The same subject can be accurately aligned for effective interpretation of two observation images representing a change in the subject and not adjacent to each other in three or more images arranged in temporal order of the change. The subject in one of the observation images is aligned to the subject in a transitional image adjacent to the observation image, and an aligned image is generated. The same procedure is repeated between the previous aligned image and a transitional image adjacent to the previous transitional image to generate another aligned image. A final aligned image is generated by aligning the subject in the observation image to the subject in a reference image. This procedure is carried out for the other observation image and a final aligned image is also generated by alignment to the reference image. A diagnostician compares the two final aligned images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for aiding image interpretation and to a computer-readable recording medium storing a program therefor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for aiding comparative reading of two images that are not adjacent to each other among three or more images arranged in temporal order for representing a change in the state of a subject, and to a computer-readable recording medium storing a program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Comparison and observation of only type of change, based on a plurality of images obtained by photography of a subject showing simultaneous changes of two or more types, is necessary in some cases. In this case, by removing an effect of the change or changes of the other type or types that are not a target of observation, the change of the type as the observation target can efficiently be compared and observed with high accuracy.
For example, diagnosis of respiratory function is attempted based on simple X-ray images representing different phases of the respiratory cycle. In this case, the X-ray images include two types of changes, namely movements of anatomical structures such as ribs and the diaphragm and a change in density in lung fields. Among those changes, the change in density in lung fields is effective for diagnosing pulmonary emphysema or the like accompanying airflow obstruction (an obstructive respiratory disorder) as one type of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
In the case of pulmonary emphysema, an increase in transmissivity in lung fields is shown in a chest X-ray image, reflecting destruction or loss of alveoli and a decrease in lung vessels caused by emphysema, and reflecting abundance of air caused by over-inflation of lungs. In addition, pathological pulmonary emphysema is reflected in a low attenuation area in a chest CT image (Kawamoto and Kanbe, "7. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (in Japanese)", Fourth Plan for Guideline 2002 for clinical examination corresponding to DRG/PPS, Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine, November 2002, p26). Therefore, in the case of observation of density change in lung fields based on X-ray images representing different respiratory states, an area wherein density and X-ray absorption do not change greatly is detected as an area of abnormal respiration caused by air that remains in lung fields and is not removed by exhalation.
As an attempt to diagnose a respiratory function using simple X-ray images, abnormal respiration can be detected based on a moving image obtained by photography with an image intensifier for representing different phases of respiratory cycle starting from inhalation and ending in exhalation. In order to detect such abnormal respiration with high accuracy, alignment of the images is reported to be necessary (see J. Liang, et al., "Dynamic chest image analysis: model-based ventilation study with pyramid images", Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging 1997: Physiology and Function from Multidimensional Images, SPIE, May 1997, Vol. 3033, p 81-92). Furthermore, discussion has also been made on usage of a digital X-ray imaging apparatus adopting a flat-panel detector for moving images that are getting used practically. By using a moving chest image in a resolution higher than a resolution by an image intensifier, information on respiratory function can be obtained more accurately from a change in lung-field density. In addition, as shown in FIG. 24, an analysis has been attempted by generating a moving subtraction image through alignment of two neighboring images in a moving image and calculation of a difference between the two images (see Tanaka, Sanada, et al., Qantitative Analysis of Respiratory Kinetics in Breathing Chest Radiographs Obtained Using a Dynamic Flat-Panel Detector", Journal of Japan Society of Medical Imaging and Information Sciences, Japan Society of Medical Imaging and Information Sciences, January 2003, Vol. 20, Issue 1, p 13-19).
Meanwhile, a temporal subtraction technique is known for generating a subtraction image based on a difference between two images through alignment of the same subject in the two images obtained by photography at different times (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 7(1995)-037074, U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,690, U.S. Patent Laid-Open Nos. 20010002934 and 20010048757 and A. Kano, K. Doi, H. MacMahon, D. Hassell, M. L. Giger, "Digital image subtraction of temporally sequential chest images for detection of interval change", Medical Physics, AAPM, Vol.21, Issue 3, March 1994, p. 453-461) This technique is effective in the case where radiographs obtained by photography of the chest of the same subject at present and at one year earlier are compared to each other, for example.
In diagnoses of abnormal respiration of lungs, it is thought to be important to observe a change in density in lung fields through comparison of a maximal inhalation image and a maximal exhalation image.
On the other hand, in the non-patent references written by Liang et al. and Tanaka et al., a serial change is only observed in images representing different respiratory states or in images adjacent to each other in a moving image. Therefore, a density change in lung fields is only indirectly and ineffectively understood between a maximal inhalation image and a maximal exhalation image.
Furthermore, a size change in lung fields is large between a maximal inhalation image and a maximal exhalation image, due to three-dimensional movements of ribs and the diaphragm. In addition, ribs show different movements in different directions from the soft tissue in lung fields. Therefore, direct comparison of a maximal inhalation image and a maximal exhalation image is difficult. For this reason, alignment can be carried out between a subject in a maximal inhalation image and a maximal exhalation image by using alignment processing in the conventional temporal subtraction technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 7(1995)-037074, U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,690 and U.S. Patent Laid-Open Nos. 20010002934 and 20010048757. However, since the images have too much a difference as has been described above, alignment cannot be carried out with high accuracy.
Consequently, in the case where comparative image reading is carried out between two images that are not adjacent to each other in three or more images arranged in temporal order for representing changes in a subject, observation of a necessary one of the changes alone has been impossible through the comparative image reading even if an effect of the other change or changes is removed after alignment of the subject in the two images.

Method and apparatus for aiding image interpretation and computer-readable recording medium storing program therefor


A holder for a removable memory component of a portable electronic device. The holder includes an electro-statically protective and securely closable pocket removably attachable to the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holder for a removable memory component of a portable electronic device.
2. Description of the Invention Background
Many handheld or portable electronic devices, such as, for example, digital cameras, digital audio players, handheld games, puzzles, dictionaries, personal assistants, microcomputers and the like, are provided with additional memory components or chips that enhance their memory size and performance or provide other capabilities, such as a different game, a foreign language dictionary, a map of a different area and so on.
These memory components, which come in a variety of sizes and shapes, but are commonly small and lightweight, are susceptible to damage by electrostatic discharges or to breakage by careless handling. Yet, they are meant to be carried around with the devices for which they are intended and need to be easily accessible. Because of their size, such memory components can be easily misplaced, squeezed in a carrying case for the device or fall out from a person""s pocket. They may also be exposed to harmful electrostatic discharges.
There remains, therefore, a need for a holder for a memory component of a device that can easily and inexpensively protect and transport the memory component with the device without the shortcomings associated with other arrangements.
One embodiment of the invention provides a holder for a removable memory component of a device. The holder includes a body having a pocket therein. The pocket is sized to receive at least one memory component through a pocket opening in the body. The holder also includes a reclosable pocket closure attached to the pocket and completely covering the pocket. The holder also includes a retainer for removably attaching the body to a portion of the device.

BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation


The present disclosure is directed to chemical compounds and to the use of such compounds in the treatment of diseases associated with a serotonin 5-HT2 receptor.

There are three, closely related subtypes of serotonin 5-HT2 receptors (5-HT2Rs), 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C, and they are primary targets of classic serotonergic psychedelics, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, and 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB). They share approximately 60% transmembrane amino acid homology, which poses a challenge to design molecules with selectivity for one subtype over the others. Each subtype is expressed in a unique pattern in mammals (both in peripheral tissues and in the central nervous system), and when stimulated, produces unique biochemical, physiological, and behavioral effects. Activation of 5-HT2ARs, for example, predominantly mediates psychedelic effects and elicits anti-inflammatory effects, whereas activation of 5-HT2CRs reduces feeding behavior. Chronic activation of 5-HT2BRs, however, has been linked to valvular heart disease (VHD), a life-threatening adverse event (AE). Furthermore, there are concerns that patients who could benefit from a 5-HT2AR pharmacotherapy could be resistant to experiencing psychedelic effects.
Tryptamines are a class of serotonergic psychedelics, and possess very high potencies at serotonin 5-HT2Rs (in some cases sub-nanomolar affinities). Certain tryptamines are distinguished from classic psychedelics and other serotonergic psychedelics by possessing selectivity—in some cases 100-fold—for 5-HT2ARs over 5-HT2BRs and 5-HT2CRs.
AEs caused by tryptamines and other serotonergic psychedelics are associated with ingestion of relatively high doses. Likely owing to their very high potency at 5-HT2ARs and 5-HT2CRs, the active oral doses of tryptamines are extremely low. For example, 2C—C—NBOMe (2-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethan-1-amine) is orally active at doses as low 25 μg, and very strong psychedelic doses are in the range of 500-700 μg. Thus, misuse or abuse, at or exceeding these doses, can cause visual and auditory hallucinations, agitation, aggressiveness, psychosis, and poisoning has been associated with toxicity (e.g., rhabdomyolysis) and fatalities. Furthermore, tryptamines can undergo extensive first-pass metabolism, rendering them orally inactive.
There is a need for serotonin 5-HT2AR agonists that overcome the 5-HT2BR problem and the issue of psychedelic effects, as well as a need to improve their bioavailability and enhance their oral activity. There is a further need for efficient, more convenient, and controllable tryptamine formulations that afford no neurologically toxic (e.g., psychotomimetic toxic) plasma concentration.

