Provided is an antenna apparatus equipped with a single RF chain. The antenna apparatus includes: a combiner configured to divide omnidirectional space into N sectors to perform a sector sweep, combine a reception signal received via the single RF chain for each sector and calculate a gain of a composite signal; a comparator configured to determine a gain magnitude of the composite signal; and a controller configured to perform a beam-forming according to a comparison result of the gain magnitude of the comparator.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an antenna apparatus and a beam-forming method thereof, and more particularly, to a beam-forming technology in a single radio frequency (RF) based antenna.
Description of the Related Art
Due to the diffusion of smart devices and the increase of the multimedia services, the mobile service traffic bursts and, accordingly, an increase in the capacity of a communication system is required. Various methods for improving the performance of a wireless communication system including a beam-forming method are studied. Unlike an omni-antenna which radiates radio wave in all directions, the beam-forming method sets a different antenna gain depending on a direction to improve the performance of a wireless section.
If a beam-forming antenna is used, in a transmitter side, the radio wave with an enhanced antenna gain may be focused to radiate in a specific direction or a null may be formed not to radiate the radio wave in a specific direction so that the reception signal quality of a receiver becomes higher. In addition, in the receiver side, the radio wave may be selectively received depending on a reception direction to amplify a desired signal and reduce the interference so that the quality of wireless link may be enhanced.
The beam-forming method may obtain an effect such as a capacity increase due to spatial reuse, an interference cancellation between adjacent nodes that use the same frequency, the distance increase even though the same transmission power, and the like. In order to implement such a beam-forming function, a beam-forming antenna that can control the antenna gain according to a direction is required. In this case, a smart antenna which is configured of a plurality of antennas of an array form is usually used.
However, since such an array antenna should use multiple Radio Frequency (RF) chains, it has a disadvantage in that the volume is large and power consumption is also large, it is difficult to apply to a mobile terminal, and usually used to a base station. As a beam-forming antenna for applying to the mobile terminal, a single RF-based switched parasitic antenna (SPA) or an electronically steerable passive array radiator (ESPAR) antenna has been proposed.
The SPA or the ESPAR is configured of one active antenna and a plurality of passive antenna, and the active antenna is connected with an RF end and the plurality of passive antenna are connected with an on/off switch or a variable resistor element. By adjusting the switch of the passive antenna or the resistance value of a variable resistor, a directional beam is formed using a mutual coupling of the active antenna and the passive antenna to obtain a beam-forming effect. Since this single RF-based beam-forming antenna is configured as one RF, it is expected to be easily applicable to the mobile terminal as the power consumption is small and the size and the volume are small.
Meanwhile, in a multi-path wireless channel environment, various diversity methods are used to overcome the fading phenomena of a wireless channel. This diversity method is a method of receiving the same signal which performs an independent fading using N-array antennas and combining the signals through a signal processing method. In particular, a reception diversity method which is applied in a receiving end includes a selection combining (SC), a maximum ratio combining (MRC), an equal gain combining (EGC), and the like. The SC is a method of selecting and receiving one antenna which has the best signal quality (SINR) from among the N reception antennas. The MRC is a method of setting a reactance value for each reception antenna and adjusting a gain and a phase so that the reactance value may have a matched filter form with respect to a channel matrix to obtain an optimum SINR.
The EGC is a method of adjusting only the phase while fixing the gain to a constant in the MRC method. The SC has the lowest complexity, but also has the lowest performance. The MRC method has the best performance, but it is known that the EGC method has a performance close to the MRC in consideration of a complexity.
In the related art, in order to apply such a reception diversity, N array antennas are used to receive a signal and a RF chain is mounted for each antenna so that a receiver may be configured in an architecture which can process signals independently. Therefore, in the above described single RF based antenna structure, as the RF chain is a single, multi-path reception signals cannot be combined. Therefore, even if signals are received in multi-paths, a single path should be selected form the multi-paths to form a single beam in a corresponding direction and receive a signal.
Hence, conventionally, in the single RF based antenna structure, the beam-forming using a single beam is mainly applied, and the beam-forming using multi-beam is not used.

Antenna apparatus and method for beam forming thereof

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A facial rejuvenating apparatus includes a pad having a concavity in an upper surface thereof. The concavity is configured to receive a human face. A pad breathing hole extends through the pad at a location to align with a nose of the face positioned in the concavity. A nonporous lining is provided to nest with the concavity in the pad. A lining breathing opening registers with the pad breathing opening. Stimulators, such as vibrators, are mounted in the pad to stimulate the face of a person using the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for stimulating and rejuvenating facial skin and tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vibrating and massage devices for are well known in the prior art and have been incorporated into many known objects. Such devices are generally used by people who need temporary relief from sore or strained muscles and do not have the time or resources to engage a professional masseuse. For instance, massage chairs and massage pads for chairs are popular products that offer quick relief. A massage chair has a series of vibrators disposed therein and is attached to an electrical connection. A user may have a control device to control the speed or location of vibration to bring relief to an affected area. Massage chairs and pads are ideal for working professionals who may sit in an uncomfortable position or those who engage in strenuous activity. However, massage chairs and pads can only bring relief to the back, neck and shoulders and are ineffectual for face massages.
Several products have been developed for massaging a face. Generally, these devices are in the form of a handheld wand with at least one vibrating element disposed at an end. A user manually directs the vibrating element towards a desired area and applies pressure. There are several important benefits to using a face massager. Most importantly, the vibrations help bring blood to the surface and give a user a more youthful and healthy look. However, the above-described devices are disadvantageous because they require a user to manually exert energy, thereby mitigating the tension relief qualities typically associated with a massage. Thus, it would be preferable to have a hands-free face massaging device.
A need also exists for a device to assist with the topical application of creams, soaps, and cleansers to the face. Typically, creams and cleansers are accompanied by instructions that require a person to dampen his or her face and massage a predetermined amount of the substance into the face using hands, a wash cloth, or a luffa for a predetermined length of time before rinsing the material away. Alternatively, a person can use a handheld face massager or the like to massage these substances into the face. While these substances generally help clean and moisturize a face, there are several limitations. First, it is difficult to apply the substance evenly and ensure that it is equally distributed and massaged into different areas of the face. Second, the massaging elements are often large, making it difficult to massage the substance into the area surrounding the eyes without causing damage. The area around the eyes is prone to wrinkles and other blemishes and is most in need of the cleanser or moisturizer. Third, a person must manually direct the massaging element to each portion of the face, increasing the possibility that some areas of the face will be missed. Thus, the current handheld massagers are not ideal for applying soaps and creams to the face.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a hands free apparatus for stimulating, rejuvenating and massaging the face.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hands free apparatus that can massage substances into the face.


Disclosed is a method of updating Care knowledgebase for specific device models with identification of common device problem types and possible corrective actions for specific mobile device models based on the actions performed by the CSR remotely on the device or by the end user on the device during remote control session.

Traditionally the mobile user customer care is handled manually by the Customer Care Representative (CSR) requesting the end user to take specific actions on the device and user informing the CSR with the results observed on the device. In some instances the end user informs the CSR the actions being performed on the device and the CSR assessing the next steps based on the results observed according to predefined scripts that are defined in the customer care knowledgebase. This process is lengthy, error prone, dissatisfying to the end user and costly to the Care organization providing the service.
The introduction of remote control of the mobile devices by the Customer Support Representative (CSR) has already improved the above described situation by allowing the CSR to observe the behaviors on the devices as well control the device to take corrective actions. The call handling and resolution time can be further reduced by taking advantage from previous remote sessions and the results obtained.

Mobile device remote control session activity pattern recognition


A semiconductor device is disclosed for preventing contamination on its bonding pads during mounting an electronic component, such as surface mount device (SMD). The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of jointing material and at least an electronic component. A plurality of first bonding pads for wire-bonding and a plurality of second bonding pads for mounting the electronic component are formed on the active surface of the substrate. The substrate includes at least a dam is formed on the active surface to separate the first bonding pads from the second bonding pads. Preferably, the dam surrounds the second bonding pads. The jointing material is disposed on the second bonding pads for bonding the electronic component. Using the dam, there is no flux or tin-lead solder flowing onto the first bonding pads during reflowing the jointing material. In an embodiment, the electronic component can be mounted on the substrate in a wafer level.

