A booster device of the present invention which boosts a voltage applied to a semiconductor memory device, includes: a first capacitor for supplying a voltage to the semiconductor memory device; a switching transistor for providing a charging current to the first capacitor; a first control transistor for switching a state of the switching transistor between a conducting state and a non-conducting state; a second capacitor for supplying a charge to the switching transistor, whereby the switching transistor uses the charge to perform the switching; and a second control transistor for controlling the first control transistor and for supplying a charge to the second capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a booster device for boosting an internal potential (e.g., V.sub.pp level) in a semiconductor memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 2 shows a conventional example of a booster device for boosting a V.sub.pp level. The structure and operation of the booster device can be described as follows.
A conventional booster device includes an inverter I16, transistors Q13 and Q14, and a capacitor C15. A terminal 12 is connected to an input of the inverter I16. An output of the inverter I16 is connected to gates of the transistors Q13 and Q14. The output of the inverter I16 and the gates of the transistors Q13 and Q14 are connected together at a node 17. A power source level V.sub.pp is supplied to the inverter I16. A power source level V.sub.cc is supplied to a drain of the transistor Q13. A source of the transistor Q13 is connected to a drain of the transistor Q14 and one of electrodes of the capacitor C15. The source of the transistor Q13 the drain of the transistor Q14 and the one of the electrodes of the capacitor C15 are connected at a node 18. Another electrode of the capacitor C15 is connected to a terminal 11. A power source level V'.sub.pp to a semiconductor memory device 17' is provided at a source of the transistor Q14.
In the conventional booster device of FIG. 2, when the terminals 11 and 12 are grounded, for example, by being connected to V.sub.GND via an external circuit including switches SW1 and SW2, a level of an input signal to the inverter I16 is a logic LOW. When the level of the input signal to the inverter I16 is LOW, the level of an output signal from the inverter I16 is HIGH. When the level of the output signal from the inverter I16 is HIGH, the transistor Q13 is ON and the transistor Q14 is OFF. When the transistor Q13 is ON, the voltage across the capacitor C15 is increased to the level of V.sub.cc. The power source level V.sub.pp, serving as the supply voltage to the inverter I16, is supplied as the logic HIGH level to the gates of the transistors Q13 and Q14 via the inverter I16 output and the node 17.
Then, the terminals 11 and 12 are connected to a logic HIGH level via a power supply PS and switches SW1, SW2, for example, whereby the level of the output signal from the inverter I16 becomes a logic LOW level. When the level of the output signal from the inverter I16 is LOW, the transistor Q13 is OFF and the transistor Q14 is ON. When the transistor Q14 is ON, a charge of the capacitor C15 is discharged as the power source level V'.sub.pp to the semiconductor memory device via the transistor Q14.
In the above-described conventional booster device, the electrical potential at the node 17 is decreased in the event that the V.sub.pp level at the time when power to the booster device is turned on does not reach a sufficiently high level. Thus, there is a problem that the transistor Q13 will not be turned on completely. Since the transistor Q13 is not turned on completely, the capacitor C15 is not charged completely, and in particular, the V'.sub.pp level is resultantly a lower power source voltage.
In view of the aforementioned shortcoming associated with a conventional booster device, there exists a strong need in the art for a booster circuit which ensures that a transistor for charging a capacitor is turned on fully, irrespective of the V.sub.pp level.


An arrangement provides low cost path protection in an optical communications network. The arrangement has a portion 3 that provides (broadcasts) an outbound optical signal, and at least first and second transmitting portions 202, 206 transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways 231, 232. Meanwhile, a selection arrangement 204 selects among plural incoming optical signals (via 1, 5) according to a SELECT control signal 228 to provide a selected signal, and an analyzer 222 analyzes characteristics of the selected signal to provide the SELECT control signal 228.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to arrangements for path protection for optical communications networks. More specifically, the invention relates to arrangements for path protection that involve intelligent monitoring and selection from among plural incoming signals that may have taken at least partially geographically diverse paths to arrive at their destination, yet in a way that reduces hardware costs by avoiding a need for duplicative transponders or other optical elements.
2. Related Art
It is known in the art to provide "1+1" path protection to signals in optical communications networks. Briefly, "1+1" path protection involves embedding the same information in optical signals sent via geographically diverse pathways. In this arrangement, if one pathway is broken by malfunction, fiber cut or the like, then the information may be switched to reach its destination through the other pathway(s).
Alternative "1+1" schemes are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. A first site 141 is connected to a second site 142 via plural optical pathways such as first pathway 31 and second pathway 32. Sites 141 and 142, which may be hundreds or thousands of kilometers apart, may be considered to constitute nodes in an optical communications network. First and second pathways 31, 32 may each include amplifiers, intervening sites, and other elements that are not specifically shown. Pathways 31, 32 in "1+1" schemes may traverse geographically different paths so that any malfunction, fiber cut, or the like, along one pathway is less likely to affect the other pathway than if the pathways were not geographically diverse.
FIGS. 1A, 1B illustrate an internal architecture of site 141, with the understanding that site 142 may have an identical or similar architecture.
FIGS. 1A, 1B each illustrate a wavelength selective switch (WSS) 10 configured to route optical signals between and among three bidirectional optical pathways W, N, and E. (Of course, W, N, and E are arbitrary designation of the pathways, and the pathways are not required to extend in respective westward, northward, or eastward directions.)
Wavelengths incoming on optical pathway W from an optical amplifier A and passive coupler (or splitter) 1 are sent to N×1 switches 104 and 106 for the N and E pathways, respectively. Likewise, wavelengths incoming on optical pathway N from an optical amplifier C and a passive coupler (or splitter) 3 are sent to N×1 switches 102 and 106 for the W and E pathways, respectively. Similarly, wavelengths incoming on optical pathway E from an optical amplifier e and passive coupler (or splitter) 5 are sent to N×1 switches 102 and 104 for the W and N pathways, respectively.
For output from the WSS, the output of N×1 switch 102 is provided to output pathway W by driving an optical amplifier B. Likewise, the output of N×1 switch 104 is provided to output pathway N by driving an optical amplifier D. Similarly, the output of N×1 switch 106 is provided to output pathway E by driving an optical amplifier F.
The FIG. 1A, 1B architecture reflects an approach to optical adding and dropping called "broadcast-and-select." In conventional broadcast-and-select, only one of switches 102, 106 transmits the outbound signal provided by coupler 3. The other switch of 102, 106 does not transmit the signal, so that the signal only goes out on one of pathways W or E, not on both pathways.
Site 141 also has a local add-drop terminal (ADT) 20 that communicates with WSS 10 via bidirectional optical pathway N. Terminal 20 is controlled by an element 30 that communicates with elements (not shown) in higher layers of a communications protocol stack. Element 30, which may be a router or protocol multiplexing device, also provides network layer control and data signals to the lower level (data link layer) WSS 10. In the present context, router 30 may be considered to constitute, or at least interface with, a client.
Within terminal 20 is a multiplex/demultiplex (MUX/DEMUX) element 24 that communicates on bidirectional pathway N with WSS 10. M/DEMUX element 24 also communicates with each of plural (for example, two) bidirectional transponders 26A, 26B (collectively called element 26). Each bidirectional transponder communicates with router 30.
Each bi-directional transponder includes, in series leading from MUX/DEMUX element 24: an optical-line element 260L, an electronics element 26E, and an optical-tributary element 260T, all of which may be of conventional design. The optical-tributary element is the client-facing portion of the transponders and constitutes the short-reach optics connecting the terminal to the client. Electronics element 26E performs the regeneration, re-amplification and re-timing function ("3R") and other transponder functionality. Finally, optical-line element 260L is a tunable long-reach laser and receiver for generating the outbound interoffice signal, and for receiving such signals from other sites.
In FIG. 1A, it is the client that provides the 1+1 functionality. This functionality may be accomplished, for example, by providing a second laser and receiver on the line card of router 30, together with the electronics needed to monitor the health of the incoming signals and switch between them as needed. The entire line card might need to be duplicated. However, because much of the functionality of the backbone router is likely to be located on the line card, this arrangement raises significant cost problems.
In contrast to the FIG. 1A arrangement, FIG. 1B shows an approach in which there need only be a single laser/receiver on the line card of router 30. However, a separate "1+1" subsystem 32 is required, to split the outbound signal and receive the two incoming signals and switches between them as needed. Subsystem 32 performs quality analysis on incoming signals. Subsystem 32 could be in a discrete box separate from the client equipment 30 and integrated optical cross-connect (IOXC) terminal 20, or it could be physically within the IOXC terminal 20 with cabling to the two IOXC terminal transponders 26A, 26B.
Unfortunately, the arrangements in FIGS. 1A and 1B have significant shortcomings, especially in terms of cost. In particular, both arrangements require plural transponders, plus additional hardware either within router 20 (FIG. 1A) or as an additional subsystem 32 (FIG. 11B). Thus, there is a need in the art to provide increased communication reliability through path protection without incurring the increase costs of systems such as that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
More generally, it is known to provide a "protection" path as an alternate to a "working" path. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0179472 (Khalilzadeh et al.) discloses an arrangement in which a traffic signal on a working path is monitored, and upon a drop node's detection of a failure in the traffic signal, the network forwards the traffic signal on a protection path. However, such arrangements do not inherently provide that traffic is simultaneously carried on the two paths, and the setting up the protection path traffic delays data transmission.
Other arrangements involve switching the same data between the working and protection paths. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0176131 (Walters et al.) discloses protection switching involving first and second optical cards connected to the working and protection paths, as well as an "inter card communication channel" that allows a one of the paths to be connected to an opposite optical card. Because of the requirement for a second card, this arrangement appears to have shortcomings similar to the arrangements in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Still other arrangements involve distributed control of protection switching. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,633 (Ikeda et al.) discloses an arrangement in which each node in a network stores information concerning the connection status of all other nodes, so as to optimize line switching in the event of a failure. However, this arrangement is not only complex and costly in terms of required hardware and control structure, but fails to involve simultaneous transmission of the same signals that permits simple and reliable restoration of service in the event of one path's failure.
Thus, undesirably, arrangements like those in FIGS. 1A and 1B require a doubling of the terminal optics and their attendant high costs. Moreover, none of the documents discussed above provide path protection simply, or at low cost. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for practical, low cost path protection in optical communications networks.

Arrangement for low cost path protection for optical communications networks


A method provides learning with noisy labels. The method includes generating a first network of a machine learning model with a first set of parameter initial values, and generating a second network of the machine learning model with a second set of parameter initial values. First clean probabilities for samples in a training dataset are generated using the second network. A first labeled dataset and a first unlabeled dataset are generated from the training dataset based on the first clean probabilities. The first network is trained based on the first labeled dataset and first unlabeled dataset to update parameters of the first network.

The remarkable success in training deep neural networks (DNNs) is largely attributed to the collection of large datasets with human annotated labels. However, it is extremely expensive and time-consuming to label extensive data with high-quality annotations. On the other hand, there exist alternative and inexpensive methods for mining large-scale data with labels. However, these alternative and inexpensive methods usually yield samples with noisy labels, and DNNs can easily overfit to noisy labels and results in poor generalization performance.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop systems and methods for improved learning with noisy labels.
In the figures, elements having the same designations have the same or similar functions.

System and method for learning with noisy labels as semi-supervised learning


A partitioned cereal bowl with a region for dry cereal and another for liquid such as milk. A cereal bowl is provided, which precludes cereal from oversoaking, by partitioning it into a dry cereal-holding region and a liquid (milk)-holding region. The cereal-holding region is sloped in order to facilitate a sliding or scooping transfer of its contents over the partition and into the liquid-holding region. The base of the liquid-holding region is troughed in order to facilitate removal of all the liquid or cereal contained therein. Two embodiments exist to the invention, a first having a cereal region sloped base which descends to the partition from about the rim of the bowl and, an alternate version, in which the cereal region's sloped base ascends from near the bottom of the bowl to the crest of the partition. The basic concept of use is to maintain the dry cereal in set-apart fashion from the liquid contents until just prior to consumption when the consumer may moisten the cereal by scooping or sliding over a desired amount into the liquid.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dinnerware and, in particular, to bowl and basin type dinnerware used for segregated confinement of dry cereal from liquids, such as milk, that are used for moistening the cereal. The invention is noteworthy in that this type of cereal bowl has, as its predominant quality, the ability to maintain dry breakfast cereal in a fresh, crisp state until just before immersion in the moistening fluid so that subsequent portionwise consumption will not render remaining cereal portions soggy and unpalatable.
2. Disclosure of Relevant Art
A compartment plate or platter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,595,356, issued on Aug. 10, 1926. The patent teaches a multi-compartmented tray, plate or platter, in which various foods, generally of a solid or amorphous nature, are placed into the separate compartments which serve to segregate the foods precedent to consumption. Within the array of sections or compartments, there is disclosed a solitary compartment, circular in shape, and shallower than the remaining compartments. Patent '356 describes this compartment only as a "a circular commodity receiving space". This space occupies less than 1/10 of the volume of the entire tray and, therefore, could not conceivably serve as a liquid reservoir when one considers that the average consumer of one ounce of dry cereal uses approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid (generally milk). The use of the '356 tray in the manner to be disclosed hereinafter, is simply too tedious.
Yet another disclosure of a bowl device having therein an integral partition means, is U.S. Pat. No. 759,696, issued on May 10, 1904. Although disclosing primarily a wash hand basin, '696 teaches a deep basin segmented by a lower-than-the-rim partition means into two minor basins. The bottoms of the minor basins are arcuate in shape to facilitate a two-handed scooping motion from the outer sides (interior bowl rim) of the minor basin, down towards the arcuate bottoms and up along the partition until the user's hands join at the edges of the palms in a cupping motion. Thus, the teaching of '696 is of a symmetrically partitioned basin which facilitates the use of one's hands in cupping water from the basin and drawing it towards the user (seemingly, the user's face). The symmetrical design of this basin is not suitable for my purposes. First, it is not convenient to pass one of the minor basin's contents to the other minor basin. In the movement of dry contents (cereal) to the liquid, one would be relegated to transferring it up and over the partition, one spoonful at time. Also, '696 teaches a spout along one portion of the bowl rim coextensive the center line of the partition. The purpose of the spout is, of course, to facilitate emptying the basin. Such a device in my invention would be nonutilitarian and too costly to incorporate. Furthermore, I have designed means by which the user of my invention might readily "spoon up" the remaining liquid in the bowl without resorting to the need for lifting the bowl to his or her lips. Such a facility is extremely functional when one considers that my bowl would find great use in restaurants or in public eating places. Oftentimes, milk is allowed to remain and be discarded (in restaurants) simply because the consumer does not wish to consume the remaining contents of cereal and milk as is done in the privacy of one's own home.
An eviscerating and inspection pan disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,837,535 comes the closest to a partitioned device having some of the nominal features that I have conceived of for my partitioned cereal bowl. The pan or tray of '535 comprises two sections, one for holding a fowl and the other, contiguous with the first, for receiving the entrails of the fowl as it is eviscerated. However, my requirements cannot reasonably be satisfied by such a device and conforming it to my needs would destroy its fitness for its designed purpose.
After an exhaustive study of current catalogues and department store wares, and an additional search in the United States Patent Office, I have concluded that a device such as my instant creation does not reasonably exist. Conformance of existing cereal bowls to my requirements could not reasonably be accomplished by the consumer and the use of existing art forms to accomplish my purpose of maintaining crisp cereal in an unmoistened mode just prior to consumption, likewise cannot be done.


The invention concerns the use of a therapeutic composition comprising at least one pyrrolobenzodiazepine derivative combined with fludarabine for treating cancer and more particularly hematological diseases.

Chemotherapy and more particularly, combined chemotherapy on the basis of the combination of agents with different action mechanisms, is today an established therapeutic principle for combating cancer. Thus the combination of different anti-tumour agents can be a way of increasing anti-tumour effectiveness when a synergic effect is shown and/or when a reduction in toxicity is observed.
In the present Application, the expression "pyrrolobenzodiazepine derivative" comprises the product of formula (I)

in which the dotted lines represent a second optional bond between the atoms to which they are attached, and                when a second bond is present between the carbon to which X is attached and the nitrogen atom to which R is attached, then R is absent and X represents hydrogen, or        when there is no second bond between the carbon to which X is attached and the nitrogen atom to which R is attached, then R represents hydrogen and X represents—OH,
and                when a second bond is present between the carbon to which X1 is attached and the nitrogen atom to which R1 is attached, then R1 is absent and X1 represents hydrogen, or        when there is no second bond between the carbon to which X1 is attached and the nitrogen atom to which R1 is attached, then R1 represents hydrogen and X1 represents—OH,
or an addition salt with an acid and/or a solvated form and/or a hydrated form of such a compound, in amorphous or crystalline form, in racemic form or in an optically active form or all combinations of these forms,
and/or any compound which can generate, under physiological conditions, one of the compounds as defined above,
and/or any mixture of some of the compounds or all the compounds listed above.
Another definition of the "pyrrolobenzodiazepine derivative" is as follows: the product of formula (II)

and/or a mono- and/or bis-carbinol formed by adding water or alcohol,
and/or an addition salt with an acid and/or a solvated form and/or a hydrated form,
and/or an addition salt with an acid and/or a solvated form and/or a hydrated form of such a compound, in amorphous or crystalline form, in racemic form or in an optically active form,
and/or any compound which can generate, under physiological conditions, one of the compounds as defined above,
and/or any mixture of some of the compounds or of all the compounds listed above.
Subsequently, the pyrrolobenzodiazepine derivative as defined above, will be referred to as a "PBD derivative". Such a PBD derivative of this type can be prepared according to the method described in WO 00/12508.
Fludarabine (commercially available in France under the trade name Fludara®) is a product for which the principal therapeutic indications are chronic lymphoid cancers such as chronic lymphoid leukaemia and malignant lymphomas.

