In an integrated semiconductor optical device, a first cladding layer is made of a first conductivity type semiconductor. A first active layer for forming a first semiconductor optical device is provided on the first cladding layer in a first area of a principal surface of a substrate. A second active layer for forming a second semiconductor optical device is provided on the first cladding layer in a second area of the principal surface. A second cladding layer made of a second conductivity type semiconductor is provided on the second active layer. A third cladding layer made of a first conductivity type semiconductor is provided on the first active layer. A tunnel junction region is provided between the first active layer and the third cladding layer. The first active layer is coupled to the second active layer by butt joint. The second and third cladding layers form a p-n junction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated semiconductor optical device and an optical apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 64-28984 discloses an integrated semiconductor optical device. The integrated semiconductor optical device includes a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB laser diode), an optical modulator, and a connected portion provided between the DFB laser diode and the optical modulator. The connected portion is made of high-resistance semiconductor material.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-335745 discloses a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a distributed feedback laser diode portion (or DFB laser diode portion), an optical modulator portion, and an isolation portion provided between the DFB laser diode portion and the optical modulator portion. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting device includes the following steps. Firstly, an optical guiding layer made of n type InGaAsP is grown on n-type InP substrate. An active layer with multi quantum well (MQW) structure is grown on the DFB laser diode portion of the optical guiding layer, and an optical absorption layer with MQW structure is grown on the isolation portion and the optical modulator portion of the optical guiding layer. Then, a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) layer made of p type InGaAsP, a cladding layer made of p type InP, and a contact layer made of p type InGaAsP are grown on the active layer and the optical absorption layer. Subsequently, any of Zn, Cu, proton and Fe is injected into the isolation portion between the DFB laser diode portion and the optical modulator portion to form a non-radiative recombination center that reaches an optical waveguide region. In this process, disordering occurs in the MQW structure of the optical absorption layer of the isolation portion. Consequently, band of absorption wavelength is shifted toward a shorter wavelength and absorption of laser beam is reduced, accordingly.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-501238 discloses a low resistance contact semiconductor diode. In the semiconductor laser, a layer of heavily doped p-type semiconductor material is replaced by a layer of heavily doped n-type semiconductor material and a thin layer of heavily doped p-type semiconductor material. This structure facilitates low resistance contact.
Elec. Lett. 39(2003) Vol. 39 No. 5 pp. 437, Electron Letters Online No. 20030288 discloses a vertical-cavity surface emitting-layer (VCSEL) using AlGaInAs/AlGaInAs tunnel junction.
Jpn. J. Appl. Phys Vol. 39 (2000) pp. 1727-1729 discloses a vertical-cavity surface emitting-layer (VCSEL) using p+InGa(Al)As/n+InGa(Al)As tunnel junction.
In an integrated semiconductor optical device including a plurality of semiconductor optical devices formed on a substrate, one semiconductor optical device and another semiconductor optical device are coupled optically to each other. These semiconductor optical devices are separated electrically from each other. These semiconductor optical devices are formed by layering an n-type cladding layer, an active layer and a p-type cladding layer in this order on the semiconductor substrate. The active layer is located between the n-type cladding layer and the p-type cladding layer and has a pin structure. When the active layer is forward biased, the semiconductor optical device operates as a light emitting device. When the active layer is reverse biased, the semiconductor optical device operates as an optical photodiode or an optical modulation device.
The integrated device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 64-28984 and No. 8-335745 includes two types of semiconductor optical device, that is, a semiconductor laser and an optical modulation device. A semiconductor layer stack for forming the semiconductor laser, and a semiconductor layer stack for forming the optical modulation device are formed on an n-type semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer stack in the semiconductor laser region includes an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer stack in the optical modulation device region also includes another active layer and another p-type semiconductor layer. A p-side electrode is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer of the semiconductor laser region. Similarly, another p-side electrode is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer of the optical modulation device region. On the other hand, a common n-side electrode is formed on the other side of the n-type semiconductor substrate. The p-side electrodes formed in the semiconductor laser region and the optical modulation device region are insulated electrically from each other.
As a structure for electrical isolation of the two semiconductor optical devices, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 64-28984 discloses an isolation region in which a high-resistance semiconductor is buried and grown. In the isolation region, discontinuity is formed in the waveguide structure during the processes of etching, burying and growing. This discontinuity causes optical scattering loss. In forming the isolation region, the number of processes of crystal growth increases, so that the processes are complicated.
As a structure for electrical isolation of the two semiconductor optical devices, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-335745 discloses an isolation region which is different from that of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 64-28984. In the isolation region, a p-type carrier is inactivated. Therefore, value of resistance of the relevant part is high. The inactivation of the carrier is performed by forming crystal defect by implanting proton and/or iron ion into part of a p-type clad. However, since the ion implantation leads defect into the semiconducting crystal, it has been found out that when the isolation region is formed using the ion implantation, reliability of device deteriorates.
Elec. Lett. 39(2003) Vol. 39 No. 5 pp. 437, Electron Letters Online No. 20030288 and Jpn. J. Appl. Phys Vol. 39 (2000) pp. 1727-1729 disclose a VCSEL, which includes a tunnel junction for confining a current into the active region.

Integrated semiconductor optical device and optical apparatus using the same


A composition suitable for forming into shaped articles comprising flour, starch, and water. The flour, starch and water are each present in an amount such that the composition is rigid and stable over a predetermined temperature range. The composition preferably contains 40 to 80% by weight flour, 20-60% starch and 15-25% water and the flour and starch are obtained from natural cereal sources, such as corn, rice, potato, tapioca and wheat. A process of preparing the composition and a shaped article, and a shaped article produced in accordance with the process are also described. The shaped article may be used for foodstuffs.

Disposable packaging is widely used for a variety of products, including both hot and cold convenience foodstuffs and beverages such as hamburgers, french fries, coffee, sandwiches and the like. Disposable packaging is convenient because it is inexpensive, requires no washing and can be discarded after use.
Commercially available disposable packaging suffers from a number of disadvantages, one of the most significant being environmental problems. Such packaging is typically made from oil-based plastics or other artificial materials such as polystyrene foam. These materials are not biodegradable and are disposed of in landfill sites where they accumulate and persist indefinitely as environmental contaminants. Packaging derived from paper products is manufactured using a process that requires the destruction of forest reserves and produces contaminating byproducts. Currently available disposable packaging is also expensive to produce.
Biodegradable containers have been reported for use in packaging foodstuffs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,619 to Mark and Mehltretter teaches a method for the preparation of amylose acetate dispersions capable of yielding edible transparent films suitable for packaging of food. The water-soluble food packaging films are produced from high amylose corn starch acetylated with acetic anhydride. The resulting corn starch acetate granules are cooked by steam jets at 177.degree. C. to disintegrate the granules. Water-soluble food packaging films are then cast from the resulting amylose acetate aqueous dispersions. The product is a water-soluble, edible, flexible film which is especially suited to package dry foods intended to be added to liquid prior to use, such as coffee or soup.
Biodegradable polymers, such as starch, have been incorporated into oil-based plastics. A corn starch-based additive is often used at a concentration of between 6 and 15% of the final product. In the appropriate environment, such as a landfill site, microorganisms digest the starch. Bulk biodegradation occurs at concentrates approaching 50% starch but, as the percentage of starch increases there is a concomitant loss of physical properties of the plastic (See Modern Plastics Encyclopedia Mid-October 1990 issue p. 178).
United Kingdom patent application No. 2,029,836, discloses a method and composition of materials for preforming starch with a lubricating fluid into pellets for use in the extrusion of biodegradable plastic. However, so called biodegradable plastics are comprised of traditional oil-based plastic polymers loaded with starch or other rapidly decomposing material as a binder. The binding material breaks down rapidly but leaves small particles of the plastic polymer which are not biodegradable. The oil-based plastics blended with biodegradable materials such as starch have not gained commercial acceptance because they are not fully biodegradable and they are expensive to produce.
Natural polymers which can be processed by conventional plastics technology have been obtained as fermentation products from single cell microorganisms. Biocycle, March 1989, p. 58 discloses the isolation of a biodegradable polymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-3 hydroxyvalerate). However, the polymer is expensive to produce and can not compete commercially with oil-based plastics.
Biodegradable containers which disintegrate when placed in the ground are known for use in plant cultivation and transplantation. These biodegradable plant transplanter containers may be manufactured from polymers such as polylactones or oxyalkanoyl polymers and naturally occurring biodegradable material such as rice hulls, brewers yeast, fir bark or cellulosic products. European Patent Application No. 355,250 discloses a porous container for plant cultivation prepared by mixing rice grain husks with water and a polyurethane prepolymer, moulding to the desired shape and air drying.
There is a need for biodegradable packaging material derived from natural products which is environmentally friendly and prepared by a commercially useful process. In particular there is a need for biodegradable packaging suitable for packaging a wide variety of foodstuffs including hot and cold liquids and hot foods with a high fat content, such as hamburgers and french fries.

