The present invention addresses the problem of a second (or higher) order representation of a transmit signal which is transmitted by a transceiver being mixed into the region of the frequency spectrum of interest to the transceiver receiver, such that it can not then be spectrally filtered out. At its most straightforward, in one embodiment of the invention this is achieved by providing a cross-talk cancellation unit which takes the transmit signal, and obtains the second (or higher) order representation thereof. This representation is then subtracted from the received signal before the signal is passed to the radio control receiver signal processing elements. However, in a more preferred arrangement a filter is also provided, to filter the second or higher order version of the transmit signal, prior to its being subtracted from the received signal. The filter basically takes out the effects of any other filtering or processing which has happened to the transmit signal in the receiver signal chain. This would be, for example, the filtering effects provided by the anti-aliasing filter in the receiver.

Direct converting transceivers are well known in the art. By "direct converting" it is meant that conversion is made directly from RF to baseband, without an intermediate frequency. Such direct converting transceivers may commonly be used in, for example, the radio of a mobile telephone, or the like. FIG. 1 illustrates the components of a typical direct converting transceiver which forms the basis of the present invention.
With reference to FIG. 1, here a baseband signal 10 is fed into the transmit path of the transceiver. The baseband signal 10 is filtered by a pulse shaping filter such as a root raised cosine (RRC) filter 12 so as to limit the bandwidth and hence limit spurious emissions. The output of the pulse shaping filter 12 is then input to an up-sampler 14, which increases the sampling rate from the typical four times oversampling of the baseband to provide a higher sampling rate for input to a transmit mixer 16. The transmit mixer 16 then modulates an RF carrier with the received up-sampled bit stream, to provide a modulated RF output signal, which is then input to a transmission amplifier 18. The transmission amplifier 18 is controlled by a transmission gain control signal, to apply a suitable signal gain to the modulated RF signal, for transmission. The amplified modulated RF signal is then input to duplexer 20, for feeding to antenna 21 for transmission.
With respect to the receiver signal path, antenna 21 receives modulated RF signals, which are fed via duplexer 20 into the receiver signal chain. The received signals are first amplified by low noise amplifier (LNA) 23, in accordance with an LNA gain control signal received by the low noise amplifier, and then demodulated from RF to baseband by receive mixer 22, which receives a suitable local oscillator signal. The thus obtained demodulated signals are then input to a receiver amplifier 24, which is controlled by a receiver amplifier gain control signal, in order to amplify the received signal by the required gain. The amplified and demodulated received signal is then input to anti-alias filter 26, to restrict the bandwidth of the signal prior to down sampling. The filtered received signal is then input to down sampler 28, which produces as baseband at four times oversampling rate, for processing by the remainder of the receiver signal chain. The down sampled received signal is then output to the rest of the receiver chain, as signal 30.
It will therefore be seen that the transmission path and the receiver path share the duplexer 20 in common, in order to be able to feed signals to and receive signals from the common antenna 21. In frequency division duplex systems where both the transmission chain and the receiver chain are active simultaneously, the problem of cross-talk between the transmission and receiver chain can therefore occur. In spite of chip planning and careful insulation between the transmitter chain and the receiver chain, the transmitted signal, due to its significantly higher signal power, can severely distort any received signal. The worst kind of distortion is clipping, where the transmitted signal saturates the transistors in the receiver chain. Clipping introduces non-linearities which may make restoration of the desired received signal impossible. Fortunately, clipping may be avoided by a properly designed automatic gain control (AGC) algorithm, and filtering.
In direct converting receivers particularly cross-talk is a problem, since here second order distortion introduced by the receive mixer 22 results in a cross-talk signal which is spectrally overlapping the receiver signal baseband, and thus is impossible to differentiate by spectral filtering, once introduced. The result from this kind of cross-talk is a decreased sensitivity due to the extra noise added by the cross-talk. Cross-talk in this way may be introduced either via poor on-chip transmitter and receiver path insulation, or from shared components such as the duplexer. Of these, the latter is believed to be the worst introducer of cross-talk into the receiver signal path, due to the power of the transmit signal present thereat.
Looking in closer detail at how cross-talk from the transmit signal can enter the receiver signal path, there are (at least) two ways for the transmit signal to enter the receiver path at baseband and thus distort the frequency range of the received, desired signal. It may be as an effect of inter-modulation distortion (IMD) in the receiver mixer in which case the transmit (TX) signal, XTX(f) (as a function of frequency), is part of either the received (RX) signal, XRX′(f) or the local oscillator (LO) signal, XLO′(f), in the mixer i.e.:XRX′(f)=XRX(f)+XTX(f) XLO′(f)=XLO(f)+XTX(f)
Higher order nonlinearities project the transmit signal onto baseband, here exemplified by the distorted XRX′(f). In particular, the output of the receiver mixer can be represented as:Y(f)=XRX′(f)XLO(f)+k2(XRX′(f)XLO(f))2+k3(XRX′(f)XLO(f))3+ . . .
Typically, the most significant of these terms is the second order inter-modulation distortion product (IMD2). Here, the square of the transmit signal TX results in:(XRX′(f)XLO(f))2=((XRX(f)+XTX(f))XLO(f))2=XTX2(f)XLO2(f)+ . . .
Here, only the interfering part of the TX signal is shown on the right-hand side; there will also be a second order RX signal, as well as a product of the RX, TX, and LO signals. In this respect, the second order IMD is mixed down into the frequency band of interest in the receiver, and hence creates cross-talk. Higher order IMD products are of course also created, but these are either too weak to pose a problem, or they get mixed to other spectral locations, and hence, whilst they may appear as cross-talk in the receiver signalling chain, they will typically be filtered out, for example by the anti-aliasing filter.
Another effect that introduces cross-talk into the receiver chain is by self-mixing where the transmit signal is found in both the RX signal and the LO signal, as shown:Y(f)=XRX′(f)XLO′(f)
First order mixing of the two then unavoidably results in cross-talk:Y(f)=(XRX(f)+XTX(f)(XLO(f))=XRX(f)XLO(f)+XRX(f)XTX(f)XLO(f)+XTX2(f)
Here, the first term is the wanted signal, the middle two terms will be filtered out, and the last term (the second order term) is the cross-talk.
Thus, as a result of both IMD in the RX mixer and self-mixing the transmit signal can find itself mixed into the band of interest to the receiver. Of course, in a time division duplex (TDD) system this is not of concern, as the receiver is not listening for a signal at the same time as the transmitter is transmitting. However, for frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, where the transmitter is transmitting at the same time as the receiver is listening (on a different frequency) then transmit signal cross-talk in the receiver signal chain can cause significant problems, resulting in the receiver failing to detect and successfully demodulate a signal being received. Moreover, because the cross-talk signal has been mixed into the region of the frequency spectrum of interest to the receiver, spectral filtering of the cross-talk signal cannot be performed without likewise filtering the received signal of interest.

Method and apparatus for cross-talk cancellation


A visual clipboard system and method are provided, in which drag-and-release operations are employed to move copies of a displayed object onto and off of a predefined clipboard area. When a copy of a displayed object is placed on the predefined clipboard area, the displayed object is visually modified to indicate that the visually-modified copy is docked on the predefined clipboard area, and thus eligible for use in a copy operation. When a copy is removed from the predefined clipboard area and placed in a desired target location, the original appearance of the displayed object is restored.

Various methods exist in computers and other electronic devices for copying, pasting and moving items. For example, the use of a simple clipboard mechanism for copying and pasting text and other items has been used in personal computers for quite some time. Although various improvements have been devised, current clipboard solutions are often limited in terms of flexibility and ease of use. In addition, many of the existing solutions do not take appropriate advantage of the enhanced interactivity that is offered through touch displays and other contemporary interface mechanisms.


A data transmission apparatus includes lanes, a first clock generation circuit, a second clock generation circuit, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The first clock generation circuit can generate a first clock as a reference for data transmission in a first lane. The second clock generation circuit can generate a second clock as a reference for data transmission in a second lane. The first circuit can determine a shift amount by notification of a first delay amount of the first lane and a second delay amount of the second lane to cause a delay amount of one of the first clock and the second clock to match a delay amount of the other of the first clock and the second clock. The second circuit can shift the first delay amount or the second delay amount based on the determined shift amount.

In data transmission conforming to the PCI Express standard, the need for a function called "Bifurcation" in which the number of lanes constituting a link varies depending on a configuration and application of a connected device is increasing.
In a data transmission apparatus having the Bifurcation function, in order to enable each lane to communicate at a different data rate (transmission rate), an independent clock frequency divider circuit is provided for each lane.
When the independent clock frequency divider circuit is provided for each lane, for frequency-divided clocks output by each clock frequency divider circuit, clock skew (timing difference) between lanes, so-called an inter-lane skew, occur in a circuit on a reception side.
In the circuit on the reception side having a plurality of lanes, when data is latched using frequency-divided clocks in each lane, the data latch timing differs for each lane due to the inter-lane skew. For that reason, if the difference in latch timing between lanes becomes large, data transmission performance may be affected.
With the expectation that a specification will have stricter requirements as the data rate increases, it is desirable to eliminate the influence of clock skew between the lanes.

Data transmission apparatus and data transmission method


Guidance devices, methods, and programs acquire a current speed of a vehicle and calculate a regeneration upper limit operation amount of the regenerative brake based on the current speed of the vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs acquire a deceleration target speed, acquire a deceleration target position, calculate a distance to the deceleration target position, and calculate a deceleration required operation amount of the brake pedal required for reducing the current speed of the vehicle to the deceleration target speed at the deceleration target position based on the acquired current speed of the vehicle, the acquired deceleration target speed, and the calculated distance to the deceleration target position. The devices, methods, and programs communicate guidance regarding the operation amount of the brake pedal based on the calculated regeneration upper limit operation amount and the calculated deceleration required operation amount.

1. Related Technical Fields
Related technical fields include guidance device, a guidance method, and a guidance program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device has been proposed for a hybrid vehicle using a motor and an engine as a drive source, in which areas that correspond to distribution ratios of a braking force of the motor and a braking force of a hydraulic brake are displayed during deceleration of the vehicle (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2007-314100, paragraph 0033, for example). A running control system has also been proposed for a hybrid vehicle that indicates a level of regeneration energy recovered in a currently performed brake operation (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2007-186045, paragraph 0046, for example).

Guidance device, guidance method, and guidance program


A system and method for transmitting a digital signal comprising includes a random number generator for generating a pseudorandom code. A scheduler stores a plurality of signal sequences each matching a set of bandwidth-time products and center frequencies with a stored code. The scheduler selects a signal sequence by matching the pseudorandom code with one of the stored codes. The scheduler selects a bandwidth-time product and center frequency based on the selected signal sequence. A baseband processing unit generates the digital signal based on a selected bandwidth-time product and center frequency. A front end processing and beamforming unit broadcasts the digital signal.

RF air interfaces and front-ends (RF waveforms, symbols, frame structures, antenna arrays through to demodulators) are the Achilles tendon of mobile nodes passing through or situated in electronically contested volumes. RF spectrum is flooded with sensor/autonomous systems and communications nodes performing sensitive business transactions, often requiring some level of confidentiality. Due to size, weight, power and complexity constraints many of these nodes will have limited processing capabilities.
Well established frameworks such as low probability of intercept, including spread spectrum techniques, frequency agile systems, will protect against detection and intercept, however processing gain needs to be non-trivial and from an information theoretic perspective these frameworks have low symbol capacity. Additionally, brute force encryption methods such as HAIPE or IPSEC increases latency and decreases useful bit density within packets transmitted. These higher layer techniques do nothing against detection and physical layer denial of service attacks. Traditional RF waveform tunneling technologies are not capable of simultaneously carrying information symbols at different levels of security within the same burst or instantaneous bandwidth while also greatly reducing RF interception of the physical information symbols.

System and method of digital signal processing


A footwear hanger including a central stem having support arms for supporting footwear where the arms are attached to the stem and the hanger has a suspension means for attaching the hanger to a display. The stem has a V-shaped or Y-shaped cross-section along at least part of its length which allows the footwear hanger to be easily stacked one on top of the other when stored without footwear being attached.

Footwear hangers are well known and are used in many shops for displaying footwear. A number of different styles of footwear hanger are known. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 5,282,553 describes a shoe hanger for displaying shoes in shops having a central rod terminated by a hook and having two arms for supporting shoes which are each composed of an inverted U-shaped arm. In one embodiment, this shoe hanger has a planar cross-section. In another embodiment the hanger has a T-shaped cross section. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 5,931,314 describes a shoe hanger having a central body having two support elements, a hook for suspension and an area for displaying a price, trade mark etc. The cross-section of this shoe hanger is substantially U-shaped.
These shoe hangers have drawbacks. When the hangers described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,553 are not in use they may be stacked one on top of the other. It will be noted that the T-shaped cross-sections will not readily stack one on top of the other. Also, the hangers having a planar cross-section have no means to aid stacking when not in use. When the hangers described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,314 are not displaying shoes the hangers may be stacked to minimise the space needed. However, it is noted that these hangers do not easily stack one on top of the other. Both of these documents describe hangers having a rod or body which may dig in, rub against or otherwise damage the footwear being displayed which is another drawback.
The present invention seeks to overcome these problems by providing a footwear hanger which can be easily stacked one on top of the other when stored without footwear being attached.


An automatic air release plunger is provided for unclogging an obstructed drain in a plumbing fixture having undrained wastewater. The plunger includes a handle and a hollow, compressible plunger head. The plunger head is coupled to the handle at the plunger head's proximal end. The plunger head also includes a seal extending from its distal end that is capable of sealing the plunger head to a drain opening of the plumbing fixture. Additionally, the handle and plunger head include automatic air release features that allow air to flow along an air-escape path from inside of the hollow plunger head into a void formed in the interior of the handle, and thereafter into a channel which extends from the proximal end of the plunger head to a gap at a proximal end of the handle where the air is released whenever the plunger head is compressed.

Drains such as those in toilets, sinks, and tubs are typically unclogged by using a plunger comprised of a deformable head mounted on the end of an elongated handle or shaft. Plunger head designs typically include an air chamber or bellows coupled to a seal. During an unclogging operation, a plunger head seal is held over, or inserted into, the mouth of the drain while the plunger handle is reciprocated in an upward and downward motion that alternately contracts and enlarges the space within the head air chamber. This reciprocating motion then creates an alternating pressure and suction force in the drain passage that is often sufficient to dislodge an obstruction in the drain.


A semiconductor device with low power consumption and a small area is provided. By using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor for a channel as a transistor included in a flip-flop circuit, a divider circuit in which the number of transistors is small, power consumption is low, and the area is small can be achieved. By using the divider circuit, a semiconductor device which operates stably and is highly reliable can be provided.

Semiconductor devices such as central processing units (CPUs) have various configurations depending on the application. Such semiconductor devices each include a plurality of circuits, for example, as well as a circuit for storing data or a program (main memory), a variety of storage circuits such as a register or a cache memory.
A register has a function of temporarily holding a data signal for carrying out arithmetic processing by an arithmetic circuit, holding a program execution state, or the like. In addition, a cache memory is located between an arithmetic circuit and a main memory in order to reduce access to the low-speed main memory and speed up arithmetic processing by the arithmetic circuit.
In such a semiconductor device including a plurality of circuits, a clock signal with a high frequency generated in an oscillation circuit is converted into a clock signal with a low frequency with the use of a divider circuit (also referred to as a prescaler), and the converted clock signal with a low frequency is used to synchronize the circuits.
In general, a divider circuit includes a delay flip-flop (DFF) circuit (see Patent Document 1, for example).

Divider circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A surgical simulator for surgical training is provided. The simulator includes a frame defining an enclosure and a simulated tissue model located inside an enclosure. The simulated tissue model is adapted for practicing hysterectomies and includes at least a simulated uterus and a simulated vagina. The simulated tissue model is suspending inside the enclosure with two planar sheets of silicone such that the tissue model is located between the two sheets each of which form a fold and are in turn connected to the frame. The frame may be shaped like a cylinder and located inside a cavity of a larger laparoscopic trainer having a penetrable simulated abdominal wall. The tissue model is interchangeable and accessible laterally through an aperture provided in a support leg of the trainer.

