A system and method for frequency dehopping of spread spectrum communication signals includes a downconverter having two mixer stages, each mixer stage providing coarse frequency dehopping. The local oscillator injection frequency of each mixer stage is selectable by way of a plurality of relatively easily generated tones. The output of the second mixer stage is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter to enable fine tuning dehopping to be performed in the digital domain and subsequently demodulated in a demodulator circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for downconverting the frequency of a communication signal, and more particularly to a system for frequency dehopping spread spectrum communication signals, the system including a receiver which includes a downconverter, with two mixer stages, each mixer stage providing coarse frequency dehopping of the input communication signal, wherein the local oscillator injection of each mixer stage is selectable from a plurality of tones, the output of the two mixer stages being sampled by an analog to digital converter to enable fine dehopping of the communication signal to be performed digitally.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spread spectrum communication systems are known in the art. Such communication systems are normally used for secured communication in both military and satellite applications. Examples of such spread spectrum communication system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,267,592; 4,630,282; 4,761,796; 4,914,699; 5,126,682; and 5,440,636.
Various spread spectrum communication techniques are known, such as direct sequence and frequency hopping. In direct sequence spread systems, a pseudo-noise signal, such as Gold code is employed. In particular, the pseudo-noise signal consists of a pseudo-random binary signal that is multiplied by the original base band bitstream to produce a new bitstream. In frequency hopping systems, the carrier or center frequency of the signal simply jumps to a number of different frequencies in a agreed upon pseudo-random binary sequence.
In both techniques, only those receivers which have the correct pseudo-random binary sequence can decode the original information. In order for a receiver to decode the information in a spread spectrum communication signal, the time sequential frequency pattern of the receiver is synchronized with the transmitter. In particular, once the receiver is synchronized with the transmitter, the spread spectrum signal is despread and subsequently demodulated to extract the original information from the spread spectrum signal. Despreading, also known as frequency dehopping, is usually done in the receiver by injecting a local oscillator signal to convert the spread spectrum signal into a signal having a frequency bandwidth sufficient to extract the information. Once the spread spectrum signal is despread or frequency dehopped, the desired information is extracted by well known demodulation techniques.
As mentioned above, spread spectrum communications systems are known to be used in satellites. In many such satellite systems, the weight allocation of the equipment in the satellite is a design constraint. In known receivers used in such satellites systems, frequency dehopping is accomplished in a single mixer stage with the local oscillator injection coming from one of a set of hopping frequency synthesizer units. The local oscillator signals from such synthesizers units are known to be routed through a relatively heavy and complex matrix switch in order to achieve key (or hopping pattern) to beam connectivity. Since the local oscillator signals in such a system can be in the 13 GHz region, the line losses in the coaxial cables and the switch matrix must be compensated by providing a high power output from each synthesizer unit. Moreover, the synthesizers used in such systems are required to have relatively high spectral purity requirements which increase the complexity and weight of such synthesizers.

Distributed analog-digital frequency dehopping system


The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a gate electrode in which a fine gate electrode can effectively be manufactured by thickening a resist opening for gate electrodes formed by ordinary electron beam lithography so as to reduce opening dimensions. The method of manufacturing a gate electrode of the present invention includes a step of forming a laminated resist including at least an electron beam resist layer as a lowermost layer on a surface where a gate electrode is to be formed; a step of forming an opening in layer(s) other than the lowermost layer; a step of forming a gate electrode opening on the lowermost layer exposed from the opening; a step of reducing the gate electrode opening selectively; and a step of forming a gate electrode in the gate electrode opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a gate electrode in which a fine gate electrode can effectively be manufactured by thickening a resist opening for gate electrodes formed by ordinary electron beam lithography so as to reduce opening dimensions, to a gate electrode which is manufactured by the method of manufacturing a gate electrode and is used favorably for a field-effect transistor which has excellent high frequency properties and is useful for a transmitting and receiving device of quasi-millimeter and millimeter band waves or a high-speed signal processing (optical communication) device, and to a semiconductor device using the gate electrode and method of manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Field-effect transistors having superior high frequency properties are useful as devices for transmission/reception of quasi-milliwave and milliwave band radio waves or as devices in high-speed signal processing (for optical communications). In the developments of the gate electrode used for the device, particularly in which excellent high frequency properties are required, there has been extensive effort on making the gate length as short as possible by forming opening for forming gate using electron beam lithography.
In the related art, to form micro-openings for gates by electron beam lithography, it was proposed to (1) make the electron beam used for patterning very fine so as to form a fine pattern, and (2) apply heat to the resist in which the opening for the gate electrode is formed, thereby softening it to reduce the opening dimensions.
However, there are the following problems in these cases. Specifically, in (1), although in the related art it was possible to make the electron beam diameter as fine as 0.04 μm, this technique was still inadequate from the viewpoint of stable manufacture when several thousands of transistors were assembled. In (2), because the amount of the reduction of the opening dimensions obtained stably is about 0.04 μm or less, reducing the opening dimensions drastically beyond this creates problems in the uniformity, and is not suited for mass-production. Further, it was inherently difficult to use the same opening to form both a recess opening and gate electrode opening which have a large dimensional difference.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a gate electrode in which a fine gate electrode can effectively be manufactured by thickening a resist opening for gate electrodes formed by ordinary electron beam lithography so as to reduce opening dimensions. Another object of the present invention is to provide a gate electrode which is manufactured by the method of manufacturing a gate electrode and is used favorably for a field-effect transistor which has excellent high frequency properties and is useful for a transmitting and receiving device of quasi-millimeter and millimeter band waves or a high-speed signal processing (optical communication) device. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance semiconductor device using the gate electrode, and a method of efficiently manufacturing thereof.

Gate electrode and manufacturing method thereof, and semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


Apparatuses, systems, and methods for fuse based device identification. A device may include a number of fuses which are used to encode permanent information on the device. The device may receive an identification request, and may generate an identification number based on the states of at least a portion of the fuses. For example, the device may include a hash generator, which may generate the identification number by using the fuse information as a seed for a hash algorithm.

There are many situations where it may be useful for an electronic device to have a unique identification which is tied to that device. For example, networked devices may include a MAC address, which may be unique to that device. They may broadcast this identification when requested to do so by the network, which may allow the network to, for example, identify the type of device, route data to/from that device, determine if the device may connect to the network, etc.
Conventional device identifications may be stored in a register of the device, and may be assigned when the device is manufactured. However, it may be possible for malicious actors to re-write the device identification, or copy it to a new device (e.g., to gain illicit access to a secure network). There may be a need for device identifications which are inherent to the device (e.g., based on a unique physical state of the device).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for fuse array based device identification


A hub assembly (10) for use in arranging muntins (22) across a window pane includes at least first and second covers (12, 14) which are snap-fit and frictionally held together and which define at least one arcuate track (70) that is adapted to slidably receive carrier members (20) for interconnecting the muntins (22) to the hub assembly (10). The arcuate track (70) coacts with the carrier members (20) to retain the carrier members (20) in selective angular positions about the hub assembly (10). The hub assembly (10), which is semi-circular in plan view, can be selectively attached directly to a window frame, or to another similarly constructed hub assembly (10) to form a circular overall hub assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of windows and, more particularly, to an adjustable hub assembly for use in adjustably mounting muntins across a window pane.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Window arrangements commonly found in the construction industry are generally formed from one or more panes of glass mounted in a fixed frame or window sash. When more than one pane of glass is utilized, the panes are generally spaced a certain distance to enhance the thermal insulation properties of the window. For instance, it is common to both evacuate the zone between the panes of glass or fill the zone with an inert gas to increase the R-value of the overall window arrangement.
Regardless of whether a single or multiple panes of glass are utilized, it is sometimes desired to make the window appear as if constructed of a plurality of panes mounted next to one another. Obviously, utilizing a plurality of panes in this manner would achieve this effect. However, it has become much more commonplace to incorporate the use of a window grid that is mounted adjacent a pane of glass or between two panes to provide the appearance of a sectional window arrangement. Known window grid arrangements are typically pre-formed into a predetermined lattice arrangement including strips installed adjacent a window pane with the ends of the various lattice strips being attached to the window frame or sash. These types of arrangements can be very economical to produce and can be individually manufactured for varying size windows, including those exhibiting square, rectangular and arcuate configurations. However, such known arrangements suffer from the drawback that the lattice strips are arranged at predetermined, fixed angles that cannot be adjusted.
It is also known to form a window grid by providing a central hub to which are attached individual muntins that function to make the window appear as if formed from a plurality of panes in a manner directly corresponding to the lattice strips as described above. With such an arrangement, the hub is formed separate from the muntins and incorporates carrier members that are adapted to slidably receive the muntins which are sized depending upon the particular application. Typically, these carrier members are either formed integral with the hub or secured in a stationary position such that the manner in which the window appears to be divided is predetermined by the design of the hub selected for use. For example, when utilized in connection with a semi-circular window, the carrier members are typically arranged at 30.degree. or 45.degree. increments. The main drawback of such an arrangement is in its versatility, i.e., only a single window appearance can be achieved with any given hub design and therefore at least a reasonable number of differently configured hubs must be produced to vary window aesthetics.
In an attempt to address this known problem, it has been proposed in the art to provide a muntin hub that includes a plurality of carrier members, with at least one of the carrier members being rotatable about an axis so as to enable relative angular positioning of the carrier members and, commensurately, the window muntins. Although these proposed arrangements represent some additional versatility, the number of carrier members utilized is limited by the permissible thickness of the overall hub. Typically, only two relatively movable carrier members are provided on a single hub. Therefore, in order to maintain symmetry of the overall muntin arrangement, the ability to actually vary the manner in which the window appears to be divided into multiple panes is also limited. Furthermore, these known arrangements are specifically adapted for use in particular types of windows, with either the hubs being mandatorily positioned within the confines of the window frame or directly secured to the frame.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a hub assembly for window muntins that can provide greater versatility in the number and positioning of muntin carrier members associated therewith, as well as the types of window styles to which the hub assembly can be applied.

