A method for operating a vehicle includes acquiring position information including an azimuth angle between a non-contacting sensor and a wheeled axle of an attached trailer, determining a trailer tongue length correlated to the position information, determining a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the position information, and calculating a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

Many motorized vehicles are designed to accommodate the towing or trailering of various loads, including without limitation: cargo hoppers, campers, boats, and sometimes other motorized vehicles. A wide range of systems and devices to enhance vehicle stability while towing is known. These devices may include simple add-ons such as airfoils and other vehicle trim pieces such as ground effects, which confer the vehicle with additional aerodynamic stability over its design control. Additionally, systems for traction control have been developed, as well as automatically-adjusting suspension systems which alter the height of the body of a vehicle in proportion to the weight of a load.
It often occurs that trailer design changes are made by engineers during the course of trailer design, without regard to the overall effect of their design changes may have on the stability of every possible vehicle/trailer combination of which their trailer is to be a part. Thus, it is natural that some vehicle/trailer combinations may be inherently more stable at highway speeds than others, and there is in general no way to reasonably predict the behavior of all such possible combinations, when faced with various challenging road situations, such as crosswinds, etc., prior to an actual road test.
It is known to mount sensors on the rear and side of vehicles to detect objects behind a vehicle for active safety features, such as vision sensors used for rear view and side blind zone object detection, and also radar sensors for side blind zone detection, rear object detection, and rear cross traffic detection. Ultrasonic sensors are often present on vehicles for assistance in rear parking maneuvers.
One of the major enablers for the development of a vehicle and trailer stability control system is the availability of a hitch angle sensor which can be independent of the trailer connected. A remote hitch angle sensing system is a key enabler for a low cost vehicle-trailer stability control. There are several known contact type hitch angle sensors which have been used for such application. However, these contact type sensors are cumbersome since trailers are frequently connected and disconnected, and a new calibration and adjustment is necessary following each such connection cycle.
In a general sense, it is desirable to provide systems having increased degree of reliability and integrity for aiding vehicle/trailer combinations than what has been previously available. One shortfall for trailer control systems has been the sensing of the trailer hitch articulation angle for a trailer control system. There remains a need in the art for utilization of the output of the aforementioned sensors in an improved synergistic fashion to provide greater stability while traveling and to provide means for directional control in vehicle/trailer backing and parking. The present systems and methods provide enhanced means for assisting in stabilizing vehicle/trailer combinations by providing a new and beneficial means for calculating the hitch articulation angle, using sensing means which are disposed solely on the motorized vehicle used for towing.


A data entry device includes a housing comprising a front and rear surface and laterally separated grip portions each configured to engage with a hand of a user. The user may thereby support the housing by engaging the grip portions of the housing. The rear surface includes first and second generally concave portions disposed proximate the first and second grip portions, which curve generally towards the hand of the user when the housing is supported by the user. The device further includes input keys positioned on each of the first and second generally concave portions of the rear surface such that the user may actuate the input keys with fingers of each hand while engaging the grip portions, and such that the generally concave portions facilitate ergonomic access to the input keys.

Electronic computing devices have realized a steady increase in usage for a variety of purposes. For example, mobile computing devices, such as smart phones and tablets have changed the accessibility and communication of information. In addition, personal computers, such as desktop computers and laptop computers are becoming indispensable in many work environments. Despite the popularity and usefulness of such mobile computing devices, data entry, to some degree, remains an inefficient endeavor.
For mobile computing devices, in many conventional systems, users must interface with small virtual keyboards displayed on a touch screen of the device and/or input peripherals, such as a keyboard, that largely reduce the portability that is generally associated with such mobile computing devices. Similarly, for personal computers, conventional systems primarily utilize a keyboard and mouse/touchpad input. A conventional keyboard generally requires a flat resting surface such as a table or desk for the user to efficiently utilize the keyboard. As such, using a keyboard in a mobile work environment may prove challenging.
Therefore, a need continues to exist in the art for improved data entry devices and computing devices.


A portable boat cleat assembly (10) includes a cleat member (12) mounted to an upper surface (16) of a base member (14) and a cylindrical rod member (20) having an upper end (22) attached to the lower surface (18) of the base member, wherein the cylindrical rod member is sized and shaped for being snugly received within a rod-receiving cylinder (36) extending generally downward through an upper hull portion (30) into an interior hull space of a boat.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to boating equipment, and more particularly to a portable boat cleat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many boating situations it is necessary to secure or tie a line, rope, or other attachment means to a boat cleat. For instance, cleat lines are typically required to tether a boat to a dock or other fixed structure. In other situations, cleat lines are used to tie off a smaller craft (such as a dingy), or to hang cushions, fenders, bait and chum baskets, and other accessories over the side of the boat.
Ordinarily, boats and other vessels are constructed having one or more cleats permanently attached to an upper surface of the boat hull, such as along the gunwale, using mechanical fasteners, adhesives and the like. Still, boaters oftentimes find themselves in situations where it would be desirable to have one or more additional cleats along the gunwale, and particularly toward the stern. One potential solution would be to permanently install additional boat cleats. However, for various reasons, this is not a desirable approach. Instead, it would be more desirable to provide a boat cleat apparatus adapted for being temporarily attached to an existing structure along the hull gunwale.
Accordingly, there is an established need in the boating industry for a portable boat cleat apparatus adapted to be quickly and effectively secured to an existing hull structure to provide additional line attachment locations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable boat cleat apparatus having means for being releasably secured to an existing boat hull structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable boat cleat assembly having a downwardly extending rod member sized and shaped for being snugly received within a fishing rod holder permanently secured to the gunwale portion of a boat hull.
It is a yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable boat cleat apparatus adapted to be temporarily secured within such a holder without the use of permanent-type attachment means such as mechanical fasteners, adhesives and the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a portable boat cleat apparatus having an adjustable length rod member assembly.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a portable boat cleat assembly comprises: a base member having upper and lower surfaces; a cleat member secured to the upper surface of the base member; and a cylindrical rod member having an upper end attached to the lower surface of the base member, wherein the rod member is sized and shaped for being snugly received within a rod-receiving cylinder extending generally downward into an interior hull space of a boat.
In another aspect of the invention the cylindrical rod member is provided at its lower end with means for releasably attaching to an anchoring structure provided within the rod-receiving cylinder. In one embodiment according to this aspect of the invention, a pair of inverted L-shaped cutout sections provided at the lower end of the cylindrical rod member are adapted for being temporarily secured to a horizontal cross member within the rod-receiving cylinder upon insertion of the rod member therein and subsequent application of a twisting motion to the cleat member.
In a further aspect of the invention, the portable boat cleat is provided having a length-adjustable cylindrical rod assembly, comprising: a cylindrical rod-extension member having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart apertures; and a locking means attached to the main cylindrical rod member and adapted for selectively engaging the apertures in the extension member.