Therapeutic compositions containing at least one pyrrolobenzodiazepine derivative and fludarabine


Headphones include a headband, an arm portion, a pair of headphone units that respectively retain a speaker, a hinge structure that supports the headphone unit at the arm portion, and an oscillator that vibrates the arm portion. The oscillator is contained in a transducer box and clamped and supported by the arm portion and the headband. A vibration conducting unit connects the arm portion with the headphone unit and conducts vibration of the arm portion to the headphone unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to headphones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent years, headphones wherein an oscillator that generates oscillation in accordance with audio signals is mounted on a hanger have been proposed (cf. patent document No. 1). According to the headphones proposed in the patent document No. 1, vibration generated by the oscillator is conducted to the entire headphones including a band. Therefore, vibration can be conducted to a large area on the head of a user in a balanced manner. In the patent document No. 1, an exemplary application of the headphones with an oscillator is shown where a user enjoys music from an MPEG Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player, or enjoys high quality sound effects of a game.

Headphones with oscillator for vibrating the arm portion


An external prosthetic penile device includes a substantially cylindrical structure having openings at its proximal end and a distal end. The substantially cylindrical structure includes a tubular channel that extends and tapers within the substantially cylindrical structure from the proximal end to the distal end. The tubular channel connects said proximal and distal end openings in a fluid connection. The opening at the proximal end includes a funnel, said funnel having a substantially conical mouth, wherein said substantially conical mouth has a circumference that is adapted to rest substantially against a pubic region surrounding a human's genitals. The circumference is also dimensioned to at least substantially encompass the genitals when the circumference is fitted against the pubic region. The substantially cylindrical structure is configured to resemble a flaccid human penis such that the distal opening corresponds to the external urethral orifice.

The present invention relates to the field of prosthetic penile devices, and in particular, to an external penile prosthetic device that (i) simulates the presence of an actual penis, (ii) allows for urination while standing and (iii) simulates an erected penis thereby allowing sexual intercourse.
A micropenis is defined as a normally structured penis that is below the normal size range for an infant. Normally, the length of a penis of a male newborn ranges between 2.8-4.2 centimeters (cm) with a circumference of 0.9 to 1.3 cm. This measurement is taken by stretching the penis and measuring the penis from its tip to the base thereof. A penis of less than 1.9 cm is usually considered to be a micropenis. Micropenises occur due to hormonal disorders. Specifically, micropenises result where there is an abnormal level of the hormones involved in the development of the sexual organs and typically involves the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus ("Congenital Micropenis: Long-Term Medical, Surgical, and Psychosexual Follow-Up of Individuals Raised Male or Female" Hormone Research (2001) 56, pp. 3-11).
A typical treatment for those born with a micropenis takes place shortly after birth and/or around puberty. Such treatment typically involves hormones to stimulate further penile growth. A more extreme form of treatment that is carried out is a sex reassignment surgery where the micropenis and testes are removed and an artificial vagina is constructed. For adult men having a micropenis, hormonal treatment is not a viable option as by then, such treatment has little or no effect in promoting penile growth. Instead, the adult has to either live with the condition or attempt the more drastic measure of having a sex reassignment surgery, which is more complicated amongst adults.
In the 1990 s, controversy from such sex reassignment surgeries resulted in many hospitals discarding the practice. Poor outcomes were reported in both infants and adults who undergo sex reassignment procedures. Risks included infection, postoperative pain, and dissatisfaction with anticipated results. Studies found that such patients end up requiring more counseling in the long run (Lobe et al, "The complications of surgery for intersex: changing patterns over two decades" (1987) 22 (7) Journal of Pediatric Surgery 651-2).
In addition to the psychological and physical health risks, the financial cost of sex reassignment surgeries is generally prohibitive. For example, the cost of a male having a micropenis undergoing a sex reassignment surgery to become a female is estimated to cost up to US$25,000. With the decline of surgery as an option, many of those having the condition of micropenises have simply elected to lead their lives as best they can. In this regard, the micropenis condition can have a profound impact on a man's self-esteem. In particular, those having a micropenis find the practice of urinating while standing to be an almost impossible task. Accordingly, such persons with micropenises began to turn increasingly to prosthetic or artificial penises to overcome what is considered primarily to be an issue of self-esteem.
As mentioned, the cost of sex reassignment surgeries is prohibitively expensive. The same applies for females undergoing a sex reassignment surgery to become a male. For such females, the cost of a sex reassignment surgery is even more prohibitive with estimates hitting as high as US$50,000. One of the reasons for the substantially higher cost is largely due to the difficulty in surgically constructing a penis, a process known as phalloplasty. A major step in phalloplasty is the lengthening of the urethra. Common complications that arise during this step include as follows:                Urinary fistula (hole) requiring perineal urethrostomy;        Urinary fistula (hole) with conservative treatment;        Urinary retention (from stenosis or narrowing of the new urethra);        (Erectile) prosthesis change (from complications); and        (Erectile) prosthesis explantation (removal of the prosthesis without replacement).
Apart from the above complications, it is reported that on average, 25% of post-op patients (women who underwent a sex reassignment surgery to become men) suffered from one or more of the following complications:                Loss of the phallus from either disease or blood supply issues;        Cephalic vein thrombosis (blood clot);        Arterial ischaemia (shortage of blood supply);        Infection;        Distal limited necrosis (death of parts of the penis); and        Haematoma (bruising).
In view of the above, another group of individuals who are also reliant on artificial penises are transsexuals or transgendered persons (hereafter in this context collectively referred to as "transsexuals") who are unable, either due to medical or financial reasons, to undergo a complete or successful sex reassignment procedure that includes phalloplasty.
Both the above-mentioned groups, i.e. those having micropenises and transsexuals, essentially either do not have a male reproductive organ or have one that is perceived to be insufficient. In relying on artificial or prosthetic penile devices, the aforesaid groups require a device that is capable of satisfying the following requirements:                i. Creating a visual presence, i.e. a forming a sufficient bulge in a person's attire to give the impression that said person is sexually well-endowed (referred to hereafter as "packing");        ii. Allowing for urination while standing; and        iii. Being capable of performing sexual intercourse.Apart from the above requirements, in view of the possible risks that can arise from surgery, a solution that is non-invasive is also preferable.
Presently there are many prosthetic penile devices commercially available. United States patent application US2006/0063971A1 ("the '971 Application") discloses a prosthetic penile device. However, the purpose of the prosthetic penile device disclosed herein is solely for the purpose of enhancing the sexual stimulation during intercourse [see paragraph 6, '971 Application]. There is no mention made of the prosthetic penile attachment permitting any urinary function, nor is the prosthetic penile attachment disclosed as being intended for everyday use to provide a "packing" function.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,970 ("the '970 Patent") discloses an external penile prosthetic adapted to be worn on the groin and pubic areas of a user. The users include the following groups of persons:                i. Those who can have an erection but nevertheless feel that their penises are not sufficiently large,        ii. Those who have partial erections,        iii. Those who cannot obtain any erection at all, and        iv. Those who do not have a penis at all.The default position of the device disclosed in this patent is that of an erect human penis (see column 4, lines 28-33, '970 Patent). Accordingly, this external penile prosthetic device, as with the previously discussed prosthetic penis, only serves to enhance the sexual stimulation during intercourse and does not provide any means for aiding in urination nor is it suited for everyday use given its default erect position.
Finally, a PCT application published as WO2010/079795A1 ("the '795 Application") discloses a prosthetic penis that bears an appearance similar to that of a male reproductive organ. The published specification is in the Japanese language. However, according to an English translation of the abstract, the prosthetic penis is meant for persons "having no male sex organs" and as such, the prosthetic penis is intended to "sufficiently fulfil the original functions of male sex organs." In this regard, it is disclosed that the prosthetic penis includes a urinary tract (designated by reference numeral 8) that runs through the shaft of the penis (designated by reference numeral 4) and that the urinary tract (8) has to be connected to a user's urethral opening. However, there is no mention of the use of the organ for sexual intercourse and furthermore, the connection of the urinary tract (8) to the user's urethral opening may be considered to be at the very least, invasive in nature (see the English abstract, '795 Application). Also, the default erect appearance would preclude this device from being used for any "packing" function.
As can be seen from the solutions reviewed above, apart from WO2010/079795, such solutions concerning artificial or prosthetic penises that have been promulgated are directed towards solving the problem of erectile dysfunction, penile enlargement and further stimulation during intercourse, i.e. problems typically associated with males having regularly sized penises. The solutions discussed above are not directed towards assisting those having a micropenis or a lack of a male sexual organ.
As such, despite the above-mentioned attempts at providing adequate treatment or surgical options to those with micropenises and transsexuals, and despite the multitude of prosthetic penises available, there is still a need for an external prosthetic penile device that provides adequate packing, allows for urination to take place while standing up; and caters for the performance of sexual intercourse. In addition, there is also a need for such a device that is non-invasive, comfortable to wear, easy to use and cost-effective to produce. In this respect, an external prosthetic penile device, as defined in the claims appended below, overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties.


A foldable chair having a cup holder. The foldable chair comprises a leg assembly, a seat cloth, and a cup holder. The cup holder being a bag made of fabric or cloth is collapsible. By affixing the cup holder to the edge of the seat cloth, it provides a convenient place for holding a cup or a can. For a foldable chair having a pair of armrests, the cup holder can be integrated into the armrest through an opening formed on the armrest. A flap is provided to cover the opening.

Foldable chairs are very popular in recent years. People who love outdoor activities such as camping and watching outdoor sport games usually carry foldable chairs with them. Foldable chairs of various designs have been manufactured for easy porting and carrying around outdoors.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a foldable chair. As shown in FIG. 1, a foldable chair generally has a leg assembly 101 that is foldable or collapsible and a seat cloth 102 formed by a piece of strong fabric such as canvas. The leg assembly has a plurality of leg members pivotedly connected together by pivot pins as well as joined together by joint members. The seat cloth 102 is mounted on the leg assembly 101. The seat cloth and the leg assembly may be extended up to form a back support as well.
The foldable chair provides great convenience for outdoor activities. However, as most people may have experienced, it is very inconvenient when a person sitting outdoors on a foldable chair has to hold a can or cup of drink. People often end up putting the cups or cans on the ground and worry that they may be tipped over or kicked down any time.


An optical recording and reproducing medium has grooves 2 formed along recording tracks and can be recorded and/or reproduced with irradiation of light L having a predetermined wavelength λ. When n assumes a refractive index of a medium extending from a light entrance end face to the grooves 2 of the optical recording and reproducing medium, a phase depth x of this groove 2 satisfies the following inequality:λ/16.14n≦x≦λ/4.99nand a ratio w/p between a width w of the groove 2 and a track pitch p satisfies the following inequality:0.391≦(w/p)≦0.594

Various kinds of disc-like optical discs that can be optically recorded and/or reproduced are now commercially available on the market as optical recording and reproducing mediums. As such optical discs, there are known a read-only optical disc in which embossed pits corresponding to data are formed on a disc substrate in advance, a magneto-optical disc for recording data through the use of magneto-optic effect and a phase change optical disc for recording data through the use of phase change of a recording film.
Of these optical discs, in the writable optical disc such as the magneto-optical disc and the phase change optical disc, it is customary that grooves extending along recording tracks are formed on a disc substrate. "Grooves" are what might be called guide grooves formed along the recording tracks to enable mainly tracking servo to be effected. An opening end between the grooves is referred to as a "land".
In the optical disc having the grooves formed thereon, tracking servo is effected in response to a tracking error signal based upon a push-pull signal obtained from light that had been reflected and diffracted on the grooves. The push-pull signal is obtained from two photodetectors when the two photodetectors symmetrically located at the center of track, for example, detect light reflected and diffracted on the grooves to calculate a difference between the outputs from the two photodetectors.
In these optical discs, high recording density has been achieved so far by increasing reproduction resolution of an optical pick-up mounted on a reproducing apparatus. From an optics standpoint, the reproduction resolution of the optical pick-up has been improved by shortening a wavelength λ of laser light for use in reproducing data or by increasing a numerical aperture NA of an objective lens for use in focusing laser light on the optical disc.
In the respective formats of a so-called write once CD-R of CD (Compact Disc), a rewritable DVD-R of magneto-optical disc, a write once DVD-R of DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and a rewritable DVD-RW of DVD (the above-mentioned disc names are all registered trademarks of optical discs), a groove recording format for recording data on the groove has been proposed so far. In the respective formats of magneto-optical discs conforming to the ISO system, a land recording format for recording data on the land has been proposed so far.
On the other hand, in the DVD-RAM (Random Access Memory) and so on, as a method for realizing a high-density optical disc, there has been proposed so far a land groove recording system in which track density can be increased twice as high as that of the prior art by recording data on both of the grooves and the lands.
High-density optical discs such as a DVR (Digital Video Recordable) that have been developed as next-generation optical discs in recent years and a so-called μ (micro) Disc which is a miniaturized MD whose disk diameter is reduced use the land groove recording system. FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of the proposed format of the land groove recording system in which a groove 2 wobbles, i.e. winds in synchronism with the adjacent groove 2. Reference numeral 9 denotes a land. This wobble signal generates a clock and is for use as a synchronizing signal and the like. Data information is recorded on the lands 9 and the grooves 2 and hence recording density twice as high as that of the prior art can be achieved.
However, when the optical disc such as the DVD-RAM uses the land groove recording system, if the focal points are not properly adjusted in the land recording and the groove recording upon recording and playback, respectively, then optimum optical recording and reproducing characteristics will not be obtained. There is presented a defect that an optical system will become complicated in structure.
As is reported in "ISOM 2000 Simulation Of Heat Generation And Conduction On Land/Groove Disc" in which recording beam shapes differ from each other in the land recording and in the groove recording, it is difficult to make the land recording and reproducing characteristic and the groove recording and reproducing characteristic become uniform. As a result, a problem arises in which the same optical recording and reproducing medium cannot avoid the regions which are different from each other in recording and reproducing characteristic.
Furthermore, we have experimental results in which while the high-density optical disc such as the DVR has a satisfactory recording and reproducing characteristic on the side near the read-out surface, i.e. in the case of the DVR, on the land near the side irradiated with light, it is difficult to hold a satisfactory recording and reproducing characteristic on the side distant from the read-out surface, i.e. in the case of the DVR, on the groove distant from the side irradiated with light.
While the optical disk such as a DVD-ROM (Read Only Memory) disk is able to directly record a signal by this land groove recording system format in the present situation, there is a demand for making recording and reproducing characteristics become satisfactory and uniform in the land recording and in the groove recording.
However, in the high-density optical disk such as the DVR, since the groove portions are distant from the read-out surface as described above, it is difficult to make the recording and reproducing characteristic on the groove portion become satisfactory.
On the other hand, in the manufacturing process of the optical recording and reproducing medium, there can be considered a manufacturing method for manufacturing an optical recording and reproducing medium by inverting concave and convex patterns formed on a disc substrate. Specifically, in the ordinary manufacturing process of the optical recording and reproducing medium, after very small concave and convex patterns had been formed on a photosensitive layer on a glass master by a suitable method such as photolithography, a master stamper made of Ni, for example, is formed by a suitable means such as plating.
Then, by an injection molding method for injection-molding this master stamper set on a mold and so on or by a so-called 2P (Photo-Polymerization) method for forming target concave and convex patterns by pressing the stamper against a resin layer obtained after a ultraviolet-curing resin had been coated on a disc substrate, it is possible to form an optical recording and reproducing medium substrate in which predetermined very small concave and convex patterns had been formed on the substrate.
Therefore, as described above, when the groove portions are formed on the side distant from the read-out surface so that satisfactory recording and reproducing characteristics cannot be held, a duplicate stamper of the above-mentioned master stamper, i.e. mother stamper is transferred and formed by a suitable method such as electroplating, whereby concave and convex patterns are inverted and groove patterns are formed on the disc substrate at its side near the read-out side to improve recording and reproducing characteristics.
However, when the optical disc uses the groove recording format or the land recording format, if high recording density similar to that obtained by the land groove recording format is achieved, then track density twice as high as track density obtained by the land groove recording format should be achieved, i.e. track pitch should be halved so that an amplitude amount of a tracking servo signal such as a push-pull signal is caused to decrease. As a result, stable tracking servo becomes difficult and reproduction of a wobble signal becomes also difficult.
In the land groove recording format, for example, a track pitch is 0.60 μm, i.e. a land width is 0.30 μm and a groove width is 0.30 μm, whereby an amplitude of a push-pull signal is approximately 90%.
However, when similar recording density is achieved by the groove recording format, if the track pitch is selected to be 0.32 μm, then the amplitude of the push-pulls signal is approximately 18%.
In the conventional optical disc, when the track pitch is selected to be approximately twice to ⅔ times the track pitch corresponding to a cut-off frequency of an optical pick-up of a reproducing apparatus, stable tracking servo can be realized and reproduction of a stable wobble signal can be realized, whereby an amplitude of a tracking servo signal can be obtained as sufficient level.
A cut-off frequency is a frequency at which an amplitude of a reproduced signal becomes approximately zero. When λ assumes a wavelength of laser light for use in reproducing data and NA assumes a numerical aperture of an objective lens for focusing laser light on the optical disk, the cut-off frequency is expressed as 2NA/λ.
In the case of the above-mentioned DVR, since the numerical aperture NA=0.85 and the reproduced light wavelength λ=406 nm, the cut-off frequency (2NA/λ) is expressed as 4187/mm and a corresponding track pitch is obtained as 0.239 μm.
If the track pitch of the DVR is selected to be 0.32 μm, then a resultant track pitch becomes approximately 4/3 (0.32/0.239 is nearly equal to 1.339) so that a sufficient tracking servo signal amplitude, i.e. sufficient push-pull signal amplitude cannot be obtained.
While the recent high-density optical disk uses a push-pull signal as a tracking error signal, in order to carry out tracking servo stably, a push-pull signal amplitude ratio should be large sufficiently. For example, a push-pull signal amplitude ratio should be selected to be approximately larger than 0.14 by a means such as adjustment of focus position for maximizing a push-pull signal amplitude. Furthermore, it is also requested that a wobble signal should be reproduced stably.