Adjustable hub assembly for window muntins


A mobile hybrid rig adapted to run coiled tubing (CT) and wireline equipment for oil and gas wells can also accommodate conventional joined pipe for drilling of shallow wells. The rig incorporates: a chassis and power unit for rig transport; an adjustable platform with a number of hydraulically operated stabilizers for alignment to wellhead; a mast pivotable into slanted or vertical positions for CT operation with a Blow Out Preventer (BOP) and an injector; a cradle for supporting the injector and aligning it to the wellhead; a CT reel cartridge assembly adapted to running currently available CT reels; a winching facility for manipulating wireline equipment; and a control cabin for managing rig activities.

Drilling a well for tapping underground reservoirs of oil or gas is an expensive procedure that has made the petroleum exploration industry a competitive one where cost improving advancements are continually sought. Oil and gas drilling is currently most commonly accomplished with rotary rigs using conventional joined pipe sections. These rigs typically have jackknife type masts that are tall enough to handle up to 3 stands of joined pipe and thereby facilitate faster "trips" in and out of a well bore. Automatic pipe handling apparatuses have been proposed for simplifying this laborious and time-consuming task (as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,759 to Richardson for example), yet drilling procedures today remain very much the same for the past few decades.
Once drilling is finished and the casing has been cemented in the wellbore, the drilling rig is usually moved, and a smaller, truck-mounted service rig is brought in to complete the well. Completing a successful well, namely preparing it for production, typically includes the steps of running a casing into the well, installing a wellhead, and installing a production tubing string. Production tubing strings today may consist of continuous coiled tubing (referred to herein as "CT") carried on a spool on a service rig and which is injected inside the well casing using an injector head to straighten and push the tube down.
Mobile service rigs with a mast for handling conventional pipe sections have been proposed, yet most require separate transport for their masts and all are of limited application. For example, Elliston (U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,495) and Eddy et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,508) both describe a mobile rig incorporating a mast for effectively handling pipe strings in and out of a well. Neither Elliston nor Eddy offers a service rig adapted to handle other types of drilling or well servicing technology. Mobile rigs for doing continuous tubing drilling (CTD) also exist but most of the CT rigs in use today require the use of a separate crane to manipulate the blow-out-preventer (BOP) and injectors that are needed with this technology. Although there are rigs which have a collapsible mast along which an injector head can be raised or lowered without the need for a crane, such as in Baugh (U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,304), these rigs suffer from various shortcomings. For instance, Baugh is not adapted for servicing slant wells or accepting conventional joined pipe, nor can it perform other tasks such as wireline work. Such rigs also require time consuming removal of the injector head and/or the BOP off the mast for transporting the rig.
Current mobile drilling and service rigs suffer from the further disadvantages. They encounter difficulties in properly aligning the guide path of the mast's traveling block with the centerline of a well. Misalignments often result in undesireable forces and damage to the pipe being run into and out of the well. They also require laborious procedures when assembling a lubricator onto a wellhead. Further, CT service rigs have cartridge assemblies which are reel specific in that they can only handle a CT reel designed for that particular cartridge. Hence, CT must invariably be re-spooled from a shipping reel to the cartridge's work reel, wasting time and money. A CT unit operator typically needs to purchase an additional work reel for this purpose, which reel may cost up to US$100,000.
What is desired therefore is a novel multi-task rig which overcomes the many disadvantages of the prior art devices. The novel rig should be mobile and combine on a single platform the ability to transport and operate equipment for continuous coiled tubing drilling, conventional pipe drilling and wireline operations. In particular, the rig should have a pivotal derrick for vertical and slant well operations, and an ability to tilt more than 90 degrees. A CT injector should remain in the derrick at all times without removal for rig transport. The CT injector should be movable out of the plane of the derrick to free the derrick for running conventional joined pipe. The rig platform should be hydraulically movable to help align the derrick with the well, and the derrick's injector should further be maneuverable in 3 dimensions for alignment with the well. A cartridge assembly carried by the rig should be adjustable for receiving various sizes of CT reel. A wireline winch assembly should also be mountable on the platform and be wired to a control cabin for controlling the wireline equipment as well as most other rig systems from a single location.


In an embodiment, a sterilization apparatus, adapted to sterilize a liquid to be sterilized, comprises a first sterilization light source, a first container and a sterilization container. The first sterilization light source includes a carrier, a plurality of LED packages and a plurality of collimating units, wherein the plurality of LED packages are disposed on and electrically connected to the plurality of carriers, and each of the plurality of collimating units separately is disposed on a corresponding LED package. The first container accommodates the first sterilization light source, and defines a first light-mixing space. The sterilization container includes an accommodating space for accommodating the liquid, wherein the first container is assembled together with the sterilization container, and the first light-mixing space is disposed between the first sterilization light source and the accommodating space.

The ultraviolet (UV) light was discovered in 1801. In 1877, British scientists used the UV light to irradiate and kill Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus, which confirmed the ultraviolet disinfection. Deep UV lights with the wavelength ranged from 200 nm to 280 nm could directly damage the links of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the Ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the bacteria and the viruses, and the sterilization effect is unrelated to the bacterial species. The sterilization efficiency may be ranged from 99% to 99.9%. Among these deep UV lights, the UV light of the wavelength ranged from 250 nm to 270 nm has the strongest sterilization effect.
The sterilization effect of the UV light is related to the irradiance, the irradiation time and the conditions of the object to be sterilized. Although enhancing the irradiance and the irradiation time of the UV light could increase the sterilization effect, the non-uniform distribution of the irradiance and the long irradiation time would not like to be seen by the designer or the user. Therefore, how to enhance the sterilization efficiency and the sterilization effectiveness of the UV light under an appropriate irradiance and an irradiation time becomes one of the important issues to be solved.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A heat shrinkable film is constructed and configured for enclosing an object and applying directed heat to substantially conform the film to the external shape of the object for providing a temporary wrapping thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shrink wrap packaging, and more specifically to shrink wrap gift bags configured, arranged and manufactured for standard gift boxes so that upon the application of heat from a conventional hair dryer, or similar heat source, the packaging neatly conforms to the box configuration and results in an aesthetically appealing outer wrapping.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heat shrink wrapping is generally known in the prior art. Heat shrink wrappings are commonly used in industrial, commercial, and/or consumer applications for the packaging of boxes, for example, those that are to be sold at retail. The following documents are examples of known prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,869 for Shrink wrap gift bag and method of manufacturing the same by Whittemore; et al. filed Jul. 1, 1999, issued Jun. 18, 2002, which describes a heat shrinkable gift bag configured for at-home shrink wrapping of gift boxes using a home hair dryer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,231 for Polymerization of olefins by Brookhart; et al.; filed Oct. 20, 2003, issued Sep. 18, 2007 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,663 for Processes of polymerizing olefins by Brookhart; et al.; filed Jul. 10, 1997, issued Feb. 2, 1999 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,241 for Olefin polymers by Brookhart; et al.; filed Jan. 24, 1996, issued Mar. 9, 1999 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,963 for .alpha.-olefins and olefin polymers and processes therefor by Brookhart; et al.; filed Jul. 10, 1997, issued Apr. 6, 1999 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,493 for .alpha.-olefins and olefin polymers and processes therefor by Johnson filed Jul. 10, 1997, issued Apr. 17, 2001 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,163 for .alpha.-olefins and olefin polymers and processes therefor by Brookhart; et al.; filed Jul. 10, 1997, issued Oct. 30, 2001 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,353 for alpha.-olefins and olefin polymers and processes therefor by Brookhart, et al.; filed Sep. 12, 2000, issued Jun. 3, 2003 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,894,134 for alpha.-olefins and olefin polymers and processes therefor by Brookhart, et al.; filed Jun. 22, 2001, issued May 17, 2005 which describes a method for creating branched-chained olefin polymers with low glass transition temperatures.

