An electrically-erasable, electrically-programmable, read-only-memory cell array is formed in pairs at a face of a semiconductor substrate (22). Each memory cell includes a source (11) and a drain (12), with a corresponding channel (Ch) between. A control gate (14) is disposed over the floating gate (13), insulated by an intervening inter-level dielectric (27). The floating gate (13) and the control gate (14) include a channel section (Ch). The channel section (Ch) is used as a self-alignment implant mask for the sources (11) and drains (12), such that the channel-junction edges are aligned with the corresponding edges of the channel section (Ch). Each memory cell is programmed by hot-carrier injection from the channel to the floating gate (13), and erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling from the floating gate (13) to the source (11). The program and erase regions of each cell are physically separate from each other, and the characteristics of each of those regions may be made optimum independently from each other. Field oxide insulators (25) defining the channels (Ch) and the source line (17) have straight-line edges adjacent the source line (17) and adjacent the channel (Ch).

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile, integrated-circuit memory such as an electrically-erasable, electrically-programmable read-only-memory (EEPROM), and more particularly to an EEPROM memory cell that is programmed by hot-carrier injection in one region and is erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling in another region, and to a method of fabricating such a device.
EEPROMs employing single transistor memory cells, using hot-carrier injection for programing and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling for erasure have been described in: (a) "A Single Transistor EEPROM cell and its implementation in a 512K CMOS EEPROM", S. Mukherjee et al., IEDM 1985 (p. 616-619); and (b) "A 90ns 100K Erase/Program Cycle Megabit Flash Memory", V. Kynett et al., ISSCC 1989 (p. 140-141). References (a) is also discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,787.
Referring to FIG. 1a, in prior-art memory cells, such as those discussed in references (a) and (b), the field oxide isolation regions 25 are used to improved capacitive coupling between control gate 14 (poly 2) and floating gate 13 (poly 1), by increasing the capacitance area between control gate and floating gate in addition to providing isolation between adjacent cells. The source line 17 (diffused N+) runs substantially parallel to the wordlines 15 and separates the field oxide regions 25 between pairs of wordlines 15. Drain regions 12 are shared between each pair of wordlines 15. The drains 12 in a column are connected by a metal column line (not shown). Each drain contact with the metal line is isolated from the adjacent contact by the field oxide regions 25.
Thus, the field oxide regions 25 provide both improved control-gate/floating-gate capacitive coupling as well as isolation between adjacent cells. The presence of field oxide regions 25 separated by a continuous source line 17 avoids the need for a metal line contacting sources 11, saving valuable silicon real estate. These field oxide regions 25 are designed and formed using masks having straight lines. However, after a LOCOS process, the field oxide regions 25 look like "dog bones" (as shown by FIGS. 1a-1b) for at least two reasons. The first reason is related to lithographic rounding at the corners and the second reason is related to the field oxide growth rate differences between narrow regions and wide regions.
The dog-bone-shaped field oxide regions 25 result in undesirable effects. Because of manufacturing misalignments, such as that illustrated by the different sizes of regions A and B in FIG. 1b, adjacent cells sharing the same source line 17 may have different coupling coefficients between control-gates 14 and source regions 11, resulting in bimodal distributions of array programming, reading and erasing characteristics. In addition, the cell width is also nonuniform because of the "dog bone" effect.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cell array structure that avoids these weaknesses.

EEPROM cell array with tight erase distribution


The invention relates to efficient, high-throughput methods, systems, and DNA constructs for identification and isolation of transcription termination sequences. The invention relates further to specific terminator sequences identified by said methods isolated from rice.

The aim of plant biotechnology is the generation of plants with advantageous novel properties, such as pest and disease resistance, resistance to environmental stress (e.g., water-logging, drought, heat, cold, light-intensity, day-length, chemicals, etc.), improved qualities (e.g., high yield of fruit, extended shelf-life, uniform fruit shape and color, higher sugar content, higher vitamins C and A content, lower acidity, etc.), or for the production of certain chemicals or pharmaceuticals (Dunwell 2000). Furthermore resistance against abiotic stress (drought, salt) and/or biotic stress (insects, fungal, nematode infections) can be increased. Crop yield enhancement and yield stability can be achieved by developing genetically engineered plants with desired phenotypes.
For all fields of biotechnology, beside promoter sequences, transcription terminator sequences are a basic prerequisite for the recombinant expression of specific genes. In animal systems, a machinery of transcription termination has been well defined (Zhao et al., 1999; Proudfoot, 1986; Kim et al., 2003; Yonaha and Proudfoot, 2000; Cramer et al., 2001; Kuerstem and Goodwin, 2003). Effective termination of RNA transcription is required to prevent unwanted transcription of trait-unrelated (downstream) sequences, which may interfere with trait performance (see below for more details). Especially arrangement of multiple gene expression cassettes in local proximity (e.g., within one T-DNA) is often causing suppression of gene expression of one or more genes in said construct in comparison to independent insertions (Padidam and Cao, 2001). This is causing problems especially in cases were strong gene expression from all cassettes is required
Previously efficiency of transcription termination had to be analyzed either by in vitro or in vivo transcription analysis of individual transcription termination sequences, which is a laborious and time-consuming procedure based on trial-and-error (Yonaha and Proudfoot, 1999, 2000; Yarnell and Roberts, 1999). To simplify this process, single nucleotide-recognizing probe such as beacon has been used for in vitro transcription (Liu et al., 2002).
In plants, understanding transcription termination and re-initiation is at the infant stage. There are no clearly defined polyadenylation signal sequences. Hasegawa et al. (2003) were not able to identify conserved polyadenylation signal sequences in both in vitro and in vivo systems in Nicotiana sylvestris and to determine the actual length of the primary (non-polyadenylated) transcript. There are vague ideas that weak terminator can generate read-through, which affects the expression of the genes located in neighboring expression cassettes (Padidam and Cao, 2001). Appropriate control of transcription termination will prevent read-through into sequences (e.g., other expression cassettes) localized downstream and will further allow efficient recycling of RNA polymerase II, which will improve gene expression.
Prediction of functional, efficient transcription termination sequences by bioinformatics is not feasible alternative since virtually no conserved sequences exist which would allow for such a prediction. Prediction of the efficiency in transcription termination of such sequences is even more beyond. Furthermore, experimental determination of the actual length and sequence of the primary transcript is difficult since these structures are highly instable being rapidly converted into polyadenylated transcripts (Hasegawa et al., 2003).
Production of genetically modified cells and organisms (such as plants) requires appropriate recombinant DNA in order to introduce genes of interest. The recombinant DNA contains more than one expression cassette, in general. The expression cassette is composed of promoter, gene of interest, and terminator. The expression of the gene of interest in the expression cassette can be negatively affected by inappropriate termination of transcription from the neighboring cassette. Transcriptional read-through and/or multiple use of the same transcription termination sequence may have one or more of the following disadvantages:    1. Unwanted expression of downstream sequences may cause undesirable effects (e.g., changes in metabolic profile, gene silencing etc.).    2. Unwanted expression of downstream sequences raises higher hurdles in deregulation proceedings.    3. Multiple use of identical transcription termination sequences may lead to failure of the whole transgenic expression approach by epigenic silencing. Because the present panel of evaluated transcription termination sequences is currently very limited, multiple use of the same transcription termination sequence in one transgenic organism is often unavoidable, which has proofed to result in unintended silencing of the entire transgenic expression constructs (Matzke 1994; Matzke 1989)    4. Enablement of constructs comprising multiple gene expression cassettes without undesired interaction of transcription of different cassettes. Such interactions may—depending on the orientation of the cassettes—include unintended expression (e.g., in case of expression cassettes having the same direction of their reading frames) or unintended gene silencing (e.g., in case of inverted orientation of the cassettes).
In consequence, there is an unsolved demand (especially in the plant biotech area) for tight and alternative transcription termination sequences. There is no easy and reliable screening system to identify "tight" terminators that efficiently terminate transcription. It is therefore an objective of the present invention, to provide a method to easily identify such termination sequences and to provide tight and alternative transcription termination sequences for use on plants. This objective is achieved by this invention.

Method for isolation of transcription termination sequences


An acoustic streaming fluid ejector includes a fluid filled chamber having an opening, a selectively vibrating flow generator having a sharp edge pointed toward the opening, and a driving device configured to vibrate one of the flow generator and the chamber to create a streaming fluid flow in a direction away from the sharp edge through the opening. Methods are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to acoustic streaming fluid injectors for inkjet printers, drug delivery devices, and screening devices for drug discovery and DNA sequencing, among other applications.
Inkjet printing is rapidly becoming an increasingly important technology. Aside from consumer market, it is currently used in industrial printing, 3-D printing for rapid prototyping, circuit board printing, LCD and OLED display production, and a number of other industries. New applications of the technology for diagnostics and drug discovery industry are being investigated.
Currently there are two major technologies used in ink-jet printing, thermal and piezoelectric. The thermal design, commonly used in consumer ink-jet printers utilizes the production of bubbles by heating an electrode to eject a droplet of water out of a nozzle. The main disadvantage of this technology is that it works only with water as a solvent. The piezoelectric design more commonly used in commercial printers utilizes the piezoelectric diaphragms that change the volume of the chamber. The main limitations of this design are the price, printing speed, and the size of the droplets.
The present disclosure addresses one or more deficiencies in the prior art.


