Provided is a system 10 which supports a user's behavior by generating a behavioral decision function indicating behavior to be adopted to a certain target. The system 10 includes: a data acquiring section 110 which acquires a cost caused as a result of adopting each of a plurality of behaviors to a target as training data for generating the behavioral decision function, the plurality of behaviors having already been adopted to the target; and a function generator 120 which generates, based on the training data, the behavioral decision function to minimize the expected shortfall of a cost to be obtained as a result of adopting the behavior to the target.

The present invention relates to a system for supporting a user's behavior, and particularly relates to a system which supports a user's behavior by generating a behavioral decision function.
Classification learning is studied as a basic technique of data mining. An object of the classification learning is to output behavior on a certain target, which should be adopted in the future, based on information showing the result of behavior which was adopted to the target in the past (hereinafter, referred to as training data). If this technique is applied, according to the past events, it is possible to suggest the most statistically appropriate (e.g., the number of errors is minimized) behavior to a user to support a user's behavior.
The classification learning can be applied to various technical fields as follows:
(1) Diagnosis in the Medical Field
Target: test result of patient
Behavior: whether or not a certain treatment should be performed
Training data in this example is information showing whether or not a certain treatment was successful when the treatment was performed in the past on a patient having a certain test result. According to the classification learning, it is possible to predict the appropriateness of a treatment on a future patient based on such training data.
(2) Credit Assessment in the Financial Field
Target: credit history of applicant for loan
Behavior: whether or not a loan is granted
Training data in this example is information showing whether or not a bond was collectible when a loan was made in the past for an applicant having a certain credit history. According to the classification learning, it is possible to judge whether or not to finance a certain applicant in the future based on such training data.
(3) Topic Classification in a Search Engine
Target: webpages of news
Behavior: classification into economic, sport, and political fields
Training data in this example is information showing whether or not the classification was appropriate when a certain webpage was classified into a certain field in the past. According to the classification learning, a webpage which will be created in the future can be classified appropriately based on such training data.
In general, an object of such classification learning is to accurately predict behavior to be adopted to a target. In other words, the classification learning aims to minimize the number and probability of errors in behaviors.
However, minimizing the number of errors alone may not be sufficient in some problems. For example, in the case of the above example (1), there is a clear difference between a loss (hereinafter, referred to as a cost) caused as a result of diagnosing a healthy patient with a disease and then performing an unnecessary treatment and a cost caused as a result of leaving a sick patient alone and then leading to his/her death. Moreover, there may be a case where a cost is different according to the social status of a patient. Similarly, in the case of the above example (2), a cost caused as a result of refusing a loan to an excellent applicant is an interest alone. However, a cost caused as a result of granting a loan to a bad applicant may be the entire amount of the loan. The cost is different also in this case according to the respective amount of his/her loan and degree of his/her badness.
As an applicable technique in such a case where costs are different among each target and behavior and they are unknown when prediction is made, cost-sensitive learning has conventionally been proposed (please refer to: N. Abe and B. Zadrozny. An interactive method for multi-class cost-sensitive learning. In Proceedings of ACM SIGKDD Conference, 2004; J. P. Bradford, C. Kunz, R. Kohavi, C. Brunk, and C. E. Brodley. Pruning decision trees with misclassification costs. In Proceedings of the 9th European Conference on Machine Learning (ECML), 1998; P. Domingos. MetaCost: A general method for making classifier cost sensitive. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, pages 155-164, 1999; C. Elkan. The foundations of cost-sensitive learning. In Proceedings of the 17th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI), pages 973-978, 2001; W. Fan, S. J. Stolfo, J. Zhang, and P. K. Chan. Ada-Cost: Misclassification cost sensitive boosting. In Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), pages 97-105, 1999; P. Geibel, U. Bredford, and F. Wysotzki. Perceptron and SVM learning with generalized cost models. Intelligent Data Analysis, 8(5):439-455, 2004; B. Zadrozny and C. Elkan. Learning and making decisions when costs and probabilities are both unknown. In Proceedings of ACM SIGKDD Conference, 2001; B. Zadrozny, J. Langford, and N. Abe. Cost-sensitive learning by cost-proportionate example weighting. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM), pages 435-442, 2003; and Suzuki. More Advantageous Learning than Accurate Learning—Classification Learning Considering Misclassification Costs—(1) (2). Information Processing, 45(4-5), 2004). An object of the cost-sensitive learning is not to minimize the rate of behavioral errors, but to minimize the expected value of a cost. Therefore, it is possible to handle problems in a wider range.
Hereinafter, more detailed descriptions will be given of the cost-sensitive learning. Firstly, problems targeted in the cost-sensitive learning will be defined by the following (1) to (3).
(1) Cost Function
A cost means an indicator which shows a loss caused as a result of behavior adopted to a certain target, for example. Assume that X is a set of targets (for example, X=RM) and that Y is a set of behaviors which can be adopted to the targets. It should be noted that Y is assumed to be a discrete and finite set. A cost caused as a result of adopting behavior yεY on a target xεX is assumed to be c(x, y)εR.
For example, the badness of a result caused when a certain treatment y is performed on a patient having a test result x is c(x, y). If the treatment is appropriate, c(x, y) is small. If the treatment is inappropriate, c(x, y) is large. If the treatment y is extremely inappropriate as a treatment for the patient and leads to his/her death, the cost becomes very large. Incidentally, in a problem setting (please refer to J. P. Bradford, C. Kunz, R. Kohavi, C. Brunk, and C. E. Brodley. Pruning decision trees with misclassification costs. In Proceedings of the 9th European Conference on Machine Learning (ECML), 1998) in the early study stage, handled is a simple case where: the cost does not depend on x directly; classes are set as latent variables; the cost depends on the class and the behavior; and moreover, the scale of the cost is already known. Here, handled is a more common case where costs are different according to targets and a real cost function c(x, y) is unknown (please refer to B. Zadrozny and C. Elkan. Learning and making decisions when costs and probabilities are both unknown. In Proceedings of ACM SIGKDD Conference, 2001).
(2) Behavior Decision Model
X is assumed to be a set of targets (for example, X=RM), and Y is assumed to be a (discrete and finite) set of behaviors which can be adopted for the targets. A function used for deciding the behavior yεY to the target xεX is assumed to be the following equation (1).(Equation 1)h(x,y;θ):X×Y→R  Equation 1
Here, θ is a parameter of the model. In general, using this, behavior y′ which should be adopted is alternatively decided by the following equation 2. h(x, y; θ) may have a probabilistic constraint as in the following equation 3.
                    (                  Equation                                                              2                )                                                                      y          ′                =                              argmax                          y              ∈              Y                                                                                h                                      (                              x                ,                                  y                  ;                  θ                                            )                                                          Equation                                                  2                                (                  Equation                                                              3                )                                                                                ∑                          y              ∈              Y                                                      h                                      (                              x                ,                                  y                  ;                  θ                                            )                                      =                              1                                      s              .              t              .                              h                                                  (                                      x                    ,                                          y                      ;                      θ                                                        )                                                              ≥          0                                    Equation                                                  3
In other words, when the target xεX is given, behavior decision on this may probabilistically be made by equation 3 instead of equation 2. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the behavior decision is a resource distribution type, that is, it is a case where the number of behaviors which can actually be adopted is not one but a diversified investment can be made in h (x, y; θ) in terms of the resource in accordance with the proportion thereof. However, behavior is alternatively decided by equation 2 in the embodiment of the present invention.
In addition, c(x, h, (θ)) is assumed to be a cost caused when behavior on x is decided by using h(x, y; θ). In the case (1) of an alternative action, c(x, h(θ)) is described in the following equation 4.
                    (                  Equation                                                              4                )                                                                      c                                (                          x              ,                              h                                                  (                  θ                  )                                                      )                          =                  c          (                      x            ,                                          argmax                                  y                  ∈                  Y                                                                                h                                                  (                                      x                    ,                                          y                      ;                      θ                                                        )                                                              )                                    Equation                                                  4
In a case of a diversified-investment typed action, the definition is not necessarily obvious. However, here, as a simpler case, c(x, h, (θ)) is assumed, as shown in equation 5, that a cost produced by each action is proportional to an investment amount.
                    (                  Equation                                                              5                )                                                                      c                                (                          x              ,                              h                                                  (                  θ                  )                                                      )                          =                              ∑                          y              ∈              Y                                                                    h                                            (                                  x                  ,                                      y                    ;                    θ                                                  )                                                                c                                            (                                  x                  ,                  y                                )                                                                        Equation                                                  5            (3) Training Data
A target and a cost are considered to be uniformly generated from a probability distribution D defined by X×RY, and a set E of N pieces of data which have been sampled from D is assumed to be given. Here, the i-th training data of E is assumed to be e(i)=(x(i), {c(i)(x(i), y)}yεY). x(i)εX is assumed to be the i-th target of the training data, and the cost c(i)(x(i), y) is assumed to be given to each action yεY on the i-th target.
With regard to the above problems, conventionally, used is a method whose object is to minimize the expected value of a cost in a classification problem which requires a consideration into a cost. Specifically, although θ is desired to be decided in a manner of minimizing an expected cost (equation 6) with respect to the distribution D of the data, since the distribution D is actually unknown, the parameter θ is to be decided in a manner of minimizing an experienced expectation cost (equation 7) (please refer to N. Abe and B. Zadrozny. An interactive method for multi-class cost-sensitive learning. In Proceedings of ACM SIGKDD Conference, 2004, P. Geibel, U. Bredford, and F. Wysotzki. Perceptron and SVM learning with generalized cost models. Intelligent Data Analysis, 8(5):439-455, 2004, and B. Zadrozny and C. Elkan. Learning and making decisions when costs and probabilities are both unknown. In Proceedings of ACM SIGKDD Conference, 2001)
                    (                  Equation                                                              6                )                                                                                C            D                                          (            θ            )                          =                              E            D                                          [                          c                                            (                                  x                  ,                                      h                                                              (                      θ                      )                                                                      )                                      ]                                              Equation                                                  6                                (                  Equation                                                              7                )                                                                                C            E                                          (            θ            )                          =                              1            N                                                        ∑                              i                =                1                            N                                                  c                                            (                                                      x                                          (                      i                      )                                                        ,                                      h                                                              (                      θ                      )                                                                      )                                                                        Equation                                                  7
It should be noted that it is considered that the target and the cost are generated from the probability distribution D which is defined by X×RY, independently of each other. The set E of N pieces of the data, which has been sampled from D, is assumed to be given as the training data. Here, the i-th training data of E is assumed to be training data e(i)=(x(i), {c(i)(x(i), y)}yεY). x(i)εX is assumed to be the i-th target of the training data and a cost c(i)(x(i), y) of when adopting each behavior yεY is assumed to be given.
However, considering from a viewpoint of a risk management, an approach of simply minimizing an experienced expectation cost may not be sufficient. After the training, behavior is assumed to be adopted for M pieces of data. When M is large, a sum of their costs comes close to M·CD(θ). Hence, it seems that there is no problem setting CE(θ) as an objective function of learning. However, since M is relatively small, the above approximation cannot hold true. Additionally, consideration is given to a case where the generation of a large amount of cost is critical. For example, in a case of a problem of deciding where to invest a fund, a fact that big mistakes occur consecutively some times is a serious problem which is directly connected to the risk of bankruptcy. When the probability of the occurrence is small but there is a possibility that a large amount of cost to an unacceptable degree occurs, a user should wish to avoid its risk as much as possible.
Furthermore, for example, assume that there are two decision functions h1 and h2 which can be expected to obtain the same cost expected values. Although a probability distribution of a cost brought by h1 has a high peak around the expected value, a probability distribution of a cost brought by h2 has a form which has gentle slopes and whose bottom side is wide in a high cost area. In this case, even if the expectation cost is the same, it is presumed that preferred is h1 whose possibility of the occurrence of a high cost is smaller. In such a case, it cannot be said that the object is correctly reflected by the minimization of an experienced expectation cost. Therefore, desired is a learning method in which a risk is avoided more actively, taking the distribution of a cost into consideration.

International Business Machines Corporation


A structure for a spring chamber is formed by connecting a chamber case and a return spring housing case and includes a piston member and a push rod. The piston member has a spring receiving section which holds a power spring inside the chamber case and a cylinder body section which is interlocked with the spring receiving section. A diaphragm is arranged inside a return spring housing case chamber in the return spring housing case, defines a pressure medium chamber, and is deformed by an advancing and retracting operation of the cylinder body section. The push rod member advance and retract with an operation of the diaphragm, and performs braking or releasing of a brake. The push rod member is formed with integral molding of a push plate and a axle body section with aluminum material.

As a conventional art, such a spring brake chamber A is employed in a braking control system of heavy vehicles, for example, buses, trucks and trailers, and the spring brake chamber A in the conventional art is shown in FIG. 6. In describing the art, reference numeral 1 is a case on one side, reference numeral 2 is a case on the opposite side and both cases 1 and 2 are connected by a connecting case 3. The case 1 on one side has a chamber 1a and a release bolt 4 is arranged at an axial section thereof in the longitudinal direction. The inner section of the case 1 on one side retractably accommodates, in the axial direction, a spring receiving section 6A of a piston member 6 holding a power spring 5. The piston member 6 is configured of the spring receiving section 6A and a cylinder body section 6B. The outer edge of the spring receiving section 6A of the piston member 6 includes a piston cup 7, and accordingly, the spring receiving section 6A is slidably fitted at an inner wall of the case 1 on one side. When the spring receiving section 6A of the piston member 6, a surface 6b on one side being configured in a convex shape, advances to the right direction, the spring receiving section 6A of the piston member 6 engages a concave section of the connecting case 3.
One side of a cylinder body section 6B of the piston member 6 is retractably fitted at a rear surface of a axle centre of the spring receiving section 6A and the opposite side thereof is retractably fitted at a axle center section 3a of the connecting case 3. Reference numeral 8 is a clamp ring, which fixes the case 2 on the opposite side and the connecting case 3 with the presence of a diaphragm 9. Thus, the case 2 on the opposite side has a chamber 2a and a push rod member 12 is disposed in the chamber 2a. The diaphragm 9 moves to the right direction while compressing a boot 10 and a return spring 11 due to the approaching of the cylinder body section 6B of piston member 6 to the right direction.
The spring brake chamber A performs operations described below. Specifically, a brake pedal as a service brake is stepped on and thereby air pressure instructed from dual brake valves operates a relay valve and the compressed air enters from a service brake port (not shown) of the spring brake chamber A. Thus, air pressure is applied to a pressure chamber 3A (a chamber on the opposite side) of the connecting case 3 and the diaphragm 9 moves to the right direction. Accordingly, the boot 10 and the return spring 11 are compressed and a base plate 12a of the push rod member 12 is moved in the direction of the arrow B. A tip 12d connected to a axle section 12b protrudes moving in the right direction. Accordingly, the air pressure is transmitted to a wheel brake attached to the axle. Thus, the sleeve of an expander inside a brake shoe is expanded and the braking operation is performed by the work of the brake shoe.
On the other hand, when the parking brake is operated, the compressed air is released from the spring brake port (not shown) of the spring brake chamber A and the power spring 5 inside the case 1 on one side is extended, and the spring receiving section 6A and the cylinder body section 6B of the piston member 6 are moved in the direction of the arrow C. Thus, while the spring receiving section 6A is inserted in a chamber 3B on one side of the connecting case 3, the cylinder body section 6B pushes the diaphragm 9 and the base plate 12a of the push rod member 12 in the right direction. Accordingly, the boot 10 and the return spring 11 are compressed and thereby the base plate 12a of the push rod member 12 is moved in the direction of the arrow B. The tip 12d connected to the axle section 12b protrudes moving in the right direction. Accordingly, the air pressure is transmitted to the wheel brake attached to the axle. Thus, the sleeve of the expander inside the brake shoe is expanded and the braking operation is performed by the work of the brake shoe.
Here, the push rod member 12 is configured of a base plate 12a, a axle section 12b connected to the base plate 12a and a tip 12d screwed to a central axle hole 12c of the axle section 12b. The base plate 12a, the axle section 12b and the tip 12d are separated parts respectively and all made of a steel material.
Next, the order of assembling the spring brake chamber A is described in detail based on FIG. 6. A spring seat 1d is inserted in an inner bottom section 1c of the case 1 on one side, from an opening section of the right end 1b of the case 1 on one side and as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of bolts 1e are screwed and inserted from a left end surface outer wall 1f of the case 1 on one side and thereby the spring seat 1d is fixed at the inner bottom section 1c of the case 1 on one side. At this time, the cylinder body section 6B, the connecting case 3 and the case 2 on the opposite side are not attached to the case 1 on one side. Thus, the power spring 5 is inserted from the opening section of the right end 1b of the case 1 on one side and thereby contacting with the spring seat 1d, and at the same time, the power spring 5 is accommodated inside the spring receiving section 6A. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, a male screw section 4b formed on the outer edge of the release bolt 4 is inserted into a through hole 6a perforated at the center of the spring receiving section 6A. Here, a head section 4a of the release bolt 4 forms a circular collar. Thus, an assembly worker grips the head section 4a of the release bolt 4 with their fingers, a tool or the like and the end section 4c of the male screw section 4b of the release bolt 4 is screwed into a female screw section 1g perforated in the spring seat 1d to protrude outside the left end surface outer wall 1f of the case 1 on one side. A lock nut 4d is screwed to the end section 4c of the male screw section 4b and is engaged and fixed to the left end surface outer wall 1f of the case 1 on one side. Thus, the screw section 6c of the cylinder body section 6B in which the head section 4a of the release bolt 4 is inserted is screwed and fixed to the outer edge wall 6d of the through hole 6a of the spring receiving section 6A. Accordingly, the connecting case 3 and the case 2 on the opposite side are assembled sequentially and thereby the spring brake chamber A is completely provided.


A minimized-thickness angular scanner of electromagnetic radiation includes an optical sandwich having a two-dimensional (2D) image source, and a scanning assembly that includes a first optic and a second optic, wherein at least one of the first optic and the second optic are oscillatorily translating. Translation of the optics provides for generation of a three-dimensional (3D) image, while the optical sandwich design provides for compact implementation of 3D displays.

Compact, wide-angle radiation-steering devices are valuable in fields such as information display, optical communications, and laser-steering. The electromagnetic radiation can be of any frequency, such as visible radiation or infrared. The embodiments discussed in this disclosure pertain to three-dimensional (3D) image display, particularly to view-sequential autostereoscopic three-dimensional display.
One class of methods for producing the perception of an "aerial" 3D image is known as multi-view autostereoscopic display. These methods typically create 3D imagery, visible to the unaided eye (i.e. they do not require the use of polarized glasses), created by projecting multiple depictions of the desired scene as rendered from a series of viewpoints, usually as rendered by a computer-graphic camera moving along a horizontal track.
3D displays have taken many forms, such as parallax panoramagrams which use lenticular display elements ("lenticules") or parallax barriers to spatially demultiplex and steer light from an image surface to one or more viewing regions. Lenticules may be biconvex, or made of multiple surfaces, and may alternatively be long, thin lenses having a flat surface on one side and an opposing curved surface, forming a plano-convex lens. When viewed, the lenticule may provide a view angle-dependant striped or sliced portion of an image positioned behind each lenticule (i.e., the slice that is viewable is dependent upon the angle from which the viewer views the image).
Therefore, arrays of lenticules can be used to create a parallax effect wherein different views or slices of total images are apparent from different viewing angles. In this way, a 3D effect can be achieved if the components of a 3D image are successfully rendered as separate slices, presented at the image surface as spatially multiplexed views, and are viewed through a lenticular array in a parallax manner.
The lenticular array concept has been used to create "no 3D glasses required" or "autostereoscopic" displays. Typically, such displays use a sheet array of lenticular lenses to steer interdigitated left, intermediate and right eye views to a properly positioned observer.
Lenticular 3D displays techniques deserve their own category because they have earned a competitive place in the commercial market. However, the number of views they are capable of displaying is usually limited because they employ spatial-multiplexing, whereby the resolution of the display is sacrificed to include parallax information. The minimum pixel size is consequently a limiting factor in these displays.
Interactive electronic flat panel 3D displays have been developed based on these techniques.
For example, StereoGraphics Corporation (San Rafael, Calif.) sells the SynthaGram™ flat panel monitor series which is a lenticular-based 3D display. The SynthaGram series ranges from XGA (1024×768 pixel) to UXGA (3840×2400 pixel) monitors, and employs a custom fabricated diagonal lenticular screen which divides pixels into 9 different views. The monitor is driven by the DVI data output of a graphics card. The lenticular screen is designed to eliminate moire fringing, which can occur in lenticular flat panel screens, and divides pixels on the RGB level.
The drawback of existing lenticular 3D displays, and all spatially-multiplexed multi-view 3-D displays, is that by definition they trade off the projector's spatial resolution for the number of views displayed. The number of views is also limited by the shape of the lenticular elements and the pixel size. To date lenticular displays have produced at most 12 views. Furthermore, existing lenticular displays have typically been implemented using components that are relatively large or stationary, and do not support mobile operation.
A requirement common to view-sequential displays is beam steering, which can be performed by a rotating mirror, a translating transparent column on a black background in the system's Fourier plane, or other methods.
Several applications, such as mobile graphics visualization (i.e. quasi-holographic aerial imagery projected from a mobile phone or portable media device) and desktop 3-D visualization, require the 3-D display to be "thin."
What is needed is a compact radiation steering device that is amenable to mobile operation (such as in a handheld device) that consumes and emits less power that prior art approaches. Preferably, the radiation steering device can be fabricated from low-cost components and is useful in tight spaces.

Minimized-thickness angular scanner of electromagnetic radiation

GULA CONSULTING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY


Provided herein are ready-to-use premixed pharmaceutical compositions of nicardipine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and methods for use in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions.

Nicardipine hydrochloride ((±)-2-(benzyl-methyl amino) ethyl methyl 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(m-nitrophenyl)-3,5-pyridinedicarboxylate monohydrochloride) is a calcium ion influx inhibitor useful for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,758). Nicardipine hydrochloride is currently sold in capsule form and in an injectable intravenous form. The capsule form is marketed as CARDENE® and is available as an immediate release oral capsule and as an extended release oral capsule. The injectable intravenous form of CARDENE® is marketed in glass ampuls suitable for intravenous administration following dilution in a compatible intravenous fluid, such as dextrose or sodium chloride (CARDENE® LV.). Each milliliter of a CARDENE® I.V. ampul contains 2.5 mg nicardipine hydrochloride in water, 48.0 mg sorbitol, buffered to pH 3.5 with 0.525 mg citric acid monohydrate and 0.09 mg sodium hydroxide. For infusion, each milliliter of the diluted formulation contains 0.1 mg of nicardipine hydrochloride, with a variable pH due to the diluent selected by the end user. U.S. Reissue Patent No. RE. 34,618 (a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,823) describes an injectable composition of nicardipine hydrochloride that is stored in a light resistant brown ampul. U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,405 describes a buffered pharmaceutical composition containing nicardipine designed for parenteral administration, that is also stored in an ampul.
The requirement for diluting CARDENE® I.V. before use is associated with a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the diluted solution is only stable for 24 hours at room temperature. Another disadvantage is that the pH of the diluted formulation varies depending on the choice of diluent. Since CARDENE® I.V. can be used under emergency conditions to control blood pressure, dilution of the concentrated ampul formulation consumes valuable time that could be used to treat a patient. Other disadvantages associated with the dilution step include the potential for contamination, dosage errors, and safety hazards associated with the use of glass ampuls.
The pharmaceutical compositions and methods described herein overcome these disadvantages. In particular, the ready-to-use, injectable formulations described herein are stable, allow medical personal to use prepared containers containing an injectable formulation off the shelf without additional preparation, avoid potential contamination problems, and eliminate dosage errors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pre-mixed, ready-to-use pharmaceutical compositions


The dividing unit comprises a metal throttle valve shaft and of a plastic throttle valve. The throttle valve shaft is mounted so that it centrally passes through the throttle valve and the maximum acute angle alpha between the longitudinal axis of the throttle valve shaft and another longitudinal axis of the throttle valve ranges from 5 DEG to 25 DEG.

The invention relates to a subunit of a throttle valve housing. Throttle valve housings are known. DE 195 12 874 A1 and also FR 2 687 601 A1 describe a throttle valve housing which is arranged in a tubular casing. Here, the throttle valve is fastened on a throttle valve shaft which is mounted so as to rotate in bearings and to pass through recesses in the casing wall at its free ends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular casing. In the closed state, the throttle valve divides the casing into a suction side and into a side in which atmospheric pressure prevails. In this known throttle valve housing, it is disadvantageous that, as a result of the vacuum which is present in the suction side, leakage air can pass via the bearings of the throttle valve shaft into the suction side, which is not desirable.
US 2003/0034474 A1 describes a throttle valve which is arranged in an inclined manner with respect to the throttle valve shaft. Additional measures are not described for sealing between the circumferential edge of the throttle valve and the throttle valve housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,502 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,984 describe throttle valves made from metal, in which circumferential sealing elements are provided. In order to seal these sealing elements against the inner side of the throttle valve housing, additional elastic elements are provided which press the sealing ring against the throttle valve housing on one side and against the throttle valve on the other side.
The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a subunit for a throttle valve housing, as a result of which subunit it is largely avoided that leakage air flows in via the bearings of the throttle valve shaft to the suction side of the air duct.


A coating composition for a substrate includes a polymer binder, one or more hydrophobic silicon dioxide compositions, and one or more UV protection agents. The polymer binder can include a fluoropolymer or an epoxy polymer resin. The coating composition can also include molybdenum disulfide.

Overhead power transmission lines provide electrical power transmission and distribution over great distances. The power transmission lines are typically supported via towers and/or poles so as to be suspended at a safe distance from the ground so as to prevent dangerous contact with an energized line during power transmission operations.
It is desirable to provide an adequate coating for substrates, such as conductors, that is resistant to accumulation of ice, effective in repelling water, self-cleaning, as well as resistant to wear from the outside environment (for example, due to UV exposure as well as exposure to acid rain and other pollutants).

UV-resistant superhydrophobic coating compositions


Featured is a magneto-optical recording medium including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer and a fourth magnetic layer formed one on another in this order. The first, second, third and fourth magnetic layers have Curie points Tc1, Tc2, Tc3 and Tc4, respectively, which satisfy the condition of Tc3<Tc1<Tc2<Tc4, and exhibit a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a temperature range between room temperature and their respective Curie points. The first magnetic layer is adapted to be copied with the magnetization state of the second magnetic layer at a temperature higher than a first temperature, but not copied at a temperature not higher than the first temperature. The first temperature is defined as a temperature between room temperature and the Curie point Tc1. The third magnetic layer is adapted to be copied with the magnetization state of the fourth magnetic layer at least at room temperature. The second magnetic layer is adapted to be copied with the magnetization state of the third magnetic layer at least at room temperature and to be influenced by a magnetic field from the fourth magnetic layer so as to have a magnetization direction determined by the magnetic field at a temperature higher than the Curie point Tc1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magneto-optical recording medium and a magneto-optical recording method. More particularly, the invention relates to a magnetic-optical recording medium which are advantageously applicable to optical disks, optical tapes, optical cards and the like which can be optically recorded, reproduced and/or erased information thereon, and a magneto-optical recording method using thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magneto-optical recording techniques typically employ a recording medium having on its substrate a perpendicular magnetized film formed of a magnetic material, and achieve data recording and data reproduction on the recording medium in the following manner.
For the data recording, the recording medium is first initialized by application of a strong external magnetic field so as to be magnetized in one direction (upward or downward). Then, a record site on the recording medium is irradiated with a laser beam so as to be heated to a temperature near the Curie point or higher or near compensation point or higher of the magnetic material. Thus, the coercive force (Hc) in the site is brought to zero or substantially zero. Then an external magnetic field (bias magnetic field) having a magnetization direction opposite to the initial magnetization direction is applied to the recording medium to reverse the magnetization in the site. Upon stopping the irradiation with the laser beam, the recording medium is cooled to room temperature, so that the reversed magnetization is fixed. Thus, data is thermo-magnetically recorded in the record site.
For the data reproduction, the recording medium is irradiated with a linearly polarized laser beam. At this time, the plane of polarization of a reflected or transmitted light component is rotated in accordance with the direction of the magnetization (this phenomenon is known as "magnetic Kerr effect" or "magnetic Faraday effect"). The data readout is optically achieved by utilizing this phenomenon.
Much attention is now focused on the magneto-optical recording techniques for use in large capacity rewritable recording devices. As a reusable (or rewritable) recording medium, a so-called light modulation overwritable medium has been proposed which comprises an exchange-coupled duolayer film and achieves data overwriting with application of an initializing magnetic field (Hi) and a recording magnetic field (Hw) by modulating a light intensity. Another light modulation overwritable medium heretofore proposed comprises an exchange-coupled quadrilayer film and obviates the need for the application of an initializing magnetic field (Hi) (J. Magn. Soc. Jan., Vol. 17, No. S1 (1993) 357).
The light modulation overwritable medium employing an exchange-coupled quadrilayer film has a first magnetic layer 13, a second magnetic layer 14, a third magnetic layer 15 and a fourth magnetic layer 16 as shown in FIG. 19. The temperature dependence of the coercive forces of the respective magnetic layers is shown in FIG. 20. More specifically, the first, second, third and fourth magnetic layers have Curie points Tc1, Tc2, Tc3 and Tc4, respectively, which satisfy the condition of Tc3<Tc1<Tc2<Tc4.
The transition of the magnetization states of the respective magnetic layers during the data recording operation. is explained by FIG. 21, wherein the arrows denote the magnetization direction of a transition metal contained in the magnetic layers.
At room temperature, the data recorded in the recording medium is represented by the magnetization state of the first magnetic layer 13, i.e., either an upward magnetization state (with a logic value of 0 as indicated at (a) in FIG. 21) or a downward magnetization state (with a logic value of 1 as indicated at (b) in FIG. 21). The magnetization of the fourth magnetic layer 16 is always oriented in one direction (upward as seen in FIG. 21), and the magnetization of the second magnetic layer 14 is oriented in the same direction as the magnetization of the fourth magnetic layer 16 with the aid of the third magnetic layer 15.
The data recording is achieved by irradiating the recording medium with a laser beam modulated into either a high power intensity or a low power intensity while applying a recording magnetic field Hw to the recording medium.
The high power laser beam is adapted to heat the recording medium irradiated therewith up to a temperature near the Curie point Tc2 of the second magnetic layer 14. The low power laser beam is adapted to heat the recording medium irradiated therewith up to a temperature near the Curie point Tc1 of the first magnetic layer 13.
Therefore, when the recording medium is irradiated with the high power laser beam, the second magnetic layer 14 as well as the first and the third magnetic layer 13,15 are demagnetized (as indicated at (h) in FIG. 21). The magnetization of the second magnetic layer 14 is reversed by cooling of the recording medium to a temperature below the Curie point Tc2 with applying the recording magnetic field Hw thereto (as indicated at (g) in FIG. 21), and then the reversed magnetization state is copied to the first magnetic layer 13 by interface exchange coupling in the course of cooling of the recording medium (as indicated at (e) in FIG. 21) to the temperature below the Curie point Tc1. Further, the magnetization of the third magnetic layer 15 and the second magnetic layer 14 is oriented in the same direction according to the magnetization of the fourth magnetic layer 16 in the cource of cooling to the room temperature (as indicated at (b) in FIG. 21). Thus, the magnetization of the first magnetic layer 13 is directed downward (with a logic value of 1).
When the recording medium is irradiated with the low power laser beam, the magnetization of the second magnetic layer 14 is not reversed (as indicated at (f) in FIG. 21) by the application of the recording magnetic field Hw because its coercive force is greater than the recording magnetic field Hw, and the magnetization of the first magnetic layer 13 is oriented in the same direction as the magnetization of the second magnetic layer 14 (as indicated at (c) in FIG. 21) by an interface exchange coupling force in the course of cooling of the recording medium. Thus, the magnetization of the first magnetic layer 13 is directed upward (with a logic value of 0). Indicated at (d) in FIG. 21 is a magnetization transition state from a state where the first magnetic layer 13 is downwardly magnetized (with a logic value of 0 as indicated at (b) in FIG. 21) to a state as indicated at (f) in FIG. 21.
A laser power employed for the data reproduction is significantly smaller than that of the low power laser beam and, therefore, does not change the recorded magnetization states of the respective layers.
Thus, the light modulation overwritable magneto-optical recording medium employing the exchange-coupled quadrilayer film obviates the need for the application of the initializing magnetic field Hi, and ensures stabilization of record bits. However, the magneto-optical recording medium is disadvantageous in that the application of the external recording magnetic field Hw is required for the light modulation overwriting.

Magneto-optical recording medium and magneto-optical recording method


An optical imaging system serving for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane of the imaging system into an image plane of the imaging system with the aid of electromagnetic radiation from a wavelength range around a main wavelength λ0 has a multiplicity of mirrors. Each mirror has a mirror surface having a reflective layer arrangement having a sequence of individual layers.

In order to be able to produce ever finer structures, various ways of increasing the resolution capability of the projection lenses are pursued. As is known, the resolution capability can be increased by increasing the image-side numerical aperture (NA) of the projection lens. Another measure is to operate with ever shorter wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation used.
Improving the resolution by increasing the numerical aperture can have some disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the depth of focus (DOF) that can be obtained generally decreases as the numerical aperture increases. This can be disadvantageous because, for example for reasons of the obtainable flatness of the substrates to be structured and mechanical tolerances, a depth of focus of the order of magnitude of at least one micrometer is typically desirable. Therefore, systems have been developed which operate with moderate numerical apertures and obtain the increase in the resolution capability substantially via the short wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation used from the extreme ultraviolet range (EUV). In the case of EUV lithography with operating wavelengths around 13.5 nm, for example given numerical apertures of NA=0.1, theoretically a resolution of the order of magnitude of 0.1 μm can be achieved with typical depths of focus of the order of magnitude of approximately 1 μm.
As is known, radiation from the extreme ultraviolet range generally can no longer be focused with the aid of refractive optical elements, since the short wavelengths are typically absorbed by known optical materials that are transparent at higher wavelengths. Therefore, for EUV lithography, mirror systems are used in which a plurality of imaging, i.e. concave or convex, mirrors provided with reflective layer arrangements (reflection coatings) are arranged between the object plane and the image plane. The layer arrangements used are typically multilayer coatings, that is to say layer arrangements having a sequence of individual layers.
In the case of mirror systems for microlithography which are designed for radiation from the EUV wavelength range, the mirrors used for the exposure or imaging of a mask into an image plane desirably have a high reflectivity, since firstly the product of the reflectivity values of the individual mirrors determines the total transmission of the projection exposure apparatus and since secondly EUV light sources are usually limited in terms of their light power.
Mirrors for the EUV wavelength range around 13 nm having high reflectivity values are known for example from DE 101 55 711 A1. The mirrors described therein have a layer arrangement applied on a substrate and having a sequence of individual layers, wherein the layer arrangement includes a plurality of layer subsystems each having a periodic sequence of at least two individual layers of different materials that form a period. The number of periods and the thickness of the periods of the individual subsystems decrease from the substrate toward the surface. Such mirrors have a reflectivity of greater than 30% in an angle of incidence interval between 0° and 20°.
In this case, the "angle of incidence" denotes the angle between the direction of incidence of a ray and the normal to the surface of the mirror at the point where the ray impinges on the mirror. Since a respective light beam impinges on a mirror from each object point, superimposition of the light beams occurs at each point of the mirror surface used. In this case, at each point of a mirror surface, rays are incident at different angles of incidence. In this application, the term "angle of incidence interval" denotes the angle interval between the largest and the smallest angle of incidence respectively considered at a point of the mirror. The term "mirror having the largest angle of incidence interval" accordingly denotes that mirror whose mirror surface encompasses the surface point having the largest angle of incidence interval.
In the case of the layers mentioned above, however, the reflectivity in the angle of incidence interval specified is not constant, but rather it varies. A variation of the reflectivity of a mirror over the angles of incidence can be problematic particularly for the use of such a mirror at locations with high angles of incidence and with great variation of the angles of incidence (i.e. large angle of incidence interval) in a projection lens for microlithography, since such a variation can lead for example to an excessively large variation of the pupil apodisation of such a projection objective. In this case, the "pupil apodisation" is a measure of the spatial intensity fluctuation over the exit pupil of a projection lens, that is to say an energetic system characteristic value.
In this respect, it is desirable for mirrors which have a broadband reflection effect in the angle space. This angular broadband nature relates to the ability of a layer arrangement to have high reflectivity which varies only as little as possible for an angle of incidence range that is as large as possible.
Since, furthermore, the radiation sources provided for the EUV range, e.g. plasma sources, are typically not narrowband, but rather emit radiation over a relatively wide wavelength range around a main wavelength, a spectral broadband nature, i.e. a broadband nature of the reflection effect of the layer arrangement in the wavelength space, is desirable.
For the design of the entire optical system it should typically be ensured that both energetic system characteristic values, such as e.g. the pupil apodisation and the total transmission, and the aberrations important for the imaging quality, in particular the chromatic aberrations, remain within the scope of predetermined specifications.


Disclosed are a soil monitoring sensor and a method of operating the same. The soil monitoring sensor includes a first probe formed to extend in a first direction, and including a first electrode and a second electrode; a first resonance circuit connected to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first probe, and configured such that a first AC signal is applied thereto; a second resonance circuit having the same impedance as the first resonance circuit, and configured such that a second AC signal is applied thereto; and a determination circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal formed in the first resonance circuit, to receive a second electrical signal formed in the second resonance circuit, and to generate a first determination value for the state of the soil based on the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency.

Conventional methods for measuring the moisture of the soil include a dry basis weight method, a tactile method that evaluates the moisture of the soil based on the texture of each soil, a method of measuring the electrical conductivity of moisture absorbed in the capillary pores of a gypsum block, an unglazed porous cup moisture tensiometer method, and a neutron probe method.
Although a method of determining the weight percentage of moisture using the dry basis weight method has been a representative method of measuring moisture for a long period of time, the procedure thereof is cumbersome and time-consuming, thereby causing inconvenience. The tactile method that evaluates the moisture of the soil based on the texture of each soil is inefficient in that the individual variation of each evaluator is large and considerable training is required. The method of measuring the electrical conductivity of moisture absorbed in the capillary pores of a gypsum block in a relatively simple way has a disadvantage in that the pores of the gypsum block are very fine, so that when the soil moisture tension is low, almost all of the pores are saturated, resulting in unsatisfactory results. Although the unglazed porous cup moisture tensiometer method is also widely adopted for determining an irrigation point, it has a disadvantage in that it does not work in a region where the moisture tension is higher than 1 atmosphere.
The neutron probe method has a disadvantage in that it is not widely used for general purposes because the initial calibration procedure thereof is difficult, the transport, measurement and operation thereof are cumbersome, and the price thereof is considerably high.
Furthermore, there was proposed a time domain reflectometry (TDR) method using the principle in which only the dielectric properties of water according to the rotational motion of water molecules stood out because the movement of ions in the gigahertz field was negligibly reduced. The TDR method is a method of emitting a gigahertz-level high energy frequency to a sensor using an uncovered iron rod inserted into the soil as a condenser and analyzing a time difference or voltage difference according to the number of frequencies reflected according to the degree of permittivity based on the moisture of the soil. The TDR method quantifies the moisture of the soil by simply amplifying reflected electromagnetic waves transformed by a soil condenser using the principle in which electromagnetic waves are transformed by a condenser and reading them using an oscilloscope. Accordingly, disadvantages have been raised in that the necessary equipment is relatively complex and expensive.
For this reason, there is urgently required the development and introduction of an inexpensive soil moisture measurement device that is simpler, has a simpler operation and procedure, and can measure and collect accurate data within a short period of time.
Meanwhile, both the moisture of the soil and electrical conductivity attributable to salts are important parameters as properties of the soil. Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2016-0006564 entitled "Device and Method for Measuring Moisture and Salts for Organic Medium" discloses a sensor for measuring the moisture and salts of the soil. In other words, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2016-0006564 discloses a means for allowing three probes to penetrate into the soil, detecting the reflected wave of a single high-frequency wave, and measuring the moisture of the soil through impedance conversion, and determining salts by detecting the reflected wave of the high-frequency component.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0241973 entitled "System and Method for Instantaneously Determining Uniform Distribution of Water, Salinity, Conductivity, Temperature and Other Conditions in Soil" discloses the appearance and system of a soil monitoring sensor that detects the moisture, salts, electrical conductivity, and temperature of the soil.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-217795 entitled "Moisture Sensor and Moisture Measuring Device" discloses a moisture sensor in which a resonance circuit whose resonant frequency changes in response to a change in the equivalent inductance attributable to a change in the moisture content contained in the soil is formed using a moisture sensor having electrodes composed of comb teeth intersecting each other and the resonant frequency generated by the resonance circuit is calculated.
However, even according to the related art, a problem arises in that it is difficult to measure a resonant frequency rapidly and accurately because the process of calculating a resonant frequency by converting a measured amplitude value rather than directly measuring a resonant frequency is complicated. For this reason, a problem arises in that when the moisture content of the soil is measured in real time, noise is generated and thus a measured value is inaccurate.

Soil monitoring sensor including single probe and temperature compensation and method of operating the same


A new Lever Mounted Deer Stand for offering a quick and easy attachment of a tree stand to a tree. The inventive device includes a tree stand, a tension clamp means, and a penetrating means. In use, the present invention is a method comprising the steps of tranporting the device to a desired location, leaning the device up against a tree, climbing a ladder of the device, wrapping the tree with a chain, hooking a tension lever means with the chain, clamping the tree with the tension lever means, forcing a penetrating means into the tree, rehooking the tension lever means with the chain, and repeating said clamping, forcing, and rehooking steps until the penetrating means is fully inserted into the tree and the chain is tight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tree stands for hunters and more particularly pertains to a new Lever Mounted Deer Stand for offering a quick and easy attachment of a tree stand to a tree.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tree stands for hunters is known in the prior art. More specifically, tree stands for hunters heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art tree stands for hunters can be found in conventional trade magazines such as Cabella's, Buck Knife, and the like. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Lever Mounted Deer Stand. The inventive device includes a tree stand, a tension clamp means, and a penetrating means.
In these respects, the Lever Mounted Deer Stand according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primary developed for the purpose of offering a quick and easy attachment of a tree stand to a tree.


The invention is a distributed implantable neuro-stimulation system, comprising an implant controller including control logic to transmit two time-varying power signals, varying between two levels and out of phase with the other, and a command signal modulated onto at least one of the power signals. One or more electrode cells, each having control logic to extract charge from the power signals and recover commands from the command signal. A two-wire bus interconnecting the implant controller and all the electrode cells, to carry one of the time varying signals in each of the two wires, and to carry the command signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns neuro-stimulation, that is artificial electrical stimulation of body tissues using a device implanted in the body. In particular the invention concerns a distributed implantable neuro-stimulation apparatus, an electrode cell forming part of the apparatus, an implant controller forming part of the apparatus, a method of applying neuro-stimulation, and a signal for use in the method.
2. Description of Related Art
Perhaps the pacemaker is the best known tissue stimulator. It is implanted in the chest and a single electrode is connected to the heart to regulate the rate of beating. Cochlear implants are neuro-stimulators used to restore hearing. They are more complex than heart pacemakers and involve an implant controller that contains all the active electronic components, as well as twenty or so passive electrodes individually connected to the controller. The controller is sealed inside a titanium shell which has hermetic ceramic or glass feed-throughs fitted with a pin for each passive electrode. The electrodes are made from platinum and silicone, and are connected back to the controller by individual conductors. The electrodes are implanted adjacent respective parts of the cochlear to stimulate the auditory nerve.


A method for manufacturing a current perpendicular to plane magnetoresistive sensor that allows for dynamic adjustment of free layer biasing to compensate for variations in thickness of an electrically insulating layer that separates the hard bias layers from the free layer. During fabrication of the sensor, the actual thickness of the insulation layers is measured. Then, to maintain a desired magnetic stabilization of the free layer one of three options can be utilized. Option one; adjust the stripe height target to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization. Option two; adjust the hard magnet thickness to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization. Option three; use a combination of option one and option two, adjusting both the stripe height target and the hard magnet thickness to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization.

The heart of a computer's long-term memory is an assembly that is referred to as a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive includes a rotating magnetic disk, write and read heads that are suspended by a suspension arm adjacent to a surface of the rotating magnetic disk and an actuator that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The read and write heads are directly located on a slider that has an air-bearing surface (ABS). The suspension arm biases the slider toward the surface of the disk and when the disk rotates, air adjacent to the surface of the disk moves along with the disk. The slider flies on this moving air at a very low elevation (fly height) over the surface of the disk. This fly height can be on the order of Angstroms. When the slider rides on the air bearing, the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic transitions to and reading magnetic transitions from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The write head includes a coil layer embedded in first, second and third insulation layers (insulation stack), the insulation stack being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers. A gap is formed between the first and second pole piece layers by a gap layer at an air-bearing surface (ABS) of the write head and the pole piece layers are connected at a back gap. Current conducted to the coil layer induces a magnetic flux in the pole pieces which causes a magnetic field to fringe out at a write gap at the ABS for the purpose of writing the aforementioned magnetic impressions in tracks on the moving media, such as in circular tracks on the aforementioned rotating disk.
In recent read head designs a spin valve sensor, also referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, has been employed for sensing magnetic fields from the rotating magnetic disk. This sensor includes a nonmagnetic conductive layer, referred to as a spacer layer, sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers, and hereinafter referred to as a pinned layer and a free layer. First and second leads are connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current therethrough. The magnetization of the pinned layer is pinned perpendicular to the air-bearing surface (ABS) and the magnetic moment of the free layer is biased parallel to the ABS, but is free to rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The magnetization of the pinned layer is typically pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer.
The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen to be less than the mean free path of conduction electrons through the sensor. With this arrangement, a portion of the conduction electrons is scattered by the interfaces of the spacer layer with each of the pinned and free layers. When the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers are parallel with respect to one another, scattering is minimal and when the magnetizations of the pinned and free layer are antiparallel, scattering is maximized. Changes in scattering alter the resistance of the spin valve sensor in proportion to cos θ, where θ is the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers. In a read mode, the resistance of the spin valve sensor changes proportionally to the magnitudes of the magnetic fields from the rotating disk. When a sense current is conducted through the spin valve sensor, resistance changes cause potential changes that are detected and processed as read back signals.

Dynamic hard magnet thickness adjustment for reduced variation in free layer stabilization field in a magnetoresistive sensor

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


Methods and apparatus for representing speech in an animated image. In one embodiment, key point on the object to be animated are defined, and a table of trajectories is generated to map positions of the key points over time as the object performs defined actions accompanied by corresponding sounds. In another embodiment, the table of trajectories and a sound rate of the video are used to generate a frame list that includes information to render an animated image of the object in real time at a rate determined by the sound rate. In still another embodiment, a 2D animation of a human speaker is produced. Key points are selected from the Motion Picture Expert Group 4 (MPEG4) defined points for human lips and teeth.

Animation techniques involve creating a representation of a scene, including moving persons or things, and generating a moving picture of the scene as it changes over time. For example, cartoon animation generates a moving picture by creating hundreds or thousands of still pictures of the scene, each of which shows the scene in a different moment in time. When the still pictures are shown at an appropriate speed in chronological order, a lifelike moving picture is generated. More recently, much development has been done in the area of computer animation. Computer animated scenes involve less repetitive human hand drawing, and can be very lifelike.
One challenging aspect of animation is generating human faces as humans speak and portray different facial expressions. Various 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) animation techniques are currently used to create cartoons or video games. In general, it is difficult to scale the accuracy and efficiency of more complicated aspects of the animation, such as facial animation, using current techniques. For example, creating a highly accurate facial animation showing a human speaker using 3D methods may be possible, but may also be prohibitively expensive. It is also generally difficult to dynamically replay animation of, for example, a human speaker, and adjust the movement and sound speeds together accurately.

Method and apparatus for animation of a human speaker


An apparatus for handling a patient's blood during a medical procedure which is convertible for use after the procedure for at least one further use. The apparatus comprises a reservoir having a port comprising at least one opening. A primary device, alignable with the port for adapting the reservoir for use during the procedure. The apparatus further comprises one or more secondary devices each alignable with the port means for adapting the reservoir for one or more further uses after the procedure. The primary device and the secondary devices are slidably mounted on the apparatus between tracks, with the primary device initially aligned with the port to allow the reservoir to be used during the medical procedure. The tracks allow the primary device to be moved out of alignment with the port and allow at least one of the secondary devices to be moved into alignment with the port so that the reservoir can be used after the medical procedure.

This invention relates to a quick-changeover blood handling apparatus, and in particular to an apparatus for handling a patient's blood during a medical procedure which is convertible for use in blood collection after the procedure.
There are instances where one blood handling device would be used for a patient during a medical procedure, and another blood handling or collecting device would be needed for post-procedure care. For example, in the case of heart surgery, a blood reservoir is used as part of the blood recovery and oxygenation system. After the procedure, a separate autotransfusion reservoir might be used to collect the patient's blood from the surgical wound for reuse, and/or another reservoir might simply be used to collect blood drained from the surgical wound for disposal. Several "convertible" devices are available that can be used both as a blood reservoir during surgery and a pleural drainage unit after surgery. These devices provide several advantages: they eliminate the need for dedicated pleural drainage devices; they minimize the amount of disposable equipment that is used (and must be disposed of); they are more economical; and they reduce staff-time associated with setting up multiple devices. Moreover, many of these devices allow for autotransfusion of the collected blood, reducing risk to the patient and reducing the demand for blood products.
However, to varying degrees these devices have also suffered from one significant draw-back: the conversion of these devices from use as a surgical blood reservoir to a drainage unit or to an autotransfusion device is time consuming and complex. Many of these devices come with pages of detailed instructions that the nursing staff is expected to follow to properly disconnect and cap the numerous connectors required for use as a surgical blood reservoir. Some of these devices even require special kits, with further instructions and additional parts that must be set aside and later installed, to make the conversion. This increases the pressure on the nursing staff to quickly and accurately make the conversion. Furthermore, each tube connection that must be undone and capped increases the chance of blood splattering the medical staff, with the attendant risk of spreading disease, such as hepatitis and AIDS.

Quick-changeover blood handling apparatus

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


In a cuvette for performing a diagnostic test on a specimen, a base defines a first chamber for receiving a reagent, and a second chamber for receiving a test specimen. The second chamber is defined by four side surfaces forming a rectangular configuration, and a base surface extending between the side surfaces. The base surface defines a frangible wall which is breakable in order to place the first chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber. A cover is coupled to the base and is moveable between an open position spaced away from the second chamber for permitting introduction of the specimen into the second chamber, and a closed position overlying and enclosing the second chamber. A self-aligning piercing member is provided on the cover and defines a tip engageable with the base surface of the second chamber upon movement of the cover into the closed position to thereby break the frangible wall, and in turn allow the test specimen to mix with the reagent in the second chamber. The piercing member also defines at least two alignment surfaces spaced inwardly from the tip and on opposite sides of the piercing member relative to each other. The alignment surfaces slidably contact the side walls of the second chamber upon movement of the cover to the closed position to thereby align the cover with the base.

The use of cuvettes or like receptacles in manual or automated medical diagnostic tests is well known. In a manual test, such as one which measures the amount of radiant energy absorbed by a test specimen, a technician dispenses precise quantities of a particular reagent and diluent into the cuvette. The contents are mixed and the amount of radiant energy absorbed by the mixture is measured. This provides the technician with an initial, baseline reading. Subsequently, the test specimen is introduced into the mixture and the test is conducted again. The results of the baseline test and the test incorporating the specimen are then compared and the amount of absorbed radiant energy attributable to the sample is determined. The accuracy of the test results is largely dependent on the precision with which the technician measures and dispenses the reagent and diluent into the cuvette.
To reduce the potential for human error, automated test equipment have employed cuvettes including one chamber wherein the reagent is prepackaged and another chamber for retaining the test specimen. The cuvettes also include a cover which is movable between an open position for accessing the chambers and a closed position overlying and enclosing the chambers. A post is provided on the cover for breaking a frangible surface in the chamber holding the specimen. During operation of the test equipment, the cover is moved from the open to the closed position causing the post to engage and break the frangible surface, and thereby allow the test specimen to mix with the reagent.
The automated test equipment often incorporates a carousel or like rotatably-driven carriage having individual receptacles for retaining a plurality of cuvettes. During a test, the carousel rotates each cuvette into a test position and a plunger or other device engages the cover of the cuvette, moving it from the open to the closed position. A difficulty sometimes occurs whereby the movement of the plunger causes the cover of the cuvette to be skewed relative to the chamber retaining the test specimen as the cover is moved from the open to the closed position. This in turn can cause the post to be forced against the edge of the chamber holding the test sample thereby preventing the cover from closing and the test specimen from mixing with the reagent.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cuvette that overcomes the above-described drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art.

Cuvette for performing a diagnostic test on a specimen


An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which has a plurality of optical elements, and directs light from an original to an object to be exposed; a first stage which holds the object to be exposed; a first vacuum chamber which contains the first stage; and a second vacuum chamber which is adjacent to the first vacuum chamber, contains a part of the plurality of optical elements, and communicates with the first vacuum chamber through a first opening. The pressure in the second vacuum chamber is higher than pressure in the first vacuum chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the technique of suppressing the influence of the contamination of exposure atmosphere, which is suitable for use in the manufacture of a device having a fine pattern such as semiconductor devices.
This invention is particularly suitable for an exposing apparatus for effecting exposure by the use of light of a short wavelength (0.5 to 50 nm) like EUV light, or an exposing apparatus for effecting exposure under a high vacuum atmosphere by the use of an optical element such as a mirror or a lens.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, in the optical lithography technique for manufacturing semiconductors, the shortening of the wavelength of exposure light has been advanced and progress has been made from i-line and g-line to KrF excimer laser and ArF excimer laser. If the shortening of the wavelength of exposure light progresses, it will become possible to transfer a minuter mask pattern to a wafer. However, to exposure a pattern of a thin line width, lithography using ultraviolet light is limited in principle. So, EUV lithography using extreme ultraviolet light (EUV light, 13 to 20 nm) of a shorter wavelength than ultraviolet light has been drawing attention.
A typical wavelength used in the EUV light is 13.5 nm and therefore, it is possible to realize resolution for exceeding that of the optical lithography hitherto, on the other hand, the EUV light has the nature that it is readily absorbed by substance. Therefore, if reduction exposure using a refractive optical system is effected as in the conventional lithography using ultraviolet light as a light source, the EUV light will be absorbed by a glass material and the quantity of light reaching a member to be exposed such as a wafer will become extremely small. Therefore, when exposure is to be effected by the use of the EUV light, it is necessary to configure reduction exposure using a reflecting optical system.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional reduction projection exposing apparatus using the EUV light (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-45782). An EUV exposing apparatus 200 has an EUV light source 210, an illuminating optical system 220, a reticle (mask) 230, an alignment optical system 240, a reticle stage 250, a wafer stage 260, a wafer 270, a vacuum container 280, a reflection type reduction projection optical system 100, a first mirror 110, a second mirror 120, a third mirror 130, a fourth mirror 140, a fifth mirror 150 and a sixth mirror 160, and is also provided with an exhausting system, not shown, for exhausting gas in the vacuum chamber 280, etc.
There are several kinds of EUV light source, and a laser producing plasma light source which is one of them can emit light of only a substantially necessary wavelength band by the selection of a target material. When for example, Xe is ejected as a target material from a pulse nozzle, and a pulse laser is applied thereto to thereby generate plasma, EUV light of a wavelength 13-14 nm is emitted.
The illuminating optical system is comprised of a plurality of multi-layer film mirrors, an optical integrator, etc. As the roles of the illuminating optical system, mention may be made of efficiently condensing light emitted from the light source, and uniformizing the illuminance in an exposure area. Also, the optical integrator has the role of uniformly illuminating the mask at a predetermined numerical aperture.
The projection optical system is comprised of a reflecting optical system using a multi-layer film mirror alternately coated with Mo and Si. This Mo/Si multi-layer film can obtain normal-incidence reflectance of the order of 67% in the vicinity of a wavelength 13 nm. It is difficult in principle to provide reflectance of 100% and most of absorbed energy changes into heat. Therefore, low thermal expansion glass or the like is used for the base material of the mirror. In the reflecting optical system, a plurality of such Mo/Si multi-layer film mirrors are used for aberration correction, however, to keep the transmittance of the EUV light, it is necessary to minimize the number of the multi-layer film mirrors.
The reticle stage and wafer stage of the EUV exposing apparatus have mechanisms for driving under a vacuum environment, and the reticle stage and the wafer stage scan in synchronization with each other at a speed ratio proportional to a reduction magnification. Also, the positions and postures of the reticle stage and the waver stage are observed and controlled by a laser interferometer, not shown.
A reticle held by a reticle chuck and a wafer held by a wafer chuck are highly accurately positioned by fine motion mechanisms carried on the reticle stage and the wafer stage.
The alignment optical system is an apparatus for detecting the positional relation between the position of the reticle and the optical axis of the projection optical system, and the positional relation between the wafer and the optical axis of the projection optical system. Thereby, the positions and angles of the reticle stage and the wafer stage are set so that a projected image may be applied to a predetermined position on the wafer. Also, a focus position in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the wafer is detected by a focus detecting mechanism, and the position and angle of the wafer stage are controlled, whereby the imaging position on the surface of the wafer is always kept.
In order to avoid the absorption of the EUV light by substance, it is necessary that the space, to which the EUV light of the EUV exposing apparatus, is to be kept in vacuum. Therefore, a plurality of exhaust systems such as vacuum pumps are mounted on the exposing apparatus.
The EUV light used in the EUV exposing apparatus is absorbed by the atmosphere in the apparatus. Particularly, oxygen and moisture strongly absorb the EUV light. Therefore, to keep the transmittance of the EUV light high, it is necessary to render the interior of a chamber into a vacuum state by the utilization of a vacuum pump or the like. It is desirable that the pressure in the chamber through which the EUV light passes be 10−3 Pa or less and the partial pressure of oxygen and moisture be infinitely low. However, some of moisture adhered to the wafer during the conveyance of the wafer is diffused in the chamber. Further, moisture is liable to adhere to the inner wall of the chamber and is difficult to be exhausted. The adherence of moisture to the optical element becomes a cause of the oxidization of the optical element and the reduction of the reflectance of the optical element.
Also, when the interior of the chamber becomes a vacuum state, hydrocarbon is produced from the mechanism portions of the stages or the like. Further, reaction of resist by the exposure light during exposure also produces hydrocarbon, and when such hydrocarbon is applied to the exposure light on the surface of the optical element, it adheres as carbon to the surface of the optical element. The carbon adhered to the optical element absorbs the EUV light and reduces the reflectance of the optical element. The reduction of the reflectance of the optical element leads to a reduction in throughput.
Thus, particularly in the space where the optical element in the EUV exposing apparatus is installed, the partial pressure of moisture and hydrocarbon need be kept low.
To lower the partial pressure of moisture and hydrocarbon or the like in the exposing apparatus, the step of enhancing the capability of the exhaust system such as a vacuum pump is also effective. However, it is inevitable that the moisture adhering to the conveyed wafer and the hydrocarbon produced from the resist and the mechanism portions of the stages drift in the space, where the optical element is installed, due to diffusion and therefore, it is difficult to improve the throughput.
Also, at present, regarding the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as DRAM and MPU, research and development are being energetically made to realize a device having a line width of 0.1 μm or less in terms of the design rule. As an exposing apparatus for use in this generation, an exposing apparatus using the extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) is regarded as being potent. Since in the EUV exposing apparatus, exposure in the atmosphere is impossible, exposure cannot help being effected in vacuum.
In the EUV exposing apparatus, particles are produced by sliding movement and friction such as the operations of a robot hand and a gate value until a reticle and a wafer are conveyed to an apparatus chamber, and there has been the possibility of these particles adhering to the reticle and the wafer. Also, there has been the possibility that particles produced from movable portions such as stages and the like may adhere to the surfaces of the reticle and the wafer during exposure.
Such adherence of the particles to the surfaces of the reticle and the wafer has caused the problem the yield of the manufacture of the device and the reliability of the device are lowered. Particularly, if the particles adhere to the circuit pattern surface of the reticle, the particles will be transferred to the entirely same position at each shot in actual exposure. This has led to the problem that the yield of the manufacture of the device and the reliability of the device are greatly lowered.

Technique of suppressing influence of contamination of exposure atmosphere


A method is implemented by a network device that receives a packet at an access gateway function from a residential gateway, detects an Ethertype for the received packet, detects a version for the received packet, looks up session and state information for the packet as a result of the detecting of the Ethertype and the version indicating that the packet is a fixed mobile convergence (FMC) user plane (UP) encapsulation, and processes the packet according to policies for FMC UP encapsulation.

5G provides a new avenue for providing fixed access to broadband in a residential context. This utilization of 5G is referred to as fixed mobile convergence. In this context, residential broadband can be provided to any number of user devices including mobile handsets, computers, tablets, and other computing devices that connect to a residential gateway or similar customer premise equipment. The residential gateway then may connect with the 5G network via wireline access facilities such as a passive optical network (PON) or digital subscriber line (DSL) in addition to the possibility of fixed wireless access (FWA).
The deployment of 5G wireline access typically will involve an intervening Ethernet based legacy access network often based upon the Broadband Forum TR-101 and related specifications. This will be for the purposes of meeting wholesale or regulatory requirements and differs from the radio architecture where traffic is adapted onto 5G at a radio base station of a cellular network with no intervening network. Converged 5G wireline networks carry user data between 5G residential gateways (5G-RG) and a 5G Access Gateway Function (i.e., a fixed network (F)-AGF) across deployed access networks. The transport encapsulation used between the 5G-RG and the F-AGF needs to meet a variety of requirements including the ability to multiplex multiple logical connections (protocol data unit (PDU) sessions) within a virtual local area network (VLAN) identified point to point (p2p) logical circuit between a 5G-RG and an F-AGF. Life cycle management of PDU sessions is performed via 5G control plane interactions between the user equipment (in the wireline case at a 5G-RG) and the 5G Core.
Point to point protocol (PPP) over Ethernet (PPPoE) is a protocol commonly used in wireline networks and has been deployed for some 20 years. PPPoE provides mechanisms for session multiplexing and employs a hierarchy of protocols (link control protocol (LCP), network control protocol (NCP) and similar protocols) to perform session lifecycle management via user plane transactions. PPPoE is typically transported over a provisioned and VLAN delineated access circuit.
Many access networks implement specific proprietary features based upon snooping of specific fields in PPPoE encapsulated data packets. They may also block Ethernet frames with unrecognized Ethertypes. Some access nodes in the data path between the 5G-RG and the F-AGF (such as DSLAMs and OLTs) currently snoop packets identified by specific Ethertypes to identify protocols such as PPPoE, Internet Protocol (IP), address resolution protocol (ARP), and Internet Group Management protocol (JUMP). This may be for the purpose of enhanced Quality of Service (QoS), policing of identifiers and other applications. Some deployments are depended upon this snooping. Such devices are currently able to perform snooping for PPPoE or IPoE packet encodings but would be unable to do so if a new encapsulation, or an existing encapsulation using a new Ethertype was utilized. In addition, fixed access is very sensitive to the complexity of residential gateways, therefore encapsulation overhead and efficiency is an important consideration.

5G fixed mobile convergence user plane encapsulation


According to one embodiment, a camera control unit outputs serial data containing information for specifying a predetermined control target device to be controlled from among plural control target devices comprised in a camera head. The camera head identifies the control target device specified by the received serial data, and supplies the identified control target device with a select signal for an active state.

1. Field
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a head-separated camera device and a control method thereof in which a camera head and a CCU (camera control unit) for controlling the camera head are separate from each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known well, a head-separated camera device as described above is configured such that, for example, a camera head and a CCU are respectively constituted as separate members both connected mutually through a camera cable which bundles plural signal lines. The camera head comprises a solid-state imaging element such as a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensor. The CCU supplies a drive control signal to a solid-state imaging element of the camera head, and obtains a video signal by performing a signal processing on an output from the solid-state imaging element.
Recently, modifications aiming for much higher function and performance have been made to the head-separated camera device. Accordingly, types and bit rates of signals which are transferred between the camera head and the CCU have been increasing greatly. The number of signal lines bundled in the camera cable has therefore increased and thickened the camera cable itself, and the number of terminals provided on a connector for connecting the camera cable and the camera head has also increased and resulted in that the connecter tends to have a larger size.
In general, head-separated camera devices are developed for the purpose of, for example, visually inspecting narrow areas where people cannot enter and camera heads thereof are demanded to be downsized as much as possible. Therefore, thickening of a camera cable and upsizing of a connector for connecting a camera cable are considered as factors which hinder downsizing of camera heads, and hence involve a serious problem to be avoided.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-254825 discloses a technique of reducing the number of terminals in a semiconductor integrated circuit by common use of any communication terminal and any other terminal (such as a reference voltage terminal) among three bus lines in a semiconductor integrated circuit which comprises communication terminals for data communication and is equipped with a data communication function according to a three-line-type serial data transfer scheme.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-252438 discloses a technique of reducing the number of cables between a camera head unit and a main camera unit by adopting a configuration as follows. A composite synchronization signal and a control signal of the camera head unit are transferred, multiplexed with each other, from the main camera unit to the camera head unit. A composite synchronization signal, a status signal of the camera head unit, and a video signal are transferred, multiplexed with each other, from the camera head unit to the main camera unit.

Head-separated camera device and control method thereof


Embodiments of a method of operation of a power control coordinator to control transmission power of a plurality of Device-to-Device (D2D) pairs that co-exist with a Cellular User Equipment (CUE) that communicates with a base station of a cellular communications network comprises obtaining, for a particular time slot, delayed Network State Information (NSI) feedback from at least some of the plurality of D2D pairs. The method further comprises computing transmission powers for the D2D pairs, respectively, for the particular time slot using On-Line Convex Optimization (OCO) to solve an optimization problem that maximizes a weighted sum data rate of D2D pairs with a constraint of maximum expected interference to the base station. The method further comprises providing, to each D2D pair, an indication of the computed transmission power for the D2D pair for the particular time slot.

It is expected that there will be 50 billion connected devices by 2020 [1]. Hence, direct communication among devices, i.e., Device-to-Device (D2D) communication has been considered as an important way to further increase throughput in Fifth Generation (5G) networks. In one of the typical D2D communication scenarios, D2D pairs reuse spectrum with Cellular User Equipment (CUE) in order to improve spectrum efficiency. Despite the potential benefit of D2D communication, it introduces interference to the cellular network. Hence, one important problem in D2D communication is how to coordinate transmission power among D2D pairs to improve D2D transmission rate while maintaining good performance for CUEs.


An aqueous ink composition containing polymer, colorant, and zwitterionic component.

The present invention is generally directed to inks, and more specifically to thermal ink jet inks and processes thereof. In embodiments, the present invention is directed to inks containing a dissipatible polymer and a zwitterionic additive, such as betaine, and which inks possess a number of advantages, such as reduced or minimal smear without for example, heating, increased paper latitude, reduced cool, or room temperature paper curl, and the like. The inks of the present invention in embodiments also possess excellent waterfastness, superior smear resistance, and high optical densities of for example from about 1.4 to about 1.6 as measured using a MacBeth or X-Rit densitometer compared to some other inks without betaine wherein the optical density thereof is from about 1.2 to about 1.3. The present invention in embodiments thereof enables the utilization of polymers obtained by polycondensation reactions, such as polyesters, and more specifically, the sulfonated polyesters as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,832, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,076, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. Sulfopolyester resins which can be selected for the invention inks, are known and are generally available commercially from Eastek Inks, a business unit of Eastman Chemical Company. These sulfopolyester resins are suitable for use in overprint lacquers and primers, as described in Kenneth R. Barton, "Sulfopolyesters: New Resins for Water-Based Inks, Overprint Lacquers and Primers", American Ink Maker, pp. 70-72 (October, 1993).
Thermal ink jet printing processes, and which processes may be selected for the inks of the present invention, are described in more detail, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,169,437 and 5,207,824, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference.


A toroidally shaped hoop such as a hula hoop or juggling ring has a plurality of independently powered and motion-activated lights spaced around a periphery of the hoop. Rotation of the hoop causes the lights to energize and illuminate.

Hoop toys such as those commonly called "HULA HOOPs" are very common and there are many, many different types of such toys. Most often these devices are used as a fun activity in different kinds of games. Just the same, HULA HOOPs are also often used as exercise devices.
HULA HOOPs may be fabricated from a variety of different materials, but usually are constructed of a plastic tube formed into a circle. The hoop is placed around the users hips, which are then moved in a motion reminiscent of a hula dancer, causing the hoop to rotate around the user's hips.
There are many variations on the basic HULA HOOP just described, including many patents directed toward hoop innovations. Among the many patents on hoop toys are several patents that disclose hoops having lighting systems incorporated into the hoops, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,006,556 (Illuminated HULA HOOP), 4,915,666 (Lighted Hoop), and 5,108,340 (Musical and Lighted Entertainment and Exercise Device). In each of these patents a battery-powered lighting system is incorporated into the hoop as an added measure of making the hoop more fun and interesting. However, the lighting systems incorporated into the hoops described in each of these patents are relatively complicated, relying upon batteries, switches, and interconnecting wiring systems, making use of the systems somewhat unwieldy, difficult to manufacture and expensive for a product that is primarily a toy and novelty item.
There is a need therefore for improved lighting systems for hoop toys.