A storing unit stores a plurality of pieces of tag information to be stored in a single radio-frequency-identification tag. A responding unit transmits, in response to a request from a reader/writer, part of the stored tag information to the reader/writer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for managing tag information to be stored in a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) tag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, RFID tags have been employed in various fields. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-337827, for example, disclose affixing an RFID tag to a mail-delivery order to of a mail (or parcels) and tracing the mail based on information in the RFID tag.
In some cases only a tag ID used for identifying an RFID tag is stored in the RFID tag, while in other cases the tag ID and tag information are stored in the RFID tag.
FIG. 9 is a schematic for explaining one example of a conventional art. In this conventional art, a tag ID and tag information are stored in association in a tag server for a plurality of RFID tags, and only a tag ID is stored in each RFID tag. Only one tag information is associated with one tag ID. When a reader/writer reads a tag ID from an RFID tag and transmits the read tag ID to the tag server, the tag server retrieves tag information corresponding to the received tag ID and transmits the retrieved tag information to the reader/writer. However, there are problems that the tag server needs to be prepared and the reader/writer needs to have online access to the tag server when using the RFID tag.
FIG. 10 is a schematic for explaining another example of a conventional technology in which a tag ID and tag information are stored in each RFID tag, and a reader/writer reads tag information directly from the RFID tag. However, a substantial amount of memory needs to be prepared in the RFID tag for storing the tag information so that an RFID tag becomes rather expensive.

Method and apparatus for managing tag information, and computer product


A digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit is provided by which a video/audio signal can be processed by receiving an analog broadcast signal and a digital broadcast signal and switching a signal processing block which is used in common for digital broadcast signal processing and analog broadcast signal processing. The digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit includes a digital broadcast signal processor for demodulating the digital broadcast signal tuned by the tuner, demultiplexing the demodulated digital broadcast signal into video and audio signals, and decoding the audio and video signals; an analog broadcast signal demodulator for demultiplexing the analog broadcast signal tuned by the tuner into analog video and audio signals and demodulating the video and audio signals; an audio switching unit for receiving the audio signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; a video switching unit for receiving the video signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; an audio signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the audio switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the audio signal, and for outputting the compensated audio signal via a speaker; and a video signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the video switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the video signal, and for outputting the compensated video signal. The digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit further includes a controller for determining whether the digital broadcast signal is received, and generating one of the first switching control signal and the second switching control signal for selecting one signal of the audio and video switching units according to one of a presence or absence of the digital broadcast signal, and a selection of a user via a key input unit connected to the controller.

This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cDigital/Analog Broadcast Signal Processing Unitxe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jun. 26, 1998 and assigned Serial No. 98-24414, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal processing unit, and more particularly, to a digital/analog broadcasting signal processing unit for processing a video/audio signal by receiving an analog broadcasting signal and a digital broadcasting signal, and switching a signal processing block used in common by digital processing hardware and analog processing hardware.
2. Description of the Related Art
Even with the development of broadcasting techniques, analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting cannot be simultaneously achieved. However, it is envisioned that one day broadcasting stations will be able to transmit a digital broadcast signal and an analog broadcast signal at the same time. At a receiver end, equipment will be needed for receiving and processing the analog and digital signals transmitted by the broadcasting stations.
For example, the receiver end will need to have an analog video/audio signal processing circuit for receiving and processing the analog broadcast signals, and a digital video/audio signal processing circuit for receiving and processing the digital broadcast signals. The analog and digital signal processing circuits of the prior art are not designed as a single unit, and hence, will need to be separately installed.
In operation, when an analog television broadcast signal is received, a video/audio signal will be processed by the analog video/audio signal processing unit, and when a digital television broadcast signal is received, a video/audio signal will be processed by the separate digital video/audio signal processing unit. Accordingly, there is a need for a video/audio signal processing block capable of being used in common for processing analog and digital signals to defray costs associated with installing two signal processing circuits instead of one.
To solve the above problem, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit by which a video/audio signal is processed by a video/audio signal processing block capable of being used in common in an analog-broadcast video/audio signal processing circuit and in a digital-broadcast video/audio signal processing circuit by switching and connecting the block for common use by an analog broadcast signal processing block or a digital broadcast signal processing block
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit for processing analog and digital broadcast signals, the analog and digital broadcast signals received via an antenna and tuned by a tuner, the unit includes a digital broadcast signal processor for demodulating the digital broadcast signal tuned by the tuner, demultiplexing the demodulated digital broadcast signal into video and audio signals, and decoding the audio and video signals; an analog broadcast signal demodulator for demultiplexing the analog broadcast signal tuned by the tuner into analog video and audio signals and demodulating the video and audio signals; an audio switching unit for receiving the audio signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; a video switching unit for receiving the video signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; an audio signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the audio switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the audio signal, and for outputting the compensated audio signal via a speaker; and a video signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the video switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the video signal, and for outputting the compensated video signal.
The digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit further includes a controller for determining whether the digital broadcast signal is received, and generating one of the first switching control signal and the second switching control signal for selecting one signal of the audio and video switching units according to one of a presence or absence of the digital broadcast signal, and a selection of a user via a key input unit connected to the controller.

Digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit


A convertible pickup truck cargo box system is disclosed that allows a pickup truck to easily transform into a flat bed truck, giving a greater range of utility, versatility, options, and cosmetic appearance for both commercial/work applications and recreational/personal applications in just one vehicle. The convertible pickup truck cargo box system may include a convertible cargo box that has a flat bed, a fold up headache rack, removable side panels, and a removable tailgate assembly. The seam between the side panels and the flat bed may be concealed by side trim molding so that their interface is not seen, giving the normal cosmetic appearance of a standard pickup truck. Thus, the pickup truck can be converted easily from a normal looking pickup truck for recreational and personal applications into a flat bed truck for commercial and work applications by removing and storing the side panels and the tailgate assembly.

1. Technical Field
This document relates to modifications for pickup trucks, and more specifically to a convertible pickup truck cargo box system.
2. Background
There has always been an interest in light trucks of all kinds, especially pickup trucks. Typically, vehicles of this type include a generally rectangular cargo box located on a rearward portion of the vehicle frame. Pickup trucks are used in a wide variety of commercial, as well as recreational endeavors. Some pickup truck modifications exist for these purposes. But too often these conventional modifications do not provide the full utility, versatility, and cosmetic appearance that is needed in both commercial/work and recreational/personal applications. That is, a consumer is relegated to choosing between a pickup truck that is primarily to be used for a recreational/personal purpose (at the expense of not being able to have the full versatility of function that commercial/work applications would require), or a truck that is primarily to be used for a commercial/work purpose (at the expense of not being able to have the full versatility of function and the cosmetic appearance that recreational/personal applications would require). Often this choice comes down to choosing between a normal looking pickup truck and a flat bed work truck.

Convertible pickup truck cargo box system


An auto-parking device installed on a vehicle comprises a vehicle status sensing unit for detecting a state of a vehicle, an image acquisition unit for capturing vehicle outside image, a range sensing unit for measuring the space, a processing unit for receiving states of the vehicle from the vehicle status sensing unit, receiving environmental states from the image acquisition unit and range sensing unit, calculating a parking path based on parallel parking or back-in parking and then controlling the vehicle steering, throttle and brake via a driving control unit to automatically park the car into the space as per the planned parking path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to auto-parking, and particularly to an auto-parking device, wherein an image acquisition unit (e.g. camera) and a range sensing unit (e.g. ultrasonic sensor) are used to aware the surrounding situation of the vehicle itself, a processing unit can program a parking path despite the initial position of the car.
2. Description of Related Art
Driving a car has become an integral part of modern life and thus parking is also an unavoidable maneuver in driving. However, most of the parking places are not so wide that the driver can park a car comfortably and easily. In most cases, the parking space is only slightly greater than the size of the car. Thus the parking operation often includes a series of repeated actions for moving forwards, backwards, leftwards and rightwards, such that the whole process would become tedious and difficult for drivers in particular novices.
Moreover, according to the statistics, careless collisions occur frequently during the parking maneuver. Although most of cars are coated with paint, the paint is vulnerable and easy to be damaged by the collision. Even a light collision will make the paint peel off and thus lead the metal substrate to readily get rusted. Subsequently, the driver will be burdened with a big expense on repairing and repainting. Hence, developing an auto-parking device that can adapt intelligently to variable circumstances and avoid undesired collisions is the goal many automotive companies are striving toward.
In one prior art patent, "car reversing auto-parking system", a car body is installed with a displacement detection device, an obstacle detection device, a microcomputer, etc. for deriving an auto-parking path so as to achieve the object of auto parking.
However, the prior art simply provides a fixed parking path. That is, in the beginning, the driver must stop the car at a specific position for performing the function of auto-parking. Therefore, the auto-parking ability proposed in the prior art is not only limited but also inflexible to the variation of the environment such that the driver may often have to park the car by himself (or herself).
Furthermore, although some other prior arts propose similar devices for automatic car reversing, an integral design including precise space detection by fusion of image and range sensing, as well as adaptive parking path planning has not been seen in these literatures. Hence, there is a necessity for a novel design which can improve the prior art deficiency.


Embodiments pertain to methods of improving the performance of a frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar system and improving the value of the information provided the FMCW system. In an embodiment, the IF level is monitored while sweeping the frequency of the system through at least a portion of the frequency range of the system and the frequency is set to produce the minimum IF level. Embodiments expedite the adaptation of the comb filter to the signal when the system is turned on. In an embodiment, a method of quickly determining the largest peaks in the RDM is implemented. Embodiments relate to a method for processing a radar signal that classifies two or more targets. An embodiment classifies a human target or other target(s) using amplitude values in time-consecutive range-Doppler maps. An embodiment processes a radar signal for improving the performance of FMCW detection, tracking, and classification algorithms.

Radar can be used to detect and track targets in a radar scene. Systems for such detecting and tracking can transmit an RF signal onto a radar scene and receive the reflected RF signal from targets and clutter. A common detection technique is homodyne detection. The received signal can then be processed, for example, via digital signal processing (DSP), after amplification and/or filtering, to provide data for detection and tracking of objects in the radar scene.
Radar systems can suffer from amplitude modulation (AM), which can be referred to as AM noise, on the received signal. Reduction of the AM noise can improve the performance of the radar system.
In radar systems for detecting and tracking targets, it can be important to quickly obtain meaningful detection and tracking information as quickly as possible after turning the system on. For example, there can be situations where the system is turned on only when a user determines a potential target may be in the radar scene. In this case, it is often advantageous to have the system provide detection and tracking to the user soon after turning the system on. Typical systems can incorporate a digital comb filter for adapting to the AM noise in order to reduce the AM noise. Such digital comb filters can take on the order of ten seconds to adapt to the AM noise signal and thus delay the system from providing the user meaningful detection and tracking information. It would be advantageous if the digital comb filter could adapt to the AM noise quicker.
A primary objective of a radar sensor is to maximize detection while simultaneously minimizing false alarms. Many radar sensors create range-Doppler maps (RDMs) in which the amplitude values of each cell represent potential target detects. When no targets are present in the sensor environment, the amplitude values in each cell are proportional to the noise and clutter background detected by the radar. What targets are present in the radar environment, these may appear in the cells of the range-Doppler map with somewhat larger amplitude, depending on the target size, distance from the radar and other factors. A radar system may utilize a digital signal processor (DSP) to perform the necessary signal processing tasks to create the RDM. This signal processing may be performed with fast Fourier transform (FFT) techniques or other techniques. In radar systems employing DSPs, computational power and memory may be limited.
Techniques to process the information in range-Doppler maps more efficiently and to provide data relevant to detection and tracking can improve the performance of radar systems for detection and tracking, for a given amount of computational power and memory.
Once a target is detected and/or tracked, it can be valuable to provide information to the user as to what type, or class, of target it is. Providing information as to the class of the target is often referred to as classification. A particular distinction that can be useful is to determine whether a target is a human being or a truck. Techniques for processing data obtained from a received RF signal in the radar system to provide more accurate classification of targets, for a given computational power and memory, can be valuable to the user.

Radar microsensor for detection, tracking, and classification

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A method of forming a stacked structure in an electronic device, where a photoresist for performing multi-patterning processes is used. Also, a method of manufacturing a FED in which different structures can be multi-patterned by using a single photoresist mask. The photoresist has a solubility to a solvent by heat-treatment after exposure, and a complicated structure can be formed using the photoresist.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a field emission device (FED), and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a FED using a mask for performing multiple exposure to light and multi-patterning processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, thin films or thick films forming stacked structures for electronic devices are processed using physical, chemical, or physical-chemical methods. Here, masks for patterning processing target materials to have desired shapes are used.
In general, a mask is directly deposited to a processing target material, and is formed with a photoresist of a light-hardened or light-softened polymer. According to a conventional method, a conventional mask is formed through a series of processes such as photoresist coating, soft baking, exposing, developing, and hard baking, and the mask cannot be altered when these processes are finished. Accordingly, the conventional mask is used only once, and thus a new mask needs to be formed if the stacked structure requires an additional etching process for forming a new pattern.
Since the conventional photolithography process includes many operational units, they should be simplified when considering manufacturing costs and productivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of forming stack layer and method of manufacturing electronic device having the same


A circuit board connector is disclosed that has isolator ribs between contact tails, and slots in the edge of a circuit board between circuit pads that communicate with the ribs to avoid pad-to-pad current leakage and high-voltage breakdown. The slots may be between individual circuit board fingers that each include one of the conductor pads.

Printed circuit boards often have electrical connectors attached at one edge by soldering the tails of the connector to pads provided at the edge of the board. The distance between adjacent tails and between adjacent pads is often small and will not sustain high voltage without current leakage or voltage breakdown. It is desirable to provide a connector design that allows soldered connection to the edge of a circuit board that is resistant to current leakage and voltage breakdown when a high voltage appears between the pads.

High-voltage resistance for a connector attached to a circuit board


An electronic apparatus capable of replacing a fan module during operation, includes a unit for instructing a replacement of a fan module, and a unit for controlling a fan drive voltage not to be supplied to a fan module to be replaced when the replacement is instructed.

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a fan module replacing method.
A hot swap facility has been used as a technique for replacing fan modules implementing redundancy during system operation in an electronic apparatus.
However, such a hot swap is performed on the large-current circuitry with maintaining a fan drive voltage. Thus, a connector mechanism flowing the large current results in a dedicated large-sized structure including an arrangement having sufficient distance between connection pins, a sufficient current capacity, and the like. Specifically, a back plane and large-sized connectors are provided as relay parts for the fan modules in the cabinet to assure the large current capacity.
Consequently, the prior art imposes great structural restrictions on the fan module mounting portions and requires many special parts with large and complicated structures. In addition, the electronic apparatus has become large, heavy, and costly because the cabinet needs a large installation space for the fan module mounting portions.

Electronic apparatus and fan module replacing method


A passive acoustic sensor that may be employed to detect sounds emanating from under the surface of a body of water. The sensor uses optics to determine vibration on the surface of a water body to detect sound pressure waves from underwater sound sources. The sensor is deployed above the surface and has no direct interaction with anything under the surface that may be emanating sounds. This allows the invention to operate without interfering with potential sound sources as well as allows for numerous deployment methods.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to passive sensors, more particularly to passive acoustic sensors, and most particularly to passive acoustic sensors to detect sound emanating from under water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many potential sources of acoustic sounds emanating from under water, such as in the ocean. For example, cetacean mammals, such as dolphins and whales, emit broadband, short duration clicks for echolocation and longer duration, narrow band, frequency modulated whistles for communication. Also, certain man-made objects, placed or released underwater, also project sounds at various frequencies.
The present passive method for identifying these types of sounds is to place hydrophones under the water and set these devices to record. After a certain period of time, these recordings are assembled into database systems. The database systems may be provided to researchers that study cetacean mammal migratory or behavioral patterns as well as users attempting to identify man-made sources projecting acoustic signatures underwater.
However, the use of such in-water devices is problematic because the devices themselves may disrupt the behavior of undersea life. Also, the ships that carry, place, and maintain the in-water devices produce significant noise that can also disrupt undersea life or interfere with acoustic signals emanating from underwater objects that the devices are attempting to identify.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a passive sensor to detect acoustic sounds emanating from under water that does not interfere with or startle the source of the acoustic sounds.

Passive optical detection of underwater sound

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A capability is provided for reducing the costs of data transfers for networks using pricing heterogeneity. For data to be transferred between an application of a first network and a user device, the data may be transferred directly without using a second network or indirectly using a second network including a transfer of the data between the first network and the second network. In a network-based file system, a first network is primarily used for write requests and a second network is primarily used for read requests, and a data block is transferred from the first network to the second network based on a determination that a threshold number of read requests for the data block have been received. The determination as to when to transfer data between networks may be determined based on various costs associated with the networks.

