A steerable elongated medical device adapted to be advanced through a tortuous pathway to a desired location in a body includes an outer tube extending between an outer tube proximal segment and an outer tube distal segment, having an outer tube wall forming an outer tube lumen and an elongated outer tube slot through the outer tube wall to the outer tube lumen. The elongated outer tube slot has a first portion and a second portion and is formed between an outer tube slot proximal end and an outer tube slot distal end and extending axially along the outer tube distal segment through an outer tube slot length to define a cutaway portion of the outer tube. A reinforcing sleeve is positioned within the outer tube lumen and extends between a reinforcing sleeve proximal end and a reinforcing sleeve distal end, and the reinforcing sleeve forms a reinforcing sleeve slot portion aligned with and extending along the first portion of the outer tube slot and includes a reinforcing sleeve overlap portion extending over the second portion of the outer tube slot.

A wide variety of elongated medical instruments are currently available that are adapted to be permanently or temporarily implanted in the mammalian body, usually the body of a human patient, or used to access a site in the body to facilitate introduction of a further implantable medical device or delivery of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Such elongated medical instruments have an instrument body extending between instrument body proximal and distal ends, and a distal segment of the instrument body is advanced to a remote site in the body.
In many cases, the introduction of such elongated medical instruments to a remote site in the body is effected through a skin incision accessing an incision into a blood vessel, whereby the instrument body is advanced through a pathway until the distal segment or the instrument body distal end are located at the remote site. Such advancement is often through a tortuous pathway having twists and turns requiring the capability to impart a curve or deflect the instrument body distal end to facilitate advancement. Therefore, the introduction of such elongated medical instruments through vascular pathways or other tortuous pathways in the body is facilitated by a wide variety of techniques and mechanisms that have been developed to impart curves in the distal segment of the instrument body or to deflect or steer the instrument body distal end.
Currently, endocardial cardiac pacing leads used in association with a pacemaker implantable pulse generator (IPG) and/or cardioversion/defibrillation leads used in association with implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) IPGs are introduced into a vein either via a cut down or percutaneous sheath introduction. Such cardiac leads are advanced under fluoroscopy into either the right atrium, right ventricle (or both in the case of a dual chamber pacemaker or ICD implantation) or into a cardiac vessel, e.g., the coronary sinus and great vein. Generally speaking, it is highly desirable that such cardiac leads be so flexible through their length that they are capable of flexing with the movement of the heart and other muscular movement so as to void the fracture of the lead body due to its cumulative stressing. Such cardiac lead bodies are generally too limp to be advanced axially on their own through the vascular pathway to the desired site in a heart chamber or vessel.
It has been commonplace for many years to employ thin wire, stiffening stylets extended down a lumen of the lead body to stiffen the entire assembly so that it can be pushed axially through the venous pathway. Then, the distal pace/sense electrodes or cardioversion/defibrillation electrodes (herein "cardiac electrodes") must be fixed at the preferred site in the heart chamber or vessel to operate most efficaciously and to prevent dislodgement. The introduction and fixation of these cardiac leads is the most time consuming and difficult aspect of the implantation.
At the outset, a straight or slightly curved stiffening stylet wire is first extended into the lead body lumen within the cardiac lead in order to give the cardiac lead sufficient column strength and rigidity to be pushed through the tributary veins and typically into the subclavian vein. The stylet wire may be left straight or provided with a certain degree of curvature to facilitate the introduction through these veins and through the initial curvatures thereof. Thereafter, and from time to time, as the physician directs the distal tip of the cardiac lead in a tortuous path leading to the right heart through the superior vena cava (SVC), it may be necessary to withdraw the stylet and either substitute a new stylet wire or impart a different curvature to the distal portion of the stylet wire, reinsert the stylet wire, and advance the distal portion of the lead a bit further until another obstacle to advancement is encountered.
