An ophthalmic surgery apparatus comprising a system for observing an anterior portion of an eye, and an optical system for irradiating a laser beam for treatment to the eye, the apparatus is a corneal surgery apparatus irradiating the laser beam to a cornea and ablating a surface thereof, the apparatus comprising a moving device for moving the optical system relatively against the eye, an illuminating device for illuminating a large area of the anterior portion of the eye, a photoelectric transducing device having a two-dimensional light sensing plane, for sensing distribution of light volume of the anterior portion of the eye, a pupil position sensing device for sensing the position of a pupil, a control device for controlling the moving device based on sensed results, a tracking signal generating device for generating a signal to track movement of the eye, whereby the moving device is controlled by the control device so as to track movement of the eye by inputting a signal generated by the tracking signal generating device, and a device for prohibiting irradiation of the laser beam in the case that the position of the pupil misses the predetermined limits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic surgery apparatus which treats by irradiating a laser beam to an eye of a patient, and more particularly to a mechanism for delivering the laser beam to a desired position of the eye and for tracking movement of the eye.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an ophthalmic surgery apparatus which treats by irradiating a laser beam to an eye of a patient, for example, a corneal surgery apparatus which uses an excimer laser beam is known. This apparatus ablates a surface of a cornea by irradiating the excimer laser beam so as to remove a diseased portion of the cornea and corrects an ametropia by changing a curvature of the cornea.
In the case that this apparatus is used, an operator makes the patient fix a fixation target with the eye, then aligns an irradiating optical system with the eye so as to be desired condition with observing an alignment target. The alignment is completed, then the operator makes this apparatus irradiate the laser beam so as to ablate determined amount of a desired area of the eye.
Though the patient is made to fix the fixation target with the eye, if an eyeball of the eye happens to move during the alignment or the laser beam irradiation and the movement is confirmed by the operator, then the operator must do the alignment over again once more from beginning, or the operator must discontinue the laser beam irradiation and do the alignment over again.
As described above, doing the alignment over again is a burden to both the patient and the operator because of taking much a long time for its operation or the like. Furthermore, in the case that the eyeball moves often, the burden is much more.
And if the operator does not notice the movement of the eyeball and continues the laser beam irradiation, then the cornea is not ablated so as to be an expected shape, therefore a refractive power of the eye after the operation is influenced thereby.
Furthermore, if the operator is not accustomed to operating the apparatus, then the alignment itself takes much time.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems, and to provide an ophthalmic surgery apparatus, which may make it easy to align a laser beam irradiating optical system with an eye of a patient without burdening both a patient and an operator.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an ophthalmic surgery apparatus comprising an observation optical system for observing an anterior portion of an eye of a patient, and a laser beam irradiating optical system for irradiating a laser beam for treatment to the eye, the ophthalmic surgery apparatus is a corneal surgery apparatus irradiating the laser beam to a cornea of the eye and ablating a surface of the cornea, the apparatus comprises a moving means for moving the laser beam irradiating optical system relatively against the eye, an illuminating means for illuminating a large area of the anterior portion of the eye, a photoelectric transducing means having a two-dimensional light sensing plane, for sensing distribution of light volume of the anterior portion of the eye illuminated by the illuminating means, a pupil position sensing means for sensing the position of a pupil by processing the signal transmitted by the photoelectric transducing means, a control means for controlling the moving means based on results sensed by the pupil position sensing means, a tracking signal generating means for generating a signal to track movement of the eye, whereby the moving means is controlled by the control means so as to track movement of the eye by inputting a signal generated by the tracking signal generating means, and an irradiation prohibiting means for prohibiting irradiation of the laser beam in the case that the position of the pupil misses the predetermined limits.
In another aspect of the present invention, an ophthalmic surgery apparatus comprising an observation optical system for observing an anterior portion of an eye of a patient, and a laser beam irradiating optical system for irradiating a laser beam for treatment to the eye, the ophthalmic surgery apparatus is a corneal surgery apparatus irradiating the laser beam to a cornea of the eye and ablating a surface of the cornea, the apparatus comprises a moving means for moving the laser beam irradiating optical system relatively against the eye, an illuminating means for illuminating a large area of the anterior portion of the eye, a photoelectric transducing means having a two-dimensional light sensing plane, for sensing distribution of light volume of the anterior portion of the eye illuminated by the illuminating means, a pupil position sensing means for dividing a sensing area of the photoelectric transducing means into the predetermined number, then sensing the position of a pupil based on analysis and comparison for light-and-shade information of the divided respective areas, a pupil position sensing means divides the two-dimensional sensing plane into at least more than four members, then senses the position of a pupil based on bias of the light-and-shade which is obtained every divided area, and a control means for controlling the moving means based on results sensed by the pupil position sensing means.
In another aspect of the present invention, an ophthalmic surgery apparatus comprising an observation optical system for observing an anterior portion of an eye of a patient, and a laser beam irradiating optical system for irradiating a laser beam for treatment to the eye, the ophthalmic surgery apparatus is a corneal surgery apparatus irradiating the laser beam to a cornea of the eye and ablating a surface of the cornea, the apparatus comprises a moving means for moving the laser beam irradiating optical system relatively against the eye, an illuminating means for illuminating a large area of the anterior portion of the eye, a photoelectric transducing means having a two-dimensional light sensing plane, for sensing distribution of light volume of the anterior portion of the eye illuminated by the illuminating means, a pupil position sensing means for dividing a sensing area of the photoelectric transducing means into the predetermined number, then sensing the position of a pupil based on analysis and comparison for light-and-shade information of the divided respective areas, a pupil position sensing means including a light-and-shade sensing means for dividing the two-dimensional light sensing plane into some number which have areas not adjacent each other, then obtaining the light-and-shade information every the divided area, a judging means for judging whether there is difference of the predetermined light-and-shade degree in the light-and-shade information of areas not adjacent each other and a pupil position specifying means for specifying that the pupil exists in dark side area in the case that the judging means judges that there is the difference of the predetermined light-and-shade degree and a control means for controlling the moving means based on results sensed by the pupil position sensing means.
Further, in another aspect of the present invention, an ophthalmic surgery apparatus further comprises a threshold level determining means for determining a threshold level for use in specifying a pupil area, and wherein the pupil position sensing means senses the position of the pupil based on the threshold level determined by the threshold level determining means and the signal of distribution of light volume transmitted by the photoelectric transducing means.
According to the present invention, it is capable of preventing an irradiating area from deviating, and is capable of treating an eye of a patient appropriately, because the apparatus can track the eye even if an eyeball of the eye moves during the laser beam irradiation. Also, a stable tracking can be realized with reducing an effect caused by a noise light.
Furthermore, since the performance for operating is improved, so burden is allowed to be decreased for both the patient and the operator. Furthermore, the trouble of the alignment is allowed to be decreased, therefore the alignment adjustment can be performed easily.


A selective call receiver (100) comprises means for receiving messages (104) and memory means (108) for storing the received messages. Displaying means (130) for displaying the stored messages and a predetermined number of indicators (212) representative of a corresponding predetermined number of stored messages. Means for activating (306) the indicators in a predetermined sequence of activated indicators (210) on the displaying means (130) when the received messages are stored. Means (306) wherein the activating means (306) responds to the deleting means by deactivating the indicator associated with the stored message being deleted resulting in a gap (218) being displayed in the sequence of activated indicators (210) at the position occupied by the deactivated indicator. Means for repositioning (310) the sequence of activated indicators being displayed (210) to eliminate the gap (218) in the sequence of activated indicators (210) while maintaining the positional relationship of the activated indicators being displayed (210).

Typically, a selective call receiver, upon receiving a message, stores the message in memory for review at a later time. However, the number of message storage slots are limited. Thus, when the memory storage slots are full, the arrival of new messages may be stored at the expense of deleting older messages. One such method currently used is to delete the oldest message to accommodate a just received message. Unfortunately, if a user wishes to review an older message, it may have been automatically deleted.
Current integrated circuit technologies have increased memory capacity. As a result, selective call receivers can store more messages. This significantly reduces the need for automatically deleting messages. However, as the number of stored messages increases, the ease of managing the messages decrease, making it more difficult for selective call receiver users to retrieve or locate a desired message. Furthermore, because selective call receiver users tend to randomly read and delete messages, a just received message is usually placed in the first available memory slot. In this way, the incoming messages become randomly placed throughout the available message memory. Unfortunately, this method of storing incoming messages makes it difficult for selective call receiver users to distinguish between old and new messages. That is, selective call receiver users may not be able to easily determine the time priority of the received messages or where the latest received message was stored.
Thus, what is needed is a method for retrieving stored messages that enables a selective call receiver user to quickly and easily determine the time priority of the messages stored in memory.

