An orthopedic implant including a body defining at least one landmark and a probe comprising a sensor spaced apart from the at least one landmark a set distance. The probe and sensor being releasably fixed to the body of the implant to limit movement of the sensor relative to the at least one landmark.

Orthopaedic implants, such as the interlocking nail, have significantly widened the scope for intramedullary (IM) fixation of bone fractures. Anchoring an IM nail to a bone makes the construct more stable longitudinally and stops rotation of the nail within the bone. A typical IM nail fixation surgery involves a combination of jigs, x-ray imaging, and manual "eye-balling" to locate and drill the distal screw holes and to install the screws in the screw holes.
In IM nail fixation surgery, an IM nail is inserted into the canal of a fractured long bone in order to fixate the fractured ends together. Typically, the proximal locking is performed first and is usually carried out with a jig. Nail deformation during intramedullary insertion and manufacturing capabilities, however, may make a jig inaccurate for the distal screws. In fact, the positioning of the distal locking screws and alignment of the drill for the drilling of the distal screw holes is the most time consuming and challenging step of the implantation procedure. The two main reasons for failure in distal locking are (1) incorrect entry point on the bone and (2) wrong orientation/trajectory of the drill. If either of these problems occurs, then the drill will not go through the nail hole.
An inaccurate entry point also compounds the problem as the rounded end of the drill bit often slips, damaging healthy bone rendering it difficult to place another drill hole next to the inaccurate hole. Inaccurate distal locking may lead to premature failure with breakage of the nail through the nail hole, breakage of the screw, or the breaking of the drill bit within the bone.
In order to overcome the problems associated with distal locking, instrumented IM nails have been designed for distal locking. The instrumented IM nails include a probe having one or more sensors connected to one or more processors. Calibration of the IM nail is carried out to insure that the spatial relationship between the one or more magnetic sensors and one or more landmarks, such as screw holes on the IM nail, are known and accurate. Once calibrated, the IM nail is packaged for use, and the sensor(s) must maintain their position and orientation relative to the landmarks in order for the IM nail to be properly secured within the body of a patient. Limiting or preventing movement of the probe and the associated sensor(s) relative to the IM nail and/or the landmark(s) following calibration and packaging, and prior to use, has been a challenge.
Using adhesives to glue the probe and associated sensor(s) to the IM nail, and in particular, to a groove formed in the IM nail, have been an accepted technique for preventing movement of the probe and sensor(s) relative to the IM nail and landmark(s). Use of adhesives, however, have made it very difficult, and in most cases, impossible, to remove the probe, associated sensor(s), and adhesive following surgery. This has led to increased inventory and parts costs and has prohibited reuse of costly materials.
There remains a need for a solution that provides features or structures to the IM nail, and in particular, a groove formed in the IM nail, that sufficiently capture the probe and associated sensor(s) following calibration of the IM nail. Further, a need exists for insuring that the position and orientation of the sensor(s) relative to the landmark(s) on the IM nail remain set for targeting and locking of the IM nail within the body, and for providing for easy removal of the probe and associated sensor(s) after targeting and/or locking of the IM nail so that the probe and sensor(s) may be cleaned and reused again. Moreover, a need exists for an implant that includes a probe and associated sensor captured in a manner that permits targeting and locking of a driving end of the implant prior to fixation of the non-driving end.


A salt of an uncrosslinked copolymer of a monoethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acid and an alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid is suitable as a pressure-sensitive skin adhesive for plasters, for transdermal pharmaceutical forms, or for fastening bandages, which is permanently flexible and can be washed off with water, for which the proportion of carboxylic acid has to be sufficient to make the copolymer water-soluble in the salt form.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pressure-sensitive skin adhesive for fastening flat, flexible substrates such as adhesives, wound plasters, and adhesive plasters or transdermal drugs to the skin. A pressure-sensitive adhesive is one that is permanently flexible as a dried film and that removably fastens a solid substrate that is pressed on. However, the dried adhesive film does not have to be anhydrous. The desired adhesiveness frequently occurs only when the adhesive film is dried out in the air and does not dry further by itself, but is in moisture equilibrium with the skin.
This invention also relates to a solution of the pressure-sensitive skin adhesive and its use for application to flexible, flat substrates. Finally, the invention also relates to wound plasters and adhesive plasters and transdermal drugs.
2. Background of the Prior Art
A fastening agent for medical purposes consisting of an alcohol solution of polymers containing carboxyl groups, or interpolymers of polymerizable ethylene compounds and plasticizing or resinous substances, and optionally pigments and fillers is already known from DE-PS 855 615.
A suitable copolymer, for example, is made up of 40% methacrylic acid and 60% methyl methacrylate. Since by itself it is hard and not adhesive, 9 parts of polyvinyl methyl ether and 3 parts of glycerin are used as plasticizer with 2 parts of the copolymer. The mixture is applied to the skin from alcohol solution and is used to fasten bandages. The polymer film is water-resistant. However, since the copolymer is water-soluble in the form of its alkali metal salt, it can be washed off of the skin with a weakly alkaline soap solution.
EP-B 35 399 describes an adhesive polyacrylate for application to the skin that has a K value of 90 to 110 and is made up of 16-62% n-butyl acrylate, 34-80% 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, and 4-10% acrylic acid. Because of the high proportion of higher acrylic esters, the copolymer is soft and adhesive and does not require the addition of a plasticizer. This adhesive is processed from organic solution, for example in acetone, to make a pressure-sensitive adhesive film for a self-adhesive plaster or adhesive tape.
A pressure-sensitive skin adhesive whose adhesive strength on the skin depends strongly on the moisture content is disclosed by WO 84/03837. It contains a copolymer of a hydrophobic monomer from the group of alkyl esters of acrylic acid with 4 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, with 0.5-30% of a hydrophilic monomer from the group consisting of acrylic and/or methacrylic acid, acrylamide, and/or methacrylamide, itaconic acid, and vinylpyrrolidone, and 5-30% of another hydrophilic monomer such as polyethylene glycol acrylate or methacrylate.
Chem. Abstr. 99, 128 355 refers to JP-A 83/103 317, concerning an adhesive film for transdermal drugs that contains as the adhesive resin a copolymer of 0.1-15% of the ammonium salt of acrylic and/or methacrylic acid along with other monomers. The adhesive resin after adding water is applied to a carrier film in the form of a hydrosol. Ammonia escapes on drying, so that the acidic copolymer remains behind in the adhesive film.
Chem. Abstr. 98, 185 617 (JP-A 83/15 911) likewise describes an adhesive film for transdermal drugs. As adhesive resin it contains a crosslinked, partly neutralized polymer of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, with glycerin and gelatin as plasticizers. Because of the crosslinking the adhesive resin is insoluble.
In accordance with Chem. Abstr. 97, 188 313 (JP-A 82/134 415), copolymers of butyl acrylate and ammonium acrylate that are plasticized with polyoxypropylenesorbitan and crosslinked by polyepoxide resins are used for the same purpose.

Water-soluble pressure-sensitive skin adhesive, its use, and agents provided with it


This invention relates to a hinge stile gap blocking apparatus designed to prevent hand and finger injuries resulting from inadvertent door closures. The apparatus includes a hinge gap blocker for use with an existing door and door surround configured to continuously occlude a gap between the door jamb and the outer facing edge of a door hinge stile. The hinge stile gap blocking apparatus has a vaulted portion that is shaped to cover the exposed hinge barrels of a door. When installed, the hinge gap blocker covers exposed hinge barrels and continuously occludes the outside hinge gap between the door and door jamb when the door is pivoted.

The open area of a door hinge frequently attracts the eyes and exploring fingers of small children and accounts for 55% of door related injuries. If the door closes while fingers are within this area, as much as 40 tons of pressure per square inch is created easily crushing or pulverizing human tissue, and amputating fingers.
It has been reported that according to the National Safety Council—Injury Facts 2011 Edition; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, that approximately 380,800 door related injuries occur in the United States every year. Door related injuries occur at a rate of 31,000 month, 1,000 every day, 42 every hour and 1 every 1.4 minutes. According to one study; Clinical Pediatric Study: "Children Treated in the United States Emergency Departments for Door-related Injuries, 1999-2008", approximately eighty percent of door-related injuries occur to children in the home and approximately forty two percent of these children were under the age of four. Thousands of children every year are sent to the hospital with fractures, crushed and pulverized tissue or broken bones because portions of fingers and hands were caught in slamming doors.
Door injuries are very serious, disastrous, and potentially life changing. Amputations are a triple threat involving loss of function, loss of sensation, and loss of body image causing postoperative complications such as psychological problems, phantom pain, adverse emotional health, and needed psychosocial support. Individuals who earn their living from motor skills are especially vulnerable to amputations. Amputation in the preadolescent or adolescent age group is a great threat to emerging self image and sexual identity, and elderly amputees are at a greater risk for psychiatric disturbances such as depression, social isolation, new financial stringencies, and occupational limitations which complicate the adjustment to serious door hand injuries or finger amputations.
The true incidence of door-related injuries is underestimated because not all door related injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers do not report statistics. Of the reported cases, tens of thousands of door related injuries result in finger amputations to children. Even one door injury is too many. Embodiments of the present invention can prevent most if not all of these types of injuries.
The present invention will not only prevent injury to children by unintended door closings, but will mitigate real potential legal and financial liability to many public and private facilities. There are many potential legal theories under which these public and private facilities having known and foreseeably unsafe doors can be found legally liable for these injuries including: premises liability, landowner-occupier duties, general negligence, attractive nuisance doctrine, products liability, and strict liability under codified health care safety codes as well as strict liability under building codes. For example, under the attractive nuisance doctrine, where the trespass of a child is likely, a landowner owes a duty to exercise ordinary care to avoid a foreseeable risk of harm posed by known dangerous artificial conditions, which result from the child's inability to appreciate the risk of harm. Many heavy commercial doors readily attract children. Some of these doors and door surrounds have attractive shiny metallic finishes or bright colored paint baiting the eyes and exploring fingers of children. Doors are easily accessible to the exploring fingers of young children who are unable to appreciate the dangerous condition of the unsafe doors which are potentially finger amputating instruments.
Liability under the attractive nuisance doctrine can be imposed as there now exists the inventor's known door hinge safety device which can be both be easily installed and installed at a small cost compared to the overall door installation. Thus, the cost of eliminating the known dangerous artificial condition of the finger amputating door is not so burdensome compared to the overall installation of the door and this duty of care to install hand and finger protecting devices should be afforded even with respect to child trespassers.
Landowner or occupier liabilities can attach even more easily than under the attractive nuisance doctrine since both landowner and occupier liability extends to licensees and/or invitees when they are injured in the face of known and foreseeable risks posed to them.
The Health and Safety Act from England is a piece of legislation enacted by the so UK legislature codifying health and safety regulations in the work place. It essentially spells out and mandates the "duty of care" employers have over the health, safety, and welfare of their staff in the workplace. Codified law imposes strict liability which eliminates the generally required "mens rea" or mental/intentional/intent element of a crime, ordinances, code, or statute.
Summarizing the codified law of the Health and Safety Act, the law asserts that an employer is required to manage the health and safety of the work place as to prevent accidents and ill-health. In complying with the law the employers/landowners are required to identify and avoid physical hazards, carry out risk assessments, and even prepare written safety statements. These physical hazards of the codified Health and Safety Act would extend to having a duty of care to prevent finger-trapping accidents in doors and gates. Risks posed by all doors and gates must be assessed and reasonable precautions taken to ensure that the doors can be safely used. Since hand and finger guarding devices are readily available, easy and inexpensive to install, not doing so has been found to be a breach of the duty of care imposed by the Health and Safety Act of the UK and similar codified law that is likely to become more and more prevalent throughout the United States.
A nursery in the suburb of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk was fined £75,000 for the nursery's breach of its imposed "duty of care" under the Health and Safety Act for the nursery's omission in not installing door finger guards. The injury sustained in that nursery in which a 14-month old had his finger amputated from a door closing was of the same type of injury that the Health and Safety Code was designed to prevent and thus liability was found.
Throughout the United States there is an abundance of well settled case law upholding strict liability for crimes in which apartment owners, landlords, and occupiers has violated health, building, public safety, and fire prevention code, ordinances, statutes, and regulations.
In the case of People v. Bachrach (1980) 114 Cal. 3d Supp. 8, 170 Cal. Rptr. 773 the owner of an apartment building who was being prosecuted for violation of a number of provisions in an ordinance relating to public safety and fire prevention, the court no rejected the defendant's proposed jury instruction which provided that "there must be a joint operation of act or conduct and criminal intent." The court found that the crimes which the apartment owner was charged with did not require proof of guilty knowledge or intent. It held that the doctrine of strict liability applied and therefore neither intent nor criminal negligence was an essential element of the crimes charged.
The Court in the case of the People v. Balmer (1961) 196 Cal. App. 2d Supp. 874 dealt with statutes and offenses of a regulatory nature that were found to be enforceable irrespective of criminal intent or criminal negligence. In this case the defendants were being convicted for owning and operating a nursing and convalescent home without keeping it in good repair and in a neat and sanitary condition at all times. The court held that neither guilty knowledge nor intent had to be shown and that the mere omission to fulfill the required standard constituted the crime charged.
As more codified law, codes, statutes, and regulations are promulgated throughout the various states, cities and municipalities within the United States, we will see more criminal liability imposed, fines, and penalties for breaches in violations of failure to take precautions to ensure door safety.
Thus, the benefits of the invention surpass the mitigation of hand and finger injuries by extending to mitigate real financial and legal liabilities.

Deformable hinge gap blocker for the protection of hands and fingers


A vehicle positioning control apparatus includes a vehicle positioning detection device, a vehicle positioning sudden change detection device, a tire air pressure reduction detection device, and a plurality of tire air pressure adjustment mechanisms. The vehicle positioning detection device detects a physical quantity indicating a positioning of a vehicle. The vehicle positioning sudden change detection device detects sudden changes in the positioning based on the physical quantity. The tire air pressure reduction detection device detects which of a plurality of wheels has undergone a reduction in tire air pressure. When a sudden change in positioning is detected, all wheels other than the wheel having undergone a reduction in pressure are designated as pressure reduction target wheels. The tire air pressure of the pressure reduction target wheels is reduced by the tire air pressure adjustment mechanisms.

Conventional methods for controlling vehicle positioning include anti-lock braking systems (ABS) control and vehicle stability control systems for preventing sideslip. Under ABS control, the wheels fitted to the vehicle are prevented from locking in the case of tire slip. This is achieved by controlling the braking force generated at each wheel so that the wheel speed conforms to a target wheel speed, thereby regulating a slip ratio. Vehicle stability control systems are designed to prevent oversteer or understeer of the vehicle. This is achieved by applying additional braking force to a target wheel or wheels to enable the vehicle to follow an ideal trajectory. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-20648 discloses one such system.
However, a conventional vehicle positioning control apparatus for ABS control or vehicle stability control or the like may be unable to cope with situations where a very sudden change in positioning causes the vehicle to spin such as the case of a blown tire. Therefore a vehicle positioning control system that is also able to control the positioning of the vehicle under these types of extreme situations would be very desirable.


The object of the present invention is to provide a compound which is useful as a production intermediate of pyrazine carboxamide derivative such as 6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazine carboxamide. The present invention provides a pyrazino[2,3-d]isoxazole derivative represented by the formula (I):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pyrazino[2,3-d]isoxazole derivative that is useful as a production intermediate or the like of 6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazine carboxamide (hereinafter referred to as "T-705") useful for treatment such as prevention and therapy of influenza virus infection, and a method for producing the same. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for producing a pyrazinecarbonitrile derivative and a pyrazinecarboxamide derivative using the pyrazino[2,3-d]isoxazole derivative.
2. Description of Related Art
T-705 is a compound useful for the prevention, treatment and the like of virus infection, and particularly, influenza virus infection. It has been known that T-705 is produced from, for example, 6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile (hereinafter referred to as T-705A) (Patent Documents 1 and 2). Patent Document 2 describes that T-705A can be efficiently isolated in the form of salts with various amines.
Examples of a known production method of T-705A includes: (1) a method comprising allowing 3,6-difluoro-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile to react with benzyl alcohol and then debenzylating the reaction product; (2) a method comprising allowing 3,6-difluoro-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile to react with water; and (3) a method comprising allowing 3,6-difluoro-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile to react with carboxylate and then generating T-705A by hydrolysis (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
However, since 3,6-difluoro-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile has high skin irritancy, and easily vaporizes due to low-molecular-weight liquid, it has had a manufacturing problem in that it requires special equipment and careful handling.
Moreover, with regard to the synthesis of pyrazino[2,3-d]isoxazole having a carbonyl group at position 3, examples described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 have been known. However, the pyrazino[2,3-d]isoxazole of the present invention cannot be synthesized by such synthetic methods.

Substituted pyrazino[2,3-d]isooxazoles as intermediates for the synthesis of substituted pyrazinecarbonitriles and substituted pyrazinecarboxamides

Abstract: wherein X represents a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a sulfamoyloxy group, and Y represents —C(═O)R or —CN; wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkoxy group an aryloxy group, an alkyl group, an aryl group or an amino group.


An inner-connecting structure of a lead frame. The lead frame includes a metal frame having a plurality of leads. The inner-connecting structure of the lead frame includes an insulation film arranged on some of those leads, covering a portion of a first surface of the lead; a plurality of holes formed on the insulation film to expose some of those leads, wherein the hole exposes a portion of the first surface of the lead; and a conductive element selectively connecting the exposed portion of those leads electrically. Besides, an inner-connecting method of the lead frame is also disclosed herein. The insulation film is utilized to separate the conductive element from the lead frame so that the leads can be easily interconnected with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inner-connecting structure of a lead frame and its connecting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Owing to high development of semiconductor industry, IC component design for electronic products demand more leads and more functions, whereas in the mean while appearance of components follow the trend to be light, slim, short and small. Therefore, the packaging process faces many challenges, e.g. increasing complexity of lead frame design, selection of packaging material, warping of slim packages, and heat dissipation and structural strength problems.
Furthermore, if a lead frame design requires cross connection between inner leads, large room for inner leads to extend to wire bonding positions is needed, which may be interfered with other leads, causing design difficulties.

Inner-connecting structure of lead frame and its connecting method


An anti-collision warning system for marine vehicle includes, an optical sensor covering at least partially the horizon of the marine vehicle, image processing means for extracting in real time from each image position information of objects visible on the surface of the sea, and anti-collision analysis means, which periodically calculate the evolution of the position information of each visible object, and which assess a risk of the marine vehicle colliding with each visible object according to the evolution of the position information of the visible object.

Embodiments to the present invention relate to an anti-collision warning system for marine vehicle and to an anti-collision analysis method by processing images coming from an omnidirectional optical sensor installed on board a marine vehicle. More particular, embodiments of the present invention apply mainly, but not exclusively, to ships and to naval drones.
In the rest of the description, the marine vehicle considered as an example is a ship.
The risk of collision which is poorly controlled at sea, comes mainly from an insufficiency of the look-out means. In the field of maritime transport, there are 600 collisions a year on average. The consequences of these collisions are often serious for the environment when they involve oil tankers or chemical tankers.
In the field of maritime passenger transport, the ships (ferries, roll on/roll off ships, etc.) are highly vulnerable.
In the field of fishery, there are some 3,000 collisions a year. The number of victims is high due to the small dimensions of the ships.
In the field of yachting, collisions are also quite frequent.
Collisions at sea mainly result from a lack of look-out. A human failure is at the origin of 70 to 90% of accidents, either by insufficient vigilance, or negligence of the officers of watch, or by routine and poor assessment of the risk. The lack of vigilance is often noticed when the ship is in a "priority" situation, in conditions of good visibility. Accidents can also result from a lack of qualification, an ignorance of rules, or even from a total incompetence of the officers of watch. It is also frequent for the number of officers of watch to be insufficient due to a reduction in the crew (maneuvers, maintenance, commercial activity, etc.), resulting in the officers of watch being overworked and overly tired. These accidents can also result from poor use of the radar system.
At present, most commercial ships have a radar system as anti-collision equipment. This system supplies accurate and reliable information, but requires a setting procedure to be rigorously applied in order to be efficiently usable as an anti-collision system. Now, this procedure is often poorly applied.
There are also ARPA-type systems ("Automatic Radar Plotting Aid") which analyze the signals supplied by a radar. These systems have a high rate of false alarms. The result is that the alarm device associated with the system is often stopped.
An Automatic Identification System (AIS) has also been developed that must equip all high-risk ships (passenger transport, carriage of dangerous goods) from 2010 onwards. This system proves to be very efficient when it is associated with an accurate positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System). However, the AIS does not take into account the traffic of ships that are not equipped with this system and that are much greater in number.
Today, only radar is really taken into account to deal with the risk of collision which lacks redundancy. It is desirable to provide an anti-collision warning system for marine applications having redundancy.

Anti-collision warning system for marine vehicle and anti-collision analysis method


The asynchronous timing generator is comprised of a clock signal generator that generates a master clock signal. The master clock signal is used by a master clock counter to generate a bit clock. The master clock counter divides the master clock signal's frequency down to a lower frequency. Control signal information is extracted from the data stream's slot-framing to control the use of a predefined count value to a variable counter. The variable counter uses this lower frequency clock signal to generate the sub-bit count clock signal and slot bit numbers. These signals are generated in response to the control signals, coupled to the timer, indicating the different fields of the slot used to resynchronize data recovery in the received stream. In a preferred embodiment, the asynchronous timing generator is used in a communications transceiver device to permit resynchronization of received communications data.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clocking circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to asynchronous clocking of formatted data compatible with a synchronous general frame timing.
II. Description of the Related Art
Radiotelephones have become a prevalent means for users to keep in contact with land-line telephone systems. The radiotelephones communicate over a radio channel with fixed base stations that are connected to the land-line telephone network.
There are many different radiotelephone systems in operation. These systems can be divided generally into analog and digital radiotelephone systems. The analog systems typically communicate with frequency division multiple access (FDMA) modulated signals while the digital systems transmit data frames using various types of digital transmission techniques.
Some time division multiple access (TDMA) type radiotelephones, such as ones designed according to the European Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) 300 175 specification from the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI), use timers that are fixed to a certain full slot data framing. As the need develops for shorter or longer slots, such as half slots or double slots, due to the addition of digital transmission features, the timing must be adapted to be able to receive and transmit these various length slots. A radiotelephone with a fixed timer will not be able to operate in a system with more than one slot size.
Additionally, if a radiotelephone is in contact with a first base station and later changes to another system's base station, the new base station will not be synchronized An example of this is when a cordless telephone is using an office building's cordless PBX and the user walks into the street where the telephone logs onto the cellular system, the cellular system has different timing than the PBX system. This causes problems for a fixed timing radiotelephone since the frames are coming in asynchronously. Also, fading and bouncing of signals off terrain and buildings will inject delays in receiving data; the data is received later than expected. There is a resulting need for an asynchronous timer to enable asynchronous communication, allow variable delays between transmit and receive data packets, and to maintain an asynchronous connection during a certain time.


A method is disclosed for authorizing a prepaid network service in a data network. A network end station issues a request for a prepaid network service. At a network node, such as a router serving as a gateway for selecting services, a determination is made about whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service. Network traffic from the end station is forwarded to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service. Specific embodiments provide message flows among a mobile station, gateway support node, router, and authentication server that support providing prepaid services in a packet-switched network for mobile communication. In certain embodiments, a connection is held open for an end station while a prepaid quota value is refreshed at a portal, thereby reducing overhead and precluding the need to repeat user logon steps. Further, unused quota amounts can be returned to the authentication server for use in association with multiple concurrent connections of the same device.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The General Packet Radio System (GPRS) is a new service that provides actual packet radio access for mobile Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and time-division multiple access (TDMA) users. The main benefits of GPRS are that it reserves radio resources only when there is data to send and it reduces reliance on traditional circuit-switched network elements.
The increased functionality of GPRS will decrease the incremental cost to provide data services, an occurrence that will, in turn, increase the penetration of data services between consumer and business users. In addition, GPRS will allow improved quality of data services as measured in terms of reliability, response time, and features supported. The unique applications that will be developed with GPRS will appeal to a broad base of mobile subscribers and allow operators to differentiate their services. These new services will increase capacity requirements on the radio and base-station subsystem resources. One method GPRS uses to alleviate the capacity impacts is sharing the same radio resource among all mobile stations in a cell, providing effective use of the scarce resources. In, addition, new core network elements will be deployed to support the high burstiness of data services more efficiently.
In addition to providing new services for today's mobile user, GPRS is important as a migration step toward third-generation (3G) networks. GPRS will allow network operators to implement an IP-based core architecture for data applications, which will continue to be used and expanded upon for 3G services for integrated voice and data applications. In addition, GPRS will prove a testing and development area for new services and applications, which will also be used in the development of 3G services.
To remain competitive in the market for wireless mobile telecommunications and computing services, mobile telecommunications service providers need to be prepared to rapidly launch various value-added services. Unlike past services, emerging services require authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) capabilities to manage access and usage for services and applications.
For example, to decide whether to offer, authorize or satisfy requests for new services to users who prepay, mobile service providers need to determine, in real time, such data as customer balance and past service usage. Thus, as a specific example, to determine whether to permit a particular user having a prepaid account to access a mobile interactive game service, the service provider must be able to determine, in real time, whether the user's account contains sufficient remaining value to cover the requested service.
In the context of network access, AAA servers based on protocols such as RADIUS and TACACS+ can provide authentication, authorization and accounting services. However, existing AAA servers and related protocols do not provide functions that can support prepaid service offerings, such as account balance determination and account balance reservation.
Mobile service providers also need to perform such AAA functions in coordination with equipment and software that governs network access. For example, in certain mobile networks that use packet-switched data communication protocols, a packet data router is configured as an access controller. When a user contacts the network, the user first reaches the access controller. The access controller authenticates the user by communicating with the AAA server. After authenticating the user, the access controller receives a subscribed service list from the AAA server. The access controller grants access to the network services that are included in the subscribed service list. Routers operating as access controllers also may be termed access servers; however, the term access controller is used in this description to avoid confusion with gateway support nodes, which act as access servers for mobile devices in certain embodiments that are described further below.
An example of an access controller with these capabilities is the 7200 or 7400 with the Service Selection Gateway Cisco IOS feature ("SSG"), from Cisco Systems, Inc., of San Jose, Calif. SSG is a software solution, supported on various hardware platforms, which allows users (subscribers) who use a variety of access technologies such as xDSL, cable, wireless and dial-up to simultaneously access the services provided by different ISPs and corporate L2TP access servers. In one implementation, SSG is a software module in a router, which connects to the subscriber's network, service management network and service providers' network. SSG is responsible for regulating service selection and directing traffic for the subscribers.
In current access controllers, each user is implicitly authorized to use a service by the presence of that service in the subscribed service list provided during user authentication. This approach is inadequate for supporting prepaid service offerings of mobile service providers. In particular, there is a need to perform operations such as checking account balances before granting access to selected services. There is also a need for a way to disable access to a service when the prepaid time or value for that service is exhausted. Thus, there is a need to provide some form of explicit service authorization as part of the user authentication process and dynamic service re-authorization following consumption of a reserved balance.
Users of prepaid mobile services, and the providers of these services, also desire to have other functions available in a mobile handset or terminal. For example, there is a need for service providers to offer real-time billing per service. Users wish to have online display of prepaid balances and online refilling of credit balances. Users and service providers wish to have the ability for users to concurrently access multiple services, and to sequentially access different services without re-authentication. Users and service providers also desire to have support for micro payment transactions.
Based on the foregoing, there is a clear need for an improved way to use existing AAA services to support prepaid service offerings of mobile service providers.
There is a specific need for a way to support real-time billing per service, online balance display and refilling, concurrent and sequential access, and micro payments.

Method and apparatus providing prepaid billing for network services using explicit service authorization in an access server


An optical element mounting substrate where a plurality of light emitting elements have been mounted on the same plane, a lens array for collimating a plurality of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements, and a wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing device are prepared. The wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing device has typically mounted both a wavelength selecting filter and a mirror on front and rear planes of a transparent substrate. These three components are mounted within a package at a desirable angle position. Optical axes of respective wavelengths of the wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing device are determined based upon a thickness and an angle of the light emitting element mounting substrate, and are arrayed on a straight line of a horizontal plane. As a consequence, if the respective light emitting elements are arranged on the optical axes which are exclusively determined by a design work, then optical multiplexing/demultiplexing operations can be carried out.

The present invention is generally related to an optical module. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a structure of a multi-wavelength optical transmitter module which optically multiplexes a plurality of laser light having a plurality of wavelengths with each other and then transmits the multiplexed laser light, and also, directed to a structure of an optical receiver module which optically demultiplexes such a light whose plural wavelengths have been multiplexed so as to receive the demultiplexed light.
Semiconductor laser diode (LD) elements have been utilized in various sorts of technical fields such as information and telecommunication fields as compact light sources operable in higher efficiencies. Very recently, there are strong needs of technical ideas capable of providing laser diode light sources having a plurality of light emission wavelengths as compact light source mounted modules. Conventionally, the above-described technical needs have been made as light sources for wavelength multiplexing communications which employ light having plural wavelengths in optical communication fields. In addition thereto, LDs (laser diodes) of blue color series have been currently developed, and oscillatable wavelengths could be widened in blue color LDs. As a result, as reading/writing light sources of displays and optical disks, higher requirements for multi-wavelengths light source modules have been made even in wavelength ranges of visible light.
As one of application examples of the multi-wavelengths light source modules, there are light sources of laser projectors. Generally speaking, projectors imply such image display apparatuses which project images on screens, and the like, in response to image signals derived from various types of image supplying apparatuses (for example, computers etc.) so as to display the projected images. In general, as conventional projectors, the below-mentioned types of projectors are known, which have mainly employed transmission type liquid crystal panels, reflection type liquid crystal panels, or digital micromirror devices. On the other hand, laser projectors have been designed in such a system that while laser light is employed as light of light sources thereof, the laser light is scanned along a two-dimensional direction so as to display images. As a consequence, these laser projectors can be made compact, and can produce images having superior color reproduction, as compared with those as to the above-described other types of projectors. Conventionally, use places of projectors have been relatively limited only to, for example, meeting rooms, presentation rooms, living rooms of homes, and the like. However, since portable computers have been made compact and portable telephones equipped with higher functions have been marketed in the present stage, qualities and quantities of data which are portable for respective persons are considerably increased, so that these computers and portable telephones can be operated without restricting use places thereof. For example, there are some expectations as to development of ultracompact type projectors operable under low power consumption, which can be assembled in portable computers and portable telephones. As technical ideas related to laser projectors, for example, JP-A-2002-214705 has disclosed the below-mentioned color laser projector: That is, in this color laser projector, 3 sets of light emitted from 3 pieces of laser light sources having different light emission colors are scanned in the two-dimensional direction by optical scanning means which are different from each other, and then, 3 sets of the two-dimensionally scanned laser light are collected to each other in a synchronization manner so as to project color images. However, the color laser projector described in JP-A-2002-214705 has such a problem that since the plural sets of optical scanning means are required, whose total number is equal to that of the laser light sources, there is a limitation when the color laser projector is made compact.
Also, another technical idea has been proposed. That is, JP-A-2006-186243 has disclosed such a color laser projector that R (red), G (green), and B (blue) semiconductor LD (laser diodes) elements which are employed in light sources are stored in one package in order to improve compactness of the light sources and of optical systems thereof. However, in the color laser projector of the above-described JP-A-2006-186243, the light source are merely mounted in the proximity to each other, and three sets of the color laser light are not multiplexed with each other. As a result, the optical axes of the R, G, B laser diode elements are not coincident with each other. Under such a circumstance, in order to secure predetermined resolution, optical systems designed for respective wavelengths of the R, G, B semiconductor LD elements must be separately prepared. Otherwise, if a general technical idea is utilized in order to make the optical axes coincident with each other, then such an optical system as a dichroic prism and the like is required. Even if any of the above-described solving ideas is employed, there are certain limitations when a total number of optical components is reduced, and the optical systems are made compact.


Provided is a word line decoder suitable to a low operating voltage of a flash memory device. The word line decoder generates a block word line driving signal of a high voltage in response to a block selection signal. The word line decoder includes a first inverter receiving the block selection signal, a second inverter receiving an output of the first inverter, and first and second serially connected transistors receiving an output of the second inverter and outputting the block word line driving signal. The gates of the first and second transistors are connected to a supply voltage terminal. The word line decoder includes a third transistor having a source connected to a high voltage terminal and a gate connected to a line transmitting the block word line driving signal, a fourth transistor connected between the drain of the third transistor and the block word line driving signal line, a fifth transistor connected between the drain of the third transistor and the gate of the fourth transistor and having a gate connected to the block word line driving signal line, and a sixth transistor connected between the output of the first inverter and the gate of the second transistor and having a gate connected to the supply voltage terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a word line decoder which transfers a high voltage in a flash memory device having a low operating voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
As digital information communication networks such as the Internet through mobile terminals and cellular phones have grown, non-volatile semiconductor memory devices have been viewed as one of the main contenders for nonvolatile storage of information in mobile terminals. Non-volatile memories include flash memories which can electrically erase stored data in blocks of predetermined numbers of bits and electrically write data.
A flash memory device, which is comprised of a plurality of sectors each including a plurality of memory cells, erases memory cell data in units of a block (sector) and performs programming (writing) in units of a memory cell. Since NAND-type flash memory devices have a degree of integration and memory capacity similar to dynamic RAMs, the uses and applications of such NAND-type flash memories are being gradually increased.
A NAND-type flash memory device has a structure where a memory string in which a plurality of memory cells are connected in series to one another is connected between a bit line and a source line, wherein a plurality of memory strings constitutes a memory cell array.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional flash memory device 100. Referring to FIG. 1, the flash memory device 100 includes a block memory cell array 110 and a word line decoder 120. The flash memory device 100 can include a plurality of block memory cell arrays, in which case word line decoders are positioned in such a manner that they correspond one-to-one to the block memory cell arrays. For the convenience of description, in this specification, only one word line decoder 120 and a corresponding block memory cell array 110 are described.
The block memory cell array 110 is comprised of memory strings CS which are respectively connected to n bit lines BL0, BL1, . . . , BLn−1. The memory strings CS are connected in common to a source line CSL. The gates of memory cells M0 through M15 in each memory string CS are respectively connected to word lines WL0 through WL15. The gates of string selection transistors SST for connecting the memory strings CS to the respective bit lines BL0, BL1, . . . , BLn−1 are connected to a string selection line SSL. The gates of ground selection transistors GST for connecting the memory strings CS to the common source line CSL are connected to a ground selection line GSL.
The word line decoder 120 selectively activates the string selection line SSL, the ground selection line GSL, and the word lines WL0 through WL15 of the memory cell array 110. The word line decoder 120 includes a decoding unit 122 which receives address signals ADDR and generates a block word line driving signal BLKWL, word line driving signals S0 through S15, a string selection voltage VSSL and a ground selection voltage VGSL and a word line driver 124 which transfers the word line driving signals S0 through S15, the string selection voltage VSSL and the ground selection voltage VGSL to the word lines WL0 through WL15, the string selection line SSL and the ground selection line GSL, respectively, in response to the block word line driving signal BLKWL.
The decoding unit 122 decodes the received address signals ADDR, and provides corresponding driving voltages (for example, a program voltage Vpgm, an erase voltage Verase, or a read voltage Vread) to each of the string selection line SSL, the word lines WL0 through WL15 and the ground selection line GSL, in a program operation, in an erase operation, or in a read operation. Also, the decoding unit 122 receives a high voltage Vpp and outputs it as the block word line driving signal BLKWL.
The word line driver 124 includes high-voltage pass transistors SN, WN0-WN15, GN, and CN, which are connected between the string selection voltage VSSL and the string selection line SSL, between the word line driving signals S0 through S15 and the word lines WL0 through WL15, between the ground selection voltage VGSL and the ground selection line GSL, and between the common source line voltage VCSL and the common source line CSL, respectively. The gates of the high-voltage pass transistors SN, WN0-WN15, GN, and CN are connected to each other and connected to the block world line driving signal BLKWL.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a circuit for generating the block word line driving signal BLKWL in the decoding unit 122.
Referring to FIG. 2, the decoding unit 122 makes the block word line driving signal BLKWL transition to a high voltage Vpp in response to a block selection signal BLKi. The block selection signal BLKi, which is generated by receiving and decoding address signals ADDR, is used when selecting a block memory cell array 110.
The block selection signal BLKi is input to a first inverter 201. An output of the first inverter 201 is input to a second inverter 202 and an output of the second inverter 202 is output as a word line driving signal BLKWL via an NMOS transistor 203 and a first depletion transistor 204. A supply voltage VDD is applied to the gates of the NMOS transistor 203 and the first depletion transistor 204. The first and second inverters 201 and 202 are driven by the supply voltage VDD.
The decoding unit 122 further includes a second depletion transistor 205 and a PMOS transistor 206 which are connected in series between a high voltage Vpp terminal and a block word line driving signal BLKWL line. The gate of the second depletion transistor 205 is connected to the block word line driving signal BLKWL line and the gate of the PMOS transistor 206 is connected to the output of the first inverter 201.
The decoding unit 122 forms an improper current path A resulting in an increase in power consumption if the supply voltage VDD falls below 1.8V, due to a low operating voltage of the flash memory device.
It is assumed that the threshold voltage Vth of the first and second depletion transistors 204 and 205 is about −2.2 V and the high voltage Vpp is about between 20 V and 22 V. If the block selection signal BLKi goes low, the output of the first inverter 201 goes high and the output of the second inverter 202 goes low. The output of the second inverter 202, which is low, is transmitted, via the NMOS transistor 203 and the first depletion transistor 204 and output as the block word line driving signal BLKWL.
Here, the PMOS transistor 206 must be turned off when the output of the first inverter 201 goes high. However, as the supply voltage VDD lowers, the PMOS transistor 206 is turned on.
If the block word line driving signal BLKWL goes to a ground voltage level grounded, the decoding unit 122 forms a DC current path A from the high voltage Vpp to the ground voltage GND via the second depletion transistor 205, the PMOS transistor 206, the first depletion transistor 204, the NMOS transistor 203 and an NMOS transistor (not shown) of the second inverter 202. Due to the DC current path A, power consumption increases.
Therefore, in order to reduce power consumption, a word line decoder which is capable of preventing an improper current path from being formed even when a supply voltage VDD falls, is needed.

Word line decoder suitable for low operating voltage of flash memory device


A termination 76 of a conductor and a terminal includes an electrical conductor 46 having insulation 40 therearound and extending to an end 48 exposed at an end 42 of the insulation. The terminal 60 includes a termination end 70 having at least a pair of cutting edges 72 aligned with the conductor 46. The cutting edges 72 are sliced into the end of the conductor 46 a selected axial distance and receive a first portion 52 of the conductor 46 between the cutting edges 72 and outer portions 54 of the conductor 46 along outer surfaces of the termination end 70 of the terminal 60.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,088 discloses a connector for interconnecting components of a flat electroluminescent strip light system. The components therein include elongate strips having conductors extending therethrough and exposed at an end surface. The connector therein uses conductive gel, or the like, to terminate the terminals of the connector to the respective conductors in the elongate strip. The connector is secured to the end of the strip by a mechanical fastener. The use of conductive gels and similar materials, however, require additional steps in manufacturing and are relatively expensive. With flat conductors, the actual area of engagement of the gel or adhesive to the end edge of the conductor is relatively small. Additionally, the gels and adhesives may be affected by the environmental conditions under which they are used. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a mechanical termination between such a conductor and a mating connector that does not require the use of a conductive gel or adhesive.

Termination of an insulated electrical conductor


A system and a method for mixing at least two audio signals are provided that comprise transferring the audio signals with respective transfer functions, the audio signals each having an amplitude and a phase; adding the audio signals to provide an output signal representative of the mixed audio signals, the output signal having an amplitude and a phase; controlling at least one of the transfer functions of the signal lines so that the phase of the output signal is adapted to the phase of the audio signal with a higher signal strength than the other audio signal(s), the signal strengths corresponding to the amplitudes of the audio signals.

When two or more signals, for example, audio signals, are mixed, the amplitude and phase constellation can be such that the signals are partly or even totally cancelled. For example, full cancellation occurs when two signals that are mixed have the same amplitude and opposite phases. It is normally not desired to experience any attenuation or cancellation when mixing signals. A common approach to overcome this backlog is to use only the magnitudes of the signals without any phase information. However, phase information may be important, for example, for achieving a sufficient audio localization. Audio mixing without any attenuation or phase effects is generally desired.


An aspect of the present invention features an apparatus for compensating color deviation of an image that has uneven color deviation. The apparatus can comprises: a color deviation analyzing module that analyzes luminance of each color component of each pixel composing the image and determines a color component having the highest or lowest rate of luminance change as an object color component, wherein the rate of luminance change is analyzed in the direction from a central pixel to a corner pixel of the image; a compensation table generating module that creates a plurality of sections from a beginning point, depending on a distance from the central pixel, and generates a compensation table for boundary pixels of each section with compensation values that are produced based on the luminance of the object color component; a compensation image generating module that generates a compensation image for the whole image, using the compensation table; and a compensating module that compensates the color deviation by applying the compensation image to the image.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image sensor, more particularly to an apparatus and a method that can compensate color deviation occurred at corners of an image photographed by the image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor refers to a semiconductor device converting an optical image to an electric signal. The image sensor includes a charge coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS) image sensor. The charge coupled device (CCD) has metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) capacitors disposed adjacent to each other and storing and transferring electric charge carriers. The complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS) image sensor employs a CMOS technology, which uses a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as a peripheral circuit, to generate MOS transistors as many as the number of pixels and detect an output one by one from the MOS transistors.
Recently, portable devices having such an image sensor (e.g., digital cameras, mobile communication terminals, etc.) have been introduced in the market. The image sensor is composed of an array of photosensitive diodes called pixels or photosites. The pixel itself usually does not extract colors from light, but converts photons in a broad spectrum band into electrons.
In order to record color images by a single sensor, the sensor filters such that different pixels receive different colors. This type of sensor is known as a color filter array (CFA). Different color filters are arranged across the sensor according to a predefined pattern.
As a most common pattern, a Bayer pattern is widely employed in the CFA. In the Bayer pattern, a half of the total number of pixels is green (G), and each quarter of the total number is assigned to red (R) and blue (B). In order to obtain color information, red, green and blue filters are arranged in a particular sequence to form a repetitive pattern. The Bayer pattern is composed of a 2×2 array.
The Bayer pattern is based on the premise that the human eye derives most of the luminance data from the green light. Therefore, an image with a higher resolution can be generated when more of the pixels are made to be green, compared to the RGB color filter which alternates an equal number of red, green, and blue pixels.
The first element affecting directly on image quality of the image sensor is a lens, which focuses light onto the image sensor. The lens should focus the light exactly onto the image sensor, transmit a lager amount of photons equally on an image pickup device, and minimize difference of transmittance between components of the light to prevent color deviation between the colors.
But, portable apparatuses recently being developed and marketed are getting slimmer and more miniaturized which requires slimmer and smaller sensor modules. And, the demand for the image sensor having larger pixels in the portable apparatus is increased.
Accordingly, the lens cannot have enough distance with the image pickup device, and does not transmit the light effectively. And, the lens does not transmit the photons equally to the image pickup device.
Furthermore, as closer to the corners of the image pickup device, the amount of the light transmitted through the lens is reduced which causes significant color deviation so that an unexpected color is inserted into the overall image.
FIG. 1 is an example of color deviation occurred in each quadrant of a photographed image. When the image is divided into four quadrants I, II, III, IV as shown in FIG. 1, at least one or more of red, green and blue are strongly bulged out compared with the rest at the corners A, B, C, D of each quadrant which causes unevenness of the color deviation over the whole image.
Such an uneven color deviation further causes image distortion since not one color is bulged out in all 4 quadrants but a different color is bulged out at a different quadrant, for example red is bulged out at the A corner and blue at the C corner.
Even the beginning point, where the color deviation begins to become uneven, can be different in each quadrant. Since there are such differences in distances, RA for I, RB for II, RC for III, and RD for IV, between the center of the image and the beginning point at which the unevenness of the color deviation begins, in each quadrant, image distortion is also occurred.
The pixels in the central part and the pixels in the periphery of the CFA of the image sensor are exposed to a light source from different positions. These minute differences in position cause differences in illumination, and such differences in illumination affect color because of differences in light frequency and refractive index. Consequently, color distortion and reduction in signal amplitude dependant on the position of the pixels inevitably occur, degrading the quality of primitive images.
In order to overcome these problems has been introduced a method that equalizes the luminance in an image through compensating the lens shading phenomenon when photographing the image of a white area. But, the correction is processed centering on the center of the image and in a lump according to the distant from the center of the image.

Apparatus and method for compensating color, and image processor, digital processing apparatus, recording medium using it


To attain a slide mechanism of a portable terminal device which, having a minimal number of parts and keeping the same function as that of a conventional one, enables a substantial production cost reduction, a mechanism relatively slides a first casing and a second casing in a state that the casings are laid over each other in a vertical direction, and is constituted with: a slide case mounted on either one of the first casing and the second casing; a slider slidably accommodated in the slide case and mounted on the other one of the first casing and the second casing; and a resilient means resiliently disposed between the slider and the slide case. The slide case is formed as an integral structure with a guide groove which extends to both ends in a longitudinal direction with the one end thereof being opened. Additionally the slider has a shape which enables the slider to be inserted into the guide groove in an engaged state from the open end side. Also, the slide case is further provided with a stopper portion preventing the slider from coming off after the slider is inserted into the guide groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide mechanism of a portable terminal device, and this slide mechanism is suitably used when a first casing which constitutes a transmitter section and a second casing which constitutes a receiver section of the portable terminal device such as a cellular phone in particular are slidably coupled to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently on the market is a cellular phone, as one type of a portable terminal device, which has a slide mechanism for making, in a state that a first casing being a transmitter section with a keyboard portion and a microphone portion and a second casing being a receiver section with a display portion and a speaker portion are laid over each other, a state that the first casing and the second casing are completely laid over each other with the second casing covering an upper surface of the first casing and a state that the second casing is slid in a longitudinal direction along the first casing so that the upper surface of the first casing is exposed. Such a slide mechanism is publicly known as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-125052.
The slide mechanism described in the above document is structured of two slide modules composed of a slide case made of a slide cover and a lock plate which are laid over and fixed, a slider slidably accommodated in the slide case, and a leaf spring which is resiliently disposed between the slider and the slide case. The slide modules are parallelly provided on a lower surface of the second casing, and two mounting pins are protruded from the slider to be fixed with screws on the upper surface of the first casing.
The above-described structure requires means for engaging the slide cover and the lock plate, which constitute the slide case, to each other. Consequently, the structure of the slide case becomes complex. Additionally, it is also required to caulk and fix the slide case and the lock plate to each other or to spot-weld them for further intensity. As a result, there exists a problem that a production cost becomes high.


A method of machining a workpiece may include continuously rotating the workpiece, continuously rotating a tool having at least one cutting surface, and positioning the tool relative to the workpiece so that the at least one cutting surface engages the workpiece at a first discrete location at a periphery of the workpiece. The method may further include continuing to rotate the workpiece and the tool so that the at least one cutting surface engages a second discrete location at the periphery of the workpiece, and controlling a tool surface velocity VT relative to the workpiece surface velocity VW so that the first and second discrete locations are discontinuous. The tool may make multiple iterative passes over the workpiece to engage subsequent discrete locations, wherein the first discrete location, second discrete location, and multiple subsequent discrete locations may form a machined surface that extends continuously around the workpiece.

Machining processes, such as milling, turning, broaching, shaping, and hobbing, are processes that require relative motion between the work and the tool. In conventional linear processes (shaping and broaching) the cutting speed, i.e., the velocity of relative motion between work and tool is equal to the feed velocity. In conventional rotating processes (turning, hobbing, and milling) the rotation of the work or tool allows cutting speeds that are greater than the feed velocity by typically two orders of magnitude or more.
Traditionally, each of the cutting processes has been performed by a machine designed and built specifically for that process. For example, a typical turning machine, or lathe, rotates the workpiece at high velocity against a tool moving on a linear path at a low velocity. A conventional mill rotates a tool at high velocity against a workpiece moving on a linear path at low velocity.
More recently, computer numerically controlled mill/turn machines have become available. Milling on these machines has been accomplished by substituting rotation of the work at very low velocities for linear feed at low velocity. The rotational speed of the work emulates the feed velocity of conventional milling, typically one to ten feet per minute. The rotational velocity of a milling tool typically falls between 100 and 10,000 feet per minute, with most operations performed between 500 and 2,000 feet per minute.


A liquid crystal layer is formed on an alignment substrate 13 by the use of a photo-curing chiral nematic liquid crystal having cholesteric regularity, or the like, and liquid crystalline molecules in the liquid crystal layer are aligned by the alignment-regulating action of the alignment substrate 13. A predetermined amount of radiation 20 is applied to the liquid crystal layer formed on the alignment substrate 13 to three-dimensionally cross-link and cure the liquid crystal layer, thereby forming a cholesteric layer 12 in the semi-cured state. Thereafter, the semi-cured cholesteric layer 12 formed on the alignment substrate 13 is brought into contact with an organic solvent 21 under the specific conditions. There is thus finally obtained an optical element 10 comprising the cholesteric layer 12 formed on the alignment substrate 13.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of producing an optical element such as a circular-polarization-controlling element, and particularly relates to a process of producing an optical element by the use of a radiation-curing liquid crystalline material having cholesteric regularity, and to an optical element.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical elements comprising liquid crystal layers having cholesteric regularity (cholesteric layers) are widely used as circular-polarization-controlling elements (circularly polarizing plates, color filters, etc.) for use in liquid crystal displays.
To produce an optical element, such as a circularly polarizing plate that reflects all visible light, a reflection-type color filter on which each pixel is composed of regions having selective reflection wave ranges equal to the wave ranges of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors, or an optical element that is used in a transmission or semi-transmission liquid crystal display in order to improve light utilization efficiency, it is necessary to form a cholesteric layer having a broadened selective reflection wave range or a cholesteric layer having selective reflection wave ranges controlled to be equal to the wave ranges of red, green and blue colors. For this reason, there has been demanded a method of controlling the selective reflection wave range of a cholesteric layer with ease and high precision.
To fulfil this demand, the following methods have been proposed so far: (1) a method in which optically active groups composing the cholesteric structure of a cholesteric layer are modified or deactivated to change the selective reflection wave range of the cholesteric layer (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 54905/1998), and (2) a method in which a liquid crystal layer having cholesteric regularity is brought into contact with a solvent or solvent mixture to broaden its selective reflection wave range (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 316755/1998).
However, the above two methods are disadvantageous as described below. In the method (1), in which optically active groups in a cholesteric layer are modified or deactivated, the modified or deactivated molecules become impurities to lower the stability of the cholesteric layer itself. If such a cholesteric layer is incorporated into a liquid crystal display, the display cannot clearly display an image. With the method (2), on the other hand, only a cholesteric layer having lowered intensity of color is obtained. If such a cholesteric layer is incorporated into a liquid crystal display, the display cannot clearly display an image.

Process of producing optical element and optical element


The present invention provides an amusement device having a body, wherein the body has features, at least one motor for powering the device and at least some of the features, and an information receiving structure for receiving information from an information carrying item that is separate or discrete from the amusement device.

The present invention relates to amusement devices or toys, and the accompanying Figures and this description depict and describe embodiments of amusement devices in accordance with the present invention, and features and components thereof. The present invention also encompasses methods of making and using embodiments of the amusement devices, including playing games with them.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,336 discloses a toy and a method for providing audio output representative of a message optically sensed by the toy. A child may place a specially marked object in front of a toy which is capable of recognizing the marks on the object and then being able to articulate a word, phrase or sentence in response to the markings. Visible codes, invisible codes or holograms may be located on the objects to mark them.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,281 discloses an interactive system for reading cards, wherein the system comprises a card bearing an image and encoded information and a talking hand-held card reader for reading the encoded information on the card and playing back an audible message associated with the image or encoded information. In one aspect, the invention is also a talking hand-held card reader having a housing which is shaped to resemble a person, place, aspect or thing associated with the image or encoded information on the card being read. While the device or system of the '281 patent improves the interactivity of such devices, and while it provides a portable card and card reader system, interactivity and entertainment is limited. In other words, while the housing is adapted to play back an audible message, and the hand-held card reader is a portable, independent stand-alone unit and may be shaped as various items, including a vehicle, the housing itself is not operable or powered to move apparently of its own volition or to interact with other housings. Nonetheless, the disclosure and teachings of the '281 patent are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,961 discloses an electronic toy including a reprogrammable data storage device, including digital memory, whereby a user can selectively download program information into the data storage device to change the independent operating characteristics of the toy. In one embodiment, the toy consists of an animatronic teddy bear having a reprogrammable digital memory. Program information may be transferred into the toy's memory by removable cables connected between a computer and a control processor in the toy. Program information can also be provided by a remote computer system. The toy has a data input port for communication with a computer. The toy might comprise a fire engine having a speaker for outputting audio and a drive motor for driving the wheels of the vehicle and the memory may be programmed with control data for controlling sound and operation of the drive motor and/or associated steering mechanisms. The toy can include an input device for inputting data to the software of the toy for varying the control data and audio data that is sent to the toy's output devices. The input would change the generated output to correspond to the state specified by the software for a given input state. For example, the animatronic toy might include pressure switches, optical inputs or a microphone for inputting voice data to the software. In this regard, the software would be responsive to the input. While the toy is operable in three modes, a download mode, an interactive tether mode and an untethered stand-alone mode, there is no disclosure about interactivity between toys, nor a card swipe system wherein collectible cards are adapted to provide information to a mobile amusement device. Nonetheless, the disclosures of the '961 patent are incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,273 discloses an interactive doll wherein the doll comprises a wireless computer controlled toy including a computer system operative to transmit a first transmission via a wireless transmitter and at least one toy including a wireless receiver and operative to carry out at least one action based on the transmission received. The patent mentions vehicles whose motion is controlled by human user via remote control devices, computer control of a toy via wired connection, a doll responsive to an external signal and radio controlled toys. The toy may include a plurality of toys and may include at least a first and second toy wherein the first toy is operative to transmit a toy-to-toy transmission to the second toy via a wireless transmitter and the second toy is operative to carry out at least one action based on the toy-to-toy transmission. In another embodiment of the invention there is provided a game system including a computer system operative to control a computer game and having a display operative to display at least one display object and at least one toy in wireless communication with the computer system. The computer game includes a plurality of game objects and the plurality of game objects includes at least one display object and at least one toy. Examples of actions which a toy in accordance with the invention may perform include move a portion of the toy, move the entire toy or produce a sound, and may also include reacting to signals transmitted by another toy. There is no disclosure of using a collectible game card to impart performance characteristic information to an amusement device wherein the amusement device is interactive with a human user and with other amusement devices. Nonetheless, the teachings of the '273 patent are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,652 discloses domino games and methods of play wherein cards are provided that contain indicia which direct or represent dominos and corresponding orientations. U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,475 discloses a collectible card game, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,256 discloses a path forming game. None of these patents suggest using a card or a card-like game piece as an information or command and control information carrying device to play a game, for collection purposes, and to actuate interactive amusement devices.
Although the above-noted patents represent advancements in interactive amusement devices and the use of such devices, there is still room for improvement in the interactivity and interest provided by such amusement devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The process for separating the R(−)- and S(+)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenzene-sulfonamide enantiomers comprises (a) reacting a mixture of said enantiomers with an optically active organic acid to form diastereoisomeric salts with said enantiomers, where in said diastereoisomeric salts have different solubility and can be separated by crystallization; (b) separating the diastereoisomeric salt mixture enriched in the salt of one of the enantiomers; and (c) releasing said salts to obtain the R(−)or S(+) enantiomer. The R(−)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy) ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenzenesulfonamide enantiomer has α-adrenergic blocking activity and is useful as an antihypertensive agent suitable for the treatment of congestive heart failure and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The invention is related to obtaining the R(−)- and S(+)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenzenesulfonamide enantiomers, with a high degree of optical purity, by means of the separation of the diastereoisomeric salts which are formed from a mixture containing said enantiomers with an optically active acid, as well as to the development of a method which allows determining the degree of optical purity of said enantiomers once they are separated.
European patent EP 34432 discloses sulfamoyl-substituted phenethylamine derivatives exhibiting α-adrenergic blocking activity, useful as antihypertensive agents suitable for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Among said compounds is 5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenzenesulfonamide (I),
one of the enantiomers of which, specifically the R(−)- enantiomer, known as Tamsulosin, is useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure and benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Prior studies have proven that the pharmacological action of the R(−)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenzenesulfonamide enantiomer, hereinafter R(−)-I, is up to 320 times greater than that of its S(+)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2-methoxybenenesulfonnamide enantiomer, hereinafter S(+)-I [Honda, K., Nakagawa, Ch., Terai, M., Naunyn-Schimiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. (1987), 336(3): 295–302; Honda, K., Nakagawa, Ch., Momose, N., J. Pharm. Pharmacol. (1987), 39(4): 316–18]. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the optically pure R(−)-I enantiomer substantially free of the S(+)-I enantiomer. It is also necessary to have an industrial process for the production of the R(−)-I enantiomer.
European patent EP 34432 discloses a process for the preparation of said compound of formula (I) although it does not disclose the obtainment of its optical isomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,478 discloses in its examples a process for obtaining the R(−)-I and S(+)-I enantiomers from the condensation of R(−)- or S(+)-5-[(2-amino-2-methyl)ethyl]-2-methoxybenzenesulfonamide with 2-(o-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl bromide.
European patents EP 257787 and EP 380144 disclose a process for obtaining the R(−)-I enantiomer from the synthesis of the R(−)-5-((2-amino-2-methyl)ethyl)-2-methoxybenzene-sulfonamide chiral amine, in its optically pure form, and later condensation reaction by reductive amination or by nucleophilic substitution.
Until now, however, no reference has been found in the literature regarding methods for the resolution of compound (I).

Process for the separation of R(-)-and S(+)-5-[2-[[2-(2-ethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]propyl]-2- methoxybenzenesulfonamide


A method for use in intra-abdominal surgery comprises the steps of inserting a tubular member into a natural body cavity of a patient through a natural body opening, manipulating the tubular member from outside the patient so that a distal end of the tubular member engages a wall of the natural body cavity, and forming a fluid tight connection between the distal end of the tubular member and the wall. Additional steps of the method include inserting an incising instrument through the tubular member upon insufflation of the abdominal cavity, manipulating the incising instrument from outside the patient to form a perforation through the surface of the wall, and moving a distal end of an endoscope through the tubular member and through the perforation. The endoscope is used to visually inspect internal body tissues in an abdominal cavity of the patient. Subsequently, a surgical operation is executed on the internal body tissues of the patient by manipulating an endoscopic surgical instrument passed along the endoscope through the natural body opening, the natural body cavity and the perforation into the abdominal cavity. After the intra-abdominal operation, the surgical instrument and the endoscope are withdrawn from the abdominal cavity through the perforation, the perforation is closed, and the endoscope and the tubular member are withdrawn from the natural body cavity.

This invention relates to a method for use in intra-abdominal surgery.
Intra-abdominal surgery has been conventionally performed by forming an incision in the abdominal wall and operating on internal body organs through the incision This method of surgery invariably results in substantial blood loss, as well as extended pain to the patient after surgery has been completed.
The disadvantages of conventional intra-abdominal surgery has been subtantially reduced by the technique of laparoscopic surgery wherein access to abdominal organs is obtained through trocar sleeves or laparoscopic cannulas disposed in respective perforations formed in the abdominal wall of the patient by trocars. Hospital stays and patient trauma are reduced.

Method for use in intra-abdominal surgery


The present invention is a method and system of aircraft surface operations guidance on a head up display. An aircraft surface operations guidance method includes the following steps. At time t1, a taxi guidance cue and a trend vector are displayed on a head up display of an aircraft. The taxi guidance cue represents a desired position of an aircraft control point of the aircraft at time t2. The trend vector represents a predicted path of the aircraft control point from time t1 to time t2 based on a state of the aircraft at time t1. The trend vector includes a tip representing a predicted position of the aircraft control point at time t2. The tip is maintained within the taxi guidance cue so that the aircraft control point may reach the desired position at time t2.

There is considerable interest in enhancing surface guidance for aircraft. For example, after an aircraft lands on a runway at an airport, the next step is to taxi the aircraft to a desired destination such as a passenger-loading/unloading gate. A pilot can easily become confused or lost amid a number of runways, taxiways, ramps, and buildings that make up an airport. With airports becoming more crowded, aircraft often spend considerable time taxiing between runways and gates. Taxi time is even longer if the pilot makes a wrong turn, becomes lost, or blunders onto the wrong runway or taxiway. In addition, a wrong turn or navigation blunder may cause delays for other aircraft at the airport. The problem is more significant at large airports and is particularly significant at night when the multitude of lights can make it more difficult to taxi the aircraft to the desired destination.
Efficient taxi operations save time and money. One feature of an airport surface guidance capability is the presentation of airport features such as runways and taxiways that are readily made available to the pilot. One approach to present such feature information is on a head-up display (HUD) that is displayed in the forward line of sight of the pilot looking out the front windshield of the aircraft. The pilot typically enters or selects a taxi path that has been approved by ground controllers. The taxi path or route is then displayed on the HUD. The pilot can view the features displayed on the HUD as being overlaid on the surface features the pilot can normally see through the windshield. The airport features may give a pilot situational awareness of where the aircraft is relative to the selected taxi path. However, the use of conformal depictive symbology alone on a HUD for aircraft surface operations in reduced visibility and/or low ambient light situations does not provide sufficient cueing for precise expeditious movement of the aircraft to and from the active runway along a clearance issued taxi path.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved method and system of aircraft surface operations guidance on a head up display.

Aircraft surface operations guidance on head up display


A recreational vehicle such as a snowmobile, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle, or boat has a straddle-type seat that includes a flexible sheet of material pulled tightly over a gap formed in a seat frame. In certain embodiments, a tightening mechanism ensures that the flexible sheet of material is pulled tightly over the gap. The flexible sheet of material forms a hammock-like straddle-type seat. The flexible sheet of material is a mesh material that allows water, snow, dust, and other debris to fall through the mesh to avoid debris buildup on the seat. Because water falls through the mesh material and both the top and bottom sides of the mesh material are exposed to the ambient air, the seat dries quickly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to straddle-type seats for vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, motorcycles, personal watercraft (PWCs), boats, and all terrain vehicles (ATVs) often have straddle-type seats. The performance of such vehicles often depends, in part, on minimizing their weight. To decrease the weight of these recreational vehicles, designers have developed straddle-type seats that comprise a base frame, a lightweight foam such as polyurethane supported by the base frame, and a fabric cover made of a water-proof material such as nylon, vinyl, or leather that covers the foam to discourage the foam from soaking up water.
Snowmobiles, motorcycles, PWCs, boats, and ATVs are operated in areas that present various environmental conditions involving water, snow, dirt, dust and other fine particulate debris. Normal operation of such straddle-seat vehicles kicks up such material, causing the material to deposit on the straddle-seat. Because conventional straddle-type seats are solid, such material disadvantageously builds up on the seat.
Because the riders of these vehicles prefer a dry seat (or at least a seat that can be as dry as possible), interest developed in designing a seat that dries quickly. Such a seat, however, is not known in the prior art.


The present invention produces a seed layer for the deposition of copper for metallizing integrated circuits. A diffusion barrier is deposited upon the wafer. In one embodiment of the invention, a metal oxide layer is then formed on the diffusion barrier. The oxidized metal is then reduced to a conductive lower oxidation state or to its elemental form. That metal is then used as the seed layer for the growth of copper. In another embodiment, the surface of the barrier layer is repeatedly oxidized and reduced in order to reduce incubation time for the growth of a seed layer. A ruthenium seed layer is then deposited over the treated barrier layer.

Metallization is the process that forms the interconnections of the components on an integrated circuit (IC). This can be accomplished by the deposition of a thin layer of a metal over the entire surface of the IC and then etched in a desired pattern. Until recently, the metal has commonly been aluminum, because dry etch processes are available for aluminum. Since the development of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) techniques for the more conductive copper, damascene processing is rapidly gaining in acceptance. In damascene processes, a thick dielectric layer is patterned with trenches and/or vias, metal is blanket deposited over the substrate and into the openings, and excess metal is polished away from the top surfaces of the dielectric. This leaves metal inlaid within the trenches and/or vias. In order for the metal, typically copper, to be properly laid there must be an appropriate surface for the copper to adhere to. Copper can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or plating, but in either case a suitable seed layer is typically formed lining the openings prior to bulk copper deposition.
Because of its high electrical conductivity and good electromigration properties, copper, rather than aluminum, is preferred in modern integrated circuits. Ohmic losses of the conductors are decreased because copper has a much higher conductivity than aluminum. The lower resistance and the associated ohmic losses are beneficial in photovoltaic applications in addition to analog and digital microcircuits and microprocessors. Copper-metallized microcircuits can accommodate higher currents because of copper's higher resistance to electromigration. Additionally, copper's properties allow the use of narrower and thinner conductors and interconnections. Furthermore, since tighter packing density can be obtained with copper, fewer metallization levels are typically needed for equivalent circuit designs using copper interconnects and, thus, the manufacturing costs can be lower than with aluminum.
However, copper's benefits are also balanced by some problems. A major problem associated with using copper is that it diffuses readily in common insulating materials. Therefore, great care has to be taken in order to prevent direct contact between copper and typical silicon oxide-based insulating layers. If this were to occur in an IC, it would cause short circuits. In order to prevent such diffusion, a barrier layer is generally introduced between the insulator and copper. This barrier layer, called a diffusion barrier, is deposited over the insulator surface before copper deposition, or over copper lines prior to insulator deposition. Some examples of relatively conductive barrier layers include tungsten, molybdenum, and titanium compounds, such as nitrides and carbides.
The atomic layer deposition (ALD) method of depositing thin films, such as diffusion barriers, has several attractive features including excellent step coverage, even on large areas, and a dense and pinhole-free structure. Therefore, it is also of great interest to apply ALD to the deposition of metallization layers of advanced integrated circuits (ICs), where the continuously increasing packing density and trench/via aspect ratios set higher demands upon the metallization layers. Applications where high quality metallization is particularly needed are dual damascene structures, gates in transistors and capacitor electrodes in ICs. However, due to the fact that ALD is based on sequential self-saturating surface reactions of source chemical compounds, depositing high quality elemental metal thin films by ALD is very difficult.
Metal oxide thin films produced by ALD, on the other hand, can be very uniform, have excellent adhesion and thus can be firmly bonded to the substrate surface. ALD metal oxide thin films can be used to make conductive thin films through oxidation state reduction after deposition of a metal oxide thin film. For example, Soininen et al., used an ALD deposited metal oxide thin film in order to produce a conductive thin film. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,740). After the ALD metal oxide thin film was produced, it was reduced by using organic compounds with at least one of the following functional groups: —OH, CHO, and —COOH, thus producing a metal thin film layer. Films of this process include both metal and conductive metal oxide films from various elements, including cobalt, copper, gold, nickel, osmium, platinum, rhenium, ruthenium, and silver.
One of the most advanced IC structures is the dual damascene structure over a semiconductor substrate with transistors (including source, gate and drain). Several electrically conducting layers are needed in the structure. The first metallization level is conventionally fabricated with tungsten plugs and aluminum interconnects to prevent the contamination of the gate with copper. The remainder of the metallization levels are preferably made of copper.
Metallization of the trenches and vias can be attained by copper electroplating. Alternatives are electroless plating, physical vapor deposition (PVD), and CVD. A seed layer, usually deposited by CVD or PVD, is typically needed for electroplating processes. In the electroplating process the substrate having an electrically conductive seed layer is immersed in a metal compound solution. The electrically conductive surface of the substrate and an opposing electrode are connected to an external DC power supply. A current passes through the substrate surface into the solution and metal is deposited on the substrate. The seed layer has high conductivity and it acts as a conduction and nucleation layer for the electroplating process. A first seed layer can also act as a nucleation layer for the CVD process that forms a subsequent electroplating seed layer. The electroplating seed layer carries current from the edge of the wafer to the center of the wafer and from the top surface of the wafer into the bottom of vias and trenches, so it must be conductive. A uniform and continuous seed layer is desirable to produce uniform electroplated copper. The quantity of the deposited metal is directly proportional to the local current density on the substrate.
It has been complicated to form a sufficiently uniform copper seed layer on a diffusion barrier in high aspect ratio trenches and vias. For example, in the process of U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,740, the process window of ALD-grown copper oxide is rather narrow. In that process, copper oxide is reduced into elemental copper metal in a subsequent process step. Direct growth of elemental copper using ALD chemistry is also rather complicated, and it can contaminate the ALD reactor chamber. Other materials have been tried in place of a copper seed layer. Copper will grow evenly on these non-copper seed layers, but there are drawbacks to these chemicals as well. For example, ruthenium makes an excellent seed layer. Additionally, it will bond well to the surface of a barrier layer such as tungsten nitride carbide (WNxCy, wherein x and y denote a range of chemical compositions including non-stoichiometric compounds). However, the growth of a ruthenium seed layer can itself be a very time consuming process, as the incubation or nucleation period of the ruthenium is quite long.
It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to avoid these and other disadvantages and to facilitate the process of metallizing dual damascene structures. There is a need for better and more efficient seed layers for the deposition of metals for the purpose of metallizing ICs.