This disclosure relates to an improved dual axis surgical retractor for use by orthopedic or podiatric surgeons for controlled distraction of tarsal joints or compression of osseus fragments. This retractor generally consists of a pair of screw actuated retractor arms, the tips of which each have apertures for receiving and facilitating temporary pin fixation of the respective tarsal bones to be retracted or osseus fragments to be compressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for spreading adjacent tarsal bones to facilitate surgical procedures within the joint space. More specifically, the present invention relates to a distractor device shaped and configured to allow unimpeded access to joint spaces and articular surfaces when approached from dorsal, dorsolateral, or dorsomedial surfaces of the foot. Additionally, the device may be utilized for compression of osseus fragments in achieving internal fixation of small bones that have been fractured.
2. Preliminary Discussion
Foot pain and difficulty in walking are frequent complaints and may result form a wide variety of conditions. Traumatic, septic, or osteoarthritic degeneration of a joint may produce a joint that is painful and debilitating. In other circumstances, connective tissue disorders or neurological derangements may lead to abnormalities of gait that make ambulation difficult. In many instances the most effective treatment may be surgery involving the joints of the foot ankle, namely the tarsal joints. Various surgical procedures are available and known to be effective to restore osseus architecture, eliminate motion at a painful joint, and create a more stable and functional lower extremity. In order to do this, the surgeon must be able to access the articular surfaces found within the joint spaces. During such podiatric surgical procedures, the tarsal joint spaces are most often approached dorsally, dorsomedially, or dorsolaterally. The actual articular surfaces are found between the tarsal bones, and are the focus of many of these procedures. These bones must be separated and held in the retracted position while the surgeon performs various aspects of these procedures including but not limited to denuding of articular cartilage, subchondral drilling, feathering of articular surfaces, and resection of osseus fragments. In these circumstances, the surgeon must insert various instruments into tarsal joint spaces and must utilize some device to hold the joint space open. The present invention relates such a device, for spreading apart adjacent tarsal bones to facilitate unobstructed access to the joint spaces and articular surfaces therein in order that the surgeon utilizing the device may be able to perform various surgical procedures within the joint spaces.
3. Description of Related Art
While previous devices have taken a variety of approaches in addressing the retraction of tissues in order to allow unfettered access to an operative site, the previously conceived devices in one way or another, by their designs impaired access to the articular surfaces by means of insertion of blades, arms, rakes or devices into the joint spaces. Other devices that may have attempted to improve on this concept and retract without inserting objects into the joint space retracted, still limited access to the operative site by bridging the space retracted. In either event, there is restriction of access to the joint space and articular surfaces retracted and operated upon in tarsal joint surgery.
In October 1888 Brown, with U.S. Pat. No. 390,561 Brown presented a device for retraction of tissues in dental procedures. This device utilized a pair of movable handles pivoted on a common pivot pin or hinge for reciprocal expansion or contraction when the handles are reciprocally moved. A pair of blades arranged at perpendicular angles to the shafts of the handles were to be inserted into the space being retracted. The configuration of this retractor is such that insertion of the blades at the distal ends of the retractor arms into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In October 1896 Roeloffs, with U.S. Pat. No. 569,839 proposed a retractor utilizing a spring leaf design with various interchangeable prongs or leaflets for insertion into the space to be retracted. While this device would be useful in the retraction of tissues in many procedures, the size and configuration of the various attachments necessarily inserted into the space being retracted is such that these distal ends of the retractor into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the distal aspects of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In October 1940 Radcliff, with U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,968 presented a pivoted retractor comprised of variously configured hinged opposed leaves to grasp and retract tissues. While this device would be useful in the retraction of soft tissues, the size and configuration of the teeth of this retractor is such that insertion of the distal ends of the retractor arms into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the distal aspects of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In November 1975 Peterson, with U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,907 presented a surgical retractor for use in spinal surgery having a pair of elongated members pivotally attached intermediate their ends. A primary embodiment of this invention was the partial-circularly shaped plates extending outward from adjacent opposite free ends of the respective members. The size and configuration of the ends of this retractor are such that insertion of the distal ends of the retractor arms into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In July 1977 Williams, with U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,746 presented a surgical retractor of the type having a pair of movable handles pivoted on a common pivot pin or hinge for reciprocal expansion or contraction when the handles are reciprocally moved. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion of the distal ends of the retractor arms into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In July 1988 Cox, with U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,746 presented a retractor utilizing opposing jaws pivoted together and extend oppositely from handles manually swingable to move the jaws relatively toward and away from each other. Generally rectangular blades extend downward from the swinging ends of the jaws and have planar leading bottom portions contiguously engageable for fitting between closely adjacent bones such as metatarsals. The jaws are swung apart to spread the bones and maintain them in spread-apart condition for convenient access to the facing surfaces of the bones. In the case of tarsal joint surgery, this device would be ineffective because the size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In August 1990 Torre, with U.S. Pat. No. D309,946 presented a scissored hinge type retractor utilizing opposed u-shaped tongs designed to grasp metatarsal shafts and retract metatarsal heads. The curved ends of this device make it unsuitable for insertion into the tarsal joints for retraction.
In February 1990 Grundei, with U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,161 presented a scissor hinged type vertebral retractor utilizing pins as the means of engaging adjacent vertebral bodies to be retracted. With this device, the pins are parallel the distracting mechanism, and because they lie in the same plane, distraction of small tarsal bones with this device would require that some portion of the device bridge the distracted joint space, obscuring the view and partially blocking access to the space retracted.
In February 1991 Torre, with U.S. Pat. No. D314,826 presented a scissorred hinge type short bone retractor utilizing curved barrel sections to grasp and retract shafts of curved bones. The curved ends of this device make it unsuitable for insertion into the tarsal joints for retraction.
In May 1991 Torre, with U.S. Pat. No. D317,202 presented an ornamental design for a surgical bone retractor. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In May 1994 Byrne, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,790 presented a bracelet retractor assembly designed to encircle an extremity and retract skin and soft tissue of the incisional approach, but would be ineffective in applying the necessary force to retract tarsal joint without applying crushing type forces to surrounding soft tissues.
In October. 1994 Jung, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,680 presented a manual surgical retraction device suitable for retraction of soft tissue during procedures such as gall bladder surgery, but ineffective for the retraction of bone and joint spaces.
In June 1999 Farascioni et al., with U.S. Pat. No. D411,299 presented an ornamental design for a surgical retractor. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In July 1999 Farascioni et al., with U.S. Pat. No. D411,883 presented an ornamental design for a surgical retractor. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In August 1999 Sava, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,777 presented a tissue retractor comprising a pair of pivotally linked arms, each with a blade mounted thereto by a ball and socket joint to allow the blades free movement relative to the arms. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In August 1999 Koros et al., with U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,658 presented a lumbar laminectomy retractor and distractor system comprised of one or more retractor frames including retractor blades for placement in an incision. The blades can be placed in an incision and then engaged by a retractor frame to spread the incision for viewing the surgical site. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In September 1999 Johnson, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,836 presented a rotatable retractor instrument for expanding a body joint is disclosed. A flattened portion is provided at the distal end of the instrument. With the flattened portion inserted within the joint, rotation of a handle at the instrument's proximal end spreads the joint. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In November 1999 Graham, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,125 presented an external fixation apparatus for reduction and distraction of a joint injury such as fracture or dislocation of the proximal and distal bones of a joint from a location external to the soft tissue of a patient. This device included a proximal fixator, a distal fixator, a proximal wire inserted through the proximal fixator and into a proximal bone, a distal wire inserted through the distal fixator and into a distal bone, and an adjustable distraction mechanism connecting said proximal and distal fixators. This device is designed primarily for external fixation rather than internal distraction during surgery. Additionally, the distractor mechanism is somewhat cumbersome in its method of distraction further improved upon by the present invention with the incorporation of a dual axis screw actuated retractor arms facilitating distraction or compression.
In November 1999 DeFonzo, with U.S. Pat. No. D417,276 presented an ornamental design for a surgical retractor. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In January 2000 Bonutti, with U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,305 presented a fluid operated retractor, which may be used to spread a joint such as a knee joint, or a shoulder joint, or may be used to separate tissue planes generally, to improve visualization and create a working space for the surgeon. This retractor is useful in percutaneous fiber optic surgery, but by the nature of introduction of fluid to facilitate the creation of a working space, would be ineffective in open surgical procedure such as tarsal joint surgery.
In April 2001 Coker, with U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,004 presented a vertebral triplanar alignment facilitator to enable a surgeon to make minute vertebrae adjustments during spinal surgery. While well suited to spinal surgery, the size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In May 2001 Cocchia, et al., with U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,545 presented a surgical retractor apparatus comprising a U-shaped thread assembly slidably engaged with a U-shaped rack. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In June 2001 Bookwalter, et al., with U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,659 presented a surgical retractor assembly with controlled rotation comprising a blade mounted on a shaft having a controlled degree of rotation and swings down to grip and retract tissue from bone or a hard tissue structure. The size and configuration of this retractor is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the blades of the retraction device denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
In February 2002 Scholihornal., with U.S. Pat. No. D453,377 presented an ornamental design for a retractor which would be ineffective as a retractor for tarsal joint surgery because the size and configuration is such that insertion into tarsal joint spaces would be cumbersome and the articular surfaces retracted would be obscured by the retraction devices denying access to the very surfaces commonly operated upon during such procedures.
There is a need, therefore, for a surgical retractor device that is effective in its ability to retract adjacent small osseus structures, such as tarsal bones, without inserting objects into the joint space, without blocking or covering the articular surfaces of the joint being operated upon, and without bridging or otherwise blocking access to the retracted space from a dorsal approach, in order to provide free and unfettered access for the surgeon to the articular surfaces of bones located within such a joint space when those surfaces are to be operated upon.
The present invention employs pre-existing technology with new application that overcomes the limitations of previously conceived inventions within the prior art.
A significant improvement of the present invention over existing devices is the application of a method of small joint space retraction in which adjacent bones are retracted without inserting objects into the joint space, without blocking or covering the articular surfaces of the joint being operated upon, and without bridging or otherwise blocking access to the retracted space from a dorsal approach.
The simplicity of this design contributes to the commercial viability of the product and is a substantial improvement over previous designs and as such, should decrease the operative time of various tarsal joint surgical procedures, thereby decreasing the time a patient undergoes anesthesia and hemostasis of the extremity, and should thereby decrease associated complications of such surgical procedures.


A digital still camera records image data by picking up an image of an object. One mode is set among plural photographing modes including a standard photographing mode and a portrait mode adapted to an image containing an abrupt change in gradation. An optimized exposure amount is acquired according to brightness derived from the image data. When the portrait mode is set, portrait mode image data is acquired by setting exposure lower than the optimized exposure amount. The image data is processed in gradation conversion by use of first or second gamma conversion table. The first gamma conversion table is used for the standard photographing mode. The second gamma conversion table is used for the portrait mode, predetermined to extend a dynamic range of the image data after the gradation conversion in comparison with the first gamma conversion table, to process the portrait mode image data in gradation conversion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup equipment and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image pickup equipment and method in which degradation of an image can be prevented specifically when portions of high brightness and low brightness are included in each image.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A digital still camera is widely used as image pickup equipment, in which a CCD image sensor picks up an object image photoelectrically as image pickup device. However, a dynamic range of a digital still camera is smaller than that of a photographic camera for use with silver halide photosensitive material. An image picked up has comparatively low clarity and low gradation. To pick up and record the image of an object of low brightness, an image pickup signal output by the image pickup device is amplified at a predetermined coefficient to raise gain, so the image with clarity and high gradation can be acquired. However, this is unsuitable if portions of high the brightness and the low the brightness are included in the image, because of occurrence of local overexposure in the image due to amplification of the image pickup signal over a reproducible range of the gradation when an object of high brightness is photographed.
JP-A 5-007336, the image pickup equipment or digital camera is disclosed in which an object is photographed for plural times at different lengths of exposure time, and the obtained images are synthesized virtually to extend a dynamic range of the image pickup signal. JP-A 2004-363726 discloses the image pickup equipment in which a gamma conversion table is determined according to a gradation level of the brightness of the image obtained by the image pickup device or CCD, and the gradation level is converted according the gamma conversion table so that an gradient of a characteristic of an output and input of the gradation level is determined high in a principal object range of low brightness assigned to a principal object. The gradient of a characteristic of an output and input of the gradation level is determined high in a principal object range of high brightness.
However, the image pickup equipment or digital camera in JP-A 5-007336 synthesizes the image of plural periods after consecutively photographing the same scene at different exposure levels. This idea is not suitable for a moving object, such as a human being. In the image pickup equipment of JP-A 2004-363726, the gamma conversion table is changed according to evaluating information of high brightness. However, there is a problem in complexity in controlling the exposure because determination of optimized exposure is required, to lower a speed of processing.


A Raman spectrometric imaging method, including: placing a sample on a two-dimensional translation stage; emitting a first light beam by a first optical comb light source; dividing the first light beam into a pump light beam and a depletion light beam to illuminate the sample; guiding the pump light beam to illuminate a region of the sample to excite molecules of the sample in the region; guiding the depletion light beam to the region of the sample to make excited molecules at a periphery of the region to return into a vibrational ground state; emitting a second light beam as a probe light beam by a second optical comb light source to the remaining excited molecules to generate a CARS signal; recording the CARS signal for imaging; moving the two-dimensional translation stage to scan other regions of the sample to form an image of the sample.

Coherent Raman spectroscopy and imaging technology are applied to realize identification and qualitative and quantitative analysis of a target material by measuring Raman characteristic lines (fingerprint spectra) of molecules (or chemical bonds). However, for a complex molecular system (such as a biological cell and DNA), the distribution of fingerprint peaks of molecules or chemical bonds is intricate, and intermolecular interactions or environmental effects may cause peak shifts. It is difficult to accurately determine type, state and dynamic process of a sample through a single fingerprint peak measurement.
It is also known that a spatial resolution of Raman imaging affects its application in chemistry, biomedicine and other fields. The existing spatial super-resolution imaging relies on a fluorescent labeling method and a surface-enhanced Raman technology. The fluorescent labeling method has a limited application range and cannot provide broadband molecular characteristic spectral information. The surface-enhanced Raman technology is applied under the condition that the probe is in contact with the sample surface, which increases the difficulty of sample preparation, and thus limits its application in biomedical field.

Non-contact spatial super-resolution coherent Raman spectrometric imaging method

CHONGQING INSTITUTE OF EAST CHINA NORMAL UNIVERSITY


A bowstring retention and release mechanism includes a housing or body with a head rotatable 360.degree. therein and a lower forward projection extending out of the head providing an upward bowstring-engaging surface upon which the bowstring can rest and which, in combination with a downwardly-extending segment of a lever arm, which also extends forwardly outside of the head and which is pivoted within the head, provides for retention and release of the bowstring. The lever arm is biased upwardly for release of the bowstring but is maintained in downward bow-string-retention position by a rearwardly-extending protuberance which cooperates with an activator which is slidably mounted within the head and which is forwardly biased so as to cam the protuberance up an upward incline to a forward step on the activator, thereby preventing the lever arm from upward movement into bowstring-release position. When the trigger is pulled rearwardly, the forward bias is overcome and the activator is pulled rearwardly, permitting the protuberance to leave the step and the lever arm to pivot upwardly into bowstring release position. Upon release of the trigger, the forward bias upon the activator re-exerts itself, forcing the protuberance upwardly along the incline and onto the forward step of the activator, once again locking the downwardly-extending segment of the lever arm into downward and bowstring-retention position. For reinsertion of a bowstring into the mechanism, the trigger is simply pulled rearwardly, causing the lever arm to assume bowstring-release position for insertion of the bowstring and then released, causing the forward bias to reassert itself and the lever arm to assume downward and bowstring retention position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bowstring retention and release mechanisms of the type having releasable means for retaining a bowstring, said means having a bowstring retention position and a bowstring release position, the said means being held in bowstring-retention position by means which is released by activation of a trigger.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Innumerable bowstring retention and release mechanisms are now available in the art and numerous of the same have been patented. Such devices are now commonly used for target shooting as well as for hunting and their popularity is growing. Such devices already available permit adjustment of the relative angular relationship between the grip of the mechanism and the bowstring by virtue of rotatability of the inner core of the device with relation to the outer core of the device which is attached to the grip. The numerous prior-art patents on devices of such type turned up by a recent search are listed upon the enclosed PTO-1449 and copies thereof are provided herewith. A study of those 29 patents shows that none of them discloses or suggests the simplified but efficient mechanism of the present invention.

Rotatable bowstring retention and release mechanism


A switching power source device is provided which comprises a drive controller 40 connected between an error amplifier 26 and changeover circuit 37. A second comparator 52 of drive controller 40 compares an output voltage or an equivalent signal thereto from error amplifier 26 with a numerical value from a sweep circuit 57 and produces an output to changeover circuit 37 to stop the on-operation of a switching element 4 and restrict an undesirable rise in output voltage during the light load period when the numerical value exceeds the output voltage or an equivalent signal thereto from error amplifier 26.

Switching power source devices of improved power factor have been employed in electronics such as office automation facilities and consumer appliances under harmonic current regulations (IEC/EN61000-3-2) and a guideline of harmonics control for household and general electric appliances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,735 to Hiroshi Usui, discloses an AC-DC converter which comprises a MOS-FET, a boost circuit having a reactor connected in series to the MOS-FET to produce DC output voltage, and a control circuit for applying drive signals to a gate terminal of the MOS-FET to turn the MOS-FET on and off in order to accumulate and discharge energy in the reactor and produce higher DC output voltage from the reactor than AC voltage applied from AC power source.
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of prior art switching power source devices conforming to harmonic current regulations. The switching power source device of FIG. 8 comprises an AC power source 1; a diode bridge 2 as a rectifying circuit for converting AC input from AC power source 1 into DC power; a series circuit connected between positive and negative terminals of diode bridge 2, the series circuit including a main winding 31 of a boost reactor 3, a MOS-FET 4 as a switching element and a current detector 7 for detecting electric current flowing through the series circuit; a rectifying smoother 5 connected between a junction of main winding 31 of boost reactor 3 and MOS-FET 4 and negative terminal of diode bridge 2; a DC-DC converter 8 having a flyback converter circuit connected to an output side of rectifying smoother 5; an electric load 9 connected to an output side of DC-DC converter 8; and a control circuit 10 for controlling the on-off operation of MOS-FET 4. Rectifying smoother 5 comprises a rectifying diode 15 connected between a junction of main winding 31 of boost reactor 3 and MOS-FET 4 and negative terminal of diode bridge 2; and a smoothing capacitor 16 connected between rectifying diode 15 and negative terminal of diode bridge 2 to connect DC-DC converter 8 in parallel to smoothing capacitor 16. A power factor perfecting circuit is composed mainly of diode bridge 2 and boost reactor 3 to achieve the power factor improvement by performing the switching operation of MOS-FET 4 such that output voltage becomes constant, simultaneously forcing input current into boost chopper in boost reactor 3 to follow input voltage of sine waveform. DC-DC converter 8 connected to a subsequent stage of the power factor perfecting circuit serves to provide an electrically insulated desired output voltage.
Control circuit 10 comprises a pair of dividing resistors 21 and 22 for splitting output voltage from rectifying diode 15 into two voltages; a first normal power supply 25 for generating a first reference voltage; an error amplifier 26 for comparing voltage on a junction 29 between dividing resistors 21 and 22 with first reference voltage to produce an output; a capacitor 28 connected between output terminal of error amplifier 26 and ground; a pair of input dividing resistors 23 and 24 for parting output voltage from diode bridge 2; a multiplier 27 for producing an output of a value proportional to a product of voltage values on a junction 30 between dividing resistors 23 and on output terminal of error amplifier 26; a first comparator 36 for comparing voltage applied on a current detecting resistor 7 as a current detector with the output from multiplier 27 to produce an output when voltage from current detecting resistor 7 is higher than voltage from multiplier 27; an RS-flip flop (RSF/F) 37 as a changeover circuit which is set upon receiving an output from first comparator 36 to produce an output of high voltage level; a second power supply 34 for producing a second reference voltage; a second comparator 35 for comparing voltage induced on an auxiliary winding 32 of boost reactor 3 with second reference voltage to produce an output for resetting RSF/F 37; and a NOR gate 33 for producing an output to gate terminal of MOS-FET 4 when RSF/F 37 is reset. A shunted output of second comparator 35 is supplied directly to gate terminal of MOS-FET 4 through NOR gate 33 and drive resistor 38. The output value from multiplier 27 is set to a value proportional to a product of an instantaneous value from input voltage and error voltage from error amplifier 26. Terminal voltage from current detecting resistor 7 to non-inverted input terminal of first comparator 36 is similar or analogous to a waveform of electric current flowing through MOS-FET 4.
In operation, a drive signal is applied to gate terminal of MOS-FET 4 which is then turned on to start flowing of excitation current from AC power source 1 through diode bridge 2, main winding of boost reactor 3, MOS-FET 4 and current detecting resistor 7 to diode bridge 2 so that excitation current linearly increases to accumulate energy in boost reactor 3. At this point, rectified pulsating voltage is applied to main winding 31 of boost reactor 3 from diode bridge 2, and no current flows through rectifying diode 15 to which voltage in the adverse direction is applied.
Increasing excitation current flows through MOS-FET 4 and is detected by current detecting resistor 7 as a voltage of the level corresponding to the amount of excitation current to supply detected voltage to first comparator 36. Error amplifier 26 compares voltage on junction 29 between resistors 21 and 22 with first reference voltage of first power supply 25 to produce output when voltage on junction 29 is higher than first reference voltage. Multiplier 27 performs multiplication of input voltage from junction 30 and output from error amplifier 26 to give the product to first comparator 36 which compares output from current detecting resistor 7 with the product from multiplier 27. When excitation current increases so that output from current detecting resistor 7 is elevated above the output from multiplier 27, first comparator 36 produces the output of high voltage level to set RSF/F 37 which then issues the output to switch MOS-FET 4 from the on or conductive condition to the off or non-conductive condition.
Energy stored in boost reactor 3 during the on period of MOS-FET 4, causes electric current to flow through rectifying diode 15, smoothing capacitor 16 and DC-DC converter 8 to load 9 when MOS-FET 4 is turned off. At this moment, voltage polarity of auxiliary winding 32 in boost reactor 3 is inverted, and energy accumulated in boost reactor 3 increases and produces rising voltage on auxiliary winding 32. When voltage on auxiliary winding 32 becomes higher than second reference voltage of second power supply 34 applied on inverted input terminal of second comparator 35, it changes the output to high voltage level to reset RSF/F 37 and make MOS-FET 4 retain in the off condition through NOR gate 33 and drive resistor 38. MOS-FET 4 keeps its off condition until excitation current flowing through main winding 31 of boost reactor 3 comes to zero. When stored energy in boost reactor 3 is completely discharged, the voltage polarity in auxiliary winding 32 is inverted to cause second comparator 35 to change the output to the low voltage level so that MOS-FET 4 is turned on to resume a next switching cycle. In the switching power source device shown in FIG. 8, adjustment of the on-span of MOS-FET 4 can modulate energy amount accumulated in boost reactor 3. Also, power factor in the switching power source device can be improved by controlling excitation current running through MOS-FET 4 so as to approximate excitation current to similar figure in waveform of input sine waveform with the greatest possible accuracy, and at the same time, controlling the on-time of MOS-FET 4 so as to stabilize output voltage from rectifying smoother 5 to a constant level.
Input signal rectified through diode bridge 2 is branched by dividing resistors 23 and 24 into multiplier 27 as having the wave profile similar to fully rectified voltage waveform. On the other hand, error amplifier 26 produces the error signal or differential between DC output voltage separated by dividing resistors 21 and 22 and first reference voltage of first power supply 25, and output from error amplifier 26 is given to multiplier 27 which multiplies the output from error amplifier 26 by DC input voltage similar to rectified sine waveform to provide a command for setting an aimed value of electric current through MOS-FET 4. Accordingly, power factor can be improved by holding a critical or transitional performance or approximating electric current flowing through source and drain terminals of MOS-FET 4 from zero to peak voltage of AC power source 1 to similar figure in waveform of the aimed value of electric current sine waveform with the greatest possible accuracy so that electric current flowing through source and drain terminals of MOS-FET 4 is formed into a similar waveform to that of input sine wave voltage with the same phase.
In view of a fact that prior art switching power source device shown in FIG. 8 increases switching frequency of operating MOS-FET 4 during the light load period, elevated switching frequency may produce a disadvantageous delay in response of control circuit 10 or MOS-FET 4. If this is the case, control circuit 10 cannot shorten the drive signal for MOS-FET 4 to an optimal on-pulse width, thereby causing output voltage to undesirably rise and excessive voltage to appear on smoothing capacitor 16, expanding a risk of causing breakdown of the power source. Also, it has other drawbacks that increase in switching frequency during the light load period leads step-up in switching loss and amount of generated heat and big reduction in conversion efficiency of electric power. Moreover, drive resistor 38 connected between NOR gate 33 and gate terminal of MOS-FET 4 generates increased amount of heat, and therefore, unfavorably requires its large capacity in electric power.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a switching power source device capable of controlling an undesirable rise in output voltage during the light load period.


Described is a technology by which an engine parses data based upon modules arranged in a tree-like model structure. Only those modules that meet a condition with respect to the data are invoked for processing the data. Each child module specifies a parent module and specifies a condition for when the parent is to invoke the child module. As a module processes the data, if a child module's specified condition is met, it invokes the corresponding child module, (which in turn may invoke a lower child if its condition is met, and so on). When the data corresponds to protocols, the model facilitates protocol layering. A top level parent may represent one protocol (e.g., TCP), a child beneath may represent a lower-layer protocol (e.g., HTTP), whose children may handle certain types of HTTP commands, or correspond to a signature that the child module is programmed to detect.

To protect against malicious content, intrusion prevention systems (and similarly intrusion detection systems) use an engine to detect signatures of known malicious content. To detect such content, the various communication protocols on the network need to be understood and modeled.
Creating accurate models of protocols and interactions among them is a classic problem. The effectiveness of an IDS/IPS solution is directly correlated to how accurately they describe protocols. Incomplete or incorrect parsing or modeling of protocol behavior may cause attacks to go undetected and/or cause erroneously-reported intrusions to be flagged on legitimate traffic.
At the same time, a parsing operation, whether for network protocols or otherwise, is generally a very expensive operation. In many situations, full or complete parsing is not necessary in order to retrieve the desired information. Designing an optimal parser for a specific usage is relatively simple; however, extending the concept of optimized parsing to generic parsing is a significant challenge. This is pertinent to optimizing protocol parsing as well as to many other applications that require parsing of possibly many different forms of information.
There are thus challenges in creating an accurate model for use in systems that deal heavily with protocols. Many of these challenges are directed towards having to create a model with a reasonable balance between generality and completeness. As mentioned above, performance is also a key issue due to the expensive nature of parsing. Thus, a related problem is how to accurately describe a protocol with enough flexibility to be sufficiently general for a large class of common protocols while, still maintaining good performance across them.

Extension model for improved parsing and describing protocols


The present invention is directed to a swim suit comprising an outer garment and an inner liner, wherein the inner liner is joined to the outer garment, and the inner liner being seamless. Furthermore, the inner liner of the swim suit comprises areas of different stitch patterns, different yarns, or a combination thereof that support and control desired areas of the torso. The desired areas of the torso requiring support include the breasts, mid-section, buttocks, or a combination thereof. This invention is also directed to a seamless swim suit. Furthermore, there is disclosed a support structure providing beneficial support and control to the torso, yet being comfortable in use and cost effective to manufacture. This invention is also directed to body suits, or portions thereof, for use as undergarments or on their own that comprise control and support features based on the use of suitable stitch patterns and yarn selections.

Swimwear is generally made with 2 components: the outer covering or the shell, which is used for styling, and the inside liner, which is used for support to help the woman's body. Furthermore, there is known within the art body suits that provide shaping support which may be worn as an undergarment.
One of the known structures of swimwear is called the shelfbra. This design is quite flimsy and gives little support, or control of body shape for the women's body. Usually it is worn by women with smaller busts and is also used by competitive swimmers requiring optimal hydrodynamic characteristics to their swimwear. In an alternate version, moulded cups for the breasts are added with different fabrics to hold them in place and a liner made of the same fabric is added in order to bring in the stomach. Usually the complete structure is connected to side seams of the outside shell. There is also know another structure of support liner made with an under wire for support of the breast which can be used in conjunction with the liner for the stomach (U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,742; RE 33,406) which are incorporated herein by reference. Such a structure gives better support for women having larger breasts, but unfortunately during the prolong use those under wires have a tendency to puncture the fabric in which they are enclosed. Furthermore, even though there is a degree of support provided with this structure, there is no control of body shape provided.
There is also known a structure of liner which places control fabric in the back which does all the work that is necessary, however such liner make the complete swimwear extremely bulky and uncomfortable.
There is known a swimming suit called the Miracle-suit, which is constructed from one layer of fabric without using any support liner. However, such fabric is very expensive and do not compliment women with oversized breasts since it has a tendency of compressing all parts of the body without any sculptural shaping of all parts of the body.
There is also known a structure called aquabra which provides a foam core frame, that shapes and supports the breast from underneath giving the same shape as a breast. The aquabra comes in different sizes to suit different styles of breasts. For a more feminine look where a cup is not desired, there is structure called the secret aquabra, which consists of a frame made with 2 layers of material sewn together to provide support to the breasts. However, the aquabra and secret aquabra are expensive and add to the cost of the swimsuit, therefore limiting the market accessibility.
Most of known structures of bathing suits made of combination of 15-20% spandex and 75-80% nylon. Typically, 90% of bathing suit shell is made with 15% spandex and 85% nylon. In some cases the % of spandex may be up 32%.
Currently, to the best of Applicants knowledge, there are no seamless swim suits provide for within the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,060 which is incorporated herein by reference discloses a seamless body suit that is prepared from a tubular knit blank. This body suit comprises modified length stitches in order to provide support for, and yet accommodate, the breast and stomach area while provide some degree of compressive support to the mid torso. However, this structure is not designed to provide controlling support to sculpturally shape desired regions of the torso to any substantial degree. Furthermore, there is no disclosure of different stitch types that could be beneficially used in order to sculpt a torso, nor is there any disclosure of different yams that could be used in order to optimize the shape control function of the body suit.
Presently, existing products give shape, but provide minimal support under the breasts unless a frame or under wire is used. The disadvantages of under wire are numerous: it hurts the breasts, adds unnecessary weight, and eventually comes out. These additional structural elements also increase manufacturing costs. Furthermore, other regions of the torso are only minimally sculpted, compressed or modified in some manner to provide an enhanced appearance.
The present invention is directed to swim suit or body suit that provides a comfortable sculpturing support structure that provides a desired control of breasts, mid torso and buttocks without unnecessarily deforming these parts of the body. With the structure of the present invention there is no need for frames, or wire supports, yet a similar degree of support and sculptural control is achieved as with these prior art structures. In several embodiments of the present invention, the use of stitch patterns and yarns selections that provide for a range of support and control functions within a single garment, while still allowing comfort and flexibility of the garment to the user.
The support structure of the present invention may be used as a support liner for a bathing suit in order to provide an aesthetic outside shape, or as a body suit providing shaping support and control, or as a body suit worn as an undergarment. Furthermore, the body-control garment provided for by this invention is cost effective to manufacture and durable in nature.
The body-control garment as described herein may be worn underneath other clothing, not necessarily swimwear, but is not limited to be exclusively worn underneath other clothing. It is lightweight and gives extreme support and control in different areas of the body.


A natural heat dissipation device for a microprocessor. The microprocessor is conventionally mounted to a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board contains a recess that is cut-out directly below the microprocessor. Heat sink material is attached to the microprocessor through the recess. The heat sink material attached to the bottom of the microprocessor may be used alone or in conjunction with a an attached metal tray or case under the printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to heat sinks for semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a surface complemental heat dissipation heat sink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat is the flow of energy due to the existence of a temperature differential between two geographically separated points. One of the basic tenants in designing semiconductor devices is to ensure the devices operate at safe temperature levels.
Poorly designed heat sinks result in large thermal resistances, high semiconductor temperatures, poor electrical performance, and premature failure. Any design, therefore, must provide for adequate heat removal.
It is common practice to view the thermal flow path as a series of resistances (R) between power dissipating chips and the heat sink. Thermal resistance is somewhat analogous to electrical resistance in that heat flow is directly proportional to the temperature drop in the direction of the heat flow path. In flowing from the chip to the package surface or case, the heat encounters a series or resistances associated with individual layers of materials such as silicon, solder, copper, alumina, and epoxy, as well as the contact resistances that occur at the interfaces between pairs of materials. The amount of heat generated can be quantified via simple calculations involving the relevant thermal parameters. These are power dissipation (Q), in watts (W), the temperature difference between endpoints (T), in .degree.C., and thermal resistance (R), in .degree.C./W, where Q=T/R.
Advances in microprocessor technology have resulted in present day chips with greatly increased device densities that are operating at higher and higher clock speeds. For example, in a prototype 64 Mb DRAM chip, up to 140 million transistors are placed on a 1 cm by 2 cm silicon chip, with a feature size of 0.3-0.4 .mu.m. Based on current trends, thermal management of multi-chip modules can be expected to require removal of as much as 25-35 W/cm.sup.2.
Obviously, without adequate heat removal and thermal management, the transistor device will experience a destructive rise in junction temperature above the maximum allowable level. It is critical, therefore, to provide an effective heat dissipation system for the microprocessor to ensure system reliability.
In most systems, heat dissipation is accomplished through forced and natural convection, and typically a combination of the two. Convection is the transfer of heat to or from a surface by a moving fluid, such as air. Fluid motion may be produced by a fan (i.e., forced convection) or may result from buoyancy effects due to the presence of temperature gradients within the fluid (i.e., natural convection). Forced convection may include a system fan or a fan mounted directly on top of the microprocessor. Aluminum heat sinks directly attached on the microprocessor are a widely used method of natural convection.
There are drawbacks, however, to both methods of heat dissipation. In forced convection, for example, while most fans are generally effective in dissipating heat, they do require an isolated power supply and must be designed to be noise-free. Additional reliability risks and manufacturing and maintenance costs are also introduced. Furthermore, many military and telecommunications applications must meet design specifications which require equipment or systems that can be run without fans for a certain period of time. Finally, when using a cooling fan one must assess the nature of the moving air in the region near the heat sink. Not only is the air velocity an important factor, but one must take into account whether the air motion is laminar or turbulent.
Regarding natural convection, we know that the effectiveness of a natural heat sink is directly proportional to its surface area. In a microelectronic system, however, the surface area available for a heat sink is usually limited by the allowed area and height on a printed circuit board (PCB). In other words, the available height of the heat sink is limited to ensure it does not extend into a neighboring PCB. Nor should the surface area of the heat sink be so large as to cover other components or test points on the particular PCB.
Thus, a need exists for a heat dissipation device that increases the natural heat dissipation capacity of conventional microelectronic systems while working within the space constraints of the systems.

Method of heat dissipation from two surfaces of a microprocessor


The present document relates to a power converter configured to generate an output voltage at an output of the power converter. The power converter may comprise a power stage, a modulator circuit, ramp generator circuit, a first feedback circuit, and a second feedback circuit. The power stage may be coupled to the output of the power converter. The modulator circuit may comprise a first input and a second input, and an output of the modulator circuit may be coupled to the power stage. The ramp generator circuit may be configured to generate a ramp signal, and an output of the ramp generator circuit may be coupled to the first input of the modulator circuit. The first feedback loop may be coupled between the output of the power converter and the second input of the modulator circuit.

There are two main approaches for designing feedback loops in DC/DC power converters: voltage mode control (main voltage loop) or current mode control (main voltage loop with internal current loop). Depending on the application and requirements, one of them can be chosen. However, in many scenarios, the current mode control is more advantageous compared to the voltage mode control. The benefit of the current loop is that it splits the complex poles associated with the output LC filter, simplifies the voltage loop design, and achieves a higher gain bandwidth product and better transient response compared to the voltage mode control approach.
However, the current loop design inherently has several disadvantages. Firstly, since the current loop uses an output current as feedback in front of the modulator, in a first approximation it has zero information about the output voltage and does not help to react in response to disturbances of the output voltage. Indeed, it only performs the pole splitting. Secondly, the implementation of the current loop may be complicated. This holds in particular for the generation of accurate replica currents. Thirdly, the current mode control DC/DC power converter may be susceptible to current mode instabilities. And fourthly, due to the sampling gain in the current loop, the unity gain bandwidth needs to be significantly smaller than the switching frequency of the power converter.


Methods of making a semiconductor structure are disclosed. A refractory metal layer containing W, TiW, Ta, or TaN and semiconductor layer are formed on a substrate that contains copper in, for example, a via therein. A portion of the refractory metal layer and semiconductor layer is removed by etching using a fluorine-containing compound. By using W, TiW, Ta, or TaN as the refractory metal layer material and employing fluorine-based etching, the copper portion in the substrate is not substantially etched, thus preventing corrosion of the copper portion.

In the semiconductor industry, there is a continuing trend toward higher device densities. To achieve these high densities there have been, and continue to be, efforts toward scaling down device dimensions (e.g., at sub-micron levels) on semiconductor wafers. In order to accomplish such high device packing densities, smaller feature sizes and more precise feature shapes are required. This may include the width, thickness and spacing of interconnecting lines, spacing and diameter of contact holes, and the surface geometry, such as corners and edges, of various features.
The requirement of small features with close spacing between adjacent features requires sophisticated manufacturing techniques to ensure that quality and operability of the features are not compromised for the purpose of reducing feature size. Among the many aspects related to improving semiconductor fabrication processing to achieve higher density devices, the ability to form patterned thin films, which are substantially free from impurities and defects, remains critical to the structural integrity of smaller features as well as to the performance of the device with respect to increasing the speed of the device. Even minor impurities or defects present in the semiconductor structure tend to result in poor device characteristics, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the semiconductor device.
Thus, an efficient method to form a thin film is desired to increase productivity, quality, and reliability in IC manufacture.

Method of making a semiconductor structure


A novel α-lipoic acid derivative represented by the following formula (I). It has a tyrosinase inhibiting activity, melanin production inhibitory activity, and elastase inhibiting activity. (I) (In the formula, M represents a metal and A denotes an amino acid residue bonded through the nitrogen atom.).

Alfa-lipoic acid (also known as thioctic acid or 6,8-dithiooctanoic acid), a coenzyme occurring in mitochondria, has anti-oxidative activity and draws attention as a therapeutic agent for a variety of pathologic conditions induced by oxidative stress, such as arteriosclerosis and cataract. Its reduced state compound, dimercaptooctanoic acid, acts to restore reduced forms of glutathione or vitamin C back from their oxidized forms.
A class of α-lipoic acid derivatives, α-lipoylamino acids, in which α-lipoic acid is bound to glycine, methionine, glutamic acid, valine or the like, respectively are known (Japanese Patent Publication No. S42-1286, and its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,224). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-169371 discloses a salt of α-lipoylaminoethylsulfonic acid with imidazole and its use as an enhancer of glutathione reductase activity.
Upon the above background, the present inventors succeeded in efficient synthesis of metal chelate compounds and their pharmacologically acceptable salts of reduced forms (dihydro-forms) of novel α-lipoylamino acids, found that these compounds possess a tyrosinase inhibiting activity, a melanin production suppressing activity and an elastase inhibiting activity, and completed the present invention through further studies.

Method of suppressing melanin production by metal chelates of lipoyl amino acid derivatives


A production method for a solid electrolytic capacitor comprises the steps of mixing a metal alkoxybenzenesulfonate and/or a metal alkylsulfonate as an oxidizing agent and an electrically conductive polymer in a solvent, immersing a capacitor element in the resulting mixture solution, and forming an electrically conductive polymer layer in the capacitor element by thermal polymerization.

FIG. 2 is a sectional front view of a prior art solid electrolytic capacitor 1, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art capacitor element 2 (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. HEI4-19695 (1992)).
The solid electrolytic capacitor 1 includes an aluminum case 3 having a top opening, the capacitor element 2 contained in the case 3, and a rubber packing 30 which seals the opening of the case 3. An upper edge portion of the case 3 is curved to fix the packing 30, and a plastic seat plate 31 is attached to the top of the case 3. Lead wires 21, 21 extend from the capacitor element 2 through the packing 30 and the seat plate 31, and then bent laterally.
As shown in FIG. 1, the capacitor element 2 includes an anode foil 4 of an aluminum foil coated with a dielectric oxide film and a cathode foil 5 of an aluminum foil, which are rolled together into a roll with a separator 6 of an insulative material such as paper interposed therebetween. The capacitor element 2 includes an electrically conductive polymer layer provided therein. Lead tabs 25, 25 respectively extend from the anode foil 4 and the cathode foil 5, and the lead wires 21, 21 respectively extend from the lead tabs 25, 25.
A process for forming the electrically conductive polymer layer in the capacitor element 2 will be described below. First, a polymer material of thiophene is dissolved in an alcohol solvent such as ethyl alcohol, and an oxidizing agent such as a metal salt is added to the resulting solution. Then, the capacitor element 2 is immersed in the solution, followed by thermal polymerization at a temperature ranging from a room temperature to about 300° C. Thus, the electrically conductive polymer layer is formed in the capacitor element 2.
Cations in the oxidizing agent are incorporated as a dopant in the polymeric structure of the polymer layer to generate positive holes in the polymer layer, so that the polymer is imparted with the electrical conductivity. Although the solid electrolytic capacitor employing polythiophene as the electrically conductive polymer is well known (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI2-15611 (1990)), pyrrole or aniline may be used as the polymer material. It is also known that polyethylenedioxythiophene is employed as an electrolyte and iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate is employed as the oxidizing agent (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI9-293639 (1997)). The polymerization speed for polyethylenedioxythiophene is moderate, so that an electrolyte layer can be uniformly formed from the electrically conductive polymer in the capacitor element 2.
There is a market demand for reduction of ESR (equivalent series resistance) of the capacitor of this type. The capacitor which employs polyethylenedioxythiophene as the electrolyte is conventionally used, but does not have ESR characteristics satisfying the market demand. Further, the capacitor 1 of this type has great variations in capacitance and life test results. This is supposedly because the electrolyte layer is not sufficiently densely and uniformly dispersed in the capacitor element 2.

Method for producing solid electrolytic capacitor


Magneto-optic recording medium has at least a 1st magnetic layer for recording information signals, a 2nd magnetic layer formed on the 1st magnetic layer and a 3rd magnetic layer formed on the 2nd magnetic layer. The 1st and 3rd magnetic layers are made of a first amorphous material of rare earth and 3d transition metal having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a surface thereof, respectively. The 2nd magnetic layer is interposed between the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers as an intermediate layer. The 2nd magnetic layer is made of a second amorphous material of rare earth metal and 3d transition metal with rare earth metal rich (RE-rich) having a smaller exchange energy between the rare earth metal and a 3d transition metal than that of Gd--Fe or Gd--Fe--Co and having magnetic anisotropy in a direction parallel to a surface of the 2nd magnetic layer, wherein the 1st and the 3rd magnetic layers are magnetically coupled through the 2nd magnetic layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a magneto-optic recording medium capable of being written/read by irradiating a laser beam thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a recording method for recording information on a recording medium where information marks (magnetic domain) are read out by utilizing a magneto-optic interaction, the information is recorded on the recording medium as binary information marks in such a manner that first, the recording medium having such a magnetic thin layer as a perpendicular magnetization thin layer is initialized so that a magnetization orientation of the magnetic thin layer is preliminarily aligned in one direction perpendicular to a surface of the magnetic thin layer. Then, magnetic domains corresponding to the information marks are formed to have an magnetization orientation in a reverse direction of the initial magnetization by spot-heating such as irradiation of a laser beam spot with applying the external magnetic field.
In the recording method, before rewriting the information preliminarily recorded on the recording medium, it requires a considerable time to erase (or initialize) the information recorded. As a result, there is a problem that it is impossible to realize a recording of information at a high data transfer rate.
As a countermeasure, in order to save the time of initialization, various kinds of overwriting methods without erasing information are proposed or put into practice.
Among the overwriting methods, there is one so called the light intensity modulation direct overwriting technic, which seems promising as a high density recording technic combined with a magnetic super-resolution technic in future.
As a basic technic of a recording medium to realize this light intensity modulation direct overwriting, there is one proposed in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 62-175948/87.
In the magneto-optic recording method disclosed therein, there is employed a recording medium having a laminated structure of first and second magnetic thin films of rare earth-transition metal. The outline of operation of the magnetic recording is as follows.
A first elevated temperature state by heating the first magnetic thin film up to a temperature T1 higher than Curie temperature Tc of the first magnetic thin film under a first external magnetic field without causing inversion of the sublattice magnetization of the second magnetic thin film; and a second elevated temperature state by heating the second magnetic thin film up to a temperature T2 higher than the temperature T1 and high enough to invert the sublattice magnetization of the second magnetic thin film under the first external magnetic field, which two temperature states are respectively conditioned corresponding to the digital information "0" or "1" to be recorded.
In cooling process, recorded marks (magnetic domains) corresponding to the digital information "0" and "1" are formed on the first magnetic thin layer corresponding to the magnetization orientation of the sublattice of the second magnetic thin layer based on the exchange bonding force between the 1st and 2nd thin layers due to exchange interaction. Then, only the magnetization orientation of the sublattice of the second magnetic thin layer is inverted in one direction at room temperature by applying a second external magnetic field. Thereby, the direct overwrite can be realized.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view for explaining the magnetization states of 1st and 2nd magnetic layers in response to a change of temperature from room temperature to recording temperature upon the recording operation or the rewriting operation.
Next, the description is given of the detailed operation of the magneto-optic recording method in the prior art referred to FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, a magneto-optic disc (referred to as a "disc") comprises at least a 1st magnetic thin layer as a recording layer, which exhibits high coercivity at room temperature and has low reverse magnetization temperature, and a second magnetic thin layer as a reference layer, which exhibits low coercivity at room temperature and has higher reverse magnetization temperature. Both the layers have perpendicular magnetization. The disc is assumed to be rotated in a certain direction and a laser beam (not shown) is irradiated to provide heat to the 1st and 2nd layers of the disc so as to raise the temperature T1 or T2 corresponding to a low level of digital information or a high level thereof. Further, upon a recording or rewriting operation, an initial external magnetic field Hini and an external recording magnetic field Hex are always applied to the disc in directions as shown with arrows. Thus, the external recording magnetic field Hex is applied to the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers heated at the low temperature T1 or at the high temperature T2 by the laser beam during a rotation of the disc. Thereafter, the initial external magnetic field Hini is applied to the 1st and 2nd magnetic layer cooled down at room temperature during the rotation of the disc.
As initial states, there are two cases, a state A and a state B.
In the state A as the initial state, the 1st magnetic layers is assumed to be magnetized in a direction shown with an arrow "a" in response to a digital signal of a low level "0". The 2nd magnetic layer is magnetized in a direction shown with an arrow "a" as mentioned hereinafter.
In the state B as another initial state, the 1st magnetic layer is magnetized in a direction shown with an arrow "b" in response to a digital signal of a high level "1", and the 2nd magnetic layer is magnetized in the direction "a". It should be noted that the 2nd magnetic layer is always magnetized in the direction shown with the arrow "a" after passing through the initial external magnetic field Hini in the direction of "a".
As an elevated temperature state, there are two cases, a state C corresponding to the lower temperature T1 and a state D corresponding to the higher temperature T2.
In the state C, the magnetization of the 1st magnetic layer vanishes at the lower temperature T1 higher than Curie temperature Tc1 of the 1st magnetic layer by being irradiated with the laser beam, but the 2nd magnetic layer remains in the initial magnetization even when the external recording magnetic field Hex shown with an arrow "b" is applied to the 2nd magnetic layer.
In the state D, the magnetization of the 1st magnetic layer vanishes at the higher temperature T2 which is higher than the lower temperature T1 by being irradiated with the laser beam, and the magnetization orientation of the 2nd magnetic layer is changed to a direction shown with the arrow "b" due to the external recording magnetic field Hex in the direction "b".
As interim states during the rotation of the disc, there are two cases, a state A1 which is changed from the state C and a state E which is changed from the state D. These states A1 and E are realized to be cooled down below Curie temperature Tc1 during the rotation of the disc.
In the state E, the 1st magnetic layer is magnetized in the direction "b" subjected by a magnetic field ("b") of the 2nd magnetic layer in a temperature range lower than the Curie temperature Tc1 of the 1st magnetic layer as the disc is rotated to be cooled down.
Then, as the disc further rotates, the state E is further changed into the state B under the initial magnetic field Hini applied to the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers in the direction "a" at the room temperature, wherein the magnetization orientation of the 2nd magnetic layer is changed corresponding to the direction "a" of the initial magnetic field Hini though the magnetization orientation "b" of the 1st magnetic layer remains as it is.
In the state A1, the 1st magnetic layer is magnetized in the direction "a" subjected by a magnetic field ("a") of the 2nd magnetic layer in a temperature range lower than the Curie temperature Tc1 of the 1st magnetic layer as the disc is rotated to be cooled down.
Then, as the disc further rotates, the initial magnetic field Hini is also applied thereto, however, the magnetization orientation thereof is the same as that of the 2nd magnetic layer. Thus, the state A is the same as the state A1.
As well known, when the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers are facing to each other and they are magnetized in an opposite direction to each other as shown in the state B at the room temperature, an interface magnetic domain wall (referred to as interface wall hereinafter) is formed on an interface therebetween because of an exchange coupling force.
The interface wall energy .sigma.w is represented as follows: EQU H.sub.w i =.sigma..sub.w /2M.sub.si h.sub.i ( 1)
Wherein,
H.sub.w i : the effective bias magnetic field received by an ith magnetic layer and caused by another magnetic layer adjacent to the ith magnetic layer,
M.sub.si : the saturation magnetization of the ith magnetic layer,
h.sub.i : the thickness of the ith magnetic layer. EQU .sigma..sub.w =2{(A.sub.1 .times.K.sub.1).sup.1/2 +(A.sub.2 .times.K.sub.2).sup.1/2 } (2)
Wherein,
A.sub.1 : the exchange stiffness constant of the 1st magnetic layer,
A.sub.2 : the exchange stiffness constant of the 2nd magnetic layer,
K.sub.1 : the effective magnetic anisotropy constant of the 1st magnetic layer,
K.sub.2 : the effective magnetic anisotropy constant of the 1st magnetic layer,
As the condition of the overwriting, it is necessary to meet the following conditions so as to prevent the transition from the state A to the state B at room temperature. EQU H.sub.c1 >H.sub.w 1 =.sigma..sub.w /2M.sub.s1 h.sub.1 ( 3)
Wherein,
H.sub.c1 : the coercivity of the 1st magnetic layer,
H.sub.w 1 : the effective bias magnetic field received by the 1st magnetic layer and caused by the adjacent magnetic layer of the 1st magnetic layer,
M.sub.s1 : the saturation magnetization of the 1st magnetic layer,
h.sub.1 : the thickness of the 1st magnetic layer.
Further, to prevent the transition from the state B to the state E at room temperature, it is necessary to meet the following condition. EQU H.sub.c2 >H.sub.w 2 =.sigma..sub.w /2M.sub.s2 h.sub.2 ( 4)
Wherein,
H.sub.c2 : the coercivity of the 2nd magnetic layer,
H.sub.w 2 : the effective bias magnetic field received by the 2nd magnetic layer and caused by an magnetic layer adjacent to the 2nd magnetic layer,
M.sub.s2 : the saturation magnetization of the 2nd magnetic layer,
h.sub.2 : the thickness of the 2nd magnetic layer.
Further, in the state E, to prevent the polarity inversion of the 1st magnetic layer by the initial magnetic field Hini for initialization, it is necessary to meet the following condition. EQU H.sub.c1 .+-.H.sub.107 1 >H.sub.ini ( 5)
Here, as to the positive and negative signs ".+-." of the left side, the positive sign "+" is employed when the 1st magnetic layer is made of a rare earth metal rich (referred to as RE-rich) layer and the 2nd magnetic layer is made of a transition metal rich (referred to as TM-rich) layer, or an opposite case to the above, i.e., in the case of an antiparallel coupling. The negative sign "-" is employed when both the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers are made of the RE-rich layers, or the TM-rich layers, i.e., in the case of parallel coupling.
On the other hand, it is necessary to meet the following condition so as to allow the transition from the state E to the state B. EQU H.sub.c2 +H.sub.w 2 <H.sub.ini ( 6)
Further, to allow the transition from the state C to the state A at about the Curie temperature Tc1 of the 1st magnetic layer, i.e., to allow the magnetization orientation of the 1st magnetic layer to be arranged in the magnetization orientation of the 2nd magnetic layer, it is necessary to meet the following condition. EQU H.sub.w 1 >H.sub.c1 +H.sub.ex ( 7)
Wherein, Hex: the external recording magnetic field.
As seen from the above description, in order to satisfy the formula (3) and (4) at the room temperature, the interface wall energy .sigma..sub.w is desirable to be smaller.
At the temperature where the magnetization orientation of the 1st magnetic layer is arranged in the magnetization direction of the 2nd magnetic layer, the interface wall energy .sigma..sub.w needed to be maintained at a state that the amount of the interface wall energy .sigma..sub.w is not changed or less changed if any, under a condition satisfying the formula (7).
However, it was impossible to realize all the states mentioned above by only controlling the coercivity values, the saturation magnetization values and the thicknesses of the 1st and 2nd magnetic layers.
In the magneto-optic readout method, the magnetic reversal portion corresponding to an information bit, which forms a magnetic domain, is read out based on magnetic Kerr effect. Thus, in order to improve the recording density, it is necessary to decrease a length of a recorded information bit, i.e., to diminish an area of the magnetic domain.
However, as well known, a reproduction resolution of signal is practically determined by a wavelength .lambda. of a light source and a numerical aperture of an objective lens used in an optical pickup system, and its limitation of the readout is determined by 2NA/.lambda..
Thus, in order to increase the recording density, it is considered to decrease the wavelength .lambda. of the light source and/or to employ an objective lens having a high numerical aperture NA to allow a diameter of a laser spot to be diminished. However, a wavelength of the laser beam in a practical use is only 680 nm. Further, when the objective lens having the high numerical aperture NA is employed, a focal length thereof becomes short. This requires a high precision distance control between the lens and an optical disc, resulting in a severe precision of the optical disc in production.
Accordingly, it is impossible to employ such an objective lens having the high numerical aperture NA. The numerical aperture NA of the objective lens to be practically used is at most 0.6. In other words, there is a limitation to improve the recording density by using the wavelength .lambda. of the light source and the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens.
As a countermeasure for solving the problem in improving the recording density restricted by such readout conditions, there are proposed a method for readout signals and a detected medium used for the same, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 6-150418/1994.
In this readout method, the exchange interaction between a readout layer (first magnetic layer) and a recording layer (second magnetic layer)is utilized in such a manner that the information magnetic domain recorded on the recording layer is copied to the readout layer, and the information is detected from the readout layer.
The structure of such a recording medium is as follows.
The magneto-optic recording medium comprises a transparent substrate, a readout layer (a first magnetic layer) formed on the transparent substrate and a recording layer (a second magnetic layer) formed on the readout layer. The readout layer behaves the in-plane magnetization parallel to the surface thereof at room temperature. However, as the temperature rises, the in-plane magnetization of the readout layer is changed into the perpendicular magnetization. The recording layer has a function to magneto-optically record information thereon. The recording layer is made of a rare earth-transition metal alloy.
The information is recorded on the magneto-optic recording medium as follows.
Under a constant magnetic field applied to the medium to allow the recording layer to be magnetized, a magnetization orientation of the recording layer is reversed by being irradiated with a laser beam in such a manner that the power of the laser beam is selectively set to either a first laser power which is relatively lower laser power, or a second laser power which is relatively higher laser power responsive to the recording signals.
The information recorded on the recording layer is reproduced as follows.
When the laser beam is irradiated on the medium, there is generated a gradient of temperature in the diameter range of the laser beam spot on the readout layer. The readout layer which shows the in-plane magnetization at the room temperature, turns to the perpendicular magnetization in an area corresponding to a high temperature area in the gradient of temperature, and the orientation of the perpendicular magnetization is arranged in the direction parallel to the magnetization of the recording layer. Thereby, the information is read out.
However, the material forming the readout layer in the magneto-optic recording medium mentioned in the foregoing has a wide temperature range for allowing the magnetization transition from the in-plane to the perpendicular magnetization. This wide temperature range causes a problem that it is inadequate to read out information with a high S/N (C/N) from the area information magnetic domain of the recording layer smaller than an area corresponding to the diameter of the laser beam spot irradiated on the readout layer.
On the other hand, according to the present invention, as the material forming the readout layer (the first magnetic layer), there is employed an alloy having a small exchange energy between the rare earth metal and the 3d transition metal. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the temperature range for allowing the magnetization transition from the in-plane to the perpendicular magnetization, resulting in realizing the magnetically induced super resolution readout for the high density recorded information recorded on the area information magnetic domain of the recording layer smaller than the area corresponding to the diameter of the laser beam spot with excellent S/N (C/N) compared with ordinary ones.

Magneto-optical recording medium having multiple magnetic layers


A multi-layered printed circuit board (PCB) for use in items of portable electronic equipment which use a housing having a convex-concave part and/or a bent part, includes a PCB section having a uniformly thick PCB, and a resin board formed over the PCB in a part matching the internal space of the housing. By installing the multi-layered PCB having such a configuration within the housing, the internal space of the housing can be efficiently utilized.

The present invention relates to a multi-layered printed circuit board (PCB) for use in various items of electronic equipment, and more particularly to a multi-layered PCB whose shape can be adapted to the housing of electronic equipment whose shape has bent or convex-concave parts and a manufacturing method for such PCBs.
Some of the conventionally used items of electronic equipment, such as portable telephones and handy terminals, have housings whose prescribed parts are thicker elsewhere, convex or concave, or bent. However, flat multi-layered PCBs whose thickness and number of layers are fixed are used in such complexly shaped housings, resulting in the problem that the internal space of such housings has void parts which are not efficiently utilized. There arises another problem that bent and/or concave parts of the box prevent the multi-layered PCB from being thicker than a certain extent, and accordingly restricts the multi-layered wiring and inhibits sufficiently dense packaging of electronic parts.
As a solution to these problems, there is known a configuration in which a plurality of flat multi-layered PCBs are arranged to match the shape of the housing and these PCBs are connected by a flexible PCB. This configuration, however, is complex with an increased number of parts, and accordingly involves the problem of a greater number of manhours spent in its assembly and a correspondingly higher cost.
Meanwhile, examples of concave parts formed in multi-layered PCBs are disclosed in the Gazettes of the Japanese Patents Laid-open No. 62537 of 1991, No. 57653 of 1989 and No. 64187 of 1986. In all these examples, however, the concave parts for mounting electronic elements are machined, resulting in the problem of an increased number of manhours spent in (cost of) manufacturing. None of these examples of the prior art discloses a multi-layered PCB whose configuration is adaptable to the shape of the casing.

Multi-layered printed circuit board and its manufacturing method


A system and method are provided for dynamically updating a program. An anomaly related to a User Interface (UI) screen of a software application is detected, wherein the program is configured to extract information from a first spatial position on the UI screen. The information includes at least one of text, a computer icon or an image. It is determined, based on the software application, that the anomaly is caused by the information being moved from the first spatial position to a second spatial position on the UI screen. In response, the program is modified to cause the program to extract the information from the second spatial position. The modified program is deployed to extract the information from the second spatial position.

Robotic process automation (RPA) is a technology based on software robots (often referred to as bots) that handle repetitive, rule-based tasks in much the same way as human workers do. RPA bots generally include software programs that perform tedious, admin-driven tasks at higher speeds and levels of accuracy than humans could. RPA bot programs generally work at the presentation layer of a base software application and are configured to extract information from user interface (UI) screens generated for the base software application. The information may include text, computer icons, images and the like. Changes to a base application and associated UI screens on which an RPA bot is configured to operate presents a key challenge to maintaining RPA bot stability. RPA bot programs are generally configured to locate information on a UI screen based on a spatial position of the information presented on the UI screen. A change in the layout of the UI screen may result in a change in the spatial position of one or more elements presented on the UI screen. This in turn may result in the RPA bot not being able to locate information on the UI screen, leading to RPA bot errors and interruption in performing automated tasks that the RPA bot is configured to perform.

Dynamically updating a software program to resolve errors


The invention provides a system configured to enable a first entity to query a second entity for a result, the system comprising a language specification component and an interface between the first entity and the second entity. The language specification component defines a communications language by which the first and second entities can communicate with each other. The interface is operable to receive from the second entity an instance of a generic request that is specific to the second entity, the instance of the generic request providing information about at least one query element that is supported in a second-entity specific request; and convert a first query from the first entity to the second entity into a second query, wherein the second query includes the at least one query element that is supported in the second-entity specific request.

Interoperability is one of the biggest problems facing businesses and agencies that operate in data rich environments. One common problem is that many new systems that come on line can only communicate with other systems if the new system develops custom interfaces to the other systems. Many businesses and government organizations are continually working to get data, such as intelligence data, from the collection source into the hands of users, such as analysts, in an efficient manner. For example, the Intelligence Community is continually searching to find a way to make their programs interoperable. Data is being collected, yet is not finding its way to the appropriate analysts. Frequently this is due to incompatibility between the data source and the analysis application. Other times the problem is a matter of geography. For example, an analyst is at one site and the archive is at another with no means to query between the two.
Although efforts are being expended to resolve geographical issues, issues relating to incompatibility are rarely addressed adequately. Further, because of tight budgets at many government agencies, features such as interoperability are sometimes viewed as an unnecessary luxury.
Another reason that past efforts have not always succeeded is that there often is little to no benefit to the developers of the data archive systems to make their data more accessible. Rather, limiting accessibility to data can provide a strategic or business advantage to the holder of a data archive system. For example, by maintaining a firm hold on the data from collection through analysis, these developers can exercise monopolistic control over who and what can see their data.
Past efforts to resolve some of these problems have focused on using so-called data brokers, object brokers, network control programs, and other forms of middleware having varying levels of complexity. Middleware can, for example, include: software that sits between two or more types of software and translates information between them; software that provides a common application programming interface (API); and/or software development tools that enable user to create programs by selecting services and linking the services with a scripting language. While solutions such as middleware sometimes work in the short term, effort has to go into maintaining those tools and updating them when new data sources come online. Also, many middleware data brokers and complexity levels are developed and/or centered on a specific Community of Interest (COI), and, unfortunately, may not be as useful to some other communities, such as the Intelligence community.
In addition, some middleware is information centric, attaching meaning to the data that it is linking or translating. This so-called "heavyweight" middleware tends to use significant amounts of memory and processor resources, which may increase the complexity, cost, and size of the middleware.
While solutions such as those described above may be adequate in the short term, they are very costly to maintain and place a large amount of overhead on the data query and retrieval process.

Systems, methods, and language for selection and retrieval of information from databases


Provided are a method and device for dynamically adjusting waiting time of uplink macro diversity combining. In the embodiments of the disclosure, in accordance with the real-time transmission condition and time delay of each link of the current macro diversity, as well as the specific time for DCH FP data frames having the same CFN from different links to arrive at an RNC, the RNC dynamically increases or reduces the waiting time of macro diversity combining, thereby improving the processing efficiency and accuracy rate of macro diversity combining.

A WCDMA system is composed of the following network elements: User Equipment (UE), an UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and a Core Network (CN). The UTRAN is responsible for functions relevant to wireless side processing. The CN is responsible for performing voice and data exchange with an external network.
A macro diversity function of the WCDMA is directly relevant to soft handover. When UE is in an inter-cell handover state, the UE may need to communicate with a plurality of base stations (Node b) participating in handover at the same time, and combine signals sent from these base stations so as to improve the signal quality of uplink and downlink to ensure not to lose data in the handover process. This technology is referred to as macro diversity which enables communications not to be affected when the UE is moving.
Generally, under a condition of macro diversity, the same data packet sent by the UE is sent to a radio network controller (Radio Network Control, referred to as RNC) respectively passing two or more base stations. The RNC is responsible for determining the handover of the UE, completing data combining, and sending the signal to a core network.
In the specific implementation of the RNC performing macro diversity combining, various information in an uplink FP (Frame Protocol) data frame would be received together with a data block, then it is judged when storing the data that if FP frames with the same connection frame number (Connection Frame Number, referred to as CFN) are existed, then combining processing is performed. The data blocks with a correct cyclic redundancy check indicator (Cyclic Redundancy Check Indicator, referred to as CRCI) are put to corresponding positions. If none of the data blocks have correct CRCI, then data blocks with small quality estimate values (Quality Estimate QE) are put to the corresponding positions. When a medium access control (Medium Access Control, referred to as MAC) layer is performing uplink scheduling, data contents of FP frames are acquired according to an ascending order of the CFN, and are put to corresponding logical channels after demultiplexing and decryption.
However, since Iub transmission path distances and service load conditions of different stations are different, a time delay difference inevitably exists in a macro diversity state when data of various links arrives at the RNC. However, when a MAC is performing uplink scheduling, all data of all links needs to be completely collected for a certain CFN point before further processing can be performed, and this introduces the concept of macro diversity combining waiting time.
If the data of all links are not completely collected when a preset waiting time of macro diversity combining expires after data of a first link arrives, then it is judged that the waiting of macro diversity combining times out, and at this time subsequent processing may be performed on combined data of other links. However, in practical applications, in one aspect, in order to collect all the data of all links, waiting time of macro diversity combining theoretically needs to be configured to be large enough; while in the other aspect, in order to improve data processing performance, the waiting time of macro diversity combining also needs to be configured to be relatively small. In order to solve this problem, a method for dynamically adjusting the waiting time of uplink macro diversity combining is urgently needed, so that during the operation, a system can automatically select a suitable waiting time of macro diversity combining to effectively improve the performance of the system.

Method and device for dynamically adjusting waiting time of uplink macro diversity combining


A threshing cage for a grain combine has a frame with permanent and removable panels. Each panel is a semi-circular arc which extends between adjacent frame members to form a cylindrical shape. Each panel has an arcuate rib on each axial end and a pair of axial supports which joins them together. A perforated screen extends between the ribs and axial supports. The panels are pivotally mounted on the frame members and rotated into a locking position with panel levers. The panel levers have a cam member which pivotally engages a mating slot in an adjacent frame member. The panels also have side arc clamps for locking their ribs to adjacent structural support members.

The threshing section of a grain combine comprises a threshing rotor which rotates inside of a rotating threshing cage. The threshing cage has a perforated screen through which grain escapes from the threshing cage. The perforations must be properly sized for the grain being harvested in order to maximize the efficiency of the threshing process. Hence, some grains require screens with larger perforations while other grains require screens with smaller perforations. One type of prior art threshing cage and rotor, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,948, are readily removable as an assembly.
Rotor cages without readily removable panels create several other problems. The cage may limit access to the threshing rotor within the threshing cage. In addition, the screen perforations will occasionally become clogged or plugged with crop material. A cage without readily removable panels is more difficult to work with and unplug. Finally, even if only a small portion of the screen is damaged, the entire cage must be repaired or replaced.