Deuterated tryptamine derivatives and methods of use


A positive pressure actuated aerator valve assembly adapted to discharge compressed gas into the chamber of a bulk material handling structure. The aerator valve assembly includes a housing and positive pressure actuated valve. The housing includes a chamber adapted to receive compressed gas and a discharge piston slideable between an extended position and a retracted position. The valve includes a valve body having an actuator piston seat and a fluid vent passageway in fluid communication with the actuator piston seat. An actuator piston is slideable with respect to the valve body between a retracted position and an extended position. A positive displacement force is applied to the actuator piston, such as by the supply of pressurized gas to the valve, to slide the actuator piston from the retracted position toward the extended position whereupon gas within the chamber of the housing flows through the fluid vent passageway and the discharge piston is moved from the extended position to the retracted position by gas within the chamber to thereby place the chamber of the housing in fluid communication with the fluid passageway of the piston seat.

The present disclosure is directed to a positive pressure actuated aerator valve assembly for use in connection with aerators such as air cannons, and in particular to an aerator valve assembly including a positive pressure actuated valve that is actuated in response to the supply of gas having a positive pressure to the valve.
The storage of granular and similar bulk materials in bins, silos and the like creates many problems, particularly in the discharge of such bulk material, as bulk material has the tendency to refuse to flow due to bridging and other problems. Aerators such as air cannons are used in connection with the handling and aeration of bulk material. An aerator stores a large volume of air or other gas under pressure in a pressure tank and then quickly releases the air instantaneously into the storage receptacle such that the blast of air causes any obstructing bulk material to dislodge, thereby enabling the bulk material to flow freely from the storage receptacle. Prior aerators were typically actuated by exhausting air to the atmosphere to create a pressure differential. The aerator valve assembly disclosed herein is actuated by providing a supply of compressed gas having a positive pressure to the valve.

Positive pressure actuated aerator valve assembly


A method for simulating a graphical object. The method comprises monitoring approximate distance between a first graphical object and a second graphical object, the first graphical object having at least a first particle and the second graphical object having at least a second particle; detecting a collision (P220) between the first particle and the second particle; computing (P230) a first set of forces associated with the first and second particles due to the collision, wherein the first set of forces are computed within a first context in which X particle attributes associated with the first and second particles are considered; computing (P240) a second set of forces associated with the first and second particles due to the collision, wherein the second set of forces are computed within a second context in which Y particle attributes associated with the first and second particles are considered, wherein X<Y.

A graphics simulation engine refers to a software application that may be used to graphically simulate physical models or objects in a virtual environment. A simulation engine may simulate and predict physical changes to a graphically rendered object under different conditions to approximate events and effects as if the object was a real object subject to real world forces and laws of physics.
Existing simulation engines may represent a physical object either as a collection of simple or complex particles. A simple particle lacks spatial extension, in that a simple particle is a representation of a graphical particle where changes to the particle's size, shape and structure are irrelevant in a given presentation context. Thus, a simple particle is generally limited to supporting movements for non-deformable objects in three spatial directions (i.e., three degrees of freedom). A non-deformable object refers to an object where the distance between any two given particles in the object remains constant in time regardless of external forces exerted on the object.
A complex particle, in contrast, may be used to represent an object of finite size which may be deformable or non-deformable. A deformable object refers to an object where the distance between any two given particles in the object may change in time with regard to external forces exerted on the object. A complex particle occupies space and is generally implemented to support rotating in three spatial directions in addition to movements in three spatial directions (i.e. six degrees of freedom).
Due to the differences between a complex particle and a simple particle, collision related computations directed to complex particle simulation are significantly more complex as compared to the computations for simple particle simulation. Also, in complex particle simulation, the accuracy of collision detection or other parameters may decrease as the number of complex particles increases.
Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Graphical simulation of objects in a virtual environment


A stream cipher cryptosystem includes a keystream generator receiving a key and providing a keystream. A cryptographic combiner combines a first binary data sequence and the keystream with two non-associative operations to provide a second binary data sequence. In encryption operations, the cryptographic combiner is an encryption combiner and the first binary data sequence is a plaintext binary data sequence and the second binary data sequence is a ciphertext binary data sequence. In decryption operations, the cryptographic combiner is a decryption combiner and the first binary data sequence is a ciphertext binary data sequence and the second binary data sequence is a plaintext binary data sequence.

Cryptosystems perform cryptography to transform plaintext into ciphertext so that only an authorized receiver can transform the ciphertext back into the original plaintext. Encryption or enciphering is the process that transforms plaintext into ciphertext. Decryption or deciphering is the process that transforms ciphertext into plaintext.
A parameter called an encryption key is employed by a cryptosystem to prevent the plaintext from being easily revealed by an unauthorized person. A sender transforms a given plaintext into one of a large variety of possible ciphertexts selected by the specific encryption key. A receiver of the ciphertext deciphers the ciphertext by employing a parameter referred to as a decryption key. In a public-key cryptosystem, the encryption key is made public while the decryption key is kept secret. Therefore, in public key cryptosystems, the decryption key must be computationally infeasible to deduce from the encryption key. In a private-key cryptosystem, the sender and the receiver typically share a common key that is used for both enciphering and deciphering. In such a private-key cryptosystem, the common key is alterable and must be kept secret.
Private-key cryptosystems are typically implemented as block cipher cryptosystems or stream cipher cryptosystems. Block cipher cryptosystems divide the plaintext into blocks and encipher each block independently using a stateless transform. In block cipher cryptosystems, if one fixed common private-key is employed to encipher different occurrences of a particular plaintext block, all of these occurrences are encrypted into identical corresponding ciphertext blocks. Therefore, the block size is preferably selected to be large enough to frustrate attacks from a cryptanalyst, which analyzes the occurrence frequencies of various patterns among the ciphertext blocks. Example block sizes are 64 bits and 128 bits.
In stream cipher cryptosystems, the plaintext is typically encrypted on a bit-by-bit or word-by-word basis using a stateful transform that evolves as the encryption progresses. In encrypting the plaintext binary data sequence for transmission as a ciphertext binary data sequence, the common private-key is a parameter that typically controls a pseudo-random number generator to create a long sequence of binary data referred to as a keystream. The stream cipher cryptosystem includes a cryptographic combiner, which combines the keystream with the plaintext sequence. The cryptographic combiner is typically implemented with exclusive-or (XOR) bit-wise logic gates, which perform bit-wise modulo-2 addition. The cryptographic combiner produces the ciphertext. At the receiver, the common private-key controls a receiver pseudo-random number generator to produce a decryption keystream. The decryption keystream is combined with a decryption combiner to decrypt the ciphertext to provide the plaintext to the receiver.
One problem with stream cipher cryptosystems is the difficulty of generating a long, statistically uniform, and unpredictable sequence of binary data in the keystream from a short and random key. Such sequences are desirable in the keystream in cryptography to make it impossible, given a reasonable segment of its data and sufficient computer resources, to find out more about the sequences. Because of the difficulty in producing sequences that are completely unpredictable, it is desirable to have a combiner that reveals as little as possible about the keystream to an adversary having knowledge of the plaintext corresponding to some ciphertext (a so called "known plaintext attack").
There are four general requirements for cryptographically secure keystream pseudo-random number generators. First, the period of a keystream must be large enough to accommodate the length of the transmitted message. Second, the keystream output bits must have good statistical properties (e.g. values are uniformly distributed). Third, the keystream output bits must be easy to generate. Fourth, the keystream output bits must be hard to predict. For example, given the pseudo-random number generator and the first N output bits, a(0), a(1), . . . , a(N−1), it should be computationally infeasible to predict the (N+1)th bit a(N) in a sequence with better than a 50-50 chance. In otherwords, a cryptanalyst should not be able to generate other forward bits or backward bits if presented with a given portion of the keystream output sequence.
The receiver decryption combiner operation must be the inverse of the sender encryption combiner. The most common combiner operation is bit-wise XOR. One problem with the XOR combiner operation is that, if some or all of the plaintext of a message is known, the known plaintext can be combined with the associated ciphertext to reveal all or part of the keystream. This could enable one to read other messages sent under the same key, or to forge ciphertext messages that will decrypt to whatever plaintext is desired by an adversary. A second problem with the XOR combiner operation is that an accidental double encryption causes all of the plaintext to become visible. Another problem with the XOR combiner operation is that two ciphertexts using the same key can be XORed together by a cryptanalyst to eliminate the keystream and leave the XOR of two plaintexts. The low entropy of languages, such as the English language, allows for the XOR of two plaintexts to be resolved into its two original plaintext messages. Furthermore, if the keystream period is smaller than a message, this type of cryptanalysis also can be performed by dividing a ciphertext message into portions the size of the keystream and XORing the portions together to eliminate the keystream and leave the XOR of the plaintext portions.
Another problem with the XOR combiner operation is that it allows an adversary to manipulate the contents of the message with only trivial information about its structure. If an adversary wants to change some bit(s) in the received plaintext, all that need be done is to intercept the ciphertext message, invert the ciphertext bit(s) corresponding to the plaintext bit(s) the adversary wants to change, and then send the message on to the receiver. The only knowledge that an adversary needs is the location within the message of the bit(s) to be changed.
Similar problems as those discussed above exist in all linear combiners, although typically not as severe as in an XOR combiner. Some very complex cryptographic combiners solve some of the above-problems. These very complex cryptographic combiners are, however, quite expensive in terms of time and/or hardware resources. One example cryptographic combiner in this very complex category is a permutation table combiner. The permutation table is required to have a table the size of the plaintext alphabet. For example, if the plaintext unit size is 32 bits, the permutation table needs to be 16 gigabytes. On the other hand, if the plaintext unit size is 8 bits, the permutation table size is only required to be 256 bytes, but encrypting 8 bit plaintext units is typically 4 times slower than using 32 bit plaintext units. In addition, the smaller plaintext unit size limits the amount of plaintext diffusion. Plaintext diffusion means that plaintext bits can affect the encryption of other plaintext bits. Diffusion is desirable because it makes cryptanalysis more difficult. The XOR combiner operation has no plaintext diffusion.
For reasons stated above and for other reasons presented in greater detail in the Description of the Preferred Embodiments section of the present specification, a cryptographic combiner is desired for stream cipher cryptosystems wherein known plaintext can not be combined with associated ciphertext to reveal the keystream, and wherein accidental double encryption does not remove the keystream from the combined output bits. In addition, there is a need for a cryptographic combiner where the same keystream cannot be used to combine two ciphertext to eliminate the keystream and leave the combiner operation of the two original plaintext messages. Such a desired cryptographic combiner should be relatively inexpensive in time and hardware resources.

Cryptographic combiner using two sequential non-associative operations


A hydrogen-based propulsion system is provided for storing hydrogen feed gas which evaporates over time from a storage vessel containing liquid hydrogen as a fuel. In particular, this system enables the evaporated hydrogen feed gas to be stored for later use in the propulsion unit and also provides a system for enabling the stored hydrogen gas to be cooled by evaporated hydrogen feed gas in transit to the propulsion unit.

Hydrogen-based propulsion systems may comprise either a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine, for example. Fuel cell systems generally include a fuel cell stack that produces electrical energy based on a reaction between a hydrogen feed gas and an oxidant feed gas (e.g., pure oxygen or oxygen-containing air). The hydrogen-based feed gas and oxidant feed gas are supplied to the fuel cell stack at appropriate operating conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure) for reacting therein.
Hydrogen-based Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) generally include an engine that produces mechanical energy based on the combustion process of hydrogen. The hydrogen-based feed gas is supplied to the ICE at appropriate operating conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure) for being combusted.
In a typical hydrogen-based propulsion application, two types of conventional hydrogen storage may be considered—compressed hydrogen and liquid hydrogen. The storage of liquid hydrogen requires complex, multi-layer, vacuum super isolated (insulated) tanks due to the low storage temperature of liquid hydrogen (approximately 20 degrees Kelvin or −424 Fahrenheit). Over the operation of the vehicle, however, heat will generally penetrate the storage container, causing the temperature of the liquid hydrogen to rise, resulting in the evaporation of the liquid hydrogen. Currently, this evaporated hydrogen vapor is captured and reacted with air to create water before being exhausted or diluted and thereinafter exhausted. This results in a loss of hydrogen which could be used as a feed gas. Accordingly, a need exists for a system able to recapture this hydrogen feed gas.

Boil-off compensating cryoadsorption container for liquid gas storage


An image forming apparatus capable of performing image formation quickly and reducing power consumption. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms images by transferring toners to sheets and fixing the toners onto the sheets using a fixing section. A page count is acquired which is indicative of the number of pages on which image formation can be formed within a time period required before the temperature of the fixing section rises from a first temperature to a second temperature. Then, when it is determined that rendering of PDL data for pages in the page count is completed, if all of the pages in the page count are for the text images, the image forming unit is controlled such that printing is started when the temperature of the fixing section has reached the first temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that controls a print start temperature of a fixing section, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus which performs image formation by heating and fixing a toner image formed by an electrophotographic method onto a recording medium, the fixing temperature of a fixing device is set to a predetermined temperature, and the amount of heat for fixing is set such that sufficient fixability is obtained even when a maximum amount of toner is applied to the recording medium.
Therefore, when printing of an image of an original, such as a text original, which requires application of a small amount of toner, is executed, it is necessary to warm up the fixing device to the predetermined fixing temperature in spite of the fact that the original image can be fixed at a lower temperature than the predetermined fixing temperature.
In such a case, the fixing device suffers from power loss and it is required to wait for a long time period before the fixing device is warmed up to the predetermined fixing temperature. To eliminate this inconvenience, there have been proposed various kinds of improvement.
For example, there has been proposed a technique in which before image data is generated from an original, it is determined in advance based on a print mode specified from outside whether the mode of image formation is a monochrome printing mode or a color printing mode (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-94698).
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-94698, a color image-forming system is disclosed which shortens the time period required to wait at the print start time by switching, before image data starts to be generated from an original, recording material conveyance control and fixing temperature control.
Further, an image forming apparatus has been proposed which decides, based on a description concerning designation of a color mode, one of a time when monochrome printing becomes executable and a time when color printing becomes executable, as a print start time (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-216320).
As described above, in the conventional technique, it is judged based on the contents of a print job whether printing to be executed is monochrome printing or color printing, and printing is started by switching operations of a printer for the fixing temperature control and the like.
However, even in monochrome printing, it is required to set a rather high fixing temperature so as to print a wide range of originals from text originals, printing of which requires application of small amounts of toner, to image originals, such as originals of graphics and photographs, printing of which requires application of large amounts of toner.
For this reason, when printing of text originals, which requires application of a small amount of toner, is to be executed, the conventional technique suffers from the problems of power loss at the fixing device and a long waiting time period before the fixing device is warmed up to the fixing temperature.

Image forming apparatus that controls print start temperature of fixing section, method of controlling the same, and storage medium


The optical device includes a waveguide on a base. The device also includes a modulator on the base. The modulator includes an electro-absorption medium configured to receive a light signal from the waveguide. The modulator also includes field sources for generating an electrical field in the electro-absorption medium. The electro-absorption medium is a medium in which the Franz-Keldysh effect occurs in response to the formation of the electrical field in the electro-absorption medium. The field sources are configured so the electrical field is substantially parallel to the base.

The use of optical and/or optoelectronic devices is increasing in communications applications. These devices can include modulators for phase and/or intensity modulating light signals. These modulators have been able to achieve adequate speeds when the waveguides have a cross-section with sub-micron dimensions. However, many communications applications employ larger waveguides. When these modulators are used with larger waveguides, they generally lose speed as a result of the need for carriers to travel through the larger dimensions of the waveguide.
For the above reasons, there is a need for modulators that are suitable for use with larger waveguides.

