An apparatus for use in connection with an endoscopic surgery comprises an elongated body adapted to be placed at least partially in the vagina of a female patient partially passing through the wall of the vagina such that an end portion of said elongated element is introduced into rectouterine pouch; the elongated body comprises at least an attachment means for accommodating at least a part of at least a surgical instrument comprising an end portion adapted to be received inside the vagina, the surgical instrument and the apparatus are movable to each other. An endobag having an elongated port is provided through the vagina into the pelvis. A method for use in a pelvic or peritoneal surgery is provided wherein at least an elongated end portion of a surgical instrument is provided in the cavity of the uterus through the vagina of a female patient such that the uterus can be repositioned by manipulating the surgical instrument and an incision is performed on the vaginal wall for accessing to the rectouterine pouch, a flexible element is provided in pelvis wherein the flexible element is looped around the uterus such that the flexible element encircles the uterus.

Endoscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic medical procedure that is used to assess the interior surfaces of an organ by inserting a tube into the body. Endoscopic surgery methods are widely used for treatment of a variety of disorders that were formally treated by conventional surgical techniques. Laparoscopic surgery is an endoscopic surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen or pelvic cavity are performed through small incisions as compared to larger incisions needed in traditional surgical procedures. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery is a laparoscopic surgery performed with an instrument passed through a natural orifice of the body (mouth, urethra, anus, etc.) then through an internal incision in the stomach, vagina, bladder or colon.
The instrument for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery can comprise a rigid or flexible tube, a light delivery system to illuminate the organ or object under inspection, the light source is normally outside the body and the light is typically directed via an optical fiber system, a lens system transmitting the image to the viewer from the fiberscope, an additional channel to allow entry of medical instruments or manipulators. U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,548 discloses a surgical method and apparatus for use in pelvic surgery where a trocar sleeve is positioned in the vagina of a female patient and then the sleeve is made traverse the vaginal wall behind the cervix of the patient.
Some laparoscopic surgery procedures known in the prior art performed through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch are removal of the gallbladder at the end of endoscopical cholecystectomy, appendicectomies following vaginal hysterectomy, various gynaecological procedures, such as myomectomy and abdominal operations, such as cholecystectomies, colectomies and splenectomies. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery performed through the rectouterine pouch or any other natural orifice can be applied in combination with open incision surgery or laparoscopic surgery.
The rectouterine pouch is the extension of the peritoneal cavity between the rectum and back wall of the uterus in the female human body. In women it is the deepest point of the peritoneal cavity, behind the uterus and in front of rectum. It is near the posterior formix of the vagina. The rectouterine pouch is a common site for the spread of pathology such as ascites, tumour, endometriosis, pus, etc. It is also known by the names Douglas pouch, Douglas space, Douglas cul-de-sac. The Rectouterine Pouch can be reached through the posterior formix of the vagina.
During the operation performed through the Douglas pouch the surgical instruments are first placed in the vagina. The distal end portions of the instruments then have to traverse a portion of the vaginal wall located behind the cervix, the posterior formix of the vagina in order to penetrate to the rectouterine pouch. This operation is also called transvaginal-transdouglas technique.
When employing transvaginal-transdouglas technique there is an increased risk of inadvertent damage to or dissection into the bladder, ureters, uterine vessels and uterosacral and cardinal ligaments due to inherent limitations on visibility, anatomical identification and the ability to manipulate organs such as uterus. For a secure incision uterine vessels and cardinal/uterosacral ligaments have to be accurately secured by additional instrumentation through additional ports that complicate the operation and prolong the operation time.
Accordingly, there is a need in the surgery for reaching the rectouterine pouch of a female patient through the posterior formix of the vagina in a secure and simple manner. Moreover, there is a need in the surgery for an apparatus and a method for use in connection with a natural orifice surgery for a secure introduction into the body of the patient.
The present invention provides a surgical method and apparatus for performing examinations and surgical interventions through a natural orifice of a human or animal body, preferably through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch of a female patient.
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus comprises an elongated body having an attachment means. The body may be adapted to be received in the vagina of a female patient. The body may be a tube, a trocar sleeve, a barrel, a solid body or a hollow body. The body may be made of metal or plastic or rubber material. The attachment means may be arranged on an inner surface or on an outer surface of the elongated body. The attachment means may be a guiding means, a rail, a groove, a hole or a protrusion. A distal end portion of the elongated body may be oblique and/or rounded, convex, hemispherical or quarter-spherical. The elongated body may comprise an open end and a closed end. The closed end may comprise at least one hole. The closed end may make an angle with the surface of the elongated member which is lower or higher than 90 degrees. The closed end may be formed oblique, hemispherical or quarter-spherical. The elongated body may have channels there trough. The attachment means may be arranged such that a rotatable part is attachable to the attachment means. The rotatable part may be articulated on the elongated body. The rotatable part may be rotated by an operator arm. The rotatable part may have tooth at its end near the articulation point. The operator arm at its distal end may attach to the rotatable part via hinge means or tooth means such that when the operator arm is pulled or pushed with respect to the rotatable part, the rotatable part is rotated about its articulation point. The rotatable part may be the rotatable portion of a uterus manipulator. The attachment means may be arranged such that a uterus manipulator is attachable to the attachment means. The attachment means and the uterus manipulator may be arranged such that a movement of the elongated body with respect to the uterus manipulator causes a rotation of the rotatable part of the uterus manipulator. A uterus manipulator may be positioned in a groove or channel of the apparatus.
In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus is adapted to be positioned in the vagina of a female patient so that the apparatus is able to traverse a portion of a vaginal wall located behind the cervix of the patient and so that distal end portion of the apparatus is able to penetrate or to be introduced to the rectouterine pouch of a female body.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a surgical instrument comprising an elongated part, the elongated part having a rotatable end portion. The rotatable end portion may include an articulation or a hinge about which the rotatable portion is rotatable, preferably a flexible articulation. The surgical instrument may be a uterus manipulator. The surgical instrument may have an attachment means thereon. The attachment means may be a rail or a protrusion or a hollow element. The elongated rod may be adapted to be received into the elongated body or in a groove or in a channel of the elongated body.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the elongated body of the apparatus and the elongated part of the surgical instrument are arranged parallel to each other such that they are able to move in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the rotatable portion of the surgical instrument is rotated to a vertical position at about 90 degrees with respect to the elongated body and/or elongated part before the apparatus traverses a portion of a vaginal wall located behind the cervix of the female patient and penetrates to the rectouterine pouch.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet member adapted to be placed in a space in the human body. The sheet may be a membrane. The sheet may be a plastic, polymer or nylon sheet. The sheet may be formed as a bag. The sheet or the bag may comprise two separated zones or may comprise at least two separate compartments. The sheet may comprise an opening. An elongated port may be arranged at the opening. The elongated port may comprise at least an open end. The elongated port may be adapted to be received through the vagina of a female patient such that the open end is arranged outside the human body. The sheet may comprise at least an attachment means for fixing the sheet to the inner parts of the human body. The sheet may be under positive or negative gas or liquid pressure with respect to its ambient.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the sheet or the bag is inserted in a closed configuration through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch into a peritoneal cavity of the patient. The sheet or the bag may be inserted through one of the guides or channels of the apparatus. The sheet or the bag is then opened in a space in the human body. The sheet or bag may be attached and fixed to the inner parts of the human body using the attachment means or pressurized liquid or gaseous medium. The pressurized medium may be introduced through the vagina into the body cavity.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the pressure above and/or inside the apparatus is set higher than the pressure below and/or outside the apparatus so that the apparatus is placed and fixed inside the human body with the help of the pressure difference. The pressure above and/or inside and/or below and/or outside the sheet is adjusted by a liquid or gaseous medium which is transferred to inside of the human body. The liquid or gaseous medium may be transferred through one of the channels or guides of the apparatus.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a surgical method for performing examinations and surgical interventions through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch of a female patient comprises the steps of providing a tube adapted to receive one or more surgical instruments there through and having a distal end with an oblique profile such that the distal end of the tube is inclined making an oblique angle with the longitudinal axis of the tube forming a nose at the distal end of the tube, positioning the tube in the vagina of the patient such that the tube traverses a portion of a vaginal wall located behind the cervix of the patient so that the distal end of the tube penetrates to the rectouterine pouch.
According to another feature of the present invention the method further comprises the step of positioning the tube in the vagina such that the shortest longitudinal side of the tube faces the uterus of the patient and such that the nose at the distal end of the tube clears the penetration way of the tube.
According to another feature of the present invention the method further comprises the steps of providing an elongated housing, positioning the tube in the housing in a telescopically movable manner, preferably before positioning the tube in the vagina.
According to another feature of the present invention a method comprises the steps of providing a uterus manipulator having a rotatable distal end, positioning the uterus manipulator longitudinally parallel to and movable with respect to a tube in the vagina of the patient, placing the distal end of the uterus manipulator in the uterus and repositioning the uterus using the rotatable distal end of the uterus manipulator to an appropriate position before the tube traverses the vaginal wall such that the penetration way of the tube is cleared from obstacles and the posterior formix of the vagina is visible through the vagina and an incision can be made in the posterior formix of the vagina.
According to another feature of the present invention the method further comprises the step of positioning the uterus manipulator in the housing in a telescopically movable manner, preferably before positioning the tube and the uterus manipulator in the vagina.
According to another feature of the present invention the method further comprises the step of locking the tube and/or the uterus manipulator in the housing such that the tube and/or uterus manipulator can not be moved telescopically in the housing.
According to another feature of the present invention the method further comprises the steps of repositioning the uterus by tilting the rotatable distal end of the uterus manipulator to a position where the distal end of the uterus manipulator makes an angle 0 to 140 degree with the longitudinal axis of the tube, the angle being preferably about 90 degree and locking the rotatable end of the uterus manipulator at the position.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention a surgical method for performing examinations and surgical interventions through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch of a female patient comprising the steps of providing a tube adapted to receive one or more surgical instruments therethrough and having a distal end and a uterus manipulator positioned longitudinally parallel to and movable with respect to the tube, the uterus manipulator having a rotatable distal end, positioning the tube and the uterus manipulator in the vagina of the patient, placing the distal end of the uterus manipulator in the uterus and repositioning the uterus using the rotatable distal end of the uterus manipulator to a position such that the penetration way of the tube is cleared from obstacles, preferably to a position where the longitudinal axis of the uterus body makes an angle with the longitudinal axis of the vagina, the angle being between 0 to 140 degrees, preferably the angle being 90 degrees, performing an incision in the vaginal wall, preferably at the posterior formix of the vagina and, moving the tube in the vagina with respect to the uterus manipulator in a forward direction such that the tube traverses a portion of a vaginal wall located behind the cervix of the patient through the incision so that the distal end of the tube penetrates to the rectouterine pouch.
Preferably the method further comprises the steps of providing an elongated housing, positioning the tube and the uterus manipulator in the housing in a telescopically movable manner, preferably before positioning the tube and the uterus manipulator in the vagina.
Preferably the method further comprises the steps of repositioning the uterus by tilting the rotatable distal end of the uterus manipulator to a position making an angle 0 to 140 or 0 to 90 degree or 80 to 100 degree with the longitudinal axis of the tube, the angle being preferably 90 degree and locking the rotatable end of the uterus manipulator at the position.
Preferably the method further comprises the step of locking the tube and/or the uterus manipulator in the housing such that the tube and/or uterus manipulator can not be moved telescopically in the housing.
In another aspect of the present invention, a surgical apparatus for performing examinations and surgical interventions through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch of a female patient comprises a tube adapted to receive one or more surgical instruments there through and having a distal end with an oblique profile such that the distal end of the tube is inclined making an oblique angle with the longitudinal axis of the tube forming a nose at the distal end of the tube.
According to another feature of the present invention the distal end of the tube is covered by a cap portion having one or more holes adapted to receive the one or more surgical instruments there through, the cap portion having preferably a convex shape.
These measures have the advantage, among others, that the shape of the tube corresponds to the anatomical shape of the penis so that the apparatus is easy to introduce through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch. The oblique and convex shape of the penetrating distal end of the tube protects the rectum by keeping the rectum out of the penetration way.
According to another feature of the present invention the apparatus further comprises an elongated housing with a distal end such that the tube is telescopically movably arranged in the housing, the distal end of the housing preferably having an oblique profile such that the distal end of the housing is inclined making an oblique angle with the longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing preferably comprising a longitudinal slit.
According to another feature of the present invention the tube comprises one or more slits and/or grooves and/or rails and/or electrically conductive regions and/or magnetic regions on its outer surface.
According to another feature of the present invention the apparatus further comprises a uterus manipulator having a handle, a shaft extending from the handle and a rotatably distal end, the uterus manipulator preferably arranged longitudinally parallel to and movable with respect to the tube, preferably at the shortest longitudinal side of the tube and at the opposite side of the nose, the uterus manipulator preferably arranged in the housing in a telescopically movable manner.
According to another feature of the present invention the uterus manipulator comprises protrusions and/or one or more rail members and the uterus manipulator is slidably guided in one of the grooves.
According to another feature of the present invention an endobag or funnel shaped membrane is guided in one of the grooves and/or slits, the endobag or funnel shaped membrane preferably having guiding means, the guiding means preferably having one or more protrusions or a rail attached to the inner or outer surface of the endobag or funnel shaped membrane.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention a surgical apparatus for performing examinations and surgical interventions through the vagina and the rectouterine pouch of a female patient comprises a tube adapted to receive one or more surgical instruments there through and a uterus manipulator having a handle, a shaft extending from the handle and a rotatably distal end, the uterus manipulator arranged longitudinally parallel to the tube.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the uterus manipulator is introduced into the uterus through the vagina and serves to tilt the uterus in various directions. The hollow tube is able to receive one or more surgical instruments like graspers, scissors, clip applier, trocar, knife, vacuum, teneculum, light, visual apparatus, endobag, electrical apparatus, morcellator etc.
The features of uterus manipulators are widely known in the prior art and will not be disclosed here explicitly.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the uterus manipulator is arranged longitudinally movable with respect to the tube.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube comprises one or more slits and/or grooves and/or rails and/or electrically conductive regions and/or magnetic regions on its outer surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the uterus manipulator comprises protrusions and/or one or more rail members and the uterus manipulator is slidably mounted in one of the grooves.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the distal end of the tube is covered by a cap portion having one or more holes adapted to receive the one or more surgical instruments there through, the cap portion having preferably a convex shape.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the apparatus further comprises an elongated housing, the tube is telescopically movably arranged in the housing, the housing preferably comprising a longitudinal slit, the uterus manipulator and/or the tube preferably arranged in the housing in a telescopically movable manner.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an endobag or funnel shaped membrane is guided in one of the grooves and/or slits, the endobag or funnel shaped membrane preferably having guiding means, the guiding means preferably having one or more protrusions or a rail attached to the inner or outer surface of the endobag or funnel shaped membrane.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an endobag for transporting body tissue through transvaginal-transdouglas route having guiding means is provided. The guiding means preferably includes one or more protrusions or a rail or a rod or a channel or a pipe attached to the inner or outer surface of the endobag. The endobag may be a funnel shaped membrane.
Further details of the present invention are defined in the appended pages, drawings and claims.


Provided are a drive method and drive circuit for an organic light-emitting diode panel and a display device. The method is applied to an organic light-emitting diode panel, which includes a light-emitting layer, and a first light-emitting control electrode layer and a touch electrode layer sequentially on the light-emitting layer. The first light-emitting control electrode layer and the touch electrode layer are insulated from each other. The method includes: outputting a display voltage to the first light-emitting control electrode layer at a display stage and outputting a shielding voltage to the first light-emitting control electrode layer at a touch stage.

The touch structures of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels include out-cell touch structures, touch-on-cell structures, and touch-in-cell structures. In the touch-in-cell structure, the touch structure is designed in the OLED panel.
An OLED panel adopting the touch-in-cell structure is provided in the related art. The OLED panel includes a back plate layer, and a light-emitting layer and a cathode layer disposed on the back plate layer. The back plate layer includes a thin film transistor array, an anode layer and other structures. The back plate layer and the cathode layer are configured to drive the light-emitting layer in the OLED panel to emit light. The cathode layer is divided into a plurality of sub-units and each of the sub-units is reused as a touch unit of the touch structure, simultaneously.

Drive method and drive circuit for driving organic light-emitting diode panel and display device

MIANYANG BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An air cooled oil cooler has an upper plate, a lower plate and a plurality of tubes and outer fins disposed therebetween. Each tube contains an inner offset fin, and the outer fins formed in a corrugated shape and each having one return louver on an intermediate portion between a top portion and a bottom portion of the outer fin. The outer fins is disposed between the tubes so that the tubes and the outer fins are arranged alternatively and stacked in a pile between the upper and lower plates. The tubes are formed to be flat tubes having a height-width ratio of the tube to be 4.8-7.4%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air cooled oil cooler used for cooling a oil of an engine of a motor vehicle or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air cooled oil cooler is known, which has plural tubes each consisting of a pair of plate members to be coupled and an inner fin disposed in the coupled plate members. The tubes are piled up and formed at their both side ends with a communicating hole to pass an oil among the tubes so that the oil discharged from an engine can be cooled by air flow passing through a space between the tubes while flowing in the tubes and return to the engine for avoiding its overheat.
A conventional air cooled oil cooler of this kind is disclosed in Japanese patents laying-open publication Nos. 2000-146479, Tokkaihei 11-118366, and Tokkaihei 11-72295.
This conventional air cooled oil cooler, however, encounters the following problems. Recently, there is a demand for higher output power of engines, which requires improving coolability of air cooled oil coolers. In order to meet this requirement, the number of a pile of the tubes may be increased in an oil cooler of the above prior arts, but this brings growing in size of a core of the oil cooler.
In addition, there is also a demand for reduction in an engine room according to enlargement of a passenger compartment, which requires smaller air cooled oil coolers.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an air cooled oil cooler which overcomes the foregoing drawbacks and can improve its oil coolability with suppression of its size growing.


A method for determining the stresses in a film applied to a substrate from measured substrate shape. The substrate is first analyzed using finite element techniques to obtain nodal forces at the surface of the substrate to which the film is applied, based on measured distortion data of the substrate surface. The film is then analyzed to calculate the film stresses from the applied nodal forces using finite element techniques. The invention may be applied to determine stresses in thin films applied to a variety of substrates, including those used for micro-electronic (e.g., integrated circuit) and micro-mechanical devices and/or for the lithography masks or other optical/projection systems used to fabricate such devices.

In the fabrication of integrated circuits, and other semiconductor devices, a substrate wafer, made of a material such as single crystal silicon, is doped, and a thin film is applied on the substrate surface. Thin films of conductive or insulative material may be deposited or otherwise applied onto the surface of the substrate, typically to a thickness of less than one micrometer, by a variety of conventional processes. The applied films are patterned to define an integrated circuit or other structure, with conductive films patterned to form device gates or interconnects and insulating films patterned to provide electrical isolation.
Thin films applied to substrates, in semiconductor manufacturing or otherwise, typically exhibit some intrinsic stress. This stress may be caused by a variety of mechanisms, such as lattice mismatch and dissimilar thermal expansion coefficients of the film and the substrate wafer. Failure to control these stresses can lead to failure of the electronic devices formed on the substrate. Device failure due to film stress may be caused, for example, by dislocation generation, film cracking, delamination, and/or void formation. Film stress may be controlled, to some extent, during application of the film onto the substrate by process variation, or afterward by annealing. However, in order accurately to control film stress, the stress must be measured accurately.
The patterning of the thin film that is applied to the substrate surface of the semiconductor device to form, e.g., an integrated circuit, typically is accomplished using a lithographic process employing one or more lithography masks. These lithography masks themselves typically are formed as a thin film layer, or multiple thin film layers, applied to a substrate. The thin film applied to the mask substrate is patterned, e.g., using laser etching, to form the mask pattern which, during the lithography process, is transferred to the integrated circuit substrate wafer being formed.
Feature sizes in modern integrated circuits have decreased dramatically in recent years. In order to meet the stringent requirements of reduced feature size, next-generation lithography (NGL) techniques, such as extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) and electron projection lithography (EPL), are being developed. Design and implementation of a low-distortion lithography mask is one of the key issues for all NGL technologies. Intrinsic film stress generated during the fabrication process of advanced NGL masks can cause significant mechanical distortions, which compromise the accuracy of image resolution and placement. Dependable stress measurements thus also are necessary for controlling the distortions in the lithography masks used in semiconductor device fabrication to achieve high-quality reduced-feature size integrated circuits.
Techniques for directly measuring localized thin-film strain have been used for many years. Such techniques include x-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy. However, the equipment required to obtain such direct measurements is expensive, and such methods are not well suited for production environments.
A common indirect method for determining thin film stress as used in the semiconductor industry is based on the measurement of the curvature of the substrate wafer, with a thin film applied thereto, to determine the thin film stress. This indirect method employs a laser scanner or full-field measurement device to determine the curvature of the substrate wafer. The out-of-plane displacement (OPD), rotation of the cross section, or the curvature generated by the intrinsic stress are measured in this manner. The film stress is then computed from the measured data. Although most available measuring tools provide accurate information about the induced substrate shape, i.e., the distorted shape of the substrate wafer with film applied, the film stress magnitudes and distributions generated by such techniques, in general, are not reliable. This is due to the fact that the calculations are based upon the local application of Stoney's equation, which is not valid for most real film-substrate systems.
The film and substrate comprising a semiconductor device, or mask used in the fabrication thereof, are usually made from different materials and have different lattice structure and thermal parameters. Thus, when the film is deposited onto the substrate, lattice and thermal mismatch strains are generated. These strains cause intrinsic stress and deformation in the film-substrate system. The film stress and substrate deformation are interdependent, so film stress can be determined from the measured substrate deformation. Stoney's equation is the most well-known expression linking film stress to substrate curvature. It was originally derived for a beam flexed by a uniform stressed film, and can be extended to determine the film stress on a plate substrate:σf=Est2sK/6tf(1−νs)  (1)where,                σf=film normal stress;        Es=elastic modulus of substrate;        ts=substrate thickness;        tf=film thickness;        νs=Poisson's ratio of the substrate;        K=curvature caused by intrinsic stress.
Equation (1) is based on the assumption that the two in-plane principal stresses are equal to each other and their distribution is uniform. This assumption can be equivalently stated that, over the substrate, the curvature K is constant. In other words, the deformed substrate surface is perfectly spherical. Currently, many metrology tool manufacturers utilize Eq. (1) to calculate film stress point-by-point, i.e., the constant curvature K is replaced by the local curvature, Kloc. However, the validity of locally applying Stoney's equation has not been established. In most cases, the deformed substrate shape is not perfectly spherical, so the applicability of Stoney's equation is significantly limited.
Traditional finite element methods are widely used to analyze structures with known loads, and have also been applied to compute the film stress in film-substrate systems when the thermal and lattice mismatch strains were determined or estimated. However, in semiconductor and similar device manufacturing cases, the loading, intrinsic stress, or mismatch strain (which causes the film and substrate deformation) is unknown. Only the out-of-plane displacements, cross-section rotations, or curvatures at discrete points on top of the film or bottom of the substrate can be measured and can be used as input data for a finite element analysis.
What is desired, therefore, is an improved method for determining the film stress in thin films applied to substrates, particularly thin films applied to semiconductor substrates or thin films applied to substrates to form lithography masks used in semiconductor and similar fabrication processes. The desired method for determining film stress preferably is an indirect method that does not require expensive equipment, that is well-suited for production environments, and that is more accurate than current indirect methods for determining film stress that employ Stoney's equation.

Determining film stress from substrate shape using finite element procedures


In an exemplary embodiment, an augmented reality system for traffic control combines data from a plurality of sensors to display, in real time, information about traffic control objects, such as airplanes. The sensors collect data, such as infrared, ultraviolet, and acoustic data. The collected data is weather-independent due to the combination of different sensors. The traffic control objects and their associated data are then displayed visually to the controller regardless of external viewing conditions. The system also responds to the controller's physical gestures or voice commands to select a particular traffic control object for close-up observation or to open a communication channel with the particular traffic control object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to traffic control systems, and more particularly to air traffic control systems.
2. Related Art
Operations in conventional traffic control centers, such as, e.g., primary flight control on an aircraft carrier, airport control towers, and rail yard control towers, are severely impacted by reduced visibility conditions due to fog, rain and darkness, for example. Traffic control systems have been designed to provide informational support to traffic controllers.
Conventional traffic control systems make use of various information from detectors and the objects being tracked to show the controller where the objects are in two dimensional (2D) space. For example, an air traffic control center in a commercial airport, or on a naval aircraft carrier at sea, typically uses a combination of radar centered at the control center and aircraft information from the airplanes to show the controller on a 2D display, in a polar representation, where the aircraft are in the sky. Unfortunately, unlike automobile traffic control systems which deal with two dimensional road systems, air traffic adds a third dimension of altitude. Unfortunately, conventional display systems are two dimensional and the controller must mentally extrapolate, e.g., a 2D radar image into a three dimensional (3D) representation and also project the flight path in time in order to prevent collisions between the aircraft. These radar-based systems are inefficient, however, at collecting and conveying three or more dimensional data to the controller.
Conventional systems offer means to communicate with the individual aircraft, usually by selecting a specific communication channel to talk to a pilot in a specific airplane. This method usually requires a controller to set channels up ahead of time, for example, on an aircraft carrier. If an unknown or unanticipated aircraft enters the control space, the control center may not be able to communicate with it.
What is needed then is an improved system of traffic control that overcomes shortcomings of conventional solutions.

Augmented reality traffic control center


A method for scaling out database information may include creating second database instantiation. The method may include configuring one or more partitions of a first database for transfer to the second database and configuring the second database for receiving the one or more first database partitions. The method may also include transferring the one or more first database partitions to the second database.

Databases are software systems that support the storage of data as collections of logical constructs called tables, each of the tables containing records with a specified structure. As the number of applications grows in a single database, the load on that database may become be too high for the database to provide reasonable response times. One approach to solving this problem is adding more storage in the database for the additional data. However, this solution may increase data delivery time, providing a less desirable end user experience. Further, in some instances, scaling out of a database may be necessary because scaling up (e.g. adding additional disk space, RAM, CPU, etc.) has practical and physical limitations (e.g. a single database server may only support a certain amount of RAM).


A method for conducting a financial transaction can be used by a person using a mobile device to conduct the transaction. The mobile device receives information related to the person that can be used for authentication purposes, such as a PIN or biometric data. The mobile device then authenticates the person by verifying the information received. If the person is authenticated, the transaction is completed using the mobile device, and if the person is not authenticated, the transaction is prevented.

Various information management systems and methods exist presently, and such systems use a variety of different techniques and configurations to manage such information and profit from the dissemination of such information. However, existing information management systems suffer from certain drawbacks and disadvantages, which can be magnified when used on a large scale. One disadvantage, from the point of view of the general public, is the lack of control over such information, both in the context of privacy concerns and also the lack of the ability to selectively profit from the dissemination of such information. Additionally, present information management systems are often unsuitable for use in conducting widespread electronic financial transactions, because the difficulty in reliably authenticating transactors electronically creates the danger of fraud. Still other drawbacks and disadvantages exist with present systems and methods.

Authentication methods for use in financial transactions and information banking


Described are compositions of at least one material represented by a pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline structure, a pyrano[3,2-c]quinolinone structure or mixtures thereof. The pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline structure is characterized by having a nitrogen atom at the 6-position ring atom and an oxy-substituent at the 5-position ring atom. The pyrano[3,2-c]quinolinone structure is characterized by having a substituted nitrogen atom at the 6-position ring atom and an oxo-substituent at the 5-position ring atom, the nitrogen atom substituents being hydrogen, aliphatic substituents, cycloaliphatic substituents, aromatic substituents, heteroaromatic substituents or a combination thereof. Both of the pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline and pyrano[3,2-c]quinolinone structures are characterized by having two substituents at the 2-position ring atom. Also described are photochromic articles that contain or that have coatings or films containing at least one of the novel compositions or combinations thereof with other photochromic materials.

The present invention relates to novel chromene materials having a nitrogen heteroatom. More particularly, this invention relates to materials of pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline structure and/or of pyrano[3,2-c]quinolinone structure and to compositions and photochromic articles comprising photochromic materials of these structures. When exposed to light radiation containing ultraviolet rays, such as the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight or the light of a mercury lamp, many photochromic materials exhibit a reversible change in color. When the ultraviolet radiation is discontinued, such a photochromic material will return to its original color or colorless state.
Various classes of photochromic materials have been synthesized and suggested for use in applications in which a sunlight-induced reversible color change is desired. Although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon materials having a nitrogen heteroatom are known, there is a need for such materials that can demonstrate a range of photochromic performance properties.

Pyrano-quinolines, pyrano-quinolinones, combinations thereof, photochromic compositions and articles


A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 0.1 μmol of formaurindicarboxylic acid or its derivatives in 1 kg of pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is in the form of solution prepared using aqueous alcali or water.

Coccidia parasites infect a wide range of animal species, especially farm animals where they cause significant economic losses due to mortality, morbidity, lower performance and extra costs associated with treatment and prevention. The most common coccidia belong to the genus Eimeria, which infect birds and mammals. Other common coccidian genera found in farm animals are Cryptosporidium and Isospora.
Cryptosporidium parvum typically infects the small intestine of neonates of ruminants, and is also human pathogen. In the human population, C. parvum and the genetically closely related species C. hominis are mostly diagnosed in individuals with a compromised immune system, mostly people with AIDS, where they cause profuse, long-lasting watery diarrhea. In immunocompetent people Cryptosporidium causes enteritis and diarrhea which is self-limiting. Nevertheless, severe diarrhea and dehydration may cause serious complications in children and in older persons.
Today, two different approaches for the control of coccidioses are used: 1) vaccination, and 2) administration of coccidiostats and anticoccidials. Vaccination against some Eimeria species is commercially available for use in poultry. Other animals must be treated by anticoccidials covering now all known coccidian species. A problem accompanying the use of these drugs, which were mostly synthesized in 1950s-70s, is the risk of resistancy and the need to rotate treatment programs. Also, residuality of these drugs represents a risk if drugs enter the food chain.
Treatment of cryptosporidial infections is problematic due to the lack of reliable drugs, as well as by the limitations associated with immunotherapy (Harp et Goff, 1995; Jenkins, 2004). People may be treated with paromomycin, and by azithromycin, nitazoxanide or lehrazuril, drugs with a limited efficacy against cryptosporidiosis (Blanshard et al., 1997; Giacometti et al., 1998). In animals, the only registered drug is halofuginone-lactate.
Because of these problems, it is evident that there is a need to find new highly effective anticryptosporidial drugs which should not be toxic to the host and should not leave any residual.
Background Publications Include:
Blanshard C, Shanson D C, Gazzard B G: Pilot studies of azithromycin, letrazuril and paromomycin in the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. Int J STD AIDS 1997; 8(2):124-9
Giacometti A, Burzacchini F, Cirioni O, Barchiesi F, Dini M, Scalise G: Efficacy of treatment with paromomycin, azithromycin, and nitazoxanide in a patient with disseminated cryptosporidiosis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1998; 18:885-889.
Harp J A, Goff J P: Protection of calves with a vaccine against Cryptosporidium parvum. J Parasitol. 1995; 81(1):54-7.
Jenkins M C: Present and future control of cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2004; 3(6):669-71
Liang F, Huang Z, Lee S Y, Liang J, Ivanov M I, Alonso A, Bliska J B, Lawrence D S, Mustelin T, Zhang Z Y: Aurintricarboxylic acid blocks in vitro and in vivo activity of YopH, an essential virulent factor of Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague. J Biol Chem. 2003; 278(43):41734-41.
Okada N, Koizumi S: A neuroprotective compound, aurin tricarboxylic acid, stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation cascade in PC12 cells. J Biol Chem. 1995; 270(27):16464-9.
Owens M R, Holme S.: Aurin tricarboxylic acid inhibits adhesion of platelets to subendothelium. Thromb Res. 1996; 81(2):177-85.
Tzipori S: Cryptosporidiosis: laboratory investigations and chemotherapy. Adv Parasitol. 1998; 40:187-221

Preparation of the formaurindikarboxyl acid base and its derivations and use


A new apple tree named ‘Cauflight’ is described. ‘Cauflight’ is a mutation of ‘Caudle’ selected for its fruit, which has an intense bright red over color as compared to ‘Caudle.’

'Cauflight' is a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree Malus domestica Borkh. This new cultivar is a product of natural branch tree mutation of the variety 'Caudle' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,068) discovered at Flightshott Farm, Kent, United Kingdom. 'Cauflight' is well characterized by its well defined dark red stripes over a bright red color. It is also characterized by its high percentage of colored fruits. Fruit was first observed in 2000, in an orchard situated at Flightshoot Farm in Kent, United Kingdom. Trees have since been propagated by budding in two different locations: Seiches sur le Loir, France and Villers-Cotterêts, France. The variety has been shown to remain true to type over successive generations in these two locations.


An optical pickup comprises a light source section for emitting a light beam, a floating objective lens for focusing the light beam on an optical disk, a galvano-mirror capable of directing the light beam toward the objective lens and rockable for tracking control, a beam splitter for extracting return light from the optical disk, and a photodetector for detecting return light. The floating objective lens includes a lens for converging the light beam and a slider for holding the lens. The slider is lifted off the optical disk by means of air currents produced as the disk rotates. The galvano-mirror is located adjacent to the objective lens. In other words, the objective lens in a floating state is situated close to the galvano-mirror without intercepting the light beam incident upon the galvano-mirror.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-167166, filed Jun. 14, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an optical pickup for recording on and reproducing information from an optical disk.
As an example of a thin-type optical pickup, there is an optical pickup including a floating objective lens, which is lifted off an optical disk by means of air currents. Since the floating objective lens is very small, a small-diameter light beam may be used, so that the optical pickup using the floating objective lens can be thinned.
An example of an optical pickup using a floating objective lens is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-73946. This optical pickup comprises a floating objective lens adapted to be lifted off by means of air currents produced as an optical disk rotates, a light source for emitting a light beam, and a reflecting prism, so-called riser mirror, for deflecting the light beam at 90xc2x0 to direct it to the objective lens. The optical pickup further comprises a relay lens system including two lenses and interposed between the light source and the riser mirror. The lens on the light source side is movable at right angles to the optical axis for tracking control; while the lens on the riser mirror side is movable along the optical axis for focus control.
When the lens for tracking control is moved at right angles to the optical axis, its focal point is deviated from the optical axis. Accordingly, the light beam projected from this lens has an inclination to the optical axis. After it is reflected by the riser mirror, therefore, the light beam falls on the objective lens at an angle to the optical axis of the lens. In consequence, the light beam is focused on the optical disk at a position, which is off the optical axis of the objective lens. Tracking control is carried out in this manner.
The light beam thus inclined with respect to the optical axis for tracking control recedes from the optical axis on departing from the lens for tracking control. Accordingly, the riser mirror should have a certain measure of area, and the objective lens is expected to have a corresponding effective diameter.
These requirements entail an increase in size of the riser mirror and the objective lens and constitute a hindrance to the reduction in thickness of the optical pickup.
The present invention has been contrived in consideration of these circumstances, and its object is to provide a thin-type optical pickup in which a riser mirror and an objective lens are reduced in size.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.


Methods and systems for reliable neighbor discovery in wireless ad hoc networks are provided herein. In one aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for analyzing the quality of a communication link. In embodiments, several factors affecting link quality may be incorporated in the analysis, and basic and/or complex statistical and/or probabilistic analysis may be used. In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for neighbor node discovery that adapt to network and/or node operating conditions and that dynamically maintain a neighbor node set at a given node according to these conditions. In a further aspect, embodiments of the present invention extend the utility of neighbor node discovery beyond the customary role of data routing support into the problem of deploying an ad hoc network by providing a display module for displaying node connectivity information.

Over the last decade, multihop routing for wireless ad hoc networks has been the focus of numerous research efforts. With a multitude of routing protocols having been proposed, a common challenge is faced in the ability of the protocol to adapt to the expected but unpredictable topological changes in wireless ad hoc networks.
In the literature, this is known as routing topology control and is defined as the act of computing and maintaining a connected topology among network nodes, based on which data routing may be performed in the network.
While topology control continues to receive considerable research attention, an essential element at the basis thereof—neighbor node discovery—remains severely overlooked and is often simplistically treated in the design of routing protocols. Neighbor node discovery relates to the process by which a network node detects and dynamically maintains a neighbor node set, wherein the neighbor node set includes network nodes with which direct symmetric communication links are present. By direct it is meant that there is no need to communicate through intermediate nodes.
Conventional methods for neighbor node discovery rely on a simple hello-reply exchange for detecting a neighbor node. However, while this approach may work in simulation, in practice, the success or failure of a single exchange does not accurately describe the presence or absence of a reliable communication link between two nodes.
What is needed therefore are methods and systems for reliable neighbor node discovery to support efficient data routing in wireless ad hoc networks.


The objective is to provide a direct drawing-type waterless lithographic printing original plate which is highly sensitive and is not susceptible to formation of blisters, namely a direct drawing-type waterless lithographic printing original plate which has a wide latitude. Provided is a direct drawing-type waterless lithographic printing original plate which has at least a heat-sensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer on a substrate in this order. The direct drawing-type waterless lithographic printing original plate is characterized in that the heat-sensitive layer contains non-photosensitive particles and the average particle diameter of the non-photosensitive particles is not less than ½ of the average film thickness of a portion of the heat-sensitive layer where the non-photosensitive particles are not present.

Hitherto, various printing plates for performing lithographic printing by using a silicone rubber or fluorine resin as an ink repellent layer without using dampening water (hereinafter referred to as "waterless lithographic printing") have been proposed. Waterless lithographic printing is a lithographic printing method in which an image area and a non-image area are made to be present on almost the same plane, and with an ink acceptable layer as the image area and with an ink repellent layer as the non-image area, the difference in ink acceptability is used for allowing the image area only to accept ink. Subsequently the ink is transferred onto a printing medium such as paper, to achieve printing. The lithographic printing method has a feature that printing can be performed without using dampening water.
As methods for exposing the waterless lithographic printing plate precursor, various methods are proposed. These methods can be roughly classified into methods of performing ultraviolet irradiation via an original film, and computer-to-plate (hereinafter referred to as CTP) methods in which the image is directly written from the text without using the original film. The CTP methods include a method of irradiating with a laser beam, a method of writing using a thermal head, a method of partially applying a voltage using pin electrodes, a method of forming an ink repellent layer or ink acceptable layer using ink-jet, and so on. Among these methods, the method of irradiating with a laser beam is more excellent than the other methods in view of resolution and plate making speed.
The method of irradiating with a laser beam can be classified into two types: a photon mode method using a photo reaction and a heat mode method in which photo thermal conversion is performed to cause a thermal reaction. In particular, the usefulness of the heat mode method grows higher owing to the advantage of allowing handling under daylight and the rapid progress of the semiconductor lasers used as light sources.
With regard to the directly imageable waterless lithographic printing plate precursors corresponding to the heat mode method, various proposals have been made hitherto. Above all, a directly imageable waterless lithographic printing plate precursor having bubbles in a heat sensitive layer is proposed as a directly imageable waterless lithographic printing plate precursor that allows plate making with low laser irradiation energy and is good in image reproducibility (for example, see patent document 1). Further, as a method for producing a directly imageable lithographic printing plate precursor that allows plate making with low laser irradiation energy and is good in image reproducibility, proposed is a method for producing a directly imageable waterless lithographic printing plate precursor, comprising a step of coating a heat sensitive layer composition solution containing an organic solvent with a solubility parameter of 17.0 (MPa)1/2 or less and a step of drying the heat sensitive layer composition (for example, see patent document 2).

Direct drawing-type waterless lithographic printing original plate


Provided is a composite IC card including: a card base having a recess; an antenna sheet arranged inside the card base; an IC module arranged in the recess of the card base. The IC module includes an IC chip having a module substrate provided with an external terminal, and a first coupling coil. The antenna sheet includes an antenna coil configured to perform reception of electric power and transmission and reception of signals with an external reader, and a second coupling coil connected to the antenna coil. The first coupling coil and the second coupling coil are arranged so as to be capable of achieving close coupling therebetween and configured to couple the IC module with the antenna sheet in a non-contact manner by trans coupling. The second coupling coil of the antenna sheet is arranged outside a region in which the recess of the card base is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite IC card which is operable in both: a contact mode used to perform, for example, reception of electric power from an electric power supply and transmission and reception of signals via electric contacts; and a non-contact mode used to perform, for example, reception of electric power from an electric power supply and transmission and reception of signals by electromagnetic coupling in a non-contact manner without electric contacts in the IC card, and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an IC card having a built-in semiconductor memories and the like, a composite IC card (dual IC card) is known which is operable in both a contact mode and a non-contact mode. As an example, there is a composite IC card in which an antenna coil provided inside a card used to perform a non-contact communication with external terminals is physically connected by wiring to an IC module which is operable in both a contact mode and a non-contact mode.
In addition, there is a composite IC card in which a coil is formed in an IC module which is operable in both a contact mode and a non-contact mode, and a coil used to make an electrical coupling with the coil formed in the IC module in a non-contact manner and an antenna coil used to perform a non-contact communication with external terminals are provided inside the card (refer to WO 99/26195, WO 98/15926, and WO 96/35190).
In the latter composite IC card, it is unnecessary to physically connect the IC module and the antenna coil with wiring and defects such as a loose connection are unlikely to be caused, which leads to its increased demand recently. This type of IC card is obtained by fabricating a card base having a built-in antenna coil and a coil used to make an electrical connection with an IC module, forming a recess in the card base by milling which is used to embed the IC module, and then embedding and arranging the IC module in the recess.
When forming the recess in the card base, depending on the accuracy of the processing machine and the position of the coil used to make an electrical connection with the IC module, it is possible to cause disconnection and deformation of the coil.
For a composite IC card in which an IC module configured to be operated in both a contact mode and a non-contact mode and including a coil, a coil used to make an electrical coupling with the coil formed in the IC module in an non-contact manner, and an antenna coil used to perform a non-contact communication with external terminals are provided in the card base, the object of the present invention is to provide a composite IC card which makes it possible to reduce defectiveness due to disconnection, deformation, and the like of the coil used to make an electrical connection with the coil of the IC module.


The invention relates to an elastic bushing having an elastic element and a holding element for receiving the elastic element. The holding element having an abutment region is spaced apart from a counter-abutment region of the elastic element such that a gap is formed in a neutral position of the elastic bushing. The abutment region and the counter-abutment region are substantially spherical in shape to form the gap.

This application relates generally to mechanical connectors, and more particularly to connectors that absorb vibration.
An elastic bushing may be an integral part of an upper damper bearing or spring strut support bearing of a motor vehicle. The non-deflected state of the elastic bushing is the defined middle position in the state of static equilibrium, taking into account the gas force of the shock absorber or any other constant pre-load.
The following is a discussion of relevant art pertaining to elastic bushings. The discussion is provided only for understanding of the invention that follows. The summary is not an admission that any of the work described below is prior art to the claimed invention.
A European patent EP 0816140 B1 relates to a spring strut support bearing for wheel suspensions in a motor vehicle. The spring strut support bearing includes a vertically pot-shaped metallic housing; a rubber buffer arranged in the housing; a carrying piece, connectable to a damper, fixed to the rubber buffer through radially extending projections; an annular spring buffer supporting the upper end of a helical spring surrounding the damper; a radially directed housing flange forming a stay for the spring buffer; a cover plate, fastenable to a motor vehicle component, covering the rubber buffer and connected to the housing flange; and a one-piece metallic collar margin located on the underside of the housing and guides the damper radially. The housing is caulked with the cover plate. Recesses with a geometry changing in the circumferential direction, independently of the load, are provided in regions on the spring buffer side, which is supported by the housing flange.
Another German patent DE 19932868A1 discloses a spring strut including a spring plate, cooperating with one end of a piston rod, being arranged to be cardanically movable with respect to the piston rod. An elastic element provides this arrangement between the spring plate and the piston rod. For the upper spring strut support bearing, which may also be designated as a damper bushing, non-linearly progressive stiffness properties are required in the axial direction. On one hand, low stiffness is required in the event of a small deflection in order to improve the noise behavior (NVH=Noise Vibration Harshness). On the other hand, high stiffness is needed in case of a large deflection such that the damper forces can be absorbed without an excessive deflection occurring in the elastic bushing or in the damper bushing. It should be apparent that a balance between low and high stiffness should be achieved. Non-linear stiffness provides not only comfortable but agile driving and steering properties of a motor vehicle.
As used in this specification, the term "cardan joint," and its derivative modifiers "cardanic" and "cardanically," signify a joint that permits motion in any direction. The most widely-used example of such a joint to use referred to as a "universal joint," having two rotational axes close to one another, the axes oriented at 90° to one another. Universal joints are generally found on a rod or tube-like structure, such as the drive shaft of an automobile, providing the rod into two sections which may lie at any angle to one another. In the general case, cardanic joints simply permit movement in any direction.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have an improved damper bushing that increases driving comfort and eliminates the sensitivity of the bushing towards angular deflections.


A position sensor for an automatic transmission has multiple switches, each of which generates “ON” or “OFF” signal depending on a selected position of a shift lever. Signal patterns (“ON” and “OFF” signals) of the normal operation are memorized as a map of signal patterns in a first memory portion. A second memory portion memorizes the respective signal patterns at the respective selected positions of the shift lever. The signal pattern and the change of the signal patterns in the second memory portion are compared with those memorized as the map of the signal pattern in the first memory portion, and determines that a malfunction has occurred in the position sensor, if at least one of the signal patterns and the changes of the signal patterns does not coincide with any of those memorized the map of the signal pattern. The malfunction of the position sensor can be surely detected at an earlier stage of operation of the shift lever for the automatic transmission.

A position of a selected shift range of an automatic transmission is detected by a TCU (a transmission control unit) based on electrical signals from a position sensor. The TCU drives an indicator to emit the relevant light emitting diodes in accordance with the detected shift range. The position sensor comprises multiple switches, wherein combinations of contacts of the respective switches are changed depending on the selected shift range, namely the respective positions of a movable member which is moved by a shift lever operated by a vehicle driver. The TCU detects the position of the selected shift range operated by the shift lever, based on the combination of "ON" signals and "OFF" signals from the respective switches.
In such a position sensor having multiple switches, the combination of the "ON" signals and the "OFF" signals outputted from the respective switches (hereinafter also referred to as a signal pattern) becomes different from a predetermined signal pattern corresponding to the respective shift ranges, if one of or more than one of the multiple switches become out of order (disconnected or short-circuited). In such a malfunction of the position sensor, the TCU can determine that the malfunction has occurred at the position sensor, when the combination of the outputted signals (the signal pattern) does not coincide with any one of the predetermined signal patterns. Furthermore, in the case that the signal pattern would coincide with one of the predetermined signal patterns in spite that a malfunction (the disconnection or short-circuit of the switches) has actually occurred in the position sensor, then the indication of the shift range by the indicator (e.g. the light emitting diodes) might be erroneously made to the vehicle driver. To the end, the combination of the outputted signals (the signal patterns) is generally so designed that the indication of the shift range (shift position) by the indicator to the vehicle driver is made on a safer side, when a malfunction has occurred in the switches of the position sensor. Namely, the indications by transition positions ("P-R", "R-N", of "N-D") are made in case of the malfunction, in order to avoid indications of the shift ranges "D", "R", "N", or "P", for example the indications by "D" in stead of "R", "R" in stead of "D", or "R" or "D" in stead of "N". For example, this kind of technologies is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-294134.
In the above prior art (JP-No. 2003-294134), however, it has a disadvantage in that a detection of the malfunction of the position sensor is delayed, depending on the shift position of the shift lever, the switches of the position sensor in which the malfunction has occurred, and so on. An example is explained with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B, wherein FIG. 12A shows a map of predetermined signal patterns for a normal operation, whereas FIG. 12B shows signal patterns of outputted signals when a switch S4 is short-circuited. More specifically, in FIGS. 12A and 12B, S1 to S4 are switches of the position sensor, and references "P", "P-R", "R" and so on in a vertical direction show the respective shift ranges and transition positions of the shift lever. For example, "P" is the shift range of a parking position, "R" is the shift range of a backward drive position, and "P-R" is a transition position from "P" to "R" range. Black circles indicate "ON" signals and white circles indicate "OFF" signals from the respective switches S1 to S4, depending on the shift position. When the switch S4 is short-circuited, the "ON" signal is always outputted from the switch S4 independently from the position of the shift lever, as shown in FIG. 12B. In this situation, the signal patterns (FIG. 12B) of the position sensor are different from the predetermined signal patterns (FIG. 12A), in the case that the shift lever is positioned at the "P" range", "N" range, "N-D" position, "2" range, "2-1" position and "1" range. The shift lever is usually positioned at the "P" range, when the engine is started, and therefore, the shift position is moved from the "P" range to the "P-R" position, "R" range and so on, in the order shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. Although, the signal pattern (FIG. 12B) at the "P" range is different from the signal pattern (FIG. 12A) of the normal operation, the malfunction of the position sensor (the short-circuit of the switch S4) can not be detected at this stage, since the signal pattern (the "ON" signal from the switch S4 in FIG. 12B at the "P" range) also exists in the signal pattern of FIG. 12A in case of the "P-R" position. As in the same manner, even when the shift lever is moved to the "N" range, the signal pattern (the "ON" signals from the switches S1, S2 and S4 in FIG. 12B at the "P" range) also exists in the signal pattern of FIG. 12A in case of the "N-R" position. As above, the malfunction of the position sensor can not be detected, until the shift lever is moved to the "2-1" position. However, the signal pattern at the "2-1" position is the "ON" signals from the switches S3 and S4 and the "OFF" signals from the switches S1 and S2, and this signal pattern does not exist in the signal patterns of FIG. 12A. And therefore, the malfunction of the position sensor can be detected for the first time, when the shift lever is moved to the "2-1" position.

Control device for automatic transmission


An output stage circuit may include a sourcing driver device, a nonlinear local feedback loop having a feedback transistor and a first current mirror, a sinking driver device, and an output signal. The output stage circuit may actively and dynamically adjust the transconductance of the sourcing driver device by sensing its region of operation, and by sending a nonlinear feedback signal through the local feedback loop and the first current mirror. The nonlinear local feedback loop may be used for control and headroom compensation of the sourcing driver transistor to provide low distortion operation using a smaller size driver transistor.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to electronic circuits, and in particular, to circuits for nonlinear headroom compensation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional solutions for wide-swing output stage designs use common-source output gain stages with a passive current source as a high-impedance load. While these conventional solutions may offer wide-swing operation, it is generally at the expense of compromising other important operating characteristics.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a conventional solution for headroom compensation that utilizes a common source p-channel driver transistor Q driven from a low gain first or second stage. An output from the low gain first or second stage is coupled to the gate of the driver transistor Q. Transistor Q has a gate and source that are coupled through a series-connected resistor R and capacitor C. The drain of transistor Q is connected to a power supply voltage Vpwr. The sinking capability is provided by a current source Isink.
There are several disadvantages to conventional solutions represented by the circuit of FIG. 1. For example, the p-channel driver transistor Q must be made physically large in order to result in wide-swing output performance over the intended operating range. This results in reduced small-signal bandwidth performance due to the increased capacitive loading on the stage previous to the output amplifier stage, as well as degraded large-signal recovery performance due to slew rate limiting from the increased capacitive loading. Another disadvantage is the inability to drive the common source p-channel driver transistor Q from a high-performance folded cascode gain stage without an intervening level-shifting circuit. Yet another disadvantage is the inability to provide nonlinear feedback control, which sharply increases the need for headroom compensation as the output p-channel driver transistor Q enters the triode (or ohmic) region.
It would be desirable to have an architecture and method for headroom compensation that includes dynamic transconductance (gm) enhancement of an output stage p-channel driver device using nonlinear local feedback control to automatically compensate for reduced headroom conditions of operation. Embodiments of the invention fulfill these requirements in addition to addressing other disadvantages inherent to the conventional solutions discussed above.

Apparatus and method for headroom compensation using dynamic transconductance enhancement


A system adapted for use in decomposing water and separating an oxygen rich gaseous stream and a hydrogen rich gaseous stream. The system comprises an enclosure containing a decomposition zone, an oxygen separation zone and a hydrogen separation zone. The decomposition zone comprising an inlet for supplying a flow of water vapor, a plurality of conductive tubes arranged in a spaced array and connected in a parallel circuit including a source of electrical energy capable of supplying energy to all of the conductive tubes. The tubes in the array are elongated circular structures and preferably spaced less than one-eighth inch from each other.

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for generating oxygen and hydrogen gases from water, and, more particularly, to methods and systems for decomposing water into oxygen and hydrogen gases utilizing electrical forces and for separating an oxygen rich gas and a hydrogen rich gas from the water decomposition products. The oxygen rich gas and the hydrogen rich gas which are produced can then be utilized together in a variety of applications such as an energy source for engines, in fuel cells and the like, or the gases can be used separately for uses known in the art.
While the systems of the present invention will be primarily discussed hereinafter with reference to their use in conjunction with the decomposition of water and the separation of the resultant gases into an oxygen rich gas and a hydrogen rich gas, it should be recognized that their use and application are not thereby so limited. For example, the systems may be utilized in the decomposition of materials other than water including the decomposition of products into component gases and the subsequent separation of the component gases into one or more gaseous streams rich in one or more of component gases produced.
Various systems and devices are known in the art for producing oxygen from water and water vapor alone or as contained in various other gases such as waste gases. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,112 to Aylward which relates to an electrolytic converter for electrolytically converting water and moisture vapor to oxygen and hydrogen for use in a closed environment, particularly in connection with space travel. The device includes a housing providing a cell chamber, an inlet for water vapor and outlets for oxygen and hydrogen, the chamber containing a cell assembly including a gas pervious catalytic anode, a gas pervious cathode and an electrolyte containing matrix member between the anode and the cathode providing a conductive path. The anode specifically incorporates a catalytic coating to effect electrolysis of water vapor to hydrogen ions and oxygen, the catalytic coating containing iridium oxide.
Another such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,254 086 to Sanders which relates to system wherein a mixture of gases containing hydrogen is prepared by the dissociation of water vapor at an elevated temperature in excess of 350.degree. C. The resultant gaseous mixture containing hydrogen is then passed through a maze formed of a plurality of wafers of porous refractory material having a hydrogen permeable platinum group metal membrane. In the maze of wafers, hydrogen is separated to leave an oxygen enriched gas.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,925 to Hasebe et al discloses a system which simultaneously generates a mixed oxygen hydrogen gas by providing at least one pair of positive and negative electrodes opposed to each other in a tank of aqueous electrolyte solution which has a gas outlet. Also there are provided in the tank at least one pair of a magnetic member with the polarities thereof fixed in one and the same direction so that the forces therefrom will be directed upwardly in accordance with Fleming's left-hand rule in connection with the direction of the potential difference generated between the pair of electrodes. Oxygen and hydrogen produced in the system of the Hasbe patent are separated by interposing a diaphragm between the pair of electrodes and providing separate outlets for the respective gases.
The disclosures of the above patents are incorporated by references in their entireties.
Several disadvantages are inherent with such systems not including their relative complexity and relatively high costs associated therewith in term of equipment and energy costs. Among these disadvantages of conventional process for the electrolysis of water including those as noted above, there are the use of toxic compounds such as acids, acetate, ammonia, arsenic, asbestos, cadmium, carbon monoxide, caustic soda, chlorine, formaldehyde, methanol, mercury, phosphorous, cyanide and compounds of sulfur. As is readily apparent, use of these toxic materials involves environmental hazards as well as direct hazards to human safety.
In addition, many of the conventional processes and systems for the electrolysis of water use expensive precious metals and exotic organometallic compounds as catalysts or as composites of electrodes and electrolytic fluids. Furthermore, these processes and systems tend to utilize very high heat, very high pressures,, polychemical processes and the like and tend to operate slowly which pyramids equipment costs and magnifies equipment problems. In addition, such systems tend to be quite large and require significant amounts of energy for operation.


A collision detecting apparatus has a plurality of collision detecting means and a determination means for determining a collision based on at least one of outputs of the plurality of collision detecting means. Each of the collision detecting means has a crank member and a deformation detecting member disposed at the center of a middle portion of the crank member for detecting a deformation of the middle portion. Each of the crank member has a first extending portion extending from a first end of the middle portion and a second extending portion extending from a second end of the middle portion in a direction opposite to the first extending portion. A first collision detecting means and a second collision detecting means are arranged in opposite directions between a reinforcement member and one of side members.

A method and an apparatus for recognizing a collision of a vehicle with a pedestrian are known, for example, in JP-A-2003-535769 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,784,792 B2). In the apparatus, sensors, such as a deformation sensor and a pressure sensor, for detecting an impact to the vehicle are mounted on a bonnet and a front bumper. A type of a collided object is determined based on the impact detected by the sensors. Particularly, it is determined whether the collided object is a pedestrian. In general, such sensors are arranged to extend long in a horizontal direction along the bumper and a bumper reinforcement member.

Collision detecting apparatus for vehicle


A plurality of differential signal transmitters can transmit data signals differentially through a plurality of conductive signal lines. Ones of the signal lines can be shared between transmitters, and others of the signal lines need not be shared between transmitters.

FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a prior art circuit 100 for transmitting a data bit D by differential signaling. As shown, the data bit D is input 102 to a driver 104, which can drive the bit D (e.g., in the form of a voltage or current) onto a first conductive signal line 106. Driver 104 also can drive a compliment of the bit D onto a second conductive signal line 108. As also shown, ends of the first signal line 106 and the second signal line 108 are input into a receiver 110, which outputs 112 the bit D. Advantages of differential signaling are known and include noise and interference immunity. That is, noise and interference will not typically change the value of the bit D as it is transmitted from driver 104 to receiver 110. This is because the output 112 of receiver 110 derives from the difference between the signal on the first line 106 and the signal on the second line 108, and any noise or interference that affects the transmission of the bit D from driver 104 to receiver 110 will typically affect both the first line 106 and the second line 108 in the same way and thus will typically not affect the difference between the signals on the first line 106 and the second line 108. Disadvantages of differential signaling are also well known and include an increase in the number of conductive lines 106, 108 needed to transmit one bit D. As can be seen, the circuit shown in FIG. 1 requires two signal lines 106, 108 to transmit one bit D. The present invention is directed to improvements in differential signaling.

Efficient wired interface for differential signals


A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) comprises an InGaAs channel layer formed on a semi-insulating InP substrate via a buffer layer, and an n-type InA.iota.As electron supply layer formed on the channel layer via a spacer layer. On the electron supply layer, formed is an InGaA.iota.P Schottky contact layer, on which a Schottky gate electrode is formed. Source and drain electrodes are formed on the Schottky contact layer via an InGaAs ohmic contact layer, interposing the Schottky gate electrode therebetween. Thus, there is provided an InA.iota.As/InGaAs HEMT having a high gate breakdown voltage, and exhibiting a small variance of characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high electron mobility transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known are high electron mobility transistors having a structure in which an InGaAs channel layer and InA.iota.As electron supply layer are formed on a semi-insulating InP substrate. A cross sectional view of the structure is shown in FIG. 9, and the production steps of manufacturing a high electron mobility transistor having the structure are shown in FIGS. 10A to 10D.
The production steps will be explained in detail. First, a buffer layer 22 of non-doped InP or InA.iota.As, which lattice-matches with InP, is formed on a semi-insulating InP substrate 21, and then, on this buffer layer 22, formed are a non-doped InGaAs channel layer 23, a non-doped InA.iota.As spacer layer 24, a high impurity concentration n-type InA.iota.As electron supply layer 25, a non-doped InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer 26, and a high impurity concentration n-type InGaAs ohmic contact layer 27, in the mentioned order (FIG. 10 A). The layers 22 to 27 are formed by an organic metal chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method or a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method.
Next, ohmic electrodes 29 and 30, serving as a source and drain, respectively, are formed by vapor deposition, and high impurity concentration n-type layers 31 and 32 are formed underneath the ohmic electrodes 29 and 30, respectively, by an alloying process (FIG. 10B). After that, a resist mask 33 having an opening at a section corresponding to the gate electrode region is formed, and while monitoring source and drain currents, a section of the ohmic contact layer 27, which corresponds to the gate region, is etched to make a recess until the InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer 26 is exposed (FIG. 10C). Lastly, a Schottky gate electrode metal layer formed of a Ti/Pt/Au multilayer is deposited, and a gate electrode 28 is patterned by a lift-off process (FIG. 10D).
Such conventional HEMTs have the following problems.
First, a Schottky barrier having a sufficient height is not formed between the InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer and the gate electrode; therefore a sufficient gate break-down voltage cannot be obtained. With a Schottky contact layer formed of such a material, the Schottky barrier height can hardly be changed by use of any type of gate electrode metal.
Second, the element characteristics, especially, the gate characteristics, widely vary. This is because the etching selectivity for wet etching between the InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer 26 and InGaAs ohmic contact layer 27 is low, and the above-mentioned recess etching for exposing the InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer 26 cannot be well controlled. If occurs a wide variance of the element characteristics, high-quality integraded circuits cannot be obtained.
Third, since impurities contained in the organic metal material for A.iota., such as Si and O are mixed into the non-doped InA.iota.As layer formed by the MOCVD method while a layer being grown, the purity of the grown layer will be poor as compared to that of the non-doped InGaAs layer. As a result, the electron mobility of the secondary electron gas (2DEG) accumulated around the interface between the InGaAs channel layer and the InA.iota.As spacer layer is lowered due to dispersion of impurities contained in the spacer layer. Further, a large leak current occurs between the InA.iota.As Schottky contact layer and the gate electrode. Thus, the performance of the device is deteriorated.
Fourth, InA.iota.As layers are easily affected when brought into contact with air or moisture, and therefore the section of the InA.iota.As layer, which is exposed when forming the gate electrode, is affected, thereby deteriorating the Schottky characteristics.
The third and fourth problems are created because InA.iota.As, which lattice-matches with InP, has the composition of In.sub.0 52 A.iota..sub.0.48 As, and the composition ratio of active A.iota. of the group III elements is as large as 0.5.
There is a technique for enhancing the characteristics of the device by making the concentration of the 2DEG higher than that of an InA.iota.As/InGaAs HEMT which lattice-matches with InP. Based on this technique, the A.iota. content ratios in the n-type InA.iota.As electron supply layer and the non-doped InA.iota.As spacer layer are made larger than 0.48, the ratio while lattice-matching, so as to enlarge the discontinuity of the conducting band between the InGaAs channel layer and the hetero junction layer. However, here arises another problem, the fifth one, the crystallization of InA.iota.As will be poor as the composition ratio of A.iota. becomes larger and larger than 0.48, and the third and fourth problems will be even worse.
In the meantime, known is a high electron mobility transistor having an InGaAs channel layer and InGaP electron supply layer (for example, Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (PUJPA) No. 63-228763). However, the conducting band discontinuity between InGaAs and InGaP cannot be made as large as 0.52 eV which is the case of the discontinuity between InGaAs and InA.iota.As.


The invention provides a radiation intensity measuring apparatus for each of small sealed radiation sources for cancer therapy that is capable of measuring multiple cartridges. The apparatus includes a device for setting up multiple cartridges and a device for measuring the radiation intensities of radiation passing through a narrow slit. Radiation is emitted from multiple radiation sources and the radiation measurement device moves simultaneously together with the slit along with the side of cartridge holding device while scanning the radiation intensities. Included is a radiation detection scanning device for measuring radiation intensities for each of the radiation sources passing through the narrow slit, and a slit shielding system for restricting radiation originated originating from both the side neighboring radiation sources. The moving device is configured move the radiation measurement device along the direction in the side of cartridge where multiple radiation sources are lined up close to each other.

The small sealed radiation source therapy for prostate cancer is principally conducted by inserting a radiation source in which [Iodine-125] which is a radioactive nuclide is hermetically sealed in a capsule made of titanium (hereinafter, simply referred to as a radiation source) into prostate. The radiation source is normally supplied in the state that 5 or 15 radiation sources are packed in a cartridge, and the cartridge C is provided in the state that it is hermetically sealed in a container in a sterile condition. The radiation sources S are packed in the cartridge C so that their axial directions are aligned (the axial directions are parallel with each other) (see FIG. 9).
In the small sealed radiation source therapy, on the assumption that the amount of radioactivity of the radioactive nuclide hermetically sealed in each radiation source is identical, the number of radiation sources to be inserted into prostate and the inserting position thereof are determined depending on the state of prostate cancer of the individual. The number of radiation sources to be inserted at one operation of the small sealed radiation source therapy is about 50 to 150.
However, it is said that the multiple radiation sources undesirably includes a defective whose amount of radioactivity is different from the nominal value of the supplier of the cartridge in the probability of about one in several hundreds of products, or about two in a hundred of products in products of bad quality. For example, a radiation source having little radioactivity, or a radiation source whose amount of radioactivity is larger than the nominal value can be included. When such a defective radiation source is used, such problems arise that an expected therapeutic effect is not obtained due to shortage of exposed dose, or conversely other tissue is influenced due to excessive exposed dose. For this reason, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) recommends to test at least 10%, and 100%, if possible, of the radiation sources to be used at each facility.
Originally, the radiation intensity of all the radiation sources should be measured at each facility where the radiation sources are used, however, in the method for measuring radiation intensity using an ionization chamber (radiation meter) that is generally used at present, it is necessary to measure the amount of radioactivity of the capsule one by one. Since this has the disadvantages (1) to (7) below, it is actually difficult to measure the radiation intensity of all of the radiation sources at each facility.                (1) It is necessary to take out the cartridge that is packaged in sterile condition from the bag.        (2) It is necessary to take out the radiation source from the cartridge.        (3) Since the radiation source is measured one by one, very long time is required.        (4) It is necessary to pack the radiation source taken out from the cartridge again in the cartridge.        (5) It is necessary to sterilize the cartridge into which the radiation source is packed again.        (6) It is difficult to avoid exposure to radiation of the operator's hands and fingers in the operations of (1) to (5).        (7) A special calibrated ionization chamber is required.
In this respect, a radiation intensity measuring apparatus for each radiation source in the state that the radiation source is packed in the cartridge has been developed (Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique regarding a radiation intensity measuring apparatus for a radiation source, and the measuring apparatus has a receiving part for receiving a cartridge in which small sealed radiation sources are packed in its interior, and is also provided with an insertion opening through which the cartridge is inserted into the receiving part from outside, and a plurality of openings penetrating the receiving part and outside.
With such a configuration, a cartridge is inserted into the receiving part of the measuring apparatus through the insertion opening, and the measuring apparatus is positioned on the X-ray film so that the multiple openings are in contact with the X-ray film. Since the radiation emitted from each radiation source leaks outside the measuring apparatus through the corresponding opening, the X-ray film which is in contact with the measuring apparatus is exposed to the leaking radiation, and information of the radiation intensity of each radiation source is recorded on the X-ray film. Therefore, by analyzing the record on the X-ray film, it is possible to obtain desired information.
Since the measuring apparatus of Patent Document 1 measures the radiation source packed in the cartridge as it is, the above problems (2) to (4) can possibly be cleared up, but the above problems (1) and (5) cannot be solved because measurement cannot be executed unless the cartridge packaged in a sterile condition is taken out from the bag.
In the measuring apparatus of Patent Document 1, the problem of decrease in measurement accuracy of radiation intensity arises for the reason as will be mentioned below although the above problems (2) to (4) can be solved.
In the case of the measuring apparatus of Patent Document 1, the measuring apparatus exposes the X-ray film to light by radiation respectively leaking from the multiple openings h. Therefore, for obtaining the information of the radiation intensity of each radiation source S, it is necessary to accurately align the center axes of the multiple radiation sources S and the center axes of the multiple openings h so that one radiation source corresponds to each opening h.
However, not all of the radiation sources S packed in the cartridge C are packed at the same interval, and slight difference arise in arrangement of the radiation sources S between individual cartridges C. For example, the radiation sources S can include a radiation source S having a wire diameter different from the normal wire diameter, and such a radiation source S can be packed. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 9(C), when the positions of the multiple openings h are formed at regular intervals in accordance with a normal wire diameter of the radiation source S (0.8 mm), the center axis of a certain radiation source S can be deviated from the center axis of the opening h. As a result, a radiation source S for which accurate radiation intensity cannot be measured arises, and measurement accuracy of the radiation intensity deteriorates.
On the other hand, as a technique for solving the problems (1) to (7) of conventional methods, the technique of Patent Document 2 has been developed.
Patent Document 2 discloses a radiation intensity measuring apparatus capable of measuring radiation intensity of a radiation source packed in a cartridge to be measured in the state that the cartridge is accommodated in a bag or a container. This radiation intensity measuring apparatus has holding means for holding a cartridge accommodated in a bag or container, and an accommodating part having an accommodation space into which the cartridge held by the holding means is to be carried. The accommodating part is provided with a slit that communicates between the interior of the accommodation space and outside. For this reason, by carrying the cartridge into the accommodation space of the accommodating part by the holding means, radiation emitted from each radiation source is emitted outside the accommodating part through the slit. Therefore, by measuring the intensity of the radiation emitted outside the accommodating part, it is possible to measure the intensity of the radiation emitted from the radiation source while the cartridge is kept accommodated in a bag or container.
In addition, the slit has a width that is smaller than the axial diameter of the radiation source, so that the holding means can carry the cartridge into the accommodation space while keeping the axial direction of the slit and the axial directions of the radiation sources packed in the cartridge parallel with each other. Therefore, as the radiation sources packed in the cartridge are sequentially passed through the position of the slit, the intensity of radiation emitted outside the accommodating part through the slit varies with movement of the radiation sources. Therefore, by measuring the variation in radiation intensity, it is possible to calculate the intensity of radiation emitted from each radiation source based on the variation in the radiation intensity.

Device for measuring radiation intensity of small sealed radiation source for cancer therapy