Cloud providers typically charge their cloud customers for operations that their applications perform in the cloud: input/output (I/O), storage, content delivery, and so forth. In many cases, bandwidth accounts for most of the cost associated with running an application in the cloud. Cloud customers are charged for both outgoing and incoming bandwidth, but the cost of outgoing bandwidth is typically dominant (e.g., the volume of outgoing traffic is typically greater than the volume of incoming traffic, and the cost of outgoing bandwidth is typically greater than the cost of incoming traffic).

Reducing costs related to use of networks based on pricing heterogeneity


A method for tracking a progress of data copying for a live migration includes transferring, by a storage controller, a first data structure to a live migration server, the first data structure including a first status identifier indicating a location of a source data to be copied from a source storage to a target storage, and selectively generating or selectively clearing, by the storage controller, a second status identifier in or from a second data structure, based on a first current copying location of the live migration server, the second status identifier indicating a location of a first user data write to the source storage.

The present background section is intended to provide context only, and the disclosure of any embodiment or concept in this section does not constitute an admission that said embodiment or concept is prior art.
In the field of computer storage, a live migration (LM) operation (or live migration process) may refer to a copying of data from a source storage to a target storage at a time when the source storage may potentially receive a user data write from a source server (e.g., a normal source server, or a normal source host, that is not a live migration server, or a live migration host). Data structures (e.g., bitmaps) may be used to identify initial data locations within the source storage to be copied to the target storage. A live migration server may use (e.g., refer to) the data structures to perform the live migration process, which may include copying relevant data (e.g., mapped data in an initial state) from the source storage and writing the relevant data to the target storage. Because the copying and writing processes may take a significant amount of time, data structures (e.g., bitmaps) may also be used to track locations of subsequent user data writes that occur at relevant locations of the source storage, after a transferring of the initial data structures to the live migration server. Tracking the locations of the subsequent user data writes may allow the migration server to update the relevant data at the target storage, based on the locations of the user data writes at the source storage. However, such data structures used to track the subsequent data writes (e.g., "dirty bitmaps") may include metadata (e.g., one or more "dirty" bits, or status identifiers) identifying locations of the relevant source data that were not yet copied by the live migration server when the data writes were recorded in the dirty bitmap. Thus, redundant copying may occur when the live migration server performs an initial copying of data from the source storage to the target storage using the initial data structure (e.g., an initial dirty bitmap) and when the live migration server performs later copying using a tracked data structure (e.g., a second or later dirty bitmap), which slows down the live migration process.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods, devices, and systems for efficiently managing the use of bitmaps for updating data associated with a live migration process.

Use of copy location to selectively set or selectively clear bits of metadata during live migration


In a solid-state image sensor, first color filters for a first color and associated photodiodes are disposed with a uniform pitch in all pixels in a chip. As to microlenses, however, those in pixels located in a central area of the chip are disposed to substantially align with aperture centers of the pixels, and those in pixels distant from the center of the chip are disposed to shift their centers from aperture centers of the pixels by first shift amounts (offset amounts) in a direction toward the chip center or chip peripheries. The first shift amounts are determined, depending on the wavelength of the first color, to increase in a predetermined rate from the chip center toward the chip ends. Second shift amounts for shifting microlenses in pixels for a second color are determined to increase from the chip center toward the chip ends in a rate different from the rate of the first shift amounts accounting the wavelength of the first color.

This invention relates to a solid state image sensor and, in particular, to a solid state image sensor decreased in shading amount.
Shading has been an issue of conventional solid-state image sensors, and studies have been made for decreasing the shading amount. Shading pertains to the phenomenon that incident light applied with a uniform intensity to the entirety of a solid-state image sensor is actually received unevenly, with a certain attenuation amount especially at end portions of the solid-state image sensor, and the attenuation amount is called shading amount.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of such shading amounts.
As shown in FIG. 6, even when image signal light is uniformly applied in the period of 1H of image signals, for example, as shown by the solid line, the signal actually received by a solid-state image sensor may attenuate at end portions thereof as shown by the broken line. The amount of the attenuation is the shading amount. Possible causes of shading are, for example, unevenness of lenses and differences in optical pick-up rate between the center and ends of the solid-state image sensor.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional solid-state image sensor in a cross-sectional view.
The solid-state image sensor 1 includes microlenses 17a through 17c, smoothing layer 16, color filters 15a through 15c, insulation layer 14, shade films 13a through 13c, electrodes 12a through 12c, photodiodes 18a through 18c, and semiconductor substrate 11. Adjacent color filters 15a and 15b are appropriately selected to pass different colors. The microlens 17a, color filter 15a, shade film 13a, electrode 12a and photodiode 18a, for example, form a single pixel. Incident light enters through the microlens 17a, and a predetermined color contained in the incident light is filtered through the microlens 17a, then converted into an electric signal by the photodiode 18a, and transmitted by the electrode 12a, etc.
In the conventional solid-state image sensor, the microlenses 17a to 17c are disposed so that their pitch or center axes disagree with the pitch or center axes of the pixels.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a positional relation in the conventional solid-state image sensor designed to decrease the shading amount.
In FIG. 8, color filters 82-0, 82-2, 82-4 pass a first color whereas color filters 82-1 and 82-3 pass a second color different from the first color.
In a pixel in a central portion of the chip of the solid-state image sensor, the microlens 81-0 is disposed to locate its center in substantial agreement with the aperture center, namely, centers of the color filter 82-0 and the photodiode 83-0. On the other hand, in pixels in peripheral portions of the chip, the microlenses 81-1 through 81-4 are disposed to deviate their centers from the aperture centers toward the center or peripheries of the chip by shift amounts (offset amounts) d1 through d4 which progressively increase toward the chip ends. Here, pitches of the color filters 82-0 through 82-3 and photodiodes 83-0 through 83-4 forming pixels are constant in all pixels in the chip.
In FIG. 8, distances from the photodiodes 83-1 through 83-4 as aperture centers to centers of the microlenses 81-1 through 81-4 are substantially equal in adjacent pixels having different color filters, although slightly larger in peripheral portions of the chip.
In this manner, sufficient light can enter into photodiodes even when the angle of incidence of light is slanted.
In conventional technologies, the pitch of microlenses is uniform in any kinds of color pixels. Therefore, offset amounts of microlenses from aperture centers are substantially equal in pixels substantially equally distant from the chip center, regardless of the color pixels being of different types or not, even though there may be a slight difference.
However, since refractive indices of microlens are different depending on wavelengths, positions of focal points of microlenses relative to apertures of color pixels in peripheral portions of the chip are different among different kinds of color filters of the pixels. Therefore, conventional technologies cannot minimize shading amounts simultaneously for all color outputs.

Solid-state image sensor decreased in shading amount


In various embodiments, an array of discrete solar cells with associated devices such as bypass diodes is formed over a single substrate.

Semiconductor solar cells generally produce a light-generated output voltage that is roughly proportional to the equivalent bandgap of the material systems used to fabricate the solar cell. Under illumination, this output voltage typically ranges from less than one volt for low-efficiency single junction cells to nearly three volts for high-efficiency multi junction cells. In order to deliver a larger voltage to a load, cells are typically connected in series, whereupon the total output voltage becomes equal to the voltage of a single cell multiplied by the number of series-connected cells. The series connection of cells generally requires that the cells each operate at an identical current. With precise cell matching and uniform illumination over the large-area panel, this condition is often not restrictive. However, in situations where the photo-current of a single cell is reduced relative to the other cells in the string, all cells become limited to that reduced photo-current. This reduction in photo-current may result from physical damage, partial shading of the incident light, systematic variations in cell performance, or a localized temperature change in a particular cell. In extreme cases, the current reduction may lead to large reverse biases forming across the limiting cell, which in turn may lead to localized overheating and permanent physical damage. In order to prevent this particular failure mechanism, the use of discrete bypass diodes wired across individual cells or groups of cells in series is often employed. Bypass diodes help prevent the formation of large reverse biases and enable the non-limiting cells to operate closer to their optimal power output.
In conventional solar-panel designs the individual cells are manufactured from large-area semiconductor substrates (or large pieces thereof), typically 8 cm×8 cm pieces or larger. For applications requiring high-voltage operation, the series connection of many of these large-area cells results in an array string that occupies a much larger physical area (i.e., roughly equivalent to the sum of the areas of the individual cells). Because of the large area required, the string becomes more susceptible to partial shading that may significantly reduce the total output power of panel (as discussed above). Similarly, because the total power of the panel is generally proportional to the total area, large-area arrays are particularly susceptible to physical damage. In the worst case, physical damage to a single cell may shut down the entire series-connected string. Additionally, in situations where large temperature gradients exist over areas on the order of the size of the string (in solar-powered aircraft, for example) the performance of the entire string may become limited by the cells producing the least current. Lastly, because the entire semiconductor substrate is typically used in the fabrication of conventional solar panels, the addition of bypass diodes and other circuitry is generally performed with external discrete components. This increases the complexity and cost of the final panel assembly, as well as the total panel weight, any or all of which may represent critical design parameters, depending on the application.

High-efficiency solar-cell arrays with integrated devices and methods for forming them


A connection element for a support frame system includes at least two part elements configured substantially in U shape and joinable together in mirror-inverted form. The elements can be plugged into one another in mirror-inverted form, with the first part element connectable to at least one fastening element and with the second part element connectable to at least one positioning element and/or having at least one positioning element.

The present invention relates to a connection element for a support frame system, as well as to a support frame system having at least two support frame elements, and having at least one connection element.
Support frame systems in the intended form of use such as skeleton support frames are in particular formed by rectangular aluminum hollow sections which are joined together by means of weld connections.
The use of so-called ITEM sections and of corresponding connection elements or the use of gusset plates and angular elements is also known.
It has been found to be disadvantageous in the previously known approaches for the purpose of support frame systems that the known approaches are complex and expensive or also can only be positioned with respect to one another with a great effort without corresponding apparatus. It is also not easily possible to connect the sections of known support frame systems to one another, releasably or unreleasably, in a non-cutting manner, reliable in processing and secure against vibration.

Connection element for a support frame system

Liebherr-Transportation Systems GmbH & Co. KG


A combined impingement effusion method comprises brazing or welding a waffled impingement plate to the cold back-side surface of component having effusion holes there through. The impingement plate comprises a plurality of small baffle cells to relieve the thermal stresses between the impingement plate and the component. By rigidly attaching the impingement plate, the cooling flow leakage associated with the seals of floating plates is avoided.

The present invention generally relates to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to cooled components, such as combustor liners.
Customers and regulation agencies are continually applying pressure on engine manufactures to achieve lower specific fuel consumptions (SFCs) and emissions. This in turn requires combustors to operate at hotter temperatures yet reduce the cooling air required to cool the walls. There are two highly effective methods of cooling combustor walls, effusion (known by other names such as multi-hole) and impingement.
Effusion cooling is provided by an array of small holes positioned in the combustor liner wall. A supply of cooling air is passed through the holes from the cooler surface of the combustor liner to the surface exposed to higher temperatures. The cooling air actively cools the wall by convection as it passes through the hole and film cooling after the cooling air is discharged.
The effusion holes are typically between about 0.010 and about 0.050 inches in diameter and angled so that the centerline of the hole forms a 15 to 30 degree angle with respect to the surface of the wall. This small angle increases the length of the hole through the wall thus increasing the surface area from which the cooling air can extract heat from the wall material. The small angle also allows the cooling air to enter the combustor nearly parallel to the wall surface so that a cooling film is generated on the inside of the combustor liner.
Impingement cooling is provided by an impingement plate positioned on the cooler side of the combustor wall. The impingement plate has an array of small holes there through and is spaced at a distance from the surface of the wall to provide a gap. A supply of cooling air is passed through the holes to impinge the surface of the wall and thereby extract heat from the wall material. The surface heat transfer patterns can be controlled by the configuration of the hole array to provide additional cooling to hot spots.
It is well know to the industry that combining the two methods (impingement-effusion) can provide significant improvements in cooling efficiency over either method alone. It has been reported that the heat/mass transfer rate for impingement-effusion cooling is approximately 45% to 55% higher than that for impingement cooling alone and about three to four times that for effusion cooling alone. Although the quantitative results may vary with experimental set-up and application, combined impingement-effusion cooling systems may be more efficient than either alone for some applications.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,247, an impingement-effusion method is described. The disclosed combustor is a double wall construction that uses pin fins to provide spacing between the inner and outer walls. The inner wall is provided with effusion holes and the outer wall is provided with impingement holes. Because the inner wall is exposed to higher temperatures than the outer wall, the thermal growth difference between the two walls results in high thermal stresses and poor control of the impingement gap. The high thermal stresses reduce combustor life and the poor gap control reduces impingement cooling efficiency.
A method for reducing the thermal stresses is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,344. The disclosed impingement baffle has integrally formed dimples. The thermal growth difference between the baffle and the hot wall is alleviated by allowing the gap to float. Unfortunately, this also results in gap variations. The impingement efficiency is very sensitive to the gap between the wall and the impingement plate, which is difficult to control because of the difference in radial thermal growth between the impingement plate and the wall. In smaller cavities such as vanes this gap difference is acceptable, but in large diameter combustor walls the gap variation is a significant sacrifice in cooling efficiency.
Many known impingement-effusion methods have included rigidly attaching two structural walls to one another. The rigidly attached hot and cold structural walls result in high thermal stresses and component life limitations. To avoid these stresses, other methods have included floating one of the walls. Floating one of the walls requires some type of seal and the cooling efficiency is very sensitive to leakage that is present in most seals.
A method that does not require floating a wall or rigidly attaching two structural walls is described In U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,886. This method attaches an array of walled liner cells to a liner support structure. Cooling air enters the cells through impingement holes in the liner support. The cooling air exits the cells through holes in the side wall portions, entering the gaps between the cells, or exits the cells through holes in the top portions of the liner cells. The cooling air then sets up a cooling air film across the top portion of the cells. Although this method may avoid the thermal stress and leakage problems mentioned above, it requires multiple walled liner cells, which increases the surface area exposed to the hot combustion gas flow. Additionally, each liner cell must have sharp edges to comply with the hot side flow path, complicating liner manufacturing. Moreover, because the cells expand axially and laterally into the gaps to alleviate the thermal stresses, variations in the momentum of the cooling air that passes through the gaps may result in cooling film disruptions for some applications. Further, a combustor liner comprising multiple liner cells may not be suitable for thermal barrier coating (TBC) applications. Conventional techniques for applying TBC, such as plasma spray, may result in TBC being deposited in the gaps between the liner cells, which in turn may disrupt the flow of cooling air or close the gap that is required for thermal expansion.
As can be seen, there is a need for a method of attaching an impingement plate directly to the combustor in such a manner that will result in acceptable stresses but will have no leakage. Further, there is a need for a method of cooling a combustor liner by impingement-effusion that allows for conventional TBC application. An impingement effusion method is needed wherein thermal stress is relieved without increasing the surface area that is exposed to the high temperature gas flow.


An online data migration method is provided for transferring data from a computer and an existing storage system using the conventional interface such as SCSI to a new storage system using SAN. The present method comprises the steps of disconnecting the connection between the computer and the first storage system with first interface protocol, connecting the computer to a switch connected to a second storage system with a second interface protocol through first protocol converter having protocol converting facility, connecting the switch to the first storage system through second protocol converter, and migrating data in the first storage system into the second storage system via the switch.