Conventionally in SOC (System On Chip) technology, all the passive components are embedded and are integrated with the integrated circuits inside a wafer, but materials, film thicknesses and manufacturing processes of the passive components are quite different from those of the integrated circuits on a wafer, resulting in very high cost. Now the passive components with SMD (surface mount device) type are very cheap, another solution is provided that SMD type passive components are encapsulated inside semiconductor packages. A known structure of a semiconductor chip with surface mount device is disclosed in R.O.C. Taiwan Patent publication No. 459,354. A SMD is directly mounted on the active surface of the chip. Formed on the active surface of the chip are not only SMT pads but also a plurality bonding pads for outer electrical connection by wire-bonding or flip-chip bonding. Usually the electrodes of the SMD are connected using jointing material, such as tin-lead solder. When the jointing material is reflowed, the SMD can be mounted on a chip as wafer level packages. The SMD and a wafer can be manufactured respectively, and then connected both together. However, tin-lead solder or flux as the jointing material will become liquid with good mobility during reflowing process, it may contaminate the bonding pads (wire bonding pads or flip chip bonding pads) of a wafer. The residue of the jointing material on the active surface of the wafer (wafer passivation layer) can be cleaned by means of solvents. However, when the bonding pads of the wafer are contaminated, it becomes very hard to clean.

Prevention of contamination on bonding pads of wafer during SMT

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueFourteen’ particularly distinguished by having high productivity, strong cane renewal and large, firm berries with low acidity, is disclosed.

The invention relates to a new and distinct blueberry variety designated 'DrisBlueFourteen' and botanically known as Vaccinium corymbosum L. This new blueberry variety was discovered in Skagit County, Wash. in August 2004 and originated from a cross between the proprietary female parent blueberry plant 'G455' (unpatented) and the proprietary male parent blueberry plant 'MS122' (unpatented). The original seedling of the new variety was first asexually propagated at a nursery in Monterey County, Calif. in 2004. 'DrisBlueFourteen' was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing at a nursery in Santa Cruz County, Calif. for five years. The present invention has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type through successive asexual propagations via softwood cuttings.

Blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueFourteen’


It is an object to obtain a solid-state imaging device that can reduce a variation in an electric current that flows between an amplifier power supply and ground wiring in a column amplifier, which occurs in accordance with an input signal level, without degrading manufacture and operation tolerances in terms of photoelectric conversion characteristics of the solid-state imaging device. A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array in which imaging pixels are arranged in row and column directions; a plurality of vertical signal lines, each of which commonly outputs signals from part of the imaging pixels that is aligned in each column of the pixel array; and a plurality of column amplifiers that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of vertical signals lines. In the solid-state imaging device, between a column amplifier power supply and a ground in each of the plurality of column amplifiers, a current generating circuit is provided that generates a correction current in such a direction as to cancel out a variation in an operation current of each of the plurality of column amplifiers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device, and particularly relates to a solid-state imaging device that can provide high quality images even when capturing an image of a subject with high brightness, and allows large tolerances in manufacture and operational conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
In a MOS type solid-state imaging device, for reading out image signals from a pixel array in which imaging pixels are arranged in a matrix form, generally, an analog memory is provided in each column, and signals are read out from the imaging pixels on a row-by-row basis, and then, the signals kept in the column memories are outputted serially to the outside. Further, it often has been the case with a conventional example of a MOS type solid-state imaging device that a column amplifier is inserted between a pixel array and a column memory. The reason for this is that in a serial readout portion, since a high-speed operation is required therein, noise suppression hardly can be achieved, while in a column circuit portion that operates at low speed, signal amplification can be performed to provide an image signal having a high S/N ratio.
In a conventional solid-state imaging device, with respect to a signal potential V1 obtained when a floating diffusion portion (FD) of an imaging pixel is in a reset state and a signal potential V2 obtained in a state where, after the FD is reset, an electric charge generated in a photodiode (PD) is transferred to the FD, a difference between these two signal potentials is detected and amplified. This difference between the two signal potentials represents a light irradiation amount detected by the PD.
FIG. 15 shows a first example of a circuit configuration of a column amplifier in such a conventional solid-state imaging device. In this first example, first, by means of a signal from a column amplifier reset signal line 27, a column amplifier reset transistor 24 is turned on, and in this state, from an imaging pixel, a first potential V1 is inputted as a column amplifier input potential 102. A column amplifier output potential 26 obtained at this time is indicated as Vamprst. Next, in a state where the column amplifier reset transistor 24 is turned off, a signal V2 is inputted from the imaging pixel, and the column amplifier output potential 26 changes to Vamprst+(C1/C2)(V2−V1). This means that an imaging pixel signal corresponding to a light irradiation amount is amplified at a gain of C1/C2. Herein, C1 denotes a column amplifier input capacitance 21, and C2 denotes a column amplifier feedback capacitance 101. In FIG. 15, reference numeral 30 denotes a column amplifier power supply, 23 denotes a column amplifier load transistor. 22 denotes a column amplifier driving transistor, 25 denotes a gate electrode, and 31 denotes a ground (JP 05(1993)-207220 A).
Furthermore, FIG. 16 shows a second example of the circuit configuration of the column amplifier included in the conventional solid-state imaging device. This configuration differs from the configuration shown in FIG. 15 in that a column amplifier bias potential 28 is supplied to a column amplifier load transistor 23 so that a load of a grounded-source amplifier is a constant current source, and in that a clip transistor 104 is connected to an amplifier output portion. An output limit potential 103 is supplied to the clip transistor 104, thereby providing an effect of being able to avoid a phenomenon in which an amplifier output level rises to such an extent that the column amplifier load transistor 23 cannot operate in a saturation region, which hampers a constant current operation. As in the case of the conventional solid-state imaging device, with respect to a pixel signal corresponding to a light irradiation amount that is a difference between two signals V1 and V2 from an imaging pixel, this column amplifier also has the function of amplifying the pixel signal at a gain of C1/C2 that is a ratio between a column amplifier input capacitance 21 and a column amplifier feedback capacitance 101 (JP 2005-252529 A).
Now, the following discusses peculiarities of a power supply layout pattern of a MOS type solid-state imaging device in which an amplifier is provided in each column. FIG. 17 shows a typical layout configuration. A MOS type solid-state imaging device in which an amplifier is provided in each column has the following configuration. That is, a column amplifier 109 is disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with a vertical signal line 108 in each column of a pixel array 1 in which a plurality of imaging pixels 20 are arranged in a matrix form, and in order to transmit image signals to a signal output portion 110, a column amplifier-arranged portion 3 inevitably has a configuration in which a large number of the column amplifiers 109 are arranged laterally. With respect to each of the large number of the column amplifiers 109 thus arranged, amplifier power is supplied from an amplifier power supply pad 105, and a ground potential is supplied through a ground pad 106. This requires that wiring for these column amplifiers 109 be extended from each of the pads for a distance in a lateral direction, such that the degree of the influence of a parasitic resistance 107 may become too large to be negligible.
Furthermore, in the column amplifier in the conventional solid-state imaging device described above as the first example, it is inevitable that an operation current of the column amplifier changes considerably in accordance with an input signal level. Therefore, for example, considering the case of capturing an image of a subject whose brightness is high only in a central portion thereof, in a column amplifier corresponding to the central portion, when a signal V2 from a pixel is inputted, an input potential of the column amplifier becomes high to reduce an operation current, so that an applied voltage to each of the column amplifiers positioned in a peripheral portion of the column amplifier deviates from a desired voltage value. Then, in each of these column amplifiers in the peripheral portion, a difference in applied voltage may occur between when a reset signal V1 is inputted and when an optical signal V2 is inputted, resulting in the occurrence of a deviation in amplifier output to cause a deviation in black level between the right and left sides of the subject with high brightness, which has been disadvantageous.
Furthermore, in the column amplifier in the conventional solid-state imaging device described above as the second example, by the function of a clip circuit, the transistor that functions as the constant current source operates only in a saturation region, thereby allowing a variation in operation current of the amplifier to be reduced. However, other problems may occur such as an operation range of the column amplifier being narrowed due to a variation in threshold value of the clip transistor, and characteristics changing when an output of the column amplifier approaches a clip level, thus making it difficult to secure a sufficient manufacture tolerance. Moreover, it also has been disadvantageous in that photoelectric conversion characteristics also may change as a result of a variation in threshold value due to a variation in ambient temperature.

Solid-state imaging device with column amplifier


A layer of a metal selected from titanium, niobium, tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, arsenic, aluminum and gallium, an oxide of the metal, a nitride of the metal, silicon nitride, hafnium nitride, tantalum nitride, or an alloy of these metals, the layer being provided on an underlying base material selected from glass, silicon, copper and nickel, is selectively etched with an alkaline etching solution containing a predefined complexing agent.