A method and apparatus for marking and identifying birds. The tagging system includes a securing filament, an anchor tag and an identification tag. Both the anchor tag and the identification tag are provided with holes for reception of the securing filament. The securing filament is pierced through approximately one-half inch of the neck skin of the bird, and is secured by placement of the anchor tag on one side of the pierced skin and the identification tag on the opposed side of the pierced skin. The securing filament is provided with opposed cylindrical restriction bar which pass through the reception holes in the anchor tag and the identification tag thereby securing each tag between the pierced skin and a cylindrical restriction bar. One of the cylindrical restriction bars is rigid while the opposed cylindrical restriction bar is flexible and may be flexed substantially parallel to the body of the securing filament for passage through the hole in the anchor tag, the identification tag and the pierced skin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and tagging system for marking and identifying small animals, in particular birds. The tagging system incorporates a panel type identification tag which is affixed to the neck flesh of the bird by a resilient filament type fastener which is forced through the neck flesh and held in place by an anchor tag. This tagging system is utilized for marking and identifying birds, much as tags commonly placed in the ears of cattle, swine and sheep.
2. Prior Art
The invention relates to the art of marking animals for identification purposes. Identification methods have long been used to mark livestock so that the owner can distinguish his animals from those of others and so that each animal can be readily identified. Early animal identification means included branding or tattooing the animal or numbered or lettered tags suspended from the animal's neck from a chain. Cost of this marking method as well as problems with the chain becoming caught on objects led to the development of alternative marking systems. One such system disclosed as Claffey U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,906 provided for a metal tag to be inserted and fixed through a hole pierced in the animal's ear. Again, cost of the metal tags were relatively high and the tags heightened the possibility of injury to the animal and of infection.
Technological advances resulted in the availability of plastic tags either stamped from stock or injection molded. Plastic or rubber tags are cheaper to make, durable, resistant to corrosion and are generally easier to manipulate during the securing process. Problems similar to those encountered with metal tags occurred with controlling large animals during the process of cutting a hole in the animal's ear and then forcing the tag therethrough. Tools were developed which allowed the piercing process and tag affixing process to be conducted simultaneously. An early example is disclosed in the Ritchey U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,051.
Marking tags currently available on the market are generally plastic or rubber and provide a planar surface for placement of the identifying markings. The planar portion of the tag will generally taper to an elongated neck which ends in an anchoring means. One such tag is disclosed in the Fearing U.S. Pat. No. Re. 29,536. The known prior inventions pertaining to the tagging of animals for identification purposes generally relate to large mammals and require piercing of the ear. Convenient, low-cost marking devices have not been developed for small animals, in particular, birds.
Birds present an especially difficult problem for marking for identification as they lack external ears. Therefore, tags such as those used for marking cattle by insertion through the ear are not available for marking the birds. Further, tags suspended from the bird's neck by chain or other connector endangers the safety of the bird as such devices may become caught on projecting objects. Branding or tattooing the bird is of little benefit as birds have little exposed flesh which would allow the brand or tattoo to be read without close inspection. Feathers which are removed in order to brand or tattoo are likely to grow back in a short period of time.
Two marking devices have been used for marking and identifying birds with limited success. The first is a metal clip which is crimped onto the anterior portion of the bird's wing. The second is an annular band which is fastened about one of the bird's legs, commonly by crimping the band either by hand or with pliers. Both of these marking methods have the disadvantage of providing identifying markings which are small and usually require handling of the bird to read the markings. Birds, particularly those raised for consumption, such as turkeys and chickens, tend to group together and move in clusters. Therefore, it is difficult to identify birds by small marking bands attached either to the leg or wing.
Another problem with leg bands or wing tags is that they are generally formed of metal for durability reasons. It is not uncommon for a bird to injure itself, or other birds, with metal bands or tags, particularly when the birds group together. Leg bands must be somewhat loose so that the bird can grow without the band cutting off circulation in the leg. However, loose leg bands may become caught on protruding objects such as loose fencing or unseated nails.
Yet another problem with leg bands and wing tags is that both must be securely fastened so that they do not fall off of the animal during normal movement. It is often desirable to change identification numbers or markings on the bands. This is particularly true when markings on identification tags are utilized to indicate medical conditions of the animal or where records of egg production or lineage are maintained. For example, it may be desirable to add a letter to the identification band to indicate that the animal is to receive special food or medication or to indicate lineage. The ability to alter identification tags is particularly desirable in testing or experimentation settings. Leg bands and wing tags generally have to be removed in order to change the markings thereon. Often, the leg band or wing tag is destroyed during the removal process.
There is the need for an inexpensive marking system for birds which is easy to apply and which allows quick, easy identification of a bird without having to handle the animal for close inspection of the marking device. Further, there is a need for a bird identification system which is safe for use on the bird, which can easily be removed and which does not impede the normal growth of the animal.
Accordingly, it is the object and purpose of the tagging system of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus that overcomes the stated deficiencies of the prior art by providing an identification and marking system for birds which allows quick and easy identification of each marked bird without handling the animal, even when the birds are clustered together.
Another object and purpose of the present invention is to provide a tagging system which is inexpensive, easy to apply and easy to remove.
Yet another object and purpose of the present invention is to provide a tagging system which is safe for the bird, which prevents injury to other birds and which does not impede the normal growth of the bird.

Method and tagging system for marking and identifying birds


A capacitive electromechanical transducer in which a reception characteristic is hardly affected by an elastic wave intruding into a substrate is provided. The capacitive electromechanical transducer includes a first electric connection portion that is connected to a second electrode disposed on a surface of a substrate to draw the second electrode onto a side of a surface of the first substrate on a side opposite from a surface in which a first electrode and the second electrodes are provided. With respect to a thickness direction of a first substrate, a diaphragm with which the first electric connection portion is covered is formed on the side of the surface of the first substrate, in which the first and second electrodes are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitive electromechanical transducer that receives an elastic wave such as an ultrasound.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Capacitive-Micromachined-Ultrasonic-Transducer (CMUT) that is of a capacitive ultrasonic transducer is proposed as a transducer that receives an ultrasound. CMUT is prepared using a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) to which a semiconductor process is applied. FIG. 8B is a top plan view illustrating a two-dimensional-array CMUT of the related art, and FIG. 8A is a sectional view taken on a line X-X′ of FIG. 8B. In FIGS. 8A and 8B, reference numerals 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 111, and 112 show a diaphragm, a first electrode (upper electrode), a diaphragm support, an air gap, a second electrode (lower electrode), a first substrate, a through line, an electric connection portion, and a second substrate, respectively (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,107).
In the CMUT, the first electrode 102 is formed on the diaphragm 101, and the diaphragm 101 is supported by the diaphragm support 103 formed on the first substrate 106. The first electrode 102, which is formed on the diaphragm 101, and the second electrode 105, which is opposite the first electrode 102 with the air gap 104 (usually, thickness of tens nanometers to hundreds nanometers) interposed therebetween, are disposed on the first substrate 106. Hereinafter, in the first substrate 106, a surface in which the CMUT is formed is referred to as a CMUT formation surface, and a surface on the opposite side is referred to as a CMUT non-formation surface. FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a state in which the diaphragm 101 is slightly yielded onto a side of the substrate 106 by an external force. A set of the diaphragm 101, the air gap 104, and the two electrodes 102 and 105 that are opposite each other with the air gap 104 interposed therebetween is called a cell. Plural cells (usually, 100 to 3000 cells) to which the first and the second electrodes 102 and 105 are connected is called an element as a unit in which the ultrasound is transmitted and received. The first substrate 106 includes the plural through lines 107, and lines of the first or second electrodes on the CMUT formation surface are drawn to the CMUT non-formation surface through the through lines 107. The drawn lines are connected to the second substrate 112 through the electric connection portion 111. The second substrate 112 is a Printed-Circuit-Board (PCB) including a multi-layer line or a signal processing chip. In the second substrate 112, elements of the two-dimensionally arrayed CMUTs are connected to a detection circuit or a power supply.


A patient lift includes a frame attached to a vertical surface. The frame includes first and second vertical guide posts with a parallel screw shaft rotatably mounted therebetween. A hub engages the screw shaft and travels up and down the screw shaft according to a direction of rotation of the screw shaft as provided by a drive train coupled to the drive shaft. Upon connection of the head end of the bed frame to the hub, the head end travels with the hub so as to move the bed between horizontal and vertical positions relative to the underlying support surface. A roller member at the foot end of enhances the movement of the bed frame between the ground adjacent horizontal and vertical positions. A foot rest at the foot of the bed precludes the patient from sliding forward during bed movement. An alternative embodiment connects a chair so as to raise or lower the seated patient relative to the underlying support surface.

This invention relates to a lifting device for an incapacitated person and, more particularly, a device for moving a patient between ground adjacent and sitting or standing positions.
Various devices have been proposed in the prior art which move patients between various positions and/or transfer the patient from one location to another.
Although assumably effective in operation, such known devices are relatively complex in construction and/or not adaptable for home use. Thus, it is desirable to have a device which enables one to be moved from a ground adjacent to a sitting or standing position either with or without the assistance of another.


In bipolar CMOS or BiCMOS process technologies, drivers (such as mixed mode or hybrid mode drivers) using both bipolar and CMOS transistors (i.e., field effect transistors or FETs) may have undesirable properties, such as reduced speed, ringing, latch-up, or lower electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance. Here, a mixed or hybrid mode driver is provided that employs a current steering circuit (instead of voltages driven differential pair(s) as is done with conventional drivers) to generate pull-down currents that precisely match the voltages in the pull-up portions of driver. It increases the speed and produces smaller output common-mode voltage fluctuation over conventional drivers. Thus, the driver provided here can be produced in BiCMOS process technologies without the undesirable effects of conventional drivers.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings the reference numeral 100 generally designates a conventional circuit. Circuit 100 has a driver 102 that receives a differential input signal through input terminals INP and INN to drive a load 104 (which includes a resistance RL). Also, driver 102 generally comprises NPN transistors Q1 and Q2, NMOS transistors Q3 and Q4, resistors R1 and R2, and current source 106.
In operation, driver 102 provides currents through output terminals OUTP and OUTN to drive the load 104. When a logic high or "1" is applied to the base of transistor Q1 and a logic low or "0" is applied to the base of transistor Q2, current is sourced through transistor Q1 and resistor R1 to terminal OUTP, while transistor Q4 (because transistors Q3 and Q4 are cross-coupled) sinks current from output terminal OUTN. Alternatively, when a logic high or "1" is applied to the base of transistor Q2 and a logic low or "0" is applied to the base of transistor Q1, current is sourced through transistor Q2 and resistor R2 to terminal OUTN, while transistor Q3 (again because transistors Q3 and Q4 are cross-coupled) sinks current from output terminal OUTP.
With this configuration, though, the switching speeds of transistors Q3 and Q4 are limiting factors for the operational speed of the driver 102. In bipolar CMOS or BiCMOS processes, transistors (which are field effect transistors or FETs) have low switching speeds, so driver 102 is undesirable for integrated circuits or ICs manufactured using BiCMOS processes. Simply replacing transistors Q3 and Q4 with bipolar transistors (i.e., NPN transistors), though, to take advantage of higher switching speeds would also be undesirable because the junction diodes of the bipolar transistors would limit the output voltage swings. Additionally, because of the properties of transistors Q3 and Q4, electrostatic discharge or ESD events across terminals OUTP and OUTN may damage transistors Q3 and Q4. Moreover, use of transistors Q3 and Q4 may result in ringing and/or latch-up from positive feedback. Therefore, there is a need for an improved driver.
Some other conventional circuits are: U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,232; U.S. Patent Pre-Grant Publ. No. 2002/0140461; European Patent no. EP0476341; and Abugharbieh et al., "An ultra low power 10 Gbps LVDS output driver", Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, 2008, Oct. 13-15, 2008, Pgs. 5-8.

