An electronic device may have one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The ADCs may be used in digitizing signals from an image sensor. In order to ensure that input signals received by an ADC are not clipped, the input signals may be positively or negatively offset by a desired amount. Offsetting the input signals may ensure that the offset input signals wall within the acceptable input range of the ADCs. Offset injection may be accomplished using capacitors that are also used for analog-to-digital conversion. As an example, the ADC may be a successive approximation-type ADC that uses capacitors in a binary search for the digital value most accurately representing an input analog value. The capacitors of the ADC may be used for the successive approximation process and for offset injection. The offset injection may be digitally canceled out following digitization of the input analog signal.

The present invention relates to imaging systems and, more particularly, to imaging systems that may have one or more analog-to-digital converters with offset injection.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones are often provided with camera sensors. The camera sensors are formed from arrays of image sensing pixels. Typically, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is used to read out image values (and reset values, when a correlated double sampling (CDS) scheme is used) from the image sensing pixels. Traditional ADCs require input signals to fall within a particular range. Due to noise, overly large or overly small values from pixels, and other factors, the signals provided from the image sensing pixels to the ADCs often do not fall within the required input range of traditional ADCs. As a result, the signals from the imaging sensing pixels can be clipped, resulting in the loss of image data and dynamic range.

Offset injection in an analog-to-digital converter

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


A biometric recognition system involves two phases: creation of a master pattern set of authorized users biometric indicia and authentication using a classification neural network. To create the master pattern set, an image of an authorized biometric user's indicia is divided into a plurality of regions of interest or "features". The system determines which features are the most useful for identification purposes. Master patterns are then created from these master features, thus creating a master pattern set. During authentication, a sample pattern set of a user to be authenticated is similarly created. A neural network is used to compare the sample pattern set with the master pattern set to determine whether the user should be authenticated.

Although the present invention can be applied generally in the field of image matching, the invention has particular utility in the area of personal identification. Identification of an individual or verifying whether an individual is the person he claims to be is a common problem faced by individuals, businesses, and governments. While sophisticated personal identification is often used for security in sensitive government and commercial installations, matching for personal identification has potential application wherever a person's identity needs to be identified or verified, such as in the control of access to physical locations, such as airports, industrial locations and in the home. It also has potential application in the control of access to computing and data management equipment and in banking or commercial transactions.
Methods for identification of an individual often include reliance upon knowledge of restricted information, such as a password, possession of a restricted article, such as a passkey, or physical appearance, such as matching a reference photo. Biometric indicia have also been used for personal identification. Biometrics is the study of biological phenomena, and in the area of personal identification, some chosen characteristic of a person is used to identify or verify that person's identity. Biometric identification is particularly useful because certain personal characteristics are substantially unique to each person and are difficult to reproduce by an impostor. Further, the recording and analysis of biometric data can be automated, thereby allowing use of computer controlled electronics and digital recording techniques.
The use of biometric indicia for identification purposes requires that a particular biometric factor is substantially unique for each individual, that it is readily measured and that it is invariant over the time period during which the person may be tested for identification. Further, the biometric indicia should be difficult to duplicate by an impostor in order to secure against erroneous identification. The biometric indicia may be biologically determined or it may be some characteristic that is learned or acquired, such as handwriting or voice patterns.
Some of the biometric characteristics most investigated today for use in a personal identification system include fingerprints, hand or palm prints, retina scans, signatures and voice patterns. Hand or palm print techniques typically evaluate the shape of a person's hand or other significant features such as creases in the palm, but these techniques may be fooled by templates or models of the hand of an authorized person. Retina scanning techniques evaluate the pattern of blood vessels in a person's retina. A drawback of this technique is that the blood vessel pattern may vary over time, such as when alcohol is in the blood stream or during irregular use of glasses or contact lenses. Also, a user may feel uneasy about having his or her eye illuminated for retina scanning or the possibility of eye contamination if there is contact between the eye and the scanning apparatus. Signatures may be easily forged and must usually be evaluated by a human operator, although research has been done on automated systems that evaluate the dynamics of a person's handwriting, such as the speed and the force of hand movement and pauses in writing. Using voice patterns as the identifying characteristic encounters difficulties owing to the wide variations in a person's voice over time, the presence of background noise during an evaluation and the potential for an impostor to fool the system with a recording of the voice of an authorized person.
Although many biologically determined indicia have been used over the years, such as the human eye, facial features, bone structure, fingernail pattern and creases in the palm or fingers of the hand, fingerprints have been the most commonly used biometric characteristic for personal identification. The technology of personal identification through fingerprint analysis has long been used in law enforcement. This long term experience with fingerprint analysis has developed a large amount of information about fingerprints and has confirmed the uniqueness of a person's fingerprints. Historically, in law enforcement, fingerprints have been recorded by inking the fingerprint and making a print on a card for storage. Particularly for applications outside of law enforcement, less burdensome and intrusive recording methods needed to be developed.
Various electro-mechanical systems for recording and matching a live fingerprint with a stored representation of the fingerprint of the authorized person have been developed. In one type of system, an image of the live fingerprint pattern is read and optically compared with a master fingerprint that was stored on film. Difficulties arise in this system in aligning the live and the master fingerprint patterns, leading to the use of complicated devices to secure the user's finger in exact alignment with the recording device or to rotate and translate the live pattern with respect to the stored pattern to perform the registration. Further, because this type of system relies on a precise one-to-one sizing of the live and stored fingerprint patterns, errors in matching can occur where the live fingerprint pattern is deformed even slightly, such as when the finger is swollen or is pressed hard against the reading surface.
In another type of fingerprint matching system, the live fingerprint is read and the image is compared with a hologram of the fingerprint of the authorized person. This system requires the storage of a library of holograms at the testing location for each authorized person in the system and the use of a specialized light source and a complicated optics system.
The trend in automatic fingerprint matching is toward the increased use of electronics and computer control of the matching process, while minimizing the reliance on moving mechanical parts and complicated optics systems. In such a system, the live fingerprint typically is scanned and digitally recorded as a binary image of the fingerprint pattern. Characteristic features of the fingerprint pattern, such as ridge endings, points of ridge bifurcation and the core of a whorl, each defining a feature of the fingerprint pattern, are found in the binary fingerprint image. The binary fingerprint image is compared with a stored master pattern that has been derived previously from a fingerprint of the authorized person in order to determine whether there is a match. Many systems that attempt to identify features in the fingerprint pattern such as forks or ridge endings must make decisions of matching early in the comparison process. If any errors are made early in the decision making process, such errors propagate through the remainder of the decision making process, thereby increasing the chance of error. Also, many systems have preconceived notions of what features should be recognized in the fingerprint image. For example, based on human studies of the fingerprint, certain categories of fingerprints have been identified and features in fingerprints named. Identifying such predetermined features and phenomena has been integral in most fingerprint identification systems.
In the simplest of fingerprint matching systems, the features of both the live and the master fingerprints are compared and a correlation function is applied to the comparison. A significant disadvantage of this type of system is that the user's finger typically is required to be in exact alignment with the image recording device so that the coordinate system of the binary image derived from the live fingerprint pattern is in the same orientation and position as the coordinate system on which the master fingerprint pattern. Further, as human skin is elastic, how the skin of the finger interacts with the platen of the image recording device also can change the recorded live fingerprint. For example, elastic deformations or distortions of the recorded fingerprint due to the elastic nature of skin may be recorded, or oil on the skin may cause the platen to record wider ridges. Such variables often defeat the accuracy of systems that rely on correlation functions.

Biometric recognition using a classification neural network

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A cleaning apparatus includes a flexible, initially flat sheet, which is attached to the cleaning head of a cleaning apparatus by interlocking with a compressible foam substrate on the cleaning head, or by attachment members carried on the cleaning head which interact with the sheet itself or with separate attachment members carried on the sheet and the cleaning head.

The present disclosure relates, in general, to cleaning apparatus and, more specifically, to apparatus for cleaning glass, mirrors and the like.
Various tools are available to clean glass, such as the exterior surface of vehicle windows. Such tools typically include a handle and a perpendicularly oriented cleaning element, such as a wiper blade, sponge rubber pad, and combinations thereof. Water or ammonia based cleaning fluid is applied to the exterior surface of the vehicle window and scraped off by the tools to remove debris. Such tools are easy to use on the exterior surface of vehicle windows since the exterior surface of the vehicle windows is easily accessible both to apply cleaning fluid to the windows and to remove the fluid and debris from the windows.
A variety of tools have been devised specifically to clean the inner surfaces of vehicle windows. Such tools are typically formed of a pad which is connected to an elongated handle. A cleaning element is attached to one side of the pad by various means including clips, straps, or hooks and pile fasteners. However, each of these tools is specifically devised for a single type of cleaning operation, such as scrubbing or drying, but not both.
An improved and more effective cleaning apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,231,684 and 6,795,999. In these cleaning apparatus, the inner pad between the bottom surface of the paddle and the encompassing cleaning element or bonnet is formed of an easily absorbent material.


The invention concerns methods of introducing specific alterations in the genome of cells that have been removed from a subject suffering from a medical condition that is the result of a genetic lesion. The specific alteration is designed to correct the genetic lesion. The method comprises introducing an oligonucleotide compound, containing ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides, into the cells and thereafter reintroducing the cells into the subject. Specific types of cells include hematopoietic stem cells and hepatocytes. The ribonucleotides of the compound can have 2-substituents that enhance their resistance to RNase.

A. Diseases Caused by Mutations of Genes Expressed by Hematopoietic Cells and Their Treatment by Bone Marrow Transplantation
1. Hemoglobinopathies and Gaucher Disease
There are over 500 known structural variants of hemoglobin. Most persons having a variant hemoglobin are asymptomatic or only mildly affected. Three common variants are associated with significant disease. Two, HbS (Sickle Hemoglobin) and HbC, are point mutations in the codon encoding Glu.sup.6 of .beta.-globin and are found in Africans and their descendants. HbC results from the substitution G.fwdarw.A in the first position of codon 6 and HbS results from the substitution A.fwdarw.T in the second position of codon 6, producing Lys.sup.6 and Val.sup.6 respectively. The third common structural variant of hemoglobin associated with disease, HbE, results from the substitution G.fwdarw.A in the first position of codon 26, encoding Glu.sup.26 resulting in a Lys.sup.26 and is found primarily in the Southeast Asian population and their descendants.
Persons heterozygous for HbS, HbC or HbE do not have significant symptoms. However, HbS homozygotes, HbS/HbC heterozygotes, and heterozygotes for HbC or HbE and an allele of .beta.-thalassemia are severely effected and require frequent medical attention.
Thalassemias are a class of hemoglobinopathies wherein there is an imbalance between the rate of synthesis .alpha.-globin and .beta.-globin. The thalassemias are classified according to the mutated gene, .alpha. or .beta., and whether there is a complete, e.g., .alpha..sup..degree. and .beta..sup.20, or partial reduction, e.g., .alpha..sup.+ and .beta..sup.+, of the affected globin.
There are two functional .alpha.-globin genes in the haploid human genome, which are closely linked. The most common causes of .alpha.-thalassemia are deletions or rearrangements of the linked .alpha.-globin genes or of the .alpha.-globin locus control region.
By contrast the common causes of .beta.-thalassemia are point mutations. The most common cause is a G.fwdarw.A substitution at position of 110 of the .beta.-globin gene, which creates a novel splice acceptor site in the first intron (IVS1).
About 100 different types .beta.-thalassemia have been characterized. Of the characterized mutations only 14 are dominant, i.e., cause a significant clinical condition when heterozygous with a wild-type .beta.-globin allele. The remaining mutations lead to a severe clinical condition, termed thalassemia major, when homozygous or when heterozygous with a second .beta.-thalassemia gene. A detailed review of Hemoglobinopathies is found at Weatherall et al. in THE METABOLIC AND MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITED DISEASE 7th Ed., Chapter 113 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1995)
Gaucher Disease is a lysosomal glycolipid storage disease. There are three recognized types. Type 1 Gaucher Disease is most prevalent in Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jews and their descendants; Type 2 is panethnic and Type 3 is most prevalent in Northern Sweden. The cause of Gaucher Disease is a defect in the enzyme glucocerebrosidase, also termed acid .beta.-glucosidase. Glucocerebrosidase is expressed in the macrophage/monocyte cell-type, which originate from the bone marrow.
There are three different, common mutations that cause Gaucher Disease: an A.fwdarw.G substitution at nucleotide 1226 of the mRNA, which causes a Asn.fwdarw.Ser substitution at residue 370 of glucocerebrosidase (the N370S mutation); a T.fwdarw.C substitution at nucleotide 1448 of the mRNA, which causes a Leu.fwdarw.Pro substitution at residue 444 of glucocerebrosidase (the L444P mutation); and a duplication of a G.sup.84 nucleotide which results in a frameshift mutation (the 84GG mutation). The N370S and 84GG mutations are associated with the Ashkenazic population while the L444P mutation is associated with the Northern Swedish population and with sporadic mutations.
Uncommon, but not rare, mutations in the coding sequence that cause Gaucher Disease have been identified as follows: at 754, T.fwdarw.A; at 1192, C.fwdarw.T; at 1193, G.fwdarw.A; at 1297, G.fwdarw.T; at 1342, G.fwdarw.C; at 1504, C.fwdarw.T; and at 1604, G.fwdarw.A.
The mutations that cause Gaucher Disease are recessive, i.e., an individual with one wild-type glucocerebrosidase allele is asymptomatic. Individuals which are homozygous for the N370S mutation frequently develop only a mild form of the disease late in life. By contrast, individuals homozygous for the L444P mutation have the more severe Type 2 and Type 3 Gaucher Disease. The 84GG mutation results in a product with no enzymatic activity and results in severe clinical disease in the homozygous state. Of the uncommon mutations, the mutations at nucleotides 754, 1192, 1297 and 1342 are associated with severe forms of the disease. A detailed review of Gaucher Disease can be found in Beutler, E. & Grabowski in THE METABOLIC and MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITED DISEASE 7th Ed., Chapter 86 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1995).
2. The Treatment of Diseases Caused by Mutations by Bone Marrow Transplantation
The treatment of severe cases of .beta.-thalassemia and sickle anemia by allogenic bone marrow transplantation from HLA-matched bone marrow having a normal .beta.-globin gene has been reported to have clinical benefits. Giardini, C., et al., 1995, Annu. Rev. Med. 46:319-30(thalassemia); Lucarelli, G., et al., 1991 Hematol. Oncol. Clin. North Am. 5:549 (thalassemia); Kalinyak, K. A., et al., 1995, Am. J. of Hemat. 48:256-61 (sickle cell); Abboud, M. R., et al., 1994, Am. J. of Ped. Hem/Onc 16:86-89 (sickle cell); Kirkpatrick, D. V., et al., 1991, Semin. Hematol. 28:240 (sickle cell). The clinical results indicate that engraftment, when successful, is curative. Engraftment can be persistent; reports of 3 to 8 year follow-up periods without rejection are found. However, there is a significant failure rate due to the development of graft versus host disease and maintenance doses of immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporin are needed. There can also be significant difficulties in obtaining HLA-matched bone marrow.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of Type 1 Gaucher Disease has yielded substantially equivalent results to those described above for thalassemia. Ringden, O., et. al., 1995, Transplantation 59:864; Chan, K. W., et al., 1994, Bone Marrow Transplantation 14:327. The use of bone marrow transplantation to treat the more severe Types 2 and 3 Gaucher Disease, which have central nervous system involvement, also has been reported to have favorable outcomes. Tsai, P., et al., 1992, Pediatr. Res. 31:503; Svennerholm, L., et al., 1991, Dev. Neurosci. 13:345-51. In contrast to the globin genes, an effective level of expression of glucocerebrosidase can be obtained by use of viral expression vectors, which suggests that autotransplantation of transduced bone marrow can be an effective therapy for Gaucher Disease. Karlsson, S. & Correll, P. H., 1993, Bone Marrow Transplantation 11(Suppl 1):124-7.

Method and oligonucleobase compounds for curing diseases caused by mutations


Provided are a hinge and a stand for a display device. The hinge includes a rotary body fixed to a display device; a support fixed to a base; a key bracket inserted in the rotary body; a hole formed inside the key bracket; and a rotary shaft inserted to the hole and the support and being a rotation axis of the rotary body. Thus, the hinge and stand may be manufactured at low costs because a small number of components are used. Also, the hinge structure effectively stands against the external vibration because no screw is used during an assembling process, and forming an exterior of the hinge in itself eliminates need to use a separate component for the exterior, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the stand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge structure, and more particularly, to a hinge structure including a small number of components, facilitating assembly thereof, and rotatably supporting a display device. Also, the present invention relates to a stand for a display device employing the aforementioned hinge structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stand is a structure used to support a display device on a predetermined plane. In general, such a stand includes a support coupled to a rear side of the display device, and a base placed on the bottom and connected to a lower side of the support to support the support.
Here, in general, the support coupled to the rear side of the display device is configured to rotate the display device vertically or horizontally for the user's convenience. In order to rotate the display device vertically or horizontally, the stand includes a hinge formed at an upper portion of the support, and the display device is coupled to one side of the hinge.
Here, the hinge includes a bracket made of metal and fixed to a rear side of the display device, another metal bracket fixed to the support, a shaft coupled between the two brackets to be a hinge shaft, and a screw fixing those components.
However, because the screw completes the assembly of the hinge formed by such coupling of the metal brackets, the screw may loosen due to the external shaking.
Also, the hinge including the metal brackets has a complicated assembly structure and requires a number of components.
In addition, in order to prevent the exposure of the hinge to the outside, a component for an exterior thereof is separately provided, which increases the number of components and costs.


A hair protection film of the present invention aims at preventing and curing damage to the hair due to cold permanent wave treatment. The hair protection film for cold permanent wave treatment has a "sandwich" or three layer structure with a center layer coated on both sides with a protective layer. The center layer is formed of a film or a thin layer consisting mainly of at least one of "water-soluble natural sugar", "blood plasma", and "substitute blood plasma", or of a film or a thin film obtained by dispersing an extract of corn grains or a concentrate of brewage in polyvinyl alcohol. The protective layer that coats both surfaces is one of an alkali-soluble coating layer, an acid-soluble coating layer and a heat-soluble coating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hair protection film for cold permanent wave treatment, which film facilitates winding of the hair around curling rods and prevents bending of the hair.
b 2. Description of the Related Art
A treatment agent used in a widely practiced cold permanent wave treatment consists of a reducing agent (first liquid) of an alkali solution prepared by adding an alkali agent to a main agent of thioglycolate or salts thereof; and an oxidizing agent (second liquid) consisting mainly of a bromate.
The hair is wound around curling rods to a desired style. The first liquid is applied to the hair to swell the hair by the action of the alkali agent contained in the first liquid, thus helping the main agent comprising thioglycolate to permeate the hair. The thioglycolate permeated in the hair cuts, by reduction, cystine bonds of polypeptide (protein) constituting the cortex of hair. The cystine bonds are displaced to fit the hair to the curling rods. Then, the second liquid is applied to the hair, whereby the cut cystine bonds are formed once again in the state wherein the cut bonds have been displaced. Thus, the waves of hair are fixed.
However, the degree of damage of the hair, due to ultraviolet rays, previous cold permanent wave treatments, and the like, increases towards the tip of the hair. In addition, the cuticles covering the surface portion of hair may be peeled and damaged, the cortices of hair under the cuticles and the matrix filled between cortices may be exposed, or the matrix may flow out. The degree of these undesirable conditions increase towards the tip of hair.
Accordingly, if the damaged hair and the less damaged proximal portions of hair and newly grown hair are treated by the first liquid under the same conditions, the damaged hair is considerably affected and further damaged by the first liquid and shrunken owing to lost of moisture.
Using a method involving applying a cold permanent wave treatment to damaged hair, it is known to subject the hair to a pretreatment process, before it is wound around curling rods. In the pretreatment process, a treatment liquid consisting mainly of PPT (polypeptide, which is protein) is applied to the particularly damaged distal portions of hair (about 1/3 from the tip), thereby reducing the strong influence of the first liquid and preventing shrinkage of hair. In addition, in order to wind the hair, wetted with the treatment liquid, around curling rods smoothly and neatly, without bending the tip of hair, the distal portions of hair, before wound around the rods, are wrapped with hair protection films of Japanese paper or nylon films.
Recently, a first liquid of acid solution consisting mainly of thioglycolate or a salt thereof has been developed and substituted for the above-mentioned first liquid of alkali solution. The first liquid of acid solution has been used similarly with the first solution of alkali solution.
In the prior art, the treatment liquid and hair protection films are used to reduce the strong influence of the first liquid for cold permanent wave treatment, thereby preventing shrinkage of hair and facilitating the winding of the hair around the curling rods. However, there are the problems: the cuticles are peeled and damaged, the damaged hair wherein the matrix between cortices has flown out is not recovered, and the damage to hair due to newly applied cold permanent wave treatment is neither prevented nor recovered, as a result of which the degree of damage to hair is aggravated.
Since additional steps are required of applying the treatment liquid to the hair in advance and winding the hair, wetted with this liquid, around the curling rods, the permanent wave treatment process is complicated.
In addition, the first liquid of acid solution is developed and used to lessen the damage due to the first liquid of alkali solution; however, the hair already damaged by the first solution of alkali solution, ultraviolet, etc. is not recovered even if the first liquid of acid solution is used.

Hair protection film for cold permanent wave treatment


The loss in delivered capacity (fade) after cycling non-aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries can be reduced by incorporating a small amount of certain additive compounds in the battery. The additive compound comprises boron, oxygen, and organic end groups that are chemically compatible with the battery components. The structure of the additive compound contains a boroxine (BO).sub.3 ring. The invention is particularly suited to lithium ion batteries. Trimethoxyboroxine and trimethylboroxin are particularly effective additives. Preferably, the additive compound is dissolved in the electrolyte.

Many types of non-aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries are used commercially for consumer electronics applications. Typically, these batteries employ a lithium insertion compound as the active cathode material, a lithium compound of some sort (eg. pure lithium metal, lithium alloy, or the like) as the active anode material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. An insertion compound is a material that can act as a host solid for the reversible insertion of guest atoms (in this case, lithium atoms).
Lithium ion batteries use two different insertion compounds for the active cathode and anode materials. Currently available lithium ion batteries are high voltage systems based on LiCoO.sub.2 cathode and coke or graphite anode electrochemistries. However, many other lithium transition metal oxide compounds are suitable for use as the cathode material, including LiNiO.sub.2 and LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4. Also, a wide range of carbonaceous compounds is suitable for use as the anode material. These batteries employ non-aqueous electrolytes comprising LiBF.sub.4 or LiPF.sub.6 salts and solvent mixtures of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and the like. Again, numerous options for the choice of salts and/or solvents in such batteries are known to exist in the art.
The excellent reversibility of this insertion combination makes it possible for lithium ion batteries to achieve hundreds of battery cycles. However, a gradual loss of lithium and/or buildup of impedance can still occur upon extended cycling for various reasons. This in turn typically results in a gradual loss in delivered capacity with increasing cycle number. Researchers in the art have devoted substantial effort to reducing this loss in capacity. For instance, co-pending Canadian patent application serial number 2,150,877, filed Jun. 2, 1995, and titled "Use of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 in Non-aqueous Rechargeable Lithium Batteries" discloses a means for reducing this loss which involves exposing the electrolyte to P.sub.2 O.sub.5. However, P.sub.2 O.sub.5 shows at best only limited solubility in typical non-aqueous electrolytes and can be somewhat awkward to use in practice. Alternatives which are soluble may be more convenient, but it is unclear why such P.sub.2 O.sub.5 exposure is effective and hence what compounds might serve as effective alternatives.
B.sub.2 O.sub.3 is a common chemical that is extensively used in the glass industry, and its properties are well known. B.sub.2 O.sub.3 has also been used in the lithium battery industry for a variety of reasons. In most cases, the B.sub.2 O.sub.3 is used as a precursor or reactant to prepare some other battery component. However, Japanese published patent application 07-142055 discloses that lithium batteries can show improved stability to high temperature storage when using lithium transition metal oxide cathodes which contain B.sub.2 O.sub.3. Also, co-pending Canadian patent application serial number 2,175,755, filed May 3, 1996, and titled "Use of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 additive in Non-aqueous Rechargeable Lithium Batteries" discloses that B.sub.2 O.sub.3 additives can be used to reduce the rate of capacity loss with cycling in rechargeable lithium batteries and that this advantage can be obtained by having the additive dissolved in the electrolyte. However, the reason that the B.sub.2 O.sub.3 additive resulted in an improvement with cycling was not understood.
B.sub.2 O.sub.3 commonly exists in a vitreous or glassy state. The structure is complex and is believed to consist of sheets of randomly oriented, 6 membered (BO).sub.3 boroxine rings which are connected by additional bridging oxygen atoms. (Crystalline B.sub.2 O.sub.3 can be obtained, but only with significant difficulty. Crystalline B.sub.2 O.sub.3 also has a complicated structure consisting of linked sets of zig-zag chains which form a three dimensional network structure.)
Certain other compounds containing boron, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen (eg. trimethoxyboroxine, trimethylboroxin, trimethyl borate, tri-tert-butyl borate) have been used in the preparation of other compounds, particularly polymers. For instance, trimethoxyboroxine has been used to promote cross linking of silanes for Si-Si bond formation (PCT International Patent Application Serial No. WO9615080), as a catalyst for producing olefin polymers (European Patent Application EP705848), and to improve the melt stability of high molecular weight polycarbonates (Japanese laid-open patent application JP 06263866).
In battery and/or fuel cell applications, compounds containing boron, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen such as trimethyl borate have been used as a precursor in a process to make an electrode substrate. For instance, in Japanese laid-open patent application JP 07105955, a precursor B-containing compound was kneaded in with the other electrode components before heat treating the mixture to 1000 degrees C. Boron-oxygen-carbon-hydrogen containing compounds have also been used in the preparation of lithium haloboracite (lithium-boron-oxygen-halogen containing material) solid electrolyte films for battery usage. However, it appears that these compounds have not heretofore been used directly in lithium batteries as additives or for any other purpose.

Additives for improving cycle life of non-aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries


A method of playing a game. A face of a die may be selected, and a marker may be moved to a position on a game board according to the face selected. A request for a player response may be selected from a set of text-based requests, and an interval associated with the player response may be timed.

Many board games rely on random selection of outputs to direct a player's actions. For example, movement of a player's marker on a game board may be dictated by a card drawn from a stack of cards, an output selected by spinning a needle or a wheel, or an output obtained by rolling a die or dice, among others. Of the many possible methods for selecting a random output, rolling a die or dice may be most widely used for game play because this method offers advantages over other methods. Specifically, die rolling requires no previous preparation, unlike a stack of cards that is shuffled, is mechanically simple, and provides a series of random outputs that are independent of each other.
Die rolling may suffer from some disadvantages. Typically, one or more dies are thrown or dropped from a player's hand or a container in a generally uncontrolled fashion. As a result, an errant die may collide with, and disrupt, features of a game, such as the position of player markers. Alternatively, or in addition, the errant die may travel away from the game site, requiring retrieval.
Some of the disadvantages of die rolling have been overcome by constraining die movement within an enclosure, to produce a die-rolling device. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,119,621; 3,168,315; 4,049,277; 4,148,488; 4,632,397; 4,643,693; 5,022,654; and 5,445,375, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A commercial embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,315 is Mattel's MAGIC 8-BALL® toy in which rolling a die selects an output from a set of opposite responses. The original MAGIC 8 BALL® toy is a flat-bottomed, plastic replica of a pool or billiard "8-ball" that includes a viewing window to an interior, dye-filled fluid chamber. Within the chamber is a floating polyhedron with a distinct response on each triangular face of the polyhedron. The selected face of the die represents responses that are generally affirmative, negative, or ambiguous, with the suggestion to ask the MAGIC 8 BALL® toy again. Inverting the toy to allow the viewing window to face upward causes one of the faces of the floating polyhedron to contact the window and become visible, thus selecting the associated response on that side for viewing and reading.
In addition to die rolling, games may employ a time interval to limit or regulate a player's action. Thus, games may include a timer to measure the time interval. Disclosures of various timers used in games are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,304,650; 3,724,847; 4,890,838; and 5,607,160, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An input screen scintillator for an X-ray image intensifier tube. The tube includes light conductive cesium iodide needles formed on an electrically conductive substrate. Each needle is entirely coated with a material such as a metal or a semiconductor which reflects the light travelling within the needle toward the inside of the needle. This coating can enhance the efficiency and resolution of the image intensifier tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an input screen scintillator for an X-ray image intensifier tube. It also concerns the manufacturing process of this scintillator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
X-ray image intensifier tubes are well-known in the prior art. For example, these tubes are used to transform X-ray images into visible images for medical observation.
These tubes consist of an input screen, an optoelectronic device and an observation screen.
The input screen includes a scintillator which converts incident X photons into visible photons. These photons then strike a photocathode which is generally made of an alkaline antimonide. The photocathode is excited by the photons and generates a flow of electrons. The photocathode is not deposited directly on the scintillator but on a conductive underlayer which can reconstitute the charges of the photocathode material. This underlayer can for example be made of alumina, or of indium oxide or a mixture of these two substances.
The electron flow from the photocathode is then transmitted by a system of electron optics which focuses the electrons and sends them towards an observation screen consisting of a luminophore, which then emits visible light. This light can then be converted into television or cinema images, or into photographs.
The input screen scintillator is generally made of cesium iodide needles formed by vacuum evaporation on a substrate. The evaporation process can take place either on a cold or hot substrate. This substrate could preferably be an aluminium substrate. A cesium iodide layer usually 150 to 500 .mu.m thick is then deposited on it.
Cesium iodide deposits naturally as 5 to 10 .mu.m diameter needles. Its refractive index of 1.8 makes it behave like an optical fibre, and this tends to lessen the lateral diffusion of the light generated within it.
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing an aluminium substrate 1 with several cesium iodide needles 2 on it. The aluminium substrate receives a flow of X photons symbolized by vertical arrows. Several examples of the paths along which the visible radiation created by the incident X photons travel within the cesium iodide needles are shown on this drawing. The normal travelling paths of this visible radiation, which are referenced 3, produce a luminous signal at the tips of the cesium iodide needles. However, a lateral diffusion of the light conveyed by the cesium iodide needles also occurs, as is shown by reference 4 on the drawing. This lateral diffusion tends to impair the tube resolution. The quality of the resolution depends on a correct channeling of the light by the cesium iodide needles, but also on the thickness of the cesium iodide layer: thicker layers tend to impair resolution. On the other hand, thicker cesium iodide layers also result in a better absorption of X-rays. A compromise must therefore be found between a sufficient X-ray absorption and a high resolution.
During the manufacturing process, the input screen must be subjected to a heat treatment which can also influence the tube resolution. This heat treatment occurs immediately after the cesium iodide has been vacuum evaporated. The treatment makes the screen luminescent, since the cesium iodide has been doped by sodium or thallium ions. It consists in heating the screen to a temperature of 340.degree. C. for about one hour in a desiccated air or nitrogen atmosphere.
During this heat treatment, which is an absolutely essential step, the scintillator needles coalesce and agglomerate, as shown by the schematic drawing on FIG. 2. This coalescence favors an increased lateral diffusion of light (as is shown by the dotted arrows referenced 4) which impairs the resolution.
In the prior art, it had been suggested to make the input screen scintillator by alternatively evaporating pure cesium iodide and cesium iodide doped with a refractory material to suppress coalescence during the heat treatment. The anticipated result was that needles made of alternate layers of pure cesium iodide and doped cesium iodide would not agglomerate during the heat treatment.
However, this solution failed to work effectively. Moreover, a structure of alternate layers of pure cesium iodide and doped cesium iodide does not at all prevent another serious problem, i.e, the lateral diffusion of light.
It was therefore proposed, as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,355 published on Jan. 17, 1978, to coat the cesium iodide needles with titania or gadolinium oxysulfide or lanthanum oxysulfide. The use of these deposited materials, which contain a metal, not in a metallic form, but in the form of an oxide or a compound, can partially solve the above-mentioned problems: it prevents needles from coalescing and slightly lowers the lateral diffusion of light, although this lower diffusion does not noticeably increase the scintillator's efficiency.
However, the problem of electrical conduction remains unsolved, even in the above-mentioned patent: any layer coating the needles should permit conduction while avoiding coalescence and the lateral diffusion of light. A good electrical conduction is necessary to increase the scintillator's efficiency by obtaining the same potentials in the coating layer of the needles, in the aluminium substrate on which the needles are formed and at the annular electrode to which the substrate is connected.
A first object of the invention, therefore, therefore, is to find a solution for these drawbacks by making a scintillator in which the cesium iodide needles are coated with a highly conductive material to prevent said needles to coalesce while sensibly decreasing the lateral diffusion of light. These goals can be achieved by choosing either a semiconductive material or a metal, to the exclusion of metallic oxides.

Input screen scintillator for an X-ray image intensifier tube and manufacturing process of this scintillator


An electrical connector includes a molded plastic connector body, a flexible printed circuit, a plurality of plastic cable trays, an elastomeric pad and a molded plastic cap. The flexible printed circuit includes a main section and two side sections that are attached to respective longitudinal sides of the main section by flexible webs. A plastic cable tray is attached at a rearward end of each section. Thin copper conductors are arrayed in the flexible printed circuit so that each copper conductor is attached to a raised feature pressure contact in a forward contact portion of the main section of the flexible printed circuit at one end and disposed in a cable channel of one of the plastic cable trays at the other end. Electric cable ends are secured in the cable channels and electrically connected to exposed contact pads of the copper conductors. A first side section is folded over the main section with its cable tray stacked on the top of the cable tray of the main section. The second side section is folded over the first side section with its plastic tray stacked on top of the plastic tray of the first side section. The folded subassembly is disposed in the connector body with the forward contact portion of the main section folded over the elastomeric pad which lies against the front wall of the connector body. The plastic cap is attached to the front of the connector body with the raised feature pressure contacts exposed in an opening in the face of the cap.

As automotive wiring becomes more complex, there is continual pressure to reduce electric cable and electrical connector sizes. Connector contact areas can be reduced by use of well known gold dot contacts that are arranged in a closely spaced, high density array on a printed circuit. For instance, thirty-six (36) gold dot contacts one millimeter (1.0 mm) in size can be arranged on two millimeter (2.0 mm) centerlines in three rows of twelve contacts each resulting in an electrical connector having a foot print of about 33.8 mm by 11.7 mm at the gold dot contact end.
In order to take advantage of the size reduction and compact arrangement of the gold dot contact array, present proposals use very small electric cable in the thirty (30) gauge size range for the electrical connector. Such small electric cable sizes are difficult to work with and attach to the contact pads of the printed circuit particularly in high volume production. Consequently, there is a need for an electrical connector that has a high density array of gold dot contacts on a printed circuit that can be used with larger electric cable, for instance, cable in the twenty-four (24) gauge size range.


A radio communication system (101) includes plural base stations (131) connected over a network and a mobile station (111), such that the mobile station (111) has a mobile station radio communication unit (115) and a control unit (117) that tests radio communication on each base station (131) that has transmitted a radio signal receivable by the radio communication unit (115) and controls the radio communication unit (115) to transmit silent failure information including identification information on a base station presumed to have silent failure from the test result; each base station (131) has a base station radio communication unit (135), a communication unit (137) that communicates with other base stations, and a base station control unit that controls the communication unit (137), when the identification information does not indicate the present base station, transmits the silent failure information and request for silent failure detection to the corresponding base station.

In a radio communication system, events (failures) that block normal operation of the system sometimes occur, such as device malfunction or application related trouble. In order to achieve a stable radio communication system, the occurrence of a failure needs to be detected rapidly, and the system needs to be restored.
During data transfer, when a base station detects packet loss or transfer delay, which are caused by failure, the base station determines that communication is problematic. The base station then notifies a monitoring center (for example, an Element Management System (EMS)) of an alarm containing error information. The occurrence of a failure is detected via the alarm. If the very device that determines communication to be problematic has deteriorated or is malfunctioning, however, the monitoring center might not be notified of an alarm, despite the occurrence of a failure. If notification of an alarm is not provided, the occurrence of the failure is not detected. Such failure that is not detected upon occurrence is referred to as silent failure. Silent failure is discovered not via an alarm, but rather by circumstances such as degradation in performance, network delays or loss of communication, and greater effort and cost are required to recover from a silent failure than from a regular failure.
To address this problem, a method (for example, see Patent Literature 1) has been proposed whereby a mobile station, rather than a base station, actively transmits error information on communication problems to a monitoring center (management device). With this method, when a communication problem occurs, the mobile station accumulates error information (by time and place of occurrence and cause of the communication problem) in a storage device within the mobile station. Subsequently, when communication with the base station is successful, the mobile station transfers the accumulated error information to the management device via the base station. The management device uses the received error information to perform statistical processing by time, place and cause of the communication problem. The method in Patent Literature 1 thus allows the management device to identify a base station with a high probability of failure through statistical processing based on error information from the mobile station.

Radio communication system and radio communication method


In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a passivation film made of a polyimide resin film is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer including a scribe line and an outer circumferential portion. Thereafter, only the passivation film which is formed on the scribe line of the semiconductor wafer and on the outer circumferential portion of the semiconductor wafer is selectively removed. A protective tape is then bonded onto the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, followed by grinding of a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a step of grinding a rear surface of a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor device is manufactured such that a plurality of semiconductor chips each including a semiconductor element is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer. Further, among the semiconductor chips being adjacent to each other on the semiconductor wafer, there are formed scribe lines along which the semiconductor wafer is cut into semiconductor chips in a dicing process. The semiconductor wafer has a thickness of about 500 to 900 μm to maintain certain rigidness in the manufacturing process. However, in a case where the semiconductor wafer is incorporated into a package as a chip, the semiconductor chip is required to have the thickness between 100 to 350 μm. For this reason, adopted is a method in which the semiconductor wafer is ground to obtain a desired thickness, and then the semiconductor wafer is cut vertically and horizontally along the scribe lines to separate.
As a method of thinning a semiconductor wafer, JP 05-335411 A discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor chip in which trenches each having a predetermined depth are formed on the front surface side of the semiconductor wafer, and then the rear surface side of the semiconductor wafer is ground.
Further, JP 2001-127029 A discloses a method of protecting the front surface of a semiconductor wafer with a surface protective sheet which includes a base material and an adhesive layer formed thereon, and has a stress relaxation rate of 40% or more in a minute to the tension of 10% in a tension test for surface protective sheet.
In a process of grinding the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, surface protective tape is bonded to the front surface of the semiconductor wafer so as to protect the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, and then the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground. After the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground, the surface protective tape is removed.
In a case of using a polyimide resin film, the polyimide resin film must have a certain thickness to protect the semiconductor chip from damage or contamination. Besides removal of the polyimide resin film disposed on the scribe lines is necessary since the polyimide resin film disposed on the scribe lines deteriorates cutting performance of a dicing blade in dicing process.
The polyimide resin film is required to have a thickness of 4 μm or more, and each scribe line has a shape of a trench. As shown in FIG. 7, scribe lines 3 are formed in an outer-most circumferential portion of a semiconductor wafer 1. As shown in FIG. 6, a surface protective tape 6 does not fill each trench made by the scribe lines 3 on the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, which results in generating gaps 9 between the surface protective tape and each of the scribe lines formed on the front surface of the semiconductor wafer. As a result, when the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground, grinding water enters from the gaps 9, and grinding swarf contaminates the scribe lines and the front surface of the semiconductor chip.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


Apparatus for applying thermoplastic strips to thermoplastic membranes, each strip having an upstanding central portion and opposed flange portions extending widthwise therefrom. The apparatus includes a housing having drive wheels for movably supporting the housing. A guide assembly fixed to the housing includes a first pair of guide wheels for disposition around an applied first strip and movable along the first strip with one guide wheel on either side thereof, and a second pair of guide wheels for disposition around a second strip to be applied and movable along the second strip, so as to guide the second strip to a welding station on the apparatus. The welding station is adapted to heat weld the second strip to the membranes along the length of the second strip equidistantly from the first strip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for cladding roofs and other surfaces of buildings with thermoplastic membranes, and is directed more particularly to an apparatus for applying upstanding thermoplastic strips to upper surfaces of the membranes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to apply thermoplastic membranes to roof tops to prevent leakage of water through the roof. Typically, the membranes are sealed to each other along overlapping edges. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,126, issued Dec. 4, 2001, to James Rubenacker et al. It is also known to apply metal sheets to roof tops. The metal sheets typically are configured with spaced stiffening ribs and with interlocking edges to join the metal sheets together. The interlocking edges of the ribs may then be covered with an upstanding channel member.
The appearance of the metal clad roof is generally regarded as quite attractive, in part because of the aesthetic qualities of the roof, and perhaps in part because of the perception that metal roofs are relatively expensive and therefore "attractive". For whatever reason, the appearance of metal roofs is generally acclaimed.
In view of the widespread appreciation of the appearance of metal clad roofs, there have been attempts to duplicate the appearance thereof in thermoplastic clad roofs. The distinctive characteristic of the metal clad roof is the presence of the upstanding channel members, or junctures, of the metal sheets. To duplicate this appearance, thermoplastic strips have been secured to the thermoplastic membranes, sometimes by adhesive, and sometimes by the application of heat. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,461, issued May 15, 2001, to Vincent Piront. Unfortunately, application of the strips manually is a time consuming and labor intensive process, increasing substantially the cost of the roofing and decreasing the cost advantage gained by selecting thermoplastic roofing over metal roofing. Further, manual application also increases opportunity for error and is not conducive to creating straight and/or parallel and/or equidistant lines.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,964, issued Sep. 24, 2002, to Claus Pfotenhauer and Brian Whelan, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,947, issued Apr. 29, 2003, to Claus Pfotenhauer, Brian Whelan and James C. Rubenacker, there are shown and described an apparatus and method for attaching such strips to roof membranes to enhance appearance and provide for channeling of flow of rain water or melting snow to selected gutters or receptacles.
In use of the machines of the aforementioned '964 and '947 patents, the laying of each strip is accomplished independently of other strips previously laid. Thus, if equal distances between strips are desired, as is often the case, it is necessary to measure the appropriate distance and chalk or otherwise indicate the precise location desired for each strip in turn as it is applied. Such measuring and plotting of courses requires time which, in turn, contributes to costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a machine and method for applying strip after strip without the operator having to measure between each pair of strips or plot the whole area of concern at the start of the project.
Inasmuch as many machines of the type shown and described in the '964 and '947 patents, incorporated herein by reference, are in use, there is further a need for an assembly, or kit, including components which can be added to the '964 machine to provide the machine with the facility for automatic strip alignment.

Apparatus and method for applying strips of thermoplastic material to thermoplastic membranes


Projection data having a phase difference of 180.degree. from each other, which are obtained through a 1/4 offset detector, are arranged alternately to obtain projection data of the high resolution, and a CT image is reconstructed on the basis of the projection data of the high resolution. Opposition difference data showing the difference between the projection data having the phase difference of 180.degree. from each other and having a phase difference of 180.degree. from each other are alternately arranged to obtain the opposition difference data of the high resolution, and an opposition difference image is reconstructed on the basis of the opposition difference data of the high resolution. Then, distortion components showing the high-frequency component are extracted from the aforesaid opposition difference image, and the aforesaid reconstructed CT image is corrected by the thus extracted distortion components, so that motion artifacts contained in the original CT image can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for reconstructing an image and an X-ray CT system, and particularly to a method of reconstructing an image and an X-ray CT system, in which the motion artifacts are reduced and the resolution is high.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various algorithms in the image reconstructing process in the X-ray computed tomography (CT), and the most commonly used algorithm at present is a back projection method. According to the back projection method, fuzziness of the image caused by the back projection process is controlled by applying high-frequency components emphasizing filtration to projection data. The back projection method includes the filtered back projection method performed through multiplying by a filter function in the frequency space and the convolution back projection method performed by the convolution process in the real space.
The filter function used in the above-described back projection method is referred to a reconstructing filter, and the Ramachandran filter and the Shepp & Logan filter as shown in FIG. 4 are normally used.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the conventional process of the filtered back projection method. As shown in FIG. 5, preprocessing, which includes sensitivity corrections for uneven detector cell sensitivities and gains, intensity corrections for variations in X-ray beam, beam hardening corrections, scattered ray corrections, conversion of the data to logarithmic form and the like, is applied to the acquired projection data (Step S10), thereafter, fuzziness of the back projection is corrected in advance by a filtering process (Step S13), and a tomographic image is obtained by a back projection process (Step S14). Further, there may be a case where an image filter is applied to the tomographic image as an after-processing to thereby obtain a final image (Step S15). The image characteristics of the tomographic image obtained as described above rely upon the frequency characteristics of the reconstruction filter, so that, in the X-ray CT system, there are provided various types of filter functions suitable for the respective scanned portions.
However, the spatial resolution in the X-ray CT system is governed by the cell interval and aperture of the detector, and the resolution more than that has been difficult to realize theoretically. Thus, the spatial resolution determined by the cell interval has heretofore been bettered by the improvements in the acquiring method and algorithm.
The conventional high resolution algorithm will hereunder be described. One of the important techniques is a method, in which the redundancy of a fan beam CT scanning is skillfully utilized, i.e., a method, in which acquiring is performed by a 1/4 offset detector which is shifted from a straight line connecting an X-ray tube to the center of rotation by 1/4 of the cell interval, so that a sample position of data opposed thereto through 180.degree. in the direction of channel is shifted by 1/2 pitch of the cell interval as compared with the initial position.
That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), when a fan beam angle is .+-..alpha. and a projection angle is .beta., the opposition data of a fan beam projection A at a certain angle (projection angle .beta.) is represented by a straight line B. The opposition data at a certain channel position ai are associated with the same black ball on the straight line B, and similarly, indicate the data of two white balls which are opposed to each other.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), in a case of performing the scanning by use of a 1/4 offset detector, when the opposition data of the above-described channel position .alpha..sub.i are considered, the position of -.alpha..sub.i falls under the cell border of the detector. These relations are true of all of the channel positions. Accordingly, the same result is obtained by sampling in the direction of a at the 1/2 pitch of the cell interval of the 1/4 offset detector.
Another of the important techniques is that the precision data, in which the cell interval of the 1/4 offset detector is made smaller, is calculated from the acquired data by calculation (oversampling), and a large bandwidth process is applied in the process thereafter.
It is most effective when these two techniques are used simultaneously. That is, this is the method, in which the data positioned between the detecting cells are calculated from the opposition data obtained by the offset acquiring, and the thus obtained result is processed by the large bandwidth process.
When it is intended to calculate the opposition interpolation data of the fan beam projection A at a certain angle (projection angle .beta.), if the cell interval of the 1/4 offset detector is .DELTA..alpha., then the opposition interpolation data coming between P(.alpha..sub.i, .beta.) and P(.alpha..sub.i+1, .beta.) as shown in FIG. 7 are shifted by .DELTA..alpha./2, so that P(.alpha..sub.i +.DELTA..alpha./2, .beta.) is obtained. Accordingly, the side of the opposition data represented by -(.alpha..sub.i +.DELTA..alpha./2), which is just at the cell center of the 1/4 offset detector and corresponds to the sample position in the direction of .alpha..
Actually, correspondence with the sample position in the direction .beta. rarely takes place, so that the opposition data can be calculated by the interpolation process in the direction of .beta.. This process is carried out over all of the channels, and, as shown in FIG. 8, the opposition interpolation data (high resolution data) P of 1/2 pitch of the cell interval of the 1/4 offset detector can be obtained from 0.degree. data P1 and 180.degree. data P2. When the 1/4 offset detector is used as described above, the opposition interpolation data P can be calculated without the interpolation process in the direction of channel, which is important for the resolving power, so that it becomes more effective.
Here, this method is referred to an opposed beam interpolation method. It is known that the spatial resolution can be improved by 25% effectively by the opposed beam interpolation method. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the high resolution process in a case of a fan beam direct back projection. As compared with the flow chart shown in FIG. 5, the above-described opposed beam interpolation process (Step S12) is added. Furthermore, FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the high resolution process in a case of a parallel beam arrangement back projection. As compared with the flow chart shown in FIG. 5, a parallel beam transformation process (Step S11) and the opposed beam interpolation process (Step S12) are added.
However, the high resolution image can be obtained by the opposed beam interpolation process, but, the data opposed to each other through 180.degree. have a shift (phase difference) of about 1/2 scan time. Thus, due to the movements of body and internal organs such as heart beat, respiration and peristaltic movements of bowels, the opposed data may not correspond with the data which are naturally obtained. Furthermore, in the actual scanning, the acquiring is one, in which an area having the spreading toward the detecting cells from the focus is scanned, so that it is difficult to achieve an accurate correspondence. Particularly, in a cross-section where there are small bones as in a head, there may occur an offset portion due to the contradiction between the both. Further, in the most commonly used filtered back projection method among the image reconstruction processes of the X-ray CT system, errors between both are emphasized for applying the high-frequency components emphasizing type filter, and on the reconstructed image, there may take place the streak-shaped artifacts and moire patterns. Furthermore, a shift in position may take place in the focus of an X-ray source due to the change in temperature, and also there may be cases where similar streak-shaped artifacts and moire patterns take place due to the distortions caused by the instrumentation geometry.
On the other hand, in order to control the partial volume effect and to obtain highly accurate data, the scanning may be performed by use of thin slices. In this case, since the efficiency of utilization of X-rays is lowered and image noises are greatly increased, such problems are presented that it is not suitable for observing the lesion having no difference in contrast and, when the high resolution algorithm is applied, the image noises are particularly emphasized.


A seal includes a transparent decoration, a hollow body having a bottom formed with an upwardly extending neck, a seat having a raised top fitted in a bottom of the transparent decoration and a lower portion fitted in the cylindrical body, a circuit board fitted in a lower portion of the seat and having a top on which are mounted an music integrated circuit, a light emitting means and a buzzer and a bottom on which are mounted at least a battery mounting and a switch, the light emitting means, the buzzer and the switch being electrically connected to the integrated circuit, a spring arranged within the body and having a lower end bearing against the neck and an upper end bearing against the circuit board, a rubber pad fixedly fitted in a bottom of the body, and a bottom cover engageable with the bottom of the body to cover the rubber pad, whereby the seal will give light and send out music when in use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a seal and in particular to one which will give light and produce music when in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A seal is a device used to identify or replace the signature of an individual or organization and to authenticate written matter purportedly emanating from such individual or organization. The use of seals is very ancient, examples of great antiquity occurring in China, Egypt, Greece, Rome and other places. However, the seal never changes in structure thereby making it dull and monotonous.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seal which will give light and produce music when in use.


A system for performing biological reactions is provided. The system includes a chip including a substrate and a plurality of reaction sites. The plurality of reaction sites are each configured to include a liquid sample of at most one nanoliter. Further, the system includes a control system configured to initiate biological reactions within the liquid samples. The system further includes a detection system configured to detect biological reactions on the chip. According to various embodiments, the chip includes at least 20000 reaction sites. In other embodiments, the chip includes at least 30000 reaction sites.

Systems for biological and biochemical reactions have been used to monitor, measure, and/or analyze such reactions in real time. Such systems are commonly used in sequencing, genotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and other biochemical reactions to monitor the progress and provide quantitative data.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a method of amplifying a target DNA sequence. Previously, PCR has been generally performed in 96- or 384-well microplates. If higher throughputs are desired, conventional PCR methods in microplates are not cost effective or efficient. On the other hand, reducing the PCR reaction volumes lowers the consumption of reagents and may decrease amplification times from the reduced thermal mass of the reaction volumes. This strategy may be implemented in an array format (m×n), resulting in a large number of smaller reaction volumes. Furthermore, using an array allows for a scalable high throughput analysis with increased quantification sensitivity, dynamic range, and specificity.
Array formats have also been used to perform Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (dPCR). Results from dPCR can be used to detect and quantify the concentration of rare alleles, to provide absolute quantitation of nucleic acid samples, and to measure low fold-changes in nucleic acid concentration. Generally, increasing the number of replicates increases the accuracy and reproducibility of dPCR results.
The array format in most quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) platforms is designed for sample-by-assay experiments, in which PCR results need to be addressable for post-run analysis. For dPCR, however, the specific position or well of each PCR result may be immaterial and only the number of positive and negative replicates per sample may be analyzed.
In dPCR, a solution containing a relatively small number of a target polynucleotide or nucleotide sequence may be subdivided into a large number of small test samples, such that each sample generally contains either one molecule of the target nucleotide sequence or none of the target nucleotide sequence. When the samples are subsequently thermally cycled in a PCR protocol, procedure, or experiment, the sample containing the target nucleotide sequence are amplified and produce a positive detection signal, while the samples containing no target nucleotide sequence are not amplified and produce no detection signal.
Thus, increasing demands to provide greater numbers of reactions per test or experiment have resulted in instruments that are able to conduct ever higher numbers of reactions simultaneously.
The increase in the number sample sites in a test or experiment has led to microtiter plates and other sample formats that provide ever smaller sample volumes. In addition, techniques such as digital PCR (dPCR) have increased the demand for smaller sample volumes that contain either zero or one target nucleotide sequence in all or the majority of a large number of test samples. There is a need for systems and sample format that will provide reliable data in a high-density sample format.

Systems and methods for biological analysis


Methods and apparatus are provided which allow control systems to be tested. Specifically, a test system is coupled to a control system in a manner which allows the test system to communicate with and drive the control system by sending and receiving signals via both the controller-I/O communication channel and the field I/O connectors. In essence, the test system is used to both simulate a plant to be controlled and to monitor, validate, and or modify the internal state of the control system controller and possibly the control system I/O interface. Plant simulation is accomplished by simulating the I/O devices to which the control system is coupled (and hence the plant processes) when installed in its operational environment. In addition to the simulation of I/O devices, the test system takes advantage of the fact that many commonly used controller and I/O interfaces are capable of communication with other devices by using such communications ability to provide instructions to or obtain information from a control system's controller(s) and I/O interface(s).

Control systems incorporating PLCs (Programmable Logic Controlers) and DCSs (Distributed Control Systems) are frequently used to control real world processes by accepting inputs which typically originate from sensors such as, among others, those used to sense temperature, flow, level, radiation, light, movement, and pressure, and those used in generating outputs which are used to drive actuators such as hydraulic devices, valves, lights, and motors. Control systems can often be viewed as having a control component and an interface component, with one or both components having both hardware and software sub-components. Thus a PLC based device might utilize a digital PLC having embedded software as the control component (the "controller"), with an interface component (the "I/O interface") (a) accepting signals from sensors and converting them into a form acceptable to the PLC, and (b) accepting outputs from the PLC and converting them to signals suitable as inputs to the actuators. In such systems, the controller and I/O interface are often connected by one or more paths (the "controller-I/O communication channel) to allow communication and control signals to pass between the controller and the I/O interface. Similarly, the I/O interface is, after the control system is installed in its operating environment, connected via one or more electrical paths (the "field wiring") to the components from which the control system receives its inputs, and to the components to which the control system directs its outputs, with the I/O interface being provided with a plurality of connectors ("field I/O connectors") which facilitate connecting the I/O interface with the field wiring. Many control systems will also incorporate a human-machine-interface (HMI) component comprising hardware and or software for facilitating operator interaction with the control system.
Although methods and devices for testing control systems are known, they generally have individual strengths and weaknesses which make them more appropriate in some situations and less appropriate in other. Thus, there is a continuing need for improved methods and apparatus for control system testing.


A dental floss applicator structure is arranged to include a framework to mount a dental floss dispenser housing, wherein the housing directs a dental floss filament from the housing about a smooth groove, that in turn directs the filament through a first guide post and through spaced first and second extension legs directing the filament between the extension legs and returning the filament through a second guide post and wrapped around the guide post below the framework as a take-up structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to dental floss applicator and dispensing apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved dental flosser apparatus wherein the same is directed to the dispensing and employment of dental floss in a dental cleaning procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dental floss holder and dispenser structure is indicated in the prior art in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,999; 3,525,462; 5,038,806; 5,020,554; and 3,519,004.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by employing a dental floss applicator structure arranged to permit the application of dental floss to an individual's teeth permitting access to remote portions of the individual's teeth and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


Example implementations relate to a system for selecting a provider service that fulfills a specification of a service request. The system includes a storage unit, a transformer unit, and a selection unit. The storage unit is configured to store a generic contract that is a concept of an ontology and a provider sub-concept that is a further concept of the ontology and a sub-concept of the generic contract. The provider sub-concept represents the provider service. The transformer unit is configured to transform the service request to a request sub-concept that is a concept of the ontology and a sub-concept of the generic contract. The selection unit is configured to select the provider service in case that the request sub-concept is a sub-concept of the provider sub-concept.

In recent years, electronic data processing has been used more and more for commercial activities between two or more parties. As an example, many companies and people use Web services to order or purchase products through the Internet. In an example case, a company may have a computer system that provides an order system, that is, a computer program for ordering products. The order system may provide a user interface so that an employee of the company can enter data required for ordering the products. The order system may be configured so that it can invoke a Web service of a supplier using the entered data. For this, the order system may, for example, add further data and invoke the Web service with the entered data and the further data in a specific format. The Web service may then trigger a process for providing the ordered products.
In a service-oriented architecture, processes are modelled with services as modular processing units. The services may be Web services or further services. The services are described by a specification and can be invoked according to the specification. Therefore, the services can be used in a flexible way by different requesters and independently of the internal processing of data.
Furthermore, a requester of a service and a provider of the service may negotiate a contract. The contract may specify certain properties of the service and an agreement, for example a price that is effective when the service is requested according to the certain properties.
The requester of a service may have access to a plurality of available services that potentially fulfill a service request and that may be subject to contracts. In such a case, the requester may, for example, invoke all services that potentially fulfill the service request and analyze results provided by the services to select a service for fulfilling the service request. This may involve processing and transferring of many data, so that a lot of computer resources and connection resources are consumed. Furthermore, it may be required to specify more data for invoking the services that potentially fulfill the service request than to select the service for fulfilling the service request.
A semantic web has been suggested to discover services in e-commerce. A semantic web includes a description of data so that the data can be read and understood by computer systems. The data may be described using an ontology. Generally, the ontology is a conceptual schema for defining relevant entities of a set of data, relationships between the entities, and rules for the entities. Therefore, the ontology defines the contents of the data. The ontology is complete, that is, relevant entities, relationships and rules are included in the ontology. The ontology of a domain may be a domain-specific ontology that is valid for the domain. The ontology may be accessible by a computer program and enable the computer program to infer properties or property values for an entity of the ontology according to the ontology. The services may be described by using a web services description language (WSDL). In a semantic web, a service may be matched to a service request in a flexible way, because matching may be possible even if the specifications of the service and the service request are different. The specifications may be different, for example, due to a different level of description, that is, the specification of the service request may be more detailed than the specification of the service. The service request may be matched with a service without transforming, for example, the service request to the specification of the service to compare the specifications on the same level. However, for selecting the service the plurality of services are described by an identical ontology and the potentially suitable services may have to be invoked.

Oncology-driven service selection using a generic service contract


An apparatus for use in roping skills training and practice provides a practical, effective, lightweight, and economical alternative to using live animals for heeling practice, which involves the roping of the hind legs of the animal. This apparatus includes a simulated animal torso and a pair of simulated hind legs. The apparatus includes a support frame and a drive system. The drive system includes mechanical links that provide interconnection between the pair of simulated hind legs and the drive system, thus providing for lifelike and coordinated leg and torso movement.

Interest in animal roping skill development, and in animal roping competition generally, has steadily increased since the days when these skills were crucial to cattle ranching operations. Moreover, leg roping skills continue to be important for bull handling, calf branding, and other cattle ranching activities. Because of the anatomical mechanics of cattle, roping the hind legs, often referred to as "heeling," requires split second timing and is considerably difficult. Therefore, it is crucial for those responsible for roping the hind legs of cattle to have the opportunity to engage in repetitive practice.
One of the inherent difficulties in developing roping skills, particularly for hind leg roping, has been historical reliance on live animals and an elaborate practice facility. Often, the repetitive practice of roping skills on live animals is not practical or humane, due to the cumulative stress imposed on the animals. Furthermore, obtaining and maintaining a collection of livestock and a practice facility is very costly. Therefore, there has long been a need for alternative means for practice and training.
A number of different kinds of apparatuses have been developed through the years to assist in the training of heelers, those who rope the hind legs of the animal, as well as headers, those who rope the head of the animal. The simplest such apparatus is a stationary practice dummy that allows a trainee to practice basic roping skills while standing on the ground or sitting on a horse. While this apparatus provides for training opportunities at a minimal cost, it is of limited value in developing the necessary timing skills for successful roping of a moving animal. There have been a number of more advanced devices developed to assist in training of heelers, each simulating the leg movement of a running steer or calf, with varying degrees of effectiveness, complexity, and cost.
Perhaps the best previously-known apparatus for simulating both leg movement and torso movement is disclosed by Nelson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,386 ("the '386 Patent"), a U.S. Patent assigned to the assignee of the instant application. The '386 Patent includes a drive mechanism with a drive pulley, drive shaft, and drive cams. The mechanical orientation of these components leads to a particular leg and torso movement. More specifically, as the legs translate forward (i.e., from an extended position behind the torso to a bent position underneath the torso), the torso translates upward.


A computer system is programmed with basic input/output services (BIOS), including an initialization service, and an associated virtual mode execution monitor. The initialization service scans for option ROMs of add-on devices at power on/reset. For each detected option ROM, the initialization service creates the runtime definition of its initialization task, setting up the initialization task to be executed in a virtual mode, redirecting all interrupts and exceptions arisen during execution of the initialization task to the virtual mode execution monitor. For each redirected interrupt/exception, the virtual mode execution monitor either allows the triggering attempted operation to be performed, or substitutes an impermissible triggering attempted operation with one or more fail safe recovery operations, or simply terminates the "ill-behaving" initialization task.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the controlling of ill-behaved add-on devices.
2. Background Information
It is axiomatic that "one size does not fit all". The axiom certainly applies to the art of computer systems, as they come in the form of entry level desktop computers for home computing, to large mainframes for numeric intensive computations. Even within a segment of the market, it is not unusual to find various functional features being offered as "add-on" devices, such as video capture devices in the case of personal computers.
Many add-on devices come with optional read only memories (ROMs) having embedded control software stored therein. Typically, the control software of an add-on device would include an initialization task for configuring said add-on device. As a result, the base systems are vulnerable to ill-behaved initialization tasks of add-on devices.
While the add-on device manufacturers have an interest in ensuring that their add-on devices will work properly with the targeted based systems, it is the base system manufacturers who have the most vested interest in ensuring that their systems will work reliably, with or without any number of add-on devices. However, as well appreciated by those skilled in the art, there are literally hundreds of "optional" devices, manufactured by many different vendors, available for add-on to personal computers. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for a system manufacturer to ensure that its systems will work properly with each and every one of these potential add-on devices. Even if we were to assume that it is possible to test and validate a base system with all the existing potential add-on devices, there will always be new add-on devices becoming available after the pre-release validation, in the life span of a system.
Thus, it is desirable to have an approach such that a system manufacturer can be in the driver's chair in preventing any mis-behavior by an add-on device, and thereby in a better position to ensure the overall reliability of the system.

Controlling ill-behaved computer add-on device through a virtual execution mode


An apparatus for ventilation of a casting mold has two mold halves that lie opposite one another and are complementary, in terms of shape and function, to one another. The halves have a plurality of elevations and/or depressions, in each instance, which run essentially parallel to one another and essentially transverse to a flow direction, on their surfaces that face one another, in such a manner that when the mold halves are set onto one another, a gap having an inlet and an outlet forms between the mold halves, at least in part. The gap is washboard-shaped, labyrinth-shaped and/or meander-shaped. Through the gap, air displaced out of the casting mold and excess molten material flow during filling of the casting mold. At least one mold half is formed by multiple segments disposed next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the mold half and releasably attached.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for ventilation of a casting mold.
2. Description of the Related Art
When filling a casting mold, for example during high-pressure or low-pressure casting, during chill casting or some other casting method, the air situated in the casting mold has to be removed from the casting mold in order to achieve a clean casting result without cavities and porosities. This can either be done actively, by means of evacuation of the mold before the actual filling process, passively by means of displacement of the air during introduction of the casting material, or by means of a combination of these two methods.
Apparatuses for ventilation of a casting mold in the form of what are called chill vents are known from DE 202 08 464 U1 or DE 20 2010 006 751 U1. With these valve devices, ventilation of the mold takes place by means of a washboard-shaped, labyrinth-shaped or meander-shaped gap in a block-like valve body made from a highly conductive material, whereby after removal of the air from the casting mold, casting material from the casting mold enters into the gap in the valve body and solidifies there. In this way, it is ensured that all the air is removed from the mold and a satisfactory casting result is achieved.
Because of the high flow velocity of the casting material in the valve body, increased wear of the valve body occurs in the inflow region. It is known to configure the valve body with wear-resistant material in the inflow region, but such wear-resistant materials are relatively expensive.

Apparatus for ventilation of a casting mold


A system and method for assisting with analysis and recognition of ink is described. Analysis hints may be associated with a field. The field may receive electronic ink. Based on the identity of the field and the analysis hint associated with it, at least one of analysis and recognition of ink may be assisted.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to computing systems. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to providing hints for handwriting recognition.
2. Description of Related Art
In addition to working with text, computers now have the ability to record and modify electronic ink. The electronic ink may be kept in its native form or may be recognized as text. Recognition of electronic ink is not always perfect. The recognition process may vary based on the legibility of a person's handwriting in addition to the context in which the person is writing.
Computing systems provide alternates to users such that a user may select which recognition result is correct for received handwriting. However, conventional representations of alternates do not address complex representations of electronic ink. For instance, conventional representations of alternates are limited to analyzing a single line or few lines of electronic ink. Computing systems did not account for contextual value of electronic ink extending beyond five or so lines.
Also, similar handwriting may have different meaning based on the context of the area in which someone is writing.
A system is needed that uses information relating to an input region to improve recognition.


A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving reliability in a memory circuit. The method includes coupling a pull-down element to a word line, the pull-down element coupled distal to a word line driver. The method further includes, when the word line exhibits a defect causing a first portion of the word line to be electrically isolated from a second portion of the word line, holding the second portion of the word line at a logically low value using the pull-down element. A memory device is disclosed that includes a word line coupled to a memory cell, a word line driver coupled to one end of the word line, and a pull-down element coupled proximate the other end of the word line. The pull-down element is operable, when the word line exhibits a defect causing a first portion of the word line to be electrically isolated from a second portion of the word line, to hold the second portion of the word line at a logical low value.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), static random access memory (SRAM) and flash memory. The demand for high density semiconductor memory devices increases year after year. Better manufacturing processes have been developed to meet this demand; however, as the density of memory components increases to meet the demand, there is a higher probability of memory errors occurring due to the manufacturing process. Memory errors can corrupt data and result in the permanent loss of business data and lost revenue from downtime.
Built-in self testing (BIST) of the memory device is commonly employed to identify defects that occur during the manufacturing process that may result in memory errors. When a defective memory cell is identified during this testing process, the defective memory cell is conventionally remedied by utilizing redundant memory cells within the memory device. As such, the defective memory cell is repaired by replacing one or more columns or rows containing the defective memory cell with the column or row containing the redundant memory cell. This replacement technique is generally accomplished through the use of fuses. A fuse associated with the defective cell is blown to indicate that the memory cell is defective, and an address presented on the associated row or column is then rerouted to the redundant operational memory cell thereby effectively repairing the cell. With this testing and redundancy method, improved yields in semiconductor storage devices are achieved.
One of the defects that occurs during the manufacturing process is one in which a local word line or a global word line of the memory device experiences an open metal trace or a highly resistive metal trace due to a process defect. When this occurs, a first portion of the word line that connects to the word line driver is electrically separated from a second portion of the word line by this open or highly resistive trace. Redundancy techniques can be used to repair and reroute the memory function. However due to the open trace condition, the second portion of the word line is not electrically connected to the first portion of the word line. As a result, the second portion of the word line is left in a logically floating state. Over time, this floating portion of the word line can become a logical high due to charge accumulation. When the floating portion of the word line is always at a logical high, and therefore always "on," the floating portion can interrupt the correct reading of another row in the memory device, causing a read error. Because the problem occurs as a result of charge accumulation it is typically not discovered until after the product has been shipped to a customer. Moreover, this problem may not be discovered until months or years after the part is delivered to the customer. This potential for a read error to occur presents a significant reliability problem for the memory device.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a system and method to improve the reliability of a memory device by controlling the floating portion of a word line resulting from an open or highly resistive trace present in the word line due to a process defect.

System and method to improve reliability in memory word line


A communication system operates compatibly with a public or private switching network using a Q.931 protocol for basic rate ISDN communications. Communications between a control unit and station terminals of the system use a local protocol which is a modification of the Q.931 protocol. This local protocol includes one segment including the mandatory elements of the Q.931 protocol and a second segment derived by converting the optional elements of the Q.931 protocol into a local codeset which controls the user interface circuits at each station terminal. The local protocol enables call control between the control unit and each station terminal to be managed on a bearer channel basis while call control between the system and the network is managed on a call appearance basis using the standard Q.931 protocol. The local protocol provides for communicating line selection and feature activation commands from the terminal to the control unit, using simple button commands.

The Q.931 protocol has been accepted as the standard for ISDN signaling channel communications over a central office loop to a subscriber location. In such an arrangement, a terminal at the subscriber's location generates user interface information (e.g., which features and buttons are used at the terminal) from call control information sent using the Q.931 protocol. Each terminal requires a relatively powerful processor, a collection of special sophisticated algorithms, a large random-access-memory (RAM) and a large read-only-memory (ROM) to generate the user interface information. Additionally, this call control complexity increases proportionally with the number of line buttons on a station terminal. Unfortunately, these additional capabilities add significantly to the cost of station terminals. Moreover, to upgrade or add a feature to the terminals may require that changes be made to each terminal which adds significant terminal upgrade costs; since changes to the administrative data must be performed on a per terminal basis thereat.
What is desirable is a way to reduce terminal production cost and customer upgrade cost of the terminals while maintaining their compatibility with the Q.931 protocol standard.

Communication system for converting ISDN signaling protocol between local and public network having first group of mandatory elements and second group of non-mandatory elements