In general, when etching of titanium is carried out, a hydrofluoric acid-based etching solution is used. However, when such a hydrofluoric acid-based etching solution is used, the underlying base material will also be etched in cases where the underlying base material is nickel or glass.
Furthermore, when etching of titanium is carried out, a sodium hydroxide solution may be used. However, titanium will hardly be etched with such an etching solution alone, and the etching rate is very slow even when hydrogen peroxide is combined with the etching solution to improve the etching rate. Therefore, this etching solution is impracticable.
In recent years, as for etching solutions for titanium, a method in which EDTA is used as a complexing agent has been known, and, specifically, a method in which an alkaline etching solution containing EDTA and hydrogen peroxide is used has been known (Patent Document 1).
However, while titanium deposited on lithium niobate (LiNbO3) can be selectively etched by this method, there is a problem of slow etching rate. Furthermore, in this method, some substances (metals) cannot be etched, and the underlying base material may be adversely affected depending on the type of the underlying base material. For example, since the etching rate of titanium is slower than the etching rate of nickel, the underlying base material is dissolved prior to dissolution of titanium.


An apparatus for detecting a failure of a battery includes a plurality of cell internal pressure sensors each provided in a corresponding one of a plurality of battery cells to measure internal pressure of the battery cells and generate and transmit pressure signals, a sensing unit for receiving the pressure signals to sense the internal pressure of the battery cells, a control logic unit for receiving the internal pressure data of each of the battery cells and determining a battery cell having cell internal pressure outside of a predetermined normal range of internal pressure of the battery cell as a failed cell, and a battery control unit for controlling charging or discharging of the other battery cells of the battery except for the failed cell while the failed cell is being repaired or replaced.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a failure of a battery, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for detecting mechanical defects of individual cells in a battery pack.
2. Description of Related Art
The foreseeable exhaustion of energy resources and resultant imbalance between supply and demand of energy have increased an interest in new renewable energy and green energy all over the world and endeavor to seek ways of conserving or saving energy. The EU and the United States plan to implement measures to increase the proportion of new renewable energy usage and mandatorily assign the use of new renewable energy. However, under the circumstances where the available renewable energy currently accounts for less than 5% of all energy resources, development of the energy resources should go with a study on the technology to effectively use energy by controlling storage and supply of the produced energy.
An energy supply device may be used in a vehicle driven by electrical energy, but recently, is applied to a self electric generator system in addition to the automotive field, such that applications of the energy supply device as an individual power supply source are being expanded.
The energy supply device may use a lithium ion battery that can be charged and discharged at any time, and particularly, the energy supply device using the lithium ion battery has a disadvantage in that a reaction of chemical compounds in a battery may be caused in an abnormal state, that is, a charge error, an excessive charged or discharged state, or a state showing an indicator used to measure a battery state having an above-normal level, and gas generated by the reaction may cause an explosion or a failure.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a system and a method capable of rapidly detecting a failure or an abnormal sign of the energy supply device to notify a user of the detected result, and safely supplying energy by escaping from a dangerous environment through immediate repairing.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Apparatus and method for detecting failure of battery


Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a security threat. The methods and systems comprise detecting that a first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, responsive to the detection that the first device is coupled with the first I/O interface, temporarily disabling data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces, acquiring a file from the detected first device via the first I/O interface, determining whether the acquired file poses a security threat, and responsive to a determination that the acquired file does not pose a security threat, enabling the data communication between the first and second I/O interfaces.

Non-volatile storage devices, such as Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick™, flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD), portable hard drive, etc., provide a convenient medium for users to store and transfer computer files. However, these devices, acting as a transporter of computer files, are also very prone to be infected with computer viruses and other malicious programs, when they are plugged into a computer system to upload or download a computer file. The risk of infection is high when people use a public computer to access their private non-volatile storage device—as long as one user, out of many, plugs in an infected device to the public computer without first scanning the device for computer virus or malware, the public computer will be very likely infected, and the infected public computer will then spread the virus or malware to the storage devices of other users. The risk is even higher for public computers located in high traffic public areas like print centers, coffee shops, hotels, photo centers, etc., where it is expected that many users will use the public computers to access their storage devices in order to print documents or photos. One solution to this problem is dedicating a person to operate the public computer for these users, and to scan their storage devices before accessing their content. However, this is not economical from the business standpoint, and runs counter to the purpose of providing these public computers—to offer the users a form of self-service.
Moreover, even if the user runs a virus or malware scan over their storage devices before accessing the devices with the public computer, security loopholes still exist. First, running a scan over the storage devices, after connecting the storage devices to an infected computer, does not protect the storage devices from being infected by the computer. Second, while it is common for antivirus or malware detection software to quarantine suspicious files, the computer where the software operates nevertheless has to read the file into the computer's memory and, before undergoing the quarantining operation, the computer can still transmit the malware to other devices connected to the computer via input/output (I/O) interfaces. Third, given that typically antivirus and malware detection software can only detect virus and malware that are known, the software provides no protection when the malware or virus is newly-created and is not known.

Methods, systems, and devices for detecting and isolating device posing security threat


The present invention provides an automatic door control system that includes a door, a control module assembly, and a drive train assembly. The control module assembly is coupled to the door. The drive train assembly is coupled to the control module assembly, where the drive train assembly is configured to receive a signal from the control module assembly to easily move the door, where the drive train assembly exerts a force to move the door.

Generally, people use their hands to open and close doors. The typical doors that may be opened and closed are car doors, house doors, refrigerator doors etc. These standard doors require a certain amount of physical strength to open and close them so some elderly and handicapped people may not be able to easily open and close them. In addition, if a person has a lot of groceries it is cumbersome for her to open the doors and hold the groceries at the same time.
There were several patents developed to address the problem of opening and closing the doors, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,988,709 and 5,522,656. The inventions described in these patents enable people to easily use their hands to open and close doors by using gears, cams, springs and mechanical linkage to aid in door movement. However, these inventions were not useful for elderly or handicapped people that could not use their hands to open and close the doors.
Next, there were several U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,270,175 and 4,911,508 developed that did not require the use of hands to open and close doors. Nevertheless, there were still problems with these inventions because they required a user to utilize his feet to open and close the doors, which was not useful to those who couldn't use their feet.
Further, there was another U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,137 that was developed that did not require the use of hands or feet to open and close the door. However, this invention does not simply and efficiently open and close a door.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that enables a user to effortlessly open and close a door across a surface while expending a minimum amount of energy.


A well-posed magnetic imaging method is disclosed that exploits the non-linear behavior of the characteristic time scale of the Néel relaxation for obtaining accurate high-spatial resolution images of magnetic tracers. The method includes placing an object in a selection field (static field) generated by three pairs of orthogonally arranged coil (drive coils), supplying prudently choice currents to the drive coils, a zero field voxel (ZFV) is formed that can be positioned anywhere in the local region of interest (ROI), switching the magnetizing field off, and collecting an image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for well-posed magnetic imaging.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a well-posed magnetic imaging method that exploits a non-linear behavior of a characteristic time scale of the Néel relaxation for obtaining accurate high-spatial resolution images of magnetic tracers. The present invention also relates to new medical diagnostic instruments for characterization and imaging of vulnerable plaque.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic relaxation of microscopic amounts of magnetic nanoparticles after switching off a magnetizing field can be measured very accurately using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), the most sensitive and stable magnetic flux sensor. Weitschies et al. proposed magnetic relaxation immunoassay based on the magnetic relaxation of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNP), where MNPs bound to biological targets (e.g., antibody, tissue, microorganisms etc.) were distinguished from unbound particles based on different relaxation times. The magnetic relaxation (MRX) technique has the advantages over other conventional techniques of being specific, quantitative, and sensitive in distinguishing between bound and unbound magnetic labels. This fact permits the use of a homogeneous assay, which does not require separation and removal of unbound MNPs. This technique has been extended for detection of magnetotactic bacteria, binding kinetics, cancer diagnosis, magnetically labeled immunoassay, drug localization, transplant rejection detection, hydrogel characterization, and dissipative heating in ferrofluids. By using a model system of liposomes, Chemla et al. demonstrated that the technique is sensitive enough to detect 5×104 nanoparticles by a SQUID sensor and discussed the possibility of obtaining a detection limit of 50-500 MNPs
The general theory of using MRX for imaging application was first proposed by Warzemann et al. and recently explored by others. But their approaches are practically restricted to a 2D image registration and have poor spatial resolution due to an inverse problem associated with transforming the data into a spatial image. Thus, there is a need in the art for a new direct magnetic relaxation imaging technique that exploits the non-linear behavior of the characteristic time scale of the Néel relaxation.

