Voice call group functionality is provided in a satellite based air traffic control system to allow air traffic controllers and pilots of one or more aircraft to establish and maintain voice communication over a group call. A pilot of an aircraft may maintain voice communication with the same air traffic controller the entire duration of the flight over the entire globe. Voice communication between the pilot of an aircraft may be handed off from one air traffic controller to another by switching voice call groups. The voice call group functionality allows an air traffic controller to communicate simultaneously with pilots of different aircraft, and also allows pilots of different aircraft to communicate with each other.

The present invention relates generally to the field of aircraft communications, and more particularly to a system and method for providing voice call group functionality in a satellite based air traffic control system.
Air traffic control (ATC) systems control the airspace and airchannels between airports. Present day ATC systems utilize an air traffic communication infrastructure that has been in place since the 1950s. In the United States, this infrastructure includes more than 400 airport towers, 185 terminal radar approach control sites (Tracons), and 20 regional ATC centers. Voice communication between air traffic controllers and each aircraft remains, for the most part, entirely ground based. Airport towers communicate flight plans and instructions for take-off and landing to the aircraft while it is on the ground. Tracons monitor the aircraft and give flight instructions during take-off, approach and landing. Tracons typically monitor the aircraft up to 40 miles out of an airport in lower altitudes. Regional ATC centers take over control of the aircraft in high altitudes. Each regional ATC center maintains control over aircraft flying within its region, which may cover areas between 20 and 200 miles wide. As an aircraft enters or leaves the region of control of a regional ATC center, the regional ATC center communicates with either the Tracon site or the regional ATC center having control over the airspace from which the aircraft is entering or to which the aircraft is leaving to coordinate a hand-off of control of the aircraft. Tracon sites monitor aircraft within its airspace using airport surveillance radar (ASR), which typically has a range of approximately 55 nautical miles. Regional ATC centers monitor aircraft within their airspace using air route surveillance radar, which typically has a range of approximately 200 nautical miles.
Voice communication between air traffic controllers and aircraft is important for exchanging information such as route changes, weather and safety alerts, landing instructions, and information relating to crew or equipment emergency situations. Voice communication between a local airport control tower, a tracon site, or a regional ATC center and en route aircraft is provided in present day ATC systems using AM radio signaling. Typically, however, voice communication between a local airport control tower, a tracon site, or a regional ATC center ends when an aircraft leaves the airspace controlled by a respective ground control site. Thus, there is no seamless voice communication between a particular ground site and an airborne aircraft. Voice communication handoffs must be coordinated by the ground control site from whose airspace the aircraft is leaving and the ground control site into whose airspace the aircraft is entering. Handoffs are coordinated via ground line communications links such as ground telecommunications or microwave links.
Aircraft communication becomes even more complex when an aircraft crosses international borders. Each country or group of countries typically has its own ATC system and navigational infrastructure. This increases the complexity and therefore the reliability of ground-to-aircraft voice communication handoffs between different ATC systems. In addition, each ATC system may provide coverage of the entire country or group of countries, but more typically covers only a large part of it. Thus, some areas of some countries, and some areas between countries such as the airspace over oceans and the polar regions are uncovered. In uncovered areas, ground-to-aircraft communication may be slow and suffer more heavily from atmospheric interference, or may simply be unavailable.
Present day ATC communications systems have many disadvantages. First, present day ATC communications systems cannot provide seamless voice communication between a particular ATC tower, tracon or ATC center and an aircraft during the entire duration of its flight. Second, voice communication is not globally available. If an aircraft flies over an uncovered territory, all voice communication may be lost. Another disadvantage of current ATC communications systems is that radio communication signals over existing links are susceptible to atmospheric interference. Finally, because ATC systems are fragmented worldwide, a given aircraft does not maintain voice communication with any single ATC system during the entire duration of its flight.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method for maintaining voice communication between an aircraft and a ground air traffic control center for the entire duration of the aircraft's flight, if necessary, and thus independently of the location of the air traffic control center and the position of the aircraft. A need also exists for allowing a single air traffic controller or a pilot of an aircraft to simultaneously communicate with a group of pilots and or air traffic controllers.

Voice call group function for a satellite based air traffic control system


A packaging for a photographic film cassette in which rotation of a spool causes a leader of a photographic film to advance outward through a passage mouth of a cassette shell. The packaging has a carton which contains the cassette shell. An air cell of a bubbled sheet holds one spool end on to the inside of the carton, and stops the spool from rotating while the cassette is contained in the carton. In a preferred embodiment, a port stopper is fitted to the port portions to close the passage mouth, and packaged in a shrink wrap. In another preferred embodiment, the cassette is packaged in a shrink wrap in a state where a spool stopper is engaged with the spool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging for a photographic film cassette, more particularly to a packaging suitable for packaging a cassette of which rotation of a spool causes a leader to advance outward from the cassette.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A conventional photographic film cassette (hereinafter referred to as a cassette) has a metal cassette shell, which rotatably contains a plastic spool around which a photographic filmstrip (hereinafter referred to as film) is wound. The cassette shell is constituted of a cylinder made of a metal sheet and caps fitted on its both ends of the cylinder. A leader of the photographic film protrudes from the cassette even before the photographic film is used. This cassette is packaged in a cap-fitted cylindrical, moisture-proof plastic case called a P case, and overwrapped in a carton for retail sale.
Also, it is known to utilize a photographic film cassette wherein the photographic film is positioned so that the leader does not protrude from a cassette shell prior to loading the cassette in a camera. Such a cassette is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,306 and 4,846,418. Simple film-advancing mechanisms of the camera are used with this type of cassette, and include a construction which rotates a spool to unwind the photographic film, thereby causing the leader to move through a passageway for the photographic film and thereby exit from the cassette. This cassette is advantageous over the other conventional cassette discussed above, because the photographic film can be shielded from light more reliably, and the cassette can be loaded in the camera with greater ease.
The conventional packaging constituted of the P case and the carton, however, is disadvantageous. In particular, its double structure is costly and requires the troublesome operation of double removal, i.e., removal of the P case from the carton, and removal of the cassette from the P case. When using a P case for the above-described leader-advancing cassette, the leader may be inadvertently advanced outward from the cassette due to shock or vibration during mass transportation or while being carried by the user. The cassette under such a condition cannot be loaded in a camera if the camera is adapted for use only with a leader-advancing cassette which is loaded in a state without protrusion of the leader. In a leader-advancing cassette, smooth leader advancement requires that the turns of the photographic film are wound regularly around a spool before advancement. Rotation of the spool due to the shock or vibration, however, causes the film turns to be irregular within the cassette shell. Accordingly, the leader might not reliably exit from the cassette.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 63-165650 proposes an attachment of a seal to a spool which partially projects from the cassette shell, so that the spool cannot rotate relative to a cassette shell before the photographic film is exposed. However, this structure is difficult to apply to a leader-advancing cassette, because such a cassette generally has a structure such that ends of a spool do not project from, but are flush with, or retracted from, the shell end faces. Such a construction avoids inadvertent manual rotation of the spool, e.g., when a user applies his fingers thereto.

Packaging for a photographic film cassette


A method of annealing a semiconductor and a semiconductor. The method of annealing including heating the semiconductor to a first temperature for a first period of time sufficient to remove physically-adsorbed water from the semiconductor and heating the semiconductor to a second temperature, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature, for a period of time sufficient to remove chemically-adsorbed water from the semiconductor. A semiconductor device including a plurality of metal conductors, and a dielectric including regions separating the plurality of metal conductors, the regions including an upper interface and a lower bulk region, the upper interface having a density greater than a density of the lower bulk region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of annealing a semiconductor and a semiconductor formed by the method and more particularly, to a method of annealing a semiconductor by conducting a low temperature anneal and a high temperature anneal. More specifically, an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a multiple step heating procedure which removes, first, physically-adsorbed water, followed by a second heating to remove chemically-adsorbed water. Another exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a semiconductor device which includes a dielectric including regions separating a plurality of metal conductors, the regions including an upper interface and a lower bulk region, the upper interface having a density greater than a density of the lower bulk region.
2. Description of the Related Art
Time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) testing is commonly used to test semiconductor devices such as semiconductor wafers or chips to evaluate the susceptibility of the inter-level dielectric material (ILD) between neighboring metal lines to electrical breakdown.
During production a wafer may be partially built and a thin capping layer may be placed on the unfinished wafer (i.e., a wafer without a final passivation layer may be produced). The wafers can then sit in the fabrication environment or may be in transit for a time period prior to running a TDDB reliability test. During this period water may contaminate the unfinished wafer by being adsorbed both physically and chemically into the unfinished wafer. Water contamination into a semiconductor device has a detrimental effect on TDDB lifetimes.
The TDDB reliability testing performed on partially built wafers with water absorption produce results which are often orders of magnitude worse than the same wafers would have had without water absorption. Therefore, the TDDB reliability test results are not particularly indicative of the reliability of the partially built wafer.
In addition, if the integrity of a fully passivated chip is compromised, such as damage occurring to an edge seal during dicing, then water may enter the chip at an ingress point due to the damage. Similarly to the above scenario, water may then be adsorbed both physically and chemically into the chip. As a result of this water contamination, the result of the TDDB reliability test can be orders of magnitude worse than the same chip would have had without the water absorption. Thus, the TDDB reliability test of the chip will not be particularly indicative of the reliability of the fully passivated and fully sealed chip. Therefore, meaningful TDDB testing on water contaminated semiconductor devices cannot be conducted.
The ability to test partial-build structures for TDDB by removing any moisture effects would greatly reduce cost and turnaround time because no final passivation layers would have to be used in the build.
Despite many attempts over the years, there is currently no process which successfully removes water from the wafer or from individual chips in order to conduct a reliable TDDB test.

Multiple step anneal method and semiconductor formed by multiple step anneal

International Business Machines Corporation


Local delivery formulations of the antineoplastic and microbicide agent acriflavine, and methods of making and using thereof are significantly more efficacious at increasing the median survival of subjects with proliferative disease than systemic administrations of acriflavine. The local delivery formulations of acriflavine show a dose-dependent increase in the median survival of subjects. The local delivery forms provide the increased efficacy without the toxicity associated with systemic administration of the agent.

It is estimated that nearly 23,400 new cases of primary malignant brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors will be diagnosed in the United States in 2014; of those, approximately 2,240 will be diagnosed in children ages 0 to 14 years and 540 will be diagnosed in adolescents ages 15 to 19 years. Overall mortality rates have not changed significantly in the past decade. Both incidence and mortality rates are higher for whites than for people of other racial/ethnic groups. In all racial/ethnic groups, men have higher incidence and mortality rates than women. Brain tumors are the leading cause of death from solid tumor cancers in children. Brain and CNS tumors make up approximately 21 percent of all childhood cancers. The incidence rate of brain and CNS cancers in children has been relatively stable since the mid-1980s, but the death rate has dropped over this period.
The causes of most brain and CNS cancers are not known. However, factors that may increase the risk of developing certain types of brain tumors include exposure to radiation, exposure to vinyl chloride, and having certain genetic syndromes. There are no screening tests for brain and CNS cancers. Standard treatments for adult brain cancer include watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Newer treatments for adult brain cancer, such as biological therapy and proton beam radiation therapy are being studied in clinical trials. Assuming that incidence and survival rates follow recent trends, it is estimated that $4.9 billion will be spent on brain cancer care in the United States in 2014.
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). Combination chemotherapy is treatment using more than one anticancer drug. To treat brain tumors, a wafer that dissolves may be used to deliver an anticancer drug directly to the brain tumor site after the tumor has been removed by surgery. The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and grade of tumor and where it is in the brain.
Anticancer drugs given by mouth or vein to treat brain and spinal cord tumors cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Instead, an anticancer drug is injected into the fluid-filled space to kill cancer cells there. This is called intrathecal chemotherapy.
Local, sustained drug release using biodegradable polyanhydride poly-(1,3 bis[p-carboxyphenoxy] propane-co-sebacic acid, or p[CPP:SA, 20:80], improves the anti-glioma efficacy of some chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of brain tumors. P[CPP:SA, 20:80] is an FDA-approved method of local drug delivery that has been shown to be biocompatible in the brain with no evidence of systemic or local toxicity and is currently clinically used for the local delivery of BCNU (GLIADEL®). Despite vast improvements in overall survival rates in systemic cancers, primary brain malignancies still have some of the worst 5-year survival rates among all human cancers (Macmillan Cancer Support. Living after diagnosis—median cancer survival times: An analysis of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2011).
There remains a need for efficacious treatments to extend the median survival of subjects with brain tumor or other solid tumors.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide local delivery forms of chemotherapeutics for treatment, prophylaxis, or management of proliferative diseases.
It is another object of the present invention to provide methods of making the local delivery formulations.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide methods of using the local delivery forms of local delivery formulations.

Local delivery forms of acriflavine for treating tumors


A printer transfers to one image formation area a plurality of single colors of ink repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the ink sheet, to thus produce in an image formation area of an intermediate transfer sheet a transfer image formed as a result of lamination of single color images, and also transfers the transfer image of the intermediate transfer sheet to a subject to be printed, thereby producing a desired image on the subject. During the course of a first single color of ink C being transferred from the ink sheet to an image formation area of an intermediate transfer sheet, to thus produce a single color image in the first color on the intermediate transfer sheet, a position mark is transferred by use of a black ink area provided at a widthwise edge of an area of the first single color of ink of the ink sheet and outside the image formation area of the intermediate transfer sheet.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printer and an ink sheet, and more particularly to a printer that produces an image for transfer purpose (hereinafter called a "transfer image") on an intermediate transfer sheet by use of an ink sheet on which a plurality of single colors of ink are repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the sheet and that produces a desired image by means of transferring the transfer image of the intermediate transfer sheet onto a subject to be printed (hereinafter simply called a "subject") as well as to an ink sheet used for the printer.
2. Related Art
A hitherto-known printer produces a transfer image on an intermediate transfer sheet by use of an ink sheet on which a plurality of single colors of ink are repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the sheet and transfers to a subject the transfer image on the intermediate transfer sheet, thereby producing a desired image.
As shown in FIG. 8, JP 2005-131954 A discloses use of an ink sheet 20 on which four colors of ink; namely, black (BK) ink, cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, and yellow (Y) ink are repeatedly arranged in such a way that different colors adjoin each other in a longitudinal direction of the sheet. Further, when an image is produced in a single color by means of transferring to an image formation area of the intermediate transfer sheet single color ink BK that is the first color of the ink sheet 20, a thermal printer head transfers the same single color BK of ink from the ink sheet 20 to the intermediate transfer sheet, thereby creating a position mark. The position mark is used for registration between an intermediate transfer sheet and a thermal printer head and registration between the intermediate transfer sheet and a subject. The position mark is formed at a side of each image formation area; namely, a position that is located between a rear of a leading end and a forward of a trailing end of each image formation area and, and outside the image formation area.
In order to perform registration of respective colors of ink while a boundary between the colors of ink is made definite, boundary marks must be provided among the single colors of ink. For instance, as shown in FIG. 9, a conceivable method is to place marks 82 among the single colors of ink and a different mark 80 at a boundary of a single color BK of ink that is the first color. The mark 80 is formed by means of notching a portion of the single color BK of ink; in other words, causing a portion of the single color BK of ink to protrude in a longitudinal direction. The mark 82 is formed from two black lines spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. As a result of the marks 80 and 82 being formed as mentioned above, two sensors for detecting the position of the ink sheet 20 detect reflectance along a line "a" and a line "b" in the drawing, so that the start of each single color of ink can be detected in accordance with a difference between the reflectance detected from the area "a" and the reflectance detected from the area "b." In short, in relation to the single color BK of ink, a portion of the line "a" is notched, and the line "a" exhibits high reflectance at that portion, and the line "b" exhibits low reflectance. The start of the single color BK of ink can be detected by detection of this pattern. In the meantime, in relation to the next mark 82, a black line is present along the line "a," and no black line is present along the line "b." Hence, the line "a" exhibits low reflectance, and the line "b" exhibits high reflectance. Thus, an inverse pattern appears. Accordingly, the start of the next single color C of ink can be detected by detection of the pattern. Light passes through an area where ink (a black line) is not present, and light reflected from a reflection plate is detected. In reality, a sensor of light emission type is utilized. Light does not pass through an area where there is a black ink provided along a boundary between single colors of ink, and reflected light cannot be received. In contrast, light passes through an area where there is not a black line (and a notched area), and light reflected from a reflection plate can be received, whereupon the start of each color of ink is detected.
However, when the marks 80 and 82 are formed on the ink sheet 20 as mentioned above, areas where ink is present become asymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the sheet, and the thickness of black ink becomes accumulated. Unevenness arises in the diameter of an ink ribbon, and the sheet becomes eventually prone to wrinkling. An imperfect image (a decolored image attributable to wrinkles) may arise in the intermediate transfer sheet. Specifically, an ink ribbon requires about 2500 turns. If unevenness exists in the thickness of a sheet in a widthwise direction thereof, a difference of a take-up diameter (a diameter) that is 5000 times as large as an ordinary diameter will arise. On the assumption that the thickness of ink is 0.6 μm, unevenness of about 3 mm arises in a take-up diameter because of presence or absence of ink. If such an ink ribbon is pulled as it is, the diameter will change according to a position with respect to the widthwise direction, so that wrinkles may arise in the sheet.
In the related art, when an image is produced in a single color by means of transferring the single color BK of ink; namely, the first color of the ink sheet 20, to an image formation area of the intermediate transfer sheet, the thermal printer head transfers the same single color BK of ink from the ink sheet 20 to the intermediate transfer sheet, thereby creating a position mark. However, there arises a problem of the entire length of the ink sheet 20 becoming longer by an amount corresponding to the single color BK of ink. Namely, black can also originally be expressed by means of three colors of ink; that is, C, M, and Y. However, if the singe color BK of ink is deleted, there will arise a problem of the inability to produce a position mark.


A process and for fabricating field oxide isolation pattern with field implants associated therewith that can be used for increasingly smaller dimensional elements, for example in feature sizes of 0.8 micrometers or less, and simpler processing than the prior art is described. A semiconductor substrate is provided. A multilayer oxidation masking structure of a thin silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, and a polycrystalline silicon layer is formed. The multilayer oxidation mask is patterned by removing the silicon nitride layer and the polycrystalline silicon layer from the areas designated to have field oxide isolation grown therein to form a narrow opening. The structure is exposed to an oxidizing environment such that the polysilicon oxide layer forms an "overhang" over part of the field isolation region. Ion implanting in a vertical direction is accomplished to form the field implant in the silicon surface of the dimension of the narrow opening less the overhang. The polysilicon oxide layer is removed. The field oxide insulator structure is grown by subjecting the structure to oxidation whereby the field implant is confined under the field oxide isolation and not encroaching the planned source/drain implant regions.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the manufacture of highly dense integrated circuits and more particularly to the formation of a field oxide implant within the integrated circuit.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of highly dense integrated circuits, individual device structures are typically separated and electrically isolated by means of a field oxide isolation region. Prior to formation of the field oxide, field implants are formed on the substrate by ion implantation. The field oxide and field implant form part of a parasitic transistor, which should have as high a threshold voltage as possible in order to isolate the active regions.
As the size of semiconductor devices decrease, however, there have been increasing problems. In semiconductor devices, particularly MOS field effect transistor devices, there has become a problem in controlling transistor characteristics as the feature size of these devices go below one micrometer. One of the problems has been overlap between field implant and source/drain implants, or channel stop implant encroachment. This overlap is caused by the process of manufacture which includes opening the desired pattern of oxidation mask to the regions in which field oxide isolation is to be formed, ion implantation of the field implant therethrough and then oxidation to form the field oxide isolation. The field implant will deeply diffuse into the semiconductor substrate during the oxidation of the silicon surface for field isolation. During this oxidation, the dopant will encroach into the MOS field effect transistor channel regions. This encroachment will then raise the threshold voltage of the narrow channel device, making the device less useful and control more difficult, while at the same time reducing the source/drain junction breakdown voltage.
Workers in the field have understood these problems and have attempted to overcome them.
JA Application 57-39551 (Mar. 4, 1982) describes the use of a resist film smaller than the width of the hole of nitrided Si film and polycrystalline silicon film formed in pattern on a silicon oxide film on a substrate. Ions are injected through the opening and the selective oxidation is done. This is said to prevent the narrow channel effect. As semiconductor device dimensions decrease, however, dimensional control of the resist film becomes increasingly difficult.
Mitchell et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,019 also describes a method for overcoming channel stop encroachment. Their method includes the use of several process steps to create sidewall structures on the patterned sidewalls of the oxidation mask before the channel stop ion implantation. They also remove the sidewall structures before field oxide isolation.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a process for fabricating field oxide isolation pattern with field implants associated therewith that can be used for increasingly smaller dimensional elements, for example in feature sizes of 0.8 micrometers or less, and simpler processing than the prior art.

Locos isolation scheme for small geometry or high voltage circuit

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing PTE Ltd.


A system and method for continuous monitoring of central nervous system diseases are provided in which typing cadence is used to measure cognitive function at a very granular level, providing hard, specific and detailed data to the neurologists about the central nervous system diseases. The system may also be used by a patient with a central nervous system disease to experiment with changes to diet, exercise and other things and test the effectiveness of those changes and patients can understand better why an unexpected improvement or worsening occurred.

Neurologists have for a long time tried to help patients with any one of a myriad of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, MS, Huntington's and ALS. Their problem has been never having a way to measure whether what they prescribed worked. For example, blood test measures are typically not affected by changes in cognition. The cognitive tests that may be used produce data which does not have the superior specificity these diseases require. The remaining test, Finger Tapping is analogous, but can only produce limited data.
The field of neurology have for many years sought a way to measure what they cannot generally observe—a living brain. However, neurologists today lack adequate and precise tools to help patients manage their Central Nervous System ("CNS") diseases. Doctors cannot obtain sufficiently granular, specific and objective measures to evaluate changes in medication regimen, diet or other treatment options. It is desirable to provide a system that provides continuous monitoring of CNS diseases.

System and method for continuous monitoring of central nervous system diseases


A computer-based system automates the production of so-called pass-images (or just xe2x80x9cpassesxe2x80x9d) from data defining 3-D scenes. For example, a beauty pass of a selected object shows the normal surface appearance without any background or other objects. A shadow pass shows only selected shadows and a highlight pass, only selected highlights. The passes allow pixel-processing to be done efficiently. The processed passes can then be combined (xe2x80x9ccompositedxe2x80x9d) to form the finished image. In the past, these passes were produced by editing a copy of the 3-D scene for each pass and rendering the edited copy. The invention automates the production of passes by filtering the 3-D scene through pre-specified pass definitions that override properties of the 3-D scenes. The results of filtering are rendered (rendering largely comprises the process of ray-tracing) to form the passes. The system stores numerous pass definitions. Each time the 3-D scene is edited, the passes can be produced automatically from the pass definitions. This automation of pass production also allows the passes to be used in the authoring environment by allowing a pass preview of the 3-D scene rendering. The automation of pass-production provides a tool that goes beyond merely reducing the labor involved in creating passes, it provides the author the option of invoking a new perspective, a different kind of immediate feedback, right in the authoring environment. This feedback enhances the author""s ability to focus on specific features of a scene as the author edits the 3-D scene itself.

The invention relates to systems for the production of rendered 2-D images derived from 3-D scene data using computers and more particularly to a system that automates the production of separate sequences of rendered images, known as passes, which are to be used with compositing software to form a completed image or image sequence.
Modern computer graphics, as often seen in movies and computer-generated artwork, consist of two-dimensional (2-D) images or image sequences (movies) that are derived from complex 3-D data. The 3-D scene data includes the 3-D coordinates of every object in a scene. Since the images derived from the scene are intended to show a realistic representation of actual 3-D objects, the scene data also includes objects or definitions, called xe2x80x9cshaders,xe2x80x9d that are used to control rendering related properties of objects and the scene as a whole, for example, surface and volume properties of each object. For instance, the shaders dictate how light is reflected, refracted, and scattered by the objects. Shaders can also be used to control the rendering properties of internal volumes of space (e.g., a 3D object that delimits a puff of smoke) or the entire scene environment, the latter being called an environmental shader.
To make the realistic image, the 3-D scenes are rendered. The process of rendering involves ray-tracing which determines the look of each pixel visible from the camera viewpoint. In ray-tracing, the effects of occultation and diffuse and specular reflection, refraction, and diffusion of light by the various objects and volumes in the scene are determined. Ray tracing not only accounts for primary effects which are the reflections, refractions, and diffusions of light coming directly from the light sources, but also for secondary reflections. The latter are effects when primary light from other objects illuminates or passes through an object or volume. These secondary effects can involve multiple reflections between the original light source and the camera so that, considering that rays must be traced for every pixel in a scene and considering that some shaders involve complex numerical algorithms, the process of rendering is extremely time consuming for current computer technology.
To speed up the process of authoring such images and image-sequences (the latter corresponding to animation as opposed to still images), graphic artists generate images that include particular features of the final image which, when combined (or perhaps with others if not all essential passes are generated), form a complete image or image sequence. For example, a so-called matte pass shows only the outline of a first object. That is, it shows only the parts of the objects behind the first object that are not occulted by it. In such a pass, the first object might appear solid white with no surface features at all. Another pass could be a shadow pass showing only the shadow created by an object or group of objects. These passes are combined to form a final image in a process called compositing.
Breaking a final rendered image into these passes and subsequently compositing the passes allows an intermediate process, prior to compositing, where specific features of the final image may be modified by editing the pass images using pixel editing software. Various features may be tweaked without going back to the original 3-D models. For example, the darkness or hue of a shadow may be tweaked by editing a shadow pass image. The subsequent process of compositing is performed quickly to provide a full final image. The artist can then return to the passes to make further changes and again re-composite to see the results. Since the compositing operation, which starts with the passes, runs very quickly, this process of tweaking pixel properties can be done iteratively and quickly to refine the images. The alternative, for the example changing the shadow, would require changing the lighting in the 3-D scene data to produce the desired effect. This would require a re-rendering of the entire scene, which takes a long time.
The following are various types of passes that can be created. A beauty pass is a full rendering of a selected object of a group of objects. The beauty pass renders the entire scene with no modifications. A matte pass shows an outline of a selected object with the surface of the object appearing uniformly which, so that it demarcates a silhouette of the object. The background and non-selected objects are invisible in the matte pass. A shadow pass shows only a shadow generated by an object with the object generating the shadow and other objects (as well as the background) not appearing upon rendering. A highlight pass shows only the surfaces of selected objects that appear bright due to specular reflection with the rest of the scene flagged as invisible. A transparency pass is a beauty pass of one or more transparent selected objects with the rest of the scene flagged as invisible. A refraction pass shows only light refracted through one or more selected objects with the rest of the scene flagged as invisible. This list is by no means exhaustive and is provided by way of example to facilitate the purposes of this disclosure.
Obviously, only some modifications can be made efficiently by pixel-editing the pass images. Certain modifications are only efficiently done by returning to the 3-D scene. For example, if the shape of an object must be changed, the complex modifications that have to implemented such as highlighting, shading, and the details of the shape, require editing of the 3-D model of the object defined in the scene.
Referring to FIG. 1, the process of generating passes after creating or editing the step of three-dimensional scene 10 involves several steps. First, a number of copies of the scene are made 15a-15n. Then each copy is edited 20a-20n to modify the properties as appropriate for the respective pass to be generated. For example, to generate the matte pass for a first object, the user sets the surface shaders of the object such that the object will appear totally white when this version of the scene is rendered. The same is done for each object for which a matte pass is to be generated. For another example, to generate a beauty pass for the first object, another copy of the scene is made and modified to set the shaders of all but the first object transparent or xe2x80x9czero-alpha.xe2x80x9d Thus, each time a scene is edited, a copy is made for each pass and pass-specific parameters of the copy set to generate each particular pass. This is because changes in the 3-D scene may (and probably do) affect every single pass. Next, each edited copy is rendered to create the particular pass. The user works with the passes in step 45 and may decide to edit the 3-D scene. The process of generating a new set of passes is the same as before. The author returns to the step of editing the scene 10 and follows the same procedure to produce a new set of passes. This process of editing copies of scenes to generate passes may be tedious and time consuming. The tasks indicated by dark-bordered boxes are labor-intensive activities. Each must be repeated every time the scene is edited.
The invention is a system for method for automating the process of creating pass-definition (passes) from a three-dimensional scene. The invention allows a user to define, in a separate step, a series of pass definitions. Each pass definition includes properties that override those defined in the scene. When a given pass definition is applied to the 3-D scene, the system automatically changes the scene according to the pass definition. Once the pass is set as active, the scene is rendered to produce a respective pass-image or image sequence, or, simply, xe2x80x9cpassxe2x80x99.
Consider, for example, the steps for making the matte pass. In the invention, the definition of a matte pass is broken out as a separate process. The properties may be assigned to objects through object-groupings called partitions. Thus, the pass definition may identify a particular partition and a particular set of property values per partition. All objects defined in the scene as belonging to that particular partition will then inherit the properties of the partition. Partitions may be hierarchical with parent partitions passing their properties by inheritance to respective child partitions, which pass on their properties to objects, or further progeny partitions. For example, in a matte pass definition for a first constellation of objects defined as belonging to a first partition, the first partition is identified along with the override property and value to be applied. So the definition might say partition 1, shader hue =white, transparency =0%, or some more technically efficient equivalent. These new values override the shaders applied in the scene definition. So if partition 1 is a group of dinosaur scales that are defined with all sorts of colors and reflectivities in the scene definition, all these shaders are replaced by the shaders of the partition. This causes the dinosaur to appear totally white upon rendering. In the same pass definition, the properties of all other objects are automatically overwritten so that these objects are invisible upon rendering. The resulting matte pass can then be used for tweaking of the 2-D image and/or compositing as taught in the prior art.
The various passes attached to a scene are maintained on the system to allow them to be manipulated and re-composited as desired. Compositing is done conventionally and outside the system defined by the invention. As mentioned, the single scene description is used to render the various pass-specific images or image-sequences.
An important motivation for automating the process of generating render passes can be found in considering the in-context rendering invention described a copending US Patent Application entitled xe2x80x9cA System for Editing Complex Visual Data Providing a Continuously Updated Rendering,xe2x80x9d the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The in-context rendering system provides a rendering in the authoring environment itself. This helps the author tune geometric and non-geometric (surfaces, light-diffusion effects, light intensity, etc.) properties of the scene by providing continuous feedback on how a final rendering is affected by the author""s modifications to the scene. The in-context rendering system allows the author to focus on particular geometric features of the scene by tailoring the render region image""s size and the objects shown. Automating the process of making passes allows a step of filtering the scene through a currently-selected pass definition before applying the rendering technology described in the in-context rendering disclosure. This means that the rendering displayed in the authoring environment can be formed according to any selected pass definition. This allows the author to focus even more narrowly on certain features of the scene as the author works. For example, the author can select a highlight pass as current and tune the 3-D parameters that give rise to the highlight. Compare this to the prior art process of editing the 3-D scene data to obtain the highlight, rendering a preview of the edited scene, and then going back and editing the 3-D scene again. Thus, the automation of forming rendering passes provides a tool in the authoring environment that goes beyond merely reducing the labor involved in creating passes for purposes of pixel-tweaking the image. It also provides the author the option of invoking a new perspective, a different kind of immediate feedback, right in the authoring environment. This feedback enhances the author""s ability to focus on specific features of a scene as the author edits the 3-D scene itself.
The system automates the production of so-called pass-image sequences (or just xe2x80x9cpassesxe2x80x9d) from data defining 3-D scenes. The invention automates the production of passes by filtering the 3-D scene through pre-specified pass definitions that override properties of the 3-D scenes. The results of filtering are rendered (rendering largely comprises the process of ray-tracing) to form the passes. The system may store numerous pass definitions. Each time the 3-D scene is edited, the passes can be produced automatically from the pass definitions. This automation of pass production also allows the passes to be used in the authoring environment by allowing a pass preview of the 3-D scene rendering. The automation of pass-production provides a tool to expedite editing of the 3-D scene by providing the pass preview in the authoring environment. This automation also allows passes to be produced without the substantial manual labor ordinarily required in editing the 3-D scene.
According to an embodiment the invention provides a method for creating a two-dimensional image from a three-dimensional scene. The steps include defining a scene including geometry and a first surface characteristic definition of at least one object. A rendering of the scene produces an image of the object which is determined, at least in part, by the first surface characteristic. A result of the defining step is stored in a computer. The user may then edit a pass definition, a result of the editing being a pass definition that includes a second surface characteristic definition of the object. The surface characteristics may be any non-geometric property. A result of the editing is stored in the computer. As the user activates a particular pass, the partition properties overlay the original properties of the object(s). The rendering is generated in the context of the active pass.
According to another embodiment, the invention is a method for creating and working with pass images (or image sequences) from a three-dimensional scene. The steps include storing a scene including scene geometric and scene non-geometric properties of objects. The next step in this embodiment is storing pass definitions, each including at least one override non-geometric property of at least one of the objects. The next step is filtering a respective copy of the scene using each of the stored pass definitions such that the at least one override non-geometric property is used to determine an appearance of a rendering of the respective pass. A result of the step of filtering is that a scene non-geometric property of the respective copy is superseded by the override non-geometric property such that the scene non-geometric property is not used to determine an appearance of the rendering of the respective pass. The last step may consist of rendering of the pass producing images of the objects which are determined, at least in part, by the non-geometric properties.
According to yet another embodiment, the invention is a method of providing an image of a scene. The steps are: receiving scene definition data and storing the scene definition data, the scene definition data including geometric and non-geometric properties; receiving pass definition data and storing the pass definition data the pass definition data including non-geometric properties; rendering a view of a scene defined by the stored scene definition data, to produce an image, responsively to the stored scene definition data and the stored pass definition data. The rendering is such that a non-geometric property in the scene definition is replaced by a non-geometric property in the pass definition. Another step is displaying the image while accepting modifications to the scene definition and using the modifications to update the scene definition data; and updating the rendering responsively to the step of accepting. An additional step that may be added is receiving render-view definition data, storing the render-view definition data, the step of rendering a view being performed responsive to the render-view definition data. The step of rendering may be performed asynchronously with respect to the steps of receiving. The pass definition data may include multiple partitionsxe2x80x94mutually exclusive groups of scene objects. Also, the step of rendering may include rendering the view responsively to the current pass to the exclusion of other passes.
According to still another embodiment, the invention is a method of producing a user-interface for authoring 3-D scenes. The steps include receiving scene definition changes and modifying a stored scene definition responsively to the changes, the stored scene definition containing geometric and non-geometric parameters of the 3-D scene. The steps further include receiving data indicating a selection of one of multiple pre-defined pass definitions, each defining at least one non-geometric parameter of the scene. At least some of the non-geometric parameters in the multiple pre-defined pass definitions are redundant with respect to corresponding non-geometric parameters in the stored scene definition. Further steps include displaying an abstract image of a scene responsively to the first step of receiving and finally displaying a rendered image of the scene responsively to both of the steps of receiving.
According to still another embodiment, the invention is a method of iteratively and automatically producing a rendering that may displayed in an authoring user interface each time a 3-D scene is modified through the authoring user-interface. The steps include storing pass definitions, each of which defines properties of the 3-D scene. The steps further include selecting one of the pass definitions as current responsively to changes in the 3-D scene entered by an author into the authoring user-interface. The steps further include determining properties to be used in the rendering according to one of the stored pass definitions selected in the step of selecting, such that any property of the one of the pass definitions that corresponds with a property of the 3-D scene supersedes the property of the 3-D scene. Finally the method calls for rendering the 3-D scene responsively to the superseding properties determined in the step of determining.
According to still another embodiment, the invention is a method in a computer system for producing pass-images of a 3-D scene, comprising: (1) storing a 3-D scene defining properties that determine an appearance of an image obtained by rendering the 3-D scene; (2) storing pass data sets, each defining override properties corresponding to the 3-D scene; (3) storing an indication of selected ones of the pass data sets according to which the 3-D scene is to be rendered; (4) rendering the 3-D scene, at least once with each pass set as active or current, using at least one of the override properties of the each of the pass data sets instead of at least one corresponding one of the properties of the 3-D scene, whereby at least one image or image sequence is produced for each of the pass definitions. A step of storing the at least one image or image sequence for each of the pass data sets may be added. A step of editing at least one of the at least one image for each of the data sets may also be added.
According to still another embodiment, the invention is a method in a computer system for creating. and working with pass-images of a 3-D scene. The method includes storing a 3-D scene defining properties that determine an appearance of an image obtained by rendering the 3-D scene. The method further includes storing pass data sets, each defining override properties corresponding to the 3-D scene. The method still further includes selecting one of the pass data sets and rendering, for the selected pass data set, such that at least one of the override properties of each of the pass data sets determines a rendered image resulting therefrom instead of the corresponding property of the 3-D scene. Finally, the method calls for editing the 3-D scene while displaying the rendered image. The method may include rendering the 3-D scene for at least two of the stored pass data sets and compositing pass images resulting therefrom. The method may also include editing the pass images prior to the step of compositing. The method may also include editing the 3-D scene and repeating the step of rendering with identical pass data sets.
According to still another embodiment, the invention is a method of generating a user-interface on a computer for authoring a three-dimensional scene. The method includes storing a 3-D scene in a memory and receiving edits to the 3-D scene, the edits being applied by a user and including modifications to 3-D properties of objects defined by the 3-D scene. The method also includes, substantially simultaneously with, but asynchronously with respect to, the step of receiving, generating a rendered view of the 3-D scene. The rendered view is responsive to a selected set of parameters, the set of parameters being one of a group of sets of parameters relating to the 3-D scene. Finally, the steps of receiving and generating are repeated. The rendered view may be displayed substantially simultaneously with the step of receiving. The sets of parameters may include parameters that replace parameters in the 3-D scene such that the rendered view is determined by parameters of the selected set of parameters rather than by replaced parameters of the 3-D scene.

System for automatic generation of selective partial renderings of complex scenes


A container for packaging and storing ammunition units in tubes. A unit cargo includes such containers. A method for packaging and storing such containers. T-shaped detonation protections are introduced to separate adjacent tubes in order to prevent mass detonation.

Containers for packaging and storing ammunition units of the type defined above are previously known and it can for example be referred to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,757,933 and 7,546,917 both disclosing embedded tubs to store ammunition units.
In particular within the area of Insensitive Munitions (IM) there is a desire and requirement to protect weapon systems from external threats and in particular threats that can result in mass detonation. In order to estimate the IM-ability of a weapon system there are today available a number of standardized tests and standardized threats. Our proposed container solution has been designed to prevent mass detonation when testing "Sympathetic Reaction" (SR) according to a set standard.
The containers disclosed in the above cited US patents are not considered to fulfil now set standards.

Container for packaging and storing ammunition units, a unit cargo comprising such containers and a method for packaging and storing such containers


Deep sea fishing lures for adequately securing bait. The lure has a bait housing that includes upper and lower cylindrical half jaws that are pivotally connected at their front ends and biased together by a spring. Inside the upper jaw are at least two rows of teeth one behind the other, and inside the lower jaw are at least two rows of teeth, one behind the other. The upper front row of teeth and the lower front row of teeth are approximately 1/8 inches long. The upper rear row of teeth and the lower rear row of teeth are approximately 1/8 inches long. The teeth can be cone shaped and formed from either plastic or metal. Covers can be inserted next to one of the rows of teeth to change the length of each of the teeth. Using the covers allows the lure to be able to secure thinner pieces of bait fish. The lure includes a wall ahead of the front rows of teeth which prevents water from passing through the interior of the bait housing and washing out bait.

Fishing lures holding bait such as shrimp, minnows, herring and the like have been extensively used in the past. The bait is used to attract the fish as surrounding water passes about the lure. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,500,451 to Codd; 2,557,577 to Soma; 2,765,574 to Martin; 2,937,466 to Mays; 3,760,526 to Hicks; 3,760,529 to Hicks; 3,844,060 to Kurachi; 3,914,896 to Sahagian; 4,233,771 to Robinson; 4,796,376 to Schlaegel; 3,914,896 to Sahagian and 3,893,255 to Hicks.
However, several problems exist with many of these prior art lures. For example, many of the lures inadequately secure the enclosed bait in place resulting in losing the bait to the passing water current. The bait holding housing allows water to pass about the bait and dislodge the bait from the housing. Thus, fishermen have to constantly replenish the bait in these prior art lures. Furthermore, many of the lures are capable of holding only one size of bait and thus are not versatile enough to hold different sizes of bait for catching different sizes of fish.
Thus, the need exists for an improved fishing lure that avoids the problems of the prior art discussed above.

Fishing lure with teeth and body closure


An ejector is provided with a first fluid chamber into which hydrogen gas is introduced; a rod-shaped needle; a nozzle exhausting hydrogen gas introduced into the first fluid chamber from an exhaust port; a second fluid chamber into which hydrogen off-gas is introduced; a diffuser provided at the exhaust port of the nozzle; and a third fluid chamber into which air is introduced. The first fluid chamber is provided between the second fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber. The first diaphragm 65 separates the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber and the second diaphragm separates the first chamber and the third fluid chamber. Then, the needle and the nozzle moves to approach each other by the pressure of air introduced into the third fluid chamber and isolate each other by the pressure of hydrogen off-gas introduced into the second fluid chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell system. In particular, it relates to a fuel cell system mounted to an automobile.
2. Related Art
In recent years, a fuel cell system gains a spotlight as a new power source of an automotive vehicle. For example, a fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell producing electric power from chemical reaction of reactive gas, a reactive gas supply device supplying reactive gas to the fuel cell through a reactive gas channel, and a control device controlling this reactive gas supply device.
For example, the fuel cell consists of a plurality, e.g., tens or hundreds, of stacked cells. Each of the cells is configured so that a pair of separators sandwiching a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) which consists of two electrodes, which are an anode (positive) electrode and a cathode (negative) electrode, and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by these electrodes.
Supplying hydrogen gas and oxygenated air to the anode electrode and the cathode electrode of the fuel cell, respectively, causes electrochemical reaction to generate electric power.
By the way, in the above-mentioned fuel cell system, hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell, and hydrogen off-gas is discharged from the fuel cell. Since the amount of hydrogen is contained in hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen tank is more than that of hydrogen necessary for power generation, excess hydrogen is contained in the exhausted hydrogen off-gas from the fuel cell. Then, hydrogen off-gas is collected by using a circulation unit to be supplied to the fuel cell, together with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank.
This circulation unit needs no external power source and uses an ejector utilizing pressure energy, in many cases. For example, the ejector is provided with a housing, a needle provided in this housing to be capable of moving forward and backward, and an approximately cylindrical nozzle provided in the housing to accommodate the needle (see Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-227799).
Hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank is introduced into the nozzle, and hydrogen off-gas is introduced into the exhaust port of the nozzle. In addition, an air extreme pressure introducing chamber, into which signal pressure is introduced, is provided at the bottom end side of the needle. A fuel extreme pressure introducing chamber is provided adjacent to this air extreme pressure introducing chamber, and hydrogen off-gas as back pressure is introduced into this fuel extreme pressure introducing chamber through a pipe. A first diaphragm separates the air extreme pressure introducing chamber and the inside of the nozzle. A second diaphragm separates the air extreme pressure introducing chamber and the fuel extreme pressure introducing chamber.
According to this ejector, the needle moves forward and backward according to the differential pressure between the air extreme pressure introducing chamber and the fuel extreme pressure introducing chamber to adjust the flows of hydrogen off-gas to be collected and hydrogen gas to be supplied to fuel cell.
However, in the structure described in the above-mentioned patent application, pressure fluctuation is propagated to the air extreme pressure introducing chamber through the first diaphragm when the pressure of hydrogen gas introduced from the hydrogen tank fluctuates. Accordingly, there has been a problem that signal pressure to be introduced into the air introducing chamber also fluctuates, resulting in that the flow of hydrogen gas to be supplied from the ejector to the fuel cell fluctuates. Therefore, it is necessary to provide with a regulator controlling the pressure of hydrogen gas to be introduced into the ejector.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ejector capable of maintaining the constant flow of gas to be delivered even if the pressure of introduced gas fluctuates.


A method and apparatus using feedback obtained by user clicks and the position of the clicked images in the search result to determine user preferences for data that best satisfies particular queries. User click information is tracked to determine which images users click on for particular queries. This information is used to update and improve future query results. The described embodiment determines a user preference score for each image that is clicked for a given query. The placement of a clicked image in the search results is considered when computing the image/query score.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network search engines and, specifically, to search engines that allow a user to search for content such as images and video on a network.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventional network search engines allow a user to search for web pages and images by entering keywords. Such conventional search engines are used widely in Internet searches, although they can be used to search any large collection of information such as searching an enterprise network.
Traditionally, search engines determined what search results to return by matching words on the web pages to words in the search query. This method works well for text, but does not work as well for images and other non-textual data. For example, if the user enters "roadrunner," images that are somehow labeled as being pictures of roadrunners are returned. For example, the query term may appear in html associated with the image. Obviously, this method results in a high number of search results that are not what the user intended. Many images are mislabeled or labeled in ways that do not suggest the subject of the image.
In addition, a textual query may have several different meanings and may legitimately relate to several different type of images. To continue the previous example, a query of "roadrunner" may results in pictures of both cartoon roadrunners, photographs of birds and images of a Roadrunner model of car. There is no way for the search engine to tell which result the user intended to locate, so it returns images relating to all possible meanings.
Conventional search engines have tried to solve this problem by counting a number of clicks on search results for a query and ranking future search results accordingly. This method does not perform satisfactorily because it does not move images or data deep in the search result toward the top of the search result. If an image is deep within the search result and is clicked on only by one or two persistent users, it will not migrate toward the top of future search results.
What is needed is an improved way of determining search results that are likely to correctly provide the information sought by a user who enters a search query.

Click-through re-ranking of images and other data


A vaccine composition for combating Pox viridae viral infections in living organisms such as mammals (including humans) comprises TAP-1 and/or TAP-2 to augment the antigen processing capability of infected cells and hence their immunogenicity. The composition may be used alone or, preferably, as an immunogenicity-enhancing adjuvant with a pox antigen-based vaccine, especially in the treatment or prophylaxis of viral infections such as smallpox.

This invention relates to vaccines, vaccine compositions, methods of preparation of vaccines, and uses thereof in the prophylaxis and treatment of viral infections in mammalian patients (including humans). More specifically it relates to vaccines and vaccine compositions useful in combating a virus of the family Pox viridae, such as vaccinia virus ("VV") and smallpox virus.
Vaccines against Pox viridae viruses, especially VV and small pox, are known, and have been used for many years with a large degree of success. However, adverse responses to standard doses of inocula is a problem quite frequently encountered in vaccination against VV and small pox. As a result, conventional vaccines cannot be administered to a significant fraction of the population who are either immune suppressed or who would otherwise react adversely to the establish vaccine protocols. This can amount to as many as 20% of the individuals targeted to be inoculated. More efficient inocula compositions, allowing smaller effective does, would be a significant advantage in this respect. Ineffectively vaccinated patients pose a severe threat of spread of the infectious disease
As vaccination against a variety of pathogens becomes more widespread, needs develop to increase the efficiency of the inocula, while reducing the sizes of the batches of vaccine required for vaccination of an entire population. This is particularly important during times of acute need (bio-terrorist attacks, emergent epidemic, for example) when rapid responses are required.
To increase vaccine potency and efficiency, a variety of adjuvants have been developed. These include Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) which is an emulsion containing heat killed mycobacterium tuberculosis, which has proved to be too toxic for use in humans; cytokines such as IL-2 and IL-12, which elicit a Th-I response conducive to cytotoxic mechanisms in the immune system; and oil emulsion/aluminum salts containing immune stimulators (proinflammatory bacterial products). Many of these are too toxic for use in humans. Others cannot be implemented because their mode of action is obscure.
Preferred, effective vaccines and vaccine-adjuvant combinations should elicit both a humoral response and a cell mediated response in the mammalian subject. The humoral response causes the raising of antibodies specific to the antigens of the invading pathogen and results in lasting defense against future invasions of the same pathogen. The cell mediated response involves destruction of infected cells by killer T-cells, i.e. cytotoxic T-lymphocytes ("CTLs").
It is known that the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte cell (CTL) response is a major component of the immune system, active in immune surveillance and destruction of infected cells and invading organisms expressing foreign antigen on their surface. A peptide fragment of the antigen binds to major histocompatiblity complex molecules (MHC) to form the ligand of the antigen specific T-cell receptor. Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes recognize peptide bound to MHC Class 1 molecules on the surface of the infected cells, and destroy them. For this to occur, a ternary complex must be formed in the cell and transported to the cell surface. The formation of the ternary complex is thought to involve the transport of peptides, generated by protein degradation in the cytoplasm of the cell, into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This transport involves two genes located in the MHC region which encode proteins of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) family, call TAP-I and TAP-2 (Deverson, E. V. et al, "Nature" 348:738, 1990).


A foraminous microstructure or film that has photonic or plasmonic properties is made by forming a structure or film composed of at least two constituent materials so that the compositional ratio of the constituent materials varies in a depth direction of the structure, and then removing one of the materials from the structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to methods of making foraminous, or porous, microstructures, and in particular to methods of making foraminous films for use in photonic or plasmonic applications.
2. Background Information
The current major challenge in the fabrication of photonic structures is in creating structures with sufficient precision and good scalability. Hitherto man-made photonic structures have been fabricated by one of two commercial techniques. The first technique is based on a family of vapor deposition techniques for constructing photonic coatings on mirrors and lens. These vapor deposition methods usually entail sophisticated and expensive vacuum equipment and control systems. The other technique is the fiber draw technique. This technique does not entail vapor deposition processes, but is exclusively limited to the fabrication of photonic crystal fibers.
Other non commercial methods for photonic structures are available. One widely used approach is based on sophisticated micro-fabrication methods derived from microelectronics and laser beam writing techniques; however, these methods are usually either labor-intensive, expensive or complex and are not commercially used. Other common methods under development include electrochemical etching, layer-by-layer assembly, sol-gel deposition, block copolymer phase separation and colloidal self-assembly. However, electrochemical etching method only applies to single crystal semiconductor wafers, and the other methods are inconvenient to achieve for instance continuously modulating photonic structures with high resolution. The colloidal self-assembly involves using self-assembled colloidal nanobeads as templates, however, this approach is subject to the structural defects inherent in the template, and lacks flexibility in designing structural features other than those molded by the closest packed nanobeads.

Method of making foraminous microstructures


A semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor device and a wiring member having an insulating resin base, wiring layers connected to the individual electrodes of the semiconductor device, and external terminals. The semiconductor device or a reinforcing plate placed around the semiconductor device and the wiring member are bonded to each other with an insulating elastic material therebetween. The insulating elastic material retains rubber elasticity under the environmental conditions of the fabrication process and of use. An electronic system includes a semiconductor apparatus as described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor apparatus, and in particular, to a semiconductor apparatus in which a semiconductor device and a wiring member having an insulating resin base, wiring layers connected to the individual electrodes of the semiconductor device, and external terminals, are bonded to each other with an insulating elastic material therebetween, and to an electronic system using such a semiconductor apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor apparatus such as an apparatus of a chip size package (CSP) type, each electrode of the semiconductor device is extracted through a wiring member. The wiring member for extracting electrodes includes a base composed of an insulating resin such as polyimide, and wiring layers composed of, for example, copper. One end of each wiring layer is, for example, directly connected to each electrode of the semiconductor device, and the other end is provided with an electrode (e.g., a ball-shaped electrode composed of solder) as an external electrode. The wiring member and the semiconductor device are bonded to each other.
With respect to a semiconductor apparatus in which electrodes of a semiconductor are extracted through the wiring member as described above, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-504408 discloses that the connection between a wiring member and a semiconductor device is performed by interposing an insulating elastic material. In a semiconductor apparatus, in response to changes in temperature during use, a relative movement occurs between a wiring member and a semiconductor device because of the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the two, and the relative movement may exert a force between the individual electrodes of the semiconductor device and the electrodes of the wiring member, resulting in an increase in strain, fracturing of electrodes, and the like.
In accordance with the patent publication described above, the insulating elastic material enables the wiring member to move in relation to the semiconductor device, and the insulating elastic material has an indentation hardness of approximately 20 to 70.
However, the present inventors have found, by testing, that the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication is not practical. Although in this technique it is generally understood that a material is used which is elastic at temperatures higher than room temperature, rubber elasticity is not always retained under the environmental conditions of the fabrication process and of use by being elastic only at temperatures higher than room temperature, and at low temperatures, for example, at xe2x88x9255xc2x0 C., the required effect cannot be expected.
Generally, a rubber elastic material has rubber elasticity at temperatures higher than a glass transition temperature, and loses elasticity at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature because the material is transformed into a glassy state. FIG. 10 is a graph which shows the dependence of the relative Young""s modulus and loss modulus on temperature with respect to styrene-butadiene rubber as a general rubber. Specifically, FREQUENCY at an axis of ordinates corresponds to Young""s modulus (elastic modulus), and DAMPING at the other axis of ordinates corresponds to loss modulus. In the drawing, the solid line shows a change in Young""s modulus by temperature, and the dashed line shows a change in loss modulus by temperature. As shown in the graph, the rubber has a glass transition temperature of xe2x88x9237xc2x0 C., and at temperatures lower than that, the rubber is transformed into a glassy state and loses rubber elasticity.
Semiconductor apparatuses are required to be operated, generally, at xe2x88x9255xc2x0 C. to 125xc2x0 C., or, at a higher level, at xe2x88x9255xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C. Therefore, when a general rubber is used as an insulating elastic material between wiring members and semiconductor devices, it loses rubber elasticity at xe2x88x9235xc2x0 C. or less, and thus the requirement cannot be satisfied. The above-mentioned patent publication does not describe the need for such a requirement to be met, or the specific means to satisfy the requirement.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made to satisfy the requirement described above. With respect to a semiconductor apparatus in which a semiconductor device and a wiring member having an insulating resin base, wiring layers connected to the individual electrodes of the semiconductor device, and external terminals, are bonded to each other with an insulating elastic material therebetween, it is an object of the present invention to prevent the insulating elastic material from losing rubber elasticity at low temperatures, and thus, to enhance the reliability of the semiconductor apparatus and also the reliability of an electronic system using the semiconductor apparatus.
In one aspect, in accordance with the present invention, a semiconductor apparatus includes an insulating elastic material that retains rubber elasticity under the environmental conditions of the fabrication process and of use.
In the semiconductor apparatus of the present invention, since the insulating elastic material always retains rubber elasticity, the relative movement between the wiring member and the semiconductor device in response to changes in temperature is always allowed. Therefore, an increase in strain or fracturing can be prevented in the semiconductor device, particularly around the electrodes, resulting from the incapability for relative movement between the wiring member and the semiconductor device because of the loss of rubber elasticity by the insulating elastic material, and thus low-temperature resistance and reliability of the semiconductor apparatus can be improved.
Preferably, the insulating elastic material has rubber elasticity at xe2x88x9250 to 120xc2x0 C.
In another aspect, in accordance with the present invention, an electronic system includes at least a semiconductor apparatus in which a semiconductor device and a wiring member having an insulating resin base, wiring layers connected to the individual electrodes of the semiconductor device, and external terminals, are bonded to each other with an insulating elastic material therebetween, and the insulating elastic material retains rubber elasticity under the environmental conditions of the fabrication process and of use.
Accordingly, in the electronic system of the present invention, since the semiconductor apparatus, in which the insulating elastic material always retains rubber elasticity to allow the relative movement between the wiring member and the semiconductor device in response to changes in temperature, is used, low-temperature resistance and reliability of the electronic system can be improved.
Preferably, the insulating material has rubber elasticity at xe2x88x9250 to 120xc2x0 C.

Semiconductor apparatus and electronic system


Described is a method for controlling the angular position of a mirror. The method includes sensing the angular position of the mirror, generating a first linear control signal in response to the angular position and generating a first non-linear control signal to position the mirror. The method can also include generating a second linear control signal in response to the angular position and generating a second non-linear control signal to position the mirror. Generation of the linear control signal is based on conventional linear systems techniques. The method can be applied to mirror arrays in which the generation of the non-linear control signal is adapted for mirror performance variations.

Electrostatic micro-mirror arrays are becoming more attractive for use in optical communication networks. For example, they can be used in optical switching to actively route optical signals between input and output channels. The overall performance of the optical switch is determined, in part, by the performance of the micro-mirror arrays. At large deflection angles, an array mirror can be unstable, that is, the mirrors cannot be accurately maintained at the desired angle of deflection.
Mirror instabilities are typically reduced using a sensor based feedback system. For two-axis systems, substantial interactions between the rotation axes often occur. Consequently, when using a linear or quasi-linear control system, instabilities are apparent if the mirror is deflected through a large angle on each axis. Thus the mirror is restricted to applications requiring only a limited range of rotation. For systems utilizing such mirrors, other system design parameters can be adjusted to accommodate the limited range. Unfortunately, the result is often a larger package size or reduced system performance.

Non-linear method for micro-mirror control


A described embodiment of the present invention includes an integrated circuit having a plurality of I/O modules. The I/O modules include a bond pad formed on a substrate. The I/O modules also include an electrostatic discharge device formed in the substrate. The electrostatic discharge device is at least partially formed beneath the bond pad. The I/O module also includes an I/O buffer formed in the substrate. The I/O buffer is connected to the bond pad. The I/O buffer provides communication between the bond pad and circuitry formed in the substrate. The circuitry is positioned substantially adjacent to both the electrostatic discharge device and the I/O buffer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuit layout and design. More specifically, the present invention relates to a design process and structure for providing input/output components on an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of the technology for the fabrication and design of integrated circuits has allowed designers to place ever increasing functionality onto a smaller area of integrated circuits. This makes the surface area of an integrated circuit extremely valuable. A component of integrated circuits that occupies a relatively large area are the input/output (I/O) modules.
I/O Modules provide the attachment point for electrical bonding to the integrated circuit die. I/O modules generally consist of a bond pad, an electrostatic discharge protection device and I/O buffer circuitry. The core circuitry is generally composed of very small devices. These devices are fast and densely packed, but fragile. The I/O modules provide protection to the core circuitry as well as a connection point for getting signals on and off of the integrated circuit. Because they must provide this protection function, I/O modules use relatively large devices and occupy a disproportionate area on the integrated circuit die.
I/O modules are generally positioned on the periphery of the integrated circuit die. This makes the process of bonding to the bond pads easier and helps buffer the core circuitry from the physical stresses of cutting the die from the semiconductor wafer during manufacturing. The area occupied by the I/O modules is determined by the height (distance from the edge of the die to interior edge of the I/O modules) of the I/O modules. The remaining portion of the chip is available for core circuitry. Designers are always looking for ways to put more functionality onto an integrated circuit. Because of this, it is desirable to use the minimum area necessary for I/O modules to provide as much area as possible for the core circuitry.

Input/output architecture for integrated circuits with efficient positioning of integrated circuit elements


A cabinet having lockable drawers includes a frame and one or more drawers supported by the frame. At least one drawer has a releasable latching mechanism for securing the drawer in a locked position by way of engagement of the releasable latching mechanism engaging with a corresponding portion positioned on the frame.

The present disclosure relates to cabinets having drawers that are lockable. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cabinets provided with a frame and a drawer supported by the frame wherein the cabinets comprise a releasable latching mechanism for the drawer.
The safe storage of medicines is a paramount concern in hospital environments to reduce the risk of medicine theft. In order to reduce the risk of medicine theft, safe medicine storage solutions exist. However, the existing solutions are generally inconvenient, and/or unsafe. Accordingly, there is a need for solutions which allow for the improved safe storage of medicines.


An inkjet printing apparatus includes a conveyer conveying a printing medium; an image former discharging ink on the printing medium; a mover relatively moving the image former and the conveyer; a first detector; a second detector; and a controller controlling image formation. The mover performs a first move operation to expand a distance between the image former and the printing medium and a second move operation to expose the conveying surface. Upon detection of an abnormal conveyance state of the printing medium by the first detector, the conveyer stops conveyance and the mover performs the first move operation. After stopping the conveyance and the first move operation, the controller checks for the contact of the printing medium and the image former during the second move operation based on the detection results at the second detector, and only if no contact is determined, the mover performs the second move operation.

Typical inkjet printing apparatus discharge ink from nozzles provided in printing heads to print an image on a printing medium. In each inkjet printing apparatus, printing heads provided with nozzle openings have nozzle surfaces facing the printing medium and discharge ink at an appropriate timing while the printing heads is moving relative to the printing medium.
A printing medium improperly disposed on a conveying surface, in particular, a printing medium leaving the conveying surface results in the contact of the printing medium with various portions of the inkjet printing apparatus to damage a nozzle surface or being trapped in a printing head or a head unit provided with the printing head(s) (collectively referred to as an "image former") or in a frame, causing a jam. To cope with this problem, techniques are used to stop printing an image upon occurrence of such a problem or upon detection of a possibility thereof and move the image former to remove the problematic printing medium. PTL 1 discloses techniques to stop conveyance of the printing medium upon detection of a lifting printing medium and then move the image former to a retraction position. PTL 2 discloses techniques to ascend or separate the image former disposed in the vicinity of the conveying surface upon detection of a lifting printing medium in accordance with the uplift level or stop conveying the printing medium.
PTL 3 discloses techniques to prevent attachment of contaminant to a printing medium supporting surface (platen) by preventing exposure thereof when the supporting surface is separated from an image former to remove a jammed printing medium.

Inkjet printing apparatus and method for controlling inkjet printing apparatus


An educational toy useable to teach elementary mathematics to children includes a spaced series of mutually aligned parallel rods secured in a side-by-side relationship at their opposite ends to a base portion of the toy. Series of counting beads are captively and slidably mounted on all but two of the rods for movement between their opposite end portions. The remaining two rods, each of which has at least one counting bead rod on each of its opposite sides, slidably carry two operational sign beads having convex polygonal cross-sections. Different equation operation sign indicia are suitably positioned on the flat exterior side surfaces of the sign beads such that they can be rotated about their rods to display selected operational signs to the user of the toy. Opposite end faces on each of the sign beads are recessed to nonrotatably receive projecting boss portions of the base at the opposite ends of the sign bead rods, thereby permitting the sign beads to be releasably locked against rotation away from their selected sign display orientations. By sliding the two sign beads and appropriate groups of the counting beads onto the same end portions of their associated rods, and rotatably adjusting the sign beads, a variety of simple mathematical equations can quickly and easily be represented by the beads in a form easily understood by a child.

The present invention relates generally to educational toys, and more particularly relates to toys used to teach elementary mathematics to children.
In the past, various abacus-like devices and toys have been proposed to visually teach selectively variable mathematical relationships to children. Examples of such devices and toys may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 541,787 to Hegewald et al; U.S. Pat. No. 560,651 to Rodelsperger; U.S. Pat. No. 580,516 to Andrew; U.S. Pat. No. 1,028,212 to Hegewald; U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,973 to Pak; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,952 to Yeh. Examples of similar educational devices and toys using slidably mounted, adjustable counting members to depict various mathematical relationships may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 894,043 to Olroyd; U.S. Pat. No. 1,392,578 to Jones; U.S. Pat. No. 2,494,497 to Trapnell; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,750 to Hurue.
All of these prior art devices are subject to at least one of the following limitations and disadvantages: (1) the device is capable of representing only a limited number of mathematical relationships, such as counting functions, and cannot be used to depict an equation; (2) the device is of a complex construction making it difficult for a child to properly manipulate; (3) the device is visually complex, thereby making it difficult for a child to grasp the mathematical concept which the device is intended to display; and/or (4) the device includes loose parts which may be easily separated and lost.
In view of the foregoing, it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved mathematical education toy which eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems and limitations commonly associated with previously proposed mathematical education toys and devices as representatively set forth in the above-listed patents.


A signal is filtered by multiplying its Fourier transform by the Fourier transform of a reference sequence to which the filtering is to be matched. The reference sequence (e.g. a Golay sequence pair) is defined as an iterative combination of shorter sequences and its Fourier transform is generated by an iterative process of combining the Fourier transforms of a shorter starting sequence.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is concerned with matched filtering. One example of the use of matched filtering is in imaging applications, where an original signal is input to some system which produces a response and one wishes to characterise the system by comparing the response with the original signal. Some examples of imaging systems are telecommunications line testing and optical time domain reflectometry, where the original signal is transmitted to the line, and the response obtained from the far (or near) end of the line. Another is ranging systems such as RADAR or SONAR where the original signal is transmitted as a radio or ultrasonic wave and the response consists of reflections of it from the surroundings. Others include magnetic recording channel characterisation, and spatial separation (spectroscopy).
2. Related Art
In general, the response may include the original signal, echoes of the original signal, distortion and noise. Conceptually, the characterisation involves examining the correlation between the original signal and the response in order to distinguish those aspects of the response that are a result of the original signal, rather than the result of some other signal, or other interference or noise. Noting that the correlation (or convolution) of two signals in the time domain is equivalent to a multiplication operation in the frequency domain, one can perform this task by multiplying the frequency spectrum of the response by the frequency spectrum of the original signal A common approach to implementation of matched filtering in this way is to form the Fourier transform of the response, multiply it by the Fourier transform of the original signal, and take the inverse Fourier transform of the product. A particularly attractive approach is to deal with signals containing a number of signal samples equal to a power of two, so that the transforms may be performed using the fast Fourier transform (FFT).
Of particular interest is the situation where the original signal consists of a series of pulses. In the analysis given below, such a sequence is considered as a series of Dirac impulses (i.e. idealised pulses of infinitesimal duration) of magnitude +1 or −1 at regular time intervals. In practice, of course the original signal will consist of a band-limited version of such an idealised sequence, For convenience of notation, such a sequence will sometimes be expressed as a binary number—where, for example, a pulse sequence (1, 1, 1, −1) would be represented as 1110.
The Golay complementary sequences are well known (see M. J. E. Golay, "Complementary Series", IRE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 7, pp. 82-87, April 1961). They are pairs of finite binary sequences with certain useful autocorrelation properties.
We define the following notation:    X+ is a binary sequence (e.g. 1110); X− is its inverse (e.g. 0001).    The concatenation of two such symbols represents the concatenation of the binary sequences—thus X+X− would, with the example values just given, represent 11100001.    x(t) is the time domain sequence corresponding to X+ (e.g.(+1,+1,+1,−1).    X(f) is the Fourier transform of x(t).
A Golay pair consists of two sequences A+ and B+, each of length N, having the property that the sum of the autocorrelation of a(t) and the autocorrelation of b(t) (both computed at a shift k) is 2N for k=0 and zero for all |k|>0. Examples of Golay pairs having lengths equal to a power of two may be generated by the following iteration formula (written in the binary notation), where a pair in which both sequences have 2K bits is written (A+K,B+K):code of length 20(=1): let (A+0,B+0)=(1,1)code of length 2K+1: let (A+K+1,B+K+1)=(A+KB+K, A+KB−K)For example, (A+0,B+0)=(1,1)(A+1,B+1)=(11,10)(A+2,B+2)=(1110,1101)(A+3,B+3)=(11101101, 11100010)
etc.
This iteration produces only one pair for a particular value of K, whereas, in general, there are more: other examples can be generated from these examples using the procedures described in the Golay paper cited above.


The present invention relates to methods and compositions for identifying, selecting and/or producing a maize plant or plant part having increased fertility. A maize plant or plant part that has been identified, selected and/or produced by any of the methods of the present invention is also provided.

Vip3 proteins have been successfully expressed in transgenic plants such as maize and cotton. For example, hybrid transgenic maize plants can express Vip3A proteins at levels which are insecticidal to pest insects and which have no negative impact on the plant phenotype. Thus, the Vip3A trait protects yield and yield potential of hybrid maize plants. However, Vip3 has been observed to cause decreased male fertility in certain inbred maize plants under normal growing conditions. This phenomenon is more prominent in inbred maize plants that are homozygous for a vip3A transgene. The degree to which male fertility is decreased is inbred specific—some inbreds exhibit little or no reduction in male fertility when homozygous for a vip3 gene, other inbreds are somewhat sensitive to Vip3 and exhibit a significant reduction in male fertility when homozygous for a vip3 gene, and other inbreds are highly sensitive to Vip3 and exhibit extremely low or no male fertility when homozygous for a vip3 gene. The degree to which male fertility is decreased is also affected by environmental factors, such as water availability and temperature. In Vip3—induced reductions in male fertility, drought and high temperature conditions exacerbate the reduction in male fertility; however, cooler growth conditions have been shown to mitigate the negative effects of Vip3 expression on male fertility.
Identifying genetic loci that enhance the fertility of maize plants expressing a vip3 transgene could lead to more efficient crop production by allowing for the identification, selection and production of vip3-expressing inbred maize plants with increased male fertility.

Genetic markers associated with increased fertility in maize