A passenger seat for a vehicle, including a frame for being attached to a floor of the vehicle, a fixed backshell attached to the frame, and a seat back attached to the backshell. A seat bottom is attached to the backshell, and a headrest assembly attached to the backshell at a position above the seat back. The headrest assembly includes left and right spaced-apart side wings, each of the side wings comprising a rigid support and a wedge-shaped cushion attached to the rigid support by a pivot. The left and right cushions are each translatable in a direction parallel to the rigid support to selectively increase or decrease the effective width of the headrest assembly by increasing or decreasing the distance between the left and right side wings. The left and right cushions are each mounted for rotation about the pivot for selectively changing the angle of a forward face of the cushion relative to the rigid support to thereby permit selection by a seat occupant of a desired cushion position.

This invention relates to seating and more particularly to a tourist/coach class aircraft seating arrangement. Aircraft seating is typically divided into various classes, for example first class, business class, and coach or tourist class. For each class of seating, an individual passenger is allotted a preselected amount of space (both area and volume). First-class seats provide the most individual space, and also may include features to improve comfort, such as fully reclining sleeper functions. In contrast, the tourist/coach class is provided with a relatively small amount of space, in order to provide the most efficient transportation and lowest cost. For example, the longitudinal space or "pitch" of the seat rows may be as little as 71 cm (28 in.) However, this space limitation in combination with the seat design can create a very ineffective environment for either working (e.g.: on a lap top computer) or sleeping/stretching (lack of comfort). This lack of effectiveness can result in passenger frustration. In addition, passengers sitting in a row directly forward of another passenger can "recline" their seat into the "living space" of the passenger behind, resulting in a lack of harmony between passengers and a phenomenon known as "air rage". The lack of passenger effectiveness and harmony between rows of passengers results in economy class travel being frequently considered as a "bad experience". Modern aircraft are increasingly capable of longer flight segments, thus, the ability to create a more effective environment within economy class travel, allowing passengers to adopt multiple postures such as sleep and creating better harmony between passengers during long flights is increasingly important.
One of the primary factors causing angst among passengers is the act of reclining a seat into the living space of another passenger. Another is the natural competition for armrest space resulting from shared armrests. To alleviate the anger generated within a cabin due to the competition for living space, inventors have conceptualized items that modify FAA certified seating to restrict or eliminate the recline of the seat directly in front of them. Passengers also use violence and intimidation, to regain their living space at the expense of the passenger sitting directly in front of them.
To alleviate discomfort, it is advantageous for a passenger to be able to sit or lie in various positions during a flight as desired without undue encroachment on the space of adjacent passengers. Overall, with longer flight segments, passengers find it necessary to adopt an increasing number of postures and undertake an increasing number of activities. Such activities include but are not limited to, sitting upright, reclining, watching a movie, working on a lap top computer, stretching or slouching, sleeping, and "perching". Unfortunately, conventional coach class seats do not readily accommodate positions other than simple sitting in the upright or reclined positions, and the amount of recline is limited by the above-mentioned seat pitch.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a passenger seating arrangement including a headrest assembly that provides a greater degree of comfort and adjustment that in previous passenger seats, while maintaining each passenger within the area and volume assigned to the particular seat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a headrest assembly that pivots downwardly to permit a passenger to turn sideways in the seat and still have a headrest cushion at a proper position for maximum comfort.
It is another object of the invention to provide a headrest assembly that is modular in the sense that it is easily removable and replaceable as a unit from the seat back of the seat.

Vehicle passenger seat with adjustable headrest


A weigh-in-motion device and method having at least one transducer pad, each transducer pad having at least one transducer group with transducers positioned essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel. At least one pad microcomputer is provided on each transducer pad having a means for calculating first output signal indicative of weight, second output signal indicative of time, and third output signal indicative of speed. At least one host microcomputer is in electronic communication with each pad microcomputer, and having a means for calculating at least one unknown selected from the group consisting of individual tire weight, individual axle weight, axle spacing, speed profile, longitudinal center of balance, and transverse center of balance.

Weighing vehicles and other cargo before loading them onto aircraft in a theater of operations is critical to the deployment of U.S. military forces. Rolling stock and other cargo must be weighed and measured accurately to calculate the center of balance of each item for proper distribution of weight in the aircraft. The weighing and measuring of equipment and cargo are vital to the safety of the aircraft, the crew, and any passengers. Errors can be fatal. In-ground static scales and tape measures are used for weighing and determining center of balance and are available at most air bases in the United States, but not in remote or undeveloped areas.
Military procedure requires all equipment to be weighed before loading, without guesswork or estimates. Each location requires specifically recalculating weight and center of balance, and taking into account the effects of altitude, temperature, runway length, and aircraft type.
U.S. military forces today are deployed globally and rapidly, often in areas with little infrastructure, rarely including an in-ground static weigh scale. For wheeled vehicles, if an in-ground fixed weigh scale is not available, individual wheel-weigh manual portable scales and tape measures are used to weigh military equipment and to determine the center of balance. Individual wheel-weigh scales are placed under each wheel, and all wheels must be on the scales at the same time, to ensure accuracy.
After weighing the individual wheels or wheel sets, the next step is to measure the distance between the axles, calculate the center of balance, the individual axle weights, and the total vehicle weight. The Air Force loadmaster uses the center-of-balance data and total vehicle weight to plan a specific load for each aircraft.
The process is time-consuming, exhausting, and prone to error, especially under adverse weather conditions. Placing the individual wheel-weigh manual portable scales under the wheels of the vehicle also presents a safety hazard. The process requires 6 to 10 soldiers. The data acquired is used by the loadmaster to determine the loading of the aircraft. No Air Force pilot will take off (and should not) without clearance from the loadmaster, who is responsible for aircraft safety with respect to loading.
Currently, Army units use portable individual wheel weight or fixed in-ground static scales, tape measures, and calculators to determine vehicle axle weights, total vehicle and cargo weight and center of balance for vehicles and cargo to be transshipped via railcar, ship, or airlifted in support of military and humanitarian operations. The process of manually weighing and measuring all vehicles and cargo subject to these transshipment operations is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and most importantly is prone to human errors that can result in safety hazards and inaccurate data. The identification, weight and center of balance information on each piece of cargo and vehicle must be manually entered into logistics load planning systems introducing the high likelihood of human key-stroke error into the deployment preparation process. Incorrect information introduced into the Defense Transportation System (DTS) can negatively impact onward movement of cargo and vehicles in theater, needlessly delaying essential supplies and equipment to the end-user/soldier. The importance of having correct, timely information in the DTS for use by all services cannot be overstated. In austere areas of operations, scales may not be available at all, and the vehicle and cargo weight and center of balance must be estimated. This process is even more susceptible to human error. The lack of a standardized airlift-weighing system for joint service use also creates redundant weighing and manual data entry requirements at the cost of scarce resources and time.
The Army identifies the vehicles and manually enters the data into Transportation Coordinators' Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II) and then manually calculates vehicle axle weights and balance data and manually records and transfers this data to Automated Air Load Planning System (AALPS) personnel who manually enter it into the AALPS system. Each of these steps in the process is prone to human error. By establishing automated data exchange links between (1) WIM-II and the vehicle RFID tags, and (2) WIM-II device and AALPS, vehicle ID and WIM-II data could be automatically transferred to AALPS, thus eliminating those human errors and at the same time expediting the process.
In the private sector, considerable effort has been made by the federal and state transportation agencies and motor carriers to increase the efficiency of enforcement operations at the highway weigh-stations. For example, operational tests and regional deployments such as Advantage I-75, Heavy Vehicle Electronic License Plate Program (HELP) Crescent project, Prepass and Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) are making great strides towards improving the productivity of both enforcement officers and motor carriers at weigh stations. One of the significant technical advances that have helped lead to these improvements is the development of weigh-in-motion systems. In conjunction with other technologies, weigh-in-motion systems are used to screen out overweight commercial vehicles approaching the weigh stations. Unfortunately, a large majority of carriers are not participating in the programs such as Advantage I-75 and are still required to stop at the weigh-stations. Furthermore, although existing commercially available WIM systems can be use as screening devices they do not provide the accuracy required (<1%) for final certification and ticketing of overweight vehicles. There is considerable room for improvement in accuracy and variability in the commercial WIM systems.
At best, weight enforcement activities are slow and cumbersome causing substantial overcrowding at weigh stations. Law enforcement officials are forced to either create unsafe conditions by allowing vehicles to backup in long lines near the weigh station entrance ramps or allow carriers to bypass weigh stations completely. Each day several thousand carriers travel by various weigh stations. Approximately 70% of these vehicles bypass the weigh stations due to the overcrowded conditions. Traffic simulations of a low-speed WIM system indicate one can reduce the average delay for a motor carrier from 280 seconds to 40 seconds and eliminate vehicles bypassing the weigh station. The successful implementation of converting a static scale to a high-accuracy, low-speed weigh-in-motion system will allow weight enforcement officials to weigh all carriers thus increasing productivity and operational efficiency through increased throughput.
Conventional WIM systems used today are plagued with problems of accuracy. Mainline WIM systems have a typical accuracy error of greater than 5%. This fact limits their utility in enforcement and other applications because users often do not trust the measurements obtained.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for identifying, validating, weighing and characterizing moving or stationary vehicles and cargo with a weigh-in-motion (WIM) system that is more accurate than the prior art and that can be interfaced with a data management system for load planning, law enforcement, and cargo inspection in both military and commercial applications.

System and method for weighing and characterizing moving or stationary vehicles and cargo


A casket assembly includes a container and a two-piece lid. The two-piece lid includes a superior lid that covers the anterior end of the casket and an inferior lid that covers the opposite end. The container includes a bottom panel, an inferior end panel, a superior end panel, and two elongated side panels. Each elongated side portion has a recessed portion on the superior end of the casket for providing an improved viewing of the deceased. In one embodiment, the casket panels each include a plurality of mortise holes and/or tenons. The tenons on individual panels are designed to fit into the mortise holes on other panels. Pins are placed through pinholes on the tenons to retain the tenons in the mortise holes. A shelf and bracket assembly may be provided for use in displaying mementos of the deceased and/or for supporting the inferior casket lid.

Cremation containers are containers in which a deceased may be placed prior to cremation. Cremation containers range from elaborate hardwood caskets to simple corrugated paper cartons. Some cremation containers are intended to be consumed during cremation, and others are not.
Cremation is often considered to be a low cost funerary option, as it eliminates the need for interment space. Extremely low costs may be achieved by employing a corrugated paper cremation container, which is a fraction of the cost of hardwood or metal caskets. Even if cost is not a major consideration, corrugated paper caskets are a popular choice for cremation.
Many corrugated paper caskets have design elements that approximate decorative wood or steel caskets. Such paper caskets are suitable for presentation at a viewing and/or funerary service. These ornately designed paper caskets represent a cost savings over hardwood caskets, and are particularly advantageous in cases in which the casket is to be consumed during the cremation process.
While ornately designed paper caskets are less expensive than hardwood caskets, they still represent a significant cost that may not be practical in some cases. In such cases, the least expensive option is a simple rectangular corrugated paper container and associated simple rectangular lid that fits over the container in a manner similar to that of a common shoe box. The deceased fits within the container and then the rectangular lid is fitted over the container to close off the casket.
One drawback associated with the simple rectangular paper container is the perceived lack of dignity that the container provides. While the simple rectangular paper container may not be intended for elaborate funerary proceedings, there is still a need for identification of a deceased by the next-of-kin, and often a need for the closest relatives to pay last respects. Such viewings are often emotional in nature, and the container should provide the appearance of some dignity, even if expensive containers are not an option.
There is a need therefore, for a casket or cremation container that retains much or all of the economy of the simple rectangular container design while providing additional aesthetic display of the deceased for identification and viewing purposes.
Another problem with prior art corrugated box container caskets relates to handles for carrying the container. Typically, a handle is formed as a cut-out in the corrugated container. However, a drawback associated with this type of handle is that one lifting the casket could contact the remains located within the casket. Therefore, there is also a need for a handle that may be used with corrugated container and other relatively inexpensive caskets that allows the casket to be easily and comfortably lifted while shielding the casket bearer from the remains of the deceased.
Yet another problem with relatively inexpensive caskets and cremation containers lies in the manufacturing method for such containers. In particular, such containers must be constructed of materials that are sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the deceased. To this end, the method of joining the different panels of the container must not only be inexpensive, but must be reliable, such that the joints of the container can dependably bear the weight of the deceased in the casket. At the same time, the material used to connect the joints should be as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Although the paperboard caskets mentioned above are one extremely inexpensive option for cremation containers, it is often helpful to provide a number of relatively inexpensive casket options to the family of the deceased. These casket options typically cover several price ranges and include various features. Such caskets may be made of a number of different materials, including wood, metal, and paper materials, as well as combinations of the foregoing. Traditional wood-based caskets are preferred by many and continue to experience widespread use because they combine a high level of strength with desirable aesthetic qualities. Typical wood caskets, however, can be extremely expensive. Even caskets that use less expensive types of wood and simpler designs have considerable expense.
The main cost elements in a wood casket, as with virtually any manufactured product, includes the raw materials and the labor associated with assembly. Less expensive caskets have been made of low grade steel, but such caskets do not represent a significant cost savings over the low-end wood caskets. As mentioned above, paperboard caskets have been used for cremation containers, but paperboard caskets do not convey the quality and warmth of wood.
Thus, there is a need for a casket having reduced cost as compared to traditional casket manufactures, particularly for a casket that conveys the natural beauty and warmth of wood.


A method of calculating the required power of an intraocular lens to be implanted in an eye having the steps of measuring the axial length, preoperative anterior chamber depth and natural lens thickness of the eye, measuring and averaging corneal radii of curvature along a first axis and along a second axis normal to the first axis, calculating a lens locator constant from the axial length and the averaged corneal radii of curvature using a quadratic surface equation, determining a postoperative anterior chamber depth using the measured preoperative anterior chamber depth, the measured natural lens thickness and the calculated constant and calculating the required power of the intraocular lens and the predicted postoperative refraction using the postoperative anterior chamber depth.

The present invention relates to intraocular lenses in general and specifically to methods of calculating the required power of an intraocular lens.
Intraocular lenses (IOL's) are commonly used to replace a diseased natural lens in the human eye. The first IOL implant was done in November 1949 without the benefit of the many accurate and now commercially available IOL implant power formulas. The result was a -24.0 diopter myopic refractive error. Continuous experimentation produced a standard IOL implant power that gave marginal refractive results over a statistically significant population base. This practice prevailed until the late 1960s when Fyodorov published a formula in Russian for determining IOL implant powers based on geometrical optics and data from A-scans and keratometers. Colenbrander published the first formula written in English in 1973. See M. C. Colenbrander, Calculation of the Power of an Iris-Clip Lens for Distance Vision, Br. J. Ophthal. 57:735-40, (1973). Concurrent with the commercial development of the A-scan biometer in the early 1970s, Binkhorst published several papers on IOL power calculations. In the mid-1970s the Santa Monica Intraocular Lens Calculation Lab was established, using modification to the Colenbrander formula made by Hoffer. See C. D. Binkhorst, Power of the Pre-Pupillary Pseudoshakos, B.J.0. 56:332-37, (1972). In 1980 Sanders, Retzlaff and Kraff pooled their data and defined a regression-based formula, the SRK formula. This formula has been continuously expanded and updated, enjoys widespread popularity and has been adapted to many different IOL's through the A constant.
With the onset of posterior chamber lenses, the SRK regression formula continued to prove useful for average axial length eyes, but tended to predict too small an emmetropia value in short eyes and too large a value in larger eyes. The first generation theoretical formulas tended to do the opposite with the axial length extremes. The second generation SRK/T formula was designed to provide more accurate emmetropic and ametropic IOL power prediction at the axial length extremes, while not sacrificing accuracy for average eyes. See J. Retzlaff, D. R. Sanders & M. C. Kraff, Development of the SRK/T Intraocular Lens Implant Power Calculation Formula, J. Cataract & Refractive Surg. 16(3):333-40, (1990). The regression based SRK formula was also modified to better span a wide range of eyes, and has re-appeared as the SRK II. See D. R. Sanders, J. Retzlaff & M. C. Kraff, Comparison of the SRK II Formula and the Other Second Generation Formulas, J. Cataract & Refractive Surg. 14(3):136-41, (1988). Meanwhile, Olsen (see T. Olsen, Theoretical Approach to IOL Calculation Using Gaussian Optics, J. Cataract & Refractive Surg. 13:141-45, (1987)), Holladay, et al. see J. T. Holladay, T. C. Praeger, T. Y. Chandler & K. H. Musgrove, A Three-Party System for Refining Intraocular Lens Power Calculations, J. Cataract & Refractive Surg. 14:17-24, (1988)) and Thompson, et al. see J. T. Thompson, A. E. Maumenee & C. C. Baker, A New Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Formula for Axial Myopes, Ophthal. 91:484-88, (1984)) have all described second generation theoretical formulas that make use of more measured data.
In computing the required IOL power, estimating the location of the implanted lens within the eye is critical. Modern ultrasonic imaging equipment, such as the A-scan biometer, are quite accurate in determining the preoperative anterior chamber depth ("ACD.sub.pre ") (the distance between the anterior surface of the cornea and the anterior surface of the natural lens). However, ACD.sub.post (the distance between the anterior surface of the cornea and the principal refracting plane of the IOL) is the critical dimension in determining the implanted power of the IOL and will differ from ACD.sub.pre because IOL's generally are thinner than natural lenses and lens designs vary, for example, different lenses use different amounts of vaulting. Vaulting is the axial displacement of the IOL from the center of the capsular bag produced by the spring forces in the contracted IOL haptics. ACD.sub.post by definition cannot be determined until after the IOL has been implanted and must be estimated from ACD.sub.pre. The accuracy of any IOL power formula is highly dependent on the measurements and methods used to estimate ACD.sub.post.
Only one of these formulas, the SRK/T formula, uses the actual, A-scan biometer measured ACD.sub.pre to estimate ACD.sub.post, and only one of these formulas has suggested using the A-scan measured thickness of the natural lens to estimate ACD.sub.post. Instead, at least two of these formulas estimate ACD.sub.post from a computed corneal height. Olsen, in his ACD.sub.post formula, measures the limbus diameter of the cornea and computes corneal height from a spherical sag formula. The computed corneal height, ACD.sub.pre and natural lens thickness is used in a multiple regression analysis to predict ACD.sub.post. See T. Olsen, Prediction of Intraocular Lens Position After Cataract Extraction, J. Cataract & Refractive Surg., 12:376-79, (July 1986). The SRK/T formula estimates corneal height from the average measurement of the patient's corneal radius of curvature made with a keratometer ("K reading"). Thompson and coworkers have discovered a strong correlation between the axial length of the eye and the averaged K readings, and have used that relationship to estimate ACD.sub.post, See J. T. Thompson, A. E. Maumenee & C. C. Baker, A New Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Formula for Axial Myopes, Ophthal. 91:484-88, (1984). However, this relationship was shown only for myopic eyes.
While variances between the predicted and actual postoperative patient refractions have decreased with the onset of the second generation formulas discussed above, the Standard Error of Estimate is still greater than 0.8 diopters throughout the axial length range for one of the most widely used formula, the SRK/T formula. Also, greater than 2 diopter errors still occur while using this formula in approximately 3.3% of the cases. While these are excellent results historically, with the increase in cataract surgery volume, even this small percentage results in a significant patient base that still requires spectacle correction for far-field vision.
One of the primary factors leading to this relatively large Standard Error of Estimate is the use of the regressively determined A-constant. The A-constant is used to estimate the offset between the plane of the natural lens and the principal refracting plane of the implanted IOL and is specific to the particular style of IOL. For extremely long or short eyes, the SRK II and SRK/T formulae adjust the A-constant by adding or subtracting a correction factor. This adjustment can increase the potential error in predicting the required power of the IOL to be implanted.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a more accurate method of calculating the required power of an intraocular lens over a broad range of axial lengths.

Method of calculating the required power of an intraocular lens


A voltage regulator includes an error amplifier, a voltage buffer, a transistor, a frequency compensation circuit, a capacitor, and a resistive network. The error amplifier receives a reference signal and a feedback signal, and generates an intermediate control signal. The voltage buffer receives the intermediate control signal and generates a control signal. The transistor has a gate that receives the control signal, a first terminal that receives a supply voltage signal, and a second terminal that generates a regulated output signal. The frequency compensation circuit is connected to the second terminal of the transistor. The capacitor is connected to the error amplifier and the frequency compensation circuit. The resistive network receives the regulated output signal and generates the feedback signal.

The present invention generally relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a voltage regulator.
Integrated circuits (ICs) such as systems-on-chips (SoCs) and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) integrate various analog and digital components on a single chip. These components require stable supply voltage signals for performing operations. Thus, ICs include voltage regulators for regulating supply voltage signals. A voltage regulator rejects noise injected into a supply voltage signal (measured as Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR)) from a voltage source and provides a regulated output signal to IC components. For example, a linear regulator with a high PSRR (>20 dB) is needed for low jitter Gigabit signals.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic block diagram of a conventional voltage regulator 100 is shown. The voltage regulator 100 includes an error amplifier 102, a transistor 104, a compensation capacitor 106, and a resistive network 108. The voltage regulator 100 is connected to a load capacitor 110 and a load impedance 112.
The error amplifier 102 has a first input terminal for receiving a reference signal (VREF) and a second input terminal for receiving a feedback signal (VFB). The reference signal is a bandgap reference voltage signal. The error amplifier 102 amplifies a difference between the voltage levels of the two input signals and generates a control signal VCONT.
The transistor 104 has a source terminal for receiving a supply voltage signal (VDD), a gate terminal that receives the control signal VCONT, and a drain terminal for generating an output signal (VOUT).
The compensation capacitor 106 has a first terminal connected to the gate terminal of the transistor 104, and a second terminal connected to the drain terminal of the transistor 104. The compensation capacitor 106 increases stability of the voltage regulator 100 by splitting poles of the voltage regulator 100. Thus, the stability of the voltage regulator 100 is increased by a technique known as "pole-splitting" (also known as "Miller compensation").
The resistive network 108 is a voltage divider and includes first and second resistors 114 and 116 connected in series between the drain terminal of the transistor 104 and ground. The resistive network 108 also has a voltage tap for outputting the feedback signal VFB.
The load capacitor 110 has a first terminal connected to the drain terminal of the transistor 104 for receiving the output signal and a second terminal connected to ground. The load capacitor 110 increases the stability of the voltage regulator 100. The load capacitor 110 and the load impedance 112 form the load of the voltage regulator 100.
Ripples (noise) in the supply voltage signal cause the voltage level of the output signal to deviate from a desired voltage level, which results in the deviation of the voltage level of the feedback signal from a desired voltage level, i.e, the voltage level of the reference signal. When the voltage level of the feedback signal is less than the voltage level of the reference signal, the error amplifier 102 amplifies the difference between the voltage levels of the feedback signal and the reference signal and generates the control signal, and the current through the transistor 104 increases, which restores the voltage level of the output signal to the desired voltage level. When the voltage level of the feedback signal is greater than the voltage level of the reference signal, the error amplifier 102 amplifies this difference and generates the control signal where the current through the transistor 104 decreases, which restores the voltage level of the output signal to the desired voltage level. Thus, the voltage regulator 100 provides a regulated output signal.
The voltage regulator 100 works efficiently for ripples frequencies less than about 100 megahertz (MHz), but fails to maintain a PSRR about 20 decibels (dB), for ripple frequencies between 100 MHz and 1000 MHz because the bandwidth of the error amplifier 102 is impacted negatively by a pole formed at 100 MHz due to capacitances at the output of the error amplifier 102. The capacitances at the output of the error amplifier 102 include a capacitance of the gate of the transistor 104 and a Miller effect capacitance of the compensation capacitor 106. The PSRR of the voltage regulator 100 is a measure of effectiveness of the voltage regulator 100 in rejecting noise in the supply voltage signal. However, the PSRR of the voltage regulator 100 improves at ripple frequencies greater than 1000 MHz because the load capacitor 110 provides a low impedance to ground. Thus, the voltage regulator 100 fails to maintain the absolute value of the PSRR above the desired level for ripples frequencies between 100 and 1000 MHz. Further, the size of the transistor 104 is large for driving heavy loads, which increases the area of a device that includes the voltage regulator 100.
Techniques to overcome the aforementioned problems involve complex circuits that tend to increase the overall circuit area and power consumption.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a voltage regulator that provides a regulated output signal at all frequencies without unnecessarily increasing circuit are and power consumption.


Various embodiments described herein relates to techniques for providing real-time productivity information to a worker in a material handling environment. In this regard, for computing a productivity metric of the worker, a productivity metrics system may access various types of data. In this aspect, the productivity metric system may receive: order level data associated with multiple items identified for shipping; worker operation data associated with the workers and at least one workflow being operated by the workers; and dimensional data of the items being handled by the workers. The productivity metric system may compute the productivity metrics of the worker based on: the order level data, the dimensional data, the worker operation data, and a count of items handled by the worker. Further, the productivity metrics system may provide notifications including actionable insights indicative of actions to be performed by the worker.

Generally, in material handling environments including, but not limited to, warehouses, inventories, distribution and shipping centers etc., measuring dimensions of a package that is intended for shipping is often required. For example, in such environments, cost to ship the package needs to be computed based on dimensions of the packages. Also, while handling multiple packages for shipping, dimension measurement for these packages are often to be considered for planning and resource management for both machines and manpower. Typically, in such material handling industries, shipping companies charge customers for their services based on a package size (i.e., volumetric weight) and/or weight (i.e., dead weight) of packages in a customer order. Dimensions of these packages are measured manually by workers operating in that environment. For instance, in manual handling, freight carrier employees derive this information through hand measurements (e.g., with a tape measure) and by weighing each package on a scale. In this aspect, hand measurements are prone to error, particularly when packages have irregular shapes, and often, these errors lead to financial losses as additional costs are attributed due to incorrect dimensioning.
Dimensioning objects, parcels, and pallets, shipping companies and warehouses can make optimal use of space and charge for services accordingly. Therefore, dimensioning systems that provide dimensional information of packages without causing a disruption in ongoing workflows within material handling environments are often in demand. As these systems become increasingly part of commercial processes, their accuracy becomes a key characteristic to understand. Thus, operations within the material handling environments, including packaging and processing packages for shipping is challenging and requires managing resources i.e. including both machinery and workers, within such environments in an accurate manner to run effective operations and generate profits.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with conventional methods of managing operations and resources in material handling environments. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for monitoring and improving productivity of a material handling environment


A method for producing urethane compounds includes allowing a primary amine, a urea and/or an N-unsubstituted carbamate, and an alcohol to react in the presence of a compound containing a noncoordinating anion and a metal atom as a catalyst.

Conventionally, urethane compounds such as alkyl carbamates are useful organic compounds as industrial raw materials having a wide variety of applications such as a raw material for medicine and agricultural chemicals, a raw material for various fine chemicals, and a reagent for analysis of alcohols.
In recent years, various studies have been made to use such alkyl carbamate as a raw material for phosgene-free production of isocyanates.
Specifically, isocyanates are organic compounds containing isocyanate groups, widely used as raw materials of polyurethane, and industrially produced by a reaction between amine and phosgene (phosgene method).
The phosgene is, however, highly toxic and corrosive, resulting in inconvenient handling. Therefore, as an alternative to the phosgene method, an economical method for producing isocyanates has been recently proposed that produces an isocyanate by allowing amine, urea or carbamate, and alcohol to react to produce urethane compounds, and thereafter thermally decomposing the urethane compounds thus produced.
As the method for producing urethane compounds, it has been proposed, for example, a method for producing 2,4-di-(ethoxycarbonylamino)-toluol by allowing 2,4-diaminotoluol, carbamic acid ethyl ester, and ethanol to react in the presence of iron(II) acetate which is a Lewis acid catalyst made of a metal atom cation and a coordinating anion (see, for example, the following Patent Document 1, Examples 36).
Further, it has been proposed, for example, a method for producing 2,4-bis-(n-hexoxycarbonyl-amino)-toluene by allowing diaminotoluene, urea, and n-hexanol to react in the presence of zinc octoate which is a Lewis acid catalyst made of a metal atom cation and a coordinating anion (see, for example, the following Patent Document 2, Example 11).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-149241    Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-114561

Urethane compound and method for producing the same, and isocyanate and method for producing the same


A torqued archwire for use in an edgewise orthodontic bracket system. The archwire is substantially rectangular in cross-section, is made of titanium-based alloy and has a plurality of segments, including an anterior segment which is sized to cooperate with brackets attached to a person's central and lateral teeth. Positive torque is built into this anterior segment, with substantially the same positive torque being used across the entire length of the segment. Extending from the respective ends of the anterior segment are a pair of transition segments, in which the torque built into the archwire is approximately zero. Posterior segments of the archwire, which extend distally from the transition segments, each have a negative built-in torque, with substantially the same negative torque being used across the entire lengths of these segments. For ease of reference by an orthodontist, the “active” anterior segment of the archwire is laser etched or colored with non-toxic ink.

Preadjusted and integrated "straight-wire" orthodontic bracket systems are well known, in which all the necessary angles and planes of movement—commonly referred to as "tip," "torque," "in-out" and "anti-rotation"—are manufactured directly into the brackets. These straight-wire appliances, when properly placed on teeth, are designed to allow the force and resilience of unbent archwires to work with the preadjustments to guide the teeth into ideal positions.
Contemporary appliance system designers strive to identify the proper position desired for each tooth at the conclusion of fixed appliance therapy (mechanotherapy), so that the individual brackets can be pre-built to provide, in conjunction with an archwire, theoretically appropriate alignment forces to the respective teeth. For example, if a designer desires seven degrees of crown torque, then a seven degree torque angle has typically been built into the individual edgewise bracket by well-known methods. The amount of torque actually expressed by a bracket, however, is dependent upon the wire-to-slot deviation angle—referred to as slot "play." Some play generally exists between any archwire and an edgewise bracket slot, even if the archwire is considered "full-size" relative to the slot. This play reduces the actual torque provided by the system from its full and theoretically correct expression.
To compensate for inadequate torque built into many preadjusted bracket systems, positive (+) crown torque is commonly added to the upper anterior segment of rectangular or square archwires late in treatment. Similarly, it may be desirable to apply a small amount of lingual or negative (−) crown torque to the lower anterior (i.e., central and lateral) teeth early in treatment to maintain their "upright" orientation.
These anterior-specific torque treatments are handled in various ways. Orthodontists most often add positive crown torque to the upper anterior segment by manually bending the torque into the anterior portion of individual stainless steel archwires. Titanium-based alloy archwires, particularly nickel titanium (nitinol) archwires, are generally considered to be ideal for orthodontics, especially in comparison to stainless steel, largely due to the low force these wires impart to crowns, coupled with their outstanding shape memory. This "superelasticity" is more biocompatible, meaning that there is less chance of damaging the dentition by moving crowns too quickly. Titanium-based wires also provide more complete correction without the need to constantly change archwires due to permanent deformation. It is virtually impossible, however, for an orthodontist to manually bend torque into titanium-based archwires due to this outstanding resistance to permanent deformation. This is why, for the critical final torque moments that are commonly bent into archwires, orthodontists are generally limited to the high forces and low shape memory of stainless steel, as opposed to the far more comfortable and biocompatible forces of nickel titanium or other titanium-based alloys.
For purposes of this invention, it will be understood that the term "titanium-based alloy" is intended to include nickel titanium alloys (with or without other elements, such as copper, columbium, iron or aluminum), beta titanium alloys and near-beta titanium alloys.
Manually bending torque into individual stainless steel archwires is a complex procedure that requires tremendous clinical skill and experience. Even substantial skill and experience do not assure an orthodontist that the desired torque will be imparted to the archwire or that the desired correction will occur precisely for each patient. Moreover, since an orthodontist is almost always directly responsible for manually torquing individual archwires, a great deal of "chairtime" is required.
In regard to applying lingual crown torque to the lower anterior teeth early in the treatment process, this is commonly attempted by using lower anterior brackets which have small amounts of torque built into them. Since small archwires allow for too much "play" in the bracket slots to express low levels of built-in bracket torque, "full-size" archwires are required if there is to be any meaningful expression of the desired lingual torque. But using a large edgewise wire early in treatment is not recommended, since the force provided is likely to be excessive and may cause biocompatibility problems (e.g., an overall reduction in the length of the root of the tooth, referred to as root "resorption"). Likewise, building more torque into the lower anterior brackets to compensate for the archwire play of small wires is not recommended, since problems could arise later in treatment when larger edgewise wires are employed, as they would then begin to express excessive amounts of lingual crown torque.
Because of these various difficulties in anterior-specific torque treatment, pretorqued archwires have been developed in which torque is built directly into the wire during manufacture. Pretorqued wires save valuable chairtime over manual wirebending (particularly since application of them can often be delegated to an orthodontic assistant as a routine wire change), they have greater biocompatibility (if titanium-based wire is used) and they theoretically provide more accurate results.
Currently, several types of pretorqued archwires are available to the orthodontist. One is a preformed stainless steel archwire. These wires have the drawbacks, however, of high force, resultant poor biocompatibility and low shape memory. Also, the built-in torque in all presently known steel versions extends through both the anterior and the posterior segments of the wire. It is not common to add torque to the upper posterior teeth, and it is usually very undesirable to increase torque in the lower posterior teeth. Consequently, the current pretorqued stainless steel archwires are seen as providing little improvement, if any, over the common art of manually bending wires, and they have had very little success in the marketplace.
Pretorqued nickel titanium archwires have also been introduced, but the earliest of these achieved little commercial success since they did not meet certain critical criteria. Specifically, the positive built-in torque was not limited to the anterior segment, as desired for proper treatment. Rather, positive torque also extended into the posterior area, where negative crown torque, if any, is most desirable. The transition from passive to torqued (active) wire should ideally occur in the area between the lateral and cuspid brackets (distal to the lateral bracket and mesial to the cuspid bracket), but in the first available nitinol pretorqued archwires this transition area was very broad, with the result that too little torque force was imparted to the lateral teeth and/or an undesirable (positive) torque force was imparted to some of the posterior teeth.
To address these problems, Ortho Specialties, Inc. of Hickory Hills, Ill., developed an improved, pretorqued archwire in which positive built-in torque was limited to a segment of the wire that, in use, corresponded to the brackets attached to anterior teeth. As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,722,827 and 6,036,489 (assigned to Ortho Specialties), torque was built into the anterior segment, being maximized at the centerpoint and adjacent the central teeth brackets and then decreasing continuously along the remaining length of the anterior segment. The torque diminished to zero in transition segments between the corresponding adjacent lateral and cuspid brackets, and the posterior segments of the archwire (extending distally from the transition segments), generally included no built-in torque.
Over time, Ortho Specialties further modified this pretorqued archwire design so that substantially the same positive torque was built into the entire anterior segment, generally in the range of +10° to +50°, and preferably about +20°. As before, the posterior segments generally include no built-in torque. This archwire is manufactured for Ortho Specialties by Ultimate Wire Company of Bristol, Conn.


A system and method for presenting chat group sessions at wireless mobile terminals is disclosed. The system includes plural wireless mobile terminals, each having a display screen. Each mobile terminal is capable of displaying a chat conversation that is updated in near real-time so that messages in the conversation progressively scroll on the screen. In addition, at least one of the mobile terminals is configured to present a text edit area on a portion of it screen while showing the chat conversation on another portion of the screen. A text editor resident in the mobile terminal permits a user to compose a message in the text edit area while simultaneously viewing the chat conversation as it progresses. The message can be a response to the conversation currently being displayed.

Text and, to a lesser degree, speech chatting systems, are generally known in the art, particularly in relation to personal computing systems. Published U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2001/0042095 A1; 2001/0011293 A1; and 2002/0023128 A1 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,212,548 and 6,286,034 illustrate exemplary system and user interfaces used today. A common feature of such systems is that the various conversations (or threads) are usually split out into distinct regions (or windows) on the display or screen. Furthermore, when a single thread comprises a plurality of both text and speech exchanges, such systems usually separate the two modalities. The speech is usually played over a speaker, whereas the plurality of text messages are displayed on the screen. Users have no means to reference old speech messages or distinguish when they occurred in the thread relative to other messages in that thread.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0023128 A1 ("the '128 Publication") describes a system where the screen area is split into six distinct windows. One window presents a chat history of one thread (the thread in focus) while another window displays a chat history of the combined plurality of the remaining threads. A chat history comprises a plurality of entries displayed on the screen that describe both inbound (i.e., received by the user's mobile terminal) and outbound (i.e., sent by the user's mobile terminal) chat messages. The entries are usually displayed on the screen in chronological order and usually only describe text messages.
Although the above described chat systems fulfill the needs of some chat group users, they focus primarily on large screens such as those found on personal computers. Viewable regions on the screen are dedicated to particular functionality. Such interfaces are not well suited for devices where the display area is small. On small screen devices, such as mobile devices, dedicating a region exclusively for text entry or other transient functionality consumes precious screen area. Such schemes do not allow the device to take full advantage of available screen display area when transient functionality (e.g., editing a new message.) is not in use.
Common practices on mobile device today usually transition the user through a series of screens. For example, when it is time to edit a message, the conventional practice on limited screen devices is to move the user from a chat history screen that occupies the entire content display region of the screen to a text editing screen, which also occupies the content display region of the screen. Such schemes do not allow a user to view a chat history as it progresses in real time while the user composes a message. When there is an incoming message, the user must move back to the history screen to see if the message currently being composed is still relevant given the context of messages received. A user interface that addresses such issues greatly enhances the desirability and convenience of participating in a chat session. Therefore, there is a need to provide a wireless chat messaging system that has an improved user interface at the mobile units, which permits the simultaneous display of chat threads and composition and/or editing of response messages on demand, taking into account limitations of mobile devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for displaying group chat sessions on wireless mobile terminals


The present invention has an object to provide a solvent-free polyester-based adhesive composition having good coatability and capable of forming an adhesive that shows good adhesion performance. The present invention provides a polyester-based adhesive composition containing a polyester having Mw of from 1×103 to 20×103 as a main component and a trifunctional or more polyepoxy compound as a crosslinking agent, and containing substantially no organic solvent. The molar number, mOH, of hydroxyl group contained in a polyalcohol component constituting the polyester is from 0.5 to 0.98 times of the molar number, mCOOH, of carboxyl group contained in a polycarboxylic acid component. The composition has a viscosity at 23° C. of at most 80 Pa·s.

A polyester-based adhesive (this may be referred to as a pressure-sensitive adhesive—the same shall apply hereinafter) is typically formed by applying a liquid composition (polyester-based adhesive composition), which has been prepared by dissolving or dispersing an adhesive-forming component containing a polyester and its crosslinking agent in an organic solvent, onto a substrate, followed by drying and curing (crosslinking) the composition. Recently, from the viewpoint of environmental considerations, production costs and others, the request for refraining from using organic solvents (this may be referred to as organic mediums) in the production process for adhesive compositions and/or pressure-sensitive adhesive sheets is increasing. A polyester-based adhesive composition does not indispensably require using an organic solvent in synthesis (through polycondensation) of the polyester, and is therefore expected to satisfy the above-mentioned requisition.
In general, however, a polyester suitable for the use for adhesives has a relatively high molecular weight and therefore the viscosity thereof in a temperature range around room temperature is too high for coating. Accordingly, in an ordinary conventional polyester-based adhesive composition, the polyester is diluted with an organic solvent to improve the coatability with the composition. A polyester having a lower molecular weight tends to have a lower viscosity, but in conventional technology, it has been difficult to realize an adhesive capable of exhibiting sufficient adhesion performance (especially adhesive force) by the use of a polyester having a low molecular weight to such a level that could attain good coatability even without diluted with an organic solvent.
Patent References 1 and 2 relate to a polyester-based adhesive composition and describe a technique that satisfies both coatability and adhesiveness of a solvent-free composition. However, the cured product (adhesive) formed of such composition is poor in tackiness (stickiness) in a room temperature range and therefore could not be pressure-bonded to an adherend (that is, could not produce adhesive force) at around room temperature, and accordingly, the composition is unsuitable to an adhesive.


A preferred embodiment comprises a method for obtaining predictive information (e.g., volatility) for inhomogeneous financial time series. Major steps of the method comprise the following: (1) financial market transaction data is electronically received by a computer over an electronic network; (2) the received financial market transaction data is electronically stored in a computer-readable medium accessible to the computer; (3) a time series z is constructed that models the received financial market transaction data; (4) an exponential moving average operator is constructed; (5) an iterated exponential moving average operator is constructed that is based on the exponential moving average operator; (6) a linear, time-translation-invariant, causal operator Ω[z] is constructed that is based on the iterated exponential moving average operator; (7) values of one or more predictive factors relating to the time series z and defined in terms of the operator Ω[z] are calculated by the computer; and (8) the values calculated by the computer are stored in a computer readable medium.

Time series are the common mathematical framework used to represent the world of economics and finance. Among time series, the first important classification can be done according to the spacing of data points in time. Regularly spaced time series are called homogeneous, irregularly spaced series are inhomogeneous. An example of a homogeneous time series is a series of daily data, where the data points are separated by one day (on a business time scale, which omits the weekends and holidays) .
In most references on time series analysis, the time series to be treated are restricted to the filed of homogeneous time series (see, e.g., Granger C. W. J. and Newbold P., 1977, Forecasting economic time series, Academic Press, London; Priestley M. B., 1989, Non-linear and non-stationary time series analysis, Academic Press, London; Hamilton J. D., 1994, Time Series Analysis, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.) (hereinafter, respectively, Granger and Newbold, 1977; Priestley, 1989; Hamilton, 1994). This restriction induces numerous simplifications, both conceptually and computationally, and was justified before fast, inexpensive computers and high-frequency time series were available.
Current empirical research in finance is confronted with an ever-increasing amount of data, caused in part by increased computer power and communication speed. Many time series can be obtained at high frequency, often at market tick-by-tick frequency. These time series are inhomogeneous, since market ticks arrive at random times. Inhomogeneous time series by themselves are conceptually simple; the difficulty lies in efficiently extracting and computing information from them.

Methods for analysis of financial markets


The present invention provides a frosting foil for use in connection with frosting and/or coloring a subject's hair. The frosting foil includes a sleeve, an adhesive surface, and a backing material. The sleeve is sized to receive the tail of a tail comb so that a stylist may pick up and properly place the foil at a strand of hair desired to be treated. The adhesive attaches the foil to the strand of hair to prevent movement of the foil. Further, the adhesive permits the foil to be folded into place so that all of the foils may be placed prior to the addition of any coloring agent. After placement of the foils, each foil may be sequentially opened and a coloring agent placed on the strand of the hair contained in the foil.

Coloring, highlighting and frosting hair have become popular methods of altering or accenting the color and/or look of a person's hair.
Typically, a coloring agent having a dye or bleach is painted onto a subject's hair. However, this results in the inability for a stylist to accurately control which strands of hair are colored and which are not, and could result in the running of the agent such that it contacts and damages the subject's scalp.
Other methods of coloring or frosting hair include covering the subject's hair with a cap having plurality of holes and utilizing a hook to pull strands of hair out of the cap. Once the desired strands of hair extend out of the cap, a coloring agent can be applied to those strands. However, this method is time consuming, imprecise and possibly painful to the person whose hair is being treated.
Another extensively used method of treating hair involves the use of a foil. In this case, strands of hair are separated from the subject's hair and placed on a small foil. Then, the coloring agent is applied to the hair. Then the foil is folded to enclose and encase the hair to be treated. The foil is then positioned to permit work on the next strand of hair.
There are, however, numerous problems associated with the foil method, notably, that the foil tends to move about during the application of the coloring agent thereby contacting other portions of hair and leaving a "spotted" look. Additionally, because the foil may be positioned in an upright position after application of the coloring agent, there exists the danger of seepage of the coloring agent from the foil to one's scalp. Additionally, this method prevents the stylist from viewing the placement of the foils until after the coloring agent is placed, resulting in potentially coloring too much or too little of the hair. Further, because the coloring agent is applied after each individual foil is positioned, there are frequently timing problems relating to the amount of time the coloring agent is on the hair, resulting in over processing or under processing the subject's hair. Also, there is a problem with dissipation of the strength of the coloring agent over time between application of the first and last foil.


The present disclosure relates to a method and device for reporting the quality of a mobile streaming service. A terminal device receiving a mobile streaming service through at least one communication network measures the quality of the streaming service, generates, on the basis of the measurement result, a mobile service quality indicator for monitoring QoS or QoE, and reports the generated mobile service quality indicator in real time through an MQI message, an NAM feedback message, or the like, thereby enabling network conditions to be effectively monitored even in a mobile streaming environment.

Descriptions made in this section merely provide background information of embodiments of the present disclosure and do not constitute conventional art.
A real-time multimedia service, which is one of multimedia data transmission schemes, refers to a manner of playing back or consuming audio and video contents. Such real-time multimedia services may be classified into a conversational service, an interactive service, and a streaming service according to service types. Among them, the streaming service enables a real-time playback of multimedia data as soon as only a part of the data is received even though the whole data are not downloaded.
Compared to a download service, the streaming service is capable of further ensuring a real-time characteristic in a live broadcast.
Meanwhile, a pattern of consuming the streaming service by users is changing from using a wired network streaming service based on an Internet protocol television (IPTV) to using a wireless network streaming service based on a mobile device. Therefore, there is the trend toward an increase in traffic of a mobile streaming service, and it is very important to realize a service level agreement (SLA) in a mobile streaming service environment.
In addition, a mobile streaming service environment often confronts a severe variation in comparison with a streaming service environment based on a wired network. It is therefore required to check periodically, or if necessary, quality indicators related to the streaming service in the mobile network so as to provide a stable service.
Unfortunately, while the wired network streaming service based on the IPTV allows a set-top box to monitor a quality of service (QoS) or a quality of experience (QoE) in real time, the mobile streaming environment has difficulty in monitoring network conditions, such as QoS or QoE, in real time.

Method for reporting QoS/QoE in mobile environment and device therefor


A fuel injector, in particular for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, having a valve-closure member which cooperates with a valve-seat surface formed on a valve-seat body, to form a sealing seat, includes at least one spray-discharge orifice provided downstream from the sealing seat. The spray-discharge orifice has a guide region and an exit region arranged at its discharge-side end. The exit region widens in a stepped manner by at least one first step and/or at least in part continuously beginning with a transition from the guide region into the exit region. A fuel jet which emerges from the guide region at the transition and widens essentially uniformly at a jet angle, passes a discharge-side end of the exit region with a gap dimension of a gap after a distance s, the gap dimension being greater than zero and a first volume remaining in the exit region between the fuel jet and the inner walls of the exit region.

A fuel injector having a stepped spray-discharge orifice is described in German Patent Application No. DE 199 37 961 A1, for example. The spray-discharge orifice is divided into a through hole and a discharge-side or flow-off-side exit region, the exit region differing from the through hole in form, contour and size.
A particular disadvantage of the fuel injector described in the aforementioned printed publication is that, given a correspondingly broadened fuel jet emerging from the through hole, parts of the exit region may be directly exposed to the action of the fuel. In addition, in an exit region whose contour and size is similar to that of the fuel jet, no other volume remains in the exit region. As a result of both disadvantages, fuel remains in the vicinity of the discharge orifice after the spray-discharge operation since hardly any gas turbulence, which removes fuel from the region of the spray-discharge orifice once the injection process has been completed, is able to form. This can cause combustion deposits to form after a short operating time, which have a disadvantageous effect on the further operation of the fuel injector. In addition, the fuel residue that remains in the region of the spray-discharge orifice after the discharge operation increases the emission values and the fuel consumption.
Furthermore, it is impossible to fully adapt the length/width ratio and the fuel pressure to the various requirements of different internal combustion engines.


An integrated flexible thermoelectric device includes p-type carbon nanoparticle regions and n-type carbon nanoparticle regions which are alternately and continuously connected to each other. In particular, the p-type carbon nanoparticle regions and the n-type carbon nanoparticle regions are formed on the one carbon nanoparticle paper.

Thermoelectric conversion means energy conversion between thermal energy and electrical energy. For example, a temperature difference occurs across a thermoelectric material when current is passed through the thermoelectric material (Peltier effect), or vice-versa, electricity occurs when the temperature difference is present across the thermoelectric material (Seebeck effect).
Further, by using the Seebeck effect, heat generated from a computer, an engine part of a vehicle, an industrial plant, or the like may be converted into electrical energy. Thermoelectric power generation using the Seebeck effect may be utilized as a new renewable energy source. As the interest in the development of new energy, recovery of waste energy, protection of environment, or the like, has recently increased, the interest in a thermoelectric device has also increased.
A thermoelectric device according to the related art includes n-type materials and p-type materials, and electrodes are bonded to end portions of the n-type materials and the p-type materials, which are connected to each other through the electrodes. In this case, when bonding the electrodes, pressure is applied mostly at a high temperature.
However, in such process of connecting the n-type materials and the p-type materials using the electrodes, although the electrodes are formed of a material having low specific resistivity, the electrodes may be a factor that increases internal resistance of the thermoelectric device. Even in the case in which the n-type materials and the p-type materials are directly bonded to each other, resistance of a bonded portion may be increased, which may cause the internal resistance of the thermoelectric device to be increased.
Meanwhile, a semiconductor metal material or a ceramic material has been used mostly for the thermoelectric materials with high performance. The above-mentioned materials may have excellent thermoelectric characteristics, however, they may have high density. Therefore, in order to produce a large amount of power, since a large amount of materials is required, mass or weight thereof may be increased. As such, the thermoelectric device using the corresponding material may not be applied to an automobile industry or a mobile industry that requires weight reduction. In addition, since thermoelectric materials based on an inorganic material are limited in terms of deformation of a form thereof and have high brittleness, they are likely to be broken by vibration or impact.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Integrated flexible thermoelectric device and method of manufacturing the same

Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation


Disclosed is an image processing apparatus, including: an averaging processing unit to periodically execute an averaging processing of applying an averaging pattern to a processing target image and replacing each pixel value in a pixel group corresponding to the averaging pattern with an average value of the pixel values; a resolution converting unit to perform a resolution converting processing to the processing target image, the resolution converting processing converting a resolution R1 of the processing target image into a resolution R2 (R1<R2); a screen processing unit to perform a screen processing to a processed image which has been processed by the averaging processing, the screen processing applying a screen pattern to the processed image at the same or almost the same period as that of the averaging processing; and a control unit to control the averaging processing unit, the resolution converting unit and the screen processing unit such that the averaging processing, the resolution converting processing and the screen processing are performed in this order to the processing target image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that perform averaging processing, screen processing, and resolution converting processing to a target image, which is a processing target.
2. Description of Related Art
If screen processing is performed to an original image in order to express a half tone when the original image is printed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-309183), a peculiar repetitive pattern called as moiré is sometimes generated in an output image by interference between the period of the halftone dot structure of the original and the period of a pattern applied in the screen processing. In order to prevent the generation of the moiré, it is effective to put the period structure on the original side into disorder, and averaging processing has hitherto been performed for the purpose of putting the period structure into disorder.
However, because the averaging processing averages the detail parts (particulars) of an image together with the period structure of the original image, the averaging processing has a problem of reducing the sharpness of the image. Accordingly, the methods of according the period of the averaging processing with that of the screen processing for holding the sharpness were disclosed (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2004-364084 and 2006-14262).
However, it has become possible to heighten the resolution of an output image by the advancement of the printing technique, and the present state of things is that the resolution at the time of outputting is higher than that at the time of reading. An image processing apparatus performs resolution converting processing to an original image after reading to produce an original image having higher resolution and further performs screen processing to the processed original image to produce an output image. At this time, the order of the processing becomes a problem. That is, because the image data quantity to be processed at a subsequent stage increases by the heightened resolution if resolution converting processing is performed at first, a line buffer memory for holding data should have a large capacity. For example, if resolution is converted from 600 dpi to 1,200 dpi, averaging processing is performed using a matching table for 6′6 pixels as shown in FIG. 19A before resolution conversion, and consequently line buffer memories for five lines are sufficient. However, because the size of the matching table becomes 12′12 pixels as shown in FIG. 19B to be twice after resolution conversion, line buffer memories for 11 lines become necessary. This increases the cost and delays processing.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2001-309183, 2004-364084, and 2006-14262 do not disclose any configuration considering the problems owing to the resolution conversion. The image processing apparatus described in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-309183 is provided with a plurality of image memories arranged between two pieces of filter processing, but such a configuration expands the circuit size and cannot resolve the heightening of cost accompanying the expansion of the circuit size.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method including averaging processing, screen processing, and resolution converting processing

Konica Minolta Business Technologes, Inc.


A method of forming fine metal interconnect patterns includes forming an insulating film on a substrate, forming a plurality of mold patterns with first spaces therebetween on the insulating film, such that the mold patterns have a first layout, forming metal hardmask patterns in the first spaces by a damascene process, removing the mold patterns, etching the insulating film through the metal hardmask patterns to form insulating film patterns with second spaces therebetween, the second spaces having the first layout, and forming metal interconnect patterns having the first layout in the second spaces by the damascene process.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of forming fine metal semiconductor patterns with a reduced pitch therebetween using a damascene process.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, manufacturing of highly integrated semiconductor devices may require formation of a large number of miniaturized elements, e.g., semiconductor patterns, and integration thereof within a small area. Conventional formation of semiconductor patterns, e.g., interconnect patterns, may be achieved via, e.g., photolithography and film patterning. For example, semiconductor patterns may be film patterned by etching a conductive film, e.g., a tungsten (W) film, via embossed hardmask patterns. Integration of the semiconductor patterns within a small area may require a reduced pitch therebetween, i.e., a reduced sum of a width of a single semiconductor pattern and a width of a single gap between adjacent semiconductor patterns.
However, reducing a pitch between adjacent semiconductor patterns may be limited when using photolithography due to resolution restrictions. Further, reducing a pitch between adjacent semiconductor patterns, e.g., interconnect patterns, when using, e.g., tungsten, film patterning may be limited due to generation of a resistance capacitance (RC) delay by a coupling capacitor. Accordingly, attempts have been made to form semiconductor patterns via patterning of copper (Cu) due to its low resistance, as compared to tungsten and/or aluminum, and relative stability to electro-migration (EM) and/or stress-migration (SM).
Despite the reliability imparted to a semiconductor devices having copper semiconductor patterns due to the low resistance thereof, formation of such semiconductor patterns may be complex because of poor etch characteristics of the copper. More specifically, formation of copper semiconductor patterns may require film patterning via a damascene process instead of direct etching through embossed masks. For example, negative patterns may be formed, e.g., with a silicate mask, in an insulating film, followed by filling of the negative patterns with copper.
However, formation of a plurality of negative patterns with a fine pitch therebetween, e.g., about several nanometers to about several tens of nanometers, in an insulating film by way of a damascene process may be complex even when double patterning is used. For example, a reduced pitch between adjacent negative patterns may provide uneven and/or inaccurate pattern profiles, and may potentially trigger a pattern collapse and/or electrical failures. Further, it may be difficult to form simultaneously negative patterns with varying dimensions, e.g., fine patterns for a cell array region and larger patterns for circuit elements in peripheral regions, in a single insulating film. Accordingly, there exists a need for a method of forming a plurality of fine semiconductor patterns with reduced pitch therebetween by way of a damascene process.

Method of forming fine metal patterns for a semiconductor device using a damascene process


A garment pocket reinforcement including a trapezoidally shaped insert having a bottom edge, a substantially straight side edge, a sloped side edge, a first shoulder edge, a second shoulder edge and a semi circular transitional edge. The first shoulder edge and the second shoulder edge of the insert are respectively sewn to a right shoulder seam and a left shoulder seam of a shirt. The bottom edge of the insert is sewn to the back side of a pocket disposed on the shirt. The insert further includes a transitional band of material which is used to attach the semi-circular transitional edge of the insert to a collar of the shirt along the front half of the neck line. The shoulders of the shirt also include small arches which are taking up on both front and back sides of both the right and left shoulder seems.

Various garment improvements have been accomplished over the years since garments were first conceived. One improvement was to add a pocket to the front chest area of a shirt to, inter alia, provide a means for carrying various articles. However, one problem frequently encountered by some is that the load on the pocket may cause the pocket to stretch outwardly and downwardly and likewise cause pulling or tension upon the top of the shirt thereby distorting the neck line. This is an especially prevalent problem to those persons who carry a plurality of writing implements or other such weighty items in that front shirt pocket. In the past, as the amount of weight increased within and upon such a shirt pocket, so did the amount of distress on the pocket and the shirt as a whole increase.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicants are aware and is included herewith to discharge applicants' acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
______________________________________ INVENTOR ISSUE DATE PATENT NO. ______________________________________ Schroeder October 31, 1916 1,203,057 Harsh 1,488,539 Feiss 1,578,969 Sullivan 1,599,687 Fishman 2,240,902 McDonald 2,601,046 Sbarra, et al. 2,688,752 Kingston, et al. October 5, 1954 2,690,564 Cox, et al. 4,171,542 Portwood, et al. Des. 269,221 Bowditch 4,510,626 Cliff 4,813,081 Chittenden 5,075,900 Vollrath 5,075,901 Turner 5,094,648 Clark 5,175,888 Colling Des. 373,673 ______________________________________


The invention relates to a valve block, in particular a hydraulic valve block, which comprises a basic body having a base area and a plurality of blind holes, in particular valve bores, and lamellae, having a plurality of valve actuating devices, in particular electromagnets, and having a plurality of connections, in particular hydraulic connections. The invention is distinguished by the fact that the basic body has an encircling sealing surface, running obliquely relative to the base area, for a protective hood, in particular an oil pan.

The present invention relates to a valve block, in particular a hydraulic valve block, which includes a basic body having a base area and a plurality of blind bores, in particular valve bores and lamellae, having a plurality of valve actuating devices, in particular electromagnets, and having a plurality of connections, in particular hydraulic connections.
An object of the present invention is to optimize a valve block with regard to the requisite construction space.

LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteilligungs KG


The invention relates to a method of fabricating a structure with field-effect transistors each comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a channel extending between the source and drain electrodes and at least one gate electrode associated with the channel for controlling the conductance of the channel, wherein the channel comprises one or more semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes. The method includes the steps of    a) depositing a plurality of single-wall carbon nanotubes on a substrate, the carbon nanotubes including a mixture of metallic carbon nanotubes and semiconducting carbon nanotubes,    b) providing before or after step a) source and drain electrodes on the substrate so that one or more carbon nanotubes extend between the source and drain electrodes,    c) applying a variable gate voltage to switch off the semiconducting tubes extending between the source and drain electrodes,    d) wetting the surface of the structure including the transistors with a chemical to achieve a chemical bond between a radical supplied by the chemical and some carbon atoms of the metallic nanotubes, whereby these metallic nanotubes become non-conductive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a method of fabricating a structure with field-effect transistors each comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a channel extending between the source and drain electrodes and at least one gate electrode associated with the channel for controlling the conductance of the channel, wherein the channel comprises one or more semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes.
2. Prior Art
Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are prospective components of nanoscale and molecular electronic devices. For instance, field-effect transistors (FETs) have been successfully fabricated from single semiconducting SWCNTs. The overall performance of SWCNT-FETs has been reported to be superior to that of state-of-the-art silicon-based MOSFETs, as reflected in the values of the drive current and transconductance being higher by a factor of four. Moreover, devices implementing CVD-grown SWCNTs have shown extremely high hole mobilities of up to 9000 cm2/Vs. With palladium as the electrode material, Schottky-barrier-free ballistic FETs have recently been realized, which exhibit high drive currents, good transconductance and switching ratios of 106.
In contrast to the remarkable achievements made with devices based upon individual SWCNTs, the use of nanotubes in large-scale electronics still faces several limitations which arise from the fact that all fabrication procedures developed to date yield mixtures of metallic and semiconducting tubes. In addition, the SWCNTs produced by bulk methods such as the arc discharge or HiPCO process (high pressure pyrolysis of carbon monoxide) are entangled in bundles. As a consequence, the electrical transport through such SWCNT ensembles is usually dominated by metallic pathways, and therefore only weak electric field effects on the conductance are attainable. For the goal of fabricating nanotube FETs two strategies have heretofore been followed to overcome this problem.
First, various solution-based techniques have been devised to separate metallic nanotubes from semiconducting ones, i.e. before they are adsorbed onto the substrate. These techniques rely upon differences in the physissorption properties, the capability to undergo charge transfer reactions or the different dielectric constants of the two types of SWCNTs:
For example, dispersing a SWCNT soot with octadecylamine (ODA) in tetrahydrofuran results in a physissorbed coating of ODA onto the sidewalls of the semiconducting SWCNTs due to the higher affinity of the latter to ODA. The metallic SWCNTs can then be separated by precipitation.
Similarly, the SWCNTs can be dispersed with single-stranded DNA yielding SWCNTs wrapped with DNA molecules. Anion exchange chromatography can then be used to extract an enriched fraction of metallic tubes utilizing the difference in surface charge between the DNA-metallic and the DNA-semiconducting SWCNTs.
Still another method relies on the increased capability of charge-transfer complex formation by bromine with the metallic nanotubes, resulting in the ability to separate one type from the other just by using centrifugation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the varying dielectric constants of the metallic and semiconducting tubes can be utilized in separating the metallic nanotubes alone from a suspension through alternating current dielectrophoresis.
However, in none of these techniques can a 100% separation of the metallic nanotubes from the semiconducting ones be achieved, which is mainly due to the fact that the methods used are not selective exclusively to either the metallic or the semiconducting tubes.
The other approach utilizes the fact that the semiconducting SWCNTs can be turned to the insulating (OFF) state via application of a gate voltage. By ramping the drain-source voltage to sufficiently high potentials under the presence of oxygen, it is possible to burn off the metallic nanotubes. This destructive approach which has until now successfully been applied to individual SWCNT bundles has the disadvantage that adjacent semiconducting tubes may be affected in a negative way. Specifically, high current densities in the metallic nanotubes can heat up adjacent semiconducting tubes in the bundle thereby inducing defects in the semiconducting SWCNTs which can deteriorate device parameters such as charge carrier mobility.

Method of fabricating carbon nanotube field-effect transistors through controlled electrochemical modification

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften e.V.


The carotid artery plaque properties are quantitatively determined by a carotid artery echo whereby predicting incidence of cerebral infarction or myocardial infarct. A method includes obtaining, coloring, and displaying steps. In the obtaining step, the integrated amounts per unit time of echo signals corresponding to pixels of an echo image of carotid artery plaque are obtained. The signals are obtained when the image is obtained by an IBS method. In the coloring step, the relationship between ranges and colors is referenced. The available full range of the integrated amount is previously divided into the ranges. The colors are assigned to the ranges. The pixels are classified into the ranges in accordance with the integrated amounts corresponding to the pixels. The pixels of the image are colored in colors corresponding to the ranges of the pixels. In the displaying step, the colored echo image is displayed on a display portion 30.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carotid-artery-plaque ultrasound-imaging method, a carotid-artery-plaque evaluating device, a carotid-artery-plaque evaluating program, and a computer-readable storage medium that can noninvasively evaluate the properties of plaque in carotid artery by using ultrasound examination (ultrasonic pulse).
2. Description of the Related Art
Diagnosis of carotid artery plaque tissue characteristics can be used not only to evaluate stroke risk but also to predict ischemic heart disease events or to estimate therapeutic effect of lipid lowering drug for dyslipidemia. In particular, for diabetes mellitus, this diagnosis is important to estimate the prognosis or QOL of a patient.
Presently, intravascular ultrasound examination (IVUS) is used as invasive diagnosis of carotid artery plaque properties. However, the intravascular ultrasound requires catheterization in which a catheter type ultrasonic probe is inserted into a blood vessel. For this reason, the intravascular ultrasound cannot be performed for everyone. Accordingly, patients needs hospital care. As a result, it is difficult to repeatedly conduct the intravascular ultrasound.
Contrary to this, CT and MRI are used for noninvasive diagnosis of the properties. However, there is a problem with radiation exposure in the case of CT, while there is a problem that the resolution is poor in the case of MRI. In addition, CT and MRI require a large-scale device. For this reason, these noninvasive diagnosis methods cannot be conducted in a small clinic. Also, outpatients cannot freely have these noninvasive diagnosis methods.
On the other hand, a carotid artery ultrasound examination that uses echo is also used to evaluate the properties of plaque that is included in carotid artery. It is said that tissue property diagnosis can be conducted based on the echo plaque properties by the carotid artery echo test. In general, it is said that echolucent plaque near the intensity of blood shows atheroma or hematoma, that isoechoic plaque near intima media or muscle shows fibrosis, and that hyperechoic plaque near bone shows calcified lesion. Cerebrovascular infarct risk can be predicted by diagnosis of plaque based on the level of intensity. Also, risk of coronary event coronary artery can be predicted by diagnosis of plaque based on the level of echo intensity. The carotid artery echo test is a noninvasive test which outpatients can easily have.
It is considered that the echo intensity of the carotid artery plaque provides observations of diseased tissue in arteriosclerosis (Non-patent Literature 3). Generally, plaque shown by low echo intensity in echo image richly contains lipid or macrophages, and is referred to as vulnerable (unstable) plaque. On the other hand, plaque shown by high echo intensity is plaque in an advanced stage of fibrosis or calcification, and is referred to as stable plaque. FIG. 1 is a graph showing comparison of occurrence frequencies of coronary artery disorder (event) in a few tens of years between the case where plaque shown by low echo intensity is included in echo image or not. As shown in this graph, it is reported that the event more likely to occur in the case where the low echo intensity plaque is included in the carotid artery relative to the case where the high echo intensity plaque is included. That is, it is said that, if a large amount of low echo intensity plaque is included in carotid artery, this means vulnerability or instability of coronary artery (Non-patent Literature 4).
However, the carotid artery echo test is not a quantitative test but a qualitative rest. For this reason, the test observation result will vary in accordance with the skill of evaluator. Accordingly, even the same plaque may result in different diagnosis results depending on evaluator or testing devices. As a result, there is a problem that it is difficult to properly evaluate tissue characteristics of the plaque (Non-patent Literature 1). In particular, since the echo image obtained by echo devices (ultrasonic diagnostic devices) is a gray scale image, plaque properties is evaluated based on discrimination in the gray scale echo image with eyeball in the carotid artery echo test as discussed above. However, when plaque properties are classified with the naked eye based on the echo intensity levels displayed in gray scale, since the criterion of intensity level discrimination is blurry, it is difficult to quantitatively evaluate plaque properties. For example, in the case where evaluators adjust the gain, gray scale intensity level, or contrast of echo image depending on their own judgment or preferences, even when the echo images of the same patient are obtained by the same echo device, the intensity will vary in accordance with the evaluators. For this reason, it is difficult to compare images with each other. As a result, there is problems that time-variation of a patient cannot be properly checked, and that patients' cases cannot be properly compared with each other. In addition, it is difficult to evaluate plaque properties in severely calcified lesion, high grade lesion such as high grade internal carotid artery lesion, tortuous vessel, or the like.
The ultrasound intensity of the plaque can be changed in accordance with gain adjustment or image adjustment function of an echo device. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, in the case where the gain of an echo device is set to 45, 50, and 66, the echo intensity of plaque is correspondingly changed as shown in FIGS. 17A, 17B, and 17C. For this reason, even when echo images of the same subject are obtained, the echo intensity levels will be different from each other. It can be understood that difficult to quantitatively evaluate plaque properties based on echo intensity.
The gray scale in conventional echo images is represented by the intensity value of each pixel of an echo image. However, when an echo image is produced, the echo image is subjected to a number of filtering processes. The intensity value varies depending on echo devices for measuring an echo. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, an RE signal waveform of ultrasonic reflection signal (integrated backscatter: IBS), which is raw data (RAW data) obtained by an ultrasonic probe, is amplified, rectified, demodulated, subjected to pulse compression, further amplified, and converted into its intensity value. These filtering processes are differently performed depending on echo devices. Accordingly, there is a problem that even the same RF signal will be represented by different levels in gray scale in the produced echo image.
To address this issue, a method as an example for improvement of carotid artery echo test has been developed which uses hydrazide conjugate as an imaging agent, and detects and monitors the properties of plaque (Patent Literature 1). Also, improvement of echo device, improvement of imaging process, and the like can be considered. However, these improvements are not succeeded up to now.
On the other hand, IVUS that is used not in carotid artery tests but in heart coronary artery tests is an invasive method in which a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. However, since IVUS analyses an echo wave that is directly reflected in the blood vessel, a good echo reflection wave can be obtained so that a good echo image can be produced. Form this viewpoint, various imaging methods have been studied (Patent Literature 2, Non-patent Literature 2).
However, if these methods are adapted to noninvasive carotid artery analysis, an echo reflection wave passes through skin or tissue. Since the echo reflection wave is analyzed, it is difficult to simply adopt these methods to noninvasive carotid artery analysis.

Carotid-artery-plaque ultrasound-imaging method and evaluating device


A ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector comprises a ZnS (Ag) scintillators layer 22 which is excited by incident α-rays and emits a scintillator light, a photomultiplier tube 16 which converts the scintillator light into an electric pulse signal, and a counting rate meter 34 which counts the obtained pulse signal. The scintillator layer has a thickness which is not less than a range of α-rays from α-ray emitting nuclides (natural radioactive nuclides) to be separated, which enables energy absorption of α-rays from the α-ray emitting nuclides to be separated to entirely occur in the scintillator layer, and which enables light shielding of the scintillator light generated in the scintillator layer by the scintillator layer itself to be neglected. A pulse height discrimination circuit 32 is further provided in a preceding stage of the counting rate meter. Thereby, the effect of the natural radioactive nuclides can be reduced and the contamination control can be efficiently and smoothly performed.

The ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector is relatively durable and inexpensive, and hence, is most extensively used for the radiation control of α-rays in nuclear facilities and the like. The ZnS (Ag) scintillator is a crystal (powder) with a trace of Ag as an activator added to ZnS, and emits scintillator light when excited by α-rays (see, for example, "Nuclear Energy Handbook (new edition)", 3.4 Measurement of Radioactive Rays, p. 73 to 78, published on Mar. 30, 1989, by Ohm-sha). The conventional detector measures the radioactivity of α-ray emitting nuclides contained in an object to be measured merely by counting pulse signals which are obtained by amplifying the scintillator light.
The above described ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector has a problem that the counting is affected by α-rays from natural radioactive nuclides (progenies of radon) in a period that static electricity is easily generated, and in an ill-ventilated place. This is because the conventional ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector is not provided with a pulse height discrimination function, and hence, is unable to discriminate between α-rays from a radioactive material to be detected and α-rays from progenies of radon, whereby the conventional ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector counts all the α-rays.
In order to properly perform the contamination control in nuclear facilities and the like, it is necessary to eliminate the effect of natural radioactive nuclides as much as possible, and to perform the counting of α-rays only from the radioactive material to be detected. However, this is difficult to be effected in the conventional ZnS (Ag) scintillation detector without the pulse height discrimination function.

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute


Virtual competitive group management systems and methods are provided herein. Exemplary systems may execute methods via one or more processors, which are programmed to compare one or more skill levels of a player to skill levels of a plurality competitors, wherein a skill level is associated with player competitiveness within the interactive game, determine at least one of the plurality of competitors who have at least one skill level that is greater than the skill level of the player, and place the player and the at least one of the plurality of competitors into a competitive group such that the player is at a competitive disadvantage to at least one of the plurality of competitors.

The facilitation of competitive groups in interactive games is typically an ad hoc process. End users may choose to form teams or other groupings of players, the details of which depend upon the type of interactive game being played. For example, in sports related interactive games, end users may cooperate as a team. In other instances, the system that manages the interactive game may assign players to groups in a random or predetermined manner.