The digital matched filter according to the present invention comprises a storage circuit for accumulating received signals by an A/D converter without shifting the signals, an address signal generating circuit for controlling an address for accumulating output from the A/D converter there, a reference data generating circuit for generating spread code for receiving, a ring-formed shift register for shifting output from the reference data generating circuit, a multiplying circuit for multiplying output from the storage circuit not executing shifting by output from the shift register, an adding circuit for adding output from the multiplying circuit, and a timing signal generating circuit for controlling timing for the operations described above.

In a so-called direct sequence spread spectrum communication system wherein a signal obtained by multiplying an information signal by a broadband spread code is transmitted and a received signal is returned to a narrow-band signal by reversely spreading the received signal, an information signal can be detected even under a bad C/N (carrier to noise) ratio condition of a received electric wave, so that the spread spectrum-direct communication system is promising for a code division multiple access (CDMA) which is one of multiple access methods for a mobile communications system, and for this reason, less power consumption for the device is desired.
It is known that the digital matched filter can be used for high-speed synchronized capture and synchronized tracking for extracting synchronous timing as well as for data demodulation using the extracted synchronous timing by using the output of a spread code circuit (chip: each spread code circuit constituting a spread code array is described as a "chip"), in which the advantage of the digital matched filter as a passive correlator is made use of, each time a received signal is outputted. It is also known that, even in a case where receiver timing is displaced by a period of time shorter than one spread code time, sampling by an analog/digital converter (described as "A/D converter" hereinafter) is executed at a timing of 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 or the like of one spread code time and the digital matched filter can be used for synchronized capture, synchronized tracking, and data demodulation each with high precision by obtaining correlation output for each 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 or the like of one spread code time.
As an example of a configuration of the passive correlator, description is made herein of a BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying)-accommodating matched filter, which is the most simple configuration, with reference to FIG. 10. In a receiver for spread spectrum signals, a frequency of a received signal is converted and is lowered to a frequency of a baseband signal. This signal is held as a sample and is inputted to the matched filter as an input signal. The input signal is serially inputted to a delay line 1, then signals for each delay time are outputted in parallel. This parallel output is weighted according to an output for each delay time in each tap 2. All of the weighted parallel outputs are summed in the adding circuit 3 and outputted as correlation output (correlation value).
Next description is made for operations of a digital matched filter as one of examples in which the matched filter is digitally realized with reference to FIG. 11. Block configuration similar to that in FIG. 11 is disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-58669. A received spread spectrum signal generated by the receiver, which is a received baseband signal, is sampled according to timing provided from a timing signal generating circuit 5 and is converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter 4. This digital signal is successively inputted to a shift register 31. On the other hand, a spread code as reference data is generated in a spread code generating circuit 7 and is inputted once in a load-queue buffer 8 and then inputted into a buffer 30 for multiplication. Herein the load-queue buffer 8 is applied to the spread spectrum system for subjecting the digital signal to spreading by using "long spread code" having a length sufficiently longer than that of one symbol for data in addition to "short spread code" having substantially the same length as that of one symbol for information used in a normal way of spreading, and is used for temporarily accumulating therein the spread code array outputted from the spread code generating circuit 7. Accordingly, the load-queue buffer 8 is not particularly needed in a system not using the "long spread code" therefor. Data for parallel output from the shift register 31 is multiplied by data for parallel output from the buffer 30 in the multiplying circuit 12. Each result of the multiplication is summed in the adding circuit 10, and the summed data is outputted as correlation output and used for synchronized capture, synchronzed tracking, and data demodulation. In the description above, specific comment was not made for the number of bits for the A/D converter 4, but an A/D converter with a plurality of bits is generally employed for reducing quantization errors as well as for enhancing performance thereof (processing for determination using a plurality of bits is generally called soft decision processing, and processing for determination using one bit is called hard decision processing). For this reason, the shift register 31 is also required to have such configuration that the plurality of bits can be accumulated therein.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view for explanation of a relation between an information signal and a spread code. An information signal comprises a plurality of information bits each of which is a basic unit thereof. In an example 1 of spread code, one information bit length is spread by five spread code bits of 00110. The spread code length in this case is expressed as follows: Spread code length=5. On the other hand, in an example 2 of spread codes, a two-information bit is spread by 10 spread code bits of 0011010011. The spread code length in this case is expressed as follows: Spread code length=10. However, it is found that one information bit in the above case is also spread by five spread code bits. Also a period of time required for multiplying an information signal by one spread code is expressed as one spread code time. The examples 1, 2 of spread codes show examples each indicating one spread code time identical to each other respectively.
A digital matched filter based on the conventional technology has the configuration in which a received signal obtained by sampling is accumulated in a shift register and the received signal is shifted each time sampling. Especially, in a case where the A/D converter with a plurality of bits is used for enhancing the capability, the shift register is also required to accumulate therein and further shift the plurality of bits. In a digital circuit, a potential in the circuit generally fluctuates when a signal is changed, and power is consumed (it is known to require power consumption when binary numerals 0, 1 of an output signal are changed especially for a device such as a CMOS using process). Accordingly, power consumption is largely required also for a plurality of bits-accommodating shift register when data is shifted.


A token based system for authenticating a client computer when it connects to a network. An address is requested from a server connected to the network. Provision of the address by the server triggers the server to look for a token on the client computer. If no token is found steps, such as revoking the address, can be taken. This enables a system administrator to control what machines can connect to the network, for example, it may allow only those having specified anti-virus software.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to data processing systems in which a plurality of machines are connected together via a network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many known computer networks, a person wishing to connect to such a network makes a DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) request for an IP address to any of the network's DHCP servers. The DHCP server leases IP addresses to machines on demand. The IP address leased is based on the range that is configured within the DHCP server settings. For example, an IP address may be made up of four elements, three of the elements being used to represent a particular office location, so that the router can tell where the machine is, and the fourth element distinguishing the actual machine from the other machines. Thus, in this example there would potentially be 256 possible addresses per office. In reality, some of these addresses may be reserved and used exclusively for a particular task, a gateway (such as a router), for example, could always end in a .252 address and a DHCP server could always end with a .10 address. The remaining addresses are allocated on demand to machines wishing to connect to the network.
On receipt of an IP address request the DHCP server replies by asking the machine making the request its name. If it has a name corresponding to an IP address that no other machine is using at present, then the DHCP server gives this IP address back to the machine, if not, an unused addresses is allocated. The DHCP server leases these IP addresses and when a machine disconnects from the network, the address is "given back" to the DHCP server so that it can be allocated to another machine trying to connect to the network.
In this known system, the DHCP server does not make any check on the user credentials at the time of the request, the responsibility of authentication is left to the network operating systems.
A current process of authenticating a user within, for example, the Microsoft™ NT Networking design does not allow an administrator to validate "what or who" has access to the network, it rather controls access to network resources. For example, a third party consultant with a laptop computer can simply request an IP address from a DHCP server on the network, and be provided with an address based on the network location to which the request came. Of course, once an IP address has been provided to the consultant he/she can now attempt to 'logon' to the network in the traditional way. Our consultant may not know of a user account to authenticate to the network, and proceeds to connect to the network by logging into the laptop locally. Even though the consultant has no access to network resources he/she is still capable of 'sniffing' (packet capturing) data from the corporate network, and can also connect to resources which require 'null' access (null session shares etc.).

Token-based authentication for network connection


A new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘White Diamond’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; short to intermediate plant size; uniform potted plant habit with or without de-eyeing tubers; vigorous and dense growth habit; fast growth rate; and lance-type leaves that are white to green with few light pink-colored spots, dark green-colored margins and white-colored venation.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name 'White Diamond'.
The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive foliage coloration.
The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2002, in Lake Placid, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum 'Lance Whorton', not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum 'Jackie Suthers', not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Lake Placid, Fla. on Jun. 15, 2003.
Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by tuber divisions in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Lake Placid, Fla. since Apr. 15, 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Techniques for controlling access to a communication channel for each of a plurality of nodes in a wireless ad hoc communication network. According to one embodiment, each node uses a predetermined rule, such as a hash function, to compute which of a plurality of time slots during a contention window it is to attempt transmissions. Each node in the network follows the same rule to access the channel and as a result no additional overhead transmissions are required between the nodes. In addition, contention among different nodes is reduced when a node needs to repeat an attempt to make a transmission. When a node has data to transmit on the channel, it determines a time slot in the contention window period during which to attempt the transmission using a computation that is based on a number identifier assigned to the node, the number of time slots in the contention window period and a transmission count value that represents the number of attempts the node has made to make the transmission. According to another embodiment, nodes are assigned to slot groups based on the time slot computation and the groups are assigned to particular slots during successive blocks in a round robin fashion so as to ensure fair access to the communication channel.

The present invention is directed to ad-hoc wireless communication networks in which devices that are nodes on the wireless network compete for access to the frequency channel in order to communicate with each other.
One well known technique for controlling how devices access a shared channel is called ALOHA. In the ALOHA scheme, every node transmits as long as it has data available to transmit. If a collision is detected, the source node backs off and retransmits again after a timeout interval. An improvement to ALOHA is the so-called "slotted" ALOHA in which the transmitting node can only transmit within a slot boundary. However, collision probability is still high and unavoidable using the ALOHA schemes.
There are two other well known channel access protocols: Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). The TDMA scheme is mainly used for transmission that has certain requirements that must be met to maintain reliability and minimal delay for signals carrying voice and video in which latency is an issue. The CSMA technique is mainly used for data transmissions where latency is not necessarily a concern.
Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) is a scheme in which the source node listens to the channel first to determine if the channel is free before it transmits. If the node determines that the channel is free, it transmits its data packet. The packet received by the intended recipient node is transmitted back to the source node where it is compared with the original packet. If the source node determines that the received packet does not match the transmitted packet, then it declares that a collision occurred and the source node backs off for a period of time and retransmits the packet.
An improvement to CSMA/CD is Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA). In this scheme, the source node transmits when the channel is free. If the channel is not free, the source node waits until the end of a transmission on the channel and then waits again for a random period of time that is uniformly distributed between 0 and the duration of the time period during which nodes contend for access to the channel, known as the "contention window". At the expiration of the contention window, the source node monitors activity on the channel again. If the source node determines that the channel is free, it transmits the packet. If the source node determines that the channel is not free, then the process repeats. A disadvantage of the CSMA/CS technique is that there is no guarantee that collisions will be avoided, particularly when there is a "hidden" node on the network.
Still another channel access scheme is called Distributed Foundation Wireless Medium Access Control (DFWMAC-IEEE 802.11). The IEEE 802.11 communication protocol is an industry standard that is based upon CSMA/CA but with the addition of handshaking control signals between the source node and destination node. The purpose of the handshaking protocol is to solve the hidden node problem. In this scheme, a source node wishing to transmit data first sends a Request to Send (RTS) message to the intended recipient or destination node. If the intended recipient node is ready to receive the data from the source node it responds with Clear to Send (CTS) message transmitted to the source node. Upon receiving a CTS message, the source node transmits the data packet to the intended recipient node. If the recipient node receives the data packet correctly, the recipient node transmits an acknowledgment (ACK) message to the source node so that the source node knows the transmission was successful. The exchange of RTS and CTS messages avoid the prolonged collisions since RTS and CTS messages are short control packets. In addition, the RTS/CTS/ACK scheme solves the hidden node problem because a source node only transmits when the recipient has indicated it is ready to receive. All other nodes that are not involved in the communication session between the source node and recipient node will listen and detect the RTS/CTS/ACK message exchange and know to back off the channel thereby avoiding the hidden node problem. If the source node does not receive an ACK from the recipient node, it doubles the duration of the contention window for the retransmission until a retransmission counter reaches a maximum value. The contention window is reset upon every successful transmission or when the retransmission counter has reached a maximum value.
There are also variations of the channel access control schemes of the IEEE 802.11 standard. One is the Five-Phase Reservation Protocol (FPRP) designed for scheduling broadcast messages. The FPRP uses synchronous timing operations and provides for additional control packet exchanges. Still another variation is to have separate control packets during both the signal period and data period for both unicast and broadcast messages. During the signaling period, data slots are reserved by the source node. However, immediately before the data period, additional packets are sent from the recipient node to confirm the reservation to the source node.
There are also some collision free protocols which are topology independent. For example, the utilization of Latin Squares and Time Spread Multiple Access (TSMA) codes produced from polynomials over Galois fields are used for slot and channel assignments. Utilizing these assigned slots, nodes can access the channel without colliding with transmission from other nodes.
Recently, channel access techniques have been developed that are known as Neighbor-Aware Contention Resolution (NCR) protocols such as Node Activation Multiple Access (NAMA) and Hybrid Activation Multiple Access (HAMA). These types of protocols assign a priority to each node or link based upon a hash function. The node or link with the highest priority among its two-hop neighbors can access the channel.
Even though the channel access schemes of the IEEE 802.11 standard helps solve the hidden node problem, it does not eliminate collisions because it is still a CSMA/CA scheme. For example, if multiple nodes have the same transmission time and happen to select the same random back-off time when the channel is not busy, their transmission will collide.
The collisions issue becomes more serious when the amount of traffic on the network increases. Heavy traffic increases the probability of at least two nodes trying to access the channel at the same time. Likewise, as the number of nodes on the network increases the probability of collisions also increases because more nodes are trying to access the channel.
The FPRP is not collision free and has other problems such as the "exposed terminal" problem. FPRP also does not work well with changing network topology. The collision-free protocols such as the Latin Squares and TSMA codes only work for small networks, and also require the maximum number of nodes and maximum degree of nodes in order to guarantee successful packet transmissions.
For NCR protocols, channels may be underutilized if a winning node has no packet to send. Access delays could also increase if a losing node has to wait to send a packet. In addition, the hash function used in the NCR protocols is based upon a pseudo-random number generator and is computationally expensive to implement in a device.

Nearly collision-free channel access system and method


A key assembly is disclosed. The key assembly may have a blade, and a head configured to receive the blade. The key assembly may also have a locking feature separate from the blade and the head. The locking feature may be received by the head and configured to inhibit removal of the blade from the head via interference. The locking feature may deform during connection to the blade.

A master key can be duplicated in any number of different ways, by measuring a profile of the master key and duplicating that profile within a key blank. The key blank generally has a size and shape larger than the master key, so that the key blank can be machined (e.g., cut and/or milled down) to function like the master key. In order to reduce an amount of key blank inventory that a locksmith must keep on hand for duplication purposes, common or universal key blanks may be utilized.
An exemplary key for use in duplication operations is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0148988 of Taylor that published on Aug. 5, 2004 ("the '988 publication"). Specifically, the '988 publication discloses a metallic blade on which serrations are to be formed, and a key head made of jewelry and having a receiving slot for receiving an inserting portion of the key blade. The key head is fixed to the blade by way of friction, glue, epoxy, or welding, and includes insignia surfaces for decorative design.
Although the key of the '988 publication may be decorative and provide a customer with certain options, it may still be less than optimal. In particular, the head may be expensive to fabricate, difficult to connect to the blade, and inhibit interchangeability of heads. Further, the blade may not be conducive to an automated fabrication process.
The disclosed key assembly is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.


There is provided a device in which a probe can be used for both of observation and correction, and which can, even if a next generation photomask of ultra minute structure is made an object, perform a desired processing without injuring a normal portion in a process of obtaining information of a position and a shape of a defect part, and without impairing the probe also at a processing time. It has been adapted such that, at an observation time, a contact pressure between a probe and a mask is reduced to 0.1 nN by applying a vibration of 1 kHz to 1 MHz to the probe. It has been adapted such that a cantilever used in the present invention is formed by a silicon material of 100–600 μm in length and 5–50 μm in thickness and, at the observation time, the probe contacts with the mask at the contact pressure of 0.1 nN and, at the processing time, a defect correction can be performed by causing the probe to contact with the mask at the contact pressure of 10 nN to 1 mN.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanning probe device and a processing method using a scanning probe which processes shape information of a sample surface or the sample surface. Especially, it is one for performing a correction which removes an excess residue, such as a black residue, of a semiconductor photomask.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, for a black residue correction of a photomask used in a semiconductor manufacture, there has been adopted a method of sputter etching or gas assist etching, which uses a focused ion beam (FIB).
The black residue is one in which, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, an opaque material adheres to a portion where there is no opaque film in a design of the photomask, such as a boundary part of a normal pattern 1a in a photomask 1 in which the pattern has been formed on a glass substrate by an opaque film of Cr or MoSi etc., thereby becoming a defect part 1b.
Although FIB processing is an excellent processing method that can perform a minute processing because a processing region for the correction is limited to an FIB irradiation spot, there has become presented a problem that ions of gallium etc. are implanted into the glass substrate of the photomask by irradiating the ion beam, thereby causing such damage as deteriorating transparency.
Further, as a prior art, besides the correcting method by the FIB, there is presented a method of scraping the defect part off by rubbing it with a sharp needle.
For example, in published application no. JP-A-6-148870, there is disclosed a method of correcting a photomask having a phase shift layer, whose goal is to provide a method capable of simply and accurately correcting a protruding residue defect of the photomask having the phase shift layer, and in which the transparent protruding residue on the phase shift layer or on a glass substrate is physically removed by scratching it with a minute probe having a sharp tip. However, if it is attempted to perform this method, first there is required a measurement by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a laser microscope in order to specify information of a position and a shape of the defect part. Subsequently, on the basis of the defect position information, the minute probe whose tip is sharp is moved to the defect position, and an operation of rubbing and scraping a defect region is performed. It is not easy to perform these series of operations, and a concrete technique for realizing them is not disclosed. Moreover, in this method, since a probe of a stylus system shape measuring instrument is used as the minute probe whose tip is sharp, a tip of the stylus becomes considerably large with respect to the black residue, so that it is difficult to cause the stylus to contact with the defect part. Further, in a case where it is contacted with a transparent portion of the glass substrate of the normal photomask, a normal portion of the glass substrate surface is damaged, thereby becoming a factor of reducing a light transmittance.
Further, in published application no. JP-A-2003-43669, there is disclosed a technique in which a scanning probe microscope (SPM) has been adopted as a defect correcting means. This technique is one whose object is to provide a method of correcting the defect of the photomask and an SPM used therein, in which there is no damage to a quartz substrate and a portion other than the defect after correcting a remaining defect formed in the photomask like a correction by the laser beam irradiation and an FIB sputtering, which can accurately remove the remaining defect not larger than 500 nm, and additionally which can easily detect an end point of the correction. A photomask defect correcting method using this technique is explained by using FIG. 4A–FIG. 4F. As shown in FIG. 4A, the mask is set to the scanning probe microscope, and a probe 4 is moved by a moving means such that a tip of the probe 4 becomes just above a remaining defect 1b. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the tip of the probe 4 is approached to a position where it contacts with the remaining defect 1b. Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, while scanning the probe in X- and Y-directions only in a region of the remaining defect 1b, the defect is scraped off by pressing the probe 4 down to thereby apply a load to the defect and scratching it. Next, as shown in FIG. 4D, when the tip of the probe 4 has reached a quartz substrate 1c, the pressing down and the scanning in the X- and Y-directions of the probe 4 are stopped. Next, as shown in FIG. 4E, the probe 4 is separated from a mask pattern and, finally as shown in FIG. 4F, the defect correcting method for the photomask is finished by blowing clean air by a clean air gun to thereby completely remove shavings from the mask.
In this practice, since the probe of the SPM is adopted as the defect correcting means, it follows that the information of the position and the shape of the defect part can be obtained by this SPM itself and the defect correction is performed by that probe, so that there is no difficulty in moving, based on the information of the defect position and its region, the probe to the defect region like in the above published application no. JP-A-6-148870.
However, in a silicon material that is the conventional probe of the SPM used in an atomic force microscope (AFM), it has been a problem that, by the fact that the defect part is scraped, a wear of the tip of the probe is severe, thereby generating a breakage and the like. For example, even a probe coated by diamond-like carbon formed by CVD wears or chips.
When obtaining the information of the shape of the photomask by using diamond for the stylus in order to increase strength of the probe, there is a problem that a normal portion of the glass substrate and the like of the photomask is damaged.
Further, in a case where a cantilever using a silicon-based probe for observation and a probe of diamond for correction is replaced, since a time is required in a positional alignment of tips of both probes, and the like, there has been a problem that a processing efficiency is extremely reduced.

Scanning probe device and processing method by scanning probe


A urine pad has a foundation layer and a target structure. The foundation layer has a first horizontal fold line to divide the foundation layer into a first and second part, an impermeable backing, and an absorbent covering affixed to the impermeable backing. The target structure has an open length centered on and extending across the first horizontal fold line and first and second attachment points. The first attachment point is attached to the first part at a first anchor point essentially one half the open length from the first horizontal fold line and the second attachment point is attached to the second part at a second anchor point disposed essentially the open length away from the first anchor point. The target structure is configured to be placed in a storage position when the foundation layer is folded configuration in a functional position when the foundation layer is opened.

Pet ownership and in particular, the owning and maintaining of dogs is popular throughout many areas of the world. Responsibilities associated with dog and other types of pet ownership include the providing of adequate facilities that enable a dog to exercise and also to deposit the animal's waste products. A dog may frequently urinate throughout a given period in order to properly eliminate biological waste. In addition, "territory marking" is a common habit of male dogs and may occur relatively frequently in both an indoor and outdoor environment due to the animal's natural instincts.
Accordingly, in order to provide adequate facilities for the elimination of waste, dogs and other types of pets may be walked or otherwise provided access to the outdoors. However, many pet owners are unable to provide access to the outdoors for the purpose of waste elimination. This may be because pet owners are away from home for extended periods of time and are unable to walk their pets outside in a timely manner. This may also be because pet owners live in urban, cold or otherwise inhospitable or inconvenient environments and prefer to train their pets to eliminate waste indoors to avoid encountering the elements or inhospitable environments. This may also be because many local agencies have enacted ordinances or regulations which restrict or otherwise regulate tethering of the animal and the disposal of waste products eliminated by a pet. Accordingly, absent the availability of an enclosed backyard or other outdoor area in a pleasant, convenient environment, suitable for waste elimination, there may be numerous occurrences throughout the day when a male dog's natural tendency is either to demonstrate its dominance over a specific territory or otherwise relieve itself through urination.
More specifically, male dogs often "mark" objects that are new and brought into the home or other area occupied by the animal. As set forth above, such "urine marking" is a natural instinct of many male dogs in order to demonstrate "ownership" of a given indoor or outdoor area. The inherent drive of a male dog to perform such territorial marking is a natural instinct and accordingly may be a difficult habit to overcome. Marking behavior is particularly troublesome when is occurs indoors or in other inappropriate areas which may be commonly occupied or frequently accessed by the animal's owners or other humans.
Accordingly, there is a need in this area for a waste station or similar device specifically structured to facilitate the collection of urine which satisfies a male dog's natural instincts, but which eliminates or significantly reduces the possibility of damage being done to surrounding objects such as furniture, floors, or the like. A preferred waste station should also be configured to accommodate the natural "leg lifting" tendencies of male dogs thereby facilitating the use of such a waste station and satisfying a male dog's natural tendency to mark its territory or alternatively to collect periodically deposited urine. There is a need for such a waste station to be convenient for a human to operate or deploy. Additionally, there is a need for such a waste station to eliminate or reduce human contact with the pet waste.

Urine pad with automatically deployed three dimensional target


A switching circuit. The novel switching circuit includes an active device and a first circuit for providing a reactive inductive load in shunt with the active device. In an illustrative embodiment, the first circuit is implemented using a transmission line coupled between an output of the active device and ground, in parallel with the device, to minimize the parasitic effects of the device drain to source capacitance. In a preferred embodiment, the active device includes a silicon-germanium NFET optimized for operation at high frequencies (e.g. up to 20 GHz). The optimization process includes coupling a compact, low-parasitic polysilicon resistor to a gate of the NFET to provide gate RF isolation, and designing the gate manifold, drain manifold, and drain to source spacing of the NFET for optimal high frequency operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical and electronic circuits and systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to microwave switches.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microwave switches are used in a wide variety of applications such as communications and active phased array radar systems. For example, switches may be used to control the direction of a radio frequency (RF) or microwave signal or to provide phase and amplitude control functions in a transmit/receive (T/R) module.
Silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology permits the integration of advanced MMICs, low power VLSI digital electronics, and low frequency analog circuits in a single high yield process. The availability of several high performance microwave passive and active devices on the same wafer, including SiGe HBTs, MOS FETs, PINs, and Varactors, etc., render the SiGe technology a new and exciting paradigm for innovative circuit designs suitable for the realization of "system-on-chip" circuits.
In conventional microwave circuits, switches are commonly implemented using SiGe PIN diodes. However, PIN devices consume DC power and need complex bias supply circuits, both of which negatively impact system efficiency, prime power, size and thereby cost.
Switches implemented using SiGe NMOS devices consume little or no DC power, but are typically limited in bandwidth. For example, prior silicon (Si) based (0.18 um NMOS) RF switching devices offered by the IBM 7-HP process have a maximum useful frequency of less than 5 GHz. Above this frequency, unwanted parasitics associated with the NMOS device become a significant factor in rapidly detracting the switch performance.
Hence, a need exists in the art for an improved microwave switch offering lower power consumption and increased frequency range.

High performance microwave switching devices and circuits


A computer software application, graphical user interface, and method for entering information concerning a complex business situation, refining such information in a stepwise manner through the interface, generating a list of effective actions for addressing such a business situation, and storing such information in a knowledge base adapted for future query and reporting use of such a complex business situations is provided.

Modern business enterprises must address issues surrounding the business in a systematic, often time-driven, manner. Such business enterprises typically have an organizational structure, often of a hierarchical or matrix form, to define the various groups of individuals responsible for a particular area of the business. Often a particular issue evokes different concerns from different groups, resulting in differing definitions of a problem to be addressed. Further, individuals within the groups may not have the knowledge, or expertise, to effectively address a particular problem or decision, due to factors such as inexperience or lack of longevity in a particular role.
Lines of communication can become blurred when individuals assume they share a common understanding of a problem. The notion of a problem surrounding a complex situation can have different meanings to different groups or individuals within the business enterprise. The term "problem" is often used indiscriminately to define factors such as a complex situation requiring action, a malfunction or error, the cause of a malfunction or error, a difficult choice, or future trouble. Each of these concerns requires different action, yet all elements may be common to a particular situation. Prior to implementing action, such a situation must be broken down into a manageable set of issues which require action, and which can be verified as the correct set of issues which will resolve the situation.
Effectively addressing the issues presented by such a complex situation, therefore, requires clarification of the exact issues to be acted upon. However, as indicated above, different groups and/or individuals have different needs, and each may have a different definition of the problem, depending on how the complex situation affects the responsibilities of that group and/or individual. Further, employment terminations, transfers, and organizational changes can result in a lack of individuals with expertise and experience concerning such a complex situation. Such factors can cause a business enterprise to implement ineffective actions, perform duplicative acts, or even to implement actions which exacerbate the situation.
It would be beneficial to provide a computer software program adapted to provide an interactive interface to receive information surrounding such a complex situation, display such information in a format which allows the user to refine issues in a stepwise manner, and store such information, including both the solution or resolution and the thought processes that created them, for subsequent query and retrieval by multiple users for addressing future such complex situations.

Method and apparatus for problem solving, decision making and storing, analyzing, and retrieving enterprisewide knowledge and conclusive data


Panel level packaging (PLP) with high accuracy and high scalability is disclosed. The PLP includes dies bonded face down onto an alignment carrier configured with die bond regions. Pre-bond and post bond inspection are performed at the carrier level to ensure accurate bonding of the dies to the carrier.

Panel level packaging (PLP) of devices have garnered significant interest in recent years. This is due to the larger volume of dies which can be packaged in parallel compared to conventional wafer level or substrate level packaging techniques. PLP involves attaching or bonding individual dies on a large panel or carrier for die bonding. For example, the dies are arranged in a matrix on the carrier, with rows and columns of dies. The carrier, depending on its size, can accommodate significantly more dies than on a wafer, for example, 3 times to 5 times or more dies than a wafer. This increases packaging throughput as well as reduces costs.
An important consideration in PLP is the precise positioning of the die on the carrier after bonding to the carrier to ensure that the die is accurately bonded at a target location. In the case of face-down bonding process in which the active surface of the die includes die patterns or fiducials, such as die contact pads, are bonded to the surface of the carrier, post bond inspection poses challenges. With face-down bonded dies, the fiducials on the active surface of the dies are no longer visible to the cameras of the bonding tool.
Conventional post bond inspection of face-down bonded dies requires the use of x-ray inspection systems in the case of a substrate carrier, short wave infra-red (SWIR) inspection systems in the case of a steel carrier, or flipping a carrier over for inspection in the case of a glass carrier. In the case of x-ray and SWIR systems, they are very costly. For all the other cases, they require the removal of the carrier from the bonder (e.g., not real-time or off-line). Removing the carrier from the bonder is time-consuming and may also cause damage to the bonded dies on the carrier.
Therefore, based on the foregoing discussion, it is desirable to provide a cost-effective in-line post bond inspection for PLP to ensure high bonding accuracy and high yields.

Post bond inspection of devices for panel packaging


A system, computer-readable media and computer-implemented method for automated network adapter activation in connection with fibre channel uplink mapping. The system includes a non-virtualized storage area network switch having a plurality of fibre channel ports. Each of the fibre channel ports is coupled to a corresponding cable to at least partly define a fibre channel uplink. The system also includes a plurality of client devices. Each client device has a network adapter. The system also includes a processing element and non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions instructing the processing element to complete the following steps: (1) automatically execute an algorithm to determine a sequence for mapping the network adapters to respective fibre channel uplinks; (2) automatically determine a network adapter activation pattern based on the sequence to include a time delay between the network adapters; (3) automatically map the network adapters to respective fibre channel uplinks according to the sequence; and (4) automatically activate the network adapters based on the network adapter activation pattern.

Fibre channel networking is commonly used to provide connectivity to storage-area networks (SAN). In many configurations, fibre channel networking provides superior data transfer rates. Client devices such as blade servers may each include one or more network adapters (e.g., network interface cards or "NICs") for connecting to a fibre channel network. The fibre channel network, in turn, may provide connectivity between the client devices and the SAN, for example via a network switch cooperatively forming fibre channel uplinks to the SAN. Traffic between the fibre channel uplink and the SAN may be managed by a SAN switch. Each uplink may correspond to an uplink port of the fibre channel network switch connected to a fiber channel port of the SAN switch via fiber optic cabling.
Systems utilizing a non-virtualized SAN switch to manage traffic between the uplinks and the SAN may map client device network adapters to respective ones of the fibre channel uplinks to enable communication with the SAN. That is, an adapter in such a system may send traffic to the SAN via an uplink once mapped to that uplink. For example, the client devices may comprise eight (8) server blades on a chassis that communicate with a SAN via four (4) uplinks. In an embodiment, two (2) of the eight (8) server blades may be mapped to each uplink, though many combinations of assignments are possible.
In certain scenarios, a process for mapping the client devices to the uplinks may be initiated instantaneously for multiple client devices. For example, a system may be configured to automatically detect and begin configuration of a plurality of new server blade client devices simultaneously linked to the fibre channel network switch. For another example, where one or more uplinks become unavailable/offline, client device records storing the details of mapping between those uplinks and client devices may be reset, requiring reassignment or mapping of those client devices to one or more active uplink(s) before further traffic may be sent up to the SAN.
Client devices of existing systems may error into a read-only state during the process of mapping multiple client devices to respective fibre channel network uplinks. For example, the system may activate the network adapters of the multiple client devices simultaneously at the beginning of the mapping process, signaling to operating systems of the client devices that the connection to the fibre channel network is ready for traffic before the mapping process is actually completed. Where a client device attempts to send traffic before a corresponding network adapter has been mapped to an uplink, the client device may error into a read-only and/or timed out state, lengthening the time and effort required to enable normal operation of the system.

Systems, computer-readable media and computer-implemented methods for network adapter activation in connection with fibre channel uplink mapping


The invention concerns devices for water storage, heating and delivery. A storage water heater of the invention provides an amount of unmixed recently heated water from an internal small volume during a draw along with water from a main volume. When water is drawn from the storage water heater, an amount of recently heated water substantially unmixed with the remaining volume of the tank is drawn along with heated water from the remaining volume. Substantial performance increases in the hot water that may be delivered over a period, such as an hour, may be achieved compared to an otherwise identical storage water heater that lacks the invention.

Storage water heaters heat a volume of water in an insulated tank. Water is supplied to the tank from a cold water supply while water is drawn from the tank into a hot water pipe, which, for example, may lead to a faucet. Water in the tank is heated by an energy source. An example is an electrical heating element, and another is a flame, such as from a gas combustion source. A sensor controls the energy source.
Increases in the performance of storage water heaters over the years have been achieved by improvements in the tank, or in the efficiency of energy delivery into the volume of water. Insulation values have reached very high levels, and further improvements have been few.

Internal small volume storage water heater

The Curators of the University of Missouri


An adaptive soft start system for mower blade clutch engagement includes an engine speed sensor providing engine speed inputs to a microcontroller that provides electrical power to an electromagnetic clutch for engaging an engine to at least one mower blade. The microcontroller repeatedly computes the rate of change of engine speed during mower blade clutch engagement and modulates the electrical power to the electromagnetic clutch each time the rate of change of engine speed is outside minimum or maximum thresholds.

Electromagnetic clutches typically are used to transmit power from a lawn mower engine to two or more cutting blades mounted on spindles under a mower deck. The electromagnetic clutches are designed to engage very quickly to minimize clutch plate wear. However, a disadvantage of the sudden engagement is that engine speed may droop. As a result, the mower deck may vibrate and shake until the rotational speed of the blades and spindles increases sufficiently.
Soft engagement electronic control systems or modules have been proposed that are intended to reduce the suddenness of the clutch engagement, by modulating the voltage applied to the electromagnetic coils. The soft engagement should allow the clutch plates to slip for a longer period while reducing engine droop and other undesirable characteristics of a hard start.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,332 relates to a soft start controller for regulating the engagement and disengagement of an electromagnetic clutch. A microprocessor may be programmed to regulate the current controller such that the electrical current which is supplied to the clutch during the engagement process follows a selected one of three clutch energizing current curves, or any other curve which may be programmed into the memory circuit. The microprocessor is programmed to select one of the curves before the engagement sequence begins in response to the status of one or more parameters sensed by sensors such as a speed sensor, temperature sensor, engine vacuum sensor and level sensor.
However, conditions may change once the operator actuates the clutch engagement control and as the clutch moves into engagement. For example, the amount of grass and debris buildup under the mower deck may change, and there may be swings in engine power, during the engagement process. Additionally, clutch face wear and belt wear may change the engagement dynamics. As a result, a clutch energizing curve selected at initiation of engagement may no longer be desirable or optimal. None of the programmed clutch energizing curves may be optimal for a particular engine and mower deck, especially after they are subject to wear from use. Further, the programmed set of clutch energizing curves may not be suitable for all combinations of mower deck widths and engines. A soft start system that may be optimal for one mower under one set of conditions may not produce the same desired outcome under different conditions, on a different model, or on a mower with a different mower deck and engine configuration.
A soft start system for clutch engagement is needed that adapts if conditions change while the clutch moves into engagement. A soft start system for clutch engagement is needed that can adapt to provide an optimal clutch energizing curve for a particular mower deck and engine after they are subject to wear from use or other factors that could affect the engagement dynamics. A soft start system for clutch engagement is needed that can adapt so that it is suitable for many different combinations of mower deck widths and engine configurations. A soft start system is needed that may be adapted to mowers under any set of conditions, and for mowers having various different mower deck and engine configurations.

Adaptive soft start system for mower blade clutch engagement


An image pick-up apparatus (1) for picking up a plurality of sub-images and combining them so as to form a composite image, including a correction unit (5) for correcting brightness values of the composite image. The correction unit (5) includes a selection unit (6) for selecting bright and dark parts from the sub-images. There is also provided an arithmetic unit (10) for deriving a gain correction factor from the bright parts and an offset correction term from the dark parts. The correction unit (5) also includes a multiplier unit (8) and an adder unit (9) for multiplying signal levels of a sub-image signal by the gain correction factor and for adding the offset correction term thereto. The image pick-up apparatus is used in an X-ray examination apparatus (20) for picking up an optical image on the exit window (32) of an X-ray image intensifier (24) and for supplying an electronic image signal for a high-resolution composite image so that image information in a medical X-ray image with small details can be suitably reproduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus, including an X-ray source-for emitting an X-ray beam in order to form an X-ray image of an object, an X-ray detector for deriving an optical image from the X-ray image, an image pick-up apparatus including one or more image sensors for deriving electronic sub-image signals from sub-images of the optical image, and a combination unit for combining the electronic sub-image signals so as to form an electronic image signal for a composite image. The invention also relates to an image pick-up apparatus including one or more image sensors for deriving electronic sub-image signals from sub-images and a combination unit for combining the electronic sub-image signals so as to form an electronic image signal for a composite image. The invention also relates to a method of composing a composite image from a first sub-image picked up by a first image sensor and a second sub-image picked up by a second image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image pick-up apparatus and a method of this kind are known from German Offenlegungsschrft DE 33 15 882.
The known X-ray examination apparatus including an X-ray source and an X-ray image intensifier whereto the image pick-up apparatus is optically coupled. An X-ray image is formed of an object, for example a patient to be radiologically examined who is arranged between the X-ray source and the X-ray image intensifier, by irradiating the object by means of an X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray source. The X-ray image is formed on an entrance screen of the X-ray image intensifier and converted into an optical image on an exit window of the X-ray image intensifier. The optical image is picked up by the image pick-up apparatus and converted into an electronic image signal. The light emanating from the exit screen is split into two sub-images by means of an image splitter including a partly transparent mirror, said sub-images being picked up by respective image sensors.
The known image pick-up apparatus includes two solid-state image sensors, each of which has a plurality of photosensitive elements. The image sensors are arranged in such a manner that pixels of the optical image which are picked up by one image sensor will be situated in the intermediate spaces between the photosensitive elements of the other sensor. Each image sensor picks up a respective sub-image and applies a respective sub-image signal to the combination unit which forms an image signal for a composite image from said sub-image signals. From the sub-images the image sensors derive electronic sub-image signals having signal levels which represent brightness values in the sub-images. The composite image consists of image lines of the sub-images which have been picked up by the individual sensors, i.e. in such a manner that image lines from one image sensor constitute the odd image lines in the composite image and image lines from the other sensor constitute the even image lines in the composite image. In the direction transversely of the image lines the composite image has a spatial resolution which has approximately been doubled in comparison with the sub-images picked up by the individual sensors.
The known image pick-up apparatus has the drawback that, even when the optical image has a uniform brightness, image lines from different image sensors may have different brightness values in the composite image because differences occur between signal levels of sub-image signals, even though they relate to brightness values from substantially the same positions on the exit window. The differences may be due inter alia to the fact that the individual image sensors receive light from the exit window via different optical paths with differences in light attenuation. Another cause of differences between brightness values of image lines from different image sensors is a difference between sensitivities of the individual image sensors. Such differences cause disturbances in the composite image. The composite image may exhibit, for example a streaky pattern which is not at all related to the image information in the optical image but is caused by unequal intensities of the sub-images or by unequal sensitivities of the individual image sensors. Due to the above causes, individual image sensors derive image signals having different signal levels from a light intensity in substantially the same position on the exit window. Two differences contribute to the difference between said signal levels: an offset difference and a gain difference.


A quick-release retaining device for securing a faceguard to a helmet shell. A selectively engageable latch structure maintains the retaining device in a closed condition. When the retaining device is urged to the open condition, the faceguard may be moved away from a wearer's face. The device is biased in the closed condition by a C-shaped clip, and has a sliding-bar feature for additional securement. The sliding bar is further secured by a locking pin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of protective helmets, and in particular, to a new and useful device for releasable attachment of a faceguard to a helmet shell.
2. Background of the Invention
In many sports, it is desirable for participants to wear a helmet shell to protect against head injury as a result of collisions. This is particularly the case in youth sports. It may also be desirable to protect the face by providing a generally cage-like faceguard across the front of the helmet shell. This provides frontal protection while retaining substantial frontal visibility. Such combinations of helmet shells and faceguards may be used in a number of sports, including football, lacrosse, baseball, fast-pitch softball, hockey, and the like.
In the event of injury, the faceguard may impede the ability of medical personnel to render assistance, as they will be unable to directly access the injured player's face to conduct tests and render treatment with the helmet shell and faceguard in place. The presence of a faceguard may also make it difficult to administer emergency aid such as, for example, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. While access to the player's face may be achieved by removing the entire helmet shell with the faceguard attached, such removal may be undesirable in the event of a suspected brain or spinal injury. When such injuries are suspected, the general recommendation is to minimize head and neck movement. To avoid moving the player's head under such conditions, it may be necessary to remove the faceguard from the helmet shell prior to administering treatment. However, such removal tends to be relatively time-consuming and, in an emergency situation, complex. Thus, there is a need for a faceguard attachment system which permits rapid displacement of the faceguard without requiring removal of the entire helmet shell.
U.S. publication no. 2012/0011686 by Duong attempts to address these issues by teaching clips for securing a face mask to an article of head gear, and for releasing the face mask without the need for any special tools or equipment. The reference teaches that the clip may comprise a base and a retaining member that is pivotably coupled to the base. When the retaining member is engaged with the base, structure on the base prevents the retaining member from pivoting open, thus securing the face mask within the clip. To disengage the retaining member and release the face mask from the clip, a user may squeeze or flex a portion of the base, which causes the retaining member to disengage and pivot open.
Among other things, the reference fails to teach a shock stabilizer, or any other piece made of a material softer than the base or retaining member. Thus, upon impact there is no "give" in the device and such is important for allowing for effective absorption of impact.
U.S. publication no. 2010/0251464 by Parisi also attempts to address the problem. The reference teaches an attachment system for operative connection of a faceguard to a helmet shell with the faceguard being held within a selectively releasable clamp operatively secured to the helmet shell. The attachment system includes a compressible spring clip held in overlying relation to the helmet shell. The spring clip is adapted to selectively clamp a bridge member of the faceguard. A selectively engageable latch structure holds the spring clip in the closed condition. Upon release of the latch structure, the spring clip is urged to the open condition, such that the faceguard may be rotated away from a user's face.
This device relies on a locking-arm-and-latch structure. The locking arm includes an angled head having a half arrowhead profile adapted for receipt through an acceptance slot (see FIG. 5). Impact of sufficient force can cause the locking arm to break and/or fail. The reliance on this structure, thus, presents a significant safety issue, as the faceguard may then fall off during play.
Thus, a need remains for further advancements in the field of helmet design, in particular for a face guard securing device which provides optimal securement of the face guard to the helmet, but which can be quickly and easily released.


During a medical intervention such as an angiography, the X-ray examination equipment (such as that mounted on a C-arm) produces a very large number of imaging frames of the intervention, as it progresses. This information contains frame sequences which can be effectively used to improve a medical report of the intervention. The sequence will contain sequences which contain similar clinical information though, and these frames may be considered to be redundant and not useful for inclusion in the medical report. The aspects detailed herein enable a selection of non-redundant sequences and/or frames, based on contextual information, obtained from the sequence of images, and/or other medical equipment, during an intervention. In this way, the redundancy inherent in the original frame sequence can be removed, leaving a set of prepared candidate sequences for insertion into a multimedia or documentary medical report.

A medical intervention, such as an angiography, involves a wide range of diagnostic and interventional steps. It is important that these steps are documented properly in the form of a medical report. An intuitive way of presenting results in a report is in a graphical format. However, in the time-intensive context of a catheterization laboratory, it can be difficult for a medical professional to download and extract from imaging equipment images bearing useful information. In addition, some clinical information can only be conveyed in a dynamic format, and it is even more labour-intensive to manually edit the corresponding videos.
Therefore, post-intervention clinical reports do not often contain as much multimedia or imaging content as would be desirable.
The document "Health Policy Statement on Structured Reporting for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory", a report of the American Quality Committee, by Sanborn et al., published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 63, no. 23, 2014, ISSN 0735-1097 discusses issues surrounding medical reporting.


A method of making a glove is described. The method comprises dipping a glove form into two different formulations. Each formulation comprises a carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber with different amounts of covalent and ionic cross linkers. The gloves preferably have a stress retention value of greater than 50%.

A variety of elastomeric constructions are known and have numerous applications. One of these applications involves gloves used to protect the hands during different activities, such as cleaning or performing medical procedures. Certain known gloves are manufactured by dipping a glove shaped form into a nitrile butadiene rubber formulation and then curing it.
Gloves are characterized using a number of different performance parameters, such as tensile strength, ultimate elongation, modulus at 300% elongation and stress retention. The composition of the glove nay be varied to obtain the desired performance characteristics. Certain known gloves suffer from an inability to snugly fit the user's hand without becoming uncomfortably restrictive. While certain formulations and manufacturing methods have been developed to address this issue, many of them cannot be reliably used in a commercial setting. In addition, if glove properties such as stress retention are to be adjusted for different applications (e.g. industrial versus medical), changes to the glove formulation are often required. Changing the formulation can be costly and time consuming. Thus, a need has arisen for a glove which addresses the foregoing issues.


The evaluating method includes: dipping a mirror-polished silicon wafer in a dilute hydrofluoric acid; washing the surface of the silicon wafer; subjecting the surface-washed silicon wafer to a heat treatment in an oxygen atmosphere to form a thermal oxidation film; forming a predetermined number of polycrystalline silicon electrodes having a predetermined area on the thermal oxidation film; applying a voltage to each electrode between the predetermined number of polycrystalline silicon electrodes and the silicon wafer; and judging the quality of the mirror-polishing process of the silicon wafers in accordance with the breakdown electric field intensity of the leakage current obtained by measuring the oxide film insulation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of evaluating a silicon wafer, in particular to an evaluating method suitable for judging the quality of the mirror-polishing process of a silicon wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices usually use a silicon wafer having at least one mirror-polished surface, which is obtained by slicing a silicon single crystal manufactured by the CZ method or the FZ method, chamfering the periphery thereof, and then grinding, lapping and polishing the surface or the reverse surface thereof.
However, the grinding and polishing applied to the silicon wafer for the purpose of mirror-polishing cause damage to the wafer surface. The damage is a local residual strain that can not be distinguished visually. According to the manufacturing method of semiconductor silicon wafers disclosed in JP-A 8-70009 (JP-A: Unexamined Japanese patent publication), whether a damage is caused can be ascertained by applying selective etching to the silicon wafer and then observing with a microscope. Moreover, the damage can be eliminated by applying a short-period low-temperature heat treatment to the silicon wafer.
The above-mentioned method of manufacturing a silicon wafer is a method of eliminating the damage on the surface of the silicon wafer caused by the mirror-polishing process. Whether the quality is good can be ascertained by the selective etching. However, even applying selective etching to the silicon wafer, it is difficult to evaluate the degree of the damage, i.e, the quality of the mirror-polishing process. In particular, the relationship of the degree of damage with the quality of the electrical characteristics such as oxide film insulation, which is an important quality characteristic to the semiconductor devices, can not be ascertained.
According to the manufacturing method of semiconductor silicon wafers disclosed in JP-A-8-124984, a method of detecting a fraction defect of breakdown voltage,
discloses the steps of: dipping a mirror-polished silicon wafer in a dilute hydrofluoric acid;
washing the surface of the silicon wafer;
subjecting the surface-washed silicon wafer to a heat treatment in an oxygen atmosphere to form a thermal oxidation film;
forming a predetermined number of polycrystalline silicon electrodes having a predetermined area on the thermal oxidation film;
applying a voltage to each electrode between the predetermined number of polycrystalline silicon electrodes and the silicon wafer; and
measuring the breakdown voltage.
According to the method, octahedral oxygen precipitation defect is selectively solved in many kind of defects which are near the surface of the silicon wafer, thereby the breakdown voltage is made lower, and therefore an average density of the octahedral oxygen precipitation can be presumed more accurately.
According to the method, an average density of the octahedral oxygen precipitation is calculated and presumed based on a value obtained by detecting a fraction defect of breakdown voltage. However according to the method only average density of the octahedral oxygen precipitation is obtained but it is impossible to distinguish a deterioration caused by the crystal defect from a defect of breakdown voltage of oxidation film caused by mirror polishing process.
Whether damage is caused or notice can be ascertained by applying selective etching to the silicon wafer and then observing with a microscope. Moreover, the damage can be eliminated by applying a short-period low-temperature heat treatment to the silicon wafer.


Methods of sound source separation in which individual sources are extracted from a multiple source recording, include a method of analyzing stereo recordings to facilitate separation of individual musical sound sources from stereo music recordings. In the method sources predominant in the left are treated in a different manner to sources in the right.

Most musical signals, for example as might be found in a recording, comprise a plurality of individual sound sources including both instrumental and vocal sources. These sources are typically combined into a two channel stereo recording with a Left and a Right Signal.
There are several applications where it would be advantageous if the original sound sources could be individually extracted from the Left and Right Signals. Traditionally, one area where a form of sound source separation has been used is in the field of karaoke entertainment. In karaoke a singer performs live in front of an audience with background music. One of the challenges of this activity is to come up with the background music, i.e. get rid of the original singer's voice to retain only the instruments so the amateur singer's voice can replace that of the original singer and be superimposed with the backing track. One way in which this can be achieved uses a stereo recording and the assumption (usually true) that the voice is panned in the centre (i.e. that the voice was recorded in mono and added to the Left and Right channels with equal level). In such cases, the voice content may be significantly reduced by subtracting the Left channel from the Right channel, resulting in a mono recording from which the voice is nearly absent. It will be appreciated that the voice signal is not completely removed because as stereo reverberation is usually added after the mix, a faint reverberated version of the voice remains in the difference signal. There are however several drawbacks to this technique including that the output signal is always monophonic. It also does not facilitate the separation of individual instruments from the original recording.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,163 describes a process for removing centrally panned voice in stereo recordings. The described process utilizes frequency domain techniques to calculate a frequency dependent gain factor based on the difference between the frequency-domain spectra of the stereo channels. The described process also provides for the limited separation of a centrally panned voice component from other centrally panned sources, e.g. drums, using typical frequency characteristics of voice. A drawback of the system is that it is limited to the extraction of centrally panned voice in a stereo recording.
Another known technique is that of DUET (Degenerate Unmixing and Estimation Technique) described inter alia in A. Jourjine, S. Rickard and O. Yilmaz. "Blind Separation of Disjoint Orthoganal Signals: Demixing N Sources from 2 mixtures" Proc. ICASSP 2000, Istanbul, Turkey, A. Jourjine, S. Rickard and O. Yilmaz. "Blind Separation of Disjoint Orthoganal Sources" Technical Report SCR-98-TR-657, Siemens Corporate Research, 755 College Road East, Princeton, N.J., September 1999 and S. Rickard, R. Balan, J. Rosca. "Real-Time Time-Frequency Based Blind Separation" Presented at the ICA2001 Conference, 2001 San Diego Calif. DUET is an algorithm, which is capable of separating N sources which meet the condition known as "W-Disjoint Orthoganality", (further information about which can be found in S. Rickard and O. Yilmaz, "On the Approximate W-Disjoint Orthoganality of Speech" IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, Florida, USA, May 2002, vol. 3, pp. 3049-3052) from two mixtures. This condition effectively means that the sources do not significantly overlap in the time and frequency domain. Speech generally approximates this condition and so DUET is suitable for the separation of one person's speech from multiple simultaneous speakers. Musical signals however do not adhere to the W-Disjoint Orthoganality condition. As such, DUET is not suitable for the separation of musical instruments.
The present invention is directed at conventional studio based stereo recordings. Studio based stereo recordings account for the majority of popular music recordings. Studio recordings are (usually) made by first recording N sources to N independent audio tracks, the independent audio tracks are then electrically summed and distributed across two channels using a mixing console. Image localisation, referring to the apparent location of a particular instrument/vocalist in the stereo field, is achieved by using a panoramic potentiometer (pan pot). This device allows a single sound source to be divided into two channels with continuously variable intensity ratios. By using this technique, a single source may be virtually positioned at any point between the speakers. The localisation is achieved by creating an Interaural Intensity Difference, (IID), and this is a well known phenomenon. The pan pot was devised to simulate IID's by attenuating the source signal fed to one reproduction channel, causing it to be localised more in the opposite channel. This means that for any single source in such a recording, the phase of a source is coherent between Left and Right channels, and only its intensity differs.
C. Avendano, "Frequency-Domain Source Identification and Manipulation in Stereo Mixes for Enhancement, Suppression and Re-Panning Applications" IEEE WASPAA'03 describes a method which is directed at studio based recordings. The method uses a similarity measure between the Short-time Fourier Transforms of the Left and Right input signals to identify time-frequency regions occupied by each source based on the panning coefficient assigned to it during the mix. Time-frequency components are then clustered based on a given panning coefficient, and re-synthesised.
The Avendano method assumes that the mixing model is linear, which is the case for "studio" or "artificial" recordings which, as discussed above, account for a large percentage of commercial recordings since the advent of multi-track recording. The method attempts to identify a source based on its lateral placement within the stereo mix. The method describes a cross channel metric referred to as the "panning index" which is a measure of the lateral displacement of a source in the recording. The problem with the panning index is that it returns all positive values, which leads to "lateral ambiguity", meaning that the lateral direction of the source is unknown, i.e. a source panned 60 degrees Left will give an identical similarity measure if it was panned 60 degrees Right. To address this shortcoming, the Avendano paper proposes the use of a partial similarity measure and a difference function.
Despite the solutions provided, a significant problem with this approach is that a single time frequency bin is considered as belonging to either a source on the Left or a source on the Right, depending on its relative magnitude. This means that a source panned hard Left will interfere considerably with a source panned hard Right. Furthermore, the technique uses a masking method that means that the original STFT bin magnitudes are used in the re-synthesis which will cause significant interference from any other signal whose frequencies overlap with the source of interest.
Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative method of stereo analysis, which facilitates sound source separation, and which overcomes at least some of the previously described problems.

Method and system for sound source separation


An electronic circuit designing method and apparatus designs an electronic circuit by CAD, by generating design constraints with respect to the electronic circuit based on at least one of general layout and wiring information related to devices and wirings included in the electronic circuit, user requirements defined by a user, and user resources defined by the user, and urging an input to the user by displaying the design constraints.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic circuit designing methods and apparatuses and storage media, and more particularly to an electronic circuit designing method and an electronic circuit designing apparatus for designing an electronic circuit such as large scale integrated circuits (LSIs), multi chip modules (MCMs) and printed circuit boards (PCBs), and to a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to carry out such a designing of the electronic circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
When designing an electronic circuit using computer-aided design (CAD), the design procedure includes a first step which determines the general layout and general wiring, a second step which inserts logic circuits into the circuit, a third step which edits the layout and wiring of the circuit, and a fourth step which analyzes the characteristics of the circuit and the wiring. The second and third steps are carried out based on design constraints related to the layout and the wiring. The design constraints are created by a skilled circuit designer (person) using various analyzing tools.
According to the conventional electronic circuit designing method, the design constraints are created by the circuit designer, as described above. For this reason, there is a first problem in that the design quality of the circuit is greatly dependent on the skill of the circuit designer. In other words, the design quality becomes inconsistent depending on the skilled level of the circuit designers, and the design time increases due to design corrections which need to be made depending on the skilled level of the circuit designer.
On the other hand, the circuit designer and the layout designer may be different. For this reason, when a circuit which satisfies the design constraints cannot be designed in the third step, the circuit designer and the layout designer must consult with each other and look over the design constraints again. However, such an operation of looking over the design constraints needs to be repeated many times in most cases, and there is a second problem in that the design time is considerably increased thereby.

Electronic circuit designing method apparatus for designing an electronic circuit, and storage medium for storing an electronic circuit designing method


A vehicle panel stowage system advantageously provides for stowage of a removable vehicle panel on the exterior of the vehicle. The panel can be stowed substantially flush with a stowage rack on the exterior of the vehicle. The stowage system advantageously protects portions of the removable panel from the environment when positioned on the stowage rack.

Vehicles may include movable panels to provide a desirable appearance and experience. For example, movable roof panels can be utilized to provide an open environment for an occupant of a vehicle. In some vehicles, the movable panels are physically removed and separated from the vehicle. For example, a targa roof has a single roof panel that is removable from the roof structure. A vehicle with T-tops includes two roof panels that are each removable to allow occupants on opposite sides of the vehicle to individually experience an open environment.
The panels, once removed from the vehicle, need to be stowed in a location that protects the panels from damage. It is preferred that the panels be stowed on/with the vehicle so that they may be reinstalled as needed. Stowing of the removable panels within the vehicle, however, may take up valuable space and reduce the storage capacity of the vehicle. Thus, it would be advantageous to stow the removable panel on an exterior of the vehicle. Stowage of the panel on the exterior of the vehicle may increase drag and thereby decrease the operating efficiency of the vehicle and/or provide an aesthetically-unpleasing appearance. Thus, it would be advantageous to stow the panel in an aesthetically-pleasing orientation and/or with a minimal increase in drag. The removable panel may also have surfaces that need to be protected from the environment. For example, the removable panel may have finished portions, trim pieces, or the like that form a portion of the interior of the vehicle and/or are protected from the environment when positioned in the vehicle roof. When these panels are removed, these surfaces or portions of the panels need to be protected from the environment. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide exterior storage for the panels while protecting portions of the removable panel from the environment.
A vehicle panel stowage system according to the principles of the present invention advantageously provides for stowage of a removable vehicle panel on the exterior of the vehicle. Additionally, the removable vehicle panel stowage system advantageously protects portions of the removable panel from the environment when positioned in the stowed location.
In one aspect of the present invention, a removable roof panel system includes a stowage rack operable to be mounted to an exterior of a vehicle. The stowage rack advantageously includes a stowage area operable to secure the roof panel therein while being substantially flush with the stowage rack.
In another aspect of the present invention, the stowage rack encloses at least one side edge of a vehicle panel when disposed in the stowage area of the stowage rack. The removable panel stowage system thereby advantageously protects a portion of the panel from the environment.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.


A pulse train having a specific amplitude is transmitted from a transmitting circuit, and the amplitude at the receiving end is measured by a comparator. A coarse adjustment control unit determines a coarse adjustment value of the pre-emphasis intensity based on the measured amplitude. The pre-emphasis intensity is changed within the course pre-emphasis range, and the maximum receivable time width of a test signal is obtained by a reception judging unit 13 by using a fine adjustment stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pre-emphasis adjustment method and more particularly, to a pre-emphasis adjustment method for controlling the pre-emphasis intensity provided at the transmission side of a signal transmission line based on a received signal. The present invention also relates to a pre-emphasis adjusting system having a pre-emphasis intensity adjusting function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a transmission line, transmission signals in a high frequency range involve a larger attenuation rate. Accordingly, when signals of a plurality of frequency components are transmitted from the transmission side at the same level for all of the frequency components in the signal, there occurs a difference in the amplitude of the signal between the higher frequency components and the lower frequency components at the receiving side which receives the signals through the transmission line. Normally, to reduce the difference in the signal level or amplitude between the different frequencies at the transmission side, a pre-emphasis technique is used in which the signal level of the lower frequency components is lowered beforehand, or the signal level of the higher frequency components is raised beforehand and then a signal including the lower signal components and higher signal components is transmitted (for example, refer to JP-A-06-177798). In this manner, at the transmission side, the signal level is differentiated between the lower frequency components and the higher frequency components. Thereby, the signal level at the receiving side can be maintained substantially constant among all the frequency components in the signal irrespective of the frequencies.
Regarding the pre-emphasis, it is important to create the pre-emphasis of appropriate intensity according to the characteristics, etc., of the transmission line. FIG. 3A shows the configuration of a conventional automatic adjustment system for adjusting the pre-emphasis. An adjustment control unit 54 of the receiving side transmits a pre-emphasis intensity control signal to a transmitting circuit 51, and an automatic control unit 55 of the transmitting circuit 51 controls the pre-emphasis intensity of the transmission signal to be transmitted from the transmitting circuit 51.
A reception judging unit 53 judges whether or not the signal transmitted by the transmitting circuit 51 can be received correctly at the receiving circuit 52. Then, the reception judging unit 53 obtains a receivable time width, or time interval, in which the transmission signal can be received, while controlling the delay of the timing of a clock signal for receiving the signal, as shown in FIG. 3B.
In the automatic pre-emphasis adjustment system shown in FIG. 3A, the above procedure is tried for all of the adjustment values of the pre-emphasis intensity, and the pre-emphasis intensity of the transmitting circuit 51 is adjusted so that the receivable time width assumes a maximum. This is exemplified in FIG. 3C, wherein the pre-emphasis intensity is lowered, for example, from the maximum level toward a minimum level of the pre-emphasis intensity in a step-by-step basis, until an optimum pre-emphasis intensity is detected.
If the signal transmission bit rate in the above conventional pre-emphasis technique is on the order of 10-Gbps class, the number of adjustment steps of the pre-emphasis intensity is extremely large in order to correctly receive the transmission signal by the receiving circuit 52. For example, the receiving circuit 52 requires 100 steps or more for the procedure for determining the receivable time width. Therefore, if the signal transmission bit rate is high, and if the pre-emphasis intensity that maximizes the receivable time width is to be obtained by trying all of the adjustment values, it takes an extremely large time length to complete the pre-emphasis adjustment.


Inhibitory oligonucleotides are disclosed which are targeted to three specific target regions and subsequences of the target regions found on nucleic acids encoding Bcl-2. These inhibitory oligonucleotides are generally of from about 8 to about 50 nucleotides in length. Specific preferred oligonucleotides are disclosed. The oligonucleotides of the invention may be incorporated into compositions such as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used in methods for inhibiting the expression of Bcl-2 in a cell or tissue, methods for treating conditions susceptible to modulation of Bcl-2 expression in an organism, and methods for detecting nucleic acid encoding BCL-2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agents and nucleic acid targets for regulating gene expression. More specifically, the present invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods for regulation of the expression of nucleic acids encoding Bcl-2.
2. Technical Background
The genetic blueprint of mankind is written and stored in the chromosomes found in the nuclei of somatic cells. These chromosomes are each made up of a single molecule of DNA. DNA is a double-stranded polymer compound whose strands are chains of the nucleotide subunits adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. These chains are held to each other by hydrogen bonds formed between complementary nucleotides on the chains. Adenine (A) forms hydrogen bonds with thymine (T); and guanine (G) forms hydrogen bonds with cytosine (C). Contiguous sets of three of these nucleobases in the nucleotide strands code for individual amino acids. Together, the nucleotide chains of DNA code for all of the various proteins needed to build, maintain, and fuel the human body.
Proteins are translated from transcribed copies of DNA called messenger RNA. Messenger RNA is made when DNA partially unwinds, allowing the sequence of the DNA to be copied and transcribed by cellular machinery. Messenger RNA is made of similar components as DNA, with the substitution of uracil for thymine and the substitution of ribose for deoxyribose in all nucleotides. Once the transcription of a messenger RNA is completed, it is transported from the nucleus to the cytosol. There, the mRNA is engaged by the enzymes that are the protein-manufacturing machinery of the cell. The enzymes and other associated molecules making up this machinery bind to the mRNA and begin to interpret the code of the messenger RNA. As they do so, they also assemble and bind the amino acids encoded into chains to produce the protein coded for by the original DNA.
Illnesses and disease states such as some cancers have been linked to the over-, under-, or mis-production of specific proteins. In some of these cases, a defect present in the gene causes the production of messenger RNAs that code for a nonfunctional or inefficient protein. Additionally, some diseases may be controlled by increasing or decreasing the normal production of a protein. Specifically, it is thought that in some cancers, if the gene coding for a specific protein could be regulated, the cancer would abate, or would become more susceptible to treatment. As a result of this, much research has been conducted to find a method of modulating the activity of a gene. In one specific study, it was determined that down-regulation of Bcl-2 production in prostate cancer cells inhibited their growth and rendered them susceptible to adriamycin-induced apoptosis. Shi et al., Cancer Biother. Radiopharm., 16(5):421-9 (October 2001).
One technology used for regulating the expression of a gene is antisense technology. Antisense technology controls the production of a protein by binding a molecule to the nucleic acid coding for the protein. Generally this molecule is a short length of DNA or RNA commonly referred to as an antisense oligonucleotide. These oligonucleotides are complementary to a segment of the nucleic acid. In use, these antisense oligonucleotides are administered to a cell or tissue desired to be treated. The oligonucleotides are taken into the cell where they associate with and bind to a region of the nucleic acid encoding the protein to which they are complementary. This binding prevents normal interaction of the nucleic acid with cellular machinery such as RNA translation enzymes or induces the degradation of the message RNA. This inhibits or prevents proper translation of the message RNA.
Antisense is regarded by many as a powerful technology since the antisense oligonucleotides used may be carefully targeted to specific regions on the nucleic acids, thus preventing interaction of the oligonucleotides with other molecules not desired to be inhibited or activated. These specific regions of the selected nucleic acids are often referred to as target sequences. Because antisense oligonucleotides may be so carefully targeted to these target sequences, antisense oligonucleotides may be used to provide compositions, such as drugs, that have near-absolute specificity, high efficacy, low toxicity, and few side effects.
These benefits are overshadowed, however, by the difficulty involved in locating effective antisense oligonucleotides for use with a gene. Despite the fact that generally there are a large number of potential oligonucleotides available for each individual gene, different antisense oligonucleotides have different effects on gene expression. This has been shown to be due at least in part to the final folded structure of the nucleic acid which may block access to some regions of the nucleic acid sequence, thus rendering some oligonucleotides ineffective. Further, the work of characterizing effective sites must be repeated for each individual gene desired to be targeted. This process is generally a long and expensive one. Many disease states, including cancer, stand to benefit from successful antisense therapies, but oligonucleotides useful with specific genes are elusive.
Bcl-2 is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein that has been shown to block apoptotic cell death in some specific cell types. The expression of Bcl-2 has been shown to be involved in apoptosis in the thymus (Kanavaros et al., Histol. Histopathol. 16(4):1005-12 (October 2001). Bcl-2 has also been shown to play a role in prostatic cancers, and has been specifically linked to aggressive tumors common in specific racial groups. Shi et al., Cancer Biother. Radiopharm., 16(5):421-9 (October 2001); Slothower, Study Suggests Bcl-2 Gene as a Cause for Aggressive Prostate Cancer in African American Men, U.C. Davis Med. Ctr., (May 1998). As briefly noted above, a study in which Bcl-2 production was down-regulated in prostate cancer cells showed inhibition of cell growth and increased sensitivity to treatments designed to induce apoptosis. Shi et al., Biother. Radiopharm., 16(5):421-9 (October 2001).
Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide inhibitory oligonucleotide compounds configured to bind to, and consequently, to modulate the activity of nucleic acids encoding proteins which play a role in diseases such as cancer. It would be a further advancement to provide effective target sites for Bcl-2 gene regulation. It would be an advancement in the art to provide oligonucleotides complementary to effective antisense target regions of a nucleic acid encoding Bcl-2. It would be a further benefit in the art to provide compositions such as medications, including such oligonucleotides. Finally, it would be an improvement in the art to provide methods of using such oligonucleotides and compositions.
Such oligonucleotides, target regions, compositions including such oligonucleotides, and methods of their use are disclosed herein.

Inhibitory oligonucleotides targeted to Bcl-2