Selective call receiver having received message indicators


Provided is a polycrystalline ceramic substrate to be bonded to a compound semiconductor substrate with a bonding layer interposed therebetween, wherein at least one of relational expression (1) 0.7<α1/α2<0.9 and relational expression (2) 0.7<α3/α4<0.9 holds, where α1 represents a linear expansion coefficient of the polycrystalline ceramic substrate at 30° C. to 300° C. and α2 represents a linear expansion coefficient of the compound semiconductor substrate at 30° C. to 300° C., and α3 represents a linear expansion coefficient of the polycrystalline ceramic substrate at 30° C. to 1000° C. and α4 represents a linear expansion coefficient of the compound semiconductor substrate at 30° C. to 1000° C.

Compound semiconductors have been employed as materials for semiconductor devices such as diodes (including light emitting diodes), transistors, lasers, and light-receiving devices. Semiconductor devices formed of compound semiconductors are produced by forming an epitaxial layer of a compound semiconductor on a substrate and forming, for example, an electrode on the epitaxial layer.
The epitaxial layer of a compound semiconductor can be formed by providing a substrate formed of the same compound semiconductor as that of the epitaxial layer and performing epitaxial growth on the substrate. This can provide a high-quality epitaxial layer of the compound semiconductor. However, such a substrate formed of a compound semiconductor is expensive. Therefore, the formation of an epitaxial layer by this method increases the production cost of semiconductor devices.
The epitaxial layer of a compound semiconductor can also be formed by performing epitaxial growth on a relatively inexpensive substrate that is formed of a material different from that of the epitaxial layer. However, the quality of the epitaxial layer formed by this method deteriorates because of, for example, a difference in lattice constant between the epitaxial layer and the substrate and a difference in linear expansion coefficient between the epitaxial layer and the substrate.
On the other hand, there has been proposed a laminated substrate produced by providing a thin compound semiconductor substrate formed of the same compound semiconductor as that of an epitaxial layer and bonding the compound semiconductor substrate to a base substrate (e.g., refer to PTL 1).

Polycrystalline ceramic substrate, bonding-layer-including polycrystalline ceramic substrate, and laminated substrate


A fluid passing flat hollow body 2 comprises an upper and a lower flat plate 15, 16 elongated laterally and spaced apart as positioned one above the other, and a channel forming body 17 interposed between and brazed to the two flat plates 15, 16. The channel forming body 17 comprises two straight side bars 18 extending laterally and arranged between the upper and lower flat plates 15, 16 respectively at front and rear opposite side edges thereof, an intermediate bar 19 extending laterally and disposed between and spaced apart from the two side bars 18, two heat transfer area increasing portions 21 each interconnecting the intermediate bar 19 and each of the side bars 18 integrally therewith and positioned at an intermediate portion of the height of the bars, and end bars 22 extending forwardly or rearwardly inward from right ends of the respective side bars 18 integrally therewith and having respective inner ends butting on and brazed to front and rear opposite side faces of a right end of the intermediate bar 19. The intermediate bar 19 has a left end portion cut out therefrom, the two heat transfer area increasing portions 21 have respective right end portions cut out therefrom, and each of the flat plates 15, 16 has holes 13, 14 formed in a right end portion thereof respectively on front and rear opposite sides of the intermediate bar 19. Each of the two flat plates 15, 16 is bent at a left end portion thereof toward the other flat plate, and the bent portions 15a, 16a are lapped over and brazed to each other.

Heat exchangers already known for use in industrial machines such as oil cooler, aftercoolers and radiators include those comprising fluid passing hollow portions of aluminum extending laterally and arranged one above another in parallel at a spacing, aluminum spacers arranged between each pair of adjacent fluid passing portions at the left and right ends thereof and brazed to the fluid passing portions, and a corrugated aluminum fin provided between and brazed to each pair of adjacent fluid passing portions and positioned between the left and right spacers, each of the fluid passing portions comprising a flat hollow body having an upper and a lower flat wall and a peripheral wall interconnecting the upper and lower walls along peripheral edges thereof, each of the upper and lower walls of the flat hollow body having a hole formed in each of left and right end portions thereof, each of the left and right spacers having a through hole communicating with the corresponding holes in the upper and lower walls of the flat hollow body, a pair of left and right headers extending vertically and each provided by all the spacers at each of the left and right ends of the heat exchanger and the portions of the hollow flat bodies positioned between the spacers at the exchanger end (see the publications of JP-A No. 2001-82891 and JP-A No. 1996-233476).
The flat hollow body comprises two flat plates arranged one above the other at a spacing and each made of an aluminum brazing sheet having a brazing material layer over opposite surfaces thereof, and a channel forming body of aluminum disposed between and brazed to the flat plates, each of the flat plates having a hole formed in each of left and right opposite end portions thereof, the channel forming body comprising a peripheral wall interconnecting the peripheral edges of the two flat plates and a heat transfer area increasing portion interconnecting lengthwise intermediate parts of two straight portions of the peripheral wall which are positioned respectively along the front and rear opposite side edges of the flat plates. The two flat plates serve as the upper and lower walls of the flat hollow body, and the peripheral wall of the channel forming body serves as the peripheral wall of the flat hollow body.
However, the conventional heat exchanger has the following problems. Since each pair of adjacent flat hollow bodies have spacers therebetween respectively at the left and right opposite ends thereof, the exchanger has relatively great weight in its entirety. Stated more specifically, the spacer needs to be provided with a through hole for passing therethrough a high-temperature fluid having a high pressure, so that the spacer peripheral wall defining the hole must have an increased thickness, consequently increasing the weight of the spacer and therefore the weight of the overall heat exchanger.
Since the through hole is formed in each spacer, it is impossible to form screw holes in the spacer for use in attaching a bracket or boss to the spacer. The bracket or boss accordingly needs to be fixed in position by welding through a cumbersome procedure. Although the spacer peripheral wall defining the through hole must be given an increased thickness if screw holes are to be formed in the spacer for use in attaching the bracket or boss thereto, this results in a further increase in the weight of the entire heat exchanger.
Because the heat exchanger has the headers at the respective left and right ends thereof, the area of the unit wherein the high-temperature fluid and the low-temperature fluid are subjected to heat exchange, namely, the area of the core unit, is small relative to the overall size of the heat exchanger required for the installation of the exchanger. This imposes limitations on the effect to improve the heat exchange efficiency.
The high-temperature fluid flows into one of the headers and thereafter flows through the flat hollow bodies into the other header. In the meantime, the high-temperature fluid is subjected to heat exchange with the low-temperature fluid flowing forward from the rear between the pairs of adjacent hollow bodes. In this case, the portion of high-temperature fluid flowing in the rear side portions of the hollow bodies is efficiently cooled with the low-temperature fluid, whereas the low-temperature fluid reaching the front side portions of the hollow bodies is already given a relatively high temperature and therefore less efficiently cools the high-temperature fluid flowing through the front side portions of the hollow bodies. Consequently, the heat exchanger is not fully satisfactory in overall heat exchange efficiency.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the above problems and to provide a fluid passing flat hollow body which is usable for a heat exchanger which is smaller in weight and higher in heat exchange efficiency than the conventional heat exchanger, a heat exchanger comprising such fluid passing flat hollow bodies, and a process for fabricating the heat exchanger.

Flat hollow body for passing fluid therethrough, heat exchanger comprising the hollow body and process for fabricating the heat exchanger


The present invention relates to a base station, and a method for determining a mobile state of a mobile terminal and adjusting TTT. A method for determining a mobile state of a mobile terminal, applied in a base station and includes: setting a handover count period and a current handover count value; determining whether the handover count period has elapsed; determining whether the mobile terminal is handed over; transmitting information of the handover count period, the current handover count value and information of a size of a cell where the base station is located to a base station serving as a handover destination cell, in case the handover count period has not elapsed and the mobile terminal is handed over.

In a wireless mobile communication system, in order to ensure continuous communications of a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal shall be handed over under a connected state. In order to correctly trigger the handover, the mobile terminal shall perform a Radio Resource Management (RRM) measurement. If results of the measurement always meet a certain condition (i.e., a triggering condition, also referred to as a triggering event) within a specified period (Time to Trigger, TTT), the mobile terminal reports the results of the measurement to a base station, and the base station can decide whether to start a handover process according to the results of the measurement.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram in which a mobile terminal reports the TTT to a base station based on an RRM measurement. As illustrated in FIG. 1, if the triggering condition/event is defined as "the signal quality of the current serving cell is lower than a certain threshold within the TTT", the mobile terminal reports the results of the measurement to the base station only when values of the measurement are always lower than the threshold in the TTT.
In this process, the TTT and the triggering condition/event can both influence success rate of the handover. For example, in a case where the triggering condition/event is "the signal quality of the current serving cell is lower than a certain threshold", the serving cell requires extra time from obtaining a measurement report to triggering and performing the handover, thus when the threshold is too low, there may be a situation that although the mobile terminal has reported the result of the measurement, the signal quality of the current serving cell quickly deteriorates, the subsequent actions such as triggering the handover cannot be performed, and a call drop will occur at the mobile terminal. When the threshold is too high, there may be a situation that the signal quality of the current serving cell still can maintain the communication with the mobile terminal, while the signal quality of the destination cell is not good enough, and a call drop will also occur at the mobile terminal. Meanwhile, the TTT can influence effect of the handover. When the TTT is too long, an extra deterioration of the signal quality of the serving cell may appear, the signal quality of the serving cell is not enough to support a subsequent handover operation, and a call drop will occur. When the TTT is too short, the signal quality of the serving cell may fluctuate momentarily, and the signal quality can be recovered quickly. In that case, the mobile terminal is handed over from the current serving cell, while the signal quality of the destination cell is not good enough, thus a call drop will easily occur at the mobile terminal.
The setting of the TTT is related to multiple conditions such as a channel static change situation and speed of a mobile terminal. The channel static change situation is the quality change situation of the channel between the mobile terminal and the base station when the mobile terminal is static: if the channel quality fluctuates in a large range, generally the TTT shall be set to be relatively long to smooth a large channel fluctuation; whereas if the channel quality fluctuates in a small range, the TTT may be set to be relatively short. When speed of the mobile terminal is considered, the TTT shall be short if the speed of the mobile terminal is high, so as to prevent the channel quality from quickly varying with the user position, whereas if the speed of the mobile terminal is low, the TTT shall be long.
Since it is difficult to judge the channel static change situation, in an existing network, the TTT is set by the operator according to a general situation, and the TTT is corrected by the mobile terminal according to its own mobile state: the mobile state is substantially judged by counting the number of handovers within a specified time (the speed increases with the number). From the mobile state, corresponding correcting factor can be searched and then multiplied by the original TTT. The correcting factor is generally less than 1, and it decreases when the speed rises. The process for the mobile terminal to correct the TTT is as follows:
Step 1: the base station triggers the mobile terminal to detect the mobile state. The base station transmits parameters required for the TTT to the mobile terminal: a handover count period, an additional handover count period, an upper threshold, an intermediate threshold, a high-speed correction value and an intermediate-speed correction value.
Step 2: the mobile terminal counts the number of handovers within the handover count period. When the handover count period expires, if result of the counting is larger than the upper threshold, the mobile terminal judges that it enters a high-speed mobile state; if result of the counting is between the upper threshold and the intermediate threshold, the mobile terminal judges that it enters an intermediate-speed mobile state; and if neither the high-speed mobile state nor the intermediate-speed mobile state is detected when the additional handover count period expires, the mobile terminal judges that it enters a normal mobile state. Meanwhile, if the mobile terminal is subsequently handed over back to a cell after being handed over out of the cell (i.e., a ping-pong effect), the continuous handover between the two identical cells is not counted.
Step 3: if the mobile terminal is in the high-speed mobile state, it corrects the TTT using the high-speed correction value; if the mobile terminal is in the intermediate-speed mobile state, it corrects the TTT using the intermediate-speed correction value; and if the mobile terminal is in the normal mobile state, it does not need to correct the TTT.
The above mechanism has an obvious problem: the mobile terminal does not consider a cell size when counting the number of handovers. FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an influence of a cell size on the counted number of handovers. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal moves through paths 1 and 2 in the same speed respectively. When the mobile terminal moves through path 1, since a radius of the cell passed through is larger, the number of handovers is obviously smaller than that when the mobile terminal moves through path 2. Thus, different mobile states may be obtained when the mobile terminal moves in two paths.
In order to overcome the above problem, multiple mechanisms are optional at present.
Mechanism 1: the base station notifies its size to all mobile terminals in a cell where the base station is located. Thus the mobile terminal can acquire the cell size of the handover, and correct the number of handovers to obtain a more accurate mobile state. This method is a direct improvement to the prior mechanism and it still depends on the handover counting by the mobile terminal.
Mechanism 2: the base station corrects parameters (e.g., the upper threshold) related to the counting according to environment of the mobile terminal. For example, when the mobile terminal moves from an area of a large cell radius to an area of a small cell radius, the base station can configure a large upper threshold for the mobile terminal. Thus the mobile terminal considers the cell size when judging the mobile state. Obviously, the method still depends on the handover counting by the mobile terminal.
Mechanism 3: an actual speed value is measured through a speed detection algorithm rather than the handover counting. For example, the mobile terminal having a speed detection capability can acquire its actual speed through a device such as GPS. The mechanism depends on the capability of the mobile terminal, but not any mobile terminal has such the capability in the actual system.
Therefore, the measurement of the mobile state of the mobile terminal (i.e., the moving speed) in the relevant art is mainly performed by the mobile terminal itself, or it requires the mobile terminal itself to have the speed detection capability, or it requires a complex counting operation. As a result, the complexity of the mobile terminal is increased.
To be noted, the above introduction to the technical background is just made for the convenience of clearly and completely describing the technical solutions of the present invention, and to facilitate the understanding by a person skilled in the art. It shall not be deemed that the above technical solution is known to a person skilled in the art just because it has been illustrated in the Background section of the present invention.    [Non-patent literature 1]: 3GPP TS 36.331 V10.1.0 (2011-3), Radio Resource Control (RRC) specification. (Release 10);    [Non-patent literature 2]: R2-113181, Discussion on mobility estimation for HTN, Alcatel-Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell;    [Non-patent literature 3]: 3GPP TS 36.304 V10.2.0 (2011-06), User Equipment (UE) procedure in idle mode (Release 10).

Method for determining mobile state of mobile terminal and adjusting time to trigger


A method and apparatus is described for compensating circuits. A different locked loop circuit is placed adjacent to a different one of each of the circuits to be compensated. A periodic signal is distributed to each of the locked loop circuits, and each locked loop circuit generates an output signal that is indicative of the frequency of the signal. The output signal of each locked loop circuit is used to compensate the adjacent circuit.

The invention relates to compensating a characteristic (a slew rate, for example) of a circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, an integrated circuit package, or chip 5, might have a bias generator 6 for generating bias voltages for circuits 8 (e.g., I/O predrivers) of the chip 5. These bias voltages typically are transmitted from the bias generator 6 to the circuits 8 via bias distribution networks 7 (e.g., conductive traces and filtering capacitors).
Quite often, this global biasing scheme is used to adjust, or compensate, one or more characteristics (e.g., a slew rate or output resistance) of each circuit 8. One or more external bias resistors 4 might be used to set the desired value that is used to compensate the circuits 8 to different levels.
There may be some difficulties associated with these schemes. For example, the above-described global biasing scheme often encounters difficulties due to variations in the local climates among the circuits 8 (i.e., variations in the conditions, such as actual process parameters, temperatures, and voltages that define the local environments of the circuits 8). Also, the global biasing scheme may be subject to noise errors. Thus, these existing compensation schemes may somehow be less effective than desired. Also, the programming resistors have a tolerance (approximately 5%) which introduce compensation errors. Multiple resistors may be required. These resistors typically require package pins, on-chip pads and compensation generator circuitry, all which consume area.
Alternatively, a chip 10 (see FIG. 2) might use a local biasing scheme to compensate the circuits 8 in the neighboring area. In this scheme, each circuit 8 has its own bias generator 9 which furnishes bias voltages for compensation. The levels of the bias voltages may be adjusted via one or more resistors 11 that are coupled to each bias generator 9. As a result, each circuit 8 may be compensated independently of the other circuits 8. In this case, each circuit will be in its local environment.
Quite often, even with the local biasing scheme, it is difficult to adjust the level of the bias voltages to the desired levels due to tolerances of the resistors 11. Furthermore, the resistors 11 may introduce system noise which introduces additional jitters in the compensation setting.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a globally effective compensation circuit that accounts for local variability, without excessive noise induced errors, and is economical on package pins, on chip pads and provides a very accurate standard reference for compensation calibration.

Compensating a characteristic of a circuit


A processor is connected by a bus to a plurality of station modules, each station module being connected to a corresponding valve and having a micro-controller. The processor executes a stored watering program and controls the station modules in accordance with the program. Messages are bi-directionally sent and received over the bus that are generated by the processor and the micro-controllers. Each message contains an identification field with an instruction that describes a meaning of the message. The processor and the micro-controllers each interpret the messages received thereby and perform predetermined functions in response thereto.

In many parts of the world due to inadequate rainfall it is necessary at certain times during the year to artificially water turf and landscaping. An ideal irrigation system for turf and landscaping should utilize a minimum number of valves, supply lines and sprinklers. Preferably the valves should be turned ON and OFF by an inexpensive, yet reliable electronic irrigation controller that is easy to program and can carry out a wide variety of watering schedules. The goal is to uniformly distribute the optimum amount of water over a given area. The type, placement and flow rates for each of the sprinklers are pre-selected when an irrigation system is designed and/or installed. The optimum flow rate provided by each sprinkler should preferably fall within plus or minus one-quarter gallon-per minute (GPM). The amount of water supplied by each sprinkler is largely determined by the size and configuration of its nozzle orifice(s), although variations result from fluctuations in water pressure that cannot be fully negated with regulators.
Residential and commercial irrigation systems typically include one or more solenoid operated valves that are turned ON and OFF by an electronic irrigation controller. The valves admit water to various subterranean branch lines usually made of PVC pipe that typically have several sprinklers connected to risers coupled to the branch lines at spaced intervals. Each combination of a solenoid valve and its associated sprinklers is referred to in the irrigation industry as a station or zone.
A modern electronic irrigation controller typically includes a microprocessor that executes one or more watering programs. The watering programs can be pre-programmed by the user via push button and/or rotary controls. The controller usually has an LCD or other display to facilitate programming by the user. Often the controller will revert to a default watering program in the case of a power failure. The microprocessor controls the solenoid valves via suitable drivers and switching devices. The valves are opened and closed by the microprocessor in accordance with the pre-programmed run and cycle times for each of the stations.
Over the past decade, modular expandable irrigation controllers have gained increasing popularity. In these controllers, the base portion of the system contains the microprocessor and user actuated controls. Each station is then controlled by a corresponding station module which typically comprises a plastic housing that encloses and supports a station module circuit, as well as wire connection terminals for connecting wires to a plurality of solenoid actuated valves. Usually each station module circuit includes a plurality of triacs or other AC switching devices and can independently control a plurality of solenoid actuated valves, i.e., stations. The station modules contain pins, sockets, card edge connectors or some other standard form of connectors for allowing them to be inserted into slots or receptacles in either the housing that contains the microprocessor or a separate back panel hinged to the microprocessor housing. When the station modules are plugged into a modular expandable irrigation controller they are mechanically supported and an electrical connection is made between the microprocessor and the driver. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,630 B1 of Peter J. Woytowitz, assigned to Hunter Industries, Inc., the assignee of the present application.
The advantage of an irrigation controller with a modular expandable configuration is that the controller need only be equipped with the minimum number of station modules that can control the total number of stations needed. Thus, for example, an irrigation system may have only three zones, requiring only a single station module, while another may have twelve stations which might require four station modules. Considerable cost savings are thus achieved. Moreover, if an irrigation system expands after initial installation because the landscaping has increased, additional station modules can be plugged into the controller. The station modules can also be removed and replaced if damaged, for example, during a lightening strike. In some modular expandable irrigation systems the base unit is capable of controlling a minimal number of stations without requiring the addition of any station modules. In others, such as the ICC™ irrigation controller manufactured and sold by Hunter Industries, Inc., at least a power module and one irrigation station module must be plugged into the controller in order to operate any stations or zones.
Various manufacturers commercially produce modular expandable irrigation controllers. While the input controls and processor circuitry in these products vary in terms of their functional capabilities, the station modules do not. Conventional station modules include some kind of AC switch such as a triac, along with a circuit that can interpret commands from a microprocessor and drive the AC switch to the appropriate state. Some conventional station modules also include surge suppression components such as metal oxide varistors, gas tubes or inductors.
In conventional modular expandable irrigation controllers the division of tasks between the microprocessor and the station modules is consistent. The microprocessor handles user interface and schedules the irrigation. At the start time, the microprocessor sends a command to the appropriate station module instructing it to turn ON a particular station. Each station module receives and interprets commands and energizes or de-energizes the appropriate station output terminal. The microprocessor is burdened with monitoring currents for fault conditions, counting down the appropriate run time, and issuing the station OFF command when the run time has elapsed. In order for tasks such as current monitoring to be performed properly, the current flowing out of each station should be monitored as well as the total current. The total current must not exceed the rating of the transformer in the irrigation controller, and the current flowing out of each station module must not exceed the rating of the triacs. Where a modular expandable irrigation controller is capable of turning ON many stations simultaneously, the hardware and firmware capabilities of the microprocessor can be exceeded. The microprocessor then resorts to measuring only total current and/or limiting the number of stations that can be ON simultaneously.
Some conventional modular expandable irrigation controllers also provide multiple sensor interface, network communications, and flow sensing capabilities. The microprocessor in such systems can quickly become overloaded. This in turn limits the functionality of one or more of the tasks performed by the irrigation controller and limits the future addition of new functional features.

Distributed architecture irrigation controller


An image display apparatus betters adjustment precision in the multi-projection in which two projection images are combined so that the images partially overlap each other. A display apparatus configuring an image projection system configured to project an image by combining on a screen a plurality of projection images so that the images partially overlap each other, includes a transformation unit configured to perform a geometrical transformation on a projection image, and a setting unit configured to set a parameter of the transformation by the transformation unit based on a relation between a position of an overlap region in a projection image obtained before the transformation by the transformation unit is performed, and a position of the overlap region in the projection image obtained after the transformation is performed, wherein an amount or value of the transformation is changed according to the position of a vertex of the overlap region.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a projection type image display apparatus that performs multi-projection by using a plurality of projection apparatuses and to a display adjustment and/or control method for the projection type image display apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
There have been known a multi-projection system for displaying images while combining a plurality of projection images projected on a screen individually by different projection apparatuses. An example of such a system is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-77778. In this example, an overlap region of a right-side projection image (a portion of the image) projected by a first projection apparatus and an overlap region of a left-side projection image (a portion of the image) projected by a second projection apparatus are superposed to combine the two projection images.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-77778 also discussed a technique that a right-side marker is displayed on the right-side projection image and a left-side marker is displayed on the left-side projection image, and that the two markers are superposed on each other so as to adjust the positional misalignment between the overlap region of the right projection image and the overlap region of the left projection image. However, this technique does not consider the method of adjusting the positional misalignment of the overlap regions while taking into the trapezoidal distortion caused by a tilt of each projection apparatus relative to the screen into consideration.
Thus, adjustment for superimposing overlap regions while taking into the trapezoidal distortion into consideration cannot be simply carried out.

Projection type image display apparatus and control method therefor


A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor region of the first conduction type. A first main electrode is connected to the semiconductor region. A base region of the second conduction type is formed on the semiconductor region. A diffused region of the first conduction type is formed on the base region. A second main electrode is connected to the diffused region and the base region. A first trench is formed extending from a surface of the diffused region to the semiconductor region. A second trench is formed from the first trench deeper than the first trench. A gate electrode is formed on a side of the first trench via a first insulator film. A protruded electrode is formed in the second trench via a second insulator film as protruded lower than the gate electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, which is used as a fast switching device or a power device, and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The voltage of power supply used in a CPU for a computer or the like has been lowered gradually. In accordance with this tendency, synchronous buck converter has been employed heavily. In a synchronous commutating power source, an elevation of the operating frequency increases the voltage variation rate dV/dt to the potential at a node between a high-side element and a low-side element. Consequently, even though a switching element at the low-side element is set at the off state, the off state can not be retained and is turned into the on state due to dV/dt of the drain voltage because of the gate-drain capacity in the switching element. This is known as the self turn-on phenomenon.
To prevent occurrences of the self turn-on phenomenon, a reduction in gate resistance in the switching element is important as well as a reduction in ratio (hereinafter, Cgd/Cgs) of the gate-drain capacity (hereinafter, Cgd) to the gate-source capacity (hereinafter, Cgs). In a power source for electronic instruments such as a note PC, a ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage is small, and the duration of the low-side element being kept on is longer than the duration of the high-side element being kept on. Therefore, a low on-resistance is also important.
To achieve such the property, structures of semiconductor devices as various switching elements have been considered. For example, the invention disclosed in Patent Document (JP 2004/327598 A) teaches two gate electrodes in a trench, and a source electrode formed as sandwiched therebetween via an insulator film. In this invention, the overlapped area between gate-drain is minimized to reduce the gate-drain capacity. If the overlapped area between the gate electrode and an n−-type epitaxial layer is small, the effect of depleting from the gate electrode toward the n−-type epitaxial layer can not be exerted. Accordingly, it is not configured to reduce the on resistance sufficiently.

Semiconductor device having increased gate-source capacity provided by protruding electrode disposed between gate electrodes formed in a trench


In some examples, a circuit comprises a first field effect transistor (FET) having a first gate adapted to couple to a reference voltage source, a first source coupled to a first current source, and a first drain coupled to a second current source. The circuit comprises a second FET having a second gate coupled to the first drain, a second drain coupled to the first current source, and a second source coupled to a first resistor. The circuit comprises a third FET having a third gate adapted to couple to a feedback loop of a voltage converter, a third source coupled to a third current source, and a third drain coupled to a fourth current source. The circuit comprises a fourth FET having a fourth gate coupled to the third drain, a fourth drain coupled to the third current source, and a fourth source coupled to a second resistor.

Step-down converters (e.g., buck converters) are power converters that receive an input voltage and provide a reduced (or stepped-down) voltage. Step-down converters can use many different architectures. In step-down converters having a voltage mode architecture, a compensation network provides a feedback control loop from an output of the converter to an input of the converter to help stabilize the converter. A converter is stable if it produces a finite output responsive to every finite input. An unstable system may include jittering in the switching waveforms, oscillation of output voltage, overheating of transistors, and so on. Compensation networks provide stability for the converter but over-compensation can lead to low bandwidth and slow transient response. Compensation networks can also be used to increase the frequency range of the output.

Compensation in a voltage mode switch-mode converter


The gain provided by an erbium amplifier is stabilised by spectrally selective optical feedback to make the amplifier lase. The resulting laser emission is extracted from the amplifier output using a Mach Zehnder with matched Bragg reflectors in its two interference arms. The extracted light may be used for supervisory purposes. Part of the laser cavity defining feedback may be provided by the Mach Zehnder by arranging one of its Bragg reflectors to be displaced with respect to the other.

This invention relates to optical amplifiers.
A paper by E. Delevaque et al entitled, `Gain Control in Erbium-Doped Fibre Amplifiers by Lasing at 1480 nm with photo induced Bragg Gratings Written on Fibre Ends`, Electronics Letters 10 Jun. 1993, Vol. 29, No. 12, pages 1112-4, describes how the gain afforded by an optical amplifier can be controlled by providing its optically amplifying medium with wavelength selective feedback sufficient to cause it to lase at some predetermined wavelength separated from the waveband within which the amplifier is designed to function as an amplifier.
A consequence of this form of gain control is that the amplified output signal provided by the amplifier is accompanied by laser emission generated by the amplifier.


An illegal data use prevention system includes a registrar which issues first authentication information for a game machine reproducing data and second authentication information for a user-identifying IC card. The data is identified by the first authentication information and the second authentication information. The game machine contains the first authentication information and, for example, executes a game program in accordance with a result of determination as to whether the IC card contains the second authentication information. Thus, illegal use of data is effectively prevented.

Conventionally, digital material, such as game software and music, is recorded on CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Video Disc), or other media. Its illegal use is prevented by, for example, encryption or copy protection. An associated method is disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent application 2001-110137 (Tokukai 2001-110137; published on Apr. 20, 2001) disclosing discs and players capable of protection against illegal copying.
However, once a technological means is devised for decryption or copy protection overriding, such conventional illegal use prevention techniques for digital material can easily be circumvented for illegal use of the material with the technological means, which is an issue.


In one embodiment, an exhaust treatment system comprises a selective catalytic reduction device, an off-line reformer disposed in selective fluid communication with and upstream of the selective catalytic reduction device, and a plasma reactor disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the off-line reformer, and disposed upstream of and in fluid communication with the selective catalytic reduction device. The selective catalytic reduction device is capable of storing ammonia and of enabling the reaction of the ammonia with NOx. The reformer is capable of producing a reformate comprising hydrogen and nitrogen. The plasma reactor is capable of producing ammonia from the reformate, and is a thermal plasma reactor or a surface discharge non-thermal plasma reactor.

Up coming emission regulations for diesel engines are driving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to incorporate after treatment devices, e.g., exhaust treatment devices, into the exhaust systems in order to comply with these regulations. Examples of exhaust treatment devices include: catalytic converters (e.g., three-way catalyst, oxidation catalysts, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts, and the like), evaporative emissions devices, scrubbing devices (e.g., hydrocarbon (HC), sulfur, and the like), particulate filters/traps, adsorbers/absorbers, plasma reactors (e.g., non-thermal plasma reactors and thermal plasma reactors), and the like.
A major challenge in meeting the future diesel emission requirements is treating the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) due to the inherently lean exhaust air-to-fuel ratio. One method of treating the NOx is the use of SCR catalysts that use ammonia as the reducing agent. Ammonia can be produced on-board a vehicle by injecting aqueous urea into the hot exhaust gas, upstream of the SCR catalyst. The urea decomposes to ammonia in the exhaust system and is absorbed by the SCR catalyst. The ammonia then reduces the NOx to nitrogen (N2) in the presence of the catalyst.
A major drawback of the urea SCR system is the requirement to carry a second fluid, urea, on the vehicle in addition to diesel fuel. In addition, a nationwide urea distribution network must be established and maintained to provide a reliable supply to vehicle operators. Thus, a method to generate ammonia on-board the vehicle, using the available diesel fuel is highly desirable to vehicle manufacturers and operators.

Exhaust treatment systems and methods for using the same


Thermal connection between a plurality of communication modules and a heatsink placed on these communication modules is securely achieved and maintained. In a signal transmission device in which a common heatsink is arranged on a plurality of communication modules equipped on a board, the signal transmission device has a coil spring provided between the board and the communication modules, and the communication modules are biased toward the heatsink by the coil spring so that an upper surface of the communication module is pressed against a bottom surface of the heatsink.

The signal transmission device as described above is provided with: a plurality of communication modules equipped on a board on which a semiconductor chip (IC chip) is mounted; and a cooling mechanism for cooling these communication modules.
A heatsink is cited as an example of the cooling mechanism for the communication modules, and a conventional signal transmission device can be roughly classified as follows based on an aspect of the heatsink. That is, the conventional signal transmission device can be roughly classified into a type in which the heatsinks are provided respectively for the plurality of communication modules (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-175995 (Patent Document 1)) and a type in which one heatsink is provided for the plurality of communication modules, and the latter is called "aggregation type" and is distinguished from the former. Accordingly, also in the following explanation, a type of a signal transmission device in which a common heatsink is provided for the plurality of communication modules is called "aggregation type" in some cases.
In the conventional aggregation-type signal transmission device, the heatsink is placed on the plurality of communication modules so as to cover these communication modules. Therefore, it is not required to widen a distance between the communication modules adjacent to each other in order to avoid interference between the heatsinks adjacent to each other, so that there is a merit that the plurality of communication modules can be highly densely arranged in periphery of the IC chip.


An improved system for "regenerating" or adding funds to a prepaid, remote memory account. The system includes a service provider network or host computer system including an account database of prepaid accounts. An integrated transaction card is issued to a consumer. One side of the card shows a prepaid telephone card for accessing the host computer system and an authorization code that allows access to the account database. The other side of the integrated transaction card is a transaction instrument, such as a prepaid transaction card, credit card, debit card, or the like. Information relating to the transaction instrument is stored at the host system so that a consumer may transfer funds from the transaction instrument to the prepaid phone card without the host system having to prompt the consumer for the necessary transfer information.

Known remote memory, prepaid accounts are used to purchase goods and services and involve a printed transaction card constructed from plastic or cardboard and bearing a unique authorization or account number and instructions for accessing funds, services, and the like. The other side of the transaction card includes a non-functional photograph, drawing or other aesthetically-pleasing image.
Known remote-memory, prepaid cards have been used extensively throughout the world. One example is a prepaid telephone calling card that includes a toll-free telephone number and dialing instructions for accessing a host computer system. A unique authorization code is typically associated with each remote account. When a calling party uses the card to place a long distance call, the toll-free number is dialed, thereby accessing the host system which manages the remote accounts. The calling party enters a predetermined authorization number for allowing access to the database. The calling party then enters a long distance telephone number, whereupon the system connects the calling party with the desired calling destination. The long distance telephone charges attributed to the telephone call are deducted from the account balance. The call connection may be terminated by the calling party or by the host system when the account is fully consumed. Generally, when the prepaid account balance is depleted, the user must discard the spent card and purchase a new card.
Such known prepaid cards are disadvantageous because the need to constantly purchase new prepaid cards is burdensome to the consumer. Discarding spent cards is also wasteful and harmful to the environment. Known prepaid card systems are also costly because new cards must be produced and distributed.
Other known schemes provide prepaid cards capable of being regenerated by increasing the account balance. Typically, a consumer regenerates the card by connecting to the host computer, entering a credit card number and expiration date, home zip code, and a regenerate amount. The consumer then directs the host system to withdraw funds from the credit card and deposit the funds into the prepaid card account.
The known method for regenerating prepaid phone cards is disadvantageous because the consumer must enter a cumbersome amount of data from the telephone. A high risk of erroneously entered data is also present. Moreover, regenerating must take place before or after placing phone calls. Known prepaid calling cards do not allow a card to be regenerated during a phone call connection to a called destination or in response to a host system's notification that the account balance is about to be depleted.
Thus, there exists a long-felt need to provide a new prepaid calling card that permits that account balance to be regenerated more efficiently, effectively and with less risk of error. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with existing prepaid calling cards, providing the consumer with a new and much improved system for regenerating an integrated prepaid calling card instrument.

Methods and apparatus for regenerating a prepaid transaction account

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.


In one embodiment, a scanning unit repeatedly scans an internal region of an object with an ultrasonic wave at a predetermined frame rate via an ultrasonic probe. An image generation unit extracts a blood flow signal based on a Doppler effect from a reflection signal and repeatedly generates a blood flow image representing a spatial distribution associated with power of the blood flow signal at the frame rate. A power average value associated with a frame or local region is calculated for the blood flow image. The blood flow image is corrected. In the correcting, a gain on the power values in the frame or local region in which the power average value exceeds the threshold are substantially reduced, and power values in the frame or local region in which the power average value is not more than the threshold are maintained.

A color Doppler method in ultrasonic diagnosis is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to a living body in the same direction a plurality of number of times. This method extracts blood flow information such as the velocities, variances, and powers of blood flows from a plurality of echoes using the Doppler effect. Echo data strings, of the data obtained by plural emissions of ultrasonic waves in the same direction, which are associated with the same point (the same depth point on the same ultrasonic raster) are called packets. The packet size is set to about 5 to 16, that is, packets are made uniform by emitting ultrasonic waves 5 to 16 times in the same direction. A blood flow signal is extracted from a packet by applying to it a wall filter for suppressing signals from the tissue, i.e., clutter signals, thereby displaying blood flow information such as a velocity, variance, and power. For this reason, the following problem arises.
A packet is closed within an ultrasonic scan frame. Therefore, as the packet size increases, the framer rate decreases. An IIR filter is often used as a wall filter. With a small packet size, however, a transient response occurs in the IIR filter, resulting in a deterioration in the characteristics of the IIR filter.
Studies have therefore been made on a method of handling signals at the same position between frames as a packet instead of handling a packet as a closed packed in a frame. In this method, since a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) is equal to a frame rate, the aliasing velocity becomes low to allow even low flow rate observation. However, the method makes it easy for clutter signals from the tissue to pass through a wall filter, and hence motion artifacts tend to occur. When, in particular, the operator moves the probe gripped by his/her hand, an entire window is displayed with clutter noise. This problem arises not only in the above scanning method but also in general color Doppler scanning operation when the aliasing velocity is low.


The present invention relates generally to a device for adding stiffening support to a guidewire so as to enable the guidewire or device to pass through a chronic total occlusion. A method for passing a guidewire through a chronic total occlusion is also disclosed.

The use of intravascular catheters has become an effective method for treating many types of vascular disease. In general, an intravascular catheter is inserted into the vascular system of the patient and navigated through the vasculature to a desired target site. Using this method, virtually any target site in the patient's vascular system may be accessed, including the coronary, cerebral, and peripheral vasculature. Examples of therapeutic purposes for intravascular catheters include percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
Intravascular catheters are commonly used in conjunction with a guidewire. A guidewire may be advanced through the patient's vasculature until it has reached a target location. Once in place, a catheter may be threaded onto the guidewire and urged distally until the distal end of the catheter reaches a target location.
When in use, the guidewire enters the patient's vasculature at a convenient location and then is urged to a target region. The path taken by a catheter through the vascular system is often tortuous, requiring the guidewire to change direction frequently. In order for the guidewire to conform to a patient's tortuous vascular system, it is desirable that it be very flexible, particularly near the distal end.
The guidewire will often confront a stenosis when passing through the vasculature. In addition, the stenosis may completely block the vessel as is the case with a chronic total occlusion. The success of the procedure often depends on the ability to insert the guidewire through the chronic total occlusion.

Chronic total occlusion device with variable stiffness shaft


Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method and computer instructions for aiding analysis of an image used in a medical examination. For example, in an embodiment, an image analysis system used in a medical examination comprises: an input module configured to input an image; a search module configured to locate information regarding an image that is similar to the input image; and an output module configured to output a link to the located information, wherein the located information is displayed when the link is used. For example, in an embodiment, an image analysis system used in a medical examination further comprises a communication module, wherein the communication module is configured to output the input image and the located information, and wherein the communication module is configured to receive a responsive communication.

The present invention generally relates to systems, methods and computer instructions for aiding image analysis. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems, methods and computer instructions for aiding image analysis by providing a link to information regarding an image that is similar to an image that is being analyzed.
Images can be used to aid in the monitoring and/or diagnosis of ailments. Such images are created using imaging systems. Two types of imaging techniques utilized by imaging systems are Computed Tomography (CT) imaging and/or Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging, for example. Images collected using an imaging system are referred to collectively as an imaging study. Once an imaging study is completed, the images therein can be displayed on a workstation, such as a Picture Arching and Communicating System (PACS) workstation, for example.
When an image is presented for review, a certain portion of the image can be considered interesting because, for example, that portion of the image could indicate abnormality. Abnormality in an image could indicate a certain disease, also known as, pathology. Thus, once abnormality is discovered, it is desirable to identify and diagnose the pathology that could be causing the abnormality.
People that review medical images, such as radiologists, for example, usually rely on past training and/or individual research in order to identify and diagnose pathology. Sometimes pathology is readily identified and diagnosed. However, when there is difficulty identifying and diagnosing unfamiliar pathology, time can be spent manually researching in order to identify and diagnose pathology. Further, mistakes can be made when identifying and diagnosing unfamiliar pathology.
There are systems that incorporate what is known as Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD), which can aid in the identification of areas of interest in an image and mark such areas so that a user that is reviewing the image is alerted to the area. Further, systems that incorporate CAD can suggest pathology based on a comparison of the image to previously analyzed images. However, systems that incorporate CAD can provide false positives, that is, systems that incorporate CAD can falsely mark an area of an image as an area of interest when there is no pathology in that area of the image. Thus, although systems that incorporate CAD may be effective when pathology is readily identified and diagnosed, if there is difficulty identifying and diagnosing unfamiliar pathology, a person reviewing an image can still spend time manually researching in order to identify and diagnose pathology.
Thus, there is a need for a system, method and computer instructions for aiding image analysis that provides improved and/or streamlined identification and diagnosis of pathology in an image used in a medical examination.

System, method and computer instructions for aiding image analysis


A system for dense depth computation aided by sparse feature matching generates a first image using a first camera, a second image using a second camera, and a third image using a third camera. The system generates a sparse disparity map using the first image and the third image by (1) identifying a set of feature points within the first image and a set of corresponding feature points within the third image, and (2) identifying feature disparity values based on the set of feature points and the set of corresponding feature points. The system also applies the first image, the second image, and the sparse disparity map as inputs for generating a dense disparity map.

Mixed-reality (MR) systems, including virtual-reality and augmented-reality systems, have received significant attention because of their ability to create truly unique experiences for their users. For reference, conventional virtual-reality (VR) systems create a completely immersive experience by restricting their users' views to only a virtual environment. This is often achieved, in VR systems, through the use of a head-mounted device (HMD) that completely blocks any view of the real world. As a result, a user is entirely immersed within the virtual environment. In contrast, conventional augmented-reality (AR) systems create an augmented-reality experience by visually presenting virtual objects that are placed in or that interact with the real world.
As used herein, VR and AR systems are described and referenced interchangeably. Unless stated otherwise, the descriptions herein apply equally to all types of mixed-reality systems, which (as detailed above) includes AR systems, VR reality systems, and/or any other similar system capable of displaying virtual objects.
Many mixed-reality systems include a depth reconstruction system (e.g., time of flight camera, rangefinder, stereoscopic depth cameras, etc.). A depth reconstruction system provides depth information about the real-world environment surrounding the mixed-reality system to enable the system to accurately present mixed-reality content (e.g., holograms) with respect to real-world objects. As an illustrative example, a depth reconstruction system is able to obtain depth information for a real-world table positioned within a real-world environment. The mixed-reality system is then able to render and display a virtual figurine accurately positioned on the real-world table such that the user perceives the virtual figurine as though it were part of the user's real-world environment.
Some mixed-reality systems employ stereo cameras for depth detection or for other purposes, besides depth detection. For example, a mixed-reality system may utilize images obtained by stereo cameras to provide a pass-through view of the user's environment to the user. A pass-through view can aid users in avoiding disorientation and/or safety hazards when transitioning into and/or navigating within an immersive mixed-reality environment.
Some mixed-reality systems are also configured with cameras of different modalities to enhance users' views in low visibility environments. For example, mixed-reality systems configured with long wavelength thermal imaging cameras facilitate visibility in smoke, haze, fog, and/or dust. Likewise, mixed-reality systems configured with low light imaging cameras facilitate visibility in dark environments where the ambient light level is below the level required for human vision.
A mixed-reality system can present views captured by stereo cameras to users in a variety of ways. The process of using images captured by world-facing cameras to provide three-dimensional views of a real-world environment to a user creates many challenges.
Initially, the physical positioning of the stereo cameras is physically separated from the physical positioning of the user's eyes. Thus, directly providing the images captured by the stereo cameras to the user's eyes would cause the user to perceive the real-world environment incorrectly. For example, a vertical offset between the positioning of the user's eyes and the positioning of the stereo cameras can cause the user to perceive real-world objects as vertically offset from their true position with respect to the user. In another example, a difference in the spacing between the user's eyes and the spacing between the stereo cameras can cause the user to perceive real-world objects with incorrect depth.
The difference in perception between how the cameras observe an object and how a user's eyes observe an object is often referred to as the "parallax problem" or "parallax error." FIG. 1 illustrates a conceptual representation of the parallax problem in which a stereo pair of cameras 105A and 105B is physically separated from a user's eyes 110A and 110B. Sensor region 115A conceptually depicts the image sensing regions of camera 105A (e.g., the pixel grid) and the user's eye 110A (e.g., the retina). Similarly, sensor region 115B conceptually depicts the image sensing regions of camera 105B and the user's eye 110B.
The cameras 105A and 105B and the user's eyes 110A and 110B perceive an object 130, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the lines extending from the object 130 to the cameras 105A and 105B and the user's eyes 110A and 110B, respectively. FIG. 1 illustrates that the cameras 105A and 105B perceive the object 130 at different positions on their respective sensor regions 115A, 115B. Similarly, FIG. 1 shows that the user's eyes 110A and 110B perceive the object 130 at different positions on their respective sensor regions 115A, 115B. Furthermore, the user's eyes 110A perceives the object 130 at a different position on sensor region 115A than camera 105A, and the user's eye 110B perceives the object 130 at a different position on sensor region 115B than camera 105B.
Some approaches for correcting for the parallax problem involve performing a camera reprojection from the perspective of the stereo cameras to the perspective of the user's eyes. For instance, some approaches involve performing a calibration step to determine the differences in physical positioning between the stereo cameras and the user's eyes. Then, after capturing a stereo pair of images with the stereo cameras, a step of calculating depth information (e.g., a depth map) based on the stereo pair of images is performed (e.g., by performing stereo matching). Subsequently, a system can reproject the calculated depth information to correspond to the perspective of the user's left eye and right eye.
However, calculating depth information (e.g., depth maps) based on a stereo pair of images (e.g., for addressing the parallax problem) is associated with many challenges. For example, performing stereo matching on a stereo pair of images to generate depth information (e.g., a depth map) involves identifying disparities between certain pixels of the stereo pair of images. Disparity values comprise the difference in pixel coordinates between pixels in one image and corresponding pixels in another image that represent common 3D points in the environment.
A stereo pair of images is typically rectified before performing stereo matching. After rectification, corresponding pixels in the different images of the stereo pair of images that represent common 3D points in the environment are aligned along scanlines (e.g., horizontal scanlines). For rectified images, the coordinates of the corresponding pixels in the different images only differ in one dimension (e.g., the dimension of the scanlines, such as an "x" or horizontal direction). A stereo matching algorithm may then search along the scanlines to identify pixels in the different images that correspond to one another (e.g., by performing pixel patch matching to identify pixels that represent common 3D points in the environment) and identify disparity values for the corresponding pixels.
In some instances, objects in a real-world environment are aligned with the scanlines of a rectified stereo pair of images. In one example, a rectified stereo pair of images has a horizontal scanning direction, and a real-world horizontal object (e.g., a handrail, horizontal fence member, etc.) represented in the stereo pair of images is aligned with the horizontal scanning direction. Such situations may give rise to problems when searching along the scanlines to identify corresponding pixels that represent the same 3D point in the environment. For instance, a stereo matching algorithm may identify a pixel patch in a first image centered on a pixel of a horizontal structure of the environment and may determine that several pixel patches in a second image along the same scanline and along the same horizontal structure correspond to the pixel patch of the first image (e.g., because of the similarity of the pixel patches that lie along the horizontal structure). Thus, the stereo matching algorithm may fail to accurately identify pairs of pixels in the different images that represent the same 3D point in the environment, particularly for structures in the environment that align with the scanning direction. This problem is often referred to as the "aperture problem."
The aperture problem can give rise to inaccuracies in applications that depend on depth maps. For example, a parallax-corrected image may include artifacts when representing horizontal structures in a real-world environment.
In addition to the aperture problem, other challenges exist for calculating depth information (e.g., depth maps) based on a stereo pair of images. In some instances, only one camera of a stereo pair of cameras captures certain 3D points in an environment. In one example, for an object that is close to the stereo pair of cameras, one camera may capture a portion of the object, whereas the portion of the object may be occluded from the other camera's field of view. Unless there are corresponding pixels in both images from the stereo pair, that represent the portion of the object in the image, a stereo matching algorithm may fail to generate disparity values for that portion of the object. This problem is referred to as the "occlusion problem." The occlusion problem can also give rise to inaccuracies in applications that depend on depth maps.
For at least the foregoing reasons, there is an ongoing need and desire for improved techniques and systems for calculating depth information, particularly for systems that need to perform parallax correction.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

Dense depth computations aided by sparse feature matching


A system for producing high purity carbon monoxide and hydrogen as well as activated carbon includes a pyrolysis reactor, a gasifier, a combustion turbine, a boiler, a steam turbine, a combined cycle unit and an electrolysis unit. Liquid fuel from the pyrolysis reactor is provided to the combustion turbine. Liquid and gaseous fuels are provided to the boiler. Compressed oxygen from the electrolysis unit is provided to the combustion turbine. Electric power from the combustion turbine and steam turbine are provided to the electrolysis unit. The gasifier includes a preheat region, a gasification region, and a cooling region. CO2 and O2 are injected into the gasifier at multiple injection levels to create an isothermal gasification region to produce CO. The CO2 and O2 are preheated in a heat exchanger using the CO exiting from the gasifier prior to injection.

Carbon monoxide is typically produced, along with hydrogen, by steam reforming natural gas or other light hydrocarbons. For carbon monoxide extraction, this normally requires a hydrogeneration/desulphurization reactor, a heat exchange reformer with energy supplied by fuel combustion (or by process gases), and either a cryogenic separator, a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit or a carbon monoxide membrane separator. Hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced in the reforming reaction and additional hydrogen is produced by a water gas shift reactor. The hydrogen is further separated by a PSA unit.
This type of processing produces a syngas from the reformer that is a complex mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and water. Hydrogen in the mixture can be minimized by partial oxidation using catalysis.
Over the past few decades a number of different processes have been developed to thermally decompose and gasify biomass to produce charcoal, biochar, activated carbon, and liquid organic and gaseous fuels. More recently there have been significant increases in the capacity and efficiency of electrolysis systems producing pure oxygen and hydrogen at high pressures.
Further, combustion turbines (also known as gas turbines) are forms of engines typically used to produce electrical power or energy. Such combustion turbines typically operate by compressing atmospheric air to a relatively high pressure and then injecting fuel into the air and igniting the fuel. The combustion turbine can include an electric generator to convert rotation of the turbine blades to electrical energy. The compressor used to compress the atmospheric air typically consumes a large portion of the energy produced by the turbine.

Systems and methods for processing carbonaceous feedstock


A water exchange device for cleaning a birdbath with a basin comprises a turret, a stationary mount, a first channel, a second channel, and an inlet channel. The turret is coupled to a center point such that the turret may rotate around the center point, and the mount mounts the turret of the water exchange device to the birdbath basin to be cleaned. Both the first and second channels include an aperture, and the inlet channel is coupled to the first and second channels such that when water flows into the inlet channel, the water flows out the apertures of the first and second channels into the basin. When the water does flow at a certain pressure, the turret rotates around the center point.

Various aspects of the present invention relate generally to birdbaths and more specifically to the maintenance of birdbaths (e.g., to provide for the automatic cleaning and restoration of clean water within a birdbath bowl).
Many birdbaths include a shallow basin that is usually perched on a pedestal. The inside of the basin defines a hollow space that can be filled with water, either by a natural means such as rain or by artificial means such as a person filling the basin using water from a conventional garden hose. When the birdbath basin is full of water, birds may enjoy the birdbath for bathing or as a source of drinking water.
However, the water in a birdbath will likely become contaminated over time. For instance, water in a birdbath basin may become dirty over time due to birds washing themselves in the water or through bird excrement left in the water. Also, over time, scum, algae, and, other build-up may contaminate the water. Still further, the birdbath basin may become dirty due to leaves, twigs, pinecones, dirt and, other debris that have fallen into the birdbath basin.


A substrate has corrugated sheet(s) and channel(s) for treating exhaust gases of combustion engines. The present invention also relates to methods for manufacturing and using the substrate having the open channel(s). The substrate (1) includes at least one corrugated sheet (3) having depressions (3d) and one flat wire mesh sheet (2) having depressions (2d) which is connected to the corrugated sheet (3) and between the flat wire mesh sheet (2) and the corrugated sheet (3) there are at least partially open channels (POC) for exhaust gas (EG) flow, and the depth of depression (2d) of the flat wire mesh sheet (2) is 0.05-2.0 mm smaller than the height of the corrugation (3c) of the corrugated sheet (3).

For the treatment of exhaust gases of combustion engines substrates having open or closed channels or combinations of those is used. In open channels the exhaust gas is directly flowing through the substrate. In substrate having closed channels exhaust gas is forced to flow through walls, e.g. through ceramic or metallic porous walls. In open channels the reduction of gaseous impurities is often high but the reduction of impurity particles is low, e.g. from 10 to 15%. In closed channels/wall flow filters the reduction of gaseous impurities is high and also the reduction of impurity particles is high, e.g. from 70 to 99%. The problem in closed channels is the clogging of walls. Closed channels/wall flow filters will gradually wholly clog if they are not cleaned. Pressure loss will also increase. One way to keep the channels open is to clean them continuously or periodically.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Substrate having corrugated sheet(s) and channel(s) for treating exhaust gases of combustion engines


Some embodiments provided herein relate to methods, systems and kits for providing consistent intracoronary administration of a biologic to subjects having diverse coronary anatomies. In some embodiments, the biologic is an adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) vector encoding sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) protein.

One promising recent development in the treatment diseases, such as heart failure is the use of biologies, such as antibodies and viral vectors. Using such biologies and other therapies, the treatment of heart failure can tailored to the individual patient, based on the underlying causes, comorbidities and the patient's stage at diagnosis and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification. Treatment goals include the reduction of symptoms, prolongation of survival, improvement to the quality of life, and inhibition of disease progression. Despite optimal medical therapy employing a wide range of pharmacologic, device and surgical therapeutic options, over the long-term, most patients experience a progressive decline to advanced heart failure refractory to optimal medical therapy, ultimately succumbing to the syndrome or one of the underlying contributing conditions.
However, along with these new biologic therapies come complications with their delivery to the patient, particularly where the biologic must be delivered via catheter into an organ of the patient, such as the heart or liver. There remains a need for consistent, predictable and safe methods of delivering these new therapies.

Methods and compositions for consistent intracoronary administration of a biologic


An amplifier includes a bootstrap circuit for improving a linearity of the amplifier and a feed-forward circuit for modifying a voltage of the bootstrap circuit in response to a change in an input signal. Modifying the voltage using the feed-forward circuit prevents a phase-inversion condition of the amplifier.

An amplifier is a device that receives an input signal (e.g., a voltage or a current) and generates an output signal based thereon. For example, a differential amplifier, which is a common type of amplifier, receives positive and negative versions of an input signal (i.e., a differential input signal) and produces an amplified output signal based on the voltage difference between the two input versions.
Conventionally, a bootstrap circuit including various electronic components (e.g., resistors or transistors) may be used to improve the linearity of an amplifier by preventing a logarithmic change in a base-emitter voltage caused by a change in the collector-base voltage of an input transistor of the amplifier. The unity gain bootstrap circuit implemented around the input transistor in this example ties its collector voltage to its base, thereby keeping the base-collector junction at a constant voltage; as a result, the collector current and the common-emitter current gain (i.e., β) remain constant at all operational input voltages.
Phase inversion refers to the output voltage changing in a "wrong" direction with respect to a change in the input voltage; an amplifier may experience phase inversion when, for example, the input voltage changes too quickly for the bootstrap to respond. The collector-base junction of an NPN bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is reversed biased in a forward-active region; upon receiving a large and/or fast voltage change, the voltage at the base may be larger than the voltage of the collector that has not yet responded. This condition results in saturation of the NPN BJT, which, in turn, may cause the output voltage to temporarily change in the wrong direction (i.e., phase inversion occurs). This problem is worse when the input signal varies at a high frequency and/or when the input step has a low rise-time.
Consequently, there is a need for circuitry that can economically improve the linearity of an amplifier (via, e.g., a bootstrap circuit) but prevent phase inversion upon receiving a large, fast change in the input signal.

Feed-forward circuit to prevent phase inversion


An etheramine mixture comprising one or more polyether diamines, methods for its production, and its use as a curing agent for epoxy resins. The etheramine mixture may also be used in the preparation of polyamides and polyurea compounds.

Polyetheramines are widely used as curing agents for epoxy resins or as reactants in the synthesis of polyamides or polyureas. Such polyetheramines are generally produced by the reaction of an alkylene oxide with an alcohol to form a polyoxyalkylene polyol and then subsequent conversion of the hydroxyl groups to amine groups by reductive amination.
Despite the state of the art, there is a continuous need for the development of new polyetheramines which can be used as curing agents for curable epoxy resins, which result in different curing conditions for the epoxy resins and unique properties for the cured epoxy compositions obtained therefrom.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide an etheramine mixture comprising polyetheramines that can be used as a curing agent for epoxy resins, wherein epoxy resin systems containing such have self-curing capabilities at room temperature and, once cured, good flexibility for use in applications such as, for example but without limitation, floor coatings, high-build table tops, and other decorative coating applications. It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a method of producing such an etheramine mixture.

Etheramine mixture containing polyether diamines and method of making and using the same


Provided is a processing cartridge detachably installed in an imaging device. The processing cartridge includes a first unit and a second unit, and a movable assembly coupled to and receive force from the force applying portion. When the processing cartridge is assembled to the imaging device, the first t and second units can be switched between states of approaching and separating. The movable assembly comprises an installing part and an acting part movable relative to and connectable with each other. The movable assembly is installed in the processing cartridge by the installing part, the acting part is coupled to the force applying portion and receives force from the force applying portion, to force the first and second units to switch between the two states. The acting part is retractable relative to the installing part and comprises an acting block and a guide block guided by the installing part.

Current processing cartridges include a toner bin and a waste toner bin which are coupled to each other. The toner bin is configured to contain toner required for development, and to developing member for carrying the toner is rotatably installed in the toner bin. The waste toner bin is configured to contain the waste toner generated by development, and a photosensitive member configured to form an electrostatic latent image is rotatably installed in the waste toner bin. When the processing cartridge is in operation, the developing member contacts the photosensitive member, and the toner carried by the developing member will develop electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of the photosensitive member.
When the processing cartridge is not in operation, in order to prevent deformation of a surface of the developing member or contamination of the surface of the photosensitive member caused by the long-term contact between the developing member and the photosensitive member. The processing cartridge further includes a force bearing portion fixed in the toner bin. Correspondingly, an electronic photo imaging device such as a printer is provided with a force applying portion for applying force to the force bearing portion. When the force applying portion contacts and applies force to the force bearing portion, the toner bin rotates relative to the waste toner bin to move far away from each other. At the same time, the developing member and the photosensitive member are also separated from each other. When the processing cartridge needs to operate, the force applying portion no longer applies force to the force bearing portion, and the toner bin and the waste toner bin approach to each other. At this moment, the developing member and the photosensitive member contact each other again.
The aforementioned method that the force applying portion applies force to the force bearing portion to force the toner bin and the waste toner bin to be away from each other can achieve the purpose of preventing the photosensitive member from being contaminated. However, since the force bearing portion is fixedly installed in the toner bin, in order to ensure the force bearing portion to be coupled to the force applying portion, the force bearing portion being more prominent, when the processing cartridge is dropped off, or once collided during transportation, the force bearing portion may be broken, so that the developing member and the photosensitive member cannot be separate from each other and thereby causing contamination of the photosensitive member.