Optical recording/reproducing medium, mother stamper for producing optical recording/reproducing medium and optical recording/reproducing device


A golf cart includes a seat that can be adjusted in several planes whereby an ambulatory disadvantaged golfer can safely operate the golf cart by himself and can be supported in a position to execute a golf shot. The golf cart positions the golfer so that his or her golf swing will not be inhibited by the golf cart and the golfer can adjust his stance to accommodate various terrains and golf club lengths. The golf cart has the steering wheel on the right hand side and the seat swings 90.degree. from a forward facing driving orientation into a sideways facing playing orientation, then adjusts up or down, moves forward, and tilts to keep the golfer's legs and feet out of the way of the golf swing. Safety systems prevent movement of the seat when the cart is in motion and prevent movement of the cart when the seat is not in the driving orientation, and the cart braking and accelerator systems are operated using a single hand lever.

Today, many people enjoy extremely active lives even though they depend on a wheelchair or some other form of assistance to move about. As used herein, the term "ambulatory disadvantaged" will refer to such disadvantaged persons. These people have learned that their disadvantage need not prevent them from engaging in most, if not all, activities. These activities often include sports, such as golf.
Ambulatory disadvantaged persons generally require a golf cart to participate in that sport. However, golf carts have heretofore been designed for use by those having full use of their legs. That is, in order to use a golf cart, one has to climb out of the cart, play the golf shot and then climb back into the cart. Once in the cart, most golf carts require a user to operate foot pedals, for braking and/or acceleration, or the like, thereby requiring the use of one's legs. These requirements are not appropriate for all ambulatory disadvantaged persons.
Therefore, there is a need for a golf cart that will permit an ambulatory disadvantaged person to participate in the sport of golf. However, as can be understood from the above discussion, merely assisting the user in entering or leaving the golf cart is not sufficient for all these individuals. Some such individuals may need support while they are executing a golf shot. Further, mere support may not be sufficient for all those who wish to play golf. If the support, in some way, inhibits or prevents the person from playing to his or her full potential, such support may frustrate the golfer. Therefore, there is a more specific need for a golf cart that can support an ambulatory disadvantaged golfer while he or she executes a golf shot, but provides such support in a manner that does not interfere with the execution of the golf shot. Still further, in this vein, if the golf cart does not permit the golfer to alter his or her swing or stance to account for the terrain, such as a sidehill lie or the like, then the golfer will be prevented from playing as well as he or she can play and may frustrate that golfer. Therefore, there is a more specific need for such a golf cart that can permit the golfer to adjust his or her swing and stance to various terrain as well as to various golf club lengths.
Thus, there is a need for a golf cart that can support a disadvantaged person while he or she is executing a golf shot as well as assist that person in entering and leaving the golf cart.
Still further, many such persons may want the option of playing golf alone. However, as mentioned above, most golf carts do not permit this due to requirements of controlling and operating the cart using one's legs and/or feet. Therefore, there is a need for a special golf cart that will permit an ambulatory disadvantaged person to operate and control that cart, yet to be supported while he or she executes a golf shot.
Of course, safety in operating any golf cart must be of concern. This is especially so for a special golf cart used by ambulatory disadvantaged person since that person will have to complete many more operations to execute a golf shot than other persons who are not similarly disadvantaged, and may be located so that he or she can not quickly set an emergency brake if the cart somehow begins to move while he or she is executing a golf shot.
Since all people are different, and each has his or her own preferences with regard to comfort, to be commercially successful, a golf cart should be able to accommodate such variations. This requirement applies to a golf cart that is intended for use by disadvantaged persons as well as other golfers. Therefore, there is a need for a golf cart that will be used by disadvantaged golfers and which can be modified by each user to suit his or her particular needs and desires with regard to comfort.

Golf cart for ambulatory disadvantaged golfers


A method for diagnosing decreased vascular function is disclosed. The method includes assaying the number of endothelial progenitor cells. A method for detecting increased cardiovascular risk is also disclosed, as is a method for diagnosing atherosclerosis. In one example, the methods include assaying the number of endothelial progenitor cells. A method for treating a subject with decreased vascular function is disclosed. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of endothelial progenitor cells to the subject. In one embodiment, the subject has atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular disease is a major health risk throughout the industrialized world. Atherosclerosis, the most prevalent of cardiovascular diseases, is the principal cause of heart attack, stroke, and gangrene of the extremities. It is also the principal cause of death in the United States.
Atherosclerosis is a complex disease involving many cell types and molecular factors (for review, see Ross, Nature 362:801-809, 1993). The process is believed to occur as a response to insults to the endothelial cell layer that lines the wall of the artery. The process includes the formation of fibrofatty and fibrous lesions or plaques, preceded and accompanied by inflammation. The advanced lesions of atherosclerosis may occlude an artery, and result from an excessive inflammatory-fibroproliferative response to numerous different forms of insult. For example, shear stresses are thought to be responsible for the frequent occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques in regions of the circulatory system where turbulent blood flow occurs, such as branch points and irregular structures.
The first event that is observed in the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque occurs when blood-borne monocytes adhere to the vascular endothelial layer and transmigrate through to the sub-endothelial space. Adjacent endothelial cells at the same time produce oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL). These oxidized LDL's are then taken up in large amounts by the monocytes through scavenger receptors expressed on their surfaces. In contrast to the regulated pathway by which native LDL (nLDL) is taken up by nLDL specific receptors, the scavenger pathway of uptake is not regulated by the monocytes.
The lipid-filled monocytes are termed "foam cells," and are the major constituent of the fatty streak. Interactions between foam cells and the endothelial and SMCs which surround them lead to a state of chronic local inflammation which can eventually lead to smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and the formation of a fibrous plaque. Such plaques occlude the blood vessel concerned and restrict the flow of blood, resulting in ischemia.
Ischemia is characterized by a lack of oxygen supply in tissues of organs due to inadequate perfusion. The most common cause of ischemia in the heart is atherosclerotic disease of epicardial coronary arteries. By reducing the lumen of these vessels, atherosclerosis causes an absolute decrease in myocardial perfusion in the basal state or limits appropriate increases in perfusion when the demand for flow is augmented.
The principal surgical approaches to the treatment of ischemic atherosclerosis are bypass grafting, endarterectomy, and percutaneous translumenal angioplasty (PCTA). The latter approach often fails due to restenosis, in which the occlusions recur and often become even worse. This is estimated to occur at an extraordinarily high (30-50%) rate. It appears that much of the restenosis is due to further inflammation, smooth muscle accumulation, and thrombosis. Thus, there remains a need for methods to diagnose and/or treat atherosclerosis.

Method for diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A search engine server supports crawling of third party servers communicatively coupled to the search engine server to gather vectors to web content, wherein the search engine server delivers a report to registered creative work owners by identifying vectors to web content that contain similarities to their works and by providing protection to the copyrighted creative works. The search engine server has components that identify similarities to the works of the registered owners of the creative works and provide protection by reporting to the registered owners as well as host third party servers, in case of textual, image, audio and video creative works. This service is an added value based service of the search engine server to the registered owners of the creative works upon service charge basis. The search engine server also provides additional services that include reporting to the host third party servers that contain web content having similarities to that of creative works of registered owners and assisting the third party servers to delete the content upon consideration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to Internet infrastructures; and, more particularly, to search engines.
2. Related Art
The frequent use of search engines by users of business, commercial, scientific and other professional organizations and home users to identify web links of web sites that provide information related to a keyword has made them one of the most widely used tools for accessing content of the Internet. They make the Internet far more useful to the users and have contributed to the growth of the Internet enormously. Many search engines provide additional services to the users besides searching for web pages, images, audio and video recordings. For example, some search engines provide services such as providing headlines of news, providing access to news item links from various political, business, scientific, and other professional reporting services.
Many third party servers provide services that allow users to post family audio, video, text and images anonymously or by registration and allow public to download or view these posted content. That is, these third party servers are specifically set up for public viewing, access and download. But some of the media stored and served thereby is copyrighted and belongs to respective owners. However, owners are not in a position to identify who is posting their copyrighted material and where it is posted.
Such posting can happen from anywhere around the world. The servers who accept these posting often do not know who posts what, except if specifically informed so. These servers enable unwittingly millions of people to be violators of copyright laws. Copyright owners spend tens of thousands of dollars to find out who posted their material, and may still not be successful. And if this occurs too often, it becomes extremely hard to follow these activities. To take this on is a huge job and the owners get very little in return. Many servers that accept posting of material have in principle mechanisms involved to erase these materials from their sites, but they don't work efficiently, and need to be monitored constantly. For example, the users may provide feedback regarding copyrighted material and the third party servers may delete them upon consideration.
In addition, many other minor web sites post unauthorized copyrighted audio, video, text, and image content that are extremely hard to identify. These web sites allow downloading and viewing of the content, making copyright owners face huge losses in return. The copyright owners are not in a position to identify these users, delete content from these major or minor web sites, or take any action against them because of the complexities and difficulties involved in such works.
These and other limitations and deficiencies associated with the related art may be more fully appreciated by those skilled in the art after comparing such related art with various aspects of the present invention as set forth herein with reference to the figures.


An HDD parking ramp is disclosed and includes a guide portion having an inclined surface adapted to receive a lift tab associated with an actuator mounting a read/write head during an unloading/parking operation, and a parking surface adapted to accommodate the lift tab at the completion of the unloading/parking operation, an installation support portion fixed in the HDD and adapted to support the guide portion, and a vertically adjustable driving device provided between the guide portion and the installation support portion and adapted to position the guide portion at a first vertical height relative to the installation support and a second vertical height greater than the first vertical height.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a parking ramp for a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). More particularly, the invention relates to a parking ramp providing sufficient driving margin during an unloading operation to minimize the area allocated on a disk for the parking ramp.
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0124374, filed on Dec. 16, 2005, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hard disk drives (HDDs) are commonly used within various host devices, such as personal computers (PCs), as data storage devices. In general operation, HDDs allow data to be written to and read from recording medium (e.g., a disk having a surface subject to variation in its magnetic properties) using a magnetic read/write head. Data is stored on conventional disks in terms of bits per inch (BPI)—a recording density defined in relation to the disk's rotational direction, and tracks per inch (TPI)—a recording density defined in relation to the disk's radial direction. Significant research and development efforts are currently being expended to increase data recording density according to both of these definitions. Additionally, commercial demands are motivating the design and manufacture of increasingly small HDDs. The miniaturization of HDDs, together with demands for higher data recording densities, require ever finer and more precise mechanisms within HDD structures. These demands also necessitate the efficient use of available disk space.
The read/write head within the HDD is typically moved over the recording surface of the disk using an actuator. As the HDD operates, the disk rotates at a constant speed and the read/write head floats at a predetermined height over the surface of the rotating disk. In this state, the read/write head is moved to a desired position during a read/write operation by the actuator. However, when power to the HDD is interrupted (e.g., turned OFF), the read/write head must be withdrawn from over the recording surface of the disk before it can be placed in a resting state. This type of operation is commonly referred to as an unloading/parking operation, as the read/write head is unloaded from the recording surface of the disk and safely parked in a designated location. Parking of the read/write head is usually accomplished in relation to a so-called parking ramp—a structure and/or location adapted to receive a parked read/write head.
The apparently simple task of parking a read/write head is actually fairly involved. As the disk rotates, a predetermined volume of air flow over the surface of the disk induces a pressure difference which tends to move the read/write head towards the disk surface. This downward pressure is balanced by a mechanical spring force (loading) imparted by a suspension supporting the head. When power is no longer applied to the HDD and the disk stops rotating, the combined forces that cooperate to precisely float and position the read/write head over the recording surface of the disk must be altered to rapidly move the read/write head into a parked position.
The parking ramp structure has long been used to help facilitate the unloading/parking operation. Parking ramps have a ramped (or inclined) profile adapted to receive a read/write head. The shape and size of the parking ramp must be carefully designed in relation an available driving margin applied to the actuator during an unloading/parking operation. That is, as the inclination of a parking ramp's inclined surface decreases, the driving margin for the unloading/parking operation is generally improved. Providing a larger voice coil motor to drive the actuator during an unloading/parking operation is another way of increasing driving margin.
However, as ever more compact HDDs are developed for mobile use, ones ability to provide larger voice coil motors and longer, less steeply inclined parking ramps become very restricted. There simple isn't enough room within the HDD. This restriction presents a real problem as relatively steep inclinations for the parking ramp and limited driving margin may result is situations where the read/write head can not be moved completely off the recording surface of the disk. This is particularly true since smaller HDDs have smaller disks. As a result, disks must often be provided with relatively large safe zones adapted to receive contact from a "parked" read/write head. This safe zone area may not be used to record data and the storage capacity of the HDD is restricted.


A closed system for gaining sellable petroleum coke pieces out of solidified petroleum coke in a coke drum unit, comprises a coke drum unit containing solidified petroleum coke; a coke crushing unit for crushing petroleum coke into sellable petroleum coke pieces; a closed slurry pipe leading petroleum coke slurry to a closed slurry pit; a dewatering bin unit for receiving petroleum coke slurry from the slurry pit, for collecting the sellable petroleum coke pieces and for leading filtered water and petroleum coke fines out of it; a closed drain water pit, separate from the slurry pit, for receiving the filtered water and the petroleum coke fines from the dewatering bin unit; a water settling tank receiving the filtered water and the petroleum coke from the drain water pit and for separating the petroleum coke fines from the water such that the petroleum coke fines collect in the bottom part of the water settling tank, and for leading the petroleum coke fines into the slurry pit where they mix with the petroleum coke slurry; a clean water tank for receiving the purified water from the upper part of the water settling tank; and a removal unit for removing the sellable petroleum coke pieces from the dewatering bin unit.

Closed coke slurry system and method for gaining sellable petroleum coke pieces out of solidified petroleum coke in a coke drum unit
The invention relates to a closed system and method for gaining sellable petroleum coke pieces out of solidified petroleum coke in a coke drum unit.
Petroleum coke is produced through a thermal cracking process as part of the hydrocarbon processing industry. Oily residue streams are heated up in a furnace coil and routed into a coke drum. The furnace effluent composition bonding breaks into light hydrocarbons and ultimately in solidified petrol coke. The light hydrocarbons will be sent into refinery downstream units for further processing.
The produced petroleum coke fills the coke drum from bottom to top continuously. As soon as one coke drum has been filled up, the oily residue will be switched to another empty coke drum.
In order to remove the solidified petroleum coke from the full coke drums, traditionally the so-called pit/pad-system is applied. The pit/pad-system comprises a large open concrete floor in front of the coke drums. The coke is cut out of the coke drum at high temperatures by means of high pressure cutting water, and the coke chunks together with the cutting water is gushed onto a pit floor. Entrainment water flows sideways through a labyrinth, and drain water is pumped into settling and subsequent clean water tanks for recycling. The coke chunks pile up and rest in the pit/pad, until they are taken out of it and fed to a crusher located nearby by means of manually operated overhead cranes or manually operated front loaders. The broken coke pieces are then conveyed to the loading facilities.
A coker with such pit/pad system comprises huge steam clouds engulfing the coker unit, that can be seen from great distances.
Such pit/pad system has a high impact to the atmosphere, since a large amount of steam polluted with coke fines discharges into the atmosphere. The steam contains hydrocarbons, coke dust and aerosols. This causes health problems to the operational and maintenance personnel, especially if they have been exposed to such pit/pad system over a long time. Further, such pit/pad system requires a substantial amount of manual work, especially for operating the overhead cranes or the front loaders, for coke crushing and sludge handling.


When an upper reference voltage is erroneously reduced below a normal value in a subranging A-D converter, a resistance block of a ladder resistance having a voltage lower than a proper one is selected and a lower reference voltage is necessarily reduced below an analog input voltage, so that all outputs of lower bits go high. Namely, a region (B1) where a current flowing to a comparator becomes constant without depending on the value of an analog input voltage (Vin) appears. Presence of abnormality can be determined by detecting this. Thus, a functional test or a static linearity test of an A-D converter cell is made while remarkably reducing the number of external test terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of testing an A-D converter having a comparator.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 37 is a block diagram for illustrating a conventional technique of making a functional test of an A-D converter cell which is stored in an analog-digital combinational LSI, and FIG. 38 is a flow chart showing the method of the functional test.
Referring to FIG. 37, the analog-digital combinational LSI 12 stores an A-D converter cell 10 and a logic circuit 11. An analog circuit of the A-D converter cell 10 is supplied with a potential AVdd from a first power source 13 through an analog source terminal 1. On the other hand, a digital circuit of the A-D converter cell 10 and the logic circuit 11 are supplied with a potential DVdd from a second power source 14 through a digital source terminal 2.
In a ladder resistance in the A-D converter cell 10, points to be supplied with the highest and lowest potentials are supplied with potentials VRT and VRB from third and fourth power sources 15 and 16 through upper and lower reference source terminals 3 and 4 respectively.
The A-D converter cell 10 is supplied with an analog input voltage Vin from an analog source 17 through an analog voltage input terminal 5. Digital outputs obtained from the A-D converter cell 10 are supplied to the logic circuit 11, as well as to a data analyzer 19 through external test terminals 7 for executing a functional test. A computer 20 reads the digital output signals which are incorporated in a memory of the data analyzer 19, and performs arithmetic processing through an N-bit binary code signal line 21. For convenience of illustration, it is assumed here that the A-D converter cell 10 outputs 10-bit signals, and hence N=10. Therefore, the external test terminals 7 includes 10 terminals 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h, 7i and 7j.
The logic circuit 11 performs prescribed processing on the digital outputs obtained from the A-D converter cell 10 and supplies the same to a digital input/output terminal 9.
Further, the A-D converter cell 10 is connected to the ground 8, and supplied with a sampling clock for the A-D converter cell 10 and a clock to be supplied to the logic circuit 11 from a clock source 18 through a clock terminal 6.
As shown in FIG. 38, the first to fourth power sources 13 to 16 are turned on so that the potentials AVdd, DVdd, VRT and VRB are applied to the analog source terminal 1, the digital source terminal 2, the upper reference source terminal 3 and the lower reference source terminal 4 respectively at a step SP1.
At a step SP2, the sampling clock etc. from the clock source 18 are applied to the clock input terminal 6. On the other hand, the resolution of the analog input voltage Vin outputted from the analog source 17 is set at another step SP3.
At a step SP4, the analog input voltage Vin is stepwise supplied to the analog input voltage terminal 5 while being gradually increased by the resolution set at the step SP3.
At a step SP5, the digital outputs (binary data) of the A-D converter cell 10 obtained from the external test terminals 7 are stored in the memory of the data analyzer 19.
At a step SP6, the binary data are converted to decimal numbers from the memory of the data analyzer 19 by the computer 20. Nondefectiveness/defectiveness is determined at a step SP7 from the converted results.
FIG. 39 illustrates correspondence between binary codes and decimalized codes converted therefrom. It is assumed here that bits supplied to the external test terminals 7a and 7j are the least and most significant bits LSB and MSB respectively. The values of the decimalized codes are obtained by 7a.times.2.sup.0 +7b.times.2.sup.1 +7c.times.2.sup.2 +7d.times.2.sup.3 +7e.times.2.sup.4 +7f.times.2.sup.5 +7g.times.2.sup.6 +7h.times.2.sup.7 +7i.times.2.sup.8 +7j.times.2.sup.9.
FIG. 40 is a graph showing the relation between the analog input voltage Vin and the decimalized codes in case of a correct A-D converter cell 10. The width of the analog input voltage Vin corresponding to the decimalized codes is constant regardless of the values of the decimalized codes (excluding the decimalized codes of "0" and "1023"), and the decimalized codes are stepwise increased as the analog input voltage Vin is increased. In this case, a determination on nondefectiveness is made at the step SP7.
FIGS. 41 to 43 are graphs showing the relations between analog input voltages Vin and decimalized codes in a case illustrating missing codes. In each of these figures, a decimalized code "5" is missing and not all codes of "0" to "1023" are present. In such case, a determination on defectiveness is made at the step SP7.
As described above, the prior art is adapted to determine whether or not all prescribed values of decimalized codes are present, and hence it is necessary to obtain binary codes from the external test terminal 7. Due to the necessity of providing the external test terminal 7, the chip area of the semiconductor device is increased to increase the package size. Thus, the cost for the semiconductor device is disadvantageously increased.

Method of and apparatus for testing A-D converter with a source current measurement and reduced external test terminals


Techniques are described herein for using improving road safety use case in a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication environment. The techniques include exchanging of vehicle attribute data that include unique information about mounting vehicles, unique identification of medical devices that are in vehicle-to-passenger (V2Pa) communication with the embedded device, and the like. In an embodiment, a receiving vehicle-embedded device correlates the received vehicle attribute data relative to its stored vehicle attribute data and, based upon this correlation, the receiving device implements an adjustment in V2X communication configuration. The adjustment, for example, includes sending alerts to the medical devices, reallocating currently used bandwidth of an accessed shared spectrum to support the V2V communication with an emergency vehicle, etc.

Vehicle communication systems may include vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication software or programs that can facilitate transmission of information from a vehicle to any entity that may affect the vehicle and vice versa. V2X communication software generally resides at least partially in a memory unit of a vehicle's native computing system such as a vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) and enables the vehicle to act as a communication node when communicating with various entities. For example, vehicles can communicate with other vehicles, infrastructures (e.g., traffic lights), passengers and/or pedestrians with mobile devices, networks, and/or so forth. Thus, V2X communication can include components such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communications.
Several innovative automotive use cases using V2X communication have emerged during the last years and many more will come in the following years. Some of the innovative automotive use cases include different safety-related V2X services such as autonomous driving, car platooning, control loss warning, forward collision warning, vehicle status warning, etc. With new features of connected vehicles, the automotive use cases may extend and adjust with continuous developments of these new features.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication assisted medical devices


Vulnerability data is classified as described herein. A finding object is created based on vulnerability data associated with a vulnerability finding and that finding object is populated with property values based on the vulnerability data. Technical owner rules associated with a plurality of technical owners are evaluated based on the property values of the finding object and a technical owner is assigned to the finding object based on the evaluated technical owner rules. Once a technical owner is assigned, the finding object is provided to a governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) module for distribution of the vulnerability finding to the assigned technical owner for remediation. Classification of vulnerability data using the described property values and technical owner rules provides an efficient, accurate, and automated way of distributing vulnerability findings of large, complex code bases to teams for remediation.

Efficient maintenance of large, complex code bases presents substantial challenges to organizations in the face of an enormous quantity and variety of potential security vulnerabilities. New vulnerabilities are discovered frequently, increasing the analysis and effort required in addressing them. Once a potential security vulnerability is known, a code base may be analyzed to identify if the vulnerability is present therein, but additional action must be taken to address and remediate the vulnerability once identified.
When a code base is sufficiently large and responsibility for parts of the code base is distributed across multiple technical owner teams, manually identifying the appropriate responsible technical owner of an identified vulnerability becomes a challenging and time-consuming task. In some cases, the number of identified vulnerabilities over time exceeds the capability of the organization to accurately and promptly distribute the vulnerabilities to the responsible technical owners. As a result, a backlog is of unassigned vulnerabilities is created, resulting in holes in the security of the code base that are not addressed in a timely manner. Secure maintenance of complex, distributed code bases requires a system of handling security vulnerabilities that can keep up with the rate of vulnerability discovery.


The present invention provides a test plate and methods for adjusting fluorescence imaging systems involving using a plate with fluorescent microbeads bound to a surface.

High-content screening ("HCS") has been developed to address the need for more detailed information about the temporal-spatial dynamics of cell constituents and processes, and plays an important role in the use of cell-based screening for identification and validation of drug candidates. High-content screens automate the extraction of fluorescence information derived from specific fluorescence-based reagents incorporated into cells attached to a substrate (Giuliano and Taylor (1995), Curr. Op. Cell Biol. 7:4; Giuliano et al. (1995) Ann. Rev. Biophys. Biomol. Struct. 24:405). Cells are analyzed using an imaging system that can measure spatial as well as temporal dynamics. (Farkas et al. (1993) Ann. Rev. Physiol. 55:785; Giuliano et al. (1990) In Optical Microscopy for Biology. B. Herman and K. Jacobson (eds.), pp. 543-557. Wiley-Liss, New York; Hahn et al (1992) Nature 359:736; Waggoner et al. (1996) Hum. Pathol. 27:494). The concept is to treat each cell as a "well" that has spatial and temporal information on the activities of the labeled constituents.
High-content screens can be performed on either fixed cells, using fluorescently labeled antibodies, biological ligands, and/or nucleic acid hybridization probes, or live cells using multicolor fluorescent indicators and "biosensors." The choice of fixed or live cell screens depends on the specific cell-based assay required. The types of biochemical and molecular information now accessible through fluorescence-based reagents applied to cells include ion concentrations, membrane potential, specific translocations, enzyme activities, gene expression, as well as the presence, amounts and patterns of metabolites, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid sequences (WO 98/38490; DeBiasio et al., (1996) Mol. Biol. Cell. 7:1259; Giuliano et al., (1995) Ann. Rev. Biophys. Biomol. Struct. 24:405; Heim and Tsien, (1996) Curr. Biol. 6:178).
It is important that local differences in the imaging system and software associated with the optics, illumination, geometry of the plate, or other assay-specific parameters, be minimized to ensure reproducibility and value of the information derived from performing HCS.
Currently, there are no tools designed for diagnostics, calibration, or software validation of fluorescence imaging systems that carry out image-based microscopic measurements and analysis. Such a tool is valuable for HCS assays performed on physically attached cells or objects, as well as for general biological research microscopes, defect identification imaging systems (such as polarization microscopes), industrial or commercial particle counting imaging systems (such as particle counters for explosives detection, and spore and pollen detection.
Previous calibration tools have generally been adapted for use with flow cytometers, such as those using suspensions of fluorescent microbeads to calibrate the illumination, alignment, optics and fluidics of the flow cytometer. Other methods have involved the use of uniform fluorescent films. However, such methods only provide information about fluorescent intensity, and provide no information about size, shape, or spatial distribution of the fluorescent signal, and thus do not permit calibration of an imaging system for these types of parameters.
Thus, the existence of a tool that contains spatial information for diagnostics, calibration, or software validation for verifying image analysis and integrated system accuracy and reproducibility is needed in the art. Instrument calibration is especially important in live cell applications, since slight differences in illumination can have a tremendous impact in the performance of the assay, due to phototoxicity and other issues. An easy-to-use tool for diagnostics, calibration, or software validation would also allow instrument testing prior to each run with automated protocols, and normalization for variability in hardware or software.
A tool in which fluorescent microbeads are bound to a surface would allow absolute reproducibility regarding the actual objects being imaged, such as size, shape, and spatial distribution, as well as the exact position on the test plate on which the objects are imaged (X, Y and Z coordinates). Such a tool would be useful for 1) calibrating imaging systems by measuring known input parameters and adjusting the system to normalize or rescale resulting output data; 2) diagnosing whether system operation is within specifications and to solve problems if performance is out of specifications by testing system sub-components; and 3) testing integrated system performance by determining the veracity of output with known input.

Microbead-based test methods for fluorescence imaging systems


An auxiliary table plate device with an elevation adjusting device includes two linkages at two sides; one end of each linkage being connected to an auxiliary table plate; and another end of each linkage being connected to a twisting element; the twisting element rotating as the twisting element is driven by a telescopic pressure pump so as to drive the linkages; thus the auxiliary table plate connected to the linkages rotating to change the elevation of the auxiliary table plate; when the pump stops, the auxiliary table plate being fixed.

Since more and more devices are necessary to be equipped on a table, such a computer and peripherals of the computer. Thereby, the area of a table is insufficient. An auxiliary table plate is equipped to the table.
Conventionally, an auxiliary table plate is telescopically and transversally connected to a main table plate. For example, a keyboard is placed on the auxiliary table plate. In use, the auxiliary table plate is pulled out from the main table plate to be out of the main table plate.
In general, the elevation of the main table plate is adjusted by using an air pressure rod. When a user seats for a long time, the user will feel tired. Thereby, sometimes, the user must stand up to change pose and then works continuously. However, the elevation of the height of the main table plate is finite so as not to match the requirement of the user. Furthermore, the heights of people are different. The auxiliary table plate confined in the main table plate cannot match to the requirement of the user. The user must make himself (or herself) to suit the design of the auxiliary table plate.

Auxiliary table plate device with elevation adjusting device


A die-wafer package includes a singulated semiconductor die having a first plurality of bond pads on a first surface and a second plurality of bond pads on a second opposing surface thereof. Each of the first and second pluralities of bond pads includes an under-bump metallization (UBM) layer. The singulated semiconductor die is disposed on a semiconductor die site of a semiconductor wafer and a first plurality of conductive bumps electrically couples the first plurality of bond pads of the singulated semiconductor die with a first set of bond pads formed on the semiconductor die site. A second plurality of conductive bumps is disposed on a second set of bond pads of the semiconductor die site. A third plurality of conductive bumps is disposed on the singulated semiconductor die's second plurality of bond pads. The second and third pluralities of conductive bumps are configured for electrical interconnection with an external device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the packaging of semiconductor die and, more particularly, to a die-wafer packaging solution including multichip packages, stacked die arrangements and methods related to the fabrication thereof.
2. State of the Art
Higher performance, lower cost, increased miniaturization of components, and greater packaging density of integrated circuits are ongoing goals of the computer industry. Increased integrated circuit density is limited, in large part, by the space or "real estate" available for mounting die on a substrate such as a printed circuit board.
Conventional lead frame designs have been used in the past in the fabrication of multichip packages, but such designs inherently limit package density for a given die size because the die-attach paddle of the lead frame is conventionally larger than the die to which it is bonded. Generally speaking, the larger the die, the less space that remains around the periphery of the die-bonding pad for wire bonding. Furthermore, the wire bonding pads on a conventional lead frame provide anchorage for the leads when the leads and the die are encapsulated in plastic. Therefore, as die size is increased in relation to a given package size, there is a corresponding reduction in the space along the sides of the package for the encapsulating plastic which joins the top and bottom of the plastic body at the mold part line and anchors the leads. Thus, as the leads and encapsulant are subjected to the normal stresses of subsequent forming and assembly operations, the encapsulating plastic may crack, compromising package integrity and substantially increasing the probability of premature device failure.
More recently, chip-on-wafer or chip-on-chip designs have been implemented, using both conventional wire bonding techniques as well as some flip-chip fabrication techniques, in order to increase package density and functionality. Such packages may include the interconnection of different chips used for specific functions within the package. For example, memory chips, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and/or flash memory chips, may be combined with one or more types of logic circuit chips to provide an integrated system.
Such packages may be manufactured so as to provide a package with a relatively small footprint. Generally, such packages consume less surface area on a substrate than two separately packaged semiconductor dice coupled to the same substrate. Additionally, integration of more components into an electronic system generally reduces the cost of the system as well as the overall complexity thereof.
One attempt to provide such a multichip package includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,304, issued May 21, 2002, to Butler. The Butler patent discloses a multichip integrated circuit including a memory chip operatively coupled with a nonmemory chip. Butler teaches that there are reduced levels of capacitance and inductance due to the chip-on-chip interface and, therefore, the resultant integrated circuit can be operated at increased speeds and at reduced levels of power consumption. However, the final package taught by Butler appears to require wire bonds from at least one of the chips to an associated lead frame. As noted above, such an arrangement generally consumes valuable real estate on a carrier substrate or other device to which the package is ultimately mounted. Furthermore, the use of a lead frame and wire bonds may limit the speed of the device for some configurations.
Multichip packages not incorporating lead frames or wire bond connections are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,562, issued Mar. 20, 2001, to Ho et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,308, issued Jul. 4, 2000, to Kelkar et al.
The Ho patent discloses a package including a first die coupled with a second die in a face-to-face arrangement using flip-chip techniques. The input/output (I/O) connections of the first die are coupled with a redistribution layer formed between the two dice. Conductive bumps are formed on the face of the second die around the periphery of the first die and function as I/O connections for the resultant package. A molding material may be disposed about the first die and the conductive bumps to form the resulting package. While providing a multichip package using flip-chip techniques, the requirement of the package I/O connections being located about the periphery of the package outward of the first die's periphery may limit the flexibility in the placement and design of the resulting array of package I/O connections.
The Kelkar patent discloses a chip-on-chip integrated circuit package which includes a first die disposed within a cavity of a substrate. A second die is mounted over the top of the first die and is electrically coupled to I/O connections of the first die as well as to bond pads on the substrate by way of solder balls disposed therebetween. The bond pads of the substrate are electrically coupled to electrical contacts, such as conductive bumps or pins, formed on an opposing surface of the substrate. The first die is attached to the substrate using a die attach material which exhibits a reflow temperature which is substantially the same as the reflow temperature of the solder balls disposed between the second die and the substrate and first die. While allowing more flexibility in configuration and design of the package I/O connections than the package disclosed by Ho, the Kelkar package requires additional materials and procedures in the fabrication thereof. For example, the Kelkar package requires an additional substrate having electrical connections on opposing surfaces thereof as well as connecting circuitry formed between the electrical connections of both surfaces. Furthermore, the resulting package appears to be significantly larger than just the continuation of the two dice because of the requirements of the additional substrate.
Thus, there is a continued desire to provide wafer-level packages providing improved density and functionality while reducing the cost to manufacture and simplifying the associated fabrication processes.

Die-wafer package and method of fabricating same