Three dimensional integrated circuit structures and manufacturing methods of the same are disclosed. The three dimensional integrated circuit structure includes a first chip and a second chip. The first chip is bonded to the second chip at a bonding interface. A through via of the first chip and a bonding pad of the second chip are electrically connected, and a diffusion barrier layer of the through via contacts the bonding pad at the bonding interface.

The semiconductor industry continues to improve the integration density of various electronic components (e.g., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.) by continual reductions in minimum feature size. This allows more components to be integrated into a given area. In some applications, these smaller electronic components also require smaller packages that utilize less area than conventional packages.
Three dimensional integrated circuits (3DICs) are a recent development in semiconductor packaging in which multiple semiconductor dies are stacked upon one another, such as package-on-package (PoP) and system-in-package (SiP) packaging techniques. Some 3DICs are prepared by placing dies over dies on a semiconductor wafer level. The 3DICs have, for example, decreased length of interconnects between the stacked dies, and thus provide improved integration density and other advantages, such as faster speeds and higher bandwidth. However, there are many challenges related to 3DICs.

Three dimensional integrated circuit structure and manufacturing method of the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A variable-gain amplifier circuit has an offset correcting function by which the fluctuation of offset due to the switching of a gain is decreased. In an offset detection mode, an input offset voltage of the variable-gain amplifier circuit is inputted to an offset retaining section, and in a signal amplifying mode, the offset is corrected by subtracting the output of the offset retaining section from an input signal by means of an input section of the variable-gain amplifier circuit. In addition, the variable-gain amplifier circuit can be applied to a radio receiver. The offset produced in a baseband section of a receiver is corrected by the offset correcting function of the variable-gain amplifier circuit, so as to prevent the quality of communication from being deteriorated.

The present invention relates to a variable-gain amplifier circuit, an offset control method in a variable-gain amplifier circuit, a radio receiver with a variable-gain amplifier circuit, and a radio receiving method in a radio receiver with a variable-gain amplifier. More specifically, the invention relates to a variable-gain amplifier circuit having a DC offset correcting function, a method for correcting a DC offset component in this circuit, a radio receiver with a variable-gain amplifier circuit having a DC offset correcting function, and a radio receiving method for receiving a radio frequency signal while correcting a DC offset component in this receiver.
As a conventional variable-gain amplifier circuit, for example, a circuit as shown in FIG. 1 is known. In this figure, a variable-gain amplifier circuit comprises: an operation amplifier circuit 1 for receiving an input signal, for example, a radio or intermediate frequency signal, as a phase input to output an amplified signal; a variable attenuation circuit 2 for setting a desired quantity of variable attenuation corresponding to a gain of the output of the operation amplifier circuit 1 to supply the set quantity of variable attenuation to an anti-phase input; an input terminal 6 for receiving the input signal; and an output terminal 7 for outgoing the amplified output.
In this variable-gain amplifier circuit, assuming that the gain of the operation amplifier circuit 1 is g and the transmittance of the variable attenuation circuit is f, the transmittance A of the whole circuit can be expressed by the following formula (1). EQU A=g/(1+gf) . . . (1)
Assuming that the value gf is sufficiently larger than 1, the formula (1) can be approximated to A=1/f. In the circuit of FIG. 1, it is possible to control the value f and to allow the gain A which is the reciprocal number thereof, to be variable. As an embodied construction of the variable attenuation circuit, the circuits of FIGS. 12 and 13 which will be described later are known. That is, in accordance with a potential difference between the terminal of the variable attenuation circuit 2 on the side of the output terminal 7 and the terminal of the operation amplifier circuit 1 on the negative phase input side, a certain rate of electric potential occurs between the terminals. By selecting this rate by means of switches, the circuit functions as a variable attenuation circuit.
In such a variable attenuation circuit, there is a problem in that the offset of the operation amplifier circuit 1 appears in the output. In addition, the offset fluctuates in accordance with the switching of the gain. For example, when the input offset voltage of the operation amplifier circuit 1 is 2mV and the voltage gain of the variable-gain amplifier circuit is 10, a DC offset voltage of 20mV appears in the output. When the voltage gain is 100, the DC offset voltage is 200mV. In recent communication appliances, there is a tendency to set a lower supply voltage in order to decrease consumed power. For example, assuming that the supply voltage is 3 V, an offset voltage of 200 mV can not be disregarded.
In addition, the following conventional radio receiver is known. The receiver controls signal levels in first and second intermediate-frequency amplifier circuits. In this case, since the signal frequency is apart from direct current even if the DC offset fluctuates, a desired signal can be easily separated from the offset by means of a capacity coupling circuit or the like. However, there are many parts which are difficult to be integrated as a semiconductor integrated circuit such as an intermediate-frequency band-pass filter (BPF), so that the aforementioned receiver is not suitable for a small receiver.
In addition, a receiver of a direct conversion system for directly converting a high frequency signal to a baseband signal without passing through an intermediate frequency signal has been proposed. This system is suitable for a small receiver since the number of parts which are difficult to be integrated is less than the of the aforementioned receiver. However, since there is no intermediate frequency, the baseband section must have a great gain, so that the offset is amplified. In addition, since the gain must be controlled by the baseband in order to obtain a signal of a suitable level, the magnitude of offset fluctuates. Since the baseband signal contains a signal component of direct or nearly direct current, the DC offset and its fluctuation are the same as those of a jamming wave overlapping with a desired signal in a digital signal processing section, so that the quality of communication may be deteriorated.

Variable-gain amplifier circuit, offset control method in variable-gain amplifier circuit, radio receiver with variable-gain amplifier circuit, and radio receiving method in radio receiver with variable-gain amplifier


Provided is a voltage regulator having an overcurrent protective circuit, which is excellent in detection precision and small in current consumption. The voltage regulator having the overcurrent protective circuit which detects that overcurrent flows in an output transistor, and limits the current of the output transistor, includes a regulated cascode circuit that makes a voltage at a source of the output transistor equal to a voltage at a source of the output current detection transistor, in which the operating current of the regulated cascode circuit is supplied by a transistor that is controlled by the output voltage of an error amplifier circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voltage regulator that outputs a constant voltage, and more particularly to an overcurrent protective circuit that reduces an output current to protect a circuit when an overcurrent flows into an output terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Voltage regulators have been employed as voltage supply sources of circuits in diverse electronic devices. The function of the voltage regulator is to output a constant voltage to the output terminal without being affected by a voltage variation of an input terminal. Also, it is important that the voltage regulator functions as overcurrent protection that reduces an output current to protect a circuit when a current that is supplied to a load from the output terminal increases and exceeds a largest current (for example, refer to JP 2003-29856 A).
FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram showing a voltage regulator having an overcurrent protective circuit. The conventional voltage regulator having the overcurrent protective circuit includes an output voltage divider circuit 2 that divides a voltage at an output terminal VOUT, a reference voltage circuit 3 that outputs a reference voltage, an error amplifier 4 that compares the divided voltage with the reference voltage, an output transistor 1 that is controlled by an output voltage of the error amplifier 4, and an overcurrent protective circuit 100. The overcurrent protective circuit 100 includes an output current detection transistor 5 and a detection resistor 6 which are an output current detector circuit that is connected in parallel to the output transistor 1, and a transistor 7, a resistor 8, and an output current control transistor 9 which constitute an output current limiter circuit that is controlled by a voltage of the detection resistor 6.
The above overcurrent protective circuit 100 has a function of protecting a circuit from the overcurrent with the following operation.
In the case where the output current of the output terminal VOUT increases, the detection current that is in proportion to the output current flows in the output current detection transistor 5. The detection current flows in the resistor 6, thereby allowing a voltage between the gate and the source of the transistor 7 to rise. In this case, when the overcurrent flows in the output terminal VOUT, and the voltage between the gate and the source of the transistor 7 exceeds a threshold voltage due to the detection current that is proportional to the overcurrent, a drain current flows in the transistor 7. Accordingly, the voltage between the gate and the source of the output current control transistor 9 drops, and a drain current flows in the output current control transistor 9, thereby allowing the voltage between the gate and the source of the output transistor 1 to rise. With the execution of feedback as described above, the gate of the output transistor 1 is so controlled as to hold the drain current of the output current detection transistor 5 constant. As a result, an increase in the output current is suppressed.
However, the output current detection transistor 5 of the overcurrent protective circuit 100 suffers from such a problem that because the drain voltage changes according to the input voltage, a relationship of current between the output current detection transistor 5 and the output transistor 1 is collapsed due to the channel length modulation effect, to thereby deteriorate a precision in the detection of the overcurrent.
Accordingly, the overcurrent protective circuit 100 needs to make a voltage VA at the drain (point A) of the output current detection transistor 5 identical with a voltage VB at the drain (point B) of the output transistor 1, and uses a current mirror circuit as a circuit for achieving the above requirement.
The operation will be described below. A current of the same amount as that of the detection current flows by the transistor 11 that is identical in size with the output current detection transistor 5. The current is reflexed by a first current mirror circuit, and flows in transistors 14, 15, and 16 that constitute a second current mirror circuit, thereby making the voltage VA at the point A identical with the voltage VB at the point B.
However, the circuit using the above current mirror circuit has a drawback that a current consumption increases because the same current as that of the detection current flows in two paths that pass through transistors 11, 15, and 12 and transistors 14 and 13, respectively.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an overcurrent protective circuit that is high in detection precision without increasing the current consumption.


