Coatings are provided in which surfaces may be activated by covalently bonding a silane derivative to the metal surface, covalently bonding a lactone polymer to the silane derivative by in situ ring opening polymerization, and depositing at least one layer of a polyester on the bonded lactone. Biologically active agents may be deposited with the polyester layers. Such coated surfaces may be useful in medical devices, in particular stents.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a polymer coated metal surface in which at least one polymer layer is covalently bonded to the activated metal surface. The polymer coating may contain one or more biologically active agents. The polymer coated metal can be used in an implantable medical device such as a stent. The invention further relates to methods of coating metals surfaces and preparing medical devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many surgical interventions require the placement of a medical device into the body. While necessary and beneficial for treating a variety of medical conditions, the placement of metal or polymeric devices in the body can give rise to numerous complications. Some of these complications include increased risk of infection, initiation of a foreign body response resulting in inflammation and fibrous encapsulation, and/or initiation of a wound healing response resulting in hyperplasia and/or restenosis. These and other possible complications must be dealt with when introducing a metal or polymeric device into the body.
One approach to reducing the potential harmful effects of such an introduction has been to attempt to improve the biocompatibility of the device. While there are several methods available to improve the biocompatibility of devices, one method which has met with limited success is to provide the device with the ability to deliver biologically active agents to the vicinity of the implant. By so doing, some of the harmful effects that can be associated with the implantation of medical devices can be diminished. For example, antibiotics can be released from the device to minimize the possibility of infection, and anti-proliferative drugs can be released to inhibit hyperplasia. Another benefit to the local release of biologically active agents is the avoidance of toxic concentrations of drugs which are sometimes necessary when given systemically to achieve therapeutic concentrations at the site where they are needed.
Those skilled in the art of medical devices have been challenged to meet the several stringent criteria for implantable medical devices. Some of these challenges are: 1) the requirement, in some instances, for long term (days, weeks, or months) release of biologically active agents; 2) the need for a biocompatible, non-inflammatory surface on the device; 3) the need for significant durability, particularly with devices that undergo flexion and/or expansion when being implanted or used in the body; 4) concerns regarding processability, to enable the device to be manufactured in an economically viable and reproducible manner; and 5) the requirement that the finished device be capable of being sterilized using conventional methods.
Several implantable medical devices capable of delivering medicinal agents have been described. Several patents are directed to devices utilizing biodegradable or bioresorbable polymers as drug containing and releasing coatings, including Tang et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,193 and MacGregor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,071. Other patents are directed to the formation of a drug containing hydrogel on the surface of an implantable medical device, these include Amiden et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,698 and Sahatijian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,121. Still other patents describe methods for preparing coated intravascular stents via application of polymer solutions containing dispersed therapeutic material to the stent surface followed by evaporation of the solvent. This method is described in Berg et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,650.
A number of approaches have been used to try to overcome the challenges listed above. The below are examples of these approaches.
McPherson, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,855, describes methods for grafting hydrophilic polymers onto metal surfaces. This method included exposing the device surface to a silane coupling agent and causing the agent to be covalently bound to the device surface. The bonded silane layer was then exposed to a hydrophilic polymer such that the hydrophilic polymer became covalently bound to the silane layer.
Pinchuck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,048, describes curing a silane compound or compounds onto a surface to form a hydrophilic matrix. An antithrombogenic agent was then coupled to the amine group on the aminosilane three-dimensional matrix to provide a thromboresistant coating to the surface.
Lee, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,340, describes methods for coating oxide surfaces and coatings that rendered such surfaces hydrophilic. A functional group (Z) such as SiCl3 was associated with the surface. A tether of a hydrophobic covalent attachment, typically of approximately 5 to 20 bonds in length, was formed with Z. A biopolymer-resistant domain was then adhered to the tether to form the hydrophilic surface.
Hostettler, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,016, describes chemically treating metal surfaces to affix amine-containing groups. A "tie coat" of a hydrophilic polyurethane was then covalently attached to the amine groups to form a slippery, hydrophilic polyurethane hydrogel.
Kamath, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,029, describes applying at least one composite layer of a biologically active agent and a polymer to a base material by physical or covalent methods. At least one barrier layer was positioned over and applied to the composite layer by a low energy plasma polymerization process.
Shah, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,127, describes coatings for medical devices in which a silane coating is adhered on the surface of the substrate and a film containing a heparin-biopolymer complex is created on the surface by covalent linkages.
However, there remain significant problems to overcome in order to provide a durable implantable medical device capable of delivering a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active agent for an extended period of time. This is particularly true when the coating composition must be kept on the device in the course of flexion and/or expansion of the device during implantation or use. It is desirable to have a facile and easily processable method of controlling the rate of biologically active agent release from the surface of the device.
Although a variety of polymers have previously been described for use as drug release coatings, only a small number possess the physical characteristics that would render them useful for implantable medical devices which undergo flexion and/or expansion upon implantation. Many polymers which demonstrate good drug release characteristics, when used alone as drug delivery vehicles, provide coatings that are too brittle to be used on devices which undergo flexion and/or expansion. Other polymers can provide an inflammatory response when implanted. These or other polymers demonstrate good drug release characteristics for one drug but very poor characteristics for another.
In many respects, the success of a polymer coating depends on the nature of the contact between at least the polymer layer adjacent to the metal surface and the underlying metal surface. In particular, if the polymer cracks or peels away from the metal surface, the polymer and any biologically active agent contained therein may decrease in performance. If the polymer layer is designed to contain a biologically active agent to be released, the resulting polymer/biologically active agent composite may be prone to dilation, swelling, degradation, and/or volume changes because of interactions of the incorporated compound with aqueous environments of the body. Also, following the penetration of water into the polymer layer, dissolution of the compound and its subsequent release, may change the structure and porosity of the composite. In addition, due to penetration of water following drug dissolution, the polymer layer could be exposed to a mechanical stress due to osmotic forces. These effects may result in detachment of the polymer layer and its peeling from the metal surface. Further, the changes in the geometry of the polymer layer and the available surface area are potential sources of unpredictabilit of the release rate for the incorporated compounds. Due to a combination of these factors the performance of the system decreases.
Accordingly, there is a persistent need for an improved polymer coating of metallic implants that provides a stable, biocompatible and low-profile polymer coating that, at the same time, provides a long-term release of biologically active agents for periods extending to weeks or months. Thus, there is a need for a method for securing the highly reproducible deposition of the polymer coating layer on the article surface. In many instances the polymer layer has to be thin enough so that it does not restrict the flexibility and adaptation of the metal device. Also, the polymer layer must resist damage due to device handling or deformation.


A brushless motor apparatus includes a fixedly arranged stator 14, a rotor 12 rotated in a manner sequentially excited by a plurality of excitation patterns, a magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet 16 fixed to the rotor and having twice the number of poles of the rotor, and a position detecting element 18 arranged opposite to the magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet and detecting the position of magnetic poles of the rotor, and further includes a motor drive circuit serving as a control such that when the stator is excited with a different excitation pattern between regular excitation patterns on normal operation at the time of phase matching carried out upon actuation of a power source, the rotation angle of the rotor is one-half the rotation angle corresponding to the regular excitation pattern.

Conventionally, a brushless motor apparatus is used as the driving source of an on-vehicle EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve or an actuator for exhaust emission control such as a VG (Variable Geometric) turbo actuator, for example. The brushless motor apparatus includes, for example, a stator where the number of its slots is "9," a rotor where the number of its poles is "8," a magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet where the number of its poles is the same as that of the rotor "8," and a Hall element detecting the rotational position of the rotor by detecting the magnetism of the magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet.
In recent years, a brushless motor apparatus where the number of poles of the magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet is "16" that is twice as large as that of a conventional detecting magnet has been developed in order to increase the resolution in the detection of the rotational position of the rotor (see Patent Document 1, for example). The brushless motor apparatus can double the accuracy with which a conventional brushless motor apparatus detects the rotational position of the rotor.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2002-252958
In the brushless motor apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, it is required to first detect the phase of the rotor upon actuation of a power source. The phase detection is done by giving current supply patterns sequentially to the stator at a fixed duty cycle to switch excitation patterns in sequence; however, when the rotor rotates by those excitation patterns and stops at stabilization points according to the excitation patterns, mechanical vibration is caused in the time elapsing before the rotor rests at a stabilization point. Since the engine is not yet usually started upon actuation of the power source, the surroundings are very quiet. Therefore, there occurs a problem that the mechanical vibration caused by the rotation of the rotor is transferred to the shaft or other linkage mechanisms to cause the reverberating sounds to grate on the ear.
Further, since the number of poles of the magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet is increased twice as large as that of conventional one, even if, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the state of the output patterns of three Hall ICs (an IC into which Hall elements are built) arranged so as to be opposed to the magnetic-pole-position detecting magnet completes a full circle, the amount of travel of the rotor (the amount of rotation of the rotor) brought by the excitation patterns is half that of the conventional detecting magnet. For this reason, it is required to judge whether the state of the output patterns of the Hall ICs assuming the present position belongs to area A or area B. If the present position thereof is judged to exist in area B in spite of the fact that the position actually exists in area A, there occurs a problem such that the direction where the rotor is to be rotated may be opposite from an intended direction.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a brushless motor apparatus where the generation of sound grating on the ear occurring upon actuation of the power source can be reduced, and the rotation of the rotor in the direction opposite from the intended one can be prevented.


A method for full-wafer processing of laser diodes with cleaved facets combining the advantages of full-wafer processing, to date known from processing lasers with etched facets, with the advantages of cleaved facets. The steps being: defining the position of the facets to be cleaved by scribing marks into the top surface of a laser structure comprising epitaxially grown layers, these scribed marks being perpendicular to the optical axis of the lasers to be made, the scribed marks being parallel, their distance (l.sub.c) defining the length of the laser cavities and the distance (l.sub.b) between the facets of neighboring laser diodes; and covering the uppermost portion with an etch mask pattern which provides for etch windows between the scribed marks defining the position of facets of neighboring lasers; and etching trenches into an upper portion of the structure defined by the etch windows; and partly underetching the upper portion during a second etch step such that the laser facets can be defined by cleaving the upper portion along the scribed marks without cleaving the whole laser structure; and ultrasonically or mechanically cleaving the upper portions being underetched along the scribed marks; and separating the laser diodes by cleaving them between neighboring lasers.

Semiconductor laser diodes have found applications in a wide variety of information handling systems because of their compact size and because their technology is compatible with that of the associated electronic circuitry. They are being employed in areas such as data communications optical storage and optical printing. Most commonly used are group III/V compound materials. Particularly AlGaAs lasers have found extensive usage.
Historically, the mirror facets which define the length of the laser's cavity have been obtained by cleaving the laser bars, i.e., layered structures comprising the active waveguide of the device. Cleaving usually provides single often high quality devices which require, however, further individual processing, such as mirror passivation, and testing. Due to these additional processing steps for each individual laser diode their fabrication and testing costs are unreasonably increased.
More recently, there is a strong trend to increase the scale of integration which requires the replacement of at least one cleaved mirror facet of the laser diodes by an etched mirror. Since substantial progress has been made in obtaining good quality etched mirrors, this technology appears to be very promising. It allows processes like mirror coating and testing to be performed on the full-wafer level, with the benefit of reduced handling, increased yield, and decreased fabrication and testing costs. In addition, etching laser mirrors allows for the monolithic integration of various other devices on the same substrate.
A technique has been reported on in the article "AlGaAs Lasers with Micro-Cleaved Mirrors Suitable for Monolithic Integration", H. Blauvelt et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 40, No. 4, February 1989, pp. 289-290, for cleaving the mirrors of AlGaAs lasers without cleaving the laser's substrate. Such a micro-cleaved laser diode allows the monolithic integration of other electronic devices on the same substrate. A laser diode with microcleaved facet is described being separated from the GaAs substrate by an intermediate AlGaAs layer with high aluminum content. The thermal resistance of the structure is increased due to this AlGaAs layer with high Al content and the growth of epitaxial layers on top of this layer is made more difficult. Before cleaving the facet, the epitaxially grown layers of the laser are underetched by selectively etching the AlGaAs intermediate layer. This etch step provides for a cantilever structure which can be cleaved. The position of the micro-cleaved facet is defined by the end of the etch groove under the cantilever. A main drawback of this technique is that the length of the cantilever, and therewith the position of the facet to be cleaved, strongly depends on the concentration of the etchant and the etch time. Caused by this fact, the length of the laser's cavity, determined by the position of the facets, cannot be precisely defined.

Full-wafer processing of laser diodes with cleaved facets

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. According to the semiconductor device, gate structures are provided to be buried in a substrate and first dopant regions and second dopant regions are provided at both ends of the gate structures. Conductive lines cross the gate structures and are connected to the first dopant regions. Contact structures are respectively provided in contact holes which are provided between the conductive lines and expose the second dopant regions. The contact structures are in contact with the second dopant regions, respectively. Each of the contact structures includes a pad pattern extending along a sidewall of the contact hole.

The inventive concept relates generally to semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating same.
Semiconductor devices are widely used in consumer electronics and computational systems because of their small size, varied functionality, and/or low manufacturing costs. The patterns, elements, electrically-connective signal lines, and related components used to implement contemporary semiconductor devices are very densely integrated on one or more substrates. Thus, the respective spacing(s) (e.g., the separating widths) between the constituent parts of semiconductor devices has been progressively reduced. Indeed, continuing demands for denser and denser semiconductor devices integration has necessitated the development of new (and expensive) exposure techniques in order to define ever more fine patterns.
However, there are practical limits associated with the reduction in size and increased integration density of semiconductor devices

Semiconductor devices and methods fabricating same


In a color registration deviation correction method or an image forming apparatus, a pattern image is read out, a color registration deviation amount is detected, and a correction amount of the color registration deviation is calculated. On the basis of the calculated correction amount, it is judged whether correction can be made in an interimage period. In the case where the correction can be made in the interimage period, the color registration deviation correction is made in the interimage period, and in the case where the correction can not be made in the interimage period, the color registration deviation correction is made in the two interimage periods.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color registration deviation correction method for a laser beam printer, a digital copying machine, or the like in which a laser beam is scanned by an optical scanning device provided with a rotating polygon mirror and a multicolor image is formed by an electrophotography system, and an image forming apparatus, and particularly to a color registration deviation correction method having a function of correcting a color registration deviation as a position deviation between respective colors in a sub-scanning direction, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a multicolor image forming apparatus using an electrophotography system, toners of four colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are superimposed on a sheet and are transferred, so that multicolor printing is performed. When multicolor printing is performed, if writing positions of the respective colors subtly deviate from each other, a color deviation appears when they are superimposed and transferred on the sheet, and printing quality is degraded. Then, in order to solve this and to obtain a multicolor print of high precision, it becomes necessary to perform writing position control for correcting the color registration deviation.
As a correction of the color registration deviation, there has been conventionally proposed a correction method in which a toner image of a specified pattern is formed on an intermediate transfer body or the like, the pattern is detected by an optical sensor including an optical source, a photodetector, and the like, a color registration deviation amount is calculated, data of a correction amount is transmitted to each correcting system, and correction is made, or a correction method in which a specified pattern is previously prepared in a region outside of an image formation region of an intermediate transfer body or the like, the pattern is detected by a sensor, a color registration deviation amount is calculated from the detection timing of the pattern and the detection timing of a writing timing signal (SOS signal) or the like in a main scanning direction, data of a correction amount is transmitted to each correcting system, and correction is made.
Among various kinds of corrections, especially in the case where writing position correction in a sub-scanning direction is made, high precision correction can be made by combining a section of correcting a writing position in a unit of one line and a section of correcting a writing position in a unit of less than one line. As shown in FIG. 12A, a print start signal (image forming signal) is made a trigger, a predetermined number of writing timing signals (SOS signals) in the main scanning direction is counted, and writing timings of the respective colors are made coincident with each other with high precision, so that images are superimposed. Here, if a normal writing timing is made (2) in FIG. 12A, when the count number of the SOS signals is increased or decreased ((1) and (2) in FIG. 12A), as shown in FIG. 12B, the writing position is moved up and down in a unit of one line. By using this, the writing timing can be controlled in a unit of one line, and writing position correction can be made.
As a method of correcting a writing position in a unit of less than one line, as shown in FIG. 13C, a rotation phase of a rotating polygon mirror (so-called polygon mirror) is changed so that the correction can be made. It is assumed that an output timing of a normal SOS signal is made (2) in FIG. 13A. When the rotation phase of the polygon mirror is changed ((1) and (2) in FIG. 13C), as shown in FIG. 13A, the generation timing of the SOS signal is changed in accordance with this ((1) and (2) in FIG. 13A), and as shown in FIG. 13B, the writing position in the sub-scanning direction is moved up and down. The rotary phase of the polygon mirror is controlled within the range where the movement of the writing position becomes less than one line, so that the correction can be made.
The polygon mirror is attached to a polygon mirror driving motor. As shown in FIG. 14A, PLL (Phase Locked Loop) control is performed by a motor (MOT) control circuit with a reference clock and a rotation frequency signal (FG output or hole element output in a polygon mirror driving motor, or scanning light position detector output by a photodetector arranged outside of a scan surface in an optical scanning device, which becomes a writing position timing signal in the main scanning direction) such as a SOS signal, so that the polygon mirror driving motor rotates at constant speed of rotation with high precision.
As shown in FIG. 14B, control of the polygon mirror rotation phase can be made by controlling the phase of the reference clock given to the polygon mirror driving motor for rotating the polygon mirror. That is, the phase of the reference clock is changed, so that a phase difference is generated between the rotation frequency signal and the reference clock, and the rotation speed of the polygon mirror driving motor is changed so as to remove this. With this, the rotation phase of the polygon mirror is also changed. Then, the rotation phase of the polygon mirror is changed, so that the output timing of the writing timing signal in the main scanning direction is also changed with this. Since the writing timing in the main scanning direction is kept constant in accordance with the writing timing signal in the main scanning direction, the writing timing in the sub-scanning direction can be controlled.
As such a correction technique of color registration deviation, especially as a correction technique of less than one line, there is a technique disclosed, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 8-152833.
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 8-152833, in an apparatus which includes one image forming apparatus and in which a multicolor image is formed by superimposing plural toner images on an intermediate transfer body, a phase matching period in which a frequency of a reference clock given to a polygon mirror driving motor at the time of rotation phase control of a polygon mirror is made slightly low or high is provided, and the frequency is returned to the original one after the phase matching period corresponding to a control amount, so that the phase of a mirror surface of the polygon mirror is gradually delayed or advanced, and control is made to obtain a desired phase (see FIGS. 15A and 15B). By this, writing timing in the sub-scanning direction is controlled, and color registration position deviation in the sub-scanning direction is corrected, which is proposed in this publication.
Besides, there is also such a technique that in an apparatus in which a multicolor image is formed by plural image forming devices and by sheet conveyance at one time, plural master clocks as references of phase control are previously provided, and when a color registration deviation in a sub-scanning direction is detected, a clock corresponding to a correction amount is selected among the plural master clocks, and further, the frequency of the reference clock given to a polygon mirror driving motor is made slightly low or high, and the frequency is returned to the original one at the point of time when the reference clock and the master clock are coincident with each other, so that writing timing in the sub-scanning direction is controlled and the color registration deviation in the sub-scanning direction is corrected in less than one line (see FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 16A).
In recent years, in an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine or a laser beam printer, high speed and high resolution are demanded. Besides, as described above, the technique of color registration deviation correction is indispensable to a multicolor image forming apparatus to keep a high quality image. In order to keep the high quality image and make printing at high speed, a technique to control color registration during continuous printing without interruption of a print job becomes necessary.
This technique is such that a specified pattern of each color is formed of a toner image in a period (hereinafter referred to as an interimage period) between images formed on a primary transfer part such as an intermediate transfer body, the pattern is detected by an optical sensor including a light source, a photodetector, and the like, and a color registration deviation amount is calculated, so that correction is made in the inter image period different from pattern formation, or such that a detection timing of a specified pattern previously prepared in a region outside of an image formation region of an intermediate transfer body or the like and an output timing of a writing timing signal or the like in the main scanning direction are detected in a period of an each single color image formation interval, and writing timing in the sub-scanning direction is changed. The shorter the interimage period is, the faster the print performance of the apparatus becomes.
However, in the conventional multicolor image forming apparatus including plural image forming devices, if the interimage period during the print job in the continuous printing is made short, there occur problems as set forth below.
In Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 8-152833 and in the technique of using the foregoing plural master clocks, the frequency is finely increased (here, an explanation will be made on a system in which the phase is advanced) by the structure as shown in FIGS. 15A and 14A to gradually change the phase, so that occurrence of rapid rotation change is prevented, and a time (stabilization time) when the polygon mirror returns to the original revolution speed can also be shortened. However, as a control amount becomes large, a control time becomes long, and as shown in FIGS. 15C and 16B, a time xcex94t (stabilization time) from the occurrence of the rotation change to the return to the original revolution speed becomes very long as compared with a frequency changing time.
For example, when the control amount is large (see FIG. 17), if printing is made on a next sheet before the rotation of the polygon mirror driving motor is stabilized, as shown in FIG. 17B, the influence of rotation variation appears on the image and becomes a color deviation to damage the print quality. Thus, it is necessary to convey the next sheet after a sufficient time has elapsed until the rotation of the polygon mirror driving motor becomes stable, so that the output capacity of the print image (speed of print processing) can not be raised.
Besides, when the change of the rotation phase of the polygon mirror is continuously carried out, there is a case where the phase of an SOS signal after each correction becomes equal to or more than the phase of an SOS signal before one line or after one line of the reference color. For example, as shown in FIGS. 18A to 18E, in the correction of FIGS. 18A to 18C, since the phase of the SOS signal after the correction does not exceed the phase of the SOS signal one line before the reference color, the correction can be made without any problem. However, as in FIGS. 18D to 18E, in the case where the phase of the SOS signal after correction exceeds the phase of the SOS signal one line before the reference color, there is a problem that the count start timing of the SOS signal with the print start signal as a trigger is deviated, and by this, the writing start timing in sub-scanning is also moved by one line, so that the color registration deviation of one line in sub-scanning appears on the sheet.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a color registration deviation correction method and an image forming apparatus in which an image can be formed while a high quality image is kept and color registration can be controlled without interrupting image formation.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a color registration deviation correction method of an image forming apparatus which forms an image by light scanning of a rotating polygon mirror reflecting and deflecting light from a light source, includes the steps of detecting a color registration deviation; calculating, from the detected color registration deviation, a correction value for making a correction of the color registration deviation; and dividing the calculated correction value to make the color registration deviation correction plural times.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a color registration deviation correction method of an image forming apparatus which forms an image by light scanning of a rotating polygon mirror reflecting and deflecting light from a light source, includes a first step of detecting a color registration deviation and calculating, from the detected color registration deviation, a correction value for making a correction of the color registration deviation; a second step of judging, on the basis of the correction value calculated at the first step, whether a time needed to make the color registration deviation correction is longer than a predetermined period; and a third step of correcting the color registration deviation in the predetermined period when it is judged that the time is shorter than the predetermined period at the second step, and making the color registration deviation correction plural times when it is judged that the time is longer than the predetermined period at the second step.
According to the above invention, in the first step, the color registration deviation is detected, and the correction value for making the correction of the color registration deviation is calculated. In the second step, on the basis of the correction value calculated at the first step, it is judged whether the time needed to make the color registration deviation correction is longer than the predetermined period.
In the third step, the color registration deviation correction is completed in the predetermined period when it is judged that the time need to make the color registration deviation correction is shorter than the predetermined period at the second step, and the color registration deviation correction is divided and is made plural times when it is judged that the time need to make the color registration deviation correction is longer than the predetermined period at the second step. That is, in the case where the correction of the color registration deviation amount is not completed in the predetermined period, the color registration deviation correction is made plural times, for example, twice. Thus, it is possible to prevent such a case that the color registration deviation correction overlaps with the time of image formation so that a bad influence is exerted on the image, and it is possible to certainly correct the color registration deviation.
Accordingly, the image can be formed while the high quality image is kept, and the color registration can be controlled without interrupting the image formation.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus which forms an image by light scanning of a rotating polygon mirror reflecting and deflecting light from a light source, includes a detection unit which detect a color registration deviation; a calculation unit which, from the color registration deviation detected by the detection unit, calculates a correction value for correcting the color registration deviation; and a control unit which divides the correction value calculated by the calculation unit and causes the color registration deviation correction to be made plural times.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus which forms an image by light scanning of a rotating polygon mirror reflecting and deflecting light from a light source, includes a detection unit which detects a color registration deviation; a calculation unit which calculates, from the color registration deviation detected by the detection unit, a correction value for correcting the color registration deviation; and a control unit which causes the color registration deviation to be corrected in a predetermined period when a time need to make a correction of the color registration deviation on the basis of the correction value calculated by the calculation unit is shorter than the predetermined period, and causes the color registration deviation correction to be made plural times when the time is longer than the predetermined period.
According to the above invention, the detection unit detects the color registration deviation, and the calculation unit calculates, from the detected color registration deviation, the correction value for correcting the color registration deviation. The control unit causes the color registration deviation to be corrected in the predetermined period when the time need to make the correction of the color registration deviation on the basis of the correction value calculated by the calculation unit is shorter than the predetermined period (for example, the period between image formation and image formation, or the like), and causes the color registration deviation correction to be made plural times when the time need to make the correction of the color registration deviation is longer than the predetermined period. That is, in the case where the color registration deviation amount is not corrected in the predetermined period such as the period between the image formation and the image formation, the color registration deviation correction is made plural times. Thus, the color registration deviation can be certainly corrected without exerting a bad influence to the image.
Accordingly, the image can be formed at high speed while the high quality image is kept, and the color registration can be controlled without interrupting the image formation.
Incidentally, the plural corrections can be determined in accordance with the color registration deviation amount which can be corrected in the predetermined period.

Color registration deviation correction method and image forming apparatus


Numerous embodiments of a method to assay sacrificial material are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sacrificial material may be analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Chemical markers that correlate with material contaminants in the sacrificial material may be identified.

Dual damascene metal interconnects may enable reliable low cost production of integrated circuits using sub 0.18 micron process technology. To enable such interconnects to realize their full potential, one method for making a semiconductor device involves a first etched region (e.g., a via or trench) that is filled with a sacrificial light absorbing material (SLAM), after that region has been formed within a dielectric layer. The SLAM may comprise a dyed spin-on-glass (SOG) that has dry etch properties similar to those of the dielectric layer and light absorbing properties that enable the substrate to absorb light during lithography. After the first etched region is filled with the SLAM, a second etched region (e.g., a trench if the via is already formed or a via if the trench is already formed) is formed within the dielectric layer. Most of the SLAM may be removed as that second etched region is formed. Remaining portions of the SLAM are removed by a subsequent wet etch procedure.
The SLAM process reduces, or eliminates, substrate reflection and the need for high etch selectivity. However, material defects in the SLAM and SOG materials may adversely affect dual damascene via and trench formation. Current methods known in the art for the functional characterization of SLAM and SOG materials involve indirect methods that provide characterization based on optical or surface analysis. However, these methods are inadequate because they fail to provide information about what the specific defects in the material may be.

Method to assay sacrificial light absorbing materials and spin on glass materials for chemical origin of defectivity


A quick-setting concrete mixture that uses calcium sulfoaluminate as a binder cement. In one embodiment, the disclosed concrete mixture may be prepared using a revolutionary drum mixer truck and may recycle surplus or leftover concrete. In one embodiment, the mixture may use air entrainment; such as liquid air entrainment or foam generated air entrainment, to manufacture the concrete mixture.

Concrete mixtures traditionally require relatively long set times of several hours. If the concrete is to be paved over with a second material, for example in road construction, the delay for concrete setting can significantly increase road construction time. Furthermore, on-site surplus of traditional concrete mixtures is typically wasted. Also, typical concrete mixtures use a lime-based cement binder (aka a flowable fill), such as Portland cement. Some concrete mixtures use calcium sulfoaluminate by way of a volumetric truck, rather than a more flexible on-site revolutionary drum mixer truck. What is needed is a quick-setting concrete mixture that may be prepared using a revolutionary drum mixer truck and may recycle surplus concrete.
The disclosure solves the problems of traditional concrete mixtures by providing a quick-setting concrete mixture that uses calcium sulfoaluminate as a binder cement. The disclosed concrete mixture may be prepared using a revolutionary drum mixer truck and may recycle surplus or leftover concrete. The disclosure uses air entrainment, such as liquid air entrainment and/or foam generated air entrainment, to manufacture the disclosed concrete mixture.
Such features of the quick-setting concrete mixtures and methods of manufacture are described in greater detail below.
The term "admixture" means a material other than water, aggregate, hydraulic cement, and fiber reinforcement, used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar and added to the batch immediately before or during its mixing.
The term "aggregate" or "aggregates" means a granular material, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, crushed hydraulic-cement concrete, or iron blast-furnace slag, used with a hydraulic cementing medium to produce either concrete or mortar.
The term "cement" means a binder substance used for construction that sets, hardens and adheres to other materials, binding them together.
The term "concrete" means a composite material composed of fine and course aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement that hardens over time.
The terms "constituent" or "constituents" mean a component part.
The phrases "concrete constituent" or "concrete constituents" mean the component parts of concrete; e.g. a conventional set of concrete constituents include concrete, water, and aggregate.
The phrase "concrete mixer" means a device that homogeneously combines cement, aggregate such as sand or gravel, and water to form concrete.
The phrase "drum mixer" or "revolutionary mixer" is a concrete mixer—that includes a drum-shaped compartment in which mixing is performed.
The phrase "Calcium Sulfoaluminate" or "CSA" is a specialty cement used in applications where high early strength and fast setting development are desired, among other things.
The phrase "specific gravity" or "SG" of a material means the unit weight of that material divided by the unit weight of water at room temperature; e.g. an aggregate with an SG of 2.50 would thus be 2.5 times as dense as water.
The phrase "particle-size distribution" or the words "PCD" or "gradation" of a powder or granular material, or particles dispersed in fluid, means a list of values or a mathematical function that defines the relative amount, typically by mass, of particles present according to size.
The phrase "water reducer" or the word "reducer" means a substance that allows concrete to be mixed with less water and/or to provide additional workability at the same water-to-cement ratio.
The word "retarder" means a substance that slows down a chemical reaction, such as slowing the hardening of a concrete mixture.
The phrase "ready mix concrete" means concrete manufactured in a factory or batching plant, according to a set recipe, and then delivered to a work site by truck mounted in—transit mixers.
The phrase "liquid air entrainment" means the entrapment of air into a substance, such as the entrapment of air into one or more constituents of a concrete mixture, using a liquid.
The phrase "foam generated air entrainment" means the entrapment of air into a substance, such as the entrapment of air into one or more constituents of a concrete mixture, using a foam.
By way of providing additional background, context, and to further satisfy the written description requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112, the following are incorporated by reference in entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 8,864,901 to Lloyd; U.S. Pat. No. 8,882,905 to Peters; U.S. Pat. No. 890,082 to Dubey; U.S. Pat. No. 8,828,136 to Rice; U.S. Pat. No. 9,394,201 to Rice; and U.S. Pat. No. 10,173,926 to Rice; and the non-patent literature "Pore Structure of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Paste and Durability of Concrete in Freeze—Thaw Environment" by Kyle de Bruyn et al, International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 59-68, March 2017; Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight, and Mass Concrete, ACI 211.1, American Concrete Institute; Guide for Use of Normal Weight and Heavyweight Aggregate in Concrete, 221R, American Concrete Institute; Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight, and Mass Concrete, ACI 211.1, American Concrete Institute; Guide for Submittal of Concrete Proportion, ACI 211.5R-0, American Concrete Institute.

Quick-setting concrete mixture and method of manufacture


In an approach, a processor identifies that a vehicle has been exposed to a first user, the first user associated with an infectious disease. A processor monitors, via a wireless ad hoc network, presence of a mobile device at a location of the vehicle. A processor identifies the presence of the mobile device at the location of the vehicle. A processor sends a notification to the mobile device, the notification specifying that the vehicle has been exposed to the infectious disease.

The present invention relates generally to the field of preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and more particularly to generating notifications to send to devices via an ad hoc network to warn such devices of surfaces of the vehicle that may be contaminated with an infectious disease.
Communicable or infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms that can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. The stability of various microorganisms may vary based on a variety of factors such as, but not limited to, temperature, humidity, and surface type. Depending on the type of infectious disease, people may be able to contract the disease based on physical contact with a surface on which the respective microorganisms are present.
Ad hoc networks are decentralized wireless networks. Such networks are ad hoc because they do not rely on a preexisting infrastructure, such as routers or access points. Instead, each node participates in routing by forwarding data for other nodes, so the determination of which nodes forward data is made dynamically on the basis of network connectivity and routing algorithm(s) in use.

Vehicle contamination notification using ad hoc networks

International Business Machines Corporation


Retractable relates to retractable leashes for walking and training dogs or other animals and comprises a housing containing a spring-loaded spool having a leash wound on it and a device for controlling the length of the leash, comprising at least one means for locking the movement of the spool, wherein the device for controlling the length of the leash comprises a device for determining the movement of the spool, an electronic device linked thereto for controlling the means for locking the movement of the spool, a device for activating and deactivating the electronic device for controlling the means for locking the movement of the spool, at least one actuator of the means for locking the movement of the spool comprising a fixing device, the actuator being connected to the device for controlling the means for locking the movement of the spool, and at least one power supply.

The closest prior art solution of the claimed invention is a mechanical device of an extendible leash for domestic animals described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,872 (published on 14 Jun. 2005) and comprising a housing, a spring-loaded spool having a leash wound thereon, a device for controlling the length of the leash and a means for controlling (a button).
The shortcoming of said device is a complexity of the structure due to the presence of a great number of elements mechanically interacting under the conditions of high loads, which increases the number of the probable wear spots of the elements of the device. Apart from that, a great number of mechanical couplings in the structure make it vulnerable in the event of ingress of dirt into the housing, since this may lead to a blocking of the mechanism for reeling the leash off and reeling the leash in. Also the structure of the device and a certain order of interaction between the elements exclude a possibility of prompt change of maximum allowed length of the leash for reeling off.


A process for fabricating a metallic sheet containing at least one raised surface zone. The process including the steps of making at least one cutout (20) in said metallic sheet (10) to obtain at least one flap (22), subjecting the said at least one flap (22) to deformation with bending and extension so as to form an overlap, and flattening and calibrating the protruding height of said at least one flap (22) to form a raised surface zone (24) of adjusted.

It is known that in the case of compressed metallic gaskets such as cylinder head gaskets, particularly in the case of the sheet of a single-sheet gasket or one of the active sheets of a multi-sheet gasket, the stress zones are located around the tightening points.
These zones are thus relatively concentrated and cause differences in the distribution of applied pressures. As such, possible tightness differences occur in certain zones.
One solution to this problem consists of increasing the tightening pressures. Such a solution, however, is generally not satisfactory because the difference in pressures subsists. Moreover, an increase in tightening pressures requires a resizing of the parts which is contrary to the goals generally pursued by the automobile industry, at least in terms of light weight.
Thus, to re-establish a distribution equilibrium, it is known to use stops. These stops pick up the stresses in certain distinct zones of tightening points to homogenize the charting or tightening pressures.
Although many approaches have been proposed to create these stops, they are not all satisfactory, particularly from the cost perspective. In fact, gaskets equipped with such stops must give convincing results in terms of equilibrium distributions of tightening stresses, and must be capable of being fabricated rapidly, inexpensively, and with satisfactory reproducibility.
It is also known in the industry that the recovery of parts for complementary fabrication steps is highly penalizing from the standpoint of management, and particularly because it causes major cost increases.

Process for fabricating a metallic sheet with at least one integrated raised surface zone for a compressed metallic gasket, particularly a cylinder head gasket, and sheet thus obtained


A method of writing multi-level data to a recording medium is disclosed. The multi-level data is written by the emission of light beam. The method is characterized in that a write waveform that controls the emission of the light beam includes a first top pulse, an off pulse, and an erase pulse. The method is further characterized in that, if the value of the multi-level data falls in a predetermined range, a second top pulse is inserted between the first top pulse and the erase pulse of the write waveform that controls the emission of the light beam to write the value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of storing information in a recording medium, and more particularly, to a method of writing multi-level data to a recording medium such as an optical disk. The present invention also relates to an information storage apparatus in which the method of storing information is used and to a recording medium in which information has been stored using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recording density of an optical recording medium (optical disk) such as a Compact Disk (CD) and a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) is desired to further increase. One approach to the further increase in the recording density of an optical recording medium is to improve the performance of an optical pickup that write and read data to an optical recording medium. Another approach is to write and read multi-level data to an optical recording medium.
In the case of phase change type optical information storage apparatus, bi-level recording in which whether a recording mark is formed in a recording unit (cell) expresses one bit is conventionally used. Multi-level recording is a technique in which a recording mark is formed in a recording unit but the length of the recording mark is controlled step-wise thereby to express multiple bits. That is, multi-level data is written by changing step-wise the ratio of amorphous mark to crystalline base in a cell, and read by detecting the intensity of reflective light from the cell.
However, since the recording properties of each optical recording medium and those of each optical information storage apparatus may vary due to individual difference and environmental change, the write power and erase power of a laser beam and time period (write pulse width) in which the laser beam of write power is emitted need to be determined taking the individual difference and the environmental change into account. For example, various techniques for determining write power are proposed.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 10-134353 discloses a technique in which test writing is repeated until ideal signal wave is obtained in order to surely reproduce multi-level data.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2003-91822 discloses a technique in which test writing is performed with write power being gradually changed and a write power that saturates reflective light quantity is determined as the optimal write power. This technique makes change in thermal diffusion easily detectible caused by excessive write power.
However, the conventional technique described above has the following problem. The technique disclosed in above Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 10-134353 performs adjustment by loop processing including the steps of: writing and reading test data, comparing signal obtained by reading the written test data with the ideal signal waveform, determining whether the adjustment has converged (if converged, the process is terminated), and adjusting condition of laser emission. However, this technique requires the writing of test data many times and huge number of arithmetic operations, resulting in long time for test recording.
In the case of multi-level data recording system that forms a recording mark, the length of which is changed step-wise, in a recording cell, each value of the multi-level data is written in a recording cell of fixed length on a recording track 51 as shown in FIG. 25. A recording mark is formed in each recording cell 52, and the level of reproduced signal from the recording mark 53 depends on the length of the recording mark 53. When multi-level data is read, the reproduced signal from the recording mark 53 is sampled at predetermined frequency (for example, at the timing in which a reproduction light spot 54 comes to the center of the recording cell 52), and the value of the multi-level data is discriminated based on the reflective light intensity of the sampled reproduced signal. Since the spot size of the reproduction light spot 54 is longer than the length of the recording cell 52 in the circumference directions of the optical disk, interference between data written in adjacent recording cell occurs. Generally, the interference is taken into consideration when discriminating the multi-level data.
In the case of eight-level data recording system, for example, 83=512 combinations need to be taken into account. Time required for arithmetic operation is not negligible. Additionally, because the above conventional technique needs to be repeated to increase accuracy, long processing time is not avoidable.
Above Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2003-91822 discloses a recording technique to determine the optimal recording condition (write power and write pulse width) easily without involving the steps of the previous conventional technique. According to this recording technique, test recording is performed with write power being varied, and write power with which the reflective light intensity saturates is determined as the optimal write power. However, this recording technique uses conventional write waveform to write multi-level data, and the following problem still remains unsolved.
The write waveform indicates how the power of laser beam is changed in time to write a single value of multi-level data. As shown in FIG. 26, a conventional write waveform includes a top pulse in which the laser beam of write power Pw is emitted for pulse width Ton, an off pulse in which the laser beam of bias power Pb is emitted for pulse width Toff, and an erase pulse in which the laser beam of erase power Pe is emitted for remaining time period of the recording cell. When such write waveform is used to write different values of multi-level data, the same top pulse having the same write power Pw and the same pulse width Ton is used, but different off pulses only the pulse width of which are different are employed. That is, the length of a recording mark is determined only by the pulse width Toff of the off pulse in which the recording layer heated by the top pulse is rapidly cooled.
FIG. 27 shows relation between the write power Pw and multi-level data error rate (SER) . The SER is the rate of the number of multi-level symbol errors divided by the total number of symbols. Low SER means low probability of erroneous detection of multi-level data, and the consequently accurate discrimination of multi-level data. As shown in FIG. 27, the SER draws a curve that becomes minimum at the optimal write power P0, but is not symmetric at both sides thereof. FIG. 27 shows that low power recording (Pw<P0) results in the rapid degradation (increase) of SER compared to high power recording (Pw>P0). The cause of the rapid degradation of SER is considered to be that the low power recording cannot raise the temperature of the recording layer enough, and as a result, cannot form a recording mark of desired area.
If the optimal write power P0 shifts to the high power side due to the diversity of individual product and the environmental change, but the same write power is used for recording, the SER may be increased beyond the limit in which the multi-level data cannot be read. That is, margin (power margin) at the low power side is small. The small power margin results in the following problems.
The substrate of an optical disk made of polycarbonate is not flat as a glass substrate, and may be bent and undulant. For example, if the optical disk is bent in the direction from the inner circumference to the outer circumference, the reflective light from the optical disk enters the optical pickup forming different incident angles, and as a result, the level of reproduction signal changes in dependence of the position of the optical pickup in the radial direction. If the power margin is small, SER becomes sensitive to the change in the reproduction signal. To solve this problem, various conditions such as write power needs to be determined in dependence on the position in the radial direction thereby to keep SER low. As a result, recording and reproduction processing takes long time. Additionally, some areas for test recording need to be provided in some radial positions in order to determine the various conditions such as the write power. However, the areas for test recording reduces user region, resulting in the decrease in recording capacity of the optical disk.
Furthermore, if the recording track is wound, the laser beam is defocused in a heavily wound region. The writing of data using defocused laser beam is substantially equivalent to low power recording. FIG. 27 suggests that SER would be degraded in a region in which focus servo fails locally due to great winding. As a result, if the power margin is small in the low power side, multi-level data written on some optical disks may be unable to reproduce due to divergence of each optical disk substrate.
Recently, recordable CD and DVD that can write data at higher speed than the standard speed have been developed. An example of information storage methods applied to such recordable CD and DVD includes a method of adjusting reference clock cycle of recording signal in dependence on the radial position while the disk rotative speed maintained constant in order to realize high speed CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) recording. However, if the above method is applied to the multi-level recording described above, since the recording sensitivity of the optical disk is not linear to the recording linear velocity, the recording mark formed at the inner circumference of the optical disk may be different from the recording mark formed at the outer circumference of the optical disk.
Especially, at the outer circumference of the optical disk, the recording linear speed becomes high resulting in low recording sensitivity. In the case in which low multi-level data values (1-3) is recorded, a recording mark having sufficient size can not be formed. The corresponding relation between the multi-level data and the reflective light intensity may deviate from that of standard recording linear velocity recording. As a result, multi-level discrimination level and waveform equalization factor may need to be learned for each recording linear velocity. In reproduction operation, the multi-level discrimination level and the waveform equalization factor may need to be retrieved corresponding to each linear velocity, but this process may take too long time.

Method of writing multi-level data using adjusted recording waveform


A method for continuously preparing a medium formulation mixes a diluent with a plurality of chemically incompatible concentrate solutions in such a manner that none of the ingredients of the concentrate solutions chemically react in an adverse manner The method utilizes a static mixing chamber to add the concentrate solutions to the diluent stream sufficiently in advance of one another so that adverse chemical reactions do not occur. The method also adjusts a pH level of the diluent prior to adding any of the concentrate solutions to the diluent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of cell culture medium formulations, and more specifically, to methods for continuously preparing cell culture medium formulations and buffered salt solutions from selected subgroups of medium concentrates.
2. Related Art
Cell culture medium formulation provide nutrients necessary to maintain and grow cells in a controlled, artificial and in vitro environment. Characteristics and compositions of the cell culture mediums vary depending on the particular cellular requirements. Important parameters include osmolarity, pH, and nutrient formulations.
Medium formulations have been used to grow a number of cell types including animal, plant and bacterial cells. Cells grown in culture medium catabolize available nutrients and produce useful biological substances such as monoclonal antibodies, hormones, growth factors and the like. Such products have therapeutic applications and, with the advent of recombinant DNA technology, cells can be engineered to produce large quantities of these products. Thus, the ability to grow cells in vitro is not only important for the study of cell physiology, it is necessary for the production of useful substances which may not otherwise be obtained by cost-effective means.
Cell culture medium formulations have been well documented in the literature and a number of medium are commercially available. Typical nutrients in cell culture medium formulations include amino acids, salts, vitamins, trace metals, sugars, lipids and nucleic acids. Often, particularly in complex medium formulations, stability problems result in toxic products and/or lower effective concentrations of required nutrients, thereby limiting the functional life-span of the culture medium. For instance, glutamine is a constituent of almost all medium formulations that are used in the culturing of mammalian cells in vitro. Glutamine decomposes spontaneously into pyrrolidone carboxylic acid and ammonia. The rate of degradation can be influenced by pH and ionic conditions but in cell culture medium, formation of these breakdown products cannot be avoided (Tritsch et al., Exp. Cell Research, 28:360-364(1962)).
Wang et al. (In Vitro, 14:(8):715-722 (1978)) have shown that photoproducts such as hydrogen peroxide, which are lethal to cells, are produced in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM). Riboflavin and tryptophan or tyrosine are components necessary for formation of hydrogen peroxide during light exposure. Because most mammalian culture medium formulations contain riboflavin, tyrosine and tryptophan, toxic photoproducts are likely produced in most cell culture mediums.
To avoid these problems, researchers make medium formulations on an "as needed" basis, and avoid long term storage of the culture medium. Commercially available medium formulations, typically in dry powder form, serve as a convenient alternative to making the medium formulations from scratch, i.e., adding each nutrient individually, and also avoids some of the stability problems associated with liquid medium formulations. However, only a limited number of commercial culture medium formulations are available, except for those custom formulations supplied by the manufacturer.
Although dry powder medium formulations may increase the shelf-life of some medium formulations, there are a number of problems associated with dry powdered medium formulations, especially in large scale application. Production of large volumes requires storage facilities for the dry powder, not to mention the specialized kitchens necessary to mix and weigh the nutrient components. Due to the corrosive nature of dry powder medium ingredients, mixing tanks must be periodically replaced.
There exists a need to lower the cost of production of biological substances. Efficient and cost effective methods to stabilize liquid cell culture medium formulations as well as the development of convenient methods to produce 1x medium formulations would be an important development in the field of cell culture medium technology.
One such development in the field of cell culture medium formulations is the development of liquid medium concentrates as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,931 issued to DiSorbo et al. on Dec. 12, 1995 ("DiSorbo"). DiSorbo discloses a method of subgrouping medium formulations into stable, compatible components that can be solubilized at high concentrations (10x to 100x) Concentrated culture medium formulations (2-10x) or 1x cell culture medium formulations can be prepared by mixing a sufficient amount of the concentrated subgroup solutions with each other and with a sufficient amount of a diluent (water, buffer, etc.).
Escalating demand for large volumes of nutrient medium and buffered salt solutions and increasing pressure to minimize batch-associated costs, such as sterile filtration and quality release testing, has driven a requirement for increased production batch sizes of liquid medium. As a result, stainless steel formulation tanks of 5000-10,000 liters for preparation of large batches of liquid medium or buffered salt solutions have become relatively common. However, scale-up manufacture of these fluids in this manner presents challenges regarding product quality and economy.
What is needed is a system and method for providing continuous, online preparation of large volumes of biological fluids (e.g., liquid medium, buffered salt solutions, etc.) within a highly controlled manufacturing system.


A memory system for a vehicle includes a first memory that is non-volatile, that is rewritable, and that stores a control program and identification data. A second memory is non-volatile. A control module transfers the identification data to the second memory, erases the first memory, rewrites the control program to the first memory, and transfers the identification data from the second memory to the first memory after erasing the first memory. The identification data may include data such as a software version identifier, a programming date, and/or a part number.

Control modules are used to control the operation of one or more components of a vehicle. For example, the control module may function as an engine control module that manages a fuel control system or powertrain of the vehicle. Generally, the control module implements a control program and may include a boot program, an application program, and calibration data. The memory may be erased and/or rewritten in order to replace or update the control program.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a control module management system 10 includes one or more control modules 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, . . . , and 12-x, referred to collectively as control modules 12. The control modules 12 communicate with various vehicle components 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, . . . , and 14-y, referred to collectively as vehicle components 14. The control modules 12 communicate with the other control modules 12 via a communication interface, such as a vehicle communication bus 16. A data rewriting device 18 uses the vehicle communication bus 16 to communicate with the control modules 12. For example, the data rewriting device 18 may rewrite (i.e. erase or update) the control program of the control module 12-1. Additionally, the data rewriting device 18 may communicate with the control module 12-1 to determine information about the control program currently residing thereon. The control program may include information that is indicative of itself or the control module 12-1. For example, the information may include, but is not limited to, software versions of the boot program, application program, or calibration data, dates of previous programming events, and/or hardware information.

ECU identification retention across reprogramming events


The present invention discloses an apparatus for making direct writing screen plate and a using method thereof. The present invention provides a direct writing screen plate making apparatus and a focal plane control method. A Z-axis controller is used to pre-establish a mapping relation between the focal plane position of the scanning band to be scanned in the next step and the scanning platform position signal. During the next step of scanning, the position of the optical lens is adjusted according to the mapping relation, thus avoiding the problem of inconsistency between the calculated focal plane and the actual focal plane caused by the position deviation between the assembled displacement sensor and the optical lens. The present invention also provides a method for exposing a region of interest and a method for compensating the on-line real-time light uniformity.

In the existing laser direct writing apparatus, a displacement sensor beside an exposure point is generally used to measure the distance between an optical lens and a screen plate at a position of the exposure point. Although, the position of the exposure point is close to the displacement sensor and the distance between the exposure point and the displacement sensor is short, the exposure point and the displacement sensor are not actually at the same position. Therefore, the distance measured by the displacement sensor is not the actual distance between the optical lens and the screen plate, although the measured distance and the actual distance are very close in most cases.
In the prior art, a focal plane of the optical lens at the exposure point is adjusted by using the above-mentioned measured distance, since the assembly position of the displacement sensor is inconsistent with the position of the exposure point, adjusting the focal plane of the optical lens by using the distance measured by the displacement sensor will lead to errors.
Additionally, in the existing laser direct writing apparatus, a digital micromirror device is often used in the whole plate surface. Since the digital micromirror device consists of a large number of micromirrors, when the function of some of the micromirrors is disabled, the whole digital micromirror device is scrapped, resulting in the shortcomings of low utilization rate and relatively short service life of the digital micromirror device.
Additionally, in the existing laser direct writing apparatus, the energy distribution of each trace on the scanning trace of each micromirror point in the scanning process of the digital micromirror device is not uniform, resulting in the problem of nonuniform energy output distribution on the digital micromirror device, which affects the image exposure quality.

Apparatus for making direct writing screen plate and using method thereof


A device for evaluating a plurality of race horses' readiness for a race by quantitatively assessing the horses' temperatures without contacting the horses, the evaluation being made prior to the race when the race horses may be viewed in a paddock area. The device may include an infrared sensor for measuring the horses' temperatures at least three times in a random sampling period, an arithmetic operator for calculating characteristics of those measurements such as the maximum, minimum and mean, and various differences among the measured temperatures, and a display for providing a visual comparison of the measured and calculated values. The device may also correct the measured temperatures for the distance from which temperature measurements were taken.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for measuring the temperature of an organism to obtain data for estimating a condition of the organism by detecting far infrared rays radiated by organisms such as a race horse and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Estimation of whether a race horse gallops splendidly in a race has been performed on the basis of information about the pedigree, race experiences and the results of the last race, or the increase or decrease in the body weight of the horse. However, since the splendid galloping of a horse depends on the condition of the horse as well as the past results and pedigree of the horse, even a horse having real power does not sometimes gallop splendidly. The condition of a horse has been estimated by observing the horse taken with a person in a paddock with human eyes. The condition of a horse may be estimated by observing the color of the fur or the gloss of the fur with human eyes. This technique does not involve the objective data because of the subjectivity of the observing person; therefore these data cannot be substantially quantified or averaged so as to be utilized by a large number of people at the same time.

Device for evaluating race horse performance based on temperature

10-15 Daimachi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa


A detection method of reduced air pressure of tires based on the rotational speed of wheels mounted on a vehicle. The method includes steps of: determining the rotational speed of each wheel, memorizing the rotational speed of each wheel, determining the loading sensitivity of the dynamic load radius of tires caused by movement of a load during turning, comparing the loading sensitivity with the loading sensitivity of the dynamic load radii of tires at initialization which are preliminarily memorized, and judging decompression of tires based on the result of the comparison. Further, a loading sensitivity-calculating method of determining the loading sensitivity of the dynamic load radii of tires includes steps of: determining a lateral acceleration during turning of a vehicle, determining the shift rate of a judgment value which is the relative comparison of rotational speed of wheels on a pair of diagonals of a vehicle, and determining the loading sensitivity.

A conventional detection device for reducing of the air pressure of tires uses a principle that since the outer diameter of a tire (the dynamic load radius of a tire) is reduced more than that of a tire having a normal inner pressure when the pressure of a tire is reduced, a rotational angular velocity is increased as compared with other normal tires. For example, a method of detecting the lowering of an inner pressure from the relative difference of the rotational angular velocity of a tire uses as a judgment value;DEL={(F1+F4)/2−(F2+F3)/2}/{(F1+F2+F3+F4)/4}×100(%)(Refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.305011/1988).
Where F1 to F4 are the rotational angular velocities of a front left tire, a front right tire, a rear left tire and a rear right tire, respectively.
When DEL value exceeds a preliminarily set alarm threshold by calculating the DEL value, further carrying out requisite corrections such as cornering correction, and deleting data unsuitable for judgment, it is judged that the reduced pressure of a tire is generated, and an alarm is informed to a driver. However, even if the reduced pressure is the same 30%, the size of the above-mentioned DEL value differs depending on the kind of a tire and the like. Accordingly, the reduced pressure sensitivity being the change rate of a dynamic load radius caused by reduced pressure which a respective tire has is respectively measured for preliminarily set tires (tires for summer and tires for winter) in order to determine the above-mentioned threshold. By setting the threshold at intermediary reduced pressure sensitivity, it is designed not to generate a great difference in detection sensitivity, even if the tires were also replaced. For example, when tires having 2-fold difference in the reduced pressure sensitivity are mounted on the same vehicle, an alarm threshold is set so that a high sensitive tire alarms at a reduced pressure of 20% and a low sensitive tire alarms at a reduced pressure of 40%.
Since a conventional device detects the reduced pressure of a tire utilizing so-called reduced pressure sensitivity that the dynamic load radius of a tire is lessened by reduced pressure, the judgment of the reduced pressure is carried out by difference between one of the sum of rotational angular velocities and the other of the sum of the rotational angular velocities which are situated at the diagonal of four wheels. Therefore, the simultaneous reduced pressures of two front wheels, the simultaneous reduced pressures of two rear wheels, and the simultaneous reduced pressures of whole wheels cannot be detected. Accordingly, there are problems that driving a car without knowing the reduced pressures causes the deterioration of fuel cost caused by the increase of rolling resistance of tires, and further causes burst.
Further, since alarm at a reduced pressure of 30% is an essential requisite by Law Regulation in the North America, there is a problem that the approved range of the reduced pressure level for alarming must be lessened so as to alarm between a reduced pressure of 15% and a reduced pressure of 30%. Further, there is a problem that a case unable to be corresponded with a lesser approved range is generated when set tires for one grade of a car have a wide range. The information of the reduced pressure sensitivities of tires mounted is required for solving these problems, but it is ambiguous in reality what type of tires a user mounts, therefore the reduced pressure sensitivities of tires currently mounted cannot be known.

Method and device for detecting decompression of tires, and program for judging decompression of tires


A sealable lidding film for discharging gas according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may seal an opening of a main body, has a structure in which a first layer and a second layer, which are configured such that gas flows between one surface and the other surface, are stacked, and may include lamination portions which are formed by partially laminating the first layer and the second layer; and gap portions which are regions other than regions of the lamination portions and have spaces formed between the first layer and the second layer so that the gas flows in the spaces. According to the sealable lidding film for discharging gas, the spaces, in which the gas may flow, are formed by partially laminating the first and second layers having the fine bores, and as a result, it is possible to prevent expansion and deformation of the sealable lidding film or the container by smoothly discharging the gas created in the container.

Taste of fermented food such as Kimchi may be easily spoiled when the fermented food comes into contact with air, and therefore, the fermented food is commercially distributed and sold in a state in which the fermented food is stored in a container with ensured leakproof sealability.
In the related art, in order to package the fermented food such as Kimchi, a flange surface, which is formed along a circumference of an opening of the container, is sealed with a sealable lidding film by using heat. However, in a case in which the food container is manufactured by considering only the leakproof sealability, there is a problem in that carbon dioxide gas, which is generated by microorganisms existing in the fermented food during a process of fermenting the food, is not appropriately discharged, and as a result, a packaged state is deformed due to the expansion of the sealable lidding film.
Therefore, the fermented food is sold in a state in which a gas absorbent capable of absorbing carbon dioxide is attached to an inner surface of the sealable lidding film that seals the container. However, because the gas absorbent selectively absorbs only the carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen or oxygen gas included in air, which is introduced into the container while the container is repeatedly used by being opened and closed, remains in the container without being removed. Therefore, the gas absorbent is not considered as a solution for perfectly solving the problem of the deformation of the package.
There is a problem in that the sealable lidding film cannot perfectly prevent a liquid leakage that occurs when the container sways or falls down and thus a liquid substance permeates into a sealed portion during the process of transporting products. In particular, there is a problem in that the gas absorbent cannot perform its own function if the gas absorbent is immersed in Kimchi juice.

Sealable lidding film for discharging gas and food container sealed with the same


The abrupt cessation or run-away of a combustion engine may damage the combustion engine and pose a safety hazard to the surrounding environment. The combustion engine operational mode may be controlled, regulated or maintained by regulating the combustion mixture of the combustion engine. The oxidizer flow, a material or both of the combustion mixture may be regulate to create or form a combustion material that is outside a combustible range such that the combustion engine is placed or maintained in a spin-down operational mode. The material added to the combustion mixture may include a combustible, non-combustible, oxidizer, or exhaust material. A brake may also provide a secondary mechanism to maintain or place the combustion engine in a spin-down mode.

Several types of operations may require use of a certain types of equipment. For example, equipment, such as a combustion engine, on location is used to deliver large quantities of fluid/proppant mixtures to a wellhead at high pressures to perform the desired fracturing operations. Such equipment may operate efficiently, effectively or both for given power and load requirements. However, in certain instances, for example, when a load is removed or a combustion mixture does not comprise a suitable ratio of materials, such equipment may experience or be placed in an abnormal, adverse or undesirable operation mode that may cause damage to the equipment. For example, a combustion engine may experience a run-away mode or an emergency stop mode (for example, an abrupt halting of operations) of the combustion engine causing damage the combustion engine. Avoiding or controlling operation during such abnormal or adverse modes may extend the life of the combustion engine and provide for time and cost savings of a given operation.


A method of processing media content in Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Network Based Media Processing (NBMP) includes obtaining, from a function repository storing one or more functions for processing the media content, at least one among the one or more functions, each of the at least one among the one or more functions having a function descriptor indicating, for a respective one among the one or more functions, a maximum throughput, a minimum buffer size, a maximum size of metadata and a maximum frequency between two instances of the metadata, and obtaining a task for processing the media content, based on the obtained at least one among the one or more functions, the task having a task descriptor indicating, for the task, a maximum throughput, a minimum buffer size, a maximum size of metadata and a maximum frequency between two instances of the metadata.

The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Network Based Media Processing (NBMP) project has developed a concept of processing media on cloud. However, current NBMP design does not provide an application program interface (API) abstraction for network management. Current NBMP design only provides APIs for cloud resources such as a hardware platform.
Further, in NBMP, current response parameters are not well-defined. When multiple entries are returned from a function repository, a source or an NBMP manager may make a decision between the returned entries. For example, if the source makes such a decision, then it might be easy because the source can read the returned multiple entries and perform a manual selection. However even in this case, the source might have a hard time selecting a correct function from the returned multiple entries. In another example, if the NBMP manager makes the decision after reading the returned multiple entries, the NBMP manager may need some reference point to make the decision.

Method and apparatus for functional improvements to moving picture experts group network based media processing


An adjustable magnetic jig 20 includes a first magnetic holder 22, and a second magnetic holder 26. A pivoting joint 30 connects the first 22 and second 26 magnetic holders, so that the angle A between the holders may be selectively adjusted. Pivoting joint 30 is also selectively lockable so that angle A can be fixedly maintained. Jig 20 is particularly useful in holding magnetic workpieces 500 in a desired physical relationship so that the two workpieces 500 can be welded together.

Workpiece holders or jigs are well known in the art. These devices are utilized to hold one or more items in a desired position while a manufacturing process is performed. An apparatus for holding two metallic components in a fixed abutting relationship for welding is typical of this technology. In a specialized category of workpiece holders, the item(s) are held in place by magnet force. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,582 shows a work holder of the kind used for holding component metal parts in place while they are being connected together, and is especially useful for welding. The device includes a plurality of electromagnets mounted on a frame. The electromagnets are arranged so as to generally correspond with the shape of the work structure to be produced. U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,504 defines a magnetic face plate for either permanent or detachable mounting on the jaws of a vice. The device also includes suction means for holding objects on nonmagnetic material to the face plate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,068 depicts a magnetic spacing tool for establishing a uniform gap of a desired width between two objects to be welded together. The spacing tool includes an elongated spacing member or plate having a cutout which forms a handle portion. The thickness of the spacing tool is equal to the desired spacing to be established between the adjacent portions of the workpieces. U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,995 disclosed an work holding apparatus for tack welding, comprising a mobile welding jig yieldably supported by castor wheels for movement to a desired location on a steel plate straddling a steel beam to which the plate is to be tack welded. Magnetic gripping devices anchor the jig frame to the steel plate while retracting the castor wheels so that the beam and plate are clamped together when a fluid power operated piston engages the beam. U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,367 comprises a magnetic holding apparatus for holding an object, such as a furnace or kiln block, in a predetermined position relative to an external metal member, such as the metallic shell of furnace or kiln. The apparatus includes a foot assembly which is adjustably supported on a rod member, which is in turn supported by the lower side of a magnet. The upper side of the magnet is removably magnetically affixed to the metallic shell so as to secure the apparatus thereto, thus enabling the foot assembly to hold the object against the magnetic shell. U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,959 consists of a holder of pipes or pipe joints for welding, where one of the pipes or pipe joint is held by three pipe abutting members mounted in angularly spaced relation on a common holder with the position of the pipe abutting members being adjustable by a screw bar.
The aforementioned devices require that the workpiece be precisely clamped or otherwise secured to the jig. This is often a time consuming process, requiring numerous clamping, unclamping, adjusting, and reclamping steps, to ensure that the workpiece is properly positioned.
A Welder's Vice Set manufactured by Bessey, Germany includes a cast iron base having two jaws in a fixed 90.degree. relationship, and a moveable jaw which clamps the workpieces against the fixed jaws. A magnetic welding fixture Model AD-1307 manufactured by MAGNETOOL INC., 505 Elmwood, Troy, Mich. 48083-2755, adjusts and locks securely at any angle from 45.degree. to 90.degree.. A magnetic welding fixture MAC 9 manufactured by BUNTING Magnetics Co., 500 S. Spencer Avenue, Box 468, Newton, Kans. 67114-0468 illustrates a heavy-duty variable magnetic clamp which may be set at any angle from 45.degree. to 90.degree., and has angles marked in 15.degree. increments. Model MAC 2 comprises an adjustable magnetic clamp which is adjustable from 25.degree. to 280.degree..


Methods and systems for combining a plurality of radiographic images. Software can be used to provide various stitching and blending methods to join first and second images into a composite, larger image.

In the medical imaging field, oftentimes the field of view of the imaging devices is smaller than the anatomy being examined. Consequently, two or more individual images need to be obtained and then properly assembled to form the appropriate field of view for analysis. Such assembly of the images is referred to hereinafter as "stitching."
The need for stitching is encountered in many digital radiography, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine evaluations, all techniques that are capable of imaging along the axis of possible motion. Unfortunately, stitching of the images is not always straightforward. Because it is not always known how much the patient or the imaging device has moved or how much the patient shifts or rotates between image shots, accurate stitching of the individual images often proves difficult. Thus, flexibility of the stitching the images is desirable.
One particular use in which stitching is often used is in a scoliosis evaluation. Scoliosis is defined as a substantial lateral curvature of the vertebral column that usually has its onset during periods of rapid growth. Scoliosis curve is determined to be present when a structural vertebral column curve of 11° or more is measured in the coronal plane roentgenogram of the erect patient. Radiologic imaging of the spine has traditionally been used in the identification, classification, and monitoring of scoliosis. Early detection and bracing treatment of juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has decreased the need for surgery.
In scoliosis evaluations it is often necessary to stitch the radiographic image of the thoracic and upper lumbar spine with the radiographic image of the lumbar and lower thoracic spine to provide a large enough field of view to allow the physician to measure the angle of scoliosis or the "Cobb angle." Unfortunately, conventional "stitching" methods of drawing and measuring directly on the radiographic film have been found to be inaccurate, and sometimes introducing errors of ±5°–10°, or more.
Such large alignment errors can affect the perceived alignment of the anatomy and dramatically affect the choice of treatment of the patient. For example, when the angle of scoliosis is mild (0°–20°), the recommended treatment is observation and careful follow-up. For moderate scoliosis (20°–40°), bracing is recommended, while severe scoliosis (greater than 50°) surgical fusion of the spine is recommended. Thus, the physicians' evaluation and the choice of treatment is highly dependent on the evaluation of the stitched image. Unfortunately, because the conventional stitching methods can introduce deviations of ±10° or more, the measured angle of scoliosis from the stitched image would likely not accurately indicate to the physician how severe a case of scoliosis was present in the patient.
Accordingly, what are needed are methods, software, and systems that provide an accurate means for stitching images. It would also be desirable to provide a highly versatile set of choices that can increase the ease of stitching. It would further be desirable to provide improved quality of the stitched image, especially in the overlap section of the stitched images.