A method for determining propagation delay differences for conductive lines of an integrated circuit is described. A first path is formed by coupling a first portion of conductive lines together. The first portion is associated with a first region of the integrated circuit. The first path is coupled in a ring oscillator, and a first delay is determined. A second path is formed by coupling a second portion of the conductive lines together. The second portion is the first portion except for at least a first conductive line in the first portion of the conductive lines being swapped for a second conductive line. The second conductive line is associated with a second region of the integrated circuit. The second path is coupled in the ring oscillator circuit. A second delay is determined, and an incremental difference between the first delay and the second delay may be determined.

Programmable logic devices ("PLDs") are a well-known type of integrated circuit that can be programmed to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the field programmable gate array ("FPGA"), typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, input/output blocks ("IOBs"), configurable logic blocks ("CLBs"), dedicated random access memory blocks ("BRAMs"), multipliers, digital signal processing blocks ("DSPs"), processors, clock managers, delay lock loops ("DLLs"), and so forth. Notably, as used herein, "include" and "including" mean including without limitation.
One such FPGA, the Xilinx Virtex™ FPGA, is described in detail in pages 3-75 through 3-96 of the Xilinx 2000 Data Book entitled "The Programmable Logic Data Book 2000" (hereinafter referred to as "the Xilinx Data Book"), published April, 2000, available from Xilinx, Inc., 2100 Logic Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95124. (Xilinx, Inc., owner of the copyright, has no objection to copying these and other pages referenced herein but otherwise reserve all copyright rights whatsoever.)
Another type of PLD is the Complex Programmable Logic Device ("CPLD"). A CPLD includes two or more "function blocks" connected together and to input/output ("I/O") resources by an interconnect switch matrix. Each function block of the CPLD includes a two-level AND/OR structure similar to those used in Programmable Logic Arrays ("PLAs") and Programmable Array Logic ("PAL") devices. Other PLDs are programmed by applying a processing layer, such as a metal layer, that programmably interconnects the various elements on the device. These PLDs are known as mask programmable devices. PLDs can also be implemented in other ways, for example, using fuse or antifuse technology. The terms "PLD" and "programmable logic device" include but are not limited to these exemplary devices, as well as encompassing devices that are only partially programmable.
For purposes of clarity, FPGAs are described below though other types of PLDs may be used. FPGAs may include one or more embedded microprocessors. For example, a microprocessor may be located in an area reserved for it, generally referred to as a "processor block."
Heretofore, performance of a design instantiated in programmably configurable circuitry of an FPGA ("FPGA fabric") as associated with signal propagation delay associated with location of metal lines on a die was determined by forming ring oscillators local to a region of the die between two adjacent rows of CLBs separated by rows of programmable interconnects. This meant that resolution of propagation delay, and thus performance, was determined with at a ring oscillator level. Knowing which interconnect lines have a higher resistance-capacitance as evidenced by a longer propagation delay may be useful in allocating interconnect lines for instantiating a design, or in testing and fault analysis. However, providing a propagation delay measurement with a resolution of a ring oscillator may not be sufficient for some applications where it would be beneficial to characterize propagation delay at various locations on a die with a sub-ring oscillator resolution,
Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to provide means to determine a finer resolution of propagation delay associated with an interconnect line, namely a sub-ring propagation delay resolution.

Method for determining interconnect line performance within an integrated circuit


An electric power distribution system includes a first path through which electric power is supplied from a DC/DC converter to a driven load to be driven in a load group; a second path connected in parallel with the first path and through which electric power is supplied from the battery to the driven load; a third path connected in series with the second path and connecting the DC/DC converter and the battery; a first switching circuit provided in the third path and switched to either ON state or OFF state; and a control unit switching the first switching circuit to either the ON state or the OFF state based on travel route information of a navigation system. The control unit switches the first switching circuit to the ON state according to a peak current of a load current of the driven load derived from the travel route information.

In the related art, an electric power distribution system that supplies electric power from at least one of a DC/DC converter and a battery is mounted on a vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle (EV). The electric power distribution system includes a first path and a second path


A floor lamp tripod stand includes a socket fastened to a support arm of a floor lamp by a tightening up screw, three legs respectively and pivotably connected to said socket by a pivot pin and a clamp for supporting said support arm on a floor, and three locking plates for locking said legs in any of a series of angular positions on said socket relative to said support arm. Each leg has a top end pivoted to a respective pair of symmetrical wings on the socket and a round rod in an oval hole on the top end retained in either of a series of locating notches on each wing by a spring plate and the respective locking plate. Pressing a finger press portion on either locking plate causes the round rod to be moved from one locating notch to another for permitting the respective leg to be adjusted to any of a series of angular positions on the socket relative to the support arm of said floor lamp.

The present invention relates to stands and relates more particularly to a tripod stand for a floor lamp which is easy to manufacture and convenient to assemble and install.
A known floor lamp tripod stand, as shown in FIG. 1, mainly has three connectors 2b fastened to a support arm by a socket 1a and screws 3c to hold three legs (not shown) respectively. However, the use of the screws 3c greatly damages the sense of beauty of the whole assembly; the connectors 2b are complicated to process. The threads of the screws 3c and the screw holes on the connectors 2b and the socket 1a may be damaged easily more particularly after long uses, causing the stand to be unstable. Furthermore, this structure of floor lamp tripod stand is expensive to manufacture and inconvenient to install.


This invention relates to compositions and methods that modulate the movement of cells with migratory capacity. More specifically, the invention relates to compositions and methods for promoting migratory movement, fugetaxis, of cells from a specific site in a subject. The foregoing are useful, inter alia, in the treatment of conditions characterized by a need to promote migratory cell movement away from specific sites in a subject. Specific sites include sites of inflammation, infection, an autoimmune reaction, a tumor and a transplanted organ or tissue.

Cell movement in response to specific stimuli is known to occur in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (Doetsch R N and Seymour W F., 1970; Bailey G B et al., 1985). The cell movements seen in these organisms has traditionally been classified into three types; chemotaxis or the movement of cells along a gradient towards an increasing concentration of a chemical; negative chemotaxis (or "fugetaxis") which has been described as the movement down a gradient of a chemical stimulus and chemokinesis or the increased random movement of cells induced by a chemical agent. The receptors and signal transduction pathways for the actions of specific chemotactically active compounds have been extensively defined in prokaryotic cells. Study of E. coli chemotaxis has revealed that a chemical which attracts the bacteria at some concentrations and conditions may also induce negative chemotaxis or "fugetaxis" at others (Tsang N et al., 1973; Repaske D and Adler J. 1981; Tisa L S and Adler J., 1995; Taylor B L and Johnson M S., 1998).
Identification and characterization of eukaryotic fugetactic polypeptides, and inhibitors thereof, could lead to the development of therapeutic agents having a specialized activity that is useful for regulating migratory cell movement.

Fugetactic proteins, compositions and methods of use


A vehicle deflector assembly includes a first member and second member with at least one of the first and second members secured to an associated vehicle. Both the first and second members extend along a substantial portion of a width of the vehicle. A connecting assembly connects the first and second members together while allowing relative thermal expansive movement therebetween.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle deflector assembly. In one embodiment, the vehicle deflector assembly is mounted to the rear roof portion of a sport utility truck and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the vehicle deflector assembly may relate to other similar environments and applications.
Vehicles having load-carrying beds often suffer from poor air flow dynamics. Typically, this is at least partially caused by the vertical nature of the passenger cabin in these vehicles abutting an open-ended load-carrying bed which is often positioned at a level far below the roof of the passenger cabin. Design constraints further exacerbate or contribute to such airflow problems. For example, it is often desirable to maximize interior passenger cabin space as well as the size of the load-carrying bed. The result of maximizing these portions of the vehicle is the passenger cabin towers over the bed and a substantially vertical wall is utilized between the cabin and the bed. The draft force created by the passenger cabin forward of the load-carrying bed, particularly as the vehicle travels at increasing speeds, becomes turbulent as it flows off the roof and into or over the load-carrying bed.
Another problem with vehicles having load-carrying beds is that they are sometimes viewed as being too "boxy" by their owners and potential purchasers. The abrupt termination of the passenger cabin at the intersection with the load-carrying bed provides limited options for presenting a streamlined appearance along the length of such vehicles. To counter these problems, numerous types of air deflectors (sometimes referred to as spoilers) and cab fairings have been proposed to decrease the draft effect and better direct airflow over the cab. Such devices can additionally reduce air turbulence within the load-carrying bed and protect cargo carried therein, as well as provide vehicles with a more streamlined appearance, considered desirable by many owners and potential purchasers.
Despite the numerous types of air deflectors and fairings available, there remains a need for an air deflector assembly that is relatively easier to assemble during the manufacture of a vehicle with a load-carrying bed. Additional desirable attributes include providing decent airflow dynamics for air flowing over the passenger cabin and entering the load-carrying bed portion of the vehicle and improved aesthetics to the vehicle.


An acquisition unit acquires a classification result obtained by classifying training assistants by performing a cluster analysis based on first rehabilitation data about rehabilitation performed by the trainee by using the rehabilitation support system, the first rehabilitation data including at least assistant data indicating a training assistant and index data indicating a degree of recovery of the trainee. A learning unit generates a learning model, the learning model being configured to input second rehabilitation data including at least the action data indicating an assisting action performed by the training assistant to assist the trainee and output the action data for suggesting a next action to be performed by the training assistant. The learning unit generates the learning model by using, as teacher data, the second rehabilitation data for which pre-processing has been performed based on the classification result.

The present disclosure relates to a learning system, a rehabilitation support system, a method, a program, and a trained model.
Trainees such as patients may use a rehabilitation support system such as a walking training apparatus when they perform rehabilitation. As an example of the walking training apparatus, Japanese Patent No. 6052234 discloses a walking training apparatus including a walking assistance apparatus that is attached to a leg of a trainee and assists the trainee in walking.
In some rehabilitation support systems, when a trainee performs rehabilitation, a training staff member such as a doctor or a physical therapist may attend the rehabilitation as an assistant for the trainee, give encouraging talks to the trainee, give a helping hand to the trainee, and/or perform a setting operation for the rehabilitation support system.

Learning system, rehabilitation support system, method, program, and trained model


The invention relates to a topical composition and in particular a cosmetic composition comprising a saturated and branched C24 to C28 fatty alcohol or fatty acid ester, in particular in the form of an oil at room temperature and of high molecular weight. This composition is non-greasy and glossy and is intended in particular for caring for, treating or making up the skin, both of the human body and face, lips and superficial body growths, such as the hair, eyelashes, eyebrows or nails.

The present invention relates to a cosmetic or dermatological topical composition comprising an ester, preferably of high molecular mass, exhibiting improved sensory properties. This ester is a saturated and branched C24-C28 fatty alcohol or acid ester. Another subject-matter of the invention is the use of this ester in a topical composition intended in particular for caring for, treating or making up the skin, both of the human face and body, lips and keratinous fibres or superficial body growths, such as the hair, eyelashes, eyebrows or nails.
The use is known, in the formulation of cosmetic and dermatological products, of oils with a carbon number of greater than 50 for the purpose of increasing, for example, the gloss of a lipstick, the cohesion and the adhesion of a powder, or the film-forming nature and the emollience of a product for caring for or treating the skin.
From this viewpoint, the formulator has available several types of starting materials, such as:
oily polymers, such as polybutenes, which however can exhibit the disadvantage of being very sticky,
oils of plant origin which are generally oxidizable, which can result in a detrimental change in the cosmetic or dermatological properties of the product, and which also can display a very greasy and sometimes sticky nature on application,
synthetic liquid esters with high molecular masses, such as pentaerythrityl tetra[isostearate] (C77), triisoarachidyl citrate (C66), glyceryl tri[isostearate] (C57) or octyldodecyl stearoylstearate (C56), but which can exhibit the disadvantages of lack of slip on application and of a sticky feel for the esters with the highest molecular masses.
The subject-matter of the present invention is specifically the use of a novel saturated and branched C24 to C28 fatty alcohol or acid ester in a cosmetic composition or for the preparation of a cosmetic or dermatological composition which can overcome these disadvantages.
The inventors have unexpectedly found that specific esters, composed of saturated and branched C24 to C28 fatty alcohols or fatty acids, do not exhibit the abovementioned disadvantages in so far as, despite a high carbon number, they possessed very good sensory properties, in particular in terms of slip during application and of absence of stickiness of the film deposited on the skin, superficial body growths or mucous membranes, such as the lips.
No one until now has disclosed or suggested the use of these esters in a composition for topical application for the purpose of contributing, according to the specific application envisaged, emollience, a film-forming nature, gloss, cohesion and/or adhesion to pulverulent compounds, without, however, contributing a sticky, greasy feel to it, and while improving its spreading and slip properties.
More specifically, the subject-matter of the invention is a topical composition comprising at least one fatty phase, characterized in that this fatty phase comprises at least one saturated and branched fatty alcohol or fatty acid ester, the carbon-comprising chain of the fatty alcohol or acid being saturated and branched and comprising 24 to 28 carbon atoms.
Another subject-matter of the invention is the use of a fatty alcohol or fatty acid ester, the carbon-comprising chain of the acid or of the alcohol of which is saturated and branched and comprises 24 to 28 carbon atoms, in a cosmetic composition or for the preparation of a dermatological composition which is non-sticky, non-greasy and/or glossy when it is applied to the skin, the lips and/or superficial body growths of a human being.
Another subject-matter of the invention is the use of a fatty alcohol or fatty acid ester, the carbon-comprising chain of the acid or of the alcohol of which is saturated and branched and comprises 24 to 28 carbon atoms, in a cosmetic composition or for the preparation of a dermatological composition in order to confer on it an emollient and/or film-forming and/or cohesive and adhesive nature when the composition is in pulverulent form.
The word ester, according to the invention, means a monoester or a polyester, including, e.g., a diester or a triester. Preferably, the polyester comprises at least two branched C24 to C28 chains. The word branched means at least one pendant hydrocarbon-comprising chain comprising in particular from 1 to 14 carbon atoms. Preferably, the pendant chain includes at least four carbon atoms and more preferably, two carbon atoms less than the principal chain. According to the invention, the ester is preferably a polyester, i.e., at least a diester.
The ester of the invention therefore comprises a saturated C24 to C28 fatty acid or fatty alcohol residue, in particular of the Guerbet fatty acid or fatty alcohol type respectively.
The ester of the composition of the invention is preferably an ester which is liquid at room temperature (20-25xc2x0 C.) and which exhibits a high molecular weight, that is to say having a carbon number of greater than 50 and in particular of greater than 70. The advantage of a liquid product, in comparison with a product which is pasty or solid at room temperature, lies in the greater number of its applications and its ease of use. Furthermore, the fact that this ester exhibits a high molecular weight makes it possible to obtain a film-forming composition which is persistent with regard to water, which is much desired for protection products, in particular sun protection products. In addition, this ester can provide a glossy film, which is desired by consumers for certain make-up products, such as nail varnishes and lipsticks. It exhibits, inter alia, a refractive index of greater than 1.45 at 20xc2x0 C. and an iodine number xe2x89xa64.
This ester, despite its high molecular weight, is neither greasy nor heavy nor sticky and confers notable comfort properties on a composition comprising it. This ester is a xe2x80x9ccosmeticxe2x80x9d oil and not a surfactant.
The ester according to the invention is advantageously a liquid, branched C24-C28 fatty acid, such as 2-decyltetradecanoic acid, ester and more especially a polyol, such as glycerol, ester which can be a mono-, di- or triglyceride. This ester is preferably a branched C24-C28 triglyceride of the Guerbet type and in particular a C24 acid, such as 2-decyltetradecanoic acid, triglyceride. Preferably, the polyol is not an ose. Further, the ester is advantageously insoluble in a mixture of water and alcohol.
This triglyceride is, for example, glyceryl tri(2-decyltetradecanoate) sold under the reference DUB TGI 24 by the Company Stxc3xa9arinerie Dubois. This ester exhibits a saponification number of 140 to 150, a refractive index  greater than 1.45 and in particular ranging from 1.454 to 1.459 at 20xc2x0 C., an iodine number xe2x89xa64, a hydroxyl number xe2x89xa630 and an acid number xe2x89xa610. Its carbon number is 75.
Use may also be made of C24 fatty acid esters of pentaerythritol, such as pentaerythrityl tetra(2-decyltetradecanoate) (comprising 101 carbon atoms) sold under the reference DUB PTI 24 by the Company Stxc3xa9arinerie Dubois.
When the alcohol used in combination with the branched C24 to C28 fatty acid is a polyol, the esterification can be partial (and can concern 1, 2, 3 or more OH groups, depending on the alcohol used) or can be total.
Mention may be made, as ester of the invention comprising a fatty alcohol residue with a saturated and branched C24 to C28 chain, of di(decyltetradecyl) dimerates (comprising 84 carbon atoms), such as that sold under the reference DUB DI 24D by the Company Stxc3xa9arinerie Dubois, or decyltetradecyl neopentanoate (comprising 29 carbon atoms) or decyltetradecyl isostearate, sold by the Company Condea under the reference Isofol Ester 2482 (comprising 42 carbon atoms). The dimerates are diacids, generally of a C6 to C24 acid, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and the like.
The ester according to the invention can represent from 0.1 to 99.9% of the weight of the composition, preferably from 1 to 99% and better still from 5 to 90% and can generally be present in an amount sufficient to confer non-greasy, non-sticky, slip and/or gloss properties on the composition.
The sensory properties of the ester according to the invention were demonstrated through a test carried out on a panel of five people using a protocol disclosed in the document EP-A-550779 of the Company Nestlxc3xa9, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein.
The applications of the ester of the invention are numerous and relate to all cosmetic and dermatological products.
The products of the invention can be provided in the form of solid, pasty or liquid compositions which are anhydrous or in the form of emulsions.
Thus, the composition of the invention can be provided in all the dosage forms normally used for topical application, including pharmaceutical dosage forms, and in particular in the form of an oily gel, of an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion, or of a dispersion of oil in water by virtue of vesicles, the vesicles being situated at the oil/water interface. This composition can have the appearance of a cream, of an ointment, of a supple paste, of a salve, of a cast or moulded solid, in particular a stick or dish, or of a compacted solid.
More specifically, the subject-matter of the invention is a lip product comprising a liquid fatty phase comprising at least one ester as defined above.
The composition according to the invention can advantageously be used for treating, making-up or caring for the skin and/or mucous membranes, depending on the nature of the active principles used. In particular, the composition of the invention can be a lipstick stick or a lip gloss which can be used by itself or for application to a lipstick film, in particular in order to enhance its gloss (topcoat). It can also constitute a liquid or solid foundation, a product for combatting rings under the eyes or circles around the eyes, an eyeliner, a mascara, a face powder, an eyeshadow, a nail varnish, a free powder, a product for making up the body or alternatively a sun protection product or a product for caring for or cleansing the skin, such as scrubs. These compositions can additionally comprise cosmetic or dermatological active principles for the purpose, in particular, of contributing a care or treating aspect to the composition. Thus, the composition can comprise vitamins and other lipophilic active principles (lanolin, UVA screening agent) or hydrophilic active principles (moisturizers, such as glycerol).
The composition of the invention can additionally comprise any other ingredient conventionally used in the fields under consideration. In particular, it can comprise a particulate filler which can represent from 0 to 35% of the total weight of the composition, preferably from 0.5 to 20%, and which can comprise pigments and/or pearlescent agents and/or fillers commonly used in cosmetic or dermatological compositions. This filler can result in a coloured, white or colourless composition.
Pigments should be understood as meaning inorganic or organic, white or coloured particles which are insoluble in the liquid fatty phase and which are intended to colour and/or opacify the composition. Fillers should be understood as meaning inorganic or synthetic, lamellar or non-lamellar, colourless or white particles. Pearlescent agents should be understood as meaning iridescent particles, in particular produced by certain molluscs in their shells or else synthesized. These fillers and pearlescent agents are used in particular to modify the texture of the composition.
The pigments can be present in the composition in a proportion ranging from 0.05 to 25% of the weight of the final composition and preferably in a proportion from 2 to 15%. Mention may be made, as inorganic pigments which can be used in the invention, of titanium, zirconium or cerium oxides as well as zinc, iron or chromium oxides and ferric blue. Mention may be made, among organic pigments which can be used in the invention, of carbon black and barium, strontium, calcium (DC Red No.7) or aluminium lakes.
The pearlescent agents can be present in the composition in a proportion ranging from 0 to 20% of the total weight of the composition, preferably at a high level of the order of 1 to 15%. Mention may be made, among the pearlescent agents which can be used in the invention, of mica covered with titanium oxide, with iron oxide, with natural pigment or with bismuth oxychloride, such as coloured titanium oxide-coated mica.
The fillers can be present in a proportion ranging from 0 to 35% of the total weight of the composition, preferably from 0.5 to 15%. Mention may in particular be made of talc, mica, kaolin, nylon powder (in particular Orgasol), polyethylene powder, Teflon, starch, boron nitride, microspheres of copolymers, such as Expancel (Nobel Industrie) or polytrap (Dow Corning), and silicone resin microbeads (Tospearl from Toshiba, for example).
In addition, the fatty phase advantageously comprises one or more other fatty substances and in particular waxes, gums and oils.
The waxes can be hydrocarbon-comprising, fluorinated and/or silicone waxes and can be of plant, mineral, animal and/or synthetic origin. In particular, they exhibit a melting temperature of greater than 25xc2x0 C. and better still of greater than 45xc2x0 C.
Mention may be made, as wax which can be used in the invention, of lanolin, which may or may not be oxypropylenated and which may or may not be acetylated, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, paraffin, lignite or microcrystalline waxes, ceresin or ozokerite; synthetic waxes, such as polyethylene waxes and Fischer-Tropsch waxes, or alternatively esters, such as octacosanyl stearate, or silicone waxes, such as alkyl- or alkoxydimethicones having an alkyl or alkoxy chain comprising 16 to 45 carbon atoms.
The nature and the amount of the gums or waxes depend on the desired textures and mechanical properties. By way of indication, the composition can comprise from 0 to 50% by weight of waxes with respect to the total weight of the composition and better still from 5 to 30%.
The oils can be hydrocarbon-comprising and/or silicone and/or fluorinated oils. These oils can be of animal, plant, mineral or synthetic origin. Mention may be made, as example of oil which can be used in the invention, of hydrocarbon-comprising oils of animal origin, such as perhydrosqualene; plant hydrocarbon- comprising oils, such as liquid triglycerides of fatty acids comprising 4 to 10 carbon atoms, such as triglycerides of heptanoic or octanoic acids, hydrogenated coconut triglycerides and triglycerides of caprylic/capric acids, such as those sold by the Company Stxc3xa9arinerie Dubois or those sold under the names Miglyol 810, 812 and 818 by the Company Dynamit; linear or branched hydrocarbons of mineral or synthetic origin, such as liquid paraffins and their derivatives, petrolatum, polydecenes or hydrogenated polyisobutene, such as parleam; sythetic esters and ethers, in particular of fatty acids, such as oils of formula R1COOR2 in which R1 represents the residue of a higher fatty acid comprising from 7 to 29 carbon atoms and R2 represents a hydrocarbon-comprising chain comprising from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, such as, for example, purcellin oil, isopropyl myristate, 2-ethylhexyl palmitate, 2-octyidodecyl stearate, 2-octyldodecyl erucate or isostearyl isostearate; hydroxylated esters, such as isostearyl lactate, octyl hydroxystearate, octyidodecyl hydroxystearate, diisostearyl malate, triisocetyl citrate, or heptanoates, octanoates or decanoates of fatty alcohols; polyol esters, such as propylene glycol dioctanoate, neopentyl glycol dihepanoate, diethylene glycol diisononanoate and pentaerythritol esters; fatty alcohols having from 12 to 26 carbon atoms, such as octyldodecanol, 2-butyloctanol, 2-hexyldecanol, 2-undecylpentadecanol or oleyl alcohol; silicone oils, such as polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), which may or may not be volatile, which are linear or cyclic and which are liquid or pasty at room temperature; or their mixtures.
These oils can represent from 0 to 99.9% by weight with respect to the liquid fatty phase and better still from 0 to 95%.
Mention may be made, as other ingredient which can be used in the invention, of preservatives, thickeners for the aqueous or fatty phase (Bentone or silica), fragrances, surfactants, antioxidants and their mixtures. The amounts of these various ingredients are those conventionally used in the fields under consideration, for example from 0.01% to 20% of the total weight of the composition. The nature of these ingredients and their proportion should be compatible with the properties desired for the compositions of the invention. The composition can also comprise water in a proportion ranging from 0 to 95% of the total weight of the composition.
A further subject-matter of the invention is the cosmetic use of the above composition for caring for and/or making up the skin and/or mucous membranes and/or superficial body growths and more especially the lips, as well as the use of this composition for the preparation of a dermatological composition intended to treat the skin and/or mucous membranes and in particular the lips and/or superficial body growths. Another subject-matter of the invention is a process for the cosmetic and/or dermatological treatment of the skin and/or mucous membranes and in particular of the lips and/or superficial body growths which comprises applying the composition defined above to the skin and/or mucous membranes and in particular the lips and/or superficial body growths of human beings.
A further subject-matter of the invention is a process for conferring a non-sticky and/or non-greasy feel and/or glossy aspect and/or a film-forming nature on a topical composition which comprises introducing at least one ester as defined above into a cosmetic and/or dermatological medium. A further subject-matter of the invention is a cohesion and/or adhesion on a pulverulent topical composition which comprises introducing at least one ester as defined above into the composition.
The composition of the invention can be obtained by heating the various constituents to the melting temperature of the highest melting temperature constituent and then casting the molten mixture in a mould (dish or thimble). It can also be obtained by extrusion, as disclosed in Application EP-A-667,146, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein.

Topical composition comprising a branched C24 to C28 fatty alcohol or acid ester


Embodiments relate to ideal age vector based file retention in a software testing system. An aspect includes determining an ideal age vector of historical bug age data corresponding to a software product in the software testing system, wherein the software testing system stores a plurality of version files of the software product. Another aspect includes based on receiving a new version file of the software product, determining a file to delete of the plurality of version files and the new version file based on the ideal age vector. Yet another aspect includes deleting the determined file to delete such that a number of remaining version files is equal to a number of the plurality of version files.

The present invention relates generally to file retention in a software testing system, and more specifically, to ideal age vector based file retention in a software testing system.
Software may be extensively tested before being released as a software product. In a software testing environment, new versions of software under test are regularly provided to the testers as developers make changes to the software. The new versions may be provided at any appropriate interval, for example, daily. Each new version may take the form of a relatively large file. It is useful to retain historical version files of software under test because after a bug (or error) has been discovered in the software, the historical version files of the software may be used to determine when the bug was introduced into the software. Knowledge of when the bug was introduced may allow identification of the cause of the bug and reduce the necessary debugging effort to correct the bug. Retention of a relatively large number of historical version files may be necessary to pinpoint when bugs were introduced into software.

Ideal age vector based file retention in a software testing system

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A fluid monitoring apparatus for monitoring a fluid in a fluid mains supply, the apparatus comprising means for connecting the apparatus to the mains supply, a testing chamber, a fluid tester, testing a variable of a fluid in the testing chamber and a purger for purging a volume of fluid from the testing chamber which volume of fluid is substantially larger than the volume of the testing chamber, thereby replacing the fluid in the testing chamber with a new fluid volume.

Mains water supplies need to be monitored for the well-being of the populous and to assist in the maintenance and upkeep of those supplies. Monitoring of such supplies up to now has been carried out by local inspection. A human operative will visit a mains hydrant, gaining access thereto by a culvert or the like, collect a sample of mains water from the hydrant branch and move on, returning periodically.
This has several disadvantages. It is intensive in terms of skilled manpower requirements and only tests water in the hydrant branch. Further, for many forms of monitoring water needs to removed from the location for testing as a result of which its properties may change.
It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to obviate or overcome a disadvantage of the prior art, whether such disadvantage or prior art is referred to herein or otherwise.


A method for treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, disorders or conditions. An alkyl ester of imidazole carboxylic acid, preferably methyl 4-imidazolecarboxylate, is administered in a therapeutic amount. It is hypothesized that the alkyl ester of imidazole carboxylic acid serves to restore and/or maintain the intracellular/extracellular osmolyte gradient in the central nervous system (CNS). The methyl 4-imidazolecarboxylate may be administered transdermally, using PLO gel or other suitable transdermal carrier. The compound may also be administered orally, inhaler or by injection. The treatment is advantageously performed on a three day cycle, with a period of two days intervening between each day on which the compound is administered. Dosage ranges may be from about 0.01 mcg to about 3.0 mcg, with dosages in the range from about 0.1 mcg to about 0.2 mcg in generally preferred when using transdermal administration.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, disorders and conditions, and more particularly to treatment of such multiple neurodegenerative diseases, disorders and conditions by administration of an alkyl ester of imidazole carboxylic acid in order to maintain the intracellular/extracellular osmolyte gradient in the central nervous system (CNS).
b. Background
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system resulting in sensory and motor dysfunction, visual disturbances, cognitive and memory impairment, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disorder of young adults with the onset of symptoms generally occurring between the ages of 20 and 50. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the disease currently affects more than 400,000 individuals in the United States with 200 new cases diagnosed every week and more than 2.5 million people worldwide. Data from the recent Zogby International poll suggests that these numbers are underestimated and that multiple sclerosis affects 2.87 million individuals in the United States and more than 6.25 million worldwide. Over 70% of all multiple sclerosis patients are too disabled to remain in the workforce due to symptoms of fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. A recent study by Duke University estimates annual direct and indirect costs of MS in the United States to be $9 billion; this makes it second only to Alzheimer's disease in economic impact.
The cause of multiple sclerosis still eludes science, but it has been postulated that it is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the myelin in the central nervous system. Thus, the FDA approved medications for multiple sclerosis are all aimed at suppressing the immune system, but unfortunately these treatments have failed to have any beneficial effect on the debilitating symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. Recent research published in 2002 by Dr. Behan, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Neurology, and colleagues, shows that multiple sclerosis is not an autoimmune disease in which the immune system is attacking the myelin. Behan et al, proved via MR Spectroscopy that the oligodendrocytes (the myelin producing cells in the central nervous system) underwent degeneration up to three weeks before any immune cells were present at the site of degeneration.
In addition to MS, there are many other neurological diseases and disorders that may stem from possibly similar degenerative mechanisms. Examples include, but are not limited to, fibromyalgia, memory impairment, and certain forms of depression and erectile dysfunction.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method for treating neurodegenerative diseases, disorders and conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, that yields beneficial results, and that is not founded on the previous autoimmune hypothesis. Furthermore, there exists a need for such a method that yields rapid, substantial and sustained benefits to patients. Still further, there is this need for such a method in which the treatment can be applied to patients on an economical basis and without undue difficulty.

Method for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders


An idler wheel assembly for a track-type machine includes a circular body, and a sound dampening member. The circular body includes a central hub portion, an annular flange portion integral with the central hub portion, and a circumferential rim portion to define an annular cavity along with the central hub portion and the annular flange portion. The sound dampening member disposed in the annular cavity and a retainer plate positioned adjacent to the sound dampening member.

Earthmoving and construction vehicles which utilize self-laying endless tracks for support and propulsion generally include one or more idler wheels for guiding and supporting the tracks. The tracks include metal connecting links, which on contact with metal tread portions of the idler wheel during the track guiding, generate noise and vibration due to the metal to metal contact of the moving components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,041 discloses an idler wheel assembly for a track-type machine having a hub member and a plurality of replaceable wear segments positioned around the circumference of the hub. Further, a plurality of U-shaped grooves provided on the circumferential surface of the hub to receive resilient means. The wear segments also fit within the grooves and hold the resilient means in place. A plurality of clamping members encircle the hub, overlap the wear segments, and clamp the resilient means between the wear segments and the grooves as they are secured to the hub. The wear segments are therefore resiliently isolated from the idler hub.


A method of and apparatus for measuring a level of a liquid stored under pressure in a reservoir ensure that the level is measured precisely even when a carrier gas is bubbled through the liquid. A tube extends in the reservoir such that a lower end of the tube is immersed in the liquid and that the liquid occupies a portion of the tube, and a first gas that is insoluble in the liquid is sealed in the upper portion of the tube. A detecting unit detects changes in density of the insoluble gas as the level of the liquid changes. The apparatus is employed in a deposition apparatus where the liquid is used to produce a source gas for forming a layer on a substrate. A carrier gas, bubbled through the liquid in the reservoir, transports gas produced from the liquid to a process chamber in which the deposition process takes place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for measuring a level of a liquid in a vessel. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relate to a method of and an apparatus for measuring a level of a liquid that is converted to a gas used in the manufacturing of a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a semiconductor device is manufactured by performing and repeating several individual processes on a substrate to form a series of patterns on the substrate. These processes include a deposition process, a photolithography process, an etching process, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, a washing process, and a drying process. The deposition process is performed to form a layer on the substrate. The photolithography and etching processes are performed to pattern the layer, e.g., to form a line type of pattern comprising a series of lines and/or a contact type of pattern comprising a series of contact holes. The deposition process increases in importance as the smaller the critical dimension of, for example, the lines of the line type of pattern to be formed on the substrate becomes and/or the higher the aspect ratio of, for example, the contact holes of the contact type of pattern becomes.
Methods of forming the layer on the substrate of the semiconductor device generally include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Additionally, a cyclic chemical deposition (CCVD) process, a digital chemical vapor deposition (DCVD) process, and an advanced chemical vapor deposition (ACVD) process can be employed for forming a layer on the substrate.
The above-mentioned methods of forming a layer on a substrate all employ a gas to provide an element of the material of the layer. This gas and a reactant such as a metal organic precursor or a metal halide are supplied to the substrate as source gases. In order to minimize impurities in the layer, an organic ligand or a halide respectively coupled with a metal element in the reactant on the substrate is removed by decomposition in the chemical vapor deposition process, and is removed by chemical exchange in the atomic layer deposition process. That is, in chemical vapor deposition, the source gases are mixed in a process chamber and are supplied onto a surface of a substrate disposed in the chamber. On the other hand, in atomic layer deposition, the source gases are not mixed in the process chamber. Rather, the source gases are supplied in respective pulses onto the substrate. For example, first, only a first source gas is supplied into the process chamber to thereby be chemically absorbed on the substrate. Then a second source gas is supplied into the process chamber to thereby be chemically coupled on the substrate. Generally, a liquid is evaporated to produce the source gas, and the source gas is supplied into the process chamber using a carrier gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,540 (issued to Hwang et al.) discloses an apparatus that evaporates a liquid and supplies the vapors as a source gas in a chemical vapor deposition process. In this apparatus, the liquid is fed to a vaporizer at a rate controlled by the apparatus, is atomized by an ultrasonic atomizing device, and is evaporated by a heated carrier gas in the vaporizer.
In another known type of method of producing source gas from a liquid, the liquid is stored in a canister and the heated carrier gas is bubbled through the reservoir of the liquid. In this method, the canister is replaced after a predetermined amount of the liquid is used up. More specifically, a level of the liquid in the canister is measured by a liquid level detector. The canister is replaced once the liquid drops below a predetermined level in the canister.
One way for measuring the level of a liquid stored in a vessel is to detect the change in pressure in the vessel as the liquid evaporates. Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1999-32720 discloses an apparatus of this type for measuring the amount of fuel stored in a vessel. An advantage of this apparatus is that the amount of liquid can be measured precisely irrespective of a shape of the vessel.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional apparatus for measuring a level of a liquid stored in a vessel. Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a first guide pole 20 and a second guide pole 22 each extending from an upper surface of a vessel 10 in a direction substantially perpendicular to a bottom of the vessel 10. The liquid 12 stored in the vessel 10 is, for example, 3-methylaluminum.
A first float 30 is disposed around the first guide pole 20 and is supported so as to be movable up-and-down along the first guide pole 20. The first float 30 can float on a surface of a liquid 12 and thus assume a position corresponding to the level of the liquid 12. However, a range over which the first float 30 can move along the first guide pole 20 is restricted by a pair of first stoppers 50 attached to an outer surface of the first guide pole 20 at a central portion thereof. In addition, the first float 30 comprises a first magnet (not shown). A first magnetic sensor 40 is disposed inside a central portion of the first guide pole 20 midway between the stoppers 50 so as to sense an arrival of the first magnet at a middle portion of the vessel 10.
A second float 32 and a third float 34 are disposed along the second guide pole 22, and are supported so as to be movable up-and-down along the second guide pole 22. The second and third floats 32 and 34 can float on the surface of the liquid 12 and thus assume positions according to the level of the liquid 12. However, a range over which the second float 32 can move along the second guide pole 22 is restricted by a pair of second stoppers 52 attached to an outer surface of the second guide pole 22 at an upper portion thereof. In addition, the second float 32 comprises a second magnet (not shown), and a second magnetic sensor 42 is disposed inside the upper portion of the second guide pole 22 midway between second stoppers 52 so as to sense an arrival of the second magnet at an upper portion of the vessel 10. Similarly, a range over which the third float 34 can move along the second guide pole 22 is restricted by a pair of third stoppers 54 attached to an outer surface of the second guide pole 22 at a lower portion thereof. The third float 34 comprises a third magnet (not shown), and a third magnetic sensor 44 is disposed inside the second guide pole 22 midway between third stoppers 54 so as to sense an arrival of the third magnet at a lower portion of the vessel 10. Thus, the second magnetic sensor 42 detects a state in which the level of liquid 12 in the vessel 10 is high, the first magnetic sensor 40 detects a state in which the level of liquid 12 is at a middle portion of the vessel 10, and the third magnetic sensor 44 detects a state in which the level of the liquid 12 in the vessel 10 is low.
However, a spacing between the above-mentioned sensors 40, 42, and 44 is relatively wide. Thus, there are some points where the level of the liquid 12 may not be detected. Additionally, the floats 30, 32, and 34 can be moved by the bubbling of the liquid 12 when the liquid is converted to a source gas. In that case, the level of the liquid 12 may not be detected precisely. Additionally, the above-mentioned magnetic sensors 40, 42, and 44 may malfunction, in which case the magnetic sensors 40, 42, and 44 do not detect a state in which the liquid 12 is depleted. If this occurs and the vessel 10 is not replaced, the deposition process will fail. Thus, it is difficult to manage an operation of replacing the reservoir 10 when a liquid level measuring apparatus of the type shown in FIG. 1 is employed.

Method of and apparatus for measuring a level of liquid in a reservoir, and apparatus for forming a layer on a substrate comprising a liquid level detector


A contextual analysis system that extracts data elements from an unstructured text input; determines whether the extracted data elements are relevant to a predetermined context; and determines, for the extracted elements deemed as relevant, whether the information contained in the relevant data elements complies with a guideline.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a text extraction and contextual decision support system and method, and in particular to analyzing text information from structured and unstructured sources such that a determination of contextual relevancy and appropriate decision support measures may be carried out.
2. Description of Related Art
User interfaces permit entry of structured and unstructured text information. Unstructured text information may be entered directly as free form text (e.g., typing) or as speech-to-text dictation.
Electronic medical records are currently used in the healthcare industry to provide a centralized repository for a patient's entire medical history. These systems may be accessed remotely over a network such that healthcare providers can access a patient's complete record without relying on physical delivery of paper records. Additionally, current electronic medical record systems accept text data input in the form of both structured and unstructured text.

System and method for text extraction and contextual decision support


The present invention provides compositions comprising conjugate molecules that are structurally stable at a temperature of between about 2 degrees C. and 8 degrees C. In some examples, a conjugate molecule comprises an antigen, such as an allergen. In some examples, a conjugate molecule comprises the Ragweed antigen Amb a 1. The present invention provides methods for making and using such compositions. Provided herein are methods for modulating an immune response in an individual comprising administration of a composition comprising a structurally stable conjugate molecule as described herein.

Immune responses to resolve different pathologies, such as those seen in viral infections, bacterial infections, cancer and allergic reactions are important to the overall health of the host. Successful resolution of infections, cancer, or allergic reactions may depend on the type and magnitude of the immune response. Immunizations, whereby antigen is used to elicit further immune responses, may be helpful in successfully resolving the infections, cancers, and/or allergic reactions. Immunostimulatory polynucleotide-immunomodulatory molecule conjugate compositions are disclosed in WO 98/16247. Immunomodulatory compositions containing an immunostimulatory sequence linked to antigens are disclosed in WO 01/35991. Methods of modulating an immune response using immunostimulatory sequences are disclosed in WO 01/12223.
All publications, references, patent applications, patent publications and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Compositions comprising structurally stable conjugate molecules


An improved control structure for music synthesis is provided in which: 1) the sound representation provided to the adaptive function mapper allows for a greatly increased degree of control over the sound produced; and 2) training of the adaptive function mapper is performed using an error measure, or error norm, that greatly facilitates learning while ensuring perceptual identity of the produced sound with the training example. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, sound data is produced by applying to an adaptive function mapper control parameters including: at least one parameter selected from the set of time and timbre space coordinates; and at least one parameter selected from the set of pitch, .DELTA.pitch, articulation and dynamic. Using an adaptive function mapper, mapping is performed from the control parameters to synthesis parameters to be applied to a sound synthesizer. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an adaptive function mapper is trained to produce, in accordance with information stored in a mapping store, synthesis parameters to be applied to a sound synthesizer, by steps including: analyzing sounds to produce sound parameters describing the sounds; further analyzing the sound parameters to produce control parameters; applying the control parameters to the adaptive function mapper, the adaptive function mapper in response producing trial synthesis parameters comparable to the sound parameters; deriving from the sound parameters and the trial synthesis parameters an error measure in accordance with a perceptual error norm in which at least some error contributions are weighted in approximate degree to which they are perceived by the human ear during synthesis; and adapting the information stored in the mapping store in accordance with the error measure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control structures for computer-controlled sound synthesis.
2. State of the Art
The application of computers to sound synthesis has been studied and practiced for many years. Whereas the computer synthesis of simple sounds is straightforward, the problem of synthesizing complex, realistic sounds such as the human voice, the sound of a piano chord being played, a bird call, etc., has posed a continuing challenge.
One well-known technique of synthesizing complex sounds is that of additive synthesis. In conventional additive synthesis, a collection of sinusoidal partials is added together to produce a complex sound. To produce a complex, realistic sound may require as many as 1000 sinusoidal partials to be added together. Each sinusoidal partial must be specified by at least frequency and amplitude, and possibly phase. Clearly, the computational challenge posed in producing complex, realistic sounds by additive synthesis is considerable.
Furthermore, the greatest benefit is obtained when additive synthesis is used to produce complex, realistic sounds in real time. That is, the synthesis system should be able to accept a series of records each specifying the parameters for a large number of partials and to produce from those records a complex, interesting, realistic sound without any user-perceptible delay.
Two approaches to additive synthesis have been followed. In the first approach (the time-domain, or wavetable, approach), the equivalent of a bank of oscillators has been used to directly generate sinusoidal partials. The frequency and amplitude values of all of the partials have been applied to the oscillators in the oscillator bank, and the resulting partials have been added together to produce the final sound. The requirement of directly computing each partial individually has limited the number of partials that may be included in a sound so as to allow the sound to be produced in a reasonable period of time.
In the second approach (the frequency-domain approach), partials have been specified and added in the frequency domain to produce a spectrum, or frequency-domain representation, of the final sound. The inverse Fourier transform is then used to compute the time-domain representation of the final sound, from which the sound is then produced.
An IFFT additive synthesis technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,897, incorporated herein by reference. In the described additive sound synthesis process, sample blocks are determined by carrying out the inverse Fourier transform of successive frequency spectra. The sample blocks are time-superimposed and added to form a sequence of samples representing a sound wave. The latter procedure is known as overlap-add.
Other patents relating to additive sound synthesis include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,068; U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,790; U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,873; U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,509; U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,072; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,518; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Prior art additive synthesis methods of the type described, however, have remained limited in several respects. Many of these limitations are addressed and overcome in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/551,889 (Attorney's Docket No. 028726-008), entitled Inverse Transform Narrow Band/Broad Band Additive Synthesis, filed on even date herewith and incorporated herein by reference. Not addressed in the foregoing patent application is the problem of constructing a suitable control structure that may be used to control additive sound synthesis in real time. Prior art methods have typically been limited to generating and playing sound described by pre-stored, analyzed parameters rather than values that change in real time during synthesis.
As recognized by the present inventors, the problem of constructing a suitable control structure that may be used to control additive sound synthesis in real time involves two sub-problems. One problem is to provide a user interface that may be readily understood and that requires only a minimum of control input signals. In other words, the user interface must offer simplicity to the user. Another problem is to translate this simplicity seen by the user into the complexity often required by the synthesizer and to do so in a time-efficient and hardware-efficient manner.
An important contribution to the user interface problem is found in Wessel, Timbre Space as a Musical Control Structure, Computer Music Journal 3 (2): 45-52, 1979, incorporated herein by reference. A fundamental musical property is that of timbre, i.e., the tone and quality of sound produced by a particular instrument. For example, a violin and a saxophone each have distinctively different timbres that are readily recognizable. The foregoing paper describes how to construct a perceptually uniform timbre space.
A timbre space is a geometric representation wherein particular sounds with certain qualities or timbres are represented as points. The timbre space is said to be perceptually uniform if sounds of similar timbre or quality are proximate in the space and sounds with marked difference in timbre or quality are distant. In such a perceptually uniform timbre space, perceptual similarity of timbres is inversely related to distance.
The basic idea is that by specifying coordinates in a particular timbre space, one is able to hear the timbre represented by those coordinates (e.g., a violin). If these coordinates should fall between existing tones in the space (e.g., in between a violin and a saxophone), an interpolated timbre results that relates to the other sounds in a manner consistent with the structure of the space. Smooth, finely graded timbral transitions can thus be formed, with the distance moved within the timbre space bearing a uniform relationship to the audible change in timbre.
Also discussed in the paper is the need to reduce the considerable quantity of data required by a general synthesis techniques such as additive synthesis without sacrificing richness in the sonic result. The approach suggested is the use of straight-line-segment approximations to approximate curvilinear envelope functions.
More recently, advances in machine learning techniques such as neural networks have been applied to the second sub-problem, that is translating the simplicity seen by the user into the complexity often required by the synthesizer and to do so in a time-efficient and hardware-efficient manner. Neural networks may be considered to be representative of a broader class of adaptive function mappers that map musical control parameters to the parameters of a synthesis algorithm. The synthesis algorithm typically has a large number of input parameters. The user interface, also referred to as the gestural interface, typically supplies fewer parameters. The adaptive function mapper is therefore required to map from a low dimensional space to a high dimensional space.
The use of a neural network in an electronic musical instrument is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,924, incorporated herein by reference. Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the foregoing patent, a neural network 134 is used to translate user inputs from a wind controller 135 to outputs used by a synthesizer 137 of an electronic musical instrument. The synthesizer 137 is shown as being an oscillator bank. In operation, the player blows in breath from the mouthpiece 140, and controls the key system 141 with the fingers of both hands to play the instrument. Each key composing the key system 141 is an electronic switch. The ON/OFF signals caused by operation are input to the input layer 142 of the neural network 134. The neural network 134 is a hierarchical neural network having four layers, namely an input layer 142, a first intermediate layer 143, a second intermediate layer 144, and an output layer 145.
The number of neurons of the output layer 145 is equal to the number of oscillators 146 and attenuators 147. Each pair of neurons of the output layer 145 outputs the frequency control signal of the sine wave to be generated to the respective oscillator 146 and an amplitude control signal to the corresponding attenuator 147. The sine wave generated by the oscillator is attenuated to the specified amplitude value and input to an adding circuit 148. In the adding circuit 148 all the sine waves are added together with the resulting synthesis signal being input to the D/A converter 149. In the D/A converter 149 the synthesis signal is shaped to obtain a smooth envelope and is then output as a musical sound, which is amplified by a sound system (not shown).
In the foregoing arrangement, because additive synthesis is used, it is possible to use the results of analysis by FFT as training patterns for the neural network. That is, a musical tone of a specific pitch of the musical instrument to be learned is FFT-analyzed, and the results of the FFT (to which the ON/OFF pattern used to generate the tone corresponds) is input to the neural network as a training pattern. This process is performed for the entire range of tones to be produced.
Many of the techniques employed in additive music synthesis have been adopted from work in the area of speech analysis and synthesis. Further information regarding the application of neural networks and machine learning techniques to music synthesis can be found in Rahim, Artificial Neural Networks for Speech Analysis/Synthesis, Chapman & Hall, 199?.
Despite the known use of adaptive function mappers that map musical control parameters to the parameters of a synthesis algorithm, there remains a need for an improved control structure for music synthesis in which: 1) the sound representation provided to the adaptive function mapper allows for a greatly increased degree of control over the sound produced; and 2) training of the adaptive function mapper is performed using an error measure, or error norm, that greatly facilitates learning while ensuring perceptual identity of the produced sound with the training example. The present invention addresses this need.

The Regents of the University of California


A medical device adapted for implantation into a patient receives electrical power from an extracorporeal power supply. The medical device has a first receiver for a first wireless signal, a power circuit that extracts energy from the first wireless signal to power the medical device, and a feedback signal generator that transmits a second wireless signal indicating a magnitude of energy extracted from the first wireless signal. The extracorporeal power supply includes a source of electrical power and a power transmitter that emits the first wireless signal. A second receiver enables the extracorporeal power supply to receive the second wireless signal. A feedback controller manipulates the first wireless signal in response to the second wireless signal to ensure that sufficient electrical energy is provided to the medical device without wasting electrical power from the source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices that are implanted into the body of an animal, and more particularly to control of electrical power supplied to the implanted medical device from an extracorporeal power supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
A remedy for people with slowed or disrupted natural heart activity is to implant a cardiac pacing device which is a small electronic apparatus that stimulates the heart to beat at regular rates.
Typically a battery powered pacing device is implanted in the patient's chest and has sensor electrodes that detect electrical impulses associated with in the heart contractions. These sensed impulses are analyzed to determine when abnormal cardiac activity occurs, in which event a pulse generator is triggered to produce electrical pulses. Wires carry these pulses to electrodes placed adjacent specific cardiac muscles, which when electrically stimulated contract the heart chambers. It is important that the electrodes be properly located to produce contraction of the heart chambers.
Modern cardiac pacing devices vary the stimulation to adapt the heart rate to the patient's level of activity, thereby mimicking the heart's natural activity. The pulse generator modifies that rate by tracking the activity of the sinus node of the heart or by responding to other sensor signals that indicate body motion or respiration rate.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0096702 describes a cardiac pacemaker that has an implanted pacing device implanted in a vein or artery of the patient's heart. The pacing device responds to detecting abnormal electrical cardiac activity by applying a voltage pulse across a pair of electrodes, thereby stimulating muscles adjacent the vein or artery which causes contraction of the heart. The implanted pacing device is powered by energy derived from a radio frequency signal received from an extracorporeal power supply. The derived energy charges a capacitor or other storage mechanism in the pacing device which provides electrical voltage for the simulation.
Heretofore, an open loop system was employed to supply power to the implanted device from the extracorporeal power supply. That system was designed to meet the worst case power demand so that the implanted device had sufficient power to function in every situation. However, this resulted in the excessive energy being furnished to the implanted device the vast majority of the time when less power was needed. The open loop system was an inefficient use of the battery power in the extracorporeal power supply.
It is desirable to control the transmission of the radio frequency signal to the implanted medical device in a manner that ensures that its energy storage device always is sufficiently charged without providing excessive energy.

Extracorporeal power supply with a wireless feedback system for an implanted medical device


UV-transparent insulating layers, particularly silicon oxide, overlying conductive structures on a semiconductor substrate, for example an aluminum interconnect, are locally removed in order to uncover the interconnect for measuring and testing purposes, repairs or other uses. For that purpose, the semiconductor substrate is introduced into a vacuum chamber into which a gaseous metal compound, particularly a metal carbonyl, is admitted with a carrier gas, and the light of a pulsed UV laser is directed onto the location to be exposed. No highly toxic or corrosive halogen compounds are required. After the removal of the insulating oxide layer, a metal layer can be immediately subsequently locally deposited onto the exposed interconnect from the gaseous metal carbonyl with the same method. A good contact, for example measuring tips, are thus enabled in a simple way.

The invention is directed to a method for contacting conductive structures in VLSI circuits in a vacuum chamber with the assistance of laser light.
It is frequently necessary in semiconductor technology to undertake micro-work at a semiconductor substrate during the manufacture of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate. These include, among other things, the local removal of passivation or insulating layers in circuits metallized in one-layer or multi-layer fashion with the goal of making conductive structures such as, for example, interconnects or pads accessible for various purposes. Such purposes, for example, are analyses of electrical measuring and testing purposes. Furthermore, the locally exposed interconnects can be electrically conductively connected to one another by metal deposition in order, for instance, to implement design modifications in a simple way and to check their compatibility. Semiconductor modules can also be repaired in the same way. It is important in all of these purposes to produce a good electrical contact to the exposed, conductive structure.
When the insulating layer to be eroded is composed of silicon nitride or of an organic material such as, for example, polyimide, then it can be locally removed on the basis of what is referred to as ablation with the assistance of a pulsed UV laser, wherein the laser beam is directed or focused onto the desired location. Such an ablation, however, is not possible given an insulating layer having a high UV-transmission such as, for example, silicon oxide and other glass-like layers, since the layer lying therebelow would be damaged by the intense UV radiation. A number of laser-induced etching processes are known for the local removal of silicon oxide layers and are described in the article by G. Loper and M. Tabat in SPIE Vol. 459, Laser Assisted Deposition Etching and Doping (1984), pages 121-124, incorporated herein. Such laser-induced etching processes are based on the defined production of highly reactive radicals of halogen-carbon compounds with the assistance of pulsed UV lasers in a vacuum chamber, so that a chemical reaction of the silicon oxide with these radicals occurs upon formation of volatile silicon and oxygen compounds. The gaseous chlorine or fluorine compounds employed, however, have high toxicity and have an extremely corrosive effect on many materials, so that a high technological expenditure is required. Mechanical parts situated in the vacuum chamber such as, for example, xyz-tables for the exact positioning of the semiconductor substrate to be processed, become unusable due to corrosion within a short time. The exposed conductive structures often have surfaces that do not meet the demands made for a good electrical contact. In particular, an oxidation in air can generally not be prevented before, for example, metal is deposited thereon or before measuring tips are put in place.

Method for contacting conductive structures in VLSI circuits


A method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor is provided. The method includes: forming a gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed on a transistor region of a semiconductor substrate having an active region defined by a photo diode and a transistor region; forming a first impurity region of a first conductive type at a transistor region at one side of the gate electrode; forming a second impurity region of a first conductive type at a photo diode region at other side of the gate electrode; forming sidewall insulating layers at both sides of the gate electrode; forming a third impurity region of a first conductive type at one side of a gate electrode where the first impurity region is formed; and forming a fourth impurity region of a second conductive type at the gate electrode, the photodiode region and the transistor region by implanting impurity ions of a second conductive type on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Generally, an image sensor is a semiconductor device that transforms an optical image to an electric signal. An image sensor can be classified as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) image sensor.
The CCD has shortcomings such as a complicated driving method and high power consumption. Also, the fabricating method of the CCD is complicated because a multi-level photo process is required.
Therefore, the CMOS image sensor has received attention as a next-generation image sensor to overcome the shortcomings of the CCD.
The CMOS image sensor is a device employing a switching mode that sequentially detects outputs of each unit pixel using MOS transistors. The switching mode can incorporate MOS transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate in a number at least as many as the number of unit pixels, and can use a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits.
The CMOS image sensor can be classified into types such as a 3T type, a 4T type, and a 5T type, according the number of transistors. For example, the 3T type CMOS image sensor includes one photodiode and three transistors, and the 4T type CMOS image sensor includes one photodiode and four transistors.
Hereinafter, the unit pixel of the 4T type CMOS image sensor will be described with reference to a plan view thereof.
As shown in FIG. 1, the unit pixel of the CMOS image sensor according to the prior art includes a photodiode 10 and four transistors as an optoelectric converter. The four transistors are a transfer transistor 20, a reset transistor 30, an access transistor 40 and a select transistor 50. In FIG. 1, FD denotes a floating diffusion region and a numeral reference 90 denotes a coupling portion connecting the FD and the access transistor 40. Vin denotes an input terminal, and Vout denotes an output terminal.
Hereinafter, the photodiode 10 and the transfer transistor 20 in the CMOS image sensor according to the prior art will be described with reference to a cross-section view through line I-I′.
As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer transistor 20 includes a gate insulating layer 21 and a gate electrode 23 formed on a substrate 11, and a first sidewall 29 and a second sidewall 31 formed at both sides of the gate electrode 23.
In addition an n− type diffusion region (N−) 28 and a Po type diffusion region (PDP; P type photodiode implant) 35 are formed at the photodiode region (PD) of the substrate 11. The Po type diffusion region 35 is formed on the n− type diffusion region 28. Also, a heavily doped n+ type diffusion region (N+) 32 and a lightly doped n− type diffusion region (N−) 26 are formed at the floating diffusion region (FD) of the substrate 11.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for describing one of processes for fabricating a CMOS image sensor according to the prior art.
As shown in FIG. 3, a photoresist layer 34 can be applied on an entire surface of the substrate 11, and the applied photoresist layer 27 can be patterned to expose the photodiode region (PD) through an exposing and developing process.
Then, a Po type diffusion region 35 can be formed in the n− type diffusion region 28 of the photodiode region by implanting Po type impurity ions using the patterned photoresist layer 34 as a hard mask.
However, the method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor according to the prior art has problems as follows.
The relevant art's fabricating method becomes complicated because a photolithography process, which includes applying a photoresist layer, exposing and developing the photoresist layer, implanting impurity ions, and removing the photoresist layer, is performed in order to form the Po type diffusion region (PDP) at the photodiode region.

Method for fabricating CMOS image sensor


A polylactic acid resin composition contains a polylactic acid resin having an epoxy group, and a flame-retardant additive.

(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a polylactic acid resin composition, a method for producing a polylactic acid resin composition, and a polylactic acid resin molded article.
(ii) Related Art
Recently, from the standpoint of environmental conservation, resin molded articles that use a biodegradable resin have been investigated for various applications. Among these applications, in the field of housings of electronic products or the like, flame retardancy is required for such resin molded articles.

Polylactic acid resin composition, method for producing polylactic acid resin composition, and polylactic acid resin molded article


The invention relates to improvements in or relating to a desuperheater for controllable injection of cooling water in a steam or gas line (17), said desuperheater device including an insertion tube (1) extending inside the pipe (17), said tube (1) having a conical outlet nozzle (7) with a valve body (5) movably arranged in a hole (2) in the insertion tube (1) such as to form a regulating port (4). The hole (2) in the insertion tube (1) opens out into a rotation chamber (3) with the centerline (10) of the hole and the centerline (11) of the rotation chamber (3) disposed relative each other at an angle deviating from 90.degree. by an angle .alpha., and where the angle .alpha. is greater than 0.degree. but less than 30.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to a desuperheater for controllable injection of cooling water in a steam or gas line, where the desuperheater heater includes an insertion tube extending into the line and having a conical outlet nozzle, in the nozzle there being a valve body movably disposed in an aperture such as to form a regulating port.
1. Description of the Related Art
Such superheater devices, particularly for steam, are customarily used for cooling and/or regulating steam temperatures. These devices often comprise an injection nozzle provided with a single-seat means regulating the degree of opening, for increasing the cooling water speed at the nozzle outlet. The injected cooling water will thus be forced out in a thin, conically shaped jet consisting of extremely small water droplets, which evaporate almost immediately. There are many fields of use, but the majority of installations where these devices are used can usually be put into one of the following classes of general and industrial standard installations: power stations which, apart from the high pressure and the high temperature side, also produce steam for auxiliary machines, heating systems and tap stations; with surface heat exchangers for better heat transfer; on boilers, either between the super heating steps or for regulating the partial load steam temperature; cooling of superheated steam for adjusting the steam temperature to an industrial process; anywhere where the process or scrubbing steam is required in the low pressure system in process industries and refineries; or a district heating plant.
An interesting application, not included in the use in connection with steam, is cooling a gas by injecting it in its liquid phase.
A known type of desuperheater device of the kind in question is illustrated in the Swedish Patent Specification SE 6613074, relating to a steam desuperheater which includes an insertion tube which can be mounted at 60.degree.-45.degree. to the pipeline in which the cooled medium flows. This tube includes in turn a cylindrical valve body for regulating the cooling water by uncovering tangentially bored holes in a tube inside the insertion tube. Such a solution signifies that the cooling water forms a cone at the end of the insertion tube inside the line in question. With the method of installation demanded by older types of desuperheaters, and which is also required for the previously known application just mentioned, there is under certain conditions an obvious risk that unvaporized water droplets can reach the opposing pipe wall and cause damage in the form of erosion.

Desuperheater for controllable injection of cooling water in a steam or gas line


A wireless communications system is provided with a first wireless communications module, a second wireless communications module, and an RF module. The first wireless communications module transmits or receives a first wireless signal, and the second wireless communications module transmits or receives a second wireless signal. The RF module allocates a first transceiving path and a second transceiving path to the first wireless communications module and the second wireless communications module, respectively, to enable the transmission or reception of the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the coexistence of a plurality of wireless communications modules, and more particularly, to systems and methods for the coexistence schemes for a plurality of co-located wireless communications modules in a wireless communications device.
2. Description of the Related Art
To an increasing extent, a multitude of communication functions are being merged into mobile devices. As shown in FIG. 1, a cellular phone may connect to a wireless local area network (WLAN) via a WLAN module thereof and simultaneously communicate with a Bluetooth (BT) handset (or a Bluetooth car audio, or others) through a Bluetooth module thereof. A WLAN system is typically implemented inside buildings as an extension to wired local area networks (LANs) and is able to provide the last few meters of connectivity between a wired network and mobile or fixed devices. According to the IEEE 802.11 standard, most WLAN systems may operate in the 2.4 GHz license-free frequency band and have very low throughput rates because of coexistence interference from BT systems. Referring to FIG. 1, a WLAN is established by an access point (AP) connecting to a LAN by an Ethernet cable. The AP typically receives, buffers, and transmits data between the WLAN and the wired network infrastructure. The AP may support, on average, twenty devices and have a coverage varying from 20 meters in an area with obstacles (walls, stairways, elevators etc) to 100 meters in an area with clear line of sight. BT is an open wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs). The cellular phone may receive voice over internet protocol (VoIP) data via the WiFi module and further transmit the VoIP data through an established PAN to the BT handset, and vice versa. Alternatively, the cellular phone may transmit digital music through the established PAN to be played back in the BT handset. The WLAN and BT systems both occupy a section of the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band, which is 83 MHz-wide. Due to cost issues as well as space requirements for components, modern electronic devices, such as cellular phones, Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPCs) or others, are equipped with WLAN and BT modules sharing a single antenna instead of multiple antennas.
As an example shows in FIG. 2, a BT system uses a Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) and hops between 79 different 1 MHz-wide channels in a Bluetooth spectrum. A WLAN system carrier remains centered on one channel, which is overlapped with Bluetooth spectrum. When the WLAN module and the Bluetooth module are operating simultaneously in the same area, as shown in FIG. 1, and a BT transmission occurs on a frequency band that falls within the frequency space occupied by an ongoing WLAN transmission, a certain level of interference may occur, depending on the signal strength thereof. Due to the fact that the WLAN module and BT module share the same spectrum and also share a single antenna, preventing interference therebetween is required.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating operation conflicts occurring between WLAN and BT communication services sharing a single antenna. In FIG. 3, the shared single antenna is switched between WLAN and BT communication services in a given time slot for transceiving data. If the BT communication service carries audio data that requires real-time transmission, for example, Synchronous Connection-Oriented (SCO) packets, the BT communication service would have a higher priority over the WLAN communication service. In this case, when a WLAN transceiving process takes place at the same time as the real-time BT transceiving process, a time slot will be assigned to the BT transceiving process and the WLAN transceiving process will be blocked. As shown in FIG. 3, the WLAN receiving operation (Rx operation) 1 occurs in the time slot, while the BT communication service is idle. Therefore, the Rx operation 1 is performed without interference and an acknowledgement (ACK) message 2 is sent to the WLAN AP (such as the AP in FIG. 1) as a reply message indicating that the Rx operation 1 has been completed. Following the Rx operation 1, another WLAN Rx operation 3 is performed. The Rx operation 3 is also performed without interference because the BT communication service is in the idle state. However, an ACK message 4 in response to the Rx operation 3 can not be replied to the WLAN AP, as its time slot has already been assigned to the Bluetooth transmitting operation (Tx operation). Accordingly, the Rx operation 3 would be determined to have failed. In response to the failure, the WLAN AP would re-transmit the data frame with a lower data rate in an attempt to successfully transmit data to the WLAN module of the mobile device. Unfavorably, the re-performed Rx operation 3 (denoted as 5), with a prolonged operation period, would be more likely to overlap with the BT transceiving process. Thus, data frame would once again be re-transmitted with an even lower data rate than that for the prior re-transmitted data, which would cause even more overlap with the BT transceiving process than the prior attempt. As a result, because the WLAN and BT wireless communication services sharing a single antenna are time-division accessed (i.e., only one communication service of WLAN and BT can be enabled at each time slot), throughput of the WLAN is greatly hindered.

Systems and methods for coexistence of a plurality of wireless communications modules


A driving force-transmitting device 10 has a housing 11 and 12, an inner shaft 18, a main clutch 22, a pilot clutch 24 and a cam mechanism 23 including a first and second cam members 26 and 25. Plural main outer and inner clutch disks 20 and 21 of the main clutch 22 are respectively spline-engaged with the housing 11 and the inner shaft 18. Plural pilot outer and inner clutch disks 32 and 33 of the pilot clutch 24 are respectively spline-engaged with the housing 11 and the first cam member 26 of the cam mechanism 23. The second cam member 25 of the cam mechanism 23 is arranged to constantly contact one of the main inner clutch disks 21 and is not spline-engaged with spline grooves of the inner shaft 18.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving force-transmitting device of which main clutch is engaged by a cam mechanism amplifying torque through a pilot clutch. Concretely, the driving force-transmitting device is a coupling which distributes driving force to front and rear wheels of an all wheel drive vehicle, or is used for a limited slip differential gear which limits differential rotation between front and rear or right and left wheels of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there has been known a driving force-transmitting device for an all wheel drive vehicle such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0079178 A1 corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid Open 2002-188656. The driving force-transmitting device includes a cuplike housing, an inner shaft, a main clutch, a pilot clutch and a cam mechanism. The inner shaft is rotatably bore by the housing in a cylindrical room formed therebetween. In the cylindrical room, there are alternately arranged plural main outer and inner clutch disks of the main clutch. The main outer clutch disks are spline-engaged with the interior circumferential surface of the housing, to be non-rotatable but axially movable relative to the housing. The main inner clutch disks are spline-engaged with the exterior circumferential surface of the inner shaft, to be non-rotatable but axially movable relative to the inner shaft. Next to the main clutch in the cylindrical room, there is arranged the cam mechanism made from a first and second cam members. The second cam member is spline-engaged with the exterior circumferential surface of the inner shaft, to be non-rotatable but axially movable relative to the inner shaft. The first cam member is engaged with the second cam member, to be rotatable and axially movable relative to the second cam member. Between the first cam member and the housing, there are alternately arranged plural pilot outer and inner clutch disks of the pilot clutch. The pilot outer clutch disks are spline-engaged with the interior circumferential surface of the housing, to be non-rotatable but axially movable relative to the housing. The pilot inner clutch disks are spline-engaged with the first cam member, to be non-rotatable but axially movable relative to the first cam member. In such driving force-transmitting device, when pilot torque at the pilot clutch occurs, the cam mechanism generates relative rotational and axial movement between the first and the second cam members. Thus the main clutch is pressurized by the second cam member and transmits torque between the housing and the inner shaft, to be amplified by the cam mechanism.
In the above mentioned driving force-transmitting device, as shown in FIG. 1, the pilot inner clutch disks 101 of the pilot clutch 100 are spline-engaged with the first cam member 102, and the second cam member 104 is spline-engaged with the inner shaft 103 by spline grooves R. When an electromagnet, not shown, generates magnetic force and attracts an armature 105, the pilot torque is transmitted through the pilot clutch 100 from the housing 106 to the first cam member 102. Because of each of the spline-engagements, there occurs the cam action of relative rotational and axial movement between the first and the second cam members 102 and 104. For the cam action, the bottomed spline grooves R are formed on the second cam member 104 in order to engage the inner shaft 103.
However, where the bottomed spline grooves R are formed by cold forging or form rolling, there is formed an incomplete groove portion at each bottom of the spline groove R, so that the incomplete groove portions may bite the inner shaft 103 on the spline grooves. Therefore, the incomplete groove portions should be machined and eliminated after the spline grooves R are formed, or a concavity should be formed at a part of each bottom of the spline groove R, so that there increases the production process of the second cam member 104. There is another method to simultaneously form the second cam member 104 and the spline grooves R by sintering, however sintering costs. Further, the second cam member 104 becomes larger because the spline grooves R exist.


An authenticating computing device for authenticating a user of a user computing device as a human being. The authenticating computing device comprises a processor configured to receive a request to authenticate a user as human and an identifier associated with at least one of the user and the user computing device. The processor is further configured to retrieve transaction data associated with a payment card account of the user based on the identifier, generate a challenge question based on the transaction data, and generate a plurality of images based on the transaction data. At least one of the plurality of images is a correct image and at least one of the plurality of images is an incorrect image. The processor is further configured to transmit the challenge question and the plurality of images for display on the user computing device.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to a network-based system for authenticating a user of a user computing device, and more specifically to a network based system for using payment transaction data to authenticate the user of a user computing attempting to access a host computing device.
Currently, automated computer systems may access host computing devices associated with service providers to perform fraudulent or otherwise undesirable activities, such as sending spam e-mails, posting advertisements in the comments of websites, utilizing server resources, etc. Accordingly, service providers, such as merchants, banks, and/or government agencies, often need to authenticate a user as a human prior to allowing the user to access certain services and systems offered by the service provider. For example, a bank may require authentication prior to allowing the user to access bank statements and/or transfer funds. However, authentication of a user that is attempting to remotely access the service provider through a computing device can be problematic.
Specifically, known computing systems authenticate users accessing a host computing device through use of a Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, also known as a "CAPTCHA." Known CAPTCHA systems generate test inputs that a user of a user computing device is required to input into the device in order to differentiate between human users and computer users. For example, a user may be asked to enter a series of letters and numbers that are shown in an image displayed by the user computing device. In order to prevent automated systems from understanding the displayed image, the letter and number combinations are often heavily italicized, slanted, and/or otherwise distorted. However, in some instances, the letter and number combinations may be distorted to a point that a human user is unable to correctly enter the combination.
In general, current CAPTCHA techniques require the user to perform some task that is not easily replicated or understood by a computer, such as image recognition, speech recognition, or other similar tasks. However, advancements in computer software and hardware continuously require the CAPTCHA to become more difficult for humans and computers alike. Accordingly, improved methods and systems for authenticating that a user is a human are needed.

Methods and systems for using transaction data to authenticate a user of a computing device


An electrophotographic member includes a rubber layer having a lightness of 15 or less and including a marked portion formed so as to have a depth of 35 μm or more and 100 μm or less, a fluorine-based resin layer having a light transmittance of 60% or more, and an adhesive layer disposed between the rubber layer and the fluorine-based resin layer. The adhesive layer has a lightness of 60 or more and has a thickness of 3 μm or more and 10 μm or less in a portion surrounding the marked portion.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an electrophotographic member used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a method for producing the electrophotographic member. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a multifunction machine having functions of the foregoing machines.
Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include electrophotographic members such as a roller (e.g., fixing roller) and a belt (e.g., fixing belt) each obtained by coating a rubber layer with a fluorine-based resin.
To manage such an electrophotographic member, a marked portion (e.g., a character string such as a manufacturer's serial number) can be formed (hereafter also referred to as "marking") in the electrophotographic member.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-338350 discloses a method in which marking is performed on a rubber layer and then the rubber layer is coated with a fluorine-based resin. Specifically, the marking is performed by irradiating a rubber layer with iron red with laser beams. Consequently, the marked portion turns black, and thus is easily recognized visually against the surrounding bright portion with iron red.
However, when a dark (e.g., black) rubber layer is used, it is difficult to visually recognize the marked portion 1f the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-338350 is employed.

Electrophotographic member and method for producing the same