An apparatus for simultaneously manufacturing a plurality of plastic molds comprises:                an injection molding tool comprising a first and second molding tool halves and —a gripper tool comprising a plurality of gripper members to which suction can be applied. The first and second molding tool halves are movable into the closed position and into an open position.

In the mass manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, in particular contact lenses such as soft contact lenses, generally two types of lens molds are used. A first type of lens mold of these two types of lens molds is reusable, while a second type of lens mold of these two types of lens molds is for single use only.
The first type of lens mold can be made of glass (for example quartz or BK7) and is re-usable after a contact lens has been molded. To make the mold ready for being re-used after a contact lens had been molded, the mold is cleaned, rinsed and dried, and is then ready for being used to manufacture the next contact lens. This first type of lens mold is comparatively expensive and more complex to manufacture, but has the advantage of being re-usable many times.
The second type of lens mold is typically made of plastic. After the mold has been used to mold a contact lens, the shape of the mold is no longer sufficiently accurate so that once a contact lens has been molded the mold is disposed of and the plastic is recycled. It is obvious that due to the capability of such molds to be used only once they must be very cheap and easy to manufacture. Accordingly, such molds are typically made of an injection-moldable material such as a polyolefin, for example polypropylene, and are manufactured through injection molding. The present invention is about this second type of mold (i.e. it is about single-use plastic molds) and their manufacture in large numbers.
Obviously, due to their capability of being used only once and due to a large number of contact lenses being manufactured, a very large number of such single-use plastic molds is needed so that an efficient and reliable manufacture of such single-use plastic molds is vital for an efficient manufacture of contact lenses using single-use plastic molds.

Apparatus and method for simultaneously manufacturing a plurality of single-use plastic molds for making ophthalmic lenses through injection molding

Abstract: A front surface of the first molding members comprises recesses to allow the formation of pins projecting from the rear surface the plastic mold into the recesses to make the plastic molds adhere to the first molding members. The gripper tool is movably arranged only in a direction parallel to the first surface into the space formed between the first and second surfaces for transferring the plastic molds to the gripper members and out of this space again.


A receiver includes an I-Q demodulator (135) responsive the I and Q components carried on a first frequency signal line (132). The demodulator comprises a demodulator frequency generator (275) for generating a demodulating signal to extract the carried I and Q components. A phase adjustment circuit (105), responsive to the I and Q components that are maintained at a predetermined relationship, makes the demodulating signal substantially in phase with the first frequency signal. A transition detector (445) generates a state transition signal in response to a change of state of at least one of the I and Q signals. A peak detector (460) generates a peak detected signal in response to occurrence of a peak amplitude of at least one of the I and Q signals. A clock generator (470) adjusts the phase of a symbol clock signal used to decode the I and Q components in response to the state transition signal and peak detected-signal.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Communications systems using phase shift keying (PSK) modulation schemes are known. Such systems use the phase of a transmitted/received signal to transmit/receive intelligent data. The transmitted/received signal can be represented as a series of data vectors originating at the origin and having end points at data point values on a circle of an orthogonal system. Each data vector, accordingly, has an in phase component, known as the I coordinate or value of the data vector, and a quadrature component, known as the Q coordinate or value of the data vector. The transmissions from the transmitter of the communications system to a receiver of the communications system are often in the form of bursts of data, particularly in point-to-multipoint communications systems.
A PSK system in which data is represented by n points or vectors on the circle is known as an nPSK system. In nPSK systems there are xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d number of (usually equally spaced) data points along the vector circle, each point representing transmitted/received data. I and Q vectors change their relation with each other to control the data sent in nPSK systems. The relationship is referred to as a rotation of the composite phase vector V in an I and Q orthogonal system. This relationship is depicted in FIG. 1.
In QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) systems, four data points are used. The I and Q vectors form xe2x80x9csymbolsxe2x80x9d of information, each symbol being one of the four digital states represented by the I and Q vectors, taken as 2 bits and relating to the four points seen on the circle of FIG. 1 and labeled 00, 01, 10, 11. QPSK systems offer an advantage in that the data points are few in number. As such, any phase error in the QPSK receiver causing the vector V to improperly move from position V to V1 of FIG. 1 will have to be substantial before the receiver has difficulty resolving whether it is the data point representing, for example, data state 00 of vector V1 or the data point representing data state 01 of vector V2. This phase error is most often caused by slips and shifts in time of the I and Q at the beginning and ending edges of a symbol period. These slips and shifts are frequently a function of phase errors between the received signal after it has been down converted to an intermediate frequency, IF, and the IF signal used to demodulate the QPSK symbols.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the I and Q signals represented by lines 20 and 25 of a received signal that has been down converted to an intermediate frequency. As shown, the I and Q signals change states in accordance with the data transmitted during each symbol period. As such, the received sinusoidal IF that was used to develop the I (line 20) and the Q (line 25) envelope depicted by line 30, unless it is absolutely phased to the signal used in the modulation of the I and Q signal, will have inaccuracies during the times designated at E and F. This inaccuracy in the envelope will cause phase errors. The higher the ratio between the IF frequency and the I and Q signal transition frequencies, the better the resolution and hence less phase error.
One manner of synthesizing the signal used to demodulate the I and Q signals is to synthesize the demodulating signal using direct digital synthesis (DDS) of the entire IF waveform, keeping the received IF signal and synthesized demodulating signal completely in phase at all times. The present inventors, however, have recognized that such DDS schemes are often quite complicated and costly to implement. As such, they have set forth an nPSK burst communications system and receiver architecture which is less costly to implement than its DDS counterpart while still being highly reliable and accurate. Additionally, the inventors have set forth a clock generator/data decoding circuit that improves the integrity of the received data.
An nPSK communications system is set forth. The communications system includes a transmitter for transmitting phase shift key modulated burst signals, including I and Q components, on a transmission medium. The burst signals include a prefix portion and a data portion. The I and Q components of the prefix portion are maintained at a predetermined relationship during at least a portion of the prefix portion. The communications system also includes a receiver for receiving the phase shift key modulated burst signals from the transmission medium. The receiver includes an IF section for mixing received burst signals to an intermediate frequency signal, the intermediate frequency signal having a phase. The receiver further includes an I-Q demodulator that comprises a demodulator frequency generator for generating a demodulating signal having a frequency equal to or an integer multiple of the intermediate frequency signal to thereby extract the I and Q components of the received burst signals. A phase adjustment circuit, responsive to the I and Q components that are maintained at the predetermined relationship, is used for adjusting the phase of the demodulating signal so that it is substantially in phase with the intermediate frequency signal.
In accordance with a further aspect of the disclosed invention, a receiver for receiving phase shift key modulated signals that are transmitted at a symbol rate in which a circuit for determining the respective states of baseband I and Q signals of the phase shift key modulated signals is set forth. The circuit comprises a transition detector for detecting a state transition of at least one of the baseband I and Q signals and for generating a state transition signal in response to the state transition. A peak detector circuit detects the occurrence of the peak amplitude of at least one of the baseband I and Q signals and generates a peak detected signal in response to occurrence of the peak amplitude. A clock generator circuit generates the symbol clock signal at the symbol rate in response to the state transition signal and the peak detected signal to adjust the phase of the symbol clock signal. An analog-to-digital converter samples each of the baseband I and Q component signals at a predetermined rate to generate a first digital sample output stream from the baseband I component and a second digital sample output stream from the baseband Q component. Each digital data sample of the first digital sample output stream is indicative of a logic state of the baseband I component at a respective sample time and each digital data sample of the second digital sample output stream is indicative of a logic state of the baseband Q component at a respective sample time. The predetermined rate is at least twice the Nyquist frequency of the baseband I and Q component signals. A voter circuit receives the first and second digital data sample streams, and, in response to occurrence of the symbol clock signal, compares a current digital data sample of the first digital data sample output stream to prior and subsequent digital data samples of the first digital data sample output stream to provide an I state signal output and, in response to occurrence of the symbol clock signal, compares a current digital data sample of the second digital data sample output stream to prior and subsequent digital data samples of the second digital data sample output stream to provide a Q state signal output.

