In a pair of scissors, particularly hairdresser's scissors, with a pivot joint consisting of a pivot screw (1) and a screw nut (18), where the pivot screw (1) is connected to one scissor blade (21) in an essentially non-rotating fashion, play between the pivot screw (1) and the one scissor blade (21) is to be prevented by providing the screw nut (18) with an annular groove (10) in its inner wall, in which an annular body (11) made of flexible material is located, the inside diameter of which is smaller that the thread diameter of the pivot screw (1), and by the screw nut (18) additionally having a flexible moulding (22) on its inner face, which contacts the screw nut (18) and the wall of the drilled hole (20) in the one scissor blade (21) when under pressure.

The invention relates to a pair of scissors, particularly hairdresser's scissors, with a pivot joint comprising a pivot screw and a screw nut, where the pivot screw is connected to one scissor blade in an essentially non-rotating fashion and the screw nut has a flexible body on the circumference of a neck which engages a circular recess in the drilled hole of one scissor blade, or on the face pointing towards the drilled hole, said body contacting the screw nut and the wall of the drilled hole under pressure.
Scissors of this kind are known from German Patent DE-PS 30 23 057. In these scissors, the steel screw nut of the pivot joint has a circular groove around the circumference of its neck, in which a flexible O-ring is inserted. The O-ring contacts the neck of the screw nut and the wall of the drilled hole in the one scissor blade under pressure. Rotation of the screw nut is said to be prevented as a result of the pressure exerted on the neck of the screw nut by the O-ring. In this context, the contact pressure is selected in such a way that the action of the scissors can be sensitively adjusted by turning the screw nut.
The pivot screw in the scissors known from the aforementioned publication has two milled surfaces on opposite sides of its shank, engaging an appropriately shaped aperture in the one scissor blade, the upper blade, in such a way that it is connected to the upper blade of the scissors in an essentially non-rotating fashion.
However, when manufacturing scissors of this kind in bulk, it is impossible to achieve complete freedom from rotation of the connection between pivot screw and upper blade. Consequently, this connection has a certain amount of play which is inherent in the manufacturing process. As the screw nut contacts the upper blade of the scissors in a non-rotating fashion owing to the O-ring on the neck, this play gives rise to play between the screw nut and the pivot screw.
The play between screw nut and pivot screw is particularly disturbing when cutting with precision scissors of the kind mentioned at the start. Modern precision scissors have a closing pressure of approx. 30 g which is set electronically. As a result of the very low closing pressure, the play between the shank of the pivot screw and the aperture in the upper blade or between the screw nut and the pivot screw manifests itself in the form of a jerking effect. These noticeable jerks are unpleasant for the person using the scissors, e.g. the hairdresser. In addition, the jerks increase the wear on the pivot screw. It should be kept in mind in this context that the scissors are operated roughly one thousand times for a normal haircut.


Method, program products and apparatus are disclosed for optimizing access to a data table. A value-existence structure is used to determine whether the data table contains rows for a given database query. The value-existence structure may be useful, for example, for managing transparent access to an online database and a nearline database.

Today's businesses and organizations rely on an increasing amount of data to accomplish their goals. Storing, retrieving and maintaining data while fulfilling service level agreements (SLAs) is a main cost driver within IT operations.
One approach to address this issue is the concept of Near (on)line storage (also referred to as nearline or NLS), in which less frequently accessed data is stored on slower (but usually cheaper) media and frequently accessed data is stored on fast storage. With this concept fast access to frequently accessed data is provided, while retrieving less frequently accessed data with a reduced response time is accepted.
For example, currently NLS solutions for specific business applications exist, meaning that the logic of processing NLS data has been built into the specific application. This is true both for archiving aged data as well as for reading and/or modifying the data. Such solutions are typically bound to a certain application with a certain release level. However, these NLS solutions require the installation of new software to the enterprise landscape.
Another approach includes the use of Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) solutions, in which data is automatically moved between high-cost (hard disk drive arrays) and low-cost storage media (i.e., optical discs or tapes). These solutions essentially work on a file level basis. Accordingly, these solutions may not be applied in an efficient manner to databases, because HSM does not support any granularity of the data movement.

Database-transparent near online archiving and retrieval of data

International Business Machines Corporation


A system is provided for reducing power consumption of door and frame heaters of refrigerating devices while maintaining protection against condensation. One or more condensation sensors are attached to the door and are monitored by control circuitry which controls power applied to the door or frame heater. Condensation on the sensor will increase the conductivity of the sensor, which is detected by the control circuitry. When condensation occurs, power is applied to the heater until the condensation is eliminated. The invention includes two different condensation sensor configurations.

Retail and other establishments that store and sell refrigerated items frequently must be concerned with condensation problems. It is a common practice in commercial refrigerators and freezers, referred to below as coolers, to utilize a glass display door with a large window in it to provide easy access for a customer while allowing the customer to easily see what is inside the cooler. Frequently, the window makes up the majority of the door panel. Under adverse environmental conditions, condensation on the door frames and door window panes can be a problem.
For example, a door to a cooler in a store may be opened frequently by customers. When this happens, the inside of the door, which may be at a temperature of 2.degree. C. to 5.degree. C. (35.degree. F. to 40.degree. F.), is immediately exposed to the ambient air in the store. Depending on the temperature and humidity levels of the ambient air, condensation may form on the cold inside surfaces of the door. If the humidity is relatively high, heavy condensation may form almost immediately, which can completely obscure the view through the door glass. This obviously is detrimental to the purpose of the window, which is to provide a clear view inside the cooler. Additionally, the condensation may be heavy enough to cause the door to drip when opened. This is a particular problem in retail stores where it can create a hazardous puddle or get a customer wet and thus dampen their enthusiasm for that store.
In an effort to reduce or eliminate these problems, it has become a common practice to employ heaters in door windows and door frames of refrigeration equipment. These devices, which will be referred to as door heaters below, use small electrical heating elements to raise the temperature of the door glass or frame sufficiently that condensation is reduced or eliminated. Door heaters are used in both refrigerators and freezers, and both type of units will be understood to be included in the term cooler as it is used below. There is a significant energy cost associated with using such devices, however. It takes energy to power the door heaters, and the heat generated by these heaters must be removed from the refrigerated volume by the refrigeration system. The costs involved with door heaters can be substantial.

Method and apparatus for reducing energy use by refrigeration door and frame heaters


An electrical connection box includes a box body. The box body has a top wall and a side wall. The top wall is inclined to a horizontal plane and has an edge portion arranged at a lower side in an inclination of the top wall. The side wall is connected to an edge portion of the top wall. A drainage channel is provided along the edge portion of the top wall. A drainage port is provided at an edge of the drainage channel. The drainage port is placed at a position spaced from the side wall.

The present invention relates to an electrical connection box mounted in a vehicle, such as an automobile.
Generally, electrical connection boxes have electric components, such as a wiring board, a fuse, a relay, and a connector. However, for example, an electrical connection box to be mounted in an automobile is sometimes installed in an engine room. Thus, such an electrical connection box takes a waterproof countermeasure to prevent electric components, such as a wiring board, from being short-circuited due to water caused by, e.g., an automobile wash to enter an engine room (see, e.g., JP-A-2002-152943).
As illustrated in FIG. 5, JP-A-2002-152943 discloses an electric connection box 101. A wiring board 103, on which a fuse housing 102 is mounted, is mounted in the electrical connection box 101 so as to be substantially perpendicular to a surface thereof. The fuse housing 102 has drainage grooves 104a and 104b and a water-stop wall 105. A drainage channel 106 is provided on the wiring board 103 so as to extend from the fuse housing 102 to a side end of the wiring board 103. Incidentally, reference numeral 107 designates an electric component such as a relay.
Water on the fuse housing 102 is caused by the wall 105 to flow along the grooves 104a and 104b without flowing out to the surroundings of the fuse housing 102. Then, the water flows along the drainage channel 106 leading to the side end portion of the wiring board 103. Finally, the water runs off. Thus, water on the fuse housing 102 does not run down from the fuse housing 102 along the surface of the wiring board. Consequently, the electric component 107 mounted below the fuse housing 102 can be prevented from being short-circuited due to water.
A drainage structure of the electrical connection box disclosed in JP-A-2002-152943 is configured so that water is discharged along a side end portion, on which neither wiring and nor electric components are mounted, in the wiring board 103. However, there is a fear that due to external factors, for example, vehicle vibrations and a negative pressure, water trickling along the side end portion of the wiring board 103 may run to the other part of the wiring board 103 until discharged completely, so that wiring or electric components may be short-circuited.
Incidentally, the drainage structure disclosed in JP-A-2002-152943 is provided on the inner side of the electrical connection box. However, even in the case where a drainage structure is provided on the outer side of the electrical connection box, when water is made to trickle along a side wall surface of the electrical connection box to run down, there is a fear that during water trickles along the side wall surface of the electrical connection box, the water may enter the electrical connection box and short-circuit internal wiring and electric components, due to the external factors, or to a capillary phenomenon occurring between a body and a lid for covering the body, both of which generally constitute the electrical connection box.


