The present invention provides methods and kits for predicting recurrence of tumor or cancer in a mammal by calculating the ratio of the amount of Survivin to the amount of pro-apoptosis factor (PAF) in a physiological sample.

Pediatric renal tumors account for about six percent of all childhood cancers in the United States. (1) The survival rate of pediatric patients with kidney tumors varies according to the respective pathology. Wilms' tumor has a good prognosis, with about an 80% cure rate; Clear Cell Sarcoma (CCS) of the kidney has a fair prognosis with about a 60% cure rate; whereas Rhabdoid tumors (RTK) of the kidney has a poor prognosis, with a cure rate of only about 10%. Despite this association, it is not uncommon to find that the behavior of a specific tumor is disparate with its pathologic diagnosis. Unfortunately, there are no recognized biologic markers (except for clinical stage and tumor type) for predicting prognosis or for guiding treatment, follow-up and counseling of pediatric patients with renal tumors.
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is the process by which activated cells undergo a suicide program that results in individual cell death. (2) It is a highly orchestrated process where cells die in a regulated fashion. Aberration in the process of apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of certain tumors. (3) It has been shown that pro-apoptotic receptors were expressed at greater levels in Wilms' tumors of good prognosis, compared to CCS or RTK. (4) Surprisingly, no association was found with anti-apoptotic factors like Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL and prognosis.
An excess of apoptosis inhibitors could protect dividing cells from dying, and thus contribute to tumorigenicity. A related family of Inhibitors of Apoptosis proteins (IAP) has been described in many species and these proteins block apoptosis by direct inhibition of downstream effector caspases in the pathway of cell death. (5,6) A novel member of the IAP gene family designated Survivin was recently described and shown to be associated with tumors of poor prognosis. (7-10) Survivin is selectively expressed in tissues during development but not in terminally differentiated mature tissue and is also expressed in several pediatric renal tumors tested. (11) Survivin appears to block default induction of apoptosis during mitosis, and when over expressed in cancer cells, Survivin may permit aberrant proliferation through mitosis.
Currently, for many types of tumors there are no available markers specific for the tumor type. Thus, for these tumor types, treatment cannot be specifically guided nor can prognosis be predicted. Therefore, there is an ongoing need for methods and kits to predict recurrent tumor growth, in particular solid tumors and hematologic cancers. Such an indicator would be helpful not only for guiding the patient as to outcome, but also for selecting treatment groups as well as follow-up during treatment of disease.


A cleaning composition is provided. The cleaning composition includes at least one polyamino-polycarboxylic acid or at least one salt thereof, at least one solvent, at least one substituted or non-substituted phenethylamine and water. The solvent is selected from a group consisting of glycols.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cleaning composition. Particularly, the present invention relates to a cleaning composition and a cleaning method using such cleaning composition for semiconductor manufacturing processes.
2. Related Art
Among the very-large-scale integration (VLSI) processes, the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process can accomplish global planarization of the wafer surface. Particularly, when the semiconductor manufacturing processes progress into sub-micron field, the chemical mechanical polishing technology turns out to be an indispensable technology.
One important item of all the measurement items for measuring the effectiveness of the CMP process is the presence or absence of defects. Defects of the chemical mechanical polishing process include organic residues, small particles, micro-scratches and corrosion. For example, if the contaminants such as residues or smear, which are formed on the polishing pad or wafer after polishing, can not be completely removed during the cleaning step, the performance of the polishing pad will decay, thereby impairing the consistency of the film removal rate and also affecting the electrical performance of elements.
In the prior art, the cleaning solution having, for example, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) was used to remove the contaminants on the wafer surface. However, tetramethylammonium hydroxide is toxic and potentially dangerous for manual operation. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a cleaning fluid that is safe for operation and is capable of removing residual contamination on the wafer surface while maintaining the flatness of the wafer surface.

Cleaning composition and cleaning method using the same


measuring sensor, in particular for determining the oxygen content in the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, includes a sensor element which is axially arranged in a metallic housing and which is contacted by at least one connecting cable, which is brought axially out of the housing, through a support sleeve member, and which has a cable insulation, a reference atmosphere for the sensor element being introducible into the housing, and the cable insulation, at the surface area, having, at least in certain regions, at least one gas-permeable section, such that the reference atmosphere arrives inside the cable insulation and, from there, in the housing. The gas-permeable region of the cable insulation is directly contiguous to the cable-output end of the support-sleeve member and sheathed there by a porous tube of gas-permeable PTFE material, while allowing for a radial clearance between the porous PTFE tube and the gas-permeable section of the cable insulation.

The present invention relates to a measuring sensor, in particular for determining the oxygen content in the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, having a sensor element which is axially arranged in a metallic housing and which is contacted by at least one connecting cable, which is brought axially out of the housing, through a support sleeve member, and which has a cable insulation, a reference atmosphere for the sensor element being introducible into the housing, and the cable insulation, at the surface area, having, at least in certain regions, at least one gas-permeable section, such that the reference atmosphere arrives inside the cable insulation and, from there, in the housing.
A measuring sensor or a xcex-probe is known from German Patent No. 196 31 501. In the known measuring sensor, the connecting cable insulation is at least somewhat porous over a certain section. The openings placed in the connecting cable insulation are covered by an additional porous PTFE film, to protect them from external contamination. This forms a continuous air-exchange channel between the measuring sensor and the external air. This design approach is relatively economical, since it does not necessitate any additional outlay with respect to the number of components used. However, adhering precisely to a defined porosity is difficult.
From other xcex-probes, one knows of design approaches where Gore-Tex (porous PTFE film, which is permeable to air, but is impermeable to water and oil, and is fabricated using a special process of the firm Gore) is used directly at the cable output of the measuring sensor. These known design approaches require a relatively substantial outlay for design integration, but hardly provide protection from contamination caused by street dirt, oil, undersea coatings, inter alia, and, moreover, they limit the maximum thermal loading capacity at the cable output of the probe.
An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring sensor, in particular a measuring sensor suited for use as a xcex-probe, having a xe2x80x9cventilation sectionxe2x80x9d situated at a relatively cold location of the measuring sensor, and which will make it possible to minimize changes in porosity caused by temperature variations and external contamination.
By providing for the gas-permeable region of the cable insulation to be directly contiguous to the cable-output end of the support-sleeve member and to be sheathed there by a porous tube of gas-permeable PTFE material, while allowing for a radial clearance between the porous PTFE tube and the gas-permeable section of the cable insulation, the present invention not only ensures an optimal ingress of air, i.e. ingress of reference atmosphere to the inside the cable insulation, but also facilitates integration of the porous tube of gas-permeable PTFE material, using relatively simple means, at this relatively cold end of the measuring sensor.
To ensure the radial clearance between the porous PTFE tube and the cable insulation, an inner collet (clamp-type sleeve) is situated between the cable insulation and the porous PTFE tube, and surrounds the cable insulation with radial clearance. This collet has at least one transverse bore in the gas-permeable section of the cable insulation, thereby ensuring free admission of air to the gas-permeable section of the cable insulation.
At this point, the porous PTFE tube is preferably attached to the support-sleeve member and to the inner collet by providing an outer collet surrounding the support-sleeve member and the inner collet with rounded, tamped-out sections at an axial distance, to form a keyed connection (using form locking) between the porous PTFE tube and the cable-output end of the support-sleeve member. These rounded, tamped-out sections of the outer collet define a radial bulge of a specific length, ensuring a free supply of air to a defined length of the porous PTFE tube. In the bulge region, the outer collet has at least one transverse bore which is able to be aligned with the transverse bore in the inner collet. A preformed PTFE tube which protects the cable from breakage and the influences of temperature can be simply integrated at the probe outlet in that the tamped-out section at the cable-output end of the outer collet wedges the preformed PTFE tube radially between the porous PTFE tube and the inner collet.
To provide further protection from external contamination, the xe2x80x9cventilated sectionxe2x80x9d, i.e. the bulge of the outer collet, is able to be sheathed by a silicon-coated, woven-glass tube, which covers the transverse bore or transverse bores in the outer collet, protecting it/them from external contamination. This likewise minimizes any change in the porosity properties of the ventilated section over the service life of the measuring sensor.
Gore-Tex, which, as already mentioned, is fabricated from a porous PTFE film, using a special process of the firm Gore, is preferably used for the porous PTFE tube, as it is permeable to air, but is impermeable to water and oil. One can select the appropriate Gore-Tex quality to adapt the breathability to the requirements of the measuring sensor, within a broad range and with minimal divergence. Thus, for example, contaminant residues resulting from the manufacturing process are able to be easily eliminated using porous membranes, a smaller porosity being advantageous in the case of a more serious risk of contamination, for example from gasoline, engine cleaners, and the like. The inner and outer collets can preferably be made of metal, in particular of stainless steel, and the support-sleeve member of silicon material.

