A transparent, flame retardant polycarbonate composition consisting essentially of an aromatic polycarbonate resin and a flame-retarding amount of a guanidine salt or derivatives thereof, wherein the amount of guanidine salt or derivatives thereof is about 1 wt. % or less.

The invention relates to flame retardant polycarbonate resin compositions and articles made therefrom having high transparency.
Polycarbonate resin compositions are used in a variety of fields including automobiles, electric, electronic, machinery, building and construction applications and the like. Resins used for some of the above-mentioned applications must pass strict flame retardancy requirements, e.g., the flame-retardancy standard according to UL-94 in the U.S.A. Such tests typically involve exposing an object made from the resin to a flame or other heat source for a certain time period. The object may fail the test by catching fire, remaining on fire for too long a period, or by partially melting and dripping flaming resin droplets on a flammable material placed below the object. In some applications requiring miniaturization and/or very thin molded articles, there is an increased risk of a flaming droplet arising from the thinned part of the shaped article. Resins used in such applications need to fulfill the requirements for obtaining a V0-rating according UL-94, i.e. short flame-out times (<10 s) and no (burning) drips that ignite a layer of cotton placed beneath the object.
Satisfactory UL94 V0-ratings of polymers do not always guarantee a good fire performance in building and construction applications. One reason for this discrepancy is the duration requirements for the UL94 tests. In fire tests for the building and construction areas, exposure time to an heat source (i.e. open flame or radiant panel) is in the order of minutes (equal to or more than 5 minutes), while UL94-testing requires much shorter exposure times (2 times 10 seconds).
In certain building and construction applications, there are various government-mandated tests, each with its own specifications and requirements, for evaluating the fire resistance of thermoplastics. A European Single Burner Item (SBI) test has been developed to harmonize the different national standards and better measure fire performance of construction products. This test is defined to cover all important parameters of the various country-specific tests, some of which are speed of flame spread, time to ignition, height of flames, smoke production and production of burning droplets. The formation of burning droplets is critical for passing the French test norm NF-P-92-501 and for determining the overall rating (M1-M4) for the material and application. The formation of droplets is measured in French test norm NF-P-92-505 (also known as the "dripping test") and this test, is considered to be one of the more aggressive tests for fire performance of building and construction materials.
Prior art flame retardant systems for polycarbonate compositions typically employ phosphates and halogens. The phosphates lower the use temperature of the polycarbonate as well as its impact strength. As pointed out by various environmental protection groups, the use of halogens possibly generates toxic fumes when a resin composition burns. Therefore, there is need for an improved flame-retardant resin composition.
Guanidine salts are known to impart flame retardant characteristics to resins used in various applications. JP Patent No. 8603995 discloses the addition of 1-30 wt. % guanidine cyanurate in various resin compositions including polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, epoxy, phenol, and polyurethane. U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,694 discloses compositions displaying intumescent and flame retardant characteristics comprising: a resin selected from polyolefins, polyvinylaromatic resins, polycarbonates, polyacrylates, polyamides, PVC and blends thereof; and about 20-60% by weight of a) a bicyclic phosphate compound, and b) a nitrogen compound selected from the group including guanidine and salts thereof.
Applicants have surprisingly found that guanidine inorganic salts, when added to a polycarbonate resin composition, surprisingly and dramatically increase its pass rate in a specific dripping test, while still retaining its transparent characteristics and other properties.

Polycarbonate resin compositions and articles therefrom


An imaging apparatus which can be reduced in size and secure a sufficient tilt angle. In the imaging apparatus, light is incident along a first optical axis on a first prism that is rotated by a tilting mechanism about a second optical axis, and is bent by the first prism in a direction of the second optical axis. Then, the light is incident along the second optical axis on a second prism disposed coaxially with the second optical axis, is bent by the second prism in a direction of a third optical axis, and passes through a photographic lens system disposed coaxially with the third optical axis. The light is received by an image pickup element from which an image signal is output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus which is capable of performing a tilting operation for shifting an object field of the imaging apparatus in a tilting direction, and a tilting device incorporated in the imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed an automatic object follow-up device which is capable of automatically following up an object in panning and tilting directions or automatically following up an object according to an output of a sensor that detects a camera shake (see e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H07-104335). This automatic object follow-up device is comprised of a lens barrel assembly integrally incorporating a lens barrel that holds a lens group and an image pickup element that picks up an object image formed thereon through the lens group, and a mirror-rotating means for tilting a reflective surface of a mirror directed toward the object, at a location forward of the lens group, to thereby vary the tilt angle of the reflective surface of the mirror. In this automatic object follow-up device, by varying the tilt angle of the reflective surface of the mirror, the object image is turned toward the lens group via the reflective surface of the mirror, and at the same time the lens barrel assembly is rotated about the optical axis of the lens barrel, in unison with the mirror.
However, with the arrangement of the above described automatic object follow-up device, the mirror for performing a tilting operation is provided forward of the lens group of the lens barrel assembly in a tilted manner, and hence this causes an increase in the size of the device. Further, when an upward or downward tilting operation is performed through a large tilt angle relative to a horizontal direction, i.e. when the reflective surface of the mirror is tilted through a large angle, the object field of the image pickup element can be obstructed by the lens barrel assembly, and hence it is difficult to secure a sufficient tilt angle, that is, a tilting operation-allowable range is limited.

Imaging apparatus with tilting device for shifting an object field


A shallow trench isolation structure is formed by providing a polish stop layer with an opening aligned with edges of a trench formed in the substrate. The etch stop layer might have a surface composition of SiO.sub.x N.sub.y and a composition of SiN or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 at a lower surface within the polish stop layer. The composition of the silicon oxynitride surface of the polish stop layer is most preferably chosen so that the material has a refractive index on the order of n.about.1.8 to 2.0. The trench is overfilled with silicon oxide so that a layer of silicon oxide extends over the surface of the etch stop layer. Chemical mechanical polishing is then performed to remove the excess silicon oxide from the surface of the etch stop layer and to define an oxide plug within the trench. When the polishing process reaches the surface of the etch stop layer, there is a reduced tendency for the polishing pad to remove material preferentially from the oxide plug because the surface of the polish stop layer is more similar in terms of polishing characteristics to the plug material than in more conventional trench polishing processes. After polishing, the polish stop layer is removed to complete definition of the shallow trench isolation structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the provision of device isolation structures between devices of an integrated circuit formed in and on a semiconductor substrate and to the use of chemical mechanical polishing techniques in the formation of shallow trench isolation structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of integrated circuits incorporate device isolation structures between adjacent semiconductor devices to prevent carriers from traveling through the substrate between the adjacent devices. For example, device isolation structures are conventionally formed between adjacent field effect transistors (FETs) in dense semiconductor circuits such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) to reduce charge leakage to and from the charge storage nodes of the FETs. Often, device isolation structures take the form of thick field oxide regions extending below the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The most common early technique for forming a field oxide region is the local oxidation of silicon ("LOCOS") technique. The LOCOS technique, including the various modified LOCOS procedures that have been introduced over the years, have provided effective device isolation at a relatively low cost and with an acceptable level of reliability. The LOCOS technique has various drawbacks, however, including its well known problems related to stress generation and the thin "bird's beak" region formed at the periphery of the LOCOS field isolation structure. Particularly because of the bird's beak problem, the LOCOS field isolation structure is difficult to implement effectively for small device geometries and so must be replaced in high density devices by a more readily scaled device isolation region.
Shallow trench isolation ("STI") has become a prevalent strategy for device isolation. In STI, a sharply defined trench is formed in the semiconductor substrate by anisotropic etching, sometimes using a silicon nitride hard mask much like the mask used for LOCOS processing. The trench is then filled with oxide to provide a device isolation region having an upper surface near or at the original substrate surface. After formation of the shallow trench isolation structure, devices are provided in and on the P-type surface of the typical silicon substrate. One or more FET devices might be formed adjacent the sides of the STI structure, with each FET including a pair of N-type source/drain regions on either side of a channel region of the FET and a polysilicon gate electrode separated from the corresponding channel region by a gate oxide layer. The shallow trench isolation structure separates the source/drain regions of the FET device from other doped regions in adjacent regions of the substrate. Shallow trench isolation structures provide effective isolation across their entire width and are readily scaled to small device geometries. In this regard, shallow trench isolation structures are unlike LOCOS isolation regions, which must accommodate the characteristic LOCOS bird's beak structures on either side of the LOCOS isolation region and so do not provide effective device isolation over their entire width. In addition, the techniques typically used to form shallow trench isolation structures naturally produce a substantially planarized surface over the isolation structure, which is advantageous for almost all subsequent steps in the process flow. Formation of a shallow trench isolation structure is now discussed in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
FIG. 1 illustrates an early stage in the formation of an integrated circuit device and illustrates a small portion of the device substrate where a shallow trench isolation structure is to be formed. Silicon substrate 10 is coated with a layer of silicon nitride 12, for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which will be used as a polish stop layer for a chemical mechanical polishing process used in forming the shallow trench isolation structure. Next, a trench definition mask 14 is formed by spinning on and curing a layer of photoresist on the silicon nitride layer 12 and then exposing and selectively removing the photoresist layer to form an opening 16 in the photoresist mask 14. A trench is formed in the substrate by etching through the silicon nitride layer 12 and then etching a trench 18 into the silicon substrate 10 (FIG. 2). As is illustrated, the etching processes used to etch through the silicon nitride layer 12 and to open the trench tend to erode the photoresist mask during the etching process so that the trench produced in this process has slightly sloped sidewalls. The trench etching mask 14 is then removed.
Next, the trench 18 is filled with a layer of silicon oxide 20, for example, by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) using tetraethylorthosiloxane (TEOS) as a source gas. The trench is conventionally overfilled during deposition, as shown in FIG. 3, because TEOS oxide typically requires a densification process and the TEOS oxide layer shrinks during densification. Densification of the TEOS oxide is accomplished at a temperature of approximately 1000.degree. C. for a time period of about 10-30 minutes. After densification, the portion of the TEOS oxide layer extending above the silicon nitride layer 12 is removed by chemical mechanical polishing using the silicon nitride layer 12 as a stop for the polishing process, leaving an oxide plug 22 in the trench region (FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 4, the surface of the oxide plug 22 is typically recessed below the surface of the silicon nitride polish stop layer 12, as indicated by 24 in FIG. 4, during chemical mechanical polishing because the oxide plug is softer and polishes more rapidly than the silicon nitride layer. The silicon nitride layer 12 is next removed from over the substrate, typically leaving a portion of the oxide plug 22 extending above the surface of the substrate. A hydrofluoric acid dip is used to remove a thickness of the oxide plug 22 and to clean the surface of the substrate 10. Often, the oxide etching and other processing steps (not illustrated) can cause a sufficient amount of the plug oxide 22 to be etched so that the surface of the plug oxide is recessed below the surface of the substrate 10. The overetching condition may be most pronounced at the edges of the oxide plug 34 immediately adjacent the surface of the substrate 10, or the entire surface of the oxide plug may be recessed substantially uniformly below the surface of the substrate. In either case, overetching may cause a "shoulder" portion of the substrate to be exposed and partially etched at the side wall of the trench, or only a thin layer of oxide may cover the substrate adjacent the side wall of the trench.
After the plug oxide is defined within the shallow trench isolation structure, a gate oxide layer is next grown thermally over the exposed active device surfaces of the substrate. As a practical matter, the gate oxide layer often is of poor quality with a convex profile at the "shoulder" region of the substrate at the edge the trench of the shallow trench isolation structure. Subsequent formation of gate electrodes and wiring lines that extend over the edges of the trenches are then separated from the substrate at the edge of the trench by an oxide layer that has poor insulating properties. The poor qualities of the oxide layer may mediate a coupling between the gate electrodes or wiring lines and the substrate covered by the poor quality oxide layer formed over the trench shoulder regions. This undesirable coupling may be sufficient to allow for parasitic MOSFET action at the shoulder region, with the wiring line 44 acting as part of the gate of the parasitic MOSFET and signals on the wiring line controlling action of the parasitic MOSFET. The formation of parasitic MOSFETs or other forms of electrical coupling between the wiring line and the substrate can reduce the turn-on threshold voltage of the transistor channel and can produce the abnormal subthreshold current associated with the "kink" effect. Occurrence of the kink effect impairs device and circuit performance and is consequently undesirable.