A latching mechanism includes a housing defining a slot for receiving a device therein. The housing includes first and second slide blocks disposed on either side of the slot. Each slide block is movable between a retracted position, wherein a pin thereof is disposed within the housing, and an extended position, wherein the pin extends into the slot to engage the device therein. A U-shaped member is disposed within the housing and includes first and second legs interconnected by a base. The U-shaped member is movable relative to the housing between an unlocked position, wherein the legs retain the slide blocks in the retracted position, a locked position, wherein the slide blocks are permitted to move to the extended position, and an eject position, wherein the legs retain the slide blocks in the retracted position and wherein the base extends into the slot to eject the handheld device.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to latching mechanisms and, more particularly, to a releasable latching mechanism for securing a handheld computer to a cradle to facilitate charging, data transfer, and/or printing.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless, or handheld devices are advantageous in that they permit users to conduct business "in the field" without sacrificing any of the benefits that previously required in-office, or in-store equipment. For example, handheld computers allow users to scan items/inventory at the point-of-delivery or point-of-pickup, electronically record transactions at the point-of-sale, receive credit card payments, and electronically record signatures or other user-input data.
In order to further facilitate conducting business transactions "in the field," portable docking and printing stations have been developed which connect to the handheld computers to permit data transfer therebetween, e.g., downloading or uploading of data, charging of the handheld computer, and/or printing of receipts, confirmations, etc. Typically, these docking and printing stations include a cradle for receiving the handheld computer therein in electrical communication therewith to permit charging, data transfer, and/or printing. As can be appreciated, during these operations, it is important to ensure that the handheld computer remains securely engaged within the cradle so as to inhibit disconnection in the event the docking and printing station is moved, manipulated, or even dropped. However, it is also important that the handheld computer be easily engagable with and disengagable from the cradle without requiring excessive force or complicated locking/unlocking procedures.

Docking cradle including a releasable latching mechanism for engaging a handheld device therein


Disclosed is a method for producing a resin solution for photoresists, which includes the steps of heating and thereby aging a solution at 30° C. to 90° C. for 30 minutes or longer, the solution containing, in a solvent, a photoresist resin capable of being alkali-soluble by the action of an acid; and filtering the aged solution through a filter medium having a pore size of 1 μm or less. The method gives a photoresist composition having good filterability which enables uniform patterning. The method also gives a resin solution for photoresists which is stable over a long time, namely, a resin solution for photoresists which maintains good filterability even after long-term storage.

Recent dramatic innovation on lithographic patterning techniques in the manufacture of semiconductor devices has made lithographic line widths finer and finer. In lithographic exposure, i line and g line were initially used, but they gave patterns with broad line widths, and the manufactured semiconductor devices thereby had low capacities. However, recent technological developments have allowed the use of KrF excimer laser to give patterns with dramatically finer line widths. Thereafter the technological developments have continued so as to adopt ArF excimer laser having a further shorter wavelength to lithographic exposure, and this has been achieved in very recent years. Customary resins, i.e., novolak or styrenic resins, have been used in exposure to KrF excimer laser beams. However, for exposure to ArF excimer laser beams, the novolak or styrenic resins have been replaced with resins containing no aromatic moieties, i.e., replaced with alicyclic resins, because the ArF excimer laser beams have a further shorter wavelength of 193 nm, and resins containing aromatic moieties, such as the novolak or styrenic resins, absorb the light of this wavelength. Such resins for photoresists require the property of being alkali-soluble as a result of the leaving of a moiety thereof with an acid and require uniform adhesion to the substrate. For satisfying these requirements, various polar groups are introduced into alicyclic resins. The resulting resins, however, tend to be slightly soluble in organic solvents for photoresists, probably because of their complicated structures.
Solutions as photoresist compositions should be subjected to fine or microscopic filtration before used in semiconductor manufacture, but most of them show poor filtration performance (filterability). To solve this problem, some techniques have been proposed as in Patent Literature (PTL) 1 and PTL 2. However, the lithographic techniques using ArF excimer laser are experiencing further evolution and currently employ immersion lithographic techniques which proceed and enable further finer patterning. This requires further improvements in filtration performance of resin solutions for photoresists.    PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-183837    PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2000-231200

Method for producing resin solution for photoresist, photoresist composition, and pattern-forming method


A nickel-chromium-molybdenum-copper alloy that is resistant to sulfuric acid and wet process phosphoric acid contains in weight percent 30.0 to 35.0% chromium, 5.0 to 7.6% molybdenum, 1.6 to 2.9% copper, up to 1.0% manganese, up to 0.4% aluminum, up to 0.6% silicon, up to 0.06% carbon, up to 0.13% nitrogen, up to 5.1% iron, up to 5.0% cobalt, with the balance nickel plus impurities.

This invention relates generally to non-ferrous metal alloy compositions, and more specifically to nickel-chromium-molybdenum-copper alloys that provide a useful combination of resistance to sulfuric acid and resistance to xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid.
One of the steps in the manufacture of fertilizers involves a reaction between phosphate rock and sulfuric acid, to create xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid. In this reaction step, there is a need for materials resistant to both sulfuric acid and xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid. Alloys currently considered for such applications include austenitic stainless steels and nickel-iron alloys containing high levels of chromium, in the approximate range 28 to 30 wt. %. Among these are G-30 alloy (U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,489), Alloy 31 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,065), and Alloy 28. Alloys with even higher combined resistance to these two acids are sought, however.
It is known that chromium is beneficial to the corrosion resistance of iron-nickel and nickel-iron alloys in xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid. It is also known that copper benefits the resistance of these same alloy systems to sulfuric acid, and that molybdenum is generally beneficial to the corrosion resistance of nickel alloys. The use of these alloying additions, however, is constrained by thermal stability considerations. In other words, if the solubilities of these elements are exceeded by a significant amount, it is difficult to avoid the precipitation of deleterious intermetallic phases in the microstructure. These can influence the manufacturing of wrought products and can impair the properties of weldments.
Given that chromium, molybdenum and copper are more soluble in nickel than iron, it follows that higher levels of these elements are possible in low iron, nickel alloys. It is not surprising, therefore, that molybdenum-bearing nickel alloys with high chromium contents exist. U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,029 discloses such a series of alloys, although these require the addition of tungsten, in the range 1 to 4 wt. %, and do not require copper. U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,029 states that such alloys possess superior corrosion resistance to a variety of media, although they were neither tested in pure sulfuric acid nor xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid. Notably, U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,029 states that the absence of tungsten results in a significantly higher corrosion rate. Also notably, it states that corrosion resistance worsens significantly when copper is present at levels of 1.5% or greater.
Another patent which discloses corrosion-resistant, molybdenum-bearing, nickel alloys with high chromium contents is U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,642, although the preferred chromium range is 17 to 22 wt. %, and all compositions require the addition of tantalum, in the range 1.1 to 8 wt. %. Copper is optional in the alloys of U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,642, up to 4 wt. %.
Two further U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,778,576 and 4,789,449, disclose nickel alloys with wide-ranging chromium (5 to 30 wt. %) and molybdenum (3 to 25 wt. %) contents, for use as anodes in electrochemical cells. Both patents preferably claim anodes made from C-276 alloy, which contains 16 wt. % chromium and 16 wt. % molybdenum, but no copper.
The principal object of this invention is to provide new, wroughtable alloys with higher combined resistance to sulfuric acid and xe2x80x9cwet processxe2x80x9d phosphoric acid than previous alloys. It has been found that the above object may be achieved by adding chromium, molybdenum, and copper to nickel, within certain preferred ranges, together with elements required for sulfur and oxygen control, during melting, and unavoidable impurities. Specifically, the preferred ranges in weight percent are 30.0 to 35.0 chromium, 5.0 to 7.6 molybdenum, and 1.6 to 2.9 copper. The most preferred ranges in weight percent are 32.3 to 35.0 chromium, 5.0 to 6.6 molybdenum, and 1.6 to 2.9 copper.
For control of sulfur and oxygen, during argon-oxygen decarburization, up to 1.0 wt. % manganese, and up to 0.4 wt. % aluminum are preferred. Most preferred for this purpose are 0.22 to 0.29 manganese and 0.20 to 0.32 aluminum. Silicon and carbon are also necessary ingredients during argon-oxygen decarburization, levels up to 0.6 wt. % and 0.06 wt. %, respectively, being preferred. Nitrogen and iron are non-essential, but desirable, minor additions. Nitrogen levels up to 0.13 wt. % are preferred; iron levels up to 5.1 wt. % are preferred. With regard to likely impurities, up to 0.6 wt. % tungsten can be tolerated. Up to 5 wt. % cobalt can be used in place of nickel. It is anticipated that small quantities of other impurities, such as niobium, vanadium, and titanium would have little or no effect on the general characteristics of these materials.