A method is provided for increasing the permeability of skin or mucosal tissue to transdermally administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The method involves use of a specified amount of a hydroxide-releasing agent, the amount optimized to increase the flux of the NSAID through a body surface while minimizing the likelihood of skin damage, irritation or sensitization. Formulations and drug delivery systems for co-administering a hydroxide-releasing agent with an NSAID are provided as well.

The delivery of drugs through the skin provides many advantages; primarily, such a means of delivery is a comfortable, convenient and noninvasive way of administering drugs. The variable rates of absorption and metabolism encountered in oral treatment are avoided, and a high degree of control over blood concentrations of any particular drug is made possible. Other inherent inconveniences—e.g., gastrointestinal irritation and the like—are reduced or eliminated as well. This latter advantage is particularly important with drugs that are known to be quite problematic with respect to gastrointestinal side effects. Oral administration of nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs, or "NSAIDs," is well known to result in mild to serious gastrointestinal side effects in a significant fraction of patients receiving the medication.
However, skin is a structurally complex, relatively thick membrane. Molecules moving from the environment into and through intact skin must first penetrate the stratum corneum and any material on its surface. They must then penetrate the viable epidermis, the papillary dermis, and the capillary walls into the blood stream or lymph channels. To be so absorbed, molecules must overcome a different resistance to penetration in each type of tissue. Transport across the skin membrane is thus a complex phenomenon. However, it is the cells of the stratum corneum which present the primary barrier to absorption of topical compositions or transdermally administered drugs. The stratum corneum is a thin layer of dense, highly keratinized cells approximately 10-15 microns thick over most of the body. It is believed to be the high degree of keratinization within these cells as well as their dense packing which creates in most cases a substantially impermeable barrier to drug penetration.
With many drugs, the rate of permeation through the skin is extremely low. For example, as pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,832 to Chi et al., the low percutaneous absorption of typical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, i.e., propionic acid derivatives such as ketoprofen, ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, naproxen, and the like, is insufficient to allow transdermal delivery of these drugs at therapeutically effective rates. Consequently, a means for enhancing the permeability of the skin is desired to effect transport of an NSAID into and through intact skin.
In order to increase the rate at which a drug penetrates through the skin, various approaches have been followed, each of which involves the use of either a chemical penetration enhancer or a physical penetration enhancer. Physical enhancement of skin permeation include, for example, electrophoretic techniques such as iontophoresis. The use of ultrasound (or "phonophoresis") as a physical penetration enhancer has also been researched. Chemical enhancers are compounds that are administered along with the drug (or in some cases the skin may be pretreated with a chemical enhancer) in order to increase the permeability of the stratum corneum, and thereby provide for enhanced penetration of the drug through the skin. Ideally, such chemical penetration enhancers (or "permeation enhancers," as the compounds are referred to herein) are compounds that are innocuous and serve merely to facilitate diffusion of the drug through the stratum corneum.
Various compounds for enhancing the permeability of skin are known in the art and described in the pertinent texts and literature. Compounds that have been used to enhance skin permeability include: sulfoxides such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and decylmethylsulfoxide (C10MSO); ethers such as diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (available commercially as Transcutol®) and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether; surfactants such as sodium laurate, sodium lauryl sulfate, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, benzalkonium chloride, Poloxamer (231, 182, 184), Tween (20, 40, 60, 80) and lecithin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,450); the 1-substituted azacycloheptan-2-ones, particularly 1-n-dodecylcyclazacycloheptan-2-one (available under the trademark Azone® from Nelson Research & Development Co., Irvine, Calif.; see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,989,816, 4,316,893, 4,405,616 and 4,557,934); alcohols such as ethanol, propanol, octanol, benzyl alcohol, and the like; fatty acids such as lauric acid, oleic acid and valeric acid; fatty acid esters such as isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, methylpropionate, and ethyl oleate; polyols and esters thereof such as propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, butanediol, polyethylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol monolaurate (PEGML; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,343); amides and other nitrogenous compounds such as urea, dimethylacetamide (DMA), dimethylformamide (DMF), 2-pyrrolidone, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, ethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine; terpenes; alkanones; organic acids, particularly salicylic acid and salicylates, citric acid and succinic acid; and certain peptides, e.g., peptides having Pro-Leu at the N-terminus and followed by a protective group (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,496). Percutaneous Penetration Enhancers, eds. Smith et al. (CRC Press, 1995) provides an excellent overview of the field and further background information on a number of chemical and physical enhancers.
Although many chemical permeation enhancers are known, there is an ongoing need for enhancers that are highly effective in increasing the rate at which a pharmacologically active agent, particularly an NSAID, permeates through the skin, do not result in skin damage, irritation, sensitization, or the like. In particular, there is a need for chemical permeation enhancers that enable the effective transdermal administration of NSAIDs, "effective" administration meaning that the flux of drug through the skin is such that therapeutically effective blood levels are achieved. It has now been discovered that hydroxide-releasing agents are highly effective permeation enhancers, even when used without co-enhancers, and provide all of the aforementioned advantages relative to known permeation enhancers. Furthermore, in contrast to conventional enhancers, transdermal administration of drugs with hydroxide-releasing agents as permeation enhancers, employed at the appropriate levels, does not result in systemic toxicity.

Transdermal administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using hydroxide-releasing agents as permeation enhancers


A photonics package, and methods for its use are disclosed. In one configuration, a collimating lens is disposed between a photonics device and a ferrule containing two optical fibers. Preferably, one of the fibers delivers an optical signal to the photonics device, and the other fiber receives an optical signal from the photonics device. The fibers within the dual-fiber ferrule are located off of the optical axis of the lens so that light emanating from the signal-delivering fiber will be imaged onto the photonics device at a slight angle from the normal and may be reflected at the same angle for coupling into the signal-receiving fiber. Preferably, the photonics device is situated at the Fourier plane to facilitate coupling reflected light into the signal-receiving fiber. The function of the photonics package varies with the included photonics device. For example, the package can function as a data receiver, a data transmitter and a data transceiver by incorporating, respectively, a photodetector, an optical modulator, and a transceiver. The photonics package, which can be integrated in optical communications networks, allows for incoming and outgoing signals to be handled on separate fibers, obviating the need for a splitter as required in one fiber systems. A decrease in signal loss throughout the optical communications system can thus be realized.

Network architectures for two-way optical fiber communications to the home have been proposed. Cost targets must be achieved for such architectures to be implemented. Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed (WDM) network architectures, for example, have been proposed that use optical modulators, rather than expensive wavelength-stabilized sources, at each home. The optical modulators are powered by a shared laser source at a central office.
Surface normal optical modulators operating in a reflection mode ("reflective modulators"), that is, modulators that operate by reflecting, or not reflecting, an incident optical signal, may be used in such networks. These modulators can be packaged by butt-coupling them to a single mode fiber. In such an arrangement, the reflected data signal is carried in the same fiber that supplied the incident optical signal. For processing, the reflected data signal is separated from the incident signal, such as by passing the signal carrying fiber through a 2.times.2 splitter. The splitter adds complexity to the system and can cause 6 dB of intrinsic loss; 3 dB on each pass.
Thus, there is a need for a package for a reflective modulator that, in conjunction with the network architecture, reduces power losses.


A method is provided for potentiating the efflux of cholesterol from the macrophage, the method including the steps of increasing the affinity of high-density lipoprotein for macrophages by the administration of a serum amyloid A/high-density lipoprotein complex, exposing the macrophage to the complex, and potentiating macrophage cholesterol efflux.

Serum levels of cholesterol and atherosclerosis are significant topics addressed by health care professionals as they relate to cardiac disease, as well as other circulatory and systemic diseases. There is a great interest in the medical field with regard to the reduction of serum cholesterol and the reversal of an atherosclerotic condition.
Various means have been used in an attempt to lower serum cholesterol. For example, various resins have been administered therapeutically to sequester bile acids and thereby reduce systemic cholesterol levels. Other therapeutics have been administered in an attempt to effect cholesterol metabolism. However, there remains a high level of interest and need for more effective therapeutics in this area.
Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an apolipoprotein which is present on high density lipoprotein (HDL) only during inflammatory states. SAA was discovered approximately 15 years ago in the course of studies examining serum for potential precursors to the inflammation-associated AA form of amyloid. It has been determined that the AA peptide responsible for the inflammation-associated amyloid fibril represented a fragment of the SAA protein (1,2). Based on amino acid sequencing of SAA in the preparation, cloning, and identification of genes possessing the information for this protein (1,3), it became apparent that SAA was not a single protein, but rather a family of several related proteins. Work with these proteins have shown that during an inflammatory reaction, the cytokines interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor are responsible for regulating the transcription of the SAA gene in liver (4,5). Recent studies have suggested that SAA has a significant influence on lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activity associated with the HDL (6).
It is well established that SAA is present in the circulation in substantial quantities only during inflammation. Ninety percent (90%) or more of the SAA is associated with HDL's. HDL is also well established in the function of reverse cholesterol transport (7).
With specific regard to atherosclerosis, observations in the early twentieth century in patients who had long standing infections or malignancies showed that these patients at the time of death had far less atherosclerosis, or had the equivalent of "healed" atherosclerosis, when compared to patients of equivalent age who did not have these preceding disorders. This observation was always attributed to the patient's debilitated physical state or that their nutritional state was inadequate when compared to healthy individuals of the same age.
Based on the above compiled observations, and based on studies observing the potential roles of SAA's as a signal to HDL's, the present invention provides means for potentiating the efflux of macrophage cholesterol, thereby providing a means for therapeutically reducing cholesterol at atherosclerotic sites. This potentiating effect should lead to reversal of an atherosclerotic condition.


An automated material handling system includes: at least one state detecting sensor disposed inside or outside the carrier to detect an internal state of the carrier including a degree of pollution in the carrier; a carrier interface to transmit a carrier state value; a carrier controller including a controller interface disposed on the plate to obtain a carrier state value by communicating with the carrier interface, and a carrier control unit configured to generate carrier management information including the carrier state value obtained through the controller interface and current location information of the carrier and output the carrier management information to a server; and a server configured to analyze an internal pollution state of the carrier based on the carrier management information provided by the carrier controller.

The present invention relates to a technology of managing an internal pollution state of a carrier carrying a processing material including a wafer for semiconductors or an LCD substrate in real time at all positions of the automated material handling system to always maintain the inside of the carrier in a clean state, further increasing production efficiency of the processing material conveyed through the carrier.
Generally, in manufacturing processes of a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal display device, the manufacturing goods are transferred to the manufacturing equipment by using an automated material handling system (AMHS), so that the transferred goods are manufactured according to the manufacturing processes of each manufacturing equipment.
Such an automated material handling system utilizes an unmanned transporting device for transferring a carrier with a semiconductor substrate or a liquid crystal substrate to the manufacturing station located on the manufacturing process line and transferring the carrier with the goods completely processed in the corresponding manufacturing equipment to the next manufacturing equipment.
Depending on the movement method, the unmanned transporting device includes an automated guided vehicle (AGV) that drives autonomously through the wheel, a rail guided vehicle (RGV) that drives along the guide rail located at the bottom, and an overhead hoist transport (OHT) that drives along a guide rail installed in the ceiling. These unmanned transporting devices are moved to the corresponding manufacturing equipment by using the wheel, or the bottom rail, or the overhead rail, and it carries the carrier onto or out the manufacturing equipment by using an operating arm or a hoist and a hand.
On the other hand, the semiconductor industry has recently produced a high value-added product on the basis of advanced technology, and the production technology has continuously been developed to secure a competitive edge.
Major semiconductor products already have nano-sized patterns from many years ago, and the main size of the wafer for the production of products is 300 mm.
Accordingly, the demand for securing the efficiency of environmental pollution management in manufacturing processes has been increased. Furthermore, starting from the process of using a 300 mm wafer, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) is used for wafer transfer or storage between processes. The FOUP (hereinafter referred to as a carrier) has been introduced to prevent defects and to efficiently produce a wafer by maintaining a clean environment for wafer exposure as the wafer size becomes large, and the wafer pattern becomes miniaturized.
However, in the automated material handling system using the FOUP, many chemicals and process gases used in the dozens of processes remain on the wafer and are introduced into the carrier, so that they contaminate the air in the carrier and cause a defect by adsorbing on to the carrier.
In particular, when one carrier is contaminated in the automated material handling system, contamination can occur across all process lines since the carrier moves to various locations and spreads the contamination.
Accordingly, a method of injecting inert gas into the carrier by installing an inert gas supply and exhaust module on a shelf provided to seat the carrier on the equipment has been used. To this end, it is necessary to accurately measure the internal state of the carrier.
Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose configurations for checking the internal state of the carrier by installing a variety of sensors in the interior of the carrier. At this time, the carrier is provided with a battery therein. The battery supplies power to devices in the carrier such as a sensor and a communication unit.
In the automated material handling system such as Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, if the battery voltage provided inside the carrier is lowered, it is not possible to obtain the correct internal condition of the carrier since the sensor is not operating normally. However, such error is difficult to check. Also, when the battery reaches the end of its life, there is a hassle for the operator to open the door of the carrier to recharge or replace the battery.
In particular, in an environment in which tens of thousands of carriers are used in a single factory such as a recent semiconductor plant, this battery power supply method has a disadvantage in that it takes a lot of time and cost to manage the carrier. Therefore, there is a big problem in actual application to the semiconductor factory.
Patent Reference 1: Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1565091 (Oct. 27, 2015; Title: Wafer Transfer Apparatus for Monitoring Contamination of Semiconductor Processes)
Patent Reference 2: Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2019-0051385 (May 15, 2019; Title: Device for Testing Leak of Purging Gas at Purging Shelf for Wafer Container)

Automated material handling system having carrier pollution management function


The present invention discloses a system and method for performing interoperability testing. The method comprises sending a command from a server module to a client module, receiving the command at an application under test module via a shared directory module between the client module and the application under test module, executing a test at the application under test module based on the received command, and sending results of the test from the application under test module to the server module via the shared directory module and the client module, wherein the test is executed, and the results of the interoperability of the application between the client module and server module are sent, in a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain setting.

Business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce, until recently, was conducted using proprietary protocols and/or a few products at a particular standard layer (such as, for example, the International Standard Organization (ISO) Open System Interconnect (OSI) session, presentation and application layers). With the advent of new protocols for B2B data transmittal such as objects, Applicability Statement 1 protocol (AS1), Applicability Statement 2 protocol (AS2), Requests for Comments (RFC), and Electronic Business using eXtensible Markup Language (ebXML) messaging, along with business process document routing through computer systems and different applications, registries, repositories, XML based business documents, and application-to-application mapping software, products based on standards are becoming available, which while often conformant to a standards specification, are not know to be interoperable which is a must in B2B electronic commerce.
Certain current automated systems perform conformance testing but do not perform interoperability testing in a manner which supports the needs of the business community. The systems that do perform automated interoperability testing are limited in that they are not built to work In Situ, in the actual environments they are to be used in. Therefore, such automated interoperability validation and testing is not usable in a live supply chain, value chain, or distribution channel environment.
Other systems that are currently available for performing interoperability tests various problems that are not solvable without introducing an automated interoperability test system of the present invention. Such systems perform interoperability testing, for example, in certain phases such as a debug phase, a dry-run phase, and a final phase. The debug phase often conducts hundreds of individual tests against other products. The tests are designed to identify bugs, are very incremental in nature, and generally take a few months to conduct (with a set of software vendors, for example). Such vendors typically record by hand messages received and sent by all other vendors in the group, and problems are typically discussed on daily conference calls.
The dry-run phase typically consists of nearly 10% of the number of actual tests as compared to the debug phase. Preliminary tests are assumed to have successfully identified and corrected bugs, hence incremental analysis of the components needs be performed. These tests generally take around one week to conduct. The final phase, which demonstrates interoperability, predominantly repeats the steps of the dry-run phase. This ensures that a setup issue, which may have been encountered during the dry-run phase, does not preclude a product from passing the interoperability test. The complexity of this phase is similar as that of the dry run phase. This test generally take around one week to conduct.
There are a number of problems and limitations associated with the previous phases. For example, as products enter production, software bug fixes and minor enhancements are typically made. These changes most often render the product un-interoperable, despite the long effort in testing. Further, testing currently takes too long and manpower test costs are too high for a software vendor to continually support. These problems and limitations require automated interoperability test systems, specific to individual supply chains, to ensure those supply chains remain highly available.
Certain associations and organizations have testing labs for some hardware and basic software standards. However, the systems in these labs do not generalize well and often require significant setup and concurrent location of all products at the lab for testing. While these current systems and methods in testing may work well for specific standards or a set of closely related standards, they do not generalize well to a general test process. Further, the current methods do not work for automated In Situ testing within a supply chain, value chain or distribution channel where a large number of loosely coupled trading partners install and use products in uncontrolled settings. Solving this problem will require the ability to conduct ad hoc, periodic interoperability tests and In Situ validation (of the final phase type) on live production supply chain products.
Additionally, while there are a considerable and growing number of system management software vendors with products aimed at performance and availability management operations such as monitoring, event management, event correlation, and root cause analysis, none of these vendors is focused on resolving issues with higher level software such as secure messaging systems or application level automated interoperability assurance testing, validation and monitoring.
It is therefore desirable for the present invention to overcome the problems and limitations described above that are involved in interoperability testing.

System and method for in situ, real-time, supply chain, interoperability verification


A self-rewinding circuit includes a first block of combinatorial logic having a set of inputs including at least one input and a set of outputs including at least one output wherein a relationship between the set of inputs and the set of outputs is defined by a first input-output function. A first rewind circuit is coupled between the set of outputs and the set of inputs to implement an inversion of the input-output function.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to the field of integrated circuits and, more particularly, to a circuit capable of rewinding a local state.
Integrated circuit complexity continues to rise. Failure of a circuit, including a highly complex circuit, may cause wider system failure. The performance price for recovering from such failures or "rewinding" may be very high, even though the frequency of such failures may be low.


A medical robot system and a method to control the medical robot system are used to detect position information of a surgical instrument in an incised region, thereby improving the safety of robotic surgery. A surgical instrument may be inserted in a through-hole of a trocar inserted into an incised region of a patient. The medical robotic system includes a surgical instrument position detection apparatus to detect position information of the surgical instrument in the through-hole of the trocar, when the surgical instrument is inserted into the through-hole. The medical robotic system further includes a console to control an operation of a surgical robot having the surgical instrument, based on the detected position information of the surgical instrument.

1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a medical robot system that improves safety of robotic surgery and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Robotic surgery is a type of surgery that a medical professional (e.g., a surgeon or doctor) performs while controlling a robot to move a surgical instrument and is applied to various medical fields including surgery.
Generally, a medical robot system includes a robot including a robot arm and a console for an operator (e.g., a medical professional) to control the motion of the robot. An operator may directly move the robot arm having a surgical instrument or remotely control a motion of the robot arm through manipulation of an input unit provided in the console to incise or stitch a region for a surgical operation on a patient.
However, such a conventional medical robot system does not guarantee the safety of an incised region of the patient. Specifically, when the operator inserts the surgical instrument into the incised region of the patient and incises or stitches a region for surgery, the conventional medical robot system does not provide a location of the surgical instrument in the incised region.
For this reason, the operator does not know the location of the surgical instrument in the incised region while controlling a motion of the robot arm, and therefore, the incised region of the patient may be injured during surgery.
Also, the doctor may have difficulty controlling motion of the robot or the robot arm so as not to injure the incised region of the patient, and therefore, fatigue due to the use of the surgical robot may increase, which may result in an operator error during performance of the surgery.

Medical robotic system including surgical instrument position detection apparatus and control method thereof


A molecular light valve controlled color display. The display is formed through a layer of such molecules between a crossbar array of transparent electrodes, the crossbar intersections forming addressable pixels. A rapid sequencing of primary colors is controlled by molecular light valves congruent with display pixels. Native display resolution for a full gamut of colors is maintained for each pixel via a temporally distributed color pixel scheme. Both still and motion images can be displayed. Molecular valves, or switches, transition between two optically distinct states, e.g., transparent and black.

1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for distribution of information and, more specifically is related to electronically displaying content in a display with sequenced color illumination.
2. Description of Related Art
As computer appliances become smaller, more mobile, and more computational, color displays that are small, have higher pixel count, i.e., better resolution, are less expensive and more energy efficient, are highly desirable. Digital wristwatches and other miniaturized video capable appliances, telephone screens, personal digital assistant computers (PDAs), portable miniature televisions, dedicated digital video disk players (DVDs), and other small, mobile devices with resolutions in pixels-per-inch (ppi) that approach the resolution limits of the eye should become the norm.
Prior flat panel display technologies, such as liquid crystal (LCD), field emission, plasma, microcapsule, organic light-emitting diode, and the like, each have limitations, especially for color resolution and cost. In part, these limitations result from their need for color mosaic imaging, where the picture elements (pixels) in such devices are generally only capable of rendering one of the three display primary colors. Two-to-four times as many pixels are thus required in a color mosaic to be resolved in the produced image.
Prior art display technologies suffer from further limitations in addition to shortcomings in available resolution and cost. Flat panel field emission and plasma displays operate under vacuum, making their use and cost prohibitive for most low cost, mobile applications. As one example, organic light emitting diode displays suffer from poor image brightness and have comparatively limited operation lifetimes. As another example, LCDs have slow pixel response times and poor off-axis viewability. The slow pixel response times derive from the movement of 1-to-30 micron particles in a liquid cell. The typical, and resultant, 20-to-45 millisecond (ms) pixel switching times often create image trails in video imaging and in scrolling text. Smaller but faster moving particles generally will produce unacceptable image contrast. The need for polarizers in LCDs reduces display illumination efficiency and off-axis viewability.
In standard display technology, another deficiency is a tradeoff between grayscale capability—i.e., the ability to create a continuous spectrum of colors via chromaticity—hue and saturation—variation and resolution. LEDs produce spectrally narrower and calorimetrically more saturated color than the phosphors, illuminating chemistries, and organic filters used in field emission and plasma, and liquid crystal displays, respectively. The number of possible colors produced through the addition of spectrally different illuminants is proportional to the spectral narrowness of the illuminants.

Molecular light valve display having sequenced color illumination

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An imaging ball lens for wide field of view applications includes three elements. A first element is a plano-convex lens element with a convex and planar surface, the convex surface positioned facing an object side of the lens. The second plano-convex lens element has a convex and a planar surface. The planar surface of the second lens element is positioned facing the object side of the lens such that it is optically coupled to the planar surface of the first lens element. Also included is a plano-concave fiber optic faceplate with a concave and a planar surface. The concave surface of the faceplate is optically coupled to the convex surface of the second lens element facing the object side of the lens such that it is optically immersed with the fiber optic faceplate. A curved focal plane formed at the convex surface of the second lens element is mapped into a flat focal plane at the planar surface of the fiber optic faceplate defining a clear image essentially free from coma and astigmatic aberration and displaying a minimum of chromatic aberration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical lenses, and more particularly relates to wide angle optical ball lenses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several major design criteria govern a lens design. These include field of view requirements for a particular application, i.e., the area visible through the lens, lens light gathering ability and lens image quality over a predetermined spectral range. Considerations critical to a lens designed for a wide field of view include variable or fixed focal length and variable or fixed f-number. The lens focal length (f') is the distance between the point of focus of light from an object side of the lens and the plane of the lens. F-number (the relative aperture) is the ratio of the diameter of the focal length of the lens to the entrance pupil (.phi..sub.EP): EQU f--number=f'/.phi..sub.EP):
The entrance pupil diameter is the aperture diameter of the lens diaphragm viewed from the object side of the lens.
A lens design for a specific application requires a lens designer to consider the relationship between lens focal length, lens light gathering ability and acceptable levels of optical aberration for the given application. For example, there is a tradeoff between entrance pupil (light collection diameter) and f-number for a fixed lens focal length. Also, lens images typically vary in intensity, decreasing from the center to the edge of the image, an optical aberration called vignetting. Vignetting occurs when angles of incident light from the object side enter the lens at field angles other than 0 degrees, i.e., off-axis incidence. The result of such off-axis incidence in a lens subject to vignetting is an image projected on a flat focal plane that fades off gradually, i.e., loses intensity, towards the peripheral image edges.
Astigmatic aberration is a lens defect (optical aberration) in consequence of which rays from a point source fail to meet at a focal point. Astigmatic aberration, like vignetting, results in a blurred or imperfect image. Varying the focal length and f-number of many wide field of view lens results in varying degrees of astigmatic aberration. Coma is an optical aberration affecting lens image quality where the image of a point source manifests itself as a comet shaped blur.
Traditional lenses for both photographic and video applications are typically designed to operate in the visible light spectral range. Wide field angle lenses used in the photographic industry are typically designed for use in the visible spectral range of 450 to 650 nanometers (nm). Charge coupled device (CCD) based imaging systems operate beyond the visible light range, displaying sensitivity within the near infrared spectral range. Accordingly, their performance in a spectral range extending beyond 650 nm, i.e., the near infrared (IR) range (600 to 1000 nm) is inadequate due to chromatic aberration.
Chromatic aberration is an optical aberration which greatly affects lens image quality over an extended spectral range, resulting from the fact that different transparent substances refract different wavelength light differently. Longitudinal chromatic aberration occurs when a lens fails to focus light of varied wavelengths within the same plane. Lateral chromatic aberration is a result of lateral image shifts in differing amounts for various light wavelengths, i.e. like a rainbow.
In order to utilize the extended spectral range sensitivity of a CCD array while minimizing chromatic aberration, conventional lenses used therewith are usually complex, typically comprising multiple elements. Even more complex are wide field of view lenses for use with CCD array sensors. Wide field of view camera lenses generally require at least five elements and are consequently large and expensive, the cost of the lens generally increasing with the number of elements.
One example of a commercially available, high quality, wide field angle lens is the NIKON.TM. AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4 lens, product no. 1903 manufactured by Nikon Inc. of Melville, N.Y. The NIKON.TM. 1903 lens is based on a complex design, containing 7 elements. Upon testing, the lens was found to exhibit unacceptable levels of chromatic aberration in the near infrared spectral range.
Schneider Corporation of America of Woodbury, N.Y., manufactures a commercial wide field of view lens
operable within the near infrared range -- the XENOPLAN.TM. 17 mm, f/1.4. The Schneider XENOPLAN.TM. lens is, like the above-mentioned Nikkor 1903, extremely complex. The XENOPLAN.TM. lens contains 5 elements and exhibits unacceptable chromatic aberration at the image edges for light entering the lens at wide field angles. The XENOPLAN.TM. is therefore inadequate for certain applications.
Most of the complexity found in modern lens designs is a result of efforts to reduce chromatic aberration with increasing field angle while maintaining consistent light gathering capability. In addition to such efforts, elements may be added to the design of most commercially available wide field of view lenses to enhance their versatility. The cost of such added features and complexity however leads to a lens having far too many features for use in just one specific lens application.

Imaging ball lens optically immersed with a fiber optic faceplate


A seed envelope having a window formed with an aperture extending not only through and entirely across the front panel of the envelope from one side edge to the laterally opposite side edge but also further extending beyond the side edges and onto the back of the envelope. A transparent sheet of window material extends beyond the aperture so as to overlap the sheet of envelope material in a peripheral overlap area around the aperture. The transparent sheet is folded along the laterally opposite side edges and bonded to the front panel and envelope panels connected to the sides of the front panel. Preferably, the aperture also extends beyond the bottom fold crease and into the panel that is connected to the bottom of the front panel and is folded onto the back of the envelope. The seed content is visible from the sides of the envelope and even the rear of the envelope adjacent its side and bottom edges. The bottom corners are strengthened by gussets and by downward extensions of the laterally opposite side panels.

This invention relates to the field of envelopes and more particularly to envelopes having a window through which the contents of the envelope can be viewed and most particularly to envelopes for the retail display and sale of garden and landscaping seed.
Seeds packaged for the home or retail market have long been displayed by retailers in racks having an array of envelopes containing available seeds for a variety of plants. Initially, such seed packs were made entirely of paper and eventually colored pictures of the associated plants were printed on the front of the paper envelopes so the consumer could see the plant that would develop from the seeds contained in the seed pack. A later development was the use of a window in the front panel of the seed envelope to allow a customer to view some of the contained seed. Windows are commonly formed in envelopes by forming an aperture in the sheet of paper or other envelope material and then bonding a sheet of transparent window material across the aperture. The transparent window material extends beyond the boundaries of the aperture so it overlaps onto the paper and is bonded to the paper sheet along at least a portion of the overlap. This forms a window through the aperture.
Paper remains a desirable sheet material for forming the principal part of a seed envelope because paper is strong and durable, inexpensive and provides a surface that readily accepts the printing of quality pictures. A crease formed at a fold in paper is also relatively stiff or rigid thereby helping to maintain the envelope in a straight, non-sagging upright position. Windows too remain a desirable feature of seed envelopes. However, seed envelopes and envelopes generally have been limited to windows that are relatively small. Most prior art envelope windows extend over only a portion of one of the panels forming the envelope, usually the front panel. Such a window is suitable for most envelope uses because most envelopes are made to contain folded paper sheets or other flat objects and the windows are not intended to reveal the entire contents of the envelope. Most envelope windows are intended to reveal an address, a symbol or brief message or merely that there is something in the envelope. There have also been envelopes with narrow windows that extend around an edge of an envelope.
It would be desirable for a seed envelope to have a window that allows viewing of the entire seed contents of the envelope. Such improved visibility would permit a consumer to view all the seed in order to see the quantity of seed in the envelope and to verify its quality. It would be particularly desirable to have a window that even allowed viewing from the side and back of the envelope because that would give prospective purchasers an even better perspective on the quantity and quality of the seeds.
One difficulty that is encountered in designing a windowed seed envelope arises because seeds are particles that behave like a fluid because they flow somewhat like a liquid. As a result of this fluid characteristic, a quantity of seed filled into an envelope tends to apply distributed forces against the front, back, sides and bottom of the envelope. These forces cause the front and back panels of the envelope to spread, separate and move apart like the walls of a sack. The distance of separation is typically ⅛″ to ½″ depending on seed size and weight. As a result, the fold creases and especially the corners of the envelope are stressed by the seed contents considerably more than the minimal stress caused by insertion of a flat object into an envelope. Because of these stresses, it is common for seed envelopes to tear and for seeds to leak from a seed envelope. The inclusion of a relatively large window in a seed envelope, especially a window that extends to the edges of the envelope, creates additional opportunities for weak areas that would be subject to being torn by the stress applied by the contained seed. Because it is desirable to have a seed envelope that is a composite that is formed principally of paper but has a transparent window material that is a plastic material, and because the formation of a window aperture in the paper reduces the strength of the envelope in some areas of the envelope, the size of windows in seed envelopes has been limited.
Therefore, it is an object and feature of the invention to provide a seed envelope that has a greatly enlarged window and yet has the strength to retain its seed contents.
Another object and feature of the invention is to provide a seed envelope with a window that extends beyond both the side edges onto the back of the envelope and to the bottom edge of the envelope and preferably beyond the bottom edge onto the back of the envelope and yet have the strength to retain seed particulates despite the wrap around windows. This feature allows not only viewing of the seed contents from the front and rear of the envelope but also allows viewing of the seed contents from the side as a result of the spreading of the front panel from the back panel of the envelope in response to the fluid forces applied by the seed contents.

Windowed seed pack envelope with wrap around window


A connection arrangement, in particular an intermodulation-protected coaxial connection arrangement comprising a cable (1) and a cable connection means (2, 11), such as a coaxial connector (2), a lead-in unit (11) or the like, fixed to the cable. The connection arrangement comprises a conductive thick-walled connection piece (3) having an aperture (3a) forming a passage for the cable through the connection piece to the cable connection means (2, 11). The connection arrangement further comprises a crimp connection (5) or the like between the connection piece and the cable connection means, said crimp connection forming between the connection piece (3) and the cable connection means (2, 11) a first closed-circle sealing surface (5) around the aperture (3a) comprised by the connection piece (3). The connection arrangement additionally comprises a solder joint (6) or the like provided in the connection piece (3) and forming a second closed-circle sealing surface (6) around the aperture (3a) comprised by the connection piece (3) on the opposite side of the connection piece (3) to the first sealing surface (5).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection arrangement, in particular an intermodulation-protected coaxial connection arrangement comprising a cable and a cable connection means, such as a coaxial connector, a lead-in unit or the like, fixed to the cable.
A connection arrangement of the above kind is applied in connections for the radio frequency range, for example in connections needed for filters, directional couplers and other equivalent components employed at a base station of a cellular network. These connection arrangements employ cable connection means, such as coaxial connectors or lead-in units.
The invention can e.g. be applied in connection with a coaxial connector to be attached to the outer wall of a housing encasing a filter, directional coupler or some other component or equipment. In particular, the invention involves coupling a coaxial connector to a cable within such a housing and to the wall of the housing. Another practical example is the connection of a lead-in unit to be attached to the outer wall of a filter housing or a housing for a directional coupler or other equipment to a cable brought inside the housing and to the housing wall, and the connection of the outer sheath of the cable to the housing wall. In these applications, the presently known connection arrangements and the methods for making them are such that the cable connection means, such as a coaxial connector or a lead-in unit, is attached directly to the wall by way of clamping means and/or a solder joint.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In connection arrangements for the radio frequency range, a significant problem is presented by intermodulation, which is induced as a combined result of several frequencies. Intermodulation may present a problem particularly at base stations for cellular networks, since several transmission frequencies are employed for different channels at one base station unit, thus causing intermodulation to occur. Intermodulation becomes a real problem when the frequency of the intermodulation is in the same frequency range as the receiving frequency of the base station. Even a small intermodulation will cause problems, as the difference between the transmit power and the intermodulation should be as high as 165 dB. The unit and value for the intermodulation is dependent on the smoothness of the component surfaces and the clamping force between the connected parts of the arrangement. In order to avoid intermodulation, the connection arrangements should be executed with particular care.
As stated previously, in the prior art connection arrangements the cable connection means, such as a coaxial connector or a lead-in unit, is directly coupled for instance to the outer surface of a filter housing. However, the interface between a coaxial connector and a filter housing, for example, cannot always be made so tight that no problem of intermodulation will occur. Particularly in filters of thin sheet construction, it is very difficult to form a sufficiently smooth connection surface against the connector in the wall of the filter housing. If, after completion of the connection arrangement, it is found in test measurement that the connection is not sufficiently tight and shielded against intermodulation, the entire filter must be discarded, which will naturally impair the output and economy of the manufacturing operation. The situation is similar when a lead-in unit is employed as the cable connection means. The prior art connection arrangements also have problems in replacement of the parts of the connection arrangement. Furthermore, the prior art connection arrangements are problematic in regard to their manufacture, as for instance a coaxial connector must be heated thereby to make it well soldered to the surface of the filter housing. It is obvious that such heating will adversely affect the connector structure and the connection surface of the connector, being seated against the filter casing. Heating of the connector will also adversely affect the connections already made between the cable and the cable connection means. These factors further impair the intermodulation suppression of the connection arrangement. In the known arrangements, problems will also be encountered in washing of the executed solder joint.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel connection arrangement avoiding the problems related with the prior art.


A thermophotovoltaic generator includes an infrared cobalt oxide doped refractory ceramic emitter having a broad power band region which is matched with the energy conversion band of a low bandgap thermophotovoltaic cell receiver. The generator is provided with a heat source or is constructed for mounting on a heat source or for holding a heat source, such as a radioisotope. The generator is compatible with any heat source, including, but not limited to, a hydrocarbon flame, nuclear reactors, and radioisotopes. The emitter is made of a refractory ceramic material such as cobalt oxide doped alumina or magnesia. The refractory compound of the emitter is preferably doped with a small number of substitutional ions to create a material for emitting near blackbody radiation in a wide wavelength band above a threshold energy level and a minimal amount of radiation at wavelengths longer than the threshold level. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the cobalt oxide doped emitter strongly emits infrared radiation in a wavelength interval between about 1 and 2.1 microns. The photovoltaic cells of the receiver are preferably of Ge cells, GaSb cells, In(1-z)Ga(z)As cells and Ga(1-x)In(x)Sb(1-y)As(y), where x and y range between 0 and 0.2 and z ranges between 0.3 and 0.7. A silica heat shield may be positioned between the emitter and the receiver when combustion heat sources are used for confining the combustion byproduct gases.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/015,902, filed Apr. 22, 1996.
This invention relates to thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power generators which convert infrared radiant energy to electric power using low band gap photovoltaic cells. In a copending application, Ser. No. 08/629,409 filed Apr. 18, 1996 entitled "Liquid Fuel Fired Infrared Lantern Thermophotovoltaic Generator", the present inventors described a cobalt doped refractory oxide energy-band-matched infrared emitter for use with low bandgap thermophotovoltaic cells. The specific refractory oxide disclosed included alumina. The specific thermophotovoltaic cells disclosed in that application included Ge, GaSb, InGaAs, and GaInSbAs.
Research on "selective" emitters began at least 30 years ago with reports by Guazzoni, Schwartz, and others attempting to improve the efficiency of TPV generators. Narrow band (100 nm bandwidth) emitters that rely on electronic transitions of rare earth oxides were identified. Ytterbia has an emission peak at 0.98 microns, which is well suited for use with silicon cells, and erbia has an emission peak at 1.55 microns, which is well suited for use with a lower bandgap photovoltaic cell such as germanium. Disadvantages of those selective emitters include the intrinsically narrow bandwidths due to the quantum nature of the electronic transitions, very low peak emissivities (typically only 0.55 at 1743 K for Erbia), very high emissivities outside of the desired wavelength range, and failure with solid geometries due to thermal stress.
Nelson showed that "selective" emitters could be improved by constructing emitters with small diameter fibers (about 10 microns) containing rare earth oxides, rather than using the previous solid geometries. By using small diameter fibers, the emitters suppress unwanted radiation in the 1 to 4 micron wavelength interval and make the emitters resistant to failure because of thermal stress. However, substantial infrared radiation is still emitted from the lattice vibrations in the fiber matrix at wavelengths longer than 4 microns. Furthermore, the combustion byproduct gases, water and carbon dioxide, also emit radiation at longer wavelengths. Because of the narrow bandwidth of those emitters, the power in the cell response band is still small compared to the unwanted longer wavelength power. It is still necessary to substantially increase the power in the cell band while suppressing the unwanted power at longer wavelengths.
A 1988 patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,895) describes an invention based on ceramic materials which emit thermally stimulated quantum radiation in AT LEAST TWO characteristic wavelength bands to be matched to a multilayer photovoltaic collector. That invention is an attempt in part to compensate for the very narrow emission bands of "selective" emitters by using multiple "selective" emitters and multiple photovoltaic collectors. A single narrow emission peak from a "selective" emitter is not converted efficiently to electrical power by a single photovoltaic cell when the photovoltaic cell has a high quantum yield that is much wider than the emission peak. Currently it is prohibitively expensive to produce multilayer high efficiency photovoltaic collectors, but more significant problems exist with this approach. Even with multiple peak "selective" emitters the peak emittance is still poor, the bandwidth of the peak is too narrow for efficient use with a photovoltaic collector with good quantum yield such as GaSb, and radiation at undesirable wavelengths is still high.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,487 describes a porous ceramic burner comprised of multiple fiber layers. Fiber matrix ceramic burners typically consist of rare earth/alkaline earth oxide systems, rare earth/transition metal oxide systems, and various other mixed metal oxide systems. The porous ceramic matrix is used to hold small diameter fibers and is reported to be an improvement over previous general fiber matrix burners which have been found to deteriorate at high temperatures causing harmful oxide of nitrogen emissions to increase rapidly. The emitters disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,487 are complicated and require many process steps. In addition, the peak emittance of the emitter at desirable characteristic wavelengths is poor.
Alternative prior art TPV generator concepts propose the use of infrared filters combined with full spectrum emitters for spectral power control. The idea is that although an emitter such as low purity conductive (black) SiC emits radiation at all wavelengths in the infrared, the filter will pass only the useful shorter wavelengths which the cell can convert to electric power. The filter would reflect all longer wavelength energy back to the emitter. The problem with that approach has been the lack of such a perfect filter. Specifically for the GaSb cell, the useful cell convertible wavelengths are in the 1 to 1.8 micron band. A dielectric filter can be made to reflect the 1.8 to 3.6 micron wavelengths back to the emitter, but it still passes wavelengths beyond 4 microns. Alternatively, an infrared reflecting metal-dielectric filter can be made that transmits most of the energy with wavelengths below 1.8 microns and reflects most of the energy beyond 2.5 microns. However, those metal-dielectric filters transition slowly from transmitting to reflecting between 1.8 and 2.5 microns, allowing a large amount of nonconvertible energy to be wasted in this energy interval. It is desirable to find an emitter that emits strongly in the 1 to 1.8 micron band while emitting weakly in the 2 to 4 micron band for use with GaSb cells.
Relative to the rare earth oxide selective emitters, it is necessary to increase the infrared emitted power in the acceptance band of the cell while suppressing the unwanted infrared power emitted at longer wavelengths. There is also a need to recycle the radiation emitted from atomic vibrations in the combustion byproduct gases as well as the energy emitted by lattice vibrations at wavelengths longer than 4 microns. For TPV systems using low bandgap cells (such as GaSb cells) and a metal-dielectric long wavelength reflecting filter, there is a need for an emitter with high emittance in the cell response band (1 to 1.8 microns for GaSb) and low emittance in the wavelength interval just beyond the cell response band (2 to 4 microns for GaSb).
Needs also exist for TPV generators having emitters that are compatible for use with any source of heat.

Energy-band-matched infrared emitter for use with low bandgap thermophotovoltaic cells


Two enzymes, one an acetylmorphine carboxyesterase (AMCE), the other a morphine dehydrogenase (MDH), have been isolated from bacteria. The AMCE degrades heroin to morphine and the MDH oxidises morphine to morphinone, with the aid of a cofactor. These reactions are used in detection of heroin (using the two reactions coupled together) or morphine. The enzymes can be incorporated in sensors for this purpose.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to two new enzymes isolated from microorganisms, the microorganisms which produce these enzymes, the use of the enzymes in catalysing the degradation of heroin and a method and apparatus for the detection of heroin using these enzymes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is an urgent need for a method of detection of heroin in particulate form and in body fluids. In relation to particulate heroin, although many different analytical systems have been proposed, most are based on large pieces of equipment, such as mass spectrometry. In relation to body fluids, immunoassay has been used but this is better suited to laboratory, testing where operatives with specialist skills are available. In principle, a cheaper and easier method for heroin detection could be provided if an enzyme specific for heroin was available and if the products of the enzymatic reaction could be detected using relatively simple instrumentation. Unfortunately, the range of enzyme activities presently available is rather limited and these enzymes do not possess the specificity required.

Detection of morphine using morphine dehydrogenase


An adjustable carrying device (12) includes a pair of gripping members (14, 16) in a slip joint pivot connection having a handle assembly (36) and gripping plates (20a, 20b) for grasping and handling an object. A pivotally activated/deactivated locking mechanism includes a plurality of evenly spaced teeth (66) within a guide track (54) and a cross member (76) biased between lock and unlock positions by a pair of torsion springs (74a, 74b). A pair of levers (22a, 22b) moved in unison by handle assembly (36) activate and deactivate the locking mechanism. While in unlock position a pair of coil tension springs (84) assist in the single handed adjustment of the gripping plates against the object's opposed surfaces. A subsequent upward pivotal motion of handle assembly (36) activates the locking mechanism, forcing gripping plates (20a, 20b) towards each other, firmly gripping the object prior to its lift.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to single hand operated load carrying devices, specifically those having a pair of gripping jaws.
2. Prior Art
Of all the ancient tasks performed by humans, the employment of both human arms and hands in the grasping, lifting and carrying of objects having opposed parallel surfaces is probably one of the oldest. Even in our modern times, product distribution and delivery needs require an endless list of items to be packaged in containers meant to be carried by hand. These items include consumable goods, appliances, medicines, food, apparel, liquids, mail etc.
The manual lifting and transporting of these packages is a task built into the design of work stations and handling procedures found in common workplace. This is true even when studies show that many job related back injuries result from the application of improper or excessive effort during the performance of such tasks. Many object carrying devices have been designed to assist in the grasping, lifting and carrying of objects. However, in some instances, the devices are awkward to operate, requiring additional time or effort from the part of the end user. In other instances, the devices are invasive to the object's surfaces and their use would compromise the object's integrity or aesthetics. Let's review some of these devices.
Prior art, in the single hand operated carrying devices, concerned itself with scissor-like lifting devices with limited adjustment capability and with tools that relay on penetrating the object's surface to achieve a non-friction grip. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,952 to Monzain, issued on Aug. 29, 1978, a package lifter includes pivoted jaws levers for achieving flat engagement with the side walls of a package. Although such jaw levers have padded members meant to achieve a friction grip, protruding metal teeth need to be positioned underneath the package to achieve the grip. This teeth positioning under the package lends itself to be difficult and awkward. In addition, the height of the package to be lifted is limited to that of the physical length of the jaw levers.
Another example of a scissor-like device is the type of carrier tools used to carry automotive batteries. Such a device is U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,217 issued to Viola et al. Jul. 7, 1987. The carrier tool is used to grasp and carry automotive batteries employing a single hand. The scissor-like configuration of this tool conveniently utilizes the battery's own weight to produce lateral opposing forces to grip the battery. However, the metal teeth on the convex curvature of the jaw's inner surface provide an extremely limited contact surface area between the device and the battery. Substantial pressure must be concentrated at these contact points in order to hold the battery, greatly increasing the possibility of damaging the battery's surfaces. In addition, the carrier tool lacks a slip joint pivot connection of the jaw levers, which limits its use to a very narrow range of object widths.
What is needed is an easily attachable/detachable device that does not require engaging the underside of the object. Objects meant to be carried using both human arms and hands come in a variety of widths and heights. Consequently, the use of a carrying device should not be limited to a narrow range of object's heights or widths. Furthermore, a friction grip carrying device should provide a surface contact area similar to that provided by both human hands. This allows the gripping pressure to be uniformly distributed and to avoid object surface damage.
Among the prior art achieving a non-friction grip there is U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,242 issued to Whitney on Feb. 16, 1999. This lifting device comprises a pair of grips operated by a single hand and actuating a set of jaws substantially at a right angle from each other. The gripping force is not of the friction-grip type or exerted against the object's opposed surfaces. Therefore, the jaws have projections that are meant to pierce, puncture or penetrate, at some degree, the surface of the object to be lifted. Package integrity and aesthetics would be compromised by this piercing, puncturing or penetration.
An embodiment of the device requires a constant hand squeezing force to maintain the grip upon the object. Another embodiment provides a feature for locking the jaws in place, so this constant hand squeezing force is not required while transporting a carton. However, the inclusion of this feature requires two different device designs: one for right-handed persons and one for left-handed persons. Finally, the use of the device is limited to objects having a pair of flat surfaces essentially at a right angle from each other, and of a material that can be pierced, punctured or penetrated by the projections.
Another single hand operated gripping tool of the non-friction grip type is that of U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,237 issued to Koenig, Apr. 23, 2002. As with Whitney's carton lifting device, this tool relies on penetrating the carton skin to achieve a grip. It is, however, different to Whitney's carton lifting device in that a pair of gripping plates has handles meant to be squeezed together for package release. Since these handles are also used to carry the object, this configuration greatly increases the possibility of accidental opening of the gripping plates and dropping of the load while being transported.
What is needed is a carrying device that could be used to carry objects with hard surfaces, like those of a T.V. set, as well as objects having soft surfaces that should not be scratched or damaged in any way. Furthermore, it is needed a device with a standard, reliable and automatic locking mechanism that does not require a constant hand squeezing force and that will not allow the accidental release of the object during transport.
Other devices like U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,364 issued to Breite on Oct. 25, 1977, for the carrying of automotive batteries have a slip joint pivot connection of the gripping legs and a grip locking mechanism. Although the device allows the carrying of the battery using a single hand, the locking mechanism and the adjustment of the gripping legs against the battery's opposed surfaces, requires the use of both human hands.
What is needed is a non-invasive carrying device that can be adjusted and locked against the opposed parallel surfaces of an object using a single human hand. It is needed a carrying device that not only allows the single handed lifting and carrying of an object, but one that also allows a single handed release of the object after, and only when, it has been safely placed on a surface. No such device as just described is known to presently exist.

Single hand operated adjustable carrying device and method of use thereof


A wireless apparatus including: an amplification circuit configured to generate a second signal by amplifying power of a first signal, a calculation circuit configured to calculate a deviation amount of phase deviation of the second signal from the first signal, and a correction circuit configured to correct the phase deviation using a correction method that is selected from a plurality of correction methods based on the deviation amount, the plurality of correction methods among which each power consumption is higher as each correction amount corresponding to each power consumption is greater.

A wireless apparatus such as, for example, a base station or a user terminal in a wireless communication system includes an amplifier (power amplifier: hereinafter referred to sometimes as "PA") for amplifying power of a transmission signal. In a wireless apparatus, a PA is caused to operate in the proximity of a saturation region of the PA in order to assure a high power efficiency of the PA. However, if the PA operates in the proximity of the saturation region, then the nonlinear distortion increases. Therefore, in order to suppress the nonlinear distortion of the PA to reduce adjacent channel leakage power (ACP), the wireless apparatus includes a distortion compensation unit for compensating for the nonlinear distortion of the PA.
As one of distortion compensation types used in the distortion compensation unit, a "pre-distortion (hereinafter referred to sometimes as "PD") type" is available. The distortion compensation unit of the PD type improves the linearity of an output signal of the PA to suppress the distortion to occur in the output signal of the PA by multiplying a transmission baseband signal before inputting to the PA by a distortion compensation coefficient having an inverse characteristic to the nonlinear distortion by the PA in advance. By the multiplication of the transmission baseband signal by the distortion compensation coefficient, both of the distortion of an amplitude component of the transmission baseband signal and the distortion of a phase component of the transmission baseband signal are compensated for. In the following description, a signal after a transmission baseband signal is multiplied by a distortion compensation coefficient is sometimes referred to as "pre-distortion signal (PD signal)." Therefore, a PD signal is a signal distorted in advance in accordance with the inverse characteristic of nonlinear distortion by a PA before the PD signal is inputted to the PA. Further, in the following description, distortion of an amplitude component of a transmission baseband signal is sometimes referred to as "amplitude distortion," and distortion of a phase component of a transmission baseband signal is sometimes referred to as "phase distortion."
For example, some distortion compensation unit of the PD type includes a lookup table in which a plurality of distortion compensation coefficients are stored (such a lookup table is sometimes referred to as "distortion compensation table"). A distortion compensation unit that includes a distortion compensation table reads out a distortion compensation coefficient corresponding to an amplitude value of a transmission baseband signal inputted to the distortion compensation unit from the distortion compensation table and multiplies the transmission baseband signal by the distortion compensation coefficient. Each distortion compensation coefficient stored in the distortion compensation table is successively updated such that the error between the transmission baseband signal as a reference signal and a signal outputted from the PA and fed back to the distortion compensation unit (such a signal is hereinafter referred to sometimes as "feedback signal") may be minimized.


A bearing device for a vehicle wheel is provided with: an outer member; an inner member; a ball row; and a seal member for sealing the space between the outer member and the inner member due to a seal plate in which a sealing lip is formed being fitted into an opening in the outer member, a slinger being fitted on the inner member, and the sealing lip coming into contact with the slinger; wherein the slinger is formed so as to cover the end surface of the opening in the outer member, the slinger is provided with a cylindrical wall part extending in the axial direction of the inner member, a labyrinth is configured between the slinger and the end surface of the opening in the outer member, and another labyrinth is configured by the wall part being disposed between the outer member and the sealing lip.

Conventionally, a wheel bearing device which rotatably supports wheels in a suspension device of an automobile is known. In a wheel bearing device, a hub wheel (inner member) connected to wheels is rotatably supported by an outer member via a rolling element. When grease inside the outer member decreases or rainwater and dust intrudes in the wheel bearing device, the trajectory surface of the rolling element or the inner member is damaged and a bearing operational life shortens. Therefore, in order to prevent leakage of the grease sealed inside and prevent the intrusion of the rainwater and the dust from the outside, the wheel bearing device includes a seal member arranged between the outer member and the inner member.
In order to increase the bearing operational life, such a wheel bearing device includes a plurality of seal mechanisms provided on the seal member to improve a sealing property. A pack seal which is a seal member includes a seal of a seal lip and, in addition, a seal of a labyrinth. The pack seal employs such a configuration, so that the labyrinths suppress rainwater and dust from intruding the distal end of the seal lip, and can prevent damages of the distal end of the seal lip and improve the sealing property. Patent Document 1 discloses this example.
The wheel bearing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an outer member having a tubular shape, an inner ring which forms an inner member, a rolling element which rotatably supports the inner ring, and a sealing member which seals the opening portion. The sealing member is formed by a pack seal in which a seal member fitted to the outer member and a slinger fitted to the inner ring are disposed to face each other. A bent portion in which an intermediate portion of the rising wall portion of the slinger protrudes in a cylindrical shape in the axial direction is formed on the sealing member. In the sealing member, a labyrinth along an axial direction is formed by disposing the bent portion between rubber seal portions of the seal member.
The bent portion formed on the slinger of the sealing member is bent so as to fold back the intermediate portion of the rising wall portion of the slinger along the axial direction. Further, a lip which forms the rubber seal portion of the seal member is in contact with the rising wall portion of the slinger. Therefore, the sealing member includes the bent portion formed on the rising wall portion of the slinger to move a contact position of the lip portion apart from the position of the bent portion by changing the shape of the lip portion without influencing a contact state of the rising wall portion of the slinger and the lip. However, the sealing cross section height of the pack seal, which is an interval between the outer member to which the sealing member is fitted and the inner ring, is limited by the inner diameter of the outer member and the outer diameter of the inner ring. For this reason, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disadvantageous in that formation of the labyrinth limits the degree of freedom of the lip design.


The present invention allows shell program to be managed with security policies and enforced using sandboxes enforced by the security manager of a managed environment. The additional security policies may come from shell tool specific security policies, application specific security policies, resource based security policies, shell based policies, owner based policies, user based policies and/or other types of policies. Security policies may be merged to provide a managed shell more permission granularity in addition to existing machine policies.

Shell programs are commonly known in the art as a way of commanding a computer to execute certain actions. Shell programs may be graphical or text based. Shell tools may include the actual shell commands like list (ls), move (mv), and remove (rm), among others. A shell script may be a series of shell commands stored in a file and executed until the end of the file is reached. Shell commands can access critical resources within a computer. Current shell security uses the security offered by the operating system of the computer, which is mostly user identity-based (e.g. user A can access the file B, while user C cannot).
With the proliferation of downloading programs, scripts, and other data from the Internet or third party sources, there is a need for limiting access to internal computer resources from potentially malicious downloads. An operating system security based on user identity is not enough because a user may unknowingly execute malicious codes and/or scripts. This is a drawback because a program is executed in the security context of its user, therefore, the program has all the permissions associated with the user identity (e.g. user A execute program X which maliciously access file B).

System and method for using sandboxes in a managed shell


It is intended to present a sensor capable of labeling with more dyes, applying the labeled protein in immunochromatography making use of antigen-antibody reaction, and having an excellent sensitivity. In a buffer, a protein and a first covalent bonding compound that can react with this protein are reacted to prepare a protein conjugate, then a cyanine labeling dye is added in the buffer containing the protein conjugate, and the protein conjugate and cyanine labeling dye are reacted to prepare a dye labeled protein conjugate. Alternatively, in a buffer solution, a protein and a cyanine labeling dye are reacted to prepare a dye labeled protein, then a first covalent bonding compound that can react with the protein is added in the buffer containing the dye labeled protein, and the dye labeled protein and first covalent bonding protein are reacted to prepare a dye labeled protein conjugate.

The present invention relates to a conjugate of protein labeled with a dye, its preparing method, and a sensor using the same.
Hitherto, the cyanine labeling dye having a highly reactive functional group has been often used in labeling of protein. In this case, the functional group of the labeling dye reacts with amino group or carboxyl group of protein, and about 20 to 50 molecules of labeling dye are bonded with one molecule of protein. Usually, protein contains hundreds to thousands of amino groups or carboxyl groups, but since the protein has a three-dimensional solid structure, only about 50 amino groups or carboxyl groups of them are estimated to participate in reaction. In the prior art, therefore, it was a limit to label one molecule of protein with about 50 molecules of dye.
It is hence an object of the invention (1) to enable to label with more dyes, (2) to apply labeled protein in immunochromatography utilizing antigen-antibody reaction, and (3) to obtain a sensor having an excellent sensitivity.

Dye labeled protein conjugate its preparing method and sensor using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.