Provided is a process for economically producing single crystal diamond film with a large surface area by gas-phase synthesis. The process comprises depositing platinum film or platinum alloy film containing more than 50 atomic % of platinum on a basal substrate with (111) or (001) surface while keeping the substrate temperature at 300.degree. C. or above, annealing the platinum or platinum alloy film at 1000.degree. C. or above, and performing the gas-phase synthesis of diamond using said platinum or platinum alloy film as the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing single crystal diamond film which is suitable for use in electronic devices (such as transistors, diodes, and sensors), heat-sinks, surface acoustic wave devices, X-ray windows, optical materials, antiwear materials, decorative materials, and other coating materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diamond is characterized by its outstanding heat resistance and large band gap (5.5 eV). It is usually an insulator, but can be semiconducting by doping with impurities. Diamond also has good electrical properties, such as a high breakdown voltage, a high saturated drift velocity, and a low dielectric constant. Because of these electrical characteristics diamond is considered to be an excellent material for use in electronic devices and sensors to be used at high temperatures., high frequencies, and high electric fields.
So far, studies have been conducted on the use of diamond in photosensors and light-emitting elements for light in the short-wave length region (such as ultraviolet) based on the large band gap, in heat sinks based on the high thermal conductivity and low specific heat, in surface acoustic wave devices based on the extremely high hardness, and in X-ray windows and optical materials based on the high transmittance and refractive index. Furthermore, diamond has been widely used as an antiwear material for cutting tools.
In order to fully exploit the characteristics of diamond in various fields, it is necessary to synthesize high quality single crystal diamond with low structural defects. Moreover, for practical use, it is necessary to develop processes for depositing single crystal diamond films on large areas at low cost. At present, single crystal diamond is obtained by natural mining or synthesis under high pressure--high temperature conditions. However, such single crystal diamond, which will be referred to as bulk diamond, has only a limited crystal surface area of about 1 cm.sup.2 at the largest. Moreover, it is extremely expensive. Therefore, its industrial use is limited only to specific areas, such as abrasives and high precision cutting tools.
It is well known that polycrystalline diamond films can be synthesized from gas phase by microwave chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 27754/1984 and 3320/1986), high-frequency plasma CVD, hot filament CVD, DC plasma CVD, plasma jet method, combustion, or hot filament CVD. These methods permit the economical production of diamond film of a large area.
However, diamond films grown on non-diamond substrates such as silicon are polycrystalline where diamond particles randomly aggregate, and as shown in the electron micrograph of FIG. 5, a large number of grain boundaries are contained in the film. Recently, it has been reported that highly oriented diamond films, where diamond crystal grains are oriented in almost the same orientation, as shown in FIG. 6, can be synthesized. However, the film is also polycrystalline, and still contains a large number of grain boundaries. Since grain boundaries trap and scatter carriers (electrons and holes) moving through diamond, even the highly oriented diamond film is inferior in electrical properties to bulk diamond with few grain boundaries. Consequently polycrystalline and highly oriented diamond films do not exhibit satisfactory performance for practical electronic devices and sensors.
Likewise, the existence of grain boundaries is disadvantageous for optical applications because of light scattering and low transmittance. In applications for cutting tools, polycrystalline diamond films are liable to chip.
When single crystal bulk diamond or cubic boron nitride is used as the substrate in the gas-phase synthesis, single crystal diamond films can be grown. However, its surface area is limited as mentioned hereinabove.
It is known that diamond films with a certain degree of grain orientation can be synthesized if nickel and copper are used as the substrate. However, nickel becomes brittle in the high temperature hydrogen plasma atmosphere for the gas-phase synthesis of diamond, and reacts with diamond formed thereon, thereby converting diamond into graphite (D. N. Belton and S. J. Schmeig, J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 66, p.4223 (1989)). On the other hand, copper has a linear thermal expansion coefficient which is more than 10 times greater than that of diamond at temperatures above 600.degree. C., so that the diamond film formed on copper substrate is liable to be peeled off after cooling down to room temperature (D. F. Denatale et al., J. Materials Science, Vol. 27, p. 553 (1992)).
Gas-phase synthesis of diamond on platinum and other transition metals have been studied. However, only polycrystalline diamond films were grown (Matsumoto and Takamatsu, "Hyomen Gijutsu", Vol. 44, No. 10, p. 47 (1993); M. Kawarada et al., Diamond and Related Materials, Vol. 2, p. 1083 (1993); D. N. Belton and S. J. Schmeig, J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 69, No. 5, p.3032 (1991); D. N. Belton and S. J. Schmeig, Surface Science, Vol. 223, p. 131 (1990); and Y. G. Ralchenko et al., Diamond and Related Materials, Vol. 2, p. 904 (1993)).
For industrial use of diamond films, it is necessary to develop a process for synthesizing single crystal diamond films, which is completely or almost completely free of grain boundaries, on a large area. Such a process has not been available so far.

Process for producing single crystal diamond film


There is provided a comprehensive accuracy management method attained by including the steps of: displaying operation event information in time series in an accuracy management result chart or a calibration result chart on the same screen; accumulating a characteristic daily measurement value fluctuation pattern on the basis of a kind of an operation event; displaying the latest fluctuation pattern of measurement results and the daily measurement value fluctuation pattern in superposition with each other to warn of fluctuations which differ from the daily measurement value fluctuation pattern; and estimating and reporting the cause of the fluctuations.

In the accuracy management of an automatic analyzer for clinical inspection, an accuracy management material (control sample), the concentration of which is know, is interruptedly measured during intervals between measurements of patient samples, and whether or not measurement results deviate from a control value associated with the accuracy management material is checked, or circadian variation and day to day variation are checked. Thus, the precision of the automatic analyzer is assessed by the precision of the measurement results. In addition, presence or absence of abnormality in the automatic analyzer, judgment on deterioration of a reagent, preparation quality of standard solution or the like is detected by measurement results of the accuracy management material, and calibration results. These series of accuracy management are executed by a clinical laboratory technologist who summarizes the calibration results and the measurement results of the accuracy management material and records and stores the summarized data. Examples are shown as below.
At present, a plurality of accuracy management materials have already been developed, and are on the market, and management of the accuracy management materials is performed not only by clinical laboratory technologists of clinical laboratories, but also by public institutions.
(1) A clinical laboratory uses an accuracy management material sold by a reagent manufacturer on the market, inputs a concentration value and a standard deviation, which are associated with the accuracy management material, into a data management computer in a hospital as control values, and manages measurement results of the accuracy management material.(2) A clinical laboratory uses an accuracy management material sold by a reagent manufacturer on the market, and transmits measurement result data of the accuracy management material of the clinical laboratory to the reagent manufacturer through a network line, by mail or the like. The reagent manufacturer then summarizes the data. The summarized measurement results of the accuracy management material are subjected to statistical processing, and are then sent to each hospital.(3) An organization such as the Japan Medical Association distributes nationwide common control samples to hospitals, clinical laboratory inspection centers and the like all over the country all at once about once or twice a year to request them to perform measurement. The organization summarizes the measurement results, and then subjects the summarized measurement results to statistical processing. Besides the Japan Medical Association, the management is carried out on a prefecture basis, on a hospital group basis or the like.(4) Manufacturers of automatic analyzers put, to practical use, systems in which automatic analyzers as own products, which have been sold and installed in clinical laboratories of hospitals and inspection centers, are connected to a service server through network lines to enable remote monitoring of the automatic analyzers.
Patent document 1 discloses the related art of the example (4). A clinical laboratory of each hospital transmits calibration results, and measurement results of an accuracy management material, which are associated with a reagent lot number, a calibrator lot number and a lot number of the accuracy management material at the time of measurement, to a support center in real time through a network line. The support center summarizes the calibration results and data of the accuracy management material, and then subjects the summarized data to statistical processing to check a change from the preceding day, and to check a deviation from a reference value. The clinical laboratory of each hospital makes an access to the support center through the network line to check a situation of the accuracy management of the automatic analyzer.


An X-ray computed tomography method and apparatus for obtaining a panoramic X-ray image seen from a direction of a projection line xcex3 (xcex3xe2x80x2) of a curved sectional area SA by expanding calculation results of three-dimensional distribution information of X-ray absorption coefficient on the projection line xcex3 (xcex3xe2x80x2) intersecting at a specified angle xcex2 (xcex2xe2x80x2) for any regions xcex1 of the panoramic sectional image layer SB on a two-dimensional plane based on the three dimensional distribution information of X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area SA obtained by a X-ray CT.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray computed tomography (CT) method and apparatus for obtaining panoramic X-ray images of an object to be examined seen from an optional direction by radiating a conical X-ray beam on a part of the object to be examined.
2. Prior Art
A method of obtaining a panoramic X-ray image known as X-ray computer tomography (CT) has been widely used in medical practice as for diagnosis. This method involves radiating X-rays on the object from all around, followed by analyzing a three-dimensional absorption coefficient distribution information, namely a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient, on the X-rayed object from the projection data by the Radon theory as widely known, thereby obtaining a sectional image of object.
The prior art X-ray CT is a technique in which a fan-shaped X-ray beam relatively wide in the direction of rotation and thin is radiated on the object from around at a depth and this is repeated at different depths.
Accordingly, in the event that only a part inside the object is to be put to tomography examination, the fan-shaped wide X-ray beam is radiated over the whole object to obtain a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient from which a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on that part or region is taken out for analysis. That is, the object is exposed to a substantial dose of the X-ray beam. In addition, it takes long to radiograph and analyze the test data. Accordingly in the light of high dose of radiation, the CT examination is limited to some once a year.
The applicant of the present invention proposes an X-ray computer tomography (CT) method and apparatus for solving the problem of exposed dose of the X-ray beam, namely by radiating conical X-ray beams of a small section area onto a local region, the object to be examined, only once, the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the local region is calculated out.
FIG. 24a is a plane view conceptually showing the area of the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient obtained by the X-ray CT apparatus, FIG. 24b is a partial plane view for conceptually showing the method for producing panoramic X-ray images from the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient and FIG. 24c is a partial view of the panoramic X-ray image produced by this method.
In FIG. 24a, S is a dental arch and SA is a curved sectional area along the dental arch S and is covered by oblique lines. According to the X-ray CT apparatus, a distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient is obtained for the curved sectional area SA, which is an object to be examined. In this area SA, if a region is designated, the three-dimensional distributed information of an X-ray absorption coefficient at the region can be obtained. SB is a panoramic image layer of the curved sectional area SA. Lc is a normal line to the panoramic image layer SB. In FIG. 24b, H1 and H2 conceptually show foreign objects existing inside of a part of the dental arch S.
The X-ray CT apparatus enables the production of normal panoramic X-ray images as such shown in FIG. 24c by processing the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on the normal line Lc to the panoramic image layer SB shown in FIG. 24b. It also enables the production of sectional images of selected teeth, wherein the X-ray exposed dose is decreased to about 1 to 5% of that in case of using conventional systems.
But the panoramic X-ray images produced by the above mentioned method has one problem: as the production method of panoramic X-ray images is limited to the method shown in FIG. 24b, if there are any foreign materials H1 and H2 in the direction of a normal line LC, they are overlapped in the obtained panoramic X-ray image shown in FIG. 24c and cannot be distinguished. In addition, how a tooth is overlapped with another is sometimes invisible on a panoramic view produced from one direction.
The applicant of the present invention has proposed a panoramic X-ray picturing apparatus applicable to various dental arches in a Japanese patent application laid on unexamined under No. S60-103942. With this apparatus, the loci of the rotation of panoramic X-ray radiation can be adjusted depending on male, female or children examinees. The direction of normal lines to the dental arches is changeable depending on the size of the dental arch, and the problem derived from the fixed normal line mentioned above has been solved with that apparatus.
This apparatus, however, requires the loci of the rotation of panoramic X-ray radiation to be changed in order to obtain different panoramic X-ray images, so that the setting condition should be set before picturing. Another problem is that as this apparatus was not made for a computer tomography but for a conventional picturing of sectional images, it also requires the rotating center of the rotary arm to be moved along the specified loci during picturing, which needs a complex driving mechanism.
The applicant of this invention has also introduced in a Japanese patent application laid on unexamined under No. H4-144549 a digital panoramic X-ray picturing apparatus with which panoramic X-ray images of sectional image layers obliquely crossing the curved sectional image layers are produced.
This apparatus enabled the production of panoramic X-ray images seen from the oblique direction of the dental arch. It uses a frame image comprising the projection images and obtains partial images by shifting at a predetermined distance in accordance with the direction of the image shifting in a specific time period. Then the partial images are added to obtain a panoramic X-ray image seen from obliquely.
With this apparatus, however, the data from the obtained projection images is recalculated only after a digital processing and does not utilize the CT method computing a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient by means of backprojection processing, so that the overlapped foreign materials H1 and H2 can not be distinguished.
The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems. According to which, a projection image taken by one X-ray picturing can be effectively utilized with all sorts of merits of X-ray computed tomography method and apparatus using a conical X-ray beam, and a panoramic X-ray image of one panoramic sectional image layer seen from an optional direction can be further gained.
The present invention has been developed to solve those problems as a result of intensive researches by the inventors and following (1)-(11) propose its method and (12)-(29) propose its apparatus.
In the X-ray CT of the present invention, a dental arch being an object to be examined is considered as a curved sectional area, an X-ray projection image is obtained for the curved sectional area by local radiation, the obtained X-ray projection image is processed by a backprojection method, and a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area is calculated. Then the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient is reconstructed by several methods, namely the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on a projection line intersecting a normal line of an area at an optional angle is calculated for the area on a panoramic image layer of the curved sectional area, the calculated result is expanded on a two-dimensional plane, and a panoramic X-ray image wherein the curved sectional area is seen from an optional projection line can be produced.
(1) An X-ray computed tomography method of the present invention is comprised of: sequentially obtaining on a two-dimensional X-ray image sensor an X-ray projection image information of a curved sectional area by photographing with a rotary arm turning while locally radiating conical X-ray beams constantly passing through only a specific region from an X-ray generator, conforming a rotating center of the rotary arm and a center of the specific region in the curved sectional area along a dental arc, which is an object to be examined, or inside of a bow-shape of the curved sectional area, the rotary arm including the X-ray generator and the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor facing to each other; arithmetically processing thus obtained X-ray projection image information by a backprojection method and computing a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area; and calculating the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on a projection line intersecting a normal line of a panoramic image layer at a specified angle for any regions of the panoramic image layer of the curved sectional area and obtaining a panoramic X-ray image of the curved sectional area seen from the projection line by expanding the calculated result on a two-dimensional plane.
According to the X-ray CT method the rotary arm of following complicate loci doesn""t require to form an envelope curve La (as in FIG. 6) as in the prior art for producing panoramic X-ray images. In the present invention, radiographing is performed with the center of rotation fixed. at a specific region. Therefore, the construction of the rotary arm can be simplified.
In this method, a conical X-ray beam is always radiated on a specific region in the curved sectional area along a dental arc, which is an object to produce a panoramic X-ray image, or inside of a bow-shape of the curved sectional area. When a panoramic X-ray image of an entire jaw is radiographed, the specific region is required to be outside of the curved sectional region and inside of the bow-shape of the curved sectional area. When a panoramic X-ray image of one side such as a right side or a left side is radiographed, the specific region may be inside of the curved sectional area. In other words, according to this method, the curved sectional region to be radiographed to produce an image and the specific region where X-ray conical beams are always radiates locally are basically different.
While the projection data is small that can be obtained with the conical X-ray beam locally radiated on the curved sectional region to produce a panoramic X-ray image, panoramic X-ray images clear enough for use in practice can be obtained. That is because the specific region selected is an area in the curved sectional region or in the bow-shape of the curved sectional region where there are less obstacles and, in addition, only a required X-ray projection image is appropriately extracted from the X-ray projection image produced by the conical X-ray beams.
As an example of the specific region, the region which includes excursion of an ortho-conical X-ray beam necessary for producing an ortho-radial panoramic X-ray image of the curved sectional area, is suitable. However, it may be a region in the curved sectional area and in the bow-shape of the curved sectional area. The specific region may be determined considering the projecting condition such as an ortho-radial panoramic radiography by an orth-conical X-ray beam and a normal panoramic radiography and the exposure dose. It is understood that the ortho-conical X-ray beam is a shape of a conical X-ray beam that is locally radiated to produce panoramic X-ray images roughly perpendicular to the curved sectional area, an ortho-radial panoramic X-ray image and it means a conical X-ray beam roughly perpendicular to the panoramic image layer in the curved sectional area extracted from the locally radiating conical X-ray beam. The reason why that ortho-conical X-ray beam alone is extracted is this. The partial X-ray projection images by the ortho-conical X-ray beam contain projection data most suitable for formation of panoramic X-ray images of the curved sectional region, that is, projection data in which teeth are less overlapped.
After selecting such a specific region, only partial X-ray projection images produced by the ortho-conical X-ray beam roughly perpendicular to the curved sectional area is taken out from the X-ray projection images of the curved sectional area sequentially produced on the two-dimensiona X-ray image sensor. The taken out partial X-ray projection images are arithmetically processed to obtain the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the dental arc. Thereby, clear ortho-radial panoramic X-ray images can be obtained.
Furthermore, in this method, because a panoramic X-ray image which is an overlapping image seen from a projection line intersecting at a specified angle to a panoramic image layer for producing the panoramic X-ray image is obtained, foreign objects hidden if seen from one direction can be easily found, and because diverse sectional images changing a direction of the projection line for a same sectional image layer is obtained, how a tooth is overlapped with another can be more accurately diagnosed.
In case of producing panoramic X-ray images, panoramic sectional images seen from different directions of a projection line for the same sectional image layer can be provided as mentioned above so that the method of the present invention is highly useful for diagnosis
(2) An X-ray computed tomography method is comprised of: sequentially obtaining on a two-dimensional X-ray image sensor an X-ray projection image information of a curved sectional area by photographing with a rotary arm turning while locally radiating conical X-ray beams constantly passing through only a specific region from an X-ray generator, conforming a rotating center of the rotary arm and a center of the specific region in the curved sectional area along a dental arc, which is an object to be examined, or inside of a bow-shape of the curved sectional area, the rotary arm including the X-ray generator and the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor facing to each other; arithmetically processing thus obtained X-ray projection image information by a backprojection method and computing a three dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area; and calculating the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on a projection line for any regions of the panoramic image layer of the curved sectional area, presetting a normal line of the panoramic image layer as the projection line, and obtaining a panoramic X-ray image of the curved sectional area seen from the projection line by expanding the calculated result on a two-dimensional plane.
This X-ray CT method defines the specified angle of the projection line and the normal line of the panoramic image layer in the X-ray CT method mentioned in (1) is set at 0 (zero) degree. Namely, the projection line conforms with the normal line.
In the prior panoramic X-ray imaging apparatus without using CT, an X-ray transmitted image including not only a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of a desired region for producing X-ray transmitted images but also information of an unnecessary region for producing images, therefore, the obtained images may be out of focus. Furthermore, X-ray incidence for a dental arch from a complete normal direction can""t be achieved. Therefore, the obtained images aren""t a complete ortho-radial panoramic X-ray image. However in this CT method, the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient for the once obtained curved sectional area by local radiation is reconstructed so that only acceptable data among the obtained data, namely the data on a projection line while presetting a direction of a normal line for the panoramic image layer as a direction of the projection line, are used for producing a panoramic X-ray image, thereby an accurate ortho-radial panoramic X-ray image being obtained.
(3) According to this X-ray computed tomography method, in the X-ray computed tomography method in (1) or (2), a calculated result of a weighted average of the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient on the projection line is expanded on a two-dimensional plane so as to obtain a panoramic X-ray image from the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area.
According to this X-ray CT method, an operational method which isn""t specified in (1) and (2) is defined to be a weighted average. According to the weighted average, experimentally obtained weighting can be done for each data in case of calculating from the three-dimensional distribution information so that more accurate panoramic X-ray image can be obtained. If any weighing isn""t set for the weighted average, calculation is an arithmetic average.
(4) According to this X-ray computed tomography method, in the X-ray CT methods in (1) to (3), a direction of the projection line further becomes a direction of a normal line for a rising direction of each tooth constituting the dental arch corresponding to the curved sectional area.
The specified angle in (1) to (3) isn""t always two-dimensional but may include a three-dimensional one. In this method, the specified angle is defied as an angle in which the direction of the projection line is the direction of the normal line for the rising direction of tooth.
In the prior panoramic X-ray image, because front teeth are inclined for a sectional image layer, images in which adjacent teeth are overlapped are obtained or images of accurate size can""t be obtained. However, according to this method, images in which teeth are rarely overlapped can be obtained and accurate diagnosis of caries of adjacent teeth can be done, because images seen from the normal line of the rising direction of the teeth. Furthermore, caries diagnosis can be made at full scale.
(5) According to this X-ray computed tomography method, in the X-ray CT method in (1), the specified angle is constructed to be adjustable at an optional angle in up and down direction and/or right and left direction for the panoramic image layer. This method clears that the specified angle isn""t limited to be two-dimensional and may be a three-dimensional angle including an up and down direction and/or a right and left direction for the panoramic image layer, like the method in (4). The method can correspond to the case where the rising direction and the overlapping direction of teeth are three-dimensionally inclined such as in up and down direction and/or in right and left direction.
(6) According to the X-ray computed tomography method, the specified angle of the X-ray CT methods in (1) to (5) is constructed so as to be equal for any regions of the panoramic image layer. In the present invention, the specified angle of the projection line and the normal line of the panoramic image layer may be basically different depending on each region. In this method, the specified angle is set equal for the panoramic image layer.
In such a manner, panoramic X-ray images seen from a direction of the projection line inclining at an equal angle for any regions of the panoramic image layer so that the images can be sensuously understood. (7) According to this X-ray computed tomography method, either the specified angle described in the methods (1), (5) or (6) is infinitely and variably adjustable or it is selectable from plural specified angles.
In this method, a setting method of the specified angle for determining a direction of the projection line is defined. (8) According to the X-ray computed tomography method, in the X-ray CT methods in (1) to (7), the object to be examined is moved for the rotating center of the rotary arm or the rotating center of the rotary arm is moved for the object to be examined for positioning so as to conform the rotating center of the rotary arm and the center of the specific region. According to this method, a method for conforming the rotating center of the rotary arm and the center of the specified region can be selected from two ways according to the target to be moved so that there are plural choices for conforming those centers.
(9) According to the X-ray computed tomography method, in the X-ray CT methods in (1) to (8), only ortho-conical X-ray beams which is approximately perpendicular to the panoramic image layer are extracted from the conical X-ray beams and are radiated, a partial X-ray projection image information obtained on the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor by the ortho-conical X-ray beams is arithmetically processed by a backprojection method and the three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area is obtained, and a panoramic X-ray image is obtained by expanding the three-dimensional distribution information on a two-dimensional plane.
According to this method, radiating beam is an ortho-conical X-ray beam from the first instead of extracting a partial X-ray projection image information presumably obtained by ortho-conical X-ray beams from the X-ray projection image information after radiating conical X-ray beams. Therefore, the ortho-conical X-ray beams are included in the conical X-ray beams so that exposed dose to the object to be examined can be more reduced.
(10) According to the X-ray computed tomography method, in the methods described in (1) to (9), X-rays are radiated on an object to be examined while the rotary arm is turned with an axial direction of the rotating axis of the rotary arm inclining at a specified angle for a perpendicular direction of the object or the rotary arm is turned with the object inclining at a specified angle for the axial direction of the rotating arm of the rotary arm.
According to this method, conical X-ray beams are radiated on the object while the rotary arm is turned with the axial direction of the rotating axis of the rotary arm inclining at a specified angle for the perpendicular direction of the object or the rotary arm is turned with the object inclining at a specified angle for the axial direction of the rotating arm of the rotary arm. Therefore, conical X-ray beams can be radiated in a direction so as not to transmit a cervix which becomes an affecting shadow and the affect of the affecting shadow can be reduced. In the latter method, the apparatus can be simplified because the direction of the object is inclined.
(11) According to the X-ray computed tomography method, in the methods of (1) to (9) X-rays are radiated on the object to be examined while the rotary arm is turned while making the rotating axis a given precession movement.
According to this method, X-rays are radiated on the object while the rotary arm is turned while making the rotary axis of the rotary arm a given precession movement, namely grinding movement wherein the rotary axis is turned around the precession axis with the rotary axis inclining at a specified angle to the precession axis at a center of the specified region, so that conical X-ray beams can avoid the affecting shadow which can""t be avoided if they are radiated horizontally.
(12) An X-ray computed tomography apparatus is comprised of: a rotary arm with an X-ray generator and a two-dimensional image sensor faced to each other; position adjusting means for conforming a rotating center of the rotary arm and a center of a specific region in a curved sectional area along a dental arc, which is an object to be examined, or inside of a bow-shape of the curved sectional area; turning means for turning the rotary arm while locally radiating conical X-ray beams constantly passing through only the specific region from the X-ray generator; image storage means for sequentially storing an X-ray projection image information of the curved sectional area obtained on the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor by the X-ray conical beams; arithmetic processing means for calculating thus obtained X-ray projection image information by a backprojection method and computing a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area; and angle setting means for setting a specified angle of a normal line of a panoramic image layer in the curved sectional area and a projection line intersecting the normal line; wherein the arithmetic processing means calculates the three-dimensional distribution information of the X-ray absorption coefficient on the projection line intersecting at the specified angle set by the angle setting means for any regions on the panoramic image layer, the calculated result is expanded on a two-dimensional plane, and a panoramic X-ray image of the curved sectional area seen from a direction of the projection line is obtained. This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (1) and has the same effect as that of (1).
(13) An X-ray computed tomography apparatus is comprised of: a rotary arm with an X-ray generator and a two-dimensional image sensor faced to each other; position adjusting means for conforming a rotating center of the rotary arm and a center of a specific region in a curved sectional area along a dental arc, which is an object to be examined, or inside of a bow-shape of the curved sectional area, turning means for turning the rotary arm while locally radiating conical X-ray beams constantly passing through only the specific region from the X-ray generator; image storage means for sequentially storing an X-ray projection image information of the curved sectional area obtained on the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor by the conical X-ray beams; arithmetic processing means for calculating thus obtained X-ray projection image information by a backprojection method and computing a three-dimensional distribution information of an X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area; and angle setting means for setting a specified angle of a normal line of a panoramic image layer in the curved sectional area and a projection line intersecting the normal line; wherein the angle setting means sets the specified angle in such a manner that a direction of the projection line conforms to a direction of the normal line of the panoramic image layer for any regions on the panoramic image layer of the curved sectional area, the arithmetic processing means calculates the three-dimensional distribution information of the X-ray absorption coefficient on the projection line for the regions, the calculated result is expanded on a two-dimensional plane, and a panoramic X-ray image of the curved sectional area seen from a direction of the projection line is obtained.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (2) and has the same effect as that of (2).
(14) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (12) or (13), the arithmetic processing means expands a calculated result of a weighted average of the three-dimensional distribution information of the X-ray absorption coefficient on the projection line on the two-dimensional plane so as to obtain a panoramic X-ray image from the three-dimensional distribution information of the X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (3) and has the same effect as that of (3).
(15) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (12) to (14), the angle setting means is further constructed in such a manner that a direction of the projection line also becomes a direction of a normal line for a rising direction of each tooth constituting the dental arch corresponding to the curved sectional area.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (4) and has the same effect as that of (4).
(16) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (12), the angle setting means is constructed in such a manner that the specified angle is adjustable at an optional angle in up and down direction and/or in right and left direction for the panoramic image layer. This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (5) and has the same effect as that of (5).
(17) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (12) or (16), the angle setting means is constructed in such a manner that the specified angle is equal for any regions of the curved sectional area. This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (6) and has the same effect as that of (6).
(18) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (12), (16) or (17), the angle setting means is comprised of variable means for infinitely and variably adjusting the specified angle and/or selection means for selecting the specified angle from predetermined plural angles. This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (7) and has the same effect as that of (7).
(19) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (18), the position adjusting means is constructed in such a manner that the object to be examined is moved for the rotating center of the rotary arm or the rotating center of the rotary arm is moved for the object to be examined for positioning so as to conform the rotating center of the rotary arm and the center of the specific region.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (8) and has the same effect as that of (8).
(20) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (19) is further comprised of X-ray beam width restriction means for extracting and radiating only ortho-conical X-ray beams which are approximately perpendicular to the panoramic image layer from the conical X-ray beams, and wherein the arithmetic processing means arithmetically processes a partial X-ray projection image information obtained on the two-dimensional X-ray image sensor by the ortho-conical X-ray beams by a backprojection method and the three-dimensional distribution information of the X-ray absorption coefficient of the curved sectional area is obtained, and a panoramic X-ray image is obtained by expanding thus obtained three-dimensional distribution information on the two-dimensional plane.
(21) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (20), X-rays are radiated on the object to be examined while the rotary arm is turned with the axial direction of the rotating axis of the rotary arm inclining at a specified angle for a perpendicular direction of the object by providing rotating axis direction setting means capable of inclining the axial direction of the rotating axis of the rotary arm or X-rays are radiated on the object to be examined while the rotary arm is turned with the object inclining at a specified angle for the axial direction of the rotating center of the rotary arm by providing object supporting direction setting means capable of inclining the object""s supporting direction.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (10) and has the same effect as that of (10).
(22) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (20), the turning means is constructed in such a manner that the rotary arm is turned while making the rotating axis of the rotary arm a given precession movement.
This apparatus is to achieve the CT method of (11) and has the same effect as that of (11).
(23) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (22), the curved sectional area is any one of a local region where a few teeth are rising, a temporomandibular joint region or an otorhinolaryngologic region.
According to this apparatus, the curved sectional area is one of a local region where a few teeth are rising, a temporomandibular joint region or an otorhinolaryngologic region. In this case, panoramic X-ray images seen from optional projection lines can be obtained for these regions in a same manner.
(24) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, the X-ray CT apparatuses of (12) to (23) are further comprised of display means capable of sequentially displaying the panoramic X-ray image obtained while setting the specified angle by means of the angle setting means.
This apparatus has display means capable of sequentially displaying the panoramic X-ray image obtained while changing the specified angle by means of the angle setting means. Therefore, the images in which a specified angle is seen from varied directions can be obtained according to diagnosis purposes so that such an apparatus has a high diagnosis value.
(25) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, the display means of the X-ray CT apparatus in (24) can sequentially show the panoramic X-ray image obtained while continuously changing the specified angle by means of the variable means of the angle setting means described in (18).
According to this apparatus, the display means of (24) is defined to display panoramic X-ray images while continuously changing the direction of the projection line so that it has a high diagnosis value.
(26) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the X-ray CT apparatus of (24), the display means can combine a panoramic X-ray image of an upper jaw and a panoramic X-ray image of a lower jaw, both obtained by the apparatus of (15), into one panoramic X-ray image for displaying, the panoramic X-ray image of the upper jaw being obtained by setting a normal line direction for a rising direction of a tooth of a curved sectional area along the upper jaw as a projection line and the panoramic X-ray image of the lower jaw being obtained by setting a normal line direction for a rising direction of a tooth of a curved sectional area along the lower jaw.
According to this apparatus, the CT method of (15) is separately used for the curved sectional area of the upper jaw and that of the lower jaw and the display means of (24) is defined to display one combined panoramic X-ray image of thus obtained panoramic X-ray image of the upper jaw and thus obtained panoramic X-ray image of the lower jaw. Therefore, images corresponding to each rising direction of teeth can be obtained so that such images have high a diagnosis value.
(27) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the apparatuses of (24) to (26), the display means can select plural panoramic X-ray images obtained under different conditions and display in array on the same screen. According to this apparatus, as plural panoramic X-ray images can be selected and displayed in array on the same screen, displaying images can be selected according to diagnosis purposes, thereby achieving convenience.
(28) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, in the apparatus of (27), the display means can display the panoramic X-ray image obtained in (12) and the panoramic X-ray image obtained in (13) in array on the same screen, the panoramic X-ray image obtained in (12) being seen from the projection line intersecting the normal line of the panoramic image layer at a specified angle and the panoramic X-ray image obtained in (13) being seen from the projection line by setting the normal line of the panoramic image layer as the projection line. According to this apparatus, the display means of (27) is defined to display in array the panoramic X-ray images seen from an optional direction of the projection line and the panoramic X-ray images seen from the normal line, like the prior art. Such an apparatus is useful for comparing and judging the images.
(29) According to the X-ray computed tomography apparatus, at least one of functions same as operated in the apparatuses of (12) to (28) can be selectively operated. Therefore, several types of panoramic X-ray images can be obtained and shown by one apparatus so that it is useful for diagnosis.


A center processing unit (CPU) socket holds a CPU and has a base, multiple contacting tabs and multiple contacting tab holders. The base has a bottom, a seat, a cover and a latch. The seat is mounted in the bottom and has a recess. The contacting tabs are mounted in the recess in multiple lines and each contacting tab has a curved top contact end. The contacting tab holders extend up from the recess in seat and are aligned respectively with the curved top contact ends of the contacting tabs. When a CPU is installed in the CPU socket and presses against the contacting tabs, the contacting tab holders hold the curved top contact ends of the contacting tabs to avoid the vibration of the contacting tabs due to the transmission of the high frequency signals between the CPU and the CPU socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a central processing unit (CPU) socket, and more particularly to a CPU socket that has multiple contacting tabs and multiple contacting tab holders holding and improving the quality of signal transmission between the socket and a CPU installed in the socket.
2. Description of Related Art
Center processing unit (CPU) sockets are mounted on motherboards and hold CPUs for execution of programs.
The new Pentium 4 (P4) CPU and LGA775 socket for holding the P4 CPU designed by Intel Corp.® are available and prevail this year. The P4 CPU has a bottom and multiple contacts mounted on the bottom. The LGA775 socket has a cavity to hold the P4 CPU and multiple contacting tabs in the cavity corresponding to and making contact with the contacts on the P4 CPU. The cavity has a bottom. The contacting tabs are resilient, extend upward from the bottom and are bent downward when the P4 CPU is installed into the socket and presses against the contacts. When the P4 CPU is removed, the contacting tabs reset with a resilient force.
With reference to FIG. 4, a conventional CPU socket (2) includes a body (20), a cavity (27) for receiving a CPU, multiple retaining blocks (25) and multiple resilient contacting tabs (120) for contacting contacts of the CPU. The contacts (120) are mounted respectively to the retaining blocks (25) at intervals (25). Each contact (120) has a contacting end. When the CPU operates with the contacts contacting the contacting ends of the contacting tabs (120) in the socket, high frequency signals transmitted from the CPU to the contacting tabs (120) make the contacting ends resonate and vibrate. The vibration of the contacting ends causes the contact between the CPU and the socket unstable and lowers diminish the quality of signal transmission.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a CPU socket with a cushion to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

CPU socket with multiple contacting tab holders


Immunodeficient animals are generated by introducing a mutation in RAG-1 into the germline of the animals via gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. The production of mutant RAG-1 deficient mice is detailed. RAG-1 deficient mice have no mature B and T lymphocytes. The arrest of B and T cell differentiation occurs at an early stage and correlates with the inability to perform V(D)J recombination. To date, these mice do not have mature B and T lymphocytes, nor do they express immunoglobulin or T cell receptors. The same strategy can be applied to the generation of other RAG-1 deficient animals, such as rabbits, rats, and pigs, using known techniques. These animals are all useful for the same general purposes as the scid mice, for example, cultivation of human lymphocytes for expression of human immunoglobulin. Other uses include the establishment of continuous lymphoid cell lines and, by crossbreeding with other lines of animals, the establishment of animals developing tumors for use in studying tumor cell developments and treatments.

This invention is generally in the area of immunodeficient mutant animals and methods of use thereof.
Assembly of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy and light chain genes and of .alpha. and .beta. chain genes of the T cell receptor (TCR) is mediated to a large extent in developing lymphocytes by somatic recombination, in which widely separated gene segments are joined to form a complete variable region, a process known as V(D)J recombination, described by Tonegawa, S. Nature 302, 575-581 (1983). The genes for the antigen receptors are produced exclusively in lymphocytes through this recombinational process, which joins variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) gene segments. V(D)J recombination occurs at seven different loci: the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain, kappa and lambda light chain loci in B lymphocytes (Tonegawa, 1983) and the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha, beta, gamma and delta chain loci in T lymphocytes (Davis, M. M. and Bjorkman, P. J. Nature 334, 395-402 (1988)).
The prevailing model is that a common recombinase is active in precursors of both B and T cells (Yancopoulos, G. D. et al., Cell, 44:251-259 (1986)), and that the sequential recombinations are executed by developmentally controlled targeting of the recombinase to the different loci (Alt, F. W., et al., Immunol. Rev. 89, 5-30 (1986)). The assembly process is tightly regulated, occurring in a preferred temporal order (D to J joins occur before V to D, lambda segments rearrange before kappa and in a lineage specific manner (loci recombined in T cells are never fully rearranged in B cells). Developing B cells and T cells rearrange distinct gene segment families in a well-defined temporal order. In developing B cells, the heavy chain locus is rearranged before the light chain loci. Maki, R. et al., Science, 209:1366-1369 (1980); Perry, R. P. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 78:247-251 (1981); Alt, F. et al., Cell, 27:381-390 (1981); Alt, F. et al., EMBO J., 3:1209-1219 (1984); Reth, M. G. et al., Nature, 317:353-355 (1985). In developing T cells, the .beta. chain locus is rearranged before the .alpha. chain locus. Raulet, D. H. et al., Nature, 314:103-107 (1985); Snodgrass, H. R. et al., Nature, 315:232-233 (1985); Samelson, L. E. et al., Nature, 315:765-768 (1985).
The complex mechanisms regulating V(D)J recombination are not well understood. Rearrangements are mediated by recombination signal sequences (RSSs) that flank all recombinationally competent, V, D and J gene segments. These signals are conserved among the different loci and species that carry out V(D)J recombination and are functionally interchangeable. RSSs, necessary and sufficient to direct recombination, consist of a syad-symmetric heptamer, an AT-rich nonamer and an intervening spacer region of either 12 or 23 bp. The two spacer lengths define two different RSSs and one of each is required for efficient joining to occur.
A number of activities must be involved in the joining reaction; these include the recognition of RSSs, enconucleolytic cleavage at or near the signal border, base trimming and addition (the joints of coding sequences are imprecise) and ligation of the cleaved ends (Sakano, H. et al. Nature, 280:288-294 (1979); Max, E. E. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad, Sci., USA, 76:3450-3454 (1979); Early, P. et al., Cell, 19:981-992 (1980); Sakano, H. et al., Nature, 290:562-565 (1981); Davis, M. M., Annu. Rev. Immunol., 3:537-560 (1985). Gene segments flanked by joining signals with 12 bp spacers are joined only to gene segments flanked by joining signals with 23 bp spacers. Although different sets of genes are rearranged in developing B and T cells, exogenously introduced T cell receptor gene segments can be efficiently recombined in pre-B cells. This suggests that B and T cell lineages use the same recombination machinery, as discussed by Yancopoulos, G. D. et al., (1986).
The cis-acting sequences required for V(D)J recombination have been described in detail (Tonegawa, 1983; Hesse et al., Genes Dev. 3, 1053-1061 (1989). A gene called the recombination activation gene RAG-1 has been isolated by virtue of its ability to activate V(D)J recombination in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts on an artificial recombination substrate carrying selectable markers (Schatz and Baltimore, 1988; Schatz, D. G., et al. Cell 59, 1035-1048 (1989)). A second, structurally unrelated gene called RAG-2 was later identified in the immediate vicinity of RAG-1 (Oettinger, et al., Science 248, 1517-1523 (1990).
A model has been proposed by Oettinger et al., (1990), in which RAG-1 and RAG-2 together are sufficient to induce V(D)J recombination in fibroblasts. The expression of both genes is concordant and restricted to cell lines displaying V(D)J recombination activity and developing lymphoid tissues (Schatz et al., 1989; Oettinger et al., 1990; Boehm, T. and Rabbitts, T. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1991); Turka et al., Science 253, 778-781 (1991). The only reported discordancies in their expression patterns are transcription of only RAG-1 in the central nervous system of the mouse, reported by Chun, et al., Cell 64, 189-200 (1991), and of only RAG-2 in the bursa of Fabricius of the chicken, reported by Carlson, et al. Cell 64, 201-208 (1991).
An animal model first described by Bosma et al., Nature 301, 527-530 (1983), for severe combined immunodeficiency (the scid mouse) has been reported that has been utilized for a number of different studies, including expression of human antibodies following injection of human lymphocytes into the mice, as described for example by McCune, J. M. Curr. Op. Immunol. 3, 2, 224-228 (1991). As reported by Bosma, G. C., et al., J. ExP. Med. 167, 1016-1033 (1988), the scid mouse, however, does produce some mouse immunoglobulin and some T cells, due to mostly aberrant rearrangements. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphoid organs reveals a blockade of lymphocyte differentiation at an immature stage, as further reviewed by Bosma, M. J. and Carroll, A. M. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 9, 323-350 (1991).
It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce an animal that is totally unable to produce functional immunoglobulin or T cell receptors.
It is a further object of the present invention to determine whether both RAG-1 and RAG-2 are required in vivo for expression of functional immunoglobulin and T cell receptors.

Mutant RAG-1 deficient animals having no mature B and T lymphocytes

Dana Farber Cancer Institute & Tufts University


In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to obtain a formation fluid sample from a formation adjacent to a wellbore disposed in a reservoir, determine the sample saturation pressure of the formation fluid sample, repeat obtaining the formation fluid sample and determining the sample saturation pressure over a selected time period or number of samples, and determine a predicted ultimate formation fluid saturation pressure based on multiple determinations of the sample saturation pressure. The sample saturation pressures measured over selected time periods can be used to determine fluid sample contamination. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Sampling programs are often conducted in the oil field to reduce risk. For example, the more closely that a given sample of formation fluid represents actual conditions in the formation being studied, the lower the risk of error induced during further analysis of the sample. This being the case, bottom hole samples are usually preferred over surface samples, due to errors which accumulate during separation at the well site, remixing in the lab, and the differences in measuring instruments and techniques used to mix the fluids to a composition that represents the original reservoir fluid. However, downhole sampling can be costly in terms of time and money.


System and methodology providing a secure workspace environment is described. In one embodiment, for example, in a computer system, a method is described for creating a secured workspace within an existing operating system for allowing users to run applications in a secured manner, the method comprises steps of: creating a policy for configuring the secured workspace, the policy specifying how information created during operation of the applications may be accessed; hooking particular functions of the operating system in order to obtain control over the information created during operation of the applications; during operation of the applications, encrypting the information to prevent unauthorized access; in response to a request for access to the information, determining whether the request complies with the policy; and if the request complies with the policy, satisfying the request by providing access to a decrypted copy of the information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computers and data processing applications and, more particularly, to system and methodology providing a secure workspace environment.
2. Description of the Background Art
Growth of Internet-based remote access technologies has lead to an increasing number of users working in unprotected or untrusted environments. Home users connect to their corporate networks via different VPN clients. People on vacations check their emails via public kiosks. Sales agents connect to their databases via wireless services in airports. Large networks now are not just broadband lines that connect offices in several states or countries, they are far more complicated and far less controlled at the end-points (e.g., at individual personal computers). As the number of mobile users grows, the number of potential threats also grows. Potential threads include, but are not limited to, phishing attacks, identity theft, trade secrets theft, and the like.
A network of the typical large organization can be protected with various tools. For example, a firewall is installed to protect a company's gateway. Anti-virus software is installed on the company's mail server to scan incoming and outgoing email. Anti-virus software can be also installed on individual end user computers. For remote users, SSL VPN or IPSEC VPN is available to connect to the company's network from remote sites. For managing these environments, IT departments typically develop and deploy a set of security rules (security policy) to endpoints. Notwithstanding the availability of these foregoing tools, corporate IT departments still face a complex problem: how to ensure confidentiality of the sessions when users connect to their corporate networks from untrusted end-points, end-points that cannot be controlled by IT departments.
Consider VPN, for instance. Existing VPN solutions provide a mechanism to encrypt the traffic between a given end-point and corporate gateway. However, these schemes can be easily broken on the end-point, thus providing the attacker with access to the end-point computer before, during, or after the session. For example, the attacker can install keyboard monitoring (keylogger) software and monitor all user activities. The attacker is then able to spoof the user's credentials (user name and password). Also, the attacker may analyze the cache of the user's web browser, and thus retrieve information about what sites were visited by the user and reveal all other session information. The attacker may also analyze the files that remain after the session is complete. For example, the attacker may analyze files used by the user's computer operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows), including analyzing the user's profile present in temporary folders. Similarly, the attacker may analyze files used by various applications, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Adobe Acrobat—files that were left by the user after the session completed. All told, the basic problem that remains today is how to create a secure environment within untrusted end-points, such as web kiosks or home computers.
There have been some attempts to try to address this problem. For convenience, they can be divided into several categories from an architectural and technological point of view: (1) Policy enforcement; (2) Virtual operating system (OS); and (3) Secure environment within existing OS. Each will be examined in greater detail.
Policy Enforcement
Before the secure session between the end-point and company gateway is established, a small application, let us call it the "Enforcement Agent" (EA), is downloaded to the end-point computer. The EA can be implemented as an Active X component that can be launched by the Internet Explorer browser, or it can be a java application, or even a tiny executable (e.g., downloaded to the user's computer). In operation, the EA checks the endpoint computer for compliance with a policy. A typical policy can be, for example, include requirements that the end-point (requesting a session) must have Windows XP or newer Microsoft Operating system installed, must have ZoneAlarm® firewall installed, must have antivirus installed (e.g., McAfee or Norton), and must have no known malware installed. If the end-point does not comply with these policy requirements, the EA reports to the gateway that the given end-point is not compliant and the user will not be able to login to the company's network. In such a case, the user must install the requisite software or find another computer that meets the policy requirements.
Virtual OS
A virtual OS (operating system) solution attempts to create a virtual, more-secure operating system inside an untrusted operating system on the end-point. A typical solution would be to create a portable USB device with preinstalled and preconfigured Linux OS. Linux is booted from the USB device and all session data and temporary files are saved to the USB device. The preconfigured Linux USB device has all necessary software installed: VPN client, email client, spreadsheet application and word processor, for example.
Secure Environment
The goal of this solution is to create a secure environment using the underlying operating system or an application. For example, an Internet Explorer browser plug-in (so-called "BHO") could conceivably be developed that is able to encrypt all Internet Explorer session data, including cookie, cache, and temporary files. In this case, when the user accesses web sites or web applications from such protected browser, all session data is encrypted and not accessible to the attacker.
Each attempt described above provides a real world solution that poses serious barriers for the attacker, and thus there are many commercial products that utilize these concepts. However, each of the attempts, while it provides a serious barrier for the attacker, either can be bypassed or has serious drawbacks. For example, although policy enforcement is a must-have solution for every end-point, it is not sustainable to targeted attacks. An attacker can take popular keylogger software and modify it so that popular antivirus or antispyware products will not be able to detect it. Another significant drawback of policy enforcement is that it does not delete temporary session data that can be analyzed by the attacker afterwards.
The virtual OS solution is inconvenient at best, as it does not give the user a chance to work with the applications that he or she normally works with: Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe Acrobat. As a result, the solution incurs a significant learning curve for the user and an increased amount of troubleshooting and support for IT departments. Furthermore, the physical requirements of the approach are problematic. Not all kiosks will allow access to plug-in USB devices or boot from them.
Currently, all existing prior art solutions for providing a secure environment either can be easily bypassed or are oriented to provide only limited protection (e.g., of certain application, such as a plug-in for Internet Explorer). Accordingly, a better solution is sought.

System and methodology providing secure workspace environment


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor module includes a substrate, which has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a controller device and a memory device formed on the first surface, and a metal plate bonded on the second surface. The metal plate is formed at least at a portion of the second surface corresponding to the controller device so that heat generated at the controller device conducts away from the memory device.

In a semiconductor package or module, heat is generated during operation from memory and controller devices formed on a device substrate which is apart of the semiconductor package or module. The generated heat is transferred by thermal conduction from the device substrate into the substrate of the semiconductor package or module ("packaging substrate") and by convection and radiation from the surface of the packaged device. The generated heat is also, in part, dissipated by conduction from the packaging substrate to the region outside of the module through the electrical contacts between the packaging substrate and a further module or end product and also through columns provided to fix the module to a PC casing or the like, or to a connector of the module.
Now, as high speed operation of the module and high memory capacity of module are desired, the elements on the substrate, such as the memory components and the controller, are preferred to be closely packed and the number of such elements per unit area of the substrate has been increasing. Further, the high speed operation of the controller generates more heat than does a slower operating speed thereof. As a result, the heat generated from the memory components and the controller might not be sufficiently dissipated to the outside of the module, and the quantity of heat held in the semiconductor module, and thus the operating temperature of the module, is increased.
In order to improve the reliability of the memory components and to avoid error in the operation thereof, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the memory components in or on a substrate as low as possible. This is because as the temperature of the memory components rises, errors in the operation of the memory components occur more frequently. Further, to correct the errors, a tedious operation has to be carried out which slows down the operation of the memory components.
Thus, a semiconductor module that can perform a large capacity memory operation at a high speed and at a low temperature is demanded.


Unordered list operations are used to create and modify ordered lists of components. Each list operation specifies an intention to change some aspect of an ordered list, such as the addition or removal of components or a change in the sequence of components. List operations are associated with intrinsic and extrinsic time-independent attributes. Multiple users can collaborate on an ordered list by specifying their own list operations. List operations are cumulative and do not destructively overwrite list operations from previous pipeline activities. An embodiment of the invention interprets list operations in a time independent manner using intrinsic and extrinsic list operation attributes. Because list operations are processed in a time-independent manner, multiple users may collaborate in any order on the creation of an ordered list, including simultaneously editing the ordered list, and still obtain consistent results.

The present invention relates to the field of computer graphics, and in particular to methods and apparatus for creating, modifying, and using components to create computer graphics productions. Many computer graphic images are created by mathematically modeling the interaction of light with a three dimensional scene from a given viewpoint. This process, called rendering, generates a two-dimensional image of the scene from the given viewpoint, and is analogous to taking a photograph of a real-world scene. Animated sequences can be created by rendering a sequence of images of a scene as the scene is gradually changed over time. A great deal of effort has been devoted to making realistic looking and artistically compelling rendered images and animations.
Computer graphics images, animations, and other productions involving computer graphics, such as interactive entertainment software, are created from a number of different components. Generally, components include any data and instructions used to create products and applications that include computer graphics. Examples of components include three-dimensional models of geometry; texture maps, other arrays of data, lighting, and shading programs used to determine the visual appearance of models; and simulation programs and data, animation data, and deformer functions used to specify changes and motion over time.
Components often have complex dependencies with other components. For example, the output of one component may be the input of one or more other components. Additionally, a set of components may have to be processed or executed in a specific order to achieve a desired result. Changing the order of processing or execution of components may change the result or introduce errors.
Ordered lists are one technique for specifying relationships and/or dependencies between components. An ordered list specifies a set of related components and their ordering or sequence. Ordered lists may be used to specify an evaluation order for components, an execution order for components, a dataflow relationship between components, or any other use of a specific sequence of components.
Computer graphics components are often created by users working in a digital production pipeline. Digital production pipelines include a number of different pipeline activities. In each pipeline activity, users may create new components, modify previously created components, and combine components created in one or more pipeline activity.
For large digital productions, such as in an animation or interactive digital production studio, it is often necessary for multiple people to be working on different activities of the digital production pipeline at the same time. Often, different people will be working on the same or related components at the same time. Some components may be created out of order to maximize user productivity. Additionally, the components of a completed scene may sent back into the digital production pipeline to create variations of components, which may be used to create and evaluate different creative interpretations of a scene. A pipeline activity may modify a component many times to create numerous variations of the component.
Prior digital production pipelines limit user collaboration and out of order creation and modification of components. For example, version control techniques maintain a strictly linear pipeline workflow. As components progress through activities in the digital production pipeline, changes to components replace or overwrite the previous state of the components. Because of this, it is possible to make potentially destructive modifications to any data that was authored at previous stages in the pipeline. It is difficult or impossible to go back to one previous stage of the digital production pipeline and create variations without discarding all of the data created following that previous stage. It is also typically difficult or impossible to return to an earlier point in the workflow to make changes and still have unaffected "downstream" changes apply.
These problems are especially acute when dealing with the creation and modification of ordered lists. In prior systems, an ordered list of components may be initially defined in a first pipeline activity. If this ordered list needs to be modified in later pipeline activity, for example by adding components, a new ordered list has to specified, overwriting the previously-defined ordered list. If the first pipeline activity later modifies its components, yet another new ordered list must be specified. This process is complicated and error-prone, as this newest ordered list must include components that are defined by later pipeline stages.
There is an unmet need for a system and method to enable collaboration, iterative refinement, and variations of ordered lists of components in digital production pipelines. It is further desirable for the system and method to enable modification of ordered lists of components at any point of the production pipeline and in any order without disrupting work upstream or downstream in the pipeline.


A dual membered sound wall panel constructed of two pre-formed half-panels. The half-panels have an inner surface that contains a plurality of connectors around their periphery and an outer surface. The outer surface may be textured if desired. The half-panels are each of concrete material with an embedded layer of mesh re-bar. The half-panels are oriented so that their inner surfaces are facing each other and the embedded connectors on each face are secured to each other. Additionally, between the half-panels are contained multiple spacer plates.

This invention relates to an improved sound wall of the type used along roads and freeways to block traffic noise from adjacent landowners as well as block the view of the road or freeway.
Sound walls have become a popular way to reduce noise pollution from freeways and highways into adjacent residential and commercial neighborhoods located on the other side of the walls. These walls have been constructed with the desired goal of reducing noise from passing traffic into neighborhoods. Additionally, such walls not only provide noise reduction, but added security features. Because the dimensions of the walls are generally fairly high and quite long, people and objects from the freeway or highway do not enter the residential neighborhoods. Therefore, there is no disturbance to either the residents or alternatively to their houses or property. Additionally, they also serve as a safety device to stop pedestrian traffic across major roads or freeways.
Known sound walls are typically thin (about 6xe2x80x3 thick) and often have an attractive pattern or profile molded into the traffic side or sometimes both sides. Many prior art walls have been built up of bricks, concrete blocks, or other types of masonry. Recent environmental concerns have even led to the creation of sound walls which include various types of living plants so that both the sound is absorbed and, additionally, the walls trap many airborne particles and create a natural carbon monoxide uptake. Construction of these walls has generally been labor intensive and expensive and additionally such walls become unstable with increasing height.
Sound walls are normally subject to elements such as wind loads and earthquake shaking depending on where they are located. For example, in eastern Colorado, the wind loads can be quite severe in the open country. Alternatively, in seismically active areas such as California, these walls can be subject to severe earthquake activity.
Past practice in constructing sound walls has typically been to cast concrete walls within a two-sided form. Vertical molds with an approximately 6xe2x80x3 interior width are formed. These forms contain liners on their inner or facing sides. A re-bar lattice or steel mesh is placed inside the mold and then concrete is pumped or poured into the mold. This practice often leads to problems in forming the sound wall panels because the concrete does not flow well through the narrow forms, and this often results in non-uniformity of the finished texture or pattern. This practice leads to products that are not uniform throughout and therefore weaker in certain spots than others. This is particularly true towards the bottom of the mold, resulting in honeycombed areas.
In order to overcome the above problems, previous sound walls have often been poured only to a shallow depth, using short forms. These forms have been on the order of only 2xe2x80x2 to 3xe2x80x2 tall and are then constructed in layers to achieve greater height. This solution leaves the concrete more uniform in nature, but presents another problem in that it results in a finished wall with a series of unattractive horizontal joint lines every 2xe2x80x2 to 3xe2x80x2 up the entire length of the wall.
Therefore, there is a need for a sound wall system that provides noise reduction, is easy to form and install, and maintains consistent structure and aesthetics throughout.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sound wall construction and method for making the same.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a dual membered sound wall panel is provided. First and second corresponding half-panels are formed. These half-panels have inner surfaces and outer surfaces that may be textured in order to be aesthetically appealing. The textured outer surfaces may be of the same pattern or alternatively they may be different from one another. If no textured pattern is desired there does not have to be any texture on the surface. The outer textured surface can be made of one of many different forms depending on the look desired. The half-forms also have opposing first and second ends and additionally opposite sides. Contained on the inner surfaces of the half-planes are connectors. These connectors are embedded into and around the periphery of the half-panels. The first and second half-panels are oriented with their inner faces oriented towards each other on parallel planes. This configuration positions the connectors of both half-plates facing each other. The outer surfaces of both the half-plates are positioned away from each other so that they are exposed externally while the faces with the connectors are contained internally and are not exposed. Several spacer plates are contained between the first and second half-plates. These spacers allow a gap to be defined between the two half-panels. The connectors of the half-plates may be made of steel angle irons and therefore allow for connection of the two half-plates to be made by welding the angle irons of each half-plate to each other. Alternatively, one skilled in the field will realize that the two half-plates may be connected to each other by any other suitable means. Such means include but are not limited to bolted connections, pin-and slot connectors, or any welded connectors. Additionally, if it is so desired, the gap created between the two half-plates may be filled with sound absorbing material in order to further reduce any noise pollution.
Once the dual membered panels are completed, a plurality of panels are positioned in an orientation that completes a wall structure. The dimensions of such a constructed wall are limited only in the ability of the panels to be self supporting when they are oriented into position. The placement of such completed sound walls would be like any other sound walls currently available and be used for purposes such as structural support, maintaining backfill, or merely diminishing sound pollution.
An advantage of the present invention is that because the two half-panel sections can be oriented with the gap between them, should one plate require removal, this may be done without disturbing the other plate. If only one side of the sound wall is damaged, that portion may be removed by burning off the connectors from one side and removing them while the other side remains in place. This provides a great advantage in that the damaged half-panel can be replaced and re-connected into position without losing the value or function of the sound wall in the interim. Also, because only part of the section of the wall needs to be replaced, this cuts down on costs associated with maintaining the sound wall. Even considering the fact that the present sound wall construction requires a modestly greater thickness (typically 7xc2xdxe2x80x3 as opposed to 6xe2x80x3), the present embodiment is still competitive in terms of price relative to the prior sound walls. The added thickness does not significantly alter the total cost of completion and installation because the casting is easier and less expensive than trying to pour a thin wall between forms as in the previous sound wall constructions.
Another advantage is that in certain highway applications where sound wall panels are required to have a formliner or architectural finish on one or both sides, the present invention removes the previous problem associated with sound walls. The present invention does not result in a poor quality finish or unacceptable differences in the quality of the finish that can occur on the opposite faces of a single panel.
Additionally, because the construction of the sound wall system is more efficient than in the past, there is an increase in the number of applications. For example, the system may be used as sound absorbent fencing for residential properties. Within neighborhoods often there is a need for noise reduction for things other than traffic or freeway noise. The sound wall system may provide both privacy and efficient noise reduction for people who desire such for their houses. Also, commercial buildings around industrial or power plants may find value in utilizing the sound wall construction because it is an economical way to allow operations to continue with minimal interference to surrounding elements. Not only does the sound wall system reduce noise, but the aesthetic appearance of the system can disguise the industrial setting to any surrounding area.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of making a dual membered sound wall construction from two pre-formed half-panels is provided, which comprises the steps of placing a mold box horizontally on a work table that is the same size as the desired face of the half-panels. The mold box has a closed base, upstanding side and end walls, and an open top part. If it is desired that the outer surface of the half-panel be textured, a textured form liner is placed into the mold box. Then a layer of re-bar is installed into the mold box that extends across the entire length and width of the mold box. If a textured liner is placed into the mold box, then the re-bar mesh is spaced between the top of the liner, and the top of the box. However, if no liner is desired, the re-bar mesh is spaced between the top and bottom of the box. Alternatively, the textured surface may be created by use of a stamp apparatus that presses a profile into the back side of the panel on the table. Then numerous embedment angle irons are placed at spaced intervals around the periphery of the open top of the box. Each of the angle irons has a first leg extending downwardly adjacent a respective wall of the box and a second leg projecting inwardly and coplanar with the open top of the box. After that, enough concrete is poured to fill the mold box. Once the concrete has been poured, the concrete panel is allowed to set so that the re-bar is embedded within and the angle irons are positioned around the periphery of the inner face of the half-panel. The concrete panel may be allowed to set while in the horizontal position, or alternatively, the table on which the mold box is positioned may tilt up and allow the mold to be removed while still in the semi-set form. The panel may then be allowed to set at another location. The above described steps are then repeated in order to form a corresponding second half-panel. The two formed half-panels are then positioned face to face so that the inner faces of each half-panel are facing inwards. This orientation means that the outer surfaces are exposed while the inner surfaces are not exposed but are contained entirely within the internal structure of the dual membered panel. The two half-panels are then secured either by welding together the facing fillet angle irons or alternatively bolting, tying, or bonding the angle irons in any other appropriate manner.
The construction of the sound wall with the use of two separate pre-formed members allows each section of the sound wall to be constructed solidly and in a more uniform manner than previously available. The construction of the present sound wall does not suffer from honeycombing and does not result in poor facing profile reproduction. Finally, the present invention does not cause horizontal or vertical lines in the final construction as did the prior art walls.

Dual section sound wall panel and method of manufacture


Connector assembly comprising a housing and a strain-relief device attached to the housing for clamping a cable in a fixed position at the rear opening of the housing. The strain-relief device comprises first and second portions, both made of a single part and being detachable from the housing. The first portion has a first arcuate surface engaging the outer sheath of the cable, and the first portion also comprising first retaining means engaging the housing for retaining the first portion on the housing. The second portion has a second arcuate surface also engaging the outer sheath, and the second portion also comprising second retaining means engaging the housing for retaining the second portion on the housing. Strain-relief device designed to be mounted on a connector. Method for mounting the strain-relief device with a connector assembly.

Electrical power connectors are used in electric or hybrid motor vehicles, for example in order to connect a set of batteries to an electric motor, to a power converter, or any HV auxiliary device, etc.
Automotive vehicles and their components are susceptible to vibrations that are transmitted to the power cables and therefore also to the connectors and contacts thereof. Because the section of the power cables is relatively large (for example 40 or 50 mm2), said cables are rigid and have a significant inertia. The level of these vibrations can reach 15 G, 25 G or 40 G depending on where the cables and the connectors are located, and in which type of vehicles they are used (for example high level of vibrations can be generated by combustion engines of hybrid vehicles). With such levels of vibration, the points of electrical contact between the electrical terminals of the connectors can become worn prematurely. This results in a risk of heating and even fire. It is therefore important to prevent this risk.
Cable strain-relief devices exist for fixing and clamping a cable on a connector. However, the existing strain-relief devices impose constraints on the connector assembly process. For example, they may require passing the cable(s) through the strain relief device before connecting each cable to a respective terminal and inserting the terminal and the end of the cable connected to this terminal into the connector housing.
The present disclosure proposes to mitigate at least partially drawbacks of strain-relief devices of the prior art.

Connector assembly with strain relief device in two parts


Provided is a millable silicone rubber composition capable of yielding a silicone rubber (cured product) superior in heat resistance. The composition contains:                (A) 100 parts by mass of an organopolysiloxane having at least two silicon atom-bonded alkenyl groups in one molecule, and having an average polymerization degree of not lower than 100;        (B) 5 to 100 parts by mass of a reinforcing silica having a specific surface area of not smaller than 50 m2/g;        (C) 0.01 to 10 parts by mass of a titanium oxide doped with a transition metal oxide of 0.01 to 5% by mass;        (D) 0.01 to 10 parts by mass of a cerium oxide and/or a cerium hydroxide; and        (E) 0.01 to 10 parts by mass of a curing agent.

Silicone rubbers are widely used in various fields such as the fields of electric equipment, automobile, architecture, medical procedure and food, due to the fact that they have properties such as a superior weather resistance, electric property, low-compression set property, heat resistance and cold resistance. Particularly, a silicone rubber may be applied in, for example, a rubber contact(s) for use in a remote controller, a typewriter, a word processor, a computer terminal and a musical instrument; various rollers such as a roller for a copy machine, a developing roller, a transfer roller, an electrifying roller and a paper feeding roller; an antivibration rubber for an audio device or the like; and a packing for a compact disc used in a computer. Nowadays, there is a higher demand for silicone rubbers, and a silicone rubber with superior properties is expected to be developed.
It has been known that additives such as cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide, iron oxide and carbon black are added to further improve the heat resistance of a silicone rubber. However, the heat resistance of a silicone rubber under a high-temperature condition of 250° C. or higher has been insufficient, and desired is a silicone rubber capable of exhibiting a superior heat resistance even under such condition.
In Patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2016-518461), there is a description about improving the heat resistance of a silicone rubber by adding thereto titanium oxide and iron oxide of an amount of 0.1% by mass or smaller. However, there were only measured the amounts of formaldehyde, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane generated after performing heating at 300° C. for an hour, and no description is made on changes in the properties of the silicone rubber. Further, an iron oxide is well known as a colorant for a silicone rubber, and is able to color the silicone rubber red even when used in a small amount, thus making it difficult to perform coloring with a desired color other than red.
In Patent document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-031408), there is a description about improving the heat resistance of a silicone rubber by adding thereto cerium oxide and/or zirconium hydroxide. There, the silicone rubber had its properties measured after being kept in a dryer of 225° C. for 72 hours. However, the properties of the silicone rubber deteriorated under a higher temperature condition.
Patent document 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-021991) and Patent document 4 (WO2010/140499) disclose the use of a titanium oxide doped with a metal ion (metal salt) such as that of a transition metal. However, there are only disclosed uses as an intermediate-infrared radiation filter and a photocatalyst, for example, utilizing the optical properties thereof.

Heat-resistant millable silicone rubber composition


A selectively called wireless receiver extracts a reception message signal destined to an intrastation from an electromagnetic wave wireless signal. When the peripheral area of the selectively called wireless receiver is quiet and dark, a message is outputted by voice. When the peripheral area of the selectively called wireless receiver is noisy and light, a message is outputted by display. When the peripheral area of the selectively called wireless receiver is quiet and light, a message is outputted by both of voice and display. When the peripheral area of the selectively called wireless receiver is nosy and dark, the reception message signal is temporarily stored in a memory and then a message is outputted after the peripheral area is changed to a good environment condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a selectively called wireless receiver, and more particularly to technique which automatically and selectively outputs a received message to a display device and/or a speaker.
2. Description of Related Art
An example of this type of selectively called wireless receiver is conventionally disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (Heisei 1-93222). The selectively called wireless receiver includes a message display section and a message voice synthesizing section to inform a message to a user, and a switch. The message voice synthesizing section converts a message contained in a received wireless selective call signal or a fixed form message corresponding to the wireless selective call signal into the voice signal and synthesizes the voice signal to produce a voice message. The switch is a manual switch and is used to select the output form (display or voice) of the message. According to the selectively called wireless receiver, the message can be outputted by the display or by the voice by operating the switch.
By the way, the user of the above selectively called wireless receiver can switch the output form of the message depending upon the peripheral environment condition, e.g., peripheral noise and peripheral lightness. Because it is difficult to hear the voice from the receiver in a place where there is noise and loud conversation, for example, the user operates the switch to allow the received message to be displayed on the display device. Also, because it is difficult to see the display screen of the display device in a dark place, the user operates the switch to allow the received message to be outputted in voice. In this manner, because the switch must be manually operated in accordance with the peripheral environment condition in the conventional selectively called wireless receiver, there is a problem that the manual switching operation is complicated.
Further, there is another problem in that it is difficult for the user to recognize the received message under inferior environment condition, e.g., in a noisy and dark place.

Selectively called wireless receiver with automatically selectable output


Projection systems having o-plate compensation elements are described. The compensation elements may be negative, positive or biaxial anisotropic element and may have a homogeneous tilt or a splayed tilt. The compensation elements may be formed from a polymer liquid crystal. The compensation elements are designed to maximize azimuth-averaged contrast. The compensation elements may be placed on the same side of a liquid crystal panel when a micro-lens array is used to improve the ease of manufacture.

Projection systems have contrast needs that are continually increasing while the projection system marketplace desires more cost effective components and system configurations. These projection systems liquid crystal panels for modulating red, green, and blue light (i.e., the primary colors) or other light spectra, wherein the liquid crystal panels are compensated with one or two retarder films per panel. The less expensive and lower contrast projections systems use a single retarder film per panel to provide compensation, while the more expensive and higher contrast projection systems use a retarder film on each side of the panel for compensation. Existing compensation techniques, however, do not meet the increasing contrast needs and cost limitations imposed by the marketplace for projection systems.

Oblique plate compensators for projection display systems