Ni-Cr-Mo-Cu alloys resistant to sulfuric acid and wet process phosphoric acid


An electrode for an electrochemical machining process is provided. The electrode includes an electrically conductive member defining at least one passage and an insulating coating partially covering a side surface of the electrically conductive member. The insulating coating does not cover at least one of first and second exposed sections of the electrically conductive member, where the first and second exposed sections are separated by approximately 180 degrees and extend substantially along a longitudinal axis of the electrically conductive member. The insulating coating also does not cover an exposed front end of the electrically conductive member. An electrochemical machining method is also provided, for forming a non-circular hole in a workpiece using the electrode.

The invention relates generally to electrochemical machining. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrode and an electrochemical machining process for forming non-circular holes.
The efficiency of a gas turbine engine is directly proportional to the temperature of turbine gases channeled from the combustor of the engine and flowing over the turbine blades. For example, for gas turbine engines having relatively large blades, turbine gas temperatures approaching 1500° C. (2,700° F.) are typical. To withstand such high temperatures, these large blades are manufactured from advanced materials and typically include state-of-the-art type cooling features.
A turbine blade is typically cooled using a coolant such as compressor discharge air. The blade typically includes a cooling hole through which the air passes. The cooling holes commonly have an aspect ratio, or depth to diameter ratio, of more than 300:1, with a diameter as small as a few millimeters.
A specialized adaptation of electrochemical machining, known as shaped-tube electrochemical machining (STEM), is used for drilling small, deep holes in electrically conductive materials. STEM is a non-contact electrochemical drilling process that can produce holes with aspect ratios more than 300:1. It is the only known method that is capable of manufacturing the small, deep holes used for cooling blades of efficient gas turbines.
In the STEM process, an electrically conductive workpiece is situated in a fixed position relative to a movable manifold. The manifold supports a plurality of drilling tubes, each of which are utilized to form an aperture in the workpiece. The drilling tubes function as cathodes in the electrochemical machining process, while the workpiece acts as the anode. As the workpiece is flooded with an electrolyte solution from the drilling tubes, material is deplated from the workpiece in the vicinity of the leading edge of the drilling tubes to form holes.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/118,791, which was published as US 2009/0277803, Bin Wei et al., "Method and Tool for Forming non-circular holes using a selectively coated electrode," which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a method for forming a non-circular hole from a substantially circular hole. However, this process requires two separate steps. First, a substantially circular hole is drilled with a traditional STEM cathode, and then another cathode is inserted into the circular hole to form the non-circular hole.
It would therefore be desirable to have a single-step STEM process to form non-circular holes. It would further be desirable to have a single cathode that can be used to perform the entire STEM process for forming the non-circular holes.

Electrode and electrochemical machining process for forming non-circular holes


A light emitting device according to the embodiment includes a substrate; a buffer layer over the substrate; an electrode including a perforation pattern through top and bottom surfaces of the electrode over the buffer layer; a first semiconductor layer over the electrode; an active layer over the first semiconductor layer; and a second semiconductor layer over the active layer. The first semiconductor layer extends onto a top surface of the perforation pattern by passing through the perforation pattern while making contact with the buffer layer.

The embodiment relates to a light emitting device and a light emitting device package.
Alight emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light emitting device that converts current into light. The LED can generate light having high brightness, so that the LED has been expensively used as a light source for a display device, a vehicle, or a lighting device. In addition, the LED can represent a white color having superior light efficiency by employing phosphors or combining LEDs having various colors.
In order to improve the brightness and the performance of the LED, various attempts have been performed to improve a light extracting structure, an active layer structure, current spreading, an electrode structure, and a structure of a light emitting diode package.

Light emitting device comprising an electrode with perforation pattern


A method and system for receiving, processing and distributing SMS and MMS messages, which consists of a message processor and virtual or desktop clients. The message processor comprises of a rule processing agent that intelligently analyses incoming messages using a set of predetermined logic rules and directs the dispatching agent to deliver the final processed message to the recipients using one or more communication channels such as SMS, MMS, pop up message, e-mail, fax or phone call. The message processing system consists of virtual secretaries that are customizable for each user of the message processing system, each virtual secretary contains a set of user specific processing rules that accepts the user's request and applies its own set of processing rules, conducts a set of processing actions, and if required invokes the message processor to further carry rule processing or uses the dispatching agent to distribute the message.

This invention generally relates to a telecommunication system and in particularly to a method and system of processing and dispatching SMS and MMS messages.
The short messaging service (SMS) and multimedia messaging service (MMS) is one of the most widely used communication means among mobile users for person-to-person messaging, accessing information on demand and entertainment. Approximately one billion SMS messages are processed every day by mobile communication operators worldwide. SMS has captured a significant market share in person-to-person messaging and is now increasingly used for accessing information stored on the network of mobile communication operators. Even when the recipient mobile is switched off, or out of reach of the mobile network, the message is made available to the recipient when the recipient logs on to the network. The SMS and MMS messaging system is a store and forward messaging system
There is a market need to deploy SMS and MMS messaging technology to enable enterprise users within the enterprise to interact with individuals outside the enterprise to interact with each other through a single messaging interface.
Messaging can be effectively used to enhance existing services, for example, customer relation management, alert or notification, order booking, production planning, sales force automation, distribution, hospitality and entertainment.
There is a market need for a messaging solution that seamlessly integrates and leverages the existing information technology in local area network or wide area networks (LAN/WAN), internet infrastructure, office server, enterprise servers, telecommunications and software solutions.
There is a market need for a messaging system that has the robustness of a traditional electronic private automatic branch exchange (EPABX) system and that also provides intelligent processing of incoming messages, logging of messages and a non-blocking storing mechanism for incoming messages during peak traffic periods.
The conventional EPABX system is limited to addressing voice-based services with minimal interface with other office automation tools. The conventional EPABX system also requires costly resources such as external public communication lines. The conventional EPABX systems allow a specific person in an organization to be contacted directly using a known extension number, using assistance from an interactive voice response IVR system or connection by a local or remote operator. The EPABX system provides a linkage to telephone service features, for example, voice mail, auto answering and paging to increase the effectiveness of communication within an organization. However, the EPABX system can become a bottleneck during certain periods. For example, during high call in periods, the EPABX causes blockages that decrease communication effectiveness and communication between remote sites, although internal communications may not be affected.
There is a market need for a supplement to the traditional voice-based EPABX with a message based communication system that intelligently processes messages, logs messages and provides a non-blocking mechanism for message queuing. There is also a market need for a solution that integrates SMS and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messaging with the existing infrastructure of an enterprise and provides an intelligent access channel everywhere in the enterprise.
There is also a market need for an in-built virtual secretary to answer common queries by intelligent processing of the input messages.


Disclosed is a novel system and process to provide an interactive environment for advertisers utilizing physical advertisement structures to provide their advertisements to users. Users are able to receive advertisement information associated with the advertisements on these structures along with additional information associated with the advertisements. This is also beneficial for the advertisers because this static form of advertising now becomes dynamic and interactive. Advertisers are now able to provide more detailed information regarding their products, services, etc. than what is normally available via an advertisement structure such as a billboard.

The present invention generally relates to advertisement systems, and more particularly relates to an interactive advertisement system for wireless communication devices.
Physical advertisement structures such as billboards, posters, signs, or the like can be found virtually anywhere. Individuals generally encounter these types of advertisements when travelling in a vehicle. However, because an individual is usually concentrating on driving, conversing with other occupants of the vehicle, etc., the individual generally has a minimal amount of time to read an advertisement on a billboard. Therefore, these structural types of advertisements are not as effective as other types of advertisements. Moreover, it is difficult to get information related to physical advertisement structures only when the user knows the approximate geographic location of the sign.


