are a perfectly valid way to detect serious flaws in a TRNG, they will most likely not detect flaws in a system which uses a TRNG combined with a PRNG. If the PRNG is based on a cryptographically strong hash function or block cipher, then even TRNG seeds with very low entropy will get expanded into pseudo-random sequences which are likely to pass statistical tests. This means that it can be very hard to detect a faulty RNG by using statistical tests unless the tests are applied directly to the seed generated by the TRNG.
The known answer tests (KATs) verify that, given known inputs, the correct outputs are produced. Assuming that the TRNG is properly tested and it is passing all tests, it is still important to test the PRNG which does the post-processing. A KAT applied to the PRNG comprises inputting values to the PRNG for which the outputs are pre-computed and stored, and comparing the actual output to it. In other words, KATs show expected results of running the PRNG on a given set of seeds irrespective of whether the TRNG is trustworthy or not. Since PRNGs are deterministic, they can be tested by KATs. However, it is not possible to apply such testing on non-deterministic TRNGs which typically produce a different output for the same input. Further, the TRNGs typically do not have inputs at all; they simply generate a sequence of bits upon request.
Runtime health checks are used to test RNGs while a system including the RNGs is running. In contrast to the above statistical tests and KATs, this type of testing is not intended for the detection of design-level flaws, but to catch situations where the RNG becomes faulty in field, during normal operation. The RNG may become faulty for a variety of reasons, e.g., manufacturing defects, edging, or exposure to radiation. Health checks can take different forms. It may, for example, be mandated that all approved RNGs are tested at startup time using KATs. It may subsequently be mandated that a runtime health check verifies that the RNG has not become "stuck", i.e., verifying that it is not generating the same numbers over and over again.
FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a known random number generator 100. The RNG 100 may, for instance, be used in a processor. The RNG 100 comprises an entropy source 101 (i.e. TRNG) and a digital post-processing unit 102. The digital post-processing unit 102 comprises an Online Health Test (OHT) module 103 and a cryptographically secure Deterministic Random Bit Generator (DRBG) 104. The OHT 103 is intended to monitor the truly random numbers from the entropy source 101 to guarantee that they have a required minimum entropy. The DRBG 104 comprises a conditioner and a rate matcher. The conditioner computes new seeds for the rate matcher. Based of the seeds, the rate matcher computes 128-bit random numbers. This may, for instance, be done by performing an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-based encryption with a 128-bit seed and a 128-bit encryption key.
The generated random numbers are tested against a range of statistical tests in order to be compliant with various standards (e.g. NIST SP800-90 and FIPS 140-2). In addition, to be compliant with FIPS 140-2, the RNG 100 comprises a Built-In Self-Test (BIST) module which checks the functionality of the RNG 100 at each power-up.
When BIST is initiated, the entropy source 101 is disconnected and replaced by a 32-bit linear-feedback shift register (LFSR) 105 which generates a pseudo-random test patterns starting from a known initial state. A 32-bit multiple-input signature register (MISR) 106 compacts the resulting output responses of the rate matcher into a signature. This signature is then compared to a hard-wired expected signature to thereby detect faults in the DRBG 104, the conditioner and the rate matcher. If the signatures match, the RNG 100 passes the logical BIST (LBIST).
When running an application or a software component there is no means of verifying if the TRNG of the hardware, which it is deployed on, is trustworthy or not. It is not possible to do the known answer test of TRNGs because they are non-deterministic. If assumptions about trustworthiness of a TRNG are incorrect, this may have severe consequences for security critical applications such as key generation, authentication, etc.
The trustworthiness of a random number generator is generally more difficult to establish when the hardware is not the user's own, which is the case e.g. in a cloud computing context. While it is known how to verify many properties of a computing node e.g. in such a remote cloud computing environment, assuring trustworthiness of a random number generator is still difficult.

