A flexible and expandable system bus for connecting traffic mapping devices to SONET/SDH framing devices. The system bus passes control signals generated by a master device to multiple tributaries to orient them relative to a SONET/SDH frame. These control signals obviate the need for each tributary to perform its own SONET/SDH reconstruction and framing using the A1/A2 bytes. The control signals synchronize the tributaries to a common clock cycle, indicate during which clock cycles the tributary can add or drop data relative to the system bus, and an interface identification signal that transmits values on the system bus. The tributaries monitor the values on the system bus, and when the value associated with each tributary appears on the bus, and the system bus indicates that the current clock cycle is within the SPE portion of the SONET/SDH frame, the tributary adds or drops data relative to the system bus.

Data can be communicated over electrical wires or optical fibers in a communications network. The electrical or fiber data may be formatted and defined according to any number of varying protocols and varying standards, depending on the application in which the data is used. In addition, these protocols and standards require different transmission rates, and the data may be synchronous, plesiosynchronous, or asynchronous. Organizing all of these so-called tributaries of data into a single data stream for transmission over an optical fiber requires mapping (or de-mapping) these tributaries into a frame of a well-known hierarchy called the synchronous optical network (SONET), the standard for such communications in North America, or synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH), SONET's European counterpart.
The basic building block of a SONET frame is a synchronous transport signal, level 1 (STS-1), which has a transmission rate of 51.84 Mbps. Higher transmission rates are supported by combining (or concatenating) multiple STS-1 signals together. Transmission rates below the STS-1 level are also supported. The synchronous payload envelope (SPE) of an STS-1 is subdivided into virtual tributaries (VT). The smallest VT, VT1.5, has a transmission rate of 1.728 Mbps. Higher bandwidth VTs are defined and include VT2, VT3, and VT6. Like the STS-1 signals, VT signals can be concatenated together to support different transmission rates. Using these basic building blocks of STS-1 and VT1.5, a variety of different data signals can be communicated over an optical fiber.
Mapping and de-mapping these data signals between an optical fiber line and client interfaces are typically carried out using a framer/mapper device. The device extracts information in the SONET frame to locate the data carried within the frame, typically by finding two bytes called the A1 and A2 bytes in the SONET frame, which indicate the start of the SONET frame. This device terminates SONET transport overhead with respect to client interfaces, and it converts the client interface signals between their respective protocol formats and SONET/SDH format. A tributary connected to the device also receives all of the data in the SONET frame, and the tributary must perform its own SONET framing and mapping to map and de-map its data relative to the SONET frame. These redundant functions performed by the tributary increase hardware and software complexity. The tributary must also know the bandwidth of the data communicated between it and the framer/mapper device.
Moreover, there is no centralized assignment of payload data relative to the various tributaries, raising the possibility of contention and security issues. For example, because each tributary is unaware of what other tributaries are adding to and dropping from the bus, multiple tributaries may attempt to map payload data into the same portion of the SONET frame. These issues can be partly addressed, but at a cost of increasing hardware and software complexity.
What is needed, therefore, is a flexible and expandable system bus for facilitating the mapping and de-mapping of varying communications protocols relative to a SONET/SDH frame. The present invention addresses this and other needs.


A detector apparatus includes a field-effect transistor configured to undergo a change in amplitude of a source-to-drain current when at least a portion of a charge-tagged molecule translocates through the nanopore. In some implementations, the field-effect transistor is a carbon nanotube field effect transistor and the nanopore is located in a membrane. In other implementations, the field-effect transistor is a carbon nanotube field effect transistor and the nanopore is implemented in the form of a nano-channel in a semiconductor layer.

Inexpensive and time-efficient full genome sequencing will enable prediction and impact-minimization of diseases through personalized, preventive medicine. Full genome sequencing is clearly of great importance for research into the basis of genetic disease. For example, access to a large database of individualized genome sequences will facilitate cross-correlating gene-type to gene-function.
However, full-genome sequencing with current technologies (e.g. chemical- or enzymatic-based shot-gun DNA sequencing, including massively parallel automated sequencers based on slab gel separation or capillary electrophoresis) is inadequate both in terms of performance and also in terms of cost.

Using a field effect device for identifying translocating charge-tagged molecules in a nanopore sequencing device


Devices, systems, and methods for measuring and determining positions of light energy having wavelengths of less than (as well as equal to or greater than) 200 nm, and are particularly well suited for measuring pulsed light at ultraviolet and other wavelengths using position sensing diode (PSD) technology. An integrator may sum a total charge of a signal from the PSD. Correlations between a distribution of integrated charges among electrodes of the PSD may be non-linear, and may benefit from adjustment for different overall pulse light quantities and/or spot sizes.

The present invention generally provides devices, systems, and methods for determining a position of an electromagnetic energy beam. In many embodiments, the invention provides methods and devices for determining positions of pulsed laser beams having wavelengths of less than 200 nm such as the excimer laser beams used in refractive surgery.
Refractive surgery has changed dramatically over the last several years with the introduction and acceptance of refractive laser eye surgery techniques. Laser eye surgery often employs a laser to effect ablative photodecomposition of corneal tissues, thereby resculpting the ocular optics and correcting vision defects. Ultraviolet laser-based systems often direct a pattern of energy pulses on to the cornea in a controlled manner so as to effect a desired change in the corneal surface shape.
While early refractive laser surgery systems employed variable or ablatable masks to provide progressive shaping of the laser beam, most current refractive laser systems controllably deflect the laser beam so as to scan a laser spot over the exposed corneal surface. The laser will often be used to selectively remove stromal tissues from within the cornea, typically after the overlying epithelial tissue has been removed or temporarily displaced in procedures referred to as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or laser assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), respectively. The size of the laser spot on the cornea may or may not be changed during a refractive procedure, and the laser energy is most often delivered as a series of discrete laser pulses, with each pulse removing a portion of the overall ablation shape.
The use of scanned or "flying spot" laser delivery systems can significantly increase the flexibility of a refractive treatment, particularly for treatment of hyperopic, astigmatic, and irregular refractive errors. However, the use of such movable beam systems can complicate certain aspects of the treatment protocols. For example, to achieve a desired resculpting of the corneal tissue, the treatment beam is scanned or otherwise moved across the eye to a large number of different positions. Movement of the beam may be achieved using motorized scanning mechanisms, including offset lenses, movable mirrors, galvanometric actuators, and the like. To achieve the desired resculpting the position of the scanned laser beam should be controlled and/or monitored accurately. If the beam inadvertently resides at one position for too long, due to a jam or malfunction of the scanning mechanism or control system (for example) the desired tissue ablation pattern may not be achieved. In fact, a jam of the scanning system may jeopardize the success of the surgery and could cause damage to the patient's eye. Malfunctions of a scanning mechanism may not be readily detectable by an observer.
To ensure the safety and accuracy of laser refractive procedures, a variety of motion detector systems for corneal laser delivery systems have been developed. Techniques have also been developed for calibrating laser eye surgery systems, determining the characteristics of a laser beam spot, and the like. Exemplary structures are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/383,445, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,855, and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/760,112, as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/808,728, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. While these and other systems have proven effective and safe for monitoring the position of a laser beam for refractive surgeries, as with many successes, still further improvements would be desirable. More specifically, many techniques for determining a position of the laser beam rely on charge couple devices (CCDs) with associated pixel image processing so as to determine a location of a scanned beam. While generally effective, these systems can be fairly complex and expensive, and may have a resolution that is limited by pixel density. The output from the systems may reflect the digital nature of these pixel-based sensors, and the processing time may increase the amount of data processing capability needed for the system and/or may limit the cycle time for positioned confirmation.
A variety of other fields also make use of systems for monitoring or detecting the position of a laser beam. One structure that has been gaining popularity in recent years is the position sensing diode (PSD). PSDs are silicon photodiodes that provide an analog output directly proportional to the position of a light spot on a surface of the detector. PSDs allow simultaneous monitoring of position and light intensity, with the photo generated current from a PSD being proportional to the position of an incident spot of continuous light when the light is within a wavelength range of the PSD. As relatively simple analog devices, PSDs have advantages over CCDs and other pixel-based devices using image processing to determine a location of a light beam.
Unfortunately, existing PSDs are often limited to measurements of continuous incident light beams having a wavelength of over 200 nm, with responsivity of these structures often benefiting from incident wavelengths of at least 400 nm or more. Hence, despite their potential advantages, PSDs have not been widely used for measuring, monitoring, and confirming positions of pulsed laser beams such as those used in laser refractive eye surgery.
In light of the above, it would be advantageous to provide improved devices, systems, and methods for determining positions of laser and other light energy beams. It would be particularly advantageous if these improvements provided the benefits available from position sensing silicon photo-diodes, but expanded those benefits to laser eye surgery systems and other pulsed light-beam scanning and/or positioning systems.

