A computerized robust cell kinetic recognition method for moving cell detection from temporal image sequence receives an image sequence containing a current image. A dynamic spatial-temporal reference generation is performed to generate dynamic reference image output. A reference based object segmentation is performed to generate initial object segmentation output. An object matching and detection refinement is performed to generate kinetic recognition results output. The dynamic spatial-temporal reference generation step performs frame look ahead and the reference images contain a reference intensity image and at least one reference variation image.

Moving cellular or subcellular object detection from temporal image sequence is the basic step for kinetic analysis of live cell time-lapse movies acquiring from video microscopes. It involves the accurate segmentation of moving cells from stationary background as well as the separation of cells when they touch each other.
Recognition of moving objects is one of the most important problems in computer vision. This problem has many applications in diverse disciplines including remote sensing, surveillance, medical diagnosis and treatment, civil infrastructure, and underwater sensing. Commonly used techniques for moving object detection in video images are dynamic models, temporal differencing and optical flow, background subtraction, etc. (J. Rittscher, J. Kato, S. Joga, and A. Blake "A probabilistic background model for tracking". ECCV, pp. 336-350, 2000; D. Magee, 'Tracking multiple vehicles using foreground, background and motion models', in Proc. ECCV Workshop on Statistical Methods in Video Processing, (2002); Elgammal, R. Duraiswami, D. Harwood, and L. S. Davis, "Background and foreground modeling using nonparametric kernel density estimation for visual surveillance," Proceedings of IEEE, vol. 90, pp. 1151-1163, 2002; Image change detection algorithms: a systematic survey Radke, R. J. Andra, S. Al-Kofahi, O. Roysam, B. Dept. of Electr., Rensselaer Polytech. Inst., Troy, N.Y., USA; C. Ridder, O. Munkelt, and H. Kirchner. Adaptive background estimation and foreground detection using kalman filtering. In Int. Conf. on Recent Advances in Mechatronics, pages 193-199, 1995.)
The prior art dynamic modeling method is only suitable for man-made objects or structurally predictable entities such as cars, airplanes or human (with head, arms, body, legs). They are not suitable for natural objects such as cells or other biological entities. The prior art temporal differencing and optical flow methods are very sensitive to noise due to its inherent high pass filtering characteristics and noise tends to be in the high frequency spectrum.
Background subtraction is a commonly used technique for moving object segmentation in static scenes. It attempts to detect moving regions by subtracting the current image pixel-by-pixel from a reference background image that is created by averaging images over time in an initialization period. The pixels where the difference is above a threshold are classified as foreground. The reference background is updated with new images over time to adapt to dynamic scene changes. However, the simple background subtraction or inter-frame differencing schemes are known to perform poorly. This is due to the inherent variations of the background image that cannot be easily compensated by a simple intensity background image.
Although background subtraction techniques could extract most of the relevant pixels of moving regions even when they stop, they are usually sensitive to dynamic changes such as sudden illumination changes. More advanced methods that make use of the temporal statistical characteristics of individual pixels have been developed in the prior art to overcome the shortcomings of basic background subtraction methods. These statistical methods are mainly inspired by the background subtraction methods in terms of keeping and dynamically updating statistics of the pixels that belong to the background image process. Moving objects are identified by comparing each pixel's statistics with that of the background model. This approach reduces false object detection. Yet, it suffers from missed detection of moving objects or regions of moving objects having low contrast with respect to the background intensity.

Method for moving cell detection from temporal image sequence model estimation


To operate a magnetic resonance tomography system, first analysis signals are received by a main receive antenna and an auxiliary receive antenna. Based thereon, a first interference source and first weighting factors are determined. Second analysis signals are received by the main receive antenna and the auxiliary receive antenna and in accordance with the first weighting factors, a combination of the second analysis signals is created. Based thereon, a second interference source is determined. Second weighting factors are determined in order to suppress the influence of the first interference source and an influence of the second interference source. A magnetic resonance signal is received during an examination phase by the main receive antenna and an interference signal by the auxiliary receive antenna. An interference-suppressed magnetic resonance signal is created as a combination of the magnetic resonance signal and the interference signals depending on the second weighting factors.

Systems for magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) are imaging apparatuses that, for imaging an examination object, align nuclear spins of the examination object with a strong external magnetic field and excite them by a magnetic alternating field for precession about the corresponding alignment. The precession or the return of the spins from this excited state into a state with lower energy in its turn creates a magnetic alternating field as a response, which may be detected via receive antennas.
With the aid of magnetic gradient fields, a spatial encoding may be impressed on the signals, which subsequently makes it possible to assign a received signal to a volume element of the examination object. The received signal may then be evaluated, e.g., to provide a three-dimensional imaging representation of the examination object. Local receive antennas, so-called local coils, may be used as receive antennas, which may be arranged directly on the examination object to achieve an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The receive antennas may also be arranged in the vicinity of the examination object or be built into a patient table, for example.
The MRT signals to be received for the imaging are extremely weak, so that with known MRT systems a screening of external interference signals is required in order to achieve a sufficient SNR. Complex screening cabins are installed in particular for this purpose in order to reduce the interference emissions. This leads to significant costs and to constructional restrictions because of the corresponding amount of space required.
In PCT publication no. WO 2019/068687 A2, a magnetic resonance tomography unit with active interference suppression and a corresponding method are described. In this case, a first receive antenna is provided for receiving a magnetic resonance signal from a patient and a second receive antenna for receiving an interference signal. A receiver connected to the receive antennas is configured to suppress the interference signal received with the second receive antenna in the magnetic resonance signal received from the first receive antenna. To this end, the interference signal is determined during the MRT sequences for signal acquisition, wherein periods of time may be used in which no MRT signal for imaging is expected. An interference suppression control may then combine the signals of the first receive coil and the second receive coil in a weighted manner in order to minimize the energy of the interference signals in the combined signal.
Because these periods differ in length, depending on the MRT sequence used, and they occur at different times, the method for interference suppression is adapted individually for each MRT sequence, which leads to an increased effort. Moreover, it may be possible, depending on the MRT sequence, that the available periods for determining the interference signal are not sufficiently long to achieve a reliable suppression of the influence of the interference.

Magnetic resonance tomography system with interference reduction


A high energy toroidal inductor addresses not only the desire for reduced weight and volume, but also the desire for minimal stray magnetic fields. Specifically, the high energy toroidal inductor includes a bucking cylinder and a predetermined number of leaves. Each leaf is of a two-ended, twisted ring configuration and includes a top portion. The top portion is the narrowest portion of the leaf, and the width of the leaf graduates outward from the top portion to each end of the ring. The bucking cylinder interfaces with each of the leaves and presents the leaves in a side-by-side, continuous toroidal configuration.

In electrical pulsed power applications, inductors are needed for pulse shaping and/or energy storage. In the past helical jelly roll inductors have been used. Helical jelly roll inductors are generally high current inductors constructed by winding long copper strips around an insulating cylinder then overlaying the windings with a layer of fiberglass to withstand internal magnetic pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,610 entitled "High Energy Inductor", which is hereby incorporated by reference, describes this type of helical jelly roll inductor in detail.
A desirable feature presented by the high energy inductor of the '610 patent is that it is designed to be of sufficient strength to withstand the typically destructive magnetic field forces that result from high pulse current flow while still presenting an inductor of smaller weight and volume. In brief, high energy pulses, which involve high currents, generate such high magnetic field forces that an inductor can literally explode unless fabricated in a fashion to provide high mechanical strength. Typically, this requires that the inductor be of substantial weight and volume. However, the high energy inductor of the '610 patent was able to limit the weight and volume of the inductor by imposing and maintaining a predetermined level of tensile stress upon the length of the conductor of the inductor.
Thus, while the problems of weight and volume of inductors for electrical pulsed power applications have been addressed in one form, the issue of stray magnetic fields remains a problem. Specifically, helical jelly roll inductors, such as the one described in the '610 patent, have been shown to emit strong magnetic fields that typically exceed MIL-SPEC acceptable limits. These fields can be very harmful to electronic equipment in an armored vehicle or on a ship. Further, large stray magnetic fields create a presence that may be detectable by enemy sensors.
In one attempt to solve the stray field problem, an inductor was created by assembling several helical jelly roll inductor segments into a toroidal geometry ("segmented toroid") by attaching the segments to a central bucking cylinder. The bucking cylinder was designed to resist the implosive forces of the inductor. This "segmented toroid" exhibited significantly lower stray fields but was quite bulky.


An improved ion source and portable analyzer for collecting and focusing dispersed gas-phase ions from a reagent source at atmospheric or intermediate pressure, having a remote source of reagent ions generated by direct or alternating currents, separated from a low-field sample ionization region by a stratified array of elements, each element populated with a plurality of openings, wherein DC potentials are applied to each element necessary for transferring reagent ions from the remote source into the low-field sample ionization region where the reagent ions react with neutral and/or ionic sample forming ionic species. The resulting ionic species are then introduced into the vacuum system of a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer. Embodiments of this invention are methods and devices for improving sensitivity of mass spectrometry when gas and liquid chromatographic separation techniques or probes containing samples are coupled to atmospheric and intermediate pressure photo-ionization, chemical ionization, and thermospray ionization sources.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to methods and devices for improved ionization, collection and focusing of ions generated from chemical and photo-ionization for introduction into the mass spectrometer and other gas-phase ion analyzers and detectors.
2. Description of Prior Art
The generation of ions at or near atmospheric pressure is accomplished by a variety of means; including, electrospray (ES), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (AP-MALDI), discharge ionization, 63Ni sources, inductively coupled plasma ionization, and photoionization. A general characteristic of these atmospheric or near atmospheric ionization sources is the dispersive nature of the ions once produced. Needle sources such as electrospray and APCI disperse ions radially from the axis in high electric fields emanating from needle tips. Aerosol techniques disperse ions in the radial flow of gases emanating from tubes and nebulizers. Even desorption techniques such as atmospheric pressure MALDI will disperse ions in a solid angle from a surface. The radial cross-section of many dispersive sources can be as large as 5 or 10 centimeters in diameter.
As a consequence of a wide variety of dispersive processes, efficient sampling of ions from atmospheric pressure sources to small cross-sectional targets or through small cross-sectional apertures and tubes (usually less than 1 mm) into a mass spectrometer becomes quite problematic. This is particularly amplified if the source on ions is removed from the regions directly adjacent to the aperture.
The simplest approach to sampling dispersive atmospheric sources is to position the source on axis with a sampling aperture or tube. The sampling efficiency of simple plate apertures is generally less than 1 ion in 104. U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,696 (1980) to Fite discloses an electrospray source with a pinhole aperture, while U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,884 (1999) and World patent 99/63576 (1999) both to Laiko et al. discloses an atmospheric pressure MALDI source configured with a pinhole or aperture in a plate. An atmospheric pressure source discloses in Japanese patent 04215329 (1994) by Kazuaki et al. is also representative of this inefficient approach. This general approach in severely restricted by the need for precise aperture alignment and source positioning, for example, in the case of an APCI source the position of the discharge needle; and very poor sampling efficiencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,765 (2003) and World patent 01/33605 (1999) both to Robb et al. discloses a low field photoionization source developed for LC/MS applications. The use of this low field photo-ionization source has lead to some improvement in sampling efficiency from atmospheric pressure sources, but these sources also suffer from a lower concentration of reagent ions when compared to traditional APCI sources.
A wide variety of source configurations utilize conical skimmer apertures in order to improve collection efficiency over planar devices. This approach to focusing ions from atmospheric sources is limited by the acceptance angle of the electrostatic fields generated at the cone. Generally, source position relative to the cone is also critical to performance, although somewhat better than planar apertures. Conical apertures are the primary inlet geometry for commercial ICP/MS with closely coupled and axially aligned torches. Examples of conical-shaped apertures are prevalent in ES and APCI (U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,994), and ICP (U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,492) inlets. As with planar apertures, source positioning relative to the aperture is also critical to performance; and collection efficiency is quite low.
Another focusing alternative utilizes a plate lens with a large hole in front of an aperture plate or tube for transferring sample into the vacuum system. The aperture plate is generally held at a high potential difference relative to the plate lens. The configuration creates a potential well that penetrates into the source region and has a significant improvement in collection efficiency relative to the plate or cone apertures. But this configuration has a clear disadvantage in that the potential well resulting from the field penetration is not independent of ion source position, or potential. High voltage needles can diminish this well. Off-axis sources can affect the shape and collection efficiency of the well also. Optimal positions are highly dependent upon both flow (liquid and, concurrent and counter-current gas flows) and voltages. They are reasonable well suited for small volume sources such as nanospray while larger flow sources become less efficient and problematic. Because this geometry is generally preferential over plates and cones, it is seen in most types of atmospheric source designs. We will call this approach the "Plate-Well" design which is reported with apertures as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,056 (1985) to Labowsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,209 (1995) to Covey et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,799 (1998) to Franzen; and with tubes as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,293 (1985) to Fenn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,326 (1996) to Goodley et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,705 (2000) to Whitehouse et al.
Several embodiments of atmospheric pressure sources have incorporated grids in order to control the sampling of gas-phase ions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,446 (1995) to Jarrell et al. utilitized a grid that reflected lower mass ions into a collection cone and passed large particles through the grid. This modulated system was intended to allow grounded needles and collection cones or apertures, and float the grid at high alternating potentials. This device had limitations with duty cycle of ion collection in a modulating field (non-continuous sample introduction) and spatial and positioning restrictions relative to the sampling aperture. U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,954 (2001) to Andrien et al. used grids as counter electrodes for multiple corona discharge sources configured in geometries and at potentials to generated ions of opposite charge and monitor their interactions and reactions. This specialized reaction source was not configured with high field ratios across the grids and was not intended for high transmission and collection, rather for generation of very specific reactant ions. An alternative atmospheric pressure device by disclosed in Japanese patent 10088798 (1999) to Yoshiaki utilized on-axis hemispherical grids in the second stage of pressure reduction. Although the approach is similar to the present device in concept, it is severely limited by gas discharge that may occur at these low pressures if higher voltages are applied to the electrodes and the fact that most of the ions (>99%) formed at atmospheric pressure are lost at the cone-aperture from atmospheric pressure into the first pumping stage.
Grids are also commonly utilized for sampling ions from atmospheric ion sources utilized in ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). Generally, for IMS analysis ions are pulsed through grids down a drift tube to a detector as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,428 (2001) to Kunz. Great effort is made to create a planar plug of ions in order to maximize resolution of components in the mobility spectrum. These devices generally are not continuous, nor are they operated such that ions are focused into apertures or capillaries at the atmospheric-vacuum interface of mass analyzers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Remote reagent chemical ionization source


A method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location. The method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location comprises the steps of: identifying a spill perimeter of a liquid spill, removing standing liquid from within the spill perimeter, dispersing a layer of desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, removing the moisture saturated desiccant, evaluating if moisture is still present at the spill location, and if moisture is still present, dispersing another layer of the desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting another period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, removing the moisture saturated desiccant and repeating as necessary.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the cleanup of spills, and more specifically, to a method of using a desiccant for the substantially complete absorption of moisture from a spill location.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluid spills are an everyday occurrence throughout the home and work-place. Fluid spills may comprise water, paints, inks, lubricants, fuels, and other substances. Generally, the cleanup of fluid spills has involved the use of a mop and pail, a sponge, paper towels, a wet-dry vacuum, etc. to lift the fluid from the spill location. However, regardless of which of these means is used to attempt to remove all of the fluid, the spill location generally contains some moisture residue of the fluid. The moisture residue remains for a variety of reasons including: an inability to get the sponge or other cleanup means in contact with the moisture, or because the nature of the surface upon which the spill has occurred has a surface texture or construction that hinders the release of, or absorption by, the moisture to the cleanup means. Therefore, a need existed for a method of absorbing moisture from a spill location that would not be inhibited by surface texture or construction. An additional need existed for a method of absorbing moisture from a spill location that would leave the spill location substantially dry and free of moisture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of absorbing moisture from a spill location that is not inhibited by surface texture or construction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of absorbing moisture from a spill location that leaves the spill location substantially dry and free of moisture.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location is disclosed. The method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location comprises the steps of: identifying a spill perimeter of a liquid spill, removing standing liquid from within the spill perimeter, dispersing a layer of desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, and removing the moisture saturated desiccant.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location is disclosed. The method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location comprises the steps of: identifying a spill perimeter of a liquid spill, removing standing liquid from within the spill perimeter, dispersing a layer of desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, removing the moisture saturated desiccant, evaluating if moisture is still present at the spill location, and if moisture is still present, dispersing another layer of the desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, and removing the moisture saturated desiccant.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location is disclosed: The method of using a desiccant for the absorption of moisture from a spill location comprises the steps of: identifying a spill perimeter of a liquid spill; removing standing liquid from within the spill perimeter; dispersing a layer of desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill; waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill; removing the moisture saturated desiccant; evaluating if moisture is still present at the spill location, and if moisture is still present, dispersing another layer of the desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill; waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill; removing the moisture saturated desiccant; and repeating the following steps until moisture is no longer present as indicated by the desiccant remaining substantially dry following dispersal within the spill perimeter: dispersing a layer of desiccant within the spill perimeter substantially covering the liquid spill, waiting a period of time until the desiccant is substantially saturated with moisture from the liquid spill, and removing the moisture saturated desiccant.

Method of using a desiccant for the substantially complete absorption of moisture from a spill location


An integrated pixel sensor structure having a light sensitive diode including a transparent conductor. In addition, a protective layer is also placed over the transparent conductor, the protective layer including a set of diffraction grating elements for producing complementary colors. A system including the integrated pixel sensor structure and post-capture circuitry.

Many digital video and still image capture systems use a image sensor that is constructed from a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. CMOS image sensors offer the ability to integrate digital image signal generation circuits directly onto the sensor to achieve a lower system cost. The image sensing portion of a CMOS sensor is constructed of an array of light sensitive elements, each commonly referred to as a "pixel" element. Each pixel element is responsible for capturing one of three color channels: red, green, or blue. Specifically, each pixel element is made sensitive to a certain color channel through the use of a color filter placed over the pixel element such that the light energy reaching the pixel element is due only to the light energy from a particular spectrum. Each pixel element generates a signal that corresponds to the amount of light energy to which it is exposed.
Advances in CMOS processing technology allows the shrinking of the surface area of each pixel element to create higher densities of these light sensors in sensor arrays, thus arriving at sensors with greater resolutions. However, as the numbers of metal layers increases to accommodate the additional circuitry necessary to support the greater number of pixels, thereby so does the vertical heights of pixel elements increase. For example, in a pixel element that has multiple metal layers, the stack height, including the color filter and microlens layers, reaches approximately 10 μm. As light sensitive elements are constructed on the silicon layers underneath the metal layers, light will have to travel on the order of 10 μm from the topmost metal layer to the silicon interface through the opening in the metal layers. As the photosensitive area for a pixel element is reduced, the opening for the pixel element begins to resemble a pinhole. The increased vertical length from the opening to the photosensitive area, coupled with the decrease in opening size, introduces shadowing and interference effects that limit the amount of light incident upon the pixel surface.
The limitation on the range of acceptance angles from which light can incident upon the sensor limits camera performance. Microlenses usually help and produce larger acceptance angle. Using an improved taking lens may improve camera performance, as the taking lens can better channel incident light to strike the sensor at a better angle. Although using a better taking lens may improve camera performance, the increased cost of using an improved taking lens limits the amount of compensation that can be achieved by such use. Thus, it would be desirable to improve light exposure on the sensor without an increase in cost.

Color image sensor with integrated binary optical elements


A method includes receiving a playlist at a network device from a client device in communication with the network device over a network. In response to receiving the playlist, the method also includes disabling channel changes not associated with the playlist from executing during times indicated in the playlist. The method further includes transmitting a control message from the network device to the client device that requests the client device to tune to a channel conforming to the playlist when the network device receives a channel change request not associated with the playlist from the client device.

Present-day set top boxes commonly offer parental control capabilities that limit the content viewable by children in the household. Typically, these products implement a block by rating limit. Content that has a rating higher (more adult) than the set limit will not be viewable on the display. While this is an effective method, it can lead to a frustrating experience given the size of today's channel lineup. For example, if a parent sets a MPAA-G rating limit, the vast majority of channels would be blocked. In this environment, the child may encounter 10 blocked channels for every one allowed. Furthermore, the allowed channels might not be what the parent would recommend if they were sitting next to the child in the room.

Providing parental control using a playlist


A signal of fluorescence emitted from a fluorescent particle of a pathological specimen can be increased in sensitivity and be stabilized, thereby resulting in an enhancement in retrieval accuracy of information from a fluorescence image. A pathological specimen including a tissue section subjected to a treatment (immunostaining/FISH staining treatment) for fluorescence-labeling of an objective biomaterial with a fluorescent particle observable in a dark field, based on an immunostaining or FISH method; a packed layer with which the tissue section is covered; and a protection layer with which the packed layer is covered; wherein                the refractive indexes of the fluorescent particle, the packed layer and the protection layer (measurement wavelength: 589 nm; measurement temperature: 20° C.; in all) satisfy the conditions of Expressions (1) and (2):|n1−n2|≤0.20  Expression (1)|n2−n3|≤0.15  Expression (2)        n1: refractive index (fluorescent particle)        n2: refractive index (packed layer)        n3: refractive index (protection layer).

In a pathological diagnosis, there are performed a series of processes of: preparing a slide on which a tissue section collected from a patient is sliced and placed; subjecting the slide to staining by a predetermined method, thereby producing a pathological specimen; thereafter taking a stained image of the pathological specimen; and acquiring information for a pathological diagnosis from the resulting stained image. The stained image acquired from the pathological specimen can be used to not only observe the morphology of a cell or tissue, but also quantify and evaluate the expression level of a specified biomolecule, thereby diagnosing various events, for example, whether the patient suffers from a specified disease or not, or whether a specified therapeutic drug is successful or not.
As one pathological diagnosis example, a pathological diagnosis is widely conducted in which a tissue section produced by collection of a cancer tissue is used to quantify and evaluate a HER2 gene (HER2/neu, c-erbB-2) being one cancer gene, and/or a HER2 protein which is a membrane protein produced from the HER2 gene and which is presumed to serve as a receptor of a cancer cell growth factor, thereby diagnosing prognosis for a breast cancer patient, or predicting the therapeutic effect of a molecular targeted therapeutic drug "trastuzumab" (trade name "Herceptin" (registered trademark), anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody). While amplification of the HER2 gene and overexpression of the HER2 protein are observed in 15 to 25% of human breast cancer cases, overexpression of HER2 in a cancer cell basically occurs according to gene amplification at the DNA level. A HER2 examination method directed to a cancer tissue is classified to a method of observing amplification at the DNA level, a method of observing overexpression at the RNA level, and a method of observing overexpression at the protein level. Representative examples of the respective examination methods at the protein level and at the DNA level include an immunostaining method or an immunohistochemistry (IHC) method, and a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. Such HER2 examinations are of clinical importance, and respective standard procedures and criteria (score) of HER2 examinations according to the immunostaining method (IHC method) and the FISH method are defined by the 2007 ASCO/CAP guidelines.
The immunostaining method or the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method is a method of detecting the amount of a HER2 protein expressed on a cell membrane by use of a fluorescently labeled anti-HER2 antibody, on a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue section. While a conventional immunostaining method (original IHC method) adopted has been a method (enzyme antibody method, for example, DAB method) of utilizing an anti-HER2 antibody labeled with an enzyme which generates a dye in the addition of a predetermined substrate, an immunostaining method (fluorescence antibody method) has also been increasingly utilized which utilizes an anti-HER2 antibody labeled with a fluorescent body more excellent in distinguishability. In such an immunostaining method, in general, a slide (specimen) on which a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue section sliced is placed is prepared, and subjected to a deparaffinization treatment or the like and thus made suitable for immunostaining, and thereafter a fluorescently labeled antibody is reacted and thus bound to a HER2 protein on a cell membrane. The tissue section thus immunostained is, if necessary, subjected to a mounting treatment with a mounting agent containing a fading inhibitor, a cover glass is further placed thereon, and thereafter a fluorescence image is taken in a dark field under irradiation with predetermined excitation light. There are superimposed a fluorescence image (dark field image) where a fluorescent body with which the HER2 protein is labeled is expressed as a bright spot, and a cellular morphology image (bright field image) taken in a bright field for reference, where the cell membrane is stained with a staining agent, and thus the number of bright spots observed in a cell membrane area per cell is counted and whether the HER2 protein is abnormally expressed or not is discriminated based on the resulting value.
Embodiments of the immunostaining method (fluorescence antibody method), in particular, a method of using a fluorescent body-integrated nanoparticle as a fluorescent body, can be seen in, for example, Patent Document 1 (International Publication No. WO 2013/035703), Patent Document 2 (International Publication No. WO 2013/147081) and Patent Document 3 (International Publication No. WO 2014/136776).

Pathological specimen, method for producing pathological specimen, and method for acquiring fluorescence image


In a display device equipped with a picture-in-picture function, during controlling of the picture parameters of the main picture, one or several auxiliary pictures are presented on the screen, each having a certain combination of parameter settings. These may be preprogrammed, defined by a user, or automatically determined. The display device is provided with circuitry for transferring the parameter settings of one of the auxiliary pictures to the main picture. In a special embodiment, an auxiliary picture represents the parameter settings at the start of the picture parameter adjustment process. As a result, the old parameter settings may be compared with the new ones and, if so desired, may be reinstated in a simple manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display device comprising:
a picture screen, PA1 display means for imaging a main picture and at least one auxiliary picture on the picture screen such that picture properties of the main picture and of the auxiliary picture are determined by respective controllable picture parameters, and PA1 control means for controlling the picture parameter of the main picture. PA1 a memory for storing a parameter value of the picture parameter, and PA1 generating means for generating the auxiliary picture with substantially the same picture contents as at least part of the main picture, while the parameter value of the picture parameter of the auxiliary picture is identical to the parameter value stored in the memory, PA1 displaying an auxiliary picture which has substantially the same contents as at least part of the main picture, the parameter value of the picture parameter of the auxiliary picture being read from a memory, and PA1 rendering the parameter value of the picture parameter of the main picture equal to the parameter value of the picture parameter of the auxiliary picture when a predetermined first condition arises.
The invention also relates to a method of controlling a picture parameter of a main picture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a display device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,358. The known display device comprises means for imaging an auxiliary picture over part of a main picture. Certain picture parameters can be adjusted in a simple manner by means of the auxiliary picture. The correctness of a certain setting of such a picture parameter is indicated by means of the visibility or invisibility of certain elements in the auxiliary picture, given certain ambient factors.


A plurality of imagers, each responsive to a different wavelength range of light radiation, share the same optical system of lenses. An optical film on a substrate is used to split the light beam emanating from the shared optical system. The first wavelength range is reflected by the film to a first imager. The second wavelength range is transmitted through the film and the substrate to a second imager.

The visual appearance of an object or a scene can be influenced by several factors. One of these factors is the characteristic of the light that illuminates the scene. For example, a scene at the beach on a bright day appears different from the same scene when viewed on an overcast day, a foggy day, or on a moonlit night. A lifeguard stand at the same beach would appear different when illuminated by a flashlight on a dark night or when illuminated by a halogen spotlight on a police cruiser. In each case, the type of light source that illuminates the scene is different, and so the appearance of the scene is different. One difference in the type of light in each of these cases is the spectral content of the light. In the visual spectrum, the spectral content of light often is described by its color. Thus, the yellow light of the sun, the blue light of a halogen lamp, and other subtle differences in the spectral content of the light that illuminates the beach all lead to a distinctively different visual experience.
A more precise way of characterizing light is to describe it in terms of its wavelength. Thus, white light (theoretically, at least) contains all wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Red light occupies a longer-wavelength end of the visible spectrum. Violet light occupies a shorter-wavelength end of the visible spectrum. Even electromagnetic radiation that is not visible can be characterized in terms of its wavelength. For example, infrared light, which is invisible to the naked eye, has a wavelength longer than that of visible red light. Ultraviolet, which also is invisible to the naked eye, has a wavelength shorter than that of visible violet light.
A second factor that influences the appearance of a scene relates to how light is reflected from objects in the scene. An object that reflects no light appears to be black. Alternatively, it could be said that a black object is one that absorbs all wavelengths of light. An object that reflects red light appears to the naked eye to be red, an object that reflects green light appears to the naked eye to be green, and so on.
A third factor that can influence the appearance of a scene may take the form of optical filters that selectively transmit different wavelengths of light. For example, a person viewing the beach while wearing sunglasses experiences a different view from that of another person who views the beach through the naked eye. Some types of sunglasses operate by selectively transmitting light only in one part of the visual spectrum. That is, they tend to block light in other parts of the visual spectrum. Sometimes this filtering can cause a scene to be viewed more clearly than would be the case when viewing the scene with the naked eye. A person viewing the beach through yellow sunglasses on a foggy day may see the beach more clearly than someone viewing the same beach with the naked eye. Yellow sunglasses selectively transmit light at the red-orange-yellow end of the visible spectrum (i.e. they attenuate light received at the blue-indigo-violet end of the visible spectrum) and thus can materially aid in viewing objects through fog. This aid arises because fog tends to scatter light in the blue part of the visible spectrum. Yellow sunglasses, by not passing the scattered light, can provide a relatively clearer view of a foggy scene. At the same time, a person wearing yellow sunglasses may fail to notice a blue object, such as a blue beach umbrella in the same scene because the light that reaches the person's eyes is somewhat devoid of information at the blue end of the spectrum.
Yet another factor that influences the appearance of a scene relates to a detector that receives the light and converts the received light into an image that can be viewed with the naked eye. Infrared film is one example of such a detector. Some types of infrared film display a high-temperature object in an image as white and a low-temperature image as black. As a basic illustration, the human eye functions as a detector when viewing a scene. As such, different persons may have different ability to detect visible light in different bands (i.e. colors). For example, a colorblind individual may not be able to discriminate between red and green. This individual may have great difficulty in seeing a red bird sitting on a branch of a green tree.
These simple examples illustrate that the appearance of a scene or an object depends upon several factors. One of these factors is the spectral content of the light source that illuminates a scene. A second factor is the manner in which objects reflect light that illuminates them. A third factor is the effect of any filters that selectively transmit light received from a scene according to the wavelength of the light. Yet a fourth factor relates to the characteristics of a detector that receives the light.
These observations about the interaction of light with objects lead to many practical applications that are important from an economic point of view. One example occurs in systems that help a pilot to visualize a runway. For example, if mobile machinery blocks a runway at night, such machinery may be invisible to the naked eye. Because there may not be enough illumination arriving at the surface of the machinery, the machinery would be invisible to the naked eye and probably would not appear in an image generated by a standard camera whose detector (e.g. conventional photographic film) is sensitive to visible wavelengths of light. However, recognizing that the heat generated by an engine radiates very strongly in the range of infrared wavelengths, a camera loaded with infrared film is likely to see the machinery very clearly. Likewise, a television camera with a detector that was sensitive to radiation in the infrared range could produce a signal that could be displayed on a monitor. A pilot then may view the detected image on a monitor in order more safely land an airplane. In another example that relates to the hazy day at the beach, haze can obscure daytime images of a runway by scattering the shorter wavelengths at the blue end of the visible spectrum. Images using only yellow, red, and near-infrared wavelengths, however, can show the runway more clearly through haze.
One way to take advantage of the information available in the different wavelength ranges just mentioned is to employ a technique called multi-spectral imaging. Multi-spectral imaging can be used to view a scene from more than one perspective, where each perspective is that of the image viewed in a different radiation band. Hence, one perspective may be the scene as viewed in the visible radiation band (e.g., the scene may be viewed in the visual and the near infrared spectral bands). Another perspective may be the same image viewed in a different spectral band (e.g., in the long infrared band). In order to view a scene from these different perspectives simultaneously, light from the scene must be directed to different detectors, each sensitive to a particular range of wavelengths. A range of wavelengths is sometimes referred to as a spectral band or, if the context is clear, simply a band.
Multiple images of the same scene using two or more wavelength ranges may be combined to reveal more information than any one image could provide. Such multi-spectral imaging may be effectively applied to military target acquisition and detection, aircraft runway visibility enhancement, aircraft runway obstacle detection, and the like.
The use of multi-spectral imaging is not restricted to military or avionics use. For example, medical applications include imaging systems for surgical support. Also, multi-spectral imaging is used in maritime applications and in earth-observing satellite systems. Such multi-spectral imaging is also used in astronomy where, for example, multi-spectral imaging systems are used to probe the far reaches of space.
Because separate perspectives of a single scene are typically combined into a composite image, good spatial registration amongst the different perspectives is also required. Good spatial registration occurs when the features of every object in the scene appear in the same location in each of the images from multiple different imagers. When two or more images of different wavelength ranges are superimposed, exact spatial registration means that details observable in different wavelength ranges will be shown with the correct spatial relationship to one another within the scene.
Light in substantially different wavelength ranges requires a different kind of light sensor or detector for each wavelength range. A typical silicon-based charge-coupled device (CCD) detector, like those used in a common video camera, for example, is sensitive to wavelengths of light that range from about 0.4 to about 1.0 microns. This range of wavelengths (i.e. this band) includes visible light (VIS) with wavelengths from about 0.4 to 0.7 microns and near infrared (NIR) with wavelengths from about 0.7 to 1.0 microns. The most useful infrared wavelength ranges are included in three bands that are not significantly absorbed by air. One of these bands is the short infrared (SIR) band with wavelengths from about 1 to 3 microns. Another of these useful bands includes the mid wave infrared (MWIR) band with wavelengths from about 3 to 5 microns. Yet another useful infrared band is the long wave infrared (LWIR) band with wavelengths from about 8 to 14 microns. Each of these bands requires a detector that is different from a typical silicon CCD detector. The detectors further are different from each other.
One problem with known multi-spectral imaging systems is that the optics involved in capturing an image from a scene may not be capable of processing radiation in more than one range of wavelength. Hence, traditional multi-spectral imaging systems use separate optical paths to process images for different detectors. By using separate optical paths to process an image at different wavelength, there is an inherent misregistration error. This misregistration error is an artifact of the fact that the scene processed by two distinct optical paths can never be exactly the same.
Several approaches are available for reducing the effect of misregistration error. One choice is to accept different views of the scene on the two detectors and to superimpose the images without any attempt to mitigate the error. This choice results in a distorted image that may obscure important details. Another choice is to augment the multi-spectral imaging system 5 by adding mechanisms to estimate the distance to a scene and to adjust the direction in which each optical path is pointed according to the relative angle with which each optical path views the scene. This choice has the effect of increasing the cost, size, and weight of a multi-spectral imaging system. The additional mechanisms also require special maintenance in order to derive the benefit offered by the mechanisms. Yet another choice is to convert each detected image to digital form and to use a digital signal processing computer to scale each image and then digitally align multiple images with each other. This technique can also reduce the misregistration error. Unfortunately, algorithms for performing such scaling are extremely complicated and employ heuristic techniques that are not guaranteed to be appropriate in all cases. Additionally, such digitally-based systems are very expensive to develop and test.

Method and apparatus for coincident viewing at a plurality of wavelengths


Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting vulnerabilities based on aggregated primitives. A particular method includes receiving a plurality of data transmissions. At least one of the data transmissions includes a protocol anomaly that is not indicative of a security threat. The method includes identifying a plurality of primitives associated with the data transmissions. The primitives are aggregated, and an attack condition is identified based on the aggregated primitives. A security alert is generated based on the identified attack condition.

Information Technology (IT) professionals and IT departments often use a management and monitoring system in an effort to maintain a stable and secure computing environment. Monitoring systems frequently include tools to monitor network traffic, such as Internet traffic, for known security threats.
The network traffic monitoring systems used by IT professionals commonly include an intrusion detection system (IDS) and an intrusion prevention system (IPS). IDSs and IPSs track the flow of network traffic in and out of a computing environment and compare the tracked network traffic to a specific set of rules (e.g., virus definitions or signatures of known security exploits) to identify attacks. As a result, whether or not a particular attack is identified depends on whether or not a rule that contains a known virus definition or a known security exploit signature exists for the particular attack. Consequently, new or unknown attacks may not be detected or prevented by IDSs and IPSs.

Vulnerability detection based on aggregated primitives


An electric actuator having an in-line rotation shaft, electric motor and encoder in which the encoder shaft, the motor shaft and the rotation shaft is concentric and integrally formed.

1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates generally to an electrically powered linear actuator and more particularly to an electrically powered actuator having an inline, direct motor mount and adapted for a variety of robotic or other applications. The invention has particular application to the control of robotic, pedestal or fixture welding guns and specifically, welding guns utilized in the automotive industry. The invention also has application to the actuation of clamping fixtures and the like in various industries such as the automotive industry.
2. The Prior Art
Various industries, and particularly the manufacturing industry, have utilized linear actuators to control the movements of automated welding guns, automated clamping fixtures, and the like. Specifically, in the automotive industry, actuation and control of welding guns and clamping fixtures has been accomplished using fluid actuators such as pneumatic or hydraulic actuators. While fluid actuators have functioned reasonably well for this purpose, they inherently embody various limitations. One, because of the possibility of leaks and failure of seals, etc. in the fluid actuators, there is always the concern of contamination of the worksite by a leaking fluid. Second, fluid actuators necessarily require a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid supply system. This leads to significant maintenance and other costs.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved actuator which overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art, and in particular, an improved actuator which is designed for use in controlling the movement of, and accommodating the loads associated with, welding guns, clamping fixtures and the like, such as those used in the automotive industry.


A CAM and method for operating a CAM are presented. Copies of a CAM database are duplicated and placed in a first set of CAM locations and a second set of CAM locations. An error detector is used to determine false matches in the case of soft errors within the entries producing those false matches. While the entries producing a match should have the same index location, errors might cause those match lines to have an offset. If so, the present CAM, through use of duplicative sets of CAM locations, will detect the offset and thereafter the values in each index location that produces a match, along with the corresponding parity or error detection encoding bit(s). If the parity or error detection encoding bit(s) indicate an error in a particular entry, then that error is located and the corresponding entry at the same index within the other, duplicative set of CAM locations is copied into the that erroneous entry. Since duplicative copies are by design placed into the first and second sets of CAM locations, whatever value exists in the opposing entry can be written into the erroneous entry to correct errors in that search location. The first and second sets of CAM locations are configurable to be duplicative or distinct in content, allowing error detection and correction to be performed at multiple user-specified granularities. The error detection and correction during search is backward compatible to interim parity scrubbing and ECC scan, as well as use of FNH bits set by a user or provider.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a communication network, and the reliable routing of information across the network using lookup tables and content addressable memory. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method of searching a database having duplicative entries placed into the memory, noting which entry of the duplicative entries is erroneous, and copying a correct entry into the erroneous entry to achieve a more reliable search result. The present apparatus and method can extend to any prioritized set of associative rules applied in parallel, but for which error detection can occur serially.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be conventional by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
A communication network is generally recognized as an interconnection of forwarding devices that processes and sends packets of information across the network. One objective of the forwarding devices is to reliably forward the packets from a source to a destination. Thus, the network can either be an Internet or an Intranet and the forwarding devices can be gateways, bridges, switches, or routers.
In whatever form, a forwarding device typically includes one or more lookup tables. An incoming destination address or search key, derived from a packet of information, can be compared to entries stored within the lookup table. Resulting from the search, the associated packet of information may be processed according to a set of rules and sent to an appropriate port of the forwarding device. As links of the network change, routing protocols exchange information among the forwarding devices in order to change the entries within the corresponding lookup tables. This change will modify not only the entries within the lookup table, but also the next-hop identifiers or other associated data pointed to by the addresses of those entries. Routing through the forwarding devices can, therefore, be changed dynamically as links go down and come back up in various parts of the Internet or Intranet.
A popular implementation of the lookup table involves content-addressable memory (CAM). A CAM contains many CAM entries that are searched by a search key. One important feature of a CAM is that fairly fast searches can be undertaken of any database, list, pattern, image, or voice-recognition stored within a computer or a communication network. Contrary to conventional memory devices, CAMs do not store data in any structured fashion. The locations at which data is stored within a CAM can be arbitrary, where the data can be written directly into any location within the CAM. Once data is stored in CAM, that data can be found by comparing every bit within all of the CAM entries with input data placed in a comparand register. If a match exists for the set of values (i.e., binary or ternary bit values, depending on whether the values are bit-maskable) stored in a particular CAM entry, a match line is asserted for that entry. Thus, the match operation can take place within a single entry in a CAM (i.e., in the form of either a binary match, a ternary match, a range-based match such as a greater-than match, or any other kind of logical match function). A CAM thereby operates opposite that of a conventional memory device by receiving data and returning a CAM entry index, address, or location.
When searching in parallel all binary/ternary values (hereinafter, simply "values") across all CAM entries, multiple match lines might be asserted. The CAM typically includes one or more priority encoders that then translate the highest priority matching CAM index (or location) into a match address that is thereafter forwarded to discrete memory specified by that address. The discrete memory device may then direct the packet of information to the output port identified by that memory.
In order to reliably perform fast parallel searches, and to ensure the forwarding devices can correctly process and forward packets of information, the values stored in each of the CAM entries must not contain errors. Unfortunately, however, errors can occur when writing values into CAM entries. Errors can also occur in entries at any time after they are written. With the advent of smaller geometries and process skews, soft errors due to alpha-particle radiation, cosmic-ray radiation, and on-chip inter-symbol interference are likely to increase. The impact of such errors on normal CAM operation may be large due to the fact that all CAM locations are searched in parallel. A search operation on all CAM entries may provide an erroneous result due to two possible conditions: (i) an entry being searched contains one or more errors causing it to incorrectly match the comparand data ("false-hit" condition); or (ii) an entry being searched contains one or more errors causing it to incorrectly mismatch the comparand data ("false-miss" condition). Such errors can, in most instances, be eliminated by simply rewriting the proper values into an entry having improper values. Such rewriting of erroneous entries may be facilitated in the forwarding device by the intervention of an external central processing unit (CPU). However, before the errors can be fixed, the erroneous entries in the CAM must first be detected. Moreover, the time taken for such detection and correction of erroneous CAM entries by the forwarding device may be sufficiently large such that erroneous CAM entries adversely affect the reliability, correctness, and performance of the forwarding device.
It would be desirable to provide a circuit and method to detect erroneous values within a CAM during a search operation, isolate which entries contain those erroneous values, and then correct those erroneous values during or immediately following the search operation. By performing error detection, identification, and correction as an entry is being searched, one can be assured that the search cannot produce erroneous results, and that the impact to the forwarding device's performance is minimized.

Error correcting content addressable memory


A track joint assembly includes a first track shoe and a second track shoe, and a cartridge pin coupling together the first track shoe and the second track shoe. A sealed and lubricated track joint is formed by pin lugs on the first and the second track shoes, a cartridge pin, a pin retainer, a pin bore extending through pin lugs of the coupled-together track shoes, and a pin stop located in one of the pin lugs to inhibit displacement of the cartridge pin.

Ground-engaging tracks are used in many different machines operated in off-highway environments across the globe. Machine tracks typically include an endless loop of coupled-together track links that extends about rotatable track-engaging elements such as one or more idlers, track rollers, carrier rollers, and a drive sprocket. Significant engineering efforts have been directed over the years at design of various track system components to provide robust support for heavy machines, as well as traction in harsh environments. Track-type machines can weigh several million pounds, and off-highway worksites can have substrates formed of hard materials that subject the equipment to demanding wear conditions, slippery underfoot conditions, repeated high mechanical loads, and corrosive environments. Various specialized materials, lubrication fluids, as well as shape and proportioning of track components have been proposed over the years to address these and other concerns.
In the case of large mining machines, track service can require significant machine downtime during which the machine is not operational, and heavy equipment as well as specially trained personnel may be necessary to properly inspect, repair, replace, or otherwise diagnose and address issues with a machine's track. Machine downtime can have significant economic consequences, especially in the event of an unplanned field failure. United States Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0050688 to Oertley et al. is directed to a cartridge assembly for a track chain. The cartridge assembly includes a bushing and a track pin, and is structured such that the cartridge assembly is rotatable with respect to the supporting bores. While Oertley et al. discloses a design that may be well suited for certain applications, there is always room for improvement and/or alternative strategies.

Track joint assembly in machine track having pin stop for cartridge pin retention


The wireless communication system of the present invention has a first communication mode in which a center module preferentially allocates a slot to communication data of a calling sub station according to a priority of the calling sub station, and a second communication mode in which the center module allocates the slot to the communication data received from the calling sub station irrespective of the priority of the calling sub station. The center module determines which sub station can make a call to which sub station, each sub station transmits identification information to the center module, and the center module identifies the transmitting sub station based on the identification information, determines which sub station the identified sub station can make a call to, and allocates the slot to communication between the sub station determined to be capable of making a call and the transmitting sub station.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system in which a plurality of sub stations wirelessly communicate with each other via a center module.
2. Background Art
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a packet configuration for communication in a conventional wireless communication system. Referring to FIG. 11, a normal mode and a manager mode in the conventional wireless communication system will be described. FIG. 11 (a) shows a packet configuration in a normal mode. FIG. 11 (b) shows a packet configuration in the manager mode. In any mode, packet communication is performed using a time division duplex (TDD) scheme. It is provided that the number of available channels (the number of frequency bands) is two.
In an example in FIG. 11 (a), each of a store personnel 1 and a store personnel 2 communicates with a kitchen in the normal mode. A channel 1 (f1 MHz) is allocated to the communication by the store personnel 1. A channel 2 (f2 MHz) is allocated to the communication by the store personnel 2. FIG. 11 (a) shows a state in which all the prepared two channels are used by the store personnel.
In such a situation, when a manager wishes to urgently call staff members, the manager operates a center module to set the communication mode to the manager mode. After the wireless communication system is set to the manager mode, the communication by the store personnel 1 is forcedly terminated and downlink slots having been used by the store personnel 1 is exclusively used by the manager as shown in FIG. 11 (b). Likewise, the communication by the store personnel 2 having been performed using the channel 2 is forcedly terminated, and the channel 2 having been used by the store personnel 2 is forcedly switched to the channel 1.
In such a conventional communication system, when the communication mode is set to the manager mode, the call by the manager exclusively uses the channel in a forced manner in order to secure the urgent call from the manager. Accordingly, if the communication mode is switched to the manager mode while the store personnel is communicating with the kitchen in the normal mode, the communication from the store personnel to the kitchen is forcedly terminated. Further, during the manager mode is selected, another staff member cannot make a call.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Durability and lifetime of a resin sealed electronic device is improved by reducing thermal stresses acting on the power element and the parts mounting on the board. A power element of which the protective film on the power element is coated with a polyimide group resin at manufacturing the element is used, and a metallic heat sink of which the reverse side surface (portion of mounting on a board) is not plated is used. Further, a linear expansion coefficient of the molding resin is within a range of 3xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C. to 17xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C. The durability and the lifetime of the resin sealed electronic device is improved, because the thermal stresses are reduced by balancing linear expansion coefficients of the parts.

The present invention, relates to a structure of a resin sealed electronic device and, more particularly to a package structure and configuration to improve its reliability.
The prior art of a semiconductor package structure for an internal combustion engine, particularly of an igniter, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No.2,590,601, proposes to seal a circuit board and a semiconductor element with transfer mold. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.9-177647 discloses an igniter which is formed in one chip by constructing a function circuit on a semiconductor chip.
In a case where a hybrid IC board and a semiconductor power element are mounted on a single heat sink portion and sealed with transfer mold, it is particularly necessary to pay attention to thermal stresses acting on the contained parts. Since an amount of thermal deformation is large particularly in the portion of the semiconductor element having a large amount of self-heat generation, there occurs a problem in lifetime of solder used for mounting the semiconductor power element. Silicone which is a main material composing the semiconductor power element has a linear expansion coefficient of 3xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C., and on the other hand the metallic heat sink (usually made of a copper group material) mounting the semiconductor power element has a large linear expansion coefficient as large as 17xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C. Therefore, large stresses such as a shear stress caused by the difference between the linear expansion coefficients and a bending stress caused by the bimetal effect occur in the solder used for mounting the power element. In addition, in a case of containing a hybrid IC board, thermal stresses acting on the board must be also taken into consideration. In a case of using a hybrid IC board made of an alumina group material, the linear expansion coefficient is around 7xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C., and is also different from the thermal expansion coefficient of the heat sink. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the lifetime of the resin sealed electronic devices by optimizing specifications of the linear expansion coefficient of the resin used; the method of coating the surface of the semiconductor power element; and the heat sink mounting the board and the semiconductor power element so as to reduce the effect of thermal stresses acting on the contained parts.
In order solve the above problem, by using a switching semiconductor element of which the protective film on the power element is coated with a polyimide group or a polyamide group resin when the used semiconductor power element is manufactured, tightness of adhesion of the semiconductor power element to the transfer mold resin is improved. By doing so, the thermal displacement of the semiconductor power element is restrained to reduce the thermal stress acting on the soldered portion. In general, a semiconductor element is provided with a protective film of some kind at the end in manufacturing. Therefore, it is easy that a protective film made of a polyimide group or polyamide group resin is employed as the protective film in that manufacturing process. On the other hand, there is a method to improve the restraining force by dropping and curing a resin of such kind after mounting the semiconductor element. However, the method increases number of manufacturing processes to increase its cost.
In general, in order to mount a semiconductor element, a metallic heat sink has nickel plating on its mounting surface or additionally has silver plating or the like on the nickel plating. There are two plating methods, that is, one is that the heat sink is plated after being pressed into a part-mounting shape, and the other is that the heat sink is plated before being pressed. These kinds of plating are poor in adhesion to the resin, and consequently weak in a force restraining the heat sink portion. Particularly, in the case of plating after being pressed, it is difficult to plate only the mounting area, and accordingly all over the surface is plated. From the viewpoint of thermal deformations of the semiconductor parts, the board and the heat sink, in order to improve reliability a method of restraining these contained parts is employed by fully molding all the parts with transfer mold. However, when all the surface is plated, separation of interface easily occurs particularly in the reverse side surface of the area not mounting the parts due to the poor adhesion with the resin, and as a result the thermal deformation can not be restrained and accordingly the reliability can not be improved. In order to solve the problem, it is considered that the polyimide group or the polyamide group resin is applied to the surface or that the surface is coated with the resin as the semiconductor power element. However, the method adds number of manufacturing processes such as applying and curing processes.
Therefore, the heat sink is plated when it is in its material state, and the reverse side surface of the surface mounting the parts is masked so as to be not plated. The base material surface of the metallic material (a copper group or an aluminum group material) is tighter in adhesion to the resin compared to that of the plating described above, and consequently the thermal displacement can be restrained.
As described above, the semiconductor parts and the board are actually mounted on the surface of mounting the parts, and the exposed plated area having a weak adhering force is small. Therefore, tightness of adhesion of the semiconductor power element to the resin is maintained by coating the surface of the element, and tightness of adhesion of the reverse side surface to the transfer mold resin is improved by the base material surface of the metallic material without the plating. By doing so, the thermal displacement of the portion of the semiconductor power element is reduced by restraining the upper and the lower surfaces. On the other hand, in regard to the portion of the hybrid IC, the difference of the linear expansion coefficients between the substrate material of the aluminum group ceramic and the metallic heat sink material (the copper group or the aluminum group material) is small compared to the difference in the portion of the power element. Therefore, the reliability can be improved by improving the tightness of adhesion of the reverse side surface of the heat sink to the resin to restrain the displacement in the heat sink side.
In order to improve the tightness of adhesion of the reverse side surface to the resin, it is possible to further improve tightness of adhesion in the interface by forming projections and depressions on the reverse side surface of the heat sink portion to increase the contact area.
In that case, the thermal stresses acting on the contained parts can be reduced by using a mold resin having a linear expansion coefficient within a range of the smallest linear expansion coefficient (3xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C.) of silicon in the semiconductor element among the constituent materials of the contained parts to the linear expansion coefficient (17xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0C.) of copper among the metallic materials (the copper group or the aluminum group material) to be used for the heat sink which has the largest volume.