A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The device is manufactured with use of an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate having a first silicon layer, an oxide layer, and a second silicon layer laminated in this order. After forming a trench reaching the oxide layer from the second silicon layer, dry etching is performed, thus allowing the oxide layer located at the trench bottom to be charged at first. This charging forces etching ions to impinge upon part of the second silicon layer located laterally to the trench bottom. Such part is removed, forming a movable section. For example, ions to neutralize the electric charges are administered into the trench, so that the electric charges are removed from charged movable electrodes and their charged surrounding regions. Removing the electric charges prevents the movable section to stick to its surrounding portions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device usable as a sensor, such as an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor, that comprises a movable section formed in a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor substrate and displaceable in response to a dynamic quantity acting thereon.
2. Related Art
A conventional semiconductor device of this type has been for example disposed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-274142. This semiconductor device uses an SOI substrate formed as a semiconductor substrate, in which the substrate is composed of a first silicon layer (a first semiconductor layer), an oxide layer (insulation layer) layered on the first silicon layer, and a second silicon layer (a second semiconductor layer) layered on the silicone oxide layer.
For manufacturing the above semiconductor device, a trench to demarcate a movable section is formed. Specifically, a first step of dry etching is performed so that the trench is formed to reach the oxide layer from the surface of the second silicone layer. Then a second step of dry etching is performed to apply etching ions to a partial region of the second silicon layer, which is located laterally to the bottom of the trench. This etching allows the partial region of the second silicone layer to be removed, thus providing a movable section formed by the remaining area of the second semiconductor layer.
The foregoing manufacturing step of the movable section will now be detailed. Through the second step of try etching, which is done after forming the trench, a partial region of the insulating film, which is located at the bottom of the trench, is charged at first. This charge causes etching ions to be repelled during the dry etching continued, so that etching ions travel as they change their courses from the depth direction of the trench to the lateral direction orthogonal thereto. Accordingly, the etching ions are forced to impinge onto a partial region of the second semiconductor layer, which is located on the sides of the bottom. The partial region of the second semiconductor layer is thus subjected to the etching so that it is removed, providing a movable section above the insulation layer.
In the case of the technique disclosed by the above conventional patent publication, an etched depth is detected by utilizing movable sections formed dedicatedly to detecting the etched depth. The foregoing charging is used to stick (bond) the adjacent depth-detecting movable sections to each other.
However, the estimation of the foregoing manufacturing technique carried out by the inventors showed two problems.
One problem is that a sticking phenomenon may arise among 15 members of the semiconductor substrate. In addition to the insulation layer at the trench bottom, the dry etching carried out after forming the trench charges not only the movable section responsible for a sensing part of the device but also the second semiconductor layer and insulation layer which are located oppositely to the trench via the movable section. This charging brings about an imbalanced charging distribution among such various members, so that there is a fear that the members are partly or entirely subjected to sticking phenomena to their surrounding members.
The other problem also relates to the sticking phenomenon due to deposits. During the performance of the dry etching to remove regions of the second semiconductor layer, which are located on the sides of the trench bottom, deposits that appear due to the etching ions may adhere on a region of the movable section, which is opposed to the insulation layer. The deposits are composed of for example polymers including fluorine, carbon and oxygen.
If the deposits adhere on the movable section, as stated above, both the movable section and the insulation layer are likely to be stuck to each other at the locations of the deposits. One reason is that the deposits make it narrow the distance between the movable section and the insulation layer.
In cases where the movable section which should operate as the sensing part to the device fall into the stuck state on account of the foregoing charging or deposits, it is no longer possible to make the movable section operate normally as the sensing part of the device.
The present invention, which has been made with due consideration to the foregoing drawbacks, is directed to an object of providing a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that has a movable section formed by removing the surrounding parts of the bottom of a trench through dry etching is prevented from sticking to the surroundings.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate. In the semiconductor substrate, an insulation layer is layered on a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer is layered on the insulation layer. A movable section is formed in the second semiconductor layer and displaceable in response to a dynamic quantity to be applied.
As one aspect, the manufacturing method comprises the steps of preparing the semiconductor substrate; forming a trench to demarcate the movable section within the prepared semiconductor substrate so that the trench reaches the insulation layer form a surface of the second semiconductor layer; and forming the movable section by performing dry etching on the trench-formed semiconductor substrate, during which the dry etching the insulation layer located at a bottom of the trench is part of charged to force etching ions of the dry etching to impinge onto the second semiconductor layer located laterally to the bottom of the trench, thus the laterally located part of the second semiconductor layer being removed to form the movable section. In addition, electric charges caused due to the charging of the insulation layer during the movable-section forming step are removed from at least one of the movable section, a region, which faces the movable section, of the second semiconductor layer, and a region, which faces the movable section, of the insulation layer.
Hence, even when the charging of the insulation layer carried out during the movable-section forming process causes various members other than the insulation layer, electric charges appearing on the members are removed. Such members include the movable section, a region, which faces the movable section, of the second semiconductor layer, and/or a region, which faces the movable section, of the insulation layer. The removal of the electric charges prevents the movable section from sticking to its surroundings.
It is not always required that the electric charges on the members be removed completely. As long as the movable section is prevented from sticking to its surroundings, a moderate level of removal of the electric charges is still enough.
By way of example, the electric charges may be removed by intermittently performing the dry etching during the movable-section forming step. In this case, during a certain time of period following a period of time for the dry etching, no dry etching is carried out, thus being left to stand so that the electric charges disappear. Since the electric charges appear every time the dry etching is performed intermittently are necessarily subject to a period of time for their disappearances. Thus, when the entire dry etching process is completed, electric charges are hardly left in the substrate, thereby preventing the movable section from sticking to its surrounding members.
In addition, for performing the dry etching in the intermittent manner as stated above, the electric charges may be removed by providing the electric charges with ions to neutralize the electric charges during each of the intermittent periods of time with no dry etching. This leads to the repeated alternating steps for both the performance of the dry etching and the administration of the neutralizing ions. The electric charges can therefore be removed in a more effective way. Negative ions such as oxygen ions are one example of such neutralizing ions.
Another technique for removing the electric charges is to leave the movable-section-formed semiconductor substrate during a period of time determined so that the electric charges disappear, after the movable-section forming step. Although electric charges are accumulated immediately after the movable-section forming step, that is, the step of the dry etching, the electric charges will disappear, with reliability, during a certain period of time for being left to stand. The movable section is thus prevented from sticking to its surrounding members.
Still another technique for removing the electric charges is providing the electric charges with ions to neutralize the electric charges after the movable-section forming step. Like the above, this technique is also effective in removing the electric charges, thus preventing the sticking phenomenon of the movable section.
There is sill another removing technique of the electric charges. That is, the electric charges can be removed, during the trench forming step, by placing an electrically conductive member on either of a region, which provides at least the movable section, of a surface of the second semiconductor layer or a region, which provides a partial region facing the movable section, of the second semiconductor layer. The electric charges to be appear on the movable section and/or a region, which faces the movable section, of the second semiconductor layer are able to disappear via the conductive member with effectiveness, thereby being effective in preventing or suppressing the sticking actions of the movable section.
For example, the conductive member may be used in common with a mask member for forming the trench.
In order to suppress or prevent the movable section from sticking to its surroundings due to deposits, not the foregoing electric charges, the following configurations are provided as another aspect of the present invention.
A first configuration is to clean up a region, which faces the insulation layer, of the movable section after the trench and movable-section forming steps. By this configuration, deposits on a region, which faces the insulation layer, of the movable section during the movable-section forming step can be taken out by the cleaning. The sticking phenomenon of the movable section, which is caused by the deposits, can therefore be avoided.
The removal of the deposits is also effective in securing smooth movements of the movable section, which is favorable to the characteristics of the semiconductor device. In detail, the above cleaning process can be performed in a vapor phase containing ions to remove organic substances, such as oxygen ions.
Still another aspect of the present invention is provided by the following configurations. Such aspect is directed to the suppression of sticking of the movable section due to the charging phenomenon caused during the movable-section forming step.
Practically, after both the trench and movable-section forming steps, a roughing step is carried out to roughen at least one of facing surfaces (13a, 24a) of both the movable section and the insulation layer, the facing surfaces are opposed to each other between the movable section and the insulation layer face. This roughing process is effective in reducing the contact areas of both the facing surfaces. In cases where the foregoing charging brings about a contact between the movable section and the insulation layer, a reduction in the contact areas allows a slight restoration force to separate both of the members from each other, thus preventing the sticking action of the movable section.
Preferably, in cases where the facing surface of the movable section is roughened, the roughing step is performed in a vapor phase containing ions to primarily etch the second semiconductor layer. In contrast, in cases where the facing surface of the insulation layer is roughened, the roughing step is performed in a vapor phase containing ions to primarily etch the insulation layer. Such ions may be for example fluorine ions.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device capable of sensing dynamic quantity


A latex binder which has very low or nil amounts of aldehyde such as formaldehyde is made utilizing a compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is generally an alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, with methyl being preferred; wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently, is preferably hydrogen, or allyl, or an alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an alkyl-substituted aromatic having from 7 to 15 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.4 is an alkylene having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, with ethylene being preferred; and wherein R.sup.5 is hydrogen or an alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, with methyl being preferred. The latex binder is generally an emulsion or latex copolymer made from at least one or more conjugated dienes having a total of from 4 to 10 carbon atoms with butadiene being preferred and one or more vinyl-substituted aromatics having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, with styrene being preferred. The amount of the above formulation compound is generally from at least 0.05 to about 7 parts by weight based upon 100 parts by weight of the one or more conjugated dienes and the vinyl-substituted aromatic monomers. The latex binder is generally free of crosslinking agents, has good stability, and can be used to bind a paper-coating composition to a cellulose substrate, or to bind nonwoven fibers together. The latex binder generally contains 10 parts or less by weight of formaldehyde per million parts by weight and desirably contains nil, that is, no detectable amounts of formaldehyde therein, even after extended periods of time. e.g., 28 days.

