A data communication system dynamically selects timer durations to ensure delivery of data at a desired bit rate. A source or proxy source transmits data, such as streaming media, to a destination according to a dynamic bit rate timer, where the timer regulates the transmission frequency and/or the packet size of the data being transmitted. The timer dynamically adapts the transmission frequency or packet size according to the relative positioning of data pointers in a buffer and effectively changes the rate of data delivery. In this way, data may be delivered at the desired average bit rate to the destination despite network capacity fluctuations.

Connectionless or packet-switched networks, such as the Internet, transmit data between network devices in packets. The packets may be fixed length or variable length units of data of a certain number of bytes as may be required by the underlying communications media or protocol via which the packets are transmitted. The network addresses of the source network device ("source") and of the destination network device ("destination") are added to each packet (excluding multicast or broadcast packets). A network device is generally an electronic device such as a network switch, server, workstation, desktop computer, personal digital assistant, mobile or laptop computer, cellular or mobile telephone, printer, database, etc., that is accessible by or over a network. Packet addressing in a connectionless network allows multiple connections to concurrently communicate between various source and destination devices, a significant advantage over circuit-switched or connection-oriented networks.
Often when an application requires large quantities of related data to be sent between communicating devices the data is sent as a series of packets known as a data stream. The number of packets in a stream varies widely from a few packets to thousands or more depending on the type and length of content of the data.
Unfortunately, as streaming activity across the connectionless network increases, the available network capacity between a specific source and destination may decrease. The result of this reduced capacity is that the source and destination must often wait before they can send additional packets. Furthermore, within the connectionless network environment, packets can be delayed, lost, damaged, delivered out of order, duplicated, and destroyed thereby making the task of successfully streaming data across the network even more difficult. Delays introduced during periods of network congestion or device failures can create significant problems for applications that require the data streams to be transmitted at a designated rate. Applications that provide streaming media services are also highly dependent on a reliable data delivery rate.
To avoid interruptions during playback of streaming media, an application may attempt to determine the available network capacity prior to establishing an initial data connection with the source. The application may even provide a buffer at the destination to help absorb network delays inherent in the Internet. Unfortunately, even a buffered application may not be able to adjust to delays or congestion introduced onto the network after the initial data connection has been made. Furthermore, most applications are limited to adjustments that can be made without negatively affecting playback at the destination because of the difficulty in making midstream adjustments. What is needed is a data communication system that maintains the overall rate of data transmission to a destination network device despite fluctuating network capacity.

Method and apparatus for dynamically selecting timer durations


5,6-dihydro-5-azacytidine phosphoramidite is useful in the synthesis of oligonucleotides and DNA containing dihydro-5-aza- and 5-azacytosine bases. The modified oligonucleotides which contain 5-azacytosine residues at specific sites can be used to determine the mechanism of selective gene activation and the relationship existing between the presence of the triazine base and inhibition of DNA methylation.

The ability to synthesize polynucleotide fragments having a desired nucleotide sequence is a useful tool in both research and applied molecular biology. Short synthetic polynucleotides, or oligonucleotides, are useful as adaptors or linkers in joining longer DNA segments, and as hybridization probes and DNA synthesis primers. Longer polynucleotides can be constructed from shorter segments having overlapping cohesive ends and used as structural genes, regulatory regions such as promoters, terminators, operators, and the like. It is thus of great interest to provide convenient automatic techniques for producing synthetic DNA fragments with high yields in a relatively short time.
As the understanding of the function, structure, and chemical makeup of nucleotide sequences, such as DNA, has evolved, so too has the awareness of the practicalities and feasibilities of genetic engineering. These engineering efforts, however, require a complete understanding of the chemical and biological reactions in cells. One of these reactions is the postreplicative modification of newly synthesized DNA by the selective methylation of certain cytosine residues which is performed enzymatically by a specific DNA methylase. An understanding of the factors governing the formation of specific methylation patterns in eucaryotic DNA is very important if we are to understand the mechanisms of gene expression.
Basic to such genetic engineering efforts is the synthesis of desired nucleotide chains from single mononucleotides. In this regard, electromechanical apparatus has been developed for synthesizing desired oligonucleotide sequences via the sequential linking of desired bases to a starting nucleotide.
At present, a variety of approaches for polynucleotide synthesis are available. These approaches can be characterized based on several criteria. First, the synthesis is usually carried out either on a solid-phase substrate or in solution. Solid-phase synthesis relies on sequential addition of mononucleotides to a growing chain attached at one end to the substrate. The solid phase permits easy separation of the reactants, but the method requires excess quantities of reactants and usually provides only small quantities (less than 1 mg) of the desired sequence. Solution phase synthesis, while it requires lesser amounts of the expensive reagents and can provide larger quantities of the product sequence, requires isolation and purification of the intermediate product after every addition. Virtually all automated polynucleotide systems rely on solid phase synthesis.
There are presently two synthesis chemistries in widespread used for automated polynucleotide synthesis. The triester method, as described by Catlin and Cramer J. Org. Chem. 38: 245-250 (1973) and Itakura et al., Can. J. Chem. 51: 3649-3651 (1973) which relies on the addition of suitable blocked phosphate-triester intermediates which are generally inexpensive and stable. The phosphite-triester method, as described by Letsinger and Lunsford in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 98:3655 (1975) is somewhat more complex, but generally provides higher yields than the phosphate triester method. The utility of the phosphite-triester method was greatly improved by the use of N,N-dialkylamino phosphites (amidites) which are more stable than the phosphor-chlorodite intermediates initially employed. While the phosphite-triester method is often favored because of the greater yield at each nucleotide addition, the phosphate-triester method is also suitable for automated polynucleotide synthesis.
Among the reactor systems that can be used in synthesizing polynucleotides are solid-phase reactor systems which use either a tight bed column, a loose bed column, or a batch reactor. The tight bed column is tightly packed with the solid-phase support and the reactants are introduced either in a single pass or by a recirculating stream.
Loose bed columns have been introduced to alleviate these problems partially. By slowly passing the reactant through the column, higher mass transfer rates are achieved and utilization of the expensive reactants is improved. Also, channelling is reduced, since the solid phase packing will shift to equalize the flow profile therethrough.
In a batch reactor, the support matrix is held in an enclosed vessel. Reactants are introduced and the vessel contents agitated, typically by bubbling an inert gas through the liquid in the reactor. While such a system can provide very efficient utilization of the reactants by increasing the retention time in the reactor, relatively large volumes of the reactant and solvent are necessary to fill the reactor.
Urdea et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,338, disclose a method and system for sequential modification of a linear polymeric molecule attached to a dispersed solid phase support by adding individual nucleotides in a predetermined order to a nucleotide chain. The dispersed solid phase is retained within a reactor zone which is provided with access ports for the introduction and removal of reagents. Reagents are selectively delivered to the reactor zone through at least one of the access ports by a reagent manifold.
Another apparatus for programmably synthesizing selected nucleotide sequences is described in Zelinka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,049.
The well known instability of the triazine ring of 5-azacytosine deoxyribonucleoside makes it unsuitable for use as a building block in the aforementioned automated DNA syntheses. Despite this drawback, interest in the synthesis of single and double stranded DNA fragments containing 5-azacytosine residues constitutes an important goal in the understanding of the mechanism of action of this drug. DNA incorporation of 5-azacytosine in living cells has been associated with inhibition of DNA methylase activity and consequent gene activation.
Because of the well established relationship that exists between the DNA incorporation of 5-azacytosine residues and gene activation, it would be o useful to develop a methodology for the synthesis of oliqonucleotide fragments which contain this unnatural base. These modified oligonucleotides, which would contain 5,6-dihydro-5-azacytosine and 5-azacytosine residues at specific sites, could serve as tools for elucidating the mechanism of selective gene activation and the relationship that exists between the presence of these triazine bases and inhibition of DNA methylation. A direct incorporation of the phosphoramidite of 2'-deoxy-5-aza-cytidine in DNA synthesis would results in failure, since the 2'-deoxy-5-aza-cytidine is extremely sensitive to acid or alkaline conditions.

Phosphoramidite reagent for chemical synthesis of modified DNA

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Health and Human Services


Zoomed sequential images including a first image at a first magnification, a later image at a second magnification, and at least one intermediate image at a magnification between the first and second magnifications are processed by applying an electronic zoom to each of the intermediate images to magnify each of the intermediate images to the same size as the image size at the higher magnification level of the first and second magnifications.

Numerous cameras are currently available that capture a sequence of images, and have a zoom feature that allows a user to progressively zoom into or out from interesting details. The zoom can be an optical zoom, a digital zoom, or a zoom comprising both optical and digital zooms. Various cameras include such zooms, including video cameras and camcorders (both analogue and digital), surveillance cameras, and digital and analogue "still" cameras that are arranged to capture sequences of still images and/or video sequences.
A zoom feature allows a camera to change from a long shot to a close-up shot (or vice versa). Historically, only an optical zoom (also termed mechanical zoom) was possible. An optical zoom normally utilizes a zoom lens in which the focal length is continuously variable while maintaining a fixed focal plane, so as to provide variable magnification of the subject.
In more recent years, electronic zooms have been developed. The electronic zooms enlarge or reduce a predetermined area of a picture by using electronic processing. This processing can be performed during the capture of the picture, or subsequently by the camera or even by utilizing post capture image processing software in editors. In many instances, electronic zooms (also referred to as digital zooms) also incorporate processing techniques to improve the image quality of the zoomed image e.g. by interpolating adjacent pixels.
While a zoom feature can be useful during filming, having a zooming action in a video sequence is normally considered bad practice. Virtually all professional and semi-professional productions (e.g. wedding videos) do not contain dramatic zooming actions in the final video. Some viewers find having a fast zoom action in a sequence to be disturbing. However, amateur users frequently tend to abuse the zoom feature and hence inevitably worsen the quality of the resulting video as perceived by a viewer.
When it is necessary to show a wide view followed by a more detailed view (or vice versa), the best practice is considered to be to change straight from the wide view to the detailed view rather than performing a zoom sequence.
Professional productions tend to utilize two or more cameras to achieve this effect, with the views suddenly switching from the camera with a wide viewing angle to a close up camera (or vice versa). This obviously requires the simultaneous use of two such cameras.
If only a single camera is utilized, then in order to achieve a change between a wide-angle view and a detailed view, the camera must zoom from one view to the other. Consequently, in order to edit the resulting image sequence to achieve an abrupt change from one view to another, it is necessary to cut out the zoom sequence and hence lose the intervening frames (and any associated audio track).
FIG. 1 is an illustration of such an editing process. Waveform 10 provides an indication of the level (i.e. amount) of the zoom of a camera as a function of time, with the frame sequence 20 illustrating the corresponding sequence of frames (A, B, C).
As can be seen, initially the camera is not zoomed in, and remains at a constant low magnification level producing frames A having a wide-angle view. Subsequently, the camera is progressively zoomed in producing frames B, until the zoom reaches an adequate level of detail after which the zoom remains constant so as to provide frames C at a constant magnified level of detail, i.e. zoom.
The resulting edited video and audio track 30 cuts directly from the wide-angle viewed frames A to the magnified viewed frames C, so as to omit the zooming action. It will thus be appreciated that the frames B containing the zooming action are lost, along with any associated audio track. Losing such information is undesirable.
EP 0853855, "Video Camera with Improved Zoom Capability", attempts to address this problem by providing a zoom camera which uses a combination of electronic (i.e. digital) zoom and optical zoom so as to obtain a rapid change in magnification, and hence minimize the period of time during which the zoom sequence exists. While this approach minimizes the duration of the zoom sequence, the zoom sequence still exists.

Method of and apparatus for processing zoomed sequential images

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for measuring the axial length of an eye using optical coherence tomography, during which a plurality of A-scans of the OCT measurement are combined to an axial length, taking into account the alignment with which they were obtained, and taking into account the topography of the cornea. The distance of the front of the cornea from the retina is determined using OCT while measuring or controlling the alignment of the measuring device to the eye in that the topography of the front of the cornea is measured or made available. The calculation of an axial length from an A-scan of the OCT takes into account a corneal topography registered to the A-scans and is the basis for an intraocular lens calculation. The invention exhibits an increased tolerance range with regard to an imprecise alignment of the measuring device to the eye.

The preoperative selection of intraocular lenses for cataract treatment constitutes an important application. The most important length measurement for this purpose is the axial length of the eye from the front of the cornea to the retina. According to the prior art, said length is measured preferably with non-contact, optical interferometric methods which are known under the terms PCI (partial coherence interferometry) or OCT (optical coherence tomography). With these methods, structural transitions can be displayed as one-dimensional depth profiles (A-scans) or two-dimensional depth cross sections (B-scans), wherein specular reflections at the optical boundary layers and/or light which is scattered to the various media of the eye are detected.
It is important for both measurement methods that the measurement is taken along an axially oriented axis which corresponds to the visual axis. Otherwise, errors may occur during the selection of the IOL which result in significant defective vision of the patient after implantation of the IOL.
In order to ensure great accuracy of the measurement along the visual axis, the patient, according to the prior art, is provided with a fixation light from the optical measuring device during measurement, onto which the patient fixates the eye. Thus, the visual axis of the eye is aligned with the main measuring axis of the device (device axis) which also corresponds to the z-axis of the coordinate system of the measuring device. This can be found in the literature [1]. Once the device axis is aligned with the visual axis, cornea and retina are, in most cases, positioned sufficiently perpendicular to the main measuring axis, and so the measuring beams reflected from cornea and retina are easily detectable by the measuring device.
According to a first method described in the literature [2], the axis length is measured using partial coherence interferometry with the double-beam method. Two beams with different optical path lengths impinge on the eye and are specularly reflected on the front of the cornea and the retina, resulting in interference. The signals at different optical path lengths are indicative of the eye length. Since a usable signal is only generated when a specular reflection is present from both cornea and retina, this method is advantageous because cornea and retina are approximately perpendicular to the measuring beam, and thus perpendicular to the device axis, for generating a cornea/retina distance signal. Experimentally, it has been shown that under these measurement conditions, which lead to a usable distance signal, the device axis/measuring axis is, in good approximation, identical with the visual axis, and the distance measured along the device axis corresponds to the axial length which is determinative for calculating the IOL. This measurement method quasi-inherently ensures that in case of too great a deviation of the visual axis from the device axis, no incorrect measurement of the eye length is obtained and used for calculating the IOL.
However, it is disadvantageous that, for the duration of the measurement time, the patient must summon a minimum of cooperation for the fixation. If this is not the case, no or very few, and thus statistically fairly unreliable, measurements can be determined for the axial eye length.
It is further disadvantageous that measurements for B-scans or the measuring of the anterior chamber depth are difficult to realize because during such measurements, either cornea or lens show no specular reflection which is also detectable by the device due to the tilted position of the measuring beam with regard to the boundary layers. Thus, newer methods which promise increased reliability regarding the selection of the intraocular lenses and require the measuring of anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, or lens radii are not possible or only possible with difficulty.
According to a second method described in the literature [3], the measurement of intraocular distances takes place using one or more so-called B-scans which are obtained using optical coherence tomography. This allows for the resolution of the front face of the cornea and the retina as well as further tissue structures. For example, cornea thickness, anterior chamber depth, and/or lens thickness can be determined.
For example, the basic principle of the OCT method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,501 A is based on white light interferometry and compares the travel time of a signal using an interferometer (most commonly a Michelson or Mach-Zehnder interferometer). The arm with known optical path length is used as object-external reference for the measurement arm. The interference of the signals from both arms yields a pattern which allows for the determination of the relative optical path length within an A-scan (single depth signal). In one-dimensional scanning grid methods, the beam is then guided transversally in one or two directions, allowing for the recording of a two-dimensional B-scan or a three-dimensional tomogram. This results in a sufficient number of signals even in the B-scan because with this method both specular reflections and scattering in the object are detected.
However, unlike the double-beam method, such methods do not ensure through the measurement principle itself that the axis length (axial length of the eye), which is important for calculating the intraocular lenses, is measured along the correct axis (visual axis). That is because a recording and a signal are possible even if the measuring beam does not impinge perpendicularly on the front face of the cornea and/or is not aligned along the visual axis. The measurement along the device axis results thus in an A-scan which, seen individually, shows no discernible defect, even if it is not measured along the visual axis due to lack of fixation. However, deducting the axis length from measuring along the device axis would generally result in incorrect, systematically shortened measurements because the A-scan, due to poor alignment of the measuring device to the visual axis, eye movement, and/or lack of fixation, measures laterally too far off the visual axis which, in a typically convex eye, results in a shortening of the distance cornea/retina.
In general, such B-scans pose the problem of the lateral attribution of the B-scans in terms of the eye. Due to the temporal duration of one or more B-scans, the eye is not always well fixated during the recording of the B-scans. If said eye movement is not taken into consideration, one B-scan and the intraocular distances, evaluable in such a B-scan, are laterally offset in terms of the eye and thus incorrectly attributed.
Therefore, it is not ensured that the A-scan along the device axis and/or the A-scan which runs within a B-scan along the device axis effectively measures the eye length. Moreover, even with exact alignment, only a few A-scans—only those along the device axis—can be used for calculating the axial length, and so the measured axial length is fraught with a relatively high statistical uncertainty.


A print head reservoir for use in an ink jet printer includes a body, an ink bucket, and a filter. The body defines an ink cavity. The cavity includes a cavity inlet, a cavity outlet and a vent positioned above the cavity inlet for bleeding air from the ink cavity. The ink bucket attaches to the body. The ink bucket communicates with the cavity via the cavity inlet. The filter is disposed in the cavity dividing the cavity into an upstream filter cavity and a downstream filter cavity.

Ink jet printers create an image on a surface by ejecting ink through orifices in a print head face plate onto a substrate. The print head face plate communicates with a print head reservoir, which communicates with an ink source. Solid ink printers melt ink and deliver the melted ink to the print head reservoir.
The orifices on the print head face plate are quite small and can be easily obstructed by a small impurity in the ink. Therefore, prior to the ink being delivered to the orifice, the ink is filtered in the print head reservoir. Known print head reservoirs include horizontal filters disposed in the reservoir. These horizontal filters resulted in a wide print head reservoir. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a more compact print head reservoir.
When the solid printer is turned off, the ink that remains in the print head reservoir can freeze. When the ink thaws in the print head reservoir, air that was once in solution in the ink can come out of solution to form air bubbles or air pockets in the print head reservoir. Large air pockets can impede the filtering of the ink as it travels toward the orifices in the print head face plate. Also, air pockets or bubbles can form in other channels that lead to the orifices. These air pockets and/or air bubbles are purged out of the print head reservoir and it is desirable to provide vents in the print head reservoir that can bleed trapped air out of the ink flow path.


Linear conveyor for transferring workpieces between two consecutive positions in a throughput direction, including at least one axis extending in and linearly displaceable to the throughput direction, and a slide, disposed on and displaceable along each axis, and to which a carrier element for accommodating the workpiece is attached, each axis being telescopic and including a first axis element displaceable relative to the base, and a second axis element displaceable relative to the first axis element, on which slide is displaceably disposed, and a coupling for coupling of displacement movements of the first axis element, second axis element and slide with each other, such that when the first axis element is displaced relative to the base the second axis element is displaced relative to the first axis element and the slide relative to the second axis element in the same direction of displacement.

The present invention relates to a linear conveyor for transferring workpieces between two consecutive positions in a throughput direction according to the preamble of the claims.
Linear conveyors of the type considered here are automation devices for industrial production which are used to transport workpieces in a production line from one processing station to the next, i.e. to transport formed parts between different forming stations for example, to feed to a first forming station in the production line or to unload from a last forming station. Typically, but without limitation, the processing stations or forming stations are presses. The linear conveyor removes the workpiece from a first processing station and transports it to a following station from where it is in turn removed by another linear conveyor and transported onwards.
Such a linear conveyor usually comprises, on each side of the corridor of movement of the workpiece, an axis which extends in the throughput direction, disposed such that it may be linearly displaced along the latter relative to a base. The base may be located on a support of the processing station. Running on the axis there is a slide which accommodates one end of a carrier element disposed at right angles to the throughput direction. Hence the carrier element can extend as a traverse right across the corridor of movement and hold the workpiece by means of grippers or similar. The maximum travel path of the carrier element in, or opposite, the throughput direction is defined by the movement of the axis relative to the base and by the maximum displacement of the slide which travels on the axis, i.e. its maximum achievable distance from the base. The drives for the axis and the slide are usually positively coupled so that when the axis is displaced the slide is automatically moved in the same direction on the axis. This positive coupling may be achieved by, for example, a toothed belt which turns around the axis, which is driven in reaction to movement of the axis and moves the slide with it. This obviates the need for a separate drive for the slide.
To optimise the cycle times of the linear conveyors and the production lines it is desirable to be able to transport the workpieces carried by the linear conveyors in rapid succession. With conventional linear conveyors of the type described above, the convergence of the axes is a highly limiting factor. Due to the positive coupling of the movements of axis and slide, the latter only reaches the end of the axis in the fully extended position. In an incompletely extended position, a relatively long free end section of the axis extends from the slide in the direction of the other axis. When the slides of the linear conveyors converge, there is a risk of collision of their free axis ends. Additional drives to move the slides on the axes may reduce this risk, but entail other disadvantages and limitations. The movement paths of the axes must therefore be carefully coordinated. Exact coordination with the cycle of the production stations is also required. If the total length of the axis exceeds the free distance between the processing stations it is not possible, for example, to move the linear conveyor completely out of the area of movement of the two stations, i.e. to simultaneously close two presses between which the linear conveyor is disposed, for example. All in all, this results in limitations on the output of the production line overall.


A rotary electric machine includes a stator and a rotor located in a rotatable manner relative to the stator via a gap. The stator includes a multi-phase stator winding that is held in a plurality of slots formed in the stator. The rotor includes at least one magnet section embedded therein so as to face the slots. The magnet section includes a plurality of axially laminated magnets with a skew angle which is an angle of a positional difference between the magnets. This skew angle θs is set so as to satisfy θs=kα/2 where α is a slot pitch which is an angle between the slots, and k is a coefficient set based on: an arc ratio θa being an angle covering an area in which magnetic flux radially flows from the magnetic section; and a slot factor S being a ratio of the slots relative to the magnet section.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a rotary electric machine having a stator and a rotor.
2. Related Art
In related art, there is disclosed a technique for a permanent magnet rotary electric machine, in order to reduce a peak value of an induced voltage generated when a vehicle is braked or traveling downhill (see, for example, JP-B2-3370901). This permanent magnet rotary electric machine has a stator and a rotor with a plurality of permanent magnets. In the stator, a plurality of slots are formed. In these slots, three-phase stator windings, i.e., U-phase, V-phase and W phase windings are held. This rotary electric machine is configured so as to satisfy θ≈(n+0.5)×τs where n is a natural number, τs a slot pitch of the stator, and θ is an angle of a circumferential width of a stator side face of the respective permanent magnets relative to an axis of the rotor.
However, when the permanent magnet rotary electric machine disclosed in JP-B2-3370901 increases the number of slots, its back electromotive force (B-EMF) is likely to have a waveform with large harmonic distortion. For example, such a waveform is largely affected by an (Sn/Po)±first order harmonic component, where Sn is the number of slots and Po is the number of pole pairs. Thus, an additional circuit element such as a capacitor having capacitance capable of cancelling increase of the B-EMF is required to keep impact of the harmonic components on the waveform of the B-EMF low. This causes a large capacitance or a large body.
In addition, total harmonic distortion (THD) is expressed by the following formula (1):
                              T                                                              H                                                              D                =                                                            V                2                2                            +                              V                3                2                            +                              V                4                2                            +              …              +                              V                n                2                                                          V            1                                              (        1        )
where V1 is an amplitude of a fundamental wave (sinusoidal wave), and V2, V3, . . . , Vn are harmonic components having frequencies equal to integral multiples of frequency of the fundamental wave (n is an integer and the highest order of the harmonic components).
The THD in the formula (1) shows that the waveform is how much distortion exists with respect to the fundamental wave. The stronger the harmonic components, the higher the THD. For example, FIG. 26 is a graph representing an amplitude variation of 5-th, 7-th, 11-th, and 13-th harmonic components relative to the fundamental wave waveform with respect to an arc ratio θa, which is an angle indicating a range in which magnetic flux radially flows from the magnet section in related art. As shown in FIG. 26, the 11-th harmonic component relative to the fundamental wave represents the maximum value at each point, and therefore, the THD is high. Further, a problem occurs in that, the more intense harmonic components are, the stronger the noise vibration (NZ) is.


A semiconductor device includes an active region, an alternating conductivity type layer, and an insulation region surrounding the alternating conductivity type layer provided in a periphery section as a voltage withstanding section. The insulation region is made of an insulator with the critical electric field strength higher than that of the semiconductor and reaches an n+-drain layer on the bottom surface side of the device from a surface on the side on which a surface structure section is formed. In the alternating conductivity type layer, the width of the p-type partition region adjacent to the insulation region is made narrower than the width of the p-type partition region not adjacent to the insulation region to ensure a balanced state of charges at the end of the drift section made up of the alternating conductivity type layer. A high breakdown voltage is ensured with the length of the periphery section shortened.

The present invention relates to a vertical power semiconductor device in which breakdown voltage enhancement is compatible with current capacity enhancement.
In general, semiconductor devices may be roughly classified into lateral devices each having electrode sections only on one side and vertical elements each having electrode sections on both sides. In a vertical device, both the direction in which a drift current flows in an on-state and the direction in which a depletion layer formed by a reverse bias voltage extends are in the direction of the thickness of a substrate (i.e. the vertical direction). For example, in an ordinary planer n-channel vertical MOSFET (metal oxide silicon field effect transistor), a high resistance n−-drift layer is operated as a region for flowing a drift current in the vertical direction when the MOSFET is in an on-state. While, when in an off-state, the n−-drift layer is depleted for an operation of enhancing a breakdown voltage.
Reduction in the thickness of the high resistance n−-drift layer, i.e. reduction in a current path length, lowers drift resistance in an on-state, which results in an effect of a reduction in substantial on-resistance (drain-source resistance) of the MOSFET. In an off-state, however, a width of a depletion layer between the n-drain and the p-base, expanding from the pn-junction between a p-base region and the n−-drift layer, is narrowed to cause an electric field strength of the depletion layer to quickly reach the maximum (critical) electric field strength of silicon. That is, breakdown is caused before the drain-source voltage reaches the design value of the breakdown voltage of the device. This results in reduction in the breakdown voltage (drain-source voltage).
Contrary to this, a thickly formed n−-drift layer can provide a high breakdown voltage. This, however, inevitably increases on-resistance to increase a power loss in the on-state. In this way, there is a tradeoff relationship between the on-resistance (current capacity) and the breakdown voltage. The relationship is also known to be similarly held in a semiconductor device with a drift layer such as an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor), a bipolar transistor and a diode. A commonly known solution to this problem is to provide a semiconductor device with a drift layer provided as a alternating conductivity type layer in which n-type regions and p-type regions both with increased impurity concentrations are alternatingly joined into multi-junctions.
The structural difference between the above semiconductor device and an ordinary planar n-channel type vertical MOSFET is that the drift layer of the above semiconductor device is not made up of a uniform single conductive layer (impurity diffused layer) but made up of alternating conductivity type layer in which vertical n-type drift regions and vertical p-type partition regions are alternately joined into multi-junctions. Even though the impurity concentrations in the alternating conductivity type layer are high, in an off-state, a depletion layer expands in both lateral directions from each pn junction orientated in the vertical direction of the alternating conductivity layer to make the whole drift layer depleted. Thus a high breakdown voltage can be provided. A semiconductor device provided with a drift layer with such a alternating conductivity type layer is referred to as a super junction semiconductor device.
In the super junction semiconductor device, a device as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2002-280555 is publicly known in which a voltage withstanding structure around the drift layer is provided as the alternating conductivity type layer. Along with this, in the device, an n-type region is disposed around the alternating conductivity type layer for separating a p-type region formed in the outermost periphery section and a p-type region in the alternating conductivity type layer as the voltage withstanding structure. This is for significantly reducing a leak current in an off-state and, along with this, for increasing reliability of breakdown voltage. Moreover, a semiconductor device as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2002-184985 is publicly known. The device provides an electrode positioned some distance away from an end of a structure with a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type alternately arranged on a semiconductor substrate. The electrode is also made in electrical conduction with the second semiconductor region forming a periphery section. Thus, it is possible to obtain a breakdown voltage nearly equal to that of a planar junction.
As explained above, in a super junction semiconductor device, for improving a breakdown voltage, a periphery section to become a voltage withstanding structure is provided on the outside of an active section having an alternating conductivity type layer. The periphery section becomes an inactive region when the device is in an on-state. For miniaturizing a semiconductor chip having the super junction semiconductor, a length from the boundary between the active section and the periphery section to the end of the periphery section, that is, a length to the edge of the semiconductor chip is preferably the shortest possible. In the device disclosed in the above JP-A-2002-280555, however, the main object is to reduce a leak current in an off-state and therefore no consideration is given to shortening the length of the periphery section. Also in the device disclosed in the above JP-A-2002-184985 with the main object thereof being to make the device provide a high breakdown voltage, no consideration is given to shortening the length of the periphery section.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a semiconductor device having a alternating conductivity type layer, provided with a high breakdown voltage, and having an periphery section with a short length to be a voltage withstanding structure.

Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.


A grill assembly for cooking food items over a heat source includes a grill body capable of holding the food items and at least one grill body handle having a grip end and a grill body engagement end. The grill body is provided with a handle engagement structure which is adapted to rotatably hold the grill body engagement end of the grill body handle so as to allow the grill body to be turned over on the handle while holding the grip end of the handle. The handle engagement structure of the grill is preferably provided in the form of handle insertion structure such as one or more insertion sleeves on the periphery of the grill body. Suitably two spaced apart handles are provided which rotatably engage the grill body whereby the grill body can be turned over on the two handles without the user altering his or her grip on the handles. Preferably the handle or handles are removably engaged in the grill body such that they can be removed when they are not being used to maneuver the grill body over the heat source.

Outdoor barbecues, cookers or stoves are a popular way to prepare food away from the kitchen of a home. Conventionally, outdoor barbecues, cookers or stoves include an open support over a heat source such as a collection of charcoal briquettes or one or more gas burners. The open support, or grill, is commonly constructed of a number of horizontally disposed, parallel elements connected to a frame. The elements of the grill are most often fashioned of relatively thin, cylindrical metal. The diameter of the cylindrical stock material is often substantially smaller than the spacing between cylindrical elements, leaving a fairly open structure upon which the food to be grilled may be placed.
A grilling surface as described above may be sufficient for cooking large foodstuffs or for cooking pieces of food which tend to stay whole during the cooking process. However, the described cooking surface may not be adequate for cooking smaller pieces of food, or for cooking food which flakes apart or breaks into smaller pieces during the cooking process; these smaller pieces of food may easily fall through the cooking surface and be lost to the person doing the cooking. Having to handle and/or turn the food during the cooking process may only exacerbate these problems.
Heretofore various grilling devices have been devised for holding small food items on or over a grill so as to prevent the food items from falling into the heat source below. Such prior grilling devices include baskets such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,882, to Fielding et al. One drawback of such prior grilling devices is the relative difficulty of turning the food over in a controlled manner on the grill or other support for cooking the food from opposite sides. Often the devices are provided with elongated handles fixed to a food holding container for placing and maneuvering the food container on the grill. In such devices loose food items have to be jostled in an uncontrolled manner to cook the food from different sides or the entire device has to be turned over often in an awkward maneuver that may require the user to alter his or her grip of the device. A need exists for a grilling device the facilitates the turning other of the food held by the food holding device on a barbecue grill or other cooking surface. A need also exists for a such a grilling device wherein a handle or handles are provided that are optionally removable from the main food holding structure of the device. A need still further exists for such a grilling device wherein an improved food holding body or structure is optionally provided.


A system and method for translating one or more tokens from one language to another is provided. A lookup map mapping characteristics of the tokens in one language and the corresponding characteristics to be used in a foreign language is provided. A set of “content” dictionaries mapping tokens in a base language into the corresponding token in another language is also provided and, in conjunction with the characteristics of the foreign token, provides the basis for a translated interface. A GUI environment may initiate a request to translate whenever it is about to transmit a token to the interface or the tokens may be trapped prior to receipt by the display. Other tools and functions are also provided that instruct the interface to modify the location, ordering and other attributes of the token as communicated by the interface.

The process of 'localizing' a software application (i.e., changing it to display its user interface in another language other than English) has historically been a very expensive and time-consuming business. So much so that the majority of software programs are never localized to any other language. An industry has sprung up to try to help companies localize their software by providing localization experts and target language speakers. These services are expensive and require the disclosure of sensitive trade secrets, such as source code, to third parties. In the last five years or so, the operating system manufacturers and programming language designers have made some steps towards trying to alleviate these problems. In all such cases, however, the basic approach is to have all user interface strings come from a 'resource' that is loaded from a different location depending on the language that is being used by the program. In this way, as long as the programmer always obtains text from this source through the mechanism provided, the code written should operate equally well in another language provided that all of the corresponding resources are available in that language. This approach, while an improvement over the previous situation, still has many shortcomings.
One problem with this approach is that it forces all code to be written from the outset with localization in mind. The programmer is no longer free to simply add or alter the text content of the user interface and certainly cannot use a string constant in the program source code. Because there is a natural tendency for programmers to use such content, however, it will often happen regardless of localization policies. The result of this approach to localization is that the program becomes unreadable, since it is very difficult to see by examining the code what is being 'said'. Another problem with this approach is its limited ability to handle variable strings (i.e., those strings in which a portion of the string, such as the time, varies while the rest is constant). Yet another negative in this approach, regardless of the particular flavor (since all are basically similar), is that when strings are read back from the user interface elements (e.g., the name of a button), the strings can no longer be assumed to be in English and thus code that manipulates the UI cannot perform simple operations like checking if the button name is "OK" but must instead find a localization agnostic way to achieve this simple operation.
The end result of all these shortcomings is that designing a program for localization takes a lot of work and discipline, makes the code base obscure and highly dependant on the localization metaphor, and denies to programmers the simplifying model that their application is running only in English. What is needed then is another approach to localization that does not require any special calls from the programmer, does not deny the use of simple English string constants, is platform and language independent, and maintains the ability to read back English from the elements of the UI.

Platform-independent real-time interface translation by token mapping without modification of application code


Example-based edge-aware directional texture painting techniques are described. Inputs are received that define a target direction field and a plurality of edges as part of a target shape mask. A texture is synthesized from a source image by the computing device to be applied to the set of pixels of the target mask using a source shape mask and a source direction field. The source shape mask defines a plurality of edges of the source mask such that the synthesized texture applied to the plurality of edges of the target shape mask correspond to respective ones of the plurality of edges of the source shape mask. The source direction field is taken from the source image such that the synthesized texture applied to the target direction field corresponds to the source direction field. The pixels in the user interface are painted by the computing device using the synthesized texture.

Example-based texture painting presents a way for users to create content in user interfaces (e.g., raster graphics) that mimics visual characteristics of an arbitrary input texture defined by a source, in lieu of simple stamp brushes or other such graphical primitives. A user, for instance, may select an arbitrary input texture (e.g., cloth) and then paint an area of a user interface to have that texture painted to the area.
Conventional techniques that are used to perform this texture painting, however, do not fit well with other tools commonly used in the user interface (e.g., raster graphic tools) and thus require specialized knowledge on the part of a user. Additionally, the conventional techniques do not transfer enough of the salient visual characteristics of an input texture with sufficient fidelity, thereby looking unnatural to a user. Further, these conventional techniques do not support arbitrary shapes, which could be limiting and frustrating to a user of these conventional techniques.


A fluid dispensing tool includes parallel spaced first and second manifolds supporting therebetween an elongated actuator unit having a tubular body confining a piston connected to move a valve actuator stem projecting into a releasable coupler mounted on the second manifold. The manifolds also support therebetween a plurality of elongated valve units each having a tubular valve body defining a valve chamber and a chamber receiving a piston connected to move an elongated valve member. Each valve body has a port for receiving a corresponding fluid supply line or an evacuation line. The first manifold has separate passages connecting air control lines to the piston chambers for moving the actuator stem and each valve member axially. The second manifold has a fluid passage connecting each valve chamber to the coupler, and a handle supports the tool and a finger actuator connected to the coupler.

The present invention relates to fluid dispensing tool assemblies for evacuating and/or charging a fluid into a fluid system and of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,886 No. RE34,426 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,149 which issued to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. Such a tool assembly is commonly used to fill or charge fluid systems such as refrigeration and air conditioning systems and motor vehicle coolant, brake fluid, axle fluid and vehicle air conditioning systems. The tool assembly is usually used for first evacuating the system and then charging or filling the system with a predetermined volume of liquid, including a predetermined volume of lubricating oil for a compressor. Since all of the air in the system is removed during the evacuation cycle, the fluid system is filled to a predetermined level without residual air pockets.
It has been determined that it is frequently desirable to have a dispensing tool assembly which is constructed in modular form so that it may be easily manufactured and assembled to dispense only one fluid or multiple fluids such as dispensing lubricating oil and different refrigerants and either with a provision for first evacuating the fluid system or without evacuating the system when a fluid receiving system does not require evacuation. Such a modular system provides for flexibility in the tool assembly and provides for more economical construction of standard components for the dispensing tool assembly. It has also been found desirable for a tool assembly to provide for an optional actuator which is used to open a valve within the fluid receiving system such as an air conditioning or refrigerant system.

Dispensing tool assembly for evacuating and/or charging a fluid system


A synthetic fiber of acrylic series having an excellent animal-hair feeling is provided. The surface of the fiber having unevenness, in which the center-line mean roughness of the outer periphery of the cross-section of the fiber lies within a range of 0.01 to 0.13 .mu.m, is adhered thereon with an organopolysiloxane, wherein an effect by a treatment with silicone may be obtained to a greatest extent to provide the fiber having an extremely excellent animal-hair feeling. The kinds and amounts of additives to be added to a spinning solution may be so controlled that the roughness of unevenness on the surface of the fiber lies within the above range, thereby the appearance of the fiber with or without gloss may be selected. When the roughness of the surface unevenness lies within the above range and the cross-section of the fiber is a circle, or a flat or oval section having an aspect radio of 10 or less, a fiber having an extremely excellent animal-hair feeling may be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synthetic fiber of acrylic series with a durability and an extremely excellent animal-hair feeling, and more particularly to a synthetic fiber of acrylic series in which presence/non-presence of gloss in the appearance and color of fibers may be arbitrarily selected and which has an excellent animal-hair feeling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Synthetic fibers of acrylic series, owing to their feeling and their easiness of finishing, have been considered hitherto as those having the most excellent animal-hair feeling among synthetic fibers, and used widely in the imitation field for imaging natural fur such as boa and seals and in the high-pile field. However, in comparison with natural furs, these synthetic fibers of acrylic series lack in the so-called sliminess in the feeling and previously a various processes have been performed to eliminate the disadvantage.
Hitherto, it has been well known that silicone such as organopolysiloxane is used as a treating agent to smooth the surface of synthetic fibers and to improve the feeling into the animal-hair feeling. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 48-17514 describes a treatment with the combinations of amino-modified silicone and polyepoxide, epoxy-modified silicone and amine compound, epoxy-modified silicone and amino-modified silicone, and the like. Further, improved processes and treating agents based on the method described above are disclosed thereafter in Japanese Patent Publications Sho 51-37996, Sho 53-19715, Sho 53-19716 and so on.
However, even in the method described above, there cannot be obtained a sufficient animal-hair feeling.

Synthetic fiber of acrylic series with animal-hair feeling


A highly sensitive silver halide photographic material is described, which comprises at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer comprising at least one hemicyanine, hemioxonol, bishemicyanine or bishemioxonol dye having a particular structure and silver halide grains having an aspect ratio of from 3 to 50 or which comprises at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer comprising at least one bishemicyanine dye having a particular structure and silver halide grains at least 50%, based on projected area, of which are grains having a silver chloride content of at least 50 mole % and an outer surface at least 50% of which is constituted of (111) faces.

Hitherto, considerable efforts have been exerted to heightening the sensitivities of silver halide photographic materials. The sensitivity of a silver halide photographic material depends on both the latent image forming efficiency, including the light absorption and spectral sensitization factors of silver halide grains, and the minimum latent image size.
With the intention of increasing the light absorption factor of silver halide grains, number of arts as described below have so far been proposed.
For instance, the art of tabular emulsion grains having a high aspect ratio as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,789 enables an increase in the quantity of dye adsorption per grain through an increase of grain surface area; as a result, an increase in the light absorption factor becomes possible. There is however a limit to the increase in grain surface area by the heightening of aspect ratio, and so the increase in light absorption factor per grain requires an increase of grain size also.
Other examples of a method for increasing the per grain surface area include the method of making holes in a certain part of each grain as described in JP-A-58-106532 and JP-A-60-221320 (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and the method of forming ruffled grains as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,966. However, the grains according to those methods have unstable forms, so that it is quite difficult to put them to practical use.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,499 discloses an increase in light absorption factor by the formation of a layer structure which can optimize the spectral sensitization characteristics and the grain thickness. However, the increase in light absorption factor by such a method is of the order of 10% at the greatest.
On the other hand, it is thought that the light absorption factor of sensitizing dyes are increased to promote the efficiency in transferring the energy of light to silver halide; as a result, the heightening of spectral sensitivities is achieved.
However, there is a limit to the quantity of sensitizing dyes adsorbed to the surfaces of silver halide grains, and it is difficult to make sensitizing dyes be adsorbed to the grain surfaces in a quantity greater than that required for saturating the grain surfaces with the sensitizing dyes adsorbed in a monolayer. Accordingly, the absorption factor of the photons incident upon each silver halide grain in the spectrally sensitized region is very low under the present conditions.
The methods proposed for solving the aforementioned problems are described below:
The adsorption of a cationic dye as the first layer and an anionic dye as the second layer through th e electrostatic force of attraction was proposed by P. B. Gilman, Jr. et al. in Photographic Science and Engineering, vol. 20, No. 3, p. 97 (1976).
The method proposed by G. B. Bird et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,316 consists in that the silver halide adsorbed by a plurality of dyes in a multilayer is sensitized through the contribution of the excitation energy transfer of Forster type.
The spectral sensitization through energy transfer from luminescent dyes was proposed by Sugimoto et al. in JP-A-63-138341 and JP-A-64-84244.
R. Steiger et al. tried the spectral sensitization through energy transfer from gelatin-substituted cyanine dyes in Photographic Science and Engineering, vol. 27, No.2, p. 59 (1983).
Ikegawa et al. carried out the spectral sensitization through energy transfer from cyclodextrin-substituted dyes in JP-A-61-251842.
The dyes in which two separate chromophores are coupled via covalent bonds without forming a conjugated system, or the so-called coupled dyes, are described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,393,351, 2,425,772, 2,518,732, 2,521,944 and 2,592,196, and European Patent No. 565,083. Therein, however, those dyes did not make it their aim to heighten the light absorption factor. With respect to the dyes with a positive aim of increasing the light absorption factor, G. B. Bird, A. L. Borror, et al. disclose in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,622,317 and 3,976,493 the sensitizing dyes of the coupled dye type which have a plurality of cyanine chromophores in a molecule, and therein the increase of the light absorption factor by adsorption of those dyes and the resultant sensitization through contribution of the energy transfer are proposed. Also, Ukai, Okazaki and Sugimoto proposed in JP-A-64-91134 the binding of at least one substantially non-adsorptive dye having at least two sulfo and/or carboxyl groups to a spectral sensitizing dye capable of being adsorbed to silver halide grains.
In addition, M. R. Roberts et al. proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,587 the spectral sensitization by the use of cyanine dye polymers.
As mentioned above, many proposals have been advanced on the method of increasing the light absorption factor, but all of them are insufficient in sensitivity heightening effect and attended by problems of causing an increase in intrinsic desensitization, retarding the development and so on.
Thus, novel spectral sensitization arts which enable the sensitivity to be heightened through an increase in the light absorption factor of silver halide photographic materials have been searched for.
The silver halide-utilized photographic materials have underwent a growing development in recent years; as a result, color images of high quality can be obtained simply and easily at present. Even now, the proposal of improved arts is continued in large number. In particular, various arts of using the so-called high silver chloride content grains having a high silver chloride content (more specifically, the term "high silver chloride content grains" as used hereinafter refers to the grains having a silver chloride content of no lower than 50%) have been proposed with the intention of simplifying and speeding up the development-processing. The use of high silver chloride content grains has advantages in that it can increase the developing speed, heighten the reusability of processing solutions, and so on. Therefore, the sensitive materials of the type which use high silver chloride content grains now came to prevail among the sensitive materials for printing use, including color photographic printing paper.
The high silver chloride content grains have a tendency to become grains having (100) faces as their outer surfaces (hereinafter referred to as "(100) grains") when they are formed under ordinary condition, and practically used grains also have a cubic crystal shape. In recent years, (100) grains having tabular crystal shapes have also been developed, and they have advantages, e.g., in that they can undergo effective spectral sensitization and provide a great covering power after development because of their great specific surface area (the surface area/volume ratio). Such tabular grains are disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,320,938, 5,264,337 and 5,292,632.
However, (100) high silver chloride content grains had a drawback of tending to be fogged, compared with silver bromide grains of common use. In order to remedy this drawback, the grains having a high silver chloride content and (111) faces as their outer surfaces (hereinafter referred to as "(111) high silver chloride content grains") were used. For instance, the use of such grains is disclosed in JP-A-6-138619.
The production of (111) high silver chloride content grains requires special measures. For instance, Wey discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,215 the method of producing tabular high silver chloride content grains in the presence of ammonia. According to this method, it is difficult to produce grains having sizes small enough to be used practically. This is because the use of ammonia compels silver chloride grains, which originally have high solubility, to be produced under a condition that their solubility is further heightened. In addition, the foregoing method has a disadvantage in that the grains are produced under a high pH condition (pH 8-10) to have a tendency to be fogged. Maskasky discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,617 the (111) high silver chloride content grains produced in the presence of thiocyanates. Similarly to ammonia, the thiocyanates increase the solubility of silver chloride. For the purpose of forming the high silver chloride content grains having (111) faces as outer surfaces without heightening the solubility, the methods of using additives (crystal habit control agent) during the grain formation are known. The following are examples of such a method:
______________________________________ Patent gazette Crystal habit control agent Inventor ______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,463 azaindenes Maskasky + thioether peptizer U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,398 2,4-dithiazolidinone Mifune et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,323 aminopyrazolopyrimidine Maskasky U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,508 bispyridinium salt Ishiguro et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,239 triaminopyridine Maskasky U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,997 7-azaindole compounds Maskasky U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,998 xanthin Maskasky JP-A-64-70741 dyes Nishikawa et al. JP-A-3-212639 aminothiol Ishiguro JP-A-4-283742 thiourea derivatives Ishiguro JP-A-4-335632 triazolium salts Ishiguro JP-A-8-227117 monopyridinium salts Ozeki et al. ______________________________________
Although the development of techniques has been progressed as mentioned above, the crystal habit control agent used during the grain formation is known to remain on the grain surface after the grain formation, thereby inhibiting the adsorption of spectral sensitizing dyes to the grain surface. Accordingly, spectral sensitizing dyes which are weak in adsorbing power cannot confer sufficient spectral sensitivities upon the grains.
As a means to make up for the spectral sensitivities, the method of using streptocyanine dyes has hitherto been known. These dyes can adsorb in a large quantity because of their small adsorption area per molecule; as a result, the light absorption factor per emulsion grain can be improved. For instance, such a method is disclosed in JP-A-9-127637. However, the dyes used therein cannot ensure a satisfactory rise in spectral sensitization efficiency although they can increase the quantity of absorbed light. Therefore, it has been desired to introduce improvements in the foregoing method in the case of silver chloride grains which are weak in dye adsorbing power, especially the grains formed using a crystal habit control agent.


An optical multilayer mirror of a Fabry-Perot interferometer includes a reinforcing section provided as a side wall of each of second and fourth high refractive-index layers. The reinforcing section is configured to support a portion of each of the second and fourth high refractive-index layers covering a top surface of each of first and second low refractive-index layers and reach first and third high refractive-index layers via each of the first and second low refractive-index layers, respectively. Even when the first and second low refractive-index layers lack a mechanical strength with a high n ratio achieved by selecting materials for the first through fourth high refractive-index layers and the first and second low refractive-index layers, the reinforcing section helps prevent the second and fourth high refractive-index layers from being bent. The optical multilayer mirror thus features a wide high-reflectance band.

As a conventional technology, Patent Document 1 proposes the Fabry-Perot interferometer providing the high-reflectance mirror using the optical multilayer. The Fabry-Perot interferometer includes lower and upper mirrors that are arranged opposite to each other with an air gap between them. According to Patent Document 1, the lower mirror is formed by alternately layering a silicon dioxide layer and a Poly-Si layer on a substrate. The upper mirror is formed by alternately layering a silicon layer and a dioxide layer. The optical multilayer is used to configure the high-reflectance mirror.                Patent Document 1: JP-3457373
The optical multilayer, however, largely depends on the wavelength and narrows the mirror's high-reflectance band. The Fabry-Perot interferometer's spectroscopy band corresponds to the mirror's high-reflectance band. The Fabry-Perot interferometer using the mirror with a narrow high-reflectance band thereby narrows the spectroscopy band.

Optical multilayer mirror and fabry-perot interferometer having the same


The present invention relates to a method and system for effectively providing search results by referring to local information related to a searcher in response to a search request from the searcher through a communication network. The present invention provides a method for providing local information search results, comprising the steps of maintaining local information for searching related to the searcher, relating a plurality of search items related to a network information provider to a keyword and local information related to the network information provider, receiving a search request from the searcher, identifying at least more than one search item related to the keyword that meets the search request and selecting a search item related to local information matched to the local information for searching among the identified search items, and arranging at least a part of the search items according to a predetermined search item arranging method in arranging the selected search items. According to the present invention, as it is possible to provide search results with reference to the local information related to a searcher when providing search results to the searcher, more useful local information can be provided to the searcher.

Today, with rapid development of communication networks such as Internet, information searching through the communication network is very widely used. FIG. 1 shows a general network structure for providing a search result screen according to a search result of a searcher. A searcher can access to a search engine server 140 through communication networks such as Internet 130, using terminals 110 and 120 such as a PC (Personal Computer), and obtain search results in response to a keyword, by inputting the keyword. In the meantime, a network information provider is an enterprise or an individual for providing information wanted by a searcher, and accesses to the Internet through network information provider web servers 160 and 170. A search database 150 stores a plurality of search items regarding the network information provider, and each of the search items includes a title of a website, an URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which is a network address of a website, description of a website, and a keyword. In case a keyword requested by a searcher is in agreement with a keyword included in the search item, the search engine server 140 provides the relevant search item to a searcher for search results. For representative search engine servers widely used toady, there exists a naver (http://www.naver.com).
As the Internet has a close relation with the whole of our everyday lives, it has now become frequent that we search local living information related to the region where we lives, through the Internet. But, website information provided to a searcher through the Internet is so massive that it has become very difficult for a searcher to determine how to find out the website where information really wanted by a searcher is stored, among the search results.
For example, suppose a case that a searcher who lives in "Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul" inputs a keyword "dental clinic" to search a dental hospital in an Internet search engine in order to receive dental service. In that case, according to the prior art, since not knowing local information regarding the searcher, the Internet search engine server only provides search results in which local information of the searcher is not reflected, to the searcher. Namely, for the search results provided to the searcher, not only the dental clinics located in "Gangnam-gu, Seoul", but also the dental clinics located in Busan or even in Jeju-do are provided as the search results. Further, since local information of the searcher is not reflected at all in the search results, a search item for the dental clinic located, far distant from the location of the searcher might be arranged as top-ranking search results, while a search item for the dental clinic located close to the location of the searcher might be arranged as low-ranking search results.
Also, suppose that the searcher inputs a keyword "dental clinic <AND> Gangnam-gu" into an input command window of the Internet search engine to find out a dental clinic located in the neighborhood of the searcher' home. Then, on the search result screen provided to the searcher, a plurality of search items related to the keywords "dental clinic" and "Gangnam-gu" are displayed. Among the search items, there exist search items regarding the dental clinics really located in Gangnam-gu, but a plurality of search items regarding the dental clinics that have nothing to do with the Gangnam-gu might be displayed due to limitation of the keyword search method. Also, even in case of the dental clinics really located in Gangnam-gu, if the dental clinic does not include information "Gangnam-gu" at its web page, such dental clinic might not be searched through the Internet searching.
Therefore, there exists inconvenience that a searcher should refer to and check the search items case by case, by making a considerable effort to find out information about the region desired by a searcher.
To improve such inconvenience, lots of methods for effectively searching and arranging a plurality of items so that a searcher may search, in the easier and faster manner, information about the region desired by a searcher, have been suggested.
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D show one example of a method for searching, by a searcher, local living information related to the searcher's region using an Internet search engine server. Here, FIG. 2A shows an example of a category list related to local living information provided to a searcher. As shown in FIG. 2A, a method for classifying, according to its category, the websites that are meaningful to a searcher, as local information and displaying the same, is used in the naver search engine server of NHN corporation.
If a searcher clicks the desired category by referring to a category's title among the category lists of FIG. 2A, the more detailed sub-category list which belongs to the above category is displayed on the next screen. FIG. 2B shows one example of the sub-category list provided to a searcher in case the category "health, medical care" is referred among the top-ranking category list of FIG. 2A. If a searcher selects a sub-category "dental clinic" at this time among the sub-category list of FIG. 2B, a massive amount of website search results related to the "dental clinic" is provided to a searcher as shown in FIG. 2C, in which the website search results related to the dental clinics scattered all over the country are arranged.
According to the prior art, to get a searcher to be able to search desired local information among the website search results, a method wherein a searcher inputs desired local information for searching, on the screen of FIG. 2C using a format of -si, -gu and the only website information related to the local information for searching is selected, classified, and provided as local information search results, has been suggested up to now. FIG. 2D shows one example of a screen of local information search results provided when "Seoul-si", "Gangnam-gu" are input for local information in FIG. 2C.
Namely, according to the prior art, to get a user to carry out Internet information search related to a predetermined local information, a method wherein a user selects a category (for example, real estate, hospital, etc.) to which information to be searched belongs, and then delivers local information to the Internet search engine, has been used.
But, in the method for providing local information search results according to the foregoing prior art, there exists inconvenience that a searcher should search local information by passing through a plurality of steps and a searcher should input desired local information for searching together with a keyword. Therefore, for a searcher who intends to repeat information searching with different keywords regarding the same region, or to search local information whenever necessary, there exists inconvenience that a searcher should designate a region for searching every time upon searching.

Method and system for generating a search result list based on local information


The invention addresses the problem of providing a skin-beautifying agent with beautifying effects such as skin moisturizing, skin beautification, prevention of rough skin, wrinkle prevention, prevention of reduced elasticity, etc., and a skin-beautifying product such as a cosmetic, food or drink, feed, medicine, etc. that contains said skin-beautifying agent. The skin-beautifying agent is characterized in containing a hydrolyzate of whey protein as an active ingredient. Using a whey protein hydrolyzate having the characteristics of a molecular weight distribution of 10 kDa or less, a main peak of 200 Da-3 kDa, APL (average peptide length) of 2-8, free amino acid content of 20% or less, and a β-lactoglobulin antigenicity of 1/10,000 or less, in particular, provides a skin-beautifying agent of low allergenicity and low bitterness.

Skin is an interface between a living body and the external environment, and has a skin barrier function that prevents water loss from the body, and prevents penetration of biologically harmful substances, such as microorganisms, allergens and the like from the external environment. Keratin intercellular lipids, mainly ceramide, sebum and the like in the stratum corneum act as these skin barrier function. The stratum corneum must have a water content of 10 to 20% in order to achieve a normal function and maintain a healthy condition. Therefore, softness and the elasticity of skin are maintained by water retained in the stratum corneum due to the skin bather function. When the water content decreases in the stratum corneum, skin loses its softness and becomes hard, thereby cracks and the like may occur. So-called chapped skin of which patterns are invisible or unclear shows a significant decrease in water content in the stratum corneum. Rough skin not only has poor cosmetic appearance, but also is a preliminary stage to cause skin disease, and rough skin has a pathological significance. Further, by improving rough skin conditions, the surface of dry and flaky skin can be smoothed, thereby leading to improvement of fine wrinkles. It has been known that when the skin barrier function of the stratum corneum has deteriorated, water loss from skin is significant in comparison with healthy condition, that is, increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is observed. The TEWL is closely related with the barrier function and the moisturizing function of the stratum corneum, and is used as an index of the skin barrier function. Therefore, skin can be maintained in a healthy condition i.e., beautiful condition by increasing the water content in skin, or reducing the TEWL, or suppressing an increase in TEWL.
In recent years, studies on the mechanism of skin have been carried out, and it has been confirmed that macroscopic causes of dry feeling of the skin and rough skin are complexly involved in the effects of sunlight (ultraviolet rays), drying, oxidization, and the like in addition to effects due to decrement of the metabolism with aging. It has been found that these effects caused by such factors significantly decrease the amount of collagen fibers that are the main matrix component of the dermis. When a mechanism to keep tension and elasticity of skin that is maintained by the collagen fibers is destroyed by the effects of ultraviolet rays and the like, wrinkles or slacks of the skin increase. Since collagen molecules can retain water, and thus maintain skin in a moisturized condition, skin becomes dry and rough when collagen is destroyed due to external factors. Therefore, wrinkles and slacks of skin can be prevented by promoting biosynthesis of collagen that is one of the main components of the dermis layer, and skin can be maintained in a healthy condition, that is, beautiful skin condition. In recent years, deterioration in the skin condition of animals, particularly pets, due to allergy and the like has become a major issue. The skin condition of animals can be improved by moisturizing and caring the skin, healthy skin condition can be maintained.
A milk protein hydrolysate has been used for various commercial products in order to prevent food allergy caused by cow milk or dairy products. In particular, it has been considered that a whey protein of cow milk functions as an allergen, differing from a protein in mother's milk. Therefore, it has been known that a whey protein has been hydrolyzed using a protease in order to prevent this problem (see Patent Documents 1 to 3). It has been also known that a whey protein hydrolysate suppresses the progress of atopic dermatitis (see Non-patent Document 1), and improves curing wound after Cesarean section (see Non-patent Document 2).


A system for forming twisted or aligned electrospun fibers has been developed. The collector for the electrospun fibers is capable of rotation. In some instances, fibers are formed between two collectors, at least one of which rotates to twist the fibers into a multifilament bundle with increased strength. In a second embodiment, a cylindrical collector rotates, and charged polymer jet uniformly coats the surface of the collector. When a drum collector rotates at a high speed, electrospun fibers align and form an array. Optionally, different active agents can be included in the electrospinning solutions to form fiber constructs with different strengths and controlled release profiles, providing a reproducible method to generate complexed structures based on electrospun fibers and controlled drug delivery profiles.

Electrospinning is a simple and versatile technique first introduced in the early 1900's that employs electric forces to elongate and reduce the diameter of a viscoelastic polymer jet, allowing for the formation of solid fibers ranging from nanometers to microns in diameter (Li, D. & Xia, Y. Adv. Mater., 16, 1151-1170 (2004); Bhardwaj, N. & Kundu, S. C., Biotechnol. Adv., 28, 325-47 (2010)). To date, more than 200 polymers have been electrospun for applications ranging from tissue engineering and drug delivery to textiles, filtration, and sensors (Park, J.-S., Adv. Nat. Sci. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., 1, 043002 (2011)). A traditional electrospinning setup includes a grounded collector, high-voltage power source, and spinneret (connected to a syringe containing a polymer solution released at a controlled rate). Application of high voltage forms a Taylor cone and leads to the ejection of an electrified polymer jet due to the newly created electric field and electrostatic repulsions. As the jet moves towards the grounded collector, solvent evaporates and the jet elongates, allowing for the formation of thin, polymeric fibers (Li, D. & Xia, Y. Adv. Mater., 16, 1151-1170 (2004)).
Within the last fifteen years, the field of electrospinning has progressed significantly, and this simple process can now be found in labs and in companies across the country and around the world. A number of parameters affect the electrospinning process including polymer, solvent, polymer:solvent ratio, flow rate, voltage, distance to collector, collector type and speed, and needle size (Sahay, R., Thavasi, V. & Ramakrishna, S., J. Nanomater. (2011); Claudio Tonin, A. A. A. V. and C. V. Nanofibers. (ISBN 978-953-7619-86-2, 450 pages, Publisher: InTech, Chapters published Feb. 1, 2010). Typical electrospinning setups do not have precise control of each of the parameters that affect the process, and also do not allow for simple interchange of collector types. While several modifications have been made to the needle, spinneret, and spraying process to allow for different fibers and conformations, there has been little innovation in collector types or the resulting fibers.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly controlled method of making twisted micro- and nano-fibers in an electrospinning system.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for electrospinning that is capable of twisting fibers.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system and method to coat devices and fibers with electrospun fibers, as well as to manufacture devices in whole or in part with electrospun fibers

Process for making aligned or twisted electrospun fibers


A method for removing organic material from an opening in a low k dielectric layer and above a metal layer on a substrate is disclosed. An ozone water solution comprised of one or more additives such as hydroxylamine or an ammonium salt is applied as a spray or by immersion. A chelating agent may be added to protect the metal layer from oxidation. A diketone may be added to the ozone water solution or applied in a gas or liquid phase in a subsequent step to remove any metal oxide that forms during the ozone treatment. A supercritical fluid mixture that includes CO2 and ozone can be used to remove organic residues that are not easily stripped by one of the aforementioned liquid solutions. The removal method prevents changes in the dielectric constant and refractive index of the low k dielectric layer and cleanly removes residues which improve device performance.

Metal interconnects in a semiconductor device are typically formed by depositing a metal in an opening such as a via or trench in a dielectric layer on a substrate. As the width of interconnects has decreased in order to keep pace with a demand for higher performing devices, conventional SiO2 dielectric layers with a dielectric constant (k value) of about 4 are being replaced by materials with a k value of less than 3.5 and preferably less than 3. The lower k value in a dielectric layer helps to prevent crosstalk between metal wiring and reduces Rc delay, especially for technologies beyond the 130 nm node. Further reduction in k value can be accomplished by increasing the pore size or number of air pockets within a dielectric layer. However, porous dielectric layers are more susceptible to damage during a plasma ashing process such as one required to strip an adjacent photoresist layer during a rework step.
Frequently, a metal interconnect is formed above a conductive layer to provide an electrical pathway to another conductive layer within a stack of conductive layers. Copper is a preferred metal due to a lower resistivity than aluminum. However, copper may also be damaged by plasma ashing during a photoresist rework step. Other ashing steps such as those to remove an inert photoresist plug in a via during a dual damascene process or to strip a photoresist after pattern transfer through a dielectric layer can also damage an exposed copper surface. Therefore, a photoresist removal process that does not involve a plasma etch or ashing step is desirable to minimize damage to an underlying low k dielectric layer and to an exposed copper layer.
An improved photoresist removal process should also be able to strip a photoresist layer or an organic polymer layer that has been hardened by heating or by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. For example, an inert plug may be formed in a via in a dual damascene process to improve the process latitude of a subsequent photoresist patterning step that forms a trench above the via. However, the plug which is comprised of a hardened organic layer is difficult to remove by non-plasma methods because of its crosslinked character. Likewise, an anti-reflective coating (ARC) is often formed on a substrate just prior to coating a photoresist layer to improve the process latitude of the patterning step. An ARC also prevents trace amounts of contaminants in the underlying dielectric layer from interfering with a chemical reaction in exposed areas of the photoresist. When the ARC is a crosslinked organic polymer, the ARC is difficult to remove other than by a plasma ashing.
The process of reworking a photoresist may occur before or after a patterning step for various reasons including an incorrect exposure which produces an opening that has a width that is outside a specified limit. The stripping process may be required to remove an ARC at the same time. In any case, whether or not an ARC is used, the rework process has a tendency to alter the properties of a low k dielectric layer directly underneath an organic layer. For example, the dielectric constant of the low k dielectric layer may increase or the refractive index (real and imaginary components) can be changed so that the ARC refractive index is no longer matched to that of the dielectric layer. As a result, reflectivity off the low k dielectric layer is increased during a subsequent photoresist patterning step and process latitude is decreased. Therefore, a photoresist removal method should have a minimal effect on the properties of an underlying low k dielectric layer.
Ozone has been used to remove organic materials in an asher. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,113, a strip method involving ozone and UV radiation is described. U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,356 describes a strip method with ozone, heat, and UV exposure.
A method for stripping organic layers on a substrate with ozone and H2O in a gas phase is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,409. A rinse fluid consisting of 5% H2SO4 in H2O2 may also be applied.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,837, an organic layer is stripped from a substrate in a tank of DI water by diffusing ozone into the solution and then rinsing with DI water at a higher temperature. A thin layer of organic solvent is then added on the water layer and acts as a drying solvent as the wafer is slowly pulled out of the water through the low vapor pressure solvent which is octane, decane, or a ketone.
The prior art includes stripping methods with an ozone treatment in a liquid phase. The use of ozone, NH4OH, and water is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,146. A method with ozone and HF is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,768. Optionally, photoresist and an ARC can be removed by a liquid spray comprised of ozone, NH4OH, and water. An apparatus for performing the aforementioned spray process is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,108.
Yet another method of removing an organic layer with ozone is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,165 where supercritical CO2 is employed as a carrier solvent for ozone. However, no reaction conditions are given that teach or suggest a way of using the CO2/O3 combination effectively since SO3 is described as the preferred oxidizer.

Process for removing organic materials during formation of a metal interconnect

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


The present invention relates to a system for delivering a metered amount of fuel for internal combustion in a fastener driving tool. The fuel metering system includes a port for fuel, a regulator, and a shuttle valve. The shuttle valve particularly includes a metering chamber housing, a metering chamber defined by the metering chamber housing, a combustion check valve, and one gating valve. The metering chamber and the gating valve can be arranged and configured to provide asynchronous fluid communication between the metering chamber and combustion chamber, or between the metering chamber and the regulator. The combustion check valve is arranged and configured to prevent fluid flow from the combustion chamber to the metering chamber.

The present invention relates to an internal combustion fastener driving tool including a handle system that is coupled to and supports a drive system, a magazine, and a nose piece. The fastener driving system is operable through an internal combustion driven piston. The drive system includes a driver body which includes a piston housing in which a piston is slideably housed. A driving member is coupled to the piston. A combustion chamber is defined by the driver body, piston housing, and piston. The piston and driving member are axially arranged and configured within the piston housing to drive a fastener upon combustion of a metered amount of gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber.
A preferred fastener driving tool includes a fuel metering system arranged and configured to provide a metered amount of gaseous fuel. A preferred fuel metering system includes a port for receiving gaseous fuel that is defined by the tool, a regulator that is in fluid communication with the port, and a shuttle valve. A preferred shuttle valve includes a metering chamber housing, a metering chamber defined by the metering chamber housing, a combustion check valve, and one gating valve. The metering chamber and gating valve are arranged and configured to provide asynchronous fluid communication between the metering chamber and combustion chamber, or between the metering chamber and the regulator. The combustion check valve is arranged and configured to prevent fluid flow from the combustion chamber to the metering chamber.

Internal combustion fastener driving tool fuel metering system


Provided is a light beam incident device including an off-axis parabolic mirror that receives parallel light beams and converges the parallel light beams at one point on an object to be measured, and an incident-side light reception surface of a mirror that feeds the parallel light beams to the off-axis parabolic mirror. An angle (incident angle) between the object to be measured and converged light beams obtained by converging the parallel light beams changes in accordance with a light reception portion at which the off-axis parabolic mirror receives the parallel light beams. The incident side light reception surface of the mirror can change the light reception portion by moving with respect to the off-axis parabolic mirror.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light irradiation onto an object to be measured.
2. Related Art
FIG. 4 shows an optical system of a conventional reflection measurement device which measures optical characteristics of a flat-shape sample. A description will now be given for the case where terahertz waves (electromagnetic waves having a frequency of 0.01 THz-10 THz) are measuring light, as an example. The terahertz waves output from a terahertz wave generator are reflected by an off-axial parabolic mirror, resulting in condensed terahertz waves. The terahertz waves are reflected by a flat surface mirror on the way, and are condensed on a sample surface. The terahertz waves reflected by the sample surface are again reflected by the flat surface mirror, are formed into collimated terahertz waves by an off-axis parabolic mirror, and are input into a terahertz detector.
For measuring the optical characteristics of a thin film or film as a sample, the measurement may be carried out while an incident angle θ of the measuring light entering the sample is changed. This is because, for example, the refractive index of the sample can be calculated highly precisely by acquiring the optical characteristics at various incident angles.
There is known a technique of irradiating a specimen with terahertz waves and detecting the reflected terahertz waves reflected by the respective layers (refer to the Abstract of JP 2012-237657 A, for example).

Light beam incident device and reflected light measurement device


A heated and cooled beverage container is provided including a housing with a base having a peripheral side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the base and extending upwardly therefrom for defining an interior space and an upper peripheral edge. Also included is a heating and cooling mechanism situated in communication with the housing and having a first mode for generating heat for heating contents of the housing and a second mode for absorbing heat for cooling the contents of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heated mugs and more particularly pertains to a new travel mug for both heating or cooling a beverage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of heated mugs is known in the prior art. More specifically, heated mugs heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art heated mugs include U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,052,590; 4,801,782; 5,243,684; Des. 243,498; and Des. 333,756
In these respects, the travel mug according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of both heating or cooling a beverage.