A laser processing method for laser processing of a workpiece made of a base material and a fiber reinforced composite material containing fibers having a thermal conductivity and a processing threshold higher than physical properties of glass fibers. The laser processing method includes a step of processing the workpiece by forming a plurality of through-holes extending through the workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with pulsed laser light from a processing head while relatively moving the workpiece and the processing head in a predetermined cutting direction. The pulsed laser light has a pulse width smaller than 1 ms and an energy density capable of forming each of the through-holes by a single pulse.

Fiber reinforced composite materials, such as glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP), composed of a base material and reinforcing fibers have recently attracted attention as strong and lightweight materials. Because the base material and the reinforcing fibers have different characteristics from each other, the fiber reinforced composite materials are known to be difficult to process. A laser processing apparatus can increase the processing speed by increasing a laser output, and may therefore be used for processing a fiber reinforced composite material when a high processing speed is required.
Patent Literature 1 describes forming a plurality of through-holes each formed by a single pulse of pulsed laser, and making through-holes adjacent to each other partly overlap each other, to cut a glass fiber reinforced resin film.

Laser processing method and laser processing apparatus


A printer having an opening provided on an accommodating portion for a recording rolled paper, wherein the opening is covered by first and second swing covers which pivot in opposite directions when moving from a closed position in which they are relatively close to each other. The first swing cover has a first guide member, and the second swing cover has a second guide member. After loading the recording rolled paper into the accommodating portion, the first swing cover is firstly closed. Then, the second swing cover is closed so that the label sheet is automatically arranged to curve by passing around the first guide member and the second guide member.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a printer having a structure for printing a recording paper fed from a recording rolled paper such as a rolled label sheet with base sheet and for separating a label from a base sheet after printing. Specifically, the invention relates to a printer in which a recording rolled paper loading operation becomes easy.
2. Related Art
In general, at a shopping center, a distribution center or the like, a label which indicates the final destination or the like is attached to cargo to be delivered. Normally, the printing operation is applied to the labels adhered on a base sheet. Then, the labels are separated one by one from the base sheet and are attached to the cargo.
Conventional printers for this purpose are disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Hei. 8-295323, Japanese Patent 2633726 or the like. These publications show a separating structure wherein the labels are automatically separated from the base sheet after printing.
As shown in these publications, a label printer includes a roll-accommodating portion in a body. The recording rolled paper is accommodated in this portion, and the label sheet is fed from this portion. After passing through a printing portion, the printed labels are separated from the base sheet by transporting the label sheet through a transporting path with a curled portion. Then, the label is discharged from a discharging port formed on a cover of the roll accommodating portion.
In the above-described construction, it is preferable to be able to easily operate the cover when the recording rolled paper is loaded. Further, when new roll paper is loaded, it is preferable to easily satisfy the condition by a simple operation, that is, the label sheet fed from a recording rolled paper travels along the transporting path with the curled portion, as a constituent of the separating structure, and is pulled off to an external portion of the printer body.
3. The Problem to be Solved
In this kind of the label printer, however, a space for opening the cover is required in vicinity of the printer. When the cover is designed as a swing coverxe2x80x94wherein two swing covers pivot in opposite directions when moving from a closed position in which they are relatively close to each otherxe2x80x94the necessary space for two doors is smaller than that for a single cover. This is desirable.
But if two swing covers are used, it is necessary to operate each swing cover. Further, if the covers must be opened in turn, an operation error tends to occur.
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer in which an printer body has a recording rolled paper accommodating portion that includes an opening portion constituted by swing covers pivoting in opposite directions when moving away from the positions in which they are relatively close to each other wherein as the swing covers are being closed, the label sheet fed from a recording rolled paper travels along a transporting path so as to have a curled portionxe2x80x94as a constituent of the separating structurexe2x80x94and is pulled off to an external portion of the printer body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer having a pair of swing covers wherein an open/close operation becomes easy.
In view of the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer comprising:
a printer body having an accommodating portion for accommodating a rolled paper;
a opening for loading the rolled paper into the accommodating portion;
first and second swing covers, for opening and closing the opening, the first and second swing covers being mounted to the printer body so as to move away from a closed position in which they are close to each other;
a printing head which prints on the paper fed from the rolled paper accommodated in the accommodating portion;
a platen member mounted on the first swing cover and confronted with the printing head portion when the first swing cover is closed;
a first guide member provided with the first swing cover, and positioned downstream, in a paper transporting direction, with respect to the printing head and the platen member when the first swing cover is closed; and
a second guide member, provided with the second swing cover, the second guide member positioned in vicinity of the first guide member when the first and second swing covers are closed,
wherein the first and second guide members guide the paper so as to incurvate the paper on the first guide member.
According to the present invention, a separator defined by the first guide member transports the label sheet along the curved transporting path, and such is automatically accomplished by closing the first and second swing covers.
When the first and second swing covers are closed, the first guide member is positioned on the same side of the thermal printing head as is the platen member. Also, the second guide member is positioned at the same side of the first guide member. If the second guide member is set far from the first guide member, the separator for transporting the recording medium along with the curved transporting path becomes simple.
Further, the second guide member is defined by a sheet-pressing roller adjustably mounted, on the second swing cover, in the sheet pressing direction. An elastic member urges the sheet-pressing roller in the sheet pressing direction.
In the above-described construction, the label sheet is wound by the first guide memberxe2x80x94urged by the elastic force of the elastic memberxe2x80x94with a predetermined tension. Thus, the label is separated from the base sheet.
Next, the printer of the present invention may employ a lock mechanism for locking the first and second swing covers in a closed condition.
The lock mechanism contains a lock lever mounted on one of the first and second swing covers, a cover-side lever-engagement portion provided with the other swing cover, and a main-body-side lever-engagement portion. When the first and second swing covers are closed, a cover-side engagement portion located on the lock lever is engaged with the cover-side lever-engagement portion, and a main-body-side engagement portion is engaged with the main-body-side lever-engagement portion.
In this construction, when the swing cover which does not have the lock lever is firstly closed, the swing cover is not locked. Thus, the operator must perform a closing operation such that the pair of swing covers is closed in the predetermined turn, whereby the second guide member surely separates the label from the base sheet.
Further, a single lock lever locks both swing covers, thereby simplifying the open/close operation.
The cover-side engagement portion and the main-body-side engagement portion rotate between a lock position (wherein the cover-side engagement portion and the main-body-side engagement portion engage with the cover-side lever-engagement portion and the main-body-side lever-engagement portion, respectively) and an unlock position (wherein these engagements are released). Further, the lock mechanism further contains an elastic member for urging the lock lever to the lock position, a manual operating member for rotating the lock lever toward the unlock position against an urging force of the elastic member, and an urging member for urging the swing coverxe2x80x94which is not provided with the lock leverxe2x80x94in a swing-cover opening direction.
Instead of the construction described above, the lock mechanism may contain a lock lever mounted on the second swing cover, a first-swing-cover pressing portion provided with the second swing cover, a main-body-side lever-engagement portion provided with a printer main body, and a main-body-side engagement portion engaged with the main-body-side lever-engagement portion when the lock lever closes the second swing cover, wherein a first swing cover pressing portion provided with the second swing cover presses the first swing cover to a closing direction thereof when the second swing cover is closed.
In this construction, one swing cover maintains the other swing cover in the closed condition. Thus, when the one swing cover, which does not have the lock lever, is firstly closed, it is not fixed in the closed condition.
In this case, the first-swing-cover pressing portion corresponds to the second guide member, and it is preferable that the second guide member is capable of pressing the platen member provided with the first swing cover toward the closing direction when the second swing cover is closed.
Further, it is preferable that the lock mechanism further contains an urging member for urging the second swing cover in the opening direction. In this construction, when the first swing cover is opened, the second swing cover which was held in the closed condition is automatically opened.
Moreover, the printer of the present invention contains a cutter blade for cutting the recording medium after printing. The cutter blade is positioned downstreamxe2x80x94in the recording medium feeding directionxe2x80x94of the printing head and the platen member.
In this situation, an opening for discharging the recording medium is provided by the first and second swing covers, at a position adjacent the printing head portion and the platen member, when the first and second swing covers are closed. And the cutter blade is positioned adjacent to the opening for discharging the recording medium. With this construction, upon closing the first and second swing covers, the cutter blade could cut the label sheet or the like. It is possible to provide the cutter blade with the first guide member.
Next, according to the present invention, the printing head includes a thermal head, and the platen member includes a platen roller. In this case, when the first cover is closed, the platen roller is brought into contact with the thermal head.

Printer with first and second swing covers


A pull-out display shelf assembly having spaced-apart support structures mounted on gondola uprights, for example, and supporting a display shelf for movement between fully retracted and extended positions, with locking means for securing the shelf structure in any set position. The locking mechanism includes vertically rotatable square locking bars freely movable in a locking track when aligned therewith, and having locking engagement with the track when rotated out of alignment with the track. Simplified and improved support structures are formed of heavy gauge sheet metal, bent into an L-shaped configuration for strength and rigidity and formed to provide elongated locking slots in horizontal bottom panels of the L-shaped supports. Component parts are minimized and rigidity and locking action are improved. Stabilizing tabs at the inner ends of the support brackets minimize lateral flexing of the brackets when the shelf is released for movement relative to the support brackets.

The display of merchandise in mass merchandising outlets and the like typically involves extensive shelving installations. Typical forms of display shelving comprise gondola structures forming support stands for the shelving. The gondolas may comprise a base from which extends a back wall panel including .two or more vertical uprights formed with slots or other openings to receive shelving at various levels. Stores frequently try to position shelves with relatively minimal vertical clearance between the contents of one shelf and the position of the shelf next above, in order to maximize the number of shelves, and therefore the amount of merchandise displayed, in a given gondola. However, as vertical shelf spacing becomes more compressed, it becomes more difficult to stock and service individual shelves, particularly lower shelves, because of the difficulty and inconvenience in reaching the back areas of the shelves.
To facilitate access to back portions of the display shelves, some stores install pull-out shelving. Pull-out shelves are mounted at their opposite side edges in such way as to enable them to be temporarily displaced forwardly from the back wall of the gondola, exposing significantly greater areas of the shelf surface, and thereby enabling store personnel to more easily restock and otherwise service the merchandise display. A known form of such pull-out shelving is illustrated in International Publication WO 01/21040 of H. L. Display A. B. The disclosed shelf structure includes a pair of spaced apart side supports which engage opposite end edges of a display shelf, using roller tracks or the like to accommodate easy movement of the shelf even when loaded with product. Locking means are positioned underneath the shelf and are engageable by an operator servicing the shelf, enabling the shelf to be freed up for forward and rearward movement, but locking the shelf firmly in position when released. This allows the shelf to be pulled out for servicing, and then easily returned to its normal display position.
A shelf of the type disclosed in WO 01/21040, while functionally satisfactory, is of relatively complex, and therefore relatively costly construction, which tends to inhibit its widespread usage. The present invention is directed to an improved pull-out shelf structure, of the general type disclosed in WO 01/21040 which, at the same time not only provides superior performance but also is of a significantly improved and simplified (and therefore more economical) construction, and thus more suitable for more widespread employment in mass merchandising and other outlets.


A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory array including a plurality of memory cells; and a peripheral circuit configured to change a voltage level of a bit line connected to a program target cell according to a threshold voltage of the program target cell among the memory cells during a program operation.

The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor memory device and an operation method thereof, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device capable of improving threshold voltage distribution, and a method of operating the same.
A semiconductor memory device may be generally divided into a volatile memory device and a non-volatile memory device.
The volatile memory device has a high write and read rate, but when power supply is interrupted, stored data may be lost. The non-volatile memory device has a relatively lower write and read rate than the volatile memory device, but even though power supply is interrupted, stored data is maintained. Accordingly, the non-volatile memory device for storing data, which needs to be maintained regardless of whether power is supplied, is used. The non-volatile memory device includes a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Mask ROM (MROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), a flash memory, a Phase-change Random Access Memory (PCRAM), a Magnetic RAM (MRAM), a Resistive RAM (ReRAM), a Ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), and the like. The flash memory among of the non-volatile memory device may be divided into a NOR type and a NAND type.
Especially, the flash memory has an advantage of the RAM in which program and erase of data are free, and an advantages of the ROM in which even though power supply is interrupted, stored data may be preserved. The flash memory is widely used as a storing media of a portable electronic device, such as a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and an MP3 player.
However, a range of threshold voltage distribution of memory cells of the flash memory is increased due to various factors. It is necessary to improve reliability of the semiconductor memory device by improving threshold voltage distribution of the memory cells of the flash memory.

Semiconductor memory device with high threshold voltage distribution reliability method


A depilation apparatus is provided with a depilation member (7) with pinching elements (19, 21, 69, 73, 111, 115) for consecutively holding hairs growing from the skin clamped in and pulling these hairs from the skin and comprises means (7, 41, 67) for twisting the hairs about their longitudinal axes before the depilation member (7) pulls the hairs from the skin whereby a considerable reduction of the required pulling force, a reduction of the pain occurring during pulling-out and a reduction of the risk of hair fracture during pulling-out of the hairs is obtained, the twisting action of the depilation apparatus being obtained through the use of a pair of discshaped pinching elements (19, 21, 69, 73, 111, 115) with cooperating pinching surfaces (23a, 23b, 71, 75, 113, 117) which slide alongside one another at least temporarily in the pinching position of the pinching elements (19, 21, 69, 73, 111, 115) and the pinching elements (19, 21, 69, 73, 111, 115) having different rotation speeds in the pinching position.

A depilation apparatus of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,902. The depilation member of the known depilation apparatus is provided with a number of pinching discs fastened on a drive shaft and a number of pinching plates arranged between the pinching discs and fastened on an auxiliary shaft which is coupled to the pinching discs so as to rotate along with them and which can be shifted parallel to the drive shaft. During rotation of the pinching discs, the pinching plates are clamped against the pinching discs through shifting of the auxiliary shaft, so that hairs present between the pinching discs and the pinching plates are held and pulled from the skin under rotation of the pinching discs and the pinching plates.
A disadvantage of the known depilation apparatus is that the process of pulling the hairs from the skin is a painful one.

Depilation apparatus with twisting action


Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, devices, and the like for user authentication. In one embodiment, the user authentication occurs using a multi-provider platform. The multi-provider platform enables the use and retrieval of user information from the given provider for the use and assessment of information associated with the user. User information may also be received over a web link communicated at least in part by a risk checkpoint component to a user device, wherein the user information received and that retrieved may be jointly used for determining user authentication.

Nowadays with the proliferation of electronics, users are constantly relying on their electronics for access to social media, transacting, messaging, etc. However, with such reliance comes the need for remote connectivity and authentication. User authentication and consequently verification are instrumental in ensuring a user information is securely and correctly accessed. User authentication and verification often require the use of passcodes, phrases and other forms of input mechanisms. Such authentication processes may be cumbersome and time consuming as passwords may be forgotten, and authentication could require lengthy conversations with a service agent and even prone to interception attacks. As such, some providers are turning to biometric authentication as a solution, however such authentication processes may be limited in scope and/or availability. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a method for authenticating using a complete solution that leverages the capabilities of multiple providers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, whereas showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

System and method for authenticating using a multi-provider platform


The present invention is to present a sample analyzer for analyzing a target substance in a sample by carrying out a target substance separating process for separating a complex containing the target substance and a magnetic particle from other substances other than the complex. The sample analyzer executes the target substance separating process with respect to a second container held by a second holder with a second nozzle while executing the target substance separating process with respect to a first container held by a first holder with a first nozzle, and completes the target substance separating process with respect to the first container with the first nozzle and completes the target substance separating process with respect to the second container with the second nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sample analyzer and a sample analyzing method for analyzing a target substance contained in a sample using a reagent containing magnetic particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
An analyzer for analyzing a target substance contained in a sample using a reagent containing magnetic particles is conventionally known. In such analyzer, the BF (Bound-Free) separating process of separating an immune complex containing the target substance from a unreacted substance is carried out. In the BF separating process, the immune complex in which an analyzing target (antigen or antibody) in the sample and the magnetic particles bound with a reactive substance that specifically binds with the analyzing target are reacted is captured at the inner wall of a reaction container by a magnetic force, and the unreacted substance in the reaction container is removed leaving the immune complex captured at the inner wall of the reaction container by supplying cleaning liquid to the reaction container and aspirating the liquid in the reaction container.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/206099 discloses an analyzer including one magnetism separator, one impurity aspirating mechanism, and one cleaning liquid discharging mechanism, where the BF separating process is carried out by repeating aspiration by the impurity aspirating mechanism and discharge of the cleaning liquid in the reaction container transferred to the magnetism separator.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001/91521 discloses an analyzer including a BF separation mechanism with a transferring body for transporting the reaction container, three cleaning ports arranged along the transporting direction of the reaction container by the transferring body, and three BF nozzles, arranged in correspondence with the three cleaning ports, for aspirating the impurities and discharging the cleaning liquid. In such BF separation mechanism, the reaction container is sequentially transported to the three cleaning ports by the transferring body, where the aspiration of the impurities and the discharging of the cleaning liquid are performed two times in each of the three cleaning ports. That is, the BF separating process is completed when the aspiration of the impurities and the discharging of the cleaning liquid are performed for a total of six times on one reaction container when one reaction container passes the three cleaning ports.
However, in the analyzer disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/206099, the BF separating process can be carried out on only one reaction container at once, and hence the BF separating process takes time when processing a great number of reaction containers, and as a result, the sample processing ability of the analyzer becomes difficult to enhance.
Furthermore, in the analyzer disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001/91521, the BF nozzle of the cleaning port positioned on the upstream side in the transporting direction of the reaction container is inserted into the specimen of high concentration of the unreacted substance to carry out aspiration and discharge each time, and hence the BF nozzle of the cleaning port on the upstream side is more contaminated than the BF nozzle of the cleaning port on the downstream side. Thus, if only the BF nozzle on the upstream side is cleaned over a long time to prevent occurrence of carry-over of the substance contained in the previous sample to the next sample, the BF separating process cannot be started until the cleaning of the BF nozzle on the upstream side is completed and the sample processing ability of the analyzer becomes difficult to enhance. Furthermore, if the cleaning time is set the same for the BF nozzle on the upstream side and the BF nozzle on the downstream side in view of the processing efficiency, the carry-over to the next sample may occur due to contamination attached to the BF nozzle on the upstream side having high contamination degree.

Sample analyzer and sample analyzing method


An ice cutting instrument for beveling the ice around the bottom of a hole cut in the ice on a lake, which is driven by a motorized power unit. A vertical power shaft supports a cutting blade which can be adjusted between a position near the shaft to an angled position by a control rod extending along the shaft. The shaft carries one or more spacing devices to center it in the hole. The instrument is inserted in the hole, the blade is extended, and the power unit is then energized to rotate the instrument, which is then pulled upwardly to cut the enlarged opening.

Ice fishing is a popular sport in areas where fresh water lakes freeze over in the winter. Ice is safe to walk on when it reaches 4 or 5 inches in thickness, and in colder climates the ice may reach a depth of 3 feet or more. The fishing is conducted through a hole drilled in the ice ranging from 5 inches to 13 inches in diameter which is cut by either a manually operated or a motorized ice auger. Ice augers powered by a power unit having a gasoline engine are currently popular and are available from many manufacturers.
When a fish is hooked under the ice, it must be pulled up through the hole and, while that is not a problem with smaller fish, many large fish are lost when they must be turned to come up into the hole through which the fishing line extends. The vertical sidewall surface of the hole forms a 90.degree. angle with the bottom of the ice so on most occasions the fish on the hook must make a 90.degree. turn to enter the bottom of the hole. Many large fish are lost at this point because of the extra stress placed on the fishing line and hook when extra pressure is applied to the line to pull the fish around the corner and, in some cases, a sharp edge formed at the bottom of the hole may even cut the line.


A vibration state detection device includes an imaging device configured to image at least one driven element to be driven by a drive unit of a machine tool; and a vibration state analysis unit configured to calculate a parameter corresponding to vibration of the driven element, based on image data for each predetermined period of elapsed time acquired by the imaging device. The parameter includes at least a vibration frequency and a machine tool including the vibration state detection device. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably obtain a parameter corresponding to vibration caused by cutting, even if cutting oil, chips, or the like adheres to a tool of a machine tool, and it is possible to suppress vibration caused by cutting.

In a machine tool configured to perform processing by rotating a tool or a workpiece, there is a possibility that the processing accuracy of the workpiece may lower due to vibration to be generated during processing of the workpiece. In order to deal with such a possibility, for example, there is proposed a dynamic characteristic calculation device of a machine tool in which a high-speed camera is disposed beside a rotating tool so that the characteristic of vibration of the tool can be calculated from an image of the tool captured by the high-speed camera (see Patent Literature 1, for example).

Vibration state detection device and machine tool including vibration state detection device


According to the present invention, sprayable liquid solvent-based compositions for removable coatings are provided along with methods of applying those compositions to a surface for protecting and improving the appearance of the surface. Solvent-based compositions may be applied to a surface as a liquid and undergo evaporation and/or drying to form a “rubberized” material, forming a substantially uniform protective coating on a surface.

Conventional products used in the automotive industry for protection against physical or environmental damage typically utilize solid-state vinyl or plastic wrap films. Solid-state products may be challenging to apply and may not provide adequate protection.
Solid vinyl wrap films and solid sheet protective coatings have been used for over a decade. Application of solid vinyl wraps, which is traditionally done by hand, requires a steady hand, years of training, and tremendous patience to install, especially on objects with many curvatures. Solid vinyl wrap films also have associated high manufacturing costs, as vinyl wrap films require complex machinery to lay, roll and spool the films, thereby increasing the production cost of the base film material. Additionally, many vinyl wrap films may leave an adhesive glue or residue behind upon removal of the film.
Other products for protection against physical or environmental damage involve sprayable aqueous-based compositions. However, aqueous compositions have considerably longer drying velocities, exhibit variations in quality due to changes in humidity and temperature during the application and drying process, and may be difficult to remove. Further, aqueous-based compositions may freeze during commercial shipping and storage, potentially leading to further variability in the final solid coating product, and are susceptible to UV damage. Aqueous-based compositions are extremely sensitive to temperature. For example, some aqueous-based compositions cannot dry properly below 70° Fahrenheit (F.), and therefore, such compositions cannot be applied unless the temperature is 70° F. or above. Additionally, some aqueous-based compositions are not removable if the temperature falls below 70° F. Further, some aqueous-based compositions degrade over a period of time, e.g., 3 months, 6 months, a year, etc., such that the coating formed by the aqueous-based composition becomes more adhesive and difficult or even nearly impossible to remove over time.

Removable spray coating and application method


Methods and corresponding apparatus for optical amplification in semiconductors, particularly indirect band-gap semiconductors, and most particularly in silicon. A first aspect of the invention employs certain doping elements to provide inter-band-gap energy levels in combination with optical or current-injection pumping. The doping element, preferably a noble metal and most preferably Gold, is chosen to provide an energy level which enables an energy transition corresponding to a photon of wavelength equal to the signal wavelength to be amplified. The energy transition may be finely “adjusted” by use of standard doping techniques (such as n-type or p-type doping) to alter the conduction and valence band energy levels and thereby also the magnitude of the energy transition. A second aspect of the invention relates to the use of a non-homogeneous heat distribution which has been found to lead to optical amplification effects.

The present invention relates to optical amplification and, in particular, it concerns optical amplification in semiconductors, particularly silicon, by optical pumping and/or non-homogeneous heating.
There is presently a great deal of interest in the pursuing of semiconductors as basic materials for lasers and optical amplifiers for optical networks. Most of existing semiconductor lasers and amplifiers are based on direct band gap semiconductor materials. At present, Silicon is not considered a favorable candidate for these applications, by virtue of indirect band gap structure. On the other hand, light stimulated emission properties of GaP, also an indirect band-gap semiconductor has been reported and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on this material are commercially available [1]. Regarding doped Silicon, a massive effort in order to develop lasers and amplifiers is taking place these days worldwide (see Refs. [2,3] for a review on the subject). Experimental observation of the stimulated emission in bulk Silicon was not reported to-date to the best of our knowledge [4], since Basov, et al [5], and recently Trupke, et al [6] theoretically predicted this possibility. Reports on gain included Er+-doped silicon and silicon dioxide structures [7] and structures not based on the original crystalline structure (nano-crystals, nano-layers etc) [2]. Gain was also attained via non-linear processes e.g. stimulated Raman scattering [8] and multiwave mixing [9], the mechanisms present in many materials. Our main goal here is the disclosure of methods for attaining stimulated emission in Silicon. Stimulated emission is in the essence of laser action or optical amplification of light signals.

Apparatus and methods for optical amplification in semiconductors


A wireless network receiver includes a detection module that uses preamble data in a data frame for signal processing functions and the detection module is configured to adjust the number of preamble data bits that are used based on the power of a received signal.

Utility companies (for example, electric, gas, and water) are increasingly implementing usage meters that can wirelessly transmit usage data. The wireless networks for utility companies are called Smart Utility Networks (SUN). There are multiple organizations developing standards for SUN. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has a standard (IEEE 802.15.4g) for SUN. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) also has a standard (TR-51) for SUN.
Meters on a customer's premises may wirelessly transmit data to a data collection point operated for a utility company. The data collection point may then be connected by fiber, copper wire, or wirelessly to a central office. Usage data may be hopped from meter to meter in a mesh configuration until it reaches the data collection point. A mesh configuration may be appropriate for an urban or suburban area with a high density of meters. Alternatively, usage data may be sent directly from each meter to the data collection point (star configuration). A star configuration may be appropriate for rural environments where the density of meters is so low that there may not be a convenient neighbor to use as an intermediate hop. There may also be mixtures of star and mesh configurations.
The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model for networks divides communications functionality into seven logical layers. The lowest layer, called the Physical Layer (PHY) defines the conversion between the representation of digital data and the corresponding signals transmitted over the physical communications channel, and also the structure of the data frames. There are multiple PHY's supported by the SUN standards. In particular, in one embodiment, all legacy devices in a SUN communicate using Frequency Shift Keying (FSK). Accordingly, for the particular embodiment, in a mesh configuration, all devices must be able to receive FSK modulated data with the specified data frame structure. There is a need for improved SUN receivers for receiving FSK modulated data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


This invention relates to compositions containing cyanoacrylate adhesives that are temporarily inhibited from polymerizing and curing even in the presence of activating substances, such as metals, which normally catalyze polymerization of cyanocrylate adhesive compositions. This invention also relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting polymerization and curing of cyanoacrylate adhesives.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A major drawback of cyanoacrylate compounds is their tendency to polymerize rapidly and often uncontrollably when contacted or mixed with various activating substances, especially substances that form ions in solution. Even trace quantities of such activators as organic salts, inorganic salts, metals, water, urea, oxides, etc., substantially increase the rate of cyanoacrylate polymerization. This tendency has limited the usefulness of cyanoacrylate compounds to ordinary adhesive applications. If cyanoacrylate compounds could be mixed with sufficient quantities of various activating substances without polymerizing immediately, they would be useful in a wide variety of additional applications.
The development of cyanoacrylates, such as methyl-2-cyanoacrylate, ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate, propyl-2-cyanoacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl-2-cyanoacrylate, isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate, n-butylcyanoacrylate, hexyl-, heptyl-, and octyl-cyanoacrylate, etc., represented a major technological advance in the bonding and adhesive art.
The preparation of cyanoacrylates is well-known. It is described in such U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,467,926; 2,794,788; 2,912,454; and No. 2,926,188, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. The use of cyanoacrylate polymers as adhesives is described in such U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,776,232; 2,794,788; and No. 2,467,926, also incorporated by reference. The cyanoacrylate adhesives are fast-drying, high tensile-strength glues and bonding agents. Their use in bonding or joining materials together is very widespread in industry, in the household, and in special applications such as surgery (as tissue adhesives), dentistry, etc.
Various inorganic substances have been proposed as fillers or thickeners for cyanoacrylate monomer compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,501 of Adams, et al. issued on May 16, 1972 discloses preparation of a dental cement containing finely divided sodium fluoride, fused silca, quartz, and alumina fillers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,542 of Leonard, et al. issued on Sep. 21, 1971 discloses the preparation of water-resistant cyanoacrylate paste containing insoluble inert fillers (such as various salts of calcium, titanium, zinc, tin, aluminum and iron) for use as adhesives in submerged applications and as fillings for teeth. Neither reference is concerned with the polymerization rate of cyanoacrylate adhesives or with its control.
Incorporation of acid inhibitors in cyanoacrylate compositions is known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,823 of Schoenberg issued on Jan. 8, 1980 teaches that acid additives called "stabilizers" in the patent) including acid gases, other acids (such as acetic) or various Lewis acids (such as FeCl.sub.3, SnCl.sub.2 and BF.sub.3) inhibit polymerization of cyanoacrylate compositions. The patent warns, however, that such additives must be used with caution because strong acids "over-stabilize" the monomer and weak acids do not "stabilize" it sufficiently. Schoenberg further observes that the acids (which are said to act as anionic polymerization inhibitors) interfere with the cure of the adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,788 of Coover issued on Jun. 4, 1957 states that sulfur dioxide is effective as a stabilizer for cyanoacrylate monomers, that boron trifluoride and hydrogen fluoride are also effective, but that carbon dioxide is less effective.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,759 of Robins issued Jul. 17, 1984 discloses a two-part cyanocrylate adhesive composition. One part of this composition contains weakly acidic or weakly ionic compounds as accelerators for polymerization, particularly when these compositions are used on wood substrates. Such accelerators are said to include metal halides. The first part contains acid gases and free-radical compounds as inhibitors.
Although many of the above references recognize the need to control the rate of polymerization of cyanoacrylate adhesives, the additives they propose are inadequate as inhibitors because their inhibitory effect cannot be well-controlled.
As stated in Schoenberg, supra, too little acid inhibitor is not effective and two much can interfere with polymer cure. In addition, many acid additives cause polymer decomposition, and shorten the useful life of the cyanoacrylate polymer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel compositions useful as inhibitor-stabilizers for cyanoacrylate compounds and compositions.
Another object is to provide novel inhibiting-stabilizing compositions for cyanoacrylates that effectively delay onset and propagation of polymerization reations even in the presence of activators for such reactions.
Another object is to provide cyanoacrylate compositions that are temporarily or permanently rendered non-reactive to activating substances.
Another object of the invention is to provide cyanoacrylate compositions that are temporarily or permanently inhibited from polymerizing in which the inhibitor does not cause premature decomposition of the polymer.
Another object is to provide cyanoacrylate compositions that are temporarily or permanently inhibited from polymerizing to a controlled extent although they contain substantial amounts of substances that act as catalysts for cyanoacrylate polymerization.
Another object is to provide cyanoacrylate compositions that are electrically or thermally conductive and have such polymerization and stability characteristics or mechanical properties as make them suitable for use in the manufacture of electronic and microelectronic components.
Another object is to expand the uses to which cyanoacrylate adhesive compositions can be put by providing compositions comprising cyanoacrylate monomers that are controllably inhibited towards polymerization and at the same time yield polymers with the desired degree of cure and stability.
A further object is to prepare cyanoacrylate adhesive compositions that can be spray-coated in place using inter alia on artists' air brush.
Yet another object is to provide methods for inhibiting the polymerization of cyanoacrylate compounds and for preparing polymerization-inhibited and stabilized compositions containing cyanoacrylate compounds and activators.

Composition and method for inhibiting the cure of cyanoacrylate adhesives and cure inhibited cyanoacrylate adhesive compositions


A golf ball including two poles and an equator is characterized by the arrangement of a preselected number of dimples in a geometrical lattice configuration based upon a subdivided tetrahedron on the surface thereof The lattice includes six dimple-free great circles around the circumference of the ball, one of the circles corresponding with the equator and another of the circles passing through the poles. All of the circles define twenty-four generally equivalent triangles, twelve in each hemisphere of the ball. An equal number of dimples are arranged within each of the triangles, and the dimple arrangement in at least two of the triangles is different from the dimple arrangement in the remaining triangles.

The present invention relates to golf balls and more particularly to a specific arrangement of dimples on a golf ball.
It is well-known that for any given selected number of dimples on a golf ball, it is desirable that the area of the surface of the golf ball covered by the dimples be a maximum in order to provide the best flight characteristics for the ball. Moreover, U.S.G.A. rules of golf require that the ball be designed and manufactured to perform in general as if it were aerodynamically symmetrical. A dimpled golf ball may be geometrically symmetrical and not aerodynamically symmetrical. An example of a golf ball which is both geometrically symmetrical and aerodynamically symmetrical is a smooth sphere. As is well known, this ball is not capable of providing the necessary performance required in present day golf.
While a great deal of the surface of the ball may be covered with dimples if the dimples are quite small, it has been found that this imparts some undesirable characteristics to the ball. At the same time, when larger diameter dimples are used and all of the dimples are the same size, there is a considerable surface of the ball remaining after the dimples are arranged on the surface.


An organic light emitting diode, and a method of fabricating the same, the organic light emitting diode including a pixel-defining layer disposed on a substrate, the pixel-defining layer having an opening therein and having at least one stepped portion formed adjacent to the opening, and an organic layer disposed in the opening and at least partially covering the at least one stepped portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode, and a method of fabricating the same, that is configured to reduce or eliminate gases entrapped between an organic layer and an underlying layer when the organic layer is formed.
2. Discussion of Related Art
organic light emitting diode may include organic layers as part of the device structure. For example, in forming an organic light emitting diode such as an organic light emitting diode, a lower electrode, e.g., an anode electrode, and/or a pixel-defining layer may have a thin organic layer formed thereon. The organic layer may be, e.g., a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emission layer, a hole blocking layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, etc. Additional layers such as an upper electrode, e.g., a cathode electrode, may then be formed on the organic layer.
A variety of methods have been developed to form organic layers in organic light emitting diodes. Such methods include, e.g., deposition and lithographic methods. The deposition method may involve forming an organic layer by vacuum-depositing an organic material using a shadow mask. However, it may be difficult to form a high resolution pattern, e.g., one with a very fine pitch, using such a method, and applying the deposition method to large-area display devices may also be difficult.
Lithographic methods may involve depositing an organic material, followed by patterning the material using a photoresist to form the organic layer. Such lithographic methods may be suitable for forming high-resolution patterns. However, some of the pattern-forming steps of the lithographic method, e.g., etching, developing with a developing solution, etc., may cause the organic layer to deteriorate.
In order to avoid the difficulties associated with the deposition and lithographic methods, an ink jet method may be employed to directly pattern the organic layer. In the ink jet method, a solution containing an organic material is discharged from a head of an ink-jet printer to form the organic layer. The solution may include the organic material dissolved or dispersed in a solvent. The ink jet method has the advantage of being relatively simple. However, it may not produce organic layers of uniform thickness, yields may be low and it may be difficult to apply large-area display devices.
A thermal transfer method has been proposed to form organic layers in organic light emitting diodes and it may offer advantages over the methods described above. The thermal transfer method may form an organic layer using, e.g., laser-induced thermal transfer, wherein the organic material is provided on a donor substrate, the donor substrate is placed in close contact with the device substrate, and a laser is scanned across the donor substrate. Heat energy provided by the laser causes the organic material to transfer to the donor substrate, forming the organic layer.
The thermal transfer method may be applied to form, e.g., an organic-processible hole transfer layer, such as an underarray of an organic light emitting diode, red, green and blue organic layers, etc. Laser-induced thermal transfer may offer various advantages, such as formation of high-resolution patterns, uniformity of film thickness, an ability to laminate multiple layers, extensibility into a large motherglass, etc., which make it suitable for the manufacture of large-scale organic light emitting diodes. Such a laser-induced thermal transfer may be used for fabricating a color filter for a liquid crystal display device, forming a pattern of luminescent materials, etc.
FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a stage in a conventional method of fabricating a pixel unit of an organic light emitting diode, and FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a stage in a conventional method of fabricating a pixel unit of an organic light emitting diode, taken along a line A-A′ of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a thin-film transistor 107 and a first electrode layer 209 may be formed on a substrate 200. The thin-film transistor 107 may include a buffer layer 201 and a semiconductor layer 102 that has an active channel layer 102a and ohmic contact layers 102b. A gate insulating layer 203 and a gate electrode 204 may be formed on the active channel layer 102a and the ohmic contact layers 102b. An interlayer dielectric 205 may cover the gate electrode 204 and the gate insulating layer 203, and may have electrode contacts 106a and 106b penetrating therethrough. A planarization layer 208 may overlie these features, and an electrode layer 209 may be formed on top of the planarization layer 208. The electrode layer 209 may make contact with the electrode contact 106a through a via hole 202. A pixel-defining layer 100 may be formed on the planarizing layer 208 and the electrode layer 209, and may have an opening 114 formed therein to expose part of the electrode layer 209.
An organic layer 101, which may be, e.g., a light emitting region, may be formed in the opening 114 of the pixel-defining layer 100 using, e.g., laser-induced thermal transfer. The organic layer 101 may extend laterally beyond the opening 114, so as to be disposed on the electrode layer 209 and on the pixel-defining layer 100. The pixel-defining layer 100 may extend laterally beyond the organic layer 101 along the circumference of the organic layer 101. Thermal transfer of the organic layer may be achieved by scanning a laser lengthwise along the organic layer 101, i.e., in the downward direction illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, a thermal transfer donor film 216 may include a light-to-heat conversion layer 214 formed on a base substrate 213, and may include an organic material-containing transfer layer disposed on the light-to-heat conversion layer 214. The donor film 216 may further include an interlayer 215 between the light-to-heat conversion layer 214 and the transfer layer.
The donor film 216 may be arranged adjacent to and facing an upper portion of a pixel-defining layer 100. A laser may be-irradiated onto and scanned across the donor film 216, such that the light-to-heat conversion layer 214 converts the laser light into heat. The transfer layer may melt and separate from the donor film 216 so as to form the organic layer 101 on the pixel-defining layer 100.
As the transfer layer is transferred from the donor film 216 to the pixel-defining layer 100, gases may be entrapped. In particular, gases may be trapped between the organic layer 101 and the pixel-defining layer 100 and/or the electrode layer 209.
The gas entrapment may be more significant in the last region of interface between the organic layer 101 and the pixel-defining layer 100 and/or electrode layer 209, i.e., the final region scanned by the laser. For example, referring to FIG. 1, gases may be entrapped near the lower region of the organic layer 101 when the laser is scanned from the upper region toward the lower region. As a result, adhesion between the organic layer 101 and the pixel-defining layer 100 and/or the electrode layer 209 may be unsatisfactory, due to the entrapped gases.

Organic light emitting diode and method of fabricating the same


This invention provides compounds of Formula I, N-oxides and suitable salts thereof

The control of invertebrate pests is extremely important in achieving high crop efficiency. Damage by invertebrate pests to growing and stored agronomic crops can cause significant reduction in productivity and thereby result in increased costs to the consumer. The control of invertebrate pests in forestry, greenhouse crops, ornamentals, nursery crops, stored food and fiber products, livestock, household, and public and animal health is also important. Many products are commercially available for these purposes, but the need continues for new compounds that are more effective, less costly, less toxic, environmentally safer or have different modes of action.
PCT Publication WO01/070671 discloses N-acyl anthranilic acid derivatives of Formula i as arthropodicides
wherein, inter alia, A and B are independently O or S; J is an optionally substituted phenyl ring, 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring, naphthyl ring system or an aromatic 8-, 9- or 10-membered fused heterobicyclic ring system; R1 and R3 are independently H or optionally substituted C1–C6 alkyl; R2 is H or C1–C6 alkyl; each R4 is independently H, C1–C6 alkyl, C1–C6 haloalkyl, halogen or CN; and n is 1 to 4.

Abstract: wherein A is O or S(O)?m#191;J is a phenyl or heterocyclic ring as defined herein; and R1 through R12, n, m and r are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are methods for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising contacting the invertebrate pest or its environment with a biologically effective amount of a compound of Formula I, an N-oxide thereof or a suitable salt of the compound (e.g., as a composition described herein). This invention also pertains to a composition for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising a biologically effective amount of a compound of Formula I, an N-oxide thereof or a suitable salt of the compound and at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a solid diluent and a liquid diluent.


An apparatus and method of cooking and smoking food is disclosed. The apparatus has an outer container, an inner container, and a cover for the inner container. The outer container is provided with a bottom wall which receives a smoke material such as wood chips, herbs and the like thereon and the inner container is provided with a bottom wall with smoke flow apertures therein wherein food is placed on the bottom wall of the inner container, the bottom wall of the inner container being spaced from the bottom wall of the outer container. The smoke material is ignited to provide smoke which flows up through the apertures in the bottom wall of the inner container and along with the heat being generated by the bottom wall of the outer container and the ignited material provides the smoke and cooking heat for the food. One embodiment has cylindrical telescoping containers and another pan shaped nesting container. One method disclosed involves high temperatures and fast cooking while another method disclosed involves low temperatures and slow cooking.

Meats, seafood and poultry having the taste of smoked wood, such as hickory and mesquite and other sources for flavoring, have acquired wide acceptance in our society. In many instances, the cooking and smoking of these products using wood chips as the source for the heat and smoke take many hours in preparation. Moreover, in restaurants, and particularly fast food restaurants, when cooked foods with a smoke taste are prepared the food products are generally marinated or grilled with a liquid smoke as opposed to actual/smoking the food product. In restaurants, and particularly those of the fast food variety, a wood cooker-smoker which prepares a smoked food product in a very short period of time would increase efficiency and provide more authenticity to the prepared food over those using liquid smoke in the food preparation process.

Apparatus and method for cooking and smoking food


A magnetoresistive head including a magnetoresistive element, and two shield layers sandwiching the magnetoresistive element. The magnetoresistive element includes an antiferromagnetic layer a pinned layer in exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, a free layer whose magnetization rotates or switches according to a media magnetic field, and an intermediate layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The intermediate layer includes magnetic grains surrounded by an insulator. The magnetic grains connect the free layer and the pinned layer by means of a nano contact. The free layer is oversized with respect to the pinned layer and the intermediate layer which are distanced from a media side end of the shield layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetoresistive head with an oversized free layer for thermal and magnetic stability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional head, a spacer between a free layer and a pinned layer is non-magnetic (comprising either a conductive layer in the case of GMR, or an insulator in the case of tunneling TMR). Therefore the magnetic flux of the media (media flux) will change the magnetization direction of the free layer only. The magnetization of the pinned layer is fixed and not being affected by the media flux.
In a ballistic magneto resistive head (hereinafter BMR head) of the present invention, a higher MR ratio can be achieved compared to giant magneto resistive (GMR) or tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) cases.
As disclosed in G. Tatara et. al., Phys. Review Letters, Vol.83, the origin of BMR results from an additional resistance of a magnetic domain wall in a nano-contact between two ferromagnetic layers or wires. The magnetic domain wall is created when the magnetization in these two ferromagnetic layers are anti-parallel. The size of the magnetic domain wall is in the nanometer scale, the scattering of electron is strong.
The BMR value depends on the magnetic domain wall configuration and the scattering of electron when the electron passes through the magnetic domain wall in the nano-contact region. For the application of BMR to a read head it is important to guarantee the stability of the nano-contact against an external field. Its magnetic configuration should be determined only by the change in the free layer magnetization direction.


A mounting apparatus for a data storage device can prevent a bracket without data storage device from being placed in a computer enclosure. When the data storage device is not mounted in a bracket, a first end of a baffle extends into the bracket, a second end of the baffle extends out of the bracket under torque of a torsion spring. When the data storage device is mounted in the bracket, the data storage device drives the baffle to receive in the bracket.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a mounting apparatus for data storage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A bracket accommodating a data storage device is usually installed in a rack in an enclosure of an electronic device, such as a computer. Such a bracket, as shown in FIG. 1, for instance, is a cuboid structure. The bracket includes opposite sidewalls 3 and 4 for sandwiching the data storage device therebetween, a fixing plate 2 perpendicularly connected between front ends of the sidewalls 3 and 4, a bottom wall 5 supporting the data storage device, and a top wall 6 covering the data storage device. A rotating member 7 is mounted to the fixing plate 2 for installing the bracket to the computer enclosure. However, due to the bracket having the same appearance, it is not easy to tell whether a data storage device has already been mounted in the bracket or not, thus easily installing the empty bracket by mistake.

Mounting apparatus for data storage device

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A system and method for adaptive user settings is presented. A server sends a requested web page and a collector program to a client. The collector program non-invasively collects user event data, and sends the user event data to the server. In turn, the server analyzes the user event data, and identifies configuration preferences, such as a scrolling preference, a tabbing preference, or an arrangement preference. The server sends an inquiry to the client's user that includes one or more questions as to whether the server should save particular configuration preferences. After receipt of an acknowledgement, the server either saves the configuration preferences locally, or sends the configuration preferences to the client. During subsequent same-page requests, the server uses the configuration preferences to customize the view of the web page.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for adaptive user settings. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for non-invasively collecting user configuration preferences and customizing a page of data based upon the user configuration preferences.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has changed the way that a business attracts and retains a customer. In many cases, a customer's exposure to a particular business is solely through the business' website. In this situation, the business' website is the business' most important asset for establishing customer confidence and loyalty.
With that said, a business attempts to organize its website by displaying items that are most interesting to a customer on its home page such that a customer is not required to click through multiple layers in order to view the items. For example, a customer may be interested in a popular children's toy and if the customer does not see a link to the toy on the business' home page, the customer may not spend time "clicking" through the business' website in order to find the toy. Rather, the customer may visit another business' homepage that displays the toy on its home page.
A challenge found, however, is that it may not be apparent to a business as to which items are of most interest to its customers and, in fact, items of interest may be different for each customer. For example, a user that visits a sports website may select a tab corresponding to his favorite team. In this example, it is difficult for the website administrator to determine which "tab" should be displayed first since each user's favorite team may be different. Also in this example, each user may wish to scroll to a particular section of a web page based upon his interest, such as a team's history, a team's current league standings, or a team's player statistics, each of which may be located at a different area of a web page.
Furthermore, when a user visits a particular web page, the user may wish to view the same area within the web page at subsequent visits. A challenge found, however, is displaying a web page that is customized for a particular user based upon previous visits without requiring human interaction at either the customer's client or at the server that is hosting the web page.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method to non-invasively collect a user's web page viewing preferences and use the collected viewing preferences to provide a user with a customized web page view upon subsequent visits.

System and method for adaptive user settings

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a photostructurable body, in particular glass or glass-ceramic, in which the glass is a multicomponent glass and/or the glass-ceramic is a multicomponent glass-ceramic, in each case having a positive change in refractive index Δn as a result of the action of light.

1.Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a photostructurable body having glass or glass-ceramic and processes for treating.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical components, which are based on the guidance and manipulation of light through structures, such as waveguides and gratings, are already known, for example in the sensor technology and telecommunications sectors. The primary medium for wave guidance is currently optical fibers; however, planar components are becoming more important on account of increased demands for miniaturization and increased complexity. The advantage of planar components is the possibility of producing a multifunctional component on just a single chip and thereby, for example, minimizing the coupling losses and also the production-related outlay for different components and therefore the costs of these components.
Although bifunctional or multifunctional components can also to a certain extent be produced in fibers, for example suitably doped fused silica (SiO2), in particular Ge-doped SiO2, is already being used for the production of Bragg gratings as (de)multiplexers, for example in wavelength filtering or for sensors in fibers. In this case, UV irradiation is used to produce an inhomogeneous defect distribution in the Ge-doped glass, and this, by changing the absorption coefficient, leads to changes in the refractive index. These gratings or other structures can also be produced in a similar way in certain Pb—, RE—(RE=Rare Earth) and Ag-doped glasses. Furthermore, suitable conditioning processes can be used for the targeted precipitation and subsequent selective etching of the microcrystals within the irradiated regions, as for example in the case of Corning 8603 Fotoform/FotoCeram or Hoya PEG-3.
It is also known that by irradiating different glasses with suitable high-energy pulses (fs pulses), it is possible to produce structures in glass. For example, positive changes in the refractive index in the range up to 10−2 have been produced by the fs writing of Ge-doped SiO2 glass or fused silica (K. Hirao et al., J. Non-Cryst. Solids 235, pp. 31-35, 1998).
Negative changes in refractive index have also been observed in borosilicates, sulfide glasses and lead glasses, cf. in this respect Corning WO 01/44871, PCT/US00/20651. By suitably setting the pulse energy and the writing speed, it is in this case possible to produce changes in refractive index without physically damaging the glass.

Photostructurable body and process for treating a glass and/or a glass-ceramic


A system generates a call according to the states of a photoreception unit of a call generator in response to data from a portable device. Data received by the photoreception unit from different types of portable devices can be processed and the portable device operation and the data transmission may be controlled according to the destination for the data and the mode of communication required by destination communication apparatus. Facsimile or telephone call data may be transmitted by the portable device in accordance with the type of destination communication apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system comprising a portable device which stores data such as dial numbers, and an apparatus for receiving data from the device and performing an operation based on the received data.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional system of this type includes an electronic telephone directory which stores a plurality of telephone numbers, searches a destination to be called from the stored telephone numbers, and generates a call as push button (PB) tones, and a telephone set. However, since the electronic telephone directory generates a call as speech (PB tones), the conventional system often suffers from an erroneous operation due to external noise.
Another system includes an IC card storing data such as a plurality of telephone numbers, and an apparatus such as a telephone set which can be electrically connected to the IC card. In this arrangement, however, connector pins for connecting the IC card and the telephone set are often erroneously bent.
When a telephone set and a facsimile apparatus of the same subscriber have different numbers, a calling party must select each different number in accordance with which of the telephone set and the facsimile apparatus is to be called.


A system for determining a maximum length digital sequence is constructed by selecting a Mersenne Prime integer and a primitive polynomial having an ORDER equal to the Mersenne Prime integer. An arbitrarily selected mask m is either provided to the transmitter and receiver, or constructed, at either, or both. The mask is used to create a decimated M sequence, and work backwards to define a recursion rule vector r which is associated with another primitive polynomial corresponding to the decimated M sequence. This recursion rule vector r is used to create a new feedback shift register which produces a maximum length sequence. An initialization vector i is provided to the transmitter and receiver and used as an initial load of the shift register. A selected stage of this register is exclusive-ORed ("XORed") with each bit of a plaintext message to be sent to result in cipher text. At the receiver, the same process is performed with the same mask m, and initialization vector i, to create the same recursion rule vector r, and shift register. The same stage of this shift register is then XORed with the received ciphertext message to result in the original plaintext message.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic communication of messages, and more particularly, to security of these messages.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems for creating random number have been used in the past in different areas. One such use is for a random number generator for games simulating random chance.
Another use is for protecting the content of transmitted messages from interception by other parties which are not intended to receive the messages. Although an algorithm used to encode a message can be widely known, a secret keying variable should provide sufficient protection such that unwanted access can be prevented or made sufficiently difficult to guess to generally deter timely access.
Security algorithms typically turn a message to be sent, known as "plain text" into an encoded form known as "cipher text". The method is "reversible" so that the cipher text can be returned to plain text by an intended receiver.
Complex schemes of encoding tend to be very difficult for an non-intended receiver to guess the key and decode the message. However, these complex schemes may require much processing time during the encoding stage, when the message is being processed before it is transmitted, and during the decoding stage, when the encrypted message is received and converted back into its original form. The encoding and decoding stages are referred to as the "traffic" stages, whereas, the preparation of elements used in encoding or decoding are referred to as the "setup" stage.
Since it is desirable to send the message shortly after it is created and to be able to read the message shortly after it is received, it is desirable to have a scheme which requires little processing during the traffic phases. It is also desirable to have a scheme which is difficult to decode without the key.
Another use of a pseudorandom sequence is for "code spreading" in which a message to be sent is merged with a "spreading code" which is a pseudorandom sequence of a much faster rate to produce a signal with considerably larger bandwidth. This large bandwidth signal is transmitted on the same frequencies as other signals and separated out by an intended decoder. This is referred to as code division multiple access (CDMA).
Therefore there is a need for a system to quickly and easily provide a pseudorandom bit sequence which may be for a variety of purposes.


The present invention relates to a method to predict the risk of obtaining a stress related mood disorder or syndrome by a person, comprising a. Measuring at least three parameters comprising at least one sympathetic, one parasympathetic and one hormonal parameter during a stress response, said result of the measurement depicted as RS, RP and RH respectively; b. Estimate the value of one of these parameters by calculating it from the other two parameters; c. Predict the risk on basis of the deviation between calculated and measured value of the parameter that has been estimated in step b).

The (human) body has a built-in automatic emergency response that uses the Autonomous Nervous System (ANS) and endocrine systems, most prominently the Hypothalamus—Pituitary Gland—Adrenal gland (HPA)—axis, to enhance the body's performance when danger is perceived. When the body is healthy and functioning normally, this is reflected in both a homeostatic and heterostatic state: both within the ANS and the endocrine systems involved, a natural balance is at place, or in response to stress, causing some temporarily disturbances, quickly returned to (homeostasis). When external pressure is significant, responses of both systems are aligned for a short/necessary period of time, and when the stress is relieved, they return to their original heterostatic ('independently operating') state.
When danger is perceived, both the ANS and hormonal systems automatically change the body's balance by producing a "stress response" (also called the "emergency response," the "fear response," or the "fight or flight response."). This change of balance—focusing attention and emergency readiness—is initiated via an ANS response, immediately followed by the production of hormones—chemical messengers that are secreted into the bloodstream (like, though not exclusively, (nor)epinephrine or corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)). Some of these endogenously induced changes can be measured and quantified.
The moment danger is perceived the ANS is activated (generally causing activation of the sympathetic nervous system and inhibition of the parasympathetic nervous system) and neurotransmitters and hormones ((nor)epinephrine, cortisol, others) are secreted, e.g. into the bloodstream to bring about specific physiological, psychological, and emotional changes that enhance the body's ability to deal with the threat. In this way the stress response causes many physiological, psychological, and emotional changes, such as it:                Energizes the body/heightened glucose metabolism;        Heightens our awareness of and reaction to danger (increases focus & concentration; alertness; vigilance);        Elevates heart rate, decreases Inter Beat Interval (IBI) times;
Decreases Heart Rate Variability (parasympathetic tonus via the nervus vagus;                Changes breathing and/or elevates breathing frequency and efficiency (opening bronchi in the lungs);        Stimulates the nervous system;        Tightens muscles;        Suppresses digestion and appetite;        Changes stomach and digestive function;        Alters nutritional needs/metabolic state/dietary preferences and habits;        Changes brain functioning;        Constricts blood vessels;        Changes blood flow;        Stimulates sweat production thus increasing skin conductance and decreasing skin resistance
and many more.
As 'stress' is elicited by a discrete set of stimuli, and the stress responses are executed by a discrete set of effectors. These responses occur in a multidimensional continuum: all organic systems involved react ranging from subtle to significant. The responses can be measured or assessed and are all in one way or another associated with either the severity of the occurring stressor and/or the individual sensitivity or proneness for stress in general. More specifically, a tremendous exogenous stressor will elicit a series of well assessable ANS and endocrine responses in (almost) all individuals, whereas more subtle stressors only trigger measurable (interactive) responses in individuals with a higher stress sensitivity. And vice versa: heightened stress sensitivity and proneness for mid-to long term stress related health outcomes can thus be established by assessing whether and/or to what extent particular and well defined combinations of stress responses in the ANS and endocrine systems are present in any given individual. This is a significant step forward, as normally the degree of stress response, within either the ANS and/or the endocrine systems (independently), is considered to be directly proportional to the degree of perceived danger, an assumption widely (though not necessarily always 'accurately') applied as presumed (valid) quantification of 'stress'.
Consequently, extensive, impactful stressors can be identified (and even 'quantified') objectively when ANS and endocrine response align themselves in one 'heterostatic' dynamic response. Typically, this condition will be reached significantly earlier with heightened anxiety traits in any given individual, with the most profound profile being found in individuals suffering from stress related pathology like burn-out, depression and/or anxiety (disorders) or trauma. Under such circumstances of an emerging severe threat and/or/strengthened by the presence of, pathological conditions (anxiety disorders and the like), the ANS and endocrine response patterns will become highly associated and show (measurable/quantifiable) reciprocal dynamics.
It has been established that both genetic predispositions and life time (traumatizing) experiences contribute to the phenotypical sensitivity of both domains involved independently and thus to the proneness for anxiety or stress related outcomes in general (like burn-out anxiety disorders, for example Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, others), and to the currently identified/described heterostatic dynamics more specifically. With the latter being a more accurate marker of emotional state and/or trait as compared to both components (ANS functioning and endocrine dynamics) independently.
Diagnosis of anxiety disorders and associated syndromes (e.g. burn-out, depression) hitherto has been typically achieved by standardized and validated clinical questionnaires such as the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and/or The State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAT).
Also prediction of susceptibility for chronic or severe anxiety related disorders has hitherto been based on psychological parameters. It has been suggested that for example neuroticism would be a good predictor for the development of anxiety disorders in adolescents (Zinbarg, R. E. et al., 2016, Clin. Psychol. Sci., doi: 10.1177/2167702615618162). However, molecular genetics, physiological responsiveness to stress, and/or biochemistry have so far failed to identify variation(s) that are consistently associated with the increased psychologically measurable susceptibility to stress and/or anxiety feelings in generally (yet) healthy subjects. Consequently, an adequate method to quantify stress, preferably in terms of the associated risk to develop lasting anxiety related outcomes, and/or associated somatic mid to long term health consequences, is yet lacking. Accordingly, a simple and objective test for the quantification and prediction of (susceptibility for) anxiety and associated outcomes is still needed.

Prediction of mood and associated outcomes based on correlation of autonomous and endocrine parameters

NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO


The present invention relates to the identification of novel nucleic acid molecules and the proteins encoded by these nucleic acid molecules, as well as their production for use as therapeutics, diagnostics and for research purposes.

Genes are the basic unit of hereditary information contained within an organism and as such numerous mechanisms exists to ensure the stability of their sequence over many generations. These stabilizing mechanisms ensure that the sequence of nucleotides that comprises a gene is maintained in a constant form over time, and since this nucleotide sequence encodes the regulatory sequences that determines gene expression and the coding sequences that determine protein structure and function these genetic properties are also stably maintained. It follows that distinct genes can be distinguished based upon these differences in their sequence. The gene sequence determines the expression pattern and function of the gene and its protein product, so genes with distinct sequence will be expected to display distinct biological functions. The proteins that are translated from these gene sequences serve as the foundation for the construction of more complex structures and catalytic machinery that is the basis for the metabolic, developmental and physiological processes that make complex organisms and life possible. The eventual location of these structures and their corresponding functional activities are also determined by the underlying gene sequence that codes for their formation. Recent assessments of the human genome estimate that the human genome contains approximately 140,000 genes. Whereas each of these sequences has varying roles, many of these genes can be grouped into classes based on the function of the protein for which they encode. In turn, if a gene sequence is translated into a protein found to be involved in an important physiological pathway, it may be particularly relevant for both diagnostic and therapeutic uses. The identification and functional characterization of all of the genetic determinants of life is among the challenges of modern biology and medicine.
The examination for nucleotide identity establishes which trapped genes correspond to genes that are novel and the protein coding analysis identifies protein sequence motifs and domains of functional importance that the novel gene products have in common with proteins of known function. Examination of these protein similarities with known proteins implies aspects of the function of the novel genes and provides experimental approaches to test and elaborate upon knowledge of the function of these novel genes. One of the ways to establish gene function for novel genes is to use genetic manipulations to disrupt the normal expression of the novel gene in cells or experimental organisms. Observation of the phenotypic consequences of such genetic manipulations reveals the biological role and utility of a novel gene, even for those that have no identifiable sequence relationship to proteins of known function.
Identification of the timing and patterns of expression for the novel transcript and the proteins they encode also reveals biological function. Transcript expression can be mapped by RT-PCR analysis of cDNA from a variety of tissue and species sources, or by in situ hybridization to tissue samples, cells, or intact model organisms (e.g. mice, zebrafish, Drosophial or Caenorhabditis; Hughes S C, Krause H M, "Double labeling with fluorescence in situ hybridization in Drosophila whole-mount embryos", Biotechniques 1998 April; 24(4):530-2; O'Neill J W, Bier E, "Double-label in situ hybridization using biotin and digoxigenin-tagged RNA probes", Biotechniques 1994 November; 17(5):870, 874-5; Coutinho L L, Morris J, Ivarie R, "Whole mount in situ detection of low abundance transcripts of the myogenic factor qmfl and myosin heavy chain protein in quail embryos", Biotechniques 1992 November; 13(5):722-4; Conlon R A, Herrmann B G, "Detection of messenger RNA by in situ hybridization to postimplantation embryo whole mounts", Methods Enzymol 1993; 225:373-83). The expression pattern and subcellular distribution of the novel proteins can be assayed with immunohistochemical approaches using tagged or labeled affinity reagents (e.g. antibodies or phage displayed peptides with affinity for the novel proteins and detectable tags or labels) to localize protein expression within cells and cell supernatents, tissue samples, whole model organisms or protein extracts (Paddock S W, Langeland J A, DeVries P J, Carroll SB, "Three-color immunofluorescence imaging of Drosophila embryos by laser scanning confocal Microscopy", Biotechniques 1993 January; 14(1):42-8).
Evidence for gene function can be obtained from the bioinformatic identification of sequence relationships between novel and known proteins, and can take advantage of the expression information to refine these implications. Molecular and classical genetics and biochemical assays are then used to establish gene function. Genetic alterations in the level or sequence of the expressed protein can be introduced into model organisms or cells in culture (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/276,820; Mortensen R M, "Double knockouts. Production of mutant cell lines in cardiovascular research", Hypertension 1993 October; 22(4):646-51). Detailed characterization of the phenotype that results from this altered expression furthershows how the novel protein functions. The phenotypes that can result include transcriptional changes (monitored by in situ hybridization or DNA array analysis; Eisen M B, Brown P O, "DNA arrays for analysis of gene expression", Methods Enzymol 1999; 303: 179-205; Drmanac R, Drmanac S, "cDNA screening by array hybridization", Methods Enzymol 1999; 303:165-78), alterations in protein expression or changes in cell or organismal organization, environmental responses, or viability. Proteins that interact with the novel protein to participate in the implementation of its biological function can be identified by two hybrid screens for interactions among intracellular protein domains (Niethammer M, Sheng M, "Identification of ion channel-associated proteins using the yeast two-hybrid system", Methods Enzymol 1998; 293:104-22), and by expression cloning (Nelson N, Liu Q R, "Cloning of genes or cDNAs encoding neurotransmitter transporters and their localization by immunocytochemistry", Methods Enzymol 1998; 296:52-64; Romero M F, Kanai Y, Gunshin H, Hediger M A, "Expression cloning using Xenopus laevis oocytes", Methods Enzymol 1998; 296:17-52; Blackwood E M, Eisenman R N, "Identification of protein-protein interactions by la˜nbda gtl 1 expression cloning", Methods Enzymol 1995; 254:229-40; Miki T, Aaronson S A, "Isolation of oncogenes by expression cDNA cloning", Methods Enzymol 1995; 254:196-206; Sparks A B, Adey N B, Quilliam L A, Thorn J M, Kay B K, "Screening phage-displayed random peptide libraries for SH3 ligands", Methods Enzymol 1995; 255:498-509; Margolis B, Skolaik E Y, Schlessinger J, "Use of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins to screen bacterial expression libraries for SH2 domains", Methods Enzymol 1995; 255:360-9; Singh H, "Specific recognition site probes for isolating genes encoding I:)NA-binding proteins", Methods Enzy˜nol 1993; 218:551-67) or modifier genetics approaches for intracellular as well as receptor and secreted novel proteins (Dove; W F, Shedlovsky; A, "METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING MUTANTS AND MOLECULES", United States U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,236, Jul. 14, 1998). The expression cloning approach can be used whenever a molecular interaction, activity or phenotype can be used to screen for protein expression, and genetic screens are applicable whenever modulation of gene activity detectably affects the biology or biochemistry of a cell or organism. A related approach to the identification of gene function is to test the ability of libraries of novel genes to transcomplement the phenotypic effects of mutations in human cells or in those of a heterologous species (e.g. Norbury C, Moreno S, "Cloning cell cycle regulatory genes by transcomplementation in yeast", Methods Enzymol 1997; 283:44s9).
In some instances, coding information present in the full length transcript for a particular gene may not be included in the sequence of the initial complementary DNA clone that was obtained. In these cases oligonucleotide primers are designed to enable the implementation of 5′-RACE to recover the missing exons (Matz M, Shagin D, Bogdanova E, Britanova O, Lukyanov S, Diatchenko L, Chenchik A, "Amplification of cDNA ends based on template-switching effect and step-out PCR", Nucleic Acids Res 1999 Mar. 15; 27(ó):1558-60). Alternatively, labeled probes prepared from the original cDNA clones can be used to screen cDNA and genomic libraries to recover the missing coding exons (Liu M, Subramanyam Y V, Baskaran N, "Preparation and analysis of cDNA from a small number of hematopoietic cells", Methods Enzymol 1999; 303:45-55; Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y, "High-efficiency fulllength cDNA cloning", Methods Enzymol 1999; 303:19-44). cDNA libraries to be screened can be preselected for those that contain cDNA copies of the transcripts of interest by PCR using primers complementary to the existing cDNA clones.
Despite the recent advances made in the field of human genetics, a large number of polynucleotides encoding receptor or other signaling proteins as well as proteins engaged in metabolic or structural roles necessary for normal cell functions and physiology have not yet been identified. Of those that have been isolated, many have been found to play a role in disease when this gene sequence is modified. In addition there is overwhelming evidence that polymorphism in genetic composition in determining the susceptibility to disease and in modifying the severity of disease manifestations. Due to the important role that these proteins play in maintaining the human condition, it is useful to identify and characterize novel human proteins and the polynucleotides that encode them. This information will enhance our ability to diagnose medical disorders that are influenced by gene expression, by giving the medical community the opportunity to ameliorate these conditions or even prevent them entirely through the development and administration of gene, protein and small molecule therapeutics designed to treat the cause and symptoms of disease.

Nucleic acid and protein homologs and uses thereof


A communication system is constructed in such a manner that a user is allowed to designate a controller 1 and a wireless device 3 simultaneously to start authentication for connection with a wireless base station 2 to specify the device to be connected, and to establish connection authentication without a password for the first time. Thereafter, the controller 1 distributes a password to the wireless base station 2 and to the wireless device 3 to cancel the connection authentication. Next, connection authentication with the distributed password is established. Thus, the communication system makes it possible to substantially automatically establish connection authentication, thereby eliminating a cumbersome operation by the user in implementing the connection authentication process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system, a communication method, a base station apparatus, a controller, a device, and a recording medium storing control program for controlling the base station apparatus, the controller, and the device, and more particularly to a communication system, a communication method, a base station apparatus, a controller, a device, and a recording medium storing control program, using password setting on the device for connection authentication, and a password.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio communication systems such as Bluetooth, IEEE802.11b, and infrared data communication allow for simultaneous connection of multiple devices, utilizing characteristics of a radio wave. However, sufficient attention must be paid to ensure system security and confidentiality in such radio communication. Conventional security systems for radio communication systems include the radio terminal security system as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2872996, and the one-time password system as used in the Internet. These security systems include electronic keys and radio terminals, and prohibit successive use of the same key to increase security, thereby providing increased safety against loss and theft of the key.
The user authentication system used in the Bluetooth is described in the following. The user authentication system used in the Bluetooth is administered by two elements: a unique password set up on each device (called a PIN (Personal Identification Number) code); and an encryption key (called a link key) created by the password and an ID code unique to the device (information such as a 48-bit address, assigned by IEEE).
Consider now the case where a device A makes access to a device B. In the situation in which the device A and the device B are connected with each other for the first time, the device A is required to input the PIN code of the device B. Upon receiving the PIN code from the device A, the device B checks it for validity. If the PIN code is authenticated, then, the device B creates a link key for the device A. The resulting link key is stored together with the unique address of the device A.
If, on the other hand, the device A was connected to the device B in the past, since the link key had already been registered in the device B, authentication is made through the link key. In this way, the Bluetooth provides authentication using the PIN code unique to each device, and the link key table created based on the PIN codes. The PIN code, while being unique, can be altered by the device user into any other string of characters.
The security system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2872996, the one-time password system in the Internet, and the user authentication system in the Bluetooth can be said to be password management and authentication systems intended to provide only increased security. The use of the user authentication system in ad hoc network environment causes problems as described below.
As an application of the user authentication system used in the Bluetooth, consider a home network system in which a home-use device is connected to a network. Each individual device is required to establish a fiduciary relationship based on the above user authentication system. Namely, a fiduciary relationship is established by notifying the private PIN code of each individual user to ensure security. However, inexpensive devices such as battery-driven sensor devices do not have interfaces for allowing users to enter the PIN codes. Setting of PIN codes identical to each other is required in establishing connection authentication of devices, which is a cumbersome operation for users in preparing connection of the devices.

Communication system, communication method, base station apparatus, controller, device, and recording medium storing control program