The present invention relates to a migration method of the online data in a computer or a host computer (collectively referred to as a "computer" herein below) as well as a storage system, and more particularly to a migration method of the contents of a storage device including data subject to be used in business processing, without interrupting almost all computing. The present invention relates still more particularly to a data migration method from a existing storage system to a new storage system.
When updating an existing storage system into a new one, migrating data stored in the existing storage system into the new storage system is needed, in order to continue to utilize the data used in the processing hitherto. In such a case so far, data stored in the existing storage system would be to be backed up to a tape drive and the like at first, then the data thus backed up would be restored (written back) to the new storage device.
The backing up and restoring method as have been described above may use the processor incorporated in the computer. In order to prevent the consistency of data from being lost during the backing up operation by the alteration of the data to be backed up, any business processing that may use the data to be backed up has to be halted during the backing up operation. The period of time of stopping the business processing may be in general in the order of one to a few days, depending largely on the amount of data to be backed up and restored.
In the business of a recent data center, which is characterized by non-stop service of 24 hours a day, stopping the business processing for data migration in such a storage system may be a condition too difficult to accept. There have been proposed some data migration methods for improving the condition.
For example, a remote data copy method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,347 wherein first storage system connected to a computer may automatically copy data into second storage system by itself, without intervention of the computer. In this system, data copy operation is hidden from the computer system in order to effectuate data copy into the second storage system without interrupting any business processing in the computer.
When applying this method to the upgrade scheme of storage system, utility is limited because the existing, first storage system has to have the remote data copy function. Also, when the system is operating, the contents of the first storage system is altered by the computer all the time, so that the contents in the second storage system transferred by means of the remote data copy method may not synchronize with any alteration made. In addition, since the existing, first storage system is located in a connection path different from the, path connecting the new, second storage system to the computer; the computer may recognize these storage systems as separate volumes. For these reasons, in order to use the data restored on a volume of the new storage system instead of the data on the existing storage system, the business processing program running on the computer has to be updated so as to reassign the volume to be accessed, even if the contents stored are the same.
There has been disclosed an online data migration system in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,640, which may solve those problems encountered in case of the remote data copy methods, including the necessity of incorporating the remote copy functionality into the existing first storage system, inability of complete synchronization between the first and second storage systems, needs for updating the program controlling the computer due to the different connection path to the new storage systems, and so on.
In the above patent disclosed, the word "online" indicates that the reference to and alteration of the data subject to be migrated is allowed during migration. The second storage system in this migration system comprises a unit capable to effectuate the data restoration while at the same time allowing the sending/receiving (transfer) of data subject to the processing in progress in the computer. Whereby the computer may recognize the existing, first storage system as if the first storage is still connected thereto. In this system, it should be noted that the connection path between the computer and the existing, first storage system is disconnected and then the second storage system is connected thereto instead. Although the momentary disconnection of the connection path may cause the system to halt, the system may be dealt as being online since the period of time of the disconnection is far and away shorter than the backing up and restoring method as have been described above.
This method implicitly assumes a direct connection between the computer and the storage, namely the peer-to-peer connection, as well as the same interface to the new storage as the existing storage, namely the same communication protocol, resulting in the limited utility of the system.

Data migration method, protocol converter and switching apparatus using it


A method and apparatus determines an identity of at least each card in a card hand at a casino table card game. The method is performed automatically by a computer-based system that reads the rank and suit of each card that leaves a dealing shoe and then uses a smart discard tray that reads the discards as they are taken from the table. It is optional and preferred to provide a signal to the computer of the presence of at least one card in the dealer's hand. Additional cards are dealt to hands. Exhausted hands are removed from the table and placed into a discard rack. Each card in each exhausted hand is read when placed in the discard rack to determine rank and suit of each placed card, and the computer reconciles cards placed in the discard rack with cards that left the dealing shoe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to components, systems, methods and apparatus for the identification, reading and or tracking of playing card hands in a gaming environment, such as in casino table card games.
2. Background of the Art
Casinos and other forms of gaming constitute a very large industry. Large amounts of money are exchanged and placed at risk and it has always been a significant concern of the industry in protecting the casinos and players against fraudulent events. In casino table card games, there are generally three areas of risk in fraud, 1) falsifying/replacing playing cards, 2) falsifying/replacing chips, and 3) passing of information improperly. Casinos would also classify certain forms of play at card games as at least undesirable, if not excludable (such as card-counting).
Numerous different methods have been proposed and instituted to defend against these types of fraud. There is extensive physical surveillance of casinos, both directly by personnel and less intrusively by overhead cameras that view and record wagering and play activities. Trained personnel watch the play of games and individual players, identifying situations and events that indicate problems. Although most of these trained individuals can detect chip substitution, card exchanges and some forms of unauthorized player/dealer communications, it is difficult for the observers' attention to be maintained at the highest levels consistently.
There are other reasons for observing the play of casino table card games, such as to rate the efficiency of dealers over time, rate the efficiency of players over time, and provide a statistical basis for analysis of new games. This can assist the casino in rating players for comps and special invitations and identify preferred dealers for higher stake tables.
While some aspects of a casino's security system should be plainly visible as a deterrent, other aspects of the security should be unobtrusive to avoid detracting from the players' enjoyment of the game and to prevent cheaters and thieves from avoiding detection. Some of the current methods of tracking have drawbacks. The methods typically depend on manual observation of a gaming table. Thus coverage is not comprehensive, and is limited to tracking a relatively small number of games, customers and employees. This problem is exacerbated by a customer's ability to rapidly move between gaming tables. A commonly known method for cheating customers to avoid detection is to switch tables frequently. The tracking methods are also prone to error since the manual methods rely on human observers who can become inattentive or distracted. In one commonly known method of cheating the casino, one member of a team will create a distraction while another member steals chips or swaps cards. These manual tracking methods are also labor intensive, and thus costly.
The advance of technology in the fields of imaging, symbol recognition, computers and software has enabled the potential for greater utilization of technology to automatically provide a basis for security as opposed to merely providing a source of information for humans to evaluate. Security enhancing systems are needed in various different aspects of the play of casino table card games, and many different systems have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,166 (Lorson) describes an integrated blackjack game control system having multiple sensors and output devices, electronic signal processing equipment, passive and active operator control devices, and a computer system. The system components are capable of being installed on or near existing blackjack tables and support equipment, and to operate with standard playing cards. The system performs several simultaneous functions to accelerate the play of a game of blackjack, enhance the shuffling process, and perform continuous monitoring of key dealer and table performance attributes. The system gathers information on the distribution of cards in the discard shoe from knowledge of the sequence of cards dealt during game play. When signaled, the system determines appropriate sequence, number, and positions of the pre-shuffle plug locations of the cards in the discard shoe. The system transmits the pre-shuffle card plug information to an output device driver assembly that actuates the desired output devices. In one implementation, the system output devices are light-emitting diodes, but any number of electric, acoustic, or mechanical devices could be utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,536 describes a playing card dispensing shoe apparatus, system and method, wherein the shoe has a card scanner which scans the indicia on a playing card as the card moves along and out of a chute of the shoe by operation of the dealer. The scanner is located on the outlet slope of the dispenser, not within any card moving element internal to the device. The scanner comprises an optical-sensor used in combination with a neural network which is trained using error back-propagation to recognize the card suits and card values of the playing cards as they are moved past the scanner, so specially coded information is not needed. The scanning process in combination with a central processing unit (CPU) determines the progress of the play of the game and, by identifying card counting systems or basic playing strategies in use by the players of the game, provides means to limit or prevent casino losses and calculate the Theoretical Win of the casino, thus also providing an accurate quality method of the amount of comps to be given a particular player. The shoe is also provided with additional devices that make it simple and easy to access, record and display other data relevant to the play of the game. These include means for accommodating a "customer-tracking card" which reads each player's account information from a magnetic stripe on the card, thus providing access to the player's customer data file stored on the casino's computer system, and one or more alpha-numeric keyboards and LCD displays used to enter and retrieve player and game information. Also included are keyboards on the game table so that each player can individually select various playing or wagering options using their own keyboard. The system is more focused on analysis of overall play at a table and by individuals rather then identifying specific hands and play at each round of a card game. The system evaluates individual player strategy and proficiency after the read card information is sent to a computer
There are numerous U.S. Patents that have been issued to MindPlay LLP relating to table security systems. These patents teach card dealing shoes, card discard racks, and a camera reading system that can read suit and rank. These U.S. Patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,579,181; 6,579,1810; 6,533,662; 6,533,276; 6,530,837; 6,530,836; 6,527,271; 6,520,857; 6,517,436; 6,517,435; and 6,460,848, all titled Method and Apparatus for Monitoring Casinos and Games.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,848 relates to the card reading tray itself. There is no clear disclosure of two distinct card-reading systems. However, the MindPlay system does clearly read cards in a shoe before dealing the cards. There is also reference to knowledge of the order of cards in a discard holder. The overall objective of the invention appears to be the provision of a system that automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game, including the gaming habits of players and the performance of employees. A card deck reader automatically reads a symbol from each card in a deck of cards before a first one of the cards is removed. The symbol identifies a respective rank and suit of the card. A chip tray reader automatically images the contents of a chip tray, to periodically determine the number and value of chips in the chip tray, and to compare the change in contents of the chip tray to the outcome of game play for verifying that the proper amounts have been paid out and collected. A table monitor automatically images the activity occurring at a gaming table. Periodic comparison of the images identifies wagering, as well as the appearance, removal and position of cards and other game objects on the gaming table. A drop box automatically verifies an amount and authenticity of a deposit and reconciles the deposit with a change in the contents of the chip tray. The drop box employs a variety of lighting and resolutions to image selected portions of the deposited item. The system detects prohibited playing and wagering patterns, and determines the win/loss percentage of the players and the dealer, as well as a number of other statistically relevant measures. The measurements provide automated security and real-time accounting and complimentary player benefits.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,334 and 6,093,103 and disclose a card-reading element or section or attachment to a card shuffler. The disclosure is read in combination with U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,145 (Verschoor, which discloses the 'shuffler'). The secure game table system is for monitoring each hand in a progressive live card game, said progressive live card game having at least one deck, said at least one deck having a predetermined number of cards, said secure game table system having players at a plurality of player positions and a dealer at a dealer position. The secure game table system comprises: a shoe for holding each card from at least one deck before being dealt by said dealer in said hand, said shoe having a detector for reading at least the value and the suit of said each card, said detector issuing a signal corresponding at least to said value and suit for said each card, a progressive bet sensor located near each of said plurality of player positions for sensing the presence of a progressive bet, when said progressive bet is sensed, said progressive bet sensor issuing a signal corresponding to said presence, a card sensor located near each of said plurality of player positions and said dealer position, said card sensor issuing a signal when a card in said hand is received at said card sensor, and a game control. The game control has a memory and is receptive of progressive bet signals from the progressive bet sensor at each of player position for storing in memory which player positions placed a progressive bet. The game control is receptive of value and suit signals from the detector in the shoe for storing in memory at least the value and suit of each card dealt from the shoe into each hand. The game control is receptive of card received signals from card sensors at each of player position and the dealer position. The game control correlates in memory each card dealt from the shoe in game sequence to each card received at a player position having a progressive bet sensed.
U.S. Pat. No.5,772,505 (Garczynski) describes a dual card scanning module that announces when the symbols of a face-up standard playing card and a face-down standard playing card achieve a desired combination. The module has a scanner system that illuminates and scans at least a portion of a symbol of the face-up standard playing card and at least a portion of a symbol of the face-down standard playing card and stores the results thereof in a first and second array device, respectively. The module also has a guide to assist in receiving and positioning the cards such that the face-up standard playing card is above and aligned with the face-down standard playing card. When in this position, the symbol portions of the face-up and the face-down standard playing cards can be scanned by the array devices to generate respective scanning results. The module compares the scanning results with a memory storing a plurality of references representing respective symbols of the standard playing cards to determine if the cards have achieved the desired combination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,769 (Order) describes a system for professional use in table games of chance with playing cards and gaming chips (jettons), in particular the game of Blackjack. The system provides an automatically working apparatus that will register and evaluate all phases of the run of the game automatically. This is achieved by a card shoe with an integrated device for recognition of the value of the drawn cards (3′) (optical recognition device and mirroring into a CCD-image converter); photodiodes (52) arranged under the table cloth (51) in order to register separately the casino light passing through each area (53, 54) for placing the gaming chips (41) and areas (55, 56) for placing the playing cards (3) in dependence of the arrangement or movement of the jettons and playing cards on the mentioned areas; a device for automatic recognition of each bet (scanner to register the color of the jettons, or a RFID-system comprising a S/R station and jettons with integrated transponder); an EDP program created in accordance with the gaming rules to evaluate and store all data transmitted from the functional devices to the computer; and a monitor to display the run of the game and players' wins.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,061 (Albrecht) describes a system that uses a specially coded deck of cards indicating the value and suit of the card or a value related to the count of the card as well as whether the card belongs to a particular set of cards senses the code on the card and sends the detected signal to a processor. The processor determines a running count, a betting count, a true count or other information related to the profitability of a particular wager or particular action, such as an insurance bet as well as an indication of whether the card belongs to the particular set of cards assigned to the table. The counts are displayed centrally and/or remotely from the shoe that dispenses the cards. The electronics for the system may be internally included as part of the shoe or externally included as a separate unit in which the shoe is secured.

Smart table card hand identification method and apparatus


A crosslinked polysiloxane dispersion comprising a siloxane polymer, polymer mixture, or polymer/solvent mixture, capable of crosslinking via condensation, addition or free radical reactions, and having a viscosity of greater than 5000 mPa.s but less than 500,000 mPa.s, if required, 0.1 to 10 weight parts of a crosslinking agent, and, if required, depending on the nature of the catalyst and silicon cure system, 0.000001 to 10 weight parts of a catalyst, 0.5 to 10 weight parts of a surfactant or surfactant mixture, and 0.5 to 25 weight parts water per 100 weight parts siloxane polymer. Optionally, adhesion promoters, pigments, reinforcing or non-reinforcing fillers, silicone resins, stabilizers, freeze/thaw additives, etc. may also be added to the dispersion.

European Patent Publication 0 463 431 A2 discloses a method for producing emulsions from high viscosity polysiloxanes, bi-modal polysiloxane fluids, functional polysiloxanes and mixtures thereof. The method comprises forming a thick phase emulsion by blending a polysiloxane, at least one primary surfactant and water. To the blend, at least one secondary surfactant is added. The mixture is then mixed using shear for a sufficient period of time until an average particle size of less than 350 nanometers is achieved. The thick phase emulsion is then diluted with additional water to the desired silicone content to form the final emulsion.
PCT publication WO 94/09058 discloses a method for preparing oil-in-water emulsions of oils, gums or silicone resins by kneading a mixture of (1) a silicone phase (A) with a viscosity of at least 3 Pas or a consistency of at least 20, and (2) an aqueous phase comprising water, at least one surfactant (B) and optionally at least one water-soluble thickening polymer (C), wherein the relative amounts of water, (B) and optionally (C) are such that the aqueous phase preferably has at least as much viscosity or consistency as the silicone phase (A), said kneading being performed for a sufficient time and with sufficient shear to give an oil-in-water emulsion having a particle size of 0.1-5 micrometer; and optionally by diluting the medium with water.
PCT application WO 94/09059 discloses aqueous dispersions containing: a silicone oil (A) which is cross-linkable by condensation, optionally in the presence of a cross-linking agent (B), into an elastomer; optionally a cross-linking agent (B), a silane (C) and a mineral filler (D); and a catalytic amount of a hardening compound (E). Said dispersions are characterized in that they are produced by kneading a mixture of 1) a silicone phase (F) with a viscosity of at least 3 Pas, containing the oil (A) and optionally one or more of components (B), (C), (D) or (E), and 2) an aqueous phase comprising water and at least one surfactant (G), wherein the weight ratio water/water+surfactant(s) is such that the viscosity of the aqueous phase is preferably at least as high as that of the silicone phase (F); for a sufficient time and with sufficient shear to give an oil-in-water emulsion having a particle size of 0.1-5 micrometers; and optionally by diluting with water until a 25-97% dry extract is obtained; followed by adding the components) not present in the silicone phase (F).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,406 to Cekada teaches silicone rubber latices reinforced by adding a silsesquioxane having the unit formula R"SiO.sub.3/2, wherein the R" is a member selected from the group consisting of the methyl, ethyl, vinyl, phenyl and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radicals, said silsesquioxane having a particle size in the range of 10 to 1000 A. More specifically the invention relates to a silicone latex comprising (1) a curable essentially linear siloxane polymer having a D.P. of at least 10 and (2) a silsesquioxane having the unit formula R"Si.sub.3/2, wherein R" is a member selected from the group consisting of the methyl, ethyl, vinyl, phenyl and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radicals, said silsesquioxane having a particle size in the range of 10 to 1000 A. The silicone latex above can also contain a catalyst and/or a cross-linking agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,001 to Narula teaches oil-in-water emulsions made by a process involving the mixing of the oil and water in the presence of three nonionic surfactants having certain HLB values. The process is particularly useful for emulsifying an oil having a viscosity exceeding 50,000 centipoise (50 pascal-seconds). Any oil can be emulsified by this process, including hydrocarbon oils like mineral oil and petrolatum, and silicones, including fluids, gums and resins. A particularly useful emulsion prepared by this process is an emulsion of a bi-modal silicone which contains substantial amounts of a volatile silicone and a silicone gum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,455 to Stein et al. teaches curable silicone caulk compositions using a non-ionically stabilized silanol-terminated polydiorganosiloxane, water, a silane cross-linker, a tin condensation catalyst, and calcium carbonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 51037,878 to, Cerles et al. teaches aqueous dispersions of a silicone, crosslinkable into elastomeric state upon removal of water therefrom under ambient conditions, well adapted for formulation into paints and for the production of silicone elastomer seals. The composition includes (A) 100 parts by weight of an oil-in-water emulsion containing a stabilizing amount of at least one anionic and/or nonionic surfactant and at least one alkoxylated diorganopolysiloxane, (B) an effective amount of an inorganic siliceous or non-siliceous filler material, and (C) a catalytically effective amount of a metal curing catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,231 to Braun et al. teaches aqueous dispersions of organopolysiloxanes containing the following components. (A) organopolysiloxane having groups which can undergo condensation, (B) condensation catalyst; (C) organopolysiloxane resin; and (D) diorganosilanolate and/or condensation products thereof formed by splitting off water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,907 to Kalinowski et al. teaches a shelf stable aqueous silicone emulsion which yields an elastomer upon removal of the water, produced by combining a reactive polydiorganosiloxane present as a cationic or nonionic emulsion of dispersed particles in water, a cross-linker, and a tin catalyst. The tin catalyst is in the form of a divalent tin atom combined with organic radicals. The emulsion can be reinforced with colloidal silica without effecting the shelf life of the reinforced emulsion.

Shelf stable cross-linked emulsions with optimum consistency and handling without the use of thickeners


The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing myocardial infarction in a subject who suffers from acute coronary syndrome and has a cardiac troponin level which is detectable but lower than the level that is considered as being indicative for a myocardial infarction. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for identifying a subject being susceptible to cardiac intervention, wherein the subject suffers from acute coronary syndrome and has a cardiac troponin level which is detectable but lower than a level that is considered as being indicative for a myocardial infarction. The methods of the present invention are based on the determination of H-FABP and, optionally, myoglobin in a sample of the subject and comparing the amount of H-FABP and, optionally, myoglobin to reference amounts.

An aim of modern medicine is to provide personalized or individualized treatment regimens. Those are treatment regimens which take into account a patient's individual needs or risks. A particularly important risk is the presence of cardiovascular complication, especially of an acute cardiovascular event. Cardiovascular complications belong to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Western hemisphere. For individual treatment of a person who suffers from a cardiovascular complication, a reliable diagnosis has a significant impact on the success of the treatment of said person. This is particularly important for patients showing symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Acute coronary syndrome refers to a constellation of clinical symptoms caused by acute myocardial ischemia. Patients with acute coronary syndrome have a significantly increased risk of cardiac death and, therefore, need to be identified between the patients with nontraumatic chest symptoms (Morrow et al., National academy of clinical biochemistry guidelines: Clinical characteristics and utilization of biochemical markers in acute coronary syndrome, 2007, Circulation; 115;356-375). Patients exhibiting symptoms of an acute cardiovascular event (e.g., chest discomfort for more than 20 min) and presenting for emergency evaluation are generally examined by electrocardiography. Moreover, a blood sample is obtained for determining the level of a cardiac troponin. Cardiac troponin, e.g., troponin T, is a biomarker for myocardial infarction (MI). The electrocardiogram (ECG) provides important information for the diagnosis. Particularly, if the ECG shows elevated ST segments, a ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEM) is diagnosed. If the ECG does not show elevated ST segments, a non ST elevated MI (NSTEMI) is diagnosed when cardiac troponin is detected in a sample of the respective patient. Patients without a diagnostic ECG and with no detectable cardiac troponin are suspected to have unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Unstable angina and NSTEMI are considered to be closely related conditions, sharing a similar clinical presentation. However, they differ in their severity. NSTEMI is distinguished from unstable angina by ischemia causing irreversible myocardial damage which is detectable by biomarkers of myocardial necrosis (Morrow et al., loc. cit.). In all described cases, thus STEMI, NSTEMI and UAP, the patient is treated according to the diagnosis.
Within the last two decades biomarkers like cardiac troponin have become valuable tools for the diagnosis of heart-associated diseases. Further markers of heart-associated diseases are, e.g., NTproBNP, or creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB). Recently, it was shown that the determination of myoglobin is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of subjects showing symptoms of ACS (Brogan G. X et al. Evaluation of a new rapid quantitative immunoassay for serum myoglobin versus CK-MB for ruling out acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department. 1994, Ann. Emerg. Med. 24(4):665-71). The determination of myoglobin is advantageous because elevated concentrations can be determined shortly after the onset of symptoms (appr. 1 hour), and studies have demonstrated its high sensitivity for detection of AMI within the first few hours of ACS. However, the use of myoglobin for the diagnosis of myocardial infarctions has some limitations. Although the concentration of myoglobin rises quickly after the onset of symptoms, the concentration drops quickly after approximately 8 to 16 hours (James McCord J. at al. Ninety-Minute Exclusion of Acute Myocardial Infarction By Use of Quantitative Point-of-Care Testing of Myoglobin and troponin I. 2001, Circulation 104:1483; Morrow D. A. et al. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines: Clinical Characteristics and Utilization of Biochemical Markers in Acute Coronary Syndromes. 2007, Circulation, 115:356-375).
More recently, heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) was suggested as an early marker of myocardial infarction. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is a low molecular weight cytoplasmic protein and present abundantly in the myocardium. When the myocardium is injured, as in the case of myocardial infarction, low molecular weight cytoplasmic proteins including H-FABP are released into the circulation and an elevated H-FABP level is detectable in a blood sample. (e.g., Okamoto et al., Clin Chem Lab Med 38(3):231-8 (2000) Human heart-type cytoplasmic fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) for the diagnosis Of acute myocardial infarction. Clinical evaluation of H-FABP in comparison with myoglobin and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB; O'Donoghue et al., Circulation, 114;550-557 (2006) Prognostic Utility of Heart-Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein in patients with acute coronary syndrome or Ruzgar et al., Heart Vessels, 21;209-314 (2006) The use of human heart-type fatty acid-binding protein as an early diagnostic marker of myocardial necrosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome, and its comparison with troponin-T and its creatine kinase-myocardial band).
The finding that cardiac troponin, e.g., cardiac troponin T (TnT) or cardiac troponin I (TnI), is a marker of myocardial infarction has revolutionized the diagnosis and management of patients showing symptoms of ACS. Particularly, cardiac troponin T is a very specific marker of damage of the myocardium and, therefore, allows differentiating between UAP and MI in patients exhibiting symptoms of ACS. However, there are still some problems related to the use of cardiac troponin as a diagnostic marker in patients with acute coronary syndrome. E.g, the cardiac troponin level is generally not elevated at the onset of the symptoms of an acute coronary event. Generally, an elevated troponin level can be detected approximately 4 to 6 hours after the onset of symptoms of ACS. Thus, within the first 0 to 6 hours of an acute cardiovascular event, the use of troponin as a biomarker for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction causes a relatively high proportion of false negative results. Thus, a myocardial infarction might not be recognized by means of a cardiac troponin assay and this may result in a possibly inappropriate or delayed treatment. The introduction of a new generation of cardiac troponin tests, which are more sensitive than troponin tests of the previous generations and, thus, can detect much lower cardiac troponin levels, had enabled a more reliable and earlier detection of elevated cardiac troponin levels. Thus, in case of a myocardial event a necrosis may be detected earlier. However, recent studies brought evidence that, when using more sensitive troponin tests, cardiac troponin can also be reproducibly detected in patients with a stable coronary heart disease who do not suffer from an acute event (unpublished data). Thus, if a person with a stable coronary heart disease and an already elevated, but still low cardiac troponin level shows symptoms of ACS, it is unclear whether the detectable elevated cardiac troponin level is due to the acute event or due to the already existing coronary heart disease. This raises the possibility of an incorrect diagnosis, e.g., MI instead of UAP, resulting in a possibly harmful, wrong and/or delayed treatment.
Therefore, there is a clear need for diagnostic and prognostic means and methods allowing a reliable and quick diagnosis of. MI in a subject who shows symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome and who has a cardiac troponin level which is close to the detection limit. The said means and methods shall allow a diagnosis of said subject and shall allow identifying a subject being susceptible to cardiac intervention, an appropriate treatment of said subject and shall avoid the drawbacks of the current techniques as laid out above.
Thus, the technical problem underlying the present invention must be seen as the provision of means and methods for complying with the aforementioned needs.
The technical problem is solved by the embodiments characterized in the claims and herein below.

H-FABP as early predictor of myocardial infarction


An apparatus that improves the appearance of a tape being wound on a tape reel includes a tissue which is positioned in parallel to an inner surface of a flange of the tape reel and pushes the tape edge against the inner surface. In this apparatus, the reel-up of the tape is performed while moving the tissue in the same direction as the reel-up direction of the tape or performed without moving the tissue.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape pack appearance control apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus that improves the appearance of a tape pack by controlling the reel-up of a tape. Here, the form taken by the tape after it is wound onto the tape reel is called the tape pack.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Conventionally, the winding control technique, which is a technique to be performed in order to prevent the occurrence of the distortion of the shape of the tape pack when a tape is wound onto a tape reel, has been known.
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a tape reel, in which the tape T is being wound onto the reel hub 51 by using a conventional reel-up manner of a tape T.
As shown in FIG. 5, a tissue 10 is positioned between the flanges 52 and 53 of the tape reel 50.
In this tape reel 50, the meandering of the tape T is controlled by flanges 52 and 53 and the tissue 10 that prevent the excessive slip in the width directions of the tape T.
To be more precise, as shown in FIG. 5, when the slip of the tape T occurs, the inner surface 53a of the flange 53 comes in contact with the tape edge E1 of the tape T and controls the position of the tape edge E1 of the tape T, and the tissue 10 comes in contact with the tape edge E2 in the flange 52 side of the tape T and controls the position of the tape edge E2 of the tape T. Thereby, the excessive slip in the width directions of the tape T is controlled.
In this tape reel 50, the inner surface 52a is not in parallel to the outer surface 52b, and the inner surface 53a is not in parallel to the outer surface 53b. That is, the inner surface 52a and the inner surface 53a are inclining with respect to the outer surface 52b and the outer surface 53b, respectively. In other words, the distance between an inner surface 52a and the inner surface 53a becomes wider toward the circumference of the tape reel 50.
In this tape reel 50, the inner surface 52a and the inner surface 53a are slanting with respect to the outer surface 52b and the outer surface 53b, respectively. Thus, the smooth guide of the tape T into the region between the flanges 52 and 53 can be achieved when performing the reel-up of the tape T.
Additionally, the smooth draw-out of the tape T from the tape reel 50 can be achieved. Thereby, the reel-up and draw-out of the tape T are stably performed.
As described above, the smooth travel of the tape T is allowed by controlling the slip in the width directions of the tape T by using the tissue 10 and the flange 53. Thereby, since the positional accuracy of the tape T is improved, the superior recording and reproducing characteristics of the tape T can be brought out.
As an example of the conventional tape pack appearance control apparatus, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese unexamined Japanese patent publication JP2000-036180 can be cited. In this apparatus, almost all of the slip of the tape is controlled by providing a liner sheet.
In this conventional tape pack appearance control apparatus, since the distance between inner surfaces in the vicinity of the periphery of flange is larger than that in the vicinity of the reel hub, the occurrence of the distortion of the shape of the tape pack cannot be fully prevented.
Therefore, there have been requirements of an apparatus that improves the appearance of a tape pack being wound around a tape reel by controlling the reel-up of a tape.


An improved thin film deposition apparatus which is capable of easily increasing the temperature of a crucible using low electric power, for thus reducing the maintenance cost of the system, and fabricating a thin film having a constant characteristic by using a lower current density variation based on a distance, for thus increasing the reliability of a thin film device, whereby it is possible to fabricate a more compact product and to more easily maintain the system, which includes a heat shielding cylindrical chamber, a cylindrical chamber located within the heat shielding cylindrical chamber, a crucible section including a crucible and a heat filament arranged at an inner and lower portion of the cylindrical chamber, an ionization section having an anode and an ionization filament arranged in an upper portion inside the cylindrical chamber, and a magnet for enhancing an ionization efficiency, an upper and lower filament support for supporting the heater filament and the ionization filament, an upper and lower flange, to which the upper and lower filaments are fixed, arranged in the cylindrical chamber in order for the upper and lower filaments to be detachable, and a grounding plate extended from the heat shielding plate and the electromagnetic field blocking cylindrical chamber located at the upper direction of the crucible section and forming of an acceleration electrode system together with the upper flange.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film deposition apparatus, and particularly to an improved thin film deposition apparatus which allows easy increasing of the temperature of a crucible by using low electric power, for thus reducing the maintenance costs of the apparatus, and which can be used to fabricate a uniform thin film because there is very little variation of density of the manufactured thin film device, whereby the thin film deposition apparatus has a compact structural design which allows easy maintenance and repair.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Recently, as technology advances, products have become lighter and smaller in size.
As common methods for fabricating a light and small-sized product, a vacuum deposition method directed to depositing metal atoms which are neutral state under a vacuum, an ion plating method, a sputtering method, a chemical vacuum deposition (CVD) method, etc. are used.
However, in the vacuum deposition method, since the metal in neutral state is attached to the substrate by means of only a thermal energy, the adhesive force of the metal with respect to the substrate is very weak. The ion plating method has a better adhesive force compared to the vacuum deposition method; however, the quality of the thin film is degraded. In the sputtering method, the composition ratio of the thin film disadvantageously varies due to a matrix effect. In the CVD method, because an organic chemical material is used, the thin film is contaminated, and the quality of the thin film is degraded, for thus causing malfunctions of the device.
Among the many methods directed to overcoming the weak adhesive force problem between the substrate and the deposited thin film, the problem of contamination of the thin film, and the problems of non-uniformity of the thin film, a partially ionized beam deposition (PIBD) method is known as the best method in the industry. Namely, the PIBD method is directed to improving the adhesive force between the substrate and the thin film using the energy within ions by simultaneously scanning a metallic vapor and metallic self-ions in vacuum state.
Here, in the PIBD method, the most important element is the ion source which generates the metallic ions. This ion source requires the following characteristics:
1) The temperature of the crucible for the ion source should be allowed to be substantially increased for depositing various kinds of metallic ions. PA1 2) The temperature of the crucible must be increased by using low electric power, and the ionization rate should be increased thereby as well. PA1 3) The ion source should be able to operate stably for a long period of time, and detachment of the crucible and parts of ion source and easy maintenance should be possible in order to deal with problems such as insulation breakage caused by the deposition of metal on the depletion of the source material. PA1 4) The uniformity of the ion beam should be high in order to enhance the reliability of the deposited thin film.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional thin film deposition apparatus. As shown therein, a vacuum chamber 1 includes a crucible 2 provided for vaporizing a metallic material. An ionization section 3 is disposed therein for ionizing the vapor state metallic material, and an acceleration section 4 is disposed therein for accelerating the metal ions.
In the drawings, reference numeral 1a denotes a vacuum outlet, 2a denotes a nozzle, 5 denotes a substrate holder, 6 denotes a filter (a grid), 8 denotes an anode, 9 denotes a crucible heating filament, and 10 denotes precipitates (metallic source material).
However, the conventional metallic thin film deposition apparatus has disadvantages in that the uniformity of the ion beam is degraded, and the efficiency of the apparatus is low.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


A dishwasher is disclosed which includes a rack arranged inside of a washing cabinet, a plurality of shelves arranged on the rack, and a shelf holder installed on the rack. The shelf holder may include a plurality of shelf fixing parts that fix the shelves together. The dishwasher so configured is capable of minimizing the number of shelf holders needed to fix a plurality of shelves to a rack and, therefore, simplifies the assembly process.

1. Field
A dishwasher having a rack with a shelf holder is disclosed herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A dishwasher is an apparatus that washes food remnants adhered to dishes, cups, culinary tools, and similar items (hereinafter, referred to as 'dishes') using washing water and detergent. Dishwashers generally include racks inside of a washing tank or cabinet on which the dishes are placed. The racks are capable of being inserted into and withdrawn from the washing cabinet. However, related art dishwashers have various disadvantages in the configuration of the racks and shelves mounted thereto.

Dishwasher having rack with shelf holder


A system and process for correction of regurgitation of heart valves. With mitral valves in particular, the anterior leaflet is advanced through use of a D-plasty patch and a narrow annuloplasty ring which compresses the lateral dimension of the valve. The sizes of the patch and ring are selected to provide a sufficient advancement of the leaflet to restore the surface of coaptation.

A malfunction of a person's heart valve such as mitral regurgitation, can be a life threatening illness. Many systems and techniques have been developed over the years to attempt to correct the various heart valve malfunctions. These include full replacement of the valve, the use of annuloplasty rings and bands, and leaflet elongation.
Although many of these systems and techniques have been successful and have allowed patients to return to relatively normal lifestyles, there still is about a 25-30% failure rate in the repair of mitral regurgitation from a damaged and/or enlarged heart. Thus, there is a need for improved processes and systems in the area which can secure a higher rate of success.
It is thus a general object of the present invention to provide an improved process and system for the repair of heart valves. It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved process and system for the repair of regurgitating heart valves, particularly hearts with mitral regurgitation (MR).

Method and system for treatment of regurgitating heart valves