An optical waveguide device includes: a waveguide core that guides light; a mirror surface that deflects light coming from the waveguide core by 90°; a main waveguide core that guides light deflected at the mirror surface; a waveguide core for monitoring that branches the light deflected at the mirror surface off from the main waveguide core, and guides the light in a different direction, the mirror surface being disposed at a branching portion of the waveguide core for monitoring; and a clad portion that surrounds the waveguide core, the main waveguide core and the waveguide core for monitoring.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical waveguide device which is used in a mobile apparatus or the like and guides light as a waveguide, and to a light outputting module using the optical waveguide device.
2. Related Art
Examples of methods of fabricating an optical waveguide film as an optical waveguide device are: (1) a method of impregnating a film with a monomer, selectively exposing a core portion so as to change the refractive index, and laminating films together (a selective polymerization method); (2) a method of coating a core layer and a clad portion, and thereafter, forming the clad portion by using reactive ion etching (RIE method); (3) a method using photolithography which carries out exposure and development by using an ultraviolet-curing resin which is obtained by adding a photosensitive material into a polymer material (a direct exposure method); (4) a method using injection molding; (5) a method of coating a core layer and a clad portion, and thereafter, exposing a core portion so as to change the refractive index of the core portion (a photobleaching method); and the like. Further, when limited to a rectilinear waveguide, there are methods such as a method of fabricating the optical waveguide including forming a core portion of the optical waveguide by locally cutting and removing, by a dicing saw or the like, the layer which becomes the core and which has a high refractive index and is obtained by laminating two layers of resin having different refractive indices, and thereafter, covering the core portion with the same polymer resin as the clad portion, and the like.
However, in recent years, in IC technologies and LSI technologies, attention has focused on carrying out optical wiring between apparatuses and between the boards and between the chips within the apparatuses, instead of carrying out high density electrical wiring, in order to improve the operational speed and the degree of integration. In order to realize such optical wiring, surface emitting elements having an excellent high-speed characteristic and mass-production characteristic, and VCSEL elements in particular, are used for interconnection applications and applications for optical communications. However, differently than edge emitter elements, it is difficult to monitor the light output of a VCSEL element as a unit.
Thus, in elements at which a VCSEL element is packaged, a method is usually used in which a portion of light coming from a window for output is reflected, and this reflected light is used in monitoring the light output. However, reflecting and taking-out a portion of light coming from a window for output is inefficient, and excess current must be sent to the VCSEL element so as to increase the light output. At this time, excessively complex external circuits that also are needed as temperature control is required in order to avoid the effects of heat, or the like.

Optical waveguide device and light outputting module


A generational journaling data store can synchronize write accesses so that previous generation masters do not corrupt current generation journals. A master maintains a journal and accesses a data store on behalf of clients. When a master disappears a new master must take its place to ensure reliable and continuous access to the data store. Without generations, a previous master can reappear and corrupt journals and data stores. With generations, a newer generation journal can not be corrupted by a previous generation master.

Many modern computing environments use an architecture with master computers accessing data stores on behalf of client computers. The reasons for such an architecture include securing access to the data, coordinating access to the data store, and translating client requests into a format that the data store can comprehend.
A data store is a combination of systems and methods for accessing, writing, modifying, and storing data. One example of a data store is a computer running MySQL. Another example of a data store is a web server such as a computer running Apache. A third example of a data store is a computer running a network file system. A fourth example is a computer with a file system.
Some data stores use a technique called journaling. Journaling can help prevent data store corruption. A journal is a history of the changes that are made to a data store. If the data store fails, such as a hard disk crash or a network file system going offline, then the data that should be in the data store can be quickly recovered from the journal and the failed data store. Journaling, journals, and journal files are all known to those practiced in the arts of computer system administration, computer operating systems, computer file systems, and data recovery.
In high reliability environments, a computing system, such as a compute cluster or database distributed through a group of hosts, must be constantly available. Computers, like all equipment, occasionally fail. Highly reliable systems typically use redundant components to ensure that failure of one component does not cause the entire system to fail. For example, a data store can be stored on more than one computer. If one computer fails, others are available to take its place. A client accessing the data store can be unaware of data store hardware failures because the client access succeeds. RAIDs, standing for redundant array of inexpensive disks, are often used in high reliability environments. A RAID appears externally as a single disk drive, but is actually a group of disk drives acting in concert. Certain kinds of RAID can continue operation while a disk drive fails, is removed, and replaced. A journaled data store that is stored on RAID is unlikely to be corrupted.
Some computing environments contain such enormous numbers of computers that failure and data corruption can occur regularly regardless of journaling and redundant data store components. Recall the master computer accessing the data store on behalf of client computers. The master can also maintain a journal for the data store. Computers occasionally fail or otherwise disappear. "Disappear" means the other computers can not communicate with it. When a master disappears, it can be replaced by a new master. In many cases, an inactive master is already prepared and is immediately available. For example, a shadow master continuously attempts to duplicate the internal state of the master and is always prepared to assume the master's responsibilities. A skeleton master, unlike a shadow master, requires some initialization before it can assume the master's responsibilities.
One way to speed the initialization of a new master is for the old master to maintain a checkpoint file. The checkpoint file is essentially a snapshot of the master's internal state. The skeleton master can load the checkpoint file and thereby duplicate that master's state at the time the snapshot was taken.
The problem is that a new master can assume the duties of the master that disappeared, but the old master can reappear. The old master could have been temporarily unavailable because of computer network problems. The old master could have been unresponsive for a number of reasons. Regardless, the old master is back and there are suddenly two master computers trying to maintain the journal. The journal becomes corrupted and then the data store becomes corrupted.


A steel support profile for support structures for facades or conservatories, in which a receiving channel for receiving mounting screws for the fixation of retaining profiles is formed by an outward-facing side wall of the steel support profile, and a support structure for facades and conservatories with a steel support profile, on which at least one facade element is fixed by a retaining profile fixed by mounting screws on the steel support profile in a sealed manner via inner and outer seals. An easily producible steel support profile and a support structure that allow greater opportunities for design, by a steel support profile in which the side wall is welded to a base profile, and a support structure with such a steel support profile.

Such a steel profile is known from DE 295 00286 U1. The support profile there is produced in one piece from steel sheet bent and welded at the seam and has, on an outward-facing transverse side, a screw channel for mounting screw which is integrated into the support profile and open to the outside. The disadvantage in this design is that the support profile can be produced only with a uniform wall thickness. Because typical screw channels can be produced only up to a maximum wall thickness of approximately 1.5 mm, the wall thickness and the design possibilities of the remaining profile are also limited.

Steel support profile for support structures of facades and conservatories


A flow control system for packet transmission networks is centered in the user applications supplying data to the network. Changes in control are responsive to changes in the transmission parameters of the network, measured in the network and transmitted to the user application. The user application specifies desired ranges of Quality of Service parameters and, when the measured network parameters fall outside of the desired range, the user application modifies the transmission strategy to match the available transmission parameters. Measurements of network parameters are made over a pre-selected observation period to average the values of the transmission parameters.

Numerous types of flow control have been devised for packet transmission systems. Such control mechanisms regulate a user application's behavior with respect to the transmission of data into the network and are typically implemented in the operating system and in the network protocol software. For example, if a user application attempts to send a large quantity of data to the network, and the network is overloaded, the network software buffers store the data that cannot be transmitted and attempts to deliver the data that can be transmitted. When there are no more buffers available, or if the buffers allocated to this application have been exhausted, the operating system typically suspends the user application, preventing the application from transmitting any more data until buffer space becomes available. The network protocol may also slow down the transmission of data because the receiving application cannot keep up with the data flow. These types of control mechanisms are known as flow control mechanisms. These network-based mechanisms are clearly not optimized for any particular user application, but are simply imposed on all user applications by the network.
Some flow control mechanisms in network protocols, such as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), are window oriented. That is, the receiving application will permit the transmitting user application to send only a certain amount of data (a "window") and, until the receiving application opens up the window further, the sending application is not allowed to transmit data. In TCP, the sending station backs off from its transmitting rate exponentially if acknowledgments from the receiving application do not arrive fast enough (before a local timer expires). These types of flow control mechanisms operate independently of the applications and often do not interact well with application requirements.
Another type of flow control mechanism is the so-called rate-based flow control, and includes High Performance Routing (HPR) in the Advanced Peer-to-Peer Network (APPN). These rate-based flow control mechanisms monitor the round-trip time of data flow and adjust the rate at which data is released from the transmitting application in response to the flow rate. That is, the rate-based flow control mechanism only allows data to enter into the network at a rate it (the network) has deemed sustainable over the long term, usually based on measurements of a test message sent to the receiving application. The application is thus constrained to transmit at this predetermined rate over the long term, even though transient rates may be greater due to buffering. Clearly, these constraints on the sending application are never optimal for the particular data being transmitted.
Having the network software act as a moderator of data flow into the network has significant advantages. The network is able to monitor its own behavior and thus determine overload situations. As taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,523, the adaptive rate-based (ARB) flow control mechanism in HPR allows the data outflow to be controlled by the congestion status of the network, in effect allowing the data to flow out of a node at a rate commensurate with the actual congestion experienced in the network. For time-insensitive applications such as E-mail and file transfer, the rate-based adaptation of the network is excellent, relieving network overload without adding significant complexity to the user applications.
Unfortunately, for time-sensitive applications such as multimedia, audio and video conferencing and video-on-demand, network-implemented flow control mechanisms are totally inadequate. For example, if a video source, transmitting at thirty frames per second, is network flow controlled to deliver only twenty frames per second, the receiving application can either play the twenty frames that it receives (with gaps), and discard the ten frames that arrive late, or it may attempt to play all of the frames, but at the price of introducing substantial latency into the system. Neither of these results is particularly desirable since the quality or real time delivery of the picture is significantly degraded.
Many types of data applications are capable of performing satisfactorily at a number of different operating points in the multidimensional space defined by the network transmission parameters such as throughput, latency, latency variations, i.e., jitter, error rates, and so forth. For simplicity, the terms "transmission parameters" and "Quality of Service parameters" are used interchangeably in this application. In the above example, the video source could transmit fewer frames per second, obviating the need for transmitting the ten frames later, and providing a picture quality better than transmitting twenty of thirty frames and discarding the other ten frames. In general, user applications are capable of adapting to changing network conditions such as congestion in a variety of different ways such as using different coding, using data compression, different image sizes, different color representation, different frame rates, forward error correction, and so forth. None of these adaptations to network conditions can be used when adaptation is controlled solely by the network software. Similarly audio signals can be sensibly adapted to different transmission conditions by re-scaling the audio signals.

User controlled adaptive flow control for packet networks

International Business Machines Corporation


In one aspect, a waste container lid having a closure part and a cap part connected with a hinge, a releasable lock structure and at least one permanent lock structure. In another aspect, a waste container with waste container lid having first closure retention structure and a second closure retention structure that permits the cap to remain opened in a plurality of positions.

The present invention relates to medical waste disposal containers and lids for such containers, particularly containers for used sharp medical devices, which may require temporary and permanent closure.
The safe and efficient disposal of sharp medical devices such as surgical knives, blades, hypodermic needles and the like is a problem for medical and other healthcare facilities. Disposable containers have been developed in recent years which provide a reasonably high degree of security for disposable sharps articles and materials from hospitals and clinics. Many of these articles, such as needles and surgical blades known as sharps, and other similar articles and materials, must be disposed of in a manner to keep them out of the hands of unauthorized persons and to keep them from being reused.
The containers are normally designed to prevent the removal of materials from the container under ordinary circumstances until permanently closed. The permanent closure is normally present on the container and often used as a temporary cover until the container is filled and ready for permanent closure. However, the permanent closure is frequently unintentionally placed in the permanent position prior to completely filling the container. This results in unnecessary waste of containers and unnecessary cost. Therefore, it is desirable that the container be completely filled prior to permanent closure for disposal.
There is a need for a closure that may be safely used as a temporary closure without the problem of unintentionally placing it in the permanent closure position.


The present invention relates to a dual velocity method and apparatus for measuring flow rate of a fluid, independent of flow regime, the fluid having a plurality of components, at least one of which is capable of existing in an oil continuous phase emulsion in a conduit. The present invention only measures component fluid flow rates for components of the fluid which may include at least an oil continuous phase emulsion, but not a component including a water continuous phase emulsion. Velocity slip is directly determined by cross correlations of fluid electrical property signals which are used to measure the two most predominant velocities in a multiphase velocity distribution. Furthermore, phase velocity measurements are further improved by cross correlating signals from a pair of downstream sensors which are shifted a predetermined radial angle offset from corresponding pair of upstream diametrically positioned sensors.

The measurement of fluid flow in particular during the production of an oil and gas well is important for proper monitoring and control of fluid from the reservoir.
The fluid in hydrocarbon boreholes generally flows through a conduit and the fluid normally comprises water, gas and oil in continuous and discontinuous phases. The gas and liquid are typically known to flow as bubble, churn, slug or annular flow generally depending on the gas flow rate relative to the liquid flow rate. The prior art discloses water cut meters which are devices for determining the water holdup in a producing well by measuring the capacitance or impedance of the fluid. The term is actually a misnomer because water cut is not the same as water holdup except in the unlikely case where all phases flow at the same velocity. Since hydrocarbons travel faster than water in a production well, the water holdup is larger than the water cut. However, a water cut meter has often been combined with a flowmeter so that the water cut could be estimated by combining the two measurements. The proportion of the total flow rate due to a fluid component is known as its cut. To determine in-situ flow rates, it is necessary to measure the holdup and velocity of each fluid component.
Total water in fluid flow from hydrocarbon boreholes generally comprises free water plus suspended water in an emulsion and dissolved water. Free water is completely separated from any emulsion and not dissolved. The amount of dissolved water is generally very low, e.g. in the range of 0.01%–0.1%, and is generally influenced by interfacial properties but only minimally effected by temperature and pressure. The water volume flow rate, relative to the total liquid (e.g. oil and water) flow rate, is known as water cut when standardized with respect to pressure and temperature. Water cut is generally expressed as a percentage.
Oil and water from oil wells typically flow in an emulsion which may be in two different forms. In one emulsion form, the oil is the continuous phase having water dispersed in the oil as droplets. The foregoing emulsion has insulating electrical properties wherein the dielectric constant of the oil continuous emulsion may be measured by a capacitance sensor. Another emulsion form comprises a water continuous phase having oil dispersed in the water as droplets. This emulsion form has electrically conductive properties wherein the conductivity of the water continuous emulsion may be measured by a conductive sensor. Therefore, the electrical properties of these two different types of emulsion forms are completely different even for instances when the water cut may be the same. The prior art typically measures electrical properties and densities of the phase and emulsion flows by methods known to those skilled in the art in order to determine corresponding flow rates, e.g. by using look-up tables.
The prior art also discloses methods and apparatus to determine component flow rates in a water continuous phase emulsion by using, for example, fluid conductivity measurements. Typically, the prior art discloses methods and apparatuses for measuring component flow rates in a fluid comprising oil continuous or water continuous emulsions which may switch from using capacitance sensors to conductive sensors at the instant a water continuous phase emulsion is detected by the flow meter apparatus.
In a vertical upward gas-liquid flow in a borehole conduit, the larger gas bubbles or slugs will rise in the fast moving liquid in the center of the conduit; other small bubbles will be near the wall of the conduit and will consequently move more slowly. This velocity slip is further enhanced by buoyancy due to the difference in density of gas and liquid so that the gas phase will be transported with a larger average velocity than the liquid phase. In order to measure multiphase flow rates, the prior art discloses the total velocity distribution of the flow must be measured in order to derive the flow rates from these measurements. If a flow meter apparatus does not take into account velocity slip, the volumetric measurements may be expected to be encumbered with a large degree of uncertainty.
Within a certain range of multiphase compositions and flow rates, the prior art discloses that an inline mixer may be employed in order to reduce the velocity slip to a minimum in an effort to create a radially homogeneous phase distribution at the location of a positioned multiphase flow meter apparatus in the borehole conduit. However, using an inline mixer has the following major drawbacks: the prior art does not disclose that a multiphase inline mixer exists that can create a homogeneous phase distribution over a sufficiently large range of flow rates for all the compositions that may be found in the field and thus, the range of a multiphase flow meter apparatus employing an inline mixer will be limited; pressure drops which may occur from using an inline mixer may be significant and detrimental to economic and process efficiency; an inline mixer may result in lost production by promoting emulsion formation; and use of an inline mixer increases measurement uncertainty.
The prior art also discloses derivation of empirical models whereby phase slip is related to measurable fluid parameters such as phase fractions and measured velocity adjusted to account for fluid temperature and pressure. However, the foregoing methodology has a disadvantage because a universal model covering all possible component composition scenarios and conditions encountered in the field is not possible. Furthermore, since flow regime is dependent on fluid property parameters such as pressure, viscosity and upstream configuration, a high uncertainty in slip determination occurs.
The prior art discloses a dual velocity method in order to avoid the use of inline mixing or empirical modeling to determine velocity slip. The dual velocity method directly measures velocity slip by measuring the two most predominant velocities in a multiphase velocity distribution, by measuring the velocity of a pseudo-homogenous dispersed phase and by measuring the average velocity of the gas flowing as large slugs.

Method and apparatus for measuring nonhomogeneous flow phase velocities


The present invention provides agents and methods for dual modality virtual colonoscopy that gives both anatomical and functional information using hybrid CT/PET scanning. In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides radiolabeled tumor-specific agents and methods for distinguishing benign polyps from malignant tumors. In further embodiments, the present invention provides compositions and methods useful for distinguishing morphological and functional subregions of a selected region of tissue based on relative levels of phospholipid metabolism. Preferred radiolabeled tumor-specific agents are phospholipid ether analogs labeled with a halogen radioisotope. In certain preferred embodiments, the compositions including radiolabeled phospholipid ether analogs have therapeutic actions in addition to functionally identifying malignant tissue.

The early detection of cancer has been one of the primary goals of modern imaging technology, since the identification of a suspected tumor in a localized stage significantly improves the chances for successful treatment and elimination of the cancerous tissue. A large number of imaging strategies have therefore been designed, using a variety of techniques and modalities, to aid the physician in making an accurate diagnosis as early as possible.
Approximately 130,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. Thus colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer, accounting for 60,000 deaths per year (Cancer Facts and Figures. American Cancer Society 2001). Treatment depends primarily on the cancer stage, but may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and/or radiofrequency or cryo-ablation. In routine follow-ups for colorectal cancer patients, however, determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a colorectal tumor marker, and repeat colonoscopies (O'Dwyer P J, et al., Follow-up of stage B and C colorectal cancer in the United States and France. Seminars in Oncology 2001; 28: Suppl-9) fail to detect recurrent disease in over 50% of patients. See Wichmann M W, et al., The Colorectal Cancer Study Group; Carcinoembryonic antigen for the detection of recurrent disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer. Anticancer Research 2000; 20:4953-4955. Therefore, there is a need for development of additional methods for detection of recurrent disease.
Virtual colonoscopy, a non invasive scanning procedure performed by Computed tomography scanning in humans has been reported to be more accurate than traditional colonoscopy. (Pickhardt P J. et al., Computed tomographic virtual colonoscopy to screen for colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic adults. New England Journal of Medicine. 349(23):2191-200, 2003 Dec. 4. Performed on a traditional multidetector helical CT scanner, virtual colonoscopy allows one to noninvasively scan the intestinal lumen anatomically for tumors but cannot characterize space occupying lesions as either polyps (adenomas) or adenocarcinomas (malignant). Determination of tumor type dramatically effects treatment planning and outcome for these patients.
In addition, functional information from CT scans is difficult to obtain during treatment and diagnosis using RF ablation and CT scanning. With contrast-enhanced helical CT, tumor vascularity may be assessed to some degree, but there is no way of accurately determining if viable tumor cells remain within the RF-ablated lesion. In addition, the thermal lesions created by RF normally have a rim of inflammation surrounding them on post procedure CT scans for up to 6 months post-ablation. PET scanning has been used to follow post-ablation patients, but the rim of inflammation surrounding RF thermal lesions normally displays increased uptake, even in the absence of a viable tumor. This decreases the sensitivity and specificity for early detection of recurrent tumor. Accordingly agents that are selective for and retained indefinitely by malignant tumor cells are preferable unlike fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) which is not selective for tumor cells and is localized to infectious sites and hyperplasias (such as Barrett's Esophagus). Moreover compounds containing 124I, which has a 4 day physical half life and can thus be shipped anywhere in the world, are preferable to FDG, which has a 110 minute half life and therefore may only be have limited distribution within 200 miles of the production site.
Compounds that undergo prolonged retention (and are not metabolized) are preferable since it is more likely that they may have significant therapeutic potential when mated with an appropriate radioisotope like 125I, 131I or 211At. Also, compounds which can be labeled with a variety of iodine isotopes and have expanded versatility (diagnosis and therapy as well as a tool for experimental animal studies) are preferable to FDG, which is limited to 18F for PET scanning or potentially 19F (stable) for magnetic resonance imaging, albeit at very low sensitivity levels. Additional compounds disclosed to be useful for PET include 124I- or 131I-labeled 2′-fluoro-2′-deoxy-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil (FIAU), 18F-labeled 9-[4-fluoro-3-(hydroxymethyl)butyl]guanine (FHBG), and 18F-labeled 9-[3-fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxymethyl]guanine (FHPG). Regardless of its tumor targeting ability, 18F-FDG, due to its rapid metabolism in tumor cells, does not have potential for therapy. Therefore, other compounds are needed to investigate post therapeutic local recurrences.
Moreover, even where chemotherapy is the mode of treatment, improved monitoring of the response to chemotherapy is essential. Therefore, development of an early prognostic indicator to study response to chemotherapy to allow physicians to quickly discontinue use of ineffective chemotherapeutic regimens without exposing patients to the toxicity of prolonged treatments is desirable. Where External Beam Radiation Therapy is an alternate treatment for patients with tumors of similar histology, tumors may have dramatically different responses to curative-intent external radiation therapy (XRT). Some patients with rectal cancer treated with pre-operative radiation will have a complete response, while others with similar histology (at the light microscopy level) will have a poor response to treatment and will recur. Response to radiation is a predictive factor for ultimate tumor control and survival for many cancers, including many gastrointestinal cancers, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and gynecologic cancers. Most response characterization methods, while very predictive of response, are performed after completion of treatment. While some intra-treatment clinical assessments are useful in adjusting treatment (Mayr, N. A., et al. Method and timing of tumor volume measurement for outcome prediction in cervical cancer using magnetic resonance imaging. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics 2002; 52; 1:14-22), in most cases there is no accurate method of predicting tumor response during actual treatment. Such a test, especially one applicable to a broad range of tumor sites and histologies, would be very useful and desirable. Other treatment and diagnostic methods include molecular assays that have been proposed to predict response to therapy, and recent efforts include use of DNA microarrays to identify genetic changes that correlate with response or lack of response to treatment. These are investigational and none are in routine clinical use.
Yet other methods of diagnosis and treatment include use of imaging modalities to predict response during XRT treatment. Intra-treatment PET scans using FDG are under active investigation, wherein the isotope uptake in the primary tumor midway through radiation therapy is compared to the pre-treatment uptake. Several retrospective studies suggest patients with continued strong uptake during treatment have poorer tumor control outcomes than patients whose tumors are less FDG-avid during treatment (Greven, K., et al., Can positron emission tomography distinguish tumor recurrence from irradiation sequelae in patients treated for larynx cancer? Cancer Journal Scientifica American 1997; 3: 353-357). However, more effective screening, diagnostic and treatment agents and methods for various cancers are extremely desirable.
Unfortunately, conventional imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) are limited in their ability to afford a conclusive diagnosis of a suspected lesion, since they are only capable of observing differences in the density or morphology of tissues. A more invasive and costly biopsy procedure is often necessary to provide a definitive diagnosis. In contrast, nuclear medicine techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) can provide functional or biochemical information about a particular organ or area of interest. However, the success of these nuclear imaging techniques depends in large part on the selective uptake and detection of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals. Selective uptake, in turn, depends upon the development of radiopharmaceuticals with a high degree of specificity for the target tissue. Unfortunately, the tumor-localizing agents developed thus far for oncological applications have had only limited application.
For example, one of these prior art compounds, 67Ga gallium citrate, was originally identified for its ability to accumulate in tumor tissue. Unfortunately, 67Ga gallium citrate is taken up by a variety of other non-tumor lesions as well, including inflammatory lesions, and unacceptable amounts of radioactivity can also accumulate in liver and spleen. The rapid buildup of a radiopharmaceutical in these organs can seriously interfere with the imaging of nearby lesions and also reduces the dosage that can safely be given to a patient.
An alternative approach has been to develop radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) directed to tumor-specific antigens. However, these monoclonal antibodies are specific only to the particular tumor tissue for which they have been produced, and therefore will not localize generally in neoplastic tissue. Moreover, the use of Mabs for diagnostic imaging has lead to additional problems, including varying degrees of antigen expression, low tumor uptake, non-specific binding and adverse immunogenic reactions and generally high liver localization.
In an attempt to address these problems, the present inventors have recently identified and developed a series of novel compounds demonstrating useful tumor selectivity. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,649; 4,965,391; 5,087,721; 5,347,030; 6,255,519 and 6,417,384; all of which are herein incorporated by reference. It is believed that these radioiodinated phospholipid ether analogs take advantage of a unique biochemical characteristic of malignant tumor cells; i.e. the inability to metabolize phospholipid ether analogs relative to corresponding normal tissues. Although the precise mechanism of action is not fully understood, the prevailing hypothesis is that the phospholipid ether analogs become entrapped in malignant tumor cell membranes due to an apparent lack of appropriate metabolic enzyme. Accordingly, these compounds localize in tumor cells and become biochemically locked in place for diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications. Currently available oncologic PET agents such as 18F-FDG, localize in benign lesions and inflammatory sites as well as in tumors, and are thus not good indicators of malignancy.
Accordingly, there remains a significant need in the art for radiopharmaceuticals which exhibit a rapid clearance from non-target tissues as well as an extended half-life in the plasma, while still retaining its specificity and avidity for neoplastic tissue. Such an agent should not only assist in the non-invasive imaging and characterization of primary tumors and metastases, regardless of their location in the body, but should also serve as a carrier for a cytotoxic agent for site-specific eradication of malignant tumor tissue, especially as it relates to the most frequently diagnosed forms of cancer. It is further desirable that radiopharmaceuticals are selective for malignant tumors and not precancerous tissues including adenomas and hyperplasia.
Therefore, a readily available radiopharmaceutical that could accurately identify and potentially treat early metastatic disease in the patients with colorectal cancer would have an important impact on patient care, in terms of both staging and response to therapy. There remains a need for an accurate functional imaging technique based upon a tumor-specific function that can non-invasively screen the whole body using relatively inexpensive and widely available imaging devices.

Virtual colonoscopy with radiolabeled phospholipid ether analogs


The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a method for automatically analyzing an article of manufacture comprising the steps of a) providing a master model and a context model specification; b) creating a context model from the master model and the context model specification; c) translating the context model into an engineering analysis model compatible with an engineering analysis program; d) executing the engineering analysis program to generate a performance estimate form the engineering analysis model; and e) optionally modifying the master model to improve the performance estimate.

This invention relates generally to engineering computer design and analysis tools, and more particularly to a process, a digital computer, and a medium readable by a digital computer for the engineering design and analysis of turbine engine disks.
Typically, a turbine engine disk design engineer uses a computer-aided design (CAD) system and one or more engineering analysis programs to design rotating turbine engine hardware. One typical engineering analysis program is a finite element analysis (FEA) package. The analysis process typically includes a simplified representation of the geometric shape. For every design iteration, the simplified representation of the geometry has to be regenerated. Typically, the design engineer gives the initial design to an analyst. The analyst converts the CAD model into a neutral geometric representation, for example, IGES (International Geometry Exchange Standard), which is then loaded into an engineering analysis package and is then manually simplified (e.g. trimming unwanted pieces to simplify the geometry) to the level of detail necessary for the analysis. However, if the simplified geometry of the design remains so extensive that it cannot be handled by the engineering analysis package, the analyst may choose to build the simplified geometry from scratch.
If the analyst finds that the part does not meet its requirements, for example, because stresses, displacements, or temperatures are too high, the designer will modify the geometry and complete another iteration of the process, which process is time consuming and vulnerable to errors introduced by operators restructuring the models.
Therefore, there is a need for a process that automates the generation of analysis models from CAD geometry models and provides a level of association between topological features of the CAD geometry and the corresponding regions of the analysis model.

Method for analyzing turbine engine disks


A hybrid spatial and wavelength selector for optical switching matrices includes a guide system defining paths between input ports receiving light waves having diverse wavelengths and at least one output port. Gates on the paths are each opened or closed so that the light waves reaching the output port via the gates which are open are selected according to the input ports which received them and according to their wavelength. The guide system is situated only between the optical gates and the output port and includes a wavelength separation system assigning some of the paths to the light waves according to their wavelength. The selector has applications in fiber optic telecommunication networks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention finds an application in data transmission networks, in which light waves are guided by fibers after they have been modulated to carry data to be transmitted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Before they are modulated the light waves usually have various predetermined wavelengths referred to as the network wavelengths. The present invention relates to the production of switching matrices which are included in the nodes of such networks and more specifically to the production of selectors used in such matrices. A selector has one or more input ports at which it receives some of said light waves. It also receives a selection instruction in the form of an electrical signal designating at least one of the light waves. It has one or more output ports to which it transmits some of the light waves, as indicated by the instruction.
A selector can be of a type referred to as a spatial selector. It then has a plurality of input ports and selects the light waves according to the input port(s) at which they are received. It can instead be of a type referred to as a wavelength selector. It then selects the light waves according to their wavelength. When a particular wavelength is referred to hereinafter, or it is stated that light waves having a particular wavelength are selected, or that a path is assigned to a wavelength, the implication will be that the wavelength concerned is one of the network wavelengths, that the light waves selected are some of the light waves previously mentioned, and that a path is assigned to those light waves. The light waves selected are not only pure light waves, i.e. unmodulated light waves having a precise network wavelength, but also, and more typically, carrier light waves which result from modulating a corresponding pure light wave with data to be transmitted and which therefore cover a wavelength band including that wavelength. The width of that wavelength band is typically around 0.1 nm for a data bit rate of 10 Gbit/s. Any light wave whose wavelength is in that band or sufficiently close to it would then also be selected. A light wave of this kind is referred to hereinafter as one xe2x80x9cassociatedxe2x80x9d with the network wavelength.
A selector is referred to as a xe2x80x9chybridxe2x80x9d selector hereinafter if it is both a spatial selector and a wavelength selector. A typical selector of this kind transmits to its single output port light waves which are received at one of its input ports and have one of the network wavelengths, that port and that wavelength being those designated by the selection instruction.
In the selectors considered hereinafter a light wave is selected by opening an optical gate. Because that gate is not sensitive either to the input port of the light wave or to its wavelength, it can assure its selection function only because it is situated on a path assigned to that light wave. In the case of a wavelength selector, it is therefore necessary to associate a specific system with the selector to assign various paths to the light waves according to their wavelength. Such a system is referred to hereinafter as a xe2x80x9cwavelength separation systemxe2x80x9d.
First and second hybrid selectors known in the art both include first a spatial selector and then a wavelength selector, in the upstream to downstream direction defined by the direction of propagation of the light waves. Each selector has a plurality of input ports respectively connected to a plurality of output ports by optical gates. An intermediate system connects each output port of the spatial selector to each input port of the wavelength selector. It constitutes a wavelength separation system because, of the light waves that it receives from each of the output ports, it transmits to each of the input ports only the light waves which are associated with a single network wavelength and depend on the input port. An output system connects each of the output ports of the wavelength selector to the output port of the hybrid selector.
The first of the selectors known in the art is described in the article xe2x80x9cDesign and Implementation of a Fully Reconfigurable All-optical Cross-connect for High-capacity Multi-wavelength Transport Networkxe2x80x9d by A. Jourdan et al, IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol 14 No. 6, p. 1198, June 1996.
It has the disadvantage, where the power of the light waves to be transmitted is concerned, that its intermediate system combines the losses of a combiner receiving the light waves at the output of the spatial selector and those of a multiplexer thereafter performing the wavelength separation.
This is why, in the second hybrid selector known in the art, the intermediate system consists of a router which orients the light waves according to their wavelength as soon as they leave the spatial selector.
The second selector known in the art is described in the article xe2x80x9cA 2.56 Tb/s Throughput Packet/Cell-Based Optical Switch-Fabric Demonstratorxe2x80x9d, S. Araki, S. Takahashi, Y. Maeno, Y. Suemura, A. Tajima, H. Takahashi, K. Matsuda, T. Tamanuki, S. Dohmae, N. Henmi-ECOC""98, 20-24 September, Madrid, Spain. It has the disadvantage that the carrier light waves which it transmits are subject to a high level of noise.
One particular object of the present invention is to provide in a simple and low-cost manner a hybrid selector which combines low internal losses with low output noise.
To this end, it provides a hybrid spatial and wavelength selector for optical switching matrices, the selector including guide means defining paths between input ports receiving light waves having diverse wavelengths and at least one output port and a plurality of gates on the paths each adapted to be opened or closed so that the light waves reaching the output port via the gates which are open are selected according to the input ports which received the light waves and according to the wavelengths, wherein the guide means are situated only between the plurality of optical gates and the output port and include a wavelength separation system assigning some of the paths to the light waves according to their wavelength.
To enable some of the optical gates of the hybrid selectors known in the art to implement the wavelength selection function, the wavelength separation system of those selectors has always been located on the paths taken by the light waves on the upstream side of these gates. The inventors decided that, to assign certain paths to certain wavelengths, a system of the above kind could just as well operate on the light waves after they have passed through all the optical gates, but it also became apparent that the new arrangement has advantages of its own: it offers the designer of an optical switching matrix a wider choice in terms of the arrangement of the intermediate paths between the gates, and therefore reduces either the optical power losses on those paths or the noise at the output of the selector, at no additional cost.

Hybrid spatial and wavelength selector and optical switching matrix including it


A method for making a LED comprises following steps. A substrate having a first surface and a second surface is provided. A patterned mask layer is applied on a first surface. A number of three-dimensional nano-structures are formed on the first surface and the patterned mask layer is removed. A first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer are formed on the second surface. A first electrode and a second electrode are formed to electrically connect with the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor pre-layer respectively.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method for making a light emitting diode (LED).
2. Discussion of Related Art
LEDs have higher energy conversion efficiency, higher radiance (i.e., they emit a larger quantity of light per unit area), longer lifetime, higher response speed, generate less heat, and have better reliability than conventional light sources. Therefore, LED modules are widely used as light sources in optical imaging systems, such as displays, projectors, and so on.
A conventional LED commonly comprises an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The active layer is located between the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer. The second electrode is located on the P-type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is located on the N-type semiconductor layer. Typically, the second electrode is transparent. In operation, a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied respectively to the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer. Thus, the holes in the P-type semiconductor layer and the electrons in the N-type semiconductor layer can enter the active layer and combine with each other to emit visible light.
However, the efficiency of LEDs is limited by several factors comprising the high refractive index of the P-type semiconductor layer and/or the N-type semiconductor. Therefore, an external quantum efficiency of LEDs is low.
What is needed, therefore, is to provide a method for making a light emitting diode, which can overcome the above-described shortcomings.


A surgical grasping instrument for grasping an elongated implement, which comprises a frame; an elongated member connected to the frame and extending distally therefrom, the elongated member defining a longitudinal axis; and a pair of jaw members operatively connected to the elongated member, the jaw members being adapted for movement between an open position and a closed position, at least one of the jaw members having a recess defined therein and arranged about a central recess axis extending at an angle of about 35° or less relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member, wherein upon movement of the jaw members to the closed position, the jaw members form a holding groove that can engage and firmly secure the elongated implement.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to surgical instruments, and more particularly, to an endoscopic grasping instrument having jaw members advantageously designed to engage and firmly secure a surgical implement at a desired orientation to facilitate manipulation of the implement about the surgical site, and/or mounting of the instrument to other surgical devices, for example, to a surgical stapler.
2. Background of Related Art
Circular anastomosis is the surgical joining of separate hollow body organ sections so that the sections intercommunicate. Typically, the anastomosis procedure follows surgery in which a diseased or defective section of hollow tissue is removed and the remaining end sections are to be joined. In accordance with such procedures, the operative tissue is exposed by making at least one, extensive tissue incision, in the body cavity wall and folding the cut tissue back to provide access to the surgical site. The diseased section of the organ is removed thereby leaving two separate end sections of organ to be thereafter fastened by anastomosis by means of a stapling instrument. The stapling instrument drives a circular array of staples through the end sections and simultaneously cores out any overlapping tissue to free the tubular passages.
Examples of such instruments for performing anastomosis of hollow organs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,304,236, 4,379,457, 4,573,468, 4,576,167, 4,603,693 and 4,646,745, the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. In instruments of the types exemplified by these patents, opposed end portions of the organs to be stapled are clamped between an anvil component and a staple holding component (i.e., staple cartridge), both of which are located at the distal end of the anastomosis instrument. The clamped tissue is stapled by driving one or more staples from the staple cartridge so that the ends of the staples pass through the tissue and are clinched by the anvil component.
In a typical application of joining first and second intestinal sections together, the intestinal section in question is removed leaving the first and second intestinal end sections to be joined by anastomosis. The stapling instrument, having the anvil component operatively coupled thereto, is applied to the operative site. Each end of the intestinal sections to be attached is then secured to their respective stapler cartridge and anvil assembly by a well-known purse string stitch to cause the tissue portions to tighten and to remain on the apparatus in position for permanent attachment by the staples. Thereafter, the anvil component is manually brought into close proximity to the staple cartridge. The instrument is fired and the intestinal sections are attached by circular rows of staples or fasteners.
In some applications of the circular anastomosis technique, it is necessary to utilize a surgical instrument in which the anvil component, typically an anvil assembly comprised of an anvil head and a shaft, is detachably mounted to the staple cartridge. In such cases, the stapling instrument is introduced either surgically or transanally into the first intestinal section without the anvil assembly in place. The anvil assembly is subsequently surgically inserted within the second intestinal section. Both intestinal sections are then secured respectively to the anvil assembly and stapler cartridge by a drawstring type suture. It is then necessary to grasp and hold the shaft of the anvil assembly in order to properly mount the anvil assembly or component onto or within the cartridge assembly portion of the instrument. The instrument is then fired to complete the anastomosis.
However, the task of grasping the anvil and mounting it to the anastomosis instrument has proven to be quite difficult, particularly in restricted operative sites which are surrounded by close organs, tissue, etc. Conventional means incorporate the use of a conventional forceps or similar device. However known forceps typically include flat forceps jaw surfaces which are not suitable for grasping a round implant such as an anvil or anvil shaft. Also, the grasper jaws typically are disposed along the longitudinal axis of the forceps. Such a configuration often requires ample space in the abdominal cavity to grasp and manipulate the instrument. Further, the presence of body fluids, blood, etc. also complicate the procedure.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to an endoscopic surgical instrument having jaws which are adapted to provide a secure grip of the shaft of or for an anvil together with enhanced freedom of movement of the surgical instrument within the patients' body without slippage and/or interference with body organs or tissue of the patient, or other obstructions. Further, the surgical jaws are suitably disposed to provide improved holding of a cylindrical or rod-like object at a desired orientation in which the longitudinal central axis of the cylindrical or rod-like object is substantially parallel or slightly oblique with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the elongated shaft of the surgical instrument. Such a configuration requires less space in the abdominal cavity to grasp and manipulate the instrument. Yet further, the anvil shaft is suitably designed to facilitate mounting of the shaft to the anastomosis instrument.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An X-ray computed tomographic apparatus includes an X-ray tube which generates X-rays, an X-ray detecting unit which detects X-rays transmitted through a subject to be examined to acquire projection data, an image reconstructing unit which reconstructs image data from the acquired projection data, and a tube current value setting unit which sets a tube current value for the X-ray tube on the basis of the projection data and information about contrast examination planned for the subject.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray computed tomographic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is generally known, an X-ray computed tomographic apparatus is designed to obtain an image (tomographic image) by calculating (reconstructing) the X-ray absorption coefficient of a tissue such as an organ on the basis of the amount of X-rays absorbed in a subject to be examined as an index called a CT value with reference to the X-ray absorption coefficient of water.
A reconstructed image inevitably contains image noise. Image noise is typically defined with reference to a variation in the CT value of a homogeneous phantom image as a standard deviation, which is generally called an image SD. In order to make diagnosis by observing a reconstructed image, e.g., to discriminate a shadow on the image as noise or a tumor, the image SD unique to the image must be considered. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, the water-equivalent thickness of a subject to be examined is calculated from a scanogram taken in advance, and a tube current corresponding to a designated image SD is calculated from the water-equivalent thickness. In helical scan, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, tube currents are discretely calculated at intervals corresponding to a helical pitch along the body axis so as to maintain the designated image SD.
In contrast examination, however, since the X-ray absorption coefficient increases due to a contrast medium injected into the subject, the image SD increases, as shown in FIG. 11.


An organic electroluminescent device comprises a plurality of stacked layers of polymeric materials soluble in an organic solvent. As a polymeric material forming a lower layer, a polymeric material is selected having a molecular weight greater than the molecular weight of a polymeric material of a layer to be formed on the lower layer. As an organic solvent for dissolving the polymeric material forming the lower layer, an organic solvent is selected having a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant of an organic solvent for dissolving the polymeric material forming an upper layer. With a light emitting layer being the lower layer and an electron transport layer being the upper layer, it is preferable that the electron transport layer includes a polymeric material having hole blocking property. With a light emitting layer being the lower layer and an electron transport layer being the upper layer, it is preferable that the repeating unit of the polymeric material forming the light emitting layer and the repeating unit of the polymeric material forming the electron transport layer include the same chemical structure.

Conventionally, in a low-molecular organic electroluminescent device, carriers are smoothly injected into a light emitting layer using a multi-layered structure formed with a dry process. In an organic electroluminescent device using polymeric materials, on the other hand, polymer layers are formed with a wet process. With the commonly used wet process, however, a polymer layer serving as a lower layer is subjected to dissolution during the formation of a polymer layer as an upper layer.
For this reason, an organic electroluminescent device of the two-layered structure has been proposed in which two layers, a water-soluble conductive polymer and a luminescent polymer soluble in an organic solvent, are formed. Also proposed is the formation of a stacked structure using two kinds of solvents, a polar solvent and a non-polar solvent.
In addition, a method of fabricating an organic electroluminescent device has been proposed in which an organic material is used as a material of the light emitting layer which is soluble in a solvent having solubility parameters out of the solubility range for the material forming a first organic layer on the side of the substrate, and an organic material is used as a material of a second organic layer formed on the light emitting layer which is soluble in a solvent having solubility parameters out of the solubility range for the material forming the light emitting layer, so as to produce a multi-layered structure (refer to JP 2002-299061 A, for example).
The above-described prior art, however, has yet to provide an organic light emitting device with sufficient luminous efficiency.

Organic electroluminescent device and method for manufacturing same


A cryosurgery mask permits the continuous application of coolant during cryosurgery. Cryosurgery employs the application of a coolant, such as liquid nitrogen (LN), to a target tissue to effect the removal thereof. The target tissue normally includes diseased tissue, along with a safety margin of adjacent tissue. The cryosurgery mask includes a flexible sheet having a non-adhesive upper surface and a lower skin-facing surface of a silicone gel composition which remains adherent to skin at cryosurgery temperature. A release film is releasably affixed to the skin-facing surface to protect against contamination. In operation, a hole, dimensioned to encircle both the diseased tissue and a safety margin of adjacent normal tissue, is removed from the sheet. The release film is removed and the hole is positioned over the target tissue. The gel layer adjacent to and surrounding the hole is pressed against the skin. A constant spray of LN may then be applied to the target tissue to effect freezing. The gel surface adheres to the skin forming a barrier and preventing LN from freezing non-target tissue. The mask permits the rapid cooling of diseased tissue to a desired depth, while minimizing damage to non-target tissue.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved method for performing cryosurgery and, more particularly, to a mask or drape having a silicone gel surface which adheres to the skin at low temperatures.
2. Prior Art
Cryotherapy is a well established procedure for removing unwanted tissue (target tissue) from the skin. The advantages of treating target tissue such as a tumor with cryosurgery include a higher cure rate and reduced cost per procedure. Small tumors take less than 20 minutes to freeze while larger cancers (i.e. breast and vulva) can take up to 3 hours. In addition, healthy skin can tolerate temperatures down to -12.degree. centigrade. Problems occur when the temperature gets below -20.degree. C. In cryosurgery, an area of the skin incorporating the unwanted or diseased tissue is frozen to reduce the temperature of the tissue to a lethal temperature causing cell death in the diseased tissue which is subsequently rejected by the body. A safety margin consisting of normal tissue adjacent to and surrounding the diseased tissue is also frozen to prevent any diseased tissue cells from remaining behind.
When performing cryosurgery it is desirable to "freeze quickly and thaw slowly." In accordance with this dictum, liquid nitrogen is a preferred coolant and is widely employed for freezing unwanted target tissue. Liquid nitrogen (LN) is relatively inexpensive and easy to handle. The disadvantage of using liquid nitrogen is that when LN is applied to the surface of the skin it freezes the outermost layer before cooling the target tissue to a depth sufficient to kill all diseased cells. The frozen layer of skin forms a barrier to heat conduction causing additional LN applied to the target tissue to run off the frozen surface surrounding nontarget tissue before it can evaporate. To prevent such damage to nontarget tissue, practitioners use intermittent spraying of coolant onto the target tissue. This enables the heat to be conducted from the deeper tissue to the outer layer where the caloric content is expended vaporizing the liquid nitrogen and equilibrating the tissue temperature to a desired depth. Thus, in order to prevent inadvertent burning of nontarget tissue, an intermittent spray is employed.
Silicone sheeting has been used for many years as a wound dressing. There are other medical conditions, such as burns, which benefit by the application of silicone sheeting thereto. In some instances, the silicone sheeting is permeable to liquids so that a suppurating wound may remain dry. In other instances, the sheeting is permeable to gases. Unfortunately, the currently available sheeting used for wound dressing is inoperable as a mask for cryosurgery because either the sheeting is permeable to gas and/or liquids or the surface of the sheeting (which contacts the skin) comprises a gel which loses its ability to adhere to the skin at temperatures below -20.degree. C. As a consequence, the material used in commercially available silicone gel type wound dressings, such as "Epi-Derm.RTM.", does not provide a suitable masking material for enabling the practitioner to use a constant stream of liquid nitrogen to freeze unwanted tissue without injury to non-target tissue.

Silicone mask for cryosurgery and method


Articles being information management objects are brought together and stored in a preservation place arranged within the communication area by an antenna and a reader/writer unit, and electric wave communication of having an access to only wire-less tags of the number of the information management objects located in the preservation place or the number (object number) to be processed is performed, and communication without excess and deficiency is realized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless tag information management device that devises controlling electric wave radiation by a reader/writer of an information management device that communicates with wireless tags.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, wireless tags being wireless data carriers, each of which has set up therein inherent ID, has a memory area in which information can be rewritten, and can identify its inherent ID or write and read out the information in a noncontact manner using an electric wave signal, are coming into use.
For example, mail articles and deliveries are made to have attached thereto or built therein a wireless tag having set up therein inherent ID respectively. Accordingly, those mail articles and deliveries can be identified by transmitting and receiving a communication electric wave signal respectively from a reader/writer arranged at the pathway when they are transported. Furthermore, documents and books are made to have attached thereto a wireless tag. Then, a reader/writer that transmits and receives an electric wave signal similarly can detect whether or not an intended article exists among those multiple stored documents and books.
Generally, a conventional reader/writer that transmits and receives a communication electric wave signal carries out system processing for communication by always radiating a power electric wave for activating wireless tags located in the communication area and a signal electric wave of communication information, or radiating such electric waves during a time period set up by a host device of an entire system, from an antenna of the reader/writer.
Under above-described conventional system technique for communicating with wireless tags, a reader/writer keeps on radiating an electric wave during a set up communication time period irrespective of the existence or nonexistence of wireless tag, that is, even if there is no wireless tag. Such electric wave radiation leads to wasteful power consumption, which is a problem.

Wireless tag information management device


A central control system for airconditioner(s) and a method for controlling the same. The central control system can centrally control a plurality of airconditioners connected to the same communication network. In the system, a protocol converter connected to a central controller converts a communication standard of a signal communicated between the airconditioners and the central controller into another communication standard, acquires connection state information by scanning connection state information of individual airconditioners, and transmits the acquired information to the central controller, such that a manager can correctly monitor an airconditioner state using the central controller, resulting in the implementation of a reliable control system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system for connecting a protocol converter to a central controller capable of centrally controlling one or more airconditioners interconnected over a communication network, and more particularly to an air-conditioning system for controlling a protocol converter to communicate with an airconditioner using a first communication standard, and controlling the protocol converter to communicate with a central controller using a second communication standard, such that mutual signal communication is made available using a protocol conversion process.
The protocol converter of the present invention scans, in real time, connection states of a plurality of airconditioners, and transmits the scanned result to the central controller, such that the central controller can automatically recognize airconditioners currently connected to the communication network, resulting in implementation of more correct integrated-control operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increasing demands of users who desire to use airconditioners at any location, there has recently been developed a system for controlling a plurality of indoor units installed at many places, for example, individual rooms of a house and individual offices of a building, etc.
The indoor units are classified into a single-type airconditioning system and a multi-airconditioning system according to a connection method between the indoor units and an outdoor unit.
The single-type airconditioning system includes indoor units installed in individual rooms, and outdoor units connected to the indoor units on one to one basis. The multi-airconditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units installed in individual rooms and a small number of outdoor units less than the indoor units. One outdoor unit is shared with a predetermined number of indoor units. It should be noted that the single-type airconditioning system and the multi-airconditioning system will hereinafter be generally called an airconditioning system for the convenience of description.
A user of the aforementioned airconditioning system enters a control command in the airconditioning system using a key entry unit installed in an indoor unit, a microprocessor contained in the indoor unit connected to the key entry unit generates a control signal in response to the control command to control operations of the airconditioning system, resuling in indoor cooling implementation.
Needless to say, if the outdoor unit adapted for the airconditioning system is configured in the form of a heat pump capable of switching the direction of refrigerant circulation, an indoor heating function can also be made available.
If unexpected erroneous operations occur in either the indoor unit or the outdoor unit contained in the airconditioning system, a system administrator or manager must directly access individual airconditioners 10, and must enter control commands for system repair/maintenance services in all the airconditioners 10, as shown in FIG. 1.
Particularly, public buildings such as apartments passively administrate or manage their airconditioning systems, such that they unavoidably require a large number of managers or superintendents and high management costs, resulting in cost inefficiency and low use efficiency of the airconditioning system.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a central controller for centrally controlling the aforementioned airconditioning system is connected to the airconditioning system, such that it can control individual operations of a plurality of airconditioners and can also monitor individual states of the airconditioners.
However, the central controller is not directly connected to the airconditioning system, and is indirectly connected to the airconditioning system via a protocol converter and a local controller. In this case, the protocol converter converts a communication standard of a signal communicated between the central controller and the airconditioning system into another communication standard, the local controller controls a prescribed group comprised of the aforementioned airconditioning system, and the protocol converter and the local controller may each be considered to be an intermediate controller.
Therefore, if unexpected network errors occur in the intermediate controller such as either the protocol converter or the local controller, reliability of the signal communicated between the central controller and the airconditioning system is unavoidably deteriorated, such that an erroneous operation control function may be unexpectedly implemented.
In this case, provided that the central controller must be reset or both the central controller and the airconditioning system connected to the communication network must be reset simultaneously, a communication mode between the central controller and the airconditioning system can normally be established.
Furthermore, if the conventional airconditioning system includes a newly-connected or reconnected airconditioner, an administrator or manager must passively assign an ID (Identifier) to the newly-connected or reconnected airconditioner, and must re-enter the assigned ID in the central controller to recognize a network of the airconditioner, resulting in the occurrence of troublesome and inefficient tasks of the administrator or manager.

Central control system for airconditioner and method for operating the same


A radio communication control station including a packet receiver, a paging controller, a location information receiver, and a retriever. The packet receiver receives an IP packet destined for a radio communication terminal subscribing to one of sub-networks constituting a composite radio communication network. The paging controller causes one of the sub-networks to page the radio communication terminal. The location information receiver receives location information on a current location of the radio communication terminal from the radio communication terminal. The retriever retrieves candidates of sub-networks that can be employed by the radio communication terminal on the basis of the location information on the radio communication terminal. The radio communication terminal selects a sub-network for its use among from the candidates and establishes an environment for communication with the sub-network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication control station, a radio communication terminal, a home agent, and a radio communication method for implementing IP communication in a composite radio communication network comprising a plurality of radio communication networks.
2. Prior Art
On account of the development of radio communication networks including mobile phone networks and the universalization of the Internet, the demand of Internet communication by means of radio communication terminals is rising. Such a demand has been satisfied, e.g., by i-mode (Trademark of NTT DoCoMo Inc. Tokyo, Japan) and the rapid popularization of i-mode is remarkable in this country.
In accordance with the i-mode technique, however, terminals are not given Internet protocol (IP) addresses, which are terminal identifiers for the Internet. Accordingly, a node on the Internet-side cannot carry out self-initiated transmission to the mobile phone terminals over IP although the mobile phone terminals can access to the Internet via the gateway interconnecting the mobile phone network and the Internet, using the hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) or the like.
If a computer terminal plugged with a mobile telephone handset by a modem accesses to the Internet via the mobile telephone network, the terminal is temporarily allocated an IP address by an Internet access provider. In this case, a node on the Internet-side can carry out self-initiated transmission to the terminal over IP if the node knows the temporary IP address somehow. However, even in this case, the terminal is not permanently allocated an IP address.
The Internet has been designed and constructed with geographically fixed sub-networks and terminals, and packet routing has been operated on the IP address which represents the fixed sub-network where the terminal belongs. Therefore, even if a terminal is given an IP address, it cannot communicate with another party via another sub-network when the IP address is different from and is not void in the address system of the other party's sub-network.
The Mobile Internet Protocol (mobile IP) is known as a technique for solving the above-described issue on IP address. In accordance with mobile IP, an inherent or permanent IP address is allocated to a mobile terminal as well as fixed terminals. When the mobile terminal is linked with a sub-network different from its home sub-network, where the mobile terminal originally subscribes, the mobile terminal is assigned another IP address for the newly visited sub-network. Accordingly, the mobile terminal not only has the original or inherent IP address, but also the temporary IP address that is effective in the visited sub-network. Since the relationship between the inherent IP address and the new IP address is registered in the home sub-network, IP packets destined for the inherent IP address are transferred to the assigned IP address that is effective in the latest stage, whereby the destination terminal can receive the IP packets successfully.
The home sub-network where a mobile terminal subscribes is referred to as a home network for the mobile terminal. The home network includes a mechanism called home agent (HA) that monitors the relationship between the inherent IP address and the newest IP address for every mobile terminal subscribing to the home network itself, and transfers IP packets using the newest IP addresses.
JP-A-2000-253069 discloses a technique for ensuring quality of service although mobile IP is utilized. In accordance with mobile IP, IP packets are encapsulated so as to be transferred to the sub-network visited by the destination terminal. At this encapsulation, the inherent IP packets are modified to be adapted for the sub-network, which the destination mobile terminal currently visits. The technique of JP-A-2000-253069 keeps the attributes of the quality of service indicated in the inherent IP packets effective at the modification. The use of mobile IP has a merit that IP packets may be successfully transferred on the basis of the newest IP addresses corresponding to inherent IP addresses. However, problems has been indicated. For example, the cost and latency are increased for transferring packets from the HA to the destination terminal.
On the other hand, demands for high rate transmission using radio communication terminals and flexible mobility support for mobile terminals have been increased. Therefore, the studies on stratosphere platform, MMAC (multiple model adaptive control), and so on have been progressed.
Generally, when a high frequency band is used for implementing high rate communication, the electromagnetic attenuation and other problems occur due to the severe directivity and much diffusion and absorption at reflections, resulting great difficulty in mobility support although the data propagation rate can be enhanced. Accordingly, it is difficult to satisfy requirements of all radio communication terminals by a sole network. Thus, a radio overlay network (composite radio communication network) including a plurality of radio networks has been studied. In the radio overlay network, one or more constituent networks are selectively used in accordance with requirements of a user or application.
However, in conventional composite radio communication networks, it is impossible for radio communication terminals such as mobile phone handsets to implement IP communication.

Radio communication control station, radio communication terminal, home agent, and radio communication method


A lifting device suited for use in lifting and handling heavy slabs, sheets of material, or panels generally includes a frame comprising side-plates, the upper ends of which are rigidly secured together by cross-members. The lower portion of one side-plate is angled downwardly and away from the other side-plate. A carriage is arranged between the lower portion of the one side-plate and a movable jaw for vertical movement with respect to the frame. The movable jaw is mounted for horizontal sliding movement on the cross-members between the side-plates. The carriage is suspended from a tension-member, which is guided for vertical movement by the cross-members and has its upper end secured to (or formed as) a lifting lug. When the lifting device is placed over, for example, a slab to be lifted, the carriage is raised by lifting the tension-member, and the slab is clamped sufficiently tightly to be lifted.

Heavy slabs and sheets of material are commonly stacked standing on an edge leaning against an A-frame. To lift the outer slab from the stack, it first must be pivoted away from the adjacent slab until it can be gripped by a lifting device. The angle through which the outer slab must be pivoted depends upon the clearance needed to allow the lifting device to engage the slab. Since the lifting devices almost universally employed are of the scissors (or lazy tongs) variety, the outer slab must be pivoted through a substantial angle. This can be very dangerous for the operator as the heavy outer slab is likely to over-balance and fall. Also, valuable slabs of materials such as marble and granite are likely to break when they fall resulting in considerable financial loss.
Furthermore, it is often necessary to position a slab or panel which has been lifted by a device against a wall or vertical frame to which it is to be secured. Again, the use of scissors-type lifting devices often means that the slab or panel must be propped well off-vertical in a potentially dangerous position while the device is disengaged. Only after the device has been removed is it possible to then tilt the slab or panel to the vertical position in which it is to be fixed. The vertical clearance above the slab or panel for the attachment and/or removal of the scissors-type device also presents substantial problems in practice.

Lifting device for slab, panel or sheet materials


A system and method for rendering an image that includes accessing image data and dividing the image data into one or more blocks. One or more corner points of the blocks are identified and rays are cast through voxel space of the image data in the direction of the corner points to determine one or more integrated values for the corner points. The integrated values are then sampled and compared to the sampled values for each combination of the corner points. A difference value (diffvalue) is calculated as a function of the comparison and an initial gradient (grad) is calculated as a function of a Reduced Path Octree (RPO) structure during the casting of rays. Next, a maximum gradient (maxGrad) is calculated based on the initial gradient (grad). Finally, an image processing operation is determined as a function of the maximum gradient (maxGrad) and the difference value (diffvalue). The image processing operation may perform interpolation to fill pixel values inside the image data, or it may perform recursive sub-division of the blocks, and cast and sample additional rays.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to imaging systems. More specifically, the present invention is directed to systems and methods of image processing in which a pixel gradient as well as value comparison are used to improve image quality.
2. Background Discussion
Medical imaging techniques provide doctors and medical technicians with valuable data for patient diagnosis and care. Various imaging techniques include cardiac angiography, peripheral angiography, radiography, computed tomography and positron emission tomography. All of these imaging techniques produce medical images that are studied by medical personnel. A higher quality image leads to more accurate diagnosis.
Radiography is the use of certain spectra of electromagnetic radiation, usually x-rays, to image a human body. Angiography, a particular radiographic method, is the study of blood vessels using x-rays. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or contrast medium, to make the blood vessels visible under x-ray. Angiography is used to detect abnormalities, including narrowing (stenosis) or blockages (occlusions), in the blood vessels throughout the circulatory system and in certain organs.
Cardiac angiography, also known as coronary angiography, is a type of angiographic procedure in which the contrast medium is injected into one of the arteries of the heart, in order to view blood flow through the heart, and to detect obstruction in the coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.
Peripheral angiography, in contrast, is an examination of the peripheral arteries in the body; that is, arteries other than the coronary arteries. The peripheral arteries typically supply blood to the brain, the kidneys, and the legs. Peripheral angiograms are most often performed in order to examine the arteries which supply blood to the head and neck, or the abdomen and legs.
Computed Tomography (CT), originally known as computed axial tomography (CAT or CT scan), is an imaging technique that uses digital geometry processing to generate a three dimensional image of internal features of an object from a series of two-dimensional x-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation. An iodine dye, or other contrast material, may be used to make structures and organs easier to see on the CT picture. The dye may be used to check blood flow, find tumors, and examine other problems.
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging may also be used. In PET imaging, a short-lived radioactive tracer isotope, which decays by emitting a positron, and which has been chemically incorporated into a metabolically active molecule, is injected into the patient. The radioactive decay of the positrons is measured to generate an image.
When imaging techniques produce images, the images have a dataset of pixels or voxels (described in more detail below) that can be modified to increase the image quality. For example, medical volumetric dataset sizes have been expanding rapidly with the new advanced CT scanners. For example, typical CT machines from Siemens® Medical Solutions can generate a pixel image dataset at a size of 512×512×4096. The capacity to visualize such datasets with high interactivity and high image quality is helpful to medical professionals in diagnosing disease.
Ray-casting is one technique to generate images. However, interactivity is difficult to achieve due to intensive computation and cache-unfriendly memory access. The large number of sampling rays, which grow as a function of O(n2) (where n is image resolution), makes the technique even less efficient.
In order to increase the speed of the technique to render an image, usually a different rendering scheme is used for images during interaction (interactive mode) and then when a user stops and examines the image (definitive mode). Thus, the use of different methods has been one approach to improve the interactive mode performance. Other approaches include using nearest neighbor interpolation method as well as reducing rendered image resolution.
Unfortunately, most of the methods currently used compromise the image quality. For example, reducing the rendered image resolution (in Ray-Casting, it means shooting fewer number of rays) is achieved by rendering a smaller image (lower resolution) and then scale the image in 2D to the appropriate resolution.
However this approach is not optimal for balancing the rendering quality and performance because the rendering speed is unacceptably slow. Furthermore, reducing the image resolution by 4 or more in each dimension usually results in poor image quality.
Therefore, it would be an advancement in the state of the art to provide a system and method of generating high quality image data in an interactive mode with high frame rates.

Systems and methods of gradient assisted volume rendering


A transfer unit used with an image forming apparatus includes an upper housing having a transfer belt of an endless track structure to transfer an image from a photoconductive unit of a main body of the image forming apparatus, and a plurality of rollers to support the transfer belt to rotate therein, and a lower housing removably connected to the upper housing, and having a cleaning unit to clean the transfer belt. The transfer unit is removably mounted to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Accordingly, the transfer unit is facile to be connected to and separated in a vertical direction from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, it is convenient to replace the transfer unit since the relative position thereof can be controlled with respect to a contacting object, such as the photoconductive unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a transfer unit used with an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, a transfer unit detachably mounted in a vertical direction in an image forming apparatus and having a transfer belt of an endless track structure to transfer an image from a photoconductive unit of a main body of the image forming apparatus, an upper housing having a plurality of rollers to support the transfer belt and move therein, and a lower housing having a cleaning unit of the transfer belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus, i.e., a printer or a photocopier, includes a transfer unit to receive a developed image and transfer the received developed image to a paper. As the transfer unit is used a long period of time, accuracy thereof gradually deteriorate. Therefore, to guarantee a clearly developed image, the transfer unit needs to be replaced with a new one after a predetermined life span of the transfer unit.
Further, it is preferable that the transfer unit has a simple structure to be handled with ease in connecting and separating. Therefore, many researches on the transfer unit are under way.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a general conventional image forming apparatus having a transfer unit 20.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus having the transfer unit 20 includes a photoconductive unit 11, a laser scanning unit 12, a developing apparatus 13, a transfer belt 14, a plurality of rollers 15 for circulating the transfer belt 14 along an endless track, a first transfer roller 16 for transferring an image to the transfer belt 14, a second transfer roller 17 for transferring the image onto a paper, and a fusing roller 18 for fusing the image. The above apparatus operates in association with one another to perform electrifying, laser scanning, developing, transferring, and fusing in regular sequence. Accordingly, a desired image is obtained on the paper.
FIG. 2 shows a general conventional transfer unit of the conventional image forming apparatus of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer unit 20 is supported by a guide rail 42 provided in the image forming apparatus to slide thereon. In addition, the transfer unit 20 includes a transfer housing 23 which constitutes an exterior of the transfer unit 20, a transfer belt 14 disposed in the transfer housing 23, and a plurality of rollers 15, 16, 17 provided to support the transfer belt 14.
A guide member 35 is formed outside the transfer housing 23 to slide along the guide rail 42. At a lower part of the transfer unit 20, the photoconductive unit 11 (FIG. 1) is mounted. The image formed at the photoconductive unit 11 is transferred to the transfer unit 20.
In order to replace the above-structured transfer unit 20 with a new one, a user should open a door (not shown) mounted on a main body (not shown) of the image forming apparatus, separate the photoconductive unit 11 from the main body using a lever (not shown) formed at the main body, pull a first handle 21 of the transfer unit 20 along the guide rail 42 to withdraw the transfer unit 20 from the image forming apparatus.
At this time, when the transfer unit 20 is withdrawn by a predetermined extent, the user unfolds a second handle 22 formed on an upper surface of the transfer unit 20, and grabs the second handle 22 not to drop the transfer unit 20. Mounting of a new transfer unit is performed in the reverse order.
However, in using the transfer unit 20 of the above structure, the user grabs and pulls the handle 21 whenever separating or mounting the transfer housing 23. Therefore, if the user handles the transfer housing 23 carelessly, i.e., pulling the transfer housing 23 too roughly, there is a risk of damaging the transfer housing 23 by dropping it when the guide member 35 is separated from the guide rail 42.
In addition, when mounting or separating the transfer housing 23 with respect to the main body (not shown), the user should hold the first and the second handles 21 and 22 with both hands to move the transfer housing 23 left and right. Thus, the replacing process of the transfer housing 23 becomes troublesome.

Transfer unit used with image forming apparatus