When the distal cardiac electrodes are to be placed in the right ventricle, the physician manually fashions a curve at the tip of another stylet wire that is inserted into the lead body lumen to advance the assembly through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. Most physicians continue advancing the lead with the curved tip stylet in place into the pulmonary artery outflow track to confirm right ventricle access and to rule out the possibility of entrance into the coronary sinus or coronary vein, which can mimic the appearance of a right ventricle placement under fluoroscopy. The conventional practice requires the physician to then remove the curved stylet and partially re-advance the original or another straight stylet into the lead body lumen, once the physician has confirmed that the lead is in fact in the pulmonary outflow track. The cardiac lead is then carefully pulled back under direct fluoroscopic observation until the lead body distal segment drops from the proximal portion of the pulmonary artery to the floor of the right ventricle. The physician then advances the stylet to its fully advanced position within the lead body lumen and advances the lead distal end into the right ventricular apex. Passive or active fixation mechanisms at the lead body distal end then effect fixation with the trabeculae or the myocardium to acutely maintain the cardiac electrode electrode(s) at the operative site.
In the case of atrial lead placement, the lead body distal end is typically lodged or affixed in the right atrial appendage which results in the lead body extending into the right atrium via the SVC and then bent through about a 180° or greater bend. Over the years, many atrial cardiac lead designs and atrial cardiac lead introduction tools and techniques have been proposed or clinically used to both achieve this orientation and to fix the cardiac lead body distal end within the atrial appendage and avoid dislodgement. Initially, such atrial cardiac leads were formed with a permanent "J"-shaped bend to facilitate both the positioning and the retention of the atrial electrode in the patient's atrial appendage as taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,703. Insertion of these "J"-shaped leads is greatly facilitated through the use of a straight solid inner stylet which, in this case, straightens the bend normally fixed within the distal end of the lead itself to the extent that the stylet is advanced into or retracted from the lead body lumen. Such J-shaped atrial leads have largely been abandoned in favor of reduced diameter lead bodies that cannot accommodate shape-forming structures and the use of the straightening stylet as described above. Today, the small diameter cardiac lead body is normally straight, and the lead body distal end is typically aimed into the atrial appendage employing multiple insertions of relatively straight and curved stylets. The electrode bearing lead body distal end is fixed in the atrial appendage by means of an active fixation screw or passive fixation tines. However, dislodgements can occur before the fixation is effected when a stylet is withdrawn proximally as the stylet may bind against the lead body lumen in the region of the bend.
Similar techniques and multiple stylets are avoided to advance a cardiac lead distal segment into the coronary sinus and great vein.
Thus, there are multiple exchanges of straight stylet wires and curved stylet wires which have been bent according to the physician's choice in a typical cardiac lead implantation in the right atrium and ventricle. Stylets are typically formed of solid wire, typically about 0.014-0.018 inches in diameter. During handing, such stylets can easily become bent or kinked, and thereafter cause great difficulty when an attempt is made to reinsert them through the narrow inner diameter of the lead body lumen, which may only be 0.019 inch in the case of a stylet of 0.018 inch diameter, thereby providing no more than 0.0005 inch clearance around the circumference. The continual withdrawal and reintroduction of stylets is time consuming and offers the potential of damaging the lead in the process.
Moreover, it is undesirable to contaminate the lead body lumen with blood during this process because drying blood can form a strong adhesive bond between the stylet and the lumen wall, making stylet removal impossible and rendering the lead unusable. Because the surgeon is working through an open wound, even the most fastidious surgeon will have blood on his gloves that can be transferred to the stylet. The blood congeals, and because of the small clearance, even a few drops of blood are sufficient to causing jamming of the stylet inside the lead body lumen. When the stylet jams in the lead body lumen, kinking of the stylet within the lead can occur, which kinks, in turn, will create new jams or problems with the insertion and retraction of the stylet from the lead body lumen. In some cases, the jamming is so severe that the cardiac lead must be removed from the heart for fear of insulation puncture, discarded, and a new lead implanted, thereby at least doubling the lead cost used in the procedure as well as operative time. The overall result of such difficulties is that operative time is greatly increased, which results in increased time delay, associated cost, and prolonged X-ray exposure to the patient under continuous fluoroscopy as well as prolonged scattered X-ray exposure to the operating room staff due to procedural time delays. These problems with the use of multiple stiffening stylets have been recognized in the art and many proposals have therefore been advanced to reduce the number of stylets and the consequent number of times that stylet removal and re-insertion are needed.
In addition, the complexity of cardiac leads, the number of cardiac leads implanted in a common path, and the advancement of coronary sinus leads deep in a coronary vein have led to efforts to at least not increase and optimally to decrease the overall diameter of the cardiac lead body without sacrificing reliability and usability. More recently, it has been proposed to diminish the lead body by eliminating the lumen for receiving the stiffening stylet and by reducing the gauge and coil diameter of the coiled wire conductor or replacing it with highly conductive stranded filament wires or cables. In bipolar or multi-polar leads, each such cable extends through a separate lumen of the lead body to maintain electrical isolation.
Over the last 30 years, it has become possible to reduce endocardial lead body diameters from 10 to 12 French (3.3 to 4.0 mm) down to 2 French (0.66 mm) presently through a variety of improvements in conductor and insulator materials and manufacturing techniques. The lead bodies of such small diameter, 2 French, endocardial leads must possess little if any column strength that could cause the lead distal end fixation mechanism and electrode to perforate through the myocardium during implantation and if the lead body were to become axially force-loaded during chronic implantation. As a result, the small diameter lead bodies lack "pushability", that is the ability to advance the lead distal end axially when the lead proximal end is pushed axially, particularly when the lead body extends through the tortuous transvenous pathway.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,280,433 and 6,379,346 disclose steerable catheters that are employed to access a blood vessel through a percutaneous incision and to be advanced to a site within the vascular system or a heart chamber so that such a small diameter cardiac lead can be implanted through a delivery lumen of the catheter. A bilumen catheter body is disclosed that includes a relatively large diameter delivery lumen and a smaller diameter stylet lumen that is blocked at its distal end. The deflection mechanism in this case includes a stiffening stylet that can be selectively introduced into and removed from the stylet lumen from a proximal hub or handle. The stiffening stylet is advanced distally until the stylet distal end abuts the closed stylet lumen distal end to stiffen the catheter body to aid its introduction and advancement. The stylet distal end can be shaped when outside the stylet lumen opening to impart a curve to the catheter body when inserted into the lumen to assist in steering the catheter body distal end through the pathway. The stylet lumen is preferably lined with a wire coil sheath, and the handle and delivery lumen are preferably slittable by a slitting tool to aid in removing the introducer catheter from an electrical medical lead introduced through the delivery lumen. The delivery lumen exit port and the closed end of the stylet lumen are both located at the bitumen catheter body distal end.
A variety of deflectable or steerable stylets have been proposed and in some cases clinically introduced to aid in direct implantation of a cardiac lead having a lead lumen or to aid in the deflection and steering of a bilumen guide catheter. One approach has been to employ deflectable stylets wherein the stylet distal segment can be deflected or curved while within the lead body lumen from the proximal end thereof. Two-piece stylets that include a straight, tubular outer member and a curved inner member received within the outer member lumen enabling relative movement of the inner and outer members are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,703, 4,381,013 and 5,728,148. The outer tubular member of the '013 patent enables the transmission of torque applied by the implanting physician at the proximal end to be transmitted to a fixation helix located at the lead body distal end lead to screwed the helix into endocardial tissue. Alternatively, two-piece stylets comprising a curved outer member and a relatively straight inner member are also known to the art, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,676,249 and 5,040,543. In such composite stylets, the relative position of the inner member with respect to the outer member determines the degree to which the curved member (inner or outer) is allowed to display its preset curvature.
A common approach to providing controllable deflection of the distal end segments of catheters, guidewires, and stylets employs a generally straight outer sheath or tube and a pull or push or push-pull wire extending through a lumen of the outer sheath to an attachment point at the sheath distal end. The wire is pushed or pulled on at its proximal end typically through a handle that is permanently or removably attached to the catheter or guidewire proximal end. The proximal retraction or distal advancement of the pull or push wire, respectively, causes at least a distal segment of the outer sheath to bend or deflect. Examples of such deflection mechanisms in catheters can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,815,478, 4,898,577, 4,940,062, 5,545,200 and 6,251,092. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,815,478 and 4,940,062 disclose the use of push-pull wires extending through guidewire lumens for deflecting a guidewire distal end by manipulating a handle at the guidewire proximal end.
Deflectable stylets intended to be inserted into cardiac lead body lumens employing this type of deflection mechanism are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,170,787, 5,327,906, 5,439,006, 5,662,119, 6,027,462, 6,059,739, and 6,146,338. Such deflectable stylets include an elongated stylet body or tube extending from a stylet body proximal end to a stylet body distal end, a handle coupled to the stylet body proximal end, and a traction wire or pull wire extending through a stylet lumen of the stylet body of tube from the handle to the stylet body distal end. Many of these patents disclose steerable stylet handles at the stylet body proximal end that are manipulated by one hand operation to induce a bend in a distal segment of the stylet body.
Several embodiments of deflectable stylets are disclosed in the '119 patent that employ an elongated metal tube having a stylet tube lumen through which a traction or pull wire extends to a distal wire end. In each case, a distal portion of the pull wire is exposed along a like distal portion of the metal tube in such a way that traction applied to the pull wire proximal end causes the distal portion of the tube to bow or bend. The exposure of the distal portion of the pull wire extending alongside the metal tube is created in several ways.
In one embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 (FIGS. 12 and 13 of the '119 patent), an elongated cutaway portion 11′ of the tube wall 15′ of tube 10′ is formed extending between cuts 18′ and 20′ proximal to tube distal end 22′. The cutaway portion 11′ extends about half way through the tube wall 15′ exposing a distal portion of the pull wire 12′ extending proximally and distally through the tube lumen 13′. The pull wire 12′ terminates in ball-shaped distal end element 23 having a diameter greater than the inside diameter of the tube lumen 13′ that bears against the tube distal end 22′ when pulled proximally.
In another embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 (FIG. 8 of the '119 patent), one side of the tube wall 15 is indented against the other side of the tube wall 15 between two openings 18 and 20 proximal to the tube distal end 22 to form a bendable indented portion 11 of the tube 10. The pull wire 12 is threaded out of the tube lumen 13 through the proximal opening 18 and back into the tube lumen 13 through the distal opening 20, whereby a distal portion of the pull wire 12 is exposed extending alongside the indented portion of the tube wall 15. The distal end of the pull wire 12 is crimped to the tube distal end 22 in this case.
The tube 10 is preferably formed of stainless steel hypodermic needle tubing having an outside diameter in the range of 0.012 to 0.016 inches. Pull wire 12 is preferably formed of high tensile strength stainless steel wire having a diameter in the range of 0.005 to 0.007 inches. The distance between the proximal openings 18, 18′ and the distal openings 20, 20′ is stated to be between 2 to 4 inches.
In a variation of these embodiments, a tubular retainer formed of a thin tube of polyimide, stainless steel or Nitinol is fitted over the tube 10 to extend across the indented portion 11 and the cutaway portion 11′ to restrict the outward movement of the pull wire 12 when it is tensioned, which could exert excessive friction against the coiled conductors defining the cardiac lead lumen that the tube 10 is inserted into.
In use, the tube 10 is normally relatively straight when the pull wire 12 is relaxed. A curve or bend is effected in the distal portion of the tube 10 at the indented portion 11 or the cutaway portion 11′ when the pull wire 12 is pulled proximally. The induced curve or bend stresses the tube wall 15 along the indented portion 11 and the cutaway portion 11′. It is stated in the '119 patent that prototypes of the cutaway tube embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 were found in testing to be inferior to the indented tube embodiment of FIG. 3 in resistance to kinking, and that the indented embodiment of FIG. 3 was easier to manufacture than the cutaway embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.
However, It can be difficult to indent thin wall stainless steel or shape memory alloy tubes to achieve the uniform indentation depicted in the '119 patent. It can also be difficult to precisely form uniform diameter proximal and distal holes as depicted in the '119 patent. Poor torque transmission and uneven bending characteristics can result particularly at the proximal end of the indented portion 11 that is weakened both by indentation and formation of the hole through the tube wall.
Thus, despite these improvements, there is still a perceived need for steerable stylet having a small diameter stylet body that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, resists kinking, and that can be manipulated to control the deflection of and impart a wide degree of dynamic curvature in a distal segment of the stylet body.

Steerable medical device having means for imparting curves in the device and in elongated implantable medical instruments


This utility model relates to the field of dumbbells and, in particular, to an adjustable dumbbell comprising knobs, bridge-shaped blocks, weight plates, a lift assembly, side plates, an anti-slip assembly and sleeves. The number of the weight plates is two, and they are fixedly attached to the opposing ends of the lift assembly. The bridge-shaped blocks and the weight plates are fixedly disposed between the lift assembly and the knobs. Separation of sockets from inserting plates concurs with extraction of a securing bar from a second through hole and from a first through hole. The handle may be then pulled to a desired position by virtue of the movement of locking blocks in respective locking grooves.

Dumbbells gain their name because they do not make any noise when used as auxiliary equipment for exercises for weightlifting and fitness. They are smaller than barbells and allow weight adjustments by users during training. For example, Patent No. CN200820075250.1 discloses an adjustable dumbbell which allows a user to rotate knobs to adjust its weight to be lifted, thus accomplishing weight adjustments. However, an actuating handle of the dumbbell has a fixed length that cannot be changed or adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the handle is smooth in texture, making it possible for the dumbbell to slip out of the hand during use and possibly cause an accident such as an injury to the user's foot or damage to the floor.
In order to solve the above problems, it is proposed herein an adjustable dumbbell.


An ARQ retransmission method in a communication system, wherein data packets comprising modulation symbols are retransmitted based on an automatic repeat request and subsequently combined with previously received data packets, the symbols of said data packets being modulated by a mapping unit employing a predetermined signal constellation. The retransmitted data packets being retransmitted in form of a selected one of a plurality of different redundancy versions. According to the invention, the bits to be transmitted are reordered prior to modulation over the retransmissions in accordance with the selected redundancy version.

A common technique in communication systems with unreliable and time-varying channel conditions is to correct errors based on automatic repeat request (ARQ) schemes together with a forward error correction (FEC) technique called hybrid ARQ (HARQ). If an error is detected by a commonly used cyclic redundancy check (CRC), the receiver of the communication system requests the transmitter to send additional information (data packets retransmission) to improve the probability of correctly decoding the erroneous packet.
A packet will be encoded with the FEC before transmission. Depending on the content of the retransmission and the way the bits are combined with previously transmitted information, S. Kallel, Analysis of a type II hybrid ARQ scheme with code combining, IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol.38, No. 8, August 1990 and S. Kallel, R. Link, S. Bakhtiyari, Throughput performance of Memory ARQ schemes, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, Vol.48, No. 3, May 1999 define three different types of ARQ schemes:                Type I: The erroneous received packets are discarded and a new copy of the same packet is retransmitted and decoded separately. There is no combining of earlier and later received versions of that packet.        Type II: The erroneous received packets are not discarded, but are combined with additional retransmissions for subsequent decoding. Retransmitted packets sometimes have higher coding rates (coding gain) and are combined at the receiver with the stored soft-information from previous transmissions.        Type III: Is the same as Type II with the constraint each retransmitted packet is now self-decodable. This implies that the transmitted packet is decodable without the combination with previous packets. This is useful if some packets are damaged in such a way that almost no information is reusable. If all transmissions carry identified data, this can be seen as a special case called HARQ Type III with a single redundancy version.
HARQ Type II and III schemes are obviously more intelligent and show a performance gain with respect to Type I, because they provide the ability to reuse information from of previously received erroneous packets. There exist basically three schemes of reusing the redundancy of previously transmitted packets:                Soft-Combining        Code-Combining        Combination of Soft- and Code-CombiningSoft-Combining
Employing soft-combining the retransmission packets carry identical information compared with the previously received information. In this case the multiple received packets are combined either by a symbol-by-symbol or by a bit-by-bit basis as for example disclosed in D. Chase, Code combining: A maximum-likelihood decoding approach for combining an arbitrary number of noisy packets, IEEE Trans. Commun., Vol. COM-33, pp. 385–393, May 1985 or B. A. Harvey and S. Wicker, Packet Combining Systems based on the Viterbi Decoder, IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol. 42, No. 2/3/4, April 1994.
In case of employing symbol-level combining, the retransmitted packets have to carry identical modulation symbols to the previously transmitted erroneous packets. In this case the multiple received packets are combined at modulation symbol level. A common technique is the maximum ratio combining (MRC), also called average diversity combining (ADC), of the multiple received symbols, where after N transmissions the sum/average of the matching symbols is buffered.
In case of employing bit-level combining the retransmitted packets have to carry identical bits to the previously transmitted erroneous packets. