An image processing apparatus comprises an image obtaining unit configured to obtain an omnidirectional image, a traveling direction obtaining unit configured to obtain information on a traveling direction of an image capturing apparatus when the omnidirectional image was shot, and a processing unit configured to perform processing of panoramic expansion on the omnidirectional image obtained by the image obtaining unit, based on the information on the traveling direction obtained with the traveling direction obtaining unit, such that an image portion corresponding to the traveling direction is positioned at a horizontal center in a panoramically expanded image, wherein the processing unit performs processing of panoramic expansion in accordance with change in the traveling direction in a case where the traveling direction changes while shooting the omnidirectional image that is a moving image.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for panoramically expanding an omnidirectional image.
Description of the Related Art
Omnidirectional images shot with an omnidirectional camera or the like and covering 360 degrees are known. An omnidirectional image is an image that is shot with an omnidirectional camera or a camera in which a fish eye lens is used and has, within a field angle, an entire range of 360 degrees in the horizontal direction. An omnidirectional image has a donut shape as shown in FIG. 1A, and therefore is an image hard to view for a viewer if displayed without any processing. In view of this, expanding the omnidirectional image in FIG. 1A into a panoramic image as in FIG. 1B through image processing (hereinafter, referred to as panoramic expansion) is commonly performed. The entire range (360 degrees) of the omnidirectional image having a donut shape is panoramically expanded such that the omnidirectional image is divided at an arbitrary position in the horizontal direction (circumferential direction of the omnidirectional image having a donut shape), image processing is performed so as to make the circumference of the omnidirectional image follow a straight line, and a panoramic image covering all the directions is generated. The divided position will be the two ends of the panoramic image.
As a technique for determining a divided position during this panoramic expansion, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-191535 discloses a technique in which face recognition is performed on an image that was panoramically expanded at an arbitrary position, and in the case where a person overlaps with the divided position, a divided position is determined again and the panoramic expansion is started over.
However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-191535 envisions a usage mainly for performing shooting with a fixed camera such as shooting of a conference, and a case of reproducing a moving image made up of omnidirectional images shot while moving a camera (hereinafter, referred to as omnidirectional moving image) is not considered. In an omnidirectional moving image shot while moving a camera, the movement of a stationary object involves approaching the camera from a distant position (appearance point) in the image, and subsequently moving away to a disappearance point on the side opposite to the direction of movement. At this time, if the divided position for panoramic expansion is an inappropriate position, the movement of the object in the image appears to be unnatural, giving a feeling of strangeness to a viewer of the panoramically expanded moving image.

Image processing apparatus and control method of the same


A modular, regenerative fuel cell system that includes a plurality of dedicated or reversible electrochemical cell stack modules, where each such module is devoid of major fluid systems, is provided. The inventive system allows a user to specifically and effectively tailor the system to the demands of a particular application. If additional electrolysis capability and/or additional power are needed, only electrolysis cell stack modules and/or fuel cell stack modules are added to the system. The use of unnecessary or duplicative support equipment is avoided thereby rendering this system more cost effective and efficient.

Regenerative fuel cell systems in which one or more electrochemical cells are utilized to both electrolyze water to produce hydrogen and oxygen, and to produce electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen back into water, are known. These systems, which may be used with either renewable or non-renewable, grid connected or off-grid power sources, offer a means for storing energy to be used during periods when primary power from one of these sources is unavailable, and are constructed as either unitary or modular structures, with the modular design allowing for flexibility in, among other things, shipping, installation, power output, run time, recharge time and system modification (e.g., upgrading, increasing capacity).
The system architecture for the modular regenerative fuel cell systems, which is best shown in FIG. 1, place hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage, and fuel cell power generating functions in separate modules. These modular systems, which are packaged as either floor mounted or rack mounted systems, employ electrolysis cell subsystems 1, fuel cell subsystems 2, as well as hydrogen storage subsystems 3, with each electrolysis and fuel cell subsystem including a cell stack and associated fluid systems and power conditioning. During charge operation, water is introduced to the electrolysis cell subsystem 1, where it is electrolyzed to form hydrogen gas and oxygen according to the reaction 2H2O→2H2+O2. The hydrogen gas produced in electrolysis cell subsystem 1 is stored in the hydrogen storage subsystem 3, while the oxygen may be either vented to ambient air or stored. During power generation operation, the hydrogen gas stored in subsystem 3  flows to the fuel cell subsystem 2, where it reacts with oxygen supplied from either the air or storage to generate electricity and to yield product water.
For applications requiring additional electrolysis or power capability, complete subsystems are added to these prior art modular regenerative fuel cell systems. Such an approach, however, may result in sub-optimal matching of either charge or discharge capability and in redundant equipment.
By way of the present invention, it has been discovered that partitioning the electrolysis cell and fuel cell subsystems into separate stack and fluid modules allows a user to specifically and effectively tailor the system to the demands of a particular application.
The present invention therefore generally provides a modular, regenerative fuel cell system that comprises a plurality of reversible or dedicated electrochemical cell stack modules, wherein each such module is devoid of major fluid systems.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a modular, regenerative fuel cell system that comprises:                (a) one or more of each of the functional modules listed in either group (i) or group (ii) below:                    (i) reversible fuel cell stack modules, and fluid modules; or            (ii) electrolysis cell stack modules, electrolysis cell fluid modules, fuel cell stack modules, and fuel cell fluid modules, and                        (b) means for storing hydrogen gas.
In a first more preferred embodiment, the modular, regenerative fuel cell system of the present invention employs reversible modules ("the reversible module system") and comprises:                (a) one or more reversible fuel cell stack modules, each in fluid communication with at least one fluid module, and in electrical communication with a power source, an external load or power grid, and control means, and each being adapted to convert water, water vapor, or an aqueous solution into at least a hydrogen gas, and to extract chemical energy from hydrogen gas and air or oxygen and convert the extracted chemical energy into electrical power;         (b) one or more fluid modules in fluid communication with (i) a source of water, water vapor, or aqueous solution, (ii) means for storing hydrogen gas, (iii) a source of air or oxygen, and (iv) the one or more reversible fuel cell stack modules, and in electrical communication with a power source and control means, for providing water, water vapor, or aqueous solution, hydrogen gas, and air or oxygen to the one or more reversible fuel cell stack modules, and for delivering hydrogen gas generated by the one or more reversible fuel cell stack modules to the means for storing hydrogen gas;        (c) a power source;        (d) control means; and        (e) means for storing hydrogen gas.
In a second more preferred embodiment, the modular, regenerative fuel cell system of the present invention employs dedicated modules ("the dedicated module system") and comprises:                (a) one or more electrolysis cell fluid modules in fluid communication with (i) a source of water, water vapor, or aqueous solution, (ii) one or more electrolysis cell stack modules, and (iii) means for storing hydrogen gas, and in electrical communication with a power source and control means, for providing water, water vapor, or an aqueous solution to the one or more electrolysis cell stack modules and for delivering hydrogen gas generated by the one or more electrolysis cell stack modules to the means for storing hydrogen gas;        (b) one or more electrolysis cell stack modules in fluid communication with the one or more electrolysis cell fluid modules, and in electrical communication with the power source and the control means, each being adapted to convert water, water vapor, or an aqueous solution into at least a hydrogen gas;        (c) one or more fuel cell fluid modules in fluid communication with (i) the means for storing hydrogen gas, (ii) a source of air or oxygen, and (iii) one or more fuel cell stack modules, and in electrical communication with the power source and the control means, for providing hydrogen gas and air or oxygen to the one or more fuel cell stack modules;         (d) one or more fuel cell stack modules, each in fluid communication with the one or more fuel cell fluid modules, and in electrical communication with the power source, an external load or power grid, and the control means, and each being adapted to extract chemical energy from the hydrogen gas and air or oxygen and converting the extracted chemical energy into electrical power;        (e) a power source;        (f) control means; and        (g) means for storing hydrogen gas.
In yet a more preferred embodiment, the power source constitutes: a power means for (i) receiving power from an energy source, (ii) optionally charging one or more batteries, (iii) providing power to either the one or more reversible fuel cell stack modules and the one or more fluid modules of the reversible module system, or the one or more electrolysis cell fluid modules, the one or more electrolysis cell stack modules, and the one or more fuel cell fluid modules of the dedicated module system, and (iv) converting variable power from the one or more reversible or dedicated fuel cell stack modules to constant or relatively constant voltages and/or inverting direct currents to alternating currents; and/or one or more batteries, and the inventive modular regenerative fuel cell system further comprises: monitoring means for monitoring information regarding all aspects of the modular regenerative fuel cell system and for transmitting the information to the control means of the modular regenerative fuel cell system.
The inventive system, in a most preferred embodiment, is selected from the group of modular regenerative Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems, modular regenerative Solid Oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems, modular regenerative Alkaline fuel cell systems, modular regenerative Phosphoric Acid fuel cell systems, modular hydrogen-halogen fuel cell systems, and combinations thereof.
The present invention further provides a method for generating power and storing energy using a modular, regenerative fuel cell system, which method comprises configuring the fuel cell system to include a plurality of reversible or dedicated electrochemical cell stack modules, wherein each such module is devoid of major fluid systems.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill from the following detailed description and drawings. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All publications, patent applications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.


An image data processor for recognizing the degree of variation in the object in the image by dividing an image plane into a plurality of block regions and by sequentially comparing an input image and a background image for each of the divided block regions. The data to be used for comparing the input image and the background image are either the number of occurences of preset amplitude relationships of the signals which are produced by extracting the signals of plural pairs of picture elements in spacially preset relative position relationships from the output signals of an image pickup device while sequentially shifting the positions of the picture elements and by accomplishing the counting operations for each pair of the picture elements when the picture element extracted is included in a preset block region or the data which are produced by linearly transforming the data of the number of occurences.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data processor, and more particularly to an image data processor which enables the existence of variation in an image to be recognized by extracting a feature from image data and by comparing the extracted feature with the feature which has been extracted and stored in advance by a similar processing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In case a monitor for monitoring a scene in a TV camera to automatically judge whether or not any change takes place in the image of the TV camera and which region the change takes place in is taken into consideration, the most promising system is that, in which the image is received and stored in advance so that the stored image is compared with the image being received at the monitoring time thereby to detect the difference inbetween.
Since, however, the quantity of the data of the whole region of the image is remarkably extensive, the capacity of the memory is so increased that the monitor as a whole becomes highly expensive if the data are directly stored and compared. On the other hand, since the values of the image data themselves are liable to be fluctuated in accordance with the intensity or incident angle of light, it is rather advantageous in view of the countermeasures for noises that any geometrical feature is extracted for comparison from the image data than that the comparison is made with the image data themselves. Upon production of the aforementioned monitor, therefore, it is the most important technique that the image data are tried to be compressed to a feature vector having as little data as possible.
From the standpoint thus far described, there has been conventionally proposed by the Inventors a system, in which an image picked up is divided into plural block regions and the image data divided in the respective block regions are coded for the respective regions so that the data thus coded are sequentially compared with the coded reference image data stored in advance for the respective regions and corresponding to the background in the respective block regions thereby to detect the degree of the change in the image by counting the block regions where the compared results become inconsistent (Reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,800.). According to the aforementioned system, each of the block regions divided is composed of a plurality of picture elements which are two-dimentionally, and the changing direction of the brightness for each of the aforementioned picture elements is judged to count the number of the picture elements in each direction so that the image of each region is coded into a feature vector. For example, a two-dimentional plane is divided in eight-directions, for which are provided counters, respectively, each of which is preset to generate an output "1" when a counting operation higher than a preset value is performed. Then, in accordance with the judged results of the changing direction of brightness for each picture element, a corresponding counter is brought into its counting operation so that the feature of one block region can be displayed with the codes of 8 bits composed of the outputs of eight counters when the judgements of the whole picture elements in the region are completed. The system thus far described has an advantage that the comparison of two image for each block region can be performed with data of eight bits irrespective of the number of the picture elements in said block region.
According to the system proposed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,800, more specifically, the classification in the direction of brightness for each picture element is performed by sequentially extracting a two dimentional partial region, which is composed of one group of picture elements of n.times.n, from an object image, by comparing the picture elements in n number of right and left sides to obtain a brightness gradient f.sub.x averaged in the X direction, and by similarly comparing the picture elements in n number of upper and lower sides to obtain a brightness gradient f.sub.y in the Y direction. From these two pieces of information, EQU .theta.=tan.sup.-1 (f.sub.y /f.sub.x)
is calculated, and to which direction the calculated value belongs is judged. The results thus obtained are generated as the brightness direction of the picture elements representative of the aforementioned block regions extracted. Thus, a classifying circuit requires various kinds of resistors for the calculations of the values .theta..


A storage container for storing fishing lures having treble hooks carried by lure bodies in a tangle-free manner includes a plurality of lure compartments, each having first and second lure storage panels. A plurality of lure retention slots are formed in the lure storage panels having a slot entrance which receives a shank of the treble hooks of the fishing lures. The first and second panels are carried in each lure compartment and a hook space is formed below the panels and a lure body space is formed above the panels so that the treble hooks are completely enclosed and separated from the treble hooks of the other fishing lures as well as from the bodies of the fishing lures. The first and second lure storage panels are carried in each compartment about a pivot so that the slot entrances may be pivoted upwardly for easy insertion and removal of fishing lures. The first and second lure storage panels in each compartment are disposed generally coplanar so that all of the fishing lures are fully visible upon opening of the lure compartments. In this manner, a large number of fishing lures may be stored in a tangle-free manner and additional lure compartments may be added to a base unit to carry as many fishing lures as desired.

This invention relates to a storage container for fishing lures, and more particularly to a container in which a large number of fishing lures with treble hooks may be stored in a tangle-free manner.
The popularity of sport and tournament fishing has increased rapidly over the past two decades. In particular, fishing for bass and other sport fish competitively in fishing tournaments and other events, as well as for sport, has lead to a corresponding increase in the interest of fishing baits. It is common practice to use a large number of artificial fishing lures or plugs with treble hooks in sport and tournament fishing. With the popularity of this fishing, the number of fishing lures which need to be used and carried by the fisherman presents a problem to which considerable attention need be given. Not only are the treble hooks of fishing lures easily entangled with one another, but it is easy for the sharp points of the treble hooks to pierce into the skin during handling. Accordingly, the provision of a storage container for containing and managing a very large number of fishing lures with treble hooks in a generally tangle-free manner is one to which considerable attention need be given.
Heretofore, containers have been provided for fishing lures having treble hooks. However, such containers are typically suitable for only containing a small number of fishing lures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,364,807 discloses a container having a slotted compartment for containing fishing lures with treble hooks. Not only is the number of lures that may be contained limited, but the opening and closing of the container requires the sliding of moveable panels in and out of grooves. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,723,484 and 2,841,917 disclose individual containers which utilize various arrangements of slots. U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,051 discloses a fishing lure holder having two rows of slotted members for supporting fishing lures; however, the fishing lures are not retained in the slots and may easily dislodge from the slots and become entangled during movement of the holder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,222 discloses a tackle box consisting of a stack of upstanding rectangular housing units. The units may be hinged together by pins which are readily removable so that the units can be added or deleted as desired by fishermen. While the above various fishing lure holders and containers, and tackle boxes, may be suitable for their intended purposes, they do not provide a fishing lure storage container which is satisfactory for containing a large number of fishing lures with treble hooks in a tangle-free manner.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a storage container for containing a large number of fishing lures in a tangle-free manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fishing lure storage container for containing fishing lures having treble hooks in which the lures may be stored and retrieved easily without the need to manually handle the hooks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fishing lure storage container for maintaining a large number of fishing lures with treble hooks wherein the fishing lures are retained in a tangle-free manner inside the container and may be easily placed and removed conveniently during fishing.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure storage container for use in sport and tournament fishing in which a large number of fishing lures may be stored in a tangle-free manner for quick and easy use, and wherein storage compartments for the tangle-free storage of the fishing lures may be added or deleted from a base unit as desired by the fisherman.

Tangle-free fishing lure storage container


In an example, a system comprises a first optical device, a second optical device, and an optical modulator. The first optical device, in a non-cryogenic environment, receives a light signal, outputs the light signal, receives a first modulated light signal, and outputs the first modulated light signal into the non-cryogenic environment. The second optical device, in a cryogenic environment, receives the light signal from the first optical device, outputs the light signal, receives the first modulated light signal, and outputs the first modulated light signal. The optical modulator, in the cryogenic environment, receives the light signal from the second optical device, modulates the light signal to produce the first modulated light signal and a second modulated light signal, outputs the second modulated light signal, and outputs the first modulated light signal to the second optical device.

Cryogenic computing is a form of computing in which processing components are located within a cryogenic environment, e.g., 4-77 K. Such a cryogenic environment allows such processing components to operate with superconducting components that include, e.g., zero-resistance wires, ultrafast Josephson junction switches, fluxoids, etc. Fiber optics are one medium for moving data to/from a cryogenic computer. Such fiber optics can provide a fast, e.g., 10-100 Gbps, digital communication link(s) to/from the cryogenic environment and a non-cryogenic environment, e.g., a room temperature environment (e.g. 300 K). Moreover, for application to ultra-low power cryogenic systems, use of certain modulators is limited in that some modulators generate relatively large amount of heat that negatively impacts the cryogenic environment.


