In the case where a tracking process of a moving tissue performing a contraction movement and an expansion movement and represented by a cardiac wall is performed for one heartbeat from the ED1 to the ED2, a contour position (tracking point) initially set at the ES (End-Systole) is tracked until ED1 in accordance with movement information, the tracking point is rearranged and a position of a middle layer is set at the ED (End-Diastole), the rearranged tracking point including the position of the middle layer is tracked in accordance with the movement information already obtained, and then the tracking point is further tracked in the normal direction until the ED2. Alternatively, an initial reverse tracking process is performed from the ES to the ED1 by using plural middle layer path candidates, and a path passing through the tracking point existing on the middle layer or contours of inner and outer layers and rearranged at the ED1 is searched, thereby accurately creating and evaluating movement information of each of an endocardium and an epicardium of a cardiac wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of obtaining tissue movement information such as cardiac wall movement information, an ultrasonic image processing apparatus performing an image process by using the tissue movement information obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a medical image diagnostic apparatus, a medical image processing apparatus, an ultrasonic image processing method, and a medical image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the ultrasonic diagnosis, a heartbeat or a fetus's movement state may be obtained in real time just by touching a body surface with an ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnosis may be repeated due to the reliability thereof. In addition, since the size of the system of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is smaller than other diagnostic apparatuses such as an X-ray diagnostic apparatus, a CT diagnostic apparatus, and an MRI diagnostic apparatus, the ultrasonic diagnosis may be easily performed by disposing the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus at a position on the side of the bed. For this reason, the ultrasonic diagnosis is a simple diagnosis method. The size of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus used in the ultrasonic diagnosis is different depending on the types of the functions thereof, and a small-sized ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which may be carried in one hand is developed. Unlike the X-ray diagnosis, the ultrasonic diagnosis has no influence regarding radiation exposure, and hence the ultrasonic diagnosis may be used for obstetrics or the home medical treatment.
In the diagnosis of the body tissue, it is very important to objectively and quantitatively evaluate the function of the body tissue such as a myocardium of a heart. Recently, various quantitative evaluation methods using the above-described ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus have been attempted by mainly exemplifying a heart. For example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-175041 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-250804, a Speckle Tracking technique (hereinafter, referred to as "ST") is commercialized which detects a movement of a local region by performing a local pattern matching process on a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image, and calculates and displays local wall movement information such as displacement or strain. In addition, a method of displaying a "strain gauge" connecting a pair of two points for strain measurement using the ST method is known as described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-78136 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-160744. In the strain gauge display of the related art, a local strain gauge display for each wall thickness of the inner and outer half is also described, and hence it is possible to observe a detailed wall movement state in the inside of a myocardium having a multi-layer structure, for example, each of an endocardium and an epicardium.
Here, as an example of a detailed clinical significance for evaluating each of the endocardium and the epicardium of the inside of the myocardium, as shown in Kuwada Y et al: Transmural Heterogeneity of the Left Ventricular Wall: Subendocardial Layer and Subepicardial Layer. Jpn J Cardiol 2000; 35; 205-218, it is known that the radial strain is not uniform in the inside of the wall, for example, the expansion and contraction amount of an endocardium is two times larger than that of an epicardium in a healthy myocardium. Meanwhile, in most cardiac diseases represented by an ischemic cardiac disease, since disease occurs from the endocardium, when the strain of the endocardium is evaluated, it is possible to perform a more sensitive diagnosis. Particularly, in the case of a subendocardial ischemia, a case is described in which the radial strain of the epicardium compensatively increases in accordance with a decrease in the radial strain of the endocardium as shown in Kuwada Y et al, or Maruo T et al. Am J Physiol 2007; 292: H921-927, or T. Ishizu et al; "Impaired Subendocardial and Compensated Subepicardial Wall Thickening at Rest in Patients with Severe Coronary Stenosis but Visually Normal Wall Motion", JCS2008 abstract.
Incidentally, in the known method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-78136 and the like, a tracking method is shown which sets initial contours of an endocardium and an epicardium at the time phase ES (End-Systole) and determines a position of a middle layer as a middle point between the endocardium and the epicardium on the initial contours. When a tracking process is started by setting an initial contour at the time phase ED (End-Diastole) at the short axis image of the heart, the tracking process of the contour of the endocardium fails due to a reason (A) that a low-correlation echo pattern of the endocardium occurs in a boundary portion of the endocardium due to the out-of-plane motion influence.
That is, in order to highly precisely obtain the movement information of the tissue, the estimation of the movement vector is performed only in the tissue region. The tissue region is initially set by the initial contour, and is set by the contour tracked by using the movement information based on the estimated movement vector at the other time phases. Here, in consideration of the case where the movement vector has an incorrect direction due to a variation or noise of speckle, in the ST, generally a process is performed which spatially estimates plural movement vectors and removes the incorrect vectors through a statistical operation. In addition, when the movement information required for tracking the contour position as the target is obtained, it is desirable to perform a spatial interpolation by using the closest remained movement vectors which are selected after the statistical work.
In a series of ST processes, in the case where the low-correlation echo pattern occurs in the boundary portion of the endocardium due to the out-of-plane motion influence, the contour of the endocardium moves from a portion which has been the boundary of the myocardium tissue until now toward the inside of the cardiac chamber at the systole. At this time, when low-correlation pattern matching occurs, the accuracy of the movement information is influenced and deteriorated because the number of the highly precise remained movement vectors at the closest position becomes small, and hence the tracking process may easily fail.
On the contrary, in the case where the tracking process is started from the ES, when the reason (A) is reversed in time at the systole, the contour of the endocardium moves from a portion which has been the boundary of the myocardium tissue until now toward the inside of the myocardium. Then, since the number of the highly precise movement vectors obtained from the tissue portion is relatively large, the accuracy of the remained movement vectors is improved, and hence the tracking process rarely fails. As a result, compared with the case where the tracking process is started from the ED, it is possible to obtain higher accuracy in the case where the tracking process is started from the ES in the short axis image.
In such an analysis, in the known method, a problem arises in that the radial strain RS (t) for each of the endocardium and the epicardium cannot be accurately evaluated due to the following circumstances.
That is, the radial strain RS (t) is obtained as a radial strain of the length L (t) at each time phase (t) by the following expression by using a length between the endocardium and the epicardium in the wall thickness direction at the time phase ED which is set to a reference length L0.RS(t)=100*(L(t)−L0)/L0[%]  (Expression 1)
The RS (t) around the time phase ES has a peak value and the peak value of the RS reflects a local contraction ability of the myocardium.
Meanwhile, in order to evaluate the RS (t) for each of the endocardium and the epicardium, at the time phase ED, a position of a middle layer is set to a position where the wall thickness is equally divided into two segments, and a radial strain RS_inner (t) between the endocardium and the middle layer and a radial strain RS_outer (t) between the middle layer and the epicardium are obtained. At this time, in order to correctly evaluate the value of the RS (t) of each of the endocardium and the epicardium around the time phase ES, it is necessary to obtain the position of the middle layer by performing a tracking process from the ED toward the ES. If the tracking process of the positions of the endocardium and the epicardium is accurate, even when the tracking process is started from the ED, no particular problem arises. However, as described above, since the tracking accuracy of the position of endocardium is poor when the tracking process is started from the ED in the short axis image, it is not possible to accurately evaluate the RS of the entire wall thickness in addition to the evaluation for each of the endocardium and the epicardium.
When the tracking process is started from the ES in order to accurately evaluate the RS (t) of the entire wall thickness, the tracking process is performed from the ES toward the ED in the state where the position of the middle layer is set at the time phase ES as the position in which the wall thickness between the endocardium and the epicardium is equally divided into two segments. For this reason, the position of the middle layer at the ED after the tracking process is different from the originally determined position which is set at the ED as the position in which the wall thickness between the endocardium and the epicardium is equally divided into two segments.
The state of this problem is shown as a simple model in FIGS. 14A and 14B. For the simplification of the model, a one-dimensional model is supposed, the vertical axis corresponds to the wall thickness direction, and the horizontal axis corresponds to the time direction. As shown in the drawings, the values are set such that the RS_inner (ES)=160%, the RS_outer (ES)=80%, the wall thickness WT (ED)=10 mm. Accordingly, the wall thickness WT (ES)=22 mm. The endocardium equally divided into two segments at the ED is set to be expanded to two times larger than the epicardium.
As shown in FIG. 14A, when the middle layer is equally divided into two segments at the ED, the L0 of each of the endocardium and the epicardium is 5 mm. In addition, the position of the middle layer obtaining the RS (ES) equal to the value set at the ES is a position away from the epicardium by 9 mm and away from the endocardium by 13 mm.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 14B, when the middle layer is equally divided into two segments at the ES, the position of the middle layer at the ES is a position away from the endocardium and the epicardium by 11 mm. Since the position is included in a region of the RS_inner (ES) set to 160%, when the backcalculation of the position of the middle layer at the ED is performed so that the RS_inner (ES)=160%, the position is obtained as a position away from the epicardium by 5.77 mm and away from the endocardium by 4.23 mm. In this case, due to the overvaluation of the epicardium compared with the value set such that RS_outer (ES)=91%, it is observed that the endocardium is more expanded than the epicardium by only 1.77 times.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for cardiac wall movement measurements by re-tracking the cardiac wall


A hand-held imaging apparatus 10 comprises a lower housing 11, an upper housing 21, an outer camera 25, a lower LCD 12, a touch panel 13, and change means. The upper housing 21 is foldably connected to the lower housing 11. The outer camera 25 is provided in an outer surface of the upper housing 21 when folded. The lower LCD 12 has a display screen which is provided in an inner surface of the lower housing 11 when folded, and displays a live image which is currently taken by the outer camera 25. The touch panel 13 is provided on the display screen of the lower LCD 12. The change means makes a change to the live image based on an input with respect to the touch panel 13.

1. Field of the Technology
The technology presented herein relates to a hand-held imaging apparatus and a program. More particularly, the present technology relates to a hand-held imaging apparatus with which a user can perform editing with respect to a taken image and a storage medium storing a program for achieving editing with respect to a taken image.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, there exists a hand-held information-processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-195830). The information-processing apparatus is a foldable apparatus including two housings which are foldably connected to each other. Further, the information-processing apparatus includes a display screen in an inner surface of each housing (which is a surface located inside when the information-processing apparatus is folded) (a total of two display screens). On the assumption that a user uses the information-processing apparatus while holding the lower housing, an operation button is provided on the lower housing of the information-processing apparatus.
Further, as a hand-held information-processing apparatus with a photographing function, for example, there exists a mobile phone disclosed in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-311224). Similarly to the information-processing apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 1, the mobile phone is a foldable apparatus including two housings and two display screens which are provided in inner surfaces of the two housings, respectively. In the mobile phone, two cameras as imaging means are provided in an outer surface and the inner surface of the upper housing, respectively.
As other examples for an imaging apparatus, there exists apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 7 (the Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 04-156791, the Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 06-276478, the Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 01-297986, the Patent Document 6: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-125176, and the Patent Document 7: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-320091). These apparatuses each are an imaging apparatus including an input device which allows an input to be performed for designating a position on a screen, such as a touch panel, a mouse, and the like.
Further, conventionally, there exists an imaging apparatus which takes an image with a camera and displays the taken image, and the like on a display device. For example, the above Patent Document 2 discloses a foldable mobile phone with a photographing function as an imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes two vertically long housings which are foldably connected to each other at short sides thereof, and a display screen is provided in each housing. In addition, a touch panel is provided on each display screen. The above imaging apparatus allows the display screen to be provided substantially across an entirety of a surface of each housing by using the touch panel as an input device. Thus, while the mobile phone is reduced in size, an area for displaying information is made large.
Further, the Patent Document 8 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-142564) discloses an information apparatus having a camera. The information apparatus includes a body unit and a display unit which are pivotably connected to each other by a hinge block. In the information apparatus, the camera is disposed in the hinge block.
Further, conventionally, there exists an imaging apparatus which is a foldable hand-held apparatus, such as a mobile phone, and the like, which is provided with a camera to have an imaging function. For example, Patent Document 9 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-333149) discloses a foldable mobile phone having a camera. The mobile phone includes two foldable housings, and the camera is provided in an outer surface of an upper first housing (which is a surface located on the outside of the mobile phone when the mobile phone is folded). As a shutter button for performing a photographing instruction (an instruction to store data of an image taken by the camera), a first shutter button is provided on an inner surface of a lower second housing (which is a surface located on the inside of the mobile phone when the mobile phone is folded), and a second shutter button is provided on the outer surface of the first housing. When photographing is performed while the mobile phone is opened, a user performs a photographing instruction using the first shutter button.
Meanwhile, conventionally, there exists a hand-held apparatus, such as a mobile phone having a camera, and the like, which includes an imaging function and a voice input function, and it is possible to take an image as well as to perform voice input (including recording) with the hand-held apparatus. Further, when a user performs imaging and voice input, it is preferable to display various information such as an image being taken, and the like, to the user, and it is preferable that a screen of a display device be located such that the user can view the screen during operation.
For example, the Patent Documents 2 and 10-13 (the Patent Document 10: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-274304, the Patent Document 11: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-184060, the Patent Document 12: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-201727, the Patent Document 13: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 09-247634) each disclose an information-processing apparatus having a camera and a microphone. Hand-held apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Documents 10-12 each include, in addition to a camera and a microphone, two screens which are provided in two surfaces of a housing, respectively. More specifically, the hand-held apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Documents 10-12 each are a foldable apparatus including two housings which are foldably connected to each other, and two screens are provided in an inner surface and an outer surface of one of the housings, respectively. It is noted that the inner surface is a surface located inside when the apparatus is folded, and the outer surface is a surface opposite to the inner surface (a surface located outside when the apparatus is folded). As described above, by providing the screens on both of the inner surface and the outer surface, a user can view either screen either in a state where the hand-held apparatus is opened or in a state where the hand-held apparatus is closed, and the user can perform imaging using the hand-held apparatus in either state.
Further, phones disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 13 each include two screens which are located on the same side as a camera and a microphone. In other words, the phones disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 13 each are a foldable apparatus including two housings. The camera is provided in an inner surface of one of the housings, and the microphone is provided in an inner surface of the other housing. In addition, the two screens are provided in the inner surfaces of the two housings, respectively. According to this configuration, a user can concurrently view the two screens when using the phone with the two housings being opened.
(Problem 1) Problem regarding the above Patent Documents 1 to 7
The information-processing apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 1 does not have a camera.
In the mobile phone disclosed in the Patent Document 2, an image being taken by the camera (a live image; an image which is a taken image which is outputted from the camera and displayed as a moving image in real-time) is displayed on a display screen which is provided in a housing to which the camera is mounted. This is because since a photographing direction of the camera is opposite to a direction in which the live image is displayed, the live image is displayed such that a user can view the live image in the same direction as a direction of viewing a real view, and thus it is easy for the user to recognize where the user is photographing in the real view. However, in the mobile phone disclosed in the Patent Document 2, it is impossible to perform an editing operation with respect to the live image.
Here, the editing operation with respect to the live image is an operation for making a change to the live image, such as superimposing on the live image an image which is prepared in advance and referred to as a stamp image or a seal image and an image which is handwritten by a user, and the like. As an apparatus which allows such an editing operation to be performed, there exit apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Documents 3 to 7.
For example, in the imaging apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 3, it is possible to perform an input with respect to a still image or a live image using a touch panel. However, in the imaging apparatus, since a screen for displaying a live image is located on a back side of a camera lens (see FIG. 1 of the Patent Document 3), it is difficult to place the imaging apparatus with the touch panel facing upward, and a user cannot stably perform an editing operation (a touch input operation) with respect to the touch panel.
Further, in an audio and video recording/displaying apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 4, a mouse is used as an input device for adding a handwritten image to a live image which is displayed on a display section. Thus, it is impossible to perform an intuitive editing operation of directly touching a live image. In addition, since a photographing direction of a camera cannot be changed to an up-down direction when the audio and video recording/displaying apparatus is placed, a degree of freedom of photographing is limited when the audio and video recording/displaying apparatus is placed.
Further, according to an apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 5, it is possible to superimpose an image created by a user using a digitizer on a taken image. However, in the above apparatus, the user merely creates in advance an image using the digitizer and superimposes the created image on a taken image, and the user cannot perform an editing operation with respect to alive image. In addition, the digitizer is provided independently of a camera (see FIG. 1 of the Patent Document 5) or integral with the camera (see FIGS. 5 and 6 of the Patent Document 5). Thus, when the digitizer is provided independently of the camera, the apparatus is suitable to be used in a placed state. However, for the apparatus to be held and used, two devices (the camera and the digitizer) have to be held, and thus the apparatus is extremely hard to operate. When the digitizer is integral with the camera, since a display screen is located upward with respect to a surface on which the apparatus is placed similarly to the Patent Document 3 and the Patent Document 4, an operation with respect to the digitizer is hard to perform.
Apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Document 6 and the Patent Document 7 are stationary apparatuses, and both a usage manner when holding the apparatus and a usage manner when placing the apparatus are not taken into consideration.
(Problem 2) Problem regarding the Patent Documents 2 and 8
In the imaging apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 2, the vertically long housings are arranged lengthwise and connected to each other. Thus, a width of the imaging apparatus is too small for a user to firmly hold the imaging apparatus with both hands. Further, since the display screen is provided across the entirety of the surface of each housing, when the user holds the imaging apparatus either lengthwise or sideways, fingers are located on the screen, thereby deteriorating visibility of the screen and operability of the touch panel. On the other hand, when the user holds the imaging apparatus such that the fingers are not located on the screens, the user has to hold the imaging apparatus at back surfaces and side surfaces of the housings, and hence cannot firmly hold the imaging apparatus. Further, since the information apparatus disclosed in the Patent Document 7 is a notebook computer, it is assumed that the notebook computer is used in a placed state when taking an image, and the notebook computer cannot be held with hands and used when taking an image.
As described above, the imaging apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 8 cannot be firmly held by the user while maintaining visibility of the screen and operability of the touch panel when taking an image. Thus, there is a problem that there is a high probability that hand movement occurs when taking an image. Further, since the imaging apparatus cannot be firmly held when taking an image, it is hard to perform an operation when taking an image.
(Problem 3) Problem regarding the Patent Document 9
In the mobile phone disclosed in the Patent Document 9, when a user performs photographing, an operation manner in which the user presses the shutter button with a thumb while holding the lower second housing with one hand is assumed. In other words, the user presses the first shutter button with the thumb while contacting the inner surface of the second housing with a thumb and an outer surface of the second housing with the other fingers (so as to sandwich the second housing between the thumb and the other fingers). In such an operation manner, since the thumb has to be separated from the second housing when pressing the first shutter button, the second housing cannot be firmly held. Thus, it is hard to press the first shutter button, and there is a fear that hand movement occurs when the first shutter button is pressed. As described above, the conventional foldable imaging apparatus has a problem that it is hard to perform a photographing operation of pressing the shutter button.
(Problem 4) Problem regarding the above Patent Documents 2 and 10-13
As in the hand-held apparatuses disclosed in the Patent Documents 10 to 12, in the configuration in which a screen is provided in each of the inner surface and the outer surface of the housing, the user can look at only one screen at one time. Thus, an amount of information which can be displayed to the user at one time is reduced. As a result, there is a fear that the user cannot obtain (view) sufficient information when performing imaging and voice input.
Meanwhile, in the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, a user can look at the two screens at one time. Thus, an amount of information which can be displayed to the user at one time becomes large. However, since the positions of the camera and the microphone are inappropriate in the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, there is a problem that it is hard to perform imaging and voice input due to the following reason.
In the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, the camera and the microphone are provided in the different housings, and located at ends of the telephone, respectively. More specifically, the camera is located at an end of one of the housings, and the microphone is located at an end of the other housing. Thus, in the case where a folded angle is not 180 degrees, an imaging direction of the camera and a direction in which the microphone collects voice are directed in different directions. Further, at this time, the direction in which the microphone collects voice and a direction in which a "screen of a housing provided with the camera" faces are directed in different directions. It is meaningful that a foldable apparatus is, for example, put on a desk and used with a folded angle thereof being set to a desired angle. At this time, the apparatus is easy to operate when setting is made such that a screen of an upper housing faces the user. However, in the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, in such a situation, the direction in which the microphone collects voice and a direction of a mouth of the user are different from each other.
Further, in the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, the camera is provided at the end of the housing, the two screens exist in the lower side of the camera. Thus, in order for the user to look at information displayed on each screen from a state where the user looks at the camera, the user need to shift his or her view line downwardly, and particularly, a shift amount of user's view line is larger when looking at information on a lower screen. Further, in order for the user to equally look at the two screens, it is preferable to shift user's view line with reference to a center between the two screens. However, in the telephones of the above Patent Documents 2 and 13, such a view line and the imaging direction of the camera are different from each other.

Hand-held imaging apparatus and storage medium storing program


An imaging sensor device has an array of pixel sensors in rows and columns. The array comprises: a plurality of stitching blocks, each comprising a plurality of pixel sensors disposed in at least one row group; and first and second groups of addressing lines, the arrangement of pixel sensors and addressing lines in each stitching block being the same. Row addressing circuitry is disposed along an external edge of the array parallel to the rows of pixel sensors, coupled to the pixel sensors using the first group of addressing lines for performing a row addressing action and group addressing circuitry is disposed along the same edge of the array, coupled to the pixel sensors using at least some of the second group of addressing lines for performing a group addressing action. Each stitching block combines a row addressing action with a group addressing action to select only one row of one row group of one stitching block simultaneously.

Imaging sensor arrays are used in a large variety of different applications. In some applications, a large array area size is desirable, for example medical X-ray imaging, telescope focal planes and X-ray detectors in a synchrotron. In practice, such a large detection area may be achieved by tiling several smaller detector units. To avoid the loss of parts of the image, the gaps between each individual unit should be as small as possible.
Often, CMOS image sensors or semiconductor detectors bump-bonded to a CMOS readout chip are used. A CMOS imaging sensors (CIS) is a pixelated electronic device which can sense electromagnetic radiation (often light) and translate this into a readable output voltage. In a standard CIS, each pixel converts received radiation to voltage and stores it until a read-out phase. FIG. 1 shows a known type of CIS 10. This comprises: a plurality of pixels 20; row addressing circuitry 30; row addressing signal lines 35; read-out circuitry 40; and read-out lines 45. During read-out, a row is addressed using the row circuitry 30 which is located along one edge of the device. All pixels in that row are read out along a respective column read-out line 45. Each pixel in a different column is coupled to the same read-out line 45. In order to produce a uniform image, all of the pixels are desirably identical.
In the CMOS part of the detector, control and read-out electronics is therefore typically provided on at least two sides of the sensor array. Read-out amplifiers and column controlled circuitry are often provided on the bottom of the array and row addressing circuits are often provided on the left-hand side, as shown in FIG. 1. In view of the circuitry present on these two sides, any attempt to tile sensor arrays using these sides will result in significant gaps in the resultant composite array. If the sensor arrays are square and only a 2×2 tiling is necessary, these gaps do not cause a problem.
Nevertheless, larger imaging sensors are increasingly desirable. This is difficult to achieve in view of the limitations discussed above. A known approach to increase the number of buttable sides (that is, sides of the pixel array along which no circuitry is placed and which can therefore abut other sensor arrays to create a composite device) is to place the addressing circuitry and read-out circuitry along the same edge of the pixel array. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,646 considers such an approach.
To create even larger composite sensors, the individual sensor arrays making up the composite should preferably be as large as possible themselves. The largest possible sensors are the size of a full CMOS wafer and are called wafer-scale. Such large-scale individual devices are produced using a process known as stitching. Identical blocks of circuitry are repeated across the sensor. Selecting a single row of pixel sensors when all of the circuitry blocks are the same creates significant difficulties.
When stitching is combined with the strategy of placing all electronic circuitry on only one edge of the sensor array, there is a further challenge. Devices where row addressing can be carried out essentially using horizontal lines and read-out essentially using vertical lines have a symmetrical nature. When all of the electronic circuitry is placed along a single edge, both addressing and read-out rely on lines with the basically same orientation. A repeatable arrangement of pixel sensors and addressing lines from which a single row can be selected is not easy. Moreover, it is desirable that the sensor array be produced using as few different types of repetition unit (known as stitching blocks) as possible. This not only results in a device that is easier and less costly to manufacture, but also improves the likelihood that each pixel sensor will be the same. Image quality is improved thereby. Achieving all of these aims remains a difficulty.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL


An apparatus for cutting materials and more specifically an improved saw blade includes a plurality of variable teeth thereon. The variable tooth saw blade cuts faster and smoother while reducing harmonic vibrations. Specifically, the teeth on the saw blade are grouped into sections with differing circumferential widths and differing spacing between the sections.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to rotary saw blades, and more particularly circular saw blades for use on circular saws or the like. Specifically, the invention is directed to a variable tooth saw blade that cuts faster and smoother while reducing harmonic vibrations.
2. Background Information
Circular saw blades are readily available for use in cutting wood and other materials using a portable, hand-held circular saw, or a fixed table or radial saws, or other like saws. The saw blades are formed of flat, circular discs made of steel or other like metals. As is well known in the art, circular saw blades include a peripheral edge from which a plurality of circumferentially-spaced teeth project radially outwardly for cutting.
Users continually desire to purchase blades that allow for faster cutting without negative effects such as "burning" of the blade, dulling of the teeth, or jamming of the saw. The ability of the teeth to efficiently cut the material and thus maintain the blade speed is critical. As a result, users continue to desire improved blades providing for faster and/or more efficient cutting.
Users also desire smooth cuts. Often the speed of a cut is inversely correlated to the smoothness of the cut, that is, the faster the user cuts, the rougher is the end cut, and vice versa. As a result, users continue to desire improved smoothness coupled with faster cutting.
Users further desire reduced noise. The high speed at which blades rotate often causes high levels of harmonic vibration leading to excessive noise, undesirable saw or saw blade vibration, and if the vibration is significant, a less than desirable cut. Users thus desire, and often government agencies require, blades providing for reduced noise and thus reduced harmonic vibration.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved saw that cuts faster and smoother while also reducing noise and harmonic vibration.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An apparatus includes an input terminal to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to communicate the RF signal to a low noise amplifier (LNA) via an input signal path, and a capacitor attenuator coupled to the input terminal to attenuate the RF signal by a controllable amount and having a first portion controllable to include a used part configured on the input signal path and an unused part coupled between the input signal path and an AC reference node, and a second portion coupled between the LNA and the AC reference node.

When an amplitude modulated (AM) radio frequency receiver moves near a source of low frequency noise (such as power line noise, traffic light noise, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) noise, other low frequency noise and their associated harmonics), low frequency noise couples into the received AM signal, producing interference, which can sometimes be presented as a distorted audio signal including static and/or interfering channel signals. Many receivers include a low frequency "trap" circuit, including an inductor/resistor circuit, coupled to a signal input (such as a whip antenna) to filter the relatively low frequency power-line noise from the received AM radio frequency signal. However, such circuitry adds to the overall cost and size of the circuit, and the "trap" circuit degrades the received AM radio frequency signal by adding a constant degradation to the signal even when no low frequency noise is present.

Radio receiver having enhanced automatic gain control circuitry


In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.

Optical discs are a subject of research in the information recording field. They have a wide range of applications, from industrial use to consumer use, because they enable non-contact recording and reproduction, because they can accommodate large files at low cost, and because reproduction-only, writable, or rewritable media can be selected according to the application.
The capacity of optical discs has been increased by reducing the size of the information stored on the tracks, by using laser beams having shorter wavelengths as light sources for recording and reproducing, by using objective lenses with higher numerical apertures, and by reducing the size of the focused light spot on the focal plane.
For example, in a CD (compact disc), the thickness of the disc substrate used as a light transmitting layer is about 1.2 mm, the wavelength of the laser beam is about 780 nm, the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens is 0.45, and the disc capacity is 650 MB. In a DVD (digital versatile disc), the thickness of the disc substrate used as a light transmitting layer is about 0.6 mm, the wavelength of the laser beam is about 650 nm, the numerical aperture of the object lens is 0.6, and the disc capacity is 4.7 GB. For a DVD, two disc substrates having thicknesses of about 0.6 mm each are laminated together, to obtain a disc having a thickness of about 1.2 mm.
A BD (Blu-ray disc) disc having a still higher density uses an optical disc having a protection layer as thin as 0.1 mm as the light transmitting layer on the optical recording layer. With a laser beam wavelength of about 405 nm and a numerical aperture of 0.85, capacities in excess of 23 GB are obtained.
Thus, as optical disc capacities have increased, various optical disc standards have been established, including CD, DVD, and BD. Optical disc recording and reproducing devices are generally compatible with a plurality of different optical disc standards.
For example, some DVD recording and reproducing devices can record and reproduce information not only on a DVD but also on a CD. Some BD recording and reproducing devices can record and reproduce information on BDs, DVDs, and CDs. These compatible recording and reproducing devices are extremely convenient because they allow the user to record and reproduce information on optical discs in the user's possession that conform to old standards, and they have played an important role in smoothing the introduction of new standards.
Although discs have been manufactured according to each of the different standards, to increase the user's convenience, a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards has been developed (for example, patent document 1).
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-95005


Provided is a dielectric ceramic composition comprising a main component of forsterite and calcium strontium titanate. A content ratio of forsterite in the main component is from 84.0 to 92.5 parts by mole, and a content ratio of calcium strontium titanate is from 7.5 to 16.0 parts by mole. (Sr+Ca)/Ti in the calcium strontium titanate is from 1.03 to 1.20 in terms of a molar ratio. With respect to a total of 100 parts by mass of the main component and a subcomponent except for Li-containing glass, from 2 to 10 parts by mass of Li-containing glass is added. The Li-containing glass includes Al2O3 in an amount of from 1% by mass to 10% by mass.

The present invention relates to a dielectric ceramic composition and an electronic component.
In recent years, mobile communication devices such as a smartphone whose demand has been increasing use radio waves in a high frequency band with a frequency of approximately from several hundreds of MHz to several GHz. The radio waves are called a so-called quasi-microwave. Accordingly, even in an electronic component that is used in the mobile communication devices, various properties suitable for use in the high frequency band have been required. In addition, an excellent low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material suitable for use in the high frequency band has been required. Particularly, various methods for obtaining the LTCC material excellent in various properties have been suggested.
Patent Document 1 suggests a dielectric ceramic composition in which the kind of a main component and a subcomponent and the amount of a main component and a subcomponent are set within specific ranges, and thus low permittivity, a high Qf value, and a temperature property of a frequency are satisfactory, and mechanical strength is also high. Patent Document 2 suggests a low-temperature fired ceramic composition in which low softening point glass is contained in a ceramic powder within a specific range, and thus sinterability of the ceramic at a low temperature is improved and a coefficient of thermal expansion and a Q value are satisfactory. Patent Document 3 suggests a dielectric ceramic which contains a forsterite-based crystal phase and a crystal phase composed of an oxide containing Ti as main components, and in which each of the main components has a composition within a specific range, and thus specific permittivity is low and adjustment of a temperature property is easy.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 4506802
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 4868663
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent No. 4650111

Dielectric ceramic composition and electronic component


An apparatus and a method for quickly connecting a real-time communication system. The apparatus includes a communication control device that can be inserted into a signal receiving device. The communication control device includes an initiation button, a hot key and an input unit, so as to input the control commands and data to a computer via an emission unit. The initiation button initiates the real-time communication system software installed in the controlled device to achieve network connection. The hot key can trigger the real-time communication system software entering into a dialing mode. The input unit comprises a plurality of input buttons and an enter key. The signal receiving device includes a retaining groove disposed thereon for inserting therein the communication control device. In this manner, the communication control device is highly accessible and unlikely to be misplaced.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for quickly connecting a network real-time communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method that can quickly log on to a real-time communication system software on a computer by remote control, and perform dialing procedure, thereby connecting to one or more counter communication end. In this manner, one can conveniently conduct conversation, exchange electronic mails, or short messages with other people.
The development of electronic and network technology has been widely applied to message transmission. One such example is the development of electronic mail (e-mail) system. In addition to the conventional telephone communication system, one can now send and receive e-mail from almost anywhere at anytime, so long as the network connection is available. However, by using an e-mail system, one can perform real-time conversation neither by using audio signals nor by sending and receiving texts. Therefore, there is developed a network phone.
Network phone is developed to perform audio communication via the Internet. The fundamental working principle of the network phone is converting audio signals to digital information, transmitting the digital information to a network computer or a telephone of the receiver via the network, and converting the received digital information back to the original audio at the receiver end. Such a communication model requires only the payment of the broadband or dialup service. No matter how far away the receiver is located, there is no need to pay extra communication fees for long-distance and international phone calls. However, a series of installation procedure should be performed before one can use the network phone. In addition, both the sender and the receiver are required to install some proper hardware and software. For many users, this technical threshold is part of the reasons why the conventional network phone is not as popular as expected. Therefore, other real-time communication systems, such as the MSN® messenger, the Yahoo® messenger, SKYPE® and the Yahoo® BB are developed. Since the above real-time communication systems include powerful functions, such as real-time message transmission, audio chatting room (conference call), file transmission, e-mail transmission and video communication, they have become one of the most popular communication systems. However, the real-time communication systems described above are limited to the operation in front of a computer. One can not activate the connection and perform any operation by remote control or other means. This location restriction is rather inconvenient.

Apparatus and method for quickly connecting network real-time communication system


This application discloses an apparatus comprising a substrate including a plurality of conducting layers and a nanocomposite inter-layer dielectric (ILD) sandwiched between the conducting layers, wherein the nanocomposite ILD layer comprises a nanocomposite including a polymer having a plurality of nanoclay particles dispersed therein, the nanoclay particles having a high aspect ratio. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising a substrate having a contact surface and a nanocomposite solder resist layer placed on the contact surface, wherein the solder resist comprises a nanocomposite including a polymer binder having a plurality of nanoclay particles dispersed therein, the nanoclay particles having a high aspect ratio. Further disclosed is a process comprising providing a plurality of conducting layers and sandwiching a nanocomposite inter-layer dielectric (ILD) between the conducting layers, wherein the nanocomposite ILD layer comprises a nanocomposite including a polymer binder having a plurality of nanoclay particles dispersed therein, the nanoclay particles having a high aspect ratio. Other apparatus and process embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Electronic devices commonly consist of a variety of electronic components formed in or mounted on some sort of substrate. Among other things, the substrate provides a platform to which the components can be mounted and also provides electrical connections between and among the components.
FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiments of a substrate 100. The substrate 100 includes a plurality of conductive layers 102, as well as a plurality of electrically insulating inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layers 104 that separate the conductive layers 102 and electrically insulate them from each other. The substrate 100 is typically built by depositing alternating conductive layers 102 and ILD layers 104 until a substrate is created with the number of layers needed for the required electrical interconnects. The ILD layers 104 are made up of some form of dielectric material. In some embodiments, the material will be some sort of polymer or polymer-based material; the particular material chosen for the dielectric will depend on such factors as the required dielectric constant k, and the physical properties required for manufacturability. Although not shown in FIG. 1, both the conductive layers 102 and ILD layers 104 can have holes of vias therein. When filled with a conducting material, for example, the vias allow electrical connection and communication between different conductive layers within the substrate. Shrinking electronic packages and rising power requirements, along with the advent of ILDs having a low dielectric constant (i.e., low-k ILDs) are forcing dielectric build-up layers 104 to ever-increasing levels of performance.
Over the lifetime of the substrate 100, various factors may contribute to a gradual degradation of the substrate or its individual layers. One important factor that degrades the performance of the ILD layers 104 is the migration into and through the ILD's dielectric material of ions and molecules—most notably, but not exclusively, water, oxygen, halogen ions and metal ions. These molecules may originate from environmental sources outside the substrate 100, as shown by arrows 106. Molecules and ions, in particular metal ions, may also originate from within the conductive layers 102, or along the interface between a conductive layer 102 and an ILD layer 104 as shown by arrows 108. Finally, molecules and ions may originate from within the ILD layer 104 itself: halogen ions and oxygen, for instance, may be released from the ILD material by a process known as "outgassing." Although in FIG. 1 the arrows 108 and 110 only illustrate migration of molecules and ions in one direction, the molecules and ions may migrate into and through the ILD in the opposite direction as well.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment 200 of the attachment of an electronic device to a substrate. A die 202 is attached to a substrate 204 using a plurality of solder balls 206. In addition to anchoring the die 202 to the substrate, the solder balls 206 provide an electrical connection to an underlying conductive layer 212 within the substrate. In assemblies such as the one shown, it is common to put a layer of solder resist 208 on the surface of the substrate before attaching the die 202 using the solder balls 206. As its name implies, the purpose of the solder resist is to resist the solder; among other things, the solder resist prevents the solder from flowing onto and into portions of the substrate where it is not wanted, and prevents electrical connection between the solder balls and other areas of the substrate. The solder resist layer 208, like the ILD layers 210 within the substrate, can be made of a dielectric material and it therefore suffers from degradation over time due to the same molecular and ionic migration problem that the ILDs suffer from—namely, the migration of ions and molecules such as water, oxygen, halogen ions and metal ions. As with the ILDs, the ions or molecules entering into or migrating through the ILD can originate externally, such as from the environment or from adjacent layers of the substrate, or can be internal, by processes such as outgassing.
Current solutions used to reduce molecular and ionic migration through ILD and solder resist layers center around chemical modification of the ILD or solder resist polymer, for example by using more hydrolytically and oxidatively stable monomers, etc. Often silica is added to toughen the polymer and lower the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a solder resist layer. None of these solutions, however, substantially slow or stop the migration of ions and molecules through the material and, consequently, do little to counter the degradation that occurs over time because of these ionic and molecular migrations.

Microelectronic packages including nanocomposite dielectric build-up materials and nanocomposite solder resist


The invention provides a multilayer container that comprises a polyglycolic acid layer and a thermoplastic polyester resin layer and is much improved in terms of gas barrier properties, heat resistance, moldability, transparency and durability, and its production process. Polyglycolic acid is used as a gas barrier resin. At the body and bottom, the thermoplastic polyester resin forms an inner and an outer layer, and an intermediate layer comprising at least one polyglycolic acid layer is embedded in the thermoplastic polyester resin layer. The opening end of the container is formed of a thermoplastic polyester resin layer alone, and the body is biaxially oriented. The multilayer container has heat resistance enough to stand up to hot-filling at 93° C. for 20 seconds.

In recent years, blow molded containers of thermoplastic resins have been developed in the form of containers for a variety of drinks and foods. Now, single-layer PET bottles comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are commonly used as such blow molded containers.
However, the PET bottles are found to be less than satisfactory for containers for stuffs sensitive to oxygen, and so are required to have gas barrier properties in general, and carbonic acid gas barrier properties for carbonated beverages as well. When liquid food stuffs such as jams, jellies and fruit sauces are packed in blow molded containers, this is generally achieved by hot-filling. Also carbonated fruit juices or lactic drinks, etc. are heat sterilized by hot-water showering upon packed in blow molded containers. Thus, the blow molded containers are required to have properties high enough to stand up to heat and pressure. To sum up, the blow molded containers must possess high gas barrier properties and heat resistance enough to be resistant to hot-filling.
To improve the gas barrier properties of blow molded containers, some processes have already been proposed, wherein a multilayer container with a gas barrier resin layer provided in an intermediate layer is formed by blow molding.
JP-A 56-64839 proposes a multilayer container production process wherein a container precursor having a multilayer structure comprising an outer PET layer and an inner PET layer with an intermediate layer formed of a methaxylene group-containing polyamide resin, and then subjected to biaxial stretch blow molding.
JP-A 57-128516 comes up with a blow molded container having a multilayer structure comprising at least two thermoplastic resins, wherein at least a thin portion of its body has a three- or multi-layer structure, at least the end of its opening has a single structure, and at least the thin portion of its body has a biaxially oriented multilayer structure. This publication describes that PET is used as the thermoplastic resin that forms the inner and outer layers and the end of the opening, and EVOH or a methaxylene group-containing polyamide resin is used for the intermediate layer.
JP-A 62-199425 discloses a process for producing a biaxially stretched container, wherein a multilayer pre-molding article comprising an inner PET layer and an outer PET layer with at least one intermediate layer comprising a gas barrier resin is subjected to biaxially stretch blow molding in a mold held at a thermally fixed temperature and the blow molded article is heat treated, after which the blow molded article is cooled and removed from the mold. An example where EVOH and a xylene group-containing polyamide resin are used is set forth in that publication.
Since the 1990s, multilayer containers having a structure of, for instance, PET/EVOH/PET or PET/MXD6/PET layer construction and obtained by co-injection stretch blow molding, for instance, in container forms for beers or wines, have already been commercially put on the market.
Since EVOH has a melting point close to a thermal decomposition temperature, a high melt viscosity, etc., however, it is considerably difficult to subject EVOH in combination with PET to co-injection stretch blow molding. More exactly, it is difficult to determine conditions for co-injection stretch blow molding of two such resins, because there is a large difference in proper molding temperature between them. Upon high temperature injection, for instance, the melting temperature becomes high by crosslinking (gelation) of EVOH, ending up with instable melt flows. This inevitably causes the intermediate layer or the EVOH layer to vary largely in thickness, and implanting height (height from the bottom of a bottle to the tip of the EVOH layer) to become unsatisfactory or vary, resulting in lack of gas barrier properties and defective appearance.
On the other hand, MXD6 nylon that is a typical methaxylene group-containing polyamide resin possesses very excellent co-injection capability when used in combination with PET, because of having a melting point close to that of PET. In addition, since both resins have an approximate glass transition temperature, it is easy to determine a proper molding temperature for stretch blow molding. However, MXD6 nylon is less satisfactory than EVOH in terms of gas barrier properties, and so a blow molded container with an MXD6 nylon intermediate layer does not lend itself to applications where oxygen barrier properties are needed over an extended period of time or high gas barrier properties are demanded.
JP-A 61-47337 discloses a process for producing a multilayer bottle of layer construction comprising PET/HBR/PET by co-injection stretch blow molding, wherein a resin obtained by polycondensation of dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol is mixed with a resin obtained by ring-opening of glycolide at various mixing ratios, the mixture is melt polymerized to obtain a polymer (HBR) having high gas barrier properties, and the HBR and PET are subjected to co-injection stretch blow molding. However, the oxygen gas barrier properties of the HBR set forth in that publication is not sufficiently elevated, say, on the order of 2.3×10−13 cm3·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg at best, as estimated by an oxygen permeability coefficient (PO2) measured at 25° C. That publication says nothing specific to a heat-resistant blow molded container having heat resistance enough to stand up to hot-filling.
JP-A 10-138371 discloses a gas barrier, multilayer hollow container having a multilayer wall construction wherein a thermoplastic resin layer is laminated on at least one side of a layer formed of polyglycolic acid. That publication sets forth a process for producing a multilayer hollow container by multilayer extrusion blow molding, multilayer injection blow molding or the like, and gives a specific example of producing a multilayer hollow container comprising an inner PET layer and an outer PET layer with a polyglycolic acid intermediate layer interleaved between them via an adhesive layer by means of co-injection stretch blow molding. With such multilayer hollow containers produced by co-injection stretch blow molding as described in that publication, however, there is still much to be desired in terms of co-injection stretch blow molding conditions, gas barrier properties, durability, heat resistance, moldability, etc. More specifically, the problems to be challenged are to enhance durability by reliable embedding of a polyglycolic acid layer that is susceptible to decompose under environmental conditions in a thermoplastic resin layer, improve gas barrier properties, and achieve heat resistance enough to stand up to hot-filling.

Multilayer container of polyglycolic acid and polyester and blow molding production process


A handheld gas propelled missile launcher which deploys projectiles of varying payloads through the muzzle, and a ballistic module for changing payloads expeditiously.

Handheld devices intended to subdue assailants or other people without resorting to extreme, life threatening measures such as the use of firearms have included gas propelled projectiles. Some devices have used the expanding gases associated as a product of combustion when using gun powder, for example to propel soft rubber bullets.
While the intent has always been to use less than lethal force in subduing a person exhibiting extreme antisocial behavior, incidents still occur where a rubber bullet, for example can hit a particularly sensitive part of a person's body having unintended consequences, even death. It is important to recognize that not all inappropriate conduct should mandate the same response. That is to say, a nonviolent demonstration should not elicit the same response as would be advised when confronted by a large enraged mammal.
The following patents reflect the state of the art of which Applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge Applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose prior art. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of the patents teach singly nor render obvious when considered in an inconceivable, permissible combination, the nexus of the instant invention as described herein after and as particularly claimed.
Four of the patents, signed to M. B. Associates of San Ramon, Calif., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,710,720, 3,728,809, 3,830,214, and 3,889,652 collectively appear to reflect the commonly understood structure associated with a handheld launcher of the type disclosed herein. These progenitors, however, fail to provide the sophistication based on today's needs. For example, these devices were susceptible to failure and damage from stresses induced during use and preexisting during manufacture. In addition, these devices failed to benefit from ballistic modules which allow differing payloads for differing situations. In addition, in order to achieve the muzzle velocity required for efficacy, these devices typically required more than one gas cylinder. These devices do not reflect the precise need to collimate exhausted gas from the cylinder to achieve maximum projectile velocity. Other deficiencies will become evident during the course of exploration of the instant invention.
The remaining citations show the state of the art further and diverge more starkly from the invention described hereinafter.


An modular lift system for hoisting objects along a track to a predetermined height. The lift system may include a limit switch, a carriage with an automatic emergency braking system, and a peak to engage the track, whereby the carriage rolls along the side rails of the track between the peak mounted to the top of the track and the bottom of the track. The carriage can be adjustable thereby permitting it to be adapted to various types and sizes of tracks. The automatic emergency braking system is adapted to prevent the uncontrolled descent of the carriage in the event of a cable or primary brake failure.

Ladders are commonly used to assist individuals in moving themselves up or down—typically, to and from the roofs of structures. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") prohibits manually carrying materials up and down ladders because of the significant dangers associated with falls. This common-sense regulation recognizes that manually carrying heavy objects, such as shingles/bricks/tile or mechanical components such as air conditioners, up a ladder is hazardous. Falls can result in grave injuries and even death. Not to mention, if a contractor is caught in violation of OSHA's regulations, the contractor will likely face large fines.
Decades before OSHA issued these regulations, contractors had already recognized the fall-risk associated with manually carrying materials up ladders. As a result, they turned to platform hoists to assist in transporting material to and from roofs. Such hoists loop a cable over the top of a track allowing the contractor to pull the material up the track either manually or with an internal combustion engine or electric motor with speed reduction. The problem with this approach is that a worker is typically required to remain at the bottom of the track (i.e., underneath the load) to operate the engine using a foot and/or hand lever. This positioning places the worker in extreme danger if the cable or primary brake fails causing the carriage to plunge. Furthermore, the maximum load ratings for platform hoists have increased. It is not uncommon for loads weighing up to 500 pounds to be transported via platform hoists. Such weight not only increases the potential for cable or primary brake failure, but also, the likelihood that the workers below will suffer serious injury or die if they cannot get out of the way of a falling load.
Boom trucks and roofing conveyors negate some of this risk but require significant space, operator training, rental fees, and payment for the inevitable property damage they cause to driveways, lawns, and landscaping due to their size and weight. They are also noisy, hard to maneuver, and ineffective at precisely placing materials where a contractor may want them. Furthermore, they are not environmentally friendly.
Trucks have large engines, many of them diesel powered, that release a significant amount of green-house gases during operation. As consumers become more conscientious of their carbon footprint, they may begin to object to having large noisy engines idling or operating around their house or working on their property.
Accordingly, there is an immediate need for an environmentally friendly platform hoist that incorporates safety apparatuses that removes the operator from the fall zone and prevents carriage plunge when there is a cable or primary brake failure.

Platform hoist with automatic emergency braking system


Wire fasteners having legs with lengths that can be one hundred times the width of the fastener are used to secure items, such as prosthesis valves to a patient during minimally invasive surgery. The fasteners are manipulated into position and then are immobilized by means of the legs thereof for tensioning, cutting and forming in situ. The fasteners are manipulated, tensioned and formed from the leg end of the fasteners. Tools for initially placing the fasteners and for immobilizing, tensioning, cutting and bending the fastener legs are disclosed. Once the fasteners are initially placed, the prosthesis is placed on the long legs of the placed fasteners and is guided into position on the legs. Once the prosthesis is in position, the legs of the fasteners are immobilized, tensioned, cut and bent into staple-like shapes to secure the prosthesis to the patient. A method for carrying out the procedure using the long fastener is also disclosed. Using the teaching of the present disclosure, a surgeon can customize a fastener to the particular surgery or even to the particular portion of surgery being performed during the surgery.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward using minimally invasive surgical techniques to perform heretofore complicated and complex operations. Minimally invasive techniques have therefore been applied to many procedures such as gall bladder removal, operation on the reproductive organs, urological operations, and, more recently, heart valve repair and replacement as well as by-pass operations. Minimally invasive surgery uses only a small incision through which tools are inserted into the patient, with the tool being manipulated from outside the patient. Video is often used so the surgeon can view the surgical site. Minimally invasive surgery has several advantages over other techniques including, inter alia, less trauma to the patient, smaller incisions, less post-operative pain, quicker recovery time (especially in the case of heart surgery since no ribs need to be broken for minimally invasive surgery), shorter time spent in the intensive care unit, as well as other advantages that will occur to those skilled in the art based on the teaching of this disclosure.
The nature of minimally invasive surgery demands several criteria that should be considered for any item used in minimally invasive surgery. This disclosure will focus on fasteners, tools used to place the fasteners, and methods associated with such placement in a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Specifically, this disclosure will focus on fasteners and tools used to place fasteners as well as the techniques for using those tools and fasteners in minimally invasive heart valve replacement surgery. For example, since speed is important for many reasons, the fastener should be capable of expeditious use. However, even though speed is important, the fastener must be capable of reliable and secure placement since a non-secure fastener can have undesirable results, especially if leak-paths could be formed adjacent a non-secure fastener. Still further, any item used for minimally invasive surgery, like any item used for any surgery, should have the confidence of the surgeon. This requires any new item to be useable with techniques and tools that are familiar to the surgeon so he or she need not make large changes in a technique they are already familiar with. It has been observed that surgeons are comfortable in making only incremental changes in technique rather than large scale and sweeping changes in technique. In many minimally invasive procedures, access to the surgical site is of paramount concern. The instrument should be designed to have a minimum bulk and to facilitate action that the surgeon can no longer accomplish with his hands due to restricted access. Since the operation occurs deep inside the patient and the surgeon will have only limited access and visualization of the site, it is important that the tools being used facilitate the procedure as much as possible. In addition, since access is so limited, methods must be effective. There must be a high probability of success in carrying out the techniques for them to be viable and accepted. As mentioned above, heart valve replacement will be used herein as a specific example of a technique that is amenable to minimally invasive techniques. Heart valve replacement using minimally invasive techniques is full discussed in the incorporated applications. While heart valve replacement will be used as the best mode, it is understood that the invention disclosed herein can be used in a myriad of techniques as will occur to those skilled in the art based on the teaching of this disclosure. Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the present disclosure to heart valve replacement only. Still further, the terms "fastener," "anchor" and "staple" as used in this disclosure are intended to be interchangeable. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the term "fastener" can include other elements and a "staple" is a form of fastener. Wire suture is yet another term used to describe the fastener disclosed herein.
As can be understood from the foregoing, there is a need for a means and method for placing fasteners in a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is expeditious but reliable and is small enough to provide a clear sight path and be manipulated by a surgeon in small areas, yet will be secure when placed and will have the confidence of the surgeon.
As disclosed in the incorporated applications, heart valves can be installed with double lead sutures with a pledget and needles on the end of each suture lead. As further discussed in these applications, each suture needle can be independently placed through the annulus of a patient's tissue and the free ends brought up outside the cavity. Pairs of these sutures are placed, according to the teaching of the incorporated material, circumferentially around the annulus where the old valve has been excised. Once all of the sutures are placed, the needles are then passed through the sewing cuff on the prosthetic heart valve. The prosthesis heart valve is then slid down the associated suture into place in the annulus and the knots tied according to the teaching of these disclosures.
In accordance with these disclosures, there is a need for a fastener, tools and methods which can take advantage of the advances disclosed and taught in the incorporated disclosures.
Currently, some companies have been making tools to facilitate suturing of heart valves for minimally invasive procedures. These include modifications of existing needle driver (forceps) technology or devices to hold the sutures in an organizer to help facilitate the procedure. The problem is that a long needle driver needed for the minimally invasive access makes it difficult to manipulate the tools and even more difficult to tie knots at a remote location and there is little time savings realized. Surgeons therefore have had a difficult time replicating their current techniques with subtle improvements to their existing tools when modified for minimally invasive surgery. For instance, when a surgeon places and drives a needle, the path of motion the needle takes through the patient's tissue is on an arc, with the center of the arc determined roughly by the radius of curvature of the needle. In a minimally invasive surgery procedure, one cannot twist the needle driving forceps in the same path as one does when using the "open procedure" instruments. This is due in part to the limited space associated with minimally invasive surgery. Also, this is due to restricted "in-line" viewing which is all one can obtain when viewing down a small and narrow tunnel-like incision used in minimally invasive surgical procedures. In addition, some surgeons may, in some procedures, want control of the number of sutures used and the location of each of those sutures. In other words, the procedure will most likely take longer and require greater surgeon skill than would a standard non-minimally invasive operation. This will hamper the growth of minimally invasive procedures.
Therefore, there is a need for a fastener and tool for placing the fastener that will be readily adopted by surgeons practicing minimally invasive surgery, such as heart valve replacement surgery.
Still further, it is very undesirable for a suture to come out of the tissue or the item being anchored to the tissue. This can be a problem in older patients with brittle or frail tissue. Therefore, the stress (force per unit area) placed on the tissue by any device used to anchor another device to the patient should be as low as possible. This can be achieved by either reducing the amount of force applied to the tissue or by increasing the area of force application. However, this stress reduction must not occur at the expense of a secure anchor and a leak-proof joint. In the case of a heart valve replacement, the fluids present will be pressurized blood, which cannot leak, and in the case of an installation of a prosthesis in the gastro-esophageal tract, the fluids may include bile fluid and other digestive tract contents, also which cannot be permitted to leak. Thus, a leak free joint is essential, but cannot be obtained at the expense of tearing the patient's tissue. Thus, the amount of force applied is not easily reduced.
Therefore, there is a need for a fastener that can increase the total area of force application in an anchor situation without unduly sacrificing other advantages such as a good blood seal between the prosthesis and the patient's tissue.
Yet a further problem with some prosthetic heart valves and the prior implanting procedures associated therewith is that there are unwanted projections remaining on the implanted item. These projections are created when sutures currently used in such procedures are knotted on the implanted item. This is especially true for valves that are sutured in place. Blood clots tend to form around foreign objects in the body. The body's natural defenses try to seal off any foreign material and make it non-threatening. However, there is a danger that the formed blood clots may dislodge into the patient's blood stream which may cause a major problem such as stroke.
The sutures used in many existing techniques to sew a cuff in place are knotted and cut off. This leaves raw edges exposed to the patient's blood stream. These raw edges of the cut-off suture and knot provide surfaces for clot formation and since they are flexible and are directly in the high pressure blood flow path, they provide potential for clots to break off into the bloodstream. Loose clots in the bloodstream are dangerous for the patient as they have the potential for producing a stroke. Clots forming on sutures may also extend into the valve and produce malfunctions by trapping the valve open or shut. It is common practice to treat a post-surgical patient with heparin or some other anticoagulant to minimize the production of clots, short term. For longer term anticoagulant thereby, the patient with a mechanical heart valve prosthesis faces a life long requirement of use of a low grade anticoagulant such as Cumenden®.
Still further, the exposed surfaces can become a site for infection. Circulating bacteria may become attached and lead to infection at the implanted device. Such infections are notoriously difficult to treat with antibiotics.
Therefore, there is a need for a means and method for placing an item, such as, for example, a heart valve, in a patient during minimally invasive surgery that minimizes the amount of foreign objects that remain exposed to the patient after the item has been implanted.
As known to those skilled in the art, prior art sutures require knots. In the case of knots, proper tension is extremely important. Most surgeons determine the tension in a suture knot by feeling the knot with their finger. However, in the case of minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon cannot get his or her hand into position to feel the knot and thus ensure proper tension.
Therefore, there is a need for a fastener that can ensure proper tension in minimally invasive surgery without requiring a surgeon to touch the fastener to make this determination.
Still further, installing multiple suture pairs can be time consuming and can be difficult. Anything that can shorten the time of a surgical procedure can be advantageous. Therefore, there is a need for a fastener that can be quickly placed yet will still permit a surgeon to have great control of the suturing process and pattern, especially the placement of multiple suture pairs.
There is data available which indicates that because the suture is manipulated with the surgeon's gloved hand during the knot-tying process required by prior art procedures, it is susceptible to contamination from pin hole leaks in those gloves. A system which minimizes the direct contact between the surgeon's hand and any of the implanted items will reduce the potential of the development of infection due to contamination.
Therefore, there is a need for a fastener and a means for implanting that fastener which can minimize direct contact between a surgeon's hand and the item being implanted or any component of such implanted items.
Still further, since many patients have variations in size and spacing for the tissue to which an item is being anchored, the surgeon may want to customize the attachment, by, for example, adding fasteners to create just the right spacing and pattern to produce a desired seal for the item.
Therefore, there is a need for a means and a method for placing fasteners which will permit a surgeon to customize the anchoring features of the system.
Still further, some patients have tissue that is thicker than other patient's tissue, or is more fragile than other patient's tissue or the like. If the fastener being used to attach a prosthesis to a patient's tissue has legs that have a predetermined length relative to the base or crown of the fastener, that fastener may be suitable for tissue that has one thickness but not for tissue that has a different thickness. The same situation applies to the amount of tension that is to be applied to the tissue by the fastener. That is, one patient's tissue may be able to withstand more stress than another patient's tissue. Thus, a fastener that is suitable for one patient's tissue may not be suitable for another patient's tissue.
However, the prior art fasteners have legs that are of a preset length. Thus, the surgeon must guess or anticipate what fastener he or she will use in a particular operation, or change fasteners during the operation. This is cumbersome and inefficient. A need might even arise in which different fastener leg lengths are needed for the same patient during a single operation.
Therefore, there is a need for a fastener that can be customized for each particular patient, and each particular application, and can be altered as necessary during a single operation.

Extremely long wire fasteners for use in minimally invasive surgery and means and methods for handling those fasteners


An access device for a minimally invasive procedure can include a port body defining an instrument channel for a medical instrument, a radial extension extending at least partially outward from the body in a radial direction. The radial extension can extend from a distal end of the port body. The radial extension can define an imaging device cavity defined therein spaced from the port body and opening distally from the radial extension. The imaging device cavity can be configured to receive an imaging device therein for providing images within a field of view that is at least partially distal of the port body.

Laparoscopic surgery is widely practiced in multiple specialties of medicine. In most situations it requires the insertion of a cannula and a laparoscope. Additional cannulas or other surgical instruments can be placed while under vision through a laparoscope. This requires an organized operational space to function together or independently. Laparoscopes for performing these procedures have been used in various forms for nearly 100 years. They are significant in size and require an accompaniment of support equipment for effective imaging of the operative site. It would be useful therefore, to reduce the size and format of this physical imaging instrument while increasing its visual, lighting and format capabilities. This would further enable ancillary surgical instruments.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved medical devices. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

Devices and systems for use in laparoscopic surgery


The disclosure describes a method of attachment of a corrugated wire mesh having a plurality of wire bends to a substrate. In the method, flats are formed at the bends, and the flats are lightly coated with a thermosetting adhesive. And in a subsequent clamping operation, the adhesive is displaced from the interface of contact between the wire and substrate, thereby displacing the adhesive to the adjacent interstices. This leaves the mesh and substrate in direct thermal contact without a distinct layer of adhesive separating them.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject of the invention is an improved process for attaching wire mesh or corrugated wire mesh sinks to electronic packages for heat transfer purposes. Both of these afore types of wire sinks offer attachment advantages over established materials and techniques.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is a well established process which uses various epoxy compounds sandwiched between the sink and its heat source for sink attachment. The problem results from the fact that the epoxy is a poor thermal conductor (even with metal additives) and heat transfer is limited by this condition.
The conventional sink is usually an extruded, or stamped, or machined metal part with flat surfaces for attachment. One of the surfaces is designated an attachment surface and it is "buttered" with adhesive and affixed to the object requiring heat transfer. The flat surfaces are pressed together with a weight or clamp. The unit pressure (lbs/in.sup.2) is low because of the fairly large size of the attachment area. As a result there is often some degree of air gap in the finished assembly. The intent of the subject invention is to describe a process on which the unit pressure and resulting quality of contact will be greater due to the smaller areas involved in the process.

Attaching crimped wire mesh to an object requiring heat transfer


Vibration damper, containing a damping medium-filled cylinder, in which a piston rod with a piston is installed with freedom of axial movement, where, as a function of the stroke of the piston, a bypass connects a working space on the piston rod side to a working space on the side away from the piston rod, the two spaces being separated from each other by the piston, where the piston has at least one through-channel for at least one flow direction, the outlet side this channel being at least partially covered by at least one valve disk, so that a surface is present on the valve disk upon which pressure can act in the opening direction of the disk, where, in addition to the said pressure-actuated surface, the valve disk also has a second pressure-actuated surface, which is separated from the first when the valve disk is closed and which can be put into action by the bypass, so that the effects of the two pressure-actuated surfaces are added to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a vibration damper with stroke-dependent damping force of the type including a piston separating two working spaces, a pair of through channels covered by disks which open to connect the working spaces when acted on by pressure, and a bypass arrangement which connects the working spaces as a function of the stroke of the piston, i.e. when the piston is in a limited range of positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
A piston-cylinder assembly with distance-dependent performance characteristics is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,117. The piston rod of the piston-cylinder assembly carries two pistons a certain distance apart, each of which can produce a damping force in both directions of piston rod movement. At least one bypass groove, which is longer in the axial direction than the distance between the piston rings of the two pistons, is formed in the cylinder of the piston-cylinder assembly. Thus three characteristic curve regions are produced. When the two pistons are in the stroke range where the bypass groove is located, the damping force is determined by the cross section of the bypass groove. As the stroke of the piston rod increases, one of the pistons travels out of the bypass region, and an intermediate characteristic is obtained. As soon as the second piston has also left the region of the bypass groove, the stiffest damping force characteristic goes into effect. For a vibration damper of this type with variable performance, however, two pistons with at least four valve disks and possibly valve springs are required. This expense can be too great for one or another concrete application.

Vibration damper with stroke-dependent damping force


An impingement plate for a turbine vane with an integrated cooling flow metering device is disclosed. The impingement plate—which covers the outer end of the vane and allows some cooling air to pass through to the vane's top surface—is re-designed to incorporate an orifice plate for metering the amount of cooling air flow which enters a cooling passage in the vane. The multi-hole orifice pattern in the metering device is designed to optimize the downstream airflow pattern, thus improving heat transfer from the vane to the cooling air. The reduced cooling air flow through the vane results in increased turbine engine efficiency, and the re-designed impingement plate can be used with the existing vane design.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cooling of vanes in a combustion gas turbine and, more particularly, to a turbine vane impingement plate with an integrated cooling flow metering device to maintain vane temperature within a specified range while improving efficiency of the turbine via reduced cooling air flow requirement, where the flow metering impingement plate can be used with an existing vane design, and the metering device is a multi-hole orifice plate which optimizes cooling air flow in the vane cooling passage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Combustion gas turbines are clean-burning, efficient devices for generating power for a variety of applications. One common application of combustion gas turbines is in power plants, where the turbine drives a generator which produces electricity. Such stationary gas turbines have been developed over the years to improve reliability and efficiency, but the continuous improvement quest never ends.
Turbines operate at very high temperatures and pressures, and cooling of internal components is required in order to prevent damage. However, pumping of large volumes of cooling air consumes a significant amount of energy, thus representing a parasitic loss of efficiency for the whole engine. It is therefore desirable to reduce the cooling air flow requirement of a turbine, although component temperatures must be maintained within an acceptable range as determined by material thermal limits and desired component life.
Turbine vanes are stationary airfoils which are arranged in circumferential rows inside the turbine, where rows of vanes are alternately positioned between rows of turbine blades. Because the vanes are directly exposed to the combustion gas, they get extremely hot and are therefore designed with internal cooling air passages to maintain temperature within specification. In addition, turbine vanes are often coated with a thermal barrier coating, such as a ceramic material with extremely high temperature capability.
The design and tooling of a turbine and all of its components is very expensive. Therefore, fully validated and time-tested components such as vanes are not frequently re-designed. However, even with existing vane designs, it is possible and desirable to improve turbine efficiency via reducing cooling air flow requirements, where the reduced volume of cooling air flow still maintains the vane within a specified temperature range.

Multi-orifice plate for cooling flow control in vane cooling passage


The present invention provides a battery case configured by fixing a joined portion where plate sections overlap with each other using a fixation member, and two different types of sealing members are disposed at the joined portion. It is possible to ensure high sealing properties by using sealing members suitable for the respective shapes of portions of the joined portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery cases, and in particular, to a battery case having plate sections fixed to each other by a fixation member.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-2007-200758 discloses a metal case (battery case) in which cells are stored. The metal case includes a case body (battery case body) and a cap plate (cap body) that are joined each other by screws, as well as a sealing member provided between the case body and the cap plate. Further, JP-A-2007-200758 also describes that the case body is made of a material such as iron or aluminum. In this case, as welding an aluminum material is difficult as compared to a material such as iron, a case body made of an aluminum material is often provided by jointing the material using fixation members such as rivets.
However, as compared to welding, forming a case body by jointing a material using fixation members is susceptible to gaps, and thus provides lower sealing functionality. Consequently, a problem of failing to ensure high sealing functionality of the case body is envisaged. Especially, in the aerospace fields, safety against leakage of organic electrolyte solutions of nonaqueous electrolyte cells (such as lithium ion cells) is highly demanded, and ensuring high sealing functionality is essential in such fields.


A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region provided on a major surface of the semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor region provided in a surface portion of the first semiconductor region, a trench extending through the second semiconductor region and the first semiconductor region to the semiconductor layer, a first insulating film provided on an inner wall of the trench, a third semiconductor region filling the trench below an interface between the semiconductor layer and the first semiconductor region, a second insulating film provided on the third semiconductor region, a gate electrode filling the trench above the second insulating film. A portion of the first insulating film in contact with the semiconductor layer is opened. The semiconductor layer is in contact with the third semiconductor region through the opened portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having a trench gate structure.
2. Background Art
Trench gate type MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) are known as semiconductor devices suitable to power electronics and other applications requiring high withstand voltage and low ON resistance (see, e.g., JP 2002-083963A).
JP 2002-083963A discloses a MOSFET having a trench that is formed to reach an N-type substrate through a P-type well layer and an N-type drift layer. An N-type source layer is formed in the surface of the well layer. A buried electrode of polysilicon is formed via an insulating film in a region extending from the drift layer to the substrate in the trench. A gate electrode of polysilicon is formed via an insulating film in a region extending from the source layer through the well layer to the drift layer in the trench. The buried electrode is electrically insulated from the gate electrode.
In the configuration disclosed in JP 2002-083963A, the buried electrode is completely covered with the insulating film and does not form a p-n junction with the drift layer. Therefore, when the dopant concentration in the drift layer is increased for reducing ON resistance, it is difficult to completely deplete the drift layer and to obtain high withstand voltage.