Medical students as well as experienced doctors learning new surgical techniques must undergo extensive training before they are qualified to perform surgery on human patients. The training must teach proper techniques employing various medical devices for cutting, penetrating, clamping, grasping, stapling, cauterizing and suturing a variety of tissue types. The range of possibilities that a trainee may encounter is great. For example, different organs and patient anatomies and diseases are presented. The thickness and consistency of the various tissue layers will also vary from one part of the body to the next and from one patient to another. Different procedures demand different skills. Furthermore, the trainee must practice techniques in various anatomical environs that are influenced by factors such as the size and condition of the patient, the adjacent anatomical landscape and the types of targeted tissues and whether they are readily accessible or relatively inaccessible.
Numerous teaching aids, trainers, simulators and model organs are available for one or more aspects of surgical training. However, there is a need for models or simulated tissue elements that are likely to be encountered in and that can be used for practicing endoscopic and laparoscopic, minimally invasive, transluminal surgical procedures. In laparoscopic surgery, a trocar or cannula is inserted to access a body cavity and to create a channel for the insertion of a camera such as a laparoscope. The camera provides a live video feed capturing images that are then displayed to the surgeon on one or more monitors. At least one additional small incision is made through which another trocar/cannula is inserted to create a pathway through which surgical instruments can be passed for performing procedures observed on the monitor. The targeted tissue location such as the abdomen is typically enlarged by delivering carbon dioxide gas to insufflate the body cavity and create a working space large enough to accommodate the scope and instruments used by the surgeon. The insufflation pressure in the tissue cavity is maintained by using specialized trocars. Laparoscopic surgery offers a number of advantages when compared with an open procedure. These advantages include reduced pain, reduced blood and shorter recovery times due to smaller incisions.
Laparoscopic or endoscopic minimally invasive surgery requires an increased level of skill compared to open surgery because the target tissue is not directly observed by the clinician. The target tissue is observed on monitors displaying a portion of the surgical site that is accessed through a small opening. Therefore, clinicians need to practice visually determining tissue planes, three-dimensional depth perception on a two-dimensional viewing screen, hand-to-hand transfer of instruments, suturing, precision cutting and tissue and instrument manipulation. Typically, models simulating a particular anatomy or procedure are placed in a simulated pelvic trainer where the anatomical model is obscured from direct visualization by the practitioner. Ports in the trainer are employed for passing instruments to practice techniques on the anatomical model hidden from direct visualization. Simulated pelvic trainers provide a functional, inexpensive and practical means to train surgeons and residents the basic skills and typical techniques used in laparoscopic surgery such as grasping, manipulating, cutting, tying knots, suturing, stapling, cauterizing as well as how to perform specific surgical procedures that utilized these basic skills. Simulated pelvic trainers are also effective sales tools for demonstrating medical devices required to perform these laparoscopic procedures.
One procedure is a hysterectomy in which the uterus is removed. The hysterectomy may be performed vaginally extracting the uterus through the vaginal canal or abdominally through a small incision in the abdomen. The vaginal hysterectomy is historically hard to train on as the field of view is limited. Unlike laparoscopic procedures, there is no camera that is projecting the surgery onto a screen and unlike open procedures there is not a wide incision that can be viewed by multiple people. As such, the best way to teach a vaginal hysterectomy is through a simulated model. Therefore, there is a need for a model for training hysterectomy procedures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A trench isolation structure in a semiconductor device is provided. A semiconductor substrate has cell regions and peripheral circuit regions. First trenches have a predetermined depth and are formed in the semiconductor substrate at the cell regions. A first sidewall oxide film is formed overlying the first trenches. A first liner nitride film is formed overlying the first sidewall oxide film. Second trenches have a predetermined depth and are formed in the semiconductor substrate at the peripheral circuit regions. A second sidewall oxide film is formed overlying the second trenches. An oxide film fills the first overlying second trenches. A second liner nitride film formed on the filling oxide film. The second liner nitride film is separated from the sidewalls of the first and second trenches.

The present invention is directed to integrated circuits and their processing for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention provides a novel trench isolation structure and method used for electrical isolation in semiconductor devices. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to the manufacture of dynamic random access memory (DRAM). But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability. For example, the invention can be applied to microprocessor devices, logic circuits, application specific integrated circuit devices, as well as various other structures.
As semiconductor devices have become highly integrated, patterns have become finer and a process for fabricating a shallow trench isolation (hereinafter, referred to as "STI") structure having small width and excellent isolation characteristics has become increasingly important. The trench isolation structure affects the characteristics of a semiconductor memory device, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). For example, a liner nitride film applied to the trench isolation structure improves the refresh characteristics of the DRAM. However, the liner nitride film can also exert a negative influence on peripheral circuit regions.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional method for fabricating a trench isolation structure in a semiconductor device.
With reference to FIG. 1, a pad oxide film pattern 110 and a pad nitride film pattern 120 are formed on a semiconductor substrate 100 having active regions and isolation regions. Then, trenches 125 and 130 having a predetermined depth are formed in the semiconductor substrate 100 by an etching process. A sidewall oxide film 140 is formed overlying the sidewalls of the trenches 125 and 130 by an oxidation process, and a liner nitride film 150 and a liner oxide film 160 are formed overlying the exposed surface of semiconductor substrate 100. Thereafter, an insulation film 170, for example, a high density plasma (HDP) oxide film, is formed overlying the mesa and trench regions so that trenches 125 and 130 are filled with insulation film 170. After a planarization process is performed to expose a pad nitride film 120 to the outside, the pad nitride film 120 and a pad oxide film 110 are sequentially eliminated, thereby completing the trench isolation structure. However, liner nitride film 150 traps hot electrons at peripheral circuit regions having p-type MOS transistors, and generates attractive force to holes on the surface of the active regions, thereby causing a hot electron induced punch-through (hereinafter, referred to as "HEIP") reducing the channel width.
In the trench isolation structure shown in FIG. 1, liner nitride film 150 prevents an oxygen source from passing through the trench isolation structure in a subsequent oxidation process for forming a gate insulation film. It is well known to those skilled in the art that liner nitride film 150 causes reduction in the amount of leakage current and improves the refresh characteristics of a DRAM. However, liner nitride film 150 causes a reduction in a gapfill margin. In order to increase the gapfill margin, there is proposed a method, in which the deposition of the liner oxide film 160 is omitted and a preheating process is performed under an oxygen (O2) atmosphere.
In the case that the HDP oxide film is deposited on liner nitride film 150, the O2 flux is highest at bending portions (A) of the upper portion of the trench isolation structure during the preheating process and liner nitride film 150 at these portions is locally oxidized. When liner nitride film 150 at the bending portions (A) of the trench isolation structure is locally oxidized, the thickness of liner nitride film 150 at the bending portions (A) is thinned and boron (B) existing in the upper portion of the trench isolation structure is leaked to the outside, thereby causing a reduction in the threshold voltage. Further, as described above, liner nitride film 150 promotes the trapping of hot electrons at the peripheral circuit regions, and thus increases the occurrence of HEIP in p-type MOS transistors, thereby causing deterioration of characteristics of the semiconductor device, such as reduction in the threshold voltage and increase in leakage current in an OFF state.

Trench isolation structure in a semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same


A method is for actuating a medical imaging device for generating a second three-dimensional image dataset including a target region in a region of interest of a patient with a functional impairment. The method includes providing a first three-dimensional image dataset including the region of interest of the patient; identifying the target region based on the first three-dimensional image dataset, a partial region of the region of interest with the functional impairment being determined; determining an imaging parameter for generating the second three-dimensional image dataset based on the identified target region; and actuating the medical imaging device based on the imaging parameter for the generation of the second three-dimensional image dataset.

To treat a trauma patient or a stroke patient, a diagnosis is typically made by a physician and with the aid of medical image datasets. For a full analysis of a patient's medical situation, three-dimensional volume image data is frequently provided via a computed tomography device (CT device). This means that the imaging process is based on a plurality of X-ray projection measurement data items recorded from different angular ranges and a subsequent mathematical inverse transformation in order to reconstruct the three-dimensional volume image data based on the projection measurement data (for example via a filtered back projection reconstruction algorithm). This three-dimensional volume image data can also be used as the basis for the generation of two-dimensional slice image datasets which in each case depict a sectional image through the mapped volume.
In the case of a severe trauma or stroke, time is an important factor. The earlier correct treatment is commenced, the better the prospects of a successful outcome of the treatment, i.e. of avoiding or at least reducing permanent damage. In the case of a stroke, it can, for example, be extremely important that a thrombus be removed as quickly as possible to ensure the oxygen supply to the brain. A detailed diagnosis, and therefore the provision of image datasets that are as informative as possible, is essential for correct treatment.
Herein, a typical setup of an imaging series, in particular in the case of a stroke patient or of a suspected stroke, frequently consists of a native CT image dataset of the patient's head without contrast medium enhancement in order to enable other conditions or a hemorrhage-induced stroke to be excluded. In the case of an ischemic infarction, it is further possible for a CT angiography image dataset to be provided in order to identify the blood vessel occluded by a blood clot, i.e. which is affected by a vascular occlusion. In addition, frequently a CT perfusion image dataset is generated in order to identify the ischemic core region and the regions of the brain affected by a reduced blood flow but which are still potentially salvable. This image data can then be accordingly used as the basis of a targeted treatment decision, for example as to whether observation only, intravenous thrombolysis and/or even mechanical thrombectomy is required.
Therefore, the provision of image datasets in the most time-efficient manner as possible, the best possible coverage of the affected region by the image dataset and smooth image dataset generation are particularly desirable in the case of a stroke patient. At the same time, it is always necessary to avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation.
Embodiments of the invention provides an improved method and an improved apparatus for actuating a medical imaging device for generating a three-dimensional image dataset.
Further advantageous and partially per se inventive embodiments and developments of the invention are set out in the claims and the following description.
The following describes the inventive embodiments of the method and the claimed apparatus. Features, advantages or alternative embodiments can also be transferred to the other claimed subject matter and vice versa. In other words, the substantive claims (which are, for example, directed at an apparatus) can also be developed with features described or claimed in connection with the method. Herein, the corresponding functional features of the method are embodied by corresponding substantive modules.
At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for actuating a medical imaging device, in particular a mobile imaging device, via a control unit for generating a second three-dimensional image dataset which includes a target region in a region of interest of a patient with a functional impairment. For this purpose, the method according to an embodiment of the invention comprises: providing a first three-dimensional image dataset including the region of interest of the patient via a data processing unit,
identifying the target region in the first three-dimensional image dataset via the data processing unit, wherein a partial region of the region of interest with the functional impairment is determined,
determining an imaging parameter for the generation of the second three-dimensional image dataset based on the identified target region via the data processing unit,
actuating the medical imaging device based on the imaging parameter for the generation of the second three-dimensional image dataset via the control unit.
At least one embodiment of the invention also relates to an apparatus for actuating a medical imaging device, in particular a mobile medical imaging device, for generating a second 3D image dataset including at least one target region of a region of interest of a patient with a functional impairment. The apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the invention includes a data processing unit embodied to provide a first 3D image dataset, to identify the target region in the first 3D image dataset, wherein a partial region of the region of interest affected by the functional impairment is determined, and to determine an imaging parameter based on the identified target region for generating the second 3D image dataset via the medical imaging device. The apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the invention also includes a control unit embodied to actuate the medical imaging device based on the imaging parameter determined for generating the second 3D image dataset.
At least one embodiment of the invention furthermore relates a vehicle, in particular an ambulance including a medical imaging device and an apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the invention.
Further, at least one embodiment of the invention is directed to a computer program product, which includes a computer program and can be loaded directly into a memory of a data processing unit, and program segments, for example libraries and auxiliary functions for executing a method for actuating a medical imaging device when the computer program product is executed.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for actuating a medical imaging device via a control unit for generating a second three-dimensional image dataset including a target region in a region of interest of a patient with a functional impairment, the method comprising:
providing a first three-dimensional image dataset including the region of interest of the patient, via a data processing unit;
identifying the target region based on the first three-dimensional image dataset, via the data processing unit, wherein a partial region of the region of interest with the functional impairment is determined;
determining an imaging parameter for generating the second three-dimensional image dataset based on the target region identified, via the data processing unit; and
actuating the medical imaging device based on the imaging parameter determined for the generation of the second three-dimensional image dataset, via the control unit.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for actuating a medical imaging device for generating a second three-dimensional image dataset including at least one target region in a region of interest of a patient with a functional impairment, the apparatus comprising:
a data processing unit embodied                to provide a first three-dimensional image dataset including the region of interest of the patient,        to identify the target region, based on the first three-dimensional image dataset, wherein a partial region of the region of interest with a functional impairment is determined and        to determine an imaging parameter based on the target region identified, for generating the second three-dimensional image dataset; and
a control unit embodied to actuate the medical imaging device based on the imaging parameter determined for generating the second three-dimensional image dataset.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a non-transitory computer program product storing a computer program, directly loadable into a memory of a data processing unit, including program segments for executing the method for actuating a medical imaging device of an embodiment when the computer program is executed by the data processing unit.
At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program, readable and executable by a data processing unit, including program segments for executing the method for actuating a medical imaging device of an embodiment when the computer program is executed by the data processing unit.