Composition suitable for forming into shaped articles, process for preparing the composition, process for preparing shaped articles using the composition, and shaped articles so-formed


Ink-jet printing systems and methods of use for printing visible and invisible inks for subsequent development, which can produce text with associated highlighting or underlining that reduces messiness inherent in highlighting important text are disclosed. The ink-jet printing systems and methods of use can include a substrate, visible ink-jet ink configured to be ink-jetted onto at least a portion of the substrate to form a first visible image, a first invisible composition configured to be ink-jetted onto at least a portion of the substrate to form an invisible image visibly associated with the first visible image, and a second invisible composition configured for over-striking at least a portion of the invisible image. The first and second invisible compositions can be further configured to react and form a second visible image on the substrate.

Invisible inks have been known for quite some time. In the past, invisible ink has typically been used to write secret messages and/or codes, and configured to become visible upon treatment with heat and/or chemicals. Invisible inks are often still used as novelty items, children's toys, and for encoded data, where the invisible ink can be developed to become visible by employing appropriate chemistry.
People often use highlighting or underlining markers to write memory-jogging messages, highlights, and/or underlines correlated with written text. Existing highlighting practices often use markers that contain visible colorants, which can be fluorescent to draw attention to specific segments of important text. However, the color imparted by these highlighting markers can have an inherent messiness if not used with precision and care because of the difficulty of sketching freehand straight lines or the like. Also, messages, highlights, and/or underlines written with these markers typically cannot be reversed if needed or desired. Further, both the chemical and physical components of many existing highlighting markers can damage printed text and/or paper.
Recently, these problems have become exacerbated because of the use of personal computers and ink-jet printers for printing text. People often download information or input information into their personal computers for the purpose of printing readable text onto paper, where the paper containing the text is portable, highlightable, and can be easier to read. Ink-jet printing has become a popular way of recording text because of the low printer noise, the capability of high-speed recording, and multi-color recording at a relatively low price to consumers. Unfortunately, when an individual wants to highlight an inkjet printed passage of text using conventional highlighting markers, the highlighting can be irreversible, messy, and can smear the printed text. Thus, there is a need for providing an ink-jet system and method of use that would allow for an individual to print a passage of text and highlight the text, where the highlighting can be precise, reversible, and/or does not damage the printed text.

Ink-jet systems and methods using visible and invisible ink

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.


A cut resistant fabric and a method of manufacturing a cut resistant fiber is disclosed herein. The fabric comprises a Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) material and a sheet shaped wollastonite filler. The sheet shaped wollastonite filler is treated with a coupling agent and mixed with the UHMWPE material. A thickness of the sheet shaped wollastonite filler is less than 10 micrometers (μm). The method comprises providing the sheet shaped wollastonite filler having a thickness of less than 10 μm and treating the sheet shaped wollastonite filler with a coupling agent at a first predefined temperature to obtain a uniform solution. The method further comprises mixing the uniform solution with a fiber solution comprising UHMWPE resin at a second predefined temperature.

Cut resistant fabrics provide cut protection, tear and abrasion resistance against sharp or jagged objects and are widely used in various applications. The applications range from making protective clothing, industrial gloves, helmets, to high strength ropes, and packaging metal and glass articles. Such cut resistant fabrics are composed of polymeric and non-polymeric fibers, such as high tenacity polyester, nylon, and gel spun fibers, and thermoplastic polyethylene fibers, such as Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers.
For manufacturing a cut resistant fabric, the polymeric and non-polymeric fibers and the polyethylene fibers are treated with fillers and combined with raw materials in a spinning process to obtain cut resistant fibers. The cut resistant fibers are woven or knitted to obtain the cut resistant fabric.
The Applicant has identified several technical challenges associated with the cut resistant fabric comprising UHMWPE fiber. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified challenges have been overcome by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein.


A COC DRAM including a plurality of stacked DRAM chips is mounted on a motherboard by using an interposer. The interposer includes a Si unit and a PCB. The Si unit includes a Si substrate and an insulating-layer unit in which wiring is installed. The PCB includes a reference plane for the wiring in the Si unit. The wiring topology between a chip set and the COC DRAM is the same for every signal. Accordingly, a memory system enabling a high-speed operation, low power consumption, and large capacity is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) device. In particular, the present invention relates to a semiconductor IC device including a stacked dynamic random access memory (stacked DRAM) or a chip on chip DRAM (COC DRAM).
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows an example of a memory system which is presently studied by Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC).
The memory system shown in FIG. 1 includes a chip set 4 mounted on a motherboard (not shown) and a plurality of (two of them are shown here) dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) 1a and 1b for transmitting/receiving signals to/from the chip set 4. A buffer 2a or 2b and a plurality of (8 in this case) DRAM chips 3a or 3b are mounted on each of the DIMMs 1a and 1b.
The chip set 4 is connected to the buffer 2a of the DIMM 1a and the buffers 2a and 2b of the adjoining DIMMs 1a and 1b are connected to each other so that signals are transmitted/received therebetween by point-to-point. The data rate of the signals is estimated to be about 6.4 to 9.6 Gbps. The signals transmitted/received between the chip set 4 and each of the DIMMs 1a and 1b include a DQ (data) signal and a CA (command address) signal. These signals are transmitted as differential transmission signals. About 150 to 200 signal lines are required for transmitting these signals.
On each of the DIMMs 1a and 1b, the buffer 2 and each DRAM chip 3 are connected by using different methods depending on the types of signals. Specifically, point-to-point connection is used for DQ signals (DQ signal and DQS (strobe) signal). The data rate thereof is estimated to be about 1.6 Gbps. On the other hand, fly-by connection is used for a CA signal and a CLK (clock) signal. In the fly-by connection, a DRAM is placed on a main bus disposed in a module substrate such that the DRAM is connected to the main bus. The number of signal lines led from the buffer 2 is about 200 to 250, including those for differential transmission signals and single-end transmission signals.
The size of the package of the buffer 2 is set to about 21 mm×21 mm to 25 mm×25 mm by considering space for signal balls, VDD balls, GND balls, and no connection, if a ball pitch is 0.8 mm.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, a terminating resistor is provided in a receiving side in point-to-point connection. In fly-by connection, a terminating resistor is provided at a farthest end.
On the other hand, techniques of stacking a plurality of IC chips or large-scale integration (LSI) chips for a purpose of high integration of an IC have been suggested (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-291250 (Document 1); U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,640 (Document 2); PCT Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-504654 (Document 3); and the Research Achievement of 2002 by Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET) (Document 4)).
Document 1 describes a technique of connecting pads for signals of same attribute, such as address signals, by through electrodes. Document 2 describes a technique of stacking a memory-array circuit and a controller circuit. Document 3 describes a technique of stacking a memory chip and an interface LSI. Further, Document 4 describes a technique of forming a transmission line by using a Si interposer.
In the known memory system shown in FIG. 1, the distance between each of the DRAM chips and the buffer 2 in each DIMM is different one from another. Therefore, in this memory system, the buffer must operate according to the farthest DRAM chip, so that it is difficult to increase the operation speed. This problem can be solved to some extent by allowing the buffer to perform synchronizing processing or the like. In that case, however, another problem will arise, that is, the performance of the entire system is degraded and the cost increases.
Also, in the known memory system, the topology of a CLK signal or the like is different from the topology of DQ signals in each DIMM, and thus the difference in arrival time (propagation time) between a CLK signal and a DQS signal is caused in each DRAM chip. The difference must not exceed 15% of one clock cycle in view of the system design, and this cannot be realized if a clock frequency increases.
Further, in the known memory system, a terminating resistor must be provided in every transmission line, so that a large amount of electric power is consumed by the terminating resistors disadvantageously.
Still further, in the known memory system, a single-chip DRAM or a stacked (2-chip) DRAM is used as each DRAM. With this configuration, the occupied area increases as the memory capacity increases.
The above-mentioned Documents 1 to 4 do not at all disclose the entire configuration of the memory system, in particular, the configuration of the interposer, a method for placing through electrodes in a stacked DRAM, or a method for providing a terminating resistor.
Further, in the technique described in Document 4, the thickness of the insulating layer is no less than 10 μm (10 times thicker than an insulating layer which is usually used in LSI). Such a thick insulating layer is difficult to fabricate in an ordinary LSI manufacturing process. In addition, DC resistance Rdc of a transmission line shown in Document 4, having a width of 12.5 μm, a thickness of 1 μm, and a length of 10 mm, is Rdc=( 1/58e6)×(10e−3)/((1e−6)×(12.5e−6))=14Ω. This value is a little too large for a transmission line using a terminating resistor of about 50Ω.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


There is disclosed a holding device for holding two rotary members relative to one another. The device has two holding members and a connecting member to which the holding members may be clamped by respective clamps. One of the holding members may be selectively positioned along the connecting member and clamped thereto at selected distances from the other holding member.

This invention relates to a holding device for holding one cam shaft of an engine relative to another cam shaft of an engine to prevent rotation of the cam shafts.
The holding device of the invention has been devised for restraining cam shafts of a double overhead cam shaft internal combustion engine against rotation. Where an internal combustion engine has four cam shafts, two holding devices according to the invention may be employed to prevent the cam shafts of each pair of cam shafts from rotating relative to the other cam shaft of that pair.
In internal combustion engines a toothed timing belt is trained around toothed pulleys or sprockets mounted to ends of the cam shafts. These belts require periodic replacement and to ensure that the timing relationship between the cam shafts and crank shaft of the engine is not lost, the cam shafts may need to be held against rotation relative to one another while the belt is removed and a new timing belt is fitted.
Tools for effecting such immobilization of cam shafts are available. Often such tools are specifically designed for a particular type of engine and are not usable for other engines. This requires a selection of tools to be stocked in order to enable workshops to perform replacement of timing belts for a variety of different engines types.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,256 discloses a holding device intended to be adjustable so that it may suit engines of a variety of types. The holding device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,256 is particularly complex in its construction and has a plurality of holding members arranged in pairs with at least three of the holding members being adjustable relative to one another and in one embodiment four clamps are present in order to allow the holding members to be locked relative to one another in a desired orientation.
The arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,256, whilst being adjustable, is of a particularly complex construction and relatively difficult to operate.


An electronic commerce process that facilitates online transactions among multiple participants, that prevents consumer fraud due to pirated payment card numbers, with calculated risk, involving at least one trusted payment card host (3), where buyer's payment card number is registered and corresponding secret keys are set up. The buyer (1b) initiates an online transaction by selecting a host from a list of hosts that served by the seller's web server (2a). Then, the buyer participant (1a) sends an order online (4), SSL encrypted. The seller participant (2a) receives and decrypts the order, confirms the availability of ordered items, assigns an orderID to the order, and sends a response (5a), SSL encrypted, to the buyer participant (1a) with the assigned orderID. The buyer participant (1a) encrypts and notifies the selected host (3) of this order and orderID, and authorizes the payment (6a) using secret keys. At the same time, the seller participant also encrypts and sends payment approval request (7) for this orderID through the host. The host (3) decrypts and matches up the orderID, retrieves the secret keys, and hashes to obtain the corresponding payment card number. The host then encrypts and send for payment authorization (8a) from the payment card issuer with the payment card number, through payment clearing network. Upon receiving and decrypting the response (9) back from the payment card issuer, the host (3) encrypts and notifies (10a) the seller participant (2a) of the card issuer's response (9) for the orderID. After fulfilling the order (11,12), the seller participant encrypts and sends for payment capturing (13a) for this order with orderID, through the host and payment network (14a,15,16).

2. Description of Prior Art
With advent of electronic commerce, or ecommerce, the internet has brought the world together as a global trading market. Consumer at any corner of the world can buy products or services from any merchant at other parts of the world, as long as the consumer can have access to the internet and the merchant has set up a web store front. The volume of this electronic online trading is apparently huge and its growth can be explosive. What usually takes place is that, when a consumer shop at a merchant's online store, after placing an order online, the consumer will also need to enter payment information online at the same time, which is normally done by filling out a payment form that requires payment card number and certain payment card supporting information.
When merchant received the order from the consumer with payment information, the merchant will then try to fulfill the order and send in payment request to a private payment card clearing network through a payment gateway. Once the merchant received the payment request response, that is payment authorization, from the payment gateway, the merchant will then deliver what the consumer ordered, and send in the request for payment capture.
This online transaction starts when the consumer entered the order with payment information, and completed when the merchant fulfilled the order and captured payment. A potential fraudulent online transaction occurs when the credit card, or payment card, that used to pay for the orders online was pirated, often from off line sources. Because of the wide spread, global reach that internet enables, the potential damages to the online trading due to pirated payment cards, compared to damages it can cause to offline trading, or the traditional, old style commerce, can be many times over.
With enabling internet technologies and cryptographics algorithms today, a number of online transaction systems were proposed or developed, with varying degrees of security measures against fraud.
SET, Secure Electronic Transaction, a widely recognized, highly secure protocol for ecommerce, was first proposed by VISA, MASTERCARD, and other financial institutions in 1997[1]. Its sophisticated technological requirement has not met with wide spread deployment. Its failure in wide spread deployment should not be regarded as low acceptance among ecommerce population with respect to the importance of electronic transaction security. Rather, people have opted for other electronic transaction models that are a lot easier for merchants to deploy and for consumers to use. That is, a user friendly, risk tolerate transaction model, which can operate without technological sophistication of the digital certificates. Set up and operate with digital certificates can be intimidating for technology novice consumers.
These popular electronic payment transaction models, also known to be of the class of online payment with SSL-security, though user friendly, are severely compromised that they are incapable of effectively dealing with pirated payment cards, which often came from offline sources. This shortcoming is particularly pronounced when online transaction takes place for immediate download of products or services from the merchant's web sites, where Address Verification System (AVS) is normally not applicable.
To address this shortcoming, many alternative approaches have been proposed. Notably, Bartoli et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,268, Linehan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,578, and others. Although online billing and online payment are different in scope, Bartoli et al. presented an interesting billing process that is noteworthy. Bartoli et al. teach a billing system that will automatically authenticate the user using "cookie" file which includes explicit user account number and authentication data, bills the user directly and then settles payment with the merchant directly. Both user and merchant must register at the same billing system, that is, both user and merchant must set up direct financial relationship with the same billing system, including the credit line limit that the billing system gives to each user,in order to make this payment process work. Its advantage is that user does not need to install client software, except for a cookie file, and user can stay anonymous with respect to the merchant. But, as the number of users and merchants increase, and each registers at their own billing system, the number of registrations that a user or a merchant need to do to establish direct financial relationships with different billing systems in order to be able to carry out transactions among potential users and merchants will be overwhelming, it seems to try to replace the current payment network, instead of taking advantage of it. The current payment network has been tried for many decades and any error or downtime is extremely costly. In addition, it routes authorization token through client machine which will risk potential fraud from malicious user as man-in-the-middle or risk fraudulent page re-direct.
Linehan, on the other hand, discloses a method that involves "thin" consumer wallet that communicates directly with issuer via issuer gateway. The wallet provides functions such as authenticating the consumer to the issuer gateway, to timeout payment request and to retry payment request. The issuer gateway act on behalf of the issuer, is equivalent to the "store front" presence of the issuer on the open internet. This payment protocol has many advantages over the SET, such as avoid usage of consumer digital certificate, separate authentication technology between the consumer and issuing bank from the rest of the payment protocol, etc. But, requiring a consumer wallet in order to process a transaction could prove to be quite inconvenient for a consumer who wants to carry out transactions on many different machines at many different locations, such as at office, at home, or at airport, because that consumer wallet installed on consumer's machine is limited in terms of portability. In addition, the installation of the wallet client software on consumer's machine can be quite challenging to a novice consumer, especially if many issuers are involved that makes the wallet authentication mechanism overly complicated. Also, since an issuer gateway has implied direct relationship with the issuer, a consumer does not have a choice of which issuer gateway to go to, once he or she has decided which payment card he or she wants to use to pay for the order. Specifically, a consumer cannot go to an American Express Card issuer gateway because of its good service, while he or she wants to use a payment card of other issuer (BankOne Visa or MasterCard, etc.) because of a favorable interest rate. This protocol inter-connects complex relationships among issuers and acquirers, ultimately, it's like to rebuild the function that current backend banking network does, instead of taking full advantage of it. Any alteration inside the existing backend banking network will be very costly, as it cannot tolerate any error or downtime. And, as also pointed out by Linehan, this protocol routes payment messages through consumer's machine, and should implement "replay detection", that is, to detect potential fraudulent page-redirect, which no current algorithm can do effectively.
A useful and desirable electronic payment transaction method or protocol should be user friendly, can be deployed easily and cost effectively, comply with and take advantage of existing payment infrastructure, and at the same time, provides a sound measure against fraud, which often arise from pirated payment card numbers.

Process and method for secure online transactions with calculated risk and against fraud


An electronic camera of the present invention includes an image pickup device, a positional data generating section, a memory, and an image processing section. The image pickup device includes a light-receiving plane photoelectrically converting a subject image. On the image pickup device any given partial image area is readable from a maximal image area. The positional data generating section generates positional data on the partial image area to the maximal image area. The memory holds a first edge enhancing filter used for data on the entire image and a second edge enhancing filter whose filter size is set smaller than that of the first edge enhancing filter. The image processing section performs, using the second edge enhancing filter, edge enhancement processing on data on a partial image extracted from the partial image area based on the positional data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to edge enhancement processing of an electronic camera capable of partially reading out image signals from an image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a known electronic camera which partially reads out any given partial image area from a maximal image area of an image pickup device and performs a series of image processing such as edge enhancement on image signals thereof to generate photographic data on a partial image. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 9-135388 (Paragraph [0187] and FIG. 52) discloses a technique of removing fixed pattern noise caused by a dark current component in an electronic camera capable of partial readout from the image pickup device.
The edge enhancing filter of the electronic camera is set such that an edge of a photographed image is to be optimum at output display on a monitor or a printer. However, in the conventional electronic camera, the same edge enhancing filter is generally used for image data from partial readout (partial image) as well as for image data from all pixel readout, which causes the following problems.
The image data generated in the electronic camera is often enlarged so as to correspond to a predetermined size (for example, in printing, L size, 2L size, or the like) at monitor output and at printing. In such a case, the partial image is enlarged to a size larger than that of the entire image from the all pixel readout. Therefore, the edge width of an edge line of the partial image tends to be wider than that of the entire image.
Moreover, the edge enhancing filter is generally set so that the edge of the image is to be optimum when the entire image is outputted to the monitor or the printer, based on the premise that it is used for the image data on the entire image. When the partial image is outputted in the same size as that of the entire image, therefore, the entire image will be relatively visually desirable whereas the partial image will be visually undesirable due to a high degree of edge enhancement.
Also, the technique in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 9-135388 is for storing in advance data of fixed pattern noise in an area wider than the partial image area in order to prevent a decrease in frame rate when the partial image area is changed, which only prevents re-obtainment of data. Accordingly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 9-135388 cannot resolve the above-described problems at all.


A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; double-type flowers that are deep salmon pink in color; and good garden performance and high temperature tolerance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Sunsurf Miyarona'.
The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Petunia plants with double-type flowers and high temperature tolerance.
The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2011 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 11 Pet-42, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 2588, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2012.
Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


In a telephone terminal an incoming call is detected from a calling entity followed by determining a caller identity of the calling entity. Then it is determined whether the caller identity is associated with a subscription to presence information associated with the calling entity, where the presence information includes media data for output through an output unit in the telephone terminal. If the caller identity was determined to be associated with a subscription to presence information, it is determined whether the media data is present in the terminal, and if the media data is present in the terminal, the media data is output through an output unit in the telephone terminal.

Mobile telephones, and the use of mobile telephones, have evolved into something more than a tool for the specific purpose of providing a simple channel of voice communication between two communicating entities. The mobile phones of today are almost as much tools for personal expression as they are communication tools. One, widely used and popular, specific way of personalizing a telephone is to enable it to reproduce ring tones that vary depending on the identity of the caller. Typically, this is achieved by way of downloading data from a provider of ring tones and then using, e.g., phone book functionality, to associate a caller identity with the ring tone. Similarly, an association between a caller identity and other media data, such as a picture, to be presented upon call reception is also widely used.
However, present day telephone functionality does not provide, in a flexible manner, a way in which any caller can express personality by having the telephone of a called party play a personal ring tone associated with the caller, irrespective of whether or not the receiving party has downloaded a specific ring tone or not.

Mobile communications terminal and method


Systems and methods are provided for compensating for optical brighteners found in print media while calibrating a printer. The system is able to determine reflectance values for a print medium, to determine reflectance values for a colorant applied to the print medium, and to alter the determined reflectance values for the colorant based on the reflectance values of the print medium. The system is further able to calibrate a printer that applied the colorant to the print medium based on the altered reflectance values.

In the field of printing, it remains desirable for printers to accurately and precisely portray colors. If a printer fails to apply the correct amounts of colorant (e.g., ink, toner, etc.) to a print medium (e.g., paper), then colors may appear improperly shifted in hue, certain colors may have unexpected changes in brightness, and the printed output may be different than expected. For example, photographic images printed by a printer that has not been properly calibrated may appear unrealistic because the colors generated by the printer do not match the colors intended for printing.
In order to address these issues, printers are typically calibrated and then profiled in order to ensure that their printed colors accurately match the colors indicated in print data. Typically, the process of external calibration is performed via a spectrophotometer. The printer places a calibration patch onto the print medium for each of its loaded colorants (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Each calibration patch includes multiple sections of different intensity, and each section includes colorant that is substantially uniformly dispersed onto the medium. The spectrophotometer analyzes the spectral response of the sections of each calibration patch, and a determination is made as to whether each section sufficiently matches an expected color. If the color for a section is not accurate (i.e., is too bright, too dark, not the correct hue, etc.), then halftone patterns used to apply the colorant to that section may be adjusted accordingly. For example, if a section of colorant is expected to be an intense yellow, but is not sufficiently yellow as applied to the page, a different halftoning pattern can be used by the printer to apply the colorant more densely. This disperses more colorant onto the printed medium and makes the section appear more deeply yellow. Once the calibration has been completed, the printer may accurately apply each colorant at the appropriate levels to generate desired colors. Profiling may then be performed in order to determine how to accurately blend different colorants to form new hues.
The calibration and profiling of a printer is not simply a process that can be performed once and then forgotten. As environmental conditions vary, and as the printer itself is exposed to wear and the passage of time, the printer may need to be re-calibrated and profiled on a regular basis.
Presently, many forms of print media include optical brighteners that enhance their perceived white color and brightness. These optical brighteners actually increase the reflectance of the medium with regard to blue and ultraviolet wavelengths of light (e.g., wavelengths roughly between about 390 and 480 nanometers). Because optical brighteners add a blue component to the light that they reflect, optical brighteners can impact the way that colorants applied to the medium are measured by a spectrophotometer. This is particularly true for yellow colorants, because yellow is complementary to blue. This is also particularly true when small amounts of colorant are applied to a section of print medium in order to generate pale or light colors.
For example, in order to create a portion of what appears to be continuous color on a print medium, printers typically apply halftone patterns of pels that are placed onto the print medium in a uniform manner. Each pel within the halftone pattern is separated from its neighbors by blank portions of the print medium that remain uncovered by the colorant. Because the optical brighteners in the blank portions are slightly blue, the overall hue of the halftone pattern of colorant applied to the print medium skews closer to blue. Even when colorant is applied so as to completely cover the print medium, most colorants are translucent and therefore the blue color may continue to shine through the colorant. This makes the printed result appear slightly blue and less like the color intended for printing.
FIG. 1 illustrates the discussion provided above. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a print medium 100 includes a single pel of colorant, indicated as droplet 110, which is partially translucent. Normally, incident light 102 that is applied to medium 100 is reflected by medium 100 as light 104, which may then be measured by a spectrophotometer. The wavelengths of incident light 104 that are reflected naturally depend on the characteristics of medium 100 itself. Medium 100 is also likely to allow a certain amount 106 of incident light 102 to pass through it. Similarly, for droplets of most colorants, incident light 112 is partly reflected by the colorant itself as light 114. Additionally, a certain amount of incident light 112 passes through the colorant of droplet 110, and is reflected by medium 100 as light 116. Still further, a certain amount 118 of incident light 112 passes through both medium 100 and droplet 110. Thus, the light measured by the spectrophotometer includes light 114, which has been reflected by the colorant, as well as light 116, which has been reflected by medium 100. When optical brighteners are used, light 104 from non-colored sections of the page, as well as light 116, may skew the color of a given section of a page towards blue.
As presently practiced, it is undesirable to use a spectrophotometer to calibrate print media that include optical brighteners. This is because for yellow colors, the calibration process may attempt to completely cover the paper with yellow colorant in order to compensate for the blue color of the print medium and make the section look less green (assuming the calibration process does not fail entirely). This is unacceptable because such a calibration process turns pale yellows into intense yellows, resulting in inaccurate representations of color. Thus, an alternative method is presently used for calibration of print media that include optical brighteners. The alternative method involves using a UV-cut filter to substantially eliminate the measured reflectance of a calibration patch for blue wavelengths of light. This allows for the calibration to be completed without error, but unfortunately can result in inaccurate color calibration, because the calibration process does not take into account contributions to hue and intensity caused by reflected blue light.

Compensation for optical brighteners of print media to facilitate calibration of a printing system


The present invention relates to a series of novel silicone phosphate esters which mitigate eye and skin irritation when used in synergistic combinations with fatty alcohol sulfates and fatty alcohol ether sulfates. These materials form complexes which have surprisingly low irritation properties.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a series of novel silicone phosphate esters which mitigate eye and skin irritation when used in synergistic combinations with fatty alcohol sulfates and fatty alcohol ether sulfates. The compounds useful in to form synergistic combinations with fatty alcohol sulfates and fatty alcohol ether sulfates are the topic of U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,171 issued to O'Lenick, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,762 likewise issued to O'Lenick, Jr. which are incorporated herein by reference. These compounds are referred to in this specification as silicone phosphate esters. They are items of commerce and are manufactured by Siltech Inc. of Norcross Ga., to whom the above patents are assigned.
The compounds useful in preparing the synergistic blends of the present invention are fatty alcohol sulfates or fatty alcohol ether sulfates and silicone phosphate esters. The silicone phosphate esters are items of commerce and are prepared by the phosphation of a pendant hydroxyl group which is present on a silicone polymer.
We have surprisingly learned that if the silicone phosphate esters described in the above mentioned patents are mixed with fatty alcohol sulfates or fatty alcohol ether sulfates prior to contact with the eye and skin that the irritation values of the mixture are reduced by a factor of three. Application of the silicone phosphate ester to the skin or eye either before or immediately after the application of the fatty alcohol sulfate or fatty alcohol ether sulfate does not appreciably reduce the irritation values encountered. This is strong evidence for the formation of a complex which provides the protection. Generally, complexes form when anionic and cationic compounds are mixed. This is because of the opposite charges on the molecules. Generally, these complexes lose their surfactant properties such as foam and wetting. These complexes also do not mitigate irritation. Surprisingly, we have learned that there is a complex formed between the anionic fatty alcohol sulfate or fatty alcohol ether sulfate and the anionic silicone phosphate ester which mitigates irritation.
(2) Object of the Invention
It is the object of the present invention to provide a complex which mitigates irritation of fatty alcohol sulfates or fatty alcohol ether sulfates to the eyes and skin by incorporating a series of novel phosphated silicone polymers. The ratio of phosphate to sulfate can range from 1:1 to 0.01 to 1.
It is another objective of the current invention to provide a process for treating the hair and skin with the complex between the fatty alcohol sulfate or ether sulfate and the phosphated silicone polymer. The process comprises (1) formation of the complex by mixing together silicone phosphate ester and fatty alcohol sulfate or fatty alcohol ether sulfate and silicone phosphate ester, (2) contacting the hair or skin with an effective cleansing amount of the complex and (3) removing excess complex by rinsing with water. The ratio of phosphate to sulfate can range from 1:1 to 0.01 to 1.
(3) Description of the Arts and Practices
Fatty alcohol sulfates and fatty alcohol ether sulfates are a class of anionic detergents which are used very commonly in shampoo, skin cleanser and other applications which require detergency properties. These materials while outstanding detergents are quite irritating to skin and eyes. This is due in part to the fact that these materials de-fat the skin and eyes. That is they remove the naturally occurring fatty materials found in the normal hair and skin and leave the skin or eyes in a clean albeit irritated state.
The inclusion of ethylene oxide into the sulfate has a marginal effect upon irritation, reducing it somewhat. This reduction is obtained at the expense of cleansing properties. It was not until the present invention that it was realized that formation of a fatty alcohol sulfate or fatty alcohol ether sulfate and silicone phosphate ester complex effectively reduced irritation and did not adversely affect the performance of the detergent properties of the sulfate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,171 issued to O'Lenick, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,762 likewise issued to O'Lenick, Jr. disclose the technology used to prepare the silicone phosphate esters useful as one ingredient in preparing the complex of the present invention.

Silicone phosphate esters as irritation mitigants


A rotary dry shaver includes an outer shearing foil supported on a head frame and an inner cutter holder having a center axis and carrying a plurality of inner blades in hair shearing engagement with the outer shearing foil. The inner cutter holder is operatively connected to a rotary drive shaft of an electric motor so as to be driven thereby to rotate about the center axis. The outer shearing foil is held movable in the direction of the center axis relative to the head frame, while the inner cutter holder is movable along the center axis relative to the rotary drive shaft so as to be floatingly supported thereby. The dry shaver is characterized in that the outer shearing foil is connected to the inner cutter holder by means of a pin extending along the center axis such that the outer shearing foil and the inner cutter holder are movable together along the center axis relative to the head frame as well as the rotary drive shaft. Whereby contact pressure between the inner blades and the outer shearing foil can be kept substantially at a constant level irrespective of the relative movement of the outer shearing foil to the head frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a rotary dry shaver, and more particularly to a rotary dry shaver having a floating outer shearing foil capable of being depressed when pressed against the skin of a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a typical rotary dry shaver, as shown in FIGS. 8A, an inner cutter holder 140 is provided to carry a plurality of inner blades 141 (although only one of which is shown for simplicity) and is driven by a rotary shaft 112 to rotate about an axis thereof with the inner blades 141 kept in shearing engagement with a perforated outer foil 150 which is supported at its periphery to a head frame 130. Since the outer shearing foil 150 is required to be thin in order to enable a close shaving, the outer shearing foil 150 is likely to flex when pressed against the skin of a user during the shaving. In this type of the dry shaver, a problem is encountered when the outer shearing foil 150 is depressed at its center portion, as shown in FIG. 8B. That is, in the absence of such deformation of the foil 150, the whole inner blades 141 can be placed in constant shearing engagement with the foil 150 over the entire length of the blade 141, as shown in FIG. 8A. However, as the foil 150 is depressed to thereby lower a corresponding end portion of the inner blade 141, the other end portion is spaced from the foil 150 to leave a gap therebetween, which results in worsening cut sharpness with attendant noise increase and even in failing to continue the shaving. To avoid the problem, it has been proposed in a prior art rotary dry shaver, as disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,626 to use a pin which extends from a like drive shaft for supporting the center portion of the outer shearing foil. The pin is connected through a spring to the drive shaft so as to support the foil with a suitable spring bias. Thus, the center portion of the foil is urged outwardly to resist deformation which would otherwise cause the above problem. In this prior rotary dry shaver, the other portion of the foil is held in shearing engagement with inner blades which are carried on cutter holders. The cutter holders are supported to the drive shaft through springs in such a manner that the other portion of the outer shearing foil is floatingly supported by means of those springs. However, with this structure in which the outer foil is supported on the inner cutter holders which in turn supported through the springs to the drive shaft, there arises another problem in that when the outer foil is depressed against the skin of a user, the depression force acts firstly and directly on the engagement between the outer foil and the corresponding inner blades to thereby increase contact pressure therebetween. Such variation of the contact pressure is detrimental to the cut sharpness and therefore the contact pressure should be maintained at a desired level without being influenced by the depression of the outer shearing foil.


A blob identifier uses edge continuity signal to analyze how to combine the current pixel into an existing blob or into the background image, or start a new blob. The blob identifier outputs a list of blob identifiers on a line-by-line basis.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is directed to analyzing an image to identify regions within the image that have similar continuity values.
2. Related Art
Documents scanned at high resolutions typically require very large amounts of storage space. Furthermore, a large volume of image data requires substantially more time and bandwidth to move around, such as over a local or wide area network, over an intranet, an extranet or the Internet, or other distributed networks.
Documents, upon being scanned using a scanner or the like, are typically defined using an RGB color space, e.g., in raw RGB format. However, rather than being stored in this raw scanned RGB format, the document image data is typically subjected to some form of data compression to reduce its volume, thus avoiding the high costs of storing such scanned RGB document image data.
Run-length compression schemes, such as Lempel-Ziv (LZ), do not perform particularly well on scanned image data or, in general, image data having high spatial frequencies. In contrast, while lossy methods, such as JPEG, work fairly well on continuous tone and other high spatial frequency image data, lossy methods generally do not work particularly well on text and/or line art image data, or, in general, lower spatial frequency image data.
One approach to satisfying the compression needs of data, such as the different types of image data described above, has been to use an encoder pipeline that uses a mixed raster content (MRC) format to describe the data. The image data, such as for example, image data defining a composite image having text intermingled with color and/or grayscale information, is segmented into two or more planes. These planes are generally referred to as the background plane and the foreground planes. A selector plane is generated to indicate, for each pixel in the composite image, which of the image planes contains the actual image data that should be used to reconstruct the final output image. Segmenting the image data into planes in this manner tends to improve the overall compression of the image, because the data can be arranged into different planes such that each of the planes are smoother and more compressible than is the original image data. Segmentation also allows different compression methods to be applied to the different planes. Thus, the most appropriate compression technique for the type of data in each plane can be applied to compress the data of that plane.

Systems and methods for identifying regions within an image having similar continuity values


A lidar detection system comprises a CCD sensor for converting a returned light signal into electrical charges that are amplified at the output of the sensor itself with no significant noise and without it being necessary to accumulate the results of a plurality of firings to obtain sufficient signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the present invention is a method of detecting a light signal and a corresponding lidar system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lidar detection systems essentially comprise means, such as a laser, for emitting a light signal toward an object to be studied and a device for receiving a signal returned from the object by diffusion or reflection, the means and the device being synchronized with each other. Certain characteristics of the object can be deduced by processing the returned signal. The problem addressed here is that of supplying a signal of sufficient intensity to be read by the processing means. In some prior art lidar detection systems, a counting method is used in which photons are individually converted into electrons in a detector, with a known multiplication factor sufficient to distinguish the signal from the background noise of the system. However, the method is limited to very weak signals. Another method consists in passing the signal resulting from converting photons into electrical charges through a current amplifier preceding the processing means. As the background noise of the system is subject to the same amplification, this method is suitable only for high signal values. In practice, a plurality of detection systems that are calibrated differently must be used when the successive sample values of the signal have different intensities.
The patents EP 0 905 284 and EP 1 111 908 describe a charge accumulation and coupling (CCD) photosensor that comprises an array of cells arranged in rows and columns. The light signal is first collected over an image region and converted into electrical charges that are displaced periodically through a memory region to a read device.
The sensor has the benefit of lending itself to convenient sampling of the signal on the memory rows; however, it does not solve the problem of excess noise when reading samples of low intensity. In the above patents, in addition to integrating charges on the last row of the image region, samples corresponding to successive firings are integrated in the memory region before reading. It is therefore no longer possible to process a particular firing and good synchronization of firings is required. If a portion of the signal is skewed, all of the samples are affected by the error and are lost. Cell saturation is also a risk for the high samples that are accumulated.
The invention is concerned with improving lidar systems by using CCD photosensors that differ from those used in this application in the prior art in that they amplify the signal under conditions that are simultaneously reliable and less constraining than the accumulation of a plurality of firings.
The signal is amplified in the read region instead of in the memory region and by means of a charge multiplication process such that the individual results of the firings can be considered.

Method of detecting a luminous signal and lidar system


An actuator system for positioning a transducing head on an actuator arm over a selected track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks is disclosed. The actuator arm includes a motor responsive to an actuator signal and a bias signal to move the head with respect to the tracks. The actuator signal is applied to the motor to move the head between tracks on the disc. After the head has been moved between tracks, the bias signal is applied to the motor to center the head over the selected track. A lookup table is provided to store predicted bias values in locations addressable by seek direction, previous seek direction, seek length and head position. The bias signal is applied in response to a selectively accessed predicted bias value.

This invention relates to a system for predicting bias effects on an actuator arm in a disc drive system using a lookup table.
There has been an effort to increase the radial density of concentric data tracks in high performance hard disc drives. As a result, there is an increasing need for higher order modeling and compensation for previously overlooked mechanical and electrical non-linear behavior in the actuation system used to position a head over a selected track of the disc. One such non-linear effect is associated with actuator bias. A rotary voice coil-driven actuator experiences variable amounts of torque (bias) at various radial positions relative to the disc. This bias is a result of several factors, including spring action operating on the actuator due to the flexible cable connecting the arm electronics to the disc drive electronics, windage acting on the arm, hysteresis friction in the actuator bearings, and other factors. Thus, the current required to maintain the head over the selected track of the disc might vary due to the bias.
During tracking, it has become common to compensate for direct current (DC) bias effects by applying a fixed bias current to the actuator arm. While the fixed bias provides reasonably good compensation for tracking operations after long seeks, it is not altogether accurate for tracking after short seeks that follow direction reversals, especially as radial track density increases requiring greater precision. The fixed bias model typically consists of a pair of second order polynomial curves, one each for seeks in the inbound and outbound directions. However, for relatively short seeks, the second order model may be insufficient to precisely predict and model the bias characteristics of the disc drive system, thereby increasing the time required to perform a track seek and settle on a desired track of the disc. The closer the predicted value of bias is to the actual amount of bias necessary to center the head over the selected track, the less settling time is required.
The shortcomings of second order polynomial models are specifically addressed in "A State-Space Bias Model for Prediction of Actuator Tracking Bias in Hard Disk Drives" by Kyle Eddy and William Messner (presented and distributed at the November 1995 Winter Annual Meeting of the ASME). The Eddy et al. paper reveals that the physical bias curve forms a hysteresis loop for short seeks following a change in actuator direction, which can itself be modeled as fitted exponential curves. However, overshoot and undershoot effects still existed in the actuator bias following a reversal in actuator direction, which could not be accurately predicted even by the exponential model.
Therefore, a need exists for a system which introduces bias into an actuator assembly of a disc drive that accounts for hysteresis, overshoot, undershoot, and other bias characteristics, improves tracking performance, and reduces the time required to settle over a desired track.

Actuator bias prediction using lookup-table hysteresis modeling


A wrench includes a handle, a head, a drive member rotatably mounted in the head, two pawls, an elastic element for biasing at least one of the pawls to engage with the drive member, and a pivotable switch. An end of each pawl defines a space. The end of each pawl further includes a protrusion. The spaces of the pawls overlap with each other and the protrusion of each pawl is located in the space of the other pawl. The switch includes an actuating member extending into the overlapped spaces of the pawls and between the protrusions of the pawls. The actuating member of the switch is pivotable to engage with and thus move the protrusion of one of the pawls, disengaging the pawl from the drive member and thereby changing a driving rotation direction and a free rotation direction of the wrench.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact wrench. In particular, the present invention relates to a compact wrench with three-stage control, allowing the wrench to be in one of three operating states.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 of the drawings illustrates a conventional wrench comprising a handle 10′ and a head 11′ formed on an end of the handle 10′. The head 11′ includes a compartment 12′ in which a wheel 20′ is rotatably mounted. Two pawls 30′ are mounted in cavity 14′ defined in the head 11′ and communicated with the compartment 12′. Each pawl 30′ includes a plurality of teeth 301′ on a side thereof for releasably engaging with teeth 21′ in an outer periphery of the wheel 20′. Each pawl 30′ further includes a peg 302′ on a lateral face thereof that faces the other pawl 30′, with a spring 31′ attached between the pegs 302′ on the pawls 30′. Further, each pawl 30′ includes a protrusion 303′ formed on an upper side thereof and extending through a slot 15′ into a control groove 13′ in a side of the head 11′.
A switching disc 41′ is pivotally mounted in the control groove 13′ by a pin 43′. The protrusion 303′ of each pawl 30′ extends into a groove 412′ in the switching disc 41′, allowing the protrusion 303′ of the pawl 30′ to slide along the slot 15′ when the switching disc 41′ is turned. The switching disc 41′ further includes two tubular members 411′ each having a downward opening. A spring 44′ is mounted in a hole 131′ in a bottom wall delimiting the control groove 13′for biasing a ball 45′ into one of the tubular members 411′. A thumb turn 42′ is formed on top of the switching disc 41′ to allow manual switching of the switching disc 41′, allowing the ball 45′ to selectively engage with one of the tubular members 411′. When the ball 45′ is engaged one of the tubular member 411′, one of the pawls 30′ is engaged with the wheel 20′ whereas the other pawl 30′ is disengaged from the wheel 20′, allowing driving rotation in a first direction and free rotation in a second direction reverse to the first direction. When the ball 45′ is engaged with the other tubular member 411′, the originally engaged pawl 30′ is disengaged from the wheel 20′ whereas the other pawl 30′ is engaged with the wheel 20′, allowing driving rotation in the second direction and free rotation in the first direction.
The head of the wrench has a relatively large size, as a large compartment 14′ for receiving the pawls 30′ is required. Further, the arrangement for switching the driving direction is complicated and thus takes a long time to manufacture and assemble. The cost of the wrench is thus high.


An artificial dental implant includes an implanting part which is to be implanted in bone tissue and a crown-fixing part to which a crown is to be fixed, which are manufactured using a metal powder injection molding method. At least a part of a portion of said implanting part which defines an outer surface thereof is formed with a metal material which contains Ti as a base material and 0.01 to 3 wt % of M (where M is at least one selected from the group comprising Ca, P and Si). Further, the implanting part preferably has a coating layer which covers the outer surface thereof, in which the M content (where M is at least one selected from the group comprising Ca, P and Si) in this coating layer is preferably greater than the M content in the at least a part of the portion of the implanting part. The implanting part and crown-fixing part may be formed into an integral body, or formed into separate bodies such that they are engaged with each other when used. The artificial dental implant having the structure described above is easy to manufacture and has good bio-affinity and high strength.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an artificial dental implant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known artificial dental implants which can be used in place of the roots of natural teeth. An artificial dental implant is constructed with an implanted part (fixture) which is to be implanted in the bone tissue and a crown-fixing part (abutment screw) to which a crown is to be fixed.
As for materials for forming such artificial dental implants, (1) metals such as stainless steel and Ti (titanium) and the like, and (2) ceramics such as zirconia-based, alumina-based and sapphire-based ceramics are conventionally used.
However, artificial dental implants formed from ceramics have the disadvantage of low strengths, and therefore they are likely to be easily damaged. Moreover, ceramic artificial dental implants are very expensive.
Consequently, attention has focused on metal artificial dental implants with which there are fewer disadvantages described above. Such metal artificial dental implants are usually made by means of casting and a machining process performed after the casting process.
Among the metal artificial dental implants, stainless steel artificial dental implants have poor bio-compatibility, so that they have adverse effects on the body such as causing the onset of metal allergy and the risk of cancer resulting from the dissolution of Ni and Cr.
On the other hand titanium (Ti) artificial dental implants are relatively light and have high strength, and they have excellent corrosion resistance and bio-compatibility.
However, in the case of Ti artificial dental implants, cutting processes using special tools and laser working must be carried out on the castings or ultra-plastic mold processing is required, to manufacture and process them, thus resulting in a problem in that production is not easy. In particular, a complicated manufacturing process and a high degree of skill are required to process the castings into complicated and fine shapes, so that the manufacturing costs are also increased.
Further, the bio-compatibility of Ti itself is not so excellent. Consequently, in Ti artificial dental implants, there is a case that a long time is required after they are implanted in the patient's bone tissue until they become fixed with the bone tissue. Accordingly, depending on the particular case, there is a case that the artificial dental implant which has been implanted in the bone tissue is fall out.


Various embodiments relate generally to computer science, data science, application architecture, and computer data security. More specifically, techniques for credential and authentication management in scalable data networks is described, including, but not limited to, multiplexed data exchanges in a scalable data network. For example, a method may include receiving a subset of requests to access a data network. The requests each may originate from an associated computing device having a source identifier. The method also may include data to cause modification of data representing presentation of a hosted page via the data network, monitoring data traffic from the data network and managing actions initiated via a request based on the data traffic. Optionally, data traffic received via an aggregation port may be filtered to origination of a request associated with a source identifier.

As various computer programs ranging from operating systems to client and server-side applications to online Internet platforms to distributed and cloud computing systems, and other types of software (hereafter "software" or "applications") increase in complexity, design, and scale, there is also an increase in problems associated with managing large amounts of data and providing data security against unauthorized access to data across a large distributed platforms and data networks.
Accessing and using applications that need to scale to support millions of clients (e.g., computers, servers, desktops, laptops, smart phones, mobile phones, cellular communication devices, tablet computers, and the like) and user accounts are often hampered by various types of operations that need to be performed in order to provide an efficient and scalable computing environment, many of which are distributed globally across numerous servers or server facilities and services, including cloud-based computing systems. Systems such as social networks and social media typically rely upon conventional solutions to address difficult operations such as data security, account security, and data privacy, but which are often limited and restrictive to users, including organizational accounts that may have many users. However, many conventional solutions for providing data security, account security, and data privacy are also problematic because of an inability to scale and support multi-client or multi-threaded operations such as authentication or login operations or to work with third party technology providers to provide data security. As a conventional example, social networks and social media are configured to provide both individual and organizational users with single-client accounts. However, if an organization has multiple users that require access to a single account for a social network, this can be problematic using conventional authentication techniques because only a single client can access a given account at any time, which is not only efficient, but stifles organizational use of valuable social media and networks to deliver, for example, commercial content such as advertising, promotions, coupons, or contextually or thematically-related content that users may find useful or valuable. Organizations with social media marketing departments, which may have one to many users are unable to effectively use powerful communication media such as social media and social networks because of technical limitations of conventional authentication solutions that render these inefficient, unscalable, and lacking in terms of organizational support.
Furthermore, individual and organizational users that interact electronically via a single-client account with a social network are conventionally presented via user interfaces with access to functionalities of a social network, whereby various functionalities may be exposed. Such exposure or unmonitored accessibility yields a loss of control of an implementation of a hosted page associated with a social network in some cases. Typical access to a social network by an entity including a number of users may be exposed to vulnerabilities that may, for example, jeopardize a brand or product, should the same be the subject of a social network. In cases when a number of users access directly a single user account for a social network, changes to the social network may be effected in an unauthorized or uncontrolled manner. Moreover, multiple accesses from different clients to a single user account for a social network can be identified as a behavior that may be flagged as suspicious and malevolent, resulting in blocked or prohibited access by an organization.
Thus, what is needed is a solution for facilitating access to online accounts of social network computing platforms securely without the limitations of conventional techniques.

Multiplexed data exchange portal interface in scalable data networks


A wireless transmitter includes an RF signal generation circuit, a driver amplifier, and a class-D amplifier. The RF signal generation circuit detects an amplitude signal and a phase signal based on a digital baseband signal subjected to orthogonal modulation, thus generating a pulse phase signal which is High in response to the phase ranging from 0° to 180° but is Low in response to the phase ranging from 180° to 360°. The amplitude signal is subjected to sigma-delta modulation in synchronism with the pulse phase signal and further mixed with the pulse phase signal, thus producing an RF pulse signal. The RF pulse signal is input to the class-D amplifier via the driver amplifier, thus outputting a pulse voltage signal based on a reference voltage. Thus, it is possible to achieve a small-size wireless transmitter with good noise/distortion characteristics and high power efficiency.

A transmitter of a communication device, such as a cellular phone and a wireless LAN, is required to operate with low power consumption while securing the accuracy of transmitting signals irrespective of its output power. In particular, the power consumption of a power amplifier, which is arranged in the last stage of a communication device and which occupies 50% or more in the entire power consumption of a communication device, is required to operate at high power efficiency.
Recently, a switching amplifier has attracted attention as a power amplifier which is expected to demonstrate high power efficiency. A switching amplifier is assumed to receive a pulse waveform signal as its input signal, thus achieving power amplification with maintaining its waveform. A pulse waveform signal amplified by a switching amplifier is adequately suppressed in frequency components, other than a desired frequency component, with a filter element and subsequently emitted into the air via an antenna.
FIG. 19 is a circuit diagram showing a D-class amplifier 1 representative of a switching amplifier. The D-class amplifier 1 includes two switch elements 3a, 3b which are connected in series between a power source 2 and a ground GND. Complementary pulse signals S1, S2, serving as open/close control signals, are applied to the two switch elements 3a, 3b, thus solely turning on either the switch elements 3a, 3b. When the switch element 3a proximate to the power source 2 is turned on while the switch element 3b proximate to the ground GND is turned off, the D-class amplifier 1 outputs a voltage identical to a source voltage. In contrast, when the switch element 3a is turned off while the switch element 3b is turned on, the D-class amplifier 1 outputs a voltage identical to a ground potential.
Ideally, the D-class amplifier 1 causes zero power loss because it does not need a bias current. In this connection, the switch elements 3a, 3b may comprise field-effect transistors or bipolar transistors.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing the constitution of a wireless transmitter 5 using the D-class amplifier 1. This constitution is disclosed in NPL 1. In FIG. 20, the constituent parts identical to those shown in FIG. 19 are denoted using the same reference signs. The wireless transmitter 5 includes an RF signal generation circuit 6, a driver amplifier 7, and the D-class amplifier 1. In the case of the W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) system, for example, a digital baseband 8 is able to generate a multi-bit wireless signal configured of ten bits or more.
The D-class amplifier 1 receives a pulse waveform signal as its input signal. An output signal of the digital baseband 8 needs to be converted into 1-bit information in advance because a pulse waveform signal is able to solely transmit one bit per one pulse. Sigma-delta modulators 9a, 9b are employed as a circuit configuration achieving one-bit information conversion in order to maintain a good noise characteristic in frequencies proximate to a frequency band of a desired wave. With this circuit configuration, it is possible to convert a wireless transmission signal into a pulse waveform signal while maintaining a good noise characteristic, thus inputting a pulse waveform signal into the D-class amplifier 1.

RF signal generation circuit and wireless transmitter


A mechanism for reducing stiction in a MEMS device by decreasing surface area between two surfaces, such as a travel stop and travel stop region, that can come into close contact is provided. Reduction in contact surface area is achieved by increasing surface roughness of the travel stop region. This is achieved by depositing a polysilicon layer over a dielectric layer using gaseous hydrochloric acid as one of the reactants. A subsequent etch back is performed to further increase the roughness. The deposition of polysilicon and subsequent etch back may be repeated one or more times in order to obtain the desired roughness. A final polysilicon layer may then be deposited to achieve a desired thickness. This final polysilicon layer is patterned to form the travel stop regions. The rougher surface decreases the surface area available for contact and, in turn, decreases the area through which stiction can be imparted.

Field
This disclosure relates generally to manufacture of microelectromechanical systems, and more specifically, to reducing stiction in MEMS devices by increasing surface roughness.
Related Art
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices are micromechanical devices that provide moving parts having features with dimensions below 100 μm. These moving parts are formed using micro-fabrication techniques. MEMS devices have holes, cavities, channels, cantilevers, membranes, and the like. These devices are typically based on silicon materials and use a variety of techniques to form the proper physical structures and to free the mechanical structures for movement.
Stiction is a static friction force that is a recurrent problem with typical MEMS devices. While any solid objects pressing against each other without sliding require some threshold of force (stiction) to overcome static cohesion, mechanisms generating this force are different for MEMS devices. When two surfaces with areas below the micrometer range come into close proximity, the surfaces may adhere together due to electrostatic and/or Van der Waals forces. Stiction forces at this scale can also be associated with hydrogen bonding or residual contamination on the surfaces.
For MEMS devices such as accelerometers, surfaces such as over-travel stops come into close proximity or contact during use at the limits of the device design. In those situations, stiction forces can cause the MEMS device parts (e.g., a teeter-totter accelerometer mechanism) to freeze in place and become unusable. Traditional methods of avoiding such close proximity travel or contact include increasing spring constants and increasing distance between parts of the MEMS device. But compensating for stiction in this manner can decrease sensitivity of the device, and therefore decrease the utility of the MEMS device. It is therefore desirable to provide a mechanism for reducing stiction-related interactions of MEMS devices without also decreasing sensitivity of the MEMS device.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates identical items unless otherwise noted. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Reducing MEMS stiction by increasing surface roughness


The invention relates to a nubomachine with a longitudinal axis, comprising two, respectively upstream (122) and downstream, coaxial outer propellers (122), characterised in that at least some of the blades (148) of the upstream propeller (122) comprise at least one internal air circulation chimney (150) that communicates with air-bleeding openings (152) in tire boundary layers of the blades (148), and communicates with air outflow openings (158) on the radially outer end thereof, the air-bleeding openings (152) leading to opening inlets (152a) on tire passive surfaces (156) of the blades (148), the inlets (152a) of the air-bleeding openings being radially arranged in an area (H1) contained between 10% and 45% of the radial dimension (H2) of the blades (148), measured above turd from the radial height of the blades for which the tangent of the leading edge (138) of the blades is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and the inlets (152a) of the air bleeding openings being arranged in an area contained between 0% and 30% of the local chord of the blades (148), measured at the level of said inlets (152a) and from the leading edges (138) of tire blades (148).

The prior art comprises, in particular, the documents EP-A1-2090765, FR-A2-2866931 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,133.
The current trend for civil aircraft engines is to reduce specific fuel consumption (SC), noise pollution and NOx emissions. One of the technical solutions adopted by engine manufacturers is to increase the bypass ratio between primary flow and secondary flow. In this respect, several architectures such as Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) engines and twin propeller engines ("CROR" for Counter Rotating Open-Rotor, or "USF" for Unducted Single Fan) are being considered as potential replacements for current turbomachines for medium-haul flights.
The nacelle, which channels the secondary flow to produce most of the thrust on a conventional turbomachine, is removed in the case of an open rotor type turbomachine. The propulsion system then consists of an upstream propeller that drives the flow and a downstream propeller, fixed for the "USF" engine and rotating for the "CROR" engine, the downstream propeller enabling the flow to be straightened. The propulsive efficiency of the engine is improved by recovering the energy in rotation. The diameter of the propellers is also greatly increased to allow large quantities of air to be sucked in and improve propulsive efficiency. However, in the absence of a nacelle, the noise emissions are a major drawback of this open rotor architecture, particularly the noise generated by the propellers and by the various interactions between the propellers and the components involved in mounting the engine on the aircraft.
The main source of noise is linked to the interaction of the swirl coming from the upstream propeller with the downstream propeller. The top swirl is the result of the fusion of a tip blade swirl with a leading edge swirl that develops from the medium part (i.e. "belly") of the suction side of the upstream blade.
A solution to suppress this noise, called "clipping", consists of reducing the outer diameter of the downstream propeller so that the swirls generated by the upstream propeller pass outside the downstream propeller, in particular outside the cylinder formed by the rotating downstream propeller, and do not interact with it. However, this solution is not totally satisfactory because it results in a reduction in the thrust produced by the downstream propeller and therefore a reduction in the performance of the turbomachine. It would be possible to increase the load on the downstream propeller to compensate for the reduction in its diameter, but this propeller would then become mechanically more complex to make and would generate greater inherent noise.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a simple, effective and economical solution to this problem.


The present invention provides a rare earth metal complex represented by the following formula (I).

Recently, functions of metal complexes such as photoreactive functions, electron-transfer functions, and physiologically active functions have been attracting attention, and a number of researches are being conducted by utilizing such functions. Further, researches on ligands that bind to metal elements have also been conducted. As a representative ligand, a unidentate ligand such as ammonia, pyridine, and a cyanide ion, a bidentate ligand such as ethylenediamine, bipyridine, and glycinato, and a multidentate ligand having a coordination number of three or more such as ethylenediaminete-traacetic acid are known.
Bipyridine, which is a representative bidentate ligand, has a chelate ligand structure and a function of coordinating with a metal element. However, owing to poor solubility of bipyridine metal complexes in organic solvents, there has been a problem that the utility range of such a complex is extremely limited.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a compound in which a long chain alkyl group such as a hexyl group, pentyl group, octyl group or decyl group is introduced into a polypyridine.
Although Patent Literature 2 discloses a phenanthroline compound in which an aromatic cyclic group has been substituted, there is no description of a metal complex having the phenanthroline compound as a ligand thereof. Examples of ligands of the metal complex described in this document include phenylpyridine, quinoline and benzimidazole, and these compounds have completely different structures from the ligands of the rare earth metal complexes of the present invention.
Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses a ligand that is a 2-pyridylphenanthroline compound, and describes a ruthenium complex having this ligand. In addition, although Non-Patent Literature 2 discloses phenanthroline compounds having a 2-pyridyl group or phenyl group, the structures of both of these compounds are completely different from the ligands of the rare earth metal complexes of the present invention.

Rare earth metal complex having phenanthroline compound as ligand


The main objective of Certificate Transparency (CT) is to detect mis-issued certificates or rouge certificate authorities. It has been observed that phishing sites have been increasingly acquiring certificates to look more legitimate and reach more victims, thus providing an opportunity to predict phishing domains early. The present disclosure provides systems and methods for early detection of phishing and benign domain traces in CT logs. The provided system may predict phishing domains early even before content is available via time-, issuer-, and certificate-based characteristics that are used to identify sets of CT-based inexpensive and novel features. The CT-features are augmented with other features including passive DNS (pDNS) and domain-based lexical features.

The rise of phishing attacks continues to be a leading security concern for individuals and organizations. Previous research has examined content-based analysis, and network-based or URL-based approaches. In practice, existing defensive techniques rely mostly on published blacklists, reported and verified by users, or deployed by companies or organizations, including Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal (VT), and the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG). One key requirement for such blacklists is timeliness. That is, a domain must be added to the blacklists before it has affected many victims. Currently, however, a domain is added to blacklists only after it has become reachable and discovered by users during its campaign, which may be too late.
One new development in the cyber security space is the introduction of Certificate Transparency (CT) Logs. In order to defend against fraudulent TLS certificates and rogue Certificate Authorities (CA's), certificates are now published, by their issuing CA's, in public transparent append-only servers almost as soon as certificates are issued. As mentioned in the Chromium CT policy, since April 30th of 2018, Chrome, which is by far the most dominant browser in the world, has made it mandatory to have certificates in CT logs or risk showing a warning to browser users. Further, sub-resources served over HTTPS connections that are not CT-compliant will fail to load and will show an error in Chrome DevTools.
A digital certificate is trusted by a browser only if it has appeared in several special semi trusted append-only public certificate lists called certificate logs. When a browser-trusted certificate is sent to a log operator, it gets a Signed Certificate Timestamp (SCT). SCT is a signed promise to include the certificate into the list within specified time period called Maximum Merge Delay (MMD). Log Auditors verify that the log operators behave correctly, i.e., they include the submitted certificates in the correct order, append them within MMD, and do not try to insert, delete or change certificates in their logs retroactively. Log Monitors observe and verify that submitted certificates are legitimate, and correct. For instance, the task of a monitor is to discover if a CA has issued a fraudulent certificate (like the DigiNotart incident).
When a domain requests a certificate from a CA, the CA first creates a precertificate, and sends it to the CT log, which sends the corresponding SCT to the CA, as a promise of inclusion. Finally, the CA embeds the SCT as a X.509v3 extension and sends it to the client. This final certificate is known as the leaf certificate. Note that it is not mandatory for CA's to submit leaf certificates to CT logs (as precertificates suffice), but in many cases they are included. When both a precertificate and a leaf certificate for a domain appear in CT logs, they both have the same serial number.
Passive DNS (pDNS) captures traffic by cooperative deployment of sensors in various locations of the DNS hierarchy. For example, Farsight pDNS data utilizes sensors deployed behind DNS resolvers and provides aggregate information about domain resolutions. One advantage of pDNS is that it preserves the privacy of individual Internet users as it contains only aggregated information. However, such data is not as rich in information as proxy/HTTP DNS logs, which not only contain individual DNS queries and responses, but also timing information.
VirusTotal (VT) URL Feed is a service offered by Google® that provides a public querying facility to obtain intelligence on any URL by analyzing around 65-70 third-party scanners and URL/domain blacklisting services, including Google Safe Browsing (GSB), COMODO site inspector, phishtank and many others. Each tool in VT categorizes a URL as clean, malicious, phishing or malware. VT provides a rate limited public API to check the status of URLs programmatically. Additionally, every hour, VT publishes a feed of URLs along with aggregated intelligence for the URLs queried by Internet users all around the world during the previous hour. Previous research utilizes VT data to compile malicious ground truth for detecting or predicting malicious activities in the Internet. However, there are challenges related to the intelligence reported by VT. For example, GSB and phishtank results in VT are not always consistent with their direct results and different tools provide different labels such as phishing and malware for a given URL. A common practice is to obtain the intersection between multiple sources and also to use majority voting as the final VT label.

Phishing domain detection systems and methods

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