Phase shift key burst receiver having improved phase resolution and timing and data recovery


A general-purpose graphics processor comprising a first set of compute units, a second set of compute units, and a memory coupled with the first set of compute units and the second set of compute units is described. The memory is configured to merge a first read request to an address block of the memory with a second read request to the address block of the memory to reduce a number of memory accesses to a memory bank associated with the address block. The graphics processor can also include a memory arbiter that can multicast merged reads to the compute units associated with the merged reads.

Highly dense computations, such as matrix multiplications, are common building blocks in many machine learning and high-performance computing workloads. These computational building blocks often have significant data reuse both spatially and temporally. The performance of such building blocks may be limited by the rate at which data can be fed into the execution units from memory. For example, when workloads are operated upon in parallel by many computational units that share a common data storage, such as a shared L1 cache or a shared local memory (SLM), multiple read requests for a given block of data may arrive at the common data storage at different points in time from the various compute units. Servicing these requests separately leads to multiple data accesses from the storage array as well as multiple data returns to execution units which leads to inefficiencies in the usage of the resources as well as increase in power consumption.
In general, local data caches can provide some degree of data coalescence by providing local storage for multiple computational units that share common data. However, a data cache only serves the purpose of preventing multiple fetches from the next level of hierarchy. Data caches do not avoid multiple data reads and transmissions and consume resources and power for each access request.

Shared local memory read merge and multicast return


An ink jet recording head comprises a ceiling plate provided with a plurality of grooves to form ink paths, a plurality of extrusions confining the grooves, recesses serving as common liquid chambers conductively connected with the grooves, and supply apertures for supplying ink to the common liquid chambers; and an elemental substrate having a plurality of energy generating elements formed on it to generate energy for use of discharging ink. This ink jet recording head is formed by connecting such ceiling plate and elemental substrate, in which the ceiling plate is provided with a plurality of recesses, separation walls to separate adjacent common liquid chambers, and sealing material fill-in grooves formed on the separation walls, while the elemental substrate is provided with sealing material antirunning members for preventing the sealing material from flowing into each of the liquid chambers from the gaps between the separation walls and the elemental substrate, and then, the said sealing material is filled in the sealing material fill-in grooves. With the structure thus arranged, it is possible to fabricate the recording heads in good yield, while easily attaining the separation of common liquid chambers reliably.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording characters, images, and other information on a recording material, and a recording head of an ink jet type mounted on such apparatus used for information processing systems, such as a copying machine, a facsimile equipment, a printer, a word processor, and a personal computer. In this respect, recording includes the provision of ink or the like (such as printing, image formation, print, coloring) with respect to all the ink supporting elements such as cloth, thread, paper, and sheet materials. The present invention is applicable not only to the field of information processing, but also, to the wide industrial fields including the apparel industry, which use cloth, thread, paper, sheet materials, and other ink supporting elements.
2. Related Background Art
It has been in practice that an ink jet recording apparatus for recording on paper, cloth, plastic sheet, OHP sheet, and other recording medium (hereinafter, may also be referred to simply as a recording sheet) is made capable of performing its highly densified recording at high speeds. Therefore, the ink jet recording apparatus is utilized and sold on the market as output means of information processing systems, such as a copying machine, a facsimile equipment, an electronic typewriter, a word processor, or a printer serving as an output terminal of a work station, or a handy or portable printer provided for a personal computer, a host computer, an optical disk device, or a video equipment. In such a case, the ink jet recording apparatus is structured to comply with the function and mode of usage inherent to each of those devices.
In general, an ink jet recording apparatus comprises a carriage having recording means (recording head) and an ink tank mounted on it, conveying means for conveying a recording sheet, and a controlling means for controlling the carriage and sheet conveying means. Then, the recording head that discharges ink droplets from a plurality of discharge ports is caused to serially scan in the direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction of a recording sheet, while the recording sheet is fed intermittently for an amount equivalent to the recording width of the sheet when recording is at rest. Here, this method is arranged to perform recording by discharging ink onto the recording sheet in accordance with recording signals. Since its running costs are low, this method is used widely. Also, it is used as a quiet recording method. Further, by use of the head having many numbers of nozzles arranged for discharging ink on the straight line in the sub-scanning direction, it is possible to record on the recording sheet by one scanning of the head on the sheet in a width corresponding to such numbers of nozzles at a time. As a result, it is possible to attain the recording operation at a higher speed.
Further, in a case of an ink jet recording apparatus for color recording, color images are formed by superposing ink droplets discharged from the recording heads for use of plural colors. It is generally assumed that when a color recording is performed, three or four kinds of recording heads and ink cartridge are required including the three prime colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) or these three colors plus black (B). In recent years, there has been on the practical use an apparatus having these three- or four-color recording heads mounted on it to form images in full color.
Here, in order to make it easier to understand the conventional technique and the present invention, the description will be made of the structural outline of the ink jet recording head generally in use.
The conventional ink jet recording head is structured by putting together the electrothermal transducing elements formed on a silicon substrate, ink discharge ports for use of recording also formed on such silicon substrate, ink paths each having the thermoactive portion in such electrothermal transducing element, and a ceiling plate having a recess to form a common liquid chamber for supplying ink to each of such ink paths as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 55-132253.
FIG. 8 is a sectional perspective view which schematically illustrates the structure of an ink jet recording head.
The recording head 230 is formed by the ceiling 231 and the substrate 232. The ceiling plate 231 is provided with a plurality of grooves 233 that form nozzles serving as ink paths, a large grooved portion 234 serving as the common liquid chamber conductively connected with these grooves, and a supply inlet aperture 235 for supplying ink to such common liquid chamber. Also, the substrate 232 is integrally formed with electrothermal transducing elements 236 each corresponding to the respective nozzle, and each of the electrodes 237 to supply electric power to the respective electrothermal transducing element by the application of film formation technology. Such ceiling plate 231 and substrate 232 are connected to form a plurality of discharge ports (orifices) 238 for discharging ink.
Also, in the ink jet recording head structured as described above, drivers are incorporated to drive the electrothermal transducing elements arranged on the substrate.
Further, in the case of an ink jet recording head for use of color recording, ink jet recording heads each for use of different color are arranged in parallel as an ink jet unit as shown in FIG. 9.
However, when the conventional ink jet recording head as described above, particularly the one for color recording, is used, the space occupied by the recording head becomes larger by several times the space occupied by the head for use of monochromatic recording, because a plurality of recording heads, each for different color, are arranged in parallel. As a result, it is difficult to comply with the users's request that a color printer should be made smaller at lower costs, among others. As a countermeasure, therefore, a proposal is made to the effect that a plurality of common liquid chambers are provided by use of the ceiling plate, hence supplying ink of different color to each of the common liquid chambers thus arranged for performing color recording by use of one recording head. In this case, when a plurality of common liquid chambers are arranged in one and the same recording head, the structure should be arranged in order to separate the common liquid chambers from each other assuredly. For that matter, Therefore, use of sealing material is attempted when separating the plural common chambers. In order words, grooves (separation grooves) are formed on each portion that part one common liquid chamber from another in order to fill in the sealing material. When the ceiling plate and the substrate are connected together, the sealing material is filled in each of such grooves. In this case, the separation grooves are formed along each of the ink paths from the respective common liquid chamber to the ink discharge nozzle. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the sealing material from flowing into each of the ink paths. For example, if the amount of sealing material to be filled in is too much, there is a fear that the sealing material overflows to block the ink paths. Also, if the filling amount of the sealing material is too small, the separation of the common liquid chambers becomes imperfect. Thus, there is a fear that ink in each of the common liquid chambers is mixed. To prevent ink from being mixed, there is a need for careful considerations that should be given in detail as to the filling amount and filling speed of the sealing material. However, should the sealing material be filled with such care, it invites significant increase of operating time manufacturing costs inevitably.

