The invention provides a copper-zinc alloy with low lead content useful in the manufacture of wire used in the manufacture of cages for aquaculture, where said wire suffers the least deterioration due to loss of zinc during exposure to stagnant water, water of little movement or sea waters.

Aquaculture has attracted attention because of its importance to offset the stagnation of world catches and increase the supply of animal protein, since it is considered an activity that can enhance the development of fishing communities, and more recently, due to the significant investments it is attracting or due to the negative effects it can have and cause on marine ecosystems.
Just over half of aquaculture production comes from freshwater systems and the remainder from sea waters. Broadly speaking, it includes fish, crustaceans, mollusks and plants, algae, and other sea plant species.
Aquaculture has become decisive for some species of fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. For example, in the early 1990s about 25% of world salmon production came from aquaculture and the trend is increasing. About half of the world's shrimp production is from aquaculture, while world production of mussels and clams has increased by 60% and that of scallops by more than 300% thanks to the development of aquaculture. Thus, Chinese production of aquaculture shrimp and mussels represents 27% and 38% respectively of the global production of these products.
However, these assessments have ignored environmental effects such as pollution and destruction of sea habitats (mainly mangroves) of increasing severity, not only from a purely ecological point of view but also economically by endangering the sustainability of the medium and long-term economic activity. Pollution and overcrowding of freshwater fish farms have had serious negative effects in Asia and Latin America. Pollution is caused by an excessive discharge of nutrients and organic matter that translates into nutrient over-enrichment of ponds. Microbial contamination, accumulation of chemical-toxic products and excessive sedimentation have also been found.
In the last 15 years or so, inland water cage culture has spread to more than 35 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Since 1978 more than 70 species of freshwater fish have been experimentally reared in cages. With the exception of a few areas, wood and bamboo have been replaced by new materials, such as nylon, plastic, polyethylene, and steel meshes, which, although they are much more expensive, last longer and allow better water flow.
Today, it is increasingly common to find a greater commitment to health, not only on the part of medical or government institutions, but also on the part of private companies, and society in general.
One of the branches that has acquired great relevance relates to the metallic elements used in aquaculture, where attempts have been made to reduce costs, mainly through the use of steel cages. In general, the materials used for this purpose are conceived in such a way that they not to pollute by using substances that might dissolve in water and cause damage to the environment and people. Consequently, steel cages have been substituted for others built with cheaper materials and superior properties, as is the case of low-lead Cu—Zn alloys with improved properties.
Lead is mainly contained in brass for its contribution to machinability. Lead is prone to chip detachment and breaking. It also works as lubricant at the time of machining, reducing temperatures during cutting and lengthening the life of cutting tools. However, it is a harmful compound that accumulates in the nervous system and is particularly harmful to the mental development of children.
In recent years, efforts have been made to establish standards in lead-containing copper alloys to drastically limit the allowable level of lead in copper alloys.
This had led to the development of low lead copper alloys that have reached levels of 0.02% of weight.
Several low-lead copper alloys are described In the state of the art, such is the case of patent MX331987 claiming a copper alloy sheet containing 28.0% to 35.0% of Zn, from 0.15% to 0.75% of Sn, from 0.005% to 0.05% of P, and Cu and impurities, complying with the ratios of 44=[Zn]+20×[Sn]=37 and 32=[Zn]+9×([Sn]−0.25) 1/2=37. The copper alloy sheet is manufactured by a process that includes cold rolling with an average grain size of the copper alloy material of 2.0 μm to 7.0 μm, and the sum of the ß-phase area ratio of 0% to 0.9%.
The MX330361 patent provides a copper alloy sheet containing 4.5% to 12.0% Zn, 0.40% to 0.90% Sn, 0.01% to 0.08% P, and 0.005% to 0.08% Co and/or 0.03% to 0.85% Ni, the rest is Cu and impurities. The copper alloy sheet is produced by final cold rolling in which a copper alloy material is coldly rolled with an average grain size of 2.0 μm to 8.0 μm, circular or elliptical precipitates and the average particle size of the precipitates is 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm, or a percentage of precipitates with a particle size of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm represents 70% or more of the precipitates.
Described in MX280502 is an electrical cable conductor for wiring made of a copper alloy material. The copper alloy material is composed of 1.0 to 4.5% Ni, 0.2 to 1.1% Si, 0.1 to 1.5% Zn and the rest of Cu and impurities.
Patent MX 281135 provides a master alloy used in a cast of a modified copper alloy whose grains can be refined during melting-solidification and also a method of casting a modified copper alloy using this, said master alloy contains from 40 to 80% of Cu: from 0.5 to 35% of Zr and the rest of Zn; and Cu from 40 to 80%; Zr from 0.5 to 35%; of P from 0.1 to 3% and the rest Zn.
Patent MX280469 claims a copper-based alloy casting that includes 69 to 88% Cu, 2 to 5% Si, 0.0005 to 0.04% Zr, 0.01 to 0.25% P and the rest includes Zn and impurities. The alloy may also include at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0.001 to 0.2% Mg, 0.003 to 0.1% B, 0.0002 to 0.01% C, 0.001 to 0.2% Ti, and 0.01 to 0.3. % of rare-earth elements.
Pending application MX/a/2017/002396 claims a copper alloy material bathed in tin for a finished product where the surface layer based on Sn is formed on the surface of the base material that is made of copper or a copper alloy.
Finally, application MX/a/2016/001257 refers to a copper alloy for electronic and electrical equipment that has improved mechanical characteristics and the ability to suppress defects, even when processed to the thickness of a thin plate or the diameter of a fine wire. For the above characteristics, the alloy is required to include Mg from 1.3% to 2.8% and the rest is substantially Cu and impurities.
In this sense, there has been growing interest in providing materials with low lead content in water-related components, making it desirable to further reduce the lead content, and increase the resistance to corrosion in a watery environment, making it possible to obtain wire for the manufacture of cages for aquaculture.
Some of the attempts to reduce lead in copper alloys for aquaculture cages involve introducing other elements instead of lead, resulting in machining and finishing problems in the manufacturing process, such as problems in primary casting, primary machining, secondary machining, polishing, coatings, and mechanical assembly. Consequently, there is a need for a low-lead alloy casting solution that provides low-cost alloys that does not degrade mechanical or chemical properties nor significantly disrupts the material manufacturing process leading to problems with finish and cutting.

Lead-free copper-zinc alloy that can withstand the marine environment


The medicine reservoir contains medicine and a bag and may have flat or any other shape. A user programmable controller controls a pump on when and how much air or any kind of fluid is pumped into the bag. The bag then presses the same volume of medicine out of the reservoir into the user""s body at approximately the same time. Pumping air requires little power so that the pump and the batteries have small weight and size. Hence, the apparatus is light, small, and flat to be attached to the user. The user feels like to use a large Band-Aid.

The present invention relates to medicine delivery systems to deliver medicine into the user""s body.
The medicine reservoirs of all syringes currently in the market have cylinder shapes as FIG. 1 shows. The reservoir 660 has cylinder shape. The medicine is held in the space of the reservoir 660. When the piston 680 is pressed, the medicine flows through the needle 335 into the user""s body.
For the medicine users who need the medicine constantly and frequently, pumps are used. The insulin pumps are an example. A pump contains a programmable controller and monitor and a fluid pump and its associated parts. A reservoir containing medicine is installed in the pump. The controller and monitor accepts the user""s command of how to deliver the medicine and display the information. FIG. 2 shows the reservoir. There is a pipe 330 that links the reservoir 660 and the cannula 335. The cannula 335 is a soft small pipe and is inserted into the user""s body. The fluid pump presses the piston 680 to press the medicine to flow into the user""s body through the pipe 330 and the cannula 335. The user is connected with the pump to receive the medicine. For this kind of medicine delivery devices, the reservoirs have the following disadvantages:
They are thick when attached to the patient""s body;
The piston must be very tied to prevent from leaking. Hence, the friction between the piston and the reservoir body is large and the piston requires large power to move. Consequently, the size and the weight of The fluid pump and the batteries are large to be attached to the body.
Hence, the pump is too heavy, too thick, and too large to be attached to the users. The users must carry the pump that is an extra object to them. They feel very inconvenient to be connected to the pump via a pipe.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,769 issued to Olson and the like are apparatuses that are not intended to be attached to the user or be carried under the user""s clothes. The pressure on the medication bag is pre-installed before the apparatus is used. The outflow of the medication is controlled by valve means. The present invention is an apparatus that can be attached to the user or be carried under the user""s clothes. The pressure on the medication bag is built by pumping the fluid, usually it is the air, into the housing when the dosage of the medication is dynamically determined. The dosage changes from time to time and, hence, the amount of the fluid pumped into the housing is determined dynamically. The outflow of the medication is determined accordingly because the amount of the medication pressed out is proportional to the volume of the fluid pumped in.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,865 issued to Manning Et. Al., and the like are apparatuses to eliminate the air bubbles from the intravenous-fluid delivery system that intravenously injects fluid into a patient. They are not the medication infusion systems. They are not intended to be carried under the user""s clothes or to be attached to the user""s skin, either.
Although the title of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,487 issued to Davis is xe2x80x9cInfusion Device with Audible Data Outputxe2x80x9d, the invention is the means to audit or to annunciate the data of the medication infusion systems. It is not the medication infusion system. It is not intended to be carried under the user""s clothes or to be attached to the user""s skin, either.
My invention is to overcome the above disadvantages so that the device connected to the user""s body is light, small, and flat enough to be attached to the skin of the users. For example, use adhesive tape to do it. The users will feel like to use a BandAid. Or, use bend to tie the device to the body. They will not feel that they are connected to an extra object and feel much more convenient.

Medicine delivery apparatus with flat reservoir


An arrangement and method for establishing an electrical and mechanical connection between electrically conductive members. The arrangement includes an electrically conductive connecting member, two electrically conductive metallic members disposed opposite each other, flanking the connecting member, and clamping the connecting member therebetween, and a source of laser energy oriented such that an output beam therefrom is incident on an outer surface of one of the metallic members and directed towards the underlying connecting member to establish a weld connection at zones of mutual contact between the connecting member and the respective metallic members. The connecting member includes a cable or the like and the metallic members include contact terminals, busbars or the like. In the method, the connecting member is positioned between the metallic members and the output beam is radiated on one of the metallic members in the direction of the connecting member so as to weld the connecting member to the metallic members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure and method for firmly and electrically welding an electrically conductive connecting member, such as a sheathed conductor having a small diameter, a flexible printed wiring board or the like, to an electrically conductive metallic member, such as a terminal, a busbar or the like, by using a laser light beam.
2. Background
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a conventional structure employable for welding electrical connecting portions to each other using a laser light beam.
This conventional structure is designed such that a conductor portion (consisting of a bundle of lead wires) 82 of a sheathed cable 81 is placed on the surface of an electrically conductive metallic plate 80 such as a terminal, a busbar or the like and a laser beam 83 is irradiated on the conductor portion from above so as to weld the conductor portion 82 to the electrically conductive metallic plate 80. Referring to FIG. 18, when a polyurethane sheathed conductor 86, having a small diameter, is connected to an electrically conductive metallic plate 88, a laser light beam 87 is irradiated directly on the sheathed conductor 86 Without the sheath 91 peeled away therefrom.
With the conventional structures mentioned above, there arises a problem in that the welded portion 84, 89 of the cable 81, 86 is largely recessed as illustrated by reference numeral 85, 90, causing the tensile strength of cable 81, 86 to be remarkably reduced. Moreover, in the case where the sheathed conductor 86 is welded directly to the electrically conductive metallic plate 88 as shown in FIG. 18, vapor resulting from vaporization of the sheath part 89 generates a number of voids, or bubbles, 92 which in turn cause a substantial reduction of the strength of the welded structure.

Structure for welding electrical connecting portions to each other using laser light beam


A rack system for a vehicle includes a first rack member rotatably coupled to a support element in a cargo bed of the vehicle, a second rack member rotatably coupled to the first rack member, and a third rack member coupled to first rack member so as to be rotatable with respect to the first rack member independently of the second rack member. The rack members may be stowed when not in use, and deployed when the vehicle is stationary to enable various accessories to be mounted from the rack members. This enables the accessories to be spatially arranged for use according to user preferences and convenience.

Users of vehicles, in particular pickup trucks, frequently desire to load, secure, and transport items for recreational and other uses when the vehicle is parked. However, it may be necessary to move the transported items from the vehicle cargo bed and position the items prior to use. This may involve carrying and positioning heavy items a distance from the vehicle and also providing mounting surfaces (such as tables) for the items. Such mounting surfaces may be unavailable unless transported in the vehicle cargo bed, which occupies valuable cargo space.

Truck bed swing-out rail for tailgating accessories

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A video detection and monitoring method and apparatus utilizes an application-specific object based segmentation and recognition system for locating and tracking an object of interest within a number of sequential frames of data collected by a video camera or similar device. One embodiment includes a background modeling and object segmentation module to isolate from a current frame at least one segment of the current frame containing a possible object of interest, and a classification module adapted to determine whether or not any segment of the output from the background modeling apparatus includes an object of interest and to characterize any such segment as an object segment. An object segment tracking apparatus is adapted to track the location within a current frame of any object segment and to determine a projected location of the object segment in a subsequent frame.

It is well known, e.g., as evidenced by products offered by various companies, e.g., PacketVideo that video can be optimized for transmission, compressed in a manner compatible with an object-based video compression algorithm, e.g., MPEG-4, and this can be done from a wireless networking point-of-view. Existing systems, e.g., implementing Internet video security/monitoring services, such as Xanboo, can provide neither object-based compression nor automatic video recognition capabilities. Current security systems utilize infrared or ultrasound motion sensors to detect intruders. These sensors are often triggered by pets or wind, or the like, resulting in high false alarm rates. In existing systems the video cameras will often not capture the source of an intruder alarm, leaving the user not knowing if the alarm is a true false alarm (and if it is, what caused it) or if the alarm was caused by an intruder who is not in the camera field of view. Changes in the background due to lighting or uninteresting objects often result in additional segmented objects being sent to the object-based video compression module being employed in the prior art systems, which further detracts from the compression ratio or results in a loss in video quality or both. Prior art systems are also deficient in their capabilities of labeling the intruder objects and/or tracking of the intruder's movements.
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention is discussed in the context of a home and/or business security system, the system can also be used for various other applications, including, e.g., a wide variety of video detection/monitoring applications. Opportunities exist, e.g., for video based monitoring systems, e.g., in such areas as streaming web video over both wired and wireless networks. Real-time video streaming, in which the user sees events as they occur with full motion, can be useful in many applications, including ones like that of the present invention, which can result in new and compelling applications. This can especially be true for video streaming to wireless devices such as PDAs or other hand held or otherwise very portable personal computing devices.
Visual recognition/detection/monitoring technology is applicable to a wide variety of applications, e.g., for the infrastructure of webcams, PDA's, cell phone video cameras, and other types of digital video cameras that are now being built and/or developed. The present invention can be used as the basis for a number of applications, including: indoor/outdoor home and business security products and services; employee monitoring and tracking; traffic monitoring; parking lot surveillance; parking assistance at parking facilities; information/advertisement video streams for malls, theatres, parks, restaurants, etc.; computer, video-game, kiosk, television interaction and control (insertion of users into a video or computer environment, e.g., an inexpensive camera attached to or installed in a television settop box could be used to insert users into digital environments transmitted over cable or satellite links and the user could then interact with the environment through various gestures or movements); semi-automatic object segmentation of video for the entertainment industry; video peer-to-peer applications where users can share or swap efficiently compressed video streams; and video conferencing using portable devices; in each of which cases, the existing systems suffer from defects correctable by utilizing the concepts of the present invention.
Current security systems utilize infrared or ultrasound motion sensors to detect intruders. These sensors are often triggered by pets or wind, resulting in high false alarm rates. Existing computer-vision-based video surveillance systems such as Pfinder suffer from a variety of drawbacks, e.g., they can often incorrectly segment objects in the scene, e.g., if a drastic change occurs in illumination or, e.g., there is a drastic change in the environment/scene content, including, e.g., changes in position or movement or the occlusion of part or all of the object being detected, e.g., an intruder in the field of view of a security camera.
MPEG4, by way of example, introduces the notion of object-based compression that can greatly increase compression efficiency. The MPEG4 standard does not specify object extraction methods. Although many video object plane (VOP) extraction methods exist, it is common knowledge that the task of segmenting a variety of video streams is non-trivial. Most current video streaming systems do not even attempt to use object-based compression schemes, e.g. those found in MPEG4.
Prior attempts to recognize objects utilizing video recognition/detection, therefore, have not been successful in reducing the false alarms effectively. Statistics in the security industry clearly suggest that the frequent occurrence of false alarms has been the bane of the industry. Lower false alarm rates would help in gaining wider acceptability of the security systems. Currently also, bandwidth constraints and the like limit the information of need for remote receipt and utilization of the video object data indicative of a detection, e.g., of an object of interest, e.g., of an intruder, that can be processed and sent, e.g., over wired or wireless telephone lines or other forms of networked communication, including, e.g., LANs, WANs, the Internet and/or the World Wide Web or combinations thereof.
A number of recent market and technological trends are now converging to form new applications and opportunities for streaming video, e.g., over both wired and wireless networks. Streaming video standards have become very popular since they eliminate the need to download an entire video file before the video can start. Streaming video, e.g., over the Internet allows real-time viewing of events by remote users. Inexpensive and compact streaming video sensors such as video cameras on computers, Internet appliances, PDAs, and cell phones are becoming available. Many types of inexpensive webcams are already widely available for PCs. Video sensors are becoming available on less expensive and more mobile platforms also. For example, Kyocera Corp. has already introduced its Visual Phone VP-210 cell phone, which contains a built-in video camera, while a video camera add-on is available for the Visor PDA. Even the Nintendo Gameboy has a video camera accessory.
The Internet infrastructure for streaming video over both wired and wireless links is also being constructed rapidly. A number of recent startups such as iClips and Earthnoise already have web sites on-line for sharing user-supplied streaming video clips. Companies such as Akamai are creating technology, which brings video content out to the "edges" of the Internet, away from congestion and closer to the end-user. In order to facilitate the "edge-based" delivery of content, the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP) is now being formulated by a large group of Internet companies. (See www.i-cap.org) ICAP allows the adaptation of services such as streaming video to the needs of the client device. In the wireless area, 2.5 and third-generation standards are emerging with higher bandwidths and capabilities for transmitting video information to cell phones and PDAs. PacketVideo is already demonstrating delivery of compressed video to various wireless devices, as is DoCoMo in Japan using 3G cell phones. Geolocation will become ubiquitous through the proliferation of GPS as well as cellular geolocation driven by the forthcoming E911 position locating regulations. Geolocation will enable many new location-specific services for mobile streaming video devices.
A wide variety of attractive applications are being considered and evaluated in the area of streaming web video over both wired and wireless networks. Real-time video streaming, in which the user sees events as they occur with full motion, will generate even more new and compelling applications. This can be especially true, e.g., for video streaming to wireless devices such as PDAs.
Existing Internet video security/monitoring services such as Xanboo can provide neither object-based compression nor automatic video recognition capabilities. Current security systems with non-video detection, e.g., with infrared or ultrasound or the like motion sensors suffer from the above noted defects, among others, leading to high false alarm rates.
Classical motion segmentation algorithms attempt to partition frames into regions of similar intensity, color, and/or motion characteristics. Object segmentation approaches can be broadly divided into three main types: direct intensity or color based methods, motion vector based methods, and hybrid methods. The direct intensity or color-based methods are usually based on a change detection mask (CDM) that separates moving and stationary regions. Change detection algorithms mostly rely on either a background subtraction method or a temporal difference method. They are suitable for real-time segmentation of moving regions in image sequences because of low computational complexity.
Background subtraction methods, e.g., as discussed in Skifstad, K. D. and Jain, R. C., "Illumination Independent Change Detection for Real World Image Sequences," Computer Vision. Graphics and Image Processing 46(3): 387-399 (1989) (Skifstad and Jain 1989); Long, W. and Yang, Y. H., "Stationary Background Generation: An Alternative to the Difference of Two Images," Pattern Recognition 23: 1351-1359 (1990) (Long and Yang 1990); Ridder, C., et al., "Adaptive background estimation and foreground detection using Kalman filtering," Proceedings of International Conf. on recent Advances in Mechatronics, ICRAM'95, Istanbul, Turkey (1995) (Ridder et al. 1995); Kuno, Y. and Watanabe, T., "Automated detection of human for visual surveillance system," ICPR96, Vienna, Austria (1996) (Kuno and Watanabe, 1996); Makarov, A., "Comparison of Background Extraction Based Intrusion Detection Algorithms," ICIP96 (1996) (Markarov 1996); Eveland, C., et al., "Background Modeling for Segmentation of Video-rate Stereo Sequences," CVPR98 (1998) (Eveland, et al., 1998); Stauffer, C. and Grimson, W. E. L., "Adaptive Background Mixture Models for Real-time Tracking," CVPR99 (1999) (Stauffer and Grimson, 1999); Toyama, K., et al., "Wallflower: Principles and Practice of Background Maintenance" ICCV99 (1999) (Toyama, et al. 1999); Elgammal, A., et al., "Non-Parametric Model for Background Subtraction" ECCV00 (2000) (Elgammal, et al. 2000); Haritaoglu, I., et al. "A Fast Background Scene Modeling and Maintenance for Outdoor Surveillance," ICPR00 (2000) (Haritaoglu, et al. 2000); Ivanov, Y. A., et al., "Fast Lighting Independent Background Subtraction," IJCV 37(2): 199-207 (2000) (Ivanov, 2000); Seki, M., et al., "A Robust Background Subtraction Method for Changing Background," WACV00 (Seki, et al. 2000); and Ohta, N. A Statistical Approach to Background Subtraction for Surveillance Systems, ICCV01 (2001) (Ohta 2001), the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference, compare the intensity or color of the observed images with that of the background to identify foreground/background regions. The background is either previously acquired using an empty scene or is estimated and updated dynamically. Adaptive background methods, such as those discussed in Collins, R., et al., "A system for video surveillance and monitoring," Proceedings of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Eighth International Topical Meeting on Robotics and Remote Systems (1999) (Collins, et al. 1999); Skifstad and Jain, 1989, Ridder, et al., 1995, Hotter, M., et al., "Detection of moving objects using a robust displacement estimation including a statistical error analysis," ICPR96, Vienna, Austria (1996) (Hotter et al., 1996); Amamoto, N. and Matsumoto, K., "Obstruction detector by environmental adaptive background image updating," 4th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, Berlin (1997) (Amamoto and Matsumoto, 1996); Wren, C., "Pfinder: Real-time tracking of the human body," IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 19(7): 780-785 (1997) (Wren, 1997); Horprasert, T., et al., "A Statistical Approach for Real-time Robust Background Subtraction and Shadow Detection." Proc. IEEE ICCV'99 FRAME-RATE Workshop (1999) (Horprasert, et al., 1999); and Huwer, S. and Niemann., H., "Adaptive change detection for real-time surveillance applications," Third IEEE International Workshop on Visual Surveillance VS00, Dublin, Ireland (2000) (Huwer and Niemann, 2000); the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference, can be crucial for real-world scenes when the background or illumination changes, otherwise background elements can be erroneously included in foreground. The numerous approaches to this problem differ in the type of background model used and the procedure used to update the model. Most of the background estimation methods use statistical methods to represent as well as update the background. Wren et al., 1997 discusses a model for the background pixels as a single Gaussian whose means and variances are updated continuously. Stauffer and Grimson, 1999, model each pixel as a mixture of Gaussians and use an on-line approximation to update the model. Seki et al., 2000 propose a robust background subtraction method for changing background by expressing changes in the background using a multi-dimensional image vector space and learning the chronological changes in terms of distribution of these vectors. These methods can produce holes in computed foreground if, e.g., color or intensity matches the background.
Temporal differencing methods, as discussed, e.g., in Makarov, A., et al., "Intrusion Detection Using Extraction of Moving Edges," IAPR Int. Conf. On Pattern Recognition ICPR94, 1994 (Makarov, 1994), and Paragious, N. and Tziritas, G. "Detection and location of moving objects using deterministic relaxation algorithms," ICPR96, Vienna, Austria (1996) (Paragious and Tziritas, 1996), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference, subtract consecutive images followed by thresholding to detect the region of change which can then be attributed to moving foreground. These methods are suited for detection of moving objects and can adapt to changing light conditions quickly. However, these methods will fail to detect objects that were previously moving but become stationary or more or less stationary. Hybrid approaches, such as discussed in Amamoto and Matsumoto, 1997 and Huwer and Niemann, 2000, based on a combination of background subtraction and temporal differencing have also been proposed. Unlike previous simple and hybrid methods, Huwer and Niemann, 2000 discuss adapting the background model only on regions detected by the temporal difference method in order to avoid reinforcement of adaptation errors.
Motion methods estimating a dense motion field followed by segmentation of the scene based only on this motion information have been discussed, e.g., in Adiv, G., "Determining three-dimensional motion and structure from optical flow generated by several moving objects." IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, PAMI-7: 384-401 1985 (Adiv, 1985), and Chang, M. M., et al., "Motion-field segmentation using an adaptive MAP criterion," ICASSP93, Minneapolis, Minn. (1993) (Chang, et al., 1993), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Adiv, 1985 discusses utilizing segmentation of the flow field into connected components using Hough transform and merging segments with similar 3-D motion to obtain final segmentation. Chang et al., 1993 discusses the use of both motion and intensity information for segmentation in a Bayesian framework. Simultaneous motion estimation and segmentation in a Bayesian framework has also been proposed, as discussed, e.g., in Chang, M. M., et al., "An algorithm for simultaneous motion estimation and segmentation," ICASSP94, Adelaide, Australia (1994) (Chang, et al., 1994), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, where the intensity is the only observation and both segmentation and motion field are estimated. While these methods allow incorporation of mechanisms to achieve spatial and temporal continuity, they are generally unsuitable for real-time applications and may need a priori information about the number of objects.
Segmentation algorithms that specifically address video object plane (VOP) generation have also been proposed, many of which are part of the ISO/MPEG-4 N2 core experiment group on automatic segmentation techniques. These methods can be further divided into those that do explicit tracking vs. implicit tracking. In the implicit tracking area, e.g., as discussed by Neri, A., et al., "Automatic moving object and background segmentation," Signal Processing, 66(2): 219-232 (1998) (Neri, et al., 1998) (Neri et al. 1998), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, involve a method for automatic segmentation by separating moving objects from a static background. Potential foreground regions (moving objects and uncovered regions) can be identified by higher order statistics on groups of interframe difference images. For example, Mech, R. and Wollborn, M., "A noise robust method for segmentation of moving objects in video sequences," IEEE Int. Conf. On Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, ICASSP97, Munich, Germany (1997) (Mech and Wollburn, 1997), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, generate an initial change detection mask by temporal differencing and smoothing boundaries by local adaptive relaxation. Temporal stability can be maintained by incorporating memory about whether pixels belonged to an object or not in previous CDMs. The object mask can then be calculated from the CDMs by eliminating uncovered background and adapting to the gray level edges to improve location of boundaries. Both of these methods can, however, lose track of an object that has stopped after previously moving. Choi, J. G., et al. "Automatic segmentation based on spatio-temporal information," ISO/IEC/JTC1/SC29/WG11/MPEG97/m2091, Bristol, UK (1997) (Choi, et al., 1997), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discuss the use of a watershed algorithm to detect the location of object boundaries followed by a size filter that can merge small regions into neighboring regions. Every region with more than half of its pixels marked as changed in the so generated CDM can then be assigned to foreground. To enforce temporal continuity, segmentation can be aligned with a previous frame and those regions where, e.g., the majority of the pixels belonged to foreground before can be added to foreground as well. This can allow tracking an object even when it has stopped for arbitrary time. Chien, S. Y. et al., "An efficient video segmentation algorithm for realtime MPEG-4 camera system." Proceedings of Visual Communication and Image Processing (VCIP2000) (Chien, et al., 2000), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discuss the use of a combination of temporal differencing and background subtraction to obtain the CDM. The change detection mask can be generated using background subtraction when, e.g., the statistics of a pixel have been stationary for a period of time and temporal differencing can be utilized otherwise. Connected component labeling and region filtering can also be performed on the CDM followed by dilation in the temporal domain and smoothing the edges using, e.g., morphological opening and closing operations. Alatan, A. A., et al., "A rule based method for object segmentation in video sequences," ICIP97 (1997) (Alatan et al., 1997) present an algorithm that fuses motion, color and accumulated previous segmentation data to both segment and track objects. Rule-based processing modules use the motion information to locate objects in scene, color information to extract the true boundaries, and segmentation result of previous frame to track the object.
Wren et al., 1997 discuss a method for tracking people and interpreting their behavior by using a multi-class statistical model of color and shape to obtain a 2-D representation of, e.g., head and hands, e.g., in a wide range of viewing conditions. The method can build a model of the scene and the object, calculate whether the current frame pixels belong to the foreground, e.g., to a person or to the background scene, e.g., by tracking and updating a statistical model of the object and scene. This method, however, can fail, e.g., when sudden or large changes occur, e.g., in the scene. Meier, T. and Ngan., K. N. "Automatic segmentation of moving objects for video object plane generation," IEEE Transactions on circuits and systems for video technology 8(5) (1998) (Meier and Ngan, 1998), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, propose to track and update the object model by Hausdorf matching. The initial object model can be derived by temporal differencing on images that have been filtered to remove, e.g., stationary objects. The VOP can be extracted from the object model.
In the explicit tracking methods area, Collins et al. discuss the detection of foreground pixels by a background subtraction method that maintains an evolving statistical model of the background, which can then be adapted to slow changes in the environment. The moving objects or blobs can be obtained by connected component labeling on foreground pixels followed by blob clustering, morphological opening and closing, and size filtering. Target tracking can then be done by matching blobs in a current frame with existing tracks using, e.g., a cost function based on blob features such as for size, color histogram, centroid and/or shape. Tracking can persist even when targets become occluded or motionless. Fieguth, P. and Terzopoulos, D., "Color-based tracking of heads and other mobile objects at video frame rates," Proceedings of the Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (1997) (Fieguth, et al., 1997), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, have proposed a method for object tracking based on color information only, which is robust with respect to occlusion via an explicit hypothesis-tree model of the occlusion process. They do not address, however, detection and localization of new objects to track and cannot handle very well object changes in shape, scale or color.
Although the easiest approach to object detection is using pixel intensities, it is obvious that pixel-based approaches can fail, e.g., because they do not Stake into account the structure implicit in many complex objects. Edge-based methods examine only a small local neighborhood at a fine scale. For intruder detection applications that are sometimes riddled with illumination problems the edge-based approach can often result in spurious patterns. C. Papageorgiou, T. Evgeniou and T. Poggio, "A Trainable Pedestrian Detection System," Proc. of IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, pp. 241-246, October (1998) (Papageorgio, et al., 1998) have suggested the application of a multi-scale approach to detect faces and pedestrians.
The problem of detecting and recognition of humans in images is a well-studied research topic. The work in this area can be broadly classified into two types: recognition based on motion cues and recognition based on shape cues. Human recognition from motion cues relies on the segmentation of objects in the scene using motion information extracted from an image stream based on techniques such as optic flow as discussed in B. Horn and B. G. Schunk (1981), "Determining Optic Flow," Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 17, pp. 185-203 (Horn 1981), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, and frame differencing as discussed in O. Faugeras, "Three-Dimensional Computer Vision—A Geometric Viewpoint," MIT Press, 1993 (Faugeras 1993), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The segmented region is then analyzed to recognize the presence/absence of humans in the scene. In K. Rohr, "Towards model-based recognition of human movements in image sequences," Computer Vision, Graphics and Image Processing: Image Understanding, vol. 59, pp. 94-115, 1994 (Rohr 1994), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, humans are recognized based on analyzing movements of objects segmented using frame-differencing and ego-motion subtraction. Texture and contour information of segmented blobs is combined with temporal gait analysis of the walking process to recognize humans, as discussed in C. Curio, J. Edelbrunner, T. Kalinke, C. Tzomakas and W. von Seelen, Walking Pedestrian Recognition, in Proc. IEEE Intl. Conf. On Intelligent Transportation Systems, pp. 292-297, October, 1999 (Curio 1999), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. A stereo-based algorithm is used in C. Wohler, J. K. Aulaf, T. Portner and U. Franke, "A Time Delay Neural Network Algorithm for Real-time Pedestrian Detection," Proc. of IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, pp. 247-251, October, 1998 (Wohler 1998), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, for detection and tracking of humans by classifying extracted blobs using a time-delay neural network. The neural network classifies the blob as humans based on the temporal motion patterns of the human leg. Quantitative geometric descriptions of human movements are used for human recognition in S. Wachter and H. H. Nagel, "Tracking Persons in Monocular Image Sequences," Computer Vision and Image Understanding, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 174-192, June, 1999 (Wachter 1999), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. These movements are obtained by filtering the projection of the three-dimensional person model to consecutive frames of an image sequence. There are several other approaches that also use motion cues in combination with three-dimensional kinematic models of human anatomy for human recognition, as discussed in A. Baumberg and D. Hogg, "Generating spatiotemporal models from examples," Image and Vision Computing, vol. 14, pp. 525-532, 1996 (Baumberg 1996); Z. Chen and H. J. Lee, "Knowledge-guided visual perception of 3-D human body movements," IEEE Trans. Systems, Man and Cybernetics, vol. 22, pp. 336-342, 1992 (Chen 1992); D. M. Gavrila and L. S. Davis, "3-D Model based tracking of humans in action: A multi-view approach," Proc. IEEE Conf. On Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, pp. 73-80, 1996 (Gavrila 1996); Y. Guo, G. Xu and S. Tsuji, "Tracking human body motion based on a stick model," Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, vol. 5, pp. 1-9, 1994 (Guo 1994); M. K. Leung and Y. H. Yang, First Sight: A human body outline labeling system, IEEE Trans. On Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 17, pp. 359-377, 1995 (Leung 1995); J. O'Rourke and N. I. Badler, "Model-based image analysis of human motion using constraint propagation," IEEE Trans. On Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 78, pp. 5-43, 1995 (O'Rourke 1995); A. Pentland and B. Horowitz, Recovery of non-rigid motion and structure, IEEE Trans. On Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 13, pp. 730-742, 1991 (Pentland 1991); C. Wren, A. Azarbayejani, T. Darrell and A. Pentland, "Pfinder: Real-Time Tracking of the Human Body," SPIE, vol. 2615, pp. 89-98, 1996 (Wren 1996); and L. Q. Xu and D. Hogg, "Neural networks in human motion tracking—An experimental study," Proc. of 7th British Machine Vision Conference, vol. 2, pp. 405-414, 1996 (Xu 1996), the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. In O. Masoud and N. Papanikolopoulos, "A robust real-time multi-level model-based pedestrian tracking system," Proc. of the ITS America Seventh Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., June, 1997 (Masoud 1997), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, blobs are extracted from scenes using a combination of motion cues and background models. These blobs are then analyzed for human-like movement patterns for recognition and also for Kalman filter-based tracking. Motion and size filtering operations are used to extract humanlike objects from images in S. Bouzer, J. M. Blosseville, F. Lenoir and R. Glachet, "Automatic Incident Detection: Slow Isolated Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection on Motorway Using Image Processing," Proc. of Seventh Intl. Conf. On Road Traffic Monitoring and Control, pp. 128-133, October, 1994 (Bouzer 1994), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Then a motion trajectory is established for the extracted blob and is used for human recognition.
Shape based methods exploit the intrinsic shape characteristics found in humans to aid in the recognition process. In Papageorgiou et al., 1998, a set of low-level wavelet features is extracted from examples of humans found in natural scenes in different poses. These features are then used to train a support vector machine classifier for recognition of humans. A stereo-based segmentation algorithm is applied in L. Zhao and C. Thorpe, "Stereo and Neural Network-based Pedestrian Detection, in Proc. of IEEE Intl. Conf on Intelligent Transportation Systems," pp. 298-303, October, 1999 (Zhao 1999), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, to extract objects from background and then features from the extracted objects are fed to a neural network that learns to differentiate humans from non-humans. In A. Broggi, M. Bertozzi, A. Fascioli and M. Sechi, "Shape-based Pedestrian Detection," Proc. of IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, pp. 215-220, October, 2000 (Broggi 2000), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, objects are segmented from scenes using a combination of a stereo algorithm and constraints based on morphological characteristics. The extracted objects are then analyzed for strong vertical symmetry of the human shape for recognition.

Application-specific object-based segmentation and recognition system


A window regulator assembly particularly adapted for motor vehicle applications having a pulley assembly featuring snap in insulation of a pulley ring into a pulley housing. The pulley housing features the clearance area and a number of retention tabs and hooks which enable the pulley ring to be snap fit into position. The assembly may be implemented with a discrete window regulator or as part of a modular inner door plate as well as and for other applications.

Passenger car and a light truck motor vehicles feature movable side door glass. A mechanism is required to move the glass between the upper closed position and the lower opened position. These mechanisms are generally known as window regulators. Window regulators can be manually operated, or can be driven by a power actuator, most commonly employing an electric motor. One type of window regulator uses a pulley arrangement having a metal cable wrapped around a drum driven by an electric motor. These devices use a carrier movable along a guide rail which engages the door glass which is a driven by the metal cable to control its motion.
The pulley components provided for cable driven window regulator systems are available in numerous configurations. A typical arrangement is to provide a stud or shaft which acts as a bearing journal for supporting and permitting rotation of the pulley. The drive cable is wrapped around the outer perimeter of the pulley wheel. These devices work well and are implemented in a wide range of machines, articles and mechanisms. Despite the satisfactory performance of conventional pulley arrangements, there is constantly a desire to reduced cost, simplify assembly, and reduce weight of automotive components, while providing a desirable durability, low warranty claims, and compliance with performance requirements. This invention is related to a pulley joint assembly which addresses the above-referenced desirable attributes.


A tool for dismounting a bicycle pedal crankarm from a crankshaft. A bicycle crankshaft has a mounting end and the crankarm has a crank mount having a bore therethrough having on one end a socket mounted on the crankshaft mounting end. The tool includes a puller and a handle. The puller comprises a housing having a column bore therein and having a proximal end and a distal end having screw threads adapted for mating attachment with internal screw threads in the crank mount bore. A column comprised of a piston and a rolling bearing is contained in the column bore and reciprocally slidable therein. The handle is pivotally connected to the puller and pivotable 180.degree. between an attachment position and a dismount position. Pivotal movement of the handle between an attachment position and a dismount position when the housing is attached to the crankarm mount moves a cam that moves the column against the crankshaft mounting end to dismount the crankarm. Preferably, the handle pivot axis is off the contact axis defined as the direction of column movement through point of contact between the cam and the column.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a tool for dismounting a bicycle pedal crank arm from the crankshaft and more specifically involves a puller activated by a cam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional dismount devices are slow in operation as they require a plurality of wrenches, spanners in their use, multiple manipulation of their elements, many turns of a threaded shaft or require substantial strength.
Therefore, particularly in a bike repair shop, there has been a need for a dismount tool that is fast in operation, easy to use and requires little strength.


The present invention relates to a novel phosphor-tetrazine and a use thereof and, more particularly, provides a novel compound having high fluorescence amplification efficiency in various wavelength ranges by using a compound having a novel core skeleton called tert-butyl (3-(7-(6-methyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazin-3-yl)-3-oxo-9-phenyl-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]indolizin-2(3H)-yl)propyl)carbamate.

Fluorogenic probes have been widely used as research tools in biological science, clinical diagnosis and new drug development and the like due to their high sensitivity and ease of handling.
Bio-imaging, especially imaging in living cells plays an important role in studying life phenomena. The success or failure of such bio-imaging may depend on the development of a good fluorogenic probe. Therefore, a fluorogenic bioorthogonal probe that reacts with a desired target substance in living cells to fluoresce becomes a key element of bio-imaging.
In particular, a fluorogenic probe bound to tetrazine has been actively studied because it has rapid reactivity and high fluorescence amplification efficiency. However, the conventional tetrazine-based fluorogenic probe has a limitation in that the fluorescence amplification efficiency significantly decreases in a long wavelength range (>600 nm), which is known to have excellent light transmittance in vivo and little signal overlap with a biopolymer. This was a limiting factor that made it difficult to perform multiplex imaging for obtaining various informations in bio-imaging.
The conventional tetrazine-based fluorogenic probes induced quenching of the probe through an energy transfer method in which the excited energy of the fluorescent molecule is transferred to the tetrazine molecule, which is a quencher. Tetrazine is a quencher that fits well with a short wavelength fluorogenic probe, but a long wavelength fluorogenic probe does not fit well with tetrazine, so energy transfer is not smooth, and as a result, there is a limitation in which the fluorescence amplification efficiency is significantly reduced at a long wavelength. Therefore, the present inventor has attempted to develop a fluorogenic bioorthogonal probe having high fluorescence amplification efficiency regardless of the wavelength range.

Phosphor-tetrazine compound and use thereof

Seoul National University R&DB Foundation


A cart for transporting a simulation system configured to control a simulation manikin, a recording system configured to record information about a simulation session, and a playback display device configured to display a playback of the recorded information. The cart includes a cart body supported by a plurality of wheels, and a power supply coupled to the cart body. The cart body has an upper work surface, and an interior storage space configured to store the manikin. The work surface is configured to support user input devices configured to provide user input to the simulation system, and the recording system. The playback display device is mountable to first and second spaced apart upright support assemblies mounted on the cart body. The power supply is connectable to an external power source, and configured to provide power to the simulation manikin, the playback display device, and the simulation and recording systems.

Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to apparatuses and systems for conducting medical training simulations.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, specialized stationary simulation centers are used to conduct medical training simulations. Such centers include a dedicated room in which the simulation is conducted, and a separate dedicated theater in which a recording (e.g., a video) of the simulation may be played back to simulation participants. A facilitator may help guide this review and a discussion related to the simulation. Unfortunately, such centers are dedicated spaces that are expensive to install, maintain, and operate.
Because simulation centers provide an artificial atmosphere outside locations in which patients actually receive care, the participants may not behave as they would at an actual site of patient care. To remedy this problem, simulations may be conducted in an actual patient treatment location (referred to as a site-of-care or "in situ" simulation). However, to conduct an in situ simulation, a simulation technician must temporarily install simulation equipment needed to conduct and record the simulation for later review by the participants. Unfortunately, installing the simulation and recording equipment at an in situ simulation location (e.g., a patient room) for the purposes of conducting a single simulation can take over an hour. For example, it can take a simulation technician about 25-35 minutes to set up the simulation equipment. Setting up the simulation equipment includes connecting cables, powering-up hardware, initiating software execution, and setting out supplies. After these tasks are completed, the simulation technician must spend about an additional 25-30 minutes setting up the recording equipment. Setting up the recording equipment includes setting up one or more tripods, cameras, microphones, etc. Further, collecting and transporting the simulation equipment and/or recording equipment may require multiple trips between a storage location and the simulation location. After the simulation has been completed, teardown time also needs to be considered.
Unfortunately, because of the time required to setup and teardown the simulation and recording equipment, in situ simulations are often canceled or rescheduled because the simulation location may be needed for patient care. More and more, health care providers (e.g., hospitals) are finding time spent conducting in-situ simulations is limited by patient demands that compete for space.
Therefore, a need exists for methods, apparatuses, and systems that reduce the amount of time required to setup a site-of-care location for a simulation and/or the amount of time required to tear down the site-of-care location after the simulation has been completed. Methods, apparatuses, and systems that allow a recording of the simulation to be reviewed immediately after the simulation is conducted are particularly desirable. The present application provides these and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.


A query runtime architecture and an exemplary application programming interface suitable for the architecture are presented. The architecture inputs one or more XML queries and views and enables the queries to be translated wherein the queries and views may be run over multiple data sources of different data models. The architecture incorporates front-end compilers which convert input queries and views into an intermediate language representation which represents the meaning of the respective query or view. The architecture may then allow the back-end compiling of the intermediate language representation to target languages compatible with the data sources desired to be queried. The architecture also allows the execution of those target compilations to extract the data requested of the queries. The invention also discloses an example application programming interface for the query runtime system.

The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C®) endorsed standard (reference the www website w3c.org/tr) for document formatting that provides a generic syntax to mark up data with human-readable tags. Although XML may easily describe the contents of a document in a well-defined format, there are other sources of data that may not so easily be described either because their structure is inconsistent with that of a standard text document or because of some other non-XML compatible characteristic. An example of such a data source may be a spreadsheet or a relational database.
The challenge of performing an XML-like search over data sources having diverse data programming models is termed virtual XML. The term is generally interpreted as including querying over virtual XML views. Virtual XML is a concept which establishes consistency across data access programming models and allows users to work with their data in the way they think about it instead of the actual storage format. The concept of querying over virtual XML data involves treating the data as if it were XML without ever really ever converting it to XML. One advantage in this concept is that the overhead of XML encoding is kept to a minimum. It is desirable if the virtual XML scenario had the advantage that it be able to utilize a query language to query over a non-XML data source as if the data source were XML query. It is also desired that the mapping between the actual data and the virtual XML representation be of high fidelity.
There are numerous challenges inherent to implementing a virtual XML. One problem is efficiency. One could simply expose a data source with a virtual XML interface, such as for example, an XML Reader, and then query over it with the existing XML query implementations such as for example, an XML Document Object Model (DOM). However, all of the work occurs in the XML query engine instead of being performed by the data source itself. The data source itself, and its associated data management system, is assumed to be more efficient in conducting a query of its data in its specifically designed language than a foreign query system having a different data model.
This aspect introduces another problem in implementing a virtual XML query; the XML data model does not always align well with the underlying data model and its type system. One could map all of the types of the underlying data source into XML types, but this process loses fidelity and is inefficient also. Furthermore, types in one system may have no obvious equivalent in another. For example, representing binary data such as images in XML requires a costly conversion to the XML character set (e.g., base64-encoding).
Prior attempts to query over virtual XML approached the problem by constructing two different data structures; one for the query and one for the mapping, and then traversing them in tandem to generate an efficient query directly over the original data sources, without ever materializing the virtual XML view. Although this approach initially works well, development becomes enormously difficult as the query and mapping languages increase in complexity. Concepts in the query or mapping often do not translate directly into the target data model, and composing complex queries with complex XML views requires an abundance of semantic analysis and rewrites.
Additionally, a system architecture which can support the transformation of queries in one language to either query representations or query results over many data sources normally requires the costly implementation of M times N paths, where M is the number of input options and N is the number of output options. Such transformation compilers can become large in number using standard architectures.
Thus there is a need for a unifying representation and a single system architecture to implement virtual XML for XML queries and views over XML and non-XML data sources. The present invention addresses the aforementioned needs and solves them with both an architecture utilizing a unifying representation and an application programming interface for users of the inventive system.

Common query runtime system and application programming interface


Methods and apparatuses are provided that include selecting resources for assigning to a device to mitigate relay self-interference when also communicating with a base station. The resources can be selected based on one or more factors, such as based on resources that are negotiated with the base station, or based on resources indicated as not desired for allocation from the base station, etc. In other examples, reference signals and control data can be communicated such as to mitigate relay self-interference as well.

1. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless network communications, and more particularly to considerations for mitigating relay self-interference.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, etc.). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP) (e.g., 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution)/LTE-Advanced), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. Further, communications between mobile devices and base stations may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth.
In addition, relays can be used in some wireless communication systems to expand base station coverage, improve communication throughput, and/or the like. For example, relays can be assigned resources from a base station (much like a device), and can assign resources to a device (much like a base station). Upon receiving communications from the base station over the resources assigned by the base station, the relay can transmit the communications to one or more intended devices over resources assigned thereto by the relay, and vice versa. The relay can perform decoding/encoding of signals received before transmitting to the intended device or base station. Relays can operate in half duplex mode, where at any given time, the relays receive signals from a base station or transmit to a device, but typically not both.
Relays can also, however, operate in full duplex mode where the relay can transmit and receive at the same time (e.g., in the same frequency band). In this example, a relay can cause interference to itself, for example, by transmitting to a device on a frequency band at the same time as receiving signals from a base station on the same (or an adjacent or otherwise near) frequency band. Spatial separation of backhaul link antennas (e.g., for communicating with a base station) and access link antennas (e.g., for communicating with one or more devices) has been proposed to cure such interference, however, this solution is not always feasible for all relay deployments, and this solution can have high associated cost. Various interference cancellation techniques have also been proposed to cancel the interference after-the-fact.
Thus, improvements in the operation of relays are desired.

Method and apparatus for mitigating relay interference


A method and apparatus for high speed silicon optical modulation is described using a PN diode. In one example, an optical waveguide has adjoining first and second doped semiconductor regions. The first and second regions have opposite doping types and the first doped region extends in two perpendicular directions through the waveguide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optics and, more specifically, the present invention relates to silicon optical modulators.
2. Background Information
Internet and network data traffic growth pushes toward optical-based data communication. Transmission of multiple optical channels over the same fiber in dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) systems and Gigabit Ethernet (GBE) systems provides a simple way to use the higher data capacity (signal bandwidth) offered by fiber optics. Commonly used optical components in data communications systems include wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmitters and receivers, optical filters such as diffraction gratings, thin-film filters, fiber Bragg gratings, arrayed-waveguide gratings, optical add/drop multiplexers, modulators, lasers and optical switches.
Many of these building block optical components can be implemented in semiconductor devices. In electro-optic switching devices, voltages are applied to selected parts of a device to create electric fields within the device. The electric fields change the optical properties of selected materials within the device and the electro-optic effect results in switching action. Electro-optic devices typically utilize electro-optical materials that combine optical transparency with voltage-variable optical behavior. One typical type of single crystal electro-optical material used in electro-optic switching devices is lithium niobate (LiNbO3). III-V semiconductor compounds such as InP and GaAs have also been used for high-speed modulators.
Silicon photonic integrated circuits offer low cost opto-electronic solutions for applications ranging from telecommunications to chip-to-chip interconnects. An optical modulator is a key component of any optical communications link, however, it is challenging to achieve high speed optical modulation in silicon. Currently, the free carrier plasma dispersion effect is favored for high speed optical modulation in silicon. In this approach, a change in free carrier density in a silicon waveguide results in a change in the refractive index of the material. The refractive index change modifies the optical phase of light passing through it. The speed at which this modulation can be done is limited in part by how fast the free carriers can be injected into or removed from the waveguide, the region occupied by the traveling optical mode.

Method and apparatus for high speed silicon optical modulation using PN diode


A firefighting vehicle includes a frame, a fluid pump, and a body having a compartment. In one embodiment, a drive line of the pump passes through a transverse cross member of the frame. In another embodiment, the body includes opposite side sections sandwiching the pump therebetween. In another embodiment, the vehicle includes a pumphouse module in which the body is mounted so as to move in unison with the body relative to the frame. In another embodiment, the vehicle includes a control panel operably coupled to the pump and extending through an opening in the compartment. In another embodiment, the compartment includes a wall having a C-shaped bulkhead.

Firefighting vehicles come in a variety of different forms. For example, certain firefighting vehicles, known as pumpers, are designed to deliver large amounts of firefighting agents, such as foam or water. Other firefighting vehicles, known as aerials, are designed to additionally elevate ladders or booms. Some firefighting vehicles, known as airport rescue firefighting vehicles, are designed for responding to unique firefighting circumstances and may be designed for delivering firefighting agents to difficult to reach locations.
Most firefighting vehicles include a pump for delivering firefighting agents and a compartmentalized body in which firefighting equipment is stored and accessed. Although further development of firefighting vehicles has been ongoing for many years, existing firefighting vehicles are difficult to construct and many times lack an attractive finished appearance. Due to inefficient body and compartment designs, some firefighting vehicles are also bulky and have a higher center of gravity, making high speed maneuvering through traffic and narrow thoroughfares difficult.


A bi-directional optical transceiver module includes an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver, which have a TO-can structure, and generates a first optical signal and detects a second optical signal, respectively. A housing includes a first receiving section that receives the optical transmitter. A second receiving section is arranged opposite the first receiving section, a third receiving section is arranged below the first and second receiving sections, and a fourth receiving section is arranged opposite the third receiving section. The receiving stations communicate through holes between the first through fourth receiving sections. An optical fiber ferrule in the second receiving section supports an optical fiber to input the second optical signal into the bi-directional optical transceiver module. A block received in the fourth receiving section and reflects the second optical signal received from the optical fiber at a predetermined angle with respect to an optical path of the first optical signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bi-directional optical transceiver module, and more particularly to a bi-directional optical transceiver module including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver, each of which having a TO-can structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A bi-directional optical transceiver module performs transmission and reception of optical signals having different wavelengths. Conventional bi-directional optical transceiver modules have a structure in which an optical transmitter and an optical receiver are mounted in a single housing or on a single substrate.
The optical transmitter and optical receiver included in such a bi-directional optical transceiver module may have a butterfly structure or a TO-can structure. Optical transceiver modules, which include an optical transmitter and an optical receiver each having a TO-can structure, are usable for short-distance communication networks because they are inexpensive due to the low manufacturing costs of the TO-can structure.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a conventional bi-directional optical transceiver module. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional bi-directional optical transceiver module includes an optical transmitter 110, which has a TO-can structure, that generates a first optical signal. The bi-directional optical transceiver module also includes an optical receiver 120, which has a TO-can structure, that detects a received second optical signal. The bi-directional optical transceiver module further includes an optical fiber ferrule 130 to input and output the first and second optical signals. The conventional bi-directional optical transceiver module also includes a filter 160 to divide optical paths of the first and second optical signals, and first through third lens systems 140, 150 and 170 to collimate or converge the first and second optical signals.
Generally, the first and second optical signals use different wavelength bands, respectively. For example, the first optical signal uses a C-band, and the second optical signal uses an L-band, the wavelength space between the first and second optical signals is about 17nm, which is very narrow. As a result, the filter must be aligned to have an angle of not more than 10° with respect to the optical path of the first optical signal.
When the wavelength space between the first and second optical signals is narrow, the second optical signal reflected from the filter forms a very small angle with respect to the optical path of the first optical signal. As a consequence, the optical paths of the first and second optical signals must be lengthened to implement a bi-directional optical transceiver module. This causes an increase in total volume.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of another conventional bi-directional optical transceiver module. As shown in FIG. 2, this conventional bi-directional optical transceiver module includes an optical transmitter 210 that generates a first optical signal and an optical receiver 220 that detects a second optical signal. Both the optical transmitter 210 and the optical receiver 220 have a TO-can structure. The bi-directional optical transceiver module also includes an optical fiber ferrule 230, a filter 260, a mirror 280, first through third lens systems 240, 250 and 270 to collimate or converge the first and second optical signals, and a housing 290.
The first lens system 240 collimates the first optical signal, and outputs the collimated first optical signal to the optical fiber ferrule 230. The second lens system 250 converges the first optical signal to one end of the optical fiber 231. The second lens system 250 also collimates the second optical signal, and outputs the collimated second optical signal to the filter 260. The third lens system 270 converges the second optical signal to the optical receiver 220.
The filter 260 is arranged between the optical transmitter 210 and the optical fiber 231 to output the first optical signal generated from the optical transmitter 210 to the optical fiber 231. The filter 260 also reflects the second optical signal received from the optical fiber 231 so that the second optical signal has a predetermined angle with respect to the first optical signal.
The mirror 280 reflects the second optical signal reflected from the filter 260 toward the optical receiver 220. The mirror 280 and filter 260 are aligned with each other in the housing 290 with respect to optical axes thereof. The filter 260 is arranged to have a predetermined angle with respect to the optical path of the first optical signal.
In this arrangement, however, the reflection angle of the second optical signal may vary greatly depending on the alignment error of the filter. Furthermore, since the constituent elements of the bi-directional optical transceiver module are integrally formed in the single housing, it is difficult to easily achieve a desired optical axis alignment. Also, misalignment of optical axes may easily occur during the optical axis alignment process.

Bi-directional optical transceiver module

Maetan-Dong, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon-Si, Gyeonggi-Do


While a newsfeed is scrolled, an icon is displayed that includes the post time of a news story. The icon moves in a vertical direction as the newsfeed is scrolled and displays a post time of a news story when at least a predefined amount of the icon is displayed over the news story. Depending on when a news story was posted, the time icon may include the date the news story was posted. The icon may show a time and/or may include a clock showing time in analog or digital format. The newsfeed may be scrolled in response to a gesture by a user with a touch-sensitive display and the time icon may cease to be displayed once the user breaks contact with the touch-sensitive display.

1. Field of Art
The disclosure generally relates generally to electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces, and more particularly, to electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces that display user interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
The user interface is integral to a user's overall experience with a portable device since the user interface is the gateway through which a user interacts with the device. Existing user interfaces are often complex and frustrating to use. For example, many user interfaces of mobile devices have complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user. Accordingly, there is a need for more transparent and intuitive user interfaces for mobile devices that are easy to use, configure, and/or adapt.


A patient monitoring system includes: a biomedical sensor including: a transducer configured to produce a signal corresponding to a biological function; a sensor converter configured to convert the signal to a converted signal; and a transmitter configured to produce a communication, based on the converted signal, that is indicative of one or more values of the biological function, and to send the communication wirelessly; and a base station including: a receiver configured to receive the communication wirelessly and to produce a receiver output signal; a base station interface configured to produce a base station output signal indicative of the one or more values of the biological function; and at least one output port to receive the base station output signal and configured to be hard-wire connected to a display that is configured to display information indicative of the biological function.

It is often desirable to monitor a patient and/or an in utero child before and during labor and delivery. For example, it may be desirable to monitor the patient's uterine contractions and/or to monitor a heartbeat of the child. Monitoring of uterine contractions and fetal heartbeat is known as cardiotocography (CTG). CTG systems typically use Doppler ultrasound analysis to monitor the fetal heartbeat and a tocodynamometer (TOCO) transducer to monitor uterine contraction duration and possibly intensity.
Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art wired patient monitoring system 500 includes a sensor pack 502, and a monitor 504. The sensor pack 502 is attached to a patient 506 by a strap 508 and is hard-wired to the monitor 504 by a wire 510. The patient wears the strap 508 around the patient's abdomen, with the strap having the sensor unit 502 connected to the strap 508. The sensor unit 502 includes an ultrasound transducer for monitoring the fetal heartbeat and a TOCO transducer for monitoring uterine contractions. The ultrasound transducer and TOCO transducer are connected to the monitor 504 that contains signal processing electronics and a display 512 that provide diagnostic and monitoring information related to the labor, including values corresponding to uterine contraction (e.g., duration, magnitude) and values corresponding to a fetal heartbeat (e.g., rate, magnitude of heart contraction). The ultrasound and TOCO transducers are connected to the monitor 504 by one or more cables and connectors, here represented by the wire 510 and a connector 514. The hard-wire connection inhibits the patient's mobility, requiring disconnection of the CTG system to permit the patient 506 to move, e.g., to walk around as is recommended for patients in labor. While for simplicity and ease of illustration, the sensor pack 502 shown in FIG. 1 includes the ultrasound transducer and the TOCO transducer, the ultrasound transducer and the TOCO transducer may be physically separate devices, e.g., contained in physically separate housings, attached to the patient with separate straps, and wired to the monitor 504 with separate wires (and possibly multiple wires corresponding to each transducer).
Referring also to FIG. 2, the sensor unit 502 of the system 500 includes a wired TOCO transducer 520 and a wired ultrasound transducer 522. The TOCO transducer 520 includes two strain gauges 524, 526 that provide resistances 532, 534 of a Wheatstone bridge 530, with two other resistors 536, 538 of the bridge 530 being fixed. The strain gauges 524, 526 are disposed on respective sides of a material 540, e.g., a piece of metal, and are configured to measure deflection of respective sides of the material 540 and provide resistance values for the resistors 532, 534 corresponding to the deflection. Reference voltages V+ and V− are applied to top and bottom nodes of the bridge 530 and side nodes of the bridge 530 provide Defl+ and Defl− voltages indicative of the deflection of the material 540, and thus indicative of a uterine contraction. A magnitude difference of the deflection voltages Defl+ and Defl− is indicative of a magnitude of the contraction, and a time period over which the deflection voltages Defl+ and Defl− have a non-zero difference corresponds to a duration of the contraction. The references voltages V+ and V− and the deflection voltages Defl+ and Defl− are provided on respective wires to the wired monitor 504.
The wired ultrasound transducer 522 includes a piezoelectric element 550, a front electrode 552, and a back electrode 554. The electrodes 552, 554 may be excited to induce an outbound ultrasound signal 556. The outbound ultrasound signal 556 will reflect off of a fetal heart and return as an inbound ultrasound signal 558 that has been Doppler shifted due to motion of the heart. The inbound ultrasound signal will cause the piezoelectric element to vibrate, thereby inducing a Transducer-p signal from the front electrode 552 and a Transducer-n signal from the back electrode 554. The induced signals Transducer-pTransducer-p and Transducer-n are conveyed by wires from the electrodes 552, 554 to the wired monitor 504.
The wired monitor 504 is configured to process signals from the transducers 520, 522 and display indications of fetal heartbeat and uterine contractions. An amplifier 560 is configured and coupled to receive the deflection voltages Defl+, Defl−, amplify these signals, and provide the amplified deflection signals to a display 562. The display 562 is configured to display a visual indication of the uterine contractions, e.g., rate, magnitude, duration. The amplified deflection signals may be processed by a signal processor 564 before being conveyed to the display 562. The induced signals Transducer-p, Transducer-n corresponding to the fetal heartbeat are provided to the signal processor 564, that processes these signals and provides indications of the fetal heartbeat to the display 562 that displays visual indications of the heartbeat, e.g., intensity and direction (expanding/contracting) of fetal heart movement over time.
Patient monitoring systems have been in use for decades. Even very old systems remain operational, and the users of these systems may have used the systems for years and thus may be very comfortable and familiar with their operation.


Provide an electronic still camera using a color filter array (CFA) and a single CCD making it possible to simultaneously execute the processing for color signal interpolation and the processing for resizing. In the electronic still camera according to the present invention, an R signal, a G signal, and a B signal are output from each pixel of an image sensor 12 having a CFA. A processor 16 simultaneously executes processing for interpolation and processing for resizing by computing (R, G, B) values at a given pixel position according to the color signals. Low frequency components Rlow, Glow, Blow of the color signal at the given pixel position are computed from signals from adjoining pixels, and the high frequency component Shigh is computed from a brightness value Y. The image data interpolated and changed to a desired size is stored in a memory 18, or is output via an interface I/F 20 to an external device such as a computer or a printer.

Color filter arrays (CFA) are fabricated on a CCD array (or CMOS array) to provide color sensors used in electronic cameras (including digital cameras). With a combination of a CFA and a single CCD array, an R signal, a G signal, or a B signal are output from each pixel of the CCD array, and color image data is obtained by processing these signals. Because the signal from each pixel provides only one color, it is necessary to interpolate remaining color signals using signals from other pixels. For instance, with a Bayer type CFA, G pixels and B pixels are arrayed alternately in one line, and G pixels and R pixels are arrayed alternately in the next line. Because the R pixels above cannot generate suitable signals for G and B values required for color image data, it is necessary to interpolate the G value and B value at the R pixel position using signals from G pixels and B pixels near the R pixel. Likewise, it is necessary to interpolate R and B values at a G pixel and to interpolate R and G values at a B pixel. Further, when a color image consisting of a number of pixels significantly different than the number of pixels on the CCD array is to be output, it is necessary to resize the image data provided by the CFA interpolation processing. Generally a bi-linear interpolation or a bit-cubic interpolation is employed for resizing, which is commonly done to enlarge the center of an image from a color sensor to provide digital zoom.

Resizing images captured by an electronic still camera


Percutaneous implants are disclosed including a portion implantable into a patient, a dermal bonding region capable of forming a bond between the implant and a dermal layer of the patient after the implantable portion is implanted into the patient, and the dermal bonding region including a substrate with a discontinuous coating of particulate bioactive glass wherein the average spacing between the particles of bioactive glass is predetermined and at least about 20 microns prior to implantation into the patient. Also disclosed are bioactive coatings including a substrate and fibers and/or particles of bioactive glass distributed on the substrate with a predetermined average interfiber distance of at least about 20 microns.

Elastomeric silicone polymers are widely used in the field of medicine. The most common type of silicone polymer, polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), has generally been considered to be biologically inert when implanted in the body. However, the development of a fibrous tissue capsule around silicone implants continues to be a significant problem when this material is implanted for a long period of time. Capsule formation and subsequent capsular contracture can lead to pain, implant extrusion, erosion of surrounding tissue and ultimately implant failure.
One medical implant where this mode of failure is clearly evident is in percutaneous (through the skin) access devices. The lack of tissue bonding leads to the invasion of bacteria and subsequent infection. Earlier devices have lead to infection at the access site and the ultimate failure and removal of the implant.
The design of a percutaneous access device is one of the most challenging problems that faces the medical community today. One of the most common percutaneous devices used today is the peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter, which consists of a catheter with fabric cuffs that is placed subcutaneous to anchor the device with scar tissue. Subcutaneous scar tissue forms early in the healing process around the cuffs and provides an anchor for the device at the exit-site. During a longer term, the epithelial tissue tunnels down around the catheter. This downgrowth provides access to bacteria and other pathogens that cause infection. These infections are the one barrier to greater use of these devices, Luzar, M. A., Perit. Dial. Int. 11, 333-340, 1991, and are caused by the lack of a tight seal around the catheter at the catheter-skin interface.
This need for improved percutaneous access has encouraged research efforts into both coating and design changes. Percutaneous implants have been tested that are anchored to either the cranium or tibia of animals, Jansen, J. A., et al., J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 1, 192-197, 1990. The authors concluded that stabilization of a percutaneous implant was a requirement for a successful percutaneous passage. Realizing that there are many percutaneous access situations which can not be anchored to bone, this group tested an access device consisting of a 3 cm by 4 cm sintered titanium fiber mesh implanted subcutaneously and then attached to a Teflon percutaneous component, Jansen, J. A., et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 25, 1535-1545, 1991. Fibrous tissue ingrowth of the mesh was intended to stabilize the implant, but early results with this implant showed that failure by tearing of the fiber mesh occurred in 30% of the implants.
One experimental device that has successfully reduced the amount of epidermal downgrowth in percutaneous implantation is made of sintered hydroxyapatite (HAP). HAP, Ca.sub.5 (PO.sub.4).sub.6 OH, a calcium phosphate mineral, is a major component of bone. This material has been used in medicine and dentistry for more than 20 years, Hench, L. L., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 74, 1487-1510, 1991. A comparative study of these devices showed that the silicone devices had epidermal downgrowth that reached the bottom of the implant and a high rate of infection and extrusion of the implant after only 3 months. Devices made of HAP revealed limited epidermal downgrowth (.gtoreq.1 mm) at 7 months and a mild infection at 17 months, Aoki, H., et al., Med. Progress Tech. 12, 213-220, 1987. In an additional animal PD study, dogs survived for 432 days on PD without exit-site infection, using an HAP percutaneous-access device/catheter, Yoshiyama, N., et al., Perit. Dial. Int. 11(Suppl 1), 297, 1991. The authors of this later study observed a "tight and sterile seal between the HAP device and skin tissue." These devices are brittle and require a silicone tube passing through their center, the junction between the tube and the device being a possible access for infection.
In 1969, Hench and colleagues discovered a certain range of glass compositions that could chemically bond to bones, Hench, L. L. et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Symp. 2(1), 117-141, 1971. One such group of bioactive glasses, called Bioglass.RTM., composed of SiO.sub.2 O, CaO and P.sub.2 O.sub.5, is currently used in several medical applications, and is marketed under the trademark Bioglass.RTM. (a registered trademark of the University of Florida, currently licensed to USBiomaterials, Inc., Alachua, Fla.). Bioglass.RTM. is one of the few materials that does not produce a fibrous capsule when implanted in the body and certain Bioglass.RTM. compositions even develop an adherent bond to soft tissue, Wilson, J., Nolletti, D., Handbook of Bioactive Ceramics Vol. 1, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 283-302, 1990. Bioactive ceramic materials, like Bioglass.RTM., are inherently brittle and can not be used in bulk applications where a flexible material is needed. Coating medical devices with a bioactive glass will allow for improved soft tissue adhesion without formation of an intervening fibrous capsule, stop or reduce the epithelia downgrowth, and create a better seal that prevents bacterial access and infection.
Some of the earliest applications of bioactive glass coatings were on metal femoral implants. These coatings were either dip coated from molten glass or fired onto the metal with an enamel frit, Ducheyne, P., J Biomed Mater Res 19:273-291, 1985. Several references of the art relate to coating bioactive glass on various metal substrates, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,480,438; 4,990,163; 4,613,516; 4,652,459; and 4,168,326.
Bioactive glasses have also been used as filler materials in bone cements, e.g. methacrylates and epoxies, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,731,394 and 4,131,597. While certainly useful, application of these materials is limited because they are brittle, thermoset plastics, which do not have the elastomeric properties of silicone polymers used extensively in modern surgery. Precipitation of calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite films on a substrate is known in the art, e.g. see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,068,122 and 4,871,384. Experience has shown that these brittle films will not adhere to or spread evenly over, the hydrophobic silicone surface and will flake off after repeated flexure of the elastomer.
One technique to coat the entire implant is to use a pulsed laser deposition as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,298 and published in Zabetakis, P. M., et al. ASAIO J. 40, M896-M899, 1994. A thin amorphous film of hydroxyapatite was applied to the surface of silicone tubing. The film measured between 0.5 to 1 microns in thickness and could be applied to a selected area. The coating was described as continuous. The coating failed insofar as it formed cracks when the tubing was bent. It is unclear how this cracked, amorphous and extremely thin coating would react in a percutaneous application. In addition, it is unclear how this coating process would effect the nature of bioactive glasses. Studies have shown that high temperature processes such as these can greatly alter the chemical and physical nature of bioactive glasses, thus reducing their effectiveness, Klein et al., An Introduction to Bioceramics, Hench, L. L., Wilson, J. Eds. World Scientific, Singapore, 199-221, 1993.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,896 ("the '896 patent") discloses a non-percutaneous prosthesis, reconstructive sheeting and composite material which exhibit tissue adhesion and biocompatability, moldability, trimability and flexibility. Experiment No. 7 of the '896 patent describes coating silicone adhesive onto a breast prosthesis. Greater than 200 mesh hydroxyapatite was spread onto a flat surface. The adhesive-coated surface was pressed onto the hydroxyapatite particles, and hydroxyapatite particles smaller than 300 mesh were sprinkled onto the coated surface to fill in the voids between the larger hydroxyapatite particles. The non-percutaneous prosthesis comprises a biocompatible composite material which is made of an elastomeric material and bio-active ceramic or glass particles.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


An electronic device may be provided with optical markers. A marker may be formed from a coating. The coating may be patterned to form a two-dimensional optical code or may be patterned to form an outline or other recognizable marker structure that helps provide information about an electronic device. A device with a sensor such as a depth sensor or other sensor may gather information on the electronic device and its markers. This information may include information on images captured with an image sensor while the electronic device is illuminated by one or more light beams from the depth sensor or other light sources. Markers may be configured to serve as mixed reality optical markers in a mixed reality system. Analysis of the mixed reality marker images or other sensor data may reveal information on device type, device location, device size, device orientation, and other information on a marked device.

This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to the optical characteristics of electronic devices.
Mixed reality systems have head-wearable devices that display computer-generated content overlaid on real-world content. A user may have a cellular telephone or other electronic devices in addition to a head-wearable device. It can be difficult or impossible for mixed reality headsets to recognize the presence of cellular telephones and other such devices in the user's field of view. This may make it difficult or impossible to provide a user with mixed-reality features that take advantage of the presence of such electronic devices. In some situations, the visual appearance of cellular telephones and other electronic devices may not be satisfactory.