Optical device having modulator employing horizontal electrical field


Handling arrangement for handling individual containers or groups of containers having movable container handling structures for handling containers being moved thereby. Each of the container handling structures is adjustable using one or more positioning devices. Upon changing container types and/or container groupings, the container handling structures can be adjusted in their positions so as to handle the different containers.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a system for handling and/or treating packaging means and method for the format-compatible adjustment of such a system, a method for adjusting the format or changing-over the format of a system configured to treat, handle, and process containers or groups of containers, and an arrangement therefor.
2. Background Information
The most varied forms of systems for processing and/or handling and/or treating packaging means are known, for example also in the form of machines for cleaning and/or filling and/or closing and/or labeling and/or packing and/or palletizing.
Packaging means in terms of the present application are generally such that are used to accommodate packaged products or liquid products, for example the most varied types of containers, such as, for example, cans, bottles, etc. In addition, packaging means in terms of the present application are also groups or sets of packaging means comprising the most varied types of containers.
A transport section in terms of the present application refers to that section on which the packaging means are moved through the relevant system. Consequently, conveyors of arbitrary design in the respective system and elements of said system that transport the packaging means form part of the transport section, i.e., among other things, also the transport stars of arbitrary design and their associated elements (for example, guide curves, etc.) that are for example to be found in systems for processing containers, but also rotating transport elements or rotors of processing systems and/or handling and/or treating systems and/or processing systems for the most varied types of packaging means. Transport sections in terms of the present application also relate to other conveyors for supplying and discharging the packaging means to and from a system as well as transporting the packaging means between processing machines in a system.
In the beverage industry, containers with different formats are frequently handled in one system, i.e. containers with different exterior dimensions, and/or shapes and/or of different types, etc. In addition, said different containers are also presented in different types of packaging or sets or formats. To adapt a system to these different formats of containers, for example bottles, cans or the like, but also to adapt to different set formats, it is usual to replace entire assemblies of format-dependent function elements or format parts (e.g. guide curves) that interact with the containers or the sets. In addition it is usual and necessary and/or desired to adjust, in a format-compatible manner, the format-dependent function elements that interact with the containers or sets, for example when there is a change in format. Said adjustment has been effected manually up to now by the operating personnel, the adjustments having to be performed manually at a plurality of adjusting positions.
In the case of conventional systems, as are used in the beverage industry, when there is a format adjustment or a format changeover, adjustments are necessary and/or desired at up to two hundred different adjusting positions, which implies a considerable amount of work and expenditure, for example whenever a plurality of containers or sets with a different format are to be handled on one and the same system. In many cases up to thirty different formats are treated on one system.
It must or should also be taken into account that for each format adjustment or format changeover—proceeding from the preceding setting of the format-dependent function elements—in each case changing function elements, that is to say other function elements, have to be adjusted to new REQUIRED values. In addition, it can also be necessary and/or desired to adjust the changed function elements to other setting values.
In addition, it must or should also be taken into account that in the case of many machines, for example in the case of packaging machines or packaging systems, when there is a format adjustment or a format changeover, a predetermined sequence of adjustments also has to or should be adhered to in order to avoid, restrict, and/or minimize incorrect adjustments and/or damage to the system or to its machines and/or to the function elements (for example guiding means).
Up to now the format adjustment or format changeover in a system has therefore required and/or desired, on account of the large number of adjusting positions, a large amount of work and time expenditure with the risk of a high error rate caused by incorrect adjustment. In addition, up to now the format adjustment or format changeover has also required and/or desired high cost expenditure, for example if the machine has had to be at a standstill for a long time during the adjustment.
Another cost factor frequently referred to is the so-called start-up losses, which are incurred when the system is restarted and the packaging means are damaged or destroyed due to incorrectly adjusted function elements.

Container handling arrangement with adjustable handling structures for handling different containers and groups of containers, and a method of adjusting adjustable handling structures for handling different containers and groups of containers


The present specification relates to a fullerene derivative, an organic solar cell including the same, and a fabricating method thereof.

Solar cells using organic materials have received attention with advantages such as simple processability, diversity, inexpensive manufacturing costs and high flexibility, and have rapidly grown with the development of new materials.
Based on inexpensive costs and availability in a manufacturing process, which are the biggest advantages of organic materials, organic semiconductors are expected to appear as a core material in the manufacture of low-priced solar cells such as thin film-type devices, large area devices, flexible devices for which a roll-to-roll method may be used.
The possibility of an organic solar cell was first presented in 1970s, but the organic solar cell had no practical use since the efficiency was too low.
However, since C. W. Tang of Eastman Kodak showed the possibility of commercialization as various solar cells with a double layer structure using copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and a perylene tetracarboxylic acid derivative in 1986, interests in organic solar cells and related researches have rapidly increased brining in a lot of progresses.
Since then, organic solar cells have made innovative progresses in terms of efficiency as the concept of a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) was introduced by Yu et al. in 1995, and fullerene derivatives of which solubility is improved such as PCBM have been developed as an n-type semiconductor material.
However, fullerene, a starting material, does not have favorable solubility thereby has low reactivity, and as a result, has a problem in that the costs of the fullerene derivatives increase due to the low yield when synthesized.
Meanwhile, the development of electron donor materials having a low bandgap and electron acceptor materials having favorable charge mobility has been continuously attempted in order to replace existing materials.

Fullerene derivative, organic solar cell using same, and manufacturing method thereof


A time-interleaved A/D converter apparatus has a primary signal A/D converter circuit group that is time-interleaved with a combination of N A/D converter circuits, a correction signal generation part operable to receive the input analog signal and a 1/m-sampling signal having a speed that is 1/m of a rate of the sampling signal inputted to the primary signal A/D converter circuit group, to extract a dispersion of a transmission line that is immanent in the input analog signal, and to output the dispersion as a dispersion compensation control signal used for digital signal compensation, and a signal processing part operable to convert the N digital signals into one digital signal based upon the dispersion compensation control signal and to compensate a dispersion included in the converted digital signal.

In recent years, speed-enhancement of electronic circuits has been required according to increase in speed and capacity of networks. Circuits used for data conversion, such as an A/D converter circuit and a track/hold circuit (sample/hold circuit), have also been required to operate at higher speeds.
Some circuits and/or configurations have recently been proposed to meet such demands. For example, as one of techniques to achieve high-speed sampling of an A/D converter apparatus, there has been proposed a time-interleaving method of operating a plurality of A/D converter circuits operable at a low sampling rate in a predetermined order and operating the A/D converter circuits in cooperation with each other so that the entire apparatus equivalently achieves high-speed sampling.
FIG. 6 shows an example of an A/D converter apparatus using a time-interleaving method. In this method, a plurality of A/D converter circuits or track/hold circuits are formed in parallel as a plurality of channels (AD converters 1 to 4 in FIG. 6) so as to equivalently provide an A/D converter apparatus having a sampling rate that is the same number of times as the number of the channels (four times in FIG. 6). FIG. 7 shows a timing chart of the A/D converter apparatus. With this method, there can be provided an A/D converter apparatus that can perform a high-speed sampling operation without any limitations on high-speed performance of devices used as parts of the A/D converter apparatus.
Along with recent trends of miniaturization and performance enhancement in semiconductor processes, A/D converter apparatuses that can perform such a high-speed sampling operation have further been enhanced in performance. Additionally, a high-speed signal processing system, which has been implemented only by analog circuits, can be achieved by converting an analog signal into a digital signal with an A/D converter apparatus and then conducting digital signal processing. Thus, there has been developed a signal processing system having performance higher than ever. For example, in a field of ultrahigh-speed optical communication in which a data rate of 40 Gb/s or higher has been required for a high speed and a large capacity, introduction of a digital coherent system that can improve performance and achieve longer distance transmission by using digital signal processing with an A/D converter apparatus has actively been promoted.
A feature of an A/D converter apparatus used in a digital coherent communication system of an optical communication field is that an A/D converter apparatus is required to have a slew rate that is higher than a data transmission speed. This is because data should have redundancy due to an error correction technique or the like even if a multi-valued and high-density modulation method, such as phase shift keying, is used. For example, a slew rate around 30 Gb/s is required even in a case where a data transmission speed is 40 Gb/s (20 Gbps in parallel for 40 G). Furthermore, 2× oversampling performance, which is twice the number of channels, is generally is used as a sampling rate of an A/D converter circuit.
Upon application to an optical communication system, an A/D converter apparatus is required to have such sampling performance for the following reasons: In ultrahigh-speed optical communication, a waveform distortion resulting from a dispersion phenomenon in an optical fiber (e.g., a chromatic dispersion or a polarization mode dispersion) becomes a cause of considerable limitations to a transmission distance. In order to compensate a waveform distortion with a high degree of precision by signal processing, 2× oversampling performance is roughly required in general.
As described above, application of a digital signal processing method along with speed-enhancement of an A/D converter apparatus has been active in an ultrahigh-speed communication field such as optical communication. A time-interleaving method using a plurality of parallel A/D converter circuits has attracted much attention as one of techniques for achieving a high-speed A/D converter apparatus. Meanwhile, there is a problem that error components (variations) such as gains or offsets between a plurality of A/D converter circuits increase noise or distortion and thus deteriorate the conversion accuracy of the entire A/D converter apparatus.
A configuration illustrated in FIG. 8 has been proposed as means for calibrating gain and offset error components between a plurality of A/D converter circuits (Patent Literature 1). The calibration method of this invention includes providing means for generating a sine wave signal as a training signal for calibration (reference signal generator), performing a sine curve fitting process on a series of conversion data with the sine wave signal for each of the A/D conversion means (ADC1, ADC2) to calculate calibration values of gains and offsets, and storing the calibration values in a calibration memory. Upon normal A/D conversion, data are calibrated in accordance with the calibration values stored in the calibration memory.
However, an interleaving method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 originally assumes that signals have a data rate of about several tens of Mbps to about several hundreds of Mbps. For example, if an ultrahigh-speed optical communication of 40 Gbps is subjected to AD conversion with the interleaving method of Patent Literature 1, a data rate should be 40 times or more as high as 40 Gbps. Therefore, the scale of a circuit such as correction means and a calibration memory for maintaining the signal quality becomes so enormous that electric consumption increases considerably.
As shown in FIG. 9, for example, there has been proposed a method of correcting an input signal in the entire time-interleaved A/D converter apparatus (Patent Literature 2). The method of correcting an input signal as disclosed in Patent Literature 2 includes integrally calibrating individual output digital signals of parallel A/D converter circuits (ADC0-ADC3) of the time-interleaved A/D converter apparatus. For this purpose, a high-speed low-resolution correction A/D converter circuit (ADC4) operable at the same rate as an equivalent sampling rate obtained upon time-interleaving and a nonlinear filter are added in addition to the parallel A/D converter circuits (ADC0-ADC3). Upon AD conversion in the time-interleaved A/D converter apparatus, output signals (SIG0-SIG3) of the parallel A/D converter circuits are synthesized, then passed through the nonlinear filter, and corrected by a reference signal (instruction signal: d[n]) generated by the correction A/D converter circuit. With such an operation, the digital signals outputted from the individual parallel A/D converter circuits are corrected at the same timing with the reference signal sampled by the correction A/D converter circuit. In other words, the output signals of all of the parallel A/D converter circuits are sequentially calibrated with the output signal of the correction A/D converter circuit.
However, one of primary factors to use an interleaving method is that a time-interleaving method is used because a single A/D converter circuit cannot achieve a desired high speed. In contrast, implementing a high-speed A/D converter circuit (correction A/D converter circuit: ADC4) operable at the same speed (fs×N) as an equivalent sampling rate obtained upon time-interleaving as disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is not preferable for reducing of the circuit scale by using a time-interleaving method. Furthermore, since a high-speed operation is performed, the electric consumption considerably increases in the correction A/D converter circuit.
As described above, when a communication method of high-precision digital signal processing with A/D converter circuits is applied to current high-speed optical communication systems, the circuit scale and electric consumption problematically increase in the following two aspects:
1) In ultrahigh-speed optical communication, a waveform distortion resulting from a chromatic dispersion, a polarization mode dispersion, or the like in an optical fiber becomes a cause of limitations on a transmission distance. In order to compensate such a waveform distortion with a high degree of precision by signal processing, 2× oversampling performance is roughly required in general. Therefore, increase of the circuit scale and electric consumption is caused.
2) In most cases, high-speed sampling performance of an A/D converter apparatus is achieved by an interleaving method. Meanwhile, correction means for ensuring the signal quality is also provided in many cases. When the correction means is taken into account, the circuit scale and electric consumption considerably increase in the entire A/D converter apparatus.