Method and apparatus for actuating a medical imaging device


The need for a liquid hand dishwashing detergent composition, having excellent low temperature stability and delivering good cleaning and long-lasting suds, is met by incorporating a branched, alkoxylated nonionic surfactant, in combination with ethoxylated anionic surfactants having little or no branching, into the composition. Surprisingly, such a combination also provides an excellent sudsing profile during direct application dishwashing methods.

Consumers desire hand dish-washing products that deliver both long lasting grease cleaning and long lasting suds. Additionally, more and more consumers are looking for products that contain a greater proportion of ingredients that are derived from natural, renewable sources. These include liquid hand dishwashing detergent compositions containing higher levels of surfactants derived from renewable sources, and having less surfactants derived from crude oil. However, since natural surfactants have little or no branching, such compositions produce lower levels of suds. Even worse, such detergent compositions have low suds-mileage. That is, the suds endurance is less than what most consumers would like.
In addition, high levels of linear anionic surfactants, such as those derived from renewable natural sources, but also linear synthetic surfactants, lead to worse stability of the resultant composition at low temperature.
Therefore, a need remains for a liquid hand dishwashing detergent composition providing good cleaning and long lasting suds, while having excellent low temperature stability, which utilizes anionic surfactants having little or no branching.
It has been surprisingly found that small amounts of a branched, alkoxylated nonionic surfactant, in combination with ethoxylated anionic surfactants having little or no branching, provide excellent grease cleaning and long-lasting suds. More surprisingly, by using the branched alkoxylated nonionic surfactant, in combination with anionic surfactant having a minimum degree of ethoxylation and little or no branching, a liquid hand dishwashing detergent composition can be formulated having excellent low temperature stability.
WO 9533025, U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,888, US 2007/0123447 A1, US 2005/0170990 A1, WO 2006/041740 A1, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,181 disclose liquid hand dishwashing detergent compositions comprising branched surfactants.

Stable sustainable hand dish-washing detergents


A frequency synthesizer system may include a first voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit, a second VCO circuit, and multiplexing circuitry. The multiplexing circuitry may be configured to select either the output of the first VCO circuit or the output of the second VCO circuit in response to a mode selection signal.

Power saving is an important consideration in portable communication devices such as mobile phones. In a low-power mode, a reduced power level may be supplied to certain transmitter and/or receiver components in the portable communication device.
A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is a frequency synthesizer commonly used in circuits such as phase-locked loops (PLLs). An RF receiver may use a PLL in a local oscillator (LO) signal generator circuit that is part of the circuitry that downconverts the received RF signal to a baseband frequency by providing the RF signal and the LO signal to respective inputs of a mixer. In some receiver architectures, it is advantageous to occasionally operate in a low-power mode, for example to conserve power and extend the amount of time which a portable device including the receiver can operate.

Frequency synthesizer with selectable modes


An improved basketball training device is presented. It has a bearing attached to a basketball goal, as well as either a facsimile hoop for attaching on the market chutes or a folding chute. This device allows balls to be returned to any area of the court.

Since its inception by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 by nailing a bottomless peach basket to a balcony, the object of basketball is to score a goal by shooting a basketball through a basketball hoop. Scoring proficiency requires a great deal of practice. A variety of inventions have been introduced in recent years to aid in training of basketball players.
Size reducer type inventions force the shooter to improve accuracy in order to make the ball pass through an effectively smaller hoop. An example of a size reducer type invention is U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,059 Owen May 3, 1994. However, these inventions do not offer other features, such as returning the ball to the shooter.
Chute type inventions overcome this shortcoming. Chute inventions are, in general, of one of three categories. The first category returns balls along a line radiating from the center of the hoop. These devices will be referred to as chute only inventions. Examples of these are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,638 Luebkeman Mar. 23, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,090 Juhl Mar. 24, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,680 Cass Feb. 24, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,290 Matherne Sep. 20, 1994. None of these chute only inventions can be quickly redirected to address the whole court. Nor do any of them reduce the size of the hoop. All of them require a ladder for installation.
The second category of chutes has some sort of quick redirecting mechanism. These will be referred to as rotatable chutes. These allow the line along which the balls return to be changed by the user redirecting the chute by hand. Thus the shooter may practice shots from all over the court. Examples of this type of invention are U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,101 Farkas Jan. 19, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,539 Knapp Jun. 6, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,814 Manning Feb. 9, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,211 Adamek Dec. 27, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,258 Kinsella Dec. 6, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,826 de Abreu Nov. 3, 1998. None of these rotatable chute inventions will work with the previously mentioned chute-only mechanisms. None of them fold up small for easy transportation and storage. None have the smooth rotation as that offered by ball bearings.
With one exception all of the rotatable chutes require a ladder to be installed. The exception Adamek U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,211 gets around the use of a ladder by attaching to the net. Besides requiring a net to be used, performance suffers in that the invention can easily be made to sway and is designed specifically not to freely rotate via the use of grooves or notches to prevent rotation. Hence extra time is needed to reposition the chute. Because it attaches to the net it is relatively close to the ground such that a player may knock his head or shoulder on it. It interferes with the play area.
De Abreu U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,088 uses ropes. These ropes interfere with the court and may cause players to trip or fall.
The third category of chutes sits in the basketball court rather than hanging from the basketball goal. These are large, thus difficult to transport and store and interfere with the playing area.
Accordingly, several objects of the present invention are:
to provide a means by which chute only devices can address the whole court;
to provide a means by which the device can be taken on and off the basketball goal without a ladder;
to provide a means by which the device can fold into a compact size for easy transport and storage.
Additional embodiments are disclosed which provide further objects and advantages which are:
to provide a means to reduce the effective size of the basketball hoop thus requiring better aim by the shooter.
to provide an attachable chute that can be folded for easy transportation and storage and reduces the overall weight due to the removal of the facsimile hoop.
to provide a means whereby the device will not interfere with the top surface of the basketball goal and thus does not interfere with balls striking the top surface of the basketball goal while being firmly connected to the goal. This maintains a game-like performance of the basketball goal while still providing beneficial training features.
to provide a means that makes theft of the device more difficult.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
A device is presented which provides a rotatable facsimile hoop just beneath the basketball goal. To this facsimile hoop, chute-only devices can be attached which otherwise cannot quickly be adjusted to return balls to any area of the court. The device includes a bearing containing ball bearings for smooth rotation. This device is held to the goal by means of hooks. These hooks are shaped to allow attachment to and removal from the goal without the use of a ladder by means of a shepherds crook. The hooks are attached to the bearing by means of latching hinges that latch when folded down. Thus the hooks will not move out of place when folded. The device is thus a relatively rigid and compact assembly when folded for transportation. There are not any hooks sticking up or flopping about to catch on things or unattached pieces to lose. This will be called the initial embodiment.
Two additional embodiments are presented. In the first additional embodiment the size of the facsimile goal is smaller making it harder for shots to be made.
In the second additional embodiment the bearing attaches directly to the basketball goal support. This embodiment offers no interference with the top of the goal that is critical to maintaining a true basketball-game like performance of the device. Rather than attaching via hooks as in the first embodiment, it is permanently attached to the goal via the goal support. This makes it more difficult to steal.
The second additional embodiment has no facsimile hoop and in its place an attachable folding chute is also disclosed. This chute can be attached to and removed from the bearing without a ladder by means of a shepherd's crook shaped differently than the first embodiment. The chute folds up small for easy transport and storage.


