A forward direction line is set on a course, in a virtual game world, on which a player object is allowed to move. An advancing direction at a current position of the player object is determined based on the forward direction line. The advancing direction is determined as a direction in which the player object advances so as to control a movement of a player character in accordance with an acceleration instruction, and a leftward-rightward movement instruction from a player. Consequently, it is possible to assist the player in controlling a direction in which an object operated by the player moves.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-236799 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses that, when an object operated by a player goes around a curve, a movement speed of the object is corrected in accordance with a position of the object on the curve. For example, when the object is on an inner curve, the movement speed thereof is corrected so as to be increased. On the other hand, when the object is on an outer curve, the movement speed thereof is corrected so as to be reduced. Thus, when a speed at which the object approaches the curve is too high and therefore the object is likely to slide off the course at the curve, the movement speed thereof is automatically reduced. Consequently, the object is able to go around the curve without sliding off the course.
However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the speed is corrected whereas a moving direction is never corrected.
Therefore, certain example embodiments provide a game program and a game apparatus capable of subsidiarily determining a moving direction of an object operated by a player.
Certain example embodiments have the following features to attain the object mentioned above. The reference numerals in the parentheses are provided to indicate an exemplary correspondence with the drawings in order to aid in understanding certain example embodiments and are not intended to limit, in any way, the scope of the present invention.
A computer-readable storage medium according to certain example embodiments has stored thereon a game program for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player. The game program causes a computer (31) of a game apparatus (3) to function as follows:
display control means (S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
advancing direction determination means (S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining an advancing direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the advancing direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the advancing direction representing a direction in which the player object advances;
advance instruction detection means for detecting for an advance instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for advancing the player object; and
advancing movement control means (S20, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the advance instruction from the player having been detected by the advance instruction detection means, the player object in the advancing direction having been determined by the advancing direction determination means.
Here, the "data used for determining an advancing direction" is predetermined data for determining, in the virtual game world, the advancing direction at one of positions or in one of areas in the virtual game world. The "data used for determining an advancing direction" may be direction data (direction vector) representing a direction in the virtual game world, a plural pieces of positional data representing a plurality of positions associated with each other in the virtual game world (in this case, the plurality of positions represented by the plural pieces of positional data are connected to each other so as to represent a direction), or a predetermined equation for determining the direction vector. Such data is set for each of the positions or each of the areas in the virtual game world. Further, such data may be set for some of the positions or some of the areas, and for each of the remaining other positions, data for a position, among said some of the positions, adjacent to said each of the remaining other positions may be used, and for each of the remaining other areas, data for an area, among said some of the areas, adjacent to said each of the remaining other areas may be used. Further, for the remaining other positions or the remaining other areas, approximation or interpolation may be used. The "advancing direction" represents, for example, a course direction in a game, such as a race game, for allowing a player object to advance along the course in the virtual game world.
The orientation (attitude) of the character may not necessarily correspond to the advancing direction of the character.
Further, the game program stored in the computer-readable storage medium according to certain example embodiments may cause the computer to further function as follows:
leftward-rightward movement direction determination means (S18) for determining, by using the data used for determining the advancing direction, a leftward-rightward movement direction at the current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction representing one of a left direction and a right direction in which the player object moves;
leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means for detecting for a leftward-rightward movement instruction inputted by the player using the input device for moving the player object in one of the left direction and the right direction; and
leftward-rightward movement control means (S22, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the leftward-rightward movement instruction from the player having been detected by the leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means, the player object in the leftward-rightward movement direction having been determined by the leftward-rightward movement direction determination means.
Further, the data used for determining the advancing direction may contain coordinate values (60) of a plurality of control points, in the virtual game world, which are arranged in sequence. The advancing direction determination means may determine the advancing direction in accordance with at least a first vector from a first control point which is nearest to the current position of the player object among the plurality of control points to a second control point, among the plurality of control points, which immediately precedes or immediately follows, in the sequence, the first control point.
Further, the advancing direction determination means may determine the advancing direction by using a second vector from the second control point to a third control point, among the plurality of control points, immediately preceding or immediately following the second control point in the sequence.
Here, the control points represent data which are arranged in sequence starting with the control point nearest to the position of the player object in the virtual game world at a predetermined time (for example, a time at which a game starts or a time at which a predetermined condition is satisfied). When the control points are arranged in sequence of a first control point (the control point nearest to the position of the player object at the predetermined time), a second control point, a third control point, . . . , the second control point follows the first control point in the sequence.
Furthermore, a control point which is first in the sequence may be nearest, among the plurality of control points, to a point (start point) at which the player object is positioned in the virtual game world when a game is started, and the advancing direction determination means may determine the advancing direction by using a vector obtained based on at least two vectors including the first vector from the first control point to the second control point immediately following the first control point in the sequence, and a second vector from the second control point to a third control point immediately following the second control point in the sequence.
Here, the advancing direction determination means may determine, as the advancing direction, a vector obtained as an average (or weighted average) of the first vector and the second vector. Further, another vector (a third vector from the third control point to a fourth control point immediately following the third control point in the sequence) may be used.
Moreover, a fourth vector from the first control point to a fifth control point immediately preceding the first control point in the sequence may be used.
Further, a course on which the player object is allowed to move is set in the virtual game world, and the plurality of control points may be set on the course.
Moreover, the display control means may generate, by using a virtual camera set in the virtual game world, a game image including the player object, and the game program stored in the computer-readable storage medium according to certain example embodiments causes the computer to further function as follows,
virtual camera control means (S34) for determining, in accordance with the advancing direction at a point which follows the current position of the player object and is distanced from the current position of the player object by a predetermined distance, a direction in which the virtual camera is oriented so as to pick up an image.
"A predetermined distance" may not be necessarily "constant", and may be changed each time, for example, the course is changed or each time an area set in the course is changed.
Further, "a point which follows the current position of the player object and is distanced from the current position of the player object by a predetermined distance" may be, for example, a point obtained by moving forward a position on the forward direction line corresponding to the current position of the player object along the forward direction line by a predetermined distance, or a point obtained by moving, by a predetermined distance (which may be a constant distance, or a distance based on a current movement speed), a position on the forward direction line corresponding to the current position of the player object in the advancing direction in which the player object is currently advancing or the moving direction in which the player object is currently moving. "The advancing direction at a point which follows the current position of the player object and is distanced from the current position of the player object by a predetermined distance" is obtained by subjecting, to a similar process performed by the advancing direction determination means, the aforementioned "point which follows the current position of the player object and is distanced from the current position of the player object by a predetermined distance".
Further, the game apparatus may include a first operation section (6R) and a second operation section (6L), and the advance instruction detection means may detect that the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately operated, and the leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means may detect that one of the first operation section and the second operation section is solely operated.
Here, the advance instruction detection means detects that the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately operated. On the other hand, the leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means detects that one of the first operation section and the second operation section is solely operated ("solely" is used for a case where one of the first and the second operation sections is operated one time or one of the first and the second operation sections is continuously operated). For example, operation histories of the first operation section and the second operation section are stored in a memory of the game apparatus (when a plurality of the operation histories are stored, the operation histories are stored in orderly sequence). When the first operation section is operated (or each time the first operation section is operated), whether the first operation section has been operated for an immediately preceding time or the second operation section has been operated for an immediately preceding time is determined, and when the first operation section has been operated for the immediately preceding time, it is determined that the first operation section is solely operated, and when the second operation section has been operated for the immediately preceding time, it is determined that the first operation section and the second operation are alternately operated. On the other hand, when the second operation section is operated, whether the first operation section has been operated for an immediately preceding time or the second operation section has been operated for an immediately preceding time is determined, and when the second operation section has been operated for the immediately preceding time, it is determined that the second operation section is solely operated, and when the first operation section has been operated for the immediately preceding time, it is determined that the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately operated. When the first operation section and the second operation section are not operated for a predetermined time period, the operation history information having been stored may be cleared. In this case, an operation performed for the first time after the operation history information has been cleared may be determined as a start of a new series of operations. When the first operation section or the second operation section is operated at a start of a series of operations, the player object may be moved forward, the player object may be moved in the right or left direction, or the player object may not be moved. Further, when the first operation section is continuously operated three or more times, it may be determined that the first operation section is solely operated. The same can be said for the second operation section. Furthermore, when the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately and continuously operated three or more times, it may be determined that the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately operated. Moreover, when another operation section (a third operation section) is provided in addition to the first operation section and the second operation section, the determination may be made regardless of the third operation section having been operated or the determination may be made in consideration the third operation section having been operated. For example, the first operation section, the third operation section, and the second operation section are operated in order, respectively. In this case, when the determination is made regardless of the third operation section having been operated, it is determined that the first operation section and the second operation section are alternately operated, and when the determination is made in consideration of the third operation section having been operated, the first operation section and the second operation section are not alternately operated.
Further, another computer-readable storage medium according to certain example embodiments has stored thereon a game program for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player. The game program causes a computer (31) of a game apparatus (3) to function as follows:
display control means (S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
leftward-rightward movement direction determination means (S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining a leftward-rightward movement direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction representing one of a left direction and a right direction in which the player object moves;
leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means for detecting for a leftward-rightward movement instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for moving the player object in one of the left direction and the right direction; and
leftward-rightward movement control means (S22, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the leftward-rightward movement instruction from the player having been detected by the leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means, the player object in the leftward-rightward movement direction having been determined by the leftward-rightward movement direction determination means.
Here, the "data used for determining a leftward-rightward movement direction" is predetermined data for determining, in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction at a position or an area in the virtual game world. The "data used for determining a leftward-rightward movement direction" may be direction data (direction vector) representing a direction in the virtual game world, a plural pieces of positional data representing a plurality of positions associated with each other in the virtual game world (in this case, the plurality of positions represented by the plural pieces of positional data are connected to each other so as to represent a direction), or a predetermined equation for determining the direction vector. Further, the "data used for determining a leftward-rightward movement direction" may be data representing the advancing direction. In this case, the leftward-rightward movement direction determination means determines the leftward-rightward movement direction based on the data representing the advancing direction. For example, the "leftward-rightward movement direction" represents a left-right direction relative to the course direction in a game, such as a race game, for allowing a player object to advance along the course in the virtual game world. The "leftward-rightward movement direction" is typically a direction perpendicular to the course direction. Further, the "leftward-rightward movement direction" may form a predetermined angle (excluding zero degree) with the course direction. Preferably, the leftward movement direction and the rightward movement direction may be symmetrical with respect to the course direction, or the leftward movement direction and the rightward movement direction may be aligned in straight line.
The other computer-readable storage medium according to certain example embodiments has stored thereon a game program for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player. The game program causes a computer (31) of a game apparatus (3) to function as follows:
display control means (S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
orthogonal movement direction determination means (S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining an orthogonal movement direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the orthogonal movement direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the orthogonal movement direction representing a direction orthogonal to an advancing direction representing a direction in which the player object advances;
orthogonal movement instruction detection means for detecting for an orthogonal movement instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for moving the player object in the orthogonal movement direction; and
orthogonal movement control means (S22, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the orthogonal movement instruction from the player having been detected by the orthogonal movement instruction detection means, the player object in the orthogonal movement direction having been determined by the orthogonal movement direction determination means.
Here, the "orthogonal movement direction" represents a direction orthogonal to the advancing direction (for example, the course direction). For example, the "orthogonal movement direction" may be the left-right direction relative to the advancing direction, or may be the upward-downward direction relative to the advancing direction.
A game apparatus according to certain example embodiments executes a game for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player, and comprises the following means:
display control means (31, S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
advancing direction determination means (31, S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining an advancing direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the advancing direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the advancing direction representing a direction in which the player object advances;
advance instruction detection means (31) for detecting for an advance instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for advancing the player object; and
advancing movement control means (31, S20, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the advance instruction from the player having been detected by the advance instruction detection means, the player object in the advancing direction having been determined by the advancing direction determination means.
Another game apparatus according to certain example embodiments executes a game for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player, and comprises the following means:
display control means (31, S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
leftward-rightward movement direction determination means (31, S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining a leftward-rightward movement direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the leftward-rightward movement direction representing one of a left direction and a right direction in which the player object moves; and
leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means (31) for detecting for a leftward-rightward movement instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for moving the player object in one of the left direction and the right direction; and
leftward-rightward movement control means (31, S22, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the leftward-rightward movement instruction from the player having been detected by the leftward-rightward movement instruction detection means, the player object in the leftward-rightward movement direction having been determined by the leftward-rightward movement direction determination means.
The other game apparatus according to certain example embodiments executes a game for moving a player object in a virtual game world in accordance with an operation performed by a player, and comprises the following means:
display control means (31, S36) for displaying the player object on a screen of a display device (2);
orthogonal movement direction determination means (31, S18) for determining, by using data (43) used for determining an orthogonal movement direction of the player object set in the virtual game world, the orthogonal movement direction at a current position of the player object in the virtual game world, the orthogonal movement direction representing a direction orthogonal to an advancing direction representing a direction in which the player object advances;
orthogonal movement instruction detection means (31) for detecting for an orthogonal movement instruction inputted by the player using an input device (6) for moving the player object in the orthogonal movement direction; and
orthogonal movement control means (31, S22, S28, S30) for moving or accelerating, in accordance with the orthogonal movement instruction from the player having been detected by the orthogonal movement instruction detection means, the player object in the orthogonal movement direction having been determined by the orthogonal movement direction determination means.
According to certain example embodiments, it is possible to subsidiarily determine a moving direction of an object operated by a player.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of certain example embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A method for producing a strip with width of two longitudinal edges, made of at least one first metallic or predominantly metallic material, and the region, across which the first material extends, is provided with a boundary area that extends in staggered manner between two longitudinal edges over the cross-section of the strip. The invention comprises the steps of a) combing strips of different widths, which contain the first material and which as such do not comprise a staggered boundary area between their two longitudinal edges, to form a first arrangement of strips having a staggered boundary area; b) complementing the first arrangement of strips by one or more additional strips to form a second arrangement of strips having a rectangular cross-section, and c) bonding at least the strips of the first arrangement of strips to each other by rolling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a strip the width of which is defined by the two longitudinal edges thereof, which is made of at least one first metallic or predominantly metallic material, and in which the region, across which the first material extends, is provided with a boundary area that extends in staggered manner between the two longitudinal edges over the cross-section of the strip, as defined in the preamble of Claim 1. Strips of that kind are known, for example, in the form of bimetal strips where a carrier strip, consisting of a first metal, comprises a longitudinal groove filled with a strip of a second material. Such an arrangement is described as strip plating or inlay plating. Further, there have been known metal strips where a carrier strip consisting of a first metal is stepped along one of its longitudinal edges and the step is filled with a strip consisting of a second material. Such an arrangement is described as front edge plating. Further, there have been known strips that comprise both an inlay plating and a front edge plating. It has been known to produce plated strips of that kind by starting out from a carrier strip of flat rectangular cross-section, forming in that carrier strip the required number of grooves and/or steps by cutting operations (milling, stripping or scraping, with milling being preferred) and replacing the material removed by the machining operation by a corresponding number of strips consisting of one or more other metals or alloys. Connecting the carrier strip with the fitted strips is then effected by cold-roll plating or hot-roll plating, during which process the length of the strip increases as a function of the selected reduction per pass of the rolling operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Variations in dimension in the region of an inlay plating and a front edge plating are determined essentially by the variation in dimensions resulting from the respective cutting operation. Variations in dimension resulting from the respective cutting operation occur in the same order of magnitude in the roll-plated strip. The same applies correspondingly to the production of strips provided with one or more longitudinal grooves or steps that are not filled with another metal by roll plating.
Variations in dimension are considered as a problem especially in strip-shaped semi-finished products for electric laboratory resistors. It has been known to produce such a strip-shaped semi-finished products by placing a strip consisting of the resistor material, for example of the alloy manganine, on two copper strips, arranged at a spacing in parallel one to the other, so that the first-mentioned strip bridges the space between the two copper strips. The strips arranged in this manner are then bonded either by roll seam welding or by electron beam welding. Apart from the fact that such a production method is relatively costly, variations with respect to the spacing of the copper strips, and variations with respect to the dimension and quality of the welding seams may lead to undesirable fluctuations in resistance of the laboratory resistors produced from the semi-finished strip material by punching. Further, it is an undesirable effect of that process that the laboratory resistors present a step between the manganine and the copper on the side on which the manganine strip is welded onto the copper strips. Such a step could be avoided by milling a step into the two copper strips, along one of their edges, that corresponds in height to the thickness of the manganine strip and which is then filled up again by fitting the manganine strip. The manganine strip placed on the two steps of the copper strips can then be bonded to the latter by roll seam welding or electron seam welding. The undesirable step between the manganine surface and the copper surface could be removed in this way—though at the high price of two milling operations and without reducing the fluctuation of the resistance values.
From JP 550 400 11 A it has been known to produce plates with grooves by placing wires, consisting of a hard material, on a sheet consisting of a softer material, and by then subjecting the assembly to a subsequent rolling operation. The wires thereby dig into the sheet and can then be removed again.
From JP 610 173 08 A it has been known to place two metal strips one on top of the other and to bond them together by rolling.
GB 2 237 227 A describes a method where a plurality of metal plates are placed one on top of the other, are subjected to a rolling operation, and are then wound up separately.

Method for the production of a strip comprising a staggered profile that runs in the longitudinal direction thereof


A flexible circuit board for a ball grid array semiconductor package including a flexible resin film, a plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on an upper surface of the resin film, the conductive traces having solder ball pads, and a die flag including a semiconductor chip paddle located on a central portion of the circuit board, the chip paddle having a plurality of heat-discharging and grounding solder ball pads, and a plurality of lattice-shaped traces adapted to electrically connect the solder ball pads, the traces being shaped into a lattice to prevent a bleed-out of a silver-filled epoxy resin, a ground bonding rim located around the chip paddle, and a plurality of radial traces adapted to electrically connect the chip paddle to the ground bonding rim, and the flexible resin film being perforated to define solder ball lands on lower surfaces of the solder ball pads. Since the semiconductor chip paddle has an enlarged opened portion, it is possible to minimize the gold plated region, thereby greatly reducing the manufacturing costs. It is also possible to minimize a deformation of the package caused by mechanical stress generated due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between different materials of package elements. A bleed-out of silver-filled epoxy resin is also surely prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a flexible circuit board for a ball grid array (BGA) semiconductor package having a die flag, more particularly, to a flexible circuit board for a BGA semiconductor package as a semiconductor paddle using a heat spreading and grounding solder ball pad.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, BGA semiconductor packages have a configuration including a printed circuit board, at least one semiconductor chip mounted on one surface of the printed circuit board, and an array of solder balls attached to the other surface of the printed circuit board and adapted to electrically connect the semiconductor chip to a conductor such as a mother board. Such BGA semiconductor packages have been widely used as multi-pin devices having 200 pins or more, integrated circuits of very large scale integration (VLSI) and microprocessors.
Typically, printed circuit boards having a thickness of several hundred microns have been used as circuit boards for BGA semiconductor packages. Recently, flexible circuit boards, in which a circuit pattern is formed on a flexible film having a thickness of several ten microns, have been highlighted. This is because such flexible circuit boards are attributed to a thin and light structure of semiconductor packages. The flexible circuit boards also achieve an improvement in workability because it is unnecessary to form via holes. The flexible circuit boards also exhibit a low thermal resistivity.
FIG. 4A is a plan view illustrating a flexible circuit board having a conventional planar die flag. This die flag, which is denoted by the reference numeral 20', comprises a semiconductor chip paddle 30' having a square or rectangular shape, and a power bonding ring or strip 21. A plurality of solder ball pads 13 are formed on the outer portion of lower surface of the die flag 20' to fuse solder balls. A plurality of conductive traces 11 are also located at the outer portion of lower surface of the die flag 20'. Each conductive trace 11 is provided at one end thereof with a wire bonding finger 12 plated with gold. Grounding traces 24 are connected to the corners of the chip paddle 30' having a square or rectangular shape, respectively. A plurality of power signal transfer traces 22 are connected to the power bonding ring or strip 21.
FIG. 4B is a sectional view of a ball grid array semiconductor package using a flexible circuit board having the planar die flag structure of FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4B, elements respectively corresponding to those in FIG. 4A are denoted by the same reference numerals.
The flexible circuit board, which is denoted by the reference numeral 10', comprises a flexible resin film 14, and a printed circuit pattern formed on the upper surface of the flexible resin film 14. The printed circuit pattern includes a plurality of electric conductive traces 11. The flexible circuit board 10' also comprises a semiconductor chip paddle 30' having a square or rectangular shape and formed on the central portion of the flexible resin film 14 surround by the printed circuit pattern, and a ground bonding rim 23 formed on the flexible resin film 14 around the chip paddle 30'. The flexible resin film 14 is perforated by a chemical etching method to define a plurality of solder ball lands on the lower surface of the solder ball pad 13 for fusing the solder balls 5.
A metal frame 6 having a rectangular ring shape is bonded to the circuit board 10' by means of an adhesive layer 7 such as epoxy resin so that the flexible circuit board 10 is maintained in a rigid state with regard to the process efficiency. The metal frame 6 also serves as a heat spreader. A semiconductor chip 2 is mounted on the chip paddle 30' located at the central portion of the circuit board 10' by means of the adhesive layer 7. The metal frame 6 is disposed on the outer portion of the flexible circuit board 10' in such a manner that it surrounds the semiconductor chip 2. The semiconductor chip 2 has bond pads which are electrically connected with the power bonding ring 21 or wire bonding fingers 12 of the conductive traces 11 by bonding wires 3. The chip 2 and the bonding wires 3, etc. are protected from the environment by means of a resin envelope 4. The solder balls 5 as input/output terminals are fused on the solder ball pads 13 at the lower surface of the flexible circuit board 10' around the semiconductor chip paddle 30'.
The substrate of the chip paddle 30' is a copper layer. However, such a copper layer exhibits an insufficient bonding property to epoxy resin which is used to form the resin envelope. Therefore, a nickel layer is plated on the upper surface of the epoxy resin layer. In addition, an expensive gold layer is plated on the upper surface of the nickel layer.
In the flexible circuit board 10' having the above-mentioned conventional die flag structure, the manufacturing costs increases because the semiconductor chip paddle 30', which is comprised of a square or rectangular plane having a relatively large area, is plated with expensive gold. Furthermore, it is difficult to absorb mechanical stress generated due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between different materials of package elements when heat is generated during the operation of the semiconductor chip. As a result, a cracking or bending of the complete package may occur.
Therefore, when the package is mounted on a mother board, a poor connection or short circuit may occur because of a bad coplanarity of the solder balls resulting from the cracking or bending of the package. Furthermore, where the semiconductor chip (not shown) is depressively mounted on the chip paddle 30' after dispensing a silver-filled epoxy resin having a high thermal conductivity onto the semiconductor chip paddle 30', the epoxy resin may be non-uniformly spread on the semiconductor chip paddle 30'. In this case, a generation of voids may also occur. As a result, a peeling-off phenomenon may occur at the interface between the semiconductor chip and the circuit board 10'. Also, the epoxy resin may bleed out to the vicinity of the fingers of the grounding traces 24 connected to the bonding rim 23. In this case, the power bonding ring or strip 21, grounding traces 24 or conductive traces 11 may be short-circuited by the silver contained in the bled-out epoxy resin. In addition, a degraded wire bonding may occur.

Flexible circuit board for ball grid array semiconductor package


An optical attenuator for attenuating the intensity of a light beam emerging from an optical fiber comprises a wedge-shaped attenuator disk made of an absorbing material and a transparent disk which is also wedge-shaped and fixed to the absorbing disk. For adjusting different attenuations, the attenuator disk together with the transparent disk are rotated around an axis by a motor. By rotating the disk, the thickness of the absorbing material through which the beam passes and thus the attenuation of the beam can be varied continuously. After passage through the attenuator disk, a corner cube reflects the beam back into the direction where it came from, so that it passes a second time through the transparent plate and the attenuator disk. This second passage occurs at a location which is shifted relative to the location of the first passage (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper). The transmitted beam impinges on a prism from which it is directed via a lens into an optical fiber. Due to the twice repeated passage of the light beam through the attenuator disk and the transparent disk, any refractive index related beam deviations are compensated so that the outgoing attenuated light beam can efficiently be coupled into the optical fiber at all angular orientations of the attenuator disk.

An optical attenuator of the mentioned kind is known from DE-A-3613688. This known attenuator comprises a rotatable filter element which is coated with an attenuation layer the density of which varies with the angle of rotation of the filter element. The attenuation layer usually is a metal coating whose thickness continuously increases along the circumference of the filter element. Different attenuation factors can be adjusted by adjusting different angles of rotation of the filter element. The application of the metal coating on the filter element with the required accuracy involves considerable effort and is time-consuming, thus leading to comparatively high cost of the attenuator. Furthermore, it may come to problems when very high attenuations are desired and when the beam to be attenuated has a very high intensity. In such a case, the attenuation layer has to dissipate a large amount of energy so that it may detach from the filter element.
Another problem encountered with optical attenuators of the mentioned type is that the attenuation is dependent on the polarization of the light beam. Such polarization dependence is caused by anisotropies in the attenuation layer which may be due to the manufacturing process wherein metal is deposited on a substrate and wherein deposited metal particles may be oriented in preferred directions. This effect is particularly disturbing in fiber optics wherein the polarization of the light can already be changed by bending or twisting the fiber which would cause an unwanted change in the attenuation.

Optical attenuator used with optical fibers and compensation means


A first roller, which contacts a photographic printing paper with the first roller being formed longer than the width of the photographic printing paper, is disposed at the conveying direction downstream side of the photographic printing paper with respect to a developing tank. A second roller, which contacts the photographic printing paper with the second roller being formed shorter than or equal to the width of the photographic printing paper, is disposed at a position at which the photographic printing paper can be nipped by the first and second rollers. The first and second rollers form squeeze rollers. Because the clearance between the sides of the squeeze rollers in the widthwise direction of the photographic printing paper is wide, the squeezed processing solution conveyed from the clearance to the downstream side of the photographic printing paper is small.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which processing solution for processing a photosensitive material is reliably squeezed from the photosensitive material and which is suitable for, for example, a printer processor, a film processor, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a plurality of processing tanks which stores processing solution or water for color development, bleach-fixing, rinsing, stabilization, and the like is provided at a photosensitive material processing apparatus (e.g., a film processor, a printer processor, and the like) serving as an automatic processor. As a film or a color paper serving as a photosensitive material is conveyed into these processing tanks in a predetermined order, the film or the color paper is developed.
In the development processing, squeeze rollers formed by a pair of rollers are provided at respective processing tanks so as to nip the photosensitive material. The processing solution in each of the processing tanks is squeezed from the photosensitive material by the squeeze rollers and will not be introduced into the next processing tank. A pair of rollers which is wider than the width of the photosensitive material has been used for the squeeze rollers.
However, when the processing solution is squeezed from the photosensitive material by the squeeze rollers, because the photosensitive material is nipped by the pair of rollers which is wider than the width of the photosensitive material, the transverse direction end portions of the photosensitive material are nipped by these rollers. As a result, the processing solution wiped off from the surfaces of the photosensitive material by the pair of rollers may be applied again to the photosensitive material.
Namely, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when processing solution L applied onto a photosensitive material P is wiped off by squeeze rollers 116 formed by a roller 112 and a roller 114, a solution storing portion 118 generates at the upstream side of a portion between the pair of rollers 112, 114. The processing solution L flows from the solution storing portion 118 to the conveying direction downstream side of the photosensitive material P with respect to the squeeze rollers 116 through a gap S which is formed between the pair of rollers and at the side end portions of the photosensitive material P. Accordingly, there is worry that the processing solution L is applied again to the photosensitive material P which has passed between the squeeze rollers 116 and that the processing solution L is introduced into the next processing tank.

Photosensitive material processing apparatus


A flame arresting system for a centrifugal fuel pump of a variety including a downstream impeller and an upstream inlet port. The system includes an arrestor body which is received with the inlet port within an associated fuel tank. The body is formed of an open-cell foam material having an average pore size and thickness selected as being both fluid permeable and adapted to prevent flame from propagating therethrough. The inlet port is contained within the body such that fuel within the fuel tank may be drawn into the inlet port through the arrestor body, with flame being prevented from passing into the tank from the inlet port.

The present invention relates generally to flame arrestors, and more particularly to a flame arrestor arrangement for the inlet tube or other intake of an aircraft fuel pump.
Aircraft fuel systems conventionally employ multiple fuel tanks which may be mounted onboard in the wing or fuselage. The tanks typically are connected by transfer tubes, and by venting ducts which maintain atmospheric pressure in the tanks under normal flow conditions. In many fuel systems, transfer pumps are mounted on wing spars outside the wings to move fuel from one tank to another in order to xe2x80x9ctrimxe2x80x9d the aircraft. Smaller, xe2x80x9cscavengexe2x80x9d pumps also may be provided within the tanks to empty residual fuel after the remainder of the fuel has been drawn down to the level of the inlets of the principal transfer pumps. Pumps also are used to transfer fuel from remote tanks to the engine.
Accordingly, a number of fuel pumps, which may be mounted externally of the tank or, alternatively, internally mounted and submersed within the tank, typically are carried as on-board equipment in any given aircraft. In basic construction, aircraft fuel pumps conventionally are of a centrifugal-design employing a motor and an impeller which are enclosed within a housing. The motor is operably connected to the impeller via a drive shaft or the like, with the impeller, in turn, being coupled in fluid communication with inlet and outlet ports of the pump. During operation, the motor rotatably drives the impeller which develops a pressure drop drawing fuel or other working fluid from the associated tank through the pump inlet port and discharging the fuel, now under pressure, through the pump outlet port.
In a common construction, the impeller is provided as having an axially-extending hub or stem which is coupled to the drive shaft of the motor. Radially-extending, helical vanes are formed integrally with the hub and are enclosed by an axially-extending, generally cylindrical sleeve. The rotation of the impeller vanes within the sleeve draws the fuel or other liquid fluid into a volute chamber formed within the housing. The volute chamber converts the kinetic energy imparted to the fuel by the impeller into pressure for the discharge of the fluid through the pump outlet. Centrifugal pumps are available from a wide variety of manufacturers, including the Airborne Division of Parker-Hannifin Corp., Elyria, Ohio. Representative centrifugal pumps also are shown in commonly-assigned Chu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,501; Scholz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,156; and Lu, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,445, as well as in Timperi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,368; Shapiro et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,190; Kalashnikov, U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,988; Davis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,839; Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,186; Grennan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,278; Bell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,410; and Ridland, U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,952.
As aforementioned, certain centrifugal pumps used within aircraft fuel systems are mounted within the tank and therefore are termed in-tank or xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d pumps. These pumps typically are oriented vertically within the tank, with the pump motor being located above the impeller in the direction of fuel flow. A certain minimum floor clearance generally is maintained between the impeller vanes and the bottom wall or floor of the tank to provide efficient pumping of fluid. Exemplary xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d pumps are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,427,501; 5,015,156; and 2,846,952.
Alternatively, and as also was aforementioned, certain other centrifugal pumps used within aircraft fuel systems are mounted externally of the tank and therefore are termed xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d pumps. These pumps, in contrast to wet pumps, may be oriented horizontally relative to the tank floor and mounted externally to the outside of the tank or to an adjacent support. A generally downwardly depending inlet tube, snorkel, hose or the like may be provided to extend in fluid communication from the pump impeller to a remote inlet port opening disposed above the tank floor. An exemplary xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d pump is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,839.
With fuel pumps of either variety, spark generation and propagation into the fuel tank are major safety concerns. In this regard, it is known that during dry operation of the pump, such as with an empty fuel tank, it is possible to generate a spark caused by a dragging impeller or by debris trapped between the impeller and its surrounding sleeve. Although not known ever to have occurred, there exists at least the potential for the spark to propagate from the pump inlet into the fuel tank wherein the possibility for explosive combustion of residual fuel vapor exists. Proposed fuel pump constructions purporting to minimize spark generation and flame propagation are shown in Suzuki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,936 and Brown, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,404. Other techniques for improving the flame resistance of aircraft fuel systems and of combustion or turbine engines, or pumps in general are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,709,187; 5,375,565; 5,357,913; 5,203,296; 4,671,060; 4,645,600; 4,676,463; 4,268,289; 3,947,362; 3,889,649; 3,911,949; 3,954,092; 3,841,520; 3,896,964; 3,635,599; and 3,434,336.
Proposals have been made for the use of flame arrestors for aircraft applications. In basic design, such arrestors are constructed as having a flame arresting element formed of a stainless steel or titanium material having a hexagonal honeycomb or a rectangular cell structure. The element, typically mounted in a housing, is installed within a fuel vent line, tank, or pump inlet to act as a barrier preventing a moving flame front from propagating into a location such as a fuel cell which may contain an explosive air/fuel mixture, while allowing for the flow of fuel or air to occur with minimal pressure drop. In having a surface area and material mass, the arrestor element functions to effect the transfer of heat from the flame front such that the temperature of the flammable mixture falls below its ignition temperature. In this way, the propagation of the flame is arrested. Commercial flame arrestors for aircraft applications are marketed by Shaw Aero Devices, Inc., Fort Myers, Fla.
Recently, concerns have been expressed over the possibility that a spark generated at a fuel pump inlet by a dragging impeller or otherwise could be propagated into the fuel tank. Indeed, it has been speculated by Tischler in Aerospace America (March, 1998), and by Taylor in the Seattle Times News (Aug. 8, 1998) that an in-tank fuel pump could have played a role in the TWA Fight 800 disaster of 1996. In response, Boeing has issued a Service Bulletin, No. 7474-28A2210 (May 14, 1998), which provides instructions in the installation of a flame arrestor at the open end of the inlet tube of the scavenge pump for the center wing tank. The United States Federal Aviation Administration also has proposed adding new airworthiness directives to 14 C.F.R. Part 39 which would make the installation of such a flame arrestor a requirement. It therefore is to be expected that a flame arrestor design which addresses such a possibility in a cost-effective manner would be well-received by the aviation industries.
The present invention is directed to a flame arresting arrangement particularly adapted for use within the fuel system of an aircraft. Within such fuel systems, a centrifugal pump is conventionally provided as including a downstream impeller and an upstream inlet port coupled in fluid communication with the impeller as received within an associated fuel tank. In accordance with the present invention, a flame arrestor body is received with the inlet port within the fuel tank. Such body is formed of an open cell, i.e., reticulated, foam material which may be a polyether- or polyester-based polyurethane elastomer. The foam has an average pore size and thickness selected as being both fluid permeable and adapted to prevent flame from propagating therethrough. With the inlet port being contained within the arrestor body, fuel within the tank may be drawn into the inlet port through such body, with any flame or spark generated by the pump impeller or otherwise being prevented from passing from the inlet port into the fuel tank. In this way, the potential of a fuel vapor ignition is reduced. Advantageously, the reticulated foam body functions both as a flame arresting device and as a fuel filter for the pump.
In a preferred embodiment, the body is configured as a shroud for the inlet port. Specifically, a downstream, first end portion of the body is configured to define an end wall portion, with a terminal end face of an opposing, upstream end portion being abuttingly supported on an interior surface of the tank and being configured as having a generally annular cross-sectional geometry. The body further extends along a central axis of the inlet port from the end face to the end wall as forming a circumferential side wall portion. The inlet port thereby is enclosed within an internal plenum defined by the end and side wall portions of said body and the interior surface of said tank. Such a construction presents a greater surface area of the body to the respective flame and fluid fronts without a corresponding increase in foam thickness. Accordingly, the potential for fouling from particulates entrained in the fuel or from xe2x80x9cicingxe2x80x9d caused by the condensation of supercooled fuel on the body is reduced without an appreciable increase in the pressure drop or other flow restriction though the body.
Such a construction, moreover, is adaptable to accommodate fuel pumps of either a xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d type. In this regard, the body end wall may be configured as having an aperture adapted to receive either the inlet tube of a dry, externally-mounted fuel pump, or the housing of a wet, internally-mounted pump. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the body is supported within a metal mesh outer layer which also functions to distribute fuel across the outer surface of the body.
It is, therefore, a feature of a disclosed embodiment of the present invention to provide a flame arresting system for a fuel pump of an aircraft or the like. Such pump conventionally is of a centrifugal variety which includes a downstream impeller and an upstream inlet port having a central axis, the inlet port being coupled in fluid communication with the impeller and being received within an associated fuel tank as disposed adjacent an interior surface thereof. The arresting system includes an arrestor body received with the inlet port within the fuel tank. Such body is formed of an open-cell foam material having an average pore size and thickness selected as being both fluid permeable and adapted to prevent flame from propagating therethrough. The pump inlet port is contained within the body such that fuel within the tank may be drawn into the inlet port through the arrestor body, with flame being prevented from passing into the fuel tank from the inlet port.
The present invention, accordingly, comprises the system possessing the construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the detailed disclosure to follow. Advantages of the invention includes a flame arresting system which is particularly adapted for aircraft applications, which may accommodate existing fuel pumps of either a wet or dry type. These and other advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the disclosure contained herein.

Flame arrestor system for fuel pump inlet


A jack assembly and method for electrically coupling a jack assembly to a plurality of wires. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are jack assemblies comprising a first portion, a second portion hingedly coupled to the first portion, and a wire guide configured to detachably couple within an internal cavity defined by the first and second portions (the wire guide defining an aperture, wherein the aperture is configured to receive a plurality of wires). The jack assembly is configured to electrically couple to the plurality of wires when the first portion is closed onto the second portion by way of the hinged coupling.

Installing a digital communications network or an analog phone network involves stripping an outer jacket of cable to expose a plurality of wires (e.g., twisted-pair wires) and terminating the plurality of wires into a variety of jacks for subsequent interfacing with a variety of plugs (such as Registered Jack 45 (RJ-45) plug for a data connection or an RJ-11 plug for a phone connection). Regardless of the type of jack used to terminate the plurality of wires, a tool (e.g., a 110 punch down tool) is used to terminate the plurality of wires within the jack. Use of such specialized tools may call for specialized training, may take significant time to use, and may result in tool-related injuries.

Jack assembly and method of performing electrical coupling


A communication system that allows two-way communication is provided with the use of a sheet-type optical conductor capable of providing a favorable level of light-extraction efficiency and uniformly distributed optical output power. The sheet conductor includes a sheet-type optical medium containing particles for reflecting light, and propagates the optical signal injected from one edge of the medium to the other having an optical receiver by scattering the optical signal by means of the particles, which is designed such that the value of Φ·Np·LG·KC is less than or equal to 0.9, where Φ is the scattering cross-sectional area of the particles, LG is the length of the optical medium in the direction in which the light is propagated, Np is the density of the particles, and KC is a correction coefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system using an optical conductor, more specifically a sheet-type optical conductor comprising a sheet-type optical medium containing particles for scattering light, and propagating the light injected from one edge of the medium to the other by scattering it by means of the particles. It also relates to the aforementioned sheet-type optical conductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical conductors comprising an optical medium, such as PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), that contains particles for scattering light, and propagates the light injected from one edge of the medium to the other by scattering it by means of the particles are known as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Nos. 3162398 and 3184219.
These optical conductors described above propagate the light by scattering it in succession by means of the particles, in addition to the mechanism of the total reflection at the interface between the side edges of the conductor and the surrounding medium (air or cladding layer), so that they have an advantage that a light beam with more uniformly distributed optical power can be obtained at the output edge compared with an optical conductor that propagates the light only by the mechanism of the total reflection. By making use of this advantage, the application of this type of optical conductor to the construction of an optical data bus (sheet bus) is contemplated, in which the optical conductor is formed using a sheet-type optical medium with an input section being attached to one edge of the medium for injecting an optical signal, and a plurality of output sections being attached to the other edge to distribute an input signal to the plurality of output sections as a common signal as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,475.
Another type of optical data bus is also known as described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1999-31035, in which the sheet-type optical medium has light diffusing sections attached to the optical input edge of the medium, each corresponding to each of the input sections for the optical signals, and the optical signals, diffused and branched in the diffusing sections, are propagated to the output edge of the medium.
In the optical data bus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1999-31035, the light diffusing section needs to be formed of a plurality of optical unit devices of 100 μm on each side, and manufacturing of such a diffusing section is regarded as extremely difficult. In addition, formation of the diffusing sections on one edge of the sheet-type optical medium makes it practically impossible to detect light on that side, so that the edge having the diffusing sections is forced to be used solely for inputting light, thus two-way communication through such a sheet-type optical medium is impossible.
The use of the sheet-type optical conductor described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,475 allows two-way communication. But it has been impossible heretofore to readily obtain the design parameters for obtaining a desired level of light-extraction efficiency and uniformly distributed optical output power for this type of sheet-type optical conductor. In this connection, certain techniques have been employed in order to obtain a sheet-type optical conductor having desired characteristics, such as that in which a plurality of samples are produced with varied diameters and densities of the particles contained in the optical medium, and an optical conductor having a desired level of light-extraction efficiency and uniformly distributed optical output power is selected from among them, or that in which the design parameters are obtained through large-scale simulations using computers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Sheet-type optical conductor and communication system using the sheet-type optical conductor


Systems and methods are disclosed for package delivery using unmanned aerial vehicles. Example methods may include positioning a first component at a first elevation, and operatively connecting the first component to a winch; positioning a second component at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; and configuring cable of a lifting component to: operatively connect to the first component and the second component, connect to and disconnect from a vehicle, and lift the vehicle from the first component towards the second component using the winch.

An increasing number of packages are delivered to business, residential, and other locations daily. Package delivery of small quantities of items is often completed using a delivery truck, van, or other vehicle that is driven by a human driver. The human may drive the vehicle between delivery locations and walk with a package up to or into a building, mailbox, or other location to deliver the package. In some embodiments, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (also referred to as drones herein) may be used in a growing body of applications, including faster and cheaper package delivery.

Systems, methods, and devices for package delivery using unmanned aerial vehicles


A semiconductor chip laminated body includes a wiring board having a connecting terminal; a plurality of semiconductor chips laminated on the wiring board, each of the semiconductor chips having a pad; conductive connecting members having first end parts connected to the pads of the corresponding semiconductor chips and second end parts projecting from side surfaces of the corresponding semiconductor chips; and a conductive member configured to connect the connecting terminal of the wiring board and the second end parts of the conductive connecting members; wherein conductive materials are exposed at the side surfaces of the semiconductor chips; and a gap is provided between the side surfaces of the semiconductor chips and the conductive member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor chip laminated bodies. More specifically, the present invention relates to a semiconductor chip laminated body where semiconductor chips are laminated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research and development of a high density mounting technology of semiconductor devices has been progressing in order to correspond to needs such as making a portable information device or a small sized electronic device having a high function and a small size. In this technology, a function of a wafer level package (WLP) technique has been important. In the WLP technique, a package is manufactured in a state where a size of a semiconductor wafer is maintained. The semiconductor wafer is cut into pieces of semiconductor chip size packages (CSPs). A single CSP or combined CSPs, as a new package, is or are installed in an application device. Due to development of recent contents technology and requirements of large capacity of a memory, a laminating technology, of a chip, which is a part of the CSP, has been widely used. By the laminating technology of the chip, plural semiconductor chips having reliabilities are laminated so that a new package is formed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-340594 with respect to chip laminating discusses an example of laminating of semiconductor chips. However, in the technology discussed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-340694, a complex manufacturing process is required for making outside connection on a side surface of the semiconductor chip after the wafer is diced. For example, a complex manufacturing process is required where an anisotropic conductive film or a flexible circuit board is used or an insulation film and a conductive film are laminated after multiple semiconductor chips are laminated. In addition, in another example of laminating of the semiconductor chips discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3895768 and shown in FIG. 1, for example, after the semiconductor chip is diced, a complex process where nitride is sputtered in order to insulate side surfaces 12 of semiconductor chips 11 is required. Thus, a manufacturing process of chip laminating is complex and thereby product quality is influenced.

Laminated body of semiconductor chips including pads mutually connected to conductive member


A color material specifying unit of a digital camera generates color material specification data that specifies a color material to be used when forming an image in a printer. A transmitting unit transmits, to the printer, print instruction data including the color material specification data generated by the color material specifying unit, and image data stored in a storage unit. A receiving unit of the printer receives the image data and the print instruction from the digital camera. A color material specification retrieving unit retrieves the color material specification data from the digital camera. By using the color material specified based on the color material specification data, an image output unit forms the image from the image data received by the receiving unit, and prints the formed image on a recording paper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for specifying a color material to be used when printing an image in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A direct printing system is widely used, in which a digital camera that serves as an image supplying apparatus, and a printer device that serves as an image forming apparatus are directly connected to each other without using a personal computer (PC). In such a direct printing system, the digital camera directly transfers an image stored in the digital camera to the printer device, thereby printing the image by the printer without using a PC. In recent years, various direct printing systems have been developed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-64740 discloses a conventional technology in which the digital camera communicates with the printer device in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure, thereby enabling the direct printing. Furthermore, a conventional technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-244630, in which image feature data is generated in the digital camera by extracting features of an image, the image feature data is saved as well as the image, and an image correcting process is executed for the image in the printer device by using the image feature data.
In the conventional technologies, when an image is taken by the digital camera and the image is printed by the printer device, it is difficult to specify a color material to be used when printing an image. For example, in some cases, a printer device reproduces black color by mixing color materials of four colors, such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), even if a monochrome image is to be printed. However, in an above situation, when compared with printing of an image by reproducing black color by using the color material K without using other color materials, printing performance, such as a processing time and a processing cost required for printing an image, and an image quality may be degraded.

Image forming apparatus for specifying a color material and method thereof


An apparatus for measuring a blood parameter comprising a red light source and an infrared light source for directing light toward a blood-receiving location and a detector, for receiving light from the first and second light sources which has been back scattered by the blood. The intensity of the first light source is adjusted so that the intensity of light at the detector from the first light source remains substantially constant over a range of values of the blood parameter and the intensity of the second light source is adjusted so that the intensity of light at the detector from the second light source is substantially constant over a range of values of the blood parameter. A signal is provided which is related to the intensity of one or both of the light sources and which provides an indication of the blood parameter. A circuit is provided to compensate for errors resulting from the light sources.

It is sometimes necessary or desirable to measure various parameters of blood, such as hematocrit, oxygen saturation, carboxyhemoglobin, pH, etc. These blood parameters can all be measured using optical techniques.
For example, to measure oxygen saturation of whole blood, red light at, for example, 660 nanometers (nm) and infrared light at, for example, 805 nm are directed at the blood. The reflectance at both wavelengths is measured and appropriately ratioed to provide a measurement of oxygen saturation.
The hematocrit in whole blood may be measured, for example, by directing infrared light at the blood and detecting the reflectance of the infrared light at two spaced detectors. The hematocrit can then be determined by using a ratio of the two detected light levels or the difference between the two detected light levels. Another way to measure hematocrit is to employ a pair of spaced light sources and a single detector.
All of the techniques described above rely upon measuring of different detected light levels. Unfortunately, when the absorbance of the light directed at the blood is substantial, very low light levels are available for detection, and this results in a poor signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, when a constant level of light intensity is directed at the whole blood, the detected light level rises to a maximum near the middle of the physiologic range of hematocrit and then falls off this peak with increasing hematocrit levels. This curve creates an indeterminate condition in that it is not possible to determine which side of the peak is being observed so that an accurate hematocrit measurement is not obtainable.
Heinemann U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,150 discloses a technique f or measurement of blood oxygen saturation which compensates for variations of hematocrit levels by assuring uniform depth of penetration of light into the blood being sampled. In this system, red and infrared light sources direct light toward a blood sample, and a single detector detects the light which is reflected or transmitted. Optical feedback from the detector is used to control the light emitted by one of the sources so that the light detected by the detector from such source is constant. The intensity of the light emitted from the second source is determined by a ratio between the current needed to drive the first source and the current needed to drive the second source. This latter technique does not establish the intensity of the second light source as accurately as may be desired. Also, this technique either suffers from inaccuracy resulting from inherent differences and drift between the light sources or it requires a matched set, which is more expensive to provide.

Apparatus for measuring a blood parameter

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


An oily solution of water-insoluble aliphatic alcohol is allowed to react with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution in the presence of a catalyst containing a metal compound belonging to Group 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table in a heterogeneous solution system. As a result, a carbonyl compound can be produced from an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution under mild conditions in high yield. Also, the reaction operation is simple and easy, a step for removing solvent after completion of the reaction is not necessary and influence and toxicity upon the environment and human body are markedly small. Thus, a carbonyl compound can be produced safely, simply and efficiently.

As methods for producing a carbonyl compound by oxidizing alcohol, known are reactions using high valence chromium (Comprehensive Organic Synthesis; 1st ed.; B. M. Trost and I. Fleming, Ed.; Pergamon: Oxford, 1991; Vol. 7, pp. 251–289), manganese compounds (M. Hudlicky, Oxidations in Organic Chemistry; ACS Monograph Ser. 186; American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C., 1990), a high valence iodine compound (J Org. Chem., 1983, 48, 4155–4156), N-methylmorpholine N-oxide in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst (J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 1987, 1625–1627) and the like as the oxidizing agent. However, it is hard to say that these methods are industrially superior methods because of the large load on the environment in terms of the generation of by-products having high toxicity, corrosiveness of the oxidizing agents and the like.
On the other hand, it can be said that oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are excellent oxidizing agents in industrially applying them due to small environmental load, because they are inexpensive and have no corrosiveness, and there is no by-product after the reaction or it is harmless water.
As a method for producing a carbonyl compound from alcohol by using oxygen as the oxidizing agent, a method using a catalyst carrying a metal of Group 8 to 10 as the catalyst has been known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,401 specification), but this method requires a high temperature of 225 to 600° C.
On the other hand, as a method for producing a carbonyl compound from alcohol by using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing agent, a method using a catalyst carrying a metal of Group 8 to 10 as the catalyst has been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,505 specification), but the substrate is limited to water-soluble 1-methoxy-2-propanol which forms a homogenous phase with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution. In addition, the substrate must be used by preparing into a 20 wt % aqueous solution.
Also, an oxidation reaction of alcohol by using an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution in which titanium silicate (TS-1) is used as the catalyst is known too (U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,135 specification), but in the oxidation reaction of water-insoluble alcohol, it is essential to use a polar organic solvent such as acetone for preparing a uniform solution by dissolving an oil solution of alcohol in an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution. As a result, the reaction operation and apparatus become complex because of the necessity to employ a means for removing the polar organic solvent at the time of the isolation of a carbonyl compound as the product of interest. In addition, influence and toxicity of the polar organic solvent itself upon the environment and human body have been pointed out.

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A slave device communicating with a host device may include a program for controlling operation of the slave device. The program may include a discriminating function for discriminating types of communication interfaces through a control part provided in the slave device which controls the communication interfaces, a communicating function for communicating with the host device through the communication interface, an analyzing function for analyzing a command transmitted from the host device by utilizing a module to execute processing corresponding to each of the communication interfaces, and a controlling function for controlling operation of the slave device depending on a command after analyzing is executed by utilizing a single module which is not dependent on the communication interfaces.

A system has been known in which a host device is combined with a slave device which communicates with the host device, executes processing corresponding to a situation and transmits a present state and a processed result to the host device. As an example of such system, a system is known in which a host computer (host device) is combined with a card reader (slave device). In such card readers, two different types of communication interfaces (input/output interface) such as RS232C and USB are used although the data-processing function is the same. In this case, their programs have been required to be managed independently.
As described above, in a card reader which communicates with a host device (for example, a host computer or a processing device such as a control device or an arithmetic device incorporated into a computer which is connected to the card reader), when different communication interfaces such as RS232C and USB are used, different programs are required to be integrated for every communication interface although the processing contents of data are the same (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8-288979). In other words, even when functions for carrying out a command from a host device are the same and are used for general purposes, it is the case that respective functions such as a command data receiving function, a command analyzing function, and a response transmitting function are formed to be non-general as dedicated to USB or RS232C, different programs are incorporated for every communication interface (see FIG. 12). In other words, a plurality of programs are prepared in which their substantial contents are the same but their specifications on communication are different.
Further, a card reader is disclosed which is provided with three different communication interfaces for RS232C, USB and LAN in order to communicate with a host device (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-187193). In this card reader, data with regard to electronic money is received from the host device through a communication interface for USB, data with regard to a credit card is received from another host device through a communication interface for RS232C, and in this manner, data is communicated with each other.
However, when the management of different programs to every communication interface is executed as described above, in the case that a modification is required except a function on a communication section, for example, a common function, the respective programs are required to be modified and thus a lot of time and effort is needed. In addition, verifications whether modified programs operate without a problem or not are required to be performed for respective card readers whose communication interfaces are different and thus a development period becomes longer.
Further, there are similar problems in a card reader which is provided with, for example, three different types of communication interfaces in order to communicate with host devices. In other words, when each of the communication interfaces is set to be one-for-one with a host device that performs processing (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-187193), a common function is required to be modified in correspondence with each program because a program such as for RS232C and for USB is independently managed on the basis of an instruction from the host device.
In addition, in the above-mentioned card reader, when a system integrated with a communication interface for USB is changed to a communication interface for RS232C to communicate regarding electronic money, a program integrated with a communication interface for RS232C is independently managed separately from a program integrated with a communication interface for USB for communication regarding electronic money. Therefore, the integrated programs have to be modified every time a malfunction is corrected or security is enhanced. Moreover, verification whether the modified program is normally operated or not has to be executed and thus a lot of time and effort are needed.

Slave device in information processing system, operation control program for slave device, and operation control method for slave device


An apparatus, including a memory or a database which stores an electronic healthcare record of or for an individual or a patient a comment, note, or message, in advance of a video call, and information regarding an appointment for or regarding the video call; a processor which generates an appointment message or reminder message containing information regarding the appointment and containing a link or hyperlink for initiating the video call, wherein the video call is initiated via the link or the hyperlink; a receiver which receives information regarding the individual or the patient during the video call, receives information input into or entered into a provider communication device or a user communication device, wherein the processor or a computer generates a report containing information regarding the video call; and a transmitter, wherein the transmitter transmits the report to the user communication device.

Healthcare is an area of major concern in the United States. Each year, tens of millions of individuals seek or need the assistance of healthcare professionals. In order to perform proper diagnoses and to prescribe appropriate treatments, healthcare professional or providers typically rely on information which is obtained from patients, relatives of patients, previous providers, and/or healthcare facility and/or hospital staff members. The need to have accurate and/or up-to-date data and/or information, in providing healthcare services and/or healthcare-related services, cannot be emphasized enough.
Stories constantly emerge about patients receiving the wrong treatments, having the wrong surgical procedures performed on themselves, receiving a drug or drugs which fatally and/or otherwise adversely interact with another drug or drugs, etc., with stories going on and on. A 1999 study estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 individuals die annually in hospitals, in the United States alone, as the result of errors or mistakes made by doctors, healthcare providers, and/or healthcare facility workers. Various other reports also estimate 225,000 deaths annually from medical errors and 180,000 deaths annually from medication errors and adverse reactions. There is no doubt that many of these deaths result from inaccurate and/or erroneous information and/or the lack of the availability of correct and/or up-to-date information.
Another problem lies with the fact that the main source of patient information, medical histories, family histories, etc., upon which doctors or providers may base their diagnoses and/or treatments, are patients who usually supply this information on questionnaires or forms just prior to seeing the healthcare provider and/or during a preliminary interview with the provider. In this regard, information obtained from these questionnaires or forms, as well as from these preliminary interviews with the providers, may not necessarily result in sufficient, comprehensive, and/or accurate, information being obtained regarding the patient. Further, there is no guarantee that the same information will be provided, in a uniform manner, to a next or different provider. As a result, patient information may not be uniformly distributed and/or be available to providers at the point of treatment and/or otherwise.
Another problem which exists in the current healthcare system is that doctors or other providers do not always have the latest information and/or research material available to them prior to, and/or during, the diagnosis and/or treatment process.
Still other problems arise when an individual or a patient, or a caregiver for an individual or a patient, engages in a video call with a healthcare provider in or during a remote or a virtual provider visit or in or during a remote or a distance examination. In such instances, there is no guarantee that the healthcare provider has access to the individual's or the patient's healthcare records, files, or history, before or during the video call and the remote or virtual provider visit or in or during the remote or distance examination. Further, there is no guarantee that the healthcare provider, even if provided with access to the individual's or the patient's healthcare records, files, or history, can access the same, and enter notes, findings, and/or information, into the same in an easy and efficient manner, and/or be able to do so in, during, or after the remote or distance examination. As a result, the healthcare provider may be not be provided with sufficient information to conduct a full and complete examination or evaluation of the individual or the patient, or to make or arrive at a diagnosis based on any and/or all needed and available information regarding the individual or the patient, or to prescribed a treatment based on any and/or all needed or available information regarding the individual or the patient. As a further result, the healthcare provider may not have access to the individual's or the patient's healthcare records, files, or history, in order to properly or completely enter notes or any other information regarding the individual or the patient as well as any information, observations, examination findings, or examinations results, obtained by, made by, or obtained during the remote or the virtual provider visit or in or during the remote or the distance examination.
Another problem associated with healthcare providers and patients who engage in video calls during remote or virtual provider visits or in or during remote or distance examinations lies in the fact that the healthcare provider may not able to control and/or to monitor healthcare equipment, devices, or systems, which is located with the patient. In such instances, patient control and/or operation of such healthcare equipment, devices, or systems, might fail to yield measurements or results if uncalibrated and/or misused by patients or their caregivers.
Another problems also lies in securing data and/or information stored in patient's healthcare records, files, or history, especially when data and/or information may be accessed via the online networks and/or the Internet and/or the World Wide Web.

Apparatus and method for providing healthcare services remotely or virtually with or using an electronic healthcare record and/or a communication network


A decorative fashion accessory is formed of an elastic band having a plurality of layers of fabric material held in a gathered condition around the band. The layers are held to the band in such a manner that each rim portion may bunch individually as the elastic band contracts to provide a decorative fashion accessory which can resemble attractively a flower or similar ornament.

Fashion accessories, such as ponytail holders, formed of elastic bands decorated with fabric have taken many decorative forms. An early style of such ponytail holders is illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 292,030. This hair band is typically formed of an annulus of fabric material bunched around a free-flowing elastic band. Similar ponytail holders have been developed, such as that illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. 313,485, which included a ponytail holder similar to that noted above with fabric material held circularly to such a ponytail holder so as to provide a free-flowing cascade of decorative fabric. The ponytail holders illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 315,036 include fabric material arranged circumferentially around an elastic cord which has the layers of fabric secured at their rim portions so as to simulate the petals of a flower. Other hair accessories, such as shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 315,226, have fabric material again secured at circumferential rim portions and gathered around an elastic center.
A more recent development is U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 336,544 illustrating a hair band which is formed of layers of fabric material gathered loosely around an elastic member; and similarly U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,385 illustrates an elastic ponytail holder form from a rectangular piece of fabric which is stitched into a flattened tube and stretched under tension and slit transversely to simulate a flower arrangement.
Elastic ponytail holders decorated with fabric have, therefore, been disclosed and used by the art. Known ponytail holders have varying means of construction and arrangement of the fabric material; and the industry continually has a need for fabric fashion accessories which can be used as ponytail holders, decorative wrist bands and the like and yet provide a new and distinctive ornamentation that can be manufactured by techniques enabling mass production.
By my invention, I have provided a decorative fashion accessory that can be fabricated by mass production techniques and yet provide a distinctive and highly decorative fashion accessory which can be used as a ponytail holder, decorative wrist band and the like.

Multi layered decorative fashion accessory and method of manufacture


Fire-resistant structures are provided having at least a 20 minute ASTM E-152 fire test rating. The structures include a core having a gypsum-containing composition and a density of at least about 60 lbs/ft, a flexural strength of at least 30 lbs (1/2 inch thick material), and a screw-holding capacity of at least about 400 lbs. The gypsum-containing composition further contains a substantially uniform distribution of solids including about 65 wt. % to about 90 wt. % set gypsum dihydrate, about 7 wt. % to about 30 wt. % paper fiber, and about 1.5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of one or more performance boosters selected from inorganic fiber, clay, vermiculate, and binder polymer.

Fire doors, as used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications, are typically employed in conjunction with fire walls to provide fire protection between different zones of a structure, and particularly to isolate high fire risk areas of a building from the remainder of the structure, such as the garage from the living quarters of a dwelling. Fire doors may be constructed in both panel or flush-type configurations. They often include facings on the two major planar surfaces and a core which may be solid or include some hollow space. Edge banding is often provided around the door periphery for structural reasons.
Fire doors usually are not capable of indefinitely withstanding the high temperature conditions of a fire, but rather, are designed to maintain the integrity of the fire wall for a limited time to permit the occupants of a building to escape and to delay the spread of the fire until fire control equipment can be brought to the scene. Various tests have been devised for determining the reliability of fire doors which are based, in part, on such factors as the time that a given door can withstand a certain temperature while maintaining its integrity. One such test is the ASTM E-152 fire test, which requires a door to maintain its integrity for periods ranging up to 1.5 hours while withstanding progressively higher temperatures within the range of 1750.degree. F. to 1800.degree. F. and the erosive effects of a high pressure fire hose at the conclusion of the fire exposure.
Considerations in fire door design, in addition to retarding the advance of a fire, include the cost of raw materials and the cost of fabrication. Furthermore, the weight of the door is important, both from the standpoint of ease in handling and the cost of transportation. The strength of the door is also a significant factor, since fire doors must pass the previously noted fire and water stream test as well as have the requisite structural strength to withstand normal use and abuse. Finally, fire doors must provide support and split-resistance in localized areas where hinges, knobs, and locks are mounted.
Fire-resistant doors have, in the past, been made in a variety of constructions utilizing a number of different materials, including wood, metal and mineral materials. Early forms of fire doors simply consisted of wooden cores faced with metal sheeting. Although wood in ample thicknesses is an effective fire and heat retardant, doors of this construction tend to be heavy and are expensive to fabricate and transport.
It has also been proposed to make fire doors having a core comprising particles of expanded perlite which are bound together with one or more binders including gypsum, cement and inorganic adhesive material. In order to provide sufficient strength, particularly to withstand handling of the core during manufacture, the core is compressed to compact the mixture to a relatively high density, resulting in a heavy door.
Other fire doors have included conventional gypsum wallboard panels as a core material. However, conventional wallboard does not have sufficient structural integrity to withstand a 90 minute fire and hose stream test and would therefore be unsuitable in many fire door applications. Furthermore, because of the lack of appreciable flexural strength, internal wooden structural members such as rails or mullions have been found necessary to support and strengthen wallboard panels. The need for such reinforcing elements increases the cost of materials and assembly of such doors.
The art has been replete with numerous examples of fire door constructions, some of which have been commercially exploited. See Greve and Richards, U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,302, ('302), issued Jun. 26, 1979; Lehnert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,538, ('538), issued Mar. 14, 1989; and Lehnert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,771, ('771), issued Jun. 7, 1988, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Greve and Richards '302 discloses a set gypsum-containing composition which is especially useful as a core in a solid core fire door. Lehnert '538 describes a fire door capable of withstanding a 20 minute ASTM E-152 fire test and which is partially hollow but has a core of set gypsum faced with fibrous mats. Lehnert '771 discloses set gypsum-containing edge banding for use in fire doors for obtaining a successful 90 minute ASTM E-152 fire rating. This edge banding system contains a laminated tripartite construction which includes an inner strip comprising a cast gypsum mixture, an intermediate fiber-reinforced plastic strip, and an outer strip of natural wood. This edge banding is surprisingly complex and correspondingly expensive. The complexity is necessary, at least in part, because the combination of the gypsum and wood strips alone does not provide the screw-holding capacity required for hinges, latch mechanism, etc. The thin plastic strip is therefore necessary to provide structural support for these attachments The gypsum strip included in this edge banding construction includes gypsum, glass fiber, raw vermiculite, and clay, together with a small amount of paper fiber (less than 2% by weight), wood chips, and a resin binder, which may be polyvinyl acetate.
While in the main, commercial fire-resistant materials are known to possess certain mechanical and fire-resistant properties which are acceptable in fire doors, they often require expensive, cumbersome, or potentially hazardous additives to achieve those properties. Thus, there is a need for a composition and structure which includes safe and inexpensive components from which superior fire doors and panels can be made.

Fire-resistant structure containing gypsum fiberboard