In one example embodiment, a pluggable optoelectronic module includes a shell with a front, back, and first and second sides. A first guiderail protrudes from the first side and extends from the front of the shell to the back of the shell. A second guiderail protrudes from the second side and also extends from the front of the shell to the back of the shell. A first thumbscrew runs the length of the module and is housed within the first guiderail. A second thumbscrew also runs the length of the module and is housed within the second guiderail. The two thumbscrews are configured to secure the module to a host device when the module is plugged into the host device.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to high speed optoelectronic modules and host devices. In particular, some example embodiments relate to a mechanical platform for pluggable modules and host devices
2. The Related Technology
Conventional mechanical platforms implemented in optical networks include a pluggable module configured to be plugged into a host device to convert electrical data signals to optical data signals and vice versa. Specific functionality, dimensions, and/or other functionality of such mechanical platforms are often standardized by a multi-source agreement ("MSA"), such as the X2 MSA, XPAK MSA, and/or XENPAK MSA, for example.
Traditional pluggable modules, including X2, XPAK, and XENPAK form-factor modules, include a narrow channel defined along opposite sides of the module that run the length of the module. Host devices include corresponding narrow guiderails. To plug such a module into a host device, the module channels are aligned with the host guiderails and the module is pushed into the host device, the module channels engaging the host guiderails to ensure proper alignment of the module within the host device. Once plugged in, a module connector in the back of the module and a host connector in the host device provide an electrical interface between the module and the host device.
Additionally, traditional pluggable modules are commonly secured in host devices by two short thumbscrews which engage threaded receptacles in the front panel of the host device. To this end, the module typically includes an oversize module front panel with two flanges that extend outward from opposing sides of the module, one thumbscrew being inserted through each flange. The flanges typically overlap a significant amount of the host front panel to provide enough metal for the thumbscrews to thread into. The overlap is increased by the requirement that the thumbscrews avoid the space behind the module front panel and the host front panel occupied by the module itself and the narrow guiderails of the host device.
As a result of the required overlap, the footprint of the module front panel and flanges extends significantly beyond the footprint of the main body of the module as viewed from the front of the module. Consequently, the maximum number of modules that can be plugged into a single host device is limited by the module front panel and flanges, and not by the main body of the module.
Further, the attachment of traditional pluggable modules to the front panel of the host device can make containment of electromagnetic interference ("EMI") at the back of the module difficult to achieve. Specifically, attaching the module to the front panel of the host device can result in a good EMI seal between the module flange and the host front panel. However, tolerance stackup in the plugging direction results in a highly variable position of the module connector with respect to the host connector from one module to another such that a conventional elastomeric EMI gasket, which has a limited compression range, positioned between the back of the module and the host connector is inadequate for providing EMI containment.
Additionally, the tolerance stackup is typically compensated for by increasing the length of contacts within the module connector and/or host connector. The increased contact length allows for greater variation in the position of the module connector with respect to the host connector. Additionally, however, the increased contact length increases EMI emissions of each lengthened contact and can result in large contact stubs that extend beyond the points of contact between contacts in the module connector and contacts in the host connector. The large stubs create inductive discontinuities that degrade high speed signal integrity and further exacerbate EMI emissions.
On the other hand, the back of the module can be secured directly to the host connector, rather than securing the module front panel directly to the host front panel, to improve the EMI seal at the interface between the back of the module and the host connector. Such an arrangement would additionally allow shorter contact lengths to be used in the module connector and host connector as tolerance stackup would not be an issue at that interface. However, the tolerance stackup would then have to be dealt with at the interface between the module front panel and the host front panel, preventing the module front panel from being directly secured to the host front panel and compromising the EMI seal at that interface.
Additionally, some MSAs specify belly-to-belly configurations where a first module is positioned on top of a host printed circuit board ("PCB") and a second module is positioned upside down on the bottom of the host PCB directly beneath the first module. In such a configuration, the two modules are usually separated by only a few millimeters, or little more than the thickness of the host PCB. The presence of the oversized module front panel in the X2, XENPAK and other pluggable modules precludes belly-to-belly configurations with these modules since the oversized module front panel prevents the modules from being positioned sufficiently close together.
Moreover, thickness tolerances for PCBs are usually plus or minus ten percent. The resulting large variations in PCB thickness from one PCB to the next make it difficult to design host systems that can absorb the variations.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced


A vehicle interior part includes a main wall portion, a flange portion, a clip mount base, a protrusion, and a sealing member. The clip mount base includes a projecting wall and a base. The projecting wall projects from an opposed surface of the flange portion away from a distal end of the flange portion. The base projects from a distal end of the projecting wall. The protrusion protrudes from the opposed surface between the projecting wall and the distal end of the flange portion and has a first height on a first side closer to the distal end of the flange portion and a second height on a second side closer to the clip mount base. The first height is greater than the second height. The sealing member is disposed on the opposed surface between the protrusion and the distal end of the flange portion.

Vehicle interior parts that are attached to vehicle door panels with clips have been known. Examples of the vehicle interior parts include a vehicle door trim including clip mount bases on a back surface thereof and clips mounted to the clip mount bases. The clips are placed in mount holes that are through holes in a vehicle panel (inner panel) when the door trim is attached to the inner panel. The clip mount bases are formed integrally with a flange portion located at peripheral edge portions of the door trim. The clip mount bases are located close to the peripheral edges of the door trim. With this configuration, the peripheral edge portions of the door trim are properly fixed to the inner panel.
A sealing member may be disposed on the flange portion for sealing between the inner panel and the door trim. The sealing member is pressed between the flange portion and the inner panel. With this configuration, water or other foreign materials are less likely to enter between the flange portion and the inner panel. The clip mount bases are arranged on the inner side of the door trim more centrally than the sealing member.
When the door trim with the sealing member is attached to the inner panel, the sealing members are pressed by the inner panel. The sealing member may collapse when pressed.
If the clip mount bases are arranged close to the flange portion, the sealing member may be caught between the clip and the inner panel when the sealing member collapses toward the clip mount base. If the sealing member is caught between the clip and the inner panel, the sealing performance in an area where the sealing member is caught between the clip and the inner panel decreases. If that occurs, some fixing work is required, that is, the door trim needs to be removed from the inner panel, the seal member needs to be rearranged to the original position, and the door trim needs to be reattached to the inner panel.
To avoid the sealing member from being caught between the sealing member and the inner panel when the sealing member collapses, a considerable distance is required between the sealing member and the clip mount base. Because of such a problem, the clip mount member cannot be arranged close to the sealing member or the peripheral edge of the door trim.

Vehicle interior part including a clip mount having a protrusion to guide a sealing member


The disclosed heterojunction bipolar transistor, to be referred to as the "coherent" transistor (CT), is capable of providing gain above the conventionally defined cut-off frequencies f.sub.T and f.sub.max. Substantially, mono-energetic (average energy .DELTA.) carriers are injected in beam-like fashion into the base, with kT<.DELTA.<hv.sub.opt, where k, T and h have their conventional meaning, and v.sub.opt is the frequency of the lowest relevant optical phonon in the base of width W.sub.B. Exemplarily, W.sub.B is about 100 nm, .DELTA. is about 20 meV, the CT comprises Si.sub.1-x Ge.sub.x or III/V material, with the base being doped n-type. The CT utilizes substantially collisionless minority carrier transport through the base, and is designed such that, at an operating temperature which typically is .ltorsim.77K, the variance of the average base transit time (.DELTA..tau..sub.B) is much less than the base transit time .tau..sub.B, typically less than 0.5 .tau..sub.B, preferably about .tau..sub.B /5 or less. Transistors according to the invention typically will have an operating frequency in the range 100 GHz-1THz, and can be advantageously used in many areas of technology, e.g., high speed computing or communications.

Since the invention of the transistor in 1947, much effort has been directed towards extension of the device operating range towards higher and higher frequencies.
Conventionally, the cut-off frequency f.sub.T (defined as the frequency at which the current gain .beta., i.e., the absolute value of the parameter h.sub.fe .tbd..differential.J.sub.c /.differential.J.sub.B, is unity) is used as a figure of merit that is indicative of the high frequency capability of a transistor. See for instance, S. M. Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices", 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1981, Chapter 3, incorporated herein by reference. It is well known that .beta. at high frequencies decreases at a value of 10 dB/decade.
Another parameter that can be used to characterize the high frequency capabilities of a (typically microwave) transistor is the unilateral (power) gain U. See S. M. Sze, op. cit., pp. 160-165. The frequency at which the unilateral gain is unity is the maximum oscillating frequency f.sub.max, which can, but need not, be larger than f.sub.T. Both f.sub.T and f.sub.max are conventionally determined by extrapolation of the measured roll-off in h.sub.fe and U, respectively.
G. T. Wright, (see, for instance, Solid State Electronics, Vol. 22, p. 399, 1979) proposed extension of active transistor operation of frequencies beyond the conventional cutoff frequency f.sub.T. The proposal involved the utilization of transit time resonances that arise from carrier drift in the collector space charge region. The proposed model suggested for an ideal transistor (i.e., a transistor without any parasitic impedances) the possibility that .vertline.U.vertline. could exceed unity at frequencies above f.sub.max. However, it has now been shown (S. Tiwari, IEEE Electron Device Letter, Vol. 10, No. 12, p. 574, 1989) that the proposed utilization of transit time resonances in a conventional GaAs/AlGaAs HBT would require reductions of each of the base and collector resistances and of the collector capacitance by at least an order of magnitude from state of the art values. Clearly, the proposed mechanism is, at least for the foreseeable future, not likely to be embodied in a practical device. To the best of our knowledge, transit time resonances of the prior art type were not considered with regard to hot electron HBTs. N. Dagli, (Solid State Electronics, Vol. 33 (7), p. 831) proposed a hot electron unipolar transit time transistor.
HBTs with substantially collisionless base transport are known. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,343. Herein free carrier (not necessarily electron) base transport is considered to be "ballistic" if the mean free path (.LAMBDA.) of the carriers in the base material is 3/8W.sub.B, the base width. As those skilled in the art know, the mean free path can, at least in principle, be determined by transport measurements in a magnetic field.
The cut-off frequency of a prior art ballistic HBT cannot be less than (2.pi..tau..sub.B).sup.-1, where .tau..sub.B is the average base transit time of the minority carriers. Therefore, prior art ballistic HBTs are typically designed to minimize .tau..sub.B. This generally involves maximizing carrier velocity through choice of low effective mass minority carriers (almost invariably resulting in the choice of n-p-n III/V transistors), and through choice of a design that exhibits a relatively large value of the parameter .DELTA., the injection energy. It also typically involves minimization of the base width W.sub.B.
Although HBTs having f.sub.T substantially above 100 GHz have recently been reported (see, for instance, Y. K. Chen, et al. IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., Vol. 10, No. 6, p. 267, 1989), it would clearly be highly desirable to have available transistors that can operate at even higher frequencies. This application discloses such a transistor. The novel device, to be referred to as the coherent transistor (CT), has utility in many fields, e.g., high speed computation or communications.

Article comprising a "ballistic" heterojunction bipolar transistor


A method and apparatus for installing, removing or exchanging catheters into and out of a medical patient's body, including the vascular system, incorporates a slotted guide track for guiding and controlling sliding movement of a catheter while maintaining the relative position of a guidewire. The guide track includes an elongated base having a resilient, cushion-like body, adapted to physically conform to the outer shape of a guidewire and catheter to accommodate the passing through of a catheter and related structures. The guide track includes a clamp at one end for securing a guidewire end, and another clamp at the other end for securing the track to a guide catheter.

The present invention relates to the use and placement of catheters in the body of a patient and, more particularly, to a new method and system to facilitate catheter exchange during dilation procedures such as angioplasty.
Catheters are widely used for a variety of medical procedures involving insertion of catheters at various locations within a patient. Catheters are used in angioplasty procedures to open stenoses in the treatment of vascular diseases throughout the vascular system, including in the coronary arteries.
A typical angioplasty procedure involves the placement of a dilation catheter having an inflatable balloon in a deflated state at its end within the stenosis and then inflating the balloon causing it to radially expand the artery until the artery is re-opened to establish an acceptable rate of flow. The balloon is subsequently deflated and removed from the artery. In a similar procedure, a sleeve shaped deformable stent is deployed into the artery and radially expanded by inflation of a balloon positioned within. The stent remains in place in the artery after the balloon is deflated and removed to maintain flow in the artery.
The placement of the dilation or balloon catheter and the balloon usually involves the use of a guidewire which is advanced through the patient's vascular system to the location that is to be treated. In the typical angioplasty procedure for the coronary artery a guide catheter is introduced into the patient through the femoral artery and into the aorta, and then subsequently through the osteum to access the coronary artery. The guide catheter remains in place throughout the procedure to serve as a means for the guidewire and the balloon catheter to access the artery.
The balloon catheter threaded onto the guidewire prior to insertion into the patient. The guidewire, which is typically made of stainless steel and platinum having a diameter of about 0.0100-0.018 inches, can be formed with a slight curvature at the end which enables the physician to steer the guidewire while advancing or withdrawing.
The balloon catheter is an elongated, flexible member having two longitudinal passages therethrough and a balloon at its distal end. One longitudinal passage provides a sleeve passage for receiving the guidewire. The other longitudinal passage provides a fluid or gas conduit for introducing pressurized fluid or gas from external pressurized means to the interior of the balloon to inflate the balloon. The two longitudinal passages may be provided adjacent to each other or in coaxial alignment whereby the inner passage receives the guidewire and the outer passage carries the pressurized inflation medium.
The guidewire is inserted through the balloon catheter such that a portion of the guidewire extends from the distal end of the balloon catheter and another portion extends from the proximal end. Together the guidewire and the balloon catheter are inserted into the proximal end of the guide catheter until the balloon reaches the distal end of the guide catheter. At this point, the physician holds the balloon catheter in position and, using fluoroscopy to view the procedure, pushes the guidewire past the distal end of the guide catheter, steering the guidewire into a selected artery. The guidewire is advanced until it reaches the desired area of treatment. The distal end of the guidewire is then pushed past the stenosis.
While holding the guidewire in place, the physician advances the balloon catheter along the guidewire. When the balloon reaches the area of the stenosis to be treated the inflation medium is injected through the balloon catheter and into the interior of the balloon. The resultant inflation of the balloon expands the inside wall of the artery in the region of the stenosis thus re-opening blood flow in the artery. Similarly, in stenting procedures, the inflation of the balloon expands and permanently deforms the stent so that the stent maintains a sufficient diameter opening in the artery for adequate blood flow.
Sometimes during angioplasty procedure it is necessary to use more than one balloon or stent to treat a blocked or dissected artery or to exchange a first balloon for a subsequent balloon of a different size. In order to carry out the exchange of a balloon catheter it is necessary to remove the balloon catheter by holding the guidewire in place and manually retrieving the catheter. The balloon catheter is withdrawn until it is completely out of the patient and past the proximal end of the guide wire. A new balloon catheter is then re-inserted over the guidewire and advanced until the balloon is positioned at the location of the area to be treated by the procedure described above.
During various inter-vascular procedures such as angioplasty or stenting, especially during catheter exchange, it is desirable to leave the inserted guidewire in place because the presence of the guidewire in the artery may cause the artery to react by constricting. Also, predilated lesions can become dissected during angioplasty procedures. Thus, removal of the guidewire during such a constricted or dissected state may make re-insertion of the guidewire difficult or impossible. Throughout a procedure using a guidewire and catheter it is essential to maintain stable axial positioning of the guidewire tip to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the guidewire from the area to be treated and to prevent inadvertent forward advancing of the guidewire which could cause damage to tissue or otherwise endanger the patient.
In order to remove or withdraw a balloon catheter while holding the guidewire in place, a difficult and time-consuming procedure must be followed. This is because in order to remove the balloon catheter from the guide catheter the proximal end of the guidewire must be held to prevent axial movement and buckling of the guidewire. Then the entire length of the balloon catheter must be withdrawn past the proximal end of the guide catheter, requiring the guidewire or an extension thereof to extend at least the length of the catheter beyond the proximal end of the guide catheter when the balloon catheter is inserted fully into the patient. Alternatively, the balloon catheter and guidewire must be held at the proximal end of the balloon catheter and moved together in very small incremental steps while the guidewire is pushed back into the patient by the same incremental amount between each step. Once the balloon catheter is advanced past the proximal end of the guide catheter, the guidewire can be grasped adjacent the proximal end of the guide catheter to allow quick removal of the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter is removed and a new one is inserted over the guidewire and advanced to the area to be treated, with the guidewire axially maintained in position. Such a procedure is cumbersome and, in some instances, poses an increased danger to the patient when time is especially critical.
The above-described procedure usually requires at least one assistant, and sometimes two, to assist the primary physician in manipulating the angioplasty system components. Due to the length of a typical guidewire and balloon catheter assembly, it is sometimes difficult for the physician to simultaneously reach and manipulate the angioplasty system components. At the same time, the physician must also maintain watch, via fluoroscopy, over the positioning of the components within the patient's body. Because of the need to manually move the guidewire and balloon catheter relative to each other as described above, with no secure means of fixing one or the other to a stationary point in the surrounding environment, approximations with respect to the positioning of each must be made by the person or persons moving each component. While this method is already prone to error when only one individual is handling both components, the likelihood of error is heightened when two or more individuals are assisting in coordinating the relative movement of the components. The need to accommodate additional personnel and to carefully synchronize their movement and accuracy adds to the complexity of the procedure, adding potential risks and danger.
In all procedures, including angioplasty, it is desirable to minimize radiation exposure to the patient, the physician and the attending staff that is attributable to the use of x-rays in fluoroscopy technology. The physician and staff are subject to cumulative radiation exposure over time. In angioplasty procedures, it is necessary to use a fluoroscope to visually monitor the relative positions of the guidewire and balloon or stent inside the patient's body with respect to each other and to the patient's body. If means were provided to reliably maintain the position of the guidewire relative to the patient, the fluoroscope would not need to be relied upon to monitor the guidewire position or the position of the balloon, until the balloon is positioned near the distal end of the balloon catheter. Up until that point, the physician, if provided with reliable means to secure the guidewire and prevent its buckling could rely on the already commercially available length markings provided on certain balloon catheters that correspond to guide catheter length in order to know the relative position of the balloon.
It is therefore desirable to provide means and a method to quickly and safely install, remove or exchange balloon or dilation catheters using a guidewire.
Various known devices such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,690 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,785 provide a hollow tube for guiding the withdrawal of catheters over guidewires. In those devices, however, semi-flexible materials having diameters sufficient to permit clearance for the catheter and the attached structure such as a Y-adapter are used for the tubes, resulting in lateral clearance around the enclosed guidewire. Such clearance allows lateral guidewire play and provides inferior support against buckling of the guidewire, which could disturb the position of the guidewire tip inside the patient. Also, such buckling may cause frictional forces between the guidewire and the inside wall of a balloon catheter, causing inadvertent withdrawal of the guidewire when the balloon catheter is removed. Furthermore, such known devices do not facilitate easy lateral installation of the guidewire into the guiding device during catheter exchange, which enables safe and rapid exchanges that are critical during such procedures. Instead, such devices require axial insertion of the hollow tube over the proximal end of the guidewire or guidewire extension.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for quickly, safely and accurately installing, removing or exchanging a catheter while avoiding the above-identified problems and shortcomings of the prior known devices.


An array of valves are arranged in n columns and m lines and which are each designed to control a fluid flow in an associated flow channel in a lab-on-a-chip system. The array includes at least two valves, every column having not more than one valve and every line having from zero to n valves. A device is used for actuating the valves. The valves are pressure-actuated. To produce the device, the flow channels are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the valves.

Described below is a device for controlling fluid flows in lab-on-a-chip systems, using an array of valves. The valves are arranged in n columns Sn and m rows Zm, n and m being integers. They are each configured to control a fluid flow in an associated flow channel. The device furthermore includes an instrument for actuating the valves. A device having the features described above is known, for example, from EP 0 180 064 B1. Also described below are methods for controlling fluid flows in such lab-on-a-chip systems and to methods for producing the device.
In biosensor technology, lab-on-a-chip systems are used in order to be able to carry out biochemical analyses in parallel. Microfluidic instruments and a chip having an array of sensors are integrated on a support, which for example may be a plastic card. The array of sensors may, for example, be formed by electrochemical sensors which are arranged in columns and rows on the chip. The sensors are coated with molecules, to which the substances to be detected bind specifically. The specific binding is detected electrochemically by changes in current and/or voltage. In this way, biochemical substances, for example antibodies, peptides or DNA, can be detected in solutions to be examined, for example blood or urine.
The measured electrochemical signals may be processed directly by integrated circuits on the chip, or they may be read out from the chip by an external evaluation unit. The chemicals required for the examination may be delivered from the external evaluation unit to the support or they may already be on the support, for example in the form of dry reagents. During the examination, the solutions i.e. liquids are delivered to the support and fed on the support via microchannels into a reaction chamber. The chip with the sensor array is located in the reaction chamber. Reactions required for the detection may take place in the microchannels and/or the reaction chamber.
In the case of complex biochemical reactions which are required for the detection, the fluid flow of the solution must be controlled. For instance, it may be necessary for the liquid to stay for a predetermined period of time in a region of the microchannels, so that for example dry reagents which are stored in this region are dissolved and chemical reactions can take place. Only after completion of the chemical reactions is the liquid fed further through the microchannel. Furthermore, when detecting biochemical substances in the reaction chamber it may be necessary to close the reaction chamber in a fluid-tight fashion. To this end, valves are to be provided in the support. They are to be arranged at particular selected positions in the support, for example in the inlet and outlet of the reaction chamber.
EP 0 180 064 B1 discloses a valve array of valves which are designed to close microchannels. The microchannels are arranged in a first support, which is covered with a thin membrane on one side of the microchannels. The thin membrane is arranged in a sandwich fashion between the first support and a second support. Arranged in the second support, there are plunger-like instruments which can be pressed with the aid of springs via the membrane onto openings of the microchannels in the first support. The microchannels are thereby closed by the membrane. The described valves are arranged according to the position of the flow channels on the support. They are driven individually and separately from one another.
In the case of complex analysis processes, it is indispensible to carry out a plurality of chemical processes separately from one another simultaneously on a chip card. To this end, a plurality of valves of an array of valves on the chip card must be actuated simultaneously. Systems in the known art, as described for example in EP 0 180 064 B1, individually control the valves separately from one another, which is very complicated and leads to high costs.

Device and method for controlling fluid flows in lab-on-a-chip systems and method for producing device


A MOS transistor having an extended drain structure and including a semiconductor substrate formed in a well of a first conductivity type. A gate insulating layer is formed on the substrate, a gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating layer, and a source region is formed in a first portion of the substrate, which is near to one side of the gate insulating layer and the gate electrode. A drain region is formed in a second portion of the substrate, which is near to another side of the gate insulating layer and the gate electrode. The second portion is recessed from the surface of the substrate by a predetermined depth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor technologies, and more specifically, to metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors having an extended drain structure and fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor devices, MOS transistors having an extended drain structure have been developed to improve a breakdown voltage of the conventional transistors. The extended drain MOS transistors are widely used for high power devices.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional extended drain MOS transistor is explained in terms of its structure and fabrication method. In FIG. 1, an N-channel MOS transistor is shown.
Dopants of a first conductivity type (e.g., boron) are injected into a silicon semiconductor substrate 10 to form a P well 12. Then, a shallow trench isolation is formed to define field and active regions. In the active regions where electronic circuitries including MOS transistors are to be formed, a gate oxide and polysilicon are sequentially deposited on the substrate 10. Through a photolithographic process, the gate oxide and polysilicon are patterned to form a gate stack consisted of a gate insulating layer 14 and a gate electrode 16.
With the gate electrode 16 as a mask, the dopants having lower density and opposite charge to the P-channel well 12 (e.g., phosphorous or arsenic) are injected into the substrate to form lightly doped source region 22a and light doped drain region (LDD region) 24a.
After forming the regions 22a and 24a, insulating material is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 10 by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and the deposited insulating material is selectively etched to leave material at the sidewalls of the gate electrode 16. The remaining insulating material forms a sidewall spacer 18 that enables the self-aligned process of the heavily doped drain region and electrically separates the gate electrode from the source/drain regions in subsequent salicide process.
With the gate electrode 16 and the sidewall spacer 18 as a mask, dopants having higher density and opposite charge to the P-channel well 12 (e.g., phosphorous or arsenic) are injected into the substrate 10 to form source/drain regions 22 and 24. In this process, a photoresist pattern (PR1) is used as shown in FIG. 1 to form an extended drain structure. The photoresist pattern (PR1) covers parts of the gate electrode 16 and drain region, and extends, in a horizontal direction on the substrate, to a predetermined distance, g, from the edge of the sidewall spacer 18 near to the drain region. As a result, the highly doped drain region 24 is formed to be distant by distance, g, from the gate electrode 16.
As explained above, the conventional extended drain MOS transistor has the highly doped drain region 24 remote from the gate polysilicon 16 for obtaining a breakdown voltage required by a design rule. However, the integration of the MOS transistor in a horizontal direction is degraded as the distance between the highly doped drain region and the gate electrode increases.

Extended drain metal oxide semiconductor transistor and manufacturing method thereof


A scanning system that uses two cameras or scanners and two original document paths. If the system is to be used in a duplex mode, the original document is transmitted over a single document path while a first camera scans one side of the document and a second camera scans the other side of the document. If the system is to be used in a simplex mode, the original document is placed on either of the paths or, if a series of original documents are to be simplex scanned, both paths may be utilized at the same time. In this manner and with the use of mirrors, either camera may scan one side of the original document, one side of two original documents may be scanned at substantially the same time or two sides of the original document may be scanned at substantially the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to photocopying apparatus and, more specifically, to scanning, with one or more cameras or scanners, simplex or duplex original documents traveling along one or more document paths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An apparatus for optically scanning information, such as characters and graphics, illustrated on both sides of, for example, a sheet-shaped original is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,376. The apparatus includes a copying machine provided with an auto document feeder. With such a copying machine, an original is first set on an original table by the auto document feeder, then images on one side of the original are exposed and scanned by an optical unit. The original, after one side is scanned, is moved off the table by the document feeder and turned over, by a flipping unit mounted on the feeder, before the original is again set on the table for scanning image information on the other side of the original by the optical unit.
A problem with scanning original documents having images on both sides, hereinafter referred to as duplex scanning, with the above apparatus, is that such scanning is time consuming. It is time consuming because it requires one side of the original to be scanned and then flipped over before the other side can be scanned.
Further, the flipping unit used in the above apparatus is a complicated structure and jamming, of the original, in the flipping unit may occur as the original is flipped over.
Another apparatus used for duplex scanning of originals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,719 where an original document is placed upon a conveyance path, constituting an auto document feeder and one side of the original, moving on the conveyance path, is scanned by a first optical unit located above the conveyance path and the other side of the moving original is scanned by a second optical unit disposed near the first optical unit, but located below the conveyance path.
The problem with this type of apparatus is that there is only one original document path and, therefore, during a simplex scanning operation only one optical system may be utilized during said operation, thereby rendering the other optical system redundant and of no assistance in completing the simplex scanning operation.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a reliable scanning apparatus that can scan images on both sides of an original in a single pass and in an expedient manner as well as scan images on only one side of an original at up to twice the through put rate of duplex scanning.

High productivity method and apparatus for scanning simplex or duplex originals


A pseudo random number generator is provided which generates the next number in a pseudo-random sequence of numbers from a binary representation of an input number and a primitive root of a prime number P, where P has the form 2m-1, m being an integer. The binary representations of the current random number and the primitive root are multiplied to form a binary product. The binary number represented by bits 0 to m-1 of the product are added to the binary number represented by bits m to 2m-1 of the product to form a sum. The contents of bit m of the sum are then added to the sum, via the carry-in input of the adder. The next binary number in the sequence is represented by bits 0 to m-1 of the sum with the contents of bit m thereof so added. Particular applications include data processors having an imbedded multiply-add unit with reconfiguration resources to implement the invention.

A pseudo-random number generator is one of the most extensively used computer functions. It is included in the standard libraries of almost all programming languages. A random number generator might be called several million times during one run of a large simulation process.
One prior art method of random number generation is described in Lewis P A W, Goodman A S, and Miller J M "A Pseudo-Random Number Generator for the System/360", IBM System J., 8, pp 136-146, (1969) [1].
The generator described in [1] is based on the following recursion formula: EQU X.sub.i+1 =A X.sub.i (mod P). (1)
where A is a positive primitive root of prime P, and the starting seed X.sub.0 may be any number between 1 and P-1 inclusive. This method will generate all the values between 1 and P-1 in some order with no repetition.
The larger P is, the longer is the period of generated random numbers. Usually the largest prime number representable in one machine word is selected for random number generation. On a 32-bit machine it is 2.sup.31 -1, and almost all generators on such machines use it.
This method is known as the linear congruential generation method. Implementation of a random number generator function according to this method requires only two instructions, one multiply instruction and one divide instruction.
However, while multiplication on modern computers may be done in one machine cycle, division is relatively slow, and usually requires several cycles.

International Business Machines Corporation


An image processing apparatus comprises a storage unit configured to store feature information of a predetermined object, a determination unit configured to detect feature information of an object from an image to be searched and determine a similarity to the feature information of the predetermined object stored in the storage unit, a search unit configured to search a candidate image containing the predetermined object as a result of the determination by the determination unit, and a control unit configured to control, based on attribute information associated with image-shooting conditions, the order in which images are subjected to the determination processing by the determination unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing technique for searching for an image containing a predetermined object.
2. Description of the Related Art
An application is known that is capable of analyzing the feature information, such as a person's face, of an object contained in an image and adding the analysis result as the person name to the image. The image to which the person name has been added can be used as one of the images to be searched, when searching for an image containing an object specified by a person name. Here, in the case of searching for who the person contained in an image is, there is a method of efficiently performing the search using other information, in addition to the feature information such as the person's face.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-260483 discloses, when a person in a shot image is being searched for, using a database in which attribute area information corresponding to the address is registered in addition to the feature information of the person's face, preferentially searching for people with attribute area information that matches the shooting location information of the shot image.
Digital cameras can shoot a large number of images, and therefore numerous images may be retained in an application, in some cases. Further, since it is common to save only shot images in such a digital camera, setting additional information for searching images, as done in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-260483, is troublesome for the user. On the other hand, in the case of searching for a specific person only by using shot images, it takes time to conduct the search because the face feature information is required to be analyzed as many times as the number of images to be searched.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method


When a self-cleaning method for an aligner is carried out, a reflecting plate having a convex lens portion is set in an original plate holder, and exposure light rays are irradiated from a light source. The surface of the lens portion is coated with a reflective film. The light rays are reflected by the reflecting plate, diffused, and emitted onto the surface of a condenser lens, thereby breaking down and removing contaminants that are adhered to the surface of the condenser lens. The light rays also enter the interior of the condenser lens to clean away contaminants that are adhered to locations other than a normal exposure path. When a concave mirror and/or a reflecting plate having 50% transmittance is used as the reflecting plate, the emission range of the light rays (i.e., the locations that are cleaned) can be changed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-cleaning method for an aligner (lithograph apparatus), and an aligner.
2. Description of the Related Art
During pattern formation of wires and elements in a semiconductor integrated circuit structure, photolithograpy technology is employed to perform patterning. Specifically, the pattern is formed by irradiating photoresist coated onto a semiconductor wafer with light using an aligner.
With the recent increase in the degree (density) of integration of semiconductor circuits, demands have been made for finer, higher density pattern formation. In response to these demands, techniques for reducing the wavelength of the exposure light source are progressing. At present, an ArF Exclmer light source having a wavelength of 193 nm, an F2 light source having a wavelength of 157 nm, and soft X rays such as EUV are either in practical use or under development.
With an aligner which performs fine, high-density pattern formation using this type of light source, contaminants in the air adhere to the surface of the optical components, causing adverse effects such as decreased illuminance and uneven illuminance. Therefore, a nitrogen purge is performed to reduce the effect of the contaminants. This purges the optical path with nitrogen gas at all times. However, even when the nitrogen purge is performed sufficiently, adverse effects such as decreased illuminance and uneven illuminance are caused by contamination of the optical components because the optical path system is exposed to the atmosphere during maintenance, and because contamination in fact occurs even during a normal exposure operation.
Hence, an aligner which employs an exposure light source having a particularly short wavelength adopts a self-cleaning method, which is known as optical cleaning. In this self-cleaning method, the optical system is irradiated with ultraviolet rays issued from a light source at a wavelength of no more than 200 nm. The intense energy of the ultraviolet rays severs the chemical bonds of the carbon compounds which are the main component of the contaminants adhered to the surface of the optical system, thereby breaking down the contaminants.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 5-335206 discloses a projection aligner including an illumination optical system for outputting illumination light, a filter which transmits only wavelengths that are useful for exposing, an exposure mask on which a desired exposure pattern is formed, a projection optical system for projecting the exposure pattern onto an object to be treated, a holder on which the object to be treated is mounted, and a stage for moving the holder relative to the projection optical system. During self-cleaning, an ultraviolet filter is positioned on the optical path in place of the filter and exposure mask, the holder is irradiated with the ultraviolet rays that pass through the ultraviolet filter via the projection optical system, and thus organic foreign bodies and impurities which have become adhered to the holder are oxidized and removed.
Similarly, Japanese Patent Application Kokai No 10-335235 and Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 10-335236 disclose an aligner which is constituted such that light diffusing means or an optical path deflector may be disposed in the position of an exposure mask in order to form another optical path which is different from the optical path used during normal exposure.
Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2000-91207 discloses an oscillating concave mirror disposed on a stage for reflecting the light from the light source toward an optical system. Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2002-164267 discloses a plane mirror disposed on a stage for reflecting the light from the light source toward an optical system.
However, these conventional aligners have the following problems.
In Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 5-335206, the ultraviolet filter is positioned on the optical path in place of the filter and exposure mask, and hence the ultraviolet rays used for optical cleaning are emitted onto the same location of the same path as those used during normal exposure. As a result, contaminants that are adhered to locations other than the normal exposure path cannot be cleaned away, and these remaining contaminants may move to the exposure optical path and produce adverse effects.
In Japanese Patent Application Kokai Nos. 10-335235, 10-335236, and 2000-91207, not only is the aligner complex, but moreover, existing aligners cannot be used. In Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2002-164267, the optical path irradiated with the light reflected by the plane mirror is limited, and hence it is difficult to achieve effective and desired cleaning.

Aligner and self-cleaning method for aligner


Correction of widths obtained by measurement of a sample with the use of a scanning electron microscope is executed with greater precision. A standard sample for correction comprises a plurality of correction mark members, the respective correction mark members, being lined up at specified intervals in a specified direction, and respective widths thereof, in the specified direction, differing from each other so as to be of respective sizes as pre-set. Measurement of the respective widths of the correction mark members is made to obtain respective measurement widths while authorized widths of the correction mark members are kept stored in an image processing unit of the scanning electron microscope to thereby find differences between the respective measurement widths, and authorized widths corresponding thereto, and the differences are stored as respective correction functions to correct the measurement width of the sample.

With a charged particle beam measurement equipment, results of measurements on a sample are corrected by use of a standard sample for correction. Technologies for use in such correction include, for example, one that is disclosed in JP-A No. 2005-241328 described hereunder.
In the case of the JP-A No. 2005-241328, use has been made of a standard sample for correction, wherein a plurality of grooves, each having a specified width, are formed at predetermined pitches on a silicone substrate by etching and so forth. In the case of the technology disclosed in the JP-A No. 2005-241328, respective intervals between a predetermined number of the grooves of the standard sample for correction are measured to find an error between results of measurement, and actual respective intervals between the predetermined number of the grooves of the standard sample for the correction, and on the assumption that an error undergoes linear variation in relation to size variation when the sample is actually measured, a size obtained by measurement is corrected.

Charged particle beam measurement equipment, size correction and standard sample for correction


An occupant restraint system for vehicles with a sleeping compartment or bunk area, which uses airbags installed above and in front of the occupant of the bunk area to provide restraint and secondary collision protection during crashes and rollovers and other emergency conditions. A shelf assembly above the bunk is described, containing the airbag modules installed internal to the shelf. The covering of the shelf is such that deployment of the airbags would occur through the bottom cover, providing protection to the reclining occupant during crashes and rollovers. The shelf assembly containing the airbag modules has a fabric or mesh curtain connecting the front of the shelf to the lower bunk to restrict forward occupant motion during rapid deceleration, to provide privacy for the occupant and to secure the hinged movement of the upper shelf. This curtain can be replaced with a movable rigid padded wall section with or without complementary airbags to provide these same functions, and which can be stowed in a pocket compartment of the bunk assembly.

Many larger vehicles, such as semi-trailer tractors, motor homes and recreational camping trailers include sleeping compartments where an occupant can recline while another person is driving the vehicle. Current regulations already require restraint systems for this sleeper compartment on trucks for use while the vehicle is moving. The typical system available today utilizes several seat belt assemblies which the reclining occupant must fasten to obtain restraint.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,536,042 and 5,375,879 are illustrative of bunk restraints on such larger vehicles which use various types of harnesses or netting fastened around the occupant bunk with various degrees of confinement. These prior systems typically function by restricting the space in which the occupant reclines, or by providing a way of catching the occupant during an emergency situation.
This invention can be implemented in several different embodiments depending on cost goals, sleeper compartment structural and packaging limitations and restraint system performance requirements. A preferred embodiment comprises a fixed, structurally-sound sleeper bunk, securely attached to the cab floor and rear wall. A padded mattress is provided upon which the occupant reclines. Near the front upper edge of this bunk is an attachment system that allows connection of a lower section of a privacy restraint curtain.
Above the bunk, at a distance dependent on cab geometry and desired compartment space, is a shelf-type structure which is hinged at a rear section upon the cab wall, and which pivots downwardly or upwardly to an approximately parallel orientation to the plane of the occupant bunk. This shelf section is approximately the same size as the bunk, and can be locked into position using suitable folding hinge brackets or telescoping supports. An attachment system is located at the front edge of the shelf that allows attachment of an upper portion of the privacy restraint curtain, and, when fastened, increases the vertical strength of the shelf. Similarly, this restraint and privacy curtain can be replaced with a rigid wall section that resides in a pocket of a bunk frame and which can be pulled up by the occupant and attached to the front of the shelf section.
One or more airbags are installed inside the shelf section, which are inflated in response to a signal from a crash sensor. The crash sensor may either be integrated within a frontal crash sensing system or implemented as a separate crash sensing or rollover sensing system. The airbags are deployed when the crash sensor determines that a suitably severe crash or rollover condition has occurred, and deploys by breaking through a lower covering on the shelf to provide a cushioned restraint system about the occupant. The deployed airbags not only restrict occupant movement during a crash or rollover condition but also serve to absorb occupant energy from excessively high occupant velocities.
Should a privacy restraint wall section be used instead of a curtain, this privacy restraint wall section can similarly contain airbags for longitudinal (fore and aft in relation to the vehicle body) occupant restraint protection.
It is an object of this invention to provide a comfortable and easily implemented method for controlling the longitudinal and vertical movement of an occupant in a driven vehicle during an emergency condition such as severe braking, rollover and frontal crash.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a passive bunk restraint system that does not produce excessive restriction of occupant movement during normal use, which requires minimal setup by the occupant and which provides a degree of privacy for the occupant.
It is another object of this invention to provide an inflatable restraint system for the sleeper compartment of a vehicle which, when in an unused condition is stowed to maximize compartment free space.
It is another object of this invention to provide a second sleeping compartment using the shelf assembly as another bunk when the vehicle is stationary.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.


A fenestration installation diagnostic system includes a diagnostic cord and a plurality of diagnostic fittings configured for coupling with a fenestration assembly. Each of the diagnostic fittings includes at least one bracket leg configured to statically couple the diagnostic fitting with the fenestration assembly and at least one alignment interface, and the alignment interface is configured to align the diagnostic cord at a diagnostic intersection. Each of the diagnostic fittings further includes at least one cord guide configured to route the diagnostic cord along the diagnostic fitting and toward another diagnostic fitting of the plurality of diagnostic fittings. In a diagnostic configuration with the fenestration assembly each of the diagnostic fittings are statically with the fenestration assembly, and the diagnostic cord tautly extends from the alignment interfaces of the plurality of diagnostic fittings to the diagnostic intersection.

The installation of a fenestration assembly including a window, door or the like includes the positioning of the assembly within a rough opening, for instance in a wall. The frame of the fenestration assembly is installed within the rough opening. The fenestration assembly is then checked for adequate installation characteristics. For instance, the assembly is checked for one or more of level (horizontally level), plumb (vertically level, is the assembly tipped forward or backward in the rough opening), square (each corner is at specified angle, such as 90 degrees) and true (the fenestration assembly's vertical jambs are in the same plane and are not warped on one side relative to the to the other side).
In some examples, the installer uses a variety of tools to check the installation characteristics of the fenestration assembly. For instance, a level is used to assess the level and plumb characteristics of the assembly. A square (framing square) is optionally used to assess whether the fenestration assembly is square. Alternatively, diagonal measurements are made between opposed corners of the fenestration assembly (e.g., right upper and left lower, and right lower and left upper corners). If the diagonal measurements match then the assembly is square. For assessing if the fenestration assembly is true the installer, in some examples, tacks nails at the corners of the fenestration assembly and ties off a string between each of the opposed corners. If the strings at their intersection do not touch each other or if they do touch one of the strings folds around the other string, then the assembly is not true. If the strings touch without folding then the assembly is true.

Fenestration installation diagnostic system


An object of the invention is to provide a resin composition which is particularly excellent in impact resistance, tensile elongation characteristics, heat resistance, surface properties, moldability and the like accompanied by less time dependent alteration of these properties and which is produced by mixing a certain plasticizer with a biodegradable polymer of plant origin, and to provide a molded product of the composition. The present invention can provide a resin composition comprising a biodegradable 3-hydroxyalkanoate copolymer (A) and a plasticizer (B), wherein: the biodegradable 3-hydroxyalkanoate copolymer (A) has a recurring unit represented by the structure formula (1): [—CHR—CH2—CO—O—] (wherein, R represents an alkyl group represented by CnH2n+1; and n is an integer of 1 to 15); the plasticizer (B) is based upon a polyglycerol acetic acid ester having an acetylation degree of no less than 50% ester.

Conventionally, plastics have characteristics such as processibility and usability, whereas, they have been thrown away after use owing to their difficulty in recycling, and to hygienic point of view. However, as the use and disposal of the plastics increase, problems associated with their disposal by landfilling or incineration have drawn attention, and they may be responsible for great burden on the global environment such as deficiency of garbage landfill sites, influences on ecological system by remaining nondegradable plastics in the environment, generation of detrimental gas in combustion, global warming resulting from a large amount of combustion calorie, and the like. In recent years, biodegradable plastics have been extensively developed as a material which can solve the problems of the plastic waste.
Additionally, these biodegradable plastics are of plant origin, and absorb and immobilize carbon dioxide that is present in the air. Carbon dioxide generated in combustion of these biodegradable plastics of plant origin was originally present in the air, therefore increase in carbon dioxide in the ambient air is not caused. This phenomenon is referred to as "carbon neutrality", which tends to have been placed importance thereon. Carbon dioxide immobilization is expected to be effective in preventing the global warming. Particularly, in connection with Kyoto Protocol in which achievement level of carbon dioxide reduction was suggested, deliberation of Congress for ratification was approved in Russia in August 2003. Accordingly, it is highly probable that the Protocol will come into effect actually, whereby materials for carbon dioxide immobilization have drawn a great deal of attention, and active use thereof has been desired.
Meanwhile, although aromatic polyesters have been produced and consumed in large quantities as general-purpose polymers, in light of immobilization of carbon dioxide and prevention of global warming, they are not preferable material in terms of the carbon neutrality, because they are produced from fossil fuels, thereby leading to release of carbon dioxide immobilized in the ground to the ambient air.
In light of the biodegradability and carbon neutrality, aliphatic polyester-based resins have drawn attention as the plastics of plant origin, particularly polylactic acid-based resins, poly 3-hydroxyalkanoate (hereinafter, may be referred to as "PHA"), further poly[3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (hereinafter, may be referred to as "PHBH"), and the like have been drawing attention.
Among them, poly[3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate], in particular, has superior heat resistance owing to the crystallinity, and impact resistance, superior tensile elongation characteristics and flexibility resulting from 3-hydroxyhexanoate included as a copolymerization component, in combination. Therefore, they have drawn attention as a resin material accompanied by the balance of physical properties.
However, with respect to PHA, further greater impact resistance, tensile elongation characteristics, and moldability have been demanded, and improvement for time dependent alteration at room temperatures has been also demanded.
In this respect, improvement by adding a certain plasticizer was proposed (Patent Documents 1 to 3). However, bleed out properties, and volatility are not sufficiently improved by them, and polylactic acid is predominantly used as a biodegradable polymer. Moreover, any effect of improving the time dependent alteration is not referred to at all.
Furthermore, in order to improve the molding processibility of PHA, addition of another PHA having a higher melting temperature as a nucleating agent to PHA as a matrix was proposed (Patent Document 4), but significant time dependent alteration of physical properties was caused, and also a low level of tensile elongation characteristics was observed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Patent Application, Publication No. H07-68443
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Published Japanese Translation of a PCT Application No. 2005-501927
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2002-80703
Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Published Japanese Translation of a PCT Application No. H08-510498

Biodegradable resin composition and molded article of the same


An indoor guidance system for a blind or visually impaired person. The system uses a mobile device (Smartphone, tablet, etc.) to provide maps and visual and voice guidance to assist individuals in navigating through indoor locations. Special maps are transmitted to the mobile device upon entering the facility, or downloaded in advance. The software and maps provide assistance to the user, to guide them through the facility. The system uses a combination of GPS and other technologies (Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, RFID, etc.) to provide extremely detailed and accurate location information to the user.

Embodiments herein generally relate to guidance systems and more particularly to indoor guidance systems for the visually impaired, and to systems and methods for supplying a user with guidance based on knowledge of features of the indoor surroundings and dependent upon the location.
Over one million people in the United States and several million more people worldwide are legally blind. Even more people suffer from low or reduced vision. For this large population, simple daily tasks such as traveling, leaving the house to attend social events, or simply running errands, can be quite daunting tasks. The vision aids that have been developed in the past are large and bulky, and have drawn attention to the fact that the user has a visual impairment.
Guidance systems are known, but are generally not designed for the visually impaired. Likewise interfaces for the visually impaired are known, but have not been applied to indoor guidance.
Indoor mapping and guidance is the newest innovation in assistive technologies, providing electronic maps and guidance for large facilities, such as shopping malls or department stores. These existing systems are in their infancy, and lack many beneficial features. Additionally, they do not provide specific assistance for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, which is one of the main goals of the system discussed herein.
Positioning techniques using a wireless communication infrastructure vary depending on the types of infrastructure and service coverage. A satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) has a problem in that the sensitivity of a reception signal is degraded in an indoor area, such that it fails to acquire a signal, so it is not possible to determine a location. A cellular-based positioning technique for determining the location of a user by using location information and a measurement signal of a mobile communication base station has an advantage of allowing determination of a location even in an indoor area, as well as in an outdoor area, but its positioning accuracy varies depending on the disposition density of base stations and it has a relatively low location accuracy. A wireless local area network based positioning technique is a typical method for resolving the difficulties of indoor positioning. Such technique calculates the location of a terminal by using a reference location of an access point and a measurement signal.
There remains a need for a new and useful handheld system that avoids or minimizes the disadvantages of past navigation aids. This invention provides such a new and useful handheld aid.

System for indoor guidance with mobility assistance


An orthosis includes an upper tray and a lower tray, which are designed to line the teeth of an upper jaw and the teeth of a lower jaw, respectively. A connection joins the trays. The upper tray has at least a first fixed base, and the lower tray has at least a second fixed base. The connection has a fixed length and is designed to be fixed, on the one hand, to the first base and, on the other hand, to the second base, in a position that has an advancing effect and that is adjustable by way of a control element integrated in at least one of the two bases.

In the field of the disclosure, a plurality of types of double-tray orthoses have been proposed in the prior art.
In particular, an orthosis as described by the patent document FR 2 820 307 is known, formed by two trays in a general U shape, namely a lower so-called mandibular tray and an upper so-called maxilla tray, each of which has individual tooth cells and comprising projecting elements with complementary shapes, capable of engaging with one another to ensure the connection of the trays. The projecting elements are of the mortise and tenon type, preferably with a dovetail.
It is thus possible to attach the lower tray with the upper tray with a possible adjustment in the anteroposterior direction.
This solution has, in particular, the following disadvantages:                the projecting elements with engagement by resilient deformation do not enable a reliable connection, and the user may thus separate the lower tray from the upper tray, then put them back together in a possibly inappropriate position;        the projecting elements by simple assembly or by bonded assembly do not ensure that the upper and lower trays will remain permanently secured when the device is placed in the mouth, thereby making the retainer inoperative;        in a possible mass production by plastic injection, the mortise and tenon system may be expensive to industrialize.
Another orthosis described by the patent document published under number WO 03/034957 is known, which describes an intra-oral orthosis including:                an upper tray and a lower tray intended to respectively cover the teeth of an upper jaw and the teeth of a lower jaw;        two ties retaining the trays, which ties have a length so that the lower jaw is held in an advanced position with respect to the upper jaw.
In this solution, the ties have means enabling their length to be adjusted. A number of solutions are proposed for producing ties with a variable length, namely:                the ties have two threaded passages in which a rod is screwed, the ends of which have a reverse pitch, with a nut being placed at the center of the rod;        the ties include a cylinder in which a rod having an end including a piston slides under the action of a hydraulic pressure;        the ties include two bars sliding one into the other, each being equipped with a drilling.
Such solutions have, in particular, the following disadvantages:                the ties are small mechanical parts, requiring relatively precise machining, which tends to make the production of ties expensive;        the ties may have projecting portions capable of causing small cuts in the person wearing the orthosis.

Orthosis comprising an upper tray and a lower tray, and connection with adjustable positioning


A graphics system has parallel processing units that do not share vertex information. The graphics system constructs independent batches of work for the parallel processing units in which each batch of work has a list of vertices for a set of primitives.

Graphics processing is conventionally performed in a sequence of pipelined stages. There are a variety of different conventional pipeline architectures, depending on implementation details and the level of granularity that certain operations are described. However, conventionally the pipeline stages perform geometry processing and then pixel processing. The geometry processing stages may include, for example, transform and lighting. Additionally, geometry processing may include vertex shading.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art graphics processing architecture of the Nvidia Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. included a rotating vertex cache (V-cache) to improve the efficiency of a vertex/geometry processing stage 118 which performed primitive assembly, vertex shading, and other geometry processing operations. As illustrated in FIG. 1, input vertices (VTX IN) were processed by a vertex processing engine 105 and the resulting vertices (VTX out) were buffered in slots (e.g., 32 slots) of a common vertex buffer 110. The common vertex buffer 110 provided vertex information for all of the geometry processing units 115 of geometry processing stage 118. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the common vertex buffer was implemented as a rotating vertex cache (V-cache) 200 included slot assignments (indicated by lines around the perimeter of rotation) for an upstream unit to write vertices into the V-cache.
New vertices were added to slots in V-cache 200 in a serial fashion to fill the rotating V-cache. A rolling history was maintained to support the V-cache. Primitives were then assembled and processed by geometry processing units 115 using entries in the V-cache. A benefit of the rotating V-cache of FIG. 2 is that any triangle being processed by the geometry processing units 115 could reference any slot in the V-cache. The rotating V-cache permitted the re-use of vertices between primitives and therefore improves efficiency. Thus, for example, if the slot assignment was A B C D E F G H; then, primitives could be assembled reusing any of the entries in the V-cache. For example, in this example, primitives (triangles) ABC and DEF could be assembled from entries in the V-cache.
The rotating V-cache architecture is a vertex-oriented architecture designed to facilitate the use (and reuse) of vertices for primitive assembly, vertex shading, and other geometry processing operations. However, one drawback of a rotating V-cache architecture is that it limits scalability. In the rotating V-cache architecture the slot entries of the V-cache 200 are a shared resource for all of the geometry processing units 115 to assemble primitives and perform geometry processing. However, there are practical limits on the size of a single V-cache. Additionally, since the V-cache is designed as a shared resource, it imposes a constraint that units using the V-cache 200 be communicatively coupled in a manner consistent with using a shared resource. However, coordination of different units with a shared V-cache resource creates problems with scalability.
Therefore, in light of the above described problem the apparatus, method, and system of the present invention was developed.

Primitive oriented assembly for parallel vertex/geometry processing


In a space-division multiplex communication method of executing multiplex communication according to this invention, a plurality of radio beams a--a' to d--d' radiated at same frequency in different directions and rotated at same rotational angular speed .omega. are independently received in synchronism with the rotational angular speed .omega. by a plurality of communication terminals R1 to R3 arranged at arbitrary positions in a space where the radio beams can be received, thereby realizing unidirectional multiplex communication using the same frequency. Interstation bidirectional multiplex communication is performed by introducing a frequency-division system to the communication terminals R1 to R3 of the unidirectional multiplex communication. The space-division multiplex communication method can effectively use a frequency by a multiplex communication system of space-dividing a radio beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to space-division multiplex communication method in which a plurality of rotationally radiated radio beams consisting of the same frequency are transmitted and received between a plurality of stations, thereby executing time-division multiplex communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a multiplex communication method of time-dividing a radio beam by using a radiation beam system in which radio beams having the same frequency and carrying different pieces of information are radiated in a plurality of directions and a method of performing interstation bidirectional multiplex communication by introducing a frequency-division system to the multiplex communication method have not yet been established.
An example of conventional techniques using the rotation of a beam is a radar. FIG. 5 shows an example of the radar.
Referring to FIG. 5, a station is provided to radiate and receive a radio beam. This station radiates a radio beam while rotating a beam. If an object is present in the radiation direction of the radiated radio beam, the radio beam is reflected by the object. The station receives the reflected radio beam and determines the position of the object in accordance with the incoming direction and the reception level of the received radio beam.
From a viewpoint of communication, a frequency- or time-division communication technique is available.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining an arrangement of a conventional frequency-division multiplex communication system. Referring to FIG. 6, an information transmission station T for transmitting information is provided.
The information transmission station T non-directionally radiates a plurality of radio beams having different frequencies.
A plurality of receivers R1, R2, R3, . . . , Rn each for receiving a radio beam having a predetermined frequency are located within a distance range in that the above transmitted radio beams can be received. The receivers R1, R2, R3 , . . . , Rn receive radio beams having frequencies f1, f2, f3, . . . , fn, respectively.
In the above communication system, a frequency to be used in transmission performed by the information transmission station must be provided for each receiver. This goes for an arrangement in which a plurality of information transmission stations are provided.
FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an arrangement of a conventional time-division multiplex communication system, and FIG. 8 is a view showing transmission data used in the system. Referring to FIG. 7, radio beams are non-directionally radiated from an information transmission station for transmitting information.
A plurality of receivers R1, R2, R3, . . . , Rn for receiving the radiated radio beams are located within a distance range in that they can receive the above radiated radio beams. The receivers R1, R2, R3, . . . , Rn receive information at timings 1, 2, 3, . . . , n shown in FIG. 8, respectively. Referring to FIG. 8, information at timing 0 is a sync signal to be used by each receiver for information extraction.

Space-division multiplex communication method of executing multiplex communication

Small Power Communication Systems Research Laboratories Co., Ltd.


A sample is fed to an ICP-AES by applying suction to a mouth of the sample vessel extending into the central or inner capillary tube of the burner from an annular orifice or a plurality of spaced apart orifices. The amount of sample material is controlled by volume flow control or gas pressure control. The sample is in the form of a powder or vapor without dilution or entrainment of chemical contaminants.

Atomic emission spectrometer (AES) with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) provides the advantage over classical AES that solid pulverulent samples can be introduced into the plasma without the incorporation in the samples of possible chemical contaminants required in the earlier systems to solubilize or dispense the samples. Since solvents and chemicals required for preparing the samples can be eliminated and the expense and time consuming operations for sample preparation avoided, ICP-AES represents a significant advantage. It is also advantageous over classical AES that the reduction in sensitivity resulting from dilution of the sample is precluded as well.
In spite of these advantages, however, the use of a sample feed to the ICP plasma without dilution and contamination by chemicals used to process the sample has not found widespread application, since sample loss has not been possible to avoid in earlier systems A mechanical lifting of the sample containing crucible or graphite vessel is described in Applied Spectroscopy, Vol. 40, No. 3, 1986, pages 387 ff.
In this system, the sample-containing vessel, i.e. a graphite crucible, is lifted toward the plasma torch. The elevation of the crucible has been found, however, to disturb the plasma and there is also a danger of carbide formation from the plasma materials within the hot plasma from the carbon of the crucible. This can reduce the resolution of the system.
In a literature survey or report entitled "Thermal Vaporisation for Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry" authored by Matusiewicz, June 1986, Vol. 1, the importance of the feed systems and the interface between the sample source and the plasma are discussed, although a satisfactory solution to the problems described has not been there taught.

Method of and apparatus for feeding a sample to a plasma of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer


Extended-coverage magnetic resonance imaging coils with optimized homogeneity in longitudinal sensitivity are described. One exemplary coil includes four elements, where two of the elements are opposed-solenoid imaging elements and two of the elements are single loop imaging elements.

Applications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) include minimally invasive, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures like the examination of hollow organs, tubes, and so. For example, MRI may be used in intravascular examinations. In these applications, various imaging coils that may include dipole antennas, single loop antennas, opposed-solenoid antennas, and the like are employed to facilitate visualizing items like a blood vessel wall. Intravascular visualization facilitates tasks like identifying and characterizing atherosclerotic plaque components. In some applications, the imaging coils may be mounted on, be positioned, maneuvered and so on, by a catheter.
Opposed-solenoid antenna configurations are based on groups of loops (e.g., helical loops) separated by a gap, with current being driven in opposite directions on either side of the gap. Within the gap, field lines protrude beyond the diameter of the loops, providing a substantially homogenous region of sensitivity suitable for endovascular imaging. Opposed-solenoid imaging antennas may have a limited area of longitudinal coverage that may reduce effectiveness in, for example, survey imaging in coronal or sagittal planes. The area of longitudinal coverage may be limited, for example, to a region resulting from the additive contributions of flux lines from each individual solenoid winding.


A conveyor such as a baggage carousel (10) includes indicia (40) fastened onto the baggage carrying panels (12) of the carousel (10). Each panel (12) includes a separate portion of the indicia (40) and a series of the panels (12) can produce one total picture such as for an advertisement. The indicia (40) can be a plastic material adhered to the panels (12) and protected by another transparent sheet (42). Spacers and protective tape (36,44) are placed along the panels to protect the indicia (40) from the movement of the plates (12) and the baggage placed onto the carousel (10).

Conveyors for carrying items from one location to another location are well known in the art. Conveyors are often placed into an endless essentially circular position for dispensing baggage at an airport for instance. These endless conveyors are often called carousels because the baggage is placed onto the platform sections of the conveyor from a centrally located distributing point and the baggage is available to the passengers around either a circular or an oval pickup area. Especially in the baggage dispensing conveyors and especially in carousels in general, the platform that carries the baggage around the carousel includes a plurality of panels that are generally rectangular and overlay or abut their preceding panels to cover the circular area, especially around the ends of the oval section.
Advertisements are often placed on the center non-moving section of the carousel to display the benefits of staying in the local area around the airport or to advertise the different airlines. The advertising area is extremely limited since the people to whom the advertising is directed generally locate into one specific position around the carousel to retrieve their baggage and thereby only see a small section of the total advertising that could be placed on the non-rotating section of the carousel.

Conveyor with platform containing indicia


A connector comprises housing, a lever and a lock portion. The lever, attached to the housing, is configured to be rotatable between a first position, where the connector is initially fit to another is established, and a second position, where the fitting is completed. The lock portion is capable of locking the lever at the second position, is slidably attached to a body portion of the lever, and is configured to be slid between a lock position (where the lever is locked) and a lock release position (re-leased). The lever is provided with a positioning latch-portion, which is configured to latch the lock portion at the lock position and the lock release position and is pro-vided with a concaved latch-portion and a convexed latch-portion that is configured to be elastically displaced to be engaged in or disengaged from the concaved latch-portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The Present Invention relates generally to a connector, and, more particularly, to a connector having a lockable engagement mechanism so as to maintain connection, even when subjected to an unexpected external force.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional connectors may be engaged, usually through "tight fitting," with a counterpart connector arranged on a side wall of a casing used for accommodating an electronic device, such as a control unit. Such connectors are typically provided with an engagement lever, which has an engagement groove, disposed to be pivoted in a state where the engagement groove is mated with an engagement projection arranged on a housing of the counterpart connector. In this manner, the fitting force is increased to result in a secure engagement between the connectors. An example of a typical conventional connector can be found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2006-114357.
FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a conventional connector assembly (i.e., a connector and a counterpart connector. In FIG. 28, socket-side connector 801 is connected to an extreme end of a non-illustrated conductive cable. Socket-side connector 801 is engaged, by tight fitting, to plug-side connector 901 as a counterpart connector. Plug-side connector 901 has plug body 912, which receives plurality of plug contacts 961, and frame 911, to which plug body 912 is inserted. At an inside of each of two opposite side surfaces of frame 911, two engagement projections 918 (four in total) are connected so as to inwardly project.
Likewise, socket-side connector 801 has socket body 811, which receives plurality of socket contacts 861, and socket-side casing 821, which encases socket body 811. Socket casing 821 has opening portions 828a and 828b formed therein for allowing conductive cables to pass through. In each of opposite side walls 824 of socket casing 821, two engagement grooves 883 (four in total) are formed so that engagement projections 918 of plug-side connector 901 can be received in corresponding engagement grooves 833.
Engagement lever 881, for tightly fitting connectors 801, 901, is mounted to be engaged, at an end portion thereof, to sliding groove 815 formed between two engagement grooves 883 (formed in each of side walls 824) so that the above-mentioned end portion thereof can slide along sliding groove 815. When engagement lever 881 is pivoted to be moved from an initial position to a fitting completion position in a state where connectors 801, 901 are engaged with each other, a concave engagement portion of a non-illustrated engagement plate connected to the end portion of engagement lever 881 is engaged with engagement projections 918 of plug-side connector 901, as they are received in engagement grooves 883. Engagement projections 918 are then relatively moved along the side walls of the concave engagement portion, so that plug-side connector 901 is pulled toward socket-side connector 801 to be tightly engaged with each other by the concave engagement portion functioning as a cam groove. Moreover, engagement projections 918 are prevented from being removed from engagement grooves 883. As a result, a secure engagement can be established and maintained between connectors 801, 901.
In the state illustrated in FIG. 28, engagement lever 881 is positioned at the initial position and in tight contact with initial position protrusive abutting portion 834b formed in one of side walls 824. When engagement lever 881 reaches the fitting completion position, engagement lever 881 comes in tight contact with fitting completion position protrusive abutting portion 834a formed in one of side walls 824.
However, in the above-described conventional connector, since engagement lever 881 is not locked at the fitting completion position, engagement lever 881 may return to the initial position upon being subjected to an unexpected external force, such as an impact force or a vibration. As a result, the engagement with plug-side connector 901 might not be maintained. In particular, when the connector is mounted on a vehicle, the connector may be subject to vibration consistent with the running of the vehicle. Therefore, it is highly likely that engagement lever 881 will return to the initial position.


An improved PTC fuse assembly is described. The PTC fuse assembly includes a PTC fuse having a PTC material. To expedite heating of the PTC material, the improved PTC fuse assembly includes a die package in thermal communication with the PTC material. The die package includes a die which is responsible generating heat once a threshold has been reached. To mount the die package to a printed circuit board, the die package includes leads. The leads are sufficiently flexible such that the heat generated by the die does not compromise performance of the PTC protection circuit.

The present invention relates generally to fuse assemblies for protecting against electrical surges and/or overcharging. More particularly, an improved externally heated positive temperature coefficient (PTC) fuse assembly is described.
In a number of electrical components, it is desirable to provide fuses to protect against electrical surges. There are currently a number of commercially available fuse styles. One available type of fuse is known as a positive temperature coefficient fuse. A representative positive temperature coefficient (PTC) fuse is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The representative PTC fuse 50 has a top plate (top contact pad) 52 and a bottom plate (bottom contact pad) 54 that are separated by a positive temperature coefficient resistor (PTC) material 56. The PTC fuse 50 operates such that, at a threshold temperature, the electrical resistance of the PTC material 56 increases dramatically.
As seen in the battery protection diagram 60 of FIG. 1B, the PTC fuse 50 may be used to protect a battery 75 during charging with a voltage source 77. By way of example, the battery 75 may be included in a cellular telephone and the PTC fuse 50 may be implemented to protect the battery 75 from excessive current as a result of an individual using an improper voltage source, e.g. an improper power pack.
The contact pads 52 and 54 each have tabs 57, 59 which are bent down to form sidewalls that define a cavity 61 beneath the bottom contact pad 54. Solder posts 67 are formed on the tips of bent down tabs 57, 59. With this arrangement, the fuse can be mounted on a printed circuit board 69 (or other appropriate substrate) by soldering the solder posts 67 to appropriate landings 71 on the printed circuit board 69.
In operation, the PTC material 56 often does not heat up fast enough to protect the battery 75. As illustrated in FIG. 1C, in order to expedite heating of the PTC material 56, a die 64 may be attached to the bottom surface 55 of the bottom contact pad 54 to externally heat the PTC material 56. The die 64 may include a flip chip packaged zener diode, for example, which generates heat once a particular voltage has been reached. The die 64 also includes solder bumps 66 to mount the die 64 on the board 69 by soldering the solder bumps 66 to appropriate landings 79.
For the battery protection diagram 80 of FIG. 1D, the threshold voltage for the packaged zener diode of the die 64 is then set relative to the voltage of the battery 75. When the threshold voltage of the packaged zener diode is exceeded, it begins to draw current and externally heat the PTC material 56. The die 64 material (i.e., silicon) typically heats up more rapidly than the PTC fuse 50, and with the contact area between the die 64 and the bottom contact pad 54, the PTC material 56 reaches its threshold temperature faster. In addition, when the threshold voltage of the packaged zener diode is exceeded, the diode conducts at lesser resistance than the battery 75 and PTC fuse 50. As a result, the current is shunted away from the battery 75, further protecting the battery 77 and increasing the heat generation in the die 64.
In some cases, upon heating of the die 64, the solder bumps 66 may begin to melt. In other cases, upon heating of the die 64, the die 64 thermally expands and the solder bumps 66 crack. In either case, contact is lost, the die 64 is no longer functional and the protection circuit is unreliable.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that an improved PTC device would be desirable.
To achieve the forgoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, an improved fuse assembly for protecting against electrical surges is described. The fuse assembly includes a PTC fuse, a die that serves as an external heat source for the PTC fuse and a lead frame based structure that facilitates electrical connection of the fuse assembly to a suitable substrate. The PTC fuse includes a PTC material which is normally conductive, but upon reaching a predetermined temperature, becomes non-conductive or substantially less conductive. To expedite heating of the PTC material, the fuse assembly includes a die package in thermal communication with the PTC material. The die package includes a die which generates heat once a threshold has been reached. To mount the die package to a substrate, the die package includes leads. The leads may be bent and surface mounted to the substrate using conventional techniques. The leads are sufficiently flexible such that the heat generated by the die does not compromise performance of the PTC protection circuit, i.e. by thermal expansion of the die package or parts thereof.
In a described embodiment, the improved PTC fuse assembly is used to protect a battery. In this embodiment, the die is placed in electrical parallel to the terminals of the battery and PTC fuse such that when a predetermined threshold voltage is reached, the current shunts through the die. In one embodiment, the die consists of one or more zener diodes which heat up after the predetermined threshold voltage has been reached. Correspondingly, the PTC material is externally heated, thereby activating the PTC fuse, which further prevents undesired current flow to the battery.


A method is provided for lowering serum lipids, cholesterol and/or triglycerides and thereby inhibiting atherosclerosis by administering to a patient an MTP inhibitor, in combination with a cholesterol lowering drug, such as pravastatin.

The use of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitors for decreasing serum lipids including cholesterol and triglycerides and their use in treating atherosclerosis, obesity and pancreatitis is disclosed in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,091,102 (corresponding to U.S. application Ser. No. 117,362, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,872), U.S. application Ser. No. 472,067, filed Jun. 6, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,135 (file DC21e), U.S. application Ser. No. 548,811, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,279 (file DC21h), U.S. provisional application No. 60/017,224, (file HX79a*), U.S. provisional application No. 60/017,253, (file HX82*) and U.S. provisional application No. 60/017,254, (file HX84*).
All of the above U.S. applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Method for lowering serum lipid levels employing an MTP inhibitor in combination with another cholesterol lowering drug


Drilling apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising: a first robot (10); a first member (30) (e.g. a pressure foot) and a drilling tool (38) both coupled to the first robot (10); a second robot (12); and a second member (52) coupled to the second robot (12); wherein the apparatus is arranged to press the members (30, 52) against opposite sides of a part to be drilled (2, 100) (e.g. an aircraft panel) so as to hold the part (2, 100) and prevent deflection of at least a portion of the part (2, 100); and the first member (30) and the drilling tool (38) are arranged such that the drilling tool (38) may drill into the portion of the part (2, 100) of which deflection is opposed from the side of the part (2, 100) pressed against by the first member (30). The robots (10, 12) may be robotic arms.

In the field of aircraft construction, it tends to be desirable to countersink predrilled holes in panels that are to be fastened to a structure to provide an airframe. This is performed so that the fastener used to fasten the panel to the structure may be flush with a surface of the panel (e.g. the outer surface of the aircraft). This tends to provide that the resulting airframe has better aerodynamic properties compared to if the fastener was not flush with the outer surface of the aircraft.
Countersinking of predrilled holes may be performed manually by human operators, e.g. using hand tools and workbenches. During the countersinking process, the panels may bend or deflect on the workbench due to the forces applied by the operator. The operator may manually compensate for such deflection. The operator may also compensate for curvature in the part being countersunk e.g. by manually adjusting the settings on the hand tool. However, large workforces and workspaces tend to be required for processing a large number of panels. Also, the human operators may develop repetitive strain injury caused by repeated drilling.
Countersinking of holes may also be performed using a machine tool (or robot). The use of such devices typically requires use of a secure fixture that rigidly supports a panel so as to prevent it deflecting under the cutting/drilling forces. Such machine tools can be very expensive. The fixtures, which are usually required to be bespoke for the shape of panel being drilled, also tend to be expensive.