A brazing sheet brazing suitable for brazing performed in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum without using a flux includes a filler layered on a core. The core is composed of an aluminum alloy containing 0.20-1.3 mass % Mg. The filler is composed of an aluminum alloy containing Si: 6.0-13.0 mass % Si, 0.0040-0.070 mass % Bi, and 0.051-0.10 mass % Mg.

For example, aluminum products, such as a heat exchangers, mechanical parts, and the like, include numerous components composed of aluminum materials (which includes aluminum and aluminum alloys; likewise, below). It is often the case that these components are brazed using a brazing sheet that has a core material and a filler material that is provided on at least one surface of the core material. A flux brazing method is often used as a method of brazing an aluminum material, in which brazing is performed by applying a flux to a surface of a base material, the filler material, or the like at a portion at which an intended joint, i.e., a joint, is to be formed.
However, in flux brazing methods, after the brazing has been completed, flux and the residue thereof adhere to the surface of the aluminum product. The flux, the residue thereof, or the like may cause problems depending on the intended use of the aluminum product. For example, in a heat exchanger equipped with an electronic part, there is a risk that a problem, such as degradation in surface treatability due to flux residue, will occur during the manufacture of the heat exchanger. In addition, for example, in a water-cooled heat exchanger, there is also a risk that a problem will occur, such as clogging caused by the flux or the like in the refrigerant passageways. Furthermore, to remove the flux, the residue thereof, and the like, it is necessary to perform an acid-washing process, and the cost of such a process has been viewed as a problem in recent years.
To avoid the above-mentioned problems attendant with the use of flux, depending on the intended usage of the aluminum product, so-called vacuum brazing methods are also used, in which brazing is performed in a vacuum without the application of flux to the surface of the intended joint. However, vacuum-brazing methods have the problems in that productivity is lower than in flux brazing methods and the quality of the brazed joint tends to deteriorate. In addition, in brazing furnaces used in vacuum brazing methods, the equipment cost, the maintenance cost, and the like are higher than in common brazing furnaces.
Accordingly, so-called fluxless brazing methods have been proposed, in which brazing is performed in an inert gas atmosphere without applying flux to the surface of the intended joint. Brazing sheets used in fluxless brazing methods contain an element or elements, which function(s) to weaken an oxide film or to break down an oxide film, in at least one layer of the layered structure of the brazing sheet. Mg (magnesium) is often used as this type of element.
For example, a brazing sheet for a vacuum brazing method that contains 0.1-5.0 mass % of Mg in the filler material is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In addition, a brazing sheet that contains 0.3-3.0 mass % of Mg in the core material is disclosed in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, a brazing sheet that includes an intermediate material containing 0.1-2.5 mass % of Mg between the core material and the filler material is disclosed in Patent Document 3.

Brazing sheet and manufacturing method thereof


An auxiliary power device includes an auxiliary power source having first and second charging cells connected in series, a cell balance circuit configured to sense a charging voltage between the first and second charging cells, generate a balance voltage based on the sensed charging voltage, and applies the generated balance voltage between the first and second charging cells, and a microprocessor configured to diagnose the first and second charging cells based on the sensed charging cells and control the cell balance circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure herein relates to an auxiliary power device, a memory system including the same, and a cell balancing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A user device includes storage devices, such as a memory card, a USB memory and a Solid State Drive (SSD), electronic devices, such as a personal computer, a digital camera, a camcorder, a cell phone, an MP3 player, a PMP and PDA, etc. Most of these user devices include a memory device for internally storing data. The memory device includes a volatile memory such as a DRAM and an SRAM, and a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM, an FRAM, a PRAM, an MRAM and a flash memory. The volatile memory loses stored data when the power is cut off; however, the nonvolatile memory keeps the data even if the power is cut off. The user device may include a power device as a power source.

Auxiliary power device, memory system having the same, and cell balancing method thereof


A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computing system is provided for managing quality of experience for video conferences. In an implementation, a method may include determining a capacity of a participant associated with a video conference. The method may also include determining a number of remote participants of the video conference. The method may further include implementing a video distribution architecture for the participant based upon, at least in part, the capacity of the participant and the number of remote participants. Implementing the video distribution architecture for the participant may include implementing a distributed architecture session for the participant if the capacity of the participant is greater than or equal to the number of remote participants of the video conference. Implementing the video distribution architecture for the participant may also include implementing a centralized architecture session for the participant if the capacity of the participant is less than the number of remote participants of the video conference.

Various collaboration systems exist for enabling individuals to engage in collaborate activities, such as working together on projects, sharing information, and the like. Collaboration systems can be particularly useful in allowing geographically dispersed individuals to interact and work with one another. Using various different collaboration systems, or multi-functional collaboration systems, individuals who are geographically remote from one another may, for example, engage in common work projects, for example, using online team work spaces, participate in interactive discussions, for example, using teleconferencing or video conferencing systems, and engage in meetings, for example, using electronic meeting systems that allow for presentations, lectures, seminars, and the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adaptive video streaming for communication sessions

International Business Machines Corporation


In a definition file, a convention including a definition regulated with respect to a configuration of nodes which are information elements of protocol messages in communication with a communication terminal to be evaluated is described. An interface library is configured so as to include an application program interface which can provide and receive operational information with respect to the nodes of the protocol messages to and from an exterior section. A memory managing section manages various data relating to the nodes of the protocol messages. A decode processing section specifies a data region and a value of data allocated to each node in the protocol messages by processing to decode the protocol messages along the definition regulated in the definition file and in accordance with the operational information from the exterior section to the interface library, and delivers data for each node corresponding to the protocol messages to the memory managing section. An encode processing section generates a desired protocol message by combining the data relating to the nodes of the protocol messages managed at the memory managing section, along the definition regulated in the definition file and in accordance with the operational information from the exterior section to the interface library.

Conventionally, A simulation apparatus for a communication system, for carrying out connection tests for protocol messages of the communication terminal by using a communication terminal currently under development as a product, for example, a mobile cellular phone as an object to be evaluated has been known.
Such a simulation apparatus for a communication system has a circuit for executing various communication tests with a communication terminal to be evaluated, by a communication system having predetermined communication protocols, for example, W-CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access) built-in inside thereof.
The simulation apparatus for the communication system basically possess, as a pseudo base station, a series of procedures for measuring predetermined performances which correspond to a communication system as described above in a connection state of a communication terminal to be evaluated, and is configured so as to transmit a series of test signals including predetermined message information along the procedures to the communication terminal to be evaluated, and to receive a series of response signals corresponding to the series of test signals for measuring predetermined performances from the communication terminal to be evaluated.
In a case of carrying out tests for protocol messages in communication with a communication terminal serving as an object to be evaluated, the simulation apparatus for the communication system is configured so as to describe the contents of a series of processings including a series of procedures for measuring predetermined performances as described above in a scenario, and to operate in accordance with the scenario.
In this case, in a convention used for describing the protocol message of the communication system, the protocol message is configured from a gathering of hierarchical and enumerated nodes. Here, the nodes are information elements.
Types such as INTEGER, SEQUENCE, CHOICE, BIT STRING, or the like, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, are regulated for each node of those nodes configuring the protocol message.
One node is expressed by a binary digit string of a length of 0 or more (Encode), and the types of SEQUENCE, SEQUENCE OF, and CHOICE have child elements (have been made to be a hierarchy), and SEQUENCE has a row of a plurality of nodes (is enumerated).
Further, a SEQUENCE type is a type as which a row of child nodes is defined, and when a SEQUENCE type has a value, 1 bit means the "existence/nonexistence" of a node which can be omitted.
In the case of an example shown in FIG. 8A, 0 which is UL-CCCH-Message value shows that integrityChecklnfo which can be omitted has been omitted.
In FIG. 8A, the value of UL-CCCH-Message is 0, and integrityCheckInfo is omitted, and rrcConnectionRequest (a place surrounded with the elliptic frame) which is a value of message is 2 bits from the second bit.
In FIG. 8B, because the value of UL-CCCH-Message is 1, and integrityCheckInfo is not omitted, rrcConnectionRequest (a place surrounded with the elliptic frame) which is a value of message is 2 bits from the thirty-eighth bit.
Here, the thirty-eighth bit corresponds to a position of a bit following a total (1+32+4=37) of 1 bit of UL-CCCH-Message, 32 bits of messageAuthenticationCode, and 4 bits of rrc-MessageSequenceNumber.
This is made clear with reference to the case in which UL-CC-CH-MessageType is a CHOICE type, in FIG. 9 shown as an extract of the related part of the above-described explanation from the specification 3GPP TS25.331 disclosed in non-Patent Document 1. Non-Patent Document 1: 3GPP TS25.331 (RRC Protocol Specification 2002/03 pp1-29, pp550-554)
Here, it is necessary to focus on the fact that, rrcConnectionRequest (the place surrounded with the elliptic frame) which is a value of message becomes 2 bits from the second bit in FIG. 8A, and in contrast thereto, in FIG. 8B, the position of the node of the protocol message when the protocol message of the communication system is described in a scenario is shifted in accordance with a type (SEQUENCE, CHOICE) of the message such that rrcConnectionRequest (the place surrounded with the elliptic frame)
which is a value of message becomes 2 bits from the thirty-eighth bit.
Accordingly, in order to describe the protocol message for a communication system into a scenario, it is necessary to acquire a node in a protocol message as described above, and to carry out processing such as editing of a scenario, warning, or the like based on those data focusing on the fact that the position of a node to be processed is shifted in accordance with a value of a more previous node.
For example, as shown in FIG. 10, in a case of carrying out processing in which a tmsi (Temporary Mobile Subscriber) value of a receive protocol message (Receive Message) at a place surrounded with the elliptic frame is embedded into a transmit protocol message (Transmit Message), in a description of a scenario, as shown in FIG. 11, a receive protocol message is read with a specific place and a data size defined by a specification being designated, and is replaced with data of 32 bits which is a value read previously with a place to which a transmit protocol message corresponds being specified.
However, in this case, as described above, because the position of the node to be processed is shifted in accordance with a value of a more previous node, there is a problem in the point that a description of a scenario by an operator is difficult, and it is difficult to alert warning by determining a node.

Device and method for simulating communication system capable of easily controlling protocol message


The characteristic of nonlinear processing with respect to image data is designated by a GUI and the result of the processing quickly displayed. A personal computer 72 displays a GUI image for input on a monitor. When a user designates a nonlinear characteristic on the GUI image by an input device 70, the personal computer 72 extracts a break point approximation function indicating the nonlinear characteristic and displays the same in the GUI image. Further, the personal computer 72 generates a program for executing nonlinear processing indicated by the extracted break point approximation function by a linear array type multiple parallel processor (DSP 80) and downloads the generated program to the DSP 80.

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for supplying image data to a plurality of processor elements, performing image processing in parallel by SIMD (single instruction multiple data stream) control of these plurality of processor elements, and performing contour enhancement for enhancing the contours of an image and a method of the same and to a data processing apparatus for filtering for example image data by an FIR filter and a method of the same.
Color signals of a plurality of formats such as RGB signals, YIQ signals, and YCrCb signals (below, a luminance signal Y will also be treated as a color signal) are processed in the fields of image signal processing, television signal processing, etc.
In order to correct an optical system in a video camera, correct nonlinearity in a display device (display), impart a special effect, and so on, it sometimes becomes necessary to perform nonlinear processing such as color correction and xcex3 (gamma) correction with respect to these various types of color signals.
In the past, nonlinear processing of these various types of color signals had been carried out by analog processing. However, when a color signal is processed analogly, nonuniformity occurs in the processing among components of color signals or a changes occur along with time due to repetition of processing, so the image is deteriorated. Accordingly, at the present time, nonlinear processing of color signals is generally carried out by digital processing.
As the method of nonlinear processing by digital processing, for example, there can be mentioned the exclusive logic circuit method which uses a delay circuit, multiplier circuit, adder circuit, and other logic circuits for realization of nonlinear input/output characteristics by break point approximation. However, the former method requires that a logic circuit be prepared for every processing, therefore lacks flexibility in the processing content. Accordingly, this method is rarely adopted.
Further, as another method of nonlinear processing by digital processing, mention may be made, for example, of a method of establishing correspondence between the values of input data and the values of output data via a memory. According to this method, the content of the nonlinear processing can be easily changed by just changing the storage content of the memory establishing correspondence between the input data and the output data. However, in the related art, no method for designating the processing content by a GUI (graphical user interface) had yet been established.
In addition, the result of the nonlinear processing had been checked by once recording the image data obtained by the processing on a VTR tape etc. and then reproducing and displaying the recorded image data, which was very troublesome.
Further, the apparatus for establishing correspondence between the input and output data using this method was usually configured for only color correction, xcex3 correction, and other nonlinear processing, therefore it was necessary to place other dedicated hardware in front or back of it to perform the other processing. Accordingly, even when establishing correspondence between input and output data to carry out color correction and y correction, in the end, in the same way as the method using logic circuits, it was necessary to prepare dedicated hardware to handle the other processing.
On the other hand, in order to flexibly perform various types of image processing, the method of using a DSP (digital signal processor) to process the image data by software can be considered. However, while a DSP is normally suitable for linear processing, it is not suitable for color correction, xcex3 correction, and other nonlinear processing, therefore there was only a few examples of utilization of a DSP for the nonlinear processing in the past.
Further, contour enhancement is currently used in televisions, video cameras, VTR apparatuses, image editing apparatuses, special effect apparatuses, etc. for industrial use in television broadcast stations etc. In the future, it expected to be actively utilized in the image processing apparatuses of the general consumers as well.
In the past, contour enhancement apparatuses for performing the contour enhancement were realized by dedicated hardware constituted by multipliers, adders, etc.
However, contour enhancement is realized by processing for detecting the contours of the image of the object and processing for enhancing the detected contour part, therefore the hardware of the contour enhancing apparatus ends up becoming large in size.
Further, once dedicated hardware for performing these processings is prepared, it is difficult to change the frequency characteristic of the high pass filters used when detecting the contour parts or the degree of enhancement of the contour parts etc.
Further, filtering by digital processing is used in a wide range of fields such as image processing and audio processing at present. In particular, in the field of image processing, it is indispensable for a band limitation, recording, editing and imparting of special effects for television signals etc. and has been used for a wide range of purposes.
In the past, as the filtering apparatus for performing filtering by digital processing, for example, use has been made of an FIR filter apparatus comprised of a multiplier, adder, etc. with specifications fixed by the hardware.
Further, the design of such a FIR filter apparatus required work for calculation for determining the filter coefficient satisfying the desired passing band characteristic and element band characteristic and work for actually preparing an FIR filter apparatus for performing the filtering using the filter coefficient obtained as a result of the calculation and using the same to verify the characteristics of the filtering by hardware or for using circuit simulator software to verify the characteristics of the filtering by software.
However, when using the method of preparing FIR filters of individual specifications to verify the characteristics by hardware, a long time is required for the preparation of the FIR filters, so the development period of the filter apparatus becomes long.
Further, when using the method of verifying the characteristics by software, the filter processing can not be simulated in real time, therefore it is not possible to verify the characteristics by viewing the image data obtained by actual filtering.
Further, not suitable method has yet been conceived as the method of evaluating the effect of the filtering of the image data of a moving picture.
Further, it has been known that the filtering by an FIR filter can be carried out by software by using an SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor and that the desired characteristics can be realized by this, but in the past there had been no development apparatus for uniformly performing everything from the determination of the filtering characteristics (specifications) of the program for making an SIMD-controlled linear array multiple parallel processor control perform filtering by an FIR filter to the verification (evaluation) of the characteristics.
Further, the procedures from the determination of the specifications of the filtering program of the SIMD-controlled linear array multiple parallel processor to the evaluation are difficult. It would be convenient if it were possible to perform this series of work by operation using a GUI for example.
The present invention was made so as to solve the above problems and has as an object thereof to provide an image processing apparatus capable of performing nonlinear processing such as color correction on image data by using for example a DSP and a method of the same.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus enabling free setting of the content of nonlinear processing such as color correction for every component of the color signals (Y, Cr, Cb, R, G. B, etc.) by using a GUI and in addition enabling quickly confirmation of the result of the color correction etc. on a GUI screen and a method of the same.
Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus enabling contour enhancement by software by using an SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor and a method of the same.
Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus enabling contour enhancement by simple setting of the characteristic of the filtering when detecting the contour of the image of the object in the image data and characteristics of the nonlinear conversion for adjusting the degree of contour enhancement by for example a GUI and in addition enabling quick confirmation of the result of the processing and a method of the same.
Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus enabling filtering by software by using an SIMD-controlled linear array multiple parallel processor and in addition enabling uniform determination of the filtering characteristic to verification of the characteristic and a method of the same.
Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide a data processing apparatus enabling a reduction of the development period of a filtering apparatus and a method of the same.
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an input use image displaying means for displaying an input use image showing an input/output characteristic between an input image data and an output image data; a designation data receiving means for receiving designation data input in accordance with the displayed input use image and designating the input/output characteristic; an input/output characteristic extracting means for extracting the input/output characteristic from the received designation data; an input/output characteristic image displaying means for displaying the input/output characteristic image showing the extracted input/output characteristic; and an image data processing means for processing the input image data to generate the output image data so that the input image data and the output image data have a relationship indicated by the extracted input/output characteristic.
Preferably, the input image displaying means displays a graph of an initial value of the input/output characteristic; the designation data receiving means receives at least a first designation data for designating addition of a passing point of a curve of the displayed graph and the position of the passing point to be added on the graph, a second designation data for designating a change of the position of the added passing point and the position of the passing point to be changed after the change, and a third designation data for designating deletion of the added passing point; and the input image displaying means changes the graph of the input/output characteristic based on the received first designation data to third designation data.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises an input/output characteristic data generating means for generating input/output characteristic data for establishing correspondence between the input image data and the output image data according to the extracted input/output characteristic; and the image data processing means converts the value of the input image data to the value of the output image data by a memory mapping method based on the generated input/output characteristic data.
Preferably, the image data processing means processes the input image data based on a set program to generate the output image data and comprises a program generating means enabling the image data processing means to prepare a program for generating the output image data from the input image data based on the extracted input/output characteristic.
Preferably, the image data processing means comprises a SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor.
The input use image displaying means for example first displays a graph of the initial value (y=x) of the input/output characteristic showing to output the value (x) of a component (R, G, B, Y, I, Q, etc.; input image data) of the color signal to be processed without change as the value (y) of the component (output image data) of the color signal obtained as the result of processing in a window of a GUI image for every component of the color signal.
When the user for example uses a mouse to designate the addition of a passing point of the curve of the displayed graph, a position of the passing point to be added on the graph, a change of the position of the added passing point, the position after change or the deletion of the added passing point with respect to each window of the components of the color signal of the GUI image, the designation data receiving means receives the designation data showing these designations for every component of the color signal.
The input/output characteristic extracting means extracts a function (break point approximation function) showing the input/output characteristic indicated by the received designation data by for example a break point approximation line for every component of the color signal.
The input/output characteristic image displaying means displays a graph showing a break point approximation function showing the extracted input/output characteristic in each window of the components of the color signal of the GUI screen at a point of time when the input of all designation data is terminated.
The input/output characteristic data generating means generates input/output characteristic data for establishing correspondence of the value of the input image data with the output image data according to the extracted input/output characteristic for every component of the color signal based on the extracted break point approximation function.
The image data processing means stores for example the input/output characteristic data and processes the input image data for every component of the color signal to generate the output image data using the memory mapping method where the input image data is used as the address input and the value of the input/output characteristic data stored at the address indicated by the value of the input image data is used as the output image data, and displays the same.
Further, for example, where an SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor is used to process the input image data for every component of the color signal to generate the output image data, the program generating means prepares a program for realizing the extracted input/output characteristic and downloads the same to the processor.
Further, the image processing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of displaying an input use image showing an input/output characteristic between input image data and output image data; receiving designation data input in accordance with the displayed input use image and designating the input/output characteristic; extracting the input/output characteristic from the received designation data; displaying an input/output characteristic image showing the extracted input/output characteristic; processing the input image data to generate the output image data so that the input image data and the output image data have a relationship indicated by the extracted input/output characteristic; and displaying the generated output image data.
Preferably, the method displays a graph of the initial value of the input/output characteristic; receives at least a first designation data for designating an addition of a passing point of a curve of the displayed graph and the position of the passing point to be added on the graph, a second designation data for designating a change of the position of the added passing point and the position of the passing point to be changed after the change, and a third designation data for designating deletion of the added passing point and changes the graph of the input/output characteristic based on the received first designation data to third designation data.
Preferably, the method generates input/output characteristic data for establishing correspondence between the input image data and the output image data according to the extracted input/output characteristic and converts the value of the input image data to the value of the output image data by a memory mapping method based on the generated input/output characteristic data.
Preferably, the method processes the input image data based on a set program to generate the output image data, prepares a program for generating the output image data from the input image data based on the extracted input/output characteristic, and executes that generated program to process the input image data to generate the output image data.
Further, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a characteristic image displaying means for displaying a characteristic image showing a characteristic of contour enhancement with respect to image data input from an external portion; a characteristic receiving means for receiving the characteristic of contour enhancement in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic image; a characteristic image changing means for changing the characteristic image showing the characteristic of contour enhancement in accordance with the received characteristic of contour enhancement; and a contour enhancement means for performing the contour enhancement with respect to the input image data based on the received characteristic of contour enhancement.
Preferably, the characteristic image displaying means displays characteristic images showing each of a characteristic of a first nonlinear conversion with respect to the image data input from the external portion, a characteristic of a second nonlinear processing, and a characteristic of filtering; the characteristic receiving means receives each of the characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic image; the characteristic image changing means changes the characteristic images showing each of the characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering in accordance with the received characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering; and the contour enhancement means comprises a first nonlinear processing means for applying first nonlinear conversion with respect to the image data based on the received characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, a contour detecting means for performing filtering on the first nonlinear converted image data based on the received characteristic of filtering to detect the contour of the image in the image data and generate contour data showing the detected contour, a second nonlinear processing means for applying second nonlinear processing to the generated contour data based on the received characteristic of second nonlinear conversion, a time delaying means for imparting a time delay corresponding to the first nonlinear processing, the generation of the contour data, and the second nonlinear processing to the image data input from the external portion, and an adding means for adding the second nonlinear processed image data and the delayed image data.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a displaying means for displaying the contour enhanced image data.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a program preparing means for preparing a program to be executed by the contour enhancement means based on the received characteristic of contour enhancement; and the contour enhancement means executes the prepared program to perform the contour enhancement with respect to the input image data.
Preferably, the apparatus is characterized in that the contour enhancement means is a SIMD-controlled multiple parallel processor.
The image processing apparatus according to the present invention enables the user to set the characteristics of various processings in the contour enhancement for enhancing the contours of an image, that is, the characteristic of filtering by a high pass filter in contour detection, and to set the characteristics of the nonlinear conversion before or after the filtering by performing an operation with respect to a GUI image, performs the contour enhancement by software in accordance with these settings, and displays the result of the processing to provide the same to the user for confirmation.
The characteristic image displaying means displays, with respect to image data input from an external portion for contour enhancement, an image showing the characteristic of nonlinear conversion (first nonlinear conversion; level depend) for the component for enhancement of the contour of the image of the object in the image data and the characteristic of the nonlinear processing (second nonlinear conversion; clispining) for suppressing unnaturalness of the image due to over-enhancing of the detected contour part, for example, in a window of a GUI image in the form of a graph showing the value of the pixel data after the nonlinear processing with respect to pixel data of the input image.
Further, the characteristic image displaying means displays an image showing the frequency characteristic of the high pass filter used for the filtering, when detecting for example the contour of the image of an object, in a window of a GUI image in the form of a graph of the frequency response.
The user for example uses a mouse etc. for an operation for modifying the curves of the graphs of the characteristics of the nonlinear processing and the high pass filter in the windows of the GUI image so as to input the characteristics of the level depend, clispining, and filtering and uses a mouse etc. to push predetermined buttons in the GUI image to finally set these characteristics.
The characteristic receiving means receives the characteristics of the processings input as mentioned above when for example the user finally sets the characteristics of the processings.
The characteristic image changing means successively changes and displays the curves of the graphs in accordance with a modification operation during the period when for example the user performs an operation for modifying the curves of the graphs by a mouse etc. before finally setting the characteristics of the processings and shows them to the user.
By viewing the curves of the graphs changed by the characteristic image changing means, the user can obtain a general grasp of the characteristics of the processings.
The program preparing means prepares a program for controlling the operation of the contour enhancement means based on characteristics of the processings received by the characteristic receiving means so that each processing exhibits the received characteristics.
The contour enhancement means is for example an SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor which executes the program prepared by the program preparing means to perform the level depend, clispining, and filtering and thereby performs the contour enhancement by the characteristics desired by the user.
That is, in the contour enhancement means, the first nonlinear processing means executes the program to performs level depend for enhancing the contour of image data input from the external portion.
The contour detecting means performs filtering by a high pass filter with respect to the contour enhanced image data, detects the contour part of the image of an object having a high frequency, and generates contour data showing the detected contour.
The second nonlinear processing means performs clispining for preventing the contour from being over-enhanced and becoming unnatural when the contour data generated by the contour detecting means is combined with the original image data.
The time delaying means delays the image data input from the external portion by exactly the time required for the above processings to match the timing with the clispined contour data.
The adding means adds the delayed image data and the clispined contour data to generate the contour enhanced image data of the image.
Further, the image processing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of displaying a characteristic image showing a characteristic of contour enhancement with respect to image data input from an external portion; receiving the characteristic of contour enhancement in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic image; changing the characteristic image showing the characteristic of contour enhancement in accordance with the received characteristic of contour enhancement; and performing the contour enhancement with respect to the input image data based on the received characteristic of contour enhancement.
Preferably, the method comprises the steps of displaying characteristic images showing each of a characteristic of first nonlinear conversion with respect to the image data input from the external portion, a characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and a characteristic of filtering; receiving each of the characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic images; changing each of the characteristic images showing the characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering in accordance with the received characteristic of first nonlinear conversion, the characteristic of second nonlinear processing, and the characteristic of filtering; applying first nonlinear conversion with respect to the image data based on the received characteristic of first nonlinear conversion; performing filtering on the first nonlinear converted image data based on the received characteristic of filtering to detect a contour of the image in the image data; generating a contour data showing the detected contour; applying second nonlinear processing to the generated contour data based on the received characteristic of second nonlinear conversion; imparting a time delay corresponding to the first nonlinear processing, the generation of contour data, and the second nonlinear processing to the image data input from the external portion; and adding the second nonlinear processed image data and the delayed image data.
Preferably, the method displays the contour enhanced image data.
Preferably, the method prepares a program of the contour enhancement based on the received characteristic of contour enhancement and executes the prepared program to perform the contour enhancement on the input image data.
Preferably, the method prepares a parameter file based on the received characteristic of contour enhancement and executes the program of the contour enhancement referring to this parameter file to perform contour enhancement on the input image data.
Preferably, the method is characterized in that a SIMD-controlled multiple parallel processor executes the contour enhancement program.
Further, the data processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a characteristic image displaying means for displaying a characteristic image showing a characteristic of filtering on data of a signal input from an external portion; a characteristic receiving means for receiving the characteristic of filtering in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic image; a characteristic image changing means for changing the characteristic image showing the characteristic of filtering in accordance with the received characteristic of filtering; and a filtering means for performing the filtering on the input data based on the received characteristic of filtering.
Specifically, the data of the signal is image data; and the apparatus further comprises an image displaying means for displaying the filtered image data.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a filter circuit designing means for designing a filter circuit for performing the filtering on the input data by the received characteristic of filtering and describing the designed filter circuit by a predetermined hardware description language.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a program preparing means for preparing a program to be executed by the filtering means based on the received characteristic of filtering; and the filtering means executes the prepared program to perform the filtering with respect to the input data.
Specifically, the filtering means is an SIMD-format multiple parallel processor which performs the filtering by an FIR filter.
The data processing apparatus according to the present invention enables the user to set a filtering characteristic with respect to image, audio, or other data by performing an operation with respect to the GUI image, performs the filtering by software in accordance with these settings, and displays the result of the processing to provide the same to the user for his/her confirmation.
The characteristic image displaying means for example displays on a monitor a GUI image showing the frequency passing band, frequency blocking band, and other desired characteristics in the filtering of the image data in the form of for example a graph.
The user for example performs a modification operation on the curve of the graph in the GUI image by using a mouse etc. to input the filtering characteristic and further depresses a predetermined button in the GUI image by using the mouse etc. to finally set the desired characteristic.
The characteristic receiving means receives the input characteristic of filtering when for example the user finally sets the desired characteristic of filtering.
The characteristic image changing means for example successively changes and displays the curves of the graphs in accordance with the modification operation while the user performs the modification operation of the curves of the graphs by a mouse etc. before finally setting the filtering characteristic and shows the same to the user. By viewing the curves of the graphs changed by the characteristic image changing means, the user can obtain a general grasp of the characteristic of filtering.
The program preparing means calculates the filter coefficient of the FIR filter based on the filtering characteristic received by the characteristic receiving means so as to show for example the received characteristic and uses the calculated filter coefficient to prepare the program for filtering to be executed by the filtering means.
The filtering means is for example an SIMD-controlled linear array type multiple parallel processor which executes the program prepared by the program preparing means to perform the filtering on the image data by the characteristic desired by the user.
The filter circuit designing means for example designs the circuit of the FIR filter for filtering the image data by hardware by the characteristic desired by the user and generates a description of the content of the designed filter circuit by the HDL (hardware description language) or other hardware description language.
Further, the data processing method according to the present invention comprises the steps of displaying a characteristic image showing a characteristic of filtering on data of a signal input from an external portion; receiving the characteristic of filtering in accordance with an operation with respect to the displayed characteristic image; changing the characteristic image showing the characteristic of filtering in accordance with the received characteristic of filtering; and performing the filtering on the input data based on the received characteristic of filtering.
Specifically, the data of a signal is image data; and further the method displays the filtered image data.
Preferably, further, the method designs a filter circuit for performing the filtering on the input data by the received characteristic of filtering and describes the designed filter circuit by a predetermined hardware description language.
Preferably, further, the method prepares a program for realizing the filtering based on the received characteristic of filtering and executes the prepared program to perform the filtering on the input data.
Specifically, an SIMD-format multiple parallel processor performs the filtering by an FIR filter.

Image processor, data processor, and their methods


Electrostatic printing methods are used to allow the precise placement of small, discrete components on a substrate. The components are configured as liquid toners by coating one or more surfaces with a charge control agent which reacts with a charge director in a diluent to create a charge on the coated components allowing them to be manipulated and placed using electrical fields.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention describes a manufacturing process for producing large physical area arrays of discrete components, more particularly to electro-photographic methods which can produce arrays of small components such as transistor circuits useful, for example, for flat panel displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
The most common flat panel display is the Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display, typically used in lap top computers. In an active matrix each "pixel" location has a functioning transistor that switches "On" and "Off" the voltage to that pixel. The transistor modulates the voltage to achieve levels of brightness for continuous "tones" in the picture. The manufacture of the active array of transistors is a time-consuming, expensive task. Beginning with an X-Y grid of metallized conductors and transparent electrodes, the transistors are formed in a layered pattern using sputtering and photolithography. The lithographic steps consist of:                A). spin coating an etch resist        B). soft bake to harden resist        C). photo expose        D). develop: i.e., wash away unexposed resist        E). cure remaining resist by baking        F). etch material underneath        G). strip away the resist.Between steps B and C the substrate must be cooled back to room temperature otherwise thermal expansion will result in mechanical alignment errors.
The formation of the simple transistor, usually a Field Effect Transistor (FET) requires the following layers, each of which is photolithographically patterned:                1. Amorphous silicon layer        2. Silicon nitride dielectric layer        3. Adhesion layer        4. Metallization layer of Aluminum,Two of the layers (1 and 3) are formed in an expensive vacuum sputtering chamber, while layer 4 is formed in a somewhat less expensive vacuum thermal evaporation process. Each of the layers is patterned by the 7 step photolithographic process previously described for a total of 35 steps.
There is a desire for flat panel displays to be very large, perhaps one meter in diagonal. The above process is costly for very small panels, to scale it to "meter" dimensions has proved difficult despite $10's of billions and two decades of research worldwide.
Part of the difficulty of the above process is that the quality of the amorphous silicon is marginal, at best. It has very low "minority carrier mobility" (carrier velocity per unit of electric field) compared to the single crystal silicon (from wafers) that is used to make all other integrated circuits. To this end, an improvement could be effected if the amorphous silicon could be crystallized resulting in substantial improvements in performance. If the amorphous silicon can be crystallized and transformed to "Poly Si", then other circuits can be incorporated into the display beyond the transistor at each "pixel" element (e.g., the "Housekeeping" circuits like row and column drivers, data shift registers, etc.). This would also substantially reduce the interconnects required and lower the cost.
Substantial research has been executed attempting to produce such "poly" silicon. High powered lasers "Zap" the amorphous silicon, raising its temperature thereby crystallizing it. Solid phase crystallization through the agent of a catalyst like palladium or other metal with heating to 600° C. for 10 minutes has been disclosed (see Fonash, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,851). But none of the "poly Si" processed have been successfully commercialized.
Many people have proposed mounting "real silicon" die, cut from a silicon wafer. These parts may be as small as 100×100 microns in dimension. They would be very inexpensive themselves; however, the problem would be in applying them at each fixed location. In a very high resolution display there may be as many as 3 million pixels, each of 3 colors, for a total of 9 million "pixels" meaning 9 million transistors that need to be properly and precisely located.
One approach to this problem is that of Alien Technology of Hayward, Calif. Alien describes die that are fabricated with beveled rear faces and are "fluidically" located in a preformed back plate, to "micron tolerances". This back plate is part of the final product and is shipped "out the door" to the customer. Furthermore there are no "imaging forces" that move the "die" into the preformed cavities. The only force available is that of gravity.
There remains the need to assemble discrete active silicon parts; cheaply and massively that this invention is presented.
The basic technology of "electrophotography" or images made by electrical forces is approximately 50 years old and generates approximately $100 billion in revenue, worldwide. Its legacy includes the copy machine and the laser printer. In virtually all manifestations the machines put a colored resin toner on a sheet of paper for a human being to read. In recent years the Electrox Corp. of Denville, N.J. has pioneered the use of the technology as a manufacturing tool; printing functional materials configured as liquid toners, on metal, glass and even paper surfaces. Toners include Metals(Ag, Al); Catalysts (Pb, Sn); Dielectrics (Glass, Phosphors); and Resins (Etch resists, Color Filter Materials, Organic LED Materials).

Process for the manufacture of large area arrays of discrete components


A photoresist coating composition that includes a compound represented by Formula 1 and an aqueous solvent, and a method for forming a fine pattern by coating the composition on a photoresist pattern to effectively reduce a size of a photoresist contact hole and a space, which can be applied to all of the semiconductor processes.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to a photoresist coating composition and a method for forming a fine pattern using the same. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a photoresist coating composition comprising a water-soluble polymer and an aqueous solvent, and to a method for forming a fine pattern by reducing the size of the photoresist using the same.
2. Description of Related Technology
As the manufacturing technology of semiconductor devices has developed and the fields of application of memory devices has been extended, the development of lithography processes, (i.e., the development of photoresist materials, new exposure light sources, and light exposer technology) has been accelerated to develop memory devices with improved integration. However, since the resolution obtained by using commonly-used KrF and ArF light exposer is limited within 0.1 μm, it is difficult to form a fine pattern for manufacturing an integrated semiconductor device.
In order to form a conventional fine pattern, resist flow processes (hereinafter, referred to as "RFP"), processes using materials such as RELACS (resist enhancement lithography assisted by chemical shrink), and SAFIER (shrink assist film for enhanced resolution) produced by TOK Company have been introduced.
In the RFP, a photoresist pattern is formed by using an exposure process and a developing process, and then thermal energy is applied at above a glass transition temperature of the photoressist, so that the photoresist may flow thermally. The previously formed pattern has been gradually reduced by the supplied heat energy. As a result, a fine pattern is formed to have a small size required in an integrated process.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exposure process and a developing process are performed on a substrate 1 having an underlying layer 3, thereby obtaining a photoresist pattern 5. Then, thermal energy 7 is applied to the resulting structure at above a glass transition temperature of the photoresist for a predetermined time, which results in an inward thermal flow 9 of the photoresist to reduce the size of a contact hole or pattern.
Even when thermal energy is transmitted uniformly to the whole surface of photoresist in the RFP at a temperature above the glass transition temperature, the amount of photoresist flow is relatively larger in the lower portion than in the upper or middle portions. As a result, an overflowing phenomenon occurs such that the upper portion of the pattern becomes wider than the lower portion.
Since most of the photoresist sensitively reacts with the applied heat, the overflowing phenomenon most frequently occurs when the temperature regulation is mis-operated and the flowing time becomes longer than a predetermined value.
In order to reduce the overflowing phenomenon, temperatures of bake ovens for applying heat have been equalized or the baking time has been precisely regulated. However, although the above baking process is improved, the over flowing phenomenon is not reduced or eliminated.
According to the RELACS process, as shown in FIG. 2, an exposure process and a developing process are performed on a substrate 11 having an underlying layer 13, thereby obtaining a photoresist pattern 15. A RELACS material 17 is coated on the whole surface of photoresist, and then a developing process is performed on the resultant structure, by which a thermal process is performs on the resulting structure. As a result, a cross-linking reaction 19 is formed between the RELACS material 17 and the photoresist pattern 15 to reduce the size of a contact hole or a pattern.
According to the method using the SAFIER material, as shown in FIG. 3, an exposure process and a developing process are performed on a substrate 21 having an underlying layer 23, thereby obtaining a photoresist pattern 25. Then, a SAFIER material 27 is coated on the whole surface of the photoresist, and a thermal process is performed on the resulting structure. As a result, the photoresist material is shrunk 29 to form the photoresist pattern 25-1 reduced a size of a contact hole or a pattern.
Although the processes employing the RELACS material or the SAFIER material can reduce the size of the pattern regardless of a duty ratio, they are more costly and residuals remain in the pattern due to the incomplete removal of the water-soluble polymer, which adversely affects subsequent etching processes. As a result, defects are generated in the final devices, which degrades yield and reliability of the devices.
Moreover, since the above-described methods further include a coating process, a thermal process, a developing process, and a wafer cleaning process of two steps, the procedure is more complicated, and the process cost increases.

Photoresist coating composition and method for forming fine pattern using the same


Haploid human embryonic stem cells and cell lines, haploid multipotent human cells, and haploid differentiated human cells are provided. In addition, methods of making and using the haploid human cells are provided.

Diploidy is a fundamental genetic feature in mammals, in which haploid cells normally arise only as post-meiotic germ cells that serve to insure a diploid genome upon fertilization. Gamete manipulation has yielded haploid embryonic stem (ES) cells from several mammalian species,1-6 but prior to the present invention, not from humans.
Haploid genetics is a useful tool for delineating genome function, and haploid mammalian cells have proven invaluable through loss-of-function genetic screens, since single-allele mutations are sufficient to induce a phenotype.7 The derivation of haploid human ES cell lines has likely been hindered by the limited availability of human oocytes.10 Therefore, in humans, loss-of-function screens have thus far been facilitated through a near-haploid chronic myeloid leukemia cell line30 and its derivative cells.31 Although useful, these are chromosomally aberrant cancer cells representing a single cell type. In that sense, the benefit in utilizing haploid human ES cells for genetic screens relies on the premise of their genomic stability, their capacity to model human early development and their potential to give rise to virtually any cell type of interest.
Although the increasing efficiency of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis can facilitate loss-of-function screens in diploid cells, each allele may be affected differently, making functional gene disruption more efficient in a haploid genome.32,33 Moreover, while the use of CRISPR/Cas9 requires predesigned single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs), less biased mutagenesis approaches, such as the gene trap method, can be readily applied to haploid but not diploid cells for loss-of-function screens.7
Throughout evolution, mammalian genomes have been solidified by diploidy-dependent adaptations such as parental imprinting, which restrict the development of haploid uniparental embryos. Nonetheless, haploid cells are capable of directing development in certain animal species.34 The surprising differentiation potential of haploid human genomes suggests that diploidy-dependent adaptations, rather than haploidy, may pose the predominant barriers for development in humans. Our discovery of haploid human ES cells thus provides novel means to delineate basic aspects of human genetics and development.

Haploid human embryonic stem cell lines and somatic cell lines and methods of making the same

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.


There is provided a method for selectively hydrogenating a living polymer having olefinic double bonds. A monomer having at least one conjugated double bond, optionally together with an olefinic monomer, is polymerized in the presence of an alkyllithium polymerization initiator, to give a living polymer. This olefinic living polymer is reacted with a hydrocarbon compound, to give a deactivated living polymer and a hydrocarbon lithium compound. The double bonds within the conjugated dien units of the polymer are selectively hydrogenated in the presence of a monocyclopentadienyltitanium compound which is under the influence of the hydrocarbon lithium compound. The hydrocarbon, which acts as a deactivator of the living polymer, terminates the anion polymerization occurring due to an activated anion of the living polymer and thus, prevents the intermolecular cross-linking of the polymers so that the gelation of the polymers does not occur. In addition, the hydrocarbon lithium serves as a reducing agent for the hydrogenating catalyst, monocyclopentadienyltitanium compound, so that a high selectivity and hydrogenation efficiency can be obtained without accurate adjustment of Li/Ti mole ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for selectively hydrogenating a living polymer having olefinic double bonds. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a selective hydrogenation method of living polymer having olefinic double bonds, which is superior in yield, selectivity and reproductivity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polymers with olefinic double bonds are usually used as elastomers. They may be utilized without any modification or in a modified state, for example, a vulcanized state.
However, the double bonds make the polymers poor in weather resistance, thermal resistance, oxygen resistance and ozone resistance, limiting the use range of the polymers.
This problem has been overcome by hydrogenating the double bonds of the polymers. Generally, the hydrogenation for the olefinic double bonds in polymers is carried out in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst or a homogeneous catalyst.
A typical heterogeneous catalyst consists of a catalytically active ingredient and a support. The active ingredient, such as platinum and palladium, is impregnated into the support, such as carbon, silica and alumina. For the homogeneous catalyst, a catalytically active ingredient, such as nickel, cobalt and titanium, is mixed with an organometal compound serving as a reductant, such as organoaluminum, organomagnesium and organolithium. Relative to the homogeneous catalysts, heterogeneous catalysts are lower in hydrogenation activity and need a higher temperature and pressure for catalytic reaction. In the case of polymers, the heterogeneous catalysts have more serious difficulty in dehydrogenating them because of the high viscosity of the reaction system and the steric hinderance of the polymers. Thus, the heterogeneous catalyst is economically unfavorable not only because a large quantity of the catalyst is required for effective hydrogenation, but also because the high temperature and pressure causes the polymers to be decomposed and gelled.
In contrast, the homogeneous catalysts are very advantageous by virtue of high reactivity and hydrogenation efficiency even at a low temperature and pressure. However, it is difficult to obtain a product with high yield since the hydrogenation has a tendency to depend sensitively on the reduced state of the homogeneous catalyst. Further, a trace of impurities in the reactants causes the catalytically active ingredients of the homogeneous catalysts to easily lose their activity and thus makes it very difficult to control the hydrogenation efficiency and reproductivity in the reaction.
There are many techniques for the hydrogenation or selective hydrogenation of conjugated diens.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,644,588, 3,868,354, 3,541,064 and 3,700,633 disclose catalyst systems for hydrogenating or selectively hydrogenating ethylenically unsaturated polymers or ethylenically unsaturated aromatic copolymers, in which the metals of group VIII on the Periodic Table, especially, nickel or cobalt, are combined with the metals of groups IA, IIA and IIIB on the Periodic Table, especially, lithium, magnesium and aluminum alkyl as reductants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,857 discloses that at least one bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium compound and at least one hydrocarbon lithium compound are required for the selective hydrogenation of olefinically unsaturated polymers.
Similar to the just above-cited patent, U.S. Pat. No 4,980,421 suggests alkoxylithium compounds as a promoter, instead of hydrocarbon lithium compounds. In this patent, such a promoter may be prepared by directly adding an alcohol or phenol compound to living polymers or it may be the reaction mixture of organolithium compound and alcohol and phenol compound. It is also mentioned, that the hydrogenation system utilizing such a catalyst, is superior in reactivity under mild conditions. However, although reaction stability is accomplished by using alcohols and phenols as promoters, they may deleteriously affect the control of the molecular weight of the polymer upon carrying out continuous processes and the alcohols and phenols remaining unchanged into alkoxylithium may act as a poison against the catalyst activating species.
Another hydrogenation of the polymers having olefinic double bonds is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,714. It is mentioned that the hydrogenation can be easily accomplished by employing bis(cyclopentadienyl) titanium diaryl compound only as a catalyst. This technique is allegedly very effective because it does not need additional alkyllithium compound as a promoter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,755, a hydrogenation reaction is carried out by adding hydrogen to a living polymer prepared with an alkyllithium initiator, deactivating the polymer under high hydrogen pressure and hydrogenating it in the presence of a titanium catalyst.
The above-cited patents are disadvantageous in that it is quite difficult to simultaneously obtain the high activity of the catalysts and high selectivity of hydrogen addition because the molar ratio of Li/Ti should be controlled depending on the change in the molecular weights of the polymers or the mole numbers of the living polymers. Furthermore, in the case of using living polymers, their anion ions may cause intermolecular cross-links prior to, during and subsequent to the hydrogenation, resulting in the formation of a high molecular weight polymer. In addition, the anions may modify the reduced state of the catalyst, serving as a deactivator thereof.

Selective hydrogenation method of living polymer having olefinic double bond


A thermoformed dispensing cap with a stopper which is fitted on a container. The cap includes an elongated dispensing nozzle having a free end which is pierced at its center with an orifice for dispensing a product in the container. A stopper closes the nozzle and is formed of a thermoplastic material different from that which forms the cap. The stopper has a cylindrical portion surmounted by an approximately frustroconical portion. This portion has an outer surface which is an identical replica of the outer surface of the frustroconical portion formed by the free end of the nozzle.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injection-moulded dispensing cap comprising a dispensing nozzle equipped with a removable stopper. This cap is intended to be fitted to a container containing the liquid product. The invention also relates to a method for the simultaneous manufacture of the cap and of the stopper, by dual injection of two different materials. More specifically, this method makes it possible, in a single mould, to obtain the cap comprising the stopper fitted onto the nozzle.
The cap of the invention is intended, in particular, to be fitted to a container such as a bottle with a neck, with fairly compressible walls containing, for example, a shampoo, a care cream, a liquid foundation, a hair lotion, or in particular any other cosmetic, pharmaceutical or personal hygiene product. These products are marketed in vast numbers and so the cost of their packaging needs to be as low as possible.

Dispensing cap equipped with a stopper, and method of manufacturing this cap


An abrasive-particle grinder and a method of manufacturing the grinder, in which the bonding force between super-abrasive particles and a binder is enhanced, attrition of the binder during a grinding process is increased, and physical properties of the grinder are improved. The grinder comprises super-abrasive particles as grinding particles and metal powder as a binder. The binder is formed into a porous body and then at least the surface thereof is denatured to ceramic. Protrusion of the abrasive particles is first controlled and then grip of the abrasive particles is controlled.

The present invention relates to a porous super-abrasive grinder or whetstone for use in the field of precision machining. More particularly, the present invention relates to a porous super-abrasive grinder that ensures highly efficient work and has superior strength, and a method of manufacturing the grinder.
Grinding (abrasive) particles of diamond and cubic boron nitride (hereinafter also referred to as xe2x80x9ccBNxe2x80x9d) are called xe2x80x9csuper-abrasive particlesxe2x80x9d because of having very high hardness, and are often used in precision grinding of steel, very hard metals, glass, ceramics, and stone materials. A super-abrasive grinder (hereinafter simply referred to as xe2x80x9cgrinderxe2x80x9d) using such super-abrasive particles is generally manufactured by binding the super-abrasive particles together by a binder and molding them into a desired shape. Depending on types of binders used, there are a resin bond grinder using a synthetic resin, a vitrified bond grinder using a vitreous material, and a metal bond grinder using a metal. These grinders are selectively employed in accordance with characteristics of works to be ground. Recently, with an increased density of devices and more widespread use of those devices as represented by integrated circuits employing thin film processes, it has been required from the economical reason to precisely grind a work to such an extent that a width of grinding allowance for a substrate is, e.g., not larger than 0.3 mm. A thin-edge grinding wheel capable of achieving the above grinding has been demanded correspondingly.
Of the above grinders, the metal bond grinder is manufactured by putting metal powder including abrasive particles scattered uniformly therein into a mold together with a metal base, and subjecting it to pressing and sintering (or hot pressing) processes. The binder of metal used in the metal bond grinder uses, for example, a Cuxe2x80x94Sn system, a Cuxe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Co system, a Cuxe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94Co system, a Cuxe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Ni system or a Cuxe2x80x94Snxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94Ni system or any of these systems to which phosphorus is added. Such a conventional metal bond grinder has an extremely strong binding strength as compared with conventional resinoid and vitrified bond grinders, and is therefore advantageous in exerting a sufficient abrasive-particle retention force required to perform strong grinding by means of super-abrasive particles. In the metal bond grinder, however, the strength and stickness of the binder itself are so high that the binder is not worn during the grinding process. Even when abrasive particles are worn, the abrasive particles cannot fall from the binder. This means that the dressing interval must be shortened and highly sufficient grinding is impossible. Accordingly, the conventional metal bond grinder has the following disadvantages. Since discharging of chips is deteriorated and loading occurs easily, the grinding resistance increases and the grinding quality deteriorates, so that the heat generated is increased. Further, the grinder has a tendency to unsuccessfully finish the surface of a work. It is therefore very difficult to perform grinding with high efficiency by increasing the infeed or increasing the contact area of the grinder and the work. In addition, the metal bond is softened to cause plastic deformation upon grinding, and loading takes place in the surface of the grinder.
Heretofore, most of thin-edge grinders for use in the precision grinding have been metal bond grinders from the viewpoint of strength. The metal bond grinder is manufactured by the electro-forming or sintering method using, as a binder, a Ni- or bronze-base alloy. However, the structure of a binder phase is dense and a difficulty is encountered in dressing the metal bond grinder. An intricate and expensive technique and apparatus employing the electrolytic method, etc. have been therefore required. To activate a grinder, it is required to project an edge of super-abrasive particles from the surface of the binder phase. Generally, a grinder just after being formed has a condition where the super-abrasive particles and the binder phase are at the same level in the surface of the grinder. To project an edge of the super-abrasive particles from such a condition, a surface layer of the binder phase must be removed to a certain depth while leaving the super-abrasive particles. This operation is called xe2x80x9cdressingxe2x80x9d. If the surface layer of the binder phase is flat, it is very difficult to remove only the surface layer of the binder phase by a scraping or similar method, for example, while leaving the super-abrasive particles. This means the necessity of an intricate and expensive method, such as the electrolytic method, for ablating the surface layer of the binder phase.
On the other hand, a vitrified bond grinder is usually manufactured by molding a mixture of ceramic particles as a binder and super-abrasive particles, and sintering the molded mixture under pressure. Since a binder phase is porous and has a coarse structure, special dressing is not required. Also, since grinding chips generated during the grinding work are captured in pockets formed by pores and then discharged, loading does not easily occur. Further, even when an edge of the super-abrasive particles is worn, the binder phase is so coarse and brittle as to fall off in an appropriate manner. As a result, a new edge appears and glazing does not also easily occur. In the vitrified bond grinder, however, the binder phase is brittle and the bonding force between the binder and the super-abrasive particles is weak. Accordingly, the vitrified bond grinder cannot be formed into a grinder having a thin edge with a thickness of, for example, not greater than 0.3 mm, and the edge is easily susceptible to dulling. The vitrified bond grinder is therefore not economical when used to grind a difficult-to-grind work having high hardness under a strong pressure, because of serious wear.
In order to eliminate the above defects, a continuous porous metal bond grinder is proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59(1984)-182064). However, this metal bond grinder does not utilize the powder sintering method. More particularly, the Publication discloses a manufacturing method as follows. An inorganic compound that is melted by a solvent is sintered into a desired shape. Thereafter, voids in the sintered body are filled with abrasive particles and the sintered body having voids filled with abrasive particles is preheated. A melted metal or alloy is pressed into the voids of the sintered body filled with the abrasive particles and is then solidified. Subsequently, the inorganic compound is liquated out by a solvent. Thus, the disclosed method is to add, as filler, a pore forming agent and to form pores in a layer of the abrasive particles. Further, various measures for preventing a reduction in grinding quality have been proposed. In one example, many layers of metal coatings are formed on abrasive particles, and the coated abrasive particles are sintered by hot pressing so as to have a structure that is like a vitrified bond and includes pores formed therein (Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 54(1979)-31727). Furthermore, a grinder using cast iron for the purpose of preventing loading of the grinder has been proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3(1991)-264263). The grinder using cast iron as a bond advantageously has great strength and high rigidity, enables heavy grinding to be performed at a high infeed, and is worn in the brittle fracture manner without the occurrence of plastic deformation, so that loading is less likely to occur. However, the bond of this grinder is too strong and accordingly the dressing property is deteriorated as compared with the bond of the copper system. Additionally, because of the high rigidity, it is difficult at the present to practically employ this grinder with the existing grinding machines and methods. By forming a large number of pores within the layer of the abrasive particles, a grinding liquid can be impregnated into the pores to enhance the cooling characteristics of the grinder, and the grinding resistance can be made small by the pores to improve the grinding quality. In other words, it can be expected that less heat is generated and the surface of a work is finished with high quality. However, when a large number of pores are formed in the conventional copper-system metal bond grinder, the strength and the abrasive- particle retention force are naturally reduced, so that the sufficient grinding performance cannot be obtained.
Moreover, in a grinder using non-porous cast iron as a bond, iron powder is added to cast iron powder because of the inferiority of the sintering characteristics of the cast iron powder, and a powder mixture is molded with the load of 8,000 kgf/cm2 to 10.000 kgf/cm2. With addition of the iron powder, the original brittle fracture characteristic of the cast iron is lost and plastic deformation is apt to occur in the same manner as the copper system bond. As a result, the characteristics of the cast iron are not utilized sufficiently. Additionally, if the abrasive particles directly contact the cast iron, diamond is lost upon reaction of iron and carbon. It is therefore required to coat diamond with a film for protection.
Taking into account the above-described state of the art, the inventors have accomplished an invention wherein pores are formed in the structure of a metal bond grinder to provide a porous structure, with the view of realizing a grinder that has great strength and a high binding force between a binder and super-abrasive particles (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 7(1995)-251378 and 7(1995)-251379). This porous metal bond grinder can be manufactured, for example, by mixing super-abrasive particles and binder metal particles together, compressing a mixture into a shape of the grinder with or without a heat-developing binder, and sintering a compressed body under such a temperature and pressure that the binder metal particles are bonded to each other while maintaining the particulate form, and the binder particles and the super-abrasive particles are bonded to each other. The porous metal bond grinder thus manufactured has been practiced with fairly satisfactory results because of the following advantages. The bonding force between the binder and the super-abrasive particles is strong, and the dressing property is good. Grinding chips, etc. generated during the grinding work are captured in pockets formed by pores and then discharged; hence loading does not easily occur. Further, even when an edge of the super-abrasive particles is worn, the binder phase is caused to fall off in an appropriate manner as a result of properly adjusting the sintering strength of the binder phase, so that a new edge appears and glazing does not also easily occur.
In the above porous metal bond grinder, however, the bonding force between the super-abrasive particles and the binder is strong, but the strength is within the range obtainable with a metal. Further, since the binder phase also includes a porous metal, there is a limitation in value of the Young""s modulus. Thus, although the above metal bond grinder has succeeded in remarkably improving the grinding performance as compared with the existing grinders, problems still remain in that there is a room of improvement in the reaction between the super-abrasive particles and the binder and the material physical properties of the binder phase itself.
To overcome the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have conducted studies with intent of enhancing the bonding force between super-abrasive particles and a binder, increasing attrition of the binder during a grinding process, and improving physical properties of a grinder.
An object of the present invention is to provide a porous abrasive-particle grinder and a method of manufacturing the grinder, in which the bonding force between super-abrasive particles and a binder is strong, dressing, dulling, loading and glazing properties are improved in a well-balanced way, and the grinder has strength enough to be used as a thin-edge grinder for fine grinding.
The present invention has been made for achieving the above object, and will be described below in more detail.
The present invention resides in a porous abrasive-particle grinder comprising super-abrasive particles as grinding particles and metal powder as a binder, wherein the binder is formed into a porous body holding the super-abrasive particles with chemical and physical bonding, and at least the surface of the formed porous body is denatured to ceramic. Since the binder is formed into a porous structure phase having adjusted porosity and at least the surface of the formed porous body is denatured to ceramic, the porous abrasive-particle grinder has such characteristics that the bonding force between the super-abrasive particles and the binder is strong, dressing, dulling, loading and glazing properties are improved in a well-balanced way, and the grinder has strength enough to be used as a thin-edge grinder for fine grinding.
The abrasive particles are selected from a group consisting of materials with the Knoop hardness of not lower than 1000. More specifically, the abrasive particles are selected from a group consisting of diamond and cubic boron nitride. The super-abrasive particles have a mean particle size of not greater than 1000 xcexcm.
The binder comprises a metal capable of chemically and physically bonding to the super-abrasive particles under heating, and the porous body has a porous structure phase formed by powder sintering. The above metal is one or more selected from a group consisting of Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Ta, V, Nb, Al, W, Ti, Si and Zr. Porosity of the whole of the grinder is 5 to 60%, preferably 5 to 45%.
The present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a porous abrasive-particle grinder by using, as raw materials, super-abrasive particles as grinding particles and metal powder as a binder, wherein protrusion of the abrasive particles and grip of the abrasive particles are controlled separately.
Also, the present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a porous abrasive-particle grinder by using, as raw materials, super-abrasive particles as grinding particles and metal powder as a binder, wherein protrusion of the abrasive particles is first controlled and then grip of the abrasive particles is controlled.
The present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a porous abrasive-particle grinder, the method comprising the steps of mixing super-abrasive particles as grinding particles and metal powder as a binder together, molding a mixture into a predetermined size and shape, sintering a molding under temperature and pressure adjusted such that atoms are diffused at the interface between the super-abrasive particles and binder particles in the molding and the binder particles are sintered together into a porous body, and heating a sintered body in the presence of one or more kinds of gases selected from a group consisting of nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen so that at least the surface of the porous body is denatured to ceramic.
Super-abrasive particles having a mean particle size of not greater than 1000 xcexcm are employed as the grinding particles. Super-abrasive particles selected from a group consisting of materials with the Knoop hardness of not lower than 1000 are employed as the grinding particles. Diamond and cubic boron nitride are employed as the materials with the Knoop hardness of not lower than 1000.
A metal capable of chemically and physically bonding to the abrasive particles under heating is used as the binder, and a porous body having a porous structure phase is formed by powder sintering. The above metal is one or more selected from a group consisting of Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Ta, V, Nb, Al, W, Ti, Si and Zr. The sintering step is performed under temperature and pressure adjusted such that porosity of the whole of the grinder is 5 to 60%. Preferably, the sintering step is performed under temperature and pressure adjusted such that porosity of the whole of the grinder is 5 to 45%. The sintering step is performed by an electro-sintering process, and temperature and pressure in the sintering step are respectively in the range of 600xc2x0 C. to 2000xc2x0 C. and in the range of 5 MPa to 50 MPa. Alternatively, the sintering step is performed by a hot-press sintering process, and temperature and pressure in the sintering step are respectively in the range of 600xc2x0 C. to 2000xc2x0 C. and in the range of 5 MPa to 50 MPa. Any other suitable sintering methods such as atmosphere sintering and HIP sintering are also usable.

Porous grinding stone and method of production thereof


An endoscope may include a needle and a scope, which may optionally be contained in an elongated shaft. The endoscope may further include a handle comprising at least one button, a visualization component, a reservoir configured to contain a composition, and a dispensing mechanism. The at least one button, the needle, the reservoir, and the dispensing mechanism may be operably linked to cause the composition to be dispensed from the reservoir through the needle to a portion of an ear. A method for using such an endoscope may include inserting the endoscope into a portion of an ear, using the visualization component to visualize the portion of the ear, and pressing the at least one button to dispense the composition from the reservoir through the needle to the portion of the ear.

Hearing loss and tinnitus are significant public health issues in the United States and worldwide, with a considerably higher prevalence of these disorders among military personnel. Impairment of the auditory system is the second most prevalent bodily system injury among veterans. Hearing loss impacts operational effectiveness, medical readiness, and quality of life. Such conditions negatively impact long-term health by compromising sleep quality, reducing independence, and increasing frustration, irritability, stress, depression, and/or anxiety. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has a higher incidence rate among service members due to extremely harsh noise hazards in a military setting such as weapons training, artillery, aircrafts, manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and blasts. Other civilian industrial workers may also be subjected to such noise hazards. Noise levels in military operations can be significantly higher than industrial noise levels, and soldiers are often required to remain in the noisy environment, increasing their exposure.
Blast-induced tinnitus and blast-induced hearing loss are particularly critical causes of disability in war veterans due to increasing incidence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket-propelled grenade attacks. Hearing loss is a common co-morbidity with traumatic brain injury (TBI), with 33% suffering acute hearing loss, 43% suffering sub-acute hearing loss, and 9% suffering chronic hearing loss. Furthermore, over 90% of veterans that had blast-induced TBI reported tinnitus, with over 60% still reporting tinnitus several months post-blast event. There is a strong correlation between NIHL and tinnitus, with an estimated 80% of NIHL suffers also reporting tinnitus. Despite efforts to improve military hearing conservation programs, 10-18% of service members enrolled in such programs are still diagnosed with significant threshold shifts in their hearing. In addition, in 2012, annual compensation and care of hearing loss and auditory system injuries for over 1.8 million veterans was estimated at $1.2 billion. In 2016, more than 1.45 million and 1 million veterans received disability compensation for hearing loss and tinnitus, respectively.
Inner ear disorders such as tinnitus and sudden hearing loss, when associated with acute noise or blast exposure, require timely intervention. For timely management of acute acoustic trauma, local drug delivery to the middle ear requires clinical expertise and specialized instrumentation. However, military members have limited access to such specialized medical care while deployed in remote settings, where many of these noise-related injuries are sustained. Thus, there is an unmet need for a device for administering drugs intratympanically in a safe and easy manner.


The invention provides method for preparing amnion tissue grafts, as well as the grafts themselves. In specific embodiments, the tissue graft comprises a single layer of dried amnion from an umbilical cord.

Tissue grafts are useful for various types of surgical procedures and wound treatments. The tissue used in graft procedures can be collected from humans or from animal specimens. Alternatively, graft tissue can be manufactured artificially. One source of human tissue, which has been utilized for decades in surgical procedures, is the placental membrane.
The placenta is an organ that develops during pregnancy to surround the fetus and connect it to the uterine wall. This temporary organ allows for transport of gases and nutrients to the fetus, while also providing other metabolic and endocrine functions. The placental membrane consists of two layers of tissue: amnion, the innermost layer surrounding the developing fetus, and chorion, an outer layer surrounding the amnion and fetus. The amniotic membrane forms an avascular, fluid-filled sac around the fetus, which holds and protects the fetus during development.
In addition to the amniotic sac, another major placental component is the umbilical cord. This cord-like structure, which attaches a fetus to the placenta, provides nutrition and support to the developing embryo. A human umbilical cord is typically about 50-60 cm long and 2 cm in diameter. It consists of blood vessels surrounded by a smooth, protective mesenchymal material known as Wharton's jelly, all of which is contained in a tube formed of amnion.
Amnion tissue grafts are generally used to assist in tissue regeneration and aid in wound healing. Known clinical procedures or applications for amnion grafts include, but are not limited to, ocular reconstruction, burn treatment, gum tissue replacement, and general wound care.
Amnion tissue provides unique grafting characteristics when used for surgical procedures. Some amnion tissue grafts have the ability to self-adhere or to be fixed in place by, for example, fibrin glue or suturing.
While using fresh membrane is typically ideal, the limited timeframe available for storage of fresh tissue makes such use difficult. Thus, processing methods are needed to facilitate preserving and storing tissue until it is needed for surgical applications. The main goal of tissue processing and preservation is to retain the beneficial components of fresh tissue while achieving a shelf life long enough to last until surgery. When prepared properly, amnion tissue grafts can be stored for extended periods of time.

Amnion tissue grafts and methods of preparing and using same


A method of docking and recharging using a base station and a station-mating frame on the multicopter. The base station includes an upward-facing camera that is used by a docking controller to detect the presence, position, and orientation of a frame, with infrared light-emitting diodes arranged in a predefined pattern. The controller of the base station acts to emit wireless signals to the multicopter to guide the multicopter with its station-mating frame to a predefined position above the base station. The controller transmits a wireless signal to the multicopter to reduce thrust, and the multicopter lowers itself onto a sloped receiving surface that may be arranged in a crown pattern to provide passive gravity-driven centering, which causes the station-mating frame to slide to a lowest vertical point of the receiving assembly. A locking mechanism engages to lock the frame in place and provide electrical contact for recharging.

1. Field of the Description
The present invention relates, in general, to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as quadrotors, and, more particularly, to a docking and charging station adapted to be autonomous and a method of docking and charging UAVs without human intervention (e.g., in an autonomous manner).
2. Relevant Background
The research on autonomous miniature flying robots has intensified considerably in recent years due in large part to civil and military interest in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) including multicopters (e.g., quadrotors). To date, the capabilities of UAVs surpassed by far human-controlled flight because powerful feedback control loops allow computers to control the UAVs with far greater precision, speed, and reliability. The control techniques allow the UAVs to be autonomous in large part, but human intervention has not yet been completely removed as each UAV has a major limiting characteristic in the form of the need for electrical power to continue to operate. For example, many UAVs may only be able to fly for 10 to 20 minutes without a replacement or recharge of onboard batteries.
Hence, an ongoing engineering challenge is that UAVs (and are other mobile robots) are constrained in their long term functionality due to a limited onboard power supply. Typically, rechargeable batteries are utilized to provide the onboard electrical power, and such batteries are chosen to be lightweight such that they may only provide a few minutes to an hour of peak usage before recharging is necessary. Recharging requires that the UAV be taken offline (e.g., landing) and having the batteries recharged or replaced via human intervention. Presently, the UAV lands on the ground in a large open space such as a vacant lot or field, and a human operator manually takes out a battery from the UAV for recharging and replaces it with a previously charged battery.
Such human intervention is unacceptable in many existing or planned operating environments where long term autonomous capabilities are desired. As a result, there remains a need for better ways to recharge onboard power supplies such as batteries on UAVs such as the commonly used and prevalent quadrotors.

Robust and autonomous docking and recharging of quadrotors


Powder compositions and articles and methods of forming articles from powder compositions are provided. The powder compositions include at least one polymer powder and an amount of reinforcing particles having an aspect ratio of preferably at least about 5:1. In a preferred embodiment, the powder composition is capable of being formed, via a laser sintering process, into a three-dimensional article that exhibits one or more desirable mechanical properties in an elevated temperature environment.

Laser sintering ("LS"), also termed selective laser sintering, is a process whereby a dispenser deposits a layer of powdered material into a target area. A laser control mechanism, which typically includes a computer that houses the design of a desired article, modulates and moves a laser beam to selectively irradiate the powder layer within the defined boundaries of the design, resulting in melting of the powder on which the laser beam falls. The control mechanism operates the laser to selectively sinter sequential powder layers, eventually producing a completed article comprising a plurality of layers sintered together. A detailed description of LS technology can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,247,508, 4,863,538, 5,017,753, and 6,110,411, each incorporated herein by reference.
LS technology has enabled the direct manufacture of three-dimensional articles of high resolution and dimensional accuracy from a variety of powdered materials including polymer powders. These articles are well suited to rapid prototyping and various other applications. However, articles produced from conventional polymer powders via LS processes typically exhibit inferior mechanical properties relative to articles produced by more conventional manufacturing processes (e.g., injection molding). In addition, such articles are generally not suitable for use in elevated temperature environments due to degradation of mechanical properties.
Carbon fibers and glass fibers have been considered as filler materials to improve the mechanical properties of LS articles. Carbon fibers, however, are relatively expensive, may require careful handling to minimize or avoid particle inhalation issues (due to the particle size and bulk density typically associated with carbon fibers), can be difficult to process in LS equipment due to its black coloration and the additional infrared absorption associated therewith, and may not be suitable for producing white, light-colored and/or bright articles. As for glass fibers, they are relatively expensive and may be difficult to obtain in predictable commercial quantities of consistent and suitable quality.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved powder compositions for use in producing LS articles that exhibit suitable mechanical properties at ambient and/or elevated temperatures.

Powder compositions and methods of manufacturing articles therefrom