The present invention is directed to a method for generating a list of package shipment routes in a shipment solution system comprising the steps of entering product information, place of origin, destination and shipment temperature parameters for a package into the system. A list is generated containing a listing of all possible shipment routes available for the package between the place of origin and the destination. For each of the shipment routes, an ambient thermal temperature model is generated corresponding to the external temperatures the package is exposed to during each of the possible shipment routes. The thermal characteristics of the package are calculated along the available shipping routes, based on each of the ambient thermal temperature models, so as to determine feasible shipment routes and corresponding packaging information. For each of the feasible shipment routes, the cost for shipment along the feasible shipment routes is calculated based on packaging and delivery cost and a route is selected for delivery from among the feasible shipment routes.

The shipment of perishable goods, particularly by air and sea, involves a complicated process of packaging and transportation. A balance must be struck between keeping costs manageable while at the same time maintaining the security and quality of the product being shipped. This process includes many difficult decisions such as determining the optimal amount of insulated packaging, refrigerant required and other perishable goods transportation requirements.
Common causes of loss of perishable goods during shipments include, but are not limited to, packing errors, mishandling, regulatory and customs holdups, unseasonably high and low temperatures, flight delays, recipients that are unable to receive delivery, and other unforeseeable difficulties. Services that provide near-perfect service in order to overcome these difficulties are often very expensive. This follows because such services handle their packaging needs based on a worst case scenario and employs containers insulation and refrigerants for the worst foreseeable delivery arrangements.
In response to the considerable demands placed on global companies to streamline their supply chains, many of the larger corporations have begun employing technology-based solutions, such as shipment tracking and tracing features and recipient e-mail notification. However, most of the platforms currently available are directed to the delivery of common goods and are not readily convertible for use with the transport of perishable goods. As such, a need exists in the field of delivery of perishable goods to provide a service that provides, a complete end to end logistics platform, which optimizes all of the various steps required in a shipment process.

System and method for optimization of and analysis of insulated systems


A molding method for optical element is disclosed in which a glass material prepared for weight is introduced into a mold and then heated to soften, and subsequently pressed with the mold to mold an optical element. The glass material is heated to have a viscosity of 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.7 dPaS and press-molded with the mold having a temperature equivalent to a viscosity of 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.11 dPaS of the glass material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molding method for an optical element, where a glass material is heated to be softened and then press-molded within a mold.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, there has been developed a method in which a glass material for an optical element, such as a glass blank pre-formed to have some degree of surface accuracy and configuration, is put in a mold having a given surface accuracy, and press-molded while heating to thereby produce an optical element having a high-accuracy optical functional surface, with no need for post-processing such as grinding and polishing.
Generally, in such a press molding method, upper and lower molding members are disposed vertically to be opposed to each other so as to be slidable in a shell mold. A glass material to be molded is introduced into a cavity defined by the upper, lower, and shell molding members, and these molding members are heated to a given temperature suited for molding, i.e., a temperature at which the glass material shows a viscosity of 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.12 dPaS, depending upon materials, and subsequently the mold is closed and the introduced glass material is pressed for an appropriate amount of time, so that the shape on the molding surfaces of the molding members are transferred onto the surface of the glass material. In this case, upon molding the environment therein is made to be a non-oxidizing atmosphere such as a nitrogen atmosphere in order to prevent oxidation of these molding members.
Thereafter, the molding members are cooled to a temperature sufficiently close to the transition temperature of the glass material to be molded, and then the mold is opened and the pressing pressure is released to take out a molded optical element.
Prior to the introduction into the mold, the glass material to be molded may also be pre-heated to the appropriate temperature, or after heating to a temperature suitable for molding, the glass material may also be introduced into the mold. Moreover, continuous molding is performed in such a manner that the glass material to be molded, together with the molding members, are conveyed to a pressing machine, and then are respectively heated at given locations and are press-molded by the pressing machine, or are further cooled. These methods can speed molding.
The above-described optical element press molding methods have been disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,347 and 3,844,755 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-84134 and others, wherein a glass material is introduced in advance into a mold and subsequently the molding members and the glass material are heated to an isothermal condition and the press molding is completed at a given temperature. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 59-203732 and 62-27334 and others disclose a method in which a glass material heated to a temperature suited for molding is transferred into a mold whose temperature is maintained below the glass material temperature.
However, the above-described prior art contain the following problems. First of all, in a method disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-84134 and other, when a glass material is placed in advance within a mold where molding members and the glass material are heated to an isothermal condition, the proper range of temperature for press-molding corresponds to a glass viscosity of 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.9.5 dPaS.
This is because, when the temperature is below a value corresponding to 10.sup.9.5 dPaS, the glass is broken or a long time is required for the deformation on press molding, thus such temperature is not practical from a productivity standpoint, on the other hand, when the temperature is more than that equivalent to 10.sup.9 dPaS, poor conditions such as fusion to the mold surface and cloudiness on the transferred surfaces is apt to occur. Accordingly, the general pressing time is approximately 30 seconds to 10 minutes, and the cycle time becomes considerably longer because, after the completion of the deformation of the glass material by pressing, the glass material is cooled to within a temperature range in which its configuration does not change, and then released from the mold.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-203732 discloses a method in which a glass material is placed on a holding member and heated to a temperature corresponding to its viscosity of 10.sup.5.5 to 10.sup.7 dPaS, and is pressed by a molding member whose temperature is kept 100.degree. C. lower than the glass temperature.
However, in the case that the glass material is heated on the holding member to the aforesaid temperature, following problems will arise. The glass deforms into an improper shape when molded, so that a gas remains in a surface pressed, or the holding member intrudes into the glass, so that the optical element cannot attain a necessary accuracy, or when the glass material heated is transferred into the mold, the glass temperature falls to make press molding impossible.
In addition, since the circumferential portion of the glass material held by the holding member contacts with the holding member, its surface becomes rough and difficult to use as an optical functional surface. Further, since the glass is pressed in a state of being placed on the holding member, the positioning becomes difficult and burrs tend to appear on the molded part. Still further, the molded part is adhered to the holding member, and hence it becomes difficult to release it from the mold. Depending upon the shape, such as for a convex lens, the difficulty will increase.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-27334 discloses a method in which a glass material is press-molded while the glass material is heated to a temperature corresponding to a viscosity of 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.8 dPaS and the molding members are set to Tg to (Tg-200.degree. C.). Tg is transition temperature. However, since the temperature of the molding members are too low, the glass temperature rapidly decreases when press-molded, with the result that an accuracy necessary for the molded part is unobtainable, besides the pressing is not achievable to produce a predetermined thickness, the glass is broken, or the difference in temperature distribution within the glass takes place, so that the surface of the molded part wrinkles. In addition, as well as the aforesaid well-known example, the problems will occur in carrying out the press molding in a state that the glass material is placed on the holding member.


An apparatus for receiving a roll of detachable material including an inner post having a suitable diameter for receiving the roll and a suitable mounting device affixed to at least one end of the inner post. The inner post has a first friction member which extends resiliently outwardly beyond the diameter of the inner post so as to exert a friction force against an inner surface of the roll. The mounting device is suitable for positioning this inner post on a surface. An alternative embodiment includes an outer post slidably received over the diameter of the inner post, the inner post having a second friction member which extends resiliently outwardly of the inner post so as to exert a friction force against an inner surface of the outer post. A mounting member includes a base which is affixed to an end of the inner post so as to allow the inner post to extend perpendicularly relative to the base.

It is a common problem in the prior art that paper towel dispensers will freely dispense paper towels in an unrestricted fashion. As such, the situation often presents itself where many items are unrolled by accident. Typically, in order to prevent the unnecessary unrolling of material, the user must operate the paper towel dispensing apparatus with two hands.
Various patents have been issued in the past concerning braking devices for paper towel holders and for rolled paper dispensers. Compton U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,376 describes a support for a conventional roll of perforated paper toweling having a base for mounting on a vertical or horizontal surface, a support rod perpendicular to the base for holding the towel roll, and a manually operable braking device for impeding the unrolling of the towels when one is being torn off the roll. When the braking device is pushed down with one hand, the roll is held steady for removal of a paper towel with the other hand. Two hands are required for the operation of this device.
Vance U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,053 discloses a holder for a roll of paper which has a base shaped to prevent tipping over and which is provided with an upstanding pole for holding a roll of paper in place between a cap and a base. Upstanding parallel spaced guides guide the sheet of paper for removal. Impeding material is placed on the base and pole so as to impede the removal of the sheets. The holder is not anchored so as to prevent tilting over when the item is removed.
Olson U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,102 discloses a paper towel dispensing apparatus which includes a base and an upright rod attached thereto. The roll is installed on the rod with the rod positioned within the hollow interior of the roll. A brake support structure is attached to the base which is spaced from the rod so as to permit a roll of paper towels to be installed on the rod. A releasable attaching means attaches the brake to the rod so as to secure the brake in a braking position. The brake defines an underside surface which frictionally engages an end of the roll when the brake is in the braking position. The frictional engagement stops the roll from rotating and unrolling after a paper towel has been torn from the roll.
Gains et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,824 discloses a paper roll towel dispenser having a primary roll and a reserve roll of paper toweling. As the primary roll becomes depleted, the counterbalancing force of the roll decreases, thereby causing a tucking element to gradually approach the leading end of the reserve roll until the element finally engages the end of the roll. A damper mechanism is provided so as to prevent premature introduction of the leading end.
Bastian U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,316 discloses a paper roll holder which has a back bar adapted to be mounted to a surface. The bracket has a journal that can extend into a core of the paper roll for supporting the towel roll. Spring tension is provided on each side to hold the towels on the holder as well as to give some braking action to the paper towel roll.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper towel holder which effectively prevents too many sheets from being dispensed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a paper towel holder that is adaptable for horizontal and vertical operation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a paper towel holder which is relatively easy to use and simple to install.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the attached specification and appended claims.