A heated cosmetic applicator that has a plurality of small, individual heating elements placed within and/or on at least some of the lash grooming elements. A heat-generating applicator head for a heated cosmetic applicator that has a plurality of small, individual heating elements placed within and/or on at least some of the lash grooming elements.

The most common mascara applicator is the mascara brush. A classic mascara brush has a bristle head that comprises a collection of individual filaments disposed within a helical wire core. The wire core depends from one end of an elongated stem, while the other end attaches to a handle. Also known, are molded bristle heads, which are fashioned as a cylindrical sleeve with integrally molded bristle elements radiating from the sleeve. The molded sleeve may be slipped over one end of an elongated stem, while the other end of the stem attaches to a handle. In either case, the radially extending bristles, collectively, form a bristle head or applicator head, the "working portion" of the applicator. For a review of those brush parameters that are recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art to be results-effective, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,465,114, herein incorporated by reference, in its entirety.
Mascara applicators that utilize individual "lash grooming elements" other than bristles, are known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,248 describes an applicator comprising a central shaft (or core) along the length of which rigid triangular plates outwardly project, many such plates being parallel to each other. The regularly spaced plates are reportedly suitable for loading, transferring, coating and separating. U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,393 described a bellows capable of being lengthened or shortened by the user as required. The stacked "teeth" of the bellows provide surfaces for holding mascara and the spacing between the teeth allows the eyelashes to be coated and separated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,254 describes a central core with a ribbed profile. The individual ribs provide surfaces for holding mascara and the spacing between the ribs allows the eyelashes to be coated and separated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,728, herein incorporated by reference, in its entirety, describes a beaded mascara applicator, that is a mascara applicator having one or more beads disposed on a central axle extending longitudinally from an elongated rod and handle. A first preferred embodiment comprises a single cylindrical bead molded from plastic and having a series of longitudinally spaced grooves along the length of the bead. A second preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of about 5 to 7 beads disposed on a metal axle and retained by means of a flat-headed pin. The beads are capable of individually or collectively rotating about the axle to create optimal mascara application and lash separation. Preferably the diameter of the spherical beads ranges from 0.80 to 7.0 millimeters and the length of the non-spherical beads may range from 0.80 to 9.0 millimeters. U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,626 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,716 disclose a mascara applicator having an array of independent discs which compress during withdrawal from a container so that excess product can be removed from the applicator by a wiper. After passage through the wiper, the discs return to their expanded position by the action of a spring. The compressing of the discs during withdrawal allows a controlled amount of product to remain on the applicator for application by the consumer, and the returning of the discs to their expanded position by the spring causes the discs to assume a configuration which allows the applicator to effectively comb and separate the eyelashes.
Heating cosmetic applicators are known, in particular, heated applicators for mascara. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,344 discloses a mascara applicator having a heat facilitating strip located within the wall of the applicator rod. The heat facilitating strip is continuously distributed along the rod or stem of the applicator. Various other heated cosmetic applicators are known in which the heating element is an extended component, continuously distributed along a rod or stem of the applicator. For example, copending application U.S. Ser. No. 12/732,835 (herein, incorporated by reference, in its entirety), discloses heating applicators that comprise a plurality of discrete heating elements that are arranged with regard to the linear distribution of the bristles. For example, disclosed are heated applicators that have a specified number of discrete heating elements per bristle turn, or per length of core, or per bristle, that number being constant or variable over the length of the core. The use of a plurality of discrete heating elements that are arranged with regard to the linear distribution of the bristles, improves the heating efficiency of the device. Here again, however, the heating elements are distributed, albeit discretely, along the rod or stern of the applicator. The product to be heated is located on the lash grooming elements, i.e. bristles. Heat must travel by conduction from inside the rod or stem to the bristles and into the product. In the process, heat is lost to materials that don't really need to be heated. Product heat up times and power consumption are adversely affected. For these reasons, commercial viability has remained low. There remains a need for a heated cosmetic applicator, in particular a heated mascara applicator, having improved heating capabilities.


A miniature antenna with an elongated base portion and an essentially circular top loop that is perpendicular thereto. A U-shaped load is connected between the partially helical base portion and the top loop, and its first leg is connected essentially perpendicular to the elongated base portion while its second leg is connected essentially tangential to the top loop.

Antennas for pocket telephones are usually comprised of an antenna rod with a length of a half or a quarter of a wavelength.
The half wave antenna has a current distribution in the form of half of a sine wave, that is the current is zero at the ends and has a maximum in the middle. This antenna type works well from a technical point of view, but it has the drawback that it is bulky. This is because at the usually used radio frequencies of 900 MHz a wavelength of approximately 30 cm is obtained. This means an antenna length of approximately 15 cm, which by many users is considered unpractical and implies a risk that the antenna will be damaged when the pocket telephone is used.
A quarter wave antenna is half as long, that is 7-8 cm, and is therefore more practical. However, this antenna type has an unfavourable current distribution in the form of a quarter of a sine wave, the current being zero at the top of the antenna and at a maximum at the antenna base.
Furthermore, a circularly polarized antenna comprising an elongated base portion and an essentially circular top loop that is perpendicular thereto is known per se from "Antennas", John D. Kraus, McGraw-Hill.
An object of the present invention is to provide a linearly polarized miniature antenna that in addition to being short also provides an essentially rectangular current distribution between the point of connection at the antenna base and the antenna top.


An exercise machine for performing an incline press includes a frame, a declined seat connected to the frame along a vertical midplane and two independently maneuverable levers with upper rearward ends pivotally connected to the frame above the seat, on opposite sides of the midplane. The lower, forward ends of the levers are adapted to hold removable weights. Handles also extend inwardly, rearwardly and upwardly from the lower ends of the levers. Each handle is adapted to be grasped by a person supported on the seat and upwardly extended and adducted in an incline press motion against the held weights to move the respective lever along a vertical plane that converges inwardly with respect to the vertical midplane. This incline press exercise machine accommodates the natural musculoskeletal movements of the arms and shoulders of a person, thereby maximizing muscular benefit while minimizing joint stress.

Many athletes and non-athletes utilize weight lifting or weight training exercises to build strength and/or bulk, to prevent injury, or to improve overall condition and appearance. Typically, weight training exercises are performed with either exercise machines or free weights, i.e., barbells and weighted plates, dumbbells, etc. For various reasons, most exercise programs incorporate both machines and free weights in a variety of different exercise routines in order to maximize the effect of working out a desired number of muscle groups.
Free weights offer a number of advantages over exercise machines. For instance, they are relatively inexpensive in comparison to exercise machines. Free weights are also more versatile because a variety of exercises can be performed with one set of weights, whereas most exercise machines are designed for only one exercise. Even though some exercise machines accommodate more than one exercise, the cost of these machines usually increases proportionately with the number of exercises. Use of dumbbells also enables both arms to be exercised independently. Finally, free weights are popular among many weight lifters because the lifting movements are not restricted to prescribed planes of motion or prescribed angles.
Nevertheless, there are also a number of inherent disadvantages associated with free weights. One such disadvantage relates to safety. Although most weight room instructors strongly advise against an individual working out by himself or herself, this cautionary measure is particularly important when the lifting of free weights is involved. This is due to commonly recognized dangers such as the possibility of dropping a weight on a body part, or becoming trapped beneath a bar, which could easily occur in exercises such as bench press, incline press or squat. Additionally, through carelessness, loading and unloading of heavy weighted plates onto the ends of a bar sometimes results in an unbalanced bar that falls downward from its rack.
Another disadvantage associated with free weights relates to the fact that the weight resistance, or opposing force, that is exercised against is always directed vertically downward by gravity. Yet, the moment arm of the weight about the pivot point varies considerably throughout the full range of motion. This principle is explained in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,454 with respect to a commonly performed exercise referred to as the dumbbell bicep curl. In short, doing this exercise the applied moment arm about the elbow varies according to the sine of the angle of the lower arm with respect to the vertically oriented upper arm. The moment arm is greatest when the angle is 90.degree., and it is lowest when the angle is 180.degree. and 0.degree..
If the resistance capabilities of the muscles of the human body matched this moment arm, the degree of difficulty experienced by the exerciser would be uniform, or balanced, throughout the entire range of motion. However, as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,454, the strength generated by the human muscles during this exercise is not in fact "balanced" throughout the range of motion, and there are some "sticking points" of increased difficulty. As a result, maximum benefits are not achieved when performing a bicep curl with a dumbbell.
A pullover machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,454 utilizes an eccentric cam to vary weight resistance over the range of motion for the muscles utilized in a pullover maneuver. Over the years, for various muscle groups, a number of these cam and chain machines have been designed in an attempt to match a resistance variation through a range of motion with the natural strength curve for a particular muscle group associated with the range of motion. To the extent that these machines actually do succeed in approximating a resistance variation to an appropriate strength curve, an improvement over lifting of free weights probably has been achieved.
As a result, applicant has recognized that a machine, rather than free weights, must be employed to advance the state of the art with respect to manipulating resistance variation to match a strength curve for a particular range of motion. Nevertheless, there are a number of practical disadvantages associated with cam and chain machines. These disadvantages are outlined in applicant's copending applications, entitled "Pulldown Exercise Machine" and "Dumbbell Press Exercise Machine," filed on Apr. 26, 1990, Ser. Nos. 07/514,869 and 07/514,839. Moreover, applicant is unaware of any incline press exercise machine that effectively and safely exercises the triceps, the pectoral muscles and the deltoids.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an incline press exercise machine that maximizes the exercise benefit attainable during an incline press maneuver while minimizing skeletal or joint stress associated therewith.
It is another object of the invention to provide an incline press exercise machine which combines the advantageous features of both free weight exercise and exercise machines without incorporating the attendant disadvantages normally associated therewith.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an incline press exercise machine which is particularly suitable for exercising one arm at a time.


A method for electrically isolating an integrated circuit element in an acoustic charge transport device comprises the steps of providing a semi-insulating substrate; providing an epitaxial layer with a thickness and carrier concentration appropriate for an ACT device; providing a circuit element semiconductor layer in the epitaxial layer for construction of an integrated circuit element, the layer having a thickness substantially less than the thickness of the epitaxial layer and having a carrier concentration substantially greater than the ACT epitaxial layer; laterally isolating the semiconductor layer from other regions of the ACT epitaxial layer; and bombarding the semiconductor layer with protons at a dose sufficient to provide significant vertical electrical isolation from underlying regions of the epitaxial layer semi-insulating with minimal detrimental effect on the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor layer.

The acoustic charge transport (ACT) device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,285, is a high speed GaAs charge transfer device in which electron transport is accomplished using the traveling wave electric field of a UHF surface acoustic wave generated directly in the GaAs. The capability to monolithically integrate conventional active and passive GaAs integrated circuit elements with the ACT device is absolutely critical in advanced applications of the ACT technology. Most advanced ACT device applications, such as programmable ACT signal processors or high performance delay lines and transversal filters, require significant levels of conventional digital and/or analog circuit integration with the ACT device.
A variety of conventional GaAs integrated circuit (IC) methods have been developed and are well known in the art. The most common of these utilizes selective ion implantation in semi-insulating GaAs substrates to spatially define and electrically isolate the semiconducting regions required for individual IC elements. Another common approach involves the epitaxial growth of thin GaAs layers on the semi-insulating substrate coupled with mesa etching or ion bombardment damage techniques to achieve spatial definition and lateral electrical isolation of individual circuit element semiconducting layers. In most cases, the semiconducting regions required for the IC elements are very thin and approximately the same for all elements, thus simplifying the integration process.
In contrast with the conventional GaAs IC technology, the integration of high performance GaAs circuit elements such as Schottky barrier field effect transistors, diodes, and semiconductor resistors with the ACT device presents a significant challenge. This difficulty arises because the semiconductor layer characteristics required to achieve acceptable operation of the ACT device are considerably different from those required to produce acceptable integrated circuit elements. The ACT device channel layer must presently be grown epitaxially to achieve the very high purity required for precision charge transfer and it is relatively thick (typically a few microns) with relatively low n-type carrier concentration (typically 10.sup.15 -10.sup.16 /cm.sup.3) in an optimal design. In comparison, the desired semiconductor layer thickness for active integrated elements, for example an FET, is relatively thin (typically less than a few thousand angstroms) with high n-type or p-type carrier concentration (of the order of 2.times.10.sup.17 /cm.sup.3). Moreover, ion implantation of the dopant is usually preferred in a manufacturable process to take advantage of the superior parameter control and spatial uniformity associated with this approach.
Although a thin, highly doped GaAs layer can be formed at the surface of the ACT layer by conventional ion implantation or epitaxial growth techniques, a fundamental integration difficulty involves the vertical electrical isolation of the layer from the underlying epitaxial material. For example, without vertical isolation, the epitaxial material essentially forms a large vertical extension to the n-channel of a Schottky barrier FET resulting in excessive FET pinch-off voltages and high parasitic shunt conductance between the source and drain terminals of the FET. These effects prohibit the proper operation of the FET. In general, the DC or AC parasitic effects associated with a conductive epitaxial buried layer inhibit or greatly degrade the operation of high speed GaAs integrated circuit elements. These parasitic effects are particularly critical in an ACT integrated circuit because the characteristic impedance levels of the ACT device and its appropriate interface circuits are very high.
A prior ACT integration approach for the FET, which attempts to address the vertical isolation problem, utilizes a p-type implant into the ACT layer to form a shallow p-type tub in which an n-type FET channel is situated. Under proper conditions, this configuration can provide the necessary pinchoff voltage isolation through the potential barrier associated with the zero or reversed biased p-n junction but it also produces an undesirable fundamental tradeoff between two key performance parameters of the FET. In particular, it is found that the low p-layer acceptor sheet carrier concentration regime (corresponding to nearly complete p-layer thermal depletion via its adjacent pn junctions) produces a DC punch-through effect at unacceptably low drain-source voltages which effectively destroys the intended vertical isolation from the underlying epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the large acceptor sheet carrier concentration regime (which eliminates the punch-through problem by expanding the drain-source punch-through voltage to levels beyond the intended operating range of the FET ) produces an unacceptably large value of AC drain-source conductance due to the capacitive coupling of the FET channel to the underlying conductive p-layer. Because the degrading effects of these regimes tend to overlap, no p-tub structure design which provides an acceptable compromise to these competing effects has been found. In addition, since this approach results in p-type or n-type conductive buried layers under other integrated circuit elements as well, general circuit element performance is degraded by parasitic effects.
Short et al. investigated the use of O and He compensation implants for tailoring the doping profiles associated with implanted layers in semi-insulating GaAs substrates.
Chand et al. have described a process which provides a minimal level of DC vertical electrical isolation for an implanted FET in an undoped GaAs epitaxial buffer layer. This process utilizes a relatively low dose oxygen compensating implant in the active region of the FET to create a thin (several thousand angstroms) semi-insulating layer beneath the implanted channel layer of the FET. It was found that the oxygen implant created undesirable damage of the FET channel layer and a high temperature anneal at 500.degree. C. was required to mitigate this effect. It was also reported that the degree of electrical isolation achieved with this process was inferior to that associated with implanted semi-insulating substrate technology despite the relatively low conductivity of the undoped buffer layer. This prior epitaxial implant process cannot be successfully used for ACT compatible circuit element integration because the penetration depths of the compensating ions are roughly an order of magnitude less than that required for effective vertical isolation of the thick conductive ACT epitaxial layer. Although a thin semi-insulating vertical isolation layer can be produced by this process, circuit element structures isolated by this technique are susceptible to the same DC punch-through and AC parasitic effects described for the p-tub approach due to the presence of the underlying epitaxial layer.
The use of proton implants for lateral electrical isolation of integrated ciruit components in the monolithic plane of semiconductor substrates is well known. It is generally understood that the electrical isolation is obtained from the carrier compensation effects of energy states deep in the band gap (deep traps) resulting from the crystal damage associated with the particle bombardment. The typical application of this technique involves the selective implant of protons in all regions of the integrated circuit which are not occupied by semiconductor based circuit elements.
The use of ion implantation for device isolation is well established in microcircuit fabrication technology. There, an energetic implant is done to create fully isolated layers, between devices for example. Lateral isolation is the object of that process, which has been widely reported in the scientific literature.
Another type of FET using implant isolation is described in a report by Pruniaux et al (Proc. 2nd International Conf. on Ion Implantation in Semiconductors, Springer Verlag, N.Y., 1971). In this implementation, a thin insulating region is produced with a low energy proton implant between the FET's gate and its active channel. This work appears to have little relevance to the disclosed invention.
Other reports have used hydrogen for FET fabrication, but in a chemical, donor neutralizing fashion as opposed to making use of the crystal damage associated with bombardment with high energy protons. The donor neutralization technique is not known to provide depth selectivity.

Soft proton isolation process for an acoustic charge transport integrated circuit


A method, system, mobile device, apparatus and computer program product are provided for accurately determining whether one or more rights objects associated with a mobile device are valid. In particular, a secure time source (e.g., DRM clock or time) may be maintained by the mobile device and used to check the validity of the one or more rights objects. In order to ensure that the secure time source or clock remains accurate, the mobile device may update the secure time source by regularly requesting and receiving the DVB-H network time from a DVB-H network entity. Because the DVB-H network time is secure, accurate and readily accessible, it provides an ideal tool for correcting possible drift in the mobile device's secure time source.

Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to a set of methods that ensures that certain content and services can only be accessed or used by a mobile device operator when the relevant conditions (e.g., access conditions) have been met. DRM Rights Objects (ROs) are the collections of permissions, keys and other attributes that are linked to various items of the content and services. These ROs have certain time constraints for specifying when the rights are valid, and at certain points during the protected content consumption cycle, the ROs will need to be changed. For example, a standard cycle for RO change in IP Datacast systems is one month. (See "IP Datacast over DVB-H: Service Purchase and Protection (SPP)," DVB Document A1OO, December 2005, available at http://www.dvb-h.org/PDF/a100.tm3455r3.cbms1476.IPDC SPP.pdf.) In current systems, a user may receive two ROs, one for the current month and one for the next month.
In order to determine, therefore, whether a mobile device operator has the necessary access rights to particular items of content or of a service, the mobile device needs to be able to accurately and securely keep track of time. More specifically, the mobile device needs to be able to accurately know when each RO is no longer valid and, therefore, when to start a new RO.
In many mobile devices, a specific DRM clock, or DRM time, is used to check the validity of a user's DRM rights. The DRM clock, or time, represents a secure, non user-changeable time source that measures time in the UTC (Universal Time Coordinated—e.g., zulu or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)) time scale. One problem associated with this, and generally any, secure time source, however, is that it is susceptible to drift. In other words, if a clock or time source, such as the DRM time, is not regularly updated, the time provided is likely to drift away from its originally-set time and, therefore, no longer provide the correct time. If the DRM time is wrong or old, a user may be prevented from consuming ORM protected content, since the current RO associated with that content may no longer be valid, and a new RO may not have been started appropriately.
One solution to this problem has been to use the NITZ (Network Identity and Time Zone) network time to update the DRM time. However, not all operators have access to the NITZ time, and one cannot easily determine which operators have access and at what locations.
A need, therefore, exists for a way to consistently and accurately update a secure time source that is associated with a mobile device and may be used to determine whether a user has rights to certain items of content or of a service.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, system, mobile device, apparatus and computer program product for validating rights objects


A display apparatus includes a display panel, a gate driver and a data driver. The display panel includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines and a plurality of pixels connected to the gate lines and the data lines. The display panel displays an image. The gate driver is configured to output a gate signal to the gate line. The data driver is configured to selectively operate one of outputting a data voltage to the data line and reading the data voltage stored in the pixel through the data line.

Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a display apparatus and a method of driving a display panel using the display apparatus. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a display apparatus capable of reading a pixel voltage in a display panel and a method of driving a display panel using the display apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
A display apparatus includes a display panel and a display panel driver. The display panel includes a gate line and a data line. The display panel driver includes a timing controller, a gate driver and a data driver.
The data driver outputs a data voltage to the data line. Pixels in the display panel represent luminance based on the data voltage.
To repetitively display the same image on the display panel or to compensate the image on the display panel using a previous frame data and a present frame data, an additional memory may be required.
Due to the additional memory, a manufacturing cost of the display apparatus may increase. In addition, when the timing controller continuously receives input image data to display the same repetitive image, the power may be unnecessarily consumed.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Display apparatus and method of driving display panel using the same


A base station including at least one circuit configured to: receive a signal from a communication terminal via an array antenna; calculate a weight to be applied to the array antenna with respect to the communication terminal, based on a known signal supplied from the communication terminal and received by the circuit; transmit a signal to the communication terminal via the array antenna; determine m (m>1) communication terminals among the plurality of communication terminals, based on a first communication quality between base stations and a plurality of communication terminals, as communication-object candidates; cause to transmit control information, which is configured to cause the communication terminal to transmit the known signal, to the m communication terminals. Thus, the circuit may determine, as communication objects, l (1≦l<m) communication terminals among the m communication terminals, based on quality of communication between the base station and the m communication terminals.

Conventionally, various techniques relating to wireless communication have been proposed. For example, a technique of performing communication using the Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) scheme has been proposed. In the ARQ scheme, a communication terminal receives a downlink frame from a base station, and when finding an error in data of the downlink frame, requests the base station to retransmit the erroneous data.
A wireless communication technique called WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is also proposed in which communication is performed based on the OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) scheme. The WiMAX defines the Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) scheme in which the ARQ and an error correction code are combined with each other. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a sub-burst which is data used in the HARQ is included in a sub-burst region of a downlink sub-frame transmitted from the base station to the communication terminal.
One of the wireless communication techniques is the Proportional Fairness. In the Proportional Fairness, the priority of transmission to each of communication terminals is set such that the communication terminals can transmit a maximum possible number of bits while the communication quality is still good. This can complete the transmission between the base station and the respective communication terminals within a short time period. Here, fairness among a plurality of communication terminals is maintained by lowering the priority of a communication terminal having a large amount of previous data transmission to thereby allow communication of a communication terminal having a small amount of data transmission.
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique in which a base station according to the WiMAX performs wireless communication with a communication terminal by using the adaptive array antenna scheme.
In the WiMAX, various methods for arranging sub-channels are defined. Among them, a downlink PUSC (Partial Usage of Subchannels) applied to downlink communication defines a plurality of major groups each including a plurality of sub-channels.
In the WiMAX, a downlink burst region for transmitting user data is allocated in a downlink sub-frame used in signal transmission from the base station to the communication terminal. In a case where the base station including an array antenna adopts the downlink PUSC as a method for arranging sub-channels in the downlink burst region and performs beam-forming to control the directivity of the array antenna to thereby transmit a signal to the communication terminal, it is necessary to allocate the downlink burst region to the downlink sub-frame on a major-group basis.
In the WiMAX, on the other hand, it is necessary to allocate the downlink burst region to the downlink sub-frame so as to have a rectangular shape on an OFDM symbol (time)/sub-channel plane whose horizontal axis and vertical axis represent an OFDM symbol and a sub-channel, respectively.
In the WiMAX, furthermore, it is necessary to allocate the downlink burst region to the downlink sub-frame on a so-called "slot" basis.

Base station, method for arranging sub burst region in base station, method for determining terminal to be communicated with, and method for allocating downlink burst region


A data record memory system for use with a Doppler radar incorporating a fast Fourier transform computer wherein the memory system utilizes a single memory constructed to read out and write in data at each address and the data supplied to the memory is sequenced so that the data is read out of the memory system in numerical range bin order.

The transmitter of pulsed Doppler radars periodically transmits a pulse of energy, which is herein called a sample, and the receiver is constructed to separate the time between samples into a plurality of components herein called range bins. When a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) computer is utilized with the Doppler radar, the information or data in a plurality of samples (and the component range bins), herein referred to as a batch, are stored and operated upon by the computer, in a predetermined sequence. Data is received sequentially by samples but is processed in a different order making it necessary to store a large amount of data in cases where the batch size is large. When a random access memory system is used for the storage of batch data, two such memories are generally used where real time processing is required. One of the memories is accessed by the FFT computer while the other is used for inputting the next batch of data.
Large random access memories are extremely expensive and, consequently, it is desirable to eliminate one of the memories in the FFT computer memory system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,173, entitled "Digital Scan Converter" and patented Jan. 4, 1972, discloses apparatus utilizing a single random access memory constructed and programmed to read out stored data and write in new data at the same address. However, this apparatus has two major drawbacks, one is that it only operates with a FFT computer having a radix of two and the other is that it does not read out the data sequentially in numerical range bin order. At the present time many Doppler radars utilizing FFT computers are also equipped with constant false alarm rate (CFAR) circuitry which requires data in numerical range bin order. Therefore, the apparatus disclosed in the '173 patent would not be operable in conjunction with CFAR circuitry.

Memory system for a Doppler radar incorporating a fast Fourier transform computer


A shelf assembly includes four vertical posts each having vertically spaced first engaging holes and vertically spaced second engaging holes. Each of two horizontal beams includes a first board. Each end of each horizontal beam includes a third engaging groove and a first buckle having a first coupling groove. Each of two connecting beams includes a second board. Each end of the second board includes a second buckle having a second coupling groove. A support board is mounted on top of the horizontal beams and the connecting beams. Each first buckle engages one of the first engaging holes. Each second buckle extends through one of the third engaging holes and one of the second engaging holes. Each first coupling groove engages a bottom edge of one of the first engaging holes. Each second coupling groove securely receives a corresponding connecting wall and the first board of a corresponding horizontal beam.

The present invention relates to a shelf assembly and, more particularly, to a shelf assembly capable for storing articles while providing enhanced assembling convenience and reliable support.
To improve article storage convenience, a type of shelf includes a plurality of vertical posts, a plurality of horizontal beams, and a plurality of support boards. Each vertical post includes a plurality of engaging holes at different heights. The horizontal beams are mounted to the vertical posts at suitable heights to form supports for the support boards. The number and the heights of the support boards can be adjusted according to need to increase the article storage applicability.
FIG. 10 shows a portion of a conventional shelf assembly including a plurality of vertical posts 1′, a plurality of horizontal beams 2′, and a support board 3′. Each of the vertical posts 1′ and the horizontal beams 2′ includes a plurality of engaging holes 11′, 21′. Bolts 4′ extend through engaging holes 11′ and 21′ in proper locations and are coupled with nuts 41′ to assemble the vertical posts 1′ and the horizontal beams 2′ together. The support board 3′ is placed on the vertical beams 1′ and the horizontal beams 2′ for supporting articles.
However, the assemblage requires extending the bolts 4′ through the engaging holes 11′ and 21′ and coupling the bolts 4′ with the nuts 41′, resulting inconvenient assemblage. Furthermore, the shelf is apt to fall when the threading connection between the bolts 4′ and the nuts 41′ is not secure. Furthermore, the support board 3′ rests on the vertical beams 1′ and the horizontal beams 2′ by its weight and is not securely positioned. Thus, the support board 3′ is apt to displace and fall due to impact.
FIG. 11 shows another conventional shelf assembly for increasing the assembling convenience. This shelf assembly includes four vertical posts 5′, four horizontal beams 6′, and a support board 7′. Each vertical post 5′ includes two connecting walls 51′ and 52′ extending perpendicularly to each other. Engaging holes 511′, 521′ are provided in each connecting wall 51′, 52 at different heights. Each horizontal beam 6′ includes an outer side having buckles 61′ for coupling with the engaging holes 511′ or 521′. Each horizontal beam 6′ can be coupled with the engaging holes 511′ and 521′ in different directions to form a shelf assembly, and the support board 7′ can be placed on top of the horizontal beams 6′.
The above shelf assembly can be easily assembled without bolts and nuts. However, the two connecting walls 51′ and 52′ of each vertical post 5′ are respectively connected to two of the horizontal beams 6′ which are not interconnected. As a result, the resultant shelf assembly has insufficient structural strength and is, thus, apt to deform when subjected to external forces.


An acoustic wave therapy apparatus has an acoustic wave source such as shock wave source and an acoustic transmitter that emits such a separate acoustic signal that, during operation of the acoustic wave therapy apparatus, at least partial cancels the air-borne sound caused by the acoustic wave source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an acoustic wave therapy apparatus of the type employing an acoustic wave source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Acoustic wave therapy apparatuses of the above type are utilized for a large variety of medical purposes. When shock waves are to be generated as acoustic waves, such apparatuses are employed, for example, for disintegrating calculi (lithotripsy) or for alleviating pain in joint-proximate soft tissue regions (pain therapy).
Given employment of such an acoustic wave therapy apparatus, the acoustic wave source produces substantial noise when it generates shock waves, that is considered disturbing by the medical personnel as well as by the patient.

Acoustic wave therapy apparatus with reduced noise during acoustic wave emission


In a steering device having an expansion and contraction-durable, flexible inner wire of a control cable, one end of which is fastened to an outer peripheral surface of a disc drive member rotatably mounted in a casing, the inner wire is fitted into an annular groove provided in the periphery of the drive member, and in a gap between the periphery of the drive member and the inner surface of the casing there is placed a series of bearings located or pivoted by a prescribed length of a flexible separator and having an engaging means capable of engaging with the inner wire or the drive member only in the direction of winding the inner wire. As a result of this construction, the steering device can be lightly operated regardless of the direction of rotation of a steering wheel.

The present invention relates to a novel steering device suited for use in boats, and more particularly to a steering device constructed so as to be lightly operated regardless of the rotation direction of a steering wheel.
A conventional steering device of this type is provided, for instance, as shown in FIG. 1, with a disc drive member 26 rotatably mounted in a casing 25 and an expansion and contraction-durable, flexible inner wire 27, one end 27a of which is fastened to an outer peripheral surface of the drive member 26, and is so constructed as to actuate a rudder means connected to the other end of the inner wire 27 by turning a steering wheel (not shown) to rotate a pinion 28 whereby a drive member 26 having a gear 29 meshed with the pinion 28 is rotated to wind or unwind the inner wire 27 into or out of the casing. When the drive member 26 rotates to wind the inner wire 27, the inner wire 27 contacts closely with the periphery of the drive member 26 and scarcely contacts slidingly with the inner surface of the casing 25, since the pull load acts on the inner wire 27. However, when the drive member 26 is rotated in the reverse direction to unwind the inner wire 27, the inner wire 27 separates from the periphery of the drive member 26 and contacts with the inner surface of the casing 25 to cause frictional drag and, accordingly, the steering device of this type has the disadvantage that the turning of the steering wheel becomes heavy and a boat is steered with difficulty.
In order to eliminate this disadvantage, it is also proposed to locate bearings between the inner surface of the casing and the inner wire, each of the bearings being rotatably mounted on a large number of pins fixed to the casing, or as shown in FIG. 1, to secure a lubricating member 30 of plastic material having an excellent lubricating property to the inner surface of the casing 25. However, the former has the defect that the frictional resistance is not sufficiently decreased, despite of requiring much labor in the preparation of the steering device. Also, the latter has the defect that the gap between the drive member 26 and the lubricating member 30 becomes large during use for a short period of time due to abrasion of the lubricating member 30, so the inner wire 27 causes backlash, and as a result, a rudder swings on sail in spite of no rotation of the wheel and a boat moves in a zigzag direction.
Like this, there has not been known a steering device which can sufficiently eliminate the defect of change in light and heavy of steering depending on the rotation directions of the steering wheel with simple construction and with low cost.


A method for monitoring a component formed of a polymer material, and the polymer component. The component includes an electrically-conductive polymer sensing element integrally incorporated into the component. An electric potential is applied to the polymer sensing element, and an electric signal generated by the polymer sensing element is sensed in response to the polymer sensing element physically responding to a transitory or permanent distortion of the component. A signal can then be generated if the electric signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value for the component.

The present invention generally relates to polymeric structures, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for utilizing electrical properties of a polymer material to monitor a polymer component formed therefrom during the production and/or use of the component.
Polymer components, including seals and the like, are often critical to the performance of the products in which they are used. In such applications, catastrophic failure of the polymer component can be extremely detrimental to the product. Because of this, it is desirable to monitor reductions in performance and structural failures in polymer components. Because polymer components often have complex shapes or are installed in isolated locations, it can be difficult to monitor performance and structural failures with the use of conventional electronic sensors. In particular, the construction and materials for sensing elements of conventional electronic sensors are usually carefully selected to provide a highly responsive, repeatable and specific response to the property (or properties) of interest in order to provide suitable monitoring capabilities, yet the construction and material of a sensing element may not be well suited for use in combination with a polymer component. For example, if attempting to embed or integrate a sensing element into a polymer component, the material selected for the sensing element on the basis of its electrical properties may not be optimal in terms of structural, chemical or other physical properties required for compatibility with the polymer component.
Notwithstanding these challenges, methods and systems have been developed for the purpose of monitoring various polymer materials and structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,497 to Neto, U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,237 to Chevalier et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,991 to Phelan et al. disclose the detection of a worn hose by sensing the electrical resistivity in one or more wires embedded in the wall of the hose. These patents focus on detecting a discontinuity in the embedded wires, as would result from breakage of the wires due to wear as opposed to sensing a gradual increase in resistivity attributable to wear or deformation of the hose or its wires. U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,738 to Skaggs differs by disclosing a method for capacitively sensing the failure of a hose. In Skaggs, a fuel leakage through an inner layer of a hose is sensed on the basis of the leaked fuel altering the dielectric properties of an insulating material between a pair of copper wires embedded in the hose. Similar to Skaggs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,218 to Tryba et al. discloses sensing water leakage through a hose on the basis of the leaked water increasing the conductivity of an electrical insulating layer between a pair of conductor layers separated by the insulating layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,618 to Redmond also discloses a method for detecting the failure of a hose on the basis of electrical conductivity. Redmond's hose is formed to have an annulus containing separated wires, and the failure of the inner layer of the hose is sensed when fluid leaks into the annulus and closes an electric circuit containing the wires.
Another approach to sensing an impending failure of a hose is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,892 to Maxwell. Maxwell discloses a fluid (oil) transport hose formed by at least two plies and a sensing element therebetween. In one embodiment of Maxwell, the sensing element is responsive to the electromagnetic properties of fluid present between the plies as a result of a failure of an inner ply of the hose. In a second embodiment of Maxwell, the sensing element is responsive to the failure of an inner ply of the hose by presenting an open circuit. The sensing element is said to preferably be a coil of fine wire wrapped around the inner ply and connected to means responsive to changes in the electrical impedance (AC) of the coil. Such changes are said to occur from fluid seepage into the material contacting with the coil or deformation of the inner ply, both of which change the inductance of the coil. In an alternative embodiment in which the sensing element is primarily intended to be responsive to the seepage of fluid (oil) between the plies of the hose, Maxwell employs parallel non-touching wires connected to means responsive to a change in conductance between the individual wires or to a change in the capacitance between the wires.
The prior art discussed above is particularly concerned with conduits through which a fluid is conveyed from one location to another, as opposed to fluid vessels such as hydraulic hoses, pipes, and tires in which little if any flow may occur and/or in which structural fatigue of a vessel wall from pressure cycles is often the most important factor in the life of the vessel. Furthermore, sensing systems of the type suggested by Maxwell are generally useful in relatively low pressure systems where the detection of seepage within the hose wall could provide an adequate warning of impending failure. However, in vessels subjected to fluids at relatively high pressures, once seepage occurs catastrophic failure is likely to occur in a matter of seconds, not hours or even minutes. Also, it is possible that a failure could occur in Maxwell's hose without detection as a result of occurring between wires, or a short could occur between wires that does not produce a significant signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,555,936 to Deckard addresses the shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art with a method and system capable of sensing and predicting fatigue failures of high-pressure vessel, such as hydraulic hoses or other types of pressurized conduits, as well as other structures subjected to high cyclical pressures. Deckard's system and method utilize a strain-sensing means disposed between an outermost layer of the vessel and an innermost layer of the vessel that is parallel to the outermost layer and contacts the fluid contained by the vessel. The strain-sensing means comprises at least one conductor parallel to the innermost layer of the wall. Changes are sensed in an electrical property associated with the conductor resulting from distortion of the wall of the vessel causing distortion of the at least one conductor. From such changes, a structural failure of the vessel can be predicted well in advance of the failure, allowing the vessel to be safely used for its full life and then replaced before any damage occurs to the fluid system containing the vessel and any objects surrounding the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,752,904 to Krutz et al. discloses structures having integral life-sensing capabilities as a result of the ability to monitor transitory and permanent distortions of the structures. Such a structure includes a pair of conductive layers and an intermediate layer therebetween formed of a dielectric, semiconductive, or resistive material, such that the conductive and intermediate layers form in combination an electrical element, namely, a capacitive or resistive element. The electrical element is located within the structure so as to be physically responsive to transitory and permanent distortions of the structure resulting from extrinsic and intrinsic sources. An electrical potential is applied to at least one of the conductive layers to generate an electrical signal from the electrical element. Transitory and/or permanent distortions of the structure are monitored by sensing changes in the electrical signal generated by the electrical element in response to the electrical element physically responding to the transitory and/or permanent distortion.

Polymeric structures and methods for producing and monitoring polymeric structures


The present invention provides a pelvis stabilizing device for a cross-country skiing exercise apparatus. The device includes a pelvis support and a belt that are effectively secured relative to a cross-country skiing machine. A person using the machine leans forward against the pelvis support and secures the belt around his or her posterior. The belt essentially stabilizes the person's pelvis relative to the pelvis support.

Once a person makes a decision to exercise regularly, he or she faces a second, arguably more difficult decision among all of the available types and brands of exercise equipment. Among the factors to be considered are user friendliness and quality of the workout provided by various apparatus. In this regard, cross-country ski machines are known to provide a very high quality aerobic workout, exercising both the arms and the legs, but such machines may, at first impression, intimidate persons who do not cross-country ski, or who have not exercised for some time, or who are not particularly coordinated. As a result, some fraction of would-be exercisers may be predisposed to select a treadmill or stair stepper simply because the exercise motions are more familiar to them. Moreover, even when such people overcome their inhibitions and try a cross-country skiing exercise apparatus, they are likely to be tentative in their approach and in turn, unnecessarily disappointed with their results. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a means for encouraging otherwise reluctant people to try cross-country ski machines and for allowing them to develop their "skiing" technique in a more reassuring and expeditious manner.

Stabilizing belt for cross-country skiing exercise apparatus


Disclosed is a protein comprising a cytolethal distending toxin subunit B (CdtB) conjugated or fused to a Bacillus anthracis toxin lethal factor (LF) or a functional portion of LF. Related chimeric molecules, as well as related nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treating or preventing cancer, and methods of inhibiting the growth of a target cell are also disclosed.

Cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) is a bacterial toxin with cytotoxic activity. Accordingly, Cdt and portions thereof may be effective for destroying or inhibiting the growth of undesirable cells, such as cancer cells. Cdt and portions thereof may, therefore, be useful for treating or preventing diseases related to the growth of undesirable cells. Nevertheless, there are obstacles to the effective use of Cdt and portions thereof to inhibit the growth of cells. For example, inefficient delivery of Cdt and portions thereof to the interior of the cell may lessen the cytotoxic effects. Accordingly, there is a need for improved Cdt and portions thereof.

Cytolethal distending toxin subunit B conjugated or fused to

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


An improved filter for liquid fuel housing an elongated tubular housing with a cylindrical wall and having an inlet end and an outlet end and including an integral inlet connector portion at the inlet end and an integral outlet connector portion at the outlet end and a filter element positioned within the tubular housing and having filter media defining a central passageway closed at one end, the passageway having an opposite end in communication with the housing outlet connector portion, the filter media having an external surface in communication with the housing inlet connector portion so that liquid fuel flowing through the housing flows through the filter media, the housing cylindrical wall being formed of an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion with a space therebetween providing a housing that resists static electric induced sparks passing therethrough.

Virtually all devices that consume liquid fuel include a fuel filter. The most common example of a liquid fuel filter is that used on automobile and truck engines. Fuel filters have always been important as a part of internal combustion engines since any dirt or contamination in fuel can very readily cause carburetor problems or in newer engines, fuel injector problems. Most manufacturers of internal combustion engines specify periodic replacement of fuel filters to make certain that they don't become clogged and impair engine performance and to be certain that filtration of the fuel is effective to remove solids and other contaminants.
When fuel filters were first marketed for internal combustion engines, they were typically in the form of a permanently mounted housing that could be disassembled and the filter element itself replaced. In recent years, substantially all manufacturers of internal combustion engines, and particularly manufacturers of cars and trucks, employ disposable filters in which the housings that contains the filter elements are integral and are not subject to being disassembled. That is, when it is necessary to replace a fuel filter, the entire filter housing is thrown away.
A problem which has long been known to the designers of fuel systems for automobile and truck engines is that fuel flowing through a filter can result in the accumulation of a static electricity charge. As fuel passes through a filter media the flowing fuel is stripped of electrons with the electrons collecting on the inside of the filter housing. If the fuel filter housing is metal this electrical charge is readily conducted away, but when the housing is made of a non-conductive material, such as plastic, the charge is not readily conducted away and thus a buildup of electrostatic charge can occur to the point where a static discharge can take place. When an electrostatic charge builds up in a filter that exceeds the dielectric strength of the material of which the filter body is formed a discharge can occur between the filter housing and an adjacent conductive part of the engine with which the filter is employed. A discharge through a plastic filter housing can cause a pinhole in the housing and leakage of fuel can occur. One way to reduce static electric discharges through fuel filter housings made of plastic is to increase the conductivity of the filter housings. The invention herein provides a way to reduce static discharge.
Others have attacked the problem of electrostatic discharge through plastic fuel filter housings by including conductive materials, such as fibers of stainless steel, in the plastic matrix of which the housing bodies are formed. This technique may be employed effectively in the improved filter for liquid fuels as will be described herein.


A method to augment a plurality of IPS or SIEM evidence information is provided. The method may include monitoring a plurality of processes associated with a computer system. The method may also include identifying a plurality of processes that have network activity. The method may further include capturing the identified plurality of processes that have network activity. The method may also include storing the identified captured plurality of processes that have network activity. The method may include monitoring a plurality of selected programs associated with an operating system of the computer system. The method may also include identifying a plurality of selected programs that have network activity. The method may further include capturing a plurality of screen capture images associated with the identified plurality of selected programs. The method may include storing, by the second component the captured plurality of system process activity.

The present invention relates generally to the field of computers, and more particularly to software vulnerabilities.
Hackers are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities in software that they can exploit. Exploiting a vulnerability typically involves a series of actions. If the machine is installed with a network intrusion prevention software (IPS) or Security Information and Event Management software (SIEM) and if the vulnerability pattern is known to it, IPS/SIEM would detect the attempt to exploit the vulnerability and take an appropriate action to counter the attack. As part of this counter measure, IPS/SIEM typically also logs the relevant packet/event information so that it can subsequently be used for analysis to trace the attack.

Mechanism to augment IPS/SIEM evidence information with process history snapshot and application window capture history

International Business Machines Corporation


Process for manufacturing a non-volatile memory with memory cells arranged in rows and columns in a matrix structure, with source lines extending in parallel with and intercalated to said rows, the cells including MOS transistors having a floating gate and a control gate respectively formed in a first and a second polysilicon layers superimposed, the process including a first step of definition of regions of active area covered by a layer of thin oxide and delimited by regions of field oxide, a second step of deposition of the first polysilicon layer, a third step of etch of the first polysilicon layer through a first mask to separate the floating gates of cells belonging to a same row of the matrix, a fourth step of deposition of an intermediate dielectric layer and of the second polysilicon layer, a fifth step of definition of the rows through self-aligned selective etch of said second polysilicon layer, of the intermediate dielectric layer and of the first polysilicon layer, the self-aligned selective etch determining in the source lines excavations in correspondence of regions in which the first polysilicon layer has been removed during the third step, and a sixth step of dopant introduction in the regions of active area for the formation of regions of source and drain of the cells. Before the fourth step a selective introduction of dopant is provided in correspondence of regions of the common source lines in which the excavations will be formed, for the formation of doped regions deeper than the excavations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a non volatile memory, particularly a memory of the EPROM, EEPROM or Flash EEPROM type with a double layer of polycrystalline silicon, in standard or AMG (Alternate Metal Ground) configuration. More particularly, the invention relates to a process that reduces the resistance of the common source lines in the matrix of memory cells.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In matrixes of self-aligned cells, present in EEPROM, EPROM and Flash EEPROM non-volatile memories with double layer of polycrystalline silicon, in standard or AMG configuration, the common source lines have, at the end of the manufacturing process, deep silicon excavations (for instance of depth equal to 2500 .ANG.) in particular zones of active area, more precisely in the zones where the lower polysilicon layer is etched and removed during the step of isolation of the floating gates of the memory cells belonging to a same row ("word line") of the matrix.
In fact, during a conventional manufacturing process for a matrix of non-volatile memory cells, for instance of the EEPROM type, after having defined the zones of active area, covered by a thin layer of oxide (gate oxide), and the zones of field oxide, a first layer of polycrystalline silicon or polysilicon is deposited on the whole surface of the wafer and then, through a suitable mask, the first polysilicon layer is etched to form regions of lower polysilicon along the active areas.
During the aforesaid phase of etching the first polysilicon layer, zones of active area are created that are no longer covered by the first polysilicon layer: these zones will be those in which the aforesaid deep excavations will subsequently be formed.
Once the aforesaid regions of lower polysilicon have been defined, an intermediate dielectric layer (for instance ONO) is grown on the whole surface of the wafer and then, through deposition of a second polysilicon layer and following selective etch, seconds strips of upper polysilicon, superimposed on and transverse to the aforesaid regions of lower polysilicon are defined, that constitute the word lines.
At this step, the intermediate dielectric is etched in self-aligned manner with the strips of upper polysilicon, and during this phase the gate oxide present on the zones of active area that are no longer covered by the lower polysilicon is also etched, leaving the underlying silicon uncovered.
In the following etching phase of the lower polysilicon, also this time self-aligned with the intermediate dielectric and the upper polysilicon, for the definition of the self-aligned cells, the aforesaid zones of active area, no longer covered by the lower polysilicon or by gate oxide, are etched and therefore excavations in the uncovered silicon are formed.
The presence of these excavations results in, during the following LDD etch, the formation of narrow spacers of oxide on the walls of the same excavations, of extremely varying width, that may screen, in an undesired way, the N+ implant of source and drain of the memory cells that follows.
In FIG. 1 there is for instance shown a cell 30 of a non-volatile memory matrix of the EEPROM type, and in the FIGS. 2 and 3 there are shown the cross-sections of the cell 30 along the lines II--II and III--III, respectively.
The memory cell 30 includes a floating gate transistor 31, a selection transistor 32, an N type drain region 4 with respective external contact 5 and a source region, included in an N type common source line 3. The floating gate transistor 31 includes, in turn, a floating gate 140 and a superimposed control gate 210, this last associated with a row or word line 1 of the matrix, and a layer of intermediate oxide 15 among the two aforesaid gates. The selection transistor 32 also includes two gates, respectively the gate 141 and the gate 211, superimposed and short-circuited externally to the matrix, and is associated with a selection line 2, parallel to the row 1 of the memory matrix. Among the floating gate transistor 31 and the selection transistor 32, along the active area, an N type region 8 is provided, while on the thin gate oxide layer (typically of thickness ranging between 150 and 300 .ANG.), underlying the floating gate 140, an even thinner portion of oxide 16 is present (tunnel oxide, typically of thickness ranging between 70 and 120 .ANG.), under which an N type region 6 is implanted, through a special mask 7, to allow the passage of the electrons for tunnel effect from the drain to the floating gate, and viceversa, when the information is stored in the memory cell.
In FIG. 1 are also visible (in dashed line) the windows of a photolithographic mask 9, used in the initial etch of a lower polysilicon layer 14 for the definition of the floating gates 140 and (in dash-and-dot line) a window of a photolithographic mask 7 used for the dopant implant under the tunnel oxide 16.
In FIG. 2 the section II--II of FIG. 1 is shown: on a P type substrate 11 a thin gate oxide layer 13 is present through which N type implants are performed for the source and drain regions 3, 4, as well as for the region 8 forming both the drain electrode of the floating gate transistor 31 and the source electrode of the selection transistor 32.
Also visible are the N type deep region 6 under the tunnel oxide 16, and an N type region 12, also deep, in correspondence to the external drain contact 5.
Both the floating gate transistor 31 and the selection transistor 32 are formed by a first polysilicon layer 14 (lower polysilicon), an intermediate dielectric layer 15 and a second polysilicon layer 21, on which a layer of salicide 17 can optionally be defined. Also visible are the spacers of oxide 18 on the walls of the gates.
FIG. 3 shows the cross-section III--III of FIG. 1, in which the two gates are present above a thick field oxide layer 19. Thanks to the mask 9, used in the initial etch of the lower polysilicon for the definition of the gates, the row 1 of the matrix results composed of only two layers, the upper polysilicon layer 21 and the salicide layer 17, and besides the region of common source 3 has an excavated zone 10 (in figure there is also shown in dot line the profile 20 of the source region 3 before that, during the etch that defines the words line, silicon is excavated). As in FIG. 2, the spacers 18 are visible, whose width can create problems of masking of the excavated regions 10 during the following N type implant for the formation of the drains and the sources, particularly of the common source lines 3.
The elimination or the reduction of the width of the spacers 18 on the walls of the excavations 10 are not feasible since their formation depends on the inherent misalignment in the lithographic process and on the natural variability of the LDD etch process.
Besides, in the most advanced process, the diffusions of source and drain are very thin and therefore in correspondence to the aforesaid excavations 10, where a considerable gradient is present, there is obtained a narrowing of the diffusion and consequently the resistance of the source line 3 can be very elevated (as well as varying from lot to lot due to the process variations). As can be noticed in FIG. 4, that shows the section IV--IV of FIG. 1 along the common source line 3, along the source line problems of connection between excavated regions 10 and non-excavated regions can be experienced.
In view of the state of the art described, the object of the present invention is that of providing a process of manufacturing that allows decreasing the resistance of the common source line of a matrix of self-aligned non-volatile memory cells.

Process for manufacturing of a non volatile memory with reduced resistance of the common source lines