Laser pulse position monitor for scanned laser eye surgery systems


A diamond tipped twist drill for drilling holes in a work piece consists of a body forming a pair of flutes, each flute forming a channel that essentially parallels the flutes. Each channel ends at an aperture formed in the body nearest a cutting end of the drill. Diamond material is pressed into the flutes and through the aperture. Subsequent machining at the cutting end of the drill bit body exposes the sintered diamond forming a finished diamond cutting tip for the twist drill.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to drilling tools and more particularly to helically fluted twist drills.
Helically fluted twist drills are the most commonly used drilling tools and are generally required to perform severe machining operations under extremely adverse conditions. The cutting end of a helically fluted twist drill includes a pair of cutting lips on opposite surfaces of an intermediate web, the width of which is typically 12 to 20 percent of the diameter. The chisel edge of the twist drill extends obliquely across the center of the web. The foregoing drills are typically long and slender and the helical flutes constitute a column eccentricity that tends to reduce the rigidity of the drill under axial thrust loads.
Oppositely directed cutting surfaces positioned at the cutting end of the shaft of the drill are subjected to axial and torsional loads which create material demands on the fabrication of the drill tool. Obviously the material of the cutting lips should be as hard as possible to cut a work piece and it should be heat resistant as well to maintain the cutting edge of the drill at elevated temperatures. Moreover the material of the body of the drill shaft must be both rigid and tough to resist deflection and to maintain the integrity of the drill under loads while the drill is being used. The foregoing requirements have resulted in compromises in material selection since hard materials tend to be brittle while tough materials tend to wear quite easily.
II. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art teaches a combination of materials having the characteristics of hardness and wear-resistance at the cutting surfaces and toughness and rigidity of the body and shaft. It has been previously proposed to form the cutting surfaces of one material and the body and shaft of another. This has resulted in a variety of combinations such as tungsten carbide or diamond inserts or tips on carbon steel or carbide shafts. These combinations while individually useful have a common disadvantage, i.e. the braze connection between the insert or tip and a shaft. Tungsten carbide can be soldered or brazed directly to the steel or carbide shaft. However a diamond tip or insert must first be adhered to a carbide substrate which is in turn soldered or brazed to the shaft. Diamond particles are typically formed into a compact or PCD (polycrystalline diamond disc) and bonded to a carbide substrate with a metallic catalyst in a high pressure-high temperature press. At atmospheric pressures however the metal which catalyzes the bonding of the diamond particles to each other and to the substrate in the press will also catalyze the conversion of diamond to graphite at temperatures above 700 degrees centigrade which will cause disintegration of the PCD compact. Accordingly a low temperature solder or braze connection is used to attach the substrate to the shaft. The aforementioned diamond discs as well as the diamond insert stud blanks for example are fabricated from a tungsten carbide substrate with a diamond layer sintered to a face of a substrate the diamond layer being composed of polycrystalline material.
The synthetic polycrystalline diamond layer is manufactured by Megadiamond Industries, Inc., a wholly owned division of Smith International, Provo, Utah. Another source of polycrystalline diamond is manufactured by the specialty material department of General Electric Company of Worthington, Ohio. The foregoing drill cutter blank is known by the trademark name of Stratapax Drill Blank.
Two examples of patents assigned to Megadiamond describe cutting elements for drilling holes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,643 teaches a cutting element for drilling holes which consists of five cutting edges which are comprised of polycrystalline diamond or the like mounted to a central carbide substrate of similar hard material held by a rotatable shaft which can be inserted into a drilling machine. The polycrystalline material is then supported with respect to torsional forces exerted upon it during drilling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,503 describes a polycrystalline diamond and metal element for use as a cutting element for drilling holes or similar uses. The cutting element comprises a polycrystalline diamond center portion sandwiched between metal. The metal side portion is made from a soft metal having a Young's Modulus less than approximately 45 times 10 to the sixth power and is selected from a group comprising cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, silver, gold, platinum, palladium and alloys of these metals in metallic compounds containing these metals.
Both of these recently issued patents utilize a braze type bonding element to secure the diamond cutters within a drill blank. Typically a low temperature solder or braze connection is used to attach the substrate to a shaft such as the shaft of a helical twist drill. This braze connection limits the effective life of such drilling tools since it is softer than either the substrate or the shaft. The braze thus becomes the weakest point of the tool construction and the limiting factor in the tool usage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,445 teaches a helically fluted twist drill apparatus in which offset opposed veins of sintered abrasive particulate, such as diamond, are embedded within a drill blank made of a less abrasive material such as carbide. The non-aligned veins of abrasive material, themselves intersect through juxtapositioning adjacent the point and web of the drill. The veins of diamond are 180 degrees opposed across the tip of the helical drill blank. The opposing veins intersect at the center or axis of the helical drill to provide a concentration of diamond at the tip of the twist drill.
A disadvantage of the foregoing patent is that the veins of diamonds are relatively shallow at the tip of the twist drill and tend to wear out rather quickly.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the foregoing prior art by providing, for example, a concentration of diamond in each of a pair of flutes of a twist drill. The two helical grooves join through a hole drilled through the center of the blank so that diamond is continuous, i.e.; in one groove, through the center to the opposite groove thereby providing a continuous layer of diamond across the cutting end of the twist drill.


An apparatus, such as an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) apparatus, including a precursor source configured for depositing material on a heated substrate in a deposition reactor by sequential self-saturating surface reactions. The apparatus includes an in-feed line for feeding precursor vapor from the precursor source to a reaction chamber and a structure configured for utilizing heat from a reaction chamber heater for preventing condensation of precursor vapor into liquid or solid phase between the precursor source and the reaction chamber. Also various other apparatus and methods are presented.

Atomic Layer Epitaxy (ALE) method was invented by Dr. Tuomo Suntola in the early 1970's. Another generic name for the method is Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and it is nowadays used instead of ALE. ALD is a special chemical deposition method based on the sequential introduction of at least two reactive precursor species to a substrate that is located within a heated reaction space. The growth mechanism of ALD relies on the bond strength differences between chemical adsorption (chemisorption) and physical adsorption (physisorption). ALD utilizes chemisorption and eliminates physisorption during the deposition process. During chemisorption a strong chemical bond is formed between atom(s) of a solid phase surface and a molecule that is arriving from the gas phase. Bonding by physisorption is much weaker because only van der Waals forces are involved. Physisorption bonds are easily broken by thermal energy when the local temperature is above the condensation temperature of the molecules.
By definition the reaction space of an ALD reactor comprises all the heated surfaces that can be exposed alternately and sequentially to each of the ALD precursor used for the deposition of thin films. A basic ALD deposition cycle consists of four sequential steps: pulse A, purge A, pulse B and purge B. Pulse A typically consists of metal precursor vapor and pulse B of non-metal precursor vapor, especially nitrogen or oxygen precursor vapor. Inactive gas, such as nitrogen or argon, and a vacuum pump are used for purging gaseous reaction by-products and the residual reactant molecules from the reaction space. A deposition sequence comprises at least one deposition cycle. Deposition cycles are repeated until the deposition sequence has produced a thin film of desired thickness.
Precursor species form through chemisorption a chemical bond to reactive sites of the heated surfaces. Conditions are typically arranged in such a way that no more than a molecular monolayer of a solid material forms on the surfaces during one precursor pulse. The growth process is thus self-terminating or saturative. For example, the first precursor can include ligands that remain attached to the adsorbed species and saturate the surface, which prevents further chemisorption. Reaction space temperature is maintained above condensation temperatures and below thermal decomposition temperatures of the utilized precursors such that the precursor molecule species chemisorb on the substrate(s) essentially intact. Essentially intact means that volatile ligands may come off the precursor molecule when the precursor molecules species chemisorb on the surface. The surface becomes essentially saturated with the first type of reactive sites, i.e. adsorbed species of the first precursor molecules. This chemisorption step is typically followed by a first purge step (purge A) wherein the excess first precursor and possible reaction by-products are removed from the reaction space. Second precursor vapor is then introduced into the reaction space. Second precursor molecules typically react with the adsorbed species of the first precursor molecules, thereby forming the desired thin film material. This growth terminates once the entire amount of the adsorbed first precursor has been consumed and the surface has essentially been saturated with the second type of reactive sites. The excess of second precursor vapor and possible reaction by-product vapors are then removed by a second purge step (purge B). The cycle is then repeated until the film has grown to a desired thickness. Deposition cycles can also be more complex. For example, the cycles can include three or more reactant vapor pulses separated by purging steps. All these deposition cycles form a timed deposition sequence that is controlled by a logic unit or a microprocessor.
Thin films grown by ALD are dense, pinhole free and have uniform thickness. For example, aluminum oxide grown from trimethylaluminum (CH3)3Al, also referred to as TMA, and water at 250-300° C. has usually about 1% non-uniformity over the 100-200 mm wafer. Metal oxide thin films grown by ALD are suitable for gate dielectrics, electroluminescent display insulators, capacitor dielectrics and passivation layers. Metal nitride thin films grown by ALD are suitable for diffusion barriers, e.g., in dual damascene structures. Precursors for the ALD growth of thin films and thin film materials deposited by the ALD method are disclosed, for example, in a review article M. Ritala et al., "Atomic Layer Deposition" Handbook of Thin Film Materials, Volume 1: Deposition and Processing of Thin Films, Chapter 2, Academic Press, 2002, p. 103, and R. Puurunen, "Surface chemistry of atomic layer deposition: A case study for the trimethylaluminium/water process", Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 97 (2005) pp. 121301-121352 which are incorporated herein by reference.
Apparatuses suited for the implementation of ALE and ALD methods are disclosed, for example, in review articles T. Suntola, "Atomic Layer Epitaxy", Materials Science Reports, 4(7) 1989, Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., p. 261, and T Suntola, "Atomic Layer Epitaxy", Handbook of Crystal Growth 3, Thin Films and Epitaxy, Part B: Growth Mechanisms and Dynamics, Chapter 14, Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., 1994, p. 601 which are incorporated herein by reference.
A precursor source is disclosed in U.S. patent application publication no. US 2007/0117383 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Another precursor source is disclosed in WO patent application publication no. WO 2006/111618 A1, also incorporated herein by reference.
Various existing precursor sources have a number of problems. One general problem is that preventing the condensation of precursor vapor in source chemical lines has required complicated and expensive heating systems. Another general problem is that preventing crust formation on the solid precursor surface has required complicated source structures. Still another general problem is that existing precursor sources are very bulky and service of the precursor source has been time-consuming.