A golf game device that generates a natural interest in golf without taking up a large amount of space. A player swings a grip which is shaped like the grip of a golf club. On a first monitor, a virtual club head moving in accordance with the movement of the grip is displayed. An imaginary shaft extends from the grip, and the virtual club head is displayed as if it were attached to the end of the shaft. The player takes aim at his target direction (to which a ball is to be hit) by viewing scenery displayed on a second monitor, and hits a ball displayed in his underfoot view on the first monitor. The front view and underfoot view change according to the position where a virtual player stands in the game space. Accordingly, the player can play with the sense that he is actually playing a golf course.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to video game systems in which a player manipulates a virtual interface device within a game space, wherein a virtual interface device represents a real interface device that the player within a real space manipulates.
2. Background Information
In conventional video golf games used in the home or in video game arcades, for example, the swinging motion of an object (i.e., the golf club) in the game space is controlled by pushing buttons or by pulling levers. However, controlling objects by manipulating buttons or levers gives a player a feeling that the game is not realistic, and does not provide a game that allows a player to experience the real charm of golf. Accordingly, most people who play video golf games turn out to be people who simple love to play video games. To begin with, commands that instruct which object within the game space is moved and in what direction are assigned to the buttons and levers in advance. Thus, movement of the object by means of the buttons and levers is limited by the combinations of action patterns preset in the game.
On the other hand, golf simulation devices have been offered in which a golf player can practice easily. However, these devices take up too much space and are quite expensive, and thus are not favored by video game arcade operators.
In order to manipulate golf balls more naturally, for example, H10-214155A discloses an input device shaped like a golf club, in which the movement of the input device is detected and the swing motion thereof is input. An acceleration sensor is installed at the inside of the head. If the acceleration level of the head detected by the acceleration sensor exceeds a certain level, the input device determines that the player intends to hit a ball.
However, a full swing of a golf club requires a large amount of space around a player, and it also requires an increase in the space in which the input device is set. In addition, swinging a golf club is risky at a video game arcade because there are often many people present. Moreover, in order to allow a player to naturally enjoy a golf game, it is not enough that a player can hit a golf ball by swinging a golf club. For example, in order to allow a player to hit a ball in a particular direction with a club, it is necessary to create visual factors that provide the player with targets. In addition, when a player plays a real golf game, he chooses his favorite club from amongst a variety of golf clubs and uses it. Accordingly, a golf game in which he uses only one kind of golf club won""t satisfy a golf player, and won""t attract general users other than people who simply like to play video games.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a video game device that allows a player to feel the charms of a variety of different games. Another object of the present invention is to provide a video game device that does not take up a lot of space. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a video game device that is safe to use.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a game device is provided in which a real interface device operated by a player within a real space is represented by a virtual interface device in a virtual space. The virtual interface device in the game device includes a virtual contact unit and a virtual operation unit. The virtual contact unit is a portion of the virtual interface device that a virtual player who manipulates the virtual interface device contacts in order to operate the virtual interface device. The virtual operation unit is a portion of the virtual interface device that manipulates an object operated by the virtual interface device.
The game device includes:
(a) position detection means for detecting the position of the real interface device within the real space, wherein the real interface device is shaped like the virtual contact unit, conversion means for converting the detected real position of the real interface device into a virtual position within the virtual space that is a virtual position of the virtual contact unit within the virtual space,
(b) calculating means for calculating the virtual position of the virtual operation unit based on the virtual position of the virtual contact unit,
(c) operating means for moving the virtual operation unit within the virtual space so that its movement follows the movement of the real interface device with in the real space, which repeatedly causes the real position of the real interface device to be detected by the position detective means, the virtual position of the virtual contact unit to be calculated by the converting means, and the virtual position of the virtual operation unit to be calculated by the calculating means.
Assume, for example, that the video game device is a golf game device. The virtual interface device is a virtual golf club within a game space. The virtual contact unit corresponds to the virtual grip and the virtual operation unit corresponds to the virtual head. The real interface device is shaped like a grip of a golf club or that of a mini golf club that is much shorter than a golf club. Or suppose that the video game device is a tennis game device. In this case, the virtual interface device is a virtual tennis racket within a game space. The virtual contact unit corresponds to the virtual grip and the virtual operation unit corresponds to the virtual racket face. The real interface device is shaped like a grip of a tennis racket or that of a mini tennis racket that is much shorter than a tennis racket. Or suppose that the video game device is a baseball game device. In this case, the virtual interface device is a virtual bat. The virtual contact unit corresponds to the grip of the virtual bat and the virtual operation unit corresponds to the upper on third of the virtual bat. The real interface device is shaped like a grip of a bat or that of a mini bat that is much shorter than a baseball bat.
If the video game device is a golf game device, a player swings a grip-type real interface device, then the movement of the virtual head of the virtual golf club is calculated. If the game device is a tennis game device, and a player swings a grip-type real interface device, the movement of the virtual racket face is calculated. If the game device is a baseball game device, a player swings the grip-type real interface device, then the movement of the portion of the virtual bat within the virtual game space that hits a ball is calculated.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes:
(a) display means for displaying the virtual operation unit, and
(b) position determining means for determining a display position at which the virtual operation unit is displayed on a screen, based on the virtual position of the virtual operation unit.
In this game device, the operating means causes the real position of the real interface device to be detected by the position detecting device, the virtual position of the virtual contact unit to be calculated by the converting means, the virtual position of the virtual operation unit to be calculated by the calculating means, and the display position of the virtual operation unit to be determined by the position determining means, with these actions being executed repeatedly. The operating means displays the movement of virtual operation unit so that it follows the movement of the real interface device.
Assume, for example, the video game device is a golf game device. The device determines the virtual position of the virtual grip, and calculates a position at which a straight line intersects with the ground of the virtual space. The line goes through the virtual position of the virtual grip and has a certain inclination. The device regards the intersection as the virtual position of the virtual head and displays the virtual head. The game device detects the movements of the grip-type real interface device and displays the movement of the virtual head, which causes the above-mentioned steps at predetermined time intervals. The player can enjoy swinging the real interface device, which is shaped like a golf grip, and will feel as though it is a real golf club. The position within the real space and the position within the game space can be described, for example, with three dimensional coordinates. If the video game device is a golf game device, it preferably includes selecting means for any one of various kinds of virtual golf clubs. In this case, the operating means may display a virtual head corresponding to the kind of the virtual golf club selected. For example, the video game device accepts the selection of the golf club by pushing a button on the video game device, and displays the head of a golf club selected, such as a driver or 5-iron.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the real interface device and the virtual interface are configured to be slightly long (e.g., the length of the grip portion of a golf club, tennis racket, baseball bat, etc.), and the video game device further includes twist detecting means. The twist detecting means detects the degree to which the real interface device is twisted from the standard position around the axis of the real interface device. The operating means displays on a screen the virtual operation unit of the virtual interface device that rotates at the twist angle around the axis of the virtual interface device. Take, for example, a golf game device. A player twists the grip-type real interface device, then the rotation of the virtual head follows the twist action of the player.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the twist detecting means calculates the twist angle of the real interface device based on signals outputted from an acceleration sensor installed on the real interface device.
A three-axis-acceleration sensor may be utilized for detecting the angle at which the real interface device is with respect to the floor, and detecting the angle at which the real interface device is with respect to certain directions on the floor surface. The twist angles can be calculated based on the angles detected.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the video game device is a golf game device. The displaying means of this golf game device further displays scenery at the virtual player""s feet. This golf game device further includes front displaying means for displaying scenery in front of the player. xe2x80x98Frontxe2x80x99 means the direction in which the virtual player is to hit the ball.
The golf game device preferably displays an underfoot view on a lower screen and the front view on a front screen. The underfoot view is the scenery at the virtual player""s feet from the viewpoint of the virtual player. The front view is the scenery from the viewpoint spreading out in front of the virtual player. The viewpoint may be calculated based on the virtual position of the virtual contact unit. The underfoot view and the front view can be created by making a perspective-projection transformation in the game space.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes
(a) display controlling means for generating an underfoot view and a front view and displaying them by utilizing the displaying means and the front displaying means, wherein the views are from the virtual player""s viewpoint and calculated from the virtual position of the virtual contact unit, and
(b) underfoot view storing means for storing an underfoot view whose resolution is higher than that of an underfoot view generated by the display controlling means. The display controlling means of the game device controls the underfoot views so that the underfoot view stored in the underfoot view storing means is displayed on behalf of the underfoot view generated by the display controlling means.
The underfoot view generated by perspective-projection transformation based on the data composing the game space is too rough to display it as an underfoot view. Thus, the player feels incongruous with the underfoot view if it is displayed at his feet. This is because it is natural for a player that resolution of an underfoot view close to him is higher than that of front view far from him. Thus, the game device stores the data for an underfoot view in advance and displays it on the screen. For example, an underfoot view of a fairway is displayed if the virtual player is on a fairway, and an underfoot view in a bunker is displayed if the virtual player is in a bunker.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes:
(a) display controlling means for displaying an underfoot view and a front view by utilizing the displaying means and the front displaying means, wherein the views are from the virtual player""s viewpoint (hereinafter, virtual viewpoint) that is calculated based on the virtual position of the virtual contact unit,
(b) view controlling means for shifting the viewpoint for catching the front view from the virtual viewpoint, wherein the shift is executed whether the front view is close to or far from the virtual player. The game device shifts the viewpoint position for the front view when the virtual player is at the tee and looks in the direction of the green, and when the virtual player on a green and looks in the direction of the cup. This is in order not to have the player feel incongruence when the underfoot view and the front view are connected. The view controlling means preferably shifts the viewpoint for the front view to a point that is continuously connected with the underfoot view from the virtual viewpoint when the front view is close to the virtual player. Accordingly, if a front view is close to the virtual player, a front view is displayed that is continuous with the underfoot view from the virtual viewpoint.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the position detecting means further includes:
(a) at least a pair of light-detecting means for detecting light from light emitting means or light reflecting means, and measuring means for measuring the position of the light emitting means or the light reflecting means and outputting the measurement result to the conversion means, wherein the light emitting means and/or the light reflecting means are installed in or on the real interface device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the calculating means determines the virtual position of the virtual operation unit by regarding it as a position at which a straight line intersects with the ground of the virtual space, wherein the line goes through the virtual position of the virtual contact unit, and is at an angle (hereinafter, virtual inclination angle xcfx86) with a standard plane in the virtual space.
Assume, for example, a golf game device. The virtual inclination angled) maybe an average value of the angle between the angle at which a golf club is normally held by an ordinary golf player and the ground. Or the virtual inclination angle xcfx86 may be the angle between the position that a grip-type real interface device is normally held by an ordinary player and the floor. In a tennis game device, the virtual inclination angle xcfx86 may be an average value of the angle between a tennis court and the position of the grip when an ordinary tennis player hits a tennis ball.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the video game device further includes inclination detecting means for detecting an angle (hereinafter, real inclination angle) between the real interface device and the standard plane in the real space. The calculating means of the game device calculates the virtual position of the virtual operation unit by regarding the real inclination angle detected as the virtual inclination angle xcfx86. An example of an inclination detecting means includes a three-axis acceleration sensor installed in the grip-type real interface device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the inclination detecting means calculates the real inclination angle of the real interface device based on signals outputted from an acceleration sensor installed in the real interface device.
The angle between the real interface device and the floor surface, and the angle between the real interface device and a certain direction on the floor surface, can be detected by utilizing an acceleration sensor such as three-axis-acceleration sensor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes:
(a) trajectory storing means for storing the virtual positions of the virtual operation unit taken at predetermined time intervals xcex94T1,
(b) area determining means for determining whether the latest stored virtual position of the virtual operation unit is in a hit area in which the object operated by the virtual interface device exists,
(c) stay determining means for determining whether the virtual operation unit has been in consecutive existence for a prescribed stay time Ts or more, based on the virtual positions stored, when the latest virtual position of the virtual operation unit exists in the hit area, and
addressing means for determining that the player is addressing the ball when the virtual operation unit has been in consecutive existence in the hit area for the prescribed stay time Ts or more.
Take, for example, a golf game. The hit area is a circle having a radius r and having a golf ball placed in the center thereof. If the virtual head has been in consecutive existence in the hit area for a prescribed stay time Ts or more, the player is regarded to be addressing the ball. The hit area may become larger or smaller according to kinds of the virtual golf club used. For example, the hit area becomes smaller if the virtual golf club is changed from a driver to an iron, or a putter. Ordinary golf players are supposed to change their swings according to the kind of golf clubs used. Accordingly, setting hit areas corresponding to the kind of golf clubs used allows a game player using the grip-type real interface device to swing without feeling any incongruity. Likewise, the game device determines the player is ready to hit the ball in a tennis game device and the like.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes:
(a) passage determining means for determining whether the virtual operation unit has passed through the hit area when the player is addressing the ball,
(b) speed determining means for determining whether the passage time is at or below the prescribed passage time Tp when the virtual operation unit has passed through the hit area, and
(c) operation determining means for determining whether the player has manipulated the object by means of the virtual interface device when the passage time is at or below the prescribed passage time Tp.
Take, for example, a golf game situation in which the virtual head has passed through the hit area with a speed faster than the prescribed speed after the player""s address. In this case, the player is regarded to have hit the ball. If the passage speed is too slow, the player is regarded to have made a practice swing or that he has made a movement that is unrelated to his swing. Then, the ball is not moved and remains in place. The prescribed passage time Tp may fluctuate corresponding to the kind of virtual golf clubs used. For example, the prescribed passage time Tp is set to be relatively short for a driver and it is set to be relatively long for a putter. Controlling the prescribed passage time Tp in consideration of the differences between the different swings used with various kinds of golf clubs allows the player to swing naturally with the real interface device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the game device further includes:
(a) trajectory determining means for determining the trajectory of the virtual operation unit in the hit area based on the data stored in the trajectory storing means, when the operation determining means determines that the player has manipulated the object, and
(b) trajectory calculating means for calculating the trajectory of the object, based on the trajectory of the virtual operation unit.
The trajectory calculating means moves the ball if the operation determining means determines that the ball was hit, even though the trajectory of the virtual head may not have hit the golf ball. The trajectory of the ball is calculated based on the swing direction. In other words, it is calculated based on the trajectory of the virtual head.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the real interface device and the virtual interface device is configured to be somewhat long and the game device further includes:
(a) twist detecting means for detecting the angle at which the real interface device is twisted from a standard position around the longitudinal axis of the real interface device,
(b) trajectory determining means for determining the trajectory of the virtual operation unit in the hit area based on the data stored in the trajectory storing means, when the operation determining means determines the player has manipulated the object, and
(c) trajectory calculating means for calculating the trajectory on which the object has moved, based on the trajectory of the virtual operation unit and the twist angle detected.
In a golf game, for example, the trajectory calculating means calculates the trajectory of the ball in consideration of the twist angle, i.e., the direction of the face of the virtual head, in addition to the swing direction. In a tennis game device, the trajectory calculating means calculates the trajectory of the ball in consideration of the direction of the racket, which is changed when a player slices or drives. Moreover, the operation determining means determines that the player has manipulated the object when the twist angle is within the prescribed twist angle and the passage time is in the range of the prescribed passage time Tp. In other words, the operation determining means determines the player didn""t hit the ball if he has twisted the grip-type real interface device too much, even though the player had addressed and had swung at the speed that is faster than the prescribed speed. Likewise, the operation determining means determines that the player didn""t hit the ball if he had twisted the virtual tennis racket too much in a tennis game device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the operation determining means determines the player has manipulated the object when the distance between the trajectory of the virtual operation unit and the object is in the range of a permissible gap and the passage time is at or below the prescribed passage time Tp.
The operation determining means determines that the player has swung and missed if the trajectory of the virtual head missed the ball by too much, even though the virtual head had passed through the hit area. This is because it will not feel realistic to a player if the ball has moved in such situations. Likewise, in a tennis game device, the operation determining means determines that the player has swung and missed if the virtual racket face missed the ball by too much, even though the virtual racket face has passed through the hit area. The range of permissible gap in the golf game can change with the kind of the virtual golf clubs used. Take, for example, a situation in which the player swings a driver and the virtual head hits the golf ball very quickly. In this situation, the range of the allowable gap is rather wide because the player will not notice the gap between the ball and the virtual head trajectory. On the contrary, take a situation in which the player swings a putter. A putter is swung slowly and the player can catch the movement of the virtual head at the moment he hits the ball. Thus, the range of the allowable gap is nearly zero for a putter. Otherwise, the player feels incongruity.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a game method is employed in a game device in which a real interface operated by a player within a real space is represented by the virtual interface device within a virtual interface device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a game program is provided that causes a computer to execute each of the steps of the method cited above. Further, computer-readable storage media on which this program is recorded are also included in the scope of the present invention. Examples of compute-readable recording media include, but are not limited to, flexible discs, hard discs, semiconductor memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnet-optical discs (MOs), and other computer read/writeable recording media.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a game system is provided in which a real interface device operated by a player within a real space is represented by a virtual interface device within a virtual space.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skills in the art from the following details description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Motion-controlled video entertainment system


