The present invention provides a biofeedback system and method for the purpose of allowing a human subject to consciously synchronize one's rhythm of breathing with one's natural heart rhythm for purposes of maximizing coherence of one's heart rate variability pattern and consequent enhancement of physiological/psychological well being. It accomplishes this by facilitating a biofeedback signal that indicates to the human subject precisely when to inhale and exhale such that the breathing cycle will achieve a high degree of alignment with the natural heart rate cycle. It also specifies an instructive method for bringing a human subject to an adequately coherent heart rate variability pattern such that the preferred embodiment of the invention can be applied.

The human heart is known to have its own nervous system and its own natural tendency toward rhythm. For purposes of this invention, there are two primary aspects to this rhythm, the heartbeat rate, and the rate at which the heartbeat rate changes otherwise known as heart rate variability. Heartbeat rate is usually specified in absolute number of heartbeats occurring during a specified period. Heartbeat rate variability, otherwise know as heart rate variability is the change in heartbeat rate as occurs during a specified period. Henceforth, heartbeat rate variability will be referred to as heart rate variability.
While the heart has its own tendency toward rhythm, it is closely coupled to breathing. The relationship is such that as inhalation occurs, the heartbeat rate tends to increase and as exhalation occurs, the heartbeat rate tends to decrease. It is important to note that while the heartbeat rate and breathing rate influence each other, the relationship is an asynchronous one, that is, they are independent rhythms that influence but do not directly control each other.
It is generally recognized that heart rate variability is an indicator of physiological and emotional state, that is, irregular incoherent heart rate variability indicates a condition of physiological/psychological stress. Alternatively, highly coherent heart rate variability is indicative of a condition of physiological/psychological harmony.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to achieve and maintain a highly coherent heart rate variability as life circumstances permit. This having been said, with proper training and the application of the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible for a human subject to rapidly achieve the desired state of high coherence of heart rate variability and to monitor and reinforce the accuracy and performance of said coherence on an ongoing basis.
The present invention takes advantage of the relationship between the breathing cycle and the natural heart rate variability cycle to bring heart rate variability to the desired state of coherence and the human subject to the resultant state of physiological and emotional harmony. It accomplishes this via conscious synchronization of the breathing cycle with the natural heart rate variability cycle.

Method and system for consciously synchronizing the breathing cycle with the natural heart rate cycle


A fuel cell system comprises: a DBFC for generating a power by receiving a fuel; a PEMFC for generating a power by receiving hydrogen, a byproduct generated at an anode of the DBFC after a reaction, as a fuel; a supplementary power partially charged by a power generated at the DBFC and the PEMFC and discharging the charged power; a load sensing unit for sensing a load connected to the DBFC, the PEMFC, and the supplementary power; and a control unit for controlling a power of the DBFC, the PEMFC, and the supplementary power according to a load sensed by the load sensing unit and thereby selectively supplying to the load. According to this, hydrogen generated at the DBFC is recycled, and a load amount is sensed thus to stably correspond to a load variation, thereby maximizing a fuel usage efficiency and stably driving the system.

A fuel cell is being developed as a replacement of a fossil fuel that is not eco-friendly. Differently from a general secondary cell, the fuel cell is for directly converting an energy difference between before and after a reaction generated as hydrogen and oxygen are electrochemically reacted into electric energy without a fuel combustion (oxidation reaction) by supplying a fuel (hydrogen or hydrocarbon) to an anode and supplying oxygen to a cathode.
The fuel cell is being developed to be applied variously as a domestic fuel cell for supplying electricity to a home, a fuel cell used in an electricity car, a fuel cell used in a mobile terminal or a notebook computer, a fuel cell movable at home and supplying electricity, etc.
Especially, a fuel cell for operating home electronics or other electric devices by being moved at home or at an outdoors has to be minimized in order to be conveniently portable, and has to maximize a fuel usage efficiency under a state that the size thereof is limited.
The fuel cell includes a phosphoric acid fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC), a molten carbonate fuel cell, a solid oxide fuel cell, a direct methanol fuel cell, a direct borohydride fuel cell(DBFC), etc.
As a fuel of the DBFC, KBH4, NaBH4, etc. for decomposing hydrogen are used. In case that NaBH4 is used as a fuel, electrolyte aqueous solution, NaOH or KOH, etc. is added. In case that NaBH4 is used as a fuel and NaOH is used as electrolyte aqueous solution, a following reaction is performed in the anode.2H2O+NaBH4→NaBO2+4H2
As shown in the above formula, H2 is generated during a power generating process in the fuel cell. The H2 having a great explosive characteristic has to be safely processed. In a fuel efficiency aspect, it is preferable to re-use said H2 by recycling.
Since an amount of a load used at home or in a factory, etc. is variable, it is preferable to control a power generation amount according to the load amount.
However, controlling a power generation amount by controlling a fuel amount or a catalyst amount causes a response time to be late, thereby making a fast reaction impossible. According to this, it is impossible to react to an instantaneous drastic increase of a power thereby not to be able to supply a power stably. Also, in case that a great load is drastically applied in a no-load state, an overshooting phenomenon that a voltage is instantaneously lowered greatly at a unit cell and the lowered voltage is not recovered well is generated more distinctly than a case that a load is gradually increased. Especially, in case that a voltage deviation exists between unit cells at a stack where an anode and a cathode are stacked, a unit cell having a low voltage is greatly damaged by a very low voltage.


According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is configured as follows. Namely, the apparatus includes a first unit configured to generate a first transmission wave for acquisition of a first image with a higher priority on sensitivity than on resolution, a second unit configured to generate a second transmission wave for acquisition of a second image with a higher priority on resolution than on sensitivity, an analysis unit configured to perform multiresolution analysis based on predetermined transform processing on the first image and the second image, a filter unit configured to perform predetermined filter operation for corresponding coefficients of the first image and the second image for each coefficient of each resolution acquired by the analysis unit, and an inverse transform unit configured to generate a composite image of the first image and the second image by performing inverse transform processing of transform processing by the analysis unit.

Recently, ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses have been widely used in the general medical field. An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus allows real-time visual recognition of, for example, the pulsation of the heart of an object and the movement of a fetus with the simple operation of only bringing an ultrasonic probe into contact with the body surface of the object. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is considered highly safe for human bodies, and can be repeatedly used for examination.
In addition, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is smaller in system size than other medical image diagnosis apparatuses such as an X-ray diagnosis apparatus, CT apparatus, and MRI apparatus. Therefore, for example, this apparatus allows easy examination upon being moved to a bed side. More specifically, although it depends on the types of functions of the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses, for example, compact apparatuses which can be carried with, for example, one hand have been developed.
As described above, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is free from the influence of exposure to radiation and the like and is small in size, and hence can be used for home medical care services and the like.
The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus has a problem of so-called speckle noise caused by simultaneous occurrence of reflection and scattering of ultrasonic waves due to a medium, small bioligical tissue, or the like in an object. This speckle noise degrades not only the image quality of a video but also accuracy in the display of an important form such as the boundary between a body organ to be observed and the background. Such speckle noise is a significant trouble in fields of video interpretation, organ recognition, and the like using videos acquired by the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus.
In order to solve this problem, for example, the following technique is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-116307.
That is, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-116307 discloses a technique including a step (a) of decomposing a two-dimensional ultrasonic input video into a plurality of multiresolution videos at N (a positive integer) levels, a step (b) of determining the characteristic of each pixel of each decomposed video, a step (c) of executing image quality improvement processing for each decomposed video based on the pixel characteristics, a step (d) of executing 1-level composition of the decomposed videos, and a step (e) of repeatedly executing the steps (b) to (d) until the size of the composite video becomes equal to that of the above two-dimensional ultrasonic video. More specifically, wavelet transform is used for multiresolution analysis used in the step (a).
The technique disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-116307 removes speckle noise and hence improves the image quality of a video acquired by the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus.
The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus performs imaging by transmitting ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic probe to the inside of an object and receiving reflected signals from the inside of the object. For this reason, in the process of propagation of ultrasonic waves in an object, for example, ultrasonic waves are scattered or attenuated. That is, the deeper a region is located in an object, the more difficult to visualize it by the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus.
More specifically, the distance resolution is superior but the depth sensitivity is inferior when the wave train length of the transmission waveform of an ultrasonic wave is short than when the wave train length is long. In addition, the higher the frequency of an ultrasonic wave, the higher the spatial resolution. However, since the degree of attenuation of the ultrasonic wave during propagation increases, the depth sensitivity decreases.
The same applies to contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. In contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, the detection sensitivity of contrast-enhanced bubbles is obviously important. The ability to visually recognize contrast-enhanced bubbles with high spatial resolution is also important in a clinical point of view because, for example, it facilitates visual recognition of the marginal information of a lesion.
As described above, in the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, there exists the so-called tradeoff between the sensitivity of an acquired video and the resolution, and it is very difficult to satisfy both the requirements.
Note that the technique disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-116307 is not a technique that solves this problem.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and program which can acquire a video that satisfies both the requirements for sensitivity (luminance) and resolution (visibility).

Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and program


An apparatus for providing translational and rotational control signals comprises a base; a handle; and a suspension system operable to resiliently couple the handle to the base such that the handle may be freely moved in translational and rotational directions relative to the base and to move the handle to a neutral position when no forces are applied to the handle. The suspension system includes a plurality of suspension members each having an orientation axis, the suspension members being disposed such that respective pairs of the orientation axes are orthogonal to each other; and a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a pair of sensor components, at least two sensors being coupled to each of the suspension members and operable to sense translational and rotational movement of the respective suspension member along its orientation axis, the sensors producing output signals indicative of the translational and rotational movement of the handle with respect to the base.

Apparatuses of the above type may be used in the same way as a commonly known "joystick". The operator grasps the handle of the apparatus and thereby applies forces which, both in respect of direction and size, reproduce the move-ment which the operator wants a controlled object to perform. As a function hereof the apparatus emits signals which contain unambiguous information--both in respect of direction and size about the strain applied by the operator to the handle and which can therefore be utilized by the controlled object or by an intermediate control system for operating accordingly.
A joystick often has a substantial degree of movability and is generally used with a high translational or angular movement of the handle of the joystick that it can distinctly be felt by the operator. The emitted signal is proportional to the movement of the handle, and the joystick is most often biased by a relatively weak return spring towards its neutral position. Apparatuses of the type mentioned by way of introduction may, contrary to this, be designed in such a way that the handle is rigid or nearly rigid relative to the rest of the apparatus. A strain applied by the hand of the operator will not entail any noticeable or visible movement of the handle relative to the rest of the apparatus. Admittedly, even so rigid a construction will always move more or less when a force or a torque is applied, but the movement may be so small that it is not noticeable to the operator.
In EP-B 227,432, U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,400 and WO 93/4348 an apparatus is disclosed, in which six arms in the form of leaf springs and radially positioned in three mutually orthogonal pairs are slidably seated in the handle, the arms of each pair extending along one and the same axis and the arms in combination connecting the handle with the support.
For detecting the movements of the handle the apparatus is provided with three pairs of sensing means for sensing the translation and the rotation of the handle relative to the support. The sensing means is, with respect to each arm, provided with a light source and a light sensor which are fastened to the frame by means of suspensions, as well as a movable shutter fastened to the remote end of the arm. Each pair of sensing means can thus sense displacement of the handle relative to the frame in the direction of one axis perpendicular to the axis which connects the two means of the pair, and rotation of the handle relative to the support about a third axis perpendicular to both these axes.
Said slidable seating is a condition for the translatory movability of the handle when the arms are arranged in the above-mentioned way; the arms are in practice not deformable in their longitudinal direction, and each pair of arms would otherwise oppose translatory movement of the handle along this axis.
The slidable seating is also a prerequisite for using arms in form of leaf springs, as they are practically not deformable in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the arm and transversely to the desired direction of deformation; each pair of arms which extends along the same axis would otherwise oppose both rotation of the handle about one of the axis perpendicular to said axis and translatory movement of the handle along the second one of the axes perpendicular to said axis.
Such a slidable seating has been obtained by providing the end of each leaf spring (arm) with a ball engaging a slot in the handle in the form of a slit-shaped interspace between two plane-parallel walls, said interspace having the same diameter as that of the ball and extending in the plane of the leaf spring in question.
The slidable seating of the arms is theoretically ideal in respect of providing a correct resolution of the forces and torques applied by the operator to the handle into unambiguously corresponding deflections of the six leaf springs, but entails, however, several considerable, practical drawbacks.
One considerable drawback of the construction is that it is mechanically complicated, as it consists of many mechanical components which are to be assembled when the apparatus is manufactured, which makes the manufacture difficult. In this connection, the apparatus cannot be divided into subassemblies or groups of components which in a simple way can be exchanged when repairing. The apparatus is, to judge from the publications, to be assembled from the inside and towards the outside, all its individual parts having to be mounted in a fixed order.
Another considerable drawback is that the sliding bearing, where the leaf springs engage the shell of the ball--unless it has been manufactured with a precision which is virtually unattainable--would cause an undesired mechanical play. The play may also occur under use by wear and tear of the bearing parts, a possible high precision in the bearing thus being ruined. This precision may also be ruined by the fact that apparently some of the interspaces are positioned in zones, where the ball-shaped handle is divided in two parts.
The play may i.e. cause the ball to "rattle" where it is engaging the ball shell, such that the whole construction, when exposed to vibrations, has unpredictable mechanical resonance frequencies and strong resonance oscillations. The apparatus then becomes unfit for use in a vibration-filled environment. The play may also have the effect that it becomes unclear to the user where the neutral position ends and the starting of a movement begins. Furthermore, the presence of play will have the effect that the obtained movement of the periphery of the ball as a consequence of the application of a given torque or a given force becomes bigger than it was before the play arose.
Finally, it is a substantial drawback in this prior art apparatus that, to judge from the publications, it will be very vulnerable for an unintentional overloading. Even though there seems to be rigid arms limiting the deflection of the afore-mentioned arms, this limitation takes place some distance from the ends of these movable arms, and the remote part of the arms with the ball is thus completely unprotected against overloading.
From WO-PA 95/3527 an apparatus of the same type is known, in which three arms which are placed radially in the same plane and connect the handle with the support are slidably seated in the handle.
This slidable seating is likewise a condition for translatory mobility in certain directions of the handle with this arrangement of the arms: the arms are in practice not deformable in their longitudinal direction, and each arm would otherwise oppose translatory movement of the handle along its longitudinal direction.
The slidable seating is presumably a prerequisite for unambiguously detecting the deflection of the arms. This cannot, however, be said with certainty, as the publication is very unclear in this respect.
The slidable seating has here been obtained by shaping the end of each arm (which has the shape of a thin rod) as a part of a spherical surface engaging a circular cylindrical bore with radial axis in the handle.
This slidable seating entails also in this case several considerable, practical drawbacks of the same kind as described above.
Even though this construction is less complicated than the one described above, it also comprises many mechanical elements which have to be assembled during the manufacture of the apparatus, which to judge from the publication has to take place from the inside towards the outside, all its individual parts having to be mounted in a certain order of succession.

Device for use in manual control of the movement of a real or imaginary object


A method for calculating a drop track time for a radar system includes receiving characteristics of the radar system as an input, determining in a computer process the characteristics of a target being tracked by the radar system, calculating in a computer process a target track drop time for the target based on the characteristics of the radar system and the target, determining in a computer process whether a value associated with the target being tracked has been updated within the target track drop time, and discontinuing the tracking of the target if a value associated with the target being tracked is not updated within the target track drop time.

Defense systems commonly include a radar system and a weapons system. The radar system detects and tracks objects, e.g., a missile, plane, boat, or the like, by periodically transmitting beams of electromagnetic waves in a certain direction from radar sensors. The beams of electromagnetic waves have certain sweep areas or beam widths. Objects within the beam width cause an electromagnetic wave to be reflected back towards the radar sensors. The radar system filters the received waves and uses the characteristics of the received waves to determine the location of the object as well as the object's speed and trajectory. The radar system adjusts the direction in which the radar sensors transmits the electromagnetic beam based on the location, speed, and trajectory of the object, as previously determined. In this manner, the radar system tracks a moving object.
The information gathered by the radar system is also used by a weapons system for targeting of the object being tracked. In a multi-function, multi-target radar system, e.g., a defense radar system during a battle, radar resources such as the electromagnetic energy transmitted at a target and computing resources used to track and destroy targets are limited and must be carefully utilized.
Conventional radar systems typically track an object until the object is destroyed or after a predetermined time after losing track of the object (i.e., a drop track time). In these conventional radar systems, the drop track time is typically a function of a threshold miss value that is set by the radar designers. For example, a radar designer may program the radar system to stop tracking an object after ten consecutive signals are received that fail to include data about the object being tracked. Accordingly, if a radar system has a 1 Hz look rate, e.g., the radar system transmits an electromagnetic wave once every second, then the drop track time of the radar system would be ten seconds (e.g., 10 misses×1 second=10 seconds). Thus, the radar system will continue tracking an object for the entire ten seconds even if the time at which the object could no longer be tracked is significantly shorter than the drop track time due to accumulating errors that cause the radar system to look for the object in a wrong direction. Continuing to track objects that have little-to-no chance of being detected wastes valuable radar resources that could be redeployed to track other objects.
Accordingly, an improved system and method of determining which radar tracks should be dropped is desirable.

