Methods and tools for generating measurement models of complex device structures based on re-useable, parametric models are presented. Metrology systems employing these models are configured to measure structural and material characteristics associated with different semiconductor fabrication processes. The re-useable, parametric sub-structure model is fully defined by a set of independent parameters entered by a user of the model building tool. All other variables associated with the model shape and internal constraints among constituent geometric elements are pre-defined within the model. In some embodiments, one or more re-useable, parametric models are integrated into a measurement model of a complex semiconductor device. In another aspect, a model building tool generates a re-useable, parametric sub-structure model based on input from a user. The resulting models can be exported to a file that can be used by others and may include security features to control the sharing of sensitive intellectual property with particular users.

Semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices are typically fabricated by a sequence of processing steps applied to a specimen. The various features and multiple structural levels of the semiconductor devices are formed by these processing steps. For example, lithography among others is one semiconductor fabrication process that involves generating a pattern on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Optical metrology processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield. Optical metrology techniques offer the potential for high throughput without the risk of sample destruction. A number of optical metrology based techniques including scatterometry and reflectometry implementations and associated analysis algorithms are commonly used to characterize critical dimensions, film thicknesses, composition and other parameters of nanoscale structures.
As devices (e.g., logic and memory devices) move toward smaller nanometer-scale dimensions, characterization becomes more difficult. Devices incorporating complex three-dimensional geometry and materials with diverse physical properties contribute to characterization difficulty.
In response to these challenges, more complex optical tools have been developed. Measurements are performed over a large ranges of several machine parameters (e.g., wavelength, azimuth and angle of incidence, etc.), and often simultaneously. As a result, the measurement time, computation time, and the overall time to generate reliable results, including measurement recipes, increases significantly.
In addition, existing model based metrology methods typically include a series of steps to model and then measure structure parameters. Typically, measurement data (e.g., DOE spectra) is collected from a particular metrology target. An accurate model of the optical system, dispersion parameters, and geometric features is formulated. In addition, simulation approximations (e.g., slabbing, Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA), etc.) are performed to avoid introducing excessively large errors. Discretization and RCWA parameters are defined. A series of simulations, analysis, and regressions are performed to refine the geometric model and determine which model parameters to float. A library of synthetic spectra is generated. Finally, measurements are performed using the library or regression in real time with the geometric model.
Currently, models of device structures being measured are assembled by a user of a measurement modeling tool from primitive structural building blocks. These primitive structural building blocks are simple geometric shapes (e.g., square frusta) that are assembled together to approximate more complex structures. The primitive structural building blocks are sized by the user based on user input that specifies the shape details of each primitive structural building block. In one example, each primitive structural building block includes an integrated customization control panel where a user inputs specific parameters that determine the shape details. Similarly, primitive structural building blocks are joined together by constraints that are also manually entered by the user. For example, the user enters a constraint that ties a vertex of one primitive building block to a vertex of another building block. This allows the user to build models that represent a series of the actual device geometries when the size of one building block changes. User-defined constraints between primitive structural building blocks enable broad modeling flexibility. For example, the thicknesses or heights of different primitive structural building blocks can be constrained to a single parameter in multi-target measurement applications. Furthermore, primitive structural building blocks have simple geometric parameterizations which the user can constrain to application-specific parameters. For example, the sidewall angle of a resist line can be manually constrained to parameters representing the focus and dose of a lithography process.
Although models constructed from primitive structural building blocks offer a wide range of modeling flexibility and user control, the model building process becomes very complex and error prone when modeling complex device structures. A user needs to assemble primitive structural building blocks together accurately, ensure they are correctly constrained, and parameterize the model in a geometrically consistent manner. Accomplishing this is not an easy task, and users spend significant amounts of time ensuring that their models are correct. In many cases, users do not realize their models are inconsistent and incorrect because it is difficult to comprehend how all of the primitive structural building blocks change shape and location in parameter space. Specifically, it is very difficult to determine if models that are structurally consistent for a given set of parameter values remain structurally consistent for another set of parameter values.
FIG. 1A depicts twelve different primitive structural building blocks 11-22 assembled together to form an optical critical dimension (OCD) model 10 depicted in FIG. 1B. Each primitive structural building block is rectangular in shape. To construct OCD model 10 a user must manually define the desired dimensions, constraints, and independent parameters (e.g., parameters subject to variation) of the model. Models constructed based on primitive structural building blocks (i.e., basic shapes such as rectangles) typically require a large number of primitives, constraints, and independent parameters for which the user must define ranges of variation. This makes model-building very complex and prone to user errors.
Furthermore, model complexity makes it difficult for one user to understand models built by another. The user needs to be able to understand the intent of the original model owner and this becomes increasingly challenging as the number of primitive structural building blocks, constraints, and independent parameters increases. Consequently, transferring ownership of models (e.g., from applications engineers to process engineers) is a time consuming, difficult process. In many cases, the complexity of the models leads to frustration amongst colleagues, and in some cases, prevents the transfer process from ever being fully completed. In some examples, a user generates a new model from primitive structural building blocks to mimic a model generated by a colleague. In many cases the resulting model is slightly different, and therefore delivers slightly different results due to the non-commutative property of floating point operations on computers. In some other examples, a user surrenders or risks intellectual property by having another firm develop the model.
Optical metrology structures have in the past remained simple enough that new models are commonly designed for each project. However, with increasingly complicated models and less time per project, improved modeling methods and tools are desired.

Semiconductor device models including re-usable sub-structures


A method for user authentication based on keystroke dynamics is provided. The user authentication method includes receiving a keystroke input implemented by a user; separating a sequence of pressed keys into a sequence of bigrams having bigram names simultaneously with the user typing free text; collecting a timing information for each bigram of the sequence of bigrams; extracting a feature vector for each bigram based on the timing information; separating feature vectors into subsets according to the bigram names; estimating a GMM user model using subsets of feature vectors for each bigram; providing real time user authentication using the estimated GMM user model for each bigram and bigram features from current real time user keystroke input. The corresponding system is also provided. The GMM based analysis of the keystroke data separated by bigrams provides strong authentication using free text input, while user additional actions (to be verified) are kept at a minimum. The present invention allows to drastically improve accuracy of user authentication with low performance requirements that allows to implement authentication software for low-power mobile devices.

The field of biometrics based on measuring of physical characteristics to recognize an identity or verify a claimed identity of an individual has emerged as an increasingly reliable methodology for verification (one-to-one) and identification (one-to-many) of individuals. Biometrics has become a very powerful tool in solving of problems associated with requiring positive identification of individuals.
Recently, many studies on biometrics have been conducted. Biometrics is widely applied to biometric authentication systems using face or iris recognition, mobile phone security, mobile commerce, physical/logical access control, e-commerce, and the like. However, poor attention is paid to frictionless, non-collaborative biometrics.
The way consumers communicate with an enterprise and each other is constantly changing. One of the growing trends is use of Conversational Interface where information and services are provided through conversations with chat-bots (e.g. banking chat-bots). In order to be able to share sensitive data and conduct monetary transactions an enterprise needs to authenticate users through a typing manner.
An interest for continuous frictionless authentication within the Conversational Interface is growing rapidly. It may be necessary to perform authentication in chat-bots using keystroke biometrics while users type some text without asking these users to perform any additional activities.
Many approaches were used in the art to verify user identity via keystroke dynamics. One of them is disclosed in the article "Web-based keystroke dynamics identity verification using neural network", S. Cho, C. Han, D. H. Han, and H.-I. Kim, Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 295-307, 2000. The method uses neutral networks. The main problem of neural networks is that it is a heavyweight algorithm and requires imposters' samples for training. Furthermore, this method provides low accuracy for user verification when small amount of data is presented.
Also known in the prior art is US2015/0169854 disclosing a keystroke authentication system and method using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach and an approach based on Kernel Ridge Regression. The input from a user is represented with features that include natural pauses among digraphs and are used as cognitive fingerprints. The method considers unique cognitive typing rhythm for a sequence of bigrams. The system builds a classifier from a legitimate user keystroke pattern and some imposters pattern with abovementioned approaches. The classifier used to generate score between the testing set of features and stored trained profile. Since the proposed method and system rely on features including the sequence of digraphs of a specific word representing cognitive factors manifesting as natural pauses in typing of the specific word a more powerful software is required to process features data and to build each classifier for legitimate user and imposters as well as the accuracy is affected.
While known solutions may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing a quick, rely and accurate authentication in free-text input scenarios. Conventional authentication systems and methods are extremely time consuming and possess high performance requirements.

Method and system for free text keystroke biometric authentication


Printed wiring boards useful for high frequency applications are obtained by laminating a conductive foil pretreated with a silane to a polynorbornene prepreg wherein a sheet of polyolefin film derived from C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 monomers is laminated between the prepreg and the foil to the surfaces of each member. The prepreg is made by impregnating a fiberglass cloth with a ring-opening polymerized polymer. The conductive foil is pretreated with a silane which is capable of improving the bond strength between the conductive foil and a norbornene copolymer.

This invention relates to printed circuit wiring boards composed of a polynorbornene substrate laminated to a conductive foil, with a layer of polyolefin film derived from C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 monomers sandwiched therebetween, using silane coupling agents.
A purpose of the present invention is to produce printed circuit wire boards which have a low dielectric constant and high bonding strength.
Such laminates are generally compared in the market place for dielectric constant, dissipation factor, chemical resistance, peel strength, solder bath resistance (at 260.degree. C. to 288.degree. C.), warping and punchability.
In conventional processes, so called "prepregs" are made by dipping a pretreated fibrous substrate (fiberglass) in Epoxy or some other solution of polymer resin having good strength and electrical insulating properties and drying the fibrous substrate to remove the solvent and provide a resin-impregnated substrate. It is known to treat the glass substrate with a silane compound to promote the adhesion between the substrate and the resin.
Cellulosic and fiberglass woven materials have long been used to reinforce polymer substrates. It is known silane coupling agents can be applied directly to glass filaments to improve the flexural strength of glass cloth laminates of a variety of resins, often by as much as 300 percent for compression molded test samples. Silane coupling agents at the interface allow many particulate minerals to become reinforcing fillers in composites to increase strength, hardness, modulus, heat distortion and impact strength. Fiberglass cloth is usually treated with an aqueous coupling agent.
Two or more of these prepregs are then pressed together to form an insulating layer for a printed circuit wiring board. To provide the conducting layer for the laminate, one or more copper layers are generally pressed against the exposed surfaces of these prepregs.
CA98:162024m discloses laminates for use in preparing printed circuit boards. The laminates comprise an assembly of prepregs of paper-reinforced phenolic resin and copper foil. Polyethylene may be used as an intermediate layer between the copper foil and the prepregs. CA98:162025n and 98:162026p disclose similar laminates wherein the polyethylene layer is silane-modified.
CA107:97841p discloses laminated boards prepared from cotton linter paper coated with polycyclic olefin monomers. The paper, monomers and a catalyst are sandwiched with copper foil and a polypropylene film and pressed at elevated temperatures.
CA107:8574p discloses laminates of glass fibers impregnated with silicon-modified epoxy resins which also contain polyethylene. A six-layered wiring board is prepared from 15 sheets of the prepreg and 6 sheets of copper foil. CA107:8575q discloses similar laminates wherein epoxy resins, guanidine derivatives, fluoroplastics or polyolefins are employed as the resin.
"Some Approaches to Low-dielectric Constant Matrix Resins for Printed Circuit Boards", Butler et al., 15th National SAMPE Technical Conference, 1983, discloses general design considerations in the preparation of printed circuit boards. It discloses that the thermal cyclization of materials to form multicyclic structures has been employed in the preparation of printed circuit boards. It also discloses that coupling agents to improve adhesion can be employed.
Other methods of applying metals to these insulating layers or substrates include vapor deposition, electroplating, sputtering, ion plating, spraying and layering. The metals commonly used are copper, nickel, tin, silver solder, gold aluminum, platinum, titanium, zinc and chrome, with copper being used most often in printed wire boards.
A problem associated with forming thin metallic coatings on insulating layers or substrates has been the inability to form a complete bond having excellent bond strength between the metallic layer and the substrate and subsequently good solder resistance.
Silane compounds have found wide acceptability for improving adhesion between different substrates.
Silane coupling agents modify the interface between metal or mineral surfaces and organic resins to improve adhesion between the surface and the resin. The physical properties and water resistance of the reinforced resins are thereby improved. It is believed that silane coupling agents form bonds with metal surfaces through the silane functional group. The hydrolyzed silanes will condense to oligomeric siloxanols and eventually to rigid cross-linked structures. Contact with a polymer matrix should take place while the siloxanols still have some solubility. Bonding to a polymer matrix may take different forms or a combination of forms. Bonding may be covalent where the oligomeric siloxanol is compatible with the liquid matrix resin. The solutions might also form an interpenetrating polymer network as the siloxanols and the resin separately cure with only limited copolymerization.
It is well known that not all silanes or mixtures of silanes will bond all metals to all substrates. McGee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,970, states that:
"[i] t is generally accepted that specific silanes can be used for adhesion of specific materials to specific substrates. That is, the silane must be matched to the application and it cannot be assumed that all silanes will work in all applications."
Therefore, the suitability of a silane bonding agent in improving adhesion of a metal to a substrate is unpredictable and it must be determined by experimentation.
While suitable coupling agents are commercially available for bonding of many common plastics with a variety of metals, it is believed that the application of silane coupling agents for bonding of polynorbornenes to metals is not known in the prior art. Norbornene type monomers are polymerized by either a ring-opening mechanism or by an addition reaction wherein the cyclic ring structure remains intact. Ring-opening polymerizations are discussed with greater particularity in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,247 and 4,178,424, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention and are incorporated herein by reference for their discussion of such polymerizations. Ring-opening polymerization generally yields unsaturated linear polymers while addition polymerization yields polycycloaliphatics. It is desirable to produce polymers having high molecular weight monomers incorporated therein to provide good temperature resistance, i.e., high heat distortion temperatures and high glass transition temperatures.

Laminates of polynorbornene and polyolefins derived from C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 monomers


The following processes are performed to improve the accuracy of the process of estimating the volume of a cell clump from an image including the cell clump. First, the image including the cell clump is acquired, and the optical density of the cell clump in the image is measured. Cross-section information about the cell clump is acquired by observation using a confocal microscope or by physical cutting. Based on the cross-section information, the vertical height of the cell clump is determined. Thereafter, data representing a relationship between the aforementioned optical density and the height is acquired. This improves the accuracy of the process of converting the optical density into the height to thereby achieve the accurate estimation of the volume of the cell clump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of calibration for improving the accuracy of the process of estimating the volume of a cell clump from an image including the cell clump.
2. Description of the Background Art
A screening which narrows down compounds serving as candidates for medical and pharmaceutical products is performed in the course of research and development of the medical and pharmaceutical products. An example of the screening includes the steps of: preparing a plurality of culture solutions into which biological cells are put; adding compounds to the culture solutions while changing various conditions to cultivate the cells; and narrowing down the compounds serving as candidates for medical and pharmaceutical products, based on the culture states of the cells.
In such a screening, a reagent has been hitherto used for the assessment of the culture states of the cells. Specifically, a reagent is applied to the cells to cause a chemical reaction between specific molecules in the cells and the reagent. The culture states of the cells are judged by absorbance measurement of such optical changes. This method, however, has required the costly reagent, and also has required much time for the chemical reaction. In addition, this method has been incapable of observing changes in the same cell with time because the reagent destroys cell walls.
In recent years, three-dimensional culture such that cells are cultivated in three dimensions has been performed to investigate the effects of medical and pharmaceutical products in an environment closer to that in a living body. An important object to be observed in such three-dimensional culture is the state of a spheroid that is a cell clump comprised of a group of three-dimensionally aggregated cells. However, the use of the absorbance measurement for the observation of such a cell clump gives rise to problems in requiring the costly reagent, in requiring much time for the chemical reaction and in being incapable of observing changes with time, as in the aforementioned cases.
To solve such problems, an attempt has been made in recent years to develop an apparatus for observing the culture states of cell clumps by photographing the cell clumps at a high resolution without using any reagent. This apparatus photographs a well plate having a plurality of depressions or wells for culture at predetermined time intervals to clip images of each of the wells from the resultant photographed images. The culture states of the cell clumps in each well are assessed by displaying the clipped images on a display part and then comparing and analyzing the clipped images.
Conventional apparatuses for performing image processing by acquiring the images of cells are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-510812, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-512824, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,718,131.
An important indicator for the assessment of the culture state of a cell clump is the volume of the cell clump. Thus, the development of the technique of estimating the volume of a cell clump from the image of the cell clump has been advanced especially in recent years. An example of the process of estimating the volume of a cell clump includes: converting the optical density of the cell clump in an image into the height thereof; and calculating the volume of the cell clump, based on the height after the conversion and the area of the cell clump.
However, a relationship between the optical density of pixels in the image and the height of the cell clump varies depending on the type and culturing conditions of cells. To determine the volume of a cell clump with accuracy, it is preferable that the relationship between the optical density of the pixels and the height of the cell clump is adjusted by calibration for each object to be observed.