Techniques for reduced dishing in chemical mechanical polishing


An extruder screw includes a screw main body, conveyance portions, barrier portions, and paths. The raw materials, the conveyance of which is limited by the barrier portions, flow in from the entrance. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the paths in an opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portions. The exit is opened in the outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position on an upstream side in the conveyance direction in the conveyance portions in which the entrance is opened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extruder screw, an extruder, and an extrusion method for producing kneaded materials by kneading continuously supplied raw materials, and continuously extruding the kneaded materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique of kneading raw materials, Patent Literature 1 discloses a batch kneading apparatus capable of dispersing raw materials at a nanolevel and kneading them without using additives. The batch kneading apparatus comprises a feedback-type screw and a cylinder in which the screw is rotatably inserted. The kneading apparatus repeats a circulation process of feeding raw materials supplied to the cylinder from a rear end of the screw to a gap in a front end, and then, returning them from the gap to the rear end of the screw.
In the circulation process, "shearing action", caused by a difference in speed between the rotating screw and an inner surface of the cylinder, is imparted to the raw materials while they are being fed from the rear end to the front end of the screw; and "extension action", caused when they pass from a wide place to a narrow place, is imparted to them while they are being fed from the gap in the front end of the screw along a hole of the screw.
At this time, in the cylinder, the raw materials are in a state of repeating a shearing flow and an extension flow. Predetermined kneaded materials are produced in accordance with a time for which a shearing flow and an extension flow are repeated, that is, a circulation time.

Extruder screw having paths within the screw, extruder, and extrusion method


An electronic device includes a housing including a first surface, a display exposed through a first portion of the first surface, a first light emitting source exposed through a second portion of the first surface, an imaging sensor circuit that is exposed through a third portion of the first surface and is electrically connected with the first light emitting source, and a processor that is disposed in the housing and is electrically connected with the imaging sensor circuit. In addition, various embodiments recognized through the specification are possible.

An electronic device, such as a smartphone or a tablet PC, may perform various functions, such as video playback, web search, and shopping. Furthermore, the electronic device may perform functions, such as banking and payment, performed by user authentication. Technology such as a password input or a fingerprint input is used as a user authentication technology. Recently, a scheme which recognizes an iris of a user is used as a user authentication technology. The user may execute a function, such as banking or payment, in the electronic device using information about a living body, such as a fingerprint or an iris.
For iris recognition technology, the electronic device radiates an infrared light to eyes of the user and uses light reflected from the eyes of the user. For example, the electronic device may output a light of a specified wavelength to the outside using a light output device such as an infrared (IR) LED. The electronic device may receive light reflected from the eyes of the user through its image sensor and may collect iris data.

Method for recognizing object by using camera, and electronic device supporting same


Disclosed is a control method for an around view stop mode. A control method for an around view stop mode in an around view monitoring system, including a plurality of cameras provided on an exterior of a vehicle to photograph a situation outside the vehicle, a monitor provided inside the vehicle to output images photographed by the cameras, a door opening sensor provided on one side of a vehicle door to check whether the door is opened or closed, and an around view mode operating switch operating an around view mode while stopping, includes stopping the vehicle; changing a gear to a P state or a parking brake to a brake-on state; and outputting the images from the monitor.

In general, an around view monitoring system of a vehicle generally has a structure in which when an around view mode is operated while the vehicle stops, a situation outside the vehicle, which is photographed by a plurality of cameras provided on an exterior of the vehicle is transmitted to a monitor in the vehicle to obtain a view outside the vehicle and safely stop the vehicle in a parking space.
However, in the around view monitoring system, when a gear of the vehicle is changed to a P, or park gear, state or a parking brake is changed to a brake-on state, it is regarded that the stop of the vehicle is completed and the around view mode ends, and as a result, a safety accident may occur by an obstacle factor outside the vehicle when an occupant gets off the vehicle. As will be understood, such P state is among those states of motion of the vehicle such as a driving gear state, reverse gear state and neutral state, as respectively referred to hereinafter as a, "D," "R," or "N" state.

Control method for around view stop mode


An earthworking loader bucket has a specially designed bottom side reinforcement structure which includes a unitary base plate member extending rearwardly from the bottom side front bucket lip and having a front side edge welded to the rear side edge of the lip. Slots are formed in the rear side edge of the base plate and receive bottom end portions of plate-shaped lifting and tilt ears transversely welded to the curved rear side wall of the bucket. Closeout plates are interposed between the bucket rear side wall and rear side portions of the base plate, and the bottom end portions of the ears are welded to the base plate. A spaced plurality of elongated ear extension members longitudinally extend forwardly from the ear member bottom end portions and along adjacent bottom side portions of the base plate and lip, with the extension members being welded to the ear member bottom end portions, the base plate and the lip. The ear extension members function to transfer ear operating loads to bottom side portions of the base plate and the lip, to substantially reinforce the bottom side of the bucket, and also serve as downwardly projecting wear runners to shield bottom side portions of the base plate and lip against abrasion wear.

The present invention generally relates to material handling bucket structures and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a specially designed reinforced bucket structure for use with a loader vehicle such as a wheeled loader.
A conventionally constructed loader bucket used in earth working operations is typically attached to the lower end of a lift arm which, in turn, is operatively connected to a wheeled loader. This type of loader bucket is of a rugged, all-metal construction, with an open front side, and has a bottom wall (referred to in the industry as a "lip"). The front side edge of the lip has a spaced series of forwardly projecting adapter structures to which replaceable digging tooth points may be removably connected, and the lip has a straight rear side edge. A curved, relatively thin rear side wall of the bucket is positioned opposite its open front side. Extending rearwardly from the straight rear side edge of the lip is a multi-piece rear bottom wall structure, with edge portions of the individual pieces of the bottom wall structure being welded to the rear side edge of the lip.
Secured to the curved rear side wall of the loader bucket, and extending rearwardly therefrom, are two or more pairs of lifting ears which are spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the rear side edge of the bucket lip. The lifting ear pairs are positioned on opposite sides of a pair or more of tilt ears which are also secured to he curved rear side wall of the loader bucket and extend rearwardly therefrom. The lifting ear pairs, and the tilt ears disposed therebetween, are pivotally connected by pins to the lift arm, with the two pairs of lifting ears being used to lift and lower the bucket relative to the ground, and the central tilt ears being used to selectively pivot the bucket about the lifting ear pins during earthworking use of the loader bucket.
In a conventionally constructed loader bucket of this general type, bottom side portions of the lifting ears are secured to the rear side wall of the bucket and the rear side edge of the lip, but the tilt ears are secured only to the curved rear side wall of the bucket at points spaced well rearwardly of the rear side edge of the bucket lip.
Two primary problems are presented by this conventional loader bucket construction. First, because of the many separate pieces used to form the rear bottom wall structure, the bucket is tedious and relatively expensive to manufacture. Second, particularly during the exertion of "prying" forces on the bucket (i.e., forcibly pivoting the bucket rearwardly and upwardly while a front portion of its lip is embedded in the earth), the previously described conventional connection of the lifting and tilt ears to the balance of the bucket structure tends to cause premature cracking failure along a bottom side portion of the bucket generally aligned with the tilt ears--usually along a crack line transverse to the rear side edge of the bucket lip.
As can be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for an improved loader bucket construction which eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems associated with conventionally constructed loader buckets of the general type described. It is to this need to which the present invention is directed.


A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the number of cycles required to checkpoint instructions in a multi-threaded microprocessor that has dispatch group checkpointing. A determination is made in a first stage of a checkpoint pipeline whether checkpointing can occur for a group of instructions. The results of processing the group of instructions flow to a second stage of the checkpoint pipeline regardless of whether the group of instructions is ready to checkpoint. If the group of instructions is ready to checkpoint, the group of instructions is checkpointed in a third stage of the checkpoint pipeline.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microprocessors in a data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for reducing the number of cycles required to checkpoint instructions in a multi-threaded microprocessor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most data processing systems use mechanisms for detecting (and perhaps diagnosing) errors, as well as provide for the possibility of recovering from an error. These two functions are usually distinct, requiring different hardware (and software) mechanisms.
In modern computer systems, an error can occur anytime from a variety of sources, e.g., alpha particles striking a memory cell. Usually, the data of the architected registers are saved in checkpoint registers after the instructions have passed the completion point. "Checkpointing" means the saving of the architected register data in checkpoint registers. In order to be able to checkpoint, an instruction must have finished being processed. This means that all data that is needed to execute that instruction has arrived at the appropriate execution units and has been processed. Status bits and data complete signals are used to indicate whether all necessary data has arrived and whether an instruction has completed being executed.
Checkpointing is performed by the recovery unit (RUnit). In the event that an error is detected, the recovery unit restores the architected register values from the checkpoint registers.
The RAS (Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability) concept, as implemented in hardware and software, is directed to preventing or recognizing system failures (Reliability), the ability to keep the system functioning in the event of failure (Availability), and the ability to fix the failure in a non-disruptive way (Serviceability). RAS may be addressed at various levels of system development: to diagnose design bugs during new product development, in manufacturing to identify bad parts during the system build, and to catch errors while the system is operating. RAS may also be directed to various types of failures, including system-level design oversights, logical errors, hard failures (hardware faults), or soft errors (data errors in memory or after data transfer due to external noise or circuit failure).
In some cases it is only necessary to recognize that an error has occurred. In others it is necessary to diagnose the error, that is, to specifically identify its source. Finally, in some cases it is desirable to remove or correct the error.
A commonly used method of error detection utilizes parity codes. In a one-bit parity code the number of binary "ones" (1s) in a data word are counted. The word has odd parity if the number of 1s is odd and even parity otherwise. When a word is written into memory, the parity bit is also written. The parity bit is read and checked when the word is read out. If the stored and checked parity bits do not match, an error is detected. A one-bit parity code can detect at most one bit of error in the data item. If there are two bits of error the one-bit parity code will not detect any error since the parity will match the data with two errors.
While a one-bit parity code can detect an error, it cannot detect which particular bit in a data item is in error. Error correcting codes (ECCs), on the other hand, not only detect, but allow correction of an error. Many large memory systems use single error correcting, double error detecting (SEC-DED) code that allows detection of up to two bits of error and correction of a single bit of error. An error may be detected and corrected in a number of ways, including system software or by circuitry that is integral to the particular component that generates the error.
In traditional commercial-design, EDFI (Error Detection and Fault Isolation) was achieved via special checking-logic that was integral to the data flow and control. Error detection refers to the percentage of errors that could reasonably be detected, perhaps by using the parity schemes as discussed above. The error detection capability of such systems was high (e.g., 75%-90% of hardware faults detected). Fault isolation refers to percentage of errors that could be traced to a particular component. The fault isolation of these conventional systems was also good (e.g., about 90% of the errors could be traced to a single component).
While valuable for preserving data integrity, EDFI schemes are not without their disadvantages. In conventional mainframe designs, all logical circuits were checked as the system was operating. In many cases, however, the checking-logic (e.g. parity code predictors) were as complex as the circuit components (e.g., adders or shifters) themselves. This results in larger processors with circuits driving longer wires with more fan out, and generally longer cycle times.
The above described strategy uses the same fundamental concepts as existing zSeries processors, where a Recovery Unit (RUnit) maintains an error correction code (ECC) hardened checkpointed copy of all architected registers which can be restored in case of an error, with processing resumed from the restored checkpoint. The basic RUnit concept is that working copies of registers are integrated with the execution pipelines, and are updated and available for use as soon as an instruction finishes executing, while a separate copy of all registers are held in an ECC hardened checkpoint array. Updates to the checkpoint array are delayed from the working registers to allow for error detection and reporting, where a reported error blocks all further checkpoint updates so that the checkpoint remains intact at a coherent instruction boundary. Register updates are accumulated in a write queue until ready for checkpointing and then drained from the write queue into the checkpoint array.
Instructions are dispatched in groups. In order for the entire group to be ready to checkpoint, all instructions in the group must have completed execution. Some instructions have fixed execution times, while others have variable execution times. Additionally, floating point instructions may complete out of order. To determine if instructions are ready to checkpoint, a compare is performed on the dispatch group's tag (Gtag) versus the next instruction to complete (NTC) instruction tag (Itag). In addition, data arrival at the recovery unit must be considered since the group cannot be checkpointed until all of its data has arrived.
The checkpointing of groups must keep pace with the dispataching of groups, otherwise the performance of the processor will be degraded. In order to minimize any backward pressure on the dispatch and execution pipelines and store queue release to the L2 cache, the checkpointing of groups needs to occur as quickly as possible once all necessary conditions are satisfied and reported to the recovery unit.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for reducing the number of cycles required to checkpoint instructions in a multi-threaded microprocessor.

Method and apparatus for reducing number of cycles required to checkpoint instructions in a multi-threaded processor

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for training an object detection network by using attention maps is provided. The method includes steps of: (a) an on-device learning device inputting the training images into a feature extraction network, inputting outputs of the feature extraction network into a attention network and a concatenation layer, and inputting outputs of the attention network into the concatenation layer; (b) the on-device learning device inputting outputs of the concatenation layer into an RPN and an ROI pooling layer, inputting outputs of the RPN into a binary convertor and the ROI pooling layer, and inputting outputs of the ROI pooling layer into a detection network and thus to output object detection data; and (c) the on-device learning device train at least one of the feature extraction network, the detection network, the RPN and the attention network through backpropagations using an object detection losses, an RPN losses, and a cross-entropy losses.

In general, an autonomous vehicle may perform an autonomous driving by using a learning network which has been trained by using various learning data corresponding to driving environments in advance.
However, it is impossible to train the learning network in advance to be prepared for all kinds of the driving environments which the autonomous vehicles would encounter.
Therefore, a solution, such as a method for training a learning device against the various driving environments by transmitting information on the driving environments to a cloud server, allowing the cloud server to analyze the information on the driving environments, receiving the analyzed information from the cloud server as training data, and then training the learning network with the training data, has been suggested, however, the solution cannot be used in a situation when a communication with the cloud server is restricted still remains.
Accordingly, an on-device learning, which can train the learning device against the various driving environments under a condition that the communication with the cloud server is restricted, has been proposed as another solution recently. Herein, the on-device learning may train the autonomous vehicle against the driving environments by using the information on the driving environments collected from one or more devices on the autonomous vehicle without accessing the cloud server.
However, the on-device learning has a problem that it is hard to perform a positive/negative sampling since the on-device learning has no access to a teacher network in the cloud server, and has another problem that it is difficult to perform an end-to end backpropagation since computing powers of embedded system on the autonomous vehicles are limited.
Thus, an advanced technology is needed, which may overcome the aforementioned limitation of the on-device learning and improve a performance of the learning network.

Learning method and learning device for training an object detection network by using attention maps and testing method and testing device using the same


An electrical connector is adapted for mounting to a surface of a printed circuit board having a mounting hole leading to a remote surface of the board. The connector includes a dielectric housing having terminals mounted therein and including a board-mounting face. At least one mounting peg projects from the board-mounting face for insertion into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board. The mounting peg is bifurcated to define a pair of legs separated by an axial slit. The legs have arcuate board-mounting surfaces on the outside thereof. The arcuate surface of at least one of the legs is flattened to define a pair of circumferentially spaced end portions.

It is known to provide electrical connectors with means for securing the connector to a printed circuit board. Often, the connector has a molded thermoplastic housing and a boardlock means is formed integral therewith. The connector is secured temporarily on the printed circuit board by the boardlock until electrical connections are made, as by soldering. The boardlock holds a connector mounting face firmly in contact with the printed circuit board until permanently secured thereagainst, such as a result of the soldering process.
A popular form of boardlock is a snap latch for securing a connector block or housing to the printed circuit board. The snap latch typically is a molded plastic peg which is bifurcated to define a pair of resilient legs having latching barbs or hooks thereon. The legs, during insertion through a hole in the printed circuit board from a first side of the board, deflect inwardly toward the axis of the snap latch. As the hooks on the ends of the legs pass through the hole in the board, the legs snap back outwardly into a position with shoulders on the hooks extending beyond the periphery of the hole and engaging a second side of the board, thereby securing the connector to the board. The pegs usually are an integral part of the connector housing or, in some instances, separate metal snap latches have been used.
Such snap latch boardlocks described above have proven quite effective when employed with relatively large holes in the printed circuit board. However, with the ever-increasing miniaturization of electronic components, miniature snap latches of the bifurcated peg type have proven to be extremely fragile, prone to breakage, unstable and lacking in sufficient retention capabilities. This problem of breakage is particularly prevalent with the brittle plastic material which presently is used quite often in molding connector housings, even when the boardlock peg is not extremely miniaturized. With such brittle materials, the pegs are even prone to breakage when simply inserted into the hole in the printed circuit board. The present invention is directed to solving these problems in a typical bifurcated mounting peg by reducing the deflection required to insert the peg into the hole in the circuit board.

Electrical connector with improved board mounting peg


A coupler is provided which may be incorporated into a handheld communications device to permit the handheld device to be acoustically coupled to a variety of telephone handsets. The device may include a spring-biased, adjustable microphone arm onto which a microphone is mounted in order to acoustically couple the microphone to the telephone handset. The microphone arm may be adjustable to adapt to a variety of telephone handset styles, such as cellular telephones or cordless telephones, in order to permit the acoustical coupling to be achieved with a large number of different telephone handsets.

This invention relates generally to an acoustically coupled communications device and in particular to a coupler for acoustically coupling a microphone and a speaker of the communications device to a telephone handset.
In order for a device, having a speaker and microphone, to acoustically communicate data and information through a telephone handset over a telephone line, it is necessary to acoustically couple the mouthpiece and earpiece of the telephone handset to a speaker and a microphone, respectively, of the communications device. A good acoustic coupling of the device to the telephone handset provides reliable transmission and reception of the data and information signals.
Conventional acoustical modems are acoustically coupled to the telephone handset in order to transmit data over the telephone system. These acoustical modems often used large cups which enclosed the entire mouthpiece and the entire earpiece of the telephone handset in order to acoustically couple the speaker and microphone of the acoustical modem to the telephone handset. These conventional acoustical modem couplers are generally quite large and unwieldy. In addition, these acoustical modem couplers are not designed to work with a small handheld device and could not be effectively incorporated into a small handheld device. In addition, these conventional acoustical modem couplers are primarily designed to be connected to a typical standard telephone handset, such as those used for pay telephones, and could not be easily adjusted to work with other types of telephone handsets, such as cellular telephones or cordless phones. There are some conventional acoustical couplers which provide some degree of adjustability of the large plastic cups, but even these adjustable acoustical couplers can not accommodate modem cellular telephones or cordless telephones due to the odd shape and positioning of the mouthpiece and earpiece of the telephone. For example, a typical cellular phone may have a flip portion with a mouthpiece integrated into the flip portion and an earpiece which is integrated into a body portion of the telephone which can not be effectively coupled to using the conventional acoustical couplers.
Another type of conventional acoustical modem coupler utilized a securing strap which wrapped around the telephone handset in order to tightly secure the mouthpiece and earpiece of the telephone handset to a microphone and speaker of the acoustical modem. To install such a modem onto the telephone handset, however, the user must attempt to align the speaker and microphone of the acoustical modem with the earpiece and mouthpiece, respectively, of the telephone handset and then attach the strap around the telephone handset without disturbing the alignment. This installation process is slow and it is difficult to achieve a good coupling. In addition, because this acoustical coupler is still large and heavy, this acoustical coupler is not intended for use with a small handheld device. As above, this conventional acoustical coupler also suffered from a lack of adjustment capability to adjust to different types of telephone handsets.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a coupler which is incorporated within a handheld communications device and permits the communications device to be acoustical coupled to a wide variety of different telephone handsets including conventional telephones, cellular telephones and cordless telephones. The coupler also overcomes the above problems with conventional acoustical couplers.

Coupler for an acoustic coupled communications device


A rotary engine having a rotor housing with a bisected, offset elliptical interior wall and a rotor member disposed therein. Four rotor vanes reciprocate radially from within said rotor wherein the opposing vanes perform the same function simultaneously as they pass through the cycle. The rotor vanes are forced out of the rotor by a pressurized oxygen/fuel mixture entering behind the vanes through the ports of the ported side plate. The rotation of the rotor urges the vanes back into the rotor due to the narrowing elliptical walls of the housing thereby forcing the oxygen/fuel mixture through the transfer ports and one-way check valve and into the combustion chamber where it is compressed and ignited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and, more specifically, to a rotary engine having a rotor housing with a bisected, offset elliptical interior wall and a rotor member disposed therein. Four rotor vanes reciprocate within said rotor wherein the opposing vanes perform the same function simultaneously as they pass through the cycle. The rotor vanes are forced out of the rotor by a pressurized oxygen/fuel mixture entering behind the vanes through the ports of the ported side plate. The rotation of the rotor urges the vanes back into the rotor due to the narrowing elliptical walls of the housing thereby forcing the oxygen/fuel mixture through the transfer ports and one-way check valve and into the combustion chamber where it is compressed. Ignition timing plugs are supplied a constant high voltage current and ignite the compressed mixture as the rotor vanes pass the electrodes of the plugs. Exhaust gases escape as the rotor vanes pass the exhaust ports. In operation, both sets of opposing rotor vanes are performing identical operations simultaneously within one half of engine rotation, giving a more balanced performance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other rotary engines designed to provide continuous power output. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 719,222 issued to F. P. Huyck on Jan. 27, 1903.
Another patent was issued to H. F. Molkenbur on Apr. 22, 1926 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,811,729. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,345,561 was issued to R. A. B. Allen Jr. on Apr. 4, 1944 and still yet another was issued on Dec. 27, 1955 to H. M. Petersen as U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,330.
Another patent was issued to W. M. Scott on Apr. 17, 1973 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,589. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,478 was issued to J. N. Piper on Feb. 17, 1976 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 21, 1983 to W. C. Kite as U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,173.
Another patent was issued to W. P. Gardiner on Apr. 1, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,913. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,136 was issued to S. M. Kazempour on Aug. 17, 2004. Still yet another patent application was published on Jan. 13, 1900 as International Publication Number 4914 to P. Blanc. International Publication Number 18,022 was issued on Aug. 5, 1913 to A. E. Escott.


An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of implant needles is comprised of a loading station into which a replaceable cartridge may be positioned. The cartridge is preloaded with a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers. The cartridge has at least one aperture and preferably the radioisotope seeds and spacers are loaded around the periphery of a rotatable drum within the cartridge. The loading station has a cartridge receiving structure and an automated motion control system. When the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure, the automated motion control system preferably drives a pair of stepper motors within the cartridge, one for rotating the rotatable drum and one for sliding a pushrod to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers from the cartridge into each of a plurality of implant needles positioned so as to receive the radioisotopes seeds and spacers within the implant needle. In one embodiment, the implant needles are positioned tip first into the loading station, and once a predetermined arrangement of radioisotope seeds and spacers are loaded into the implant needle, a plug is positioned in the tip of the implant needle. Preferably, the automated system includes a computer processor having a touch screen user interface that is connected to and directs the operation of the automated motion control system to load the plurality of implant needles in accordance with a predetermined dose plan.

The use of radioisotopes for various medical procedures such as brachytherapy and the like is well known. Such uses fall into two general categories: (i) high dose radioisotopes which are temporarily positioned in relation to a patient's body for a relatively short period of time to effect the radiation treatment; and (ii) low dose radioisotopes which are permanently implanted in a patient's body with the duration of the radiation treatment determined by the strength and half-life of the radioisotope being implanted. High dose radioisotopes are typically implanted using a catheter arrangement and a device commonly known as an afterloader that advances the high dose radioisotope located on the end of a source wire through the catheter to the desired location. Low dose radioisotopes, on the other hand, are implanted using an array of implant needles with the low dose radioisotopes being encapsulated in very small containers known as seeds that are manually loaded into a series of implant needles and then ejected to form a three-dimensional grid of radioisotopes in the patient that corresponds to a dose plan as determined by the physician. The goal of the low dose brachytherapy procedure is to position this three-dimensional grid of radioisotopes seeds in and around a target cancerous tissue area. Each of the radioisotope seeds consists of a radioactive source such as Iodine (I-125) or Palladium (Pd-103) inside a small tube-like titanium shell that is about the size of a grain of rice. These type of low dose radioactive sources emit a very low energy radiation that is primarily absorbed by the tissue immediately surrounding the radioisotope seed. This constant low energy radiation is typically emitted by the radioisotope seeds for a period of up to six months as a way to kill the cancer cells in the target area without having to subject the patient to the discomfort and risks that often accompany high dose radioisotope procedures.
One common brachytherapy procedure is the use of low dose radioisotopes to treat prostate cancer. Although brachytherapy procedures using low dose radioisotopes can be applied to many different parts of the body, it is helpful to describe a particular treatment to gain a better understanding of these treatments. In a typical prostate cancer procedure, a predetermined number of seeds (between 1–6) are positioned within each of a series of implant needles (up to 40), with the seeds being spaced apart in each needle by small spacers. A small amount of bone wax is positioned on the tip of the implant needles to prevent the seeds and spacers from falling out until they are implanted in the patient. The loaded implant needles are then positioned at the appropriate location for insertion into the perineal area of the patient using a stand that has an X-Y coordinate grid. Each needle is manually positioned in the appropriate chamber in the grid and is inserted into the patient. An ultrasound probe is used to assist the physician in guiding each of the needles to the desired location. The seeds and spacers are delivered from the tip of the implant needle using a stylet and hollow needle arrangement where the hollow needle is preferably retracted while the stylet remains in place. When completed, the implanted seeds form a three-dimensional grid of radioisotope sources that implements a predetermined dose plan for treating the prostate cancer in the patient. For a more detailed background of the procedures and equipment used in this type of prostate cancer treatment, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,179.
Over the years there have been numerous advancements in the design of equipment for use in radioisotope procedures. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,086,914, 5,242,373 and 5,860,909, as well as PCT Publ. No. WO 97/22379, describe manual seed injector arrangements for a low dose radioisotope procedure that utilize drop-in seed cartridges or seed magazines to supply the seeds directly to an implant needle that is specifically adapted to such cartridges or magazines. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,298, 5,147,282, 5,851,172 and 6,048,300 describe replaceable cartridge assemblies that contain the source wire used in conjunction with specifically adapted afterloaders that advance the source wire into a catheter systems for high dose radioisotope procedures.
Although such replaceable cartridges have been well received for use in connection with high dose radioisotope procedures, the standard techniques for low dose radioisotope procedures continue to utilize a series of preloaded implant needles that are manually loaded by a radiophysicist at the hospital just prior to the procedure. There are several reasons for why manual loading of the implant needles just prior to use in low dose radioisotope procedures is preferred. First, there are differences in the types of radioisotope sources that do not favor use of a cartridge arrangement for low dose radioisotope procedures. The source wires used for high dose radioisotope procedures use only one or a small number of very high power radioisotope sources having relatively long half-lives. As a result, it is cost effective and practical to provide for a cartridge arrangement for such a small number of high dose radioisotopes that can be preordered and maintained at the hospital well in advance of a procedure. In contrast, given the relatively short half-lives of the radioisotopes used in low dose radioisotope procedures it is preferable that the radioisotope seeds be sent to the hospitals just prior to their use. Because the number of radioisotope seeds varies from procedure to procedure depending upon the dose plan and because the cost of each low dose radioisotope seed is significant, it is not cost effective to order many more radioisotope seeds than will be used in a given procedure. Second, it is important to minimize the time of the procedure, both in terms of the exposure time of the physician to the low dose radioisotope seeds and in terms of the total time of the procedure from the economics of medical practice. The existing drop-in cartridge and seed magazine systems described above take longer to perform the implant procedure than using conventional preloaded implant needles because the radioisotope seeds are implanted one-by-one, rather than being delivered simultaneously as a group from a preloaded needle. Third, it has been routine to employ a radiophysicist at the hospital to preload the implant needles and take a set of sample measurements of the strength of the radioisotope seeds to confirm that the seeds meet the requirements specified by the dose plan. Finally, due to the large number of low dose radioisotope seeds used in a given procedure (typically up to 150) and the need for the implanting physician to be able to modify the dose plan at the time of implant, it is generally considered that the flexibility afforded by manually loading the implant needles just prior to the operation provides the best possible treatment procedure for the patient and the most economically efficient procedure for the hospital.
Although manual preloading of implant needles at the hospital continues to be the norm for most low dose radioisotope procedures, relatively little attention has been paid to increasing the safety or efficiency of this process. Presently, the radioisotope seeds for a given dose plan are shipped in bulk in a protective container to the hospital. At the hospital, the radioisotope seeds are dumped from the container onto a tray where the radiophysicist manually loads the seeds one-by-one into a set of implant needles according to the dose plan. Typically, the implant needles are positioned tip into a needle stand with the tips sealed with bone wax. The radiophysicist picks up a single radioisotope seed using a tweezers, forceps or vacuum hose and deposits that seed in a needle. Next, a single spacer made of gut or similar absorbable material is deposited in the needle. This process is repeated depending upon the predetermined number of seeds and spacers prescribed by the dose plan. The radiophysicist will use a well chamber to measure the strength of a sample of the radioisotope seeds (typically from only one seed to a sample of about 10%). While some needle stands are provided with a certain degree of shielding once the radioisotope seeds are loaded in the implant needles, there is very little shielding that protects the hands and fingers of the radiophysicist during the process of manually loading the implant needles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,345 describes a radiation shielded seed loader for hand implanted hypodermic needles that uses a shielded cylindrical container to house up to seven implant needles. The implant needles have their tips sealed with bone wax and are placed into chambers in an alignment disc. A seed loading disc is located above the ends of the needles and is oriented with each of seven funnels located above a respective end of the needle. The loading procedure occurs behind an L-shaped shielding block and requires the use of a forceps to pick up seeds one at a time and drop them into one of the funnels to be guided into the end of the respective needle. Once each of the needles has been loaded through the funnels in the seed loading disc, the seed loading disc is removed and a plunger is inserted into each needle. Finally, a spacer key distances a cover plate from the ends of the plungers to prevent the plungers from accidentally discharging the seeds during transport. With the cover plate in place, the entire cylindrical container is ready to be transported. Although this type of seed loader would allow for the remote loading of implant needles to be transported in a preloaded fashion to the hospital, if the seeds fall out of the implant needles during shipping or removal of the needles from the container, it is difficult to locate and reload the seeds. The fact that different physicians prefer different types of implant needles further complicates the desirability of using this type of preloaded container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,574 describes a vacuum-assisted apparatus for handling and loading radioisotope seeds within a visible radiation shield. A shielded container with a lead glass window has a vacuum probe that can manipulate and pick up individual seeds. The outlet of the vacuum probe is connected to a lead glass tube such that the operator can verify that the correct sequence of seeds and spacers has been arranged in the lead glass tube. Once the correct sequence has been visually verified, the tip of an implant needle is positioned in a slip shield body and docked on the other end of the lead glass tube. A vacuum force is applied to the back end of the implant needle to suck the seeds and spacers into the implant needle. The implant needle is then undocked from the glass tube and bone wax is used to seal the tip. Once the tip is sealed, the vacuum source is removed from the rear end of the needle and a stylet or plunger is inserted into the needle. The loaded needles with the protective slip shield are placed in a needle holder box until they are to be implanted. While this apparatus improves upon the shielding and safety of the manual process of preloading implant needles, it does not offer any significant improvements to the efficiency of the process.
The same company which provides the vacuum-assisted apparatus for handling and loading radioisotope seeds described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,574, also provides several other manual and simple mechanical devices that can be used as part of a manual needle loading process, including a brachytherapy well chamber for taking radiation measurements, an Indigo™ express seeding cartridge for use with the well chamber, a Rapid Strand™ seed carrier as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,815,449 and 4,763,642 which prepositions and encases a series of seeds in a body absorbable material, a seed sterilization and sorting tray, a seed alignment tray, a seed sterilization box, a seed slider for loading needle, and various needle cradles and holders. The Indigo™ express seeding cartridge which is a tube with seeds prepositioned in the tube is only used to accurately index and position individual seeds in the well chamber of a radiation detector for purposes of calibrating the radioisotope seeds. The seed slider interfaces with the seed sterilization and sorting tray that has a seed reservoir for receiving batches of seeds in different wells and sorting area and loading platform. A user scoops seeds from the wells onto the loading platform with the provided spatula. The user then align the seeds and spacers into a slot per treatment prescription. A cover then flips up to encapsulate the seeds and spacers. The needles to be loaded are locked onto one side of the seed slider with a Luer lock. A needle stylet is inserted into the other side of the seed slider and the seeds and spacers are pushed into the treatment needle.
Despite these improvements, the manual loading of implant needles for low dose radioisotope procedures remains a cumbersome process that can expose radiophysicists and other hospital personal to unshielded radioisotopes. It would be advantageous to provide for a system for loading implant needles for low dose radioisotope procedures that could overcome these problems and enhance the safety and efficiency of this process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated radioisotope seed loader system for implant needles


An ablation and visualization device includes a shaft, at least one ablation element coupled to the distal end of the shaft, and a scope coupled to the shaft proximate the distal end. The scope may be a fiber optic endoscope, an infrared sensor, or an ultrasound sensor, and may be coupled to an output device to display imagery collected by the scope. The scope includes at least one aperture, which may be movable. An optical element, such as a lens or filter, may be positioned over the aperture. The scope may be positioned laterally relative to the ablation elements or in a plane substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the ablation elements. The scope may be positioned with the aperture positioned distally or proximally relative to the ablation elements. The scope may be slidably or rotatably coupled to the shaft.

a. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to the treatment of atrial fibrillation. In particular, the instant invention relates to devices and methods for visualizing target tissues during epicardial mapping and ablation procedures.
b. Background Art
It is well known that atrial fibrillation results from disorganized electrical activity in the heart muscle (the myocardium). The surgical maze procedure has been developed for treating atrial fibrillation, and involves the creation of a series of surgical incisions through the atrial myocardium in a preselected pattern so as to create conductive corridors of viable tissue bounded by scar tissue.
As an alternative to the surgical incisions of the maze procedure, transmural ablations of the heart may be used. Such ablations may be performed either from within the chambers of the heart (endocardial ablation), using endovascular devices (e.g., catheters) introduced through arteries or veins, or from outside the heart (epicardial ablation) using devices introduced into the patient's chest. Various ablation techniques may be used, including, but not limited to, cryogenic ablation, radio frequency (RF) ablation, laser ablation, ultrasonic ablation, and microwave ablation. The ablation devices are used to create elongated transmural lesions—that is, lesions extending through a sufficient thickness of the myocardium to block electrical conduction—forming the boundaries of the conductive corridors in the atrial myocardium. Perhaps most advantageous about the use of transmural ablation rather than surgical incision is the ability to perform ablation procedures without first establishing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
In performing the maze procedure and its variants, whether using ablation or surgical incisions, it is generally considered most efficacious to include a transmural incision or lesion isolating the pulmonary veins from the surrounding myocardium. The pulmonary veins connect the lungs to the left atrium of the heart, joining the left atrial wall on the posterior side of the heart. Such procedures have been found to offer 57% to 70% success without antiarrhythmic drugs. However, they are also associated with a 20% to 60% recurrence rate as the result of lesion recovery, non-pulmonary vein foci of the arrhythmia, or the need for further tissue modifications.
Previous surgical and catheter-based approaches have demonstrated that linear left atrial (LA) lesions were successful in treating atrial fibrillation when complete block was achieved. One such technique involves linear ablation at the mitral isthmus, which is defined as extending from the lateral mitral annulus to the ostium of the left inferior pulmonary vein (LIPV). Studies have shown that catheter ablation of the mitral isthmus, in combination with pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, consistently results in demonstrable conduction block and is associated with a high cure rate for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Producing precise lesions at these locations presents significant obstacles for the physician performing endocardial ablations for several reasons. First, while many of the lesions created in the maze procedure can be created from within the right atrium, the pulmonary venous lesions must be created in the left atrium, requiring either a separate atrial access point or a transseptal puncture from the right atrium. Second, the elongated and flexible endovascular ablation devices are difficult to manipulate into the complicated geometries required for forming the pulmonary venous lesions. It is also difficult to maintain proper positioning of the ablation device against the wall of a beating heart. Furthermore, visualization of endocardial anatomy and endovascular devices is often inadequate, such that knowing the precise position of an endovascular device can be difficult, potentially resulting in misplaced lesions.
Epicardial ablation devices and methods useful for creating transmural lesions for the treatment of atrial fibrillation have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,493 to Vaska et al. ("Vaska") and U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,394 to Sliwa et al. ("Sliwa"), both of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. Sliwa describes a method of forming a transmural lesion in a wall of the heart adjacent to the pulmonary veins by placing an ablation device through a thoracic incision, and then through a pericardial penetration, so that the ablation device is disposed in contact with an epicardial surface of the heart. The ablation device includes a locating device, such as a catch, a branch, or a notch, near the working end of the catheter that is configured to engage one or more of the pulmonary veins or another nearby anatomical structure (e.g., a pericardial reflection, the inferior vena cava, the superior vena cava, the aorta, the left or right atrial appendage) in order to position the working end of the catheter adjacent to the pulmonary veins.
Precise placement of the ablating elements on the epicardial surface is critical to the efficacy of PV isolation and mitral isthmus ablations. The anatomic relationship of tissues other than the heart is also a very important consideration. For example, due to the proximity of the esophagus to the posterior left atrium of the heart, great care must be taken to prevent damage to the esophagus during an ablation procedure, as atrioesophageal fistulas have been reported as a complication following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Reliance on non-visual locating devices, however, requires a very high degree of physician skill and experience, and may hinder such precise placement.

St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.


An improved gas riser comprises a pipe nipple, casing, adaptor sleeve, tube, and stiffener. The adaptor sleeve features an internal stop which accurately positions an end of the plastic tube before the tube is plastically deformed into grooves in an internal surface of the adaptor sleeve. Each of the first and second ends of the adaptor sleeve can be manufactured in different diameters to fit pipe nipples and casings that are required by different code regulations. The method of assembling the gas riser comprises inserting a first end of the adaptor sleeve into a second end of a pipe nipple, inserting a second end of the adaptor sleeve into a first end of the casing, welding the second end of the pipe nipple and the first end of the casing to the adaptor sleeve, inserting a stiffener into a tube end, inserting the tube end into the adaptor sleeve, pulling a mandrel through the assembly which plastically deforms the stiffener and forms a seal by urging the tube into grooves on an interior surface of the adaptor sleeve.

This application is directed to an apparatus and method for conducting pressurized fluid from a source of supply to a delivery point through a metal-to-plastic transition fitting. More particularly, this invention relates to a gas riser which is used to deliver natural gas from a main to a point of use through plastic and metal conduits, tubes or pipes, as well as a method of assembling such a gas riser.
Conventional gas risers comprise a metal casing or pipe at one end and a plastic pipe or tube at the other end. The metal pipe is typically connected to a delivery member such as a gas meter manifold at a location above ground. The plastic tube, on the other hand, is connected to an underground service line which is oftentimes a plastic pipe construction. The metal pipe and plastic tube are joined together at a transition joint. For example in a double walled riser, an outer metal pipe is provided at locations above ground and surrounds the inner plastic tube. The transition between the plastic tube and metal pipe in the gas riser includes a seal, examples of such structures including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,987,820 and 4,482,170.
Different city and state government codes have their own requirements regarding gas riser constructions. These codes require different wall thicknesses and seal constructions so that a gas riser manufacturer must provide a wide variety of structural arrangements. From an assembly standpoint, this requires a large amount of customized manufacturing in order to meet the different code requirements. Therefore, it has been deemed desirable to provide a gas riser structural arrangement that is easily adapted to various code requirements.
Still other prior art gas riser arrangements provide alternative plastic-to-metal transition joints. Some of these arrangements, though, are deemed to be more difficult to assemble or omit more desired features since the plastic necessitates such an arrangement. For example, it is often desired to provide an epoxy coating on the outer metal casing for corrosion protection. Preferably, the entire length of the outer casing of the gas riser would be coated with the epoxy in a single process step. This would provide an end-to-end epoxy coated outer metal casing that is less subject to corrosion problems, as opposed to other coated casings that apply the epoxy in multiple steps.
Moreover, a preferred method of applying the epoxy coating to the metal casing uses elevated temperatures that could adversely affect any elastomer seal or plastic pipe that may be contained in the casing if necessary precautions or design alterations are not undertaken to protect the elastomer seal or plastic tube. Therefore, it is preferred to complete the assembly of the gas riser outer casing in its entirety, including epoxy coating, from end to end and be able to subsequently install the plastic and elastomeric components.
In a similar vein, the outer metal casing is usually a multipart structure in which the metal components of the casing are joined together. For example, a major portion of the outer casing can be provided by a metal tube or conduit. It is then adapted to receive various size pipe fittings or nipples at an upper, terminal end for connection to a gas meter manifold. A preferred manner of connecting the pipe fitting and the remainder of the metal casing is to weld the two components together. Because of the potential for elevated temperatures associated with the welding operation adversely affecting any plastic or elastomeric component, the metal-to-plastic joint transition is preferably at an area spaced from the weld region. Alternatively, other arrangements can be made to protect the plastic/elastomer members from the high temperature.
If, on the other hand, the outer metal casing is completely assembled end-to-end and epoxy coated, it has heretofore been deemed unworkable to subsequently install the inner plastic tube and assure a proper metal-to-plastic sealed connection. The subject invention is deemed to meet these needs and others in a simple, economical manner.


Devices, instruments, assemblies, and systems for holding and inserting staples and staples for compressing bones or bone fragments. The staple insertion assembly including a staple holder and a staple. The staple holder including a first and second end with a gripping portion at the first end, at least one slot extending from second end toward first end, and a receiving portion at the second end. The receiving portion with at least one staple contact portion, a first recessed region positioned adjacent to the at least one staple contact portion on a first side and a second recessed region positioned adjacent to the at least one staple contact portion on a second side, and a first engagement member positioned adjacent to the first recessed region and a second engagement member positioned adjacent to the second recessed region. Methods for using the assemblies to compress bones or bone fragments are also disclosed.

Surgical staples are used to treat angular deformations, fractures particularly with respect to the extremities, subluxation, dislocation, arthritis, or other issues that may occur with regard to bones of the human body. The staples are attached to respective bones or bone fragments to fuse the bones or bone fragments together while exerting a compressive force on them. Staples are advantageous over other fusion techniques such as plates, for example, in view of their compactness and flexibility.

Surgical staple and instrument for holding and implanting the surgical staple


The invention relates to a rotary piston pump comprising a housing with a housing interior, an inlet opening, and an outlet opening; a first rotary piston which is mounted within the housing interior in a rotational manner about a first rotational axis; and a second rotary piston which is mounted within the housing interior in a rotational manner about a second rotational axis. The first rotary piston and the second rotary piston engage into each other in a region between the first and the second axis and displace liquid. The first rotary piston has a frame assembly which comprises multiple mutually spaced plates and is at least partly filled and enveloped with a polymer material.

Rotary piston pumps are conveying devices for fluids which are used substantially for liquids of low or high viscosity. Here, rotary piston pumps operate in accordance with the principle whereby two oppositely rotating rotary pistons rotate about two mutually spaced-apart, parallel axes and, in so doing, engage into one another such that in each case one rotary piston lobe of one rotary piston engages into a rotary piston depression between two rotary piston lobes of the other piston. In this way, the liquid in the central region between the two axes is displaced by the mutual engagement action and, in the two outer circumferential regions outside the two axes of rotation, is conveyed from the inlet to the outlet opening in conveying chambers which are formed by the rotary piston depressions when the two rotary piston lobes, or the rotary piston lobe tips thereof, situated to either side of said rotary piston depression seal against the housing wall.
Here, rotary piston pumps may be equipped with rotary pistons which have two, three or more rotary piston lobes.
In one specific application, rotary piston pumps are used to convey particle-laden liquids. A problem in the conveyance of particle-laden liquids is the high level of wear that is caused to various pump components. Rotary piston pumps are fundamentally better suited than other pump designs to conveying particle-laden liquids, but, here, are also subject to, in some cases, high levels of wear.
This wear is caused by particles which either become trapped between the rotary pistons or trapped between the outer ends of the rotary piston lobes and the housing wall and thereby cause indentations or grinding marks in the surfaces of the housing wall or of the rotary pistons.
According to the prior art, rotary pistons are produced from a metal and, here, are manufactured with such fit accuracy that efficient conveyance is possible with low leakage rates. It is known for rotary pistons to be equipped with a superficial rubber layer in order to counteract wear effects during the conveyance of particle-laden liquids. The effect on which this measure is based lies in the fact that the rotary pistons, owing to the rubber layer, are, to a limited extent, suitable for enabling particles that become trapped between the rotary pistons or between the rotary piston lobe and housing wall to penetrate, by way of brief elastic or plastic deformation, into their rubberized surface without suffering permanent or severe damage in the process. In this way, the formation of deep indentations, wear marks, and other wear effects can be prevented, and the wear characteristics of rotary piston pumps in the conveyance of particle-laden liquids can be improved.
Rotary pistons of such design, however, have various problematic effects. Firstly, during the operation of such rotary piston pumps, it has been observed that the rubber layer detaches and can break away from the rotary piston, particularly if liquids with sharp-edged or large particles are conveyed and these particles have penetrated multiple times into the rubber layer of the rotary piston. By means of such relatively small- or large-area instances of delamination of the rubber layer, it is firstly the case that the protective effect of the rubber layer is locally reduced or eliminated entirely, and secondly, the pump efficiency is reduced, because the desired sealing action between the rotary pistons and between rotary pistons and housing wall is no longer reliably achieved. Owing to the manufacturing-induced shrinkage of a rubber layer on a rotary piston, a high degree of precision and fit accuracy of the rotary pistons is achieved in particular with a thin rubber coating which exhibits shrinkage which is reliably manageable from a manufacturing aspect. It has, however, been observed that the problem of the delamination of the rubber layer can be positively influenced by increasing the thickness of the rubber layer. There is, therefore, an optimization problem in the sense that, although the wear resistance with respect to delamination effects can be increased by increasing the thickness of the rubber layer, this, however, simultaneously reduces the manageability of the manufacturing accuracy, and thus either the reject rate in the manufacture of rotary pistons is increased or the precision of the fit accuracy of rotary pistons is reduced, which results in a reduction in conveying efficiency.

Rotary piston pump with a piston formed by a plurality of plates filled with polymer material


A method for managing care of a person receiving emergency cardiac is disclosed and involves monitoring, with an external defibrillator, multiple parameters of the person receiving emergency cardiac assistance; determining from at least one of the parameters, an indication of trans-thoracic impedance of the person receiving emergency cardiac care; determining, from at least one of the parameters corresponding to an electrocardiogram of the person receiving emergency cardiac assistance, an initial indication of likely shock effectiveness; determining, as a function of at least the indication of trans-thoracic impedance and the initial indication of likely shock effectiveness, an indication of whether a shock provided to the person receiving emergency medical assistance will be effective; and affecting control of the defibrillator by a caregiver as a result of determining the indication of whether a shock will be effective.

Heart attacks are a common cause of death. A heart attack occurs when a portion of the heart tissue loses circulation and becomes damaged as a result (e.g., because of blockage in the heart vasculature). Heart attacks and other abnormalities can lead to ventricular fibrillation, which is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that causes the heart to lose pumping capacity. If such a problem is not corrected quickly—typically within minutes—the rest of the body loses oxygen and the person dies. Therefore, prompt care of person undergoing ventricular fibrillation can be key to a positive outcome for such a person.
One common way to treat ventricular fibrillation is through the use of an electrical defibrillator that delivers a relatively high voltage shock to the heart in order to get it back into a normal pattern and a consistent, strong beat. People who have had previous problems may be implanted with an automatic defibrillator that constantly monitors the condition of their heart and applies a shock when necessary. Other such people may be provided with a wearable defibrillator in the form of a vest such as the LIFEVEST product from ZOLL Medical Corporation. Other people may be treated using an external defibrillator, such as in a hospital or via an automatic external defibrillator (AED) of the kind that is frequently seen in airports public gymnasiums and other public spaces.
People undergoing ventricular fibrillation may be more receptive to a defibrillating shock in some instances compared to others. For example, research has determined that a computation of amplitude spectrum area (AMSA) from an electrocardiogram (ECG) may indicate whether a shock that is delivered to a person will like cause defibrillation to occur or will instead likely fail. Naturally then, it is best to apply a shock when an AMSA value indicates that the shock will succeed, as opposed to when it indicates that the shock will fail.

Determination for effective defibrillation


A process for an induction culture of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte having cell killing activities against a tumor cell which comprises the step of coculturing a tumor tissue containing said tumor cell and a lymphocyte of autologous peripheral blood obtained from a subject from which the tumor tissue is derived. The process is convenient since no separation and pure culture of tumor cells is required. The resulting cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells are useful for clinical treatments of tumors, e.g. adoptive immunotherapies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for an induction culture of T lymphocytes having killing activity against tumor cells. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process for cultivation by which T lymphocytes that have cell killing activities against specific tumor cells derived from a tumor patient can be extracorporeally induced and proliferated.
2. Related Art
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (hereinafter in the specification, "cytotoxic T lymphocyte" may sometimes be referred to as "CTL") have been known as lymphocytes capable of specifically killing tumor cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes may be induced and proliferated from mononuclear cell fractions. The cells have extremely high specificity against tumor cells in such a manner that they, even after induction and proliferation, only attack the tumor cells used as a target for CTL induction culture, and that they can never attack other tumor cells.
For induction cultures where CTLs are induced and proliferated by using mononuclear cell fractions from peripheral blood, purely cultured established tumor cell lines or tumor cells separated from a tissue and cultured under conditions of quasi-pure culture have been so far used as the target (target cells). However, there is a problem that tumor cells obtained by using an extirpated human tumor tissue or organ as a starting material may possibly be contaminated with tissue cells other than tumor cells, and that pure cultures are not always available.
Furthermore, there is another problem that purely cultured tumor cells can hardly be established as tumor cell lines unless they are artificially immortalized by, e.g. a treatment using genetic engineering techniques, and that most of tumor cells lose proliferating abilities in subcultures. Moreover, even where a surgically extirpated tumor tissue material is used that obviously contains living tumor cells, it is sometimes observed that the tumor cells cannot be suitable to in vitro culture conditions and die in a few days after the beginning of primary culture. For these reasons, induction cultures of CTLs can not be easily obtained where the establishments of tumor cell line or the primary cultures of tumor cells are difficult. Accordingly, processes are desired by which CTLs can be reliably induced using tumor tissues.

Process for induction culture of cytotoxic T lymphocytes having killing activity against tumor cells

The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research


An image forming apparatus includes an photoconductive drum, a charger, an exposing device, a developing device and a transferring device. A photo-sensor is disposed around the photoconductive drum. The photo-sensor senses the intensity of the reflected light from the surface of the photoconductive drum and the reflected light from the reference toner image formed on the photoconductive drum. The intensity of the emitted light from photo-sensor is changed corresponding to a continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. Therefore, the intensity is compensated in response to the continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. As a result, accurate toner density is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting developing ability of an image forming apparatus.
2. Discussion of Background
It is necessary for a conventional image forming apparatus to detect its own developing ability precisely. In order to detect developing ability of the image forming apparatus, intensity (A) of reflected light from the surface of an image bearing member, such as a photoconductive member or an intermediate transfer belt, and intensity (B) of reflected light from a reference toner image are detected by a photo-sensor. A ratio of intensities A and B is calculated (i.e. ratio=A/B), and the calculated ratio is compared to a reference value. As a result of this ratio calculation, a developing ability, such as toner adhering quantity on the image bearing member, is detected. In order to maintain a good image quality, image processing devices of the image forming apparatus, such as a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, etc. are controlled in response to the calculated ratio (i.e., developing ability).
Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 04-60567 discloses a toner density control device in which a light-emitting device, such as a light-emitting diode, emits light only when the reflected light from the surface of the photoconductive drum is detected in order to extend the life of the light-emitting device and to prevent fatigue of the photoconductive member. The intensity of light of the light-emitting device varies corresponding to the continuous lighting time of the light-emitting diode. Namely, the intensity of light of the light-emitting diode decreases after the intensity of light reaches a maximum, since internal resistant value increases corresponding to an increase of internal temperature of the light-emitting diode. As a result, a detecting voltage of the toner pattern varies in response to the continuous lighting time of the light-emitting diode even if the density of the toner pattern is the same.

Apparatus and method for detecting developing ability of an image forming apparatus


The present invention application provides a bathtub. On the bathtub wall are fixed ultrasonic transmitters, and an ultrasonic transducer drive circuit is electrically connected to ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic transmitters further include an ultrasonic divergent structure which, after reflecting and scattering the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transducers, transmits the same into the bathtub (e.g., into the water of the tub).

The present application relates to a bathtub. Some bathtubs include ultrasonic generators which emit ultrasonic waves that cause the fluid in the bathtub to vibrate. This fluid vibration may be transmitted to the skin or muscles of a person in the bathtub, producing health benefits such as those associated with massage. It is challenging and difficult to direct ultrasonic waves throughout the bathtub in an effective manner.


A simple sleeve internally threaded at one end, closed at its other end and provided with a Zerk fitting opening therethrough is provided and may be threadedly engaged over the externally threaded outer end of the tubular spindle of one of the front wheels of a four wheel drive vehicle interiorly of the wheel mounting hub and exteriorly of the hub retaining nuts after the removal of the usual selectively engagable and disengagable drive connection assembly structure mounted within the hub exteriorly of the hub bearing adjusting nuts. The sleeve may be utilized to forcibly inject grease inwardly between the drive axle and the interior of the spindle for greasing the inner axle bearings at the inner end of the tubular spindle and expressing contaminants including moisture and dirt from the spindle bearings through the usual grease seals associated with the spindle bearings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool by which lubrication grease may be forced inwardly between the drive axle and the tubular spindle of a front drive wheel inwardly along the drive axle and spindle for lubricating the bearings journaling the inner end of the drive axle from the interior of the spindle, independent of removal of the wheel hub journaled on the exterior of the tubular spindle and in a manner requiring only the relatively ready removal of the selectively engagable and disengagable drive connection assembly means between the splined outer end of the drive axle and the inner splines of the hub outwardly of the axial load adjusting nuts for the hub bearings and merely by threading one open end of the sleeve over the threaded outer end of the spindle and forcing lubrication grease through the other end of the sleeve.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of apparatuses heretofore have been provided for greasing wheel and hub bearings independent of complete disassembly thereof. Examples of these previously known devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,058,185, 4,106,816, 4,932,499 and 5,109,955. However, these previously known devices do not include the combination of structure of the instant invention wherein the inner needle bearings of the front wheel of a four wheel drive vehicle disposed between the inner end of the driving axle and the inner end of the tubular spindle may be lubricated in a manner which will also be effective to express dirt and moisture therefrom through the associated seal.


A bracket is attached to the mounting board of a taxidermy work piece both to facilitate attachment and detachment of the work piece from an adjustable taxidermy stand by an individual, and also to later support the work piece on a building wall. The bracket includes co-planar attachment flanges with screw holes for attachment to a rear surface of the mounting board, a second flange spaced from the plane and that defines a shaped aperture for engaging a wall hook to hold the mounting board on a building wall for display, and a third flange extending downward from the second flange to form a recess to engage a top edge of the plate on the taxidermy stand. A related method is also illustrated, the method including temporarily supporting the work piece on the taxidermy stand until additional fasteners can be placed.

The present invention relates to a hanger system and method useful in the taxidermy industry to assist in the process of preparing animals and animal parts/heads/skins for display. The term "animals" is intended to include fish, reptiles, and other living things.
The art of taxidermy (i.e., preparing, stuffing, and mounting skins, heads, horns, parts of animals) takes considerable time, effort, and skill, and there are numerous steps in the process. It is not uncommon for a taxidermist to work on a work piece (e.g., animal skin/head/horns/parts and mounting board), and then leave the work piece for a while (e.g., to let it dry or set, or until the taxidermist is ready for a next step in the process). Adjustable holding stands help considerably, because they allow the work piece to be manipulated to a best position for doing work. However, taxidermists usually have a limited number of stands. As a result, the work piece is repeatedly put on the stand for work, and then taken off the stand and set aside while the taxidermist works on another work piece. The process of repeated attachment/detachment can be a problem since taxidermists often work alone (and/or a second person is not immediately available), and it is difficult to both hold the work piece and operate a screw driver to attach it to the adjustable stand.
By way of example, the shape of a deer's head begins with a foam support supported by a mounting board such as plywood. In one known method of attachment, the mounting board is attached to a holding stand by multiple screws that securely connect the mounting board to a plate on the adjustable holding stand. The animal's skin/head/horns are placed on, arranged, and fixed to the model support during various steps. The work piece must at all times be securely held so that it does not fall or become damaged while attaching or detaching the skin/head/horns to the adjustable stand. The difficulty in attachment/detachment is both because of bulkiness as well as weight (i.e., deer heads and antlers are often 20+ pounds, while larger game such as an African Kudu antelope can have a head weighing 75+ pounds). Further, since most taxidermists work alone, it is inconvenient to get assistance every time a work piece must be removed and a new one attached to the stand. I personally have experienced the difficulties of supporting a work piece while trying to secure it to an adjustable stand. It has been a problem for years, and I do not see anyone satisfactorily solving this problem.
There is a long felt need for a device and system that allows a taxidermist to detach and/or reattach a work piece (including an animal skin and/or head and/or foam-model and/or mounting board) to an adjustable stand without assistance, and specifically without the need to have a second person help in the attachment/detachment process. Further, a device and system is needed that is non-complex, that does not result in multiple additional parts and pieces, and that does not result in the use of expensive parts and pieces.