A method for displaying the results of predicted wireless communication system performance as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation and/or color within a three-dimensional computer drawing database consisting of one or more multi-level buildings, terrain, flora, and additional static and dynamic obstacles (e.g., automobiles, people, filing cabinets, etc.). The method combines computerized organization, database fusion, and site-specific performance prediction models. The method enables a design engineer to visualize the performance of any wireless communication system as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation, color, or other aesthetic characteristics with fully selectable display parameters, overlaid with the three-dimensional site-specific computer model for which the performance prediction was carried out.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to engineering and management systems for the design of wireless systems and, more particularly, to a method for displaying the performance of wireless systems in any environment (e.g., buildings, floors within a building, campuses, within cities, an outdoor setting, etc.) using a three-dimensional (3-D) visualization method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As wireless communication systems proliferate, radio frequency (RF) coverage within and around buildings, and radio signal penetration into and out of buildings, has become a critical design issue for wireless engineers who must design and deploy cellular telephone systems, paging systems, or new wireless technologies such as personal communication systems (PCS), wireless local area networks (WLAN), and local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS). In addition, RP networks involving micromachinery, RF identification tags, and optical communication links are of increasing interest. Designers are frequently requested to determine if a radio transceiver location or base station cell site can provide adequate, reliable service throughout a room, a building, an entire city, a campus, a shopping mall, or any other environment. The costs of in-building and microcellular wireless communication devices are diminishing while the workload for wireless system design engineers and technicians to deploy such systems is increasing sharply. Given these factors, rapid engineering design and deployment methods accompanied by comprehensive system performance visualization and analysis methods are vital to wireless communication system designers.
Common to all wireless communication system designs is the desire to maximize the performance and reliability of the system while minimizing the deployment costs. Analyzing radio signal coverage and interference is of critical importance for a number of reasons. A design engineer must determine if an existing wireless system will provide sufficient signal power throughout the desired service area. Alternatively, wireless engineers must determine whether local area coverage will be adequately supplemented by existing large scale outdoor wireless systems, or macrocells, or whether indoor wireless transceivers, or picocells, must be added. The placement of these cells is critical from both a cost and performance standpoint. The design engineer must predict how much interference can be expected from other wireless systems and where it will manifest itself within the environment.
Depending upon the design goals, the performance of a wireless communication system may involve a combination of one or more factors. For example, the total area covered in adequate received signal strength (RSSI), the area covered in adequate data throughput levels, and the number of customers that can be serviced by the system are among the deciding factors used by design engineers in planning the placement of communication equipment comprising the wireless system. Thus, maximizing the performance of a wireless system may involve the complex analysis of multiple, potentially unrelated factors. The ability to display the results of such analysis in a manner easily interpretable by design engineers is invaluable in wireless system deployment. Three dimensional (3-D) visualization of wireless system operating parameters provides the user with rapid assimilation of large data sets and their relation to the physical environment. As wireless systems proliferate, these issues must be resolved quickly, easily, and inexpensively, in a systematic and repeatable manner.
There are many computer aided design (CAD) products on the market that can be used to design a computerized model of an environment. WiSE(trademark) from Lucent Technology, Inc., SignalPro(trademark) from EDX, PLAnet(trademark) by Mobile Systems International, Inc., and TEMS from Ericsson are examples of CAD products developed to aid in the design of wireless communication systems.
Lucent Technology, Inc., offers WiSE(trademark) as a design tool for wireless communication systems. The WiSE system predicts the performance of wireless communication systems based on a computer model of a given environment using a deterministic radio coverage predictive technique known as ray tracing.
EDX offers SignalPro(trademark) as a design tool for wireless communication systems. The SignalPro system predicts the performance of wireless communication systems based on a computer model of a given environment using a deterministic RF power predictive technique known as ray tracing.
Mobile Systems International, Inc., offers PLAnet(trademark) as a design tool for wireless communication systems. The PLAnet system predicts the performance of macrocellular wireless communication systems based upon a computer model of a given environment using statistical and empirical predictive techniques.
Ericsson Radio Quality Information Systems offers TEMS(trademark) as a design and verification tool for wireless communication indoor coverage. The TEMS system predicts the performance of indoor wireless communication systems based on a building map with input base transceiver locations and using empirical radio coverage models.
The above-mentioned design tools have aided wireless system designers by providing facilities for predicting the performance of wireless communication systems and displaying the results in the form of flat, two-dimensional grids of color or flat, two-dimensional contour regions. Such displays, although useful, are limited by their two-dimensional nature in conveying all nuances of the wireless system performance. For example, slight variations in color present in a two-dimensional grid of color, which may represent changes in wireless system performance that need to be accounted for, may be easily overlooked. Furthermore, as wireless systems proliferate, the ability to visually predict and design for coverage and interference is of increasing value.
In addition, recent research efforts by ATandT Laboratories, Brooklyn Polytechnic, and Virginia Tech are described in papers and technical reports entitled:
S. Kim, B. J. Guarino, Jr., T. M. Willis III, V. Erceg, S. J. Fortune, R. A. Valenzuela, L. W. Thomas, J. Ling, and J. D. Moore, xe2x80x9cRadio Propagation Measurements and Predictions Using Three-dimensional Ray Tracing in Urban Environments at 908 MHZ and 1.9 GHz, xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 48, no. 3, May 1999 (hereinafter xe2x80x9cRadio Propagationxe2x80x9d);
L. Piazzi, H. L. Bertoni, xe2x80x9cAchievable Accuracy of Site-Specific Path-Loss Predictions in Residential Environments,xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 48, no. 3, May 1999 (hereinafter xe2x80x9cSite-Specificxe2x80x9d);
G. Durgin, T. S. Rappaport, H. Xu, xe2x80x9cMeasurements and Models for Radio Path Loss and Penetration Loss In and Around Homes and Trees at 5.85 GHz,xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 46, no. 11, November 1998;
T. S. Rappaport, M. P. Koushik, J. C. Liberti, C. Pendyala, and T. P. Subramanian, xe2x80x9cRadio Propagation Prediction Techniques and Computer-Aided Channel Modeling for Embedded Wireless Microsystems,xe2x80x9d ARPA Annual Report, MPRG Technical Report MPRG-TR-94-12, Virginia Tech, July 1994;
T. S. Rappaport, M. P. Koushik, C. Carter, and M. Ahmed, xe2x80x9cRadio Propagation Prediction Techniques and Computer-Aided Channel Modeling for Embedded Wireless Microsystems,xe2x80x9d MPRG Technical Report MPRG-TR-95-08, Virginia Tech, July 1994;
T. S. Rappaport, M. P. Koushik, M. Ahmed, C. Carter, B. Newhall, and N. Zhang, xe2x80x9cUse of Topographic Maps with Building Information to Determine Antenna Placements and GPS Satellite Coverage for Radio Detection and Tracking in Urban Environments,xe2x80x9d MPRG Technical Report MPRG-TR-95-14, Virginia Tech, September 1995;
T. S. Rappaport, M. P. Koushik, M. Ahmed, C. Carter, B. Newhall, R. Skidmore, and N. Zhang, xe2x80x9cUse of Topographic Maps with Building Information to Determine Antenna Placement for Radio Detection and Tracking in Urban Environments,xe2x80x9d MPRG Technical Report MPRG-TR-95-19, Virginia Tech, November 1995; and
S. Sandhu, M. P. Koushik, and T. S. Rappaport, xe2x80x9cPredicted Path Loss for Rosslyn, Va., Second set of predictions for ORD Project on Site Specific Propagation Prediction,xe2x80x9d MPRG Technical Report MPRG-TR-95-03, Virginia Tech, March 1995.
The papers and technical reports are illustrative of the state-of-the-art in site-specific radio wave propagation modeling. While most of the above papers describe a comparison of measured versus predicted RF signal coverage and present tabular or two dimensional (2-D) methods for representing and displaying predicted data, they do not report a comprehensive method for visualizing and analyzing wireless system performance. The xe2x80x9cRadio Propagationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cSite-Specificxe2x80x9d papers make reference to 3-D modeling, but do not offer display methods or graphical techniques to enable a user to visualize signal coverage or interference in 3-D.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to facilitate the three-dimensional, multi-colored display of predicted performance results for any type of wireless communication system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for viewing a three-dimensional display of predicted performance results from any angle, orientation, distance, or perspective.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for viewing a three-dimensional display of predicted performance results and interacting with the display in real-time to alter the current viewpoint and perspective.
It is another object of the present invention to provide said display of predicted performance results overlaid on a three-dimensional database that may involve a plurality of building structures and the surrounding terrain, flora, climatic conditions, and additional static and dynamic obstacles (e.g., automobiles, people, filing cabinets, etc.).
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for coloring, shading, and otherwise rendering a solid representation of said three-dimensional display utilizing multiple colors and transparency effects.
According to the present invention, a system is provided for allowing a RF system designer to dynamically model a wireless system electronically in any environment. The method includes the selection and placement of models of various wireless system hardware components, such as antennas (point, omnidirectional, directional, leaky feeder, etc.), transceivers, amplifiers, cables, splitters, and the like, and allows the user to visualize, in three-dimensions, the effects of their placement and movement on overall system performance throughout the modeled environment. Thus, the placement of components can be refined and fine-tuned prior to actual implementation of a system to ensure that all required regions of the desired service area are blanketed with adequate RF coverage, data throughput, or system performance. The three-dimensional visualization of system performance provides RF system designers with tremendous insight into the functioning of the modeled wireless communication system, and represents a marked improvement over previous visualization techniques.
To accomplish the above, a 3-D model of the physical environment is stored as a CAD model in an electronic database. The physical, electrical, and aesthetic parameters attributed to the various parts of the environment such as walls, floors, foliage, buildings, hills, and other obstacles that affect radio waves are also stored in the database. A representation of the 3-D environment is displayed on a computer screen for the designer to view. The designer may view the entire environment in simulated 3-D, zoom in on a particular area of interest, or dynamically alter the viewing location and perspective to create a xe2x80x9cfly-throughxe2x80x9d effect. Using a mouse or other input positioning device the designer may select and view various communication hardware device models from a series of pull-down menus. A variety of amplifiers, cables, connectors, and other hardware devices may be selected, positioned, and interconnected in a similar fashion by the designer to form representations of complete wireless communication systems.
A region of any shape or size may be selected anywhere within the displayed environment, or automatically selected based upon certain criteria (e.g., selecting an entire building). The selected region is overlaid with a grid containing vertices of selectable size, shape, and spacing to form a mesh or blanket. Each vertex corresponds to a single point within the 3-D environment. Thereafter, a wireless system performance prediction model is run whereby the computer displays on the screen at each vertex of the mesh the predicted RF values, for instance, received signal strength intensity (RSSI), network throughput, bit error rate, frame error rate, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), provided by the communication system just designed. The display is such that the computer adjusts the elevation and/or coloring including characteristics such as saturation, hue, brightness, line type and width, transparency, surface texture, etc., of each vertex relative to the surrounding vertices to correspond to the calculated RF values. The coloring and elevation may correspond to the same calculated RF value or to different calculated RF values. For example, elevation may correspond to received signal strength intensity (RSSI), and color may correspond to signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or any other of a variety of calculated RF parameters. The user is able to specify boundaries for this display in terms of selecting the range of elevations, colors, or other aesthetic characteristics from which the vertices of the mesh are assigned. Alternatively, the system can automatically select limits and ranges for the heights, colors, and other aesthetic characteristics. The result is a region of fluctuating color and elevation representing the changing wireless system performance throughout different portions of the modeled 3-D environment. The region may be viewed overlaid with the 3-D environment.

System for the three-dimensional display of wireless communication system performance


Described are methods, systems, and processor program products for determining a set of costs of routes in a network, including providing a model of the network, optimizing the model for maximum network lifetime, updating the model using at least one constraint based on the maximum network lifetime, optimizing the updated model for minimum network latency, modifying the updated model using a constraint based on the minimum network latency, and, optimizing the modified updated model by balancing the network across multiple pathways to provide costs of routes in the network.

(1) Field
The disclosed methods and systems relate generally to routing schemes, and more particularly to routing techniques that improve network lifetime and latency.
(2) Description of Relevant Art
Ad-hoc networks generally can be understood to be a collection of wireless hosts forming a temporary network without the support of centralized administration and/or support services typically associated with infrastructure-based networks such as wide area networks. Mobile ad hoc networks extend the notion of ad hoc networks to include cases where nodes are allowed to move relative to each other such that the routing topology itself is dynamic. As provided herein, ad hoc networks and mobile ad hoc networks will be referred to collectively as ad hoc networks.
Ad hoc networks can be used, for example, in an emergency situation where emergency personnel may need unencumbered access to situational awareness information and/or to share information with others. Given the likely disruption of public communications infrastructure due to, for example, subscriber overload during crisis situations, the use of wireless communication devices is essential to emergency personnel. Ideally, these wireless devices should be portable, lightweight, and have long battery life. As a result, these devices have limited range. The aforementioned ad-hoc networks allow for multi-hop configurations so that users who are otherwise out of range of each other can still communicate.
The lifetime of an ad hoc network as a whole is clearly subject to the battery capacity of constituent node devices. Moreover, not only are the bandwidths of these wireless devices necessarily limited, but the capacity of any given wireless link is in general varies as a function of the signal-to-noise ratios observed between the end nodes. Routing algorithms should therefore consider link capacity, available node energy, and traffic load in optimizing the performance of ad hoc networks.
Traditional "shortest path" schemes that are employed in ad-hoc network routing typically yield routing topologies where small numbers of network paths are heavily used. Such schemes can cause path contention, which increases latency through queueing delay, reduces throughput, and induces disproportionately heavy leads on a few network nodes (e.g., devices). Uneven loading can cause premature network failure due to accelerated draining of node device batteries at one or more critical nodes.
Some research regarding ad-hoc network routing includes energy conservation routing techniques to ameliorate the aforementioned battery problem; however, such energy routing techniques if used by themselves as standalone algorithms can more than triple latency, create energy-wasting routing loops, and are sensitive to traffic load assumptions.

Methods and systems for determining a set of costs of routes in a network

BAE Systems Advanced Information Technologies, Inc.


The present invention is directed to promoter sequences and promoter control elements, polynucleotide constructs comprising the promoters and control elements, and methods of identifying the promoters, control elements, or fragments thereof. The invention further relates to the use of the present promoters or promoter control elements to modulate transcript levels.

This invention relates to the field of biotechnology and, in particular, to specific promoter sequences and promoter control element sequences which are useful for the transcription of polynucleotides in a host cell or transformed host organism.
One of the primary goals of biotechnology is to obtain organisms, such as plants, mammals, yeast, and prokaryotes having particular desired characteristics or traits. Examples of these characteristic or traits abound and may include, for example, in plants, virus resistance, insect resistance, herbicide resistance, enhanced stability or additional nutritional value. Recent advances in genetic engineering have enabled researchers in the field to incorporate polynucleotide sequences into host cells to obtain the desired qualities in the organism of choice. This technology permits one or more polynucleotides from a source different than the organism of choice to be transcribed by the organism of choice. If desired, the transcription and/or translation of these new polynucleotides can be modulated in the organism to exhibit a desired characteristic or trait. Alternatively, new patterns of transcription and/or translation of polynucleotides endogenous to the organism can be produced. Both approaches can be used at the same time.

Promoter, promoter control elements, and combinations, and uses thereof


The object of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is to provide a separator for an electric storage device which has small heat shrinkage in a high-temperature environment, and in which the increase of the battery temperature can be suppressed. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a separator for an electric storage device, which comprises a cellulose derivative represented by a prescribed formula. The separator for an electric storage device can be obtained, for example, by treating a cellulose separator containing cellulose with a halogen-containing carboxylic acid or a halogen-containing alcohol.

With rapidly expanding the market of laptop computers, mobile phones, electric vehicles, and the like, electric storage devices such as capacitors and secondary batteries are actively studied. Among these, secondary batteries are attractive at the point that they can store more energy. Currently, secondary batteries having greater high energy density are required, and it is proposed, as a candidate, to use a metal such as tin or silicone, an alloy or oxide thereof for the negative electrode active substance. Also, it is also proposed to use a battery having a large theoretical capacity such as a lithium air battery. However, in the battery having high energy density, abnormal heat generation may occur due to overcharge. Therefore, it is desired to develop a battery having not only high energy density but also excellent safety.
As a method for improving safety, a method which makes the electrolyte liquid flame retardant is proposed (Non-Patent Document 1). There is also a proposed function to stop the movement of ions by dissolving the separator at higher temperature to result in clogging (so-called shut down function). These methods have a certain effect, but a safer technology is required in order to ensure the safety of the battery which is large and has high capacity.
Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology to use a paper produced by using cellulose fiber having high heat resistance as the separator. Also, in order to suppress oxidation/reduction reaction of a hydroxyl group (—OH) of cellulose, a method in which the hydroxyl group of cellulose is esterified is proposed in Patent Document 2.

Separator for electric storage device and electric storage device


The invention provides a trench isolation structure comprising a semiconductor region, a first insulation film formed on a top surface of the semiconductor region, a trench groove extending vertically from the first insulation film into the semiconductor region so that a bottom of the trench groove lies below an interface between the first insulation film and the semiconductor region, and an inter-layer insulator being formed which resides not only on the first insulation film but also within the trench groove so that the inter-layer insulator fills up the trench groove.. The present invention still further provides a method for forming a trench isolation in a semiconductor region. The method comprises the following steps. A first insulation film is formed on a top surface of a semiconductor region. A trench groove is selectively formed which extends vertically from the first insulation film into the semiconductor region so that a bottom of the trench groove lies below an interface between the first insulation film and the semiconductor region. An inter-layer insulator is formed which resides not only on the first insulation film but also within the trench groove so that the inter-layer insulator fills up the trench groove. The trench groove is formed after the device is formed in the semiconductor region.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having an improved trench isolation structure and a method for forming the same.
Trench isolation technique has been well known in the art as being effective to isolate two semiconductor devices formed on a common substrate. Typical one of the conventional trench isolation structures in the semiconductor devices will be described with reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates p-channel and n-channel MOS field effect transistors formed on a single semiconductor substrate 1. The single semiconductor substrate 1 is made of silicon doped with a p-type impurity. The p-channel and n-channel MOS field effect transistors are isolated by a trench isolation 11, wherein the p-channel MOS field effect transistor is provided at a left side of the trench isolation 11 whilst the n-channel MOS field effect transistor is provided at a right side of the trench isolation 11. The p-channel MOS field effect transistor is formed in an n-well region 31 formed over the semiconductor substrate 1 and at the left side of the trench isolation 11. The n-channel MOS field effect transistor is formed in a p-well region 30 formed over the semiconductor substrate 1 and at the right side of the trench isolation 11. The p-channel and n-channel MOS field effect transistors is provided to form a complementary MOS circuit. Field oxide films 5 are selectively formed to define active regions in the n-well and p-well regions 31 and 30. Gate oxide films 16 are formed on the active regions in the n-well and p-well regions 31 and 30. In the surface of the n-well region 31, p-type source/drain diffusion regions 34 are formed to define a channel region interposed between them. In the surface of the p-well region 30, n-type source/drain diffusion regions 33 are formed to define a channel region interposed between them. Gate electrodes 32 are provided on the gate oxide films 16 over the n-well and p-well regions 31 and 30 respectively.
The trench isolation 11 extends in a vertical direction from the field oxide film 5 to an upper region of the p-type semiconductor substrate 1 so as to completely isolate the n-well and p-well regions 31 and 30. The trench isolation region 11 comprises a trench groove, an insulation layer formed on inner walls of the trench groove and a polysilicon material 21 which is undoped. The polysilicon material 21 is formed on the insulation layer to fill up the trench groove. The top of the polysilicon material 21 is covered by an oxide film 22 which is formed by oxidation of the polysilicon material 21.
A first inter-layer insulator 12 is formed to cover an entire surface of the device. A second inter-layer insulator 13 is formed to cover an entire part of the first inter-layer insulator 12. The trench isolation 11 may be formed by etching from the field oxide film 5 to the upper portion of the semiconductor substrate 1.
A second typical conventional trench isolation is then described with reference to FIG. 2, wherein trench isolations 11 are provided to isolate a bipolar transistor from other regions. The bipolar transistor is formed over a p-type semiconductor substrate 1. An n-type buried layer 2 is formed on the p-type semiconductor substrate 1. An n-type epitaxial layer 3 is formed on the n-type buried layer 2. Field oxide films 5 are selectively formed in a surface of the n-type epitaxial layer 3 to define active regions interposed between them. Thin oxide films 16 are formed on the active regions the n-type epitaxial layer 3 serves as a collector region of the bipolar transistor. A collector plug region 6 is selectively formed in the n-type epitaxial region 3 on the other active region than the active region on which an emitter and a base are formed. A base region 7 comprising a p-type diffusion region is formed in an upper portion of the n-type epitaxial layer 3 under the thin oxide film on the active region. A base plug region 8 comprising a p-type diffusion region is formed in the upper portion of the n-type epitaxial layer 3, wherein the base plug region 8 is adjacent to and in contact with the base region 7. An emitter region 14 comprising an n-type diffusion region is formed in an upper portion of the p-type base region 7. The emitter region 14 is not covered by the thin oxide film 16, whilst the base region 7 and the base plug region 8 are covered by the thin oxide film 16. An emitter plug electrode 10 is formed on the emitter region 14.
The trench isolations 11 extend in a vertical direction from the field oxide film 5 through the n-type epitaxial layer 3 and the n-type buried layer 2 to an upper portion of the p-type semiconductor substrate 1. Each of the trench isolations 11 comprises a trench groove, an insulation film covering an inner wall of the trench groove and a polysilicon material 21 undoped. The polysilicon material 21 is provided to fill up the trench groove. The top of the polysilicon material 21 is covered by an oxide film which is formed by oxidation of the polysilicon material 21. At the bottom of each of the trench isolations 11, a channel stopper 4 comprising a p.sup.+ -region is formed. A first inter-layer insulator 9 is formed on an entire part of the device, except for an area on which the emitter plug electrode 10 resides. A second inter-layer insulator 12 is formed on an entire part of the device so that the second inter-layer insulator 12 covers the first inter-layer insulator 9 and the emitter plug electrode 10. A third inter-layer insulator 13 is formed on an entire surface of the second inter-layer insulator 12.
The trench isolations 11 isolate the collector region comprising a part of the epitaxial layer 3 from the other part of the epitaxial layer 3. This isolation of the collector region reduces a parasitic capacitance of the collector region with the buried layer 2. The reduction in the parasitic capacitance of the collector region with the buried layer 2 results in an improvement in high speed performance of the bipolar transistor such as increase in the switching speed thereof.
As a modification of the above conventional trench isolation, the trench groove may be filled with a boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) in place of the polysilicon material. The boron phosphate silicate glass film shows a fluidity when subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature in the range of 800-900.degree. C.
A third typical conventional trench isolation will be disclosed in Japanese laid-open Patent Application No. 3-149849, wherein the trench isolation has a top which is planarized. Fabrication processes of the trench groove will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A through 3D.
As illustrated in FIG. 3A, a thin oxide film 16 is formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate 1. A field oxide film 5 is selectively formed by a local oxidation of silicon method using a mask made of silicon nitride. The silicon nitride mask is then removed. A silicon nitride film 17 having a thickness of 100 nanometers is deposited by a chemical vapor deposition method on an entire surface of the device to cover the filed oxide film 5 and the thin silicon oxide film 16. A phosphate silicate glass film 23 having a thickness of approximately 400 nanometers is then formed on an entire surface of the silicon nitride film 17. A photo-resist film is formed on an entire surface of the phosphate silicate glass film 23 and then patterned by a photo-lithography to form a photo-resist pattern having an opening which is positioned over a part of the field oxide film 5. A reactive ion etching is carried out by using the photo-resist pattern as a mask and using florin gas to selectively etch the phosphate silicate glass film 23, the silicon nitride film 17, and the field oxide film 5. The photo-=resist pattern is then removed. A reactive ion etching is again carried out by using the phosphate silicate glass film 23 having an opening as a mask and using a chlorine gas to selectively etch the semiconductor substrate 1 so that a trench groove 11 is formed extending in a vertical direction from the phosphate silicate glass film 23 to the semiconductor substrate 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the phosphate silicate glass film 23 is removed by a wet etching. Subsequently, the silicon nitride film 17 is used as a mask to an inner surface of the trench groove 11 to oxidation thereby forming a silicon oxide film 25 on the inner wall of the trench groove 11. A polysilicon film is deposited on an entire surface of the device to deposit over the silicon nitride film 17 and within the trench groove 11. The deposited polysilicon film over the silicon nitride film 17 is removed by etch back or polishing so that the polysilicon film remains only within the trench groove 11.
As illustrated in FIG. 3C, a silicate glass material is applied by a spin coating method on an entire surface of the device so that the silicate glass material is made flat and has a thickness of 100 nanometers. Subsequently, the applied silicate glass material is cured at a temperature of 800.degree. C. to form a silicate glass film 26 which covers an entire surface of the device. The substrate 1 is then placed in an oxygen atmosphere to cause oxygen to permeate through the silicate glass film 26 and reach the top of the polysilicon film 21 within the trench groove 11 so that an silicon oxide film 27 is formed at the top of the polysilicon film 21 within the trench groove 11. On the other hand, the silicon nitride film 17 prevents permeation of oxygen through itself. For this reason, the semiconductor substrate 1 which covered. by the silicon nitride film is not subjected to oxidation.
As illustrated in FIG. 3D, the silicate glass film 26 above the field oxide film 5 and the silicon nitride film 17 are removed by etching them to expose the field oxide film 5 and the thin film 16, provided that the silicate glass film 26 below the silicon nitride film 17 remains within the trench groove 11.
The above trench isolations have the following problems. First, a device is formed on a base layer which has a difference in level namely a step. With reference back to FIG. 3C, if etching of the silicate glass layer 26 is continued until the thin oxide film 16 is exposed, then the silicate glass layer 26 within the trench groove is also etched thereby resulting a recessed portion being formed within the trench groove. The recessed portion forms a step, namely has a difference in surface level. This cause is as follows. If the silicate glass is applied by a spin coating method, then the fluidity of the silicate glass causes that the silicate glass is deposited thickly on the thin oxide film 16 whilst the silicate glass is deposited thinly on the field oxide film 5. The thin oxide film 16 has the top which lies below the top of the field oxide film. For those reasons, if the silicate glass layer 26 is etched to expose the thin oxide film 16, then over etching of the silicate glass layer 26 on the field oxide film is caused. On the other hand, if the etching of the silicate glass layer 26 is stopped just when the top surface of the field oxide film 5 is exposed, then the silicate glass layer 26 remains only on the thin oxide film 16.
If the silicate glass 23 has the recessed portion namely the step at the top of the trench groove as described above and further a plurality of electrode patterns made of impurity-doped polysilicon is provided over the recessed portion or the step at the top of the trench groove, then the impurity-doped polysilicon would likely reside in the recessed portion in the dry etching process for patterning the electrodes. Such residual impurity-doped polysilicon in the recessed portion may likely cause any short circuit between the electrodes to be formed.
Further, if the width of the trench groove is reduced to obtain a scaling down of the device, then the following problems will be raised. With reference back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the oxide film 22 provided on the top of the trench isolation is formed by oxidation of the top of the polysilicon film 21. This oxidation is the thermal oxidation of silicon. The thermal oxidation causes thermal expansions of the top portion of the polysilicon film 21 and the oxide film. However, the thermal expansion coefficient of polysilicon differs from that of silicon oxide. This difference in thermal expansion coefficient between polysilicon and silicon oxide causes stresses at an interface between the field oxide film 5 and the epitaxial silicon layer underlying the field oxide film 5. Whereas such thermal stresses has both vertical and horizontal components, the horizontal component thereof is likely to be larger than the vertical component. Such stresses applied to the interface between the field oxide film 5 and the silicon layer may cause crystal defects at the interface between them. Particularly if the thickness of the oxide film 22 is large, for example, not less than 100 nanometers, then the crystal defects are likely caused. The crystal defects further cause crystal dislocations which extends along the interface between the field oxide film 5 and the silicon layer and may reach the diffusion regions acting as source/drain regions or the base regions. This results in remarkable deterioration in the device performances. This leads to a considerable reduction of the yield of the device manufacturing.
Whereas in the above descriptions, the trench groove is filled with the polysilicon material, a boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) and a phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) are available to fill up the trench groove as disclosed in M. Sugiyama et al. 1989 Symp. VLSI, Dig. Paper, pp. 59-60. Fabrication processes are as illustrated in FIGS. 5A through 5C. The boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) and the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) generally show fluidity at a temperature of 900-950.degree. C. In this case, the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) is formed on a surface having a step namely a difference in level, then the fabrication processes are similar to those in case of the silicate glass film illustrated in FIGS. 3C and 3D. For this reason, there are substantially the same problems. In other words, if the etching of the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) is continued until the thin oxide film on the active region is exposed, then the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) is over-etched thereby forming a recessed portion or a step at the top of the trench groove. FIG. 4A illustrates this problem with the recessed portion being formed over the top of a phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) 28. If, however, the etching of the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) is stopped just when the top surface of the field oxide film is exposed, then the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) resides on the thin oxide film in the active region.
If the trench isolation comprises the trench groove filled with the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film), then the following problem is raised. Any heat treatment is normally carried out to form diffusion regions such as source/drain regions or base and emitter regions after the trench isolation is completely formed. Such heat treatment causes diffusions of boron and phosphorus atoms externally from the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) or the phosphate silicate glass film (PSG film) within the trench groove. The diffused boron and phosphorus atoms act as impurities thereby causing variation in threshold voltage of the MOS transistor.
If the trench isolation comprises the trench groove filled with the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) deposited by the chemical vapor deposition or filled with undoped polysilicon, then the following problem is raised. After filling the trench groove with those materials, a chemical treatment may often be carried out using a fluorine acid. The boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) and the undoped polysilicon film are etched by the fluorine acid base chemical. The etching rates thereof are larger than that of the thermal oxide film. For this reason, those materials within the trench groove may be removed partially or entirely.
In order to avoid the above problem, it is effective to form, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, a cap 24 made of etching-resistive material such as silicon nitride so that the cap 24 covers the top of the boron phosphate silicate glass film (BPSG film) and the undoped polysilicon film 28 within the trench groove 11. The cap 24 is formed by patterning process using photo-lithography. This increases the number of the fabrication processes.
The above trench isolation is available to isolate analog circuits from digital circuits, wherein the analog and digital circuits are formed on a single substrate, in order to prevent that digital noises generated by the digital circuits are propagated to the analog circuits as disclosed in Japanese laid-open Patent Application No. 3-178161. This trench isolation has substantially the same structure as described above. For this reason, such trench isolation may cause the same problem as described above.
Whereas in the above described prior art the trench isolation is formed after the field oxide film is formed, there is a different fabrication process, wherein the trench isolation is formed before the field oxide film is formed, as disclosed in 1990 J. Electrochem. Soc. Vol. 137, No. 6 pp. 1942-1950 "Planarized Deep-Trench Process fro Self-Aligned Double Polysilicon Bipolar Device Isolation". Fabrication processes are illustrated in FIGS. 6A through 6F which illustrate clearly that the trench isolation is formed before the field oxide film is formed over the top of the trench isolation. This isolation structure provides a flat surface of the field oxide film. There is no recessed portion nor step at the field oxide film over the trench isolation. Such isolation structure still has the following problems.
If the trench groove is filled with the insulating material containing any impurity, then the impurity diffusion externally from the trench isolation is caused by a heat treatment carried out for a device formation after the trench isolation and the field oxide film have been formed. As described above, the impurity diffusion externally from the trench isolation causes a variation in threshold voltage of the MOS transistor. Further in the LOCOS process for thermally growing the field oxide film, the field oxide film shows a different thermal expansion from that of the silicon epitaxial layer. This difference in thermal expansion between the silicon oxide film and the silicon epitaxial layer causes a stress at an interface between the silicon oxide film and the silicon epitaxial layer. The stress concentrates the field oxide film and the trench isolation. Whereas this thermal stress has horizontal and vertical components, the horizontal component is relatively larger than the vertical component. The thermal stress causes crystal defects at the interface between the field oxide film and the silicon epitaxial layer. This crystal defects cause a crystal dislocation which extends along the interface between the field oxide film and the silicon epitaxial layer and reaches the diffusion regions acting as source/drain regions. This causes a leakage current thereby resulting in a deterioration in device performance. The development of the novel trench isolation structure free from any of the above problems had been required.

Semiconductor device having an improved trench isolation and method for forming the same


A method and apparatus for decoding a two-dimensional bar code symbol using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera or a charge-modulation device (CMD) camera. The CCD/CMD camera takes pictures of the symbol and the picture is converted into digital data. The location and orientation of the two-dimensional bar code symbol is determined and verified. Defects and damages on the symbol are detected and corrected. The symbol is scanned to read the codewords of the two-dimensional bar code symbol.

The present invention generally relates to the field of bar code readers, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for scanning and decoding a two-dimensional bar code such as PDF417 using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera or a charge modulation device (CMD) camera.
Bar codes have become broadly accepted as a means for automatically identifying objects. A bar code symbol is a pattern of parallel bars and spaces of various widths that represent data elements or characters. The bars represent strings of binary ones and the spaces represent strings of binary zeros. Generally, the bars and spaces can be no smaller than a specified minimum width which is called a "module" or "unit." The bars and spaces are multiples of this module size or minimum width.
The conventional bar code symbol is "one-dimensional" in that the bars and spaces extend only in a single direction. There has been an increasing need, however, for machine-treadable symbols that contain more information than conventional bar code symbols. One approach for increasing the information in machine-readable symbols is to reduce the height of the bar codes and stack the bar codes one on top of each other to create a "stacked" or "two-dimensional" bar code. One such two-dimensional bar code is PDF417, which was developed by Symbol Technologies, Inc. A complete description of the PDF417 code is contained in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/461,881, filed Jan. 5, 1990 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Bar code symbols are typically read by optical techniques, such as scanning laser beams, and the resulting electrical signals are then decoded to recover the data encoded in the symbol. When decoding a two-dimensional bar code symbol, however, laser scanners have the disadvantage that the scan lines must be substantially aligned with the rows of the symbol. Although a two-dimensional bar code such as PDF417 allows some deviation, the orientation of the scan lines must still be less than a maximum angle relative to the rows of the symbol.
There are many applications, however, in which it is desirable to be able to read and decode a two-dimensional bar code symbol in any orientation without having to align the reader with rows of the symbol. For example, in an industrial environment, the symbol may be located on an object moving along a conveyor belt where the reader views the symbol from above. Thus, the symbol may be in any orientation relative to the reader.
In addition, it is often desirable to be able to read a code symbol that has defects. For example, handling may cause a corner of a symbol to be torn off, or a stain or scratch may obscure part of a symbol.

Method and apparatus for decoding two-dimensional bar code using CCD/CMD camera


An electronic digital still camera apparatus has a converter lens which is used in a wide angle imaging mode and which is rotatably moved so as to achieve a compact camera apparatus. The electronic digital still camera apparatus has a master lens for focusing an image of a photographing object onto an imaging plane thereof; a converter lens rotatably moved between a position on an optical path defined from the photographing object to the master lens, and another position outside the optical path defined from the photographing object to the master lens; and a reflection mirror arranged at a position substantially equal to a rotation center of the converter lens, for reflecting light derived from the photographing object toward the master lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electronic imaging apparatus. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a compact electronic digital still camera apparatus equipped with a converter lens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there are two-focal-point switching type electronic digital still camera apparatuses equipped with master lenses for the telescopic imaging mode and converter lenses for the wide angle imaging mode.
This sort of electronic digital still camera apparatus has the following camera structure. That is, the wide-angle imaging converter lens is switchably arranged in front of (namely, light incident side) the telescopic imaging master lens for focusing an image of a photographing object onto an imaging plane thereof. When this electronic digital still camera apparatus is operated in the telescopic imaging mode, the converter lens for the wide angle imaging mode is moved out from the optical path during photographing operation. When this electronic digital still camera apparatus is operated in the wide angle imaging mode, the converter lens is inserted onto the optical path during a photographing operation.
As this converter lens switching method, there are various switching methods. For example, the converter lens is moved along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and the converter lens is rotated around a point intersected with the optical axis at a right angle as a rotation center so as to be moved.
However, the above-described conventional converter lens switching systems have the following problems. In the first-mentioned converter lens switching system, since the converter lens is moved along the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a space for storing this converter lens must be provided along the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in order to move the converter lens. As a result, the entire camera apparatus would become bulky.
On the other hand, in the last-mentioned converter lens switching system, since the converter lens is rotatably moved around the point intersected with respect to the optical axis at a right angle as the rotation center, the imaging plane, the master lens, and the converter lens must be arranged along a straight line on the optical path, although the space for storing the converter lens can be reduced. This is because this optical path defined from the photographing object to the imaging plane constitutes a straight line. The dimension of the entire electronic camera apparatus is restricted by the length of this optical path defined from the imaging plane to the converter lens. When the sufficiently long optical path length is secured, the entire electronic camera apparatus would become elongated.

Compact electronic digital still camera equipped with converter lens


An object of the invention is to provide a rear projection screen that has a high contrast and produces high-quality images. The object is achieved by a rear projection screen and rear projection display apparatus having the same. This rear projection screen contains a vertical lenticular lens sheet on the viewer side, and the vertical lenticular lens sheet includes a lenticular lens capable of vertically refracting the incident light on its incident surface, black stripes in the vicinity of the focus of the lenticular lens in portions where the incident light does not pass through, and a flat surface on its viewer side.

Conventional rear projection screens for use in rear projection display apparatus generally comprise two lens sheets including a Fresnel lens sheet and a horizontal lenticular lens sheet containing a light-diffusing member. However, these rear projection screens invite decreased contrast of the screen because external light from lighting at the ceiling of a room or light reflected from surrounding walls is scattered and reflected at the surface of the screen.
To prevent the reflection of the incident external light and to improve the image contrast, a screen having three sheets including two lenticular lens sheets arranged in a perpendicular direction to each other has been proposed. This type of screens can be found in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No 07-5573 and No. 08-101459. In these screens, the ratio of black stripes can be substantially increased and the contrast can be improved by using the lenticular lens sheets arranged in a perpendicular direction to each other.
However, in a screen shown in FIG. 7 including a Fresnel lens sheet, a vertical lenticular lens sheet and a horizontal lenticular lens sheet in this order from a projector side, the incident light is reflected at the surface of the vertical lenticular lens and emerges as stray light toward a viewer, thereby causing image deterioration. In a screen shown in FIG. 8 including a Fresnel lens sheet, a horizontal lenticular lens sheet and a vertical lenticular lens sheet in this order from a projector side, light from a light source positioned above the viewer, such as lighting, is vertically diffused and reflected at fine protrusions and depressions and at the edges of the black stripes on the viewer side of the vertical lenticular lens sheet and appears an image of the light source elongated in a vertical direction, thereby deteriorating the image contrast and decreasing the image quality.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems while keeping high contrast performance.

Rear projection screen with shifted lens


Sensing, learning, inference, and route analysis methods are described that center on the development and use of models that predict road speeds. In use, the system includes a receiver component that receives a traffic system representation, the traffic system representation includes velocities for a plurality of road segments over different contexts. A predictive component analyzes the traffic system representation and automatically assigns velocities to road segments within the traffic system representation, thereby providing more realistic velocities for different contexts where only statistics and/or posted speed limits were available before. The predictive component makes predictions about velocities for road segments at a current time or at specified times in the future by considering available velocity information as well as such information as the properties of roads, geometric relationships among roads of different types, proximal terrain and businesses, and other resources near road segments, and/or contextual information.

Computer-driven route planning applications are utilized every day to aid users in locating points of interest, such as particular buildings, addresses, and the like. Additionally, in several existent commercial applications users can vary a zoom level, thereby enabling variation of context and detail as a zoom level of a map is altered. For example, as a user zooms in on a particular location, details such as names of local roads, identification and location of police and fire stations, identification and location of public services, such as libraries, museums, and the like can be provided to the user. When zooming out, the user can glean information from the map such as location of the point of interest within a city, state, and/or country, proximity of the point of interest to major freeways, proximity of the point of interest to a specific city, and the like. In some applications, satellite images can be utilized to provide users with additional detail regarding a particular geographic location or region. For example, a prospective purchaser of a house can obtain an overhead satellite image of the house, thereby enabling the prospective purchaser to view lines of occupation, proximity of the house to other adjacent houses, and other information that may be pertinent to the user.
Furthermore, conventional computer-implemented mapping applications often include route planning applications that can be utilized to provide users with directions between different locations. Pursuant to an example, a user can provide a route planning application with a beginning point of travel and an end point of travel (e.g., beginning and ending addresses). The route planning application can include or utilize representations of roads and intersections and one or more algorithms to output a suggested route of travel. These algorithms can output routes depending upon user-selected parameters. For instance, a commercial route planning application can include a check-box that enables a user to specify that she wishes to avoid highways. Similarly, a user can inform the route planning application that she wishes to travel on a shortest route or a route that takes a least amount of time (as determined by underlying algorithms). Over the last several years, individuals have grown to increasingly rely on route planning applications to aid them in everything from locating a friend's house to planning cross-country road trips.
Route planning applications are also no longer confined to desktop computers. Rather, several automobiles are now equipped with standard mapping functionality, wherein the automobiles include graphical displays on a console to provide mapping data and directions to a user. Oftentimes, a compact disk or other storage medium that includes data to enable utilization of route-planning functionality must be purchased and loaded prior to use of the route planning application. As road conditions change, such as speed limits, number of lanes, etc., updates can be provided. Automobiles with GPS functionality (or other location identifying functionality) can additionally include real-time directions, wherein directions are provided to users of the automobile while they travel.
These route planners are fairly reliable in connection with details such as posted speed limits, location of one-way streets, and related information. However, conventional applications that include route-planning functionality make assumptions regarding state of roads. With more specificity, today's route planning applications are built around assumptions of constancy and universality, such that optimal routes provided by the applications are independent of time of day, day of week, and detailed user preferences. In actuality, however, these assumptions do not hold. For example, in many instances, a best route between two points during rush hour in an urban area is not an optimal route at midnight between the same two points. Conventional route planning applications, however, do not take such context into account when providing routes for users. Similarly, different drivers may prefer different routes between the same two points. For example, one driver may avoid highways or particularly difficult merges, or is willing to extend duration of a journey by a few minutes in order to follow a scenic coastal road, while the other driver simply wants to arrive as quickly as possible or to traverse the shortest distance.

Inferring road speeds for context-sensitive routing


Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is used to stimulate and/or restore hair growth in areas of hair loss. Methods and compositions relating to PDT treatment for alopecia are disclosed. In light of PDT use to remove unwanted hair by inactivating or destroying hair follicles or destroying the tissue feeding the hair follicles, such methods and compositions relate to a surprising and unexpected discovery. PDT permits a means to treat conditions relating to hair loss such as androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata and drug-induced alopecia.

Alopecia is the general term referring to any disease or condition involving hair loss. There are several different types of hair loss, the most common being androgenetic alopecia (AGA; see Sawaya, M. E. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 17(4):276–283, 1998), alopecia areata (AA; see Fiedler & Alaiti, Dermatologic Clinics 14(4): 733–738, 1996, as well as drug-induced alopecia.
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a patterned, progressive loss of an excessive amount of hair from the scalp. Significant AGA occurs in 50% of men by the age of fifty and 50% of women by the age of sixty. AGA is believed to be a result of both genetic predisposition and the presence of a sufficient level of circulating androgens. It is thought that the enzyme 5 alpha reductase present in dermal papilla cells converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT binds to androgen receptors, also localized in the dermal papilla cells, triggering changes in the hair follicle that result in (1) shortening of the anagen or growth phase of the hair cycle and lengthening of the telogen or hair regeneraton stage, (2) development of a latent phase in the hair cycle following shedding of the telogen hair, and (3) follicular miniaturization that reduces the calibre of the anagen hairs produced. It is thought that differential expression of 5-alpha reductase and/or androgen receptors in various types of hair follicles accounts for patterned hair loss.
The current treatments for AGA include minoxidil (Rogaine™), an anti-hypertensive drug for which the mechanism of action in promoting hair growth is unknown. Minoxidil must be applied topically on a daily basis, and is therefore somewhat inconvenient to use. Another drug used in the treatment of AGA is finasteride (Propecia™), a selective inhibitor of the type 2 isoenzyme 5-alpha reductase. This treatment has minimal efficacy, requires daily administration and has some anti-androgenic side effects such as alteration of libido. Hair transplants are also performed on the scalp of patients with hair loss associated with AGA, but these are prohibitively expensive for many people, and often require multiple time-consuming sessions to complete.
Alopecia areata (AA) has been reported to account for 2% of new outpatients in dermatology clinics (Fiedler & Alaiti supra). AA is a nonscarring form of hair loss which occurs in humans and other species and is thought to be due to an inflammatory reaction caused by autoimmune response directed against the anagen stage hair follicle structure (McElwee et al. Pathobiology 66(2): 90–107, 1998).
A number of therapeutic modalities have been tested for the treatment of AA, with variable results ranging from no effect to partial or full hair regrowth. In some cases chronic maintenance treatment is required. Major drawbacks of these treatments are side effects, which can be local or systemic in nature. Fiedler & Alaiti (supra) and Shapiro (Dermatological Clinics 11(1): 35–46, 1993) have reviewed the various treatments available for AA, including steroids (topical, intralesional and systemic), minoxidil, anthralin, photochemotherapy, cyclosporin A and other agents, as well as combination treatments.
Photochemotherapy therapy for AA using psoralen and high energy UVA (PUVA) treatment has met with very limited success and its effectiveness for AA is in doubt (Lebwohl, M. Lancet 349:222–223, 1997). Side effects of PUVA treatment such as nausea, pigmentary changes, risk of skin cancer formation, and cataracts have been reported (Fiedler & Alaiti, supra). Antioxidants have been used to ameliorate the side-effects of PUVA therapy (Ptapenko & Kyagova, Membr. Cell Biol. 12(2): 269–278, 1998). The use of 2% khellin, a compound with a chemical structure that resembles psoralen, and UVA for alopecia areata was found to be successful in 5 of the 10 patients tested (Orasa et al. Int. J. Dermatol. 32(9): 690, 1993). Since Khellin did not cause phototoxicity, the authors have suggested its use as an alternative to psoralen.
Hematoporphyrin and high energy UVA has been used in a very limited study by Monfrcola et al. (Photodermatology 4:305–306, 1987). Two patients were treated with topical hematoporphyrin (0.5%, HP) and UVA irradiation with three times a week for eight weeks. In the first week of treatment there was significant erythema and mild scaling followed by hyperpigmentation in the HP treated sites. Side effects included unpleasant reddish skin coloration for several hours and sometimes burning sensations during the irradiation phase. The authors point out that severe phototoxic reactions could occur with the use of HP concentrations greater than 1%. They also state that more work is needed before this approach can be subject to routine clinical use.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been utilized for the removal of unwanted hair in human subjects. Briefly the treatment involves a topical application of a photosensitizer on a selected area of the skin, a period for absorption of the photosensitizer, followed by a pulse or continuous irradiation or vibration of the area. The process involves inactivating or destroying the hair follicles or destroying the tissue feeding the hair follicles (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,669,916; 5,871,480; WO 97/32046).
Photodynamic therapy is a minimally invasive two-step medical procedure that uses light-activated drugs called photosensitizers to treat a range of diseases involving rapid cell growth, such as cancerous tumors or abnormal blood vessels. First, a photosensitizer is administered and, once it has permeated the target tissue of interest, the photosensitizer is then activated by exposure to a pre-calculated dose of light at a particular wavelength. Once activated, the drug converts oxygen found in the cells into highly energized singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen can react with subcellular components such as proteins and lipids, which disrupts normal cellular function and results in killing the cells. Lasers and fiber optics are used to deliver light.
There continues to be a need for a simple, rapid, and relatively side effect free method for stimulating and/or restoring hair growth in areas of hair loss.
Citation of the above documents is not intended as an admission that any of the foregoing is pertinent prior art. All statements as to the date or representation as to the contents of these documents is based on the information available to the applicant and does not constitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.

Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of hair loss


An image forming apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit that stacks and stores the sheet before printing, a first conveying path that conveys the sheet from this sheet stacking unit, a second conveying path that conveys the sheet from this first conveying path to a space between the recording head and a sheet guide member while reversing the sheet, a third conveying path that conveys the sheet from the first conveying path to a temporary storing unit in a state in which a front-to-rear direction of the sheet is maintained, a fourth conveying path that conveys the sheet from the temporary storing unit to the space in a state in which the front-to-rear direction of the sheet is maintained, a first switching mechanism that switches a conveying direction of the sheet, and a second switching mechanism that guides the sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for printing an image on a sheet such as a print sheet, and, more particularly to an image forming apparatus that has a conveying path suitable for a thick paper while increasing a volume of sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known an image forming apparatus that has a recording head of an ink jet system and in which a head recording unit moves perpendicularly to a conveying direction of a sheet and performs image formation. In such an image forming apparatus, a sheet cassette is arranged below the head recording unit to increase a volume of sheets and sheets are fed from this sheet cassette. In this case, it is necessary to reduce a conveying path length by reason of, for example, securing printing speed. Therefore, a sheet fed from the sheet cassette passes through a conveying path having a small curvature radius. A U-turn conveying apparatus for reversing a sheet is disclosed in JP-A-2006-193317.
On the other hand, there is also known an image forming apparatus including means for feeding a sheet from a rear surface to secure a large curvature radius.
However, when the sheet cassette is arranged below the head recording unit, since the curvature radius of the conveying path is small, there is a problem in that, when hard paper having sturdiness of a certain degree or more such as a thick paper is fed, for example, creases are left in paper and paper jamming occurs. On the other hand, when the means for feeding a sheet from a rear surface is used, there is a problem in that, for example, dust accumulates when sheets are left untouched.
It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method that can prevent, when a sheet cassette is arranged below a head recording unit to increase a volume of sheets, creases from being left and paper jamming from occurring even if a thick paper is used.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A DC-to-DC converter is described that provides resonant-transition switching by ensuring that the voltage across a first switch falls to zero between cycles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to DC-to-DC converters.
2. Description of Prior Art
In DC-to-DC conversion with isolation between input and output, conventional forward and flyback converters are commonly used in the industry. Single-ended flyback converters are dominant in the low-cost and low-power power supply applications because of their circuit simplicity. Furthermore, they are frequently used for wide-input-range power converters, for example an AC adaptor with universal input voltage range (90-240 VAC), because of their nonlinear output-input voltage conversion ratios (D/(1-D)). Synchronous rectifiers are used to improve power conversion efficiency, especially for low output voltage, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,268 in a flyback converter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,268 also discloses a special type of resonant-transition switching using the synchronous rectifier (FIG. 13). A reverse magnetizing current is produced by the reverse conduction of the synchronous rectifier before the primary switching means turns on. The parasitic capacitance across the primary switching means is discharged by the reverse magnetizing current, and thus the turn-on switching loss can be minimized. Small magnetizing inductance or large flux excursion of the flyback transformer is required to achieve this resonant-transition switching; higher core loss usually results. High RMS currents in both primary and secondary windings also cause high conduction loss in the flyback transformer. Moreover, a high ripple current flowing through the output capacitor causes high ripple voltage and spikes. An L-C output filter is usually required for such a special type of flyback converter.