A receiving apparatus may be provided with a variable gain amplifier amplifying a received signal, an output level of which is detected by a level detection circuit. A comparing circuit compares an output from a level detection circuit to a reference level. There is a binarizing circuit and a detection circuit for detecting a switching of a gain of a variable gain amplifier. A slice level holding circuit holds, at substantially constant value, a slice level employed at the binarizing circuit. A counter circuit and at least one of the slice levels may be held at substantially constant value for a prescribed time when switching of the gain of a variable gain amplifier is detected, rendering at least partially ineffective any noise produced during switching of the gain of the variable gain amplifier.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to a receiving apparatus which may be used in Bluetooth and/or other such wireless communication equipment carrying out transmitting and/or receiving.
2. Conventional Art
Conventional proposals for receiving apparatuses capable of receiving wireless signals modulated by means of FSK (frequency shift keying) or the like include apparatuses having the circuit structure shown in FIG. 6, as disclosed for example at Japanese Patent Application Publication Kokai No. 2002-290178 (2002).
At the receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 6, a received RF (radio frequency) signal input from antenna 301 is amplified by LNA (low noise amplifier) 302 and is thereafter, at mixer 303, mixed with a local signal output from VCO (voltage-controlled oscillator) 304 and is converted into an IF (intermediate frequency) signal. The IF signal produced as a result of conversion is input at variable gain amplifier 305. At such time, variable gain amplifier 305 is set to its maximum gain.
The output signal from variable gain amplifier 305 branches into two output signal lines, one of which is input at level detection circuit 306. Level detection circuit 306 outputs a DC (direct current) voltage corresponding to the level of the signal output from variable gain amplifier 305. The signal output from level detection circuit 306 is input at comparing circuit 307.
Comparing circuit 307 compares the DC voltage output by level detection circuit 306 with a reference DC voltage, outputting an output signal when the DC voltage output by level detection circuit 306 is higher than the reference voltage (which signal is inverted relative to the output signal produced by comparing circuit 307 when the DC voltage output by level detection circuit 306 is lower than the reference voltage), for decreasing the gain of variable gain amplifier 305. As a result, an IF signal can be obtained without saturation of the output level of variable gain amplifier 305, even under conditions of forced input of the signal received from antenna 301.
The other of the two output signal lines from variable gain amplifier 305 is acted upon by limiter amplifier 308 and the signal output therefrom is made to possess constant output amplitude. The output from limiter amplifier 308 branches into two lines, one of which is input at demodulating mixer 310. The other output line from limiter amplifier 308 is input at phase circuit 309 and is shifted in phase by 90°.
As a result of multiplication, at demodulating mixer 310, of the output from this phase circuit 309 and the output from this limiter amplifier 308, a demodulated analog signal is output from demodulating mixer 310. While the demodulated analog signal contains high-frequency signal and carrier components produced as a result of multiplication, such high-frequency signal and carrier components are removed by means of LPF (low pass filter) 311. The demodulated analog output from LPF 311 is input at binarizing circuit 312.
Binarizing circuit 312 comprises slice level detection circuit 313 and comparing circuit 314. Slice level detection circuit 313 generates an optimum slice level in correspondence to the signal input thereto. Comparing circuit 314 compares the output from slice level detection circuit 313 and the output from LPF 311, performing binarization and outputting a binary signal.
Next, specific examples of binarizing circuits which may be employed in receiving apparatuses are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
FIG. 7 is an example of a binarizing circuit making use of demodulated signal minimum and maximum hold values.
At binarizing circuit 401 shown in FIG. 7, the demodulated signal is respectively input at minimum value detection circuit 404 and at maximum value detection circuit 403 of slice level detection circuit 402, the peak minimum value thereof being stored at minimum value detection circuit 404 and the peak maximum value thereof being stored at maximum value detection circuit 403. This peak minimum value and this peak maximum value are added together at adding circuit 405, the value produced as a result of this operation being halved at amplifier 406.
As a result of the foregoing operations, slice level detection circuit 402 outputs [(peak minimum value+peak maximum value)/2], this output being input at comparing circuit 407. Comparing circuit 407 carries out binarization by comparing the magnitude of the demodulated signal and the magnitude of the output from slice level detection circuit 402.
At binarizing circuit 501 shown in FIG. 8, the demodulated signal is input at adding circuit 502. The output from adding circuit 502 branches into two lines, the signal from one of which is input at offset canceler circuit 503. Offset canceler circuit 503 outputs a signal in accordance with the input/output characteristics of Formula (1).
                    output        =                  {                                                                                -                    input                                    +                  A                                                                              (                                      input                    >                    A                                    )                                                                                0                                                              (                                                            -                      A                                        ≤                    input                    ≤                    A                                    )                                                                              (                                      A                                                              :                                                                                cutoff                                                                                value                                                                                (                      constant                      )                                                        )                                                                                -                    input                                    -                  A                                                                              (                                      input                    <                                          -                      A                                                        )                                                                                (        1        )            The output from offset canceler circuit 503 is input at integrating circuit 504. The output from integrating circuit 504 is input at adding circuit 502 and is added to the original demodulated signal.
As a result of the foregoing operations, the output from adding circuit 502 is converted into a signal which is centered on the value "0". The other signal line from adding circuit 502 is input at sign determining circuit 505, the sign of the signal input thereto being used to carry out binarization.
A receiving apparatus having the circuit structure shown in FIG. 6 permits attainment of wide input dynamic range. Furthermore, with such a receiving apparatus, it is possible by employing a binarizing circuit of structure as shown in FIG. 7 and/or 8 to accurately carry out binarization while still being able to accommodate sudden changes in DC level.
However, with a receiving apparatus of circuit structure such as is shown in FIG. 6, because the gain of the variable gain amplifier is switched discontinuously, noise is produced in the output of the variable gain amplifier during switching of the gain thereof. This noise will also affect the limiter amplifier which is downstream therefrom, as well as components downstream from the limiter amplifier. That is, presence of noise in the output from the variable gain amplifier will cause the slice level detection circuit to output a slice level which is different from the slice level that it would otherwise output, causing deterioration in the BER (bit error rate).
For example, taking the case of a receiving apparatus provided with the binarizing circuit of FIG. 7, as indicated in the output waveform diagram of FIG. 9, presence of noise due to switching of gain will cause the output (slice level) from amplifier 406 of binarizing circuit 401 to, under the influence of such noise, differ from what it would otherwise be, producing errors.
Or taking the case of a receiving apparatus provided with the binarizing circuit of FIG. 8, as indicated in the output waveform diagram of FIG. 10, presence of noise due to switching of gain will cause the output (adding circuit 502 output) from offset canceler circuit 503 of binarizing circuit 501 to, under the influence of such noise, differ from what it would otherwise be, producing errors.


A system and method for identifying pills by determining a size and shape of each pill in a digital image. The system includes a background grid organized as a grid of alternating-colored shapes. The system also includes a digital camera, a processor and a memory. The processor is used to receive and process the digital image taken by the digital camera so as to determine contours for each pill in the image. The contour determination is refined and is used to determine size and shape information for each pill.

Pills of many shapes, sizes and colors are available as both prescription and non-prescription medications. In the United States, the physical identifiers of solid dosage pharmaceuticals are approved by the Federal Drug Administration. Ideally, no two pills are approved to have exactly the same identifiers. Thus, pills are approved to each have a unique combination of shape, size, color, imprint (i.e., characters or numbers printed on the medication), and/or scoring. Nevertheless, despite the fact that every type of FDA-approved pill is indeed intended to be unique, the differences between pills is sometimes subtle. For example, two pills of the same shape but slightly different colors and/or sizes may easily be confused by a patient. Pills normally differentiated by imprint may not appear to be different at all if the imprints are not visible due to rotation of the pills. Such concerns are exacerbated by the actions of patients who may not be fully coherent or alert.
Patients are not the only individuals who have a need to quickly and easily identify pills. Relatives or caretakers of patients may also have such a need. Their need may stem from their responsibility to provide the correct pills to the patient, or simply from a desire to verify that the patient has taken the correct pills. Hospitals may have a need to quickly identify each of a collection of pills that may have been ingested by a child admitted for accidental ingestion of medication. Pharmacies have an interest in ensuring that correct pills are dispensed. Insurance companies may even have an interest in monitoring medication adherence, ensuring that correct pills are dispensed to and taken regularly by the insured. In other words, many parties have an interest in verifying the identity of pills, whether the pills are identified individually or as a collection of various pills.
Pills can be identified using various photographic and image processing methods. For example, a digital image of a pill or collection of pills can be taken, and then image processing methods can be used to determine how many pills are in the image, the location and boundaries of the pills in the image, and to assign pixels in the image to a potential pill for identification. This process of segmentation ideally results in every pixel in the image either being assigned to a pill with well-defined and accurate boundaries or being disregarded as not belonging to any pill. Once pixels are assigned, the accumulated pixels for a given pill can be analyzed to determine the characteristics of the pill (e.g., its size, shape and color).
However, problems exist in current methods of photographic pill identification. Specifically, current methods of segmentation can result in a single contour enclosing multiple pills. Sometimes, pill contours end up enclosing only portions of a pill instead of the entirety of the pill. And pill contours can be misshapen, rough, or "chewed in," as explained below. These mistakes in segmentation result in pixels being assigned to wrong pills as well as incorrect conclusions regarding the sizes and shapes of imaged pills.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and system of photographic pill identification.

System and method of pill identification


A method is provided for establishing an overlay image to be displayed from medical image datasets of a recording region of a patient registered with one another containing at least two items of different image information. The method includes establishing, for at least a part of the overlay image, an image value of the overlay image at an image position by addition or subtraction of an image value of at least one base image dataset of the medical image datasets at the image position and a modified image value of at least one modification image dataset of the medical image datasets at the image position dependent on the image value of the base image dataset at the image position.

For a plurality of medical applications, (e.g., in medical diagnostics or in medical therapy), the use of a great diversity of imaging modalities is widely known. In these applications, such diagnostics or such a therapy may be undertaken in many cases using a single medical image dataset, e.g., a single computed tomography (CT) image dataset or a magnetic resonance (MR) image dataset.
Most notably with more complex problems, but also within the framework of the monitoring of medical interventions, the use of a number of image sources, thus medical image datasets, is frequently required, for example, a CT image dataset and a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image dataset. Such different medical image datasets represent different image information, in the example of the CT image dataset anatomical structures, in the example of the PET image dataset the metabolism and/or functional information. A significant added value compared to a separate display of these independent medical image datasets is obtained in an overlaid presentation of the medical image datasets as an overlay image. For example, the medical image datasets may be registered with one another and subsequently displayed overlaid, so that a spatial correspondence of the different sources of information is created. An overlay image thus makes it possible for a user immediately to grasp the different items of image information together.
The display of a number of items of image information from different image sources in a single overlay image leads to further challenges and even to restrictions. One problem that arises will be explained below using the example of a roadmap procedure in an angiographic intervention. In this case two independent medical image datasets of Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) may be displayed overlaid, namely on the one hand a first medical image dataset, which has been recorded with the application of contrast media, so that only the blood vessel tree is presented, as a second medical image dataset a current live subtraction image without application of contrast medium, which shows an instrument, (e.g., a guide wire), used within the framework of the minimally-invasive intervention.
The result of displaying the vessels in the first medical image dataset here may be extremely high intensity values of the display, e.g., by the overlaying of a number of blood vessels. There is thus a very high image value present in such regions, so that a bright display is produced. Individual vessels are not clearly shown here, so this may already result in sharp differences in contrast within the displayed blood vessel system. The second medical image dataset dependent thereon, the live subtraction image, which shows the instrument, is characterized by a constant level of contrast however, which means that the instrument, (e.g., a guide wire), is displayed consistently over its entire length. If these two medical image datasets are now overlaid, the instrument may be only recognized with great difficulty in very bright vessel regions, which may lead to a misinterpretation of the overlay image. Similar problems also arise in other application areas, for example, if one of the medical image datasets exploits the available intensity dynamics of the display to the maximum for example and thus the result may display problems at specific contrasts of the other medical image dataset.

Establishing an overlay image to be displayed from a base image dataset and a modification image dataset of medical image datasets


A liquid crystal device includes: a first substrate including a scanning line, a data line, a switching element, a pixel electrode and a storage capacitor associated with an intersection of the scanning line and the data line; a second substrate; and liquid crystal interposed between the substrates. A region where the pixel electrode is provided includes a reflective region and a transmissive region. An insulation layer is provided in the reflective region and the transmissive region to cover the switching element. A liquid crystal thickness adjustment layer is provided on the insulation layer in the reflective region. The pixel electrode is provided on the insulation layer in the transmissive region and on the liquid crystal thickness adjustment layer in the reflective region. Further, the storage capacitor includes an electrode disposed on the insulation layer in the reflective region and electrically connected to the pixel electrode.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device, a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal device, and an electronic apparatus equipped with the liquid crystal device.
2. Related Art
There has been known a liquid crystal device that displays an image with the use of liquid crystal. Such a liquid crystal device may be a transflective liquid crystal device which has both functions of transmissive display utilizing illumination light by an illumination unit like a backlight and of reflective display utilizing reflection light of ambient light like natural light or room light.
Such a liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal panel and the backlight as the illumination unit. The liquid crystal panel has a display region provided with a plurality of pixels, and a scanning line drive circuit and a data line drive circuit which are provided in the periphery of the display region for driving the pixels.
The liquid crystal panel includes an element substrate on which thin film transistors (hereinafter, referred to as TFTs) as switching elements are arranged corresponding to the pixels, a counter substrate opposing the element substrate, and liquid crystal as electro-optic material interposed between the element substrate and the counter substrate.
The element substrate includes a plurality of scanning lines provided at predetermined intervals; a plurality of data lines substantially perpendicular to the scanning lines, the data lines provided at predetermined intervals; a plurality of common lines substantially parallel to the scanning lines, the common lines and the scanning lines alternatively arranged; and the TFTs and pixel electrodes provided corresponding to the intersections of the scanning lines and the data lines, respectively.
The counter substrate includes common electrodes opposing the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of color filters for multiple colors provided corresponding to the pixels. The common electrodes provided on the counter substrate are electrically connected to the common lines provided on the element substrate through a conductive portion arranged between the element substrate and the counter substrate.
Each pixel includes a storage capacitor with an end thereof electrically connected to the pixel electrode, in addition to the TFT, the pixel electrode, and the common electrode.
A gate of the TFT is connected to the scanning line, a source of the TFT is connected to the data line, and a drain of the TFT is connected to the pixel electrode and to the storage capacitor.
In addition, the pixel includes a region for the transmissive display (hereinafter, referred to as a transmissive region), and a region for the reflective display (hereinafter, referred to as a reflective region). The above-described TFT and storage capacitor have light-shielding properties and are provided in the reflective region, while the pixel electrode and the common electrode are transparent and are provided over the transmissive region and the reflective region.
A liquid crystal thickness adjustment layer for adjusting the thickness of a liquid crystal layer, and a reflection film for reflecting incident light are formed in the reflective region.
The above-described liquid crystal device operates as follows. Application of a selected voltage from the scanning line drive circuit to the scanning lines in a line-sequential manner selects all pixels associated with a certain scanning line. Then, image signals are supplied to the data lines from the data line drive circuit simultaneously with the selection of the pixels. Owing to this, the image signals are supplied from the data lines through the TFTs to the pixels selected by the scanning line drive circuit and the data line drive circuit, whereby image data is written in the pixel electrodes.
Upon writing the image data in the pixel electrodes, a driving voltage is applied to the liquid crystal due to the potential difference between the voltage applied to the pixel electrodes and that applied to the common electrodes. That is, the voltage levels of the image signals are varied to vary the orientation and the order of the liquid crystal, so as to provide a display with gray scales according to optical modulation of the pixels.
Here, in an environment with insufficient ambient light, the transmissive display is performed with the use of the light from the backlight. That is, the light emitted from the backlight passes through the element substrate, the liquid crystal layer and the counter substrate, and then is emitted from the liquid crystal panel.
On the other hand, in an environment with sufficient ambient light, the reflective display is performed. That is, the ambient light incident from the outside passes through the counter substrate and the liquid crystal layer, is reflected by the reflection film, passes through the liquid crystal layer and the counter substrate again, and then is emitted from the liquid crystal panel.
Incidentally, according to the above-described liquid crystal device, the driving voltage which is applied to the liquid crystal is held by a storage capacitor, which is for instance configured as follows (refer to JP-A-2004-85918).
To be more specific, the scanning line and a pixel-potential-side capacitance electrode of the storage capacitor are formed on the element substrate. An insulation layer is formed on the scanning line and the pixel-potential-side capacitance electrode of the storage capacitor. The data line and a common-potential-side capacitance electrode of the storage capacitor are formed on the insulation layer.
The above-described storage capacitor includes the two oppositely arranged capacitance electrodes of the common-potential-side capacitance electrode of the storage capacitor and the pixel-potential-side capacitance electrode of the storage capacitor. These two electrodes are made of light-shielding materials. Due to this, the storage capacitor is disposed in the reflective region for ensuring aperture ratio.
The storage capacitor needs to ensure a sufficient capacity such that the driving voltage which is applied to the liquid crystal can be held. The capacity of the storage capacitor is in proportion to the areas of the two capacitance electrodes, while being in inverse proportion to the gap therebetween. Accordingly, as a method for increasing the capacity of the storage capacitor, the areas of the two capacitance electrodes may be increased, or the gap between the two capacitance electrodes may be decreased.
However, the increase in the areas of the two capacitance electrodes may cause the capacitance electrodes to extend beyond the reflective region and thus be exposed to the transmissive region, thereby degrading the aperture ratio.
Also, the decrease in the gap between the two capacitance electrodes, i.e., decreasing the thickness of the insulation layer provided between the two capacitance electrodes, results in that the scanning line is arranged close to the data line, thereby increasing the influence of cross talk on the intersection of the scanning line and the data line.

Liquid crystal device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus


To inhibit degradation of charge and discharge cycle characteristics of a secondary battery. To suppress generation of defects due to expansion and contraction of an active material in a negative electrode. To inhibit deterioration of an electrode due to changes in its form. An electrode member including a current collector, an active material, and a porous body is used. The porous body is in contact with one surface of the current collector and includes a plurality of spaces. The active material is located in the space in the porous body. The space has a larger size than the active material.

1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrode member that can be used for a power storage device and a method for manufacturing the electrode member. One embodiment relates to a secondary battery and a manufacturing method thereof. In particular, one embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrode of a lithium-ion secondary battery.
Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. The technical field of one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter. Specifically, examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification include a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a storage device, a method for driving any of them, and a method for manufacturing any of them.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a secondary battery capable of being charged and discharged include a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery and a lithium-ion secondary battery.
Such secondary batteries are often used as power sources in portable information terminals typified by mobile phones, smartphones, and tablet terminals. In particular, lithium-ion secondary batteries have been actively developed because the capacity thereof can be increased and the size thereof can be reduced.
Electrodes serving as positive electrodes or negative electrodes of lithium-ion secondary batteries are formed using, for example, a lithium metal, a carbon-based material, or an alloy material. A lithium-ion secondary battery in which a group of whiskers including silicon is used for an electrode has been disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Electrode member, secondary battery, and method for manufacturing electrode member

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An improved technique involves converting facts from multiple fact sources to a common data format. Along these lines, for each fact source having a source-specific format, a KBA system provides an adaptor that converts incoming facts in the source-specific format to the common data format prior to generating questions. The KBA system stores the facts in the common format in a database for subsequent access. In response to an authorization request, the KBA system then builds questions based on the facts from multiple sources in the common data format stored in the database.

In knowledge-based authentication (KBA), an organization questions a user for particular personal information. Such questions may include "when were you married?", "what was the make and model of your first car?", and "what was the name of your first pet?". The user must answer the question correctly in order to prove to the organization that he or she is not an imposter.
A conventional KBA service provider forms the questions that an organization presents to users from data acquired through an information source. Examples of a suitable information source include credit bureaus, public records, and corporate data. The conventional KBA service provider forms a set of questions from a suitable information source.
Along these lines, suppose that a conventional KBA service provider retrieves emails from a Microsoft Exchange® server. When an organization wishes to authenticate a user within the organization, the KBA system retrieves an email to the user discussing a meeting with another person at a particular time and place. The KBA system forms questions from data in the email (e.g., "With whom did you meet in Conference Room A at 10 AM last Thursday?").

Common data format in knowledge-based authentication


Grading machines include machines for sorting and/or separation of solid granular or particulate materials according to the physical parameters of the component particles. Some grading machines employ a grading cylinder for retaining the material, the grading cylinder being driven by the machine to rotate about its axis. Disclosed herein are devices for easy insertion, removal, or replacement of grading cylinders from such grading machines. Also disclosed are methods for cylinder removal from a grading machine, e.g. for maintenance or cylinder replacement. The devices and methods disclosed permit stacking of grading machines in a factory or industrial setting.

Various machines are known for the processing and separation of solid granular or solid particulate materials. Such sorting devices and graders often include one or more hollow cylinders, each of which can be rotated about its central axis by some form of drive means. The hollow cylinder includes a means for input of the granular or particulate material, and some other means to collect different portions of the material that have been sorted or graded according to their size, (e.g. length, width or thickness), or other physical characteristics. The input and output means, optionally together with other components, may permit either batch or continuous processing of the particulate material. Depending upon their intended use and the materials to be processed, the machines use different types of cylinders, each with carefully designed features that facilitate the sorting process. The configuration of the cylinder, combined with the forces generated by rotation of the cylinder, and other rotating components within the cylinder, determine the way in which the material is processed or sorted.
For example, some cylinders include an array of small perforations about the main curved surface of the cylinder, the perforations having sufficient size to permit narrower particles to pass through, but of insufficient size to permit wider particles to pass through. In this way, rotation of the cylinder about its central axis causes particles retained within the cylinder to be thrown about and against the internal walls of the cylinder. Narrower particles exit the cylinder through the perforations assisted by the centrifugal force of the rotating cylinder, whereas wider particles are retained within the cylinder for later collection. Often, perforated cylinders are used to separate granular products according to the width and/or thickness of the particles. Optionally, an agitator may be mounted co-axially within the cylinder to assist in the movement of the granular material about the inside of the cylinder.
Other examples of cylinder types include those with indentations (rather than perforations) about the internal surfaces of the cylinder, again to cause material within the cylinder to be separated into distinct portions. Often indented cylinders are employed within indent length grading machines (sometimes known as triers) to separate granular products according to the length of the particles. The indentations on the internal curved surface of the cylinder are sized such that particles having a length similar to or less than the length of the indentations are retained within the indentations and lifted as the cylinder rotates. Eventually, as the cylinder continues to rotate, the lifted particles fall from the indentations under gravity, to be caught by a trough typically mounted within a central region of the cylinder. A screw conveyor or auger may also be associated with the trough to assist in movement of the liftings portion of the material caught by the trough. In contrast, the tailings portion retained in the outer or lower regions of the cylinder may be removed by another outlet.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,612,273, 4,469,230, and 6,253,928, which are incorporated herein by reference, provide just three examples of prior patent documents that disclose such sorting machines and devices.
However, grading machines are often large and difficult to service. The grading cylinders may be difficult to replace due to their size and weight, or because of general access to the cylinder(s) in the grading machine. Typically, a grading cylinder must be lifted bodily out of a grading machine for service, or for insertion of a different type of cylinder into the grading machine. This is illustrated with reference to FIG. 1, derived from FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,230, which is incorporated herein by reference. Here it may be observed that a user of the machine wishing to replace sorting cylinder 11 must physically lift the cylinder from the machine via an opening or space alongside the cylinder. Not only does this require significant effort by the user, but clear access must be provided for cylinder removal and/or replacement. This may be difficult in an industrial setting, such as a busy factory floor. In other examples known in the art, access to the cylinder may be provided from above, such that the cylinder must be hoisted up and out of the machine.
At times due to the size of the grading cylinders or the configuration of the grading machine, the grading cylinders must be dismantled within a grading machine prior to their removal. For example, at times it may be desirable to retain a specific screw conveyor or agitator in position within a grading machine, and replace only the grading cylinder either with one of different properties, or for servicing of the machine. To this end, some grading machines require the use of "split cylinders" comprising two halves or several sections to be separated prior to cylinder removal. Such cylinders require re-assembly prior to their use in a grading machine, or re-assembly within the machine interior. Significant skill is required to ensure proper re-assembly of a split cylinder. Improper establishment of joints between the cylinder sections may result in poor rotation of the cylinder and damage to the cylinder or machine components.
Alternatively, other machines involve the use of whole cylinders that cannot be split or disassembled into separate sections. Typically, such cylinders must be removed from grading machines together with any components retained internal to the cylinders during operation (e.g. agitators, screw conveyors, troughs and the like).
Thus, whilst many machines and devices are known in the art for the sorting, grading or separation of solid granular or solid particulate materials, such machines and devices are often cumbersome and difficult to maintain and service. Often, the insertion and removal of cylinders, either for servicing or to change the configuration of the machine, can be very time consuming. There is a need in the art for versatile grading machines that permit quicker-changing of grading cylinders.

Cylinder exchange device and method for solid material processor


Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding the frequency of a continuation sinusoidal signal and a method and apparatus for decoding the same. In the encoding method, a continuation sinusoidal signal successive to a sinusoidal signal in a previous section is extracted from a current section; a frequency of the continuation sinusoidal signal at the boundary between the current and previous sections is changed to a first frequency, based on representative frequencies of the continuation sinusoidal signal and at least one sinusoidal signal that belongs to a section adjacent to the current section and is successive to the continuation sinusoidal signal; and the first frequency is encoded.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to frequency encoding, and more particularly, to frequency encoding and decoding which use parametric coding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parametric coding is a method of expressing an audio signal with specific parameters. Parametric coding has been used in the MPEG-4 (Moving Picture Experts Group 4) standards.
In parametric coding, a sinusoidal component, a transient component, and noise are extracted from an audio signal, parameters thereof are determined, and a bitstream containing the parameters is generated.
If the sinusoidal component is extracted, sinusoidal tracking is performed in order to perform adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) or DPCM on the sinusoidal component. In sinusoidal tracking, a sinusoidal signal successive to a sinusoidal signal in a previous or subsequent frame is detected from a current frame and then a correlation between the sinusoidal signals is determined.
A sinusoidal signal in a current frame that cannot be tracked from a sinusoidal signal in a previous frame is referred to as a birth sinusoidal signal or a birth partial. The birth sinusoidal signal is not successive to the sinusoidal signal in the previous frame but is newly generated in the current frame. Absolute coding must be performed on the birth sinusoidal signal instead of difference coding using the sinusoidal signal in the previous frame. For this reason, a large number of bits are needed for coding.
A sinusoidal signal in a current frame that can be tracked from a sinusoidal signal in a previous frame is referred to as a continuation sinusoidal signal or a continuation partial. Since difference coding that uses the sinusoidal signal in the corresponding previous frame can be performed on the continuation sinusoidal signal, coding can be effectively performed.
A sinusoidal signal that disappears without being successive to a sinusoidal signal in a subsequent frame from among continuation sinusoidal signals, is referred to as a death sinusoidal signal or a death partial.
Whether a sinusoidal signal is successive to another sinusoidal signal may be determined by checking whether the difference between the frequencies of the sinusoidal signals is less than or equal to a predetermined value. If the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value, it is determined that there is continuation between the sinusoidal signals. Such a sinusoidal signal is determined to be a continuation sinusoidal signal and thus, difference coding is performed thereon.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a related art method of encoding the frequency of a continuation sinusoidal signal.
In the related art method, an audio signal is divided and encoded in units of sections, e.g., frames. Referring to FIG. 1, an audio signal is divided into three frames. The x-axis denotes time (t) and the y-axis denotes frequency (f). A sinusoidal signal in a frame has a representative frequency. Substantially, the frequency of the sinusoidal signal may change within the frame but it is assumed that for efficient encoding, the frequency of the sinusoidal signal does not change within the same frame.
Two birth sinusoidal signals 111 and 121 are present in a first frame. Since absolute coding is performed on the birth sinusoidal signals 111 and 121, the absolute frequencies of the birth sinusoidal signals 111 and 121 are encoded.
Two continuation sinusoidal signals 112 and 122 are present in a second frame. The continuation sinusoidal signals 112 and 122 are respectively encoded using the corresponding sinusoidal signals 111 and 121 in the previous frame. In detail, in the case of the continuation sinusoidal signal 112, the difference D1 between the frequencies of the continuation sinusoidal signal 112 and the corresponding previous sinusoidal signal 111 is encoded. Similarly, in the case of the continuation sinusoidal signal 122, the difference D3 between the frequencies of the continuation sinusoidal signal 122 and the corresponding previous sinusoidal signal 121 is encoded.
If the difference between representative frequencies of sinusoidal signals of the first and second frames is not large, it is possible to transmit the differences D1 and D3. However, if spectral components of sinusoidal signals in frames increase or decrease as illustrated in FIG. 1, the difference between representative frequencies of a sinusoidal signal in a current frame and a corresponding sinusoidal signal in a previous frame is large. In this case, if the frequency of the current sinusoidal signal is encoded using the difference between the frequencies of the current sinusoidal signal and the corresponding previous sinusoidal signal, a large number of bits are needed for the frequency encoding.

Method and apparatus for frequency encoding, and method and apparatus for frequency decoding


A method of inspecting for plug-to-plug short (short circuit) defects on a sample is disclosed. A charged particle beam for imaging the sample is repeatedly line-scanned over the sample with a line-to-line advancement direction perpendicular to the line-scan direction. The method includes scanning the sample with a line-to-line advancement along a first and a second direction, to obtain a first and a second image of the sample, respectively. Then, the method includes identifying plug patterns, represented in the obtained images with abnormal grey levels, as abnormal plug patterns. Next, the method compares the locations of the abnormal plug patterns to determine the presence of plug-to-plug short defects on the sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a method and apparatus for identifying a plug-to-plug short (short circuit) from a charged particle microscopic image, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for identifying a plug-to-plug short as an abnormal voltage contrast (VC).
2. Description of the Prior Art
During charged particle beam inspection of a sample of a semiconductor device, a charged particle microscopic image is formed from secondary charged particles released by the sample while it is bombarded with a primary charged particle beam. In the obtained image, patterns on the sample are typically displayed in grey levels. By analyzing this grey level image of the sample, the presence of defects, i.e., abnormal physical and electrical characteristics of the sample, can be represented in the form of voltage contrast (VC).
In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, narrow gaps between conductive metal lines often give rise to voids or keyholes during the dielectric deposition process. When this happens, metal filler such as titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN) and tungsten (W) deposits into the keyholes and causes shorts (short circuits) between neighboring metal plugs. This yield-impacting defect is commonly called a plug-to-plug short defect. In some cases, it is called the "piping" defect, as well. The piping plugs are generally found between two parallel lines underneath the surface of the sample. FIG. 1 illustrates a plug-to-plug short defect, as represented schematically in the context of a top view image 100 of a semiconductor device comprising plugs 101 and metal lines 102. Reference number designators 110 and 120 identify cross-sectional views along line A-A′ and line B-B′ of image 100, respectively. A plug-to-plug short defect 103 causes an undesired connection between neighboring plugs 101. As shown, plug-to-plug short defect 103 can involve two or three plugs 101.
Currently, to inspect for the presence of this defect in real time, in-line monitoring with a charged particle scanning microscope is typically employed. The imaging process is typically performed by repeatedly line-scanning a charged particle beam over the sample with a line-to-line advancement direction substantially perpendicular to the line-scan direction. This scan mode is generally referred to as the raster scan. As a result, a two-dimensional (2D) array of scan lines is formed on the sample, and a grey level image of the sample is thus obtained therefrom.
For a long "string" type of plug short caused by long keyhole, long string bright voltage contrast (BVC) between tungsten (W) plugs has been observed, typically standing out from the environmental darker voltage contrast (DVC) pixels.
However, when inspecting piping between neighboring plugs in a grey level image, especially when the defective plugs are aligned on an axis parallel to the line-to-line advancement direction, the defective plugs often appear as one slight BVC plug pattern neighbored by one or more normal, slightly dark, or less bright DVC plug patterns. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a plug-to-plug short defect and leakage defect in a grey level image. With reference to the top half of this figure, a plug-to-plug short defect 201 is illustrated in image 200(a), and a leakage defect 202 is illustrated in image 200(b). As shown in this example, plug-to-plug short defect 201 displays successive plug patterns with the left one in BVC and the right one in DVC, while leakage defect 202 displays a single BVC. It can be seen from images 200(a) and 200(b) that the plug-to-plug short defect 201 is not distinct from the leakage defect 202 because in both cases only one single BVC is clearly observed. The line-scan direction and line-to-line advancement direction for forming images 200(a) and 200(b) are illustrated by arrows 210 and 212 (which, in this example, is from left to right), respectively.
This is mainly because when the first defective plug of the plug-to-plug short defect 201 along the line-to-line advancement direction 212 (which is the left plug pattern) is encountered and scanned, most free electrons in the other defective plug (which is electrically connected to the scanned plug through piping) are attracted by the accumulated positive charging on the surface of the scanned plug and, thus, move to the scanned plug. As a result, the accumulated charging on the scanned plug is neutralized, causing it to display BVC in the obtained grey level image. When the next plug (which is the right plug pattern) is scanned, as most of its free electrons are gone by the moment of scanning, positive charging will accumulate on its surface. Therefore, this latter scanned plug displays normal (darker) VC or DVC in the obtained grey level image. This makes it difficult to identify (distinguish) these defective plug patterns as consecutive BVCs, as compared to single BVCs resulting from, for example, a leakage defect.
The same confusion may appear in a three-plug piping situation, as well. With reference to the bottom half of FIG. 2, image 200(c) illustrates such a case where, again, the three defective piping plug patterns 201 are aligned with each other and an axis parallel to the line-to-line advancement direction 212 (which, in this example, is from right to left). In such a case, only the first defective plug pattern (which, this time, is the one on the right) in the line-to-line advancement direction 212 of scan can be easily observed as a BVC in the grey level image. The other two plug patterns may just look normal (darker VC). Therefore, by comparison with image 200(d) which illustrates a leakage defect 202 displaying a single BVC, it can be seen that the plug-to-plug short defect 201 is still difficult to be distinguished (e.g., not easily or readily distinguishable) from the leakage defect 202.
Accordingly, a method for improving the contrast between these two types of defects in a grey level image is desired.

Method and apparatus for identifying plug-to-plug short from a charged particle microscopic image


An anti-friction bearing, which has an outer ring, an inner ring and rolling bodies that are arranged between the rings, distributed over a circumference of the rings, and roll on the rings. For an increase of thermal insulation, electrical insulation and the like, a film section, which is manufactured without the removal of material from a plastic film, is attached on an outer circumference of the outer ring over at least part of an axial width of the outer ring and at least over part of an outer circumference of the outer ring.

Anti-friction bearings of this type, for example deep-grooved ball bearings and the like, have long been known. In order to insulate these anti-friction bearings thermally with respect to the component to be supported, for example in a dual-mass flywheel of a drivetrain, insulating elements of plastics material are inserted between the outer ring and the component to be supported, DE 42 14 655 A1, for example, shows a dual-mass flywheel in which the two flywheel masses are mounted rotatably on one another by means of a thermally insulated anti-friction bearing. In this case an intermediate layer of plastics material is inserted between the outer ring and the second flywheel mass, which layer has to be expensively finished by machining in order to be adapted to the contours of the anti-friction bearing.
Furthermore, anti-friction bearings are known, which have an outer ring to which plastics material is applied by a spraying method. The plastics material is then sinter-fused on the outer ring and machined in order to produce a desired contour.
DE 1.0 2005 055 039 A1 discloses an anti-friction bearing having plastics caps applied to both side faces of the outer ring and tensioned with respect to the outer ring by means of ceramic or plastics material.

Thermally insulated anti-friction bearing


According to one exemplary embodiment, a structure comprises a substrate. The structure further comprises a tunnel oxide layer, where the tunnel oxide layer is situated on the substrate. The structure further comprises a floating gate situated on the tunnel oxide layer, where the floating gate comprises nitrogen. The floating gate may further comprise polysilicon and may be situated in a floating gate flash memory cell, for example. The nitrogen may suppress oxide growth at first and second end regions of the tunnel oxide layer, for example. The nitrogen may be implanted in the floating gate, for example, at a concentration of between approximately 1013 atoms per cm2 and approximately 1015 atoms per cm2. According to this exemplary embodiment, the structure further comprises an ONO stack situated over the floating gate. The structure may further comprise a control gate situated over the ONO stack.

The present invention is generally related to the field of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the present invention is related to memory cells in semiconductor devices.
Non-volatile memory devices are currently in widespread use in electronic components that require the retention of information when electrical power is terminated. Non-volatile memory devices include read-only-memory (ROM), programmable-read-only memory (PROM), erasable-programmable-read-only-memory (EPROM), and electrically-erasable-programmable-read-only-memory (EEPROM) devices. EEPROM devices differ from other non-volatile memory devices in that they can be electrically programmed and erased. Flash memory devices are similar to EEPROM devices in that memory cells can be programmed and erased electrically. However, flash memory devices enable the erasing of all memory cells in the device using a single current pulse.
Product development efforts in flash memory devices have focused on increasing the programming speed, lowering programming and reading voltages, increasing data retention time, reducing cell erasure times, reducing cell dimensions, and optimizing dielectric materials used in memory cells. In fabrication of flash memory cells utilizing floating gate flash memory technology, one important dielectric material is a thin gate oxide layer (also referred to as a tunnel oxide layer), which is situated between a floating gate and a silicon substrate. For optimal flash memory cell performance, it is desirable to have a thin tunnel oxide layer that also has a substantially uniform thickness between the floating gate and the silicon substrate.
During fabrication of a floating gate memory cell, such as a floating gate flash memory cell, a tunnel oxide layer is formed on a silicon substrate. A stacked gate structure comprising a floating gate, an Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO) stack, and a control gate (also referred to as a word line) is then formed on the tunnel oxide layer. The stacked gate structure is then patterned by, for example, masking and etching the stacked gate structure. During etching of the stacked gate structure, the underlying tunnel oxide layer is also etched, resulting in exposed sides of the tunnel oxide layer. Consequently, during subsequent thermal oxidation steps utilized in the formation of the floating gate flash memory cell, oxygen can diffuse into end regions of the tunnel oxide layer and cause the end regions to grow thicker. The thickening of the end regions of the tunnel oxide layer discussed above is herein referred to as xe2x80x9clateral oxide encroachment.xe2x80x9d The thickening of the end regions of the tunnel oxide layer is also colloquially referred to as a xe2x80x9cbird""s beakxe2x80x9d profile.
As a result of thickening of the end regions of the tunnel oxide layer discussed above, performance of the floating gate memory cell can be undesirably diminished. For example, the thicker end regions of the tunnel oxide layer can decrease floating gate erase uniformity and floating gate memory cell reliability by inhibiting erase current and causing the erase current to be concentrated through thinner portions of the tunnel oxide layer. Furthermore, if the control gate width is sufficiently narrow, e.g. at a control gate width of approximately 0.25 microns, the xe2x80x9cbird""s beakxe2x80x9d profiles that form at end regions of the tunnel oxide layer can join in the middle of the tunnel oxide layer, causing an undesirable overall increase of tunnel oxide layer thickness. The overall increase in tunnel oxide layer thickness can reduce performance and reliability of the floating gate memory cell.
In one attempt to reduce the xe2x80x9cbird""s beakxe2x80x9d profile discussed above, semiconductor memory manufacturers have reduced the thermal budget for oxide deposition. However, this attempted solution to the xe2x80x9cbird""s beakxe2x80x9d formation problem can result in an insufficient amount of oxide being deposited to adequately protect the silicon surface of the wafer. Additionally, the attempted solution discussed above can also result in an oxide of an insufficient quality to adequately protect the wafer""s silicon surface.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a floating gate memory cell having increased performance and reliability.
The present invention is directed to structure and method for suppressing oxide encroachment in a floating gate memory cell. The present invention addresses and resolves the need in the art for a floating gate memory cell having increased performance and reliability.
According to one exemplary embodiment, a structure comprises a substrate. The structure further comprises a tunnel oxide layer, where the tunnel oxide layer is situated on the substrate. The structure further comprises a floating gate situated on the tunnel oxide layer, where the floating gate comprises nitrogen. The floating gate may further comprise polysilicon and may be situated in a floating gate flash memory cell, for example. The nitrogen may suppress oxide growth at first and second end regions of the tunnel oxide layer, for example. The nitrogen may be implanted in the floating gate, for example, at a concentration of between approximately 1013 atoms per cm2 and approximately 1015 atoms per cm2.
According to this exemplary embodiment, the structure further comprises an ONO stack situated over the floating gate. The structure may further comprise a control gate situated over the ONO stack. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Structure and method for suppressing oxide encroachment in a floating gate memory cell


An aesthetic, partially removable orthodontic appliance is described, including a polymeric body that conforms to the lingual soft tissue and at least one wire member extending from the polymeric body. Each wire member releasably engages with a respective anchor that is, in turn, connected to the lingual surface of a respective tooth when the polymeric body is moved in a generally gingival direction into abutting relationship with the lingual soft tissue. Other features of the appliance include self-guiding magnetic couplings and couplings based on interlocking mechanical structures that provide releasable engagement between the removable section and the anchors, as well as related methods for making and using the same.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention broadly pertains to an appliance used in orthodontic treatment. More particularly, it pertains to an aesthetic orthodontic appliance that is at least partially removable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Orthodontics is the area and specialty of dentistry associated with the supervision, guidance, and correction malpositioned teeth into proper locations. Orthodontic treatment can be useful in correcting defects in a patient's bite (also called occlusion) along with promoting better hygiene and improving the overall aesthetics and health of the teeth.
Orthodontic treatment often involves the use of tiny slotted appliances known as brackets, which are generally affixed to the patient's anterior, cuspid, and bicuspid teeth. After the brackets have been placed on the teeth, an archwire is received into the slot of each bracket and acts as a track to guide the movement of respective teeth to orthodontically correct positions. End sections of the archwire are typically captured in appliances known as buccal tubes that are affixed to the patient's molar teeth. The brackets, archwires, and buccal tubes are typically referred to collectively as "braces".
However, conventional braces have inherent limitations. For example, brackets and wires in the mouth tend to trap food and plaque, especially in areas behind the archwire and beneath bracket tiewings. The poor oral hygiene that results from plaque build up, in turn, can lead to a host of other problems, including tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontal disease, amongst others. Plaque build up in the vicinity of the brackets in particular can also cause decalcification and so-called "white spot" lesions on enamel surfaces that remain even after the braces are removed at the end of treatment.
Removable appliances can significantly alleviate some of these problems by providing an ability to remove the orthodontic appliance from the mouth while eating and/or brushing. Not only do removable appliances facilitate the maintenance and cleaning of the teeth, they also facilitate cleaning of the appliance. Popular removable appliances include polymeric aligner shells manufactured by Align Technology (Santa Clara, Calf.), which are intended to incrementally and progressively re-position teeth to a desired teeth arrangement. Other types of appliances include wire-embedded appliances such as those based on the Hawley retainer or Crozat appliance, which typically use metal wires that passively contact the teeth surfaces. While these appliances can be used to effect corrective tooth movements, they are most commonly used for retention of teeth after correction has been completed. Spring aligners, also called spring retainers, combine aspects of both clear aligners and wire-embedded retainers and can be used for orthodontic correction. However, these too are limited in the types of forces they can apply on teeth, which in turn impact the breadth of dental malocclusions that can be treated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lingual orthodontic appliance with removable section


A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a trench therein. First and second gate patterns are formed on a surface of the substrate adjacent the trench, a respective one of which is on a respective opposing side of the trench. A split source/drain region is formed in the substrate between the first gate pattern and the second gate pattern such that the split source/drain region is divided by the trench. The split source/drain region includes a first source/drain subregion between the first gate pattern and the trench and a second source/drain subregion between the second gate pattern and the trench and spaced apart from the first source/drain subregion. A connecting region is formed in the substrate that extends around the trench from the first source/drain subregion to the second source/drain subregion. Related methods are also discussed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and, more particularly, to non-volatile memory devices and methods of forming the same.
2. Description of Related Art
NAND type non-volatile memory devices may be used in portable electronic products for a variety of functions. For example, NAND type non-volatile memory devices may be used to store image data in digital cameras and/or to store micro codes in portable telephones. NAND type non-volatile memory devices may include storage cell gate patterns and select gate patterns serially connected to at least one bit line pattern in an active region of a semiconductor substrate. The devices may be capable of performing data read and write operations to implement functions suitable for portable electronic products. The cell gate patterns may be located between the select gate patterns. The select gate patterns and the cell gate patterns may respectively correspond to select transistors and cell transistors.
However, the electrical properties of NAND type non-volatile memory devices may be degraded as the devices are scaled-down. This may be due to several factors. For example, NAND type non-volatile memory devices may include select gate patterns and storage cell gate patterns on the same active region, each of which may be driven by different voltages. When cell gate patterns for a specific bit line are programmed, the electrical properties of cell gate patterns for other bit lines adjacent to the specific bit line may be degraded. In particular, the cell and select gate patterns may see increased electric field intensity as distances therebetween are reduced. The increased electric field intensity may be accompanied by increased electrical coupling between the cell and select gate patterns. As such, hot electrons may be more easily injected into the gate insulating layer. As data read and write operations are repeatedly performed, the hot electrons injected into the gate insulating layer may speed up and/or slow down the data read and write operations, which may cause the NAND type non-volatile memory devices to malfunction. Thus, the electrical properties of the NAND type non-volatile memory devices may be rapidly degraded as the number of read and write operations increases.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,778 to Lee discloses a method of manufacturing a shallow trench source EPROM cell. As noted in the Abstract of the Lee patent, the inventive cell comprises a source area which is at a lower plane than the drain region, and a program charge is transferred to the floating gate through the source-side injector. Instead of using a self-aligned high-energy n-type dopant implant at the source side to form the source side injector as used with previous cells, which can be difficult to control, etching the substrate before impurity doping allows for the controllable formation of a sharp point of doped silicon, and allows for improved programming at a lower voltage.

Methods of forming non-volatile memory devices having trenches


An oven for baking batter goods, in particular, a wafer oven, has several baking plates assigned to one another in pairs, and at least one heat source for tempering or heating the baking plates. Particularly efficient production of wafers or similar products can be achieved in that the baking plates are mounted in a wheel-like carrier that can be rotated about an axis so that they extend essentially radially away from the axis, at a distance from it. Furthermore, at least one heat exchanger may be assigned to the baking plates, in each instance, through which a medium tempered by a heat source and supplied by way of a ring line flows.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oven for baking batter goods, particularly a wafer oven, having several baking plates assigned to one another in pairs, and at least one heat source for tempering the baking plates.
2. The Prior Art
In a wafer baking oven of this type, for example one known from DE 199 42 806 A1, the baking plates are connected with one another by way of an endless baking tong chain that circulates. In this connection, the rectangular baking plates are connected with one another in pairs, by way of a hinge. The hinge is arranged at one of the short sides, so that the plates can be pivoted between a V-shaped open position and a closed position in which they lie essentially parallel to one another.
In these known wafer baking ovens, baking of the wafers takes place continuously, whereby a liquid batter is poured on between an open pair of baking plates, for example, after which the baking plates are closed and locked. The water contained in the batter evaporates between the heated baking plates, and thereby a wafer is formed, under pressure, between the baking plates. The wafer is baked to completion between the baking plates by supplying additional heat. At the end of the circuit described by the pairs of baking plates, the plates are opened again, so that the finished wafer sheet can fall out and be passed to further processing.
In this connection, heating of the baking plates generally takes place by way of direct gas firing. For this purpose, a burner group is arranged under each conveyor segment of the gripper chain. In this way, a first baking plate, the bottom plate, is heated in the upper segment, and the baking plate assigned to or associated with it, the top plate, is heated in the upper segment.
The burner groups consist of pipes that supply a gas mixture to the burners, which can pivot, for example, and are equipped with nozzles. The known wafer oven burners frequently have to be operated with an over-rich gas mixture, i.e. an air/fuel mixture that does not contain sufficient oxygen for complete combustion, since only in this way is it possible to produce a soft, uniform carpet of flames. Consequently, in order to achieve complete combustion, additional oxygen has to be drawn from the air in the oven. This oxygen is sufficiently available for the burner assigned to the lower segment. The burner located in the upper segment, however, is influenced by the waste gases of the bottom burner. In order to produce an acceptable flame profile in the burner assigned to the upper segment as well, fresh air is drawn through the oven using a venting fan. This air is heated on its path through the heated space and, in this connection, transports energy out of the oven, which is therefore not available to the baking process.
The connection between the baking plates by way of the hinge at their short sides frequently makes it necessary for additional reinforcing elements, e.g. casting tongs, to be assigned to the baking plates. But if the distance between the burners and the baking plates is chosen so that the back of the baking plates passes precisely through the hottest part of the flames, i.e. the flame length in the continuous operating state, these reinforcement elements disrupt the flames. This disruption leads to an increase in emissions. In known ovens, the distance of passage through the flames is therefore selected so that the back of the baking plates passes not through the hottest region of the flames, but rather at a greater distance from it.
The effects as described result in a comparatively low degree of effectiveness of about 50% for the known wafer ovens. According to thermodynamic studies, the waste gas losses, which include the air that is additionally drawn through and heated, are approximately 36%. Furthermore, with conventional burners, it is possible to adhere to the waste gas values that apply worldwide, particularly for CO, only under optimal conditions and with a precise adjustment. In most cases, however, the wafer baking ovens produce a multiple of the permissible emissions.
Another disadvantage of the known wafer baking ovens is that only gaseous fuels can be used, but these fuels are not available in sufficient amount at every production location.
Furthermore, it is considered to be disadvantageous that the size of the baking plates is limited to approximately 350 mm×700 mm, since otherwise it is difficult to apply the holding forces for closing the pair of baking plates during the baking process. Making the baking plates larger could, however, clearly increase the production yield while increasing the total machine volume only slightly, and this increase in size would have an advantageous effect on the production costs of the oven, in comparison with its capacity. At the same time, making the baking plates larger also results in energy advantages, since the mass to be heated up, as well as the housing surface, increase relatively less in proportion, in comparison with the capacity increase gained.
Furthermore, wafer baking ovens are known in which the pairs of baking plates are arranged on a rotating shaft or a round table, either parallel or perpendicular to the direction of circulation. Heating of these pairs of baking plates takes place by way of an electrical resistance heater element that is screwed onto them, or by way of hot water or steam that is passed into the baking plates under a pressure of approximately 16 bar, through elongated hole bores. In these known ovens, the number of pairs of baking plates is limited to a maximum of twelve, because of the arrangement in the direct vicinity of the shaft, at a baking plate size of approximately 290 mm×470 mm, so that the capacity of these known systems is low. In addition, when using hot water or steam as the tempering or heating medium, corrosion frequently occurs at the baking plates and the entire system that conducts the medium. This corrosion results in problems, particularly in connection with the high pressure of the tempering medium, approximately 16 bar. Furthermore, the formation of channels within the baking plates is difficult and expensive. The alternative heating of the individual pairs of baking plates by way of electrical resistance heater elements is usually not economically efficient, because of the high costs for electricity.


An electric derailleur has a motor unit having a derailleur motor with an output shaft, a position control mechanism and a controller. The output shaft is rotated through a moveable range including a first derailleur shift position and a second derailleur shift position. The position control mechanism is configured and arranged to provide a position signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft. The controller detects a predetermined lockup position of the derailleur motor occurring at one of the first and second derailleur shift positions. The controller also sets a predetermined stop position for the derailleur motor that is calculated distance prior to the lockup position based on the position signal of the position control mechanism. Thus, the derailleur motor can be calibrated such that a new stop position is set that prevents an overcurrent from occurring in the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an electric derailleur motor unit for an electric bicycle derailleur. More specifically, the present invention relates to calibrating a motor that moves a derailleur.
2. Background Information
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly more popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has become a very popular competitive sport for both amateurs and professionals. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the bicycle industry is constantly improving the various components of the bicycle. In particular, the bicycle transmission has been significantly changed over the years.
Derailleur operated bicycle transmissions typically comprise a plurality of sprockets that rotate with another rotating member (e.g., the front crank and/or the rear wheel of the bicycle) and a derailleur that is used to shift a chain among the plurality of sprockets. Conventional derailleur transmissions were manually controlled by a hand operated actuator such as a lever or twist-grip attached to the bicycle handlebar, wherein the derailleur is connected to the actuator by a Bowden cable.
Recently, bicycles have been equipped with electrical components to make riding easier and more enjoyable for the rider. Some bicycles are equipped with automatic shifting units that are automatically adjusted according to the riding conditions by a cycle computer or control unit. In particular, the front and rear derailleurs have recently been automated. Recently, various electronic devices have been used to determine one or more operating parameters of the derailleur. Such parameters may be used for informational purposes or for electronically controlling the derailleur. A common operating parameter is the position of the derailleur relative to the plurality of sprockets. In the past, potentiometers that cooperated with various moving components of the derailleur were used to ascertain the position of the derailleur. Since derailleurs usually have a relatively small range of motion, high precision potentiometers were required for this purpose. That was especially true when the information provided by the potentiometer is used by an electronic device to shift the chain among the plurality of sprockets. Unfortunately, high precision potentiometers are relatively expensive, thus making electronically controlled derailleurs using high precision potentiometers unsuitable for mass production. Inexpensive potentiometers have nonlinear characteristics, and such characteristics vary from one potentiometer to another. Thus, the actual derailleur position is difficult to ascertain with such potentiometers, and the unpredictability from one potentiometer to another also makes derailleurs using such potentiometers unsuitable for mass production.
Generally speaking, the front derailleur is typically secured to the seat tube of the bicycle frame or the bottom bracket. Basically, a front derailleur includes a fixed or base member non-movably secured to a bicycle frame, and a movable member supported to be movable relative to the fixed member. Typically, the fixed member is a tubular clamping member that is secured to the seat tube. The movable member typically has a chain guide with a pair of cage plates for contacting and moving a chain between the front sprockets. The movable member is usually biased in a given direction relative to the fixed member by a spring. The movable member is usually moved relative to the fixed member by pulling and/or releasing a shift control cable that is coupled to the front derailleur. The movable member and the fixed member usually are interconnected through pivotal links. In a motorized front derailleur, the motor is used to pull and release a control cable or the motor is connected by a drive train to the front derailleur.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved electric bicycle derailleur. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


An air cleaner has a first housing having an inlet and an upper opening, a second housing having an outlet and a lower opening, a filter element arranged between the upper opening of the first housing and the lower opening of the second housing. The first housing includes a looped wall, which protrudes from the inner surface thereof, and a sound absorbing member, which is made of an air permeable material and fixed to the upper end of the looped wall. The inner surface of the first housing, the inner peripheral surface of the looped wall, and the sound absorbing member define an air chamber.

The present invention relates to an air cleaner for filtering air supplied to an internal combustion engine.
An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine has a first housing having an inlet and an opening, a second housing having an outlet and an opening, a filter element arranged between the opening of the first housing and the opening of the second housing.
In the air cleaner described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-110682, the inner surface of the first housing is in contact with an entire opposed surface of a sound absorbing member made of a porous material such as foamed plastic. The sound absorbing member reduces the intake noise.
However, in the above-described air cleaner, the effect of reduction of the intake noise by the sound absorbing member is limited and there is room for improvement.


A nasal dilator capable of introducing separating stresses in nasal outer wall tissues has a resilient member and a pair of spaced-apart end surfaces which can be forced toward one another from an initial flat position of the dilator to thereby substantially reduce the direct spacing therebetween by an external spacing reducing force. This results in restoring forces in the dilator tending to return it to the original direct spacing between the end surfaces. Resilient members, which can be asymmetrical with respect to a centerline of the dilator that is parallel to the long axis of the dilator, have a spring rate which continuously diminishes from the centerline to the end surfaces. The edges of the resilient members are contiguous to the edge of the cushion layer so that adhesive on the cushion layer is at the same level as the bottom surface of the resilient members. An adhesive on the end surfaces adhesively engages exposed surfaces of nasal outer wall tissues sufficiently to keep the dilator attached to the nasal wall surfaces while subjecting them to the restoring forces.

This invention relates to an improvement to the configuration of nasal dilators such as those described in Spanish Patent No. 289,561 to Iriarti dated 15 Sep. 1986 and in the further patents discussed below. Generally speaking these dilators employ a resilient band which has an adhesive on the bottom side and sufficient length so that the resilient band can be bent over the bridge of the nose, and each end of the band becomes adhesively attached to the soft tissue on the lateral wall of the nasal passage.
Bending the resilient band from its initial planar state to its deformed state with its ends in contact with the lateral walls of the nasal passages and the center of the band overlying the bridge of the nose results in forces tending to pull out on the lateral wall tissues which stabilize the walls of the nasal passages during breathing.
The present invention improves nasal dilators by providing them with a resilient member which has a variable spring rate that decreases from the point where the resilient band crosses the bridge of the nose to the point where the resilient band terminates at the lateral wall of the nasal passage.
The nasal dilator of the present invention has a soft fabric cushion of the same or a slightly greater thickness than the resilient member. The soft fabric cushion is located in the same layer as the resilient member and covers the area of the soft fabric cover which is not in direct contact with the resilient member. The soft fabric cushion is in contact with edges of the resilient member and prevents the edges of the resilient member from pressing into the skin on the user's nose while using the nasal dilator.
The present invention further provides a convex protrusion on the side of the dilator at the center of the bridge of the nose facing the tip of the nose to indicate to the user the proper orientation of the dilator when applying it to the nose.
Blockage of the nasal passages from swelling due to allergies, colds and physical deformities can lead to breathing difficulty and discomfort. The nasal passages have mucus membranes which condition the air in the nasal passages prior to its arrival in the lungs. If the nasal passages are constricted due to swelling or minor deformities then the alternative is to breathe through the mouth. This means that the air bypasses the mucus membranes, losing the conditioning effects and causing irritation in the throat and lungs. At night, restrictions to breathing through the nasal passages can lead to snoring and/or sleep disturbances. In some cases, the restricted air supply can cause sleep problems brought on by a lack of oxygen.
For people with chronic blockages in the nasal passages, the alternative to correct the problem has been expensive surgery or medication. People with minor deformities and breathing problems brought on by swelling of the walls of the nasal passageways have been turning to various products fitted in or on the nose which claim to open the nasal passages.
The structure of the nose limits the options available for the design of nasal dilators. The nose terminates at the nostril, which has a slightly expanded volume immediately above it known as the vestibule. Above the vestibule, the nasal passage becomes restricted at a point called the nasal valve. At the nasal valve, the external wall of the nose consists of soft skin known as the lateral wall, which will deform with air pressure changes induced within the nasal passage during the breathing cycles. Above the nasal valve the nasal passage opens up to a cavity with turbinates over the top of the palate and turns downward to join the passage from the mouth to the throat.
The external structure of the nose consists of a skin covering over the nasal bones which are part of the skull. This gives the top of the nose a rigid structure at its base. Beyond the rigid nose bones, there is thin cartilage under the skin which is attached to the septum, which in turn contributes to the outside shape of the nose. The septum forms the wall between the two nostrils and may, if it is crooked, contribute to breathing problems.
As an alternative to surgery, the structure of the nose and the current art leave two main alternatives for the design of nasal dilators. One alternative uses a tube or a similar structure which can be inserted into the nasal passage to hold it in the open position allowing the free passage of air. The disadvantage to this design is that the dilator structure covers up the mucus membranes which condition the air. Also dilators of this design are uncomfortable and can irritate the walls of the nasal passage.
Another alternative is a dilator design, taught by the Iriarti patent for example, where each end that attaches to the external lateral wall of each of the nasal passages has resilient means connecting the ends for developing an external pulling force on the lateral wall causing it to open the nasal passage. This design has the advantage over the first alternative because the nasal passages are not disturbed by an internal insert. This design has limited control over the resilient force on the lateral wall of each of the nasal passages, and the resilient members crossing over the bridge of the nose can cause discomfort.
The present invention is an improvement over earlier nasal dilator configurations because it redistributes the lifting forces within the resilient band by modifying the spring rate, so that they can provide optimum lift on the lateral walls of the nasal passage. In addition maximum comfort for the user is achieved by adding the cushion layer at the same level as the resilient member to prevent the edge of the resilient member from pressing into the skin on the user's nose.
There is prior art which permits for adjusting the spring rate of the resilient band in the nasal dilator. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,091 to Johnson employs two parallel resilient bands of constant width and constant thickness which cross over the bridge of the nose and terminate at the outer wall of each nasal passage. The Johnson patent shows a plurality of notches cut into the top of each end of the resilient band to reduce the spring rate, which in turn prevents the end of the resilient band from peeling away from the skin. Each notch is a single point reduction of the spring rate with the spring rate reduction determined by the depth of the notch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,944 to Petruson and U.S. Reissue Pat. No. Re 35,408 to Petruson provide nasal dilators with a one-piece molded plastic strip, the ends of which carry tabs for insertion into the nostrils.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,333 to Johnson shows the same concept of single point reduction in the spring rate of the resilient band using the notches shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,091 mentioned above. In addition, the '333 Johnson patent shows other designs for the resilient band with either holes or slots which are located at the ends of the resilient bands and are intended to reduce the spring rate at a single point to prevent the end of the resilient band from peeling away from the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,658 to Voss shows a beam-shaped resilient band which extends from one side of the user's nose across the bridge of the nose to the other side of the nose. The resilient band is made of plastic and has a varying thickness and width over the entire span. The resilient band exhibits a rigidity increase from the center towards the two respective ends which attach to the sides of the user's nose, which is the exact opposite of what is attained with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,901 to Ierulli discloses several nasal strip configurations where the cover member extends beyond the perimeter of the spring member, including one embodiment in which the strip has some degree of variation in the spring force over a portion of the length of the strip.
Some of the better known nasal dilator patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,499 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,503 to Doubrek et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,362 to Johnson, all teach of nasal dilators with a cushion layer between the resilient member and the user's skin. U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,931 to Muchin is similar to the Spanish Iriarti patent in that the resilient member is in direct contact with the user's skin and no cushion layer is provided. These nasal dilators differ from the current invention, which provides a cushion layer at the same level in the nasal dilator structure which prevents the edge of the resilient member from pressing into the user's skin, but at the same time does not prevent contact of the resilient member from the user's skin.
Even the most recent nasal dilator patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,970 to Spinelli, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,428 to Cronk et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,429 to Benetti do not have the resilient member with a constantly varying spring rate which is diminishing from the centerline to each end of the resilient member in combination with the cushion layer located at the same level as the resilient member. U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,495 to Lockwood does have the resilient member with a constantly varying spring rate which diminishes from the centerline to each end of the resilient member. However, it has a cushion layer under the resilient member. In contrast, the cushion layer of the nasal dilator of the present invention is at the same level as, and surrounds, the resilient member.

Nasal dilator with cushion layer and variable spring rate


The present invention includes compositions including a novel short isoform of Annexin A10, termed Annexin 10s (ANXA10s) and methods of use. The compositions include nucleic acid molecules encoding ANXA10s, ANXA10s polypeptides, ANXA10s amino acid sequences and derivatives or modifications thereof. Included in these methods are the interrelation of the aberrant expressions of AFP, OPN, and the novel liver specific short isoform, ANXA10s, at human Chromosome 4q in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aberrant expressions of AFP, OPN and ANXA10s are shown to act cooperatively toward advanced disease, which could be useful for diagnostic, molecular staging or treatment of a patient having HCC or at risk of developing HCC.

Chromosome 4q includes one of the most frequent chromosomal regions exhibiting high frequency of allelic losses in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),1-5 with commonly deleted regions at 4q21-22, 4q26-q27, and 4q35.6.7 Chromosomal alterations at 4q are of great interest because it is a unique trait for HCC,8 and 4q contains genes expressed predominantly in the liver. Introduction of human chromosome 4 suppressed the tumorigenicity of teratocarcinoma cell PA-1 in nude mice.9 Studies have shown that 4q alterations are more frequently associated with advanced stage and poor differentiation.3,7,10,11 These findings indicate the existence of tumor suppressor gene(s) at this region. But, it was also shown that the loss of 4q in HCC did not correlate with tumor differentiation and vascular invasion,12 and the frequent loss of 4q was observed in the Preneoplastic liver cell dysplasia.13 The reasons for these discrepancies remain to be elucidated.

Short isoform of Annexin A10 at chromosome 4q, termed Annexin 10s (ANXA10s) and methods of use


The invention provides for therapeutic compositions as well as a method of blocking blood vessel growth, a method of promoting neovascularization, a method of promoting the growth or differentiation of a cell expressing the TIE-2 receptor, a method of blocking the growth or differentiation of a cell expressing the TIE-2 receptor and a method of attenuating or preventing tumor growth in a human.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to tyrosine kinase with Ig and EGF homology domains ("TIE")-2 ligands, as well as to methods of making and using the TIE-2 ligands.
2. Description of Related Art
A gene encoding an endothelial cell transmembrane tyrosine kinase, originally identified by RT-PCR as an unknown tyrosine kinase-homologous cDNA fragment from human leukemia cells, was described by Partanen et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87: 8913-8917. This gene and its encoded protein are called "TIE" which is an abbreviation for "tyrosine kinase with Ig and EGF homology domains." Partanen et al. (1992) Mol. Cell. Biol. 12: 1698-1707.
Two structurally related rat TIE receptor proteins have been reported to be encoded by distinct genes with related profiles of expression. One gene, termed tie-1, is the rat homolog of human tie. Maisonpierre et al. (1993) Oncogene 8: 1631-1637. The other gene, tie-2, may be the rat homolog of the murine tek gene, which, like tie, has been reported to be expressed in the mouse exclusively in endothelial cells and their presumptive progenitors. Dumont, et al. Oncogene 8: 1293-1301 (1993). The human homolog of tie-2 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,860.