An optical signal manipulation system including: a series of ports for carrying a series of optical signals to be manipulated; a spatial separating means for spatially separating at least a first and a second group of light from the series of optical signals; wavelength dispersion element subsequently spatially separating wavelengths of the first and second series; wavelength processing means for processing separated wavelengths of the first and second series.

The recent growth in the demand for broadband services has resulted in a pressing need for increased capacity on existing communication channels. The increased bandwidth of fibre optic communication fibres is still often insufficient to cope with this demand without utilising the ability of these fibres to carry large numbers of individual communication channels each identified by the particular wavelength of the light. This technique is known as dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). The disadvantage of this technique is that the increasing density of wavelength channels places increasing demand on network functionality for connecting the individual channels to individual destination points on a dynamic basis, and for the ability to add or drop an individual wavelength channel into or out of the optical signal. Currently these functions are primarily performed by electronic techniques but the demand for increased network speed calls for these functions to be performed in the optical domain.
The use of wavelength selective switching for applications of optical cross-connects has attracted much interest because of the goal of fully flexible networks, where the paths of each wavelength can be reconfigured to allow for arbitrary connection between nodes with the capacity appropriate for that link at a particular point in time. Although this goal is still valid, it is clear that optical networks will evolve to this level of sophistication in a number of stages. The first stage of the evolution is likely to be that of a reconfigurable add/drop node where a number of channels can be dropped or and added from the main path, whose number and wavelength can be varied over time—either as the network evolves or dynamically as the traffic demands vary.
A further functionality demanded by optical communications networks is the ability to route incoming signals from two origins in the same fashion independently of each other in a single device. This immediately halves the device count required at any particular location, without the loss of functionality in the adding and dropping of channels from either source.
This present invention is directed to applications such as dual-source reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) networks, dual-source wavelength reconfigurable cross-connects referred to generically as Wavelength Selective Switches (WSS), dual-source dynamic channel equalisation (DCE) and for single-source devices for correction of polarisation-dependant loss (PDL) mechanisms.
The characteristics of a wavelength selective element which is ideal for the applications of Optical Add/Drop and Wavelength Selective Switching can be summarized follows:                i) scalable to multiple fibre ports;        ii) one channel per port or multiple channels per port operation;        iii) reconfiguration of wavelength selectivity to different grids e.g. 50 GHz or 100 GHz or a combination of both;        iv) low optical impairment of the express path;        v) low losses on the drop and express paths;        vi) ability to add and drop wavelengths simultaneously;        vii) ability to be reconfigured between any ports or between any wavelengths without causing transient impairments to the other ports;        viii) equalisation of optical power levels on express path (OADM) or all paths (WSS);        ix) provision of shared optical power between ports for a given wavelength (broadcast mode);        x) flat optical passband to prevent spectral narrowing;        xi) power off configurations that leave the express path of an OADM undisturbed; and        xii) small power and voltage and size requirements.
In reviewing the many technologies that have been applied it is necessary to generalize somewhat, but the following observations can be made.
Two basic approaches have been made for the OADM and WSS applications.                i) The first has been based on wavelength blocking elements combined with a broadcast and select architecture. This is an optical power intensive architecture, which can provide for channel equalization and reconfiguration of wavelength selectivity, but is not scalable to multiple ports, has very high loss and because of the many auxiliary components such as wavelength tuneable filters has a large power and footprint requirement.        ii) Wavelength switches have been proposed for OADMs, but do not naturally provide for channel equalization, the channel by channel switching in general leads to dispersion and loss narrowing of optical channels, and in the case of multiple port switches it is generally not possible to switch between ports without causing impairment (a hit) on intermediate ports. In addition the channel spacing cannot be dynamically reconfigured. Tuneable 3-port filters have also been proposed having a lack of impairment to the express paths but do not scale easily to multiple ports and may suffer from transient wavelength hits during tuning. Tuneable components are usually locked to a particular bandwidth which cannot be varied. In addition poor isolation of tunable 3 ports means they are less applicable to many add/drop applications which demand high through path isolation.
One technology that has been applied to optical cross connects has become known as 3-D MEMS utilises small mirror structures which act on a beam of light to direct it from one port to another. Examples of this art are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,960,133 and 6,501,877. The ports are usually arranged in a 2-dimensional matrix and a corresponding element of the 2-dimensional array of mirrors can tilt in two axes to couple between any one of the ports. Usually two arrays of these mirrors are required to couple the light efficiently and because of the high degree of analogue control required structures based on this technology have proved to be extremely difficult to realize in practice and there are few examples of commercially successful offerings. In this type of structure, a separate component is required to separate each wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) input fibre to corresponding single channel/single fibre inputs.
One of the most promising platforms for wavelength routing application relies on the principle of dispersing the channels spatially and operating on the different wavelengths, either with a switching element or attenuation element. These technologies are advantageous in that the switching element is integrated with the wavelength dispersive element—greatly simplifying the implementation. The trade-off is that in general the switching is more limited, with most implementations demonstrated to date being limited to small port counts—and the routing between ports is not arbitrary. In general a diffraction grating is used for micro-optic implementations or an array waveguide grating for waveguide applications. Most of the switching applications have been based on MEMS micro mirrors fabricated in silicon and based on a tilt actuation in one dimension. The difficulty with this approach has been that to achieve the wavelength resolution required when the angular dispersion is mapped to a displacement. In such cases, an image of the fibre (with or without magnification) is mapped onto the tilt mirror array. In order to couple the light into a second port, additional optical elements are required that convert the angle into a displacement. Different approaches to this have included retroreflection cubes wedges (U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,519) which provide discrete displacements or Angle to Displacement elements (U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,000) which can provide continuous mapping using optical power provisioned at the Rayleigh length of the image. In all of these cases, in order to switch between ports, the tilt mirror needs to pass through the angles corresponding to intermediate ports. In addition, the number of ports is limited in each of these cases by the numerical aperture of the fibre as each of the different switch positions are discriminated by angles. For a fibre with a numerical aperture of 0.1, a switch which can tilt by +−12 degrees could not distinguish 8 different switch positions. One approach that can be used is to decrease the numerical aperture through the use of thermally expanded cores or micro lenses—but this is done at the expense of wavelength resolution.
An alternative has been to use polarization to switch between ports. Obviously this is most appropriate to switching between 2 ports corresponding to the 2 polarisation states. Such a switch is described in Patel (J. S. Patel and Y. Silverberg, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters Vol. 7 No. 5, 1995, pp. 514-516) where an optical dispersion element (in this case a grating) is used to separate an optical signal into spatially separated wavelength channels incident onto a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC SLM). The SLM is then configured to rotate the polarisation of the light of a desired wavelength channel by 90° which causes the light to be deflected from the main channel by a birefringent crystal. The wavelengths are then recombined by a second grating element forming two spatially-displaced outputs: one containing the wavelength channels acted on by the LC SLM, and the second output containing the remaining wavelength channels. Since these types of switches are limited to only two polarisation states, they are not readily scalable, though more complicated schemes can be envisaged to allow for switching between multiple ports. With polarization switching, also, dynamic equalization of channels can only be done at the expense of the rejected light being channelled into the second fibre—so it is not applicable to equalization of the express path whilst dropping a number of wavelengths.
A better alternative to switch between multiple ports has been the use of optical beam deflectors such as MEMS mirror arrays or LC SLMs. These devices deflect the light through free space, thus allowing multiple signal beams to be simultaneously interconnected without cross-talk between data channels.
An example of a MEMS-based device is taught by Waverka (U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,877) which disperses the individual wavelength channels with a diffraction grating. The individual channels are each then focused on to spatially separated elements of the MEMS array which imparts an angular displacement on the beams. A retroreflection device is used to convert the angular displacement to a lateral offset, that when passed back through the optical system translates into a coupling to the desired output port. In this implementation the offset states are quantised and determined by the angles of the retroreflection prism.
A similar technique is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,959 by Ducellier where a particular spatially separated wavelength channel is acted upon by a deflector array implemented either using a MEMS device or a transmissive LC deflector. A schematic block diagram of this device is shown in FIG. 1. Ducellier introduces an improvement over Waverka by having the angle to offset (ATO) element 1 being able to translate continuously for an arbitrary state by placing an angle to offset lens at the Rayleigh point of the optical array 2. The angular array is then transmitted through a standard 4-f lens design (telecentric telescope) using a spherical reflector 3 to the deflection array 4 with preservation of the angular multiplex. The individual wavelength channels in the optical signal are separated by an optical dispersion element 5 at the telecentric point of the optical system.
The deflection array 4 can be operated in either reflective or transmissive mode and (similarly to Waverka and Patel) provides a deflection of a desired wavelength channel perpendicularly to the wavelength dispersion direction. The deflection is such that an ATO element at the output array translates the new angular multiplex into an offset corresponding to the desired output port. In this system, the input array, the optical dispersion element, the deflection array, and the output array all lie in the same focal plane due to the spherical symmetry of the optics. The disadvantage of this is that large deflection angles are required to switch between fibre ports and a requirement for large numerical aperture optics. The requirement also of a duplicate optical system in the transmissive deflection array embodiment places severe restrictions on the compactness and cost of the final device.
Additionally, none of the devices described above can operate on the light from two input sources or two groupings of light having the same wavelength channels independently. Due to the existence of polarisation dependent loss and polarisation mode dispersion—it is often convenient to consider two orthogonal polarisation states as two separate sources and it could be advantageous to act on these separately.
Various techniques have been proposed for the correction of polarisation dependent loss (PDL) in optical communication systems on a wavelength basis such as those discussed by Roberts (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0004755). These techniques however are only applicable to a single optical fibre and operate in transmission mode only. To our knowledge, there have been no techniques have been proposed or demonstrated to provide broadband PDL correction for multiple optical fibre devices or in a switching architecture.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer and wavelength selective switch capable of independently operating on arbitrary wavelength channels contained in light from two distinct sources or groups.

Dual-source optical wavelength processor


A control system for an engine of a vehicle includes a requested torque module that determines a first requested torque based on an accelerator pedal position and a current engine torque output capacity. An accelerator effective position module determines an accelerator effective position based on a requested driver axle torque request signal. A power enrichment (PE) module enables a PE mode to provide a richer than stoichiometric fuel equivalence ratio based on the first requested torque and the accelerator effective position.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
An engine combusts an air/fuel mixture to produce drive torque. A richer or leaner air/fuel ratio may be provided by adjusting, for example, position of an intake air control throttle or an amount fuel that is injected into cylinders of the engine during each combustion cycle. During certain conditions a richer air/fuel ratio is desired to provide increased output torque. This can occur based on power enrichment (PE) scheduling.
PE scheduling is generally initiated when an engine is under high load to provide additional torque output. During a PE mode, an engine control system commands a richer than stoichiometric fuel equivalence ratio (FEQR). FEQR refers to a current fuel-to-oxidizer ratio divided by a stoichiometric fuel-to-oxidizer ratio. A stoichiometric FEQR is equal to one (1). The richer FEQR (ex. FEQR >1) increases engine output torque. In airflow based engine control systems, PE scheduling may be based on actual throttle position and air pressure within an intake manifold of an engine.

Power enrichment scheduling for coordinated torque control system


A system for affixing a blanket to ground includes at least one corner flap mechanically coupled to the blanket and configured with a removable edge with the blanket. At least one stake is mechanically coupled to the blanket. The at least one stake is configured to be removed from underneath the at least one corner flap and into the ground.

The embodiments herein relate generally to outdoor recreation. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosed invention relate to systems that can be configured to affix a blanket to ground.
Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention, when laid out, a picnic blanket could be blown around, or displaced by movement on top of the blanket. Embodiments of the disclosed invention solve this problem.


A roof hatch for a collapsible or fixed vehicle roof includes panels which are displaceable away from an opening in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The panels are disposed in guides along the front and rear edges of the opening. The arching of the panels is adapted to follow the contours of the vehicle roof, seen from the sides of the vehicle. Where a collapsible roof is employed, extra storage space may be made available in the luggage compartment when the vehicle roof is in its collapsed position. The extra space is created in that light luggage is stored in the opening of the roof hatch when the panels are located in their open positions.

The present invention relates to an opening roof hatch for a collapsible car roof or a fixed car roof, comprising at least one movable panel displaceable from an opening.
In motor cars with a conventional roof hatch or so-called sun roof which is opened in a rearward direction towards the luggage compartment, the roof hatch is of planar design and presupposes that the vehicle has a substantially planar roof in order that the roof hatch be able to be opened to its full extent.
Vehicles of a sports car nature, such as convertibles or cabriolets with a collapsible or fixed car roof are often fitted with roofs that are arched about an axis transversely directed in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The roofs on these cars are often short and split towards the rear window in order that these sections can be collapsed down into the luggage compartment by an angling in a pivot or joint between the luggage compartment and the roof.
Many vehicles of such type which have an arched roof that is short in the longitudinal direction of the car cannot employ a conventional flat roof hatch since a roof hatch of planar design which is opened in the longitudinal direction of the car would only achieve minimal opening for the roof hatch in its open position, since the arching of the roof obstructs the full opening of the roof hatch.
Further, a car roof hatch collapsed down into the luggage compartment takes up a considerable part of the load carrying area in the luggage compartment because of its bulky nature, which encroaches on the remaining available space when luggage is loaded.
It is desirable to design the roof hatch intimated by way of introduction so that it obviates the drawbacks inherent in prior art technology. Further, it is desirable to realise an opening roof hatch for vehicles whose roof design is relatively emphatically arched and which lacks substantially planar roof sections. It is desirable to realise extra storage space in the luggage compartment of vehicles with collapsible roofs.
In a roof hatch according to an aspect of the present invention the panel is movable in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

Opening roof hatch for a collapsible car roof


A method is disclosed for providing mobile code software applications to users via an application service provider (ASP). The ASP receives a mobile code application, such as a Java application, from a provider, along with a security specification. The security specification defines access privileges requested to execute the application, including privileges to execute functions performed by the application and privileges to access local resources of the ASP. The ASP receives a subscription to the application from a user. The subscription includes subscription information granting or denying privileges, and specifying parameters for the privileges, requested in the security specification. The ASP executes the application at runtime by determining for each executable function whether the user has authorized the requested privilege. Those functions authorized by the user are executed in one embodiment. During runtime the ASP limits the application's access to local resources based on the privileges granted by the user.

As used herein, the term "mobile code" refers to any portable executable instructions that can be downloaded and run on a computer system without modification or recompilation in a platform-independent fashion. Mobile code, especially Java mobile code, has gained widespread use in the areas of electronic commerce and services and will likely extend to many applications provided in future application service provider (ASP) environments.
Since the emergence of Java and related mobile code technologies, mobile code security has been a popular area for offerings of commercial solutions and active academic research. The use of mobile code presents a new challenge to the security systems in traditional platforms. Unlike shrink-wrapped, off-the-shelf application code, downloadable mobile code is inherently untrustworthy. Therefore, existing mobile code security solutions have focused on establishment of the trust between the application provider and the application user. A mobile code security solution is commonly considered sufficient if it can support the same level of trust between users and downloaded mobile code as its shrink-wrapped counterpart. All existing solutions share a common goal of protecting the principal's security domain from being compromised by untrustworthy downloaded code. As a result, existing systems use a set of security platforms designed for safe mobile code execution and run-time access control. Although these platforms work well in a traditional client-server system, they are not flexible enough in an application service provider (ASP) environment.
The rising trend of application outsourcing to ASPs disrupts the accepted application-usage model. Instead of owning the application after acquiring it from application providers, users outsource the runtime management and sometimes even the ownership of an application to an ASP. The user and the ASP are connected via a network, such as a global computer network like the Internet. In this new model, two different entities take on the roles of the runtime platform owner and the application user. This more complex environment complicates the mobile code security problem.
Existing systems use at least three common approaches to mobile code security: the sandbox approach, the code-signing approach, and the firewall approach. A fourth technique referred to as "proof-carrying code" is also used, though it is less-common. In the sandbox model, mobile code is given a run-time environment with a very limited set of system operations. The limited set of operations prevents mobile code from compromising the underlying platform, but it also limits the functionality of the mobile code. The firewall approach involves setting up a "mobile code firewall" device at the border of a security domain (e.g. the network boundary of an organization) to inspect mobile code.
The code-signing approach attempts to provide assurance about the source of the mobile code so it can be trusted. Microsoft Authenticode is an example of the code-signing technique. Mobile code is distributed in so-called Cabinet (.CAB) files. A typical Cabinet file contains the compressed mobile code and the signature of the mobile code generated using the application provider's private key. Before allowing the downloaded mobile code to run, users of the application examine the signature to ensure that (1) the code is properly signed by some application provider trusted by the user, and (2) the code has not be altered in transmission. In essence, signatures on mobile code work as the "digital shrink-wrap." Code-signing is limiting in that it gives the application user only a binary choice of either completely trusting the code with the signature or denying its execution. There is no run-time access control support in a code-signing system.
The original Java security system is essentially a sandbox system. Downloaded Java applets are prevented access to many local system resources such as the file system and most of the network. Advances in Java security results in a hybrid system that combines the code-signing and sandbox approaches to create a run-time access control environment in which access-control decisions are made dynamically based on the signature of the code.
Security policies controlling access privileges to grant to particular mobile codes are stored in a local policy file editable only by the platform owner. Despite the additional flexibility, this hybrid approach is still limiting. First, run-time access control decisions are still based on who signs the code, not what the code will do. Second, a user of the application is assumed to be also the owner of, or at least in the same administration domain as, the run-time platform, which is not necessarily the case in the ASP environment. Lastly, mobile code instances are implicitly granted all the privileges permitted by the security policy regardless whether they are needed for the task in question, which is against the least privilege principle (LPP) of good security system practice. What is needed is a better system for managing mobile code in an ASP environment.

Mobile code security architecture in an application service provider environment

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A process is provided in which etched layer(s) are protected from residues or defects caused by or resulting from exposure to atmospheric conditions. Protection is provided through the formation of an encapsulation layer post etch. In one embodiment, the encapsulation is provided by a thin layer formed in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The thin layer prevents the etched layer(s) from exposure to air. This encapsulation process may take place after the etch process thus allowing for substrates to be subsequently exposed to atmospheric conditions with little or no queue time constraints being needed for staging subsequent wet clean processing steps. In one embodiment, the encapsulation process may be performed with no vacuum break between the etch process and the encapsulation process. In one embodiment, the encapsulation film is compatible with subsequent wet process steps and can be removed during this wet process steps without adverse effects.

The present disclosure relates to the processing of substrates. In particular, it provides a method for patterning of substrates.
It has been found that in substrate processing techniques, after etching certain layers a variety of residues can "grow" on a substrate post etch. In some cases, such residue growth can be dependent upon the length of time that the substrate is exposed to atmospheric conditions. For example, with regard to etching of metallic layers, it has been proposed that etch species react with the metal layer and air moisture to form metallic salts. In one embodiment, it has been proposed that fluorine from fluorocarbon based etch techniques react with air moisture to form hydrofluoric acid compounds. The hydrofluoric acid then reacts with oxidized surfaces of the metallic layer to from a metallic salt. Thus, it has been proposed that the metallic residue growth results from a reaction between the metal and an acid. In the fluorocarbon etch example, the acid may result from fluorine remaining on or in the metallic layer and hydrogen coming from the atmosphere. In one embodiment, such mechanisms have been proposed as the source of residues that grow on titanium nitride layers post etch. In other embodiments, the hydrofluoric acid has been proposed to react with cobalt layers post etch as the source of residues that grow on cobalt.
To address such concerns, control of the exposure of etched layers to atmospheric conditions prior to subsequent processing steps has been proposed. Specifically, queue time limits have been placed on how long a substrate may be exposed to atmospheric conditions before subsequent processing steps are performed. For example, it has been found that even two hours of atmospheric exposure may result in residue defects forming on the etched structures. In this manner, queue time control limits the exposure to atmospheric conditions, resulting in less residue growth post etch. In one embodiment, queue time limits are known to be provided between a plasma etch step and a subsequent wet processing step. For example, in one embodiment, after etching a structure containing a titanium nitride layer a wet clean step may be performed, such as a Standard Clean 1 (SC1) wet clean. Queue time control of exposure to atmosphere may be required after the etch and before the SC1 wet clean processing so as to lessen residue growth. It will be recognized that similar queue time control limits may be required between the etching of other substrate layers and other cleans (including both acidic and alkaline cleans). Such queue time controls, however, place undesirable constraints on the substrate processing manufacturing flow.
Thus, it would be desirable to utilize a more robust process flow in conjunction substrate etching that relaxes queue time control requirements post etch.

Method utilizing using post etch pattern encapsulation


A system is provided in which electronic tags are pre-encoded and mounted on a continuous web for subsequent application to packaging at a packaging supplier plant. A B2B portal provides the information needed to coordinate the pre-encoding of the electronic tags with the packaging manufacture according to a goods packager's requirements.

Some retailers and product distributors require goods packagers to tag the goods electronically by applying electronic tags to the packaging or the containers within which the goods are delivered. The electronic tags, which generally take the form of radio frequency identification tags (RFID tags), are encoded with numbers such as Serialized Global Trade Item Numbers (SGTIN) or other codes defined by a standards body that allow the goods to be tracked and inventoried by automatic or manual reading systems without further physical or visual contact with the tags or the packaging to which they are applied. Computer systems can store updatable information about the manufacture, conditions, and transport of the goods linked to the serial numbers.
For example, many retail goods are delivered in corrugated boxes having RFID tags applied to the boxes as way of identifying and communicating the contents of the boxes as well as the histories of the boxes and their contents from the time the contents are first made to the time the contents are emptied from the boxes. Typically, the RFID tags are encoded and applied to the corrugated boxes at the time the boxes are filled. Applicators for encoding and applying RFID tags to corrugated boxes can add considerable expense to individual product filling lines, especially since only a limited number of the orders filled by the lines may require RFID tagging. Problems with the application or encoding of the RFID tags can interrupt or slow the product filling lines, and unreadable or otherwise defective tags applied to the boxes require the affected boxes and tags to be discarded and replaced.
Some goods packagers require the manufacturers of corrugated boxes to supply the boxes with RFID tags already applied to the boxes. Similar difficulties can be encountered applying the RFID tags to boxes during their manufacture. Requirements for encoding, applying, and inspecting the RFID tags can slow production of the boxes and produce waste. High operating speeds of the box-making machines leave little time for inspecting the functionality of the tags, leading to a high rejection rate. Rejections after the tags are applied may require disposal or rework of the affected boxes as well as the tags. In addition, management of the electronic product codes among the functional tags applied to the boxes also involves difficulties and can require investments in expensive software.
Attempting to encode RFID tags after the tags are applied to boxes can be even more problematic because the required radio frequency (RF) field can be more difficult to accurately position with respect to the already mounted tags. The content of the boxes can also affect encoding operations. Lower electronic tag yields and more difficulties managing the encoded information are among the consequences.

Business portal for electronically tagging product packaging


An apparatus of driving a lamp for a display device is provided. The driving apparatus includes an inverter (920), a lamp current sensor (940), and an inverter controller (930). The lamp current sensor (940)senses a current flowing in the lamp and output a feedback signal having a magnitude depending on the sensed current. The inverter controller (930) compares a dimming control signal from an external device with the feedback signal and controls the inverter (920) based on the comparison. The inverter (920) includes a transformer (T1) for applying a lamp drive voltage to a lamp for turning on or off the lamp and a voltage sensor (928) sensing the lamp drive voltage. The inverter (920) adjusts a turns ratio of the transformer in accordance with the sensed lamp drive voltage.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus of driving light source for a display device such as a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Display devices used for monitors of computers and television sets include self-emitting displays such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), electroluminescences (ELs), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs), field emission displays (FEDs) and plasma panel displays (PDPs) and non-emitting displays such liquid crystal displays (LCDs) requiring light source.
An LCD includes two panels provided with field-generating electrodes and a liquid crystal (LC) layer with dielectric anisotropy interposed therebetween. The field-generating electrodes supplied with electric voltages generate electric field in the liquid crystal layer, and the transmittance of light passing through the panels varies depending on the strength of the applied field, which can be controlled by the applied voltages. Accordingly, desired images are obtained by adjusting the applied voltages.
The light may be emitted from a light source equipped in the LCD or may be natural light When using the equipped light source, the total brightness of the LCD screen is usually adjusted by regulating the ratio of on and off times of the light source or regulating the current through the light source.
A light device for an LCD, i.e., a backlight unit usually includes a plurality of fluorescent lamps as a light source and an inverter for driving the lamps, which includes a transformer with a boosting voltage typically determined based on the turns ratio. The inverter converts a DC (direct current) input voltage from an external device into an AC (alternating current) voltage, and then applies the voltage boosted by the transformer to the lamps to turn on the lamps and to control the brightness of the lamps in response to a luminance control signal. Furthermore, the inverter detects a voltage related to a total current flowing in the lamps and controls the voltage applied to the lamps on the basis of the detected voltage.
Since the lamp of the backlight unit is supplied with a high voltage for stable lighting operation in case of initiation or under a low temperature, the turns ratio of the transformer is set to be high to generate the high voltage.
However, since the initiation or the low temperature condition is maintained for a very short time, the lamp is not required to be supplied with such a high voltage for most time. That is, after a short-time application of the high voltage to the lamp for an initiating operation or a low temperature lighting operation, a low voltage is sufficient for driving the lamp.
In a typical backlight unit, the design of the inverter of the backlight unit focuses on the initiating condition or the low temperature condition rather than a normally operating state after ignition of the lamp. For this purpose, the ratio of the transformer is set to be high, which continuously applies high voltage to the lamp even in the stabilized state to cause unnecessary power consumption and decrease in operation efficiency.
Particularly, the efficient power consumption is very important for a device with a battery having a limited capacity such as a portable computer.

Apparatus of driving light source for display device


A semiconductor device in which wirings are formed adequately and electrical couplings are made properly in an SRAM memory cell. In the SRAM memory cell of the semiconductor device, a via to be electrically coupled to a third wiring as a word line is directly coupled to a contact plug electrically coupled to the gate wiring part of an access transistor. Also, another via to be electrically coupled to the third wiring as the word line is directly coupled to a contact plug electrically coupled to the gate wiring part of another access transistor.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to a semiconductor device having a static random access memory.
In a semiconductor device called SOC (System On Chip), a logic circuit and a memory cell are mounted on a single chip. Given below is an explanation of a semiconductor device of that type which has an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) memory cell.
The SRAM memory cell includes a flip-flop with two cross-coupled inverters and two access transistors. The flip-flop has two cross-coupled storage nodes. One access transistor is electrically coupled between one storage node and one bit line. The other access transistor is electrically coupled between the other storage node and the other bit line. The gates of the two access transistors are electrically coupled to a word line.
Also in the flip-flop, one driver transistor is electrically coupled between the one storage node and a grounding wiring and the other driver transistor is electrically coupled between the other storage node and the grounding wiring. One load transistor is electrically coupled between the one storage node and a voltage supply wiring and the other load transistor is electrically coupled between the other storage node and the voltage supply wiring.
The gate of the one driver transistor, the gate of the one load transistor, and the other storage node are electrically coupled to each other. Also, the gate of the other driver transistor, the gate of the other load transistor, and the one storage node are electrically coupled to each other.
In a region of a semiconductor substrate in which an SRAM memory cell is formed, two access transistors, two driver transistors and two load transistors are formed in prescribed element formation regions respectively. Above them, a multilayer interconnection structure including first, second and third wirings for coupling the transistors electrically is formed. The second wirings include bit lines and a voltage supply wiring. The third wirings include a word line and grounding wires.
One of the documents which disclose a multilayer interconnection structure is Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-135572. One of the documents which disclose an SRAM is Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-103862.


A network operating information setting system includes a design device, an automatic setting device and a network device. The design device has the function of producing a command chain of information which an operator designs using a GUI (Graphical User Interface) in order to store the command chain thus produced in a storage medium such as a floppy disk. In addition, the design device also has the function of reading out data from the storage medium in order to display the data thus read out. The automatic setting device has the function of reading out the command chain from the storage medium in order to transmit the command chain thus read out to the network device through a data transmission line. In this connection, an inverse command chain may be produced which is used to restore the network operating information to the original information in the network device. In addition, the automatic setting device has both the function of reading out data from the network device and the function of producing production commands for the data thus read out from the data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a technology for supporting the construction/operation of a network, and more particularly to a technology for carrying out the support in such a way that the setting/change of management information and the like, which a network system has, can be readily carried out.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to construct a computer system in which a plurality of information devices connected to one another are used, in addition to installation of hardware devices and connection between the devices, the environment setting work for the network system is required. As for the setting items of this environment setting work, for example, kinds of hardwares to be used, and network addresses or the like are given.
That environment setting work is difficult to be carried out because the following two problems associated therewith arise.
(1) The expert knowledge is required for the setting work. For this reason, for example, an engineer who has a duty of constructing the network system needs to go to the construction field in order to construct the network system.
(2) Even when setting the same information to a plurality of setting objects, the same input work needs to be repeatedly carried out and hence the work is necessarily complicated.
As for a method of solving the above-mentioned problems, there is given the technology disclosed in Related Application. This technology is achieved by provision of an information setting device for setting information (parameters) of kinds of apparatuses to be connected to a network, a connection form of the network and the like which are required when constructing the network, an information processor including a file producing unit for storing that information in a file, and a network constructing unit for activating automatically a network operating system by referring to the file.
By adopting this structure, the work for constructing a network can be divided into an information design work for inputting the information which is required when constructing the network in order to store the information thus inputted in a file, and a construction work for constructing automatically the network by referring to the file thus produced.
If the above-mentioned technology is utilized, since the construction work is automatically carried out, if an engineer who has a duty of constructing the network system as shown in the example of the above-mentioned problem (1) has only to design information which will be set to the network system in a company in which the engineer is engaged and also to send the file to the field, the construction work can be left to a person or person in the field, and hence the engineer does not need to take the trouble to go to the field.
In addition, once the information is designed, it will be stored in the file. Therefore, if the file is repeatedly reutilized, then this will result in the same information not being required to be repeatedly inputted. As a result, the above-mentioned problem (2) can also be solved.

Network operating information system having design device and automatic setting device


A catheter adapted to deliver therapeutic or diagnostic agents to a target tissue of a human body is disclosed. A catheter in accordance with the present invention comprises a magnetic field source for directing the flow of the therapeutic of diagnostic agent. The therapeutic or diagnostic agent may be conjugated with diamagnetic particles, ferromagnetic particles, super paramagnetic particles, or paramagnetic particles.

Injection catheters are currently utilized in a wide variety of minimally invasive or percutaneous medical procedures. Generally, a catheter enables a physician to remotely perform a medical procedure by inserting the catheter into the vascular system of the patient at an easily accessible location and navigating the tip of the catheter to a desirable target site. By this method, virtually any target site in the patient's vascular system may be remotely accessed.
Typically, a percutaneous procedure begins with the step of inserting a distal portion of the catheter into the patient's vasculature at a convenient location. Once the distal portion of the catheter has entered the patient's vascular system the physician may urge the distal tip forward by applying longitudinal forces to the proximal portion of the catheter.
Injection catheters are a type of catheter which may be used to inject therapeutic or diagnostic agents into various target tissues within the human body. An advantage of injection catheters is that the target tissue may be accessed utilizing minimally invasive surgical techniques. As with other types of catheters, the physician typically is not able to manipulate the distal portion of an injection catheter directly.
In many applications the target tissue is within a wall of an organ such as the stomach or the heart. When the target tissue is within the wall of an organ it is often desirable to inject the therapeutic or diagnostic agent into the tissue proximate the center of the organ wall. If the needle of the injection catheter inadvertently passes through the wall, the therapeutic or diagnostic agents dispensed from the distal end of the needle will not be effectively delivered to the target tissue. Wall thickness may vary from organ to organ. Additionally, wall thickness may vary within one organ.
One example of a medical procedure involving the delivery of a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to a targeted portion of a patient's body is the treatment of esophageal varicies. This is a condition in which blood vessels of the esophagus are enlarged and may potentially burst. For such a procedure, a therapeutic agent is injected into the varix. When treating an esophageal varix, the agent may be a coagulant such as sodium morrhuate. When a coagulant is injected into a varix, it causes it to occlude. An injection catheter may be used to deliver the therapeutic agent in order to minimize the invasive nature of the procedure.
In a similar procedure, an injection catheter may be utilized in the treatment of ulcers in the stomach lining. With such treatment, an injection catheter may be used to deliver drugs such as sclerosing or vasoconstrictive agents. These drugs typically clot or occlude the bleeding tissue to stop bleeding or to reduce the possibility of a blood vessel bursting.
Injection catheters may also be used to inject therapeutic or diagnostic agents into the heart. Examples of agents delivered to the heart include genes, proteins, cells, genetically modified cells, or drugs. In the case of injecting a therapeutic agent into the heart, 27 or 28 gauge needles are generally used to inject solutions carrying genes, proteins, cells, or drugs directly into the myocardium. A typical volume of an agent delivered to an injection site is about 100 microliters. One factor limiting the efficiency of this delivery technique is the loss of therapeutic through ejection, after the needle is removed, during myocardial contraction.
Therapeutic and diagnostic agents may be delivered to a portion of the heart as part of a percutaneous myocardial revascularization (PMR) procedure. PMR is a procedure which is aimed at assuring that the heart is properly oxygenated. Assuring that the heart muscle is adequately supplied with oxygen is critical to sustaining the life of a patient. To receive an adequate supply of oxygen, the heart muscle must be well perfused with blood. In a healthy heart, blood perfusion is accomplished with a system of blood vessels and capillaries. However, it is common for the blood vessels to become occluded (blocked) or stenotic (narrowed). A stenosis may be formed by an atheroma which is typically a harder, calcified substance which forms on the walls of a blood vessel.
When techniques which treat individual lesions are not practical, percutaneous myocardial revascularization (PMR) may be used to improve the oxygenation of the myocardial tissue. A PMR procedure generally involves the creation of holes, craters or channels directly into the myocardium of the heart. In a typical PMR procedure, these holes are created using radio frequency energy delivered by a catheter having one or more electrodes near its distal end. After the wound has been created, therapeutic agents are sometimes injected into the heart chamber from the distal end of a catheter. A limitation of this procedure is that the therapeutic agent may be quickly carried away by the flow of blood through the heart or during contraction of the myocardium after the wound is formed.

Magnetically enhanced injection catheter


A head protection air bag apparatus comprises an air bag, an air bag cover for covering the air bag, an inflator for supplying the air bag with a gas for inflation, and an assist grip. The inflator is fixed to a body of a vehicle at a location toward the exterior side of a vehicle relative to the assist grip. The assist grip is provided on its exterior surface with a cover layer having the characteristic of a cushion, so that an impact with the inflator will be cushioned by the assist grip.

This application claims priority from Japanese application 2000-138958 filed May 11, 2000, and Japanese application 2000-157293 filed May 26, 2000, which are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head protection air bag apparatus mounted in a vehicle. The head protection air bag apparatus is provided with a folded air bag in a predetermined location on the interior side of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in this kind of head protection air bag apparatus, an air bag is folded to be housed on an upper edge side of the periphery of an opening on the interior or inner side of a vehicle, that is, in a periphery from a front pillar portion to a roof side rail portion, as described in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 11-321532.
A gas for inflation supplied by an inflator flows into the air bag from either its front end side or rear end side. Accordingly, it takes a long time for the gas for inflation to reach the terminal end of the air bag, which is located away from the inflator.
The length of the air bag should be long in a front-rear direction when the air bag is mounted on a vehicle, in vehicles which include several rows of seats for passengers. In this case, it takes a long time for the gas for inflation to reach the air bag terminal end.
In order to solve this problem, it can be considered to shorten the distance between the inflator and the terminal end in a front-rear direction of the air bag, as described in WO 96/26087. In WO 96/26087, the inflator is disposed on the upper edge side of a periphery of an opening on the inner side of a vehicle between the front pillar portion and the rear pillar portion, that is, in the roof side rail portion.
The inflator is made of a metal having high rigidity. Thus, taking impacts between the inflator and a passenger into account, a cover material for covering the inflator to function as a cushion is separately required when disposing the inflator in the roof side rail portion. Preparing the cover material, however, increases the number of components of the air bag as well as the number of processes for installing the air bag apparatus in a vehicle.
In a conventional head protection air bag apparatus, the air bag is folded to be housed on an upper edge side of a periphery of an opening on the inner side of a vehicle so as to extend from the front pillar portion to the rear side passing over the center pillar portion, as described in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 10-138858.
The air bag in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 10-138858 is in a folded shape and covered by a door portion of an air bag cover at a location of a roof side rail portion on an upper edge side of an opening on the inner side of a vehicle. The door portion is disposed on a lower edge side of a roof head lining. The air bag, which has been developed and inflated, pushes and opens the door portion of the air bag cover. The air bag is developed and inflated so as to cover the inner side of a vehicle of a center pillar garnish at a location of the center pillar portion. The center pillar garnish is disposed on the inner side of a vehicle of the center pillar portion.
In the conventional head protection air bag apparatus, however, a lower edge portion of the air bag cover door portion is connected to the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish of the center pillar portion. The lower edge portion of the cover door portion includes a curved portion toward the exterior, or the outer side, of a vehicle. Thus, the door portion must climb over the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish to be opened when the air bag pushes and opens the door portion. As a result, in the conventional head protection air bag apparatus, the door portion is difficult to open smoothly and thereby, there is a need for improving the quick development and inflation of the air bag.
One aspect of the invention is to provide a head protection air bag apparatus capable of covering an inflator without increasing the number of components with a cushion characteristic when the inflator is disposed in a roof side rail portion or the like.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a head protection air bag apparatus in which an opening operation of a lower edge portion of an air bag cover, which abuts an upper edge portion of a pillar garnish, is made free of restriction so that development and inflation of the air bag can be completed quickly.
The first aspect of the invention can be achieved by a head protection air bag apparatus having a following structure. This head protection air bag apparatus comprises an air bag, an air bag cover for covering the air bag, an inflator for supplying the above air bag with a gas for inflation, fixing elements for fixing the inflator to a body of the vehicle, and an assist grip. The air bag is covered by the air bag cover. The air bag is folded and housed on the exterior side of the vehicle, relative to the air bag cover, and the gas for inflation from the inflator is emitted into the air bag so that the air bag pushes and opens the air bag cover as the air bag is developed and inflated. The inflator is disposed at a location toward the exterior, or outer side, of the vehicle body relative to the assist grip when fixed to the vehicle body.
In the head protection air bag apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, the assist grip is used as a cover material of the inflator. The assist grip, which is properly provided with a core material made of a metal, is provided on its surface side with a cushioning cover layer made of a soft synthetic resin such as soft vinyl chloride and urethane.
Therefore, a passenger will impact the assist grip, which has the characteristic of a cushion, in situations when the passenger would impact the inflator. As a result, the impact of the passenger is less injurious than an impact in situations when no assist grip is provided.
The assist grip itself is a component mounted in the roof side rail portion or the like of a vehicle. Thus, the use of the assist grip in the head protection air bag apparatus does not increase the number of components mounted in a vehicle.
Therefore, in the head protection air bag apparatus according to this embodiment of the invention, the inflator can be covered without increasing the number of components. The inflator is covered with an assist grip having the characteristic of a cushion even when the inflator is disposed in the roof side rail portion.
A condition of a location of the inflator disposed toward the outer, or exterior side of a vehicle of the assist grip is that a passenger does not impact the inflator such as would occur in situations where only the air bag cover exists in between the passenger and the inflator. Accordingly, the inflator may be disposed either toward the exterior side of a vehicle in a horizontal direction of the assist grip, or also toward the exterior side of a vehicle in an obliquely upper or lower direction relative to the assist grip.
In this head protection air bag apparatus, it is desirable that the inflator and the assist grip are fixed to the vehicle body by means of common fixing elements.
In this arrangement, the inflator and the assist grip are fastened together to be fixed to the body by means of the common fixing elements. In such an arrangement, the numbers of components and installation processes in installing the inflator and the assist grip in the body is decreased.
Further, the inflator, the assist grip and the air bag cover may be fixed to the body by means of the common fixing elements. In this arrangement, the air bag cover is also fastened together with the inflator and the assist grip to be fixed to the body. In such arrangement, the numbers of components and installation processes in installing the inflator, the assist grip, and the air bag cover in the body can be decreased.
Moreover, in the first head protection air bag apparatus, a unitary air bag installation body may be formed. This air bag installation body is the assist grip, the air bag, the inflator, and the air bag cover are coupled together into a unitary body to be installed into the vehicle body. In such an arrangement, the air bag apparatus is installed within the vehicle body through the installation of the installation body. As a result, the installation operation required for installing the air bag apparatus in a vehicle is be improved.
A decorative or functional design characteristics of the inner side of a vehicle would not be decreased when interior decoration of the roof side rail garnish and the roof head lining is used for forming the air bag cover.
The second aspect of the invention is achieved by a head protection air bag apparatus having a following structure. This head protection air bag apparatus comprises an air bag and an air bag cover. The air bag is folded and housed at an upper location of a pillar portion on the interior, or inner, side of the vehicle body. The air bag covers a pillar garnish disposed on the interior side of the pillar portion when developing and inflating. The air bag cover is configured to move between a closed and an open position. In the closed position, the cover covers the folded air bag and is opened when pushed by the developed and inflated air bag. A lower edge portion of the air bag cover is disposed toward the vehicle interior relative to an upper edge portion of the pillar garnish, and is abutted to the pillar garnish.
In the second head protection air bag apparatus according to the invention, a lower portion of the air bag can immediately open and move to the inner side of a vehicle without climbing over the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish when the developed and inflated air bag pushes the air bag cover.
Accordingly, in the second head protection air bag apparatus according to the invention, an opening operation of the lower edge portion of the air bag cover to be connected to the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish would be smooth, so that development and inflation of the air bag can be completed quickly.
In the second head protection air bag apparatus, it is desirable that, when the pillar garnish is provided with a general portion disposed below the upper edge portion of the garnish, the lower edge portion of the air bag cover is abutted to the pillar garnish in a manner so as to be in a same plane with the general portion of the pillar garnish. In such an arrangement, the decorative and functional design characteristics of the air bag cover and the pillar garnish do not decrease.
Further, in the second head protection air bag apparatus, it is desirable that, in situation when the vehicle comprises a front pillar portion, a rear pillar portion and a middle pillar portion between the front pillar portion and the rear pillar portion, the air bag cover is provided on the inner side of the vehicle and extends from the front pillar portion to the rear pillar portion as one integrated body. In such an arrangement, the air bag cover continuously covers roughly the entire upper edge side of a periphery of an opening on the inner side of a vehicle. Thus, the decorative and functional design characteristics of the inner side of a vehicle are improved compared with situations when the air bag cover is disposed in parts on the inner side of a vehicle.
In the second embodiment of the head protection air bag apparatus, an air bag installation body is also formed. This air bag installation body is the air bag and the air bag cover coupled together for installation in a vehicle body as a unitary body. In such an arrangement, the air bag apparatus is installed within the vehicle body through the installation of the installation body. As a result, the installation operation required for installing the air bag apparatus in a vehicle is improved.
Moreover, in the second head protection air bag apparatus, the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish may be connected to the body so as to fill a space between the pillar garnish and the body. In such an arrangement, the upper edge portion of the pillar garnish prevents the air bag from entering between the pillar garnish and the body when the air bag is developed and inflated, so that the air bag is directed to the lower edge portion side of the air bag cover. Accordingly, the air bag can be smoothly projected to the inner side of a vehicle.
In the above arrangement, the air bag cover comprises a door portion, to be opened when pushed by the air bag, and a general portion disposed above the door portion. It is desirable that the general portion of the air bag is provided with a lateral wall portion for filling a space between the general portion of the air bag and the body. The lateral wall is disposed above the location between the pillar garnish and the vehicle body where the folded air bag is disposed. In such an arrangement, the lateral wall portion can prevent the air bag from entering between the general portion of the air bag cover and the vehicle body, when the air bag is developed and inflated. Accordingly, the air bag is directed to the door portion of the air bag cover. Thus, the air bag smoothly projects to the inner side of a vehicle.
In the second head protection air bag apparatus, it is arranged that the upper edge portion of the air bag cover covers the interior side of a lower edge portion of the roof head lining that is disposed above the air bag cover. That is, the upper edge portion of the air bag cover is disposed on the interior side of the vehicle, relative to the lower edge portion of the roof head lining, and abutted to the roof head lining. In such an arrangement, the roof head lining can be mounted in a vehicle even when a terminal treatment such as trimming of the roof head lining lower edge portion is insufficient. This is because the upper edge portion of the air bag cover covers the roof head lining lower edge portion. As a result, the terminal treatment of the roof head lining lower edge portion can be easily performed through this design. A decrease of the appearance of the roof head lining can also be controlled.


An endoscope includes an objective optical system which is inserted into a body and an image taking device which takes an image formed by the objective optical system and outputs an image signal representing the image. An image restoration processing is carried out on a part of the image signal corresponding to a predetermined range in the image taking range of the image taking device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an endoscope used to examine the interior of a body cavity and the like, and more particularly to an endoscope in which blur of the image due to insufficient depth of focus of the objective optical system can be avoided.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been in wide use an endoscope to observe the interior of a body cavity or to give treatment observing the interior of a body cavity. Currently an electronic endoscope comprising an illuminating light projecting system which projects illuminating light onto a part inside of a body through optical fibers or like, an objective optical system which is inserted into the interior of the body and forms an image of the part by the light reflected at the part of the body and an image taking means which takes the image formed by the objective optical system is major.
On the other hand, there have been made various investigations on photodynamic diagnosis. The photodynamic diagnosis is a technique in which a photosensitive material which has affinity to tumor and emits fluorescence when excited by light is first administered to the tumor, excitation light having a wavelength in the excitation wavelength range of the photosensitive material is projected onto the tissue, and then the intensity of the fluorescence is measured or the tumor is diagnosed on the basis of an image formed by the fluorescence.
A fluorescence endoscope for taking such a fluorescence image and displaying the image basically comprises an excitation light projecting system which projects excitation light onto a part inside the body in addition to said illuminating light projecting system, the objective optical system and the image taking means, and an image formed by fluorescence emitted from the part is taken by the image taking means.
In such a fluorescence endoscope, use of an objective optical system which is small in F-number and high in numerical aperture is generally required in order to efficiently detect fluorescence which is normally very weak. However when a high numerical aperture objective optical system is used, the depth of focus is reduced and blur is apt to be generated in a part of the fluorescence image taken.
As an objective optical system for an endoscope in which the depth of focus can be increased, there has been known one disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7(1995)-119893. The objective optical system is provided with a variable diaphragm and when a part relatively close to the optical system is to be observed, the diaphragm is closed to increase the depth of focus.
However since fluorescence emitted from a part inside the body is very weak as described above, the method of increasing the depth of focus by closing the diaphragm is difficult to apply to the fluorescence endoscope.
Though problems are described above in conjunction with the fluorescence endoscope which takes an image by weak fluorescence, there is a problem, also in an endoscope which takes a normal image, that as the amount of light entering the taking means is increased, the depth of focus is reduced.