A biosensor containing ruthenium, measurement using the same, and the application thereof. The biosensor comprises an extended gate field effect transistor (EGFET) structure, including a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), a sensing unit comprising a substrate, a layer comprising ruthenium on the substrate, and a metal wire connecting the MOSFET and the sensing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a biosensor, and in particular to a biosensor comprising a ruthenium nitride or ruthenium oxide film and the application thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET), first proposed by Piet Bergveld in 1970, is similar to the conventional MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) except that a sensitive film is used in place of the metal gate of the MOSFET. The extended gate ion sensitive field effect transistor (EGISFET) developed from ISFET combines the extended gate containing a sensing membrane with the MOSFET by a conducting wire and has the advantages of simple structure, easy package procedure, low cost, and flexibility in biomedical application. In addition, EGISFET can be prepared with the CMOS standard process and the obtained EGISFET has higher sensitivity in detecting pH value of a solution. However, the sensing membranes presently in use, including IrO2 and SnO2, are not materials for the CMOS standard process.
Patents related to the manufacture of ISFET include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,409,909 and 6,326,215. U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,909 discloses a modular, in particular multidimensional system for the reagent-free continuous detection of a substance. This system is characterized by the presence of at least two measuring modules of preferably different types. The modules are robust and designed for a long-time operation. An exchangeable or replaceable selective layer structure is included. The system may also include appropriate modules for amperometry and optical sensors. U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,215 discloses a sensor for sensing the presence of an analyte without relying on redox mediators. This sensor includes (a) a plurality of conductive polymer strands each having at least a first end and a second end each aligned in a substantially common orientation; (b) a plurality of molecular recognition headgroups having an affinity for the analyte and being attached to the first ends of the conductive polymer strands; and (c) an electrode substrate attached to the conductive polymer strands at the second ends. The electrode substrate is capable of reporting to an electronic circuit reception of mobile charge carriers (electrons or holes) from the conductive polymer strands. The electrode substrate may be a photovoltaic diode. Also disclosed is a method of forming a sensor capable of sensing the presence of an analyte component. This method includes (a) contacting a sensor substrate (e.g., a device element of a device on semiconductor chip) with a first medium containing mobile conductive polymer strands or precursors of the conductive polymer strands; (b) applying a first potential to the substrate sufficient to form a first structure having the conductive polymer strands affixed into the substrate; (c) contacting the sensor substrate, with affixed conductive polymer strands, with a second medium containing mobile molecular recognition headgroups; and (d) applying a second potential to the substrate sufficient to affix the molecular recognition headgroups to the affixed conductive polymer strands.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,208 to the inventors discloses a sensitive material-tin oxide (SnO2) obtained by thermal evaporation or by RF reactive sputtering used as a high-pH-sensitive material for a Multi-Structure Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET). The multi-structure ISFET has high performances such as a linear pH sensitivity of approximately 56-58 mV/pH in a concentration between pH 2 and pH 10. A low drift characteristic of approximately 5 mV/day, response time of less than 0.1 second, and an isothermal point of this ISFET sensor can be obtained if the device operates with an adequate drain-source current. In addition, this ISFET sensor has other advantages, such as inexpensive fabrication, low cost, and mass production characteristics.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,873 discloses an apparatus for measuring ion concentration of a solution, comprising an ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET), a reference device, an ISFET control circuit, a memory, a measurement circuit and a diagnostic circuit. The ISFET has a drain, a source, an ion sensitive gate region and a plurality of device characteristics. The reference device is separated from the gate region by a sample solution. The ISFET control circuit is coupled to the ISFET and operates the ISFET at a drain-source voltage VDS and at n successive drain currents IDi and corresponding gate-source voltages VGSi, wherein I is an integer from 1 to n and n is an integer greater than 1. The memory stores the plurality of device characteristics and the n successive drain currents IDi and gate-source voltages VGSi. The measurement circuit measures ion concentration of the solution as a function of at least one of the n successive drain currents IDi and gate-source voltages VGSi and the plurality of device characteristics stored in the memory. The diagnostic circuit measures at least one of the device characteristics of the ISFET as a function of the n successive drain currents IDi and gate-source voltages VGSi. U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,028 discloses a biosensor, provided with a memory for storing data including data and time of fabrication of the biosensor, lot number of the biosensor, effective period of the biosensor, biosensor characteristics, and administrative data of the biosensor. The memory may store additional data such as the measured data, the consecutive (total) measuring time, the measured results, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,085 discloses a measuring circuit with a biosensor utilizing ion sensitive field effect transistors having a simplified structure, advantageous to integration. The measuring circuit comprises two ion sensitive FET input devices composed of an enzyme FET having an enzyme sensitive membrane on the gate and a reference FET, and a differential amplifier for amplifying the outputs of the enzyme FET and the reference FET. The drift phenomena of the ISFETs from use of a non-stable quasi-reference electrode as well as the temperature dependence thereof can be eliminated by the differential amplifier consisting of MOSFETs having the same channel as the ISFETs. The ISFET biosensor and the measuring circuit can be integrated into one chip.
Conventional electrochemical systems having three electrodes employ (1) a working electrode, (2) a reference electrode, and (3) a counter electrode. The reaction at the working electrode is monitored and controlled. The functions of the reference and counter electrodes ensure that the working electrode actually experiences the desired conditions, i.e. the correct potential to be applied. The reference electrode measures the potential at the interface of the working electrode and the sample as accurately as possible. In an ideal situation, no current passes through the reference electrode. The counter electrode ensures that the correct potential difference between the reference electrode and the working electrode is being applied. The potential difference between the working electrode and the reference electrode is assumed to be the same as the desired potential at the working electrode. If the potential measured at the working electrode is not the potential desired at the working electrode, the potential applied between the counter electrode and working electrode is altered accordingly, i.e., the potential is either increased or decreased. The reaction at the counter electrode is also equal and opposite to the charge transfer reaction occurring at the working electrode, i.e., if an oxidation reaction is occurring at the working electrode then a reduction reaction will take place at the counter electrode, thereby allowing the sample to remain electrically neutral.
In the ISFET applications, however, many factors such as hysteresis, temperature, and drift behavior affect the accuracy of the measuring results. The variation of the temperature leads to a deviation in measurement due to ion sorption of a sensing membrane differing at various temperatures. With reference to the hysteresis behavior, it is related to the change in the pH of the solution (such as pHx→pHy→pHx→pHz→pHx) and the corresponding change in the output voltage of the ISFET (such as Vox1→Voy→Vox2→Voz→Vox3). At the same pH, the difference between the first output voltage and the final output voltage (such as Vox3→Vox1) is defined as the hysteresis width. For drift behavior, the drift rate is defined as the change in the gate voltage per unit time under conditions in which the source-drain current is stable and the temperature is constant after the intrinsic response of the pH-ISFET is completed. Hence, there is a need to measure the three effects to prevent error.
Various materials are used as the sensing membrane of ISFET and EGISFET, such as Al2O3, Ta2O5, Si3N4, SnO2, and the like. These materials can be prepared by sputtering or plasma chemical vapor deposition, however, they still have some drawbacks in practice. A sensing film with low cost and simple process is, however, still required for commercial application.

Biosensor containing ruthenium, measurement using the same and the application thereof

National Yunlin University of Science and Technology


An apparatus for maintaining a recording head which has a nozzle opening in a nozzle-defining surface thereof, and ejects, from the nozzle, a droplet of an ink toward a recording medium, in a state in which the recording head is separate from a remaining portion of a recording device. The apparatus includes a cover member which is adapted to air-tightly contact the recording head to cover the nozzle-defining surface of the recording head such that a space is formed between the cover member and the nozzle-defining surface. The apparatus further includes a selectively communicating device which can selectively take (a) a first state thereof in which the selectively communicating device allows the space to communicate with an atmosphere so that substantially no difference is produced between an air pressure in the space and an atmospheric pressure, when the cover member is air-tightly contacted with the recording head; and (b) a second state thereof in which the selectively communicating device shuts off the communication between the space and the atmosphere, and thereby air-tightly closes the space, after the cover member is air-tightly contacted with the recording head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for maintaining a recording head of a recording device that ejects, from a nozzle of the head, a droplet of ink toward a recording medium and thereby records an image on the medium, such that the recording head is separate from a remaining portion of the recording device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
When a recording head is not used, or before the recording head is attached to a recording device after the head is manufactured, the recording head may be maintained separate from the recording device. For instance, the recording head can be charged with ink or a suitable liquid. Drying or leakage of the ink or the liquid is prevented by air-tightly sealing, with a sealing member (e.g., a cap) formed of an elastic material such as rubber, a nozzle-defining surface of the recording head that defines one or more ink ejection nozzles, as taught by Japanese Patent No. 3,324,629 or its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,181A.
More specifically described, the above-indicated document teaches selectively using a monochromatic-image recording head or a full-color-image recording head, mounting the recording head selected, on a carriage, and maintaining the recording head not selected, in a state in which the recording head is charged with one or more sorts of ink. Meanwhile, after a recording head is manufactured, the recording head may be subjected to an ejection test, and the head that has passed the test may be maintained in a state in which the head is charged with one or more sorts of ink, or a suitable liquid, before the head is attached to a remaining portion of a recording device.
A recording head cannot normally eject a droplet of ink unless a meniscus of the ink is normally formed, owing to its surface tension, in the vicinity of an open end of a nozzle. Thus, in the state in which the recording head is maintained, it is required that the meniscus of the ink be formed at the normal position and that the nozzle-defining surface of the recording head be air-tightly sealed.

Apparatus and method for maintaining recording head


A semiconductor laser wavelength control device capable of controlling the optical wavelength constant even if the optical output intensity of the semiconductor laser varies and permitting a reduction in overall size is to be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser wavelength control device for use in optical communication systems or the like to keep constant the emission wavelength of the semiconductor laser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known semiconductor laser wavelength control devices include one in which the emission wavelength of the semiconductor laser is kept constant by controlling the temperature of the semiconductor laser. A semiconductor laser wavelength control device of this type will be described below with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the conventional semiconductor laser wavelength control device (with divider).
The semiconductor laser wavelength control device shown in FIG. 1 is configured of a laser diode 1, a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 2, an optical splitter 3, a first photoelectric converter 4, a light intensity reference generating unit 5, an automatic optical power control circuit 6, a wavelength filter 7, a second photoelectric converter 8, a wavelength control target generating unit 9, a divider 10a and a temperature control circuit 11.
In this configuration, first the optical output signal of the laser diode 1 is split into two optical outputs A and B by using the optical splitter 3. The optical output A, one of these split outputs, is entered into the first photoelectric converter 4, where it is converted into an electric signal VPD1 according to its light intensity.
The electric signal VPD1 here is a signal representing the optical output intensity of the laser diode 1, which is a semiconductor laser. A semiconductor laser device used for optical communication, for instance, requires restraint on the fluctuations of the average optical output intensity of the semiconductor laser, and this requirement is met by the use of the automatic optical power control circuit 6 employing auto power control (APC).
The automatic optical power control circuit 6 compares the electric signal VPD1 supplied from the first photoelectric converter 4 and an optical output intensity control target REF1 supplied from the light intensity reference generating unit 5 and, by controlling an optical output intensity control current to the laser diode 1 as to reduce the difference between them to zero, keeps the optical output intensity from the laser diode 1 constant.
On the other hand, the other optical output B of the two split outputs from the optical splitter 3 is entered into the second photoelectric converter 8 after passing the wavelength filter 7 whose light transmissivity is dependent on the optical wavelength. An electric signal VPD2 supplied from the second photoelectric converter 8 is a signal matching the light intensity of the optical output B of the laser diode 1 having passed the wavelength filter 7, and is dependent on both the optical output intensity and the optical wavelength.
In order to obtain a desired wavelength from the laser diode 1, it is necessary to keep the ratio between the electric signal VPD2 and the electric signal VPD1 supplied from the first photoelectric converter 4 constant by varying the temperature of the laser diode 1 according to the electric signal VPD2 supplied from the second photoelectric converter 8.
Logically, in order to obtain a constant wavelength, the result of division of the electric signal VPD2 by the electric signal VPD1 (VPD2/VPD1) should be kept constant all the time.
To meet this requirement, the divider 10a is provided. The electric signal VPD2 and the electric signal VPD1 are entered into the divider 10a to compute VPD2/VPD1, and the result of this division is supplied to the temperature control circuit 11 as VOUT.
The temperature control circuit 11 controls the temperature of the laser diode 1 by regulating the temperature of the thermoelectric cooler 2, which may be a Peltier element the like, as to equalize VOUT to a wavelength control target REF2 supplied from the wavelength control target generating unit 9.
The temperature of the laser diode 1 is kept constant in this way. As the wavelength of the laser diode 1, namely the semiconductor laser is heavily dependent on the temperature of the semiconductor laser, wavelength stability can be secured for the semiconductor laser by keeping the temperature constant. Further, by adjusting the wavelength control target REF2, a desired wavelength can be obtained. In other words, in the semiconductor laser wavelength control device described above, VPD2/VPD1 can be expressed in the following equation:VPD2/VPD1=REF2
By keeping this relationship, a constant wavelength can be obtained. One of such conventional devices is described in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-7438 specification, for instance.
The overall reaction rate is determined as a result of the reaction rate of the thermoelectric cooler and the thermal capacity of the object of control. In a laser module for optical transmission or the like, these reaction rates can be approximated to a low pass filter (LPF), whose cut-off frequency fc is at a very low level, ranging between 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz approximately.
Where a thermoelectric cooler and a control circuit are to be configured of feedback circuits, the feedback loop requires a sufficient low frequency (DC) gain in order to make the temperature of the object of control identical with the target temperature. The error quantity of a system is usually proportional to the reciprocal of the gain of the loop. Where the ambient temperature is constant and the target temperature is constant, the error quantity of the system is determined by the gain in DC.
For this reason, the thermoelectric cooler and the feedback circuit to control it require consideration for securing stability and a sufficient DC gain of the loop of the whole system. Furthermore, since there are significant differences among individual thermoelectric coolers and changing the type of cooler would expand the range of the cut-off frequency fc, fluctuations in cut-off frequency fc should also be taken into account.
Conventional control systems using an object of control having this low frequency characteristic include the analog control system and the PID control system.
The analog control system, as shown in FIG. 2, is configured of a high gain stage 91 for raising the DC gain and an LPF 92.
The transmission characteristic H(s) shown in FIG. 2 in the working of this system is represented by the following Expression (1):H(s)=[A/RC]·{1/(s+1/RC)}  (1)where A is the gain.
In order to stabilize the whole loop, a phase margin should be secured. If the pole of the control circuit is sufficiently higher in frequency than the cut-off frequency fc and sufficiently higher than the frequency fc at which the open loop gain of the whole loop becomes 1, a phase margin can be secured.
However, this means that a large control signal of a high frequency is applied to the object of control and, though the output signal from the object of control is smoothed by the LPF, wild variations will occur in the object of control, which are undesirable. Therefore, the pole is set lower than or close to the cut-off frequency fc. As this results in a second loop together with the cut-off frequency fc of an electrothermal conversion element, the phase margin will pose a problem. As shown in FIG. 3, there is used a system to which a phase compensation circuit is added.
The transmission characteristic H(s) of the circuit shown in FIG. 3 is represented by the following Expression (2):
                              (                      Formula                                                                          1                    )                                                                                H                                      (              s              )                                =                                                    AR                2                                                              R                  1                                +                                  R                  2                                                      ·                                          s                +                                  1                                                            R                      2                                                            C                                                                              s                +                                  1                                                            (                                                                        R                          1                                                +                                                  R                          2                                                                    )                                                            C                                                                                (        2        )
According to the PID control system, as shown in FIG. 4, the control characteristic is determined with a coefficient having three terms including a proportional term P, an integral term I and a differential term D as parameters. PID control has a high degree of freedom and is versatile. To determine the PID parameters, approximate values, namely initial setting, are determined by using an adjustment law on the basis of rough characteristics of the object of control. However, this initial setting does not always provide a fully satisfactory control characteristic, but it is often necessary to read just the parameters while controlling the object of control in this manner of control and watching the actual control characteristic. Regarding the stability of the loop, too, the parameters should be adjusted to settle the control quantity and the operation quantity to constant levels while performing actual control on the step response and the like (see for instance The Institute of Systems, Control and Information Engineers, PID Control, pp. 16-38, Asakura Shoten, September, 2002 (in Japanese)).
However, where the frequency characteristic of the object of control has a low LPF characteristic, the cut-off frequency fc is as low as fc<0.1 Hz. As the conventional analog control system shown in FIG. 3 requires a sufficiently lower phase compensation than the cut-off frequency fc, the RC constant takes on a high value, entailing an unsolved problem of difficulty of size reduction and large scale integration.
There is another unsolved problem of a long time taken for stabilization on account of a very low time constant. Furthermore, the cut-off frequency fc varies from element to element, which is the object of control, and the analog circuit itself involves no little fluctuation, making it necessary to adjust individual elements for stabilization of the whole loop, which poses an unsolved problem in productivity.
Moreover, as the control characteristic obtained for the conventional PID control system described above is evaluated with actual hardware, and the parameters should be adjusted accordingly, the differences from element to element make it difficult to determine the parameters, and accordingly the development of a design takes a long time, which is another unsolved problem. Further, when any element is to be changed to one of another type, the parameters have to be redesigned, entailing still another unsolved problem of requirement for many additional man-hours spent on development.
Next will be described the configuration of a semiconductor laser wavelength control device which does not use the divider 10a shown in FIG. 5. It may be noted here that parts shown in FIG. 5 having counterparts in FIG. 1 will be denoted by respectively the same signs, and their description will be dispensed with.
The semiconductor laser wavelength control device shown in FIG. 5 differs from the device shown in FIG. 1 in the use of a subtractor 10 in place of the divider 10a. Further, the wavelength control target generating unit 9 in this FIG. 5 is supposed to supply the target value of VPD2-VPD1 as the wavelength control target value REF2.
Thus, the subtractor 10 subtracts the electric signal VPD1 from the electric signal VPD2, and the result is supplied to the temperature control circuit 11 as VOUT. The temperature control circuit 11 controls the temperature of the laser diode 1 by regulating the temperature of the thermoelectric cooler 2 as to equalize VOUT to the wavelength control target value REF2 generated by the wavelength control target value generating unit 9. Conventional devices of this kind include, for instance, what is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-270954 specification.
However, whereas the conventional semiconductor laser wavelength control device shown in FIG. 1 uses the divider 10a, the large circuit scale of this divider 10a invites a problem of expanding the overall size of the device.
Further, as both VPD2 and VPD1 which are divided by the divider 11a vary at a fixed increase rate, division of the two signals makes it possible to keep the wavelength constant as indicated by a curve 21 shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows the relationship of dependence between VPD2/VPD1 and the electric signal VPD1 supplied from the first photoelectric converter 4.
However, where VPD2 cannot be divided by VPD1 without a remainder, this remainder will give rise to a setting error, entailing a problem that the emission wavelength of the laser diode 1 cannot be controlled at a constant value.
The semiconductor laser wavelength control device shown in FIG. 5 on the other hand, as it uses the subtractor 10 in place of the divider 10a, can solve the aforementioned problems of the expanded circuit scale and the setting error due to the indivisible remainder.
In the configuration using the subtractor 10, as the wavelength control target REF2 is equal to VPD2-VPD1, VPD2/VPD1 will be as represented by the next Expression (3):
                                                                        VPD                                                                                2                  /                  VPD                                                                                1                            =                                                                    (                                                                  VPD                                                                                1                                            +                                              REF                                                                                2                                                              )                                    /                  VPD                                                                                1                                                                                =                              1                +                                  (                                      REF                                                                                2                      /                      VPD                                                                                1                                    )                                                                                (        3        )
As indicated by this equation (3), in order to keep the wavelength constant, the electric signal VPD1 supplied from the first photoelectric converter 4 should be kept constant.
The reason is that, where VPD2-VPD1 is calculated by using the subtractor 10, when both signals vary at a fixed increase rate, there arises a difference between the varied level of VPD2 and that of VPD1, and this difference is calculated. For instance, if VPD2=2 and VPD1=1 have trebled each, they will be 6 and 3, respectively, and the calculation of 6−3 will give a different result from 2−1.
In other words, when the electric signal VPD1 has varied, there arises an error in the calculation of the electric signals VPD2 and VPD1, and it becomes impossible to keep the wavelength constant as indicated by a curve 22 in FIG. 6. For this reason, the wavelength is kept constant by having the automatic optical power control circuit 6 restrain the variations of the electric signal VPD1.
However, there is a problem that, when the deterioration of the laser diode 1 over time causes the optical output intensity control current required by the laser diode 1 to surpass the controllable range of the automatic optical power control circuit 6, the wavelength cannot be kept constant.
On the other hand, depending on the purpose for which the semiconductor laser wavelength control device is to be used, the optical output intensity of the laser diode 1 should be continuously varied. However, when the optical output intensity is continuously varied, there arises an error in the calculation by the subtractor 10 as stated above, resulting in a problem of impossibility to keep the wavelength constant.
In view of these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor laser wavelength control device which can control the optical wavelength to remain constant even if the optical output intensity of the semiconductor laser varies and can be reduced in overall size.
Another object of the invention is to provide a temperature control device which, where the object of wavelength control has a frequency characteristic of a low LPF characteristic, can be sufficiently stable and easy to design and permits large scale integration even if the possibility of individual differences and type change of the object of control are taken into consideration.

Semiconductor laser wavelength control device

Abstract: It is provided with control means which controls the optical wavelength of a laser diode 1 to a prescribed wavelength by driving a temperature control unit to control the temperature of the laser diode 1. The control means has a low pass characteristic, with a first photo electric conversion signal resulting from the conversion of light having passed an optical filter 7 into an electric signal and a target for the laser diode 1 to emit light of a prescribed wavelength being entered as inputs, supplies a control signal for driving the temperature of the temperature control unit, and is set that a greater one out of a plurality of poles has a higher frequency than the cut-off frequency fc and the zero point has a lower frequency than the cut-off frequency fc of the object of control.


In a method for a rapid determination of spatially resolved magnetic resonance relaxation parameters in an area of examination, a preparation pulse is radiated into the area of examination. During the relaxation of the longitudinal magnetization, spatially encoded magnetic resonance signals are acquired at a minimum of two different points in time using a fast magnetic resonance sequence. At each inversion time, an image data record is reconstructed from the magnetic resonance signals, which are elastically registered to each other. From the recorded image data records, values of magnetic resonance relaxation parameters are spatially accurately determined.

Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method for a rapid determination of a spatially resolved magnetic resonance relaxation parameter in one area of examination, such as the longitudinal relaxation constants T1 and the transverse relaxation constants T2.
Description of the Prior Art
Medical magnetic resonance imaging is useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue due to the high contrast especially for imaging of different tissues or for the visual representation of the state of the tissue. The spatially resolved determination of the value of magnetic resonance relaxation parameters, such as the longitudinal relaxation constant T1 or the transverse relaxation constant T2, has also an added importance in medical magnetic resonance technique, because it allows to diagnose different tissues or to identify abnormal tissue changes. The spatially resolved and quantified relaxation parameters are represented in the form of parameter maps and are thus a useful demonstration tool in the diagnosis.
Particularly in the diagnosis of diseases of the heart tissue, quantitative methods for the determination of the relaxation parameter have increasingly gained in importance. Of importance in this context is the quantitative determination of the longitudinal relaxation constant T1.
However, the determination of the T1 constant of the heart tissue is a major challenge due to cardiac and respiratory movement. This is even more difficult for long T1 relaxation constants, as they typically occur in the cardiac tissue before the administration of a contrast agent. Depending on the data acquisition technique, irregular heart and respiratory cycles represent a further complication in determining the T1 constant. This is so because, for a precise quantification of T1 constants, we must know the longitudinal magnetization. If the repetition time is too short, before a new excitation, the longitudinal magnetization has not completely returned to its original position. The effective repetition time, which with heart rate-triggered data recording is determined by the heart rate, must then be taken into account.
Known methods for T1 quantification in cardiac tissue detect the magnetic resonance data in a breath hold phase over several cardiac cycles. Here, several inversion pulses triggered are irradiated into the imaged area, which is then followed by an acquisition phase and a recovery phase of the longitudinal magnetization.
The publication of Daniel R. Messroghli et al. "Modified Look-Locker Inversion Recovery (MOLLI) for High-Resolution T1 Mapping of the Heart", published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 52:141-146 (2004), describes a process in which a special interlocking nested acquisition scheme is applied to obtain magnetic resonance data with different inversion times. The acquisition schedule is triggered by the heart rate so that the data can always be obtained from the same heart phase, i.e., from the same state of motion of the heart.
While the special data acquisition scheme in MOLLI can, to a large degree, avoid motion artifacts arising due to the cardiac motion, there can still arise motion artifacts if the patient, who is being examined during the data acquisition, does not completely stop breathing. The motion artifacts prevent an accurate determination of the T1 constants, because at least two measurements must be taken from the same voxel (as the image data "pixel") at different times during the relaxation.
A method for motion correction of MOLLI-acquired data for T1 mapping of cardiac tissue is described in Hui Xue et al. in the publication "Motion Correction for Myocardial T1 Mapping Using Image Registration with Synthetic Image Estimation", published online in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine on 29 Aug. 2011. The described motion correction is based on the estimate of synthetic images that have a similar contrast as the originally acquired images. Here, the image contrast, which changes as a result of the relaxation and the movement, is formulated as a joint estimation problem. Using an iterative process and an initial estimate of T1 (T1 start value), a sequence of movement-corrected synthetic inversion recovery (IR) images are generated. With the initial estimate of T1, synthetic images are calculated for each inversion time. The synthetic images are then created all at a particular breathing position and have a similar contrast as the originally measured images. They are therefore suitable for an intensity-based image registration. This method is described for the correction of respiratory motion.
The known methods for spatially resolved determination of relaxation parameters of a beating heart are performed over several heartbeats, and thus require a relatively long measurement time.

Method for a rapid determination of spatially resolved magnetic resonance relaxation parameters in an area of examination


Expandable absorbable implants have been developed that are suitable for breast reconstruction following mastectomy. The implants can be implanted in the vicinity of a tissue expander, for example, by suturing to the detached edge of the pectoralis major muscle to function as a pectoralis extender, and used to form a sling for a tissue expander. The implants, which permit tissue-ingrowth and slowly degrade, can be expanded in the breast using a tissue expander in order to form a pocket for a permanent breast implant. After expansion, the tissue expander can be removed and replaced with a permanent breast implant. The expandable implants help reduce patient discomfort resulting from tissue expansion, and avoid the need to use allografts or xenografts to create the pocket for the tissue expander. The expandable absorbable implant preferably comprises poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof.

Breast reconstruction following mastectomy has become an integral and important part of breast cancer treatment with the surgery providing the patient with both aesthetic and psychosocial benefits. Nearly 65% of US breast reconstruction procedures now use a tissue expander (TE) which is temporarily implanted in the breast to create a pocket for a permanent breast implant in the first step of the procedure. The TE is then removed and replaced with a permanent breast implant in a second step. In the first step of the reconstruction procedure, the pectoralis major muscle and serratus anterior muscle are released, elevated, and used to cover the TE. The TE may then be expanded by injecting liquid or gas into the device. Expansion is normally started 10 to 14 days after implantation of the TE, and repeated every 1-4 weeks. The TE is often filled with up to 50% of the final volume intraoperatively. Typically, 60-120 cm3 of saline is injected into the TE each time thereafter, and expansion is usually completed within 2 months.
A more recent modification of the TE breast reconstruction procedure is to use an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) to help cover the TE (Bertozzi, N. Ann Med Surg. 21:34-44 (2017)). In a typical procedure, the pectoralis major muscle is mobilized, and the ADM is attached to the edge of the muscle in order to create a sling and submuscular pocket for the TE. The use of ADM eliminates the need to release and elevate the serratus anterior muscle, the pectoralis minor muscle, and the rectus abdominis fascia, and consequently, reduces postoperative pain. Other advantages of using an ADM include (i) creation of a larger pocket size, (ii) the ability to use a larger intraoperative fill volume for the TE and more rapid expansion, (iii) reduced incidence of capsular contracture formation, and (iv) improvements in aesthetic results, including a more natural shape and better definition of the lower pole.
While the use of ADM materials has many advantages, there are a number of significant disadvantages to their use. First, ADM resists stretching which puts undue stress on the pectoralis major muscle, and can be uncomfortable for the patient. Second, ADM tends to be very expensive. And, third, ADM is an animal or human derived implant with an associated risk of disease transmission.
A few researchers have sought alternatives to using an ADM as a pectoralis extender. US Patent Application No. 20120022646 to Mortarino and Altman discloses a method of using a silk scaffold device in two-stage breast reconstruction. The scaffolds, now known as SERI® Surgical Scaffold, however, were designed to preserve mechanical stability, for example, using a "node-lock" design, and therefore were not designed to expand when sutured in place, and the TE inflated. As reported by Jewell et al. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1358:44-55 (2015), the silk scaffolds have only a 7% elongation to break in the transverse direction and approximately a 4% elongation to break in the vertical direction which means that these scaffolds will resist expansion as the TE is expanded.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,629 to Moses discloses systems and methods for mastopexy (breast lift procedures), including TephaFLEX™ mesh, made from Tepha's P4HB™ polymer (poly-4-hydroxybutyrate polymer), but does not disclose an expandable mesh made from P4HB suitable for use with a TE in breast reconstruction. Instead, a highly oriented P4HB mesh is disclosed that is designed to support the breast in a breast lift procedure, and not stretch after implantation (since stretching would result in ptosis).
U.S. Pat. No. 9,532,867 to Felix discloses absorbable implants for breast surgery that confer shape to the breast, and that cannot stretch more than 30% of their original length. The implants are designed to support the breast following surgery to prevent ptosis, and are not designed for use with a TE for breast reconstruction.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,566,370 to Mathisen discloses a mesh implant, for reconstruction of soft tissue defects, made from a first and second material, wherein the second material is degraded at a later point in time than the first material following implantation. The mesh is described as having a very low elongation during the initial wound healing period, and was not designed for use with a TE for breast reconstruction.
An absorbable implant that can (i) be attached to the edge of the pectoralis major muscle in order to create a sling and submuscular pocket for a TE, (ii) expand when the TE is inflated, (iii) allow tissue ingrowth, and (iv) degrade in vivo, would be particularly desirable. Ideally, the implant minimizes the stress on the pectoralis major muscle during inflation of the TE, and thereby reduces patient discomfort during, and subsequent to, inflation. The absorbable implant should preferably be capable of continued expansion as the TE is inflated so that the pectoralis major muscle is not stretched. The implant may optionally have a tensile strength that initially increases when the TE is inflated. The implant may comprise a polymer that is unoriented or partially oriented, and that becomes more oriented after implantation upon expansion of the TE. The implant should have sufficient integrity to cover the TE expander, form a sling and submuscular pocket for the TE, and remodel in vivo so that a breast implant can be placed in the pocket when the TE is removed. The implant should be porous in order to allow tissue ingrowth, preferably with average pore diameters of at least 75 μm. And preferably, the implant should be completely degraded in two years, and replaced with new tissue. In order to allow expansion of the implant when the TE is inflated, the implant may comprise sacrificial and non-sacrificial elements, such as fibers and struts, wherein the sacrificial elements degrade faster than the non-sacrificial elements, or yield (i.e. stretch) when placed under tension by inflation of the tissue expander. If the implant comprises sacrificial and non-sacrificial elements, it would be desirable for the implant to have a strength retention that is at least 40% of its original tensile strength or burst strength three months after implantation. In order to reduce the risk of disease transmission, the implant would preferably be made synthetically or biosynthetically.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an implant for use in the vicinity of a TE in the breast that is absorbable and expandable.
It is another object of the invention to provide methods to prepare an absorbable expandable implant for use in the vicinity of a TE in the breast.
It is still another objection of the invention to provide methods to implant an absorbable expandable implant in the vicinity of a TE in the breast.

Expandable absorbable implants for breast reconstruction and augmentation


A method of making a die and the die itself for establishing through embossing or micro-embossing a seamless pattern, preferably a holographic pattern, on a decorative medium such as a metallized film is provided. A cylindrical embossing or micro-embossing die is provided with a layer of an embossable material, preferably pure silver, a silver alloy or any other suitable embossable material. The cylindrical die is an integral member in which a pattern is recombined thereon by a step and repeat embossing or micro-embossing process as opposed an intricate lathe-type machine-turning operation, and can thus accept, carry and maintain complex patterns with the integrity required for producing a repeating holographic pattern.

The present invention relates generally to the transfer of images, patterns or designs onto a decorative medium, and more specifically to the transfer of a seamless holographic pattern onto a decorative medium such as, for example, a polyethylene (PET) film or other carrier (before or after metallization), or on a foil or other medium without a carrier. Although not limited thereto, the present invention has particular utility and significance in micro-embossing applications such as, but not limited to, holographic transfers where a surface seems essentially flat, yet contains minute grooves to facilitate the reflection of light. These grooves are typically only about one-quarter of micron in depth and their integrity must be maintained as best as possible on a die in order to effect an adequate transfer onto a decorative medium such as foil. Since groove depth is necessarily limited and often critical, flaws cannot be tolerated in reproduction of holographic patterns. The present invention addresses these needs.
Holographic images, patterns or designs are transferred or micro-embossed onto a web or length of material (for instance, a decorative foil on a carrier web) by a roller which carries on its outer cylindrical surface a shim having the holographic image, pattern or design. Heat and pressure are used to micro-emboss the hologram on the shim from the roller to the web or length of decorative material. This micro-embossing process is conventional. The shim which is wrapped around the roller is established in planar form by a micro-embossing operation by which a small nickel shim (typically 2 inches by 2 inches) which carries the hologram is attached to a stamp, and the hologram is micro-embossed into a planar plastic sheet by a step and repeat process. To facilitate this step and repeat operation, the planar stamping surface is indexed linearly in the X and Y directions across the planar plastic sheet until the micro-embossing is completed on the entire planar surface. The sheet is then sprayed with a silver conductive spray, and subsequently placed in an electro-plating bath to form a durable nickel shim (an electroforming process). This nickel shim is removed from the plastic sheet and is wrapped around a cylinder to form a cylindrical embossing die. In addition to the long and involved process to make the nickel shim, once the nickel shim is wrapped around the cylinder, the ends of the nickel shim form a side-to-side break in the holographic pattern so that the resulting holographic foil includes a production seam made after each revolution of the cylinder. It is also noted that there will also be slight "recombining" seams created by "recombining" the design by the step and repeat process. These recombining seams are usually insignificant since they are either different to see with the naked eye and/or are incorporated into the overall design on the decorative medium. These recombining seams are not eliminated by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,893 and 4,968,370 both relate to the replication of information carriers such as compact discs. The master for replicating the information carriers is a planar nickel shim with patterned or image surface depressions or pits corresponding to audio or video recorded digital information retrievable by, for instance, laser scanning. This planar nickel shim master is wrapped partially around a cylinder and is embossed onto an endless web of a thermoplastic or other material used as the base for the compact disc or other information carrier. This is similar to the above described process in that a planar shim is partially wrapped around a cylinder for embossing onto a web of material. Again, seams will appear in the web of material, but in the replication of information carriers such as compact discs these seams do not form part of the resulting product, and thus do not create a problem as with decorative foil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,572 is directed to a cylindrical embossing tool which can be used for embossing a web of material without leaving seams. Described in this patent is a complex method of making a shim (in the form of a tube or sleeve) which carries an imaged electroform and can be placed over a carrier cylinder by introducing air into the interface of the tubular and floating the tubular shim into position to form a supported embossing tool. In the alternative, the tubular shim carrying the imaged electroform can be supported by a number of rollers to form an endless belt embossing tool. Significantly, however, the electroform embossing tool, whether an endless belt embossing tool or cylindrical embossing tool, is formed by first stamping a polymeric or thermoplastic embossable material layer on a cylinder with a stamper which carries an image or pattern on a concave-shaped stamping surface. A thin layer of metal such as silver could also be deposited prior to embossing the embossable material layer to render it electrically conductive and/or optically reflective. A nickel electroform is then electroformed on the embossable material layer on the cylinder, which nickel electroform carries a negative of the stamped image or pattern. A reinforcement layer in the form of an adhesive, resin or fiberglass particles is then provided to mask the nickel electroform and provide stability and rigidity to the composite layers. These composite layers are then removed from the cylinder, and then the reinforcement together with the nickel electroform are removed from the composite layers. The inside of the hollow cylinder having the nickel electroform is then electroplated to provide another electroform which, by virtue of the negative on the nickel electroform, carries the stamped image or pattern. That second electroform is then removed and either placed over a cylinder or between rollers as described above. The result of this intricate process is a cylindrical embossing tool or a belt embossing tool which can emboss an image or a pattern onto material without leaving seams after each revolution of the cylinder or the belt. However, in addition to the intricacy required to prepare the cylindrical embossing tool or the belt embossing tool, there may be problems with the strength or the durability of the second electroform.
A cylindrical embossing die having a relatively simple pattern burnished into the nickel plating on a steel cylinder has also been used to transfer holograms onto decorative foils in a seamless manner. However, the cylindrical embossing die was produced by an engine-turning operation using an ultra precision machining device which employs, for instance, a single crystal diamond cutting tool in a lathe-type machining process. The operation is intricate and expensive and, more importantly, is limited to extremely simple geometric patterns which can be established by such a lathe-type machining process. The only patterns known to have been established on a nickel plated cylinder by this engine-turning operation is the so-called "laser" pattern which is an extremely simple pattern. Such an operation cannot be used to establish an intricate geometric pattern on a cylinder for use in embossing a seamless pattern on, for instance, metallized PET film.
It is thus apparent that an improved method and die for effecting the seamless transfer of an image, pattern or design onto a material is warranted. Such an improvement should address the cost in manufacturing the apparatus, the durability of the die and the scope of the method in establishing images, patterns or designs for seamless transfer.


Apparatus and methods for running casing into a wellbore. An apparatus may be or include a casing collar configured to couple together a first casing joint and a second casing joint. The casing collar may have a body and a plurality of rotatable members connected to the body. The body may have a fluid passage extending axially therethrough, a first coupler configured to couple the casing collar with the first casing joint, and a second coupler configured to couple the casing collar with the second casing joint. At least a portion of each rotatable member may extend from the body in a radially outward direction.

Oil and gas wells are generally drilled into Earth's surface or ocean bed to recover natural deposits of oil, gas, and other natural resources that are trapped within subterranean geological formations. Wellbores for reaching the natural resources may be formed by drilling systems having various surface and subterranean equipment operating in a coordinated manner. After a wellbore is formed, a metal casing string may be inserted within the wellbore, such as to protect the sidewall of the wellbore, isolate different geological formations, and help maintain control of formation fluids and well pressure during various subsequent downhole operations. The casing string may be secured within the wellbore by cement injected into an annular space between an outer surface of the casing string and the sidewall of the wellbore.
Oil and gas reservoirs located within geological formations have conventionally been accessed by vertical or near-vertical wellbores. Casing strings may be inserted into the vertical and near-vertical wellbores utilizing gravity to facilitate conveyance or movement therethrough. Oil and gas reservoirs, however, are increasingly accessed via non-vertical wellbores. Casing strings that have conventionally been inserted within vertical and near-vertical wellbores may encounter problems when inserted within non-vertical wellbores. For example, in non-vertical wellbores, gravity may be negated by frictional forces between the casing string and the sidewall of the wellbore, which may resist movement of the casing string through the wellbore. Although the casing string may be pushed along the wellbore, friction generated against the sidewall of the wellbore may be greater than the available axial force to push the casing string downhole.
Furthermore, the outer surface of the casing string may stick to the sidewall of the wellbore, or the leading edge of the casing string or the leading edges of the casing collars of the casing string may dig into or jam against the sidewall of the wellbore, impeding downhole movement of the casing string. Movement of the casing string along a non-vertical wellbore may also be impeded by presence of various obstacles along the wellbore. For example, drill cuttings, washouts, and various imperfections (e.g., bumps, uneven surfaces) in the sidewall of the wellbore may further impede or increase resistance to movement of the casing string through the wellbore.

Apparatus and method for running casing into a wellbore


A wire-stranded hollow coil body (1) has a multitude of coil line elements (2) stranded along a predetermined circular line to form a flexible wire tube having a central axial hollow portion (3), the flexible wire tube is stranded under a strand-turn resistant load and heat treated to remove a residual stress upon formation so as to provide a high rotation-following capability and a high straightness. Further, a method provides a way to strand the coil line elements (2) under a strand-turn resistant load while heat treating the coil line elements (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wire-stranded hollow coil body used as a main wire component of a medical equipment in the form of flexible line wire such as a catheter, catheter guide wire, endscope treating tool or the like, and more particularly concerns to a medical equipment produced therefrom and a method of making the wire-stranded hollow coil body.
2. Description of Related Art
In a catheter and a catheter guide wire which introduce a leading distal end into a diseased area through a twisted and turned vascular system, a leading distal end of the catheter or the catheter guide wire is inserted into the blood vessel or the somatic cavity by a "push-pull and turn" manipulation at a hand access portion located ouside a subject patient upon treating the diseased area. In an endscope treating tool which is inserted through a somatic cavity to reach the diseased area, a leading end of the endscope treating tool is manipulated in the same manner as mentioned above.
In order to achieve a smooth manipulation when inserting the leading distal end into the somatic cavity and the blood vessel, it is required for these medical devices to have multi-mechanical properties. The multi-mechanical properties includes a high flexibility, a good straightness in free state and a good restitutivity against bending deformation. The medical devices of this type are required at its leading distal end portion to have a high flexibility, while at the same time, having at its rear portion to have an appropriate rigidity as a functionally gradient property. It is also indispensable for the leading distal end to have a high maneuverability in which the leading distal end properly responds to the hand operation which is to be done outside the subject patient.
The following related art flexible linear wires used as a main component of the medical devices have been produced to achieve the above indispensable multi-mechanical properties.
In the references of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2002-275774 and 4-309371 (referred in turn to as "first and second reference" hereinafter), a wire-stranded hollow coil body is disclosed which have a multitude of coil line elements stranded along a predetermined circular line to form a rope-like flexible linear tube having a central axial hollow portion. In the domestic publication of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-512691 (referred to as "third reference" hereinafter), a solid thin wire made from an elastic shape-memory alloy is stranded under a tensile load. The solid thin wire thus stranded is subjected to a stress-removing heat-treatment procedure under the condition of approx. 280° C.×30 min. −300° C.×30 min. so as to provide a flexible solid wire body used for medical devices.
The reference of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 10-165361 (referred to as "fourth reference" hereinafter) discloses a helical hollow pipe to produce a sheath from an elongated hollow thin wire used for an endscope treating tool. An outer surface of the helical hollow pipe is partly ground to form a diameter-reduced portion, or partly replaced by a thin wire to provide a good bending capability with the sheath.
The reference of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 11-104071 (referred to as "fifth reference" hereinafter) discloses a flexible wire sheath made from a multi-wound helical coil body used for an endscope treating tool. Into the flexible wire sheath, a manipulation wire is inserted so as to be rotatable with a biopsy end portion in unison.
The reference of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 11-33004 (referred to as "sixth reference" hereinafter) discloses a pressure-sensor type guide wire in which a guide wire sensor portion is made from a stainless steel cloak tube having a platinum helical wire tube and a stainless steel helical wire tube concentrically placed to enclose a piezoelectric elongation plate. The reference of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 7-213481 (referred to as "seventh reference" hereinafter) discloses a flexible endscope in which a manipulation wire is placed within a cloak tube having four flexible helical wires juxtaposed,each of which is wound to have a different helical pitch. The reference of Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 10-290803 (referred to as "eighth reference" hereinafter) discloses an endscope treating tool in which a flexible wire coil sheath constitutes a main structure.
In the catheter, the catheter guide wire and the endscope tube made from the wire-stranded hollow coil body disclosed by the first and second references, the wire-stranded hollow structure makes it possible to present a good flexibility based on the wire-stranded body construction per se. The wire-stranded hollow structure advantageously reduces a torsion-resistant moment upon manipulation, while at the same time, reducing a weight dimension per unit length. However, in contrast to the above advantages, the preceding references has the following drawbacks.
Namely, both the references lack a lengthwise linearity and a rotation-following capability responsive to the manipulation of the leading distal end, and have no gradient flexibility in which the wire-stranded body gradually shifts its property in the lengthwise direction while substantially maintaining uniform torsion-resistant and flexible properties among the multi-mechanical properties. The flexible solid wire body disclosed by the third reference is made from the solid thin wire deviod of the central hollow portion, this increases a torsional resistance, and adding the weight dimension per unit length too much to put the flexible solid wire body into practical use for the medical devices.
The wire-stranded hollow coil structure disclosed by the fourth to sixth references is unsatisfactory from the point of the indispensable requirement to function as a main linear body for the medical devices because both the references lack the lengthwise linearity and the rotation-following capability while maintaining the uniform torsion-resistant property and flexible property, as is the case with the first and second references.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to overcome the above drawbacks so as to provide a wire-stranded hollow body, a medical equipment formed therefrom and a method of making the same in which the medical equipment having the flexible line wire as a main wire component is remarkably improved at its performance.

Wire-stranded hollow coil body, a medical equipment made therefrom and a method of making the same


A single piece of material is cut from a roll of material, folded along fold lines and secured together along abutting short ends and mating portions to form a body bag which is stronger. The body bag includes a zipper closure that is formed when specifically sized and shaped ends of the single piece of material have one half of a zipper secured thereto and are then folded so as to be together. The abutting short ends and the mating portions of the sheet of material are secured together, as by sewing, or the like, to form a body bag having a minimum number of secured together edges or mating portions susceptible to being pulled or torn apart, and requiring less labor to complete.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to body bags, and, more particularly, to an improved body bag and the method of making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The exterior edges and ends of a zipper closure in a body bag are subjected to accidental abuse, damage, or mistreatment, particularly during moving or transporting the body bag with a body therein. Due to the high risk of infection, etc., if body fluids escape from a body bag while being transported or moved, a need it exists to protect the vulnerable portions of body bags from accidental damage or harm because of rough handling, or contact with sharp objects.
Different types of body bags and methods for making them are known. Generally, one piece of rectangular material is cut to size is and folded over, or two or more rectangular portions of material are cut, and then sealed or sewn together along one long side edge and two ends, or two side edges and two ends to form the bag. A zipper closure is then added to the top surface of the body bag to enable a body to be inserted in and removed from the bag. However, after many attempts to solve the problems of manufacturing a relatively low-cost body bag, which will be strong enough to hold up under rough handling, without rupturing or tearing, there still exists a need in the body bag art for a relatively simple, easy-to-use, low cost and strong body bag, that has fewer sealed or sewn side edges, and which is less vulnerable to damage, such as tearing during handling.


In a computerized analyzer linked to an onboard computer for complex machinery, a computer-readable binary pattern storage apparatus which has a plurality of binary patterns constituting an application program executable by the computerized analyzer. Sets of instructions in the application program are executable, in response to user input from a graphical user interface, to provide a variety of functions which include: monitoring and processing data received to provide groups of vertical and horizontal graphical coordinates suitable for graphing; displaying graphs on a visual display device from the graphical coordinates; rearranging and highlighting selected graph designations; providing a second horizontal scale to a selected portion of the horizontal graphical coordinates to give a selected graph a zoomed-in appearance; recording and displaying graphical time frames of the groups of graphical coordinates; and permitting the real-time and diagnostic-code-triggered collection, processing, and graphical display of data.

Proper operation of complex machinery requires proper operation of a large number of systems and subsystems of the machinery. When one or more of those systems and subsystems does not operate properly, it is important to be able to analyze and diagnose problems so that the problems can be remedied. Modern automotive vehicles are exemplary of such complex machinery, and a large number of sensors are provided to monitor a large number of parameters of systems and subsystems that are important to proper operation of an automotive vehicle. Provisions are made for the sensors to provide data to data channels, and the data channels are in communication with a computerized analyzer which receives and processes the sensor-provided data.
Computerized automotive analyzers are generally of two types: large stand alone units; and small, hand-held units. Generally, because of their size and complexity, stand alone analyzers are conventionally capable of more complex data receiving and more complex data processing than hand-held analyzers. However, it would be desirable if a hand-held analyzer were provided with the capabilities of a stand alone analyzer for complex data receiving and complex data processing.
There are plural streams of data provided to a computerized analyzer via plural data channels. Yet, there are times when a technician desires to focus on only one or a relatively small number of data channels at a time. In this respect, it would be desirable if a computerized analyzer were provided which permits a technician to focus on one or a small number of data channels at a time.
Aside from focussing on a relatively small number of selected data channels at time, the technician may have a preferred order for displaying information from the selected data channels. A preferred order for displaying information may relate to a logical sequence of parameters under study. Moreover, the technician may wish to easily change the order for displaying information from the selected data channels. In this respect, it would be desirable if a computerized analyzer were provided which permits a technician to readily change the order of information displayed for selected data channels.
A convenient way to enable a technician to select among graphs that are available for display is to have a displayed list of available graphs. From such a displayed list of available graphs, when specific graphs are selected, it would be desirable if selected graphs are in some way highlighted or distinguished from other members of the displayed list of available graphs.
When a two-dimensional graph is displayed, often the graph has a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. Often the horizontal axis depicts measurements of time, and the vertical axis depicts measurements of a parameter that changes over the course of time. For a given graph, a single scale of time on the horizontal axis is generally selected. However, it has been realized by the present inventors that it would be desirable to be able to have a graphical display in which the time scale can be changed for a portion of the horizontal axis. For example if a selected graph shows the measurement of a parameter versus time in seconds, it may be desirable if a portion of the horizontal axis would show the measurement of the selected parameter versus time in tenths of a second. When a second time scale is more detailed than a first time scale, for a portion of the horizontal axis of the graph, the portion of the more detailed second time scale is in a sense magnified with respect to the first time scale. Another way of stating this relationship between the second time scale and the first time scale is that the second time scale is zoomed-in with respect to the first time scale. In this respect, it would be desirable if a computerized analyzer were provided in which a display can display a graph that has a first portion of the graph, which employs a first time scale, and which has a second portion of the graph, which employs a zoomed-in time scale.
Thus, while the foregoing discussion indicates it to be well known to use computerized data monitoring and analysis for complex machinery or equipment, there is no teaching or suggestion of a data monitoring and analysis method and apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a hand-held analyzer having the capabilities of a stand alone analyzer for complex data receiving and complex data processing; (2) permits a technician to focus on one or a small number of data channels at a time; (3) permits a technician to readily change the order of available graphs; (4) provides a way for selected data channels to be highlighted or distinguished from other members of the displayed list of data channels; (5) provides a graphical display in which the time scale can be changed for a portion of the horizontal axis; and (6) can display a graph that has a first portion of the graph, which employs a first time scale, and which has a second portion of the graph, which employs a zoomed-in time scale.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique data monitoring and analysis method and apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.

Apparatus and method for displaying diagnostic values


Messaging Service Plus Context Data. A message of a specified mobile device communications protocol is parsed. The message is analyzed to identify a message data. A signal associated with the message is evaluated to determine a context data. The context data provides a contextual attribute of the message. The message data is algorithmically associated with the context data. Further, the other message includes the message data and the context data. A context enhancement data is determined to enrich a meaning of the context data. The context enhancement data is acquired from a database. The other message may be generated. The other message includes the message data, the context data and context enhancement data.

A mobile phone may include a text messaging application. A sending user may compose and send a text with the text messaging application. A receiving user may receive the text message. The text message may generically refer a location. For example, the text message may include the term "here". The other user may not be able to understand the meaning of the term without more contextual information to describe the term. The text messaging application may have functional limitations that discourage contextual descriptions with the text. For example, the sending user sending the text message may be limited by the number of possible characters which may be included in the body of the text. The text may be read by receiving user at a temporally and/or geographically remote distance from sending user. Consequently, the meaning of some terms in the text message may be lost. Such an event may diminish the effectiveness of the text messaging mode of communication.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Generation of a context-enriched message including a message component and a contextual attribute


A series-connected string of light bulbs, operating on AC voltage, each having connected thereacross a voltage regulating shunting circuit which regulates the voltage across an empty or otherwise inoperative socket so as to maintain unidirectional current across each of the remaining sockets in the string during one-half of an AC cycle, thereby insuring continuous but dimmed illumination of the light string. The voltage regulating shunting circuit of the present invention is a silicon rectifier diode connected in series with a voltage regulating diode. The voltage regulating diode may be an array of silicon diodes or a Zener diode. The voltage regulating shunting circuit can be mass produced by using conventional manufacturing techniques.

One of the most common uses of series-connected light strings, particularly of the so-called "miniature" type, is for decoration and display purposes, particularly during Christmas time and other holidays, and more particularly for the decoration of Christmas trees, inside and outside of commercial, industrial and residential buildings, trees and shrubbery, and the like.
Probably the most popular light set currently available on the market, and in widespread use throughout the world, comprises one or more strings of 50 miniature light bulbs each, with each bulb typically having an operating voltage rating of 2.5 volts, and whose filaments are connected in an electrical series circuit arrangement. If overall strings of more than 50 bulbs are desired, the common practice is to provide a plurality of 50 miniature bulb strings, with the bulbs in each string connected in electrical series, and with the plurality of strings being connected in a parallel circuit arrangement with respect to each other. Other light strings on the market comprise 35 lights in series.
As each bulb of each string is connected in series, when a single bulb fails to illuminate for any reason, the whole string fails to light and it is very frustrating and time consuming to locate and replace a defective bulb or bulbs. Usually many bulbs have to be checked before finding the failed bulb. In fact, in many instances, the frustration and time-consuming efforts are so great as to cause one to completely discard and replace the string with a new string before they are even placed in use. The problem is even more compounded when multiple bulbs simultaneously fail to illuminate for multiple reasons, such as, for example, the existence of one or more faulty light bulbs, one or more unstable socket connections, or when one or more light bulbs physically fall from their respective sockets, and the like.
There are presently available in the market various devices and apparatuses for electrically testing an individual light bulb after it has been physically removed from its socket. An apparatus is also available on the market for testing series-connected Christmas tree light bulbs, and the like, by physically placing an alternating current line voltage sensor in close proximity to the particular light bulb desired to be tested. However, such a device is merely an electromagnetic field strength detection device which may remain in an "on" condition whenever the particular bulb desired to be tested is physically located in close proximity to another light bulb or bulbs on the Christmas tree.
In fact, light bulb manufacturers have also attempted to solve the problem of bad bulb detection by designing each light bulb in the string in a manner whereby the filament in each light bulb is shorted by various mechanisms and means whenever it burns out for any reason, thereby preventing an open circuit condition to be present in the socket of the burned-out bulb. However, in actual practice, it has been found that such short circuiting feature within the bulb does not always operate in the manner intended, resulting in the entire string going out whenever but a single bulb burns out.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,382 utilizes a single Zener or "avalanche" type diode which is electrically connected across each series-connected direct-current ("D.C.") lamp bulb used by military vehicles operating on "steady state" —not pulsating—DC, strictly for so-called "burn-out" protection for the remaining bulbs whenever one or more bulbs burns out for some reason. It is stated therein that the use of either a single or a plurality of parallel and like-connected Zener diodes will not protect the lamps against normal failure caused by normal current flows, but-will protect against failures due to excessive current surges associated with the failure of associated lamps.
Various other attempts have heretofore been made to provide various types of shunts in parallel with the filament of each bulb, whereby the string will continue to be illuminated whenever a bulb has burned out, or otherwise provide for an open circuit condition.
Typical of such arrangements are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 34,717; 1,024,495; 2,072,337; 2,760,120; 3,639,805; 3,912,966; 4,450,382; 4,682,079; 4,727,449; 5,379,214; and 5,006,724, together with Swiss patent 427,021 and French patent 884,370.
Of the foregoing prior art patents, the Fleck '449, Harnden '966, and the Swiss '021 patents appear, at first blush, to probably be the most promising in the prior art in indicating defective bulbs in a string by the use of filament shunt circuits and/or devices of various types which range from polycrystalline materials, to powders, and to metal oxide varistors, and the like, which provide for continued current flow through the string, but at either a higher or a lower level. The reason for this is because of the fact that the voltage drop occurring across each prior art shunt is substantially a different value than the value of the voltage drop across the incandescent bulb during normal operation thereof.
Some of these prior art shunts cause a reduced current flow in the series string because of too high of a voltage drop occurring across the shunt when a bulb becomes inoperable, either due to an open filament, a faulty bulb, a faulty socket, or simply because the bulb is not mounted properly in the socket, or is entirely removed or falls from its respective socket. However, other shunt devices cause the opposite effect due to an undesired increase in current flow. For example, when the voltage dropped across a socket decreases, then a higher voltage is applied to all of the remaining bulbs in the string, which higher voltage results in higher current flow and a decreased life expectancy of the remaining bulbs in the string. Additionally, such higher voltage also results in increased light output from each of the remaining bulbs in the string, which may not be desirable in some instances. However, when the voltage dropped across a socket increases, then a lower voltage is applied to all of the remaining bulbs in the series connected string, which results in lesser current flow and a corresponding decrease in light output from each of the remaining bulbs in the string. Such undesirable effect occurs in most of the prior art attempts, including those which, at first blush, might be considered the most promising techniques, especially the proposed use of a diode in series with a bilateral switch in the Fleck '449 patent, or the proposed use of a metal oxide varistor in the above Harnden '966 patent, or the use of the proposed counter-connected rectifiers in the Swiss '021 patent.
For example, in the arrangement suggested in the above Fleck '449 patent, ten halogen filled bulbs, each having a minimum 12-volt operating rating, are utilized in a series circuit. The existence of a halogen gas in the envelope permits higher value current flow through the filament with the result that much brighter light is obtainable in a very small bulb size. Normally, when ten 12-volt halogen bulbs are connected in a series string, the whole string goes dark whenever a single bulb fails and does not indicate which bulb had failed. To remedy this undesirable effect, Fleck provided a bypass circuit across each halogen filled bulb which comprised a silicon bilateral voltage triggered switch in series with a diode which rectifies the alternating-current ("A.C.") supply voltage and thereby permits current to flow through the bilateral switch only half of the time, i.e., only during each half cycle of the A.C. supply voltage. It is stated in Fleck that when a single bulb burns out, the remaining bulbs will have "diminished" light output because the diode will almost halve the effective voltage due to its blocking flow in one direction and conduction flow only in the opposite direction. Such substantially diminished light output will quite obviously call attention to the failed bulb, as well as avoid the application of a greater voltage, which would decrease the life of the remaining filaments. However, in actual practice, a drastic drop in brightness has been observed, i.e. a drop from approximately 314-lux illumination output to approximately 15-lux illumination output when one bulb "goes out". Additionally, it is stated by the patentee that the foregoing procedure of replacing a burned out bulb involves the interruption of the application of the voltage source in order to allow the switch to open and to resume normal operation after the bulb has been replaced. (See column 2, lines 19-22 therein.) Additionally, as such an arrangement does not permit more that one bulb to be out at the same time, certain additional desirable special effects such as "twinkling", and the like, obviously would not be possible.
In the arrangement suggested in Harnden '966 patent, Harnden proposes to utilize a polycrystalline metal oxide varistor as the shunting device, notwithstanding the fact that it is well known that metal oxide varistors are not designed to handle continuous current flow therethrough. Consequently, they are merely a so-called "one-shot" device for protective purposes, i.e. a transient voltage suppressor that is intended to absorb high frequency or rapid voltage spikes and thereby preventing such voltage spikes from doing damage to associated circuitry. They are designed for use as spike absorbers and are not designed to function as a voltage regulator or as a steady state current dissipation circuit. While metal oxide varistors may appear in some cases similar to back-to-back Zener diodes, they are not interchangeable and function very differently according to their particular use. In fact, the assignee of the Harnden '966 patent (originally General Electric Corporation, then later Harris Semiconductor, Inc.) states in their Application Note 9311: "They (i.e., metal oxide varistors) are exceptional at dissipating transient voltage spikes but they cannot dissipate continuous low level power." In fact, they further state that their metal oxide varistors cannot be used as a voltage regulator as their function is to be used as a nonlinear impedance device. The only similarity that one can draw from metal oxide varistors and back-to-back Zener diodes is that they are both bidirectional; after that, the similarity ends.
In the Swiss '021 patent, Dyre discloses a bilateral shunt device having a breakdown voltage rating that, when exceeded, lowers the resistance thereof to 1 ohm, or less. This low value of resistance results in a substantial increase in the voltage being applied to the remaining bulbs even when only a single bulb is inoperative for any of the reasons previously stated. Thus, when multiple bulbs are inoperative, a still greater voltage is applied to the remaining bulbs, thereby again substantially increasing their illumination, and consequently, substantially shortening their life expectancy.
Even though the teachings of the foregoing prior art have been available for many years to those skilled in the art, none of such teachings, either singly or collectively, have found their way to commercial application. In fact, miniature Christmas tree type lights now rely solely upon a specially designed bulb, which is supposed to short out when becoming inoperative. Obviously, such a scheme is not always effective, particularly when a bulb is removed from its socket or becomes damaged in handling, etc. The extent of the extreme attempts made by others to absolutely keep the bulbs from falling from their sockets, includes the use of a locking groove formed on the inside circumference of the socket mating with a corresponding raised ridge formed on the base of the bulb base unit. While this particular locking technique apparently is very effective to keep bulbs from falling from their respective sockets, the replacement of defective bulbs by the average user is extremely difficult, if not sometimes impossible, without resorting to mechanical gripping devices which can actually destroy the bulb base unit or socket.
In Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,182, entitled SERIES CONNECTED LIGHT STRING WITH FILAMENT SHUNTING, which issued as a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/526,519, filed Mar. 16, 2000, now abandoned which is a division of application Ser. No. 08/896,278, filed Jul. 7, 1997, now abandoned which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/653,979, filed May 28, 1996, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/560,472, filed Nov. 17, 1995, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/494,725, filed Jun. 26, 1995 now abandoned, all of which disclosures are incorporated herein, there is disclosed and claimed therein various novel embodiments which very effectively solve the prior art failures in various new and improved ways. For example, there is disclosed therein a series string of incandescent light bulbs, each having a silicon type voltage regulating shunting device connected thereacross which has a predetermined voltage regulating value which is greater than the voltage normally applied to said bulbs, and which said shunt becomes fully conductive only when the peak voltage applied thereacross exceeds its said predetermined voltage switching value, which occurs whenever a bulb in the string either becomes inoperable for any reason whatsoever, even by being removed or falling from its respective socket, and which circuit arrangement provides for the continued flow of rated current through all of the remaining bulbs in the string, together with substantially unchanged illumination in light output from any of those remaining operative in the string even though a substantial number of total bulbs in the string are simultaneously inoperative for any combinations of the various reasons heretofore stated. There is disclosed therein various type of shunting devices performing the above desired end result, including back-to-back Zener, or so-called "avalanche" diodes, non-avalanche bilateral silicon switches, and conventional Zener diodes, one-half of which are electrically connected in one current flow direction and the remaining one-half being electrically connected in the opposite current flow direction.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,357, a series of rectifier diodes are connected in an array across lamp sockets to continue current flow in the event of a failure. This patent teaches the use of two arrays connected in parallel in opposite electrical directions to simulate counter-connected Zener diodes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,182 teaches the use of two counter-connected (back-to-back) Zener diodes across each lamp socket. Other patents teach the use of a single Zener diode as a shunt in an AC rectified DC circuit.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,084,357; 6,580,182 & 6,765,313 are incorporated here in their entirety. While the circuits disclosed and claimed in those patents offer a vastly superior series connected light string with filament shunting which avoids much of the disadvantages of the prior art circuits noted above, a further simplified and less expensive circuit would, of course, be desirable.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive, and yet highly effective, avalanche silicon type voltage regulating shunt, or bypass, for each of a plurality of series connected light bulbs, said shunt having a predetermined conductive switching value which is approximately the same or only slightly greater than the peak voltage applied to said bulbs, and which shunt becomes conductive whenever such predetermined peak voltage is applied thereacross.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved series-connected light string which has even much greater desirable features than those previously available, and which utilizes a unique voltage regulating shunting circuit which is of very simple and economical construction and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture in mass quantities, thereby keeping the overall cost of the final product at a much lower cost than heretofore possible.

Series wired light string with unidirectional shunts


First and second case assemblies with their respective sensing elements stored into and fixed to the interior portions thereof are respectively stored into the first and second middle diameter portions of a shackle pin which not only are respectively located nearer to the two ends of a through hole so formed as to extend from the one end of the shackle pin to the other end thereof but also are respectively so formed as to correspond in shape to the first and second case assemblies. In the outer peripheral portions of the shackle pin which respectively correspond to the first and second middle diameter portions, in more particular, in the portions thereof shifted in phase by 180.degree. in the peripheral direction of the shackle pin, there are formed long grooves which respectively extend in the axial direction of the shackle pin. A laser beam is radiated onto the long grooves to thereby fix the inner peripheral surfaces of the first and second middle diameter portions to the inner peripheral surfaces of the first and second case assemblies by laser spot welding.

The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a sensing element of a strain gauge type or the like which is provided in a vehicle such as a truck or the like to measure the load put on the vehicle.
Measurement of the load of the vehicle is made mainly for a large-sized vehicle such as a truck or the like not only in order to prevent the large-sized vehicle from causing a traffic accident such as a rollover or the like due to an overweight load, but also in order to prevent the promotion of deterioration of the vehicle and road surface.
Conventionally, the measurement of the vehicle load is made by putting the vehicle to be measured on a platform scale which is commonly referred to as "Kan-kan". However, such conventional measurement must be made in large-scale measuring facilities and requires a wide installation space. Thus, not only the number of platform scales that can be installed is limited, which makes it impossible to measure the loads of many vehicles, but also the installation cost of the platform scales increases.
In view of this, in recent years, there has been provided a load measuring device which is carried in the vehicle itself to measure the load.
In the conventional load measuring device of a vehicle onboard type, for example, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 6-6814 which has been previously proposed by the present assignee, in the end portion of a shackle pin, there is formed a tapered hole which extends along the axial direction of the shackle pin, a sensing element including integrally therewith a tapered fixed member corresponding to the tapered hole of the shackle pin is press inserted into the tapered hole of the shackle pin and the fixed member is made to operate as a wedge, so that the sensing element can be fixed within the shackle pin.
By the way, before the fixing structure disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, there had been known a first fixing structure in which, in the end portion of a shackle pin, there is formed a hole, a through hole in communication with this hole is also formed in the shackle pin in such a manner that it starts from the outer periphery of the shackle pin and extends through the same, and, after a sensing element is stored into the shackle pin, adhesives are put into the interior portion of the hole from the through hole; and, there had also been known a second fixing structure in which, by applying a laser beam to the interior portion of a hole formed in a shackle pin, a sensing element is welded to the inner peripheral surface of the hole of the shackle pin. The sensing element fixing structure disclosed in the above publication is advantageous not only over the first fixing structure in that it is greater in the fixing strength than the first fixing structure, but also over the second fixing structure in that there is eliminated the need to carry out a troublesome operation requiring a high precision that the optical axis of the laser beam is finely matched to the through hole.
After then, in the above-mentioned fixing structure disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, not only in order to eliminate the possibility that, due to the degree of the force used when the sensing element is press inserted into the shackle pin, other forces than the actual load can be applied to the sensing element to make it impossible to obtain an exact output corresponding to the actual load, thereby being able to improve the precision of the load measurement, but also in order to avoid an increase in the manufacturing cost caused by the complicated shapes of the hole formed in the shackle pin and the fixed member portion of the sensing element, in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 7-124860, the present assignee has proposed the following improved sensing element mounting structure.
That is, in the improved proposal, there is employed a structure in which the sensing element is stored into and fixed to a case once, and the sensing element is then stored into the shackle pin together with the case. In particular, in such storage, the interior portion of the case is formed to the shape of the sensing element, the exterior portion of the case is formed to the shape of the hole of the shackle pin, and the case is press inserted into the shackle pin in a normal manner which does not use the above-mentioned wedge action, so that the case and sensing element can be fixed to the shackle pin.
According to the above-mentioned improved proposal, since the sensing element can be fixed to the shackle pin without using the wedge action, there is eliminated the trouble to pay attention to the degree of the force when the sensing element is press inserted into the shackle pin and, at the same time, the shapes of the hole of the shackle pin and the sensing element can be simplified to thereby be able to reduce the working costs thereof.
However, at any rate, in the fixing structure in which the case is press inserted into the shackle pin, a dimensional difference between the hole of the shackle pin and the outer shape of the case must be reduced in order to increase a friction force acting between the case and shackle pin. For this reason, not only tolerances between the inside diameter of the shackle pin and the outer shape of the case but also the roughness of the inner peripheral surface of the hole of the shackle pin and the outer peripheral surface of the case require precision, which makes it impossible to reduce the working costs thereof to a sufficient degree. That is, in the fixing structure, there is still left room to be improved.

Structure for mounting a sensing element for measuring a load of a vehicle