Ink jet recording head, ink jet recording apparatus, and information processing system


The invention provides a synthetic resin container with a plurality of handgrips on its top face and a manufacturing method for such a container. The plurality of handgrips, as well as a metal cap opening, are molded in advance as insertion components. After heating the fusion portions of the insertion components, the insertion components are disposed parallel to the direction in which a parison is to be placed. Thereafter, a parison is placed into dies, and the dies are clamped. Air is blown into the parison through the metal cap opening to fuse the parison and the insertion components.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose synthetic resin containers of rectangular parallelepiped shape. The containers have an opening to be closed by a metal cap ("metal cap opening") formed at least near an end of their top face and three handgrips disposed parallel to each other along the (longer) sides of the top face. When two of these containers are joined so that their handgrips become parallel to one another, those handgrips which are placed far out on each container are closely positioned, which enables one to hold both of those handgrips at a time. By placing fingers under the handgrips, one can carry two containers by one hand and a maximum of four containers by both hands at a time.
If the container becomes heavy as more contents are put in the container, two persons can hold the handgrips on the two sides of the top face of the container by reaching for them from the respective sides to cooperate and carry a single container.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not disclose a manufacturing method for these containers. Patent Document 3 is conventionally known to disclose a manufacturing method for a container with a single handgrip.
Patent Document 3 discloses a container manufacturing method that includes placing a parison in a pair of dies composed of a cavity for molding a container main portion including a metal cap opening and a cavity for molding a handgrip portion, clamping the pair of dies, and subsequently blowing air into the parison. This method molds both the container main portion and the handgrip portion simultaneously in a single die by blow molding.

Synthetic resin container manufacturing method and synthetic resin container


A method and apparatus for converting measurement data pertaining to slivers and fibers originating from a continuous measurement that is dependent upon a plurality of parameters to calibration values. The plurality of parameters includes ambient, processing and measurement parameters. The parameters are converted and combined during processing. The resulting data relates only to individual property parameters and their changes per unit of time and are reduced to standard conditions with respect to ambient and processing parameters. The apparatus includes a plurality of sensors, a calibrating unit and a processing unit that function to continuously measure a quantity of material per length of the sliver and a variation in a fineness of the fiber per unit of time.

Blowroom and preparatory spinning facilities function to continuously produce slivers which, as far as possible, are not subject to any variations in any of their properties, and which correspond as far as possible to predetermined set-values. This problem can be optimally solved only by continuously monitoring and correcting the manufacturing process at different places in the manufacturing process sequence. Accordingly, data concerning the properties of the sliver at different places in the processing process must be made available.
The properties of a particular sliver prepared in a preparatory spinning facility depends upon a number of variables. These variables include the properties of the fibers, the nature and stage of the processing of the fiber and the ambient conditions. Thus, the properties of a specific sliver are determined by a set of parameter values.
Important sliver parameters include the origin of the fiber; the quantity of textile material per sliver unit length; the mutual position of the fibers that form the sliver; and the quantity, nature, size and form of foreign material and its distribution in the sliver. Important fiber parameters include the fineness and fineness distribution of the fibers forming the sliver; the length and length distribution of the fibers forming the sliver; the surface properties and forms of the fibers forming the sliver (i.e., degree of maturity); and, the fiber color. Important process parameters include the textile material or sliver material blend; the speed at which the sliver is formed; and, the tension of the sliver. Important ambient parameters include the humidity of the fibers and the environment; and, the temperature of the fibers and the environment.
Some of the above noted parameters must be kept constant per unit of time, as, for example, the ambient parameters. On the other hand, the staple length of the sliver is determined in several ways, such as, for example, using laboratory (i.e. static) methods, which are introduced as values into the process. The method under discussion here comprises a dynamic measuring method.
Two slivers have the same qualities if all the parameter values for both slivers are identical. Certain conclusions regarding the difference between two slivers, with respect to one parameter, can be made if all the other parameter values are the same, or, alternatively, if it is known whether a parameter value, is dependent upon another parameter value and if so, how. There are numerous standardized laboratory investigative methods for such comparison purposes. Such investigations are usually carried out under standardized ambient conditions and usually with standardized quantities and standardized arrangements of fibers in a static state. In this way, all of the above-mentioned processing, ambient and most of the sliver parameters are kept constant, so that it is possible to compare fibers, slivers and spun products.
The following measuring methods are known for continuously measuring the mass or fiber density of slivers:
European Patents 78,393 and 192,835 disclose measuring the mass of a sliver by mechanically compressing the sliver between two rollers. One of the rollers is driven and non-displaceable, while the second roller is entrained and is displaceable parallel to its own axis. The displaceable roller exerts a constant force on the sliver and is displaced from its rest position in accordance with the compressibility of the sliver. The deflection of the entrained roller is then measured. The deflection of the roller is mainly upon the fiber material and is a function of the quantity of fiber substance.
German Offenlegungsschrift 2,323,729 and Swiss Patent 629,546 disclose compressing a sliver in a trumpet in order to measure the density of the fiber. Dynamic pressure formed by air being squeezed out of the sliver is then measured. A variant of this measuring method comprises blowing an airstream having a constant pressure and constant flow through the sliver, perpendicularly to its direction of movement, and measuring a pressure drop over the sliver. In both cases, aerodynamic resistance of the sliver to the airstream is measured. The results of this type of measurement is primarily dependent upon the quantity of material, the fiber fineness, the fiber orientation in the sliver, the surface and shape of the fibers and the sliver speed.
Sliver measuring methods suitable for continuous investigations depend upon several parameters. However, in contrast to the non-continuous laboratory methods, it is not possible to eliminate the influence of several parameters by means of standard conditions (i.e., standardized preset conditions and/or invariability of some conditions over time). For example, ambient conditions and processing parameters may vary over time and at various points of the sliver production process in the blowroom and preparatory spinning facility. In addition, the sliver parameters and the fiber parameters may also vary. Since, however, the results of the continuous monitoring of the sliver properties can be used for instituting corrective action and to activate alarms only if they can be reduced to individual parameters, it is important to find ways and means for breaking up the measurement results into individual and independent parameters. Since short-term and long-term fluctuations in the properties of slivers and fibers may lead to different corrective actions or alarms, it is important to separate these two types of fluctuations.
Practically all continuously obtained measurement results depend upon sliver humidity. These results cannot be compared with set values, unless they have previously been reduced to standard conditions. Controlling a flock feed and drafting process requires having data concerning material quantity on the sliver, which is produced by feeding and drafting, and this is necessary independently of the other fiber parameters. For example, controlling a bale opening and blenders requires having data relating to the fibers, irrespective of how much material the sliver under measurement contains at the time of measurement.

Method and apparatus for continuously determining the fineness of fibers in slivers


For controlling the stroke frequency of a forging machine (1), which comprises a mechanical stroke drive (3) for the stroke movement of the forging punch (2) and a hydraulic drive connection (4) between stroke drive (3) and forging punch (2), the rotational speed of the stroke drive (3) is adjusted to a high stroke frequency of the forging punch (2), and for reducing the stroke frequency the hydraulic pressure of the drive connection (4) is decreased for periodically succeeding drive strokes in accordance with the drive-related increase with constant rotational speed of the drive (3), while at the same time the forging punch (2) is preferably blocked in the vicinity of the upper dead center. For this purpose, the drive connection (4) is connected to an accumulator (20) via a control valve (23) to be actuated in dependence on the stroke movement.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of controlling the stroke frequency of a forging machine with a mechanical stroke drive for the stroke movement of a forging punch and a hydraulic drive connection between stroke drive and forging punch, and to a forging machine for carrying out this method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such forging machines are available in various designs, where a crank or eccentric drive is used as stroke drive, whose stroke movement is transferred to the forging punch via a hydraulic drive connection, for which purpose the stroke drive actuates for instance a piston pump, whose pump space is hydraulically connected with a working cylinder associated to the forging punch. These forging machines provide for an easy overload protection and an adjustment of the stroke position with a high forging efficiency by changing the hydraulic volume in the hydraulic drive connection. So far, however, the stroke numbers of the forging punches can merely be controlled via the mechanical drive, which due to the losses of kinetic energy occuring during a reduction of the rotational speed only provides for a rather restricted range of control.

Method of controlling the stroke frequency of a forging machine and forging machine for carrying out the method


A real-time system and method for inserting perspective correct content into an image sequence are presented. The invention inserts the content with the location, size, orientation, shape and occlusion properties that are appropriate for the camera view represented by the image sequence. Both static and dynamic content insert positions are supported. The location, size, orientation and shape of the inserted content are determined independently of the image sequence content. Furthermore, no knowledge of three dimensional real world space locations or real world measurements, as related to the content of the image sequence, is used during the content insert process.

Today, there exist multiple examples of AR inserts within the domain of broadcast television. For example, a staple of many current television broadcasts of football games in the U.S. is the display of a virtual line on the playing field which encompasses the yard line which the offensive team must cross in order to achieve a first down. Another example of an AR insert during a sports broadcast is the placement of virtual advertisements into the stadium or arena where the game is being played. For example, during the television broadcast of a baseball game, a virtual advertising billboard may be placed onto the backstop behind home plate. The content of these virtual advertisements will typically be changed each inning in order to support multiple sponsors during the game. Another common example of an AR insert, within the domain of news broadcasts, is the creation of a virtual studio. Virtual studios typically involve the display of walls, desks, screens, and other studio equipment around a newscaster in order to give the impression that a full studio set has been constructed.
It should be noted that the overlay of an AR insert onto either static or moving objects is supported by the present invention. For example, a logo may be placed onto the hood of a moving car during an automobile race. The display of such a moving AR insert requires a system and method to support dynamic motion throughout the scene. The present invention includes such a method.
Referring to the Glossary section above, real world space is defined as the three dimensional physical space of the scene. Locations (coordinates) are defined within real world space, such as coordinates relative to the location of the broadcast camera. The units of measurement within the real world space coordinate system are required to be real world units, such as match with definition millimeters, feet, etc. A view modeling method may be considered "real world space dependent" if the method depends on knowledge of any locations or measurements within real world space; i.e., in real world units in the x, y and z directions, such as those relative to the camera.
The problems with a real world space dependent view modeling approach are related to the fact that both collecting and maintaining three dimensional real world space location and measurement information is often an imposing or even impractical task. With respect to the area of information collection, the gathering of highly accurate real world location and measurement information often involves the usage of specialized and expensive equipment, such as GPS systems, survey equipment, laser planes, or inertial navigation systems (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,184 to Crain and U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,100 to Gloudemans, et al.). The usage of such equipment implies that special training must be given to technicians who will be setting up and calibrating this equipment on-site at the broadcast venue. This limits the usefulness of such AR systems when used within a broadcast environment where television personnel who have not received special training will be required to set up and operate the AR system. Furthermore, the gathering of location and measurement information using such equipment is often time consuming. This means that AR systems which depend on this equipment may be impractical within a television broadcast setup environment where production costs have been trimmed by limiting on-site setup time for the television crew.
Maintenance of location and measurement information is also a problem with a real world space dependent view modeling approach. Consider a situation where the camera is accidentally moved (e.g., bumped by the operator) during a broadcast. Since, as discussed above, knowledge of the location of the camera relative to objects within the scene in three dimensional real world space is a required element of a real world space dependent solution, it will be required at that point to entirely reassess and recalibrate the location of the camera and perhaps any other required objects within the scene. This is potentially a very time consuming process, and may likely be impractical during an actual live event. In an analogous situation, the camera may be deliberately moved either just before, or during a broadcast in order to obtain a better view of the event. This situation presents similarly dire consequences to the real world space dependent view modeling method, as well.
An early method for view modeling that is based solely on camera sensor data is presented within U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,184 to Crain. Crain presents a method for transforming the location of an object within three dimensional real world space into a set of values which represent the location of the object within a TV raster signal generated by a camera. The following information is required to be known for the Crain method to function: (a) the precise three dimensional real world space location of the camera, (b) the precise three dimensional real world space location of the object, and (c) pan, tilt and zoom values for the camera. Means for (a) is stated to be an inertial navigation system, while means for (b) is stated to be a set of surveying instruments. Pan, tilt and zoom information is obtained via sensors attached to a broadcast camera. Given (a) and (b), it is obvious that the view modeling method disclosed in Crain is real world space dependent, and thus exhibits the general real world space dependency problems that were outlined within the previous section above. The view modeling methodology within the present invention addresses all of these problems due to the fact that the present methodology is real world space independent.
Another method for view modeling is presented within U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,100 to Gloudemans, et al. This method relies on the use of pan, tilt and zoom data originating from sensors attached to a broadcast camera, in combination with a three dimensional model of the scene. The method is real world space dependent due to the fact that three dimensional locations of objects within the environment space are measured, computed and utilized within the method. The preferred embodiment described in Gloudemans, et al. determines the location of the camera by (a) determining the real world space locations of at least three "fiducials" (landmarks), using a laser plane or other suitable method, (b) pointing the optical center of the camera to these landmarks and (c) using geometric equations, based on recorded pan, tilt and zoom values, to calculate the (x,y,z) location of the camera. Thus, due to this real world space dependency, the method also exhibits the general real world space dependency problems that were outlined within the previous section above.
Other real world space dependent view modeling methods within the prior art include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,871 to Wilf et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,700 to Honey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,250 to Honey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,925 to Rosser, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,386 to Wilf, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,579 to Tamir, et al., each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention addresses these real world space dependent view modeling issues by offering a real world space independent view modeling approach.
Many view modeling methods within the prior art are based on pattern recognition techniques. These pattern recognition based view modeling methods have many potential drawbacks. Distortion of the video signal, occlusion of landmarks (due to foreground activity within the scene), and changing environmental conditions (which may affect the appearance of landmarks) each may dramatically decrease view modeling accuracy. Delays due to significant processing overhead may also occur.
One example of a pattern recognition based view modeling method is presented within U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,695 to Rosser, et al. Pattern recognition techniques are used to track the motion of an object within a camera view. Template correlation is used to track fixed (background) landmarks within the camera view in order to provide positional information for objects within the camera view. The algorithms that comprise the method utilize only two dimensional camera view space; thus, the method appears to be real world space independent. However, since the method is based on pattern recognition, the problems listed above may occur.
Other pattern recognition based view modeling methods include those described in: U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,871 to Wilf, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,700 to Honey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,250 to Honey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,925 to Rosser, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,386 to Wilf, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,579 to Tamir, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,695 to Rosser, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,554 to DiCicco, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,915 to Rosser, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,317 to Sharir, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,933 to Rosser, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,672 to Medioni, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,485 to Luquet, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,345 to Richard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,298 to Steinberg, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,553 to Honey, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,060 to Honey, et al., each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention addresses these pattern recognition issues by offering a view modeling solution which does not utilize any pattern recognition techniques.

System and method for inserting content into an image sequence


Modules of a data processing system are configured by providing a configuration file that includes configuration file blocks, a respective one of which contains configuration information for a respective one of the modules. A configuration file interface is also provided for each of the modules. A configuration file interface identifies the configuration file block that contains configuration information for the associated module and consumes the configuration block so identified. A pipe serially passes a configuration file block to the configuration file interfaces, until one of the configuration file interfaces identifies a configuration file block. Configuration file blocks continue to be passed until all of the configuration file blocks have been passed to the appropriate configuration file interface.

Data processing systems generally include a plurality of modules which execute on a central processing unit (CPU). An operating system may be used to interface the modules to the CPU. Each module may be a separate computer program such as a word processing or spreadsheet program, or may be a subroutine or a group of subroutines that act as a unit. It will be understood that modules may also include hardware as well as software components, such as a sound card module. An operating system may also be considered as one or more modules. Each of these modules executes in the data processing system, serially or concurrently.
In data processing system design, it has long been recognized that well-defined modules can provide a data processing system that is easy to maintain and update. Accordingly, modular programming techniques and object oriented programming techniques have been used to design well-defined modules.
In a well-defined module, the module exposes an interface that exchanges data and otherwise interacts with other modules, with an operating system and/or with the central processing unit. However, the details behind the interface, and the data and algorithms that are used to implement it, are maintained hidden within the module. Accordingly, external interaction of the module takes place only through a well-defined interface. Thus, the module is easy to maintain or upgrade by preserving the well-defined interface when changing the internal workings of the modules.
Many modules use configuration data to govern their operation. For example, a word processing program may include configuration data regarding foreground and background colors, fonts, default document formats and other configuration information. As another example, an operating system may include configuration files for control panels, printers and task bars. Accordingly, modules generally include a configuration file associated therewith.
Many modules will have common configuration parameters, such as colors, fonts, task bars and the like. In order to improve the ability to edit these configuration parameters globally, it may be desirable to provide a single configuration file as a persistent file of configuration information for all modules. This configuration file may be human-readable or may only be machine-readable. In either case, a single file for multiple modules is generally desirable to reduce clutter and improve reliability of the data processing system.
Unfortunately, the use of a single configuration file may be contrary to the provision of well-defined modules. In particular, if there is a single configuration file, and a single module that reads that configuration file, then each other module may need to expose, as part of its external interface, all of its configurable parameters. However, this may expose information which otherwise may not need to be exposed to other modules, and thus may violate the basic concepts of modular programming.
Moreover, if a module changes a configuration parameter, the configuration file reading module may also need to change. Again, this may violate the principles of modular programming.

