A system and a method are presented for providing a data schema for managing people's important relationships to other people and businesses, past-present-future plans and events, places, activities, memorable life moments and any information about anything that exists or occurred in the earth's time-space reality, as well as a set of Internet services and transactions that allow people to make plans for the future, discover what to do and where to go for their present and future, discover content and commercial offerings for places in which they are or may be interested, and let them organize, share, recall and relive their history in useful and powerful ways.

Most people use several different online and offline tools to record, organize and share different aspects of the information that relates to their physical world (places, relationships/people, events, and life moments), including, without limitation, the following:
Personal information management tools (e.g., Microsoft Outlook™, Google Calendar™, calendar/contacts, etc.) for recording and managing their information about people, places, and calendared events.
Paper for recording and remembering their people, places, events and moments (e.g., post-it notes, articles from travel or restaurant review magazines, newspaper advertisements for sales at local businesses, diaries, etc.)
GPS and online and offline mapping services for figuring out where they are and how to get somewhere else (e.g., Google Maps™, MapQuest™, car-based GPS such as Garmin™ and Tomtom™ products.)
Online services such as digital venue, event, commercial deals databases and other websites and digital applications to discover a) new places to go, such as restaurants, businesses, vacation spots (e.g., Google Places/Hotspot™, Yelp™, Zagat™ Tripadvisor.com™, etc.), b) new events to experience (e.g., Moviefone™, Meetup™ community event databases, etc.) and c) new deals, coupons, specials at commercial venues to derive financial value (e.g., Foursquare™, Groupon™, Shopkick™, etc.)
Digital cameras, smartphones, mobile devices, camcorders, computers and other digital devices to record private notes, photos, videos, audio and other media about places, people, events and moments that they encounter or experience.
Email and social networks to share information about places, people, events and moments with their friends. These messages include data as to when the message was sent and often include information as to from where the message was originated (e.g., GPS information, street information, venue information.) These messages may include media such as pictures, video, audio recordings, music, and other digital media formats.
Sometimes people do not record such information because it is not currently easy to do so (e.g., meeting someone new who does not have a business card, walking by a restaurant and wanting to remember it for later, watching a travel show and wanting to remember a particular bed and breakfast, etc.)
People may be using a wide variety of tools to perform these life transactions but lack a universal, integrated solution to manage them that also allows them to combine their personal, private data and media with helpful information and content (e.g., reviews, store hours, history of a castle, etc.) For example, to set up a dinner event, a user may use their computer to research which restaurant to go to on a venue search tool. Then they may create an on-line calendar entry with the time and location that they email to their friends, who receive the entry using a smart phone. Then, everyone has to get directions to that place. The group may have a great wine at dinner that they want to remember for later (an example of a Moment), and after the event, they want to read what people may have tweeted about the event. To accomplish all this, they have to switch amongst different services and perhaps different devices.
Most systems that people are using today have database and transactions that are usually focused on only one or at most two of the following: the user's past, present or future. Social networking systems are good at communicating where people currently are and what they might be doing, but the data is not stored and organized in a manner that is easy to access for utility (e.g., recall, sharing, discovery, reliving) at a later point in time.
Systems such as Microsoft Outlook™, Blackberry™, Google Calendar™ and other Personal Information Management (PIM) Tools are good at providing a user a secure and private way to organize contacts, events and to-do's, but this private data cannot be easily linked to social transactions. Likewise most of the established PIM protocols have limited ability to geo-encode the data or link it to external data records. Location-based systems let people share where they are, but their data cannot be linked to personal events that are scheduled in the users' calendaring systems or other event systems. Social networks are useful for creating large group and public events but cannot manage personal or private events. So, today consumers use 1) Facebook™ and Twitter™ to share with others their current activities, 2) private Contact and Calendar Tools (iPhone™, Blackberry™, Outlook™) to manage their private data about people, places, to-do's, and events, 3) a variety of online and offline tools to capture their thoughts and life experiences and 4) third party Internet services or tangible products like Yelp™, TripAdvisor™, Moviefone™, or Frommer's™ tour books for finding informational content about places and events they may want to go or attend in the future.
Most of a consumer's information (events, places, people, and moments) is not recorded in a manner that can be data mined effectively. Large companies have the ability to track our web history, product use, and location in order to sell products and services to consumers. Currently, however, consumers do not have digital tools to mine their personal data where such mining which would offer them a multitude of benefits, including gaining insight into their own behavior.

Geotemporal web and mobile service system and methods


A fuse array may include: an E-fuse including a plurality of active regions having a floating node and a contact node, and a plurality of gates overlapping the respective active regions and separated from each other between the floating node and the contact node; and a plurality of fuse sets each including two or more E-fuses and sharing the floating node or the contact node.

1. Field
This patent document relates to a semiconductor technology and, more specifically, to a fuse array that includes a plurality of programmable E-fuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research is constantly conducted with the goal of increasing the degree of integration and reducing the size of semiconductor devices. E-fuses, which are usually arranged in a two-dimensional array, are a medium in which information may be stored in a semiconductor device. The inventive concept set forth herein is directed at increasing the integration density, reducing the size, and improving the signal transmission characteristics of an E-fuse array.


Calls are made in known manner between terminals in the form of information-carrying modulation applied to emission waves that travel along common transmission lines. An emission frequency (F(2P-1)) is allocated to each terminal for each call. According to the invention, a marking wave is supplied to all of the terminals while no call is yet being set up, thereby marking an emission frequency. When a new call is being set up, the marked frequency is allocated for the new call to at least one of the terminals that are to participate in the call. The invention is particularly applicable to communications by means of optical fibers.

A network in accordance with the present invention may include certain items that are common as to their functions indicated below with a first known network. These items include:
a plurality of terminals associated with respective user peripherals between which messages are to be transmitted, each of the terminals being suitable for emitting an emission wave at a controlled emission frequency which constitutes a position of the terminal within a spectrum range of the network, the terminal also being suitable to apply information-carrying modulation to said wave so as to cause it to convey one of said messages; PA1 two transmission lines associated with each of said terminals to guide waves and which are constituted by an emission line for guiding said emission wave from said terminal and a reception line for guiding waves received by said terminal; PA1 a star coupler for receiving said emission waves over said emission lines and for transmitting each of said waves to all of the terminals via said reception lines such that the positions of the various terminals must remain at mutual distances apart that are not less than a predetermined frequency increment; and PA1 frequency allocation means for allocating positions to the terminals for the calls in which they are to participate.
The emission frequencies of the various terminals in such a network vary over time. But to avoid such variations giving rise to cross-talk, the spectrum distances between emission frequencies must remain at not less than one frequency increment. The frequency increment is selected to reserve a message channel of adequate bandwidth for each call within the spectrum range of the network. Starting from a base frequency, these frequencies thus constitute a sequence which is referred herein as a "stack" and which extends up to a top of the stack. This sequence corresponds to the sequence of message channels including said frequencies and also the sequence of terminals utilizing said frequencies. In each of these sequences an item may be adjacent to another item, i.e. it may precede it or it may follow it. The top of the stack is constituted by one of the emission frequencies or, for a call established over a plurality of frequencies, by a group of such frequencies being used for the same call and which are adjacent, for example, said frequency or group of frequencies being the furthest from the base frequency.
The various terminals may be identical to one another. That is why, to facilitate the description of the operation of such a network consideration is sometimes given more particularly to one of the terminals, which may be constituted by any one of them and which is referred to as the "terminal under consideration".
It will be understood that the word "wave" used herein is capable of designating waves or signals that may be at various different frequencies, and that may be of various different kinds, e.g. electromagnetic or acoustic. Nevertheless, the present invention relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to the case where said emission waves are optical waves and where said transmission lines are optical fibers for guiding said waves.
The said first known network constitutes one such network. It is described in a first prior document constituted by European patent Document EP-A-381 102 (F*16761). That document explains how the emission frequency of the terminal under consideration is established as it prepares to begin a call. The frequency is established by a "support". Such a "support" consists in the terminal under consideration establishing its emission frequency relative to a support frequency in such a manner that the spectrum distance between said emission frequency and its support frequency is equal to one of said frequency increments. A support frequency is typically constituted by the emission frequency of another terminal.
To implement such support, the terminal under consideration scans the spectrum range of the network. Such scanning enables it to identify possible emission frequencies that are not busy and that are therefore available for emitting the message to be transmitted. An emission frequency identified in this way is selected and is used initially to send calling signalling which includes, at least, an address for the called terminal. The duration of such scanning increases the access time of terminals to the network, i.e. the time which elapses on average between the instant when the terminal receives an instruction from the associated user peripheral to transmit a message and the instant at which said transmission begins.
A second known network is described in a second prior document constituted by an article "Protocols for very high-speed optical fiber local area networks using a passive star topology" (Isam M. I. Habbab, Mohsen Kavehrad, and Carl-Erik W. Sundberg, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. LT-5, No. 12, December 1987, pp. 1782-1793).
The spectrum range of said second known network includes a plurality of message channels and a signalling channel and the positions of the channels appear to be predetermined. The signalling channel is reserved for transmitting signalling making it possible, in particular, for a calling terminal to indicate a message channel to the called terminal for use in a call.
A particular object of the present invention is to limit the access time of a terminal to such a network.

Communications method and network with frequency allocation


A waterproof structure of a building, includes: at least two face members disposed on an exterior of the building; a sealing member disposed between end edge portions of the face members; a joint covering member disposed between the end edge portions. The end edge portions are folded to protrude exteriorly and have constrained portions for narrowing a gap therebetween. The sealing member is disposed between the end edge portions to close the gap between the end edge portions. The joint covering member covers and presses the sealing member from an exterior side. The joint covering member is attached to the constrained portions acting elastic force between the constrained portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof structure of a building using a cover member.
2. Background Art
Generally, an outside joint portion of a building of a roof, a balcony floor, an outer wall, a surrounding of an opening or the like is provided with a sealing member to constitute a waterproof structure.
A sealing member described in Japanese Patent No. 2519660 is arranged at inside of a joiner for connecting to engage roof sheets and constituted by forming a sealing member main body in an inverse U-like shape by an elastic material and forming a single or a plurality of fin-like sealing valves at positions on an inner side of the sealing member main body opposed thereto.
According to the above-described sealing member, the sealing valve squeezes the roof sheet members to eliminate a clearance therebetween to thereby prevent invasion of water.
Further, according to a folded sheet roof described in JP-A-7-34609, there is provided a waterproof structure of the folded sheet roof attaching a drip or the like to an attaching member installed above bulged shape head portions of contiguous ridge portions and an attaching apparatus constituted by integrally connecting a locking member fit to attach to constrained portions between valley portions interposed by the contiguous ridge portions and the attaching member.
According to the above-described waterproof structure of the folded sheet roof, the attaching apparatus is formed integrally therewith and therefore, fabrication cost can be reduced, there is not a concern of breaking joint between constituent members of the attaching apparatus even when a strong wind of typhoon or the like is brought about and the drip or the like can solidly be fixed to the folded sheet roof.


Silica-based, chemically-bonded porous coatings, synthesized via the reaction of organo silanes with silica, are used as coatings for inkjet image printing. Silica is used as the base material in all cases, due to its favorable chemical properties of the surface, and the favorable pore structure. The silane-silica reaction product substantially retains the original pore structure of the pre-reacted silica. The disclosed embodiments solve the problems in the prior art in that any catalytic activity of the silica surface towards image fade is eliminated by the chemical modification of silica. This improves the image fade and humid fastness properties of the coating.

Image fade, which includes light and ambient air fade, is being recognized as a significant problem to overcome in ink jet printing. Earlier concerns dealt, for example, with water fastness and smear fastness. These earlier concerns have been largely overcome, and the fading of images, especially that of color images, with time has become an important issue.
One prior art solution involves the inclusion of image fade additives to the ink. However, this complicates the ink and the results have not been very promising. Inclusion of additives often reduces the reliability of the ink.
Another prior art solution involves inclusion of the additive into the media coating, which is typically silica (silicon dioxide) or silica-based. The disadvantage is that this does not yield a uniform and a homogeneous layer of the additive on the porous media surface. As a result, colorant molecules of the printed image get exposed to different chemical environments.
Yet another prior art solution is to use swellable coatings on the media that in general show better image permanence. The major disadvantages to this approach are the poor inherent dry time and wet fastness.
Thus, there is a need for reducing image fade without adversely affecting either the ink or the print medium.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Chemically-bonded porous coatings that enhance humid fastness and fade fastness performance of ink jet images


This invention relates to a magnetic displacement measurement device, which comprises a ruler body and a vernier, wherein a magnetic main ruler is fixed on the ruler body, and a secondary ruler is fixed on the vernier; the secondary ruler comprises a magnetic sensor and a measurement circuit thereon; said magnetic sensor is composed of magnetoresistances; said measurement circuit comprises at least two measurement bridges composed of magnetoresistances; the movement distance of the vernier is displayed on the display screen of the device after being detected by the magnetic sensor and being processed by the measurement circuit. The magnetic displacement measurement device provided by the invention not only can normally work in the wet and oil polluted environment, but also has the advantages of simple structure, convenient manufacture, low price, low power consumption and high precision.

Conventional mechanical vernier caliper is gradually replaced with the electronic digital display caliper. The electronic digital display caliper most widely used at present uses capacitive displacement sensors, and the output of the sensor is associated with the relative positions of the capacitor plates on the main ruler and the secondary ruler. With the processing of the electronic circuit, the data of the relative positions is displayed in the display screen. The electronic digital display caliper in this principle is described in SE7714010 and European Patent EP0053091. Although the electronic digital display caliper in this principle has high precision and low power consumption, there is a specific requirement for application environment of the caliper. The caliper will work abnormally in wet environment or in the environment with lubrication and dust and the like. However, it is difficult to avoid such environment in practice, which will limit the application range of such kind of electronic digital display caliper.
In order to allow the electronic digital display caliper to work normally in wet environment and in the environment with lubrication and dust and the like, one solution is to measure displacement by using a magnetic displacement sensor. The magnetic displacement measurement method has been described in U.S. patents of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,226,024, 4,612,502 and 5,174,041. However, the structure disclosed in the above patents is complicated and has high power consumption and low precision, which is not usable as a portable measuring tool. Chinese Patent Application No. CN1254412A discloses a magnetic portable electronic digital display caliper, in which the magnetic displacement sensor uses such a structure as shown in FIG. 3, wherein a main ruler 103 is provided on the ruler body 101; a plastic film 134 is provided on the surface of the main ruler; the main ruler 103 uses substrate made of magnetic material and is magnetized at constant intervals in the movement direction so as to form grid-type magnetic poles, thereby the magnetic field intensity on the surface of the main ruler 103 varies with the period of grid pitch λ; a substrate 141 is fixed on a vernier corresponding to the main ruler 103 and a magnetoresistance 142 is provided on the substrate 141; said magnetoresistance 142 detects the magnetic field intensity on the surface of the main ruler 103 so as to realize the measurement of position. Because it is not easy to make the magnetization intensity of the main ruler 142 is in the form of single layer film, the resistance change rate is small, which would impose high requirement on the measurement circuit. In addition, the bridge used to detect the resistance change is a DC bridge; and the displacement amount is calculated according to the amplitude output from the bridge. Therefore, this method will bring displacement float due to external electronic interference and environment variation, eventually will influence the measurement precision.

Beijing Aerospace Feng Guang Electronic Technical Corp. Ltd.


A drain valve assembly having a stem which can be inserted into a crankcase or other fluid reservoir, wherein the stem is connected to a housing which encloses a sealing barrel movably secured and sealed in the connected stem and housing, and wherein the sealing barrel can be manipulated in a single direction from the exterior of the assembly to open or close a fluid passage through the assembly. An end cap may also be provided tethered to the housing for sealing off the fluid passage. Selected movement of the sealing barrel in the connected stem and housing may also be used to control the volume and flow of fluid through the fluid passage.

Draining the crankcase of a small engine is frequently done by a home owner and not by a trained mechanic, and that process is often a messy job. Conventionally, this job is done by unscrewing a draincock or plug at the lowest point of the crankcase or fluid reservoir. The unscrewing of the drain plug is frequently associated with a spill of the oil or other liquid. Oftentimes, the drain will begin to leak before the plug is fully opened, and turning it one way or the other will cause the draining to cease or create a steadier uncontrolled flow. Obviously, uncontrolled spills are not only messy, but are adverse to the environment and sometimes dangerous, as the fluid tends to soak into whatever surface it drains to, is often difficult to clear or clean and is some times combustible.
In the past, many inventors have sought to deal with these problem by designing special drain valves. Examples of such devices include those structures found in:                Chen U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,699, OIL DRAIN VALVE;        Wickett U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,072, ACCESS PORT OR DRAIN PLUG WITH VALVE FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS;        Conklin et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,086, QUICK DRAIN CRANKCASE DRAIN PLUG;        Shropshire et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,115, OIL DRAIN PLUG;        Lombardo U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,117, OIL VALVE DEVICES FOR REMOVING USED OIL FROM DRAIN PANS OF VEHICLES;        Burdick et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,158, OIL DRAIN VALVE ASSEMBLY;        Martz U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,847. VALVED OIL PAN PLUG;These designs usually involved critical trigger arrangements for opening and closing the flow of fluid or devices such as balls or cams which could interfere with the smooth flow of fluid (particularly where the fluid contains solids or is pasty) or twisting of the drain plug upon weak parts of the assembly or diverting the flow from a straight gravity flow which interfered with the draining of semi-viscous fluids, like some spent heavy oils. All of these systems are believed to require relatively difficult designs or not suitable or versatile enough for most types of simple drain application or involve risk of leaks or handling of messy parts or dangerous materials to accomplish the fluid draining job.
In the present invention, the drain valve assembly has a stem which may be threaded or otherwise inserted into the housing of an oil pan, preferably at the lowest point thereof, for smooth gravity flow from the fluid reservoir. This stem receives one end of a novel sealing barrel seated therein and extending downwardly therefrom, and arranged over the other end of the barrel is an outside housing. In the stem and housing there is an o-ring which seals the barrel into the stem and outside housing. At the free end of the outside housing, there may be a safety end cap tethered to the housing and free to be moved on to and off the free end of the barrel. Extending from the barrel in the direction of flow are integral tabs which may be pinched together to free the barrel for vertical movement so that the barrel may be pulled downwardly to open a channel through the barrel and allow the fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir, or when opened, to be lifted for closing the channel. With this arrangement, the valve or barrel is opened or closed merely by moving it upwardly or downwardly, without any twisting or switching of a valve relatively to the direction of flow, and further, only the outside of the barrel is manipulated, so that the user does not come into contact with any surface touching the fluid. The barrel may be rotated horizontally so the it is accessible from any degree on its circumference.


A furniture box spring frame for manufactured for high volume production. The furniture box spring frame has a first side panel and a second side panel. Each of the side panels is interconnected by a plurality of connector plates. The panels are assembled using truss assembly technology, realizing an increased rate of production. A first connecting member extends from a first end surface of the first panel to a first end surface of the second panel. A second connecting member extends from the second end surface of the first panel to the second end surface of the second panel. A plurality of notches are correspondingly defined in each of the side panels along a top edge surface. A plurality of slats are received and secured to a bottom planar surface of each of the plurality of notches. The plurality of slats extend from the first side panel to the second side panel.

High volume type box springs are commonly made using labor intensive techniques. These techniques consisted of assembly in piece meal fashion of a number of independent wooden members with a staple gun or the like. A level of skill was required to construct the box frame therefore requiring a certain amount of training before a worker was capable of effectively assembling the box frame to become profitable. These factors contribute undesirably to costs.
High volume production box springs typically are not highly rugged and in some instances are not capable of withstanding long-term use, thereby requiring frequent replacement. Additionally, conventional box springs are heavy which translates into additional shipping costs.
Thus, a need exists for a lightweight furniture box spring which can be quickly and easily manufactured for mass production while increasing the ruggedness and durability of the product. Such a device would reduce labor costs and thereby increase profitability.


A brush seal for a gas turbine engine may comprise a spring-loaded support plate and a plurality of bristles located over the spring-loaded support plate. The spring-loaded support plate may comprise a support bar and a plurality of arms extending from the support bar. The support arms may be configured to apply a biasing load to the support bar.

A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. Air moves into the engine through the fan section. Airfoil arrays in the compressor section rotate to compress the air, which is then mixed with fuel and combusted in the combustor section. The products of combustion are expanded to rotatably drive airfoil arrays in the turbine section. Rotating the airfoil arrays in the turbine section drives rotation of the fan and compressor sections.
The gas turbine engine may have various gas-flow streams that may be kept separate from one another by various components and/or seals. Brush seals may be employed in applications where the seal cavity, within which the brush seal is located, expands and contracts axially due to translation and/or thermal expansion of the components that define the seal cavity. Brush seals may also be employed in applications where there is a high pressure differential between the various gas-flow streams. However, in applications challenged by both axial movement (often referred to as "active seal cavities") and high pressure differentials, current brush seal designs may experience difficulties.

Brush seal with spring-loaded backing plate


An engine controller adjusts an image density of the toner image to a target density by controlling an electrifying bias and a development bias. The engine controller determines an optimal development bias which is needed to obtain the target density based on densities of first patch images which are formed in the following bias condition: The electrifying bias is fixed at the most recent optimal electrifying bias which is stored in a RAM; and the development bias is gradually changing based on the most recent optimal development bias which is stored in the RAM.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method in which an electrifying bias applied to electrifying means electrifies a surface of a photosensitive member, an electrostatic latent image is thereafter formed on the surface of the photosensitive member, and a development bias is thereafter applied to developer means so that a toner visualizes the electrostatic latent image into a toner image.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of an image forming apparatus often sees a change in an image density due to the following factors: fatigue, degradation with age or the like of a photosensitive member and a toner; a change in a temperature, a humidity or the like around the apparatus; and other causes. Noting this, a number of techniques have been proposed which aim at stabilizing an image density through appropriate adjustment of a density control factor such as an electrifying bias, a development bias, a light exposure dose, etc. For example, the invention described in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 10-239924 requires to properly adjust an electrifying bias and a development bias in an effort to stabilize an image density. That is, according to this conventional technique, reference patch images are formed on a photosensitive member while changing an electrifying bias and/or a development bias and an image density of each reference patch is detected. An optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias are thereafter determined based on the detected image densities, and a density of a toner image is accordingly adjusted.
The density adjustment is executed at the following timing. Specifically, after turning on a main power source of the image forming apparatus, a density is adjusted upon arriving at a state where the apparatus is ready to form an image, which is when a fixing temperature reaches a predetermined temperature or immediately after that, for example. Where a timer is built within the image forming apparatus, the density adjustment is executed at regular intervals, e.g., for every two hours.
By the way, while an electrifying bias and a development bias change in accordance with fatigue, degradation with age or the like of a photosensitive member and a toner, etc., the changes possess a continuity to a certain extent. Hence, when repeated density adjustment is desired, if a density is adjusted using an optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias which are obtainable from immediately preceding density adjustment, the current density adjustment is expectedly more accurate.
However, according to this conventional technique, a density is adjusted uniformly at the timing described above. More precisely, an electrifying bias-development bias characteristic is identified in advance, and three combinations of an electrifying bias and a development bias which satisfy the identified characteristic are registered in a ROM. Following this, for density adjustment, three reference patch images are formed using the different registered bias. Thus, the conventional apparatus executed the density adjustment without considering a result of immediately preceding density adjustment at all. Densities of the respective patch images formed in this manner are measured, and an optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias are determined based on the measured image densities.
Hence, there is a room in the conventional technique for improving an accuracy of calculation of an optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias, with respect to adjustment of an image density of a toner image to a target density by means of control of an electrifying bias and a development bias.
The present invention aims at providing an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which more accurately calculate an optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias which are necessary for adjusting of an image density of a toner image to a target density and accordingly stabilize the image density.
In fulfillment of the foregoing object, an image forming apparatus and method are provided and are particularly well suited to density adjustment of a toner image based on image densities of a plurality of patch images. Control means adjusts an image density of the toner image to a target density by controlling an electrifying bias and a development bias. Every time adjustment is finished, the control means causes memory means to store the electrifying bias and the development bias which are obtained after the adjustment as an optimal electrifying bias and an optimal development bias, respectively. When adjustment is performed repeatedly, based on the optimal electrifying bias and the optimal development bias stored in the memory means, the control means controls such that a plurality of patch images are formed in sequence while changing at least one of the electrifying bias and the development bias.
An image forming apparatus and method according to the present invention will be described in derail by means of the following most suitable embodiments thereof.

Image forming apparatus and method for electrifying and developing bias control features


Provided are an improved cell-permeable (iCP)-SOCS3 recombinant protein and uses thereof. Suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) is an endogenous protein inhibitor of JAK/STAT pathway, and an aberrant expression of SOCS3 protein was observed in human solid tumors including gastric, colorectal and breast cancer, and glioblastoma. The iCP-SOCS3 recombinant protein provided herein may be used as protein-based anti-lung cancer agent by utilizing the platform technology for macromolecule intracellular transduction.

Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and women, and was responsible for 1.56 million deaths annually. There are two main types of primary lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC). About 85% of lung cancers are NSCLCs which is the most common type of lung cancer.
Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma are all subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer. Cytokines including IL-6 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) activate the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, a vital role promoting the inflammation, carcinogenesis and metastasis in the lung. STAT3, which functions as an oncogene downstream of IL-6/gp130, is hyper-activated in lung cancer cells contributes to increase cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis.
Cytokine signaling is strictly regulated by the SOCS family proteins induced by different classes of agonists, including cytokines, hormones and infectious agents. Among them, SOCS1 and SOCS3 are relatively specific to STAT1 and STAT3, respectively. SOCS1 inhibits JAK activation through its N-terminal kinase inhibitory region (KIR) by the direct binding to the activation loop of JAKs, while SOCS3 binds to janus kinases (JAKs)-proximal sites on the receptor through its SH2 domain and inhibits JAK activity that blocks recruitment of STAT3. Both promote anti-inflammatory effects due to the suppression of inflammation-inducing cytokine signaling. Furthermore, the SOCS box, another domain in SOCS proteins, interacts with E3 ubiquitin ligases and/or couples the SH2 domain-binding proteins to the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Therefore, SOCSs inhibit cytokine signaling by suppressing JAK kinase activity and degrading the activated cytokine receptor complex.
A previous study has confirmed that SOCS3 may significantly inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells in vitro and indicated that SOCS3 may act as an anti-oncogene involved in the development of tumors. Furthermore, SOCS3 may regulate the movement and migration of tumor cells. Methylation-mediated silencing of SOCS3 has been reported in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other human cancers. In addition to the effect of SOCS3 in inflammation, abnormalities of the JAK/STAT pathway are also associated with cancer. It has been reported that methylationin of CpG islands in the functional SOCS3 promoter is correlated with its transcription silencing in the lung cancer cell lines. Restoration of SOCS3 in lung cancer cells where SOCS3 was methylation-silenced resulted in the down-regulation of active STAT3, induction of apoptosis, and growth suppression of cancer cells. It means that SOCS3 silencing is one of the important mechanisms of constitutive activation of the JAK/STAT pathway in cancer pathogenesis. Therefore, it can be suggested that intracellular SOCS3 protein replacement therapy may be useful in the treatment of lung cancer.

Cell-permeable (ICP)-SOCS3 recombinant protein and uses thereof


A stiffener (34 or 52 or 72) includes a pathway which allows gases and fluids, such as air, to be vented from the interface between surface bonding regions (35 or 60 or 74) of the stiffener and an adhesive (38 or 56 or 80) on a flexible substrate (36 or 54 or 78). The pathway may take the form of a porous material used for the stiffener or one or more bore holes (58 or 59 or 70) formed in the stiffener. The stiffener may also include an internal cavity (76) for promoting venting of fluids and gases. By venting fluid and gases from the adhesive/stiffener interface, better adhesion between the stiffener and flexible substrate is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to stiffener structures used on flexible substrates on which electrical components are mounted and, more particularly, to improving the adhesion of stiffener structures to flexible substrates.
2. Background Description
FIG. 1a shows an electronic module 8 that includes a stiffener structure 10 affixed by an adhesive 12 to a flexible substrate 14. The stiffener 10 maintains a region 16 of the flexible substrate 14 in a substantially planar orientation such that an electronic component 18, such as an integrated circuit chip or multilayer circuit package, can be connected to electrical wiring (not shown) on the surface of the substrate 14. These stiffener structures 10 may be used in connection with taped ball grid array devices or other electronic modules or packages. The substrate 14 is generally highly flexible and very thin (i.e., less than one tenth of an inch). Polyimides, such as KAPTON.RTM. available from DuPont, as well as other organic materials have been used as flexible substrates 14 for electronic components 18. The stiffener 10 typically will have an opening that allows the electrical component 18 to be affixed to the substrate 10 within the stiffener 10 opening after the stiffener is secured to the substrate.
FIG. 1b shows the underside of the electronic module 8. The electronic component 18 and region 16 are shown as dashed lines through the flexible substrate 14. Electrical connections (not shown) from the electrical component 18, are electrically connected to wiring 20 or ball connectors 21 on the flexible substrate 14, and the wiring 20 and/or ball connectors 21 are then used to secure the module 8 to a card or other suitable substrate (not shown). Vias (not shown) or other electrical connection configurations can be used to connect the electrical component 20 to the wiring 20 or ball connectors 21.
FIG. 2 shows an example electronic component 18 having a plurality of ball connectors 22. Contrasting FIG. 1b with FIG. 2, it can be seen that the ball connectors 22 are used to electrically connect the electrical component 18 to the wiring 20 and ball connectors on the flexible substrate 14. The ball connectors 22 are connected to electrical structures (i.e., transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc.) within the electrical component 18 are used to electrically connect these structures to circuitry positioned outside the component 18. If region 16 of substrate 14 is not planar, as is shown by rippled region 24 in FIG. 3, some of the connectors 22 will not be electrically connected to circuitry on the substrate 14. Rippling of the substrate 14 is a significant problem in organic modules that use a polymer tape or the like as the substrate. Rippling of the substrate 14 can occur even when stiffeners 10 are affixed to the substrate if the stiffeners are not securely connected to the adhesive 12.

Stiffeners with improved adhesion to flexible substrates

International Business Machines Corporation


An indicator is provided that utilizes a side-emitting light-emitting diode to indicate the state of a vehicle. An example vehicle indicator is an automobile turn indicator. Other embodiments and features further provide for a conventional light-emitting diode additionally mounted to the vehicle indicator. Certain embodiments provide a cover that protects the vehicle indicator from damage and influences the pattern and/or frequency of light emanating from the vehicle indicator. Yet other embodiments provide a circuit board for converting power from the vehicle's power source to the particular power requirements, a timing mechanism for controlling illumination, and a heat dissipating apparatus for controlling the temperature of the side-emitting light-emitting diode. Still other embodiments provide an indicator that directs light toward the vehicle operator.

Typically, regulations and guidelines for vehicle indicators require minimum light intensity patterns, as measured at various locations around the vehicle indicator to ensure the indicator is visible to other vehicle operators. Advantages may also be realized when light emanating from the vehicle indicator is directed toward the vehicle operator. Incandescent lamps are commonly utilized for vehicle indicators when broad photometric patterns are desired to comply with regulations or other particular design requirements. However, incandescent lamps are susceptible to vibration damage, have a bright filament spot that is not aesthetically desirable, generate large amounts of heat, and emit light over a broad spectrum including frequencies not desirable for certain applications. Typically, light emitting diodes are less susceptible to vibration damage, emit uniform intensity light that is more aesthetically desirable, generate less heat, and are capable of emitting light over a narrower spectrum than incandescent lamps. However, light emitting diodes do not generally emit light in the broad photometric patterns that are required for certain vehicle indicator applications, which may include directing at least a portion of the light toward the vehicle operator, such as, for example, side-mounted turn signals.
A need exists for an improved vehicle indicator that meets photometric requirements, is aesthetically desirable, capable of emitting light over a relatively narrow frequency range, is resistant to vibration damage, reduces the amount of heat generated, minimizes power requirements over typical incandescent lamps, and directs at least a portion of the emitted light toward the driver. Certain features of the present invention address these and other needs and provide other important advantages. Some or all of these features may be present in the corresponding independent or dependent claims, but should not be construed to be a limitation unless expressly recited in a particular claim.

Indicator apparatus and method for a vehicle using side-emitting light-emitting diode


A device comprising a light emitting diode (LED) substrate, and a meta-molecule wavelength converting layer positioned within an emitted light path from the LED substrate, the a meta-molecule wavelength converting layer including a plurality of nanoparticles, the plurality of nanoparticles configured to increase a light path length in the wavelength converting layer.

The present invention relates to light emitting diodes (LEDs), and more particularly, to LEDs with structured layers and nanophosphors. A typical phosphor converted, white LED uses phosphor converters to down-convert part of the blue pump light into other colors, such as green, orange, and red. Typically, the phosphor converters are either phosphor particles in a powder form embedded in polymer films or phosphor particles embedded in solid media, such as a ceramics or glass. In either configuration, the phosphor converters are deposited on top of the blue pump LED die. The phosphor converters often include crystals, such as YAG doped with cerium, erbium, and other trivalent lanthanides, and more recently, quantum dots.
The use of powdered phosphor particles embedded in polymer films or in solid media presents challenges. First, absorption cross-sections of the phosphor particles are low and therefore require a large number of phosphor particles to achieve the required converted light intensity and color point. These phosphor particles require a large number of volume scattering agents to improve scattering. Additionally, the phosphor particles can back-scatter significant amount of blue pump light back into the LED die. This back-scattered light is absorbed within the die leading to reduction in efficiency of the LED. Also, the light originating from typical phosphor particles has a Lambertian angular spectrum mainly due to large light scattering within the films. Such an angular spectrum is not a useful feature in applications requiring directed or collimated light emission.

LED with structured layers and nanophosphors


A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and substrate processing method includes a step of acquiring a measurement value based on a first detecting and a second detecting section and determining a first difference of measurement values between the first detecting section and the second detecting section, comparing between a previously stored second difference between measurement values concerning the first detecting section and the second detecting section, calculating a correction value for a pressure in a cooling-gas passage provided between a process chamber and a heating device depending upon the first difference when the first difference is different from the second difference, and correcting the pressure value based on the pressure correction value, and a step of processing the substrate by flowing a cooling gas through the cooling-gas passage while heating the process chamber, and placing the heating device and the cooling device under a control section depending upon a pressure value corrected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
International Publication No. 2005/008755 discloses, in its pamphlet, a substrate processing apparatus that the film is to be formed uniform in thickness while controlling the heating temperature on the substrate by determining a change temperature amount N for realizing a desired mean temperature difference M through use of the difference, between a temperature at the end of and a temperature at the center of the substrate, occurring upon changing the heating temperature in a predetermined time and the steady-state difference in temperature at between the end and the center of the substrate.
However, even where a desired mean temperature difference M is realized, the film formed on a substrate is limited in thickness uniformity.
Meanwhile, there is known a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that is arranged with a plurality of temperature sensors to detect an interior temperature of the reactor so that the interior of the reactor can be controlled at a predetermined temperature by use of a temperature control device depending upon the detected temperature.
However, in such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, there is a problem that the interior temperature of the reactor tends to fluctuate and hence the film formed on the substrate readily varies in thickness where conducted maintenance or exchanged the temperature sensor as compared to that in newly starting the use of the apparatus.
This problem is considered mainly responsible for the errors in mounting quartz members, e.g. temperature sensors and outer and inner tubes. There is a difficulty in eliminating the mount errors perfectly.
Furthermore, there is known a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a rapid-cooling mechanism for cooling the interior temperature of the reactor rapidly. In the rapid-cooling mechanism of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, connection is provided between a gas outlet port of its rapid-cooling blower and an exhaust equipment of a factory or the like where the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is installed.
However, such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus involves a problem that the film formed is non-uniform in thickness and quality due to the variation of cooling capability at the cooling mechanism during film forming because exhaust pressure varies at the exhaust equipment.

Substrate processing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus


Apparatus indicates a charge on a battery that has a predetermined operating range. The apparatus includes a thermochromatic material for displaying the charge level of the battery, and a resistive heating device, which is in thermal contact with the thermochromatic material, for generating heat for activating the thermochromatic material. A controlling device which is connected to the resistive heating device is also included for controlling the heat generated by the heating device so that the thermochromatic material has sufficient resolution to indicate the charge on the battery over a substantial portion of the thermochromatic material.

Many battery charge indicators employ a thermochromatic material as the display or meter for indicating the relative charge on a battery. These indicators have been integrated into the packaging of batteries and have even been mounted directly on the batteries themselves. In this type of battery charge indicator, thermochromatic ink is applied over a tapered resistive strip that produces heat when the battery voltage is applied to the resistive strip, causing the current to flow through the strip. The heat causes the thermochromatic ink to react by becoming clear and revealing an underlying graph to give a visual indication of the charge on the battery.
These indicators generally work well to display the charge on a batter which has a relatively wide operating voltage range, for example, approximately 0.5 V or more, and they can be connected directly to the battery terminals. Alkaline batteries or series packs of three or more nickel-cadmium (Ni--Cd) batteries have a sufficiently wide operating voltage range such that the changes in the voltage level as the battery is discharged or charged is adequately displayed on the thermochromatic material. In other words, the variation of voltage from one end of the range to the other is sufficiently wide so that the thermochromatic ink in the thermochromatic indicator reveals the underlying graph over a substantial portion of the thermochromatic material.
However, for batteries such as a single rechargeable Ni--Cd battery or a nickel metal hydride battery which have a relatively small or narrow operating voltage range between fully charged and discharged conditions, normally about 0.2 V, the conventional thermochromatic indicators connected directly to the battery terminals have been unable to indicate the battery charge level with adequate resolution. The portion, of the thermochromatic ink affected by the change in the battery voltage from one end of the operating range to another is only a fraction of the entire thermochromatic material. Therefore, an incremental or a decremental change in the battery voltage is too small to significantly vary the current through the resistive strip. This results in a correspondingly small change in the heat produced by the resistive strip and similarly negligible portion of the thermochromatic material being affected by the change. Consequently, the variation in the battery charge level is almost indistinguishable to a user viewing the thermochromatic material for the purposes of determining the charge on the battery because of poor resolution.
Thus, there is a need for apparatus for indicating a charge with good resolution when the battery has a relatively small operating voltage range between the charged and discharged conditions.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved battery charge indicator.
Another object is to provide a new and improved battery charge indicator having high resolution when the battery has a relatively small voltage range between the charged and discharged conditions.

Battery charge indicator having improved resolution


A system and method non-invasive biomedical optical imaging and spectroscopy with low-level light is described. The technique consists of a modulated light source (120) coupled to tissue (100) of a patient to introduce excitation light. Fluorescent light emitted in response to the excitation light is detected with sensor (148). The AC intensity and phase of the excitation and detected fluorescent light is provided to a processor (160) operatively coupled to sensor (148). Processor (160) employs the measured re-emission kinetics of excitation and fluorescent light to "map" the spatial variation of one or more fluorescence characteristics of the tissue (100). The fluorescence characteristic may be provided by exogenous contract agents, endogenous fluorophores, or both. The variation is determined by solving frequency domain diffusion equations at a number of designated points in the tissue as part of a recursive estimation algorithm. Processor (160) generates an imaging signal in accordance with the spatial variation of the fluorescence characteristic for provision to an output device (164). The output device (164) displays an image corresponding spatial variation of the fluorescence characteristic which corresponds to tissue (100) to aid in the detection and diagnosis of disease.

The present invention relates to spectroscopic imaging of heterogeneous light scattering media, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to in vivo imaging of biologic tissue by mapping a fluorescence characteristic of the tissue through the detection of light emitted in response to excitation light from a time-varying light source.
The early detection of disease promises a greater efficacy for therapeutic intervention. In recent years, non-invasive techniques have been developed which have improved the ability to provide a reliable and early diagnosis of various afflictions by detecting biochemical changes in the tissue of a patient. For example, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has successfully monitored the relaxation of spin states of paramagnetic nuclei in order to provide biomedical imaging and biochemical spectroscopy of tissues. Unfortunately, the complexity and expense of MRI diagnostics limit its availability--especially as a means of routine monitoring for disease.
Another powerful analytical technique with an increasing number of applications in the biological sciences is fluorescence spectroscopy. These applications include biomedical diagnostics, genetic sequencing, and flow cytometry. To date, there are several industrial and academic institutions developing fluorescent and phosphorescent compounds for observing pertinent metabolites and environmental conditions, such as Ca.sup.++, pH, glucose, pO.sub.2, and pCO.sub.2. With the development of dyes and photodynamic fluorescent agents which excite and re-emit in the near-infrared red (NIR) wavelength regime, non-invasive detection of diseased tissues located deep within tissues may also be possible since red excitation and re-emission light can travel significant distances to and from the tissue-air interface (See Wilson et al., Time-Dependent Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging for Biomedical Applications, 80 Proceedings IEEE pp. 918-30 (1992)).
As exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,337 to Richards-Kortum et al. and 5,452,723 to Wu et al., several investigators have suggested various procedures to differentiate diseased and normal tissues based on fluorescence emissions through non-invasive external measurements or minimally invasive endoscopic measuring techniques. Unfortunately, these procedures generally fail to provide a viable spatial imaging procedure. One reason imaging based on fluorescence has remained elusive is that meaningful relational measurements of fluorescence characteristics from a random, multiply scattering media, such as tissue, are difficult to obtain. For example, fluorescent intensity, which is a function of the fluorescent compound (or fluorophore) concentration or "uptake," is one possible candidate for imaging; however, when this property is used in an optically dense medium, such as a particulate (cell) suspension, powder, or tissue, the local scattering and absorption properties confound measured fluorescent intensities.
Besides intensity, other properties of selected fluorophores such as fluorescent quantum efficiency and lifetime are also sensitive to the local biochemical environment. As used herein, "fluorescent quantum efficiency" means the fractional number of fluorescent photons re-emitted for each excitation photon absorbed or the fraction of decay events which result in emission of a fluorescent photon. "Fluorescent lifetime," as used herein, is defined as the mean survival time of the activated fluorophore or the mean time between the absorption of an excitation photon and re-emission of a fluorescent photon. Like intensity, measurement of these fluorescence characteristics is often limited to well-defined in vitro applications in the research laboratory or in flow cytometry where issues such as scattering, absorption, and changing fluorophore concentrations can be controlled or measured. Moreover, these limitations generally preclude meaningful fluorescence-based imaging of hidden tissue heterogeneities, such as tumors or other diseased tissue regions which cannot be detected by visual inspection.
Thus, a need remains for a technique to non-invasively image multiply scattering tissue based on one or more fluorescence characteristics which does not require extensive information about intrinsic optical properties of the tissue, and takes advantage of the contrast capability offered by fluorescence yield and lifetime characteristics to aide in the identification of tissue heterogeneities. The present invention satisfies this need.

Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Transfer


A method and system are provided for generating a trigger signal from a radar signal received over the air from a radar under test. The method includes detecting power of the radar signal received from the radar under test at a radio frequency (RF) power detector, the radar signal including multiple bursts of RF energy in a burst pattern; identifying repeating radar frames from the burst pattern using the detected power of the radar signal, each radar frame having at least one burst; and creating trigger signals corresponding to the radar frames, respectively, by synchronizing to the at least one burst in each radar frame.

Millimeter wave (mmWave) automotive radar is a key technology for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and for planned autonomous driving systems. Millimeter waves result from oscillations at frequencies in the frequency spectrum between 30 gigahertz (GHz) and 300 GHz. For example, millimeter wave automotive radar is used in ADAS to warn of forward collisions and backward collisions, to implement adaptive cruise control and autonomous parking, and ultimately to perform autonomous driving on streets and highways. Millimeter wave automotive radar has advantages over other sensor systems in that millimeter wave automotive radar can work under most types of weather and in light and darkness. The continued improvement of millimeter wave automotive radar has lowered costs to the point that mmWave automotive radar can now be deployed in large volumes. Thus, mmWave automotive radar is now widely used for long range, middle range and short range environment sensing in ADAS. Additionally, millimeter wave automotive radar systems are likely to be widely used in autonomous driving systems currently being developed.
Conventional automotive mmWave radar systems typically have multiple radio frequency (RF) transmitters and multiple RF receivers, where the RF transmitters may be used either to improve spatial resolution of the radar or to achieve transmitter beam sweeping. Actual driving environments in which automotive radars may be deployed can vary greatly and many such driving environments may be complex. For example, actual driving environments may contain numerous objects, and some objects encountered in actual driving environments have complicated reflection, diffraction and multi-time reflection characteristics that affect echo signals. The immediate consequences of incorrectly sensing and/or interpreting echo signals may be that false warnings, or improper reactions are triggered or warnings or reactions that should be triggered are not, which in turn can lead to collisions. Due to the safety critical nature of these functions, thorough testing of the hardware and system level software is necessary. It is impractical to set up road tests to thoroughly test these features, and especially the corner cases, which might happen rarely, but would nonetheless put the car into making life-or-death decisions.
To avoid accidents, automotive radars may be tested in various driving scenarios. A testing environment for automotive radars may include a radar test system (scenario emulator) that receives radar signals transmitted over the air (OTA) by the radar under test and provides echo signals from emulated targets. This enables simulation of a wide variety of driving scenarios for testing the radar without the need for safety drivers or permission from local governments, and without putting the drivers and the public at risk.
In general, automotive radars operate using the frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) methods. Typically, multiple transmit antennas send out a frequency modulated RF signal that reflects off objects (targets) in the environment. The reflected RF signal (echo signal) is subsequently received by multiple receive antennas. The time of flight of the RF signal is translated into a frequency difference due to the (typically linear) frequency modulation of the FMCW receiver. Phase differences between the echo signals received by the different receive antennas may be mathematically mapped to an angle of arrival (AOA).
Conventional radar test systems are typically "hardware-in-the-loop" systems, where the radar emulation is performed with real-time delays of the radar signal. These types of test systems provide limited angle resolution and are quite expensive per radar object emulated (e.g., about $100,000 per emulated target). For radar test systems that provide a true-time delay, external triggering is not needed to synchronize the delay with the radar frame. Also, in radar test systems that work on the principle of single side band (SSB) mixing to emulate a time delay, when there is only one chirp slope (rate of frequency change with time) per radar frame, triggering may not be needed. However, many modern automotive radars include radar frames having more than one chirp slope per frame. To emulate targets using SSB mixing for these radars, in-phase quadrature (I/Q) mixers in the receivers receive I/Q signals with different frequencies that must be synchronized with the parts of the radar frames corresponding to the different chirp slopes. Also, the radar test system typically runs at a different rate than the radar under test. Therefore, the radar test system must be synchronized with the radar under test to provide proper time alignment. This is currently done using external triggers, for example. However, use of external triggers is problematic because the radar under test operates autonomously, in that it does not use or provide electrical signals to synchronize with the radar test system. The radar test system needs to be synchronized to the radar under test, but the radar under test is not synchronized with any external signal.

Method and system for generating trigger signals from radar signal


A method of processing an image is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining an image decomposed into a set of scaled images, each being characterized by a different image-scale; and calculating, for each of at least some scaled images, a relative luminance between the scaled image and another scaled image of the set, using intensities in the scaled image and intensities in the another scaled image. The method further comprises processing each scaled image using an adaptation procedure featuring an image-specific effective saturation function of the relative luminance, thereby providing a processed scaled image; combining at least some of the processed scaled images to provide a combined image; and outputting the combined image to a computer readable medium.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to image processing. Specifically, the present embodiments can be used for providing an automatic dynamic range modulation of a digital image. In various exemplary embodiments of the invention the method and/or apparatus is used for companding (compressing and expanding) a high dynamic range (HDR) image. The present embodiments further comprise an imaging system.
High dynamic range imaging (HDRI) is a set of techniques that allow a far greater dynamic range of exposures (large difference between light and dark areas) than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to the deepest shadows.
HDRI was originally developed for use with purely computer-generated images. Later, methods were developed to produce a HDR image from a set of photos taken with a range of exposures. With the rising popularity of digital cameras and easy to use desktop software, many amateur photographers have used HDRI methods to create photos of scenes with a high dynamic range.
HDR images require a higher number of bits per color channel than traditional images, both because of the linear encoding and because they need to represent values from 10−4 to 108 (the range of visible luminance values) or more. 16-bit ("half precision") or 32-bit floating point numbers are often used to represent HDR pixels. However, when the appropriate transfer function is used, HDR pixels for some applications can be represented with as few as 10-12 bits for luminance and 8 bits for chrominance without introducing any visible quantization artifacts.
Digital images may contain a huge amount of data, especially for high quality display and printing. Commercially available digital imaging devices are known to acquire image information across a wide dynamic range of several orders of magnitude. Additionally, there are software solutions which fuse multiple exposures of the same scene at lower dynamic range into one image of higher dynamic range.
Typically, although at the time of image capture the acquired dynamic range is rather large, a substantial portion of it is lost once the image is digitized, printed or displayed. For example, most images are digitized to 8-bits (256 levels) per color-band, i.e., a dynamic range of about two orders of magnitude. The problem is aggravated once the image is transferred to a display or a print medium which is often limited to about 50 levels per color-band.
International Publication No. WO2009/081394, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference discloses an image processing technique in which a digital HDR image is processed using two adaptation procedures employed on the achromatic channel of the digital image. Each adaptation procedure incorporates a different effective saturation function of the intensity. The adaptation procedures mimic the operation of the physiological visual system, wherein the first procedure mimics the "on" retinal pathway and the second adaptation procedure mimics the "off" retinal pathways. The intensity level of each picture-element of the digital image is processed by both procedures. The result of each processing is an intermediate intensity level. All the intermediate intensity levels of the picture-element are then combined to provide a new achromatic intensity.

Method and system for processing an image featuring multiple scales


A portable golf GPS device comprising a microprocessor operably coupled to a GPS unit, an input device such as a keypad (or touch screen) operably coupled to the microprocessor, a voice recognition unit operably coupled to the microprocessor, and a display such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) operably coupled to the microprocessor. A program memory system which contains at least some of the software and data to operate the device is also operably coupled to the microprocessor. The portable golf GPS device is preferably contained in a housing such that the entire device has a very compact and lightweight form factor, and is preferably handheld and/or pocket size. The golf GPS device is configured to display distances to course features, and to receive and process voice input in order to select functions or input data into the golf GPS device.

Various golf GPS devices, both handheld and golf cart-mounted, have been previously disclosed and described in the prior art. Generally, these devices comprise a GPS receiver and processing electronics (the "GPS system"), a display such as a liquid crystal display ("LCD") or cathode ray tube ("CRT"), and a user input device such as a keypad. Golf course data is input and stored in the golf GPS device, including for example, the coordinates for locations of greens, bunkers and/or other course features. These types of devices use the GPS system to determine the location of the device. Then, the device calculates and displays the distances to the various golf course features, such as the distance to the front, middle and back of the green, or the distance to a bunker or water hazard. Accordingly, by placing the device at or near the golfer's ball, the device can relatively easily and accurately provide the golfer with important distance information usable while playing golf. For example, the distance information is used by the golfer to formulate strategy for playing a hole (sometimes called "course management") and for club selection.
As an example of a golf GPS device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,485 ("the '485 patent"), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, purports to disclose a golf GPS device which can display depictions of a golf hole including multiple, selectable views of each hole such as the approach to the green and the green itself. The '485 patent describes that the device is configured to automatically determine the location of the device using a GPS receiver and then automatically display the golf hole view that would be of immediate interest to the golfer. Although the '485 patent discloses that the distance to displayed features may be indicated on the display, there is no description of how or where such information is displayed. The '485 patent also describes that the device may include other features such as means for receiving climate (i.e. temperature and humidity) and weather (i.e. wind speed and direction) conditions, means for recording and computing scores, bets and handicaps, means for recording details of a golf game sufficient to later replay and analyze a round of golf, means for suggesting shot and club selections to the golfer, clubs used and distances obtained for shots, and means for updating daily tee and hole positions on a removable integrated circuit ("IC") card. The course data for each particular course is also described as being stored on removable IC cards which are interchangeable between a host computer and the golf computer.
However, the '485 patent does not describe how the course data is generated, or how daily tee and hole positions are determined. The means for updating and supplying course data through removable IC cards which are programmed on a host computer and then inserted into the golf computer is clumsy and inconvenient. Moreover, the '485 patent only describes a cart-based golf computer, and although the '485 patent suggests that portions of the device (the display and input means) could be implemented on a handheld unit such as the Apple Computer Company's NEWTON™, there is no enabling disclosure of a fully integrated, standalone, handheld golf GPS device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,938 ("the '938 patent"), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a handheld golf GPS device. The handheld device is described as software executed on a palm-held computer (PC) saddled into and connected directly to a dGPS (differential global positioning system or differential GPS) receiver. The handheld device of the '938 patent has a modular construction comprising a dGPS receiver module which receives and accommodates a display module. The display module is described as being any of a variety of handheld, multifunctional computing devices having a display screen and a processor running an operating system. Suitable display modules disclosed include Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), such as a Pocket PC, Palm™ PDA, or similar palm held computing device. The screen is split into two distinct sections, a course display section for displaying a graphic representation of an area of a golf course, and a separate data and menu display section for displaying touch sensitive menu buttons and data (including distances). In the disclosed embodiment, the majority of the screen includes the first section, and a thin, left column of the screen shows a vertical menu column of touch sensitive menu buttons and data, such as distances.
The '938 patent also describes that the handheld golf GPS device could be constructed so that the modules are integrated into one unit, but does not describe the construction of such an "integrated" unit in any detail.
The '938 patent describes various functionality of the handheld golf GPS device, methods of creating golf course maps, and methods of distributing the golf course maps to the handheld golf GPS devices. For example, to use the device of the '938 patent during a round of golf, course data is first loaded onto the device. This may be accomplished by mapping the course using the device and using that course data file, as discussed below, or by connecting the device to a personal computer (PC) or directly to an internet connection and downloading the course data file onto the device. There is a setup menu for setting player preferences such as: club selection and data gathering; lie and stroke tracking enabled/disabled; marking of green strokes; and setting the green reference point, system units, and course, tee and starting hole selections. Once the course, tee and starting hole have been selected, the device displays a graphical (icon) representation of the selected hole, and certain distances to features whose locations are pre-stored in the course data file is displayed only in the data and menu section of the display. For example, the distance to the center of the green may be displayed in one of the boxes in the data and menu section of the display. The graphical representation includes simple icons for various features to be shown on the display, as shown in FIG. 29 of the '938 patent. At any time, the location of the device is determined using the dGPS receiver.
The device of the '938 patent also includes a club selection feature, in which the average distance for the player's clubs is displayed for each shot during play. The device also includes features for distance measuring from the location of the device to a target marked on the display by the user. Another described feature of the device is a shot tracking method which allows the user to store the location of each shot and the club used for the stroke at such location. Several other features are described in the '938 patent, including display functions such as pan and zoom, score keeping, statistics tracking, and the ability to upload game shot data to a web site or PC and then view a replay of a round with the speed of replay being adjustable.
Another example of a handheld golf GPS device is the Skycaddie™ line of devices from Skygolf®. At present, there are four models of Skycaddies with various levels of functionality and features. Like the devices described in the '485 patent and the ''938 patent, the golf course data is loaded into the Skycaddie device. As described by Skygolf, the golf course data is generated by mapping each course on the ground using GPS and survey equipment. The database of golf course data is accessible through the internet on Skycaddie's website. The golf course data is downloaded onto a PC and then may be loaded onto the Skycaddie device by connecting the device to the PC. In addition, the Skycaddie devices allow a user to map a course, or additional course features, in the event a course or feature of interest is not included in the Skygolf database.
The Skycaddie devices use a GPS receiver to determine the geographic location of the device. Using the GPS determined location of the device and the golf course data, the Skycaddie devices display distance data such as the front, center and back of green. Certain models of the Skycaddie devices may also display the distance to features such as bunkers and water hazards whose locations have been pre-stored in the golf course data.
Certain models of the Skycaddies may also display an outline of the green for a selected hole with the distances to the front, center and back of green displayed to the side of the displayed outline. Some models also display an icon representation of certain features, such as a creek, bunker or green, in one section of the display and the distances to such features in a different section of the display next to the icons. The Skycaddie devices can only measure distance to locations which are not pre-stored in the course data by marking a starting location and then moving the device to the measured location and marking the ending location. The device will then display the distance between the two locations. However, this requires walking all the way to the measured location. The Skycaddie devices are configured to automatically advance to the next hole of play based on the location of the device.
However, none of the previously described golf GPS devices provides a convenient, pocket-sized form factor, a high-resolution color display capable of displaying photographic images of a golf course, flexible calibration to improve accuracy, or the functionality and ease of use to take full advantage of such features. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved golf GPS device which overcomes the deficiencies and drawbacks of previous devices and systems.


Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for laser peening hidden surfaces. In one embodiment, a laser processing pen is provided, the laser processing pen comprising: an elongated member, comprising: a laser pulse entry portion; a laser pulse exit portion, wherein the laser pulse exit portion includes at least one optical lens; and at least one tape guide capable of channeling at least a non-adhesive tape overlay in proximity of the laser pulse exit portion.

Laser peening (also known as laser shock processing or laser shock peening) is an innovative surface treatment for improving the fatigue strength and damage tolerance of metal parts. Laser peening drives high amplitude shock waves into a part surface using high intensity laser pulses. The shock waves are used to develop deep compressive residual stresses in the surfaces of fatigue-prone parts. Typically, these stresses penetrate five to ten times deeper than conventional metal shot peening. These compressive surface stresses inhibit the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks.
Laser peening has been particularly effective at preventing fatigue failures in aircraft engine metal alloy fan and compressor blades. However, the application of laser peening is much broader. The application can encompass aerospace structures, helicopter gears and propulsion components, automotive parts, orthopedic implants, tooling and dies, and numerous other military and industrial parts prone to metal fatigue failures.
Before laser peening, an overlay coating, which may be substantially opaque to the laser beam, may be applied to the part surface being treated. An additional layer, which may be substantially transparent to the laser beam, may be placed over the opaque overlay. The transparent layer may also be applied directly to the part surface, without the application of an opaque layer. The opaque overlay may be, for example, black paint, or tape. The transparent overlay may be, for example, flowing water.
Suitable laser peening systems, apparatuses, and processing conditions are disclosed in, for example, one or more of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,741,559, 6,191,385, 6,373,876, and 7,268,317, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The laser pulses pass through the transparent overlay and strike the opaque overlay, causing the opaque overlay to vaporize. The vapor absorbs the remaining laser energy and produces a rapidly expanding plasma plume. Because the expanding plasma is confined momentarily between the surface of the part and the transparent overlay, a rapidly rising high-pressure shock wave is created, which propagates into the part. When the peak stress created by the shock wave is above the dynamic yield strength of the metal part, the metal yields, and the metal is "cold worked" or plastically deformed on, and just under, the surface. This plastic deformation results in compressive residual stresses in the surface of the part. The depth and magnitude of the residual stresses depend upon the magnitude and rate of attenuation of the shock wave as it passes through the surface layer, the material properties, and the processing conditions specific to the application. Compressive residual stresses typically extend as deep or deeper than about 0.040 to about 0.060 inches (about 1.0 to about 1.5 mm) into the surface, and can approach the yield strength of the material.
Laser peening typically requires line-of-sight access to the surface of the workpiece to be treated. In laser peening operations, it is sometimes necessary to laser peen surfaces that may not be readily processed using traditional laser peening apparatuses. For example, some surfaces are hidden, or out of direct line-of-sight, and as such are not able to be exposed to a laser beam generated from outside the workpiece. Such surfaces may include, for example, inside holes, notches, grooves, internal cavities, dovetail joints, and the like. Previous attempts at laser peening such hidden surfaces have required the insertion of a reflective element into the cavity adjacent to the hidden surface, and directing a laser pulse onto the reflective element, which redirects the pulse onto the hidden surface. However, this method requires additional steps and, thus, additional time to laser peen hidden surfaces. What is needed is a laser peening apparatus that is capable of accessing these hidden surfaces and directly applying a laser pulse thereto.

Apparatus for laser peening hidden surfaces


An improvement to a delimber system having a delimbing unit including cutting elements, for cutting limbs extending from a tree trunk, and a tree trunk loader mechanism, for pulling the tree trunk of a tree to be delimbed through the delimbing unit such that the limbs extending from the tree trunk are severed from the tree trunk by the cutting elements. The improvement includes adding a base frame; a slide carriage mounted between the base frame and the delimbing unit such that the delimbing unit is slidable with respect to the base frame between a forward delimber position toward the tree trunk loader mechanism and a rearward delimber position away from the tree trunk loader mechanism; and an impact assembly mounted functionally between the base frame and the delimbing unit, the impact assembly including a force generating mechanism for generating a force transmitted between the base frame and the delimber unit to force the delimber unit into the rearward delimber position.

Removing the limbs from the trunks of felled trees delimbing, is ordinarily an important element in the tree harvesting process. The delimbing is ordinarily accomplishes through the use of a delimbing system that includes a delimbing unit having cutting elements for severing the tree limbs extending from the tree trunk and a tree trunk loader mechanism having a mechanism for gripping and pulling the trunk of the tree to be delimbed through the delimbing unit such that the limbs extending from the trunk are severed from the trunk by a force generated between the loader mechanism and the cutting elements. Although this system works fine with equipment provided with normal horsepower ratings, this type of system can become stalled by one or more limbs that are too large for the loader mechanism to physically pull through the delimbing unit and severe from the tree trunk. What is needed, therefore, is an additional impact assembly that includes a triggering mechanism that could sense when the loader mechanism was providing a threshold limit force and which could then generate an additional severing impulse force between the delimber unit and the loader mechanism to severe the limb or limbs.


A fishing pole holder assembly consisting of a holder and a mounting bracket to receive the holder. The holder includes a hollow, rectangular member to receive the fishing pole, legs extending at an angle from one side of the hollow member, and locking inserts formed at the end of these legs. The locking inserts form an acute angle with the hollow member. The bracket which receives the holder may be mounted on any planar surface. The width of the bracket is sufficient to receive the combined width of the locking inserts. A vertical slot is formed in the bracket to receive the legs of the holder. Insertion of the legs and inserts into the bracket results in an interference fit between the holder and the bracket. A detent tip may be formed in the holder and a receiving aperture formed in the bracket to provide even greater locking engagement.

This invention relates to holder assemblies for fishing poles and other fishing-related accessories.
Rod holders have been provided for fishermen to relieve them of the burden of holding the pole throughout the entire time spent fishing. Problems encountered in designing such holders have been numerous. Most holders are limited in their use to one particular type of surface; i.e., a vertical surface, a horizontal surface, the side of a boat, the top of a tackle box, etc. It is desirable to have a holder versatile enough to be used on any type of surface. Holders are commonly limited by their shape to use with one type of rod or pole. It is desirable to have a holder which can hold any type of rod or pole. Another area in which many of the known holders are insufficient is that of convenience. Commonly, much effort is involved in installing or disassembling the holders. It is desirable to have a holder with easily detachable and interchangeable elements.


The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing cancer by administration of human chorionic gonadotropin, .beta.-human chorionic gonadotropin or a peptide containing a sequence of a portion of .beta.-human chorionic gonadotropin. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides methods of treating or preventing Kaposi's Sarcoma, breast cancer or prostate cancer. in another preferred embodiment, the invention relates to .beta.-human chorionic gonadotropin peptides for treatment or prevention of cancer. The invention further provides assays for the utility of particular human chorionic gonadotropin preparations in the treatment or prevention of cancer. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of administration are also provided.

3.1. Cancer
A neoplasm, or tumor, is a neoplastic mass resulting from abnormal uncontrolled cell growth, which may cause swelling on the body surface, and which can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors generally remain localized. Malignant tumors are collectively termed cancers. The term "malignant" generally means that the tumor can invade and destroy neighboring body structures and spread to distant sites to cause death (for review, see Robbins and Angell, 1976, Basic Pathology, 2d Ed., W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. 68-122). Treatment options, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, are either ineffective or present serious side effects. Thus, there is a need for development of new drugs for the treatment of cancer.
Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is a rare type of cancer, the incidence of which is greatly increased in HIV infected people (Lunardi-Iskandar, Y., et al., 1995, Nature 375:64-68; Friedman-Kien, A. E., et al., 1981, J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 5:468-473). The tumors appear to be comprised of hyperplastic cells derived from vascular endothelial cells (Nakamura, S., et al., 1988, Science 242:426-430; Ensoli, B., et al, 1989, Science 243:223-226; Salahuddin, S. Z., et al., 1988, Science 242:430-433; Masood, R., et al., 1994, AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 10:969-976; Lunardi-Iskandar, Y., et al., 1995, JNCI 88:450-454). In some cases, neoplastic cells with chromosomal abnormalities are also present in the tumors (Lunardi-Iskandar, Y., et al., 1995, JNCI 87:974-981; Delli-Bovi, P., et al., 1986, Cancer Res. 46:6333-6338; Siegal, B., et al., 1990, Cancer 65:492-498; Yunis, J. J., 1983, Science 221:227-236; Popescu, N. C., et al., 1995, JNCI 88:450-454). Therapies for KS include radiotherapy, .alpha.-interferon and systemic chemotherapy (Chak, L. Y., et al., 1988, J. Clin. Oncol. 6:863-7; Evans, L. M., et al., 1991, J. Immunother. 10:39-50; Kovas, J., et al., 1990, Ann. Intern. Med. 112:812-21; Gelmann, E. D., et al., 1987, Am. J. Med. 82:456-62; Gill, P. S., et al., 1991, Am. J. Med. 90:427-33; Gill, P. S., et al., 1990; Am. J. Clin. Oncol. 13:315-9; Gill, P. S., et al., 1994, AIDS 8:1695-9). However, hematological and non-hematological toxicities limit the prolonged use of chemotherapy and .alpha.-interferon in conjunction with anti-retroviral agents commonly used in the treatment of AIDS (Kovas, J., et al., 1990, Ann. Intern. Med. 112:812-21; Gill, P. S., et al., 1991, Am. J. Med. 90:427-33; Gill, P. S., et al., 1994, AIDS 8:1695-9). Thus, new drugs, preferably drugs compatible with AIDS therapeutics, are needed for the treatment of KS.

Treatment and prevention of cancer by administration of derivatives of human chorionic gonadotropin

University of Maryland Biotechnology Insitute


In one embodiment, a method of evaluating a battery module includes: applying a tension load to a test coupon, the test coupon including a segment of a battery terminal connected to a segment of an interconnector busbar; and measuring electrical resistance across the segments of the test coupon. In certain instances, the method further includes applying a different, second tension load to the segments of the test coupon and repeating the measuring of electrical resistance. In certain other instances, the method further includes forming a plot between various values of electrical resistance as a function of various tension loads.

Electric joints are widely used in electric systems such as modules, sensors and switches. In electric vehicles (EV), high-voltage (HV) battery packs include a number of battery modules. Each battery module is assembled from a series of battery cells which are mechanically integrated and electrically interconnected via joints between battery cell terminals and interconnector busbars.
It is desirable to verify and validate the electric joints in order to ensure functionality and durability. Therefore, testing methods are desirable for correlating the joints' integrity to their functionality and durability. In addition, Pass/Fail criteria are also desirable for determining the acceptance of the electric joints.

Testing methods and pass/fail criteria for electric joints