A method and system that characterizes hydrogen sulfide in petroleum fluid employs a tool that includes a fluid analyzer for performing fluid analysis (including optical density (OD) for measuring carbon dioxide concentration) of a live oil sample, and a storage chamber for an analytical reagent fluidly coupled to a measurement chamber. An emulsion from fluid of the sample and the reagent is produced into the measurement chamber. The reagent changes color due to pH changes arising from chemical reactions between components of the sample and the reagent in the measurement chamber. The tool includes an optical sensor system that measures OD of a water phase of the emulsion at one or more determined wavelengths. The pH of the water phase is derived from such OD measurements. The pH of the water phase and the carbon dioxide concentration in the sample is used to calculate hydrogen sulfide concentration in the sample.

Field
The present invention relates to measurement of the properties of reservoir fluids. More specifically, the present invention is related to downhole spectroscopic measurement of reservoir fluids using oil-water mixtures.
Description of Related Art
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can be present in subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs. The presence of hydrogen sulfide is highly corrosive to casing, tubing, and other metallic and polymeric tools. This effect is considerably accelerated by low pH and the presence of carbon dioxide. Additionally, hydrogen sulfide is hazardous to humans even at small concentrations (for example, above 100 ppm). Thus, the measurement of the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in reservoir fluids has great value for oilfield companies because it can improve investment decisions and reduce potential health and safety hazards. For example, with knowledge of the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the reservoir fluids, appropriate health and safety measures can be planned for the various stages of reservoir characterization and development (i.e., exploration, appraisal, development, production, and abandonment). In another example, special metals or process designs can be used that address the hydrogen sulfide concentration in the reservoir fluids. In yet another example, water or steam injection of a reservoir can promote the activity of bacteria that leads to the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas. The onset of such hydrogen sulfide formation conditions can be detected and mitigated.
At present, the measurement of the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in reservoir fluids is attained through analyzing samples captured through downhole fluid sampling tools (such as the Modular Dynamics Tester (MDT™) tool available from Schlumberger Technology Corporation of Sugar Land, Tex., USA). Such tools are typically capable of collecting samples in metal containers and maintaining them at reservoir pressure and temperature conditions. These samples are transported to a surface laboratory for fluid analysis typically involving spectroscopic and gas chromatographic analysis. Although the above technique is effective, the accuracy is somewhat compromised as it does not account for any scavenging that may take place on the metal surfaces of the sampling tool as well as any mud filtrate present in the sample container.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,138 discloses the use of metal coupons as a means of monitoring concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. The coupons are integrated into sampling tools and are exposed to downhole fluids. A reaction of a respective coupon with the downhole fluids causes a change in the coupon (such as a change in coloration) in the event that the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the downhole fluid exceeds a predetermined threshold level. This technique is rather qualitative in nature in that it identifies the presence of hydrogen sulfide at a concentration over the threshold level, but does not provide a measure of the actual concentration of hydrogen sulfide. Moreover, the technique employs a reaction time in the range of two to six hours, and thus is not capable of hydrogen sulfide gas monitoring at different depths and sampling points during one trip within a wellbore.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,717 discloses several embodiments for the measurement of hydrogen sulfide in wellbore fluids. The first technique is based on a headspace measurement of hydrogen sulfide in the gas phase above the liquid sample, which is formed by reducing its hydrostatic pressure. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the original liquid hydrocarbon sample can be calculated from the measured gas phase concentration and knowledge of the Henry's law constant for the hydrocarbon sample. This measurement method can also be applied to the hydrogen sulfide content of formation water samples if the pH of the sample is either measured or fixed by a suitable buffer. The second technique is based on the measurement of the flux of hydrogen sulfide across a gas extraction membrane in contact with a flowing sample of reservoir fluid. Several methods are described to measure the flux of hydrogen sulfide across the extraction membrane. The first method uses a reduction-oxidation cell that oxidizes the hydrogen sulfide by converting ferricyanide to ferrocyanide ions and the measured reduction-oxidation current is directly proportional to the concentration of hydrogen sulphide in the reservoir fluid. The second method measures the methylene blue formed in an optical absorption cell by the reaction of the hydrogen sulfide diffused across the membrane with iron (III) ions and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine in an acidic aqueous solution; the methylene formed is detected spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 660 nm. The rate of change of absorbance at 660 nm is directly proportional to the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the reservoir fluid sample. The effectiveness of the techniques of U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,717 are limited in harsh downhole conditions (for example, high pressure conditions (up to 15,000 psi) and high temperature conditions (up to 150° C.)) because the buffer compounds as well as reduction-oxidation compounds can destabilize and undergo side reactions at elevated temperatures.
International Patent Application Publication WO 2007/034131 employs an electrochemical sensor for measuring pH and hydrogen sulfide content of reservoir fluids, which in turn can be used for predicting mineral scale and for corrosion assessments. The sensor is applicable to downhole sampling tools. The effectiveness of this electrochemical sensor can be limited in harsh downhole conditions (for example, high pressure conditions (up to 15,000 psi) and high temperature conditions (up to 150° C.)) due to degradation of the sensor solution at elevated temperatures. Moreover, as the technique requires a porous membrane material to facilitate transfer of sulfide species into the aqueous mediator solution, the mechanical robustness and overall suitability for downhole deployment are limited.
A more recent study entitled "Accurate Measurement of the Hydrogen Sulfide Content in Formation Fluid Samples," SPE 94707, 2005, reports successful detection and monitoring of hydrogen sulfide concentration through a systematic sampling analysis that involved the use of an optimized and modified formation tester (i.e. minimal hydrogen sulfide scavenging) and rapid analysis on the surface to drastically reduce any incident that can contribute to underestimating hydrogen sulfide levels. This technique requires testing times on the order of days to measure hydrogen sulfide concentration, and thus is not suitable for hydrogen sulfide gas monitoring at different depths and sampling points during one trip within a wellbore.

Method and system for measurement of reservoir fluid properties


A device for mounting an array of solder balls to a plurality of substrates of integrated circuits, comprising: a first plate for receiving a first substrate in a loading position; said first plate adapted to translate laterally from a substrate loading position to a flux receiving position; said first plate further adapted to rotate 180° from the substrate loading position to a such that the first plate is in a solder ball receiving position, and; mounting solder balls to the first plate.

Ball grid arrays are arrays for receiving solder balls which are used as electrodes for connection to integrated circuits. They are placed whilst the integrated circuit is still within a substrate prior to or after dicing of said substrate.
The substrate, in general terms, is passed into a flux deposition platform and then to a ball mounting platform where upon the balls are mounted within the flux in precisely located arrangements.
Solder Ball Placement Machines are employed to attach the solder balls within the area-array package substrates where they form the final interconnection to the substrate. The Solder Ball Placement Machine performs two main processes, which are flux deposit on the substrate, followed by solder balls placement on the substrate. Flux is used to remove oxidation on the solder pad for better connectivity and bonding, and to hold the solder ball in place before the substrate is sent to the reflow oven to melt the solder ball to complete the bonding.
In one method, the flux and solder balls processing regions are located in series whereby the substrate is passed within the flux processing region so that flux is applied to the array. Subsequently the substrate is passed to the ball mounting platform whereby a ball robot places the solder balls in a precise benchmark. The substrate is subsequently passed out of the ball mounting apparatus and subsequently sent for dicing.
For this arrangement, fiducial vision of the substrate on each platform is taken so as to locate the position and orientation of the substrate and so precisely place both the flux and solder balls.
A flaw in this method, however, is the need to take two separate set of fiducial vision of the substrate on the two separate platforms. This will worsen the bottle neck at the ball mounting station as the ball pick head being the apparatus for placing the balls must first determined whether the head is fully laden with balls such that there are none missing from the cavity used for placing the balls and subsequently checked that all balls were deposited from the head and no particular cavity still having a ball jammed within the head and so not transferred to the array. This double inspection system controls the flow of substrates through the ball mounting device and can consequently miss the overall speed of this process.
In a different arrangement, the flux and ball mounting regions are placed parallel to each other such that the substrate is passed into the device and the flux positioning head and ball pick head positioned to access the substrate without having to move the substrate from one station to the next. In this way, the fiducial vision of the substrate to ensure orientation and position of the substrate is correct, need only be taken once and not separately at the flux region and ball region, so consequently for this reason will be a faster process compared to the previous. However, the limitation of this arrangement is that the single platform can only be worked on by the Flux or the Ball Head at one time and either one will be idle, so the benefit of a single fiducial vision check is wasted as the bottle neck is now at the single mounting platform and it causes an increase in the machine cycle time.
In another facet of the process, the flux pool generally comprises a pair of sweeping flux applicators mounted on a linear slide and arranged to travel backward and forward over a supply of flux deposited on a plate. The flux applicator, during the sweeping motion forms a layer of flux at a pre-determined thickness as controlled by the height of the flux applicator. The sweeping action is driven by a speed control motor and often including a pair of pneumatic actuators.
During sweeping, one flux applicator will be in a lowered position at the fixed height from the flux pool to form the predetermined flux thickness. The thickness of flux on the plate will control the amount of flux taken by a flux tool which then applies the controlled amount of flux to a substrate. As a means of ensuring the flux pool has a sufficient supply, there is a sensor which measures the level of flux in the flux pool that on reaching a lower limit, which activates a flux refiner to add new flux to the flux pool.
The flux refiner typically comprises a syringe subjected to an external air supply so as to apply pressure to the plunger of the syringe and consequently inject the flux into the flux pool.
Whilst there are variations known in the industry many typically have similar arrangements including the use of a syringe in order to inject flux into the flux pool. Accordingly, these suffer the problem of syringes generally in that not all the contents of the syringe can be completely removed. Instead a "slug" or "tailing" of the flux remains in the exit chamber preceding the nozzle of the syringe. This remaining flux may be partially exposed to the external environment and therefore, can become contaminated on the next usage of the syringe. Further, whilst the flux is viscous, it can still drip from the nozzle and so the tailing remaining in the nozzle may drip and so place flux on the peripheral elements of the flux pool. Accordingly the flux that contacts areas outside the flux pool may further become contaminated and if then inadvertently added to the flux pool can cause contamination to the entire flux pool.
This may also result in contamination that may spread to subsequent substrates, contaminating an entire batch of substrates to which the solder balls are being attached.
In a further facet, once the flux is applied to the substrate, solder balls are then mounted to the flux for further processing. The arrangement of the solder balls on to the substrate requires a very precise arrangement to a very high tolerance.
Templates are used as a means of establishing a predetermined array for the batch process of placing small scale units such as solder balls for down stream manufacturing purposes.
The time consuming activity of placing the solder balls within the highly defined arrays is one that can be alleviated by automating their placement of the units within said arrays. One such method involves pouring the solder balls into the templates for a gravity placement of the arrays. It follows that this method would be extremely inaccurate. Another such method involves sweeping a reservoir of solder balls across the template so as to maintain a more precise correspondence with the array through maintaining a pre-determined gap between the reservoir and the array. The maintenance of this very precise gap has led to a high quality in output and less wastage through misplacement of solder balls within the array.
The difficulty with this approach is the level of tolerance required to maintain the gap. It is necessary to establish a datum from which to measure the gap and for the mechanical system required for distribution of the solder balls to the array. Fixed points relative to the reservoir such as a base plate underlying the template or a linear slide to which the reservoir is mounted so as to distribute the balls are logical places to establish the datum. The precision requires a high degree of machining which adds to the manufacturing costs of the device. Further poor linearity of the linear slide or warpage of the base plate must be avoided to maintain the precision required.
Without maintaining a high precision for the gap, it is very difficult to accurately distribute the solder balls particularly as a template may require an array having a planar area of 300 mm×90 mm. The degree of flatness required over such an area represents a significant manufacturing cost for the equipment.
Further, even if the machining is maintained to a very high tolerance, the installation of various components including the template will also require a high degree of quality. If the template is not precisely fitted to the device, then even a manufacture of high tolerance will not overcome the shortcomings of a poor installation.


A method and apparatus for generating a reference signal involves (i) generating a CTAT voltage and a PTAT voltage, (ii) generating a first digital signal and a second digital signal having an amplified difference dependent on a difference between the CTAT voltage and the PTAT voltage, and (iii) dependent on the first digital signal and the second digital signal, adding or subtracting charge from the reference signal, where the reference signals controls the conductivity of devices that drive current through the devices that are used to generate the CTAT and PTAT voltages.

The operation of an integrated circuit is often dependent on circuits designed to generate a reference signal (e.g., a reference voltage or a reference current). Because behaviors of devices implemented in silicon are susceptible to change with variations in, for example, characteristics of the silicon (i.e., "process" variations), power supply levels, and temperature, designers use circuits known in the art as "bandgap" circuits to generate a reference signal that has little or no dependence on process and power supply level variations and a well-defined dependence on temperature.
The use of at least one family of bandgap circuits to generate a temperature-stable reference signal (i.e., a reference that remains steady over an expected range of temperatures) relies on the properties of bipolar transistor technology. A bipolar transistor, of which there are two types (PNP and NPN), has three regions. The outer two regions are referred to as the "collector" and the "emitter," and the middle region is referred to as the "base." When implemented in silicon, the base-emitter junction voltage of a bipolar transistor is substantially constant (e.g., ˜0.7 volts) (such voltage referred to as the "on" voltage). This base-emitter junction voltage has a negative temperature coefficient, i.e., the voltage is complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT). Particularly, the voltage drop between the base and emitter decreases as temperature increases.
In typical bandgap circuits, a pair of bipolar transistors are operated at different current densities and are arranged to develop a voltage that is proportional to the difference in base-emitter junction voltages of the two transistors. This voltage difference has a positive temperature coefficient, i.e., the voltage is proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT). The PTAT voltage provided by the difference in base-emitter junction voltages of the two transistors is appropriately scaled and summed with the CTAT voltage of one of the transistors to produce the reference voltage/current.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit schematic of a typical bandgap circuit 10. In FIG. 1, a first bipolar transistor Q1 is "diode-connected" as its base and collector are both connected to ground. The emitter of transistor Q1 is connected to (i) an input of an operational amplifier 12 and (ii) a terminal of resistance R2. Another terminal of resistance R2 is connected to an output VREF of the operational amplifier 12. Also connected to the output VREF of the operational amplifier 12 is a terminal of resistance R3. Another terminal of resistance R3 is connected to (i) another input of the operational amplifier 12 and (ii) an emitter of a second bipolar transistor Q2 that is "diode-connected" as its base and collector are both connected to ground.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art will note that due to the feedback configuration of operational amplifier 12 in FIG. 1 described above, VREF may be given as:
                                          V            REF                    =                                    V              BEQ2                        +                                          (                                                      R                    2                                                        R                    1                                                  )                                                          V                T                                                          ln                                                  (                                                                                R                        2                                                                                A                        EQ1                                                                                R                        3                                                                                A                        EQ2                                                                              )                                                                    ,                            (        1        )            where VBEQ2 represents the base-emitter junction voltage of transistor Q2, R1 represents the value of resistance R1, R2 represents the value of resistance R2, R3 represents the value of resistance R3, VT represents the threshold voltage, AEQ1 represents an area of transistor Q1, and AEQ2 represents an area of transistor Q2.
As shown above, those skilled in the art will note that an operational amplifier, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, performs, with electrical signals, mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, differentiation, integration, etc. The operational amplifier of a bandgap circuit may be implemented in silicon using transistors and/or capacitors that are deliberately enlarged to increase transconductance and compensate gain. Further, as power supply levels necessary for the proper operation of integrated circuits continue to decrease with advances in technology, designing and implementing an operational amplifier within such power supply level constraints may be difficult.

Method and apparatus for generating a reference signal


Methods and systems are described for generating reports in a communication network. More specifically, the system processes a communication at an enterprise gatekeeper; stores, in memory accessible to the enterprise gatekeeper, information associated with the communication; parses the information associated with the communication; and provides an indication of the parsed information.

The invention disclosed herein relates generally to generating reports in a communications network. More particularly, the present invention relates to generating reports associated with packet-switched communications, such as Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") calls, to provide aggregate call detail information which can be used for quality of service ("QoS") monitoring, network usage tracking, and other similar purposes.
Communications between network endpoints in packet-switched networks are generally facilitated and managed by call mediators and enterprise gatekeepers. Traditionally, a VoIP network endpoint is associated with a call mediator that is responsible for processing calls to and from the VoIP network endpoint. For example, in certain commercial applications, a call mediator is often responsible for processing calls at a particular enterprise site such as a branch office. When routing calls beyond a particular site, the call mediator generally uses H.323 signaling techniques or other protocols to communicate with an enterprise gatekeeper that is responsible for routing calls between call mediators and other network components in the enterprise.
One problem associated with this architecture is related to providing aggregate call detail information for areas of the network beyond the site associated with the call mediator such as the number of calls made between network sites, the number of calls completed, the number of calls dropped, the bandwidth utilized by these calls, etc. Often, network administrators and other users wish to obtain such information in order to perform network diagnostics, QoS testing, and other similar activities. Sites in a service provider network sometimes include gateways to the PSTN for inbound and outbound calls or multi-vendor-platform sites.
According to VoIP networks known in the art, aggregate call detail information is not readily available. Individual call mediators generally track call detail information only for the sites they manage, and this information is not shared with other network components that might, for example, seek to collect aggregate data for aspects of the network. Furthermore, companies frequently use network components made by a number of different manufacturers. These disparate components often store information in different formats and capture varying kinds of information according to manufacturer making the task of aggregating network information even more difficult.
Until now, network administrators seeking to aggregate call detail information had to rely on custom solutions built for a specific network implementation or employ only components of a single manufacturer. For example, one solution employed by network administrators managing networks comprising heterogeneous components has been to program a custom application to query individual call mediators to aggregate call detail information. One disadvantage associated with this solution is the need to program a different application for each type of network implementation. For example, the application would need to be programmed differently to obtain call detail information from Cisco components as opposed to Nortel components. This approach is inefficient and not well-suited to general implementation.
Another solution employed by network administrators is to rely on the components of a single manufacturer. For example, some VoIP component manufacturers, such as Nortel, have designed their network components to interoperate and provide certain aggregate call detail information. One major disadvantage with this solution, however, is that only the components of a given manufacturer can be used since they do not provide the desired functionality when interoperating with components from other manufacturers. This approach thus lacks flexibility desired by many network administrators and locks a customer in to one specific manufacturer's technology.
There is thus a need for systems and methods that provide improved aggregate call detail information in VoIP networks. There is also a need to provide systems and methods offering aggregate call detail information in VoIP networks comprised of heterogeneous components.

System and method for generating reports in a network


A microphone structure is disclosed. The microphone structure comprises a substrate penetrated with at least one opening chamber and having an insulation surface. A conduction layer is arranged on the insulation surface and arranged over the opening chamber. An insulation layer is arranged on the conduction layer and having a opening to expose a part of the conduction layer as a vibration block arranged over the opening chamber. At least two first patterned electrodes are arranged on the insulation layer and arranged over the vibration block. At least two second patterned electrodes are arranged over the opening chamber, arranged on the vibration block and separated from the first patterned electrodes by at least two first gaps. When the vibration block vibrates, the vibration block moves the second patterned electrodes whereby the second patterned electrodes and the first patterned electrodes perform differential sensing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structure, and in particular to a microphone structure.
2. The Prior Arts
In the past thirty years, the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) has been used extensively in the manufacturing of Integrated Circuits (IC). The development and innovation of IC have progressed by leaps and bounds, due to huge amount of research manpower and investment put in, to raise significantly its reliability and yields; meanwhile, its production cost is reduced drastically. Presently, that technology has reached a mature and stable level, such that for the continued development of the semiconductor, in addition to keeping up the present trend of technical development, it is essential to achieve breakthrough to provide special production process, and enhance system integration of high concentration.
In this respect, the Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) is a new processing technology completely different from the convention technology. It mainly utilizes the semiconductor technology to produce MEMS structure; meanwhile it is capable of making products having electronic and mechanical functions. As such, it has the advantages of batch processing, miniaturization, and high performance, and is very suitable for use in Production Industries requiring mass production at reduced cost. Therefore, for this stable and progressing CMOS technology, the integration of MEMS and circuitry can be a better approach to achieve system integration.
For the processing of most of the MEMS elements, poly-silicon is utilized to make active elements, such that it utilizes one or more oxides as the release layer, the silicon nitride as the isolation layer, and metal layer as a reflector and internal connection. In processing the MEMS elements, it could encounter an especially difficult release problem, such that in this process, a silicon oxide sacrifice layer is dissolved, and a gap thus created is to separate various elements. In this respect, the MEMS elements, including the electrostatic suspension arms, the deflection mirrors, and the torsion regulator are released through dissolving the sacrifice layer by means of the wet chemical process. In general, that process is performed on a single piece of MEMS circuit chip, rather on a whole wafer. At this time, the static friction is liable to cause decrease of yield. The static friction refers to two adjacent surfaces stick to each other, as caused by the capillary forces produced by drying up the liquid between two micro-structures, thus leading to decrease of yield. Most of the MEMS elements are made through using oxide sacrifice layers. Usually, a water containing hydrofluoric acid is used to dissolve an oxide sacrifice layer to achieve release. In another approach, a hydrofluoric acid vapor is used to release MEMS elements having oxide sacrifice layer.
In a thesis of Stanford University, "Wafer Scale Encapsulation Of Large Lateral Deflection MEMS Structure", the MEMS element is produced by first performing Deep Reactive-Ion Etching of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Next, grow a layer of silicon dioxide thereon, and then planarize its surface. Subsequently, form a first epitaxy layer, and then perform deep reactive-ion etching to remove a part of the silicon layer. Finally, grow a second epitaxy layer to seal off the etched holes on the first epitaxy layer, to form an electrode serving as a connection pad. In addition, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,183, another MEMS element manufacturing method is disclosed. Wherein, firstly, form an oxide layer on a cap wafer, then form a balance structure and a germanium layer on a gyroscope wafer, to connect the gyroscope wafer onto the cap wafer. Finally, connect a reference wafer electrically to the germanium layer, to fix it on the gyroscope wafer. From the descriptions above it can be known that, the former cited case utilizes the epitaxy technology requiring high price metal; while for the latter cited case, its production process is rather complicated.
In the traditional technology, a microphone structure fabricated by MEMs technology comprises two electrode plates, and a insulation material is arranged between the electrode plates. However, the distance between the electrode plates is fixed. If the developer wants to greatly increase the capacitance of the microphone structure, the areas of the electrode plates are greatly enlarged, which greatly increases the fabrication cost. Besides, releasing the insulation material is a complicated fabrication process.
In view of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a microphone structure, that is simple in implementation, to overcome the deficiency and drawback of the prior art.


A frame of pixels is segmented into a plurality of blocks each having a block type by a method including the steps of:                a) performing an initial segmentation of the frame into a set of initial blocks, thus determining, for each initial block, a block type associated with the concerned initial block;        b) determining, for each block type, an associated set of quantizers based on data corresponding to pixels of blocks having said block type;        c) selecting, among a plurality of possible segmentations defining an association between each block of this segmentation and an associated block type, the segmentation which minimizes an encoding cost estimated based on a measure of the rate necessary for encoding each block using the set of quantizers associated with the block type of the encoded block according to the concerned segmentation.

Video compression algorithms, such as those standardized by the standardization organizations ITU, ISO, and SMPTE, exploit the spatial and temporal redundancies of images in order to generate bit-streams of data of smaller size than original video sequences. These powerful video compression tools, known as spatial (or intra) and temporal (or inter) predictions, make the transmission and/or the storage of video sequences more efficient.
Video encoders and/or decoders (codecs) are often embedded in portable devices with limited resources, such as cameras or camcorders. Conventional embedded codecs can process at best high definition (HD) digital videos, i.e 1080×1920 pixel frames.
Real time encoding is however limited by the limited resources of the portable devices, especially regarding slow access to the working memory (e.g. random access memory, or RAM) and regarding the central processing unit (CPU).
This is particularly striking for the encoding of ultra-high definition (UHD) digital videos that are about to be handled by the latest cameras. This is because the amount of pixel data to encode or to consider for spatial or temporal prediction is huge.
UHD is typically four times (4 k2 k pixels) the definition of an HD video which is the current standard definition video. Furthermore, very ultra high definition, which is sixteen times that definition (i.e. 8 k4 k pixels), is even being considered in a more long-term future.

Methods for segmenting and encoding an image, and corresponding devices


In a scintillator panel comprising a deliquescent scintillator formed on an FOP and a polyparaxylylene film covering over the scintillator, the FOP comprises a protective film peeling prevention rough at a side wall portion thereon coming into contact with the polyparaxylylene film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scintillator panel and a radiation image sensor which are used for medical X-ray photography and the like.
2. Related Background Art
While X-ray sensitive films have been used in medical and industrial X-ray photography, radiation imaging systems using radiation detecting devices have been coming into wider use from the viewpoint of convenience and their storability of photographed results. In such a radiation imaging system, pixel data caused by two-dimensional radiation are acquired by a radiation detecting device as an electric signal, which is then processed by a processing unit, so as to be displayed onto a monitor.
Conventionally known as a scintillator panel for a radiation detecting device is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. SHO 63-215987. In this scintillator panel, a scintillator made of CsI, which is a typical scintillator material, is formed on a fiber optical plate (FOP), i.e., an optical part constituted by a plurality of optical fibers bundled together. Since this scintillator is deliquescent, a water-impermeable protective film, i.e., polyparaxylylene film, is formed on the upper side of the scintillator, so as to protect the scintillator against moisture.

Scintillator panel and radiation image sensor


A multiple layer structure comprising a pair of spaced-apart crystalline layers of different materials with an intermediate crystalline layer between and in contact with each of the pair of crystalline layers, the intermediate crystalline layer providing one of the crystalline layers of the pair with a stronger out-of-plane preferred growth orientation than if each of the pair of crystalline layers are in overlying contact. Disclosed and preferred embodiments include perpendicular magnetic recording media comprising the multiple layer structure as an intermediate layer structure beneath a perpendicular magnetic recording layer for strengthening a preferred out-of-plane growth orientation of the latter.

The performance of many devices and manufactures comprised of multiple layer thin-film structures can be significantly improved by increasing the strength of a preferred crystalline growth orientation of at least an active layer of the multiple layer structure, e.g., a preferred hexagonal close-packed (hcp) <0002> or face-centered cubic (fcc) <111> out-of-plane growth orientation of the active layer. For example, when fabricating high areal recording density perpendicular magnetic recording media (described in detail below), it is frequently desirable to deposit well-oriented, i.e., out-of-plane oriented, (hcp) <0002> and (fcc) <111> layers in the same thin-film structure.
According to conventional practice, an upper layer is grown in an oriented fashion on a lower layer by a coherent growth mechanism. Unfortunately, however, coherent growth of the upper layer on the lower layer requires the former layer to be chemically compatible with the latter layer, with substantially similar crystal lattice structure and atomic interplanar spacings (lattice parameters), since materials with sufficiently different crystal structures and lattice parameters do not grow coherently one upon-the-other, disadvantageously resulting in loss of preferred growth orientation. Specifically, loss of a desired preferred crystallographic growth orientation of the active magnetic recording layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording medium often results in undesired, deleterious change in the crystal grain structure and size, in turn manifesting in reduced or degraded media performance characteristics, e.g., magnetic anisotropy (Ku) and coercivity (Hc).
The above-mentioned magnetic media are widely used in various applications, particularly in the computer industry for data/information storage and retrieval, and efforts are continually made with the aim of increasing the areal recording density, i.e., bit density of the magnetic media. Conventional thin-film type magnetic recording media, wherein a fine-grained polycrystalline magnetic alloy serves as the active recording layer, are generally classified as "longitudinal" or "perpendicular", depending upon the orientation of the magnetic domains of magnetic material. In perpendicular magnetic recording media, residual magnetization is formed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic medium, typically a layer of a magnetic material on a suitable substrate. Very high linear recording densities are obtainable by utilizing a "single-pole" magnetic transducer or "head" with such perpendicular magnetic media.
It is well-known that an efficient, high bit density perpendicular magnetic medium requires interposition of a relatively thick (as compared to the magnetic recording layer), magnetically "soft" underlayer or "keeper" layer, i.e., a magnetic layer having a relatively low coercivity below 1 kOe, such as Permalloy (a NiFe alloy, between the non-magnetic substrate (e.g., of glass, aluminum (Al) or an Al-based alloy), and the "hard" magnetic recording layer having a relatively high coercivity of several kOe, typically about 4–7 kOe (e.g., of a cobalt-based alloy such as CoCrPtB) having perpendicular anisotropy. The magnetically soft underlayer serves to guide magnetic flux emanating from the head through the hard, perpendicular magnetic recording layer. In addition, the magnetically soft underlayer reduces susceptibility of the medium to thermally-activated magnetization reversal by reducing the demagnetizing fields which lower the energy barrier that maintains the current state of magnetization.
A typical conventional perpendicular recording system 10 utilizing a vertically oriented magnetic medium 1 with a relatively thick soft magnetic underlayer, a relatively thin hard magnetic recording layer, and a single-pole head, is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein reference numerals 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, indicate a non-magnetic substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer, at least one non-magnetic interlayer, and a perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer. Reference numerals 7 and 8, respectively, indicate the single and auxiliary poles of a single-pole magnetic transducer head 6. The relatively thin interlayer 4 (also referred to as an "intermediate" layer), comprised of one or more layers of non-magnetic materials, serves to (1) prevent magnetic interaction between the soft underlayer 3 and the hard recording layer 5 and (2) promote desired microstructural and magnetic properties of the hard recording layer.
As shown by the arrows in the figure indicating the path of the magnetic flux φ, flux φ is seen as emanating from single pole 7 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 6, entering and passing through vertically oriented, hard magnetic recording layer 5 in the region below single pole 7, entering and travelling along soft magnetic underlayer 3 for a distance, and then exiting therefrom and passing through the perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer 5 in the region below auxiliary pole 8 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 6. The direction of movement of perpendicular magnetic medium 1 past transducer head 6 is indicated in the figure by the arrow above medium 1.
With continued reference to FIG. 1, vertical lines 9 indicate grain boundaries of each polycrystalline (i.e., granular) layer of the layer stack constituting medium 1. In the figure, the width of the grains (as measured in a horizontal direction) of each of the polycrystalline layers constituting the layer stack of the medium is shown as being substantially the same, i.e., each overlying layer may replicate the grain width of the underlying layer. A protective overcoat layer 11, such as of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) is formed over hard magnetic layer 5, and a lubricant topcoat layer 12, such as of a perfluoropolyethylene material, is formed over the protective overcoat layer. Substrate 2 is typically disk-shaped and comprised of a non-magnetic metal or alloy, e.g., Al or an Al-based alloy, such as Al—Mg having an Ni—P plating layer on the deposition surface thereof, or substrate 2 is comprised of a suitable glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, polymeric material, or a composite or laminate of these materials. Underlayer 3 is typically comprised of an about 500 to about 4,000 Å thick layer of a soft magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ni, NiFe (Permalloy), Co, CoZr, CoZrCr, CoZrNb, CoFe, Fe, FeN, FeSiAl, FeSiAlN, FeCoC, FeCoB, etc. Interlayer 4 typically comprises an up to about 300 Å thick layer of a non-magnetic material, such as TiCr. Hard magnetic layer 5 is typically comprised of an about 50 to about 250 Å thick layer of a Co-based alloy including one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Fe, Ta, Ti, Ni, Mo, Pt, V, Nb, Ge, B, Si, 0, and Pd; iron nitrides or oxides; or a (CoX/Pd or Pt)n multilayer magnetic superlattice structure, where n is an integer from about 10 to about 25, each of the alternating, thin layers of Co-based magnetic alloy is from about 2 to about 3.5 Å thick, X is an element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ta, B, Mo, Pt, W, and Fe, and each of the alternating thin, non-magnetic layers of Pd or Pt is about 10 Å thick. Each type of hard magnetic recording layer material has perpendicular anisotropy arising from magneto-crystalline anisotropy (1st type) and/or interfacial anisotropy (2nd type).
Notwithstanding the improvement (i.e., increase) in areal recording density and SMNR afforded by perpendicular magnetic recording media as described supra, the escalating requirements for increased areal recording density, media stability and SMNR necessitate further improvement in media performance.
As indicated above, perpendicular magnetic recording media typically include a magnetically soft underlayer for guiding magnetic flux through the media and to enhance writability, a thin intermediate or interlayer, and a main recording layer. The role of the intermediate or interlayer (or multiple layer structure) is critical for obtaining good media performance. Specifically, in perpendicular magnetic recording media the intermediate or interlayer (or multiple layer interlayer structure) serves to provide:
1. control of the crystallographic orientation of the main recording layer;
2. control of the grain size and grain distribution of the main recording layer; and
3. physical separation between adjacent grains of the main recording layer, which feature is particularly desirable and important when the latter is formed by a low temperature and/or reactive sputtering process, so that growth of an oxide (e.g., Co-oxide or Si-oxide) occurs in the boundaries between adjacent grains.
More specifically, the SMNR of perpendicular magnetic recording media is improved by increasing the strength of the preferred c-axis out-of-plane orientation of the perpendicular main recording layer while maintaining a small uniform grain size of the layer. The preferred orientation of the magnetic layer depends upon the structural properties of and the interactions between the various previously deposited underlying layers of the media, as well as upon the nature of the substrate.
In general, control of the strength (or amount) of the preferred orientation of thin-film layers is difficult, for the reasons given above. Specifically, formation of a Co-alloy perpendicular magnetic recording layer with a strong <0002> growth orientation on a structure including a substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer, and non-magnetic intermediate or underlayer(s) between about 0.2 and 400 nm thick is extremely difficult.
As indicated supra, differences in crystallographic orientation between adjacent (e.g., lower and upper) thin film layers are caused by differences in the surface and interfacial energies of the materials of the layers, and by heteroepitaxial (or coherent) growth of one layer upon another layer of a chemically distinct material with different crystal lattice structure and atomic interplanar spacings.
The soft magnetic underlayer of perpendicular magnetic recording media is generally composed of a small grain or amorphous material containing at least one of Fe and Co. According to prior practice, a non-magnetic material of hcp structure, e.g., Ru, may be deposited on the soft magnetic underlayer, which non-magnetic hcp material grows with a moderately strong <0002> preferred orientation and small grain size. A magnetic material of hcp structure, typically a Co-based alloy, may grow coherently on the hcp non-magnetic layer, also with <0002> growth orientation and small grain size. The quality of the <0002> growth orientation can be determined from the size of symmetric X-ray diffraction peaks and X-ray rocking curves. Strong preferred growth orientation of the Co-based alloy with the hcp <0002> axis out-of-plane is generally necessary for achieving good performance of high areal recording density perpendicular magnetic media. Unfortunately, however, the quality of growth orientation of an hcp material upon the soft magnetic underlayer depends upon the selected material, and prior intermediate or underlayer structures, such as with a Ru layer and a Co-alloy layer, generally have not afforded the desired strength of <0002> growth orientation.
In view of the foregoing critical nature of the intermediate or interlayer in perpendicular magnetic recording media, there exists a clear need for improved layer structures for facilitating highly oriented crystal growth thereon and, more particularly, for highly oriented perpendicular magnetic recording media with enhanced performance characteristics, comprising improved intermediate or interlayer structures.
The present invention, therefore, addresses and solves problems attendant upon the design and manufacture of improved layer structures for facilitating highly oriented crystal growth and, in particular, fabrication of high performance, ultra-high areal recording density perpendicular magnetic recording media, while maintaining full compatibility with the economic requirements of cost-effective, large-scale automated manufacturing technology.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Thin film structures providing strong basal plane growth orientation and magnetic recording media comprising same


A vehicle roof structure includes a solar cell unit having a plurality of solar cells arranged in a planar form at intervals from one another, a roof panel disposed to cover the solar cell unit from above, and a reinforcing member disposed under the solar cell unit. The reinforcing member supports the solar cell unit with a plurality of supporting parts provided at positions corresponding to the intervals left between the plurality of solar cells. The vehicle roof structure can prevent the solar cells from breaking down under stress.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle roof structure having solar cells.
2. Description of the Background Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-157342, a vehicle roof structure equipped with solar cells is known. The solar cells disclosed in the publication include a plurality of solar cells arranged in a planar form. The plurality of solar cells are sealed with resin on a glass panel. The roof structure including the plurality of solar cells sealed with resin on the glass panel are supported by reinforcing members with spacers interposed therebetween on the solar cells side.


A method of amplifying a nucleotide sequence complementary to an mRNA template derived from genomic DNA. The method involves the following steps. A sample mixture containing an mRNA template and corresponding genomic DNA is provided, the genomic DNA including at least two exons separated by at least one intron. A pair of intron-blockers are introduced into the mixture, the intron-blockers comprising a sequence of intron-specific oligonucleotides modified to prevent nucleotide extension in conditions promoting polymerase chain reaction. A primer pair promoting amplification of cDNA derived from the mRNA template is introduced into the mixture and then reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction is carried out to amplify cDNA. Detection of the cDNA is proof of the existence of mRNA in the sample, and thus proof of expression of the corresponding gene. The method avoids false positives caused by amplification of genomic DNA as well as cDNA based on an mRNA template. The invention includes a method of suppressing gene expression in vivo, which comprises exposing cells containing a gene to be suppressed, made up of exons and at least one intron, to intron-blockers having nucleotide sequences that bind to the intron to prevent gene expression.

I. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of detecting gene expression in cells and, if desired, of preventing such expression. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of detecting mRNA in the presence of complementary genomic DNA, and of preventing the expression of such complementary DNA. The invention also relates to specific testing or identification procedures using such methods.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Specific gene expression or the lack thereof can be indicative of a genetic defect, a disease marker or a viral infection. Therefore, it is routinely desirable to investigate the expression of specific genes. mRNA is produced in cells during gene translation to form a corresponding protein, so the detection of a particular mRNA in a cell is evidence of activation of the corresponding gene. In other words, if mRNA is present in a cell, it may be assumed that gene expression is taking place.
It is possible to detect mRNA by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that is used to amplify the miniscule amounts of mRNA present to provide quantities suitable for detection and/or identification. This is possible because PCR is capable of achieving amplification rates in excess of a millionfold.
The protocol for the polymerase chain reaction has been known for several years and has achieved widespread application in the fields of medical diagnostics and forensics. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202 and 4,683,195, for example, describe the original PCR process for the amplification and detection of nucleic acid sequences. The basic principle of PCR relies on the repetition of the following steps:
1) Denaturation--the template strands of the originating DNA sample are subjected to elevated temperatures and are subsequently denatured to form single stranded DNA templates.
2) Renaturation--oligonucleotide primers complementary to regions flanking a gene or other DNA sequence of interest are hybridized to the single stranded DNA templates at the 3'-ends of the template sequence at an optimally lower temperature.
3) Synthesis--thermostable DNA polymerase present in the sample mixture functions to extend the oligonucleotide primers from the 3'-ends with nucleotide triphosphates complimentary to the template nucleotide sequence.
4) Repetition--the above steps are repeated many times. Each time the denaturation step is completed, DNA strands newly formed in the preceding step are released as single stranded DNA templates for the subsequent steps, thus increasing the copies of the sequence of interest exponentially as the repetitions progress.
With continued use, the basic PCR technique has been modified or extended in various ways. Advancements in the field of PCR technology are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,436,149, 5,405,774, 5,340,728 and 5,338,671. One of the ways in which PCR has been extended is to embrace the use of mRNA as a template for nucleotide sequence amplification. This is discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,800, 5,322,770 and 5,527,669, wherein cDNA is first synthesized from an mRNA template by reverse transcription and subsequently amplified by PCR. Reliant on the activity of an enzyme, reverse transcriptase (RT), deoxyribonucleotides complementary to an mRNA template are directed into a growing cDNA strand.
In-situ PCR techniques involving reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) have been developed to detect levels of particular mRNAs in cells. However, limitations have been encountered with this approach when the primer pair introduced to initiate amplification of the cDNA template also amplifies the corresponding region of the genome, thus generating false positive results. The detection of a gene in the genome does not, of course, mean that the gene is being expressed, but merely that it is present.
In attempt to overcome this imprecision, techniques have been adopted to eliminate the genomic DNA by digestion in the presence of a DNase enzyme prior to initiation of reverse transcription. This digestion step, as presently used, takes at least seven hours for completion and creates additional problems, such as the following:
1) it limits the use of this technique for routine medical application which require more rapid results; and
2) it adds an element of uncertainty as the procedure lacks an indicator of complete removal of the genomic DNA.
There is therefore a need for an improved procedure for the detection of gene expression involving in-situ PCR to overcome the false positive problem while avoiding disadvantages of known procedures, such as those mentioned above.

Method of detecting gene expression and/or of preventing such expression in cells


A display panel and a manufacturing method thereof are provided in the present application. The display panel includes a substrate, a planarization layer disposed on the substrate, and a pixel definition layer disposed on the planarization layer. The display panel includes a test region, wherein a plurality of virtual pixel openings are disposed in the pixel definition layer positioned in the test region, and a plurality of barrier holes in a one-to-one correspondence to the virtual pixel openings are disposed in the planarization layer positioned in the test region, and a barrier layer fills each of the barrier holes.

The present application relates to the technical field of display panels, and in particular, to a display panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
Organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have attracted much attention in the industry due to self-luminous, low driving voltages, fast response times, and wide viewing angles, etc. At present, most OLED devices are fabricated by evaporation or inkjet printing technology, regardless of whether evaporation technology or inkjet printing technology is used, a dummy region needs to be set around a display region to ensure that pixels in a light-emitting region emit light uniformly.
A conventional test region (dummy region) contains organic material layers such as pixel definition layer and planarization layer, and is positioned inside an encapsulation region. Due to the poor water resistance of organic materials, it is easy to form water vapor intrusion channels and affect the encapsulating effect. In addition, the test region requires a certain width, which is also not convenient to the design of a narrow border encapsulation.

Display panel including barrier holes formed through stack of planarization layer and pixel defining layer

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd.


An oral-product container is disclosed that includes: a) a plurality of breath fresheners contained therein for breath freshening purposes; and b) a mirror for visage freshening purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for oral-products and some preferred embodiments relate to containers for breath fresheners, such as, e.g., mints or the like.
2. Discussion of the Background
In some circumstances in modem culture, individuals seek to enhance their personal image, such as, e.g., their appearance, their odor, and/or the like. Individuals may seek to enhance their personal image for a variety of reasons, such as, by way of example, to: a) prepare for a date and/or a romantic encounter; b) make a good impression on one or more individual; c) enhance one's self-confidence; and/or d) achieve a wide variety of other goals.
Breath Freshening
In modern culture, the use of breath fresheners to, e.g., enhance an individual's oral freshness, such as, e.g., oral cleanliness, oral odor and/or the like, has become widely accepted. A wide variety of breath fresheners exist in the market, such as, e.g., various breath freshening confectionaries and candies and/or the like, such as, e.g., mint-flavored breath fresheners, cinnamon-flavored breath fresheners, fruit-flavored (such as, e.g., lemon, lime, orange and/or the like) breath fresheners; and/or the like. Some existing breath fresheners include that of, e.g., ALTOIDS, TIC TAC, BARKLEYS and various other breath freshener products.
Visage Freshening
In modern culture, the use of items to enhance an individual's visage or face is not as widely accepted. In some instances, individuals may carry compacts (having small mirrors and make-up) with which they may attend to their personal visage freshening (such as, e.g., farding).
However, while individuals often freely take breath fresheners in the accompaniment of others, individuals are often more reluctant to use a compact in the accompaniment of others. Among other things, the use of cosmetics, make-up and/or the like visage freshening products can often have a negative connotation, such as, e.g., creating an appearance of vanity. As a result, in order to be able to look at oneself in a mirror (such as, e.g., to ascertain if a need exists for visage freshening and/or to engage in visage freshening), an individual often has to leave a room to a location of privacy, such as, e.g., a bathroom or the like. While individuals may carry compacts or the like, in many contexts, individuals will not use them in the accompaniment of others. By way of example, while in a romantic setting, a woman may be reluctant to check her facial make-up in front of her partner. Among other things, the woman may not wish to portray vanity and/or to provide an appearance to her partner that she has some concern for the freshness of her visage—e.g. which might inadvertently be suggestive of personal of vanity, of a level of interest in her partner, and/or the like.
There has been a need for a product that can overcome some of the above and/or other problems.


A method for preventing or treating a disease, comprising administering to human or animal in need of such prevention or treatment an effective amount of a monoclonal antibody which specifically binds to FGF-8 and inhibits FGF-8 activity.

Androgen induced growth factor (AIGF) is a factor isolated in 1992 from a culture supernatant of a mouse mammary tumor cell line SC-3 [Shionogi Carcinoma-3: J. Steroid Biochem., 27, 459 (1987)] which shows sex hormone-dependent growth. AIGF is a growth factor which is induced and produced by androgen stimulation and activates growth of SC-3 cells in an autocrine manner [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 89, 8928–8932, (1992)]. The results of gene cloning efforts revealed that it has a homology of 30 to 40% with the FGF family at the amino acid level, and it was named fibroblast growth factor-8 (hereinafter referred to as "FGF-8"). Thereafter, human FGF-8 was cloned from a human placenta genomic library using mouse FGF-8 as a probe, which coincided with the mouse FGF-8 by a factor of 85% at the nucleotide level and 100% at the amino acid level [FEBS Letters, 363, 226 (1995)]. It has been assumed that sex hormone induced growth factors would exhibit an autocrine role in tumors such as prostatic cancer, and breast cancer which show sex hormone-dependent growth, and the isolation and cloning of FGF-8, though in a mouse system, was the first evidence of such a mechanism. It is probable that FGF-8 also plays a role in carcinogenesis and tumor growth in humans by a similar mechanism, but clear evidence has not yet been obtained. However, since expression of FGF-8 m-RNA can be found in several human tumor cell lines of prostatic cancer and breast cancer and enhancement of cell growth can be observed when FGF-8 expressed in CHO cells is added to the culture system of these cell lines or a cell line of fibroblasts [FEBS Letters, 363, 226 (1995)], expression of mRNA in various human cancer cell lines such as prostate cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer was confirmed [Cell Growth & Differ., 7, 1425 (1996), Oncogene, 18, 1053 (1999), Int. J. Cancer, 88, 718 (2000)] and FGF-8s presented in human cancer tissues of prostate cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer was over-expressed compared to FGF-8s presented in normal tissues [Cancer Res., 58, 2053, Oncogene, 18, 2755 (1999), Oncogene, 18, 1053 (1999), Int. J. Cancer, 88, 718 (2000)], such a possibility has been pointed out that FGF-8 also plays an autocrine and paracrine role on the sex hormone-dependent growth of cancer cells in human. On the other hand, since high frequency expression of FGF-8 has also been observed in various hormone-independent human prostate cancer cells, prostate cancer tissues and breast cancer cells [Cell Growth & Differ., 7, 1425 (1996), Oncogene, 18, 2755 (1999), Oncogene, 18, 1053 (1999)], there is a high possibility that expression of FGF-8 is controlled by sex hormone independent fashion. Furthermore, since there is a report that antisense DNA for FGF-8 inhibited in vitro and in vivo growth of a hormone-independent prostate cancer cell line [Oncogene, 16, 1487 (1998)], the presence of an FGF-8-dependent growth mechanism is also suggested in cancers which lost hormone-dependency.
Based on these facts, antibodies against FGF-8 are effective in analyzing biological function of FGF-8 for cancer cells and also in diagnosing cancer cells such as prostate cancer and breast cancer using an immunological detection method. Furthermore, in neutralizing antibodies which inhibits functions of FGF-8, it is expected that they are useful for analyzing the biological function of FGF-8, diagnosing cancers such as prostate cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer and treating sex hormone-dependent cancers and sex hormone-independent cancers.
In consequence, an antibody specific for FGF-8 is useful for the analysis of the role and biological function of FGF-8 in the above-mentioned tumor cells, and also for the diagnosis of prostatic cancer, breast cancer and the like by immunological detection. Also, it appears that the antibody having a neutralization activity would be useful in studying biological activities of FGF-8 and effective in treating the cancers.
To date the isolation of a monoclonal antibody specific for FGF-8 has nor been reported.

Anti-fibroblast growth factor-8 monoclonal antibody


A cable end fitting retainer assembly for a vehicle includes a conduit end fitting for connection to a flexible cable. The cable end fitting retainer assembly also includes an end fitting retainer arm extending from the conduit end fitting for retaining a portion of the flexible cable in a predetermined position. The cable end fitting retainer assembly further includes a cable wire support extending from the conduit end fitting and located beneath the end fitting retainer arm to contact the cable.

It is known that doors of a vehicle such as a motor vehicle use trim mounted cable actuated release systems. The cable actuated release system includes a cable to interconnect an interior release handle and a latch for the vehicle. Typically, the cable actuated release system has a cable end fitting that incorporates a plastic cantilevered tab with a button that serves to push an end fitting of the cable into a pawl of a release handle as an assembly aid during vehicle assembly.
The above-described cable end fitting, however, must incorporate a mechanism to prevent the cable from becoming kinked during operation. One attempt to accomplish this is to use a slip joint at the latch or handle interface. One disadvantage of using a slip joint is that the cable must be manually oriented as it is installed into the handle during vehicle assembly. With flexible cables, this is difficult, and often slows down the assembly process.
As such, the above-described cable end fitting can only be used with solid cables, and not flexible cables, which is desired. Also, this cable end fitting does nothing to retain the wire end fitting or cable ferrule in a set position, and therefore could not be used with a latch that incorporates a slip jointed cable system or a slip jointed latch-to-cable interface. Further, the cable end fitting requires manipulation of the cable while connecting it to the interior release handle for a slip joint, increasing the potential for creating kinks in the cable, which can reduce cable life. In addition, added cable length and a substantial amount of room are required to manipulate the cable. Further, this method exposes the assembler to lubricated cable strands, and introduces greater risk of kinking the cable during assembly.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a cable end fitting retainer to assemble a flexible cable to an interior release handle of a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a cable end fitting retainer that reduces the potential for creating kinks in the cable. It is further desirable to provide a cable end fitting retainer that eliminates two-hand assembly. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a cable end fitting retainer assembly for a vehicle that meets these desires.


A data retransmission method using hybrid automatic repeat request (harq) includes transmitting a data block, receiving a retransmission request signal for the data block, generating a retransmission block by performing swapping or inversion between bits constituting the data block according to the retransmission request signal, and transmitting the retransmission block.

Current development in advanced wireless communication has led to the requirement of high spectral efficiency and reliable communication. Unfortunately, packet errors by fading channel environment and interferences originated from various sources make the capacity of overall system to be limited.
Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) which is ARQ protocol combined with Forward Error Correction (FEC) is strongly considered as one of cutting edge technologies for future reliable communication. The HARQ scheme can largely be classified into the type of two. One is HARQ-Chase Combining (CC) which is disclosed in D. Chase, Code Combining: A maximum-likelihood decoding approach for combining an arbitrary number of noisy packets, IEEE Trans. on Commun., Vol. 33, pp. 593-607, May 1985. The other scheme is HARQ-Increment Redundancy (IR). In the HARQ-CC, when a receiver detects an error through cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) while decoding the transmitted packet, the same packet with the same modulation and coding is sent to the receiver, repeatedly. Meanwhile, HARQ-IR retransmits different packets in order to achieve the coding gain, in which parity bits can be manipulated through puncturing and repetition.
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems are regarded as one of the most promising research areas of wireless communication. Spatial diversity provided by multiple antenna configurations for both transmitter and receiver is known to tremendously increase system capacity without additional bandwidth. As a result, various approaches have been studied to use the benefit of transmit diversity and received diversity.
Constellation Rearrangement disclosed by the PCT international application No. PCT/KR2007/003625 filed by this applicant provides additional gain through averaging the difference of inherent reliability between component bits.
There is a need to improve performance of system by applying constellation rearrangement to various schemes such as MIMO system, HARQ, multi-level modulation, etc.

Method of transmitting data using constellation rearrangement


A method and device for providing a message in a remote User Interface (UI) system are provided. The method includes, if a notification message to be sent to a second device connected to a first device is generated in a remote server or the first device communicating with the remote server, the first device generates access information to the notification message, includes the access information in a notification message event indicating occurrence of the notification message, and sends the notification message event to a plurality of second devices in a multicast transmission. Upon receiving a request for the notification message from the plurality of second devices, the first device sends the notification message to the second device whose IDentifier (ID) is identical to a device ID included in the access information, among the plurality of second devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for providing messages and a device therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for providing messages to a third device in a remote User Interface (UI) system using a remote UI, and a device therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many studies have been made to improve home network technologies by many industry standard organizations, such as Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Home Audio-Video Interoperability (HAVi), and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
In a home network, Remote User Interface (RUI) technology may be used to allow one device to control features of other devices. In the RUI technology based on the client-server architecture, an RUI client fetches a User Interface (UI) from an RUI server and allows its user to control the RUI server using the UI on the RUI client. The RUI will be referred to as a remote UI, and the RUI server will be referred to as a remote server.
FIG. 1 is a signaling diagram illustrating a process of providing a notification message in a network according to the prior art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a third device 10 receives a notification message from a second device 11. The third device 10 corresponds to an RUI client, and the second device 11 corresponds to another device with an embedded server, which may provide a remote UI upon request of the third device 10. The third device 10 discovers the second device 11 in step 101, and receives a UI page provided by the second device 11 in step 102.
Thereafter, if the second device 11 sends a message indicating occurrence of a notification message to the third device 10 in a multicast transmission in step 103, the third device 10 requests the second device 11 to send a notification message to be shown to its user, in step 104. Thereafter, the second device 11 sends the requested notification message to the third device 10 in step 105, and the third device 10 renders the notification message and displays it on a screen in step 106.
In the related art, because the second device 11 sends the notification event information to all of the third devices 10 in home in a multicast transmission in step 103, the second device 11 may not send the related message only to a specific third device. Therefore, in order to send a message to a specific third device, the second device 11 needs to first provide a UI page, and using an address and its associated information of the second device 11, which are included in the UI page, the third device 10 may request for the second device 11 to send a notification message.
However, in the remote control environment where the second device is connected to a remote server (not shown) and a UI page is provided from the remote server to the third device via the second device, there is no way that the second device may directly forward a notification message to a specific third device, because an address of the second device, from which the notification message may be received, is not included in the UI page provided from the remote server. In this case, use of the existing message delivery schemes like a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) socket, and polling is impossible, and use of eXtensible Markup Language (XML) HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Request (XHR) is also inconvenient.
Therefore, a need exists for a message providing method capable of sending a notification message to a specific device in a remote control environment including at least three entities, and a device therefor.

Method for providing message and device therefor


A system promoting a proper recycle of discarded article and contributing economization of energy consumption which will otherwise increase, reduction in the amount of wastes and prevention of environmental pollution due to harmful substances. A recycle system includes an input unit for inputting information concerning article, a storage for storing databases of information for reuse of the articles, a recycle processing method deciding processor for deciding a recycle processing for the article in accordance with recycling rules determined previously by referencing the information for the reuse of the article as contained in the database stored in the storage unit on the basis of the information concerning the article inputted through the input unit, and a recycle factory equipment control unit functioning as an output unit for outputting the result of the decision to a succeeding process.

Heretofore, discarded articles such as discarded electric appliances for home use are collected and processed by dealers entrusted by a local government and junk dealers engaged in garbage or waste processing business. In such discarded articles, some parts of metals such as iron, aluminum and the like are recycled as restored materials or substances. However, in the present state of situation, most of the discarded articles are disposed of for the reclamation or landfill without undergoing any processing or treatment or after fragmentation or cremation (incineration). As a consequence, there have arisen serious environmental problems. By way of example, in conjunction with the reclamation or landfill, there may be mentioned a problem of shortage of land or lot required therefor and problems of soil contamination and water pollution. Similarly, cremation of the discarded articles encounters serious problems such as air pollution, global warming due to generation of CO.sub.2 and the like. Such being the circumstances, there exists a great social demand for the efforts for promoting the recycle of the discarded articles (reuse of the discarded articles as resources) in order to reduce the amount of wastes or make the most of the fossil fuel which is naturally limited.
There can be conceived various reasons why promotion of the recycle of the discarded articles such as discarded appliances for home use or proper waste disposal processing has made little progress, one of the major reasons for which can be explained by the fact that information necessary for realizing the recycle of the discarded articles as collected and the proper disposal of the wastes is scarcely available. In practice, attempts for recycle processing of the discarded articles or proper wastage disposal actually encounter difficulty in that the method or means for realizing such processings can not be determined because of lack of the information concerning the materials or substances from which the discarded articles are made as well as the information concerning presence or absence of harmful and/or hazardous materials or substances in the discarded articles. Consequently, most of the discarded articles are disposed of as the wastes. In the present states of the art, the information required for carrying out the recycle processing method for the discarded articles and the proper waste disposal processing method is difficult to acquire. By way of example, any one of the manufactured article contains little indication or information concerning a disassembling method, component parts and materials thereof. On the other hand, the manufacturer affords no system or facility for presenting such information. For the reasons mentioned above, many or most of the discarded articles are disposed of as wastage without undergoing any proper or appropriate recycle processing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a manufactured article recycling system for determining or deciding methods of realizing recycle processings proper for various discarded articles by making it possible to collect, process and furnish speedily a variety of information required for the processings or treatments of the discarded articles, to thereby reduce the amount of wastes and make the much of limited fossil fuel resource.


A self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type and a multilayered structure including at least an active layer provided on the semi conductor substrate. The multilayered structure includes a first cladding layer of the first conductive type provided below the active layer, a second cladding layer of a second conductive type having a striped ridge portion provided above the active layer and a saturable absorbing film provided over the second cladding layer. The saturable absorbing film includes an accumulation region for accumulating photoexcited carriers. The accumulating region is provided apart from a surface of the second cladding layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device having a low level of noise, which is suitable as a light source for recording and reproducing operations of an optical disk or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
When laser beams reflected from an optical disk or the like enter a semiconductor laser device which oscillates in a single longitudinal mode, an oscillation state is unstable and changes due to optical interference, resulting in the generation of noise. Such noise, referred to as "noise due to return light", significantly disrupts the performance of the semiconductor laser device in the case where it is used as a light source for the reproducing operation of an optical disk or the like.
In order to reduce the noise due to the return light, conventionally, a current oscillating at a high frequency (hereinafter, referred to as the "high frequency oscillating current") is overlapped with a driving current of the semiconductor laser device (referred to as the "high frequency overlapping method").
More specifically, when the high frequency oscillating current is overlapped with the driving current, a laser beam pulse train is generated in synchronization with the phase of the high frequency oscillating current. At this time, the laser oscillation mode is changed in an extremely short time (e.g., about 2 nanoseconds), and the wavelength of the laser beam pulse train is correspondingly changed in a discontinuous manner within a small range (e.g., within the range of .+-.2 nm from the central wavelength). As a result, at the time when the laser beams return to the semiconductor laser device after being reflected from an optical disk or the like (i.e., when the return light reaches the semiconductor laser device), coherence between the return light and the laser beams in an oscillation state disappears (i.e., the return light and the laser beams become incoherent), resulting in an unstable variation in the laser oscillation being suppressed. As a result, the generation of noise due to the return light can be prevented.
This method, however, requires a circuit dedicated for generating the high frequency oscillating current; therefore, this method is not suitable for realizing the miniaturization of a device to which the semiconductor laser device is to be incorporated (e.g., a reproduction apparatus for an optical disk).
In recent years, a semiconductor laser device not requiring a circuit for generating the high frequency oscillating current has been developed by utilizing the self-pulsation phenomenon of the semiconductor laser device. Such a semiconductor laser device is referred to as a self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device, and includes a saturable absorbing region in an optical waveguide portion of the semiconductor laser device. In the self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device, a laser oscillation mode periodically changes in an extremely short time by the function of the saturable absorbing region without overlapping the high frequency oscillating current with a dc driving current, thus achieving a low level of noise by a mechanism similar to the above-mentioned high frequency overlapping method.
Hereinafter, a conventional example of a self pulsation type semiconductor laser device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A semiconductor laser device shown in FIG. 8 includes an n-type GaAs substrate 41 and a semiconductor multilayered structure which is grown thereon.
This semiconductor multilayered structure includes an n-type buffer layer 42, an n-type first cladding layer 43, an active layer 44, and a p-type second cladding layer 45, on the substrate 41 in this order. The second cladding layer 45 includes a striped ridge portion, and the portions on both sides of the ridge portion (non-ridge portions) of the second cladding layer 45 are thinner than the ridge portion. A p-type contact layer 47 is formed on the ridge portion of the second cladding layer 45 via a p-type intermediate layer 46. An n-type GaAs buried layer 49 is formed on the both sides of the striped ridge. Lateral confinement of light in a horizontal direction is achieved by a difference in equivalent refractive indexes between the ridge portion and the non-ridge portion.
A p-type electrode 410 is provided on the upper face of the semiconductor multilayered structure, and an n-type electrode 411 is provided on the lower face of the substrate 41. A voltage is applied between the electrodes 410 and 411 so as to allow carriers necessary for generating laser beams to be injected into the active layer 44.
When a voltage is applied between the electrodes 410 and 411, reverse bias is applied to the pn junction between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type GaAs buried layer 49 in the semiconductor multilayered structure. For this reason, current does not flow through the GaAs buried layer 49 and is narrowed to the striped ridge portion. As a result, current flows through a selected region in the active layer 44 (i.e., a region located immediately below the striped ridge portion).
The region in the active layer 44 through which current flows to a level exceeding a predetermined level functions as "a gain region" for laser beams, and the other regions function as "a saturable absorbing region". The function of the saturable absorbing region will be described below.
The saturable absorbing region functions not as a gain region for laser beams, but as an absorbing region. At this time, an extent to which the saturable absorbing region absorbs laser beams (light absorption amount) depends on the density of photoexcited carriers which are present in the saturable absorbing region. Herein, the term "photoexcited carriers" refers to electrons and holes which are excited from a valence band to a conduction band by absorbing laser beams.
FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the light absorption quantity and the number (density) of photoexcited carriers. The light absorption quantity lowers as the photoexcited carrier density increases, and the light absorption quantity increases as the photoexcited carrier density lowers. When the light absorption quantity of the saturable absorbing region periodically changes, an internal loss of the semiconductor laser device also periodically changes. Thus, a threshold current density necessary for laser oscillation periodically changes. As a result, even if the driving current is kept constant, substantially the same effect as obtained in the case where the driving current varies can be provided, resulting in the achievement of self-pulsation.
However, the above-mentioned prior art poses the following problems.
In the structure shown in FIG. 8, laser beams are distributed not only in the gain region in the active layer 44, but also in the saturable absorbing region outside the gain region. For the purpose of causing self-pulsation, an overlapped area of the laser beam and the saturable absorbing region is required to be as wide as possible. In order to obtain a wide overlapped portion, it is necessary to enlarge the saturable absorbing region by making the active layer 44 thick, or to expand a region in which the laser beam is distributed in a lateral direction (hereinafter, referred to as the "laser beam distributed region") by making the non-ridge portion of the second cladding layer 45 thick. However, if the overlapped portion of the laser beam distributed region and the saturable absorbing region becomes wide, the following two problems arise.
First, when the active layer 44 is thicker, a light confinement effect in a vertical direction becomes strong. As a result, a radiation angle .theta..perp. of laser beams in a vertical direction becomes undesirably wide.
Generally, a radiation angle .theta..parallel. of laser beams in a horizontal direction is typically about 8.degree. to about 10.degree., and this is determined by the width of the striped ridge. On the other hand, the radiation angle .theta..perp. of laser beams in a vertical direction depends on the thickness of the active layer 44, and can be about 40.degree. in the case where the active layer 44 has a thickness necessary for achieving self-pulsation.
As the radiation angle .theta..perp. of laser beams in a vertical direction becomes large, the ellipticity of radiated laser beams becomes large. Excessively large ellipticity causes the deterioration in the efficiency of a lens conversion, thus presenting a disadvantage for use as a light source for an optical disk. On the other hand, when the active layer 44 is made thinner for the purpose of reducing the ellipticity, self-pulsation does not occur.
For example, according to the results of an experiment by the present inventors, an active layer having a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure including a well layer having a thickness of about 6 nm requires 8 or more well layers for causing self-pulsation. Self-pulsation does not occur with 7 or less well layers. On the other hand, in order to obtain a preferable ellipticity as light source for an optical disk, it is preferable that the number of well layers is 7 or less.
Secondly, there is a problem regarding a doping level of the second cladding layer 45.
Generally, it is known that the overflow of carriers from the active layer 44 can be suppressed by increasing the doping level of impurities in the second cladding layer 45. The overflow of carriers occurs more easily as the operating temperature of the semiconductor laser device becomes higher. This is because the kinetic energy of the carriers increases at a high temperature. When the carriers overflow from the active layer 44, invalid currents increase, resulting in an increase of operating current. When the doping level of impurities in the second cladding layer 45 increases, the barrier height of the second cladding layer 45 to the active layer 44 can increase. Thus, the increase of the doping level of the impurities in the second cladding layer 45 is effective for preventing the overflow of the carriers.
However, in the semiconductor laser device having the structure shown in FIG. 8, when the doping level of the second cladding layer 45 increases, an electrical resistivity of the second cladding layer 45 lowers. Thus, the current injected from the electrode flows through the non-ridge portion of the second cladding layer 45 in a spreading manner in a lateral direction. For example, when the second cladding layer 45 is doped with p-type impurities of about 1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 or more, self-pulsation cannot be achieved. This is because current flows into the saturable absorbing region by the spread of the current in the lateral direction, and a gain is generated therein, resulting in the disappearance of the light absorbing function. As a result, the saturable absorbing region no longer functions as such. More specifically, the region which can function as the saturable absorbing region moves to the direction further apart from the laser beam distributed region, and interaction between the laser beams and the saturable absorbing region lowers significantly.
Accordingly, for the semiconductor laser device having the conventional structure as shown in FIG. 8, the doping level of impurities in the second cladding layer 45 cannot be increased. For this reason, it is difficult to perform an operation at a high temperature due to the overflow of carriers.

Self-pulsation type semiconductor laser device


Embodiments of the invention include sulfur alloyed InGaZnO (IGZOS) thin film transistors (TFTs) and methods of making such devices. In one embodiment, the IGZOS TFT may include a substrate and a gate electrode formed over the substrate. A gate dielectric layer may be formed over the gate electrode. An IGZOS film may be formed over a surface of the gate dielectric. Additionally, embodiments of the invention include a source region and a drain region formed in contact with the IGZOS film. An opening between the source region and the drain region may define a channel region in the IGZOS film. Embodiments of the invention are able to form a p-type IGZO TFT by increasing the valence band of the IGZO material in order to eliminate the presence of trap states in the band gap. The valance band may be raised by doping the IGZO material with sulfur.

In Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) displays, a voltage data signal is converted in the pixel to an OLED driving current (and thus brightness) by a thin film transistor (TFT). Conventional "bottom-anode (ITO)" OLEDs typically use p-channel devices, because only p-channel devices allow for the direct programming of the TFT gate-source voltage (and thus the driving current) independent of the OLED I-V curve. Accordingly, low-cost amorphous-Si (a-Si) and amorphous oxide semiconductor TFT technologies cannot currently be used in active matrix displays because no p-channel a-Si or amorphous oxide semiconductor device exists for fundamental reasons, which will be described in greater detail below. Therefore, more expensive materials, such as low temperature poly-Si (LTPS) must be used to form active matrix display devices.
Oxide semiconductor-based TFTs have attracted an increasing amount of attention due to their desirable characteristics, including high mobility, low-temperature process compatibility, and low fabrication cost. However, in oxide semiconductor-based TFTs (e.g., amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO), indium-zinc-oxide (IZO), gallium-zinc-oxide (GaZnO), aluminum-zinc-oxide (AlZnO), zinc-oxide (ZnO), copper-oxide (Cu2O), tin-oxide (SnO), nickel-oxide (NiO), copper-aluminum oxide (CuAl2O4), zinc-rhodium-oxide (ZnRh2O4), or the like), the electrical performance of p-type oxide TFTs is still inferior to that of n-type oxide TFTs. Specifically, it has been found that the electrical performance of p-type oxide-semiconductors is severely limited by the localized 2p orbitals in the valence band maximum (VBM), the deep VBMs, and self-compensation by donor impurities. Accordingly, it is currently not feasible to use oxide semiconductor-based TFTs in AMOLED devices or other display technologies, such as Active Matrix Inorganic Light Emitting Diodes, micro LED Displays, or the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for p-channel oxide semiconductor thin film transistors.

Method and apparatus for making p-channel thin film transistors for OLED and LED active matrix flat panel displays


A portable Doppler microwave radar defense system that saves lives in dangerous situations, and alerts a person from surrounded threats, exposes enemy location, and shows the health data and injured person's location to remote server at a base. The system lets the person know about the surrounded threats before it happens, as it will detect any bullets in the detection zone and alert the person immediately from the incoming bullet within a long range which will let the person have seconds to avoid the bullet and save his life and the location of the shooter will be exposed to the person. The detection system can also be deployed over an object such as a car, truck, battle tank, aircraft, jet, helicopter, spaceship, or a satellite.

Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
In a battle, military or defense situation, there are numerous casualties both direct and indirect. These deaths mainly result from extreme environmental conditions, battle injuries from arms and ammunitions, delay in locating injured soldiers owing to which proper medical treatment cannot be provided resulting in death, failure to monitor the position of soldiers or injured men and so on and so forth.
If these problems were adequately solved, many lives could be saved during hostile situations. By providing accurate information about location and the physiological status of each individual, as well as communications equipment to convey the information to remote locations, a system for monitoring personnel could save many lives. Such monitors could be extremely valuable for military and law enforcement personnel, such as the Special Armed Forces, e.g. Rangers, who commonly train under extreme weather conditions, and in other dangerous environments. By monitoring physiological variables, those overseeing exercises can monitor the soldier, etc., and withdraw him/her from the exercise if it appears that harm is likely. In addition there is also a need for a system that could monitor a bullet fired from a rival gun, allowing the soldier to dodge the bullet, resulting in him/her saving his/her life. Presently there are monitors available in the market being used in the field of athletics to monitor the vital signs of an athlete or a hospital patient. These monitors are placed in wristbands or belts, which may be quickly attached to and removed from the athlete or patient and monitor a single vital sign such as a heart rate or temperature. However, these monitors cannot be used in combat situations, as they may not accurately determine patients or casualties in need of immediate medical care or evaluation. Further, these monitors cannot also detect an incoming bullet to the soldiers' position.