A heartbeat-signal detecting device, which is for detecting a heartbeat signal of a living body, includes: (a) a gas-flow sensor configured to detect a flow rate of exhalation and inhalation passing through a trachea of the living body; (b) a gas-flow calculation controlling portion configured to output a respiration signal that reflects a respiratory motion of the living body, based on a signal outputted from the gas-flow sensor; (c) a waveform analysis controlling portion configured to extract, from the respiration signal, frequency components which are in synchronization with a pulse of a heart of the living body superimposed on the respiration signal, and to output a heartbeat signal representing a heartbeat waveform of the living body; and (d) a heartbeat-signal evaluation controlling portion is configured to evaluate a functional abnormality or an anatomic abnormality of the heart, based on the heartbeat signal analyzed by the waveform analysis controlling portion.

The heartbeat signal of the living body is important information of the living body. Conventionally, there has been used an electrocardiographic induction device that detects, as the heartbeat signal, an electrocardiogram obtained through a plurality of ECG electrodes attached to the living body. For example, devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are examples of such a device. The electrocardiogram is called as electrocardiographic induction waveform or ECG waveform, and R wave contained in the electrocardiogram is characterized to have a considerably clear pulse shape, so as to be easily detectable. Thus, the electrocardiogram obtains reliability as a substitution as the heartbeat signal in general monitoring of a patient at a medical site.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOKAI NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH SYSTEM


The present application discloses a method and an apparatus for identifying false address information. Address information submitted by a user for an account associated with the user is received. Geographical location information of the user is received within a predetermined time period. A residential range of the user is determined in a geographical range obtained through pre-division based on a trained classification model and the geographical location information of the user. The address information to be verified is matched with the residential range to generate a matching result. Based on the matching result and using information in the account associated with the user, a determination is made whether the address information to be verified is false address information.

As information technologies develop, more services are performed through a network. Usually, authenticity of address information provided by a user can be verified to ensure service execution security. For example, during verification of basic information of an account, if address information of the account is false, the account is risky, and a service needs to be performed prudently.
In the existing technology, the address information is usually verified by using a search engine or logistics information.
Verifying the address information by using a search engine is to enter address information to be verified to an existing search engine for searching, and determine whether the address information to be verified exists by using address information recorded in the search engine. Verifying the address information by using the logistics information is to verify the authenticity of the address information to be verified by using existing address information in the recorded logistics information.
However, during verification of the address information by using a search engine, both accuracy and coverage of a verification result are determined based on an amount of address information that has been recorded by a selected search engine. In other words, when a large amount of address information is recorded by the selected search engine and the address information covers a wide geographical range, the accuracy and the coverage of the verification result may be relatively high. However, the search engine usually accurately records address information in a prosperous region, but inaccurately records address information in a remote region. Consequently, the accuracy of verifying the address information based on the search engine is unstable and low.
In the method for verifying the address information by using the logistics information, it is difficult to obtain the logistics information because the logistics information is usually strictly protected in the logistics industry to ensure privacy of a user who uses a logistics service. In addition, accuracy and authenticity of the logistics information do not always need to be verified, for example, a user name "Sun Wukong" or an address "East gate of a certain community in a certain district of a certain city". Although the described logistics information is untrue and inaccurate, the logistics service is not affected. However, the logistics information cannot be used to verify the address information to be verified. Consequently, it is difficult to ensure the accuracy and the coverage of verifying the address information to be verified by using the logistics information.
Further, although the user provides real address information, it is difficult to determine whether the address is a working address or a living address of the user. In other words, the address information is real, but is not an address of the user. For example, user a uses home address c of user b as his home address, and home address c of user b really exists. Therefore, in the existing technology, only home address c can be identified to be real, but whether home address c belongs to user a cannot be determined. For user a, home address c is false address information. However, it is still difficult to identify such false address information in the existing technology, and consequently accuracy of risk control based on the address information is reduced.
It can be seen that, because of the described disadvantages in the existing technology, accuracy of identifying false address information is low.

Method and apparatus for identifying false address information


Assembly of semiconductor chips is accomplished using an acrylate-based adhesive which can be cured rapidly by UV light and which gives an adhesive bond that is resistant to soldering by can be readily removed by solvents after soldering. During assembly, the back sides of the semiconductor chips are bonded to a temporary carrier by the adhesive and adjusted to the proper mirror image position on the carrier before the adhesive is cured. The chip array is then soldered on a component and the temporary carrier is removed from the chips by a solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a UV-curable adhesive composition for a semiconductor chip mounting process and also to said mounting process.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the course of the development of semiconductor devices, the performance of said devices is being increased by progressive miniaturization of the devices together with the structures contained thereon. If technical reasons require a certain spatial size for a device which exceeds that of an individual device, a large device is often assembled in modular construction from smaller units. Depending on the complexity of the circuits or the size of the structures contained thereon, a spatially precise relative arrangement of the individual modules with respect to one another or to the substrate or carrier may be necessary in assembling the individual modules, which may be similar or even different. The maximum permissible error tolerances may in that case be in the region of a few .mu.m and are often even less.
WO 89/08896, for example, describes a nonmechanical printer functioning on the electrophotographic principle. Its character generator contains a multiplicity of light sources which are arranged in an exposure line. These are normally light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which are, for example, integrated in two rows of 64 LEDs each on a monolithic chip. The chips are in turn assembled on individual modules from which the exposure line can in turn be assembled in accordance with the paper format to be printed. The achievable printing quality depends on the fineness of the screen, that is to say on the spacing of the individual LEDs on the chip. High-resolution character generators currently achieve a print screen of 600 dots per inch (dpi). With an exposure line 450 mm wide, this corresponds, for example, to a quantity of over 10,000 individual LEDs which are adjacently arranged in two rows with gap offset. In order not to adversely affect the printing quality at this printing density, it is necessary to maintain an error tolerance of .+-.2 .mu.m when assembling the individual chips on a module. For this purpose, the individual chips have to be precisely aligned during mounting on the module before the final fixing. After the alignment, the position of the chips must no longer change during the fixing. For the soldering process normally used for this purpose, this requires, however, extensive precautions since, as is known, the solder fuses during soldering but sliding of the chips, in particular, should be avoided.
Although chips can be fixed with positional accuracy by gluing, a high heat loss has to be dissipated during operation because of the high power density of the integrated chips, and this is only possible via a solder joint.
German Published Application 38 08 667 proposes gluing the chips onto a temporary carrier in an arrangement which is mirror-inverted with respect to the finished module, the precise alignment already being carried out. In this fixed form, the chips are then soldered onto the actual module. After completion of the soldering process, the adhesive bond is released and the temporary carrier consequently removed. However, it has hitherto not been possible to find for this process a suitable adhesive which both makes possible a rapid fixing of the chips on the temporary carrier, the fixing being resistant in the soldering process, and can also be removed again completely after the soldering process.
From IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin 13, (1971), page 3652, it is known to glue a semiconductor wafer to a temporary carrier with the aid of a photoresist, to divide the wafer into individual chips, to fix the bonding of serviceable chips by means of UV light and, finally, to release the fixed bonds again with the aid of a solvent.
EP-0 142 783 discloses a process for mounting semiconductor devices on a substrate, in which the devices are first glued to the substrate with the aid of a thermally curable adhesive containing styrene polymers. After thermal curing, the devices are soldered on and, finally, the adhesive is removed again with the aid of a solvent.

UV-curable adhesive semiconductor chip mounting process


An optical see-through (OST) near-eye display (NED) system is presented, integrating ophthalmic correction for an eye of a user, comprising a partially transmissive partially reflective lens, including an inner surface characterized by an inner surface radius of curvature exhibiting a first optical power, and an outer surface characterized by an outer surface radius of curvature exhibiting a second optical power, said partially transmissive partially reflective lens is configured to be facing said eye, and to at least partially transmit incoming light of an outward scene to said eye; and an electro-optical unit, configured to be optically coupled with said partially transmissive partially reflective lens, and including a light display configured to project a light beam image onto said inner surface, so to enable reflection of said light beam image toward said eye, said electro-optical unit is configured to be located at a glabellar region of said user.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2015/0168730 A1 to Ashkenazi et al. is directed at a user wearable optical display system that provides information in the form of projected light to a user who wears the system without obstructing the user's field of regard (FOR). The user wearable optical display system includes a user attachment section, a partially transmissive partially reflective lens, and an electro-optical unit. The user attachment section is for detachably mounting the user wearable optical display system to a head of a user. The partially transmissive partially reflective lens, which is coupled with the user attachment section, is configured to be facing at least one eye of the user. The electro-optical unit is coupled with at least one of the user attachment section and the partially transmissive partially reflective lens. The electro-optical unit includes a processor, and a light projection unit. The processor is coupled with the light projection unit. The light projection unit is configured to transmit light beams onto the partially transmissive partially reflective lens. The electro-optical unit is configured to be positioned with respect to the user attachment section such that when the user wearable optical display system is mounted on the user, the electro-optical unit is located at the glabellar region of the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optical see-through (OST) near-eye display (NED) system integrating ophthalmic correction


An optical information recording medium of the present invention includes a first substrate, a second substrate placed in parallel with the first substrate, and an information layer placed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the information layer includes a recording layer and a dielectric layer (lower dielectric layer/upper dielectric layer) placed so that a distance from the dielectric layer to the recording layer is 20 nm or less. The recording layer is changed between at least two different states that can be identified optically by irradiation of a laser beam incident from the first substrate side, and the dielectric layer contains ZnS and Si as main components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording medium and a recording method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it is known that a phase can be changed between an amorphous phase and a crystal phase by irradiating a laser beam onto a thin film made of a chalcogen material formed on a substrate. The research and development of a phase-change type optical information recording medium utilizing this phenomenon have been conducted actively.
In the phase-change type recording medium, a laser beam whose output is modulated between two power levels: a recording level and an erasure level are irradiated onto an information track of the recording medium, whereby a new signal can be recorded while an old signal is being erased.
Generally, in such a recording medium, a multi-layer film containing not only a phase-changeable recording layer but also other layers is used as an information layer for recording information. For example, a multi-layer film containing a protective layer made of a dielectric material or a reflective layer made of metal is used as an information layer.
The protective layer made of a dielectric material has the following functions of:
1) protecting a recording layer from mechanical damage from the outside;
2) increasing the rewritable number of times while reducing thermal damage that occurs in the case where a signal is rewritten repeatedly;
3) enhancing a change in optical characteristics by utilizing the interference effect by multi-reflection; and
4) preventing a chemical change due to the influence from the outside air.
As a material for the protective layer achieving the above-mentioned functions, an oxide such as Al2O3, TiO2 and SiO2, a nitride such as Si3N4 and AlN, an oxynitride such as Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94N (JP3(1991)-104038A), a sulfide such as ZnS and a carbide such as SiC have been conventionally proposed. As a material for the protective layer, ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 (JP63(1988)-103453A) that is a mixture of ZnS and SiO2 also has been proposed. Among these materials, ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 is used for a commercialized phase-change type optical disk.
One of the reasons why ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 has been used is as follows: ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 has a relatively small thermal conductivity among dielectrics, so that it can suppress thermal diffusion during recording to enhance a recording sensitivity. Another reason is as follows: ZnOxe2x80x94SiO2 has a small internal stress, so that cracking is unlikely to occur even if a thick layer is formed using this material, and adhesion with respect to a recording layer is high.
In an optical information recording medium, the recording density can be increased by shortening the wavelength of a laser beam to be radiated. The recording density also can be increased by increasing the numerical aperture of an objective lens for condensing a laser beam to decrease the spot diameter of the laser beam. The recording density also can be increased by recording information onto both grooves for guiding a laser beam and lands therebetween. Furthermore, the recording density can be increased by using a plurality of recording layers. A recording medium provided with a plurality of recording layers and a recording/reproducing method already have been disclosed (JP9(1997)-212917A, WO96/31875, JP2000-36130A). Furthermore, a layer recognizing member and a layer switching member for conducting recording/reproducing by selecting one recording layer from a plurality of recording layers have been disclosed (WO96/31875).
In the optical information recording medium, a general-purpose laser diode typically is used as a light source for recording/reproducing. This makes it necessary to conduct recording in a range of a limited laser output. Therefore, as described above, as a material for a dielectric layer adjacent to a recording layer, ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 has been used conventionally.
However, in order to record/reproduce a large capacity of information in a short period of time, there is a demand for recording/reproducing at a higher linear velocity. As a linear velocity is increased, a laser irradiation time per unit area is shortened, which makes it necessary to enhance the recording sensitivity of the recording layer. Particularly, in the case of a recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, it is very important to enhance the recording density of the recording layer placed at a position farthest from an incident surface of a laser. In this respect, there is a demand for a material replacing ZnSxe2x80x94SiO2 that has been used conventionally. In order to enhance the recording sensitivity of the recording layer, it is required to use a protective layer made of a dielectric with a thermal conductivity lower than that of a conventional dielectric.
Furthermore, the protective layer made of a dielectric with a low thermal conductivity has an effect of suppressing the phenomenon (so-called cross-erasure) of erasing a part of a mark of an adjacent track by thermal diffusion during recording, and hence, such a protective layer is preferable for increasing a recording density.
Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical information recording medium capable of recording information with satisfactory reliability even at a high linear velocity, a method for producing the same and a recording/reproducing method using the same.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an optical information recording medium of the present invention includes: a first substrate, a second substrate placed in parallel with the first substrate and an information layer (A) placed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the information layer (A) includes a recording layer and a dielectric layer placed so that a distance from the dielectric layer to the recording layer is 20 nm or less, the recording layer is changed between at least two different states that are identified optically by irradiation of a light beam incident from the first substrate side and the dielectric layer contains ZnS and Si as main components. The inventors of the present invention found that recording can be conducted at a lower laser power in the recording medium using a dielectric layer made of Znsxe2x80x94Si (mixture of ZnS and Si), compared with the recording medium using a dielectric layer made of Znsxe2x80x94SiO2. More specifically, by using a dielectric layer made of Znsxe2x80x94Si, a recording medium with a high recording sensitivity can be obtained. Furthermore, Znsxe2x80x94Si is a material that is stable chemically and mechanically. Furthermore, since the film-formation speed by sputtering of Znsxe2x80x94Si is higher than that of Znsxe2x80x94SiO2, Znsxe2x80x94Si is preferable in terms of productivity.
The above-mentioned optical information recording medium may include a plurality of information layers placed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the information layer closest to the second substrate among the plurality of information layers may be the information layer (A).
In the above-mentioned optical information recording medium, the information layer (A) may include a reflective layer placed on the second substrate side with respect to the recording layer.
In the above-mentioned optical information recording medium, the recording layer may be changed reversibly between at least two different states that are identified optically. In this case, the recording layer may be made of an alloy containing Te and Sb. Furthermore, the recording layer may be made of an alloy selected from the group consisting of a Gexe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy, a Gexe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy, an Agxe2x80x94Inxe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy and an Agxe2x80x94Inxe2x80x94Gexe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy. Furthermore, the recording layer may be made of a Gexe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy, and the alloy may contain Ge in an amount of 30 atomic % or more. Furthermore, the recording layer may be made of a Gexe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Sbxe2x80x94Te based alloy, and the alloy may contain Ge and Sn in an amount of 30 atomic % or more in total. Furthermore, a thickness of the recording layer may be 3 nm to 20 nm.
In the above-mentioned optical information recording medium, the recording layer may be changed reversibly between two different states that are identified optically. In this case, the recording layer may be composed of Te, O and at least one element M selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au and Bi. In this case, a content of oxygen in the recording layer may be 25 atomic % to 60 atomic %, and a content of the element M in the recording layer may be 1 atomic % to 35 atomic %. Furthermore, a thickness of the recording layer may be 5 nm to 70 nm.
Furthermore, in a method of the present invention for recording information onto an optical information recording medium having an information layer including a recording layer changed between at least two different states that are identified optically by irradiation of a light beam, and a dielectric layer containing ZnS and Si as main components, in a case where recording marks with the same length are formed in a first region where recording is conducted at a linear velocity of VL (m/sec.) and a second region where recording is conducted at a linear velocity of VH (m/sec.) larger than VL, recording is conducted by modulating the light beam between a first power and a second power smaller than the first power, and a time TL (sec.) for irradiating the light beam of the first power in the first region, a time TH (sec.) for irradiating the light beam of the first power in the second region, the VL and the VH satisfy a relationship: TLxc2x7VL less than THxc2x7VH.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

Optical information recording medium and recording method using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A liquid crystal display device in which smear error is suppressed and transmittance is uniform is provided. In a liquid crystal display device which includes a plurality of pixels and uses comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 as common wirings, the common wirings include mesh-shaped common metal wirings 101v and 101h extending in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction and the comb-teeth-shaped transparent conductive films 110 are connected between adjacent pixels.

In a large screen and high resolution monitor product (the number of pixels is about 10 M/30 inches) for broadcasting and medical applications, wiring length becomes long and wiring resistance becomes high, so that smear error often occurs. This tendency is also seen in a C-Top IPS (In-Plane Switching) type liquid crystal display device in which common wiring formed by a transparent conductive film (ITO) is arranged at an upper area of pixel electrode, so that a countermeasure against smear is performed by additionally creating horizontal common metal wiring having the same potential as that of the common ITO in order to reduce common resistance, in particular, in the horizontal direction in which the device size is large. FIG. 1A illustrates a schematic plan view of a partial configuration of a display area of the liquid crystal display device. Drain lines 105 that are video signal lines are arranged in the vertical direction. An area surrounded by the drain lines 105 and scanning signal lines arranged in the horizontal direction forms a pixel. A large number of common ITO wirings 110 are arranged in a pixel area. A horizontal common metal wiring 101h is arranged in an area (horizontal direction) overlapping the scanning signal line (gate wiring). The liquid crystal display device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-150952


Techniques for performing uniform out-of-service (UOOS) search to detect for wireless systems are described. The UOOS search is “uniform” in that sleep cycle and/or awake period are fixed. A wireless device transitions to an OOS state upon detection of OOS conditions for a radio access technology (RAT). The wireless device performs system search during the awake period of each sleep cycle while in the OOS state. The awake period may have a first fixed time duration, and the sleep cycle may have a second fixed time duration. In each awake period, the wireless device may either start a new search or resume a prior search based on saved state information if the search was not completed in a prior awake period. In each awake period, the wireless device may (i) start and complete a search for recently acquired frequency channels and systems and (ii) start or resume a search for other frequency channels and systems in one or more RATs.

I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication, and more specifically to techniques for searching for wireless communication systems.
II. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, etc. These wireless systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available system resources. Examples of such multiple-access systems include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) systems, and Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) systems.
A wireless device (e.g., a cellular phone) may be able to receive service from one or more wireless systems. Upon power up, the wireless device may search for a wireless system from which it may receive service. If a system is found, then the wireless device may register with the system. The wireless device may then actively communicate with the system or go into an idle mode if communication is not required. If the wireless device subsequently loses the system, then it may enter an out-of-service (OOS) state and attempt to acquire a system from which service may be obtained.
The wireless device may not have any knowledge of its operating environment while in the OOS state and may not know which systems, if any, can be acquired. The wireless device may also have no knowledge on when it may be able to acquire a system since this may depend on various factors such as user mobility. The wireless device may consume a large amount of battery power if it continuously searches for systems while in the OOS state. This heavy battery power consumption may significantly reduce both standby time and talk time, especially when the OOS duration is long. The wireless device may search for systems infrequently in order to conserve battery power. However, the infrequent search may significantly delay system acquisition.
There is therefore a need in the art for techniques to efficiently search for wireless systems in the OOS state.

Uniform out-of-service search for wireless communication systems


A method of testing a coating on a reflector having a first focal point includes placing a mirror at the first focal point of the reflector and angled to orient with an area on the coating. Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is directed to the mirror which then directs the EM radiation on the area. The EM radiation which is reflected from the coating is collected onto a sensor disposed at a second focal point. The intensity of the EM radiation collected on the sensor is detected.

Many projection systems and other imaging devices incorporate high intensity arc-light sources that have small point sources that are called "fireballs." The fireball is usually located within a concave reflector that has a focal point, such as a parabolic, elliptical, or other curved shaped mirror. The light emanating from the fireball in the focal point is reflected off the surface of reflector. Often times the reflector is made of a glass, metal, or other substrate that requires a special coating to be applied to provide a specular surface for reflection. When the reflector is fabricated, the special coating may be deposited, sprayed, dipped, painted, or otherwise applied to the reflector surface. The quality of the special coating may need to be determined to ensure that the special coating was applied properly. For instance, the amount of reflection at various wavelengths may need to be determined. Further, the consistency of the reflective surface may need to be examined over a substantial portion of the special coating.
Prior inspection techniques used a fiber source at the focal point of the reflector. The fiber source was oriented to allow light escaping it to scan across the surface of the reflector while with difficulty maintaining the fiber's spatial position at the focal point. Another problem with using an optical fiber included not being able to control the angular spread of the emerging light beam which causes the spatial extent (area) of the scanned region on the reflector surface to vary based on the relative tilt of the fiber.
Accordingly, a more flexible and efficient method of testing the reflective coating is needed to lower the cost and increase the quality of reflectors used for arc light sources. Having a better method of testing will ensure rapid alignment and accurate testing of reflector surfaces.

Apparatus and method for testing a reflector coating

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention relates to an aerial fire-fighting bucket. The bucket includes a base plate and a valve arrangement including at least one valve and a liner actuator. The base plate includes at least one aperture and the valve is arranged to block the aperture in a closed position and to allow fluid to pass from within the bucket through the aperture when in an open position. The valve is arranged to be moved by the linear actuator generally transversely across an upper face of the base plate between the closed position and the open position of the valve to progressively reveal the aperture.

Large fires or fires in remote locations are often fought using aircraft to drop chemical fire retardants or water either directly on the fire or at nearby locations to create a fire break. Helicopters are often used for such operations because they do not require a dedicated landing strip and more importantly because they can fill their fire-fighting bucket without the need to land the helicopter. Typically, the bucket can be filled at a nearby body of water which may include a lake, dam, river or even a swimming pool. Having the ability to fill the bucket in this way reduces the time between water drops, hopefully resulting in the fire being extinguished more quickly. Filling the bucket locally also saves fuel and other running costs which can be extremely expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,809 describes a bucket for use with an aircraft which permits dumping of two or more separate loads of water for a single fill of the bucket. The apparatus has an outer bucket with an outer dump valve and an inner bucket with an inner dump valve. The inner bucket is located within the outer bucket and a space is established therebetween to provide a clearance to receive water. The dump valves are flexible sleeves which are operable independently of each other and in sequence so that the outer dump valve is opened before the inner dump valve. As evident from the Figures of U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,809, the illustrated apparatus includes significant rigging and lines to control the operation of the valves. Such rigging and lines may be easily fouled resulting in the inability to release water from the bucket and in an extreme situation this may result in the decision to jettison the bucket. Buckets according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,809 also have a tendency to leak due to the inner dump valve not sealing correctly, the purse strings are very prone to wear and tend to have a poor drop pattern due to the inner dump valve flailing in the wind when the water is jettisoned. This type of bucket is also very prone to sailing, causing the bucket to move from substantially below the helicopter when full to very close to the tail rotor when empty. This is potentially very dangerous.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,990 describes a fire-fighting bucket including a valve 18 for controllably releasing a stream of fluid over a fire. As best shown by a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve 18 releases water from the bucket when the solid side wall 60 of the valve 18 is raised vertically (FIG. 4) away from the base plate 40. Valve 18 is controlled by a complicated control head suspended above the bucket. Further, the valve 18 is very large and thus takes up a lot of space inside the bucket reducing the bucket's water carrying capacity. The valve seals are very difficult to replace and the bucket is very heavy. Accordingly, the bucket is very difficult to transport, store and load into an aircraft.
The applicant's earlier Australian patent application 2005225146 identified various problems associated with different fire-fighting buckets and also the valves used in such buckets. That application further described a valve used to control the release of water from a fire-fighting bucket. The valve 1 is located within body 10 and is operated by a liner screw motor that can be controlled to close the sealing plates 7 against their respective ports 19. As apparent from FIG. 4, the body 10 is quite large and the ports 19 are located above the base of the bucket. Accordingly, even if the walls of the bucket 20 are capable of collapse, the size and configuration of the valve, which is not collapsible, makes transport and storage of the bucket 20 problematic.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,942 describes a fire-fighting system that uses a bucket suspended from a helicopter to deposit a fire retardant onto the fire. More particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,942 describes a bucket with a valve for varying the characteristics of the flow that is discharged from the bucket's opening. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a fast-acting valve 206 that includes a top plate 208 that rotates on a shaft 210. The top plate 208 has openings 212 that can be aligned, upon rotation of the top plate 208, with openings 220 in a lower plate 222 fixed in the bottom of the bucket. FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative valve 306. The valve 306 adopts a clam shell configuration, in which two cylindrical flaps 308, 310 are hinged at their axis of rotation to a shaft 312. The valve arrangements described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,942 suffer from a number of disadvantages including high valve wear due to friction on the valve seal, poor flow control of water through the valve and considerable valve opening and closing lag time.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved fire-fighting bucket and related components thereof.
The discussion of the background to the invention herein is included to explain the context of the invention. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of this application.


A process and device measures and checks concentration values of a plurality of gas components in a gas sample. The distortion of the measuring results by temperature and moisture effects, contamination as well as cross sensitivity and drift phenomena of the sensors of the gas-measuring device is a frequent problem in the measurement of gases by a gas-measuring device. It is possible with the process to recognize implausible measuring results as such on the gas-measuring device without design measures. This is achieved by the evaluation of data of suitably selected calibrating gases, from which a subvector space is constructed in the vector space of all possible measurement data (s1, s2, s3), represented as a plane (E), and a corresponding tolerance range is constructed. If the data (*) determined later during a measurement, are in the tolerance range, they are classified as plausible, and otherwise as implausible. The subvector space is constructed, e.g., such that the sum of the distances of the measurement points belonging to the calibrating gases from the subvector space is as small as possible.

The present invention pertains to a process for measuring and checking concentration values of a plurality of gas components in a gas sample.
A gas-measuring device with a plurality of sensors, which are provided for the measurement of the gas components to be expected and whose measuring sensitivity is selected correspondingly, is used, in general, for the measurement in a gas sample. The gas sample consists of individual gas components, which are simultaneously detected by the sensors.
A frequent problem in gas measurement by means of the prior-art gas-measuring device is the insufficient selectivity. This means that the sensors have cross sensitivities for other gas components besides the desired sensitivity for the particular gas component to be measured. The occurrence of other gas components, with respect to which a sensor has cross sensitivity, leads to distorted measuring results, which cannot be compensated if they are not recognized as such. Additional distortions of the measuring results occur, e.g., due to variations in temperature, moisture effects, contamination of the gas-measuring device, aging-related sensitivity drift and zero drifts of the sensors.
One possibility of recognizing such disturbing effects on electrochemical gas sensors during the measurement of concentration values of gas components in a gas sample and of compensating them as a result is to use an additional measuring electrode. An electrochemical multiple-gas sensor, with which different gas components in one gas sample are detected simultaneously, is described in DE 196 22 931 A1. A measuring electrode for hydrogen sulfide, which consists of gold, iridium and carbon or graphite and is to detect a cross sensitivity of the other measuring electrodes to hydrogen sulfide, is additionally provided there.
The process according to the present invention represents a further improvement besides the use of an additional measuring electrode in an electrochemical gas sensor for recognizing disturbing effects. The process can also be applied to gas sensors that are based on different principles of measurement, e.g., infrared optical gas sensors, semiconductor gas sensors or catalytic heat tone gas sensors.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process with which the occurrence of disturbing effects due to a great variety of causes, e.g., temperature variations, moisture, contamination, as well as drift phenomena, can be recognized on the sensors.
A gas-measuring device with n sensors, where n is the number of sensors and m n equals at least 2, is used for the process for measuring and subsequently checking concentration values of gas components in a gas sample. Furthermore, the gas-measuring device comprises an evaluating unit, which receives and evaluates the values measured and passed on by the n sensors.
A plurality of different calibrating gases are introduced into the gas-measuring device with the n gas sensors for measuring the concentrations of m less than n possible gas components.
Gases that comprise the gas components that are later taken into consideration during the measurement in the gas sample are used as calibrating gases. Gases that comprise a single possible gas component are advantageously used as calibrating gases; this leads to m different possibilities, but it is also possible to use gases that comprise a combination of two possible gas components, in which case an additional m(mxe2x88x921)/2 possibilities arise. Thus, m+m(mxe2x88x921)/2=m(m+1)/2 different calibrating gases are obtained, whose number is now large enough to guarantee a reliable calibration.
The corresponding n measured values of the n sensors are passed on to the evaluating unit for each calibrating gas.
The measured values of a calibrating gas form an n-dimensional measurement point, which can be considered to be the vector in the n-dimensional vector space of all possible measured value configurations from n measured values. The number of measurement points thus obtained equals the number of calibrating gases selected. An m-dimensional subvector space is sought for these measurement points in the n-dimensional vector space of all possible measurement points, i.e., of all possible measured value configurations, which comprises in the best approximation all measurement points of the calibrating gases. This is to be understood such that a subvector space is constructed, e.g., such that the sum of the distances between the measurement points belonging to the calibrating gases and the subvector space is as small as possible. A tolerance range, which surrounds the subvector space, is determined for the subvector space. No restricting conditions are attached, in principle, to the tolerance range. However, the tolerance range is preferably selected to be such that it comprises the measurement points whose distance from the subvector space can still be explained with the usual measurement inaccuracies, i.e., noises. In light of the evaluation by calculation, it is advantageous to set the tolerance range as the range of the measurement points in the vector space of all possible measurement points whose distance from the subvector space determined is below a preset fixed distance value.
After the conclusion of the calibration operation, the gas sample is introduced into the gas-measuring device, and n values, which will yield an n-dimensional measurement point, are measured by means of the n sensors.
If this measurement point is located within the tolerance range, it is classified by the evaluating unit as plausible; if the measurement point is located outside the tolerance range, it is classified by the evaluating unit as implausible.
An essential feature of the process is based on the fact that the measured value configurations are considered to be measurement points in a vector space, because simple criteria can thus be formulated by calculation, by means of which criteria it can be decided whether the measurement point belonging to a gas sample is to be classified as plausible, i.e., as a measurement point that has a sufficiently short distance from the set of the measurement points in the vector space, which are obtained from the calibration data, or whether the measurement point belonging to the gas sample is to be classified as implausible, i.e., as a measurement point that is located at an excessively great distance from the set of measurement points obtained from the calibration data. How a xe2x80x9cset of measurement pointsxe2x80x9d and how a xe2x80x9cdistancexe2x80x9d are to be selected is obvious from the vector space structure. The advantage of the process is that immediately after a measurement and with comparatively simple methods, a measuring result can be discarded if it is to be considered to be implausible based on the measured values. This would be the case, e.g., when one of the sensors measures a greatly increased value that is unrealistic in connection with the other values due to its cross sensitivity to a gas component not taken into account during the calibration. Such an example is a sensor that is defective and hardly responds, so that only extremely low values are measured. The evaluating unit classifies the corresponding measurement point as implausible in both cases, and the user can track down the cause of the disturbing effect.
Electrochemical gas sensors are used as the sensors in a preferred embodiment.
A design of the process with n=3 sensors and m=2 possible gas components is of particular significance for practice. These are, e.g., chlorine (Cl2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The concentrations of the possible gas components chlorine and sulfur dioxide can thus be determined in one gas sample after the conclusion of the calibration operation, and implausible measuring results are immediately recognized and their cause can be explored.
If a measurement point has been classified by the evaluating unit as plausible or implausible, this result is communicated in a preferred embodiment to the user via a display unit. In case of implausible measurement points, it would be possible, e.g., to send a warning to the user.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Process and device for measuring the concentrations of a plurality of gas components in a gas sample


The novel compound, 3-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone, is effective as a transdermal enhancer for the absorption of drugs through the skin of humans and animals. The 3-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone is prepared from delta-butyrolactone which is converted to methyl 2,4-dibromobutyrate, this intermediate is reacted with methylamine to form N-methyl-2,4-dibromobutyramide, this intermediate is converted to 3-bromo-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone by ring closure, and the 3-bromo-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone is reacted with an alkaline earth metal carbonate or alkaline metal carbonate to form 3-hydroxy-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

Transdermal absorption is currently one of the fastest growing methods of drug delivery. Transdermal therapeutic systems are self-contained dosage forms that, when applied to intact skin, deliver drug(s) at a controlled rate to the systemic circulation. Advantages of using the transdermal route include: enhanced therapeutic efficacy, reduction in the frequency of dosing, reduction of side effects due to optimization of the blood-concentration versus time profile, increased patient compliance due to elimination of multiple dosing schedules, bypassing the hepatic "first-pass" metabolism, avoiding gastrointestinal incompatibilities and providing a predictable and extended duration of activity. However, the main function of the skin is to act as a barrier to entering compounds. As a consequence, transdermal therapy has so far been restricted to a limited number of drugs that possess the desirable physiochemical properties for diffusion across the skin barrier. One effective method of overcoming the barrier function of the skin is to include a penetration enhancer in the formulation of a transdermal therapeutic system. See Barry, Brian W.: Dermatological Formulations: Percutaneous Absorption (Dekker, New York, 1983); Bronough et al, Percutaneous Absorption, Mechanisms-Methodology-Drug Delivery, (Marcel Dekker, New York, N. Y. 1985); and Monkhouse et al, Transdermal drug delivery-problems and promises. Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm., 14, 183-209 (1988).
A penetration enhancer is a chemical compound that, when included in a formulation, temporarily increases the permeability of the skin to the drug allowing more of the drug to be absorbed in a shorter period of time. Several different types of penetration enhancers have been reported such as dimethylsulfoxide, n-decyl methyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, 1-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one (Azone), propylene glycol, ethanol, pyrrolidones such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and surfactants. See Bronough et al, supra, and Stoughton et al, Azone: A New Non-toxic enhancer of percutaneous penetration. Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm., 9, 725-744 (1983).
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone is a versatile solvent which is miscible with water, ethyl alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and carbon disulfide. N-methylpyrrolidone has been widely used as a solvent in industrial processes such as petroleum refining, GAF Corp.: "M-Pyrol (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) Handbook.", GAF Corp., New York, 1972. It is currently used as a solubilizing agent in topical and parenteral veterinary pharmaceuticals and is now under consideration for use in products intended for humans, Wells, D.A. et al: Disposition and Metabolism of Double-Labeled [.sup.3 H and .sup.14 C] N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone in the Rat. Drug Met. Disps., 16, 243-249 (1988). Animal and human experiments have shown very little irritation or sensitizaticn potential. Ames type assays and chronic exposure studies have not revealed any significant toxicity, Wells et al, Mutagenicity and Cytotoxicity of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and 4-(methyl amino) Butanoic Acid in the Salmonella/microsome Assay. J. Appl. Tox., 8, 135-139 (1988). N-methylpyrrolidone has also been shown to be an effective penetration enhancer. Barry et al, Optimization of Bioavailability of Topical Steroids: Penetration Enhancers Under Occlusion. J. Inv. Derm., 82, 49-52 (1984); Akter et al, Absorption Through Human Skin of Ibuprofen and Flurbiprofen; Effect of Dose Variation, Deposited Drug Films, Occlusion and the Penetration Enhancer N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 37, 27-37 (1984); Holegaard et al, Vehicle Effect on Topical Drug Delivery IV. Effect of N-methylpyrrolidone and Polar Lipids on Percutaneous Transport. Int. J. Pharm., 43, 233-240 (1988); Sugibayashi et al, Effect of Several Penetration Enhancers on the Percutaneous Absorption of Indomethacin in Hairless Rat. Chem. Pharm. Bull., 36, 1519-1528 (1988); Bennett et al, Optimization of Bioavailability of Topical Steroids: Non-Occluded penetration Enhancers Under Thermodynamic Control. J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 37, 298-304 (1985); Sasaki et al, Enhancing Effect of Pyrrolidone Derivatives on Transdermal Drug Delivery. 1. Int. J. Pharm., 44, 15-24 (1988); Lee et al, Toxicity of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP): Tetratogenic, Subchronic and Two-Year Inhalation Studies, Fund. Appl. Tox., 9, 222-235 (1987).
There remains a need in the art of transdermal delivery for a penetration enhancer which is safe, effective, and provides advantages not known to penetration enhancers of the prior art.

3-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone and use as transdermal enhancer

The University of Kentucky Research Foundation


Introduced here are computer programs and computer-implemented techniques for generating and then managing a federated database that can be used to ascertain the risk in interacting with vendors. At a high level, the federated database allows knowledge regarding the reputation of vendors to be shared amongst different enterprises with which those vendors may interact. A threat detection platform may utilize the federated database when determining how to handle incoming emails from vendors.

Email has become vastly more sophisticated with the Internet connecting millions of individuals in real time. These advancements in connectivity have incentivized cyber actors (also referred to as "attackers") to send malicious emails in greater numbers than ever before. Because email represents the primary communication channel for most enterprises (also referred to as "companies" or "organizations"), it is a primary point of entry for attackers.
Historically, enterprises employed secure email gateways to protect on-premises email. A secure email gateway is a mechanism—implemented in hardware or software—that monitors inbound and outbound emails to prevent the transmission of unwanted emails. However, such an approach is largely unsuitable for examining the vast number of emails handled by collaboration suites such as Microsoft Office 365® and Google Workspace™. For that reason, enterprises have begun employing security operations center (SOC) analysts who use various security products to inhibit and/or handle email scams. Examples of email scams include phishing campaigns and business email compromise (BEC) campaigns. As an example, some enterprises define, prioritize, and respond to incidents through an approach referred to as mail-focused Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (M-SOAR).
Various features of the technologies described herein will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawings. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the drawings. While the drawings depict various embodiments for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative embodiments may be employed without departing from the principles of the technologies. Accordingly, while specific embodiments are shown in the drawings, the technology is amenable to various modifications.

Estimating risk posed by interacting with third parties through analysis of emails addressed to employees of multiple enterprises


A power consumption estimation device (10) which estimates power consumption of each of one object facility (100) or more whose operation statuses can be monitored includes: a total power vector generation unit (32) to acquire time-series data of total power consumption; a status matrix generation unit (34) to acquire time-series data of an operation parameter of the one object facility (100) or more; a reference signal generation unit (36) to generate one reference signal or more; a contribution degree estimation unit (38) to perform multiple regression analysis by taking the total power consumption as an objective variable, and the operation parameter of the one object facility (100) or more and a component value of the one reference signal or more, as explanatory variables, to thereby calculate a contribution degree of each of the one object facility (100) or more; and a breakdown calculation unit (42) to multiply the contribution degree of the object facility (100) and the operation parameter of the object facility (100), to thereby calculate power consumption of the object facility (100).

In an architectural structure such as a building and a factory, when performing power management for the purpose of energy saving, it is necessary to figure out power consumption of each of a plurality of electric facilities installed in the architectural structure. However, in order to measure such power consumption, each electric facility must be provided with an electric power meter, which is costly.
Therefore, in some cases, techniques have been proposed which estimate power consumption of each facility by performing a regression analysis based on time-series data of total power consumption of a predetermined area and time-series data indicating a driving status of the facility installed in the predetermined area.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a device that calculates power consumption of each of a plurality of air conditioners installed in a predetermined area. In this Patent Literature 1, full air-conditioner power consumption of the plurality of air conditioners is found from total power consumption of the predetermined area and from base power which is power consumed by other than the air conditioners. Power consumption of each air conditioner is found based on time-series data of the full air-conditioner power consumption and time series-data indicating a driving status of each of the plurality of air conditioners. According to this technique, it is not necessary to provide a power measuring device per facility, so that power consumption of each of the plurality of facilities can be acquired at a low cost.


In some embodiments, an integrated circuit package includes a substrate and a heat spreader coupled to the substrate by fasteners. Thermal interface material thermally couples the die to the heat spreader. The heat spreader is provided over the die and is attached to the substrate with fasteners rather than a sealant-adhesive. Some examples of suitable fasteners may include rivets, barbed connectors, and gripping clips.

Manufacture of integrated circuit packages may involve, among other things, the installation of heat spreaders onto the package. During an installation process, a heat spreader lid may be adhered to a substrate while the package is mounted in a process carrier. The lid is conventionally affixed to the substrate using an adhesive or a sealant. A thermal interface material may be applied between the die and the heat spreader. Thermal conductivity between the heat spreader and the die may be dependent on the application force on the lid during curing of the thermal interface material. A clip is typically used to secure the package in the process carrier and apply force to the heat spreader while the sealant-adhesive and interface material are cured. To ensure proper heat transfer from the substrate to the heat spreader, the force asserted by the clip should be maintained within an appropriate range. The use of clips and sealant-adhesive to adhere the heat spreader to the substrate presents many manufacturing and process challenges.
One challenge is that the sealant-adhesive used to secure the heat spreader to the substrate may require additional curing steps in addition to the curing of the thermal interface material. Another problem is that the sealant-adhesive sometimes delaminates the surface of the substrate, especially in highly stressed packages. Another problem is that the insertion and removal of clips requires additional handling and assembly steps increasing cost and reducing repeatability. Another problem is that the clips may change their spring/retention force over time and temperature affecting the thermal interface between the die and the heat spreader.
Thus, what is needed is a package and method to attach a heat spreader to a substrate. What is also needed is a package and method to attach a heat spreader to a substrate that reduces the number of assembly/process steps. What is also needed are a package and method to attach a heat spreader to a substrate that reduces the risk of delamination of the substrate surface. What is also needed is a package and method to attach a heat spreader to a substrate that does not require the use of clips.

Package and method for attaching an integrated heat spreader


An incinerator (200)is provided for burning combustible refuse (16) in a primary combustion chamber (2) that has an outlet (50) for exhaust heat (30) and an inlet (28) for receiving refuse (16) and an inlet (36) for receiving a mixture of pressurized oxygen and pressurized hydrogen at respective rates correlated to create a burn temperature within chamber (2) of at least 4000.degree. F. to provide exhaust heat that is more environmentally acceptable.

A great variety of incinerators for burning combustible refuse, rubbish, or other waste materials have been developed over the years of which examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,009,667; 4,285,282; 4,545,306; 4,753,181; 4,759,300; 4,838,183; 4,949,653; 5,020,456; 5,060,584; 5,081,940 and 5,105,747, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Of the above referenced patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,009,667; 5,020,456; 5,060,584 and 5,081,940 teach introduction of air into a combustion chamber by blowers and the like to assist in the burning process but do not disclose the temperature at which the refuse is burned.
Of those patents described above that do disclose the refuse burning temperature, U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,282 teaches introducing air into the primary combustion chamber to create a burn temperature of 1000.degree. F.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,306 discloses the use of a combination of air and oxygen but not oxygen alone to provide a burn temperature up to 3500.degree. F.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,181 teaches the provision of a burn temperature of from 2000.degree. F. to thermally degrade dioxins; U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,183 teaches a combustion chamber burn temperature of 1400.degree. F. to 1600.degree. F. to burn waste refuse; U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,653 teaches a three zone combustion chamber of which the first is a zone for melting aluminum at a temperature of 1000.degree. F. to 1650.degree. F. to 2200.degree. F., the second zone is for melting glass at a temperature of 1560.degree. F., and the third zone is for melting steel at a temperature of 3500.degree. F.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,747 teaches the introduction of oxygen into a secondary oxygen deficient zone to create a burn temperature of 1600.degree. F. to 2400.degree. F.
The only example in the above described patents that teach a burn temperature above 3000.degree. F. is U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,300 which discloses a pyrolysis process by which waste products are pyrolized at a temperature of between 400.degree. C. and 800.degree. C. in an atmosphere that is kept essentially oxygen free by exclusion of air.
None of the heretofore described patents teach or suggest introducing pressurized oxygen or a mixture of pressurized oxygen and hydrogen into the primary combustion chamber at a rate correlated with the refuse input rate to provide a burn temperature of at least 4000.degree. F. and preferably at a temperature of about 4200.degree. F. to assist in rendering the exhaust heat more environmentally acceptable.


A three-dimensional object manipulating technique is provided. An axis of rotation is set for a three-dimensional object (40) on the basis of a push-in of a dial (8) of a dial-operated input device (7), and the three-dimensional object (40) is rotated through a user-defined angle about the set axis of rotation on the basis of a direction and angle of rotation of the dial (8) of the dial-operated input device (7). Also, an axis of movement is arbitrarily set for the three-dimensional object (40) on the basis of a push-in of the dial (8) of the dial-operated input device (7) and moved over a user-defined distance along the set axis of movement on the basis of a direction and angle of rotation of the dial (8) of the dial-operated input device (7). Further, the three-dimensional object (40) is resized at a user-defined scale-up or -down rate on the basis of a direction and angle of rotation of the dial (8) of the dial-operated input device (7). The present invention thus permits the user to make an manipulation, that is, rotation, movement, scale up or down, of the three-dimensional object (40) being displayed with the use of the dial-operated input device (7).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and computer program, for rotating, moving, scaling up or down or otherwise manipulating a three-dimensional object on a display screen by a dial-operated input device.
This application claims the priority of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-050059 filed on Feb. 26, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a pointing device such as a mouse or the like is used to rotate, move, scale up or down or otherwise manipulate a three-dimensional object displayed on a display screen. With the pointing device like the mouse, the user can intuitively make a pointing operation with a high degree of freedom because a movement of the user's hand or finger precisely results in a movement of a pointing cursor on the display screen.
Also, there are well known a mouse having additionally provided on the body thereof a dial which supplies another scale factor at which an image is to be displayed on a display screen (as disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 1993-108263, FIG. 1, for example) and a mouse having additionally provided on the body thereof a rotation unit whose operation is combinable with operations of the mouse itself to provide various events (as disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 1996-161098, FIG. 2, for example), etc.
However, the pointing device such as a mouse can only be used smoothly and comfortably in an ample operating space. There will arise no problem with a pointing device which is used with an apparatus to which a variety of peripheral devices is to be connected, such as a personal computer or the like. But the pointing device is not suitable for use with a portable information device such as a mobile phone or PDA (portable digital assistant) as well as with a portable electronic appliance such as digital video camcorder (=camera/recorder) or the like.
Many of recent portable electronic appliances such as the portable phone, PDA, digital video camcorder, etc. have installed therein a dial-operated input device with a jog dial as an input device to enable the user to select an object such as an icon or the like in a menu screen. The dial of the dial-operated input device can be pushed in and freely rotated. When the user pushed in and rotates the dial with the finger being applied to the perimeter of the dial, for example, the dial-operated input device generates input signals corresponding to a direction and angle of the dial rotation. Since the dial-operated input device can simply be constructed, it can easily be incorporated in a display unit, electronic appliance body or the like and it needs only a small operating space. Namely, the input device of this type can be said to be suitable for use with the above-mentioned portable electronic appliance.
On the other hand, however, since the dial-operated input device is inferior in degree of freedom of pointing operation to the mouse, it is not suitable for defining an arbitrary axis of rotation of a three-dimensional object, rotating the three-dimensional object about the axis of rotation and moving the three-dimensional object in an arbitrary direction.

Three-dimensional object manipulating apparatus, method and computer program


A method of generating wireless signal information includes receiving relative movement data generated by sensors and wireless signal data generated by a wireless signal module at a computing system, the sensors and module for detecting wireless signals located in a portable electronic device (PED). The method further includes generating landmark information at a landmark detection module based on the relative movement data, the sensor data and the wireless signal data. The method further includes generating a plurality of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) estimate locations based on the landmark information and the relative movement data at a SLAM optimization engine. The method further includes assembling a first database of locations and corresponding wireless signal strength and access points. The method further includes generating additional information concerning locations and wireless signal information based on the first database.

Deriving accurate indoor location has been an increasingly important topic in the midst of mobile applications blooming. Despite a decade of research and development efforts, enabling indoor location capability remains challenging.
WiFi based indoor location technologies have attracted a lot of attention in the past decade given the wide deployment of WLAN (wireless local area network) infrastructure. There are two major industry efforts that determine locations basing on WiFi signal strength. One camp—such as "SkyHook" or GoogleMap—utilizes trilateration basing on radio propagation model to estimate mobile client distance from the known locations of Access Points (AP) and transmit power. The second camp—such as Ekahau or Qubulus—relies on storing pre-recorded calibration WiFi measurement data ("WiFi fingerprint") so that the locations can be determined through "WiFi fingerprint" matching.
The first ("trilateration") camp requires knowledge of WiFi Access Point locations. Skyhook's AP location database is gathered through "wardriving", where a person drives around searching for WiFi networks. Wardrivers use a WiFi-equipped device together with a GPS (global positioning system) device to record the location of WiFi access point basing on AP proximity and current GPS fix.
The wardriving AP database has large distance error, typically at 10-20 m error range. The inaccurate AP location database is currently the performance limiting factor for the "trilateration" camp, and causes major location accuracy impact to the end user.
The second ("WiFi fingerprint") camp requires generating a pre-calibrated WiFi fingerprint database by sampling the radio signal strength from multiple APs at dense locations, and then derives the location through fingerprint matching at fine location granularity. The common practice at the present time is to have people manually calibrating radio map at dense grid level. State of art technologies still require substantial manual input from users, leading to high deployment cost to generate high quality WiFi fingerprint database. Therefore, it is desirable to have a system and method that provides more accurate WiFi fingerprint and AP databases, while at the same time does not require a high degree of user input.

Systems and methods for simultaneously and automatically creating databases of wifi signal information


A workflow management system that integrates well planning workflows with technical applications, audits change events, provides personnel authorizations, tracks and manages change events, and integrates best practice documentation and data at any point along the workflow.

In light of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, new compliance legislation is expected throughout the oil and gas industry. Thus, conformity with such legislation has become of increasing concern, especially since compliance may be the only avenue through which operations resume in the Gulf of Mexico. Current indications are that a new management control environment will be imposed that requires heightened record keeping and oversight throughout the well planning and completion stages.
Presently, however, there are no effective platforms to meet this need. Moreover, there is cause for concern for a number of other reasons. First, operators lack the experience in this changing environment. Second, well planning documentation is often difficult to locate and sometime never read. Third, current training methodologies are insufficient to cover all circumstances which might occur during planning of the well. Fourth, changes made during well planning are not currently tracked. Lastly, the knowledge attained by personnel during the well planning stage is often lost because there are no means by which to capture it.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing shortcomings, there is a need in the art for a system which allows the collaborative planning, management and tracking of each step along a well planning workflow, thereby providing the necessary platform to meet the coming challenges in the industry.

Well planning workflow system, method and computer-program product


A supported roof tarp apparatus consisting of lengthwise and crosswise lying poles pinned together via four way connectors and pinning means and held at first ends of the lengthwise lying poles by roofing brackets positioned on a backside of a roof apex and held at second ends of the lengthwise lying poles by first vertically standing poles pinned after having been inserted within the second vertically standing poles held by a ground plate and guy wires to the ground with ground pinning means holding the ground plates and guy wires to the ground and a plurality of tarp components held by hook and fastener means to the lengthwise and crosswise lying poles with each tarp having slits cut into each about which flaps are stitched.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is one of those devices serving to facilitate the performance of work on roofs by roofing contractors.
2. Related Art
The matters set forth in the Art Information Statement that accompanies this application relate to the present invention, but, respectfully submitted, does not anticipate it.


In revising a figure element, the figure element (C.sub.2) to be revised is designated, the designated figure element (C.sub.2 ) is displayed by a type of line or and color different from those of other figure elements, the figure elements (S.sub.1, C.sub.1) used in defining the designated figure element (C.sub.2) are displayed by a line of a different type and color, a message (M) which includes definition statements of the figure elements (S.sub.1, C.sub.1), as well as a radius necessary for defining the figure element (C.sub.2), is displayed on a display screen, and revision of the figure element is executed by referring to the display.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a figure element revising method and, more particularly, to a figure element revising method for displaying and revising a group of figure elements including figure elements defined using figure elements that have already been defined.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an automatic programming system for creating NC data using an automatic programming language such as APT or FAPT,
(a) a part program based on the automatic programming language is created by defining points, straight lines and circular arcs using simple symbols (this is referred to as "figure definition"), and then defining a tool path using the defined points, straight lines and circular arcs (referred to as "motion statement definition"), and
(b) the part program based on the automatic programming language is subsequently converted into NC data comprising NC data (EIA codes or ISO codes) in a format capable of being executed by an NC unit.
FIG. 6 is a view for describing figure definition statements. Figure definition of circles C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4 and straight lines S.sub.1, S.sub.2 is performed as follows using a keyboard or tablet: EQU C.sub.1 =x.sub.1, y.sub.1, r.sub.1 (1) EQU S.sub.1 =P(x.sub.2,y.sub.n2), P(x.sub.3,y.sub.3) (2) EQU C.sub.2 =S.sub.1, C.sub.1, r.sub.4, B, I, R (3) EQU C.sub.3 =x.sub.5, y.sub.5, r.sub.5 (4) EQU C.sub.4 =S.sub.1, C.sub.1, C.sub.2, B, I, O, L (5) EQU S.sub.2 =C.sub.2, C.sub.3, A, A (6)
In the foregoing,
equation (1) signifies a circle C.sub.1 of center (x.sub.1,y.sub.1) and radius r.sub.1 ;
equation (2) signifies a straight line S.sub.1 passing through two points (x.sub.2,y.sub.2), (x.sub.3,y.sub.3);
equation (3) signifies a circle C.sub.2 of radius r.sub.4 tangent to the straight line S.sub.1 from below, internally tangent to the circle C.sub.1 and located on the right side;
equation (4) signifies a circle C.sub.3 of center (x.sub.5,y.sub.5) and radius r.sub.5 ;
equation (5) signifies a circle C.sub.4 tangent to the straight line S.sub.1 from below, internally tangent to the circle C.sub.1, externally tangent to the circle C.sub.2 and located on the left side; and
equation (6) signifies a straight line (tangent) S.sub.2 tangent to the circle C.sub.2 from above and to the circle C.sub.3 from above. The alphabetic character A represents a qualifier meaning "above", B a qualifier meaning "below", R a qualifier meaning "right", L a qualifier meaning "L", I a qualifier meaning "internally tangent", and O a qualifier meaning "externally tangent".
As described in the example of the figure definition statement of the prior-art set forth above, there are two methods of figure definition. A first definition method entails defining points, straight lines and circles using absolute numeric data. A point is defined as EQU P=x, y
using the coordinates (x,y) of the point [see FIG.
7(a)]; a straight line is defined as EQU S=P(x.sub.1,y.sub.1), P(x.sub.2,y.sub.2)
using the two points (x.sub.1,y.sub.1), (x.sub.2,y.sub.2) through which the straight line passes [see FIG. 7(b)]; and a circle is defined as EQU C=x, y, r
using the coordinates (x,y) of the center of the circle and the radius r of the circle [see FIG. 7(c)]. A figure definition statement based on the first definition method shall be referred to as a first definition statement hereinafter.
The second definition method entails defining straight lines and circles using other points, straight lines and circles that have already been defined. For example, point P.sub.1 [see FIG. 7(d)] is defined as follows: EQU P.sub.1 =S, C, L
The straight lines S.sub.1 [see FIG. 7(e)] is defined as follows, by way of example: EQU S.sub.1 =C.sub.1, C.sub.2, A, A
(A is a qualifier meaning "above"); and the circle C [see FIG. 7(f)] is as follows, by way of example: EQU C=S.sub.1, S.sub.2, S.sub.3, R, A, L
A figure definition statement based on the second definition method shall be referred to as a second definition statement, hereinafter various types of second definition statements are available, that is, they are not limited to the foregoing examples.
When figure definition is performed, the arrangement is such that a figure element is defined by the first definition statement, and another figure element is defined by the second definition statement using the figure element in accordance with the first definition statement.
There are cases where it is desired to modify a figure element (FIG. 6), such as the circle C.sub.2, defined using an already defined figure element. In such case, the definition statement of circle C.sub.2 is EQU C.sub.2 =S.sub.1, C.sub.1, r.sub.4, B, I, R
Since definition is performed utilizing the figure elements S.sub.1, C.sub.1 based on the first definition statement, the figure elements S.sub.1, C.sub.1 and the radius r.sub.4 must be revised in order to make the modification. However, the figure definition statement of each figure element is not displayed on the display screen, and there is no correspondence between the symbols (P.sub.i, S.sub.i, C.sub.i) of the figures used by the figure definition statements and the figure elements painted on the display screen. Consequently, searching for figure elements and data utilized in the definition of the figure element desired to be modified is a troublesome operation, and making the revision is very difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a figure element revising method through which figure elements and data necessary for making a revision can be distinguished merely by designating the figure element desired to be modified, as a result of which revision of the figure element can be performed quickly and easily.


A clamp for fastening a trackball-containing shell to laptop computer keyboards. The clamp has (a) a tray having a dovetail formed thereon for engaging with a dovetail slot formed in the trackball-containing shell, (b) a replaceable first clamping element having a first jaw being insertable in a clearance between keys and a margin of the keyboard, (c) a spring-biased second clamping element having a second jaw for abutting the margin and (d) a button linked to the spring-biased second clamping element. When the button is pressed, the second jaw of the spring-biased second clamping element is accordingly moved away from the first jaw of the first clamping element so that the margin can be sited therebetween. When the button is released, the first jaw of the first clamping element cooperates with the second jaw of the spring-biased second clamping element so as to clamp the margin, so that the trackball-containing shell is firmly maintained in position relative to the keyboard.

The present invention relates to a clamp for fastening a trackball-containing shell to laptop computer keyboards and, more particularly, to a clamp having a replaceable first clamping element cooperating with a spring-biased second clamping element for clamping to the keyboard and a button for pressing the spring-biased second clamping element with respect to the first clamping element before the use thereof.
At the time being, laptop computers are widely used to help deal with business outside offices because of their size and portability. For drawing, a laptop computer is desired to incorporate a trackball in order to move a cursor more readily on a screen. Generally, as laptop computers and trackballs are used outside offices, it is difficult to find plane surfaces to place the trackballs, especially when used in vehicles. Therefore, a trackball encompassed in a shell is usually sold with a clamp which is used for binding the shell to a keyboard, so that the trackball is maintained in a stable position relative to the keyboard.
Conventionally, a clamp bearing a shell which encompasses a trackball is secured to a keyboard with screws. The screws must be disengaged from the keyboard to release the clamp from the keyboard, so that the laptop computer, the keyboard, and the trackball can be packed in a business case more easily. It is relatively inconvenient to bring screw drivers to disengage the screws from the keyboard. Furthermore, a clamp made by a certain manufacturer usually does not fit a keyboard made by another manufacturer.
In the present inventor's co-pending U.S. patent application No. 07/882,485, a clamp is used for fastening a shell which encompasses a trackball to a keyboard of a laptop computer. The clamp has a tray having a dovetail for engaging with a dovetail slot of the shell, a replaceable first clamping element with a first jaw to be inserted in a clearance between keys and a margin of the keyboard, and a spring-biased second clamping element for abutting the margin, so that the first clamping element cooperates with the spring-biased second clamping element to clamp the margin, thereby maintaining the shell in a stable position relative to the keyboard. Although the spring-biased second clamping element and the first clamping element firmly clamp the margin, it is inconvenient to press the spring-biased second clamping element away from the first clamping element before the use thereof.
The present invention is intended to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Clamp for fastening a trackball-containing shell to laptop computer keyboards


A semiconductor memory has a stacked bank structure and includes a data input/output pad; a global input/output line connected to the data input/output pad; and a plurality of banks connected to the global input/output line. Each bank is stacked on another one of the banks and shares a local input/output line corresponding to the global input/output line and a column select signal line to which a column select signal is applied. Accordingly, by providing a bank structure in which different banks are stacked, the number of global input/output lines, local input/output lines and write drivers (or input/output sense amps) are reduced.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a semiconductor memory device with a stack bank structure.
A semiconductor memory device in general includes an array of separate memory cells. The array of memory cells includes a plurality of rows and columns, the cross points of which are defined as memory cell addresses. The memory cells include a capacitor that stores charges as well as a transistor that serves to change or sense the charges of the capacitor. The charges are expressed as data bit; for example, a high voltage as the logic "1", and a low voltage as the logic "0". The data is stored in the memory during write operations and read from the memory during read operations.
In the conventional semiconductor memory devices, read operations connect the memory cells to the bit lines after activating the relevant word line(s). When the word lines are activated, the sense amplifier (also referred to as "the sense amp") detects and amplifies data on activated bit lines. The semiconductor memory device selects the row and the column corresponding to the bit in order to access the memory cell. The sense amp determines whether "1" or "0" is stored in that memory position.
Meanwhile, a bank structure is adopted to reduce the capacitance load of the word line by reducing the length of the word line, thereby improving the access time and cycle time of the semiconductor memory device. That is, by disposing the memory cells of the semiconductor memory device in a bank unit, it is possible to form multiple bank structures that operate as the units of bank.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block structure of a semiconductor memory device with a conventional 4-bank structure.
Referring to FIG. 1, in the semiconductor memory device 100 of a 4-bank structure, one bank is divided into half-banks such that they are symmetrically aligned with the DQ pads DQ<0> to DQ<15>. One half-bank 110 includes of two core blocks 116, 118.
If one bank of the four banks, such as bank 0, is accessed, the half-bank 110 located above the DQ pads DQ<0>to DQ<15> sends/receives data to/from the DQ pads DQ<0> to DQ<7> through global input/output lines (GIO) 112, 114. The half-bank 120 under the DQ pads DQ<0> to DQ<15>sends/receives data to/from the DQ pads DQ<8> to DQ<15 through global input/output lines (GIO) 122, 124.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of a core block of the bank as illustrated in FIG. 1 supporting 4 bits prefetch. Referring to FIG. 2, the bank includes an even 0 block (EVEN0), an odd 0 block (ODD0), an even 1block (EVEN1) and an odd 1 block (ODD0).
The even 0 block (EVEN0), the odd 0 block (ODD0), the even 1 block (EVEN1), and the odd 1 block (ODD0) each includes a plurality of subblocks. The corresponding subblocks in each of the even 0 block (EVEN0), the odd 0block (ODD0), the even 1 block (EVEN1), and the odd 1 block (ODD0) form one mat. For example, the subblock 210 in the even 0 block (EVEN0), the subblock 220 of the odd 0 block (ODD0), the subblock 230 of the even 1 block (EVEN1) and the subblock 240 of the odd 1 block (ODD1) become a mat MAT<0>.
Each of the even 0 block (EVEN0), the odd 0 block (ODD0), the even 1 block (EVEN1), and the odd 1 block (ODD1) included in the core block is connected to four global input/output lines GIO through local input/output lines (LIO), a write driver (WDRV) (not shown), or input/output sense AMP (IOSA) 212, 222, 232, 242. Also, the even 0 block (EVEN0), the odd 0 block (ODD0), even 1block (EVEN1) and odd 1 block (ODD1) share the column select signal YI<0> to YI<n−1>.
In conventional bank structures supporting 4-bits prefetch, the DQ<0> pad sends/receives data to/from each of the memory blocks through the global input/output lines GIO_EV0<0>, GIO_EV1<0>, GIO_OD0<0>, and GIO_OD1<0>, and the DQ<1> pad sends/receives data to/from each memory block through the global input/output lines GIO_EV0<1>, GIO_EV1<1>, GIO_OD0<1>, and GIO_OD1<1>.
Further, the DQ<2> pad sends/receives data to/from each memory block through the global input/output lines GIO_EV0<2>, GIO_EV1<2>, IO_OD0<2>, and GIO_OD1<2>, and the DQ<3> pad sends/receives data to/from each memory block through the global input/output lines GIO_EV0<3>, GIO_EV1<3>, GIO_OD0<3>, and GIO_OD1<3>.
In the conventional bank structures supporting 4-bits prefetch, the write driver {WDRV} is enabled and the data on the global input/output line (GIO) is stored in the memory cell through the local input/output line LIO, a bit line sense amp (BLSA) unit 244 under the control of the subhole unit 246 in a case of writing the data. When reading the data stored in the memory cell, the data is delivered to the input/output sense amp 242 through the bit line sense amp unit 244, the local input/output line and the like under the control of the subhole unit 246, subsequently amplified and then recorded on the global input/output line.
FIG. 3 is a block structure diagram of the subhole unit (such as 246) and the bit line sense amp unit (such as 244) of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a timing diagram for explaining operation of a semiconductor memory device with a conventional 4-bank structure. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, active operations for banks 0 and 4 and read operations for banks 0 and 4 of the semiconductor memory device having the conventional 4-banks structure will be described now.
First, before the active operation proceeds, the bit line sense amp 340 equalizes the bit lines BL, /BL to a precharge level.
A mat control unit 310 outputs a bit line equalize signal BLEQ_M<n>_B<i> which is enabled "high" to the precharge unit 350. The precharge unit 350 turns on to allow the segment input/output lines SIO, /SIO to equalize to the precharge level of the bit line. Also, the mat control unit 310 outputs an input/output line connection signal BS_IO_M<n>_B<i> which is disabled "low" to an input/output connecting unit 370. The input/output connecting unit 370 is turned on to allow the segment input/output lines SIO, /SIO to disconnect from the local input/output lines LIO, /LIO.
A local input/output line reset signal generating unit 320 outputs a local input/output line reset signal LIO_RST_M<n>_B<i> which is enabled "high" to the reset unit 360. The reset unit 360 is turned on, thereby allowing the equalization of the local input/output lines LIO and /LIO to the precharge level of the local input/output line. Also, a column address decoder unit 330 outputs a column select signal YI<0:n−1>_B<i> that disables the bit line sense amp 340. The address signal outputted turns off the column select gate 342 of the bit line sense amp unit 340.
Next, the input of an active command ACT0 for the bank enables an internal active command signal RACT_B<0>. The bit line sense amp 340 of the mat selected by the row address GAX<0:xn> amplifies the data stored in the memory cell. At this time, the mat control unit 310 decreases the level of the bit line equalize signal BLEQ_M<0>_B<0> to "low" such that it stops equalizing the segment input/output lines SIO and /SIO. Also, the mat control unit 310 decreases the level of the input/output line connection signal BS_IO_M<0>_B<0> to "high" such that the segment input/output lines SIO and /SIO can connect to the local input/output lines LIO and /LIO respectively, thereby allowing the amplified data to move.
Next, input of the read command READ0 for the bank 0 from outside enables the internal column address select (CAS) command signal CAS_B<0>. The column address decoder unit 330 enables the column select signal YI<0>_B<0>corresponding to the column address GAY<0:yn> by synchronizing with the read/write strobe pulse RDWTSTBP.
Then, the bit line sense amp 340 delivers the amplified data on the bit lines BL and BL/ to the segment input/output lines SIO and /SIO. The data delivered to the segment input/output lines SIO and /SIO is inputted into the input/output sense amp (not shown) through the local input/output lines LIO and /LIO, amplified by the input/output sense amp and recorded on the global input/output line.
At this time, the mat control unit 310 outputs the local input/output line reset signal LIO_RST_M<0>_B<0>, of a "low" state, to the reset unit 360 while the column select signal YI<0>_B<0> is being enabled. The reset unit 360 is turned off to stop equalizing the local input/output lines LIO and /LIO. Therefore, the data of the segment lines SIO and /SIO can be moved in a stable manner to the local input/output lines LIO and /LIO. The active and read operations for bank 4 are the same as the active and read operations for bank 0.
Meanwhile, if the write command is inputted after the corresponding bank and row are activated, the corresponding write driver WDRV is enabled to cause the data on the global input/output lines to be recorded on each of the corresponding local input/output lines. The input/output connection signal of the mat selected when accessing the row is enabled to cause the data on the local input/output line to be delivered to the segment input/output line. The data on the segment input/output line is delivered to the bit line sense amp, which is enabled by the column select signal. The bit line sense amp amplifies the data delivered and stores it in the memory cell connected to the bit lines BL and /BL.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block structure diagram of the semiconductor memory device with an 8-bank stack structure 400 indicative of the prior art, which illustrates a semiconductor memory device with 16 DQ pads.
Referring to FIG. 5, in the semiconductor memory device with a conventional 8-bank stack structure, the eight banks are divided into half-banks, and two 4-banks are each located up and down with respect to the DQ pads DQ<0> to DQ<15>. One half-bank includes two core blocks. That is, one half-bank, e.g., down bank 410 includes of two core blocks 416, 418, and another half-bank, e.g., up bank 420 includes of two core blocks 426, 428.
If one of the eight banks is accessed, such as bank 0, the down bank 410 sends/receives the data to/from the DQ pads DQ<0> to DQ<7> through global input/output lines (GIO) 412, 414, and the up bank 420 stacked above the down bank 410 sends/receives the data to/from the DQ pads DQ<8> to DQ<15> through global input/output lines (GIO) 417, 419.
Such 8-bank stack structures are able to share the column select signal since the down bank 410 and the up bank 420 of bank 0 are stacked. However, since two half-banks 410, 420 are stacked up or down with respect to the DQ pads, the number of the global lines connecting each bank with the 16 DQ pads also increases. That is, the number of global input/output lines doubles compared to those of the bank structure of FIG. 1. Also, an up/down bank control logic (UP_DN CONTROL) is necessary to access all banks arranged in both directions with respect to the DQ pads.
The number of local input/output lines, write drivers and input/output sense amps that correspond to the global input/output lines also doubles. Referring to FIG. 6, it is apparent that as the number of global input/output lines increases in stacked banks, the number of local input/output lines, write drivers and input/output sense amps also increases.

Semiconductor memory device having stacked bank structure


A compact, unobtrusive orthotic splint comprising length adjustable padded malleable cuffs for positioning along and fastening to the splint, and an accordion-style spring to provide controlled extension or flexion.

The present invention relates to the specific medical area of orthotics and more particularly with regard to extension and flexion extremity splints.
Frequently, in the rehabilitative treatment of arthritic, stroke or accident patients presenting neurological, muscular, joint or tendon damage regarding an extremity, it is desirable to splint the affected extremity such that a controlled movement is allowed or encouraged. The controlled movement might be against a specified resistive force or might be with a specific force applied to encourage a desired deflection or movement. The ultimate goal of the therapy is to restore mobility of the extremity to a state as near normal as is possible and to do so within a reasonable time. Some of the practical or desirable characteristics or limitations of such splints include the splint should not restrict other extremities; the weight of the splint should be minimized to enhance comfort and therapeutic effectiveness; the splint should be compact to minimize the intrusion of the splint, both functionally and cosmetically; the splint should be sufficiently durable to endure the course of treatment without undue deference by the patient; the splint should be comfortable; the splint should be easy to use; and the potential for the patient to avoid using the splint should be minimized.
Many splints currently available typically use conspicuous, awkward or bulky strapping means for positioning or fastening. Further, they often use protruding wires and hooks. The use of elastic bands, coil springs, and springy wires is commonplace in the current market. However, these tensioning means have specific limitations. The use of elastic bands mandates the use of hooks and protruding levers. Coil springs and springy wires have a limited range of useful force and once outside such range the applied force rapidly exceeds desired and safe levels or quickly decreases from required levels It should be noted that an excessive force might cause additional damage rather than curing, while insufficient force may result in a protracted or ineffective rehabilitative treatment.