Imaging method for obtaining spatial distribution of nanoparticles in the body


A process is disclosed for reducing the mole ratio of (1) compounds of the formula Y1Y2C═CF2 wherein Y1 and Y2 are each independently H, F, Cl, Br, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent to (2) saturated compounds of the formula CdHeFfClgBrhIk wherein d is an integer from 1 to 10, and e+f+g+h+k is equal to 2d+2, provided that g is 0, 1, 2 or 3, h is 0, 1 or 2 and k is 0 or 1 and/or unsaturated compounds of the formula Y3Y4C═CY5Y6, wherein Y3, Y5 and Y6 are each independently H, F, Cl, Br, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent, provided that Y5 and Y6 are not both F, and Y4 is C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent, in a mixture. The process involves contacting the mixture with at least one selective removal agent selected from the group consisting of SO3 and RSO3H, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, OH, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 fluoroalkyl, and C1-C8 fluoroalkoxyalkyl containing no more than two ether oxygens to selectively react the formula Y1Y2C═CF2 compounds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processes for reducing the relative content of olefins having a terminal CF2 group in a mixture thereof with hydrocarbons and/or halohydrocarbons by using selective removal agents.
2. Description of Related Art
Halogenated compounds, especially fluorinated compounds, such as fluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons, have been widely used as refrigerants, solvents, cleaning agents, foam blowing agents, aerosol propellants, heat transfer media, dielectrics, fire extinguishing agents, sterilants and power cycle working fluids, et al. Purification is an important step in manufacturing these compounds. Distillation is typically used to separate desired products from impurities; however, purification becomes difficult or impossible when the desired compound has a boiling point close to that of one or more of the impurities.
For example, 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene (HFC-1225ye), having zero ozone depletion and low global warming potentials, has been identified as a potential refrigerant. However, the manufacture of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene can also result in the formation of an isomeric contaminant, 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene (HFC-1225zc). As Singh et al. indicate in US Patent Application 2004/0119047, 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene exhibits toxicity. However, the boiling point of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene is −19.9° C. and the boiling point of 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene is −21.8° C. Thus, removing 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene from a mixture containing 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene and 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene by distillation is difficult.
There is a need to develop other processes for reducing the relative content of compounds such as 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene which have a terminal CF2 group.

Selectively reacting olefins having a terminal CF2 group in a mixture


An optical system for imaging an object has at least a first objective, at least a first image stabilizing unit and at least a first eyepiece, wherein, as seen in the direction of the first eyepiece from the first objective, the first objective is arranged first along a first optical axis, then followed by the first image stabilizing unit and then followed by the first eyepiece. The first image stabilizing unit is rotatably mounted in cardan-joint fashion about a first hinge point, and the first hinge point is arranged between the first objective and the first eyepiece. The optical system is distinguished by virtue of the fact that the first image stabilizing unit comprises a first lens unit and at least a further optical element, wherein the first lens unit and the optical element are arranged such that the first lens unit is, together with the optical element, rotatably mounted in cardan-joint fashion about the first hinge point.

By way of example, the optical system referred to above is used in a telescope or in field glasses. The image captured by an observer through the telescope or field glasses is often perceived to be shaking because trembling movements or rotational movements of the hands of the user, and also movements underfoot, in turn cause movements of the optical system. In order to avoid this, it is known to stabilize images in an optical system. Known solutions use stabilizing apparatuses for stabilizing the image by means of a mechanical apparatus and/or an electronic apparatus. Furthermore, so-called passive stabilizations and active stabilizations are known, as will still be explained in more detail below.
A passive stabilization is known from DE 23 53 101 C3. This document describes an optical system in the form of a telescope, which has an objective, an image stabilizing unit in the form of a prism erecting system and an eyepiece. As seen in the direction of the eyepiece from the objective, the objective is arranged first along an optical axis of the optical system, then followed by the image stabilizing unit and then followed by the eyepiece. The prism erecting system is mounted in cardan-joint fashion in a housing of the telescope. This is understood to mean that the prism erecting system is arranged in the housing of the telescope such that the prism erecting system is rotatably mounted about two axes arranged at right angles to one another. For the rotatable mounting, use is made of a device which is referred to as a cardan suspension. The two aforementioned axes intersect at a hinge point. In the case of the known optical system, provision is now made for arranging the hinge point centrally between an image-side main plane of the objective and an object-side main plane of the eyepiece. The prism erecting system, mounted in a cardan-joint fashion, is not moved by occurring rotational-trembling movements as a result of its inertia (passive stabilization). It therefore remains fixed in space. This is how image shaking which occurs as a result of the rotational-trembling movement of the housing is compensated for.
By way of example, an active stabilization has been disclosed in DE 39 33 255 C2. This document has disclosed binocular field glasses with an image stabilization having a prism erecting system. The prism erecting system has Porro prisms, which respectively have one tilt axis. The Porro prisms are designed such that they can pivot about their respective tilt axis. Motors are provided for pivoting the Porro prisms (active stabilization). The pivoting is brought about dependent on a trembling movement, which causes a shaking of an observed image such that image deterioration is avoided.
A further example of a known passive stabilization is disclosed in DE 28 34 158 C3. This document discloses a telescope with an arrangement consisting of an objective, a prism erecting system and an eyepiece, wherein provision is made for two partial telescopes, which each have one instance of the aforementioned arrangement. The prisms of the prism erecting systems of the two partial telescopes are mounted in a common cardan suspension in a housing. The hinge point lies in the center between the image-side main plane of the objective and the object-side main plane of the eyepiece. Moreover, the hinge point lies in the center of gravity of the cardan suspension. However, it has now been found that in the case of telescopes with a magnification of greater than 8, each of the prism erecting systems is arranged closer to the corresponding eyepiece than to the respective objective. So that each prism erecting system in the cardan suspension is in equilibrium it is necessary to provide at least one counterweight. However, the use of a counterweight is not necessarily desirable because this increases the weight of the telescope.
In order to avoid the use of a counterweight, use can for example be made of an active stabilization, as already described further above. Then it is no longer necessary to place the hinge point of the prism erecting system in the center between the image-side main plane of the objective and the object-side main plane of the eyepiece. Rather, the position of the hinge point can be freely selected on the optical axis of the optical system. However, if the hinge point is closer to the eyepiece than to the objective, it was found that the prism erecting system should be tilted against the tilt of the housing by an angle (prism tilt angle) which is greater than the magnitude of the angle of the tilt of the housing. The prism tilt angle of the tilt relative to the objective and relative to the eyepiece in addition to the trembling movement causes an aberration in the form of coma for the imaging of an object, and so the image quality is reduced. Accordingly, the prism erecting system produces this coma. However, deterioration in the image quality is undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,194 has disclosed a further optical system with a passive stabilization. This known optical system has an objective, an erecting system and an eyepiece. The erecting system has a plurality of elements. Thus, it has a deflection mirror, a Schmidt prism and a prism for 180° deflection. The eyepiece and the prism for 180° deflection are fixedly connected to a housing and are co-moved as a result of a trembling movement of a user. The Schmidt prism and a lens with negative refractive power are arranged as a single assemblage such that they can pivot about a horizontal axis. In the assemblage itself a vertical axis is realized in turn, about which a further assemblage consisting of the objective and the deflection mirror can be pivoted. For the purposes of image stabilization, provision is made for pivoting the Schmidt prism and the lens with negative refractive power about the horizontal axis by virtue of the inertia thereof. Moreover, the objective and the deflection mirror can additionally pivot about the vertical axis. The two axes (i.e. the horizontal axis and the vertical axis) do not intersect at a common intersection. Accordingly, this is not a hinge point of a cardan suspension as described above.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to specify an optical system with image stabilization, which firstly dispenses with the use of counterweights and secondly compensates for or prevents the aberrations, in particular coma, introduced by an erecting system.


A charge integration circuit incorporates first and second capacitors, and first and second reference voltage supplies. A first switch controls integration of charge in the first capacitor and selectively resets the first capacitor to the first reference voltage. A second switch selectively resets the second capacitor to the first reference voltage. A current mirror coupled to the capacitors effects discharge of the second capacitor by a quantity of charge equivalent to the charge integrated on the first capacitor so as to effectively transfer charge therebetween at the end of an integration period.