Low temperature shrink wrap film and methods of use


Systems, methods, and devices for intercommunication between a medical sensor and an electronic patient monitor are provided. For example, one embodiment of a system for communicably coupling a medical sensor to an electronic patient monitor may include a sensor-side communication connector and a monitor-side communication connector. The sensor-side communication connector may be capable of receiving a raw physiological measurement signal from the medical sensor, and the monitor-side communication connector may be capable of providing a digital physiological measurement signal based at least in part on the raw physiological measurement signal to the electronic patient monitor via a data link.

The presently disclosed subject matter relates generally to communicating data from a medical sensor to an electronic patient monitor and, more particularly, to communicating physiological measurements from data or instructions for obtaining physiological measurements from data to an electronic patient monitor.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Electronic patient monitors may be commonly used to monitor patient parameters such as ECG, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, and/or body temperature, among other things. Multi-parameter electronic patient monitors may be expensive electronic patient monitor units that display such patient parameters from a number of supported sensor types. To accommodate sensors from a variety of manufacturers, such monitors may be designed to employ a proprietary connector for each sensor type. The sensors may be attached to the monitor via the connector through a patient cable. The patient monitor may contain a dedicated circuit that acquires data from the sensor and may include a special module that specializes in the type of sensor. For example, a multi-parameter monitor may contain an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) module to determine physiological measurements from a raw measurement. By way of example, within a single electronic patient monitor, a first OEM module from a first manufacturer may receive a raw signal from a photoplethysmographic sensor, determining pulse rate and/or oxygen saturation based on the raw signal. A second OEM module from a different manufacturer may receive a raw signal from a blood pressure cuff, determining blood pressure based on the raw signal.
The OEM modules in a multi-parameter monitor may be very difficult to upgrade, as the monitor may be disassembled before the OEM module is replaced. Thus, it may be unlikely for major upgrades to a patient monitor to occur once the patient monitor has been delivered to a medical facility. Accordingly, new developments, such as improved algorithms for obtaining physiological measurements from sensor data, may not easily be included in existing patient monitors. While some upgrades involve only firmware changes, the difficulty in upgrading is especially relevant when hardware or connector changes are required. In practice, expensive monitors are seldom upgraded in the field. Typically, another device is placed next to the old monitor, resulting in cluttered hospital environments and multiple displays for the caregivers to read. It may also be difficult to base alarm decisions on multiple monitors since they typically do not communicate with each other

Smart cable for coupling a medical sensor to an electronic patient monitor


A monopod mounted solid pet waste collecting and disposing system, is a pole device with a mounted scooper box. When not in use, the scooper box is mounted vertically parallel to the walking stick. When required for pet waste collection, it is deployed horizontally parallel to the ground. The Scooper box has a provision to insert a specially designed disposable case inside the box which has lower lips to protect the surface of scooper box coming in contact with pet waste and side lips that allows the case to be opened or closed in sync with the scooper box. The internal section of the stick also has control systems to deploy the scooper box for pet waste pick-up, to open and close the two compartments of the scooper box to collect the pet waste from ground and to eject the disposable case out of scooper box.

(1) Technical Field
The present investigation is related to a walking stick or other monopod which has an attachment in the form of a pooper scooper device and more specifically a monopod based device to collect and dispose of solid pet waste.
(2) Background Art
According to the 2013-2014 American Pet Products Association Inc. (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey, there are 83.3 million pet dogs in the United States alone. Dogs are very faithful companions and dog walking is a favorite activity among many dog owners. However, there is an obligation while walking a dog; to pick-up the dog wastes from any public place and dispose of it in a proper disposable bin. A good pooper scooper which can be carried during pet walk should be easy to carry, able to pick up solid pet waste without bending and without exposing pet owner to the pet waste, easily and hygienically able to carry after the pet waste has been picked up, allow easy disposal the waste and the device remain clean after their use.
There have been prior attempts to developing a pooper scooper and there are various designs that are patented and commercially available. However, these designs have their own objectives and thus are only useful in limited scope. Known prior inventions for pet waste collection on tubular platform includes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,200 issued to Mashayuki Yoshioka, described to insert the casing members inside the tubular body with a pair of casing members to hold a sack.
US20020140240A1 issued to Ernest Charette described for a pair of bag supporting pivoting arms which can be folded. U.S. Pat. No. 8,146,967 issued to Verlon M Brown has a collapsible stalk with a pair of hinged casing members. U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,165 issued to David Zelon, has a nested wand which can be extended by activation of an actuator. It also has a pair of prong unit to hang a disposable bag. U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,411 issued to Wang-On Kwok described for an extension handle with a V shaped resilient support arm and a cylindrical insert to lock the plastic bag. U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,050 issued to Searing et al. described for a bag frame attached at one end of the handle. The bag frame also has an actuator device to close the bag frame. However all these are the dung or animal waste collecting devices with a pair of bag supporting arms that collects the animal waste by directly placing the sack under the rump of the pet animal. These devices cannot be used to collect the pet waste from the ground. Known prior invention to collect the pet waste from the floor and are on tubular platform includes: U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,618 issued to Pedro Figueroa described for an elongated pole with a pair of pivoting arms. A bag is placed on the pivoting arm and scooped by trigger mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,310 issued to Ho Yin Lau described for an elongated pole with a pair of pivoting arm at lower segment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,073 issued to Jeffrey A Harrison described for a shovel with a disposable bag. These devices fulfill their respective objectives and requirements; however has the limitation that the pet waste remains below the pole. Hence it is not very comfortable to carry to pet waste disposal while pet waste is still in the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,413 to Abaragidan Gnanendran is a waste bag dispenser for the pet waste and not useful to collect the pet waste from the floor.
The structure, purpose and mechanism of these patents are totally different than the proposed invention. The proposed invention is mainly developed for a pet walk. It is a monopod or walking stick and a hopper shape box attached at lower segment of the stick. It is used to collect the pet/dog waste from the ground and pet waste remains stored in the pooper scooper device and above the walking stick base hence it is easy to carry for the disposal.

Monopod mounted solid pet waste collecting and disposing system


The present invention relates to a contact lens having a back side comprising a central zone and a peripheral zone located about the central zone, wherein the peripheral zone has a surface defined by at least one of a sine or cosine function. Systems and methods for making such lenses are also provided.

As a practical matter, the eye is not spherical. Thus, in order to improve the fit and performance of contact lenses, lenses commonly include multiple surfaces. For example, many lens designs include a central zone with a periphery zone located about the circumference of the central zone. The term "zone" is intended to describe an area of the lens which may comprise a single or multiple surfaces. The central zone is designed primarily for vision correction, whereas the periphery zone is commonly designed primarily for fit. Specific examples of such lenses are provided in the following patents, each of which is incorporated herein by way of reference. U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,350 to Muchenhirn discloses a contact lens having a back side including a spherically shaped central zone with an aspherically shaped periphery zone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,728 to Porat et al. discloses a lens having a back side including central and peripheral zones both having surfaces described by non-spherical second-order surfaces of revolution (i.e. non-spherical conic functions such as an ellipse, parabola and hyperbola). U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,678 to Carroll discloses a multifocal lens wherein the back side of the lens includes a central zone surrounded circumferencially by a marginal zone, which is surrounded circumferencially by a periphery zone. Each zone has a shape defined by a non-spherical conic function. U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,031 to Ducharme discloses a central optic zone with a peripheral zone defined by splines (piecewise polynomials linked to one another).
With lenses including multiple surfaces, it is often desirable to have adjacent surfaces be tangent with one another along their points of intersection. For example, the adjacent zones on the back side of the lens can be connected along common points which are tangent with the surfaces of the adjacent zones, as is described in the aforementioned references. By making adjacent zones tangent with one another, the transitions between zones are relatively smooth (junctionless), thus improving comfort, vision properties, and manufacturability.
In addition to the number and shape of surfaces on a lens, other lens design parameters must also be considered in making lenses, e.g. overall lens diameter, central zone diameter, sagital depth, lens power, base curve, axial edge lift, etc. Axial lift is the distance between a point on the back side of the lens (measured parallel to the lens major axis) at a specific diameter and a theoretical vertex sphere. The theoretical vertex sphere is a sphere having a radius equal to the lens base curve of radius.
Although many lenses designs are known, new and simplified approaches continue to be sought.

Contact lens and method for making the same


A magnetic resonance (MR) surgery system facilitates surgery with a focussed ultrasound transducer that selectively destroys tissue in a region within a subject. The focussed energy transducer dissipates energy at a focal point within the region of tissue to be destroyed. A non-magnetic positioning device having a vertical dimension small enough to fit easily within the bore of an MR magnet moves an energy transducer in a limited vertical space. The positioning device employs a plurality of hydraulic positioners and an inclined plane to position the ultrasound focal point under the control of an operator. An MR imaging system employing a temperature sensitive pulse sequence creates an image of the tissue and the region being heated to allow the operator to adjust the position of the ultrasonic transducer so as to direct ultrasonic energy to the appropriate location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for enabling surgery to be performed by vibrational heating and more particularly to a system for surgery by ultrasonic heating guided by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides the radiologist with internal views of a subject's anatomy. MRI provides excellent contrast between different tissues and is useful in planning surgical procedures. A tumor in a subject is much more visible in an MR image than as seen in actual surgery because the tumor and normal tissue often look similar in surgery. The tumor can also be obscured by blood during surgery. A view of the heated region is provided with the use of MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences. Known MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,608 Invivo Method for Determining and Imaging Temperature of an Object/Subject from Diffusion Coefficients Obtained by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Denis LeBihan, Jose Delannoy, and Ronald L. Levin issued Apr. 3, 1990. Experiments on animals show that a heated zone above a critical temperature destroys tissue. This zone increases in size with time as the heat is applied to reach a steady state of both temperature and heat flow. If the maximum temperature is limited to 100 deg. C, then the heated zone, the area exceeding a critical temperature causing destruction of tissue, approaches 1 centimeter in diameter. It is difficult to predict the heated zone geometry because the heat flow depends on the profusion of blood as well as the tissue thermal properties.
Tumors have been selectively destroyed in cancer subjects using focussed ultrasound heating in the absence of MR imaging at the University of Arizona, as reported by B. E. Billard, K. Hynynen and Robert B. Roemer Effects of Physical Parameters on High Temperature Ultrasound Hyperthermia Ultrasound in Med. & Biol. Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 409-420, 1990 and hereby incorporated by reference. Billard et al. disclose that the control of heat is improved by using short heating pulses where the effect of blood perfusion is negligible. However, since they do not image the temperature distribution, it is difficult to hit small, deep laying targets.
It would be beneficial to be able to accurately localize heat to selectively kill or destroy tumor tissue without damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Magnetic resonance guided ultrasound therapy system with inclined track to move transducers in a small vertical space


A flexible display apparatus including: a first film including a first surface and a second surface that are opposite each other, and a first groove formed in the first surface, the first film having a first rigidity; a third film on the second surface of the first film; a fourth film facing the third film; an emission display unit between and encapsulated by the third film and the fourth film; and a second film on the fourth film and facing the first film, the second film having a second rigidity that is less than the first rigidity.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments of the present invention relate to a flexible display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display apparatus is an apparatus that displays an image signal. The display apparatus is any apparatus that displays an image signal received from an external source and includes televisions, computer monitors, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart devices that are recently in great demand, or the like.
For the display apparatus, a high-definition flat display module including an organic light-emitting display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, a plasma display panel, an electrophoretic display panel, or the like is used.
Recently, a flexible display apparatus that is lightweight, slim, and portable, and that may be bent or folded is being developed. The flexible display apparatus may be embodied by using a flexible substrate such as a plastic, instead of using a glass substrate.
However, a shape of the flexible substrate is not fixed but is flexible, such that it is difficult to precisely form various types of devices and wirings included in the display apparatus.
Also, since a stress exceeding a breaking strength due to excessive bending or a repetitive stress due to repetitive bending may be applied to the display apparatus, a lifetime of the display apparatus is decreased, and the devices and wirings are damaged.

Flexible display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same


A detection mechanism for detecting an installation of a detachable member to a main body, includes a movable member provided on the detachable member and being movable between a first position and a second position. The movable member is set in the first position prior to a first installation of the detachable member to the main body. A detecting switch, provided on the main body, detects the movable member in the first position but is incapable of detecting the movable member in the second position. An actuating member, provided on the main body causes the movable member to move from the first position to the second position when the detachable member has been installed into the main body. A locking mechanism locks the movable member to the second position after the actuating member actuates the movable member to the second position. The detecting switch detects only a first installation of the detachable member.

The present invention relates to a reset data creation mechanism for a photoconductive drum of an imaging apparatus for forming an image on a recording paper by using an electrophotographic method, by which reset data, obtained when the photoconductive drum is replaced, is supplied to a counter for counting data output in synchronism with the operation of the photoconductive drum having an outside peripheral surface composed of a photoconductive material.
An imaging apparatus (so-called printer) provides a hard copy by printing or drawing data output from a computer, word processor, facsimile and the like on a recording paper by making use of an electrophotographic method.
In the electrophotographic process, the photoconductive material on the surface of a photoconductive drum is uniformly charged and then exposed to form a latent image from which electric charges are removed. The latent image is converted to a toner image by being adhered with toner. The toner image is transferred onto a recording paper and further fixed to the recording paper by a fixing unit.
In the imaging apparatus employing the electrophotographic process, occurrences of phenomena such as insufficient charging, the occurrence of after images remaining on the surface of the photoconductive drum, and the like, increase with the wear of a photoconductive material on the surface of the photoconductive drum and the degradation of the electrostatic characteristics of the photoconductive material caused by the repeated use of the photoconductive material which result from respective electrophotographic processes such as a transfer of images, cleaning of the surface of the photoconductive drum and the like, and thus an insufficient printing (insufficient transfer of image onto a recording paper) and the like are caused by these phenomena.
To cope with this problem, the photoconductive drum is arranged as an easily replaceable unit (photoconductive drum unit) and the number of operations of the photoconductive drum is recorded. When the number of operations exceeds a preset number, an operator is prompted to replace the photoconductive drum.
More specifically, a counter is provided to count pulse signals output in synchronism with the rotation of the photoconductive drum and a timing at which the photoconductive drum is to be replaced is determined based on a count value of the counter. Thus when the count value of the counter reaches a preset value (that is, when the preset number of images has been formed), the photoconductive drum is replaced. The counter must be cleared (reset) when a photoconductive drum in use is replaced with a new one, and for this purpose, for example, a switch means such as a microswitch or the like is provided with the main body of the apparatus to sense the presence of a photoconductive drum and the counter is reset in response to a charge of a sensed signal (sensing-not sensing-sensing) output from the switch means when the photoconductive drum is replaced. Note that when the switch means is arranged to sense a switching member which is swung by the installation of a photoconductive drum unit, the counter can be arranged to be reset by a change of signal of not sensing-sensing-not sensing. Further, the switch means may be arranged such that either the presence or absence of a signal output therefrom corresponds to sensing or not sensing.
With the above conventional arrangement, however, a problem arises in that when a photoconductive drum unit is removed once for the maintenance of the apparatus rather than the replacement thereof, and then mounted again, the counter is reset regardless of that the photoconductive drum has not been replaced, and thus the count is disturbed. Therefore, there is a need for an arrangement wherein a counting is not reset when the photoconductive drum unit is removed for such a purpose (e.g., maintenance) and the replaced.

Reset data creation mechanism for photoconductive drum counter


An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a first detection unit, a first determination unit, a second detection unit, a second determination unit, a correction unit, and a transmitting unit. The acquisition unit acquires image information having multiple pixels. The first detection unit detects sub-scanning-direction boundary pixels in accordance with the image information. The first determination unit determines whether or not a development-related defect occurs in a preset number of pixels downstream of the sub-scanning-direction boundary pixels in the sub-scanning direction. The second detection unit detects an end pixel in the main scanning direction. The second determination unit determines whether or not each of sub-scanning-direction boundary pixels arranged in the main scanning direction is close to the end pixel in the main scanning direction. The correction unit corrects the image information. The transmitting unit transmits the image information corrected by the correction unit to an image forming apparatus.

1. (i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing method.
2. (ii) Related Art
An image forming apparatus of the related art generates a control signal for each member arranged to write an image in accordance with image information read by a reading member or in accordance with image information transmitted from an information processing device.

Image processing apparatus, image forming system, image forming apparatus, and image processing method for correcting density of image information


A thermal-transfer recording sheet of an aromatic polyester film, wherein at least one surface of said sheet has, as a thermal-transfer ink receiving layer, a coating of a composition comprising (1) a copolyester, (2) a polyolefin fine particle filler and (3) an antistatic compound selected from the group consisting of organic titanate and organic zirconate. The above thermal-transfer recording sheet exhibits excellent adhesion to heat-melting inks and excellent capability of receiving heat-melting ink layers and has good antistatic properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal-transfer recording sheet. More specifically, it relates to a recording sheet which is used in a thermal-transfer recording method in which an ink is transferred to the recording sheet by heating an ink layer of a thermal-transfer donor medium with a heating means, and which enables the high-quality recording of a signal, e.g., an image signal.
2. Prior Art
In recent years, a thermal-transfer recording method has been and is employed for facsimile machines, computer terminals, barcode recorders, printers and copying machines for the following reasons. It is noiseless due to the use of no impact and maintenance-free. It does not require a high cost, it can achieve a decrease in the size and weight of equipment, and it permits the recording in colors.
The thermal-transfer recording method refers to a method in which those portions of an ink layer on a thermal-transfer donor medium surface which correspond to recording signals are heated and melted to bring those portions of the ink layer into contact with a recording sheet and transfer those portions to the recording sheet. In the heat-melting ink layer used for this thermal-transfer recording, there are used inks prepared by dispersing a variety of pigments, aids, antistatic agents and fillers in wax-base binders such as paraffin wax, oxidized paraffin wax and carnauba wax or synthetic resin-base binders such as low-melting-point polyester, polyamide, a polyacrylic acid copolymer and a polystyrene copolymer.
In recording by the above thermal-transfer method, the recording sheet is required to receive ink layers of the above inks and permit the tight adherence of the inks. In general, a specially designed sheet is therefore used as the recording sheet.
It is now been studied to record data on a transparent recording sheet with a thermal-transfer type printer and use it as the data-recorded transparent sheet in an overhead projector (OHP). It is therefore increasingly desired to develop a sheet suitable for this purpose.
In terms of transparency, heat resistance and mechanical strength, plastic films such as a polyester film, a polyamide film, a polypropylene film and a polycarbonate film are used as the above transparent recording sheet. Since, however, these plastic films show poor adhesion to the above heat-melting inks, it cannot be said that these films can adequately receive the heat-melting ink layer.
When the adhesion between a plastic film and a heat-melting ink is inadequate, a so-called white spot occurs, which is a phenomenon that those portions of an ink layer in a molten state under heat which correspond to a signal are partially not transferred to a recording sheet. In particular, a white spot is liable to occur correspondingly to an edge portion of a recording signal and a narrow line portion thereof.
Color printers using a thermal-transfer method have been being widely used in recent years. When data is recorded in colors with a color printer, at most four kinds of heat-melting inks are to be transferred to one place of a recording sheet. When the recording sheet inadequately receives these inks, the print reproducibility is poor, and this phenomenon frequently occurs when the inks having a low color density are transferred. Further, when inks having a high color density are transferred, an intended final color is not reproduced, or there occurs a so-called white spot phenomenon that a specific color is, or specific colors are, not recorded.
The recent recording density by a thermal-transfer method is as high as 300 to 400 dots per inch (dpi), and when inks are thermally transferred in a low color density, the heat energy to be applied to each dot varies finely. And, each of ink layers of cyan, yellow, magenta and black are required to be transferred faithfully to a recording sheet correspondingly to fine variations of the heat energy.
Further, when the adhesion between a recording sheet and ink(s) is inadequate, the durability of an image on the recording sheet decreases. For example, sheets obtained by thermal transfer for an overhead projector are sometimes mutually brought into contact or printed surfaces of the sheets are rubbed against each other. When the durability of the ink layer is low, the ink layer peels off the sheet, and an image is badly impaired.
When recording sheets run through a printer, the following problems frequently occur. For example, there occur an overlapped feeding problem in which a plurality of sheets are fed out at one time from a tray, a jamming problem in which a sheet does not smoothly run due to a friction when it runs through rollers in the printer, and a feed-out problem in which a printed sheet sticks to another printed sheet on a tray to push it out or pull it into the printer when the former printed sheet is present on the tray. It is generally considered that these problems are mainly caused by electrostatic charge which has generated on the sheets.
Further, when a recording sheet is electrostatically charged, the printing surface of the recording sheet adsorbs dust around it to cause a white spot.
On the other hand, a printer is usually used in various environments. In particular, when a printer is used in a low-humidity environment, a recording sheet is liable to be electrostatically charged in printing, and the electrostatic charge causes the above white spot or a failure in ink transfer.
For the above reasons, it is strongly desired to carry out good antistatic treatment on recording sheet, and a variety of methods have been and are proposed.
Naturally, however, it should be avoided to impair the transparency of a recording sheet and the adhesion between a recording sheet and inks due to the antistatic treatment.


The invention relates to retroviral protease inhibitors of the general formula (I): W--(A).sub.n --B--(A*).sub.m --V where W, A, B, A*, V, n and m are as defined herein, including related prodrugs of general formula (I) comprising a solubilizing group which is labile in vivo.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a pathogenic retrovirus causing AIDS and its related disorders. The development of antiviral chemotherapy against AIDS has been the subject of an intense research effort since the discovery of HIV. (For a recent review on molecular targets for AIDS therapy see Mitsua et al, Science, 1990, pp 1533-1544). The HIV Proteases (HIV PR), and aspartyl proteases, were first suggested as a potential target for AIDS therapy by Kramer et al. (Science 231, 1580 (1986)). Since that time the potential usefulness of HIV PR inhibitors as effective agents in treatment of AIDS has been widely recognized (for a review of the HIV PR as a therapeutic target see Tomaselli et al. Chimica Oggi, May 1991, pp 6-27 and Huff J. R., J. Med. Chem. 34, 2314-2327 (1991)). Of the classical transition state mimics for aspartyl proteases, the hydroxyethylene, dihydroxyethylene, hydroxyethylamine and phosphinic acid isosteres appear to provide the greatest affinity for HIV PR. Many inhibitors of HIV PR have been shown to have an antiviral activity at concentrations in the nanomolar range in the different cell systems and are described as such in the patent literature.


A device is disclosed for detecting the presence and/or determining the configuration of a magnetic substance. The device includes a magnetic circuit having a magnetic core and an air gap. Coupled to the magnetic circuit are an excitation coil, for periodically driving the magnetic circuit into saturation, and a measurement coil, for measuring the effective appearing permeability of the magnetic circuit in the presence of the magnetic substance.

It is often desirable to detect magnetic substances which are present in small quantities such as magnetic ink or a paramagnetic gas such as oxygen. For instance, an automatic banknote recognition device may read and or detect an image written or printed with magnetic ink on banknotes of countries including the United States, Japan or Germany. Alternatively, a gas analyzer may detect the presence of a paramagnetic gas. Additionally, it is often desirable to measure the rotational speed of a toothed wheel made of a magnetic material or at least the speed of the teeth and teeth intervals which are coated with a magnetic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,238 discloses a device for measuring low-flux magnetic fields of the type produced by the magnetized magnetic ink found on banknotes. This patent discloses an extremely sensitive sensor, functioning on the core saturation principle, for measuring the extremely weak magnetic fields produced by the magnetized ink of the banknote. Such magnetic fields typically have a value in the order of 10.sup.-3 Gauss. In comparison, the Earth's magnetic field intensity is 0.5 Gauss or approximately three orders of magnitude greater than the fields of magnetized banknote ink. As such, the above-mentioned sensor requires extensive and costly magnetic shielding to accomplish its task. Furthermore, the banknote must be magnetized by a strong permanent magnet before being read.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a magnetic sensor for which no permanent magnet and no costly and extensive magnetic shielding against foreign magnetic fields is required. It is a further object to provide a sensor capable of static measurement, at least in detecting the presence of the magnetic substance, where the static measurement covers most of the overall image of the magnetic substance (e.g., most of a printed image on a banknote without relative movement between the magnetic substance and sensor). Such a feature would afford greater security against misuse.

Planar magnetic harmonic sensor for detecting small quantities of magnetic substances


Photometric registration from an arbitrary geometry for augmented reality is performed using video frames of an environment captured by a camera. A surface reconstruction of the environment is generated. A pose is determined for the camera with respect to the environment, e.g., using model based tracking using the surface reconstruction. Illumination data for the environment is determined from a video frame. Estimated lighting conditions for the environment are generated based on the surface reconstruction and the illumination data. For example, the surface reconstruction may be used to compute the possible radiance transfer, which may be compressed, e.g., using spherical harmonic basis functions, and used in the lighting conditions estimation. A virtual object may then be rendered based on the lighting conditions. Differential rendering may be used with lighting solutions from the surface reconstruction of the environment and a second surface reconstruction of the environment combined with the virtual object.

Visual coherent rendering in augmented reality seamlessly blends the virtual world and the real world together, in real-time. One challenge in augmented reality is the correct integration of real-world lighting. Integration of lighting involves three problems. First, the measurement of the real-world light parameters, also known as photometric registration, should be solved in real-time, as augmented reality systems operate in real-time. Second, the system should be able to measure the lighting from unknown environments without requiring a physical change to the environment, e.g., without requiring inserting special light probes into the environment. The third problem is generating a correct and perceptually convincing integration of the measured light parameters into a rendering solution by applying the real-world lighting conditions to the virtual content. Additionally, it is desirable that the rendering solution includes the application of light condition effects from the virtual content to the real-world environment. For example, virtual content may cast shadows in the real-world environment. Additionally, the virtual content may include virtual light sources, e.g., virtual torch light or specular reflective surfaces, that should also affect the real-world environment in a realistic manner. Thus, a photometric registration from an arbitrary geometry is desirable.

Photometric registration from arbitrary geometry for augmented reality


Methods and systems for maintaining cache consistency are described. A group of instructions is executed. The group of instructions can include multiple memory operations, and also includes an instruction that when executed causes a cache line to be accessed. In response to execution of that instruction, an indicator associated with the group of instructions is updated to indicate that the cache line has been accessed. The cache line is indicated as having been accessed until execution of the group of instructions is ended.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to computer system memory, in particular the management of cache memory.
2. Related Art
With direct memory access (DMA), an input/output (I/O) system can issue read requests and writes directly to main memory without passing through the central processing unit (CPU). However, if the I/O system uses DMA to write to main memory, and changes data cached previously by the CPU, then the CPU will not receive the new data unless the CPU fetches the data from main memory. Also, for DMA reads, the CPU cache may contain more recent data than main memory, and so the I/O system will not receive the new data unless it reads the cache instead of main memory. Multiprocessor systems, particularly systems referred to as shared-memory simultaneous multiprocessor (SMP) architectures, have to deal with similar types of scenarios. The MESI (Modified, Exclusive, Shared, Invalid) protocol is a popular cache consistency (coherency) protocol that addresses these issues. A modification of the MESI protocol is the MOESI (Modified, Owned, Exclusive, Shared, Invalid) protocol. These protocols are known in the art.
Constraints are also applied to memory operations to prevent processors and DMA systems from reordering memory operations at will. If, for example, each processor could reorder memory operations for optimization, code sequences that work on a single processor would not work on multiprocessor systems. One type of constraint can be referred to as sequential consistency. With sequential consistency, the legal orders of memory operations are those that are indistinguishable from strict interleaving of the operations from each thread of control. For example, for two threads, the operations of one thread can be interleaved with those of the other thread, but the order of operations within each thread is preserved.
There are different classes of high-level processor architectures with regard to operation reordering, optimization and speculation. One such class can be referred to as a lumped in-order architecture, and another such class as a lumped out-of-order architecture. With lumped in-order architectures, instructions are lumped into instruction groups that can be committed and rolled back atomically. Different instruction groups are committed sequentially and in order, but within an instruction group, arbitrary reordering and optimization can occur. Full speculation is possible within an instruction group, but speculation, reordering and optimization across instruction groups is limited. With lumped out-of-order architectures, instructions are lumped into instruction groups that can be committed and rolled back atomically. Different groups can execute out of order but are committed in order.

Memory management methods and systems that support cache consistency


A ratchet screwdriver has a handle portion, a connection rod connected to the handle portion, a joint sleeve disposed on the connection rod, a circular hole in the joint sleeve, a first volute spring disposed in the circular hole, a chuck sleeve having a hexagonal blind hole and a round hole, and a bit inserted in the hexagonal blind hole. A rotating device has a first end inserted in the circular hole and a second end inserted in the round hole. A compression spring encloses the rotating device. A first C-shaped clamp retainer encloses the joint sleeve. A second C-shaped clamp retainer encloses a first distal portion of the chuck sleeve. A third C-shaped clamp retainer encloses a second distal portion of the chuck sleeve. A second volute spring is disposed in the round hole.

The present invention relates to a ratchet screwdriver. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ratchet screwdriver which has a universal joint device to be bent whenever it is necessary.
A conventional ratchet screwdriver does not have any rotatable front portion. Therefore, the conventional ratchet screwdriver should approach a screw perpendicularly.


A method and apparatus for detecting data modification in a layered operating system is disclosed. Outbound content indicators at different layers are compared to detect potential outbound data modifications. Likewise, inbound content indicators at different layers are compared to detect potential inbound data modifications. Content indicators include checksum, cryptographic hash, signature, and fingerprint indicators. Embodiments of the present invention enable detection of data modifications across an operating system's kernel and user mode spaces, prevention of modified outbound data from reaching a network, prevention of modified input data from reaching a user application, and detection of malware and faults within an operating system.

In communicating data across a network, data is packaged according to defined protocol semantics. In the case of TCP/IP protocol the data to be sent is prepared by attaching an IP header containing the source and destination IP addresses among other header information needed for routing purposes. Depending on the protocol used by a network application, additional headers, such as TCP headers, are attached to packets leaving the network. Any packet leaving or entering the networked system consists of headers and payload data. The payload data in a packet can be of zero length.
Network data leaving and entering an operating system traverses several entities prior to being delivered to a network (send operation) or received from the network. Some of these entities have the ability to modify original data. Depending on the logical positioning of the entity, partial or complete modifications can occur, in both headers and data, so that upper or lower entities may be unaware of the changes introduced.
In view of the possibility that malicious software can operate within one or more of these entities of a computing device and modify data sent to, or received from, a network as it traverses the operating system kernel and user mode spaces, it becomes beneficial to verify that the data sent to or received from a user mode application is the same as the data received by or sent to the network card.
As it relates to computer communications, data traversing the operating system kernel to and from user mode is trusted. However, because there are points in between where malware or other software can intercept and modify the data, for example, TCP/IP stenography and other methods for covertly communicating using legitimate communications as a decoy, there is a need for developing methods and systems for detecting and preventing malicious data modification across the operating system kernel and user mode spaces.

Method and system for detecting data modification within computing device


A method and apparatus are provided for preparing a test sample for detecting a predetermined target nucleic acid. The method includes the steps of providing a test probe comprising an oligonucleotide attached to a nanoparticle and providing a hybridization unit containing the test sample and the test probe, wherein said hybridization unit further includes a target sample substrate and a distribution manifold coupled to a first side of the substrate. The method further includes the steps of clamping a processing fluids manifold to the distribution manifold of the hybridization unit, denaturing the test sample and preparing the test sample for detecting the predetermined target nucleic acid by pumping a plurality of processing fluids between the processing fluids source manifold and distribution manifold to hybridize the test probe and predetermined target nucleic acid to the target sample substrate, to wash the hybridized sample and to amplify a detectable parameter of the hybridized sample.

Methods of detecting nucleic acids are generally known. In fact, there are a number of methods available for detecting specific nucleic acid sequences.
Known methods include those based upon electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) processes, various hybridization techniques, and a number of other techniques. While these methods are effective, they are all time consuming, costly and subject to significant human error.
For example, one manufacturer makes a microfluidics system that hybridizes a sample to a chip followed by staining of the chip. The hybridization process takes approximately 12 hours. Staining takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
Another supplier provides a system that relies upon a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) technique. This system uses a microchip for performing multiple assays. Probes are added to a cartridge and the particles move based on charge in an electric field. A detection system may be used for analyzing the cartridges after hybridization with the sample DNA.
Still another supplier provides a device called a Lightcycler that combines PCR amplification and DNA detection into one process. The Lightcycler can use one of two processes for detection. The first process relies upon PCR and hybridization. The second process relies upon PCR and dye and melting curve analysis.
The development of reliable methods for detecting and sequencing nucleic acids is critical to the diagnosis of genetic, bacterial and viral diseases. Because of the importance of health care and disease prevention, a need exists for quicker and cheaper methods of identifying nucleic acids.

Method of preparing nucleic acids for detection


To enable wireless applications which require the use of location information, a method and apparatus for transmitting location data within an ad-hoc communication system is provided herein. During operation, a portion of a packet payload is used to transmit location coordinate information along with an identifier of location estimation technique utilized for a node, as well as other parameters that may be needed for location estimation. Nodes in the communication system calculate their location coordinates using the said portion of packets received from other nodes in the communication system.

In many wireless communication systems, a node within the system will need to determine its location. Nodes determining, or estimating, their locations will be capable of utilizing any one of multiple location estimation techniques, depending on the various requirements of the node (e.g., desired location accuracy, computational intensity, tracking capabilities, . . . , etc.). Such location estimation techniques include solutions such as weighted-average location techniques, path loss techniques, a global-positioning system (GPS) technique, Time-Difference of Arrival (TDOA) techniques, . . . , etc.
One location-estimation technique that may be utilized by nodes is a maximum-likelihood (ML) based relative location algorithm such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,038. This technique allows a node wishing to determine its location itself to utilize location estimates of other nodes in an iterative process. It is important for a node utilizing an ML-based location technique to know the location estimation techniques used by its neighbors. This is because the ML cost function is a global problem solved in a distributed manner by nodes in the communication system. Therefore, each individual node solves a piece of a bigger optimization problem. If one of a node's neighbors uses a nearest-neighbor technique to calculate its location, perhaps as required by an application, then the resulting location error that would be passed on through coordinate sharing could be very large. Such an error would propagate through the other nodes that use ML to estimate their location, potentially lowering the accuracy of any location estimate in the system.
Thus, in a network with multiple location solutions, it is imperative that nodes have a way to identify the location estimation technique used to obtain the coordinates being exchanged. Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for transmitting location data within a communication system that allows a node participating in location estimation to utilize an appropriate subset of location coordinates received from other nodes.

Method and apparatus for transmitting location data within a communication system


A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of trenches formed to extend in one direction in the semiconductor substrate, at least one connecting trench connecting at least two of the plurality of trenches to each other, a plurality of trench transistors including a plurality of gate electrodes, each gate electrode partially filling a corresponding trench, and a capping layer filling the at least one connecting trench.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, embodiments relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit that has a simplified manufacturing process and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the high integration of semiconductor devices, sizes of metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices are steadily decreasing, while their functionality has been improving. As high integration of semiconductor devices progresses, intervals between transistors in a plurality of transistors decrease. Therefore, research have been conducted on a method in which transistors are formed in a semiconductor substrate such that channel lengths are not decreased, even when the transistors are disposed at narrow intervals.
In order to form the transistors in the semiconductor substrate at small intervals, a width of a photoresist pattern used when forming trenches where gate electrodes of the transistors are disposed needs to decrease. However, reducing widths of the photoresist pattern depends on a resolution of a stepper. Accordingly, the following method has been explored. First, a photoresist pattern with openings having a relatively large width is formed. Second, an etching inductive material is applied to the openings. Third, an etching process is performed, resulting in two trenches for each opening. However, when two trenches are formed for each opening, an additional process that separates the two trenches from each other needs to be performed to prevent conductive material in each trench from short-circuiting. As a result, manufacturing process time and complexity increases.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of manufacturing the same


First and second measurement operations are performed according to each of a plurality of geometric conditions while keeping the geometric condition. In the first measurement operation, illumination light is radiated from a first light radiating position toward a measurement target position and spectroscopic measurement is performed on reflected light traveling from the measurement target position toward a first light receiving position. In the second measurement operation, illumination light is radiated from a second light radiating position toward a measurement target position and spectroscopic measurement is performed on reflected light traveling from the measurement target position toward a second light receiving position. The two spectroscopic measurement results are averaged. The second light radiating position and the second light receiving position are respectively disposed symmetrical to the first light radiating position and the first light receiving position with respect to a reference axis.

A multi-angle colorimeter is largely classified into an unidirectional light illuminating/multi-directional light receiving type and a multi-directional light illuminating/unidirectional light receiving type. In the multi-angle colorimeter of the unidirectional light illuminating/multi-directional light receiving type, a sample is illuminated from one direction and light reflected from the sample is received from multiple directions. According to the multi-angle colorimeter of the unidirectional light illuminating/multi-directional light receiving type, a colorimetric process is performed at each of a plurality of light receiving angles. In the multi-angle colorimeter of the multi-directional light illuminating/unidirectional light receiving type, a sample is illuminated from multiple directions and light reflected from the sample is received from one direction. According to the multi-angle colorimeter of the multi-directional light illuminating/unidirectional light receiving type, a colorimetric process is performed at each of a plurality of light illuminating angles. The multi-angle colorimeter is suitable for a colorimetric process performed on a sample of which observed color changes depending on an observation direction. As the sample of which the color changes depending on the observation direction, a vehicle body of an automobile having a metallic coating or a pearl coating is known.
In the multi-angle colorimeter, a colorimetric process is desirably performed while a reference axis of the multi-angle colorimeter matches a normal line of a colorimetric region of the sample. However, when the colorimetric region has a curved surface like a bumper of an automobile, there is a case where the reference axis is not easily aligned to the normal line of the colorimetric region and the reference axis is inclined from the normal line of the colorimetric region. Since the colorimetric result is influenced by the inclination of the reference axis line from the normal line of the colorimetric region, an accurate colorimetric result cannot be obtained when the reference axis is inclined from the normal line of the colorimetric region.
In order to solve this problem, in the technique proposed by Patent Literature 1, the spectroscopic measurement is performed twice by using the symmetrically arranged light illuminating and receiving optical systems and an average of the two spectroscopic measurement results is obtained. According to the technique proposed by Patent Literature 1, it is possible to suppress an influence of the inclination of the reference axis from the normal line of the colorimetric region with respect to the spectroscopic measurement result.

Multi-angle colorimeter that suppresses the influence of an inclination of a reference angle on a colorimetric result


A device for controlling vacuum applied to suction openings formed in a cylinder, the suction openings being connectable to a vacuum source via valves arranged in rows and assigned to the suction openings, includes a rotatable adjusting shaft carrying adjusting elements assigned to the valves, the adjusting elements serving to actuate the valves in a defined sequence when the adjusting shaft is rotated, the valves having adjusting bodies therein movable by the adjusting elements out of a first switching position of the adjusting bodies into a second switching position thereof, the vacuum applied to the suction openings being of different magnitudes in the first and the second switching positions; and a method for incrementally actuating the vacuum-controlling device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for controlling suction air or vacuum which, more particularly, is applied to suction openings of a cylinder of a printing press, and a method of actuating the control device. In particular, the invention relates to a device for opening up and closing off suction lines to sheet transfer drums having suction grippers in sheet-fed rotary offset printing presses.
Suction-air controlling devices of this general type offer a possibility of guiding small-format sheets of printing stock on a variable-format cylinder disposed between two printing units and equipped with a row of suction grippers designed for the maximum format, aspiration of faulty air through openings of the suction grippers not covered by the small-format sheets of printing stock being thereby avoided. In this manner, high energy consumption and undesirably low efficiency, respectively, the aspiration of relatively large contaminating particles, and increased noise emissions during printing press operation are avoided.
In the Published, Non-Examined German Patent Application (DE-OS) 42 17 851, a device for feeding and blocking or checking suction air in turning drums is proposed wherein, as a central blocking element, there is provided a control shaft, which is guided and rotatably disposed in an axial bore and has control channels arranged on the circumference thereof. The control channels correspond with vertical bores formed in a rocker shaft and a crossbar and terminate in the suction heads.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that it requires either a special manufacturing process, wherein an epoxy resin is introduced into the axial bore, or a conventional but very expensive or cost-intensive production process because of the high precision required.
The invasion of contaminants, especially paper particles, into blocking devices or suction-air or vacuum controls in machines, i.e. presses, for processing printing stock is unavoidable when in use. If these contaminants become stuck in sliding guides and air ducts, they can cause functional impairments, such as seizing, binding upon actuation, or plugging up of small-diameter air ducts. In this respect, such devices, for example, like those described hereinabove, which require very high precision because of their construction, are especially vulnerable. Because there is only one sealing point in the vacuum control, contamination aspirated from a plurality of suction heads can lead to an accumulation at this critical point, especially since the components that form the sealing point are moved only seldom towards one another, e.g., upon a change of format, and thus any contaminants that have become stuck there are barely able to be detached. Consequently, maintenance intervals have to be shorter, and cleaning and the elimination of problems always involve extensive dismantling of device elements.
The Japanese Published, Non-Examined Patent Application JP 4-153039 describes a suction apparatus at the transfer cylinder of printing presses which contains a first tube having a wall wherein openings are formed that are assigned to air ducts discharging into suction openings. By rotational actuation of the first tube, which is disposed in a second tube, the air ducts branching off from the second tube can be opened and closed, causing the openings in the first tube to coincide with the intersection openings of the branching air ducts in the second tube. Because, in this apparatus, the diameter and thus the circumference of the tubes which are formed with the valve openings cannot as a rule be selected to be arbitrarily large, for reasons of structural space, the number of suction openings that can be blocked off and disposed over the cylinder width is very restricted. Moreover, this apparatus again has the problem of malfunctions caused by soiling.

Device for controlling suction air or vacuum and method of actuating the device


A fuel system includes a turbine engine, and an electric motor that are independently drivable relative to one another. The electric motor has a speed that is selectively controlled based upon a desired fuel flow. A centrifugal pump is driven by the turbine engine. The centrifugal pump provides a desired fuel pressure for the fuel system. A positive displacement pump is driven by the electric motor The positive displacement pump is in fluid communication with the centrifugal pump, for example in a series arrangement. The positive displacement pump meters a desired volume in response to the speed of the second drive assembly.

This invention relates to a fuel system for delivering fuel to gas turbine engines.
Prior art fuel systems include a large positive displacement pump driven by a turbine engine through a gearbox. To achieve the desired fuel volumes and pressures for the demands of the turbine engine, the positive displacement pump is specifically oversized for peak demand. As a result, the fuel system utilizes a bypass valve to return the unneeded fuel back to tank, which is greatly inefficient. Moreover, the returned fuel is hot, which undesirably raises the temperature of the fuel within the fuel tank. Excess pressure that is generated must be relieved using a pressure regulator to mitigate any potential burst or over pressure conditions.
Prior art fuel systems employ precision metering valves to regulate the flow rate through the fuel system to meet the turbine engine fuel demand. The metering valves have tight tolerances and any contamination present within the fuel system comprises the operation of the valves.
Utilizing an electric motor instead of the turbine engine to drive the positive displacement pump to meet a turbine engine fuel demand is not practical. In one example, an 80 horse power motor weighing over 100 pounds would be necessary to supply the needed fuel to the turbine engine, which is not acceptable within the industry.
What is needed is a fuel system that eliminates the need for expensive, high accuracy fuel metering valves and reduces excess pressure and flow within the fuel system.

Metering demand fuel system for gas turbine engines


A multi-processor system has a number of processing elements interconnected by a network for transmitting data frames between the elements. Each element includes an application layer, a transport layer and a link layer. The application layer contains end-point processes each having an address space. The transport layer can allocate a buffer in the address space of a specified end-point process and return details of the buffer to the link layer. The link layer can write message data from a received data frame directly into the allocated buffer by direct memory access without buffering the message data in the link layer. In this way, copying is reduced, improving the efficiency of the system.

This invention relates to communication between processors in a multi-processor computer system.
In a conventional communication protocol, an incoming message is first buffered in a buffer area in the link layer. Protocol header information the message is then examined by the transport layer, to determine which user process the message is intended for. The transport layer can then copy the message data from the buffer area into the user's address space.
A problem with this is that it requires a considerable amount of copying of data, which is inefficient. One object of the present invention is to provide a way of reducing or eliminating such copying.


New combination of a .beta.-receptor blocker, an enantiomer thereof, and a local anesthetic, administered simultaneously or sequentially, giving excellent pain relief. Also comprised in the invention is the use of a non-selective .beta.-receptor blocker alone, especially a non-selective .beta.-receptor blocker giving pain relief.

Pain is maybe the most feared and disabling consequence of illness and trauma. It is also the most frequent reason why patients seek medical consultation. It has been estimated that pain costs the US economy at least 600 BSEK (billion Swedish crowns). Only recently this enormous and costly human suffering has obtained significant attention among the medical community and researches. The attention will continue to grow as the great therapeutic need is obvious, pain increases as population ages. Pain research has recently made major progress.
Some examples of pain indications are postoperative pain, diabetic neurophathia and cancer pain.
Postoperative Pain
Postoperative pain is one of the most frequent types of acute pain and generally undertreated. Thus, 80.000 surgical procedures per million inhabitants take place per year and 75% suffer from postoperative pain.
Postoperative pain may be regarded as a specific variant of acute nociceptive pain. It is markedly different from cancer pain, chronic pain and neurogenic pain in pathophysiology, psychological correlation and therapeutic approaches.
______________________________________ Severe Moderate Mild Operative site pain pain pain ______________________________________ Thoracic 50 40 10 Upper/lower abd 35 45 20 Joints/orthopedic 60 30 10 Spine 25 50 25 Superficial head, neck, 20 35 45 chest TOTAL (%) 40 30 30 ______________________________________
Apart from the humanitarian aspects of relieving pain after surgery, there are physiological benefits to the patients.
Adverse effects of poorly controlled pain include:
Decreased respiratory movement, contributing to hypoxia and atelectasis after operation. PA1 Decreased mobility, increasing the risk of deep venous thrombosis formation, slow intestinal motility and muscular wasting. PA1 Increased sympathetic activity possibly resulting in hypertension and myocardial ischemia. PA1 Increased hormonal and metabolic activity. PA1 Alprenolol hydrochloride for injection 1 g PA1 Sodium chloride for injection 9 g
Diabetic Neuropathy
A causal and effective therapy of diabetic neuropathy does not yet exist and currently available therapy offers limited success and unacceptable side effects. Neuropathy develops in more than two thirds of the diabetic patients in the course of the disease. The prevalence usually vary between 12% and 50% and the incidence and severity vary with age, duration of diabetes and possibly the quality of glycaemic control. The number of patients suffering from painful diabetic neuropathy in North America is estimated to be 2 millions. One of many problems caused by diabetes is nerve damage. This may result in pain that is insidious, sudden and acute, or a mixture of these traits.
Cancer Pain
The incidence of cancer has increased steadily for 20 years. In Sweden and in the US it is now 0.45% or 4500/million inhabitants and year who are taken ill in cancer. In the age group 60 years old it is 1% and then increases to 3% for 80 years old men. The incidence of cancer that causes severe pain is 0.16% or 1600 cases/million inhabitants per year, and 1.3 million worldwide.
Most cancer patients live for several years with their disease. Pain accompanies the disease most of the time and is frequently the original cause for consulting a medical doctor. The life expectancy of patients with advanced or terminal cancer varies from a few months to a few years. It has been found that the prevalence of pain in these patients varies between 55 and 90%, average 75%, depending mostly on the site of cancer.
Current Therapies
The Need of Qualified Pain Relief
The standard treatment for postoperative pain following major abdominal and orthopedic surgery consists normally of repeated injections of an opioid such as morphine given by ward nurses on request. This is generally recognized as an inferior technique since there is reluctance to administer the doses in the individual manner that both the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variation will require. Usually, standard regimens are too little too seldom, whereby many patients never reach satisfactory analgesia while others may suffer from overdosage, i.e. only a few receive satisfactory postoperative pain relief.
The sole use of opioids is generally effective, but has a wide range of side effects such as early or late respiratory depression, intestinal paralysis, bladder dysfunction and pruritus. Epidural analgesia is more and more provided by a combination of local anaesthetics and opioids.
Apart from providing excellent analgesia, the use of local anaesthetics have benefits such as reduced incidence of deep vein thrombosis, improved gastrointestinal mobility, improved ventilatory function with less atelectasis formation or pneumonia. The use of an epidural block has been shown to decrease the hormonal response to trauma, however, the clinical benefits of this is not entirely unambiguous.
The main side effect of spinally administered local anaesthetics is hypotension related to the extent of sympathetic blockade. Other side effects following epidural analgesia with local anaesthetics are muscle weakness and difficulties with micturation.
Local anaesthetics may be combined with opioids for per- and postoperative epidural use. This combination gives a greater separation between the analgesic properties and the motor blockade than following continuous administration of local anaesthetics alone. Although the combination provides superior pain relief, the introduction of opioids adds new side-effects. The most feared is late respiratory depression that may occur up to more than 24 hours after spinal administration. Elderly patients are more susceptible, but respiratory depression has also been seen in young, healthy patients.
Current Therapy--Diabetic Neuropathic
Several pharmacological agents e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenothiazines, anaesthetics and amitriptyline have proven beneficial in patients. OTC analgesics and NSAID's are often inactive.
The drug of choice is probably amitriptyline as it reduces burning, aching, sharp, throbbing and stinging pain. In many instances medication with antidepressants, anticonvulsants etc gives side effects that are unacceptable, especially in elderly, thus limiting the potential benefit. Pain relief requires 2-4 weeks of therapy or more.
Current Therapy--Cancer Pain
In many cases chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in conjunction with surgical procedures can relieve pain symptoms. Symptomatic analgesic therapy is, however, necessary in the vast majority of cancer patients. Drug treatment follows the standard analgesic ladder using NSAID's paracetamol, and opioids.
Adjuvant drugs such as corticosteroids, bisphosphonates, benzodiazepins, and anticonvulsants are often used.
A minor group, relatively, is not helped by these treatments. The number of patients in need of advanced pain treatment, sometimes non-drug methods, is around 10-15% of all patients, who experience severe pain. In the remaining 5% pain control is unsatisfactory using any drug or advance technique available.
The above figures do not mean that 80-90% of all patients obtain proper pain relief. On the contrary, many reports state that as many as 30-40% suffer from insufficient pain relief due to undertreatment. Fear of side effects (nausea, sedation, constipation, pruritus) and addiction, and poor knowledge of proper drug use play great roles. Of course, oral systemic administration is most often used but intravenous administration of opioids is common in the hospital. The use of patient controlled analgesia (PCA) can be handled in tha pain clinic and is gaining wider acceptance.
Terminal cancer patients are treated for longer periods in the hospital or hospice where advanced pain treatment is available. A striking figure from 1988 is that 7% of all days of hospital care in Sweden were caused by tumour disease as major diagnosis. A relative large proportion of the cancer patients are thus amenable to advanced pain treatment.
Regional analgesia using either local anaesthetics, for prompt relief of unbearable pain, or opioids, given intrathecally or epidurally, is sometimes used. The technique has gained in popularity and the benefits of intraspinal opioids might even facilitate patient care at home, leading to a higher quality of life.
Von E. Machtens et al., discloses in Deutsche Zahnarzlicke Zeitschrift, 28 (1973): 10, p. 1021-1025, a combination of alprenolol and xylocaine. The problem the authors achieve to solve by the combination, is increased anaesthetic properties, whereas the problem solved according to the present invention is to reduce the concentration of the local anaesthetic to avoid motor blockade. The present invention solves this problem by the combination of a local anaesthetic, lidocaine being disclaimed, and a .beta.-receptor blocker.

Combination of a .beta.-receptor blocker and a local anaesthetic


The present invention provides an improved and specific mRNA interferase and related methods of protein-based mRNA interference.

RNA-based mRNA interference has been well documented including the initial finding of natural antisense RNA regulation in E. coli and its application to regulate specific gene expression and phage infection and later the discovery of miRNA and siRNA. A common mechanism for all these systems is use of an RNA sequence complementary to a target mRNA. However, despite the existing technologies surrounding RNA-based mRNA interference, there are no functional technologies to inhibit the function of a specific mRNA by protein-based mRNA interference.

Sequence-specific MRNA interferase and uses thereof

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY