Disclosed herein is method of performing speech recognition using audio and visual information, where the visual information provides data related to a person's face. Image preprocessing identifies regions of interest, which is then combined with the audio data before being processed by a speech recognition engine.

The invention relates generally speech recognition. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of performing speech recognition at a distance using audio and visual information.
Microphone array processing is a common approach applied in distance speech recognition. When the signals from individual microphones in an array are suitably combined, the array functions as a spatial filter capable of suppressing noise, reverberation, and competing speech. Such beam-forming techniques have received a great deal of attention in recent research. Although current approaches for microphone array processing have been shown to improve the signal-to-noise ratio for speech signal, there is no guarantee that the single output from the microphone array is optimized for speech recognition accuracy.
There has also been significant work on audio-visual speech recognition in the past two decades. Prior approaches differ in the front-end visual processing applied, the audio-visual integration strategy, and the speech recognition method used. The majority of systems outperformed audio-only speech recognition over a wide range of conditions. However, improvements were typically demonstrated on databases of small duration, and, in most cases, limited to a very small number of speakers and to small vocabulary tasks.
It would therefore be advantageous to develop of method of distance speech recognition that is capable of using audio and visual information to improve accuracy.

System and method for audio-visual speech recognition

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, a Pennsylvania Non-Profit Corporation


A toner has a storage elastic modulus (G′) of 500 Pa or more at a frequency of 1 Hz and temperature of 180° C., while the toner is obtained by dissolving or dispersing a toner composition in an organic solvent, further dispersing the solution or dispersion thereof in an aqueous medium containing fine resin particles as well as being reacted with a compound having an active hydrogen group, and removing the solvent from the obtained aqueous dispersion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner which is applied to and visualize a latent electrostatic image formed on a photoconductor in electrophotography and electrostatic recording or the like, and to a developer using the toner, a toner container, a process cartridge containing the toner, an image-forming process using the toner and an image-forming apparatus using the toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, an electrical or magnetic latent image formed with an electrophotography apparatus or electrostatic recording apparatus is visualized using a toner. For example, in the electrophotography method, an electrostatically charged image (latent image) is formed on a photoconductor, and this latent image is then developed using a toner to form a toner image (electrostatic charge image development). This toner image is usually transferred to a transfer medium such as paper, and subsequently fixed by a method such as heating.
In general, the toner used for the electrostatic charge image development comprises coloring particles containing a colorant, charge control agent and other additives in a binder resin, and may be manufactured, broadly speaking, by a pulverization method or a suspension-polymerization method. In the pulverization method, a toner is manufactured by melt-mixing the colorant, charge control agent and offset inhibitor, uniformly dispersing them in a thermoplastic resin, and then pulverizing and classifying the composition obtained. By the pulverization method, a toner having excellent characteristics can be manufactured, but selection of toner materials is limited. For example, the composition obtained by melt mixing must be a material which can be pulverized and classified by an economically viable apparatus. Due to this requirement, the composition which is melt-mixed must be sufficiently brittle to be pulverized and classified. Thus, when the composition is actually pulverized to particles, a particle size distribution tends to be widely ranged, and if it is attempted to obtain a copy image with good resolution and gradation, fines with a particle size of for example 5 μm or less and coarse powder of 20 μm or more must be removed, so the yield becomes very low. Moreover, it is difficult to disperse a colorant and charge control agent uniformly in a thermoplastic resin by the pulverization method. Uneven dispersion of the components has an adverse effect on toner fluidity, development and durability, and image quality.
Recently, to overcome the problems in these pulverization methods, it was proposed to manufacture the toner by a suspension-polymerization method, and this method is now being used. The technology of manufacturing a toner for latent electrostatic image development by polymerization, for example obtaining toner particles by a suspension-polymerization method, is known in the art. However, the toner particles obtained by the suspension-polymerization method are spherical, and they are not easy to clean off. In developing/transfer, when the occupation ratio of the image area is low, there is a little residual toner and poor cleaning does not pose a problem. However, when the occupation ratio of the image area is high, such as in a photographic image, toner which is not transferred after image-forming may lead to toner transfer residues on the photoconductor, and if this accumulates, a toner deposition may occur on the background of the image. Further, toner which is not transferred may contaminate the charge roller which contact charges the photoconductor, so that in some cases it cannot exhibit its original charging capability. These disadvantages become more serious if paper feed is unsatisfactory.
In order to solve these problems, a method has been disclosed for making the resin particles obtained by emulsion-polymerization aggregate so as to obtain toner particles of irregular shape (Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 2537503).
However, even if the toner particles obtained by emulsion-polymerization are subjected to a water rinsing step, as surfactant remains not only on the surface but also in the interior of the particles, the environmental stability of the toner charge is adversely impacted, the charge distribution is broadened, and the obtained image is soiled. Moreover, the remaining surfactant also contaminates the photoconductor, charge roller and developing roller, so that they are not able to manifest their original charging capability.
In the fixing step of the contact heating method using heating members such as a heat roller, a releasing quality (hereafter, "anti-offset quality") of the toner particles relative to the heating member is required. This anti-offset quality can be enhanced by introducing a releasing agent into the toner particle surface. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 2000-292973 and JP-A No. 2000-292978 disclose a method of improving anti-offset quality not only by incorporating fine resin particles in the toner particles, but also by unevenly dispersing these fine resin particles on the toner particle surface. However, in these methods, the minimum fixing temperature rises, and the low-temperature fixing quality, i.e., energy-saving fixing quality, is not sufficient.
The following problems are also caused when the resin particles obtained by emulsion-polymerization are made to aggregate so as to obtain toner particles of irregular shape.
Firstly, when making releasing agent particles aggregate to improve the anti-offset quality, these releasing agent particles are taken into the interior of the toner particles, and as a result, a full improvement of the anti-offset quality cannot be realized. Secondly, as the fine resin particles, releasing agent particles and colorant particles stick together randomly to form the toner particles, variations occur in the composition (component proportions) of the toner particles, and scatter occurs in the molecular weight of the component resin. As a result, the toner particles have different surface characteristics, and an image which is stable over a long period of time cannot be formed. Thirdly, in low-temperature fixing systems wherein low-temperature fixing is required, fixing is inhibited by the resin particles which are unevenly dispersed on the toner surface, and the fixing temperature width cannot be ensured.
In order to solve these problems, JP-A No. 2002-169336 discloses a method of obtaining irregular toner particles by dissolving or dispersing a toner composition containing a toner binder resin (i) comprising a modified polyester resin capable of reacting with compounds having active hydrogen groups in an organic solvent, dispersing this solution or dispersion in an aqueous medium comprising fine resin particles, reacting this with a compound having an active hydrogen group, and then removing the solvent from the dispersion obtained so as to obtain irregular toner particles. However, in this method, if this crosslinking or elongation reaction is inadequate, new problems arise, i.e., the obtained toner particles acquire a strong positive electrostatic charge, the environmental stability of the negative toner charge is lost, the charging amount distribution is broadened, and the obtained image is badly soiled.
Advantages and Objects
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a toner which gives a sharp negative electrostatic toner charging distribution, and which can form good, clear, visible images over a long period of time.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a toner which is always easy to clean, is suitable for low-temperature fixing systems, has good anti-offset qualities, and does not soil the fixing apparatus and image.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a developer containing the aforesaid toner, a process cartridge, image-forming process and image-forming apparatus using this toner, and a toner container filled with the developer containing this toner.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Toner, developer using the same, toner container using the same, process cartridge using the same, image-forming process using the same and image-forming apparatus using the same


The invention relates to an image processing device for processing image data from a digital camera comprising an image sensor with a regular pixel arrangement and an associated color filter with a predetermined color pattern. Said image processing device is designed to carry out all image processing operations with respect to a pixel of interest using image data from a single predetermined environment comprising several pixels.

In the industrial environment, digital cameras are often used to monitor production processes, machines or objects. Such industrial cameras are used for simple monitoring functions and for metrological tasks such as quality control by image processing, for example. They are distinguished by their ability for integration into arrangements and their high image quality.
Bayer sensor is the name of a sensor which—similar to a checkerboard—is covered by a color filter, which in most cases consists of 50% green and 25% red and blue each. In doing so, it is considered that the human eye reacts more sensitive to green than to other colors. Many conventional CCD sensors in digital photo and film cameras apply the concept of the Bayer matrix (or Bayer pattern). The "Bayer" matrix or "Bayer" filter is named after the inventor, Bryce E. Bayer, and is explained in more detail in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,065.
Light-sensitive cells of a semiconductor material of an image sensor can detect luminescence values only. To obtain color information, a tiny color filter in one of the three basic colors red, green or blue is arranged in front of each single cell. The filters are applied in the order green-red-green-red in odd rows and in the order blue-green-blue-green in even rows, for example. Each light-sensitive cell (pixel) of the image sensor, which has such a filter, correspondingly delivers information for a single color component at this position only. However, to obtain a full color image, a color value is required for each pixel, which consists of several color components, red, green and blue, for example. If a full color image having the same dimensions and the same resolution is to be generated, interpolation of missing color information from values of neighboring pixels is required. Thus, 50% of the green values of a color image are calculated, for blue and red it is 75% of the color values each (or, in one row 50% and in the next row 100% of the row), which are to be filled by the calculation. This interpolation is based on the assumption that only little color differences occur between neighboring pixels in the image. However, naturally this does not apply to each image subject. Therefore, strictly speaking, the Bayer sensor offers only a quarter of the virtual resolution taking into consideration a color image free of artefacts.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary application of a digital industrial camera. Digital industrial cameras 10 are provided for integration in an industrial apparatus 23, as part of which they detect images of objects 14, 15 or human beings, for example. These images are transferred as image data 16, so that they can be evaluated and/or archived. The evaluation is often done automatically by an image processing means 18. Often, automatized actions are performed in response to the evaluation results, which are in context with the apparatus 23. In this way, bright objects 14 and dark objects 15, which can be discriminated by their color, are automatically sorted based on optical criteria. Such sorting is usual in various industrial sectors. As an example, food, e.g. grain according to the criterion of being free from stain, pieces of ore and rock based on their color or their brightness, postal items based on the address arranged on them, brake discs and sealing rings based on their compliance with a correct shape and their compliance with specific nominal sizes, or empty returnable bottles based on a correct shape and the barcode arranged on them. Such sorting often serves for quality checking and assurance.
Such industrial apparatuses 23 often comprise driving components which feed the objects 14, 15, e.g. a feeding belt 11 with a driving motor 12 and a feeding rate 13. The camera 10 records the image at a suitable position by means of an optics 22, such as an object lens. Thereby, the camera 10 may be arranged as area-scan camera, as row-scan camera or as multiple-row-scan camera, as described in the EP 1 919 197 A2, for example. The camera forwards image signals 16 of the recorded image to the image processing means 18 (e.g., a computer (C)). Furthermore, the image processing means 18 may optionally be supplied with an information 17 about a feeding rate 13 of the feeding belt 11, which may be determined e.g. by a rotary encoder. Thereby, the image processing means can determine a suitable point in time, at which an object passes an actuator 19 such as an element dropping past numerous controllable air injectors, and can supply a control signal 24 thereto, based on which an action is performed, which is suitable to lead the corresponding object to a sorting. As an example, the control of the air injectors can determine whether the object drops into a first container 20 if the airflow is switched off, or is deflected to a second container 21 if the airflow is switched on.
In such an application, it is advantageous if the camera 10 can transfer the image as fast as possible, so that the image processing means 18 can generate the control signal for the actuator 19 as fast as possible and can thus initiate the desired control action at an early stage. Thereby, the apparatus 23 can be operated faster. In certain applications, especially when the objects 14 and 15 move, e.g. roll, on the feeding belt 11, higher accuracy or position can be achieved or other parameters can be optimized.
In other application cases, recording and/or documentation of a circumstance may be of interest, as well. As an example, images of vehicles are recorded, which move disorderly in road traffic, e.g., when violating speed limit or passing red traffic lights—as described in the DE 10 2010 003 039 A1, for example. As an example, loading and unloading of ferryboats may also be accompanied by recording images of vehicles, to be able to determine whether a damage has occurred on the ferryboat in cases of claims for compensation. In such applications, it is required that the color of the objects and certain circumstances, e.g., red traffic lights, are reproduced correctly. Furthermore, it is important that the image has a good quality. This is the case, among others, if the objects of the image can be easily identified and letters, especially such with black and white contrast, are reproduced in a sharp and easily readable manner.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a structure of a digital camera 10 with an objective 22. An image scene 30 is reproduced via the objective 22 on an image sensor which comprises a regular arrangement of light-sensitive elements (pixels). The image sensor 31 transfers electronic data to a processing unit 32 mostly included in the camera 10, which comprises a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP) or a so-called Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), for example. In this case, it may be required that analogue image data is converted into digital image data, e.g., by means of an analogue-to-digital converter (AD-converter). In the processing unit, the image data is converted into a user-applicable form and is then output as an electronic signal 34 via an interface 33.
A user of such a digital color camera often wants to use a color image in which a full color value is available for each pixel position. Such a color value is then understood as a position or position in a color space, wherein the definition of the position in the three-dimensional color space is achieved by an indication of at least three components. The most common color spaces are three-dimensional, e.g. the RGB, sRGB, XYZ, YUV, and L*a*b* color space. Color values of one color space can be translated into color values of another color space, see for example A. Koschan and M. Abidi: "Digital Color Image Processing", John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken 2008, ISBN 978-0-470-14708-5. Furthermore, methods for transmitting color values are known, e.g., as 8-Bit RGB, 12-Bit RGB or YUV 4-2-2.
As each pixel is sensitive for one color only, that is, it delivers one-dimensional information, determination of a color value for this pixel as a value in the three-dimensional color space is under-determined. Therefore, determination of missing information is commonly done by including signals of neighboring pixels, especially such pixels having color masks of another color. A corresponding calculation is called debayring, demosaicing, or color filter array (CFA) interpolation, and is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,376, for example. As a result of the debayring, a multidimensional color value is obtained for each pixel.
Industrial cameras are known, in which debayring is performed. Also, cameras are provided, which do not transmit images as color values, but as raw data, to a computer. Then, it is required that debayring is performed in the computer. Here, the debayring can be performed on a plug-in card used for receiving image data, a so-called Frame Grabber, or by a processor of the computer or the graphics board. There are also cameras for which a so-called software-implemented driver is offered. It often contains a program code for executing the debayring. It is known that disadvantageous wrong colors may occur when debayring is performed, which is called color aliasing. This problem is extensively discussed in the US 20100085452 A, for example. A proposal for preventing such Color aliasing by a so-called anti-aliasing is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,801, among others.
For the performance of a digital (industrial) camera, especially speed and image quality are of vital importance. The latter is determined according to the standard EMVA 1288 (www.emva.org) in the current version 3.0. Furthermore, subjective human perception of the image is used by the user as important criterion for judgement of image quality.
Digital industrial cameras are applied in different industrial sectors, e.g., food industry, logistics, transport, automotive industry, robotics and others. Within these industrial sectors there are many further different applications with different requirements, e.g., with respect to the size of the image sensor, the optical resolution given by the number of the pixel, with respect of the repetition rate measured in images per second (fps), and with respect to the data transmission format, e.g., according to the standards CameraLink, IEE 1394, GigE Vision or USB. Digital industrial cameras are known, which achieve high data rates, such as for example CameraLink with up to 800 Mbyte per second or GigE Vision with up to 100 Mbyte per second. To ensure efficient production at such a variety of requirements, such cameras are often arranged modularly, e.g. comprising a sensor module having an image sensor, a processing module and an interface module with an interface. Since the processing module is required to adapt a plurality of different sensor modules and interface modules, it is helpful if it is configurable by software, whereby the variety of types of processing modules and the related effort for development, production and logistics can be reduced. Furthermore, it is required to achieve high data throughput to thereby obtain the high required data rates. In this case, the processing module is often realized by an FPGA as central component.
The number of operations contained in a mathematical image processing method should be as little as possible. In case of an FPGA this leads to a low usage of logic cells, which is advantageous to allow usage of a cheap FPGA or to make available more free logic cells of the FPGA for other functions. In case of a DSP or another processor, a low number of operations means that these can be applied to a higher number of pixels within a given time span, whereby an image output at higher data rate is possible. Also, a low-power and thus cheaper processor can be used due to the lower number of image processing operations, and circuit complexity can thus be reduced.

Method and device for creating an improved color image with a sensor with a color filter


Provided is an apparatus for processing containers and in particular for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, including a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein this transport device has a movable support, on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which in each case are suitable and intended for processing the plastic preforms, with a clean room, which surrounds at least portions of the transport path of the plastic preforms and which is delimited by at least one wall relative to the environment. Further, the apparatus has at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers, wherein this inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein this image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall of the clean room.

Apparatus and methods for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers have been known for a long time from the conventional art. In this case heated plastic preforms are fed to the apparatus and are reshaped into plastic containers in a plurality of reshaping stations. In more recent time it has become known to carry out such reshaping processes in an isolator. The isolator is disinfected by sterilisation and the interior of the isolator is also described below as an aseptic room, sterile or clean room. The reshaping in the isolator offers the advantage that a sterilisation of the container which is then produced does not have to take place, but it is also already possible to sterilise the plastic preforms, which have a substantially smaller surface area.
In the production of such plastic containers and also in the following processes, faults can occur in particular due to the blow moulding process. These faults can for example cause the containers to be produced incorrectly, for example having incorrect wall thicknesses. Such containers are unsuitable for the further processing, since for example during filling with certain beverages they can burst and thus can contaminate installations. Therefore, inspection devices are known from the conventional art of the applicant. In this case this is a separate unit which is connected to the actual blow moulding module. Inspection devices are sometimes also arranged inside a clean room. In the event of maintenance or inspection of such inspection devices the problem arises that for this purpose the clean room must be opened. This consequently requires a new sterilisation of the plant and thus also leads to shutdowns of the plant, sometimes with considerable downtimes.
More precisely, during maintenance of the inspection components it is necessary to intervene in the actual sterile room, and in particular in the case of an aseptic machine this would then have to be sterilised again with substantial effort for up to several hours.

Blow moulding apparatus with clean room and inspection of containers


There is disclosed a system for delivering gas at a predetermined rate of flow, including a diaphgram type flow controller, a pressure regulator for providing a constant flow of gas to the flow controller, and a microprocessor controlled stepper motor utilizing an optical encoder to adjust the rate of flow of a gas leaving the controller without having to use a gas flow measurement device to monitor the flow rate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to the control of the flow of gas, and more particularly, to a system which includes an improved diaphragm type gas flow controller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Precise delivery of gas, the gas flow rate (volume per unit time), is critical to the operation of many laboratory instruments such as gas chromatographs, gas calibration units, and headspace sampling systems. Perhaps the most simple method of adjusting gas flow is by holding the upstream pressure constant against a variable orifice in the gas stream, for example, a needle valve or other type of metering valve, or conversely, changing the upstream pressure against a fixed restriction in the gas stream. If, however, the downstream pressure varies due to changes in downstream restriction or temperature, the gas flow will not remain constant.
Various types of flow controllers have been developed to compensate for changes in downstream pressure by maintaining a constant differential pressure across a restriction integral to the controller or by sensing changes in gas flow and operating a metering valve in the gas stream to compensate for these changes and thereby sustaining a constant flow rate. There are presently three major methods for maintaining constant gas flow for instrumentation.
Probably one of the oldest device is the diaphragm flow controller where upstream and downstream pressure exert an opposing force on a diaphragm. Movement of the diaphragm under these forces opens and closes a valve or nozzle, whose reference position is established by a spring force. Supplying the gas to the downstream sides of the diaphragm establishes a differential pressure across an orifice or restriction in the gas path between the upstream and downstream sides of the diaphragm. If the downstream pressure rises, the diaphragm will move against the spring force until the pre-set differential pressure is reestablished. This gas control method is quite robust and stable over time, but is dependent on a constant upstream gas pressure.
The second type of apparatus for maintaining a constant gas flow is the mass flow controller, where gas flow is sensed by the transfer of heat from an electrically heated element to another element which is part of a resistance bridge or in an even simpler version, where a resistive element changes temperature under the influence of a flowing gas removing heat from that element. In either case, the sensed change in gas flow can, with appropriate amplification of the electrical signal, be used to open or close an electrically operated valve or restrictor to maintain constant gas flow against upstream or downstream changes in gas pressure.
A third apparatus for maintaining a constant gas flow utilizes an electrical sensor to determine the differential pressure across an orifice and to adjust the orifice or valve to deliver a preset differential pressure. Because gas flow is proportional to the square root of differential pressure across an orifice or restriction (by Bernoulli's equation), such a device can be utilized with appropriate factors for individual gases to translate differential pressure directly into gas flow.
These last two methods for controlling gas flow are capable of not only controlling the gas flow but also of yielding an electrical signal that may be used to indicate the magnitude of the gas flow. On the other hand, the diaphragm controller must utilize an external device to measure the gas flow which is set by the spring force against the diaphragm. This force could, of course, be supplied by a load cell integral to the diaphragm controller and the electrical signal could thus be translated by appropriate circuitry into an indication of flow rate. In practice, however, most users of diaphragm flow controllers measure the gas flow with such devices as rotometers, turbine meters, soap film meters, or the like.
An advantage of the diaphragm flow controller not shared by the other two devices is the robust character of a strictly mechanical device. However, the devices used to measure the gas flow, such as the rotameter, bubble meter, and mass flow meter, tend to be inaccurate primarily because they require constant recalibration.
The mass flow controller and the differential pressure sensor, although they do not require gas flow measurement devices, tend also to drift away from accurate calibration due to changes in the electrical characteristics of the sensors with time.
A common fault in all three gas flow controllers is the recalibration required each time a different type of gas is monitored or the monitoring conditions vary.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system having a diaphragm type gas flow controller that does not require constant recalibration or the use of external gas flow measurement devices, is impervious to both the upstream and downstream pressure changes, and automatically accommodates changes in the gas flow being controlled.


A simple and compact lens protection mechanism for protecting an optical lens system in a lens barrel comprises a lens barrier member rotatable in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis between an open position for uncovering the optical lens system and a closed position for covering the optical lens system, a neutralizing spring incorporated with the lens barrier member, and a barrier drive ring operationally coupled to the lens barrier member by the neutralizing spring. The barrier drive ring is rotatable in opposite directions so as to drive the lens barrier member through the neutralizing spring between the open position and the closed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens protection mechanism for protecting an optical lens system and a camera equipped with the lens protection mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable compact cameras such as a conventional compact still camera for use with a silver film and a digital camera are generally equipped with lens protection mechanisms installed at a front end of a lens barrel for the purpose of protecting an objective lens from getting dirt and damage while the camera is unused.
One of such lens protection mechanisms disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2612128 comprises a protection cover, bias means such as a biasing spring for biasing the protection cover toward an uncovering or open position, cover closing means for forcing the protection cover to a covering or closed position and activation means for activating the bias means and the cover closing means in cooperation with each other. The activation means is operationally disconnected from the cover closing means to allow the protection cover to be forced to the open position by the bias means when a collapsible lens barrel is extended and, on the other hand, is operationally linked with the cover closing means to force the protection cover to the closed position against the bias means when the collapsible lens barrel is retracted.
Another lens protection mechanism disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-248144 comprises a lens barrier member and an operating ring member. While the camera is put to nonuse, the lens protection mechanism brings the operating ring member into engagement with a latch member forming part of the camera body and simultaneously maintains the lens barrier member in a covering or closed position by means of a link spring operationally linking the lens barrier member with the operating ring member together. On the other hand, when the camera is put to use, the operating ring member is released from the latch member to allow a tension spring linking the operating ring member with the camera body to force the operating ring member to rotate so as thereby to bring the lens barrier member into an uncovered or open position
Recent marked development of cameras presses a demand for a more compact configuration and, in consequence, a strong demand for a downsized lens protection mechanism installed in the compact camera as well as a demand for reductions in manufacturing cost. Since the prior art lens protection mechanisms exemplified above are accompanied by a mechanisms adapted to always force the lens cover member toward the closed position against the bias spring operative to bias the lens cover member toward the open position, it is essential for the lens protection mechanism to include a bias spring or a bias structure for forcing the lens cover member with bias force sufficiently stronger than the bias spring. This is one of undesirable factors standing in the way of making the lens protection mechanism compact and reducing the manufacturing cost of the lens protection mechanism.

Lens protection mechanism and camera with lens protection mechanism


A packaged medical device includes upper and lower flexible sheets, a lance body and a test strip. The lance body includes upper and lower surfaces, an opening that extends between the upper and lower surfaces and a dermal tissue penetration member that projects into the lance body opening. The test strip has an opening therethrough and is attached to the lance body lower surface such that the dermal tissue penetration member is operatively aligned with the test strip opening. The upper flexible sheet is attached to the lance body upper surface and covers the lance body opening, while the lower flexible sheet is detachably attached to the test strip and covers the test strip opening. The upper flexible sheet, lance body and test strip are configured such that, when the lower flexible sheet has been detached to uncover the test strip opening, the upper flexible sheet, lance body and test strip can be bent to deploy the dermal tissue penetration member from the lance body opening. A kit includes the packaged medical device described above and a deployment device for detaching the lower flexible sheet and bending the upper flexible sheet, lance body and test strip to deploy the dermal tissue penetration member. A method for deploying a dermal tissue penetration member of a packed medical device includes providing the packaged medical device described above, detaching the lower flexible sheet to uncover the test strip opening and bending the upper flexible sheet, lance body and test strip to deploy the dermal tissue penetration member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to medical devices and associated packages and, in particular, to packaged medical devices with a deployable dermal tissue penetration member.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of medical devices require packaging to, for example, protect the medical device from damage prior to use and to maintain sterility of the medical device. For medical devices that combine a dermal tissue penetration member (e.g., a lancet or micro-needle) with a test strip, the associated package should provide for deployment of the dermal tissue penetration member during use, while also providing for protection of a user from inadvertent contact with the dermal tissue penetration member prior and subsequent to use. Furthermore, the packaging should provide humidity resistance for the test strip during storage.
A single-use medical device calls for a medical device package that is inexpensive, disposable, and has a slim profile. Although it is conceivable that rigid injection molded medical device packages could be designed to provide protection of medical devices enclosed therein, it is likely that their cost and potentially cumbersome manual deployment (i.e., opening) procedures would be less than ideal.
Still needed in the field, therefore, is a packaged medical device with a deployable dermal tissue penetration member that does not require cumbersome manual opening procedures, yet still provides for sterile protection of a medical device enclosed therein. Furthermore, the packaged medical device should provide protection for the dermal tissue penetration member from damage, humidity or contamination during storage, as well as protection for a user from accidental contact with the dermal tissue penetration member prior and subsequent to use. In addition, it would be desirable for the packaged medical device to have a slim profile and be inexpensive.

Packaged medical device with a deployable dermal tissue penetration member


The invention provides a formulation including a buffer having a pH less than 6.0, a divalent cation between about 5-200 mM, an excipient comprising a sugar or polyol and an effective amount of a therapeutic polypeptide. Also provided is a method of stabilizing a polypeptide. The method includes contacting a therapeutic polypeptide with a concentration of divalent cation between about 5-150 150 mM in a buffer having a pH less than 6.0 and an excipient comprising a sugar or polyol.

This invention relates generally to medicines for the treatment of diseases and, more specifically to consistently stable formulations for polypeptide therapeutics.
With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, protein-based therapeutics have become continually and increasingly commonplace in the repertoire of drugs available to medical practitioners for the treatment of a wide range of diseases from cancer to autoimmune diseases. Along with the scientific and technical advances that have occurred in the production of recombinant proteins, another reason for the success of protein therapeutics is their high specificity towards targets and their ability to exhibit superior safety profiles when compared to small molecule therapeutics. The ability to employ biological molecules as pharmaceuticals in the treatment of diseases has significantly advanced medical care and quality of life over the past quarter of a century.
Proteins known to exhibit various pharmacological actions in vivo are now capable of being produced in large amounts for various pharmaceutical applications. Long-term stability of a therapeutic protein is a particularly beneficial criterion for safe, consistent and efficacious treatments. Loss of functionality of the therapeutic within a preparation will decrease its effective concentration for a given administration. Similarly, undesired modifications of a therapeutic can affect the activity and/or the safety of a preparation, leading to loss of efficacy and risk of adverse side effects.
Proteins are complex molecules with defined primary, secondary, tertiary and in some cases quaternary structures, all of which play a role in imparting specific biological function. Structural complexity of biological pharmaceuticals such as proteins make them susceptible to various processes that result in structural and functional instability as well as loss of safety. With respect to these instability processes or degradation pathways, a protein can undergo a variety of covalent and non-covalent reactions or modifications in solution. For example, protein degradation pathways can be generally classified into two main categories: (i) physical degradation or non-covalent pathways, and (ii) chemical or covalent degradation pathways.
Protein drugs are susceptible to the physical degradation process of irreversible aggregation. Protein aggregation is of particular interest in polypeptide production because it often results in diminished bioactivity that affects drug potency, and also can elicit serious immunological or antigenic reactions in patients. Chemical degradation of a protein therapeutic, including degradation of the chemical structure by, for example, chemical modification, also has been implicated in increasing its immunogenic potential. Thus, stable protein formulations require that both physical and chemical degradation pathways of the drug be minimized.
Proteins can degrade, for example, via physical processes such as interfacial adsorption and aggregation. Adsorption can significantly impact a protein drug's potency and stability. It can cause an appreciable loss in potency of low concentration dosage forms. A second consequence is that unfolding mediated adsorption at interfaces can often be an initiating step for irreversible aggregation in solution. In this respect, proteins tend to adsorb at liquid-solid, liquid-air, and liquid-liquid interfaces. Sufficient exposure of a protein's core at a hydrophobic surface can result in adsorption as a consequence of agitation, temperature or pH induced stresses. Further, proteins also are sensitive to, for example, pH, ionic strength, thermal stress, shear and interfacial stresses, all of which can lead to aggregation and result in instability. Another consequence of aggregation is particle formation an important consideration in liquid and lyophilized protein pharmaceuticals.
Proteins also are subject to a variety of chemical modification and/or degradation reactions such as deamidation, isomerization, hydrolysis, disulfide scrambling, beta-elimination, oxidation and adduct formation. The principal hydrolytic mechanisms of degradation include peptide bond hydrolysis, deamidation of asparagine and glutamine, isomerization of aspartic acid and cyclization of glutamic acid leading to pyro-glutamic acid. A common feature of the hydrolytic degradation pathways is that one significant formulation variable, with respect to the rates of the reactions, is the solution pH.
For example, the hydrolysis of peptide bonds can be acid or base catalyzed. Asparagine and glutamine deamidation also are acid catalyzed below a pH of about 4. Asparagine deamidation at neutral pH occurs through a succinimidyl intermediate that is base catalyzed. The isomerization and racemization of aspartic acid residues can be rapid in slightly acidic to neutral pH (pH 4-8). In addition to the generalized pH effects, buffer salts and other excipients can affect the rates of the hydrolytic reactions.
Other exemplary degradation pathways include beta-elimination reactions, which can occur under alkaline pH conditions and lead to racemization or loss of part of the side-chain for certain amino acids. Oxidations of methionine, cysteine, histidine, tyrosine and tryptophan residues are exemplary covalent degradation pathways for proteins.
Because of the number and diversity of different reactions that can result in protein instability the composition of components in a formulation can significantly affect the extent of protein degradation and, consequently, the safety and efficacy of the therapeutic. The formulation of a polypeptide also can affect the ease and frequency of administration and pain upon injection. For example, immunogenic reactions have not only been attributed to protein aggregates but also to mixed aggregates of the therapeutic protein with an inactive component contained in the formulation (Schellekens, H., Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 1:457-62(2002); Hesmeling, et al., Pharm. Res. 22:1997-2006 (2005)).
However, despite the advances made in the utilization of proteins in therapeutic treatments and the knowledge of the instability process they can undergo, there is still a need to develop formulations with enhanced long-term stability characteristics. A formulation that retains long-term stability under a variety of conditions would provide an effective means of delivering an efficacious and safe amount of the polypeptide. Retention of long-term stability in a formulation also would lower the production and treatment costs. Numerous recombinant or natural proteins could benefit from such consistently stable formulations and thereby provide more effective clinical results.
Thus, there exists a need for formulations that retain long-term stability under a variety of different manufacturing and storage conditions. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.


A light weight, quiet and emergency safe, portable "jaws of life" spreading tool actuated by an electric motor. Full high torque at any position, with spreading or cutting motions under high loads is achieved by the use of a rotary, multiple stage, speed reducing gearbox driven by the motor. The gearbox contains an input stage from the electric motor running on a 12 volt DC power supply, and a compound planetary output stage. The arms or jaws of the device are separately driven by the planetary or spindle gears and, for convenience, are attached to external rings on the gears, by heavy duty pins.

Rescue tools known as "jaws of life" devices are specialized tools used by various rescue personnel such as police, firemen, paramedics generally for the purpose of extricating accident victims from vehicles whose exits have been rendered inoperable. These tools require spreading and closing forces for opening or ripping apart inoperable doors or for cutting through relatively thick metal layers. Pushing and pulling forces of 7,000 to 15,000 pounds at the tips are considered to be normal for the proper operation of such tools. In the past, in order to achieve such high forces, the tools have been almost exclusively hydraulic and powered by gasoline engines, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,249.
With self contained hydraulic and gasoline units the tools were sufficiently portable for use under adverse conditions commonly encountered with the rescue of accident victims. Nevertheless, many "portable" units weigh in excess of 200 pounds and require at least two persons for operation.
Some tools, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,862 are designed as separate jaw elements for use with various available powered inputs such as a pneumatic or hydraulic pumps or electric motors which drive threaded actuating elements. Though described as being powered with an electric motor, most devices are powered by gasoline or other fuel operated devices which provide the requisite driving power in a portable fashion. Electric power sources are not readily available in most emergency situations and portable batteries have not been considered capable of providing the requisite torque for effective operation of such devices.
As a result of the widespread use of hydraulic systems with fuel operated powering, as a general proposition, many of the existing tools also require constant costly maintenance of various components in order to maintain effectiveness.
Major drawbacks for most hydraulic system tools include their inability to generate full tip spreading force upon initial spreading application, the position at which such forces are needed most. Gasoline powered hydraulic devices are also very noisy and because of fuel containment exigencies, require special transport compartments. Other severe drawbacks include their detrimental susceptibility to environmental conditions including explosive atmospheres and inclement weather. A gasoline powered unit is dangerous to operate under many accident conditions wherein the speed required in the rescue is that of saving a victim from imminent harm in spreading flames.


An echo canceller includes an adaptive digital filter that generates an estimated echo signal {circumflex over (z)}[k] in response to (i) a sampled input data sequence x[k] and (ii) an error signal sequence e[k] indicative of the difference between a far end signal sequence y[k] and the estimated echo signal {circumflex over (z)}[k]. The adaptive filter includes N filter taps that each provide an associated tap output signal, wherein the adaptive digital filter generates the estimated echo signal {circumflex over (z)}[k] using the associated tap output signals from M of the N filter taps selected in response to a time delay estimate signal. The adaptive filter computes filter coefficients for each of the M number of the N filter taps using the associated tap output signals from the M number of said N filter taps. The echo canceller also includes a time delay estimator that is responsive to the sampled input data sequence x[k] and the signal sequence y[k], and estimates a plurality of delays within the sequence x[k], and provides a time delay estimate that is indicative of the location of the plurality of delays within the sequence x[k]. A summer computes the difference between signal sequence y[k] and the estimated echo signal {circumflex over (z)}[k] and provides an output signal indicative thereof. The echo canceller of the present invention can be considered a sparse echo canceller, since the adaptive filter selectively uses a subset of the available filter taps to compute the estimated echo signal. The filter taps are selected based upon time delay estimate data associated with the echo. For example, an adaptive filter having N taps may process signals from M of the N filter taps, where the M taps are selected based upon the time delay estimation from the time delay estimator.

The present invention relates to the field of echo cancellers, and in particular to an echo canceller having a discrete time adaptive filter having a reduced number of non-zero filter tap weights.
As known, bothersome echoes occur in communication systems, such as telephone systems, that operate over long distances or in systems that employ long processing delays, such as digital cellular systems. The echoes are the result of electric leakage in the four-to-two/two-to-four wire hybrid circuit, due to an impedance mismatch in the hybrid circuit between the local loop wire and the balance network. To reduce the echoes, communication systems typically include one or more echo cancellers.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustration of a communication system 10 that connects at least two subscribers 12, 14. The first subscriber 12 is typically connected to the communication system 10 via a two-wire line 16 and a hybrid circuit 18. The hybrid circuit 18 connects the two-wire line 16 to the four-wire lines 20, 22. The first four-wire line 20 provides a signal to the second subscriber via a second hybrid circuit 24 and a two-wire line 26. Similarly, signals from the second subscriber 14 are routed to the first subscriber 12 over the two-wire line 26, the second hybrid circuit 24 and the four-wire line 20, 22. In one application, the hybrid circuits may be located in the telephone company central offices. To reduce the echo signals coupled by the hybrid circuit due to impedance mismatches, echo cancellers 30, 32 are included to attenuate the undesirable echoes.
Echo cancellers typically include an adaptive filter that generates an estimate of the echo and subtracts the estimate from the return signal. Like any adaptive discrete time filter, the tap weights of the filter are adjusted based upon the difference between the estimate of the echo signal and the return signal. The adaptive filter employs an adaptive control routine to adjust the tap weights in order to drive the value of the difference signal to zero or a minimum value.
A problem with prior art echo cancellers is that they are required to handle echo tail lengths of up to 128 milliseconds per industry standard ITU G. 168. However, in order to meet this requirement the adaptive filter would have to have 1024 taps. Of course providing a filter having such a large number of taps leads to a relatively large computational burden associated with the echo cancellers. In a digital signal processor embodiment (DSP), such an echo canceller would require a relatively large percentage of the DSP's available processing power (e.g., MIPS). For example, using an LMS algorithm with such a large number of tap weights requires a significant amount of processing power (e.g., 24 MIPs). Similarly, if the 1024 tap adaptive filter is implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a large number of gates would be required.
Therefore, there is a need for an echo canceller that employs a computationally efficient adaptive filter for calculating the estimated echo signal.


A method and system are directed towards enabling content security in a distributed environment. The system includes a data store for content associated with an application that may be tagged as exclusively memory resident at a client. The content may also be encrypted and digitally signed. When an authenticated client requests the content, it is provided at a constrained rate that enables a portion of the content to start execution on the client before the application associated with the content is completely downloaded. Additional portions of the content are provided to the client when the additional portions are required for execution by the application.

Today, many software providers have recognized the potential cost savings associated with distributing content over the Internet. If the content can be packaged in a small executable, a software provider may choose to distribute the software over the Internet. However, while the Internet provides new opportunity for profits to software providers, it also creates a tremendous risk for piracy of the content. Such risk for piracy may arise at any place that the content is exposed. Without appropriate protection, the content can be illicitly intercepted, stolen, copied, and redistributed, thus depriving software providers of their profits. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for providing content securely over a network. Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

Method and system for enabling content security in a distributed system


A cross-flow type flow-making water pump is provided, including a motor, two impeller and impeller housings. The cross-flow type flow-making water pump further includes clamping assemblies. The clamping assemblies are used for connecting the motor with the impellers. The clamping assemblies include clamping heads and clamping seats. The clamping heads are arranged at the ends, which are connected with motor rotating shaft, of the impellers. The clamping heads include at least two clamping sheets symmetrically arranged along axial directions of the impellers. The clamping seats are respectively arranged on the motor rotating shaft in a sleeving manner. Connection between the motor rotating shaft and the impellers is realized through clamping of the clamping sheets and the clamping seats.

A cross-flow type flow-making water pump in a related art functions to enable water in an aquarium to "rotate" to simulate and create a natural water flow to enable water flows of different water layers in the aquarium to be uniform without forming a dead water zone. In an aquarium with a filter pump, a water flow impact occurs in a water drainage region, but such phenomena that floating objects in water are static and garbage and sediments are stacked may occur in other regions. At this time, if a cross-flow type flow-making water pump in the related art is added into a specific region of the aquarium, the water in the aquarium can form a clockwise rotating water flow, and the sediments deposited in a static water region can be gathered to a water suction opening along with a subterranean flow, and then are sucked and filtered, thereby treating the water through filtering more effectively.
However, in most of the related art, an impeller and a motor rotating shaft are connected in an interference fit manner or fixedly connected through glue, or the motor rotating shaft is connected with a ceramic shaft through a shaft coupler, and then the ceramic shaft is directly connected with the impeller. After the pump is used for a period of time, a clearance is produced by wearing the motor rotating shaft and a hole of the impeller, resulting in unstable rotation of the impeller. Meanwhile, the rotating speed of the impeller is also reduced, so that an original predetermined flow-making effect cannot be achieved, and noise is increased. A user cannot remove the impeller for cleaning if foreign matters enter the impeller.
The impeller in the related art is generally formed by plugging/adhering a front end and a rear end, and meanwhile, the front end and the rear end which are plugged/or adhered are not exactly the same in shapes. Therefore, it requires distinguishing the front end and the rear end of the impeller in an assembling process of the impeller to prevent such a phenomenon that subsequent installation cannot be continued in an entire installation process of the flow-making water pump.
However, the cross-flow type flow-making water pump in the related art can only manufacture water flows, and cannot fill the water with oxygen, so that the user generally needs to equip an oxygen enrichment pump in the aquarium to guarantee sufficient oxygen for aquatic creatures in the aquarium, thereby increasing the economic cost. Meanwhile, through the additional arrangement of the oxygen enrichment pump, pipes in the aquarium can be easily increased, thereby affecting the aesthetic sense in the aquarium.


In order to provide an accumulator equipped with an emergency safety mechanism that is capable of being activated at a lower pressure than when a rupture disk is disposed on part of the circumference of the peripheral surface of a stay, the accumulator has an emergency safety mechanism that immediately releases pressure inside a housing to an oil port side when the inside of the housing reaches a high temperature and high pressure in an emergency such as a fire. The emergency safety mechanism allows a fluid chamber and the oil port to communicate via a first pressure release flow passage, which is formed due to a seal holder provided with recesses and projections on part of the circumference being seated on a seating surface, and a second pressure release flow passage formed due to a rubber-like elastic body of the seal disappearing as a result of the high temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accumulator which is used as a pressure accumulator or a pulsation pressure damping device. The accumulator according to the present invention is used, for example, in a hydraulic system for a motor vehicle or a hydraulic system for an industrial equipment.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 10, there has been known an accumulator 51 structured such that an accumulator housing 52 is provided with a gas filling port 54 as well as being provided with an oil port 53 which is connected to a pressure piping (not shown), an internal space of the accumulator housing 52 is sectioned into a gas chamber 57 filling the gas, and a fluid chamber 58 communicating with the oil port 53, by a bellows 55 and a bellows cap 56, and the accumulator 51 is activated to accumulate pressure and damp pulsation pressure on the basis of movement of the bellows cap 56, and extension and contraction of the bellows 55 so that gas pressure and liquid pressure balance (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-172301).
Further, the accumulator 51 is provided with a safety mechanism (a safety mechanism for a pressure decreasing time) 59 which prevents the bellows 55 from being damaged due to the unbalance between the gas pressure and the liquid pressure in the case that the pressure of the fluid chamber 58 is decreased together with the pressure decrease of the pressure piping. In other words, in the case that the pressure of the pressure piping is extremely decreased due to the operation stop of the equipment, the liquid (oil) is discharged little by little from the oil port 53, the bellows 55 is contracted little by little by the filled gas pressure according to the liquid discharge, and a seal 60 provided in a lower surface of the bellows cap 56 comes into contact with an end surface of a stay 61 so as to form a so-called zero-down state. The stay 61 is a metal molded part in which a liquid entrance port 61c is provided in an end surface portion 61b in a leading end of a tubular portion 61a. In the zero-down state, a part of the liquid is trapped within the fluid chamber 58 by the seal 60, and the pressure of the trapped liquid and the gas pressure of the gas chamber 57 are balanced. Therefore, the bellows 55 is inhibited from being damaged due to an excess stress applied to the bellows 55.
Further, the accumulator 51 is provided with a safety mechanism (an emergency safety mechanism) 62 which prevents the liquid within the fluid chamber and the gas within the gas chamber 57 from rapidly expanding in an emergency such as a fire occurrence and prevents the accumulator 51 from exploding. In other words, in the case that the liquid within the fluid chamber 58 and the gas within the gas chamber 57 rapidly expanding due to the fire occurrence, a rupture disc (a weak portion) 61d provided in a part on a circumference of a peripheral surface (the tubular portion 61a) of the stay 61 bursts due to the high pressure, and the high pressure is released from the burst portion. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit an internal portion of the accumulator 51 from coming to an extremely high pressure and exploding.
However, in the prior art mentioned above, since the emergency safety mechanism 62 is constructed by the rupture disc 61d which is provided in the part on the circumference of the peripheral surface (the tube portion 61a) of the stay as mentioned above, the burst pressure becomes higher (such a great pressure as to burst the metal plate is necessary). As a result, there is a disadvantage that the emergency safety mechanism 62 is not activated until the extremely high pressure is established. Further, in order to form the rupture disc 61d in the part on the circumference of the peripheral surface (the tubular portion 61a) of the stay 61, it is necessary to press the stay 61 and thereafter additionally execute a cutting work. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that it take a lot of man hour and time to manufacture the stay 61.


An optical information recording apparatus, in which an information recording light bream emitted from a laser diode is divided into a plurality of light beams and the light intensities of the divided light beams are modulated by driving liquid-crystal cells formed in a control panel so as to record optical information on a plurality of data tracks and in a plurality of data pits on each of the plurality of data tracks simultaneously. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to make the information recording speed increase without making the apparatus large in size and expensive in cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording apparatus for use in an optical information recording medium such as optical card, optical disc and opto-magnetic disc. Particularly, the present invention relates to an optical information recording apparatus by which optical information can be recorded on the medium with high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In apparatuses for recording/reproducing optical information on/from optical information recording medium such as optical card, it is arranged that the optical information recording medium and an optical head are relatively moved to each other when optical information is recorded and/or reproduced on/from the optical card. Therefore, information recording speed and information reproducing speed are determined depending upon a relative moving speed of the information recording medium and the optical head. When optical information is recorded and/or reproduced only on/from a single track, it is not possible to make the information recording and/or reproducing speed high.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,293, Japanese Patent Preliminarily Publications No. 2-141932 and 2-206069, and Papers C-325 of the Electric Telecommunication Society at the National Great Autumn Meeting in 1989 of "High Speed Optical Card Reader/Writer using Two Optical Sources", optical information recording/reproducing apparatuses, in which optical information can be reproduced with a high speed, are suggested. In these conventional apparatuses, in order to make the information reproducing speed high, an optical light beam is made incident upon a plurality of data tracks to read out all of the information recorded on the tracks at the same time.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, there are illustrated constructions of an optical head and an optical system for detecting data signal and tracking error signal, respectively, disclosed in the Papers C-325 of the Electric Telecommunication Society at the National Great Autumn Meeting in 1989 of "High Speed Optical Card Reader/Writer using Two Optical Sources". As shown in FIG. 1, the optical head disclosed in the Papers comprises two light sources, i.e. a laser diode 1 and a light emitting diode 2; the light beam emitted from the laser diode 1 is for use in recording information and the light beam from the light emitting diode 2 for use in reproducing information. The information recording light beam emitted from the laser diode 1 is made incident upon an optical card 6 via a collimator lens 3, a polarizing beam splitter 4 and an objective lens 5, which is arranged to be driven in focusing and tracking directions by a lens actuator 7; and the information reproducing light beam emitted from the light emitting diode 2 is made incident via the polarizing beam splitter 4 via a collimator lens 8, then reflected thereby, and the reproducing light beam is made incident upon the objective lens 5 in an off-axial condition to be introduced on the optical card 6; a reflection light beam reflected by the optical card 6 is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter 4 again; and then the reflection light beam is made incident upon a beam splitter 12 via a mirror 9, a condenser lens 10 and a mirror 11; the reflection light beam is divided into two light beams by the beam splitter 12; and then one of the divided light beams is received by a detector 13 for detecting data signal and tracking error signal and the other is by a detector 14 for detecting a focusing error signal.
In such an optical head, as shown in FIG. 2, a light beam spot 15 for reproducing information and a light beam spot 16 for recording information are formed on the optical card 6 so as to be separated from each other. It should be noted that two or more tracks are illuminated by the light beam spot 15; and an image 17 of the light beam spot 15 is formed on the detector 13 via a lens system 18 for detecting the data signal and the tracking error signal. The detector 13 comprises light receiving elements 19 and 20 for reading out information data recorded on data tracks formed on the optical card 6 and triangle-shaped light receiving elements 22 and 23, which are arranged between the light receiving regions 19 and 20, for receiving an image of a track guide 21 formed between the data tracks. Information data recorded on the data tracks is read out on the basis of outputs of the light receiving elements 19 and 20 and the tracking error signal is detected on the basis of outputs of the light receiving elements 22 and 23.
In this optical head, since two data tracks are illuminated by the light bream spot 15, information data recorded on these two data tracks can be reproduced at the same time.
Further, in the conventional apparatuses when information is recorded on the optical card 6, recorded information can be verified at the same time. That is to say, both the light beam for recording information and the light beam for reproducing information are made incident upon the optical card 6 simultaneously; and information is recorded on the data tracks by forming a data pit with the aid of the light beam having a high power, and just thereafter thus recorded information is reproduced with the aid of the light beam for reproducing information on the basis of the tracking and focusing error signals detected from the light beam for reproducing information. On the other hand, when information is reproduced from the optical card 6, only the light beam for reproducing information is made incident upon the optical card 6 to read out information recorded on the two data tracks at the same time, detecting the tracking error signal and the focusing error signal with the aid of the light beam for reproducing information.
However, in the conventional apparatus for recording/reproducing information on/from the optical information recording medium, it is possible to read out information with high speed but impossible to record information with high speed, because recording is performed by modulating a single laser diode 1 to record information on a single data track. As a solution for the slow speed problem when recording information, it can be considered to record information on a plurality of data tracks simultaneously with the aid of a plurality of laser diodes for recording. However, there would occur the problem that the optical head would become large in size and expensive in price.


A photosensitive resin composition comprising:                (a) at least one polybenzoxazole precursor polymer;        (b) at least one compound having Structure VI

In microelectronic applications, polymers that demonstrate high temperature resistance such as polyimides and polybenzoxazoles are generally well known. Precursors of such polymers, can be made photoreactive with suitable additives. The precursors are converted to the desired polymer by known techniques such as exposure to high temperatures. The polymer precursors are used to prepare protective layers, insulating layers, and relief structures of highly heat-resistant polymers.
As the dimension of the photolithographic pattern on a wafer continues to shrink below 0.18 microns, greater demands are placed on lithographic equipment and materials. To meet this challenge, the semiconductor industry is changing from aluminum based alloys and silicon dioxide to copper metal and low dielectric constant (low-k) materials to manufacture chips. When using the new low-k dielectrics there is a decrease in capacitance, which is critical to improving integrated circuit performance, especially for higher density memory chips. Copper is known to have as much as 40% decreased electrical resistance, carries higher current densities, and has improved electromigration resistance compared to aluminum. Thus, copper interconnects allow decreasing transistor size and shorter wire lengths that result in faster, more powerful devices. Fabrication costs are also lower than with aluminum since copper is less expensive and requires fewer processing steps to produce devices.
Copper metallization provides challenges to the coatings industry since copper can act as a catalyst and destabilize systems that are optimized for coating over aluminum. In addition, cuprous and cupric ions present on the copper surface can bind strongly with some polymers and reduce the ability to dissolve off the polymers during certain wafer processes. This results in the presence of some residue on copper surfaces after it is coated by a photosensitive composition, softbaked, exposed and developed. With the increased use of copper metallization in semiconductor devices, it is important to develop coating systems that are compatible with copper and copper processing.
Conventional positive-working photosensitive polybenzoxazole (PBO) compositions contain an alkaline soluble PBO precursor and a diazoquinone photoactive compound (PAC) as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,339,521, 4,371,685, 4,849,051, and 5,376,499. The diazoquinone compound inhibits the solubility of PBO precursor in an aqueous base. However after exposure to light, the diazoquinone compound undergoes photolysis and converts to indene carboxylic acid, which promotes solubility of the PBO precursor in the aqueous base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,720 disclosed a positive-working photosensitive polybenzoxazole composition containing an alkaline soluble PBO precursor in which part of OH groups were substituted with a diazoquinone moiety. In this case no PAC was used in the composition. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,177,225 and 6,214,516 disclosed compositions containing both PBO precursor in which part of the OH groups were substituted by diazoquinone moiety and PAC.

Abstract: wherein, V is CH or N, Y is O or NR3 wherein R3 is H, CH3 or C2H5, R1 and R2 each independently are H, C1-C4 alkyl group, C1-C4 alkoxy group, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl, or alternatively, R1 and R2 can be fused to produce a substituted or unsubstituted benzene ring; and        (c) at least one solvent;                    wherein the amount of the compound of Structure VI present in the composition is effective to inhibit residue from forming when the composition is coated on a substrate and the coated substrate is subsequently processed to form an image on the substrate, and            with the proviso that if the polybenzoxazole precursor polymer solely consists of polybenzoxazole precursor polymers that do not contain a photoactive moiety in the polymer, then                        (d) at least one photoactive compound is also present in the composition. The present invention also concerns a process for forming a relief pattern and electronic parts using the composition.

Fujifilm Electronic Materials U.S.A., Inc.


A manual operation mode specifying a fixed speed change ratio by manual operation is set in a continuously variable transmission for a vehicle which continuously varies a speed change ratio to an arbitrary target speed change ratio. The manual operation mode defines for example first speed-fourth speed. While a driver is accelerating at the specified speed change ratio, the speed change ratio is decreased when a predetermined vehicle speed is reached. A difference of speed change ratio when the driver performs a shift-up operation after this decrease is thereby reduced. As a result, there are fewer drops of engine rotation speed due to shift-up, and acceleration performance is improved.

An automatic transmission comprising a gear type speed change mechanism having an automatic operation mode for automatically changing over a speed change ratio according to a throttle opening and a vehicle speed, and a manual operation mode wherein the speed change ratio is manually set by an operator, is disclosed for example in Tokkai Sho 60-256664 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1985.
This transmission is provided with a mode change-over switch which changes over between an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode, and an up switch and down switch used in the manual operation mode.
The operation of these switches is performed by a shift lever. In the manual operation mode, when the up switch is ON shift up is performed, and when the down switch is ON, shift down is performed.
However, when this manual operation mode is applied to a belt type continuously variable transmission, for example such as is indicated in Tokkai Hei 8-178055 published the Japanese Patent Office in 1996, or to a toroidal continuously variable transmission, the following problem occurs.
It is a characteristic of a continuously variable transmission wherein the speed change ratio is varied continuously, that compared to a conventional automatic transmission which varies the speed change ratio in a stepwise manner, a change of engine load due to a change of speed change ratio is smooth, and energy loss is small. However, when the manual operation mode is applied to a continuously variable transmission, and plural speed change ratios simulating a manual transmission are applied selectively, the engine output may temporarily fall considerably due for example to a shift-up operation.
Therefore in the manual operation mode, torque performance is less than for a continuous speed change operation in the automatic operation mode.
To resolve this problem, the number of speed change steps may be increased, but the frequency of speed change operations increases as a result.

Speed change controller for a continuously variable transmission


We have recognized that there is a strong need to control and maintain the secrecy of the intelligence that may be used by computers to communicate with another, for example, by encrypting the messages that they exchange with one another. Thus, the encryption keys used to encrypt such messages need to be managed in a highly secure manner. Accordingly, we provide an encryption module, which, in accord with an aspect of the invention, generates a unique device encryption key (S.sub.local), a cryptographic key formed from a unique identification key (S.sub.id) and an associated public key (KP.sub.id), and at least one program encryption key, in which the public key is generated as a function of the unique identification key. The module then encrypts the unique identification key and program encryption key using said device encryption key and stores the encrypted result in memory internal to security module, thereby securing the keys against misappropriation. In addition, the module provides a mechanism for using the program encryption key to encrypt information that it receives from an external source and store the encrypted information in memory external to the security module, and responsive to receiving from a requester a request for the program encryption key, encrypting the program encryption key, in accord with an aspect of the invention, using a symmetrical encryption key generated as a function of a public key generated by a security module associated with the requester. The former security module then supplies the encrypted program encryption key to the requester.

It is well-known that data may be encrypted before it is either transmitted to a user or stored in memory to prevent unauthorized access to the unencrypted data. For example, cable-TV systems and direct broadcast satellite video systems typically encrypt video signals before the signals are transmitted to a user. A so-called set-top box associated with the user decrypts the signals as they are received from the service provider and supplies the decrypted signals to an associated video monitor for display when the monitor is tuned to the channel carrying the video signals. The capability to decrypt such signals is typically embodied in a decryption module disposed in the set-top box, and may be, for example, an integrated circuit or a so-called smart card which "plug" into the set-top box. The decryption key that is used to decrypt video signals characterizing a particular video program is typically supplied by the provider of the video signals in a well-known manner, e.g., via satellite or telephone line.
It is also well-known that a person may use any one of a number of different illicit means to obtain such a key to view a program that has been encrypted by the program provider. Such means include so-called video "pirates" who design and market smart cards that are able to illicitly produce a service provider's decryption key, thereby allowing a person to fraudulently access an encrypted video program. Present estimates indicate that such fraudulent access costs video program providers more than six billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and such losses are expected to increase as more programming is provided via satellite and cable TV network.


CRLH lines including left-handed shunt inductors and left-handed series capacitors are provided on gate side transmission lines of a plurality of FETs.

A high frequency amplifier for amplifying a high frequency signal is mounted on a wireless communication device, a radar device, or the like. For example, there is one in which a source-grounded field effect transistor (FET) and a matching circuit are combined. The high frequency amplifier is required to have a high gain characteristic over a wide band.
A general distributed amplifier includes a transistor arranged in parallel to each other and a transmission line. A combination of an inductance due to the transmission line disposed on the gate side of the transistor and a gate-source capacitor is regarded as a gate side pseudo transmission line. Furthermore, a combination of an inductance due to the transmission line disposed on the drain side and a drain-source capacitor of the transistor is regarded as a drain side pseudo transmission line. The distributed amplifier can obtain a wide band characteristic by implementing an arbitrary characteristic impedance regardless of frequency by the above-described pseudo transmission lines. Although the distributed amplifier has a wide band, when the transistor size is increased to increase the output, the upper limit frequency of the operation is limited by the cutoff frequency of the gate side pseudo transmission line due to a large gate-source capacitance. Thus, to increase the cutoff frequency, a technique has been used in which a capacitor is loaded in series with the gate-source capacitor and in a form of a shunt connection to the inductance (see Non-Patent Literature 1, for example). A shunt capacitance of the transmission line is small because the gate-source capacitor and the above-described capacitor are connected together in series, and as a result, the cutoff frequency can be increased.


A system and method to improve on the security of credit cards when money needs to be charged or transferred by assigning a different charge number to every transaction. A charge number is a combination of the card number and a random number that is generated through a user initiated preauthorization phase. A temporary preauthorization number is issued for a maximum amount to be charged to a specific merchant. Preauthorization output is passed on to the merchant for verification and deposit purposes. A specially designed cellular phone or PDA can be used in lieu of a charge card, in which case the generated preauthorization number can either be stored in a removable memory, or be directly sent to the merchant's charge machine. The card/charge-device does not contain all of the information required for a successful transaction, therefore security is maintained despite its loss or theft of numbers.

1. Field of Invention
The invention provides the means for secure charge transactions. It eliminates the requirement of having to expose one's charge account number to the public. The devised pre-approval mechanism in this invention, coupled with its specially designed merchant approval methodology makes much safer charge transactions to become a reality.
2. Status of Prior Art
When credit cards were first introduced, the assumption was a face to face transaction. Both the buyer and the seller were present physically and the seller or the provider of services could verify the identity of his/her customer and verify the authenticity of the customer's signature by asking for an identification card. Later, the credit card was put to use for mail order transactions, and through lack of a password or a PIN (Personal Identification Number), the collection and verification of the card's expiry date became common practice.
The advent of the internet and selling of goods through public networks has introduced new and challenging problems, and with it lots of fraud. Stealing and copying down of credit card information goes on by some crooked employees. Offering stolen credit card numbers for sale on the internet is not rare. Whether through the internet stream, or out of a gas station pump wires, the credit card number and its expiry date, can be stolen. The 3–4 extra digits on the back of some cards is of no use in gas stations, when the card is lost, or when the card itself, is given to a vendor employee, such as a waiter, a customer service representative, or a sales clerk. The advent of SSL (Secure Socket Layer offered by Verisign and others), improve upon the theft of numbers while in transit within the internet, but again, after it reaches the vendor, the risks are the same. SSL, and similar measures taken to date, do not eliminate the potential of fraud and the theft of numbers and expiry dates, whether they be out of the sales counter or out of some web site's internet data base. This has occurred many times. In number of occasions, hackers have been able to break into several e-commerce sites and steal clients' card numbers, off computer files.
The introduction of cards with memory or recordable magnetic strips, as implemented to date, do not eliminate the credit card stolen number problem, either. Card numbers can be illegally obtained when a card is lost, stolen, or when the computer, which processes the cards, is compromised. The American Express Blue card can be mentioned as an example of this sort of a card. It is equipped with a readable RAM chip. Visa is also testing several magnetically recorded cards, but again, the card would not be totally secure when it is lost, or when their fixed numbers are exposed to third parties and the merchant employees.
A method that some banks have come up with in the recent months is to issue a temporary credit card number over the internet. This number can be used in lieu of the real card number for online purchases. Due to lack of a closed and verifiable loop between the customer's request and the merchant's approval stream, and the possibilities of "web site spoofing", this is not a good solution against the possibility of fraud, either.

Charge card and debit transactions using a variable charge number


In a first aspect of the invention, when it is expected to disconnect a booster during a call, the station class mark is changed to that applicable when a portable telephone is used as an independent unit in accordance with a key input from the user before the initiation of the call. In a second aspect of the invention, the telephone number of the remote party is stored in a memory during a call. When a connection or disconnection of a booster is detected, the call is terminated, and a redialing operation is automatically performed using the stored telephone number. In a third aspect of the invention, when the connection of a booster is detected during a call, an instruction is given to the booster to operate in a portable telephone mode. In a fourth aspect of the invention, when the connection or disconnection of a booster is detected during a call, a request to change the station class mark is sent to the base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, such as a car telephone or a portable telephone, and a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since portable telephones are designed to operate on relatively low-capacity secondary batteries or primary batteries for reduced size and weight, their maximum transmitter output power is limited to about 1 W. On the other hand, car telephones, which can take power from an onboard secondary battery having a relatively large capacity, have a transmitter output power of about 3 to 5 W. It is known to provide a configuration that enables such a car telephone to be used as a booster for a portable telephone.
In a mobile communication system, each base station measures the field strength of the power radiated from a mobile terminal such as a portable telephone or a car telephone, and controls the transmitter output of the mobile terminal based on the result of the measurement. In a usual configuration, the base station recognizes the station class mark (SCM) of the mobile terminal to learn its maximum allowable level, and when the transmitter output power of the mobile terminal has been increased to the maximum allowable level under the control of the base station, no further increase in the transmitter power is instructed but zone switching is performed. For this purpose, each mobile terminal transmits its station class mark to the base station at the beginning of a call. However, the station class mark transmitted when a call is initiated directly from the portable telephone is different from that transmitted when a call is initiated with a booster connected as described above. Also, there may occur a situation where the portable telephone is connected to or disconnected from the booster during the call.
For example, consider the situation where a voice communication is being performed with a portable telephone connected to a car telephone booster, when the car arrive at the destination and the user gets out of the car. If the user wants to continue the ongoing communication, he will disconnect the portable telephone from the booster. In that case, however, since the base station cannot recognize that the portable telephone has been disconnected from the booster during the call, the base station continues to control the transmitter power on the basis of the station class mark of the booster transmitted at the beginning of the call. If the reception field strength at the base station drops and control is performed instructing the mobile terminal to increase the transmitter power to a level greater than the transmitter power of the portable telephone, the portable telephone fails to conform to the control, and the base station determines that a fault condition has occurred in the portable telephone and disconnects the call.
Therefore, in the prior known system, if the user has to disconnect his portable telephone from a booster during a call, he terminates the call and then performs a call initiating operation once again, whereby the station class mark of the portable telephone is transmitted to the base station which then performs control of the transmitter output of the portable telephone on the basis of the new station class mark. The prior known system thus has the problem that a call has to be terminated before communication can be resumed normally.
Conversely, consider the situation where a voice communication is initiated from the portable telephone and the user gets into a car where he connects the portable telephone to the booster to continue the communication. In this case also, since the station class mark held at the base station is different from the actual station class mark, there arises a problem in that the transmitter power may be raised to a level higher than the base station expects.

Mobile terminal selectively operable with a booster and mobile communication system


An infant support apparatus for supporting an infant lying prone on its torso, configured to aid in soothing the infant and to aid in relieving and reducing the infant's gas pains. The infant support apparatus supports the head of the infant, the torso of the infant, and the legs of the infant such that the infant's head is elevated above its torso and its legs. The infant support apparatus is optionally fire retardant and fire resistant and includes a removable washable cloth cover. Retaining straps are used for holding the infant on the support apparatus. The infant support apparatus is shaped to conform to an underlying surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to infant supports and more specifically, infant supports that are constructed to comfortably elevate and support an infant's torso when in a prone position for soothing, and relieving the infant while reducing its gas pains.
2. Discussion of the Background
Caring for an infant with Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), or gas pains can be difficult for both a parent and the infant. The parent has the burden of comforting the infant who appears to be in constant pain. The infant is unable to express clearly the cause of pain or to comfort herself. Typically parents comfort the infant by holding her upright while applying a small amount of pressure to the infant's belly and warming her stomach. This process can take hours, is cumbersome, and is not always effective.
The American Pediatric Association recommends that infants with GERD be held upright with their heads elevated and supported above their torso and legs to reduce the amount of gastric acid entering the esophagus, and to relieve gas pain. This conventional method of keeping an infant in this position requires that the adult hold the infant upright with the infant's head resting on the adult's shoulder.
U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0133881 discloses a baby apparatus for elevating a baby's upper body to strengthen the neck and back muscles, or to relieve congestion. The apparatus is shaped like a ramp, with a single inclined surface. The apparatus operates as an infant exercise device and purposefully does not support the infant's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,059 discloses a vertical baby support for simulating an ordinary holding position of a baby. The vertical baby support has a single inclined surface to which the baby is strapped and is intended to be used in place of adult contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,785 discloses an adjustable and releasable holding device for positioning an infant on an inclined platform without the need of a wedge-shaped apparatus. The primary objective of this device is to aid the infant's caregiver in safely laying the infant in an inclined position while sleeping.
These conventional devices do not address the care required for an infant with GERD. The infant with GERD should be soothed by an adult while laying stomach-down on her torso. The infant is usually uncomfortable and so it is beneficial to maintain contact with the adult caregiver during episodes of GERD.
The present invention enables the adult to aid in relieving the infant from the discomfort caused by GERD by holding the infant in the ideal position and enables the adult to maintain contact with the infant by speaking to the infant, reading to the infant, rubbing the infant's back, etc., while reducing the amount of physical stress and fatigue on the adult.