A method of automated scan compensation in a target acquisition system for reducing areas of potential threat surrounding an aircraft. The target acquisition system is located on an aircraft and adapted to receive data from a plurality of sensors. The target acquisition system includes a scanning device with adjustable scan limits for scanning a desired area in the vicinity of the aircraft. The method involves determining the aircraft's current position, altitude, and heading. The terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft is then scanned and a line of sight between the aircraft and the scanned terrain is determined. Changes in the terrain which prevent other areas of the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft from being scanned are also determined. The method then involves determining adjustments to the scan limits on the target acquisition system to reduce the size of the unscanned areas, and adjusting the scan limits as the aircraft flies over the terrain.

Modern reconnaissance/attack aircraft are designed with various on-board systems for conducting intelligent automated search of the terrain being overflown. These systems are designed to minimize the burden on the flight crew when making tactical decisions by analyzing the vast amount and constantly changing sources of data associated with the aircraft's current state. For example, conventional navigation systems, particularly those employing GPS, provide real time, three dimensional coordinates in the near earth airspace where the aircraft is operating. Digital database maps provide aircraft personnel with detailed terrain data in the vicinity of the aircraft.
Today's aircraft also include target acquisition systems (TAS) that provide range, resolution, fast scanning and computerized detection and classification of targets/threats around the aircraft. These systems are designed to search large surface areas in very short times.
The primary drawback to conventional aircraft search/scanning systems is the ability to recognize both the constraints and requirements of the information provided. For example, current target acquisition systems do not take into account system constraints, such as clear line of sight, TAS turret rotational velocities and accelerations, image processing rates, aircraft velocity and height above terrain. The conventional systems also do not take into account the mission requirements, such as expected threat capabilities and the nature of a mission (e.g., reconnaissance, assault or recovery). Only when the constraints and requirements are balanced in real time can the terrain search be optimized for mission goals, whether those goals are information gathering, survivability or time of transit.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional automatic scanning technique, such as a target detection system, as used in present day aircraft. The aircraft scans the terrain with either a single or two bar sweep defined by triangular zone A. (A single scan generally uses a preset set mid-range scan of the terrain to determine what is in front of the aircraft. A two bar scan uses both a long range scan and a short range scan to image the terrain). Once elevation and azimuthal limits are programmed into the system, the turret is locked into a scan pattern that can only compensate for aircraft pitch attitude changes, i.e., if the aircraft pitches downward, the TAS adjusts upward to maintain constant azimuthal and elevational scan limits. The conventional systems are not able to automatically compensate for variations in terrain or changes in tactical situations.
Often, due to the low altitude regime that helicopters operate in and because of rolling terrain, the aircraft will come upon terrain that quickly slopes down or up. In these cases, without intervention from the pilot, gaps occur in the terrain being searched. In the case of down slopes, due to fixed elevation limits, the aircraft could easily overfly the depression without ever detecting whether targets of interest are located in the area. The deficiency in the prior scanning system is illustrated in FIG. 1A where the forward looking scan from the aircraft does not detect the bottom of the depression (the shaded area). Similarly, an up sloped region, such as a hill shown in FIG. 1B, results in decreased detection range since the fixed elevation limits cause the sensor to look into a hillside rather than scanning upwards to the hill crest. As such, the aircraft will not detect a threat at the top of the hill until the aircraft is almost upon it. Also, as the scan passes over the crest, the vertical elevation of the hill obscures a portion of the terrain directly behind it. This poses another threat to the aircraft.
A need therefore exists for an automated search system that takes into account system constraints and requirements.

Self compensating target acquisition system for minimizing areas of threat


For the purpose of three-dimensionally imaging a selected three-dimensional region of a subject under examination on the basis of magnetic resonance phenomena exhibited by hydrogen atomic nuclei, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprises a unit for carrying out the contrast enhanced-fuirier acquiered steadystate technique (CE-FAST) extended to three dimensions, an image reconstruction unit for reconstructing a plurality of relatively thin slice images on the basis of echo signals from the three-dimensional region acquired by the unit, a weighting unit for weighting differently the plurality of relatively thin slice images obtained by the image reconstructing unit, an adding unit for adding slice images obtained by the weighting unit so as to produce a surface anatomy scan image of the three-dimensional region, and an image display unit for displaying the surface anatomy image obtained by the adding unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging methods of and apparatus for obtaining morphological information and functional information, such as spectroscopy, of a subject under examination utilizing magnetic resonance (MR) phenomena.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method of obtaining a surface anatomy scan (SAS) image, which is one of MR images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, was proposed by Katada et al in 1987. A patent application for the method was filed with the Japanese Patent Office on Sep. 17, 1987 (bearing filing No. 62-232949and titled "Magnetic Resonance Imaging Method").
Subsequent researches have confirmed that such SAS images have a very important significance in the field of neurosurgery. That is, SAS images clearly indicate cortices representing brain surface structures, including brain grooves, and the positions of diseased portions locally existing under cortices. This permits a diseased portion to be located with accuracy prior to surgical treatment for cerebral disease.
There are two SAS imaging techniques. The first technique, which requires that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) be represented to make a sharp contrast to parenchyma, uses a spin-echo method in which the echo time TE and the pulse repetition time TR are set very long and obtains an image from a single, thick slice by the use of a surface coil. The other technique, which also requires that cerebrospinal fluid be represented to make a sharp contrast to parenchyma, uses a spin-echo method in which the echo time TE and the pulse repetition time TR are set very long, acquires images from multiple slices by the use of a head coil and performs weighted addition on the resultant images.
The above-described SAS imaging techniques require an imaging time of more than ten minutes. Thus, it is difficult to perform the SAS imaging in addition to the routine imaging. To clear such a difficulty, an SAS imaging technique intended to shorten imaging time is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.2 -200241. This technique is referred to as a 2-dimension-contrast enhanced-Fourier acquired steadystate (2D-CE-FAST) technique. The CE-FAST technique is among techniques which cause steady-state free precession (SSFP) of magnetic vectors. According to the CE-FAST pulse sequence, of free induction decay (FID) signals and echo signals generated in the steady state, only the echo signals are selectively acquired, thereby permitting CSF to be represented at high level in a short time. Note that the FID signals and the echo signals are all magnetic resonance signals.
Although, of course, the above 2D-CE-FAST technique has improved imaging time over the spin-echo SAS imaging technique, there is no denying the fact that its images are lower in image quality than spin-echo SAS images. This is because nuclear magnetic moments in the steady state are dephased with respect to one another in the direction of the thickness of a slice and thus lack of uniformity of magnetic resonance signals appears on an MR image.

Magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus


A bubble pump is provided. The bubble pump has an interior formed from a material that is resistant to attack by molten aluminum. The interior surface may be formed from a ceramic. The ceramic may be selected from the following: alumina, magnesia, silicate, silicon carbide, or graphite, and the mixtures thereof. The ceramic may be a carbon-free, 85% Al2O3 phosphate bonded castable refractory.

Molten aluminum and molten zinc have been used for years to coat the surface of steel. One of the coating process steps is to immerse the steel sheet in the molten aluminum or molten zinc. The surface quality of coating is very important to produce high quality coated products. However, introduction of aluminized steel for the US market in 2007 was quite a challenge for the aluminizing lines. Early trials resulted in >50% rejects due to coating defects.
One of the major sources of defects was dross floating on the aluminum bath within the snout and sticking to the strip. To achieve high quality surface finish, floating dross and oxides in the molten metal bath, especially in the confined regions inside the snout, need to be diverted from the surface being coated. Carbon steel pneumatic dross pump, also referred to as bubble pump, has been used to remove the dross from the coating zone. Implementing push and pull snout pumps to ensure a dross-free melt surface inside the snout made high quality coating possible. The bubble pump (a.k.a. dross pump) uses the artificial lift technique of raising a fluid such as water or oil (or in this case molten metal) by introducing bubbles of compressed gases, air, water vapor or other vaporous bubbles into the outlet tube. This has the effect of reducing the hydrostatic pressure in the outlet tube vs. the hydrostatic pressure at the inlet side of the tube. The bubble pump is used in the molten metal bath of the metal coating lines to remove floating dross from surface of the aluminizing bath inside the snout in order to prevent dross-related defects on the coated strip. Thus, the bubble pump is a critical hardware component in the production of high quality automotive aluminized sheet.
One of the major factors impacting production costs is aluminizing pot hardware failures. Prominent among hardware failures is the failure of the bubble pump (pull pump). The average service life of bubble pumps made of carbon steel is 8-12 hours, resulting in the use of 35-40 pumps every month (for a 2 week production). The change of carbon steel bubble pumps during production leads to production disruption and contamination of molten metal bath. In addition, the "quality" of the coated steel sheet must be downgraded (resulting in a less valuable product) during carbon steel pump changes. Further, pump changes require line stops and restarts, leading to excessive consumption of startup coils. Average losses attributable to bubble pumps are about close to a million U.S. dollars per year. An increase in life of the bubble pump will significantly reduce the quantity of downgraded sheet, and will reduce downtime and costs.
Thus, there is a need in the art for bubble pumps for use in molten aluminum baths that can last significantly longer than bare carbon steel tube pumps.

Bubble pump resistant to attack by molten aluminum

ARCELORMITTAL INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO, S.L.


Systems and methods for improving throughput in point-to-point wireless communication links are provided. In one particular implementation, a media access control (MAC) layer of the IEEE 802.11 standard is enhanced for use in point-to-point links to take advantage of the limited number of nodes participating in the link. In one embodiment, a master/slave type protocol provides contention free operation between two wireless nodes. Multiple priority levels and voice traffic may be accommodated with guaranteed Quality of Service.