Infra-red image detectors, e.g. for use in night vision equipment, have been constructed using a number of technologies and circuit techniques. Such detectors comprise an array of infra-red sensitive elements coupled to image processing circuitry, the assembly being fabricated on a common silicon substrate. The detectors employ a cyclic integration technique in which the photo current from each photo diode element is stored in a respective integrating capacitor during each integration cycle. At the end of the cycle, the capacitor is discharged or reset ready for the next cycle. The technologies employed in constructing these detectors include the use of charge coupled devices (CCD) which use a linear array of potential wells in a silicon substrate to store image induced charge. Further CMOS and bipolar technologies employ integrated circuit capacitors for charge storage.
The technique of time delay integration (TDI) has been introduced by a number of workers and has the advantage that it provides a reduction in detector noise by a factor of .sqroot.n where n is the number of stages in the TDI chain. This is of importance in the detection and processing of infra red signals.
A particular problem with infra-red imaging circuitry is that of power dissipation. In order to reduce background noise, the detector is cooled, typically to the temperature of liquid nitrogen. It will be appreciated that the heating of the circuitry resulting from any excessive power dissipation will impair or negate the effects of cooling. Many workers have employed CMOS technologies for the implementation of TDI read-out arrays. However, the unity gain amplifiers needed to transfer the stored integration charge from one TDI stage to the next suffers from two problems. Firstly, each amplifier consumes power which, for a large array, results in excessive power dissipation. Secondly, CMOS amplifiers are inherently noisy at low frequencies and this reduces the effectiveness of the TDI technique. For this reason, various workers have investigated bipolar techniques.
The most commonly used bipolar detectors employ an analogue shift register technique which is generally referred to as a bucket brigade delay line. Such a technique is described by F L J Sangster et al. in IEEE Journal of Solid State Physics, Vol. SC-4, No. 3, June 1969, pp 131-136, and by G Krause in Electronics Letters, December 1967, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp 544-546. Circuits of this type comprise a master and slave arrangement for each stage and use a two-phase clock for transferring charge between the master and slave circuits at each stage. While the use of bipolar circuitry significantly reduces the problem of electrical noise, the conventional bucket brigade arrangement suffers from two key limitations. Firstly, the dynamic range of the circuit is limited to about one half of the supply voltage which, for current bipolar processes, is about 2.5 volts. This is because the clocking process causes both terminals of each charge storage capacitor to rise in voltage by an amount equal to the sum of the maximum stored voltage and the bipolar transistor threshold voltage V.sub.be. Further, the maximum voltage to which the circuit can be subjected is limited by the reverse breakdown voltage of the bipolar emitter/base junctions. Secondly, the resetting of the charge storage capacitors requires additional circuitry and cycle time for each stage.


In a method for the treatment of metallic materials especially for the consolidation of the texture of the materials, a blank of the metallic material is heated to a transformation temperature and the blank is then subjected to twisting preferably while, at the same time, being compressed. In this way, the texture can be refined to a large degree in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The invention relates to a method for the treatment of metallic materials, particularly for the consolidation of the structure or texture of metallic materials as well as metallic blanks.
Conventional treatment or respectively, reformation techniques for metallic materials provide for consolidation results, which generally are not totally satisfactory. Special metallic materials for example of the group of titanium aluminides or magnesium materials have, after the conventional treatment or transformation techniques such as forging or extrusion pressing, substantial chemical and structural inhomogeneities in their texture, which cannot be tolerated for certain technical applications. With the known treatment or, respectively, transformation techniques only relatively low transformation degrees can be achieved. This is not acceptable if the metallic materials are to be used for example in thermically and mechanically highly stressed areas for example for turbine blades of jet engines for airplanes or connecting rods for automobile engines.
Metallic materials such as inter-metallic titanium aluminides are very brittle and therefore hard to transform. In the past, such metallic materials were manufactured exclusively by melt metallurgical processes, mainly by vacuum arc melting, plasma melting and induction melting. Although the molten material is usually melted two or three times, the cast bodies still have substantial quality deficiencies, mainly coarse grain textures with certain preferred orientations of the crystals, large local variations in the composition and the occurrence of pores. Such deficiencies occur not only with the primary casting for example of titanium aluminides but also with many other metallic materials so that they are not suitable—as already mentioned—for the direct manufacture of components from the castings. The material, which is present as primary casting, must therefore be consolidated structurally and chemically. To this end, high temperature transformation by forging or extrusion pressing is generally used mainly for obtaining a fine-grain texture and a homogenization, that is, a reduction of the local variations of the material composition for example in metallic alloys.
In the past, the texture of the castings was consolidated by re-crystallization procedures and phase conversions, which were initiated by an input of mechanical energy into the material during the high-temperature transformation. The fineness and homogeneity of the material texture after transformation depends on the transformation temperature and the transformation velocity and to a large degree also on the transformation degree that is on the extent of the plastic deformation achieved during the transformation of the material. This transformation degree is limited with conventional one-step forging by compression generally to 90 to 95%. With such transformation degrees, high secondary tensions occur at the periphery of the forged body which often result in the formation of cracks. This is particularly critical with brittle materials such as titanium aluminides. These materials are therefore generally transformed to a much lesser degree. Higher degrees of transformation require multi-step forging which is expensive and time-consuming and is not usable for all desired component shapes.
It is also disadvantageous that no suitable die materials are available for forging at temperatures above 1000° C. The dies of molybdenum alloys used so far at temperatures up to 1000° C. can only be operated under a protective gas cover, which makes the forging a difficult task.
With the extrusion pressing, which has also been used for the transformation, substantially higher degrees of transformation can be achieved than with forging. With a superimposed hydrostatic compression also brittle materials can be transformed relatively well. In practical applications however, the transformation degree achieved by extrusion pressing is generally limited by the geometry of the desired body to a reduction in cross-section by about 10:1. It is also a disadvantage that substantially higher temperatures are required for the extrusion pressing than for the forging. Materials like titanium aluminides, which are subject to oxidation and corrosion must therefore be encapsulated for the extrusion pressing, which is complicated and expensive.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a method for the treatment of metallic materials which provides for a much improved consolidation of the texture and which is also applicable for very brittle materials, which has, so far, been difficult to transform such as inter-metallic alloys.

