A light emitting heterostructure including a partially relaxed semiconductor layer is provided. The partially relaxed semiconductor layer can be included as a sublayer of a contact semiconductor layer of the light emitting heterostructure. A dislocation blocking structure also can be included adjacent to the partially relaxed semiconductor layer.

For light emitting devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and especially deep ultraviolet LEDs (DUV LEDs), minimizing a dislocation density and a number of cracks in the semiconductor layers increases the efficiency of the device. To this extent, several approaches have sought to grow low-defect semiconductor layers on patterned substrates. These approaches typically rely on reducing stresses present in epitaxially grown semiconductor layers.
For example, one approach to reduce stress accumulation in an epitaxially grown layer relies on patterning the underlying substrate using microchannel epitaxy (MCE). Using MCE, a narrow channel is used as a nucleation center containing low defect information from the substrate. An opening in a mask acts as a microchannel, which transfers crystal information to the overgrown layer, while the mask prevents dislocations from transferring to the overgrown layer.
Other approaches rely on epitaxially growing a group III nitride based semiconductor superlattice. The superlattice structure mitigates the strain difference between an aluminum nitride (AlN)/sapphire template and the subsequent thick AlxGa1-xN (where 0≤x≤1) layers. For devices such as DUV LEDs, thick AlGaN epitaxial layers (e.g., of the order of a few micrometers) are desirable to reduce current crowding. Using a superlattice approach, an AlN/AlGaN superlattice was grown to reduce biaxial tensile strain and a 3.0-μm-thick Al0.2Ga0.8N was grown on sapphire without any cracks. Similarly, a superlattice structure shown in FIG. 1A can comprise a periodic structure with each element 2A-2D composed of alternating sublayers of semiconductor materials with different polarizations and different accumulated stresses in the sublayers. Such a superlattice can be used to minimize the dislocation density due to varying stresses in the sublayers of the superlattice elements.
While the superlattice approaches allow some control of tensile and compressive stresses in epitaxially grown nitride semiconductor layers, the approaches do not enable epitaxial growth of nitride based semiconductor layers with uniform composition. To grow such layers, variation of nitrogen and aluminum vacancies has been explored. For example, a migration enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition epitaxial growth technique (with an NH3 pulse-flow) can be used to grow high-quality AlN layers. Variation of growth modes can be used to reduce threading dislocations. Additionally, FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate another approach for fabricating AlN multilayer buffers according to the prior art. In this case, a pulsing NH3 gas flow rate is used to control crack propagation and threading dislocations in the semiconductor layers. FIG. 1B shows the gas flow sequence used for NH3 pulse-flow growth, while FIG. 1C shows a schematic structure of the AlN buffer. In a first step, an AlN nucleation layer and an initial AlN layer are deposited using NH3 pulse-flow growth. A low threading dislocation density was achieved by a coalescence process of the AlN nucleation layer. For example, as observed from a cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) image, edge-type and screw-type dislocation densities of an AlGaN layer on an AlN buffer layer were reported as 3.2×109 and 3.5×108 cm−2, respectively.
In another approach disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,080,833, relaxation of some semiconductor layers has been proposed. In particular, this approach seeks to relax the p-type contact layer due to a high GaN content, and therefore a high lattice mismatch. FIG. 1D shows the proposed schematics of the layer, where defects 3A-3C are shown within the relaxed p-type cap layer 4.

Light emitting heterostructure with partially relaxed semiconductor layer


A new and distinct hybrid of Sedum plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by medium deep red purple flowers in very large inflorescences, dusky, dark leaves, strong, upright stems, and a medium, clumping habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum and given the cultivar name of 'Thunderhead'. Sedum is in the family Crassulaceae. Sedum 'Thunderhead' originated from a planned breeding program to produce hybrids with dark leaves, short stems and large inflorescences. Sedum 'Thunderhead' originated from a cross between an unnamed, proprietary, an unpatented Sedum telephium 2-5 as the seed parent and Sedum spectabile 'Neon', unpatented, as the pollen parent.
Compared to the seed parent Sedum telephium 2-5, the new cultivar is has much larger inflorescences with better flower color, and larger, lighter colored leaves.
Compared to the pollen parent, Sedum spectabile 'Neon', the new cultivar, has leaves that are a dusky gray green color rather than yellow green.
Compared to Sedum 'Class Act' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,125), the new variety is taller with leaves that dark rather than green with dark margins. The flowers of the new variety are smaller in larger, denser, and flatter inflorescences. The flowers of the new variety are more purple in color.
Compared to Sedum 'Beach Party', (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,810), the new variety is larger in habit, and has darker leaves and flowers.
This new and unique Sedum is distinguished by:                1. medium deep red purple flowers in very large inflorescences,        2. dusky, dark leaves,        3. strong, upright stems, and        4. a medium, clumping habit.
This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.


A process for the preparation of a methylpolysilane having a controllable rheology, including a controllable glass transition temperature is provided which includes the steps of heating together at least one alkoxy-functional disilane selected from the group consisting of disilane having three and four alkoxy groups bonded to the silicon atoms, and mixtures thereof, with an amount of a dialkoxy disilane effective to control the glass transition temperature of the resulting polymer within the range of from about 0.degree. to about 200.degree. C. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst which is a source of alkoxide ions to catalyze the redistribution reaction. The redistribution reaction produces oligomer and longer chain polymeric silanes having greater than seven silicon atoms in the polymer chain. Methylpolysilanes formed in accordance with the practice of the present invention may then be readily formed into fibers by a conventional spinning process. Alternatively, the methylpolysilanes of the present invention may also find use as binders, coatings, and films for ceramic compositions. The methylpolysilanes may be pyrolyzed to form ceramic compositions.

The present invention relates to the preparation of methylpolysilanes having controllable rheologies, and more particularly to a method of preparing such methylpolysilanes by a catalyzed redistribution of alkoxydisilanes, and the methylpolysilanes produced thereby.
In recent years, workers in the art have developed procedures for the preparation of silicon carbide ceramic materials from polymeric silane precursors such as methylpolysilanes. Silicon carbide possesses a number of desirable properties such as chemical inertness, semiconducting properties, extreme hardness and stability at very high temperatures. Accordingly, silicon carbide ceramics have found use in electrical heating units, furnace walls, mufflers, abrasives, rocket nozzles, and automotive and turbine engine parts. Further, it has been found that the use of polymeric precursors permits the formation of fibers and thin films or coatings of silicon carbide which were heretofore extremely difficult to form using inorganic sources of silicon carbide.
Where the ceramic precursor polymers are to be spun into fibers, it is highly desirable that such polymers have rheology characteristics which make them amenable to conventional dry or melt fiber spinning technologies. While the molecular weight of a polymer will have some effect on its suitability for spinning, the glass transition temperature of the polymer is a strong indicator of the suitability of a given polymer for spinning into fibers. Generally, it is desirable that a polymer which is to be spun have a glass transition temperature in the range of 50.degree. to 200.degree. C. and most preferably from 70.degree. to 150.degree. C.
Baney et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,651, teach a procedure for the preparation of methylpolysilanes having halogen substituents through a catalyzed redistribution reaction utilizing tetrabutylphosphonium chloride as the catalyst. The Baney et al process has the advantage of being able to utilize as a starting material the process residue from the direct synthesis of organochlorosilanes. Direct synthesis of organochlorosilanes involves passing the vapor of an organic chloride over heated silicon and a catalyst. See, Eaborn, Organosilicon Compounds, Butterworths Scientific Publications. 1960, page 1. This residue contains a mixture of di-, tri-, and tetra-substituted halodisilanes.
However, the halogen substituents on the methylpolysilanes of the Baney et al process have resulted in some difficulties in handling the compositions which tend to auto-ignite when exposed to oxygen or moisture. Moreover, pyrolysis of the compositions releases large quantities of corrosive HCl or HBr gases which must be handled and properly disposed of. Additionally, the methylpolysilanes of the Baney et al process result in polymers having a fixed glass transition temperature. That is, depending upon the starting materials, each of those polymers have a certain glass transition temperature which cannot be modified to make the polymers more amenable to dry or melt spinning procedures.
Baney et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,558, teach an improved procedure which converts the halogen substituents on the methylpolysilanes to alkoxy or phenoxy substituents. However, the improved procedure still requires a two step process of converting halodisilanes to halo-substituted methylpolysilanes and then converting the halogen substituents to alkoxy or phenoxy-substituted compositions. However, the derivatization of these polymers does not provide an effective method for modifying or controlling their glass transition temperatures.
Other workers have attempted to produce methylpolysilanes by a single step redistribution reaction using methoxydisilane starting materials. For example, Ryan et al, 84 J. Amer.Chem.Soc. 4730 (1962), reported the redistribution of 1,1,2,2-tetramethoxy-1,2-dimethyldisilane to higher polysilanes in the presence of sodium metal. Watanabe et al, in a series of published reports, taught that metal alkoxide catalysts could be used in the redistribution reaction. See, e.g., Watanabe et al, J.C.S. Chem. Comm. (1977) 534; Watanabe et al, J.C.S. Chem. Comm. (1977) 704; Watanabe et al, 128 J. Organometallic Chem. 173 (1977); Watanabe et al, J.C.S. Chem. Comm.. (1978) 1029; Watanabe et al, 218 J. Organometallic Chem. 27 (1981); and Watanabe et al, 244 J. Organometallic Chem. 329 (1983).
Atwell et al, 7 J. Organometallic Chem. 71 (1967), have also reported the redistribution of alkoxy disilanes to higher organopolysilanes. However, in the Watanabe and Atwell reports, the higher organopolysilane was either uncharacterized, unidentified, or was of a low molecular weight (less than 6 silicon atoms in the chain).
More recently, Frey et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,046 teach a method for preparing higher molecular weight methylpolysilanes by reacting a trialkoxysubstituted disilane, and optionally a tetraalkoxysubstituted disilane, with a silane having at least one silicon to hydrogen bond in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide catalyst. The methylpolysilanes are taught to be useful as negative photoresist coatings and ceramic precursors. However, Frey does not teach the ability to modify or control the rheology characteristics of the methylpolysilanes so produced.
Accordingly, the need still exists in the art for a process for the preparation of ceramic precursor polymers which have controllable rheologies, including controllable glass transition temperatures.

Methylpolysilanes having controllable rheology and method for their preparation


A system for measuring energy consumption including a plurality of devices of which at least a subset includes a communication unit for supplying operating status information indicating an actual operating status with respect to an actual energy consumption of the associated one of the plurality of devices. A meter measures a total energy consumption of the plurality of devices. A controller calculates an individual energy consumption of a particular one of the plurality of devices from a change of the total energy consumption occurring at a change of the operating status of the particular one of the plurality of devices.

Climate change and global warming are key issues. Consequently, a requirement exists to supervise energy consumption. Currently, in a standard household, electricity metering is done by a single meter which measures the sum of the energy consumption of all energy consuming devices in the household. The purpose of measuring the total energy consumption is to know how much to bill the consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,438 discloses an energy management and building automation system including a local area network or home automation data bus. Each load (energy consuming device) is connected to the bus via a control module which may contain a circuit breaker to disconnect the load from the mains upon command or upon occurrence of a power outage. The control modules may be a current monitor control unit which measures load current, or a power monitor module which monitors the power consumed by the associated load. Both modules transmit bus messages indicating load status and status changes. The on/off status per load is determined by sampling the load current drawn by the load and comparing the sensed load current with a reference. If the current is below the reference, the load is considered to be switched off, if the current is above the reference, the load is considered to be switched on.
A first microcomputer is arranged preferably external to the premises and adjacent to the electric utility power meter. A second microcomputer preferably is inside the customer premises. The two microcomputers communicate with each other and with the various modules via the network/data bus. The first microcomputer communicates with the utility company via any appropriate communications link. The second microcomputer serves as in input/output terminal for the system, allowing the customer to set parameters and query the system as to power usage, displaying reports requested by the customer and messages transmitted by the utility company and by either microcomputer. The first microcomputer acts as a master controller and/or network server, communicating with the world outside the premises, as a communication gateway between voice, video and data services, and being the primary data collector and operator of load control modules. The utility company can access selected utilization data and control at least some loads via messages to the first microcomputer.


A control apparatus for an AC rotary machine includes a current detection unit that detects a current of a first winding and a current of a second winding, a basic voltage calculation unit that calculates a basic voltage on the basis of a current command value, a first voltage calculation unit that calculates a voltage command value of the first winding on the basis of the current command value, the basic voltage, and the current of the first winding, and a second voltage calculation unit that calculates a voltage command value of the second winding on the basis of the current command value, the basic voltage, and the current of the second winding. At least the first voltage calculation unit calculates the voltage command value of the first winding by further taking into account the current of the second winding.

In an AC rotary machine having a plurality of windings, a plurality of current control systems interfere with each other due to mutual inductance between the plurality of windings, and therefore a current and a voltage are likely to become oscillatory, making it more difficult to widen a response band of the control systems than when a single system is used. Several methods have been proposed in response to this problem.
In one of these methods, employed in a conventional control apparatus for an AC rotary machine, a feedback signal transmitted from a plurality of inverters connected in parallel to a multiphase AC motor to a representative current control system provided on a rotary coordinate system of the AC motor is set at an average value of output currents from the respective inverters. Further, a feedback signal transmitted to an imbalance suppressing current control system provided on the rotary coordinate system of the AC motor is set at a differential value of the output currents from the respective inverters.
As a result, the imbalance suppressing current control system acts to equalize the output currents from the respective inverters, and therefore respective currents of windings of respective phases in the multiphase AC motor can be balanced.
Further, an unbalanced current can be reduced in a similar manner by the action of the current control system likewise in inverters that are connected in parallel using an external reactor.
By balancing the output currents of the respective inverters in this manner, the external reactor can be reduced in size or omitted, and control exhibiting high responsiveness can be realized (PTL 1, for example).
Furthermore, in a conventional control apparatus for an AC rotary machine, a non-interference voltage calculation unit is provided for each of respective control circuits of inverters INV1 to INVN that drive respective windings of a three-phase, N-layer winding motor, and an excitation command value IO*, a torque command value IT*, d, q axis current command values i1d*, i1q* obtained by dividing IO* and IT* by a number N of turns in the multiplex winding, and a primary side frequency ω are taken therein. d, q axis voltage set values v1d*, v1q* are then calculated from these values, whereupon non-interference control of the three-phase multiplex winding motor is realized by performing vector control (PTL 2, for example).


An address decoder having a predecoder which predecodes n pairs of true/complement address inputs into 2n memory select lines. By predecoding the address inputs in this manner, the number of pull-down FETs in the pull-down string of the NAND decoder may be minimized so as to provide area and speed advantages. Predecode is provided in a preferred embodiment by logically ANDing the respective true/complement addresses in address pairs to provide a unique predecode value to the decoder. In order to minimize the number of input lines, a decoder only receives inputs over the predecode lines having predecoded addresses unique to that decoder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a predecoder for decoding the address of a memory register in a register file, and more particularly, to a predecoder for converting n pairs of true/complement address inputs into 2n memory select lines for selecting banks of memory registers of the register file while also minimizing the number of required pull-down FETs in the decoder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, floating point processors have been designed which allow concurrent execution of a floating point multiply, divide, add and load or store instructions, thereby significantly increasing the processing efficiency of a floating point processor. For example, DeLano et al. describe in an article entitled "A High Speed Superscalar PA-RISC Processor", Proceedings of the Compcon Spring 1992Digest of Papers, San Francisco, Calif., Feb. 24-28, 1992, a central processing unit comprising an integer processor and a floating point coprocessor which achieves exceptional performance and structural density. The floating point coprocessor consists of a register file, a floating point ALU, a floating point multiplier, and a floating point divide/square root unit and is integrated onto the same chip as the integer processor. The speed and density characteristics of such a circuit was exploited by implementing a system of dynamic, self-timed logic.
Self-timed logic or so-called "mousetrap" logic is distinguished by the generation of glitch free signals of the type described by Yetter in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/684,720, filed Apr. 12, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,490 and assigned to the same Assignee as the present invention. As described by Yetter in that patent application, "mousetrap" style logic circuits are timed by transitions in the data itself rather than clock edges. Such a self-timed system implements logic paths for encoding respective "vector logic states" which are specified by collectively conceptualizing the individual logic states or "vector components" on the logic paths. In particular, an "invalid" vector logic state is defined as the case when all vector components are at a logic low (a logic "0" or low electrical signal level). On the other hand, each of the "valid" vector logic states is specified via a variety of schemes such as one in which one and only one of the vector components of a vector logic state exhibits a logic high (a logic "1" or high electrical signal level). Encoding of the vector logic states can then be handled by defining a valid vector logic state by more than one logic path while still defining an invalid vector logic state when all logic paths exhibit a low logic level.
The present inventor set out to build a register file for a system of the type described by Delano et al. for use in a floating point data path comprised of logic circuits requiring a periodic electrical pre-charge phase and an evaluate phase in order to maintain and properly perform the intended logic function. Since the register file of Delano et al. has thirty-two 64-bit registers (four registers are reserved for floating point exception data) and 5 read ports and 3 write ports to allow concurrent execution of a multiply, an add and a load or store, it was the goal of the present inventor to design a register file which maximizes speed while minimizing the area required for implementing the 32 registers in the register file and in particular the address decoders used for accessing the 32 registers in the register file.
In the register file of the type described by Delano et al., thirty-two 64-bit registers are provided, where each register has 8 ports (3 write and 5 read). There is thus a total of 32*8=256 address decoders in the register file, where each decoder selects 1 of 32 registers. As a result, 5 pairs of true/complement address lines are needed for each port to uniquely specify which of the registers is to be read from or written to. Generally, the decoder outputs are used to select a register for reading or for writing. A register is written during a first clock and read on a precharged bus during a second clock. Thus, during the first clock, a glitch-free register write enable must be provided by the write address decoders to the register file. Such a system for use in conjunction with floating point exception flags is described, for example, by Mason et al. in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/899,202, filed Jun. 16, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,214 and assigned to the same Assignee as the present invention. As described therein, if the write enable is allowed to glitch, the register contents can be disturbed. Likewise, during the second clock, glitch-free register read signals must be provided by the read decoders to the register file. As in the case of the write enable, if the read enable is allowed to glitch, the precharged register output can be disturbed. Domino-style logic has been used to provide such glitch-free operation.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a known 5 input AND gate domino decoder 100 may be used to select 1 of the 32 registers based on 5 read port address inputs. As shown, 5 input AND gate decoder 100 consists of a PFET precharger 102 responsive to the input clock signal CK, 5 NFET transistors 104-112 in the NAND pull-down string, and an output inverter 114. The respective NFET transistors 104-112 receive 5 true/complement address pairs ADDR0-ADDR4 and NADDR0-NADDR4 as illustrated such that 10 wires must be routed through the decoder stack. Each address line is loaded by 16 of the 32 address decoders.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, since no predecode is provided, the pull-down circuit has 5 NFETs 104-112, one for each true/complement address. Such long pull-down strings, in addition to having more transistors, also require more area for each transistor, for in order to have the same effective width/length ratio as a single pull-down transistor, each FET needs to be roughly five times wider than a single transistor. Hence, the decoder 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 takes up a relatively large amount of chip space. A smaller and faster decoder is desired.
The domino-style logic used in the embodiment of FIG. 1 also is not free from charge sharing problems, especially for long pull-down strings. During the precharge phase, nodes internal to the NAND pull-down string may not be precharged high because the inputs are low and hence the intermediate nodes are isolated. This can allow zero logic levels to be trapped on the intermediate nodes. Charge sharing can occur when the topmost transistors in the pull-down string turn on but the bottommost transistor is off. For long pull-down strings, internal nodes can be pre-charged to eliminate such charge sharing problems. However, the addition of these prechargers has obvious area disadvantages. It is thus desirable to shorten the pull-down string of the NAND decoder 100 so as to minimize the effects of charge sharing which would otherwise occur when domino-style logic is used.
Accordingly, an improved decoder for a register file is desired which can provide glitch-free read and write enables to the register file without the necessity of a long pull-down string of the type used in the prior art. The present invention has been designed to meet this need.


A dental mixing device with a barrel, a mixing tip, and a plunger. The plunger moves dental material through the barrel where it is mixed using a mixing tip. The mixing tip includes an auto-aligning fitting female element configured to align with an auto-aligning fitting male element of the barrel. This auto-alignment simplifies the attachment between the mixing tip and the barrel. The mixing tip also includes a seal component with a soft material (or component) to insert into the auto-aligning fitting element which is a hard material (or component) to achieve a seal. The seal component and auto-alignment fitting element can be combined together into one component instead of two components.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to mixing dual and multi component dental materials in dentistry procedures, and specifically to an improved dental mixing device.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many dental procedures that require the mixing of two or more dental materials (also known as compositions, compounds, and substances) before the mixed dental material can be used in that particular dental procedure. In the past, a common practice was to measure the separate dental materials, drop them into a mixing dish, mix the dental materials together using an applicator brush, and then use the applicator brush to apply the mixed dental materials to the desired teeth surfaces. However, mixing using the applicator brush led to a host of problems including being tedious, time consuming, causing contamination from the patient's saliva, and having dental material evaporate or harden. For example, when bleaching teeth using peroxide, the peroxide will decompose immediately after mixing.
In view of such problems, auto-mixing dental mixing devices such as a dispensing syringe (also known as a double barrel syringe) were developed to address these problems. In general, dispensing syringes include two separate, elongated barrels (also known as chambers) that are arranged in a side-by-side configuration. The barrels are sealed, and the base paste is stored in one barrel, while the catalyst paste is stored in the other barrel. The barrels are connected to a dispensing tip.
In practice, the user, which is typically a dentist, pushes on the plunger of the syringe to force the base and catalyst pastes from their respective barrels and into the dispensing tip. The dispensing tip typically contains a static mixer. As the base and catalyst pastes are extruded through the static mixer, they are combined and mixed together to form the final, mixed dental cement. Then, the dentist can dispense the cement onto the desired target, for example, a temporary crown, and mount the crown over a crown-prepped tooth in the mouth of the patient. Dispensing syringes are used in dentistry for storing, mixing, and dispensing a wide variety of dental materials such as whiting gels, impression materials, dental filling materials temporary dental restoration materials, cements, and adhesives.
One example of a dispensing syringe is illustrated in Drake, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,920. Drake discloses a dispensing device having a having a pair of chambers for storing dental resins separately and a pair of plungers that are forced into the chambers to discharge the resins. The device further includes a static-mixing element housed with an exit conduit and a discharge nozzle. The static-mixing element is held in a fixed position in order to maintain a predetermined alignment of a first blade in the static-mixing element relative to the two streams of resinous material.
Another example of a dispensing syringe is illustrated in Spehar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,536. Spehar discloses a double barrel syringe having two compartments for storing two separate dental polymeric materials, a discharge assembly, and a nozzle assembly for dispensing the material. The nozzle assembly comprises a common nozzle, a static-mixing element with an arm extending from one end. The static mixer is arbitrarily inserted into the bore of the nozzle. The discharge of the polymeric material from the compartments causes the static mixer to turn until the arm engages an end stop. The end stop prevents further rotation of the arm as material is fed into the nozzle, thereby allowing the mixer to intermix the two materials from the storage compartments.
Dentists often prefer working with these types of auto-mixing devices, such as dispensing syringes, because the base and catalyst pastes are stored in commercially-available cartridges and can be dispensed from the cartridges in a pre-determined volume ratio to form an optimally mixed composition. Thus, the dentist can save time using such auto-mixing devices and avoid mixing ratio errors.
However, the prior art falls short of truly simplifying the auto-mixing process. Prior to the use of a dispensing syringe, the mixing tip must be connected to the dual barrel container. This is because mixing tips are typically designed for a single use, since after one use the dental material hardens into cement within the tip such that the mixing tip cannot be reused. When the dentist wants to connect a new mixing tip to a dual barrel container, the dentist must pay close attention to align the outlets of the dual barrel container with the inlets of the mixing tip, along with paying attention to any other connection means (e.g., seal, threads, etc.). This alignment takes time, effort, and can be frustrating. Since this connection is typically performed while working with a dental patient, when time is of the essence, it is important that this connection be made quickly. Also, it is critical that the dentist's attention not be distracted from the dental procedure on hand.
Conventional devices exist to help fasten the mixing tip to the barrel, but do not simplify the attachment process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,772 issued to Keller et al. discloses a bayonet fastening device for the attachment of an accessory to a multiple component cartridge or dispensing device. The bayonet attachment on the cartridge for attaching a mixer or accessory to a multiple component cartridge is formed as a ring-shaped bayonet socket with two internal recesses and two diametrically opposed cutouts forming one bayonet coupling part means, whereas the bayonet attachment of the mixer or accessory comprises two bayonet lugs corresponding to the cutouts. In a preferred embodiment the lugs and cutouts are of different widths for the coded alignment of the mixer or accessory to the cartridge in one predetermined position only.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2011/0198,370 to Ho et al. discloses a device for mixing and discharging plural materials. The device for mixing and discharging plural materials has a body, a housing and a sealing plug. The body has multiple barrels and multiple tubes communicating with the barrels. The housing is rotatably attached to the body in a thread manner and has a mixing chamber and a discharging segment. The sealing plug is mounted in the mixing chamber to seal the tubes and has a sealing disk and multiple sealing sleeves.
Keller and Ho fall short because they do not simplify the alignment between the barrel and the tip. Instead, they tighten a connection that is already established. Kelly and Ho still require the user to carefully align the mixer's base/tip with the cartridge's outlets during installation. Additionally, Kelly and Ho lack a combination of hard and soft materials of a mixer and syringe tip that ensure a perfect seal and prevent cross contamination.

Dental mixing device having an auto-aligning tip mixing tip


An object classification system is provided that receives, from a user, at least one piece of information relating to the object, wherein the information does not directly specify a classification for the object, and that applies at least one rule that classifies the object based, at least in part, on the at least one piece of information received from the user. The techniques described herein also enable classifying an object by, in response to a request from at least one application to access the object, applying at least one rule that dynamically classifies the object.

Manual and automatic classification systems exist that can classify objects, examples of which can include documents, spreadsheets, and database records. Manual classification systems require that an information security officer or information user directly classify objects. Conversely, automatic classification systems can classify an object automatically based on one or more classification rules (e.g., by scanning the contents of an object for key terms and determining the classification based on terms found in the object).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatus for dynamically classifying objects


A high density surface emitting semiconductor LED or laser array is coupled with a driver circuit substrate for modulating the light emitted from the array. This modulated light is imaged by optical means onto a photosensitive recording medium of an opto-electronic line printer. The imaging optical means can be either a single or multiple lens system.

This invention relates to a surface emitting semiconductor laser/light emitting diode structure and, more particularly, to a high density, surface emitting semiconductor laser/light emitting diode structure with independently addressable individual light emitting elements which are highly adaptable for use as modulated illuminating sources for opto-electronic line printers.
In the prior art, semiconductor lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been employed as a light source to produce an image on a photosensitive medium such as a xerographic photoreceptor used in a xerographic printer. In this kind of application, there is a need for uniformity of the intensity of light in the image as well as sufficient intensity of the light emitted. Further, if LEDs have to be utilized, it is necessary to provide a full width array of LEDs, one per picture element or pixel, so that a line of light can be formed for discharge of the photoreceptor in an image-wise manner. Usually, a plurality of light emitting device arrays are arranged in one or more rows and optical means is positioned between the photosensitive medium and the light source array to focus the light from the array sources to a single line on the surface of the photosensitive medium. The light sources are selectively turned on and off to effect line-by-line exposure of the moving photosensitive medium.
Semiconductor lasers have also been used in the past as such light sources for rotating polygon scanned printers because of their high intensity in a focussed spot. They have not, however, been totally best suited for application in electro-optic line printers due to inadequate power and inadequate uniformity of light intensity. In particular, high-power coherent laser sources possess a far field pattern containing regions of high intensity and of low intensity in the single beam far field, i.e., the far field pattern is not uniform. Such a variation in intensity across the beam output is not desired because the line exposure on the photosensitive medium will not be uniform. For this and other reasons, LEDs have been more favored as a light source for electro-optic line printers because they may be designed to provide a light output of monotonically varying intensity with very short coherence length.
In some cases, LEDs in the past have not provided sufficient output power and intensity to accomplish in an efficient manner the task of exposing a charged and moving photosensitive medium. In addition, an LED is much less efficient than a laser. For this reason, LEDs as light sources for xerographic photoreceptor applications have lacked the output intensity level for good photoreceptor discharge and, as a result, semiconductor lasers have been still favored in many cases as the light source for printer applications.
Beside the problem of sufficiency of LED intensity, the maintenance of light output uniformity among a plurality of LEDs as well as a multiple laser source, as alluded to above, is a recognized problem in the art. To insure that the intensity of the broad light emission from the array is uniform across an LED array, elaborate control systems have been designed to provide for light intensity uniformity as exemplified, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,562. This patent utilizes a binary weighted duty cycle control to obtain substantial uniformity in the light emitted from each LED in the array of LEDs.
The highest power LEDs have been surface emitter types, but they lack power density necessary for most printer applications. i.e., they lack from sufficient light density per aperture size.
A most recent advancement in the printer arts has been the concept of a total internal reflection (TIR) line modulator which is a solid state multigate light valve that may be used to address a photosensitive medium. The light TIR modulator comprises a crystal bar of electro-optic material with an array of interdigital electrodes deposited on one of its major surfaces. These electrodes, when electrically addressed, introduce or induce a periodic electric field into the bulk crystal. Each of the electrodes may be individually addressed by an electronic signal forming a signal pattern across the array. A broad or wide sheetlike beam of high intensity light is required for the line modulator. The beam is introduced into the crystal at an angle incident to the plane of the major surface incorporating the electrodes. An example of the TIR line modulator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,904 to Robert A. Sprague et al.
To carry out the exposure process of the photosensitive medium, a sheetlike beam of light is transmitted through the electro-optic element of the TIR line modulation at a slight angle relative to the optical axis of the light to cause total internal reflection at the internal surface incorporating the electrode array. Successive sets of digital bits or analog samples. representing respective collections of picture elements or pixels for successive lines of an image, are sequentially applied to the electrode array. Localized electric bulk or fringe fields developed in the crystal in proximity to the TIR incidence of light modulate the light and change the phase front of the sheetlike light beam in image-wise configuration onto the charged photosensitive medium. Examples and teachings relative to electro-optic line printer applications may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,367,925; 4,369,457; 4,370,029; 4,437,106; 4,450,459: 4,480,899 and 4,483,596.
More recently, a super luminescent LED side-facet source has been developed for electro-optic line modulation and line printers which is characterized by having high output intensity and a uniform far field emission and optical means to collimate the far field emission in the tangential direction and focus the near field in the sagittal direction onto a TIR modulator. The optical means comprises a first lens system to collect the light emitted from the LED source in both the tangential and sagittal directions and a second toric lens to collimate the light into a sheetlike beam in the tangential direction and to focus the light in the sagittal direction to a line image at the modulator. Imaging means are optically aligned between the modulator and the recording medium for imaging the modulator onto the recording medium of a line printer. In this connection, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,638,334 and 4,730,331.
An incoherent, optically uncoupled laser array can provide a uniform high intensity light for a TIR modulator used with an electro-optic line printer. An example of the TIR line modulator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,918 to Robert L. Thornton et al.
However, the use of TIR modulators in electro-optic line printers presents several inherent problems. A physical distance exists between the light emission source and the modulator for the emitted light which reduces the efficiency of such devices. The emitted light must strike the TIR modulator at a grazing angle to be modulated. The light emission element, the modulating element and the recording medium are off-axis relative to one another which makes the precise alignment of these elements more critical. The light emission and light modulation functions are separate which increases the number, complexity, and expense of the components of the line printer system.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a high density, surface emitting semiconductor laser/light emitting diode structure with independently addressable individual light emitting elements which are highly adaptable for use as modulated illuminating sources for opto-electronic line printers.
It is another object of this invention to provide an opto-electronic line printer which does not require either a TIR modulator or collimated light beams.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an opto-electronic line printer which combines the light emission and light modulation functions in a modulated array.

Opto-electronic line printer having a high density, independently addressable, surface emitting semiconductor laser/light emitting diode array


The present invention ensures the hermetic bonding of a support body which is interposed between a face substrate and a back substrate and is formed of a plurality of members thus easily realizing the large-sizing of a screen of a display image and, at the same time, enhancing a hermetic property holding function of the image display device. A support body is interposed between a face substrate and a back substrate while surrounding a display region and hermetically seals both substrates using a sealing material. The support body is formed by hermetically bonding a plurality of support body members each other using a bonding material which has a softening point higher than a softening point of the sealing material.

The present invention relates to an image display device, and more particularly to an image display device which is provided with a support body which is interposed between substrates and surrounds a sealed space.
As an image display device which exhibits excellent properties, such as high brightness and high definition, a color cathode ray tube has been conventionally used.
Further, along with the enhancement of the quality of information processing equipment and television broadcasting in recent years, there has been a demand for a panel display which is a lightweight and space-saving image display device that also possessing excellent properties such as high brightness and high definition.
As a typical example, a panel display such as a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display device or the like has been commercialized.
With respect to this type of panel display, as a display device which is capable of exhibiting particularly high brightness, various types of panel displays, such as a field (electron) emission display device and an organic EL display device which is characterized by low power consumption, have been proposed.
Among these panel-type display devices, in a display device, which defines a sealed space between two substrates consisting of a face substrate and a back substrate and sets the pressure inside the sealed space lower than an external atmospheric pressure or evacuates the sealed space, a frame-like support body is arranged to hold a gap between two substrates at a given value and maintains the hermetic property by surrounding the sealed space.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining one constitutional example of a known field emission image display device. In FIG. 8, the field emission image display device includes a back substrate 1 and a face substrate 2 which faces the back substrate 1 in an opposed manner. Further, a frame-like support body 3 which is constituted of an integral body is interposed between inner peripheral portions of both substrates and is also adhered to the inner peripheral portions of both substrates using a sealing material 4. Further, an inner space which is hermetically defined by both substrates and the support body and constitutes a display region is held at a pressure lower than the external atmospheric pressure or in a vacuum state.
The image display device includes field-emission-type electron sources 5, control electrodes and the like on an inner surface of the back substrate 1. The image display device also includes an anode and a phosphor layer 6 on an inner surface of the face substrate 2. Further, numeral 7 indicates spacers and these spacers 7 are provided for maintaining a distance between both substrates within the above-mentioned display region. These spacers 7 are indispensable these days along with the large-sizing or the increase in size of the display screen.
The back substrate 1 is formed of preferably a material such as glass or ceramic, while the face substrate 2 is formed of a light-transmitting material such as glass. Further, the support body 3 is formed of preferably a material such as glass or ceramics and is fixedly secured to the inner peripheries of the back substrate 1 and the face substrate 2 using the sealing material such as glass frit. The inner space defined by the back substrate 1, the face substrate 2 and the support body 3 is evacuated to create the degree of vacuum of, for example, 10−5 to 10−7 Torr.
Further, the above-mentioned electron sources 5 are constituted of, for example, carbon nanotubes (CNT), diamond-like carbon (DLC) or other field emission cathode.
In such a panel display, with respect to the support body which surrounds the display region while holding the distance between both substrates, there has been known the above-mentioned support body which is integrally formed and a support body which is shown in FIG. 9 as an example in which the support body is formed by joining a plurality of wall members.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a display device which is disclosed in JP-A-2002-298761 and also is a developed perspective view for schematically explaining a constitutional example of a back substrate 1, a face substrate 2 and a support body 3.
In the display device shown in FIG. 9, the back substrate 1 and the face substrate 2 are formed of a glass plate, while the support body 3 is formed of a glass material. Here, various kinds of constitutional parts which are formed on respective inner surfaces of the back substrate 1 and the face substrate 2 are omitted from the drawing.
In FIG. 9, the support body 3 having a given thickness is interposed between peripheries of the back substrate 1 and the face substrate 2 and these members are fixed to each other using a sealing material with a fixed gap between the back substrate 1 and the face substrate 2, thus, forming a sealed space in the inside thereof. The support body 3 is divided into a plurality of wall members 3X1, 3X2, 3Y1, 3Y2 and 3C1 to 3C4.
On respective portions of the respective wall members 3X1, 3X2, 3Y1, 3Y2 and the 3C1 to 3C4 which are arranged close to each other and are also engaged with each other, oblique surfaces 3P are formed. Further, a crossing angle between a normal line which is erected from the oblique surface 3P and a normal line which is erected from the back substrate 1 or the face substrate 2 is set to an acute angle.
Further, FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B and FIG. 10C are views which respectively show a front surface and two side surfaces of the support body shown in FIG. 9, wherein FIG. 10A is a plan view, FIG. 10B is a lateral side view, and FIG. 10C indicates a longitudinal side view.
Numerals in the drawing indicate parts which are identical with the parts shown in FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C, the support body 3 of this example is divided into two long-side wall members 3X1 and 3X2, two short-side wall members 3Y1 and 3Y2, and four corner wall members 3C1, 3C2, 3C3, 3C4, wherein these members are adhered to each other along the respective oblique surfaces 3p thus constituting the support body 3.
Further, JP-A-2000-311630 describes a technique in which a support body includes a first frame member which encloses electron emission elements and a second frame member which encloses the first frame member, these first and second frame members are formed by arranging, positioning and fixing a plurality of plate-like members in a rectangular shape, melting respective contact portions by heating with a burner and, thus, joining the contact portions by welding.
Still further, JP-A-11-317164 discloses a technique on an image forming device having an integral-structure-type support frame, wherein by providing the sealing between a face plate and spacers, between a back plate and the spacers and between the support frame and both of front plate and back plate using glass frit which has different softening points, the number of sealing can be reduced and, hence, the size change can be minimized, whereby the occurrence of minute leaking of liquid crystal can be suppressed.

Display device and method of manufacturing same


A fixing device employing resistance heating system includes: a fixing roller being loosely inserted into an endless fixing belt; a pressure member being in pressure-contact with the fixing belt to form fixing nip; meandering prevention members preventing the fixing belt from meandering; prevention member holders holding the meandering prevention members for rotation independently from the fixing roller. Each meandering prevention member has rotation center inside circle, where, when seen in rotation axis direction of the fixing roller, the circle has center coincident with midpoint between two focal points of ellipse approximating belt rotation path of the fixing belt, and has radius equal to distance from the center of the circle to straight line passing through rotation center of the fixing roller and center of the nip in rotational direction of the fixing roller.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus, and particularly to an art of preventing meandering of a fixing belt included in a fixing device employing a resistance heating system.
(2) Related Art
There has been known the structure of an image forming apparatus employing an electronic photography system in which an endless belt-shaped fixing rotary member (hereinafter, fixing belt) is used in order to improve the thermal efficiency for thermal fixing of a toner image carried on a recording sheet. By reducing the thickness of the fixing belt to decrease the thermal capacity thereof, it is possible to reduce the warming-up period and the thermal efficiency during warming-up and fixing. Furthermore, in the case where the fixing belt also functions as a heat source in a fixing device employing an electromagnetic induction heating system, a resistance heating system, and so on, a small thermal loss occurs because a thermal conduction path from the heat source to a recording sheet is extremely short.
In order to thermally fix a toner image onto a recording sheet, a fixing nip needs to be formed by bringing a pressure roller into pressure-contact with the fixing belt. Accordingly, a pressing member such as a fixing roller is brought into pressure-contact with a region on the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt which corresponds to the fixing nip. In order to reduce a thermal loss resulting from thermal conduction from the fixing belt to the pressing member, it is effective to adopt the structure in which the fixing belt and the pressing member are loosely fit together by providing a space therebetween. Air with high thermal insulation properties enters the space and to exist between the fixing belt and the pressing member, and this effectively reduces the thermal loss resulting from the thermal conduction as described above.
However, according to the above structure in which the fixing belt and the pressing member are loosely fit together, there occurs a problem that the fixing belt meanders in the rotation axis direction thereof to cause belt deflection because of not being tightly held. Especially if the fixing belt continues to deflect in the same direction on the rotation axis thereof, there might occur faulty fixing, damage on the fixing device, drop-off of the fixing device, and so on. Therefore, there has been proposed a countermeasure of providing a meandering prevention member that prevents the fixing belt from meandering so as to face each side of the fixing belt in the width direction of the fixing belt.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-249917 has proposed an art with respect to a fixing device employing the electromagnetic induction heating system. According to this art, a pair of meandering prevention members, which are held so as to independently rotatable relative to a fixing roller, are in abutment with only a part of the fixing belt where a fixing nip is not formed when seen in the rotation axis direction of the fixing belt. With this structure, the meandering prevention members are driven by the fixing belt to rotate, differently from the case where the meandering prevention members are fastened together with the fixing roller. This minimizes the difference in peripheral speed between the fixing belt and the meandering prevention members at the abutment position therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to prevent abrasion, shaving, and so on due to sliding contact of the fixing belt with the meandering prevention members.
Also, while the peripheral speed of the fixing belt is constant even at the fixing nip, irrespective of the distance from the rotation axis of the fixing belt, the peripheral speed of the meandering prevention members varies in accordance with the distance of the rotation center thereof. By not bringing the meandering prevention member into abutment with the fixing belt at the fixing nip which is especially close to the rotation axis of the fixing belt, it is possible to further reduce the difference in peripheral speed between the meandering prevention member and the fixing belt at the abutment position therebetween.
According to the fixing device employing the electromagnetic induction heating system, the fixing belt receives an external force only at the fixing nip. Accordingly, the fixing belt has a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fixing belt that forms a rotation path in the shape of a substantial circle or an ellipse excepting the fixing nip. The fixing belt runs on this rotation path. Also, this circle or ellipse has its center and focal points on a straight line connecting the rotation center of a pressure roller and the rotation center of a fixing roller on the cross section of the fixing belt perpendicular to the rotation axis. This straight line is hereinafter referred to as straight line in the pressure direction.
Compared with this, according to a fixing device employing the resistance heating system, since electric power needs to be fed to a resistance heating layer, an electrode part needs to be provided at each side of a fixing belt in the width direction of the fixing belt to bring a power feeding brush into abutment with the electrode part. In the case where the power feeding brush is in abutment with the electrode part at a position which is not positioned on the straight line in the pressure direction, the fixing belt runs on a rotation path in the shape of a substantial ellipse formed by the cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis. However, a straight line connecting two focal points of this substantial ellipse is not coincident with the straight line in the pressure direction due to a pressing force of the power feeding brush. For this reason, even if the above conventional art is applied with no modification, it is impossible to sufficiently reduce the difference in peripheral speed between the fixing belt and meandering prevention members.
According to the fixing device employing the resistance heating system, however, when the fixing belt meanders, the electrode part of the fixing belt is brought into pressure contact and sliding contact with the meandering prevention member, and the electrode part deforms to uplift. This causes instantaneous defective continuity at a part of the electrode part that in abutment with the power feeding brush, and results in a large difference in electrical potential to cause a spark discharge. The electrode part melts or is damaged due to heat and shock of the spark discharge, and as a result the outer surface of the electrode part becomes uneven. Since the surface flatness of the electrode part is not uniform in this way, the sliding contact state between the power feeding brush and the electrode part becomes destabilized. This hinders a stable power feeding to the electrode part and thereby the resistance heating layer. Furthermore, a spark discharge frequently occurs, and accordingly the durability of the electrode part deteriorates and thereby the life time of the fixing belt extremely decreases. Therefore, even in the fixing device employing the resistance heating system, prevention of meandering of the fixing belt is a problem absolutely to be solved.

Fixing device with meandering prevention members and image forming apparatus including the same


A system and method is provided that allows a single user to maintain on the user""s personal machine multiple identities for browsing on the Internet and establish multiple reputations corresponding to the multiple identities. The system includes a multiple identity browser that allows a user to create and select from amongst a plurality of identities. The multiple identity browser includes a list of free e-mail web sites for establishing e-mail addresses corresponding to the plurality of identities. The user can also create and store user names and passwords that the user utilizes at various web sites. An automatic cookie management module is provided that manipulates and stores cookie data sets corresponding to each of a plurality of identities in a multiple identity database module. The cookie management module sets the current cookie data set corresponding to the current identity set by the user in the multiple identity browser. The cookie management module also stores search history for each identity and sets the current search history to the current identity set by the user in the multiple identity browser.

The present invention relates to an Internet browsing system and method, and more particularly to an Internet browsing system and method that provides a user with the ability to have multiple identities and establish different reputations for each identity on the Internet.
Internet users routinely have to register at a site before they can access information and materials offered by that site. Web site operators can utilize this information for purposes that are not always in the best interest of the user. For example, news media sites can track the material accessed by individual readers and vendors can track the purchases of individual buyers. In some cases, the user may favor such tracking because it allows suppliers to direct to the user materials that the user would like to see or buy. However, in other cases the user may want to keep their identity private.
Related to the registration issue is the mechanism known as xe2x80x9ccookiesxe2x80x9d. Cookies were originally established to provide a simple mechanism for users to access their favorite web sites without having to go through the lengthy process of identifying themselves every time they visit. For instance, upon visiting a site, a user may be asked to reveal their name and perhaps some personal or financial information required to gain access to that site in the future. The site will then place a cookie or client identifier containing this information on your system. The user""s identity may not be known to the web site operators, but the operators can still track the interactions of the user with the site by the identification information. This allows web site operators to track the movement of the user across the Internet and build detailed profiles of their interests, spending habits and lifestyles. Although most browsers now allow a user to approve or reject the requests for cookies, the process tends to be annoying and time consuming. Furthermore, when the user allows access through the cookie mechanism, there is the possibility that at some time later the user""s identity may come about and the history of the user""s browsing activity become associated with the user""s true identity. Additionally, different web sites under different names may use information acquired through the cookies mechanism in one site with registration in another site, and associate the user with certain attributes that the user intended to keep private.
In electronic commerce applications participants have incentives to build a good reputation. Participants with better reputations avail themselves to more business. For example, the feedback mechanism implemented by ebay.com helps buyers decide whether they are taking into account the past history of the seller. In other applications, sellers rely on credit history of buyers in deciding what prospective client will be acceptable. In some commerce applications, buyers get volume discounts so they have an incentive to identify themselves when involved in a business transaction. In all of the above transactions, the true identity of the business or individual may still be hidden but the reputations established via the xe2x80x9ccookiexe2x80x9d or some other user identification mechanism.
In certain electronic commerce transactions, some negotiation precedes an agreement on the price. Buyers may wish that information about place of residence, occupation, ethnicity, etc. is kept private, since such information may weaken the buyer""s buying position to the seller if the seller is aware that a buyer may pay a higher price. Similarly, past history may weaken the buyer""s bargaining position, so it would be better to hide such history during these transactions.
Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art for a system and/or method for an Internet user to establish multiple identities and multiple reputations corresponding to those identities from a single computer system.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system and method is provided that allows a single user to maintain on the user""s personal machine multiple identities for browsing on the Internet and establish multiple reputations corresponding to the multiple identities. The system includes a multiple identity browser that allows a user to create and select from amongst a plurality of identities. The multiple identity browser includes a list of free e-mail web sites for establishing e-mail addresses corresponding to the plurality of identities. The user can also create and store user names and passwords that the user utilizes at various web sites. An automatic cookie management module is provided that manipulates and stores cookie data sets corresponding to each of a plurality of identities in a multiple identity database module. The cookie management module sets the current cookie data set corresponding to the current identity set by the user in the multiple identity browser. The cookie management module also stores search history for each identity and sets the current search history to the current identity set by the user in the multiple identity browser.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the system is provided with an e-mail receiving module. The e-mail receiving module allows a user to send, retrieve and view e-mail messages corresponding to different e-mail addresses associated with different identities. The user can choose to associate an e-mail address with a specific identity. chosen from amongst a plurality of free e-mail web sites. The e-mail receiving module can automatically look up a registered e-mail address located in free e-mail site, login to that site and retrieve and display that e-mail message without any interaction from the user. The system also includes a warning system that monitors the use of identities and provides the user with correct usages of identities in different sites and applications. The warning system can also inform a user if e-mail messages that are being sent have been sent by another identity, so that the integrity of each identity is maintained.
Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, a system that provides a user with the ability to establish multiple identities while browsing on the Internet is provided. The system includes a multiple identity web browser module adapted to allow the user to establish multiple identities on a single client computer and an automatic cookie management module adapted to manipulate a plurality of cookie data sets corresponding to a plurality of established identities and set a current cookie data set to correspond to a current identity, such that a web site visited by the current identity has access only to the current cookie data set.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention an Internet browsing methodology is provided. The methodology includes the steps of establishing a plurality of identities on a single computer, establishing a plurality of reputations corresponding to the plurality of identities by browsing activity on the Internet under each of the plurality of identities, each identity having a corresponding cookie data set and a corresponding search history, saving each of the cookie data sets and the search histories corresponding to each of the plurality of identities in a memory associated with the single computer, selecting a current identity from amongst the plurality of identities and setting a current cookie data set and a current search history with the cookie data set and the search history corresponding to the selected current identity.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for browsing the Internet is provided. The browsing methodology includes the steps of establishing a plurality of identities on a single computer, establishing a plurality of e-mail addresses corresponding to the plurality of identities, at least one of the e-mail addresses located from a list of e-mail web sites, retrieving e-mail messages from the at least one of the e-mail addresses located from the list of e-mail web sites by providing e-mail login information to the site and transferring the e-mail message to the single computer and displaying the list of e-mail messages on the single computer.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention an Internet browser system is provided. The system includes a computer adapted to be employed by a user for establishing multiple identities over the Internet. The computer provides access to one or more web sites for establishing a cookie data set for a chosen identity, wherein the computer is further operable to limit a web site access to the cookie data set associated with the current chosen identity selected by the user.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a server is provided that includes a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a network interface coupled to the processor for transmitting and receiving data with at least one remote computer system. An automatic cookie management module is stored in the memory. The automatic cookie management module is adapted to manipulate a plurality of cookie data sets corresponding to a plurality of established identities and set a current cookie data set to correspond to a current identity.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention an electronic signal adapted to be transmitted between at least two computers is provided. The electronic signal includes an algorithm for selecting amongst a plurality of identities on the Internet. The algorithm provides a cookie data set corresponding to a chosen identity from the plurality of identities.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a system that provides a user with the ability to establish multiple identities while browsing on the Internet is provided. The system includes means for establishing a plurality of identities on a single client computer and means for manipulating a plurality of cookie data sets corresponding to the plurality of established identities and setting a current cookie data set to correspond to a current identity, such that a web site visited by the current identity has access only to the current cookie data set.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention, a system that provides a user with the ability to establish multiple identities while browsing on the Internet is provided. The system includes a multiple identity web browser module adapted to allow the user to establish multiple identities on a single client computer, an automatic cookie management module adapted to manipulate a plurality of cookie data sets corresponding to a plurality of established identities and set a current cookie data set to correspond to a current identity, such that a web site visited by the current identity has access only to the current cookie data set, an e-mail receiving module adapted to display e-mail messages from e-mail addresses corresponding to the plurality of established identities and a multiple identity database module adapted to store cookie data sets and search history data corresponding to each of the plurality of established identities.

System and method for maintaining multiple identities and reputations for internet interactions

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a superior method of diagnosing Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in men comprising measuring levels of cytokines in semen or components or fractions of semen. The invention also provides a method of treating a condition associated with elevated levels of a cytokine, such as TNF-.alpha., in semen or a component or fraction thereof, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an ant-cytokine compound or composition, such as an anti-TNF-.alpha. compound or composition.

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (collectively referred to herein as CPPS) is a syndrome of undetermined etiology occurring in men. CPPS is the third of four subgroups of prostatitis recognized by the NIH. Category I encompasses acute bacterial prostatitis, and Category II covers chronic bacterial infection. Category III, CPPS, includes all remaining prostatitis syndromes, and is subdivided into IIIa (inflammatory) and IIIb (non-inflammatory). These sub-categories can be distinguished by the presence of leukocytosis in expressed prostatic secretions or sediment in a post-massage urine sample. Finally, Category IV represents asymptomatic prostatitis, which often is associated with benign prostate hyperplasia.
Prostatitis is extraordinarily common, resulting in approximately 2 million office visits to primary care physicians and urologists in the United States annually [1997 American Urological Association Annual Meeting, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, National Center for Health Statistics, 1990 to 1994]. Patients with CPPS suffer from chronic, episodic pain in the perineum or pelvic region, irritative and obstructive voiding symptoms, and adverse effects upon sexual function [Alexander et al., Urology 48:568-574 (1996)]. Men with chronic prostatitis often require repeated physician visits, commonly to different physicians. Medical expenditures relating to CPPD are conservatively estimated to exceed half a billion dollars annually.
Bacterial vs. Non-Bacterial Prostatitis
Given its apparent prevalence, CPPS has defied characterization to an almost astonishing extent. While an enormous number of patients seek the care of a physician because of prostatitis-like symptoms, almost nothing is known about diagnostic criteria, etiology, or objective signs for CPPS. In a survey conducted through the Internet of 163 men with a diagnosis of prostatitis, Alexander and Trissel found that pain in the pelvic region was the most frequently reported and the most severe symptom in such patients [Alexander et al., Urology 48:568-74 (1996)]. It was because of these observations and the paucity of objective criteria for defining the disease, that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases working group in prostatitis suggested that the disease be named Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.
One reason for the present state of confusion regarding CPPS is the similarity of CPPS symptoms to the symptoms of bacterial prostatitis. Only about 5 to 10% of patients whose symptoms are consistent with bacterial prostatitis are shown to have infection in the prostate gland [Weidner et al., Infection 19:S109-S190 (1991)]. The misdiagnosis of CPPS as infectious prostatitis, commonly results in unnecessary treatment with multiple courses of antibiotics at enormous cost to patients and to the health care system with no clearly demonstrated benefit to patients.
An enormous amount of effort has attended the search for a fastidious organism as the cause of CPPS. No clear consensus has emerged identifying any such organism as the causative agent. Published studies have proven difficult to interpret due to lack of a standardized definition of CPPS and the variability in methodologies for detecting infectious organisms. Another difficulty with published studies is that the presence of normal flora in the male urethra complicates the interpretation of culture data. Further, many published studies lack control groups to which the findings in men with prostatitis must be compared.
Recently, Krieger et al. reported an extensive study examining trans-perineal prostate biopsies in 135 men with CPPS for bacterial 16s rRNA-encoding DNA sequences [Krieger et al, J. Clin. Microbiol 34:3120-3128 (1996)]. Krieger et al. found that 77% of the CPPS patients had bacterial DNA sequences in their prostatic tissue that were distinct from normal bowel and skin flora. Patients with bacterial DNA sequences in the prostate also had higher numbers of leukocytes in the prostatic fluid compared to patients without such DNA sequences. Krieger et al. concluded that bacteria distinct from the normal bowel and skin flora are present in the prostatic tissue of men with CPPS and are therefore a potential causative agent of CPPS.
In another study by the same group, Berger et. al reported that an aerobic or anaerobic bacterial organism could be cultured from the prostate tissue in 32% of 85 symptomatic men by performing cultures of trans-perineal needle biopsies in a specialized microbiology laboratory [Berger et al., J. Urol. 157:863-865 (1997)].
However, the Krieger et al. and Berger et al. data cannot be interpreted as positively identifying a causative agent for prostatitis because neither study compared the CPPS group with a control group lacking symptoms of CPPS to demonstrate that the prostate tissue of subjects without CPPS symptoms does not contain such bacterial DNA sequences. Furthermore, in preliminary data, the present inventors have detected similar diverse bacterial 16s rRNA-encoding DNA sequences in 8/9 patients undergoing transperineal radioactive seed implantation for localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate, all of whom had no antecedent history of CPPS symptoms [S. Keay et al, Urology 53: 487-491, 1999]. Thus, while the data of Krieger et. al. show that bacterial DNA sequences exist in the prostate of men with CPPS, the presence of these sequences is not sufficient to demonstrate a bacterial origin for CPPS.
What is clear, however, is that some men with CPPS have evidence of inflammation of the prostate. While the cellular and cytokine mediators involved in the inflammatory process have been increasingly clarified in the immunologic literature, few studies have investigated the immunobiology of the prostate gland to determine whether CPPS might be arise from an auto-immune condition.
Autoimmunity and the Prostate
Many diseases are known to result from autoimmunity. The present inventors have discovered that CPPS has an autoimmune component. The inventors hypothesize that either (1) the autoimmune component of CPPS results from an autoimmune attack upon the prostate, or (2) that a chronic inflammatory process is maintained in CPPS patients as a result of a breakdown of immunoregulatory mechanisms in the immediate environment of the prostate.
There is a substantial body of evidence demonstrating the occurrence of immunological activity within the prostate gland. However, the nature and cause of this activity, and whether it is detrimental to the host, has not been determined. Inflammatory infiltrates in the prostate are very common. In one study of 162 cases of surgically resected prostatic tissue inflammatory infiltrates were found in 98% [Kohnen et al., J. Urology 121:755-60 (1979)]. The infiltrating cells consist of monocytes and activated T and B lymphocytes [Theyer et al., Lab Invest. 66:96-107 (1992); Steiner et al., J. Urology 151:480-84 (1994)].
A rare form of prostatic inflammation, granulomatous prostatitis, has been characterized, although the etiology of the inflammation is also unknown. One of the major theories about this disease, however, is that it represents an immune reaction against self prostatic proteins induced by infection or manipulation of the gland by previous biopsy or surgical procedure [Stillwell et al., J. Urology 138:320-23 (1987); Dhundee et al., Histopathology 18:435-41 (1991)].
The disease is also observed after instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) into the bladder as a treatment for superficial bladder cancer [Bahnson, J. Urology 146:1368-69(1991)].
Recent observations about the existence of subsets of CD4.sup.+ T cells has yielded fundamental information about immune responses in humans. CD4.sup.+ T cells can be separated into subsets based upon the patterns of cytokines they secrete [Mosmann, Ann NY Acad. Sci. 664:89-92 (1992)). CD4.sup.+ T cells that secrete IFN-.gamma. and IL-2 are called T helper 1 (Th1) cells. Th1 cells mediate cellular immunity, such as delayed hypersensitivity responses. CD4.sup.+ T cells that secrete IL-4 and IL-10 are termed T helper 2 (Th2). Th2 cells are associated with antibody production and allergy. Immune responses mediated by Th1 and Th2 cells can be characterized by the local cytokine environment during the developing immune response.
Zisman et al. found IgG anti-PSA antibody titers to be higher in the serum of men with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) compared to controls [Zisman et al., J. Urology 154:1052-55 (1995)]. However, of 17 men with chronic prostatitis, Zisman et al. found no difference in mean antibody titer as compared to controls. Zisman et al. speculate that an immunologic mechanism may play a role in the symptomatology of BPH. An alternative explanation is that a Th1 type of response may be occurring in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. In this event, no antibody response would be expected. A further understanding of the local cytokine environment in the prostate will be critical to understanding the nature of the inflammatory response that is occurring in order to more clearly understand the disease.
There remains a major need in the art for an objective means for diagnosing CPPS, to identify the cause or causes of the syndrome and for CPPS treatments that can result in an improvement in symptoms in men with the disease.
Cytokines
Cytokines are small to medium-sized proteins or glycoproteins which mediate potent biological effects on most cell types. [See Mire-Sluis, et al., eds. Cytokines (1998); also see Thompson, Angus, ed. The Cytokine Handbook (1998)] While cytokines were originally identified as key components in inflammatory processes, it is now known that cytokines are involved in many non-inflammatory physiological processes. Cytokines mediate their effects by binding to specific cell surface receptors which are coupled to intracellular signal transduction and second messenger pathways. More than one hundred cytokines have been identified to date. The inventors have identified the following cytokines as having particular importance in the operation of the present invention: IL8, GM-CSF, IL-.beta. and TNF-.alpha..
IL-8 is a member of the chemokine family of cytokines. IL-8 is produced by many cell types. In general, the biological activity of IL-8 results from its ability to activate the CXC chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2. Among many other functions, IL-8 acts as a neutrophil chemoattractant and activating factor [Matsushima et al., Cytokine 1:2-13 (1989); Matsushima et al., J. Exp. Med. 167:1883-1893 (1988); Oppenheim et al., Annu. Rev. Immunol. 9:617-648 (1991)]. Synonyms for IL-8 include neutrophil attractant/activating protein (NAP-1), monocyte derived neutrophil activating peptide (MONAP), monocyte derived neutrophil chemotactic factor (MDNCF), neutrophil activating factor (NAF), leukocyte adhesion inhibitor (LAI), Granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP). IL-8 can be obtained from known commercial sources.
GM-CSF, or granulocytelmacrophage colony stimulating factor, is a survival and growth factor for haematopoietic progenitor cells, a differentiation and activating factor for granulocytic and monocytic cells, and a growth factor for endothelial cells, erythroid cells, megakaryocytes and T cells [Wong et al., Science 228:810-815 (1985); Gough et al., EMBO. J. 4:645-653 (1985); Clarke et al., Science 236: 1229-1237 (1987); Groopman et al., New Eng. J. Med. 321, 1449-1459 (1989)]. GM-CSF is also known as CSFa or pluripoietin-a. GM-CSF can be obtained from known commercial sources.
IL-1.beta. has a wide range of biological activities on many different target cell types including B cells, T cells, and monocytes (Dinarello et al., Adv. Immunol. 44:153-205 (1989); Fuhlbrigge et al., In The Year in Immunology 1988: Immunoregulatory Cytokines and Cell Growth, Vol. 5, Cruse et al., pp.21-37 (1989); di Giovine et al. lmmunol. Today 11:13-20 (1990)]. In vivo, IL-1.beta. induces hypotension, fever, weight loss, neutrophilia, and acute phase response. IL-1.beta. can be obtained from known commercial sources.
IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine secreted by both lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells which regulates B and T cell function, haematopoiesis and acute phase reactions [Hirano, in The Cytokine Handbook, Thomson, ed., Academic Press, London, pp. 169-190 (1991); Kishimoto, Blood 74:1-10 (1989); Kishimoto, et al., Science 258:593-597 (1992)]. Synonyms for IL-6 include interferon-.beta..sub.2, 26-kDa protein, B cell stimulatory factor 2 (BSF-2), hybridoma/plasmacytoma growth factor (HPGF or IL-HP1), hepatocyte stimulating factor (HSF), monocyte granulocyte inducer type 2 (MGI-2), cytotoxic T cell differentiation and thrombopoietin. IL-6 is produced by a large member of cell types, including lymphoid cells (T cells, B cells) and many non-lymphoid cells including macrophages, bone marrow stromal cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, mesangium cells, astrocytes and endothelial cells. IL-6 can be obtained from known commercial sources.
TNF-.alpha. is a potent paracrine and endocrine mediator of inflammatory and immune functions. It is also known to regulate growth and differentiation of a wide variety of cell types. TNF-.alpha. is selectively cytotoxic for many transformed cells, especially in combination with IFN-.gamma.. In vivo, it leads to necrosis of methylcholanthrene-induced murine sarcomas. Many of the actions of TNF-.alpha. occur in combination with other cytokines as part of the "cytokine network" [Manogue et al. In The Cytokine Handbook, Thomson ed., Academic Press, London, p. 241-256 (1991); Fiers, FEBS 285:241-256 (1991); Ruddle, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 4: 327-332 (1992)]. TNF-.alpha. is expressed as a type 11 membrane protein attached by a signal anchor transmembrane domain in the propeptide and is processed by a matrix metalloproteinase (Gearing et al., Nature 338:225-228 (1994). TNF-.alpha. can be obtained from known commercial sources.

Method for diagnosing and treating chronic pelvic pain syndrome


An audio feature is extracted from audio signal data for each analysis frame and stored in a storage part. Then, the audio feature is read from the storage part, and an emotional state probability of the audio feature corresponding to an emotional state is calculated using one or more statistical models constructed based on previously input learning audio signal data. Then, based on the calculated emotional state probability, the emotional state of a section including the analysis frame is determined.

With the recent increase of multimedia contents, there is an increasing market demand for a content summarizing art that allows users to view contents in a shorter time. In addition, the variety of contents is also increasing, such as movie, drama, home video, news, documentary and music, and thus the variety of user requests is also increasing.
With the increase of variety of user requests, there is an increasing demand for an art for retrieving and presenting any desired image or scene in response to a user request. As an example of such arts, there is known a content summarizing art that summarizes an audiovisual content based on audio signal data in the content (see the Patent literatures 1 and 2, for example).
According to the content summarizing art disclosed in the Patent literature 1 described above, audio data is analyzed to extract at least one of the fundamental frequency, the power and the temporal variation characteristics of the dynamic feature quantity and/or the differences thereof between frames as audio feature vectors. Using a codebook that associates representative vectors obtained by quantization of the extracted audio feature vectors, emotions of speakers, and the respective emotion appearance probabilities with each other, the probabilities of appearance of emotional states including laughter, anger and sorrow are determined.
According to the disclosed emotion detecting method, a part of the content that includes a section determined to be in an emotional state based on the emotional state appearance probabilities is determined as an important part and extracted.
Similarly, according to the content summarizing art disclosed in the Patent literature 2 described above, audio data is analyzed to extract at least one of the fundamental frequency, the power and the temporal variation characteristics of the dynamic feature quantity and/or the differences thereof between frames as audio feature vectors. Using a codebook that associates representative vectors obtained by quantization of the extracted audio feature vectors, the speech emphasis state probability and the calm state probability with each other, the probabilities of appearance of the emphasis state and the calm state are determined.
According to the emotion detecting methods described above, a plurality of pieces of learning audio signal data are retained, and the emotional state is determined by comparison between newly input audio signal data and the retained learning audio signal data. Therefore, in order to increase the determination accuracy, the amount of learning audio signal data has to be increased. Thus, the emotion detecting methods described above are known to have a problem that the memory cost and the calculation cost are enormous.
As related arts, there are known a method of extracting a fundamental frequency and a power (see the Non-patent literature 1, for example), a method of extracting a temporal variation characteristic of a speech rate (see the Non-patent literature 2, for example), a method of estimating a parameter of a probability model (see the Non-patent literatures 3 and 4, for example), and a method of determining a generalized state space model (see the Non-patent literature 5, for example).    Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2005-345496 (paragraphs 0011 to 0014, for example)    Patent literature 2: Japanese Patent No. 3803311    Non-patent literature 1: Sadaoki Furui, "Digital Speech Processing, Chapter 4, 4.9 Pitch Extraction," Tokai University Press, September 1985, pp. 57-59    Non-patent literature 2: Shigeki Sagayama, Fumitada Itakura "On individuality in a Dynamic Measure of Speech," Proc. of The 1979 Spring Meeting of The Acoustic Society of Japan, 3-2-7, 1979, pp. 589-590    Non-patent literature 3: Kenichiro Ishii, Naonori Ueda, Eisaku Maeda, Hiroshi Murase "Pattern Recognition," Ohmsha, first edition, August 1998, pp. 52-54    Non-patent literature 4: Jinfang Wang, Syu Tezuka, Naonori Ueda, Masaaki Taguri "Calculation of Statistics I: New technique of the probability calculation, frontier of statistics science 11, Chapter 3, 3 EM Method, 4 Variational Bayesian Method," Iwanami Shoten, June 2003, pp. 157-186    Non-patent literature 5: Kitagawa, G., "Non-Gaussian state-space modeling of nonstationary time series," Journal of the American Statistical Association, December 1987, pp. 1032-1063

Emotion detecting method, emotion detecting apparatus, emotion detecting program that implements the same method, and storage medium that stores the same program

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Systems and techniques to provide a flexing support in a spa, such as a flexing spa headrest. In general, in one implementation, a system includes a surface defining a multi-level recess including a primary recess and secondary mounting recesses, and a pillow including a flexible concave pad and mounts that couple the flexible concave pad with the surface, the secondary mounting recesses receiving the mounts such that the flexible concave pad is suspended above the primary recess, a curved edge of the flexible concave pad contacts the surface, and the flexible concave pad mechanically flexes concavely between the mounts and about the curved edge when force is applied.

The present application describes systems and techniques relating to spas, for example, a spa headrest.
Conventional spa headrests are often cushions or pillows that are static in design. When a soft material is used to construct the headrests in a spa, these headrests typically harden or degrade over time as the original soft material is exposed to harsh weather and the water environment inside the spa, providing lower comfort levels as the product wears in the course of its normal life cycle. Some spa pillows have also added a mechanical deflection cushioning component, as opposed to just compression cushioning, by removing some of the material of the pillow fixed to the spa wall, so that the front surface of the pillow is suspended away from the spa wall. Additionally, various fully suspended spa headrests have been used that provide dynamic flexion between dual post fasteners to provide suspension cushioning, where the spa headrest only contacts the spa wall through the dual post fasteners.


A method and apparatus for controlling a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) are provided. The RSOA control apparatus sets a threshold current at which a light source starts to oscillate to be constant regardless of a wavelength of seed light by controlling a driving temperature for driving a RSOA, and adjusts an optical characteristic which is differently output for each wavelength of seed light to be constant by controlling a driving current.

1. Field
The following description relates to an optical transmission technique, and more particularly, to a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) control technique in a RSOA-based loop-back wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON).
2. Description of the Related Art
A WDM-PON is a next generation optical network technology using WDM that overcomes the drawbacks of extension and security of an Ethernet PON (EPON) and provides a high-capacity high-quality service.
However, the WDM-PON poses an economic burden to subscribers since it needs as many specific light sources as the number of subscribers. In order to resolve this problem, a WDM-PON in which a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) is used as a light source using a loop-back method has been suggested.
In a RSOA-based loop-back WDM-PON, an independent light source is not provided to a subscriber, but a downlink signal transmitted from a central office (CO) is modulated or re-modulated through a RSOA, and the modulated or re-modulated signal is transmitted to the CO. Since a signal which is transmitted from the CO to the subscriber side has an individual wavelength, a distributed feedback-laser diode (DFB-LD) or a broadband light source (BLS) may be used as an independent light source.
In order to resolve a price burden and an equipment maintenance problem, a WDM-PON is being evolved into a RSOA-based loop-back WDM-PON in which a RSOA of a seed-light-injection method is used so that optical wavelengths need not be divided into individual wavelengths at the CO side.

Method and apparatus for controlling reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA)

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute