An expandable endolumenal prosthesis comprises, in its non-expanded configuration, a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end and a proximal end. The tubular body having a porous wall defined by a plurality of interlaced circumferential lines forming a pathway motif or pattern.

This term defines, in general, a device which is inserted in a lumen, for example, a vascular duct and, in particular, an arterial duct, usually by means of an endolumenal-prosthesis transport system, or stent delivery system (SDS), and is then expanded or spread out in situ in order to support the walls of the lumen locally. The main object of this support is to eliminate the blockage, for example, brought about by a stenosis, and to prevent the re-formation thereof.
A general treatise on endolumenal prostheses or stents can be found in the works "Techniques in coronary artery stenting" by Colombo and Tobis, Martin Dumitz Ltd., 2000 and "Handbook of cardiovascular interventions" by Ulrich Sigwart, Michel Bertrand, Patrick W. Serruys, Harcourt Brace & Company Limited, 1996.
Endovascular prostheses are generally known. However, the term "endovascular prosthesis" has been used interchangeably with other terms such as "stent" or "expandable prosthesis". The term "vascular prosthesis" used in this description should be understood as including any expandable prosthetic device for implantation in a human or animal duct (such as, for example, a lumen, an artery, a vessel, a respiratory duct, a gastrointestinal duct, a bile duct, or the like).
A large number of patent documents relating to endolumenal prostheses have been filed in the past, for example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 (Palmatz), U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,762 (Palmatz), U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 (Gianturco), U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,336 (Gianturco), U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,706 (Gianturco et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,392 (Hillstead), U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,126 (Gianturco), U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,417 (Palmatz), U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,385 (Beck et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,824 (Gianturco), U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,023 (Palmatz et al.), CA 1,239,755 (Wallsten), CA 1,245,527 (Gianturco et al.), CA 2,134,997 (Penn et al.), CA 2,171,047 (Penn et al.), CA 2,175,722 (Penn et al.), CA 2,185,740 (Penn et al.), CA 2,192,520 (Penn et al.), PCT/CA97/00151 (Penn et al.), PCT/CA97/00152 (Penn et al.), PCT/CA97/00294 (Penn et al.), EP 0 895 760 (Bartorelli), EP 0 888 093 (Penn et al.), EP 1 151 730 (Hojeibane), EP 0 956 832 (Richter et al.), PCT/US98/08194 (Dubrull).
An endolumenal prosthesis has to fulfil two somewhat conflicting requirements.
First of all, the endolumenal prosthesis has to have a high degree of flexibility when it is in its non-expanded state to facilitate the delivery of the prosthesis through the tortuous anatomy as far as the implantation site. Moreover, when the prosthesis is in the expanded condition, it has to demonstrate sufficient radial stiffness to minimize the collapse of the walls of the duct in which it has been deposited and, for example, re-stenosis effects, as well as effectively resisting the possibility of acute occlusion. These conflicting requirements, that is, the provision of a prosthesis which has considerable flexibility when in the non-expanded condition whilst having great radial stiffness in the expanded condition, have been achieved in the past with the use of struts that are interconnected, typically with a longitudinal arrangement, to confer great flexibility on the prosthesis in the non-expanded or contracted condition, and further interconnected struts, for example, nonlongitudinal circumferential lines or rings of struts, which open up to rings that are stiff radially (at least in an ideal situation), to confer the necessary radial stiffness on the prosthesis in expanded conditions.
A solution which partially satisfied these requirements was proposed in US patent application 2002/0065547 (Moore).
There is nevertheless still a further great need to find an endolumenal prosthesis which can easily be clenched in a radially contracted position around delivery and expansion devices (SDS). This need in fact conflicts particularly with the need to have interconnected circumferential struts that are capable of withstanding radial stresses adequately when in the expanded condition. In fact these struts are difficult to clench around the delivery and expansion devices (SDS) precisely because of their structural capacities.


A digital half-tone image is reproduced by exposing a photoconductor by modulating the intensity of laser beam. In order to correct the effect of the size of laser beam on the gradation characteristic, the surface potential of the photoconductor is detected under various conditions. The sensitizing potential and the sensitivity of the photoconductor are corrected according to the measured values for stabilizing the gradation potential. Then, the beam size is corrected according to the surface potential or the amount of adhered toners detected under prescribed conditions, without detecting the beam size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for forming a digital image with use of light intensity modulation in an electrophotographic process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a digital printer and the like with use of an electrophotographic process, a laser beam is modulated according to multi-level image data to expose a photoconductor sensitized uniformly, to form an electrostatic latent image. The latent image is developed with toners, and the resultant toner image is transferred to a paper. Thus, the image data is reproduced on the paper.
In a method of forming a digital image, the intensity of laser beam is modulated according to multi-level image data to express gradation. In this method, the size of laser beam is kept constant.
However, the beam size varies with the type of laser diode used for the exposure. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 671,963, the beam size of laser diode is coded, and the coding is performed in a factory before shipment. The beam size (code input) of a laser diode installed in an apparatus is detected, and the gradation correction data is corrected according to the detected beam size.
A latent image formed with the laser beam is an analog image, and the gradation characteristic depends largely on the size of laser beam. The size varies with the environment and the like of the electrophotographic process. Therefore, it is desirable that gradation characteristic is corrected according to the beam size.
The beam size can be changed for example by using a beam expander disclosed in Japanese Patent laid open Publication No. 68,316/1985. It can also be changed with a slit (Japanese Patent laid open Publication No. 72,979/1991) or with an electro-optic ceramic plate (Japanese Patent laid open Publication No. 136,018/1991). However, these methods are difficult to be used practically because the beam size and the change thereof are various according to the installation precision and the control method. Further, the shape of the beam does not necessarily become the same as the beam spot focused on the photoconductor when the beam is detected with a sensor located at a place different from the photoconductor.
Then, it is considered good that the beam size is corrected, without detecting the beam size, by deciding the effect of the beam size on the gradation characteristic from the potential of an exposed image on the photoconductor and the state of the image after the development. However, in this case, it is difficult to correct the effect of the beam size by separating the effect of the beam size from the changes of the photoconductor characteristic and the development characteristic.


A field effect transistor having a double recess structure, which minimizes an influence exerted on a channel region depending upon the surface state of an outer recess section. In the field effect transistor having such a double recess structure, an ohmic contact layer at the surface of the outer recess section is made to have a thickness so as to be in a to completely depleted state.

The present invention relates to a field effect transistor constituted of a compound semiconductor, and particularly to a field effect transistor having a double recess structure.
In a field effect transistor (FET), a double recess structure is widely used for the purpose of improvement in breakdown voltage. The double recess structure means a structure in which recesses of two steps are formed around a gate electrode. The recess provided outside is called an outer recess section, and the recess provided inside is called an inner recess section.
A general compound semiconductor FET having a double recess structure has a structure wherein an undoped AlGaAs buffer layer, an InGaAs channel layer, an undoped AlGaAs spacer layer, an Si doped AlGaAs carrier supply layer, an undoped AlGaAs Schottky contact layer, and an Si doped GaAs ohmic contact layer, which are respectively epitaxial layers, are respectively sequentially deposited over a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. An outer recess section is formed by removing the Si doped GaAs ohmic contact layer by etching, and an inner recess section is formed by removing the surface of the undoped AlGaAs Schottky contact layer exposed to within the outer recess section by etching, respectively. Further, ohmic electrodes are provided on the Si doped GaAs ohmic contact layer, and a gate electrode is provided on the undoped AlGaAs Schottky contact layer lying in the inner recess section, respectively.
Since a field intensity lying within the channel layer at the application of a voltage is reduced in the FET having such a double recess structure, an improvement in the breakdown voltage of a transistor can be expected. As other examples of the compound semiconductor FET having the double recess structure, there have been known examples described in patent documents (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 9(1997)-45894, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 11(1999)-214676, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-193273).
However, the compound semiconductor FET having the double recess structure is unstable in transistor characteristics because the transistor characteristics thereof greatly depend on the surface state at the outer recess section. This results from the following reasons:
In the compound semiconductor FET having the double recess structure, the surface of the outer recess section is of a compound semiconductor. In general, a high-density surface level ranging from about 1011 cm−2 to 1013 cm−2 exists in the surface of the compound semiconductor. Its surface state density greatly varies according to the adhesion of dust, the condition of the process for the surface, and the like. In the compound semiconductor FET having the double recess structure, a depletion layer expands below the outer recess section, and the width of the depletion layer also changes when the surface state density of the outer recess section changes. Since a channel layer placed below the depletion layer is narrowed when the width of the depletion layer is enlarged, a drain current decreases. Since the channel layer expands when the width of the depletion layer is scaled down in reverse, a drain current increases.

Field effect transistor comprising compound semiconductor


A clamping bar assembly for a bar screen with a plurality of screen bars and in which at least one leg extends downwardly from each bar and a bar support beam extends below the bars. The bar of this invention includes a plurality of spacers positioned on the support beam between neighboring bar legs. The spacers are clamped together with the bar legs by a first flange which is fixed to the support beam and which has an upwardly extending portion, and a portion which extends inwardly above the beam to engage the spacers. A second flange, removably fixed to the beam, has an upwardly extending portion, and a portion which extends inwardly above the beam toward the first flange so that the clamped spacers and bars are restricted from vertical displacement by the first and second flanges.

Bar screens have proven particularly valuable in sorting materials which have unequal dimensions. Wire or punched screens are typically used to sort materials of a granular nature in which all three dimensions are approximately equal. However, many classes of objects, including two of particular commercial interest, wood chips and municipal or industrial trash, are not readily amenable to separation by conventional screening processes.
In the manufacture of paper, logs are reduced to wood chips by chipping mechanisms, and the chips are cooked with chemicals at elevated pressures and temperatures to remove lignin. The chipping mechanisms produce chips which vary considerably in size and shape. For the cooking process, which is known as digesting, it is desirable that the chips supplied have a uniform thickness in order to achieve optimal yield and quality. Ideally, the supplied chips will allow production of a pulp which contains a low percentage of undigested and/or overtreated fibers. Thus, a means is needed to separate chips on the basis of thickness rather than any other dimension. Bar screens have proven particularly adept at separating materials based on a single dimension such as thickness.
With the rise in the recycling culture, a strong demand for an apparatus for separating municipal and industrial trash into its constituent components for recycling has developed. Conventional separation systems which utilize rotating screen drums have proved ineffective. Municipal trash which typically contains a certain portion of stranded material as well as sheet-like materials tend to clog the screens. Further, the tumbling action of screens can result in the breakage of components of the municipal waste stream such as glass bottles, thereby increasing the difficulty of recycling them. Bar screens consist of two sets of generally rectangular bars which are joined together in an array of racks. The two sets of bars are interleaved to form a screening bed. The bed consists of the elongated, rectangular bars and the narrow, rectangular spaces between the bars. Material to be sorted is introduced to the surface of the bed and the bars are caused to oscillate so that when one set of bars is going up, the other set is going down. This oscillatory motion tends to tip wood chips or other relatively small planar objects on edge so that those of a given thickness may slide through the gaps between the bars. Alternatively, it has been found when separating office waste paper, that bar screens prove effective in removing extraneous litter from the recovered office paper.
If the limitations of current bar screens could be overcome, the utility of the bar screen, already a valuable tool in the pulp industry and in the recycling industry, would be greatly increased.
One important improvement needed in bar screens is ways to attach thinner bar to the oscillation mechanism which causes the bars to oscillate.


Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide for evaluating optimal claim handling. The process includes receiving information associated with claims. Based on the information associated with the claims, responses are provided to a set of queries contained in one or more questionnaires. Based on the responses to the queries, a loss economic opportunity is calculated which is associated with processing the plurality of claims based on the responses. Further, a best practice is determined based on the loss economic opportunity.

Insurance companies today complete insurance claims using company practices with the hopes of settling claims for an appropriate sum. Any audits that are conducted on the claims processing are conducted either manually or by using a system which can only calculate basic information including the number of claims processed by any particular claim handler, the amounts paid out on claims and the time frame for processing claims.
This type of information is not sufficient in determining whether claims are being processed efficiently and cost effectively. There are limited means, which are costly and time consuming, to calculate whether an insurance company is properly paying out on claims without overpaying. Further, it is difficult to calculate whether claims handlers are using the best methods for streamlining the claims handling process.
As such, there is a need for a system which can review the claim handling process more completely in order to give an insurance company an idea of what company practices are beneficial, whether the amount paid out on the claims were appropriate, and whether claims are being handled efficiently and properly.


A method, apparatus, and system is described for creating a spatial sieve tree which stores, manages, and manipulates multidimensional data by partitioning the bounds of the nodes of the tree, creating child nodes which each have defined bounds associated with a partitioned portion of their parent node(s) and may be further partitioned into additional levels of child nodes, and determining which level of the tree has the smallest size node in which a data object could wholly fit regardless of the data object's location in coordinate space and the one or more nodes of that determined level that could at least partially contain the data object based on the bounds of the one or more nodes and the data object's location in coordinate space.

A tree is a common way of storing data in a computer so that the data cm be used efficiently. A well-designed tree allows a variety of operations to be performed while using as few resources as possible: namely the amount of time it takes to execute an operation and the required memory space. A tree, like a family tree, is so named because a physical representation of it looks like a tree, even though the tree is generally shown upside down compared with a real tree; with the root at the top and the leaves at the bottom.
A tree utilizes a set of linked "nodes" to store the data. A node may contain one or more data objects, a condition, and/or represent a separate tree of its own. Each node in a tree has zero or more "child" nodes, which are nodes connected to it and below it in the tree. A node that has a child is referred to as the child's "parent" node. A node has at most one parent. The topmost node in a tree is called the "root" node. Nodes at the bottommost level of the tree are called "leaf" nodes. Nodes in between the root and leaves are called internal nodes or referred to simply as child nodes and referenced by their level (like generations in a family tree, counting from either the root or the leaves).
FIG. 1A shows a graphical representation of a simple tree. At the uppermost position is root node 102. Root node 102 contains data "D" and has two child nodes, nodes 104 and 106, which respectively contain data "B" and "F." In this example, child nodes 104 and 106 make up the first level of child nodes (the first level below the root node). Node 104 has two child nodes 108 and 110, which respectively contain data "A" and "C." Thus node 104 is the child node of root node 102 and the parent node of child nodes 108 and 110. Similarly, node 106 has two child nodes 112 and 114, which respectively contain data "E" and "G." Nodes 108, 110, 112, and 114 make up the second level of child nodes.
FIG. 1B shows a graphical representation of the tree implemented as an array a list of indexed elements. The representation of an array in FIG. 1B makes the visual relationships between data a little more difficult to grasp than the tree in FIG. 1A, but it serves as better visual example of how the tree can be implemented in the context of storing the data in memory. In this example, each element 120-132 is equivalent to a node in the tree of FIG. 1A. By using an indexed list, each element can contain the data for each node as well as "pointers" to its child nodes. The pointers are the address/index of the child nodes so the list may be accessed following the tree structure rather than only sequentially from left to right.
Root node 102 is now stored in array element 120 which uses the index "0." Element 120 contains the data "D" for the root node as well as pointers to the first level child nodes 104 and 106 which are represented as elements 122 and 124. The pointer from element 120 (root node) to element 124 (child node) allows a computer to skip past element 122 and go directly to element 124, using its index "2," when traversing the tree, shown in FIG. 1A, to the right. Similarly, node 106 is stored in array element 124 which contains data "F" and has pointers to element 130 with index "5" and element 132 with index "6."
In order to retrieve data "G" from a tree without knowing its exact location, a computer can start at the root node 102, traverse to the child node on the right 106, and again to another child node on the right 114. In terms of the array, element 120 will point to the index for element 124, and element 124 will point to the index for element 132. At most, any data will be two steps away from the root node in this tree. If the list in the array was searched sequentially from left to right, it would take six steps to reach "G." As the amount of data grows, so do the savings in steps and thus computational time.
A common type of tree structure is a "B-tree." The format of data within B-tree is based upon a global order, restraints on the amount of data in each node, and the amount of child nodes each parent may have. B-trees are also required to remain balanced: all of the leaf nodes are on the same level. FIG. 1A shows a simplified version of a B-tree. The global order for FIG. 1A's B-tree is alphabetic order. The leftmost node contains "A" and as you move right, the data progresses alphabetically to "G" in the rightmost node. Each parent node lies between (contains a median value of) its child nodes in terms of the global order: parent node 104 contains "B" which comes after "A" in child node 108 on the left and before "C" in child node 110 on the right. The tree in FIG. 1A is also balanced: all leaf nodes 108, 110, 112, and 114 are on the second level of child nodes.
B-trees also operate under the assumption that there is a meaningful separation between data objects. Letters of the alphabet each have their own distinct value and are easily separated from one another. In the example above of searching the tree in FIG. 1A for "G" without knowing its location, a separation between each letter is required. Starting again at the root node 102, "D" is found. If the global order is alphabetic order, letters that come before "D" are going to be found in child nodes to the left and letters that come after "D" are going to be found m child nodes to the right, "G" comes after F, so we traverse to the right child node 106, where "F" is found. Again, letters before "F" will be to the left and letters after "F" will be to the right. Finally, we traverse to the child node 114 an the right, and "G" is found.
Considerable study and research has been expended in the design of systems to store, manage, and manipulate multidimensional/spatial data (hereinafter "spatial data"). Spatial data is a naturally occurring feature of numerous application spaces, and since it frequently involves extremely large datasets, index-based access methods for spatial data have been extensively studied. Despite this research, the trees and other methods for manipulating data in common use exhibit poor scalability across a wide range of environments, thereby limiting applicability to relatively narrow problem spaces.
Classic B-tree data structures owe much of their scalability to the assumption that there is a meaningful global order to the dataset in a single dimension and that a natural partition exists between any arbitrary set of records such that it is trivial to distribute the records across the nodes of the tree while preserving the global order. A problematic feature of many spatial datasets is that there may be no natural partitions between records, the probability of which increases as the number of records increases. Furthermore, multidimensional spatial datasets tend to be very resistant to the notion of having a global order in a single dimension. Numerous proposals for globally ordering spatial data for the purposes of storing it in B-tree data structures have been made, none of which generalize well in practice due to the necessary semantic lossiness of dimension reduction. Consequently, current spatial data structures tend to preserve the dimensionality of the data in their representations to preserve generality, but do so using strategies that adversely effect scalability.
The primary strategy used for indexing spatial data is that typified by the R-tree and its derivatives. R-trees split coordinate space with hierarchically nested, overlapping bounding rectangles. Each non-leaf node within the tree has a variable number of entries, up to some pre-defined limit. Each entry represents a way to identify a child node and a bounding rectangle that contains ail of entries within that child node. The actual data objects (or pointers to them) are stored in leaf nodes along with the bounding boxes for those data objects.
Unlike B-trees, where logically adjacent nodes never overlap, R-trees solve the problem of a spatial dataset having no natural partitions by allowing logically adjacent nodes in the tree to contain overlapping data. If a spatial data record straddles the bounds of two nodes, one of the two nodes is selected and adjusted so that the node's bounds logically contain that data object. As a natural consequence, the bounds of the two nodes that the spatial data, overlapped now overlap each other.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show graphical representations of sample spatial data objects and their organization within a simple R-tree. In this example, each node of the R-tree in FIG. 2B, 250-262, may contain up to three entries. Bounding rectangles 202 and 204 are the highest in the hierarchy and the combination of bounding rectangles 202 and 204 contain all of the bounding rectangles and data, thus they are stored in root node 250. Entry 202 within root node 250 contains a way to identify a child node 252 and the bounding rectangle 202 shown in FIG. 2A which contains the entries of child node 252: 206 and 208. Entry 204 within root node 250 contains a way to identify a child node 254 and the bounding rectangle 204 shown in FIG. 2A which contains the entries of child node 254; 210 and 212. Entry 206 within node 252 contains a way to identify a child node 256 and the bounding rectangle 206 shown in FIG. 2A which contains the entries of child node 256; 214 and 216. This structure continues in this manner throughout the first level of child nodes. The second level of child nodes, 256-262 all contain the actual data objects and their respective bounding rectangles 214-230.
While this strategy works reasonably well for handling arbitrary sets of spatial objects, it has multiple significant scalability drawbacks. First, searching the tree for a single object may require traversing multiple branches of the tree in eases where nodes overlap, and the probability of node overlap increases as datasets grow larger. Second, the amount of CPU time required to service a query is very sensitive to the size distribution of spatial data records in the indexed spatial data set; a small number of atypically large geometries can substantially increase the number of geometries that must be evaluated when servicing art average query. Third, update concurrency and write scalability tend to be relatively poor because logically adjacent nodes can overlap with independently variable bounds. When an object is added to, deleted from, or modified within a tree it will affect the size of the bounding rectangles and the structure of the tree as each node is limited to a predetermined amount of entries. For example, in FIGS. 2A and 2B, if a data object was inserted within bounding rectangle 210, data in leaf node 260 would need to be rearranged as leaf node 260 already contains the maximum amount of entries. An update of this type will require propagating the changes through the tree which can "lock" other updates out of large portions of the tree. This both prevents high-concurrency update techniques common in B-trees (e.g., Lehman/Yao B-trees) and can potentially cause excessive locking in the upper nodes of the tree structure as node bounds are modified. Despite these limitations on scalability, R-tree based algorithms are the most common general-purpose indexed access methods for spatial data in use.
Another important strategy used for indexing spatial data is that typified by the Quad-tree algorithm. Quad-trees are most often used to partition two-dimensional space by recursively subdividing it into four quadrants or regions, decomposing coordinate space into smaller "buckets." Each bucket has a maximum capacity and when capacity is reached, the bucket is partitioned again. Like the R-tree, leaf nodes contain the actual data objects while each internal node only contains its defined bounds and a way to identify child nodes that represent partitions of its bounds. Unlike the R-tree, Quad-trees preserve the strict logical adjacency of individual nodes in the tree by recursively partitioning the coordinate space into ever-smaller nodes as they become full and replicating spatial data records across every node they logically intersect.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show graphical representations of sample spatial data objects (similar to FIG. 2A) and their organization within a simple Quad-tree. Bounding rectangle 300 of FIG. 3A contains the entire coordinate space and thus as the root node 300 in FIG. 3B. In this example, the limit on data objects bounded per rectangle/node is three. As there are more than three data objects within the bounds of 300, it is partitioned into four bounding rectangles 302, 304, 306, and 308. Bounding rectangle 308 contains (at least partially) more than three data objects (324, 328, 330, 332, and 334), so it too is partitioned into four bounding rectangles 310, 312, 314, and 316.
In FIG. 3B, root node 300 and internal node 308 contain their respective bounding boxes and pointers to (or other identification of) their respective child nodes/partitioned quadrants. Leaf nodes 302, 304, 306, 310, 312, 314, and 316 all contain their bounding boxes and the actual data contained (wholly or partially) by those bounds. Data object 322 is an example of data that overlaps the partition and is partially contained by two leaf nodes. As a result, a copy of data object 322 is copied into both nodes 302 and 306. Similarly, data object 332 straddles two partitions and is partially contained by bounding rectangles 310, 312, 314, and 316: thus a copy of data object 332 is stored in each of nodes 310, 312, 314, and 316.
While trees that use a replication strategy, such as Quad-trees, tend to have moderately good update concurrency and a CPU efficiency that is much closer to the performance of a B-tree than a R-tree, the potential for replicating single spatial data records across very large numbers of nodes as the dataset grows larger is so pathological that it is generally considered a very poor choice for indexing non-point geometries. The pathological replication of data objects can be seen in relation to FIGS. 3A and 3B. The addition of only a few more data objects in bounding box 308 would require bounding boxes 310-316 to each be partitioned. While still dealing with a small dataset, data object 332 would be copied into eight different nodes. As a consequence of this pathological replication, Quad-trees (and similar trees that replicate overlapping data) are used almost exclusively for the narrow case of geometry datasets that are guaranteed to never require replication; e.g., data composed entirely of points, such as raster graphics.
Almost ail current spatial indexing methods can be categorized as a derivative of one of these two basic strategies, and share a number of features such as the utilization of a balanced tree structures and the focus on position in the coordinate space as the sole organizing feature. Some recently proposed methods attempt to mitigate the impact of large geometries on the performance of spatial data structures, both for R-trees and Quad-tree variants (see Hanan Samet, ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), Volume 36, Issue 2 (June 2004) pages 159-217), but with primary result being better multi-resolution feature extraction rather than improved general scalability.


Disclosed are devices and methods for performing wireless charging of an electronic device and establishing a wired connection with the electronic device for data transfer. In some cases, a device includes a port that can supply power to charge the electronic device when a wired connection is detected between the device and the electronic device. The device can be configured such that the port does not supply power to the electronic device via wired connection when the device provides charging power to the electronic device wirelessly. Data transfer between the device and the electronic device can be performed via the port at the same time as wirelessly charging the electronic device.

Portable electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, have become ubiquitous. Such devices can include a rechargeable battery and memory for storing data. There exists a need for systems and methods that can recharge the battery and back-up data from a portable electronic device seamlessly and efficiently. Existing charging and data transfer devices suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, charging can be interrupted by data transfer and vice versa. Systems and method disclosed herein advantageously solve the shortcomings of existing devices.

Systems and methods for wireless charging and wired data transfer


A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.

The present invention relates to fine pattern examining methods and apparatus using detailed shape or size measurement based on non-destructive observation and image processing, with a scanning microscope and methods of evaluating the examining apparatus.
In semiconductor and other industries, evaluation of fine roughness of randomly occurring pattern edges called edge roughness has been required as the pattern processing sizes become finer. Especially, in semiconductor process it has been known that a local fluctuation of a line width or line width roughness occurring from a (line) edge roughness or a line's right and left edge roughness of a gate or interconnect pattern will greatly influence the device performance. Thus, even in the pattern shape evaluation of the semiconductor process, the line-edge or line width roughness need be measured with high accuracy.
In order to measure the line-edge or line width roughness, however, a set of points representing a pattern edge need be obtained from an observation image displayed on a scanning electron microscope. Random noise occurring in the image acquirement will greatly influence this work. As will be described later in more detail, the influence of the random noise will appear as a bias quantity of the roughness index. A measured value of the roughness will be greater than that obtained from the shape of a real observation pattern.
The bias quantity has been a question in recent years under the following circumstances although it does not come into question when the real roughness value is much greater than the bias quantity. First, damage to a specimen or changes in the dimensions of the specimen (due to pattern shrinkage, charging, adhesion of organic molecules, etc.) due to irradiation of the specimen with an electron beam can be a problem. In order to prevent this damage or size changes, the observation should be made with as small a dose of electron beam irradiation as possible. If the dose of electron beam irradiation is less, however, the ratio in strength of signal to noise (S/N ratio) becomes smaller. Second, there are demands for observation of only higher frequency components of the roughness. When the higher frequency components of the roughness are observed, or a high frequency roughness or short-period roughness is observed, the roughness will be measured on a short line. Then, since no longer-period components are measured, the roughness will be measured on a short line. As a result, the roughness value itself will be smaller. In contrast, since the roughness bias quantity due to noise is a fluctuation quantity per edge point, the bias quantity will not become smaller even when the measured line length is reduced. In other words, if the roughness in the high frequency area is intended to be measured, the bias due to noise will increase relatively. Under these circumstances, it is necessary to eliminate the influence of random noise from the obtained measured value, and calculate a value of the real roughness of the observation pattern.
Simultaneously, there are demands for quantifying noise itself for the purpose of evaluating the performance of the measuring instrument.
In summary, it is necessary to separately take a quantity of roughness and the influence of noise actually present in the observation pattern present in the observation pattern from the index of the edge roughness observed usually.
In the following, a method of generally calculating the index of line-edge or line width roughness, the influence of random noise on the value of the calculated index value, and a conventional method of separating the index value and the random noise will be described.
The edge of a line pattern is calculated as follows. First, the pattern is observed from above with the scanning electron microscope. Let y direction be the direction of a line in a two-dimensional signal intensity distribution obtained and let x direction be the direction perpendicular to the direction of the line. An x-direction distribution of the signal intensity with y as a constant is referred to as a profile of the signal intensity. Such profiles are arranged at constant intervals in the y-direction. When a y-coordinate is specified, a corresponding profile is determined uniquely. FIG. 1 shows a relationship in correspondence between profile and actual pattern cross-sectional view. An upper sub-view of FIG. 1 illustrates a profile actually obtained and a lower part of FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a line pattern corresponding to the profile. The edge of a line pattern corresponds to a peak of the profile. When an edge roughness is analyzed, edge points are defined according to a given algorism on the profile obtained by actual measurement. Thus, the edge point defined according to the algorism can not necessarily coincide with a peak appearing on the profile. When a value is specified (and referred to as i) on the y-coordinate is specified, an x-coordinate of a point corresponding to the edge can be calculated for the corresponding profile. Then, y-coordinates can be specified at constant intervals and then pattern edges can be extracted one after another from the corresponding profiles, thereby obtaining series data of the pattern edge. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an enlarged view of a part of a line pattern observed on a SEM image. FIG. 2 illustrates obtaining series data Δxi; Δx1, Δx2, . . . each indicative of a difference between a straight line approximating series data of an edge and a respective one of actual pattern edge positions. The approximate straight-line comprises a set of averaged values of the edge points, and Δxi corresponds to a deviation of an edge point in a specified profile from the averaged value. FIG. 3 comprises a FIG. 2 viewed in perspective. The width of the line pattern is represented by an interval between right and left approximate straight-lines. A (local) line width on a specified profile is represented by a series difference wi (=w1, w2, . . . ) between the right and left edge series.
Indexes representing degrees of line-edge roughness and line width roughness will be described together as a roughness index in the following. As roughness indexes, (Δx1, Δx2, . . . ) or (w1, w2, . . . ) is regarded as a set of data and a standard deviation obtained from these data values or three times the standard deviation is generally used. Even at present, these indexes are used in the resist materials and in the screening of a process. In addition, in the future, it is considered that even in the dimension check of the mass production process not only the conventional simple averaged line width or the line's CD (Critical Dimension) but also the roughness indexes need be checked. At this time, an index of the line-edge or line width roughness need be calculated with high accuracy. As shown by non-patent literature 1 shown later, the performance of a transistor is predictable from the values of the indexes of the line width roughness, but also in this case, a high-accuracy width roughness need be obtained.
Proc. SPIE 5375 (2000), pp468-476 discloses a technique for setting measurement parameters comprising an extent of a measurement area in the roughness measurement and that of an interval at which the edge point is sampled, based on a spatial frequency distribution of roughness. In addition to these measurement parameters, the device performance and more particularly an extent of noise influence the measured values of the actual roughness indexes. Proc. SPIE 5375 (2004), pp515-533 shown later discloses a view that the positions of the edge points which will be observed on each profile have a distribution round a real edge point. Such distribution is considered as arising from noise. Let σe be a distribution (or standard deviation) of the observed edge point positions around the actual position. Then, an edge roughness index σm observed is given byσm=√{square root over (σ02+σe2)}  Ex. 1where σ0 is the actual edge roughness index (represented by a standard deviation).
That is, the observed value of the edge roughness index is larger than the real value. In the present description text, a change of the edge roughness index from its real value is referred to as a bias of the edge roughness. Occurrence of the bias is mainly due to noise.
Similarly, this applies when an object is not edge roughness, but line width roughness. In the case of the line width roughness, observed variation in the positions of the right and left edge points adds to that of the local line widths and the observed value of the line width roughness index is larger than the real value. In the following, the edge roughness will be mainly discussed.
Even when a bias is present in the observed value of the edge roughness, the edge roughness index still represents the feature of the pattern shape. When σ0 becomes smaller, σm becomes rather closer to σe, and does not represent an extent of the edge roughness correctly. When a pattern of small line-edge roughness is measured, it is necessary to eliminate the influence of the edge roughness bias and obtain as close a value to the real index value σ0 as possible. Even when an index (such as, for example, a deviation average) other than the above example (or standard deviation) is used as that of the line-edge or line width roughness, the observed value will likewise have a bias that reflects, noise. In the present invention, standard deviation will be used as an index of roughness in every case for purposes of easy understanding.
Proc. SPIE 5375 (2004), pp515-533 discloses a method of separating a real value σ0 and a term σe due to noise from a measured value σm of expression 1. In this method, an object pattern is observed a plurality of times, thereby obtaining a plurality of images corresponding to two-dimensional signal intensity distributions. Then, all these data are added up (more particularly, the two-dimensional intensity distributions are either added or averaged) and edge point positions are obtained which considered to be close to the real edge point positions (referred to as averaged edge points temporarily) from the obtained added-up data. The edge point positions obtained by observation from data for a plurality of pages of data are distributed around the averaged edge point. A standard deviation of this distribution is then calculated and represented by σe.
As described above, since the line-edge or line width roughness influences the characteristics of a semiconductor device, the value of the line-edge or line width roughness can be used as a criterion for determining whether the semiconductor manufacturing process is good or not. Thus, in order to evaluate the process, it is necessary to calculate a real roughness index value representing the line-edge or line width roughness minus a change quantity due to noise. A bias due to noise included in the line-edge or line width roughness involves reproducibility of evaluation of a semiconductor evaluation device, namely, a degree of a distribution of the measured values of parameters for the purpose of evaluation. Thus, in order to evaluate the semiconductor evaluation device, a distribution of the edge point positions itself due to noise need be evaluated.
The problem with the method disclosed in non-patent literature 2 is that first, the method is very time consuming. First, two sets or more of image data of the same visual field must be acquired. According to non-patent literature 2, the image data need be processed statistically, and at least two sets of image data is required. In addition, in order to obtain a result of high reliability, measurement must be made at least five positions empirically. Since the image data need be added in the same visual field, position deviations contained in the image data should be corrected. When image data is acquired using the scanning electron microscope, the position of an examination specimen can deviate from the visual field of the image due to thermal vibration of the specimen or a drift of the stage. Correction of the position deviation is time consuming and requires the operator's experience and data processing is complicated. In addition, automation is difficult. A second problem is to damage to the specimen. In order to acquire data on a plurality of images, it is necessary to irradiate the specimen repeatedly with an electron beam (EB). Even when a beam irradiation time per unit image pickup operation is short, the whole EB radiation quantity increases by repeated irradiation.
As described above, the conventional method of calculating a bias component included in the line-edge or line width roughness needs two sets or more of image data and takes a long time for data processing. In addition, data analysis that requires skill need be made as a preprocess for the image data processing. Furthermore, the beam irradiation time for the specimen increases, thereby damaging the observation pattern possibly.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for evaluating an index of line-edge or line width roughness present actually in an object to be observed, and a roughness component due to noise contained in a result of the observation from a piece of image obtained in a usual pattern observation, in a shorter time than in the past without losing substantially the same accuracy as in the conventional method.

High-accuracy pattern shape evaluating method and apparatus


One or more messages may be selected and grouped and one or more group-level actions may be initiated for the group, such that the group-level action is performed on each message in the group. Each message in a group shares the at least one attribute value. A messaging user interface may comprise a listing of the set of messages and a message group display portion that displays one or more message groups and a group-level toolbar comprising a selectable indicator for each group-level action. A message, or messages, shown in a message list portion of the user interface may be selected from the message list based on similarity of the message(s) to previously selected messages, and the selected message(s) may be grouping based on shared attribute values. The messages belonging to a group may be modified in the same way via a single action taken on the group.

Most computer users communicate with other computer users using at least one messaging application, such as without limitation an e-mail client, which executes on the user's computing device. The popularity of such communication has grown and continues to increase. Consequently, a user receives many messages, which are typically stored in one or more application-generated and/or user-generated folders. One such folder which is typically the location that includes e-mail messages received by the user, is the user's e-mail inbox folder. It is difficult for a user to manage and organize the messages received by the user.

Method and apparatus for facilitating message selection and organization with group-level actions


An adjustable, self-illuminating, writing instrument is provided having a main shaft terminating at one end in a pen and at the other end with a flexible shaft supporting a directable illumination source. An on/off switch is provided which also serves as a diameter adjustment mechanism for the beam created by the illumination source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to self-illuminating writing devices, and, more particularly, to an adjustable, self-illuminating, writing instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, it is difficult for individuals to write on paper when there is insufficient light present. However, there are many situations where this type of writing is required. For example, students must take notes during movie and slide presentations, where illumination is low. Some occupations require the completion of log books and forms in the dark, or in dark vehicles. These can include truck drivers, cab drivers, delivery persons, insurance adjusters and appraisers, and law enforcement personnel. Other jobs (for example food servers) often require writing in dimly lit conditions. Doctors and nurses must write important medical information on patients' room charts without turning on the lights and disturbing them. Travelers in automobiles, buses, trains and airplanes at night also face this situation.
Conventional writing instruments do not offer illumination of the paper being written on. Using bulky pen lights in conjunction with conventional writing instruments is awkward and difficult. As a result, the need for an improved and maneuverable self-illuminated writing instrument exists.
Early devices provided for an illumination device which was external to the writing instrument. These devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,345,962, issued in the name of Sanders, consisted of a small flashlight type device which clamped to the body of a writing instrument. Such devices, however, were bulky and weighted one side of the writing device, making the devices not ergonomic and uncomfortable to use.
Later devices disclosed the source of illumination internal to the writing instrument. Examples of these devices are U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,894, issued in the name of Kuch et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,274, issued in the name of Hanggi. These devices, however, are bulky, and provide for uneven illumination.
Other problems are prevalent throughout the previous art. First, the devices illuminate a fixed area around the writing instrument, and can be adjusted only by moving the position of the device relative to the paper. Second, the light emitted from devices of the previous is diffuse and uneven. Third, there is no adjustability of the diameter of the light beam.
These problems arise in various circumstances. First, when it is necessary to see multiple areas of a page simultaneously, such as when data or information is being copied. The previous devices necessitate that the user move the lighted instrument back and forth between parts of the page to transfer the information. This can be annoying, disorienting, and lead to errors during copying. One attempt to deal with this problem is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 329,823, issued in the name of Francisco. A light bulb is disclosed, mounted on the far end of the writing instrument, with respect to the paper. Such an arrangement, however, does not provide sufficient illumination. The light is diffused in a 360-degree orientation, and is not strong enough to illuminate more than a small surface area. Also, there is no way to focus the light in any particular direction, such as to focus on a particular segment of a paper.
Attempts to provide for coverage of larger surface area include devices such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,204, issued in the name of Lin et al. This device discloses a lamp, lamp reflector and a light reflecting sleeve, such that the light travels through the body of the pen holder. However, such illumination is nonadjustable in direction, uneven, and too diffuse to adequately illuminate a large segment of the page. Also, such devices do not provide the type of room light people are accustomed to using. Instead, these devices create a type of glowing light that can be disorienting.
Another circumstance which the related art fails to address is the situation where the writing instrument is not used perpendicular to the paper being written on, such as when writing on a vertically oriented page, or writing on paper in the person's lap. In these situations, the previous art fails to provide for movement of the focal point of the illuminating device to a direction that facilitates easier writing without changing the orientation of the writing instrument itself.
Another common instance that the previous art fails to adequately address is the one in which the user desires to adjust the diameter of the light beam being emitted, such as when a passenger in a vehicle wishes to utilize a light but not cause a glare that can disturb a driver.
Other attempts to address these illumination problems, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,775, issued in the name of Chen, utilize complex electronic circuitry, which makes the devices difficult to manufacture and expensive. Also, these types of devices have only an unidirectional orientation, and do not allow for the adjustment of light beam diameter.
Tangentially relevant to the present invention are the combination pen and light pointer devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,897, issued in the name of Halsey. These devices, however, are not designed for the purpose of illuminating the paper being written on. In fact, the illuminating and writing components of these devices do not function simultaneously. These devices are designed for convenience, with two separate components stored in one device. These devices allow the user to point to items on wall charts and the like, and at a later time, also use the writing device. As such, they do not fulfill the function of the present invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.

Adjustable, self-illuminating, writing instrument


A cosmetic container has a first sleeve, a driving assembly, a bottle and a second sleeve. The driving assembly is mounted in the first sleeve and has a first rotating tube, a seat and a second rotating tube. The seat is moveably mounted in the first rotating tube. The second rotating tube is rotatably mounted around the first rotating tube. The bottle is mounted in the seat of the driving assembly and has a vacuum valve and an outlet. The second sleeve is coactively mounted on the second rotating tube. The first sleeve is rotated by the driving assembly to drive the bottle to move up and down. Therefore, the cosmetic container can be operated conveniently. The piston can push out the cosmetic product in the body effectively. Therefore, quantity of cosmetic product remaining on an inner surface of the body is decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a cosmetic container that contains a cosmetic product and is easy to operate.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional cosmetic container has a body, a press-type nozzle, and a pipe. The body has a chamber to contain a fluid-type cosmetic product. An opening is formed in the body and is in communication with the chamber of the body. The press-type nozzle is mounted on the opening of the body. The pipe is mounted on the press-type nozzle and is located in the chamber of the body. The press-type nozzle can be pressed and the fluid-type cosmetic product in the body is drawn out of the press-type nozzle via the pipe. Furthermore, a cap is mounted on the press-type nozzle to avoid the fluid-type cosmetic product from exposure to air and deteriorating.
The operation of the cosmetic container requires removing and retrieving the cap, but the cap is prone to loss. Therefore, the operation of the cosmetic container is inconvenient. If the cap is lost, the fluid-type cosmetic product in the body is not properly sealed and deteriorates easily. When the fluid-type cosmetic product is dispensed through the pipe, a part of the fluid-type cosmetic product easily remains in an inner surface of the body and is hard to be fully dispensed for use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a cosmetic container to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


An optical wavelength tracking apparatus and method in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) passive optical network (PON) in which a central office (CO) having a multi-frequency light source is connected to a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) having loop-back light sources through a WDM MUX/DEMUX in a remote node (RN). The power levels of downstream and upstream WDM optical signals are measured. The WDM wavelengths of the multi-frequency light source and the WDM MUX/DEMUX are controlled to be nearly identical in order to minimize the difference between the power levels of the downstream and upstream WDM optical signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexed) PON (Passive Optical Network) using loop-back light sources. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical wavelength tracking apparatus and method for rendering the WDM wavelengths of a multi-frequency light source in a central office (CO) identical to those of a WDM multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) in a remote node (RN).
2. Description of the Related Art
A WDM PON provides very high-speed, wide-band communication service to subscribers by optical signals having different subscriber-specific wavelengths. Thus, the WDM PON helps to ensure the privacy of communications, and easily satisfies individual users' demands for additional communication services or a larger communication capacity. This service accommodates more and more subscribers simply by adding specific wavelengths for new subscribers. Despite these advantages, the WDM PON has serious drawbacks that have delayed deployment because of the requirement of an additional wavelength stabilizing circuit for stabilizing the oscillation frequency of a light source that generates an optical signal in both a CO and each subscriber device. Therefore, the development of an economical WDM light source is essential to implementation of the WDM PON. Loop-back light sources, such as a Fabry-Perot laser injection-locked to the wavelength of an external optical signal or a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA), have been proposed as economical WDM light sources for upstream data transmission from an optical network unit (ONU) as a subscriber device to a CO. A loop-back light source used for upstream data transmission in the ONU receives an optical signal from the CO and outputs an optical signal having the same wavelength as that of the received optical signal that is modulated according to the upstream transmission data. Hence, the loop-back light source does not need frequency selection and wavelength stabilization. In addition, the Fabry-Perot laser is a low-price light source that is popular because the laser outputs an optical signal injection-locked to an input optical signal and the injection-locked signal is a high-power signal with a narrow linewidth. Therefore, the Fabry-Perot laser can transmit modulated data at high speed. The RSOA amplifies an input optical signal to a high power level even though it is at a very low power level, and modulates the amplified signal according to an upstream transmission data signal. Hence, if the ROSA is used as a Loop-back light source in the ONU, a low price multi-frequency light source, which generates a WDM optical signal destined for loop-back light source in the ONU, is usable in the CO.
In general, the physical configuration of the PON is that of a double star topology, thereby minimizing the length of the optical lines used. In other words, the CO is connected to an RN close-by to subscribers by a single optical fiber, and the RN is in turn connected to the individual subscribers by independent optical fibers. Therefore, the CO and the RN are provided with a WDM MUX for WDM-multiplexing optical signals having different wavelengths and a WDM DEMUX for WDM-demultiplexing the WDM optical signal. Arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) are usually used as the WDM MUX/DEMUX. The RN close-by to the subscribers does not require a device to maintain an internal temperature constant. As a result, the RN is affected by temperature changes between seasons, or between day and night. The WDM wavelengths of the AWG WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN are subsequently changed by the temperature variations. The wavelength variation of the AWG with temperature is determined according to the material of the AWG. If the AWG is formed of an III-IV group compound, a typical semiconductor material, its wavelength variation with temperature is about 0.1 nm/° C. If the AWG is formed of silica (SiO2), the wavelength variation with temperature is about 0.01 nm/° C.
As the WDM wavelengths of the WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN change with corresponding temperature changes, the WDM wavelengths of the multi-frequency light source in the CO are not exactly the same as compared with those of the WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN. Similarly, the WDM wavelengths of the WDM DEMUX in the CO are at variance from those of the WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN. The resulting increase in the output loss of upstream and downstream channels and crosstalk from adjacent channels degrades system transmission performance. Accordingly, there is a need for developing optical wavelength tracking techniques for making the WDM wavelengths of the multi-frequency light source and the WDM DEMUX identical to those of the WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN in order to prevent the transmission performance degradation caused by the temperature change in the RN.
In light of the above, there have been proposed some optical wavelength tracking schemes to render the wavelengths of the WDM light source for downstream transmission to be identical to those of the AWG varying with temperature in the RN in the WDM PON. One of them is U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,369 entitled "Method of Tracking a Plurality of Discrete Wavelengths of a Multi-Frequency Optical Signal for Use in a Passive Optical Network Telecommunications System", invented by Martin Zirngibl, and granted on Mar. 17, 1998. According to the patent, the discrete wavelengths are tracked by removing one of ONUs connected to a multi-frequency router corresponding to the WDM MUX/DEMUX in the RN and reflecting back a wavelength corresponding to the removed ONU in the upstream direction.
Another optical wavelength tracking scheme attempting to solve the aforementioned problems is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,350 entitled "Temperature Compensated Multi-Channel Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed Passive Optical Network", invented by Christopher Richard Doerr, et. al., and granted on Oct. 16, 2001. In this disclosure, the RN detects the power level of one of channels at a WGR (Waveguide Grating Router) corresponding to the WDM MUX/DEMUX and notifies the CO of the detected power level. The CO then changes the temperature of a multi-frequency laser (MFL) (which is a multi-frequency light source) in accordance with the change of the received power level, to thereby enable the frequencies of the MFL in the CO to track the channels of the WGR in the RN.
The above optical wavelength tracking techniques are inefficient because one of WDM wavelengths is only used for tracking, and these techniques require an additional device by which the RN measures the power level of one channel and transmits the power level to the CO, thereby increasing cost.

Apparatus and method for tracking optical wavelength in WDM passive optical network using loop-back light source


Disclosed is a topical formulation for preventing or treating acne, in particular to a topical formulation for preventing or treating acne through the antimicrobial activity of the formulation against acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, inhibition of excess production of sebum by inhibition of excess production of sebum by inhibition of 5α-reductase, inhibition of comedo, keratolysis and anti-inflammatory action, which comprises extract obtained from at least one oriental medicine selected from the group consisting of Cavalia gladiata, Biota orientalis and Coptis chinensis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a topical formulation for preventing or treating acne through antimicrobial activity against acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, inhibition of excess production of sebum by inhibition of 5α-reductase, inhibition of comedo, keratolysis and anti-inflammatory action, which comprises extract obtained from at least one oriental medicine selected from the group consisting of Cavalia gladiata, Biota orientalis and Coptis chinensis.
2. Description of the Related Technical Field
Acne is developed in teen-agers at an incidence of 90% but also found in adults of in their twenties- or thirties at rare intervals. Acne (or acne vulgaris) is a chronic inflammatory disease or a disorder developed at sebaceous gland and hair follicle, of which etiopathology includes excess secretion of sebum, dyskeratinization of epidermis of hair follicle, overgrowth of anaerobic skin-colonizing bacterium, Propionibacterium acnes and other causes. Acne is generally found on face, chest, back, neck and brachium, the most noticeable parts of skin, and characterized as comedo, pustule, lupus, petty knob or scar.
At the early stage of acne, the excessively-secreted sebum is accumulated in hair follicle and the hair follicle is in turn swelled due to pressure of sebum, resulting in the occurrence of comedo, wherein those with closed hair follicle become white acnes (closed comedo) while those with slight-opened hair follicle tip become black acnes (open comedo). Upon further development of acne, bacteria elicit inflammation that contributes to the occurrence of two different types of symptoms: a papule type showing reddish skin with petty comedo and a pustule type showing pus. There are a few differences between acnes of teen-agers and adults, as summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1Differences between Acnes of Teen-agers and AdultsClassificationTeen-ager acnesAdult acnesLocation ofBrow, entire face, anyTend to position at the lowerOccurrenceparts where sebaceouspart of face such as cheek,gland existsgirth of mouth and jaws ascompared to teen-agersSeason ofSpring and Summer inYear-round occurrenceOccurrenceassociation withwithout seasonal outbreakactivation of sebaceousglandSymptomsDevelopedDeveloped simultane-ouslysimultaneously withwith skin dryness, repetitionexcess sebum,of petty acne boss (shotappearance ofappearance type), slowpetty comedo at theprogress in treatment, vestigeactivated part of sebumof acnes remainedsecretionCausesPhysical instabilityClosely related to physicalduring growth periodand mental conditions ofbody such as hormonalimbalance, insufficient sleep,fatigue, stress andmenstruation. Low relationto skin conditions
As shown in Table 1, the teen-ager acnes are developed at the entire parts of brow and face in spring and summer when the secretion of sebum is active and they are very likely to develop in oily skins. In contrast, the adult acnes are apt to develop throughout the year at restricted parts and are known to have little or no relation with lipid content. The development is affected by physical and mental conditions of body such as hormonal imbalance, stress, irregular dietary habits and poor body conditions thus implying complexity of its etiology. Even after fairly good treatment of adult acnes, it is very likely that pigmentation occurs to produce freckles and also the affected skin surface is sometimes caved in to form acne crater at the site. The hormones that have drawn much attention as known to cause adult acnes are androgen, which secretes sebum through stimulation of sebaceous gland and estrogen, the antagonist of androgen. Where the balance of two hormones is disrupted, it results in secretion of excess sebum and acne is developed as a result.
A variety of pharmaceuticals have been developed as an effort to treat acnes, which include antibiotics such as erythromycin and benzoylperoxide to inhibit a proliferation of acne-causing bacteria and estrogen to regulate sebum secretion, however, most of which are generally associated with adverse effects. In cosmetics, vitamin A derivatives to remove keratin; and trichloric acid and salicylic acid to inhibit a proliferation of acne-causing bacteria have been developed and tested. However, these active ingredients exhibit a little effect but are usually associated with adverse effects such as skin flaring, skin hypersensitivity and light hypersensitivity. Further, the recurrence of acnes are usually observed when administered with these active ingredients. Consequently, there are not genuine products capable of preventing and treating acne.

Topical formulation for prevention and treatment of acne


A step-in snowboard binding 100 provides a base assembly 200 which is adjustably attached to the snowboard at an angle that is selected by the user. A front assembly 300 and a back assembly 400 are pivotally carried by the base assembly and are pivotally connected to each other. The front and back assemblies pivot between a closed and locked boot-restraining position, and an open step-in/out position. In a preferred embodiment, the front assembly carries an adjustable toe strap 350 and an adjustable foot strap 360. A fastening assembly 500 releasably locks the front and back assemblies together in the closed boot-restraining position. With both boots locked in the boot restraining position, the user is able to operate the snowboard. The fastening assembly is easily released, allowing the front and back assemblies to pivot to the step-in/out position. In this position, the user is able to step into or out of each binding.

In the sport of snowboarding, bindings used to attach boots to snowboards include those types directed to the use of hard-sided boots and soft-sided boots. Soft-sided boots, having a flexible sole, have well-recognized advantages in terms of comfort and wearability over other types of boots when not attached to the bindings. However, the bindings used with soft-sided boots having failed to provide the structures required to provide step-in convenience.
Attempts at creating a step-in binding for soft-sided boots have generally resulted in specialized hardware carried by the sole of the boot that is adapted for use with a specific binding. As a result, users must purchase boots and bindings as a set. There are financial problems with this for both snowboarders and for retailers, who must stock an additional inventory of boots. Additionally, it is typically the case that the specialized mounting hardware carried by the boots reduces their usefulness for walking when not attached to the bindings. The hardware tends to clog with snow, and the effectiveness, comfort and convenience of the binding is reduced.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a step-in snowboard binding that is adapted for use with soft-sided boots, and which allows a user to step into the binding, in a rapid and automatic motion, typically without the need to bend over, operate fasteners or make adjustments.


A UTRAN sends a Radio Bearer Setup message to a UE, which indicates that SRNS relocation is to be performed and that a new RB is to be established in a first domain. The UE receives the Radio Bearer Setup message and assigns a first START value to a START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT variable according to the HFNs of all established RBs in the first domain. The UE the generates a START list containing entries corresponding all domains, including the first domain. The UE fills the entries with corresponding START values, synchronizing the entry corresponding to the first domain to hold a value that is identical to the value of the START_VALUE_TO_TRANMIT variable. The UE then composes a reply message that includes the START list, and sends the reply message to the UTRAN. The UE utilizes the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT variable to set an HFN of the new RB. In a second embodiment, the response message includes both the START list and the START_VALUE_TO_TRANMIT variable. The START list is applied to all RBs but the new RB. The START_VALUE_TO_TRANMIT variable is applied to the new RB.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communications network. In particular, the present invention discloses a method for synchronizing a START value between two entities in a 3GPP wireless system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a simple block diagram of a wireless communications network 10, as defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications 3GPP TS 25.322 V3.10.0 "RLC Protocol Specification", and 3GPP TS 25.331 V3.10.0 "Radio Resource Control (RRC) Specification", which are included herein by reference. The wireless communications network 10 comprises a plurality of radio network subsystems (RNSs) 20r in communications with a core network (CN) 30. The plurality of RNSs 20r is termed a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network, or UTRAN 20 for short. Each RNS 20r comprises one radio network controller (RNC) 29 that is in communications with a plurality of Node Bs 24. Each Node B 24 is a transceiver, which is adapted to send and receive wireless signals, and which defines a cell region. A plurality of Node Bs 24 defines a UTRAN Registration Area (URA). In particular, the wireless communications network 10 assigns a mobile unit 40 (generally termed a "UE" for User Equipment) to a particular RNS 20r, which is then termed the serving RNS (SRNS) 20s of the UE 40. Data destined for the UE 40 is sent by the CN 30 (or UTRAN 20) to the SRNS 20s. It is convenient to think of this data as being sent in the form of one or more packets that have a specific data structure, and which travel along one of a plurality of radio bearers (RBs) 28, 48. An RB 28 established on the SRNS 20s will have a corresponding RB 48 established on the UE 40. The RBs are numbered consecutively, from RB0 to RBn. Typically, RB0 to RB4 are dedicated signaling RBs (SRBs), which are used for passing protocol signals between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40, and will be described in some more detail below. RBs 28, 48 greater than four (i.e., RB5, RB6, etc.) are typically used to carry user data, but may also be SRBs. The RNC 29 utilizes a Node B 24, which is assigned to the UE 40 by way of a Cell Update procedure, to transmit data to, and receive data from, the UE 40. The Cell Update procedure is initiated by the UE 40 to change a cell as defined by a Node B 24, and even to change a URA. Selection of a new cell region will depend, for example, upon the location of the UE 40 within the domain of the SRNS 20s. The UE 40 broadcasts data to the wireless communications network 10, which is then picked up by the SRNS 20s and forwarded to the CN 30. Occasionally, the UE 40 may move close to the domain of another RNS 20, which is termed a drift RNS (DRNS) 20d. A Node B 24 of the DRNS 20d may pick up the signal transmitted by the UE 40. The RNC 29 of the DRNS 20d forwards the received signal to the SRNS 20s. The SRNS 20s uses this forwarded signal from the DRNS 20d, plus the corresponding signals from its own Node Bs 24 to generate a combined signal that is then decoded and finally processed into packet data. The SRNS 20s then forwards the received data to the CN 30. Consequently, all communications between the UE 40 and the CN 30 must pass through the SRNS 20s.
Please refer to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a simple block diagram of a UMTS radio interface protocol architecture, as used by the communications network 10. Communications between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20 is effected through a multi-layered communications protocol that includes a layer 1, a layer 2 and a layer 3, which together provide transport for a signaling plane (C-plane) 92 and a user plane (U-plane) 94. Layer 1 is the physical layer 60, responsible for the actual transmitting and receiving of wireless signals, and in the UTRAN 20 is responsible for combining signals received from the DRNS 20d and SRNS 20s. Layer 2 includes a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer 70, a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer 72, and a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer 74. Layer 3 includes a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer 80. The U-plane 94 handles user data transport between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20, whereas the C-plane 92 handles transport for signaling data between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20. The RRC 80 sets up and configures all RBs 28, 48 between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40. The PDCP layer 70 provides header compression for Service Data Units (SDUs) received from the U-plane 94. The RLC layer 72 provides segmentation of PDCP 70 SDUs, RRC 80 SDUs and U-plane 94 SDUs into RLC protocol data units (PDUs), and under acknowledged mode (AM) transfers, can provide upper layers (such as the PDCP layer 70 or the RRC layer 80) with a confirmation that RLC PDUs have been successfully transmitted and received between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40. The MAC layer 74 provides scheduling and multiplexing of RLC PDUs onto the transport channel, interfacing with the physical layer 60.
Before proceeding, it is worth taking note of terminology used in the following. An SDU is any packet that is received from an upper layer or passed to an upper layer, whereas a PDU is a packet generated by a layer and passed on to a lower layer or received from a lower layer. Hence, a PDCP PDU is an RLC SDU. Similarly, an RLC PDU is a MAC SDU, and so forth. Generally, a PDU is formed by adding a header to SDU data received from an upper layer, or by internally generating a packet for layer-to-layer communications between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20. Please refer to FIG. 3 with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of example communications between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40. An application 24 in the C-plane 92 on the UTRAN 20 needs to send data 24d to an application 44 on the UE 40. The application 24 connects with a layer 3 interface 23 (i.e., the RRC 80), and passes the data 24d to the layer 3 interface 23. The layer 3 interface 23 uses the data 24d to form a layer 3 protocol data unit (PDU) 23p. The layer 3 PDU 23p includes a layer 3 header 23h and data 23d, which is identical to the data 24d. The layer 3 header 23h the layer 3 PDU 23p contains information needed by the peer layer 3 interface 33 on the UE 40 (i.e., the peer RRC layer 80) to effect proper communications. The layer 3 interface 23 then passes the layer 3 PDU 23p to the layer 2 interface 22. The layer 2 interface 22 (which includes the RLC layer 72, the PDCP layer 70 and the MAC layer 74) uses the layer 3 PDU 23p to build one or more layer 2 PDUs 22p. Generally speaking, each layer 2 PDU 22p has the same fixed size, which is determined by the MAC layer 74. Consequently, if the layer 3 PDU 23p is quite large, the layer 3 PDU 23p will be segmented by the layer 2 interface 22 to form several layer 2 PDUs 22p, as is shown in FIG. 3. Each layer 2 PDU 22p contains a data region 22d, and a layer 2 header 22h. In FIG. 3, the data 23d has been broken into two layer 2 PDUs 22p. Also note that the layer 3 header 23h is placed in the data region 22d of a layer 2 PDU 22p. The layer 3 header 23h holds no significance for the layer 2 interface 22, and is simply treated as data. The layer 2 interface 22 then passes the layer 2 PDUs 22p to the layer 1 interface 21. The layer 1 interface 21 accepts the layer 2 PDUs 22p and uses them to build layer 1 PDUs 21p. As with the preceding layers, each layer 1 PDU 21p has a data region 21d and a layer 1 header 21h. Note that the layer 3 header 23h and layer 2 headers 22h are no more important to the layer 1 interface 21 than the application data 24d. The layer 1 interface 21 then transmits the layer 1 PDUs 21p to the UE 40.
A reverse process occurs on the UE 40. After receiving layer 1 PDUs 41p from the UTRAN 20, the layer 1 interface 31 on the UE 40 removes the layer 1 headers 41h from each received layer 1 PDU 41p. This leaves only the layer 1 data regions 41d, which are, in effect, layer 2 PDUs. These layer 1 data regions 41d are passed up to the layer 2 interface 42. The layer 2 interface 42 accepts the layer 2 PDUs 42p and uses the layer 2 headers 42h to determine how to assemble the layer 2 PDUs 42p into appropriate layer 3 PDUs. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the layer 2 headers 42h are stripped from the layer 2 PDUs 42p, leaving only the data regions 42d. The data regions 42d are appended to each other in the proper order, and then passed up to the layer 3 interface 43. The layer 3 interface 43 accepts the layer 3 PDU 43p from the layer 2 interface 42, strips the header 43h from the layer 3 PDU 43p, and passes the data region 43d to the application 44. The application 44 thus has data 44d that should be identical to the data 24d sent by the application 24 on the UTRAN 20. Note that each layer in the communications stack can also generate packets exclusively for inter-layer signaling between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40. Hence, a frequent occurrence is the UTRAN 20 RRC layer 80 generating a signaling packet for the UE 40 RRC layer 80, and vice versa, which would be a RRC PDU. These RRC signaling PDUs, however, are never passed up to the application layers 24, 44 as SDU data. An example of such an RRC signaling packet is a request for a ciphering reconfiguration activation, which includes a Security Mode Command on downlink (UTRAN 20 to UE 40) and a Security Mode Complete on uplink (UE 40 to UTRAN 20), and reconfiguration messages to establish and reconfigure RBs 48, 28.
Of particular relevance to the present invention is the RLC layer 72 in the layer 2 stack. The RLC layer 72 generates RLC PDUs of a fixed size that is determined by the MAC layer 74, and sends these RLC PDUs to the MAC layer 74 for transmission, or receives RLC PDUs from the MAC layer 74. Each RLC PDU explicitly carries an n-bit sequence number in its header that identifies the sequential position of that RLC PDU in a stream of RLC PDUs, and which thus enables RLC PDUs to be assembled in their proper order to form RLC SDUs (i.e., PDCP PDUs, or RRC PDUs). Please refer to FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 4 is simplified block diagram of an RLC layer PDU 50. The RLC PDU 50 has an RLC header 51 and a data region 55. As noted above, the data region 55 is used to carry layer 3 PDUs 23p received from the layer 3 interface 23, or to carry data received from the PDCP layer 70. The RLC header 51 includes a data/control indicator bit 52, a sequence number field 53, and additional fields 54. The additional fields 54 are not of direct relevance to the present invention, and so will not be discussed. The data/control bit 52 is used to indicate if the RLC PDU 50 is a data PDU or a control PDU. Data PDUs are used to carry layer upper layer data. Control PDUs are generated internally by the RLC layer 72 and are used exclusively for signaling between RLC peer entities 72. Control PDUs are thus never passed up to the RRC layer 80 or the PDCP layer 70. The sequence number field 53 contains the n-bit value that is used to reassemble the RLC PDUs 50 into upper layer PDUs. Each RLC PDU 50 is transmitted with a successively higher value in the sequence number field 53, and in this manner the RLC layer 72 knows the correct ordering of received RLC PDUs 50.
The RLC layer 72 is composed of one or more RLC entities 76. Each RLC entity 76 is individually associated with an RB 28, 48. For an RB 28 on the UTRAN 20 side, there exists an RLC entity 76 dedicated solely to that RB 28. For the same RB 48 on the UE 40 side, there similarly exists a corresponding RLC entity 76. These two corresponding RLC entities 76 for the same RB 28, 48 are termed "RLC peer entities". The value of "n" for the n-bit sequence numbers 53 carried within the headers 51 of the RLC PDUs 50 will depend on the transport mode utilized between the RLC peer entities 76. For example, in AM transmissions, in which the RLC peer entities 76 acknowledge each RLC PDU 50 successfully received, n is 12. In other transport modes, n is 7. For communications between the UTRAN 20 and the UE 40 to be successful, it is essential that the RLC peer entities 76 be properly synchronized with each other. In particular, each RLC entity 76 contains two hyperframe numbers (HFNs): a receiving HFN (rHFN) 76r, and a transmitting HFN (tHFN) 76t. The tHFN 76t and rHFN 76r are used for encryption and decryption of packet data, respectively, as well as for integrity protection. For this encryption/decryption process to be successful, RLC peer entities 76 must have synchronized rHFN 76r and tHFN 76t values. In particular, the rHFN 76r of one RLC entity 76 must be identical to the tHFN of its RLC peer entity 76, and vice versa. As RLC PDUs 50 are transmitted by an RLC entity 76, the tHFN 76t steadily increases in value. As RLC PDUs 50 are received by an RLC entity 76, the rHFN 76r steadily increases in value. The rHFN 76r counts how many times rollover is detected in the sequence numbers 53 of received RLC PDUs 50. The tHFN 76t counts how many times rollover is detected in the sequence numbers 53 of transmitted RLC PDUs 50. The HFNs 76r, 76t may thus be thought of as non-transmitted high-order bits of the RLC PDU sequence numbers 53, and it is essential that these HFNs 76r, 76t are properly synchronized on the RLC peer entities 76. The bit size of the rHFN 76r and tHFN 76t values will depend upon the bit size of the RLC PDU 50 sequence number 53 bit size. In general, the HFNs 76r, 76t are combined with the sequence numbers 53 to form a so-called COUNT-C value that is 32 bits in size. This COUNT-C value is used by the RLC layer 72 to perform ciphering and deciphering of RLC PDUs 50, and the same COUNT-C valued used for the ciphering of an RLC PDU 50 must also be used for the deciphering of that RLC PDU 50. Another security function is performed, however, for SRBs, which is integrity protection. Integrity protection is performed in the RRC layer 80, and is applied only to SRBs (i.e., RB0 to RB4). Integrity protection also utilizes a count value, termed COUNT-I. COUNT-I is a 32-bit number generated from an HFN, maintained by the RRC layer 80, and a sequence number that is applied to each RRC message. In effect, the process is analogous to the ciphering operation that takes place in the RLC layer 72. The RRC 80 HFNs are 28 bits in size, and so the RRC sequence numbers are 4 bits in size.
The HFNs 76r, 76t are used as the high-order bits of the COUNT-C value, and the sequence number 53 of the PDU 50 is used as the low order bits. It is the UE 40, however, that is responsible for setting the initial values for the rHFN 76r and tHFN 76t, and this is done by way of a so-called START value. A START value is applied to an RLC entity 76, and is used to initialize the upper order bits (typically the 20 most significant bits) of the tHFN 76t and rHFN 76r. Furthermore, the same START values as applied to the RLC peer entities 76 are also used to set the HFNs in the RRC layer 80 for integrity protection. Hence, for the RB 28, 48 peer entities to initially be synchronized, it is important that the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20 apply the same START value to each RLC peer entity 76, and to the RRC peers 80.
A number of reconfiguration procedures are available to the RRC layer 80 to setup and configure RBs 28, 48. These procedures involve the UTRAN 20 sending a specific message to the UE 40 along an RB 28, 48, and the UE 40 responding in turn with a corresponding message. Typically, the message is sent along RB2, which is an SRB. The messages include Radio Bearer Setup, Radio Bearer Reconfiguration, Radio Bearer Release, Transport Channel Reconfiguration and Physical Channel Reconfiguration. For each of these reconfiguration messages, the UE 40 has a corresponding "Complete" or "Failure" response message that indicates success or failure of the procedure on the UE 40 side, and which may provide the UTRAN 20 any necessary information for the UTRAN 20 to complete the procedure. The reconfiguration message and the response message may all carry optional information elements (IEs), which are fields of data that hold ancillary information.
As the UE 40 moves closer towards the domain of the DRNS 20d, a decision is eventually made by the UTRAN 20 to place the UE 40 under the DRNS 20d, and a transfer process is enacted so that the DRNS 20d will become the new SRNS 20s of the UE 40. This process is termed an SRNS relocation procedure. The SRNS relocation procedure may be combined with any of the previously noted RRC procedures. In particular, by including a "Downlink counter synchronization info" IE in with a Radio Bearer Setup message, SRNS relocation will be triggered.
When receiving a reconfiguration message (which is sent from the SRNS 20s along RB2 28) that indicates that SRNS relocation is to be performed, the UE 40 re-establishes the RLC entity 76 of RB2 48, and re-initializes the rHFN 76r and the tHFN 76t for RB2 48. The RLC entity 76 for RB2 48 is re-established with an RLC peer entity 76 on the DRNS 20d, which will serve as the new SRNS 20s for the UE 40. The new values for the rHFN 76r and tHFN 76t for RB2 48 are given by the equation: MAX(rHFN of RB2, tHFN of RB2)+1, where MAX(a, b) selects the larger of a or b. The UE 40 then calculates a START value 49p, 49c for each CN 30 domain 30p, 30c and includes these START values 49p, 49c in a "START list" 49 IE within the response message. START values are used to initialize the rHFNs 76r and tHFNs 76t of all other RBs 48, 28 except RB0, as well as the HFNs for the RRC layer 80 for COUNT-I values. The START value 49p, 49c used to initialize the rHFN 76r, tHFN 76t of an RB 48, 28 depends upon the domain 30p, 30c with which the particular RB 48, 28 is associated. Currently, there are two domains: a packet switching (PS) domain 30p, and a circuit switching (CS) domain 30c. Hence, the START list 49 IE currently contains two values: the START value 49p for the PS domain 30p, and the START value 49c for the CS domain 30c. The UE 40 determines the START value for a domain 30p, 30c simply by looking at all RBs 48 within that domain 30p, 30c and adding two to the highest rHFN 76r or tHFN 76t found within the domain 30p, 30c, including the HFNs in the RRC layer 80 used for generating COUNT-I values. Consequently, rHFNs 76r and tHFNs 76t are values that are constantly increasing. After calculating the START list 49, the UE 40 then transmits the response message, which contains the START list 49 IE, to the UTRAN 20 along RB2 48. The RLC entity 76 of RB2 48 is an AM connection, and so the RRC layer 80 of the UE 40 is able to know if the UTRAN 20 has successfully received the response message, as the RLC entity 76 will so inform the RRC layer 80. After the RLC layer 76 of RB2 48 has confirmed the successful transmission of the response message, the RRC layer 80 of the UE 40 re-establishes the RLC entities 76 for all other RBs 48 (except RB0, which is a common channel), and re-initializes the rHFN 76r and tHFN 76t of these RBs 48 with the appropriate START value 49p, 49c that was included in the response message to the UTRAN 20, and likewise re-initializes the HFNs in the RRC layer 80. Using a similar procedure on the UTRAN 20 side, the UTRAN utilizes the START list 49 IE contained in the response message to initialize the HFNs 76r, 76t of all re-established RLC entities 76, and any corresponding HFNs in the RRC layer 80, and in this manner synchronization of the RLC peer entities 76 and RRC layers 80 is assured.
A new RB may be established by the UE 40, such as an RB 48n, by way of a Radio Bearer Setup procedure, which involves the RRC layer 80 of the UTRAN 20 sending a Radio Bearer Setup message to its peer entity on the UE 40. A corresponding new peer RB 28n is also created by this procedure on the UTRAN 20 side. As noted earlier, this Radio Bearer Setup procedure may be combined with the SRNS relocation procedure. Upon reception of a Radio Bearer Setup message, the UE 40 calculates a variable termed START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT 49s, which is to be used as the START value for the newly created RB 48n. This START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s is calculated in the manner indicated above for the START list 49 entries 49p, 49c. The UE 40 then composes a Radio Bearer Setup reply message. If no SRNS relocation is to be performed, this reply message will simply contain an IE termed "START", which contains the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s. This provides the UTRAN 20 with the appropriate START value to be applied to the corresponding peer RB 28n. If, however, the Radio Bearer Setup message indicates that SRNS relocation is to be performed, then the UE 40 instead includes the START list IE 49 into the reconfiguration reply message. In this case, the UTRAN 20 will select one of the START values 49p, 49c from the START list IE 49 and apply this value to the corresponding peer 28n of the new RB 48n.
Before processing the SRNS procedure and related parameters, the UE 40 first processes the Radio Bearer Setup message. Hence, the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s is generated first. If SRNS relocation is included with the Radio Bearer Setup procedure, the UE 40 will subsequently calculate the START list 49. However, this START list 49 calculation will include the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s, and hence will generate an entry 49p, 49c that is at least two greater than the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s. That is, when the UE 40 establishes the new radio bearer 48n, the HFN of COUNT-I for this RB is initialized with the variable START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT 49s. Subsequently, the START list 49 is generated, requiring the calculation of new START values, and this calculation will take into consideration the COUNT-I value of the newly created RB 48n. The Radio Bearer Setup reply message, which includes the START list 49, is sent by the UE 40 to the UTRAN 20. The UTRAN 20 will utilize one of the entries 49p, 49c in the START list 49 as the START value for the new RB 28n. The UE 40, however, continues to use the START_VALUE_TO_TRANSMIT value 49s. As a result, the tHFN 762 and rHFN 76r of the new RB 48n will be at least two less than the tHFN 762 and rHFN 76r of the new RB 28n. The RLC peer entities 76 of the new RBs 28n, 48n are thus not synchronized and will be unable to properly perform ciphering and deciphering operations. Integrity checking in the RRC layer 80 will likewise be adversely affected, as the COUNT-I values will not be synchronized.

Method for synchronizing a start value for security in a wireless communications network