Apparatus and methods for deposition reactors


A method and apparatus for increasing the resolution of a Positron Emission Tomography scanner. The method and apparatus comprise elements and acts for centering a region of interest of an object at a point between first and second detector arrays at least about ten percent closer to the first detector array than to the second detector array.

The present invention relates generally to Positron Emission Tomography ("PET") scanners, and more particularly to a method of PET scanning and a PET scanner apparatus having increased image resolution.
Positron Emission Tomography ("PET") is an imaging technique that provides three-dimensional tomographic images of a distribution of positron-emitting isotopes within an object. The object is usually a living human or animal, and the images provide a visual depiction of tissue differences within different portions of the object. A PET procedure involves the introduction of radiolabeled tracing pharmaceuticals into the object, usually through injection or inhalation. The type of pharmaceuticals depends on the function of the tissue under investigation. As the radiolabeled tracing element in the pharmaceutical decays, it produces positrons. Each positron collides with surrounding matter in the sample object before combining with an electron in the sample object. The combination of each positron with an electron in the sample object annihilates both particles, producing a pair of gamma-ray photons. The gamma-ray photons travel away from the annihilation event in opposite directions. If a pair of opposing gamma-ray detectors each detect one of the two gamma-ray photons produced in the annihilation event within a predetermined period of time, usually 5 to 50 nanoseconds, a "coincidence event" is recorded, and it is assumed the annihilation event producing the gamma-ray photons lies along a straight line between the two detectors.
Conventionally, a PET scanner consists of arrays of gamma-ray detectors, arranged either continuously as one or multiple rings, or as two or more detector plates. Lines of response ("LOR") are formed between opposing detector pairs in each array. The PET scanner obtains the radioactivity distribution information within the object by detecting annihilation events originating along each LOR. Commercially available PET scanners having one or more rings of detectors are available for PET scanning animal and human subjects. The inside diameters of the rings of detectors for PET scanning animal and human subjects are approximately 20 centimeters and 80 centimeters, respectively. Conventionally, for scanners having detectors arranged in rings, the object is placed at the center of the rings where the sampling is believed to be the highest, hence achieving the best resolution and image quality currently available. For scanners having detector plates, the detector plates rotate around the object to collect data from all angles in order to form a complete set of projections of the distribution. For the same reason as the ring configuration, the object is conventionally centered between the detector plates. The detection of a large number of annihilation events allows a computer to construct a three-dimensional image of the distribution of radiolabeled pharmaceuticals within the object, providing valuable information on the kinetics of the pharmaceuticals and functions of the living object.
With these conventional designs, the image spatial resolution of a PET system is determined by several factors, including intrinsic detector spatial resolution, acolinearity of the annihilating gamma ray photons, and positron range of the radioisotopes in the tracing pharmaceuticals. Of these three factors, the positron range depends on the type of radioisotopes used and does not depend on the scanner design; the effect of acolinearity depends on the ring diameter or distance between detector plates of a PET scanner, which are often pre-determined by the necessary imaging field of view in order to accommodate the body of a human or an animal. Therefore, PET scanner manufacturers have been trying to improve scanner spatial resolution by designing new detectors that improve the detector's intrinsic spatial resolution. This is particularly important for very high resolution PET scanners dedicated to small animal imaging, which are very powerful tools for the advancement of molecular imaging.
For most animal PET scanners and some state-of-the-art human scanners, discrete scintillation crystals coupled to photodetectors have been used to achieve the highest spatial resolution heretofore possible. For a PET scanner using discrete crystals, the detector intrinsic spatial resolution cannot be better than one half of the crystal width. For a PET scanner with ring geometry, the detector pairs form sampling lines with an average sampling distance of half a crystal width. Based on the Nyquist theorem in sampling theory, the smallest object (i.e., the highest frequency of signal) one system can resolve is twice the size of the sampling distance (i.e., half of the sampling frequency). In order to achieve image spatial resolution approaching the theoretical limit, where the detector intrinsic spatial resolution equals one half the crystal width, conventional PET scanners require smaller sampling distances. Many attempts have been made to increase the sampling resolution. For example, certain designs move the detector or the object by a fraction of the detector width. Other designs stack discrete crystals in multiple offset layers. With these designs, image resolution can begin to approach the detector intrinsic resolution. However, conventional PET scanners have been unable to achieve image resolution higher than the detector intrinsic spatial resolution regardless of the type of gamma-ray detector employed. This is true for PET scanners with scintillation detectors, ionization chambers, semiconductor detectors and other types of gamma-ray detectors.
Several techniques have been developed in other imaging arts to resolve structures smaller than the detector intrinsic spatial resolution. One example is a gamma camera coupled to a pinhole collimator that produces a "magnified" image of the object, allowing image resolution of objects smaller than the detector intrinsic spatial resolution. The drawback of this design is a significant reduction of detecting efficiency.
An example of another imaging device is a Compton camera having two detectors placed to one side of a photon source. The detectors of a Compton camera are designed to sequentially detect a photon interacting with one and then the other detector. The interaction with the first detector is through the Compton effect while the interaction with the second detector is through the photoelectric effect. The sequential detection of a photon enables the Compton camera to trace the photon's path without using mechanical collimators, such as those in a gamma camera. Therefore, a Compton camera has better sensitivity than the conventional gamma camera. The disadvantage of a Compton camera is its reduced resolution compared with a conventional gamma camera. In contrast with apparatus of the present invention, both detectors of the Compton camera are positioned on one side of a photon source and detect a single photon sequentially. In the present invention, detectors positioned in opposite sides of a photon source detect separate photons traveling in opposite directions from the coincidence event. Also, in contrast to the Compton camera, the present invention does not rely on Compton effect interactions to produce images of the object.

Method and apparatus for increasing spatial resolution of a pet scanner


To implement advertisement distribution suitable for a user by associating each device even when a user uses a plurality of devices, the information processing apparatus includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire first identification information at least including an Internet Protocol (IP) address and information regarding a television viewing log, and second identification information at least including an IP address and an advertisement ID (Identifier); and a control unit configured to perform control to identify a combination of the viewing log and the advertisement ID corresponding to the same IP address on the basis of the first identification information and the second identification information.

Targeted advertising (target advertisements) for individual users has been widely employed as an Internet advertisement tool. For example, in behavior targeting advertisements, advertisements are distributed only to customers who are interested in a specific genre on the basis of user's behavioral history (such as a Web search history), so that it is possible to obtain excellent advertising effects (such as recognition, understanding, purchase). In general, the advertisement may be information transmitted to the advertisement market through an advertising medium manageable by the advertiser, or may be, for example, arbitrary information that the advertiser pays money and transmits (advertises).
A technique has been proposed, in which, under an environment where a user receives services provided by different media from a plurality of devices, user's behaviors are inter-disciplinarily collected across each medium depending on user identification information (such as login information of a user) used in each device, and targeted advertisements are provided to such a device (see Patent Document 1).

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing system, and program


A susceptor (10) supporting a semiconductor substrate (W) in a vapor phase growth, wherein a pocket (11) is formed on an upper surface of the susceptor to arrange the semiconductor substrate (W) inside thereof. The pocket (11) has a two-stage structure having an upper stage pocket (11a) for supporting an outer peripheral edge portion of the semiconductor substrate (W) and a lower stage pocket (11b) formed on a lower stage of a center side from the upper stage pocket (11a). A hole (12) penetrated to a rear surface of the susceptor and opened in the vapor phase growth is formed in the lower stage pocket (11b).

In a related art, vapor phase growth of an epitaxial layer onto a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (hereinafter, simply referred as substrate) is performed by disposing a susceptor in a reaction chamber, heating the substrate to a desired growth temperature by a heating apparatus in an arrangement state of the substrate on the susceptor and supplying a reaction gas on the main surface of the substrate by a gas supply apparatus.
When vapor phase growth of an epitaxial layer of low dopant concentration (that is, high resistivity) is performed on a substrate of high dopant concentration (that is, low resistivity), for example, when vapor phase growth of a p-type silicon epitaxial layer (hereinafter, simply referred as epitaxial layer) is performed on a P+-type boron(B)-doped substrate, a phenomenon (hereinafter, referred as autodoping) that dopant once released from inside of the substrate into vapor phase is doped into the epitaxial layer occurs. This autodoping is caused by dopant outdiffused from the substrate by heating and dopant released from inside of the substrate due to vapor phase etching of a surface of the substrate. When autodoping occurs, a problem is arisen that dopant concentration of the epitaxial layer after vapor phase growth increases along a direction from the center to a peripheral edge of the layer (contrarily, in a case of p/p+-type or n/n+-type, resistivity decreases along the direction from the center to the peripheral edge).
In the related art, to prevent an occurrence of such autodoping, in-plane uniformity of dopant concentration (and resistivity) is performed by forming in advance a silicon oxide film (SiO2 film, hereinafter, simply referred as oxide film) on a rear surface of the substrate and by performing vapor phase growth while preventing release of dopant from inside of the substrate due to the oxide film.
However, as described above, when vapor phase growth is performed after forming the oxide film in advance on the rear surface of the substrate, a process for forming the oxide film is required, and productivity deteriorates.
Further, to perform in-plane uniformity of dopant concentration, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 223545/1998, a vapor phase growth susceptor with a hole penetrating to a rear surface at an outermost peripheral portion of a pocket (concavity formed in an almost substrate shape; wafer pocket in this publication) arranged to place the substrate in a positioning state is proposed. In this susceptor, in-plane resistivity (and dopant concentration) distribution is not improved so much (resistivity in a case of p/p+-type or n/n+-type has in-plane distribution so as to be considerably lowered along a direction from the center to a peripheral edge portion of an epitaxial wafer; referred to data of a susceptor 100 in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6).
This invention has been accomplished to solve the above problem, and an object of this invention is to provide a susceptor, a vapor phase growth apparatus, an epitaxial wafer manufacturing method and an epitaxial wafer in which in-plane uniformity of dopant concentration and resistivity can be easily obtained.
Another object of this invention is to provide a susceptor and epitaxial wafer manufacturing apparatus and method in which in-plane uniformity of resistivity (dopant concentration) of an epitaxial wafer can be easily obtained without forming in advance an oxide film on a rear surface of a substrate.

Susceptor, vapor phase growth apparatus, epitaxial wafer manufacturing apparatus, epitaxial wafer manufacturing method, and epitaxial wafer


For use in capturing a fingerprint image, an optical fingerprint sensor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the optical fingerprint sensor includes: (1) a light source on a PCB assembly, (2) a diffuser that receives light from the light source, (3) a right angle prism that receives light from the diffuser, (4) a collimating lens that receives light from the prism, (5) a first mirror that receives light from the collimating lens, (6) a second mirror that receives light from the first mirror, (7) a third mirror that receives light from the second mirror, (8) an imaging lens that receives light from the third mirror, and (9) an image sensor on the same PCB assembly as the light source that receives light from the imaging lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed in general to fingerprint capture devices, and more specifically to optical fingerprint capture hardware systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Existing optical fingerprint sensors generally use a right angle prism to Capture the fingerprint image. The characteristic optical path in such sensors is illustrated in FIG. 1. Collimated light rays from a light source pass through one side of the prism. These light rays then travels to the top of the prism where a finger is placed. If a light ray impinges on a location where the finger is not in direct contact with the top of the prism, the light ray undergoes total internal reflection, and emerges through the other side of the prism where it is captured by an imaging sensor that is oriented perpendicular to the light ray. Alternatively, if the light ray impinges on a location where the finger is in direct contact with the top of the prism, the light ray does not undergo total internal reflection but is instead absorbed by the skin. Thus, the optical fingerprint sensor captures a pattern of light and dark bands representing the fingerprint.
As a consequence of the characteristic optical path described above, existing optical fingerprint sensors have the following drawbacks: (1) the sensor module has a large volume thereby limiting the range of commercial applications, (2) the non-planar orientation of the light source and the imaging sensor increases the cost to manufacture the sensor module and also limits commercial applications, and (3) the fingerprint image captured by the image sensor is compressed along one direction by a factor that is an irrational number (the square root of two) necessitating software correction of the fingerprint image which increases the cost to manufacture the sensor module and further limits commercial applications.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,892,599 and 5,629,764 added a holographic phase grating to the prism so that the image capture plane is normal to the optical axis of the imaging lens in order to remove the image distortion. U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,200 added a series of prisms as an alternative means to remove the image distortion. The problem with these approaches is that they necessitate a bulky and expensive sensor module.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,858 used a grating to replace the prism. The problem with this approach is that the fingerprint image quality suffers due to the optical imperfections of the grating.
Accordingly, there is a need for an optical fingerprint sensor that reduces the size and cost of the sensor module while ensuring a high quality of the fingerprint image.
The present invention provides for an optical fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor includes a light source on a PCB; a diffuser that receives light from the light source; a right angle prism that receives light from the diffuser; a collimating lens that receives light from the prism; a first mirror that receives light from the collimating lens; a second mirror that receives light from the first mirror; a third mirror that receives light from the second mirror; an imaging lens that receives light from the third mirror; and an imaging sensor on the same PCB as the light source that receives light from the imaging lens.
Advantageously, the present invention minimizes the volume of the sensor module, enhances the manufacturability of the sensor module, and ensures a high quality of the fingerprint image.
Other structures and methods are disclosed in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims.

Compact optical fingerprint sensor and method


A phase detector receives two input digital signals representing Cartesian coordinates of a vector and outputs a digital signal indicative of the phase angle of the vector. The input digital signals are logarithms of the square of, for example, in-phase and quadrature components of a radar signal and are subtracted in the phase detector to produce a difference signal having a magnitude and a polarity. The polarities of the difference signal and the two information signals are used to determine the octant of the phase angle by addressing a read only memory. The magnitude of the difference signal is used as an address of a read only memory storing digital values corresponding to angles within an octant. The octant output by the first read only memory and the angle output by the second read only memory together indicate the phase angle of the vector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to detection of the phase of a signal and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for detecting a phase angle from two information signals representing in digital form the Cartesian coordinates of the tip of a signal vector.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous situations in which it is necessary to determine the phase of an oscillating signal. For example, determinations of the phase of signals derived from radar echoes are used in extracting the range rate of a target. Phase is also useful in determining the monopulse angle and to reduce the number of bits required for recording data.
Conventionally, radar signals are processed as digital signals after pulse compression representing the real and imaginary, or in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components of a received signal. Known techniques for determining the phase from these signals involve multiplication and division, including squaring some values and taking the square root of others. Thus, a device constructed to perform such calculations in real time requires extremely fast processors or specially constructed arithmetic processors for performing the calculations in hardware. As a result, most conventional radar systems do no utilize calculations of phase angle that are more precise than a determination of the octant of the phase.


The present invention relates to a packaging method comprising the operation of transferring containers to an endless conveyor element moving forward continuously, conveying suspended containers and describing a closed trajectory imposed by a series of rotary diverting elements using to that end a container transferring device assembled on one of the diverting elements of the endless conveyor element, and rotating in a synchronized manner therewith. A device for putting the method into practice comprises a rotary body driving a plurality of clamps guided by mechanisms which can further slow down the displacement of the clamps without changing the rotating speed of the rotary body.

The scope of the invention more specifically relates to packaging systems comprising a packaging module for performing at least two operations on flexible containers arranged in a row which are conveyed in a suspended manner from an endless conveyor element, such as a chain conveyor, for example. The only known example of a packaging module of this type is described in European patent application No. 11382096.
These packaging modules must be fed with empty formed containers. Many proposals for manufacturing empty flexible sachet-type containers or containers of the types having the capacity to remain upright, also called doypack, producing containers that are open at the top and ready to be manipulated, for example, for their subsequent filling and sealing, from one or several bands of flexible, heat sealable material, are known. The containers obtained must be subjected to a transfer operation for feeding the conveyor element of the packaging module. This transfer becomes complicated when the produced empty containers are supplied intermittently, for example, in twos, while the conveyor element moves forward continuously.
Carousel packaging machines use transferring devices which link the container forming modules with the packaging modules and which are arranged to that end between both modules.
Therefore, transferring devices comprising groups of clamps performing alternative back and forth movements between a container production module and a packaging module, for example, are known. These groups of clamps are capable of seizing respective containers located in a static standby or delivery position of the production module and giving them a linear trajectory coinciding with a linear section of the trajectory followed by the container holding means provided to the carousel for releasing them once the containers are secured by said holding means and recovering their starting position to repeat the same operation again.
One objective of the invention is a method and a device which simplifies this transfer operation.
Another objective of the invention is a method and a device which allows reducing the surface necessary for carrying out this transfer operation, and even allows, according to one embodiment, eliminating the surface occupied up until now by the transferring device linking a forming module with a packaging module.
In addition to the operation performed by the transferring devices, the use of an endless conveying element in a packaging module also requires performing the operation of delivering or releasing the end containers. This operation sometimes requires a second transferring device capable of seizing the containers which are conveyed by the conveyor element and arranging them in a delivery location.
One objective of the invention is a method and a device which simplifies this operation, and even allows, in an embodiment variant, performing the two transfer operations, the operation of feeding the endless element and the operation of unloading the endless element by means of a single device.
On the other hand, as suggested above, the container production modules supply the containers intermittently, this means that in the standby position there is a reserve of containers or that these containers remain static while the endless conveyor element moves forward continuously. Likewise, when removing the containers from the conveyor element, they must be slowed down prior to their delivery to prevent container imperfections. Therefore, another objective of the present invention is a device which, in addition to achieving the main objectives of the invention, may be capable of seizing one or more containers at the same time in a static standby position and transferring them to the conveyor element and at the same time removing containers from this conveyor and releasing them in a delivery position with very little or no inertia, all this without changing the packaging module productivity.
Finally, the device must be capable of conferring speed and trajectory coinciding with that of the endless conveyor element to the seized containers and of separating them from one another by a distance equivalent to the distance separating the holding means of each container in the conveyor element.

Method for the continuous manufacture and filling of flexible containers


An apparatus and method that allows information about the product to be transferred to the testing device so that the pertinent tests can be run. After the product is tested and repaired, updated information can be encoded onto the medium and the medium can be stored with the product for later retrieval.

Rechargeable batteries are an important source of clean portable power in a wide variety of electrical applications, including automobiles, boats and electric vehicles. Lead-acid batteries are one form of rechargeable battery that are commonly used to start engines, propel electric vehicles, and to act as a source of back-up power when an external supply of electricity is interrupted. While not particularly energy efficient, due to the weight of lead in comparison to other metals, the technology of lead-acid batteries is mature. As a result, the batteries are cheap, reliable, and readily produced and thus, continue to constitute a substantial portion of the rechargeable batteries being produced today.
The ability of lead-acid batteries to deliver large amounts of electrical power is well known, particularly when associated with the starting and powering of motor vehicles. Because the lead-acid batteries can be depleted of power overtime, such as when they are not in use over a period of time, or when a light in a car is left on for an extended period of time, they need to be recharged and tested. A number of battery testers and chargers have thus been developed to charge and test the lead-acid battery.
Most conventional battery charger/tester is equipped to provide multiple charging rates for charging different size batteries. The multiple charging rates are achieved by varying the charging voltage at the battery terminals, generally by changing the transformer primary/secondary winding ratio. An operator manually selects the rate at which the battery should be charged and also the duration of the charge cycle if the charger is equipped with a timer function.
Many defects found in lead-acid batteries and other types of batteries are the result of poor recharging control in conventional chargers. For example, an operator may undercharge or overcharge the battery at a very high rate resulting in the deterioration of the battery. Overcharging a battery wastes energy, reduces the life of the battery, and may permanently damage the battery. Additionally, conventional battery chargers can also include testers with the appropriate gauges in order to determine the current state of charge in a battery, how long and at what rate a particular battery should be charged, whether it is safe to charge the battery, and whether the battery is capable of accepting a charge.
Once the battery charger/tester is in operation, the operator must return to check the status of the battery to ensure that the battery is charging properly. Because conventional battery requires actual visual inspection of the gauges, the operator can waste valuable time and money to inspect all the batteries that are currently being charged instead of generating money by working on other projects.
During the charging period of the battery, temperature of the battery is an indicator as to how successfully the battery is accepting the charge. Different batteries accept the charge in a number of different ways. For example, some batteries heat up beyond a normal range. Anything beyond this normal range is an indication that the battery is not accepting the charge in an efficient manner. There is a need for a battery/charge tester to include a temperature sensing device, which monitors the device throughout the entire processing charging and testing process. There is a further need to provide the collected temperature data back to the charger to enable it to adjust the charge/test rate of the battery based upon this data.
Information regarding batteries may be useful when servicing batteries and for a number of other reasons. For example, charger/tester chargers used at commercial servicing locations often encounter a wide variety of different batteries. Different batteries may require different techniques for charging or testing. For example, different charge rates, different charging times and other parameters may vary by battery. Because different batteries may require certain servicing techniques, it is useful to be able to quickly identify a certain battery so that various servicing parameters may be changed according to a specific need.
Furthermore, other types of information such as warranty information, service history and the like is desirable to be known at a service facility so that specific problems can be identified when servicing an individual unit. Warranty information such as length of warranty, and identification of individual purchaser may be useful for a variety of reasons, including how to charge a customer having their battery serviced.
As with any commercial endeavor, efficiency is important. Valuable time may be lost entering data into a battery tester/charger using cumbersome techniques. Therefore, a fast and error resistant way of entering information is desired. In addition, for future servicing, it may be desirable to record a history of service done and associated with a battery so when the battery is serviced in the future, it can be determined what work was done on the battery. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a way of quickly and efficiently summarizing work done on a battery in order to speed and improve future servicing. Information about other products that can be tested, analyzed and repaired can also be utilized.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A wireless communications device for IP address negotiations is provided and comprises a wireless module, a connection device, and a processing unit. The wireless module provides wireless communications from and to a service network. The connection device is coupled to the terminal device. The processing unit is coupled to the connection device and the wireless module, receiving an IP address request message from the terminal device via the connection device, and requests an IP address and a DNS address from the service network via the wireless module in response to an IP address request message from the terminal device. Also, the processing unit determines whether allocated IP address and DNS address have been received from the service network, and sends a rejection message to the terminal device to trigger the terminal device to resend the IP address request message in response to determining that the allocated IP address and DNS address have not been received from the service network.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to IP address negotiations, and more particularly, to an apparatus, method, and system to avoid timeouts during IP address negotiations.
2. Description of the Related Art
With growing demand for ubiquitous computing and networking, the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) system which mainly supports circuit-switched services is not longer a satisfactory option for wireless communications. Telecommunication standard groups therefore, has established standards for third generation (3G) wireless communications technologies, such as the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) for the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Multiple Access-2000 (CDMA-2000), and Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TDS-CDMA). 3G wireless communications technologies have been developed based upon Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology. CDMA is a digital radio-frequency (RF) channelization technique defined in the Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronics Industries Association Interim Standard-95 (TIA/EIA IS-95). Wireless communications systems employing the CDMA technology assign a unique code to communication signals and spread these communication signals across a common (wideband) spread spectrum bandwidth. As long as the receiving apparatus in a CDMA system has the correct code, it can successfully detect and select its communication signal from the other signals concurrently transmitted over the same bandwidth. The use of the CDMA technology produces an increase in system traffic capacity, improves overall call quality and noise reduction, and provides a reliable transport mechanism for data service traffic. Thus, 3G wireless communications technologies are directed towards increased data rates, which support large user numbers and data-intensive applications.
In a typical telecommunications environment, a user may use a mobile terminal (MT) that supports any of the 3G wireless communications technologies for ubiquitous computing and networking. An MT generally refers to a portable user equipment, such as a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a smart phone. However, other type of devices may be incorporated with an MT to provide various controls and/or management over the wireless communications networks. A well-known scenario is to incorporate a terminal equipment (TE) with an MT to obtain the wireless communications services via the MT. The TE may be a Personal Computer (PC), a laptop, or a palmtop computer. FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communications system of such scenario. A system 100 allows a TE 110 to communicate with a service network 130 via an MT 120. The service network 130 can provide wireless connectivity of at least one of the circuit-switched and packet-switched services to the MT 120. In addition, the service network 130 may be connected to other networks, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or wireline/wireless packet data networks, via a Gi interface. The communications interface between the MT 120 and the service network 130 is a wireless interface Um, and the TE 110 is electronically coupled to the MT 120 via an R interface. The R interface may be a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART), a Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, or others. The communication over the R interface may employ a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), which is a commonly used data link protocol for establishing a direct connection between two networking nodes and is widely supported in numerous operating systems. PPP at the TE 110 and the MT 120 comply with the following specifications: IETF STD 51 (RFC 1661, RFC 1662), RFC 1570, RFC 1989, RFC 1332 for IPv4, and optionally RFC 2472 for IPv6. Alternatively, the TE 110 and the MT 120 may be integrated into a single unit or device.
In system 100, when requiring the packet domain access to the Internet, the TE 110 may use PPP to connect to the service network 130 via the MT 120 and obtain an IP address and some Domain Name Server (DNS) addresses (two addresses in typical). FIG. 2 shows a message sequence chart depicting Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) negotiations in a wireless communications system using the General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (GPRS/UMTS) based technology. To begin with, a Link Control Protocol (LCP) negotiation is performed between the TE 110 and the MT 120 to set the configuration of the interfaces at each end, such as setting a datagram size, escaped characters, and magic numbers, and for selecting an authentication protocol, such as Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), Password Authentication Protocol (PAP), or 'none' (step S210). The MT 120 may negotiate for a CHAP as a first priority. Subsequently, if necessary, the selected authentication algorithm is performed between the TE 110 and the MT 120 (step S220). During the authentication, the TE 110 authenticates itself towards the MT 120 by means of the selected authentication protocol. The MT 120 stores the necessary authentication data and sends a forced positive acknowledgement of the authentication to the TE 110. If 'none' is selected as the authentication protocol, no authentication is performed subsequent to the LCP negotiation. After a successful authentication, the TE 110 initiates an IPCP Negotiation to request an IP configuration by sending an IPCP CONFIG REQ message to the MT 120 indicating that either a static or a dynamic IP address and DNS addresses are to be allocated (step S230). Upon receiving the IPCP CONFIG REQ message, the MT 120 sends an ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT REQ message to the service network 130, including the protocol configuration options (step S240). Accordingly, the service network 130 determines whether to accept the request based on the protocol configuration options in the ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT REQ message. If the request is accepted, the service network 130 sends an ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT ACC message, including the allocated IP address and DNS address, to the MT 120 (step S250). Upon receiving the ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT ACC message, the MT 120 includes the allocated IP address and DNS address in an IPCP CONFIG NACK message, and sends the IPCP CONFIG NACK message to the TE 110 (step S260). Upon receiving the IPCP CONFIG NACK message, the TE 110 sends another IPCP CONFIG REQ message to the MT 120 including the allocated IP address and DNS address (step S270). At last, the MT 120 replies with an IPCP CONFIG ACK message to the TE 110 to confirm the IPCP CONFIG REQ message (step S280). Thus, the link from the TE 110 to the external ISP/Intranet is established and IP packets may be exchanged.
However, there are situations that the consummation of the IPCP Negotiation may be obstructed due to operational delays. For example, the transceiving rate between the MT 120 and the service network 130 may be slower than that between the TE 110 and the MT 120. Thus, the IP address request from the TE 110 may not be granted or may expire because the MT 120 has not completed the address negotiations on the Um interface to render an IP address from the service network 130. Another example of an operational delay occurs when the service network 130 has to get the IP address from some other entity before it can pass the IP address to the MT 120. In doing so, there may be several seconds of delay before the MT 120 receives the IP address. Although the TE 110 is capable of waiting for the MT 120 to eventually render an IP address from the service network 130, there may be an implementation-specific timer for the TE 110. As shown in FIG. 3, if the MT 120 has not replied with an IPCP CONFIG ACK message before a timeout occurs (or the timer expires), the TE 110 may resend the IPCP CONFIG REQ message to the MT 120 (step S310 and S320). The resending of the IPCP CONFIG REQ message may be repeated as many times as configured until an IPCP CONFIG ACK message is received by the TE 110. After a waiting time limit of 12 seconds, for example, has been reached, the resent IPCP CONFIG REQ message would no longer include the request for DNS addresses (step S330). It is noted that, in other operating systems or configurations, the waiting time limit may be longer or shorter than 12 seconds. Next, when receiving an ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT ACC message after the waiting time limit, the MT 120 would send an IPCP CONFIG NACK message, including only the IP address, to the TE 110 (step S340). Without a DNS address, the TE 110 can not use DNS services. As DNS services are one of the major services on the Internet, the delay may cause increased unsuccessful rate for establishing access connections between the TE 110 and DNS service providers. It is required to provide methods, systems or apparatuses to tolerate the delay during IPCP Negotiations to increase the successful rate of connection establishment.

Apparatus, method, and system for IP address negotiations


Disclosed is a simple and easy to use device for stabilizing the position of a frame or other object hanging on a wall. The invention includes a small flat panel or medium having a pointed pin or other fastener protruding from one surface. An adhesive is provided on the opposite surface. The invention is designed for use in conjunction with a frame that has already been prepared for hanging on a wall (i.e., a hook, wire, bracket or other hanging means has already been attached to the frame). The device is installed by removing the frame from the wall and placing it face down on a flat surface. The adhesive surface of the invention is then affixed to the back of the frame, preferably near the bottom, such that the pointed pin is protruding up and away from the frame. The frame with device installed is then taken to the wall and hanged. Next, the frame is adjusted and straightened so that it is in the desired position. Once this position is attained, pressure is applied to the front of the frame in the vicinity of the invention causing the pin to be pushed into the wall, thereby holding the frame in place.

The present invention relates to wall hanging frames, and more particularly to a new and improved device for stabilizing the position of a picture frame hanging on a wall.
It is common to decorate interior and exterior walls by hanging things on them. Typical room decorations include such things as pictures, photographs, artwork and certificates which are usually mounted in decorative frames. These decorative frames may be hanged from the wall using one of several common devices.
One such device is a wire strung between two screw eyes that are attached to the back of the frame. A screw or nail is partially inserted into the wall, and the wire is placed over the head thereof. The position of the frame may then be adjusted by sliding the wire over the head. Another common frame hanging device is a metal bracket having a sawtooth bottom edge which is attached to the back of the top horizontal member of the frame. An opening or slot on the bottom edge of the bracket is placed over the head of the nail in the wall. Adjustment may be made by sliding along the bottom edge or selecting a different opening or slot in the bracket. In some cases, the frame molding itself or a slot carved therein is simply placed over the head of the nail in the wall.
Regardless of the frame hanging device selected, the position of the frame is invariably subject to movement as a result of such things as cleaning, dusting and the opening and closing of nearby doors. Every time such movement occurs, it becomes necessary to realign and straighten the frame. This can become a time consuming nuisance. It is therefore desirable to provide a device for stabilizing the position of a wall hanging frame.
One such device is a flat one-piece metallic member having a pair of spikes protruding out from one side, and a single spike protruding out from the opposite side. This device has several limitations. First, since it uses spikes it is only usable with wooden frames. It is unsuited for frames made of metal, porcelain, glass or other similar materials. In addition, the spikes are relatively large and are therefore likely to cause damage to the frame or the wall or both.


A starting system for an internal combustion engine comprising a pressure medium source, means for connecting the pressure medium source to at least two of the cylinders of the engine, a starting valve in connection with each cylinder that is connected to the pressure medium source for controlling the admission of the pressure medium into the cylinder, a control unit for controlling the operation of the starting valves, and an absolute rotary encoder for determining the crank angle of the engine. The system further comprises coupling means arranged between the engine and the absolute rotary encoder for releasably coupling the encoder to the engine. The invention also concerns a method for starting an internal combustion engine and an internal combustion engine.

Large internal combustion engines that are used for instance in ships and power plants are usually started by using pressurized air that is injected sequentially into the cylinders of the engine for rotating the crankshaft. It is desirable to minimize the amount of starting air that is needed for starting an engine. Pressurized starting air needs to be stored in large air receivers that require a lot of space. The energy needed for pressurizing the starting air is usually taken from the engine itself, and it is therefore also desirable to minimize the energy consumption for this purpose.
To minimize the consumption of starting air, it is important to select the most suitable cylinder for the initial starting air injection. To be able to do this, the crank angle of the engine must be determined. Engines are often equipped with crank angle sensors that can be used for instance for determining correct fuel injection timing. These sensors are usually incremental encoders, which determine the crank angle on the basis of detection of a reference mark and angular changes of the crankshaft. This means that the crank angle cannot be determined when the engine is at rest. One method for determining the crank angle is to rotate the engine before start so that a reference mark passes the crank angle sensor and the absolute crank angle is thus known. Then the engine has to be rotated further into a starting position. A drawback of this method is that the method is time consuming and a lot of energy is needed. Due to vibrations, the method can also be inaccurate.
An alternative way is to use an absolute rotary encoder to determine the crank angle of the engine. With an absolute rotary encoder, the exact crank angle of the engine can be determined even when the engine is at rest. Patent application US 2007005222 A1 discloses an air start-up system for an internal combustion engine. The system comprises solenoid-controlled starting valves in connection with each cylinder of the engine for introducing starting air into the cylinders. An absolute rotary encoder is used to detect the angular position and rotational speed of the engine for determining the correct timing and duration of starting air injection.
A problem with absolute rotary encoders is that they are fragile and not intended for extended periods of rotation at high speed. Therefore, the lifetime of an absolute rotary encoder is often very limited.

Starting of an internal combustion engine


An animal excrement picker includes a handle and shank with a picker at the lower end defined by an array of support bars fixed in a plane at right angles to the shank. Each bar carries a plurality of spikes extending downwardly therefrom; in an array of generally parallel spikes in generally parallel rows and columns for engaging into and holding thereon an excrement element. A push member is operable to move longitudinally of the spikes for discarding the element from the spikes and is defined by a plurality of spaced parallel discard bars with each bar extending in a space between two parallel rows of the spikes so as to be movable along the spikes to push the element off the spikes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,681 (Laroche) issued Dec. 27, 1983 discloses an animal excrement picker which includes a handle with an elongated shank portion with a plate secured to the lower end thereof; a plurality of spikes are mounted to this plate and are enclosed in a housing that includes a top wall and a downwardly extending peripheral side wall; inside the housing, a perforated plate is provided with a series of openings, each in axial alignment with a respective spike; the top wall of the housing has a collar portion which frictionally engages the shank portion of the handle so that the spikes will remain in a lowermost position after having picked an excrement; a metallic plate may be added to the picker housing to close the open end thereof and is fixed thereto by means of magnets mounted to the side wall of the housing
The above design does not allow a visual placement of the element to be picked so that both picking and discarding are done blindly. It is not therefore visible whether the element has been properly picked up or that it has been fully ejected without having to turn the unit upside-down to inspect it.
The picker disclosed herein is more cost effective to manufacture/produce than the above prior art. The prior art device would cost a lot more to produce and is more difficult to operate and clean thoroughly.


Provided is a pipe retaining device, for a pipe fitting, which has a simple structure but is capable of further improving a detachment preventing force for a pipe without inserting an inner core. The pipe retaining device includes an inclination mechanism (7) configured to incline a retaining ring (3A) in a pipe axis direction with respect to a reference plane (P) orthogonal to a central axis of a ring body (30A), such that each circumferential end portion (30x) of the ring body (30A) is caused to be closer to a fitting body (2) and a circumferential center portion (30y) of the ring body (30A) is moved away from the fitting body (2), when each retaining ring connecting portion (32) and each facing portion (54) come into contact with each other. A first surface (56), facing the retaining ring connecting portion (32), of each facing portion (54) is parallel to a reference plane P. Respective second surfaces (34a, 34b), facing the facing portion (54), of a plurality of the retaining ring connecting portions (32) are located within the same inclined plane (PI) inclined in the pipe axis direction with respect to the reference plane (P). An interval (B) between the first surface (56) and the inclined plane (PI) becomes larger from the circumferential end portions (30x) toward the circumferential center portion (30y).

Conventionally, as a pipe retaining device for a pipe fitting as described above, for example, one described in PATENT DOCUMENT 1 is known. In the conventional pipe retaining device, as shown in FIG. 28, when a pulling force is generated in a pipe axis direction X at a joint pipe 100, a flat surface of each retaining ring connecting portion 32′ of a retaining ring 3′ and a flat surface of each flange portion 54′ of connecting means 5′ come into contact with each other to oppose the pulling force. In the conventional pipe retaining device, an inner core may be inserted into the joint pipe in order to improve a detachment preventing force for the pipe. However, further improving the detachment preventing force for the pipe without inserting the inner core in order to improve workability has been desired.


A system and a method for monitoring the integrity of code are provided. Dummy code is provided in an on demand decryption area of an object file while runtime code is provided elsewhere (and may be in the same object file or another object file). A compensation area is also provided which is initially blank. During execution, checksums can be calculated based on the result of an exclusive or (XOR) operation between contents of the on demand code decryption area and a compensation area such as a compensation area. As the runtime code populates the on demand code decryption area with the runtime code (potentially with the exception of areas masked to maintain integrity of relocation instructions allowed to remain in the dummy code) the compensation area is populated with the result of an XOR operation between the dummy code and the runtime code. As a result, the checksums will be the same throughout execution as long as integrity of the code has not been compromised.

Software can be subject to malicious attack by external parties, such as reverse engineering attacks. In view of this, various techniques have been developed to protect software from such attacks.
An example of such a technique is known as "on-demand code decryption". According to this technique, some elements, or "chunks", of the code are delivered in an encrypted form. These are decrypted just prior to execution and then purged afterwards. This can in particular mitigate static analysis techniques which examine the code without executing it. Static analysis techniques include multiple variations and typically involve disassembling machine code.
Another technique for the protection of code against tampering are integrity checks using checksums (which can also be referred to as "fingerprints"). A checksum/fingerprint can be carried out for a piece of code and if this does not match an expected value then potential tampering can be inferred. However, in the context of on demand code decryption, the code in a particular area is modified during execution, which can imply a variation in the checksum in the absence of any tampering.


The invention includes a method and system for wirelessly transmitting data between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit. The method comprises generating control signals to configure a base transceiver station to transmit selected data streams to a corresponding subscriber unit on an assigned channel of a multiple access protocol, transmitting in response to the control signals and in a spatially separate fashion, the selected data streams on the assigned channel of the multiple access protocol and utilizing co-located electric dipole and magnetic dipole antennae at the subscriber unit to receive the selected data streams. The system comprises means for generating control signals to configure a base transceiver station to transmit selected data streams to a corresponding subscriber unit on an assigned channel of a multiple access protocol, means for transmitting in response to the control signals and in a spatially separate fashion, selected data streams on the assigned channel of the multiple access protocol and means for utilizing co-located electric dipole and magnetic dipole antennae at the subscriber unit to receive the selected data streams.

Wireless communication systems commonly include information carrying modulated carrier signals that are wirelessly transmitted from a transmission source (for example, a base transceiver station) to one or more subscribers (for example, subscriber units) within an area or region.
Spatial Multiplexing
Spatial multiplexing is a transmission technology that exploits multiple antennae at both the base transceiver station and at the subscriber units to increase the bit rate in a wireless radio link with no additional power or bandwidth consumption. Under certain conditions, spatial multiplexing offers a linear increase in spectrum efficiency with the number of antennae. The substreams occupy the same channel of a multiple access protocol, the same time slot in a time-division multiple access protocol, the same frequency slot in frequency-division multiple access protocol, the same code sequence in code-division multiple access protocol or the same spatial target location in space-division multiple access protocol. The substreams are applied separately to the transmit antennae and transmitted through a radio channel. Due to the presence of various scattering objects in the environment, each signal experiences multipath propagation.
The composite signals resulting from the transmission are finally captured by an array of receiving antennae with random phase and amplitudes. At the subscriber array, a spatial signature of each of the received signals is estimated. Based on the spatial signatures, a signal processing technique is applied to separate the signals, recovering the original substreams.
FIG. 1 shows three transmitter antenna arrays 110, 120, 130. The transmitter antenna arrays 110, 120, 130 transmit data symbols to a subscriber antenna array 140. Each transmitter antenna array includes spatially separate antennae or cross polarization configuration. A subscriber connected to the subscriber antenna array 140 separates the received signals.
FIG. 2 shows modulated carrier signals traveling from a transmitter 210 to a subscriber 220 following many different (multiple) transmission paths.
Multipath can include a composition of a primary signal plus duplicate or echoed images caused by reflections of signals off objects between the transmitter and subscriber. The subscriber may receive the primary signal sent by the transmitter, but also receives secondary signals that are reflected off objects located in the signal path. The reflected signals arrive at the subscriber later than the primary signal. Due to this misalignment, the multipath signals can cause intersymbol interference or distortion of the received signal.
The actual received signal can include a combination of a primary signal and several reflected signals. Because the distance traveled by the original signal is shorter than the reflected signals, the signals are received at different times. The time difference between the first received and the last received signal is called the delay spread and can be as great as several microseconds.
The multiple paths traveled by the modulated carrier signal typically result in fading of the modulated carrier signal. Fading causes the modulated carrier signal to attenuate in amplitude when multiple paths cancel.
Communication Diversity
Antenna diversity is a technique used in multiple antenna-based communication system to reduce the effects of multi-path fading. Antenna diversity can be obtained by providing a transmitter and/or a subscriber with two or more antennae. These multiple antennae imply multiple channels that suffer from fading in a statistically independent manner. Therefore, when one channel is fading due to the destructive effects of multi-path interference, another of the channels is unlikely to be suffering from fading simultaneously. By virtue of the redundancy provided by these independent channels, a subscriber can often reduce the detrimental effects of fading.
In order to implement the spatial multiplexing/communication diversity technology, multiple antennae within a group have to be separated by a small distance, which could be as small as half the radio wavelength if they are located at the subscriber unit, or several wavelengths, if they are at the base station. Depending on the frequency band used by the wireless network, the wavelength is about one-eighth of a meter. As a result, multiple antennae cannot be used in palm-sized devices due to size constraints.
It is desirable to have a method and system that provides receive diversity without having to use spatially separate antennae. It is desirable that the method and system be simple, cost effective and capable of being easily adapted to existing technology. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for transmitting data between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit


In a digital video signal processing system disclosed, a plurality of programmable processor units (21(01) to 21(16)) each receive two different video signals, process the video signal in accordance with a program, and output the result of the signal processing. A network section (20) receives the output data signals from the plurality of programmable processor units (21(01) to 21(16)) and a plurality of video signals (A1, A2) from exterior, and supplies the received signals to the plurality of programmable processor units (21(01) to 21(16)), and leadouts any one of the produced signals or input video signals. The network section (20) is capable of freely altering a connection pattern of the plurality of programmable processor units (21(01) to 21(16)). The programmable processor units (21(01) to 21(16)) may have signal processing functions as defined by applied programs.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital video signal processing system in use for broadcasting signal processing equipment in a broadcasting station, for example.
Generally, a digital video signal processing system installed in a broadcasting station is made up of individual units with different signal processing functions. In this type of the system, the signal processing may be categorized into the following three items A to C.
(A) Picture quality correction PA0 (B) Image effects PA0 (C) Image processing
Gamma (.gamma.) correction, color correction, noise reduce, contour correction
Dissolve (Dis), Super, Wipe, shrink, enlargement, rotation, chromakey
Luminance/color separation, luminance/color combining, sync separation
In a conventional broadcasting equipment, the digital processing system is assembled into a plurality of units. Each unit contains circuitry having the signal processing function as indicated by each of the above items. With such an assemblage, the larger the number of items, the larger the number of units. In this case, therefore, the broadcasting equipment becomes a large system as a whole. Design and maintenance of such a large system is complicated and difficult. Additional difficulties exist in setting up an intended system by combining those units.


A network security system comprises a plurality of sensors, a management server, and a data collection module. The plurality of sensors receive first data associated with potential attacks on the system. The manager server is coupled to at least one sensor and correlates at least a portion of the first data to detect potential attacks on the system. The data collection module is coupled to the manager server and generates at least one request for second data based upon at least one of the first data and the correlated data. The data collection module communicates the request to at least one source different from the plurality of sensors.

Intrusion detection systems are used by an enterprise to detect and identify unauthorized or unwanted use (commonly called an attack) of the enterprise's computer network, which normally comprises a large number of nodes and network operations centers. In general, these enterprise intrusion detection systems receive data using sensors or other intrusion detection devices. The system then scans the incoming data for specific patterns in network traffic, audit trails, and other data sources to detect malicious activity. The data that is received in the input stream is passively gathered. In other words, traditional intrusion detection systems are reactive in the sense that they wait for data to be sent to it before performing any sort of correlation or other data processing. As a result, certain additional data that may be useful in detecting malicious activity may not be considered by the system.

System and method for active data collection in a network security system


A method for diagnosing impairments of a subject's gaze stabilization system is provided. The method includes measuring the subject's static visual acuity to obtain an assessment, setting at least one test parameter based on the assessment, measuring the subject's dynamic visual acuity using the test parameters to obtain a first dynamic measurement and a second dynamic measurement, and determining an impairment of the subject's gaze stabilization system using the assessment and the first and second dynamic measurements.

In subjects with chronic balance disorders, approaches to medical treatment based on drugs and surgery can be effective in stabilizing the pathological processes that cause the disorders. In such subjects, these approaches can sometimes stabilize but seldom fully resolve the underlying pathological manifestations of the balance problem. Once the underlying pathological processes are medically stable, however, rehabilitation exercises frequently prove effective in reducing many of the disabling symptoms and functional problems associated with chronic balance disorders. Hence, effective treatment of chronic balance disorders typically employs combinations of medical and rehabilitation exercise treatments.
In selecting medical treatments most likely to stabilize underlying pathological processes, clinicians first determine the location, nature, and extent of the underlying pathological process. To make pathological determinations, clinicians typically rely on the results of the subject history and physical examination to develop diagnostic hypotheses, and then use site-of-lesion laboratory tests to confirm or rule out their hypotheses. In designing effective rehabilitation exercise programs, in contrast, clinicians require additional knowledge of the subject's functional impairments and adaptive response capabilities. For this reason, objective tests that isolate and quantify the functional impairments associated with balance disorders complement the information provided by site-of-lesion tests and complete the clinical information necessary for effective treatment planning and outcome documentation.
To develop methods and devices for isolating and quantifying functional impairments of the balance system, it is first necessary to understand the functional organization of the balance system. The balance system includes a number of processes that may be grouped into distinct but interdependent systems—one responsible for gaze stabilization and the other responsible for postural stabilization. The gaze stabilization system maintains the gaze direction of the eyes relative to surrounding visual targets as the subject or targets moves within the subject's environment. Information useful in managing patients with chronic balance disorders may be provided by assessing their ability to maintain dynamic visual acuity. Dynamic visual acuity refers to a subject's ability to accurately perceive a visual object while either the subject moves and the visual object is fixed, the visual object moves and the subject is fixed, or the subject and the visual object are moving independently. When the subject and/or the visual object are moving, subjects whose gaze control system functions normally can maintain their visual acuity by continuously moving their eyes to stabilize their direction of gaze relative to the visual object. Stabilizing the direction of gaze while a person moves maintains their visual acuity during activities involving active head and body movements. When individuals with impaired gaze stabilization participate in activities involving self-motion and moving objects in the surrounds, moving objects may appear blurred while stationary objects may become blurry and sometimes appear to be in motion.
Individuals with normal visual function achieve their best visual acuity when the viewed visual object is focused on a position fixed on the fovea, a small region located at the approximate center of the retina of the eye. The fovea contains the highest density or concentration of visual or cone receptors. Acuity is substantially reduced when the position of an object is displaced more than a few degrees of visual angle from the center of the fovea, and/or when the object is moving faster than two degrees per second. However, the time it takes the brain to perceive an object is short, and these precise position and velocity requirements need to be maintained for no longer than approximately 25 milliseconds for accurate perception to occur. In subjects with a history of brain disorders, two examples being stroke and traumatic brain injury, the minimum time for accurate perception to occur may be substantially increased to 100 milliseconds or more.
A detailed discussion of gaze stabilization may be found in "Disorders of the Vestibular System" edited by Robert W. Baloh and G. Michael Halmagyi and published by Oxford University Press, New York, in 1996 (Chapter 3 How Does the Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Work?, and Chapter 6, How Does the Visual System Interact with the Vestibulo-ocular Reflex?), both chapters of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In summary, gaze is stabilized on visual objects under a wide variety of subject and object movement combinations encountered in daily life through the cooperative interactions of five movement control systems: (1) the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) system; (2) the smooth pursuit eye movement system; (3) the saccadic movement system; (4) the optokinetic movement system; and (5) the vergence eye movement system. Because the gaze stabilization system is highly adaptive, which one or combination of control systems is used varies depending on the specific conditions of the subject and visual object motion.
A number of research studies have examined the dynamic visual acuity of subjects exposed to visual objects while the subject and/or the visual target were moving. These studies were primarily concentrated on the ability of the VOR system to stabilize a subject's gaze when the subject moves and the visual object is fixed. For example, a series of studies by Demer and colleagues quantified the ability of subjects to accurately perceive fixed visual targets in the presence of active and passive head rotations. However, because isolating and quantifying the functional performance of the individual eye movement control systems were not goals in these studies, they did not disclose methods for displaying and moving visual objects that can achieve reliable isolation of the performance of individual eye movement control systems.
Aznar-Casanova et al. (2005) examined the effects of moving a relatively large visual area at different fixed velocities on the minimum spatial frequencies that could be perceived by their subjects. However, their subjects were exposed to predictably moving visual fields for periods as long as 14 seconds. Because predictable visual object motions were used, their methods could not be used to reliably isolate (predictive) saccadic eye movements from the smooth pursuit and optokinetic movements. Haarmeier and Thieer (1999) examined the visual acuity of normal subjects and patients viewing visual objects smoothly moving over a range of velocities. However, the direction of object movements was always to the right and the acuity test always administered 250 milliseconds following the onset of movement. Because several features of visual object motions were predictable, subjects may have been able to substitute predictive saccadic movements.

Diagnosing and training the gaze stabilization system