Heretofore, latex binders have been used in a wide variety of applications such as paper towels and feminine hygiene products, to adhere a paper coating to a cellulose substrate, in carpet and rug backings, and for binding nonwoven fibers together. However, during the formation of the latex binders and/or cure thereof, formaldehyde is typically generated due often to the existance of formaldehyde generating monomers. From an environmental standpoint, latexes containing formaldehyde are undesirable.


A blade driving device comprising: a driving member; one or more blade members that are caused to undergo sliding motion by the driving member; a blade supporting unit for supporting the blade member slidably; and a frame for containing the driving member and a portion of the blade supporting unit, wherein the blade supporting unit comprises a blade chamber for containing a blade member between opposing thin plate members, along with an insertion portion that has an opening and that protrudes from a frame, wherein the opposing thin plate members are integrated together at least the tip end of the insertion portion.

Blade driving devices are used to change the state of an opening by driving one or more blade members that advance into the opening, and are used in a variety up optical units, such as cameras, for irises, shutters, iris-shutters, filters, and the like.
Typically the blade driving device is disposed overlapping the lens frame, but a blade driving device that is assembled into the interior of a lens frame, in order to achieve miniaturization or integration, is also known. In such a conventional technology, the blade driving device comprises an insertion portion that has an opening, where the insertion portion is inserted into a slit that is provided in an outer lens barrel of the lens frame (see, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2007-271670.


An apparatus for supporting a tethered baseball in position for batting practice and automatically retrieving the ball after it has been hit with a bat, which includes an adjustable height stand, a fishing reel and a variable speed motor connected thereto. Tethered by a small gauge fishing line which is attached to the reel, the ball, prior to being hit, rests atop the adjustable strand. When the ball is hit, the line is released nearly effortlessly from the reel; and the ball is allowed to travel virtually unobstructed during its flight. When the ball has traveled its full distance, the batter, by pushing a switch with a foot pedal, starts the motor, causing the reel to rewind the line. A control on the switch allows the batter to vary the speed of the motor from fast when the ball is at a distance to slow when the ball approaches the batter.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for improving the skill and strength of a baseball batter using a tethered baseball. In the prior art, such apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,024,657; 5,795,250; 5,662,537; 3,994,494 and 3,953,028. Each of these prior art devices only allows the struck ball to travel a relatively short distance. There is a need for an apparatus which allows a batter to hit a ball that can travel a long distance and still be tethered for ease of retrieval.


This application is a continuation in part comprising two versions of two different kinds of display and display device mounts. comprising two versions of a multi positional and multi image displaying, tactical and non tactical camera and display device mounts, as well as two versions of a multi positional and multi image displaying, tactical and non tactical displays with a camera, mountable on the various mounting rails on firearms with the ability to maintain, both the perfect lineal and biaxial lineal alignment of the lens of the digital sensor with the target reticle of sights and scopes on a firearm as well as a visual of video targeting and surveilling images acquired through and around other target viewing devices on a firearm and do so, from any position the user would have to position himself in relation to the firearm.