Method for performing a trustworthiness test on a random number generator


A cell sampler obtaining specimens of cells for cytodiagnosis comprises stick-shaped handle which has at one end thereof a stick-shaped abrading segment with a multiplicity of edges formed around the periphery thereof for the purpose of scraping off cells from the cervical canal of the uterus.. Such cell sampler enable, with ease and certainly, to obtain cells from the cervical canal for cytology by scraping off with edges thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relate's to a cell sampler designed to obtain specimens cf cells for use in the cytology of cancer of the cervix and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently the incidence of uterine cancer has been steadily increasing. Of vital importance for the prevention of this disease is the early detection through periodical checkups.
Such examination of uterine cancer, especially that of uterine cervix, is carried out by collecting specimens of cells from the cervix and cervical canal of the uterus using a cell sampler. Application of cytology to the cervical canal is particularly effective for the discovery of early or incipient cancer in that portion. Occurring in basal and/or para-basal cells at a depth of 100 to 300 .mu.m, cancers in the cervix uterine areas gradually spread into intermediate and surface cells at a depth of 30 to 100 .mu.m. To ensure the early detection of such cancers, therefore, sampling of cells from the above-mentioned portions, especially basal and para-basal cells, in a sure way is indispensable.
Heretofore, several types of cell samplers have been used for the above purpose, such as a swab shown in FIG. 14, a spatula shown in FIG. 15 and a brush shown in FIG. 16. However, such conventional tools are known to have the following drawbacks.


An apparatus mounts a sonar transducer to a boat. The apparatus includes a tubular member with a handle at one end and a transducer mounting bracket at the other end. The transducer mounting bracket is adapted to couple to a sonar transducer. Both the handle and the transducer mounting bracket are pivotally coupled to the tubular member and to each other by a linkage rod. By moving the handle up or down, the transducer mounting bracket will move correspondingly to a new elevational orientation. In one embodiment, the tubular member is received by a cylindrical bore in a ball; the ball is mounted to the boat. By turning the handle to one side, the tubular member and the transducer mounting bracket will correspondingly turn to a new azimuthal orientation. In another embodiment, the tubular member is received by a sleeve mounted in a pivotable ball. The tubular member can move relative to the sleeve. Locking nuts on the sleeve, when tightened, prohibit movement of the tubular member. Frictional adjustments are provided at the handle and the transducer mounting bracket.

Fishermen and pleasure boaters use sonar instrumentation for fish finding and for determining the depth of the water. The sonar instrumentation uses a sonar transducer that emits sound waves in a conical beam, thus giving the transducer directional capabilities.
In the prior art, transducers are mounted to a boat by attachment to the bottom of the hull, to the transom, or to a trolling motor, or by mounting the transducer in the hull. The orientation of most transducers is fixed in the downward direction so that the sonar transducer scans the water directly beneath the boat.
There are many instances however, when it is desirable to scan the water laterally around the boat. For example, in fish finding applications, it is frequently easier to locate fish with side-scanning sonar than with down-scanning sonar. In depth finding applications, if the boat is near a cliff, it is frequently desirable to have side-scanning sonar capabilities to examine the underwater extent of the cliff. With prior art mounted sonar transducers, such side-scanning is impossible. What is needed then is an apparatus for mounting a sonar transducer to a boat, which apparatus will allow the transducer to scan laterally of the boat.


A system, for cutting a plurality of lawns, including: two or more robotic lawn mowers which each has a rechargeable energy storage, and a carrier, which includes: at least two holders, each of which is capable of retaining one of the two or more robotic lawn mowers, and two or more fences, each fence delineating an individual lawn of the plurality of lawns and configured to be operable while a respective of the two or more robotic lawn mowers is operating at the respective of the plurality of lawns.

Robotic lawn mowers have been available for about 20 years. They are typically electric and powered by a rechargeable battery. A typical set up comprises a lawn mower, a fence sensed by the lawn mower and delineating the area to be mowed (=lawn), and a base station also called docking station which is connected to the fence. The fence may be virtual or physical. It shall hinder the lawn mower from escaping the delineated area. Virtual fences are illustrated by GPS based systems which with today's technology should be based on local senders at selected spots in close association with a lawn to be mowed. The most popular form of physical fences is an electrical wire or cable. A fence may, in addition to hinder the lawn mower from escaping, also function as guiding means for the lawn mower to find different positions from which it can start working. For electric fences there may be additional electric cables functioning as additional guiding means. The base station typically provides power connections for recharging the battery of the lawn mower and/or power to the fence if its delineation ability is based on electro-magnetic fields. The typical robotic lawn mower has a control unit including e.g. various sensors and soft-ware that enable the lawn mower to evenly mow a delineated area, retain itself within the area, alarm when leaving the area etc.
"Electric" and "battery powered" will be used synonymously in the context of the invention if not otherwise indicated.
There are robotic lawn mowers which utilize wireless communication which allows nearby and/or remote control and check of the work and well-being of a mower. Advantages with distance control of robotic lawn mowers have been indicated for caretakers who handle a plurality of different properties or lawns by the use of two or more robotic lawn mowers, e.g. with one lawn mower per property or lawn. See publication (f) below.
There are several published patents and patent applications which concerns electric robotic lawn mowers. See for instance    a) EP 2870852 (Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH, Lawn mower with network communication),    b) EP 2870853 (Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH, Lawn mower with remote control),    c) EP 2913732 (LG Electronics Inc, Lawn mower robot and method for controlling the same),    d) U.S. Pat. No. 9,137,943 (Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH, Trainable autonomous lawn mower),    e) WO 9423351 (Cat Systems Ltd, Localizing system),    f) WO 2010077198 (Husqvarna AB, An autonomous robotic lawn mower and a method for establishing a wire-less communication link between the lawn mower and the user).
Robotic lawn mowers have primarily been intended for single lawns or single properties (home lawn/home property), i.e. once being installed on its home lawn the robotic lawn mower will mainly be used there. The areas of the lawns have typically been relatively small. The software that controls charging and available mow time has aimed at securing a long life time of the batteries (typically several years). Relatively long resting times and long charging times have normally been a common feature and not of a big concern. The cutting capacity in m2/day has been relatively low. This kind of robotic lawn mowers has not been particularly well-adapted to larger areas. One of the main objects has been to increase the owner's spare time for doing other things.
All patent applications and issued patents cited in this specification are in their entirety incorporated by reference.

System for mowing lawns with robotic lawn mowers and a charging mobile carrier


For processing an input message signal into a processed message signal, an on-line computer system comprises a saving buffer for memorizing as a memorized message signal a received message signal supplied from a message receiving circuit for receiving the input message signal. A processing unit produces a first request signal to be supplied with the received message signal as a first supplied message signal and produces a second request signal to be supplied with the memorized message signal as a second supplied message signal while processing the first and the second supplied message signals into the processed message signal. The memorized message signal is erased from the saving buffer when the processing unit produces a normal end signal representing a normal end of processing. The memorized message signal may be erased from the saving buffer when the processing unit produces the first request signal. The processing unit may be supplied with the second supplied message signal by producing a third request signal when the processing unit fails to process the first and the second supplied message signals.

The present invention relates to an on-line computer system which is for processing an input message signal into a processed message signal.
A conventional on-line computer system comprises a message receiving circuit, a message receiving buffer, a supplying circuit, an erasing circuit, and a processing unit having a message holding buffer. In the conventional on-line computer system, the message receiving circuit is supplied with an input message signal to produce a received message signal. Connected to the message receiving circuit, the message receiving buffer holds the received message signal as a held message signal. Connected to the supplying circuit, the processing unit is supplied with a supplied message signal and processes the supplied message signal in response to a program into a processed message signal to produce a request signal. In the processing unit, the message holding buffer holds the supplied message signal. Connected to the message receiving buffer and the processing unit, the supplying circuit is supplied with the request signal to supply the held message signal as the supplied message signal to the processing unit and produces an erasing signal after supply of the supplied message signal to the processing unit by the supplying circuit. Connected to the message receiving buffer and the supplying circuit, the erasing circuit erases the held message signal from the message receiving circuit when the erasing circuit is supplied with the erasing signal.
In the manner described above, the message holding buffer is included in the processing unit of the on-line computer system according to the prior art. It is therefore possible to safely process the input message signal to a certain extent without undesired loss of the message signal.
The conventional on-line computer system is impossible to completely safely process and simply process the input message signal.

On-line computer system capable of safely and simply processing a message signal


Provided are laminated flexible packaging materials (20) suitable for containing a pharmaceutical, food or beverage grade product. The laminated flexible packaging material includes a layer of flexible packaging material (26) bound to at least one other layer of flexible packaging material (22) by a radiation-cured laminating adhesive composition (24) formulated from a radiation-curable laminating adhesive containing at least 50% of one or more radiation-curable, carboxylic acid functional monomers and 0.1 to 20% of an organic titanate compound. Also provided is a radiation-curable laminating adhesive containing at least 50% of one or more radiation-curable, carboxylic acid functional monomers and 0.1 to 20% of an organic titanate compound.

Flexible packaging is widely used for food, non-food, and pharmaceutical applications. Flexible packaging uses a wide range of different types of materials including various types of plastic films, paper, and aluminum foil. The plastic films include various types of polyolefins, polyesters, and polyamides. The films may be various combinations of homopolymers, copolymers, and polymer blends. The films may be a single layer or may be coextruded in multiple layers. The films are also commonly coated, metalized, or otherwise treated to enhance the performance of the resulting package. Packaging materials are selected based on a variety of factors including desired barrier properties, appearance, cost, physical feel, printability, sealing properties, easy open features, and reclosing features.
Two main classes of flexible packaging materials are: 1) mono-web packaging, which includes a mono-web of a coextruded film; and 2) laminated packaging. Laminate packaging is often desired due to the fact that it is advantageous to combine two or more webs in order two obtain the desired properties of the resulting package. Reasons for using laminated packaging constructions include: 1) to contain the graphics between layers in order to provide protection and enhanced appearance; 2) to maintain product freshness by taking advantage of the barrier properties of the individual layers; 3) to combine a heat stable web for printing with a heat sealable web for sealing the package; 4) to provide desired feel and handling properties to maximize consumer appeal; 5) to enhance the package strength in order to maintain integrity for filling, shipping, and consumer handling.
Several different technologies are used to bond the layers used in laminated packaging. Two classes of laminating technology are extrusion lamination and adhesive lamination. Extrusion lamination involves melting and depositing a layer of thermal plastic resin such as polyethylene between two webs of packaging materials. The different types of adhesives currently used to laminate flexible packing materials include: 1) one component solvent base; 2) two component solvent base; 3) one component water base; 4) two component water base; and 5) two component solventless.
Solvent base adhesives have inherent limitations that include: 1) emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); 2) high cost of solvent incineration or recovery equipment; 3) flammability; and 4) analysis and control of residual solvents in the package.
Water base adhesives have inherent limitations that include: 1) the need for extended drying equipment; 2) the effect of heat used in drying on thermally sensitive packaging films; 3) variable drying rates dependent on ambient humidity levels; and 4) difficulty in starting and stopping due to adhesive drying on the application equipment.
Any two component system (solvent base, water base, or solventless) has inherent disadvantages that include: 1) the need for accurate mixing of the two components; 2) limited pot life of the mixed components; and 3) the time delay (typically 2 to 5 days) required for the two components to react to achieve the final adhesive properties. Other limitations associated with two component solventless adhesives include: 1) the need for heated application equipment; and 2) residual toxic aromatic amines, which are byproducts of isocyanate based curing systems.
Radiation-curable adhesives can potentially offer numerous advantages over these other flexible packaging laminating adhesives. They may offer: 1) stable one-part compositions; 2) little or no VOCs; and 3) full adhesive performance immediately upon cure. UV curable laminating adhesives require at least one layer of packing material that is sufficiently transparent to allow penetration of UV light to cure the adhesive. EB curing has the added advantage of being able to penetrate opaque or printed packaging materials in order to cure the adhesive.
The main challenge in the development of radiation-curable laminating adhesives are: 1) two provide bonding and chemical resistance that is adequate for desired packaging application; and 2) have low odor, taint, and migration to allow packaging of food and pharmaceutical products.
Radiation-curable materials such as inks and coatings are generally based on relatively low molecular weight reactive monomers and oligomers. The components are designed to be converted to high molecular weight polymers upon UV or EB irradiation. High conversions of the low molecular weight components can be achieved; however, some residual amount of monomer or oligomers normally remains. These residual components can be responsible for odor, taint, and migration issues in the packaging. The art of radiation-curable inks and coatings does not address the same problems associated with flexible laminate packaging materials, and, thus, one skilled in the art would not be motivated to look to the art of radiation-curable inks and coatings when addressing the problems associated with radiation-curable adhesives for use in laminates.
A discussion of the issues associated with the use of radiation-curable materials in food packaging applications may be found in PCT Application number WO 02/081576 (Chatterjee), which is incorporated herein by reference. The compositions disclosed by Chatterjee contain water, which is displaced from the ink or coating upon radiation-curing. This cannot be done with a laminating adhesive since the water would be trapped between two layers of packaging materials and, thus, Chatterjee is not helpful in addressing the problems associated with radiation-curable adhesives for use in making laminates.
In radiation-curable laminating adhesives, the residual low molecular weight components are initially found within the cured adhesive, which is located between two layers of packaging materials. Some types of packaging materials, such as aluminum foil, are good barrier materials and are effective for preventing migration of low molecular weight components in to the food or pharmaceutical product. Other packaging materials, such as polyolefin based materials, are known to be less effective barriers to migration of low molecular weight organic compounds. Thus, there is a need for a radiation-curable adhesive material that when suitably cured exhibits substantially reduced migration through layers in a laminated flexible packaging material.
Flexible packaging materials also have problems with delamination of the layers during normal use, especially when the package contains aggressive liquids or certain aggressive food products. Delamination can also be an issue during processing or the package. This can include the addition of closures, filling, sealing, and heat processing. Thus, there is a need for a radiation-curable adhesive material that when suitably cured exhibits sufficient adhesion to prevent delamination of the layers during normal use.

Radiation-cured, laminated flexible packaging material and radiation-curable, adhesive composition

Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC


There is provided a hull assembly for reducing water resistance on a ship hull and improving the maneuverability on said ship. The hull assembly is mountable on a pre-existing ship hull having a bow, and a stern. The hull assembly comprises a propeller chamber for enclosing at least one propeller positioned proximate the stern of the ship hull, and a plurality of ducts attachable to an outer surface of the ship hull. The ducts extend in a longitudinal direction from a front part of the bow to the propeller chamber. The ducts have a plurality of bow openings along the bow for the water to flow directly toward the rear part of the stern, each of the ducts comprising at least one stern opening near the propeller chamber. The propeller chamber comprises two opposed chamber sides; at least one chamber opening on each of the two opposed chamber sides; and a rear opening for each of the at least one propeller.

Ship hulls are subjected to water resistance forces that lower ship performance and increase energy consumption. Wave making resistance and viscous drag represent the most important loss of energy during ship motion.
Wave making resistance reflects the energy required to displace the water in front of the ship. This energy is transmitted to the water and creates waves along the ship path. Viscous drag is a frictional force opposed to ship motion. In order to save energy and improve ship performance, a number of solutions for reducing hull resistance forces have been developed. Some of these solutions attempt to use bulbous extensions to marginally reduce wave making resistance. Other solutions attempt to use air bubble injection to reduce viscous drag. Some solutions are based on the use of external propellers on the sides of the hull in order to use front water to propel the ship.
Other solutions consist of flowing water from the front of the ship to the rear part of the ship in order to decrease the water resistance on the ship hull. For example, WO20100037253 discloses a flow conduit that communicates a forward water intake opening with a backward water discharge opening provided at the stern or at the two sides of the hull. A water communicating pipeline can also guide water from the front part of the ship to the rear part of the ship, as described in CN2350310. A screw propeller is therefore positioned at the rear part of the ship in the water communicating pipeline. In CN102285440, the displaced water is propelled through draft tubes at the rear of the ship. In a same manner, in CN101209751, a water inlet is arranged at a bow and a water outlet is arranged at a stern such that a pipeline guides water through the front and back of a ship body. WO1992022456 discloses an external conduct mounted forward of the bow and extending to the aft of the ship. In JP2014522778 a hydrodynamic duct is attached to the bow of a ship. Water flows through the duct, wave making effects and frictional resistance are reduced. In WO1982003055, the vessel has a duct through which water flows from the bow to the stern past the main part of the hull. According to WO1982003055, part of the water flows past the vessel through a duct and is used to assist forward motion of the vessel. However, none of the above mentioned document teaches features that allow for water flow control and water pressure control at different areas of the ship hull. Moreover, these solutions fail to meet the needs of industry because they alter specific aspects of optimum hull design and produce marginal results that sometime do not compensate for the complexity of integrating such solutions in the manufacturing process.
Therefore, there currently exists a need in the industry for a ship design that can eliminate the hydrodynamic resistance of wave making and viscous drag, and improve the maneuverability and sea keeping characteristics of a ship while minimizing the operational cost and the alteration of an optimum hull design.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to have a solution for the aforementioned desirable features that can be retrofitted on existing ships.

Ship hull assembly for reducing water resistance and improving maneuverability


A control apparatus for a master-slave robot includes a force correction section detecting unit that detects a section at which force information from at least one of force information and speed information is corrected, and a force correcting unit that corrects the force information at a section detected as a force correction section by the force correction section detecting unit. A small external force applied to a slave manipulator is magnified and transmitted to a master manipulator, or an excessive manipulation force applied to the master manipulator is reduced and transmitted to the slave manipulator.

The present invention relates to a control apparatus and method for a master-slave robot to generate and teach an operation of, for example, a robot arm, a master-slave robot having a control apparatus for a master-slave robot, a control program for a control apparatus for a master-slave robot, and an integrated electronic circuit.
In recent years, on a manufacturing premise, due to manufacturing of a wide variety of products in small quantities, model changes are frequently performed. On a recent manufacturing premise on which cell production is popularly performed, in order to automate a screwing task or a fitting task for components, a fixing task therefor, an inserting task for a flexible board, a polishing task, and the like with robots, the robots need to flexibly cope with a wide variety of components or procedures. A task such as an inserting task for a flexible board that handles a flexible material is complex, and still mainly manually performed. It is strongly demanded to automatically perform the task that is mainly manually performed.
Thus, a method of teaching a robot to perform a task with use of a teaching pendant or a programming is used. However, when teaching is performed by such a method, the number of teaching steps disadvantageously considerably increases. In order to solve the problem, direct teaching that teaches a robot by directly touching the robot or a method of performing simple teaching by using a control apparatus for a master-slave robot in which a robot (master) that is manipulated by a person and a robot (slave) that actually works are different from each other is used.
An example of the direct teaching is known in which a force sensor is attached to a wrist of a robot or the like, and a teacher directly grips a handle attached to a top of the force sensor to lead the robot to a teaching point and teaches the robot a point to be positioned at (see Patent Literature 1 [Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-157715]).
As an example of a method of performing simple teaching by using a control apparatus for a master-slave robot, a method of performing teaching by using a control apparatus for a master-slave robot in which a force acquired by a slave manipulator is fed back to a master manipulator, and the force added to the slave manipulator by a person can be sensed is used (see Patent Literature 2 [Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-59380], Patent Literature 3 [Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-281573], and Patent Literature 4 [Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-34686]).
As an example of the method of performing teaching by using the control apparatus for a master-slave robot, a person grips and operates a master manipulator to teach information to the master manipulator. On the basis of the information taught to the master manipulator, a method of teaching the information to a slave manipulator having a size different from that of the master manipulator by increasing or reducing a distance between teaching points is used (see Patent Literature 5 [Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-204440]).

Control apparatus and method for master-slave robot, master-slave robot, control program, and integrated electronic circuit

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.