Luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with biomolecules to serve as sensitive probes for early detection of the cancer cells, specifically for ovarian cancer and lung cancer, which represents the most lethal malignancies. The luminescence characterization of the bin-conjugated QDs with cancer specific antigens using linkage molecules. Photo-enhancement is measured at various laser density power, temperatures and laser wavelengths.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. This largely reflects the fact that approximately 75% of cases are detected at advanced stages of disease, when cure is unlikely. In contrast, 5-year survival for patients with early stage ovarian cancer can exceed 90%. It is possible therefore that detecting a greater number of patients with early stage disease by improving screening modalities could significantly improve overall survival.
To date, detection of the tumor marker CA 125 secreted from ovarian epithelium is the only biomarker available for screening. Detection of CA 125 antigen is based on ELISA and RIA assays used in serologic screening for ovarian cancer and monitoring patient therapeutic responses. However, the sensitivity of the current methods is approximately 70%, thereby greatly limiting its value in mass screening for the disease.
Lung cancer continues to be the most lethal malignancy, accounting for an estimated 160,000 deaths per year in the United States. This high mortality reflects the fact that the majority of cases are detected at advanced stages, when cure is unlikely. At the same time lung cancer is one of the most 'avoidable' causes of death worldwide. It is also one in which differences in relation to sex and gender especially significant. Increasing lung cancer deaths amongst women alongside stable or decreasing deaths amongst men in many countries have substantially altered the male:female ratio in this disease and produced a need to understand differences between men and women in lung cancer risk, and how they relate to sex and gender. The risk of lung cancer may be different for men and women in response to a complex interaction between biological factors such as hormonal difference and gendered factors such as smoking behavior. Women's apparently greater relative risk of lung cancer and the differences between men and women in the risk of specific histological types of lung cancer need to be understood from a perspective in which both biological influences and gender influences are drawn out.
Shifting detection to an early stage could significantly improve overall survival. Molecular methods, including application of sensitive and specific lung cancer biomarkers, are a promising strategy to achieve this goal. We propose a novel approach to increase the accuracy of early lung cancer detection through the application of nanotechnology, where lung cancer biomarkers, biochemically conjugated to fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals called "quantum dots" (QD) are detected by a unique QD-immunometric methodology utilizing photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL).
Quantum Dots (QD) have attracted a great attention from the medicine/biology because of the advantages they offer over conventional organic dyes. Nanometer-sized semiconductor particles have been covalently linked to biorecognition molecules, i.e., antibodies, peptides, nucleic acids, or molecular ligands for application as fluorescent probes. Compared to organic dyes, quantum dots have unique optical and electronic properties, such as size- and composition-tunable fluorescence emission from visible to infrared wavelengths, large absorption coefficients across a wide spectral range and high levels of brightness and photostability. High-quality QDs were described recently in efficient optical multiplexing for in vivo cancer imaging using animal models. It was shown that biological tissues can be filters, which decrease QDs' absorbance at bluer wavelengths. Multicolor optical coding for oligonucleotides assay has been achieved by embedding different-sized QDs into polymeric microbeads. The use of ten intensity levels and six colors is supposed theoretically to code a million nucleic acid or protein sequences that can be developed for medical diagnostics. Bioconjugation of Quantum Dotes (QDs) involves the attachment of specific ligands, and represents the convolution of biotechnology and nanotechnology yielding hybrid materials, processes and devices.
Therefore, what is needed is a novel approach to increase the sensitivity and specificity of early detection of cancer through the application of nanotechnology, where luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are conjugated with biomolecules.

Luminescence characterization of quantum dots conjugated with biomarkers for early cancer detection

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc.

The Regents of the University of California


In an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module, a light-guide plate is arranged on a side opposite to a display surface of an LCD panel, and cold-cathode tubes are provided to two sides of the light-guide plate Light generated by the cold-cathode tube is uniformly radiated on the LCD panel through the light-guide plate. The cold-cathode tubes generate heat together with light A panel cover is arranged to prevent heat from dissipating to the outside. Heat is conducted to part or an entire portion of the light-guide plate by using a heat conducting plate or the like

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LCD module used as a display device of a data processing apparatus such as a computer, and more specifically, to a back light type LCD module for lighting a display portion by using a light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, back light type LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) modules are used in many laptop personal computers and wordprocessors. In a back light type LCD module, a difference in lightness between a background of a display surface and an LCD surface is large so that the operator can easily recognize characters and figures on the LCD surface. In general, in an LCD module, light is generated by cold-cathode tubes provided as light sources on side surfaces of the LCD panel. The generated light enters into in a light-guide panel provided at a position opposite to the LCD surface as the display surface of the LCD panel. Light entered in the light-guide plate is uniformly radiated on the entire LCD panel.
In such an LCD module, heat is also generated by the cold-cathode tubes together with light, and display non-uniformity occurs on the LCD surface due to the heat. Display non-uniformity occurs when a threshold voltage for changing the orientation of the liquid crystal of the LCD is changed in accordance with a change in temperature of the liquid crystal. For example, the threshold voltage is low at a high temperature liquid crystal region and is high at a low temperature liquid crystal region.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of the rear portion of the LCD module and its temperature distribution. The temperature decreases in directions indicated by arrows. In an LCD module having a light-guide plate 12 and an LCD panel 15, the closer to cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b to which the voltage is supplied from a power supply (not shown) via a power line 19, the higher the temperature of the LCD surface because of the heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b. A portion far from the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b has a low temperature as it is not much influenced by the heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b.
Normally, the LCD module is used at a predetermined angle to face its display surface toward a face of an operator. For example, when the LCD module is placed to face the display surface toward an operator (note that sides 20 and 21 correspond to upper and lower portions, respectively, of the LCD module), the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b are located at the lower and upper portions, respectively. Thus, heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b moves upward, as shown in FIG. 1, because of air convection. Accordingly, high temperature regions are formed near the cold-cathode tubes 11a and 11b, and a low temperature region is formed at a portion higher than the central portion of the LCD panel.
Conventionally, the cold-cathode tubes are arranged at portions farthest from the LCD panel in order to minimize influence of heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes, thereby preventing display non-uniformity. In this case, however, since the whole size of the LCD module is increased, this is not applicable to a small-size data processing apparatus. Further, in order to minimize influence of heat and to prevent display non-uniformity, openings are arranged in a panel cover, thereby dissipating heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes to the outside. However, since convection of air does not occur, degree of display non-uniformity of an LCD panel increases.
From the above situation, an LCD module is demanded in which display non-uniformity caused by heat generated by the cold-cathode tubes can be prevented while the positional relationship between the cold-cathode tubes and the LCD panel is set in the same manner as in the conventional LCD module.

LCD with heat conductor from light source to separate portion of light guide


An apparatus for automatically maintaining a level of water in a pool reservoir comprising a housing which includes a transmitter/receiver device, a logic circuit in communication with the transmitter/receiver device, a valve assembly controlled by the logic circuit, and a water inlet and a water outlet in communication with the valve assembly. In addition to the housing, the apparatus also comprises a power supply connected to the housing, a float in communication with the housing, the float pivotally connected at a front portion of the housing facing a reservoir, the float further riding a surface of the reservoir, and a flag in communication with the float, the flag positioned to come into a parallel position with the transmitter/receiver.

There are several ways to monitor and control the level of a liquid in a reservoir, particularly a swimming pool. The most primitive way to monitor and control the level of a liquid is by visual inspection and manually filling. Because manually controlling the level of a liquid in a reservoir, such as a pool, is not usually a feasible alternative, various systems have been developed for automatically controlling liquid levels, particularly the water level in a pool.
U.S. Pat. No 4,445,238 to Maxhimer discloses an apparatus for remotely sensing the water level in a pool and turning on and off a flow of water via a control valve. In Maxhimer, water is drawn from a skimmer reservoir of a pool into a cylinder, the level in the cylinder thus reflecting the height of water in the pool. As the water level in the cylinder changes, a float in the cylinder either allows an photo detector to detect light from an LED, activating water flow, or disrupts the light detection by the photo detector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,038 to Gibbs discloses an apparatus for maintaining a water level in a swimming pool. The level sensing device includes a floatation element operable to float on the surface of the water and having a floatation arm connected to the valve assembly to open and close the water conduit. The floatation element has a sensing device attached to the end portion of the main body for sensing variations in the level of fluid. Accordingly, the need exists for a water level maintenance apparatus which is operable with swimming pools having a wide range of configurations.

Level maintaining apparatus for a liquid


A gaming machine that includes a multi-action switch that is held in an initial position when the multi-action switch is not being pressed, and a position detection device for detecting whether the multi-action switch is in a first position, a second position, or a third position. The gaming machine further includes a controller for controlling operations of the gaming machine in accordance with the position of the multi-action switch, such that the gaming machine carries out a first operation when the position detecting device detects that the multi-action switch has reached the first position, a second operation when the position detecting device detects that the multi-action switch has reached the second position, and a third operation when the position detecting device detects that the multi-action switch has reached the third position.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to gaming machines and, more particularly, to systems and methods for enabling a player to execute a plurality of inputs through a multi-action switch on a gaming machine.
Commercial or "wager" based gaming continues to grow in popularity. A variety of gaming machines have been developed over the years for presenting games offering a chance for the player to win an award of monies or a representation of monetary value. These machines include old mechanical slot machines, newer electromechanical slot machines, as well as video gaming machines, such as video poker machines.
All gaming machines include one or more devices for accepting player input. For example, slot machines often include a "spin" button or an "arm." Depressing the spin button or pulling the arm is associated with a single particular input, that of effecting rotation of the physical or simulated reels of the slot machine. Video poker machines include "hold" buttons which each define a singular, unique input, that of designating a card to be held in a draw poker game.
Class II gaming includes a game of chance commonly known as bingo. Currently, various implementations of Class II games exist. In one implementation of a bingo-based Class II game, a player must provide multiple inputs in order to initiate the game and participate in the game. In particular, a player must first provide a "bet" input in order to indicate a desire to participate in the multi-player game. Each player of the game is assigned a bingo card and one or more balls are drawn. In order for a player's card to be marked or "daubed" in the event selected balls match numbers on the player's card, the player must provide a "daub" input.
Generally, play of the game continues until a player receives a game-ending winning pattern. Normally, the number of balls which are initially drawn total less than the number which are necessary to receive the game-ending pattern. Thus, after the initial one or more balls are drawn, additional balls are drawn until one or more players of the game receive the game-ending "bingo" pattern outcome. In this configuration, each time additional balls are drawn, the player must again provide a "daub" input in order to mark matching drawn ball numbers with their card numbers. In some instances, a player must also provide a "claim" input in order to claim winnings when a winning pattern is received. These inputs, bet, daub, and claim are provided by individual instances of a player depressing one or more buttons on the gaming machine.
As with all games, it is desirable to make Class II bingo games more exciting. For example, Class II game results are now often represented by secondary, exciting events. The outcome of a bingo game may be represented as a winning or losing spin of simulated slot reels. In this configuration, the player gets to experience the bingo game as a slot-type event, including the excitement of having the reels spin and awaiting the results of the spin in order to learn of the outcome of the game. Unfortunately, the button presses required of the player in order to play the bingo portion of the game detracts from the game play experience.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for communication is used in a communication network that includes multiple ring nodes arranged in at least first and second ring networks, which are connected by one or more of the ring nodes serving as interconnect nodes. A data packet is accepted from a source user node served by the first ring network, for forwarding to a destination user node served by the second ring network. An identifier, which identifies an interconnect node in the first ring network through which the data packet is to be forwarded to the second ring network, is attached to the data packet in the first ring network. The data packet is forwarded over the first ring network, accepted at the interconnect node and, responsively to the identifier, forwarded from the interconnect node to the second ring network. The data packet is forwarded over the second ring network to the destination user node.

Communication networks sometimes employ ring configurations. For example, some networks comprise Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) configurations, as defined by the IEEE standard 802.17, entitled "Part 17: Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) Access Method & Physical Layer Specifications," which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional details regarding RPR network configurations and standards are available at www.ieee802.org/17.
Various communication services can be provided over ring networks. For example, a virtual private local area network service (VPLS) links different local area networks (LANs) together over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. VPLS methods are described, for example, by Kompella et al., in "Virtual Private LAN Service" (IETF draft-ietf-12vpn-vpls-bgp-06.txt, December, 2005) and by Lasserre et al., in "Virtual Private LAN Services over MPLS" (IETF draft-ietf-12vpn-vpls-ldp-08.txt, November, 2005), which are incorporated herein by reference. These drafts are available from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) at www.ietf.org/internet-drafts. VPLS is also sometimes referred to as E-LAN or layer-2 Virtual Private Network (VPN).
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0109802, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for delivering VPLS over ring networks. A data packet transmitted over a VPLS is received at a first node in the ring network. The data packet includes an identification of the VPLS. The first node reads the identification from the data packet. Responsively to reading the identification, the first node forwards the data packet to at least one second node in the ring network that is associated with the VPLS.

MAC address scalability in interconnected rings


A solid state pump cavity comprising a laser rod encased by diffusion bonding inside an outer cladding. The outer cladding provides the ability to efficiently conduct heat away from the laser rod. The outer cladding is also configured to absorb spontaneous laser radiation that would otherwise be re-amplified by the laser rod. Diffusion bonding of the outer cladding to the laser rod forms a seamless optical boundary between the outer cladding and the laser rod. An alternative embodiment of the pump cavity comprises multiple segments of laser rod and outer cladding assemblies coupled together with undoped sections that are diffusion bonded to the ends of the laser rod and outer cladding assemblies.

The pump cavity of a solid state laser, in order for the laser to emit electromagnetic radiation, must be excited by an outside source of energy. This source of energy emits radiation itself which is converted by a laser rod within the pump cavity and the laser's other optical components into a laser beam. This source of energy may be a laser lamp or other optical energy sources. Solid state laser rods, as generally true of all laser media, convert much of the absorbed pump power into waste heat. This heat and the thermal gradient induced stresses associated with its removal lead to optical distortion in the form of lensing and birefringence, and ultimately to thermally induced fracture and failure. Thus, in order to counteract these heating problems, a variety of thermal management techniques are employed in the prior art to dissipate the generated heat in an appropriate manner. For example, if the heating is more than about 3 watts (about 35 watts of electrical power to a lamp used to provide pump energy), the laser rod can be cooled by flowing a fluid, such as a liquid or pressurized gas, over the rod. The fluid is recycled through a heat exchanger. Such a dynamic cooling system has various drawbacks. In the case of pressurized gas, a major problem is the high cost of sealing the circulating coolant gas while still permitting transmission of the light from a pump lamp. For liquid systems, the concern is the ultimate deterioration of the fluid upon exposure to the lamp, or pump light.
Because of these problems, another technique for cooling the rod is related to passively cooling the rod by thermal conduction. This technique is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,389 to Burkhart et al, in which the rod is cooled by depositing a reflective metallic layer on one side of the rod, which is soldered to a heat sink. This technique has been found to grossly distort the optical quality of the rod for at least two major reasons. First, because the rod is rigidly held in a thermally conductive support and the rod and the support have different coefficients of thermal expansion, stresses are developed during pumping and cooling; therefore, the rod expands and contracts at a rate different from its support. This unequal expansion and contraction induces stress birefringence. Second, the rod is supported on the support along its length on only a portion of its periphery, which creates a thermal gradient within the rod and a consequent nonuniform cooling. The result is an introduction of optical aberrations in the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,900 to Tajnai et al also describes a conductively cooled pump cavity, in which the laser rod is strapped to a heat sink. The Tajnai et al system does not provide a uniform technique for cooling the laser rod since there is no thermal contact around the entire periphery of the rod. The result, like U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,389, is uneven rod cooling with induced thermal stresses. In addition, the straps themselves mechanically stress the rod.
An alternative approach for conductively cooling a laser rod is disclosed by Kahan in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,637,028 and 4,969,155 and by Gregor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,585. These patents disclose a laser rod which is conductively cooled through a transparent outer sleeve, with an intermediate layer of gel used to form an elastomer interface between the rod and the gel. The transparent outer sleeve is preferable made of sapphire, but it may also be made of other optically transparent materials such as glass, single crystal beryllium oxide, and garnet.
Assembly of this apparatus is quite complex. During the manufacture of the apparatus, the laser rod must be held in place with shims within the outer sleeve, until a gel-forming liquid is injected into the sleeve. Once the gel is formed, the shims are removed. The elastomer, since it forms a thermal boundary, must be kept quite thin in order to maintain adequate heat conduction. The thinness of the layer additionally complicates the manufacture of the apparatus. Since the elastomer completely surrounds the laser rod, it must be transparent to pump light to allow for excitation of the laser rod. There are only a limited number of materials suitable for transmission of pump light. Kahan discloses the use of a silicone gel, but this type of gel exhibits out-gassing characteristics, therefore requiring a sealant to be applied to the end boundary points to avoid affecting the laser optical components. Finally, the outer sleeves are generally available only in limited lengths, therefore the design often requires that two sleeve segments be joined together, which additionally complicates the manufacturing process.
Additional concerns with solid state lasers are Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) and parasitic oscillations. ASE occurs when spontaneous laser radiation is amplified during a single pass through the laser media, while parasitic oscillations are ASE which is reflected back into the laser rod. In either case, the energy available for extraction in the preferred direction is reduced. The elastomer disclosed by Kahan and Gregor is generally not a good index match to the rod material, therefore the elastomer provides little suppression of ASE and parasitic oscillations. Suppression of ASE and parasitic oscillations requires that the surface of the rod be fine ground, but this surface grind partially back scatters the pump energy, thus reducing pumping efficiency. Gregor discloses the use of a coating to suppress ASE, but the elastomer layer is located between the ASE-suppressing coating and the laser rod, thus limiting the effectiveness of the coating. This outer coating must be designed to be highly reflective at the pump wavelength and transmissive at the laser wavelength, which requires an expensive multiple layer dielectric coating,
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for conductively cooling a solid state laser rod which can provide for suppression of amplified spontaneous emission and parasitic oscillations.


There is provided herein a system and method for enabling a digital photo device to create pictures that contain live images that have been combined with predefined templates in real time, wherein the user selects graphical or effect templates which have been provided by the software developer. Preferably the combination of the templates and subject image will be displayed in real-time so that the user will know exactly how the final product will appear before the image is captured. Preferably, a preview screen will be used to display the combined templates/subject image in real time and the final digital image is similarly captured, calculated, and stored in real time.

Since its introduction in the 19th century, the field of photography has seen near continuous improvements in the associated technology. The introduction of the roll film in 1888, the introduction of the colour negative film in 1942, and the development of the Advanced Photo System in 1990 are all examples of the sorts of technological leaps forward that are characteristic of this industry. The introduction of digital photo cameras near the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century marked another substantial step in the evolution of photography, the step into the digital domain. Of course, in the time since its introduction, digital photography has made its way into cell phones, PDAs, etc., all of which has contributed even further to the growing acceptance of the digital photography worldwide.
One factor that has contributed to the widespread adoption of digital photography has been the steady improvement in editing software for use with digital photographs. This sort of software can turn a user's personal computer into a digital editing station and has made it easy to perform basic editing on and save such images.
The quality of digital photographs has progressed to the point where it is suitable for use in commercial settings where high quality is important (e.g., promotional photographs of buildings, objects, etc.) as well as non-commercial settings in connection with momentous occasions, vacations etc. Photography has always provided a motivation for people to shoot pictures of new areas, to explore the world and to chapter the world with photographs that can be shared with friends and relatives. An offshoot of this drive to innovate has been a desire in many users to create "fun" pictures. Although these pictures might take many forms, one popular sort of recreational picture involves using a photo prop to create a humorous or improbable scene, wherein the photo prop takes the form of a painted wood panel with a cartoon-like scene printed on the face thereof. The user then is positioned behind the prop and extends one or more body parts (e.g., his or her head, arms, legs, etc.) through apertures that have been provided in the prop for that purpose. The prop when photographed from the front then captures the image of a recognizable subject in the context of the cartoon illustration of the prop (e.g., the user might appear to be a lion tamer who is beset by lions, etc.).
Today it is possible to create digital images that mimic the use of physical photo props through the use of software that has been specifically developed for that purpose. More specifically, there are a number of software applications that allow the user to combine digital pictures with custom templates to produce novelty images which previously had to be composed physically or created by custom photo processing.
However, such computer applications are not without their problems. First, the user must select one of his or her own digital images from which the subject will be extracted. That image, though, will have been taken for another purpose and will likely be at an illumination level, or scale (e.g., at a different number of pixels per inch) that is incompatible with the intended template, or the size of the subject or photographic angle will not match that of the template's requirements. Of course, some of the foregoing problems may be corrected digitally, but that might require a level of sophistication beyond that of the average user. Additionally such computer-based applications require that the user be able to transfer the pictures from a digital photo device onto the computer, a task that may be beyond those users who traditionally give their magnetic cards over to a vendor to print or that use a direct camera-to-printer connection.
As can be seen from the previous description, the process of creating such a combined picture from an existing photograph potentially requires the execution of several complex steps. Further, the creation of such combined digital images is likely to be costly to the user both in terms of the software that is required and the time that must be invested in order to create a pleasing combined picture. Finally, the user will need to master the various hardware and software interface requirements of his or her personal computer so that pictures can be moved from the digital photo device onto the user's personal computer.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that increases in the speed and sophistication of the microprocessor resident within digital photo devices has created an opportunity for manufacturers to offer new function features and for independent software developers to produce software that further enhances the camera's abilities. Additionally, the computational power of digital photo devices has grown beyond the simple functionality offered previously by first generation photo cameras and now permits sophisticated programming and image manipulation to take place within the photo device.
Thus, what is needed is a cheaper and more efficient method of creating novelty photos. Preferably the method will be one that requires a lesser investment in hardware and software and that is easier to learn than conventional methods. Additionally it is preferred that the creation process provides for combining multiple layers into a single photograph and that the combined image—including that of the user—be available at least as a preview image in real-time while the image is being composed.
Heretofore, as is well known in the media editing industry, there has been a need for an invention to address and solve the above-described problems. More particularly, there has been a need of a system and method that allows a user to quickly and easily create novelty photographs without a substantial investment in computer software and hardware. Accordingly it should now be recognized, as was recognized by the present inventors, that there exists, and has existed for some time, a very real need for a system and method that would address and solve the above-described problems.
Before proceeding to a description of the present invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or preferred embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of the invention within the ambit of the appended claims.

System and method of creating multilayered digital images in real time


A medical upright positioning device includes a planar structure having a foot positioning device. At least one outer edge of the planar structure comprises an abutting or engaging device arranged in a predefined positional relationship to the foot positioning device, wherein the abutting or engaging device is operative to position the planar structure in at least one predefined orientation relative to a reference direction.

Medical upright positioning devices may be used to record x-ray images of a standing patient in predetermined positions. For some applications, it may be necessary to obtain image data from multiple angles (e.g., for the hip area) for later evaluation (e.g., on a computer screen). In standardized evaluation methods, it is possible to roughly plan the treatment in advance with the aid of such image information, e.g., to roughly plan the placement of implants into the image data, wherein implant data may be stored in a computer system.
In order to perform such advance planning steps, however, it should be ensured that during recording, the patient is precisely situated in a desired recording direction, e.g., a first recording directly from the front (anterior-posterior) and a second recording at an angle of 60° to the x-ray film.
Various attempts have been made to achieve said predetermined patient positionings. For example, foils or templates indicating multiple foot positions have been placed on the floor in front of the x-ray film. The patient then may be instructed to position himself on the foot depictions in accordance with the desired position. A disadvantage of such foils or templates is that they are easily moved and therefore have to be re-orientated each time they are used, e.g., by way of a line marked on the floor. If they are not properly re-orientated, the patient position in the x-ray image may be incorrect.
Another approach is to attach to the patient a calibration object that can be depicted in the images. The technique used in this case can be elaborate, and it is possible that the calibration object may move relative to the patient while he is being repositioned. This can lead to imprecise position determinations.
A patient positioning device is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,894, which comprises foot stoppers attached to rotating bars, and head mounts. The device, however, is in turn configured very elaborately and must permanently remain at its location.

Medical upright positioning device and system


Apparatus, and an associated method, for generating a message summary field. The message summary field indicates whether 802.11-formatted data packets are communicated upon a frequency range to which a mobile station operable in an IEEE 802.11 radio communication system is tuned. An indicator indicates whether an 802.11 data packet is detected. And, a reporter generates a measurement summary which includes a measurement summary field populated with a value indicating the determination. Subsequent analysis of the value of the field of the measurement summary is utilized pursuant to dynamic frequency selection operations.

Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the introduction, and popularization, of new types of communication systems. In various of such new types of communication systems, the rate of data transmission and the corresponding amount of data permitted to be communicated, has increased relative to existing types of communication systems.
New types of radio communication systems are exemplary of communication systems that have been made possible as a result of advancements in communication technologies. Communication channels of a radio communication system are formed upon radio-links, thereby obviating the need for conventional wire-line connections between sending and receiving stations operable therein. A radio communication system, therefore, inherently permits increased communication mobility in contrast to conventional wire-line systems.
Bandwidth limitations sometimes limit the communication capacity of the communication system. That is to say, the bandwidth capacity of the communication channel, or channels, available to a communication system to communicate information between sending and receiving stations is sometimes limited. And, the limited capacity of the communication channel, or channels, limits increase of the communication capacity of the communication system. The communication capacity of the radio communication system is particularly susceptible to capacity limitation resulting from communication channel bandwidth limitations. Generally, a radio communication system is allocated a limited portion of the electromagnetic spectrum upon which to define communication channels. Communication capacity increase of a radio communication system is, therefore, sometimes limited by such allocation. Increase of the communication capacity of the radio communication system, therefore, is sometimes only possible if the efficiency by which the allocated spectrum is used is increased.
Digital communication techniques provide a manner by which the bandwidth efficiency of communications in the communication system may be increased. Because of the particular need in a radio communication system to efficiently utilize the spectrum allocated in such a system, the use of digital communication techniques is particularly advantageously implemented therein.
When digital communication techniques are used, information that is to be communicated is digitized. In one technique, the digitized information is formatted into packets, and the packets are communicated to effectuate the communication. Individual ones, or groups, of the packets of data can be communicated at discrete intervals, and, once communicated, can be concatenated together to recreate the informational content contained therein.
Because packets of data can be communicated at the discrete intervals, a communication channel need not be dedicated solely for the communication of packet data generated by one sending station for communication to one receiving station, in contrast to conventional requirements of circuit-switched communications. Instead, a single channel can be shared amongst a plurality of different sending and receiving station-pairs. Because a single channel can be utilized to effectuate communications by the plurality of pairs of communication stations, improved communication capacity is possible. Packet data communications are effectuated, for instance, in conventional LANs (local area networks). Wireless networks, operable in manners analogous to wired LANs have also been developed and are utilized to communicate packets of data over a radio link, thereby to effectuate communications between a sending station and a receiving station connected by way of the radio link.
For example, an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 standard defines a system for operation of a wireless LAN. The system is defined in terms of logical layer levels, and operational parameters of the various layers of the system are defined in the standard.
Proposals have been set forth to utilize an unlicensed band located at 5 GHz and to implement a WLAN operable generally pursuant to the IEEE 802.11 standard.
Other systems are also implementable at the 5 GHz frequency band. A radio communication system, referred to as the HyperLan II system is, for instance, also implemented at the 5 GHz band. The HyperLan II system is operable pursuant to a standard promulgated by the ETSI. The HyperLan II system also is a WLAN system.
As more than one communication system is operable upon common frequency portions of the 5 GHz band, communication systems operable therein must be able to dynamically select the frequency band portions upon which communications are effectuated. Dynamic selection is required so that more than one communication system does not concurrently use the same frequencies to attempt to effectuate communications.
The European Regulatory Commission (ERC) has set forth system requirements of systems operable in the 5 GHz frequency band. For instance, amongst the requirements include a requirement that a system operable at the 5 GHz band generate electromagnetic energy emissions which are spread over available frequency channels defined therein. That is, the interference level formed of the communication signal energy generated during operation of the communication system must be approximately constant over a large bandwidth of the frequency band. The interference must be spread equally and must avoid interfering with communications in satellite and radar systems.
And, for instance, an IEEE802.11 or HyperLAN system requires that a mobile station (STA) be capable of tuning to a frequency portion of the frequency band not currently used by a basic service set (BSS). And, once tuned thereto, the mobile station is required to measure for the presence of interference. Once the measurement is made, a report of the measurement must be returned to an access point (AP) of the basic service set. This procedure is referred to as dynamic frequency selection (DFS), as a result of analysis of the measurements, an access point of the basic service set determines whether to select a new frequency range for operation of the mobile station. This procedure is referred to as dynamic frequency selection (DFS). In a HyperLan II system, mobile stations report indications of a received signal strength indication (RSSI) block in a base band transceiver system as part of a DSF mechanism. Use of an RSSI indication, however, fails to provide an indication as to the source of interfering signals.
A manner better able to facilitate dynamic frequency selection in a mobile station operable in an IEEE 802.11 system would be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to operation of a radio communication system in which dynamic frequency allocation is utilized that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and associated method, for reporting a measurement summary in a radio communication system


A two step source/drain annealing process which permits a dopant to be ion implanted directly into the silicon without a protective oxide. The gate oxide is removed before the ion implantation of the dopant occurs, thus the dopant is implanted directly into bare silicon. In a first step of the annealing process, a thin oxide is grown over the source and drain regions at a relatively low temperature (e.g., 600.degree. C.) this temperature to prevent the evaporation of the dopant from the silicon substrate and polysilicon gate. The second step of the annealing process occurs at a higher temperature allowing the dopant to be driven into the substrate forming the source and drain regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of forming doped regions in a semiconductor material such as in the formation of source and drain regions for field-effect transistors.
2. Prior Art
Often in the formation of source and drain regions for field-effect transistors, a dopant is implanted into the substrate in alignment with a gate such as a polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) gate with or without spacers. The dopant is then driven into the substrate in an annealing step. Most often the ion implantation occurs through an oxide layer although in some cases the dopant is implanted directly into a silicon substrate.
There are advantages to implanting the dopant through an oxide layer. First, if the dopant is covered by the oxide layer in the drive step it is less likely to evaporate during the drive step. Secondly, the oxide layer provides protection from impurities that might otherwise collect on the substrate both during pre and post implant steps. There are, however, disadvantages to implanting dopant through the oxide. First, oxygen from the oxide layer is driven into the substrate during the implantation. This can cause leaky junctions to occur. Additionally, the oxygen once in the substrate, makes it more difficult to form a salicide once the oxide has been removed and a metal layer is formed over the source and drain regions.
As will be seen the present invention provides at least some of the advantages obtained from ion implanting through an oxide without the disadvantages which occur when the implantation occurs through the oxide layer.

Two step source/drain anneal to prevent dopant evaporation


A method for obtaining ethanol from a feed solution utilizes an extractant comprising a mixture of at least one alkane and at least one aliphatic alcohol having the formula

Commercial production of ethanol from fermentable feedstock (e.g., corn, biomass) is an important industrial process in which a mixture of fermentable feedstock in water is fermented by microorganisms, thereby producing a fermentation broth containing ethanol. Commercially produced ethanol is widely blended with gasoline (i.e., gasohol). For use in automobiles, gasohol should typically have sufficiently low water content such that, as blended with gasoline, water does not phase separate from the blend.
Ethanol may be obtained from a fermentation broth by a variety of techniques such as for example, pervaporation, distillation, or liquid-liquid extraction.
In pervaporation, ethanol in a fermentation broth is typically driven across a permselective membrane, emerging as vapor on the downstream side of the membrane, which is then condensed and collected. Reduced pressure at the downstream side of the membrane maintains the separation driving force. Pervaporation techniques are often relatively slow and frequently plagued by fouling of the permselective membrane by organic material that is typically ubiquitous in fermentation broths.
Distillation of a fermentation broth is typically energy intensive, and under most conditions, kills microorganisms in the fermentation broth and/or results in ethanol with undesirably high water content.
Liquid-liquid extraction is a method for transferring a solute dissolved in a first liquid to a second liquid that is essentially immiscible with the first liquid. The solution of the solute in the first liquid is generally termed a "feed solution", and the second liquid is generally termed an "extractant". As the feed solution is brought into contact with the extractant, the solute tends to distribute itself between the two liquids in accordance with the relative solubility of the solute in the two liquids. As practiced, liquid-liquid extraction methods are typically more energy efficient than distillation for obtaining ethanol from a feed solution. Further, ethanol obtained from a feed solution by liquid-liquid extraction methods may have a water content lower than that obtainable by distillation. The selection of an extractant typically depends on variables such as, for example, its affinity for ethanol and toxicity to microorganisms.
In a modification of the liquid-liquid extraction method, referred to hereinafter as "microporous membrane extraction", one side of a microporous membrane is typically contacted with the feed solution, and the opposing side of the microporous membrane with the extractant. A liquid-liquid interface, across which the solute is transferred, is thus formed between the feed solution and the extractant within micropores of the microporous membrane.
The overall efficiency of isolating a solute by liquid-liquid extraction methods depends on the efficiency with which the solute can be removed from the extractant and subsequently purified according to its intended use. Generally, the choice of extractant is highly influential to the overall process efficiency.
Because of the large scale of ethanol production, even minor improvements in overall efficiency of the extraction method may result in large economic savings that can make a significant difference (e.g., between profitability and economic unviability). Thus, there is a continuing need for more efficient methods for obtaining ethanol from a feed solution.

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R7 each independently represent H or a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R6 represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or taken together R3 and R6 represent an alkylene group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and m and n independently represent 0, 1, 2, or 3, with the proviso that if R4 represents H, then at least two of R1, R2, and R3, or at least one of R5 and R7, are straight chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.


There is disclosed methods, a computing device, a storage medium, and an apparatus for testing a network. Received packets may have two or more packet group identification fields. The packet group identification fields may be combined to generate a packet group number. The packet group number may be generated by first masking unused bits of the packet group identification fields and then concatenating the unmasked bits. Test statistics may be measured, accumulated, and stored for one or more packet groups comprising packets having the same packet group number.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to network communications, packets, data units, and the transmission of and receipt of network traffic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Networks such as the Internet carry a variety of data communicated using a variety of network devices including servers, routers, hubs, switches, and other devices. Before placing a network into use, the network and the network devices, network media, network segments and network applications included therein, may be tested to ensure successful operation. Network media, segments, devices and applications may be tested, for example, to ensure that they function as intended, comply with supported protocols, and can withstand anticipated traffic demands. Such testing may also be performed on already deployed network devices, network segments and network applications.
To assist with the construction, installation and maintenance of networks, network segments, network applications and network devices, networks may be augmented with network analyzing devices, network conformance systems, network monitoring devices, and network traffic generators, all of which are referred to herein as network testing systems. The network testing systems may allow for analyzing the performance of networks, network applications and network devices by capturing, modifying, analyzing and/or sending network communications.
Network testing systems may send and receive a large amount of network traffic and may establish and end many communication sessions. Network interface devices, units, cards, chips and the like within a network testing system may perform much of the work in sending and receiving network traffic and establishing and ending sessions. To track network communications sent and received by network testing systems so that network devices may be tested, network communications are prepared with test information. The functioning of a device under test may be evaluated based on review of the test information included in network communications.

Distributed packet group identification for network testing


An electrophotographic photosensitive member has an undercoat layer containing a polymerized product of a composition including electron transporting substance having a polymerizable functional group and a crosslinking agent, and resin particles. The content of the electron transporting substance is 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less based on the total mass of the composition. Protrusions derived from the resin particles in the undercoat layer are formed at an interface between the undercoat layer and the charge generating layer.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus including an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
Description of the Related Art
Process cartridges and electrophotographic apparatuses are provided with electrophotographic photosensitive members, and currently mostly employ electrophotographic photosensitive members containing organic photoconductive substances. The electrophotographic photosensitive member typically includes a support and a photosensitive layer formed on the support. Between the support and the photosensitive layer, an undercoat layer is provided to suppress injection of charges from the support to the photosensitive layer (charge generating layer) to prevent generation of image defects such as fogging and cover defects on the surface of the support.
Some known undercoat layers contain electron transporting substances to suppress drawing of electrons from a charge generating layer and suppress injection of charges from the support to the charge generating layer. Such undercoat layers containing electron transporting substances have higher resistance and suppress the injection of charges from the support to the charge generating layer more significantly than undercoat layers utilizing conductive ions or metal oxide particles do.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-145506 describes an undercoat layer (electron transporting layer) including only a binder resin and a tetracarboxylic acid imide compound as an electron transporting material. The undercoat layer has high mobility and suppresses the injection of charges significantly. Since the electron transporting substance is soluble in a solvent, the electron transporting material may be eluted into the charge generating layer or a coating solution when the charge generating layer is formed on the undercoat layer by coating, particularly by immersion coating. For this reason, the undercoat layer cannot attain its intrinsic electron transportability, leading to insufficient electron moving ability in some cases.
This leads to techniques of crosslinking the electron transporting substance. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-330209 describes an undercoat layer containing a polymerized product of an electron transporting substance having a non-hydrolyzable polymerizable functional group.
Such an undercoat layer can suppress the elution of the electron transporting substance by crosslinking thereof. Unfortunately, the crosslinking may cause insufficient drawing of electrons to stagnate charges, leading to insufficient sensitivity.
There has been plenty of room for improvement in formation of an undercoat layer having high electron moving ability without eluting an electron transporting substance when the charge generating layer is formed on the undercoat layer by coating.

Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus


In one embodiment, multi-mode use of an aircraft cockpit is realized a processor in the aircraft determining whether the aircraft is operating in a flight mode or a non-flight mode. When operating in the non-flight mode, the processor deactivates aircraft engines and permits wireless device access to one or more aircraft systems. When operating in the flight mode, the processor enables aircraft engines and prevents wireless device access to one or more aircraft systems.

As modern aviation advances, the demand for ever-increasing capabilities grows. To help meet this demand on the aircraft and on the pilots, modern aircraft include impressive arrays of displays, instruments, and sensors designed to provide the pilot with menus, data, and graphical options intended to enhance pilot performance and overall safety of the aircraft and the passengers. While these displays have been designed for use by pilots during flight, many other personnel access the aircraft to perform various testing, data collection, maintenance or flight preparation services. The number of these displays and the complexity of the aircraft cockpit may be daunting to non-flight personnel who nevertheless need to access the cockpit and perform a requisite service.
As such, it is desirable to provide a simplified cockpit access arrangement that does not require non-flight personnel to operate the complex arrays of cockpit displays and controls. In addition, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Apparatus and method for allowing multi-mode use of an aircraft cockpit


Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.

Due to its relatively low resistance and cost, copper is finding increasing use as a conductive layer in the interconnect metallization structures of integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. FIGS. 1A-1E show simplified cross-sectional views of conventional steps for fabricating a damascene interconnect structure utilizing copper metallization.
In FIG. 1A, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) 100 is formed over a first conducting layer 102 and then patterned to create opening 104. While opening 104 is generically shown in FIG. 1A as a via hole, in dual damascene approaches the opening can take the more complex form of a trench overlying a narrower via hole.
In FIG. 1B, a first barrier layer 106 is formed within opening 104 and over patterned ILD 100. Barrier layer 106 may be formed from a variety of materials, including but not limited to SiN, TiN, Ta, TaN, Ta/TaN, as well as the barrier low k (BLOK®) material manufactured by Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. The primary function of the barrier layer is to block diffusion of copper of the metallization structure. ILD 100 and barrier layer 106 may be formed by such techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, as performed by the PRODUCER® tool manufactured by Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.
In FIG. 1C, copper metal interconnect 108 is formed over first barrier layer 106, within opening 104 and over the top of ILD layer 100. The copper metal 108 may be formed by such techniques as electroplating, for example as is performed by the ELECTRA CU™ tool manufactured by Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.
In FIG. 1D, the wafer is removed from the electroplating device and transferred to a chemical mechanical polishing tool for removal of copper metal 108 and barrier layer 106 outside of the now-filled opening in ILD 100, resulting in the formation of conducting copper via structure 110. In FIG. 1E, the wafer is transferred from the chemical mechanical polishing module to a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) module for formation of second barrier layer 112 over copper via 110. The function of second barrier layer 112 to block any upward diffusion of copper metal from the via into successive dielectric layers of the interconnect structure.
The process sequence shown and described above in connection with FIGS. 1A-1E can be repeated to form additional metallization layers overlying and in contact with copper via 110.
The process flow just shown and described is somewhat simplified. For example, FIGS. 1CA-CC show detailed and enlarged views of the fabrication steps leading up to creation of the copper via shown in FIG. 1D. Specifically, removal of excess copper metal during the CMP step shown in FIG. 1C may be performed under oxidizing conditions. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1CB, at the conclusion of the CMP step and prior to formation of the second barrier layer, a thin copper oxide layer 114 typically overlies copper via plug 110. Formation of such a copper oxide layer is not necessarily the result of CMP performed under oxidizing conditions, and copper oxide may also result from exposing the processed wafer to air, as may occur during transfer of the wafer between different processing tools.
Because this copper oxide layer 114 is a dielectric material, it can degrade the conductive properties of the interconnected metallization Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1CC, the metallization layer may be exposed to a reactive ionized species from a plasma to remove the copper oxide prior to formation of the top barrier layer and additional portions of the interconnect structure. The oxide removal plasma may be generated in gases such as NH3 mixed with a carrier gas comprising N2. The oxide removal plasma may be generated remote from the chamber or generated within the chamber. This plasma exposure may take place in the same chamber in which the upper barrier layer is subsequently deposited. Methods and apparatuses for removing copper oxide are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,518, coassigned with the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
Another detail not shown in the generalized FIGS. 1A-E is the potential undesirable formation of hillocks in the copper metallization layer. Hillock formation is shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1DA-1DC.
FIG. 1DA shows a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure after removal of the CuO layer by plasma exposure following removal of the unwanted CuO layer. As shown in FIG. 1DB, hillocks 108a may undesirably grow out of the plane of the copper layer 108 prior to or during formation of the upper barrier layer. The growth and presence of hillocks 108a can create issues regarding performance of the interconnect structure, such as elevated electrical resistance and/or shorting.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for methods and apparatuses which reduce the incidence of hillock formation during the fabrication of copper metallization structures.

Reduction of hillocks prior to dielectric barrier deposition in Cu damascene


A connector for switching between the states of the connection and non-connection to a mating connector by a cam mechanism (6) movably installed in insulators (2, 3), wherein the cam mechanism comprises a first cam (6a) and a second cam (6b). The first cam is rotatable about an axis, slidable between first and second positions in a direction parallel with the axis, and energized toward the first position by an elastic member (8). The second cam is rotated in conjunction with the first cam to provide either of the connected state and non-connected state according to a rotating angle. The first cam comprises a locked part (6a2) engaged with the lock part (3b3) of the insulator in the rotating direction thereof when positioned at the first position and disengaged from the lock part when positioned at the second position.

Connectors called ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) have been conventionally known. Connectors of this type are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2000-306642 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2000-286025. Those connectors each include a rotatable cam and a slider engaging the cam. By rotational operation of the cam, the slider is forced to slide so that switching is performed between a connected state and a non-connected state with respect to a mating connector. This enables connection or disconnection of the connector with an extremely small operating force.
However, when the connector is subjected to shock, vibration, or the like in the connected state, it is expected that the cam may be rotated due to its influence. When the cam is rotated, there is a possibility that the slider may slide to cause switching from the connected state to the non-connected state. Conversely, switching may be caused from the non-connected state to the connected state. In any event, there is a problem that the connected state or the non-connected state of the connector cannot be reliably maintained.

Connector allowing locking of connected state or non-connected state

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


A computer-based method of sizing and positioning controls within a window is disclosed. The method divides a window, and in particular a dialog window, into rectangular regions, referred to as frames. A logical description of the relative positions and sizes of the controls and frames within the dialog window is specified. The method automatically determines the coordinates of each control and positions the controls accordingly during execution of the computer program that is displaying the dialog window. The method is performed in two stages: a specification stage and a layout stage. In the specification stage, a dialog window is subdivided into multiple nested rectangular frames. The set of frames for a dialog window forms a hierarchical tree of frames. In the layout stage, the method traverses the tree of frames twice. The first traversal of the frame tree occurs in postorder sequence, and determines the minimum required size of each frame. The second traversal of the tree occurs in preorder sequence, selectively expanding or repositioning frames within the available space. When the method completes the determination for the Leaf Frames, the final coordinates of each control are known. The method then sets the coordinates of each control accordingly.

Computer programs that operate in a windowing environment commonly use dialog windows to present information and receive input from a user. One example of a popular windowing environment is the Windows.RTM.95 operating system, by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.. Programs that execute on the Windows.RTM.95 operating system commonly include dialog windows containing one or more controls. Examples of these controls are push buttons, radio buttons, check boxes, and edit boxes. Static controls display or organize information, but do not receive user input. A label box control, which is made up of a rectangular border and a text label, is one example of a static control.
In order to create a dialog window, programmers specify the position and dimensions of each control within the window. In some operating systems, such as the Windows.RTM.95 operating system, a programmer creates a set of resource data that specifies the precise position and dimensions of each control. The coordinates and dimensions can be specified either in pixels or dialog units. The value of a dialog unit is operating system dependent. For example, in Windows 95, a dialog unit is a distance relative to the size of one text character.
The process of laying out a dialog window by specifying the coordinates and dimensions of each control can require considerable effort. In order to change a dialog window, a program developer may need to recalculate the coordinates of each control. When a dialog window is localized for use in other countries by translating it into different languages, additional work is required to reposition the controls of the dialog window for each version.
In addition, during execution of a computer program, the contents of a dialog window may change between multiple invocations of the window. When the control coordinates are specified prior to execution of the program, the layout of the dialog window does not change, even if the window's contents change.
It is desirable to have a mechanism that allows a program developer to specify the relative positions of the controls within the dialog window, without specifying precise coordinates or dimensions of each control. Preferably, such a mechanism will automatically calculate the coordinates of each control and position the controls correctly at the time the dialog window is displayed during execution of the program. The present invention is directed to providing such a mechanism.

Method for automatically laying out controls in a dialog window


An image forming apparatus includes an image transfer unit disposed along a sheet feed path. A sheet feed roller feeds a sheet toward an image transfer position where an image can be transferred by the image transfer unit. A sheet detect unit detects the sheet fed by the sheet feed roller and a control unit controls the rotational operation of the sheet feed roller in accordance with a detection result of the sheet detect unit. As such, a sheet feed path length, which extends between the image transfer position and a detection position where the sheet is detected by the sheet detect unit, is set at an integer multiple of a circumferential length of the sheet feed roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system and, in particular, to an image forming apparatus including a sheet feed roller for feeding a sheet toward the transfer position of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image signal is formed on a photosensitive material and is then developed to thereby produce a toner image, the toner image is transferred to a sheet and, after then, the toner image on the sheet is fixed.
Also, among the image forming apparatus of this type, there is known an image forming apparatus employing a feed system in which a sheet is fed to the transfer position of a photo sensitive material or an intermediate transfer material by a regi-roller provided on this side (upstream side of sheet feeding).
In particular, in the image forming apparatus employing the above-mentioned feed system, the sheet fed from the upstream side of the sheet feeding is inserted and held by and between the regi-roller and a pinch roller in pressure contact with the regi-roller and, in this state, the regi-roller is rotated integrally with a drive shaft supporting the regi-roller, thereby feeding the sheet to the transfer position of the image.
Also, in feeding the sheet to the transfer position of the image, the rotation speed of the regi-roller is controlled, or, after the sheet is stopped provisionally at or before a position where the regi-roller is provided, a timing for removing the stop condition (that is, a sheet re-feed timing) is controlled, so that the leading end of the sheet can be made to reach the transfer position of the image at a good timing.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional image forming apparatus, in feeding the sheet to the image transfer position by the regi-roller, because the regi-roller becomes eccentric, that is, because the center of rotation of the regi-roller is shifted in position from the center of rotation of the drive shaft, when the leading end of the sheet arrives at the image transfer position, the required number of rotations of the regi-roller varies each time. That is, when the required number of rotations of the regi-roller varies each time, even if the rotation speed of the regi-roller is controlled or the sheet re-feed timing is controlled in the above-mentioned manner, in fact, the timing, at which the leading end of the sheet arrives at the image transfer position, varies from its expected timing, which makes it impossible to position or register the sheet with high accuracy.
Also, the eccentricity of the regi-roller depends on the working precision of the roller itself, the working precision of the drive shaft supporting the roller, and an assembling precision with which the regi-roller is fitted with the drive shaft; but, in fact, as a matter of course, there is a limit to enhancement of such precision. Therefore, in the conventional image forming apparatus, it is impossible to avoid the variations in the arriving timing of the sheet leading end at the image transfer position caused by the eccentricity of the regi-roller.


A portable information processor (10) includes a storage unit (11) that stores information; a connecting unit (12) that connects to one of the device (1 (or 2)); an information acquiring unit (13) that acquires information from the connected device (1 (or 2)); an operation information generating unit (14) supplied with a driving power from a power source of the connected device (1 (or 2)) and generating operation information relating to the predetermined operation executable by the connected device (1 (or 2)) based on device identification information and the acquired information acquired by the information acquiring unit (13), and the information stored in the storage unit (11); and a control unit (15) that controls the connected device (1 (or 2)) based on the operation information generated by the operation information generating unit (14).

Conventionally, such a navigation device has been available that a part of the navigation device installed in a vehicle is detached so that navigation can be performed when the user is not only at the wheel, but also walking (for example, see the following Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-35554


The present invention advantageously provides a rights management system. In one embodiment, a specification of a general level of rights owned by a first intellectual property rights owner is received. A query is received for a lower level right that is a descendent of at least one of the general level of rights. The system determines if the lower level rights is available for licensing by forming at least a first implicit relationship between the general level of rights owned, and a general level of rights licensed out.

Intellectual property, embodied in books, articles, films, music, television shows, and the like have become an increasingly important asset. Often, there is a complex bundle of intellectual property rights associated with a given intellectual property asset. For example, an owner of a film can divide and license portions of rights associated with the film. The owner can license the right to exhibit the film in different markets to different licensees. Further, the owner can grant the right to exhibit the film in different language to different licensees. In addition, the licenses can be granted for limited, specified times. Thus, there can be numerous intellectual property rights associated with even a single asset.
In order to manage intellectual property, conventional systems maintain intellectual property databases. Given the number of properties and the large number of associated property rights an owner may have, it can be challenging to determine what properties and rights are available. Using conventional techniques, the process of determining property and rights availability can be time consuming and processor intensive. In addition, the intellectual property database can become very large and difficult to maintain.

Apparatus and methods for intellectual property database navigation


A sealed rechargeable storage battery containing one or more rechargeable working cells and at least one regulator cell. The working cells are capable of generating gas in a gas space within the sealed battery during charging of the working cells. The regulator cell is in gaseous communication with the gas space, the regulator cell being chargeable and dischargeable by a control circuit to regulate the amount of gas in the gas space.

Rechargeable battery cells with solid electrodes are of two general types: (1) open or vented, sometimes referred to as "flooded"; and (2) sealed, commonly referred to as "starved". Generally, in a flooded cell, the electrodes are immersed in electrolyte, while in a starved cell, the electrodes are not immersed in electrolyte. These two types of batteries differ primarily in the way in which they deal with gases, namely oxygen and/or hydrogen, which are generated in the battery cells toward the end of the charging operation and during overcharging.
Type 1 allows the gases to vent to the atmosphere; in Type 2 the gases (primarily oxygen) are recombined back into water inside the sealed battery cell. Type 2 is preferred from the user's point of view because the sealed cell requires no periodic maintenance, maintains charge balance between the plates, can operate in any position, releases no explosive gases and does not leak corrosive chemicals into the environment.
Two different kinds of sealed cells (Type 2) are known in the industry. One is a standard design common in consumer cylindrical and small prismatic or rectangular cells up to about 50 Ah capacity for Ni-Cd, and about 500 Ah for Pb-Acid. The other (which has been commercialized for Ni-Cd batteries only) employs recombination plates and uses a split negative plate and is available in up to about 100 Ah capacity. Although different in construction and performance, both of these sealed cells share some fundamental principles, as follows.
1. They attempt to minimize hydrogen evolution by using an excess of discharged negative material and rely on the oxygen cycle to maintain discharged negative material in the cell at all times. PA0 2. They are limited to individual vessel designs, that is, individual cells each hermetically sealed to ensure that all oxygen generated in a particular cell will recombine in the same cell (with some exception for monoblock Pb-Acid that sometimes use common gas space). PA0 3. They use starved electrolyte in the stack of electrodes and separators to permit oxygen transport to the negative electrode. This dictates tight stacking of electrodes, small interelectrode distance and close control of the electrolyte level in the cell. PA0 4. If placed in a multiple cell battery, they require close matching of cell capacities, charge efficiencies and temperatures to guarantee long life and avoid cell reversal, hydrogen evolution, overpressure and overheating.
Vented cells, on the other hand, are more robust. They do not require as tight a control in manufacturing, they are less sensitive to overcharge and overdischarge or deep discharge, and there is less concern with cell temperature and pressure. They are generally less expensive to build and more applicable to large cells as well as large batteries, yet they pose considerable difficulties to the user who is concerned with periodic maintenance, explosive gas releases into the environment, electrolyte splashing, and loss of plate balance in the cells.
The above discussion indicates the need for a battery that is sealed and requires no maintenance, yet is more robust in design, manufacturing and use, more applicable to large cells and large multi-cell batteries, easy to produce at economical costs and offers advantages in energy density.
A prior U.S. Patent which tried to address some of these problems was U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,799, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. This patent disclosed a sealed rechargeable nickel zinc or silver zinc cell which was divided into two compartments, one having a zinc electrode and a first hydrogen electrode and a second having a nickel or silver electrode and a second hydrogen electrode electrically connected to the first hydrogen electrode. A common gas space was provided for the two compartments so that the hydrogen and oxygen gases could recombine to water and the container could be sealed. Among other expensive features, this battery requires a hydrogen electrode in each cell, which is very costly, and the cells need to be starved.


A device for adjusting a length of a cord is disclosed. The device may include a body portion having a channel defined by first and second opposed walls shaped to receive a cord. Each of the first wall and the second wall may include at least one notch shaped to receive the cord in a direction provided at an angle to the channel.

In order to maintain good health, an exercise regimen has become an integral part of many daily routines. Examples literally run the gamut of physical activity, from running, walking and swimming, to weight lifting and resistance training, to yoga and martial arts, to name but a few. Depending upon the health, body image, and overall exercise goals of an individual, a certain exercise regimen employing some or all of the above or other type of exercises(s) can be performed at regular intervals.
Resistance band exercises that use a resistance band for performing resistance exercises, such as, squats, lunges, chest presses, etc., are becoming increasingly popular. A resistance band can generally be described as a tensioned flexible tubing or solid cord. Resistance bands are now widely used by fitness trainers for training various muscle groups within the body and for improving/maintaining general body strength of their clients. Resistance band exercises are also gaining popularity among health professionals for injury prevention or rehabilitation.
At least in part, the popularity of the resistance band stems from the fact that it is an inexpensive and a versatile piece of exercise equipment that can be employed for performing a variety of exercises by users of all fitness levels and it can also be employed in targeting smaller groups of muscles that may be hard to train with more traditional free weight exercises. Furthermore, given that a resistance band is compact and lightweight, it can be easily transported from one place to another for performing exercises anywhere on the go (e.g., in the car, office, etc.). Exercises using a resistance band can even be incorporated in home exercise regimens.
Thus, given this wide acceptability of resistance bands and resistance band exercises, a variety of resistance bands are now available in the market. To effectively utilize the resistance band for a particular group of exercises and to prevent injury, the length of the band needs to be appropriate for the desired exercise. Users may, therefore, own multiple resistance bands of varying lengths to perform different groups of exercises. However, owning multiple resistance bands not only adds to the overall cost of performing resistance band based exercises, but also impacts the portability of those bands. Users may not be able or willing to carry multiple bands, which may dissuade them from performing exercises outside of their traditional exercise area.
The usable length of a resistance band also varies depending upon the height of a person. Furthermore, owing to the varying lengths of the resistance bands, resistance bands may not be easily shared between persons of varying heights within a single household.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial if a system for adjusting the length of a resistance band is developed, such that a single band can be utilized for performing a variety of resistance band exercises by users of varying heights. It would additionally be beneficial if such a system did not impact the portability of the resistance band significantly.

System and method for adjusting length of a cord


A bottle rack assembly having bottom, front, rear and two side panel members joined together to form the assembly. The bottom and rear panel members having substantially flat outer surfaces with the rear panel forming an inclined angle greater than ninety degree with respect to the bottom flat surface. The front panel member has a height which is generally perpendicular to the joined bottom panel member and has an upper hole for receiving the neck of a bottle. Two abbreviated height side panel members are joined to said bottom panel and to edges of the front and rear panel members partially along their respective heights. The side panel members join the rear panel member at an inclined angle which is the same as the inclination between the bottom and rear panel. A carrying handle extending from and joining the upper end portions of the rear and front panels with a reduced thickness mid section may be used to carry the assembly or when pouring a liquid such as wine from the bottle retained by the assembly.

The storing of large corked bottles, such as wine bottles, in refrigerators or other confined storage spaces may pose a problem when the bottle's height is too tall to sit upright. In such situations, the previously uncorked bottle in placed on its side in the storage compartment with the reinserted cork facing in the same side wise direction. With this side orientation of the bottle and its cork, it is not unusual for leakage to occur from the corked opening resulting in a loss of the stored liquid and a mess in the storage compartment.
The present invention relates to a unique bottle mounting assembly that may be stored in a confined spaced having a storage compartment less than the height of the bottle in which the bottle is maintained at an inclined angle to prevent leakage through its corked opening and which may be placed upright on its flat backing assembly member on a flat surface for uncorking as detailed hereafter.


A shading correction circuit of the present invention includes an image pickup device having photo detectors arranged on its receptive surface, and a shading correction part for performing shading correction on an output signal of the image pickup device. The image pickup device has an effective pixel area and an upper optical black part. The shading correction part has a correction coefficient generating part and a correction processing part. The correction coefficient generating part thereof extracts shading variation according to an output of the upper optical black part, and generates a correction coefficient for the shading variation. The correction processing part thereof performs shading correction on an image signal by using the correction coefficient generated by the correction coefficient generating part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shading correction circuit of an electronic camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Images shot by a solid image pickup device of an electronic camera have local distortion (shading) in amplitude owing to unevenness in illumination from light sources, in transmission of lenses, or sensitivities of sensors, etc. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 63-299575 has been known for a correcting method of such shading. According to this correction method, shading is performed by capturing a uniform luminance surface, storing output values in a memory as correction coefficients for respective pixels, and using the correction coefficients at the time of outputting images that contain a subject.
The shading correction according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 63-299575 is, however, a complicated procedure because it requires a specific operation for obtaining correction coefficients other than the original operations for obtaining images. Besides, the correction coefficients can vary with environmental changes such as secular degradation of the system. Thus, in order to maintain the precision of the shading correction, the method disclosed therein requires periodical obtainment of the correction coefficients even after finishing reading them once, so that it has to be modified on this point.
In addition, the shading correction method disclosed therein requires a memory for retaining the correction coefficient for each pixel. This is disadvantageous in terms of cost performance since in particular, memories of a larger capacity has been demanded for retaining the correction coefficients recently due to soaring increases in the number of pixels constituting a single image.

Shading correction circuit of electronic camera


The invention provides methods for chromosome doubling in plants. The technique overcomes the low yields of doubled progeny associated with the use of prior techniques for doubling chromosomes in plants such as grasses. The technique can be used in large scale applications and has been demonstrated to be highly effective in maize. Following treatment in accordance with the invention, plants remain amenable to self fertilization, thereby allowing the efficient isolation of doubled progeny plants.

This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/296,183 filed Jun. 5, 2001, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein in the entirety.
The government may own rights in this application pursuant to U S. Department of Energy grant number C-5-32680 DOE and the National Science Foundation grant number C-5-32942.

The Curators of the University of Missouri


A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus including providing a liquid crystal composition between a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate, the liquid crystal composition including liquid crystal molecules, a thermal initiator, and a reactive monomer; applying heat to the liquid crystal composition to form alignment inducing patterns; forming an electric field between the first substrate and the second substrate; and providing first ultraviolet rays to the liquid crystal composition.

(1) Field
The present disclosure relates to a liquid crystal composition including a reactive monomer and to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus including the liquid crystal composition.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal display devices are classified as a twisted nematic mode liquid crystal display apparatus, an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display apparatus, or a vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display apparatus. In the vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display apparatus, liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a certain direction, and the longitudinal axes of the liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned with respect to a substrate when an electric field is not applied. Thus, the vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display apparatus generally has a wide viewing angle and a large contrast ratio.
In order to align liquid crystal molecules in a certain direction, a rubbing method or a photo-aligning method have been used. In a vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display apparatus, improved methods of aligning the liquid crystal molecules in a certain direction are desired.

Liquid crystal composition and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display apparatus including the same


An inventive card-type portable information processing device case permits a user to select a mode in which a card-type portable information processing device is taken out of the case with a cap attached thereto or a mode in which the card-type portable information processing device is taken out of the case with the cap detached therefrom and engaged with the first cover. The inventive case includes a cap engagement portion (15) provided in a first cover (1). By moving the card-type portable information processing device (30) in a direction A, the card-type portable information processing device (30) is taken out of the case with the cap (40) attached thereto. By moving the card-type portable information processing device (30) in a direction C, only the card-type portable information processing device (30) is taken out of the case with the cap (40) engaged in the cap engagement portion (15) of the first cover (1).

Various kinds of card-type portable information processing devices typified by PC cards such as memory cards, LAN cards and hard disks have recently been commercialized. These card-type portable information processing devices are ubiquitous, and each have a reduced size and a reduced thickness. Protection cases and terminal protection caps are used for preventing dust and moisture from intruding into the card-type portable information processing devices, for reducing the influence of static electricity and for reducing drop impact.
PC card protection cases are conventionally known, which protect the card-type portable information processing devices from static electricity, dust, moisture and impact when the card-type portable information processing devices are carried in the protection cases. The cases are mostly composed of a transparent resin or the like for easy check of the inside thereof. Further, caps are also known, which cover terminal portions for protecting only the terminal portions from static electricity, dust, moisture and impact.
JP7-40573U discloses a flat IC memory card case for storing an IC memory card between two covers. The IC memory card case includes a protection rib for holding the IC memory card in the covers, a hinge connecting the two covers, and an engagement member provided on edges of the covers for preventing the covers from being opened when the covers are closed.
JP2000-99668A discloses a PC card cap to be used for protecting terminal portions of a PC card. The PC card cap is such that two rectangular cap portions engageable with the terminal portions of the PC card are pivotally connected to opposite edges of a rectangular cap body having substantially the same length as the PC card by pins. For use, the cap portions are pivoted with the cap body fitted along the PC card so as to be engaged with the terminal portions of the PC card. Thus, the PC card cap is attached to the terminal portions. With the PC card cap attached to the terminal portions of the PC card, a portion of the PC card other than the terminal portions is exposed.

Case for card-type portable information processing device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An integrated circuit package includes at least two electronic circuits. A first of the at least two electronic circuits includes a digital input and a digital output and a test mode control line for setting the first integrated circuit chip into a determined test mode. The digital input includes at least two parallel input paths and the digital output includes at least two parallel output paths. The at least two parallel input paths and at least two parallel output paths provide a corresponding number of internal paths by which the first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit can be tested essentially simultaneously.

After a semiconductor chip has been manufactured, it undergoes a testing sequence to determine if the chip is functioning correctly. The testing can be performed using an automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) technique in which an ATPG pattern is generated specifically to test the functionality of this particular type of chip. However, this technique has the disadvantage that the ATPG patterns are large and the time required to test the chip is quite long. This problem is exacerbated in Multi-Chip Modules (MCM) and System-In-Package (SIP) components which include two or more chips to be tested. The long testing times required ultimately increase the cost of producing the chip or module.
Large test patterns also require a larger tester memory to store the patterns. Therefore, the tester resources required is increased and also increases complexity and the total cost of testing and manufacturing the chip or module.

Electronic package and method for testing the same


There is provided a lighting device and a method to manufacture such a lighting device. The inventive concept is based on manufacturing a lighting device on an at least partly flexible sheet assembly which is rolled into a tube, such that the light source of the lighting device is arranged within the tube. The flexible sheet assembly is arranged such that the tube provides a light mixing chamber and light exit surface for the lighting device. Thus, the tube shaped lighting device instantly delivers the necessary optical and mechanical properties for easy assembly and the functionality of a light engine.

Recently, as lighting devices comprising light emitting diodes (LEDs) are used as replacement to traditional lighting devices such as conventional light bulbs, they also start being targeted at application of fluorescent tubes. U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,830 B2 discloses such a lighting device, which comprises an elongated, hollow, rigid tube into which a plurality of LEDs are inserted. The elongated, hollow tube provides a light mixing chamber with a light exit surface for light provided by the LEDs. The tube is rigid and typically made of a sturdy plastic or glass, which limits the flexibility of the manufacturing and installation of the LEDs and other functionalities of the lighting device into the tube. The lighting device is intended for use as direct replacement for a conventional fluorescent light tube in a conventional fluorescent lighting fixture.