A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates between which liquid crystal is sandwiched, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix on one of the substrates, switching elements that control the supply of current to the pixel electrodes, scanning lines that supply scanning signals to the switching elements, and data lines that cross the scanning lines and that supply image signals to the switching elements. The pixel electrodes are arranged in pairs, and each pair of the pixel electrodes are adjacent in an extending direction of the data lines and are disposed between a corresponding pair of the scanning lines in the extending direction of the data lines. The switching elements corresponding to each line of the pixel electrodes arrayed in the extending direction of the data lines are alternately connected to either of opposing sides of an adjacent pair of the data lines in the extending direction of the data lines.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device and a projector.
2. Related Art
Projection display apparatuses, such as projectors, are used widely. A projector includes a splitting optical system for splitting light-source light into different color light components, a light modulator for obtaining color image light components by modulating the split color light components, a prism for producing a color image by combining the color image light components, and a projection lens for enlarging and projecting the color image onto a screen. As the light modulator, a liquid crystal light valve having a liquid crystal device is adopted.
In a liquid crystal device, liquid crystal is sandwiched between a pair of substrates. One of the substrates includes a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, switching elements for controlling the supply of current to the pixel electrodes, scanning lines for supplying scanning signals to the switching elements, and data lines crossing the scanning lines such as to supply image signals to the switching elements. The other substrate includes a common electrode. By applying the voltage between the common electrode and the pixel electrodes, the liquid crystal is driven, and the transmittance for incident light is changed in each pixel. Image light corresponding to each color is thereby obtained (for example, see JP-A-11-95235).
In the above-described liquid crystal device, regions where the pixel electrodes are provided serve as apertures, and regions where the scanning lines, the data lines, and the switching elements are provided around the pixel electrodes serve as non-aperture regions that do not transmit light. Since the size of the non-aperture regions is significant for the wavelength of light, light diffraction occurs at the ends of the apertures. In particular, when the pixel size is small (e.g., 6 μm or less), a quite high proportion of transmitted light is influenced by diffraction. In the projection display device, when the optical path of light is bent by the influence of diffraction, the light is not received by the projection lens, and an obtained image is markedly dark.


The present invention provides, in at least one embodiment, a system and method to bolster website and mobile authentication providing an additional security layer for access to password protected information. An authorized user is asked to select a kill switch, including one or more image categories or alphanumeric characters that the authorized user would never select while inputting their password. If the kill switch is entered once or too many times, as defined and specified ahead of time by a set of rules and conditions, during password entry, the kill switch kills the password entry operation. User input can be evaluated at the time of entry according to these rules by a rule processing decision engine. Killing the operation can include taking one or more actions, such as locking out the user, sending a notification of breach, and cataloging information about the source of the breach.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to a method and system of authenticating a user of a computer system and more particularly, to a password operation kill switch on an identity authentication and security system.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer networks, particularly those with global reach such as the Internet, have greatly influenced the way that individuals, companies and institutions conduct transactions, and store and retrieve documents, images, music, and video. Convenience, ease of use, speed, and low overhead costs are contributing factors to the widespread use of the Internet for purchasing goods as well as conducting confidential transactions. Entire industries have emerged as a result of the evolution of the Internet.
Secure access to computer systems and computer networks has been traditionally guarded with a username and password pair. This requires the user to protect the username and password from disclosure and unauthorized use by interlopers. If the username and password are not protected, accounts and files can be compromised—often leading to, among other things, financial fraud. Unfortunately, a number of rogue individuals and organizations have emerged that are dedicated to fraudulently obtaining confidential information for unauthorized or criminal activities.
A pervasive tool used in obtaining confidential information is keystroke-logging software, which employs a program that monitors and records what users type on their respective computers. Such software often comprises the payload of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other forms of malware that can compromise confidentiality and negatively affect computer performance. Keystroke-logging software can reveal what a user is typing on a computer, e.g., logins and passwords, without the user's knowledge of this event occurring. Companies and institutions routinely use keystroke-logging software to monitor employee activity. Also, families may use these types of programs to monitor children's online activities. The widespread availability of this type of software, however, has led to unauthorized or criminal use, resulting in the alarming rate of identity theft seen throughout the world.
Prime targets for these attacks are financial institutions and their respective customers, as more and more consumers and businesses use electronic methods for purchasing and making payments. The future trend is in favor of electronic transactions over cash, providing a wider field for identity theft.
Login information may also be heard by sophisticated analysis of the distinct sounds made by different keys. An inexpensive microphone near a keyboard can reveal most of what is being typed with a surprising degree of accuracy. Login information is also vulnerable to simple spying or shoulder-surfing, as a person with malicious intent watches an unsuspecting user sign into his or her account. The rise in popularity of portable hand-held Internet devices creates a need for these security issues to be directly addressed by a security system tailored for the limitations and security challenges associated therewith. As these devices are often used in places that are more public and less secure, shoulder-surfing is more likely.
Portable hand-held Internet devices also can be difficult to use to enter passwords, as keyboards or touch-screens are often very small on such devices and use of such to enter passwords may cause error. Therefore, simplification of authentication input is desired while maintaining or increasing user security.
Additional security mechanisms are necessary in addition to the username/password paradigm to provide stronger identity authentication. There have been various other attempts do so.
Enterprises and institutions are using costly physical devices to identify legitimate customers and users. The existing devices (often referred to as tokens) generate a unique and random pass code for each user every 30 to 60 seconds. If an attacker manages to intercept a user ID and password, the information cannot be used to access the site without an additional authentication identifier. The devices significantly reduce instances of identity or information theft, but present implementation challenges for both the institutions and individual users. For example, physical tokens may be misplaced and/or lost.
The enterprise may be met with consumer resistance in implementing the use of the physical device. If the user does not have the device, he or she cannot gain access to the site. Besides the tremendous initial cost of purchasing the physical devices and implementing the new system, if the device is lost, stolen, or damaged, the enterprise will incur even more significant costs. In the context of business use of the device, the company incurs the cost of lost productivity from a worker who cannot access company information, as well as the cost of replacing the actual device. In the context of consumer use, if the consumer cannot access his or her accounts because of a lost device, the direct costs, and more significantly, the indirect costs incurred by the enterprise to assist the consumer in gaining access far outweighs the advantages of using the device system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,961, Blonder provides a solution for utilizing graphical passwords. The framework described displays a static image in which the user touches predetermined areas of the screen, called tap regions, in a particular sequence. As the user taps various areas on the display, the regions tapped are successively removed from the screen. These regions of the screen, and the order of the sequence they are tapped, are chosen by the user during an initial enrollment phase. The sequence and regions of taps is stored in the system as the user's password. One shortcoming of this solution is the likelihood of a shoulder-surfing attack: once an attacker views a user entering the sequence by touching areas of the screen, he or she is then easily able to replicate the sequence to successfully gain access to the user's account.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,170 to Stubblefield uses inkblots as images for authentication of a user's identity when logging into computer systems. The authentication method described in Stubblefield provides for a display of a random sequence of inkblots that the user has identified when he or she enrolled his or her login information. One drawback to this process stems from the identification of the inkblot. Although the user is required to identify and verify the alphanumeric text associated with the inkblots in the enrollment process, the unspeakable nature of inkblots will cause consumers problems in remembering the code for their inkblot selections. A frustrated user will simply save their password information on their computer, write the information down, or enter incorrect password information, which defeats the security offered by this system. Also, this process is very intimidating for users, especially those who are new users, because the inkblot is easily misconstrued as a countless number of different objects. The inkblot is just that: a blot on a screen the user will associate with a real world object. If that user misinterprets or forgets the association they have made with the inkblot, then they are denied access to their system. More importantly, the sequence process significantly increases login time for users. Currently, users are demanding more secure login techniques, but they desire to maintain the same level of convenience that they currently enjoy with the username/password login process. This authentication technique does not provide the ease of use that consumers desire.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0230843 to Jansen, which is a login authentication process using a sequence of images selected by the user, illustrates the potential of image-based authentication in protecting users from identity theft. The authentication method described in Jansen begins with the user selecting an image theme, such as animals, and then selecting a sequence of images within the image theme that becomes the password (e.g., if the category chosen is animals, one possible sequence is horse, cat, dog, cat, cat, horse). The success of the login process is predicated on the user's ability to replicate the sequence of images he or she has chosen within the image theme. In other words, the user must memorize the proper sequence. One drawback appears to be the complex nature of the sequence process. As defined in Jansen, if a user feels that he or she will be unable to remember the password, the user will simply write down the password so that recall becomes unnecessary. Also, because the images are typically static (the user can elect to shuffle images between login attempts, but most will likely stay with the simple default configuration), software can be created to automate the process. In this scenario, the authentication requires no human interaction to complete the login, which tremendously decreases the level of security provided. Although the positions of the images can be shuffled within the grid, the fact that they are static means that shuffling only prevents attackers from guessing the likely placement of the sequence, not the images themselves. Moreover, the traditional text password is completely removed from the login process, meaning that the security offered in this solution is only single layer, whereas authentication processes that complement the existing login process provide multiple levels of security.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,222 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0268101 to Gasparini et al. discloses two way authentication including images which serve as customization information so that an entity can authenticate itself to a user, but is otherwise dissimilar.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0210127 to Anderson discloses an authentication key formed from a number of selected icons, e.g., a heart, a spade, and a diamond. During an authentication session, the user is presented with a matrix of icons including the pre-selected icons and other non-authenticating icons. The user selects a number of the presented icons and if the user selects the pre-selected icons (rather than any non-authenticating icons), the user is authenticated. One drawback of Anderson's authentication technique is that it suffers from many of the drawbacks associated with static passwords. For example, if the password is comprised (e.g., an interloper knows of the selected icons for that user), a positive authentication may be recognized for someone other than the actual authenticated user associated with the password.
Since many users share their passwords between multiple accounts, a user may use the same password on sensitive accounts (e.g., online banking, PayPal, email, etc.) as with accounts whose system and infrastructure may not be so secure. If the password is compromised from a less secure account, the password can be used on the more secure accounts. As such, additional levels of security are needed to prevent that password from being used on the user's other accounts, to prevent fraudulent online activity, mobile device abuse and misuse, unwanted personal information disclosure, and defamation via unauthorized social network postings.
A brute force password attack is an exhaustive alphanumeric search that systematically checks all possible letters, numbers, and characters until the correct password is found. In the worst case scenario, this attack would involve traversing the entire search space. A dictionary password attack, on the other hand, is a technique for defeating a password authentication mechanism by searching likely possibilities. A dictionary attack uses a targeted technique of successively trying all the words in a prearranged list of values (e.g., from a dictionary). In contrast with the brute force attack, where a large proportion key space is searched systematically, a dictionary attack tries only those possibilities which are most likely to succeed. Generally, dictionary attacks succeed because many people have a tendency to choose passwords which are short (e.g., 7 characters or fewer), single words found in dictionaries, or simple, easily-predicted variations on words, such as appending a digit.
Countermeasures against dictionary and brute force password attacks include limiting the number of attempts that a password can be tried unsuccessfully, introducing a time delay between successive attempts, and locking accounts out after unsuccessful logon attempts. Website administrators may also prevent a particular IP address from trying more than a predetermined number of password attempts against any account on the site.
However, these countermeasures fall short, since they do not distinguish between an authorized user who barely mistypes their password (or types another one of their passwords) and an unauthorized user whose attempts are nowhere even close, such as in a brute force or dictionary attack. As such, the countermeasures are not able to use this chance to catalog this relevant information about the unauthorized user's suspected breach, and as such, unauthorized users are less likely to be investigated and caught.
Because of these noted shortcomings, an improved system and method is needed to create a security system that is exceedingly difficult for an interloper to compromise, while simultaneously easy for a user to apply and maintain.


Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for registering a multi-port device. A computing device may receive a registration request from a user device supporting multiple ports. In response, the computing device may send to the user device a message including a plurality of telephone numbers and information of associated ports.

A digital voice adaptor or other devices used for voice communication via a network may have multiple ports that can be used in connection with such communication. So that those ports may be used in communication sessions, the device may perform a registration process with the network. Unlike a user device having a single port, user devices supporting multiple ports perform multiple registration processes. Performing separate registration for each port of a multi-port device may be inefficient.


The system ensures the proper placement of bottles which deliver material to a system. The system prevents male components from being mounted on incorrect female components. The male components can be tubes, and the female components can be covers which fit on the openings of bottles. A first key is formed on a first male component and a complementarily-shaped first keyway is formed on a first female component. Additional male and female component pairs have similar key-keyway pairs. Each key and each keyway includes first and second projections. The first projection is located in a reference position, and the second projection is located a predetermined distance from the reference position. This distance for each component pair is selected to identify the particular component pair.

Electrophotographic printers, such as digital proofing and other printing machines produce single color or multicolored prints of an original document. A photoconductor film secured to a carrier member is first charged to a uniform potential to sensitize its imaging surface. The charged surface of the photoconductor film is exposed to an image of the original document, and records an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the informational areas contained within the image of the original document. The latent image is developed with liquid toners or inks. This imaging process may be repeated for each process color, with the images sequentially recorded on the photoconductor film. Typically, magenta, cyan, yellow, and black inks are the four standard colors, and additional special colors also may be used. The developed image is transferred from the photoconductor film to a print medium. Heat and pressure permanently transfer the image to the print medium to complete the process.
Generally, both a concentrate and a replenisher ink in each color is required. Each color has its own tank, valves, plumbing, and developer. If the wrong color ink is installed into a plumbing system, the machine will not print properly and long down-time periods in the field result.
Color coded keying systems for preventing the mismatching of components is well known. However, color coding can not prevent mismatched components from being placed together.
Key and keyway systems also are well known. These systems are commonly known to lock caps on containers such as with drug containers to prevent easy opening. These systems also are used to maintain a proper alignment between two components. Some examples of these systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,730 to Pehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,459 to DeJonge, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,700 to Jupin et al. However, while these systems are known to secure together or align two components, their use for preventing the joining of two components is not documented. As discussed above, there is a need for a key-keyway system to prevent the connecting of improper components such as ink bottles to ink plumbing systems.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A mobile device includes a ground plane, a conductive housing disposed on the ground plane including a sidewall, a first conductive strip spaced apart from the conductive housing, and a second conductive strip electrically connecting the first conductive strip to the conductive housing.

The present invention generally relates to a communication device and, more particularly, to a mobile communication device having an internal monopole antenna integrated with a conductive surface.
One of the components that seem to have been given less consideration at the mobile level by phone manufacturers is the antenna. In fact, little change has been done at the antenna. With the progress in semiconductor manufacturing processes and telecommunications techniques, however, interest in a compact, light-weight and low-profile antenna for mobile devices is growing
A variety of low-profile monopole antennas that are designed to be embedded inside the casings of mobile devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), as internal antennas have been demonstrated recently. However, during conventional antenna design processes, an internal monopole antenna is usually tested in a stand-alone condition without taking into consideration other components such as the shielding metal case of an RF ("radio frequency") module, RF circuitry and the battery, which are disposed near the internal monopole antenna. Failure to integrate the antenna and shielding metal case may generally result in an uneconomical use of the space within a mobile communication device, and may in turn contradict the goal of being compact and low profile.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional mobile device 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile device 10 includes a ground plane 11, a shielding metal case 12, an antenna 13, a shorting pin 14 and a feeding pin 15. The antenna 13, in the form of a printed inverted-F antenna ("PIFA"), is separated from the shielding metal case 12 by an isolation distance d, which is required to avoid coupling effects between the antenna 13 and the shielding metal case 12 or associated nearby components. Such an isolation distance d may generally be about 7 mm (millimeter) or greater so that the performance of the antenna 13 is not degraded by the coupling effects. The requirement for such an isolation distance d limits the effective usage of the internal spacing in a mobile device.
It is therefore desirable to have a mobile device that has a relatively small distance between an internal monopole antenna and a shielding metal case or other nearby components of the mobile device without compromising the performance of the monopole antenna.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a first master component with access to a first slave component while a second master component is accessing a second slave component in a system. The system may include a processor core and peripherals implemented on an integrated circuit. A slave side arbitrator corresponding to a single slave component and coupled to multiple master components can be used to provide a master component access to a slave component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to mastering and arbitration. More specifically, the present application relates to methods and apparatus for allowing multiple master components in a system to access multiple slave components simultaneously.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional systems using a shared bus architecture have several drawbacks. In typical systems with a bus architecture, a single arbitrator controls communication between multiple master components and multiple slave components. To access a slave component, a master component requests control of the bus from the single system bus arbitrator. If no other master component is using the bus at a given moment, the system bus arbitrator can grant the request and provide control of the bus to the master component. The master can then send information to the target slave. However, if another master component is using the bus, the master component would have to wait for access from the system bus arbitrator as only one master component can use the bus at any given time. That is, a first master component wishing to access a first slave component would have to wait until a second master component finished accessing a second slave component because of the requirement that only one master can use the bus at a time. The rule applies even if the first master and the first slave components are idle.
It is therefore desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for master components to access slave components in a system.

Master and slave side arbitrators associated with programmable chip system components


Automated flowline leak sealing can be implemented as a flowline sealing tool assembly. A sealing sleeve is configured to be positioned within a flowline with a circumferential leak. The sealing sleeve includes a pair of ends configured to be positioned on either side of the circumferential leak. A pair of sealing elements are attached to the pair of ends, respectively, and are configured to seal the pair of ends to an inner wall of the flowline on either side of the circumferential leak. A deployment tool includes a hollow cylinder configured to be inserted into and retracted from an inner volume defined by the sealing sleeve. The deployment tool is configured to activate the pair of sealing elements to seal the pair of ends to the inner wall of the flowline on either side of the circumferential leak in response to being retracted from the inner volume.

Flowlines are used to flow fluid between two locations. For example, hydrocarbons such as petroleum, natural gas, or combinations of them, which are produced at a wellsite are flowed through flowlines to processing plants, for example, gas-oil separation plants. Sometimes, flowlines leak, due to, for example, mechanical wear and tear, the corrosive nature of the fluid flow through the flowlines, or other reasons. Repairing the leaks can require stopping fluid flow through the flowlines.

Automated flowline leak sealing system and method


A mower includes a zero turn radius (ZTR) traction unit carrying a front mounted cutting deck. The cutting deck is suspended beneath a carrier frame by a height of cut adjustment system comprising a plurality of pivot links and suspension chains extending between the carrier frame and the cutting deck. A hydraulic cylinder coupled to one of the pivot links can simultaneously lift the chains or permit the chains to lower to change the height of the cutting deck relative to the carrier frame. This same cylinder can also fold the carrier frame and the cutting deck relative to the traction unit about a fold pivot axis when a fold latch is selectively released by the operator. The carrier frame includes a center step for helping the operator mount or dismount the traction unit. The center step has a front viewport for allowing an operator who is seated on the traction unit to view the front edge of the cutting deck.

Mowers are known for cutting grass that comprise a traction unit with a front mounted rotary cutting deck in advance of the traction unit. Such mowers are relatively long when compared with mowers in which the cutting deck is mounted under the belly of the mower. In addition, such mowers typically have the cutting deck suspended or carried from a front carrier frame. Thus, it can be difficult to service the cutting deck or to transport or store the mower when the cutting deck is attached to the traction unit.
Some mowers permit the carrier frame and cutting deck to be folded up relative to the traction unit while still attached to the traction unit. This exposes the underside of the cutting deck for service and reduces the front to back length of the mower for easier storage. However, the mechanisms previously used to fold the carrier frame and cutting deck are unduly complicated and often add substantial expense to the mower. It would be an advance in the art to find a simple, durable and inexpensive way to fold a carrier frame and a cutting deck up relative to a traction unit.
In some mowers of this type, the mower is further elongated by the need for the operator to mount or dismount from the operator's seat. This is often done by having the operator climb up onto the seat from behind the front wheels of the mower. It would be desirable for the operator to be able to mount or dismount from over the front mounted cutting deck, but known mowers of this type do not easily permit this.

Front rotary cutting deck having center step with front viewport


A mirror (1) for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus including a substrate (3) and a reflective coating (5). A functional coating (11) between the substrate (3) and the reflective coating (5) has a local form variation (19) for correcting the surface form of the mirror (1), wherein the local form variation (19) is brought about by a local variation in the chemical composition of the functional coating (11) and wherein a thickness of the reflective coating (5) is not changed by the local variation in the chemical composition of the functional coating (11). The local variation in the chemical composition of the functional coating (11) can be brought about by bombardment with particles (15), for example with hydrogen ions.

The present invention relates to a mirror for use in a microlithography projection exposure apparatus having a substrate and a reflective coating, to a projection lens for use in a microlithography projection exposure apparatus, to a microlithography projection exposure apparatus and also to a method for correcting a surface form of a mirror having a substrate and a reflective coating.
Microlithography projection exposure apparatuses serve for producing microstructured components by means of a photolithographic method. In this case, a structure-bearing mask, the so-called reticle, is imaged onto a photosensitive layer with the aid of a projection optical unit. The minimum feature size that can be imaged with the aid of such a projection optical unit is determined by the wavelength of the imaging light used. The smaller the wavelength of the imaging light used, the smaller the structures that can be imaged with the aid of the projection optical unit. Nowadays, imaging light having a wavelength of 193 nm or imaging light having a wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range, i.e. 5 nm-30 nm, is principally used. When imaging light having a wavelength of 193 nm is used, both refractive optical elements and reflective optical elements are employed within the microlithography projection exposure apparatus. By contrast, when imaging light having a wavelength in the range of 5 nm-30 nm is used, exclusively reflective optical elements (EUV mirrors) are used.
In order to enable a good imaging of the structure-bearing mask onto the photosensitive layer, it is necessary for the imaging aberrations or the wavefront aberrations of the projection optical unit to be reduced as far as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the surface form of, in particular, the mirrors used within the projection optical unit with a high precision.
For correcting the surface form of EUV mirrors, it is known to at least partially locally remove the topmost layer of the reflective coating. However, the layer removal required in this respect is large with respect to the wavefront aberration to be corrected. For correcting the surface form of the mirror, the surface form of the substrate can also be adapted suitably, before the reflective coating is applied, by being locally removed. In this case, however, it is not possible to correct those wavefront aberrations which only arise as a result of the application of the reflective coating or as a result of local changes in the reflective coating during operation.


A remote weapon station (10) includes a firearm (12), which is able to fire ammunitions against a target. A remote control board or panel (14) is arranged at a distance from the firearm (12) and is configured to be activated by an operator, so as to control the firearm (12). An automatic target aiming system (32) is configured to provide the remote control board (14) with target aiming signals, which indicate the position of a target that has to be hit by the firearm (12). The remote control board (14) is assembled on a platform (18) which is adapted to be fitted to an aircraft. A support element (28) mounts on the platform (18) and supports the automatic target aiming system (32) and houses the adjustable firearm (12) in a controlled way by the remote control board (14) as a function of the target aiming signals.

The present invention is relative to a remote weapon station, in particular for aircraft, such as fixed-wing aircraft.
In the military technical field, the use of remote weapon stations (also called RWS) is known, which can be installed on vehicles, such as land vehicles, water vehicles and aircraft.
Generally, remote weapon stations are designed to be installed on a vehicle in such a way as to allow an operator, who is on board the vehicle, to fire ammunitions from a remote position or from a position that is far from the firearm used. In this way, the operator is able to act and shoot on board the vehicle, though being in a protected and sheltered position, where, in particular, he is protected against the enemy's counterattack.

Remote weapon station, in particular for aircraft, such as fixed-wing aircraft


There is provided a system and method of enabling asynchronous push-based applications on a wireless device in a system having an application gateway server including an application repository and a server proxy including an event sink for communicating between the system and the device. The method comprises reading a Web service interface, generating a Web service interface therefrom conforming to a notification protocol, creating a notification-based application bundle for the Web service, publishing the notification-based application bundle, creating an event source. The system comprises an application gateway server, an application repository and an application registry. The application gateway includes an event sink for communicating between the system and the device. The application gateway server is configured for communication with a backend server including an event source.

Due to the proliferation of wireless networks, there are a continually increasing number of wireless devices in use today. These devices include mobile telephones, personal digital assistance (PDAs) with wireless communication capabilities, two-way pagers and the like. Concurrently with the increase of available wireless devices, software applications running on such devices have increased their utility. For example, the wireless device may include an application that retrieves a weather report for a list of desired cities or an application that allows a user to shop for groceries. These software applications take advantage of the ability to transmit data of the wireless network in order to provide timely and useful services to users, often in addition to voice communication. However, due to a plethora of different types of devices, restricted resources of some devices, and complexity of delivering large amounts of data to the devices, developing software applications remains a difficult and time-consuming task.
Currently, devices are configured to communicate with Web Services through Internet-based browsers and/or native applications. Browsers have the advantage of being adaptable to operate on a cross-platform basis for a variety of different devices, but have a disadvantage of requesting pages (screen definitions in HTML) from the Web Service, which hinders the persistence of data contained in the screens. A further disadvantage of browsers is that the screens are rendered at runtime, which can be resource intensive. Applications for browsers are efficient tools for designing platform independent applications. Accordingly, different runtime environments, regardless of the platform, execute the same application. However, since difference wireless devices have different capabilities and form factors, the application may not be executed or displayed as desired. Further, browser based application often require significant transfer bandwidth to operate efficiently, which may be costly or even unavailable for some wireless devices.
Current push applications available for mobile devices are proprietary implementations that have not been constructed using a standard specification for the subscription/notification model. Currently there is no known framework to build a mobile application generically, describe it as a 'notification enabled' application by pinpointing the notification components and put it in a context from which it can be available to the device for download and point and click execution.
Systems and methods disclosed herein provide a communication system for enabling asynchronous push-based applications on wireless devices to obviate or mitigate at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages.

System and method for enabling asynchronous push-based applications on a wireless device


There is provided a pneumatic tire having improved wet grip performance and fuel efficiency in a good balance. The pneumatic tire is provided with a tread composed of a rubber composition comprising not less than 0.5 part by mass of silica and not less than 5 parts by mass of a resin based on 100 parts by mass of a rubber component comprising 40 to 100% by mass of a styrene-butadiene rubber and 0 to 60% by mass of a butadiene rubber, wherein an adhesive force of the rubber composition measured by the specified adhesion test method is not less than 300 when an adhesive force of a reference rubber composition wherein the whole amount of resin has been replaced by oil is assumed to be 100, and a ratio of a loss tangent tan δ0° C. at 0° C. of the rubber composition to a loss tangent tan δ70° C. at 70° C. of the rubber composition (tan δ0° C./tan δ70° C. is from 3.0 to 10.

Recently reduction of fuel consumption of a vehicle has been achieved by decreasing rolling resistance of a tire to inhibit heat generation of the tire. A demand for enhancement of fuel efficiency of a vehicle is increasing, and among tire components, excellent heat build-up characteristic (fuel efficiency) is required in particular for a tread having a high share in the tire components. Further, in the light of safety during running of a vehicle, wet grip performance is also required for a tread.
Generally in order to enhance fuel efficiency, it is effective to decrease a hysteresis loss (tan δ) of a rubber composition. Further, in order to enhance wet grip performance, a method of increasing a frictional force of a hysteresis loss friction, an adhesive friction and a digging-up friction is considered.
However, when a hysteresis loss is decreased to enhance fuel efficiency, there is a problem that a hysteresis loss friction becomes small and wet grip performance is deteriorated. That is, it is difficult to make fuel efficiency compatible with wet grip performance only by a viscoelastic property (tan δ).
It is considered to enhance wet grip performance by increasing an adhesive friction. For example, a method of enhancing an adhesive frictional force by increasing an amount of a softening agent such as oil to increase an amount of an adhesive substance generated in a rubber composition. However, if an amount of the generated adhesive substance is large, there is a problem that abrasion resistance is lowered.
JP 2012-036370 A describes a method of improving fuel efficiency, grip performance and abrasion resistance by a rubber composition comprising a molten mixture of a specific solid resin and a specific softening agent. However, an adhesive force of the rubber composition is not described, and there is still room for improvement with respect to enhancement of wet grip performance and fuel efficiency in a good balance.


A system and method for object deletion in persistent memory using bitmap windows representing memory chunks. In accordance with an embodiment, the system can generally be used with computing environments that use persistent memory, such as smart cards, Java Cards, and other resource-constrained environments. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a processor or computational engine and a persistent memory for storage of software objects; and a data structure which can include one or more memory bitmap windows, each of which represents a chunk of addressable space in the persistent memory; wherein the system uses the one or more memory bitmap windows in deleting non-reachable objects from the persistent memory.

A typical resource-constrained environment, such as a smart card or similar execution environment or device, may have limited random access memory resources, and instead use persistent memory as a default location for creating and storing software objects.
Such environments have a need for reclaiming persistent memory which is in use by objects that have become garbage by virtue of being nonreachable from a defined set of roots. Garbage collection algorithms which may be useful in other environments, such as Java SE, often rely on techniques such as moving or marking the objects directly. However, these techniques are not as useful in a resource-constrained, smart card, or similar execution environment, since moving or marking objects in persistent memory is a time-consuming, and potentially damaging, operation given that only a limited number of data writes can be made to a persistent memory device before it wears out.

System and method for object deletion in persistent memory using bitmap windows


A fuse bank for use in the laser break-link programming of an integrated circuit device. The fuse bank uses fuse elements with two ends that contain fusible regions proximate the first end and non-fusible regions proximate the second end. The fuse elements are aligned in alternately oriented parallel rows so that the first end of each fuse element is juxtaposed with the second end of any adjacent fuse element. By sequentially alternating the orientation of the fuse elements in the fuse bank, the fuse elements can be formed in a highly dense matter without bringing any two fusible regions too close to one another. Accordingly, a laser can be used to sever selected fusible regions without adversely effecting other fusible regions within the fuse bank. By alternating the orientations of sequential fuse elements, a fuse bank can be created that is twice as dense as single orientation fuse banks with only a 30% to 50% increase in size. The space savings on an integrated circuit enables more circuitry per unit space and promotes the further miniaturization of the integrated circuit device.

Semiconductor integrated circuits contain large numbers of electronic devices such as diodes and transistors built onto a single crystal or chip, often made of silicon. Since these devices are so small, their operational integrity is very susceptible to imperfections or impurities in the crystal. The failure of a single transistor in a circuit may render that circuit non-functional.
In order to circumvent this problem, the semiconductor industry regularly builds redundant circuits on the same chip. Therefore, if a faulty circuit is discovered during testing, the faulty circuit can be disabled and its redundant circuit enabled. Often, this switching to a redundant circuit is accomplished by blowing certain fuses built into the circuitry of the chip. Those fuses signal the location of the defective element and enable a substitute element in a redundant circuit bank.
In the case of memory ICs, memory cells are usually arranged in rows and columns. Each memory cell is addressed by a particular row and column. By blowing the correct combination of fuses, circuitry which addresses the faulty elements, can be isolated and replaced with circuitry which addressed a corresponding redundant element.
A common method of selectively blowing fuses in a fuse bank is by the use of a laser, wherein energy from the laser is selectively directed toward the various fuses. The laser melts the selected fuses and isolates the defective circuits. This process is commonly known as laser break-link programming or laser programming.
The process of laser break-link programming, however, does have its drawbacks. Primary among them is the required size of the fuse bank in order to effectively use a laser. As a laser is directed against surface of a chip, it generally burns a round crater onto whatever surface the laser strikes. When used to melt a fuse, the diameter of the crater made by the laser must be wider than the fuse to ensure that the fuse is completely severed. However, the crater caused by the laser can not be too wide or else the laser will melt fuses positioned next to the targeted fuse. Consequently, prior art fuse banks need to be manufactured with relatively large spaces between the various fuses in the fuse bank. Due to semiconductor circuit manufacturing tolerances and laser light tolerances, the typical fuse bank must have a spacing of at least 4.5 .mu.M to 5.4 .mu.M in order for laser break-link programming to be used. This required spacing often causes multiple fuse banks to be present at various places on a integrated circuit chip. This consumes a significant amount of space on the chip, limiting further miniaturizing of the integrated circuits.
The prior art is replete with different fuse bank structures that attempt to reduce the size of fuse banks. Such prior art references are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,291 to Fisher, entitled METHOD OF MAKING SEVERABLE CONDUCTIVE PATH IN AN INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT DEVICE; U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,418 to Graham et al. entitled SEMICONDUCTOR FUSE PROGRAMMABLE ARRAY STRUCTURE; U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,801 to McClure et al. entitled METALLIC FUSE WITH OPTICALLY ABSORPTIVE LAYER; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,300 to Billing et al, entitled INTEGRATED CIRCUITS HAVING IMPROVED FUSIBLE LINKS. Such prior art references provide structures that absorb laser radiation and increase the effectiveness of the laser. However, such prior art systems are still limited by the size of the laser, wherein the spacing between fusible links must be large enough to accommodate the diameter of the laser beam.
It is therefor an objective of the present invention to provide a fuse bank with an increased density of fusible links, wherein the distance between separate elements in the fuse bank is less than the diameter of the laser beam used to sever those elements.
It is a further objective of the present invention to increase the density of a fuse bank by 100% while increasing the size of the fuse bank by less than 50%.

Double density fuse bank for the laser break-link programming of an integrated circuit


Systems and methods for detecting fluorescent light by providing a filter assembly including an excitation filter and an emission filter.

Systems for detecting fluorescence can include multiple detectors to provide singular detection for each sample analyzed. These systems can include singular excitation for each sample analyzed. These systems can include multiple excitation for each sample analyzed. These systems can include filters to separate the excitation wavelengths from the emission wavelengths. It can be desirable to include filters to provide both excitation filtering and emission filtering.


A packaging device generally includes a flexible inner container, a flexible outer container, and a one-way valve in fluid communication with the inner container. Articles to be packaged are contained within the inner container, and the inner container is positioned within the outer container. When the containers are closed and pressure is applied to the outer container, ambient fluid trapped within the outer container transfers the pressure to the inner container, thereby urging fluid flow from the inner container, through the one-way valve, and out of the packaging device.

The present invention relates to flexible packaging devices and methods for using the same to package one or more articles therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to flexible packaging devices of a type that permits fluid to be expelled from the interior of the package, thereby reducing the volume of fluid in contact with the packaged articles.
When packaging perishable articles, such as food items, it is often desired to package such items in the substantial absence of air, as this extends the freshness/shelf-life of the packaged article by reducing the amount of air-borne oxygen that can contact and react with the article. This packaging technique is often referred to as "vacuum packaging" because a vacuum is applied to the interior of the package just before sealing the articles within package. The freshness and shelf-life of the article is thus enhanced during shipment, storage, and display at a point-of-sale facility, e.g., a grocery store, until the time that the package is opened by the end-use consumer.
For the same reasons that it is desirable to vacuum-package a perishable item for shipment and storage, it would also be desirable, from the standpoint of the end-use consumer, to have the ability to repackage any unconsumed items in a 'vacuum-like' environment, i.e., with minimal air-contact with the unconsumed items. This would both slow the rate of oxygen-degradation of the unconsumed items, and also potentially minimize the amount of storage-space required by reducing the volume of air within the package.
Any device that provides the consumer with the ability to effect in-home vacuum-packaging would ideally be simple, easy-to-use, and inexpensive. Moreover, such device would preferably be reusable and would provide air-removal in a manner that avoids crushing or otherwise damaging delicate items, such as berries, breakfast cereal, etc.
A need still exists in the art for such a device.

Packaging device and method of using the same


The apparatus for processing an image recorded in a black box for a vehicle includes an information collector, a mode determiner, an encoder and a controller. The information collector is configured to collect information on a road on which a vehicle is being driven. The mode determiner is configured to determine an inter mode when the road information collected by the information collector indicates a suburban road and determine an intra mode when the road information indicates a city road. The encoder is configured to encode the image recorded in the black box. The controller is configured to control the encoder to encode the image with an encoding mode determined by the mode determiner.

Generally, a process of encoding moving pictures includes processes of image preprocessing, motion estimation and compensation, transform, quantization, variable length coding, determination of an encoding mode, a transmission rate control, and the like.
Here, in the determination of the encoding mode, a motion is estimated in an integer pixel unit and then it is determined whether a macro block is encoded with the intra mode or with the inter mode.
In the intra mode, the macro block is encoded by the processes of transform, quantization, and variable length coding. In this case, the motion estimation and compensation are not required.
On the other hand, in the inter mode, the motion estimation is performed on a current block and a motion vector (MV) is obtained as a displacement from a predicted block for the current block.
Next, after the motion is compensated from the motion vector (MV), a pixel value of the predicted block is subtracted from the current block to make a residual block and then the residual block is encoded by the same method as the intra macro block. In this case, the motion vector (MV) and texture information of the residual block are transmitted to a decoder, in which the decoder may add the quantized residual block to the predicted block by the motion vector to obtain a reconstructed image for the current block.
However, the moving pictures having less motion have a lot of temporal correlation and therefore a residual signal of the residual block is very small in a current frame.
Therefore, the number of bits required to encode the residual signal and the number of bits required to encode the motion vector are smaller than the number of bits required to encode the current block. In this case, the inter mode is appropriate.
On the other hand, when region generations, which overlap or are exposed by a rapid motion or a motion of an object, and a scene change occur, it is difficult to predict the macro block.
Therefore, since the number of bits required to encode the motion vector and the residual signal is larger than the number of bits required to encode a block of an original image, encoding the original image with the intra mode is preferable in terms of encoding efficiency and subjective image quality.
The method for determining an encoding mode according to the related art needs to include a process of comparing energy of the predicted residual signal with energy of the original image to determine the intra mode or the inter mode and therefore it takes a long encoding time due to a complicated computing process.

Apparatus and method for processing image recorded in black box for vehicle


A method of laser welding a workpiece stack-up (10) of overlapping steel workpieces (12, 14) involves heat-treating a region (64) of the stack-up (10) followed by forming a laser weld joint (66) that is located at least partially within the heat-treated region (64). During heat-treating, one or more pre-welding laser beams (68) are sequentially directed at a top surface (20) of the workpiece stack-up (10) and advanced along a pre-welding beam travel pattern (70) so as to reduce an amount of vaporizable zinc within the stack-up (10). Thereafter, the laser weld joint (66) is formed by directing a welding laser beam (82) at the top surface (20) of the workpiece stack-up (10) and advancing the welding laser beam (82) along a welding beam travel pattern (84) that at least partially overlaps with a coverage area of a pre-welding beam travel pattern (70) or a shared coverage area portion of multiple pre-welding beam travel patterns (70). The method can help reduce an amount of vaporizable zinc within the stack-up (10).

Laser welding is a metal joining process in which a laser beam is directed at a metal workpiece stack-up to provide a concentrated energy source capable of effectuating a weld joint between the overlapping constituent metal workpieces. In general, two or more metal workpieces are first aligned and stacked relative to one another such that their faying surfaces overlap and confront to establish a faying interface (or faying interfaces) that extends through an intended weld site. A laser beam is then directed towards and impinges a top surface of the workpiece stack-up. The heat generated from the absorption of energy from the laser beam initiates melting of the metal workpieces down through the metal workpiece impinged by the laser beam and into the underlying metal workpiece(s) to a depth that intersects each of the established faying interfaces. And, if the power density of the laser beam is high enough, a keyhole is produced within the workpiece stack-up. A keyhole is a column of vaporized metal derived from the metal workpieces within the workpiece stack-up that may include plasma. The keyhole is surrounded by molten workpiece metal and is an effective absorber of energy from the laser beam.
The laser beam creates the molten pool and the keyhole, if present, in very short order once it impinges the top surface of the workpiece stack-up. After the metal workpieces are initially melted, the laser beam may be advanced relative to the top surface of the workpiece stack-up, which has conventionally involved moving the laser beam along a weld path of relatively simple geometry. As the laser beam is advanced along the top surface of the stack-up, the molten workpiece metal flows around and behind the advancing laser beam within the workpiece stack-up. This penetrating molten workpiece metal quickly solidifies in the wake of the advancing laser beam into resolidified metal workpiece material. Eventually, the transmission of the laser beam at the top surface of the workpiece stack-up is ceased, at which time the keyhole collapses, if present, and any molten workpiece metal still remaining within the stack-up solidifies. The collective resolidified metal workpiece material obtained by operation of the laser beam constitutes a laser weld joint that autogenously fusion welds the overlapping metal workpieces together.
The automotive industry is interested in using laser welding to manufacture parts that can be installed on a vehicle. In one example, a vehicle door body may be fabricated from an inner door panel and an outer door panel that are joined together by a plurality of laser welds. The inner and outer door panels are first stacked relative to each other and secured in place by clamps. A laser beam is then successively directed at multiple weld sites around the stacked panels in accordance with a programmed sequence to form the plurality of laser weld joints. The process of laser welding inner and outer door panels—as well as other vehicle component parts such as those used to fabricate hoods, deck lids, body structures such as body sides and cross-members, load-bearing structural members, engine compartments, etc.—is typically an automated process that can be carried out quickly and efficiently. The aforementioned desire to laser spot weld metal workpieces is not unique to the automotive industry; indeed, it permeates to other industries that may utilize laser welding including the aviation, maritime, railway, and building construction industries, among others.
The use of laser welding to join together certain metal workpieces often used in manufacturing practices can present challenges. For example, steel workpieces often include a surface coating of a zinc-based material (e.g., zinc or a zinc alloy) for corrosion protection. Zinc has a boiling point of about 906° C., while the melting point of the underlying base steel substrate it coats is typically greater than 1300° C. Thus, when a steel workpiece that includes a surface coating of a zinc-based material is laser welded, high-pressure zinc vapors are readily produced at the surfaces of the steel workpiece and have a tendency to disrupt the laser welding process. In particular, the zinc vapors produced at the faying interface(s) of the stacked steel workpieces can diffuse into the molten steel created by the laser beam unless an alternative escape outlet is provided through the workpiece stack-up. When an adequate escape outlet is not provided, zinc vapors may remain trapped in the molten steel as it cools and solidifies, which may lead to defects in the resulting laser weld joint, such as porosity, as well as other weld joint discrepancies including blowholes, spatter, and undercut joints. These weld joint deficiencies, if sever enough, can unsatisfactorily degrade the mechanical properties of the laser weld joint.
To deter high-pressure zinc vapors from diffusing into the molten steel, conventional manufacturing procedures have called for laser scoring or mechanical dimpling at least one of the two steel workpieces at each faying interface where a zinc-based coating is present before laser welding is conducted. Each of those techniques creates spaced apart protruding features that impose a gap of about 0.2-0.8 millimeters between the faying surfaces involved, which provides an escape path to guide zinc vapors along the faying interface and away from the weld site. But the formation of these protruding features adds an additional step to the overall laser welding process that is often carried out by dedicated scoring/dimpling equipment. Furthermore, the formation of protruding features may require the implementation of extra provisions to help counteract undercut weld joints. It would therefore be a welcome addition to the art if two or more steel workpieces—at least one of which includes a surface coating of a zinc-based material—could be laser welded together without having to necessarily score or dimple any of the steel workpieces in order to consistently form a durable weld joint with sufficient strength and other mechanical properties.

Method for laser welding steel workpieces


Examples describe systems and methods for iteratively determining a signal strength map for a wireless access point (AP) aligned to position coordinates, positions of a device, and positions of the wireless APs. An example method includes selecting traces and a wireless AP among the traces for which data is indicative of a threshold amount of information to estimate a position of the device and a position of the wireless AP, selecting first characteristics from the traces to remain constant and second characteristics to be variable, and selecting a localization constraint that provides boundaries on the position of the device and the position of the wireless AP. The method also includes performing a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) optimization of the position of the device and the position of the wireless AP based on the localization constraint with the first characteristics held constant and the second characteristics allowed to vary.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A location of a computing device can be determined using many different techniques including based either on Global Positioning System (GPS) data or on data associated with a wireless access point, such as a cellular base station or an 802.11 access point. For example, a mobile computing device may receive a GPS signal and responsively determine its position on the face of the Earth (e.g. an absolute location). In a different example, a mobile computing device may receive a signal from either a cellular base station or an 802.11 access point. The cellular base station or an 802.11 access point may estimate an exact location. Based on the location of either the cellular base station or an 802.11 access point, the mobile computing device can calculate its exact position.
Within some instances, a localization of a mobile computing device may occur via use of data from multiple different networks. Many location based services can be provided to a mobile computing device based on determining the location of the mobile computing device.

Determining and aligning a position of a device and a position of a wireless access point (AP)


Invented are non-peptide TPO mimetics. Also invented is a method of treating thrombocytopenia, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises administering to such mammal an effective amount of a selected substituted thiosemicarbazone derivative.

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a 332-amino acid glycosylated polypeptide which plays a key role in the regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis, the process in which platelets are produced from bone marrow megakaryocytes. See Kuter et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91: 11104–11108 (1994); Barley et al., Cell 77:1117–1124 (1994); Kaushansky et al., Nature 369:568–571 (1994); Wendling et al., Nature 369: 571–574 (1994); and Sauvage et al., Nature 369: 533–538 (1994). IPO is produced in the liver but exerts its main function in the bone marrow, where it stimulates the differentiation of stem cells into megakaryocyte progenitors as well as megakaryocyte proliferation, polyploidization and, ultimately, their fragmentation into circulating platelet bodies. TPO is also the primary regulator of situations involving thrombocytopenia and has been shown in a number of studies to increase platelet counts, increase platelet size, and increase isotope incorporation into platelets of recipient animals. See, e.g., Metcalf Nature 369:519–520 (1994). Specifically, TPO is thought to affect megakaryocytopoiesis in several ways: (1) it produces increases in megakaryocyte size and number; (2) it produces an increase in DNA content, in the form of polyploidy, in megakaryocytes; (3) it increases megakaryocyte endomitosis; (4) it produces increased maturation of megakaryocytes; and (5) it produces an increase in the percentage of precursor cells, in the form of small acetylcholinesterase-positive cells, in the bone marrow.
Platelets are necessary for blood clotting and when their numbers are very low a patient is at risk of death from catastrophic hemorrhage. Thus, TPO has potential useful application in both the diagnosis and the treatment of various hematological disorders, for example, diseases primarily due to platelet defects. Likewise, TPO has potential application in the treatment of thrombocytopenic conditions, especially those derived from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or bone marrow transplantation as treatment for cancer or lymphoma. Indeed, ongoing clinical trials in cancer patients have shown that recombinant human TPO is effective in decreasing the platelet nadir and enhancing platelet recovery when given with high-dose carboplatin chemotherapy. See Basser Blood, 1997, 89: 3118. Similar results have also been obtained in clinical studies with pegylated megakaryocyte differentiation factor (peg-MGDF, a pegylated truncated N-terminal fragment of human TPO). See e.g., Fanucchi (1997) N Engl J Med, 336: 404.
Because the slow recovery of platelet levels in patients suffering from thrombocytopenia is a serious problem, it would be desirable to provide compounds which allow for the treatment of thrombocytopenia by acting as a TPO mimetic. A few years ago, the development of TPO peptide mimetics was reported (WO 96/4018, WO 96/40750, WO 98/25965). These peptides were designed to bind and activate the TPO-R but have no sequence homology to the natural TPO. In recent years, a number of small-molecule agents with TPO mimetic activity been reported. These include 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones (JP11001477), metal complexes derived from Schiff base ligands (WO 99/11262), cyclic polyamine derivatives (WO 00/28987), thiazol-2-yl-benzamides (WO 01/07423, WO 01/53267), azo-aryl derivatives (WO 00/35446, WO 1/17349), 2-aryl-naphthimidazoles (WO 01/39773, WO 01/53267) and semicarbazone derivatives (WO 01/34585). In cell-based systems, all these molecules can activate signal transduction pathways that are dependent on the presence of the TPO receptor on the cell membrane, suggesting some type of direct interaction with the TPO receptor itself. As disclosed herein it has unexpectedly been discovered that certain substituted thiosemicarbazone derivatives are very effective and potent agonists of the TPO receptor. Some of the most preferred compounds of this class were found to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of TPO-responsive human cell lines and human bone marrow cultures with full TPO efficacy at concentrations below 100 nM.


A compound cycle engine (10) comprises a compressor (19) and a turbine section (16 & 20), and at least one cycle topping device (12) cooperating with the turbine section (16 & 20) to provide power. The cycle topping device (12) has an output shaft (26) extending at an angle to the turbine shaft (28). Angled gearing (34) is provided for connecting the gas turbine shaft (28) and the cycle topping device (12).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compound cycle engines and, more particularly, to a compact compound engine package suitable for aircraft applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been attempts to developed compound cycle engines having internal combustion engines and turbine engines, coupled together to provide a common output. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,282. However, to date, proposed compound cycle engine designs have been bulky and therefore failed to detail a complete solution to the integration of a cycle topping device, such as a rotary combustion engine, with a gas turbine in a compact packaging suitable for aero applications, such as aviation.
Moreover, prior art compound cycle engine designs have been weak in providing solutions to the cooling of internal combustion engines which are practical and realistically viable in an aircraft environment.


Systems and methods differentiate weather, such as storm cells and/or turbulence regions, based on location relative to a planned flight path of an aircraft. An exemplary embodiment compares a location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to the planned flight path of the aircraft. In response to the location of the weather region being outside of the region of space, an icon is presented on a display corresponding to the weather using a first icon format. In response to location of the weather being within the region of space, the icon corresponding to the weather is presented on the display using a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format.

An aircraft employs a variety of turbulence detection systems to identify and indicate regions of turbulence near the aircraft. For example, information received from a radar system may be used to identify nearby storm cells and/or turbulence regions. The location of the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions may then be indicated to the crew of the aircraft on a display. For example, icons corresponding to the storm cells and/or turbulence regions may be presented on the display. An icon can be of fixed shape and/or size. Additionally, an icon can depict an arbitrarily shaped area with a distinctive pattern, color, and/or boundary that corresponds to the actual size of the weather-related phenomenon.
The graphical display of the icons corresponding to the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions on the display is limited since the display presents a two dimensional plan view of the weather information with respect to the aircraft. That is, displayed graphic icons corresponding to the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions indicate a length and a width of the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions. However, the icons do not graphically display vertical information (i.e., the altitude) for the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions. Prior art solutions include presentation of altitude information using alpha numerical text.
However, it may be difficult and time consuming for the crew of the aircraft to discern and understand the presented alpha numeric altitude information of the storm cells and/or the turbulence regions. Further, once the crew appreciates the altitude information, they must make decisions as to the relevance and/or significance of the altitude information.
For example, if a severe turbulence region lies within the planned flight path, the crew may decide to alter the planned flight path to avoid the severe turbulence. On the other hand, the altitude information of the severe turbulence region may be different than the altitude of the planned flight path. Accordingly, the crew may not wish to alter the planned flight path to avoid the severe turbulence region.
However, the above described process of identifying turbulence regions, appreciating the significance of the location of the severe turbulence region with respect to the planned flight path, and then making a decision to adjust or not adjust the planned flight path, may take a significant amount of time and attention of the aircraft crew. Further, the distraction to the aircraft crew when considering the above-described information regarding identified turbulence regions may divert their attention from other matters. Accordingly, it is desirable to present information pertaining to the relative location and relative significance of turbulence regions in a manner that may be quickly and easily understood by the aircraft crew.

Systems and methods for location-based discrimination of turbulence