Drop track time selection using systems approach


A compass with an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the compass legs and for changing the distance between the compass points, wherein each compass leg includes a pivot bearing and an adjustment bearing. Each compass leg is constructed as a two-armed lever, wherein a first lever arm of each lever extends along the compass leg axis from the pivot bearing to the compass leg point, on the one hand, and a second lever arm extends from the pivot bearing to the compass arm end. The adjustment bearing, or a tilting bearing constructed as the adjustment bearing, is arranged in the second lever arm of each two-armed lever forming a compass leg.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compass with adjusting means for adjusting the compass legs and for changing the distance between the compass points, wherein each compass leg includes a pivot bearing and an adjustment bearing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compasses of the above-described type are usually composed of two compass legs which are mounted in a compass head and whose points can be adjusted at certain distances relative to each other. The compass leg adjustment is effected manually and also frequently with the aid of adjusting means, particularly adjusting spindles which interact with one or more spindle nuts and which, depending on the pitch of the thread, the unlocking mechanisms or other structural means, facilitate a quick or slow adjustment or change of the distance between the points. The adjusting spindle is usually arranged axially between the compass head and the compass points at a more or less great distance from the compass head and the compass leg ends or the pivot bearings thereof, and the adjusting spindle is mounted so as to be rotatable.
A compass of the above-described type is disclosed, for example, in German utility model 18 32 209. The compass has a rack and an adjusting wheel and is provided with two bearing axes in the compass head in which the compass legs are rotatably mounted. The distance between the points can be adjusted by a turning knob acting on a rack. The fine adjustment is effected by rotating the turning knob, while the coarse adjustment is effected by an increased pressure on the points of the compass legs, wherein the rack and a pinion arranged on the turning knob mesh with each other.
German patent 1 761 101 discloses another compass which includes a rotatable adjusting spindle and an adjusting wheel arranged concentrically on the adjusting spindle. In order to facilitate a quick coarse adjustment, the adjustment spindle has a thread with a coarse pitch and is free of self-locking action. When an increased transverse pressure or tensile force is applied on the points of the compass legs, the adjusting spindle rotates automatically and causes the coarse adjustment, while the fine adjustment is to be effected by manually operating the adjusting screw.
German patent 38 36 683 discloses a similar compass in which the spindle nuts can be resiliently spread apart and can be removed from the spindle provided with a normal thread, so that a so-called quick adjustment is possible when the spindle is unlocked. The fine adjustment of the distance between the points of the compass takes place also in this case by rotating the drive wheel with the aid of the threaded spindle having a relatively fine thread.
The compasses known in the art have the disadvantage that either complicated devices or special spindles are required for a simple and particularly a quick adjustment of the compass legs. On the other hand, an adjustment of the legs with normal adjusting spindles, i.e., spindles having a fine pitch, is only possible in a relatively time consuming and difficult manner.
Another disadvantage of the known compasses is to be seen in the fact that during use, i.e., when drawing circles, it is necessary while continuously changing the center of gravity to make sure that a good contact exists between a point of the compass with a support surface, on the one hand, and of the writing tip with the recording carrier, on the other hand. This becomes more and more difficult as the drawing radius increases.
In addition, it is frequently considered to be disadvantageous that the adjustment of the distances by which the needle and the lead or writing tip protrude beyond the points of the legs influences to a significant extend the circle to be drawn. This makes it impossible to effect an acceptable scaling of the adjustment values by means of a measuring scale or other indicating means.


A plane layer and a number of thin filamentary interconnection patterns disposed therearound are disposed on the upper surface of a flexible insulating tape. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the plane layer on the insulating tape by flip-chip bonding, and has terminals on its reverse side which are connected to the plane layer and the interconnection patterns, respectively. Some of the terminals of the semiconductor chip are connected through the plane layer to solder balls, providing ground interconnections. Other terminals are connected to the interconnection patterns to other solder balls, providing power supply interconnections. Still other terminals are connected to other interconnection patterns to still other solder balls, providing signal interconnections. The semiconductor device can simply be fabricated, requires no device hole for semiconductor chip, can be reduced in size, have electric interconnected reduced, and can have electric characteristics stabilized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device with a semiconductor chip mounted on a flexible tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, semiconductor devices (semiconductor packages) tend to have more pins and to have components mounted at higher density in order to meet requirements for smaller sizes and higher performance for electronic devices. As a result, the leads extending from semiconductor packages are spaced at smaller pitches, which make it difficult to install semiconductor packages on boards by gang reflow soldering. For this reason, more surface-grid-terminal-mounted semiconductor devices such as BGAs (Ball Grid Arrays) which are mounted by conductive protrusions such as solder balls on lower surfaces are employed in the art than peripheral-lead-mounted semiconductor devices such as QFP (Quad Flat Packages) which are mounted by leads on peripheral edges because the former semiconductor devices can have increased pitches.
Heretofore, semiconductor chips in semiconductor devices and leads thereof are mostly electrically connected by wire bonding. However, recent trends toward more pins on semiconductor devices result in reduced pitches between terminals (pads) on semiconductor chips, which make it difficult to connect the terminals and leads to each other by wire bonding. In view of the difficulty, attention has been directed to TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) as a substitute for wire bonding. TAB is a process of bonding inner leads mounted on a flexible insulating tape and having ends extending to a position for contact with terminals on a semiconductor chip, to bumps on the terminals on the semiconductor chip. According to TAB, it is possible to reduce the pitch of chip terminals to about 60 xcexcm. Surface-grid-terminal-mounted semiconductor devices installed on TAB are referred to as Tape-BGAs.
For fabricating conventional Tape-BGA semiconductor devices, attachment holes (device holes) are defined in regions of an insulating tape where semiconductor chips are positioned. Specifically a semiconductor chip is positioned in a device hole in an insulating tape, and is supported only by inner leads that are connected to terminals of the semiconductor chip.
Since all the weight of the semiconductor chip is borne by the inner leads, the inner leads need to have a high mechanical strength in the Tape-BGA semiconductor device. Before the semiconductor chip is installed on the insulating tape, it is necessary to exercise care in handling the insulating tape not to damage or deform the inner leads because part of the inner leads project into the device hole.
All electric interconnections are required to be disposed on the insulating tape around the device hole because the device hole is an area that cannot be used for electric interconnections and mounting. Since a space is needed on the insulating tape for accommodating a number of electric interconnections therein, there is a certain limitation to attempts to reduce the size of the insulating tape. Such electric interconnections have to be long enough to extend from the inner leads to conductive protrusions (solder balls) and thin enough to accommodate more pins, and are required to have a complex layout. However, long electric interconnections adversely affect electric characteristics of the semiconductor device, e.g., an increased impedance.
Usually, semiconductor devices of the type described above have electric interconnections classified into three groups, i.e., power supply interconnections, ground interconnections, and signal interconnections. All the electric interconnections of these three types extend on the insulating tape. Those electric interconnections which are connected to conductive protrusions (solder balls) that are positioned remotely from terminals (pads) of the semiconductor chip are long and hence have a high inductance, tending to cause a level of noise that cannot be ignored. Moreover, since different electric interconnections are connected respectively to all the terminals, the number of pins used is large, and the electric interconnections are arranged in a complex pattern.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 125721/1998 discloses an insulating tape which does not have attachment holes (device holes). The disclosed insulating tape has through holes defined at positions facing the terminals of a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip is mounted on the insulating tape by through hole bonding, and the terminals thereof are connected to electric interconnections on the reverse side of the insulating tape via the through holes. Though the insulating tape has no attachment holes (device holes), the insulating tape suffers a significant disadvantage in the semiconductor device fabrication process because it is highly complex and time-consuming to perform through hole bonding. Specifically, the process of producing through holes is complicated because it is necessary to define minute through holes in the insulating tape, form interconnections in the through holes, and fill the through holes with a synthetic resin, if necessary. In addition, the process of installing the semiconductor chip on the insulating tape is also highly complex and time-consuming because the semiconductor chip needs to be positioned highly accurately with respect to the through holes and then bonded in position. Accordingly, the through hole bonding technique is liable to make the semiconductor device fabrication process very complicated.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device which requires no device hole, can be reduced in size, have short electric interconnections and stable electric characteristics, and can be fabricated by a relatively simple fabrication process.
According to the present invention, a semiconductor device includes a flexible insulating tape, a semiconductor chip mounted on a face side of the insulating tape by flip-chip bonding, a plane layer disposed in a region of the face side of the insulating tape substantially directly beneath the semiconductor chip, a plurality of filamentary interconnection patterns disposed in a region of the face side of the insulating tape substantially around the semiconductor chip, and a plurality of conductive protrusions disposed in respective openings defined in the insulating tape. The plane layer is held in contact with selected ones of a plurality of terminals of the semiconductor chip. The interconnection patterns are electrically independent of the plane layer and held in contact with remaining ones of the terminals of the semiconductor chip. The conductive protrusions are held in contact with the plane layer and selected ones of the interconnection patterns, and exposed on a reverse side of the insulating tape
With the above arrangement, since the semiconductor device has the plane layer to which a plurality of terminals are connected, the number of fine filamentary interconnection patterns is reduced, the layout thereof is made less complex, and the arrangement thereof is simplified. Furthermore, since the region directly beneath semiconductor chip is effectively utilized for electric interconnections, the semiconductor device may be reduced in size. Because the length of interconnections from the terminals through the plane layer to the conductive protrusions is small, the impedance thereof is small and the electric characteristics thereof are improved, allowing semiconductor chip to exhibit its own performance.
The process of fabricating the semiconductor device is highly simple because the semiconductor chip can be mounted on the insulating tape by simple flip-chip bonding without the need for a special complex process such as through hole bonding. Moreover, the conductive layer such as the plane layer and the interconnection patterns needs to be formed only on the face side (upper surface) of the insulating tape, and hence a board with interconnections on both surfaces thereof does not need to be used.
The plane layer may provide power supply interconnections, and the interconnection patterns may provide ground interconnections and signal interconnections. Alternatively, the plane layer may provide ground interconnections, and the interconnection patterns may provide power supply interconnections and signal interconnections.
If some of terminals are disposed in the vicinity of the center of the semiconductor chip, then the density of terminals and ends of interconnection patterns on outer peripheral edges of the semiconductor chip is lowered, allowing these terminals and interconnection patterns to be arranged in an easy layout. With the terminals in the vicinity of the center of the semiconductor chip being held in direct contact with the plane layer, no leads are required, the length of the interconnections is reduced, and the impedance thereof is lowered.
The plane layer may provide power supply interconnections and ground interconnections independent of each other, and the interconnection patterns may provide signal interconnections. With this arrangement, the density of terminals and ends of interconnection patterns on outer peripheral edges of the semiconductor chip is lowered, allowing these terminals and interconnection patterns to be arranged in an easy layout. Since a space needed for the interconnection patterns to extend therein is reduced, the semiconductor device can be further reduced in size. The lengths of both the ground interconnections and the power supply interconnections are small and their impedance is low as terminals thereof are held in direct contact with the plane layer without leads.
The semiconductor device may further include a floating plane layer disposed on the reverse side of the insulating tape and electrically insulated from the conductive protrusions. When a current flows through the plane layer and the interconnection patterns, an induced current is generated in the floating plane layer that is electrically independent. The induced current reduces the inductance of the plane layer and the interconnection patterns, and reduces the impedance thereof.
The conductive protrusions may comprise solder balls.
The semiconductor device may further include a support ring disposed on the face side of the insulating tape in surrounding relation to the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip and the support ring may have respective upper surfaces lying substantially flush with each other, and the semiconductor device may further include a heat spreader fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip and the upper surface of the support ring. The support ring and the heat spreader act as reinforcing members to prevent the insulating tape from being easily deformed. Therefore, the conductive protrusions have their height and position maintained with high accuracy, and their defective ratio is held to a low value.

Semiconductor device with semiconductor chip on flexible tape


An offshore structure used for the production of or exploration for oil or gas or for some other purpose. The configuration enables the offshore structure to be installed and removed simply and economically. A central tower is wholly or partly supported by piles, foundations, and a template which is located on the sea bed and to which the central tower is attached. The dimensions of the central tower and the location and dimensions of the piles allow the offshore structure to have the desired response characteristics to permit a structurally sound and efficient arrangement. The central tower extends above the water level to support a module, deck, or building, generally referred to as the topsides. The central tower is placed on the template or can be driven into and fixed to the sea bed. The template can be used to drill wells before the installation of the central tower or piles. The arrangement of central tower, piles, template, and foundations permits ease of installation and subsequent removal as each operation can be undertaken with the structure in a secure condition and giving a stable configuration at each stage of the procedure. By using the piles to provide support for the central tower over an extended region of the lower length of the tower, it is possible to reduce the weight of the tower, albeit at the expense of increased pile weight. The reduced weight of the tower assists in easier installation of this component.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to an offshore structure used for the exploration and production of oil or gas or for some other purpose.
2. General Background
In the offshore drilling industry it is common to use a fixed structure such as a jacket or tower. The jacket or tower is normally held in place by pilings driven into the sea floor through the legs of the structure and possibly also through a template on which the tower is placed. Exploration and development of hydrocarbons and minerals in deeper waters requires taller towers. The larger towers are more expensive to fabricate and require equipment with increased lifting and weight bearing capacity to accommodate the extra weight of the larger towers. The larger towers also have a tendency to present stability problems during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,739 teaches a compliant pile system for supporting a concrete structure so that the structure becomes compliant. The fixation of the sleeves is at the lower end at the seabed and the piles can be at the upper portion and the primary function of the pile system is to provide stability and to support it vertically. It is stated that the pile system will increase the sway period. However, the period will be increased only if the stiffness of the concrete structure is reduced. Adding piles will in general increase the overall stiffness of the platform and will decrease the period of oscillation. The concrete structure can be provided with a single rotation shell at the bottom. The piles act to restrain the concrete structure by bending action over the portion above the seabed. The piles provide vertical support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,416 teaches a pile system supported by guides attached to a jacket structure. The fixation of the piles is at the sea bed and at the guides. They are elongated to support the topsides. The piles act as the legs of the structure and the jacket structure only provides the bracing necessary to transfer shear forces between the piles so that the offshore jacket can act in bending. The jacket structure does not support any vertical loading. The piles do not extend above the framing, so that they are not braced over a significant length.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,604 teaches a compliant pile assembly for use on a compliant tower system and concerns the use of drive piles and flex piles. The drive piles are driven into the seabed and extend sufficiently to permit a sleeve attached to the side of the flex piles to engage with the drive piles and thereby be attached to them. The flex pile is aligned eccentrically with the corresponding drive pile to which it is attached. To minimize the bending effects, the piles have to be arranged symmetrically about the leg of the tower. The tower supports the topsides but is not provided with a foundation so that the vertical loads are transferred to the flex piles and through the eccentric connection to the drive piles. This also applies to horizontal loads such as environmental forces. The flex piles provide support over a limited portion of the tower and do not directly resist loads from a deck or topsides.
The present art does not teach a structure that permits an efficient distribution of loads between the piles and tower. This is due to the unsupported tower and the transfer of load from the tower to the piles through an eccentric connection.

Offshore structure for extreme water depth


A process for selectively making 2-alkenes from a NAO using a mesoporous catalyst that has been surface modified with a Brönsted acid compound. The Brönsted acid compound has a reactive silane connector, an organic linking group, and a Brönsted acid group. The mesoporous catalyst has an average pore diameter in a range of about 12 to about 100 Angstroms and a surface area of between about 400 to about 1400 m2/gram.

Olefins, especially those containing about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, are important items of commerce. Olefins are used as intermediates in the manufacture of detergents, synthetic lubricants, lube oil additives, plasticizers, and surfactants. Olefins are also used as monomers, such as in linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, etc. and as intermediates for many other types of products. As a consequence, improved methods of making these compounds are of value.
Most commercially produced olefins are made by the oligomerization of ethylene, catalyzed by various types of compounds, such as alkylaluminum compounds, certain nickel-phosphine complexes, and a titanium halide with a Lewis acid such as diethylaluminum chloride (DEAC). In many of these processes, significant amounts of branched and/or internal olefins and/or diolefins are also produced. Because the location of the double bond in olefins affects the physical properties of the olefins produced, generally, branched and/or internal olefins and/or diolefins perform differently from terminal olefins, i.e. normal alpha olefins (NAOs). The position of the double bond in the olefins also has a significant impact on the physical properties of derivatives made from the olefins. For example, a sulfonate salt prepared from a terminal olefin often functions as an oil-in-water surfactant, but a sulfonate salt prepared from an internal olefin, such as in the middle of the molecule, forms a double tail surfactant that performs well as a surfactant in inverted water-in-oil emulsions.
When a terminal olefin is isomerized, the double bond migrates to an internal position to form a more thermodynamically favored isomer. Under normal circumstances, the double bond migration will lead to a thermodynamic statistical distribution of the double bond at each carbon position of the molecule chain.
Because thermodynamics control double bond distribution during known olefin isomerization processes, economically producing an olefin with predominately 2-alkenes has been difficult, particularly when using heterogeneous catalysts. Attempts have been made to selectively produce 2-alkenes using homogeneous catalysts. Homogeneous catalysts, however, are generally more expensive than heterogeneous catalysts. A need exists for an economical process to selectively produce 2-alkenes. It would be advantageous if the process used heterogeneous catalysts.

Selective isomerization of olefins to alkenes using a mesoporous catalyst


A base fabric for press felts and a press felt incorporating that base fabric which includes an assembly of three or more separately woven fabric layers. Each of the woven fabric layers making up the base fabric assembly is a single or multilayer fabric, and they may be of the same or different weave patterns. The three or more fabric layers are assembled, one above the other and needled together with at least one batt layer on the papermaking surface of the felt. Preferably, the yarns on the top surface of the top fabric will, by virtue of the weave of the fabric, have long floats in the machine and/or cross machine direction to provide good paper web support. The bottom and intermediate fabric layers may also have long cross machine direction floats on their top surfaces to support the fabric or fabrics above. In a preferred embodiment, the yarns making up the top fabric layer will be relatively finer than those making up the intermediate layer and similarly, the yarns making up the intermediate layer will be relatively finer than those making up the bottom fabric layer.

This invention relates to papermakers' fabrics and especially to papermaking felts for the press section of a papermaking machine.
In the conventional fourdrinier papermaking process, a water slurry or suspension of cellulose fibers, known as the paper "stock", is fed onto the top of the upper run of a traveling endless forming belt. The forming belt provides a papermaking surface and operates as a filter to separate the cellulosic fibers from the aqueous medium to form a wet paper web. In forming the paper web, the forming belt serves as a filter element to separate the aqueous medium from the cellulosic fibers by providing for the drainage of the aqueous medium through its mesh openings, also known as drainage holes, by vacuum means or the like located on the drainage side of the fabric.
After leaving the forming medium the somewhat self-supporting paper web is transferred to the press section of the machine and onto a press felt, where still more of its water content is removed by passing it through a series of pressure nips formed by cooperating press rolls, these press rolls serving to compact the web as well.
Subsequently, the paper web is transferred to a dryer section where it is passed about and held in heat transfer relation with a series of heated, generally cylindrical rolls to remove still further amounts of water therefrom.
In general, the press felts in the press section are used in papermaking machinery to support the moist, freshly formed paper web as it encounters a variety of rolls to extract water from the moist paper web. In addition to serving as a support for the moist paper web, the press felt serves as a receptacle for the water removed from the paper sheet. Preferably, the press felts are woven so as to have relatively large open areas or voids which will enhance their water-conveying capabilities until the water is removed from the felt upon passage over a suction box or other drainage device. The press felt normally has a conveyer belt-like shape and during the various operations previously mentioned, a large amount of water is built up in the press felt which is removed by suction or various other drainage devices, usually after the paper web and press felt are no longer in direct contact.
Paper sheet dewatering, sheet surface smoothness, sheet pick-up and sheet carrying, as well as a variety of other performance characteristics, are sensitive to felt design. In addition, it has been observed that the physical characteristics of felts change during their useful operating life. Generally, the originally round or irregularly shaped surface fibers tend to flatten out during operation. As surface fibers flatten, the area of interface between felt and paper increases, leading to greater adhesion between felt and sheet and therefore to improved sheet pickup and sheet carrying performance. In addition, the increased sheet/felt interface area provides a more effective sheet support in the press section leading to more efficient sheet dewatering.
In the press section of the machine, it is also advantageous to remove as much water as possible from the paper web without causing any damage thereto, such as by crushing. Crushing occurs when an excessive amount of water is removed from the paper web, the excessive water then accumulating at the ingoing side of the nip, not carrying through the nip, and moving in a direction counter to that of the moving paper web. Accordingly, care should be taken to ensure that there is sufficient void volume present in the area of the press nip (either in the papermaking fabric or in the press rolls) such that as the paper web undergoes compaction and compression, all of the water expressed therefrom will be carried through the nip.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved papermakers' fabric for use in the press section of the papermaking machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved papermakers' felt having increased void volume and incompressibility for good wear characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dewatering arrangement in the press section of a papermaking machine wherein relatively large quantities of water may be removed from a paper web without crushing or marring the surface thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide means for increasing the amount of water removed from a paper web in the press section of a papermaking machine.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved papermaking press felt which improved water flow and compaction resistance characteristics.


A semi-automatic shift implementation system (100) for a manually shifted transmission (10) having gear ratios selectively engaged and disengaged by means of jaw clutches (48, 50) selectively positioned by a shift lever (57). The system will sense a transmission neutral condition, operation of a manually actuated switch (120), and a target gear ratio (GR.sub.T) and, upon sensing a transmission neutral condition and continued actuation of said switch, will automatically cause the system engine (102) to achieve a substantially synchronous speed (ES=IS=((OS*GR.sub. T).+-.E) for engaging the target ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semi-automatic shift implementation control system/method for semi-automatic shifting of a lever-shifted mechanical transmission, preferably a compound transmission of the range and/or splitter type. More particularly, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a splitter or combined splitter-and-range-type compound transmission is provided with controls and actuators for manually performed dynamic forward main section shifting without requiring manual throttle or master clutch manipulation by lever shifting with automatic engine control to cause torque breaks for shifting into neutral and/or to synchronize for engaging the target gear ratio.
Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a semi-automatic shift implementation control system/method including a manually actuated switch for enabling automatic control of the engine for causing torque breaks and for synchronizing for engaging a target gear ratio.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compound mechanical transmissions of the combined splitter-and-range type are widely used for heavy-duty vehicles and very well known in the prior art, as may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,754,665; 4,944,197; 5,193,410 and 5,390,561, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Semi-automatic shift implementation systems for compound mechanical transmissions wherein, upon manual shifting into a highest grouping of gear ratios, automatic shifting within only that highest grouping is provided, are known in the prior art and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,722,248 and 5,038,627, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Semi-automatic shift implementation systems for mechanical transmissions wherein the vehicle operator is required to manually cause a torque interruption and/or achieve synchronous conditions are known in the prior art and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,961, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
At least partially automated systems wherein engine fuel control, such as engine dither, is utilized to cause non-torque-lock conditions for shifting into neutral or for synchronizing for engaging a target gear ratio without requiring manual master clutch or throttle pedal manipulation are known in the prior art and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,593,580; 4,850,236; 5,105,357; 5,508,290; 5,509,867; 5,569,115; 5,571,059 and 5,582,558, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,212, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a semi-automatic shift implementation system which, for each lever position, has automatic splitter shifting, which allows a "(2+1).times.(2).times.(2)" type compound 10-speed transmission to be driven with the ease of a 5-speed automatic transmission.
The above systems, as disclosed, were not totally satisfactory for certain applications, as the operator was possibly required to manipulate the splitter control and/or the throttle and/or master clutch for lever shifts.

Semi-automatic shift implementation with automatic engine control enable switch


The invention relates to a dispensing device for metering and dispensing a predetermined number of multiparticulates from a container. The dispensing device comprises a chamber which includes an inlet through which multiparticulates can enter the chamber and an overflow through which multiparticulates can leave the chamber. There is also an outlet through which multiparticulates can be dispensed from the chamber. The chamber comprises a metering surface which includes at least one retaining portion. The, or each, of the retaining portions is configured to be able to releasably retain a single multiparticulate.

Multiparticulates are small solid dosage forms which have many advantages over conventional tablets. The small size of the multiparticulate means that they are easy to take, particularly for children and a single prescribed dose may comprise many multiparticulates. Since each multiparticulate may contain only a small amount of active ingredient it is possible, by varying the number and dose time prescribed to more closely control dosing and to personalise the dosage regimen.
However, the small size of the multiparticulates can create handling problems. In particular, it has been noted that counting the required number of multiparticulates has presented problems for some users. A common solution is to pour out more multiparticulates than needed and then manually return the excess to the container, but this can lead to contamination.
The invention provides a dispensing device for metering and dispensing a predetermined number of multiparticulates from a container, the dispensing device comprising a chamber, the chamber including an inlet through which multiparticulates can enter the chamber, an overflow through which multiparticulates can leave the chamber and an outlet through which multiparticulates can be dispensed from the chamber, the chamber comprising a metering surface, the metering surface including at least one retaining portion therein, the, or each, retaining portion configured to be able to releasably retain a predetermined number of multiparticulates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for forming selective P type and N type gates is described. A gate oxide layer is grown overlying a semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer is deposited overlying the gate oxide layer. Germanium ions are implanted into a portion of the polysilicon layer not covered by a mask to form a polysilicon-germanium layer. The polysilicon layer and the polysilicon-germanium layer are patterned to form NMOS polysilicon gates and PMOS polysilicon-germanium gates. In an alternative, nitrogen ions are implanted into the polysilicon-germanium layer and the gates are annealed after patterning to redistribute the germanium ions throughout the polysilicon-germanium layer. In a second alternative, germanium ions are implanted into a first thin polysilicon layer, then a second polysilicon layer is deposited to achieve the total polysilicon layer thickness before patterning the gates.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fabrication of integrated circuit devices, and more particularly, to a method of selective gate N-type and P-type electrodes using germanium implantation in the fabrication of integrated circuits.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
For 0.1 μm CMOS and below, poly gate depletion is one of the critical issues in achieving high performance devices. Polysilicon-germanium (PolySiGe) is an attractive gate material because of its lower gate depletion and boron penetration and better electron mobility. However, PolySiGe gates degrade NMOS performance while enhancing PMOS performance. The germanium dopant enhances depletion in PMOS and degrades poly depletion in NMOS. It is desired to form NMOS and PMOS gates selectively where N type gates are formed without SiGe and P type gates are formed with SiGe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,116 to Chittipeddi and U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,670 B1 to Lin et al disclose dual gate oxide processes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,438 B2 to Yu et al teaches doping PMOS and NMOS regions differently before patterning polysilicon gates. U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,821 to Naruse et al discloses epitaxial growth of SiGe gates for both NMOS and PMOS. U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,323 B1 to Kim et al teaches PolySiGe gates for both PMOS and NMOS with selective doping. Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/266,425 filed on Oct. 8, 2002 discloses a method for forming SiGe gates having different Ge concentrations for PMOS and NMOS. Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/697,746 filed on Oct. 30,2003 discloses a method for forming SiGe gates for PMOS and polysilicon gates for NMOS using a dual deposition and patterning process.

Method to lower work function of gate electrode through Ge implantation

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.


In a key input device, a control section is configured to receives a key return signal as an interrupt signal in a standby mode, to set a normal mode in response to the interrupt signal, and to perform a key scan operation in the normal mode to determine an operated key. A key matrix section having a plurality of keys and configured to supply the key return signal to the control section in response to an operation to the operated key of the plurality of keys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key input device which generates a key code in response to an operation of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
A key input device (key matrix device) is known. For example, a keyboard of a computer, a keypad of a calculator, keypads of a remote control device, an electronic lock, etc. are equipped with the key input device. The key input device generates a data and an instruction in the form of a key code in response to an operation of a key switch, and outputs the key code to a processor. The key input device has a key matrix section and a control section. A plurality of key switches are arranged in a predetermined array in the key matrix section. The control section performs a key scan operation to monitor the operation of any of key switches and to detect the position of the operated key switch.
The key input device is demanded to have a miniature size, a light in weight, advanced functions, and so on (see JU-A-Showa 62-138237, and JP-P2001-255983A). The control section is generally composed of an integrated circuit. For this reason, there is a case that the number of terminals of the integrated circuit is restricted, by which key signals from the key matrix section are received. Therefore, a technique is demanded for attaining the advanced function of the key input device without increasing the number of terminals of the integrated circuit.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a key input device described in Japanese Laid Open Utility Model application (JU-A-showa 62-138237) as Related Art 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the key input device is provided with two of first and second key matrix circuits 101 and 102. The first key matrix circuit 101 is provided as standard equipment, and the second key matrix circuit 102 is provided for extension. A control section 106 simultaneously searches the both matrix circuits. This control section includes a search section and a matrix circuit determining section. The search section simultaneously outputs one or a plurality of scan signals of different phases from one or a plurality of common scan output terminals to the both matrix circuits. The search section simultaneously scans the both matrix circuits, and a scan signal passing through the operated key switch of the both matrix circuits is supplied to a common scan input terminal. Moreover, the matrix circuit determining section samples the scan signals at a predetermined time from the output of the scan signals, and compares a signal level of each of the sampled scan signals with a threshold level to determine the operated key switch of the key matrix circuit.
Here, in the key input device in the Related Art 1, output terminals of the first key matrix circuit 101 for scan signals are respectively connected to the common scan input terminals, and also output terminals of the second key matrix circuit 102 for scan signals are respectively connected to the common scan input terminals. The key input device in the Related Art 1 is also provided with: distinction side diodes for backflow prevention having anodes respectively connected to the output terminals of scan signals of the second key matrix circuit 102; and an integrated circuit (IC) 106 that holds the high level of cathodes of the distinction side diodes for a period longer than a predetermined time period in a delayed manner to achieve application to the predetermined terminal.
In the key input device of Related Art 1, when a key switch of the first key matrix circuit 101 is operated or pushed down, a scan signal passing through the key switch is supplied to the common scan input terminal. At this time, the scan signal is not supplied to the distinction side diode due to blockade by the search side diode, so that the cathode of this distinction side diode is held at a low level. When a key switch of the second key matrix circuit 102 is pushed down, a scan signal passing through this key switch is supplied to the common scan input terminal through the search side diode and also supplied to a signal holding circuit through the distinction side diode. At this time, the cathode of the distinction side diode is held at a high level based on the high level of the scan signal for the predetermined period from the leading edge by the signal holding circuit. Also, this cathode becomes high for the predetermined period for sampling by the matrix circuit determining section.
With this configuration, the above-mentioned technique achieves a key input device that, when the first key matrix circuit 101 and the second key matrix circuit 102 are simultaneously scanned to determine the operated key switch of the key matrix section in an operation of the plurality of search side diodes (Da to Dh), the distinction side diodes (Da′ to Dh′), and the integrated circuit 106.
The above-described key input device requires a plurality of diodes as its components for determining operated key switch in the first key matrix circuit 101 and the second key matrix circuit 102.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a key input device disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (JP-P2001-255983A) as Related Art 2, Referring to FIG. 2, the key input device can detect more pushed-down key switches in a same number of terminals, by adding a simple hardware circuit. When a pulse signal is supplied from one of lines, signals are outputted from all the other lines in accordance with key states. Thus, while sequentially scanning the lines, the key input device detects pushed-down states of key switches K00 to K55.
The key input device described in JU-A-Showa 62-138237 can perform the key scan for a large number of keys, but requires a plurality of diodes as its components in order to determine the pushed-down key. Therefore, it is desired to provide technique for reducing the number of circuit components of the key matrix part.
Recently, a key input devices with small size is demanded to achieve power consumption reduction. For this purpose, normally the key scan operation is stopped and the key scan operation is started in response to a key operation as a trigger.
The key matrix part of the key input device described in JP-P2001-255983A requires a plurality of diodes to determine a pushed-down key, but the number of components is less than those of the key input device described in JU-A-Showa 62-138237. However, in the key input device described in JP-P2001-255983A, once the key scan stops, it is difficult to newly start a key scan by detecting the pushing-down of any of all the keys.


A band is mountable on tires of a child's toy vehicle to provide additional traction for the vehicle. The band has an outer panel with radially outwardly depending treads to engage with the land surface and raised traction supports on an inner panel to engage with the surface of the wheels of the toy vehicle. The band has grasping tabs integrally formed on a peripheral edge to pull the band onto the tires.

The present invention relates to a band for mounting on the wheels of a child's vehicle for additional traction.
While tire traction bands for battery-powered toy vehicles for children are available, the bands are inefficient in covering a sufficient surface area of the tire to provide adequate traction and the bands need to be snugly placed in an annular groove formed in the tire surface. The present invention easily slips over the plastic wheels present in toy vehicles using grasping tabs and has raised prominences formed on an inner panel to grip against the wheel.

Tire tread attachment for use on a toy vehicle


Difference of resolution depending on imaging position in one reconstructed image generated in the FFS method is reduced to improve measurement accuracy. The X-ray CT device interpolates missing data of the projection data obtained by the FFS method with view direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement, and channel direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and generates a reconstructed image, in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing differ according to position of pixel in the reconstructed image.

Needs for improvement of spatial resolution of X-ray CT (computed tomography) devices are increasing with use of more sophisticated X-ray CT measurement techniques. In order to improve the spatial resolution, use of finer X-ray detectors in the X-ray detection module, i.e., use of X-ray detectors of smaller sizes, is contemplated, but it results in degradation of the S/N ratio of the detected signals.
As a method for improving the spatial resolution without using smaller X-ray detectors in the X-ray detection module, a technique called flying focal spot (FFS) method is disclosed in Patent document 1. The FFS method is a method of producing positional shift of X-ray beam by electromagnetically changing the position of the focal point of X-ray alternately between two positions during the rotational movement of the scanner, and doubling the density of X-ray transmission data by that positional shift.
In the FFS method, the projection data specified by the angular direction of the rotational movement of the scanner (also called view direction or θ direction) and the direction of the channel of the X-ray detection module suffer from missing of data for every view direction associated with the alternate change of the position of the X-ray focal point. In conventional techniques, such missing data are interpolated by using actually measured data (also called real data) obtained for the positions on both sides of the missing data position, for example, for the channel direction or the view direction.

X-ray CT device, and image reconfiguration method


A prism sheet includes a prism substrate having at least one cavity therein and a plurality of prism microstructures arranged on a light exit surface of the prism substrate.

Since liquid crystal molecules cannot emit light on their own, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel needs a backlight module to provide a light source. The backlight module usually includes a backlight, a light guide plate, an upper prism sheet, a lower prism sheet, and other structures.
In the backlight module, a light guide plate converts a point light source or a linear light source provided by the backlight into an area light source. Then, the area light diffused in various directions is converged by prism sheets (including the upper prism sheet and the lower prism sheet), thereby achieving an effect of enhancing brightness.

Prism sheet, backlight module and display device

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A solid freeform fabrication method of creating a three-dimensional article built at least in part from scaffolding layers, the method includes providing a scaffolding material, providing a supporting material in a shape of a foamy layer, and contacting the scaffolding material with the foamy layer to form at least one scaffolding layer and thereby creating the three dimensional article.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods of creating scaffolds for artificial tissues and scaffolds and tissues made by these methods, specifically, the invention relates to methods utilizing depositing scaffolding material into a foamy substance to create soft tissues in a biologically friendly environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Tissue engineering is a rapidly developing field. The complexity of biological structures such as natural tissue have resulted in researchers exploring the techniques of rapid prototyping and other layered manufacturing techniques to create tissue constructs. Traditional methods of manufacturing are being adapted towards working within a biologically-friendly environment. This has led to the development of the new field of computer-aided tissue engineering (CATE). Solid freeform fabrication techniques (SFF) have been applied to create three dimensional shapes (3D shapes). SFF is a designation for a group of layered manufacturing techniques or processes that produce three dimensional shapes from additive formation steps. SFF, also known as Rapid Prototyping (RP), does not implement any part-specific tooling. A three dimensional part is produced from a 3D representation devised with the aid of a computer aided modeling program (CAD). This computer representation is a layer-by-layer slicing of a desired shape into consecutive two dimensional layers, which can then be fed to the control equipment to fabricate the desired part. SFF entails many different approaches to the method of fabrication. Stereolithography (SL), selective laser sintering (SLS), laminated object manufacturing (LOM), and fused deposition modelling (FDM) are examples of commercial processes applying SFF techniques.
Making scaffolds by layered manufacturing techniques requires the use of supporting structures such as, for example, sturdy surfaces or molds made of wax or polymeric foams. U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,785 to Crump, et al. details a method of creating breakaway supports for rapidly prototyped parts using a release coating. U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,351 to Kulkarni, et al. also describes methods for creating breakaway supports utilizing stereolithography. U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,090 to Beaman, et al. describes selective laser sintering where layers of powder are sintered with a laser. The unsintered powder acts as a support material and is later removed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,437 to Sachs, et al. uses a binder and powder system with the powder acting as a support material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,285 to Kumar, et al. describes using electrophotographic powder and a different support powder to build parts layer by layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,199 to Tseng, et al. uses a method of depositing wax or other support materials during construction. After the part is completed, the support material is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,403 to Priedeman, Jr., et al. describes an alkali-soluble support material that can be dissolved for a final product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,250 to Whalen et al. describes gel cast molding to create ceramic parts with dissolvable support materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,880 to Cooper, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,009 to Penn also describe the use of dissolvable support materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,043 to Baskaran, et al. describes a slurry made from a powder suspension in a gelling polysaccharide. A part layer is gelled and hardened, additional layers are added and hardened to eventually form the final part.
Many layered manufacturing techniques such as, for example, selective laser sintering, 3-D printing, fused deposition method, and stereolithography do not use foam as a support material. Much of the parts created using solid freeform fabrication and rapid prototyping techniques are too heavy to be supported by weak foams. Direct printing into a denser foam is difficult due to resistance and disturbs constructed layers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,358 to Sachs mentions the use of a foam, among other materials, as a removable filler material for rapid prototyping combined with subtractive processes.
Foams are used in a lost-foam technique for filling a mold. In the lost-foam technique, the foam is used as a temporary mold. Material is poured into the mold, destroying the foam and taking the shape of the mold. However, the method is just a variation of the lost-wax method of casting. U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,043 to Zoia, et al., describes using rapid prototyping methods to create molds filled by a foam.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,738,817 and 5,900,207 to Danforth, et al. utilize a dense foam base as a foundation substrate in a fused deposition method. However, the described foam material is inflexible and dense and has to be broken off or dissolved after the completion of the building process.
Other layered manufacturing methods also use sturdy foams as sheets or molds (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,514,232, 5,879,489, and 6,575,218 to Burns et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,883 to Thomas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,681 to Kinzie, U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,567 to Schindler et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,550 to Feygin et al.).
Generally, the above techniques are not adapted for creating biologically active materials. These manufacturing techniques are geared up for creating "hard" parts found in inanimate objects, rather than "soft" or "wet" parts, that are found in biologically active systems. The use of light and pliable foams has not been explored by the current methods of rapid prototyping.
For biological scaffolds, the known applications of foams are limited to the creation of porous scaffold materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,712 to Meenan et al. utilizes foams or other porous materials for artificial cartilage surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,997 to Garg et al. describes using stereolithography to create porous ceramic structures for orthopedic implants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,306,424, 6,333,029, 6,365,149, and 6,534,084 to Vyakarnam et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,198 to Levene et al. disclose porous foam composites for tissue engineering. U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,569 to Williams, et al. describes using foams in medical devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,435 to Timmons, et al. discloses creating keratin-based films, foam scaffolds, and sheets. Thus, in these patents, foams are used as a structural component such as, for example, a sheet of metal or an aluminum rod or a ceramic plate.
Layered manufacturing techniques have gained increased interest in the field of tissue engineering due to their ability to create complex parts and various geometries. Some of these industrial methods have been modified to be performed in a liquid and sterile environment to accommodate working with biological factors and cells.
Reischmann and Weiss et al. described a method for building bone tissue scaffolds using laminated sheets of material and stacking them together [1, 2]. Yan and Xiong et al. disclosed the concept of using layered manufacturing methods and multi-nozzle deposition extrusion and jetting processes [3, 4]. R. Landers, et al. devised a SFF method using a syringe-based system to dispense liquids, which is suitable for working with biological materials such as cells and hydrogels [5, 6, 7]. Calvert et al. devised a syringe-based system for the extrusion of hybrid polymer materials embedded with glass using layered SFF manufacturing [8]. Vozzi et al. devised a microsyringe deposition system [9, 10]. Ang et al. created a single-nozzle automated extrusion system that can utilize basic STL files [11]. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,139,574 and 6,176,874 to Vacanti et al. disclose vascularized tissue regeneration matrices formed by solid free form fabrication techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,293 to Weiss, et al. discloses assembled scaffolds for three dimensional cell culturing and tissue generation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,027,744 and 6,171,610 to Vacanti et al. describe guided development and support of hydrogel-cell compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,811 to Sherwood et al. discloses composites for tissue regeneration and methods of manufacture thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,994 to Monkhouse et al. describes a process for rapid prototyping and manufacturing of primarily drug delivery systems with multiple gradients, mostly involving the three dimensional printing (3DP) technique. U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,687 to Gervasi et al. describes a process for making three-dimensional objects by constructing an interlaced lattice construct using SFF to create a functional gradient material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,515 to Barlow et al. utilizes selective laser sintering to create calcium phosphate bone implants.
The adaptation of these techniques for biological purposes has many obstacles. Many of the methods, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, fused deposition, and 3-D printing, create parts under operating conditions that are environmentally hostile to cell viability. These methods use high temperatures, powders, chemicals, and so forth, that does not allow cells to be introduced into the part during manufacture. These methods are only suitable for creating "hard" scaffolds that can be cleaned and processed with cells being introduced at a later time.
However, there is also a need for creating "soft" scaffolds, such as hydrogel-based scaffolds, that can sustain viable cells during manufacture. The creation of a syringe based system within a liquid environment was the next step to try to solve this problem. This technique allows printing into liquids or use low temperature to freeze the liquid to act as a support material during construction of a scaffold [12]. The liquid acts as a crosslinker to polymerize the deposited solution.
The disadvantage of the method of printing into a liquid solution is that the density of the deposited solution is very similar to the density of the liquid it is being deposited into, so that the deposited solution can be easily disturbed and can float or drift. This problem can be alleviated to some extent if the liquid level is increased in a layer-by-layer fashion and is properly regulated. However, the height of the liquid level will vary depending upon the height of the layer being constructed. Thus, slight inaccuracies in calculations multiply by each additional layer. Also, if there is a trapped air, or if the scaffold is less dense than the liquid, the buoyancy can be disruptive, and results in the part having a tendency to float.
Filaments and struts may also tend to float during the manufacturing process so that the resulting part would have features that are not as sharp or well-defined as desired. Many of the known techniques print into a crosslinking solution to create the final scaffold. Differences in density between the scaffold and the liquid solution can create problems as described above. The liquid itself does not provide much stability to the structure. In addition, the liquid may transmit forces and vibrations from the mechanical apparatus that may reduce the precision of the device. Further, there may also be diffusion of biological and chemical factors or components during the manufacturing process, especially for the construction of large tissue engineered constructs.
"Soft" parts need to have supporting structures in order to ensure stability during their manufacture. Arches and bridge-like features need support against gravity, even in a liquid environment of a similar density. To address these needs, the liquid solution could be made denser, but this would cause problems with buoyancy and viscosity. In addition, the moving parts such as a print head or a nozzle will impart forces to the previously deposited layer while traveling above it through the viscous fluid.
In current rapid prototyping and solid freeform fabrication techniques, foam is not generally used as a supporting material but as a building material and is generally dense or solidified to create "hard" parts. The known techniques are not as well developed for creating "soft" parts that are common in biological components such as soft tissue.
For biologically active scaffolds, foam is also used as a structural component due to its porous architecture. Current manufacturing techniques are a modification of industrial techniques developed for manufacturing of "hard" parts, and are not well-adapted for biological conditions due to harsh manufacturing conditions such as high temperatures, harmful chemicals, and other environmental conditions.
Newer techniques are designed to create "soft" tissue components within a liquid environment that is much more conducive to cell growth and survival. However, these methods have limitations in the manufacturing process and do not result in creating well-defined reproducible parts. Despite the foregoing developments, there is a need in the art for improved methods of making scaffolds or parts suitable for accommodation and sustaining of biologically active substances, wherein these scaffolds or parts are made to be more reproducible and more precise in their dimensions.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Layered manufacturing utilizing foam as a support and multifunctional material for the creation of parts and for tissue engineering


A signal apparatus is provided. The signal value holding apparatus including a determining section to determine a magnitude relationship between a signal value of an input signal and a signal value of a prescribed feedback signal, a first holding section to hold the signal value determined to be larger by the determining section, a subtracting section to subtract a prescribed value from the signal value held by the first holding section and output a result as the feedback signal, and a second holding section to receive the signal value held by the first holding section and hold the signal value supplied from the first holding section when the signal value of the input signal becomes smaller than the signal value of the feedback signal based on a determination result of the magnitude relationship between the signal values by the determining section.

The present application relates to a signal value holding apparatus, a signal value holding method, a signal value control system, a signal value control method, a playback apparatus, and a playback method.
An automatic gain control (AGC) is used in a large variety of technical fields today. The AGC is used to maintain substantially constant signal value of an output signal, regardless of the signal value of an input signal. For example, although a received field intensity in a receiving device varies in the wireless communication field, the use of the AGC eliminates the negative effect of the variation of the received field intensity.
The AGC generally includes a variable gain amplifier (VGA) that adjusts the signal value of an input signal and outputs it, a peak hold circuit that evaluates the signal value of the signal supplied from the VGA, a control section that controls the VGA based on the signal value evaluated by the peak hold circuit, and so on. Thus, in order to enhance the performance of the AGC, the response of the peak hold circuit, which is an example of a signal value holding apparatus, is an important factor.
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-148950, the peak hold circuit holds the peak value of an input signal at a prescribed droop rate, and, upon input of a signal value larger than the held peak value, updates the held peak value to the input signal value. The droop rate indicates quickness to decrease the held signal value. Thus, one approach to improve the response to an input signal with a decreasing signal value in the peak hold circuit is to increase the droop rate.

Signal value holding apparatus, signal value holding method, signal value control system, signal value control method, playback apparatus, and playback method


An albada finder comprising an objective lens group, which includes two negative lenses, and an eyepiece lens group, which includes two positive lenses, arranged in this order from the object side. A view frame is formed on the object side surface of the eyepiece lens group, and a half mirror is formed on the eye point side surface of the objective lens group. The finder satisfies the following condition: EQU LD/lf.gtoreq.2 (1). wherein,. LD is the lens full length (distance from the 1st surface to the 8th surface), and PA0 Lf is the eye relief (distance from the 8th surface to an eye point).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an albada finder of which a view frame is formed on an object side surface of an eyepiece lens group, and a half mirror is formed on an eye point side surface of an objective lens group.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, the conventional albada finder is disclosed by Japanese Laid Open Publication No. Sho 57-624. The finder of the publication is composed of an objective lens group, which consists of two negative lenses, and an eyepiece lens group which consists of two positive lenses arranged in this order from the object side.
A view frame is formed on the object side surface of the eyepiece lens group, and a half mirror is formed on the eye point side surface of the objective lens group. An user can observe the image of the view frame reflected by the half mirror and the photographic subject image passed through the half mirror in an overlapping fashion.
In this specification, distance from the 1st surface of the finder system to the 8th surface (the last surface) is defined as lens full length, distance from the 8th surface to an eye point is defined as eye relief, and sum of the lens full length and eye relief is defined as finder full length.
Since the above-mentioned conventional albada finder has a short lens full length from the 1st surface to the 8th surface, it has the long eye relief in order that the finder full length coincides with thickness of a camera body. Although eye relief of the finder for cameras is about 15 mm in general, the eye relief of the finder of the above mentioned publication is 20 mm.
However, since the conventional albada finder has a short lens full length, the 4th lens, which is disposed in the most eye point side, is mounted inside a camera body at a position spaced from the back side of the camera body. For this reason, if the cover glass is not prepared, dust will enter the space formed behind the 4th lens of the finder, and it is difficult to remove the dust.
Moreover, since the conventional albada finder has a large distance between an eye and the eyepiece lens group, it must enlarge the diameter of an eyepiece lens group in order to obtain the proper visual angle.


Providing a large aperture wide-angle lens having high optical performance with sufficiently suppressed spherical aberration and sagittal coma flare, and an imaging apparatus using the lens. The lens including, in order from an object, a first lens group having positive refractive power, and a second lens group having positive refractive power, the second lens group being movable for focusing and including a 21 lens component having positive refractive power, a 22 lens component having negative refractive power, a 23 lens component having positive refractive power, and a 24 lens component having positive refractive power, and given conditions being satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wide-angle lens suitable for an image-taking lens for a single-lens reflex digital camera, a film camera and a video camera, and an imaging apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
There has been proposed a large aperture wide-angle lens such as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-308385.
However, in the conventional large aperture wide-angle lens disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-308385, there has been plenty room for improvement of aberrations such as variation in spherical aberration with respect to the wavelength, astigmatism, sagittal coma flare.


A system and method for directing directory assistance calls allows a caller seeking a non-published number to access a voice mail box associated with the non-published number. If a caller calls directory assistance to request a telephone number determined to be non-published, the call may be routed to an automatic recording indicating that the caller may leave a message. The caller may then leave a voice mail message for delivery to the appropriate party.

The present invention relates generally to the delivery of telephone messages to voice mail boxes, and more particularly to the delivery of telephone messages to voice mail boxes associated with non-published phone numbers.
Directory Assistance Systems have been widely used in telephone networks. The systems allow callers to request and receive directory numbers for businesses, residences, and government offices.
FIG. 1 shows a typical call flow for a directory assistance (DA) call. A caller 10 first dials a DA number such as 411 or 555-1212. Caller 10 is routed through local switch 11 to an Operator Services Switch 12. An operator 13, having both a data and voice connection to Operator Services Switch 12, receives information supplied by caller 10 identifying a desired listed party. Operator 13 sends to a DA database 14 information received from caller 10, and receives back from DA database 14 a list of possible matches corresponding to the supplied information. Operator 13 then selects, either on his own or through communication with caller 10, the desired party from the list and transmits this selection back to DA database 14. DA database 14 then instructs Operator Services Switch 12 to terminate the link with operator 13 and establish a voice connection between caller 10 and an automatic recording unit (ARU) 15. Finally, DA database 14 provides ARU 15 with the selected phone number and ARU 15 plays an announcement including the directory listing number. When the directory listing is non-published, ARU 15 plays an announcement indicating that fact to caller 10, at which point caller 10 hangs up.
For non-published numbers, the caller cannot directly contact the desired party, which is one of the purposes of having a non-published number. The non-published party may, however, wish to allow people to contact him indirectly, such as by leaving a voice mail.
Conventional voice mail systems cannot allow such contact. A typical voice mail system is shown in FIG. 2. A caller 20 attempts to call party 28 via local switches 21 and 27. If called party 28 does not answer, or if the line is busy, local switch 27 forwards the call to voice mail (VM) system 29. Using the number of called party 28, VM system 29 connects caller 20 to the voice mail box of called party 28 to leave a message.
To retrieve his voice mail, called party 28 places a call via local switch 27 to VM system 29. VM system 29 uses the calling number of called party 28 to identify the correct voice mail box. Alternatively, VM system 29 may prompt called party 28 to enter a voice mail box number and a password. Then, VM system 29 plays the messages contained in the mail box.
Currently, however, no system exists to combine current VM systems with DA systems to allow a caller to leave a message in a voice mail box associated with a non-published number. There is, therefore, a need for a system and method to allow a caller using a directory assistance service to leave a voice mail message for parties with non-published numbers in lieu of contacting them directly. Such a system and method should work both in pre-local number portability and local number portability environments.

System and method for message delivery for non-published directory numbers to voice mail boxes