This application is for additional embodiments, as well as other improvements made, and to be added to the patent application named, SIGHT ADJUSTABLE ROTATING SMART-PHONE MOUNT FOR FIREARMS. This new embodiment has been created as a result of the applicant's ongoing efforts to ever improve this invention's engineering and design, to provide our troops with the highest level of safety and control possible. This invention of the rail mounted, and rotatable tactical camera and display device mount has endured several improvements from it's original designs. The main changes described and illustrated in this application consist of several improvements and additions that radically improve its speed and ease of operation, as well as its range sighting and safety providing abilities.
Some of these improvements include but are certainly not limited to the provision of a non-reversed mirrored image, by means of a non-reversing mirrored device, that no longer requires the image reversing abilities of the smart device to re-reverse the image electronically. This mirrored device rotates and pops into position to view targets from either side of the firearm. This rotatable mirrored device is also engineered in a manner that provides a non-reversed image of the target, acquired from the sight or scope its working in conjunction with as well as the surrounding area to the smart device, or dedicated display its working in conjunction with in the smart device's un-zoomed, or full wide field of view. This mirrored device is additionally engineered in a manner that enables it with the ability to instantly provide the user with the image of the potential target and surrounding area from either side of the firearm, and is very quickly and easily rotated and popped into its proper position, to either side of the firearm, in a manner that enables it to be very rapidly and easily taken in and out of service as well.
This new type and variations of this invention are also drawn as if equipped with with a rear viewing camera as well, and of which was invented as employable on this device but is not included in the claims, simply in that the applicant has already received a separate patent for it, however this rear viewing camera provides the soldier with the ability to maintain a visual of the area behind himself at all times as well when employed, so that not only will this device provide the user with the ability to acquire a visual of the area to either side, and in front, but also with the ability to maintain a visual of the area behind the user at all times while doing so, to forewarn ground troops of developing enemy scenarios such as advancing hostile combatants or any number of other dangers approaching from behind as well as from other directions, along with a full wide view of the target and the surrounding area, in a totally non-reversed image, and does so while also providing him with extremely fast, accurate and easy target acquisition as well.
These abilities being of paramount importance when needed, and of which, quite often critical to the user's very survival and the reason for all added subject matter included in this application, as well as the applicant's ongoing efforts to ever improve this invention, and to best provide our troops and others, with the highest level of safety and control providing abilities possible.
Many of the differences between this invention's original models, and these new embodiments of this invention, remain the same such as its mode of mounting any smart-phone, small tablet or dedicated mil-spec or other display with a built in camera onto its mounting platform, and positionally adjust, both the mount, as well as the display device mounted therein, by means of the vertical and lateral positioning ability of the display device mount into any position needful, to attain the perfect lineal alignment of the camera's lens of the display device mounted therein, and maintains same when rotated and latched into position to each side of the firearm, and does so in a way in which the target reticle or crosshairs of any sight or scope its acquiring its targeting images from, thus being and maintaining the lens of the camera, into the exact position, needful to acquire the absolute highest level of accuracy attainable.
This, along with the invention's abilities to maintain same when rotated to each side of the firearm and locked into its positions of operation, and thus maintaining this device's ability to receive its target image from basically any target viewing device on the firearm, and displaying both its target image as well as its image of the surrounding area, with the sight's reticle always remaining perfectly centered in the screen thereof, in real time and from either side or from behind the firearm.
Included in this application is an additional engineering design option for the combination rail mount and rotatably or angularly adjustable platform portion of the tactical camera and display device mount thus showing one of many possible engineering options to affect this particular function of the device.
Also included in this application are many engineering options to affect this device's overall range of speed, ease, abilities, as well as its overall operational effect in its service to the user.
Some of the additional component differences of this new version of this invention and that of its previous versions, would firstly be the differences in the types and number of the mirrors they employ as well as the car and tracks that the various types of reflective devices ride, rotate and lock into the correct angle of service, when employed from one side of the firearm to the other, as well as when the target image and surrounding area is being viewed in the display from behind the firearm, as well as the manner same is taken in and out of service, and the level of speed and ease all aforementioned is accomplished.
This as well as the optically correct video images provided, and magnification options of the video images captured.
This along with the mode in which all adjustments on the device set up, need only to be done once, in that all remain constant after initial adjustments are made during set up and remain so, whenever the display device is removed and re installed, as well as when the reflective devices or their cars are exchanged or taken in and out of service all remain perfectly aligned to the camera's lens. The only time thereafter anything on the device would require re-adjustments to be made would be in the event of the employment of a different target viewing device, and then only in the vertical adjustment of the display platform itself. This new invention's modes of acquisition of the target images received from various target viewing devices on the firearm as well as their modes of image delivery, and in some embodiments that of image modification before same is delivered to the camera lens of the dedicated display or to the camera lens of the smart device or camera and display device mounted therein, is different in litterly every way from those previously devised by the applicant. This as well as all components comprising the mounting base and the angularly adjustable platform portion of the device as well as the mode in which all angular adjustments are accomplished to the device are all completely different than those previously devised by the applicant as well, of which is included in the drawings and their descriptions.
Included are drawings and their descriptions of several of the many optional mirrored devices devised by the applicant, that is just the portion that actually receives its target images from the target viewing device its working in conjunction with. These mirrored devices capture images from sights or scopes their working in conjunction with and provide images they capture to the lens of the camera of the smart device or display with a camera employed by the tactical camera and display device mount these mirrored devices are made as an integral portion of, or as an interchangeable accessory for.
This mirrored device is illustrated in four different types that all have certain advantages and disadvantages to each other. The first of these reflective device's housings illustrated in FIG. 11-A simply contains two flat reflective surfaces and arranged in a manner most commonly referred to as a pentamirror or a pentaprism. The first mirror reflects its mirrored or inverted image to another mirror where the image is inverted once again to its natural or non-inverted image where this image is presented and viewable to the camera lens as non-reversed and optically correct.
The second types of reflective devices illustrated are drawings of various other types of pentamirror or a pentaprism types of mirrored devices that the applicant has been working on in his efforts to produce different types of them that work much in the same manner as the first reflective device, in that the mirror housing houses two mirrors that provide a non-inverted image to the camera lens of the dedicated display with a camera, or smart device, however these drawings include modes that the applicant has been working on in his efforts to produce this same basic type of mirrored device that provided pre-optically magnified images to the lens portion of the camera employed with some showing as feasible mathematically, bench testing of same with the applicant's limited access to lenses and concave and convex mirrors of the proper size and magnification has proven as unattainable by the applicant, and as a result thereof bench testing of same, although some proving as functional, the applicant up to this point has not been capable in producing the image sizes or quality desired. Of course these things meaning very little in that all precise calculations would be worked out on a computer and manufactured to the precise configurations calculated by the manufacturers thereof or before having same manufactured, as a result thereof the drawings included in Figures are simply examples of the basic designs of some of the applicant's first rough prototypes bench tested by the applicant, and not to be construed as dimensionally correct, or the final, or the accepted design or mode for any, in that as of yet the applicant hasn't had these things worked out on a computer simply due to the extreme levels of confidentially associated with intellectual property, although the applicant has discovered other modes of attaining the same results by means of lens adaptations or attachments which would always be an easily achieved option. However the applicant's reluctance in the incorporation of same as an employment option is in that of size and possible overall lost levels of inefficiency to the device as a result thereof.
The applicant's efforts directed to the provision of a optically pre-magnified image, such as that of the optical magnification of a conventional scope is in that the provision thereof to the lens of the camera portion of the display device employed in the display device mount in turn multiplies the magnifying abilities and resiliency of digitally magnified images provided by the display device itself, and in turn helps maintain a very high level of resiliency when zoomed out at great distances.
FIGS. 12-C and 12-D are much more simplistic embodiments of this invention in that the mirror housing houses only one mirror, and in turn would provide a reversed image like the applicant's other inventions of this nature that require one of many very common free applications developed for taking selfies in a non-reversed image, which when employed also re-reverses the image provided by this single mirrored device back to a non reversed image. However this does restrict display device employment to that of smart devices or a smart mil-spec display equipped with the ability to re-reverse its supplied image, in that target acquisition with a reversed image requires practice to and more than a little range time to get efficient at it, if the display device with a camera doesn't possess a mobile operating platform or embedded software providing the ability to re-reverse the image. FIGS. 12-C and 12-D show this car and mirrored device with a single mirror set at 45 degrees to view images at 90 degrees in relation to the firearm. FIG. 12-D is simply a version of FIG. 12-C that provides the first version of this device that provides a magnified image to the lens of the smart device or a display device equipped to re-reverse the images received by the device employed.
Plans are in the works for the development of an app for this device, that would have image reversal as one many image enhancing options, image reversing technology and applications enabling same have been out since shortly after the first cameras were employed in smart phones, and of which now are available in numerous free apps most of which were developed to use a smart device screen as a makeup mirror with a true or in other words a non-reversed image.
