In an embodiment, a system includes: a base with a bore hole, wherein the base is configured to secure a wafer at a first position on the base; a pin extending through the bore hole; a focus ring horizontally surrounding the wafer at the first position and extending upwardly from the base, wherein the wafer is configured to be moved vertically between the first position and a second position above the focus ring via the pin; and a slit valve above the focus ring, wherein the wafer is configured to be moved horizontally between the second position and the slit valve via a robotic arm.

Semiconductor wafer processing operations such as etching or chemical vapor deposition are often carried out in a semiconductor wafer processing chamber using a plasma reactor and a focus ring around the wafer. The focus ring may focus plasma or gas on the wafer and reduce the non-uniformity of the wafer etch rate which is caused by non-uniform plasma or gas distribution across the wafer. Normally, the non-uniform plasma or gas distribution is caused by the non-uniform gas flow distribution across the wafer and other factors such as non-uniform temperature, electrical field, and magnetic field distribution across the wafer. A vacuum pump in the bottom of the chamber continuously draws gases out of the chamber in order to maintain a particular vacuum level in the chamber.
Typically, the wafer periphery may be shielded by the focus ring surrounding the wafer periphery. The focus ring may extend above the wafer periphery by a few centimeters, typically, and the focus ring may be supported by a lift mechanism which may move the focus ring up enough to allow the wafer to be transferred, via a robotic arm, from under the focus ring and above a base. Techniques for using the lift mechanism to move the focus ring requires large amounts of overhead and expensive hardware, but still fail to produce satisfactory results.

Systems and methods for fixed focus ring processing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Processes for producing polymer microcapsules using vicinal functional oligomers are also described. The vicinal functional oligomers can be made by polymerizing an acrylate monomer, a styrene monomer, or both in the presence of a chain transfer agent. The vicinal functional oligomers can be reacted with epichlorohydrin to form vicinal epoxies. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with polyamines to form epoxy polymer microspheres. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst to form vicinal cyclic carbonates. The vicinal cyclic carbonates can be reacted with polyamines to form isocyanate-free polymer microspheres. Polymer microspheres made by the processes are also described.

Melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) is the state of the art material in microencapsulation. However, formaldehyde is currently under environmental and legislative scrutiny as it is a carcinogen. The use of formaldehyde during the processing of the microcapsules and the continued release of formaldehyde during storage and use is a concern.
Microencapsulation is used in wide variety of applications, including, but not limited to, fabric softener, laundry detergent, all-purpose surface cleaner, personal care fragrances, controlled release of agricultural, and pharmaceutical active ingredients. Many consumer and industrial companies are seeking alternative materials to MUF.
Alternative approaches to MUF encapsulation typically involve either using scavengers during the curing of the microcapsules and/or in the final formulation of the microcapsules, or substitution of formaldehyde with other aldehydes in the production of amino resins.

Formaldehyde free microspheres and encapsulation


A substrate for semiconductor device includes a graphite substrate, an amorphous carbon layer having a thickness of not less than 20 nm and not more than 60 nm formed on the graphite substrate and an AlN layer formed on the amorphous carbon layer. The amorphous carbon layer is obtained by oxidizing the surface of the graphite substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting diode element composed of a nitride semiconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a semiconductor element composed of a nitride semiconductor such as gallium nitride (GaN) has been researched and developed actively. A semiconductor light-emitting element composed of nitride semiconductors comprising aluminum nitride (AlN), gallium nitride (GaN) or, indium nitride (InN), or mixed crystal thereof emits light in a wide wavelength region from ultraviolet or blue to infrared by varying its film composition. As its application, a visible-range light-emitting diode using a nitride semiconductor has already been commercially-available (for example, Shuji Nakamura et. al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 34 (1995) L. 1332-L.1335).
FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting diode element according to prior art. As shown in FIG. 13, the conventional light-emitting diode element has a low-temperature grown buffer layer 102 consisting of GaN, an n-type GaN cladding layer 103, a quantum well layer 104 consisting of InxGa1-xN, a p-type cladding layer 105 consisting of p-type GaN, and a p-type contact layer 106 consisting of p-type GaN. These layers are grown in this order on the main surface of a sapphire substrate 101 with a plane orientation of (0001). A p-side electrode 107 is formed on the p-type contact layer 106, and an n-side electrode 108 is formed on the selectively exposed region of the n-type GaN layer 103.
According to the prior art, in order to suppress carrier recombination due to non-luminescence transition derived from lattice defects or threading dislocations, a nitride semiconductor film having significantly low defects in the crystal has to be prepared. For this reason, a monocrystalline substrate such as a sapphire substrate is used, but such a monocrystalline substrate is very expensive.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method for preparing a polycrystalline nitride semiconductor film on a graphite substrate by a pulse sputtering method has been proposed (Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2009-200207).
However, since the GaN film prepared on the graphite substrate by a pulse sputtering method is polycrystalline and has many defects, it fails to be suitable for light-emitting diodes or electronic devices. Furthermore, since the nitride semiconductor film prepared by a sputtering method is damaged severely due to discharged plasma during the film growth, it is well known that the crystal of the film contains extremely many defects. Accordingly, in a case where the method for preparing the nitride semiconductor by the pulse sputtering method according to Patent Document 1 is used, it is very difficult to prepare p-type GaN necessary to prepare a light-emitting diode element.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nitride light-emitting diode element with high performance at low cost with use of a graphite substrate, which is non-monocrystalline substrate, by a Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), which is most suitable for fabricating a semiconductor device.

Light-emitting diode element and method for fabricating the same


An integrated weight sensing system and method is disclosed for a medical imaging system. In one embodiment, the integrated weight sensing system may include a table assembly, a load cell, and a processor that are implemented in a medical imaging system. The table assembly includes a lifting mechanism used to position a patient within the medical imaging system. The load cell is mechanically coupled to the table assembly and in communication with the processor. The load cell is configured to measure and indicate the weight of the patient and the processor may be configured to adjust imaging parameters based on the weight of the patient. The table assembly may include a device in communication with the load cell and/or processor to display the weight of the patient. Additionally, the table assembly and/or the processor may include an interface for zeroing or recalibrating the load cell.

The invention generally relates to medical imaging system and methods. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to an integrated weight sensing system for automatically measuring the weight of a patient and communicating the weight of the patient to a medical imaging system.
Medical imaging modalities make use of different physical phenomena to acquire medical images. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems use non-ionizing radio frequency (RF) signals to generate emissions from gyromagnetic material to acquire image data. In contrast, X-ray systems, and other modalities employing X-rays such as computed tomography (CT) systems use ionizing X-rays to acquire image data. Other modalities, such as positron emission tomography (PET) systems, ultrasound imaging systems, and so forth, are based upon still other physical phenomena. Regardless of the imaging modality, the quality of the image data, or the particular settings of the system are a function of the weight or mass of the patient. A heavier patient (i.e., one with more mass) requires system settings different from those of a smaller patient to obtain the same quality image. Thus, medical imaging systems may be configured to increase the power or dose of the radiation, or to adjust other image acquisition factors depending on the weight or mass of the patient that is undergoing the scanning procedure.
Medical imaging systems often require the medical technician to manually enter the weight of the patient to determine the radiation dose rate. This increases the potential for error and may result in the technician improperly configuring the imaging system based on an errant weight entry, incorrect weight measurement, and so forth. When this occurs, image quality suffers, or the patient has to undergo additional scans to obtain the desired image quality, thereby exposing the patient to additional inconvenience and, in certain modalities, greater doses of radiation. Furthermore, additional scans are costly, and inefficient. There is a need in the art for an integrated weight sensing system that automatically measures the weight of a patient and communicates the measurement to the medical imaging system to allow for proper setting of the system during image acquisition.

Medical imaging system and method with integrated weight sensing


A conformable roller for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine, said fusing station being provided with a pressure roller for fusing a toner image on a receiver, said fuser roller made from a plurality of layers surrounding an axis of rotation, said conformable roller comprising a rigid cylindrically symmetric core member; a compliant base-cushion layer formed on the core member; a stiffening layer in intimate contact with and surrounding the base-cushion layer; a compliant release layer coated on the stiffening layer; and said fusing station including an external heat source for said fuser roller, at least one of said plurality of layers being thermally resistive.

