There are disclosed polychelant compounds, that is multi-site metal chelating agents, and chelates formed therewith. The polychelants and especially their paramagnetic metal, heavy metal or radioactive metal polychelates are particularly suitable for use in diagnostic imaging, heavy metal detoxification or radiotherapy. The polychelants have a linear or branched oligomeric structure comprising alternating chelant and linker moieties bound together by amide or ester moieties the carbonyl groups whereof being adjacent the chelant moieties, each polychelant comprising at least two said chelant moieties capable of complexing a metal ion.

Contrast agents may be administered in medical imaging procedures, for example X-ray, magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging, to enhance the image contrast in images of a subject, generally a human or non-human animal body. The resulting enhanced contrast enables different organs, tissue types or body compartments to be more clearly observed or identified. In X-ray imaging the contrast agents function by modifying the X-ray absorption characteristics of the body sites in which they distribute; magnetic resonance contrast agents generally function by modifying the characteristic relaxation times T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 of the nuclei, generally water protons, from the resonance signals of which the images are generated; and ultrasound contrast agents function by modifying the speed of sound or the density in the body sites into which they distribute.
The X-ray contrast agents first developed, barium sulfate and sodium iodide, have been superseded by iodinated organic compounds, in particular triiodophenyl compounds. Improvements in systemic toxicity over the last 40 years have also been achieved by the development of non-ionic iodinated X-ray contrast agents (see Shaw in "Radiopaques", CRC Handbook of Vitamins, Hormone and Radiopaques, CRC Press, p. 229-243). More recent improvements have come from the development of the so-called dimer X-ray contrast agents, compounds containing two triiodophenyl moieties per molecule (see McClennan in Introduction to Supplement in Investigative Radiology, 19; S289-S292 (1984)).
As the X-ray absorption cross-sections of the elements generally increase with increasing atomic number and as such cross-sections are dependent on the wavelength of the X-rays there has been some desire to utilize the X-ray absorption properties of the lanthanides and other high atomic number metals to develop contrast agents with improved X-ray attenuation especially at the wavelengths used in CT; however these attempts have generally been relatively unsuccessful.
Thus, for example, Nalbandian et al. (see Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 78: 779 (1959)) and Shapiro et al. (see Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 78: 756 (1959)) proposed the use of the diethylenetetraaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) chelate of bismuth (BiDTPA) and the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelate of lead (PbEDTA) as radiographic contrast agents but encountered problems of solubility and toxicity. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,173 Winchell et al. described the use of simple hafnium or tantalum complexes as X-ray contrast agents and more recently, ytterbium DTPA has been studied as an intravascular X-ray contrast agent, and an LD.sub.50 of 10 mmoles/kg has been reported (see Unger et al. Invest. Radiol. 21: 802 (1986)).
In MRI, the use of paramagnetic metal ions, such as Mn(II), as contrast agents was first proposed by Lauterbur et al. in 1978 (see pages 752-759 in "Electrons to Tissues --Frontiers of Biological Energetics" Vol. 1, edited by Dutton et al., Academic Press, NY, 1978) and more recently Schering AG in U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,447 proposed the use of salts of gadolinium(III) chelates of DTPA.
In order to achieve tissue-specific MRI contrast enhancement or to enhance relaxivity the coupling of paramagnetic chelates, such as GdDTPA, or metal complexing groups to macromolecular carriers or biomolecules, such as polysaccharides, proteins, antibodies, liposomes, enzymes, polyethyleneimines etc. has been proposed by several researchers--see for example EP-A-130934 (Schering), EP-A-136812 (Technicare), EP-A-184899 (Nycomed), EP-A-186947 (Nycomed), EP-A-277088 (Schering), EP-A-305320 (Schering), WO-A-88/07521 (Schering), WO-A-88/08422 (Schering), WO-A-85/05554 (Amersham), WO-A-89/06979 (Nycomed), EP-A-331616 (Schering) and Schmiedl et al. Radiology 162:205 (1987). Furthermore, WO-A-88/01178 (Dow) discloses attempts made to chelate metal ions with carboxylate-terminal "starburst dendrimers" and to conjugate antibodies to such dendrimers, however the therapeutic or diagnostic utility of such structures has not been established.
The visualization of certain disease states such as cancer can benefit particularly from the use of tissue targeting contrast agents. Thus for example, in MRI it may be necessary to deliver 100-1000 paramagnetic centres to a tumour to obtain sufficient relaxation enhancement for visualization. Macromolecular polychelates for use in this regard have been proposed but attempts to prepare such macromolecular polychelates and then to attach them to target-specific proteins such as antibodies have not met with great success (see for example Manabe et al. in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 883: 460 (1986) and Schreve et al. in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 3: 336 (1986)).
Thus, a need still remains for alternative contrast agents with reduced toxicity, enhanced contrast characteristics and/or modified biological properties and, more especially in the field of X-ray contrast agents, significant opportunity exists for improvement in the reduction of contrast media cost and toxicity, in the reduction of patient discomfort and in the reduction of the incidence of side reactions, enzymatic deiodination, etc.
The disclosures of each of the publications and other documents referred to above, as well as each of those referred to hereinafter, are incorporated by reference in the present specification.


In one aspect, a sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels includes one or more sensors, the sensors connected to a processor by way of conductive elements. The smart weapons barrel system may include one or more barrel segments, such segments being removably attached to each other. In certain embodiments, the sensors are positioned along the barrel segments and generate an electrical signal in response to a projectile being fired by the host firearm as the projectile moves past the respective sensor. The processor receives raw data from the sensor signal and may extrapolate and/or calculate further information in order to determine any number of a variety of metrics or other data analysis, including, but not limited to, round count projectile velocity, rate of fire, etc.

The present invention relates to a smart barrel system for a firearm.
Supervisory personnel and operators of firearms or other weapons may need or desire to track, collect, and/or analyze various data and metrics regarding such weapons and their use. Certain data and metrics may be collected manually or through external devices. Such collection and analysis have the disadvantage of requiring additional time and devices and leave room for human error.
The present disclosure contemplates a new and improved barrel system that allows for collection and analysis of weapons usage data and maintenance management without the need for an external data collection and analysis device or system.

Sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels


A sensor array having a plurality of pixels each including a sensor element coupled to a sensor input (24) of an electronic processing circuit is fabricated by first forming an integrated circuit having at least one array of electronic processing circuits (25, 26) each having a respective sensor input (24) disposed with terminal nodes of the integrated circuit toward a first surface of the wafer. In respect of either each pixel or each terminal node, an electrically conductive via (31) is formed through the wafer (20) extending from either the respective sensor input (24) or from the respective terminal node to a second surface (28) of the wafer opposite the first surface. This allows each electrically conductive via (31) exposed at the second surface of the wafer to serve for connection thereto of either a sensor element or a terminal connection that is electrically connected through the electrically conductive via (31) to the respective sensor input or terminal node.

Pixel sensors are known to comprise an array of sensor elements such as diodes, and a complementary array of electronics, typically in the form of an ASIC and comprising a charge amplifier and processing electronics for each sensor element. In CCDs such as are used in miniature television cameras and the like, the sensor elements are formed of silicon diodes which are responsive to visible light for producing a current which is amplified by the charge amplifier and subsequently processed.
Pixel sensors for nuclear medical imaging are known that respond to high-energy photons such as X-rays or γ-rays and produce charge in a similar manner. Conventional silicon diodes are not suitable for such applications because they are transparent to the high-energy photons and therefore other materials such as cadmium telluride or mercury iodide are used instead. Since these materials are not based on silicon, the diode cannot be integrated together with the associated electronics as a single monolithic structure and this requires, in practice, that the sensor elements and the associated electronics be manufactured on separate wafers, which are then interconnected using bump bonding.
FIG. 1 shows pictorially a typical arrangement comprising a standalone 2-D pixel sensor depicted generally as 10 and comprising an upper sensor array 11 comprising multiple sensor elements (not shown), each of which is bump-bonded to a corresponding electronics module in a lower ASIC 12. In addition, power and control signals are fed to the sensor 10 and this typically requires that control-pads 13 be formed along at least one edge of the composite chip and which may be connected to external circuitry using wire-bonding 14.
The typical size of each pixel in such an array is 200 μm and the typical dimensions of the two-dimensional array is 1 cm2. This means that there are typically some 625 pixels per pixel array. In practice, it is usually necessary to image over a much larger area, for example at least 10×10 cm2. This requires that 100 pixel arrays must be packed together, for example as a 10×10 matrix. On the one hand, the bump bonding technique used in conventional pixel sensors militates against the closer packing density of the pixels so that it becomes difficult to increase the resolution of the sensor by packing more pixels into a pixel array, since the need to bump-bond each sensor to the corresponding electronics in a different array is a costly process and is subject to low yields. Furthermore, the provision of control-pads along an edge of each module and the need to wire bond these pads to external circuitry means that adjacent sensor arrays cannot be packed edge-to-edge without introducing a "dead" zone where there are, in fact, no pixels at all owing to the interposing I/O and control-pads. Moreover, the connection of the I/O control-pads to the external circuitry by wire bonding is also a costly and cumbersome process and further reduces the effective overall packing density.
EP 0415541 assigned to Shimadzu Corporation, published Mar. 6, 1991 and entitled "Semiconductor-based radiation image detector and its manufacturing method" discloses a radiation image detector for detecting a radiation image with the image divided into pixels. The detector comprises a radiation-sensitive semi-conductor plate having a common bias electrode deposited on one surface thereof. A plurality of pixel-corresponding signal takeout electrodes are deposited on the other surface of the semiconductor plate, and a plurality of bumps are provided each of which is fixed on a respective one of the signal takeout electrodes. A passivation film covers each signal takeout electrode where not in contact with its bump, and covering the clearances between the signal takeout electrodes. A base plate is provided with a plurality of contact pads corresponding to and in contact with the bumps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,868 (Yutaka) published Oct. 19, 1993 and entitled "Solidstate image sensor device" discloses a semiconductor image sensor device comprising arrayed photo-sensors, wherein a connection electrode used for connecting an external circuit or an aperture on the connection electrode is provided at an opposite side surface to an illuminated surface, and a transparent substrate is provided above the arrayed photo-sensors. By such means the distance between a light source and the photo-sensors can be reduced so as to improve sensitivity and resolving power.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,292 (Black et al.) issued Dec. 7, 1999 and entitled "Method for is making three dimensional circuit integration" discloses a method for inter-connecting, through high-density micro-post wiring, multiple semiconductor wafers with lengths of about a millimeter or below. The method comprises etching at least one hole, defined by walls, at least partly through a semiconducting material; forming a layer of electrically insulating material to cover said walls; and forming an electrically conductive material on said walls within the channel of the hole.
JP 61 128564A2 (Fujitsu Ltd.) published Jun. 16, 1986 and entitled "Semiconductor Device" describes a process for forming a photodetecting section and a driving circuit on the surface and the back of the same substrate and connecting both by a wiring through a through-hole. An amplifier and other driving circuits are shaped to a Si growth layer, and an n type region is formed through the implantation of B+ ions in order to shape a P-N junction for a photodetecting element. Aluminum for a wiring is shaped so as to unit one part of the n type region and the Si growth layer side where the driving circuit is formed, and shaped through a method, such as ion beam evaporation, electron beam evaporation, etc. while masking sections except a required section. Aluminum is evaporated from both upper and lower surfaces, and the wiring is connected by plating. A HgCdTe growth section in the photo-detecting element section and the Si growth layer are displaced, and formed on both surfaces of a sapphire substrate.
Such a configuration appears to relate to a single photo-detector only and the silicon is not pre-fabricated but rather is grown on top of the sapphire substrate.
EP1 045 450A2 (Agilent Technologies Inc.) published Oct. 18, 2003 and entitled "Image sensor array device" discloses an image sensor array that includes a substrate. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. An amorphous silicon electrode layer is adjacent to the interconnect structure. The amorphous silicon electrode layer includes electrode ion implantation regions between pixel electrode regions. The pixel electrode regions define cathodes of an array of image sensors. The electrode ion implantation regions provide physical isolation between the pixel electrode regions. The cathodes are electrically connected to the interconnect structure. An amorphous silicon I-layer is adjacent to the amorphous silicon electrode layer. The amorphous silicon I-layer forms an inner layer of each of the image sensors. A transparent electrode layer is formed adjacent to the image sensors. An inner surface of the transparent electrode layer is electrically connected to anodes of the image sensors and the interconnect structure. The amorphous silicon I-layer can further include I-layer ion implantation regions that provide physical isolation between the inner layers of the image sensors. The I-layer ion implantation regions align with the electrode ion implantation regions. An amorphous silicon P-layer can be formed adjacent to the amorphous silicon I-layer. The amorphous silicon P-layer forms an outer layer of each of the image sensors. The amorphous silicon P-layer can include P-layer ion implantation regions that provide physical isolation between the outer layers of the image sensors.
EP 537 514A2 (Mitsubishi corporation) published Apr. 21, 1993 and entitled "Optoelectronic integrated circuit" discloses an optoelectronic integrated circuit including a light receiving element for converting an optical signal to an electric signal and an electronic circuit for processing the electric signal. The light receiving element is disposed on a first main surface of the substrate and includes p side electrodes and n side electrodes alternately arranged in parallel to each other. The electronic circuit is disposed on a second main surface of the substrate. The light receiving element is electrically connected to the electronic circuit by a via hole penetrating through the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,792 (Sclar) issued Oct. 15, 1985 and entitled "Selective access array integrated circuit" discloses a semiconductor integrated circuit having an array of electronic devices and a plurality of electronic access devices. The access devices consist of sets of MOSFETs which may be turned on by the joint action of X and Y address lines to permit individual and isolated electrical connection between selected electronic devices in the array and peripheral on or off-chip sensing circuits. This permits continuous readout to be established and maintained for the selected devices without interference with the other devices in the array and without a requirement to readout any but the selected devices. In order to provide minimum dead space between the array detectors, the array and access devices may be disposed on opposite surfaces of the semiconductor body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,746 (Werner et al.) issued Aug. 15, 1989 and entitled "Method for producing an optocoupler" discloses a method for manufacturing optocouplers or reflex light barriers, wherein semiconductor light transmitters and semiconductor light receivers are situated on a single substrate. The optic coupling or optic isolation of light transmitter and light receiver takes place in the substrate. Only then are semiconductor elements separated into discrete units.
None of the above cited references appears to relate to a multi-sensor detector where a silicon substrate is pre-fabricated to include all the sensor electronics and input connections; and wherein a sensor layer is then grown on top of the pre-fabricated substrate and connects to the input connections therein by means of vias pre-formed in the substrate.
12, 1999. This article describes a multi-pixel CMOS May for visible light applications, such as photography. It employs thin ASIC (TFA) technology to deposit an amorphous silicon detector on a pre-fabricated ASIC. The article does not address the need for a multi-pixel sensor array that is amenable to formation of a large area sensor assembly having multiple sensor arrays juxtaposed and makes no provision for such assembly.
None of the above cited references appears to relate to a multi-sensor detector where a silicon substrate is pre-fabricated to include all the sensor electronics and input connections; wherein a sensor layer is then grown on top of the pre-fabricated substrate and connect to the input connections therein by means of vias pre-formed in the substrate; and wherein teal nodes for external connection of control signals etc. are formed on an opposite surface to the sensor layer thus avoiding dead space in the sensor material and permitting multiple sensor arrays to be juxtaposed so as to create large area sensors having substantially continuous sensitivity across the surface.

Pixel sensor array having a layer of sensor material grown on a pre-fabricated wafer and method of manufacture thereof


A modular soil conserving planter is definable in terms of a longitudinal trough having open transverse end faces and longitudinal side walls which are axially compressible, laterally flexible integral accordion-like surface, the surface including elements for control of drainage from the trough and each end face of the trough further including snap-fittable selectable connections to open end faces of adjoining like planters. In the bottommost region of the planter are provided drainage openings which control the rate at which water can escape from the planter through the effect of gravity and of osmosis from the surrounding soil.

The present invention relates to a modular soil planter having as its purpose the conservation of soil, nutrients, and moisture within a defined growing region. The invention more particularly relates to a means for the retention of top soil and its related plant nutrients against the effects of rain, wind and absorption by the ambient earth which, in the absence of such a planter, would occur. The present invention also addresses the needs of outside plants having large root systems.
The prior art in the instant area, as best known to the within inventor, is characterized by the use of a sheet of plastic to define growing regions for a plant and its root structure and to cover the surface area of soil surrounding the plant to minimize the effect of wind and erosion upon the soil and nutrient base of the plant.
While above ground planters, typically used in association with household plants, are well known in the art, inground planters for use in a yard or in general nursery applications are less common. Further, to the extent that such inground planters have existed in the art, they have suffered from a number of limitations which include lack of provision of adequate space or volume for the growth of roots, adequate drainage means or control of moisture within the planter, insufficient protection of soil in the planter from the effects of wind, lack of means to prevent absorption of nutrients by surrounding soil, and inability to construct larger planting systems from individual components of prior art planters.
Also, prior art planters, whether above or inground, have not been designed or used with a contemplation of re-usage of the soil thereof for the next growing season.
The instant invention may, accordingly, be viewed as a response to the above set forth long felt needs in the art in those areas set forth above.

Flexible modular soil conserving planter


A communication device includes four signal sending chips, four signal receiving chips, a first optical module and a second optical module. Each of the first optical module and the second optical module includes a main body and four lenses formed on the main body. The first optical module has four signal sending channels corresponding to the four lenses thereof, and the second optical module has four signal receiving channels corresponding to the four lenses thereof. The first optical module and the second optical module are individual from each other.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to communication devices, and more particularly to an optical communication device.
2. Description of Related Art
QSFP (Quad Small Form-Factor pluggable) module is used widely for transmitting a larger amount of data. A typical QSFP module has four signal receiving channels and four signal sending channels each of which can transmit 10 Gbps data. Thus, the QSFP module has a total data transmitting capability of 40 Gbps.
Nowadays, the QSFP module is generally used with an optical module having twelve channels. The optical module has twelve lenses corresponding to the twelve channels. The twelve lenses are arranged in a line, wherein four left lenses are used to send signals, and four right lenses are used to receive signals. Thus, four signal sending channels and four signal receiving channels are formed in the optical module. However, the lenses need to be arranged densely due to too many lenses incorporated to the optical module. The manufacturing precision of the optical module is thus relatively high, resulting in a high cost of the optical module.
What is needed, therefore, is a communication device which can address the limitations described.


In an extreme ultra violet light source apparatus that exhausts debris including fast ions and neutral particles by the effect of a magnetic field, neutral particles emitted from plasma are efficiently ionized. The extreme ultra violet light source apparatus includes a plasma generating unit that generates plasma, that radiates at least extreme ultra violet light, through pulse operation; collective optics that collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma; a microwave generating unit that radiates microwave through pulse operation into a space in which a magnetic field is formed to cause electron cyclotron resonance, and thereby ionizes neutral particles emitted from the plasma; a magnetic field forming unit that forms the magnetic field and a magnetic field for trapping at least ionized particles; and a control unit that synchronously controls at least the plasma generating unit and the microwave generating unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source apparatus to be used as a light source in exposure equipment.
2. Description of a Related Art
In recent years, as semiconductor processes become finer, photolithography has been making rapid progress to finer fabrication. In the next generation, microfabrication of 100 nm to 70 nm, further, microfabrication of 50 nm or less will be required. Accordingly, in order to fulfill the requirement for microfabrication of 50 nm or less, for example, exposure equipment is expected to be developed by combining an EUV light source generating EUV light with a wavelength of about 13 nm and reduced projection reflective optics.
There are three kinds of light used as an EUV light source: an LPP (laser produced plasma) light source using plasma generating by applying a laser beam to a target (hereinafter, also referred to as "LPP EUV light source apparatus"), a DPP (discharge produced plasma) light source using plasma generating by discharge, and an SR (synchrotron radiation) light source using orbital radiation. Among them, the LPP light source has the advantages that extremely high intensity close to black body radiation can be obtained because plasma density can be considerably made larger, that light emission of only the necessary waveband can be performed by selecting the target material, and that an extremely large collection solid angle of 2π steradian can be ensured because it is a point light source having substantially isotropic angle distribution and there is no structure surrounding the light source such as electrodes. Therefore, the LPP light source is thought to be predominant as a light source for EUV lithography requiring power of several tens of watts.
Here, a principle of generating EUV light in the LPP system will be explained by referring to FIG. 14 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,279 B2. From a target nozzle 101, a material (target material) that is excited and turned into plasma when a laser beam is applied thereto is supplied. The target material is supplied in the form of continuous flow of a liquid or gas (target get), in the form of generated droplets (droplet target), or in the form of granular solid. To the target material, a laser beam emitted from a laser unit (drive laser) 102 and collected by a focusing lens 103 is applied. Thereby, the target material is excited and plasma 104 is generated, and various wavelength components including EUV light are radiated from the plasma. On the other hand, for example, a film in which molybdenum and silicon are alternately stacked (Mo/Si multilayer film) is formed on the reflecting surface of an EUV collector mirror 105 in order to selectively reflect a predetermined wavelength component (e.g., near 13.5 nm). By the EUV collector mirror 105, the predetermined wavelength component (EUV light) radiated from the plasma 104 is reflected and collected, and outputted to an exposure unit or the like.
In the LPP EUV light source apparatus, the influence of fast ions and fast neutral particles emitted from plasma is problematic. This is because the EUV collector mirror is located near the plasma and the reflecting surface of the mirror is sputtered and damaged by those particles.
Nevertheless, the EUV collector mirror is required to have the high surface flatness of about 0.2 nm (rms), for example, in order to maintain the high reflectance, and thus, the EUV collector mirror is very expensive. Accordingly, the longer life of the EUV collector mirror is desired in view of reduction in operation costs of an EUV exposure equipment (exposure equipment using EUV light as a light source), reduction in maintenance time, and so on. The scattered materials from the plasma including fast ions and neutral particles, and the remains of the target materials are called debris.
In order to solve this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,279 B2 discloses an extreme ultra violet light source device comprising a target supply unit for supplying a material to become a target, a laser unit for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to the target, a collection optical system for collecting extreme ultra violet light radiating from the plasma and emitting the extreme ultra violet light, and magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the collection optical system when supplied with current so as to trap charged particles emitted from the plasma. That is, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,279 B2, the fast ions emitted from the plasma are trapped by the effect of the magnetic field, and thereby, collision with the EUV collector mirror can be prevented. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,279 B2 also discloses that the neutral particles are applied with ultraviolet light or the like to be ionized in order to trap the neutral particles having no charge in the similar way.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-P2006-80255A discloses an extreme ultra violet light source apparatus including a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated, target supply means for supplying a material to become a target into the chamber, a laser beam source for applying a laser beam to the target to generate plasma, collective optics for collecting the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma, ionizing means for ionizing neutral particles included in particles emitted from the plasma into charged particles, and a magnet for forming a magnetic field within the chamber for trapping at least the neutral particles ionized by the ionizing means. Further, JP-P2006-80255A discloses that ionization of the neutral particles is performed by allowing plasma (ionization plasma) to collide with the neutral particles, and that, as a method of generating ionization plasma, electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) is caused by radiating microwave to electrons (paragraphs 0037-0040).
Typically, in the LPP EUV light source apparatus, in view of EUV conversion efficiency and so on, plasma is generated by laser oscillation in pulse operation in which the pulse width is about several nanoseconds to several tens of nanoseconds and the repetition frequency of the continuous pulse is about 1 kHz to 10 kHz. Also, in a DPP EUV light source apparatus, plasma is generated by discharge at the repetition frequency of about 1 kHz to 10 kHz. However, JP-P2006-80255A does not disclose any characteristics and generation timing of microwave to be used for causing ECR.
Here, after plasma is generated, the length of time, in which the neutral particles emitted from the plasma are scattered, is about several microseconds. Accordingly, when microwave is continuously radiated, most of the microwave energy is not used for ionization of the neutral particles by ECR, but finally emitted as thermal energy into the chamber of the EUV light source apparatus. This fact is problematic in view of effective use of energy. Further, when thermal energy is emitted into the chamber, the generation of fine target jet or droplet target is disturbed and the state of the target becomes unstable. Especially, the target liquefied by cooling a material, which is in a gas state at normal temperature, like xenon (Xe), i.e., liquefied xenon jet or liquefied xenon drop target, for example, is sensitively affected by the temperature change around. Such instability of the target causes problems of reduction in output of generated EUV light, reduction in stability of EUV pulse energy, and so on, and further, leads to reduction in exposure performance in an EUV exposure equipment and reduction in exposure processing performance.
Further, another problem caused by continuous radiation of microwave is generation of X-ray. That is, in the case where a metal material is used as the target material or a so-called mass-limited target including a droplet target is used, the residual gas pressure within the chamber becomes lower. Accordingly, the ionization of neutral particles by ECR is effectively caused only in a period as short as several microseconds in a region near the EUV plasma where particle density is relatively high. However, the electron in the ECR state then continues to absorb the microwave energy without colliding with any neutral particles. As a result, the electron obtains extremely large kinetic energy, and finally, generates radiation (X-ray) by circling motion. The X-ray generation is a serious problem because X-ray has adverse effects on human bodies and environments.

Extreme ultra violet light source apparatus


A machine tool includes several telescopic struts, each of which being formed by an inner tube and outer tube arranged within one another. The telescopic struts are articulated at their one end to a frame and at their other end to a tool holder. The outer tube is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses, with each of the recesses accommodating a recirculating ball bearing unit which includes a carrier body provided with endless ball tracks. Each endless ball track is divided in a load-bearing section and an unstressed, non-load-bearing return portion. The inner tube has ball tracks, with balls rolling along the ball tracks of the carrier body and the inner tube whereby the balls are guided from the load-bearing section into the return section.

The present invention generally relates to a machine tool, and in particular is directed to a machine tool of a type having a plurality of telescopic struts, each being formed by an inner tube and an outer tube, which are nested within each other, and articulated at one end thereof to a frame and at the other end thereof to a tool holder for carrying a tool for machining a workpiece.
A machine tool of this type is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,128 which combines a hexapodal tool holder that is mounted on nodes of an octahedral framework. This type of machine tool is self-contained, and, unlike conventional machine tools, moves smaller masses. As a result, the speeds of adjustment are higher, whereby, in particular, the rigidity between the frame and the tool holder is very high. In many cases, a total of six telescopic struts are provided, all of which can be independently retracted and extended. Thus, the tool holder can take any desired position in space. A high rigidity of the telescopic struts is of particular importance in such machine tools.

Machine tool with adjustable strut assembly


A system and method are provided for switching from one phase-locked loop feedback source to another in a radio frequency (RF) transmitter. The RF transmitter includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) that provides a phase-modulated RF input signal and power amplifier circuitry that amplifies the RF input signal to provide an RF output signal. The PLL includes switching circuitry that couples a feedback path of the PLL to an output of the PLL for open loop operation and couples the feedback path of the PLL to an output of the power amplifier circuitry for closed loop operation. Prior to switching the feedback path from the output of the PLL to the output of the power amplifier circuitry, time alignment circuitry operates to time-align feedback signals from the outputs of the PLL and the power amplifier circuitry such that switching from open loop operation to closed loop operation causes minimal phase disturbance.

The Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) cellular system has recently begun service using a new modulation standard referred to as Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE). This standard uses 8-Level Phase Shift Keying (8PSK) modulation. Transmitters operating according to the EDGE standard must include a modulator providing both amplitude modulation and phase modulation. To efficiently amplify such modulation, a polar system is desirable.
Polar transmitters may be classified as either open loop or closed loop. In an open loop polar transmitter, a transmit signal is broken into amplitude and phase components. The phase component is provided to the radio frequency (RF) input of a power amplifier. The amplitude component may be used to vary the supply voltage, or collector voltage, of the power amplifier such that the output power of the power amplifier follows the instantaneous amplitude of the modulation envelope, thereby providing amplitude modulation.
One issue for an open loop polar transmitter is that amplitude modulation to phase modulation (AM/PM) distortion of the power amplifier varies as the supply voltage varies. One solution to this problem is to pre-distort the phase component prior to amplification in order to compensate for the AM/PM distortion of the power amplifier. However, if the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) at the output of the power amplifier changes due to variations in load impedance, then the AM/PM distortion also changes. As a result, the pre-distortion no longer aligns with the AM/PM distortion of the power amplifier. At low output power levels, this is generally not an issue because the spectrum and Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) requirements of the EDGE standard are less stringent for low output power levels. At higher output power levels, this may become more of an issue because the spectrum and EVM requirements are more stringent.
A closed loop polar transmitter may be used to solve the issue of AM/PM distortion by enclosing the power amplifier within a phase-locked loop (PLL) generating the phase modulation. However, one issue for a closed loop polar transmitter is that strong interference signals present at the antenna are fed back to the PLL along with the output of the power amplifier. If the interference signal is strong enough, the interference signal will overpower the feedback from the output of the power amplifier and cause the PLL to unlock. As a result, the output of the polar transmitter is severely distorted.
Commonly owned and assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,704, entitled CLOSED LOOP POLAR MODULATION SYSTEM WITH OPEN LOOP OPTION AT LOW POWER LEVELS, filed Mar. 2, 2005, currently pending, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a polar transmitter that is configurable as either an open loop polar transmitter or a closed loop polar transmitter. The polar transmitter may be configured as an open loop polar transmitter for output power levels less than a predetermined threshold and as a closed loop polar transmitter for output levels greater than the predetermined threshold. Switching between the open loop configuration and the closed loop configuration is accomplished by switching a feedback path of a phase-locked loop (PLL) between an output of a power amplifier in the transmit chain when operating as a closed loop polar transmitter to an output of the PLL when operating as an open loop polar transmitter. However, the phase difference between the output of the power amplifier and the output of the PLL may be any angle from 0 to 360 degrees. This phase difference may cause the output of the PLL to deviate from the desired frequency such that the transmitter violates specification.
For example, for a polar transmitter performing EDGE modulation, the European Telecommunications Standardization Institute (ETSI) switching spectrum specification is −23 dBm in a 30 kHz resolution bandwidth at an offset frequency of 400 kHz. The switching spectrum is measured on a peak basis. Thus, if a transmitter fails the −23 dBm limit for any instant in time, the transmitter is out of specification. If the output power of the transmitter is −10 dBm to −5 dBm at the beginning of ramp-up for a transmit burst and the transmitter is switched from open loop to closed loop, the PLL may be momentarily pulled off of the desired frequency by 400 kHz due to the phase difference between the output of the power amplifier and the output of the PLL. As a result, the peak power level at 400 kHz may be exceeded, thereby violating the ETSI switching spectrum specification.
Thus, there remains a need for a system and method for switching from one PLL feedback source to another with minimal phase disturbance.

System and method for transitioning from one PLL feedback source to another


A socket for a printed circuit board which includes a housing having an insertion opening for receiving the printed circuit board. This opening is provided between first and second opposed walls wherein the first wall is shorter than the second wall. A plurality of spring contacts having contacts project from both of the walls into the insertion opening and form rows extending along the axis of the insertion opening. A pair of latch arms extend from those portions of said housing which are close to the ends of the insertion opening so they may be pushed outwardly by the sides of the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is rotated in such a direction as to press the contacts. They are returned to initial positions by virtue of their elastic force when the printed circuit board passes so as to then hold the board in position. Holder members partially project from the first wall and a latch guide arranged between the holder members and the latch arms to prevent the printed circuit board urged by the spring contacts from rotating at an angle more than a predetermined value when the latch arms release the printed circuit boards. The housing and said latch arms are formed of an integral member made of insulating material.

This invention relates to a socket for a printed circuit board, into which an edge portion of the printed circuit board can be directly inserted, as a plug, to form a direct connector.
Recently, various direct connectors of low inserting force type have been developed to meet the demand for high-density fitting.
Generally, such a connector of low inserting force type has a plurality of spring contacts aligned in a hosing which is made of an insulating material and which constitutes a socket. The contact portions of the spring contacts are projected into an opening in order to insert a printed circuit board called a daughter board. The contact portions are arranged in two rows extending along the insertion opening. Between the rows of the contact portions there is provided a clearance for accommodating an edge portion of the printed circuit board. The contact portions of one row are arranged in offset fashion with respect to those of the other row, in the depth direction of the insertion opening, i.e. the direction in which the printed circuit board is to be inserted. When the printed circuit board is inserted, one surface of the edge portion contacts the contact portions of both rows, at a position close to the top of the edge portion, and the other surface contacts them at a position far therefrom.
When the edge portion of the printed circuit board is inserted into the gap between the contact rows and the printed circuit board is rotated, moving the contact rows away from each other, the contact portions of the spring contacts are displaced. Due to the spring force biasing the contact portions toward their initial positions, the contact portions reliably contact the wires, respectively, when arranged at the edge portion of the printed circuit board.
To reliably fix the printed circuit board to the housing, with the spring contacts maintained in the preferable contact with the printed circuit board, a latch mechanism is provided which holds the printed circuit board in its rotated position and secures the same to the housing.
Various types of latch mechanism have been developed.
A latch mechanism described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,765, comprises latch members shaped like leaf springs and formed of metal plates. These latch members hold a printed circuit board. They have spring portions set in the recesses made in the proximal portion of the housing, fitting portions projecting downward from the spring portions and inserted into an insertion opening of the proximal portion of the housing, and latch portions arranged above the spring portions. The latch portions have guide portions and cutouts. The guide portions abut on the edges of the printed circuit board to bias the spring portions outwards when the printed circuit board is rotated. The cutouts receives the side edges of the printed circuit board, thereby to hold the printed circuit board at a predetermined rotated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,995 discloses a latch mechanism comprising latch members which are shaped like leaf springs and formed of metal plates, like those described above. Each latch member has a fitting portion and a latch portion. The fitting portion is arranged at the lower side of spring portions, and the latch portion at the upper side thereof. The fitting portion has a pair of U-shaped fitting arms wound around a support pole positioned near the insertion opening of the printed circuit board. The fitting arms make an effect supporting a reaction force of the springs. Furthermore, the latch portions form guide surfaces for engaging with the edge of the printed circuit board and for biasing the spring portions outward when the printed circuit board is rotated, and engaging walls for engaging with one surface of the printed circuit board to prevent the printed circuit board from returning.
In either latch mechanism described above, the printed circuit board can easily be held or released, taking advantage of the characteristics of the metallic leaf springs.
Either type of the latch mechanism can be further improved in view of the fact that each latch members is formed of a metal plate.
While the printed circuit board is being fitted and rotated, the latch members are bent against the spring force, sliding along the guide portions or guide surfaces of the latch portions. A coated layer or an insulated substrate of the printed circuit board may therefore be damaged by the contact with the latch members or its sliding operation. Particularly, if the printed circuit board is relatively large or if more spring contacts are used because the printed circuit board has high density, the force these spring contacts generate will increase. Therefore, if the latch members are formed large enough to withstand the force, a greater force is required to bend the latch members. This increases the possibility that the printed circuit board is damaged.
At the time the latch members release the printed circuit board, it is desirable that the printed circuit board is made to jump and be reliably prevented from falling out of the socket due to the bias.


For passivation of an integrated circuit device, a film of silicon dioxide is deposited over the integrated circuit device. A film of silicon nitride is deposited over the film of silicon dioxide. The film of silicon nitride and the film of silicon dioxide are etched using a single passivation mask to expose the bond pads of the integrated circuit device. Spacer regions of silicon nitride are placed over edges of the film of silicon dioxide exposed by the etching. The spacer regions may be placed by depositing a second film of silicon nitride over the film of silicon nitride. This second film of silicon nitride covers the metal bond pads and the exposed edges of the film of silicon dioxide. An anisotropic etchback of the second film of silicon nitride is performed to expose the metal bond pads while leaving spacer regions which cover the edges of the film of silicon dioxide.

The present invention concerns the protection of integrated circuits by passivation using a silicon nitride spacer to protect oxide passivation edges.
Passivation of integrated circuit devices is commonly performed using a two-layer stack of silicon nitride on silicon dioxide, This protects the integrated circuit devices from scratches during packaging and f rom -moisture which could cause early failure of the integrated circuit.
Oxide films used alone for passivation often do not provide sufficient moisture protection. To prevent moisture penetration, an oxide film and a nitride film are deposited, masked and etched separately on an integrated circuit device. The mask used for the nitride film etch has smaller openings for bond pads of the integrated circuit than the mask that is used for the oxide film etch. This insures that the nitride film completely covers the oxide film everywhere on the integrated circuit device. This also reduces the potential for the nitride film peeling due to stress. However, in this prior art method, the use of two passivation masks has the undesirable result of increasing the level of manufacturing complexity and cost.

Method for moisture sealing integrated circuits using silicon nitride spacer protection of oxide passivation edges


A novel method for preparing a compound of formula I

U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,031 discloses that arylpiperazinyl-ethyl (or butyl)-heterocyclic compounds of formula (I) may be prepared by reacting piperazines of the formula (II) with compounds of the formula (III) in a polar organic solvent; in the presence of a tertiary amine base or alkali metal base, and in the further presence of catalytic amount of sodium iodide. The final product is purified by chromatography.
Ziprasidone covered in '031 is synthesized by the coupling reaction of 3-piperazinylbenzo[d]isothiazole and 6-chloro-5-(2-chloroethyl)indolin-2-one.
The abovementioned method suffers from the following disadvantages,    1) Longer reaction time of 24 to 72 hours,    2) Formation of considerable quantities of by products,    3) Environmental burden of handling and disposal of aqueous and non aqueous effluents,    4) Special purification techniques like chromatography and,    5) Variable yields ranging from 14 to 84%.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,366 discloses a process for making (I), in particular Ziprasidone, by reacting equimolar amounts of (II) and (III) in water and in the presence of a neutralizing agent such as Na2CO3, at refluxing temperature for about 9 to 12 hours.
Further U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,846 discloses a process for the preparation of hydrochloride salt of (I), in particular Ziprasidone, by refluxing an equimolar mixture of hydrochloride salt of (II) with (III) in water and in presence of a neutralizing agent Na2CO3 for about 8 to 16 hours.
The methods disclosed in '366 and '846 uses large excess of neutralizing agent and water resulting in voluminous reaction mixture and chances of residual carbonate impurities in the final product.
Surprisingly, we have found that the above coupling reaction to manufacture (I) could be achieved by mixing (II) and (III) and heating to an appropriate temperature without the use of any solvent or optionally as a suspension in a minimum quantity of a non-aqueous suspending liquid in the presence of a neutralizing agent and catalytic amount of alkali metal halide. The reaction occurs in the fused state by the melting of one of the reactants and the resulting suspension will facilitate proper mixing and better heat transfer.
The process of present invention thus dispenses with the need for using large amounts of solvents for the coupling process as in the prior-art methods.

Method for the preparation of aryl piperazinyl-heterocyclic compounds

Abstract: which comprises of coupling the piperazine derivative of formula II

Abstract: with alkyl halide containing compound of the formula III

Abstract: by heating in solvent free conditions or, optionally, in a minimum quantity of non-aqueous suspending liquid, in presence of a catalyst and a neutralizing agent to neutralize the hydrohalic acid.


A valve assembly is disclosed that includes a main valve, a pilot valve, and means providing fluid communication between the main valve and the pilot valve. The main valve includes an inlet, outlet, and means adapted to selectively open and close fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet. The pilot valve includes a housing having a first port, a second port, and a third port, and a piston disposed within the housing. The piston cooperates with the housing and the means providing fluid communication to selectively establish fluid communication between the first port of the pilot valve and one of the inlet and the outlet of the main valve.

Control valves are designed to operate at a specific fluid pressure, flow rate, or other condition to protect elements of the system from pressure, flow rate, or other fluid condition that exceeds the design limits thereof. When a condition that exceeds the design limits is sensed, a pilot valve directs a main control valve to either open or close, partially or fully, to alleviate the conditions therein. Such use of pilot valves to direct main control valves is well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,945,507, 5,520,366, and 4,615,354 are exemplary of pilot valves incorporating the features of the prior art.
Pilot valves are typically smaller valves than the main control valves and can be separate from or integral with the main control valves. The pilot valves are designed to sense a specific condition and guide the main control valve. The main control valve may operate by opening or closing to control the specific condition. This is done to protect components from excessive pressure or flow rate, or other conditions that exceed the limitation of components or of the fluid itself. This includes, but is not limited to the controlling of vacuum, differential pressure, contaminant levels, and mixing of different fluids.
The main control valve must respond quickly to the sensed fluid condition to protect the elements of the system. Fast response time in a main control valve requires the related pilot valve to be able to respond quickly. The longer the response time of the pilot valve, the longer the undesirable fluid condition will be maintained within the system.
It would be desirable to have a pilot valve for guiding a main control valve, wherein a response time of the pilot valve is minimized.


An inkjet recording apparatus, method and computer readable medium are provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head comprising a nozzle formation surface having a plurality of ink discharging nozzles formed thereon; a wiper which has elasticity and wipes the nozzle formation surface by pressingly contacting against the nozzle formation surface of the recording head; and a moving unit which moves at least one of the recording head and the wiper to wipe the nozzle formation surface at a first relative speed and moves the at least one of the recording head and the wiper to separate from each other at a second relative speed, which is less than the first relative speed. The method includes moving at least one of the inkjet recording head and the wiper relative to each other so that the wiper wipes the nozzle formation surface at a first relative speed; and separating the wiper from the inkjet recording head at a second relative speed, which is less than the first relative speed.

A related art inkjet recording apparatus records an image on a recording medium. The recording medium is conveyed to a position opposing a nozzle formation surface having a plurality of ink discharging nozzles formed thereon, and ink is discharged from the nozzles onto the recording medium. This related art inkjet recording apparatus is provided with a wiper blade with elasticity that is pressingly contacted against the nozzle formation surface and wipes the nozzle formation surface.
For example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2006-192693 describes a related art inkjet recording apparatus provided with the wiper blade. In the related art inkjet recording apparatus, a carriage 100 is stopped at an intermediate position of a wiping operation. A wiper blade 21, which is an elastic member, is in a flexed state and performs a remainder of the wiping operation of wiping to an end of the nozzle formation surface by moving the wiper blade 21 in a direction which decreases the flexing.
However, the related art inkjet recording apparatus has some disadvantages. For example, the wiper blade 21 is moved in the direction which decreases the flexing. The wiping process uses a complex mechanism that includes a wiper unit 20 to move the wiper blade 21.

Inkjet recording apparatus, method of cleaning a recording head, and a computer readable medium encoding the method


A compressor impeller includes: a compressor impeller body portion including a boss portion and a plurality of vane portions disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction on a peripheral surface of the boss portion; and a heat shield portion disposed on a side of a back surface of the boss portion and configured to rotate with the compressor impeller body portion.

Normally, the compressor impeller includes a boss portion, and a plurality of vane portions disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the peripheral surface of the boss portion.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the distribution of air temperature on the front side (the side where the vanes 004 are provided) of the boss portion 002 of the compressor impeller 050, during operation of the compressor used for the turbocharger. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the distribution of air temperature in the gap on the back side (the gap in the axial direction between the back side of the boss portion and the stationary portion of the casing or the like) of the boss portion 002 of the compressor impeller 050, during operation of the compressor. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the distribution of the metal temperature of the compressor impeller 050 during operation of the compressor. FIGS. 7 to 9 are diagrams schematically showing the result of thermal analysis by the present inventors, which are not known at the time of filing of the present application.
As shown in FIG. 7, the temperature of air compressed by the compressor impeller 050 increases, and thus the air temperature on the discharge side (outer side in the radial direction) of the compressor impeller 050 is higher than the air temperature on the intake side (inner side in the radial direction) of the compressor impeller 050. Furthermore, a part of discharge air flows into the gap on the back side of the boss portion 002. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, the air in the gap is heated further by friction loss with the back surface 002b of the boss portion 002, and heats the back surface 002b of the boss portion 002.
As shown in FIG. 9, as the temperature of the back surface 002b of the boss portion 002 increases due to the friction loss, the temperatures of the entire boss portion 002 and the vane portions 004 disposed around the boss portion 002 increase due to heat transmission from the back surface 002 of the boss portion 002 to the front side (compressor inlet side) of the boss portion 002. Thus, the air flowing along the compressor impeller 050 is heated from heat transmission from the boss portion 002 and the vane portion 004 (in particular, heat transmission at the compressor inlet side where the temperature difference between the air and the compressor impeller 050 tends to increase), thus obtaining an increased temperature.
When the temperature of the air flowing along the compressor impeller 050 is increased from heat transmission from the boss portion 002 and the vane portion 004, it leads to deterioration of the performance of the compressor impeller 050, that is, reduction of the compressor pressure ratio and reduction of the compressor efficiency.
In the compressor disclosed in Patent Document 1, high-pressure cooling gas is sprayed onto the back surface of the boss portion of the compressor impeller to cool the back surface of the boss portion, and the compressor efficiency is improved.

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.


A foot rest (10), being positioned on a generally planar surface, includes a generally cylindrical sector support member (20), having an outer surface (21) and an inside surface (22). A generally cylindrical sector base member (30) has an outside surface (31) and inner surface (32). The inside surface (22) is positioned proximate the outside surface (31) and the members (20 and 30) are substantially concentric. A platform member (50) is operatively connected to the support member (20). The platform member (50) has pivotally mounted thereto a foot lock lever (40). A bolt (60) is used to lock the members (30 and 20) in a plurality of relative positions after relative rotational movement between the members (20 and 30), thereby defining a plurality of heights of the foot rest with respect to the planar surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to foot rests, and more particularly to foot rests which incorporate an adjustment to easily vary the height of the foot rest and may also include an adjustment to vary the angle of the platform of the foot rest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Foot rests are well known in the art. Foot rests are utilized for a variety of purposes. One of the most common is when the foot rest is used in conjunction with a person seated at a chair. A properly adjusted foot rest allows the user sit much more comfortably and in a more ergonomicly correct position.
In order to obtain the more ergonomicly correct position, it is desirable to have the foot rest adjustable in height and also be able to adjust the angle of inclination of the foot rest platform. The present invention addresses these two issues by providing for a foot rest that is not only adjustable in height, but also has a platform whose angle of inclination may be adjusted. Still further, a unique foot lock is provided which allows for the platform to either be locked in a variety of positions or be left in a position wherein the foot rest platform may articulate freely.


An optical writing control device includes a light emission control unit that controls light emission of a light source to exposes a photosensitive element. The light emission control unit is configured to draw two patterns as patterns for correction used to correct a transfer position of a developer image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive element, the two patterns including a narrow width pattern where a width of the pattern corresponds to a width of a detection area of a sensor that detects the patterns, in the main-scanning direction, and a wide width pattern having a wider width than the narrow width pattern, and control the light emission, after calculation of a correction value based on a detection signal of the wide width pattern is properly completed, in a manner where the narrow width pattern is drawn upon the calculation of the correction value.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiment disclosed herein relates to an optical writing control device, an image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling an optical writing device, and especially relates to a configuration of a pattern drawn to correct the drawing position of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been a trend to promote the digitization of information. Image processing apparatuses such as printers and facsimiles that are used to output digitized information and scanners used to digitize documents have become indispensable apparatuses. In many cases, such an image processing apparatus is configured as a multifunction peripheral that can be used as a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and a copying machine by including an image capture function, an image forming function, a communication function, and the like.
Among such image processing apparatuses, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is widely used as an image forming apparatus used to output digitized documents. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus exposes a photosensitive element to form an electrostatic latent image, develops the electrostatic latent image with developer such as toner to form a toner image, and transfer the toner image onto a piece of paper to output the paper.
Such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus synchronizes the timing to expose the photosensitive element and draw an electrostatic latent image with the timing to convey the paper and accordingly makes adjustments so as to form an image within a proper area on the paper. Moreover, a tandem image forming apparatus that forms a color image with a plurality of photosensitive elements adjusts exposure timing at the photosensitive element of each color so as to accurately overlap images developed at the photosensitive elements of the respective colors. Hereinafter, these adjustment processes are collectively referred to as the misalignment correction.
Specific methods for realizing such misalignment correction as have been described above include a mechanical adjustment method for adjusting an arrangement relationship between a light source to expose the photosensitive element and the photosensitive element, and a method by image processing that adjusts an image to be output in accordance with misalignment to eventually form the image at a suitable position. In a case of the method by image processing, it is configured such that a pattern for correction is drawn and read and accordingly a correction is mage based on a difference between the timing determined in terms of design and the timing at which the pattern is actually read and an image is formed at a desired position.
Moreover, a technology for improving the accuracy of reading by a sensor that reads the pattern for correction is proposed for the method by image processing (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-069767). In Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-069767, after a correction is made based on a pattern for correction drawn with a margin for an area of reading by a reading sensor, in other words, a pattern for correction drawn larger to avoid any trouble with reading even if misalignment is occurring, a pattern for correction drawn in a size corresponding to the area of reading by the reading sensor is drawn to perform the correction process again. Consequently, in the second correction process to be executed, the influence of diffuse reflection light from an extra drawn part can be excluded and the highly accurate correction process becomes possible.
In a case of the technology disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-069767, if misalignment is caused between the time when a correction is made based on the pattern for correction drawn with a margin for the area of reading by the reading sensor and the time when a correction is made based on the pattern for correction drawn in the size corresponding to the area of reading by the reading sensor, the pattern drawn in a state where the margin for the area of reading is small is not suitably read. As a consequence, a correction is not accurately made based on the pattern for correction drawn in the size corresponding to the area of reading by the reading sensor, and the accuracy of the operation of the apparatus is impaired.
In view of the above circumstances, there is a need to balance a reduction in the amount of toner consumption related to the drawing of the pattern for correction with the accuracy of the operation of the apparatus.

Optical writing control device, image forming apparatus, and method of controlling optical writing device


A method for characterizing the interaction between a protein and a small molecule by detecting a change in fluorescence emitted by a fluorescent dye and a nucleic acid structure which can be used in said method.

Small molecules can interact with a protein and affect its activity. Therefore, the identification of small molecules which affect the activity of proteins which are involved in pathological processes such as the development of cancer has gained much interest.
For the development of small molecule protein binders it is necessary to characterize their interaction with the target protein. Accurate and precise kinetic measurements for determination of the rate constants kon, koff as well as dissociation constant Kd provide information about the binding properties of the small molecule. The Kd may affect the efficacy of the small molecule and influence the pharmacokinetics and dosing strategy.
Several assays for characterizing the interaction between proteins and small molecules have been described in the literature and are also commercially available. One example of such an assay is the LanthaScreen Eu Kinase binding assay available from ThermoFisher which relies on the competitive binding of a fluorescence-labelled compound to a kinase which can be detected by FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) using a labelled antibody against the tagged kinase.
Nevertheless, there is still a need for methods which enable the exact characterization of the interaction between a protein and a small molecule.

Method for detecting and/or characterizing the interaction between proteins and small molecules


A switching resistor has a low resistance state and a high resistance state. The switching resistor comprises a dielectric layer disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The switching resistor further comprises a textured boundary surface between the first electrode and the dielectric layer. The textured boundary surface promotes the formation of a conductive pathway in the dielectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode.

As modern computing has expanded from desktop PCs and mainframes towards laptops and mobile devices, demand has increased for space and power efficient memory. However, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) requires constant power to retain its memory state, while flash memory is relatively expensive and has limited lifetime. Given this, recent years have seen renewed interest and research into alternative memory technologies, with resistive random access memory (RRAM) standing as a leading candidate. The resistance of such devices depends on their past history, and typically can be switched between a lower value and a higher value (and back again). Moreover, such two-terminal resistive switching elements (known as switching resistors, memory resistors, or "memristors") have the ability to remember their last resistance state even when no bias voltage is applied and once power has been switched off. This behaviour opens up a wide range of potential applications including memories, and also other areas, such as in neural networks and non-Boolean logic. For example, a non-volatile device exploiting resistance switching, such as RRAM, offers the possibly of low power consumption, high speed switching and high density storage in 3D arrays. Accordingly, non-volatile memories based on resistive (resistance) switching have attracted considerable attention over the past few years.
Switching resistors reported in the literature typically have multilayer structures in which conductive pathways are generated by the application of external fields. Strukov et al, Nature, 453, 80-83, (2008) discloses that titanium dioxide multilayers, in which the spatial distribution of oxygen ions is altered by an applied field, have exhibited memristor behaviour. However, these devices include metal electrodes and have conduction through metal filaments and so are not readily integrated into complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes.
Redox-based resistive RAM (ReRAM) [1] is viewed as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation of non-volatile memories owing to its fast switching times, low power consumption, non-volatility and CMOS-compatibility [2, 3]. Other applications include power-efficient systems for neuromorphic engineering [4, 5] and logic [6].
Resistance switching in silicon oxide-based ReRAM devices can result from a number of very different processes. We may divide these into those that are intrinsic properties of the oxide (e.g. valence change RRAM) and those that require the diffusion in of conductive species such as metal ions—we may call these extrinsic processes. In other words, for intrinsic switching, a conductive pathway or filament through a dielectric (e.g. oxide) layer is formed from the material of the dielectric layer itself, whereas for extrinsic switching, such a conductive pathway or filament relies upon the migration of material into the dielectric layer from outside the dieletric layer (typically from one of the electrodes).
The body of the literature on intrinsic resistance switching in silicon oxide is rather limited—a situation that arises from a conventional belief that sub-hard breakdown silicon oxide is an inert electrical insulator. Some literature has even suggested that resistance switching in metal-free silicon oxide is not possible [8]. However, intrinsic switching has indeed been reported. One example of an intrinsic resistance switching effect has been demonstrated on the surface of silicon oxide held under vacuum, see [12] and Wang et al., Appl. Phys. Let. 100, 083502 (2012). However, the vacuum requirement of these devices makes them somewhat unwieldy for practical use. More recently, another intrinsic switching effect has been demonstrated by [9], with the advantage of occurring in bulk silicon dioxide under ambient conditions. Accordingly, such intrinsic switching can generally can be classified into that occurring inside the oxide bulk ("bulk switching"), which depends on oxide microstructure and the availability of oxygen [9-11], while switching at internal pores and edges ("surface switching") of the oxide may only be possible in vacuum or in devices that have been hermetically sealed [12, 13]. Further information about intrinsic, bulk switching can be found, inter alia, in WO 2013/005040.
There is an ongoing interest in trying to improve the operational characteristics of such switching transistors.

Switching resistor and method of making such a device


A computerized system is disclosed. The computerized system may include one or more processors configured to perform the operations stored in a memory. The operations may include sorting a subset of a plurality of endpoints for communication during a communication frame first based on service interval time assigned to each endpoint and then resorting based on a concurrency score of each peripheral device corresponding to the subset of the plurality of endpoints. The operations may include determining available bandwidth and a number of packets to be communicated with the each endpoint of the subset of the plurality of endpoints. The operations may include generating a scheduling table that includes the number of packets and an order of communication of the packets to be communicated with the each endpoint of the subset of the plurality of endpoints.

USB is a widely used interconnect standard. A USB system consists of a USB host, and one or more USB peripherals. A USB peripheral can be a USB device or a USB hub. The USB host is responsible for initiating all data transfers in the USB system. Each USB peripheral has one or more endpoints used for data transfers. The one or more endpoints on the USB peripheral are hardware based. An endpoint on the USB host is software based. The USB host can send data to an OUT endpoint of a USB peripheral that is generally referenced as a data sink. The USB host can receive data from an IN endpoint of a USB peripheral that is generally referenced as a data source.
IN and OUT endpoints are further divided into two categories: periodic endpoints and non-periodic endpoints. These two types of endpoints have different scheduling requirements for the USB host. Periodic endpoints require the host to schedule transfers periodically within a specified time interval, but non-periodic endpoints do not have such a constraint; they receive or send data at the best effort of the host. In other words, the host sends or receives data from a non-periodic endpoint whenever there is USB bus bandwidth available.
The USB host performs scheduling to meet requirements of periodic endpoints according to bandwidth requirements of the periodic endpoints. Accordingly, USB bus utilization and overall USB system performance is largely dependent on the efficiency of USB periodic scheduling. In addition, the latest USB standard USB3.2 supports four (4) more high data rates along with speeds supported by USB2.0 standard. The four new high data rates in USB3.2 standard are five (5) Giga bits per second (Gbps) for Gen 1x1, ten (10) Gbps for Gen2x1, 2x5 Gbps for Gen1x2, and 20 Gbps for Gen2x2. Due to high data rates supported by USB3.2 standard, any inefficient resulted from the host periodic scheduling leads to loss of the data throughput and the degradation of the USB system performance.

Method and apparatus for USB periodic scheduling optimization


In a mobile radio communication system of a multi-layer cell structure for covering service areas in layers with cells of different sizes, an enquiry originating mobile terminal transmits enquiry information in an enquiry frame to the N-th layer exchange through the N-th layer base station. The exchange discriminates a kind of the enquiry frame at processing, selects at processing, a minimum cell for covering a distribution area or a minimum number of cells which can cover the distribution area from the state of geographical distribution of the enquiry destinations, fills the numbers of the base stations for forming these cells and the numbers of the exchanges for covering these base stations in the enquiry frame, and transmits this enquiry frame to the corresponding exchange. The exchange checks the numbers of the base stations of the enquiry frame and transmits the enquiry frame to the corresponding base stations. The base stations transmit the received enquiry frame directly to the mobile terminals of the destinations.

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system for carrying out radio communications with personal stations, and relates more particularly to a selection of a cell to be formed by a base station when radio communications are carried out between a mobile terminal station and a base station in a radio communication system of a multi-layer cell structure.
At present, in a land mobile communication system, there exist two kinds of size of a cell to be formed by a base station; a macro cell in a cellular car telephone system and a micro cell in a personal handy phone system. Further, there is a trend that a service area is going to be structured with pico cells for servicing indoors and at underground shopping centers. In the above-described systems, a cell selection is being implemented based on the following standard.
(1) When wave receiving intensity is deteriorated or when a fading generated is large due to a geographical condition of buildings, a cell of satisfactory circuit quality is selected at the time of a circuit connection, to thereby prevent a deterioration of service quality.
(2) In the area where a traffic density is high and a large number of channels are required such as in the center of the town, a cell of a smaller radius which has a potential of an increase in the system capacity is selected, to thereby cover a large capacity.
When one terminal is going to carry out communications with a plurality of mobile terminals in a mobile radio communication system of the structure as described above, in the state that the mobile terminals to be communicated with are widely distributed, there arise the following problems at the time of carrying out the communications through a cell that is determined based on the above-described standard.
(1) There is a possibility that a plurality of cells are required in order to cover all the mobile terminals to be communicated with that are distributed over a wide range. Particularly, when a distance between the mobile terminals to be communicated with is large, one cell is required for each one mobile terminal to be communicated with, so that it becomes necessary to carry out sequential communications with base stations by the number of the mobile terminals to be communicated with, which results in a long communication time.
(2) There is a risk of an occurrence of a capacity shortage of a cell when the cell covers an area of high distribution density with a large variation of distribution density within the same distribution range, such as, for example, when a town center is included in the distribution range of the plurality of terminals to be communicated with.
(3) Further, since the distribution density is different for each cell, there arises an imbalance in the processing load applied to each base station and each exchange respectively. A base station and an exchange applied with heavier processing load become a bottleneck because of this imbalance, with a result that the communication time becomes longer than expected and that this gives a large influence to other communication services such as, for example, an increase in the probability of call loss and an increase in the processing time.


An RFID system includes a hybrid backscatter-based RFID tag protocol-compatible with existing 802.11x/Bluetooth Standards as well as RFID standards. The tag is linked to a multi-protocol Interrogator via a generated RF Continuous Wave (CW) field. The tag includes an antenna coupled to an RFID and a Bluetooth/802.11x transceiver section. A Protocol Processor services RFID and transceiver sections and is coupled to the antenna via a backscatter switch. The Interrogator can switch the tag to an RFID backscatter radiation mode where the processor switches the antenna impedance to reflect the CW signal. For transceiver operation the processor switches antenna impedance in synchronization with a frame organized bit stream. For reception, the RFID section utilizes demodulation techniques, typically Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), and provides a wake up mode within a predetermined distance of the Interrogator. The transceiver may operate in a backscatter or regular mode as directed by an Access Point.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to radio frequency communication devices, systems, and program products. More particularly, this invention relates to an RFID system including a hybrid BackScatter-based RFID tag, system and method of operation protocol compatible with Bluetooth and/or IEEE 802.11x infrastructure.
2. Description of Prior Art
The automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) industry has recently begun to aggressively evaluate active RFID tags for applications now requiring enhanced security and improved efficiency for tracking and locating high-value assets in real-time. Emerging high performance active tag products operate within the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band while their passive counterparts have been proposed for operation within disjointed UHF bands that have not yet been harmonized across the world. Nevertheless, we do expect that eventually, most high performance passive RFID tag technologies will operate in the UHF frequencies from 862 MHz to 928 MHz across Europe and North America. Conversely, we also expect that active tag technologies will seek to become protocol compatible with low cost communication system standards that currently operate within the worldwide unlicensed 2.45 GHz ISM band. The 2.4 GHz frequency band is available throughout most parts of the world for low cost short-range wireless communications and has increased in popularity with the proliferation of networking and cordless technologies based on IEEE 802.11x and Bluetooth. A growing number of RFID systems have also been designed for operation within the 2.4 GHz-ISM frequency bands. Doing so leverages design synergies with other ISM band products and provides infrastructure added value, and reducing overall deployment costs. As more wireless technologies seek to use the 2.4 GHz band, co-existence and protocol compatibility issues have become even more pronounced. What is needed in the AIDC industry is an RFID tag, system and method of operation and system protocol compatible with Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11x and incorporating features of a mobile device.
Prior art related to RFID systems and devices includes:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,634 entitled "Radio Frequency Data Communication Device", issued Jan. 8, 2002 describes a radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit receiver, a transmitter, and a microprocessor. The receiver and transmitter together define an active transponder. The integrated circuit is preferably a monolithic single die integrated circuit including the receiver, the transmitter, and the microprocessor. The transmitter has a plurality of transmitting circuits, the plurality of transmitting circuits configured to selectively realize a plurality of modulated backscatter schemes. The integrated circuit is configured to receive and apply radio frequency signals via an antenna, the antenna and tunable circuitry cooperating in operation by switching the transmitting circuits with respect to the antenna to enable one of the transmitting circuits to realize one of the modulation schemes. Because the device includes an active transponder, instead of a transponder which relies on magnetic coupling for power, the device has a much greater range.
2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,946, entitled "Wakeup Device for Communication System", issued Aug. 4, 1998 describes a wake communication system including a first communication device for receiving data and a wake up signal. Operation of the first communication device includes an active mode of operation and a sleep mode of operation for reducing power consumption. Further, the system includes a switch for switching the first communication device to and from sleep mode in response to receiving the wake up signal. The system also includes a second communication device for transmitting data to the first device during its active mode, and for transmitting the wake up signal to the first device during its sleep mode.
3. U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,251, entitled "Integrated Multi-Meter and Wireless Communication Link", issued Jun. 20, 2000 describes an apparatus for object identification including a multi-meter terminal having a plurality of data modules, a triggering device for initiating one of the plurality of data modules to retrieve object identification data from an object. A radio module downloads the retrieved object identification data to a host and a housing contains the data modules, triggering device and the radio module. An RFID interrogator processes multiple tag protocols. The triggering device is responsive to a triggering signal from the host. The multi-meter terminal further includes a user interface and wherein the triggering device is responsive to a triggering signal initiated by the user through the user interface or generated by one of the plurality of data modules or generated manually by a user.
None of the prior art discloses an RFID system including a hybrid backscatter-based REID tag protocol compatible with low power communication systems using Bluetooth and/or IEEE 802.11x infrastructure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

RFID device, system and method of operation including a hybrid backscatter-based RFID tag protocol compatible with RFID, bluetooth and/or IEEE 802.11x infrastructure