All of these reflective device options receive a view of the target image and its surrounding area and provide this image to the smart device or display with a camera along with the targeting images acquired from the sight or scope its working in conjunction with. The image of which, always remains perfectly centered in the screen of the display device employed, this of course intern meaning, the target reticle or crosshairs in the sight or scope of which the lens of the camera in the smart device or dedicated mil-spec display is initially aligned with, in turn always remains perfectly centered in the display the device is employing, which in turn makes target acquisition as fast and easy as one could point at the target.
This along with the level of defensive safety and control providing abilities this device provides, in that this little mechanical device along with its employment of a smart device, or other display device with a camera, or little mil-spec encrypted and embedded tablet, presently employed by our armed forces, will litterly provide the user with the ability to surveil his surroundings from positions of protective cover and totally out of the line of fire while doing so, which will doubtless prove significant, especially in theaters of urban combat which has proven to be extremely costly in American causalities, simply in-that much of which has resulted in sniper warfare by the enemy, and knowledge of the true threat demographics and the dangers surrounding them at all times, without having to become a target to discover same, means everything. These things prove evident not only after coming under fire and having take cover and then after having to not only locate the point of fire but to also maintain a visual of the area for developing enemy scenarios, or additional incoming hostiles when the enemy saw where you took cover and they are just waiting for you to peak around the corner, but also in the performance of a broad range of duties required of our troops to put themselves in harm's way to accomplish same. Whether simply having to traverse between one point to another and having to view down allies and around corners to access the dangers in the path they must take, or worse yet having to clear buildings of snipers and other hostile combatants that were just firing on them, and having to look down halls and into rooms without having to become a target to do so, or simply on watch, patrol, surveilling enemy strongholds as well as countless other duties and battlefield scenarios facing our troops at all times, especially in theaters of urban combat, where the ability to accurately access the true threat demographics and be made aware of many of the dangers surrounding them at all times, without having to become a target to do so, is paramount.
All of these various types of reflective devices are exclusive to the tactical versions of these display device mounts, but all of which are housed in their own housings, and are rotatably coupled to their own cars that ride on two tracks, of which these mirrored devices are height adjustable and rotatably positionable there on. These tracks as well as the track cars employed on them are illustrated in two different designs, of which the tracks thereof are made as an integral portion of the back side of the mounting platform that the smart device or dedicated display with a camera is mounted on. There is yet another type of these tracks as well as the track cars they employ included in FIG. 29 through FIG. 40 were devised as an intergral portion of the back side of a height and angularly adjustable combination camera and display device, of which doesn't actually comprise a display mounting platform at all, but instead the display with a camera actually comprises a portion of the device, and of which said track car tracks are made as a portion of the back side of the display housing itself, but operate much in the same way.
Also included in this application in are simple illustrations of this invention with a non-rotatable rail mount, described as the non-tactical version of this device in the original patent application, seen in FIGS. 24 through 28.
All apparatuses and components thereof comprising a material included in this application was devised by the applicant, in an ongoing effort on his part to maximize the level of defensive safety and control providing abilities to our troops when under fire and time is critical, with all efforts devoted to enabling them with the ability to perform many of the most dangerous duties required of them, in the most effective mode accomplishable without them having to put themselves in harm's way to do so. This as well as to maximize the level, range and quality of over all service providable to those in such desperate need of the services providable by this new tactical version of the applicant's combination camera and display device mount of which provides the user with the ability to remain totally behind protective cover while maintaining a full visual, as well as full accurate use of the firearm, to either side of the user with user's entire body remaining behind the protective cover of a wall, building, tree, vehicle, trench, berm or other while doing so.
This leaving only one direction that the user couldn't maintain a visual of while in this position. This direction, of course, being behind approaching dangers from behind the user. This is accomplished by means of an additional rear viewing camera. This additional rear viewing camera provides the ability to maintain a full wide view of the area behind the user at the same time.
The drawings and definitions of which are included in FIG. 17-A through FIG. 23 are drawings of a rear viewing camera, that was invented to be employed on this invention as well as other inventions of the applicants, and of which has since then has been submitted with one of the other inventions of the applicants, and as a result thereof has already received a patent for it, and is simply being added now to provide clarity to what the full invention is, and to the full range of applications and services it was devised to provide. However this rear viewing camera portion of the invention wont be included in the claims simply in that this invention has already received a patent for it.
This rear viewing camera's mounting base would be made as an integral part of the back portion of the tactical camera and display device mount. This mounting base, best seen in FIG. 22, with the camera portion of this rear viewing camera being mechanically fastened to, or made as an integral part of an armature, best seen in FIGS. 17 A and B as well as FIGS. 19 and 20. This armature is compressably secured, as well as height and angularly adjustable, to acquire the best vantage point of this camera to the area behind the user, as well as this rear viewing camera's viewing screen to the user by means of an armature clamp as best seen in FIGS. 22 and 23. This rear viewing camera always receives its image from 180 degrees, or from directly behind the viewing screen of the smart device mounted in the smart device's rotatable platform.
This would provide the user with the ability to remain totally behind protective cover while surveilling areas to either side, as well as in front and behind the user at the same time. This, all from protective cover, either while under heavy incoming enemy fire or simply surveilling the area for residing dangers before entering therein or after taking cover from same and having to locate the point of fire, or surveil the area for other developing enemy scenarios, or the advancement of hostile forces, or to zoom this image in to locate sniper positions etc.
This, without suffering loss of any of the functions and abilities of the firearm and maintain full accurate use thereof while doing so. This is accomplished simply by means of the user sticking the muzzle of the firearm out beyond the edge of a wall, building, tree, trench, berm or other that he's taking cover behind, to a point where the forward window or lens of the sight or scope that is being used in conjunction with can attain a clear view of the area, as well as adjusting the angle of the display to where the user can maintain a clear lineal view of the screen of the display mounted therein which is accomplished by the user with one quick easy motion with one hand smart device or combination camera and display device mounted in and being used as an integral part of this tactical camera and display device mount and even slightly angle the firearm inward if the soldier's position deems it necessary to keep his hands totally behind protective cover as well.
The camera portion of the display device employed always remains in perfect lineal alignment with the target reticle or crosshairs of the sight or scope its acquiring its surveilled and targeting images from and in turn, providing the soldier or law enforcement such as swat teams or other, with a level of safety and control never availed to them in the past, which is rather profound considering how small light and easy to produce it is in relation to the unique and profoundly efficient levels of defense, tactical and safety providing abilities this new sight acquiring and displaying device possesses, abilities the applicant is told will doubtless save many lives in that it will easily be providable to all of our ground troops an all new levels of safety and control, never previously availed to them, but as one officer stated, they'll not only enable our troops to fight a far more efficient but a far more humane war as well, where only the aggressor need suffer the consequences of his actions. Especially in theaters of urban combat, where hostile combatants are immersed with non-hostile civilians, that quite often are simply being victimized by them as well, and the lines between the two often become blurred without the time and control to properly distinguish between the two, this also being an environment in which the the ability to reveal the dangers that constantly surround them and far too often befall them, being of paramount importance.
This new tactical display device mount provides these abilities with a profound level of efficiency, versatility, adaptability, and range of use in their modes of operation, engineering and mechanical composition, and has simply been a result of the inventor's obsession to provide the absolute highest level of safety and control providing abilities to best supply the tactical and sighting needs of our troops, and be adaptable and easily employable on the numerous types of firearms and to the highest level of service in their various roles of employment.
The tactical and sighting abilities they provide were devised to enable our troops with the ability to best ensure a much safer and positive outcome of military operations, especially in those conducted in urban theaters of combat where our troops patrol and battle the enemy in towns and cities. In these theaters of combat, our troops often come under fire from enemy combatants and must regularly take cover behind obstacles such as buildings, vehicles, trees, homes, etc. which is extremely dangerous and rarely ends well. The problem is that with the friendly combatant's entire body being behind protective cover, a clear lineal view to locate the point of fire, or to maintain a visual of the area and awareness of the true threat demographics both to properly access same as well as to locate or accurately engage advancing hostile enemy combatants, when it is the only option to the soldier's survival, and of which normally could not be accomplished without looking over or around these fortified structures, and thus exposing himself as a target while doing so. This as well as countless other scenarios that daily put our troops in harm's way, whether on watch, on patrol, surveilling enemy strongholds, clearing buildings of snipers or other hostiles, having to view down hallways or into various rooms, or even while traversing from one location to another, the soldier must peek around corners of buildings or other barriers to access the dangers in the path he must take. Known statistics tell us that a large percentage of American casualties occur on the battlefield while doing so, especially in theaters of urban combat which has presented all new dangers and challenges for today's soldiers. The ability to see and to be made aware of these dangers quite often being critical to their very survival.
The applicant invented and engineered these tactical display device mounts to provide our troops with the safety providing abilities of being able to surveil an area while maintaining the full accurate use of their firearm from a position of protective cover, the countless number of our troops' lives this ability would save, once availed to our troops, which is a task that this device has proven to possess the ability to perform extremely well. This invention experienced numerous stages of development, with this application simply documenting some of the most recent and most effective advancements made as a result of the applicant's continuous and ongoing efforts to expand and enhance this invention's level of safety providing abilities, and provide same to those that are in such desperate need of the defensive safety and control providing abilities this invention will provide them with, has been the driving force that has brought this invention to where it is now.

Sight adjustable display mount for firearms


A vibration speaker is configured to selectively supply an input current in accordance with the frequency of the input current in response to an incoming call, thereby allowing the incoming call to be recognized by sound or vibrations using a single element. The vibration speaker includes a hollow housing with open ends with a vibrating plate attached at one end a shield plate at the other end. A yoke is fixedly mounted to an inner peripheral surface of the housing by plate springs, and a vertically polarized magnet is mounted on the yoke. A voice coil having an upper end fixed to the vibrating plate has a lower end arranged adjacent to the magnet, and a vibration coil is mounted on the shield plate so as to face the magnet. Damping means at the inner peripheral surface of the housing provide damping to the plate springs, thereby reducing the amplitude of vibrations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a vibration speaker installed in a communication appliance such as a cellular phone and adapted to conduct both the function for generating sound and the function for generating vibrations. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vibration speaker capable of applying upward and downward damping forces to a vibrating body, thereby reducing a variation in the amplitude of vibrations depending on a variation in frequency to obtain an improvement in vibration characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a speaker is a sound generating device for outputting an audible sound corresponding to an audio signal electrically or electronically received or a bell or melody previously inputted.
Typically, such a speaker is connected to an audio appliance or amplifier so that it serves as a large-size sound generating means adapted to greatly amplify the amplitude of sound. Alternatively, speakers are widely used which have a greatly reduced size so that they are used as miniature sound generating means.
In particular, speakers applied to miniature communication appliances such as cellular phones or pagers have a greatly reduced size. Such speakers are called xe2x80x9cmicro speakersxe2x80x9d
The current tendency of such micro speakers is toward smaller sizes because communication appliances such as cellular phones are currently intended to have a reduced size or thickness.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional micro speaker mainly used in portable communication appliances. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional micro speaker includes a housing 100 defined with a space therein. A magnet 110 and a voice coil 120 are arranged in the housing 100. The micro speaker also includes a vibrating plate 130 for generating a sound.
In the micro speaker having the above mentioned configuration, when a high frequency current supplied from an external current source is applied to the voice coil 120 via a lead 101, a magnetic field is established in accordance with a cooperation between the voice coil 120 and the magnet 110, thereby causing the voice coil 120 to move vertically. As a result, the vibrating plate 130, which is attached to one end of the voice coil 120, generates a sound while finely vibrating.
The high frequency current applied to the voice coil 120 via the lead 101 is AC. Accordingly, when the magnetic field generated by the voice coil 120 varying in direction in accordance with the direction of the current applied to the voice coil 120 is rendered to correspond to the magnetic field formed by the magnet 110, a repulsion force is exerted between the magnet 110 and the voice coil 120, so that the magnet 110 and the voice coil 120 tend to be moved away from each other. As a result, the voice coil 120 is upwardly moved away from the magnet 110.
On the other hand, when the magnetic field generated by the voice coil 120 has a direction reverse to that of the magnetic field formed by the magnet 110, an attraction force is exerted between the magnet 110 and the voice coil 120, so that the magnet 110 and the voice coil 120 tend to be moved toward each other. As a result, the voice coil 120 is downwardly moved toward the magnet 110.
Thus, the voice coil 120 moves upwardly and downwardly in accordance with a change in direction of the magnetic field generated by the voice coil 120. By virtue of the alternating upward and downward movements of the voice coil 120, the vibrating plate 130 attached to the voice coil 120 vibrates upwardly and downwardly. As the vibrations of the vibrating plate 120 is externally emitted, a sound is generated. Thus, the sound generating function is carried out.
Meanwhile, the portable communication appliance also includes a vibrating means adapted to allow the user to recognize a receiving call by vibrations other than sound.
For such a vibrating means, a vibration motor has been mainly used. Recently, a vibration speaker has been developed which is configured by adding a vibrating function to a speaker having a simple sound generating function.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional vibration speaker. As shown in FIG. 2, the vibration speaker has a configuration including a voice coil adapted to generate sound when it receives a high frequency current, and a vibration coil adapted to generate vibrations when it receives a low frequency current.
In detail, this vibration speaker includes a housing 100 adapted to form a casing and defined with a space having a desired size. A yoke 105 is arranged at the central portion of the space defined in the housing 100.
A weight 140 fixed to outer surface of the yoke 105 is elastically supported by a pair of vertically spaced plate springs 150 and 155 each fixedly mounted to the inner peripheral surface of the housing at one end thereof. The plate springs 150 and 155 are also mounted to the upper and lower portions of the yoke 105 to support the yoke 105, respectively.
The upper spring 150 is firmly fitted, at its outer peripheral edge, in a holding groove 100a provided at the upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of the housing 100. The outer peripheral edge of the lower spring 155 is in contact with a step of the housing 100 at its upper surface. The step is formed at the lower portion of the inner peripheral surface of the housing 100. Under the condition in which the lower spring 155 is in contact with the step, the lower spring 155 is bonded to the housing 100 using an adhesive 100b applied between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 100 and the lower surface of the lower spring 155.
A magnet 110 is attached to the central portion of the yoke 105. Beneath the magnet 110, a vibration coil 115 is attached to the upper surface of a lower plate 102 attached to the lower end of the housing 100.
A vibrating plate 130 adapted to generate sound is mounted to the upper end of the housing 100. A voice coil 120 extends downwardly from the vibrating plate 130 in such a fashion that it surrounds the magnet 110.
In order to obtain an increased amplitude of vibrations in the vibration speaker having the above mentioned configuration, a weight 140, which is a mass body, is arranged in the space defined between the plate springs 150 and 155.
In the conventional vibration speaker having the above mentioned configuration, when a high frequency signal is applied to the voice coil 120, the vibrating plate 130 vibrates finely by virtue of electromagnetic forces generated between the voice coil 120 and the magnet 110, thereby generating sound. This sound is used as a speaker sound.
When a low frequency signal is applied to the vibration coil 115, the vibrating body moves upwardly and downwardly by virtue of electromagnetic forces generated between the vibration coil 115 and the magnet 110. This upward and downward movements are transmitted to the housing 100 via the plate springs. Thus, a desired vibration function is carried out.
In the above mentioned conventional vibration speaker, the vibrating body, which is composed of the yoke 105, the magnet 110, and the weight 140, is upwardly and downwardly moved in accordance with a vibration excitement at a desired frequency using the resonant frequency of the vibrating body. Thus, vibrations are generated.
However, this conventional vibration speaker has a disadvantage in that there may be a variation in the amplitude of vibrations due to an assembling dispersion of the yoke 105, magnet 110, and weight 140 included in the vibrating body, and that there is a deviation between the designed resonant frequency of the vibrating body and the actual resonant frequency of the vibrating body because a variation in the amplitude of vibrations occurs depending on the dimension dispersion of each element included in the vibration speaker.
Referring to FIG. 3, it can be found that the gradient of peak at resonance is appeared in a large scale. As mentioned above with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows that there is a touching phenomenon between a weight and a lower plate at region of resonant frequency during oscillation of the weight. Therefore vibration characteristics of the conventional art is not good.
For example, where the mass of the vibrating body is varied by 0.03 g, the resonant frequency is shifted by about 1 Hz. When the resonant frequency is shifted by 1 to 2 Hz, the amplitude of vibrations is considerably reduced. For this reason, there is a problem in that it is difficult to induce desired vibration characteristics.
The resonant frequency may be expressed by the following equation:
Fn=1/(2xcfx80)(k/m)
where, k represents a spring constant, and m represents a mass.
Referring to the above equation, it can be found that the resonant frequency Fn is varied, depending on a variation in the mass m.
Furthermore, the effective space allowing the vibrating body to move upwardly and downwardly is considerably restricted in the above mentioned convention vibration speaker because the speaker has a thin structure. For this reason, the vibrating body may come into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the housing 100 during its upward and downward movements when the amplitude of the vibrating body exceeds a predetermined level due to a variation in the weight of the vibrating body. As a result, there may be a degradation in vibration characteristics. In addition, noise may be generated. There may also be a reduction in the life of the product.
As depicted in the graphs, the maximum effective amplitude of vibrations should be maintained at about 2.5 G, taking into the consideration the restricted effective space in which the vibrating body moves upwardly and downwardly. In the conventional vibration speaker, however, the maximum effective amplitude of vibrations reaches 3.5 G. As a result, the vibrating body is struck against the upper and lower surfaces of the shield plate 102, thereby generating noise. Due to frequent striking of the vibrating body, the durability of the speaker is degraded.
Moreover, the frequency band of vibrations practically usable corresponds to the frequency range in which the vibrating body does not come into contact with the shield plate 102. As a result, the effective frequency band of vibrations is reduced toward the left or right range from the resonant frequency of 182 Hz. This means that it is impossible to obtain a desired vibration function. Also, there is a disadvantage in that the touch of vibrations is bad.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a vibration speaker capable of applying a damping force to a plate spring adapted to support a vibrating body, thereby reducing a variation in the amplitude of vibrations depending on a variation in frequency to obtain stable vibration characteristics.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vibration speaker capable of preventing elements included in the vibration speaker from being struck against one another during the execution of a desired vibration function, thereby achieving an improvement in durability to extend the lift of the vibration speaker.
In accordance with the present invention, these objects are accomplished by providing a vibration speaker comprising: a housing having a hollow cylindrical structure opened at both ends thereof, the housing being attached, at one end thereof, with a vibrating plate adapted to generate sound and, at the other end thereof, with a shied plate adapted to shield the other end of the housing; a yoke centrally arranged in the interior of the housing and fixedly mounted to an inner peripheral surface of the housing by plate springs spaced apart from each other by a desired distance; a magnet attached to an upper end of the yoke to have N and S poles vertically aligned together, the magnet constituting a magnetic circuit; a voice coil having an upper end fixed to the vibrating plate, and a lower end arranged adjacent to the magnet; a vibration coil attached to one surface of the shield plate while facing the magnet; and damping means arranged at the inner peripheral surface of the housing and adapted to apply a damping property to the plate springs, thereby reducing a variation in the amplitude of vibrations transmitted to the plate springs.
The damping means may comprise a rubber member composed of a rubber material to respective outer peripheral ends of the plate springs.
The damping means may comprise soft bonds applied in a desired amount to respective outer peripheral ends of the plate spring fixedly mounted to the inner peripheral surface of the housing.
The vibration speaker may further comprises a weight attached to an outer peripheral surface of the yoke, the weight having a desired mass.


A medical system includes a flexible catheter, an imaging probe, a working catheter, and a positioning system. The flexible catheter includes a plurality of first lumens and a sealing device having one or more balloons to seal the anatomic passageways at a sealing location and one or more flaps or valves to remove air from the anatomic passageways. The imaging probe and working catheter are receivable within the plurality of first lumens and extend through the sealing device. The working catheter includes one or more second lumens to receive a medical instrument. The positioning system is configured to determine a position of a distal portion of the flexible catheter, the imaging probe, or the working catheter. The medical system is configured to collapse a portion of the anatomic passageways distal of the sealing location by removing air from the anatomic passageways to facilitate ultrasound imaging using the imaging probe.

Minimally invasive medical techniques are intended to reduce the amount of tissue that is damaged during medical procedures, thereby reducing patient recovery time, discomfort, and harmful side effects. Such minimally invasive techniques may be performed through natural orifices in a patient anatomy or through one or more surgical incisions. Through these natural orifices or incisions clinicians may insert minimally invasive medical instruments (including surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or biopsy instruments) to reach a target tissue location. One such minimally invasive technique is to use a flexible and/or steerable catheter that is inserted into anatomic passageways and navigated toward a region of interest within the patient anatomy. A minimally invasive medical device, due to its generally small size, does not always provide a surgeon, clinician, or operator or other medical personnel with sufficient imaging capabilities to identify the target tissue location, such as when the target tissue location is located below a surface of a passageway through which the minimally invasive medical device is introduced.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide integrated real-time visualization to aid a surgeon during minimally invasive medical techniques.

Systems and methods of integrated real-time visualization


The present invention relates to a kind of novel carbene ligands and ruthenium catalysts, which is highly active and selective for ROMP and RCM reactions, respectively. It discloses the significant electronic and steric effect of different substituted carbene ligands on the catalytic activity and stability of corresponding carbene ruthenium complexes; some of novel ruthenium complexes in the invention can be broadly used as catalysts highly effectively and selective for ROMP and RCM reactions. The invention also relates to preparation of new ruthenium catalysts and the uses in metathesis. Moreover, the invention also provides effective methods of making various functional polymers by ROMP reaction in the presence of new ruthenium catalysts.

Since Richard R. Schrock and Robert H. Grubbs prepared two kinds of metathesis catalysts with transition metal carbene structure in the 1990's, it has been drawn extensive attention in the development of more active and selective ruthenium catalysts for different kinds of olefin metathesis reactions, e.g., ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), ring-closing metathesis (RCM), and cross metathesis (CM).
So far, some ruthenium complexes have been reported as active metathesis catalysts (1a-1b and 2a-2f in Scheme 1) for RCM and ROMP reactions (References for listed catalysts in Scheme 1; 1a: Grubbs et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 3974-3975; 1b: Grubbs et al., Org. Lett 1999, 1, 953-956; 2a: Hoveyda et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 791-799 and WO200214376A2; 2b: Zhan et al., US20070043180A1 and WO 2007003135A1; 2c: Tupy et al., WO2007081987A2; 2d: Slugovc et al., Organometallics 2004, 23(15), 3623-3626; 2e: Slugovc et al., Organometallics 2005, 24(10), 2255-2258; 2f: Grela et al., WO2004035596A1). However, a disadvantage of all reported ruthenium catalysts is obviously substrate-dependent for different kinds of ruthenium catalysts in metathesis reactions, and it is still very difficult to find some active metathesis catalysts selective for RCM and ROMP reactions, respectively. Moreover, only a few metathesis catalysts such as Grubbs catalyst 1b could be used effectively to make high-strength and high-stiffness polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) material by ROMP reaction.

Scheme 1: Structure of Some Ru Catalysts for ROMP and RCM Reaction
Currently, ROMP reaction is broadly used for preparation of various high-strength and other functional polymers. To overcome the activity and selectivity problems for ROMP catalysts, it has become a goal to develop more active and selective metathesis catalysts as an alternative for ROMP and RCM reactions, especially in ROMP for effective preparation and modification of different functional polymer materials. It is significantly important to develop more active and selective ruthenium catalyst for ROMP reactions with different kinds of olefin substrates to prepare highly functional polymer materials and also to improve polymer properties.

Highly active metathesis catalysts selective for ROMP and RCM reactions


A packet communication apparatus includes a packet processing determining unit that receives packets and determines whether or not to instruct a first-type packet processing device in the packet communication apparatus to perform predetermined packet processing with respect to the received packets; a searching unit that, when a transfer speed of packets determined to be subjected to the predetermined packet processing by the packet processing determining unit exceeds a processing speed of the first-type packet processing device, searches for another packet communication apparatus that includes a second-type packet processing device which performs packet processing identical to the predetermined packet processing; and a transfer unit that transfers the packets to the other packet communication apparatus retrieved by the searching unit.

Typically, packet communication apparatuses such as routers are used to transfer packets within a network. In such packet communication apparatuses, due to the increasing demand for sophistication in recent years, it has become mainstream to not only implement a normal routing function for the purpose of transferring packets to other apparatuses but also to perform packet processing such as compression/decompression or encoding/decoding with respect to the packets.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a typical packet communication apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a typical packet communication apparatus 10 includes a packet processing determining unit 11 and a packet processing device 12.
The packet processing determining unit 11 is, for example, an NWP (Network Processor) that receives packets and determines whether or not to instruct the packet processing device 12 to perform packet processing such as compression/decompression or encoding/decoding with respect to the received packets. For example, the packet processing determining unit 11 analyzes the header information of the received packets. Then, if the header information contains control information which indicates that packet processing is not yet performed, then the packet processing determining unit 11 determines to instruct the packet processing device 12 to perform packet processing with respect to the received packets.
If it is determined not to instruct the packet processing device 12 to perform packet processing, then the packet processing determining unit 11 implements the normal routing function and transfers the received packets to another packet communication apparatus. On the other hand, if it is determined to instruct the packet processing device 12 to perform packet processing, then the packet processing determining unit 11 outputs the received packets to the packet processing device 12.
The packet processing device 12 is, for example, an HWA (Hardware Accelerator) that performs packet processing with respect to the packets received from the packet processing determining unit 11, and sends back the post-packet-processing packets to the packet processing determining unit 11. Herein, to the header information of the post-packet-processing packets, the packet processing device 12 appends control information which indicates that the packets have already been subjected to packet processing.
[Patent Literature 1]: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-83045
[Patent Literature 2]: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-226023
However, while establishing a network among typical packet communication apparatuses of the abovementioned type, some packet communication apparatuses happen to take intensive processing load, thereby leading to the possibility of congestion.
For example, assume that a network is established in which edge-side packet communication apparatuses are connected below core-side packet communication apparatuses. In that case, a core-side packet communication apparatus implements the normal routing function and transfers the received packets to another packet communication apparatus. In contrast, an edge-side packet communication apparatus not only transfers the received packets to another packet communication apparatus but also performs packet processing with the use of the packet processing device installed therein. Hence, as compared to the core-side packet communication apparatuses, the edge-side packet communication apparatuses happen to take intensive processing load. As a result, in an edge-side packet communication apparatus, when the transfer speed of packets that are determined to be subjected to packet processing exceeds the processing speed of the corresponding packet processing device, it results in congestion in the line.

Packet communication apparatus and packet transfer method


The present disclosure includes systems and methods for handwriting recognition. Handwriting data is received. Geometric data of text in handwriting data is determined. Sub-characters of the text are determined. Sub-characters of text are matched to a model. Most probable characters of the text is determined based on the matching.

The present disclosure relates to computer automated handwriting recognition systems and methods.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Handwriting recognition has been a difficult problem for a long time, like speech recognition, for similar reasons. A major difficulty of handwriting recognition is the large variation in writing, both for a single writer and from writer to writer. For a single writer, variation is high within a single document and under varying conditions, for example, between a comfortable seated writing position and a standing strained position. Significant variation occurs with informal writing, when hurried, with too much coffee, with shifting position of the hand across the page, with interruptions and other effects. The form of characters depends on characters that precede and follow, called coarticulation.
Between writers there is enormous variation. A major problem is the multi-writer problem. For cell phones, quick training for the owner's individual writing is enough. However, in important applications, e.g., postal address reading, banking or kiosks, and data entry from forms, recognition must function for many people without training.
Humans readers depend on context in important ways, some available for use by machine reading. Some forms of context are currently difficult for machines, like linguistic semantic context. The accuracy of human reading of handwriting depends heavily on the quality of handwriting, and on the words, phrases, and sentences in which the characters are embedded. Human accuracy depends strongly on understanding handwriting, i.e., reading the handwriting. Handwritten characters in nonsense "words" can be illegible for human readers. Experiments show about 4% character error rate for handwritten characters in nonsense words, without lexical context. Some writers were better; some readers were better. Automated recognition of handwriting can also make use of limited understanding, using dictionaries and spell checking. It may not be practical yet to use grammar and semantics in handwriting recognition programs, nor is artificial intelligence sufficiently advanced to use knowledge that a human being might routinely use in deciphering bad handwriting. Writing is often used to communicate to oneself with brief careless notes as reminders. In such cases, the human who wrote the message has a big advantage over computers.
Handwriting recognition software converts character symbols to symbolic character codes (e.g., ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange), Unicode, etc.) that can be manipulated in a word processor, printed, or used in databases and in artificial intelligence programs. Transforming the handwriting signal to text symbols has proven to be difficult.
Various handwriting recognition software programs are available. Some commercially available products have reasonable apparent performance with lexical correction, but they have some problems without lexical correction. In many scenarios, lexicons are inadequate. Some examples are proper nouns, foreign words (writers of non-English languages), words with no unique English transliteration, non-standard words and abbreviations, severe misspellings. Obtaining estimates of the accuracy of these commercial systems is difficult. The software error rate depends heavily on cooperative writers and on the lexicon. An average character error rate of 1% (recognition rate of 99%) is generally considered to be necessary for acceptance by users. In addition, recognition in real time is often desired.
There are a lot of symbols that may need to be recognized. For example, there are more than 100 characters and symbols in English in large block caps, small block caps, printed lower characters, cursive lower characters, and cursive caps. Most of these characters have several or many variants in handwriting, typical or rare. Other languages written with Roman script have diacritics. Machine print has many fonts, corresponding to thousands of visually distinct symbols. Also there are about 100 widely used symbols including punctuation, usual ASCII symbols #@!˜%{circumflex over ( )}&*( )+, currency symbols: $, etc. There are many mathematical symbols. There are many emoticons. All these total a large number, perhaps 5,000 symbols or more for a single script. Devanagari, an Indic script, has about 450 symbols.
The large number of symbols raises problems. Each handwritten symbol has at least one model, and often has several variants. First, the error rate increases with the number of models; thus the accuracy has to increase from that accuracy required to discriminate a small number of characters symbols, say 26, to compensate for the total symbol set. Second, the computational complexity of recognition increases with the number of models.
Typical recognition is based on multi-template matching, i.e., matching fixed models with instances. In this paradigm, recognition is matching against all models. This method has high computational complexity. Methods using neural nets or using parameterized models with estimation of parameters approximate these thousands of variants.
Even with these methods, there will be new, previously unknown variants. They might be from writers from a different country, e.g., English writers from India. Abilities to learn models of new variants is necessary. These capabilities are necessary for learning a script for a multi-script system.
It is desirable that a handwriting recognition system be functional on a smartphone, and have low power consumption. Computational complexity is a challenge for power consumption. Thus, it would be desirable to have a computationally efficient mechanism for computer automated handwriting recognition systems and methods.
Character correction of text is painfully slow, for humans for either handwriting or keyboards. High accuracy is a goal, both for human-interface and low power consumption.

Handwriting recognition systems and methods


A visual aid and process for demonstrating color formation including a plurality of panels in the form of pages bound in the manner of a book and a plurality of scripts. At least one of the panels includes a transparent window tinted a first color. At least another of the panels includes an image colored with a second color. The panel including the image is adjacent and in overlaid relation to the page including the transparent window and the transparent window is juxtaposed with the image, so as to allow viewing of the image through the transparent window, in an apparent third color. Each of the scripts is associated with a one of the panels, in one-to-one correspondence, and printed in the book so that a script and the associated panel may be perceived contemporaneously for providing information related to the formation of colors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to visual aids for teaching and particularly to a visual aid for demonstrating the formation of colors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The formation of colors is a subject normally taught to children at an early age. Very young children recognize and appreciate color. They quickly learn to associate familiar objects with their usual color. Early education programs capitalize on the natural abilities of children by incorporating art and craft projects to teach children to express themselves by using colors. The formation of secondary colors by combining primary colors is a foundational element in the teaching of young children. Visual aids are an effective means for teaching the concept of color formation.
Pigments of primary colors may be mixed to produce a secondary color. Also, colored light, of primary colors, may be combined and viewed together to produce a secondary color. Two colors selected from the primary colors, red, blue, and yellow, may be mixed or combined to form secondary colors, purple, green, and orange. Color wheels have been used to teach the combination by displaying the primary colors in "pie slice" shaped segments of a circle. Secondary colored segments are placed between the primary colored segments. A purple segment is placed between the red and blue segments with indicia to indicate that red and blue may be combined or mixed to form the color purple. Likewise, the green segment is placed between the blue and yellow segments and the orange segment is placed between the red and yellow segments. The color wheel serves to provide an explanation of the process for forming colors but does not provide a demonstration of the formation of the secondary colors.
In order to demonstrate the formation of secondary colors, the visual aid must actually mix or combine the primary colors to produce the secondary colors. Mixing colored pigments is a cumbersome process and once mixed, the pigments cannot be separated for repeating the process. Liquid pigments cannot be easily viewed by a large group of students.
More effective visual aids have been developed using colored visible light. Transparent sheets of plastic may be tinted in various colors. For example, a first sheet may be tinted a first primary color and a second sheet may be tinted a second primary color. Each of the sheets may be perceived as being of the tinted color. The two sheets having different primary color tints may be overlaid and viewed to perceive a third color. The third color being the secondary color formed by combining the first color and the second color. The Wolf, U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,166, discloses an educational toy consisting of at least two water-soluble colored plastic sheets. The sheets can be cutout or punched into various shapes. When overlaid, the two plastic sheets appear as a third color. The use of the visual aid of Wolf, '166, requires that an instructor coordinate an explanation of the process of combining the colors as the sheets are arranged such that a view of overlaid sheets produces a particular color, according to the explanation. In addition, an image or an object may be viewed through a tinted sheet or through two or more overlaid tinted sheets but, depending on the color of the object itself, the object may appear as an arbitrary color not coordinated with the explanation offered by the instructor.
The U.S. application to Freeman, 2006/0154215, discloses an educational toy for teaching the formation of colors comprised of translucent filters in various colors. The toy is a series of three translucent discs or panels, with each disc or panel having a different additive or subtractive primary color. The translucent discs may be combined with each other to produce a new color. The device of Freeman, '215, also requires that an explanation be coordinated with the view demonstrated by a particular combination of filters. The view of an object, having a particular color, may cause the object to have a color not incorporated into the instructor's explanation and introduce a potentially confusing variable.
There is a need for a visual aid for forming colors which cooperates with an accurate explanation of the color combination perceived in a particular view.
There is a need for a visual aid for forming colors which can convey an instructional script associated with a color combination view for a child using the visual aid independently.
There is a need for a visual aid for forming colors which associates a color combination view of an image with an instructional script.

Visual aid and process for demonstrating the formation of colors


A rebonded, fused brick resulting from burning a mix consisting essentially of a fused magnesite chrome grain, a fused chrome-magnesite grain or mixtures thereof, and a chrome ore having a Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 /(Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) ratio of at least about 1.15, a maximum silica content of about 3.85, and an Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 content of less than about 25% by weight.

The present invention relates to brick for use in the construction of furnace linings for metallurgical applications.
At the present time, magnesite-chrome and chrome-magnesite brick are widely used for this purpose and are made in a number of ways. Thus, deadburned magnesite can be simply mixed with chrome ore and pressed into brick shapes that are then fired to effect ceramic bonding. These are generally fired at a high enough temperature to obtain a substantial amount of bonding between the deadburned magnesite and the chrome ore and thus such brick have been termed "direct bonded brick" to distinguish them from brick burned at lower temperatures.
In brick burned at lower temperatures, the accessory silicate minerals from the deadburned magnesite and chrome ore form the primary bond and thus this type of brick is often referred to as "silicate bonded brick" and do not generally have sufficient enough corrosion resistance to be used in applications where there will be particularly severe environments. It is also known, however, that while direct bonded brick outperform the silicate bonded brick in the severe service environments, even the direct bonded brick are subject to slag attack because of their relatively high porosity. Efforts to lower the porosity of these bricks has proven to be difficult because the brick expand in burning. One effort to eliminate the porosity problem is to make the brickmaking grain from a fine magesite and chrome ore. This type of grain is often called "coburned" grain. It can be made, for example, by briquetting fine magnesite and fine chrome ore and firing the briquettes to effect densification and ceramic bonding. Alternatively, a mixture of fine magnesite and fine chrome is fed to a rotary kiln where the rotating action of the kiln produces the desired agglomerates. Other methods of producing coburned grain are also known and utilized. This coburned grain is then crushed, graded, and ball milled into appropriate brick making fractions and used to make brick in a conventional manner. On firing, such brick typically shrink rather than expand and the final brick have a lower porosity than direct bonded magnesite-chrome brick.
Another manner of making a low porosity brick is to make fused magnesite chrome or fused chrome magnesite grain. The fused grain is made by charging deadburned magnesite and chrome ore into an electric arc furnace where the mixture is melted. The melt is then allowed to cool to room temperature and the solidified material is crushed and graded resulting in extremely dense, low porosity grain. The fused grain is used to make the densest, lowest porosity magnesite chrome and chrome magnesite brick available. These brick are often referred to as "rebonded fused magnesite-chrome brick" or "rebonded fused chrome-magnesite brick", depending on the relative proportions of the minerals. These rebonded brick are characterized by excellent resistance to chemical attack as from slag. However, they have poor thermal shock resistance.


The present invention relates generally to the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment, and more particularly to compositions and methods that may be useful for eliminating cancer cells with stem-like characteristics. The disclosed compositions and methods may also be useful for managing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer or endometrial (uterine) cancer with metastases; and visualizing the cancer cells in patient's body. The compositions of the instant invention include human prolactin receptor antagonist G129R.