Module configuration systems, methods and computer program products for data processing systems

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to an authentication system, a small base station, and an authentication method which allow a server side to authenticate whether an installation position of a small base station is valid or not. In a packet to be sent as an authentication request from the femto base station 1, in-IC card information of an IC card inserted into the femto base station 1 is contained. A network terminating device 2 converts a local IP address described in a header of the packet to a global IP address, and sends it to a femto concentrator 4. The femto concentrator 4 generates authentication information by associating the in-IC card information with the global IP address, and sends it to an authentication server 5. The authentication server 5 determines that the installation position of the femto base station 1 is valid if the in-IC card information and global IP address included in the authentication information have been associated with each other and registered in an authentication table. The present invention can be applied to a base station for a femtocell.

While a "cell" is a concept representing a communication area which a base station covers, a "femtocell" has recently attracted attention as one for covering a small area with a radius of several tens of meters such as within a home or an office.
"Femtocell" is built by connecting a femto base station, which is a base station that outputs radio waves at a level where such a small area is covered, with a terminating device of a broadband network installed on the premises such as an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) modem or an ONU (Optional Network Unit).
Unlike a "macrocell", which is a wide cell for the general public having a radius of several hundreds of meters to several kilometers, a "femtocell" provides communication service to limited users such as residents in a house in which a femto base station is installed.

Authentication system, small base station, and authentication method


A process comprising:. blending core particles with a first coating resin or resin mixture to produce a first blend; PA1 heating the resulting first blend to produce first coated particles; PA1 blending the resulting first coated particles with a second coating resin or resin mixture to form a second blend; and PA1 heating the second blend to afford second or twice coated particles.

The present invention is generally directed to processes for the preparation of resin coated particulate materials, for example, carrier particles especially for use in two component xerographic developers. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved dry powder coating processes for the preparation of polymer coated porous metal oxide core particles.
The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of polymer coated carrier particles, and more specifically dry powder coating processes for the preparation of polymer coated porous particles comprising relatively small sized metallic sponge carrier particles, with a first coating thereover comprised of a first polymer material of relatively low cost, for example, less than about 1 to about 3 dollars (U.S.) per pound which functions primarily as a filler, a mechanical stability enhancer, or as a sacrificial material, and a second coating thereover comprised of a second polymer or mixture of polymers with a relatively higher cost, for example, for about 3 to about 20 or more dollars (U.S.) per pound and having superior triboelectric charging and/or conductive properties compared to the first polymer coating material.
Dry polymer coating processes for carrier particles are known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,000 (Mammino, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,387 (Mammino, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,326 (Creatura, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,166 (Creatura, et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,846 (Creatura, et al.).


A filter cartridge for a standalone point of use water purification device includes tandem first and second flow passageways containing flowthrough filter media that cooperate to provide opposing flow directions in the first and second flow passageways that reduce, if not eliminate, channeling, and provide self-wetting of the flowthrough filter media contained in the tandem first and second flow passageways, eliminating the need for post-use wetting steps.

To remove impurities from drinking water, standalone point of use water purification devices, such as pitcher purifiers or countertop units, utilize flowthrough filter media normally packaged in replaceable filter cartridges fitted inside the devices. Ion exchange and activated carbon is a typical flowthrough filter media.
As the water of a batch of water needing treatment passes through the filter cartridge of a standalone point of use water purification device, it contacts the ion exchange and activated carbon filter media, which absorbs impurities from the water flowing therethrough. The quantity of filter media contacted by the water and the water flow rate determine the absorption efficiency. Typically, filter cartridges having elongated profiles deep enough to allow pollutants to be absorbed by the filter media in the time it takes the water to flow through the filter have been employed.
The ion exchange and activated carbon filter media is contained in the elongated filter cartridges as a bed of closely-packed beads or grains, with a consistency of sand or coffee grounds. As the water flows therethrough, it takes the path of least resistance and makes its own channels through the filter bed. Such "channeling" action, however, leads to the undesirable result that "impurities" seep through the filter cartridge along with "purified" water, since the water that flows through the channels does not contact the filter media for enough time to allow effective absorption to take place.
To insure repeatable operation after use, the ion exchange and activated carbon filter media needs to remain wetted. In the usual case, this requirement has necessitated that the user take steps to insure the standalone point of use water purification device always contains enough water to keep the filter cartridge fitted therein at least partially submerged in water.

Filter cartridge for a standalone point of use water purification device


A threaded element of plastic material for a joining assembly has a uniquely formed thread profile of a small profile angle between 30° and 50° and a rounded crest of a relatively large radius of curvature. The gap between the revolutions of the thread is of a volume which exceeds that of the thread. In order to provide for a specific cutting geometry of the thread profile the threaded element comprises a plurality of angular segments which are radially offset with respect to each other such that adjacent angular segments provide cutting edges. Furthermore, a tool and a method for making such a joining assembly are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a joining assembly including a support member of plastic material and a threaded element of plastic material. The threaded element is threaded into a receiving bore of the support member and comprises a core and an external thread which when threaded into the receiving bore of the support member forms a counter-thread in the receiving bore of the support member. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a threaded element formed as a screw or a threaded sleeve for such a joining assembly, and a tool and method for making a joining assembly.
Such joining assemblies comprising a plastic support member and a plastic threaded element formed as a screw or a threaded sleeve with a self-tapping external thread have become known, see for example DE 42 27 272 A1, DE 42 27 274 C2, and DE 23 17 736. The threaded elements of these joining assemblies generally are provided with a specifically designed thread profile so as to enable them to perform their self-tapping function.
For example DE 42 27 272 A1 discloses a threaded element with a so-called round profile, wherein the thread in an axial cross-section is of a circular profile, the revolutions of the thread being spaced from each other, in an axial direction, by small gaps. DE 42 27 274 C2 discloses a threaded sleeve having an external thread of a height which increases from a minimal value to a maximal value in the threading direction so as to provide, at the maximal value of the thread height, a step intended to act as a disengagement lock. The thread is formed as a "triangular thread" in this case.
DE 32 01 846 A1 and DE 91 15 162 U1 disclose self-tapping threaded elements having threads of a profile specially designed to perform the self-tapping function. However, these threaded elements are not made of plastic material.
DE 23 17 736 discloses a self-tapping screw or bolt of plastic material which includes longitudinally extending grooves for providing a pair of diametrically opposite cutting edges in each thread revolution, which cutting edges act in the threading operation to cut an internal thread into the receiving bore of the support member when the screw or bolt is threaded into the receiving bore.
While self-tapping threaded elements of plastic material are being used in practice, further improvements are desirable. One drawback of the prior art threaded elements of plastic material is that they are generally suited only for support members of one specific plastic material while they are not suited for a great number of other plastic materials. Quite often the self-tapping qualities of the threaded element are poor. The strength and load capability of the threaded element and of the joining assembly may be detrimentally affected by notching and/or clamping effects during forming of the thread. Furthermore, deformation resistance and stability of the threaded element are not always satisfactory. Finally, even for small threading torques maximal security against inadvertent disengagement of the threaded element from the receiving bore of the support member should be ensured.

