Provided is a phase shift amount measuring apparatus and method capable of measuring a phase shift amount and a transmittance of a phase shift mask in one measurement step by using a miniaturized monitor pattern. The phase shift amount and transmittance of the monitor pattern are simultaneously measured using a shearing interferometer. The phase shift amount is obtained from a phase difference of interference light between light passing through the monitor pattern and light passing through a non-pattern area. The transmittance of the monitor pattern is obtained using an amplitude of interference light between light passing through the monitor pattern and light passing through the non-pattern area and an amplitude of interference light between light beams passing through the non-pattern area. The use of common interference images in measuring the phase shift amount and transmittance enables measurement of both the phase shift amount and the transmittance in one measurement operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a measuring apparatus and a measuring method which measure a phase shift amount and a transmittance of a phase shift mask.
2. Description of Related Art
As photomasks designed to handle the miniaturization of LSIs, half-tone type phase shift masks and Levenson type phase shift masks have been put into practical use. The phase shift masks are each provided with a phase shifter that gives a phase difference of π or an odd multiple of π to light passing through adjacent pattern elements of a mask pattern. For example, in the half-tone type phase shift masks, a light shielding pattern formed of molybdenum and silicon films operates as a phase shifter, and a phase difference of π or an odd multiple of π it is introduced between light transmitted through the light shielding pattern and light transmitted through an adjacent opening. In the phase shift masks, the resolution of an exposed pattern decreases along with the deviation of the phase shift amount of a phase shifter from the design value, which leads to deterioration in the quality of a photomask. For this reason, in a photomask production process, the phase shift amount of a phase shifter is one of the important parameters for securing the quality of a phase shifter. The phase shift amount of a phase shifter is measured by using a phase shift amount measuring apparatus.
As a phase shift amount measuring apparatus of a related art, a measuring apparatus that uses two-beam interferometry has been known (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-83974). In this phase shift amount measuring apparatus of the related art, a monitor pattern of a square phase shifter is formed in a corner portion of a phase shift mask to be inspected, and a coherent light beam emitted from a lighting system is projected toward the monitor pattern. The transmitted beam emitted from the monitor pattern is directed onto a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and is converted into two laterally-shifted beams which are laterally shifted by a predetermined shearing amount. The two laterally-shifted beams form an interference image in which the images of the monitor pattern overlap each other, two interference images in which the image of the monitor pattern and the image of an opening, which are formed on both ends of the interference image, overlap each other, and two interference images in which the images of the opening, which are formed on both ends of the interference images, overlap each other. The interference images formed by the two laterally-shifted beams are picked up by a CCD camera, and the phase shift amount is calculated based on a phase difference between interference lights generated from two interference images in which the light beam transmitted through the monitor pattern and the light beam transmitted through the opening overlap each other.
The phase shift amount and the transmittance of a phase shifter are important physical quantities in the phase shift masks. In other words, the phase shifter functions as a light shielding pattern and operates to specify a resolution and a dose amount in the exposure of light onto a wafer. Accordingly, if the transmittance of the phase shifter is outside of a predetermined range, the resolution and the dose amount in the exposure process fall outside a threshold range, which causes deterioration in the quality of the phase shift mask. For this reason, in the phase shift amount measuring apparatus of the related art, not only the phase shift amount of the phase shifter, but also the transmittance of the light shielding film is measured.
In the phase shift amount measuring apparatus of the related art, the amplitude of the interference fringe that forms the interference image in which the images of the opening overlap each other is measured, and the amplitude of the interference light of the area in which the images of the phase shifter overlap each other is also measured, thereby obtaining the transmittance from the ratio between the two amplitudes (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-83974).
In the phase shift amount measuring apparatus of the related art, in order to measure the phase shift amount and the transmittance of the phase shifter, it is necessary to form three types of interference images, i.e., an interference image in which the images of the phase shifter overlap each other, two interference images in which the image of the phase shifter and the image of the opening overlap each other, and interference images in which the images of the opening overlap each other. In order to form these three types of interference images, a relatively large monitor pattern is required. This is contrary to the market need for miniaturization of LSIs.
Further, in the phase shift amount measuring apparatus of the related art, the interference images for use in measuring the transmittance of the phase shifter are different from the interference images for use in measuring the phase shift amount of the phase shifter. Therefore, it is necessary to perform the measurement twice while moving a stage. This leads to deterioration in the throughput of the measurement.
An object of the present invention is to realize a phase shift amount measuring apparatus and a phase shift amount measuring method which are capable of measuring a phase shift amount and a transmittance of a phase shifter in one measurement step by using a miniaturized monitor pattern.

Measuring apparatus and measuring method


Membrane construction for a loudspeaker, in particular a cone tweeter membrane construction, where said membrane comprises two concentrically arranged sections, a first inner dome shaped annular membrane section connected or integral with a second outer cone shaped membrane section, where the outer section comprises means for attaching a surround.

Cone tweeters are a particular type of loudspeaker components, which are usually used in order to emit sound in the high frequency area. This in contrast to for example loudspeakers in the low frequency area requires that the loudspeaker is able to move very fast and may be exposed to relatively high loads in order to provide a balanced overall sound reproduction in co-operation with other loudspeaker units.


An optical device includes a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane. In the optical device, the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to the actuator element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device using an electroactive polymer actuator as an actuator of a blur correcting unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, widespread use of subminiature cameras mounted in digital or cellular telephones has resulted in an increasing demand for optical devices, such as cameras and video cameras, that are small and that provide high performance. When cameras or video cameras are reduced in size, the influence of vibration that they receive due to, for example, motion blurring is increased, thereby resulting in frequent blurring of a picked up image. Therefore, demand for a blur correcting mechanism is increasing. Hitherto, an electromagnetic motor has generally been used as an actuator for a driving mechanism of a blur correcting unit. The electromagnetic motor comprises a coil and a magnet, and converts electrical energy into driving power on the basis of what is called "Fleming's Law," as a result of supplying electric current through the coil in the magnetic field of the magnet. A position detector, such as a light-receiving element, is used as a sensor that detects a driving displacement of the electromagnetic motor. To reduce the size of the actuator used as the electromagnetic motor, it is necessary to increase driving power that is generated per volume of the actuator. However, when the driving power is increased, the magnetic field needs to be increased. More specifically, a large driving power can be generated by any one of the following methods:
(1) Passing a large current as a result of increasing the diameter of the coil;
(2) Increasing the number of windings of the coil; or
(3) Increasing the magnetic flux density as a result of increasing the size of the magnet.
However, when these methods are used, the electromagnetic motor is increased in size, thereby increasing the amount of electric current consumed and requiring a sophisticated controlling system. Therefore, there is a limit as to how small the electromagnetic motor can be made when these methods are used.
In addition, driving noise of the motor, itself, and noise of, for example, a gear (which is a mechanism for transmitting the driving power of the electromagnetic motor) are generated. Further, the mechanism has a sliding portion, thereby reducing the durability of the mechanism.
In recent years, research is being conducted on high polymeric materials, which have high generative force per volume and high strain, themselves, to apply the high polymeric materials to, for example, artificial muscles. An actuator (electroactive polymer actuator) to which high polymeric material is applied is available.
The electroactive polymer actuator is compressed in the direction of an electric field by electrostatic force that is generated between electrodes by applying voltage between the electrodes. At the same time, it is stretched perpendicularly to the electric field to produce pressure, so that it is possible to increase the strain of the polymeric material, itself, and the output per volume. Therefore, the pressure and strain can be provided by direct driving, thereby making it unnecessary to use a mechanism, such as a displacement enlarging mechanism or a speed reduction mechanism, such as a gear box, required in, for example, related motors. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the size, costs, and noise, and to achieve proper durability. In addition, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,462, if a change in electrostatic capacitance caused by a displacement of the electroactive polymer actuator is detected by a sensor circuit, the electroactive polymer actuator can be used as a sensor. A circuit for detecting a change in electrostatic capacitance, such as a resonator-type circuit, is widely known, so that a related circuit may be used for the circuit for detecting a change in electrostatic capacitance.
Japanese Patent No. 3501216 gives examples in which an electrostrictive stretching-and-contracting material is used in, for example, a valve device, a pump device, an actuator device, a sensor device, a generating device, and a vibratory driving device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,317 discloses a cylindrical electroactive polymer actuator which is stretched and contracted in an axial direction thereof.

Optical device having blur correction function


The present invention provides method of contemporaneously forming a particulate glass batch composition and reducing volatile components in an exhaust stream, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing an exhaust stream comprising one or more volatile components into a mixing chamber; (b) adding a particulate glass batch precursor composition comprising at least one reagent material that is reactive with at least one of the one or more volatile components of the exhaust stream into the mixing chamber; (c) reacting at least a portion of the particulate glass batch precursor composition with at least a portion of the one or more volatile components of the exhaust stream in the mixing chamber to form a particulate glass batch composition and reduce the amount of the one or more volatile components in the exhaust stream; (d) separating the particulate glass batch composition from the exhaust stream; and (e) venting the exhaust stream having a reduced amount of volatile components to the atmosphere. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the at least one reagent material is selected from the group consisting of alkali earth compounds, alkali metal compounds, aluminum compounds, silicon compounds and mixtures thereof, and the reagent material is added in an amount that is at least five times a stoichiometric molar amount necessary to completely react with the at least one of the one or more volatile components in the mixing chamber.

When glass batch compositions are melted in a glass melting furnace, volatile components can be released from one or more of the glass batch materials. As used herein the terms "glass batch" or "glass batch composition" mean one or more glass batch materials that when melted form a specified glass composition. In particular, when glass batch materials are melted to produce certain types of glass composition, e.g. "E-glass", volatile components, such as boron, fluorine and/or sulfur-containing compounds, are released into the furnace atmosphere. Depending on the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, these volatile components can form gaseous compounds such as HF, SO2, and H3BO3 or be condensed to form solid compounds such as HBO2. The loss of such volatile components from the glass batch not only increases batch cost but also creates problems when the exhaust stream is vented to the atmosphere. For example, at high temperatures, these volatile components can form highly corrosive acid gases that become entrained in the exhaust system. As the exhaust stream cools, condensation of corrosive acids and other undesirable particulate materials can occur in the exhaust system causing deterioration of system components, increased maintenance costs, reduced operating efficiencies and emissions control problems. For example, the condensation of gaseous H3BO3 to form a sticky, solid particulate (HBO2) has been found to clog ductwork and filtering systems and contribute to visible emissions (or opacity) of the vented exhaust stream. While all of these volatile components present certain emissions control issues, of particular concern are the volatilized boron compounds that are difficult to control and recover.
Typically, attempts to reduce or eliminate volatile components from an exhaust stream involve the use of specialized wet or dry scrubbing processes or a combination of both. U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,201 discloses a process wherein dust from a batch house is introduced into an exhaust stream from one or more melting furnaces. The dust particles, which preferably have a diameter of ten microns or more, form nuclei upon which condensables in the exhaust will condense (col. 2, lines 38-44). After mixing with the exhaust, the dust particles are filtered from the exhaust stream and returned to the batch source and reused (col. 2, lines 67-68 and col. 3, lines 1-2). U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,995,005 and 3,969,482 disclose methods of treating flue gas from a melting furnace using a two-stage process comprising a first step of quenching the flue gas with an alkaline solution or slurry of basic material to form a salt and a second step of contacting the flue gases with a particulate sorbant material to remove residual acid gas. Preferably, the temperature of the flue gas ranges from about 200° F. to about 300° F. (about 93° C. to about 149° C.) immediately prior to mixing with the sorbant material. Additionally, it is preferred that the concentration of residual acid gas in the flue gas is reduced to less than about 500 parts per million prior to mixing with the sorbant material since the sorption process is generally not economical to employ at higher concentrations (col. 7, lines 33-38 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,482). It is also preferred that the temperature of the gas stream introduced into the bag house be below about 185° F. (about 85° C.) to minimize the volatility of the boric acid deposited in the bag filter.
Such two step processes are complex, expensive and can be difficult to operate and maintain. Additionally, it has been observed that the recovery of boron compounds by condensation, such as by the introduction of flue gas containing volatile boric acid species into bag filters at temperatures less than about 190° F. (about 88° C.), can lead to clogging of ductwork and bag-blinding due to the deposition of sticky boric acid condensates thereon. As used herein the term "bag-blinding" means that the filter bag becomes coated or clogged such that airflow through the bag is severely restricted. Furthermore, little or no recovery of energy from the flue gas is achieved in such a system.
Other patents have been directed toward the recovery of energy, particulate materials and volatiles from a flue or exhaust gas stream of a melting furnace by passing the exhaust stream through a bed or column of pelletized batch materials. U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,190 discloses a preheater and recycling structure having a glass batch pellet containing intermediate section through which hot exhaust gas is passed. As the exhaust gas passes through the structure, the pellets are heated and the gas stream is cooled to permit the condensation of volatile materials and dust therein (col. 3, lines 31-35). The temperature of the gas entering the structure ranges from about 1000° F. to about 1600° F. (about 538° C. to about 871° C.) and is cooled to about 600° F. (about 316°) upon passing through the structure and is vented at a temperature of about 450° F. (col. 4, lines 6-13). The preheated pellets are subsequently fed into the melting furnace. U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,615 discloses a process for recovering energy and abating pollution in a glass manufacturing process, wherein flue gas from a melting furnace is directed into a preheater containing agglomerated batch materials to heat the agglomerates prior to their introduction into the furnace. After passing through the preheater, the gas is passed into one or more preconditioning chambers to preheat agglomerated batch materials prior to their introduction into the preheater. Particulates can be separated out of the flue gas due to the "filter-type" action of the agglomerates (col. 6, lines 7-8). Additionally, some gaseous polluting species can be recovered due to condensation as the temperature of the flue gas is decreased (col. 6, lines 11-15).
While such methods and apparatus are convenient for use with pelletized batch materials, they tend to be inefficient in recovering volatiles due to the low active surface area associated with agglomerated or pelletized materials, and are not well suited for use with particulate batch materials due to difficulties associated with passing an exhaust stream through a bed of particulate material. For example, passing a hot exhaust stream through a bed of non-agglomerated, particulate materials can result in the generation of dust and the loss of fine particles, as well as the formation of aggregates and high system pressure drops. Particulate glass batch materials also tend to be difficult to fluidize due to their fine particle size.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,298,369 and 4,282,019 disclose systems for preheating pelletized batch materials with flue gases while improving the removal of volatile species from the flue gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,369 discloses a glass manufacturing process, wherein a particulate boron and/or fluorine reactive material is introduced into and reacted with a flue gas stream at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. (about 932° F.) (col. 2, lines 1-8). Preferably, the reactive material is added to the flue gas, on an oxide basis, at such a rate that a weight ratio of the oxide to the total boron and/or fluorine flowing in the gases coming from the recuperator will be at least 4 and more typically 5-10 times that ratio (col. 5, lines 17-24). The flue gas is then passed through a slag box to remove large particles and then through a bed of pelletized batch material to preheat the pelletized batch material, preferably to a temperature of about 500° C. (about 932° F.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,019 discloses a process of calcining colemanite, abating pollution and preheating pelletized batch materials, wherein raw colemanite is introduced into a flue gas stream at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. (about 932° F.) to decrepitate and react the colemanite with volatile boron and/or fluorine in the gas. The gas and colemanite are then passed through a cyclone separator to separate and recover the colemanite. After separation the gas is passed through a pellet preheater. Preferably, the temperature of the gas passing through the pellet preheater will be in excess of 500° C. (about 932° F.) (col. 3, lines 58-63).
Again, processes are not well suited for use in systems wherein non-pelletized batch materials are fed into a melting furnace due to difficulties associated with passing an exhaust stream through a bed of particulate materials (as discussed above).
Attempts have been made to preheat particulate materials using exhaust gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,953 discloses the use of a fluidized bed preheater to preheat starting material for a glass batch composition. Exhaust gas is passed from a melting furnace into a fluidized bed to preheat the starting materials contained therein. A high performance filter is used to collect fine particles entrained in the residual gases of the fluidized bed preheater. U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,367 discloses a method of recovering waste heat using a granular heat exchange medium, wherein exhaust gas is passed through a first bed of granular material to recover heat therefrom. The heated granular medium is then passed into a second bed where it is used to preheat combustion air. Particulates in the exhaust stream can be recovered by the granular heat exchange medium of the first bed or they can be filtered prior to passage through the first bed by contact with a bed of cullet material. The cullet material can then be passed into the melting furnace. However, neither of these patents address the recovery of volatile contaminates from the exhaust stream.
Accordingly, there is a need for an effective method of reducing and reclaiming a variety of volatile components, particularly volatile boron compounds, from an exhaust stream that can be used in conjunction with a particulate batch feeding system and that provides for reduced system complexity, reduced batch costs, increased utilization of energy and improved bag house operations.

Methods of forming particulate glass batch compositions


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for free-space optical communication. The apparatus includes a first board with a plurality of optoelectronic converter components mounted on the first board. The apparatus additionally includes at least one optics element optically aligned with at least one of the optoelectronic converter components, where the optics element is configured to pass light directly between free-space and the plurality of optoelectronic converter components, and electronics coupled to at least one of the plurality of optoelectronic converter component. In one embodiment, communication is achieved by providing electric signals to a plurality of lasers that are mounted on a first board, generating a plurality of optical signals with the plurality of lasers and directing the plurality of optical signals into free-space with a plurality of optics elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical communication, and more specifically to free-space optical communication utilizing devices formed utilizing compact transceivers.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
For digital data communications, optical media offers many advantages compared to wired and RF media. Large amounts of information can be encoded into optical signals, and the optical signals are not subject to many of the interference and noise problems that adversely influence wired electrical communications and RF broadcasts. Furthermore, optical techniques are theoretically capable of encoding up to three orders of magnitude more information than can be practically encoded onto wired electrical or broadcast RF communications, thus offering the advantage of carrying much more information.
Fiber optics are the most prevalent type of conductors used to carry optical signals. An enormous amount of information can be transmitted over fiber optic conductors. A major disadvantage of fiber optic conductors, however, is that they must be physically installed.
Free-space atmospheric links have also been employed to communicate information optically. A free-space link extends in a line of sight path between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver. Free-space optical links have the advantage of not requiring a physical installation of conductors. Free-space optical links also offer the advantage of higher selectivity in eliminating sources of interference, because the optical links can be focused directly between the optical transmitters and receivers, better than RF communications, which are broadcast with far less directionality. Therefore, any adverse influences not present in this direct, line-of-sight path or link will not interfere with optical signals communicated.
Despite their advantages, free-space optical transceivers have heretofore comprised bulky devices having many separate components that tend to be expensive to manufacture, in part due to alignment issues.
It is with respect to these and other background information factors relevant to the field of optical communications that the present invention has evolved.

Apparatus and method for use in free-space optical communication comprising optically aligned components integrated on circuit boards


A collapsible step bar comprising a step bar body, a bracket, a first link, a second link and a pin is provided. The step bar body comprises a first shaft and a second shaft in a front end of the step bar body. The bracket is disposed adjacent the step bar body. The first link comprises a first end and a second end, and the second link comprises a first end and a second end respectively. Both the first ends of the first link and the second link are pivotably disposed on the bracket, and both the second ends of the first link and the second link are pivotably disposed on the first shaft and the second shaft of the step bar body respectively. The pin pivotably connects to the bracket and the first link for control of a rotation of the first link, such that the step bar body is rotatable into a closed state or an opened state.

1. Technical Field
The present technology relates to a step bar, and more particularly, to a collapsible step bar for a vehicle.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Vehicles such as motorcycles and tricycles are usually equipped with step bars for the passenger below the rear seat. Traditional vehicles have their step bars integrally formed on the chassis in consideration of cost-efficiency. However, these step bars are usually not allowed to be formed ergonomically.
An alternative design is to have the step bars pivotably fixed to the frame of a vehicle. Such design may allow the placement of the step bars at a more ergonomic position on the vehicle. However, conventional collapsible step bars are of a "single-axis" structure which requires a reserved space in front of an axis so as to allow the step bars' to rotate to an "open state." As a result, it is impossible for the chassis of the vehicle and the step bar (in a closed state) to form together an integral and smooth appearance. Further, the conventional "single-axis" structure has weaker structural strength.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the art to provide a step bar which allows smooth integration into the overall appearance of a vehicle and at the meantime has an improved structural strength.


A dumping device is disclosed comprising a container rotatably connected to a support structure, so that the axis of rotation of the container is rearward and/or below the center of gravity of the container. A releasable stop prevents the container from rotating forward. At least one actuator is provided which exerts a force forward and above the center of gravity of the container, whereby the speed of rotation of the container may be controlled and the container may be maneuvered between its upright and dumping positions.

Dumping devices are generally used to transport loads, or to temporarily store loads. Such devices usually consist of a container attached to a support structure. They may be small scale devices, such as the garden carts used to transport such items as dirt, leaves, and grass clippings. On a larger scale, dumping devices encompass wheelbarrows used by construction workers to carry materials such as concrete, bricks, and rocks. Although some dumping devices are wheeled carriers, others are not, i.e., containers in which concrete may be mixed prior to its unloading.
Most prior known dumping devices require that the support structure to which the container is attached be lifted from one end in order to dump the contents of the container. In the case of manually operated dumping devices, this may require a great deal of strength on the part of the operator. Such activity may become physically hazardous. Even where the dumping device is mechanically operated, emptying the container may still consume a great amount of energy.
Dumping devices wherein the container may rotate relative to the support structure are known in the art. Most of these inventions still require the operator or operating means to overcome the force of gravity when causing the container to dump its load. The dumping hand cart disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,228 makes some use of a gravitationally unbalanced container which may be more easily rotated. However, the disclosure teaches a device which pushes the container from behind its center of gravity, and thus does not take full advantage of the container's unstable position. Similarly, the dumping wheelbarrow disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,418, while also employing a gravitationally unbalanced container, discloses a rigid rod which pulls on the container. Because of the structure of the rod and the relatively small torque it generates, that invention is mechanically and ergonomically inefficient.
In contrast, the present invention utilizes a container maintained in an unstable rotational equilibrium, where the rotation of the container is controlled by an actuator exerting a force forward and above the center of gravity of the container. This results in a device which requires little force to initiate forward rotation of the container, as well as a more efficient means of controlling the container's rotation. Further, this device encompasses a number of actuators, such as a rotatably connected lever and link system, which increase ergonomic efficiency.


An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for recording image information corresponding only to a predetermined area at a given position in an image display device. An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for zooming in electrically an image in a predetermined area at an arbitrarily chosen given position and displaying the zoomed image in an image display device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image pickup device, method, computer program product, and recording medium that can change a digital zoom area in or out of a zooming process and/or can obtain a view of images outside of the digital zoom area.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
An image pickup device, typified by a digital camera, has a digital zoom function as a zoom function. In this digital zoom function an image is not zoomed by a zoom lens as in an optical zoom function, but instead the digital zoom function is a geometrical conversion process carried out on an image signal obtained as an electronic signal. In other words, the digital zoom function is an electronic zoom process.
Up to now, it has been common for the zoom process to be carried out on a central region in a monitor display screen obtained as an object to be imaged, just as in an optical zoom function. Namely, the zoom process has been carried out as a zooming in on the central region in the monitor display screen, and image data corresponding to that central zoomed area has been recorded.
When the zoom process is carried out, since the monitor display screen displays a picked-up image screen, it is often inconvenient at the time of photographing that images that lie outside of the digital zoom area, i.e., that lie outside of the central region of the monitor display screen, can not be seen or zoomed on by an operator of the digital camera.
Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. 6-165012 discloses displaying the monitor display screen after combining a small screen image that is not zoomed onto with a part of the monitor screen image that is zoomed onto.

Image pickup device, method, program product, and recording medium


There is disclosed a method of lining a drilled bore (10) and bore-lining tubing (12).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bore-lining tubing and to a method of lining a drilled bore.
2. Background of the Invention
Expandable downhole tubulars are being used increasingly in the oil and gas exploration and production industry.
It is amongst the objects of embodiments of the present invention to provide downhole tubing which facilitates the hanging and cementing of an expandable liner.

Abstract: The method comprises providing a first tubular (16); locating the first tubular (16) in the bore (10); providing an expandable, second tubular (22); locating the second tubular (22) in the bore (10) overlapping the first tubular (16); expanding a portion (24) of the second tubular (22) to create a coupling (29) including a flow passage (26) between the first tubular and the second tubular (16,22).


A method and arrangement for determining the capacity of a heat exchanger is provided. The effective heat transfer coefficient for the heat exchanger is calculated from the measured inlet and outlet temperatures of the product and the measured inlet and outlet temperatures of the auxiliary medium. By means of the value, the outlet temperature of the product set for maximum flow of the auxiliary medium is determined as that at which the change in the heat content of the product is at least approximately the same as the change in the heat content of the auxiliary medium and the amount of heat transmitted by the heat exchanger for the product flow. The value is displayed to the user and permits a decision as to how much longer the heat exchanger can reliably be operated.

Heat exchangers of this type are frequently used in process-engineering installations alongside a plurality of different installation components such as, for example, machines, containers, chemical reactors, steam generators, columns or pumps. A heat exchanger is in principle a pipe through which a product that is to be cooled or heated by the surrounding medium, which is called the auxiliary medium, flows. Factors determining the capacity of the heat exchanger include as large as possible a heat-exchange area and as large as possible a heat transfer coefficient. Certain requirements for the heat exchanger emerge from the materials used, for example, the type of product and auxiliary medium, the necessary cooling or heating capacity, the cooling procedure used, structural conditions or legal regulations, for example with regard to cleaning. Because of the different requirements, many different forms of heat exchangers are widespread, for example, direct-current and counter-current heat exchangers, tube-bundle-type heat exchangers or plate-type heat exchangers.
A major problem in the operation of heat exchangers is what is known as fouling. Here, fouling is a collective term for contamination of all kinds. Fouling changes the heat transfer coefficient between the auxiliary medium which serves as a cooling or heating medium and the product. The consequences of this are that more cooling medium or heating medium is required as auxiliary medium, that the operating costs rise and/or that in the extreme case the desired temperature of the product can no longer be set by the heat exchanger. If this extreme case occurs, an unscheduled shutdown of the process-engineering installation in which the heat exchanger is used can be caused as a result. A common remedial measure is therefore a regular shutdown of production for the maintenance and cleaning of heat exchangers. However, this increases operating costs and restricts the availability of the installation.

Method and device for determining the capacity of a heat exchanger


Matches between search queries and potential targets of such search queries are automatically brokered by (i) comparing search criteria specified in the search queries with profile criteria describing the potential targets, and (ii) reporting instances of acceptable correspondence between the search criteria and the profile criteria, provided that access controls associated with the profile criteria of the targets permit such reporting in light of access levels assigned to the search inquiries. Initiators, using client applications at various remote locations, may formulate the search queries and the brokering may be performed at one or more server locations communicatively coupled (e.g., via the Internet) thereto. The profile criteria may include portions of rich descriptive profiles of the potential targets.

In the course of conducting their everyday affairs (whether personal or business), people generally access their networks of contacts for referrals, information and/or advice. For example, when choosing a physician, one might check with friends or relatives about past experiences with certain doctors. When seeking a new employee, a potential employer will often check with colleagues to see whether they know of a suitable candidate. And, when investigating new investment opportunities, an investor may consult with professional advisors as to the prospects of the target company.
In each of these and many other examples, an individual's decisions are often made easier by the advice of trusted associates and friends, but often that individual finds he or she does not have an appropriate contact with the information needed to help with a problem or task. At such times, the individual may ask his or her contacts for leads to contacts in their own "human networks". This presents a quandary for the person asked for a referral—namely, whether or not to reveal his or her contacts to the requester. By making such revelations, the "connector" may compromise his or her network or expose one or more of his or her contacts to unwanted solicitations. By not making the referral, however, the connector may risk his or her association with the person seeking the referral. Whether or not to make the referral often depends upon the degree of trust that the connector has in the person seeking the referral and any past experiences in making such referrals to the target referee.
Even where the referral is ultimately made, there is no guarantee that the referee is going to be a suitable candidate for the original requestor's purpose. Thus, the requester may be forced to track down a number of leads (many of which may be unsuitable) in the hope of finding a suitable target. This process is rather inefficient, usually because a) the requestor does not have enough information about the contacts of his or her contacts in order to determine which contacts to approach for referrals, and/or b) the requestor has failed to properly elucidate his or her requirements and/or because the requestor was not provided with sufficient information regarding the potential target to be able to eliminate him or her from further consideration. In other words, the profiles of the desired target and the resulting candidates were not sufficiently developed to meaningfully assist in the selection process.
Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings, human networks are central to most, if not all, value-creating activities and operate at multiple levels, including personal networks (the personal and professional contacts each of us has), organizational networks (links within and between organizations), and associations and interest groups (people attracted by common values, interests, and goals). Today, many individuals may also be regarded as existing online community members, members of organizational networks (independent consultants, alliances, partnerships, consortiums, associations) or employees of small to large companies. They engage in human development, organizational learning, training, management, brokering, marketing, sales, trade, research, and consulting activities, all of which depend, to some degree, on inter-human networks. Such individuals generally understand the value of computer networks as tools for sharing information, but presently these individuals have only limited access to tools that can give them an edge (e.g., a competitive advantage) to make better human network connections on the Internet.
Others have recognized some of these deficiencies and have proposed partial solutions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,709 to Gilmour and Wang proposes a method of constructing a user knowledge profile, having distinct public and private portions with different access restrictions. In an automated knowledge management system, electronic documents (e.g., e-mail messages and the like) are collected and each is associated with a user, such as for example the author of the document. Further, confidence levels are assigned to content within these documents and such content may be potentially indicative of a knowledge base of the user. The content is then stored in either the public or private portion of the user's knowledge profile depending upon whether the confidence level exceeds, or falls below, a predetermined threshold level. The public portion of the user knowledge profile is freely accessible by third parties, whereas the private portion has restricted access. Individual users' knowledge profiles may then be accessed (according to public/private access control restrictions) to determine whether a user is an appropriate candidate for a task (e.g., receipt of an e-mail message).
A related U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,472, to Gilmour, describes a scheme for querying a user profile. Access begins with the public portion of a user's knowledge profile for each of a plurality of potential targets of the electronic document. A matching operation is performed between a document term within the electronic document and public knowledge terms within the public portion of each knowledge profile to identify a first set of targets for which a match exists between the document term and at least one public knowledge term. The first set of targets is published to the originator. Responsive to a second query from the originator, the private portion of a knowledge profile for each of the plurality of potential targets of the electronic document is accessed, the private portion of each knowledge profile including private knowledge terms indicative of a knowledge base of a potential target of the electronic document. A second matching operation between the document term within the electronic document and the private knowledge terms within the private portion of each knowledge profile is performed to identify a second set of targets for which a match exists between the document term and at least one private knowledge term. Each target of the second set of targets is then prompted for authorization to be published to the originator.
These two examples of prior schemes for leveraging human network characteristics (in this case a worker's prior access to information of interest in a current electronic document) show the benefit of using automated means to assist in decision-making processes regarding the use of such networks. However, these schemes do not assist in the forming of relationships or introductions among members of disparate human networks nor do they provide for the brokering function discussed above, which is critical to the exchange of social capital among individuals.
The above-cited patents are not the only examples of schemes that attempt to address the social networking needs of people. Other schemes, which generally fall into one or more of a few categories, also exist. Among these are access control systems which generally allow only intended users to have access to information. Such systems may make use of encryption schemes such as public/private key encryption schemes.
Other methods of access control include the following.                1. Simple access that is either open or closed. In such schemes, users who have access to the system can "see" everything. Those without access to the system can, of course, see nothing. Access to the system is most often implemented by issuing a password, and in more rigorous systems also by a means of authentication using encrypted certificates issued by trusted third-party certificate authorities.        2. Schemes wherein data is separated into public and private designations. In these systems, users can designate some data areas as public and others as private. If others request access to data stored in private areas, the system will deny the request. Or in other implementations, the system may ask the user that designated the data as being private in the first place to decide whether or not to permit the requested access.        3. In a variation of the above scheme, data areas may be designated as either "public" or "private" and individuals are given either public or private access rights. Anyone can see public data areas while only persons given private access rights can see both public and private areas. One organization that appears to have implemented a scheme that makes use of this access control model is PeopleStream, Inc.        4. Use of multiple access groups to which specific people and other groups are assigned. This is similar to (3) above, except the system allows many different kinds of groups to be defined and applied to different documents, directories, or fields. This type of system is best managed by a professional system administrator because it is quite tedious to administer. Users have to be assigned individually to multiple groups        5. Role-based access control. Access groups are defined not just by specific people but also by specific roles. Whoever currently has a specific role has the access rights assigned to that role. This system usually also requires a separate method to authenticate that a particular person has a particular role.
In addition to access control schemes, other profiling systems do exist. Such systems (e.g., as deployed in Microsoft's Passport and Novell's DigitalMe) are mainly used as adjuncts to eCommerce technologies and provide some limited contact book updating capabilities. Also, so-called "expert finding" systems (e.g., as deployed by Abuzz Technologies, Inc., Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. and others) generally lack the sophisticated software agents needed for true social networking and provide only an enhanced resume finding service. In many of these services, access controls to personal information are limited and little or no verification of user information is provided. Referral networks services, such as those developed by Peoplestream, ContactMaps, Six Degrees and others, include only limited user profiles and verification capabilities.

Method and apparatus for internet-based human network brokering


In a method for reducing the fouling of a compressor of a vinyl acetate production unit having a light ends stream feed, a hindered phenol is added to the compressor feed. The method retards the loss of compressor efficiency with run time and increases the run time before clean-out is required. The hindered phenol is added in a dosage amount effective for reducing the fouling of the compressor.

Vinyl acetate is an ethylenically unsaturated monomer used for the production of various polyvinyl resins. It is stabilized against premature polymerization by inhibitors such as hydroquinone and diphenylamine. Such inhibitors are routinely added to vinyl acetate after production, maintained in the vinyl acetate during storage, shipping and the like, and removed prior to, or overcome during, polymerization of vinyl acetate to produce the desired resin.
Vinyl acetate is commonly produced commercially by vapor-phase reaction of ethylene and acetic acid with a palladium-based catalyst, such as a potassium or sodium acetate supported palladium catalyst system. For instance, a vapor-phase mixture of ethylene, acetic acid and oxygen is formed by passing ethylene through an evaporator containing acetic acid, and then it is passed over a fixed-bed catalyst, at elevated pressure and temperature, exiting therefrom as a product mixture. Such product mixture is typically comprised of the vinyl acetate product, ethylene, acetic acid, oxygen, and by-products/impurities. The vapor-phase product mixture is cooled by a heat exchanger(s), resulting in a vapor-liquid stream. Of the product mixture constituents, the acetic acid raw material and the vinyl acetate product have relatively high boiling points, and thus comprise the major portion of the liquid of the vapor-liquid stream, while the ethylene, oxygen, and carbon dioxide comprise the major portion of the vapor of the vapor-liquid stream.
Such vapor-liquid stream is fractionated and purified through a series of columns and washes to recover a product-quality vinyl acetate fraction and unreacted raw materials for recycling. In more detail, the vapor-liquid stream is fractionated in a column in which vinyl acetate and unreacted acetic acid (the crude vinyl acetate product) are collected as liquids at the bottom, while the vapor phase, the "light ends" or "overhead", are collected at the top. As noted above, the major portion of the vapor, and thus the light ends stream, is ethylene, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Some small amount of acetic acid may go out the top during this fractionation. If it does, then some vinyl acetate will also go out the top because vinyl acetate has a lower boiling point than acetic acid. The presence of acetic acid in the light ends stream is itself of little concern, but optimization of production requires the optimization of vinyl acetate collected at the bottom. Therefore production facilities and parameters are designed to minimize the amount of vinyl acetate in the light ends, and therefore the amount of acetic acid therein.
The light ends stream contains unreacted ethylene for recycling back to the evaporator. The light ends stream is processed through a series of wash columns to remove various by-products and then is sent to a compressor(s) to prepare the unreacted materials for reentry to the evaporator. The light ends stream is at least partially liquified by the compressor, which is referred to at times herein as the "light ends stream compressor".
Both vinyl acetate and ethylene, one of its raw material precursors, are unsaturated monomers capable of undergoing addition polymerization through their carbon-carbon double bonds. Addition polymerization may be initiated by free radicals or ions. Free radicals can be generated by the action of ultraviolet light, X-rays, heat, peroxides, oxygen, diazo compounds, and other means. Once initiated, an addition polymerization normally propagates itself by a chain-reaction mechanism, whereby polymer molecules comprised of thousands of monomer ("mer") units may be formed in a few seconds or less. The polymerization chain-reaction for a given polymer molecule is terminated when its growing end, which is itself a free radical, reacts and combines with another free radical, rather than a monomer molecule. Termination may also occur when a labile hydrogen is abstracted.
The vinyl acetate monomer is, like many ethylenically-unsaturated monomers, a volatile liquid at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and has a melting point of about -93.degree. C. The ethylene raw material is a vapor at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and has a melting point of -169.degree. C. Polymerization products of either generally would be solids at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Formation of polymeric material in a light ends stream compressor will foul the compressor. Compressor fouling reduces compressor efficiency, and thus its production rate. Compressor fouling eventually requires that the compressor be shut down for cleaning, typically requiring the entire vinyl acetate production unit to be shut down, at least for some time period. Thus compressor fouling inevitably leads to lost production and increased maintenance costs. Fouling is caused by the presence of solid materials that coat the compressor blades and/or casing. Although solid material foulants may, to some extent, be introduced into the compressor by other means, analysis of such foulants has in the past revealed that they are comprised mostly of organic polymeric material. The major source of such foulants in such a compressor hence is the formation of polymeric materials from the unsaturated constituents of the light ends stream.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of inhibiting or reducing the fouling of a light ends stream compressor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for treating the light ends stream or compressor feed so as to retard the loss of compressor efficiency with run time by inhibiting or reducing the fouling of the light ends stream compressor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method whereby the run time of a light ends stream compressor before clean-out is required is increased by inhibiting or reducing the fouling of the compressor. These and other objects of the invention are described in more detail below.

Compressor fouling inhibition in vinyl acetate production units


In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a storage system is configured as at least one logical unit including at least one disk device; a controller for executing a read processing or a write processing of data having been stored or to be stored in the logical unit which is a destination of a read request or a write request, in response to the read request or write request transmitted from the computer, wherein the controller receives an instruction from the computer to turn on or off a disk device corresponding to the logical unit; and wherein, based on the instruction, the storage system turns on or off the disk device corresponding to the logical unit independently of disk devices corresponding to the other logical units.

The present invention relates to an external storage device system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technology for prolonging an operation period of a disk device (hereafter also referred to simply as a disk) and decreasing power consumption of a storage device system (hereafter referred to as a disk array). Here, the disk device's operation period signifies a period from the time to start using the disk device to the time when the disk device becomes unusable.
A disk array is a type of storage device systems connected to a computer. The disk array is also referred to as a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) and constitutes a storage device system comprising a plurality of disk devices arranged in an array and a control section to control them. The disk array concurrently operates disk devices to accelerate read requests (requests to read data) and write requests (requests to write data) and to provide data with redundancy. Disk arrays are categorized into five levels depending on types of redundant data to be added and disk array configurations. This is described in non-patent document 1 (Daved A. Patterson, Garth Gibson, and Randy H. Katz, "A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)", Computer Science Division Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley, 1988).

Disk array optimizing the drive operation time


Nanostructures for the systemic delivery of nucleic acids, such as RNA, are provided herein. The nanostructures include templated lipoprotein nanoparticles (TLPs) composed of a core decorated with proteins, a lipid bilayer and hydrophobic molecules that self-assemble with nucleic acids, such as RNA. The nanostructures are useful for research, therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Systemic administration of therapeutic short interfering RNA (siRNA) is tremendously appealing due to the ability of siRNA to potently silence any protein target and the opportunities that exist for personalized medicine (Wu et al., Sci Transl Med, 2014 6(240):240ps7). Some progress has been made with recent clinical trials demonstrating systemic delivery of therapeutic siRNA; however, drugs mostly target protein expression in the liver and none are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Wu et al., Sci Transl Med, 2014; 6(240):240ps7; and Whitehead et al., Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2009; 8(2):129-38). More specific to oncology applications, only four systemically administered agents have reached Phase I clinical trials, one was actively targeted, one moved on to Phase II, and none have gained FDA approval (Zuckerman et al., Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2015; 14(12):843-56). Ultimately, targeted systemic delivery of therapeutic siRNA remains difficult due to a number of well-known factors, such as: (1) inherent siRNA instability, (2) inefficient active delivery to target cells, (3) exclusion of siRNA from the target cell cytosol where mRNA targets reside, (4) RNA target selection, (5) toxicity, and (6) complexity, scalability, and cost (Choi et al., Mol Cell Toxicol. 2014; 10:1-8; Nguyen et al., Curr Opin Mol Ther. 2008; 10:158-167; Singh et al., Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2016; 39:28-34; and Cheng et al., Science. 2012; 338:903-910. In short, realizing the full potential of systemically administered therapeutic siRNA, especially for advanced solid tumors, requires the development of new technology.
Individual and combinations of strategies have been employed to enhance the efficacy of therapeutic siRNA. Notably, chemical modifications to the siRNA phosphate backbone and/or ribose sugar have improved RNA stability and can limit off-target effects.8 However, chemical modifications can significantly increase cost, may generate off-target effects, and can reduce siRNA efficacy (McMahon et al., Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2014; 11(2):231-47). In addition, many siRNA delivery vehicles have been developed. Almost exclusively, delivery vehicles are formed by self-assembling cationic lipids (lipoplexes) or polymers (polyplexes) that encapsulate siRNAs (Zhang et al., J Control Release. 2007; 123(1):1-10). Some of these cationic vehicles have been shown to increase siRNA stability, improve circulating half-life, and enhance cell uptake. However, toxicity, serum opsonization, and lack of active targeting remain significant drawbacks to cationic siRNA delivery vehicles (Lv, H. et al., J Control Release. 2006; 114(1):100-9; and Yang et al., Gene Ther. 1997; 4:950-960). Ultimately, identifying simple strategies for formulating largely unmodified siRNAs and alternatives to passively targeted cationic delivery vehicles are important for developing the next generation of therapeutic siRNAs.

Short interfering RNA templated lipoprotein particles (siRNA-TLP)


According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring at least one circuit branch coupled to a power line, the system comprising at least one first module comprising a Current Transformer (CT) configured to be coupled to the at least one circuit branch and to produce a reference signal having a level related to a current level of the at least one circuit branch, a rectifier coupled to the CT and configured to produce a rectified reference signal, a capacitor coupled to the rectifier, and a first microcontroller coupled to the capacitor and the rectifier, wherein, the capacitor is configured to store energy from the rectified reference signal, and wherein, the first microcontroller is configured to be powered by the energy stored in the capacitor and to sample the rectified reference signal to determine the current level of the at least one circuit branch.

1. Field of the Invention
At least one example in accordance with the present invention relates generally to systems and methods for monitoring a load center for current and power usage.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A load center or panelboard is a component of an electrical supply system which divides an electrical power feed from a power line into different subsidiary circuit branches. Each subsidiary circuit branch may be connected to a different load. Thus, by dividing the electrical power feed into subsidiary circuit branches, the load center may allow a user to individually control and monitor the current and power usage of each load.
Current Transformers (CT) are commonly used to monitor current in a subsidiary or main branch of a load center. A CT may be used to measure current in a branch by producing a reduced current signal, proportionate to the current in the branch, which may be further manipulated and measured. For example, a CT coupled to a branch of a load center may produce a reduced current AC signal, proportionate to the magnitude of AC current in the branch. The reduced current AC signal may then either be measured directly by measurement instrument or converted to a DC signal and passed to a measurement instrument. Based on the signal received, the measurement instrument may determine the level of current in the subsidiary branch and may assist in providing efficient energy management.

System for self-powered, wireless monitoring of electrical current, power and energy


A method for partitioning wiring connecting individual physical elements of a VLSI chip of a hierarchical design having multiple levels, begins by defining a size for the chip of a hierarchical design, and then removing blocked areas, including clock and power grid areas leaving the wiring channels available for interconnecting the individual elements of the VLSI chip. A percentage of the available area is allocated for wiring levels for global and local wiring as parallel iterations for the global and local wiring proceed and modified as the parallel iterations for the global and local wiring progress. During the parallel iterative process the number of wires increases for the power grid area to prevent a signal wire from having an active wire on either side of the signal wire. In the interactive process, a vertical slice of wiring resources used for the space above a macro entity is defined and the macro entity is checked with the context of the VLSI chip physical design above it. The process employs a blockage modeling tool to accurately wire DRC correct wiring designs using automatic routing tools.

This invention relates to wiring design for VLSI chips, and particularly to a method for partitioning wiring resources for connecting individual physical elements of a VLSI chip of a hierarchical design having multiple levels of hierarchy.
S/390 and IBM are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, New York, U.S.A. Other names may be registered trademarks or product names of International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.
As chip circuit densities increase, design implementation cycles decrease, and performance requirements increase, custom design techniques are employed to drive the performance to required levels. It has become increasingly important to be able to physically partition the chip more effectively with the goal of doing physical design implementation on the individual partitions in parallel as well as doing the physical design between the partitions with the partitions abstracted. One of the problems encountered when employing a concurrent, independently iterative and parallel execution of a hierarchical design technique is that the physical design resources need to be partitioned among the design elements in such a way as to allow the elements physical implementation to proceed concurrently while insuring that the overall design integrity is maintained (i.e. no conflicts in resources is encountered once the elements are assembled on the chip). The techniques we had tried before were not effective until we came upon the improvements described herein for the design of IBM""s S/390 chipsets.
This disclosure describes a methodology for partitioning the wiring resource among individual physical elements of a hierarchical design in such a way as to allow the different elements (which can be at various levels of the hierarchy) to be physically wired concurrently while insuring that the overall complete design is free of shorts or other conflicts. The xe2x80x9cwiring contractxe2x80x9d is employed as a vehicle to pass wiring resource constraints across partitioned physical design elements as well as across the various levels of design hierarchy.
In accordance with the invention, our method for partitioning wiring connecting individual physical elements of a VLSI chip of a hierarchical design having multiple levels, begins by defining a size for the chip of a hierarchical design, and then removing blocked wiring areas, including clock and power grid areas, leaving the wiring channels available for interconnecting the individual elements of the VLSI chip. A percentage of the available area is allocated per wiring levels for global and local wiring as parallel iterations for the global and local wiring proceed and modified as the parallel iterations for the global and local wiring progress. During the parallel iterative process the number of wires may increase for the power grid area to prevent a signal wire from having an xe2x80x9cactivexe2x80x9d wire on either side of the signal wire. In the interactive process, a vertical slice of the wiring resources used for the space above a macro entity is defined and the macro entity is checked with this context of the VLSI chip physical design above it. The process employs a blockage modeling tool to accurately wire DRC correct wiring designs using automatic routing tools. This blockage modeling tool handles the newer, more complex types of design ground rules, such as wire spacings that are functions of the wiresxe2x80x2 widths or wire spacing to via junction that are dependent on both the metal extension beyond the via junction and the width of the covering metal. It adds artificial blockages to guide the routing tools to wire a design without shorts or DRC violations when these situations force the spacings to be more than the xe2x80x9cabsolutexe2x80x9d minimum.
These and other improvements are set forth in the following detailed description. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates partitioning of a VLSI chip.
FIG. 2 illustrates some of the xe2x80x9cfixedxe2x80x9d wiring constraints that need to be managed and passed to the various levels of hierarchy.
FIG. 3 illustrates contracts generated for unit and chip levels of hierarchy (which are inverses of each other) to define regions where each level of hierarchy can and can""t wire.
FIG. 4 illustrates the wiring bays on two levels of metal.
FIG. 5 illustrates a technique by which the electrical coupling between signal nets can be minimized by allocation of tracks adjacent to the power rails to the physical hierarchy level which will tend to have the longest wires.
FIG. 6 illustrates a shadow generated for a specific macro design entity.
FIG. 7 illustrates the modification of the blockage model for a shape in a macro to account for complex spacing ground rules.

Contract methodology for concurrent hierarchical design


A mold having an upper end and a downwardly extending wall terminating in a lower end, and a continuous notch spanning across the wall extending upwardly from the lower end, with both an outside surface of the wall and an inside surface being of a coating which is non-stick to dough wrapped around the outside surface of the mold and to dough which is pushed downwardly through the notch from the upper end of the mold towards its lower end.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to edible, hand-held personal food containers, in general, and to an edible cone receiving a pizza filling therein, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
As set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,021, pie-shaped slices of pizza sold to customers on an individual piece basis are somewhat unsatisfactory as a hand-held edible food product to eat while standing or walking because of the flexible and unstable nature of the pizza slice. To deal with that, a pizza cone is there proposed as including an insulating cup-like cover telescoped over the lower end of the cone, to maintain the structural integrity of the cone and to catch any leakage or drippage from the cone that might otherwise occur.
Experience has shown, however, that such pizza cone leaves much to be desired, unless only a small amount of pizza filling is spooned into the cone to begin with. Once the amount of filling added equals that normally included on a pizza slice, the combination of its weight and its moisture content weakens the structural integrity of the cone, causing it to leak and eventually fall apart as the consumer bites into it. Also, attempting to add such heavier and more liquid fillings as meatballs, chili and stews for walk-around eating further worsens the structural integrity problems of the cone. Yet, benefits attendant to having available an edible, hand-held personal food container continues—for standing, walking and the like while shopping in a mall or at a boardwalk or stadium (as well as for home consumption or as a purchasable item at a neighborhood pizzeria).
Recognizing that the shape of the cone is not very material, and that its size is not really relevant, the present invention proceeds with the understanding that certain consumers are slow eaters and some prefer heavier weight fillings; but, that all agree the support of the cone has to last until the last bite is taken. Whether the filling of the cone is mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce alone, whether it be supplemented with pepperoni, sausage, anchovies or meatballs, or whether a filling such as beef and peppers, sausage and onions, or anything else is added, the weight and moisture content of the food has to be supported by the structure of the cone as one continues to eat it.

Mold for the making of a hand-holdable edible food product


Microlens arrays (105) having high focusing efficiencies are provided. The high focusing efficiencies are achieved by accurately producing the individual microlenses making up the array at high fill factors. Arrays of positive microlenses are produced by forming a master having a concave surface-relief pattern (101) in a positive photoresist (21) using direct laser writing. Through this approach, the problems associated with the convolution of a finite laser beam with a desired profile for a microlens are overcome. The microlens arrays of the invention have focusing efficiencies of at least 75%.

Microlenses are required in many applications, such as light coupling from lasers to fibers, either as single lenses or in array form whereby several beams are focused to several fibers. Other important applications include light diffusion and screens.
Depending on the application, one may require a microlens of accurate profile with controlled focusing properties or, in the case of an array, high quality over most lenses in the array. To focus light efficiently, the lens profile (or sag function) must be fabricated with accuracy typically equal to or better than, for example, λ/4, where λ is the wavelength of the illumination source.
In addition, particularly for high-density coupling, diffusion, or screen applications, it is often important that the microlenses utilize the entire surface for focusing. In this way, essentially all incident light can be controlled by the array. When the entire useful surface area is employed for focusing, the array is said to possess a 100% fill factor.
Close packing of microlenses implies a fill factor equal to 100%, which means that the internal boundaries between neighboring microlenses are in close contact. A simple example of close packing is a hexagonal array. Other arrangements, such as square arrays, can also be close packed.
It is typical to find in both the scientific and patent literature arrays of microlenses that have fill factors below 100%. FIG. 1 illustrates such an array where microlenses 12 are regularly placed on the available substrate area 11 with spaces being left between the individual microlenses. One of the unit cells of the array of FIG. 1 is shown by dashed lines 13. The fill factor for this array is only 44%.
There are several existing methods for fabricating isolated microlens units or arrays of microlenses whose edges are well-separated so that their boundaries avoid close contact. Because there is a finite distance between the internal boundaries of neighboring lenses, the fill factor for the array is necessarily less than 1 (or 100%).
The difficulty in obtaining efficient closed-packed lens arrays using prior art fabrication methods is due to the inability of those methods to preserve the boundaries of microlenses accurately, particularly for small and strongly focusing lenses.
Methods using thermal deformation, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,623, are based on volume relaxation and thus cannot control the fusing of material at the internal boundaries between microlenses. With fusion there is distortion that reduces focusing capabilities. Thermal deformation methods are simple to implement but allow limited control of the individual microlens structures.
Other methods, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,263, involve the creation of mechanical molds that define receptacles for curable liquids. The liquid is poured into the receptacles and the natural surface tension creates a bowed surface that serves as the microlenses. The mold, with the various receptacles, defines the array arrangement. Due to the inherent limitation of this method in controlling the shape of the microlens units, its efficiency cannot be optimized for a general application. Other mechanical methods based on the direct ruling of individual microlenses, such as diamond turning, are better suited for the fabrication of individual microlenses rather than arrays.
Methods based on ion diffusion processes that provide gradient-index arrays, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,321, cannot provide a 100% fill factor, with the region between two neighboring microlenses being typically 20% of the microlens repetition spacing. Gradient-index arrays present a serious limitation for large-volume fabrication due to the intrinsically slow diffusion process.
Processes for producing microlens arrays using direct laser writing in a photoresist are known in the art. See commonly-assigned PCT Patent Publication No. WO 99/64929, Gale et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,030, and Micro-Optics: Elements, systems and applications, Hans P. Herzig, ed., Taylor & Francis, Bristol, Pa., 1997, pp. 53–152. The photoresist of choice for such processes is a positive photoresist since compared to negative photoresists, positive photoresists are more widely available, have been subject to more intensive research and development work by photoresist manufacturers, and generally have higher resolution. However, as discussed in detail below, prior to the present invention, it has not been possible to produce arrays of positive microlenses having high focusing efficiencies at high fill factors using positive photoresists.
The present invention addresses the difficulties associated with the prior art by providing methods for fabricating microlens arrays having high focusing efficiencies through accurate microlens fabrication at high fill factors. The array can be arranged in any arbitrary way, such as square, hexagonal, or random. In addition, the methods allow the fabrication of microlenses of arbitrary shape as well as variable focusing power for different directions (anamorphic lenses).

Microlens arrays having high focusing efficiency


A wireless communication system is configured for adaptive modulation of a transmitted symbol. The specific modulation and/or coding is uniquely identified and data related thereto is embedded within the transmitted symbol. A receiver extracts pilot signals form the transmitted symbol and performs a correlation analysis to identify the particular modulation/coding used for that particular transmitted symbol. This permits adaptive modulation on a symbol-by-symbol basis. A base station communicating with a plurality of peripheral subscribers may utilize different modulation/coding for each subscriber depending on channel conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to communication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for adaptive modulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless data system should ideally select a form of modulation and coding to make the most efficient use of the radio channel. The quality of the radio link between a transmitter and receiver determines which combinations of modulation and coding can be used for data.
Fixed lines may perform an extended channel response measurement at the outset to determine the most effective modulation. For example, digital subscriber line (DSL) technology uses bit loading for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) over phone lines. The channel response is measured at startup, and modulation is varied tone-by-tone to maximize the overall throughput. Each terminal must know the modulation used for each tone. Upon completion of the line testing, the particular form of modulation and coding are selected to maximize data transfer rates. Although this approach may be thorough, it is time consuming and relies on the channel being largely static and unchanging over time. As such, it is not appropriate for the wireless environment.
Unlike wired systems, the radio channel is highly dynamic. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a number of factors, both predictable and unpredictable, combine to affect a particular wireless link. For example, radio frequency interference, relative motion between the transmitter and receiver, and other factors decrease the effectiveness of long-term channel estimates that are used in wired systems.
Prior art techniques describe the use of special training symbols for time synchronization and channel estimation. Such systems require that a special training symbol precede an air link burst containing one or more OFDM symbols. Because this prior art technique relies on one or more pilot OFDM symbols being transmitted, it is less efficient for short bursts and in environments with multi-user contention for the airlink.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is a significant need for system and method for adapting modulation techniques to changing airlink conditions. The present invention provides this and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.

System and method for adaptive modulation


A system and method for incorporating biofeedback training into each user's interaction with a multi-user virtual environment, such as a multi-user videogame or a multi-user computer-simulated task, and for enhancing each user's sense of immersion in the multi-user virtual environment, by using measured values of physiological functions received as real-time outputs from at least one biosensory device operatively connected to each user while each user is interacting with the multi-user virtual environment to influence a score of each user's performance, such that each user demonstrating relatively superior physiological self-regulatory skill is rewarded and each user demonstrating relatively inferior physiological self-regulatory skill is penalized.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method incorporating biofeedback training into a computer-generated multi-user virtual environment, and augmenting a computer user's sense of immersion in the computer-generated multi-user virtual environment by adding physiological interactivity to the multi-user virtual environment and by influencing the scoring of performance in the multi-user virtual environment with measured values of a user's physiological functions.
2. Related Art
Because of the association of certain human physiological states with the optimal performance of certain human activities and behaviors, or the attainment of superior states of health, biofeedback training directed to self-regulating such physiological states seeks to optimize the performance of their associated actions, behaviors, and states of health, thereby facilitating mastery in action and well-being. For example, a self-induced reduction of an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, typically associated with anxiety, may be expected to move a person into a state superior focus with respect to a challenge and its resolution, which state is better suited for victory over an opponent in real or simulated combat or completion of a real or simulated task.
Biofeedback training techniques for physiological self-regulation are fundamentally grounded upon repetition and the frequency of repetition, techniques for which persons have varying and limiting tolerances, particularly if their practice of biofeedback is undertaken in an environment that is not motivating because it fails to engender excitement, enthusiasm, challenge, stimulation, or curiosity. The absence of such motivating feelings often results in noncompliance with biofeedback training—a persistent and pervasive problem that has limited the effectiveness of biofeedback training incorporated into videogames and computer simulations to date.
Biofeedback training programmed into videogames or computer simulations has been limited to single-user videogames or single-user computer simulations, wherein the user is made aware of only some of his or her own monitored physiological functions, and the user's interaction with the videogame or computer simulation is modulated only by the control of his or her own physiological functions. In effect, the user competes only with himself or herself, and this has been found to limit commitment to play and participation, with a concomitant decline in biofeedback-mediated self-regulation of the user's physiological state.
The present invention makes biofeedback training more inherently self-motivating by incorporating biofeedback training into a computer-generated multi-user virtual environment ("MUVE") and augmenting the computer-generated audio and video interfaces that create the sensation of immersion in a MUVE with a physiological user interface that enhances the users' sense of immersion in the MUVE by:
[i] physiologically modulating the physical control inputs used by each of the players in the multi-user videogame or each of the participants in the multi-user computer-simulated task; and,
[ii] incorporating measured values of physiological functions of each of the players in the multi-user videogame or each of the participants in the multi-user computer-simulated task into the score by which performance in the multi-user videogame or multi-user computer-simulated task is graded; and,[iii] subject to rules governing participation in the multi-user videogame or the multi-user computer-simulated task, making the performance scores and a physiological performance profile of each player or participant visible or invisible on the output devices of other players or participants, thereby creating physiologically competitive and cooperative incentives in the multi-user videogame and the multi-user computer-simulated task.

Physiological user interface for a multi-user virtual environment


A silver halide photographic emulsion contains silver halide grains comprising at least two portions, i.e., a core and an outermost shell with different silver halide compositions and having an average aspect ratio of less than 8. The core consists of silver iodobromide, silver chloroiodobromide, silver chlorobromide, or silver bromide. An average silver iodide content of the outermost shell is higher than that of the core and is 6 mol % or more. The silver halide grains are subjected to all of selenium sensitization, gold sensitization, and sulfur sensitization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silver halide photographic emulsion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, grains whose surface have high silver iodide content are known to be unpreferable as a negative photographic light sensitive material since development progress is significantly delayed. For example, J. Photo. Sci., 24, 198 (1976) describes a core/shell type grain whose shell has silver iodide content of 18 to 36 mol %. JP-A-62-19843 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) describes a core/shell type color reversal photographic light-sensitive material in which the silver iodide content of a shell is higher than that of the core. This material is a reversal light-sensitive material aimed at increasing the sensitivity and contrast of pushing development by using a phenomenon in which development progress is delayed by grains having a high silver iodide content. Therefore, this color reversal photographic light-sensitive material is not suitable as a negative material. In addition, JP-A-49-90920 or JP-A-49-90921 describes grains in which a core consists of silver bromide, a shell consists of silver iodobromide, and a silver iodide content of the shell is 5, 10, or 15 mol %. However, these grains are used in a direct positive emulsion and therefore unsuitable as a negative emulsion. JP-A-56-78831 discloses a monodisperse grain whose surface has a silver iodide content of 6 to 8 mol %. However, these grains are effective only when they are used together with grains whose surface has a silver iodide content of 3 mol % or less, and only low sensitivity can be obtained by using only the former grains.
JP-A-60-147727 discloses, in its scope of claim, grains having a multilayered structure in which a difference between average silver iodide contents of two adjacent layers is 10 mol % or more and a silver iodide content of an outermost shell is 40 mol % or less, but it describes that a preferable silver iodide content of the outermost shell is 0 to 10 mol %. In addition, all of silver iodide contents of the outermost shells of grains described in the embodiments are 3 mol % or less.
JP-A-58-113927 discloses grains having a high silver iodide content in an outermost shell. However, these grains are tabular grains having an average aspect ratio of 8:1 or more.
JP-A-60-14331 discloses grains having a clear double structure but describes that the grains are silver halide fine crystals in which an outermost shell contains 5 mol % or less of silver iodide.
JP-A-61-245151 or JP A 62-131247 discloses grains having a multi-structure. In each reference, however, a silver iodide content of an outermost shell is lower than those of shells inside the outermost shell. In addition, no example in which the outermost shell has a silver iodide content of 6 mol % or more is described in the embodiments.
JP-B-44-15748 ("JP-B" means examined published Japanese patent application) discloses a photographic silver halide emulsion sensitized by at least two types of different sensitizers, i.e., a noble metal sensitizer and a nonlabile selenium sensitizer.
JP-B-43-13489 discloses a photographic silver halide emulsion sensitized by at least three types of different sensitizers, i.e., a noble metal sensitizer, a nonlabile selenium sensitizer, and a nonlabile sulfur compound.


Provided is a tunable magnetic field amplifying device capable of easily adjusting resonance frequencies and tuning usable bands by using discrete elements to vary electric properties of elements that are used for amplifying a magnetic field of a specific microwave band. The tunable magnetic field amplifying device includes a Swiss roll formed by winding a metal sheet coated with a dielectric in a spiral cylinder shape once or several times; and a tunable capacitor connected between an inner sheet of and an outer sheet of the metal sheet for tuning a resonance frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tunable magnetic filed amplifying device; and, more particularly, to a magnetic field amplifying device capable of easily adjusting resonance frequencies and varying usable bands by using discrete elements to vary electric properties of elements used for amplifying a magnetic field of a specific microwave band.
2. Description of Related Art
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) widely used in the diagnosis of disease is a high-tech non-destructive, non-radioactivity inspection method that is excellent in efficacy but causes no load to the human body. The MRI inspection method applies a static magnetic field of about 0.5 Tesla or greater to a target region of a body. Then, protons in the body have a resonance frequency proportional to the strength of a static magnetic field at about several tens of MHz band or higher. When an electromagnetic wave of such resonance frequency is irradiated in the shape of a pulse to the body, protons absorb the energy of the wave and become excited. After a certain period of time, the protons emit electromagnetic waves of the same frequency and lose energy, thereby going down to a low energy state. The wave being generated at this time is called a Magnetic Resonance (MR) signal. The MRI inspection method then receives this MR signal through a receiving antenna and creates 2-D images representing the density distribution of protons.
In general, higher MR signal intensity results in better resolution of MRI images effective for the diagnosis of diseases. The most direct way to increase the MR signal intensity is to increase the strength of a static magnetic field to be applied. According to the law of thermodynamics, protons in human body that actually absorb energy from the external exciting waves and generate MR signal while losing energy are approximately a part per million (10−6) of the total number of protons. Since this ratio increases proportionally to the intensity of the static magnetic field, the early MRI equipment mainly used permanent magnets that generate the static magnetic field of 0.5 Tesla or below, but the recent MRI equipment employs superconducting magnets that generate the static magnetic field of 1.5 Tesla or greater. However, the MRI equipment using superconducting magnets, compared to the MRI equipment using permanent magnets, is expensive in individual unit price and maintenance cost, which adds the economic burden to many patients.
Another way to improve the resolution is using contrast media or contrast agents for MRI. In general, contrast media are widely used to improve the resolution for X-ray inspection. MRI contrast media are also actively researched now because they can increase the resolution without placing so much cost burden on the patients. However, the MRI contrast media are used in a drug delivery way, so they may cause inconvenience to patients and it may take some time until they are actually used.
Still another way to improve the resolution is to minimize the electromagnetic loss until a receiving antenna detects MR signals generated from the body. The MR signal is essentially an electromagnetic wave of a specific frequency, and composed of two vector components, an electric field vector and a magnetic field vector. But, unlike typical waves traveling in air or vacuum space environment, the MR signal is characterized that the magnetic field strength has a predominant role over the electric field strength. Therefore, a kind of electrical resonant circuit called Swiss roll, which is very sensitive to a change in magnetic field at a specific frequency, is arranged between the body and a receiving antenna in order that a loss in the MR signal can be reduced. The Swiss roll, which is a magnetic field amplifying device, consists of a central mandrel upon which a spiral metal sheet coated with dielectric is wound in the shape of a cylinder N times, so that when an external magnetic field corresponding to its resonance frequency is inputted, it causes an electromagnetic resonance to amplify the magnetic field strength.
Therefore, reducing a loss in the MR signal by using the resonance phenomenon of the Swiss roll, which is the magnetic field amplifying device, has a merit that patients do not have economic burden or feel inconvenient. However, since self-inductance and capacitance to determine the resonance frequency of the Swiss roll is determined by the geometrical shape, it is very difficult to accurately match the resonance frequency to the MR signal from protons. In addition, although Swiss rolls are manufactured under the identical conditions, mass produced Swiss rolls do not always have a uniform resonance frequency due to the tolerance for error. Moreover, physical property changes of individual Swiss rolls caused by temperature, humidity, etc., give rise to the deviation of the resonance frequency, which cannot be corrected easily.

Tunable magnetic field amplifying device

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A method for making an article of manufacture (10 or 34) includes making a PVC structural element (12 or 36) with a surface (26), adhesively securing a sheet of stranded material (22) to the surface (26), and molding a sponge material (16 or 40) to the sheet of stranded material (22). The sheet of stranded material (22) is a woven material or nonwoven mat. Securing the sheet of stranded material (22) to the surface (26) includes chemically softening a layer (18) of the structural element (12 or 36) by applying a solvent, applying a plastic cement layer (20) to the softened layer (18), partially embedding the sheet of stranded material (22) into the layer (20) and/or into the layer (18), thereby at least partially encompassing a plurality of first portions (28) of strands (24), and molding the sponge material (16 or 40) onto the partially-embedded sheet of stranded material (22), thereby at least partially encompassing a plurality of second portions (30) of the strands (24). When a woven material is used, the partial embedding steps result in interposing partially-encompassed first (28) and second (30) portions of the strands (24).

The present invention relates generally to articles of manufacture in which a nonmetallic material is bonded to a structural element having a plastic surface. More particularly, the present invention pertains to sponge-covered assemblies in which polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam is bonded to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) structural elements, and to the method for making.

Sponge-covered assemblies and method for making