The present invention relates to data networking and more particularly to wireless communication links.
Wireless local area networks are increasingly being used to provide network access within corporate buildings and campuses. Most of these networks are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. With the advent of systems that are based on the 802.11a and 802.11g variants of the standard physical layer, data rates are increasing to, e.g., 54 Mbps.
One particular application that benefits especially from increased data rates is inter-building communication using wireless bridges. These are point-to-point links and have typically been implemented with simple changes in normal IEEE 802.11 configurations. Thus, these point-to-point links operate at both the media access control (MAC) layer and physical layer in a similar manner to the point-to-multipoint in-building networks.
A problem arises in that the 802.11 MAC layer relies on techniques such as contention and polling so as to accommodate the need to share access among numerous devices. The delays imposed by the required inter-device coordination represents an "overhead" when considering the overall throughput. In the inter-building point-to-point applications, additional delay is imposed by the propagation time between the bridges. Even as physical layer bandwidth capabilities improve, these delays remain and thus become primary obstacles to improved performance in point-to-point links.
What is needed are systems and methods for improving throughput of point-to-point wireless links.

Point-to-point MAC protocol for high speed wireless bridging


According to some embodiments, a selection of a pre-determined user interface element type from a plurality of potential types is received from a user. An input rating value to be associated with a user interface element of the selected type may be received from the designer. The user interface element may, for example, receive data content in a graphical user interface. A pre-determined condition to be associated with the user interface element may also be received from the design. A user interface element may then be created to receive data content in the graphical user interface. According to some embodiments, it may be automatically determined if data content received from a user via the user interface element satisfies the pre-determined condition. Based on the determination, the input rating value may be automatically applied to a user input rating score associated with the graphical user interface.

A computer display may include one or more user interface elements. A user interface element might, for example, be utilized to display information to and/or receive information from a user. One example of a user interface element is a "text box" in which a user can type information (e.g., his or her name or address). Other examples of user interface elements include a check box that can be selected or deselected, a graphical input of a numerical value (e.g., displayed as a number or stars or as a sliding bar), and a "drop down" list of items that may be selected by a user.
The entry of data into a user interface element may, in some cases, be completely optional. In other cases, the entry of data into a user interface element may be mandatory. For example, a user interface might include both (1) a text box for the mandatory entry of a user name and (2) a text box for an optional entry of a user address. Often, mandatory elements are designated with a "*" symbol and/or are displayed in a different color (e.g., red) to let the user know which content on the display needs to be completed in order to proceed (e.g., to finish a login process).
For some applications, however, the "mandatory" and "optional" framework might not be flexible enough to achieve desired business goals. For example, a user interface might include ten input fields of which at least five must be completed by a user. Moreover, different fields might be associated with different levels of interest or importance. One approach to such a situation would be write special software code that evaluates data content entered by a user to determine whether or not the entered content is sufficient. This approach, however, can be a time consuming, costly, and error prone process. For example, the software code may need to be tested for a wide range of potential user inputs.
Accordingly, a method and mechanism for efficiently creating user interfaces such that an evaluation of data content entered by a user may be automatically performed are provided by some embodiments herein.

User interface element for data rating and validation


A thermal interface material includes a mechanically compliant vertically aligned nanofiber film and a binder material for joining the nanofibers of the film to the surfaces of two substrates. Preferably, the binder material comprises a non-hydrocarbon-based material such as a metallic eutectic with a melting temperature below a nanofiber thermal damage threshold temperature of the film. The film is grown on a substrate which is then bonded to another substrate by the binder material in an adhesion process that may include pressure and heat. Alternatively, the film may be released from the substrate to produce a stand-alone thermal tape which may later be placed between two substrates and bonded.

A thermal interface material (TIM) used for dissipating heat to a heat sink or heat spreader preferably has a high intrinsic thermal conductivity. In addition, it is desirable that the TIM allows for high thermal conductivity at its contact with other materials. An effective TIM is typically mechanically compliant in order to optimize the area of contact. Examples of some known thermal interface materials include thermal greases, epoxy adhesives, and thermal gels such as silicones or olefins.
Carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films comprising aligned arrays of nanofibers have extremely high intrinsic thermal conductivity, and are thus attractive candidates for a TIM. For example, US Pat. Pub. 2005/0171269 describes a composite CNT TIM containing randomly oriented CNTs in a matrix material such as thermal grease. The thermal conductivity of such designs, however, is limited by the random orientation of the CNTs in the matrix. Accordingly, other CNT composites have used aligned CNTs vertically grown in arrays. These arrays may be made with interstitial filling material (e.g., polymer or metal), such as described in US Pat. Pub. 2003/0117770, US Pat. Pub. 2005/0224220, and US Pat. Pub. 2006/0073332. However, such materials can have a large thermal resistance at their contact interface with other materials, severely reducing the net thermal performance of a potential CNT composite TIM.
Some known techniques for reducing surface contact resistance include topography matching (e.g., polishing both surfaces to be flat) as in US Pat. Pub. 2003/0117770, the use of thermal grease as in US Pat. Pub. 2005/0150887, and the use of compliant thermal interface materials such as Microfaze A6 which is a gel sandwiching an aluminum film. In US Pat. Pub. 2004/0009353 Knowles describes techniques for reducing surface contact resistance including the use of phase change materials such as Hi-Flow 225U which is a wax with embedded thermally conductive particles, the application of heat and pressure to the TIM, and the use of nanofibril "whiskers". Knowles discloses an aligned nanofiber array sandwiched between two sheets of phase change material which may be supported by release liner paper which can be peeled away before application, e.g., like a "tape."
Although the teachings of Knowles overcomes some of the problems in the art, the binder is limited to wax-based materials, and the techniques require synthesis of an interface material on the two surfaces to be put into thermal contact by the TIM. In addition, existing TIMs still suffer from poor thermal contact between the nanofibers and the substrate. Thus, it would be desirable to overcome various remaining limitations in the current state of the art by providing more versatile and better performing TIMs based on novel materials, structures, and methods.

Composite thermal interface material including aligned nanofiber with low melting temperature binder

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A playfield, aquatic flotation and sports amusement device formed from an elongated cylinder of foam material which has axial recess means to receive elongated cylindrical connector devices to connect the foam cylinder together at its ends or to adjacent structures to form flotation devices, field markers, hoops, tunnels, wickets and other structures useful in sports and play.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a play field and amusement device for use by adults or children which may be modified and configured into a number of different shapes useful in various sporting and play activities. Devices of this nature desirably have a resilient construction so that the likelihood of injury to the user is minimized. Prior devices have been configured with a resilient outer surface and a rigid or semi-rigid interior core to provide sufficient strength for the foam material so that it may have reasonable durability and useful life. The device also must have convenient means for engagement with adjacent structures so that versatility of the device is maximized.
2. Description of Related art
Consideration has been given before to designing devices which are soft and may therefore be used in combative type play. Some specific examples in the prior art include the "Nerf" ball, a large pillow soft club like cylindrical device with a molded handle area and padded handguard, a cylindrical foam bat having a relatively rigid core designed to be gripped with both hands marketed under the ComBat tradename, soft foam dueling swords known as Boffer swords and the like. It is also known to provide an elongated tagging device designed to permit body contact without injury and which provides a loud popping sound when hit against a relatively solid target. This device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,404 has an elongated cylindrical shape and is constructed of polyethylene foam. The device is shaped with surface irregularities to provide the popping sound. No provision is made for axially connecting this device to an adjacent structure, nor to connect the device at its ends to form a ring.
Torroidal buoyancy aids are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,804. Articles of reinforced foam material are shown in U.S. Pat. 2,994,327. A game bat is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,978. A composite boundary marker having a foam structure attached to a flexible support member, which in turn may be attached to a road surface.
A foam bat useful as a toy in mock combat and psychological play therapy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,936 which has the desirable features of a solid but resilient shaped foam structure. This device can be used for aggressive play and roughhousing by children without the likelihood of injury to the combatants. This device is a single purpose bat which has no provision for manipulation into various shapes and functions.
Another single purpose foam shape useful as an athletic field marker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,647. This device uses a solid resilient foam post attached to a base which in turn may be attached to or inserted into a playing surface or turf area to define the boundary of a playing field. This device, while providing a means to anchor the field marker into the turf at a desired location, does not provide any means to attach itself to an adjacent structure to form a composite device.
While these known devices each have desirable attributes, they are not suitable nor modifiable into a multipurpose playground and flotation device which has many more uses than heretofore contemplated.

Versatile playground and flotation device


A two wavelength lidar imaging system for underwater applications is presented which employs image subtraction. More specifically, a two wavelength lidar system is presented wherein two substantially simultaneously timed laser pulses of different wavelengths are emitted and are expanded by optics to illuminate the water below. A framing camera is then gated to receive light reflected or scattered back from the water. The light backscattered is filtered through narrow pass filters before it is recorded at the gated cameras. A specific application is disclosed in which the lidar imaging system is used to detect the passage of internal waves or other anomalies appearing in the ocean.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for remote imaging of oceanographic artifacts at depths down to and below the thermocline, for example, internal waves that exist at various depths in the ocean, particularly around the thermocline. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique for detecting and identifying internal waves using an imaging lidar system.
For a number of years, oceanographers have been studying internal waves, and measuring their behavior. These techniques are limited because of the need to insert sensors directly in the ocean to a given depth and in a given location to obtain data. What these sensors actually record is the presence of internal waves passing a given geographic point. Simple bathymetric techniques cannot provide a physical picture of the wave but only, with great difficulty, infer its presence. The differential colorimetric effects of vertical displacement on upwelling light from layers of biologically active material in the thermocline has been studied. These changes in the spectrum of upwelling light can also be detected as spatial changes in relative spectral line intensity of reflections of laser light over broad area by new techniques described herein using techniques and equipment similar to those previously disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,257 and assigned to the assignee hereof.
In view of the foregoing, there continues to be a need for an accurate and efficient method and apparatus for the remote measuring of anomalies (such as internal waves) which are present below the surface of a body of water, particularly below the thermocline of the ocean.