This invention relates in general to electrostatographic imaging and, in particular, to fusing stations and rollers used therein. More particularly, this invention relates to fusing stations, useful for color imaging, wherein a stiffening layer is included in externally-heated compliant toner fuser rollers and compliant pressure rollers.
In electrostatographic imaging and recording processes such as electrophotographic reproduction, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a primary image-forming member such as a photoconductive surface and is developed with a thermoplastic toner powder to form a toner image. The toner image is thereafter transferred to a receiver, e.g., a sheet of paper or plastic, and the toner image is subsequently fused to the receiver in a fusing station using heat or pressure, or both heat and pressure. The fuser member can be a roller, belt, or any surface having a suitable shape for fixing thermoplastic toner powder to the receiver. The fusing step in a roller fuser commonly consists of passing the toned receiver between a pair of engaged rollers that produce an area of pressure contact known as a fusing nip. In order to form such nip, at least one of the rollers typically has a compliant or conformable layer on its surface. Heat is transferred from at least one of the rollers to the toner in the fusing nip, causing the toner to partially melt and attach to the receiver. In the case where the fuser member is a heated roller, a resilient compliant layer having a smooth surface is typically used which is bonded either directly or indirectly to the core of the roller. Where the fuser member is in the form of a belt, e.g., a flexible endless belt that passes around the heated roller, it typically has a smooth, hardened outer surface.
Most roller fusers, known as simplex fusers, attach toner to only one side of the receiver at a time. In this type of fuser, the roller that contacts the unfused toner is commonly known as the fuser roller and is usually the heated roller. The roller that contacts the other side of the receiver is known as the pressure roller and is usually unheated. Either or both rollers can have a compliant layer on or near the surface. In most fusing stations comprising a fuser roller and an engaged pressure roller, it is common for only one of the two rollers to be driven rotatably by an external source. The other roller is then driven rotatably by frictional contact.
In a duplex fusing station, which is less common, two toner images are simultaneously attached, one to each side of a receiver passing through a fusing nip. In such a duplex fusing station there is no real distinction between fuser roller and pressure roller, both rollers performing similar functions, i.e., providing heat and pressure.
Two basic types of simplex heated roller fusers have evolved. One uses a conformable or compliant pressure roller to form the fusing nip against a hard fuser roller, such as in a Docutech 135 machine made by the Xerox Corporation. The other uses a compliant fuser roller to form the nip against a hard or relatively non-conformable comformable pressure roller, such as in a Digimaster 9110 machine made by Heidelberg Digital LLC. A fuser roller designated herein as compliant typically comprises a conformable layer having a thickness greater than about 2 mm and in some cases exceeding 25 mm. A fuser roller designated herein as hard comprises a rigid cylinder, which may have a relatively thin polymeric or conformable elastomeric coating, typically less than about 1.25 mm thick. A fuser roller used in conjunction with a hard pressure roller tends to provide easier release of a receiver from the heated fuser roller, because the distorted shape of the compliant surface in the nip tends to bend the receiver towards the relatively non-conformable pressure roller and away from the much more conformable fuser roller.
A conventional toner fuser roller includes a cylindrical core member, often metallic such as aluminum, coated with one or more synthetic layers, which typically comprise polymeric materials, made from elastomers.
The most common type of fuser roller is internally heated, i.e., a source of heat is provided within the roller for fusing. Such a fuser roller normally has a hollow core, inside of which is located a heating source, usually a lamp. Surrounding the core is an elastomeric layer through which heat is conducted from the core to the surface, and the elastomeric layer typically contains fillers for enhanced thermal conductivity. A different kind of fuser roller which is internally heated near its surface is disclosed by Lee et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,275, which describes a fuser roller comprising two polyimide Kapton(copyright) sheets (sold by DuPont and Nemours) having a flexible ohmic heating element disposed between the sheets, the polyimide sheets surrounding a conformable polyimide foam layer attached to a core member. According to J. H. DuBois and F. W. John, Eds., in Plastics, 5th Edition, Van Nostrand and Rheinhold, 1974, polyimide at room temperature is fairly stiff with a Young""s modulus of about 3.5 GPaxe2x88x925.5 GPa (1 GPa=1 GigaPascal=109 Newton/m2), but the Young""s modulus of the polyimide sheets can be expected to be considerably lower at the stated high operational fusing temperature of the roller of at least 450xc2x0F.
An externally heated fuser roller is used, for example, in an Image Source 120 copier, marketed by Eastman Kodak Company, and is heated by surface contact between the fuser roller and one or more heating rollers. Externally heated fuser rollers are also disclosed by O""Leary, U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,183, and by Derimiggio et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,027.
A compliant fuser roller may comprise a conformable layer of any useful material, such as for example a substantially incompressible elastomer, i.e., having a Poisson""s ratio approaching 0.5. A substantially incompressible conformable layer comprising a poly(dimethyl siloxane) elastomer has been disclosed by Chen et al., in the commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/879,896, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the conformable layer may comprise a relatively compressible foam having a value of Poisson""s ratio much lower than 0.5. A conformable polyimide foam layer is disclosed by Lee in U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,275, and a lithographic printing blanket is disclosed by Goosen et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,287, comprising a conformable layer containing a vast number of frangible rigid-walled tiny bubbles which are mechanically ruptured to produce a closed cell foam having a smooth surface.
Receivers remove the majority of heat during fusing. Since receivers may have a narrower length measured parallel to the fuser roller axis than the fuser roller length, heat may be removed differentially, causing areas of higher temperature or lower temperature along the fuser roller surface parallel to the roller axis. Higher or lower temperatures can cause excessive toner offset in roller fusers. However, if differential heat can be transferred axially along the fuser roller by layers within the fuser roller having high thermal conductivity, the effect of differential heating can be reduced.
Improved heat transfer from the core to the surface of an internally heated roller fuser will reduce the temperature of the core as well as that of mounting hardware and bearings that are attached to the core. Similarly, improved heat transfer to the surface of an externally heated fuser roller from external heating rollers will reduce the temperature of the external heating rollers as well as the mounting hardware and bearings attached to the external heating rollers.
When the fuser and pressure rollers of a simplex fusing station are pressed against each other, and the conformable layer is deflected to form the fusing nip, the thickness of the conformable layer is reduced inside the nip. When the conformable layer is substantially incompressible, the average speed of the conformable layer through the fusing nip must be greater than that of other parts of the conformable layer that are well away from the nip, because the volume flow rate of the elastomer is constant around the roller. This results in a surface speed of the conformable roller inside the nip, which is faster than far away from the nip. When, for example, the conformable roller is a driving roller frictionally rotating a relatively non-conformable pressure roller, the pressure roller will rotate faster than if the fuser roller had been non-compliant, a phenomenon known as xe2x80x9coverdrivexe2x80x9d. Overdrive may be expressed quantitatively as a peripheral speed ratio, measured as the ratio of the peripheral surface speeds far away from the nip.
A substantially incompressible elastomer that is displaced in the fusing nip results in an extra thickness of the conformable layer adjacent to either side of the fusing nip, i.e., pre-nip and post-nip bulges. Again, since the elastomer is substantially incompressible, the average speed of the conformable layer in these bulges is less than that of the other parts of the conformable layer that are well away from the nip. The highest pressure in the nip will be obtained at the center of the nip (at the intersection of the joined surfaces and an imaginary line between the centers of the two rollers). Since one roller drives the other, the surface velocities of the rollers should be close to equal at the point of maximum pressure, at the center of the nip. In view of these facts, it may be understood that in general there will be locations in the contact zone of the nip where the surface velocities of the two rollers differ, i.e., there will be slippage. This slippage, which may be substantial just after entry and just before exit of the nip, is a cause of wear which shortens roller life.
A potentially serious problem for fusing arising from the presence of overdrive is xe2x80x9cdifferential overdrivexe2x80x9d, associated for example with tolerance errors in mounting the rollers forming the fusing nip, or with roller runout. Runout can have many causes, e.g., fluctuations in layer thicknesses along the length of a roller, variations in the dimensions of a core member, an acentric roller axis, and so forth. It will be evident that differential overdrive can result in localized differential slippages along the length of a fusing nip, inasmuch as the local effective speed ratio would otherwise tend to fluctuate or change with time along the length of the nip, causing some portions of the driven roller to try to lag and other portions to try to move faster than the average driven speed. Differential overdrive can have serious consequences for fusing, including the formation of large-scale image defects and wrinkling of a receiver.
All rollers suffer from surface wear, especially where the edges of receivers contact the rollers. Since relative motion due to slippage between rollers increases wear, the changes in velocity of the surface of a conformable roller, as it travels into, through, and out of a fusing nip formed with a relatively non-conformable roller, should increase the wear rate of the conformable roller, especially if the conformable roller is the heated fusing member, bearing in mind that a fuser roller typically faces a relatively rough and abrasive paper surface in the nip. Moreover, since the material on the conformable roller is stretched and relaxed each time it passes through the fusing nip, this flexure can result in fatigue aging and wear, including failure of the roller due to splitting or cracking of the compliant material, or even delamination.
To obtain high quality electrophotographic copier/printer image quality, image defects must be reduced. One type of defect is produced by smearing of image dots or other small-scale image features in the fusing nip. Relative motions associated with overdrive and resulting in localized slippage between rollers in a fusing nip can cause softened toner particles to smear parallel to the direction of motion, resulting for example in elongated dots.
Some roller fusers rely on film splitting of low viscosity oil to enable release of the toner and (hence) receiver from the fuser roller. Relative motion in the fusing nip can disadvantageously disrupt the oil film.
A toner fuser roller commonly includes a hollow cylindrical core, often metallic. A resilient base-cushion layer, which may contain filler particles to improve mechanical strength and/or thermal conductivity, is formed on the surface of the core, which may advantageously be coated with a primer to improve adhesion of the resilient layer. Roller cushion layers are commonly made of silicone rubbers or silicone polymers such as, for example, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) polymers of low surface energy, which minimize adherence of toner to the roller.
Frequently, release oils composed of, for example, poly(dimethylsiloxanes) are also applied to the fuser roller surface to prevent the toner from adhering to the roller. Such release oils (commonly referred to as fuser oils) may interact with the PDMS in the resilient layer upon repeated use, which in time causes swelling, softening, and degradation of the roller. To prevent these deleterious effects caused by release oil, a thin barrier layer of, for example, a cured polyfluorocarbon, is formed on the cushion layer.
Electrophotography can be used to create high quality multicolor toner images when the toner particles are small, that is, diameters less than about 10 micrometers, and the receivers, typically papers, are smooth. A typical method of making a multicolor toner image involves trichromatic color synthesis by subtractive color formation. In such synthesis, successive imagewise electrostatic images, each representing a different color, are formed on a photoconductive element, and each image is developed with a toner of a different color. Typically, the colors correspond to each of the three subtractive primary colors (cyan, magenta and yellow) and, optionally, black. The imagewise electrostatic images for each of the colors can be made successively on the photoconductive element by using filters to produce color separations corresponding to the colors in the image. Following development of the color separations, each developed separation image can be transferred from the photoconductive element successively in registration with the other color toner images to an intermediate transfer member. All the color toner images can then be transferred in one step from the intermediate transfer member to a receiver, where they are fixed or fused to produce a multicolor permanent image. Alternatively, an electrophotographic apparatus comprising a series of tandem modules may be employed, such as disclosed by Herrick et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,415, wherein color separation images are formed in each of four color modules and transferred in register to a receiver member as the receiver member is moved through the apparatus while supported on a transport web.
To rival the photographic quality produced using silver halide technology, it is desirable that these multicolor toner images have high gloss. To this end, it is desirable to provide a very smooth fusing member contacting the toner particles in the fusing station.
In the fusing of the toner image to the receiver, the area of contact of a conformable fuser roller with the toner-bearing surface of a receiver sheet as it passes through the fusing nip is determined by the amount pressure exerted by the pressure roller and by the characteristics of the resilient cushion layer. The extent of the contact area helps establish the length of time that any given portion of the toner image will be in contact with and heated by the fuser roller.
A fuser module is disclosed by M. E. Beard et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,409, which includes an electronically-readable memory permanently associated with the module, whereby the control system of the printing apparatus reads out codes from the electronically readable memory at install to obtain parameters for operating the module, such as maximum web use, voltage and temperature requirements, and thermistor calibration parameters.
A well-known problem in fusing is that paper receiver sheets may not be perfectly rectangular, as a result of humidity-induced swelling. After manufacture, paper sheets are typically stacked and conditioned in a humidity-controlled environment. During this time, moisture partially penetrates the paper through the edges of the sheets. For typical commercial paper used in electrophotographic machines, moisture penetration is much faster in a direction parallel to the orientation of the long paper fibers. A typical 8.5xe2x80x3xc3x9711xe2x80x3 paper sheet has long paper fibers oriented substantially parallel to the 11xe2x80x3 direction, and moisture therefore penetrates preferentially into the 8.5xe2x80x3 edges. This causes the nominally 8.5xe2x80x3 edges to expand, so that the 8.5xe2x80x3 edges become about 1% to 2% longer than the width of the paper measured across the center of the sheet (parallel to the 11xe2x80x3 direction). It is usual practice to feed such paper sheets into a fuser nip with the 8.5xe2x80x3 edges parallel to the feeding direction, i.e., perpendicular to the roller axes. Therefore, unless corrective measures are taken, it typically takes a longer time for the swollen 8.5xe2x80x3 edges to pass through the fusing nip than it does for the middle of the sheet, which can result in severe paper wrinkling and large scale image defects. In order to provide a correction for this problem, it is known that elastomerically coated fusing station rollers may be manufactured with an axially varying profile obtained by gradually varying the thickness of the elastomeric coating, such that the outer diameter of a roller is greater near the ends of the roller than midway along the length of the roller. Inasmuch as elastomerically induced overdrive increases with increasing engagement, the larger engagements nearer the ends of the roller produce locally larger surface velocities of the paper through the nip, thereby tending to compensate for humidity-induced paper swelling by having all portions of the paper spend substantially the same time passing through the nip. As is also well known, a pressure nip formed between two rollers, at least one of which has an elastomeric coating, does not usually have a uniform pressure distribution measured in the axial direction along the length of the rollers. Rather, owing to the fact that the compressive forces are applied at the ends of the rollers, e.g., to the roller axle, the rollers tend to bow outwards slightly, thereby producing a higher pressure near the ends of the rollers than midway along their length. This also tends to produce greater overdrive towards the ends of the rollers. However, the amount of extra overdrive from roller bending is not normally sufficient to compensate for humidity-induced paper swelling, and therefore a profiling of the thickness of the elastomeric coating in the axial direction, as described above, is often practiced.
As previously mentioned, PDMS cushion layers may include fillers comprising inorganic particulate materials, for example, metals, metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal salts, and mixtures thereof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,606 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes fuser roller base-cushion layers that contain fillers comprising particulate zinc oxide and zinc oxide-aluminum oxide mixtures. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,539, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a fuser roller cushion layer containing dispersed nickel oxide particles. Also, the fuser roller described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,724, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, includes a base-cushion layer containing 20 to 40 volume percent of dispersed tin oxide particles.
Filler particles may also be included in a barrier layer. For example, in Chen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,698, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, is described a toner fuser member having a silicone rubber cushion layer and an overlying layer of a cured fluorocarbon polymer in which is dispersed a filler comprising a particulate mixture that includes tin oxide.
Chen et al., in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/879,896 disclose an improved fuser roller including three concentric layers each comprising a particulate filler, i.e., a base-cushion layer comprising a condensation-cured PDMS, a barrier layer covering the base cushion and comprised of a cured fluorocarbon polymer, and an outer surface layer comprising an addition-cured PDMS, the particulate fillers in each layer including one or more of aluminum oxide, iron oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, tin oxide, and zinc oxide. The barrier layer, which may comprise a Viton(trademark) elastomer (sold by DuPont) or a Fluorel(trademark) elastomer (sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing), is a relatively low modulus material typically having a Young""s modulus less than about 10 MPa, and it therefore has a negligible effect upon the mechanical characteristics of the roller, including overdrive.
Vrotacoe et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,541, disclose a printing blanket, for use in an offset printing press, which includes a seamless tubular elastic layer comprising compressible microspheres, surrounded by a seamless tubular layer made of a circumferentially inextensible material, and a seamless tubular printing layer over the inextensible layer. It is disclosed that provision of the inextensible layer reduces or eliminates pre-nip and post-nip bulging of the roller when printing an ink image on a receiver sheet, thereby improving image quality by reducing or eliminating ink smearing caused by slippage associated with the formation of bulges in the prior art.
To improve image quality, and also to reduce wear and aging and thereby prolong the life of a compliant roller in a fusing station, there remains a need for a compliant externally heated fusing roller or compliant pressure roller for use in electrostatography having a reduced or negligible propensity to exhibit overdrive behavior when engaged in a fusing nip with a noncompliant roller, or with another compliant roller. There also remains a need to provide rollers for a fusing station, which provide improved insensitivity of fusing uniformity to roller flexure. There particularly remains a need for an externally-heated compliant toner fuser roller that has a negligible propensity to produce overdrive-induced image defects, either large-scale or small-scale, when used with a relatively non-compliant pressure roller. Moreover, there is also a need for such an overdrive-controlling externally heated fuser roller to be able to provide an axially varying differential overdrive, in order to compensate for a humidity induced nonuniform swelling of receivers.
To meet these needs, the invention provides an improved fusing station of an electrostatographic machine using an externally heated fuser roller, the fusing station rollers including a thin, flexible stiffening layer. The fusing station includes a conformable or compliant multilayer roller, which has a high modulus-stiffening layer located near or at the surface of the roller and a preferably substantially incompressible blanket layer. The multilayer roller can be an externally heated fuser roller, or a pressure roller. By reducing or eliminating the surface stretching of a compliant roller in a fusing nip, the stiffening layer provides improved image quality resulting from a dramatically reduced propensity for overdrive. Because of the reduced overdrive, a roller of the invention wears much more slowly and has longer operational life than a prior art roller having no stiffening layer. Moreover, a stiffening layer included in a compliant roller of the invention provides an improved ability to mask certain types of irregularities of underlying layers, such as, for example, certain types of runout produced during the manufacture of a core member, thereby allowing some manufacturing tolerances to be less stringent, reducing costs. A stiffening layer included in a compliant roller of the invention also provides an improved insensitivity of fusing uniformity to roller flexure.
Preferably, the stiffening layer of an externally heated fuser roller according to the invention is made of a thin high-modulus material having good thermal conductance so as to provide the roller with a more uniform surface temperature, and hence an improved fusing uniformity. An improved fusing station of the invention may include an externally heated compliant fuser roller having a stiffening layer and a compliant pressure roller having a stiffening layer, or an externally heated compliant fuser roller having a stiffening layer and a hard pressure roller. Also, an externally heated hard fuser roller may be used with a compliant pressure roller having a stiffening layer. A multilayer roller having a stiffening layer may be used in simplex and duplex fusing stations. In a duplex station, each of the rollers forming the fusing nip is externally heated and may have a stiffening layer.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a conformable roller for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine, wherein the fusing station is provided with a pressure roller and a fuser roller for fusing a toner image on a receiver, the fuser roller being made from a plurality of layers surrounding an axis of rotation, the conformable roller including: a rigid cylindrically symmetric core member; a compliant base-cushion layer formed on the core member; a stiffening layer in intimate contact with and surrounding the base-cushion layer; a compliant release layer coated on the stiffening layer; and, wherein the fusing station includes an external heat source for the fuser roller, with at least one of the plurality of layers being thermally resistive.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine which includes: a rotating externally heated compliant fuser roller, the compliant fuser roller including a base-cushion layer surrounding a rigid cylindrical core member, a stiffening layer in intimate contact with the base-cushion layer such that the stiffening layer has a Young""s modulus in a range of approximately 0.1 GPa to 500 GPa and a thickness less than about 500 micrometers, and an outer compliant layer surrounding the stiffening layer; and, a counter-rotating hard pressure roller engaged to form a fusing nip with the compliant fuser roller.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine which includes: a rotating externally heated compliant fuser roller including a base-cushion layer surrounding a rigid cylindrical core, a stiffening layer in intimate contact with the base-cushion layer such that the stiffening layer has a Young""s modulus in a range of approximately 0.1 GPa to 500 GPa and a thickness less than about 500 micrometers, and an outer compliant release layer surrounding the stiffening layer; and, a counter-rotating compliant pressure roller engaged to form a fusing nip with the compliant fuser roller including a base-cushion layer surrounding a rigid cylindrical core, a stiffening layer in intimate contact with the base-cushion layer such that the stiffening layer has a Young""s modulus in a range of approximately 0.1 GPa to 500 GPa and a thickness less than about 500 micrometers, and an optional outer compliant layer surrounding the stiffening layer.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine which includes: a rotating compliant pressure roller including a base-cushion layer surrounding a rigid cylindrical core member, a stiffening layer in intimate contact with the base-cushion layer such that the stiffening layer has a Young""s modulus in a range of approximately 0.1 GPa to 500 GPa and a thickness less than about 500 micrometers, and an outer compliant layer surrounding the stiffening layer; and, a counter-rotating externally heated hard fuser roller engaged to form a fusing nip with the compliant pressure roller.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine which includes: a rotating first heated fuser roller; a counter-rotating second heated fuser roller engaged to form a pressure fusing nip with the first fuser roller; wherein at least one of the first and second heated fuser rollers further includes a base-cushion layer surrounding a rigid cylindrical core member, a stiffening layer in intimate contact with the base-cushion layer such that the stiffening layer has a Young""s modulus in a range of 0.1 GPa to 500 GPa and a thickness less than about 500 micrometers, and an outer compliant release surrounding the stiffening layer; and, wherein at least one of the first and second heated fuser rollers is heated by an external source of heat.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a toner fusing method, for use in an electrostatographic machine having a fusing station according to claim 16 the toner fusing method including the steps of: forming a fusing nip by engaging the rotating compliant fuser roller having an external source of heat and the counter-rotating hard pressure roller, one of the rollers being a driven roller and the other frictionally driven by pressure contact in the nip; forming an unfused toner image on a surface of a receiver sheet; feeding the leading edge of the receiver into the nip and allowing the unfused toner image on the receiver sheet to pass through the fusing nip with the unfused toner image facing the fuser roller; wherein the compliancy in combination with the stiffening layer included in the fuser roller provide a reduced wear rate of the fuser roller and an improved quality of a toner image fused by the fusing station.
In accordance with yet another further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making a compliant roller of claim 1 including the steps of: providing the core member with the base-cushion layer formed on the core member by coating the base-cushion layer uniformly on the core member; providing a cylindrical mandrill and then mounting on the mandrill the stiffening layer in the shape of a seamless metal tube having an inner diameter prior to mounting the stiffening layer on the mandrill which is smaller than the outside diameter of the base-cushion layer formed on the core member; uniformly coating the stiffening layer by the release layer; sliding the stiffening layer coated by the release layer over the base-cushion layer formed on the core member to a suitable position on the base-cushion layer to create a completed roller, the sliding being accomplished by making the inner diameter of the stiffening layer coated by the release layer temporarily larger during the sliding than the outer diameter of the base-cushion layer formed on the core member.

Externally heated roller for a toner fusing station


This invention relates generally to cinnoline-based modulators of Liver X receptors (LXRs) and related methods.

Atherosclerosis is among the leading causes of death in developed countries. Some of the independent risk factors associated with atherosclerosis include the presence of relatively high levels of serum LDL cholesterol and relatively low levels of serum HDL cholesterol in affected patients. As such, some anti-atherosclerotic therapy regimens include the administration of agents (e.g., statins) to reduce elevated serum LDL cholesterol levels.
Agents that increase patient HDL cholesterol levels can also be useful in anti-atherosclerotic therapy regimens. HDL cholesterol is believed to play a major role in the transport of cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver for metabolism and excretion (this process is sometimes referred to as "reverse cholesterol transport"). ABCA1 is a transporter gene involved in HDL production and reverse cholesterol transport. Upregulation of ABCA1 can therefore result in increased reverse cholesterol transport as well as inhibition of cholesterol absorption in the gut. In addition, HDL is also believed to inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, reduce the inflammatory response of endothelial cells, inhibit the coagulation pathway, and promote the availability of nitric oxide.
Liver X receptors (LXRs), originally identified in the liver as orphan receptors, are members of the nuclear hormone receptor super family and are believed to be involved in the regulation of cholesterol and lipid metabolism. LXRs are ligand-activated transcription factors and bind to DNA as obligate heterodimers with retinoid X receptors. While LXRα is generally found in tissues such as liver, kidney, adipose tissue, intestine and macrophages, LXRβ displays a ubiquitous tissue distribution pattern. Activation of LXRs by oxysterols (endogenous ligands) in macrophages results in the expression of several genes involved in lipid metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport including the aforementioned ABCA1; ABCG1; and ApoE.
Studies have been conducted in LXRα knock-out (k/o), LXRβ k/o and double k/o mice to determine the physiological role of LXRs in lipid homeostasis and atherosclerosis. The data from these studies suggested that in double k/o mice on normal chow diet, increased cholesterol accumulation was observed in macrophages (foam cells) of the spleen, lung and arterial wall. The increased cholesterol accumulation was believed to be associated with the presence of reduced serum HDL cholesterol and increased LDL cholesterol, even though the total cholesterol levels in the mice were about normal. While LXRα k/o mice did not appear to show significant changes in hepatic gene expression, LXRβ k/o mice showed 58% decrease in hepatic ABCA1 expression and 208% increase in SREBP1c expression suggesting that LXRβ may be involved in the regulation of liver SREBP1c expression.
Data obtained from studies employing two different atherosclerotic mouse models (ApoE k/o and LDLR k/o) suggest that agonists of LXRα or β can be relatively effective in upregulating ABCA1 expression in macrophages. For example, inhibition of atherosclerotic lesions could be observed when ApoE k/o and LDLR k/o mice were treated with LXRα or β agonists for 12 weeks. The tested agonists were observed to have variable effects on serum cholesterol and lipoprotein levels and appeared to cause a relatively significant increase in serum HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These in vivo data were found to be consistent with in vitro data obtained for the same agonists in macrophages.
In addition to the lipid and triglyceride effects described above, it is also believed that activation of LXRs results in the inhibition of inflammation and proinflammatory gene expression. This hypothesis is based on data obtained from studies employing three different models of inflammation (LPS-induced sepsis, acute contact dermatitis of the ear and chronic atherosclerotic inflammation of the artery wall). These data suggest that LXR modulators can mediate both the removal of cholesterol from the macrophages and the inhibition of vascular inflammation.


A radio receiving apparatus capable of making compensation for both amplitude variations and phase variations and of suppressing image interference in a short period of time is provided. A correction value calculation section combines a signal, obtained by multiplying a first digital signal by an amplitude correction candidate value and rotating the phase of the first digital signal, with a signal obtained by multiplying a second digital signal by a multiplicative inverse of the amplitude correction candidate value and performing, for the second digital signal, phase rotation which is in a quadrature relationship to phase rotation performed for the first digital signal, so as to obtain a first combined signal, obtain an inflection point of the first combined signal, and input, to a demodulation section, the amplitude correction candidate value and a phase correction candidate value, which correspond to the inflection point, as an amplitude correction value and a phase correction value, respectively. The demodulation section makes compensation for the amplitudes and the phases and suppresses image interference, based on the amplitude correction value and the phase correction value.

In recent years, a mobile terminal is explosively widespread. A radio circuit thereof is required to be miniaturized. A radio receiving apparatus has two main types: one employing a homodyne (direct conversion) system and the other employing a heterodyne system. The heterodyne system is widely used for a mobile terminal, since the heterodyne system does not have problems of DC offset, 1/f noise, AM suppression, and the like, each of which is major interference in the homodyne system. On the other hand, the heterodyne system has a problem of interference caused by an image frequency signal.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a mechanism of interference caused by an image frequency signal. As shown in FIG. 11, the image frequency signal is present on the opposite side of a desired signal across a local oscillation signal LO. Therefore, when the image frequency signal and the desired signal are inputted to a mixer 900 and mixed with the local oscillation signal LO, the image frequency signal and the desired signal overlap each other in an intermediate frequency (IF) band. Accordingly, the image frequency signal interferes with demodulation of the desired signal. In order to reject the above-described image frequency signal, a steep RF filter may be simply provided so as to input only the desired signal to the mixer 900. However, the above-described RF filter increases in size, and therefore is inappropriate for a radio receiving apparatus which is required to be miniaturized.
In response thereto, a radio receiving apparatus employing the Hartley method is conventionally proposed for suppressing the above-described image frequency signal, using two local oscillation signals in phases 90 degrees different from each other. FIG. 12A is a block diagram showing a functional structure of the radio receiving apparatus employing the Hartley method. In FIG. 12A, the radio receiving apparatus includes a first mixer 901, a second mixer 902, a first phase shifter 903, and a second phase shifter 904.
The first phase shifter 903 rotates the phase of a local oscillation signal LO and divides the local oscillation signal LO into a local oscillation signal in the phase rotated by 0 degrees and a local oscillation signal in the phase rotated by 90 degrees, so as to input the respective local oscillation signals to the first mixer 901 and the second mixer 902. The first mixer 901 down-converts, by the local oscillation signal, an RF signal including a desired signal and an image frequency signal, so as to output the down-converted signals. FIG. 12B is a block diagram showing a phase relationship between the output signals from the first mixer 901 of FIG. 12A. As shown in FIG. 12B, when outputted from the first mixer 901, the desired signal and the image frequency signal are in phase.
The second mixer 902 down-converts the RF signal by the local oscillation signal in the phase rotated by 90 degrees, so as to output the down-converted signals. FIG. 12C is a block diagram showing a phase relationship between the output signals from the second mixer 902 of FIG. 12A. As shown in FIG. 12C, in the second mixer 902, the desired signal and the image frequency signal are in antiphase.
The second phase shifter 904 rotates the phases of the signals outputted from the first mixer 901 by 0 degrees and rotates the phases of the signals outputted from the second mixer 902 by minus 90 degrees, so as to combine the signals. FIG. 12D is a diagram showing phase relationships among the output signals from the second phase shifter 904 of FIG. 12A. As shown in FIG. 12D, the two image frequency signals have the same amplitude and are in antiphase, while the two desired signals have the same amplitude and are in phase. Thus, the image frequency signals are suppressed.
Ideally, the image frequency signals are rejected by the above-described image rejection of the Hartley method. In practice, however, the image frequency signals cannot be completely rejected, due to variations in elements used for the radio receiving apparatus. Therefore, a variety of radio receiving apparatuses are proposed for improving the amount of image suppression by making compensation for variations.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a functional structure of a receiving circuit disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the receiving circuit disclosed in Patent Document 1, first, two streams of IF signals down-converted to an IF frequency by local oscillation signals in phases 90 degrees different from each other are generated. A circuit 906 extracts one of the IF signals so as to detect both the signals by the extracted signal. The circuit 906 detects a phase difference between the examined two signals, and adjusts a variable phase shifter 905 such that the phase difference is 90 degrees. As a result, compensation is made for phase variations, and thus it is possible to realize a receiving circuit capable of high image suppression.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a functional structure of a receiving circuit disclosed in Patent Document 2. In the receiving circuit disclosed in Patent Document 2, two streams of IF signals down-converted to an IF frequency by local oscillation signals in phases 90 degrees different from each other are generated. The phase of one of the two streams of IF signals is rotated by another 90 degrees, so as to calculate the sum of and the difference between the two streams of IF signals. Further, the electric power of the difference signal is detected in a power detection circuit 907a and the electric power of the sum signal is detected in a power detection circuit 907b. The electric power of the difference signal and the electric power of the sum signal are compared to each other, so as to obtain the difference therebetween, and then a switch is flipped to the power detection circuit of the signal having the greater electric power. Then, a circuit 908 adjusts the gain of an IF amplifier so as to minimize the electric power of the power detection circuit to which the switch is flipped. As a result, compensation is made for the gain/loss of elements, i.e., amplitude variations, and thus it is possible to realize a receiving circuit capable of high image suppression.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a functional structure of a receiving circuit disclosed in Patent Document 3, Patent Document 4, and Patent Document 5. In the receiving circuit shown in FIG. 15, two streams of IF signals down-converted to an IF frequency by local oscillation signals in phases 90 degrees different from each other are generated. Then, only when signals at an image frequency are stronger than signals at a desired frequency, a circuit 911 generates signals obtained by suppressing the signals at the desired frequency from a portion of the two IF signals. In other words, the circuit 911 generates signal components at the image frequency. Further, a circuit 910 adjusts the levels of the original two IF signals, and a circuit 909 subtracts the signal components at the image frequency therefrom. The levels are adjusted in attenuators ATT. An image interference canceller adjusts the amount of the attenuation so as to minimize a bit error rate (BER: Bit Error Rate) of demodulating the IF signals obtained after the subtraction. As a result, compensation is made for both phase variations and amplitude variations, and thus it is possible to realize a receiving circuit capable of high image suppression.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-125447    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-130416    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-246847    Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-309612    Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-72532


A chair specially adapted for providing added comfort and support to an elderly person is provided. The chair includes a seat member and arm rests which are disposed laterally of the seat member. A support frame is provided for supporting the seat member and the arm rests. The support frame includes a base frame defining a hollow cavity. A foot support assembly for supporting the feet and leg portions of the elderly person are provided. The foot support assembly is slidable relative to the base frame and has the capacity to be selectively stored in the hollow cavity of the base frame when the foot support assembly is not in use.. In a preferred example of the present invention, the base frame has a rear edge and the foot support assembly includes a platform slidably connected to the base frame. Substantial portions of the hollow cavity are covered by the platform when the same is disposed in a storage position and the rear edge of the platform is disposed proximate to the rear edge of the base frame when the platform is disposed in the storage position. Preferably, the foot support assembly includes a sub-assembly for slidably moving the platform relative to the hollow cavity defined by the base frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved chair and, more particularly, to a chair which provides a number of features that make its use desirable for the elderly.
2. Background of the Invention
A typical chair includes a seat member and a back rest that are interconnected by a support frame. The support frame includes arm rests and sometimes the back rest is contoured to facilitate comfort. While width and depth varies from chair to chair, many chairs have a width that is just slightly greater than that of the average pelvis and a depth that can be significant. Moreover, the seat member is usually about 17 inches from the base of the chair.
For many people, the typical chair provides an adequate amount of comfort and is readily accessible. With many of the elderly, however, the typical chair can be very inadequate. In particular, the height and depth constraints of the average chair can create a significant burden to those who encounter physical difficulties with lowering themselves considerable distances. Moreover, for those with any sort of back problems, the typical back rest can be extremely uncomfortable since the typical back rest frequently is configured to a curvature which does not provide any substantial lumbar support.
As can be appreciated, the above-mentioned problem regarding seat height can be alleviated by raising the seat. Simply raising the seat, however, does not readily present an adequate solution, particularly for relatively shorter people, since as the chair is raised it becomes more difficult to keep the feet comfortably on the floor. Moreover, upon raising the seat, the chair's proportions become skewed unless adequate accommodation is made in the arm rests and the back rest.
There is clearly a need for a chair that effectively raises the seat without impairing the important functions of the chair, such as providing desirable levels of support for, among other things, the feet, the arms and the back. An improved chair for the elderly would be considerably more useful if arm rests that facilitate the lowering and raising of the elderly person into the chair, were provided. Moreover, a wider and shallower chair would considerably alleviate many of the physical and/or psychological problems associated with comfortably fitting into and sitting in the typical chair.


A method of executing a write operation in a nonvolatile memory system includes receiving a write command indicating the write operation and write data associated with the write operation, and determining a selected merge size for use by a merge operation responsive to the write command by determining a number of free blocks and then determining a selected free block level (FBL) from among a plurality of FBLs in accordance with the number of free blocks.

Embodiments of the inventive concept relate to memory systems and data write methods capable of adaptively controlling the size of a merge operation in accordance with a number of free blocks and a write pattern.
Certain non-volatile memory systems, such as flash memory systems, have become design mainstays for contemporary handheld electronic devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, cellular phones, PDA, etc. Flash memory in particular provides nonvolatile memory functionality at low-power with high memory cell integration density.
As is conventionally understood, however, flash memory is often characterized by an erase unit (i.e., the nominal unit size of memory space erased during an erase operation) that is different from a write unit (i.e., the nominal unit size of memory space written to during a program operation). For this reason, certain specialized software commonly referred to as a "flash translation layer" or "FTL" is used to compensate for the size different between the erase unit and the write unit. One important function provided by the FLT is address mapping. During address mapping, the FTL essentially converts a logical address provided by a connected host into a physical address associated with the actual storage of data within the memory array of one or more flash memory device(s).
During a write (or program) operation, "write data" to be stored in a designated data block may first be written in a so-called "log block". In the event that all pages of the log block are currently in use, the FTL may perform a merge operation during which data in the log block as well as data in a data block corresponding to a log block entry are copied to a new data block, thereby essentially freeing up resources for the current write operation.
Recognizing this sort of necessary memory system management overhead, the overall speed of write operations executed by a memory system will vary in relation to the speed with which data is written in a log block and the speed with which resulting merge operations may be performed.

Memory system performing incremental merge operation and data write method


A method and an apparatus for the development of a control process for an instrument are disclosed. The method comprises a first step of selecting one or more commands from a plurality of pre-defined commands in which at least one of the selected one or more commands being a purpose-linked command; and a second step of combining the selected one or more commands to produce the control process. The pre-defined commands have a control part for controlling the operation of the instrument and at least one of the pre-defined commands has a purpose part for controlling the purpose of the command. The apparatus for the development of a control process for an instrument comprises a first memory for storing a plurality of control parameters for individual ones of a plurality of commands, a display device for displaying information relating to the plurality of commands, a selection device for selecting ones of the plurality of commands and a processor for combining selected ones of the plurality of commands for producing the control process.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for development of a control process for an instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Instruments for the analysis of biological samples are common in today's laboratory environment. One example of such a system is produced by the Biacore Company in Uppsala, Sweden, (website: http://www.biacore.com) for the analysis of small molecule binding techniques in real time. This is carried out using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)—based biosensor technology. These systems are used in the drug discovery industry, life science research as well as in food analysis. Such instruments are supplied with software to control their functions and to analyze the results generated.
European Patent Application No. EP-A-1 061 372 (Hitachi) illustrates another example of an apparatus for the analysis of biological samples. The apparatus described in this patent application comprises an analysis module with a plurality of measurement channels including reaction containers. A data processing means is provided which produces calibration information and quality control information for the measurement channels. The apparatus does not, however, disclose any means by which the method of analysis of the biological samples can be altered by the user of the instrument.
Another apparatus for the analysis of a biological sample is a mass spectrometer such as that disclosed in PCT Application No. WO 02/086794 (Sequenom). The apparatus of this patent application includes a system for acquisition and analysis of the data. The apparatus provides a method by which the apparatus can be adjusted after collection and comparison of the data with certain pre-defined data criteria. The apparatus does not, however, provide any means by which the method of analysis of the biological sample can be altered or programmed by a developer for the user of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,588 (assigned to Thermo Bio Analysis Corp) teaches a system and method for handling laboratory information with a graphical user interface (GUI) with a plurality of windows. The GUI and a user input allow a sequence of tasks to be defined which a processor executes in turn.
The system in the Thermo Bio Analysis Corp patent relies on the concept of a workflow which defines the events to be carried out on a sample. The user can build up a macroscopic workflow using graphical tools which correspond to workflow nodes.
Certain ones of the workflow nodes can support so-called "events". These events may be pre-defined events or user-defined events and are stored in a table associated with each node. When the workflow is processed, the system reads the relevant table and creates an object of the type specified in the table. It appears from the description that these objects could be instructions to perform certain tasks (an example given in the description is splitting of the aliquots).
The user of the system described in the Thermo Bio Analysis Corp. patent builds up a workflow to manage a laboratory instrument from a variety of different commands (objects). Some of these commands control the operation of the instrument, but the purpose of the commands must be programmed in by the user.
U.S. Pat. No 5,369,566 (assigned to Beckmann Instruments) also relates to a programmable controller for a laboratory workstation. The user builds up a so-called "Method" to perform an assay. The Method is made of "Procedures" which in turn are built up as "Functions". A Function is built up from a template. The Functions, having been created, may be stored for later use in the same Procedure or a different one. The Function is created by the operating system by the user answering a series of questions.
International Patent Application No WO-A-03/102854 (assigned to Applera) teaches a system and method for control and monitoring of a number of biological instruments. The invention implements a control and communications system for a laboratory having at least one sample analyzer and a data processor (page 2, lines 30-31). The sample analyzer receives commands selected from at least one pre-set list of commands from the control system and translates the commands into a format to run the sample analyzer (page 3, lines 2-3).

Method and apparatus for the development of a control process for an instrument


An optical coupling structure optically coupling a plurality of core portions and a plurality of core portions includes a plurality of first core portions outputting a plurality of lights, a first lens focusing or collimating the plurality of lights outputted from the plurality of first core portions, a second lens focusing the plurality of lights focused or collimated by the first lens, a plurality of second core portions, the plurality of lights focused by the second lens being inputted into the second core portions respectively, and an optical functional component disposed between the first lens and the second lens, the plurality of lights being inputted into the optical functional component. At least one of the first lens and the second lens is configured by a lens or a lens group focusing or collimating the plurality of lights collectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical coupling structure optically coupling a plurality of cores mutually and an optical fiber amplifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In case of using a multi-core optical fiber in which a plurality of cores are disposed in a cladding, there is a case that an optical functional component such as an optical isolator or an optical filter etc. is inserted between two multi-core optical fibers. In addition, in case that a multi-core optical fiber has an optical amplification function, there is a case that an optical component inputting pumping light into the multi-core optical fiber is inserted between two multi-core optical fibers (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H10-125988 or P. M. Krummrich and Klaus Petermann, "Evaluation of Potential Optical Amplifier Concept for Coherent Mode Multiplexing", OFC2011, OMH5.).

Optical coupling structure and optical fiber amplifier


The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a driving force can be increased by increasing a strain amount given by a stressed film in a MOS transistor including an elevated region. On a silicon substrate, a device isolation region 102, a gate insulating film 103, a gate electrode 104, an extension 105, and a sidewall insulating film 106 are formed. After that, an elevated region is formed, and a source/drain region 108 and a silicide layer 109 are formed. Subsequently, the sidewall insulating film 106 is etched to provide a gap from the elevated region 107, and a stressed film 110 is buried in the gap.

MOS transistors have achieved higher integration and increase in current driving force by miniaturization in device dimensions, particularly, reduction in gate length. However, when the gate length is simply reduced, a problem of the short channel effect occurs. It is a phenomenon that the influence of a drain field is largely exerted on a channel just below a gate insulating film, so that off-state current increases, a threshold value sharply decreases, and variations increase. A structure of elevating a source/drain region on a silicon substrate in order to solve the problem is disclosed in a non-patent document 1.
On the other hand, it is pointed out that miniaturization of devices following the conventional trend will face to physical and economical obstacles in near future. It is therefore necessary to establish a performance improving technique by a method other than miniaturization.
A material having high carrier mobility may be used for the channel layer to improve the operation speed of a MOS transistor. It is known that when stress is applied to silicon crystal, due to a change in the band structure, scattering and effective mass decreases, and the mobility improves.
A non-patent document 2 proposes a technique of increasing the current driving force by receiving compressive strain in the channel direction by a structure in which silicon germanium with a lattice constant different from that of a silicon substrate is buried in a source/drain region, and raised from the silicon substrate. A non-patent document 3 describes that, in a MOS transistor of such a structure, the channel strain amount improves depending on the height of the elevation from the surface of the silicon substrate.
As another method, a method of forming a silicon nitride film as a stressed film on a MOS transistor is disclosed in a non-patent document 4. A non-patent document 5 describes that a cumulative effect is obtained by combination of the above techniques.
Non-patent document 1: IEDM Technical Digest, 1987, pp 590 to 593
Non-patent document 2: IEDM Technical Digest, 2003, pp 978 to 980
Non-patent document 3: IEDM Technical Digest, 2004, pp 1055 to 1058
Non-patent document 4: IEDM Technical Digest, 2004, pp 213 to 216
Non-patent document 5: SSDM Technical Digest, 2005, pp 32 to 33

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


The present invention discloses a headset, a control module and method for automatic adjustment of a volume of the headset, and a storage medium. The control module comprises an audio signal sampling and MIC module, a headset acoustic characteristic recording module, an acoustic feature analyzing module, an external sound signal analyzing module and a volume adjustment module. The volume adjustment module may determine a person speaking and automatically control the headset to lower the volume or mute when the strength of the external voice signal is larger than a preset threshold value. The control module of the present invention may automatically decrease the volume of the headset by identifying a voice signal from the external environment or the user, such that the user may make normal communication with other person without taking off the headset and the hearing of the user may not be damaged.

Currently, most of the available headsets have functions of hearing protection, dynamic control and the like, and the technology of the automatic adjustment of the volume is widely used. As an example, the headset having the function of hearing protection may timely lower the volume according to actual usage of the headset to protect the user's hearing. As another example, the headset having the function of dynamic volume control may dynamically suppress the peak or spike in the played audio signal that may adversely affect the user's experience.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,494 discloses acquiring the environmental noise outside the headset by processing an incoming signal received by MIC of the headset. In addition, the patent CN105446697A discloses sampling the noise outside the headset and the sound of music played by the headset.
Although the automatic adjustment of the volume of the headset can be achieved in the prior art, the volume is generally adjusted based on known or predicted internal cause, i.e., the actual usage of the headset or the played audio file. When the user listens to music with the headset and the people around the user talks with him(her), the user often cannot hear what the people says due to the isolation of the headset and the influence of the music, and will unconsciously increases his(her) speaking voice. Alternatively, if the external sound is relatively large, the user has to increase the volume of the music to improve the hearing effect, but listening to the music at high volume for a long time may result in the hearing loss.
Therefore, it is necessary to further improve the prior art in view of the inconvenience and deficiencies in practical application of the prior art.

Headset, control module and method for automatic adjustment of volume of headset, and storage medium


The present invention is directed to an inflated interspinous spacer. The interspinous spacer is inserted into the interspinous space between adjacent spinous process in a deflated or unexpanded state, and is inflated or expanded with an injectable filler material. Upon inflation, the spacer preferably distracts the spinous processes and assumes a shape that retains the spacer in position and preferably mechanically locks with the spinous processes. The spacer includes two separate balloons configured to have different compressive modulus so that one balloon is softer and more deformable than the other balloon.

Interspinous spacers are indicated for the treatment of spinal stenosis and treatment of low back pain caused by, for example, disc- or facet-related degeneration. Interspinous spacers may be configured to distract and/or maintain the spacing between adjacent superior and inferior spinous processes above and below the painful disc level.
Most interspinous spacers in clinical use are made of a hard, undeformable material under normal physiological loads, such as metal or PEEK. There is an increasing concern, supported by recent clinical study data, that suggests hard spacers may subside into the bony spinous processes over time, thus losing their therapeutic effect. Softer spacers could potentially avoid subsidence by distributing loads over a larger area of the spinous processes. Moreover, soft spacers may be gentler to the portions of the bony spinous processes between which they interface.
Further, inflatable interspinous spacers may be desirable in that they may be well-suited for a truly percutaneous solution that may enable tissue damage, the size of the surgical incision and the resultant risk of infection and recovery time to be minimized.


Aramid fabrics treated with N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone prior to or simultaneously with aqueous print pastes promote fabric printability and produces good coloration. Saturated steam or superheated steam at a temperature of at least 100.degree. C. permeates and fixes the dye inside of the aramid fibers. Print pastes containing N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone, dye and thickener are also described.

Aramid fibers are highly resistant to heat decomposition, have inherent flame resistance, and are frequently used in working wear for special environments where flame resistance is required. These and other inherent desirable properties of aramid fibers also create difficulties for fiber processing in other areas; specifically, aramids are difficult to dye.
A process for the continuous or semi-continuous dyeing of and simultaneously improving the flame-resistant properties of poly(m-phenyleneisophthalamide) fibers has been described by Cates et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,770. The process includes the use of a fiber swelling agent solution also containing one or more dyes and a flame retardant, the dye and the flame retardant introduced into the fiber while in the swollen state. Suitable swelling agents are dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP).
Printing of aramid fabrics using a print paste composed of a polar solvent such as DMSO, DMAC or NMP, a dye, water and a print paste thickener is described in Hussamy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,527; these print pastes may also include a flame retardant as in Hussamy U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,523. Aramid fabrics printed in a camouflage pattern have specific application for military use where personnel have the potential to be exposed to fire and flame. Fabrics made of highly crystalline aramid fibers, such as DuPont's Nomex.RTM. having high glass transition temperatures are difficult to print. The two Hussamy patents noted above describe procedures for obtaining printed aramid fabrics using polar solvents but the processes require some specialized equipment.
An exhaust process for dyeing or simultaneously dyeing and improving the flame resistance of aramid fibers using N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone (CHP) as a dye carrier under conditions of elevated temperature and optionally elevated pressure is described in PCT/US88/04074 published as WO 89/06292 on Jul. 13, 1989. Although residual CHP remaining on the fibers or fabric is usually removed from the dyed goods prior to further processing, we have found that residual CHP facilitates printing the thus treated aramid fabric with an aqueous print paste. This observation has suggested the application of CHP prior to printing to aramid fabrics in general, regardless of prior processing if any, as a preparatory treatment to printing.
Unlike the highly polar solvents such as DMSO, DMF and NMP which require about 60% concentration in aqueous solution to maintain their swelling/partial solvency of certain aramid fibers, CHP maintains its ability to permeate such fibers in concentrations of only about 5% in aqueous solutions. The ability to work at lower concentrations limits the damage this organic solvent causes to aramid fabrics as compared with other aprotic solvents.

Process for dyeing or printing/flame retarding aramids


An image processing apparatus includes: an input means for inputting image data to be subjected to an image process; a storage means for storing the image data inputted from the input means; a processing means for reading out the image data stored in the storage means and subjecting the read image data to an instructed image process; an abortion means for aborting the image process of the image data performed by the processing means; a hold instructing means for giving an instruction as to whether or not the image data whose process has been aborted by the abortion means is to be continuously held in the storage means; a hold means for continuously holding the image data in the storage means based on the instruction from the hold instructing means; an execution means for reading out the image data in the storage means held by the hold means from the storage means and resuming the image process of the image data aborted by the abortion means; and a delete means for deleting the image data held in the storage means by the hold means.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing apparatus that can not only abort an image process efficiently but also resume the once aborted image process with a reduced number of process steps.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a printer is executing a print command (job) for a large-sized image, such a job disturbs the outputting of other jobs. In order to allow the other jobs to be printed prior to a previously inputted job, the previously inputted job must be canceled. To do so, a printer disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 5-77525 aborts printing at the time a print abortion instruction has been given. This printer also aborts sheet feed operation in addition to the print abortion, and clears print data and reads but discards all data sent from a host.
Further, disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 6-149494 is an invention that selectively deletes either a job stored in a receiving buffer or an image based on such job from a memory when a print abortion instruction has been given.
According to Unexamined Japanese Patent Publications Nos. Hei. 5-77525 and Hei. 6-149494, to process a once aborted image, the image must be read in again, which has causes a waste of time for image processing. Further, time for discarding read data is also required. Still further, an image must be read in after an operator confirm that printer is vacant.
In a conventional image processing apparatus, the processing of a job whose priority is higher has often been retarded by the abortion processing of a job whose priority is lower. Further, in such a case, since once read data is discarded, such once read data cannot be used again.

Image processing apparatus that executes abortion of image processing and method of resuming aborted image processing


A laser shock and supersonic vibration extrusion co-strengthening device and method. The device comprises a laser assembly, a vibration assembly, a hydraulic assembly and a connecting assembly. The method strengthens a hole (7) formed in a metal sheet (5) simultaneously by laser shock strengthening and supersonic vibration extrusion strengthening; a mandrel (1) is in clearance fit with the hole to constrain the hole, so as to avoid distortion of the hole and a hole angle when the laser shock is performed on an outer surface of a workpiece and to improve the strengthening effect of a hole wall; when the laser shock is performed on the outer surface of the metal sheet, supersonic vibration is applied by the mandrel in the hole; and a three-dimensional pressure stress distribution nearby the hole wall at a certain depth is formed under an interaction produced by power ultrasound and laser shock waves having a certain frequency, amplitude and modality, so that an inner surface having higher anti-fatigue performance and being smoother is provided to the hole. Defects of a traditional strengthening process are overcome, and the problem in strengthening the hole separately through the laser shock or supersonic vibration extrusion is solved.

In the field of aerospace and so on, due to design, manufacture and assembly, hole structure will inevitably appear in parts. If the hole is not strengthened, the un-strengthened hole will become one of the danger sources causing fatigue damage of force-bearing position of the entire part, resulting in reduced safety performance and service life. The strengthening methods which are widely used at present include cold extrusion strengthening and laser shock strengthening, etc.
The mandrel direct cold extrusion technology is to force the mandrel to pass through the hole with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the mandrel, so that the wall of the hole is elasto-plastically deformed, thereby introducing residual stress on the surface of the hole wall, and improving the fatigue life of the hole. However, with regard to this technology, in the extruding process, the mandrel is in direct contact with the wall of the hole, the friction between them is large, and the plastic flow of metal on the surface layer of the hole wall is severe, resulting in scratches on the surface of the hole wall and breakage of the mandrel. Therefore, the ordinary mandrel cold extrusion technology cannot achieve the extrusion strengthening effect of effectively improving the high-strength metal small holes.
Patent CN102205488A describes a method of cold extruding machined hole with a slotted bushing. By adding a slotted bushing between the hole wall and the mandrel, the bushing is pressed by the mandrel, and the hole wall is then pressed by the bushing, in order to generate residual compressive stress around the inner hole to achieve a strengthening effect. However, in the extrusion process, the mandrel is easily broken, the process is complicated, and one bushing is consumed each time, resulting in a substantial increase in processing cost. And a large number of holes having a diameter of less than 3.5 mm cannot be strengthened by cold extruding, and the method is greatly limited with respect to holes with small diameter.
Laser shock strengthening is to adjust the stress distribution of the inner wall of the small hole by strengthening the surface of the material to achieve the effect of strengthening the small hole, but this adjustment is limited by many factors, especially the thickness of the material. Laser shock strengthening for small hole includes both single-sided shocking and double-sided shocking. After single-sided laser shock strengthening, there is tensile stress in the middle of the wall of the small hole, resulting in negative gain in the fatigue life. For the stress distribution of the hole wall, if the double-sided shocking has appropriate parameters, its effect is better than the single-sided shocking, and the "stress peak" distribution of the double-sided shocking is more inclined to the middle in the thickness direction of the sheet. However, tensile stress is generated near the surface of the sheet in both single-sided shocking and double-sided shocking. Therefore, for the small holes on the thick sheet, there is a defect in the laser shock strengthening that the middle of the hole wall cannot be strengthened. Moreover, in the actual production process, the shape of the workpiece is complex and variable, and the double-sided shocking is often difficult to realize, so its application is limited.
Patent CN101942546A describes a technology of strengthening small hole by laser shock, in which an energy absorption rod is placed at an appropriate position inside a small hole, and a laser pulse acts on the slope of the head of the energy absorption rod to induce plasma explosion to generate a shock wave acting on the inner wall of the small hole, thereby strengthening the small holes. However, this method cannot ensure that the small holes having a diameter of less than 3 mm are effectively strengthened.
Ultrasonic wire drawing is to couple the energy of ultrasonic wave to the wire drawing die through solid or liquid, and transmit it to the metal wire through the contact between the wire drawing die and the metal wire. The ultrasonic vibration has a great influence on the plastic deformation of the metal wire. Ultrasonic wire drawing can achieve good effects in reducing drawing force, increasing drawing speed, reducing friction, reducing die wear, prolonging die life, preventing biting and adhering to die wall, reducing wire breakage rate, improving steel surface quality and improving mechanical properties of material.
Ultrasonic vibration extrusion strengthening technology is to impact the surface of the part with the tool head having pressure (tension) and high frequency longitudinal impact force, so that the microscopic peaks and valleys on the surface of the workpiece are flattened, and the surface layer metal is plastically deformed and strengthened to form compressive stress. In turn, the surface fatigue strength of the part is enhanced. However, when the ultrasonic vibration extrusion is used to strengthen the small hole, the hole angle of the small hole cannot be effectively strengthened and is easily deformed.
Patent CN103710494A describes an ultrasonic-based small hole strengthening method and device, wherein, a piezoelectric ceramic column is placed at a suitable position inside a small hole, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic column is a vibrating component, and is connected to the ultrasonic generator after polarization. Through the rotation and radial movement of the piezoelectric ceramic column, the inner wall of the small hole is impacted to generate a certain plastic deformation to introduce residual stress, and the inner wall of the small hole is honed and strengthened. However, since the piezoelectric ceramic column requires very strict polarization treatment before use, the process is extremely complicated and there is a problem of uneven distribution of residual stress.
Patent CN105734233A provides an ultrasonic strengthening method for improving the fatigue life of a metal workpiece and application thereof. By clamping a metal workpiece on an ultrasonic processing machine tool, ultrasonic processing cutting tools are used for ultrasonic processing on the surface of the metal workpiece. The preset compressive stress on the metal surface is achieved by adjusting different pressures of the ultrasonic processing cutting tools on the processing working surface, and finally the purpose of eliminating the residual stress and improving the fatigue life is achieved. At the same time, the ultrasonic strengthening can refine crystalline grains on the surface of the metal workpiece, improve the surface microhardness, and improve the wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The strengthening method can only reduce the processing residual stress of the workpiece surface, cannot achieve significant strengthening, and is not suitable for the inner wall strengthening.
Patent CN10162828 discloses a tangentially telescopic ultrasonic torsion transducer, in which two symmetrically distributed drive assemblies generate a pair of stretching vibrations with the same frequency, amplitude and vibration direction in the tangential direction of the transducer. In turn, two connecting arms on the front cover body generate a pair of tangential vibrations with the same frequency and amplitude and the same vibration direction, so that the front cover body produces pure torsional vibration in the tangential direction, and a large amplitude torsional vibration is output after amplification by the amplitude-change pole, and the ultrasonic pure torsional vibration is obtained in a simple manner of tangential direct drive. This transducer relates to pure torsional vibration, cannot change the vibration mode, and cannot meet the requirements for hole strengthening.

Laser shock and supersonic vibration extrusion co-strengthening device and method