Determining maximal empty rectangles in a binary matrix includes building values in a staircase data structure for each successive entry in the matrix. The values in the staircase data structure are removed where the values correspond to maximal rectangles having the successive entry in the bottom right corner of the rectangle. The values in the staircase data structure for each successive entry being determinable from values in the staircase data structure for a preceding entry in the matrix. The maximal empty rectangles providing a basis for generating efficient relational join operations on defined relational tables.

In data processing it is advantageous to determine relationships between data values in large data sets. Such approaches to characterizing data values include clustering or classification in which different techniques are used to group and characterize the data (as set out, for example, in M. Ester, H.-P. Kriegel, and X. Xu. A Database Interface for Clustering in Large Spatial Databases. In Proc. of the Int'l Conf. on Knowledge Discovery & Data Mining, 1995, T. Zhang, R. Ramakrishnan, and M. Livny. BIRCH: An Efficient Data Clustering Method for Very Large Databases. In ACM SIGMOD Int'l Conf on the Management of Data, Montreal, Canada, 1996, and M. Mehta, R. Agrawal and J. Rissanen. SLIQ: A Fast Scalable Classifier for Data Mining. In Advances in Database Technology—Int'l Conf. on Extending Database Technology (EDBT), Avignon, France, March 1996). Such techniques permit the development of a more "parsimonious" version of the data (as described in H. V. Jagadish, J. Madar, and R. T. Ng. Semantic Compression and Pattern Extraction with Fascicles. In Proc. of the Int'l Conf. on Very Large Data Bases (VLDB), pages 186–197, 1999). Data may be compressed and data may he analyzed to reveal hidden patterns and trends in the data (data mining). Association rules and fascicles are used in the prior art to determine characteristics of a data set.
The data patterns discovered by the prior art data mining techniques are defined by a measure of similarity (data values must be identical or similar to appear together in a pattern) and some measure of degree of frequency or occurrence (a pattern is only interesting if a sufficient number of values manifest the pattern).
Where a data set has two attributes that are of interest, and the attribute values are discrete, a discrete binary matrix may be created to represent the data values in the data set with respect to those attributes. Where such a discrete binary matrix is defined, characteristics of the data may be analyzed by determining which portions of the matrix contain rectangles of homogenous values. Typically the verse being determined are zero values in the binary matrix and the rectangles being determined or discovered are termed empty rectangles.
Prior art approaches to determining empty rectangles include finding or determining the location of a set of maximal empty rectangles in a binary matrix (see for example A. Namaad, W. L. Hsu, and D. T. Lee. On the maxim empty rectangle problem. Applied Discrete Mathematics, (8):267–277, 1984, M. J. Atallah and Fredrickson G. N. A note on finding a maximum empty rectangle. Discrete Applied Mathematics, (13):87–91, 1986, Bernard Chazelle, Robert L. (Scot) Drysdale III, and D. T. Lee. Computing the largest empty rectangle. SIAM J. Comput., 15(1):550–555, 1986, and M. Orlowshi. A New Algorithm for the Largest Empty Rectangle Problem. Algorith-mica, 5(1):65–73, 1990).
In the prior art approaches the method for determining the maximal empty rectangles in a binary max requires continual access and modification of a data structure that is as large as the original matrix itself. This approach does not scale well for large data sets due to the memory requirements inherent in the approach.
Another prior art approach (referred to in Orlowshi, above) considers points in a real plane instead of discrete elements or entities in a binary matrix. In this method, an assumption is made that points have distinct x and y coordinates and so the approach does not disclose determining empty rectangles where there are multiple values possible in the data set being considered.
A common application for the characterization of similarity of data values in large data sets is for relational databases. In particular, a useful application of this data mining approach is for implementation of the relational join operation for large data sets. Because the calculation of a join over large relational tables is potentially expensive in time and memory, the characterization of data in the relational tables is desirable to achieve efficiencies in the implementation of a join over such data tables.
It is therefore desirable to have a computer system for the determination of maximal homogenous rectangles in a binary matrix which is able to be carried out with efficient use of memory and disk access and which facilitates the efficient implementation of the relational join over large relational data tables.

Efficient determination of homogeneous rectangles in a binary matrix


What is disclosed is a collapsible container for the transport of air cargo, consisting of a bottom panel, a cover panel and four side walls which are detachably connected to said bottom panel and said cover panel, wherein the bottom panel and the cover panel adjoin each other in the collapsed position of the container, retaining the four side walls between them. The bottom panel is provided with profiled members at two opposed first edges, which profiled members can be inserted into complementary profiled members at two corresponding opposed first edges of the cover panel by moving said profiled members in longitudinal direction relative to each other, and two first opposed side walls are provided with profiled members at their horizontal edges, which profiled members are complementary to the corresponding first opposed edges, which profiled members can be inserted into complementary profiled members at the corresponding vertical side walls by moving said profiled members in longitudinal direction relative to each other.

The invention relates to a collapsible container for the transport of air cargo, consisting of a bottom panel, a cover panel and four side walls which are detachably connected to said bottom panel and said cover panel, wherein the bottom panel and the cover panel adjoin each other in the collapsed position of the container, retaining the four side walls between them.
In a fully unfolded position, such a container has a certain transport volume, which will generally be adapted to the standard dimensions of the cargo space of an aeroplane. When the container is not being used, it can be collapsed, in which position the bottom panel and the cover panel adjoin each other, retaining the four side walls between them. In this collapse position, the container has a minimum transport volume. A known container of the type to which the present invention relates is disclosed in international patent application WO 01/05668.

Collapsible container for the transport of air cargo


Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based upon comparisons of long-term and short-term representations of physiological signals. Other embodiments include prediction of seizure activity based upon analysis of physiological signal levels. An embodiment of the invention monitors the quality of physiological signals, and may be able to compensate for signals of low signal quality. A further embodiment of the invention includes detection of seizure activity following the delivery of therapy.

Nervous system disorders affect millions of people, causing a degradation of life, and in some cases, death. Nervous system disorders include disorders of the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and mental health and psychiatric disorders. Such disorders include, for example without limitation, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Additionally, nervous system disorders include mental health disorders and psychiatric disorders which also affect millions of individuals and include, but are not limited to, anxiety (such as general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)), mood disorders (such as major depression, bipolar depression, and dysthymic disorder), sleep disorders (e.g., narcolepsy), obesity, and anorexia.
As an example, epilepsy is a serious neurological disease prevalent across all ages. Epilepsy is a group of neurological conditions in which a person has or is predisposed to recurrent seizures. A seizure is a clinical manifestation resulting from excessive, hypersynchronous, abnormal electrical or neuronal activity in the brain. A seizure is a type of adverse neurological event that may be indicative of a nervous system disorder. This electrical excitability of the brain may be likened to an intermittent electrical overload that manifests with sudden, recurrent, and transient changes of mental function, sensations, perceptions, and/or involuntary body movement. Because the seizures are unpredictable, epilepsy affects a person's employability, psychosocial life, and ability to operate vehicles or power equipment. It is a disorder that occurs in all age groups, socioeconomic classes, cultures, and countries. In developed countries, the age-adjusted incidence of recurrent unprovoked seizures ranges from 24/100,000 to 53/100,000 person-years and may be even higher in developing countries. In developed countries, age-specific incidence is highest during the first few months of life and again after age 70. The age-adjusted prevalence of epilepsy is 5 to 8 per 1,000 (0.5% to 0.8%) in countries where statistics are available. In the United States alone, epilepsy and seizures affect 2.3 million Americans, with approximately 181,000 new cases occurring each year. It is estimated that 10% of Americans will experience a seizure in their lifetimes, and 3% will develop epilepsy by age 75.
There are various approaches in treating nervous system disorders. Treatment therapies can include any number of possible modalities alone or in combination including, for example, electrical stimulation, magnetic stimulation, and/or drug infusion. Each of these treatment modalities can be operated using closed-loop feedback control. Such closed-loop feedback control techniques receive neurological signals (e.g., from a monitoring element) carrying information about a symptom or a condition or a nervous system disorder. Such a neurological signal can include, for example, electrical signals (such as electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocorticogram (ECoG), and/or electrocardiogram (EKG) signals), chemical signals, other biological signals (such as changes in the quantity of neurotransmitters), temperature signals, pressure signals (such as blood pressure, intracranial pressure or cardiac pressure), respiration signals, heart rate signals, pH-level signals, and peripheral nerve signals (such as cuff electrodes placed on a peripheral nerve). Monitoring elements can include, for example, recording electrodes or various types of sensors.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,868 to Dorfmeister et al., incorporated herein by reference in relevant part, discloses a system for the prediction, rapid detection, warning, prevention, or control of changes in activity states in the brain of a patient. Use of such a closed-loop feed back system for treatment of a nervous system disorder may provide significant advantages. For example, it may be possible for treatment to be delivered before the onset of the symptoms of the nervous system disorder.
In the management of a nervous system disorder, it may be important to determine an extent of a neurological event, a location of the neurological event, a severity of the neurological event, and the occurrence of multiple neurological events in order to prescribe and/or provide a delivery of a treatment or otherwise manage the neurological disorder. A patient, for example, would not benefit from a medical device system if the patient experienced a neurological event but was not administered treatment because the medical device system did not detect the neurological event. On the other hand, a patient may suffer adverse effects, for example, if subjected to a degree of treatment corresponding to multiple neurological events, such as seizures, when in fact the patient had experienced only one neurological event, or a series of minor events, or no neurological event at all. As used herein, the term "neurological event" may encompass physiological events, such as seizures, as well as events defined artificially, for example, by measurable signal processing parameters.

Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders


A component assembly is provided for converting a conventional centrifugal pump, of the vortex impeller type for example, to a different type of centrifugal pump, such as a spiral impeller pump. The component assembly enables a resident centrifugal pump to be converted to a more efficient or appropriate type of industrial pump when conditions or application processing requirements change, and avoids the need to entirely replace an installed pump for a new type of pump.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to centrifugal pumps of the industrial type and specifically relates to providing an assembly of components for converting a centrifugal pump having a vortex-type impeller to a centrifugal pump having a spiral-type impeller for expanding the usefulness of the pump and increasing pump operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Centrifugal pumps are used in many industries to pump either clear water or slurries, the latter of which contain both fluid and solid components. The solids content of slurries vary in type and size, but all slurries are abrasive to some degree on the components of the pump. Therefore, centrifugal pumps are structured with varying abilities to withstand the varying degrees of abrasiveness of slurries. Pumps are consequently selected for their ability to process slurries of a given abrasiveness.
A centrifugal pump of the vortex type is one example of a slurry pump that is particularly constructed to process very abrasive slurries. The impeller of a vortex pump is made of very hard metal materials to withstand highly abrasive types of slurries. The impeller is particularly shaped to receive the influent slurry so that the solids content is processed by the impeller in a manner that reduces the impact of the solids on the impeller, thereby lessening the degradation of the impeller. The impeller may be configured with recessed areas between the impeller vanes which further contribute to the ability to process the slurry while lessening the impact of the solids on the impeller. Such impellers are known as recessed vortex impellers.
While vortex impellers are well-suited for their intended purpose, it is a natural consequence of the construction of vortex impellers, especially recessed vortex impellers, that certain pump efficiency is sacrificed due to the fact that the impeller is recessed from the main flow path of the fluid entering the pump. Occasions arise where the nature of the slurry being processed in a given installation changes, such as in a municipal waste facility. While the vortex centrifugal pump that is installed in the facility may still be operational, the fact that a vortex pump is less efficient than other types of centrifugal pumps becomes problematic to the optimal operation of the plant. In many instances, the vortex pump may be shut down and the installation modified to bypass the vortex pump in favor of processing the influent in a more efficient manner.
Thus, it would be beneficial in processing industries to provide a means by which a less efficient vortex centrifugal pump may be converted to a more efficient type of centrifugal pump responsive to a change in the type of slurries being processed, and in doing so employ the same pump casing and drive system of the existing vortex centrifugal pump to avoid having to replace the entire pump or having to modify the entire installation, both of which are extremely costly to plant operation.

Component assembly for reconfiguring a centrifugal pump


A superstructure for an artificial tooth is formed of a a root post which is screwed into a root canal of a tooth stump. The root post includes a cylindrical tap having a cutting thread, and is capable of guiding a sleeve-shaped rose cutter having a curved cutting surface to produce a tooth recess with a lower curved portion. The tooth recess is concentric with respect to the root post. A sleeve-shaped crown anchor is concentrically secured to the root post and has a lower curved portion which fits into and corresponds with the lower curved portion of the recess. The artificial tooth is secured on the crown anchor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a superstructure for an artificial tooth, comprising a root post which is adapted to be screwed into the root canal of a tooth, and a crown anchor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a known manner, the general procedure for the construction of artificial teeth, where use can be made of an existing, healthy or repairable root and a stump protruding from the jaw, is shown in FIG. 5. The aforesaid figure represents the state of the art.
In order to produce an artificial tooth, first a tooth anchor inserted in the dentine is required which must form a solid connection with the existing tooth torso; otherwise, the crown will not be solidly connected to the tooth fragment.
FIG. 5 shows a lower jaw molar as an example of the prior art procedure.
Tooth fragment 12 is lodged in jaw bone 10, its upper portion 14 projecting above the upper edge of the jaw bone. Root canal 16 is now cleaned in a manner known per se and enlarged if necessary. In the upper area of tooth stump 12, an essentially cylindrical recess 18 is milled. The two mentioned operations may also be carried out in reverse order. A crown anchor 20 is inserted in the resulting cavity by means of a corresponding tool. The anchor is only roughly schematically shown in FIG. 5, but it is provided with a cylindrical body 22 whose external diameter corresponds to the internal diameter of recess 18 of the tooth and which is centrally and axially provided with a threaded pin 24; the pin 24 being intended to be screwed into the prepared root canal 16.
It may now happen, and it is indeed very often the case, that axis 26 of the prepared root canal, i.e. the axis that is defined as anchor 20 is screwed in, does not coincide with axis 28 of cylindrical recess 18, but rather forms an angle therewith. Since the diameters of recess 18 and of anchor 20 do not differ greatly, the described axial angle results in that the upper edge portion 14 of the tooth stump is broken off as anchor 20 is screwed into tooth 12, until it abuts to the bottom of said recess, as is directly apparent in FIG. 5.


A method of casting an ophthalmic optic is described. A mold, an optical preform and a polymerizable resin are provided. The resin is disposed between the mold and the optical preform. The preform and the resin interact to produce a contact angle between the resin and preform of from about 20 degrees to about 45 degrees; or the mold and the resin interact to produce a contact angle between the mold and the resin of from about 45 to about 75 degrees; or both. The polymerizable resin is then cured.. Another method of casting an ophthalmic optic is also described. A mold, an optical preform and a polymerizable resin are provided. The optical preform is supplied with a surface having a regular pattern of grooves that comprise a grid formed by intersecting curves or lines imprinted on the surface of the optical preform. The polymerizable resin is provided between the optical preform and the mold such that the polymerizable resin contacts the regular pattern of grooves on the optical preform. The polymerizable resin is then cured.

Ophthalmic optics may be cast by curing a polymerizable resin formulation between either a pair of molds spaced apart by a gasket, or between an optical preform and a front mold provided to form the front curvature and the add portion of the optic. Several methods for casting spherical or aspheric multifocal or progressive optics utilizing optical preforms have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,496, to Verhoeven discloses a method for casting multifocal ophthalmic optics from a preform and a mold without utilizing a gasket. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,474,355 and 4,190,621 to Greshes disclose a method for casting ophthalmic optics using an optical preform and a front mold. In Greshes an edge fixture provides support to the preform and the mold and maintains the correct spacing therebetween.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 07/594,136, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,800, filed by the present inventor describes a method for casting single vision or multifocal ophthalmic optics that may be spherical or aspheric in geometry, and which may incorporate bifocal, trifocal or progressive addition zones. This method utilizes an optical preform that may be spherical or aspheric, and incorporates the distance prescription, including any cylinder that may be needed. The method also utilizes a front mold that has a curvature with a fixed relationship to the convex curvature of the preform which incorporates the add portion of the prescription, as well as a resin formulation having a specified viscosity which is placed in the space between the mold and the preform. Other known methods for forming an ophthalmic optic from an optical preform include those disclosed by Staehle, U.S. Pat. No. 2,339,433, Caulkins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,982, and Squires, Patent No. AU-A-80556/87.
For all of these known methods for forming ophthalmic quality optics from an optical preform to be successful, a secure and durable bond must be created between the preform and the cured resin layer formed between the preform and the mold. A criterion of good bonding in ophthalmic optics which has been adopted by the American National Standards Committee (ANSI) requires that the surface layer pass the "cross hatch test". In the cross hatch test, a series of deep parallel scratches are cut into the surface of the optic, followed by a second series of parallel scratches orthogonal to the first series, to form a grid pattern. Adhesive tape is securely bonded to the surface of the grid pattern and subsequently removed from the surface by pulling on the tape in a direction perpendicular to the optic surface. The tape and the optic surface are then examined for any evidence of delamination of the surface cast material. For the optic to pass the razor blade test, no delamination should be visible to the naked eye.
Bonding of the resin to the preform may be enhanced by optimizing the formulation. To accomplish this optimization, the surface energy of the preform and the resin layer should be as similar as possible to ensure excellent wetting of the preform by the resin. The resin formulation should include monomers that can readily diffuse into and permeate the surface of the preform. In practice this is achieved by ensuring that the preform and the resin formulation have at least one ingredient (monomer) in common, preferably the predominant one found in the preform. For example, if the optical preform is formed from a resin formulation based on bis diallyl carbonate (available commercially from PPG, tradename CR-39), the surface layer should be cast from a resin formulation containing CR-39 at a minimum level.
Another method for enhancing the bonding between the preform and the surface layer involves the surface treatment or surface modification of the preform. Several methods of surface modification have been developed for this purpose, and will be discussed in detail below.
Known surface treatment methods involve a chemical treatment of the preform surface, a physical treatment, or a combination of the two. Preferably, the chemical method involves chemical attachment of polymerizable silanes to the surface of the preform. Known physical treatments involve the development of a roughened surface on the preform surface which increases the area of contact between the resin and the preform surface, thus enhancing the microscopic flow of resin across the preform surface during the curing process to ensure complete coverage and uniformity of cure over the whole surface.

Method of producing durable bonds between an optical preform and an optical resin layer cast on the preform surface


Disclosed are an image pickup apparatus and method and system for controlling the exposure of the image pickup apparatus. The image pickup apparatus includes a circuit for detecting a voltage corresponding to a current value of an iris, a circuit for generating a voltage corresponding to a desired iris value, a circuit for comparing the two voltages, and a circuit for controlling the iris based on the result of the comparison so as to keep the iris value at the desired value, in which the exposure start time of an image pick-up device is changed in an increment/decrement of one horizontal scanning period and/or in an increment/decrement of a period shorter than one horizontal scanning period to thereby make it possible to perform manual-iris mode automatic exposure control.

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus and a method and a system for controlling the exposure of the image pickup apparatus. In particular, it relates to exposure control for use in an image pickup apparatus having an electronic variable shutter.
Recently, electronic variable shutters for electrically changing the exposure period of time of image pickup apparatus have been made available, and video movie cameras with a new exposure control system such as a programmed automatic exposure (AE) system or the like have been marketed. An electronic variable shutter used in a CCD image pickup apparatus is discussed in NIKKEI MICRODEVICE, No. 10, pp 63-64, October 1987. An electronic variable shutter with a programmed AE system used in an MOS image pickup apparatus is discussed in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, vol. CE-33, No. 3, pp 249-255, August 1987. A technique for shortening the exposure period of time less than a value designated by an operator when detecting an iris value larger than a predetermined value is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,727.

Image pickup apparatus and method and system for controlling the exposure of the image pickup apparatus


A gas spring and gas damper assembly (110; 200; 400) can include a gas spring assembly (128; 202; 402) and a gas damper assembly (130; 204; 404). The gas spring assembly can include opposing end members (206, 208; 406, 408) and a flexible spring member (210; 410) secured there between that at least partially forms a spring chamber (212; 412). One of the end members (208; 408) can include an end member chamber (268; 468) that is separated into a plurality of damping chambers (292, 294; 492, 494). Damper pistons (300, 302; 500, 502) are disposed within the damping chambers (292, 294; 492, 494) and are connected to the other end member (206; 406) by way of a damping rod (276; 476).

The present disclosure broadly relates to the art of spring devices and, more particularly, to a gas spring and gas damper assembly that includes a plurality of damping chambers arranged in series with one another, as well as a vehicle suspension system including one or more of such gas spring and gas damper assemblies.
Suspension systems, such as may be used in connection with apparatuses, such as motorized vehicles, for example, can include one or more spring elements for accommodating forces and loads associated with the operation and use of the corresponding apparatus (e.g., a motorized vehicle) to which the suspension system is operatively connected. In such applications, it is often considered desirable to utilize spring elements that operate at a lower relative spring rate, as such a reduced spring rate can favorably influence certain performance characteristics, such as vehicle ride quality and comfort, for example. That is, it is well understood in the art that the use of a spring element having a higher spring rate (i.e. a stiffer spring) will transmit a greater magnitude of inputs (e.g., road inputs) to the sprung mass and that, in some applications, this could undesirably affect the sprung mass, such as, for example, by resulting in a rougher, less-comfortable ride of a vehicle. Whereas, the use of spring elements having lower spring rates (i.e., a softer or more-compliant spring) will transmit a lesser amount of the inputs to the sprung mass.
Such suspension systems also commonly include one or more dampers or damping components that are operative to dissipate energy associated with undesired inputs and movements of the sprung mass, such as road inputs occurring under dynamic operation of a vehicle, for example. Typically, such dampers are liquid filled and operatively connected between a sprung and unsprung mass, such as between a body and axle of a vehicle, for example. One example of such damping components are conventional shock absorbers that are commonly used in vehicle suspension systems.
In other arrangements, however, the dampers or damping components can be of a type and kind that utilizes gas rather than liquid as the working medium. In such known constructions, the gas damper portion permits gas flow between two or more volumes of pressurized gas, such as through one or more orifices, as shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0124571, or through one or more valve ports, as shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0173723. Generally, there is some resistance to the movement of pressurized gas through these passages or ports, and this resistance acts to dissipate energy associated with the gas spring portion and thereby provide some measure of damping.
One factor that may be limiting the broader adoption and use of gas spring and gas damper assemblies relates to the additional volumes of pressurized gas that are utilized by some designs. Certain difficulties relating to the incorporation of such additional volumes of pressurized gas in proximal association with the corresponding gas spring and gas damper assembly. As one example, motorized vehicle commonly include significant packaging and/or space limitations that can reduce the volume that is available adjacent the gas spring and gas damper assembly for storing pressurized gas. As such, in some cases, a reduced volume of pressurized gas may be used. In other cases, the desired volume of pressurized gas may be provided in a remote location relative to the gas spring and gas damper assembly. In either case, some decrease in damping performance may result.
Accordingly, it is desired to develop a gas spring and gas damper assembly as well as a suspension system including one or more of such assemblies that overcome the foregoing and/or other difficulties associated with known constructions, and/or which may otherwise advance the art of gas spring and gas damper assemblies.

Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC


An article having a generally domed-shaped crown and an exterior surface. A secondary element extending from the exterior surface at an intersection area between the crown and the secondary element. A portion of the exterior surface of the crown typically being raised above the intersection area to give the appearance that the secondary element has torn, morphed, splashed, cracked or phase changed, such as by melting, through the crown. The secondary element is typically indicative of a particular sporting club and the article is typically a helmet. The secondary element is also typically integrally molded with the crown.

My invention relates broadly to articles, novelties, paraphernalia and the like having three-dimensional secondary elements connected thereto or integrally molded therewith, and configured in a manner so as to be indicative of a sporting team. It is well known that professional and amateur sporting clubs have specific insignias, logos or mascots to distinctly identify each club. In order to show their loyalty to the sporting club, fans of the clubs often wear articles of apparel or display objects adorned with images emblematic of such insignias, logos or mascots. For sporting events requiring use of a helmet, such as football, one of the most popular apparel or display items is a football helmet that may be associated with a specific team. Such helmets are frequently worn or displayed by fans.
The prior art abounds with helmets incorporating a particular team's insignia, emblem or mascot. Often, fans simply wear a helmet identical to those worn by the players on the field. Unlike the present invention, these helmets only have two-dimensional images, rather than three-dimensional sculptures.
Helmets or baseball style hats having a three-dimensional team insignias are known. Such helmets and hats are often adorned with soft, spongy sculptures indicative of a particular team. Heretofore, the sculptures have been attached to the hats or helmets via non-permanent means, such as hook and loop type fasteners, buttons, sewn seams, adhesives, and the like. Generally, the transition between the hat or helmet and the sculptured portion is very distinct. No apparent effort has been made to incorporate a smooth transition from the sculpted image to the hat or helmet.
Helmets with three-dimensional sculptures adorned thereon are also known, such as those used as motorcycle helmets. In use for motorcycle helmets, the sculpted images are generally made from rubbery or other soft or elastic material such as latex and simply adhered to an existing helmet. Helmets of this type specifically utilize rubbery or flexible material, as this material absorbs impacts for increased safety and is less likely to be broken off upon use. Again, no apparent attempt has been made to incorporate a smooth transition from the sculpted image to the helmet. In addition, there has been no apparent attempt to form the helmet and sculpted object in such a manner as to give an impression that the sculpted object is anything but simply adhered to the helmet.
It would therefore be desirable to have a novel article or item of paraphernalia, preferably a helmet, which may be worn or displayed and which incorporates a secondary element appearing to effect the overall integrity of the helmet. For example, it would be desirable to incorporate a secondary element with a helmet where the secondary element is either extending from the torn article, morphing from within the article, splashing through a "liquefied" article, extending from a cracked article, or extending through an article having undergone a phase change, such as by melting. Preferably, these secondary elements would be associated with a particular sporting team.

Article with 3-dimensional secondary element


A microscale fluid handling system that permits the efficient transfer of nanoliter to picoliter quantities of a fluid sample from the spatially concentrated environment of a microfabricated chip to "off-chip" analytical or collection devices for further off-chip sample manipulation and analysis is disclosed. The fluid handling system is fabricated in the form of one or more channels, in any suitable format, provided in a microchip body or substrate of silica, polymer or other suitable non-conductive material, or of stainless steel, noble metal, silicon or other suitable conductive or semi-conductive material. The microchip fluid handling system includes one or more exit ports integral with the end of one or more of the channels for consecutive or simultaneous off-chip analysis or collection of the sample. The exit port or ports may be configured, for example, as an electrospray interface for transfer of a fluid sample to a mass spectrometer.

Recent developments in microfabrication techniques have permitted the integration of microminiature tools for biochemical analysis within a tiny device. Complete chemical processing systems, e.g., reaction chambers, separation capillaries and their associated electrode reservoirs, as well as certain types of detectors, can be consolidated on a microchip of, e.g., a glass or fused silica. Such "laboratories-on-a-chip," in principle, permit effective utilization and manipulation of minute quantities of material. After the intended procedures have been conducted, the processed compounds are available on the chip in a spatially concentrated form that is suitable for performing further analytical operations. As the sample components are in volumes on the order of nanoliters, subsequent operations should preferably be carried out on the same device. (See, e.g, Effenhauser et al., Anal. Chem. 67:2284-2287, 1995.) This constraint, however, permits less than efficient utilization of certain powerful analytical instruments, such as a mass spectrometer.


Provided is an oscillator including: a MEMS resonator for mechanically vibrating; an output oscillator circuit for oscillating at a resonance frequency of the MEMS resonator to output an oscillation signal; and a MEMS capacitor for changing a capacitance thereof caused by a change in a distance between an anode electrode and a cathode beam according to an environmental temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oscillator using a MEMS technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
Under the increasing demand for reduction in size and increase in accuracy of electronic devices such as personal computers and wireless mobile devices represented by cellular phones, a small and stable high frequency signal source is inevitable in these electronic devices. A crystal resonator is a representative electronic part that satisfies the demand. It is known that the crystal resonator has an extremely high resonance sharpness (that is, Q value) which is an index of the oscillation device quality, and which exceeds 10,000 owing to the excellent crystal stability. This is a reason that the crystal resonator is widely used as a stable high frequency signal source of the wireless mobile devices, the personal computers, or the like. However, it has been also proved that the crystal resonator cannot sufficiently satisfy a recent demand for further downsizing of the electronic devices.
Under the above circumstances, in recent years, there has been reported a MEMS oscillator using, instead of a crystal resonator, a downsized MEMS resonator that is formed with technology for micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) using a silicon substrate (refer to US 2006/0033594 A1). A MEMS oscillator can be made smaller in size than the crystal oscillator, and can also operate in high frequency. Accordingly, MEMS resonators are expected to spread particularly into compact devices such as a cellular phone. Also, it is possible to integrate a MEMS resonator and a peripheral circuit into a single chip since the MEMS resonator can be manufactured from a silicon substrate.
FIG. 9 is a principle diagram showing a MEMS resonator. As shown in the figure, the MEMS resonator is disposed opposite to a substrate 10 at a distance of a gap 14 in a floating state to form an oscillation beam 11. Both ends of the oscillation beam 11 are fixed to the substrate 10 through anchors 16. A drive electrode 12 and a sense electrode 13 are disposed opposite to each other with capacitive gaps 15 with respect to the oscillation beam 11, respectively. Since the MEMS resonator is driven with an electrostatic force generated by applied voltage, in which application of a DC bias voltage in addition to an AC signal can draw the same electric characteristics (for example, a Q value) as that of a crystal resonator, it is possible to use a MEMS resonator as a resonator of a oscillator with the same configuration as that of the crystal oscillator. The oscillation frequency f0 of the MEMS resonator can be represented by using an effective mass Meff and an effective hardness Keff as follows.f0=1/(2π)√(Keff/Meff)
Since material of the oscillation beam 11 expands and contracts according to the environmental temperature, the effective mass Meff changes. And since the Young's modulus of the material for the oscillation beam 11 changes according to the environmental temperature, the effective hardness Keff also changes.
In the MEMS oscillator according to the above conventional art, however, there arises such a problem that the temperature dependency of the oscillation frequency is worse than that of a crystal resonator. This is because the effective mass and the effective hardness change according to the temperature. To correct the temperature dependency a temperature sensor is required though, there arise such problems that the size of the oscillator becomes large, and the cost also increases when a temperature sensor is incorporated separately into the oscillator. Disposition of the temperature sensor at a position apart from the resonator arises another problem that a error in the temperature detection becomes so large that deteriorates accuracy of correction.

MEMS oscillator with temperature sensitive MEMS capacitances


A system that applies vibration to a desired region of a human body including a plurality of vibratory stimulators installed in a flexible material; a programmable control unit (PCU) connected to each said vibratory stimulator a plurality of sensors to collect biofeedback data; a set of programs for the operation of the PCU; a biomechanical database stored in a computer and being populated by the biomechanical data collected by the sensors after application of each said predefined pattern of vibration; and an algorithm to analyze and rank said patterns of vibration according to a ranking factor, wherein a user can choose a pattern of vibration that has a higher ranking factor.

User feedback is an important part of pain and edema management. As individuals vary in the tolerance for, and the sensation of pain and edema, it is important to tailor treatments to the individual. Joint and muscle pain and edema can be caused by multivariate factors. Swelling, strains, or breaks in tissues can cause severe pain and edema lasting for longer periods. Additionally, delayed onset muscle soreness, and fatigue pain and edema from exercise and over use respectively can cause pain and edema in discomfort that may limit activities of daily living. Chronic pain and edema resulting from ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and others can affect the daily living activities and the comfort of afflicted individuals.
Currently, there are a number of methods for pain and edema relief. Pharmaceutical methods of treating pain and edema with analgesics are effective for acute pain and edema; however, they are not as effective for chronic pain and edema management because of side effects caused by their prolonged use.
The more conventional non-pharmaceutical method of relieving pain and edema is through massage and vibration therapies, as well as acupressure. Massage therapy is the art of manipulation of muscles and connective tissues to enhance function and aid in the healing process. Massage therapy relives pain and edema from musculoskeletal injuries, rehabilitates sports injuries and other causes of pain and edema. Furthermore, massage therapy has been shown to enhance relaxation, and reduce stress, anxiety, and subclinical depression. It is also shown to temporarily reduce blood pressure, and heart rate.
Acupressure involves applying physical pressure against specific parts of the body to achieve some degree of treatment or pain and edema relief. However, these devices require an attending therapist during treatment to be effective.
Electric stimulation is another method to relieve pain and edema, in which pulses of electric energy at low current levels are applied to the parts of the body that emanate pain and edema. To apply an electric stimulus the prior art teaches the use of TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) devices. TENS devices deliver electric bursts through the skin to cutaneous (surface) and afferent (deep) nerves to control pain and edema. TENS are able to stimulate a specific nerve to ease a specific point of pain and edema.
Another method of pain and edema relief is through the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to stimulate specific groups on neurons in the cortex. The repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method of generating a weak magnetic field and electric currents in brain cortex neurons using the principle of an electromagnetic induction by instantaneously passing a current through a coil and non-invasively stimulating brain cortex neurons. TMS is delivered by passing a brief (200 microsecond), strong (10,000 volts, 6,000 amps) electrical current through a coil of wire (a TMS stimulator) placed adjacent to the head. The passage of electrical current induces a strong (2 Tesla) magnetic field which, in turn, induces electrical currents in nearby tissues. In the case of nerve cells, if the induced current is sufficiently intense and properly oriented, it will result in synchronized depolarization of a localized group of neurons.


A Viterbi decoder that identifies errors in a full decision output comprises a full decision generator that generates the full decision output. An error detector detects errors in the full decision output and generates a signal when the full decision output errors are detected.

As data storage densities and data transmission rates increase, the ability of hardware devices to correctly recognize binary data diminishes. Many communications systems perform forward error correction (FEC) to improve data transmission accuracy and to ensure data integrity. FEC helps reduce bit error rates (BER) in applications such as data storage, digital video broadcasts, and wireless communications.
Convolutional coding and block coding are two forms of FEC. Block coding typically adds redundant bits to a message. For example, parity bits are added to ensure an even sum. If an odd sum is received, an error is detected. In convolutional coding, a transmitted stream is generated from an input stream. A Viterbi decoder is used to decode the received stream to identify a most probable transmitted stream, which is used to recover the input stream.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a first device 10-1 communicates with a second device 10-2 over a communications channel 12. As can be appreciated, the devices 10-1 and 10-2 are simplified for discussion purposes. Additional signal processing is typically performed before and/or after the convolutional encoding and/or Viterbi decoding.
The communications channel can be hardwired or wireless. For example, the communications channel 12 can be an Ethernet network, a wireless local area network, a bus for a hard drive, etc. The first device 10-1 includes components 14-1 that provide an input stream to a convolutional encoder 16-1 and that receive a decoded stream from a Viterbi decoder 18-1. Likewise, the device 10-1 includes components 14-2 that provide an input stream to a convolutional encoder 16-2 and that receive a decoded stream from a Viterbi decoder 18-2. The components 14-1 of the first device 10-1 may be similar to and/or different than the components 14-2 of the second device 10-2. The convolutional encoders 16 transform the input stream into a transmitted stream before the data is output onto the communications channel 12. The Viterbi decoders 18 decode the received stream to recover a most probable transmitted stream.
For example, a rate-½ convolutional code transmits 2 output bits for each input bit. Referring now to FIG. 2, a trellis 20 is typically used to generate the rate-½ convolutional code. The trellis 20 includes four states (00, 01, 10 and 11). At each point, the trellis 20 splits into two paths. An upper path represents a 0 input and a lower path represent a 1 input. An initial state of 00 is presumed. Using the trellis 20 in FIG. 2, an input stream of 1101 generates an output of 11101101. In other words, the MSB of the input stream (1) corresponds to 11 in the transmitted stream. The 2nd MSB of the input stream (1) corresponds to 10 in the transmitted stream. The 3rd MSB of the input stream (0) corresponds to 11 in the transmitted stream. The LSB of the input stream (1) corresponds to 01 in the transmitted stream.
A received stream must be decoded. Some decoders use a Viterbi algorithm to decode the received stream. The Viterbi algorithm compares the received stream to all possible transmitted streams and selects the transmitted stream that is closest to the received stream. The transmitted stream that is selected by the Viterbi algorithm has a minimum number of bits that are different from the received stream—or a minimum bit distance. Once the most probable transmitted stream is identified, the input stream is generated from the selected trellis path.
Referring now to FIG. 3, to decode an input sequence of 10101010, a trellis 24 is used. The distance between each pair of received bits and the corresponding bits in the trellis 24 (or possible transmitted bits) are identified. For example, the 1 on the path AB results from the comparison of the received bits 10 to the bits 00 on the AB path. The received bits 10 differ from the trellis bits 00 for AB by one bit position.
If there are two paths that end at the same point or state, the Viterbi decoder selects the path with the minimum bit distance. If the two paths have the same distance, either path can be selected. In other words, the probability of decoding is the same for each path. In this particular example, the path through ACGJL in the trellis 24 has a bit distance of 2. The path ACGJL is generated by an input of 1100. The input of 1100 into the trellis 20 in FIG. 2 would correspond to an output of 11101110, which also has a bit distance of 2 from the received word. While a rate-½ convolutional code was shown, other rate convolutional codes may be used by Viterbi decoders.
Some conventional Viterbi decoders provide both a full decision output and an early decision output. The early decision output may be used by one or more control loops such as baseline loops, timing loops, gain loops and finite impulse response (FIR) adaptation loops. The early decision output may be used by the control loops to generate error signals. If the early decision output is incorrect, these control loops will cause errors. Therefore, the Viterbi decoder should not output the early decision output to these control loops when the early decision output is incorrect.
For example, for magnetic recording equalization targets containing a (1+D) factor, quasi-catastrophic sequences correspond to runs of alternating 1's and 0's that exceed a path memory depth of the Viterbi decoder that is matched to the equalization target. For equalization targets with a (1+D) factor, bit sequences with long transition runs can cause problems with the early decision output. For example, a sequence +−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−+− can be decoded to either +−+−+−−−−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−+ or ++−+++++−+−+−+−+−+−+−+−. For an all positive target, e.g. 4+6D+3D2+2D3+1 D4, an output of a reconstruction filter can be either ?,?,?,0,0,0,−8,−12,−14,−16,−8,−4,−2,0,0,0,0,0 or ?,?,?,0,0,8,12,14,16,8,4,2,0,0,0,0,0 instead of ?,?,?,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0. This incorrect early decision output would adversely impact the performance of the control loops that use the early decision output.
The Viterbi decoder makes the early decision errors when there is a tie between two different paths that have the same path metric value or bit distance. The tie is broken by deterministically selecting one best path over the other based on the current state of the path. A path is denoted as follows:                (uF, uF−1, . . . uE,uE−1, . . . , u1,u0);mwhere index F denotes the full decision depth. Index E denotes the early decision depth. Each variable uiε(−1,1) denotes a bit in the Viterbi path memory and m is the path metric value for the path. The current state of the path for a 16 state trellis is given by bits u0, u1, u2, u3.
For example, using equalization target H(D)=(1+D)G(D), there is a tie in the path metric between the two best paths PA and PB at time i:PA,i=(?,?, . . . , ?,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1);m PB,i=(?,?, . . . , ?,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1);m The underscored bits represent the early decision output for respective paths PA and PB. If the Viterbi decoder at time i selects path PA as the winner, then the early decision output is xi=1.
For time i+1, the winning branch for path PA corresponds to −1 and the winning branch for path PB corresponds to +1. At time t=i+1, the paths PA and PB are as follows:PA,i=(?,?, . . . , ?,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1);m PA,i=(?,?, . . . , ?,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1,−1,+1);m
Since the two paths PA and PB were tied at time i and the branch metrics for each path are equal, the paths PA and PB will be tied at time i+1 as well. At time i, the leading state for path PA was (+1,−1,+1,−1) and the leading state for path for path PB was (−1,+1,−1,+1). At time i+1, however, the leading state for path PA is (−1,+1,−1,+1) and the leading state for path PB is (+1,−1,+1,−1).
Since the Viterbi decoder selected the path with leading state (+1,−1,+1,−1) when there was a tie between the two at time i, the Viterbi decoder will do the same at time t=i+1. Therefore, the path PB will be the winner at time i+1 and the early decision output will be xi+1=1. If this continues for a few cycles, the output sequence would be +1,+1,+1,+1,+1 for this segment. However, the correct output sequence should be +1,−1,+1,−1,+1.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for detecting viterbi decoder errors due to quasi-catastrophic sequences


An imaging clement that performs a processing with respect to a predetermined line of a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in plural times in a time dividing manner in each horizontal scanning period, includes a photoelectric conversion unit; an address generating unit that generates an address indicating a position of the line of an object for each of a plurality of divided periods formed by time-dividing the each horizontal scanning period; an address decoding unit activating the photoelectric conversion elements on a line position corresponding to the address; a period determination signal generating unit that generates a period determination signal indicating one of validity and invalidity of the processing with respect to each of the divided periods; a control signal generating unit that generates a control signal for performing the processing in each of the plurality of divided periods; a processing performing unit performing the processing with respect to the line of the photoelectric conversion elements; and a supply control unit allowing the control signal to be supplied to the processing performing unit when a corresponding divided period is valid, and preventing the control signal from being supplied to the processing performing unit when the divided period is invalid.

1. Technical Field
An aspect of the presents invention relate to an imaging element that includes a photoelectric conversion section formed by arranging a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in matrix and performs a processing related to readout of accumulated charges with respect to a predetermined pixel line composed of the photoelectric conversion elements in plural times in a time dividing manner in one horizontal scanning period.
2. Related Art
Examples of a solid state imaging system include a CCD (charge coupled device) type image sensor (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "CCD sensor") and a CMOS type image sensor (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "CMOS sensor"). Further, a MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) type solid state imaging system depending on a threshold voltage shift (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "substrate modulation sensor") is also proposed. The MOS type solid state imaging system provides high picture quality and low power consumption. The CMOS sensor and the substrate modulation sensor (hereinafter, referred to as "the CMOS sensor and the like") have been recently developed because of their low electric consumption and low processing cost compared to the CCD sensor.
The CMOS sensor and the like employ a rolling shutter mode in which a processing is performed line by line when charges accumulated in photodiodes that are photoelectric conversion elements are read out or when charges accumulated in the photodiodes are reset.
The CMOS sensor is a sensor performing a destructive readout processing or a sensor performing a nondestructive readout processing. The former always performs a shutter (reset) processing after the readout of accumulated charges. Therefore, the accumulated charges are depleted after the readout. The latter leaves the accumulated charges without resetting even after the readout, so that the readout of the accumulated charges can be performed in many times in different exposing times. Therefore, in the CMOS sensor performing a nondestructive readout, plural times of readout processings can be performed in a time dividing manner in one horizontal scanning period.
As a technique of performing such readout in a time dividing manner, JP-A-2007-194981 discloses a physical information acquisition device, for example.
The physical information acquisition device of the example sets a readout address R and drive controls for respective unit pixels of a shutter address S for setting a charge storage time in the readout address R in a time dividing manner and drives corresponding unit pixels at predetermined timing. Accordingly, addresses can be set with a common address decoding circuit. Therefore, in a case of increasing the number of time divisions, the number of the address decoding device is not required to be increased.
However, the related art of the above example needs to increase the number of circuits generating a control signal for driving an imaging section as the number of the time divisions increases.

Imaging element suitable for readout charges in plural times in a time dividing manner in one horizontal scanning period


An apparatus for carrying out spectral analysis of optical radiation emitted from a light source (11) comprises a spectral detector (1) having an entrance aperture (10) for the radiation from thelight source (11), a first imaging optical component (11), a first imaging optical component (12), a diffraction grating (14) for wavelength dispersion of the radiation, order sorting means (131, 132) for separation of the spectral orders of the diffraction grating (14), a second imaging optical component (15), and a detecting unit (16) for registration of the light source spectrum divided into order spectra through the order sorting means (131, 132). The order sorting means (131, 132) comprise at least two refractive optical components manufactured from different material. The two refractive optical components (131 and 132) together with the diffraction grating (14) and the imaging optical components (12 and 15) produce a substantially uniform distribution of the order spectra on the detector unit (16). Favourably the order sorting means (131, 132), the diffraction grating (14) and the imaging optical components (12, 15) also co-act to produce a substantially stigmatic image of the entrance aperture (10) in at least one point on the detector unit (16).

At present new high-sensitive image sensors having wide spectral recording capabilities and many picture elements ("pixels") are available on the market for the field of spectral analysis. One category of these image sensors is the CCD-sensor (Charge Coupled Device sensor). Modem electronic techniques offer both rapid data conversion (A/D-conversion) and rapid processing of large amounts of information that image sensors generate. In order to take advantage of these techniques for optical spectral analysis, it is required that the optical arrangements preceding the sensor can be optimzed in such a way that the techniques are fully utilized in the spectral analysis. This is not the case with the techniques available today.
The use of diffraction gratings for wavelength dispersion, i.e. separation of optical radiation into wavelength components, is a well known technique. Diffraction gratings are very effective optical elements for carrying out wavelength dispersion. However, diffraction gratings have the disadvantage that spectra from several spectral orders result in ambiguities in the analysis of a spectrum.
Modern Optical sensors are sensitive to optical radiation simultaneously in the wavelength range from vacuum ultra violet ("VUV"), at wavelengths below 200 nm, to the near infrared ("NIR"), at wavelengths above 700 nm. In order to use modern optical sensors, in a single instrument, for simultaneous recording of the whole spectral range, the problem of ambiguities from other spectral orders has to be solved. One solution to the problem is to place several optical filters suitably in the vicinity of the focal plane of the optical instrument. Through this arrangement one can in principle extend the recording capability in a single spectral order. However, diffraction gratings manufactured either holographically or through ruling show a variation of the efficiency by which the optical radiation is dispersed. This diffraction efficiency, i.e. the ratio between the intensity of the dispersed light and the intensity of the incident light at a certain wavelength, has a maximum value at a wavelength given generally in the first spectral order.
The wavelength, called "the blaze wavelength", is a quantity characteristic for the diffraction grating, and depends on the distance between the grating grooves, the shape of the grating grooves, and the polarization of the optical radiation. In selecting a diffraction grating the blaze wavelength is chosen within the wavelength range of the instrument. When the wavelength to be recorded diverges considerably from the blaze wavelength, the diffraction efficiency of the grating is substantially reduced.
The method discussed above to filter disturbing wavelengths from other spectral orders to decrease the degree of ambiguity in a single spectral order results in a considerable reduction in the efficiency of the spectral recording at wavelengths that diverge from the blaze wavelength. This reduction in efficiency makes it difficult to cover a large wavelength range in one single spectral order of a diffraction grating.
In order to avoid the reduction in efficiency, G. R. Harrison in J. Opt. Soc. Am. No. 39 (1949) page 522, proposed using diffraction gratings with coarse rulings, or gratings with a distance d between the grooves considerably larger than the wavelength .lambda. to be measured. The gratings, called "echelle gratings", are produced having a step shape of the cross section of the grooves with one of the groove facets plane and highly reflecting. The angle between the normal to the reflecting groove facet and the normal to the grating surface is called the "blaze angle .theta.". The blaze angle .theta. for an echelle grating is typically 60.degree.. Very high diffraction efficiencies over a very broad wavelength range, such as from the ultra violet (UV) to the near infrared (NIR) are possible using echelle gratings. As shown below, echelle gratings can be used to disperse radiation in spectral orders m from m=1 to m>100 with conserved high diffraction efficiency in the vicinity of the blaze wavelengths .lambda..sub.m.sup.0 in each spectral order.
These special features of echelle gratings can be utilized only if the spectra, produced in the different spectral orders, i.e. "the order spectra", can be separated from each other at the focal surface in the recording. In a spectral apparatus that records the spectrum sequentially such as a monochromator, the separation is possible using for example filters placed in front of the entrance aperture of the monochromator. However, if a large wavelength range is to be measured simultaneously in a single exposure, such as using a photographical recording or a CCD sensor recording, the order spectra in the focal plane need to be separated from each other. In order to separate the order spectra in the focal plane, an additional wavelength dispersing optical element, called an "order sorter," is introduced in the ray path before the focal plane. The direction of the wavelength dispersion must then be made orthogonal to the direction of dispersion of the diffraction grating.
Two main means to achieve order sorting are refraction of the radiation as, for example by a prism or diffraction as, for example by a grating. The diffraction means produce separation of the order spectra of the echelle grating in several spectral orders, making the simultaneous recording of large wavelength ranges impossible due to disturbances from the spectral orders of the grating order sorter.
Such order sorters are found in SE-C-359 648 and are also described by A. Danielsson and P. Lindblom in Physica Scripta No. 5 (1972) page 227 and by S. Engman, P. Lindblom and B. Sandberg in Physica Scripta No. 24 (1981) page 965. Order sorters of the type discussed, have either a single diffraction grating or a combination of a diffraction grating and a prism. The order sorting means discussed above were designed for detection with an image tube with sequential read-out. Filters could be used during read-out for the purpose of separating disturbances from other orders of the grating in the order sorter. These order sorters are impractical for simultaneous recording of the whole required wavelength.
It is known that for an order sorter to separate the order spectra uniformly, meaning that they have a constant mutual distance in the focal plane, the wavelength dependence of the angular dispersion of the order sorter needs to be inversely proportional to the square of the wavelength. This is expressed by equation (12) in the introduction to the theoretical section below. For a refractive, i.e. prismatic order sorter, used in a large wavelength range such as VUV to NIR, there exist no optical materials with dispersive properties that would result in the required dependence.
Consequently the order spectra on the focal surface are distributed very non-uniformly as shown by P. Lindblom et Al. in the prints mentioned above.
The shortest distance between the order spectra on the focal surface determines the height of the entrance aperture of the spectral apparatus. As the detector, for example a CCD sensor, has a restricted size, the non-uniform distribution of the order spectra results in a restriction of the sensitivity of the spectral apparatus, i.e. a restriction of the amount of optical radiation that it can detect. Very large wavelength ranges are then impossible to record simultaneously. The surface of the sensor is also utilized inefficiently as a result of the non-uniform distribution.
The features discussed above highlight special demands that order sorting of the spectral orders puts on the optical image of the entrance aperture on the focal plane. The height of the entrance aperture must be chosen so that the corresponding height of the image of the entrance aperture on the focal plane is smaller than the shortest distance between the order spectra, or the orders spectra will mix in the recording, i.e. one order spectrum receives a "cross talk" from the spectral signal of the neighbouring order spectra. As spectroscopic applications generally require that the spectrum can he measured without disturbances in intensity ranges where the weakest signal is 1/10000 or less than the strongest signal, even a small cross talk from one order spectrum to another is very disturbing. This feature puts very high demands on the quality of the optical image of the entrance aperture, namely that the image must be stigmatic, meaning that any point at the entrance aperture is imaged substantially on a point in the focal plane.
The requirement that the image be stigmatic differs from normal requirements of spectroscopic equipment, that it is sufficient if a point at the entrance aperture is imaged on a line oriented orthogonally to the dispersing direction of the grating, in the focal plane. If such non-stigmatic, or astigmatic imaging, is applied in a spectral apparatus with an a echelle grating, the optical radiation from neighboring order spectra will be mixed and produce cross talk at read-out, even if the height of the entrance aperture is reduced. As discussed above, small cross talk between order spectra on the sensor surface is unacceptable in spectral analysis.
The non-uniform distribution of the order spectra and the astigmatic imaging of the entrance aperture are both eliminated in the spectral apparatus of the present invention.
Another aberration of the optical image that is disturbing in optical spectral instruments is called "coma," which appears as an asymmetric broadening of the optical image. In a spectral apparatus the broadening of the optical image results in a deformation of the optical image of the entrance aperture in an isolated wavelength (spectral line), resulting in a reduction of the spectral resolution. This aberration is also reduced or eliminated through the present invention.
The detector unit of spectral instruments is often expensive. Its light sensitive surface, which normally has a rectangular shape also has a restricted size. In relation to initially specified spectral properties, it is generally hard to make a choice of the main parameters of the spectral apparatus so that this surface is utilised in an optimal way. This difficulty is also eliminated or reduced by the present invention.

Apparatus for carrying out spectral analysis of an optical light source using image detection and separation of spectral orders


The present invention is directed to processes for the preparation of 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one. This compound is useful as an intermediate in the synthesis of compounds which possess pharmacological activity. Also disclosed are novel semicarbazide salts and the preparation thereof, which are intermediates for the preparation of 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one.

The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one (I), which is useful as an intermediate in the manufacture of the pharmaceutical compound 2-(R)-(1-(R)-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)ethoxy)-3-(S)-(4-fluoro)phenyl-4-(3-(5-oxo-1H,4H-1,2,4-triazolo)methylmorpholine. This compound and related compounds are described in PCT International Patent Publication WO95/16679 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,699.
The preparation of of 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one (I) has been disclosed, see for example International patent specification WO01/96315, published Dec. 20, 2001, and Cowden, et al., Tetrahedron Letters, 2000, vol. 41, 8661. One of the previously reported methods for making (I) involves a one pot reaction of semicarbazide hydrochloride (III•HCl) with a methyl orthoester (II) in an alcoholic solvent.

The general process for the preparation of triazolinone (I) as conventionally described above stirs a mixture of the hydrochloride salt of semicarbazide (III•HCl) and orthester (II) at room temperature in methanol for about 3 days. The methanol is evaporated, and (I) is precipitated with toluene. This reaction, although simple and straightforward, is very time consuming for large scale or industrial use. Moreover, the inventors of the present invention noted decomposition of the orthoester (II) in studies of the reaction mixture. Attempts to elevate the temperature to accelerate the reaction increased the decomposition of (II).
It will be appreciated that compound (I) is is an important intermediate for a particularly useful and promising class of therapeutic agents. As such, optimized reaction conditions for compound (I), applicable to large scale or industrial manufacture, are highly desirable.
In accordance with the present invention, the use of alkyl or aryl sulfonic acid salts of semicarbazide (III), especially the methanesulfonic (mesylate) or para-toluenesulfonic (tosylate) salts of (III), surprisingly results in improved reaction yields, shorter reaction times, no detectable decomposition of orthoester (II), and greater purity of the final product. Moreover, by the use of sulfonic acid salts as described herein, it is possible to elevate the reaction temperature. Additionally, the reaction time is reduced considerably compared to conventional routes to triazolinone (I). Despite the aforementioned benefits of the use of sulfonic acid salts of semicarbazide (III) for this process, the use of these salts for this purpose has not previously been disclosed. Additionally, the mesylate and tosylate salts of semicarbazide (III) have not previously been disclosed in substantially pure form.
Accordingly, the present invention describes a superior method for the manufacture of 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one (I), via a simple, short, and efficient synthesis.

Process for preparing 3-chloromethyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one


A luer-type connector comprising a male-component formed with a locking nozzle having a co-axially extending lumen, and a locking collar rotatable over the nozzle and having a rear end, and formed with an internal thread for screw coupling with a radially extending annular lug of a mating female-component of the luer-type connector. The nozzle is formed with ridge having a rear, radially extending abutting wall surface terminating at an acute edge. The locking collar is formed with a ridge-engaging portion consisting of a first wall surface rearwardly tapering, and a second wall surface radially extending and adapted for engagement with the abutting wall surface of the ridge, whereby the first wall surface is adapted for frictional displacement along the acute edge and the second wall surface prevents further forward axial displacement of the locking collar with respect to the nozzle.

In a variety of medical procedures it is required to provide fast connecting means for connecting fluid transferring tubes to one another, for connecting tubes to branching devices and to different medical devices, as well as to a variety of flow control valves, etc.
For these and many other purposes, a variety of luer-type connectors are commonly utilized, which connectors provide on the one hand fast connecting and disconnecting, and on the other hand, provide reasonable reliability and security which is a critical requirement of such connectors to prevent un-intentional disconnection between the components, which under certain circumstances may be fatal for the patient or for the medical staff which may be exposed to contaminated body fluids. Still another problem which may occur in a connector non-tightly coupled is entry of air into the system which may be fatal.
Luer-type connectors are thus commonly in use. Various designs of luer-type connectors are available in which a tapered nozzle of a male-component is dimensioned to snugly, frictionally fit into a tapered socket female-component of the fitting, with a collar member rotatably retained over the male component and adapted for screw coupling with an annular threaded flanged portion of the female-component.
A variety of luer-type connectors are available and special consideration has been given to increased connecting force which at times may be required, e.g. to facilitate high pressure fluid flow through the connecting and to prevent ingress of air into the system or, for extra precaution to prevent loss of high risk fluids such as contaminated body fluids. However, excessive rotational force applied to the collar may eventually lead to disengagement of the collar from the male-component, entailing decoupling of the connection which may result in a hazardous outcome.
In particular, the problem of disengagement of the collar from the male-component may occur while transferring fatty which have a lubricating effect on the coupling, or even in case of unintentional excessive force applied to the collar, e.g. in case of stress of the medical staff.
Several attempts have been made to prevent disengagement of the rotatable collar from the male component. U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,021 discloses in FIGS. 2a, 9 and 10 some prior art arrangements in which the male-component is formed at a rear end of its nozzle with a radial abutting shoulder adapted for arresting a corresponding abutting ridge of the collar, thus preventing further axial displacement of the collar over the nozzle once said abutting walls engage one another. The drawback of such an arrangement is that no frictional resistance exists between the rotatable collar and the nozzle member whereby essentially all the fastening force is directed to screw coupling between the collar and the female-component, which may result in mechanical fracture of the components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,427 discloses in FIGS. 8a-8c an arrangement in which the male-component is formed at a rear end thereof with an inclined surface adapted for engaging a corresponding inclined surface of the collar, whereby excessive tightening of the collar is supposed to cause a hard stop and prevent disengagement of the collar from the male-component during engagement of said inclined surfaces. However, a serious drawback of this arrangement resides in that excessive force will eventually cause the inclined surface of the collar to slip over the inclined surface of the nozzle until disengagement of the collar from the male-component, leading to some undesirable results.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a luer-type connector in which the above-referred to disadvantages are significantly reduced or overcome.
A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved male-component of a luer-connector in which the collar is prevented from disengaging therefrom.


A semiconductor device capable of giving glitch noise to a test signal used in a noise test for the device. The semiconductor device includes an input circuit for receiving either a test signal supplied from a device tester or a control signal, and an internal circuit connected to the input circuit by a signal line. The internal circuit operates based on a signal provided from the input circuit. The signal line is connected to a noise generator. The noise generator generates glitch noise in a test signal supplied from the tester.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices that respond to test mode signals. In particular, the invention relates to a semiconductor device that produces a glitch noise in response to an externally supplied test signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
One common diagnostic routine used to test the performance of large scale integrated circuits (LSI's) such as semiconductor memory devices, is the so-called glitch "noise" test. This routine makes it possible for LSI manufactures to gauge how a particular device responds to a low frequency interference on glitch noise. During this test, glitch noise is typically input to the LSI during its operation to gauge LSI function in the presence of unwanted interference. The recent increases in LSI operational speeds, however, require increasing shorter glitch noise signals. Consequently, LSI manufacturers are concerned with developing reliable LSI glitch test routines with increasingly shorter glitch noise input.
Noise tests for semiconductor memory devices are conventionally carried out by supplying an address signal containing glitch noise to the semiconductor memory device from a semiconductor testing apparatus, i.e., a tester. Based on a noise testing program, the tester generates an address signal containing glitch noise. To accommodate noise in an address signal, the noise testing program designs an address signal AD0, for example, to have a period t.sub.w for signal level changes as shown in FIG. 1A. When the time period t.sub.w is shortened to time period t.sub.w 0 as shown in FIG. 1B, a glitch noise GN may be incorporated into the address signal AD0 and output from the tester.
An address decoder circuit in the semiconductor memory receives the address signal AD0 containing the glitch noise and decodes a select signal from the address signal. Based on the select signal, a single memory cell is selected to store either "0" or "1" depending on the testing pattern. When the tester supplies the semiconductor memory device with an address signal having no glitch noise, cell data is read from a memory cell selected based on the address signal. The tester then identifies whether the data read from the cell coincides with data written therein.
Should the programmed time period t.sub.w be too short in duration, however, conventional testers generally cannot generate address signals with glitch noise waveforms like that shown in FIG. 1B. Conventional noise testing is thus limited to testing routines utilizing address signals with sufficiently long t.sub.w period characteristics. In particular, t.sub.w period characteristics must be set longer than that of the noise generated by the tester. This requirement limits the types of testers which can be used for glitch noise testing. In fact, many types of testers are unable to perform glitch noise testing.
A further disadvantage of conventional glitch noise testing is the labor and time it takes to program and operate the tester. Glitch noise testing, consequently, requires a considerable investment in human and financial resources.

Glitch noise producing semiconductor device for testing semiconductor components


A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided and includes a battery element in which a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer provided on a positive electrode collector and a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material layer provided on a negative electrode collector are stacked via a separator, and an edge of the negative electrode is disposed so as to protrude along the planar direction relative to an edge of the positive electrode. A positive electrode terminal is connected to the positive electrode, and a negative electrode terminal is connected to the negative electrode. The negative electrode terminal has a contact piece intersecting with the continuous direction of the edge of the negative electrode and intersecting with the planar direction of the negative electrode. The contact piece comprehensively cleaves and contacts a plurality of the edges of the negative electrode.

Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using a non-aqueous electrolyte and having a battery element of a wound structure or a stack structure such as laminate type lithium ion batteries, rectangular lithium ion batteries and cylindrical lithium batteries.
In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a battery element is formed by stacking a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer provided on a positive electrode collector and a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material layer provided on a negative electrode collector via a separator (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3680797).
In the related-art non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, for the purpose of connecting a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal to a positive electrode and a negative electrode, respectively, an uncoated part in which a positive electrode active material is not coated in a positive electrode collector and an uncoated part in which a negative electrode active material is not coated on a negative electrode collector are required. Therefore, there is involved a problem that it takes a lot of time to manufacture the positive electrode and the negative electrode, resulting in high manufacturing costs.
Then, it is desirable to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of reducing the manufacturing costs.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery


The present invention provides an imaging device comprising an imaging unit for photographing an image, a face extracting unit for extracting a face region including a person's face part from said image, a rating calculation unit for calculating a rating from said extracted face region, a threshold setting unit for accepting setting of a threshold for said rating, and a photograph indicating unit for indicating re-photograph based on comparison of said rating and said threshold. According to the imaging device of the present invention, re-photograph is indicated based on comparison of the rating and the threshold. A user can easily obtain a satisfactory image by repeating photograph until the rating obtained from the face region reaches the threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device, an imaging method and an imaging program, more specifically to an imaging device and an imaging method for indicating re-photograph.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for providing an image satisfactory to an object of the photograph have been developed. For example, according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-45355, when a shutter button of a camera is pressed, a control unit of the camera continuously releases the shutter and continuously shoots gathering objects of the photograph. The taken image is displayed on a touch panel. Each of the objects decides a favorite image by touching arrow buttons and operating to switch the images displayed on the touch panel. Each of the objects touches the place of himself in the image on the touch panel. An image processing unit extracts the partial image where the object touches by performing edge emphasizing process and the like. The image processing unit combines a partial image which is selected by each of the object photographers in this manner.

Imaging device, imaging method and imaging program


A method for forming a blade having circular apertures with sharpened edges. As opposed to the traditional grinding and deburring method, the present invention utilizes electrochemical machining, electrical discharge machining, electrolytic machining, laser-beam machining, electron-beam machining, photochemical machining, ultrasonic machining, and other non-traditional methods to sharpen and form the blade edges. These manufacturing methods lend themselves to produce unlimited razor blade designs and structures.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to razor systems having a plurality of apertures and methods of manufacturing such razor systems using non-grinding sharpening techniques.
2. Description of Related Art
Efforts to improve wet shave quality have been on-going for many years. Among the avenues for improvement that have been explored are the actual blade and cutting edge design. To this end, razors have been developed with cutting edges which are not straight, as with most traditional blades, but are circular or otherwise rounded apertures located within the body of the blade. Such systems offer the advantage of allowing the user to shave in multiple directions, as opposed to the single direction of most blades. Examples of blades having circular apertures include U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,983, issued to Simms et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,329, issued to Chylinski et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,068, issued to Clifford. While the dimensions and shape of the actual apertures vary throughout the examples, the methods for producing the apertures in these examples remain virtually the same. The common method for producing the apertures is the traditional grinding method for sharpening blades which requires substantial part manipulation and is sometimes combined with an additional deburring step. Consequently, the manufacture and blade structure of razors having apertures are constrained by the limitations of traditional razor grinding.
It would be advantageous to provide a method for manufacturing razor blades having a plurality of sharpened apertures which does not employ traditional grinding and deburring steps, but instead utilizes more efficient and flexible hole-producing and edge sharpening technology. Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for producing razor blades having cutting edge apertures which do not utilize the traditional grinding techniques. It is a further objective of the invention to utilize electrochemical machining, electrical discharge machining, electrolytic machining, laser-beam machining, electron-beam machining, photochemical machining, ultrasonic machining, and other non-traditional methods to form cutting edge apertures in razor blades. Accordingly, the structure and design of the cutting edge apertures are not limited to the shapes, sizes, and locations amenable to grinding.

Aperture razor system and method of manufacture


A method and device for processing video signals is provided, comprising the steps of: selecting a motion vector having the least mean square error from an M×N block, applying a vector filter to the motion vector, and if filter output MSE is below a present threshold select the filtered motion vector as output filter, and if above the threshold, select input vector as output filter. Perform a P×Q nearest neighbor motion vector substitution on the output motion vector field, where P is less than M and Q is less than N. Perform an S×T nearest neighbor substitution on the output motion vector field, where S is less than P and T is less than Q.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to the processing of video signals; and more particularly to the interpolation of temporally consecutive video frames.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Block-based minimum mean-squared error (MSE) motion estimation techniques used to interpolate motion between two temporally-consecutive frames of a video sequence, provide the best match for each block, but do not necessarily provide motion vectors which represent true motion. Previously proposed motion compensated temporal interpolation (MCTI) algorithms have used modified motion estimation methods for estimating motion to ultimately display a reasonable reconstructed version of the image transmitted. When extraction of the motion is not precise, the image reconstructed will not be smooth and will include discontinuities. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved scheme for motion compensated interpolation of video sequences between temporally-related video frames.

Method and apparatus for motion compensated temporal interpolation of video sequences


There is provided a method for forming a conductor pattern on a substrate in such a manner that the conductor pattern has a lead portion extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, a first conductor portion located at one end of the lead portion and a second conductor portion located at the other end of the lead portion, including a printing step of printing at least the lead portion by ink-jet printing process, i.e., scanning a print head while discharging liquid ink drops from nozzles of the prink head, wherein the scanning of the print head is performed in the longitudinal direction of the conductor pattern during the printing step; and wherein the length of each of the first and second conductor portions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conductor pattern is larger than the diameter of the ink drop.

The present invention relates to a method for forming a conductor pattern.
There is conventionally known ink-jet printing process in which a given ink pattern is printed on a print object such as a print paper or a substrate by means of an ink-jet head and, more specifically, by moving the print object in one direction while moving the ink-jet head in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the print object as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-35820. In this printing process, the relative moving direction of the print object and the ink-jet head, i.e., the actual direction of pattern printing on the print object is always constant regardless of the pattern orientation (horizontal orientation or vertical orientation). Further, the ink-jet head is generally configured to, while moving the print object on a stage, apply pressure pulses to a molten ink and thereby discharge minute ink drops from its nozzles (ink discharge holes) onto the print object during the printing process as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-212249.
The above-mentioned ink-jet printing process can be adopted as various printing techniques, including not only plain-paper printing for printing an ordinary ink such as a color ink on a plain paper sheet but also conductor pattern printing for printing a conductor pattern on a circuit substrate.