Breast cancers are divided into subtypes based on whether they express estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and Her2/neu. Before cancer treatment is commenced, it is important to identify patient's cancer subtype because some drugs target cancer cells that express estrogen receptor, while other drugs target cancer cells that express other receptors. The HER2/neu gene has been implicated in mammary tumorigenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. HER2/neu is amplified in 20-30% of human breast cancers and the HER2-positive subtype of breast cancer is associated with aggressive metastatic disease. (Korkaya et al. 2008. Oncogene). The instant invention may be helpful in treating HER2-positive breast cancers by providing new compositions and methods that can be used for eliminating HER2-positive breast cancer cells.
Recently a new subtype of breast cancer cells has been identified. These cancer cells are called triple-negative breast cancer cells because they do not express estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor or Her2/neu. (Dent et al. 2007. Clinical Cancer Research 13: 4429-4434). According to Cancer Research UK (2007), triple-negative breast cancer cases make up approximately 15% of all breast cancer cases. In comparison to other known breast cancer subtypes, the triple-negative subtype is more aggressive, less responsive to standard treatment and is associated with poorer overall patient prognosis. (Dent et al. 2007. Clinical Cancer Research 13: 4429-4434). Thus, there remains the need for compositions and methods to diagnose and treat triple-negative breast cancer patients.
Recent studies suggest that a wide variety of cancers, including breast cancer, arise from a small subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) through deregulation of self-renewal pathways. It has been reported that a sub-population of breast cancer cells with stem cell-like characteristics is CD44 and CD133 positive, CD24 negative and expresses aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1). (Crocker et al. 2008. J Cell Mol Med). There remains the need for compositions and methods that identify and eradicate a sub-population of breast cancer cells with stem cell-like characteristics.
Prolactin ("PRL") is a 23-kDa neuroendocrine hormone which is structurally related to growth hormone and, to a lesser degree, to members of the interleukin family (Reynolds et al., 1997, Endocrinol. 138:5555-5560, Cunningham et al., 1990, Science 247:1461-1465; Wells et al., 1993, Recent Prog. Horm. Res. 48:253-275). Prolactin receptors are present in the mammary glands, ovaries, pituitary glands, heart, lung, thymus, spleen, liver, pancreas, kidney, adrenal gland, uterus, skeletal muscle, skin and areas of the central nervous system. Mancini T. (2008), "Hyperprolactinemia and Prolactinomas," Endocrinology & Metabolism Clinics of North America 37: 67. When prolactin binds to its receptor it causes it to dimerize with another prolactin receptor, which results in the activation of Janus kinase 2, a tyrosine kinase that initiates the JAK-STAT pathway. The activation of the prolactin receptor also results in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and Src kinase mitogen. Mancini, T. (2008). "Hyperprolactinemia and Prolactinomas," Endocrinology & Metabolism Clinics of North America 37: 67. "Prolactin receptor antagonist" refers to a form of prolactin that interferes with the prolactin signaling pathway. Such prolactin receptor antagonists have been previously described in US Patent Application 2007/0060520 to inventors W. Chen and T. Wagner.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compositions and methods for visualizing and eliminating cancer stem cells


A display system in a vessel which includes various sensors for detecting various operating and navigating conditions of the vessel and a single display unit for displaying information regarding these conditions. The single display unit is comprised of a fixed display which displays information regarding particular operating and navigating conditions that are frequently monitored. The single display unit also includes a variable display which has a standby state and a display state and which also has a plurality of alternate display modes and a warning display which automatically displays warning information regarding at least one of the conditions that is being sensed when the particular condition is detected to be outside of its predetermined range. A control unit maintains the variable display in its standby state wherein only a minimum amount of electric power is required when no output signal is received from any of the sensors which sense information that appears on the warning display indicating that the particular sensed condition is abnormal and when none of the alternate display modes has been selected. When warning information is sensed or when one of the alternate display modes is selected, the control unit applies rated electric power to the variable display to establish its display state.

The invention relates to a display system for a marine vessel or other vehicle, and more particularly to a display system having a single display unit for displaying information regarding various operating and navigating conditions of the vessel or vehicle and, when used in a marine vessel, for displaying fish detection information as well. The single display unit includes a variable display which has both a standby state and a display state and means for controlling the state of the variable display.
One form of display system for marine vessels uses a single display unit having fixed and variable displays for displaying certain operating and navigating information. The variable display may also include a fish detection display and a warning display of information regarding selected operating and navigating conditions. When one or more of these selected conditions is detected to be abnormal, one or more corresponding warnings automatically appears on the warning display of the variable display. Such a display system not only improves the visibility of displayed information but also enables the operator to easily and promptly recognize and cope with any abnormality being monitored.
Although this system has certain advantages, its variable display has previously been constructed so that once it is turned on, it continually displays operation and navigational information, fish detection information or warning information. As a result, much electrical power is required to maintain the variable display in a continued state of display. In addition, once the variable display is actuated, all of the sensors associated with the variable display are kept in an energized state, whether needed or not, so as to require continuous electric power. For example, the fish detector is maintained in the energized state once the variable display is actuated, even though fish detection information is usually not required at the start of operation.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an arrangement capable of displaying a wide variety of operational and navigational information on a single display unit in a quick and timely manner using a minimum of electric power.
It is another object of this invention to provide a single display unit which is capable of displaying a wide variety of operational and navigational information, and which includes a variable display having a standby state and a display state and means for controlling the state of the variable display so as to minimize the amount of electric power required.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a display system for a marine vessel which improves the operability of the vessel.


A radio-interrogable data storage medium having a carrier in which electric components are embedded, and a component for optically signaling a previously assumed operating state. Also, a method for operating the radio-interrogable data storage medium, including the steps of the data storage medium assuming various operating states, and optically signaling at least one previously assumed operating state.

Radio-interposable data storage media, also known as RFID tags (radio frequency identification tags), are becoming more and more widespread because semiconductor components are becoming cheaper and cheaper. In their simplest form, they are used for security against theft (electronic article surveillance, EAS) as a 1-bit transponder in department stores. They comprise a sticker or label, to which a tuned electric circuit connected to an antenna is fixed. The resonant frequency of the tuned circuit, comprising coil and capacitor, is matched to the frequency of a detection device. As the detection antennas at the exit from the shop are passed, energy is extracted from the electromagnetic field existing between the detection antennas and an alarm is triggered. On the other hand, if the goods have been paid for, by means of an intense magnetic field at the cash desk such a high voltage is induced in the transponder that its capacitor is damaged and therefore the tuned circuit is detuned. When the detection antennas are passed, energy is no longer extracted from the electromagnetic field and, accordingly, no alarm is triggered.
Modern RFID tags are substantially based on the same functional principle but contain in addition semiconductor memories, in which, for example, an identification number is stored. These RFID tags can be read by a reader without contact via radio. Further developments make it possible not only to read data but also to write the RFID tags with data. If RFID tags are equipped with processors which, for example, have cryptographic functions, authentication methods and encryption are even possible.
RFID tags have numerous advantages: they can be read not only without contact but also without a direct line of sight between reader and RFID tag. This is an advantage in particular as compared with the widespread bar code, since RFID tags can still be read even if they are hidden, such as for example under a layer of paint or dirt, in a delivery of a plurality of parts or a package. Furthermore, RFID tags are autonomous, that is to say they can be operated over a period of many years without a battery. They extract the energy needed for operation from the electromagnetic field of the readers. A further advantage of RFID tags is that substantially more data can be stored in them than, for example, in bar codes.
The advantages of RFID tags lead to diverse and innovative possible applications. If articles are identified with RFID tags, then, for example, automatic monitoring of sales racks is possible. As soon as the last unit has been sold, the store personnel are requested to fill the rack again. If fitted in items of clothing, RFID tags can provide an intelligent washing machine with tips about the type of cleaning to be selected. A shopping cart which is filled with articles identified with RFID tags could simply be pushed past a reader at the cash desk, the prices being registered by radio. However, the use of RFID tags in logistics is of particular economic importance. With the aid of an electronic product code (EPC), which allocates a unique number worldwide to each article, RFID tags make efficient and automated product processing possible in delivery chains which cover the world. For example, all the individual parts of a pallet load could be inspected without any visual connection, given appropriate marking with RFID tags. However, a precondition for this is that, even in the case of identical articles, each article is given an individual number. If the possibility of writing RFID tags is also provided, then in addition to the point of origin, transport routes and storage conditions can additionally be traced back and, in this way, the entire chain comprising manufacturer, seller and final purchaser can be monitored. The possible savings in work and time as a result of using RFID tags are enormous.
However, pilot trials with RFID tags in large retail concerns have met with resistance from civil liberty and data protection activists. Amongst other things, there is a fear that the RFID tags will be read unnoticed and without the knowledge of the consumer. This is important in particular if an article which is identified uniquely worldwide is linked with personal data, such as that which is transmitted when payment is made with a credit card. If this link is followed, then, for example, a movement profile could be drawn up and, by using RFID tags on other articles, a purchasing behavior could be determined. Shoes which are provided with RFID tags could be read at every entry provided with a reader. Clothing which contains RFID tags can be read not only by the washing machine but also by a reader fitted by an employer at the place of work and used to monitor the employees. The consumer would thus become a transparent consumer and able to be monitored. The offer to destroy the RFID tags at the cash desk and thus to prevent misuse is mistrusted, since the consumer has no possibility of distinguishing between permanently deactivated and temporarily silenced (sleep mode) tags.