A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip and a sealing member. The first semiconductor chip includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and having an opening that extends in a predetermined depth from the second surface, and a plurality of through electrodes extending in a thickness direction from the first surface, end portions of the through electrodes being exposed through a bottom surface of the opening. The second semiconductor chip is received in the opening and mounted on the bottom surface of the opening. The sealing member covers the second semiconductor chip in the opening.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor package and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor package. More particularly, example embodiments relate to a semiconductor package including at least two semiconductor chips stacked on each other and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor package.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor packages are becoming miniaturized and lightweight according to the miniaturization trend of electronic products using semiconductor devices. For example, in order to minimize a mounting area, a stack package including at least two unit semiconductor chips stacked on a wafer level has been researched.
In the wafer level package, the stacked semiconductor chips may include a through electrode or plug that penetrates the semiconductor chip. A connection member such as a metal bump may be disposed on the through electrode to electrically connect the semiconductor chips to each other. The through electrode called through-silicon via (TSV) can be used for the wafer level package. For example, the through electrode may be formed using copper (Cu) having a low resistance.
Conventionally, after the through electrode is formed in a semiconductor such as a wafer, a backside of the substrate may be planarized until an end portion of the through electrode is exposed through the backside of the substrate. By performing the planarization process, the thickness of the substrate may be decreased. Accordingly, a high-cost wafer supporting system (WSS) may be required to handle the thin wafer for following processes. Further, the through electrodes may be damaged by the planarization process.

Semiconductor package and method of manufacturing the semiconductor package


Integrated circuits are arranged in a regular pattern on a semiconductor wafer. The circuits are separated from one another by kerf areas. These kerf areas are used to accommodate test structures from which process parameters can be derived. Because the surface area of these kerf areas is comparatively small, it is necessary to minimize the number of bonding pads or connection terminals for these test structures. The test system is extended with a multiplex circuit whereby a test structure can be selected from the test system and which connects one of the various test structures to always the same connection terminals. Furthermore, using one stimulus which is applied to a connection terminal and which is also the stimulus for the test structure whose response is to be measured, the desired test structure is selected. This is because the multiplex circuit detects on which connection point the stimulus is received and decodes the test structure to be connected to the connection terminals on the basis of the connection pin number.

The invention relates to a test system integrated on a substrate for the measurement and/or testing of parameters of test structures, an arbitrary one of the various test structures being connectable to the same externally accessible connection terminals by means of a multiplex circuit. The invention also relates to a method for using such a test system.
An integrated test system of this kind is known from a publication of the IEEE VLSI Workshop on Test Structures, held in Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 17 and 18, 1986. This publication by A. Nishimura et al, entitled "Multiplex Test Structure; a Novel VLSI Technology Development Tool", describes how the number of connection terminals for the measurement and/or testing of parameters of test structures included in a process control module can be limited. To this end, use is made of a multiplex circuit whereto ten external selection signals are applied, enabling the selection of 1024 different test structures. Using the multiplex circuit, a selected test structure is connected to some further connection terminals whereto supply voltages/stimuli are applied, the response of the test structure to the stimulus presented being measured on other connection terminals. According to said publication the test structures and the multiplex circuit are accommodated in a so-called test chip which is used for the development of new CMOS technology and/or new CMOS circuits. When a technique of this kind is used for monitoring the production process, several process control modules would have to be distributed across the semiconductor wafer to be processed. These process control modules then occupy substrate surface area which can normally be used for producing integrated semiconductor circuits. The foregoing reduces the yield of a silicon wafer. Therefore, it has been proposed (in the magazine Solid-State Technology, May 1985) to abstain from accommodating process control modules in the location of semiconductor circuits to be produced, and to arrange control modules/test circuits in the kerf areas surrounding the semiconductor circuits. Even though it is assumed in the cited publication that the kerf areas have a width of 200 .mu.m, they are much narrower in practice. Therefore, the number of connection terminals of test circuits must be minimized because these connection terminals have comparatively large dimensions of from 80.times.80 to 125.times.125 .mu.m.sup.2.

Test system integrated on a substrate and a method for using such a test system


A purified hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) or hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) reacts with a perfluorinated alkyl glycidyl ether to produce an associative thickener wherein a fluorinated C.sub.8 chain is nearly as effective as a hydrocarbyl C.sub.16 straight chain hydrophobe. A preferred glycidyl ether is prepared by reacting a terminal hydroxyl of a perfluorinated surfactant with epichlorohydrin.

Landoll, U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,277, introduced a pioneering class of hydrophobically modified cellulose ethers which have gained a class recognition as associative cellulosic thickeners. Assignee's pending patent application, Ser. No. 428,912, filed Oct. 30, 1989, details how improved properties are obtained when the alkyl hydrophobes, as taught by Landoll, are replaced with arylalkyl hydrophobes such as nonylphenyl groups. U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,167 discloses that hydrophobically modified nonionic polygalactomannan ethers (guar) can be employed in a variety of uses including oil drilling and recovery. U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,978 discloses a fluorinated product of either methylcellulose or ethylcellulose. A hydrophilic polymeric coating comprising polyvinyl alcohol esterified with perfluorooctanoyl chloride was disclosed in a publication by Stewart, David J.; Purvis, Duncan R.; Lowe, Christopher R. (Inst. Biotechnol., Univ. Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. CB2 3EF) J. Chromatogr. 1990, 510, 177-187. French Patent Application 2 636 334, "Perfluoroalkylated Polysaccharides, Their Preparation and Uses" discloses grafting 4 to 20 carbon atom perfluoroalkyl groups onto polysaccharide chains of xanthan and carboxymethylcellulose.
While these references indicate that extensive and exhaustive work has been undertaken on polymer modification, it remained for the present invention to reduce to practice the means for providing a new and useful associative thickener 5 utilizing a perfluorinated alkyl hydrophobe.

Perfluorinated alkyl hydrophobe hydroxyalkylcellulose associative thickeners


A process for making semiconductor structures uses a decoupled plasma source to produce a highly selective plasma etchant to form a structure with a thin adhesive layer and overlaying conductive layer. The preferred plasma is formed from chlorine and oxygen feed gases. The highly conductive semiconductor structure has a thickness less than about 3000 Å, preferably less than about 2600 Å, and incorporates an adhesive layer that is preferably less than about 100 Å thick. Despite the reduced profile and topography of the structure, it is more conductive than prior structures, and provides a robust device.

This invention is directed to improved semiconductor devices, and in particular is directed to highly conductive semiconductor structures, such as those formed of tungsten or tungsten silicide, with reduced topographic profiles, and electrical devices incorporating same.
Tungsten (W) or Tungsten silicide (WSi) have desirable conductive and other properties making them useful in forming semiconductor structures, especially bit-line gates. In the past, due to the lack of a sufficiently selective etch process, the process illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 was utilized. A layer of tungsten or tungsten silicide 101 was deposited over a layer of polysilicon 102 (also referred to as poly or polySi), which was previously deposited on the substrate 103. Substrate 103 could be an oxide, for example silicon oxide-silicon nitride-silicon oxide (also referred to as ONO), itself on a silicon substrate. The polysilicon layer 102 served as a sacrificial layer to improve the etch process window during etching of the conductive layer, and also enhanced the adhesion of the W or WSi to the substrate. Hence, the polysilicon layer served as both a sacrificial layer and as an adhesive layer between the conductive layer and the substrate.
With reference to FIG. 2, following etching, the resulting conductive structure consists of an upper conductive layer 101a and an intermediate "adhesive" layer 102a on top of substrate 103. If layer 101a is formed of W, and the conductive structure forms a structure such as a bit-line gate, generally the W layer must have a thickness between about 800–2500 angstroms (Å) to be sufficiently conductive to accomplish the desired function. Generally, the intermediate or adhesive layer 102a must be at least 1000 Å to achieve optimal etching, and such previous structures have a thickness greater than about 3000 Å (i.e., the combined thickness of both the adhesive layer and the conductive layer).
However, the resulting structure of a conductive material on top of a polysilicon layer has a higher electrical resistance than desired due to the lower conductivity of the polysilicon with respect to the conductive layer, and further the structure is taller or thicker than desired, increasing the topography of the overall device, making any subsequent processing steps more difficult.
It is thus desired to have more highly conductive semiconductor structures. A highly conductive semiconductor (HCS) structure is defined herein as a structure which has a conductive layer adhered to a substrate by an intermediate adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is conductive but less conductive than the conductive layer, and the conductivity of the overall structure (i.e., the conductive layer and adhesive layer) is higher than previous conductive semiconductor structures formed of a conductive layer and an adhesive layer. In order to reduce electrical resistance, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the conductive layer and/or reduce the thickness of the adhesive layer. However, due to the deficiencies of known etch processes, it was not possible to decrease the thickness of the adhesive layer below about 1000 Å because it also needed to be thick enough to act as an adequate sacrificial layer, and increasing the thickness of the overlying conductive layer was undesirable as this would increase the topography (vertical profile), cost, and overall size of the resulting structure and devices incorporating same. In view of the need for smaller devices, it desirable to reduce the size and increase the conductivity (reduce electrical resistance) of semiconductor structures, and the resulting semiconductor devices and electrical devices incorporating same.
Therefore, there is a need for highly conductive semiconductor structures that have a lower profile with respect to the underlying substrate than previous structures. There is also a need for an improved process of making such structures.

Method of forming highly conductive semiconductor structures via plasma etch


A fueling system for an internal combustion engine. The system has a voltage booster and a fuel injector. The voltage booster is operatively coupled to the injector to selectively drive the injector. A method includes determining compliance of a booster voltage with a threshold. The method further includes diagnosing fuel system error based upon the determining compliance.

The present invention relates generally to methods, processes, systems, hardware, software, and/or combinations relating to fueling systems for internal combustion engines. More particularly, one form of the present invention relates to determining and/or diagnosing problems, difficulties or undesirable events or consequences related to a fuel injection system.
Modern internal combustion engines generally include a fuel delivery system, including one or more fuel injectors supplying fuel during engine operation. Further, the injectors and system associated with fuel injection have application in vaporizing, atomizing, and spraying gasoline, diesel, alcohol, hydrocarbon fuels, non-hydrocarbon fuels, and/or other combustible or non-combustible materials.
Internal combustion engine fuel systems, for example, high pressure common rail fuel systems, may use a booster to boost one or more fuel injector at desired times. Such fuel systems may experience errors and/or failures including, but not limited to, those relating to or involving electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, software, hardware, logic errors and/or failures as well as errors and/or failures of or relating to the injector(s), injector wiring harness, injector contacts, injector driver circuitry, and/or engine control module or other circuitry. These and other situations can result in engine damage, inefficiency, wear, increased emissions, and/or non compliance with governmental regulations. The present invention contemplates unique solutions to these and other problems.

Methods and systems of diagnosing fuel injection system error


An organic electroluminescent device includes: a switching element and a driving element connected to each other on a substrate including a pixel region; a planarization layer on the switching element and the driving element, the planarization layer having a substantially flat top surface; a cathode on the planarization layer, the cathode connected to the driving element; an emitting layer on the cathode; and an anode on the emitting layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device (OELD), and more particularly to a top emission type OELD.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, an OELD emits light by injecting electrons from a cathode and holes from an anode into an emission layer, combining the electrons with the holes, generating an exciton, and transitioning the exciton from an excited state to a ground state. In comparison to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an additional light source is not necessary for the OELD to emit light, because the transition of the exciton between the two states causes light to be emitted. Accordingly, the size and weight of the OELD are less than the LCD device.
The OELD has other excellent characteristics, such as a low power consumption, superior brightness, and a fast response time. Thus, the OELD is seen as the preferred display for the next-generation of consumer electronic applications such as cellular phones, car navigation systems (CNSs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), camcorders, palmtop computers, etc. Moreover, because fabricating the organic ELD is performed with fewer processing steps, the OELD is less expensive to produce than the LCD device.
In addition, the two types of OELDs are a passive matrix OELD and an active matrix OELD. While both of the passive and active matrix OELDs have a simple structure and are formed by a simple fabricating process, the passive matrix OELD requires a relatively large amount of power to operate. In addition, the display size of the passive matrix OELD is limited by the width and thickness of conductive lines used in the structure. Further, as the number of conductive lines increases, the aperture ratio of the passive matrix OELD decreases. In contrast, the active matrix OELDs are highly efficient and may produce a high-quality image on a large display with a relatively low power.
Turning now to FIG. 1, which is a schematic cross-sectional view of an OELD 1 according to the related art. As shown, the OELD 1 includes first and second substrates 12 and 28 facing and being spaced apart from each other. Also included is an array element layer 14 formed on the first substrate 12. As shown, the array element layer 14 includes a thin film transistor "T." Although not shown, the array element layer 14 further includes a gate line, a data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel region "P," and a power line crossing one of the gate and data lines. In addition, the OELD 1 also includes a first electrode 16 on the array element layer 14, an organic electroluminescent (EL) layer 18 on the first electrode 16, and a second electrode 20 on the organic EL layer 18. In addition, the first electrode 16 is connected to the thin film transistor "T." Here, the organic EL layer 18 includes red (R), green (G) and blue (B) sub-organic EL layers in the pixel regions "P."
In addition, the second substrate 28 functions as an encapsulating panel having a receded portion 21. A desiccant 22 is packaged in the receded portion 21 to protect the OELD 1 from moisture. Further, a seal pattern 26 is formed between the first and second substrates 12 and 28 at a periphery thereof so as to attach the first and second substrates 12 and 28 to each other.
Next, FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the related art ELD shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a pixel region "P" is defined by a gate line 42 and a data line 44 crossing the gate line 42 formed on a substrate 32. Also included is a power line 55 spaced parallel from the gate line 42 and crossing the data line 44.
In addition, a switching element "TS" is connected to the gate and data lines 42 and 44 in an area adjacent to where the gate and data lines 42 and 44 cross, and a driving element "TD" is connected to the switching element "TS." For example, the driving element "TD" in FIG. 2 is a positive type thin film transistor. Further, a storage capacitor "CST" is formed between the switching element "TS" and the driving element "TD." Also, a drain electrode 63 of the driving element "TD" is connected to a first electrode (not shown) of an organic EL diode "E." In addition, a source electrode 66 of the driving element "TD" is connected to the power line 55 and a gate electrode 68 is connected to the capacitor Cst and switching element Ts.
Hereinafter, operation of the OELD will be explained in detail. When a gate signal is applied to the gate electrode 46 of the switching element "Ts," a current signal applied to the data line 44 is changed into a voltage signal through the switching element "Ts" and is applied to the gate electrode 68 of the driving element "TD."
Therefore, the driving element "TD" is driven and the level of the current applied to the organic EL diode "E" is determined such that the organic EL diode "E" may display a gray scale. Further, because the signal in the storage capacitor "Cst" functions to maintain the signal of the gate electrode 68 of the driving element "TD," the current applied to the EL diode is maintained until the next signal is applied even if the switching element "Ts" is in an OFF state.
Next, FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a related art OELD with respect to one pixel. As shown, the switching element "TS," the driving element "TD" connected to the switching element "Ts," and the storage capacitor "Cst" are formed on the substrate 32 in the pixel region "P." Alternatively, the switching element "Ts" and the driving element "TD" may be formed in multiple in the pixel region "P" in accordance with an operation characteristic thereof
In addition, the substrate 32 includes a transparent insulating substrate such as glass or a plastic substrate. The gate line 42 is formed on the substrate 32 and the data line 44 crosses the gate line 42 to define the pixel region "P." In addition, in this example, a power line 55 is parallel to the data line 44.
Further, the switching element "Ts" includes the gate electrode 46 connected to a first gate line 42, a first semiconductor layer 50 over the first gate electrode 46, a first source electrode 56 connected to the data line 44, and a first drain electrode 60 spaced apart from the first source electrode 56. The driving element "TD" includes the second gate electrode 68 connected to the drain electrode 60, a second semiconductor layer 62 over the second gate electrode 68, the second source electrode 66 connected to the power line 55, and the second drain electrode 63. Specifically, the first drain electrode 60 and the gate electrode 68 are connected to each other via a contact hole 64 of an insulating material layer (not shown).
Further, a first electrode 36 is connected to the first drain electrode 63 in the pixel region "P." Although not shown, the storage capacitor "Cst" includes a first storage electrode of doped silicon, a second storage electrode occupying a portion of the power line 55, and an insulating material layer (not shown) between the first and second storage electrodes.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the related art OELD taken along the line "IV-IV" in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, the second semiconductor layer 62 is formed on the substrate 32, a gate insulating layer "GI" is formed on the second semiconductor layer 62, the gate electrode 68 is formed on the gate insulating layer "GI" over the second semiconductor layer 62, and an interlayer insulating layer "IL" is formed on the gate electrode 68 and includes first and second contact holes "C1" and "C2" that expose both end portions of the second semiconductor layer 62. The source and drain electrodes 66 and 63 are formed on the interlayer insulating layer "IL" and are connected to the second semiconductor layer 62 via the first and second contact holes "C1" and "C2."
A passivation layer 67 is also formed on the second source and drain electrodes 66 and 63 and includes a drain contact hole "C3" that exposes a portion of the drain electrode 63. The first electrode 36 is connected to the drain electrode 63 via the drain contact hole "C3," the organic EL layer 38 is formed on the first electrode 36, and a second electrode 80 is formed on the organic EL layer 38. The first electrode 36, the organic EL layer 38, and the second electrode 80 constitute the organic EL diode "E." Further, the driving element "TD" is a negative type TFT, and the first electrode 36 and the second electrode 80 are a cathode and an anode, respectively. Alternatively, the driving element "TD" is a positive type TFT, and the first electrode 36 and the second electrode 80 are an anode and a cathode, respectively.
In addition, the storage capacitor "Cst" and the driving element "TD" are disposed in a row. Here, the source electrode 66 is connected to the second storage electrode, and the first storage electrode 35 is disposed under the second storage electrode 34.
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an emission region of the related art. In FIG. 5, the emission region of the OELD 1 includes the anode 36 on the substrate 32, a hole injection layer 38a on the anode 36, a hole transport layer 38b on the hole injection layer 38a, an emitting layer 38c on the hole transport layer 38b, an electron transport layer 38d on the emitting layer 38c, an electron injection layer 38e on the electron transport layer 38d, and the cathode 80 on the electron injection layer 38e. These layers are sequentially layered on the anode 36.
In addition, the hole transport layer 38b and the electron transport layer 38d function to transport a hole and electron to the emitting layer 38c to improve an emitting efficiency. Further, the hole injection layer 38c between the anode 36 and the hole transport layer 38b function to reduce a hole injecting energy, and the electron injection layer 38e between the cathode 80 and the electron transport layer 38d function to reduce an electron injecting energy, thereby increasing the emitting efficiency and reducing the driving voltage of the OELD.
Further, the cathode 80 is formed of a material including calcium (Ca), aluminum (Al), aluminum alloy, magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag) and lithium (Li). In addition, the anode 36 includes a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Thus, because the anode 36 formed with a transparent conductive material such as ITO is deposited by sputtering, layers under the anode 36 may be damaged. Therefore, to prevent damaging the emitting layer 38, the anode 36 is not formed on the emitting layer 38.
Accordingly, when light from the emitting layer 38 is emitted toward the anode 36 formed under the emitting layer 38, the substantial aperture region is limited due to the array element (not shown) under the anode 36. Consequently, because the OELD related art is a bottom emission type OELD, the brightness deteriorates due to the array element. Further, to minimize the aperture region, the design of the array element is limited. Also, the driving element is selected from a positive type poly-silicon type in connection with the structure of the organic EL diode, the array process is complicated and the product yield is reduced.

Dual panel type organic electroluminescent display device and method of fabricating the same


An object is to provide a semiconductor cooling device which optimally keeps the mixing amount of microbubbles in the refrigerant and prevents the reduction of the cooling effect of the semiconductor module. The semiconductor cooling device includes a refrigerant circulation path through which refrigerant circulates, a heat exchanger provided on the refrigerant circulation path on which a semiconductor module is installable and configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the semiconductor module, a microbubble generator provided on the refrigerant circulation path, and configured to generate microbubbles in the refrigerant, a controller configured to control the microbubble generator, and a refrigerant sensor configured to measure a temperature, a flow rate, a flow velocity, or a pressure of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circulation path. The controller is configured to control the microbubble generator based on a measurement result measured by the refrigerant sensor to control the generation amount of microbubbles.

In order to improve the reliability of a semiconductor module, the semiconductor module needs to be efficiently cooled. For example, the power conversion device described in Patent Document 1 adopts a water cooling type cooling method for cooling a semiconductor module.
Also, the temperature control apparatus which controls the temperature of an object to be temperature-controlled with liquid refrigerant containing microbubbles is proposed in Patent Document 2.

Semiconductor cooling device, power control system and travelling body including a semiconductor colling device with microbubble generator


A video endoscope system including a light guide for transmitting light emitted from a light source to illuminate an observation field of an endoscope, and a device for controlling the luminous flux of light supplied to the light guide from the light source. A solid-state imaging device forms an image of the observation field, and a processor processes an image signal output from the solid-state imaging device. In addition, a color tone correcting device divides the image to be processed by the processor into a plurality of regions and makes color tone correction with respect to each of the regions according to the control condition of the luminous flux control device.

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-325650 (filed on Dec. 24, 1993) and Japanese Patent Application No. 6-214481 (filed on Sep. 8, 1994), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video endoscope system designed so that the observation field of an endoscope is illuminated with illuminating light emitted from a light source and transmitted by a light guide, and an endoscope image signal in the observation field is taken out by a solid-state imaging device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To obtain an observation image of good quality with a video endoscope system, it is necessary to optimize the brightness of illuminating light at all times.
Therefore, in a typical video endoscope system, the intensity of illuminating light is controlled by varying the voltage applied to the light source lamp, or controlling an aperture diaphragm which is provided in such a manner that it is movable into and out of an illuminating light path between the light source and the light guide, thereby enabling a favorable image brightness to be obtained at all times.
However, a change of the voltage applied to the light source lamp causes a change in the color temperature of the illuminating light. When the aperture diaphragm moves to change the position where it limits the cross-sectional area of the illuminating light path, spectral characteristics of illuminating light incident on the light guide from the light source change, resulting in a change of the color tone of the endoscope image.
Under these circumstances, the conventional practice is to correct the gain of each of the color image signals for three primary colors, i.e., red (R), green (G) and blue (B), according to the change of the light source voltage or the change in the aperture of the diaphragm, thereby making color tone correction of the endoscope image (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2-181591).
However, more detailed analysis of the conventional technique has revealed that change in color tone of the endoscope image that occurs when the light source voltage is changed or when the aperture diaphragm is moved is not uniform throughout the screen image; there is a considerable difference in change of color tone between different portions of the screen image, e.g., between the central and peripheral portions of the screen image.
Such a phenomenon is attributable to the following reasons: The change in color temperature of the light source lamp that is caused when the light source voltage is changed differs between the central and peripheral portions of the screen image. The aperture diaphragm does not uniformly control the cross-sectional area of the illuminating light path but locally varies the cross-sectional area blocked by it. Therefore, the movement of the aperture diaphragm causes a change in the balance of light rays incident on the light guide at various angles. Thus, the above-described undesired phenomenon occurs on account of the light-transmitting characteristics of the light guide.
For the above reasons, color tone change occurring at every portion of the screen image is affected not only by the change of the light source voltage or the change in control condition of the aperture diaphragm but also by the characteristics of the light guide and the relationship between the light guide and the viewing optical system. That is, it also depends on the type of endoscope employed.

Video endoscope system with color tone correction


An illuminate-able beverage-ware device includes a bottle-supporting component with a base and a bottle-gripping sidewall that cooperatively define an upwardly opening space for receiving a bottle or other beverage container. An actuator arrangement actuates a battery-powered light source that transmits lights upwardly toward the false bottom, outwardly through the sidewall, and downwardly toward the base, while inwardly extending protrusions on a circularly shaped sidewall of one embodiment hold the device on the bottle when the bottle is lifted (e.g., to a drinking position). The false bottom, sidewall, and base are all at least partially transparent to light so that light is transmitted upwardly through the false bottom toward the bottle (e.g., to illuminate a beverage within the bottle), outwardly through the sidewall, and downwardly through the base (e.g., to illuminate information on the underside of the base for a highly visible additional display of information to a bystander when the bottle is raised to a drinking position).

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to beverage-ware in the form of beverage container coasters, holders, receptacles, and the like. More particularly, it relates to an illuminate-able beverage container accessory on which to set a water bottle, beer bottle, wine cooler, or other beverage container.
2. Description of Related Art
Manufacturers have in the past provided a vast variety of coasters, holders, bases, and other such beverage-ware devices for use with beverage containers. Such beverage-ware devices are designed for any of various functional, decorative, and/or novelty-item uses, including advertising and promotional purposes. Some devices use light with some success for ambience-setting and to help attract attention for advertising purposes, and so that subset of such devices is of particular interest.
One problem with existing illuminated coasters and the like are that they can be bulky, complicated, and expensive. In addition, light may be projected upwardly and/or to the side of an upright beverage container where it is not clearly visible when the beverage container is moved to any of various tilted drinking positions. Thus, a need exists for an illuminate-able beverage container accessory with just the right combination of elements for less bulk, complexity, and expense coupled with improved functionality.


A method, apparatus and a system multi-camera image processing method. The method includes performing geometric alignment to produce a geometric output, performing photometric alignment to produce a photometric output and blending output, using data from the geometric alignment and the photometric alignment for performing synthesis function for at least one of blending and stitching images from the multi-cameras, and displaying an image from the synthesis function.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and system for generating a display from a surround view camera solution.
Description of the Related Art
In a multi-camera surround view camera solution, a multi-camera, fisheye input images and video streams are used to generate a bird-eye view of the surroundings in real time. Such a system is used, for example, in vehicles to monitor vehicle surroundings when the driver is driving, parking, changing lanes and the likes. Such a solution helps the driver park safely by allowing him/her to see the entire 360 degree surrounding of the vehicle. FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a multi-camera surround view system in an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) consisting of four to six wide-angle cameras mounted around a vehicle, each facing one direction. In FIG. 1, the four wide-angle or fisheye cameras are mounted around the vehicle, each facing one direction. Usually one camera is in the middle of the front grille, one at the back above the license plate, and one camera look down from each of the side view mirror. FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a composite bird-eye view of a vehicle is synthesized and shown to the driver in real-time. As shown in FIG. 2, the surround view camera solution synthesizes a 360 degree bird-eye view of the vehicle from four or more input video streams. The goal is to use the images and videos from the multi-camera system to produce a seamlessly stitched 360 degree composite view that looks like it were taken by a single camera above the vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need for a method, apparatus and/or system for processing a seamless view from a surround view camera system.

Method, apparatus and system for processing a display from a surround view camera solution


A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate; a gate electrode formed on the substrate; a data line formed on the substrate; a gate insulating layer formed on the data line and the gate electrode, and having a first contact hole exposing the gate electrode, and a second contact hole exposing the data line; a gate line intersecting the data line, and connected to the gate electrode through the first contact hole; a semiconductor formed the gate insulating layer, and including a channel of a thin film transistor; a source electrode connected to the data line through the second contact hole; a drain electrode opposite to the source electrode with respect to the channel on the semiconductor; a passivation layer having a third contact hole exposing the drain electrode; and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode through the third contact hole are included.

(a) Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a thin film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A thin film transistor is used as a switching element to independently drive each pixel in a flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic light emitting device. A thin film transistor array panel includes a thin film transistor, a scanning signal line (or a gate line) for transmitting a scanning signal to the thin film transistor, a data line for transmitting a data signal, and a pixel electrode connected thereto.
In commercially available embodiments, the data line is disposed intersecting the gate line such that a parasitic capacitance is generated between the data line and the pixel electrode close thereto, and as a result the charged voltage of the pixel electrode is unstable.
To form the thin film transistor array panel, several photolithography processes are required, and one photolithography process includes a detailed process of several tens to several hundreds of steps such that if the number of the photolithography processes is increased, the process time and the cost are increased. Accordingly, various methods to reduce the number of photolithography processes have been proposed. However, there are problems accompanied with reducing the number of photolithography processes, such that it is not easy to reduce the number of photolithography processes. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a process with a reduced number of photolithography processes without additional complications.

Thin film transistor array panel and manufacturing method of the same


Anti-TNF antibodies and anti-TNF peptides, specific for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are useful for in vivo diagnosis and therapy of a number of TNF-mediated pathologies and conditions, as well as polynucleotides coding for anti-TNF murine and chimeric antibodies, peptides, methods of making and using the antibody or peptides in immunoassays and immuno-therapeutic approaches are provided, where the anti-TNF peptide is selected from a soluble portion of TNF receptor, an anti-TNF antibody or structural analog thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention in the field of immunology and medicine relates to anti-human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (hTNFα) antibodies and peptides and nucleic acids encoding therefor, and to pharmaceutical and diagnostic compositions and production, diagnostic and therapeutic methods thereof, and to methods for treating TNF-mediated pathologies.
2. Description of the Background Art
Tumor Necrosis Factor: Monocytes and macrophages secrete cytokines known as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and tumor necrosis factor-β (TNFβ) in response to endotoxin or other stimuli. TNFα is a soluble homotrimer of 17 kD protein subunits (Smith, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262:6951–6954 (1987)). A membrane-bound 26 kD precursor form of TNF also exists (Kriegler, et al., Cell 53:45–53 (1988)). For reviews of TNF, see Beutler, et al., Nature 320:584 (1986), Old, Science 230:630 (1986), and Le, et al., Lab. Invest. 56:234 (1987).
Cells other than monocytes or macrophages also make TNFα. For example, human non-monocytic tumor cell lines produce TNF (Rubin, et al., J. Exp. Med. 164:1350 (1986); Spriggs, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:6563 (1987)). CD4+ and CD8+ peripheral blood T lymphocytes and some cultured T and B cell lines (Cuturi, et a., J. Exp. Med. 165:1581 (1987); Sung, et al., J. Exp. Med. 168:1539 (1988)) also produce TNFα.
TNF causes pro-inflammatory actions which result in tissue injury, such as inducing procoagulant activity on vascular endothelial cells (Pober, et al., J. Immunol. 136:1680 (1986)), increasing the adherence of neutrophils and lymphocytes (Pober, et al., J. Immunol. 138:3319 (1987)), and stimulating the release of platelet activating factor from macrophages, neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells (Camussi, et al., J. Exp. Med. 166:1390 (1987)).
Recent evidence associates TNF with infections (Cerami, et al., Immunol. Today 9:28 (1988)), immune disorders, neoplastic pathologies (Oliff, et al., Cell 50:555 (1987)), autoimmune pathologies and graft-versus host pathologies (Piguet, et al., J. Exp. Med. 166:1280 (1987)). The association of TNF with cancer and infectious pathologies is often related to the host's catabolic state. Cancer patients suffer from weight loss, usually associated with anorexia.
The extensive wasting which is associated with cancer, and other diseases, is known as "cachexia" (Kern, et al. (J. Parent. Enter. Nutr. 12:286–298 (1988)). Cachexia includes progressive weight loss, anorexia, and persistent erosion of body mass in response to a malignant growth. The fundamental physiological derangement can relate to a decline in food intake relative to energy expenditure. The cachectic state causes most cancer morbidity and mortality. TNF can mediate cachexia in cancer, infectious pathology, and other catabolic states.
TNF also plays a central role in gram-negative sepsis and endotoxic shock (Michie, et al., Br. J. Surg. 76:670–671 (1989); Debets, et al., Second Vienna Shock Forum, p. 463–466 (1989); Simpson, et al., Crit. Care Clin. 5:27–47 (1989)), including fever, malaise, anorexia, and cachexia. Endotoxin strongly activates monocyte/macrophage production and secretion of TNF and other cytokines (Kornbluth, et al., J. Immunol. 137:2585–2591 (1986)). TNF and other monocyte-derived cytokines mediate the metabolic and neurohormonal responses to endotoxin (Michie, et al., New. Engl. J. Med. 318:1481–1486 (1988)). Endotoxin administration to human volunteers produces acute illness with flu-like symptoms including fever, tachycardia, increased metabolic rate and stress hormone release (Revhaug, et al., Arch. Surg. 123:162–170 (1988)). Circulating TNF increases in patients suffering from Gram-negative sepsis (Waage, et al., Lancet 1:355–357 (1987); Hammerle, et al., Second Vienna Shock Forum p. 715–718 (1989); Debets, et al., Crit. Care Med. 17:489–497 (1989); Calandra, et al., J. Infect. Dis. 161:982–987 (1990)).
TNF Antibodies
Polyclonal murine antibodies to TNF are disclosed by Cerami et al. (EPO Patent Publication 0212489, Mar. 4, 1987). Such antibodies were said to be useful in diagnostic immunoassays and in therapy of shock in bacterial infections.
Rubin et al. (EPO Patent Publication 0218868, Apr. 22, 1987) discloses murine monoclonal antibodies to human TNF, the hybridomas secreting such antibodies, methods of producing such murine antibodies, and the use of such murine antibodies in immunoassay of TNF.
Yone et al. (EPO Patent Publication 0288088, Oct. 26, 1988) discloses anti-TNF murine antibodies, including mabs, and their utility in immunoassay diagnosis of pathologies, in particular Kawasaki's pathology and bacterial infection. The body fluids of patients with Kawasaki's pathology (infantile acute febrile mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome; Kawasaki, Allergy 16:178 (1967); Kawasaki, Shonica (Pediatrics) 26:935 (1985)) were said to contain elevated TNF levels which were related to progress of the pathology (Yone et al., infra).
Other investigators have described rodent or murine mAbs specific for recombinant human TNF which had neutralizing activity in vitro (Liang, et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 137:847–854 (1986); Meager, et al., Hybridoma 6:305–311 (1987); Fendly et al., Hybridoma 6:359–369 (1987); Bringman, et al., Hybridoma 6:489–507 (1987); Hirai, et al., J. Immunol. Meth. 96:57–62 (1987); Moller, et al. (Cytokine 2:162–169 (1990)). Some of these mabs were used to map epitopes of human TNF and develop enzyme immunoassays (Fendly et al., infra; Hirai et al., infra; Moller et al., infra) and to assist in the purification of recombinant TNF (Bringman et al., infra) However, these studies do not provide a basis for producing TNF neutralizing antibodies that can be used for in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic uses in humans, due to immunogenicity, lack of specificity and/or pharmaceutical suitability.
Neutralizing antisera or mAbs to TNF have been shown in mammals other than man to abrogate adverse physiological changes and prevent death after lethal challenge in experimental endotoxemia and bacteremia. This effect has been demonstrated, e.g., in rodent lethality assays and in primate pathology model systems (Mathison, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 81:1925–1937 (1988); Beutler, et al., Science 229:869–871 (1985); Tracey, et al., Nature 330:662–664 (1987); Shimamoto, et al., Immunol. Lett. 17:311–318 (1988); Silva, et al., J. Infect. Dis. 162:421–427 (1990); Opal, et al., J. Infect. Dis. 161:1148–1152 (1990); Hinshaw, et al., Circ. Shock 30:279–292 (1990)).
Putative receptor binding loci of hTNF has been disclosed by Eck and Sprang (J. Biol. Chem. 264(29), 17595–17605 (1989), who identified the receptor binding loci of TNF-α as consisting of amino acids 11–13, 37–42, 49–57 and 155–157.
PCT publication WO91/02078 (1991) discloses TNF ligands which can bind to monoclonal antibodies having the following epitopes: at least one of 1–20, 56–77, and 108–127; at least two of 1–20, 56–77, 108–127 and 138–149; all of 1–18, 58–65, 115–125 and 138–149; all of 1–18, and 108–128; all of 56–79, 110–127 and 135- or 136–155; all of 1–30, 117–128 and 141–153; all of 1–26, 117–128 and 141–153; all of 22–40, 49–96 or 49–97, 110–127 and 136–153; all of 12–22, 36–45, 96–105 and 132–157; both of 1–20 and 76–90; all of 22–40, 69–97, 105–128 and 135–155; all of 22–31 and 146–157; all of 22–40 and 49–98; at least one of 22–40, 49–98 and 69–97, both of 22–40 and 70–87.
To date, experience with anti-TNF murine mAb therapy in humans has been limited. In a phase I study, fourteen patients with severe septic shock were administered a murine anti-TNF mAb in a single dose from 0.4–10 mg/kg (Exley, A. R. et al., Lancet 335:1275–1277 (1990)). However, seven of the fourteen patients developed a human anti-murine antibody response to the treatment, which treatment suffers from the known problems due to immunogenicity from the use of murine heavy and light chain portions of the antibody. Such immunogenicity causes decreased effectiveness of continued administration and can render treatment ineffective, in patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic administration of murine anti-TNF antibodies.
Administration of murine TNF mAb to patients suffering from severe graft versus host pathology has also been reported (Herve, et al., Lymphoma Res. 9:591 (1990)).
TNF Receptors
The numerous biological effects of TNFα and the closely related cytokine, TNFβ (lymphotoxin), are mediated by two TNF transmembrane receptors, both of which have been cloned. The p55 receptor (also termed TNF-R55, TNF-RI, or TNFRβ) is a 55 kd glycoprotein shown to transduce signals resulting in cytotoxic, anti-viral, and proliferative activities of TNFα.
The p75 receptor (also termed TNF-R75, TNF-RII, or TNFRα) is a 75 kDa glycoprotein that has also been shown to transduce cytotoxic and proliferative signals as well as signals resulting in the secretion of GM-CSF. The extracellular domains of the two receptors have 28% homology and have in common a set of four subdomains defined by numerous conserved cysteine residues. The p75 receptor differs, however, by having a region adjacent to the transmembrane domain that is rich in proline residues and contains sites for 0-linked glycosylation. Interestingly, the cytoplasmic domains of the two receptors share no apparent homology which is consistent with observations that they can transduce different signals to the interior of the cell.
TNFα inhibiting proteins have been detected in normal human urine and in serum of patients with cancer or endotoxemia. These have since been shown to be the extra-cellular domains of TNF receptors derived by proteolytic cleavage of the transmembrane forms. Many of the same stimuli that result in TNFα release also result in the release of the soluble receptors, suggesting that these soluble TNFα inhibitors can serve as part of a negative feedback mechanism to control TNFα activity.
Aderka, et al., Isrl. J. Med. Sci. 28:126–130 (1992) discloses soluble forms of TNF receptors (sTNF-Rs) which specifically bind TNF and thus can compete with cell surface TNF receptors to bind TNF (Seckinger, et al., J. Exp. Med. 167:1511–1516 (1988); Engelmann, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264:11974–11980 (1989)).
Loetscher, et al., Cell 61:351–359 (Apr. 20, 1990) discloses the cloning and expression of human 55 kd TNF receptor with the partial amino acid sequence, complete cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence.
Schall et al., Cell 61:361–370 (Apr. 20, 1990), discloses molecular cloning and expression of a receptor for human TNF wherein an isolated cDNA clone including a receptor as a 415 amino acid protein with an apparent molecular weight of 28 kDa, as well as the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence.
Nophar, et al., EMBO J. 9(10):3269–3278 (1990) discloses soluble forms of TNF receptor and that the cDNA for type I TNF-R encodes both the cell surface and soluble forms of the receptor. The cDNA and predicted amino acid sequences are disclosed.
Engelmann, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265(3):1531–1536 (1990), discloses TNF-binding proteins, purified from human urine, both having an approximate molecular weight of 30 kDa and binding TNF-α more effectively than TNF-β. Sequence data is not disclosed. See also Engelmann, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264(20):11974–11980 (1989).
European Patent publication number 0 433 900 A1, published Jun. 26, 1991, owned by YEDA Research and Developemtn Co., Ltd., Wallach, et al., discloses TNF binding protein I (TBP-I), derivatives and analogs thereof, produced expression of a DNA encoding the entire human type I TNF receptor, or a soluble domain thereof.
PCT publication number WO 92/13095, published Aug. 6, 1992, owned by Synergen, Carmichael et al., discloses methods for treating tumor necrosis factor mediated diseases by administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a TNF inhibitor selected from a 30 kDa TNF inhibitor and a 40 kDa TNF inhibitor selected from the full length 40 kDa TNF inhibitor or modifications thereof.
European Patent Publication number 0 526 905 A2, published Oct. 2, 1993, owned by YEDA Research one Development Company, Ltd., Wallach et al., discloses multimers of the soluble forms of TNF receptors produced by either chemical or recombinant methods which are useful for protecting mammals from the diliterious effects of TNF, which include portions of the hp55 TNF-receptor.
PCT publication WO 92/07076, published Apr. 30, 1992, owned by Charring Cross Sunley Research Center, Feldman et al., discloses modified human TNFα receptor which consists of the first three cysteine-rich subdomain but lacks the fourth Cysteine-rich subdomain of the extracellular binding domain of the 55 kDa or 75 kDa TNF receptor for human TNF α, or an amino acid sequence having a homology of 90% or more with the TNF receptor sequences.
European Patent Publication 0 412 486 A1, published Feb. 13, 1991, owned by YEDA Research and Development Co., Ltd., Wallach et al., discloses antibodies to TNF binding protein I (TBP-I), and fragments thereof, which can be used as diagnostic assays or pharmaceutical agents, either inhibiting or mimicking the effects of TNF on cells.
European Patent Publication number 0 398 327 A1, published Nov. 22, 1990, owned by YEDA Research and Development Co., Ltd., Wallach et al., discloses TNF binding protein (TBP) isolated and purified having inhibitory activity on the cytotoxic effect of TNF, as well as TNF binding protein II and salts, functional derivatives precursors and active fractions thereof, as well as polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to TNF binding protein II.
European Patent Publication 0 308 378 A2, published Mar. 22, 1989, owned by YEDA Research and Development Co., Ltd., Wallach, et al., discloses TNF inhibitory protein isolated and substantially purified, having activity to inhibit the binding of TNF to TNF receptors and to inhibit the cytotoxicity of TNF. Additionally disclosed are TNF inhibitory protein, salts, functional derivatives and active fractions thereof, used to antagonize the diliterious effects of TNF.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide novel TNF antibodies or peptides which overcome the problems of murine antibody immunogenicity and which provide reduced immunogenicity and increased neutralization activity.
Citation of documents herein is not intended as an admission that any of the documents cited herein is pertinent prior art, or an admission that the cited documents is considered material to the patentability of any of the claims of the present application. All statements as to the date or representation as to the contents of these documents is based on the information available to the applicant and does not constitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An inductive component in which a large enough inductance is obtainable even when the size is made smaller and the profile is made lower and electronic devices using the inductive component are provided. The inductive component includes a coil, a through hole inside the coil, and a multilayer magnetic layer, and the multilayer magnetic layer is disposed on the top and the bottom surfaces of the coil and the inner wall of the through hole.

Referring to FIG. 11, a description of power supply circuits for use in portable telephones and the like will be given.
Using a voltage of 4V, for example, of battery 101 as the input voltage, it is possible to obtain an output voltage of 2V. Here, coil 102 is called a choke coil. By putting coil 102 in the circuit, a stable output voltage can be obtained. Also, in order to more stabilize the output voltage, it is necessary to increase the inductance of coil 102. In this way, the power supply circuit of FIG. 11 is capable of supplying a DC output voltage which is more stabilized.
Generally, in order to increase the inductance of coil 102, it is necessary to increase the cross-sectional area of the core of coil 102 and to increase the number of turns. This presents a problem of a need to increase the volume of coil 102. On the other hand, in association with the requirement in recent years for a smaller size and lower profile design of portable telephones, there is an increasingly stronger requirement for smaller size and lower profile design of coils for the power supply circuit of portable telephones. For example, coil 102 with an area smaller than 5 mm×5 mm and a thickness of less than 1 mm is being required. Furthermore, the switching frequency has increased from several hundred kHz to several tens of MHz. In association with such a trend toward higher frequencies of the switching frequency, reduction in the core loss is being required. Also, as devices have come to be used at lower voltages and higher currents, there is a case in which a maximum current greater than 0.1 A flows in a coil having a small size and a low profile. For this reason, it is necessary to reduce the resistance of the coil to a lower value.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H09-223636 (page 3, FIG. 1) discloses a method for solving these issues.
Referring to FIG. 12, a description of a conventional inductive component will be given. Multilayer magnetic films 112 support coil 111 in a manner sandwiching with the intervention of interlayer insulating layer 115. And through-hole sections (hereinafter "THP") 114 are provided on the sides and in the center of coil 111. Furthermore, THP 114 is filled with magnetic material 113. Also, as coil 111 is formed by winding a strip of high electric-conductivity materials such as copper, coil 111 can be made thin. However, the above-mentioned coil with a conventional configuration suffered a problem that the inductance could not be increased to a high enough value. Furthermore, as magnetic layer 113 is formed inside THP 114, the cross-sectional area of magnetic layer 113 becomes large. When a current is fed through coil 111, a magnetic flux that vertically penetrates THP 114 is generated, and an eddy current is generated in the horizontal plane of magnetic layer 113. As the cross-sectional area of magnetic layer 113 is large, the eddy current is large.
As a result, the magnetic flux that vertically penetrates THP 114 is reduced.
Consequently, the inductance of the coil cannot be increased. On the other hand, by using a magnetic material having a higher specific resistance, the eddy current can be reduced to a certain extent. However, when the switching frequency increases from several hundred kHz to several tens of MHz, a satisfactory effect of eddy current reduction cannot be obtained. Also, when the diameter of a through hole is 1 mm or smaller, and the depth is 0.1 mm or greater and 1 mm or smaller, for example, it is difficult to fill or dispose a magnetic material into the THP by sputtering or vapor deposition because of difficulties in quality and productivity. The present invention addresses these issues and provides inductive components with which sufficient inductance is obtainable even when designed with a smaller size and a lower profile, and electronic devices that use those inductive components.

Inductive components and electronic devices using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present disclosure is directed to supervising displayed content. In particular, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may: generate data representing a plurality of images of interfaces displayed by a computing device configured to supervise content displayed to a user; determine, based at least in part on one or more machine learning (ML) models and the data representing the plurality of images, whether the interfaces displayed by the computing device include content of a type designated by a content supervisor of the user for identification; and generate data representing a graphical user interface (GUI) for presentation to the content supervisor, the GUI indicating whether the interfaces displayed by the computing device include content of the type designated for identification.

Computing devices (e.g., desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, set-top devices, smartphones, wearable computing devices, and/or the like) are ubiquitous in modern society. They may support communications between their users, provide their users with entertainment, information about their environments, current events, the world at large, and/or the like. For certain users (e.g., children, employees, and/or the like) there may be a need and/or desire on the part of other individuals or organizations (e.g., parents, employers, and/or the like) to supervise, monitor, and/or the like content provided, displayed, and/or the like to the users by such devices.

Methods and systems for supervising displayed content


Double Bragg grating scanner receivers (DBS) and methods thereof based on spinning high-efficiency transmitting or reflecting holograms in photo-thermo-refractive (PTRG) glass provides unlimited field of view while incident angle for all components do not exceed approximately 45 degrees. The devices and methods are highly tolerable to high power laser radiation and has no restriction for the use in any laser systems working in visible and near IR spectral regions. Rate of scanning by DBS is higher compared to known mechanical scanners because the use of thin glass plates with recorded holograms and spinning instead of rocking. The components described herein are holographic optical devices (reflecting and transmitting volume gratings) for visible and near IR spectral regions with absolute diffraction efficiency exceeding approximately 95% and high thermal, optical and mechanical stability.

Increasing applications for holographic optical elements have resulted in the continued development of new effective and reliable photosensitive media. P. Hariharan in his book "Optical Holography, Principles, Techniques, and Applications." Chapter 7 (Cambridge University Press, 1996) on pages 95 and 96 reports that the main photosensitive materials available for high efficiency hologram recordings are silver halide photographic emulsions, dichromated gelatin, photoresists, photopolymers, photothermoplastics, polymers with spectral hole-burning, and photorefractive crystals. Each of these materials has their merits, but all have drawbacks. These organic materials (photographic emulsions, dichromated gelatin, and photopolymers) are sensitive to humidity. Moreover, they significantly shrink in the development process. Inorganic materials (photorefractive crystals) have low resistance to elevated temperatures and produce additional patterns because of exposure to the beam diffracted from the recorded grating.
The ideal recording material for holography should have a spectral sensitivity well matched to available laser wavelengths, a linear transfer characteristic, high resolution, and low noise, is indefinitely recyclable or relatively inexpensive. Hariharan reports on page 95 of his earlier referenced book that "While several materials have been studied, none has been found so far that meets all these requirements". The lack of available materials for phase holographs has stimulated the search for new approaches.
A photo-thermal process based on precipitation of dielectric microcrystals in the bulk of glass exposed to UV radiation was reported by S. D. Stookey (see Photosensitive glass, (a new photographic medium). Industrial and Engineering Chem., 41, 856-861 (1949)). Stookey's two-step process (exposure and thermal development) was used to record a translucent image in glass because of light scattering caused by a difference between refractive indices of a precipitated crystalline phase and the glass matrix. Later, colored images were recorded in similar glasses by photo-thermal precipitation of a number of complex crystals of different compositions, sizes, and shapes. According to these studies, the first step is the exposure of the glass sample to UV radiation, which produces ionization of a cerium ion. The electrons released from cerium are then trapped by a silver ion. As a result, silver is converted from a positive ion to a neutral atom. This stage corresponds to a latent image formation and no significant coloration occurs.
The next step is thermal development. This development process includes two stages described in publications by S. D. Stookey, G. H. Beall, J. E. Pierson (see Full-color photosensitive glass. J. Appl. Phys., 49 (1978) 5114-5123) and N. F. Borrelli, J. B. Chodak, D. A. Nolan, T. P. Seward. (see Interpretation of induced color in polychromatic glasses. J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 69 (1979) 1514-1519). The first stage involves the high diffusion rate silver atoms possess in silicate glasses. This diffusion leads to creation of tiny silver crystals at relatively low temperatures (450-500° C.). A number of silver clusters arise in exposed regions of glass after aging at elevated temperatures. These silver particles serve as the nucleation centers for sodium and fluorine ion precipitation and cubic sodium fluoride crystal growth occurs at temperatures between 500° C. and 550° C. Further heat treatment leads to growth of numerous elongated pyramidal complexes of (Na, Ag, F, Br) crystals on the surface of cubic NaF crystals.
This mixture of crystals can produce opal coloration in the case of large crystal sizes or yellow coloration caused by colloidal silver precipitated on interfaces of dielectric crystals. A second exposure to UV followed by a second heat treatment produces different coloration because of metallic silver reduction on the surfaces of the dielectric pyramids. The final resulting coloration depends on the size and aspect ratio of these silver particles. This multi-stage photo-thermal process in photosensitive glass was proposed for decoration, color photography, sculpture, and even for holography; however, no evidences of any hologram recorded in these glasses are in those references. Several years later, the use of inorganic photosensitive glasses for phase hologram recording rather than as a photographic medium was reported in the literature: Bragg gratings were obtained both in lithium-aluminum-silicate and sodium-zinc-aluminum-silicate glasses doped with silver and cerium by exposure to UV radiation followed by thermal treatment. This phenomenon was described in following publications (V. A. Borgman, L. B. Glebov, N. V. Nikonorov, G. T. Petrovskii, V. V. Savvin, A. D. Tsvetkov. Photothermal refractive effect in silicate glasses. Soy. Phys. Dokl., 34 (1989) 1011-1013. L. B. Glebov, N. V. Nikonorov, E. I. Panysheva, G. T. Petrovskii, V. V. Savvin, I. V. Tunimanova, V. A. Tsekhomskii. Polychromatic glasses—a new material for recording volume phase holograms. Soy. Phys. Dokl., 35 (1990) 878-880) and named the "photo-thermo-refractive" (PTR) process. Glasses, which possess such properties, were called "photo-thermo-refractive" (PTR) glasses.
It was further reported that a refractive index decrease of about 5×10−4 occurs when dielectric crystals precipitated in PTR glasses are exposed to ultra violet (UV) radiation of a nitrogen laser at 337 nm. The refractive index of NaF in the red spectral region is nNaF=1.32 whereas the refractive index of PTR glass nPTR=1.49. The small value of refractive index change is due to the small volume fraction of precipitated crystalline phase; however, it is sufficient to result in high efficiency Bragg grating recording in samples with thicknesses more than several hundreds of microns. Conditions of glass exposure and development were found in that work to create Bragg gratings with relative diffraction efficiencies up to 90% and angular selectivity up to 2 mrad. The maximum recorded spatial frequency was 2500 mm−1. These gratings were also stable up to 400° C. UV photosensitivity was found in the range of several J/cm2 at a nitrogen laser wavelength (337 nm). The absorption band of Ce3+, which is used for photo-ionization, has maximum near 300 nm and a long wavelength tale up to 400 nm. This means that several commercial lasers such as N2, Ar, He—Cd, etc., can be used for recording. Once developed, holograms in PTR glass were not destroyed by further exposure to visible light.
Unfortunately, these reported materials did not meet all requirements formulated in Hariharan, particularly absolute diffraction efficiency [P. Hariharan. Optical Holography, Principles, Techniques, and Applications." Chapter 7 pp. 95-124 (Cambridge University Press, 1996), Table 7.1 at page 96] because their property of excessive (strong) scattering of the radiation imposed on the hologram. This scattering results in low absolute diffraction efficiency of gratings in PTR glasses, which has been found not to exceed 45%. Thus, this PTR material for holographic optical elements had serious drawbacks; particularly, inadequate absolute diffraction efficiency which results in excessive scattering of the radiation as well as photosensitivity solely for UV radiation.
A new approach for the production of phase holograms having many of these desired properties is described in the patent utility application U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,141 Jul. 1, 2003, by the same assignee as that of the subject invention. This Patent teaches how a photo-thermal process based on precipitation of dielectric microcrystals in the bulk of glass exposed to UV radiation can be used to record a high-efficiency volume phase hologram in glass having a photosensitivity to UV radiation resulting from the difference between refractive indices of the UV exposed and unexposed areas of the PTR glass blank.
However, photosensitivity of PTR glass is restricted in the vicinity of the absorption band in the near UV spectral region. This restriction means that plane holographic elements could be fabricated with this method for visible and IR spectral regions while complex holograms could be recorded for the UV region only. It would be highly desirable to produce a recording material for holography with photosensitivity to visible radiation.
Another application of photosensitive materials which can increase their refractive index is the fabrication of refractive optical elements, such as lenses or waveguides as are described in the book by K. Hirao at al. (Active Glass for Photonics Applications. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 2001). However, the PTR glass was not used for such a technology because it showed a decrease of refractive index after UV exposure and thermal development. It would be highly desirable to produce a recording material for refractive optical elements and waveguides fabrication with high sensitivity, positive refractive index increment, and high tolerance to elevated temperatures, high-power optical radiation, and harsh environmental conditions. Thus, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/666,339 filed Sep. 19, 2003, by the same assignee as the subject invention teaches to make high efficient complex holographic elements that can control laser beams of different shape and angular divergence.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,497 B2. Jan. 6, 2004, by the same assignee of the subject invention, which is incorporated by reference teaches to make a number of holographic optical elements based on high efficiency volume Bragg gratings in PTR glass including laser beam deflectors or scanners (examples 9 and 10). Those gratings produce deflection of laser beam to fixed angles. Scanning could be produced by mechanical replacement of multiple gratings recorded at one substrate or controlled by small angle or wavelength scanning of an incident beam.
This device can be effectively utilized in combination of PTR volume Bragg gratings with liquid crystal, electro-optic or acousto-optic laser beam control (see e.g. D. P. Resler, D. S. Hobbs, R. C. Sharp, L. J. Friedman, T. A. Dorschner. Opt. Let., 21 (1996) 689-672, and Z. Yaqoob, M. A. Arain, and N. A. Riza, High-speed two-dimensional laser scanner based on Bragg gratings stored in photothermorefractive glass. Appl. Opt. 42(26) (2003) 5251-5263). The main drawback of such Bragg scanners is their impossibility for fine tuning of the angle of deflection. To compensate this drawback, the second fine tuning by liquid crystal array was proposed in Ref. Resler, etc. Finally, this combination of consequent deflection by liquid crystal, stack of Bragg gratings, and once more by liquid crystal is probably most advanced reported scanner having wide angle of regard while no moving parts. However, this device is very expensive.
Classical scanning system for collimated laser beams consists of two consequent rotating mirrors which deflect beam in two orthogonal directions. One can see such devices in any laser show. The main disadvantage of such device is necessity of system rotating around the axis placed on the surface of the mirror. Such scheme results in large volume occupied by the device and high force required for reasonable fast scanning. Those features lead to tiny devices which are not tolerable to any vibrations (e.g. galvanometers for laser show) or bulky and weighty gimbals (laser scanners for military and technology applications). Such mechanical devices are significantly cheaper compare to the previous one but rate of scanning is lower by orders of magnitude. However, those devices are most reliable and they are in use up to nowadays. One of the examples of the use of such approach is 360° panoramic surveillance system with the use of a mirror rotating in azimuth plane and rocking in the elevation plane (Gerald Kerbyson. High-resolution full-panoramic imaging surveillance system. Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence. Technologies for Homeland Defense and Law Enforcement, Edward M. Carapezza, Editor, Proceedings of SPIE 4708 (2002) 173-183.)
The use of holographic gratings for laser beam scanning was proposed at least 30 year ago (I. Cindrich, Appl. Opt. 6, 1531 (1967), D. H. McMahon, A. R. Franklin, and J. B. Thaxter, Appl. Opt. 8, 399 (1969), C. S. Ih. Holographic laser beam scanners utilizing an auxiliary reflector. Appl. Opt. 16 (1977) 2137-2146). These publications teach to place a great number of thin holographic gratings to the same disk and produce scanning to the fixed angles by spinning of the disc. Each hologram would deflect beam to different direction. This approach allows decreasing of the size and weight at least two times compare to rotating mirrors. However, the only fixed number of fixed angles (usually no more that a few of thousands) could be realized in such devices while actual number of pixels about 106 is required for high quality scanners as laser radars, etc.,
It is obvious that spinning of any diffractive grating results in conic scanning of a diffracted beam. This approach is used for laser radar design in Ref. (Schwemmer, G., Conically Scanned Holographic Lidar Telescope, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,065, 1993), which is incorporated by reference. This device provides precise azimuthal scanning of laser beam for 360°. However, it does not allow scanning along the elevation angle. Therefore, total solid angle of regard is small compare to 4π.
Two consequent counterrotating holographic elements were proposed in Ref. (A. Brameley U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,486, which is incorporated by reference and, J. C. Wyant. Rotating Diffraction Grating Laser Beam Scanner. Appl. Opt. 14 (1975) 1057-1058). Those elements provided linear scanning of leaser beam with variable speed. However, no discussion on scanning of the large solid angles was found in those references.
New approach in mechanical scanners is based on rotating of consequent prisms or lenses that can deflect laser beams. Those devices are more tolerable to vibrations compare to galvanometers but they usually have small fields of view because increasing of deflection angle leads to very fast increasing of size and weight of the device (Ref. . . . ). No evidences of similar approach with holographic optical elements were found. Probably it is resulted from low absolute diffraction efficiency of existing holographic optical elements.
Thus, the need exists for systems to utilize these novel PTR holographic optical elements with high absolute diffraction efficiency for large solid angle laser beam scanner.

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


It has been found that Ambrosia sp. and Apocynum sp. accumulate lead in the leaves, stems, and roots when it grows in soil containing organic or inorganic species of lead. Lead is accumulated in the leaves and stems to a greater extent than in most other plants. Lead can be economically recovered from contaminated soil and sludge by harvesting Ambrosia sp. or Apocynum sp. grown in media containing high concentrations of lead.

In recent years contamination of soil and ground water with heavy metals has been identified as a serious environmental hazard. Heavy metals are known to be toxic to most wildlife and man in relatively low concentrations. Elements such as lead, platinum, mercury, cadmium, cobalt, zinc, tin, arsenic, and chromium are used in many industrial applications and often significant levels of these metals are found in industrial waste streams. Heavy metals are also found in organic form such as organoarsenic and organotin, used as pesticides or herbicides, as well as nickel tetracarbonyl and tetraethyllead produced as by-products of the petroleum industry.
A number of methods have been described to remediate soil and ground water containing toxic chemicals. These methods primarily focus on concentration and removal or containment of contaminated media or on the use of microbes to enzymatically transform toxins to inert forms. Revis et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,602) claim that contacting aqueous waste with a culture of Pseudomonas maltophilica ATCC 53510 will reduce the concentration of ionic species of heavy metals. Colaruotolo et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,657) teach the use of specially adapted microbial cultures to treat obnoxious waste, especially halogenated organic chemical waste (U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,895).
The use of bioreactors and in-situ stimulation of indigenous microflora are two current approaches to the decontamination of soil and ground water. Bioreactors have been designed to utilize microorganisms for the bioremediation of a variety of toxic contaminants, including trichloroethylene, phenol and toluene. (Folsom et al. 1991 Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 57:1602-1608). In-situ bioremediation involves the growth of indigenous, contaminant-degrading microorganisms which are enhanced by adding nutrients and oxygen. Raymond (U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,290 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,506) teaches a process in which oxygen and nutrients are supplied to biota for stimulating the biooxidation of hydrocarbons contaminating ground water without the addition of microorganisms to the contaminated environment.
The methods cited above are useful and clearly show that microorganisms can be used to remove toxic compounds, from both soil and aqueous environments. There are, however, several disadvantages to the methods outlined in the existing art. Examples given in the art describe decontamination of the environment using specific naturally occurring, or genetically engineered cultures of bacteria or yeast or the preliminary harsh chemical treatment of toxic contaminants prior to biological treatment by indigenous microbes. The isolation or engineering, culturing and inoculation of specific microorganisms particularly selected for the degradation of specific organic contaminants is labor intensive and time consuming. Bioreactors can allow for effective microbial growth with greater control over nutrient addition, temperature, pH, and concentration, however, in bioremediation projects, materials must be pumped out or excavated and soils must be handled and sorted which is also labor intensive. Bioremediation efforts that utilize in-situ methods have been effective in degrading certain toxic compounds, however, they have not addressed the specific problem of metal and organometal contamination. Many of the problems associated with these techniques have provided the incentive to look to the use of green plants for simpler and more economically attractive means of remediating soil and ground water of heavy metal species.
It has been know for some time that many plant species will concentrate certain metals in their leaves, stems and roots to a varying degree. (Baker et al., Ecophysiology of Metal Uptake by Tolerant Plants In: "Heavy Metal Tolerance in Plants: Evolutionary Aspects" A. J. Shaw (ed.) CRC Press (1989)) teach that a green plant's response to a metalliferous environment ranges from active exclusion of the metallic species to tolerance to accumulation and even hyperaccumulation where concentrations may approach greater than 1% of plant dry matter. The phenomenon of accumulation and hyperaccumulation of metals by plants has been demonstrated over a wide range of plant families and to date it has not been possible to predict which plants of which families will function as metal accumulators and/or hyperaccumulators. Further complicating the issue is the fact that plants that might be classified as hyperaccumulators of one metal species may be barely tolerant of another. Hence the phenomenon is specific not only for plant type but also for metal species. (Baker et al., Ecophysiology of Metal Uptake by Tolerant Plants In: "Heavy Metal Tolerance in Plants: Evolutionary Aspects" A. J. Shaw (ed.) CRC Press (1989)) For example various species of Alyssum are known to be hyperaccumulators of nickle reaching levels of 13400 ugNi/g but do not appear to be hyperaccumulators of other metals. Thlaspi sp. on the other hand demonstrate hyperaccumulation of a variety of metals including nickle, zinc, and lead. To date the plant that has shown the greatest ability to accumulate lead is Thlaspi rotundifloium attaining levels of 8200 ugPb/g dry weight of the plant. (Baker et al., Ecophysiology of Metal Uptake by Tolerant Plants In: "Heavy Metal Tolerance in Plants: Evolutionary Aspects", A. J. Shaw (ed.) CRC Press (1989)) A summary of many of the known hyperaccumulators is included in Baker et. al., Terrestrial high plants which hyperaccumulate metallic elements--a review of their distribution, ecology and phytochemistry, Biorecovery, 1, 81, (1989) herein incorporated by reference.
The work surrounding the studies of accumulation and hyperaccumulation of metals by plants has been focused in the areas of using these plants as indicators of metal contamination and as study models to prevent toxic metal accumulation in food crops. The concept of utilizing the accumulating phenomena as a tool to extract metals from a contaminated environment was discussed by R. L. Chaney, Plant uptake of Organic waste constituents In: "Land Treatment of Hazardous Wastes", Parr et al. (ed.) Noyes Data Corporation New Jersey (1983). Chaney notes that hyperaccumulators of nickle, and copper are known to accumulate these metals to as much as 1% of dry plant weight and suggests that they might be used to bioconcentrate these metals from land treatment sites. Chaney, however does not teach a method for accomplishing the bioconcentration.
Takashi Utsunomiya (JP 57000190) teaches the use of various plants including those of the genera Polygonaceae, to remove heavy metals and particularly cadmium and mercury from contaminated soil by the steps of cultivating the plants in the contaminated soil, and removing the plants from said soil after the plants have reached a certain stage of growth. Utsunomiya also teaches a poorly defined link between the presence of certain glycoside compounds in these plants and their ability to accumulate the desired metals. Utsunomiya also anticipates the use of these plants in hydroponic systems to remediate aqueous environments of metal contamination. The invention of Utsunomiya does not teach the use of these plants to concentrate organic or inorganic lead species. Furthermore the plants used by Utsunomiya accumulate metals only to levels of less than 100 ppm, putting them outside the class of plants considered to be significant metal accumulators and calling into question the practical utility of these plants to concentrate toxic metals.
M. Rogmans (DE 3921336) also teaches a process for the use of Polygonum sp. to remediate soil of liquid soluble contaminants including cadmium, lead, and zinc. Rogmans also teaches the production of a heavy metal resistant strain of Polygonium sp. via the selection of high metal capacity cell lines and the regeneration of these cells to form a new, high metal resistant plant. Rogmans does not teach the use of Ambrosia sp. or Apocynum sp. for this purpose.
Menser, H. A. et al., Environmental Pollution 18(2), 87-95, (1979) describe the analysis of several plants, including common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and smartweed (Polygonum pennsylvanicum) isolated from a municipal landfill for concentrations of various heavy metals including Mh, Cu, Co, Cr, and Pb. The highest concentration of Pb that was recorded for either plant was 3.68 ppm dry weight of the plant. Mense does not teach accumulation or hyperaccumulation of lead by ragweed or dogbane.
Ideally, requirements for a plant to be used for the purpose of remediating soil, water, and other contaminated media from heavy metals would be that it should be an accumulator of the desired heavy metal (i.e., be able to accumulate levels of at least 1000 mg/kg in the above ground tissues), be a hardy plant that will withstand a broad range of weather and environmental conditions and that it be fast growing to permit harvesting of several crops per growing season. Additionally, some benefit may be accrued by the plant being easily adapted to hydroponic growth conditions. It is the object to the present invention to provide the members of the genera Ambrosia (ragweed) and Apocynum (Dogbane) as such plants and to provide a process for the remediation of contaminated soil, water and other media of lead and organolead compounds.

Method of obtaining lead and organolead from contaminated media using metal accumulating plants


The invention provides a method for simulating a 3D sound environment in an audio system using an at least two-channel reproduction device, the method including generating first and second pseudo head-related transfer function (HRTF) data, first using at least one speaker and then using headphones; dividing the first and second frequency representation of the data or using a deconvolution operator on the time domain representation of the first and second data, or subtracting the cepstrum representation of the first and second data, and using the results of the division or subtraction to prepare filters having an impulse response operable to initiate natural sounds of a remote speaker for preparing at least two filters connectable to the system in the audio path from an audio source to sound reproduction devices to be used by a listener.

It is a fact that surround and multi-channel sound tracks are gradually replacing stereo as the preferred standard of sound recording. Many new audio devices are equipped with surround capabilities, and most new sound systems sold today are multi-channel systems equipped with multiple speakers and surround sound decoders. In fact, many companies have devised algorithms that modify old stereo recordings so that they will sound as if they were recorded in surround. Other companies have developed algorithms that upgrade older stereo systems to produce surround-like sound using only two speakers. Stereo-expansion algorithms enlarge perceived ambiance, and many sound boards and speaker systems contain the circuitry necessary for delivering expanded stereo sound.
3-D positioning algorithms take matters a step further by seeking to place sounds in particular locations around the listener—to his left or right, above him or below, all in respect to the image displayed. These algorithms are based upon simulating psycho-acoustic cues, replicating the way sounds are actually heard in a 360-degree space. These algorithms often use a head-related transfer function (HRTF) to calculate a sound heard at the listener's ears relative to the spatial coordinates of the sound's origin. For example, a sound emitted by a source located to one's left is first receipted by the left ear and only a split second later by the right one. The relative amplitude of different frequencies also varies, due to the directionality of the pinna and the obstruction of the listener's own head.
As stated above, an HRTF is the measured transformation of sound from a point in space to a specific eardrum. Reproducing the same acoustic information at the ear drums as found in natural free-field listening can create a virtual sound source.
Therefore it is clear that attempts are being made to improve the methods for acquiring HRTF data in order to improve, in turn, the capability to simulate virtual sound sources, using a headphone or speakers. Two of these prior art methods are:    1) using a dummy head with a microphone placed in the location of the ear drums, the dummy head simulating the human head and ears, and    2) placing small microphones inside a subject's ear canal. Due to physical limitations, microphones are placed only halfway into the ear canal.
The measured microphone output represents the individual or dummy head's specific HRTF information. In order to simulate a virtual sound source, the sound signal is convolved with the measured HRTF information.
The above-mentioned prior art methods suffer from the following drawbacks:    1) Since each person has unique HRTF data which represents his unique ears and head sound transformation, the result of using non-individualized HRTF data which was measured using a dummy head or a specific subject, causes a non-satisfactory 3D sensation. This problem affects mostly the higher frequencies, thus causing front-back confusion and an "inside the head" sensation.    2) Another drawback is that the measurements were done near the eardrum, yet the reproduction is done outside the ear, causing the sound to be convolved twice, once using the reference HRTF of the dummy head or specific subject and once using the individual HRTF of the person listening to the headphones. This, of course, causes an inaccurate reproduction of the sound, resulting in an unsatisfactory 3D audio sensation.    3) In order to conduct such an experiment, additional stimulation and measurement equipment must be used. Such equipment (speakers, amplifiers, microphones, etc.) would inevitably influence the measurement by distorting the stimuli and the measured signals. Some components have a linear transfer function, such as the room, the air, the head, the pinnas and ear canals; some have a non-linear transfer function, such as amplifiers, speakers and microphones. A skillful conductor of such an experiment would be able to eliminate the linear influence of the measurement equipment by pre-measuring its frequency response and taking that into account during the analysis. However, current signal-processing techniques are usually unable to eliminate the non-linear portions of equipment distortion.    4) In prior art two-speaker surround systems, the listener must be located exactly between the speakers. Any deviation from that spot results in a distorted sound image.    5) Prior art two-speaker surround systems perform well only in symmetrical environments. The speakers must be matched and the room's acoustics must be symmetrical. This restriction prevents many users from enjoying surround sound over two speakers.    6) Prior art 3D headphone systems provide non-satisfactory 3D sound, mainly causing front-back confusion and an "inside the head" sensation.

Method and system for simulating a 3D sound environment


A reception method of a multicarrier system is one in which a phase-modulated data is transmitted by using each of a plurality of subcarriers, and includes a random data generating step of generating a phase shift data randomly changed, a multiplying step for multiplying each of the received subcarriers with an output obtained in the random data generating step, and a state detection signal generating step for monitoring a state of an output obtained in the multiplying step and for generating a predetermined state detection signal when a predetermined state is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication method applicable to the orthogonal frequency division multiplex system (OFDM system) and a receiving apparatus for receiving a signal according to the communication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a communication method suitable for a mobile communication such as a wireless telephone system or the like, a multicarrier communication method called Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM system) has been proposed. This system is such that a plurality of subcarriers are arranged at a predetermined frequency interval within one transmission band and data is scattered over the respective subcarriers to modulate them for transmission. In this case, on a transmitting side, transmitting data in the form of a time sequence is orthogonal-transformed to a multicarrier signal at a predetermined frequency interval by a fast Fourier transform or the like. On a receiving side, a received multicarrier signal is subjected to the inverse transform of that in transmission for obtaining received data.
The transmitted signal according to the OFDM system has an advantage in that even if there is a multipath a good transmission characteristic is ensured, so that it is particularly suitable for the mobile communication such as the wireless telephone system or the like.
When such multicarrier signal is received, it is difficult to detect a frequency offset of the received signal. Specifically, when the multicarrier signal in which subcarriers of a predetermined number are provided in one transmission band, for example, is transmitted in a plurality of continuous transmission bands, it is difficult for the reception side to easily determine which range of the subcarriers from one transmission band. Especially, in order to increase the transmission efficiency, a frequency interval between the adjacent subcarriers is very narrow (e.g., an interval of several kHz) in the communication of this kind, which makes it difficult to precisely detect the frequency offset.
In order to solve this disadvantage, it can be considered that the transmission side transmits a specific symbol by using a subcarrier at a specific position in one transmission band and the reception side corrects an offset of a reception frequency with reference to the subcarrier in which the reception side receives the specific symbol. However, when such a specific symbol is transmitted, the period of data transmission is reduced to that extent, which reduces the transmission capacity.

Communication method and receiving apparatus