Time-interleaved A/D converter apparatus including correction signal part outputting a dispersion compensation control signal


A golf club head is formed with a ball impacting face having an outer layer of wood veneer bonded to an inner layer of synthetic resin reinforced fibers by a synthetic resin which impregnates both layers. In a wood-type version of the club head, the outer shell is formed over a molded foam plastic core by covering the core with a flexible woven resin reinforced fibers sock, impregnating the sock with an uncured synthetic resin, covering the impregnated sock with a pair of shaped wood veneer matched halves so that the wood veneer is impregnated with resin, and curing the composite in forming molds.

A variety of golf club heads have been proposed employing resin reinforced fiber plastic faces in order to create a high durability club capable of hitting golf balls a long distance. Use of a synthetic resin impregnated face lowers the weight of the golf club head relative to solid wood, allowing for a faster swing, and provides a high impact resistant surface. Typical U.S. patents disclosing such heads include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,545,580; 4,575,447; 4,624,460; 4,798,383; and 4,824,116.
While the synthetic resin reinforced fibers used in these golf clubs have excellent strength characteristics in tension, they have substantially no compressive strength or impact resistance and they must be designed so as to avoid the possibility of the resin reinforced fibers breaking under the repeated heavy forces imposed when the club face impacts golf balls.
The physics of the impact between a golf club head and a golf ball are similar to those between a baseball bat and a baseball and my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 518,782 discloses a baseball bat having an outer layer of wood veneer and an inner layer of resin reinforced fibers. The synthetic resin impregnates both the layers and bonds them to one another. I have found the wood veneer and resin reinforced fiber layers act synergistically when bonded to one another with the wood fibers effectively distributing the forces created on impact with a ball over a substantial area of the underlying resin reinforced fibers to create a structure that is unusually impact resistant and locally deforms resiliently under impact to provide a relatively wide sweet spot so that the full power of the swinging club is transferred to the ball.

The Baum Research & Development Co., Inc.


The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for isolating the evaluation of actual test results against expected test results from the test module that generates the actual test results. A results evaluation sub-system receives actual test results resulting from the execution of a test in a test environment. A results retrieval sub-system receives environmental data indicating that a test was performed in the test environment. The results retrieval sub-system selects one or more expected results from a results database based on the received environmental data. The results retrieval sub-system sends the selected one or more expected results to the results evaluation sub-system. The results evaluation sub-system receives the one or more selected results. The results evaluation sub-system evaluates the actual test results against the one or more expected results to determine if the test was successful.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to testing technology. More specifically, the present invention relates to isolating the evaluation of actual test results against expected test results from the test module that generates the actual test results.
2. Background and Related Art
Computers have revolutionized the way we work and play. There are an enormous variety of functions and applications that may be implemented by a general purpose computing system in response to the execution of a software application. The utility and functionality of the computing system does, however, rely on the proper coding of the source code that was compiled or interpreted into the binary instructions that are actually executed by the processor. If there is a coding error, this will often result in a deviation from expected functionality.
Extraordinary efforts are currently in place to reduce the number of unexpected performance deviations in many software programs before and after the software application are shipped to market. However, the creativity of software programmers and designers has led to increasingly complex and powerful software applications. As the complexity of the software application increases, so often does the number of lines of source code needed to generate the software application. As a result, a software application is often tested before release to the general public to help ensure that the software application operates as intended.
In some testing environments, a test developer develops tests that test the performance of one or more functions of a software application. For example, objects (methods, properties, classes, etc.) in a software application are often tested to attempt to identify combinations of input values that will cause output failures. One conventional method of testing software is to have a human tester (which may or may not be the software application programmer) manually analyze an object (or specification for the object) to identify input fields for the object. The tester then manual enters input field values to cause the object to generate an output (e.g., one or more output field values). The tester then determines if the test passes or fails based on the generated output.
However, manually analyzing a method (or specification) and manually inputting field values is time consuming and can introduce human error into the testing process. For example, if a tester enters an inappropriate input field value, the validity of generated output can be affected. Further, the time consumed to analyze and input field values for a number of interrelated objects, such as, for example, those of a software module or application, can be quite significant as each object must be individually analyzed and input field values manually generated for each method.
Accordingly, in part due to the inefficiencies of manual testing, automated testing programs have been developed. An automated test program essentially automates the entering of input field values, gathering of resulting output, and determining if a test passed or failed. Typically, a test developer with knowledge of an object to be tested develops an automated testing program to test the object. A test developer can use their knowledge of the object to test the object with input field values that are likely to expose deficiencies in or unintended operation of the object. Based on knowledge of the object the test developer can also identify the expected resulting output of the object. Thus, the test developer can configure the testing program to compare actual resulting output to expected resulting output and, based on the comparison, determine if an object is operating as intended.
A tester (which may or may not be the test developer) can then execute the test program to test the object. Executing the test program causes the test program to provide an indication of whether the test passed or failed (and thus whether the object is operating as intended). Unfortunately, automated test programs are typically configured to operate in a single environment. For example, a test developer may develop a test program for testing a word processor object in a first environment that includes a Windows operating system, a Pentium 3 processor, and has 128 MB system memory. Accordingly, when the test program is executed in this first environment, an indication of whether the word processor object passed or failed may be valid.
However, due to inevitable differences in both hardware and software components of a computer system, a test program designed to test the word processor object in one environment may not provide valid results in one or more other environments. Further, a test program may have no way to identify the test program's operating environment. For example, executing the test program in a second environment that includes a Unix operating system (or even a different version of the Windows operating system), a Pentium 4 processor, and/or 56 MB of memory, may provide different resulting output than the first environment. This different resulting output may be resulting output indicating that the word processor object is operating as intended in the second environment. However, since the different resulting output is not resulting output that indicates the word processor is operating as intended in the first environment, the test program may inappropriately indicate the word processor object is not operating as intended in the second environment.
To configure the test program to provide a valid pass/fail indication for the second environment, the test developer may be required to include new instructions in the test program. Further, as new environments are developed as a result of technological advances, the developer may also be required to develop additional instructions for these new environments. Thus, a test developer may be required to essentially continually maintain a test program when an object tested by the test program is used in new environments. Accordingly, what would be advantageous are mechanisms for evaluating test results that do not depend on the test module under execution generating the actual test results.

Isolating the evaluation of actual test results against expected test results from the test module that generates the actual test results


A motor that is capable of both linear and rotational motion. One coil translates the motor along its axis for linear motion and a second coil causes the shaft to rotate. Coacting with the translate coil is a translate magnet where the north and south poles are oriented along the motor shaft. A segmented magnet where alternating north and south poles are located along the periphery of the magnet interacts with a rotation coil so that the interaction of the magnetic field of the segmented magnet and the magnetic field produced by the rotation coil cause the rotary magnet to rotate. Rotation of the rotary magnet, which cooperates with the shaft to which it is operably connected, causes rotation of the motor shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of electric motors and specifically to electric motors that are capable of both linear and rotary motion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric motors including dc stepper motors have been utilized in many applications. Some of these applications have included those where the electric motors have been subjected to vibration shock and other external forces. Unfortunately, due to the nature of electric motors, it has not been possible to prevent external forces from causing the rotation of the motor shaft. Consequently, there is a need for an electric motor that is prevented from rotating until energized.
The present invention solves the problem discussed above and is a motor capable of both axial/linear displacement and rotation. This motor uses one coil to translate the motor along its axis for linear motion and a second coil to cause the shaft to rotate. Coacting with the translate coil is a translate magnet where the north and south poles are oriented along the motor shaft. A segmented magnet where alternating north and south poles are located along the periphery of the magnet is used to interact with the second or rotational coil so that the interaction of the magnetic field of the segmented magnet and the magnetic field produced by the rotation coil causes the rotary magnet to rotate. Rotation of the rotary magnet, which cooperates with the shaft to which it is operably connected, causes rotation of the motor shaft. To prevent rotation of the motor shaft a key or keyed gear is operably connected to the shaft. This key or keyed gear fits into a detent in the motor casing of an appropriate size and shape or an external detent of an appropriate size and shape. By energizing the translate coil the motor shaft and key or keyed gear is removed from the detent in the casing or external detent so that energizing the rotate coil may cause the rotation magnet and shaft to rotate. The key and its associated detent are designed to limit and/or prevent rotation of the shaft when the key is resting in the detent. Consequently, a motor of this invention would not rotate under the imposition of an external force unless the translate coil was energized.


A linear guide comprises a guide rail and a U-shaped slide overlapping the guide rail in a carrier-like manner. The slide is guided on the guide rail by ball circuits. Recesses in the guide rail are provided which allow placing of the slide on the guide rail and removal of the slide from the guide rail in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail.

The invention relates to a linear guide comprising a guide rail with a base, side faces and a top surface, a slide with a web part crossing the top surface and legs opposite to the side faces, and guiding means between the slide and the guide rail. The guiding means comprise at least one circuit of rolling elements. A load-transmitting rolling element row of this circuit is located between a load-receiving track of one side face and a load-receiving track of one of the legs. Between the load-transmitting rolling element row and the top surface, the side face of the guide rail has a profiled layer which overlaps the load-transmitting rolling element row and which prevents removal of the slide from the guide rail.
Linear guides of the above described type are known but it is disadvantageous that the slides have to be slipped onto the guide rail at one end. This is possible only when the slide already has been adjusted in true alignment with the respective guide rail.
The alignment is difficult, especially when the slide or rather an attaching part connected on it, is heavy, and in particular when several slides are bolted to one table. In this case there is the danger of misalignment. In the case of such a misalignment a retainer securing the rolling elements in the slide can be damaged or a rolling element can be pushed out of this retainer with the consequence that the course of the rolling elements is disturbed, the working life reduced, and possibly the slide is out of working order. The slides are frequently provided with sealing lips which are supposed to protect the gaps, accomodating the rolling elements between the slide and the guide rail, from the ingress of dirt. In this case there is furthermore the danger of distortion of the sealing lips on assembly with the consequence that dirt can then pass through the sealing lips. The conventional mounting of the slide is particularly difficult when in the guiding means and especially in the load-transmitting path a preload is to be provided, as it is often the case to obtain a bearing free from play and with high rigidty. The assembly is made extremele difficult, in particular when this preload is supposed to be placed through the mounting of the slide on the guide rail with a corresponding dimensioning of the distance of the slide ways and the rolling elements.


A method for forming a titanium silicide on a silicon wafer. The method includes the steps of removing native oxide film formed on the silicon wafer; depositing a titanium thin film on the silicon wafer using standard type (low power) sputtering method; quickly heat-treating the silicon wafer on which the titanium thin film is deposited so that diffusion occurs between the titanium thin film and the silicon wafer, thereby forming the titanium silicide, and removing the titanium thin film. A degas process before the titanium deposition is proposed also to remove impurities on the wafer.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a titanium silicide during a process for fabricating a semiconductor device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Silicide is widely used in manufacturing integrated circuit or semiconductor devices because of its low sheet resistance. Generally, in the case of titanium silicide, the silicide is formed by first depositing a titanium thin film using a sputtering process on a silicon wafer where source/drain regions and gate electrodes are formed. The silicon wafer is then heat-treated within an electric furnace or through RTP (rapid thermal processing) to cause the deposited titanium to react with the silicon wafer to form titanium silicide. The sheet resistance of the titanium silicide depends on the titanium thin film depositing conditions rather than the silicide forming heat-treating conditions.
The titanium thin film is usually deposited using the collimate (high power) sputtering method. In this method, metal atoms sputtered from a metal target pass through and are accelerated by a mesh disposed between the metal target and the silicon wafer. This causes the sputtered metal atoms to gain very high kinetic energy which can provide certain process advantages. However, use of the collimate sputtering method causes the metal atoms to be deposited onto the silicon wafer in a vertical direction with respect to the wafer surface. The deposition of the metal atoms in the vertical direction, in turn, causes the deposited titanium thin film to lack uniform film thickness. As a result, the resulting silicide thickness and sheet resistance have poor uniformity.


A cover for a seat having a headrest includes a stabilizing bracket member that enables a secure attachment of an electronic device for use by a passenger behind the seat. In one embodiment, the cover includes a sleeve defining a chamber, a first opening to the chamber, and a second opening to the chamber. The chamber is sized and shaped to at least partially contain the headrest. The first opening is sized and positioned such that at least a portion of the headrest is insertable into the chamber through the first opening. The stablizing bracket member defines an aperture and is attached to the sleeve such that the aperture is aligned with the second opening so that the second opening is unobstructed.

People often travel using bus, train and airplane. As a form of entertainment to help pass time, some buses, trains and airplanes have incorporated built-in video entertainment units. Many buses, trains and airplanes now incorporate individual entertainment units for each passenger, which are often located in the upper seatbacks of passenger seats. However, often only a limited number of programming options are available on such displays. Personal electronic devices, such as tablets, computers, smartphones and mobile gaming platforms, offer additional entertainment options in comparison to the individual entertainment units. Personal electronic devices usually allow a user to store and customize their own content, so that they are not limited to the content then-stored in an individual entertainment unit. Unfortunately, a user must hold a personal electronic device in one's hands or place it on a fold-down tray table. Holding a personal electronic device for extended periods can lead to fatigue and discomfort. The use of a tray table may not provide an optimum viewing angle, and in any event, the tray table is often occupied during in-transit meals or unable to use due the seatbelt indictor light is on during flight which passengers still desire the use of their personal electronic devices. A suitable solution is desired.


A subtalar implant for arthroereisis of the talocalcaneal joint. The implant is intended to be inserted into the talocalcaneal joint via its lateral orifice and has an oblong shape that extends longitudinally along an axis of insertion of the implant. The implant includes: a head with the shape of a cone of revolution centred on the axis of insertion; an anchoring thread; and a rod having the shape of a cylinder of revolution. The rod has, on its surface, the anchoring thread and being configured to be inserted up to the axis of rotation of the talocalcaneal joint. The head has, on its radially outer surface, a retaining element for retaining the implant in rotation about the axis of insertion, the retaining element exerting retention against a colonising tissue.

Subtalar arthroereisis is a surgical operation practiced in the context of curing flexible flatfoot, in particular in children and adolescents.
Flatfoot syndrome is characterised by an instability of the talocalcaneal joint. This instability causes a phenomenon of hyperpronation during the placement of a load on the foot, which leads to a collapse of the plantar arch. The main clinical consequences are:                pain;        walking disorders;        a rigidity of the Achilles tendon during walking;        a deterioration of the peripheral joints due to a modification of the distribution of the loads.
Subtalar arthroereisis allows the movement of the joint to be limited by causing blocking via an implant.
For not very advanced stages of flatfoot, and in particular when the flatfoot is called "flexible", arthroereisis is an operation that combines a plurality of clinical benefits with respect to other therapeutic options.
Indeed, arthroereisis is a fast operation that requires a minimal incision and does not lead to the cutting of bone. Arthroereisis also allows a correction obtained to be preserved, even after the extraction of the implant used to carry out the correction. Thus, this is an operation that is reversible in the case of complications via simple removal of the implant as mentioned above.
In order to carry out the arthroereisis, the implant (generally an extra-osseous screw) is inserted into the sinus tarsi oriented in an anterolateral position towards a posterior-medial position. In other words, the implant is inserted into the talocalcaneal joint via its lateral orifice.
After the insertion, the implant must rest on the surface of the calcaneus in a "free float" configuration. After immobilisation, fibrous tissue, called colonising tissue, must colonise rough spots and cavities of the implant in such a way as to keep it in place in situ.
According to a current conventional design, the subtalar implants for arthroereisis of the talocalcaneal joint are in the form of a screw, that is to say, a generally conical oblong shape of revolution provided with a plurality of helical grooves. The helical grooves form a screw pitch that is not intended to move the implant forward by screwing it, but only act as a substrate for the fibrous regrowth of the colonising tissue. Indeed, the colonising tissue attaches in the helical grooves in order to produce a resistance to traction along the axis of insertion of the implant.
This conventional design of the implants has disadvantages, however.
Indeed, recurrent complications leading to the removal of the implant are noted in the literature.
A main complication lies in a backward movement of the implant, and potentially to the creation of a discomfort related to the backwards movement of the implant (inflammation of the sinus tarsi, synovitis, etc.).
The backwards movement of the implant is generally attributed to the shape of the implant. Indeed, during walking, a stress is applied to the generally conical contour of revolution of the implant. This stress takes the form of micromovements and leads to a phenomenon of unscrewing of the implant.
The stresses on the generally conical contour of revolution of the implant are indeed transformed into an axial movement of translation, which leads to the phenomenon of unscrewing because of the helical thread (helical groove or screw pitch).
In order to provide better anchoring for the tissue, a plurality of solutions have been proposed:                the patent document published as U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,547 B2 proposes integrating holes around the periphery of the implant, these holes opening or not opening onto a cannula. The implant thus has a conical shape having an anchoring thread on the radially outer surface of the cone;        the patent document published as US 2009/0099664 A1, proposes a conical implant having, on its radially outer surface, an anchoring thread, and integrating grooves inside the hollows formed by the anchoring thread;        the patent documents published as U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,547 B2 and WO 2012/100054 A1 propose integrating profiles of threads qualified as negative, that is to say, producing an undercut.
The patent document published as WO 2012/100054 A1, cited above, also proposes an implant that does not have a conical portion and that has, instead of this conical portion, a spheroidal portion so as to provide uniform blocking of the joint during the presence of an anatomical particularity or of the implantation technique of the surgeon. Indeed, this document specifies that a conical implant can easily be implanted in such a way that it produces a pressure that is too low or too high on the talocalcaneal joint.
Finally, the prior art proposes the patent document published as U.S. Pat. No. 9,125,701 B2 that describes an implant manufactured using a plurality of components and that is based on the principle of the screw-expanding anchor. The implementation of such an implant is more complicated and costlier than a machined one-piece implant. Also, mechanical complications caused by the nature of the assembly may occur.
The patent document published as US 2013/0304224 A1 is also known, this document describing an implant comprising a main body and fastening elements independent of the main body. The fastening elements consist of screws to be inserted into the main body, these screws being designed to extend out of the main body in such a way as to be anchored in osseous structures. The implant described in this document is designed to carry out an arthrodesis, that is to say, that its goal is to lead to the creation of osseous fusion in a pathological joint. Such an implant is not suitable for carrying out an arthroereisis.
The goal of the solutions proposed by the prior art is to provide better anchoring for the colonising tissue, but these solutions can nevertheless contribute to the phenomenon of osseous irritation or even erosion. The implants presented by the prior art also constantly introduce a propensity to unscrewing that is not completely solved by the proposed solutions.

Subtalar implant for arthroereisis of the talocalcaneal joint


An apparatus, system and process for identifying one or more different tissue types are described. The method may include applying a configuration to one or more programmable light sources of an imaging system, where the configuration is obtained from a machine learning model trained to distinguish between the one or more different tissue types captured in image data. The method may also include illuminating a scene with the configured one or more programmable light sources, and capturing image data that includes one or more types of tissue depicted in the image data. Furthermore, the method may include analyzing color information in the captured image data with the machine learning model to identify at least one of the one or more different tissue types in the image data, and rendering a visualization of the scene from the captured image data that visually differentiates tissue types in the visualization.

When an image of an object is captured by a camera, a user may want to enhance the image by adjusting contrast of the image, accentuating certain features of the image, etc. when analyzing the object captured within the camera's field of view. For example, an image may be enhanced to distinguish between different mineral/soil compositions (e.g., in aerial or ground photography), to highlight blood flow (e.g., oxygenated and non-oxygenated blood), to perform emotion recognition and/or detection, to distinguish anatomy in surgery (e.g., to distinguish between benign and malignant tissue), etc. In medical imaging in particular, enhancing medical images, for example to distinguish between benign and malignant tissue, increases the safety and expands the reach of surgical interventions.
Specifically, during laparoscopic surgery, a surgeon inserts an endoscope into a small incision of a patient. The endoscope illuminates and captures images of a surgical area in real-time while the surgeon performs the surgery through the same or other incision, typically without physically viewing the area being operated on. A significant problem with such surgeries and the imaging used during such surgeries is that of low contrast between tissue(s) of interest and other tissue(s). For example, in a surgical procedure to excise cancerous tissue, the surgeon wants high contrast between the cancerous tissue and the healthy tissue so that the cancerous tissue can be removed while making no/minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The problem is even more acute in surgery close to nerve tissue, where high contrast between adipose, cancerous, or other tissue and nerve tissue is needed to prevent inadvertent contact and/or removal of nerve tissue to prevent damage to the nervous system.
One solution to distinguishing between different tissue types during surgical procedures includes injecting fluorescent dyes into a patient where different dyes bind to different tissue types. When imaged with illumination from an excitation laser, the dye will fluoresce, and the desired tissue will appear much brighter in captured image data. To obtain high contrast between multiple tissues, a specific dye with a different excitation wavelength for each type of tissue is needed, a different excitation laser is needed for each tissue type, and a separate image for each tissue type is also needed. This approach for distinguishing between tissue types, however, typically requires the use of toxic dyes having specific fluorescence, which have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans, the development of which is a long, costly process. Furthermore, specific wavelength excitation lasers are needed and images must be captured for each dye/tissue combination. Thus, to obtain multiclass contrast between different types of tissues, the number of lasers and the number of images scales linearly with the number of tissue types to be differentiated.

System and method for multiclass classification of images using a programmable light source