Joining assembly including a plastic support member and a plastic threaded element


An electronic device including a main body, a shell and a locking mechanism is provided. The locking mechanism includes a first locking component and at least one second locking component. The first locking component is slidably disposed at the main body, locks the shell and has at least one retaining portion. The second locking component is slidably disposed at the main body and locks the shell. The retaining portion blocks the second locking component from sliding relatively to the main body. When the first locking component slides relatively to the main body to release the shell, the retaining portion moves away from the second locking component and the second locking component slides relatively to the main body to release the shell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an electronic device and a locking mechanism thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic device with a detachable shell and a locking mechanism thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with development of semiconductor devices and display techniques, electronic products have been continually developed toward miniaturization, multi-functionality, and portability. The common portable electronic products include notebook computers, tablet computers, mobile phones, etc. In recent years, the portable electronic products, in addition to a substantial evolution in function, are also increasingly focused on the appearance design, such that the appearance of the portable electronic products becomes an important factor to influence the purchase intentions of the consumers.
In order to allow the portable electronic products having variable appearances, some of portable electronic products have a replaceable shell by design. Taking a notebook computer as an example, the back shell of the display thereof is detachable by design, which allows the user self to replace the shell with different color or pattern. However, when the user wants to replace the described shell, the user is often required to respectively unlock multiple locking elements between the shell and the display, or to use a screw driver to take off the screws for fastening the shell, and therefore, the above-mentioned scheme is quite inconvenient to detach off the shell.


In chucking a wafer to an electrostatic chuck type hot plate mounted in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the chucking force is successively applied from the central portion toward the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. Therefore, the chuck electrode is divided in its radial direction into at least two electrode portions comprising an inner circumferential electrode portion and an outer circumferential electrode portion, and the chuck voltage is applied successively from the inner circumferential electrode portion toward the outer circumferential electrode portion. The chucking force is applied first to the central portion of the wafer so as to elevate the wafer temperature. In this step, the chucking force in the outer peripheral portion of the wafer is weak so as to permit the wafer to be thermally expanded smoothly. As a result, the stress within the wafer is low so as to prevent the wafer from being broken.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-208355, filed Jul. 10, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, particularly, to a hot plate for heating a semiconductor substrate or wafer held by an electrostatic chuck and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the particular hot plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In manufacturing a semiconductor device, a semiconductor circuit is formed by repeating the steps of forming an insulating film and a conductive film on a semiconductor substrate or wafer (hereinafter xe2x80x9cwaferxe2x80x9d) such as a silicon substrate by a sputtering method, a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, etc., and etching these films for the patterning purpose. Chemical reactions are utilized for the deposition and etching of the film, and the deposition rate and the etching rate are affected by the temperature. The quality of the deposited film is also affected by the temperature. It follows that it is important to control appropriately the temperature of the wafer under processing in order to carry out the processing stably with good reproducibility.
It is widely known to the art that the front surface or the back surface of a wafer is irradiated with light emitted from an infrared ray lamp for heating the wafer. In the case of using an infrared ray lamp, however, it is difficult to control accurately the temperature because the absorption efficiency of the infrared ray differs depending on the kind of the film formed on the wafer. What should also be noted is that, since the cooling cannot be achieved, the temperature tends to be excessively elevated during the processing.
Under the circumstances, a hot plate having a resistance heater arranged therein has come to be used widely. To be more specific, the particular hot plate is fixed to a stage equipped with a cooling mechanism, and a wafer is disposed on the hot plate. In this case, the wafer is heated or cooled by utilizing the heat conduction. The particular system includes the method that the wafer is tightly attached to the hot plate by utilizing the evacuation on the back surface of the wafer so as to fix the wafer, the method that the wafer is electrically fixed by utilizing the electrostatic attracting force, and the method that the wafer is mechanically pushed against the hot plate by utilizing a clamp or the like for fixing the wafer. Among these methods, it is impossible to employ under the vacuum the evacuation on the back surface. Also, in the case of utilizing the mechanical clamping force, the pushing member tends to cause the dust generation. Specifically, it is possible for a film to be attached to the pushing member. It is also possible for the pushing member to be brought into mechanical contact with the wafer. In this case, rubbing is brought about because a mechanical force is applied to the pushing member so as to generate dust.
In view of the above-noted problems inherent in the prior art, the method of allowing the wafer to be electrostatically held on a hot plate of an electrostatic chuck type is widely employed in recent years so as to carry out the heating and the cooling.
However, in the case of allowing the wafer of room temperature to be electrostatically held on the conventional electrostatic chuck type hot plate having a high temperature, serious problems are generated. For example, the wafer tends to be cracked. Also, it is difficult to dispose accurately the wafer on the hot plate.
FIGS. 17 and 18 are cross sectional views each showing the conventional electrostatic chuck type hot plate. FIG. 17 shows the state in the chucking step, with FIG. 18 showing the state in the chuck-releasing step. The electrostatic chuck type hot plate comprises a plate body 100 formed of, for example, alumina. A heater electrode (heat generating electrode) 101 formed of, for example, a tungsten wire is arranged in substantially the central portion in the thickness direction of the plate body 100. Also, an electro-static chuck electrode 102 is arranged in a region close to the surface of the plate body 100 on which a wafer 103 is disposed.
Where the wafer 103 of room temperature is disposed and chucked on the hot pate having a high temperature, the wafer 103 is thermally expanded in accordance with the temperature elevation. However, since the wafer 103 is fixed to the entire surface of the plate body 100 by the electrostatic chucking force, the wafer 103 fails to be expanded sufficiently as shown in FIG. 17, with the result that the wafer 103 is finally cracked by the compression stress. Particularly, if the hot plate has a high temperature, the wafer 103 is much expanded thermally so as to promote the cracking of the wafer 103.
As described above, the wafer 103 is cracked by the compression stress in the case where the wafer 103 of room temperature is chucked on the conventional electrostatic chuck plate having a high temperature. Also, dust is generated by the rubbing, and the transfer error is generated by the deviation of the wafer 103. What should also be noted is that the electrostatic chucking force is changed depending on the kind of the film formed on the back surface of the wafer, with the result that the frequency of the crack occurrence differs depending on the kind of the film formed on the back surface of the wafer 103.
Further, the degree of discharge in the chuck releasing step also differs depending on the kind of the film formed on the wafer. Therefore, the wafer releasing process continues to operate even if the chucking force is not eliminated completely, thereby bringing about a transfer deviation (jumping) as shown in FIG. 18. In order to overcome the difficulty, the wafer is held on the hot plate before application of the chuck voltage and, after heated to some extent to permit the thermal expansion, the wafer is chucked on the hot plate. Alternatively, the chuck-releasing time is set long. However, these methods give rise to the problem that the through-put is markedly lowered. Also, where it is necessary to start the film formation during the temperature elevation of the wafer as in the Al reflow process, the Al filling properties are deteriorated so as to lower the yield.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot plate comprising: a plate body having a convex surface on which a semiconductor substrate is disposed; a heat generating electrode formed within the plate body; and an electrostatic chuck electrode formed in the plate body, wherein a distance between the semiconductor substrate and the convex surface of the plate body is increased from a central portion toward an outer peripheral portion of the plate body, when the semiconductor substrate is disposed on the convex surface of the plate body.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a hot plate comprising: a plate body having a substantially flat surface on which a semiconductor substrate is disposed; a heat generating electrode formed within the plate body; and an electrostatic chuck electrode formed in the plate body in a convex scheme over the range from one outer peripheral portion to the opposite outer peripheral portion of the plate body via the central portion.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: disposing a semiconductor substrate on a hot plate including a plate body, a heat generating electrode formed in the plate body and configured to heat the semiconductor substrate disposed on the hot plate, and an electrostatic chuck electrode formed in the plate body and divided into a plurality of electrode portions over the range from one outer peripheral portion to the opposite outer peripheral portion of the plate body via the central portion to include an inner circumferential electrode portion and an outer circumferential electrode; holding the semiconductor substrate on the hot plate by a chucking force generated by applying a chuck voltage to the electrostatic chuck electrode successively from the inner circumferential electrode portion toward the outer circumferential electrode portion to generate the chucking force successively from the inner circumferential electrode portion toward the outer circumferential electrode portion temperature; and processing the semiconductor substrate heated on the hot plate.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: disposing a semiconductor substrate on a hot plate including a plate body, a heat generating electrode formed in the plate body and configured to heat the semiconductor substrate disposed on the hot plate, and an electrostatic chuck electrode formed in the plate body; holding the semiconductor substrate on the hot plate by a chucking force generated by applying a chuck voltage to the electrostatic chuck electrode; processing the semiconductor substrate heated on the hot plate; releasing the semiconductor substrate from the hot plate by applying a chuck-releasing voltage of an opposite polarity to that of the chuck voltage to the electrostatic chuck electrode; and controlling at least one of the chuck voltage, a chucking time, the chuck-releasing voltage, and a chuck-releasing time based on a detected information obtained by detecting a back surface state of the semiconductor substrate before or after disposing the semiconductor substrate on the plate body.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Hot plate and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A computer/printer system and method which includes and involves a screen-display device with a display screen, and wherein requests for a document print preview results in the direct and accurate creation by the printer per se of a true preview on the display screen showing how the document will actually look after printing.

This invention relates to a direct method and apparatus for creating a true print preview of a document which has been sent to the printer for printing. In particular, it relates to such a method and apparatus which, uniquely under the control of a printer, creates an exact electronic screen-display surrogate of such a document—a surrogate which precisely shows before printing how the particular printer involved will actually commit that document to an ink-on-paper hard copy.
The invention thus introduces and features printer-based, true-picture rendering of a document. Such rendering, significantly, costs neither paper nor ink, and effectively avoids the usual prior art mistake-bearing issues of ambiguity, surprise, and approximation—issues which have for years characterized mismatches between actual printed documents, and traditional pre-printing previews of these documents. Reference herein to a "printer" is intended to refer not only to "stand-alone", "single-purpose", dedicated printers per se, but also to so-called MFP (multifunction printing) devices with respect to which the invention has equal utility.
Briefly reviewing the prior art setting which the present invention addresses, a standard and widely employed option which has been offered for many years to users of document-generating applications in computers is the so-called print preview option. Typically, this option, when selected, results in the application, along with the associated printer driver, and occasionally other associated software, collectively generating a screen preview which is, at best, but a suggestion, and often a distant suggestion, of what the final printed document will actually look like. The usual document-producing applications cannot precisely know or detect the specific operational peculiarities and behaviors of the many different printers which may be used. A resulting consequence of this is that what the user typically sees in a requested preview is really just an approximation which often insufficiently matches what actually gets finally printed. Final printing parameters, such as fonts, positional formatting, how well a particular document will "fit to paper", and other document-appearance matters, ultimately lie in the "hands" of the particular printer which is employed, and only that particular printer "knows" exactly what will come out in the final printing.
Given this approximation situation, correctly guessing how to style and build a document to avoid unwanted final printed characteristics is an uncertain "science", and many times a user must go through several time-consuming trial iterations and unsatisfactory printings to achieve a satisfactory final look.
One approach which has been made in the past to resolve the print-preview issues mentioned above involves installing in a computer suitable additional programming software which is intended to emulate the expected behavior of the print engine in the particular printer. Such an approach is costly, involves only a single-style printer, and still only offers a best-guess approximation of how the particular employed printer will perform. Printers, even though nominally identical in model numbers, and supposedly armed with identical print engines, are individuals, and as such often have printing personality quirks which cannot be predicted, and confidently and accurately reflected in after-market installed emulation software. Additionally, the typical single-printer characteristics of such added emulation software make that software effectively useless when a change is made to a different printer.
Thus, the two traditional approaches employed in the creation of a print preview—(a) generation of a preview effectively by the document-creating application and the installed printer driver, and (b) generation of a preview under the control of an extra installed software emulator of an associated printer's print engine—do not often work very well.
According to the invention, and by way of sharp contrast with the prior art, the responsibility for generating a document preview is given directly to the very printer which is to print the document, rather than, as is currently conventional, to the computer-resident application which created the document, or to an installed surrogate print-engine emulator.
With one, or several, conventional document-creation applications installed in a user's computer (also referred to herein as computer structure), the user creates a document, and "sends" that document, by way of computer-sent instructions, to an associated printer. Such an associated computer and printer constitutes a computer environment herein. Effectively, these sent instructions tell the printer to create an appropriate print-control data stream (or collection) in its controller for ultimate use by the printer's print engine to print directly a hard copy of the document.
Along with the sent document, the user requests that the printer, before printing a document hard copy, effectively create electronically, and on an appropriately associated display device with a display screen (a viewing instrumentability), a visual-surrogate preview of the just sent document. The user may either simply request such a preview without implementing any additional document-appearance or other protocol options, or may, according to one form of the invention, choose various options, such as those selected from a list including, for example, document data format, printing color format, gray-scale, compression, resolution, thumbnail preview representation, and others.
With or without such selected options, the printer controller, ultimately creates an appropriate print-control data stream (or collection). This data-stream (collection) the printer may then store on its own internal storage structure, such as a hard drive, if it has one, and/or from the collection create what is called herein a related print-preview data stream that is effectively an exact copy of the print-control data stream. In one embodiment of the invention, the printer sends this print-preview data stream back through the computer to the associated screen-display device, either right away, or appropriately later if internal data storage has taken place. In some instances, such as, for example, where the printer is one which has its own screen-display hardware, this "sending" activity may take place entirely within the printer per se.
The display device then presents on its screen to the user an absolutely true preview of the created document, all selected options implemented, and just as the document, if no revisions are made, will be printed into hard copy by the printer's print engine. Such a preview gives the user precise and accurate information from which predictably implementable revisions can intelligently be made—all before actual printing. All behavior peculiarities and nuances linked to the particular printer will have played their respective roles in the preview which the user sees.
In a manner of speaking, therefore, the present invention responds to a print preview request by instructing and asking the printer itself to create such a preview, using the very same printer-generated, print-engine control data which would, in the absence of such a request, directly control the printing of a hard copy. The actual "voice and signature" of the printer therefore "speaks" and appears in such a preview—a preview which is absolutely true, without uncertainty, without ambiguity, without error and without unwelcome surprise.
The method and structure of the invention can work readily in many computer environments, including those wherein (a) a computer, a printer and a display device are separate components, (b) a computer and display are integrated (as in a laptop computer unit), (c) a printer and a display device are integrated, (d) the printer is incorporated in an MFP device, and so on.
These and other new and distinguishing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description thereof which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


Provided is a measurement device including a first acquisition unit that acquires depth information indicating a depth for each two-dimensional position, and a measurement unit that measures a walking state of a test subject by using the depth information.

The analysis of a walking action has been performed in various scenes and fields. For example, a walking action is analyzed on an aged person or a patient having a problem with a motion function in order to prevent falling. In addition, also in a scene of physical therapy, walking disorder is found through the analysis of the walking action, and a method of treatment is determined.
On the other hand, there are various applications for three-dimensionally capturing the motion of a person by using a motion capture technique or a three-dimensional sensing technique and by converting the motion into digital data. A method of the motion capture includes a method of estimating the posture of a human body by using three-dimensional information obtained from a three-dimensional sensor. The three-dimensional information obtained from the three-dimensional sensor is information indicating a three-dimensional space where a test subject is actually present, and is formed on the basis of the two-dimensional information and depth information. The two-dimension indicated by the two-dimensional information is a plane of a video or an image which is obtained from a single visible light camera or the like, and a depth indicated by the depth information indicates a distance from the three-dimensional sensor which is obtained from the three-dimensional sensor, such as an infrared sensor or a plurality of visible light cameras. The three-dimensional position is determined from a two-dimensional position and a depth. According to the above-described method, it is possible to convert the motion of the human into three-dimensional data without attaching a marker or a sensor to the human body. In the estimation of the posture of the human body, portions (head, hand, arm, leg, and the like) of the limbs of the human are recognized from the three-dimensional information, and motions of the portions are recorded.
Patent Document 1 described below proposes a method of measuring walking ability by using a self-propelled device on which Kinect (registered trademark), which is a three-dimensional sensor, is mounted. In this method, the self-propelled device travels at a fixed distance from a test subject, thereby recording skeleton data (position data of a framework) obtained from Kinect (registered trademark) and converting characteristics during walking of the test subject into graphs.

Measurement device and measurement method


An approach for selecting communications channels to be used by a communication system includes evaluating for the presence of one or more signals both a particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system and one or more other communications channels. For the particular communications channel currently being used by the communication system, signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. For the one or more other communications channels, both signals that use the same communications protocol as the communication system and signals that use a different communications protocol than the communication system are evaluated. The approach may include the use of metrics and classification of device types to determine one or more communications channels to be used by the communication system.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the approaches described in this section may not be prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
For a wireless communication system to achieve its maximum throughput and link quality the impact of outside radio frequency (RF) interference on the communication link must be minimized. Interference occurs when devices other than those used in the communication system emit energy in the same RF spectrum that the communication system uses.
Link performance of a wireless communication system can also be degraded by interference from devices that use the same protocol as the communication system but do not communicate with the communication system. When multiple devices operate in the same communications channel they must share the bandwidth of the communications channel and therefore only obtain a fraction of the throughput they could achieve if they were operating alone in the communications channel.
Interference is common when a wireless communication system operates in an unlicensed band where several other wireless devices are allowed to communicate in the same spectrum. For example, an 802.11b/g communication system operates in the 2.4-2.5 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio band. Other consumer devices such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Bluetooth devices are also permitted to operate in this band. If one of these devices emits a signal using the same frequency spectrum and at the same time as the 802.11b/g communication system, then the throughput and link quality achieved by the communication system can be significantly reduced.
In a multi-channel communication system where the communication system has the ability to operate on different channels, the best way to mitigate the interference problem is to detect the interference and avoid it by switching to another communications channel that has less interference or ideally, no interference. This is typically accomplished by performing measurements on a set of available communications channels and selecting a particular communications channel that is determined to have the least amount of current activity. One problem with this approach is that it does not account for dynamic noise environments or situations where a mobile device moves into a different noise environment. Another approach is to employ frequency hopping on a set of "good" channels, i.e., communications channels that are known to have little or no interference as of the last time that measurements were taken. Using frequency hopping over multiple channels can be a better solution than using a single communication channel because it reduces the likelihood of interference completely blocking communications. Frequency hopping systems, however, may be more difficult to implement, less efficient in bandwidth utilization and are still adversely affected by dynamic noise environments and situations where a mobile device moves into a different noise environment.
In view of the foregoing, an approach for selecting communications channels in communication systems to avoid interference that does not suffer from the limitations of prior approaches is highly desirable.

Approach for selecting communications channels in communication systems to avoid interference


Provided is a T1ρ-weighted pulse sequence with reduced specific absorption rate for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Also provided is a method of reducing the specific absorption rate in T1ρ-weighted MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the modality of choice for imaging joints due to its excellent definition of ligaments, cartilage, bone, muscle, fat and superior soft tissue contrast (Smith, Magn. Reson. Imaging Clin. N. Am. 3:229–248 (1995), Sofka et al., Radiology 5:217–226 (2001)). For two decades, proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown its efficacy in the noninvasive analysis of soft tissues, particularly in the diagnosis of tendinomuscular and osteoarticular diseases (Peterfy et al., Radiol. Clin. North Am. 34:195 (1996); Peterfy, Magn. Reson, Imaging Clin. N. Amer. 8:409–430 (2000)). Recent developments in chondroprotective therapies, cartilage grafting, gene therapy and tissue engineering have increased the demand for accurate and non-invasive techniques that will enable the detection of the early biochemical changes in vivo. Conventional proton MR techniques have been able to provide information about late stages of degeneration in which structural defects are present (Recht et al., Am. J. Roent. 163:283–290 (1994); Peterfy et al., Radiol. Clin. North Am. 32:291–311 (1994)).
T1ρ provides an alternative contrast compared to conventional MRI methods. Since the first description by Redfield (Phys. Rev. 98:1787 (1955)), spin-locking technique has been used extensively, to investigate the low frequency interactions between the macromolecules and bulk water. Several authors have investigated the T1ρ dispersion characteristics of biological tissues, including: muscle tissue (Lamminen et al., Br. J. Radiol. 66:783–787 (1993), Virta et al., Acad. Radiol. 5:104–110 (1998)); brain (Ramadan et al., Magn. Reson. Imaging 16:1191–1199 (1998)); gliomas (Aronen et al., Magn. Reson. Imaging 17:1001–1010 (1999)); breast and cancer tissues (Dixon et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 36:90–94 (1996), Santyr et al., Magn. Reson. Imaging Clin. N. Am. 2:673–690 (1994)); and tumors (Markkola et al., Magn. Reson. Imaging 16:377–383 (1998), Markkola et al., J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 7:873–879 (1997)). These studies have demonstrated the potential value of T1ρ-weighting in evaluating various physiologic/pathologic states. The studies have shown T1ρ to be sensitive to physico-chemical processes, (e.g., spin-spin interaction, chemical exchange, etc.) that occur at small interaction frequencies.
Recent work has also demonstrated the feasibility of measuring regional blood flow and oxygen metabolism in a rat brain via T1ρ imaging (Tailor et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 49:1–6 (2003); Tailor et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 49:479–487 (2003)). T1ρ-weighted MRI has shown some promise in generating tissue contrast based on variations in protein content. For example, it has been shown that T1ρ MRI can map the distribution of glycosaminoglycans in cartilage (Akella et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 46:419–423 (2001); Regatte et al., Acad. Radiol. 9:1388–1394 (2002); Regatte et al., J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 17:114–121 (2003)) and to visualize amyloid plaques in mice affected with Alzheimer's disease (Borthakur et al., Proc. Internat'l. Soc. Magnetic Reson. Med., Toronto (2003); Borthakur et al., J. Magn. Reson. Imaging (2003)).
Several authors have investigated reduced SAR MR pulse sequences that are used to obtain magnetization transfer, or "MT," weighted images (Parker et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 34:283–286 (1995); Thomas et al., J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 15:479–483 (2002); Lin et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 50:114–121 (2003)). In these pulse sequences, the saturation pulses necessary for the MT effect were applied only while acquiring the middle phase-encode lines of k-space. Since the center of k-space determines the signal of the MR image, this ordering scheme results in MT-weighted MR images with reduced SAR of the pulse sequence. Consequently, a need remained for a low SAR versions of the respective T1ρ pulse sequence for additional applications, including MRI pulse sequence containing long RF pulses, such as magnetization transfer MRI or sequences containing decoupling pulses.
A 3D, gradient-echo readout of a T1ρ-weighted MR signal has been used (Aronen et al., 1999). That sequence was implemented on a low field magnet (0.1 T) with a combination of adiabatic pulses, and RF spoiling alone was employed to destroy unwanted transverse coherence. The use of adiabatic pulses has certain drawbacks, e.g., their long pulse lengths result in substantial decay of magnetization during the pulse period. These pulses cannot be easily calibrated on a clinical scanner, are more RF power intensive and may introduce specific absorption rate (SAR) issues. Moreover, any residual transverse magnetization resulting from incomplete restoration of the T1ρ-prepared magnetization to the longitudinal axis by the second adiabatic pulse will result in unwanted image artifacts.
Furthermore, the US FDA has established guidelines to regulate the radio frequency energy in an MRI (US Food & Drug Admin. November 1998). Consequently, MRI has been limited to certain applications so that the energy deposition by the radio frequency pulses in a pulse sequence, measured as the specific absorption rate (SAR), does not exceed safety guidelines for imaging human subjects. For example, the spin-lock pulse cluster in a T1ρ-weighted sequence significantly increases SAR. In order to maintain SAR within FDA guidelines, the pulse repetition time (TR) must be significantly lengthened. The longer imaging time increases discomfort of a subject, increases the chances of involuntary motion by the subject, thereby accentuating possible motion artifacts, and reduces the ability to manipulate T1-weighted image contrast. Consequently, a need has remained until the present invention for a reduced SAR version of the spin-locked sequence.

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