Low-power high-speed differential driver with precision current steering


Low-voltage CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) circuits, suitable for analog decoders, for example, are provided. The circuits include multiplier modules that receive first input signals and respective ones of a plurality of second input signals. Each multiplier module generates as output signals products of the first input signals and its respective second input signals. Dummy multiplier modules that respectively correspond to the multiplier modules receive the second input signals, and each dummy multiplier module forms products of the second input signal of its corresponding multiplier module and the other second input signals. The dummy multiplier modules reduce the overall voltage requirements of the circuit, thereby providing for low-voltage operation. In some embodiments, a connectivity module receives output signals from the multiplier modules and generates as output signals sums of predetermined ones of the output signals, and a renormalization module receives and normalizes the output signals from the connectivity module to generate output signals that sum to a predetermined unit value.

In the mid-1990's, a new class of error correcting codes called "Turbo codes" was introduced [3]. Turbo codes achieve performance, typically measured in BER (bit error rate), very close to a long sought-after limit known as the Shannon bound. The decoding algorithms used in Turbo codes have since been generalized into a class of decoding algorithms based on factor graphs [17, 6]. These algorithms are commonly referred to as message-passing algorithms. Turbo-like codes which employ message-passing algorithms are generally referred to as iterative decoders.
An important general form of message passing algorithms is the sum-and-product algorithm [9], which implements probability propagation on a graph. The sum-and-product algorithm is a very general algorithm which describes decoders for many codes, including trellis codes, LDPC (low-density parity check) codes, block product codes, BCJR (Bahl, Cocke, Jelinek, Raviv) codes [2], and Turbo codes. The sum-and-product algorithm also describes algorithms used in artificial intelligence.
There has been great interest in implementing iterative decoders, but conventional digital implementations are often complex and demand expensive resources. Analog circuits for iterative decoding have been proposed and demonstrated by various researchers in recent years [10, 7, 12, 13, 14, 8, 15, 18]. CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) circuits are of particular interest for some applications because they can be implemented in ordinary so-called "plain vanilla" CMOS processes, which are low-cost compared to high-end alternatives such as BiCMOS and SiGe. CMOS analog decoders can also be more easily integrated with other CMOS components for single-chip receiver solutions.
In many cases, analog decoders offer significant advantages over digital designs. For example, the operations required for implementing the sum-and-product or BCJR algorithms can be implemented in analog decoders with fewer transistors. Analog circuits also require significantly fewer wire connections between components. Such efficient use of space allows parallel circuit implementations to enable decoding operations to occur completely in parallel, which thereby provides for high data throughput.
Analog decoders are also intrinsically low-power, and eliminate the need for high speed analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion in a receiver front-end. A typical A/D converter by itself consumes a significant amount of power and silicon real-estate. An analog decoder may thus be thought of as an information A/D converter, specially designed to convert coded analog channel information into decoded bits.

Low-voltage CMOS circuits for analog decoders


Techniques and circuitry for transferring data from memory arrays of a memory device to output pins via a FIFO structure are provided. Input and output stages of the FIFO structure may be operated independently, allowing data to be loaded into the FIFO structure at a first frequency and unloaded from the FIFO structure at a second frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to accessing memory devices and, more particularly, to transferring data from memory arrays to external data pads of memory devices, such as doubled data rate (DDR) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The evolution of sub-micron CMOS technology has resulted in an increasing demand for high-speed semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, pseudo static random access memory (PSRAM) devices, and the like. Herein, such memory devices are collectively referred to as DRAM devices.
Some types of DRAM devices have a synchronous interface, generally meaning that data is written to and read from the devices in conjunction with a clock pulse. Early synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) devices transferred a single bit of data per clock cycle (e.g., on a rising edge) and are appropriately referred to as single data rate (SDR) SDRAM devices. Later developed double-data rate (DDR) SDRAM devices included input/output (I/O) buffers that transfer a bit of data on both rising and falling edges of the clock signal, thereby doubling the effective data transfer rate. Still other types of SDRAM devices, referred to as DDR-II SDRAM devices, transfer two bits of data on each clock edge, typically by operating the I/O buffers at twice the frequency of the clock signal, again doubling the data transfer rate (to 4× the SDR data transfer rate).
Data read out from such DDR devices is often held in first-in first-out (FIFO) structures that receive the data from the memory arrays and drive the data out onto external data lines. Input and output pointers are typically used to determine (or "point to") a FIFO location to which data is to be input to or output from the FIFO, respectively. These pointers are typically derived from a DATA_READY signal that is essentially generated as a prediction of when the data should be valid at the FIFO, based on predicted delay through components in the data path. The output pointers ensure the synchronous requirements of data output from the DRAM are satisfied.
Timing of the input pointer signals is critical, as these signals control the latching of data into the FIFOs. If these pointer signals arrive too early, they can close the latches before the data signals are valid at the FIFOs. On the other hand, if these pointer signals arrive too late, these signals could latch data from a following READ access instead of the data from the current READ access. In conventional devices, data is input into the FIFOs at the same rate it is output onto the external data lines. As a result, input pointers are changed at the same rate as output pointers. Unfortunately, as operating speeds increase for DDR (and later generation) DRAM devices, it becomes more and more difficult to meet input pointer timing requirements.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved methods and apparatus for operating data FIFOs to transfer data from DRAM memory arrays to external data pads.

Dual frequency first-in-first-out structure


A method of forming a contact in a semiconductor device provides a titanium contact layer in a contact hole and a MOCVD-TiN barrier metal layer on the titanium contact layer. Impurities are removed from the MOCVD-TiN barrier metal layer by a plasma treatment in a nitrogen-hydrogen plasma. The time period for plasma treating the titanium nitride layer is controlled so that penetration of nitrogen into the underlying titanium contact layer is substantially prevented, preserving the titanium contact layer for subsequently forming a titanium silicide at the bottom of the contact.

Integrated circuits are manufactured as assemblies of various devices, such as transistors that make up a chip. In the process of manufacturing integrated circuits, after the individual devices, such as transistors, have been fabricated in the silicon substrate, the devices must be connected together to perform the desired circuit functions. This connection process is generally referred to as "metallization", and is performed using a number of different photolithographic and deposition techniques.
Contact plugs are employed to make a solid connection between an underlying device, for example, and an overlying interconnection conductive line, for example. The fabrication of a contact typically involves forming an opening in the dielectric layer and filling the opening with a metallic layer, such as aluminum or tungsten. However, aluminum or tungsten ions from the contact can migrate into a silicon substrate through a doped region, causing a short to the substrate. To minimize this shorting, many processing techniques deposit a barrier layer before depositing the aluminum or tungsten. One type of common barrier material is titanium nitride (TiN). While titanium nitride has a good barrier ability, it needs to be thick enough to effectively function as a barrier layer. As integrated circuit devices are defined more finely, the diameter of the contact shrinks and becomes more critical. Thus, a thick titanium nitride barrier metal layer is less desirable in more highly integrated circuits.
Another commonly used barrier layer is formed from metal organic CVD titanium nitride (MOCVD-TiN). Inherently, the MOCVD-TiN material contains impurities such as carbon, hydrogen and oxides, so that the resistance of MOCVD-TiN material is high. In order to reduce the resistance, one method removes these impurities by treating the barrier layer with a plasma gas containing an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen. However, following the plasma gas treatment, the thickness of the MOCVD-TiN is substantially reduced. Consequently, the treated MOCVD-TiN layer thus formed has comparatively lower resistance, but the thickness should be adequate to function as a barrier layer effectively.
The effectiveness of the contact is limited by the contact resistance between the barrier metal layer and the doped regions in the substrate. Contact resistance is of particular concern in CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-silicon) technology. One approach to reduce the contact resistance is to deposit a conformal refractory metal layer into the opening, deposit the barrier metal on the refractory metal layer, and then perform a thermal process to effect a reaction between the metal and the silicon atoms of the substrate to form metal silicide. Since the metal silicide has a low resistance, consequently the contact resistance can be reduced.
One of the concerns of this methodology is that the plasma treatment to densify or reduce contaminants in the MOCVD-TiN layer affects the contact metal (titanium) underneath, especially in the case when titanium silicide formation is required for low contact resistance to the silicon substrate. This is due to the top portion of the titanium being easily converted to titanium nitride prior to being converted to titanium silicide in a subsequent rapid thermal anneal (RTA) step. The conversion of portions of the titanium to titanium nitride causes degradation of the contact resistance and distribution. Furthermore, in order to provide adequate titanium to form silicide, and compensate for the conversion of a portion of the titanium to titanium nitride, an excessive amount of titanium needs to be initially deposited. However, this raises concerns regarding overhang on the contact opening, as well as requiring additional titanium material for the process.
FIG. 2 depicts an N2/H2 plasma treatment in which the contact hole 20 has been provided with an initial titanium contact layer 22 followed by a barrier metal titanium nitride layer 24. This is provided on a silicon substrate 26. The N2/H2 plasma treatment is performed to reduce the resistance and remove impurities in the titanium nitride layer 24. However, as seen in FIG. 3, a portion of the titanium layer 22 is converted by the N2/H2 plasma treatment to an additional titanium nitride region 28. This reduces the amount of titanium that can react with the silicon to form silicide. This results in the structure of FIG. 3 following an annealing step to form silicide 30. The penetration of the N2/H2 plasma into the titanium through the titanium nitride layer 24, as shown in FIG. 2, therefore reduces the thickness of the titanium silicide 30 that is ultimately formed. Thus, in order to provide an adequate titanium silicide region, an excessive amount of titanium may be deposited to compensate for the conversion of some of the titanium to titanium nitride by the plasma treatment.