Cosmetic applicators, blenders and aids, and more particularly to a resilient blender that includes an open-cell memory foam surface component that is easily cleanable or disposable in combination with a resilient core component. Further, the core component of the system includes a spring structure for greatly accelerating the rebound of the blender surface from a compressed state to a repose memory or de-compressed state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cosmetic applicators, blenders, and aids, and more particularly to a resilient blender that includes an open-cell memory foam surface component that is easily cleanable or disposable in combination with a resilient core component. Further, the core component of the system includes a spring structure for greatly accelerating the rebound of the blender surface from a compressed state to a repose memory or de-compressed state.
2. Description of the Background Art
Professional makeup artists often work in fast-paced environments where there is a need to apply makeup to several models or actors in rapid succession, particularly in the fashion, theatre and television industries. Such makeup artists may spend a considerable amount of time cleaning and preparing their makeup tools when working with multiple clients over a short period of time. With the advent of new technologies in high-resolution digital cameras and video, there is an increasing need for professionally blended face and body makeup.
Cosmetic applicators known as makeup sponges or blenders are well known and are a mainstay of a makeup artist's toolkit. The commercially available makeup sponges or blenders typically consist of a latex or urethane foam sponge 50, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the sponge consists of a uniform density open cell foam and may have a variety of shapes and sizes.
There are several disadvantages involving the use of the currently available sponges and blenders. In normal use, a sponge or blender is dabbed continuously against the recipient's skin where cosmetic materials are picked up by open cells of the blender surface and then released back onto the skin surface as the blender is moved to thus blend the cosmetic material.
First, many blenders during use are impregnated with large amounts of cosmetic material, which can be wasteful and costly. If too much cosmetic material is impregnated in the applicator, it may be difficult to blend the cosmetic material uniformly. On the other hand, if the amount of cosmetic material retained by the applicator is too small, then blending may take longer and still may not be uniform. The designs of blenders have been adjusted to improve the amount of cosmetic material impregnated into the sponge surface during use, mainly by experimenting with the size and density of pores in the open cell foam that comprises the blender. Typically, the open cell foam blenders that are commercially available have very small pores which are adapted to hold water before use to moisturize the sponge. In use, the dabbing motion can cause the cosmetic material to migrate through the entire sponge. Thereafter, cleaning the sponge is problematic as the makeup material can migrate throughout the sponge. Further, the complete drying of such blender sponges can take hours due to the very small pore size in such blenders.
Further, from the viewpoint of hygiene, bacteria can easily grow inside the pores of the blender, especially when liquid cosmetic material is applied, because the material can permeate through the entire foam body of the applicator.
Another potential disadvantage of currently available open cell foam blenders relates to their use with anticipated new forms of makeup materials, some of which are being contemplated, which may be termed herein as microbiome cosmetics. While not widely used today, it is anticipated that makeup materials such as primers, etc. will be used that carry living microorganisms, i.e., the microbiome. When using an open cell blender after the application of microbiome cosmetics, it will be inevitable that such living microorganisms will migrate throughout the sponge, which again may make thorough cleaning and drying more important. Further, it is possible that such applicators would require regulatory clearance for sterilization when used to apply microbiome materials to a recipient's face.
An additional disadvantage of current open cell foam blenders relates to the uniformity of the resilient open cell foam material and the slow rebound of such memory foams from a compressed or tensioned state to its repose memory shape. In use, a makeup artist also could find it useful to have different density foams with different force/compression characteristics for blending in different areas of a recipient's face, for example, softer foam for use around the eyes and less soft foam for use in other locations. Further, it would also be very useful to have faster rebounding foam which could speed up the blending of makeup.
What is needed is:
cosmetic applicator or blender configured for very rapid cleaning and drying after each use to provide for completely hygienic makeup applications;
a cosmetics applicator or blender with a surface topology and porosity suited for blending makeup without excessive impregnation of the makeup into the applicator to limit waste of cosmetic materials;
a cosmetics applicator or blender adapted for use with microbiome cosmetics which carries limited volumes of such live cultures to conserve expensive products and that is easily cleanable or sterilizable;
a cosmetics applicator or blender with a surface structure adapted to absorb a specific amount of water to allow for consistent levels of moisture in the applicator for specific types of makeup;
a cosmetics applicator or blender for makeup artists that can be inexpensive and adapted for single use that has all needed features for controlled moisture content, feel on the skin, and adapted for limiting waste of cosmetic materials;
a cosmetics applicator or blender that provides a makeup-carrying surface with much faster rebound characteristics for speeding up the blending of makeup materials; and
a cosmetics applicator or blender with at least two different surface portions with different force/deformation characteristics for differential blending/dabbing with a single applicator.
The several variations of the present invention described below provide a cosmetics applicator or blender that solves the aforementioned problems.


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a P-type region on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming at least one Al electrode on the P-type region, forming an interlayer film in contact with the at least one Al electrode, the interlayer film being of a material which is less reactive with Si than is Al, and forming a semi-insulating film on the interlayer film, the semi-insulating film containing Si.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having aluminum electrodes with a semi-insulating film formed thereon.
2. Background Art
Semiconductor devices employing Al electrodes have been widely used. In such a semiconductor device, some of these Al electrodes serve as gate and emitter electrodes in the device region and others are formed on guard rings in the guard ring region formed around the device region. A guard ring is a P-type region formed within an N-type substrate to reduce the electric field. As is known in the art, a semi-insulating film may be formed over the Al electrodes to stabilize their potentials.
In such a case, the semi-insulating film continuously extends over the separate Al electrodes formed on the respective guard rings. More specifically, the semi-insulating film covers the guard rings and the spaces therebetween and has the following effects. The formation of the semi-insulating film between the guard rings means that the guard rings are connected to one another through a high resistance, that is, they are not fully insulated from each other. This makes the potentials of the guard rings substantially equal, thereby increasing the dielectric strength of the device. Furthermore, hot electrons trapped in the guard rings leave the rings and enter the semi-insulating film, thereby stabilizing the potentials of the guard rings.
The edge termination dimensions (or width) of the semiconductor device can be reduced by taking advantage of the increase in the dielectric strength of the device, the stabilization of the potentials of the guard rings, etc. which result from the use of the semi-insulating film. More specifically, since the use of the semi-insulating film ensures that the device has sufficient dielectric strength, a dielectric strength enhancing region thereof called "edge termination" can be narrowed. Further, forming a semi-insulating film in contact with the gate and emitter electrodes (i.e., electrodes in the device region) results in stabilizing their potentials.
Techniques for enhancing the dielectric strength of a semiconductor device, such as described above, are disclosed, e.g., in the following patent publications. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 04-212468 (1992) discloses a semiconductor device in which a low resistance film is disposed over field plates to increase the dielectric strength of the device. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-183366 discloses a semiconductor device in which a semi-insulating passivation film is disposed over field limiting rings (or guard rings) so that the rings receive equal intensities of electric field resulting in increased dielectric strength of the device. Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 06-275852 (1994) discloses a semiconductor device in which the Al electrodes on guard rings and on channel stoppers are in contact with a semi-insulating film.
As described above, the Al electrodes in the device region and guard ring region of the semiconductor device may be covered with a semi-insulating film to stabilize the potentials of these electrodes and enhance the dielectric strength of the device. However, this arrangement is disadvantageous in that in the manufacture of the device, the Al electrodes may chemically react with Si contained in the semi-insulating film due to the heat generated when forming the semi-insulating film or due to the heating of the semiconductor substrate at a subsequent step. In the past this reaction has caused such problems as increased contact resistance between the Al electrodes and the semi-insulating film, poor appearance, reduced resistance between isolated Al lines (which may ultimately lead to shorting therebetween), and degraded reliability of the device. It should be noted that not only the guard ring region but also the device region can suffer these problems, since the above chemical reaction may occur wherever an Al electrode is in contact with a semi-insulating film.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure on the basis of wheel rotational information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle. The method includes the steps of: obtaining wheel rotational information obtainable from the respective tires, storing the wheel rotational information, and judging decrease in air-pressure of a tire. The step of judging decrease in air-pressure includes the step of adjusting a sensitivity of judgment upon multiplying a specified sensitivity coefficient to the wheel rotational information of the respective wheels of a front axis or those of the respective wheels of a rear axis of the vehicle and of judging a running condition of the vehicle. When it is determined that the vehicle is performing straight-ahead running, the judgment of decrease in tire air-pressure is performed only on the basis of wheel rotational information when performing straight-ahead running. It is possible to maintain detection accuracy of decrease in tire air-pressure and to prevent erroneous alarm.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure as well as to a program for judging decompression of a tire. More particularly, it relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure as well as to a program for judging decompression of a tire with which it is possible to accurately detect decrease in air-pressure of a tire.
An apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure (DWS) conventionally employs a theory that a rotational angular velocity of a decompressed tire is increased when compared to remaining normal tires owing to a decrease in outer diameter (dynamic load radius of the tire) from that of a tire of normal internal pressure. In a method for detecting decrease in internal pressure on the basis of a relative difference in rotational angular velocities of tires,DEL={(F1+F4)/2−(F2+F3)/2}/{(F1+F2+F3+F4)/4}×100(%)is employed as a judged value DEL (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 305011/1988). Here, F1 to F4 denote rotational angular velocities of a front left tire, a front right tire, a rear left tire and a rear right tire, respectively.
Since changes in the dynamic load radii of tires owing to decompression vary depending types of tires or position of mounting the same, it is necessary to detect which of the tire is decompressed for making alarm to be issued when a specified decompression rate has been reached. However, such determination of a decompressed wheel is technically difficult. Accordingly, in a method for judging decompression of a tire on the basis of changes in dynamic load radii of tires, a considerably large tolerance of, for instance, ±10% is provided for a decompression rate for alarm of, for instance, 30%, since decompression rates for issuing alarm fluctuate depending on types of tires and influences of mounting positions. However, since dynamic load radii of tires fluctuate, in addition to influences of air-pressure or types of tires, also through influences of load, slip angle, camper angle, driving force or braking force, erroneous alarm might still be issued in spite of normal air-pressure even when providing a large tolerance for the decompression rate for alarm.
There is known a method for improving the accuracy of alarm as a method for solving such a problem wherein the level of alarm is made constant regardless of the position of the tires by correcting the judged value for alarm by using position sensitivity coefficients depending on mounting positions of tires (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 151919/1998).
In the prior art method, a sensitivity coefficient is multiplied to wheel speeds of respective tires for making the decompression sensitivity constant (uniform) so that alarm might be issued at a constant decompression rate without determining a position of a decompressed wheel. However, there is a risk that shifts in judged values are caused at the time of performing turning movements so that erroneous alarm is issued by multiplying a sensitivity coefficient other than "1" to the wheel speeds.

Method and apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure, and program for judging decompression of tire