The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing colon cancer by detecting a colon cancer specific antigen, defensin α6 from the blood of patient and a diagnostic kit for colon cancer comprising anti-defensin α6 antibody. The diagnostic kit for colon cancer of present invention comprises: a solid support such as 96-well plate for ELISA, nitrocellulose membrane, polyvinylidene fluoride membrane, microplate, glass substrate, polystyrene substrate, silicone substrate or metal plate, on which anti-defensin α6 antibody is immobilized; and, a means for detecting colon cancer specific antigen such as a primary antibody which specifically binds with an antigen conjugated with an antibody on a solid substrate and a secondary antibody-signal complex which specifically binds with the primary antibody. The diagnostic kit of the invention can diagnose colon cancer with the minute amount of patients' blood, which makes possible the easy and simple diagnosis of colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with 135,000 new cases diagnosed each year and an overall 5-year survival rate of ˜50%. Most colorectal cancers develop slowly, beginning as small benign colorectal adenomas that progress over several decades to larger and more dysplastic lesions, eventually becoming malignant. This gradual progression provides ample opportunity for prevention and intervention. Diagnostic screening methods are at present suboptimal; therefore, new approaches are needed.
Early examination for colon cancer is generally performed with the digital rectal examination, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or barium enema.
Digital rectal examination is made to check the normality of colon by an examiner wearing a glove and putting on some lubricant and inserting a hand into the rectum followed by the palpation, sigmoidoscopy is to observe the rectum and colon directly through a long and flexible mirror-attached tube, colonoscopy is to examine inside of the colon directly through an endoscope, and barium enema is to examine the abnormality of the blood stream distributed in the colon after injecting a contrast medium followed by the computed tomography.
The above-mentioned examinations are methods simply to assess the abnormality of the colon and so more precise tissue examination should be followed if lesions of diseases are diagnosed by those methods. For the biopsy performed after identifying lesions of diseases, it is relatively more accurate, but the diagnosis, which accompanies with some pain to patients, is so inconvenient that the patients tend to hesitate to take examinations. Therefore, needs for developing an easy and simple method for diagnosing colon cancer has been continued in the art.
On the other hand, a diagnosis method using genes has been developed for the diseases like cancers occurring genetic mutation and a considerable accomplishment has been reported on lung cancer, liver cancer and stomach cancer, but there are currently not many results reported on colon cancer. The diagnosis using genes is generally performed by PCR using DNA extracted from the tissue suspicious of cancer or by gene expression analysis using cDNA microarray for which RNA is extracted from the tissue. The former is effective only for specific cancers such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) mainly caused by chromosome translocation, and the latter has a drawback that the conventional cancer diagnosis methods such as tissue examination, endoscopy or CT (computerized tomography) scans should precede.
In order to overcome the drawback of the cancer diagnosis methods described above, a method with which detects cancer-specific antigen and diagnoses cancer has been developed. For example, carcinoembryogenic antigen (CEA) has been reported to be a cancer-specific antigen, since the level of CEA is increased in the patients of rectum-colon cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, ovary cancer, prostate cancer or pancreas cancer (see: Bowser-Finn, R. A., Kahan, L., Larson, F. C., Traver, M. I. (1986) Tumour Biol. 7, 343-52; Carpelan-Holmstrom, M. A., Haglund, C. H., and Roberts, P. J. (1996) Dis Colon Rectum 39, 799-805). However, even if the cancer patients are diagnosed using CEA, further examination should be made to determine the kind of cancer precisely, which plays a barrier to easy and practical application of CEA in the diagnosis of cancers, since the CEA is commonly expressed in several cancers described above.
In this connection, there are strong reasons for exploring and developing an easy and simple method for diagnosing colon cancer with a high reliability and validity.


Embodiments herein relate to a method in a radio network node (500,12,13,13) for informing a network control node (700,14) about a state of a connection between the radio network node (500,12,13,13) and a user equipment (10) served by the radio network node (500,12,13,13). The radio network node transmits to the network control node (700,14), an indication indicating a congestion or not a congestion of MAC-hs or MAC-ehs packets towards the user equipment (10).

In today's radio communications networks a number of different technologies are used, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile communications/Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), just to mention a few possible implementations. A radio communications network comprises Radio Base Stations (RBS) providing radio coverage over at least one respective geographical area forming a cell. The cell definition may also incorporate frequency bands used for transmissions, which means that two different cells may cover the same geographical area but using different frequency bands. User equipments (UE) are served in the cells by the respective radio base station and are communicating with respective radio base station. The user equipments transmit data over an air or radio interface to the radio base stations in uplink (UL) transmissions and the radio base stations transmit data over an air or radio interface to the user equipments in downlink (DL) transmissions. In e.g. High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) systems a Radio Network Controller (RNC) may control the radio base stations.
Recently, Multiflow transmission was proposed in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for HSDPA. For multiflow transmission when connections to the user equipment are via different RBSs, the flow has to be split in the RNC. The connections may be referred to as 'legs'. When HSDPA Flow Control is used in a traditional way the Capacity Allocation Control Frames (CA CF) define sending speed for both legs, which solves distribution of packets or Packet Data Units (PDU) among different legs. As HSDPA Flow Control is a proprietary solution and there may be other solutions, which do not only rely on credits indicated in High Speed-Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) CA CF. E.g. Active Queue Management (AQM) based congestion control solves flow control by propagating Iub interface or Medium Access Control-high speed (MAC-hs) or Medium Access Control-enhanced high speed (MAC-ehs) loss to end-user Transport Control Protocol (TCP). The main idea of an AQM based flow control is that the application level TCP is reused as congestion control solution. When congestion is detected then the application level TCP is informed by an Internet Protocol (IP) packet drop. This packet drop will be noticed by TCP and the TCP will react on this loss with rate reduction. The Iub interface connects the RBS and the RNC. The CA CF may include two Congestion Status Bits, however the values of these Congestion Status bits only indicate Transport Network Layer (TNL) congestion to be taken into account when distributing data to a user equipment still leading to a non-optimal packet distribution.

Radio network node, network control node and methods therein


A radio transmitter within a transceiver includes a digital processor and analog circuitry for modulating and transmitting an outgoing digital signal in multiple modes of operation. The digital processor digitally modulates the outgoing digital signal to produce one of a constant envelope modulated digital signal and a variable envelope modulated digital signal based on the particular modulation scheme being used to modulate the outgoing digital signal. In addition, the digital processor filters the outgoing digital signal using filter values selected based on the signal bandwidth of the outgoing digital signal. The analog circuitry converts digital envelope and phase signals of the modulated digital signal to analog envelope and phase signals, and up-converts the analog phase signal from an IF signal to an RF signal, using a loop filter that is programmable based on the signal bandwidth of the outgoing digital signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, wideband wireless communication systems.
2. Related Art
Modern wireless RF transmitters for applications, such as cellular, personal, and satellite communications, employ digital modulation schemes such as frequency shift keying (FSK) and phase shift keying (PSK), and variants thereof, often in combination with code division multiple access (CDMA) communication. Independent of the particular communications scheme employed, the RF transmitter output signal, sRF(t), can be represented mathematically assRF(t)=r(t)cos(2πfct+θ(t))  (1)where fc denotes the RF carrier frequency, and the signal components r(t) and θ(t) are referred to as the envelope and phase of sRF(t), respectively.
Some of the above mentioned communication schemes have constant envelope, i,e.,r(t)=R, and these are thus referred to as constant-envelope communications schemes. In these communications schemes, θ(t) constitutes all of the information bearing part of the transmitted signal. Other communications schemes have envelopes that vary with time and these are thus referred to as variable-envelope communications schemes. In these communications schemes, both r(t) and θ(t) constitute information bearing parts of the transmitted signal.
The most widespread standard in cellular wireless communications is currently the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). A second generation GSM standard employs Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK), which is a constant-envelope binary modulation scheme allowing raw transmission at a maximum rate of 270.83 kilobits per second (kbps). In any mobile communication system, the radio spectrum is a very limited resource shared by all users. GSM employs a combination of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) for the purpose of sharing the spectrum resource. GSM networks typically operate in the 900 MHz frequency range. The radio spectrum in the bands 890-915 MHz is for the uplink (mobile station to base station) and 935-960 MHz is for the downlink (base station to mobile station). The spectrum for both uplink and downlink is divided into 200 kHz wide carrier frequencies using FDMA, and each base station is assigned one or more carrier frequencies. Each carrier is divided into eight time slots using TDMA. Eight consecutive time slots form one TDMA frame, with a duration of 4.615 ms. A physical channel occupies one time slot within a TDMA frame. Each time slot within a frame is also referred to as a burst. TDMA frames of a particular carrier frequency are numbered, and formed in groups of 26 or 51 TDMA frames called multi-frames. While GSM is sufficient for standard voice services, future high-fidelity audio and data services demand higher data throughput rates.
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new non-voice service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network. It supplements today's Circuit Switched Data (CSD) and Short Message Service (SMS). GPRS employs the same modulation scheme as GSM, but higher data throughput rates are achievable with GPRS since it allows for all eight timeslots to be used by a mobile station at the same time.
Even higher data rates are achieved in the specification of the Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) cellular telephony standard by selectively applying a 3π/8 offset, 8-level PSK (8-PSK) modulation scheme. With this variable-envelope communication scheme, the maximum bit rate is tripled compared to GSM, while the chosen pulse shaping ensures that the RF carrier bandwidth is the same as that of GSM, allowing for the reuse of the GSM signal bandwidths. Additionally, to further increase the flexibility of data transmission, so-called multi-slot operation has been introduced into GSM/GPRS/EDGE systems. In multi-slot operation, more than one time slot out of the eight in one GSM frame can be used for transmission with GMSK and/or 8-PSK modulation.
As mentioned above, the GMSK modulation scheme of standard GSM is an example of a constant envelope communications scheme. An example transmitter appropriate for such constant-envelope modulation schemes in a mobile station unit is a translational loop transmitter. In this transmitter, the digital baseband data enters a digital processor that performs the necessary pulse shaping and modulation to some intermediate frequency (IF) carrier fIF. The resulting digital signal is converted to analog using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a low pass filter (LPF) that filters out undesired digital images of the IF signal. A translational loop, essentially a phase locked loop (PLL), then translates, or up-converts, the IF signal to the desired RF signal and a power amplifier (PA) delivers the appropriate transmit power to the antenna.
As mentioned above, the 8-PSK modulation scheme of EDGE is an example of a variable envelope communications scheme. In practice, the power spectrum emitted from an EDGE transmitter will not be ideal due to various imperfections in the RF transmitter circuitry. Thus, quality measures of the transmitter performance have been established as part of the EDGE standard and minimum requirements have been set. One quality measure that relates to the RF signal power spectrum is the so-called spectral mask. This mask represents the maximum allowable levels of the power spectrum as a function of frequency offset from the RF carrier in order for a given transmitter to qualify for EDGE certification. In other words, the spectral mask requirements limit the amount of transmitter signal leakage into other users' signal spectrum. For example, at a frequency offset of 400 kHz (0.4 MHz), the maximum allowable emission level is −54 dB relative to the carrier (dBc). Another RF transmitter quality measure of the EDGE standard is the modulation accuracy, which relates the RF transmitter modulation performance to an ideal reference signal. Modulation accuracy is related to the so-called error vector magnitude (EVM), which is the magnitude of the difference between the actual transmitter output and the ideal reference signal. The error vector is, in general, a complex quantity and hence can be viewed as a vector in the complex plane. Modulation accuracy is stated in root-mean-square (RMS), 95th percentile, and peak values of the EVM and is specified as a percentage. For a given transmitter to qualify for EDGE certification, the RMS EVM must be less than 9%, the 95th percentile of EVM values must be less than 15%, and the peak EVM value must be less than 30%.
The increase in system flexibility resulting from the introduction of multi-slot operation in EDGE presents the challenge of finding an efficient implementation of a joint GMSK/8-PSK modulator which enables easy and fast switching between GMSK and 8-PSK modulation in consecutive time slots. Such modulation switching must be achieved within the so-called guard interval, merely 30 microseconds (us) long. Further complication is encountered in the domain of the RF signal PA. Exploiting the fact that GMSK is a constant envelope modulation scheme, the PA can typically be driven in saturation mode for higher efficiency when transmitting GSM signals. However, due to the variable-envelope properties of the 8-PSK modulation option in EDGE, driving the PA in saturated mode is not possible. Rather, a certain power back-off of the PA input signal level is required to maintain adequate modulation accuracy. Typical transmitter powers may be 33 dBm in GMSK mode and 27 dBm in PSK mode. Thus, when switching modulation schemes in multi-slot operation from GMSK to 8-PSK, or vice versa, a change of PA input signal level must occur. Such change must be achieved within the guard interval and in such a fashion that switching transients do not violate the spectral mask requirements.
In addition, WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) is the world's leading third generation (3G) technology. With data rates up to 100 times those of today's networks, WCDMA will introduce a new generation of telecommunication into the world and change the way people communicate forever. Providing mobile users with data rates initially up to 384 kbps, and in later releases, up to 14 Mbps, WCDMA is an ultra high-speed, ultra high-capacity radio technology that generates and carries a new range of rich, fast, colorful media that consumers will be able to access over their mobiles (e.g., color graphics, video, digital audio, Internet and e-mail). Occupying an RF channel bandwidth of 5 MHz, WCDMA employs a "spreading sequence" with a chip rate of 3.84 million chips per second (Mcps) and a 4-level PSK, variable-envelope modulation scheme.
It is important to ensure that WCDMA, while operating in different frequency bands and larger bandwidth, is seen as an evolution of the GSM networks. This ensures that investments made in GSM networks will remain profitable for years to come while introducing the support of WCDMA service. In view of this evolution, GSM and WCDMA operators will go through three distinct phases at time progresses and market conditions change. They will move from (i) current voice-centric GSM-only businesses to (ii) nationwide low-speed GPRS wireless data services, with high-speed WCDMA services in select areas, to (iii) focusing solely on high-speed multimedia mobile internet WCDMA and GSM services. The long-term goal is to have a seamless network solution with multi-mode handsets that work on both GSM and WCDMA frequencies, and a network that combines the GSM and WCDMA resources. In the seamless network solution, services are provided over GSM or WCDMA radio access, depending upon radio source availability and service demand, without any input or knowledge of users.
For example, a user boarding a train in a large city and heading for the countryside can carry a multi-mode GSM/WCDMA handset, and maintain a subscription with an operator that has a GSM network with nationwide EDGE coverage. In addition, the operator also has a WCDMA network with coverage in all major cities. If the user is initially is in an area with WCDMA coverage, the user starts a combination voice and video call in the WCDMA mode. As the train moves out of the WCDMA coverage area, the network moves the call to the GSM network, renegotiates the data transfer with the handset application and uses EDGE functionality in the GSM network to continue to send both video and voice. The user now experiences the same voice quality as before, but lower quality for the streaming video.
As mentioned previously, it is important to ensure that WCDMA is seen as an evolution of the GSM networks. As a result, for many years to come, so-called multi-mode radios capable of operating in both GSM and WCDMA signal bandwidths will be in demand. In addition, as mentioned previously, it is important to meet mask requirements when modulation switching occurs (e.g., between GMSK and PSK). Thus, there is a need for a multi-mode radio transceiver capable of operating in multiple RF bands. In addition, there is a need for a multi-mode radio transceiver that is capable of switching between modulation modes, while adhering to spectral mask requirements.

Multi-mode wireless polar transmitter architecture


A sensor which makes use of a non-reciprocal optical effect, such as the Sagnac effect has a passive ring resonator defining a closed light path. Light from a broadband light source is coupled to the passive ring resonator by 2.times.2 couplers in a first direction of propagation and a second direction of propagation opposite thereto. The 2.times.2 couplers also couple light out of the passive ring resonator. A 3.times.3 optical coupler is provided, by which light having circulated in said ring resonator in the first direction of propagation is superimposed to light having circulated in the ring resonator in the second direction of propagation to provide interference. The detector is exposed to this interfering light.

The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a sensor which makes use of a non-reciprocal optical effect.
In its more specific aspects, the present invention particularly relates to a new and improved construction of a sensor which makes use of a non-reciprocal optical effect and which comprises a passive ring resonator defining a closed light path, light source means, coupler means for coupling light from said light source means into said passive ring resonator with a first direction of propagation and a second direction of propagation opposite thereto and for coupling light out of said passive ring resonator, and detector means exposed to light coupled out by said coupler means.
An example of a non-reciprocal, optical effect is the Sagnac effect. A light path is defined by mirrors or light conductors which surrounds an area. In the state of rest, the optical path lengths of this light path for the light travelling clockwise and the light travelling counter-clockwise are identical. If, however this assembly makes a rotary movement, the optical path lengths for the light travelling clockwise and the light travelling counter-clockwise becomes different. The difference of the optical path lengths is proportional to the angular rate and to the area surrounded by the optical path. Angular rate sensors can be designed making use of this Sagnac effect.
Various types of sensors based on the Sagnac effect are known.
Glass fiber rate sensors comprise a glass fiber which is wound to form a coil of many turns around an area. The glass fiber has two ends. Light from a laser is directed by means of a beam splitter to both one end and the other end of the glass fiber. The light beam directed onto one end travels through the coil with a first direction of propagation, for example clockwise. The light directed onto the other end of the glass fiber travels through the coil with a second direction of propagation, thus, for example, counter-clockwise. The counter-clockwise light beam emerges at said one end. The clockwise light beam emerges at said other end. The two emerging light beams are superimposed and caused to produce interferences. The interfering light beams are directed onto a detector. The interference fringes are shifted, if the sensor is subjected to an angular rate. This is observed as detector output signal; see the publication by Holzapfel, entitled "Optische Kreiselsensoren", VDI-Bericht No. 509, 1984.
In order to achieve high sensitivity of such a glass fiber angular rate sensor, a long fiber in a coil having many turns is required. This, in turn, requires high quality fibers, in order to avoid inadmissibly strong attenuation. Such fibers are expensive.
German Published patent applications Ser. No. 3,805,904; 3,805,905; 3,912,005 and 3,919,060 show glass fiber angular rate sensors with six-port couplers.
Furthermore, sensors with ring lasers are known. A ring laser has a ring resonator. Such a ring resonator establishes a closed optical path, which may, for example, be defined by three plane mirrors. This optical path is established within a vessel, in which a gas discharge path is provided. The gas discharge path in the ring resonator acts as an optical amplifier. With sufficient gain of the gas discharge, the system will operate as a ring laser. A fraction of the generated laser beam is coupled out by means of a partially transparent mirror. With such ring lasers, it is known to cause interferences of the light beams coupled out. The interference pattern is detected ba two detectors located side by side. In the state of rest, the pattern of interference fringes is also at rest. When an angular rate is sensed, the optical path lengths of the ring resonator for the light beam travelling clockwise and the light beam travelling counterclockwise will be changed in opposite sense. Thereby the ring laser operates at different frequencies clockwise and counterclockwise. The interference fringes start to move over the detectors. The two detectors permit determination of a direction. Signals at the beat frequency are generated by the detectors. This beat frequency is proportional to the angular rate. Summing-up of the pulses generated by the interference fringes provides the angle of rotation. Sensors of this type are also called "laser gyros".
Such "laser gyros" are expensive. Laser gyros have a marked response threshold due to frequency coupling ("lock-in"). This response threshold has to be exceeded by a dither movement (Holzapfel "Optische Kreiselsensoren", VDI-Bericht No. 509, 1984).
Sensors which are known, for example, from European Pat. No. 0,290,723, use passive ring resonators. Passive ring resonators, again, have a closed optical path. Light from a laser is coupled into this optical path through couplers, once clockwise and once counter-clockwise. In this case, the ring resonator is not part of a laser, as in a laser gyro, but is an independent optical resonator. A well-defined portion of the light travelling clockwise in the ring resonator is coupled out through a coupler or a partially transparent mirror and is directed onto a first photoelectric detector. Also a well-defined portion of the light travelling counterclockwise in the ring resonator is coupled out and is directed onto a second photoelectric detector. The signals of the two photoelectric detectors depend on where the frequency of the lase light is located with respect to the resonance frequencies of the ring resonator existing for the two directions of propagation. When the ring resonator is ted to an angular rate about an axis normal to the plane of the ring resonator, the two resonance frequencies are changed in opposite sense. The electrical signals from the detectors are used to generate, by signal processing, output signals which are indicative of the angular rate of the ring resonator about an axis normal to the plane of the ring resonator. Realizations of this basic concept are known from, for example, European Pat. No. 0,290,723 which is cognate with U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,342, granted Apr. 2, 1991.
The prior art angular rate sensors using passive ring resonators usually require optical insulation of the laser, serving as light source, from the ring resonator by an "optical diode". Otherwise, the frequency of the laser will be influenced by the ring resonator. Such optical insulation is very expensive. If no such insulation is provided, as in the sensor according to European Pat. No. 0,290,723, the frequency of the laser has to be controlled through the current with strong feedback. This adversely affects the sensitivity of the sensor.

Sensor having optical passive ring resonator using sagnac effect


A color ink-jet printer including a black-ink ejecting portion operable to eject droplets of a black ink, an other-color-ink ejecting portion operable to eject droplets of one of yellow, magenta and cyan inks, a first control portion operable to control the black-ink ejecting portion such that a total volume of at least one droplet of the black ink which forms each black ink dot is equal to a selected one of a plurality of different total volume values, and a second control portion operable to control the other-color-ink ejecting portion such that a total volume of at least one droplet of the ink of a color other than black, which forms each dot of that color, is equal to another of the different total volume values which is smaller than the value selected for the black ink. The first and second control portions are operable to select the respective different total volume values according to a presently selected print mode, or a gray-scale value at each picture element of an image to be printed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color ink-jet printer capable of ejecting ink droplets of different colors.
2. Discussion of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,149 B2 (in particular, FIGS. 4–6, and col. 1, lines 46–53 and col. 5, lines 43–50) corresponding to JP-2001-301206A discloses an ink-jet printer operable such that at least one droplet of an ink each having a predetermined volume is ejected from each nozzle, so as to form a dot of ink on a recording medium in the form of a paper sheet, such that where a plurality of ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle, the ink droplets overlap each other so as to form one ink dot. Thus, a desired gray-scale value can be established at each picture element of an image corresponding to each ink dot to be formed on the paper sheet according to image data (printing data), by suitably selecting one of three different total volume values (large, medium and small values) of the above-indicated at least one ink droplet, for each of the ink dots, so that each ink dot has the corresponding one of three different sizes or diameters which are determined by the respective three different total volume values.
Publication JP-4-364961A of Japanese Patent Application (in particular, paragraphs [0020] and [0021]) discloses a color ink-jet printer capable of ejecting droplets of inks of different colors which have different compositions so that the different-color inks are given different rates of fixing (different drying speeds) on a recording medium, to prevent undesirable color mixing due to bleeding of the different-color ink droplets at their boundaries. Namely, the color mixing at the boundaries can be prevented since one of the adjacent two dots of the inks of the different compositions is dried at a higher rate than the other dot.
If the technique disclosed in the above-identified U.S. Patent is applied to a color ink-jet printer having a plurality of rows of nozzles that are arranged to eject droplets of inks of respective different colors (e.g., yellow [Y], magenta [M], cyan [C] and black [B]), the same number of the ink droplets corresponding to one ink dot are ejected for each of the different colors, that is, the total volume of the ink droplets corresponding to one ink dot is the same for all of the different colors, when the gray-scale value at a picture element in question is the same for all of the four colors. Where the different-color inks have the respective different compositions as disclosed in the above-identified Japanese Publication, it is possible to reduce a risk of deterioration of quality of a printed image due to the color mixing at the adjacent ink dots of different colors. However, the different-color inks of different compositions have respective different drying speeds, and the viscosity of the ink having a relatively high drying speed may be excessively increased at the meniscus surface of the ink remaining in a given nozzle, due to evaporation of an aqueous component of the ink at the meniscus surface, which takes place if the ejection of the ink droplets from that nozzle is absent for a relatively long time. In this case, the nozzle may suffer from so-called "plugging" due to increased viscosity of the ink at the meniscus surface, leading to a failure to subsequently eject the ink droplets from that nozzle. In this respect, a color ink-jet printer is required to operate without not only the color mixing at the adjacent ink dots of different colors, but also the plugging of the nozzles due to the different compositions of the different-color inks.


A microporous polyolefin membrane having a structure in which its pore size distribution curve obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry has at least two peaks, which is produced by (1) extruding a melt-blend of (a) (i) a polyethylene resin containing 7% or less by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more, or (ii) a mixture of 75% by mass or more of said polyethylene resin and 25% or less by mass of polypropylene, and (b) a membrane-forming solvent, (2) stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling an extrudate, (3) washing it, (4) stretching the resultant microporous membrane to 1.1-1.8 fold in at least one direction, and (5) heat-setting it at a temperature in a range of the stretching temperature of the microporous membrane plus or minus 5 degrees centigrade.

Microporous polyolefin membranes are useful as separators for primary batteries and secondary batteries such as lithium ion secondary batteries, lithium-polymer secondary batteries, nickel-hydrogen secondary batteries, nickel-cadmium secondary batteries, nickel-zinc secondary batteries, silver-zinc secondary batteries, etc. When the microporous polyolefin membrane is used as a battery separator, particularly lithium ion battery separator, the membrane's performance significantly affects the battery's properties, productivity, and safety. Accordingly, the microporous polyolefin membrane should have appropriate permeability, mechanical properties, heat resistance, dimensional stability, shutdown properties, meltdown properties, etc. As is known, it is desirable for the batteries to have a relatively low shutdown temperature and a relatively high meltdown temperature for improved battery safety properties, particularly for batteries exposed to high temperatures during under operating conditions. High separator permeability is desirable for high capacity of batteries. A separator with high mechanical strength is desirable for improved battery assembly and fabrication properties.
The optimization of material compositions, stretching conditions, heat treatment conditions, etc., has been proposed to improve the properties of microporous polyolefin membranes used as battery separators. For example, JP6-240036A discloses a microporous polyolefin membrane having improved pore diameter and a sharp pore diameter distribution. The membrane is made from a polyethylene resin containing 1% or more by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight ("Mw") of 7×105 or more, the polyethylene resin having a molecular weight distribution (weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight) of 10-300, and the microporous polyolefin membrane having a porosity of 35-95%, an average penetrating pore diameter of 0.05-0.2 μm, a rupture strength (15-mm width) of 0.2 kg or more, and a pore diameter distribution (maximum pore diameter/average penetrating pore diameter) of 1.5 or less. This microporous membrane is produced by extruding a melt-blend of the above polyethylene resin and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling at a temperature from the crystal dispersion temperature ("Tcd") of the above polyethylene resin to the melting point ("Tm") +10° C., removing the membrane-forming solvent from the gel-like sheet, re-stretching the resultant membrane to 1.5-3 fold as an area magnification at a temperature of Tm of the above polyethylene resin −10° C. or less, and heat-setting it at a temperature from Tcd of the above polyethylene resin to Tm.
WO 1999/48959 discloses a microporous polyolefin membrane having suitable strength and permeability, as well as a uniformly porous surface without local permeability variations. The membrane is made of a polyolefin resin, for instance, high-density polyethylene, having Mw of 50,000 or more and less than 5,000,000, and a molecular weight distribution of 1 or more to less than 30, which has a network structure with fine gaps formed by uniformly dispersed micro-fibrils, having an average micro-fibril size of 20-100 nm and an average micro-fibril distance of 40-400 nm. This microporous membrane is produced by extruding a melt-blend of the above polyolefin resin and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling at a temperature of Tm of the above polyolefin resin −50° C. or higher and lower than Tm, removing the membrane-forming solvent from the gel-like sheet, re-stretching it to 1.1-5 fold at a temperature of Tm of the above polyolefin resin −50° C. or higher and lower than Tm, and heat-setting it at a temperature from Tcd of the above polyolefin resin to Tm.
WO 2000/20492 discloses a microporous polyolefin membrane of improved permeability which is characterized by fine polyethylene fibrils having Mw of 5×105 or more or a composition comprising such polyethylene. The microporous polyolefin membrane has an average pore diameter of 0.05-5 μm, and the percentage of lamellas at angles θ of 80-100° relative to a membrane surface is 40% or more in longitudinal and transverse cross sections. This polyethylene composition comprises 1-69% by weight of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 7×105 or more, 98-1% by weight of high-density polyethylene, and 1-30% by weight of low-density polyethylene. This microporous membrane is produced by extruding a melt-blend of the above polyethylene or its composition and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling, heat-setting it at a temperature from Tcd of the above polyethylene or its composition to (Tm +30° C.), and removing the membrane-forming solvent.
WO 2002/072248 discloses a microporous membrane having improved permeability, particle-blocking properties and strength. The membrane is made using a polyethylene resin having Mw of less than 380,000. The membrane has a porosity of 50-95%, an average pore diameter of 0.01-1 μm. The microporous membrane has a three-dimensional network skeleton formed by micro-fibrils having a average diameter of 0.2-1 μm connected to each other throughout the overall microporous membrane, and openings defined by the skeleton to have an average diameter of 0.1 μm or more and less than 3 μm. This microporous membrane is produced by extruding a melt-blend of the above polyethylene resin and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, removing the membrane-forming solvent from a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling, stretching it to 2-4 fold at a temperature of 20-140° C., and heat-treating the stretched membrane at a temperature of 80-140° C.
WO 2005/113657 discloses a microporous polyolefin membrane having suitable shutdown properties, meltdown properties, dimensional stability, and high-temperature strength. The membrane is made using a polyolefin composition comprising (a) a polyethylene resin containing 8-60% by mass of a component having a molecular weight of 10,000 or less, and an Mw/Mn ratio of 11-100, wherein Mn is the number-average molecular weight of the polyethylene resin, and a viscosity-average molecular weight ("Mv") of 100,000-1,000,000, and (b) polypropylene. The membrane has a porosity of 20-95%, and a heat shrinkage ratio of 10% or less at 100° C. This microporous polyolefin membrane is produced by extruding a melt-blend of the above polyolefin and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling, removing the membrane-forming solvent, and annealing the sheet.
With respect to the properties of separators, not only permeability, mechanical strength, dimensional stability, shutdown properties and meltdown properties, but also properties related to battery productivity such as electrolytic solution absorption, and battery cyclability, such as electrolytic solution retention properties, have recently been given importance. In particular, electrodes for lithium ion batteries expand and shrink according to the intrusion and departure of lithium, and an increase in battery capacity leads to larger expansion ratios. Because separators are compressed when the electrodes expand, it is desired that the separators when compressed suffer as little a decrease as possible in electrolytic solution retention.
Moreover, even though improved microporous membranes are disclosed in JP6-240036A, WO 1999/48959, WO 2000/20492, WO 2002/072248, and WO 2005/113657, further improvements are still needed particularly in membrane permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance, compression resistance, and electrolytic solution absorption properties. It is thus desired to form battery separators from microporous membranes having improved permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance, compression resistance and electrolytic solution absorption.

Microporous polyolefin membrane, its production method, battery separator, and battery


There is provided a form measuring apparatus including: a light generator configured to generate a light; a projector configured to scan the measuring object with the light by changing an irradiation direction of the light generated by the light generator; a controller configured to control the light generator to periodically change an intensity of the light generated by the light generator, and to change an amplitude of the intensity change of the generated light according to the irradiation direction; an imager configured to take an image of the measuring object; and a measuring portion configured to calculate the three-dimensional form of the measuring object based on the image of the measuring object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a form measuring apparatus, a structure manufacturing system, a scanner, a form measuring method, a structure manufacturing method, and a computer-readable medium storing a form measuring program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known form measuring apparatuses for three-dimensionally measuring shapes or forms of human bodies, artifacts such as industrial products, and the like (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,188). Such a form measuring apparatus projects a grating pattern (to be also referred to as a structured light hereinafter) onto a measuring object, that is, an object to be measured; and measures a three-dimensional form of the measuring object by taking an image of the grating pattern projected on the measuring object. Further, in such a form measuring apparatus, a mirror (scanner), for example, is used to project the grating pattern.

Form measuring apparatus, structure manufacturing system, scanning apparatus, method for measuring form, method for manufacturing structure, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing program for measuring form


A power semiconductor component includes at least one power semiconductor chip and surface-mountable external contacts. The power semiconductor chip includes large-area contact areas on its top side and its rear side, which cover essentially the entire top side and rear side, respectively. The top side also includes, alongside the large-area contact area, a small-area contact area; the areal extent of the small-area contact is at least ten times smaller than the areal extent of the large-area contact areas. The small-area contact area is connected to an individual external contact of the power semiconductor component via a bonding wire connection. The large-area contact area of the top side is connected to external contacts via a bonding tape.

A known power semiconductor component includes a power semiconductor chip and surface-mountable external contacts, wherein the power semiconductor chip includes a large-area contact area on its top side, which is connected to a lead clip that merges into external contacts. A small-area contact area on the top side of the power semiconductor chip is also connected to a correspondingly smaller adapted lead clip. The disadvantage of this solution is that mechanical loadings of the external contacts via the lead clips act on the brittle crystal body of the power semiconductor chip, and thus jeopardize the reliability and functionality of the power semiconductor chip. Moreover, the fabrication and shaping of three-dimensional lead clips for the contact areas of the top side of the power semiconductor chip are cost-intensive.
Another known semiconductor component replaces the rigid lead clip with a plurality of flexible bonding wires, thereby overcoming the rigid coupling between external contacts and power semiconductor chips. However, in this case, one costly solution is replaced by another cost-intensive and time-consuming solution, especially as the required plurality of bonding wire connections has to be applied serially.

Power semiconductor component with a power semiconductor chip and method for producing the same


A new cultivar of Scabiosa columbaria named xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 that is characterized by its small plant size, compact plant habit, proportionately sized, intensely colored lavender blue flowers, prolific and continuous flowering, and sterility.

The present application is co-pending with another application entitled Scabiosa Plant Named xe2x80x98Walminipinkxe2x80x99 (application Ser. No. 09/962,381).
Scabiosa columbaria.
xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant, botanically known as Scabiosa columbaria and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99. Scabiosa columbaria is a hardy perennial grown for landscape use.
The new cultivar, xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99, was discovered in 1988 by the inventor at his nursery in West Sussex, England. xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 was discovered as a naturally occurring mutation, amongst a large crop of Scabiosa columbaria xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 (un-patented). The new invention was discovered as a whole plant, however it originated as a single cutting taken from xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99. Several selections were discovered and observed before xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 was selected as unique and desirable for its characteristics of plant size, plant habit, flower color, and sterility.
The new variety of Scabiosa can be characterized by its smaller size: the foliage dimensions, diameter of the flower heads and the height of the plant are less in comparison to the parent plant, xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99. The new invention has never set fruit and all flowers observed have been self-sterile. Near self-sterility is a characteristic of xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 and the inventor""s Scabiosa variety xe2x80x98Pink Mistxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,957), however, it is not a characteristic of any other commercial cultivars of Scabiosa columbaria known to the inventor. The flower color of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 is deeper and more blue in comparison to xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99. The new cultivar is similar to both xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Pink Mistxe2x80x99 in that it has a compact habit and has a continuous and prolific flowering habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by taking cuttings in West Sussex, England by the inventor in 1988. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations both by vegetative cuttings and by tissue culture.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish the new invention from wild forms of Scabiosa columbaria and distinguish it as a new and distinct cultivar. xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions:
1. xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 is smaller in height and has less of a spread in comparison to xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 attains 10 to 18 cm in height and 10 to 20 cm in width while xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 attains 15 to 30 cm in height and 17 to 30 cm in width, dependent on growing conditions.
2. The plant habit of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 is compact with a tight rosette of basal growth.
3. The flowers of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 are smaller than those of Butterfly Blue, ranging from 2.5 to 4.3 cm in diameter while the flower size of xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 ranges from 4.0 to 6.0 cm in diameter. This range in flower size is found on a single plant.
4. The flowers of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 are lavender blue tending towards pure blue and are deeper in color than xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99. The flowers of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 are typically 92A whereas those of xe2x80x98Butterfly Bluexe2x80x99 are typically 91A-91B.
5. xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 blooms continuously and profusely from early spring until frost. Typically, there are 10-12 flower heads showing color at one time.
6. The flowers of xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99 are presumed to be sterile, as fruit set has not been observed to date.

Scabiosa plant named xe2x80x98Walminibluexe2x80x99


The present invention provides improved optical elements, such as light diffusing films, plates, and lenses, which can be used in light-emitting devices, such as light fixtures to control the distribution of light projected onto illuminated objects, such as walls, sculptures, and landscaping. Compared to traditional light scattering films, plates or lenses, improvements in illuminance uniformity, optical throw, system efficacy, and aesthetic appearance are achieved. Embodiments of the invention utilize region(s) of volumetric asymmetric diffusion that allow a partial quantity of light to be transmitted without significant scattering in order to improve optical throw and illuminance uniformity. Embodiments can also eliminate hotspot and thus improve the illuminated uniformity.

The invention relates to the improved optical performance of light fixtures and optical elements, systems and other light-emitting devices whose primary function is to illuminate a region. Light fixtures are also commonly referred to as luminaires and represent a complete lighting unit consisting of lamp(s) and electrical controls (when applicable), together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamps, and to connect the lamps to the power supply. Within the broad field of illumination, a category of light fixtures exists designed for applications commonly referred to as architectural lighting. Applications within the scope of the architectural lighting category include but are not limited to building façade lighting, wall washing, wall grazing, architectural flood lighting, architectural accent lighting, interior large-area lighting, interior accent lighting, back lighting, spot lighting, cove lighting, gallery lighting, landscape lighting, tree lighting, structure and bridge lighting, sculpture lighting, and urban landscape lighting. The invention is particularly well suited to architectural lighting and other applications where control of light output is important in illuminating objects by spreading substantially uniform light onto a surface over a distance.
LED Based Luminaires
Within the category of architectural lighting fixtures, solid-state lighting (SSL) or light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures utilize LEDs or organic LEDs (OLEDs) as light sources. The advantages of LEDs as light sources are well documented and include long life, high efficacy, and emission of narrow band colored light. For optical control over the light, the small area source of the light flux allows for the greater degree of control (more efficient control) over the light than that from fluorescent or extended light sources. Additionally, LEDs can be dimmed or cycled off and on without significantly adversely effecting performance or lifetime. Red, green, and blue LEDs can be connected with electronic controllers to adjust light output and provide a dynamic or adjusting color changing light output from a fixture.
Secondary Optics
The output from LEDs and LEDs plus components are typically near-Lambertian in angular luminous intensity output or have primary or secondary optics that reduce the angular intensity profile to a more narrow symmetrical profile. In near-Lambertian luminaries, the angular intensity profile typically distributes light to angular regions where it is not desired or needed, such as the high angles. This effectively reduces the efficiency because of the loss of light directed into the un-desired angular directions. In order to increase the angular intensity within a desired angular range, typical LED architectural lighting fixtures utilize secondary optic lenses that collimate light in narrow (such as a Full-Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) angular intensity of 12 degrees) symmetric beam patterns with an increased light flux within an angular range close to the normal to the plane of emission (optical axis) from the LED. The narrow symmetric beam patterns created by the angular light redistribution (collimation) through reflection from metallic surfaces or total internal reflections plus refraction typically have significantly higher light intensities in the central angular regions, such as a Gaussian-like light intensity distribution. These collimating optics are designed to provide a reduced angular distribution (more light closer to the zero illumination angle) and typically result in non-uniform illuminance from the non-uniform angular intensity.
Custom Secondary Optics
Secondary optics, such as reflectors or lenses or refractors, positioned in close proximity to the LEDs can be designed to provide a more custom, uniform light intensity distribution. However, the optics would need to be very specific to the application; and they are costly to manufacture, requiring custom molds that would likely need to be changed for each type of luminaire and each type of LED. Additionally, depending on the location of the LED in the array within the luminaire, the intensity distribution may need to be customized for each position within the array such that the light distribution from each LED overlaps to create a more uniform color and luminance
Light Directed Normal to the Primary Plane of Illumination
When typical LED architectural lighting fixtures are directed at an angle normal to a planar primary illumination surface such as a wall, the illuminance is non-uniform, decreasing rapidly from the central region. For example, an overhead luminaire with an array of LEDs with collimating secondary optics directed downward (normal to the floor) will non-uniformly illuminate the floor by directing more light normal to the floor and less to the outer angles with a significant, non-uniform fall-off in illuminance.
Light Directed at an Angle to the Primary Plane of Illumination
When luminaries are directed at an angle with respect to a primary illumination plane, the uniformity is not efficient due to the illuminance fall-off from the Cosine Law and the Inverse Square Law. The Cosine Law dictates that the illuminance over the angle for planar surfaces decreases as 1/cosine (theta) from the angular spread where theta is the angle from the luminaire or light source to the incidence plane normal. The Inverse Square Law states that the illuminance falls off by 1/r2 from the distance (r) between the light source to the illumination plane. Both of these contribute to the non-uniformity of the illumination, and large angles and longer distances from the source create a large illuminance non-uniformity.
Ideal Illuminance Uniformity
The illuminance spatial profile with the highest optical efficiency is a flat top, or step, illuminance profile such that the illuminance is constant across the area of interest. In order to achieve high levels of illuminance uniformity when the primary plane of incidence is at an angle with respect to the fixture, the angular light intensity distribution should pre-compensate for the specific installation or environment. This would require expensive custom tooled and molded optical elements for each specific application and condition.
Symmetric Spread Lenses
Other lenses or diffusers are sometimes added that are symmetrically refractive or diffusive such that the angular spread of the light is increased equally along two primary orthogonal axes. This can increase the illumination uniformity, but often at the expense of directing light into unwanted regions, thus reducing the illuminance in a desired region. Typically symmetric spread lenses are molded glass plates with prism patterns on at least one surface to refract light. The use of a symmetric spread lens will convert the spot illumination into a flood illumination with increased uniformity and reduced overall illuminance in the desired regions.
Asymmetric Spread Lenses
Some architectural lighting fixtures utilize asymmetric spread lenses to spread light asymmetrically such that the angular intensity along two primary orthogonal axes falls off more rapidly in one than the other. Asymmetric spread lenses, such as linear prism arrays, can be used to refract light asymmetrically, thus spreading the light more efficiently than symmetric spread lenses; however, the illuminance uniformity is still low because the output from the spread lens does not pre-compensate to account for the Cosine Law and the Inverse Square Law.
Conventional architectural lighting fixtures are far from optimal in effectively and efficiently distributing light onto target surfaces. Design tradeoffs associated with using conventional light fixture optical components make the desirable combination of wide beam spread, long optical throw, and substantially uniform distribution unobtainable. There is a need for even small improvements in further optimizing these parameters as well as luminaire efficiency. Grierson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,870) discloses using curved reflectors to achieve uniformity and Engel (U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,633) utilizes an asymmetric reflector to control light distribution. These reflectors require a significant amount of customization to enable the reflector to provide the often unique desired light output for a specific application and light source. Also, the illustrated metalized versions are costly to manufacture. The cost of customizing the shape and reflective properties can be very high. With the trend toward solid-state lighting where multiple LED light sources are needed, reflector geometry can get very complicated and occupy a significant amount of space behind and surrounding the light source. The efficiency and design of the system will often require each reflector to take into account the light profile from the others. Reibling (U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,657) discloses light fixtures with reflectors with different surface finishes to achieve non-symmetric output. These surface finishes are usually embossed, stamped, cast or formed into metal and are very costly to manufacture. Additionally, these features are prone to scratches during assembly or in uses and minor amounts of debris will significantly reduce their performance and cleaning is cumbersome due to particles trapped within the recesses. Wang (US 2006/0082989) proposes an array of LEDs positioned asymmetrically in order to achieve a more uniform light distribution when directing light toward an angled plane such as a wall. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the total area of the array is increased this results in a larger and more costly light fixture. Also, it does not account for the non-uniformity due to the Cosine Law and the Inverse Square Law. Rizkin et al (US 2004/0114355) describes the use of an LED array with collimation lenses to achieve a wider light distribution due to the distribution lengthwise of the LEDs. Similar to Wang, this geometry has the restriction that the array is longer in one dimension than the other and the total array of light emission is increased and the light fixture is increased in size. Harvey (US 2005018428) describes a reflector designed to asymmetrical direct light onto a panel. This uses one or more complex reflectors that are costly to produce and are custom for each application. Wijbenga et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,835) describes the use of facetted parabolic reflectors to generate an asymmetric light profile. These are also very customized and expensive to produce.

Illuminating device incorporating a high clarity scattering layer


A technique is described for determining the performance of substrate-side emitting VCSELs formed on a wafer. The technique involves forming top-emitting VCSELs on the same wafer as bottom-emitting VCSELs and then testing the top-emitting VCSELs and using the results to determine the performance of the bottom-emitting VCSELs of the wafer.

This invention relates to vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and, more particularly, to a VCSEL wafer having both bottom-emitting and top-emitting VCSELs formed thereon, the top-emitting VCSELs being used for performance testing purposes.
It is desirable to integrate vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) on semiconductor circuit chips (usually Si CMOS) via flip-chip bonding to reduce packaging costs, increase performance by eliminating parasitic circuit elements such as wire bonds, and allow for the formation of integrated transmitter arrays. It would be particularly useful to integrate 850 nm VCSELs since that wavelength forms a standard for local area fiber-optic networks (the other standard wavelength is 1.3 xcexcm, where no manufactured VCSEL technology yet exists). In a flip-chip bonded VCSEL, the light must be emitted through the bottom surface, i.e., the substrate side of the VCSEL chip. For 850 nm operation then, the opaque GaAs substrate must be removed. The GaAs substrate is removed after the VCSEL chip is flip-chip bonded to a semiconductor chip (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,632, issued on Jan. 31, 1995). Unfortunately, this means that the VCSEL chips cannot be tested until they have already been mounted. This destroys one of the major advantages of VCSELs over edge-emitting lasers, which is that VCSELs can be tested on the wafer before cutting the wafer into individual chips. Moreover, if the VCSEL is bad then the bonded VCSEL/semiconductor chip must be discarded. What is desired is a technique to test VCSEL devices while they are still part of the wafer.
In accordance with the present invention, we have overcome the above-described problem using a technique which determines the performance of substrate-side (or bottom) emitting VCSELs while they are still part of the wafer. The technique involves forming top-emitting VCSELs on the same wafer as bottom-emitting VCSELs and then testing the top-emitting VCSELs and using the results to determine the performance of the bottom-emitting VCSELs of the wafer. The test results of the top-emitting VCSELs have been found to correlate well with the bottom-emitting VCSELs performance and to be a good indicator of the lasing wavelength and performance variations over the wafer. Using this technique once the test results of the top-emitting test VCSELs are determined, then the performance of the bottom-emitting VCSEL devices on the wafer can be determined and, if acceptable, the wafer can then be sawed or cut into individual VCSEL chips and utilized without individual testing of the VCSEL chips.
More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, a VCSEL wafer (and a method of forming the wafer) is disclosed including a plurality of substrate-side emitting VCSELs formed on the wafer, each including a top mirror having a metal reflecting cap formed thereon, the wafer also includes at least one VCSEL constructed having a top mirror without a metal reflecting cap formed thereon to enable top-surface emitting therefrom.
According to another feature of the invention, the non-capped VCSELs are formed in saw-cut regions of the wafer. Other features describe the formation of the top and bottom mirrors of the VCSEL using a variety of materials and specify reflectivities for the top and bottom mirrors.

Method of making wafer having top and bottom emitting vertical-cavity lasers


A vibrato arm mounted on a floating bridge of a string instrument is adapted to engage an anchor seat attached to the body of the instrument, in order to lock the bridge in its centered position when the vibrato arm is parked. When the arm is moved to the play position, a cam arrangement raises the arm out of the anchor seat and frees the bridge for vibrato movement. A single adjustment of the riser on the vibrato arm selects both the desired park position and the vertical engagement position of the arm. The seat-engaging arm end and the seat itself are tapered to guide the arm into centered position. The anchor seat is eccentrically and linearly adjustable for precise centering of the bridge.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,711 to Stroh discloses a locking mechanism for a floating vibrato bridge, i.e. a bridge which floats in a centered, generally horizontal position on a knife edge support under the opposing forces of the strings on the one hand, and a return spring on the other hand. When desired, a musician can move the bridge back and forth across the centered position by means of a vibrato arm attached to the bridge to produce a vibrato effect.
When no vibrato effect is desired, the bridge needs to be locked in the centered position so as to maintain the correct tuning of the instrument. This is conventionally done by parking the vibrato arm, i.e. pivoting it out of the playing position into a park position in which it locks the bridge.
Prior art devices had several drawbacks: for one, the locking mechanism required a close fit of the interlocking parts and was therefore prone to binding if the bridge was not prefectly centered when the arm was parked; and secondly, mechanisms intended to overcome this drawback were relatively complex and prone to misalignment.

Locking mechanism for floating vibrato bridge


In an automated process for monitoring and controlling contamination in a production area, captured image data is processed to determine whether an individual is to wearing an article of contamination control equipment (e.g., gloves, face mask, etc) and whether the equipment is properly positioned on the individual. A determination that the contamination control equipment is not present or not properly positioned automatically activates a contamination control device such as contamination control means (e.g., shutting off power to machine) or an alarm or generates and sends a report of the contamination control protocol violation. An automated system for monitoring and controlling contamination includes a computer, an imaging sensor in communication with the computer, and a computer-readable program code disposed on the computer.

The invention is directed to automated monitoring and control of contamination in a production area, particularly automated monitoring and control of contamination of the production area by an individual working in the production area.
Contamination of a production area by workers can occur if, for example, a worker handles food product without wearing sterile gloves, or without wearing a hair net. Contamination of a production area, particularly contamination of product being produced in a production area, can easily occur in a wide variety of industries, where hygiene is needed to prevent contamination by biological contaminants and other contaminants. Such industries include the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, doctors' offices, outpatient clinics, and other health-services and health-product related industries, in which microbial and other contamination can have adverse consequences on the consumer of the services and/or products.
Yet other industries require contamination-free, high purity production environments because contamination can negatively impact the function and/or aesthetics of the resulting product. One such industry is the manufacture of semiconductor devices, microelectronics, microchips, and integrated circuits. Another industry in which contamination negatively impacts product quality is the coating (e.g., painting) of various products, including automotive, furniture, construction, and other products, in which contaminants adversely affect the appearance, feel, or durability of the coating applied to the product. The presence of skin oils, airborne dust, and other contaminants from workers can result in product defects during one or more phases of the manufacturing process.
Although there are numerous vendors supplying the market with contamination control equipment (hereinafter, "CCE") such as gloves, face masks, hair nets, aprons, gowns, etc., and although employers require employees to wear CCE, the cost of contamination in the workplace remains high. Manual monitoring of employees, vendors, and visitors through close circuit camera or direct supervision is both expensive and subjective. The overall reporting of violations can be inaccurate and unverifiable.
There is a need for a system that accurately monitors individuals as they work in a production area, to ensure that they wear required articles of CCE and to ensure that the required contamination-control protocol is followed to avoid contamination of products and/or injury to the ultimate consumer of the product.

Automated monitoring and control of contamination in a production area


Disclosed herein is a method of facilitating the generation of 3D digital objects from 2D images. Accordingly, the method may include a step of receiving a plurality of 2D images associated with a 3D object from at least one user device. Further, the method may include a step of processing at least one 2D image of the plurality of 2D images to identify the 3D object. Further, the method may include a step of retrieving at least one additional 2D image associated with the 3D object from a database based on the processing. Further, the method may include a step of analyzing the plurality of 2D images and the at least one additional 2D image. Further, the method may include a step of generating a 3D digital object based on the analyzing. Further, the method may include a step of storing the 3D digital object.

The field of image processing is technologically important to several industries, business organizations and/or individuals. In particular, the image processing is employed for generating 3D digital objects from 2D images.
Existing techniques for generating a 3D digital object from 2D images are deficient with regard to several aspects. For instance, current technologies do not allow a user to view activities (such as updates, 2D images, 3D digital objects, etc.) associated with other users. Further, the current technologies do not allow the user to search and filter the 3D digital objects. Further, the current technologies do not allow the user to make a remark (such as comment, like, etc.) on the 3D digital objects associated with the other users. Furthermore, current technologies do not allow the user to send the 3D digital objects to the other users. Moreover, current technologies do not allow the user to store the 3D digital objects over the cloud storage portal.
Therefore, there is a need for improved methods and systems for facilitating the generation of 3D digital objects from 2D images that may overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or limitations.

Systems and methods for facilitating generation of 3D digital objects from 2D images


An LED luminaire assembly which allows for the easy and safe removal and replacement of the PSU and other internal components wherein the heat sink can be folded or pivoted aside to allow access to and removal of the PSU.

LED luminaires that are recessed in a drop ceiling include a housing that can be fitted into common ceiling grid systems. The housing is commonly an extruded aluminum outer shell that is able to lay on the edge of the ceiling grids. The housing encloses the PSU and the LED module, which is generally attached to a heat sink. The housing also encloses any reflectors that are used in the luminaire as well as a diffuser which generally forms the floor of the housing.
FIG. 1 is an example of a prior art luminaire 10 recessed in a ceiling 12. The luminaire includes an elongated housing 14 having a top wall (not shown), two side walls (only one partially shown), and two end walls (one shown). The bottom of the housing is enclosed by a diffuser 16. Diffuser 16 is held in place by retaining lips 17, 18 which run along length "l" of the lower edge of the housing 14.
A prior art LED luminaire 20 is shown in FIG. 2 in cross-section. The luminaire 20 includes a housing having two regions, top region 22 and bottom region 24. Power supply unit 26 is mounted to the inside surface of the top housing region 22. LED module 28 is mounted to the underside of heat sink 30 which in turn is mounted with two rows of screws 32, 34 so that it is between the top housing region 22 and bottom housing region 24. A diffuser 36 sits in the opening of bottom housing region 24 and reflectors 38 fit within bottom housing region 24 between the LED module 28 and the diffuser 36.
In order to access and replace the PSU 26 of the prior art luminaire 20, the diffuser 36, reflectors 38, and heat sink 30 must first be removed. The diffuser 36 and reflectors 38 are lightweight and relatively simple elements to remove. However the heat sink 30 is heavy and it is awkward to unfasten screws 32, 34 and lower the heat sink from the luminaire. Moreover, heat sink 30 has mounted thereto the LED module 28 which is quite fragile and must be carefully handled to avoid damage. Furthermore, any wiring between the LED module 28 and the PSU 26 must be disconnected in order to remove and replace the PSU 26.
In other words, to remove the heat sink 30 from the prior art luminaire 20, the two rows of screws 32, 34 are removed to release the heat sink 30. The heat sink 30, along with any wiring connecting the heat sink 30, LED module 28, and the PSU 26, is then carefully removed. The PSU 26 is then exposed and can be removed and replaced.
Issues with the prior art assembly are evident. The LED module can be damaged during the removal and temporary storage of the heat sink. The heat sink is heavy and awkward and its removal from the housing can be dangerous.
The above-described shortcomings significantly limit the usefulness of field-serviceable LED luminaires (i.e. luminaires having a replaceable PSU). Therefore, there remains a need for an LED luminaire assembly which allows for the easy and safe removal and replacement of the PSU and other internal components.


A method is provided for transferring electrostatically charged thermoplastic toner particles having a particle size less than about 8 micrometers from an element to a receiver within a transfer zone. The receiver is heated and contacted with the electrostatically charged toner particles on the element at a temperature sufficient to adhere the particles to one another at their points of contact, but insufficient to cause the toner particles to flow into a single mass. An electric field tending to force the charged toner particles toward the receiver is simultaneously applied to the transfer zone. The receiver is subsequently separated from the element.

A conventional electrostatographic copying process involves the formation of a latent electrostatic image on an element, typically an insulating substrate such as a photoconductor. Charged toner particles are then applied to the electrostatic image, where they adhere in proportion to the magnitude of the electrostatic potential difference between the toner particles and the charge on the image. The toner particles that form the developed image are then transferred to a receiver, usually electrostatically, by means of an electrostatic bias between the element and the receiver.
This conventional process works well with large toner particles. However, various difficulties arise when conventional electrostatic transfer techniques are used with smaller toner particles. Such particles are necessary to produce copies of very high resolution, because the granularity in an electrophotographic image is inversely proportional to the diameter of the toner particles used. As the size of the toner particles falls below about 8 micrometers, the surface forces holding the toner particles to the element tend to dominate over the electrostatic force that can be applied to the particles to assist their transfer to the receiver. Image quality, therefore, is reduced because less toner transfers. Moreover, those particles which do transfer frequently fail to transfer to positions on the receiver that are directly opposite their positions on the element. This "scattering" of toner particles due to repulsive coulombic forces lowers the resolution of the transferred image and increases graininess and mottle.
U S. Pat. No. 4,927,727 to Rimai et al. describes a thermally assisted method of transferring small toner particles which is designed to overcome the problems associated with electrostatic transfer. In this method, the receiver is heated, typically to about 60.degree. to 90.degree. C., and is pressed against the toner particles on an element. The heated receiver sinters the toner particles, causing them to stick to each other and to the receiver, thereby effecting the transfer of the toner from the element to the receiver. No electrostatic force is exerted on the toner particles during transfer. The temperature to which the receiver is heated is insufficient to melt or fix the toner particles, but is sufficient to fuse particles to each other at their points of contact.
To aid in transferring all of the toner particles from the element to the receiver, it is advantageous to coat the receiving surface of the receiver with a thermoplastic polymer. During transfer the toner particles adhere to or become partially embedded in the thermoplastic coating and thereby are more completely removed from the element. A further improvement in the procedure is to coat the thermoplastic polymer layer on the receiver with a low surface energy release agent. These improvements and preferred materials for the thermoplastic layer and the release agent are disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,578 to Rimai et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
While a release agent can advantageously be coated on the thermoplastic layer of the receiver sheet, other techniques can also be used to improve the transfer efficiency. For example, when the binder resin for the photoconductor and the thermoplastic polymer layer of the receiver are appropriately selected with respect to their compositions and surface energies, a release agent is not necessary. These improvements and examples of preferred materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,037,718 to Light et al., 5,043,242 to Light et al., and 5,045,424 to Rimai et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.
Even with the new thermally assisted transfer process disclosed in the cited patents, in each case some type of coated receiver is necessary to achieve the desired transfer efficiency, thereby increasing the cost of making high resolution copies using very small toner particles.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for transferring very small toner particles from an element to a receiver which achieves complete or nearly complete toner transfer (and, thus, yields high quality, high resolution images) without the added costs, and complications, associated with special overcoat receivers. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a small particle toner transfer method which achieves improved transfer efficiency when an overcoat receiver is used.

Method of transfer of small electrostatographic toner particles


A disk unit-integrated display capable of increase in conveyance efficiency and reduce in conveyance cost of a disk unit, a holding member and a first circuit board unitized with each other can be obtained. This disk unit-integrated display includes the disk unit having a drive portion, the holding member for supporting the disk unit, the first circuit board arranged between the disk unit and the holding member and having an opening at a position corresponding to the drive portion of the disk unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk unit-integrated television and a disk unit-integrated display, and more particularly, it relates to a disk unit-integrated television and a disk unit-integrated display comprising a disk unit and a circuit board.
2. Description of the Background Art
A magnetic recording/reproducing device or a television comprising the magnetic recording/reproducing device is known in general, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 8-56318 (1996) or 8-249872 (1996), for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 8-56318 (1996) discloses an electronic apparatus (television) in which a holder (holding member) with a video cassette recorder (magnetic recording/reproducing device) and a printed circuit board placed thereon is assembled along a guide rail provided in a front cabinet and thereafter the front cabinet is assembled with a rear cabinet.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 8-249872 (1996) discloses a magnetic recording/reproducing device, in which a hole formed in a circuit board is fitted with an inwardly-protruding projection of a cabinet, whereby the circuit board is located in the cabinet, and thereafter a connector provided in the circuit board and a connector provided in a magnetic recording/reproducing portion for recording and reproducing a magnetic tape are connected to each other.
In recent years, with digitization of information, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recordable digital data and the like are in widespread use as an alternative to a recording medium such as a magnetic tape recordable analog data. Therefore, various disk units capable of recording and reproducing digital data are proposed as a recording/reproducing device alternative to a magnetic recording/reproducing device, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2005-228465 and 2004-280917, for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-228465 discloses an optical disk player (disk unit) comprising a body, a tray conveying an optical disk such as a DVD recordable digital data inside the unit, a pickup drive portion (drive portion) capable of turning upwardly and downwardly in order to load the optical disk conveyed inside the unit, a door openably/closably mounted in a portion where the tray moves into and out of the unit and inhibiting dust or the like from penetrating in the unit.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-280917 discloses a disk unit comprising a tray for conveying an optical disk such as a DVD inside the unit, and a pickup drive portion (drive portion) having a mechanism of turning upwardly and downwardly in order to load the optical disk conveyed inside the unit. In the disk unit disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-280917, when the optical disk conveyed inside the unit is loaded, a damper provided in the pickup drive portion is brought into contact with a lower surface of the tray, thereby inhibiting a noise from generating with rotation in loading the optical disk.
The disk unit-integrated television (DVD-integrated television) comprising the disk unit as disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2005-228465 or 2004-280917 is also known. FIG. 8 is an overall perspective view of an exemplary conventional DVD-integrated television 100. FIG. 9 is a side elevational view showing the exemplary conventional DVD-integrated television 100 shown in FIG. 8, which is mounted on a holder. With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a structure of the exemplary conventional DVD-integrated television 100 will be described.
The exemplary conventional DVD-integrated television 100 comprises a front cabinet 101, a rear cabinet 102 and a CRT (cathode ray tube) 103 as shown in FIG. 8. The CRT 103 is so mounted on the front cabinet 101 as to expose a display surface 103a through an opening 110a of the front cabinet 101. The rear cabinet 102 is mounted on the front cabinet 101 mounted with the CRT 103. Thus, the front cabinet 101 and the rear cabinet 102 constitute an outer frame of the DVD-integrated television 100.
A holder 104, a circuit board 105 arranged on an upper side of the holder 104, a DVD drive unit 106 arranged on an upper side of the circuit board 105 are provided inside the outer frame constituted by the front cabinet 101 and the rear cabinet 102, as shown in FIG. 9. The holder 104 is integrally provided with supporting portions 104a so formed as to protrude to a side of the DVD drive unit 106 through after-mentioned holes 105a of the circuit board 105, and the DVD drive unit 106 is set in the supporting portions 104a. Accordingly, the DVD drive unit 106 set in the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104 is set at a position higher by a height of the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104 from the circuit board 105. The circuit board 105 is provided with the holes 105a at portions corresponding to the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104.
The DVD drive unit 106 includes a DVD drive unit body portion 106a, a disk tray 106b for conveying a DVD (not shown), a pickup drive portion 106c provided with a motor (not shown) serving as a driving source sliding the disk tray 106b in an anteroposterior direction, an optical pickup (not shown) for recording and reproducing data and the like. The pickup drive portion 106c is so formed as to turn downwardly in order not to hinder movement of the disk tray 106b when the disk tray 106b moves, while turning upwardly in order to receive a DVD from the disk tray 106b when the DVD is loaded. The DVD drive unit 106 is set in the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104 protruding by a position having a prescribed height from the circuit board 105. Therefore, even in a case where the pickup drive portion 106c turns downwardly when the disk tray 106b moves, the pickup drive portion 106c can be inhibited from coming contact with the circuit board 105.
In the conventional DVD-integrated television 100 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, however, the DVD drive unit 106 must be set in the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104 in order to avoid contact of the pickup drive portion 106c turning upwardly and downwardly with the circuit board 105. Therefore, in a unitized state that the circuit board 105 and the DVD drive unit 106 are assembled to the holder 104, a height of a unit is disadvantageously increased by a height of the supporting portions 104a of the holder 104. Consequently, in a case where the unit assembled with the holder 104, the circuit board 105 and the DVD drive unit 106 are housed in a packaging box to be conveyed, the number of the units housed in the packaging box is reduced, whereby conveyance efficiency is disadvantageously decreased and conveyance cost is disadvantageously increased.
In a case where the disk unit (optical disk player) disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2005-228465 or 2004-280917 is applied to the conventional DVD-integrated television 100 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the disk unit (optical disk player) must be also set at a position having a prescribed height from the circuit board in order to avoid contact of the drive portion (pickup drive portion) turning upwardly and downwardly to load a disk with the circuit board. Therefore, in a case where the disk unit (optical disk player) disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2005-228465 or 2004-280917 is applied to the conventional DVD-integrated television 100, there is a problem similar to the case of the aforementioned conventional DVD-integrated television 100.
In the electronic apparatus (television) and the magnetic recording/reproducing device (video cassette recorder) disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 8-56318 (1996) and 8-249872 (1996), the pickup drive portion 106c of the DVD drive unit 106 does not turn downwardly dissimilarly to the conventional DVD-integrated television 100 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and therefore the magnetic recording/reproducing device is not required to be set in a position having a prescribed height from the circuit board. Thus, there does not even exist a problem to be solved by the invention that a height of the circuit board and the magnetic recording/reproducing device unitized with each other is increased.

Disk unit-integrated display and disk unit-integrated television


Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for an address system to identify a field and/or a row in a data structure. A method may include receiving a request to modify a field of data, wherein the field of data is identified by a received field key. A method may also include determining whether the field of data was rendered for display. A method may also include modifying the field in a tree structure in an instance in which the field of data was rendered for display, wherein the received field key is configured locate an address object that is related to the field. A method may also include modifying the field of data in a tree structure in an instance in which the field of data was not rendered for display by locating the received field key in a field key lookup map, wherein the field key lookup map is configured to locate the address object.

Data that is displayed on a webpage, such as a webpage built using HyperText Markup Language (HTML), may be stored on a remote device, such as a server. The data may be accessed by the webpage in an instance in which the data is requested or the script, markup language or other code is rendered. The remote device may organize the data in a variety of data structures such as a data tree (e.g. a tree, a tree structure and/or the like such as a hierarchical tree structure with a set of linked nodes). For example, a data tree may be modeled around the tables and rows of data in a relational database.
As the data is displayed on the webpage, the data may be described by location information (e.g. location information in a database) that is stored in a string of information that may include information such as the table name, the field name and/or row information that provides or represents information for row numbers of data at each layer starting at the top of the tree. The string may be transmitted to the remote device when a field is updated or altered. In an instance in which the string is transmitted, the entire string must be transmitted. Additionally, as the remote device saves and updates the tree, the sorting and reloading of data on the webpage may alter the location of an item in the data tree and thus require the string to be amended by the webpage or the server. If the string is not updated, the result may be corruption of the data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for identifying fields in a data tree