The invention relates to a PCS-server of a personal communication system providing personal telephone numbers for PCS subscribers. A PCS subscriber can send a handling message to the PCS-server and can form a specific handling of one or more destination profiles stored in a destination profile memory. The specific handling relates to the specific selection and activation/deactivation or switching between specific destination profiles or to the setting of specific call distribution criteria in the destination profiles. The call distribution criteria relate to origin parameter teleservice-type parameters, busy option parameters and number of call parameters. The PCS subscriber can therefore flexibly configure and use the destination profiles allocated to his personal telephone number. Based on the selected call distribution criteria a flexible delivery of the calls by using the so-set destination profiles is possible.

Some telephone systems now offer a personal communication service (PCS) to their subscribers. As shown in FIG. 1, a PCS server PCS-SERV of a personal communication system comprises a PCS destination profile memory DP-MEM storing in association with at least one personal telephone number PTN a number M of destination profiles DPm respectively consisting of an ordered sequence of destination numbers PDNn indicating a number N of predetermined destination locations. A PCS routing means PCS-RM is provided for completing an incoming call directed to a set PTN by routing the incoming call sequentially to each destination location in accordance with the sequence indicated in the respective destination profile until a call is abandoned or answered. That is, if a PTN call is directed to the PCS routing means, a destination number PTN from an active destination profile is requested and the active destination profile, e.g. DP1, then provides sequentially the destination location numbers PDN11, PDN21, PDN31 . . . PDNN1 to the PCS routing means according to the predetermined sequence as indicated by the entry in the left hand column of the respective active destination profile, e.g. DP1.
Various operation principles can be used for the interaction between the PCS routing means PCS-RM and the destination profile memory DP-MEM when routing the call to the predetermined destination locations.
That is, when a call is delivered to the selected destination as indicated by the destination number PDN and the call is not answered in a predetermined period of time, then the call is removed from that destination, the destination profile memory DP-MEM provides the next destination location number PDN and the call is delivered to the next destination location in the predetermined sequence as indicated in the active destination profile DP. This relates to the situation where a single PTN call is directed to the PCS server PCS-SERV and the call is sequentially routed to the individual destination locations. In this case, once the PTN call has been accepted for processing by the PCS routing means PCS-RM, the personal telephone number PTN associated to the PCS subscriber is marked busy and no further possibly simultaneous PTN call is processed.
Alternatively, there is the possibility that several simultaneous calls directed to the same PTN number are processed at the same time. If one PTN call has already been delivered to a destination location, then this destination location is busy either because the PTN call is pending there or is actually be answered (i.e. the call has been completed to the called party at this destination location). If a further PTN call is directed to the same destination location which is now busy, the further PTN call is delivered to the next destination in the sequence as indicated by the active destination location profile. Thus, even a number of simultaneous incoming PTN calls can be sequentially routed or distributed (i.e. delivered) according to the same active destination profile until all incoming PTN calls are being answered or delivered.
An example of a personal communication system using such an active destination profile for the routing of a single incoming call is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2 each of the destinations 1, 2, . . . , n−2, n−1, N is associated with a specific destination number PDN respectively relating to the user desk telephone, a DECT telephone, a GSM mobile telephone, a home telephone or a voice mail system. A personal telephone number PTN "913392872" has been provided to the PCS subscriber and any incoming call directed to this personal telephone number is sequentially routed to the user desk telephone, the DECT telephone, the GSM mobile telephone, the home telephone and the voice mail system until the call is answered by the called party at one of the destination locations.
There are various possibilities how such a personal communication service PCS can be implemented e.g. by a telephone system. The personal communication service may be provided in a private environment like a private branch exchange PBX or a PBX network. The personal communication service can also be implemented in a public environment, e.g. provided as an intelligent network IN service in a fixed telephone network or a mobile radio telephone network. Depending on the implementation the PCS server may have different locations. The PCS server may be integrated in the exchange software or located in an external device connected to the exchange. The PCS server may also be distributed amongst all nodes or provided by a specific node in the telephone system. If it is distributed over the number of nodes, the PCS server does not have a specific predetermined location.
Furthermore, the PCS routing means, which is responsible for completing an incoming call directed to the personal telephone number PTN by routing the incoming call sequentially to each destination location indicated in an active destination profile, can be implemented in various ways. One possibility is that the PCS routing means PCS-RM sets up a basic call to the determined destination location once the destination number PDN has been provided by the destination profile memory DP-MEM. In this case, a new call will be set up to each destination location sequentially. Alternatively, the PCS routing means PCS-RM can activate a service (provided by the network) which allows a call forwarding.
The principles of using different call distribution criteria for distributing calls in association with destination profiles according to the invention (as explained below) can be implemented independent of the scenario of the location and the routing method used by the PCS server of the personal communication service PCS. Hereinafter, a few examples of implementations of the personal communication service PCS to which the invention can be applied are discussed with reference to FIGS. 3a–d.
FIG. 3a is an example of a PCS server integrated in a private branch exchange (PBX) software. The PCS application (the PCS software and data base) implemented in association with the user profile DP (e.g. included in the PCS-MEM) receives the dialed PTN number in step S2 from the PCS routing means PCS-RM after the PCS-RM receives the dialed user number from the calling user in step S1. More specifically, a call monitor means CM of the PCS routing means PCS-RM forwards the PTN number to the PCS application. The PCS application returns the selected destination in step S3 according to the active destination profile. In step S4 the routing means PCS-RM distributes the call to the selected destination.
FIG. 3b is an example of a PCS server integrated in a PBX software in case of a network call. In step S1 a calling user dials the PTN user number which is directed to the first exchange PBX1 of the PBX network. The user associated with the dialed user number has a subscription in the exchange PBX2. Therefore, in step S2 the dialed user number is directed to the exchange PBX2. In the exchange PBX2 the call monitoring unit of the PCS routing means returns in step S3 the selected destination according to an active destination profile. In step S4 the call is distributed to the third exchange PBX3 where the selected destination is connected. In this case the selected destination is not connected to the first exchange PBX1 to which the call was first routed in step S1. Therefore, the selected destination number is returned to the first exchange PBX1 and the call routing or call forwarding is started from the first exchange PBX1. In FIG. 3b the PCS routing means can be viewed as being provided in the first exchange PBX1 whilst the call monitoring unit of the PCS routing means as well as the destination profiles are provided in the second exchange PBX2.
FIG. 3c shows an example of a PCS server integrated in the software of a home location register HLR in a public land mobile network PLMN. A calling user, e.g. from a fixed network PSTN, dials a user number in step S1 which is received by the gateway switching center GMSC of the mobile network. The GMSC provides the dialed user number in step S2 to the home location register HLR. The PCS server implemented in the home location register HLR receives the dialed user number and returns in step S3 the selected destination according to the active destination profile. The HLR returns the information to the GMSC to route the call to the selected destination MSC/VLR in step S4. In this case the PCS destination profile memory can be visualized as being incorporated in the home location register HLR whilst the PCS routing means uses the facilities provided by the GMSC for routing the call to the predetermined destination location number.
FIG. 3d is an example of an implementation of a PCS server as part of the intelligent network. A service switching point SSP receives in step S1 the dialed user number from the fixed network PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) and sends it in step S2 to the service control point SCP. In the service control point SCP the PCS application receives the dialed number and returns the selected destination in accordance with the destination profile. In step S3 the destination to distribute the call is provided to the service switching point SSP and in step S4 the service switching point SSP routes the call to the selected destination, e.g. to a gateway mobile switching center of a PLMN network, if the selected destination is part of such a mobile network PLMN. In this case, the PCS destination profile memory can be provided by the service control point SCP whilst the PCS routing means is implemented by parts of the service switching point SSP and the respective networks used for routing the call, e.g. by the GMSC of the PLMN.
As explained above, the present invention can be used for any implementation of the PCS server, e.g. in the scenarios shown in FIGS. 3a–3d. However, also other implementations are possible in accordance with the network configuration and the routing facilities. In this connection, several factors may be considered in a personal communication system PCS, e.g. the time spent by the PCS until the call is completed (answered by the called user or other), how easy and flexible the PCS can be configured, the amount of system resources spent by the PCS server to locate the called user and to route the call there, etc.


A device (122) is described having an arrangement of optical elements comprising excitation light sources (101, 115) for generating individual light beams (102, 116) having different wavelengths for exciting a sample in such a way that light scattered back from the sample as a result of the excitation is made available to a Raman spectroscopic analysis. The device (122) has deflection devices (103, 117) associated with the individual light beams (102, 116) for deflecting the individual light beams (102, 116) onto a common light path, wherein the common light path has a same optical system (109) for focusing the light beams (102, 116).

As is known, chemical, physical and biological samples can be identified and analyzed by means of Raman spectroscopy. When a sample is excited with light, e.g. monochromatic laser light, a small part of the light is inelastically scattered in addition to the absorption and emission. The resulting signals characteristic for each sample are called Raman signals. They are spectrally shifted toward the excitation wavelength both to long wavelengths (Stokes range) and to shorter wavelengths (anti-Stokes range). Since, at room temperature, the intensity of the Raman signals is typically higher in the Stokes range, the Stokes range is preferably used for the identification and analysis of a sample.
Typically, as the excitation wavelength in Raman spectroscopy, laser light is used from the ultraviolet (UV) spectral range, e.g. 260 nm, up to the near infrared (NIR) spectral range, e.g. 1500 nm. The selection of the excitation wavelength is made according to the sample characteristic or the type of the application.
The cross-section for the generation of the Raman signals depends on the excitation wavelength λ, proportionally to λ−4. An excitation at shorter wavelengths can therefore result in higher Raman intensities.
For special samples, excitations, especially in the ultraviolet and visual (VIS) spectral range, may result in resonance effects (Resonance Raman spectroscopy) and amplify the weak Raman signals by several orders of magnitude.
Nevertheless, fluorescence signals may be generated in addition to the Raman signals. Typically, they mask the weak Raman signals and thus make a Raman spectroscopic analysis of the sample impossible or difficult. If this characteristic of the sample is known prior to the examinations, the proper selection of the excitation wavelength, e.g. in the NIR spectral range, permits to avoid the simultaneous excitation of fluorescence signals.
Thus, the selection of the excitation wavelength determines the quality of the measured Raman spectra. Thus, particularly in the case of unknown samples, preliminary examinations are required for a proper selection of the excitation wavelength, which is then predetermined to a large extent for the optical measurement system.
The optical measurement system or the transfer optical system, i.e., the elements for exciting samples and for collecting the Raman signals of the samples for the purpose of spectral analysis are also called optodes.
A suitable optode guides the excitation light to the sample. A band-pass filter specially adapted to the excitation wavelength suppresses the interfering light emitted from the excitation source, such as for example plasma lines in gas lasers or amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in diode lasers. Even unwanted signals from silica fibers with which the excitation light has been transported to the optode may be filtered out in this manner. These band-pass filters have only a narrow transmission curve and are selected to the excitation wavelength.
The light scattered back from the sample is collected in the collection path and imaged into a system for spectrally selective detection by a suitable optical system. For this purpose, dispersive elements for spectral separation and multichannel detectors, e.g. CCDs, are typically used.
There are several orders of magnitude between the intensity of an excitation laser and the intensity of the generated Raman signals. Overdriving or saturation of pixels of a CCD has to be avoided here because excess charges are transferred into adjacent pixels ("blooming") and may lead to artifacts in the Raman spectra. Consequently, the Raman signals have to be spectrally separated from the elastically scattered laser light in the collection path before reaching the detector. This typically takes place in spectrally selective elements, such as for example monochromators or optical filters. Long-pass filters or notch filters can be chosen for the detection of Stokes lines. These are adapted to the wavelength of the excitation light source and the spectral inspection range as well as the band-pass filter located in the excitation path.
Further optical elements, such as lenses, mirrors, filters and glass fibers, are located within the optode and are typically surrounded by a housing for protection. The laser light and the Raman signals get to the sample or back into the optode by passing through an optical window.
The examination of unknown substances, which is of interest e.g. for security-related applications in airports and border checkpoints, for medical or police-related applications, or in the private domain, is considerably complicated by the unique predefinition of the light sources, optical systems and filter sets. This is especially true for the portable devices for on-site measurements that are to be preferred for the above-mentioned applications.
In conventional arrangements of optical components for the Raman spectroscopy, the optical elements are fixedly mounted within an optode. Due to their spectral characteristics, however, the filters (band-pass filter and e.g. long-pass filter) have to be replaced for a change of the excitation wavelength. This requires a reconstruction of the optode.
Since the optical elements within an optode are adjusted and mounted to fixed positions, the distance between an excitation lens or collecting lens and the optical window of an optode may not be varied in a measurement system. This distance determines the position of the laser focus (or the collection spot) at the outside of the optode. In the case of a fixed distance, these positions cannot be adjusted to the optical characteristics of e.g. a transparent or turbid sample. Again, an expensive reconstruction of the optode is required.
In "Multi-excitation Raman spectroscopy technique for fluorescence rejection" OPTICS EXPRESS, vol. 16 no. 15, 21 Jul. 2008, McCain et al. describe a laser system having eight adjacent (782.6 nm-794.3 nm) wavelength stabilized diode lasers. Although eight different excitation wavelengths are used in this case, they are to be regarded as comparable with respect to the above-mentioned points, particularly regarding the characteristics of the Raman scattering. These wavelengths do not serve the selection of an excitation that is best for the Raman effect, but the selection of the Raman signals against the interfering fluorescence by measuring the spectra upon excitation with different wavelengths. In this method, known as "Shifted Excitation Difference Raman Spectroscopy" (SERDS), spectra are measured at only slightly different excitation wavelengths. Since, in the Raman spectra of both excitations, the Raman signals are shifted by the excitation shift, but comprise background signals of the same kind (e.g. by fluorescence), the Raman signals of the sample can be separated from the background signals (e.g. fluorescence signals) by differentiation between the spectra.
A band-pass filter was not commercially available for the range of the eight lasers. Therefore, a short-pass filter has been used to suppress the ASE in the Stokes range. A long-pass filter (F2 in FIG. 3) blocks the laser light. In this case, too, a change to an excitation wavelength which could lead to a significantly changed Raman intensity, e.g. 488 nm, would involve an adaptation of the band-pass filter and the long-pass filter and thus an expensive reconstruction of the described measurement system.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,982,869 also addresses the application of SERDS. It describes a Raman analysis apparatus which is able to detect the presence of selected substances of interest by combining three-dimensional Bragg elements with conventional lasers and detectors, wherein the apparatus is inexpensive and manufactured in the size of few cubic meters, so that it may be used as a portable device. Particularly, a more complex Raman analysis can be effectuated by means of laser sources for two closely adjacent excitation wavelengths because the fluorescence background is independent from the excitation wavelength, whereas the spectral lines shift with the change of the excitation wavelength. In this case, the result of the Raman scattering can be collected by the same optical system, when both laser sources excite the sample sequentially. Further disclosed is a subtraction of the two excitation spectra in order to eliminate the fluorescence background, and a circuit for the analysis of the difference spectrum. However, a control, optimization or variation of the excitation wavelength(s) for the Raman signal is not disclosed.
The adjustment of the position of the excitation spot is described in the patent application US 2004/0160601 for a Raman spectroscopy arrangement having a low spectral resolution for use in portable and/or handy analysis devices. Here, the focus of the excitation beam can be adjusted by replacing an optical and mechanical component ("end cap"). But this adjustment can only be effectuated in predetermined discrete steps.

Device having an arrangement of optical elements


The bottle-shaped container is made in a coextrusion blow molding process and has a dimensionally stable outer container and an easily deformable inner bag which consist of different thermoplastic materials that cannot be welded to each other. The preform has a diameter greater than that of the bottle neck so that, when the blow mold is closed, the blow mold halves squeeze off excess material not only on the bottom, but also in the shoulder and neck area. Unwelded seams of the outer container are thereby formed in the shoulder and neck area. In the bottom area the outer container is closed by a weld seam which has been formed by displacing material, the weld seam of the inner bag being fixed in said area. After negative pressure has been applied to the inner bag, holes are formed in the upper area of the outer container for the purpose of a permanent pressure compensation. All openings in the outer container are covered by the pump housing. The container operates reliably in the upside-down position.

This invention relates to a container, in particular a bottle-shaped container, consisting of a substantially dimensionally stable outer container or inner bag which are made in a coextrusion blow molding process from different thermoplastic materials that do not combine with each other, the container having an upper shoulder section which preferably passes into a container neck to which a pump is attached for discharging the filling of the inner bag.
Such a container is e.g. used for the reception and dosed discharge of medicinal liquids. The negative pressure which is required for emptying the inner bag can be produced by manually operating the pump which is provided with a valve.
To enable the per se easily deformable inner bag to contract upon the application of a negative pressure for the dosed discharge of a liquid, it is necessary for a container of the type in question that air can flow into the space between the dimensionally stable outer container and the easily deformable inner bag, so that no negative pressure is created there by the reduced volume of the inner bag, Such a negative pressure would impair the further emptying operation and make such an operation impossible in the end.


A text input mechanism is provided especially for non-keyboard input devices for inputting text for languages that include large numbers of characters and that are not based on the Roman alphabets. Reading symbols of a language are presented to the user for selection. Reading symbols can be phonetic symbols for composing a pronunciation for a character in the language. Reading symbols can also be sub-characters that make up characters in the language. Upon a user specifying one or more reading symbols for a character, all characters in the language that match the specified reading symbols are dynamically identified and displayed to the user. The user can select the desired character from the displayed characters. The selected character is then entered into a computing system.

As computers have become more complex, user interfaces have had to adapt to allow the user to control the operations of the computer. Initially, the interface used was a command line interface, which utilized a series of typed commands formatted in a specific syntax familiar to the computer and eventually learned by computer users. This interface was eventually replaced by the Graphical User Interface ("GUI"), which allows users to point to objects, buttons, and windows displayed like items on a desk. Initially, interaction between the GUI and a user was accomplished through a light pen, a pen-based computer control requiring the user to select and highlight objects on the screen by touching the light to the object on the screen. However, this implementation had its disadvantages because, by design, the user's hands and the light pen would obscure a portion of the screen from the user's own view. This and other disadvantages led to the development of the mouse, an interface control separate from the keyboard, that controlled a pointer on the GUI for selecting and highlighting objects, buttons, and windows.
The growth of the personal digital assistant ("PDA") and wearable computer markets are associated with similar problems realized in the larger-scale computing systems. As PDA technology continues to rapidly advance with respect to the size of PDA electronics and batteries, the size of handheld and mobile devices becomes more dependent upon the user interface utilized.
One of the current and practiced methods of interaction between a user and a PDA is a stylus-based GUI. In stylus-based interaction, the user holds the device in one hand and the stylus in the other. A stylus-based GUI enables a user to take full advantage of the PDA by allowing the user to navigate through applications operating on a computing system, control operations associated with those applications, and input text while using only one selection device—the stylus. In short, a separate keyboard or other input device is not needed.
While such interaction is similar to the use of a conventional pad and paper, it is not without problems. Since the stylus-based GUI is a simple derivation of the former light pen, it includes many of the same problems associated with the light pen-based GUI's. The use of a stylus obscures the portion of the display that the writing hand is covering. Further, the stylus-based GUI requires two-hand operation and typically requires the user to look at the device while using it. The stylus-based GUI must also include complex software to recognize the user's handwriting.
Another current and practiced method of interaction between a user and a PDA is the use of a numeric keypad, where each number key includes various letters of the Roman alphabet. Wireless and other similar devices also used such numeric keypads to allow a user to interact with the devices. The design of the numeric keypad allows a user to input text and/or numbers to initiate some operational element of the PDA. The use of the numeric keypad generally requires the user to use one hand to accomplish the interaction, which is advantageous over the stylus-based interaction method.
Unfortunately, the current and practiced method of interaction using a numeric keypad does not function with languages that are not based upon the Roman alphabet. In particular, the English language is generally written using an alphabet of twenty-six letters derived from the Romans. Other written languages, however, may employ significantly greater numbers of written characters. An example of a written language that requires a relatively large number of written characters is the Chinese language. Chinese has a constrained phonetic structure. In spoken Chinese, there are only 412 basic phonetic units, each unit having a monosyllabic sound. Four sound patterns can potentially be applied to each phonetic unit, resulting in slightly more than 1,000 distinct sounds. Other languages not based on the Roman alphabet also include a vast number of characters, and may also employ the use of monosyllabic sounds. Put simply, current numeric keypads are not capable of handling the large number of written characters of those languages that use a non-Roman based lettering system.

Navigational interface providing auxiliary character support for mobile and wearable computers


A method of determining the prognosis of a solid tumor is provided, in which a sample from a patient bearing a tumor is assayed for the presence of a protein which is immunologically cross-reactive with the hpr gene product, but not with haptoglobin 1 or haptoglobin 2. Also provided is a method for preparing antibodies specific for this diagnostic marker which correlates with early relapse and metastasis of breast and other cancers. The marker can be detected using immunological methods employing antibodies specific for Hpr protein and not cross-reactive with haptoglobins 1 or 2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of human proteins which are expressed by neoplastic tissues and not by most normal tissues.
2. Summary of Related Art
Some carcinoma cells are slow to grow, resulting in tumors that do not pose severe short term risk to a patient having such cells. For instance, many prostate cancers progress so slowly that they are only detected after the patient dies from another cause. Such carcinomas are safely left untreated. Other carcinomas metastasize and grow rapidly, resulting in death of the patient. Any treatment that can slow down the growth of these latter, more virulent carcinomas is desired.
At the time of diagnosis, at least 25 percent of patients with early breast cancer have clinically undetectable metastases. If patients with this status could be identified at the time of diagnosis, one could apply early, intensive chemotherapy to women with clinically occult systemic breast cancer. Conversely, toxic and expensive treatment may be delayed or withheld from patients with favorable prognosis. Traditional associations between the histopathological features and clinical course of the disorder cannot be used to differentiate between clinically aggressive and clinically indolent disease (Hunter, Cancer, 1980, 46:Suppl. 4:961-76). In contrast, several recent studies have demonstrated a relation between changes in oncogenes and prognosis. For example, in some studies, amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene in patients with breast cancer correlated with overall survival and the disease-free interval between primary therapy and relapse (Slamon, et al., Science, 1987, 235:177-82; Varley, et al., Oncogene, 1987, 1:423-30; and van de Vijver, et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 1988, 319:1239-45). Similarly, changes in both c-myc and c-myb are often identified in aggressive breast cancers (Yokota, et al., Science, 1986, 231:261-5), as is the loss of c-Ha-ras alleles (Theillet, et al., Cancer Res., 1986, 46:4776-81). The molecular genetic approach is promising both clinically, as a potential diagnostic and prognostic aid, and scientifically, as a means to explore the biology of neoplasia.

Antibodies which specifically bind a cancer related antigen


Provided is an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program which are capable of achieving all of crime prevention, disaster prevention, and activation of local community by appropriately conveying an indoor state to the outside while distancing from physical contact. The information processing system includes a detecting unit that detects a feeling of one or more persons located indoors on the basis of sensor data obtained by sensing an indoor state; and a control unit that performs control such that a captured image obtained by imaging the indoor state is output to an outdoor display apparatus in a case in which a value of a feeling of at least any one person among the detected feelings satisfies a predetermined condition.

Communication through "language" (verbal communication) is used most often as existing communication. The communication through language is superior in information transmission. For example, conveying feelings to residents located indoors is possible by way of the communication through language. On the other hand, it is not preferable in terms of crime prevention or public morals for the feelings of persons located indoors to be overheard outdoors.
Further, in recent years, awareness of crime prevention has progressed along with the decline of local community, and various techniques related to home security such as introduction of surveillance cameras have been proposed. For example, a system in which, if an abnormality is detected by a sensor, abnormal information is transmitted to a center apparatus of a security company, and a sound or a video is output from a door intercom to intimidate a burglar, or a notification of the abnormal situation is given to a neighboring resident is disclosed in Patent Literature 1.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method


A graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis, a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective data samples along the trace is displayed. The markers appear on the display in the form of a symbol and a marker annotation field and are positioned within the graph field adjacent the data sample to which they are tied. The positions of the marker fields of the plurality of markers are calculated according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and their respective data samples. Markers are identified for which the marker annotation field according to the calculated position, lie in whole or in part outside the graph field, or for which the marker annotation field overlaps a marker field of another marker in the plurality of markers. The position of each marker identified as lying in whole or in part outside the graph field is recalculated according to a second orientation with respect to the trace, and the position of each marker identified as overlapping with the marker field of another marker is recalculated so that it no longer overlaps with such marker field.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for displaying graphs illustrating a trace of data samples with respect to coordinate axes and, particularly, to displaying markers on the graphs identifying data samples having a particular value along the trace.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic system analyzers such as the WILTRON 360 Network Analyzer manufactured by Wiltron Company, 490 Jarvis Drive, Morgan Hill, Calif., are used by system designers and trouble-shooters to measure characteristics of subject systems. Measured characteristics can be compared with expected characteristics to identify problems in subject systems. Often, the measured system characteristics can best be presented to the operator of the system analyzer in graph form. For instance, in the WILTRON 360, which is used with microwave frequency electronic networks, provides the user with the option to display the measured information about transmission and reflection characteristics of the networks in a variety of graphical forms, such as rectilinear phase versus frequency and magnitude versus frequency graphs, or in polar or Smith chart formats.
Often it is useful for an operator to display markers along a trace on a graph identifying samples of interest. As the operator changes scales on the graph or form of graph, the markers are automatically positioned in the proper location so that the operator can keep track of the samples of interest. When a large number of markers appears on a graph or the markers begin to crowd the edges of the field of the graph on the display, information provided by the crowded markers may be lost because of overwriting of the marker symbols. Accordingly, there is a need for an algorithm for displaying markers that overcomes the problems of crowded displays.

Method of displaying graphs with markers


A hydraulic pressing unit includes a hydraulic pump, supply and hydraulic chambers, moving and stationary parts, a restoring spring, and a return valve provided within or attached to a housing. The moving part is displaced from a starting position into a pressing position as a result of filling the hydraulic chamber with a hydraulic medium from the supply chamber by using the hydraulic pump. The return valve is automatically displaced into an open position as a result of a hydraulic pressure corresponding to the pressing position, and the restoring spring moves the moving part. A piston acts on the flow of the hydraulic medium and lowers the pressure such that the return valve is displaced into the closed position.

The invention relates in first instance to a method for operating a motor-actuated handheld pressing unit in which, in response to the actuation of a switch, one or more pressing jaws are moved from an opened starting position into a closed pressing position until a prescribed pressing force has been reached or a prescribed amount of time has elapsed, after which the pressing jaws are released automatically, for instance by the return of a pressing piston acting upon the pressing jaws, but it being possible for this release to be interrupted in an intermediate position before reaching the starting position, in order to begin a next pressing operation from such an intermediate position.
In addition, the invention also relates to a method for operating a motor-actuated handheld pressing unit in which, in response to the actuation of a switch, one or more pressing jaws are moved from a starting position into a closed pressing position until a prescribed pressing force has been reached or a prescribed amount of time has elapsed, after which the pressing jaws are released automatically, for instance by the return of a pressing piston, the pressing piston furthermore being actuated hydraulically by means of a hydraulic medium.
Methods of this kind for operating a pressing unit are known. For example, reference may be made to WO 99/19947. The pressing unit known from this document is hydraulically driven. In addition, pressing units of this kind that are driven directly by an electric motor are also known. In this respect, reference may be made, for example, to DE 203 05 473 U1. Instead of two pressing jaws, it is also possible to provide just one pressing jaw, which is to be moved against a fixed counter-stop. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,417.
It has also already been proposed, see for instance German patent application 10 2006 026 552, which is not a prior publication, that, when the pressing jaws are released in such a way that they can move or can be moved back into the opened or openable starting position (with regard to can be moved' it should be pointed out that, although pressing jaws of this kind are basically openable, they could also be biased by a spring into a closed position, see for instance DE 10 2005028 083 A1), an interruption of the movement into the starting position may be performed in such a way that a next pressing operation can be commenced right away from an intermediate position thereby chosen. Therefore, time is saved if a complete movement into the starting position is not required. This interruption must take place in each case in response to specific actuation.
Furthermore, measures intended to make it possible to check whether pressing has actually been carried out have already been proposed in various respects. EP 1 092 487 A2 has proposed in this respect a device on the pressing jaws which allows them to be reopened only after they have been completely pressed together. However, this measure for checking complete pressing is relatively complicated.


A LED driving circuit, a control circuit and associated current sensing circuit. The control circuit has a sensing circuit, an estimation circuit, an amplifying circuit, a comparing circuit, a zero-cross detection circuit and a logic circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to sense a switching current flowing through at least one switch of a switching circuit to provide a first sensing signal. The estimation circuit is configured to process the first sensing signal to provide a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is indicative of a average current signal flowing through a LED. An average current flowing through the LED is regulated by sensing a switching current flowing through at least one switch.

Generally, in LED lighting applications, AC-DC power conversion sources are often applied as power supplies for driving the LED. Typically, two types of AC-DC power conversion topologies, either isolated or non-isolated can be used.
FIG. 1 illustrates an isolated topology application 50A for LED driving. As shown in FIG. 1, an AC voltage signal VAC is converted to a DC voltage signal VDC by a rectification circuit 51. Then the DC voltage signal VDC is further converted to a suitable DC voltage signal for driving LEDs 53 by a flyback voltage converter 52 which comprises a transformer. The transformer of the flyback voltage converter 52 isolates a primary circuit and a secondary circuit in this isolated topology application. In one embodiment, the LEDs 53 may comprise a single LED. In one embodiment, the LEDs 53 may comprise a LED string. In one embodiment, the LEDs 53 may comprise a plurality of LED strings. In a LED driving application, the most important point is that a constant average current ILED flowing through the LEDs 53 are needed to be achieved by a constant current control method. Generally, the average current ILED in the secondary circuit is sensed as a feedback signal provided to a control circuit for regulating the constancy of the average current ILED. The control circuit is configured to receive the feedback signal and coupled to a switch 521 in the primary circuit for switching the switch 521 on and off. However, since the primary circuit and the secondary circuit are isolated in this application, the average current ILED in the secondary circuit can not be coupled to the control circuit directly. An expensive optocoupler or other suitable devices should be applied resulting in a high cost.
FIG. 2 illustrates a non-isolated topology application 50B. As shown in FIG. 2, comparing to the isolated topology application 50A, the transformer is omitted in the non-isolated topology application 50B. Therefore, LEDs 53 are coupled to the rectification circuit 51 for receiving a DC voltage signal VDC directly. In this situation, sensing an average current ILED flowing through the LEDs 53 is infeasible due to the high DC voltage signal VDC across the LEDs 53.
Accordingly, a cost-effective and feasible LED driving circuit, a control circuit and associated current sensing circuit for LED lighting applications are desired.

LED driving circuit, control circuit and associated current sensing circuit

Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.


A method of removing particles from a wafer is provided. The method is adopted after a process for removing unreactive metal of a salicide process or after a salicide process and having oxide residue remaining on a wafer or after a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process that resulted with particles on a wafer. The method includes performing at least two cycles (stages) of intermediate rinse process. Each cycle of the intermediate rinse process includes conducting a procedure of rotating the wafer at a high speed first, and then conducting a procedure of rotating the wafer at a low speed.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fabrication method of a semiconductor device; more particularly, the present invention is related to a method of removing particles from a wafer.
2. Description of Related Art
During the fabrication of a semiconductor device, various types of particles are precipitated on the surface of the wafer. The particles precipitated on the wafer surface may hinder the operation of the device to adversely affect the yield. Hence, to effectively remove particles precipitated on a wafer surface is a serious issue to be considered. For example, in a 65 nm process and below, to lower the contact resistance, to enhance the thermal stability, and to mitigate problems of leakage current and defects, platinum is normally added to silicon nickel. However, in the current self-aligned silicide process, after removing the unreacted nickel and platinum, many particles remained on the wafer surface. Since the final cleaning process in removing the unreacted nickel and platinum is conducted in a wet station, in which batch spin method is employed by rotating the wafers for a fixed number of times to treat 25 to 50 wafers collectively, the capability to fully remove particles is limited and ineffective. Further, the problems of non-uniformity are often resulted.


A hull cleaning robot, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, includes a robot body and a drive module within the robot body for maneuvering the robot about a hull. The drive module includes a drive element for holding the robot on the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull. The drive element includes a cleaning function for cleaning the hull of a vessel.

The frictional resistance of a vessel hull as it moves through the water can constitute 45% to 90% of the total resistance experienced by the vessel and may be increased by 6% up to 80% due to fouling of the hull by algae, sea grass, barnacles, and the like. As an example, an added resistance of 30% due to moderate bio-fouling of a tanker hull can increase the fuel consumption of the vessel by up to twelve tons per day. The result is added cost to operate the vessel, as well as increased emissions.
Accordingly, there are a variety of methods employed to reduce the likelihood of bio-fouling and/or to rid vessel hulls of bio-fouling through cleaning. For example, anti-fouling hull paints and coatings are often used in an effort to decrease the likelihood of bio-fouling, but such treatments do not always work reliably and can require frequent periodic applications. Such methods can be associated with significant cost as the vessel often must be dry docked for an extensive period of time while the paint and/or coating is applied. There are also environmental concerns with anti-fouling paints and coatings.
It is common, while a vessel is dockside and/or during normal unlading conditions, that the hull be periodically cleaned manually (e.g., by scuba divers) using motorized brushes. However, the cost of such a cleaning procedure is also high as this type of cleaning effort can be needed often. In some cases, manual hull cleaning procedures are commissioned every ten to twenty months, and in other cases even sooner if needed. Unfortunately, there are significant drawbacks to manual cleaning methods. For instance, as the procedure is carried out while the vessel is dockside, cleaning residue and debris (e.g., paint chips, etc.) are disposed in the shallow waters surrounding the docks. Because of this, many jurisdictions have made this practice illegal, particularly due to the toxicity of anti-fouling paint which can contaminate the water.


A device for facilitating the separation and removal of an engine cover from a sealing surface on an engine. The engine cover puller may reduce or eliminate the deformation of an engine cover during its removal and allows for its potential reuse. In addition, the engine cover puller may reduce or eliminate the damage to the sealing surfaces between the engine cover and the engine that may occur during an engine cover removal.

The present invention relates to a device for facilitating the separation and removal of an engine cover from a sealing surface on an engine. The present invention may reduce or eliminate the deformation of an engine cover during its removal and allows for its potential reuse. In addition, the present invention may reduce or eliminate the damage to the sealing surfaces between the engine cover and the engine that may occur during an engine cover removal.
A typical engine cover removal, such as the removal of a valve cover from a cylinder body, usually requires breaking a seal between the cover and the engine. This task, absent the use of the present invention, typically involves the mechanic inserting an item, such as a flat blade screwdriver, between the cover and the engine. Once the screwdriver is inserted, the mechanic pries the cover from the sealing surface on the engine. This can result in damage to the sealing surfaces between the cover and the engine. Occasionally, the damage is minimal such that a seal between the cover and engine can be reestablished upon assembly of the parts into a surface-to-surface contact of the sealing surfaces. On other occasions, a gasket or sealant is required to obtain a seal between the cover and the engine. On yet other occasions, one or both of the sealing surfaces must be restored by machining/surfacing operations. And, on other occasions, the damage to the sealing surfaces during the removal of the cover results in the required replacement of one or more parts in order to obtain a seal between a cover and an engine.
A vast number of covers used on engines are comprised of stamped material or composites such as metals and plastics. While such materials are adequate for their installed function as a cover, the covers may be susceptible to damage during removal operations such as described previously. In addition to sealing surface damage as described above, typical damage to the covers may include permanent deformation and cracking. As a result, a mechanic may have to spend excessive time attempting remedial measures that do not always result in successful solutions such as reshaping the deformed cover or using an excessive amount of sealant that may be susceptible to damage or subjected to undesirable environmental conditions. On many occasions, the only viable solution for a mechanic may be to replace the damaged cover with a new cover or a used cover in suitable condition. However, sometimes a replacement cover is not obtainable within the time constraints of the job. For example, the device using the engine, such as an automobile, may not be movable until the cover has been replaced. In the meantime, the automobile might occupy a mechanic's work area or a vehicle lift. On other occasions, the cover may have been removed to perform emergency repairs in a remote location. As a result, despite the repair having been completed, the engine may be inoperable until a replacement cover is obtained and installed.
The device of the present invention facilitates the separation and removal of an engine cover from a sealing surface on an engine. The present invention is an apparatus to allow an operator to provide a separation force via the movement of a lever arm to move a puller arm engaging an engine cover that will be sufficient to separate the engine cover from a sealing surface on an engine. The mechanical advantage provided by the present invention may be configured by modification of the length of the lever arm and/or the position of the mounting locations for either or both of the base and puller arm elements of the present invention. The present invention may be used to minimize or eliminate the bending of the cover during its removal from the engine. The present invention may provide a complementary surface for engaging an engine cover that adequately distributes the force applied as might be required to break the seal between the cover and the engine. The present invention may prevent or eliminate the potential for damage to the sealing surfaces between an engine cover and an engine.
The present invention comprises a device having a base used to contact a portion of an engine cover to be removed from an engine. The base may be shaped to provide a complementary fit with the engine cover. The fit between the base and the engine cover may also allow the distribution of a stabilizing force that is generated as a result of the movement of the lever arm of the present invention.
The present invention also includes a lever arm that is typically pivotably connected to the base. The base is typically connected on one end of the lever arm. The lever arm is preferably moved by a user to cause a typically pivotably connected puller arm to move while the puller arm is engaged to an engine cover. The movement of the puller arm then causes the engine cover to separate from the sealing surface on an engine.
Embodiments of the present invention may include channels or shaped elements on the puller arm in order to provide complementary engagement of the puller arm to the engine cover. As a result, the desirable distribution of a separating force to separate the cover from the sealing surface on the engine may prevent, minimize, or eliminate the deformation of the cover as it is separated from the engine.
An example use of the device of the present invention would involve the positioning of the puller arm so that it adequately engages at least a portion of the engine cover. Typically the puller arm would engage the lower surface or an underside of the cover. Then, the base of the present invention would be positioned on another portion of the cover. Typically this portion would be on an upper surface of the cover. As stated earlier, the base may be complementary shaped so as to allow for the distribution of a stabilizing force that is generated when the lever arm is moved. After engagement of the cover by the puller arm and placement of the base on the cover, the lever arm is moved to separate the cover from the engine. A separating force may have to overcome a seal between the cover and the engine. The separating force applied by the device of the present invention can be affected by either the length of the lever arm or the locations of attachment for the typically pivotably attached puller arm and base. Sometimes, the application of the separating force can be a factor in facilitating the breaking of a seal between the cover and the engine. For example, a sharp or quick application of force may be applied via use of the device of the present invention in order to break the seal between the cover and the engine.
Examples of typical engine covers that may be removed with the use of the present invention include, but are not limited to, a valve cover, a case cover, a dust cover, and an engine pan.


A light modulator element includes a liquid crystal element which has a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules aligned along a first direction, and two transparent electrodes disposed in opposition to each other with the liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and which controls the phase of linear polarization light and passing through said liquid crystal layer by applying an electric voltage between said two transparent electrodes; a polarizer plate which is disposed between a light source and said liquid crystal element and which has the transmission axis along the first direction or along a direction orthogonal to said first direction; and a rotation mechanism which supports the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate and which rotates the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate integrally in one unit with the optical axis of the liquid crystal element as the rotation axis.

An apparatus that irradiates an object with light to detect information such as the shape of the object, or to induce change in the object has been used conventionally, such as, for example, a laser microscope, an optical pickup device, a laser processing machine, etc. In such an apparatus, in order to achieve higher resolution, it is desirable that the diameter of the beam spot irradiated from a light source and focused onto an object be as small as possible. In general, the minimum size of the beam spot is determined by the diffraction limit, and is proportional to the wavelength of light. Thus, the shorter the wavelength of light irradiated from a light source, the smaller is the diameter of the beam spot.
However, a light source that emits light of shorter wavelength, for example, a laser that emits violet or ultra-violet light is generally higher in price than a light source that emits light of longer wavelength, for example, green or red light. Also, in the wavelength from violet to ultra-violet range, light transmittance of an optical material becomes generally lower as wavelength become shorter. Thus, availability of optical material having high light transmittance for violet or ultra-violet is very limited.
In this respect, radial polarization has been attracting increasing attention. Radial polarization is a polarization state in which direction of a polarization plane of linear polarization light is distributed symmetrically in a radial direction with the optical axis as the center. It is reported that, by focusing radial polarization with an objective lens, a light beam focused on the focal plane becomes z-polarized light (i.e., polarized light in which direction of electric field is same as the direction of propagation of light), and the light beam can be focused with a spot size smaller than the spot size of X- or Y-polarized light determined by the diffraction limit, and thus, it is possible to achieve a super resolution effect. A microscope apparatus which incorporates a light modulator element for converting linear polarization light from a light source to radial polarization light has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-19630 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-15877).
A method has been proposed for correcting wave front aberration by disposing a liquid crystal light modulator element in an optical system to impart phase distribution to the light beam passing through the light modulator element so as to cancel wave front aberration produced in the optical system (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-202323).

Light modulator element and microscope apparatus including light modulation element


A method is provided for the saturation-prepared recording of MR image data. The method includes establishment of at least two measurement slices in an examination volume of an examination object, wherein the examination volume has adjacent slices which each adjoin at least one of the at least two measurement slices; output of a saturation module including at least one saturation pulse for saturating a magnetization of the adjacent slices; output of an excitation pulse for exciting a magnetization of at least one of the at least two measurement slices; readout of an MR signal of the examination volume; reconstruction of the MR image data from the at least two measurement slices based on the MR signal; and provision of the MR image data. The disclosure further relates to a magnetic resonance system and a computer program product.

In a magnetic resonance (MR) examination, an examination object, (e.g., a human and/or animal patient and/or an examination phantom), is frequently exposed to a relatively strong main magnetic field, (e.g., 1.5, 3, or 7 tesla). This may be made possible by positioning the examination object within a recording area of a magnetic resonance system. The positioning of the examination object within the relatively strong main magnetic field may result in a parallel or anti-parallel alignment of nuclear spins, (e.g., water proton spins), in the direction of the main magnetic field within the examination object. This results in a precession of the nuclear spins around the direction of the main magnetic field with a Larmor frequency. The Larmor frequency is dependent on a type of nucleus and on the magnetic flux density of the main magnetic field.
As the parallel alignment of the nuclear spins to the main magnetic field represents a thermal and energetic state of equilibrium, a parallel alignment of net magnetization to the main magnetic field frequently occurs. In this case, the net magnetization, hereinafter also referred to as magnetization, results as effective macroscopic magnetization of the individual magnetic dipole moments of the nuclear spins.
By a gradient coil unit, additional and spatially varying magnetic fields, (e.g., magnetic field gradients, hereinafter also referred to as gradients), may be output. A consequently position dependent Larmor frequency along the spatial dimension of the magnetic field gradients thus enables spatial encoding within an examination area. The spatial dimension of the magnetic field gradients may include a read-out direction and/or phase encoding direction and/or slice encoding direction, which directions are in particular orthogonal to one another. Hereinafter, magnetic field gradients along the read-out direction are referred to as read gradients. Furthermore, magnetic field gradients along the phase encoding direction are referred to as phase encoding gradients. In addition, magnetic field gradients along the slice encoding direction are referred to as slice encoding gradients. The differentiation described above, in particular the designation used hereinafter, of the magnetic field gradients into read gradients, phase encoding gradients, and slice encoding gradients indicates the spatial dimension of the respective magnetic field gradient.
Radiofrequency pulses (RF pulses), (e.g., excitation pulses or saturation pulses), may be output by a radiofrequency antenna unit. If an RF pulse is resonant with the Larmor frequency of the nuclear spins, excitation, (e.g., deflection), of the nuclear spins may take place from a state of equilibrium. The resulting transverse component of precession of net magnetization around the direction of the main magnetic field may lead to induction in the RF antenna unit. In this case, the transverse component of net magnetization decreases, (e.g., exponentially), with a transverse relaxation time constant. An MR signal, in particular a free induction decay (FID), may be detected by the RF antenna unit. In addition, longitudinal relaxation of net magnetization takes place back into the thermal state of equilibrium.
Magnetic resonance images (MR images) of the examination object may be reconstructed by the detected MR signals, which are in particular spatially encoded by the output of magnetic field gradients.
If several MR signals are read out after output of a single excitation pulse, the time course of a relaxation of the nuclear spins may be detected. The period of time between the output of the excitation pulse and the readout of an MR signal may be referred to as echo time (TE).
Frequently, the output of a plurality of gradients, (e.g., along different spatial dimensions), and of RF pulses is combined in a sequence, also called a pulse sequence or MR sequence. The sequence may also include a chronological sequence of readout windows (analog-to-digital conversion, ADC), within which a readout of MR signals is made possible.
When recording MR image data of an examination volume of an examination object, multi-slice recordings having a plurality of measurement slices are frequently carried out. Flow movements, (e.g., a pulsating blood flow), in particular between different layers of the recording, may lead to the transport, in particular an inflow, of magnetization from surrounding slices into a measurement slice. In particular, this may make it more difficult to identify areas of the examination volume contrasted by contrast agent, (e.g., a lesion). In order to suppress an MR signal of the inflowing magnetization, a predefined spatial area around the measurement slice, in particular outside the examination volume, may be saturated. For application in a multi-slice recording, because of the saturation frequently configured and/or allocated to each individual measurement slice (travelling sats), the increased measurement duration expenditure and the increased energy use, in particular the increased specific absorption rate (SAR), are disadvantageous.

Saturation-prepared recording of MR image data


The invention relates to optical sensors and systems and methods employing the sensors for detecting one or more compounds of interest in a test medium. In one embodiment an optical sensor comprising a long period grating and a solid phase microextraction (SPME) film is exposed to a test medium such that one or more compounds of interest are selectively partitioned into the solid phase microextraction film. At least one optical property of the sensor exposed to the test medium is compared with at least one corresponding optical property of the sensor in absence of the test medium; wherein a difference in the optical property is indicative of one or more compounds of interest in the test medium. The methods and systems may employ long period grating sensors with or without SPME films, and fiber loop ring-down spectroscopy to measure optical properties of the sensor.

Long period gratings (LPGs), like fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), are periodic modulations of the refractive index of the core of an optical waveguide—typically a single-mode optical fiber—but the LPG has a much longer period (typically 10 μm to 1 mm) compared to the Bragg grating (<1 μm). LPGs couple light from the mode propagating along the fiber core to modes associated with co-propagating cladding modes of the fiber. Due to the high losses typically experienced by cladding modes, the LPG behaves as a notch filter. Thus, unlike FBGs which reflect wavelengths selected by the periodicity of the grating back along the core of the optical fiber, LPGs act as notch filters with low back reflection. Depending on the regularity of the grating period and the length of the grating, the band rejection of an LPG can have a width of typically 30 nm and the loss at the peak can approach −30 dB (James et al. 2003).
For a LPG, the wavelengths of the core mode that couples into the cladding modes are characterized by the phase-matching conditionλf=Λ[neffcore(λ, n1, n2)−neffcladdingi(λ, n2, n3)]  (equation 1)where neff,core is the effective core refractive index which is a function of wavelength, core refractive index n1 and cladding refractive index n2, and neff,cladding is the effective cladding refractive index of the ith mode, which is a function of wavelength, cladding refractive index n2 and surrounding refractive index n3, and Λ is the period of the LPG. From this expression it is apparent that any physical, mechanical, or environmental parameter that is capable of changing the effective refractive indices differentially (e.g., refractive index of the surrounding medium) or of changing the period of the grating (e.g., mechanical strain), will lead to a change in the attenuation spectrum of the LPG. Given proper calibration, one can then use the shift in the attenuation lines to interrogate the environmental parameter (see James et al., 2003). This measurement principle has been discussed in a number of publications, and has led to considerable interest in using LPGs as inexpensive, robust and sensitive sensors (Allsop et al. 2001; Bhatia et al. 1996; Bhatia 1999; Chong et al. 2004; DeLisa et al. 2000, Grubsky et al. 2000; James et al. 2003; Khaliq et al. 2001; Khaliq et al. 2002; Lee et al. 2003; Shu et al. 1999).
When using LPGs as chemical sensors the differential change in refractive index is typically induced by a changing refractive index of the medium surrounding the cladding. Since the evanescent wave of the cladding modes effectively "probes" the medium outside the fiber, its refractive index will also influence the effective refractive index of the cladding. If, for example, in an extreme case the refractive indices of cladding and surrounding medium are identical, the cladding loses its ability to guide light and will essentially be extended infinitely. LPGs can hence be used as sensitive sensors for changes in refractive indices (Bhatia 1999; Chong et al. 2004; Lee et al. 2003; Shu et al. 1999). For example, aromatic compounds in a hydrocarbon matrix have been detected by changes in an LPG spectrum (Allsop et al. 2001), producing a wavelength change of ˜0.4 nm for a concentration of xylene of 0.5% (vol) in a paraffin solution. The detection limit was reported as 0.04% (˜400 ppm).
One approach to the use of LPGs as sensors has been to coat the LPG with a reactive coating that undergoes a chemical and/or physical change when exposed to the analyte. For example, Luo et al. (2002) used LPGs coated with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to detect humidity, and LPGs coated with metal nanoclusters embedded in polyethylenimine (PEI) to detect sulfide-based chemical warfare agents. However, the CMC LPG sensors exhibited strong temperature dependence, and the PEI LPG sensors underwent an irreversible reaction with the sulfide, such that they were not re-usable. It is also likely that the PEI LPG sensors would cross-react with other sulfides/thiols, suggesting poor specificity to the target compound. Similarly, Murphy et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,641, issued Jan. 26, 1999) proposed a physically, electrically, and chemically reactive coatings for LPG sensors. Murphy et al. discussed such a coating populated with reactive sites for the binding and hence detection of protein, but did not demonstrate any specificity to a particular protein.
Clearly there are a number of obstacles, relating to factors such as temperature sensitivity, specificity to the target species, reversibility of interaction with the target species, and sensitivity with respect to refractive index, which must be overcome before LPGs may be used practically as sensors.

Long period grating sensor methods and apparatus


An energy management system for lighter-than-air vehicles which includes a reactor means for generating energy, storage means for storing the reactants used in the reactor means, and an integrated pipeless reactant and power distribution means.

The present invention is related to energy management systems, including the generation, storage, and transmission systems for lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicles.
Previous solutions to airship energy generation and storage have used 'stand-alone' power systems: i.e. discrete batteries or regenerative fuel cell systems, discrete solar panels, discrete electrical power distribution cables. Conventional airship power system design includes a solar array at the top of the airship, which is accessible to direct sunlight, and the energy storage system (batteries or regenerative fuel cells) at the bottom of the airship, due to airship stability requirements. This architecture requires a significant mass of electrical conductors to carry the power from the solar array to the energy storage system. This conductor mass can amount to hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Additional cables are then required to distribute power, either directly from the solar array, or from the energy storage system, to the main electrical loads such as propulsors and blowers, often located at widely dispersed locations on the airship. These cable runs also add significant weight.
Generation, transmission and storage of energy for a long-duration airship requires extremely heavy components, and has significant inefficiencies. This weight and inefficiency significantly impacts the potential capability of projected long-duration airships. A fundamental flaw is the attempt to impose a satellite-power architecture (i.e. solar regenerative power) onto a significantly larger vehicle, with significantly higher power requirements and much more variable array orientation. A more efficient system, specifically designed to be organically incorporated into the fundamental lighter-than-air structure, should be able to significantly reduce the weight and improve overall performance.
A regenerative power system, i.e., a power system able to extract energy from the environment rather than carrying consumable fuel, is a key enabling technology for persistent flight of lighter-than-air vehicles. Any means to increase the specific power (Watts/kilogram) and specific energy (Watt-hours/kilogram) of the power system will have a positive impact on airship performance.
The storage of large quantities of hydrogen and oxygen gas required for nighttime energy production comes with a very significant weight impact on the airship. Therefore, it would be desirable to store or provide hydrogen and oxygen, particularly for lighter-than-air systems, in ways that do not result in excessive weight for the system. In the case of hydrogen, current state of the art only enables a 15% weight efficient storage.

Airship photocatalytic reactor energy generation, storage, and pipeless transmission systems


This invention is related to electronic information transfer between trading partners and more particularly to the use of a physical item identifier affixed to a physical item for tracking the item using physical identification systems. The invention further discloses the catalogs, catalog queries and processes to provide the information to initialize the item in the physical identification systems.

Much of the recent advances in electronic commerce enable a first trading partner to order an item from a second trading partner and have high expectations that the correct item will be delivered. The Universal Product Code, UPC and its successor, the Global Trade Item Number, GTIN, with extensions disclosed in the referenced patent applications are used to identify an item and its configuration so the second trading partner will have an accurate description of the item ordered by the first trading partner. However, the physical item does not have a systematic identifier that can be used to track it through its life. The UPC or GTIN are not sufficient since there may be other items with the same description that have the same item description identifier. The publishing industry uses the International Standard Book Number, ISBN, to identify a book. A book is registered with the ISBN organization and assigned an ISBN. The ISBN of a book is encoded in a bar code that is printed on the book cover. The ISBN on a book can be used to query an ISBN catalog and the catalog will respond with the author and title of the book. The ISBN can be used to order the book, used with electronic point of sale equipment, etc. as the UPC is used in the grocery and other industries. However, the ISBN cannot be used to identify a specific physical book since all books with the same characteristics (title, author, etc.) have the same ISBN. A library that loans books cannot use the ISBN to track each book that is loaned out. (Unless it is a very small library and it has only one copy of a book.) The library must use another identifier for each physical book. This is usually an additional bar code that is unique for a book in a library and the system used to track the physical book. There is additional effort required to affix the bar code label and associate the bar code with the characteristics of the book in the library tracking system. Since there are no standards for these added bar codes, the bar codes used in a first library system will not have any meaning in a second library system. A book with a library bar code has no identification in any other system.
RosettaNet is an electronics industry consortium focused on defining and implementing standards for use of the Internet in commerce between trading partners. As part of the standards, the description for items, the catalog structure, and catalog queries have been defined and implementation started. In partnership with RosettaNet, the Uniform Code Council, UCC, is working to establish standards for the item description identifier, a part number, for the transactions between trading partners. The UCC is the standards body that defines and controls the standard for the UPC and GTIN and other associated identifiers. In this specification, a catalog is an organization of information that describes attributes of items in the catalog. One of the attributes is an item description identifier or part number. The catalog supports two classes of queries: 1) the first query class uses the description of an item as an argument and the catalog responds with the item description identifier, part number, if there is an item that fits the description and 2) the second query class uses the item description identifier, part number, as the argument and the catalog responds with the description of the item. RosettaNet is establishing standards for the electronics industry for item descriptions; web based, system accessible catalogs; and catalog queries. RosettaNet and the UCC are working to establish standards for the item description identifier, the part number.
The UPC is more complex than the ISBN in that the catalog with item descriptions is not a single catalog as with the ISBN but multiple catalogs where a company provides a catalog of the items it sells. The UCC assigns a range of UPC codes to a company by assigning some of the digits to identify the company and other digits are assigned by the company to identify the description of the item. For example, the UPC, Illustrated in FIG. 1A, is a 12-digit code that can be represented in a bar code. Six digits, called the Company Prefix, are assigned by the UCC and are associated with a company. Five digits, called the Item Reference Number, are assignable by the company to identify product descriptions. One digit is used as a Check Digit and is derived from the values of the other digits using an algorithm so that simple bar code reading errors can be detected. To determine the description of a box of soap from the UPC bar code on the box is a two-step process. The first step is to determine the company from which the UPC came. The UCC has a catalog of the six digit Company Prefix assignments. The UCC catalog is used to determine the company from which the UPC came. The second step is to determine the description of the box of soap from the company catalog. The UPC is used to query the catalog of the company that assigned the five-digit UPC range. The catalog query returns the item description. For the GTIN illustrated in FIG. 1B, the UCC uses a 12-digit field for the Company Prefix and Item Reference Number. The division of UCC assigned Company Prefix digits and the companies assigned Item Reference Number digits are not fixed. This permits better use of the combined 12-digit field since all companies do not need a five-digit Item Reference Number as in the UPC, which covers 100,000 different items, to assign to their products. The UCC has different divisions of the digits so that for example, a company with few items is assigned a GTIN with three-digit Item Reference Number field, which covers 1000 different items. The UCC then has nine Company Prefix digits to assign and can assign 1,000,000,000 companies a three-digit Item Reference Number GTIN code. As a consequence, the GTIN cannot be divided to determine the Company Prefix and the complete GTIN containing the Company Prefix and the Item Reference Number must be used to determine the company assigned the GTIN.
A manufacturer purchases components to assemble products. The components are packaged in a carrier that can hold a number of individual, identical components. The carrier is used to feed the components into the assembly equipment. When new, the carrier holds a specific number of components. As products are assembled, the components in the component carrier are consumed. The set of products to be assembled may complete before the carrier is empty. The carrier is returned to a storage location until needed to assemble the product needing the component. The UPC or GTIN associated with the component carrier cannot be used to identify the physical carrier since there may be other carriers with the same component and hence the same bar code. As with the library books, a second bar code may be affixed to track the physical carrier. As with the library and the ISBN, the bar code must be affixed and the corresponding information entered and cross-referenced with the bar code.
A configured product, for example, a PC can have specific configuration of functions when built and sold but changed by the owner when adding functions and removing other functions. When the PC is brought in for warranty repairs, the current configuration should be compared with the original configuration. To identify the specific physical PC, an additional bar code label is usually affixed to the unit. Like the bar code on the library book or the bar code on the component carrier, the bar code is specific to the organization that applied the bar code and the system that is used to track the bar code.
However, if the book is misplaced and later found in another library, the bar code is not of use to identify the original library. Other labels or a name stamped on the book must be used to identify the original library. If the PC is serviced by a third party service provider, the third party requires access to the PC manufacturer system and have compatible bar code equipment to obtain the configuration information. If the third party service provider provided repair service to a number of manufacturers, the service provider may require a number of bar code systems to access the different configuration systems.
The Uniform Code Council, UCC, is the organization responsible for the definition and application of the bar code standards used for grocery and other industries that use the UPC and GTIN. The UPC was highly successful in transforming the grocery industry with the application of the bar code to identify items so that the check out counter bar code reader can read the bar code, access the pricing database for the item price and the inventory database to decrease the store inventory by the items sold. The bar code was used to identify the description of the item but not the item itself. The UCC has recently defined the Serial Shipping Container Code, SSCC, which can be used as a "license plate" to identify a physical shipping container. The SSCC is an 18-digit code containing the Company Prefix of the company creating the SSCC. The container is filled with items and the information is stored in a database. A SSCC is created and used as the key to the information in the database. The SSCC is also encoded as an 18 character bar code and applied to the shipping container. The SSCC can be read and used to access the database to obtain the information about the contents of the shipping container. The SSCC is self-identifying in that six digit positions, the Company Prefix, are assigned by the UCC, like the UPC and GTIN, to encode the owner of the SSCC. The owner of the SSCC assigns eleven digit positions and one digit is a check digit. Like the license plate on an automobile, each is unique and can be used to access information associated with the specific automobile. The license plate for an automobile is self-identifying. The number on the license plate does not identify the state that issued the license plate but the state name, color and picture on the license plate identifies the issuing state. Note that each state uses a sequence of letters and digits. Each combination is unique within a state's license plates. However, the number and letters from the license plate of one state may be used by a second state for a different automobile. The number from the first state identifies a specific automobile in the first state database. If used in another state, the number may not identify a physical automobile or certainly a different automobile. The SSCC is self-identifying and identifies a specific physical item. But the SSCC does not identify the item as the UPC or GTIN does. The SSCC is a second bar code and the item description identifier and the physical item identifier must be associated as with the second bar code on the book, or carrier, or PC.
Physical identification systems are used to support processes such as asset tracking, inventory tracking, configuration tracking, location tracking, item condition, etc. The physical identification systems require information describing the physical item and the unique identifier affixed to the item. The information associated with the item is available but not tied to a unique identifier nor accessible in a systematic process. What is desired is a single identifier, usually a bar code, affixed by the manufacturer, the selling trading partner, that can be used to identify the item and access the information associated with the item created and provided by the selling partner and a systematic process for the buying partner to access the information so that it can be used to initialize the item in the buyer's physical identification systems.

Catalog, catalog query, and item identifier for a physical item

Abstract: In the present invention, a machine-readable item identifier is affixed to a physical item. The identifier is unique and is used to identify the item. The item identifier has three segments: 1) catalog identifier, 2) item description identifier, and 3) physical item identifier. The catalog identifier is used to determine the catalog that provides the item description and a description specific to the physical item. The item description identifier is used to query the catalog, which returns the description of the item. The physical item identifier is used to query the catalog, which returns a more detailed description of the physical item. The item identifier and the item description are used to initialize item in the physical identification system. The description specific to the item is added to the physical identification system and associated with the item identifier.


The present invention provides an off-axis rotary joint for optical signal transfer. An annular waveguide has optical discontinuity means, such as a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced apart notches directed inwardly thereof, which discontinuities intercept a light beam emanating from a light source near the waveguide. The discontinuities direct light into the waveguide, along which it travels until it meets an internal reflecting member which, in turn reflects the travelling light out of the waveguide to a suitable detector. The light source and the waveguide/reflector/detector are relatively rotatable so that the signal strength at the detector is an indication of the position of the light source relative to the waveguide. The invention has practical applicability in apparatus, such as turrets and CT scanners, in which the central shaft or axis area must be occupied by equipment or personnel rather than componentry of the rotary joint.

The properties of optical waveguides such as optical fibers make them an ideal choice of medium for carrying signals in an ever-increasing number of applications. These properties include high bandwidth (signal carrying capacity), immunity to interference, absence of radiation, low loss, light weight and low bulk. Optical fiber is often used in conjunction with electrical cables for carrying power, in applications such as turrets, remotely operated vehicles for hazardous locations, and industrial workstations. In such applications the composite cable is winched or reeled, requiring a slip ring or rotary joint assembly at the reel, to permit the payout or retraction of cable while allowing continuous operation of the remote equipment.
Electrical slip rings for the copper wires carrying power are well established, and fiber optic rotary joints have more recently appeared. However the use of fiber optic rotary joints has been somewhat limited by their performance, a particular weakness being the need to occupy the central axis of rotation of the rotary joint. This is a severe limitation in many cases, where shafts must occupy the axis of rotation, such as web dryers, stacker-reclaimers, rotating stages, shipboard winches, and many other applications. In other cases, people must occupy the central axis, such as in medical scanners and armoured vehicles.
Signal quality problems with electrical slip rings in CT scanner systems have indicated a potential requirement for an off-axis rotary joint. X-ray discharge causes interference with electrical signals passing through electrical slip rings and data rates with such systems need improvement. Optical fibers would overcome most of the problems in such equipment.
In armoured vehicles there is a trend towards the use of fiber optics for voice, video and digital signals to replace the electrical systems, giving higher bandwidth, reduced bulk and weight and absence of interference or radiation. As the turret rotates relative to the vehicle body, a slip ring or rotary joint is required. This has traditionally been located on-axis, to take advantage of available technology. However, a rotary joint having a hollow bore or shaft area would provide significant benefits by permitting easier movement of personnel and ammunition along the central area of the turret.
Many industrial installations can benefit from the advantages of fiber optics if they can replace noise-prone electrical data/control systems. Those having a rotational interface include cranes, mining machines, tethered vehicles, pulp/web dryers, machining turrets and many others. In some cases the central axis must be occupied by a shaft or other objects, demanding that the rotary joint operate off-axis.