Method for the treatment of metallic materials


An image sensor comprises a photoelectric conversion unit; a transfer transistor which has a gate electrode; a multilayer wiring structure which defines an aperture region above the photoelectric conversion unit; and a waveguide which guides light entering the aperture region to the light receiving surface, wherein the multilayer wiring structure includes a first wiring layer which is an uppermost wiring layer and defines two contour sides of the aperture region in a first direction, and a second wiring layer which is arranged between the gate electrode and the first wiring layer in a direction perpendicular to the light receiving surface, and defines two contour sides of the aperture region in a second direction, and wherein the gate electrode is arranged to overlap part of the light receiving surface and have a longitudinal direction along the first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensor and image sensing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, image sensors used in image sensing apparatuses such as a digital still camera and high-quality video camera require a larger number of pixels in the pixel array. As the number of pixels of the pixel array increases, the image sensor sometimes reads out pixel signals from the pixel array via a plurality of channels in order to read them out at high speed.
Also, as the number of pixels of the pixel array increases, the size (area) of a pixel is sometimes decreased in the image sensor. In this case, the size (area) of an aperture region above a photodiode also decreases. Since the efficiency at which light entering a microlens reaches the light receiving surface of the photodiode decreases, the photodiode may have lower sensitivity.
According to a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-221532, a waveguide formed of a transparent material higher in refractive index than an interlayer insulation film is arranged between the light incident surface (microlens) of an image sensor and a photoelectric conversion unit (photodiode) in a solid-state image sensor. The width of the waveguide on the side of the light incident surface is larger than that on the side of the photoelectric conversion unit. According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-221532, this structure facilitates total reflection of light entering the waveguide by the interface between the waveguide and the interlayer insulation film. Hence, this technique can increase the efficiency at which light entering the microlens reaches the light receiving surface of the photodiode.
An example of the structure of each pixel in the pixel array of an image sensor 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the layout of each pixel in the image sensor 1. FIG. 9 is a sectional view (sectional view in the x direction) taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is a sectional view (sectional view in the y direction) taken along the line B-B in FIG. 8. In the following description, the x direction is the long-side direction of the pixel array, and the y direction is the short-side direction of the pixel array. However, it is also possible that the x direction is the short-side direction of the pixel array, and the y direction is the long-side direction of the pixel array. FIGS. 10 and 12 are sectional views for explaining problems in the image sensor 1.
In the image sensor 1, a photoelectric conversion unit 11 is formed in a silicon substrate 10. A gate electrode 30 of a transfer transistor 12 for transferring charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit (photodiode) 11 to a charge-voltage converter (floating diffusion) is arranged at a position where the gate electrode 30 overlaps part of a light receiving surface 11a of the photoelectric conversion unit 11.
A first interlayer insulation film 21 formed of silicon oxide is arranged on the photoelectric conversion unit 11. A second wiring layer 31 is arranged on the first interlayer insulation film 21. A first wiring layer 32 is arranged on a second interlayer insulation film 22. Further, a third interlayer insulation film 23 is arranged to cover the first wiring layer 32.
The first wiring layer 32 and second wiring layer 31 (a multilayer wiring structure 33) define an aperture region OR1 above the photoelectric conversion unit 11. The first wiring layer 32 defines two contour sides ORS3 and ORS4 of the aperture region OR1 in the first direction. The second wiring layer 31 defines two contour sides ORS1 and ORS2 of the aperture region OR1 in the second direction. In the aperture region OR1, an optical waveguide 40 formed of silicon nitride is arranged. The width of the optical waveguide 40 on the side of the light incident surface is larger than that on the side of the photoelectric conversion unit. A planarized layer 50, color filter layer 51, planarized layer 52, and on-chip lens 53 are formed of resin materials above the optical waveguide 40.
In the cross section along the x direction shown in FIG. 9, the first wiring layer 32 includes two lines 32a and 32b per pixel. The two lines 32a and 32b of the first wiring layer 32 are formed at an interval ORL1 as large as possible so as not to cut off light entering the photoelectric conversion unit 11. Considering the manufacturing margin, the optical waveguide 40 and each of the two lines 32a and 32b are formed apart from each other at a predetermined interval s1 or more. A width W1 of a top face 40a of the optical waveguide 40 is determined by subtracting double the predetermined interval s1 from the interval ORL1 between the two contour sides ORS3 and ORS4.
More specifically, assuming that the taper angle of a side face 40c of the optical waveguide 40 is set to a predetermined angle, a dead space DS1 defined by the two lines 32a and 32b is a hatched region shown in FIG. 10. As for the cross section along the x direction, the width W1 of the optical waveguide 40 can be increased to the boundary of the dead space DS1.
In the cross section along the y direction shown in FIG. 11, the second wiring layer 31 includes two lines 31a and 31b per pixel. The two lines 31a and 31b are formed at an interval ORL2 as large as possible so as not to cut off light entering the photoelectric conversion unit 11. As described above, the gate electrode 30 of the transfer transistor 12 is arranged at a position where it overlaps part of the light receiving surface 11a of the photoelectric conversion unit 11. The gate electrode 30 is formed of polysilicon which absorbs part of visible light, and is arranged not to overlap a bottom face 40b of the optical waveguide 40.
Assume that it is required to make the gate electrode 30 overlap the light receiving surface 11a of the photoelectric conversion unit 11 by a predetermined length OL1 when viewed from the top, in order to increase the efficiency at which charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 11 to the charge-voltage converter. In this case, the edge portion of the bottom face 40b of the optical waveguide 40 needs to be positioned closer to a normal PL by the predetermined length s1 than the gate electrode 30 in order to ensure the manufacturing margin. For this reason, the interval between the optical waveguide 40 and each of the two lines 31a and 31b becomes a length s2 larger than the length s1 determined in consideration of the manufacturing margin. A width W2 of the optical waveguide 40 in the y direction is determined by subtracting double a predetermined interval s3 from the interval ORL2 between the two contour sides ORS1 and ORS2.
More specifically, assuming that the taper angle of the side face 40c of the optical waveguide 40 is set to a predetermined angle, a dead space DS2 defined by the two lines 31a and 31b should have been downsized as represented by a hatched region in FIG. 12A. However, the presence of the gate electrode 30 increases the dead space to a dead space D3 hatched in FIG. 12B, generating a wasteful space WS shown in FIG. 12C with respect to the two lines 31a and 31b. As a result, the width W2 of the optical waveguide 40 is narrowed more than necessary. The width W2 of the optical waveguide 40 cannot be increased to the boundary of the dead space DS2. The aperture (area of the top face 40a) of the entrance of the optical waveguide 40 becomes small, decreasing the quantity of light reaching the photoelectric conversion unit 11. That is, the efficiency at which incident light reaches the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion unit decreases.
If the width W2 of the optical waveguide 40 is increased to the boundary of the dead space DS2 in the cross section along the y direction, the length by which the gate electrode 30 overlaps the light receiving surface 11a becomes much shorter than the predetermined length OL1. In this case, the efficiency at which charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 11 to the charge-voltage converter decreases.

Image sensor and image sensing apparatus comprising waveguide and multilayer wiring structure


A collapsible glider chair having stopping devices for stopping the motion of chair frames and stabilizing the chair. The glider chair comprises a seat-base frame, a back-support frame, a pair of armrests and a pair of link members pivotally connected. A pair of stopping devices are affixed onto the seat-base frame or link members to stop the movement of chair frames while one is standing up and pushing down the armrests. The stopping devices may be affixed near the armrests or the link members for blocking either the armrests or the link members. Anti-slippery devices are also mounted on both the seat-base frame and the back-support frame to increase the contact friction to a floor or ground and stabilize the chair.

Collapsible chairs have been very popular because they are space saving and easy to carry around for both indoor or outdoor use. The demand in comfortable glider chairs for outdoor camping and relaxing has attracted many patio furniture manufacturers to manufacture various glider chairs that are also collapsible.
There are many important factors to consider when manufacturing a collapsible glider chair. The structure of such a chair has to be light weight and strong. It should take as little space as possible if collapsed. In addition, safety in using the chair maybe one of the most important thing. Various support or stopping structures are often added to the chair to prevent it from being tipped over or collapsed accidentally.
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a conventional collapsible glider chair that is designed to have both simple structure and light weight. The collapsible glider chair comprises a seat-base frame 101, a back-support frame 102, a pair of link members 103, and a pair of armrests 104. The seat-base frame includes a seat bar 105 for supporting legs. The back-support frame also includes a head bar 106 for supporting the head of a person.
The head bar 106 and the seat bar are connected by an elongated piece of fabric 107 or other material to form a seat base as well as a back-support. To make it more comfortable, a pillow may be added at the head end of the fabric to cover the head bar 106. Both armrests 104 and link members 103 have one end connected to the seat-base frame 101 and the other end connected to the back-support frame 102. Pivot pins are used for jointing the armrests and link members to seat-base frames and back-support frames so that each joint is pivotally connected.
As shown in FIG. 1, the seat-base frame, back-support frame, link members and armrests are connected in such a way that they form a stable chair for a person when the chair is fully opened in an upright position. An additional link bar 108 may also be added to support weight and stabilize the chair when a person is standing up from the chair. For easy storage, the glider chair can be collapsed illustrated in FIG. 2.
As discussed above, it is important that a collapsible glider chair is safe. Because many parts of a collapsible chair are pivotally connected for easy folding, the chair may be tipped over if the weight of a person is not properly distributed. The additional link bar 108 as shown is an example of an additional safety feature for the chair. Nevertheless, the additional link bar also adds cost in manufacturing the chair as well as the space required for storage.
There is a strong need in providing safety features for a collapsible glider chair. The safety feature should add as little cost as possible in manufacturing the chair. The additional weight and shipping space of the safety feature should also be as small as possible.


A microwave induced plasma decapsulation system and method for decapsulation a packaged semiconductor device applies a microwave induced plasma effluent along with etchant gases electrons, ions and free radicals that are chemically reactive to remove the epoxy molding compound encapsulating the semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the decapsulation system utilizes a microwave generator and a coaxial plasma source. In another embodiment, the decapsulation system utilizes a microwave generator, an electromagnetic surface wave plasma source, and a dielectric plasma discharge tube.

Electronic devices with integrated circuit chips or semiconductor dies encapsulated in plastic packaging have been employed for some years. In the present description, an electronic device refers to a packaged semiconductor device incorporating one or more integrated circuit chips. Typically, an epoxy resin is molded around the semiconductor chip, a central portion of a lead frame and bonding wires or other connections between contact pads on the chip to inner lead fingers on the lead frame. It is sometimes necessary to decapsulate such a plastic-encapsulated package at least in part to allow for inspection, test and repair of the chip or the wire bonds to the chip, or the inner lead fingers, after the epoxy covering these elements is safely and effectively removed. In general, concentrated acids such as sulfuric and nitric acids or other solvents for the resin have been used in a decapsulation system for removing plastic material to expose the encapsulated chip or package elements.
Epoxy molding compounds have been used extensively as an encapsulation material for semiconductor devices. Epoxy molding compounds are at times classified as trade secrets by device manufacturers as the epoxy molding compound supports the reliability of the semiconductor die and ensures performance in harsh operational environments. The standard composition of a semiconductor epoxy molding compound can include an epoxy resin, a hardener, an accelerator, a filler, coupling compound, flame retardant compound, a coloring agent, and a releasing compound. The main content of the epoxy molding compound is the silica fillers which are important as the fillers determine the reliability of the semiconductor device, including characteristics such as the moisture tolerance and temperature conductivity during operation. The fillers can constitute up to 75% to 90% of the total weight of the epoxy molding compound used for the encapsulation of a semiconductor device.
Although an electronic device may be packaged in a variety of ways using different types of encapsulation materials, the present description is concerned with electronic devices that are encapsulated in plastic packaging or other types of resinous materials. That is, the electronic device includes plastic encapsulation covering at least the chip(s), a central portion of a lead frame and bond wires connecting the chip(s) to the lead frame. Bond wires are made of various conductive materials, with copper (Cu) bond wires and gold (Au) bond wires being most commonly used. The electronic device also includes leads or lead fingers projecting out of the plastic encapsulation where the leads or lead fingers are used to form electrical connections from the outside world to the integrated circuit chip(s) encapsulated therein.
Besides gold and copper bond wires, palladium coated Cu wire, with about 0.08 μm layer of palladium over copper has also been used. Furthermore, silver alloy (Ag Alloy) has also been used as an alternative to gold bond wires as alloying silver has been useful in eliminating the silver migration phenomenon. Ag alloy wires have low Young's modulus, hardness properties, low cost compared to Au and PdCu bond wires and have bonding hardness similar to Au wire bonding which lead device manufacturers to make use of Ag alloy bond wires.
As described above, concentrated acids such as sulfuric and nitric acids or other solvents for the resin have been used in a decapsulation system for removing the epoxy molding compound material to expose the encapsulated chip or package elements. The conventional decapsulation process is an entirely wet etch process. The wet-etch decapsulation process has its limitations when semiconductor devices employ Cu and Ag based bond wires. Copper and silver alloy bond wires tend to suffer from etch damage when subjected to the conventional web-etch based decapsulation process.
Plasma etching is a dry etch process employed in semiconductor fabrication processes to etch or remove materials from a semiconductor chip, such as silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or metallization materials. Plasma etching is carried out in a vacuum chamber where the plasma source is often excited by a radio frequency power source. Plasma etching is accomplished by ion bombardment and chemical reaction. Reactive-ion etching (RIE) is a plasma etch process commonly employed in semiconductor failure analysis for deprocessing a completed semiconductor die. RIE is typically carried out at a high frequency (e.g. 13.56 MHz). Attempts have been made to use RIE plasma etch system for plastic package decapsulation. However, using RIE plasma etch system for decapsulation is not practical as the decapsulation process could take several hours. During such a decapsulation process, the semiconductor device is subjected to high temperature which may have the undesired consequence of healing bake recoverable failures on the semiconductor die.

Microwave induced plasma decapsulation using a dielectric plasma discharge tube


A motion displaying photo frame includes a frame with a rear plate, an insertion groove, a lenticluar raster, a photo paper and a driving unit having an eccentric wheel. An opening or notch is provided on the lower portion of the raster. The raster can be mounted in the frame through the insertion grooves and can be moved up and downward or left and rightward. The photo paper can be inserted into the frame through inserting grooves and located between the raster and the rear plate. The eccentric wheel can be inserted into the opening or notch of the raster which can be moved up and downward or left and rightward through the actuation of the driving unit. The fine details of each of two or more constituent images can be viewed with clarity as compared with a conventional photo paper.

In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,948 B1 issued to Itzchak Bar-Yona et al has been disclosed a kind of displaying unit which includes a housing having at least one window-like opening; at least one lenticular panel mounted in the housing behind the window-like opening, the lenticular panel having front and rear faces, the local length of the length of the lenses being substantially equal to their width; at least one displaceable, lightweight, substantially planar indicia carrier in the form of a replaceable film or sheet disposed inside the housing; an edge of the indicia carrier at least indirectly freely abutting against a cam; a high efficiency, low-energy consumption, battery powered DC drive including a DC motor complied to the cam for periodically displacing the indicia carrier for a distance at least equaling the distance between two adjacent lenses of the panel; and a guide facilitating smooth reciprocating movement of the indicia carrier in juxtaposition with the rear face of the lenticular panel, whereby displaying the indicia carrier causes the constituent elements of one of the two or more images to be replaced by constituent elements of another one of the two or more images.
Although the above-mentioned unit can continuously display two or more images of the indicia carrier, the change of the images is achieved by the up and down movement of indicia carrier actuated by a motor or cam. This display unit, not only has the drawback of complicated structure, but also its transmission or drive requires balance weight to match the cam, and although the indicia carrier is made of a lightweight paper, it must be flat and straight, in addition a paper is liable to be affected with damp, which will cause the paper to be deformed, thereby the movement speed will be seriously affected. And the indicia carrier cannot be operated properly, resulting in the fact that the images cannot be precisely displayed and even leading to the superposition of the images. In order to overcome the problems occurring in the indicia carrier, a scheme has been proposed to stick or print images on a film or plastic plate. But this method is not only expensive in price, but also, in the processing, the images are easy to have torsions or to lose the finest details of images.


A transmission stabilization device applied to dual-shaft system for stabilizing and smoothening the transmission and reducing wear of the components. The transmission stabilization device includes a first rotary shaft, a second rotary shaft and a transmission unit, which are assembled with each other. Each of the first and second rotary shafts has a fixed section mounted on an electronic apparatus, a pivoted section assembled with a torque module and a connection section. The transmission unit is drivingly engaged with the connection sections. The transmission unit is mounted on a fixing shaft. When the first or second rotary shaft rotates, the transmission unit is moved along the fixing shaft with the rotation of the first or second rotary shaft. The transmission stabilization device can prevent the transmission unit from swinging so as to overcome the problem of retardation of transmission of the conventional device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a transmission stabilization device applied to dual-shaft system, and more particularly to a transmission stabilization device, which is assembled with two rotary shafts of the dual-shaft system for stabilizing the transmission of the transmission unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various electronic apparatuses provided with covers or display screens, such as mobile phones, notebooks, PDA, and electronic books. The covers or display screens are pivotally mounted on the electronic apparatuses via pivot pins or rotary shafts, whereby the covers or display screens can be freely rotated and opened/closed under external force.
In order to operate the display module (such as the screen) and/or the apparatus body module of the electronic apparatus in more operation modes and application ranges, a dual-shaft mechanism is provided between the display module and the apparatus body module, whereby the display module and/or the apparatus body module can be operated in different operation modes by different rotational angles.
The surface of such dual-shaft mechanism (including first and second rotary shafts) is generally formed with spiral grooves. A transmission block is inlaid in the spiral grooves. When a user operates the display module or the apparatus body module to drive and rotate the first rotary shaft, the spiral groove of the first rotary shaft will force the transmission block to relatively move, whereby the second rotary shaft is synchronously rotated.
With respect to the structural design, operation and synchronous rotation of the above dual-shaft mechanism, when the first rotary shaft is rotated and the spiral groove of the first rotary shaft forces the transmission block to transversely move, the transmission block is likely to swing. This will cause wear of the transmission structure. Also, the transmission block can hardly smoothly drive the second rotary shaft to synchronously rotate. As a result, the transmission will be retarded and the electronic apparatus can be hardly smoothly operated and rotated.
The conventional dual-shaft mechanism and the relevant connection components thereof have some shortcomings in use and structural design that need to be overcome. It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a transmission stabilization device applied to dual-shaft system to eliminate the shortcomings existing in the conventional device so as to widen the application range. For example, in comparison with the conventional dual-shaft mechanism, the pivot pin or rotary shaft is assembled with the transmission stabilization device. In response to the rotation of the electronic apparatus, the transmission stabilization device can stabilize and smoothen the move of the transmission mechanism and minimize the possibility of swing of the transmission mechanism. Also, the transmission stabilization device can further facilitate the assembling process of the dual-shaft mechanism and overcome the problem of retardation of transmission. In this case, the electronic apparatus can be more smoothly operated and rotated.

Transmission stabilization device applied to dual-shaft system


A system synchronizes data flow between a first device and a second device. The system includes a data link that connects two or more devices that are capable of sending and receiving data through a bus. A capture device senses and transfer information through the bus. A ring buffer temporarily stores data transmitted through the bus. A read controller copies or reconstructs data in a length that is different from the length of the data received. A monitor detects underflow or overflow conditions into or out of the ring buffer and compensates for clock drift.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to timing, and more particularly, to synchronizing a data transfer between devices.
2. Related Art
Digital systems depend on coordinated communication between devices. Some systems depend on timing signals to determine when to examine an incoming stream of information. Distributing timing information may be a significant challenge. The timing signals may be generated, distributed, and synchronized to enable communication between sending and receiving devices.
Some systems use separate clocks to communicate between devices. When drift occurs, information may be lost as one device may not process information as fast as another. Some systems deliberately delete large blocks of information to compensate for some unwanted skews in clock rates. These processes lack a temporal occurrence. As large blocks of information are lost, artifacts may be introduced into data streams that disrupt or corrupt data streams. Data loss or changes may result in catastrophic events or faults that may affect not only the information being received but also the information being processed. Therefore, there is a need for a system that compensates for clock drift or skews without deleting large amounts of information.


A snowshoe rear cleat assembly comprised, in a first embodiment, of a rigid substrate for mounting a rear cleat beneath, the rigid substrate underlapping a conventional rubberized snowshoe decking. The rigid substrate and rubberized decking together function to comprise the entire decking of a snowshoe. This underlapping design serves to cause the rear cleat to protrude a greater distance below the snowshoe frame, thereby allowing the cleat to penetrate a greater depth into snow, for better traction. Additionally, a heel strike plate is designed to prevent slippage of a snowshoer's footwear, and to serve to self-clean the bottoms of the snowshoer's footwear of snow and ice. In an alternate embodiment of the rear cleat assembly, the rigid substrate comprises the entire snowshoe decking and the rear cleat attaches underneath the rigid substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to snowshoeing and, more specifically, to an assembly for rigidly mounting a rear cleat upon a snowshoe, as well as a snowshoe incorporating such an assembly.
2. Description of the Background Art
Snowshoe rear cleats are designed to bite into snowy and icy surfaces to prevent slippage of the rear portion of a snowshoe. Consequently, it is important for a snowshoe rear cleat to be mounted rigidly, so that a strong bite into snow and ice can occur. If the rear cleat is mounted loosely so that it travels, or floats about, rather than addressing the ice in a consistent and rigid attitude, then slippage will occur, possibly causing injury to the snowshoe occupant.
Snowshoe cleats must also extend below the snowshoe frame a sufficient depth to allow the cleat members to gain purchase upon a snowy and icy surface. By extending the individual cleat members a sufficient depth below a snowshoe's frame, it is more likely that a good "bite" upon a slippery surface will be achieved, and likewise, good traction will result. The importance of good traction becomes paramount during steep climbs and descents, where the likelihood of slippage is greatest.
A popular method of attaching a rear cleat to a snowshoe is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,827, issued to Klebahn et al., and an accompanying brochure distributed by Atlas Snowshoe Company. In these references, the rear clear is comprised of a center portion having individual cleat members depending down from, and perpendicularly attached to, a center portion. The rear cleat is attached to a snowshoe by cutting holes in a patch of snowshoe decking material and placing the cleat members in a manner such that they depend downward through the holes cut into the patch of decking material. The patch of decking material is then sewn and riveted onto the main snowshoe decking web, for stability.
This prior art design uses the rubberized decking material as a substrate, wherein the rear cleat is held fast within two layers of decking material in a type of "sandwich" design. A drawback of this design regarding traction occurs because the center portion of the rear cleat is positioned atop a layer of decking material, rather than beneath it. This design therefore elevates the cleat upward into the snowshoe frame and thereby lessens the depth of penetration for a snowshoe rear cleat, having standard-length cleat members.
Alternately, if the rear cleat is placed beneath the rubberized decking material and mounted thereon, the rear cleat becomes unstable, because the stabilizing effect acquired from sandwiching between two layers of decking material is lost. The only option for achieving a sufficient depth of penetration with this prior art design is to lengthen the cleat members, which would correspondingly increase the weight of the snowshoe.
In one embodiment, the snowshoe rear cleat assembly which is the present invention causes the individual cleat members to extend a greater depth beneath the snowshoe frame than heretofore achieved, without necessitating the lengthening of the individual cleat members. In a second embodiment of the invention, the rear cleat is attached to the snowshoe decking in a simplified manner, thereby facilitating ease of manufacture. In both embodiment of this invention, the use of the "sandwiching" design present in the prior art, for stabilizing the rear cleat, is avoided.
Accordingly, the foregoing patents and other information reflect the state of the art of which the inventor is aware, and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventor's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent with regards to the patentability of the present invention. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the disclosed information does not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventor's claimed invention.


This disclosure relates generally to aminoglycoside derivatives of Formula (I) as described herein. The present disclosure also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and methods of treating bacterial infections by administering these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions to subjects in need thereof.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are a well-known class of antibiotics with an established record of both efficacy and safety. These compounds are used largely for gram-negative bacteria but are also broad spectrum antibiotics with little resistance developed at this point. Patients treated with aminoglycoside antibiotics include immune compromised patients, such as newborns and their mothers, and cystic fibrosis patients. Aminoglycosides are also used as preservatives.
The primary use-limiting adverse reactions associated with the class are ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. See, e.g., Rizzi and Hirose, Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 15:352-357, 2007. Despite their ototoxic and nephrotoxic effects, aminoglycoside antibiotics remain one of the most widely used antibiotics worldwide.
Given the importance of aminoglycosides in treating multiple infections, new aminoglycosides having reduced ototoxicity and/or nephrotoxicity are needed. The present invention addresses these needs.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics with reduced ototoxicity

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


An information processing device and travel information voice guidance method for moving objects, capable of reliably providing travel information through voice guidance while avoiding insofar as possible the interruption of the user's enjoyment of music during music playback, comprising a song playback portion which outputs song audio signals representing song sounds; a travel information generation portion which generates travel information; a song playback judgment portion which judges whether, when travel information is generated, the song playback portion is outputting song audio signals; and voice guidance output portion which, when it is judged that song audio signals are being output, gives priority to output of voice guidance audio signals representing the above travel information over the above song audio signals, according to at least either one of the urgency of the above generated travel information, and the type of musical phrase in the song for which the above song audio signals are currently being output.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing device, comprising a song (music piece) playback device, and to a travel information voice guidance method, to provide voice guidance of travel information for a moving vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle-mounted navigation systems, which are devices providing information on the vehicle position during travel and guidance for the route to a destination for the vehicle driver and passengers, are well-known. Such navigation systems make use of GPS (Global Positioning System) equipment, receiving radio waves transmitted from satellites to calculate vehicle position information including the current vehicle position and the direction of travel based on received signals, use map data to retrieve routes from the vehicle position to a destination, display the vehicle position together with a map on a display device, and in addition display the route to the destination or the current direction of travel.
Vehicle-mounted navigation systems comprising voice guidance functions, which use voice output to provide the driver with a route to a destination or other travel information, are also well-known. For example, when the vehicle approaches an intersection on the route to a destination, the system provides voice output giving travel information, such as "turn right at the next intersection".
Vehicle-mounted navigation systems comprising voice guidance functions are generally configured to operate in conjunction with vehicle-mounted audio equipment. That is, when the vehicle-mounted audio equipment is playing music, if the vehicle-mounted navigation system enters a state of providing voice guidance, the controller of the vehicle-mounted navigation system controls the audio equipment to temporarily halt music playback, or lowers the volume of the music playback, so that the driver or other user can easily hear the voice guidance of the vehicle-mounted navigation system.
However, for a user listening to music, there is the disadvantage that each time the vehicle-mounted navigation system provides voice guidance the volume of the music being played changes or the music itself is stopped, so that the music cannot be fully enjoyed.
This disadvantage is not limited to navigation systems mounted in vehicles or other information processing devices, but similarly applies to other information processing devices in vehicles comprising music playback equipment, which provide travel information through voice guidance.

Information processing device and travel information voice guidance method


An image motion tracking system (10) for use with an image detector (12, 14) having an array of elements in the x and y directions. First, frequency domain representations of an image are created to provide a reference frame of image data and an input frame of image data. A processor (30) is included for detecting a change in phase of the detector (12, 14) with respect to first and second samples of the reference frame relative to corresponding first and second samples of the input frame to discern a displacement of at least a portion of the input frame relative to at least a portion of the reference frame. Finally, the output signal is corrected to compensate for the displacement of the input frame relative to the reference frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to techniques for detecting a change in an image from one frame to another and either compensating therefor or providing an output signal indicative thereof.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many applications in which it is desirable to detect motion of or within an image from one frame to the next. For example, it is well known in the art that certain conventional electro-optical systems experience jitter due to platform vibration which causes a degradation in image quality. While many image compensation techniques exist in the art for correcting for such jitter, there are numerous disadvantages associated with each. Conventional image compensation techniques include accelerometer oriented and gimbal oriented techniques. The accelerometer oriented techniques use an accelerometer to detect motion of the platform. The accelerometer generates control signals which are used to correct for vibration in the platform. The correction may be performed electronically or by adjustments in the optical train. Accelerometer oriented techniques are somewhat effective in controlling jitter. However, these systems are generally costly, unreliable, and have certain performance limitations, i.e., the ability to correct in multiple directions and in response time.
In gimbal oriented systems, the optical system is mounted on gimbals for stabilization. In addition to being costly, these mechanical systems are also generally cumbersome and heavy.
Another application for image motion detection is in security systems where there is a need to detect the movement or entry of something within an area of surveillance. Conventional techniques for image tracking involve the use of tracker algorithms such as the Fitts correlation tracker algorithm. Unfortunately, these algorithms are often computationally intensive and therefore somewhat slow. In addition, some algorithms, such as the Fitts algorithm, are limited with respect to the ability to perform subpixel tracking and to track multiple pixel movements.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a fast, inexpensive, and reliable image motion tracking system.