Lambda probe having a preformed, ventilated tube


A system and method for providing location information associated with a location owner to location consumers. A location server includes an owner profile for controlling access to the owner's location information. The owner profile contains information describing a user-defined geographic area. In response to a location consumer requesting the location owner's location information, the location server obtains data describing a current location of the location owner. The server determines if the current location falls within a set of boundaries that defines the user-defined geographic area. If the current location falls within a set of boundaries that defines the user-defined geographic area, the location server transmits the location information to the requesting location consumer.

In an information age, remaining connected to information at all times is extremely important. People use many devices and services to stay connected to information and to other people, such as cell phones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers. A by-product of this connectivity is the tremendous amount of personal information that is generated, or known, concerning each 'user.' This personal information covers a broad spectrum of categories, such as credit information, phone numbers, and addresses to name just a few.
Personal information, in general, is becoming more and more valuable. In order to be more effective with their marketing efforts, merchants are willing to pay large amounts of money to find out very personalized information about individuals. On the other hand, personal information is also extremely important to control. For many important personal reasons, individuals generally do not want their personal information disclosed, including information the service providers possess. However, individuals may be willing to allow some personal information to be distributed to others, including merchants, if the individuals can control the type and amount of information distributed, and possibly receive some value in exchange for that information. For example, a person may be willing disclose his or her whereabouts in exchange for valuable opportunities, such as a special sale or discount with a merchant.
One area of personal information that is increasingly useful, important, and valuable is a person's physical location. Automated guidance and global location services depend upon identifying a person's, or a thing's, location. Fleet management can greatly benefit from monitoring the physical location of a fleet of vehicles. Merchants make use of a person's location, offering specials to those who are in a certain area. As mentioned above, some merchants are willing to pay for such information. Alternatively, it may be nice to locate one's friends in order to determine a convenient gathering location. As can be seen, there are many times that it is advantageous for a person to disclose the person's physical location.
Many devices or services are capable of generating or collecting location information. For example, wireless telephone services are able to locate a person by sensing the presence of a person's wireless telephone in a particular coverage area, or cell. Similarly, a wireless network service is able to locate a person by sensing the presence of the person's computing device with a range of wireless gateways, such as an IEEE 802.11(b) or Bluetooth enabled network. In both of these examples, the service senses the location of a broadcasting device and therefore knows that the device is within a certain area. In another embodiment, global positioning system ("GPS") devices utilize geo-synchronous satellite signals to calculate a person's position, which can be displayed to the person.
Electronic calendars and e-mail applications can also generate location information. For example, a person may enter an appointment in an electronic calendar that specifies location information. Additionally, an email message may include statements such as, "I'm at work," that corresponds to location information. Clearly, there are many ways which devices, or services, or both, can generate information about a person's location.
Although there are a number of ways to obtain location information, most location information generating systems are closed, meaning that the location information is used only within the system, if the location information is used at all. For example, wireless devices typically use location information to obtain wireless service. Current location information is displayed by a GPS device to the person operating the device. Both of these closed location information generating system examples are not well-suited to allow a "located" person to exploit the value of that location information by providing it to others outside of the system. In general, typical location information generating systems do not allow a "located" person to distribute the location information to third parties, and/or permit the "located" person to control the distribution of the location information to the third parties.
Rather than a single device or service, a person may be associated with multiple sources of location information. For example, a person may have a wireless telephone, a computing device running an electronic calendar and e-mail, and a GPS device. All of these devices and services are able to generate location information for that person with differing degrees of accuracy. However, in the past, no mechanism for collecting and/or processing the various sources of location information to provide a person's location information when a request for the persons location is made.
In addition to the above-described shortcomings, most existing location information generating systems do not provide individuals with adequate resources for controlling the way third-party entities access the individual's location information. For example, when a location owner provides access to their location information, the location information may be indiscriminately received by any person, computer, or third-party entity having access to the system. As a result, most existing location information generating systems cannot readily meet the privacy needs of location information owners.
Existing systems that allow uncontrolled access to an owner's location information also present other disadvantages. For instance, uncontrolled access of an owner's location information does not allow the owner to provide different types of access to different recipients of the location information. In addition, uncontrolled access of an owner's location information does not allow the owner to automatically restrict others from receiving their location information by the use of other criteria. A need for such restriction capabilities may arise in a number of situations where a location owner has different reasons for sharing his or her location information with different individuals. For example, an employee may only want to share his or her location information with other colleagues if he or she is located near the employer's building. However, at the same time, the same employee may want to share his or her location information with family members regardless of his or her current location. To date, existing systems fail to provide location owners with the ability to restrict different individuals from accessing the owner's location information based on his or her current location.
What is needed is an improved location information generating system that provides controlled access to a person's location information. More specifically, there is a need for a location information generating system that allows a location owner to control the way different individuals access to the owner's location information depending on the current location of the location owner.

System and method for controlling access to location information


An optoelectronic module having a carrier element, at least one semiconductor component for emitting or detecting electromagnetic radiation, said semiconductor component being applied on the carrier element and being electrically conductively connected and having a radiation coupling area, and also at least one optical device assigned to the semiconductor component. A connecting layer made of a radiation-transmissive, deformable material is arranged between the radiation coupling area and the optical device, the optical device and the semiconductor component being fixed relative to one another in such a way that they are pressed against one another and that the connecting layer is thereby squeezed in such a way that it generates a force that strives to press the optical device and the radiation coupling area apart.

In many applications with semiconductor components for emitting or detecting electromagnetic radiation, additional optical devices are used for shaping said electromagnetic radiation. Significant losses of radiation intensity often occur in this case on account of reflections between the semiconductor component and the optical device. This relates in particular to reflections at interfaces between the semiconductor component and the optical device.
In order to avoid such reflections to the greatest possible extent, it is important for the optical device to be optically connected as well as possible to the semiconductor component, for which purpose it is necessary to avoid in particular large jumps in refractive index along the beam path. It is known to use gels having a correspondingly adapted refractive index for this purpose, said gels filling interspaces between the semiconductor component and the optical device along the beam path.
One disadvantage when using such gels is that a special manufacturing technology using a special metering installation is necessary for the application of a gel, which causes a significant additional technical effort. Moreover, gels can easily be deformed irreversibly and are thus suitable only to a limited extent for many non-static applications wherein mechanical strain on the component such as vibrations may occur.

Optoelectronic module, and method for the production thereof


Coating compositions comprised of a film forming polymer which is the reaction product of (a) a compound containing pendant and/or terminal hydroxyl or epoxy functional groups and (b) citric acid or citric acid anhydride. The coating compositions have enhanced adhesion to galvanized and galvanealed steel substrates without the use of a chrome containing wash primer.

The present invention relates to curable coating compositions, and more particularly to low or ambient temperature curable coating compositions.
In the area of automotive refinish, repairing a defect in the original coating can involve sanding or grinding out the defect by mechanical means, or completely stripping the whole part or the whole vehicle of its original coating layers. This sanding or grinding process typically results in the exposure of bare metal which is then coated with a coating composition, usually a primer composition.
The automotive industry has, from the mid 1980's, been producing automobiles in which the major body panels are made of steel which has an outer surface treated with a zinc containing material. Typically the steel used is galvanized or galvanealed steel. Adhesion of coating compositions to these zinc coated steels may be poor. In some situations, chrome containing wash primers are used prior to the primer application to try to improve adhesion to these substrates. This incorporates an added step in the painting-process and utilizes chrome containing coatings which are not environmentally desirable. It would thus be desirable to have coating compositions that exhibit enhanced adhesion to substrates such as galvanized and galvanealed steel and would eliminate the need for chrome containing wash primers.

Coating compositions with citric acid containing polymers for enhanced adhesion to substrates

Washington Township, Westmoveland County


In order to simplify the construction and to reduce the size of a contact arrangement (1) comprising at least one outer contact piece (3) and at least one inner contact piece (5) which are guided towards each other such that they can be displaced in a longitudinal manner, also comprising a roller-type contact (2) provided with contact rollers (7), arranged for electrically conductive connection between the inner contact piece (5) and the outer contact piece (3), the or at least one outer contact piece (3) comprises a recess (4) with a concave cross-sectional defining wall, wherein the rolling contact is at least partially arranged (2) for the transfer of current. The invention also relates to a roller-type contact (2) for one such contact arrangement.

A contact arrangement and such a roller-type contact are disclosed in the German utility model G 93 00 421.4. The roller-type contact known to date has contact rollers which are arranged at both ends of a contact bolt, which can move in its longitudinal direction, between two stationary contact bolts, each contact roller resting with two frustoconical rolling bodies on the one hand against the moveable contact bolt and on the other hand against one of the stationary contact bolts. In order to guide the moveable contact bolt such that it can move in the longitudinal direction, the rolling bodies are arranged such that they can rotate freely on a rotation axis which has two end flanges at its ends. Furthermore, two prestressed helical springs are provided which are supported on the one hand on the end flanges and on the other hand on the rolling bodies, which produces a pressure force for the rolling bodies on the contact bolts which is required for making the contact. The rolling bodies are produced from an electrically conductive material, which means that the contact bolts are electrically connected to one another. The contact arrangement known to date comprises the contact pieces and the contact rollers arranged in pairs.
The contact arrangement known to date has the disadvantage that indispensable, additional shielding elements are required to shield the contact point between the roller-type contact and the contact bolt in respect of the wear which takes places as well as for safety reasons. This makes the design of power electronics modules more expensive and results in complex assemblies.

Contact arrangement with contact pieces guided towards each other and are displaced in a longitudinal manner and a roller-type contacts for making contact in one such contact arrangement


A method for controlling a refrigerator having a variable speed compressor and at least two compartments (FR, FZ) cooled to respective temperatures and comprising sensor devices (TR, TZ) for generating control signal responsive to cooling demands of the respective compartments comprises the step of providing the control system with a signal indicative of the total cooling demand on the basis of the sum of each compartment cooling demand, such signal being used to drive the variable speed compressor according to said total cooling demand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a multiple cooling compartment refrigerator, preferably of the type having a variable capacity compressor or a refrigerant flow rate control valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
A kind of refrigerator having a great success in the domestic appliance market is the one having a fridge and a freezer unit in a cabinet with a single compressor. This success is due on one side to versatility of such solution (two compartments at different temperatures, two doors) and on the other side to the lower price of such refrigerator that has a single compressor and a single refrigeration circuit, if compared to a dual compressor refrigerator.
The drawback of this technical solution is a not easy independent control of temperatures in the fridge compartment and in the freezer compartment.
The temperature control of a freezer compartment (FZ) or a refrigerator compartment (FR) is generally obtained, in case of an appliance having electronic control circuit and in case of use of a variable cooling capacity compressor, by adjusting the compressor cooling capacity on the basis of the temperature error parameter. Another way of controlling temperatures of refrigerator compartments is to adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant delivered to the evaporator by means of a flow rate control valve, or to adjust the cooling-air flow delivered to compartments through a movable damper. The classical control logic is PID based, meaning that the Proportional, Integrative and Derivative parts of the temperature error variable are taken in consideration in the negative feedback system to adjust the output variable up to obtain the needed temperature. The attached FIG. 1 shows a case in which the PID negative feedback control system is used to control the temperature of a single compartment refrigerator. The input of the PID control block is the Temperature Error (difference between the target temperature and the actual one) and the output is directly converted in cooling capacity request. The sensed temperature can be either the temperature inside the compartment or the temperature of one or more predetermined zones of the evaporator. A dedicated inverter will receive the cooling capacity request signal as input and will have the task to drive the compressor keeping under control the cooling capacity (such compressor being either of the type having a variable speed or of the type with a variable displacement, i.e. the so-called linear compressor).
In case of multiple compartments and a single compressor available, the control of the temperatures becomes more critical. One of the known solution for a dual compartment refrigerator, disclosed in EP-A-859208, comprises two temperature sensors, one in the refrigeration chamber forming part of the control circuit made to stop and start the compressor, the other in the freezing chamber forming part of the control circuit made to control the speed of the compressor.
FIG. 2 shows the condition according to another solution in which the control operates in a case of a dual compartment refrigerator. The two blocks "FR_Controller" and "FZ_Controller" can be two PID-like controllers and each of them computes the "Cooling Capacity Request" to be provided to the compressor, necessary for controlling the temperature of the respective compartment refrigerator (FR) or freezer (FZ). The "Cooling Compartment Management" is a control block used to establish the direction and/or the flow rate of the refrigerant, or in case of a refrigerator cooled by cooling air (typical the case of so-called side-by-side refrigerator), the position of a damper which splits the air flow between the freezer and the fresh food compartments. In the above first case, the "V" device is a valve receiving the command and delivering totally or partially the refrigerant across the refrigerator evaporator and/or the freezer evaporator. Ideally, the controller has multiple control tasks: firstly the controller has to keep the temperatures set by the user and, secondly, the controller has to be able to efficiently drive the compressor and the valve V to keep the energy consumption as low as possible. However, in case of independent controls (as shown in FIG. 2) the solution may be very complicated or even impossible if the energy consumption has to be kept low.

Method for controlling a multiple cooling compartment refrigerator, and refrigerator using such method


An image processing apparatus includes a probability value calculator that calculates, based on color feature data of a pixel included in an image, respective probabilities that the pixel belongs to a specific area and a non-specific area; a weighted edge intensity calculator that calculates a weighted edge intensity between neighboring pixels based on pixel values and color feature data of the pixel included in the image and a neighboring pixel of the pixel; an energy function creator that uses the probabilities and the weighted edge intensity to create an energy function expressed by a result of an area determination of the pixel; and an area divider that divides the image into the plurality of areas based on the energy function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which divides an image into a plurality of areas, an image processing method, and a computer-readable recording device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an endoscope has been widely used as a medical observation device which is inserted to an inside of a body of a subject such as a patient and allows non-invasive observation of an inside of a lumen. In recent years, a swallowable endoscope (capsule endoscope) which houses an imaging device, a communication device, and the like in an inside of a capsule-shaped casing and wirelessly transmits image data captured by the imaging device to an outside of the body has also been used.
An observation of and a diagnosis on the images obtained by the medical observation device are difficult tasks requiring a lot of experiences and efforts. Especially, since the number of successive images (intraluminal images) obtained in one examination becomes huge (not less than several tens of thousands of images) in the case of a capsule endoscope, a burden imposed on a doctor who makes a diagnosis is heavy. Therefore, medical diagnosis supporting functions which assist a diagnosis by a doctor have been desired. As one of such functions, an image recognition technique in which an abnormal site and the like are automatically detected from intraluminal images and an image which needs to be intensively diagnosed is indicated has been proposed.
By the way, it is of significance, as a preprocessing in detecting an abnormal site and the like by the image recognition, to eliminate an area which captures a residue and the like and is unnecessary for the observation and to extract a mucus membrane area. As a technique concerning an area division (segmentation) of an image, a method of extracting a segment having a predetermined feature based on color information and edge information in each of pixels constituting an image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-172224, for example. More specifically, a predetermined segment is extracted by obtaining an energy function based on a probability indicating that pixel data shows a color in a predetermined segment and based on a relation between pixel data of pixels adjacent to each other (whether or not an edge is present between neighboring pixels) and minimizing the energy function in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-172224.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable recording device


Current interactive voice response (IVR) systems only allow customers to interact with a company's database using a telephone keypad or by speech recognition. Such IVR systems require a customer to listen to and remember instructions or options presented by the IVR system. The instructions may be complicated, or there may be many options. An embodiment of the present invention enhances an IVR system by composing visual representations of states of the IVR system to display to the customer and enabling the customer to interact with the IVR via the visual representations. The use of the visual representations enables a user to interact with the IVR in a simplified and more expedient manner in part because a linear set of options is presented in a randomly-accessible list or tree structure format.

Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology that allows a computer or machine to interact with humans through the use of voice and dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) keypad inputs.
In telecommunications, IVR systems allow customers to interact with a company's database via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following an IVR dialogue. In addition, IVR systems can respond with a prerecorded or dynamically generated audio to direct users further on how to navigate through the IVR system.
IVR systems can be applied to control almost any function where transactions can be broken down into a series of simple interactions. Further, IVR systems that are deployed in a communications network are sized to handle large call volumes.
IVR systems are typically used to service high call volumes, reduce cost, and improve the customer experience. Examples of typical IVR applications are telephone banking, televoting, and credit card services. Companies also use IVR services to extend their business hours to 24/7 operation.
The use of IVR and voice automation enables a company to improve its customer service and lower its costs, due to the fact that callers' queries can be resolved without the need for queuing and incurring the cost of a live agent who, in turn, can be directed to deal with more demanding areas of the service. If the caller does not find the information needed, or requires further assistance, the call can then be transferred to an agent. This makes for a more efficient system in which agents have more time to deal with complex interactions: for example, customer retention, up-selling, cross-selling, and issue resolution. This way, the customer is more likely to be satisfied with a personalized service, and the interaction is likely to be more fulfilling and rewarding for the agent, as opposed to dealing with basic inquiries that require yes/no responses, such as obtaining customer details.
Call centers use IVR systems to identify and segment callers. The ability to identify customers allows services to be tailored according to the customer profile. The caller can be given the option to wait in the queue, choose an automated service, or request a callback (at a suitable time and telephone number). The system may obtain caller line identification (CLI) data from the network to help identify or authenticate the caller. Additional caller authentication data may also include account number, personal information, password and biometrics (such as a voice print).
When an IVR system answers multiple phone numbers, the use of dial number identification service (DNIS) ensures that the correct application and language is executed. A single, large, IVR system can handle calls for thousands of applications, each with its own phone numbers and script.
Generally, two main varieties of speech recognition are used in IVR: (i) those based upon predefined grammars (used in "directed" dialogues), and (ii) those based on statistically trained language models (used in "natural language" dialogues). Directed dialogues prompt the caller with specific questions or options. Natural language dialogues employ open questions (e.g., "How can I help you?"), are more conversational, and can interpret free-form responses.
Other technologies include using Text-To-Speech (TTS) to speak complex and dynamic information, such as e-mails, news reports or weather information. TTS is computer generated synthesized speech that is no longer a robotic voice traditionally associated with computers. Real voices create the speech in fragments that are spliced together (concatenated) and smoothened before being played to the caller.

Method and apparatus for enhancing an interactive voice response (IVR) system


A method of forming an interface between components having different rates of volumetric expansion includes forming an interface surface of the interface with respect to a center of growth such that slippage occurs at the interface between the components during volumetric expansion.

During the past several years, the popularity and viability of fuel cells for producing both large and small amounts of electricity has increased significantly. Fuel cells conduct an electrochemical reaction with reactants such as hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and heat. Fuel cells are similar to batteries, except that fuel cells can be "recharged" while providing power. In addition, fuel cells are cleaner than other sources of power, such as devices that combust hydrocarbons.
Fuel cells provide a DC (direct current) voltage that may be used to power almost any electrical device, including motors, lights, computers, etc. A typical fuel cell includes an electrolyte disposed between two electrodes: an anode and a cathode. There are several different types of fuel cells, each using a different chemistry. Fuel cells are usually classified by the type of electrolyte used. For example, fuel cells are generally categorized into one of five groups: proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells (AFC), phosphoric-acid fuel cells (PAFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC).
While all fuel cells have some desirable features, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have a number of distinct advantages over other fuel cell types. Some advantages of SOFCs include reduced problems with electrolyte management, increased efficiencies over other fuel cell types (SOFCs are up to 60% efficient), higher tolerance to fuel impurities, and the possible use of internal reforming or direct utilization of hydrocarbon fuels to produce, for example, hydrogen and methane.
Most SOFCs include an electrolyte made of a solid-state material such as a fast oxygen ion conducting ceramic. In order to provide adequate ionic conductivity in the electrolyte, SOFCs typically operate in the 500 to 1000 C temperature range. As noted above, the electrolyte is disposed between two electrodes: an anode and a cathode. An oxidant such as air is fed to the cathode that supplies oxygen ions to the electrolyte. A fuel such as hydrogen or methane is fed to the anode where the fuel reacts with oxygen ions transported through the electrolyte. This reaction produces electrons, which are then delivered to an external circuit as useful power.
Throughout the operation of an SOFC, the fuel cell is often cycled between room temperature and its full operating temperature. This thermal cycling causes the housing materials to contract and expand according to their coefficients of thermal expansion. This expansion and contraction introduces thermal stresses that may be transferred through the seals and other structural components directly to the ceramic cell. These thermal stresses effectively reduce the service life of an SOFC by compromising the seals or breaking the structurally brittle ceramic cells. Some designs have attempted to minimize the thermal stresses introduced by thermal cycling by the use of compliant members such as springs. However, such springs have a tendency to stress relieve at elevated temperature. To avoid this stress relief, super alloys are often used. These super alloys are expensive and thereby limit the applicability of fuel cell systems that make use of them.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Method of forming an interface between components having different rates of expansion

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An organic light emitting diode display device can include a display panel in which data lines and gate lines intersect each other; an image processing circuit converting a first digital image data including a plurality of color digital data into any one of a second digital image data including the plurality of color digital data and a first white digital data and a third digital image data including a plurality of color conversion digital data that converts the plurality of color digital data and a second white digital data according to whether the first digital image data is included in a first gray scale region or a second gray scale region which is higher than the first gray scale region; and a data driving circuit converting the second digital image data into data voltages and supplying the data voltages to the data lines.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode display device and a method for driving the same.
2. Related Art
In accordance with the advancement of an information-oriented society, a demand for a displaying device for displaying an image has increased in various types. Accordingly, a flat panel display (FPD) device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) has been recently used. Among these flat panel display devices, the OLED is driven at a low voltage and has a thin type, an excellent viewing angle, and a fast response speed.
The OLED includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form. Each pixel includes a scan thin film transistor (TFT) supplying a data voltage to a data line in response to a scan signal from a scan line and a driving TFT controlling an amount of current that is supplied to the OLED according to the data voltage supplied to a gate electrode. In detail, the driving TFT controls the amount of current flowing in the OLED from a high potential voltage supplied to the each of the pixels, thereby making it possible to control an amount of emission of the OLED.
Recently, each of the pixels of the OLED display device includes a white subpixel in addition to a red subpixel, a green subpixel, and a blue subpixel. In case of the white subpixel, since the color filter is not required, the white subpixel has a higher transmissivity than the red subpixel, the green subpixel, and the blue subpixel. Therefore, the OLED display device including the white subpixel may reduce a red light, a green light, and a blue light output from the red subpixel, the green subpixel, and the blue subpixel, respectively, due to a white light output from the white subpixel, thereby making it possible to significantly reduce power consumption.
However, when the OLED display device including the white subpixel displays a digital video data for a low gray scale region, even if the white light is finely adjusted, a color distortion is easily generated due to an intensity of the white light output from the white subpixel. As a result, the OLED display device including the white subpixel has a difficulty in uniformly maintaining a color temperature for all gray scale. When the digital video data of 8 bits is input to the OLED display device, the gray scale may be represented by a value ranging from 0 to 255. In this case, the low gray scale region indicates a black gray scale region having a value ranging from 0 to 63.

Organic light emitting diode display device and method for driving the same


A current sensor includes a magnetic detector and a first soft magnetic body. The magnetic detector is configured to be subjected to a magnetic flux that is to be generated when a current flows through a conductor along a first axis direction, the magnetic flux being in a second axis direction. The first soft magnetic body includes a first portion, a second portion disposed between the conductor and the first portion, and a third portion magnetically coupling the first portion and the second portion to each other. The first soft magnetic body is spaced from both of the conductor and the magnetic detector, with the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion surrounding the magnetic detector along a first plane orthogonal to the second axis direction.

The technology relates to a current sensor, and an electric control apparatus including the current sensor.
Current sensors have been used in vehicles including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) to measure an amount of remaining power of a battery, to measure a drive current of a motor, or to serve as an electric control device for a converter or an inverter. Some current sensors are known to include a magnetic sensor including a magnetic detection element configured to detect a magnetic field generated by a current flowing through a conductor such as a bus bar. Such current sensors may include, for example, a magnetoresistive effect element such as an anisotropic magnetoresistive effect (AMR) element, a giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR) element, or a tunneling magnetoresistive effect (TMR) element, or the magnetic detection element such as a Hall element. The current sensors are configured to detect the current flowing through the conductor such as the bus bar in a contactless manner by using the magnetoresistive effect element or the magnetic detection element.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2019-078542 discloses a current sensor including a ring-shaped magnetic core having a gap, and a magnetic sensor including a magnetic detection element disposed in the gap. The current sensor disclosed in JP-A No. 2019-078542 is able to concentrate a magnetic flux generated from a conductor onto the magnetic core and to apply the magnetic flux concentrated by the magnetic core to the magnetic detection element disposed in the gap.

Current sensor, and electric control apparatus including the current sensor


A method includes forming at least two fins of a fin field effect transistor (finFET) on a substrate and forming an insulator layer on the at least two fins. A portion of the insulator layer at a top of a first fin of the at least two fins is removed and a sacrificial layer is formed in a top end of the first fin. The method includes etching the sacrificial layer to remove the sacrificial layer to form the first fin having a different fin height than a second fin of the at least two fins.

The present invention relates to fin formation in fin field-effect transistors (finFETs), and more specifically, to forming fins of differing heights in finFETs.
Field-effect transistors (FETs) generate an electric field, by a gate structure, to control the conductivity of a channel between source and drain structures in a semiconductor substrate. The source and drain structures may be formed by doping the semiconductor substrate, a channel region may extend between the source and the drain on the semiconductor substrate and the gate may be formed on the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions.
Dimensions of finFET devices may be limited by various design considerations including available geographical space in a circuit for the finFET device and required ratios of various devices in the circuit. For example, in a static random access memory (SRAM) device, pull-up and pull-down devices must have widths (corresponding to heights in finFET devices) of predetermined ratios with respect to each other. However, the device width for a finFET device is determined by the number of fins multiplied by a fin height. Since the number of fins may be limited due to constraints on the size of the finFET circuit, the device width ratio may be limited for fins with only height.
Typically, different device widths are obtained by using different numbers of fins in different finFETs. In some designs, it is desirable to change an active area of the fins to increase performance of the finFET. For example, in a static random access memory (SRAM) design, a p-type FET (PFET) having a smaller active area is desired to obtain a weaker PFET, which increases device stability. However, since typical PFET designs use only one fin, the number of fins may not be reduced to decrease the active area of the fins.

Formation of fins having different heights in fin field effect transistors

International Business Machines Corporation


A color image recognition apparatus capable of judging whether an original is monochromatic or color comprises an image reader for rapidly scanning the original to develop image data and a color display coordinate system for converting the image data to luminance data and color difference data. A pixel color judging unit judges the color of each pixel based upon the luminance data and the color difference data, and a block color judging unit compares the number of color pixels with the number of black pixels contained in each of the plurality of blocks of pixels. An original color judging unit then counts the number of color blocks in the original to judge the color of the original.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a copying machine, and more particularly to a color image recognition apparatus capable of judging whether an original is a monochromatic one or a color one based on image data which is obtained by reading the original.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, in color image recording apparatus, especially full color duplicating machines, since full color copies are expensive, such a mode selection is carried out that image data on an original are read out during a prescanning operation, a judgement is made whether the prescanned original is color or not based on the read image data, and a decision is made whether a color copying operation should be performed or not in response to the result of judgement.
To carry out the discrimination of color of the original, it has been proposed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 249365/1990 that, the original is divided into a plurality of blocks each including 3.times.3 pixels for instance so that each of the block is subjected to judgement whether the block is of chromatic or monochromatic(achromatic), and then it is judged according to a ratio of the number of monochromatic blocks to the total number of pixels whether the original is of chromatic or not. Also, there has been proposed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 144566/1990 that color discrimination is carried out for each pixel in white, achromatic color and chromatic color to thereby judge whether an original is of chromatic or monochromatic, and then color data concerning a color original is discriminated based on the result of judgement.
However, the above described conventional systems are disadvantageous in that the color image recognition processing is complicated resulting in making the hardware arrangement thereof complex and in prolonging the processing period of time. Further, there may occur difficulties that it is difficult to distinguish among colors having low chroma, and more specifically it is difficult to discriminate blackish colors such as dark brown. Furthermore, there may occur another difficulty to perform color discrimination with high accuracy in case of an area to be subjected to the color discrimination being relatively small.

Image recognition apparatus for judging between monochromic and color originals


This invention relates to PAI-2 and its expression as a recombinant molecule in eukaryotic cell lines as a glycosylated secreted molecule, to the constructs expressing it, to host cells expressing it, to compositions comprising it, to methods of treatment, prophylaxis and diagnosis using it and to antibodies raised against it. The invention also provides a 414 amino acid form of PAI-2 wherein the N-terminal methionine residue is deleted, a 60 kD glycosylated secreted recombinant form of PAI-2 and compositions and methods using these molecules. The invention further relates to a novel synthetic signal peptide.

Plasminogen activator (PA) inhibitor Type 2 (PAI-2) is one of four immunologically distinct groups of PA inhibitors. PA inhibitors are members of the serpin gene family.
PAI-2, also termed minactivin, has been purified from the human monocytic cell line U937 (International Patent Application PCT/AU85/00191 published as W086/01212 and PCT/AU87/00068 published as W087/05628). It has also been detected in pregnancy plasma and in the conditioned medium of several human cells including peripheral blood monocutes, HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells and HEp3 laryngeal carcinoma cells.
Distinct molecular weight species of PAI-2 have been identified:
A 46 kD form is non-glycosylated and primarily cell associated. This form has been found in lysates of U937 cells and purified from the conditioned medium of phorbol ester (PMA) stimulated U937 cells (International Patent Application No. PCT/AU87/00068).
A 60 kD glycosylated form has been found to be secreted by U937 cells (Genton et al., 1987) as well as being present in the maternal plasma of pregnant women (Lecander and Astedt, 1986).
The non-glycosylated 46kD intracellular form accounts for 80-90% of PAI-2 synthesized in U937 (Genton et al., 1987) and HT1080 cells (Medcalf et al., 1988)
Examination of the primary amino acid sequence of PAI-2 reveals that the molecule lacks the characteristic transient signal peptide usually found at the amino (NH.sub.2)-terminus of secreted proteins. Although the NH.sub.2 - terminus of the purified 46 kD form of PAI-2 from U937 cells has not been determined, apparently because it is blocked (Kruithof et al, 1986), the NH.sub.2 - terminus of the 60 kD glycosylated version has been reported to be the initiator methionine (residue 1, Ye et al., 1988). This implies that secretion occurs without cleavage of a signal peptide from PAI-2. The mode of translocation of PAI-2 through the cell is not understood, however an internal signal has been proposed (Ye et al., 1988).
As is the case with most potent biologically active proteins, PAI-2 is produced in very small amounts in vivo and as such is difficult to purify and characterise by conventional biochemical approaches. The recent cloning of the gene for PAI-2 and its expression in bacterial cells (International Patent Application No. PCT/AU87/00068) now allows the production of significant quantities of purifed 46 kD PAI-2 which is needed to evaluate its biological efficacy in clinical applications. However this bacterial material is not glycosylated, nor modified post-translationally in a manner analogous to that secreted by human cells. Therefore it is desirable to produce glycosylated forms of PAI-2 using transfected mammalian cells, since the two forms of PAI-2 may differ in their biological activities e.g. binding affinity for urokinase, PA specificity, immunogenicity, in vivo half-life etc.
The native PAI-2 gene has previously been expressed in a number of heterologous mammalian expression systems (International Patent Application No. PCT/AU87/00068). Although PAI-2 is synthesized in these systems, expression levels are low, and the majority of the product (approx. 90%) is non-glycosylated and intracellular. PAI-2 produced in this form is a suitable molecule for prophylactic, therapeutic and/or diagnostic uses but its use is limited by the quantities obtainable and limited glycosylation. It is still desirable to be able to attain efficient secretion, of the 60 kD glycosylated molecule, in order to be able to use the molecule for prophylactic, therapeutic and/or diagnostic purposes on a clinical scale.
In addition to expression of PAI-2 in mammalian cells (International Patent Application No. PCT/AU87/00068), workers have attempted to secrete the 60 kD form of PAI-2. A Swedish group has attempted to secrete PAI-2 from transfected CHO cells but could not detect any secretion of 60 kD PAI-2 (Ny et al, 1988, Ny et al, 1989). A Swiss group attempted the secretion of PAI-2 using transfected WISH cells but likewise found that most of the PAI-2 material was of the intracellular form. Although some high molecular weight material was found in the culture medium, it was not demonstrated that the material was glycosylated (Belin, D., Wohlwend, A., and Vassalli, J. D. (1989); Belin, D., Wohlwend, A., Schleuning, W-D, Kruithof, E. K. O. and Vassalli, J. D. (1989)). The material may have been partially glycosylated because the mobility was different from U937 high molecular weight PAI-2.
Previous studies have shown that the addition of a heterologous hydrophobic signal domain to the NH.sub.2 - terminus of a cytoplasmic protein may result in certain circumstances in the translocation of the cytoplasmic protein across the endoplasmic reticulum (Hiebert and Lamb, 1988). Translocation across the ER is the first step along the secretory pathway. The nature of the heterologous signal peptide (e.g. whether or not it is cleaved from the protein) and the inherent properties of the cytoplasmic protein (e.g. the presence of other transport or membrane retention signals) then determine whether the chimeric protein is secreted, anchored to a cellular membrane or degraded.
Because of the complexity of the secretion mechanisms it is not possible to convert in a predictable manner a cytoplasmic non-glycosylated molecule into a secreted, glycosylated molecule. Even if by the addition of a signal sequence a cytoplasmic molecule is secreted, the processing (i.e. cleavage) of the added signal sequence may occur at different unpredictable locations.
Transient NH.sub.2 - terminal signal sequences found on most secreted proteins are identified by three distinct regions--a basic N-terminal region which may contain charged residues, a central hydrophobic core and a C-terminal region containing the signal peptidase recognition site.
There is no consensus sequence for signal peptidase recognition although von Heijne (1986) has developed rules that take account of many of the known cleavage sites. The application of these rules, however, does not necessarily allow the prediction of cleavage sites when they are applied to cytoplasmic molecules bearing heterologous signal sequences.

Polynucleotide constructs for secreted glycosylated plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2)


An oscillator circuit that generates an oscillation signal is provided. The oscillator circuit includes an oscillator that generates the oscillation signal based on positive feedback of a signal, a synchronization signal generating section that generates a compulsory synchronization signal having an edge that (i) crosses a zero cross point at an ideal timing of an edge of the oscillation signal every predetermined number of cycles of the oscillation signal and (ii) has a gradient in the same direction as the edge of the oscillation signal, and a combining section that injects the compulsory synchronization signal into a positive feedback path of the oscillator.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an oscillator circuit that generates an oscillation signal and a test apparatus that tests an electronic device.
2. Related Art
A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit is conventionally known as a circuit for generating an oscillation signal. According to the PLL circuit, a reference signal and an oscillation signal generated by a voltage controlled oscillator are compared with each other in terms of phase, and the frequency of the oscillation signal generated by the voltage controlled oscillator is controlled based on the result of the comparison. The frequency of the oscillation signal is equal to an integral multiple of the frequency of the reference signal, and is controlled at the timing of each edge of the reference signal so that the oscillation signal is synchronized to the reference signal. The voltage controlled oscillator of the PLL circuit is typically formed by using a ring oscillator circuit, an LC resonator circuit or the like.
As mentioned above, the voltage controlled oscillator, which is configured by using a ring oscillator circuit or LC resonator circuit, generates an oscillation signal based on positive feedback or the like. This poses a problem that a phase noise attributed to the voltage controlled oscillator is gradually accumulated. To be specific, since the oscillation signal is compared to the reference signal in terms of phase, the mean value of the phase of each cycle of the oscillation signal is synchronized to that of the reference signal, but the phase jitter component of each cycle is accumulated. For example, the amplitude of the phase jitter component gradually increases with the mean value of the phase of each cycle of the oscillation signal being positioned in the middle.
In view of the above, an advantage of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide an oscillator circuit and a test apparatus that can solve the above-described problem. This advantage is achieved by combining the features recited in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further effective specific example of the present invention.


A method is provided for forming a microelectronic package at a wafer level. Such method can include providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface with a pattern of electrical contacts thereon. An interposer component can be provided which has a compliant dielectric layer bonded to a conductive layer. A pattern of holes can be formed through the compliant dielectric layer and the conductive layer which corresponds to the pattern of electrical contacts. The compliant dielectric layer can be contacted with the semiconductor wafer surface so that the pattern of holes is in an aligned position with the pattern of contacts and the compliant dielectric layer and the semiconductor wafer surface then bonded in the aligned position to unite the semiconductor wafer and the interposer component to form a wafer level semiconductor package. The wafer level semiconductor package can be diced to form individual semiconductor chip packages.

The subject matter of the present application relates to microelectronic assemblies and methods for making microelectronic packages and assemblies at a wafer level.
Microelectronic devices such as semiconductor chips typically require many input and output connections to other electronic components. The input and output contacts of a semiconductor chip or other comparable device are generally disposed in grid-like patterns that substantially cover a surface of the device (commonly referred to as an "area array") or in elongated rows which may extend parallel to and adjacent each edge of the device's front surface, or in the center of the front surface. Typically, devices such as chips must be physically mounted on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, and the contacts of the device must be electrically connected to electrically conductive features of the circuit board.
Semiconductor chips are commonly provided in packages that facilitate handling of the chip during manufacture and during mounting of the chip on an external substrate such as a circuit board or other circuit panel. For example, many semiconductor chips are provided in packages suitable for surface mounting. Numerous packages of this general type have been proposed for various applications. Most commonly, such packages include a dielectric element, commonly referred to as a "chip carrier" with terminals formed as plated or etched metallic structures on the dielectric. These terminals typically are connected to the contacts of the chip itself by features such as thin traces extending along the chip carrier itself or by fine leads or wires extending between the contacts of the chip and the terminals or traces.
The dielectric substrate utilized in such a package can be made from a material such as a polyimide or other polymeric sheet. Although the thickness of the dielectric substrate will vary with the application, the dielectric substrate most typically is about 10 μm-100 μm thick. The terminals and conductive traces may be formed on the sheet from any electrically conductive material, but most typically are formed from copper, copper alloys, gold or combinations of these materials. The thickness of the traces will also vary with the application, but typically is about 5 μm-25 μm.
In a surface mounting operation, the package is placed onto a circuit board so that each terminal on the package is aligned with a corresponding contact pad on the circuit board. Solder or other bonding material is provided between the terminals and the contact pads. The package can be permanently bonded in place by heating the assembly so as to melt or "reflow" the solder or otherwise activate the bonding material.
Many packages include solder masses in the form of solder balls, typically about 0.1 mm and about 0.8 mm (5 and 30 mils) in diameter, attached to the terminals of the package. A package having an array of solder balls projecting from its bottom surface is commonly referred to as a ball grid array or "BGA" package. Other packages, referred to as land grid array or "LGA" packages are secured to the substrate by thin layers or lands formed from solder. Packages of this type can be quite compact. Certain packages, commonly referred to as "chip scale packages," occupy an area of the circuit board equal to, or only slightly larger than, the area of the device incorporated in the package. This is advantageous in that it reduces the overall size of the assembly and permits the use of short interconnections between various devices on the substrate, which in turn limits signal propagation time between devices and thus facilitates operation of the assembly at high speeds.
Microelectronic devices such as semiconductor chips normally are made by processing a large body of material, commonly referred to as a "wafer", to form features such as electronic circuits in numerous regions of the wafer and then severing of "dicing" the wafer to yield individual devices. Microelectronic packages also include wafer level packages. In manufacture of a wafer-level package, the wafer is subjected to a number of additional process steps to form the package structure and the wafer is subsequently diced to free the individual chips. Wafer level package processing provides an advantage in that the cost of the packaging processes is divided among the various chips on the wafer. Testing of individual chips poses another formidable problem with respect to individual handling and interfacing of the test equipment with the relatively delicate unpackaged chips. Wafer level package processing facilitates wafer level testing.
Assemblies including packages can suffer from stresses imposed by differential thermal expansion and contraction of the device and the substrate. During operation, as well as during manufacture, a semiconductor chip tends to expand and contract by an amount different from the amount of expansion and contraction of a circuit board. Where the terminals of the package are fixed relative to the chip or other device, such as by using solder, these effects tend to cause the terminals to move relative to the contact pads on the circuit board. This can impose stresses in the solder that connects the terminals to the contact pads on the circuit board. As disclosed in certain embodiments of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,679,977; 5,148,266; 5,148,265; 5,455,390; and 5,518,964, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, semiconductor chip packages can have terminals that are movable with respect to the chip or other device incorporated in the package. Such movement can compensate to an appreciable degree for differential expansion and contraction.
Certain embodiments disclosed in the aforementioned patents contemplate fabrication of the package structures in a wafer-level process. However, even further improvements would be desirable.


In a pixel clock creation method and device, a high frequency clock is created. A scanning time needed to scan a predetermined scanning length is detected in accuracy of half a period of the high frequency clock to output a detection value indicating the detected scanning time. The detection value and a predetermined target value are compared to output a comparison result. A phase data is created based on the comparison result. A pixel clock whose phase is controlled based on both the high frequency clock and the phase data is created.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to pixel clock creation and phase control widely used in image forming apparatuses including laser printers and digital copiers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pixel clock creation method and device which realize highly precise phase control of the pixel clock, an optical scanning device and an image forming apparatus equipped with the pixel clock creation device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 43 shows the composition of the image forming apparatus, such as laser printer, digital copier etc.
As shown in FIG. 43, the scanning of the laser light which is emitted from the semiconductor laser 501 is carried out by the polygon mirror 502 which is rotated. The laser light from the polygon mirror 502 is focused through the scanning lens 503 and forms the optical spot on the photoconductor 504 which is the scanned medium. The photoconductor 504 is exposed to the laser light so that the electrostatic latent image is formed.
At this time, the photodetection unit 505 detects the scanning light for every scanning line, and the phase lock circuit 509 creates the image clock (pixel clock) with the phase synchronized for every scanning line, based on the clock of the clock creation circuit 508 and the output signal of the photodetector 505. The phase lock circuit 509 supplies the pixel clock to each of the image-processing unit 506 and the laser drive circuit 507.
The image-processing unit 506 creates the image data on the basis of the pixel clock supplied from the phase lock circuit 509, and outputs the image data to the laser drive circuit 507.
The laser drive circuit 507 controls the emission time of the semiconductor laser 501 in accordance with the image clock with the phase locked by the phase lock circuit 509 for every scanning line and in accordance with the image data created by the image-processing unit 506.
In the above-mentioned scanning optical system, the variations of the distance from the rotation axis of the deflection reflection surface of the deflector, such as the polygon scanner may occur, and the variations may cause the irregularities of the scanning speed of the optical spot (the scanning beam) which optically scans the surface of the photoconductor.
The scanning-speed irregularities may cause fluctuations of the reproduced image, and the image quality will be degraded. Thus, if a high-quality image is demanded, it is necessary to correct such scanning irregularities.
Furthermore, in the case of the multi-beam optical system, when there is a difference in the oscillation wavelength of each of the light sources and the chromatic aberration of the scanning lens is not corrected in the optical system, the deviation of the exposure position occurs. The difference of the scanning width arises for each of the light sources when the spot corresponding to each source of luminescence scans the surface of the scanned medium, and such difference may cause the degradation of image quality. To avoid this, it is necessary to correct the scannng width.
The conventional technology for correcting the scanning irregularities is, for example, the method of changing the frequency of the image clock based on the predetermined characteristics of the scanning optical system, so that the optical spot position along the scanning line is controlled (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-167081 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-228415).
Moreover, by detecting the first horizontal sync signal and the second horizontal sync signal corresponding to the starting point terminal point, and carrying out calculation of the number of the clocks for every line, with two photodetectors installed in the both ends of the photoconductor as other technology, it asks for scanning speed and the method of controlling the rotational speed of the polygon mirror by the motor is learned.
It becomes complicated constituting of the image clock control unit the conventional technology (this being called frequency modulation method) of changing the frequency of the image clock.
Moreover, this complexity increases as frequency modulation width becomes minute.
For this reason, there is the problem that fine control cannot be performed, by the conventional frequency modulation method.
Moreover, by the method of controlling the rotary motor of the deflector like the polygon mirror, the limit is in the control accuracy. That is, as a factor which generates scanning irregularities, the rotation jitter of the deflector, expansion and contraction of the scanning lens by temperature change, etc. exist.
Therefore, even if it is the optical beam deflected by the same deviation reflection surface, it is difficult to cancel scanning irregularities, and by the method of controlling the rotary motor of the deflector, the limit is in the control accuracy.

Pixel clock creation method, pixel clock creation device, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus


A method for designing a connector between a first and a second element of a dental restoration, such as a connector between coping and coping, or coping and pontic, or pontic and pontic of a bridge, which is characterized by the steps of computing a (first) model of the first element and a (second) model of the second element, defining a connecting straight line between the first model and the second model, computing edge curves (γ0, γ4) on the first model and the second model, whereby the edge curves are defined by origins of surface normal vectors of the models, which satisfy boundary conditions relative to the connecting line, computing offset curves (γ1, γ3) on the first model and the second model from the first edge curves, and connecting the first edge curves and the offset curves of the first model and of the second model and computing the connector on the basis of the course of the connection between the curves.

The invention relates to a method for designing a connector between a first and a second element of a dental restoration, such as a connector between a cap (coping hereinafter) and a coping, or a coping and an intermediate element (pontic hereinafter), or a pontic and a pontic of a bridge.
Dental restorations are increasingly produced using CAD/CAM processes. For this, physical models of stumps are scanned and the distribution of measured points subsequently is used to compute models, which are then used in the manufacturing of the dental prosthesis. In this regard, we refer to WO-A-99/47065 and WO-A-03/07834 as examples.
With regard to copings, the respective methods yield extremely satisfactory results. However, the production of connectors poses problems. Thus, state of the art connectors are characterized by quasi-standardized geometries, which consist of tubular sections that are rounded at the ends to be connected to the copings or pontics. If using a hob cutter for this, the ends can be blocked out in order to remove edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,743 discloses a method for designing dental prostheses such as bridges and crowns. Here, the particular data of a set of teeth is recorded and taken into account when selecting one of a number of stored bridge elements for the dental prosthesis.
A method for fitting a digital set of 3D data of a dental prosthesis element to neighbouring teeth is known from DE-A-10 2005 009 873 (=WO-A-2006/077267), whereby a contact area to the adjacent teeth is defined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,203 describes a method for manipulating a computer-controllable 3D model with ideal geometry to match actual conditions.


An electronic control device is provided with a hydraulic control block made of an aluminum alloy, a synthetic-resin component holder configured to hold electronic components such as a pressure sensor, and a printed board for controlling driving of hydraulic control apparatus via the component holder. Electrode terminals of the pressure sensor are connected to the printed board, a terminal configuration part of an electroconductive member, which is inserted into an insertion hole of a body wall of the component holder, is connected to a negative electrode wiring of the printed board, and the outer end edge of an elastic contact part of the electroconductive member is brought into elastic-contact with the hydraulic control block, to establish conduction therebetween. Hence, the electric potential difference between the pressure sensor and the hydraulic control block can be canceled, thus reducing an electrical noise of the pressure sensor.

A conventional electronic control device for use in a controlled system, for example a vehicle anti-lock brake system (ABS), has been disclosed in the following Patent document 1.
The conventional electronic control device has a hydraulic control block installed on a vehicle body and made of an aluminum alloy material, a resin-made component holder mounted on the upper end of the hydraulic control block and configured to hold many electronic components, a printed board fixedly connected to the upper end of the component holder, and a cover member configured to cover the component holder and the printed board.
The conventional electronic control device is also configured to control electrically-powered apparatus, such as an electric motor, pressure-increasing valves and pressure-reducing valves, held in the hydraulic control block, through the use of a variety of electronic components of the printed board and the component holder in conjunction with a detection signal from a pressure sensor for detecting a hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic passage of the hydraulic control block, depending on the brake operation force of the vehicle.


Components, for example, nanoparticles for detecting and/or treating one or more active carious lesions or microcavities in teeth of a subject are provided. The component or nanoparticle may comprise a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer (e.g., a starch) bearing at least one cationic region and/or having a net positive charge and thereby capable of associating with one or more active and/or early carious lesions on a tooth in an oral cavity of a subject. The components or nanoparticles are optionally water soluble or dispersible. The components or nanoparticle also comprises an imaging agent (e.g., a fluorophore or dye) bonded to the biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. The component or nanoparticle is thus capable of indicating the presence of one or more active carious lesions when the component or nanoparticle is associated therewith. Oral care compositions comprising such compounds/nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Dental caries is the most common disease in dental health worldwide. In the United States, more than 90% of adults have experienced dental caries in their permanent teeth. Approximately 36% of the world's population has active caries. Furthermore, with developing countries gaining access to high sugar diets, the incidence of dental caries is likely to increase.
Dental cavities form when bacteria in the dental biofilm on the surface of teeth ferment sugars and produce acids which demineralize dentin and/or enamel. Early decalcification is indicated by white spot lesions forming on the surface enamel. These lesions, also called "microcavities" or incipient carious lesions, are reversible by a process called remineralizaton, which uses calcium and phosphorous in the saliva and is aided by the presence of fluoride in drinking water and toothpaste. However, if decalcification continues, irreversible cavitation occurs requiring a dental procedure to stop the decalcification.
Early forming caries are still reversible with improved oral hygiene, but are difficult to diagnose, and tactile methods can potentially cause permanent damage to teeth. For example, early stage caries (a white spot lesion) is reversible with improved oral hygiene and fluoride application; however demineralization weakens the tooth, leading to cavitation, which requires dental restoration. Thus, diagnosing and treating early carious lesions can reduce the need for more involved and expensive dental treatments. However, diagnosis of white spot lesions is challenging, as presentation is highly variable.
Primarily, caries diagnosis is carried out optically and tactically with a dental mirror and explorer, but optical detection can be difficult and tactile probing of carious lesions may accelerate cavitation. X-ray images of the teeth are routinely taken to identify cavities, particularly for regions in between teeth (interproximal caries). This method can clearly identify advanced cavity progression for dental treatment, but suffers from several limitations. First, X-ray images are unable to identify early forming lesions, which can still be repaired by an improved oral hygiene regimen and application of an active ingredient (e.g., fluoride application). Furthermore, X-rays are expensive for both the dentist and the patient. Additionally, radiation exposure from X-rays has been linked to cancer risk, thus providing an impetus to minimize the need for radiation based diagnostics.
A variety of new methods for caries diagnosis have been developed, but these require additional equipment, are expensive, and generally fail to distinguish between active (progressing) and inactive (not progressing) lesions. It would be desirable to have a method of detecting oral caries, especially early caries, which is easily administered and assessed, is biocompatible and has low toxicity, can dissolve or disintegrate in vivo at predetermined time intervals, and/or does not require extensive training or equipment for administration and/or detection.

Detection and treatment of caries and microcavities with nanoparticles

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN


An apparatus for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas and facilitating a chemical reaction with the separated oxygen includes a mixed conducting membrane, a porous body, and a material for catalyzing the reaction. The mixed conducting membrane has respective oxidation and reduction surfaces and is made of a non-porous, gas-impermeable, solid material capable of simultaneously conducting oxygen ions and electrons. At least the membrane and the catalyzing material are non-reactive with each other or are physically separated from each other during oxygen separation and the chemical reaction. The apparatus can be embodied by tubes, and a plurality of such tubes can form part of a reaction vessel in which various chemical reactions can occur benefiting from the apparatus design.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to the design and use of catalytic membrane reactors. More specifically, the disclosure relates to reactors containing one or more oxygen transport membranes and a catalyst, and methods of using the same for carrying out more efficient chemical reactions.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Catalytic membrane reactors using solid state membranes for oxidation and/or decomposition of various chemical compositions have been studied and used. One potentially valuable use of such reactors is in the production of synthesis gas. Synthesis gas is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and molecular hydrogen (H2), and is used as a feedstock in the production of bulk chemicals such as, for example, methanol, acetic acid, ammonia, oxo-products, hydrogen, hydroquinone, ethanol, ethylene, paraffins, aromatics, olefins, ethylene glycol, Fischer-Tropsch products, substitute natural gas, and other liquid fuels, such as gasoline.
Synthesis gas typically is produced from natural gas (i.e., gas containing methane (CH4)) or other light hydrocarbons by steam reforming or partial oxidation. In steam reforming, natural gas is mixed with steam and heated to high temperatures. Thereafter the heated mixture is passed over a catalyst, such as nickel (Ni) on aluminum oxide (Al2O3), to form synthesis gas:CH4+H2O→3H2+COSynthesis gas is obtained in a partial oxidation reaction when natural gas is reacted with molecular oxygen (O2) in an exothermic reaction (i.e., the reaction evolves energy):CH4+½O2→2H2+CO
Both the steam-reforming reaction and the partial oxidation reaction are expensive to maintain. Conventional steam-reforming techniques present significant obstacles. First, the chemical reaction to produce the synthesis gas from natural gas and steam (H2O) is endothermic (i.e., the reaction requires energy). Roughly one third of the natural gas consumed in the steam-reforming process is required to produce the heat necessary to drive the endothermic reaction, rather than to produce the synthesis gas. Second, the ratio of H2:CO in the synthesis gas produced by steam reforming is relatively high (e.g., about 3:1 to about 5:1). For most efficient use in the synthesis of methanol, for example, the ratio of H2:CO in synthesis gas should be about 2:1. Adjusting this ratio, however, adds to the cost and complexity of the process. In the partial oxidation reaction, significant energy and capital are required to provide the molecular oxygen necessary to drive the reaction. The oxygen typically is obtained through capital intensive air-separation units.
Catalytic membrane reactors are valuable in the production of synthesis gas. In a catalytic membrane reactor that facilitates oxidation/reduction reactions, a catalytic membrane separates an oxygen-containing gas from a reactant gas which is to be oxidized. Oxygen or other oxygen-containing species (e.g., NOx or SOx) are reduced at a reduction surface of the membrane to oxygen ions (O2−) that are then transported across the membrane to its other surface, in contact with the reactant gas. The reactant gas, for example methane, is oxidized (e.g., from CH4 to CO) by the oxygen ions, and electrons (e−) are evolved at the oxidation surface of the membrane. Use of these catalytic membrane reactors is believed to be beneficial for a number of reasons. First, the reaction to produce synthesis gas mediated by the catalytic membrane reactor (CH4+½O2→2H2+CO) is exothermic, as noted above. The evolved heat can be beneficially recovered in a co-generation facility, for example. Second, the synthesis gas produced using the catalytic membrane reactor can produce synthesis gas having a H2:CO ratio of about 2:1. Thus, the additional and expensive processing steps necessary in conventional steam-reforming techniques are obviated, and all of the consumed natural gas can be used to produce synthesis gas.
Membrane materials useful in separating oxygen from oxygen-containing gases generally are mixed conductors, which are capable of both oxygen ion conduction and electronic conduction. The driving force of the overall oxygen transport rate through the membrane is the different oxygen partial pressure applied across the membrane. Suitable membranes are dense and gas-impermeable. Thus, direct passage of oxygen molecules and any other molecular species through the membrane is blocked. Oxygen ions, however, can migrate selectively through the membrane. The membrane thus separates oxygen from other gases.
More specifically, at elevated temperatures, generally in excess of 400° C., suitable membrane materials contain mobile oxygen ion vacancies that provide conduction sites for the selective transport of oxygen ions through the membrane. The transport through the membrane material is driven by the ratio of partial pressure of oxygen (Poxygen) across the membrane, where oxygen ions flow from a side with high Poxygen to a side with low Poxygen. Dissociation and ionization of oxygen (O2 to O2−) occurs at the membrane cathode (or reduction) surface where electrons are picked up from near surface electronic states. The flux of oxygen ions is charge-compensated by a simultaneous flux of electronic charge carriers in the opposite direction. When the oxygen ions travel through the membrane and arrive at the opposite anode (or oxidation) surface of the membrane, the individual ions release their electrons and recombine to form oxygen molecules, which are released in the reactant gas stream and the electrons return to the other side through the membrane.
The permeation or diffusion rate (also referred to herein as "flux") through a non-porous ceramic membrane is controlled by (a) the solid-state ionic transport rate within the membrane, and (b) the ion surface exchange rate on either side of the membrane. The flux of the gas to be separated usually can be increased by reducing the thickness of the membrane, until its thickness reaches a critical value. At above this critical value, the oxygen flux is controlled by both the ion surface exchange kinetics and solid state ionic transport rate. Below the critical thickness, the oxygen flux is mainly dominated by its ion surface exchange rate. Therefore, thinner membranes are desirable due to their higher solid state ionic transport rate than are thicker membranes. However, a lower ion surface exchange rate (i.e., a higher surface resistance to transport rate) of thinner membranes, can become dominant in the overall component transport rate. Surface resistance arises from various mechanisms involved in converting the molecules to be separated into ions or vice-versa at both surfaces of the membrane.
Oxygen ion conductivity in a material can result from the presence of oxygen ion defects. Defects are deviations from the ideal composition of a specific material or deviations of atoms from their ideal positions. One mechanism of oxygen ion conduction in a material is "jumping" of oxygen ions from site-to-site where oxygen vacancies exist. Oxygen vacancies in a material facilitate this "jumping" and, thus, facilitate oxygen ion conduction. Oxygen ion defects can be inherent in the structure of a given material of a given stoichiometry and crystal lattice structure, or created in a membrane material through reactions between the membrane material and the gas to which it is exposed under the operating conditions of the catalytic membrane reactor. In a given system with a given membrane material, both inherent and induced defects can occur.
Materials with inherent oxygen anion vacancies are generally preferred for use as the membrane. Loss of oxygen from a membrane material by reaction to create vacancies typically has a detrimental effect on the structural integrity of the material. As oxygen is lost, the size of the crystal lattice increases on a microscopic level. These microscopic changes can lead to macroscopic size changes. Because membrane materials are brittle, size increases lead to cracking making the membrane mechanically unstable and unusable. Furthermore, the cracking and size changes can undesirably render a once gas-impermeable material gas permeable.
Catalysts useful in the production of synthesis gas are known, and have been coated onto surfaces of membranes in the past such as, for example, in Mazanec et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,714,091 and 5,723,035, and in Schwartz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,757. Generally, such catalysts include, but are not limited to, cobalt and nickel on aluminum oxide or magnesium oxide. These catalysts, however, have not necessarily been used in combination with catalytic membrane reactors for the production of synthesis gas.
The beneficial use of catalytic membrane reactors is not limited to the conversion of natural gas to synthesis gas. These reactors also can be used where oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and sulfur (SOx) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are decomposed, such as disclosed in the '757 patent.
There are a number of significant challenges in constructing and maintaining catalytic membrane reactors not adequately addressed in the prior art. For example, membrane materials must be capable of conducting oxygen ions while also being chemically-and mechanically-stable at the high operating temperatures and other harsh conditions experienced during reactor operation. Further, the membrane material must remain non-reactive or inert with respect to the various catalyst material within the reactor used to catalyze the chemical reaction. Still further, the membrane material must remain non-reactive or inert with respect to the various non-oxygen-containing reactants within the reactor consumed in the chemical reaction. Additionally, provisions should be made in the reactor for electronic conduction to maintain membrane charge neutrality.

Membrane systems containing an oxygen transport membrane and catalyst


The scanning force microscope includes integrated optics for viewing the optical lever arm, probe and sample to be examined. The scanning force microscope includes an improved mount for the probe, which is magnetically secured to the body of the scanning force microscope, to improve ease of handling and mounting the probe assembly. In one preferred embodiment the scanning force microscope, also includes a base portion with a fluid cell for receiving a sample in a sealed gas or liquid environment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to scanning force microscopes, and more particularly concerns a scanning force microscope with an improved optical lever arm and integrated optics for viewing the lever arm and a sample.
2. Description of Related Art
Scanning force microscopes, also known as atomic force microscopes, are useful for imaging objects as small as atoms. The scanning force microscope is closely related to the scanning tunneling microscope and the technique of stylus profilometry, however in a typical scanning force microscope, deflection of a laser beam by a vertical movement of a probe following the contours of a specimen is amplified by a reflective lever arm to which the probe is mounted. The deflection of the laser beam is typically monitored by a photodetector in the optical path of the deflected laser beam, and the sample is mounted on a stage moveable in minute distances in three dimensions so that the sample can be raster scanned while the vertical positioning of the probe relative to the surface of the sample is maintained substantially constant by a feedback loop with the photodetector controlling the vertical positioning of the sample.
As the sensitivity of the optical lever arm and probe are crucial to the useful operation of such scanning force microscopes, conventional scanning force microscopes generally include optical lever arms of such small dimensions that the optical lever arms and probe assembly can easily be damaged by contact with a sample or during handling, and the optical lever arms and probe assembly is further difficult to handle and mount in the instrument. It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved mount for the probe, which would be easier to handle and position in the instrument.
While a probe can be damaged by too abrupt an approach to a sample before the probe is close enough to the sample to initiate feedback position control, the user typically can not easily view the approach of the lever arm and probe assembly to the surface of the sample to insure precise positioning of the probe. Even where an optical microscope is used in conjunction with the scanning force microscope to view the sample, the arrangement of the optical microscope with the scanning force microscope can be inconvenient and clumsy, and can interfere with the operation of the scanning force microscope. It would therefore also be desirable to provide a scanning force microscope with optics integrated into the scanning force microscope for viewing the optical lever arm and probe, particularly as the probe and sample come in contact.
It would also be desirable to provide a scanning force microscope with the capability of scanning a sample in contact with a fluid, as such a fluid environment can significantly change scanning conditions and opportunities, and can improve the quality of the image of the sample acquired by the instrument. The present invention meets these needs.

Scanning force microscope with integrated optics and cantilever mount