Two wavelength in-situ imaging of solitary internal waves


An apparatus and method for establishing selected environmental characteristics in a substantially enclosed area is disclosed for removal of undesired matter therefrom while establishing selected predetermined desired environmental characteristics therein. The apparatus includes structure establishing the substantially enclosed area, the structure having units for negative ion production and positive electrostatic field establishment positioned therein. The electrostatic field establishing unit includes a field collector and pulse generating circuitry for pulsating the positive electrostatic field at a selected frequency, the field collector preferably having a collector surface which is removable and subject to processing to enable analysis of matter collected thereat. The apparatus includes controls for selectively controlling ion output, field strength, field pulsation frequency and selected functions of a fluid directing and conditioning system, and may include full spectrum lighting, structural and/or occupant grounding and/or a supplemental source of free oxygen.

Devices for ameliorating certain adverse characteristics of interior environments and for enhancing the well being of occupants thereof are known and have heretofore included, for example, means for generating ions and for purification of air (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,542,434, 4,528,612, 4,493,247, 4,271,452, 3,662,217, 1,167,053, and Re. 27,027).
Devices are also known for provision of an electrostatic field, and/or for establishing disturbances, or pulses, in an electrostatic field within such environments (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,271,452, 3,894,852, 3,680,281, 3,678,337, 3,662,217, 3,541,390, 3,531,150, 3,483,672, 2,184,644, 1,167,053, and Re. 27,027), with one such known arrangement including provision of a plurality of units for modification of characteristics of an environment established by a cabinet, or chamber (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,644).
Indoor, or enclosed, environments have long been believed to shield occupants thereof from naturally occurring and beneficial electric fields which exist near the earth from 50 to 750 volts per meter, a phenomenon known as the Faraday Cage Effect, as well as shielding the occupants from the pulsed resonance within such naturally occurring fields (commonly referred to as the Schumann Resonance). Pulsating fields are believed to have positive effects on humans and have a frequency typically in a range between 7 Hz and 32 Hz (and more commonly between 7 Hz and 10 Hz) and are now also believed to accelerate particle movement within an environment. It is also believed that some such environments become ion depleted, and are, therefore, particularly susceptible to accumulation of gaseous and particulate pollutants.
It has also been suggested that provision in an enclosed environment of negative ions may stimulate biochemical reactions and/or increase the metabolic rate of those breathing the ions, and may also reduce production of the hormone serotonin that is believed to be associated with depression and fatigue. (See Yaglow, C. P., "Are Air Ions a Neglected Biological Factor?" pp 269-279, in "The Air We Breathe--A Study of Man and His Environment", Farber, S. M. and Wilson, R. H. L. Editors, Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill. (1961); Soyka, Fred, "The Ion Effect", E. E. P. Dutton Publisher (1977); Assael M., Pfeifer, Y., Sulman, F. G., "Influence of Artificial Air Ionization of the Human Electroencephalogram", Department of Applied Pharmacology, Hebrew University --Hadassah Medical School and School of Pharmacy, Jerusalem, Israel (1973); and Kreuger, A. P., Strubbe, A. E., Yost, M. G. and Reed, E. J. "Electric Fields, Small Air Ions and Biological Effects" Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences and the Naval Biosciences Laboratory, School of Public Health, Earl Warren Hall, University of California, Berkely, Calif. (1976).)
While environmental modification devices heretofore known have been provided for use in enclosed areas, such devices have not effectively provided a single installation having apparatus capable of ameliorating a plurality of adverse environmental conditions experienced in enclosed environments and/or providing a combination of enhancements to the environment, have not recognized the value of an apparatus which is selectively controllable to maximize the beneficial effects thereof, and have often been cumbersome and/or unduly complicated to install, in many cases requiring multiple installations and/or extensive modification of the interior of an area where such devices are to be utilized. As may be appreciated, therefore, further improvements could be utilized.

Apparatus and method for establishing selected environmental characteristics


A conductive fine particle, which is used for conductive connection between fine electrodes and tends not to give rise to a crack in the solder layer or disconnection caused by breakage in the connection interface between an electrode and the conductive fine particle even with a drop impact and the like, and tends not to have fatigue even after repetitive heating and cooling; an anisotropic conductive material obtained by using the conductive fine particle; and a conductive connection structure.

Conventionally, integrated circuits (IC), or large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) have been connected to a printed substrate by soldering process. However, soldering has failed to connect the IC or the LSI to the printed substrate efficiently. Furthermore, it has been hard to improve the packaging density of the IC or the LSI by using soldering.
In order to solve these problems, there has been developed a BGA (ball grid array) package, in which the electronic devices are connected to a substrate by using a so-called solder ball. In a BGA, heating causes the solder balls to melt, and connection between the device and the printed circuit board takes place. As the result, not only the production efficiency but also the packaging density can be greatly improved by using the BGA package.
However, since multi-layering of a substrate has been developed in recent years and a multilayer substrate is vulnerable to an effect of usage environment, there has been a problem that disconnection tends to occur due to the stress and strain appearing in the substrates.
For example, in a case where a semiconductor is connected to a substrate by using a solder ball, a stress is applied to the solder ball because the linear coefficient of expansion is different between the semiconductor and the substrate. As a result, there has been a case where a crack occurs in the solder ball and disconnection is caused.
In response to the above problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a conductive fine particle which comprises a metal layer containing a high-conductive metal, which is formed on the surface of a resin fine particle, and a solder layer further formed on the surface of the metal layer. When a conductive fine particle of this kind is used, the flexible resin particle can alleviate the stress applied to the conductive fine particle. Since a solder layer is formed on the outermost surface of the conductive fine particle, conductive connection between electrodes is easily allowed.
However, when the conductive fine particle, in which a solder layer is formed on the surface of a resin fine particle, is used in electronic device such as a cell-phone, there has been an issue where a drop impact and the like causes a crack in the solder layer or breakage in a connection interface between the electrode and the conductive fine particle. There has been a problem that the crack in the solder layer and breakage in the connection interface causes disconnection between the electrode and the conductive fine particle.
Further, in a case where a conductive fine particle with a solder layer formed therein is mounted onto the electrodes of substrates, the conductive fine particle is placed on an electrode formed on a first substrate and the solder layer is melted by reflowing, so that the conductive fine particle is fixed to the first electrode (process 1). Subsequently, an electrode formed on a second substrate and the electrode formed on the first substrate are placed opposite to each other and then reflowing is carried out, so that conductive connection is allowed between the electrodes on the substrates (process 2).
However, when the electrodes on the substrates are conductively connected with use of the conductive fine particle disclosed in Patent Document 1, there has been a case where a solder layer is melted in the process 1 and the solder layer adequate for conductively connecting the electrode on the second substrate is not left on the surface of the metal layer of the conductive fine particle. As a result, there has been a case where conductive connection is not allowed.
Further, a temperature in an electronic device rises because of heating in an electronic part of the electronic device during use and the temperature in the electronic device is lowered to room temperature after the use of the electronic device. Accordingly, repetition of heating and cooling, namely, "heat cycle" is conducted in the electronic device. Repetition of this heat cycle may have caused a case where thermal fatigue occurs in the solder layer and the connection interface of the electrode and the conductive fine particle is destroyed, so that disconnection is caused.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Kokai Publication 2001-220691 (JP-A 2001220691)

Electroconductive fine particles, anisotropic electroconductive material, and electroconductive connection structure


A device including: a plurality of protruding portions of an anvil roll; an ultrasonically vibrating horn; a suction hole for drawing granular particles together with non-woven fabric sheets so as to carry the non-woven fabric sheets and to prevent the granular particles from being placed on the non-woven fabric sheets over the protruding portions; and a ridge extending along an outer circumference of the suction hole with a protruding height lower than a protruding height of the protruding portions.

In recent years, a method for manufacturing an absorbent article has been proposed in the art (the first patent document), in which the granular particles of a superabsorbent resin are placed by suction in a predetermined pattern on a base sheet, so that the granular particles are sandwiched between the base sheet and another base sheet, and the base sheets are ultrasonically bonded together at positions where the granular particles are absent.
As the base sheets are ultrasonically bonded together, there is no need to use an adhesive.

Device for manufacturing absorbent article