Method of forming a contact in a semiconductor device with engineered plasma treatment profile of barrier metal layer


Pick-up heads and systems are especially useful for picking up, transporting, and placing semiconductor dies at bond sites on packaging substrates. Alternatively, the heads and systems are useful for performing these tasks with any of various other planar objects. An exemplary head includes a shank and a body. The body includes a compliant end portion contactable by the shank, and the end portion includes a face. The shank is movable relative to the end portion such that, whenever the shank is retracted, the face has a substantially planar contour, and whenever the shank is extended, the shank contacts and urges the end portion to provide the face with a convex contour. The end portion desirably defines at least one vacuum orifice connected to an evacuation device (e.g., a vacuum pump) that evacuates the vacuum orifice sufficiently to cause the planar object to adhere to the face.

Dies are respective portions of semiconductor wafers that have been cut up into individual units after completion of wafer-fabrication steps. Each die has substantially all its specified circuit layers and is ready for packaging to make finished devices.
A die pick-up tool comprises a pick-up "head" mounted to and controllably moved by a robotic mechanism. The die pick-up head is the actual device that picks up the die for movement into position for execution of a die-packaging step that usually involves bonding the die to a substrate.
Die packaging is normally the final process in the long chain of processes for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuits and the like. Die packaging is a multi-disciplinary technology that typically involves many steps. The technology is critically important because it has a direct impact on device performance and reliability. "Packaging" as used herein encompasses any of various techniques of preparing a die for actual use as an electronic device. In many instances, packaging includes mounting the die on a lead-frame or analogous item and encapsulating the die to seal and protect the die from the external environment, while allowing peripheral portions of the lead-frame to extend outside the package for making external electrical connections to and from the die. Packaging also can facilitate the conduction of heat away from the die during use. More recent types of packaging, currently being used increasingly widely, simply involve mounting the die on a substrate or carrier, with which the die directly makes the required external connections, without forming a discrete capsule around the individual die beforehand (and usually without using a lead-frame). Modern "flip-chip" packaging schemes are in this latter category.
Die packaging is prefaced by wafer dicing and/or scribing by which a wafer that has completed the various "wafer-fabrication" steps is cut up into individual dies. The combined processes of dicing and packaging are usually called semiconductor "assembly" processes. During dicing, the finished semiconductor wafer is cut using a dicing saw, laser beam, or the like so as to separate the dies from one another.
In substantially all packaging operations involving dies, each die is bonded to some kind of substrate (e.g., ceramic, metal, plastic, or other suitable material) to provide the die with mechanical support, ruggedness, and a heat-removal capability. Mounting dies to substrates involves sophisticated robotics that execute the required steps in a highly accurate and precise manner while ensuring an adequate level of process cleanliness, achieving a desired rate of processing ("throughput"), and avoiding damage to the delicate dies. To bond a die to a bond site on a substrate, the die typically is picked up by a die pick-up head (sometimes called a "collet") that is robotically moved into position adjacent (usually vertically above) the bond site. A small amount of adhesive is placed between the die and bond site, and the pick-up head is moved to lower the die onto and adhere the die to the bond site.
A conventional die pick-up head comprises a die-contact face (usually facing downward) that is supported (usually from above) by a stem. The face usually is made of a compliant material to avoid damaging the surface of the die. At least one vacuum-orifice opens onto the face. The vacuum-orifice is connected to a conduit that usually extends upward inside the stem. The conduit is connected to a vacuum pump. Whenever the face is in close proximity to a die for pick-up, the conduit and orifice are evacuated by the pump to attract and hold the die to the face. The die remains held to the face so long as the vacuum in the conduit is maintained. Meanwhile, the head moves the die into position over a bond site on the substrate and lowers the die onto the bond site. At time of placement of the die at the bond site, evacuation of the conduit and orifice is halted to release the die from the face.
The adhesive is applied to the bond site before the die is lowered onto the bond site. The amount of adhesive and the manner of applying it are tightly controlled. A widely used method is providing the adhesive in the form of a flexible film (called "die attach") that is robotically applied to the bond site. Bonding a die to the substrate using a die attach usually is prefaced by localized application of heat or other energy to the bond site to soften the die attach sufficiently for achieving a bond while avoiding excessive liquefaction of the adhesive. In other die-bonding processes adhesive (e.g., epoxy) is applied as a small dollop to the bond site just before lowering the die onto it.
In most conventional die pick-up heads, the face is planar. Examples of planar-head faces are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,279 to Sakiadis; U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,561 to Nam et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,995,468 to Abe et al., all incorporated herein by reference.
After placement of the die on the bond site, and while the adhesive is sufficiently softened, the pick-up head usually applies a small amount of downward force to the die to cause the adhesive to spread out between the die and bond site and thus form a thin adhesive film between the die and bond site. A persistent problem with this approach, particularly when using heads having planar faces, is the frequent formation of "film voids" (empty regions in the adhesive film due to entrapped or drawn-in air) between the die and bond site. Film voids are not visible, and thus are not readily detectable, but they can substantially reduce heat conduction from the die to the substrate in a finished device. Poor heat conduction can result in increased probability of device failure. Film voids also can substantially reduce the ruggedness of the finished device.
Unfortunately, current approaches for solving the problem of film voids, such as using pick-up heads having curved faces, have shown some promise with respect to achieving good bonding. But, pick-up heads in general do more than simply bond the die; they must also be very effective in picking up dies and transporting them without mishap. Unfortunately, current pick-up heads having curved faces exhibit difficulty in consistently maintaining the desired vacuum for holding the die to the face. As a result, the pick-up heads exhibit less than optimal performance of holding and transferring dies, especially when used at high speed and/or when manipulating large dies.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for die pick-up tools and heads that perform all three tasks (pick-up, transport, and bonding) with a very high degree of consistent and reliable performance at high-speed operation and with large dies.

Pick-up heads and systems for die bonding and related applications


An ointment composition for treating decubitus ulcers and methods for its making and its use. The composition includes a skin protestant ointment, a rash cream, an antibiotic ointment, virgin olive oil, and boric acid powder. The skin protestant ointment includes active ingredients petroleum 53.4%, lanolin 15.5%, and inactive ingredients cod liver oil containing vitamin A & vitamin D, a fragrance, light mineral oil, microcrystalline wax, and paraffin. The rash cream includes active ingredients dimethicone 1% and zinc oxide 10%, and inactive ingredients aloe barbadensis extract, benzyl alcohol, coconut oil, cod liver oil containing vitamin A & vitamin D, a fragrance, glycerol oleate, light mineral oil, ozokerite, paraffin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, synthetic beeswax, and water. The antibiotic ointment includes active ingredients polymyxin B sulfate 5,000 units, bacitracin zinc 400 units, and neomycin base (as sulfate) 3.5 mg., and an inactive ingredient white petroleum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ointment composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ointment composition for treating decubitus ulcers and methods for its making and its use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for compositions for treating skin irritations have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,248 to Shulman teaches chemotherapeutic compositions and methods for topically traumatic, diseased and degenerative skin disorders. One of the invention compositions comprises abietic acid and a-tocopherol contained in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. One or more of the invention compositions are suitable for the alleviation of severe burn injuries, and in the treatment of other skin disorders such as diabetic ulcers, decubitus ulcers, gangrene, abrasions, lacerations, puncture wounds, localized infections, and the like.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,191 to Clark teaches a topical ointment composition which includes a mixture of non-systemic bases comprising calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, and aluminum hydroxide. The composition also includes an anhydrous lanolin base carrier material and a hydrophilic ointment base carrier material, and the ointment composition is effective to essentially adjust the acid-base balance at the area of topical application to a point which corresponds with normal healthy body tissue. The composition may further include a compound having pharmaceutically acceptable anesthetic properties. In addition to the topical ointment composition, a method is provided for treating skin injuries involving inflammation or destruction of tissue, such as decubitus ulcers, varicose ulcers and burns, which method involves preparing the above noted composition and applying it to the affected area.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,527 to Arima et al. teaches a wound treatment agent which contains as an effective ingredient a fraction containing nucleoside phosphotransferase produced by a nucleoside phosphotransferase producing bacterium belonging to the genus Clostridium, solely or in combination with zinc oxide.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,254 to Moss teaches an ointment composition for treating skin irritations such as diaper rash and decubitus. The composition includes zinc oxide, boric acid, karaya gum, peruvian balsam, cod liver oil and an appropriate solvent and pharmaceutical carrier.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,896 to Redmond teaches a composition for use in the treatment of epidermal traumas. The composition comprises a nitroimadazole, an occlusive skin barrier composition, and an occlusive synthetic dressing. Furthermore, the invention comprises a method of treatment of the epidermal trauma using the novel composition.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for compositions for treating skin irritations have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

Ointment composition for treating decubitus ulcers and methods for its making and its use


Systems, methods, and computer code products monitor the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal. In one implementation, the animal is positioned inside a waste container placed on a system that is adapted to determine, record and communicate over a network various animal health parameters. These parameters can be processed to determine trends, statistics and changes of animal physiological functions. The results can be used to access animal health conditions and issue warnings, alarms, messages, and other notifications to designated caretakers. These notifications may be displayed using various devices such as computers and/or mobile devices. Data retrieval and review capability can provide improved understanding of an animal's health conditions and facilitate early illness detection.

It is animals' natural instinct to hide any signs of weakness, illness and disease, and animals do this very well. In nature, weak animals are an easy prey for predators, or an easy target for their peers, competing over food resources, leadership or mates. Household pets and companion animals are not different from wild animals in this respect: they also hide signs of weakness, illness and disease. For this reason, signs of disease in animals frequently go unnoticed for some time, until the disease progresses to more advanced stages and signs of disease become more severe and observable. Early detection of diseases always leads to the best chance of recovery, as stated by veterinarian doctors.
Presently available approaches for companion animal health monitoring do not include continuous automated quantitative methods and means but rather rely on qualitative observations by animal owners and caretakers and periodic or intermittent veterinarian exams. One of the quantitative means for companion animal health monitoring is periodically weighing on weighing scales and recording the result and comparing with the result of previous weighings such as weighing at home or at a veterinarian office.
Such manual approaches are cumbersome and do not provide timely access to animal health characteristics, the weighing takes place mostly irregularly, not sufficiently frequent and lacks consistency in weighing and tracking changes in body weight on a periodic basis such as daily. Also, manual processes are prone to inaccuracies, incompleteness and loss of data; furthermore, keeping the animal steady on a weighing scale during the weighing is challenging because the animal, which has been forced onto the weighing scale, is naturally trying to move around, or even step off or jump off of the weighing scale.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems, methods and computer program products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal


A level sensing assembly senses the level of a fluid in a tank. The tank includes a fluid port that is disposed below the level of the fluid and an air port disposed above the level of fluid. The level sensing assembly includes a lower port in fluid communication with the fluid port of the tank. An upper port is in fluid communication with the lower port of the tank. A measuring vessel is disposed between the lower and upper ports and is in fluid communication therebetween. The measuring vessel includes an auxiliary port disposed adjacent the upper port. The level sensing assembly also includes a level sensor extending down through the auxiliary port into the measuring vessel to measure the level of the fluid in the measuring vessel and the level of the fluid in the tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to level sensing assemblies for measuring the level of a fluid in a vessel. More particularly, the invention relates to modifying a float level sensing assembly to a non-float level sensing assembly to measure the level of water in a vessel.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many situations that require an accurate reading of a fluid in a tank or vessel. While many of these tanks are pressurized, fluid level measurements are also important in non-pressurized tanks. Accurate fluid level measurements are important in order to maintain a system operating as it is designed. Fluid level measurements are important because they can be used to warn an operator of a system that the fluid in a particular tank is about to empty. In many situations, the system that requires the fluid in the tank may be damaged if the level of the fluid in the tank drops below a certain level.
One example of a system that requires a monitoring of a fluid level within a tank is a boiler system. Steam boilers have feed water controls that are responsible for the level of fluid, e.g., water, in the boiler. As the boiler boils the water to create steam, a source of water must supply water to the boiler. If the boiler runs out of water, the boiler will be damaged or destroyed because the steel that creates the boiler cannot transfer the thermal energy it receives away from itself at a rate sufficient to avoid damage thereto. In other words, the boiler requires a sufficient supply of water therewithin.
Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a prior art fluid level sensor is generally indicated at 10. The fluid level sensor 10 is in fluid communication with a tank 12 that has a fluid 14 therein. The fluid 14 defines a fluid level 16.
The fluid level sensor 10 includes a measuring vessel 18 with a water port 20 and a steam port 22 disposed on either end thereof. A fluid level 24, shown in phantom, represents the fluid level 16 in the tank 12.
The fluid level sensor 10 includes three separate and independent systems for measuring the fluid level 24 in the measuring vessel 18. The fluid level sensor 10 has a mechanical float mechanism, generally shown at 26 that includes a float (not shown) which extends into the measuring vessel 18 to float on the fluid level 24. The fluid level sensor 10 also includes a glass gauge 28 that allows an operator the ability to visually identify the location of the fluid level 24 within the measuring vessel 18 without having to open the measuring vessel 18. The third mechanism for identifying the fluid level 24 in the measuring vessel 18 includes a set of tricocks 30 that may be opened to identify what flows out of each of the set of tricocks 30. The measuring vessel 18 includes an auxiliary port 32, which receives a plug 34 therein.
Referring to FIG. 2, the measuring vessel 18 of the prior art is shown prior to installation. The measuring vessel 18 is shipped to a site for installation with the mechanical float mechanism 26 secured thereto (although not shown in FIG. 2 for simplicity). Inserted into the auxiliary port 32 is a temporary plug 36 and a positioning cylinder 38 disposed therewithin. The positioning cylinder 38 is coaxial with the temporary plug 36 and extends down into the interior 40 of the measuring vessel 18. The positioning cylinder 18 is typically fabricated of cardboard. The positioning cylinder 38 is used exclusively for maintaining the mechanical float in a particular position during shipment of the measuring vessel 18 to the site of installation. The positioning cylinder 38 and temporary plug 36 are removed upon reaching the site of installation and the auxiliary port 32 is immediately plugged with the plug 34 for continued operation of the measuring vessel 18 through its life.
The problem with the three mechanisms for identifying the fluid level 24 within the measuring vessel 18 is that they are very insensitive and, when translating the mechanical measurement to an electrical signal, inaccurate methods for measuring a fluid level such as the fluid level 24. If an operator is not present to view the glass gauge 28, or the glass gauge 28 is dirty or corroded such that the fluid level is not visible therein, the method of using the set of tricocks 30 or the mechanical float mechanism 26 reduces the fluid level sensing assembly 10 to one that is very cyclical with the fluid level either being too high or too low and rarely being at an optimal level for operation. This increases the costs of energy as more energy is consumed when the level of fluid in the vessel 12 cycles through such a large range of fluid levels.

Method of modifying a fluid level sensing assembly by replacing a mechanical float


This invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I, a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I and at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF, and a method of growing hematopoietic stem cells which comprises culturing hematopoietic stem cells in a medium containing IGF-I and at least one protein selected from the group consisting of SCF and M-CSF.

This invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent and a method for stimulating the proliferation. More particularly, the invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising insulin-like growth factor I either alone or in combination with some or other colony-stimulating factors and/or growth factors and to a method for proliferating.
A variety of growth factors relating to the blood system are under investigation, and erythropoietin (EPO) as an erythropoiesis stimulating agent and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) as a leukopoiesis stimulating agent, among others, have been clinically put to use to this day. Regarding the technology for proliferating of hematopoietic stem cells, various cytokines such as stem cell factor (SCF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), etc. were explored but none has been found to be effective enough in causing hematopoietic stem cells to multiply sufficiently in the undifferentiated form.
As the result of an intensive investigation, the inventors of this invention found that hematopoietic stem cells can be successfully caused to multiply in the undifferentiated state well by using insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in combination with at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF. This invention has been developed on the basis of the above finding.
This invention relates to a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I, a hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent comprising IGF-I and at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF, and a method of stimulating proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells which comprises culturing hematopoietic stem cells in a culture medium containing IGF-I and at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method of proliferating of hematopoietic stem cells in a mammal which comprises using IGF-I alone or in combination with at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF, and G-CSF.
Since the hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent and method of the invention are effective in causing hematopoietic stem cells to multiply in the undifferentiated state whether in vivo or in vitro, the invention finds application in the management of the cytopenia induced by radiotherapy or chemotherapy using anticancer drugs, prevention of infectious diseases with which lymphopenia is associated, treatment of myelopathy inclusive of osteomyelodysplasia and bone marrow suppression, therapy of marrow diseases such as leukemia-advanced renal impairment-bone marrow suppression, improvement in engraftment survival in bone marrow transplantation, therapy of hypocytosis associated with inherited diseases, in vitro culture for multiplication of hematopoietic stem cells, and extrasomatic culture of recombinant stem cells in gene therapy, among other uses.
The IGF-I which can be used in this invention includes the corresponding proteins derived from human, bovine, and other mammals by recombinant DNA technology (e.g. Kokai Tokkyo Koho S61-1396 for IGF-I), peptide synthesis, cell culture, or other technology and even the muteins having IGF-I activity which can be derived from the recombinant or other IGF-I by partial modification of its amino acid sequence by substitution, insertion, addition, or deletion of one or more amino acid residues (e.g. WO89/05822).
The SCF, M-CSF, or G-CSF which can be used in this invention includes the corresponding proteins derived from human, bovine, or other mammals by recombinant DNA technology, peptide synthesis, cell culture, or other technology and even those muteins having SCF, M-CSF, or G-CSF activity which can be derived from the recombinant or other SCF, M-CSF or G-CSF by partial modification of its amino acid sequence by substitution, insertion, addition, or deletion of one or more amino acid residues. Here, the sugar chain may be present or absent.
The hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of this invention which comprises IGF-I and either SCF, M-CSF, or G-CSF can be administered virtually without limitations on the dosage form or forms, sequence of administration, or route of administration, all that is necessary being to insure that those factors will be concurrently available in the recipient""s body. For example, they can be administered as a mixture in a single dosage form or in independent dosage forms, whether concurrently or one after another, and whether by the same route or by different routes.
The hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention is generally provided in an oral dosage form or in a nonoral dosage form, e.g. an injection, drip infusion, transdermal therapeutic system, transnasal therapeutic system, external preparation, suppository, etc., each containing IGF-I alone or IGF-I plus at least one protein selected from among SCF, M-CSF and G-CSF together with a carrier (e.g. distilled water for injection, physiological saline, glucose injection, etc.), a stabilizer (e.g. albumin, sodium citrate, arginine, dextran, etc.), a pH control agent (e.g. sodium monohydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, etc.) and other additives. Such dosage forms or systems may further contain one or more growth factors such as SCF, M-CSF, G-CSF, EPO, and IL-3.
The dosage of this hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent depends on the patient""s body weight, sex, and clinical condition but the dose level for an adult human is generally about 1xcx9c1000 xcexcg/kg in terms of IGF-I and preferably about 5xcx9c500 xcexcg/kg on the same basis. When SCF, M-CSF, or G-CSF is used concomitantly, SCF, M-CSF or G-CSF can be formulated in the same amount as IGF-I or in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 100 times the amount of IGF-I.
This hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent can be administered orally or otherwise, e.g. by intravenous injection, intravenous drip, subcutaneous injection, coronary intraarterial administration, transdermal administration, transnasal administration, or rectal administration.
IGF-I and any of SCF, M-CSF and G-CSF can be formulated in one and the same dosage form but may be administered independently one after the other or concurrently, either by the same route or different routes. When they are administered in sequence, it does not matter which is administered first.
When the hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention is used for ameliorating the cytopenia induced by radiotherapy or chemotherapy using anticancer drugs, the hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention can be used alone or concurrently with EPO, M-CSF, SCF, IL-3, G-CSF, and/or the like. When it is used for the prevention of infectious diseases associated with lymphopenia, GM-CSF or the like can be used concomitantly. Furthermore, in the treatment of myelopathies such as osteomyelodysplasia and bone marrow suppression or marrow diseases such as leukemia-advanced kidney impairment-bone marrow suppression, for improvement in engraftment survival in bone marrow transplantation, or in the treatment of hypocytosis associated with inherited diseases, suitable growth factors such as EPO, G-CSF, GM-CSF, etc. can be used as concomitant medications.
In the in vitro culture for multiplication of hematopoietic stem cells or extrasomatic culture of recombinant stem cells in gene therapy, among other applications, the hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention can be used in combination with other suitable growth factors. In vitro culture of marrow cells can be essentially carried out in accordance with the method described in Shin Seikagaku Jikken Koza [New Biochemical Experiment Series] 18 Saibo Baiyo Gijutsu [Cell Culture Technology] (ed. by Japanese Biochemical Society, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin, 1989). For example, using a CO2 incubator, marrow cells can be cultured in RD medium [RPMI1640:DMEM=1:1 (v/v)] supplemented with insulin, transferring, 2-mercaptoethanol, ethanolamine, selenious acid, HEPES, etc. in the presence of IGF-I (1xcx9c1000 g g/ml) and at least one protein selected from among SCF (1xcx9c1000 xcexcg/ml), M-CSF (1xcx9c1000 xcexcg/ml), and G-CSF (1xcx9c1000 xcexcg/ml.

Hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agents

Abstract: The hematopoietic stem cell proliferating agent of the invention causes hematopoietic stem cells to proliferate in the undifferentiated state whether in vivo or in vitro and can, therefore, be used for amelioration of the cytopenia induced by radiotherapy or chemotherapy using anticancer drugs, prevention of infectious diseases associated with lymphopenia, or in vitro culture for multiplication of hematopoietic stem cells and extrasomatic culture of recombinant stem cells in gene therapy.


The disclosure provides an optical component for retinal imaging including: a light source module, a beam splitter, an imaging module, a scanning module, and a flat field objective lens. The flat field objective lens is between the scanning module and a detection position, the light source module is configured to emit, to the beam splitter, a detection light for illuminating a fundus, the detection light being guided by the beam splitter to the scanning module and emitted to the detection position through the scanning module and the flat field objective lens, reflected light from the detection position can pass through the scanning module and reaches the beam splitter, and is guided by the beam splitter to the imaging module. The scanning module includes a scanning objective lens reciprocally movable along its central axis, and the flat field objective lens is reciprocally movable along its central axis.

A retinal image of a human eye is indispensable information in diagnoses and treatments in ophthalmology, and tracking a change in morphology of a retina at the fundus in real time will help early diagnosis and prevention of physical diseases. R. H. Webb applies confocal scanning technique in living human retinal imaging, and a confocal vacuum pinhole at a side of a detector is configured to block out-of-focus stray light in a sample, so as to obtain a high-resolution image of a focal plane in the sample. However, scanning electric distribution adopted in the confocal technique is dispersed, resulting in low resolution, in the meanwhile, a light spot has low energy, and a weak light detector is used, resulting in slow imaging speed and acquired image having low contrast.
In order to solve the above problem, a confocal imaging device based on line scanning has appeared. However, the current confocal imaging device can only obtain a plan view of a retina, and stereoscopic detection of a retina cannot be achieved.
Therefore, how to realize stereoscopic detection of a retina has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in the art.

Optical component for retinal imaging and retina imaging device

REYEMICO (HANGZHOU) MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY LTD.


Tumor-Treating Fields elicit a conditional vulnerability to PARP inhibitors (e.g., Olaparib) in certain cancer cells such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. This conditional vulnerability is exploited in a method of killing cancer cells that comprises delivering a PARP inhibitor to the cancer cells and applying an alternating 80-300 kHz electric field to the cancer cells. At least a portion of the applying step is performed simultaneously with at least a portion of the delivering step. In some embodiments, an additional step of treating the cancer cells with a radiation therapy is added to the method. In some embodiments, the frequency of the alternating electric field is between 100 and 200 kHz.

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent type, accounting for ˜80% of new cases. A plethora of treatment options exist including surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. Five-year survival rates for patients with stage I and II NSCLC are ˜50% and 30%, respectively. However, despite this myriad of options, 5-year survival rates for patients with late stage IIIA, IIIB and IV are 14%, 5% and 1%, respectively, highlighting the need for novel treatment modalities that can be utilized alone or in combination with conventional therapies to increase survival rates.
The advent of Tumor-Treating Fields (TTFields), a novel physical treatment modality, has been effective for the treatment of solid, therapy-resistant primary and recurrent tumors. TTFields electrodes are non-invasive and deliver a low-intensity (e.g., 1-3 V/cm) intermediate frequency (e.g., 100-300 kHz) alternating electric field across the tumor bed. TTFields create a heterogeneous intracellular environment that induces a dielectrophoretic movement of polar molecules toward the region of higher field intensity, effectively preventing polymerization and other critical biochemical functions. As such, TTFields preferentially target cancer cells through the exploitation of cell proliferation, effectively sparing non-dividing normal cells. In addition, TTFields do not stimulate nerves and muscle because of their high frequency, and do not generate high levels of heating because of their low intensity. The FDA has approved Optune (NovoCure), a TTFields generating transducer array, for the treatment of recurrent and newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) in combination with temozolomide.

Treating tumors using TTFields combined with a PARP inhibitor

Board of Regents of the University of Texas System


A shielded connector structure includes a first connector and a second connector, each having a metal terminal element, an insulating connector housing that has a terminal container for accommodating the metal terminal elements, and a conductive shield shell which covers the terminal container of the connector housing. The shielded connector structure further includes a conductive connector mounting portion which contacts the shield shell of at least one of the first and second connectors to ground the shield shell; and a connecting portion which is provided on each of the shield shells of the first and second connectors, and is coupled to the connector mounting portion when the first and second connectors are engaged to shield-connect the shield shells each other.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a shielded connector structure which includes a pair of connectors each having a conductive shield shell covering a connector housing which accommodates a metal terminal element, and a conductive connector mounting portion, and in which a shield shell that is grounded at the connector mounting portion to discharge a noise.
2. Background Art
Various electronic apparatuses are mounted in a mobile vehicular body configured as an automobile. Therefore, wire harnesses are prepared and installed in order to supply electric power and signals to the electronic apparatuses on the automobile. These wire harnesses includes multiple electric wires and connectors attached to the wires.
A three-phase electric motor may be employed as a driving motor in the above-mentioned automobile such as an electric car, a hybrid car and a fuel-cell vehicle. Since high voltages are normally supplied for this type of motor, there are problems that external leakage of electrical noise originating at a metal terminal element provided on a power supply terminal occurs, or that such noise flows from one such terminal metal element to another.
As a technique for resolving this problem, use of a shielded connector (see, for example, patent document 1) has been proposed. The shielded connector includes: an insulated connector housing which is formed of a terminal container that contains a metal terminal element and an outer housing that is located outside the terminal container; a conductive inner shield shell which covers the terminal container; and a conductive outer shield shell which is formed separately from the inner shield shell and covers the outer housing while contacting the inner shield shell. One end of the inner shield shell and one end of the outer shield shell are grounded.
A mating shielded connector which is to engage the shielded connector is formed, for example, of: an insulating connector housing which includes a terminal container that accommodates a metal terminal element, and a conductive shield shell that covers another connector housing. Then, when the two shielded connectors are engaged, the conductive shield shell and the inner shield shell are connected electrically. Thus, electrical noise originating at the terminal fitting, which could be leaked externally or could enter the shield shell interior, is altered to provide a return current that flows from the shield shell of the second shielded connector to the inner shield shell of the shielded connector. Thereafter, the return current is either discharged from the inner shield shell, or flows from the inner shield shell to the outer shield shell and to be finally discharged.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-310164
As described above, since part of the electrical noise is flowed from the shield shell of the mating shielded connector to the inner shield shell of the shielded connector and to the outer shield shell and is discharged externally, the path from the shield shell to the outer shell is extended. Accordingly, because of electric resistance along the path, the free flow of the return current is impeded and the electrical noise can not be appropriately discharged.


An image processing device including: an acquisition unit that acquires image data for recording with a liquid droplet ejecting head having a plurality of ejection nozzles that eject liquid droplets onto a recording medium, and data relating to a faulty ejection nozzle of the liquid droplet ejecting head; a generation unit that generates recording data in units of pixels corresponding to the ejection nozzles based on the image data; a conversion unit that, based on data relating to the faulty ejection nozzle, converts the recording data in units of rows of pixels to be recorded by each of the ejection nozzles so as to reduce the number of pixels to be recorded by the faulty ejection nozzle; and an output unit that outputs the converted recording data to the liquid droplet-ejecting head.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image recording device, an image processing method, and a storage medium that contains an image processing program.
2. Related Art
With a droplet ejecting device such as an inkjet printer, images are formed by driving recording heads in response to image data and making the recording heads eject ink droplets from the nozzles of the recording heads onto the recording medium.
With these types of recording heads, there are instances where some of the nozzles enter a state where the ink droplets cannot be properly ejected (i.e., where the direction of ejection or the droplet volume of the ink droplets are faulty); or when they enter a state of faulty ejection such as a state where ejection becomes impossible. These states can occur due to the condition in which the ink is supplied to the nozzles or due to clogging of the nozzles. When there are nozzles that are in such states of defective ejection, ejection of ink droplets corresponding to the image data is not properly performed at the positions facing the faulty ejection nozzles. For this reason, streaks are generated in the image on the recording medium.

Image processing device, image recording device, image processing method, and recording medium with image processing program


A radio communication device includes a reception unit that receives a part of data transmitted from a first communication device, via a first path including a radio channel between the radio communication device and the first communication device and that receives another part of data transmitted from the first communication device, via a second path that goes through a second communication device; a control unit that performs communication control in accordance with a state of data communication performed via the second path; and a transmission unit that transmits, to the first communication device via the first path by using control performed by the control unit in accordance with the state of the data communication performed via the second path, reception state information that specifies data that has been received or data that has not been received by the reception unit.

Conventionally, in order to increase transmission capacity in a radio communication system (hereinafter, referred to as "system capacity"), various devices are designed. For example, in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Radio Access Network Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), the technology related to increase the system capacity by making the most use of, in addition to macro cells, small cells (micro cell) is being discussed. Here, the cell indicates the range that is covered by a radio base station in order for a radio terminal to transmit and receive a radio signal. Furthermore, the macro cell is a cell that accommodates a base station and in which transmission electrical power is relatively high and the radio wave reach range is relatively large. Furthermore, the small cell is a cell that accommodates a base station in which transmission electrical power is relatively low and the radio wave reach range is relatively small.
In the 3GPP LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), as the configuration of a radio communication system, for example, the configuration in which a plurality of small cells is included in a macro cell is being studied. Furthermore, the technology in which a mobile station simultaneously connects a macro cell and a small cell is being studied. In addition, the technology in which a mobile station simultaneously connects two different small cells is being studied. In this way, communication in which a mobile station simultaneously connects two different cells and performs operations may sometimes be called dual connectivity (Dual Connectivity).
When a mobile station simultaneously connects to a macro cell and a small cell, for example, a signal of a control plane that includes therein control information on the layer 3, such as setting of a transmission path, control of handover, or the like, is transmitted and received to and from a base station in a macrocell (hereinafter, referred to as a "macro base station"). Furthermore, for example, a signal of a data plane that includes therein user data is transmitted and received to and from the macro base station and the base station in a small cell (hereinafter, referred to as a "small base station"). Here, the control plane may sometimes be called a control plane (Control Plane: C plane), a Signaling Radio Bearer (SRB), or the like. Furthermore, the data plane may sometimes be called a user plane (User Plane: U plane) or a DRB (Data Radio Bearer), or the like.
In contrast, when a mobile station simultaneously connects to two different small cells, for example, the signal of the control plane is transmitted and received to and from one of the small base stations and the signal of the data plane is transmitted and received to and from the other one of the small base stations. The signal of the data plane may also be transmitted and received to and from both the small base stations.
In such dual connectivity described above, a base station to which the control plane is connected may sometimes be called a primary base station. Furthermore, a base station that performs communication in cooperation with the primary base station and to which the data plane is connected may sometimes be called a secondary base station. Furthermore, these base stations may sometimes be called anchor radio base stations, assisting radio base stations, master radio base stations, or slave radio base stations. Furthermore, in the latest trend of LTE-A, these base stations are respectively called a master base station and a secondary base station. In the present application, the respective base stations may sometimes be called a first communication device and a second communication device.
Regarding sharing of functions with respect to a primary base station and a secondary base station in dual connectivity, various configurations are proposed in accordance with which of the layer is used to split a signal of the data plane. For example, there is the configuration in which a signal of the data plane is split in the previous stage of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. Furthermore, for example, there is the configuration in which a signal of the data plane is split between the PDCP layer and the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. Furthermore, for example, there is the configuration in which a signal of the data plane is split between the RLC layer and the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. The configuration is not limited to these and it is also possible to use the configuration in which a signal of the data plane is split in each of the layers. Furthermore, for example, it is also possible to use the configuration in which some function performed in the PDCP layer is allocated to the primary base station and the rest of the function performed in the PDCP layer is allocated to the secondary base station. The same applied to the function of the RLC layer and the MAC layer. Furthermore, in the latest trend of LTE-A, it is supposed to use the configuration in which a signal of the data plane is split between the PDCP layer and the RLC layer (Architecture 3C) and the configuration in which each of the master base station and the small base station has the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, and the MAC layer (Architecture 1C).
The primary base station and the secondary base station that share the function are connected with each other by a wired or radio link. Then, the signal of the data plane that is split in the primary base station is transmitted to the secondary base station via this link.    Non Patent Literature 1: 3GPP TS36.300 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2    Non Patent Literature 2: 3GPP T536.211 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical channels and modulation    Non Patent Literature 3: 3GPP T536.212 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Multiplexing and channel coding    Non Patent Literature 4: 3GPP TS36.213 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical layer procedures    Non Patent Literature 5: 3GPP T536.321 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification    Non Patent Literature 6: 3GPP T536.322 V11.0.0 (2012-09), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol specification    Non Patent Literature 7: 3GPP TS 36.323 V11.2.0 (2013-03), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) specification    Non Patent Literature 8: 3GPP T536.331 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Resource Control (RRC); Protocol specification    Non Patent Literature 9: 3GPP TS36.413 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); S1 Application Protocol (S1AP)    Non Patent Literature 10: 3GPP TS36.423 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); X2 Application Protocol (X2AP)    Non Patent Literature 11: 3GPP TR36.842 V12.0.0 (2013-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Study on Small Cell enhancements for E-UTRA and E-UTRAN; Higher layer aspects
However, when the dual connectivity is being performed, for example, if a communication state is changed in communication performed between the secondary base station and the mobile station, it is conceivable that a case of releasing the dual connectivity and switching to the single connectivity may occur. Namely, when the mobile station simultaneously connects the macro base station and the small base station, if the communication state between the mobile station and the small base station is changed, it is conceivable that the dual connectivity is released and the mobile station performs communication with only the macro base station. An example of a change of the communication state includes, for example, a failure related to data communication, the occurrence of an error, the degradation of the radio quality, or the like.
However, when the dual connectivity is being performed, because a signal of the data plane is transmitted from both the macro base station and the small base station, if a case of switching to the single connectivity occurs, duplication or a loss of user data may possibly occur in the mobile station. Namely, if a case of switching from the dual connectivity to the single connectivity occurs, the macro base station may sometimes transmit, in a duplicated manner, user data that has already been transmitted from the small base station or may sometimes make the user data loss without transmitting the user data that has not yet been transmitted from the small base station.
Furthermore, this problem occurs not only in a downlink, which is from the base station toward the mobile station, but also in an uplink, which is from the mobile station toward the base station. Namely, when the dual connectivity is being performed, the mobile station transmits the user data to both the macro base station and the small base station; however, after having switched to the single connectivity, the mobile station transmits the user data only to the macro base station. At this time, because the mobile station does not identify whether the user data that has already been transmitted to the small base station is transferred to the macro base station, it is difficult to transmit the user data with the proper quantity to the macro base station after having switched to the single connectivity. Similarly, in also a case in which the mobile station performs three or more multiple connectivity, inconsistency of user data that is transmitted and received after having switched to the single connectivity may sometimes occur.

Radio communication device and radio communication method for switching from dual connectivity to single connectivity


A computer system includes a cover and a chassis. The chassis includes a bottom plate parallel to the cover, a first side plate, and a second side plate corresponding to the first side plate. A motherboard and a power supply are fixed on the bottom plate. The power supply is adjacent to the first side plate. The motherboard includes a first heat generating component. The power supply includes a first fan module. A second fan module is secured on the first heat generating component. A first airflow inlet is defined in the first fan module. A second airflow inlet is defined in the second fan module. The first and second airflow inlets are perpendicular to the bottom plate. A third airflow inlet is defined in the cover. The second airflow inlet is located between the first heat generating component and the second side plate.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to computer systems, and particularly to a computer system with high heat dissipation efficiency.
2. Description of Related Art
When a computer system is working, dissipation of heat therefrom is critical. Often, a plurality of fans is mounted in the computer system for this purpose. However, of the presence of multiple installed components in the computer system can block airflow from the fans, reducing heat dissipation efficiency.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


Converting data transformations entered in a spreadsheet program into a circuit representation of those transformations. The circuit representation can run independently of the spreadsheet program to transform input data into output data. In some cases the circuit representation is in the form of hardware, accepts and/or produces data streams, and/or the circuit and/or output data or data streams can be shared among multiple users and/or subscribers. Where data streams are processed, the transformations may include well-specified timing semantics, supporting operations that involve rate-based rate manipulation, value-based rate manipulation, and/or access to past cell values.

The present invention relates generally to the field of computer-implemented spreadsheets, and also to the field of stream processing ("streaming").
A computer-implemented spreadsheet is an interactive computer application program for organization and analysis of tabular data. The program operates on data represented as cells of an array, organized in rows and columns. Each cell of the array can contain either raw data or the results of formulas that automatically calculate and display a value based on the contents of other cells. The user of a spreadsheet can make changes in any cell and can immediately observe the effects on calculated values, whether in tabular or graphical form. Spreadsheets are relatively ubiquitous and are useful in a wide variety of domains. However, they are generally based on a functional programming paradigm, so cannot easily handle computations that depend on the results of historic computations, or program state.
Stream processing is a programming paradigm under which a sequence of data (a "data stream," or, more simply, a "stream") is processed substantially immediately as each element is received. A stream processing application applies continuous analytics (for example, analytics updated over relatively short time intervals, such as in "real-time") to an ever-changing stream of data. Stream processing takes as input one or more streams, each of which can be thought of as an infinite sequence of tuples, performs some analysis or transformation on that data, and produces one or more output streams as a result. Special-purpose languages, such as the various flavors of Continuous Query Language (CQL), exist for writing programs that process streaming data.
A digital circuit is a computational construct that takes a set of discrete-valued inputs and transforms them into a set of discrete-valued outputs. Such a circuit may be purely combinatorial, where the output is a pure function of the present input only, or sequential, where the output depends not only on the present input but also on the history of the input. A flip-flop, or latch, is typically used as a memory element of a sequential circuit for retaining information about input history, or state. Sequential circuits may be either synchronous or asynchronous. In a synchronous circuit, the state of the circuit changes only at discrete times in response to a dedicated clock signal, while in an asynchronous one, the state of the circuit can change at any time in response to changing inputs.

International Busines Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a method for playing a modified form of Blackjack ("Twenty-One") using one or more standard 52-card decks, and having rule variations to increase the excitement of the game while retaining the same "take" for the house within approximately 1%. By paying even-money on any blackjack (even on a "push"), rather than 1.5:1 if there is no push, shifts the take in favor of the house sufficiently to create several special rules greatly adding to the excitement of the game. Specifically, blackjack in a specified suit pays 2:1. Five or more cards totaling exactly 21 pays 2:1. Six-cards totaling 20 or less pays 1:1. No bonuses are paid on double-down hands. The player may split all equal-value cards three times, including Aces. The player may double-down on any number of cards, even after splitting and hitting, including Aces. The player may surrender one half her bet on any "unbusted" hand, even after hitting, doubling-down or splitting. In the preferred embodiment, the player may place a "side bet" on her getting a blackjack in a designated suit (e.g. diamonds) in the first round of a newly shuffled deck or decks, paying 300:1. Variations include allowing the player to designate the designated suit or suits for the special single-suit prize (i.e. 2:1 on regular wager, 300:1 on side bet).

"Blackjack" or "Twenty-One" is a popular card game in casinos. It is simple to play and may be implemented as a "live" table game or in electronic (video) form. The "normal" basic rules are these: The player receives two cards, either face-up or face-down. The dealer receives two cards, one face-up and one face-down. Face cards count as 10, Aces count as either 1 or 11, numbered cards count as their face value. If the dealer has a total of 21 (an Ace and Jack, Queen, King or 10-spot) in the first two (2) cards (called "blackjack"), the house wins and the player loses her wager, unless the player also has blackjack, in which case it is a draw or "push." If the dealer does not have blackjack, the player may "stand" or take a "hit" (be dealt an additional card). The player may continue taking "hits" until she decides to "stand" or "busts" (exceeds 21). Once the player declines any additional cards (stands), the dealer takes hits if he has below a total of 17. If the dealer has 17 or higher, he must "stand" (take no additional cards). If both the player and the dealer have the same total in their hands, it is a "push," and the player breaks even. If the player has a higher total than the dealer without going over 21, or the dealer busts (has over 21), then the player is paid 1-to-1 (also referred to as "2-for-1" ). In addition, if the player is initially dealt a pair, he may split them into two hands by placing a new bet on the new hand. A player may also double-down on the originally-dealt two cards, but not after splitting.
The lack of complexity of the game, and the relatively low payouts often cause players to become bored and lose interest. Several variations of Blackjack have been implemented in recent years, primarily designed to enable higher pay-outs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,888 titled Spanish Twenty-One Card Game Method of Play issued to Lofink describes a variation on Blackjack in which the Tens are removed from the deck of cards. By so reducing the deck, the odds are greatly shifted in the house's favor, allowing special payouts for certain card combinations (e.g. five card 21 pays 3-to-2, 7-7-7 same suit pays 2-to-1). Players, however, may view the removal of the Tens from a deck as an unfair advantage in favor of the house. A method is therefore desired in which the interest level can be increased significantly without modifying the standard deck of fifty two cards and without significantly changing the standard payout schedule.