A method and apparatus for secure authentication of a hardware token is disclosed. In one embodiment, a host computer fingerprint is used to generate a partial seed for a challenge-response authentication which is performed on the hardware token. In another embodiment, the host computer fingerprint is used as a personal identification number for the hardware token.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the secure authentication of computer-interfaceable hardware tokens such as smartcards and USB tokens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the last decade, the use of personal computers in both the home and in the office have become widespread. These computers provide a high level of functionality to many people at a moderate price, substantially surpassing the performance of the large mainframe computers of only a few decades ago. The trend is further evidenced by the increasing popularity of laptop and notebook computers, which provide high-performance computing power on a mobile basis.
The widespread availability of personal computers has had a profound impact on interpersonal communications as well. Only a decade ago, telephones or fax machines offered virtually the only media for rapid business communications. Today, a growing number of businesses and individuals communicate via electronic mail (e-mail). Personal computers have also been instrumental in the emergence of the Internet and its growing use as a medium of commerce.
While certainly beneficial, the growing use of computers in personal communications, commerce, and business has also given rise to a number of unique challenges.
While it reflects a tremendous advance over telephones and facsimile machines, e-mail also has its problems. One of these problems involves security. Telephone lines are relatively secure and a legally sanctioned way to engage in the private transmission of information, however, e-mails are generally sent over the Internet with no security whatsoever. Persons transmitting electronic messages must be assured that their messages are not opened or disclosed to unauthorized persons. Further, the addressee of the electronic message should be certain of the identity of the sender and that the message was not tampered with at some point during transmission.
Although the packet-switching nature of Internet communications helps to minimize the risk of intercepted communications, it would not be difficult for a determined interloper to obtain access to an unprotected e-mail message.
Many methods have been developed to secure the integrity of electronic messages during transmission. Simple encryption is the most common method of securing data. Both secret key encryption such as DES (Data Encryption Standard) and public key encryption methods that use both a public and a private key are implemented. Public and private key encryption methods allow users to send Internet and e-mail messages without concern that the message will be read by unauthorized persons or that its contents will be tampered with. However, key cryptographic methods do not protect the receiver of the message, because they do not allow the recipient to authenticate the validity of the public key or to validate the identity of the sender of the electronic message.
The use of digital certificates presents one solution to this problem. A digital certificate is a signed document attesting to the identity and public key of the person signing the message. Digital certificates allow the recipient to validate the authenticity of a public key. However, the typical user may use e-mail to communicate with hundreds of persons, and may use anyone of several computers to do so. Hence, a means for managing a number of digital certificates across several computer platforms is needed.
Internet commerce raises other challenges. Users seeking to purchase goods or services using the Internet must be assured that their credit card numbers and the like are safe from compromise. At the same time, vendors must be assured that services and goods are delivered only to those who have paid for them. In many cases, these goals are accomplished with the use of passwords. However, as Internet commerce becomes more commonplace, customers are finding themselves in a position where they must either decide to use a small number of passwords for all transactions, or face the daunting task of remembering multiple passwords. Using a small number of passwords for all transactions inherently compromises security, since the disclosure of any of the passwords may lead to a disclosure of the others. Even the use of a large number of passwords can lead to compromised security. Because customers commonly forget their password, many Internet vendors provide an option whereby the user can be reminded of their password by providing other personal information such as their birthplace, mother's maiden name, and/or social security number. This feature, while often necessary to promote Internet commerce, severely compromises the password by relying on "secret" information that is in fact, publicly available.
Even in cases where the user is willing and able to keep track of a large number of passwords, the password security technique is often compromised by the fact that the user is inclined to select a password that is relatively easy to remember. It is indeed rare that a user selects a truly random password. What is needed is a means for generating and managing random passwords that can be stored and recalled for use on a wide variety of computer platforms.
Smartcards and other hardware tokens provide some of the above-mentioned functionality, but to prevent the unauthorized use of such tokens and the compromise of the information stored therein, there is a need to authenticate such tokens to assure that the possessor of the token is in fact the person entitled to use the token to access the computer.
Typically, hardware tokens require the user to enter a password such as a personal identification number (PIN) before using the card. A token may be designed or configured to be used without a PIN, but that poses a security threat as anybody in possession of a token (whether by finding a lost token or by theft) could use the token without restriction, potentially compromising the data stored therein and possibly using the token to access other computer systems. What is needed is a system and method for securely authenticating hardware tokens. The present invention satisfies that need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Secure authentication using hardware token and computer fingerprint


The key switch includes, a base, a button attached to the base so as to be capable of coming into contact with the base and separating from the base, and a coil spring disposed between the base and the button for urging the button in a direction separating from the base. The coil spring has at least an end turn portion formed at one end, a densely wound portion that is continuous with the end turn portion and compressed in an initial state in which the button is attached to the base so that adjacent windings come into contact with each other, and a coarsely wound portion which is continuous with the densely wound portion and in which a winding pitch is larger than that of the densely wound portion, and in the initial state, adjacent windings are separated from each other.

Patent Document 1 discloses a key switch having a configuration in which a cylindrical guidepost is projected from a base, a light guide is guided on the inner diameter side of the guidepost, and a coil spring disposed on the outer diameter side elastically supports a button so as to be capable of being pushed in.


An arrangement for enabling a user to easily use an image input apparatus. A server apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus creates a list of image input apparatuses found through a search by the information processing apparatus, and provides the list to the same. The server apparatus provides script information including information for configuring operation settings of an image input apparatus selected from the provided list, to the information processing apparatus, and transmits a job message to the same, for causing the image input apparatus to operate according to the operation settings, in order to cause the information processing apparatus to transfer the job message to the image input apparatus. Image data input by the operation of the image input apparatus according to the job message is acquired via the information processing apparatus, and is stored in the server apparatus.

To use a peripheral apparatus, such as an image input apparatus, from an information processing apparatus, generally, it is necessary to install a specific device driver compatible with the peripheral apparatus (e.g. a scanner driver in the case of an image input apparatus) in an operating system (hereinafter referred to as the "OS") which operates on the information processing apparatus.
When using an image input apparatus, a scanner driver is started from an application, settings necessary for a scanning operation are made, the image input apparatus is driven, and then acquired image data is transferred to the application, whereby the application is enabled to freely handle the image data.
Therefore, conventionally, it is required that scanner drivers have been made available each of which is compatible with both of an image input apparatus to be used and an OS operating on an information processing apparatus. This generates a situation in which a user is required to search a proper scanner driver which operates according to a combination of an OS and an image input apparatus.
Further, users are sometimes required to perform a troublesome work, such as installation of a scanner driver into the OS. On the other hand, manufacturers and sellers of image input apparatuses are required to supply scanner drivers compatible with OS types which have been recently increased in number. Thus, the work for coping with the necessity of installing an appropriate driver is ever increasing.
On the other hand, there has been proposed a method of realizing a function equivalent to the operation of a scanner driver by accessing a Web page hosted by a PC (personal computer) which is directly connected to an image input apparatus, instead of using the scanner driver (see e.g. PTL(Patent Literature) 1).
In this case, the information processing apparatus which accesses the web page is not required to have a scanner driver installed therein.
Further, in recent years, a wide range of various uses of images have been made possible through image processing by so-called cloud computing, which is provided by a web service application operating on server apparatuses on the Internet.
As a method of transferring an image to a server apparatus on the Internet, the following technique is used: An image file is transferred from an information processing apparatus being in use to a desired server apparatus, using a menu option of e.g. image upload, which is integrated in a web page opened by a web browser application of the image processing apparatus. Image file transfer by a dedicated application for file transfer is also widely used.

Server apparatus that enables easy use of image input apparatus, information processing apparatus, methods of controlling the apparatuses, control program, and storage medium


Prior to sending a message to an extensibility point, the message is wrapped with a wrapper object associated with the extensibility point. The wrapper object can be validated by the extensibility point when the extensibility point is ready to commence its operation on the message. Validation of the wrapper object enables the extensibility point to access the message. The wrapper object can later be invalidated by the extensibility point when the extensibility point has completed its operation on the message. Invalidation of the wrapper object denies the extensibility point access to the message.

A message transfer agent (MTA) is a program responsible for receiving incoming email and delivering the email message to individual users. Generally, the MTA is a processing pipeline that receives a message from an external source, categorizes and routes the message to the appropriate recipients, and then sends the message to the proper destinations. Frequently, when processing a message within the MTA, it is desirable to hand over the message to an extensibility point that allows an external operation to be performed upon the message. For example, an extensibility point may be invoked to scan a message for a virus, to determine whether there should be an intercepting party for a message, to add a disclaimer to a message, or to cease communication with a party sending spam mail. These external operations may involve execution of external code and may run out of process or require invocation of a remote service.
In simple a case, an extensibility point will receive a message from the MTA, fully perform its operation on the message, and then return the message to the MTA for further processing. In a more complicated case, however, it may not be possible for the extensibility point to fully execute its operation when the message is first received. Accordingly, to avoid unnecessary delay of the transfer and delivery processes, the extensibility point may partially execute its operation, return the message to the MTA, and then later re-access the message from the MTA to complete the operation. In this more complicated scenario, the extensibility point may flag the message prior to returning it to the MTA. The extensibility point will remove the flag only after it has re-accessed the message and completed its operation. To ensure that the message will not be distributed until the operation is completed, the MTA will not distribute the message until the flag has been removed.
While this extensibility point return creates improved message processing efficiency, it also results in a number of message accessing problems. In particular, an extensibility point may not remove a message flag when an operation is completed. Also, even if a flag has already been removed, an extensibility point may nevertheless attempt to inappropriately access a message. In fact, an extensibility point may attempt to inappropriately duplicate the same operation on a single message. In some cases, an extensibility point may even attempt to access a message on which it is not intended to perform any operation at all or which is meant to be handed over to a different extensibility point. These and other accessing errors may result in unnecessary delay to message distribution and, in some cases, may even prevent some recipients from ever receiving a message. Additionally, these accessing errors may result in a failure to fully and/or correctly perform extensibility point operations and may damage message content or even the overall performance of the email system. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for regulating an extensibility point's access to a message.

System and method for regulating an extensibility point's access to a message


The present invention describes apparatus and methods for tying a filament across subcutaneous punctures. According to some embodiments, the apparatus and methods provide pre-tied knots that are inserted into a bodily lumen. Needles flanking the subcutaneous puncture are inserted into the lumen and grab the pre-tied knots. The pre-tied knots are pulled through tiny holes flanking the subcutaneous puncture by the needles, leaving an internal length of the filament across the subcutaneous puncture. The filament is then externally tied, closing the subcutaneous puncture.

Various surgical procedures are routinely carried out intravascularly or intraluminally. For example, in the treatment of vascular disease, such as arteriosclerosis, it is a common practice to invade the artery and insert an instrument (e.g., a balloon or other type of catheter) to carry out a procedure within the artery. Such procedures usually involve the percutaneous puncture ofthe artery so that an insertion sheath can be placed in the artery. The insertion sheath enables the introduction of other instruments (e.g., a catheter) to an operative position within the vascular system. Intravascular and intraluminal procedures unavoidably present the problem of stopping the bleeding at the percutaneous puncture after the procedure has been completed and after the instrument (and any insertion sheaths used therewith) has been removed. Bleeding from puncture sites, particularly in the case of femoral arterial punctures, is typically stopped by utilizing vascular closure devices, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,179,863; 6,090,130; and 6,045,569, which are hereby incorporated by this reference.
The above patents describe a tissue puncture closure device in which, generically, a suture filament is pre-threaded through an elongated sheath (used to access the tissue puncture), through an anchor exterior to the distal tip of the sheath, and then back into the sheath where it is attached to a sealing plug disposed on the suture filament line within the sheath. The sheath is inserted through an incision in the skin and through the puncture in the tissue wall until the anchor is deployed within the luminal cavity of the organ or artery, with the sealing plug remaining outside the luminal cavity. Successful deployment of the sealing plug requires that the sealing plug be manually ejected from within the sheath and tamped down to the outer surface of the tissue puncture using a tamping tube, while simultaneously pulling on the filament to cinch tight the filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The anchor and the sealing plug are brought together in a pulley-like fashion with a self-tightening slip-knot in the filament, such that the tissue puncture is sandwiched between the anchor and sealing plug, thereby sealing the tissue puncture and stopping bleeding.
Using the prior devices, however, there is a risk of inserting the sealing plug into the artery. Complications may arise if the sealing plug enters the artery. In addition, the sealing plug may not be deployed close enough to the hole to effectively seal the puncture, which may result in prolonged bleeding and slower recovery. Some doctors would prefer to close the puncture instead by tying a suture across the hole. However, normally the puncture is relatively small, and often inaccessible through the incision leading to the puncture.


An apparatus, medium, and method for correcting color of an image. The apparatus may includes a user interface which displays each of N reference patches, removes non-gray components from the displayed N reference patches, according to the characteristics of a user's visual system, and outputs the reference patches from which the non-gray components have been removed as adjusted reference patches, a table generator which generates at least one lookup table that has, as addresses, color component values for a current image and stores color component values of the adjusted reference patches as data, and a color corrector which addresses the at least one lookup table using the color component values of the image to read data corresponding to correction information for the color component values of the image and outputs the read data as the result of the correcting of color of the image.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an image display apparatus, medium, and method for displaying an image, and more particularly, to an apparatus, medium, method for correcting color of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, when the gamma characteristics of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) channels are the same in an image display device, gray components of an image to be displayed via the image display device do not include non-gray components. However, in most image display devices, each of the gamma characteristics of R, G, and B channels are not identical. Thus, gray components of an image to be displayed include non-gray components. Accordingly, in a conventional color-correcting method, the color reproduction characteristics of an image display device are found by using a colorimetric apparatus, and then non-gray components are removed from gray components of an image using the color reproduction characteristics.
Consequently, the conventional color-correcting method has a disadvantage in that a user of an image display device cannot correct the gray color reproduction characteristics of the image display device without a high-priced calorimetric apparatus.

Apparatus, medium, and method for correcting color of an image


A method of absolutely measuring the diffraction grating spacing and apparatus thereof, which solves the disadvantages of conventional techniques for measuring the diffraction grating spacing, and provides a method utilizing a new laser diffractometer capable of transferring the meter standard to the nanometer region. The invention comprises a first method which utilizes a wavelength stable laser for generating a stable laser beam of wavelength .lambda., 0th and 1st order diffracted beams diffracted at the diffraction grating, and a precision rotary encoder; and a second method utilizing two wave lengths .lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.2 of the wavelength stable laser, 0th and 1st order diffracted beams, and a precision rotary encoder.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for absolutely measuring a diffraction grating spacing, and more particularly to a first method and apparatus which uses a wavelength stable laser of wavelength .lambda., 0th and 1st order diffracted beams and a precision rotary encoder, as well as a second method and apparatus which uses two wave lengths .lambda..sub.1, and .lambda..sub.2, 0th and 1st order diffracted beams and a precision rotary encoder.
In general, there are two conventional techniques for measuring a diffraction grating spacing. The first uses an ordinary laser diffractometer and the second uses a laser interference diffractometer.
1) The method using an ordinary laser diffractometer measures an angle of the diffracted beam whereby the spacing of the diffraction grating is determined by utilizing a diffraction grating equation (1), set out below.
The laser diffractometer is simple in structure, but the measurement error depends on an angle measurement between the incident and diffracted beams. Therefore, in order to obtain a higher measurement resolution capacity, very large experimental equipment is required.
The ordinary laser diffractometer is used mainly for a linewidth measurement of the diffraction grating, or for measuring fine patterns by measuring also the intensity distribution of diffracted beams.
2) The laser interference diffractometer method uses a stable laser with two wavelengths or three wavelengths, which was developed for precisely measuring the diffraction grating spacing by using a standard diffraction grating and a Michelson interferometer.
This method relies upon the fact that spacings of interference patterns of different diffraction orders having mutually different wavelengths are different.
However, as with the conventional ordinary laser diffractometer described above, the length of the measurement arm should be made larger in proportion to the experimental angular resolution. Because there is an eccentricity problem between the diffraction grating and the rotating body, the uncertainty of measurement is decreased when an apparatus of ordinary laboratory size is used.
As with the conventional laser interference diffractometer described above, a stable laser having two or three wavelengths is used along with a Littrow type mounted diffraction grating in one arm of the interferometer in order to measure the diffraction grating spacing. Even though this method can increase the resolution over that of the ordinary laser interferometer, when two wavelengths are used, a measured standard diffraction grating should be used in a reference arm of the interferometer, so that there is a problem that uncertainties in the length standard are indirectly transferred to the measurement.
When three wavelengths are used, the standard diffraction grating may not be used and, because three wavelengths are required, the device becomes complicated.
In the laser interference diffractometer, the interference pattern is measured using a microscope, so that there is a problem of introducing an error into the measurement from the microscope.

Method for absolutely measuring the diffraction grating spacing and apparatus thereof

Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science


The present invention is a system and method for managing returnable containers according to a manufacturer's production schedule. It provides capabilities to move and adjust container inventory throughout the entire parts supply chain. Movements of the containers are tracked to ensure each supplier has at all times a physical inventory of containers that is adequate to ship parts in a timely manner to the manufacturer's facilities. Container movement is controlled through the use of process flows and their relationship with physical locations called “inventory holding areas.” An inventory holding area reflects the quantity of containers that are held within that portion of the supply chain. Each of these portions is represented by an “inventory holding area type.” The system and method operate based on the function of the inventory holding area types and the relationships between each other.

Many manufacturers use returnable or reusable containers to facilitate the flow of parts for the manufacturing process. The containers are used to transport parts from suppliers' facilities to the manufacturer's facility. Once the full containers that have been received from the suppliers are unloaded, they are typically transported to a returnable container center (RCC) at or near the manufacturer's facility where they are prepared for shipment back to the suppliers. The suppliers then reload the containers with parts and the full containers are transported to the manufacturer's facility.
Different types of containers are allocated to suppliers based on the type of parts that each supplier produces and delivers to the manufacturer. Some supplier's may require "specials" (e.g., specially adapted containers) while others may use "generics" (e.g., modular totes, pallets, or racks). Most of the containers may be used interchangeably by many of the manufacturer's suppliers. It is not necessary for each supplier to have a dedicated set of containers of a particular type. As along as the supplier receives containers of a suitable type for transporting the parts to the manufacturer's facility, any set of containers of that type may be shipped to the supplier for packaging the parts.
Allocation of containers to suppliers is often accomplished as follows. A manufacturer may operate a RCC at the manufacturer's facility where the containers (e.g., modular totes, pallets, racks, etc.) are pooled. A monthly forecast is used to generate a daily average for allocation of containers to each supplier. Each supplier's allocated quantity is based on full production days for the month (daily average allocation×number of full days). This quantity represents the supplier's proposed inventory of containers. Part receipts at the manufacturing facility (e.g., based on review of part supply orders) are used to reduce each supplier's inventory. Shipped quantities (based on the supplier's allocated quantity) are immediately moved into the supplier's inventory after RCC loads the truck with the supplier's allocation of containers. As a result, the container inventory is only visible in relation to the supplier and is only an estimated quantity at the RCC.
For a manufacturer with multiple facilities, each RCC facility may be using a different calculation to allocate container shipments to suppliers. For example, one facility may use estimated quantities based on the daily average allocation and number of full days as explained above and a spreadsheet program to track estimated and actual quantities. Other facilities may use a special computer program. In some instances, however, no computerized tracking may occur so the manufacturer's associates simply guess what each supplier's requirements will be. The guess may not be as accurate as the estimated quantity based on the daily average allocation and number of full days. Finally, a manufacturer's facility may choose to return to a supplier every container that it receives from the supplier on the assumption that the supplier will require the same number of containers that it used for the previous shipment.
None of the methods that are currently used support automated and accurate allocation and tracking of containers. More importantly, they do not result in allocation of containers according to the supplier's needs as they relate to the manufacturer's actual production needs. The calculation method of allocation based on averages instead of actual production needs results in an over allocation of containers to suppliers who may not need them and an insufficient allocation of containers to suppliers who may need them. The monthly averages do not account for fluctuations in daily demand for parts that may occur in the actual production schedule.
Furthermore, there is no accountability for shipped or mis-shipped quantities from the manufacturer's RCC. There is no visibility of inventory movements or verifications to or from the supplier, internal to the manufacturer, or in-transit. Finally, there is no visibility to the entire system inventory across manufacturing. Although attempts may be made to rely on data in part supply orders, the order data does not always reflect the actual container types shipped causing further errors. In addition, there is no supplier visibility to allocated quantities. Inaccurate allocation quantities are sent to suppliers causing inventory buildup at the suppliers' or the manufacturer's facilities.
Failure to allocate and track and therefore, maintain an adequate inventory of containers may be costly to the manufacturer, especially when the manufacturer owns the containers and must account for costs associated with use of the containers. If the manufacturer maintains a container inventory that is too low to meet the needs of the suppliers (and therefore meet its production schedule), costs may increase because production is delayed as the manufacturer waits for parts. If production delays result from an improper allocation of containers, the manufacturer may choose to order more containers (often at a higher cost because the order must be expedited) in order to get the parts in a timely manner. If the manufacturer maintains a container inventory that is too high, it simply wastes money by storing and maintaining more containers than are really needed. Therefore, there is a need for a returnable container management system and method that supports the allocation and tracking of containers according to a manufacturer's production needs.

System and method for managing returnable containers


A cylinder liner for an internal combustion engine may have a running surface, in which by honing directed honing grooves may be introduced. The running surface may have a first region and a second region, wherein the first region may have a roughness that may be distinct from a roughness of the second region. A transition between the first region and the second region may proceed obliquely to a cylinder longitudinal axis at least in some portions. At least some of the honing grooves at the transition between the first region and the second region are uninterrupted.

Such cylinder liners are known from the prior art. The honing grooves form an oil retention volume on the running surface. In addition, the oil can spread along the honing grooves so that the entire running surface is adequately supplied with oil. Reducing the roughness in a center region, in which the piston reaches its highest velocity, causes less frictional power and thus losses to be created. By contrast, a greater roughness value can be formed in a region, which corresponds to the top or bottom dead center, in which the piston velocity is very low, in order to form an enlarged oil retention volume. Especially in the top and bottom dead center, mixed friction effects occur by way of which a greater wear on the cylinder liner and on the piston rings generally also occurs. By way of the greater roughness value and thus the enlarged oil retention volume in the top dead center, the wear can be substantially reduced.
Disadvantageous in this is that an abrupt transition between a region with high roughness value and a region with low roughness value is present, so that a kind of edge is formed over which the piston rings have to slide during every working cycle. This suddenly reduces the oil retention volume of the honing grooves so that oil film interruptions can develop which in the worst case result in an oil shortage of the piston rings. This oil shortage can result in a failure of the piston ring and thus in the failure of the entire internal combustion engine.


A self-anchoring beverage container with directional release and attachment capability has a flexible nonporous base member adapted to seal to a reference surface and create a controlled pressure zone. A receptacle assembly is mounted to the base member and includes a beverage holding chamber. A communication channel in the receptacle assembly extends from the controlled pressure zone to an area of ambient pressure. A pressure control device on the receptacle assembly is adapted to alternately close the communication channel to seal the controlled pressure zone and open the communication channel to vent the controlled pressure zone to ambient pressure. The receptacle assembly further includes a grasping portion arranged to be grasped by a user. The pressure control device is operatively connected to the grasping portion for actuation to the open position when a user grasps the grasping portion during normal lifting of the beverage container from the reference surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage containers for holding liquid or semi-liquid contents. More particularly, the invention concerns the prevention of beverage container tipping and consequent content spillage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By way of background, beverage containers such as glasses, mugs, cans, bottles and the like are prone to tipping and consequent content spillage due to the fact that such containers are typically tall in comparison to their supporting bottom portion. This creates a high center of gravity that renders the containers unstable when exposed to side loads, such as those that may be imparted by inadvertently knocking the container with a hand or arm, or when the container is subject to acceleration forces (lateral, vertical or in any other direction) within the confines of a moving land vehicle, aircraft or watercraft. Glasses and mugs are especially prone to major content loss in the event of tipping due to their relatively large open tops. Although this problem can be addressed with a removable cover that allows the contents of the mug or glass to be consumed through a hole or slot, as in the conventional "travel mug," such covers do not prevent spillage when the mug or glass is tipped over on its side. Moreover, the force of the tip-over can jar the cover loose, causing the contents to spill out.
It is also known to utilize a suction device to secure a beverage container to a surface and thereby stabilize the container against tipping. Such devices, however, either require the user to affirmatively place the beverage container into contact with the suction device, apply a positive downward force to secure the suction device to the surface, or perform an unlocking action to release the suction device from the surface or the container from the suction device.
It is to improvements in the foregoing field that the present invention is directed. In particular, what is needed is an improved beverage container that resists tipping and consequent beverage spillage. Preferably, this result can be achieved in a manner that does not require a user to perform any step or operation apart from normal manipulation of the container. The user should not be required to learn any new mode of container operation and the anti-tipping feature should preferably operate in "stealth mode" such that the user is not even aware that such feature is present when the container is used in normal fashion.

Self-anchoring beverage container with directional release and attachment capability


The present invention relates to a sizing or coating composition that, when applied to paper substrate, creates a substrate having improved waterfastness, surface strength, and surface strength as measured by resistance to abrasion. In addition, the present invention relates to paper substrates containing the composition, as well as methods of using and making the paper substrate and composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sizing or coating composition that, when applied to paper substrate, creates a substrate having improved waterfastness, surface strength, and surface strength as measured by resistance to abrasion. In addition, the present invention relates to paper substrates containing the composition, as well as methods of using and making the paper substrate and composition. In particular, the substrate may be printed via inkjet printing methodologies (including dye and pigment inks) and/or may be printed via inkjet and offset printing methodologies (e.g. a dual use paper is possible in some instances).
2. Prior Art
Recording sheets are known. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,764,726; 5,270,103; 5,657,064; 5,760,809; 5,729,266; 4,792,487; 5,405,678; 4,636,409; 4,481,244; 4,496,629; 4,517,244; 5,190,805; 5,320,902; 4,425,405; 4,503,118; 5,163,973; 4,425,405; 5,013,603; 5,397,619; 4,478,910; 5,429,860; 5,457,486; 5,537,137; 5,314,747; 5,474,843; 4,908,240; 5,320,902; 4,740,420; 4,576,867; 4,446,174; 4,830,911; 4,554,181; and 4,877,680, all of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.
However, conventional paper substrates such as those above remain poor in balancing waterfastness, surface strength and runnability, especially if used as a dual purpose sheet for both offset and inkjet (dye and/or pigment-based) recording. Accordingly, there is a need to provide such high-performance and functionality to paper substrates.

Recording sheet with improved image waterfastness, surface strength, and runnability


The invention relates to an image processing system, containing an optical digital camera (1) having means (4) that produce information representative of a specified geometric distance within the image using laser light in the detection range of the optical digital camera (1), said information representative of the specified geometric distance being processed together with the image information. Separating means (8) are arranged downstream of the digital camera, said separating means separating the information representative of the specified geometric distance from the image information. Subsequent evaluating means produce a distance value therefrom. Image storage means (9) additionally arranged downstream of the separating means are used to store the recorded image information. Adjustment means (14) automatically change the image size on a display in the form of a digital zoom for the purpose of setting the reproduction size according to a specified scale factor in such a way that an object contained in the image content, the physical dimension of which object corresponds to the specified geometric distance, is reproduced in a corresponding dimension that is multiplied by the specified scale factor.

(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing system for image data in endoscopy, which is especially useful for surgical purposes but may also be used in general technology.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Such image processing systems in the form of digital endoscope cameras are in use both in general technology with respect to hardly accessible repair positions—as well as in minimally invasive surgery. Due to the short focal length of the cameras, a relatively large depth of field is provided, which is necessary to provide a good overview of the workspace. So the objects under inspection do not get out of focus with a displacement of the endoscope. The cameras have a fixed focus which is adapted to the working area. The depth of field in known systems may comprise a distance from 1 mm to infinity.
The objects under observation and in focus within a working area may be located at different distances from the camera front lens. The size of an object displayed on the monitor is difficult to evaluate if there are no close objects of known size available in the picture.
The system known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,206,006 B2 for representation in actual size by means of a digital camera and a corresponding display may not be used for the intended application. A pre requirement for the known system is a fixed distance between the object and the lens of the camera. Furthermore, frame synchronization pulses have to be inserted in the picture as a size reference. It is apparent that these reference pulses do not change with the distance of the object—and therefore with the reproduced size. With the variation of the object distance the reproduced object changes in size, without any recognition of the change of scale, because the number of frame synchronization pulses is not varying accordingly.
A quite different situation is to be found in picture representations in medical technology gained by direct X-ray radiation or by computer or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Here the scale is already set by the picture geometry used (which may be natural scale). This indeed provides processes for the virtual adaptation of implants to the patient, for example in dentistry. An example is shown by VIP Virtual Implant Planning, at: http://www.virtual-implant.de/simulation.html (available date of priority). Here are three dimensional image representation renderings of CT and implant are fitted by manual selection, overlaying and spatial displacement. This method therefore is also unsuitable for the above-described problem. In addition, the imaging, the selection of the implant, the orientation and assessment by the operator has to take place remote from the working field and is time consuming. That is why the known procedure may not be used during surgery. The same applies to a planning software for dental implants, http://www.materialise.com/materialise/view/en/131410-SimPlant.html, that has also been accessible before the application's priority date.
From EP 1778094 B1 an endoscopic video measurement system is known, by means of which light points in the range of the object may be generated to carry out measurements within the image representation. This measurement is performed by manual selection of suitable points and the subsequent determination of the scale by means of selected distances measured within the image representation. Subsequently a detail in the image representation is selected, whose dimension is to be determined. After having determined measured manually the relevant details in the picture, its dimensions may be calculated on the basis of the scale factor and the unit of measurement selected. The Dimensions of an implant or repair element to be introduced to the field has also to be known to fit. The fit may be judged only on the basis of the two metrics. This procedure is cumbersome and unsuitable for a rapid handling during surgery.
The foregoing system may be used appropriately in the event of medical imaging, as described in http://www.efims.de/de/meetinRs/hnod2009/09hnod324.shtml. According to this method by means of manually determined distances defined by the laser markings the volume of the object may be estimated. This procedure is also time consuming and therefore cannot be performed during surgery. In the known solution is the image representation scale on the monitor stays fixed. That is why a direct comparison with a physically present object or an image representation stored as a reference element in a fixed scale is not possible.
In a system describe in U.S. 2007/0065002 A1 by means of which a recorded 3D laser scan data model may be updated with 2D image representations is also not giving any evidence.
In JAHNKE, M. 3D exploration of volume data, thesis, Univ. Bonn, 1998, general tools for subsequent interactive exploration of medical image representation data are described. Notes respective to image representation reproduction in scale during surgical application do not apply.
In the lecture notes VORNBERGER, O., MUELLER, O.: Computer Graphics, Univ. Osnabruck, S S 2000, the basics of in computer graphics are described. There is no evidence with respect to present problem.
In JERAMIAS.RF: CMOS image representation sensors with short-term closure for depth sensing the principle of light transit time measurement and a method for measuring distances according to the light transit time principle is described. This kind of distance measurement however is not of direct relevance in connection with the aforementioned problem.
In GRIONI, C. Digital photography, Diploma Thesis, Univ. Graz, 2007, the Sony Smart Zoom principle is described, by means of which a digital zoom is limited to a selected resolution in order to maintain a desired playback quality. This solution also is not relevant to the problem discussed here.

Image processing system having an additional piece of scale information to be processed together with the image information


There is provided an LSI socket containing a pogo-pin type decoupling capacitor for reducing the potential fluctuation of power supplies and GNDs at the time of testing LSI incorporated in a BGA package. The LSI socket comprises a printed board 102 containing decoupling capacitors 113 corresponding to one or more power supply voltages inside thereof, a pogo-pin supporting casing portion 104 on which the printed board 102 is overlapped into a single piece, and pogo-pins 103 inserted into penetrating holes in which hole positions of through holes 109 drilled in the printed board 102 and casing holes 114 drilled in the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 104 are allowed to be matched, wherein the printed board 102 is disposed on the upper surface side of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 104 which faces the BGA package, or disposed on the lower surface side of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 104, at the time of testing the LSI incorporated in the BGA package.

For the purpose of more adequately describing a technological level for the present invention at present, all descriptions of the patents, patent applications, patent gazettes, scientific papers, and the like which are cited or specified in the present application will be incorporated herein by reference.
Conventionally, an LSI test socket (hereinafter, referred to as an LSI socket) has been used to avoid thermal and mechanical damage to a solder ball in a BGA package when conducting a screening test on LSI incorporated in a high-density and multi-pin BGA package. An LSI socket used to accomplish this objective is largely divided into two types: a pogo-pin type and a sheet type.
The pogo-pin is called a spring pin or a spring probe pin, and composed of three components: a pogo-pin 001, a pin 002, and a spring 003, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. A pogo-pin type LSI socket using this pogo-pin is provided together with a pin in which coiled spring structure is supported by a resin casing to press above and below this pin, thereby providing the realization of an electrical connection.
FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3B are cross-sectional views showing the structure of conventional LSI sockets for BGA using pogo-pins, respectively. First, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, this LSI socket is composed of the pogo-pin 001 and a pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005 in combination. More specifically, the LSI socket has structure in which the pogo-pin 001 is inserted into a casing hole 010 from the upper side or the lower side of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005 which is made of nonconductive material such as resin.
FIG. 2A is a case in which the pogo-pin 001 is inserted into the casing hole 10 from the downside of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005 and fixed, with stoppers 006 located on the upper side of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005. On the other hand, FIG. 2B is a case in which the pogo-pin 001 is inserted into the casing hole 010 from the upper side of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005 and fixed, with the stoppers 006 located on the downside of the pogo-pin supporting casing portion 005.
In addition, FIG. 3A is a case in which the LSI socket with the structure of FIG. 2A is disposed on a test board 009, and FIG. 7B is a case in which the LSI socket with the structure of FIG. 2B is disposed on the test board 009. In either case, the pogo-pin 001 which is located corresponding to the position of a solder ball 007 of the LSI enclosed in the BGA package provides the realization of the electrical connection by pressing a wiring pad 008 on the test board 009 on which the LSI socket is mounted from above. In general, it is an advantage that this type of LSI socket is cheap in price because of simple structure, and may be repeatedly used because of great mechanical strength.
On the other hand, a sheet type LSI socket involves the use of a conductive sheet, and includes a metal fine wire embedded type and a conductive rubber type. The sheet type one may be shortened more than the aforementioned pogo-pin type one in pin length, and has the advantage of excellence in high frequency characteristics. However, the sheet type one has problems with much dust caused by metal oxide shavings, and high running cost due to expensive sheet, and further a problem with larger contact resistance because metal oxide is attached to the contacting surface.
Additionally, in the case of using any of these types of LSI sockets, a significantly serious problem has emerged along with high frequency and high power current operation of LSI in recent years. Test frequencies have become higher along with considerable performance improvement of LSI to be tested, and test conditions of the LSI incorporated in the BGA package have been conducted in a high frequency area of GHz order. This produces an extremely high power current, with the result that it is more likely that the potential fluctuation of power supplies and GNDs of the LSI occurs. There is another problem that it is difficult to supply power supplies with high quality in the vicinity of the BGA package because power supplies required for LSI operation are supplied from a tester far distant from the LSI when conducting an LSI screening test.
For this reason, if a capacitor cannot be disposed in the closest vicinity of a BGA package to be tested, a power current is produced by LSI high frequency operation to fluctuate the potential of power supplies and GNDs of the test board, leading to difficulty in ensuring operational stability of the LSI incorporated in the BGA package.
However, aside from this, a conventional LSI socket has an essential problem that a decoupling capacitor for reducing a swing of the potential fluctuation of the power supplies and the GNDs in the vicinity of the BGA package has become impossible to be mounted. It results from the facts that the number of electrodes of input/output signals, the power supplies and the GNDs of the LSI is increased by an improved integration degree more than before, and that the spacing between electrodes in the BGA package is narrowed to cause the electrodes to be densely packed by the miniaturization of the BGA package. In addition, even if the test frequency is less high, for example, LSI having as many as 512 of parallel input/output number has a problem that an enormously instantaneous power current flows at the time of 10 concurrent operation.
As a means of reducing the potential fluctuation of the power supplies and the GNDs described above, the sheet type LSI socket, for example, is intended to use a conductive sheet as a capacitor by connecting a plurality of electrodes on one side of the conductive sheet to a conductive layer, and allowing the conductive layer to be attached to the sheet to comprise a power supply layer, and by connecting a plurality of electrodes on the other side of the conductive sheet to the conductive layer, and allowing this conductive layer to be attached to the sheet to comprise a GND layer (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). This makes it possible to dispose a package sized capacitor immediately below the BGA package incorporating the LSI, whereby the effect of noise occurring in the power supplies and the GNDs at the time of the LSI high frequency operation may be reduced.
The conventional sheet type LSI socket described above has a problem with significantly difficulty in realization because of its structure, a problem with high running cost because of expensiveness and lack of sufficient stability for repeated use, and further a problem with lack of the contact ability of the LSI socket itself, with the result that it is not to be repeatedly used at a mass production level. Furthermore, the LSI in recent years mostly needs a plurality of power supply voltages, to which the sheet type cannot respond.
[Patent Document] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-97991 (Page 3, FIG. 1 to FIG. 3)
[Disclosure of the Invention]
[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pogo-pin type LSI socket containing a decoupling capacitor for reducing the potential fluctuation of power supplies and GNDs in the vicinity of a BGA package at the time of a test, although it is made to solve problems occurring when testing LSI enclosed in the BGA package with a very large number of pins of input/output signals, power supplies, and GNDs at high frequencies, easy to replace socket pins, and has pogo-pin structure with low cost and high stability.
[Means for Solving the Problem]
A first aspect of the gist of the present invention provides an LSI test socket for BGA which comprises a printed board containing at least one or more decoupling capacitors in which a first power plate connected to an inner surface of a first through hole and a second power plate connected to an inner surface of a second through hole are laminated through a separator, a pogo-pin supporting casing portion on which said printed board is overlapped into a single piece, and in which at least one or more pairs of first and second casing holes are each opened at positions corresponding to said first and second through holes, and at least one or more pairs of first and second pogo-pins inserted into penetrating holes in which hole positions of said first and second through holes drilled in said printed board, and said first and second casing holes are allowed to be matched, wherein one end of the printed board faces a BGA package, said pogo-pin supporting casing portion being disposed at the other end thereof at the time of testing LSI incorporated in the BGA package. It should be noted that a power plate is a plate spread like a sheet which supplies a power supply, but not a signal, and is made of foil and other material such as metal having the function of electrodes of the decoupling capacitor, as well as potential which is applied to this plate includes not only power supply voltage potential, but also medium, GND, and further negative potential.
Power supply layers each corresponding to said first and second power plates and one GND layer are formed in the printed board, and the decoupling capacitors may be formed by the use of an electrostatic capacity between the power supply layers and the GND layer.
In the printed board, plating layers may be formed in inner surfaces of through holes into which power supply pogo-pins and a GND pogo-pin are inserted, except for a through hole into which a signal pogo-pin is inserted.
The pogo-pin supporting casing portion is made of non-conductive material, and the plating layers need not be formed in inner surfaces of the casing holes.
And, the power supply layers may be electrically connected to the plating layers in the inner surfaces of the through holes into which the power supply pogo-pins are inserted, and said GND layer may be electrically connected to the plating layer in the inner surface of the through hole into which the GND pogo-pin is inserted.
A second aspect of the gist of the present invention provides an LSI test socket for BGA which comprises a printed board containing decoupling capacitors in which a first power plate connected to an inner surface of a first through hole and a second power plate connected to an inner surface of a second through hole are laminated through a separator, a pogo-pin supporting casing portion on which the printed board is overlapped into a single piece and in which first and second casing holes are each opened at positions corresponding to said first and second through holes, and pogo-pins inserted into penetrating holes in which hole positions of said first and second through holes drilled in said printed board, and said first and second casing holes are allowed to be matched, wherein one end of said pogo-pin supporting casing portion faces a BGA package, said printed board being disposed at the other end thereof at the time of testing LSI incorporated in the BGA package.
Power supply layers each corresponding to said first and second power plates and one GND layer are formed in the printed board, and the decoupling capacitors may be formed by the use of an electrostatic capacity between the power supply layers and the GND layer.
In the printed board, plating layers may be formed in inner surfaces of all through holes into which a signal pogo-pin, power supply pogo-pins and a GND pogo-pin are inserted.
Said pogo-pin supporting casing portion is made of non-conductive material, and the plating layers need not be formed in inner surfaces of the casing holes.
The power supply layer may be electrically connected to the plating layers in the inner surfaces of the through holes into which the power supply pogo-pins are inserted, and said GND layer may be electrically connected to the plating layer in the inner surface of the through hole into which the GND pogo-pin is inserted, while the plating layer in the inner surface of the through hole into which the signal pogo-pin is inserted need not be electrically connected to the power supply layers and the GND layer.
And, the pogo-pins may be fixed by inserting the bottom of the pogo-pins into each corresponding through hole of the printed board and soldering through the plating layers.
[Effects of the Invention]
In accordance with the present invention, the potential fluctuation of power supplies of LSI operating at high frequencies may be reduced to allow for a stable operation test by containing a decoupling capacitor in an LSI socket for BGA. In addition, an LSI socket for BGA having better manufacturing stability and test stability may be realized by that a self-contained portion of the decoupling capacitor and a pogo-pin supporting casing portion are separated into portions of another layers.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a thin film having a borazine ring skeleton and containing a predetermined element, boron, carbon, and nitrogen on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes supplying a precursor gas containing the predetermined element and a halogen element to the substrate; supplying a reaction gas including an organic borazine compound to the substrate; and supplying a carbon-containing gas to the substrate. In addition, the cycle is performed under a condition in which the borazine ring skeleton in the organic borazine compound is maintained.

As sizes of transistors decrease, a thin film such as an insulating film which constitutes a sidewall spacer (SWS) of a gate electrode or the like may require a low temperature for film forming, an improved resistance to hydrogen fluoride (HF), and a small dielectric constant. To this end, it has been studied to use a silicon borocarbonitride (SiBCN) film obtained by adding boron (B) and carbon (C) to a silicon nitride film (SiN film) as an insulating film.
Such an insulating film is often formed by an alternating supply method that alternately supplies several kinds of process gases because high step coverage characteristics are required. For example, using a silicon (Si)-containing gas as a precursor gas (i.e., a silicon precursor), borontrichloride (BCl3) gas or diborane (B2H6) gas as a boron precursor, ammonia (NH3) gas as a nitrogen source, and ethylene (C2H4) gas or propylene (C3H6) gas as a carbon source, a SiBCN film can be formed on a substrate by performing a predetermined number of times a cycle that sequentially supplies those process gases to the substrate. However, the method that separately supplies the silicon precursor, the boron precursor, the nitrogen source, and the carbon source leads to a longer time for performing a single cycle, which results in a low productivity of a film forming process. Furthermore, in the method as described above, it is difficult to increase a C concentration in the SiBCN film and thus improve the resistance to HF.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium


A microlens 30 is formed on the outer surface of an optical fiber 20 having an in-fiber Bragg grating 24 (FBG) formed in the core 21, 36 thereof, to focus light diffracted by the FBG onto other fibers or optical devices, or to focus light received at the fiber onto the FBG. Various single- and multi-microlens configurations of one or more fibers perform a variety of functions such as signal coupling, multiplexing, signal splitting, spectrography, tapped delay, timed-delay phase adjusting, circulating storage, and so forth. The microlenses may employ angle-increasing prisms and may comprise Fresnel lenses.

It is relatively easy to couple light between aligned optical fibers, and between a point source and an optical fiber by means of a lens attached to the pupil (the end) of the fiber which focuses the light to or from the fiber aperture, as described by Babin, Weber and Koops, "Fabrication of a Refractive Microlens Integrated Onto the Monomode Fiber", Proc EIPBN 1996, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B14(6), p. 4076, November/December 1996 (Ref. 1), and in Koops and Babin, "Verfahren zur Herstellung und Justierung von Mikrolinsen auf Faser und Laserenden" (1996) P 19 54 5721.8 (Ref. 2). However, there are many instances in which it is desired to couple light between one fiber and a plurality of fibers, or between multiple lines, such as in a complex laser source, or in other instances where fan or cone-shaped light patterns result. These are extremely difficult to focus to and from a spot-shaped fiber entrance pupil. Spectrometers involved with optical fibers are complex, costly and difficult to use. Wavelength division multiplexing, wherein light of different wavelengths has to be combined from several fibers into a single fiber or separated from one fiber into several fibers is extremely difficult for a variety of reasons, including the foregoing reasons.

Fiber-integrated microlenses and optical fiber FBG couplers, spectrometers, and multiplexers comprised thereof


A drill having an elongated body including a fluted land and a shank. The fluted land includes a plurality of radial grooves of reduced material thickness formed therein to the depth of the flutes. The grooves define discrete segments of the drill. Each segment has a facet which has the relief of a drill tip so that when the exposed drill tip becomes dull, the segment can be broken off at the notch exposing a successive, sharp drill tip. The drill can have the cutting edges coated with an appropriate protective material such as TiN, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, titanium carbonitride or any other appropriate coating material to improve cutting and preserve the edge.

The invention relates generally to drills and, more specifically, to multi-bit drill that provides successes sharp drill tips throughout the use.
Drills and drill bits are common to the art. Generally, drills are used to create holes in solid objects, commonly wood or metal. In metalworking, drills are used to make initial holes ranging from 0 to 5/16 inch. Diameters above 5/16 inch usually are made in a second operation, enlarging the predrilled pilot hole. For example, if the craftsman wants to drill a 9/16 inch hole, he would use a 5/16 inch drill for the first operation and then drill the 9/16 inch hole. Thus, the 9/16 inch drill would cut 1/8 inch per each cutting edge.
A typical prior art twist drill, shown as 10 in FIG. 1, normally has a fluted land 11 comprising tip 12 and only two cutting edges 14 and 16 with corresponding two flutes 17 and 18 to accommodate the chips. If there is need for a more accurate holes, two-fluted drills do not do a very precise job. To make a more precise hole, core drills are used. A core drill typically includes three or more flutes, and provide better accuracy and a better finish. FIG. 1 illustrates a standard, prior art, three-fluted core drill. FIG. 6 illustrates a prior art, three-fluted twist drill having a coating of tin.
Prior art drills, both two-fluted drills and three or four-fluted core drills, must remain sharp to perform well. Sharpening an ordinary two-fluted drill up to 1/2 inch, for example, is possible on a bench grinder, but requires the skill of an experienced craftsman to do a good job. Many drill users, for example home users or "do-it yourselfers" who do not have the tools or the skill to sharpen drills. Since these users cannot restore the cutting edge of the drill, the drill life is short. Thus, the user employs low cost drills which are discarded when they become dull. This makes economic sense, however, the low cost drills also lack in performance.
Further, most high quality drills have a surface treatment of nitride case, black oxide or tin. A premium tin coated drill may have 400% greater performance than an untreated drill. However, after a first grind to sharpen the drill, the surface treatment at the cutting edge is removed.
Also, the drill manufacturing industry is employing more exotic materials, for example carbide and ceramic, for making drills which are hard to machine and sharpen.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to provide a drill that creates a precise finished hole and maintains a sharpened, preferably coated, cutting edge.


An image forming apparatus includes: a motor unit configured to give a rotary drive force to rotary members for conveying a recording medium; a switch circuit provided in a power supply line connecting a power source and the motor unit to supply electric power, connecting the motor unit to the power source upon closure of the body cover, and disconnecting the motor unit from the power source upon opening of the body cover; a power-off detecting section; a rate-of-voltage-change calculating section; and a control section. The control section deactivates each of mechanisms in the image forming apparatus when the power-off detecting section detects shutoff of power supply from the power source, and reactivates each of the mechanisms, provided that the rate of change of voltage calculated by the rate-of-voltage-change calculating section has reached a predetermined threshold, when the power-off detecting section detects electric power is supplied from the power source.

The present disclosure relates to image forming apparatuses and particularly relates to a technique for controlling each of mechanisms included in an image forming apparatus in response to the opening/closing of a body cover provided on the apparatus body. The image forming apparatus is configured so that a conveyance roller conveys a recording paper sheet with a drive force supplied from a motor and an image forming section forms an image on the conveyed recording paper sheet. If in this image forming apparatus a recording paper sheet is jammed in a conveyance path, i.e., a paper jam occurs, the operator opens the body cover to expose internal mechanisms and removes the recording paper sheet jammed in the conveyance path. In this case, in conjunction with the opening of the body cover, an interlock switch is turned off to shut off power supply to the motor and a power-off detecting circuit detects the power shutoff and outputs a signal indicating it to a CPU, so that the mechanisms of the image forming apparatus can be deactivated.


A composition may include a pharmaceutical carrier and an amount, therapeutically effective for the treatment of a retinal disease, of CLT-005 (1-acetyl-5-hydroxyanthracene-9,10 -dione), wherein the retinal disease is characterized by at least one of inflammation, angiogenesis, or neovascularization, and wherein the composition is prepared for administration intravitreally. The composition may be administered intravitreally to a subject's eye.

This disclosure relates to inhibition of STAT3 activity.
AMD is a rapidly growing retinal disease which primarily affects patients of age 50 years and older. Current prevalence rates in the US estimate that over 15 million US citizens are afflicted with this disorder; however, as a consequence of the rapidly growing aging population, it is predicted that the number of persons afflicted with AMD will increase 50% by 2020. Patients with AMD present with loss of their central vision that progressively worsens with age. There are two major classifications of AMD, dry and wet (or non-exudative and exudative). All patients will initially present with Dry-AMD, and approximately 85-90% of all AMD patients have the dry form of the disease. Dry-AMD features a progressive degeneration in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, Bruch's membrane, and choroid. Another characteristic phenotypic feature is the development of subretinal deposits called drusen. These drusen have been studied with proteomics and are a compilation of numerous proteins and toxic molecules. Importantly, drusen also contain numerous inflammatory molecules that are known to initiate inflammatory cascades. Therefore, current hypotheses regarding Dry-AMD pathogenesis revolve around uncontrolled inflammation in the RPE. Since this disease primarily affects elderly patients, it is thought that years of oxidative stress lead to the initial formation of drusen, which causes the body to elicit an inflammatory response to these drusen, which then exacerbates further drusen formation. As the RPE is required to support the function of the retinal photoreceptors, this insult causes degeneration of the photoreceptors which leads to vision loss. Moreover, this inflammation leads to a breakdown of the blood retinal barrier, and formation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) that occurs underneath the macula which is characteristic of Wet-AMD. This abnormal neovascularization causes vascular leakage of blood and fluid into the retina which leads to further visual loss in Wet-AMD patients. The progressive vascular leakage then exacerbates retinal and RPE insult and causes accelerated photoreceptor apoptosis and initiation of inflammatory pathways, which can permanently inhibit the potential for therapeutic intervention.
Several studies have demonstrated that inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases and AMD. These patients have several characteristics of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as increased nitric oxide production, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) up-regulation, leukostasis and increased vascular permeability. It has been shown that the patients with proliferative retinopathies have elevated serum pro-inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, C-reactive peptide (CRP), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-18, soluble ICAM-1, and circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Induction of MCP-1, IL-8 and TNF-α is also implicated in ischemia-induced retinal NV. Recent evidence has also shown that VEGF induces ICAM-1 expression and leukostasis in the retina, suggesting that VEGF is a pro-inflammatory factor.
Several large genetic population studies have been carried out to identify susceptibility loci contributing to AMD development. These studies have identified over 30 loci demonstrating significant correlation to the risk of developing AMD, depending on the population studied. Based on these results, it is suggested that AMD is a complex disease that occurs as a result of several environmental and genetic disposition elements; however, these association studies have identified a number of inflammatory-related genes that predispose individuals to AMD. In multiple populations, mutations in the complement factor H (CFH) gene have been identified that are present in a significant number of AMD afflicted individuals. CFH is present in the bloodstream and is a inhibitor of complement activation. Thus, it has been suggested that the CFH mutations observed in AMD patients may represent an inability for these individuals to restrict inflammation in the retina as a result of vascular leakage. In addition, another large association study has implicated variants of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in contributing to AMD susceptibility. TLR4 has been demonstrated to play a significant role in pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, which may also contribute to the inflammation observed in AMD pathogenesis. Another TLR family member, TLR3, has been recently implicated in Dry-AMD formation. This large genetic study demonstrated that an allele of TLR3 was associated with Dry-AMD development degeneration of RPE cells. Moreover, the authors identified a protective TLR3 allele that was associated with prevention of Dry-AMD development and progression. This protective allele reduced the ability of TLR3 to activate inflammatory pathways that eventually result in RPE cell apoptosis.
It has been shown that multiple growth factors, such as VEGF, bFGF, IGF-1, PEDF, etc. in the eye are implicated in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases and AMD. Alterations of these growth factors and their receptors in diabetes have been identified in both experimental and clinical studies. VEGF is a potent mediator of vascular permeability leading to angiogenesis and a potent mitogen with a unique specificity for endothelial cells in a variety of human pathological situations. The increased VEGF levels are responsible for the retinal vascular leakage or retinal vascular hyper-permeability, and retinal neovascularization. A number of clinical and animal studies have shown that VEGF plays a pivotal role in the development of AMD. The increased expression of retinal VEGF and its receptors correlate to high retinal vascular permeability in animal models of retinal disease with neovascularization. Inhibition of VEGF and VEGF receptors can prevent retinal NV in animal models. The causative role of VEGF in AMD pathogenesis has also been well established by many animal and clinical studies. Current pharmacological treatments for AMD are inhibitors that bind VEGF and prevent subsequent initiation of pathways leading to neovascularization. Although these compounds have has success in the clinic, they fail to address the inflammatory nature of the disease.
Leptin is an adipocyte-derived cytokine that has been linked to obesity in both humans and other animal models. Activation of the leptin receptor (Lep-R), a member of the gp130 receptor family, triggers a cascade of phosphorylation events that lead to changes in cellular gene expression. Clinical studies have demonstrated that patients with diabetic retinopathy, amongst other proliferative retinal disorders, have significantly increased levels of leptin in their vitreous humor. Leptin stimulation has been shown to exert a pro-angiogenic effect both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of human vascular endothelial cells with leptin causes a rapid phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT3 leading to angiogenesis.
STAT3 is a transcription factor that exerts a positive effect to promote expression of several angiogenic growth factors, such as VEGF and platelet derived growth factor, and has been shown to be constitutively active in several tumors and transformed cell types. Upon phosphorylation at tyrosine 705, STAT3 monomers dimerize and translocate to the nucleus to exert an effect on gene expression. The activated pSTAT3 is known to positively regulate VEGF through a STAT3-binding site on the VEGF promoter. Additionally, pSTAT3 also causes an upregulation of several proinflammatory molecules.
The pro-angiogenic effect of leptin stimulation is mediated by the upregulation of VEGF and can be inhibited by expression of a dominant-negative STAT3 variant. Furthermore, in the OIR mouse model, mice overexpressing leptin develop more severe retinal NV, while those deficient for leptin showed markedly suppressed retinal NV. A recent study has also demonstrated that activation of STAT3 by IL-6 stimulation can result in choroidal NV, and blockade of this pathway could inhibit NV formation. STAT3 expression is observed in both the inner nuclear layer and inner plexiform layer of the retina; however, pSTAT3 is localized exclusively in neovascular retinal vessels, which suggests an intimate involvement of pSTAT3 in the formation of retinal NV.
IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine, has also been linked to the progression of Dry-AMD to Wet-AMD. A clinical study published in 2005 enrolled patients garnering early stage characteristics of Dry-AMD. The authors quantified systemic levels of IL-6 at study enrollment and at a follow-up date approximately 4 years later. The authors demonstrated a direct correlation between increased IL-6 levels and progression from dry to Wet-AMD, potentially implicating IL-6 in AMD pathogenesis and establishing it as a biomarker for disease progression. Other studies using animal models have also demonstrated that IL-6 is directly implicated in retinal neovascularization, and prevention of IL-6 signaling could attenuate neovascularization. Specifically, the authors demonstrated that inhibition of IL-6 prevented activation of STAT3 in this model, which was the mechanism to attenuate neovascularization
The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress have been well established in the development of AMD-like phenotypes in several animal models. In vascular cells, a major source of ROS arises from the activity of NADPH oxidase. NADPH oxidase is a critical mediator in the downstream development of ischemia induced VEGF expression that leads to angiogenesis. Furthermore, the inhibition of NADPH oxidase prevents early inflammatory events, such as leukostasis, the lead to breakdown of the blood retinal barrier and subsequent angiogenesis. Recently, it was demonstrated that STAT3 is responsible for promoting NADPH oxidase overexpression in the retina, and inhibition of this pathway could prevent retinal inflammation, neovascularization and breakdown of the blood retinal barrier. Another recent paper demonstrated that elevated STAT3 activation during retinal inflammation leads to the ubiquitin-proteasome dependent degradation of the master phototransduction molecule, Rhodopsin. As this protein is central to the process of phototransduction, any deficiencies in Rhodopsin levels can lead to retinal degeneration and loss of visual function.
There is currently no FDA-approved therapeutics or procedures to treat Dry-AMD. The only major clinical study of significance is the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) that was conducted by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and concluded in 2001. The study assessed the use of orally-administered antioxidants and zinc to prevent progression of Dry-AMD. The study demonstrated that high-levels of antioxidants and zinc could reduce risk of vision loss in patients with late stages of Dry-AMD; however, the treatment had no effect on patients with early or intermediate stages of the disease, for example, patients presenting with drusen that currently have little or no vision loss. In addition, the benefit of this antioxidant/zinc regimen appears to only be effective in certain populations of affected individuals. Thus, there is still a great demand to develop Dry-AMD therapies that can prevent vision loss altogether. As demonstrated by ongoing clinical trials of experimental therapeutics, the FDA-accepted endpoint for Dry-AMD treatment is the quantification of drusen number and volume, in addition to visual acuity measurements.

STAT3 inhibiting compositions and methods


The present invention provides an improved transport protocol for lossy networks. This is accomplished by using computationally efficient techniques to manage invoking congestion control mechanisms to control the transmitted packets in lossy networks. The improved transport protocol receives multiple packets including a header and an associated sequence number. The network is monitored for congestion caused by the received packets and marks the header of some of the packets with an impending congestion indication, based on the outcome of the monitoring. The packets are then transmitted, and a receiver then returns acknowledgements of receipt of each of the transmitted packets. Each of the received acknowledgements includes an associated sequence number and any impending congestion indication assigned to the packet. The protocol monitors each of the received acknowledgements, and based on the outcome of the monitoring, invokes a congestion control mechanism to improve the performance of the transport protocol.

Most Internet data applications today use reliable transport protocols, such as the transmission control protocol (TCP), which have been tuned for traditional networks comprising wired links and stationary hosts. TCPs assume congestion in the networks to be the primary cause for packet losses (packets can contain thousands of bytes of data) and unusual delays. Congestion occurs when the primary requirements of source(s) exceed the transport capability of a network node. For example, where multiple senders transmit packets to a network node faster than the node can forward the packets the buffer may overflow resulting in congestion, and some of the received packets can be lost. Congestion may also be defined as the condition that exists when the network node buffers occupancy is greater than some threshold.
The TCP protocol controls congestion by utilizing acknowledgements from the receiver and adjusting a sliding window for the sender. The sender will not be able to transmit packets beyond the window size. Upon receiving the acknowledgements from the receiver the window slides ahead and gets incremented. As long as there is no loss, the window size is gradually increased. When a loss occurs, the window size is reduced and then slowly expanded. The sender can identify that a packet has been lost due to congestion either by the arrival of duplicate acknowledgements indicating a loss or by the absence of receiving an acknowledgment within a timeout interval. This entire process of controlling the window size to limit congestion is known as a "congestion control mechanism."
When acknowledgements fail to be received by the sender for reasons other than congestion, however, congestion compensation measures, such as reducing the window size, can result in unnecessary reduction in end-to-end throughput and suboptimal performance. Today Internet and wireless communications links are increasingly being used to transmit data packets in applications such as email, web browsing, mobile computing, and other such applications. Most of these applications make use of reliable end-to-end transport level services provided by TCP. TCP was designed for networks where congestion is the primary cause of packet loss. However, transmission errors over wireless links such as due to fading may often lead to packet loss. Thus, the loss of packet may be due to reasons other than congestion. Wireless links often suffer from sporadic high bit-error rates (BERs) and intermittent connectivity problems due to handoffs. Consequently, TCP performance in networks having wireless links suffers from significant throughput degradation and very high interactive delays due to unnecessary use of congestion compensation mechanisms.
There are currently two approaches to improve TCP performance in such lossy links. A lossy link is a link where packet losses are due to high BERs rather than congestion, such as a wireless link. The first approach hides any non-congestion-related losses from the TCP sender, and therefore requires no changes to the existing sender implementation. The approach assumes that, since the problem is local, it should be solved locally, and that the transport layer need not be aware of the characteristics of the individual links. The lower layers of the network solve this problem by local retransmissions. Protocols adopting this approach attempt to make a lossy link appear to be of a higher quality at the cost of a reduced effective bandwidth. As a result, most of the losses seen by the sender are apparently caused due to congestion, thus reducing performance due to unwarranted invocation of the congestion control mechanism.
The second approach attempts to make the sender aware of the existence of lossy segments, by indicating to the sender that some packet losses are not due to congestion. There are currently two methods using the second approach. The first method uses an end-to-end scheme named EE2E-ELN protocol. This scheme improves TCP performance in lossy networks by making the sender aware of the lossy link. The scheme adds Explicit Loss Notification (ELN) options to TCP acknowledgements. The problem with this scheme is that the Link Layer (LL) is involved in detecting packet losses. This is not desirable because it violates the modular structure of a TCP/IP suite. In addition, adding ELNs to TCP acknowledgements is not yet recommended by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The second method uses a scheme, that uses the difference between Round Trip Time (RTT) of the last correctly received packet and the previously received packet, along with notification from the receiver about a packet loss, to determine the cause of the packet loss. The problem with this scheme is that it uses the difference between RTTs to find out reasons for a packet loss. For the scheme to be effective, RTT has to be precisely calculated. Because highly accurate clocks have to be used, it is impractical to implement this scheme in real-time applications. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a technique that improves TCP performance in lossy networks, such as wireless communication networks with congestion compensation mechanisms, that is computationally efficient and practical to implement.

Technique for improving transmission control protocol performance in lossy networks

Sasken Communication Technologies Limited


A self-service distribution configuration framework integrates with a directory services and Systems Management Server (SMS) of an enterprise computing system for web based self service configuration changes on a server owner defined schedule. The framework will cross reference the SMS database with the configuration framework database and dynamically update or create SMS server collections and advertisements for each unique time and day selected. For example, all systems that have had “Monday at 8 PM” selected as their scheduled date and time would become a member of the same collection. Upon opening the web site, the system owner is presented a data grid populated with a list of servers for which the individual is responsible, enabling selection of specific days and times for each server at which configuration changes sent by the SMS will occur.

1. Field
The present disclosure is related to enterprise distribution systems (EDS) that manage the distribution of software upgrade and patches to network devices, and in particular to system administration and management portals that coordinate timing of such deployments in accordance with administrator privileges.
2. Background
Computer networks can correspond to a number of computing devices connected via various communication links. Small companies tend to have computer networks in which each end user computer system is generally individually configured with required software, upgrades and software patches. Often, the owner (e.g., a supervisor or director) of a collection of such end user computer systems thus has significant input into the computing needs of his subordinates. For example, an information technology (IT) technician assigned to that particular business unit can have sufficient network privileges to implement each needed software configuration change. Additional system and software capabilities can thus be scheduled when needed and implemented at a time that is not disruptive to the business unit. While this flexibility has certain advantages, this can be extremely inefficient in requiring a relatively large number of IT personnel for the population of systems.
In a typical larger scale network environment, an "enterprise" network may include a plurality of server and client computing devices at several geographic locations. As computer networks grow in size and complexity, there is a need for administrative tools that facilitate software distribution, asset management and/or software patch deployment. One such administrative tool is Microsoft Corporation's Systems Management Server ("SMS"). In administrative tools, such as SMS, computers (e.g., servers) are located throughout a computer network and are configured to have a specific software distribution/management role. Often times, the specific configuration of a server will depend on the network topology and/or the anticipated software distribution load of the network. For example, in SMS, a server can have one of many possible management/distribution roles, such as a central server, distribution point, secondary site, management point, reporting point, and the like.
In order to preserve the integrity of the system, a relatively small number of enterprise administrators have sufficient authorization to make changes across the enterprise by making changes via the SMS. Individual business units generally have limited input to changes to the SMS in order to preserve such economies of scale. For example, an enterprise-wide downtime can be scheduled over night during a weekend as a generally acceptable solution to avoiding network disruptions. However, waiting a number of business days can be detrimental in certain situations, or can interfere with a particular project that plans to work during the generally-scheduled downtime.
Thus, conventional solutions offer all or nothing administrative control, especially for enterprise-scaled systems that do not allow control by individual requesters. In particular, requesters do not have the ability to specify the specific date and time that the changes will be applied.

Self service distribution configuration framework


This application is directed to the use of aminosteroid compounds for the selective inhibition of the enzyme PTP1B in a mammal for the treatment of diabetes.

Protein phosphorylation is a well-recognized cellular mechanism for transducing and regulating signals during different stages of cellular function (see, e.g., Hunter, Phil, Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. 353: 583-605 (1998); Chan et al., Annu. Rev. Immunol. 12: 555-592 (1994); Zhang, Curr. Top. Cell. Reg. 35: 21-68 (1997); Matozaki and Kasuga, Cell. Signal. 8: 113-119 (1996)). There are at least two major recognized classes of phosphatases: (1) those that dephosphorylate proteins that contain a phosphate group(s) on a serine or threonine moiety (termed Ser/Thr phosphatases or dual specificity phosphatases (DSPs)) and (2) those that remove a phosphate group(s) from the amino acid tyrosine (termed protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases or PTPs)).
Several studies clearly indicate that the activity of the auto-phosphorylated Insulin-Induced Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (IRTK) can be reversed by dephosphorylation in vitro (reviewed in Goldstein, Receptor 3: 1-15 (1993)) with the tri-phosphorylated tyrosine-1150 domain being the most sensitive target for PTPases. This tri-phosphorylated tyrosine-1150 domain appears to function as a control switch of IRTK activity and the IRTK appears to be tightly regulated by PTP-mediated dephosphorylation in vivo (Faure et al., J. Biol. Chem. 267: 11215-11221 (1992)).
PTP1B has been identified as at least one of the major phosphatases involved in IRTK regulation through studies conducted both in vitro (Seely et al., Diabetes 45: 1379-1385 (1996)) and in vivo using PTP1B neutralizing antibodies (Ahmad et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270: 20503-20508 (1995)). Three independent studies have indicated that PTP1B knock-out mice have increased glucose tolerance, increased insulin sensitivity and decreased weight gain when on a high fat diet (Elchebly et al., Science 283: 1544-1548 (1999), Klaman et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 20: 5479-5489 (2000), and Bence et al., Nature Med (2006)). Overexpression or altered activity of tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B can contribute to the progression of various disorders, including, insulin resistance and diabetes (Ann. Rev. Biochem. 54: 897-930 (1985)). Furthermore, there is evidence which suggests that inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is therapeutically beneficial for the treatment of disorders such as type I and II diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disorders, acute and chronic inflammation and osteoporosis (Zhang Z. Y. et al., Expert Opin. Investig. Drugs 2: 223-33 (2003); Taylor S. D. et al., Expert Opin. Investig. Drugs 3:199-214 (2004); J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 86: 372-378 (1994); Mol. Cell. Biol. 14: 6674-6682 (1994); The EMBO J. 12: 1937-1946 (1993); J. Biol. Chem. 269: 30659-30667 (1994); and Biochemical Pharmacology 54: 703-711(1997)).
The PTPase family of enzymes can be classified into two subgroups: (1) intracellular or non-transmembrane PTPases and (2) receptor-type or transmembrane PTPases. Most known intracellular type PTPases contain a single conserved catalytic phosphatase domain consisting of 220-240 amino acid residues. The regions outside the PTPase domains are believed to play important roles in localizing the intracellular PTPases subcellularly (Mauro, L. J. and Dixon J. E., TIBS 19: 151-155 (1994)). The first of the intracellular PTPases to be purified and characterized was PTP1B (Tonks et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263: 6722-6730 (1988)). Other examples of intracellular PTPases include (1) T-cell PTPase (TCPTP) (Cool et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86: 5257-5261 (1989)), (2) neuronal phosphatases STEP (Lombroso et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 7242-7246 (1991)), (3) PTP1C/SH-PTP1/SHP-1 (Plutzky et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89: 1123-1127 (1992)), (4) PTP1D/Syp/SH-PPT2/SHP-2 (Vogel et al., Science 259: 1611-1614 (1993); Feng et al., Science 259: 1607-1611(1993)).
Receptor-type PTPases consist of (a) a putative ligand-binding extracellular domain, (b) a transmembrane segment, and (c) an intracellular catalytic region. The structure and sizes of the putative ligand-binding extracellular domains of receptor-type PTPases are quite divergent. In contrast, the intracellular catalytic regions of receptor-type PTPases are very homologous to each other and to the intracellular PTPases. Most receptor-type PTPases have two tandemly duplicated catalytic PTPase domains. The first PTPase receptor subtypes identified were (1) CD45 (Ralph, S. J., EMBO J. 6: 1251-1257 (1987)) and (2) LAR (Streuli et al., J. Exp. Med. 168:1523-1530 (1988)). Since then, many more receptor subtypes have been isolated and characterized, including, e.g., PTPalpha, PTPbeta, PTPdelta, PTPepsilon and PTPxi. (Krueger et al. EMBO J. 9: 3241-3252 (1990)).
Although agents have been identified for use as PTP1B inhibitors, such as the heteroaryl- and aryl-amino acetic acids described in WO 01/19831, WO 01/19830, and WO 01/17516, these agents do not exhibit separation of the inhibitory activity between PTP1B and TCPTP. Furthermore, because of the potential immunosuppressive effects resulting from inhibiting TCPTP, selective inhibition of PTP1B over TCPTP would make such agents more suitable for drug development as they could diminish or eliminate undesired side effects resulting from such nonselectivity.
Therefore, there is a need for a drug that can selectively inhibit PTP1B. In addition, if neuronal PTP1B is inhibited, rapid weight loss can be induced in obese individuals, thus also treating the effects of obesity, preventing neurodegeneration or Alzheimer's. A drug of this type would be useful for the treatment of complications due to obesity, obesity in type II diabetes, high serum cholesterol, sleep apnea (especially in pickwickian syndrome), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and surgery for obese patients.

Aminosteroids for the treatment of a PTP1B associated disease