A system capable of determining which recognition algorithms should be applied to regions of interest within digital representations is presented. A preprocessing module utilizes one or more feature identification algorithms to determine regions of interest based on feature density. The preprocessing modules leverages the feature density signature for each region to determine which of a plurality of diverse recognition modules should operate on the region of interest. A specific embodiment that focuses on structured documents is also presented. Further, the disclosed approach can be enhanced by addition of an object classifier that classifies types of objects found in the regions of interest.

The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Many object recognition technologies have been developed since the advent of digital acquisition techniques. One example technique that can be used to identify objects that might appear in a digital image includes Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,293 to Lowe titled "Method and Apparatus for Identifying Scale Invariant Features in an Image and Use of the Same for Locating an Object in an Image", filed Mar. 6, 2000. Typically, only one algorithm is applied to a digital representation of a scene to identify or locate an object within the digital representation. Although useful for identifying objects that are amenable to the specific philosophical foundations of the algorithms, such a single minded approach is less than efficient across many different classes of objects; different types of objects across which there can be a high variability in feature density.
Some effort has been applied toward detecting object features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,833 to Moghaddam et al. titled "Detection, Recognition and Coding of Complex Objects using Probabilistic Eigenspace Analysis", filed Apr. 20, 1995, describes calculating probabilities densities associated with an image or portions of an image to determine if an input image represents an instance of an object. Still, Moghaddam only offers a single approach for identifying objects and fails to provide insight into classification of objects.
Substantial effort toward image processing as been applied in the field of medical imaging. European patent specification EP 2 366 331 to Miyamoto titled "Radiation Imaging Apparatus, Radiation Imaging Method, and Program", filed Mar. 1, 2011, references calculating image density within a radioscopic image and selectively executing an extraction algorithm for reach region of interest where the density information reflects tissue density. The extraction algorithm results in features that can aid in analysis of corresponding tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,542,794 also to Miyamoto titled "Image Processing Apparatus for a Moving Image of an Object Irradiated with Radiation, Method Thereof, and Storage Medium", filed Mar. 3, 2011, also discusses image processing with respect to radioscopic imaging. Miyamoto discusses capturing a "feature amount" from pre-processed moving images where the "feature amounts" represent values derived from the image data. Thus, the feature amounts can reflect aspects of image data related to region in an image.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,218,850 to Raundahl et al. titled "Breast Tissue Density Measure" filed Dec. 23, 2008, makes further progress in the medical imaging field of extracting tissue density information from radioscopic images. Raundahl describes driving a probability score from the tissue density information and that indicates that a mammogram image is a member of a predefine class of mammograms images. Miyamoto and Raundahl offer useful instructions toward processing medical image data based on extracted features. However, such approaches are not applicable to a broad range of object types, say shoes, animals, or structured documents.
U.S. patent application publication 2008/0008378 to Andel et al. titled "Arbitration System for Determining the Orientation of an Envelope from a Plurality of Classifiers", filed Jul. 7, 2006; and U.S. patent application publication 2008/0008379 also to Andel et al. titled "System and Method for Real-Time Determination of the Orientation of an Envelope", filed Jul. 7, 2007, both describe using a classifier that determines an orientation of an envelope based on an image of the envelope. The orientation classifier operates as a function of pixel density, (i.e., regions having dark pixels).
U.S. Pat. No. 8,346,684 to Mirbach et al. titled "Pattern Classification Method", filed internationally on Jul. 17, 2007, describes identifying test patterns in a feature space based on using a density function. During an on-line process, patterns can be classified as belonging to known patterns based on the known patterns having similar density functions.
International patent application publication WO 2013/149038 to Zouridakis titled "Method and Software for Screening and Diagnosing Skin Lesions and Plant Diseases" filed Mar. 28, 2013, also describes a classification system. Zouridakis discusses extracting features from regions within an object boundary in an image and comparing the extracted features to known object features in a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM returns a classification of the object.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,553,989 to Owechko et al. titled "Three-Dimensional (3D) Object Recognition System Using Region of Interest Geometric Features", filed Apr. 27, 2010, uses a feature vector to classify objects of interest. Shape features are calculated by converting raw point cloud data into a regularly sampled populated density function where the shape features are compiled into the feature vector. The feature vector is then submitted to a multi-class classifier trained on feature vectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,363,939 to Khosla et al. titled "Visual Attention and Segmentation System", filed Jun. 16, 2008, discusses applying a flooding algorithm to break apart an image into smaller proto-objects based on feature density where the features represent color features derived based on various color channels. Unfortunately, Khosla merely attempts to identify regions of high saliency, possibly growing the region, rather than attempting differentiate among objects distributed across regions of interest.
U.S. patent application publication 2013/0216143 to Pasteris et al. titled "Systems, Circuits, and Methods for Efficient Hierarchical Object Recognition Based on Clustered Invariant Features", filed Feb. 7, 2013, describes extracting key points from image data and grouping the key points into clusters that enforce a geometric constraint. Some clusters are discarded while the remaining clusters are used for recognition. Interestingly, Pasteris seeks to discard low density sets and fails to appreciate that feature density, regardless of its nature, can represent rich information.
International patent application WO 2007/004868 to Geusebroek titled "Method and Apparatus for Image Characterization", filed Jul. 3, 2006, seeks to characterize images based on density profile information. The system analyzes images to find color or intensity transitions. The density profiles are created from the transitions and fitted to predefined parameterization functions, which can be used to characterize the image.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,429,103 to Aradhye et al. titled "Native Machine Learning Service for User Adaptation on a Mobile Platform", filed Aug. 2, 2012; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,510,238 titled "Method to Predict Session Duration on Mobile Device Using Native Machine Learning", filed Aug. 14, 2012, both describe a machine learning service that seeks to classify features from image data.
All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
The above cited references offer various techniques for applying some form of algorithm to image data to identify objects represented within the image data. Still, the collective references rely on a single algorithm approach to identify features within regions of interest. The references fail to appreciate that each region of interest could have a different type or class of object (e.g., unstructured documents, structured documents, faces, toys, vehicles, logos, etc.) from the other regions. Further, the references fail to provide insight into how such diverse regions of interest could be processed individually or how to determine which type of processing would be required for such regions. Thus, there is still a need for systems capable of determining which type of processing should be applied to identified regions of interest.
In some embodiments, the numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as concentration, reaction conditions, and so forth, used to describe and claim certain embodiments of the invention are to be understood as being modified in some instances by the term "about." Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters set forth in the written description and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of some embodiments of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as practicable. The numerical values presented in some embodiments of the invention may contain certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of "a," "an," and "the" includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. "such as") provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.
Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims.

Feature density object classification, systems and methods


A polymer modulator including a waveguide core defined over an insulating layer and having a first passive region including a light input, a second passive region including a light output, and an active region optically coupling the passive regions into a continuous waveguide core between the input and output. The waveguide core in the first and second passive regions including one of sol-gel and SiO2 surrounded by cladding including one of sol-gel and SiO2. The cladding in the passive regions having a first refractive index, the waveguide core in both regions having a second refractive index at least 0.01 higher than the first refractive index. The waveguide core in the active region including sol-gel, a cladding layer of sol-gel positioned between the insulating layer and the waveguide core, the refractive index of the waveguide core is at least 0.01 higher than the refractive index of the cladding layer.

A polymer ridge waveguide is typically made of a lower cladding layer, an active region and an upper cladding layer. A modulator formed from this prior art waveguide has additional top and bottom electrodes for input of the modulating electrical signals. An active region layer is a host guest system made of a host polymer and a guest chromophore, or multiple guest chromophores, or monolith (or 100%) of a chromophore, or polymers with chromophores in their main chains or side chains. In prior art modulators the active region transverses the complete modulator structure so that light being modulated enters directly into and exits directly out of the active region layer.
Because the prior art active region layer is limited in thickness and size, direct input and output coupling to optical fibers and free space light can be inefficient and require tight tolerances that increase cost and reduce efficiency.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved active region-less polymer modulator with more efficient optical coupling between the modulator chip and the outside world.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved active region-less polymer modulator with higher reliability, since the active material is never exposed to the outside world-atmosphere.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved active region-less polymer modulator with higher reliability, since the active material is not subject to optical reflections, rough surfaces, and other effects that could affect optical light transmission.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating an active region-less polymer modulator.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved active region-less polymer modulator with shaped adiabatic transition areas at each end of an EO polymer active component.


The present invention is a device for transferring power flow from a multidisplacement engine to a transmission. The device includes an enclosed housing having a first shell on the engine side, a second shell on the transmission side, with the housing at least partially filled with oil and connected to an external oil pump. The device also includes a planetary gear set comprising an outer ring gear, a set of intermediate planet gears contained within a planet carrier, and a sun gear attached to a stator, a first clutch pack connecting the housing and the ring gear when engaged, a piston means designed to engage the first clutch pack, and a second clutch pack which connects the ring gear with the sun gear when engaged. A preloaded diaphragm spring connects the second clutch pack with the ring gear. First and second damper spring assemblies are also disclosed.

New vehicle multidisplacement or cylinder shut off engines are now in development and in some cases in production. These engines are essentially designed to shut off one-half of the number of cylinders when operated in slow speed or idling situations in which the power output of all the cylinders is not needed. In slow speed situations, this shut off capability results in higher overall gas mileage as, for example, an eight cylinder engine consumes fuel at a four cylinder rate. Multidisplacement engines can be eight cylinders shutting off four cylinders, six cylinders shutting off three cylinders, ten cylinders shutting off five cylinders, etc. In the discussion below, an eight cylinder multidisplacement engine is described, but it should be realized that the same discussion will apply to all multidisplacement engines.
One problem presented by multidisplacement engines is the need to quickly supply an adequate power flow or torque flow from the engine to the transmission. By power or torque flow is meant the direction of movement of rotational power from the engine to the transmission. In contrast to standard engines that always utilize all the cylinders, multidisplacement engines use only half the total number of cylinders when at idle or very slow speeds. Consequently, one problem presented by the multidisplacement engines is the need to establish a quick increase in power flow when moving from an idle to running condition.
It is well known to insert a torque converter between an internal combustion engine and an automatic transmission to increase the torque supplied to the transmission which allows for efficient starts from a stopped position. The torque converter comprises two housing shells interconnected to retain transmission fluid. The shell on the engine side is connected to the engine through a flywheel or similar device to transmit the rotary motion of the engine crankshaft to the two shells. Pump vanes are incorporated into the shell on the transmission side of the torque converter which, when rotated by the connection to the engine, causes a toroidal flow to the oil present in the converter. The oil flow acts on a turbine, which also has corresponding vanes, to rotate the turbine. The turbine is connected to a stator which is configured to direct flow to the pump.
Since slippage always exists between the pump and turbine, which results in loss of efficiency, it is well known to supply a lock-up clutch to a torque converter to create a nonrotatable connection between the housing shells and the transmission input shaft
There are examples in the prior art of the use of torque multiplier devices that employ clutches operatively connected to planetary gears in place of the torque converters described above. U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,849 to Mathiak, et al. discloses an apparatus which uses a friction clutch to transmit initial torque to an automatic transmission. Electronic controls are used to control the clutch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,153 to Matsuoka discloses a double clutch system with planetary gears placed between an engine and a manual transmission. The clutches are used to increase the number of gears provided to two different power paths. U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,400 to Shih discloses a planetary gear arrangement that replaces a conventional clutch and gearbox. The transmission input shaft is directly coupled to the engine by a flywheel or other convenient device. Gear shifting is performed by the electronically controlled disengagement of the clutch to allow a manual gear change maneuver. U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,024 to Hayashi, et al. discloses a clutch assembly having a starting clutch and a second clutch to transfer power to an intermediate portion of the planetary mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,022 to Uhlig, et al. provides a speed change arrangement in which a disc brake and disc clutch are alternately engaged by a hydraulically operated toothed disc support to create two different sun gear connections—either to another planet gear to create a direct (1:1 ratio) drive power flow connection between the engine and the transmission or to the clutch housing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,703 discloses a flywheel-clutch arrangement for a manual gearbox in which when the clutch is engaged, the planetary gears are disengaged from the drive train. When the clutch is disengaged, the planet system is driven by the flywheel to aid synchronization. Finally, United States Patent Publication No. 2006/0016661 to George, et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a device for producing an operative connection between an internal combustion engine and a transmission. The device is configured to be used with a wet clutch—planetary gear system and sized to easily replace, as in a drop-in, a standard torque converter.
Most of the cited references are designed to be used in conjunction with a manual transmission. As discussed above, clutch type torque multipliers are designed to promote efficiencies in power flow, and, with the exception of the '661 publication, they do not disclose a system in which the torque multiplier can easily replace a typical torque converter. Moreover, none have been disclosed as compatible with multidisplacement engines.
The operation of cylinder shut off engines also presents a unique challenge in overcoming the vibration/resonance that is created during drive train operation. As part of the drive train, the torque converter is subject to this vibration. Dampers are often employed to absorb the vibration and allow the torque converter and drivetrain to operate smoothly. However, in multidisplacement engines, two sources of vibration exist—one generated from four cylinder operation and a second generated by eight cylinder operation.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for a clutch type torque multiplier that is compatible with a multidisplacement engine and that can withstand two modes of vibration generated by two different sets of operation characteristics.

Geared torque converter with multi-plate clutches and planetary gearset

LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG


A request is received from a mobile device located in a first geographic location for an image displaying a second geographic location. Mobile devices are geolocated and those located within a predetermined distance from the second geographic location are identified. A description of the desired image is delivered to each such identified such mobile device, whereupon the desired image is received from at least one such identified mobile device and forwarded to the requesting mobile device.

The present invention relates to method for providing on-demand digital representations to mobile devices in other geographic locations and, more particularly, to a method and system in which a mobile device user in one location can request and receive an image of a second location by submitting the request to a host computer which geolocates mobile devices in the second location and forwards a description of the requested image to mobile devices located within a predetermined distance of the second location.

Method for providing on-demand digital representations to mobile devices in other geographic locations


A mirror assembly includes a stem attached to a mirror head. The stem includes a first portion directly attached to the mirror head. The first portion includes a catch. The second portion is attached to a support structure, and includes a retention portion. The catch of the first portion is engaged with the retention portion of the second portion for supporting the first portion and the mirror head relative to the second portion. Once the first portion is supported by the interaction between the catch and the retention portion, fasteners may be installed to fixedly attach the first portion to the second portion.

A side view mirror may be attached to a support structure. The side view mirror includes a housing, which moveably supports a mirror. The side view mirror enables a person to view in a rearward or opposite direction without turning around. The side view mirror may be attached to any support structure, such as a building, but is most commonly used and attached to vehicles, such as cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, trains, tractors, etc. The side view mirror must be securely attached to the support structure, and provide a path for a conduit feature, which may, for example, connect a drive motor to a control system, such as a switch, to control a position of a mirror.


An RF signal generator divides an input radio signal into an amplitude signal and a phase signal and outputs the amplitude signal and the phase signal. A switching amplifier amplifies the radio signal with the amplitude signal and the phase signal. The switching amplifier includes at least one variable current source that is controlled by the amplitude signal and supplies a current to the switching amplifier. The switching amplifier includes at least one switching elements that connects the variable current source to one of a terminal connected a ground potential and an output terminal of the switching amplifier according to the phase signal.

A transmission unit of a communication device, such as a cellular phone or a wireless LAN, is required to operate with low power consumption. Such a transmission unit of a communication device is required to operate with low power consumption regardless of the magnitude of output power, and is also required to ensure a high accuracy of transmission signals. In particular, a power amplifier disposed at a final stage of a transmission unit of a communication device occupies 50% or more of the power consumption of the entire transmitter. For this reason, the power amplifier disposed at the final stage of the transmission unit of the communication device needs to have a high power efficiency.
In recent years, a switching amplifier has been attracting attention as a power amplifier that is expected to achieve a high power efficiency. The switching amplifier receives pulse-shape signals. The switching amplifier amplifies the power of received pulse-shape signals while maintaining the pulse shape. The pulse-shape signals amplified by the switching amplifier are transmitted from an antenna after frequency components other than desired frequency components are sufficiently suppressed by a filter element.
A current mode class-D amplifier (hereinafter referred to as "CMCD"), which is a typical switching amplifier, will now be described. FIG. 17 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration example of a CMCD 6. The CMCD 6 includes variable current sources 61 and 62, switching elements 63 and 64, a load 65, and a filter circuit 66. The variable current sources 61 and 62 are connected in parallel with a power supply VDD. The switching element 63 is connected between the variable current source 61 and a ground GND. The switching element 64 is connected between the variable current source 62 and the ground GND. The load 65 and the filter circuit 66 are connected in parallel between an output terminal of the switching element 63 and an output terminal of the switching element 64.
Pulse signals are input to control terminals of the switching elements 63 and 64. The pulse signal input to the control terminal of the switching element 64 is a signal complementary to the pulse signal input to the control terminal of the switching element 63. Thus, when one of the switching elements 63 and 64 is turned on, the other of the switching elements is controlled to be turned off. The current source connected to the switching element in the OFF state supplies a current to the load 65 and the filter circuit 66. A current from the current source connected to the switching element flows into the switching element in the ON state. Further, a current from the current source connected to the switching element in the OFF state flows into the switching element in the ON state through the load 65 and the filter circuit 66.
A typical class-AB power amplifier and the like require a bias current. On the other hand, the CMCD requires no bias current. Accordingly, a power loss in the CMCD is equal to the sum of a switching loss generated during charging/discharging to/from a parasitic capacitance and a heat loss generated in a parasitic resistance. Accordingly, when the parasitic capacitance and the parasitic resistance are ideally zero, the power loss of the CMCD is "0".
Next, a configuration example of a transmitter 700 incorporating the CMCD 6 will be described. FIG. 18 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration example of the transmitter 700 incorporating the CMCD 6. The transmitter 700 includes an RF signal generator 71, a driver amplifier 72, and the CMCD 6.
The RF signal generator 71 includes a digital baseband (hereinafter referred to as "DBB") 711, sigma-delta modulators 712 and 713, a digital up-converter 714, and an inverter 715. In the case of W-CDMA, for example, the DBB 711 generates a radio signal which is a multi-bit signal of 10 bits or more. On the other hand, a pulse signal representing information by two states (1 bit) of high and low can be input to the CMCD 6. Accordingly, it is necessary to convert the multi-bit signal output from the DBB 711 into a 1-bit signal that is subjected to over-sampling in advance. The sigma-delta modulators 712 and 713 are used as means for converting a multi-bit signal into a 1-bit signal by over-sampling.
Each signal output from the sigma-delta modulators 712 and 713 is output as a pulse signal through the digital up-converter 714. The pulse signal output from the digital up-converter 714 is divided into two signals. One of the divided pulse signals is inverted by the inverter 715. A non-inverted pulse signal is input to the switching element 63 of the CMCD 6 through the driver amplifier 72. The inverted pulse signal is input to the switching element 64 of the CMCD 6 through the driver amplifier 72.
The sigma-delta modulators 712 and 713 described above can favorably maintain noise characteristics in the vicinity of a desired frequency band. Accordingly, in this configuration example, a multi-bit radio signal can be converted into a pulse signal and the pulse signal can be input to the CMCD 6, while maintaining satisfactory noise characteristics.

Transmitter and method for controlling same


Provided are an aptamer having an inhibitory activity on FGF2; a complex containing an aptamer having a binding activity or an inhibitory activity on FGF2, and a functional substance (e.g., affinity substance, labeling substance, enzyme, drug delivery vehicle, or drug and the like); a medicament, diagnostic reagent or label containing an aptamer having a binding activity or an inhibitory activity on FGF2, or a complex containing said aptamer and a functional substance; and the like.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2 or bFGF) is a growth to factor secreted from various cells, which is deeply involved in the cell proliferation and differentiation in developmental stages and shows high expression during tissue repair and in cancer tissues in adults.
While human FGF2 has plural isoforms, only an isoform having the least molecular weight is extracellularly secreted. This isoform is an about 18 kDa protein consisting of 154 amino acids, which is free of a sugar chain and has a basic isoelectric point of 9.4. While the function of high molecular weight isoforms (22, 22.5, 24, 34 kD) of FGF2 with different open reading frames is not clear as yet, they are considered to have a nuclear localization signal and function in the nucleus.
The human FGF family protein is known to include 22 kinds from FGF1 to FGF23 (FGF15 and FGF19 are now unified as FGF19 since they have the same molecule). By phylogenetic analysis, FGF2 is classified into FGF1 subfamily together with FGF1. The homology of amino acid sequence with FGF1 is the highest of all FGFs, and its value is 55%. FGF receptor (FGFR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor and classified into 4 subtypes. Each of FGFR1-3 is known to include b and c isoforms. FGF2 is bound by forming a dimer with FGFR1b, FGFR1c, FGFR2c and FGFR3c, and FGFR4 therefrom.
Mouse fibroblast (NIH-3T3 cell) expresses FGFR1 on the cellular membrane surface. FGFR1 is known to be activated when bound to human FGF2. When FGF2 is bound to FGFR1, MAP kinase (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway, PIK3 (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/AKT1 (actin related gene 1) pathway and the like are activated via FRS2 (Fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2), Grb2 (growth factor receptor-bound protein 2), SOS, and finally, expression of various cytokine and receptor genes such as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor precursor)-A, VEGF-C, HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), angiopoietin-2, VEGFR, PDGFR-α (platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor-α) and the like is induced.
FGF2 has a heparin binding region and, like other FGFs, is bound to heparin and heparan sulfate. It is generally considered that FGF2 secreted from a cell is bound to a heparan sulfate of an extracellular matrix, concentrated, and protected from protease. To function as a ligand, FGF2 needs to be liberated from the extracellular matrix bound thereto, in which FGF-BP (FGF-binding protein) is reported to be involved to aid induction to FGFR.
FGF2 is known to have a strong growth, cell migration-promoting effect for vascular endothelial cells, and be deeply involved in the angiogenesis of tumor tissues. A particularly high FGF2 serum concentration in tumor with many blood vessels, for example, kidney cancer and the like, has been reported, and FGF2 is present in various other tumors such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and the like.
Factors such as FGF1, VEGF, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), PDGF, EGF (epidermal growth factor), MMP (matrix metallopeptidase), angiogenin and the like are involved in angiogenesis besides FGF2. These factors are secreted from tumor, angioblastic cells, supporting cells and the like, and contribute to angiogenesis as growth factors of autocrine and paracrine. However, FGF2 is different from other factors since it acts not only on vascular endothelial cells but also mesenchymal cells surrounding the endothelial cells, such as smooth muscle cell and the like. In other words, it is considered that FGF2 stimulates mesenchymal cell to promote expression of PDGF, PDGFR, VEGF, HGF and the like, and these factors enhance direct growth of vascular endothelial cells.
At present, many attempts have been made to develop a drug that inhibits abnormal angiogenesis in a tumor tissue to block a nutrient supply pathway to a tumor tissue. There is a drug actually used in clinical situations such as a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (avastin (registered trade is mark)) developed by Genentech, which has been confirmed to show an effect for colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. However, a strong antitumor drug has not been developed yet. Many of these drugs target VEGF and PDGF, and are expected to block the initial stages of abnormal angiogenesis by targeting FGF2 that functions at more upstream.
Abnormal angiogenesis is also involved in, besides tumor, diseases such as chronic inflammations (e.g., periodontal disease, scleroderma, neovascular glaucoma, arthritis and the like), psoriasis, age-related macular degeneration and the like.
On the other hand, an attempt has been made to use the strong angiogenic action of FGF2 for the treatment of occlusive vascular disorders and wound healing. In fact, the human FGF2 preparation (fibroblast spray (registered trade mark)) of Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has already been approved and sold as a drug for promoting wound healing.
In recent years, applications of RNA aptamers to medicaments, diagnostic reagents, and test reagents have been drawing attention; some RNA aptamers have already been in clinical study stage or in practical use. In December 2004, the world's first RNA aptamer drug, Macugen, was approved as a therapeutic drug for age-related macular degeneration in the US. An RNA aptamer refers to an RNA that binds specifically to a target substance such as a protein, and can be prepared using the SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) method (see Patent documents 1-3). In the SELEX method, an RNA that binds specifically to a target substance is selected from an RNA pool with about 1014 different nucleotide sequences. The RNA structure used has a random sequence of about 40 residues, which is flanked by primer sequences. This RNA pool is allowed to be assembled with a target substance, and only the RNA that has bound to the target substance is collected using a filter and the like. The RNA collected is amplified by RT-PCR, and this is used as a template for the next round. By repeating this operation about 10 times, an RNA aptamer that binds specifically to the target substance can be acquired.
Patent document 2 describes a nucleic acid ligand (including "aptamer" in this section) of bFGF (FGF2) obtained by the SELEX method. Patent document 4 describes that a nucleic acid ligand of HGF can be used for the inhibition of tumor metastasis or angiogenesis together with a nucleic acid ligand that inhibits bFGF and, as the nucleic acid ligand that inhibits bFGF, it recites nucleic acid ligands described in patent documents 5 and 6. However, the sequences of the aptamers described in these documents are different from those of the aptamers specifically shown in the present specification. In addition, these documents do not describe or suggest the aptamers specifically shown in the present specification.


The silicon real estate consumed by a conventional Schottky diode is reduced in the present invention by forming the Schottky diode through a field oxide isolation region. Etching through the field oxide isolation region requires extra etch time which is provided by conventional etch steps that typically specify a 50-100% overetch during contact formation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a method for forming Schottky diodes in a CMOS process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Schottky diode is a metal-to-semiconductor structure which is physically similar to a metal contact; essentially differing only in that the Schottky diode is formed on a lightly-doped region of the substrate, while the metal contact is formed on a heavily-doped region of the substrate.
Although physically similar, the Schottky diode and the metal contact exhibit very different current-to-voltage (I/V) relationships. This difference is due to the different dopant concentrations that are used in the two substrate regions.
The Schottky diode, which is formed on the lightly-doped region, has a current-to-voltage (I/V) relationship that is similar to the I/V relationship of a pn diode. That is, when forward biased, a Schottky diode provides a low-resistance current path and, when reverse-biased, a high-resistance current path. On the other hand, the metal contact, which is formed on the heavily-doped region, has a I/V relationship that is linear or resistive.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional diagram that illustrates a wafer 100 which has a conventionally formed Schottky diode and a conventionally formed metal contact. As shown in FIG. 1, wafer 100 includes an n-type semiconductor material 110, such as a substrate or a well, and a plurality of field oxide isolation regions FOX which are formed in material 110.
Wafer 100 also includes an n+ region 112 and a p+ region 114 which are both formed in material 110, and an n- region 116 which is defined in material 110. N+ region 112 represents the heavily-doped substrate region of a biasing contact, while p+ region 114 represents the heavily-doped source and drain regions of a CMOS transistor. N- region 116, in turn, represents the lightly-doped substrate region of a Schokkty diode.
As further shown in FIG. 1, wafer 100 also includes a layer of planarized silicon dioxide 120 which is formed over material 110 and the field oxide isolation regions FOX. Layer 120, in turn, has an opening 122 which exposes n+ region 112, an opening 124 which exposes p+ region 114, and an opening 126 which exposes n- region 116.
Wafer 100 additionally includes a layer of titanium 128 which is formed over regions 112, 114, and 116, and the sidewalls of the openings 122, 124, and 126, and a layer of titanium nitride 130 which is formed over titanium layer 128. Titanium layer 128 and titanium nitride layer 130 form a diffusion barrier to prevent junction spiking. (Part of titanium layer 130 is converted into titanium silicide during the heat treatments that are associated with contact formation.)
Further, wafer 100 includes an aluminum or tungsten plug 132 which is formed over titanium nitride layer 130 in opening 122, an aluminum or tungsten plug 134 which is formed over titanium nitride layer 130 in opening 124, and an aluminum or tungsten plug 136 which is formed over titanium nitride layer 130 in opening 126. In addition, a plurality of aluminum lines 138, 140, and 142 are connected to plugs 132, 134, and 136, respectively, and other lines to realize the underlying electrical circuit.
As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate biasing contact 144 is formed by n+ region 112, barrier layers 128 and 130, and plug 132, while a source/drain contact 146 is formed by p+ region 114, barrier layers 128 and 130, and plug 134. Further, a Schottky diode 148 is formed by an n-region 116, barrier layers 128 and 130 (titanium/titanium silicide and titanium nitride), and plug 136.
One of the problems with Schottky diode 148, however, is that the minimum size of diode 148 is typically determined by the minimum contact size that is available in the photolithographic process. As a result, diode 148 consumes a significant amount of silicon real estate (substrate surface area). Thus, there is a need for a Schottky diode that requires less silicon real estate.


The molding installation includes a molding area where a molding apparatus for effecting the molding with a die is disposed; a maintenance area adapted to subject the die to maintenance work and disposed adjacent to the molding area; a die position shifting apparatus adapted to shift a position of the die and disposed between the molding area and the maintenance area; and a carriage adapted to exchange the die for another in the molding apparatus and disposed on a passage connecting between the molding apparatus and the die position shifting apparatus.. The die position shifting apparatus is designed capable of shifting a die position of the die to the die position required in the molding area or in the maintenance area without any labor of workers.. This arrangement in the molding installation permits a full automation of a series of operations including the die exchanging operation, the die conveyance operation for conveying the die into or from the molding apparatus and the die position shifting operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molding installation using a die and, more particularly, to an automatic molding installation having a layout suitable for an automatic operation capable of exchanging or conveying a die to be set in a molding apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional molding equipment using a die includes one, for example, for a metal mold casting, a press molding, and a plastic molding. As a plastic molding is known an injection molding, a compression molding, a blow molding and so on.
Molding apparatus of various types for those moldings are known to those skilled in the art and they require a lot of time and labor in a die exchanging operation. A die is so heavy that it is very difficult and risky to exchange the die using labor only.
Heretofore, various methods have been employed for exchanging a die for an old one in a molding apparatus. For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2,537/1983 discloses a die exchange using a crane. This technology would be effective in an automatic conveyance of the die to the molding apparatus from a stocker in which the die has been stored although it would be effectively applicable to the die exchanging operation. The disadvantage prevailing in these technology using a crane system, however, underlies in the fact that a long time of labor work involving risk is inevitably required for hoisting dice with cranes.
Different technology is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos. 2,537/1983 and 5,557/1984, Japanese Patent Publication (Laid-Open) No. 48,132/1984 (Japanese counterpart of West German P3 222 743.4 and P3 242 169.9) and Japanese Patent Publication (Laid-Open) No. 201,624/1983 (Japanese counterpart of West German G8 212 045 and P3 220 911.8). This technology is directed to methods of exchanging a die through a table disposed on the side of a molding apparatus. This technology has the advantage that the die can be exchanged in a state of being loaded on the table without labor as required for conventional crane systems, thus leading to a stable die exchanging operation. It is to be noted that this technology is of some help to automating a die exchanging operation for a molding apparatus. None of these prior patent applications, however, disclose any technique for conveying the die to the table on which the die is exchanged. Accordingly, their disclosures are remote from appliction to an automation in a molding installation as a whole system.
It is a matter of course that a molding installation requires a maintenance area where the die is subjected to maintenance, and a function as conveyance of the die between the maintenance area and a molding apparatus.
Maintenance work is done in the maintenance area. However, the position of a die to be brought into the maintenance area may be different from a position of the die loaded in the molding apparatus or stored in the stock area. For the maintenance area, the die is arranged in such a position, that is, in such a standing or erect state, as what is required for maintenance, whichever a front mold (fixed side part) or a rear mold, viz., a movable half of mold, both constituting the die or a mold constituted by both the front and rear molds, is placed above what is not required for maintenance. For a transverse molding apparatus, the die should be placed in such a state that its front and rear molds are juxtaposed or placed side by side, and, for a vertical molding apparatus, the die should be placed in such an erect state or posture as its rear mold is on the top of the front mold or vice verse.
Accordingly, when such a transverse molding apparatus is used for a molding installation, the position of a die to be brought into the maintenance area should be always shifted to a standing position required in the maintenance area. For such a vertical molding apparatus, the position of a die should be shifted to such a position as its mold half required for maintenance being brought above the other mold half when the mold half required for maintenance has been placed underneath the other half.
In conventional techniques, a die conveyed for maintenance is treated usually in the maintenance area using a crane so as to brought its mold half necessary for maintenance on the top of the other half. This work requires a lot of labor involving risk.
Accordingly, there have been great demands for automation in a molding installation to such an extent that no or little labor is required for a die exchanging operation, a die conveying operation between a molding apparatus and a maintenance, and so on.


For fixing an optical member such as a filter (12) to a support (10), more particularly for performing infrared observations on an artificial satellite, use is made of a device (18) having clamps (20) screwed into the support (10) and whose opposite ends respectively bear on the support and on the filter, a force distribution shim (26) being interposed between each clamp (20) and the filter (12). The tightening force is calibrated by means of one or more elastic washers (28) placed between the head of each fixing screw (22) and the corresponding clamp. Separating strips (24), preferably made from gold, are placed between the filter and the adjacent parts, to the right of shims (26).

The invention relates to a device making it possible to fix to a support at least one optical member with a relatively small thickness such as a filter, a mirror or a lens, particularly when the use conditions of said member lead to significant temperature variations. Such a fixing device can more particularly be used on an artificial infrared observation satellite for fixing filters equipping an infrared camera to a support.
As a result of the fragility or brittleness of the materials forming the filters (e.g. CdTe, germanium, silicon or CaF.sub.2), the conventional fixing devices cannot be used in an application of this type, because the mechanical and thermal stresses to which they are then exposed would lead to the filters becoming deformed or broken.
Thus, infrared observation requires working at a temperature equal to or below 100.degree. K. In view of the fact that the filters are fitted at ambient temperature, i.e. approximately 300.degree. K., the fixing device must subsequently withstand a temperature variation exceeding 200.degree. K. Moreover, the mechanical strength characteristics of the filters requires that the heat gradient within them is kept equal to or below 20.degree. K. during the temperature drop.
Furthermore, like the complete satellite, the optical system is exposed to severe mechanical stressing in the form of vibrations, both when it is at 300.degree. K. and when it is at very low temperatures (which can be close to zero K).
Finally, the choice of the fixing device must also take account, in such an application, of the reduced volume allocated to it on the satellite and the need of ensuring a precise and substantially constant positioning of the filters no matter what the temperature, as well as the earthing of the filters or their covering.
A first fixing procedure known in connection with uses at ambient or close to ambient temperature consists of bonding or glueing the filters to their support. However, the widely differing expansion coefficients between the materials of the filters and the support would, in the case of a use at very low temperature, lead to a deformation or fracture of the filters at the point where they are bonded to their supports. This problem was revealed by tests performed at 4.degree. K. on diiferent adhesive or glue groups. In addition, this solution also does not make it possible to ensure the earthing of the filters or their covering.
Another procedure used at ambient temperature, particularly for fixing lenses in objectives, consists of fixing the filters by means of a ring screwed into a support. However, this solution is also not completely satisfactory, because it is incompatible with the application of a high heat gradient and does not make it possible to ensure a constant tightening. Moreover, the use of a screwed ring may lead to the breaking of the filters under the effect of the relative rotation between the ring and the latter during tightening. Moreover, it significantly increases the overall volume.
A third fixing procedure used at temperatures close to ambient temperature consists of bonding the filter to an annular member, which is rendered integral with the support by bending strips, so as to not induce stresses in the filter. However, this solution also fails to deal with the problem of the bond between the filter and the annular member which it supports.
Therefore all these known devices, which are conventionally used at ambient temperature and for fixing not very fragile optical members, cannot be used when they are exposed to high thermal gradients and when the members which they fix are fragile and have physical characteristics evolving with the temperature.

Device for fixing an optical member such as a filter to a support

Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle


An ARQ transmission method in a communication system, wherein data packets comprising modulation symbols are transmitted based on an automatic repeat request and subsequently combined with previously received data packets. The symbols of the transmitted data packets are modulated in a mapping entity employing at least a first and second signal constellation. The method further comprises the step of obtaining the second signal constellation from the first signal constellation by exchanging a logical bit position and/or inverting a logical bit. The invention further relates to a corresponding transmitter and receiver.

The present invention relates to a method for modifying a bit sequence in an ARQ retransmission in a communication system. Further, the invention concerns a corresponding receiver and transmitter.
1. Field of the Invention
A common technique in communication systems with unreliable and time-varying channel conditions is to correct errors based on automatic repeat request (ARQ) schemes together with a forward error correction (FEC) technique called hybrid ARQ (HARQ). If an error is detected by a commonly used cyclic redundancy check (CRC), the receiver of the communication system requests the transmitter to resend the erroneously received data packets.
2. Background Art
S. Kallel, Analysis of a type II hybrid ARQ scheme with code combining, IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol.38, No. 8, August 1990 and S. Kallel, R. Link, S. Bakhtiyari, Throughput performance of Memory ARQ schemes, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, Vol.48, No. 3, May 1999 define three different types of ARQ schemes:
Type 1: The erroneous received packets are discarded and a new copy of the same packet is retransmitted and decoded separately. There is no combining of earlier and later received versions of that packet.
Type II: The erroneous received packets are not discarded, but are combined with additional retransmissions for subsequent decoding. Retransmitted packets sometimes have higher coding rates (coding gain) and are combined at the receiver with the stored soft-information from previous transmissions.
Type III: Is the same as Type II with the constraint each retransmitted packet is now self-decodable. This implies that the transmitted packet is decodable without the combination with previous packets. This is useful if some packets are damaged in such a way that almost no information is reusable if all transmissions carry identified data, this can be seen as a special case called HARQ Type III with a single redundancy version.
Types II and III schemes are obviously more intelligent and show a performance gain with respect to Type I, because they provide the ability to reuse information from of previously received erroneous packets. There exist basically three schemes of reusing the redundancy of previously transmitted packets:
Soft-Combining
Code-Combining
Combination of Soft- and Code-Combining
Soft-Combining
Employing soft-combining the retransmission packets carry identical information compared with the previously received information. In this case the multiple received packets are combined either by a symbol-by-symbol or by a bit-by-bit basis as for example disclosed in D. Chase, Code combining: A maximum-likelihood decoding approach for combining an arbitrary number of noisy packets, IEEE Trans. Commun., Vol. COM-33, pp. 385-393, May 1985 or B. A. Harvey and S. Wicker, Packet Combining Systems based on the Viterbi Decoder, IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol. 42, No. 2/3/4, April 1994. By combining this soft-decision values from all received packets the reliabilities of the transmitted bits will increase linearly with the number and power of received packets. From a decoder point of view the same FEC scheme (with constant code rate) will be employed over all transmissions. Hence, the decoder does not need to know how many retransmissions have been performed, since it sees only the combined soft-decision values. In this scheme all transmitted packets will have to carry the same number of symbols.
Code-Combining
Code-combining concatenates the received packets in order to generate a new code word (decreasing code rate with increasing number of transmission). Hence, the decoder has to be aware of the FEC scheme to apply at each retransmission instant. Code-combining offers a higher flexibility with respect to soft-combining, since the length of the retransmitted packets can be altered to adapt to channel conditions. However, this requires more signaling data to be transmitted with respect to soft-combining.
Combination of Soft- and Code-Combining
In case the retransmitted packets carry some symbols identical to previously transmitted symbols and some code-symbols different from these, the identical code-symbols are combined using soft-combing as described in the section titled xe2x80x9cSoft Combiningxe2x80x9d while the remaining code-symbols will be combined using code-combining. Here, the signaling requirements will be similar to code-combining.
As it has been shown in M. P. Schmitt, Hybrid ARQ Scheme employing TCM and Packet Combining, Electronics Letters Vol. 34, No. 18, September 1998 that HARQ performance for Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) can be enhanced by rearranging the symbol constellation for the retransmissions. There, the performance gain results from the maximizing the Euclidean distances between the mapped symbols over the retransmissions, because the rearrangement has been performed on a symbol basis.
Considering high-order modulation schemes (with modulation symbols carrying more than two bits) the combining methods employing soft-combining have a major drawback: The bit reliabilities within soft-combined symbols will be in a constant ratio over all retransmissions, i.e. bits which have been less reliable from previous received transmissions will still be less reliable after having received further transmissions and, analogous, bits which have been more reliable from previous received transmissions will still be more reliable after having received further transmissions.
The varying bit reliabilities evolve from the constraint of two-dimensional signal constellation mapping, where modulation schemes carrying more than 2 bits per symbol cannot have the same mean reliabilities for all bits under the assumption that all symbols are transmitted equally likely. The term mean reliabilities is consequently meant as the reliability of a particular bit over all symbols of a signal constellation.
Employing a signal constellation for a 16 QAM modulation scheme according to FIG. 1 showing a Gray encoded signal constellation with a given bit-mapping order i1q1i2q2, the bits mapped onto the symbols differ from each other in mean reliability in the first transmission of the packet. In more detail, bits i1 and q1 have a high mean reliability, as these bits are mapped to half spaces of the signal constellation diagram with the consequences that their reliability is independent from the fact of whether the bit transmits a one or a zero.
In contrast thereto, bits i2 and q2 have a low mean reliability, as their reliability depends on the fact of whether they transmit a one or a zero. For example, for bit i2, ones are mapped to outer columns, whereas zeros are mapped to inner columns. Similarly, for bit q2, ones are mapped to outer rows, whereas zeros are mapped to inner rows.
For the second and each further retransmissions the bit reliabilities will stay in a constant ratio to each other, which is defined by the signal constellation employed in the first transmission, i.e. bits i1 and q1 will always have a higher mean reliability than bits i2 and q2 after any number of retransmissions.
In co-pending PCT/EP01/01982 a method has been suggested that in order to enhance the decoder performance, it would be quite beneficial to have equal or near to equal mean bit reliabilities after each received transmission of a packet. Hence, the bit reliabilities are tailored over the retransmissions in a way that the mean bit reliabilities get averaged out. This is achieved by choosing a predetermined first and at least second signal constellation for the transmissions, such that the combined mean bit reliabilities for the respective bits of all transmissions are nearly equal.
Hence, the signal constellation rearrangement results in a changed bit mapping, wherein the Euclidean distances between the modulation symbols can be altered from retransmission to retransmission due to the movement of the constellation points. As a result, the mean bit reliabilities can be manipulated in a desired manner and averaged out to increase the performance the FEC decoder at the receiver.
In the solution proposed above, the benefits of the constellation rearrangement are realized through a parameterized bit-to-symbol mapping entity. For complexity or efficient implementational reasons, it may be advantageous for a communication system to have a non-parameterized standard mapping entity.
Consequently, the object of the present invention resides in providing an ARQ transmission method, a transmitter and a receiver with an improved error correction performance without a parameterized bit-to-symbol mapping entity.
This object is solved by a method comprising the steps as defined in claim 1. Further, the object is solved by a transmitter and receiver as defined by the independent claims.
The idea underlying the present invention is to modify the input bit sequence prior to entry of same into the mapping entity. This modification of the signal constellation can be achieved by using an interleaver and a logical bit inverter, which invert and/or exchange the positions of the signal constellation bits dependent on the retransmission number parameter m. Hence, the beneficial effects of a constellation rearrangement are achieved without the need for a parameterized bit to symbol mapping entity. As a result, the sequence which is output after processing by the interleaver the logical bit inverter and a non-parameterized standard mapping entity is indistinguishable from the output of a parameterized bit to symbol mapping entity employing various constellation rearrangement schemes.
For a better understanding of the invention, preferred embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Method for modifying a bit sequence in an ARQ restransmission, receiver and transmitter therefor

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to a magnesium alloy sheet and a manufacturing method thereof. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a magnesium alloy sheet including 0.5 to 2.1 wt % of Al, 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of Zn, 0.1 to 1.0 wt % of Ca, and a balance of Mg and inevitable impurities, with respect to a total of 100 wt % of the magnesium alloy sheet.

Today, there are strict regulations on emissions of carbon dioxide in the international community. Accordingly, the vehicle industry is making efforts to reduce weight of a vehicle body. A most effective way to reduce vehicle body weight is to adopt lighter materials than steel, in general. An example of a lighter material is a magnesium plate. However, there are various barriers to the use of magnesium plates in the vehicle industry. A typical example of the barriers is moldability of the magnesium plate.
Specifically, since the magnesium plate has an HCP structure and its deformation mechanism at room temperature is limited, room temperature molding is impossible. Several studies have been undertaken in order to overcome this problem. Particularly, methods for overcoming this problem through processes may include a differential speed rolling method in which rolling speeds of upper and low rolling rolls are differently controlled, an equal channel angular pressing (ECAR) process, a hot rolling method in which rolling is performed at a temperature that is close to a process temperature of the magnesium plate, and the like. However, all of these processes are difficult to commercialize.
On the other hand, there are also techniques and patents to improve moldability through control of alloy components and composition. For example, a magnesium plate containing 1 to 10 wt % of Zn and 0.1 to 5 wt % of Ca may be used. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to apply a strip casting method to such an alloy. As a result, mass production is lacking, and even when casting is performed for a long time, a fusion phenomenon occurs between a cast material and a roll, thereby making casting difficult.
In another example, a highly molded magnesium alloy sheet having a limit dome height of 7 mm or more may be formed through a process improvement of a conventional alloy having 3 wt % of Al, 1 wt % of Zn, and 1 wt % of Ca. However, in the above case, there is a disadvantage that intermediate annealing is performed at least once between rolling and rolling, and thus the process cost is greatly increased.

Magnesium alloy sheet and method for manufacturing same


A pump device for metering and/or feeding liquid materials, particularly colorants and plasticizers for molded plastics. The pump consists of a linear metering tube which is straight throughout of length of the compression zone, thereby reducing stress and fatigue on the tube, thus prolonging tube life. The metering tube is compressed by compression rollers attached to an endless drive belt which moves within a track cut into a housing. In another embodiment of this invention, wherein the linear metering tube is inclined slightly, stresses on the tube are distributed over the tube by the gradual compression of the tube. The pump provides for simple, precise, long-life dispensing of polymer additives.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for metering and/or feeding fluid material, particularly colorants and plasticizers for injection molded/extruded polymers. More particularly, this invention relates to compressible tube type pumps or peristaltic metering pumps as they are more commonly known and improvements in extending tube life.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, rotary peristaltic pumps have heretofore utilized curvilinear metering tubes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,781. Also, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,101,674 and 3,582,234 are liquid metering tubes which are in part linear, but which have bends or curves in the metering tube within the zone which is compressed in order to transport the metered liquid. The non-linearity or the bending of the metering tube increases the stress on the tube resulting in premature failure. Premature failure of the metering tube is of concern due to the potential loss of material and the possible damage to equipment. This is especially important in the polymer colorant and plasticizer area due the high cost of the material.
Stress on the metering tube is believed to be concentrated at the sharpest point of the bend of the metering tube over which the compression rollers pass. This is believed to be due to the stretching of that section of the tube which is toward the outside of the bend and the compression of that section of the tube which is toward the inside of the bend during compression of the tubing. The repeated stretching of the outside of the metering tube which is under tension is believed to cause the failure of the metering tube at the location of the bend.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,106, discloses a metering and feeding unit for fluid materials, such as Gunite, a sand cement mixture. A vertically oriented elastic-walled tube is collapsed by tube means for engaging a portion of the tube wall to collapse the tube against itself. The pumping action of the rollers travelling over the length of the tube assists the normal flow of material due to gravity. A valve is provided to allow entry of the fluid material into the feed end of the tube at periodic intervals. The valve works in coordination with a power-driven assembly so that when the tube is initially engaged to collapse it, that portion of the tube is substantially free of material.


A method for minimizing damage to downhole equipment utilized during controlled pulse fracturing ("CPF") where an oil based thickened fluid is used as a tamp. A gelled oil based fluid overlies a CPF propellant device thereby creating a tamp. When the propellant contained in the device is ignited, this high viscosity gelled fluid prevents the remnant of said device and wireline from moving upwardly which minimizes damage thereto.

Stimulation of wells through mechanical fracturing can be accomplished by a method known as controlled pulse fracturing or high energy gas fracturing. A good description of this method appears in an article by Cuderman, J. F., entitled "High Energy Gas Fracturing Development," Sandia National Laboratories, SAND 83-2137, October 1983. Using this method enables multiple fracturing of a formation or reservoir in a radial manner which increases the possibility of contacting a natural fracture. In the practice of this method, a housing means for containing a propellant is suspended into a wellbore. This housing means is placed downhole next to an oil or hydrocarbonaceous fluid productive interval.
Presently, it is now a common practice to use diesel oil or lease crude as a fluid tamp in a reservoir where contacting the formation with a water-based fluid will cause an undesired loss of permeability. However, neither tamp controls the movement of the wireline and remaining device upon deflagration of the propellant because of the tamp's low viscosity.
The propellant in the housing means or molded body can belong to the modified nitrocellulose or the modified and unmodified nitroamine propellant class. Suitable solid propellants capable of being utilized include a double-based propellant known as M-5. It contains nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose. Another suitable propellant is a composite propellant which contains ammonium perchlorate in a rubberized binder. The composite propellant is known as HXP-100 and is purchasable from the Holex Corporation of Hollister, Calif. M-5 and HXP-100 propellants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,030 issued to Godfrey et al. which is hereby incorporated by reference.
After placing the propellant means for creating multiple fractures into a housing means and suspending it downhole near the oil or hydrocarbonaceous fluid productive interval, it is ignited. Ignition of the propellant means for creating multiple radial fractures causes the generation of heat and gas pressure. To contain the generated propellant energy within the wellbore and formation, an aggregate stem, generally composed of cement, is placed above the housing means containing the propellant thereby sealing the wellbore. The suspended housing means and ignition means passes through the aggregate stem.
After ignition of the propellant means it is difficult to remove the aggregate stem, which often has to be drilled out. When removing the aggregate stem, the suspension means, generally a cable, and the ignition means, along with remnants of the housing means which previously contained the propellant, frequently fall into the wellbore. This debris may interfere with production of hydrocarbonaceous fluids from the formation. Drilling out the aggregate often damages the wellbore and formation.
Therefore, what is needed is a method to reduce the forces on downhole equipment used during a CPF operation so as to avoid damaging said equipment and formation.

Method to reduce movement of a CPF device via a gelled petroleum based fluid


An auxiliary or additive fluid for associated use with the primary diesel or related fuel, for application for reduction of exhaust pollution, and for motor or truck vehicle, or the like, includes the nozzle, the nozzle having its spout extending from its forward end, the spout having an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve through which the fluid flows during dispensing, a lower sleeve capable of shifting within the outer sleeve, and integrated with a safety valve sleeve, and biased axially inwardly of the spout when it is inserted into the fluid intake pipe of a vehicle intake for a fluid tank. A primary safety valve extends through the lower spout sleeve, and the integral safety valve sleeve is maintained in a fixed position, and normally is sealed into closure within the lower end of the lower spout sleeve. But, when the lower spout sleeve is forced axially inwardly, it unseats the safety valve from its sealing therewith, to open the spout for the dispensing of the fuel when the nozzle is actuated to allow fluid flow. In addition, a flow path for air that is normally closed by a check valve, is likewise opened, to allow for the passage of air to maintain the inoperativeness of the automatic shut-off, until such time as the fluid flow closes off the lower end said passage, initiating the automatic shut-off of the fluid dispensing nozzle, when the intake of air is blocked.

There are certain requirements that have been enacted both nationally, in various states, and even in select foreign countries, where additives need to be mixed with certain fuels in order to reduce the pollution effects of the fuel when it is combusted, during operations of a vehicle. For example, it is known that the separate addition of urea solution to a vehicle has the effect of eliminating or reducing the nitrogen oxide emissions from the exhaust of diesel engines that power these types of vehicles, and these diesel exhaust fluids are dispensed into usually a separate tank within the vehicle, for eventual intermixing with the exhaust, to reduce these types of emissions during operations of the vehicle. As known, a urea solution is already applied as an auxiliary liquid in the heavy type of diesel vehicles, such as trucks, but it is also contemplated that such fluid will also be applied and used in diesel passenger motor vehicles, for the future.
But, when the urea solution is added to the vehicle, because of its potentially caustic effects upon the various components of the vehicle, or even its proximate fender where the fluid is added through the use of a specialized nozzle, it is essential that the design and construction of the nozzle needs to be perfected whereby little or no drippage will be encountered when the solution is added to the separate vehicle tank. To achieve this, usually the nozzle has various safety valves that completely shut off any flowage or even the residual drippage of any such solution, during its application to the vehicle.
The applicant herein, has developed a dripless spout, in the past, which was used in the dispensing of standard fuels to the vehicle, in order to prevent any drippage of fuel usually after completion of a fueling procedure, and prevent the drippage of gasoline onto the ground, which may have a tendency to create isolated vapors during and after fuel dispensing. This can be seen in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,112, upon fuel dispensing nozzle having a dripless spout. The applicant also obtained U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,419, upon a dripless means for a fuel dispensing nozzle. As stated, these particular patented devices were for use with the standard nozzle, when dispensing gasoline and related fuels directly to a vehicle fuel tank, and not necessarily for application in dispensing of a specialized solution, such as a quantity of urea, to another tank in the same vehicle, when the dripless characteristics are even more demanded.
The applicant has also previously designed various types of dispensing nozzles for specialty fuels, as can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,115, relating to a specialty fuel dispensing nozzle.
Of more recent origin, there are filling nozzles that are designed for specific applications in dispensing a specialty fuel or solution to a vehicle, and can only be inserted and rendered operative into a vehicle fuel tank, to hold such specialty fuel, such as a urea solution, due to the unique dimensions of the nozzle spout, and to attain its opening to allow the dispensing of the specialty solution, when the nozzle spout is applied into the filler neck or the fuel pipe of the vehicle fuel tank. Such can be seen in the filling nozzle U.S. Pat. No. 9,242,849, which defines a filling nozzle for dispensing a liquid into a tank of a motor vehicle, which is rendered operative when its spout inserts within the filler neck, and various valves are unseated through movement of the spout therein, in preparation for dispensing of said solution to an isolated tank within the vehicle.
An example of the type of tank assembly that can be used for storing such solutions can be seen in the published application No. U.S.2008/0188923, defining a urea solution tank assembly.
Published application No. U.S.2014/0048173, shows a fuel nozzle, also having a safety device provided therein, for movement from a blocking position to an enabling position, and wherein the valve device is closed regardless of the position of the actuating lever, for the fuel nozzle.
These are examples the current known prior art relating to this technology, particularly with respect to the delivery to a vehicle fuel tank, or its auxiliary tank, of a specialty fuel or additive, in this particular instance, of the type designed to reduce pollutant emissions, particularly from the combustion exhaust of diesel fuel within a diesel engine for an automobile, truck engine, or for other related vehicles.

Nozzle for delivery of auxiliary or additive fluid for treating exhaust for a diesel motor for autos or truck vehicle or the like


A matrix calculation system for calculating funny matrix multiplication (FMM) of a matrix A and a matrix B, including: sequentially calculating a permutation of indices {ai} in which values are arranged in a non-decreasing order with respect to each i-th row where i=1 to the number of rows of the matrix A; storing a value, which is greater than expected as a value of a matrix, for C[i, j] with respect to each j-th column where j=1 to the number of columns of the matrix A in the i-th row; sequentially calculating a permutation of indices {bj} in which values are arranged in a non-decreasing order with respect to each j-th column where j=1 to the number of columns of the matrix B; and setting the values of C[i, j], which are i and j components of the matrix C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for calculating matrices through computer processing, and more particularly to a funny matrix multiplication (FMM) calculation.
2. Description of Related Art
The term "FMM" means a matrix calculation process in which "add" (addition) and "multiply" (multiplication) in a normal matrix multiplication process are replaced by a min operation and an add operation. In other words, the definition of FMM is to calculate an equation, C[i, j]=mink{A[i, k]+B[k, j]}, with respect to all (i, j) for two input matrices A and B. Although FMM is not limited to a square matrix, each of the matrices A and B is assumed to be a square matrix of n×n in this specification as a matter of convenience.
FMM is applicable to a shortest path calculation, image processing, or the like. For example, a document, "A. V. Aho, J. E. Hopcroft, and J. D. Ullman, 'The Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms,' Addison-Wesley, 1974," describes an example of a technique for a shortest path calculation using FMM.
In FMM, the value from an addition "va[k]+vb[k]" is calculated in the order of k=1 to n with respect to two vectors va and vb each having a length n to find the minimum value as a basic calculation. Specifically, calculating an addition "mink{va[k]+vb[k]}" is the main processing and the processing is performed n2 times, and therefore the entire FMM processing takes O(n3) time.
In recent years, demand for further speeding up the shortest path calculation is increasing in the fields of traffic simulation, car navigation, and the like. Therefore, an algorithm for speeding up FMM is described in the following document.
A document, "J. J. McAuley and T. S. Gaetano, 'An expected-case sub-cubic solution to the all-pairs shortest path problem in R,' arXiv: 0912.0975v1, 2009," discloses calculating permutations a1, a2, . . . , an and b1, b2, . . . , bn satisfying va[a1]≦va[a2]≦ . . . ≦va[an] and vb[b1]≦vb[b2]≦ . . . ≦vb[bn] before calculating mink{va[k]+vb[k]} with respect to two vectors va and vb. In the entire FMM processing, the pre-calculation is achieved only by performing sort processing 2n times in total, and therefore the calculation takes only O(n2 log n) time in total.

Matrix calculation method, program, and system

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A wireless communication system for minimum allocation includes an access point (AP) and a number of stations (STAs) communicating with the AP via a network such as a wireless local area network. The AP can identify an STA to which a trigger frame is to be sent by the AP. The AP further determines the amount of resources to be provided by the AP to the identified STA through the trigger frame. The AP can also determine a frequency of sending the trigger frame to the STA. The resources can include a frequency allocation, a time duration and a modulation coding scheme. The time duration is a maximum receive (RX) physical-layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) duration.

Wireless local area network (WLAN) devices are deployed in diverse environments. These environments are generally characterized by the existence of access points (APs) and non-AP stations. Next-generation WLAN devices are expected to improve performance in dense deployments where many clients and APs are overpopulated in a given area (e.g., an indoor and/or an outdoor area) with a high density of devices, such as a train station, an airport, a stadium, a building, a shopping mall, an arena, a convention center, a college or a downtown city center. Increased interference from neighboring WLAN devices can give rise to performance degradation. Additionally, WLAN devices are increasingly required to support a variety of applications such as video, cloud access, and offloading application.

Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited


Blockchain applications can generate public/private key pairs without knowing the true identity of the owner of the private key. Many applications, such as in healthcare or corporate banking, require known identities for legal or regulatory reasons. Therefore a mapping between PKI certificate credentials maintained by certificate authorities and blockchain credentials is needed as one means of transferring real-world identity to blockchain applications. A method and system are provided to associate a PKI certificate to one or more accounts in a cryptographic wallet and extend the due diligence of a third-party certificate authority for identity management on blockchains.

Currently, users may apply for a digital certificate from a certificate authority and may present government-issued credentials, among other forms of identification to the certificate authority for user verification. The certificate authority will issue a digital certificate to the user when verified. The digital certificate will be signed with the CA's private key. External CAs register their public key with major browser-makers such as Apple (Safari), Google (Chrome), Netscape (Firefox), and Microsoft (Internet Explorer). When a user presents her certificate to a browser-accessed application, the browser may use the CA's public key to check whether the user's certificate is valid.
Digital certificates are used in blockchain identity systems such as Netki, which issues digital certificates for the blockchain and uses blockchain Payment Protocol (BIP70/75).
Blockchains are useful for immutably recording digital assets for users. However, user identities may or may not have been verified.

Apparatus, system, and methods for a blockchain identity translator


A semiconductor device of the invention includes a semiconductor element (1), an interposer (5) having electrodes (2) arranged on a top face thereof in four directions and external electrodes (4) arranged on a bottom face thereof with the semiconductor element (1) mounted on the top face thereof, an adhesive material (6) fixing the semiconductor element (1) to the interposer (5), metal nanowires (7) electrically connecting between electrodes of the semiconductor element (1) and the electrodes (2) of the interposer (5), an insulating material (8) sealing a region containing the semiconductor element (1) and the metal nanowires (7), and metal balls (9) mounted on the external electrodes (4). Patterns (10) are designed on corners of a region surrounded by electrodes (2) arranged on the interposer (5) in four directions.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball grid array semiconductor device where a terminal arrangement is an area array, and a manufacturing method thereof.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Recently, with respect to electronic equipment, particularly, portable equipment, there are increasing demands for multifunction, high performance, space saving, and low cost. In response to this trend, a semiconductor element having multiple pins arranged thereon at a fine pitch and having a shrunk chip size becomes popular.
Consequently, development of a package including the semiconductor element having the aforementioned features so as to satisfy the aforementioned demands becomes urgent. As for development of a package, a pitch between terminals is made finer by a multipin-type QFP; thus, space saving is achieved.
However, in order to achieve still further space saving, there is developed a ball grid array package (hereinafter, simply referred to as "BGA") where an arrangement of terminals TS1 is an area array as illustrated in FIG. 7 (refer to, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 1-332). As a result, there is an increasing demand for the BGA.
Size reduction by space saving is especially required for such a BGA. As one of methods for realizing size reduction, electrodes connected to metal nanowires of an interposer are arranged at a fine pitch.
However, if the electrodes are arranged at a fine pitch, a wire bonding apparatus is degraded in accuracy of recognizing the electrodes. As a result, there is a possibility that positional deviation upon bonding occurs. In order to avoid this disadvantage, as illustrated in FIG. 8, recognition patterns NP1 having a specific shape different from that of an electrode are arranged at corners of an interposer IP1 having electrodes arranged thereon in four directions in order to improve recognition accuracy; thus, positional deviation upon bonding is prevented.
However, this conventional technique has the following problems.
In future, still further cost reduction is required for a BGA; therefore, it is important to design an interposer such that semiconductor devices to be obtained from one substrate 17 illustrated in FIG. 7 are increased in number. In order to increase semiconductor devices to be obtained from one substrate 17 in number, it is indispensable that an interposer is effectively arranged to eliminate a wasteful space from which no semiconductor device is obtained.
Consequently, a dimension of a recognition pattern 18 arranged at the wasteful space from which no semiconductor device is obtained must be decreased. In addition, as a BGA is reduced in outer dimension, a corner space for electrodes arranged on an interposer in four directions becomes narrow, so that a recognition pattern is reduced in size.
A wire bonding apparatus fails to recognize such a recognition pattern having a reduced size, so that positional deviation upon bonding occurs. This means that electrodes of an interposer cannot be arranged at a fine pitch, leading to hindrance to size reduction of a semiconductor device.
In a die bonding process, the recognition patterns NP1 are used as recognition marks for alignment. Therefore, if recognition accuracy is degraded due to small recognition marks, accuracy of mounting a semiconductor element on a substrate is also degraded. This means that a distance between a side face of a semiconductor element and an electrode of an interposer cannot be made short, leading to hindrance to size reduction of a semiconductor device.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


As described below, the present invention features compositions and methods for treating brain and/or behavioral health disorders and their associated symptoms.

Brain and behavioral health disorders are the number one cause of disability worldwide. Brain and behavioral health disorders include all of the major disorders that belong to neurology, psychiatry and psychology subspecialties. Anxiety, apathy, cognitive difficulty, depression, fatigue, headache, insomnia, irritability, pain (e.g., body pain), and psychosis are ten cardinal symptoms caused by brain and behavioral health disorders. Individually, these symptoms are disabling features of these disorders, causing loss of function.
All of the ten cardinal symptoms of brain and behavioral health disorders are difficult to treat because most, if not all, people with brain and behavioral disorders suffer from more than one cause of these symptoms. In real clinical practice, the cause of a symptom could be due to neurology, psychiatry, and/or psychological factors. However, patients seek independent treatment for their symptoms. Anxiety, depression, and psychosis are typically treated by a psychiatrist. Headache, pain, and cognitive difficulty is often treated by a neurologist. Irritability, apathy, insomnia and fatigue are often treated by psychologists or primary care doctors. Anxiety is an example of a symptom that is disabling, difficult to treat and multifactorial. Somatic anxiety (hypersensitivity to stimulation) is an example of a neurological cause of anxiety, often related to migraine. Excessive shyness is an example of a psychological cause of anxiety, often related to social phobia. Excessive worry is an example of a psychiatric cause of anxiety, often related to generalized anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Despite the fact that the ten cardinal disabling symptoms (i.e., anxiety, apathy, cognitive difficulty, depression, fatigue, headache, insomnia, irritability, pain (e.g., body pain), and psychosis) of brain and behavioral health disorders, in real clinical practice, are multi-factorial, current FDA-approved treatments typically target one component of a disorder at a time. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ("SSRI's"), which are the first-line treatment for anxiety disorders, were designed specifically to target serotonergic mechanisms of anxiety. The effectiveness of these medications in and of themselves has proven to be limited. Cognitive behavioral therapy is designed specifically to address psychological components of anxiety. Patients receiving both medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are predicted to have better outcomes than those receiving one targeted treatment or the other. Even with cognitive behavioral therapy and medication, treatment success remains limited, suggesting that neurological underpinnings of anxiety remain untreated in the majority of patients seeking relief for anxiety.
No current treatments have been designed to address the multi-factorial features associated with the most disabling symptoms of brain and behavioral health disorders. Accordingly, new treatments that address brain and behavioral health disorders and their symptoms are urgently needed.

Compositions and methods for treating neuropsychiatric disorders


An image forming device having an adjusting mode for making settings related to image formation, using a setting unit that sets whether change to the adjusting mode is inhibited, as well as a change unit that inhibits the change to the adjusting mode when it is set to do so by the setting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device having an adjusting mode for making settings related to image formation and its control method, and more particularly to an image forming device, which enhances the user security in an adjusting mode to perform a maintenance operation by a customer engineer or the like, and its control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, image forming devices such as copy machines and multifunctional devices are configured to switch from an ordinary mode to an adjusting mode when a prescribed key operation is made by a customer engineer or the like. In the adjusting mode, it becomes possible to access data related to the security such as not only settings related to image formation but also data about the security of a password of a machine administrator, an encryption key and the like.
It is know to provide a technology capable of efficiently finding an item of checking or changing various types of image forming settings in order to perform the setting operation easily and properly by a customer engineer or the like in an adjusting mode.
For the maintenance of settings related to the image formation of the image forming device which is used in a customer office or the like, the customer engineer activates the device in an adjusting mode and performs a prescribed operation.
Therefore, all the customer data stored in a nonvolatile memory or the like of the image forming device and information related to the security of an encryption key for encryption of the data were clearly known by the customer engineer, and it was not desirable in view of security.
Then, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides an image forming device which enhances the security of a user in an adjusting mode, when the customer engineer or the like performs a maintenance operation, and its control method.

Image forming device and its control method with adjustment mode


A process for supporting rod-shaped workpieces shaped as U-, I-, L-, T- or bulb profiles includes placing the workpieces on support rollers of a longitudinal conveyor with their flanges or bulbs facing downward. The web surfaces and flanges of the workpieces contact elements fixed perpendicular to the support surface of the rollers.

The invention relates to a process for the support of rod-shaped workpieces which are placed on disc-shaped support rollers of a longitudinal conveyor.
In the hot treatment with a cutting torch, the workpieces are forwarded to the cutting area of a cutting station and positioned in this area in relation to the cutting torch.
The generic state of the art, according to German DE 2 83 461 Al discloses the placement of slabs having a rectangular cross section on disc-shaped support rollers. In cutting the slabs with a torch, a cutting station travels along at the casting speed of the cast product. To prevent that the support rollers are then in harms' way of the cutting flame emerging from the cutting torch, the support rollers have to be movable on their axle by means of a suitable device when considerable deviations from a predetermined cutting path occur.
According to German DE 3 428 139 C2, the workpieces are shaped as T-, U-, I-, L-, flat or rounded profiles. For transport, these sections having different cross sections are placed in a carriage on section-receiving plates and the carriage is moved along a track into the cutting area.
In a section cutting installation according to German DE 3 510 381 C2, these sections are placed on a roller way with cylinder rollers extending over the entire section support surface. The sections are guided by contact rollers fixed perpendicular to the support surface, which are provided inside the support surface between the cylinder rollers of the roller way. The sections are positioned in a positioning device arranged at the end of the roller way between adjustable support rollers.
Such long T-, U-, I-, L-, flat or bulb sections, being unstraightened have lateral deviations over their length which aggravate a forwarding into the opening of the positioning device. During positioning in the positioning device, moreover, the profiles must be held in place at their free end.
German DE 2 742 072 A2, DE 3 331 844 Cl, and DE 3 136 394 Al disclose bore stations for sections in which the sections are also arranged on roller ways with cylinder rollers.

Process for the support of rod-shaped workpieces