A combination of location measurement apparatuses to measure in three dimensions the location of an excavator with respect to a job site, and to further measure the location of an excavated or a topographical feature with respect to the excavator by range finding from the excavator in proximity of the feature and contemporaneously recording measurement data on a computer.

Excavation machines of various descriptions find application in the installation, removal, and repair of below and above ground utilities and structures. Typical below ground utilities include water mains, sewers, conduit for electrical and communications lines; electrical and communications lines installed without conduit, subway transit tunnels, water tunnels and the like.
Below ground installation of utilities such as electrical and communication lines removes the utility lines from the visual appearance of the landscape. The location of underground utilities is generally established in advance by design engineers and provided to persons installing the utilities in the form of drawings. Location includes not only the X-Y-axes location of the utility with respect to the surface of the earth, but also includes location on the Z-axis, e.g., the distance beneath the surface of the earth or possibly referenced to sea level. In practice, the actual location of underground utilities may deviate from the location described in preconstruction drawings because of interference below the surface of the earth resulting from rocks, or rock formation, trees, building foundations or previously installed utilities unknown to the design engineers. In anticipation of the installation of additional below ground utilities and structures in the vicinity of a first structure, and in anticipation of possible repair or replacement of a first underground utility in a vicinity, and to prevent subsequent excavations from encountering unmarked sub-surface utility structures or sub-surface obstructions, engineers make a record of the location of the utility, as installed and possibly other sub-surface obstructions. Such locations are recorded on drawings known as "as-built drawings".
Initial or crude as-built drawings edited in the field may be red-line notations on a copy of the design drawings, or in a preferable circumstance, the location of the as-built utility may be established by hand measurements and surveying instruments. Notes of such measurements, if they are preserved and located, may be subsequently transferred to as-built drawings now more often in electronic form by means of computer aided design tools such as the program AutoCad™ or similar computer aided design tools.
The instant invention finds utility with excavation machines including tracked excavators, wheel-based excavators, and tractor-based backhoes. It is known to determine the location of an excavator, or other machine for adjusting and moving surface and below surface earth by means of global positioning devices (GPS). The GPS device determines the location of its antenna. If the antenna is located on the machine, then the machine location may be determined with relation to satellite triangulation. The location of a feature on a job site requires location of the GPS antenna at that location. While the location of sub-surface "as-built" features on a job site may be found by locating GPS antennas at such features, such a task has limited advantages over hand measurements and surveying instruments. Notes of measurements and transfer of the as-built measurements to drawings remains a requirement. Typically, the as-built drawings will be a condition precedent to final payment to a builder or contractor by a utility company or municipality. Furthermore, GPS signals may be obstructed within an a below ground level excavation, or by neighboring building structures or terrain.
"Offsets" provide a useful addition to GPS location information. An offset is the distance, direction, orientation, and depth (or height) of a feature determined with respect to the location of the GPS antenna. When the offset is combined with GPS location, the location of the feature can be identified in three coordinates. Identification of two points on a target feature discloses the orientation of the feature as well as the location of the feature.

Three dimensional feature location from an excavator


A water saving toilet construction includes a toilet unit which is adapted for flushing with less than approximately one gallon of water, a holding tank which is located beneath the toilet unit and a macerator discharge pump assembly which is operative for macerating waste effluent from the holding tank and discharging it into a sewer line. The holding tank has a volume of at least approximately two and one half gallons so that a sufficient volume of waste effluent can be discharged from the toilet at one time to minimize the potential for clogging the sewer line.

The instant invention relates to flush toilets and more particularly to a flush toilet which is adapted to operate with a minimal quantity of water.
In recent years water shortages have made it important to reduce water usage in many areas of the world. In this regard, it has been found that flush toilets often consume as much as 40% of the water supplied to domestic consumers and that as a result, the water used in flush toilets can represent a significant portion of the overall water usage in a particular geographical area. Consequently, a significant need has developed for an effective flush toilet which is capable of effectively operating with a minimal quantity of water.
While a variety of flush toilets have been heretofore available which have been adapted to operate with reduced amounts of water, it has generally been found that most of the heretofore available toilets of this type have been prone to causing blockages in sewer lines to which they are connected. In particular, it has been found that most of the heretofore available toilets which have been adapted to operate with reduced quantities of water (less than approximately two gallons) have been prone to causing blockages in sewer lines to which they are connected because they generally discharge waste materials into sewer lines at relatively low flow velocities which are insufficient to carry many solid waste materials into waste handling systems, such as septic tanks or municipal sewage facilities. It has been further found that this problem is compounded by the fact that most of the heretofore available flush toilets which have been adapted to operated with minimal quantities of water have discharged waste materials containing unmacerated solids which tend to cause blockages in residential sewer lines, particularly when they are discharged at relatively low flow velocities.
The instant invention provides a highly effective flush toilet construction which is adapted to overcome the sewer line blockage problems which have been experienced with the heretofore available flush toilets which have been adapted for reduced water usage. In particular, the toilet construction of the instant invention comprises a toilet unit including a bowl portion, an outlet portion defining an outlet passage which extends outwardly from the bowl portion, closure means for closing the outlet portion, and flushing means connectable to a supply of water for flushing the bowl portion and the outlet portion with a quantity of less than approximately one gallon of water. The toilet construction further comprises holding tank means having a waste inlet opening therein which opens into an interior holding chamber and discharge means which is connectable to a sewage pipe and actuatable for discharging waste from the interior holding chamber into the sewage pipe. The toilet unit is preferably received and supported on the holding tank means so that waste passing outwardly from the toilet unit passes downwardly through the outlet passage and into the interior holding chamber in the holding tank means. The holding tank means is constructed so that the interior holding tank chamber has a volume of at least approximately two one half gallons so that it can accommodate waste material from at least two flushes of the toilet unit before it is necessary to actuate the discharge means. Further, the holding tank means preferably has an interior bottom wall which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly at an angle of at least approximately 10.degree. and defines the bottom of the interior chamber. The holding tank unit preferably has a volume of less than approximately six gallons to enable it to be effectively accommodated beneath the toilet unit with the toilet unit supported thereon and the closure means of the toilet unit preferably comprises mechanical closure means which is selectively operable in a closed position for mechanically obstructing the outlet portion of the toilet unit and an open position wherein waste material from the bowl portion can gravitate downwardly and outwardly into the holding tank means. The discharge means preferably comprises a centrifugal pump including a housing having an impeller cavity therein and an impeller which is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation in the cavity. The pump housing has an inlet opening therein which is preferably positioned so that substantially the entire cross sectional area thereof is offset downwardly from the axis of rotation of the pump. Accordingly, the centrifugal pump is operative as a macerator pump which is capable of macerating waste material from the holding tank means before it is discharged into a sewer line. The centrifugal discharge pump is preferably further positioned so that the inlet opening thereof is partially above and partially below the upper surface of the adjacent portion of the downwardly inclined bottom wall in the holding tank means. The discharge means preferably still further comprises a discharge pipe which extends upwardly from the centrifugal macerator pump to at least approximately the elevation of the waste inlet in the holding tank means and then downwardly to a point below the elevation of the macerator pump. Even still further, the macerator pump is preferably positioned adjacent to the rear end of the holding tank means so that it defines the rearmost extremity of the toilet and the discharge pipe preferably extends upwardly from the macerator pump and then downwardly to a downwardly facing circular discharge outlet which is spaced forwardly from the rearmost extremity of the macerator pump by approximately 12 inches.
It has been found that the toilet construction of the instant invention can be effectively utilized in most domestic applications without causing chronic clogging problems in a residential sewer line connected thereto. In this regard, it has been found that because the toilet construction of the instant invention includes a holding tank means which is operative for holding waste material from several flushes, waste material can be discharged from the toilet at a sufficient velocity to advance it through a residential sewer line without clogging. Further, it has been found that because the discharge means preferably comprises a centrifugal pump having an inlet opening which is offset from the axis of rotation of the impeller thereof, the discharge means is operative for macerating waste material from the holding tank means before it is discharged into a sewer line so that the potential for clogging problems is even further reduced. In addition, it has been found that because the discharge pipe from the discharge pump extends upwardly to approximately the height of the inlet opening in the holding tank means and then downwardly to an elevation below the centrifugal pump, a portion of the material from the discharge pipe flows back into the centrifugal pump and the holding tank means when the centrifugal pump is deactuated to provide a liquid seal between the holding tank means and a sewer line connected to the discharge line. Further, it has been found that because the centrifugal pump preferably defines the rearmost extremity of the toilet and because the outlet from the discharge pipe is spaced forwardly from the rearmost extremity of the centrifugal pump by approximately 12 inches, the toilet construction of the instant invention can normally be installed in place of a conventional domestic toilet without piping modifications. Still further, it has been found that because the holding tank means has a volume of between approximately two and one half gallons and six gallons and because the toilet unit is supported on top of the holding tank means, the toilet construction of the instant invention normally occupies approximately the same area as a conventional flush toilet. Even still further, it has been found that because the toilet unit is preferably adapted to discharge material substantially directly downwardly into the holding tank means and because the toilet unit preferably comprises mechanical closure means, the toilet unit is operable with a minimal amount of flushing water and it has been found that because the bottom wall of the holding tank means is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, waste material from the toilet unit can effectively pass downwardly along the bottom wall of the holding tank means to the centrifugal pump where it is macerated before it is discharged into a sewer line.
Devices representing the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. patents to DEMAREST, U.S. Pat. No. 274,182; HAGUE et al U.S. Pat. No. 1,957,831; DIRKS et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,038; ALBERTASSI et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,959; TOBIN, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,550; HENNESSY et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,025; BARNUM et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,203; DAVID U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,674; and HEINZE et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,689. However, these references fail to suggest the concept of providing a toilet comprising a toilet unit which is supported on a holding tank and discharge means for discharging waste material from the holding tank into a sewer line wherein the toilet unit is operative with a minimal quantity of flushing water and wherein the holding tank is adapted to contain waste material from several flushes in order to increase the volume of the waste material which is discharged into the sewer line at one time. The above references also fail to suggest many of the other more specific features of the toilet construction of the instant invention and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with respect thereto.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective water saving toilet construction.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective toilet construction comprising a toilet unit which is operative with a minimal quantity of flushing water and supported on a holding tank which is located directly beneath the toilet unit.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a water saving toilet construction wherein waste material is macerated before it is discharged into a sewer line.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a water saving toilet construction comprising a toilet unit and a holding tank which is adapted to be installed in place of a conventional domestic flush toilet.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.


A robot system includes a plurality of segments 3, joints 4 for linking the segments together, drive units 5 for actuating the joints, and a controller 8 for controlling the drive units. Further, the robot system has bladders 2 filled with a fluid being of lower specific gravity than the outside environment. A center of buoyancy differs from a center of gravity, and the robot system has a specific gravity of greater than 1 relative to the outside environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot system capable of performing regulated movements, and more particularly, to various types of robot systems which operate within the same activity space as that of a human.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a related-art robot system, a mechanism system having a skeletal frame made of metal or resin is actuated by means of motors, actuators, or engines, which employ various types of power. A required posture of a robot system is maintained through several steps. First, information obtained by way of various internal and external sensors is processed through use of a controller. Here, the controller is mounted on a robot system main unit or outside the main unit and can exchange information with the robot system main unit. Next, restoration force stemming from gravity is utilized by use of a balance controller which issues required instructions to individual drive sections and shifts a corresponding weight, or by loading into a bottom ballast corresponding to a weight sufficient for canceling out a shift of center of gravity in the upper potion. By virtue of these operations, the system requires complex information processing. Further, the robot system is heavy and rigid and poses danger to a human when operated within the same activity space.
In order to prevent such a danger, the robot system must be made slim and slender. However, realization of a slender robot system is difficult in terms of preservation of shape of a structural body. Robot systems, including a walking robot, require integration and appropriate control of a large number of sensor and drive systems for effecting preservation of system posture, stable self-support, and movements. Therefore, a heavy load is imposed on an information processing system, in turn rendering the information processing system bulky and involving consumption of massive amounts of energy. Further, restrictions are imposed on the weight of the overall robot system. Particularly, considerable influence is imposed on a self-supporting system or autonomous system. When restoration force for effecting an attitude control is dependent on a restoration moment stemming from gravity, a robot system is equipped with ballast, thereby rendering the total weight of the robot system heavy.
An object of the present invention is to provide a robot system which does not requires a complex attitude control system or heavy ballast and maintains a stable posture regardless of whether the robot system is stationary or operating.
In order to accomplish the object, according to the present invention, there is provided a robot system comprising:
at least two segments;
joints for interconnecting the segments;
drive units for actuating the segments;
a controller for controlling the drive units; and
a bladder which is provided in at least one of the segments, the joints, the drive units, and the controller and which is filled with a fluid, the fluid being of higher specific gravity than the outside environment.
The robot system possesses a center of buoyancy and a center of gravity which differ from each other. Further, the robot system has a specific gravity of 1 or more relative to the outside environment.
In the robot system, the product of gravitational force and a distance between a ground point (where the system comes into contact with the ground) and the center of gravity is smaller than the product of buoyant force and a distance between the ground point and the center of buoyancy.
In the robot system, the bladder is formed in the segments. The robot system is equipped with a regulator for regulating the amount of fluid filled in the bladder.
The robot system is equipped with a valve for filling the bladder with a fluid or releasing the fluid from the bladder. The valve may be a check valve for preventing outflow of the fluid from the inside of the bladder to the outside.
According to an variation of the present invention, the robot system may be constructed such that one of the segments constitutes a leg section. Buoyant force may be greater than gravitational force so that the leg section can contact a ceiling. Moreover, the robot system may be constructed such that the leg section comes into contact with a water surface.
In the present robot system, the bladder is preferably formed from a flexible material, and the fluid pressure exerted on the inside of the bladder is preferably variable.
The robot system may be equipped with a transceiver for transmitting information to the outside and receiving information from the outside and may be constructed so as to remotely control the drive units.
The robot system is equipped with a power supply unit for supplying energy for driving the drive units.
The robot system has sensors for acquiring information about the inside and outside of the robot system.
Moreover, according to the present invention, there is provided a robot system comprising:
bladders, each having one or more skins and being filled with a fluid having specific gravity higher than that of the outside environment;
a joint structure capable of linking the bladders together;
a drive unit for actuating a bladder or mutually actuating the bladders; and
an information processing device for controlling the entire system, wherein
the overall robot system has a specific gravity of one or more relative to the outside environment under normal circumstances; the robot system is self-supported while touching a floor at one or several arbitrary points; and the robot system can move as a system.
According to the present invention, the robot system is suspended by means of buoyant force developing in the bladder filled with a fluid having specific gravity lower than that of the outside environment. In the event of occurrence of changes in the posture of the robot system due to movement of the robot system, disturbance, or other forces, a vibration system is formed while an arbitrary ground point on the floor or the center of gravity of the robot system is taken as a neutral point. By means of restoration force stemming from buoyancy, the overall robot system is maintained in a stable attitude.
Simultaneously, the skin of the bladder is strained by the fluid filled therein, thereby generating tensile force. The tensile force imparts required strength, rigidity, and flexibility to respective segments, thereby enabling preservation of the shape of the structural body, self-support, and movements such as walking or leaping action. Further, the segments"" flexibility enables absorption of impact force.
The present invention forms a stable system in the form of a lightweight, simple robot system through use of restoration force without dependence on gravity. As a result, load imposed on the information processing system is lessened considerably. Of various functions of a skeletal system, the most fundamental role of the skeletal system as a support mechanism is greatly diminished, thereby significantly reducing the weight of the skeletal system. As a result, the weight of the robot system main unit is reduced. Further, there can be provided a robot system which possesses structural strength sufficient for effecting self-support action and movements, is suitable for use in the same environment as that in which humans are present, and does not pose any danger to humans even when the robot system falls to the ground or hits any humans.


In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for quantitatively or semi-quantitatively determining the volume of a test sample of urine is provided. The method includes contacting the test sample with a fluidic medium of a lateral flow device having a volume indicator disposed thereon and determining the volume of urine in the test sample based on the distance traveled by the volume indicator along the fluidic medium, the distance traveled by the volume indicator corresponding to the volume of urine in the test sample.

Dehydration is the abnormal depletion of bodily fluids and can have very serious consequences if not cared for properly. Dehydration can be of particular concern for the elderly and babies. Determination of urine volume can aid in determining hydration status in individuals.
Specifically, total body water is regulated within approximately about ±0.2% of body weight each day, and it comprises approximately about 63% of the entire body mass. The water balance is achieved and maintained by matching the input and output of water from the body, and a water imbalance, as detected from urine volume, can be linked to dehydration or hypohydration. Loss of body water in amounts of less than from about 2-3% body mass have been associated with reduced heat dissipation, loss of cardiovascular function, and decreased physical stamina.
However, conventional reagent strips do not have a mechanism by which urine volume can be determined in an effective manner that is not cost prohibitive.
Thus, a need exists for a testing device that can signal urine volume in a cost-effective way. In addition, a need exists for a testing device that can signal urine volume to more accurately detect dehydration in individuals. An absorbent article that incorporates such a device would be particularly beneficial.


A device and method for directing an agent that is magnetic or magnetizable having a magnetic configuration in which a first magnet has a first magnetization that is opposite to a second magnetization of the second magnet. The first magnet and the second magnet define a minimal convex set and the push node is outside the convex set. The first magnetic field and the second magnetic create a combined field and a pushing force.

In conventional magnetic drug delivery, magnetically-responsive objects coated by or containing therapeutic agents can be injected systemically and then focused to targets in the body by applied magnetic fields. In such conventional magnetic therapy, an external magnet or magnets are typically placed outside the body and attract (pull in) magnetically responsive objects. For example, a magnet could be placed adjacent to a tumor and would attract magnetically-responsive objects, such as iron-oxide nanoparticles, to itself and thus concentrate them at the tumor location. This can become useful for treatment of cancer, stroke, infection, and other diseases because it allows therapy to be concentrated to disease sites (e.g., solid tumors, blood clots, infections) while keeping systemic concentrations low (thus minimizing side effects). The magnetically-responsive objects can be micro- or nano-scale iron oxide or other particles or objects, made and coated appropriately to be bio-compatible and therapeutically effective.

Magnetic injection of therapeutic agents by addition of material extrusions with differing magnetization and magnetic permeability


An electrically-operated semiconductor laser device and method for forming the laser device are provided. The laser device includes a fin structure to which a waveguide is optically coupled. The waveguide is optically coupled to passive waveguides at either end thereof. The fin structure includes an array of fin elements, each fin element comprising Group III-V materials.

Group III-V structures are useful for generating light in conventional light-emitting diode (LED) elements. Group III-V materials have also been proposed for use as three-dimensional structures such as an edge-emitting GaN disk-in-nanowire array electrically pumped laser as described in the article "Monolithic Electrically Injected Nanowire Array Edge-Emitting Laser on (001) Silicon" by Thomas Frost et al., Nano Lett. 2014, pages 4535 to 4541. In this structure, the nanowires are contacted at the top and bottom.
A silicon or germanium (Group IV material) integrated laser is described in US-A-2014/0175490 in which fins are combined with a waveguide. An array of vertical fins are provided in a laser cavity with a waveguide being formed on top of the fins for optical guiding and collection. Contacts are made on the sides of the fins.
However, when considering Group III-V materials, an epitaxial layer is prone to defects due to direct epitaxial growth of indium-phosphide/indium-gallium-arsenide (InP/InGaAs) on silicon. These defects include misfit dislocations (MDs), threading dislocations (TDs), stacking faults (SFs), and, point defects (PDs). Whilst MDs tend to be present at the interface with the substrate on which the epitaxial layer is grown, TDs extend as linear defects and SFs extend as planar defect from these points into the epitaxial layer, while PDs may be present throughout the body of the epitaxial layer. The presence of such defects makes it difficult to grow Group III-V materials which are suitable for laser applications.
It is also difficult to provide an optical cavity which has low parasitic losses with strong overlap of optical mode with an active gain medium, such as, an InGaAs active layer. Low loss feedback mechanisms are also required. Moreover, there are challenges with providing good carrier inversion in the optical gain layer, namely, free electron/hole injection when embedded in a forward biased p-i-n junction. Low series resistance is required for ohmic contacts to the p- and n-sides of the p-i-n junction which requires doping levels to be adjusted to avoid high optical loss. In addition, low parasitic losses in the laser cavity or waveguide need to be preserved so that there is a requirement for low optical overlap of contact layers with the optical mode of the fin structure.
Furthermore, efficient, low-loss coupling interfaces are needed between the laser cavity waveguide and passive (output) waveguides.

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R& D


Disclosed herein is a novel, compact, real time optical particle identification and characterization system and method of use within both gaseous and liquid media. The system can implement elastic and/or inelastic light scattering techniques simultaneously and complimentarily under the same sensor platform. By separating the sensing components from the electro-optical unit and using optical fibers for interconnection, only the sensing components need to be exposed to the environmental conditions. This reduces the design constraints on the electro-optical unit and permits the incorporation of optical components into the sensor probe that can withstand high-temperature, high-pressure, and corrosive environments. Thus, the system can be used in benign, moderate, and harsh environments.

This invention was initially inspired by the long felt need to quantify and identify particles ingested by an aircraft gas turbine engine employed in an aircraft. Aircraft are increasingly called upon to operate in harsh environments, particularly those with a significant presence of sand and dust. Ingestion of sand and dust by a gas turbine engine can result in erosion of hardware, clogging of passageways, and deterioration of cooling systems. This leads to degradation of the engine's performance and ultimately could lead to engine failure. Engine manufacturers and customers would prefer to implement real-time health monitoring to detect airborne sand/dust and its penetration into the core of the engine where the most substantial damage can occur. Available particle identification systems, which may identify the individual particle material or composition of a group of particles, are not compact or rugged enough to be applied to either real time or the harsh environment encountered within a gas turbine engine. Such a harsh environment may have extreme temperatures ranging from −100° F. (−73° C.) to 570° F. (300° C.) (already demonstrated) or higher and pressure ranging from 0 psia (0 MPa) to 250 psia (1.7 MPa) or more. Likewise, measurements within corrosive liquid and pressurized liquid environments, such as those found in the semiconductor industry or chemical industry, may also present problems for traditional particle identification and characterization systems.
Several spectroscopy techniques such as Raman spectrometry, mass spectrometry (MS) and ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS), have been commonly used to determine material composition and each technique cannot identify all materials. Moreover, these systems are typically bulky and intrusive and likely cannot survive or function properly under extreme conditions. As the government imposes ever more stringent regulations regarding the emission of particulate matter (PM) by engines, the monitoring of those emissions becomes paramount.
The use of optical scattering methods for particle characterization has been repeatedly demonstrated for applications such as contamination monitoring in clean facilities, pharmaceutical and food preparation, indication of indoor air quality, and the monitoring of environmental pollution caused by industrial and vehicular emissions, biomass burning, volcanic activity, and dust upheaval by wind and vehicles. These methods are typically applied in relatively benign environments where temperature and pressure do not differ significantly from atmospheric conditions. Traditional particle measurement systems with integrated sensor, laser source, and detector electronics will not survive or function properly under such extreme conditions. Particle measurement systems employing these methods typically integrate the sensor probe components and electronic processing and control components into one unit. As such, the more delicate components of the particle measurement system cannot generally survive in harsh environments. Also, particle measurement systems which use electrical signals near a harsh environment are prone to electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects. To date, no suitable technologies were developed to address above requirements or applied to these applications.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a novel sensing methodology that addresses the aforementioned deficits. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to a particle identification system that includes one or more sensor probes interconnected via optical fibers or cables to one or more isolated electro-optical units to detect dust particles and/or debris within gaseous and liquid media. By separating the passive optical components in the sensor probe(s) from temperature (and condition) sensitive components, such as the laser(s) and electronics within the electro-optical unit(s), only the sensor probe components are exposed to any potentially harsh environments. Also, since optical fibers are used to interconnect the sensor probe and electro-optical unit the system is also more resistant to EMI effects. The sensor probe can be a sealed against the environment, since it only contains passive optical components, increasing its ability to survive in harsh gaseous and liquid environments. Such a probe can identify the composition of particles within both gaseous and liquid media while simultaneously providing particle statistics such as size, size distribution, and mass concentrations of particles. Along with traditional benign environment applications, it also addresses the need to endure harsh environments which may include high temperatures, high pressures, corrosive liquids, and EMI.

Method and system for particle characterization and identification


In one embodiment, an oral care system may include a toothbrush comprising a physical property, and a programmable processor configured to receive physical property data indicative of the physical property of the toothbrush. The programmable processor may be further configured to determine, based at least in part upon the received physical property data, a suggested brushing routine for a user and/or an evaluation of a brushing session of a user.

In attempting to improve oral care routines, it is typically left to the individual to select an appropriate toothbrush. The individual is then advised to follow a standard brushing routine of brushing for two minutes total, dedicating about thirty seconds to each quadrant of the dentiture. Brushes may vary, however, in their effectiveness at cleaning different regions of the dentiture. Further, the effectiveness of a brushing motion can vary depending on the properties of the brush used. The standard two-minute brushing routine does not consider the differing properties of brushes, and the impact of those properties on brushing effectiveness. The ability to account for the properties and effectiveness of a selected toothbrush with respect to an individual's brushing routine and/or a brushing evaluation would therefore be desirable.


A method of fabricating a component (1) comprises the steps of providing precursor material in a working medium, creating acoustic forces and positioning the precursor material in the working medium under the effect of the acoustic forces, so that a material distribution is formed, which has a shape of the component to be fabricated, and subjecting at least one of the material distribution and the working medium to a fixation, so that the precursor material of the material distribution or the working medium surrounding the material distribution is bound, wherein the step of creating the acoustic forces includes generating an acoustic interference pattern (5), and the material distribution (4) is formed by moving the precursor material (2) towards energy extrema of the acoustic interference pattern (5). Furthermore, an apparatus (100) for fabricating a component (1) is described.

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a component having a one-, two- or three-dimensional geometry, wherein the shape of the component is obtained by utilizing an acoustic field and the effect of acoustic forces and by fixating a shape that forms in the acoustic field. This may be achieved by accumulating a material, like e. g. discrete particles in the pressure nodes formed by the acoustic field. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for fabricating a component, including an acoustic source device for forming an acoustic field that gives rise to a shape, including shapes formed by a particle distribution by acoustic forces, and a fixation device for fixating a shape of the particle distribution. Applications of the invention are available in the fields of fabricating materials with arbitrary shapes, e.g. for rapid prototyping purposes, and the assembly of materials.
Rapid prototyping methods play an increasing role in a broad range of technical applications, e.g. for fabricating model components or precursor materials. Conventional rapid prototyping is based on a serial addition of one- or two-dimensional structures, resulting in a complex two- or three-dimensional component. This includes the rapid prototyping method that is known as 3D printing. As a general disadvantage, the serial growing of the component is an additive, time-consuming method. Therefore, the application of conventional rapid prototyping is typically limited to the fabrication of single components. Routine applications of rapid prototyping or the fabrication of small batches is challenging. Furthermore, the conventional techniques of rapid prototyping may have limitations in terms of the available geometries of the components to be fabricated. The geometry has to be selected such that the shape of the growing component does not restrict the subsequent addition of one- or two-dimensional structures. Or alternately, a sacrificial material has to be used that fills those areas that will constitute openings or voids after post-processing. The sacrificial or filler material has to be removed in a post-processing step. It follows that one clear disadvantage is that fully enclosed hollow spaces can in general not be fabricated by conventional rapid prototyping methods.
Parallel fabrication methods have been proposed in US 2012/0068383 A1 and by M. Caleap et al. in "PNAS", vol. 111, 2014, p. 6226-6230. Particle distributions are formed under the effect of acoustic forces applied to particles in a liquid. The acoustic forces are formed by standing waves in a resonator accommodating the liquid with the particles. Although the shape of the standing waves can be influenced by the shape of the resonator and the number and arrangement of acoustic transducers, there is a strong limitation with regard to the achievable component geometry. The component can be fabricated with a shape formed by the superposition of standing waves, in particular with a specific symmetry only. Each particular shape to be fabricated requires an adapted resonator geometry and transducer arrangement, thus seriously limiting the flexibility in applying this conventional technique. Often the object must show mirror-symmetry with respect to the transducer arrangement, thus further limiting the usefulness.
Using particle manipulation with standing ultrasound waves for 3D printing also has been considered with reference to a video demonstration by the author in the internet blog http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.de/2014/01/ultrasonic-particle-levitation-could-it.html. However, the video demonstration shows the collection of particles in sound pressure nodes of the standing waves only. Creating the standing waves requires a predetermined geometry of the arrangement of multiple ultrasound arrays. Furthermore, groups of particles are separated from each other in the sound pressure nodes so that a fixation and formation of a complete component is excluded. Thus the cited considerations do not result in a 3D printing technique.
A first objective of the invention is to provide an improved method of fabricating a component, based on shaping a material distribution by the effect of acoustic forces, wherein disadvantages and limitations of conventional techniques are avoided. In particular, the fabrication method is to be capable to select the shape of the component with increased flexibility, in particular allowing irregular component shapes, and without a restriction to standing wave geometries. A second objective of the invention is to provide an apparatus for fabricating a component, based on shaping a material distribution by the effect of acoustic forces, wherein limitations and disadvantages of conventional techniques are avoided. In particular, the apparatus should allow the fabrication of components with more complex shapes, and it is to be characterized by a simplified structure and an improved reconfiguration capability for fabricating components having different shapes.
These objectives are solved by a method and an apparatus for fabricating a component.

Additive manufacturing method and apparatus for fabricating a component using acoustic forces to position precursor material

MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN E.V.


Certain embodiments are directed to a vertical axis unidirectional rotor for wave energy conversion, said rotor comprising a plurality of spatially distributed lift-type and/or drag-type blades and a shaft, said rotor performing unidirectional rotation in waves about the shaft that is vertically oriented.

The present invention relates to wave energy converters and, in certain aspects, methods and apparatus for harnessing hydrokinetic renewable energy from ocean waves to produce electricity.
Wave energy is a concentrated form of renewable energy generated by friction between the water surface and the wind. The energy is built up by the wind on the open seas and then transported to locations closer to the shore, where it can be extracted with wave energy converters. Due to the high energy density of ocean waves, wave power is very area efficient and the average energy content changes more slowly and predictably compared to the wind etc. The resources are vast and can be harvested close to populated areas.
However, there are challenges that must be solved before wave power can be commercially viable. Intermittent and highly fluctuating energy from the ocean waves must efficiently be converted into a steady output of electricity that is suitable for the power grid. Ocean waves vary in height, length, direction and time period (velocity) from wave to wave at a given sea state. A sea state is defined by the significant wave height (Hs) which is calculated from the average of the highest ⅓ of 100 waves in a row. The sea state will change slowly but largely over time; in storm conditions the average energy content in a sea state can be over 100 times higher than during normal conditions (annual average).
A majority of patents directed to wave energy converters (WECs) are directed to reciprocating WECs. Reciprocating WECs use wave-driven reciprocating motions such as heave, pitch, sway, reciprocating bending or curving, etc. for energy harvesting. Well-known examples that have been developed or under development include PowerBuoy (WO2007130334 A3), Pelamis (WO2000017519 A1) and Oyster (WO2006100436 A1) among others. This class of WECs relies on resonance to achieve a desired efficiency. However, in ocean environments the wave frequency spectrum is complicated, and the dominant frequency component changes day by day. That poses a tremendous challenge to the WEC design: a WEC with a fixed resonant frequency promises a relatively simple (thus robust and low-cost) structure, but it responds well to a very narrow band of the wave frequency only; whereas a WEC with a tunable resonant frequency leads to a much sophisticated (thus vulnerable and high-cost) structure, although the WEC's wave-frequency response range can be broadened to a certain extent.
In contrast to the reciprocating WEC class, there is a unidirectional WEC class. Unidirectional WECs perform unidirectional rotation that is directly driven by waves. Therefore, they do not use the resonance principle to improve the efficiency and, thus, have no need for frequency tuning. This frequency tolerance promises simple WEC designs to work efficiently in a very broad wave-frequency range. The unidirectional WEC class can be further divided into a horizontal axis group and a vertical axis group.
A horizontal axis unidirectional WEC features a rotary axis/shaft that is horizontally oriented. Examples of this type include a Savonius WEC (Faizal et al, 2009, Renewable Energy, 35, 164-169), a variation from the Savonius WEC (U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,113 B2), and a cycloidal WEC (U.S. Pat. No. 8,100,650 B2). Generally, a horizontal axis WEC prefers orthogonal alignment of the shaft with respect to the wave propagation direction for the best efficiency. In other words, the WEC shaft needs to be along the wave crest direction. When the wave direction changes, the WEC is expected to realign itself accordingly. However, realizing such realignment through a natural passive control (by means of hydrodynamic design) is difficult for this type of WECs, but a forced active control drastically complicates the WEC design.
The realignment becomes needless for vertical axis unidirectional WECs, which have their rotary shafts vertically oriented. For a successful vertical axis unidirectional WEC design, waves in any propagation directions work the same way in driving the WEC for a unidirectional rotary motion. One example of this type is Wave Rotor (WO2010011133 A1). It rotates well in simple waves but stops in irregular waves, according to its developer. Another example is published in patent application (WO2012166063 A1). In the only drawing of this application, the WEC—a vertical axis water turbine—was simply illustrated by a rectangle. In the description nothing on the structure or working principle of this turbine, which was supposed to be the core technology, has ever been provided at all.
Overall and in principle, the vertical axis unidirectional WECs have no need for either frequency tuning or realignment to cope with constantly changing wave conditions for high efficiency. Therefore, this WEC group has a great potential to result in very simple WEC designs that do not rely on any information or intervention from weather forecasting, sensing, electrical and/or mechanical control, etc. In harsh ocean environments, simplicity leads to robustness and guarantees low capital, operation and maintenance costs. There remains a need for additional methods and apparatus for vertical axis unidirectional WECs.

THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM