The present invention provides a MIMO antenna structure and design. A single dipole antenna stands at the center of a triangle which is formed by three PIFAs antennas, and the three PIFA antennas has equal squint angle relative to the neighbors, that is there is 120° sector angle between any two PIFA axes of three such that the dipole and the other PIFAs forms a tetrahedron. The MIMO antenna structure of the present invention is simpler in mechanics but high efficiency in performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for antenna, and more especially, to the antenna configuration for the access point (AP) adapted to the wireless local-area network (WLAN) or wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wireless communication systems have been developed rapidly. No matter in the business or in the family, the wireless communication systems are everywhere in people's life and are widely employed to provide various types of communication such as voice, data, and so on.
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system employs multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas for transmission and reception of spatial-multiplexing data streams. In a point-to-point system, the data streams are transmitted to or received from a single terminal. However, a multiple access communication system having a base station may also concurrently communicate with a number of terminals. In this case, the base station employs multiple antennas to transmit or receive spatially multiplexed data streams to or from each terminal; each terminal on the other hand, employs multiple antennas to receive or transmit spatially multiplexed data streams from or to base station.
The advantage of the MIMO wireless systems is that the capability of the wireless link between the transmitter and receiver is improved compare with previous systems in the respect that higher data rates can be obtained. That is, higher spectral efficiencies are achieved than with non-MIMO systems.
Considering diversity gain, which is defined by:(Ideal Diversity Gain)×(1−ρ)(1/2),where the Ideal Diversity Gain is proportional to the dimensions n×m, n or m, wherein m for Transmit diversity gain, n for receive diversity gain, n×m for total system diversity gain. The correlation coefficient p which should be much less than unity is a function of: (1) separated antenna patterns (angular separation); (2) separated antenna positions (spatial separation); (3) isotropic distribution of incoming multipath waves (angular spread); (4) evenly-dispersive distribution of incoming multipath waves (delay spread).
Spatial Multiplexing technology is used for enhancing the transmission rate of the MIMO system. The spatial multiplexing gain that relates to throughput enhancement depends on orthogonality condition of MIMO antennas. In line of sight (LOS) or non-scattering MIMO environment or outdoor area, orthogonality condition is:St×Sr/R≧λ/M,where St and Sr are transmit and receive antenna spacings respectively, R is the range from transmit antennas to receive antennas, M is the number of receive antennas, the transmit antenna number N is not used in this condition.
As examples of access point (AP) and laptop PC, let F=5 GHz or λ=0.06 m, R=100 m, then                St≧12.5 m or 208 λ, if M=2 and Sr=0.24 m;        St≧25 m or 417 λ, if M=4 and Sr=0.06 m.
In general, we can set 100 λ<St as a design rule in outdoor MIMO environment.
In none line of sight (NLOS) or scattering MIMO environment or indoor area, orthogonality condition is:[2×Dt/(N−1)]×[2×Dr/(M−1)]≧R×λ/M,where Dt and Dr are transmit and receive scattering radii respectively, R is the range from transmit scattering center to receive scattering center, N and M are the numbers of transmit and receive antennas respectively.
The scattering is made by scatterers in MIMO environment, which can be modeled by omni-directional ideal reflectors. The scatterers are assumed to be located sufficiently far from antennas for holding plane-wave assumption and further assumed such that Dt (or Dr) is much less than R for meeting local scattering condition.
As examples of AP and laptop PC, let F=5 GHz or λ=0.06 m, R=100 m, Dr=Dt, then                Dt=Dr≧0.866 m or 14.4 λ, if N=M=2;        Dt=Dr≧1.061 m or 17.7 λ, if N=2≠M=4;        Dt=Dr≧1.500 m or 25.0 λ, if N=4≠M=2;        Dt=Dr≧1.837 m or 30.6 λ, if N=M=4.
In general, St<Dt. We can set 1 λ≦St≦10λ as a design rule in indoor MIMO environment.
According to the design rule, considering a device with a rectangular housing and 4 antennas, which can be used in 4×4 MIMO antenna system as base station or AP, there are several types of structure already known. FIG. 1 shows a co-linear antenna structure. There are four dipole antennas 2 connect to the AP housing 1, and the four dipole antennas 2 are align to the long side of the housing 1. FIG. 2 shows another co-linear antenna structure with the four dipole antennas 2 replaced by four Planar Inverted F Antennas 3(PIFAs). FIG. 3 shows a vertically coplanar antenna structure, where there are two dipole antennas 2 stands vertically by the two sides and two PIFAs 3 located within the housing 1. Alternatively, FIG. 4 shows another type of vertically coplanar antenna structure including two PIFAs 3 that are positioned inside the housing 1 at two corners of housing 1 and two dipole antennas 2 that stands vertically between the PIFAs 3 with equally spacing between the PIFA 3 and dipole antenna 2.
Please refer to FIG. 5, it shows alternative vertically coplanar antenna structure with two dipole antennas 2 and two PIFAs 3 aligned interlocked along the long side of housing 1. FIG. 6 illustrates another vertically coplanar antenna structure, where the two dipole antennas 2 and two PIFAs 3 positioned separately by the long side of the housing 1. Referring to FIG. 7, it shows a vertically coplanar antenna structure, where there are four dipole antennas 2 stands vertically by the four corners of the housing 1. Similarly, FIG. 8 shows another horizontally coplanar antenna structure, where there are four PIFAs 3 positioned at four corners of the housing 1. Alternatively, FIG. 9 shows a slant cubical antenna structure, where the two dipole antennas 2 stand vertically at two corners of one long side and the two PIFAs 3 stands at the other corners by the other long side of the housing 1. FIG. 10 shows askew cubical antenna structure, in the configuration, two dipole antennas 2 and two PIFAs 3 stands interlaced at four corners of the housing 1. FIG. 11 shows a concave cubical antenna structure, where there are three dipole antennas 2 stands vertically and forms a triangle at top surface of the housing 1, and the PIFA 3 positioned ant the center of the triangle inside of the housing 1.
The disadvantage of the antenna structures of the 4×4 MIMO system shown from FIG. 1 to FIG. 11 is that the efficiency of the system is poor. Furthermore, the system is more complex in mechanics and the cost is higher. What is required is a novel structure of MIMO antenna system to optimums the mechanics and cost.
Further benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the following detailed description given with reference to the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the invention.


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for coated particles, compositions including coated particles, methods for making coated particles, methods of reducing dust, and the like.

Granule-to-granule interaction is responsible for a large portion of the airborne particulates created during the handling of granular fertilizers. The airborne particulates can be harmful to breathe and have the potential to combust. Consequentially, generation of the airborne particulates creates a hazardous situation. Thus, there is a need to overcome these problems.

Coated particles, methods of making the same, and methods of use

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


A call apparatus, a call method and a call system, are disclosed, in which the problem otherwise caused by fixed setting of the sound volume level of the BGM or the effect sound with respect to the call voice may be overcome. A decoded output of a decoder 17 (PCM data) is multiplied in a gain adjustment unit 18 with a gain coefficient k2, as the SE sound volume level as set by a user. A multiplication output of the gain adjustment unit 18 is sent to an adder 13. The decoded output of a decoder 20 is multiplied in a gain adjustment unit 21 with a gain coefficient k3, as the BGM sound volume level, as set by the user. A multiplication output of the gain adjustment unit 21 is sent to an adder 13. The adder 13 sums the multiplication outputs of the gain adjustment units 12, 18 and 21 and sends a sum output to an encoder 22.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a call apparatus and a call method employing a network enabling the call under a high sound quality environment, such as the Internet. More particularly, it relates to a call apparatus, a call method and a call system, in which not only the call voice but also the background music (BGM) or the effect sound (SE) may be transmitted/received.
This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No.2003-280430, filed in Japan on Jul. 25, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of Related Art
In the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-344571, the present Assignee has disclosed a technique pertinent to a call apparatus and a call method according to which a user may have a call more pleasantly as he/she listens to the music. In such call apparatus, music contents data, used as BGM, are stored in storage means and, as a caller talks with a callee over call means, music contents are reproduced by reproducing means from the storage means. At this time, control means manages control to enable a party of call to hear both the voice from the counterpart party and the reproduced sound of the contents. The call means also transmits the reproduced sound of the contents to the counterpart party. Meanwhile, during call, the reproducing level of the music, used as the BGM, is lowered to a preset level, provided from the outset. This technique enables the user to enjoy the music as BGM, as he/she is having a call.
The present Assignee has also disclosed, in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication H7-143221, a technique pertinent to a telephone apparatus in which plural music contents used as holding tone are captured from outside over the telephone network, recorded on a magneto-optical disc in association with identification data, and reproduced as the holding tone responsive to e.g. the selection by the user in keeping with identification data.
[Patent Publication 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-344571
[Patent Publication 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication H7-143221
However, if the technique disclosed in the Patent Publication 1 is used, the sound volume level of the BGM or the effect sound is fixed at a preset level, provided from the outset, with respect to the usual voice level, and hence there is a risk that the user feels the sound volume level of the BGM or the SE to be too high depending on environmental conditions, and hence feels the speech voice as being hardly audible. Conversely, the user may feel that the BGM or SE is of too low sound volume level and hence may feel the call to be unpleasant.
If, in the telephone apparatus, supplying the BGM during call, the technique disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Publication 2 is used to store the holding tone on the recording medium, the music data different from the BGM is stored in a dedicated storage unit. The result is that limitations are imposed on the storage volume of other data to be stored on a recording medium, for example, a message for a telephone answering service.

Call method, call apparatus and call system


An inexpensive, compact, high performance zoom lens which has excellent production adaptability is disclosed. The zoom lens has a front lens group of positive refractive power which includes a negative lens element having a concave aspheric surface on the object-side, and a positive lens element having a convex surface on the image-side. The rear lens group consists of a negative lens element. A stop is arranged between the negative lens element and the positive lens element in the front lens group, and the following conditional formulas (1)-(3) are satisfied: EQU 0.40<f.sub.2 /f.sub.w <0.50 (1) EQU 0.01<D.sub.2 /f.sub.w <0.05 (2) EQU -0.20<R.sub.4 /R.sub.3 <0.0 (3). where. f.sub.2 is the focal distance of the positive lens element in the front lens group, PA2 f.sub.w is the focal distance of the zoom lens at the maximum wide-angle state, PA2 D.sub.2 is the distance between the acing surfaces of the negative lens element and the positive lens element in the front lens group, PA2 R.sub.3 is the radius of curvature of the object-side surface of the positive lens element in the front lens group, and PA2 R.sub.4 is the radius of curvature of the image-side surface of the positive lens element in the front lens group.

In recent years, there has been a strong demand for inexpensive zoom lens shutter cameras which have good portability (i.e., are small and light weight), which in turn requires the zoom lenses installed in the cameras be small, inexpensive, and of high performance. Examples of relatively inexpensive zoom lenses with simple structures having three lens elements are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 3-127013, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 3-158815 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 7-294815.
However, zoom lenses of the aforementioned Japanese laid-open patent publications use expensive, aspherical molded-glass lens elements, are too large due to a long distance between each lens element in the front lens group, or the ease of production is not good, even when inexpensive plastic lenses are used, due to the use of many aspherical surfaces. Thus the prior art zoom lenses often fail to meet the market demand.
In the zoom lenses of the aforementioned Japanese laid-open patent publications, a negative lens element is arranged on the object-side of the front lens group. However, the refractive power of each zoom lens is made small by having the distance between the negative lens element and the positive lens element be large, or the aberration corrections are made easier by arranging a stop behind the positive lens element. In either case, the zoom lens fails to satisfy the market demand for a compact system, since the zoom lens becomes longer or the diameter of the front lens element of the zoom lens becomes larger than is necessary.


A method for providing a specification about an efficiency of a cooler for recirculated exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine includes: measuring a temperature of the recirculated exhaust gas cooled by the cooler; and ascertaining the specification about the efficiency of the cooler as a function of the measured temperature of the cooled recirculated exhaust gas. With the aid of the specification about the efficiency of the cooler it is possible to determine a failure of the cooler or to calculate a temperature of the recirculated exhaust gas in order implement an engine control system of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a reliable temperature specification that is not influenced by lag effects.

In engine systems for internal combustion engines, exhaust gas is recirculated in order to reduce the nitrogen oxide component of the exhaust gas. Due to the increased soot component in the exhaust gas brought about by the exhaust gas recirculation, the quantity of recirculated exhaust gas (indicated by the exhaust gas recirculation rate: EGR rate) is limited with the aid of a constant exhaust gas recirculation rate as a compromise between the nitrogen oxide component and the soot component in the exhaust gas.
The recirculated exhaust gas is normally conducted through a cooler (EGR cooler) for cooling. Cooling the recirculated exhaust gas allows for a higher EGR rate at a constant intake manifold pressure and may thus have a significant influence on minimizing raw emissions.
Modern control arrangements such as, e.g., the model-based charge control (MCC) make it possible to control the EGR rate and have the advantage over conventional air mass controllers of being able to keep the emissions of the internal combustion engine in narrower tolerances. The required control variable of the EGR rate is generally calculated with the aid of an air system model which assumes the model of an intact, ideal cooler for modeling the temperature of the cooled exhaust gas.
The efficiency of the EGR cooler, however, may change while the internal combustion engine is in operation such that the cooling performance varies. Due to the changed density of the recirculated exhaust gas, the variation of the cooling performance results in a change of the EGR rate and may thus result in a significant fluctuation of the emission of the internal combustion engine.
Furthermore, because the cooler for cooling the recirculated exhaust gas (EGR cooler) is relevant in terms of emissions, the law requires that the cooling function be monitored in connection with the on-board diagnosis.

Method and device for adapting the efficiency of a cooler in the return circuit of exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine


Lithographic printing plate are formed by imagewise exposing a positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor with infrared radiation to form an imaged precursor comprising exposed regions and non-exposed regions, and processing the imaged precursor to remove the exposed regions using a processing solution having a pH of 12 or more, that contains a metal cation M2+ selected from barium, calcium, strontium, and zinc cations, and is substantially silicate-free. The positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprises a grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate, a first ink receptive layer comprising at least one water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible first resin, a second ink receptive layer disposed over the first receptive layer, and an infrared radiation absorber in an amount of at least 0.5 weight %, in either or both of the first ink receptive layer and the second ink receptive layer.

In conventional or "wet" lithographic printing, ink receptive regions, known as image areas, are generated on a hydrophilic surface. When the surface is moistened with water and ink is applied, the hydrophilic regions retain the water and repel the ink, and the ink receptive regions accept the ink and repel the water. The ink is transferred to the surface of a material upon which the image is to be reproduced. For example, the ink can be first transferred to an intermediate blanket that in turn is used to transfer the ink to the surface of the material upon which the image is to be reproduced.
Imageable elements (lithographic printing plate precursors) useful to prepare lithographic printing plates typically comprise one or more imageable layers applied over the hydrophilic surface of a substrate. The imageable layers include one or more radiation-sensitive components that can be dispersed in a suitable binder. Alternatively, the radiation-sensitive component can also be the binder material. Following imaging, either the imaged regions or the non-imaged regions of the imageable layer are removed by a suitable developer, revealing the underlying hydrophilic surface of the substrate. If the imaged regions are removed, the imageable element is considered as positive-working. Conversely, if the non-imaged regions are removed, the imageable element is considered as negative-working. In each instance, the regions of the imageable layer (that is, the image areas) that remain are ink-receptive, and the regions of the hydrophilic surface revealed by the developing process accept water and aqueous solutions, typically a fountain solution, and repel ink.
Direct digital or thermal imaging has become increasingly important in the printing industry because of their stability to ambient light. The lithographic printing plate precursors used for the preparation of lithographic printing plates have been designed to be sensitive to heat or infrared radiation and can be exposed using thermal heads of more usually, infrared laser diodes that image in response to signals from a digital copy of the image in a computer a platesetter. This "computer-to-plate" technology has generally replaced the former technology where masking films were used to image the elements.
These imaging techniques often require the use of water or a developer (neutral to alkaline pH) as a processing solution to remove exposed (positive-working) or non-exposed (negative-working) regions of the imaged layer(s). In general, the processing solution is specifically designed for the specific radiation-sensitive chemistry in the imaged precursor and to provide processing as cleanly as possible.
During processing of imaged lithographic printing plate precursors, some processing solutions cause corrosion of aluminum-containing substrates and the industry has been investigating means for reducing or preventing corrosion. For example, some processing solutions contain various corrosion inhibitors and in other instances, the aluminum-containing substrates are pretreated to reduce corrosion.
Some commercial dual-layer positive-working lithographic printing plate precursors are imagewise exposed using infrared radiation and then processed with a processing solution containing a silicate as a corrosion inhibitor as described for example in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2004/0063036 (Takamiya) and 2009/0162783 (Levanon et al.). However, it is well known that silicate-containing processing solutions become "dirty" with sludge after continued use. In addition, when silicate dries in the processing solution tank or other parts of the equipment, carbon dioxide from the air neutralizes the silicate to form crusted silicon dioxide that is difficult to remove during maintenance operations.
Other commercial plate makers design positive-working lithographic printing plate precursors for processing with processing solutions containing non-reducing sugars as corrosion inhibitors as noted also in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0063036 (noted above). However, these materials are generally less effective than silicates and are effective only with aluminum-containing substrate that have been pretreated for example using a post-anodic phosphate/fluoride treatment solution that itself is prone to form insoluble deposits on rollers and equipment surfaces used in the post-anodic treatment process, and thus requires frequent laborious cleaning.
It would be desirable to process imagewise exposed positive-working lithographic printing plate precursors using processing solutions that are substantially free of silicate, without requiring that the precursors be made using a dirty post-anodic treatment process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for making lithographic printing plates


A personal defense device is provided that includes a shield and an electric shock device. The shield is configured to protect a user and circuitry from physical attack. The personal defense device is configured to be worn by a user such that it is difficult or impossible for an attacker to remove the personal defense device during an attack. In one embodiment, the personal defense device includes a gauntlet-style glove attached to the shield and electric shock device so as to provide protection for a user's forearm. The electric shock device is configured to deliver less-lethal electrical shocks and/or sparks to startle, disarm, and repel an aggressor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wearable shield and electrical shock device for self-defense.
2. Description of the Related Art
Police, military, and other individuals use a wide variety of protective gear and lethal or less-lethal weapons to defend themselves from attacks. Police riot gear may include, for example, firearms, helmets, batons, hand-held shields, impact resistant or bullet proof vests, protective eye goggles, gas masks, and other devices configured to subdue an attacker or shield against a physical assault.
One type of less-lethal or non-lethal weapon is a hand-held electrical shock device or hand-held electrical stun weapon that delivers a high-voltage electrical shock through direct contact with electrodes that are either attached to a hand-held device or are projected by a hand-held gun with wires connected to the electrodes. Generally, the person or animal receiving an electrical shock from such a device is incapacitated for a period of time. However, like other hand-held weapons (both lethal and less-lethal), an attacker can easily separate a user from a conventional hand-held electrical shock device. For example, an attacker may grab or knock the hand-held electrical shock device away from the user, which might render the user defenseless. Further, the attacker may gain control of the hand-held electrical shock device and use it to incapacitate the original user.
Hand-held electrical shock devices are also difficult or inconvenient to use in conjunction with another weapon or when a user needs both hands free for other tasks. For example, a soldier or police officer will generally stow their hand-held electrical shock device in a holster or holder when not in use to allow them to perform such tasks as handle a fire arm, hold a hand-held shield, or frisk a suspect. With the hand-held electrical shock device stowed, the user may not be able to retrieve it in time to defend against an attack.
Other electrical shock devices include a glove having electrodes positioned on the glove such that a user wearing the glove can shock an attacker by touching them with the electrodes. Such devices typically include an activation switch or contact on the glove to activate the electrodes. However, positioning the electrodes on the glove increases the risk that a person, animal or object being handled by the user will be inadvertently shocked. Further, placing the activation switch on the glove in close proximity to the electrodes increases this risk. In addition, conventional electrical shock gloves can generally be easily disabled or removed from a user by an attacker and do not provide impact or tamper resistant protection to the electrical circuitry of the device. Conventional electrical shock gloves also do not provide impact shielding to the user.


A method of separating a polymer-solvent mixture is described wherein a polymer-solvent mixture is heated prior to its introduction into an extruder comprising an upstream vent and/or a side feeder vent to allow flash evaporation of the solvent, and downstream vents for removal of remaining solvent. The one-step method is highly efficient having very high throughput rates while at the same time providing a polymer product containing low levels of residual solvent.

The preparation of polymeric materials is frequently carried out in a solvent from which the polymer product must be separated prior to molding, storage, or other such applications. This is the case in the manufacture of polyetherimide prepared by condensation polymerization of a dianhydride with a diamine in ortho-dichlorobenzene solution. Many other polymers are similarly prepared in solution and require a solvent removal step in order to isolate the polymer product. Illustrative polymers include interfacially-prepared polycarbonates, polysulfones, interfacially-prepared polycarbonate esters, and the like. The solvent frequently plays an indispensable role in polymer manufacture, providing for thorough mixing of reactants and for reducing the viscosity of the reaction mixture to provide for uniform heat transfer during the polymerization reaction itself. The solvent may further facilitate product purification by enabling the polymer product to be treated with water, aqueous acids and bases, and drying agents prior to solvent removal. Additionally, because a polymer solution is typically much less viscous than a molten polymer, the polymer solution is generally more easily filtered than the molten polymer.
Due to the pervasive use of solvent solutions in the manufacture or processing of polymeric material, there remains a need in the art to provide a convenient and cost-effective method and system to isolate a polymer from a polymer-solvent mixture.
The formation of blends or filled polymeric material may be effected by compounding a melt of the polymer with the additional polymer or filler. To prepare a polymer product having uniformly dispersed filler or to uniformly disperse an additional polymer, high shear rates, extended compounding and extruding times, and high heat may be required. The long residence times of compounding and high heat render the polymer product susceptible to discoloration and degradation of desired physical properties.
There also remains a need for an efficient and simple method to prepare a polymer product comprising uniformly dispersed filler.

Method of separating a polymer from a solvent


An apparatus and related methods for facilitating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are described along with methods for fabricating the apparatus. For one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a metallic fishnet defining a plurality of voids therein. The metallic fishnet exhibits at least one acute V-shaped cross-sectional feature between at least one adjacent pair of the voids.

Raman spectroscopy is a technique for performing chemical analysis. High intensity monochromatic light, such as that provided by a laser, is directed onto an analyte molecule (or sample) that is to be chemically analyzed. A majority of the incident photons are elastically scattered by the analyte molecule, wherein the scattered photons have the same energy (and, therefore, the same frequency) as the incident photons. This elastic scattering is termed Rayleigh scattering, and the elastically scattered photons and radiation are termed Rayleigh photons and Rayleigh radiation, respectively. However, a small fraction of the photons (e.g., about 1 in 107 photons) are inelastically scattered by the analyte molecules. These inelastically scattered photons have a different frequency than the incident photons. This inelastic scattering of photons is termed the Raman effect. The inelastically scattered photons may have frequencies greater than, or, more typically, less than the frequency of the incident photons.
When an incident photon collides with a molecule, energy may be transferred from the photon to the molecule or from the molecule to the photon. When energy is transferred from the photon to the molecule, the scattered photon will emerge from the sample having a lower energy and a corresponding lower frequency. These lower-energy Raman scattered photons are commonly referred to in Raman spectroscopy as the Stokes radiation. A small fraction of the analyte molecules are already in an energetically excited state. When an incident photon collides with an excited molecule, energy may be transferred from the molecule to the photon, which will emerge from the sample having a higher energy and a corresponding higher frequency. These higher-energy Raman scattered photons are commonly referred to in Raman spectroscopy as the anti-Stokes radiation.
The Stokes and the anti-Stokes radiation is detected by a detector, such as a photomultiplier or a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer, which converts the energy of the impinging photons into an electrical signal. The characteristics of the electrical signal are at least partially a function of the energy (or wavelength, frequency, wave number, etc.) of the impinging photons and the number of the impinging photons per unit time (intensity). The electrical signal generated by the detector can be used to produce a spectral graph of intensity as a function of frequency for the detected Raman signal (i.e., the Stokes and anti-Stokes radiation). A unique Raman spectrum corresponding to the particular analyte may be obtained by plotting the intensity of the inelastically scattered Raman photons against their frequency or, equivalently and more commonly, their wavenumber in units of inverse centimeters. This unique Raman spectrum may be used for many purposes such as identifying an analyte, identifying chemical states or bonding of atoms and molecules in the analyte, and determining physical and chemical properties of the analyte. Raman spectroscopy may be used to analyze a single molecular species or mixtures of different molecular species. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy may be performed on a number of different types of molecular configurations, such as organic and inorganic molecules in either crystalline or amorphous states.
Molecular Raman scattering of photons is a weak process. As a result, powerful, costly laser sources typically are used to generate high intensity excitation radiation to increase the weak Raman signal for detection. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a technique that allows for generation of a stronger Raman signal from an analyte relative to non-SERS Raman spectroscopy for a sample with the same number of analyte molecules. In SERS, the analyte molecules are adsorbed onto, or placed adjacent to, an activated metal surface or structure, termed herein a SERS-active structure. The interactions between the molecules and the SERS-active structure cause an increase in the strength of the Raman signal.
Several SERS-active structures have been employed in SERS techniques, including activated electrodes in electrolytic cells, activated metal colloid solutions, and activated metal substrates such as a roughened metal surface or metal islands formed on a substrate. For example, it has been observed that adsorbing analyte molecules onto or near a specially roughened metal surface made from silver or gold may enhance the Raman scattering intensity by factors of between 103 and 106. SERS active structures providing greater amounts of Raman intensification would promote increased precision in SERS-based molecular sensing, and would also promote progress toward other practical goals such as reduced size, reduced complexity, reduced cost, and increased flexibility of SERS devices. Other issues arise as would be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

Facilitating surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An aperture used in an optical device includes a first light-transmitting region which transmits light emitted from a light source which is provided in the optical device, and a second light-transmitting region which is provided in the periphery of the first light-transmitting region and provides light passing therethrough with a phase difference of 180xc2x0 with respect to light passing through the first light-transmitting region. Thus, improvement in a function which is required for the optical device can be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aperture and an optical device using it, and more particularly, the present invention aims at improving a structure of the aperture and thus a function which is required for the optical device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, various optical devices have been used for manufacturing of a semiconductor device. A structure of these optical devices includes a light source for emitting a light beam, a collimator lens for making a light beam parallel, an aperture for shaping a light beam passing through the collimator lens into a prescribed shape, and an objective lens for condensing a light beam passing through the aperture.
An optical device with the above-described structure includes, for example, a photomask defect repairing apparatus for repairing a defect found in a photomask, and a scanning critical dimension measurement apparatus for measuring the dimension of a pattern which is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The photomask defect repairing apparatus for repairing a defect which has been found in a photomask will now be described.;
Referring to FIG. 11, in a photomask 200, a metal thin film 208 which includes a light-transmitting portion 206 and a light-shielding portion 204 is formed on a transparent glass substrate 202. About 10 to 20 kinds of photomasks 200 each of which has a different pattern are required to manufacture a single semiconductor device. If a defect exists in these photomasks, the defect also is transferred to a wafer, resulting in poor quality and reduced yield of the semiconductor device.
A defect which could be found in photomask 200 can be classified into two types: a remaining defect 210 and a pinhole defect 220. In order to repair pinhole defect 220, a carbon-type film 224 is usually deposited and filled in pinhole defect portion 220 by an FIB assist deposition system.
In order to repair remaining defect portion 210, a laser beam 222 is collected and directed to remaining defect portion 210 and the metal thin film is removed. A device using YAG (Yttrium, Aluminum, Gahnite) laser has been practically available. Higher resolution has been achieved by use of second harmonics (wavelength of 0.53 xcexcm) of YAG laser, and a mask defect repairing apparatus using the second harmonics, therefore, has been used increasingly.
The basic structure of this mask defect repairing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 60-132325. Referring to FIG. 12, the structure of the mask defect repairing apparatus 250 which has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No.60-132325 includes a light source (Nd. YAG laser) 252 for emitting a light beam 254, a collimator lens 256 for making light beam 254 parallel, a variable rectangular aperture 258 for shaping laser beam 254 passing through collimator lens 256 into a prescribed shape, and an objective lens 260 for condensing laser beam 254 passing through aperture 258 into a defective portion 264 on a photomask 262.
Referring to FIG. 13, aperture 258 used in this mask defect repairing apparatus 250 is constituted by an opening 268 for shaping laser beam 254 into a prescribed rectangular shape, and a light-shielding portion 266 for intercepting a laser beam.
The structure of a critical dimension measurement apparatus 300 will now be described with reference to FIG. 14. Critical dimension measurement apparatus 300 includes a light source 302 for emitting a laser beam 301a, a collimator lens 304 for making laser beam 301a parallel laser beam 301b, an aperture 306 for shaping laser beam 301b into a laser beam 301c having a prescribed rectangular shape, and an objective lens 310 for condensing laser beam 301c into a surface of a wafer 314. This wafer 314 includes a pattern 314a with a prescribed shape, which is made of conductive material, insulating material or the like, formed on a substrate 314b. A laser beam is reflected from wafer 314 and then from a semi-transparent mirror 308, and enters a detector 312.
Width d of pattern 314a is measured, referring, for example, to FIG. 15, when laser beam 301d is moved with respect to pattern 314a in the direction shown by an arrow and change in intensity between light beams 301d reflected from substrate 314b and from pattern 314a is recognized by detector 312.
Principle of measurement of width d of pattern 314a will now be described with reference to FIG. 16. In FIG. 16, abscissa indicates a ratio of half-width W of a scanning beam (laser beam) to width d of a pattern, and ordinate indicates intensity of a signal indicated by a reflected light beam which is received by a detector. Resolution of the critical dimension measurement apparatus will now be described with reference to FIG. 16. Resolution is usually represented by a W/d value that is obtained just before the decrease of intensity of a reflected light beam. For example, pattern width d can be measured, if two edge portions of the pattern can be recognized. Therefore, as understood from FIG. 16, pattern width d can be measured so long as the W/d value is 2.0 or less. This is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 17-21.
FIG. 17 shows change in signal intensity when a scanning beam moves across a substrate and W/d is 0.5. By representing intensities of signals received from substrate 314b and pattern 314a as A and B (A greater than B), respectively, the signal intensity becomes (A+B)/2 when the central point of the scanning beam comes to an edge portion of pattern 314a. Therefore, pattern width d can be measured if signal intensity of (A+B)/2 can be recognized.
FIG. 18 shows change in signal intensity when a scanning beam moves across a substrate and W/d is 1.0. In this case, pattern width d can be measured by recognizing signal intensity of (A+B)/2, as shown in FIG. 17.
FIG. 19 shows change in signal intensity when a scanning beam moves across a substrate and W/d is 2.0. In this case, pattern width d can be easily measured, since the range in which signal intensity is (A+B)/2 will correspond to pattern width d.
FIG. 20 shows change in signal intensity when a scanning beam moves across a substrate and W/d is 2.5. In this case, the range in which signal intensity is (A+B)/2 cannot be recognized. Therefore, pattern width d cannot be measured.
From above description, it is to be understood that patten width d cannot be measured when W/d is more than 2.
Recently, with miniaturization of a semiconductor device, improvement in degree of integration and in function of the semiconductor device has been desired, resulting in requirement of further miniaturization of an element which is formed in a semiconductor device. Therefore, optical devices such as a pattern defect repairing apparatus and a critical dimension measurement apparatus which can deal with the miniaturization have been required.
In these optical devices, spot, that is, half-width of a laser beam must be reduced in order to deal with miniaturization of a pattern. Reduction in half-width can be achieved by reducing an opening width of an aperture. Half-width can be reduced when the opening width of the aperture is larger than a wavelength of light, while diffraction of light might introduce a problem when the opening width of the aperture becomes smaller with miniaturization of a pattern. This is illustrated in FIGS. 21A to 21D. Light has such a clear amplitude as shown in FIG. 21B right after passing through the aperture. Light projected onto a wafer, however, has an amplitude that is widened at its bottom, such as shown in FIG. 21C, because of diffraction of light. Therefore, light on the wafer has an intensity which is not sharp as shown in FIG. 21D, resulting in increase in half-width.
It is known that light passing through the aperture has the corners rounded with radius of curvature of about the wavelength of light because of the above-described diffraction. When a laser beam, for example, of 0.53 xcexcm is used, the minimum half-width of the laser beam will be 1.06 xcexcm. Therefore, in repairing a pattern defect, it is very difficult to repair with high accuracy a remaining defect in a pattern of 1 xcexcm wide.
In the critical dimension measurement apparatus, when half-width is 1.06 xcexcm, pattern width of less than 0.53 xcexcm cannot be measured, since the above-described W/d becomes larger than 2.0.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aperture by which reduction in diffraction of light passing through the aperture and in half-width of light can be achieved, and to provide an optical apparatus using this aperture.
An aperture in accordance with one aspect of the present invention is intended to be used in an optical device and includes a first light-transmitting region and a second light-transmitting region.
The first light-transmitting region transmits light emitted from a light source which is provided in the optical device. The second light-transmitting region is provided in the periphery of the first light-transmitting region and provides light passing therethrough with a phase difference of 180xc2x0 with respect to light passing through the first light-transmitting region.
Thus, since part of light passing through the first light-transmitting region, in particular, through the peripheral edge portion thereof is offset by light passing through the second light-transmitting region and having a phase difference of 180xc2x0, increase in half-width due to diffraction of light passing through the first light transmitting region can be prevented. Accordingly, half-width of light passing through the first light-transmitting region can be reduced, resulting in a clear optical image.
An aperture in accordance with another aspect of the present invention is intended to be used in an optical device and includes a phase shift substrate which has a first opening with a prescribed shape and provides light passing therethrough with a phase,difference of 180xc2x0, and a light-shielding substrate which has a second opening similar to and larger than the first opening and intercepts light. The phase shift substrate and the light-shielding substrate are positioned so that the first opening is surrounded by the second opening.
Preferably, the phase shift substrate and the light-shielding substrate are positioned on a transparent substrate which transmits light.
More preferably, the phase shift substrate is made of glass which is selected from the group consisting of oxide glass, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, lead glass, alumina-silicate glass, borate glass, phosphate glass, aluminate glass, titanate glass, fluoride glass, chalcogenide glass, metal glass, and crystallized glass.
This aperture includes a first opening through which light passes, and a light-shielding substrate having such a second opening that exposes only the periphery of the first opening of a phase shift substrate which provides light passing therethrough with a phase difference of 180xc2x0.
Thus, since part of light passing through the first opening, in particular, through the peripheral edge portion thereof is offset by light of which phase is shifted by 180xc2x00 through the phase shift substrate which is exposed by the second opening in the periphery of the first opening, increase in half-width due to diffraction of light passing through the first opening can be prevented. Accordingly, half-width of light passing through the first opening can be reduced, resulting in a clear optical image.
An aperture in accordance with further aspect of the present invention is intended to be used in an optical device, and includes a phase shift substrate and a light-shielding substrate.
The phase shift substrate includes a first light-transmitting portion with a prescribed thickness, and a second light-transmitting portion which is thicker than the first light-transmitting portion and provides light passing therethrough with a phase difference of 180xc2x0 with respect to light passing through the first light-transmitting portion.
The light-shielding substrate exposes only the first light-transmitting portion and a prescribed region of the second light-transmitting portion, which is located in the periphery of the first light-transmitting portion, and shields the other region thereof from light.
In this aperture, since part of light passing through the first light-transmitting portion, in particular, through the peripheral edge portion thereof is offset by light passing through the second:light-transmitting portion and having a phase difference of 180xc2x0, increase in half-width due to diffraction of light passing through the first light-transmitting portion can be prevented. Accordingly, half-width of light passing through the first light-transmitting portion can be reduced, resulting in a clear optical image.
An optical device in accordance with the present invention includes an aperture which has a second light-transmitting region which proves light passing therethrough with a phase difference of 180xc2x0 with respect to light passing through the periphery of a first light-transmitting region.
Thus, since part of light passing through the first light-transmitting region, in particular, through the peripheral edge portion thereof is offset by light passing through the second light-transmitting portion and having a phase difference of 180xc2x0, increase in half-width due to diffraction of light passing through the first light-transmitting region can be prevented. Accordingly, reduction in half-width of light passing through the first light-transmitting region can be achieved.
As a result, a function which is required for an optical device can be improved, and, for example, a pattern defect repairing apparatus will be able to repair a defect in a finer pattern, and a critical dimension measurement apparatus will be able to measure the dimension of a finer pattern.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Aperture and optical device using the same


A powder dispenser comprising a powder container having an opening in a lower end thereof, a powder receptacle having a flange, and a flow control assembly having pivotable flow control arms biased against each other, pivotable activation arms biased towards each other, and connecting members for connecting the flow control arms to the activation arms for concomitant movement, wherein the receptacle flange is operable to engage the activation arms to pivot the activation arms away from each other and thereby pivot the flow control arms away from each other so that powder is allowed to flow through the flow control assembly into the receptacle. The dispenser may further comprise an agitator that is operable to agitate the powder in the container when the flow control arms are pivoting towards or away from each other.

Devices are known for filling receptacles with granular, particulate, and/or powdered materials that are transported from a storage container into a receptacle. Dispensing mechanisms for these devices range from open containers with scoops to coin operated machines. Granular matter, such as sand, can be provided in various colors and can be dispensed from storage containers to produce a decorative art form in a transparent receptacle. Likewise, granular food products, such as powdered candy, can also be dispensed to produce a decorative art form in a receptacle with the added attraction of being edible. However, granular or powdered food products need special care to avoid contamination. Thus, there is a need for a dispensing system for granular food materials that will avoid contamination between the dispensing mechanism and the receptacles that receive the granular food material.


A pseudo pipeline including a plurality of pseudo pipeline stages and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to control the plurality of pseudo pipeline stages to provide pseudo pipelined operation.

Data and control pipelines are common in digital electronics. Earlier SDRAM controllers using a pipelined approach failed. Variable delays between different stages of SDRAM transactions proved to be extremely difficult to accommodate. The addition of page mode transactions was even worse. Page mode transactions skipped some stages entirely. Static random access memory (SRAM) transactions failed completely. The SRAM transactions used all the stages in parallel, instead of sequentially like the SDRAM transactions.
It would be desirable to have a SDRAM controller that accommodates SDRAM and SRAM transactions.

Pseudo pipeline and pseudo pipelined SDRAM controller


An apparatus for producing an object by stereolithography is provided with a tank (1) receiving a bath of liquid or powdery material which can be solidified by action of electromagnetic radiation. In known manner the apparatus comprises a support (4) for positioning the object relative to the surface (3) of the bath and a device (8) for solidifying a layer of the material (3) adjacent to the surface using electromagnetic radiation. In order to allow a precise adjustment of the layer thickness the apparatus comprises a supplying device (51) for supplying the solidifiable material (3), the supplying device extending transversely across the tank and having a discharge opening (53) at its bottom side in operational position, a channel extending in the interior thereof and communicating with the discharge opening (53), the channel being connected at one point with a pump (63) through a conduit (62).

1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing an object using stereolithography.
2. Description of Related Art
A stereolithography apparatus of this kind is disclosed in German Patent 41 34 265. The wiper disclosed therein may have an anti adhesive coating or may be formed of a material having low adhesion properties. If such a wiper has low adhesive forces, there is a risk that the contact between the wiper and the liquid resin material is locally broken during the wiping operation. This may cause the so-called dewetting. However, if the wiper is formed of a material having a great surface tension, irregular coatings are experienced, because the resin material rises again at the trailing side of the wiper.
Various coating methods are known for the stereolithography. According to the EP 0 171 069 a liquid layer of the light-curable resin is applied by lowering the object by an amount exceeding the desired layer thickness in a bath and subsequent rising the object to an elevation corresponding to the predetermined layer thickness below the surface of the bath. In EP 0 250 121 it is disclosed to apply the material for one layer from above using an inlet, whereas in WO91/12120 a spray tube is used. With the mentioned applying methods the adjustment speed of a desired layer thickness is not optimized.
In order to attain the layer thickness in a fast manner applying methods using a wiper are known. In the simplest case described in DE-C-41 34 265 the support carrying the object to be formed is lowered in a bath of liquid, light-curable resin material by an amount corresponding to the desired layer thickness, whereby uncured material flows over the previously cured layer from the edge thereof. In order to increase the speed of attaining the desired layer thickness with the wiper the material is spread over the previously cured layer. The applying operation may also be expedited by lowering the support in the bath by an extent greater than the predetermined layer thickness and subsequent spreading using the wiper. However, these methods are disavantageous in that the produced layer thickness is considerably greater than the desired layer thickness. A solution for this problem known to the applicant consists in collecting the amount of resin which is displaced by lowering the support in the bath and continuously reapplying the same to a place directly preceding the wiper during the wiping operation by using a continuously operating low-pressure pump, thereby obtaining a quasi-continuous application. A further known variant of an applying method is the so-called coater-channel-method wherein the amount of resin displaced by the lowering operation is pumped all at once in a discrete pumping operation into a coating channel located in front of the wiper with respect to the wiping or travelling direction thereof and delivered therefrom to a location directly upstream of the wiper through an outlet provided at the coating channel. The delivery of the resin amount from the coating channel varies exponentially over the surface to be coated as a function of the instantaneous filling level in the coating channel, i.e. the less resin is present in the coating channel, the less is delivered. This produces a layer thickness which decreases with the coating distance.
A general problem encountered when using the known wiper is the interaction of the wiper with the resin or the plastic material used which causes the above-mentioned "dewetting". Further, as shown in the FIGS. 8 and 9, the flow around the wiper 99 within "closed volumes" 100, i.e. regions of liquid resin encircled by solidified resin 101, produces a superelevation of the bath surface which causes variations in dimension of the object, in particular of the object within the "closed volume" (CV+, CV- effects). A further disadvantageous effect of the known coating method using a wiper is the nose 102 produced during the coating operation at the interface between the previously solidified layer and uncured resin, as shown in FIG. 10. Further, concave or convex surfaces may be produced by the flow around the wiper and cause dimensional inexactness of the object.

Apparatus and method for producing an object using stereolithography


The invention utilizes a sensing body having a non-zero product of inertia to sense acceleration when oscillated about the y'-axis of an x'-y'-z' Cartesian coordinate system. The product of inertia is computed with respect to an x-y-z coordinate system fixed in the sensing body, the z-axis being in the x'-z' plane, the y and y' axes being aligned in the absence of acceleration. The sensing body is pivotally attached to a platform and pivots about an axis parallel to the z-axis. A torquing device applies a torque about the z-axis to the sensing body sufficient to cause the angle between the y-axis and the y'-axis to be zero in the absence of acceleration when the sensing body is being oscillated at a predetermined rate. The accelerometer also includes an orientation sensor which provides a measure of the average angle between the y-axis and the y'-axis. A drive assembly oscillates the platform about the y'-axis. A control circuit receives the output of the orientation sensor and causes the drive assembly to drive the platform at an oscillation rate or at an oscillation amplitude which causes the average orientation angle to be near zero. The invention can also use an assembly of N individually-pivoting sensing bodies to sense acceleration.

This invention relates generally to devices that measure acceleration and more specifically to precision accelerometers such as those used in inertial navigation systems.
The accelerometers used in inertial navigation systems are typically of the pendulous torque-to-balance variety. A typical unit uses a hinged pendulum as the acceleration sensing body. A position sensor produces an error signal when the pendulum begins to pivot away from its desired null position as a result of an acceleration, and this error signal is used by a control circuit to maintain the pendulum in its null position by means of an electrical control signal applied to a torquing device. The magnitude of the electrical control signal is proportional to the acceleration and thus is a measure of the acceleration.
The accelerometer case may either be dry (i.e. filled with dry air or nitrogen) or fluid-filled. The fluid-filled variety results in a simplified pendulum design because of the natural damping of the pendulum resonances provided by the fluid, the ability of achieving a given pendulosity with a larger pendulum assembly as a result of the partial flotation provided by the fluid, and the ease of achieving good damping in the torque-to-balance loop. The disadvantage of using a fluid are the unique requirements that must be accommodated by the manufacturing process. The advantage of the dry units is the elimination of the problems associated with using a fluid. However, dry units require a more exacting pendulum design.
The invention described herein offers a new approach to the design of precision accelerometers in that it utilizes a spinning body as the acceleration sensing element. The sensing element spins in a dry environment, and there are consequently no fluid migration/stratification/compatibility issues which might argue against a long operating life. No electrical connections to the sensing element are required, and the device is radiation hard.

Centripetal opposed pendulous accelerometer


Nucleotide sequences encoding antisense RNA to proteins having enzymic activity in .beta.-oxidation, constructs, vectors, plants and plant cells comprising such nucleotide sequences, and uses of such nucleotide sequences.

Crop plants, such as oilseed rape, sunflower and corn, are valuable agronomically as sources of oils which can be used for many purposes ranging from use as industrial feed stocks to use in margarine manufacture and even as potential alternatives to fossil fuels.
The production of naturally occurring oils in oil producing plants has been augmented hitherto using conventional breeding techniques. Generally speaking, it is the seeds of oil producing plants which are harvested and then processed for their oil content, the rest of the plant generally being left as waste.
Recently, it has been proved that recombinant DNA technology can be used, for example, on oil seed rape to produce fatty acids which are not found naturally in the non-transformed plant. Voelker et al. Plant Journal (1996) 9: 229-241 succeeded in engineering lauric acid production into oil seed rape. Lauric acid is a fatty acid not normally found in any significant quantity in oil seed rape. Although, the production of lauric acid in oil seed rape was achieved, it has been found that the presence of lauric acid also plays a part in activating fatty acid catabolism (.beta.-oxidation pathway), thus creating a so-called "futile cycle" wherein lauric acid is produced which in turn plays a role in initiating its own catabolism, begin degraded and resulting in decreased yields of lauric acid in such plants (Eccleston V. S. et al., Planta (1996) 198:46-53).
There exists a need to improve the overall yield of fatty acids and/or lipids in oil seed bearing plants. For the purposes of the description oil bearing plants are to be construed as plants which are agronomically attractive for their fatty acid and/or lipid generating potential and/or capacity. In particular, there exists a need to modify the .beta.-oxidation pathway in plants, thereby improving overall yield of naturally occurring fatty acids or non-naturally occurring fatty acids (i.e., fatty acid production as a result of recombinant DNA manipulation) in oil seed bearing plants.

Antisense nucleotide sequences affecting fatty acid catabolism in plants

The University Court of The University of Glasgow


A dimensional adjusting device for computer keyboard racks including a displacement device, a rotary device, a connecting plate, an elevating device, an elevation device, and a positioning device. The invention is characterized in that a relay plate is disposed between a fixed track and movable track of one of two slide track units, the relay plate being connected to the movable track and having two plate wings at both sides thereof. The plate wings pass through corresponding track holes in the movable track to be further connected to a plate flap at either side of a fixed plate. The invention is further characterized in that the fixed plate has a positioning device disposed therein. The positioning device is comprised of a bottom cover disposed over a front portion of the fixed plate, and two trigger pieces. The bottom cover has a partition rib defining a clearance with a front wall of the bottom cover for receiving two oppositely disposed rods with a spring sandwiched therebetween. The rods each have a projection at an upper side and a stop portion at the other side. The bottom cover further has two cover posts at both sides behind the partition rib. The trigger pieces have respective pins, notches and end notches. The pins of the trigger pieces pass through corresponding through slots at a front edge of the fixed plate such that the notches engage the projections of the rods and the end notches engage the cover posts of the bottom cover. The positioning device further comprises a top cover for sealing the bottom cover so that the rods may advance along the fixed tracks during displacement, and are positioned in place when the rods pass over the fixed tracks to extend outwardly.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved adjusting device for keyboard racks, and more particularly to a dimensional adjusting device which may allow back and forth movement as well as up and down movement of the keyboard rack, and which may permit free rotation and adjustment of elevation of the keyboard rack.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of computer desks have been developed with the development of computers and peripheral equipment thereof. A conventional computer desk includes a desk surface for placement of the monitor, and a retractable drawer for supporting the keyboard. In use, the retractable drawer is pulled out. After use, the retractable drawer is pushed back into position so that the keyboard lies beneath the desk surface.
Although the retractable drawer of the conventional computer desk may be pulled outwardly or pushed inwardly, it cannot move up and down or rotate through a certain angle or its angle of elevation cannot be adjusted. Therefore, it cannot adapt to the sitting posture of the users or the angles of the hands with respect to the keyboard during typing. It is therefor imperative to find a solution to the existing problems. One solution is offered in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,054, in which a keyboard rack substitutes the conventional retractable keyboard drawer, the keyboard rack being capable of back and forth as well as up and down displacement; besides, the angle of elevation of the keyboard rack may be adjusted as desired.

Dimensional adjusting device for computer keyboard racks


An air duster structure that is configured to jet compressed air out of a nozzle, includes a flow amount adjustment mechanism which is configured to adjust an amount of air jetted out of the nozzle. The flow amount adjustment mechanism includes: a pipe line for circulating air; a valve member disposed inside the pipe line and being movable; and a throttle portion configured to gradually change an area of a flow channel in which air circulates, with a movement of the valve member, to control a flow amount of the air in the pipe line. The throttle portion is structured so as to increase the area of the flow channel at an accelerated rate when the valve member moves in a direction that opens the pipe line.

The present disclosure relates to an air duster structure that jets air from a nozzle by using externally supplied compressed air and to a driving tool provided with the air duster structure.
An air duster gun or an air duster included with a driving tool has been used in order to blow off fine wood debris and the like before performing nail driving. For example, JP-A-H10-109280 discloses a driving tool including an air duster. The related-art technique disclosed in JP-A-H10-109280 is structured so that air is jetted out of a nozzle by pushing in an operation button that opens and closes a release valve.
To adjust the amount of air jetted out of the nozzle according to the operation amount of the operation button in an air duster as described above, it is considered to form the release valve or a pipe line in a tapered shape to increase the area of the flow channel of the air according to the pushing amount of the operation button. At this time, if the flow amount gradually increases while the pushing amount of the operation button and the flow amount of the air maintain a proportional relationship therebetween, and the flow amount of the air is largest when the operation amount is highest, operability is excellent.
However, in actuality, as the flow amount of the air being jetted out increases, the pressure in the accumulator provided on the upstream side of the release valve decreases and the difference in the pressure between in front of and behind the throttle of the release valve becomes small, so that the change in the flow amount with respect to the change in the operation amount becomes small. This produces an inconvenience in that after the operation button is operated to a certain extent, even if the operation button is operated any further, the amount of air jetted out of the nozzle does not largely change and this deteriorates operability.


This invention provides means to replace vulcanized natural rubber with non-allergenic synthetic rubbers in the manufacture of health care devices such as protective gloves, condoms, tourniquets and dental dams. The synthetic rubbers are latexes and aqueous polyurethane dispersions having very low glass transition temperatures and crosslinked by means other than sulfur vulcanization of double bonds.

In the current state of the art medical devices based on thin film elastomers are manufactured predominantly from vulcanized natural rubber. Usually the film thickness is 3 to 15 mils. Vulcanized natural rubber (VNR) offers particular advantages for protective gloves used by surgeons, dentists and veterinarians who need tactile feel and resilient glove material for their delicate operations. An other class of medical gloves are referred to as "examination gloves." These provide to health care givers and patients protection against viruses and bacterial attack in activities not requiring high level of delicate manual dexterity. Specifically, tactile feel is not an important requirement for examination gloves. In the current state of the art, examination gloves are made of from either VNR or from synthetic rubbers such as nitrile rubber, poly(chloroprene) or plastisized poly(vinyl chloride). In the medical device trade poly(chloroprene) is referred to simply as chloroprene or Neoprene.TM.. Plasticized poly(vinylchloride) is often called "vinyl" in the medical device trade. This terminology will be used herein.
Vulcanized natural rubber is also widely used for tourniquets and dental dams in the health care field. Excellent tactile response and resilience are properties which are crucial for the use of VNR for making condoms.
In summary, synthetic elastomers are useful for examination gloves but, at the present state of the art, do not meet the needs for more delicate medical devices; that is, surgical (including dental and veterinary) gloves, and condoms (for the latter end-uses VNR is almost exclusively used).
The single major shortcoming of VNR is that it causes allergies in a significant fraction of the human population. Reliable statistics are not available but the literature indicates that about 1% of the population is susceptible to the so called "latex allergy."
The major cause of latex allergy is the presence of protein in natural rubber latex. Natural rubber is tapped from rubber trees or rubber plants in form of an aqueous dispersion (latex) and the protein is nature's means to provide colloidal stability to these dispersions. The protein content in VNR can be reduced by using special sources of low protein rubbers or by aqueous extraction. Articles made with low-protein VNR are referred to as hypo-allergenic. The indication is that even minute levels of protein can cause allergies in some people. An objective of the present invention is to provide elastic medical devices which are completely non-allergenic.
Proteins are not the only allergenic ingredients in VNR based devices. For achieving the desired elastic and barrier properties, the rubber must be vulcanized. In this process sulfur-based links are introduced between individual molecules during the curing of the articles. In vulcanization certain accelerators must be used, such as amines, carbothiazoles, sulfonimides, thiocarbamates and thiourams. Some or all of these accelerators are also causes of allergies. In fact, nitrile rubber crosslinked by methods of vulcanizing natural rubber is allergenic though it is completely protein free. The major objective of the present invention is to provide articles made from completely non-allergenic synthetic rubbers crosslinked by completely non-allergenic means.
Most medical devices in the field of this invention are currently made from VNR, chloroprene, nitrile rubber and vinyl. Vinyl is a category by itself. Pure poly(vinylchloride) is not rubbery and is rendered rubbery by plasticizers. Also, the vinyl articles in the field of this invention are most often prepared from water-free plastisols and cannot be made resilient by crosslinking.
Natural rubber, polychloroprene and nitrile rubber are supplied as aqueous polymer dispersions, specifically as latexes. These three latex polymers have a crucially important structural feature in common: they are based on diene monomer building blocks with double carbon--carbon unsaturation. The structure of the dienes is shown below: EQU CH.sub.2 .dbd.CHR--CH.dbd.CH.sub.2
Here R is H for butadiene, CH.sub.3 for isoprene and Cl for chloroprene.
When the dienes are polymerized, each converted monomer retains a single unsaturation as illustrated in the polymer structure below: EQU (--CH.sub.2 --CHR.dbd.CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --).sub.n
Natural rubber is pure polyisoprene. Nitrile rubber is a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene in the 20/80 to 40/60 ratio and is often modified with carboxylic monomers. Polychloroprene is most often made substantially without comonomers.
The unsaturation in the polymer chain is the crosslink acceptor in the vulcanization of natural rubber or nitrite rubber. As stated earlier, the accelerators used in vulcanization with sulfur are allergenic.
The major disadvantage of unsaturation in the diene rubbers is poor stability against heat, radiation and oxidation. Sterilization and packaging after sterilization is rather expensive. The devices made from saturated polymers according to the present invention have the advantage of superior heat, radiation, oxidation and storage stability. A special embodiment of the present invention provides novel inexpensive means for sterilization of medical devices.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,872,515 (Mar. 25, 1975, K. G. King et al.) and 5,620,773 (Apr. 15, 1997, B. Nash et al.) teach the use of non-allergenic aqueous silicone based dispersion polymers for making elastic medical devices. The exorbitantly high cost of silicone elastomers precludes their use in the present field of invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,469 (Mar. 19, 1996, K. E. Johnsen et al.) teaches the use of an aqueous dispersion of copolymer containing hard non-rubbery monomer blocks and diene monomer based rubbery blocks in the same molecule. This polymer is not crosslinked on curing. Instead, the hard blocks provide some resilience to the shaped articles.
Several U.S. patents propose the use of polyurethanes for elastic medical devices.
Two patents teach the application of thermoplastic urethane rubber elastomers to condom shaped mandrels with subsequent curing. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,156 (Mar. 18, 1986, M. F. Dyck et al.) the proposed curing temperature is 400 to 450.degree. F. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,490 (Aug. 8, 1987, R. A. Taller et al.) the curing temperature is lower, 265 to 350.degree. F. It is also known that the urethane bonds break and rearrange at temperatures above 280.degree. F. leading to crosslinking. These patents do not teach that the urethane rubber be applied from an aqueous dispersion and do not anticipate crosslink formation during heat curing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,695 (Jun. 4, 1974, D. L. Dodell et al.), 5,272,771 (Feb. 18, 1992, C. W. Ansell et al.) and 5,534,350 (Dec. 28, 1994, D. Liu et al.) teach lining of VNR gloves with uncrosslinked polyurethanes can be useful either for rendering them hypoallergenic or for improving their donning properties and eliminating the need to use powder to lubricate them internally. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,451 (Aug. 13, 1996, W. N. Huang et al.) teaches the use of both acrylic latexes and polyurethane dispersions in multilayer VNR based powderless gloves.

Non-allergenic medical and health care devices made from crosslinked synthetic elastomers


A magnetic recording medium having coated thereon a lubricant of such a purity that no impurities and low molecular weight species are substantially detected by gel permeation chromatography.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium, such as a magnetic recording medium which is useful, for example, as a magnetic recording means in an external memory apparatus (a magnetic disk recorder) for computers, etc., and a process for its production.
2. Discussion of Background
A magnetic recording medium is available usually in the form of a tape, a disk or a drum. Among them, a disk type of magnetic recording medium is composed of a rigid substrate of e.g. an aluminum alloy and a magnetic recording layer formed thereon, and further a lubricant is coated on the surface thereof. Coating of such a lubricant is conducted usually by a spin-coating method or a dipping method. It is attempted to improve the abrasion resistance of the magnetic recording medium by coating the lubricant. For example, in the dipping method, a magnetic recording medium is immersed in a solution having the lubricant dissolved in a solvent and then withdrawn, and the solvent is dried to obtain a magnetic recording medium having the lubricant coated thereon. In a drive apparatus for a magnetic recording medium which is presently commonly employed, a contact-start-stop (C.S.S.) system is adopted wherein a head is brought in contact with the magnetic recording medium as the drive apparatus is stopped and driven. Accordingly, the coated lubricant is required to provide durability in C.S.S. test by use of the above drive apparatus. A magnetic recording medium having excellent durability in C.S.S. test is required to have the coated lubricant uniformly deposited on the surface of the magnetic recording medium even after the storage of the magnetic recording medium for a long period of time in a high temperature, low temperature or high humidity environment, or even after the C.S.S. test over a long period of time. Particularly, it is important that the thickness of the lubricant does not change in the above environment or during the C.S.S. test.
As the lubricant to be coated on the magnetic recording medium, it is common to employ a commercially available perfluoropolyether type lubricant. However, a conventional magnetic recording medium using such a lubricant had a problem with respect to the durability in C.S.S. test. Namely, in a high temperature high humidity environment, a migration phenomenon is likely to take place wherein the thickness of the coated lubricant decreases, whereby the C.S.S. durability is substantially impaired. On the other hand, in a low temperature environment or a high humidity environment, the viscosity of the lubricant decreases rapidly, and the lubricating property of the lubricant tends to be inadequate, whereby the durability tends to be impaired.
Further, the process of coating the lubricant used to be complicated including heat treatment of the magnetic recording medium prior to or after the coating and a cooling step after the heating, in addition to the coating of the lubricant.
As the solvent for the above lubricant, a fluorinated solvent containing chlorine atoms in its molecule, such as trichlorotrifluoroethane, is employed. However, such a solvent having a low boiling point has recently be regarded as a factor causing destruction of the environment, and its use will certainly be regulated respectively in the future.

Magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic film layer and a coating of purified perfluoropolyther lubricant


Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing a roaming support system are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

As technology advances to provide greater mobility and/or portability, more and more people are using wireless electronic devices for a variety of reasons such as work, education, and/or entertainment. With the increased popularity of wireless electronic devices, the demand for resources in wireless environments may cause network congestions and slowdowns. Thus, quality of service and performance may be degraded on the user end.

Methods and apparatus for providing a roaming support system


According to the present invention, there is provided a process for manufacturing a circuit board wherein a first substrate having a conductor post and a second substrate having a conductor pad for receiving the conductor post are laminated through an interlayer adhesive, and the conductor post and the conductor pad are electrically connected, comprising, as a first step, bonding the conductor pad with the conductor post by thermocompression under predetermined first conditions while the first and the second substrates are arranged such that the conductor pad faces the conductor post through the interlayer adhesive; thermocompressing the first substrate and the second substrate under predetermined second conditions while the conductor pad is bonded with the conductor post; and thermocompressing the first substrate and the second substrate under predetermined third conditions while the conductor pad is bonded with the conductor post, wherein the first, the second and the third conditions are different from each other.

Recent density increase in electronic devices has accelerated multilayering of a circuit board used in these devices such as a flexible printed circuit board. A build-up method is generally employed for laminating such a multilayer circuit board. A build-up method refers to a method for forming interlayer connection between monolayers while piling up resin layers made of a resin alone and conductor layers.
The build-up methods can be generally categorized into those where a via hole is formed in resin layers before forming an interlayer connection and those where an interlayer connection is formed before laminating resin layers. Methods for forming an interlayer connection are categorized into formation of a via hole by plating and formation using a conductive paste.
There has been disclosed a technique allowing for stacked-via and density increase and simplification of an interconnection design, wherein a fine via hole for interlayer connection is formed in a resin layer by laser and the via hole is filled with a conductive adhesive such as a copper paste, by which electric connection is formed (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1996-316598).
However, the above method may not provide adequately reliable interlayer electric connection because the connection is formed via a conductive adhesive. Furthermore, the method requires an advanced technique for filling a fine via hole with a conductive adhesive and thus cannot cope with further miniaturization of an interconnection pattern.
Thus, instead of filling a via hole with a conductive adhesive, there has been employed a technique where a metal protrusion (a conductor post) is used. However, even in a case where a conductor post is used, there has been disclosed a method where while forming an interlayer connection, a conductor post physically removes an interlayer adhesive for forming connection with a conductor pad (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1999-54934).
However, this method cannot completely remove the interlayer adhesive between the conductor post and the conductor pad, which may lead to inadequately reliability.
Alternatively, there has been proposed a method wherein using the above conductor post with a solder layer on the tip, the conductor post penetrates an uncured resin layer and an uncured adhesive layer at a temperature lower than a melting point of the solder, and then the conductor pad is pressed at about 2.5 MPa, and then the adhesive layer is cured and then the solder is fused and cooled to form a solder bonding (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1996-195560).
However, such manufacturing a circuit board by forming interlayer connection by compression may lead to phenomena such as distortion in an internal layer circuit and corrugation of a circuit board due to distortion of an internal layer circuit. In particular, there is a tendency that the larger number of piled internal circuits leads to more significant distortion or corrugation.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1996-316598
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1999-54934
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1996-195560


Disclosed is: (i) a metal molding system, (ii) a metal molding system including a combining chamber, (iii) a metal molding system including a first injection-type extruder and a second injection-type extruder, (iv) a metal molding system including a first injection-type extruder being co-operable with a second injection-type extruder, (v) a mold of a metal molding system, and (vi) a method of a metal molding system.

Examples of known molding systems are (amongst others): (i) the HyPET™ Molding System, (ii) the Quadloc™ Molding System, (iii) the Hylectric™ Molding System, and (iv) the HyMet™ Molding System, all manufactured by Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited (Location: Bolton, Ontario, Canada; www.husky.ca).
Metal injection molding (MIM) is a manufacturing process which combines the versatility of plastic injection molding with the strength and integrity of machined, pressed or otherwise manufactured small, complex, metal parts. The window of economic advantage in metal injection molded parts is such that the complexity and small size of the part or perhaps difficulty of fabrication through other means make it cost inefficient or impossible to manufacture otherwise. Increasing complexity for traditional manufacturing methods typically does not increase cost in a metal injection molding operation due to the wide range of features possible through injection molding (features such as: undercuts, thread both internal and external, miniaturization, etc.).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,881 (Inventor: Busk; Published: Sep. 22, 1987) discloses thixotropic alloy production by heating alloy above its liquids, cooling to between solidus and liquidus, and shearing in an extruder. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose a process for forming a liquid-solid composition from a material which, when frozen from its liquid state without agitation, forms a dendritic structure. A material having a non-thixotropic-type structure, in a solid form, is fed into an extruder. The material is heated to a temperature above its liquidus temperature. It is then cooled to a temperature less than its liquidus temperature and greater than its solidus temperature, while being subjected to sufficient shearing action to break at least a portion of the dendritic structures as they form. Thereafter, the material is fed out of the extruder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,357 (Inventor: Kato et al; Published: Nov. 11, 1997) discloses metal molding manufacturing with good mechanical strength, the process includes melting solid metal in cylinder barrel of an injection molding machine. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose a metallic feed initially in a solid state that is fed into a cylinder barrel of an injection molding machine. The metallic feed is melted by applying heat to the metallic feed from outside the cylinder barrel and by heat produced from frictional and shearing forces generated by rotation of a screw housed within the cylinder barrel. The cylinder barrel and screw define at least a feed zone, a compression zone and an accumulating zone. After melting and passing through each of the three zones, the metallic feed is injected into a die, to thereby form a shaped part. The temperature of the metallic feed is controlled to be above the liquidus of the metallic feed during the injecting process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,976 (Inventor: Kono; Published: Nov. 16, 1999) discloses injecting a molten material into a die-casting mold. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose an injection molding system that includes a feeder in which a metal is melted, and a first chamber into which a desired amount of melted metal is introduced. A piston in a second chamber first retracts to create suction, assisting in drawing in the melted metal into the second chamber from the first chamber and evacuating gas. A ram then pushes some melted metal remaining in the first chamber into the second chamber, forcing out gas present in the second chamber. The piston then injects the melted metal out of the second chamber into a mold. The melted metal is preferably maintained in a liquid state throughout the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,001 (Inventor: Kono; Published: Jun. 5, 2001) discloses manufacturing a light metal alloy for injection molding with desired characteristics of density in a consistent manner. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose an injection molding system for a metal alloy. The injection molding system includes a feeder in which the metal alloy is melted and a barrel in which the liquid metal alloy is converted into a thixotropic state. An accumulation chamber draws in the metal alloy in the thixotropic state through a valve disposed in an opening between the barrel and the accumulation chamber. The valve selectively opens and closes the opening in response to a pressure differential between the accumulation chamber and the barrel. After the metal alloy in the thixotropic state is drawn in, it is injected through an exit port provided on the accumulation chamber. The exit port has a variable heating device disposed around it. This heating device cycles the temperature near the exit port between an upper limit and a lower limit. The temperature is cycled to an upper limit when the metal alloy in the thixotropic state is injected and to a lower limit when the metal alloy in the thixotropic state is drawn into the accumulation chamber from the barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,603 (Inventor: Kono; Published: Sep. 14, 2004) discloses injection molding of metal (such as magnesium alloy) that includes the following steps: (i) providing a solid metal into melt feeder, (ii) melting the solid metal into a liquid state, (iii) providing the liquid metal into an inclined metering chamber, (iv) metering metal, and (v) injecting the metal into a mold. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose metal injection molding method, that includes the following steps: (i) providing solid metal into a melt feeder, (ii) melting the solid metal into a liquid state, such that a fill line of the liquid metal is below a first opening between an inclined metering chamber and a first driving mechanism, (iii) providing the liquid metal into the inclined metering chamber containing the first driving mechanism attached to an upper portion of the metering chamber, (iv) metering the metal from the metering chamber into an injection chamber located below a lower portion of the metering chamber, and (v) injecting the metal from the injection chamber into a mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,236 (Inventor: Fujikawa; Published: Jun. 27, 2006) discloses an injection device for a light metal injection molding machine, which extrudes molten metal formed by fusing a cylinder from inserted billets, and injects molten metal when billets are passed through connection element. More specifically, this patent appears to disclose an injection device for a light metal injection molding machine that includes: (i) a melting device for melting light metal material into molten metal, (ii) a plunger injection device for carrying out injection of molten metal using a plunger after the molten metal is metered into an injection cylinder from the melting device, (iii) a connecting member including a connecting passage for connecting the melting device and the plunger injection device, and (iv) a backflow prevention device for preventing backflow of molten metal by opening and closing the connecting passage.
A technical article (published in 2004 by Elsevier B. V.; titled "The generation of Mg—Al—Zn alloys by semisolid state mixing of particulate precursors"; authored by Frank Czerwinski; published in a technical journal called Acta Materialia 52 (2004) 5057-5069) discloses a number of Mg—Al—Zn alloys with thixotropic microstructures that were created by the semisolid mixing of AZ91D and AM60B mechanically comminuted precursors in a thixomolding system. The microstructure formation was analyzed along with the role of structural constituents in controlling strength, ductility and the fracture behavior of the created alloy. It was found that the inhomogeneity in the partition of alloying elements intensified with a reduction in the processing temperature and the liquid fraction was highly influenced by the alloy with the lower melting range. Tensile strength showed a strong correlation with corresponding elongations and was predominantly controlled by the solid particles' content in the microstructure, with negligible influence derived from changes in the alloy's chemistry. Although elongation was affected by both the solid content and the alloy's chemical composition, a larger role was still exerted by the former. The contribution of individual precursors to the tensile properties of the created alloy depended on the processing temperature. While near to complete melting, both of them contributed almost equally; with a temperature reduction, the deviation from the rule of mixtures enlarged, and properties were increasingly influenced by the precursor with the lower melting range.
A technical article (published in 2005 by Elsevier B. V.; titled "A novel method of alloy creation by mixing thixotropic slurries"; authored by Frank Czerwinski; published in a technical journal called Materials Science and Engineering A 404 (2005) 19-25) discloses the concept of semisolid processing to generate alloys by mixing coarse particulate precursors with different chemistries. Experiments with several magnesium alloys revealed that the control of chemistry and the proportion of precursors, as well as the solid to liquid ratio during their partial melting, allowed the selective partition of alloying elements between the solid and liquid phases, thus designing unique solidification microstructures.
A technical article (published in 2005 by SAE International; titled "The Concept and Technology of Alloy Formation During Semisolid Injection Molding"; authored by Frank Czerwinski; published in a technical journal called SAE Technical Paper Series) discloses the application of semisolid technologies for processing magnesium alloys. The benefits of using the semisolid state and processing capabilities of Husky's thixosystem are introduced. The main attention is focused on exploring Thixomolding® for the generation of alloys by the mixing and partial melting of particulate precursors with different chemistries. Experiments with magnesium-based precursors revealed that the partition of alloying elements between the liquid matrix and remaining primary solid as well as the microstructure of created alloys were controlled by the processing temperature.


A floating observation system includes a floating platform. The floating platform includes an upper deck, upright posts, a device compartment, a ballast compartment, a radome structure and a device installation base. Top ends of the upright posts are connected to the upper deck, and bottom ends of the upright posts are connected to the device compartment. The ballast compartment is connected to the device compartment. The radome structure is borne on the upper deck. The device installation base is arranged on an outer surface of the floating platform. Various types of auxiliary devices are borne by the upper deck and the device compartment on the floating platform. Various observation devices borne by the device installation base are arranged on the outer surface of the floating platform to observe different kinds of information and to observe spaces above, on and under water, thus meeting a demand for comprehensive observation in all dimensions.

During recent years, the development of Marine resources has become an important foundation to support the rapid development of human society, and yet Marine informatization is considered as the premise of Marine resources development. With the development of electronic and communication technologies, the process of Marine informatization is deepening constantly, and the demand for Marine information observation is also expanding. In general, the observation object of the traditional Marine observation device is relatively single, and the observation space is relatively planar. And it is difficult to meet the comprehensive observation demands for Marine meteorology, hydrology, geology, biology, resources and Marine moving target information through three-dimensional observation. Meanwhile, all the bearing capacity, endurance capacity and communication capacity of the traditional ocean observation device are still to be improved, which leads to a limited observation capacity, and cannot meet the requirements of long-term comprehensive observation and timely communication of observation information.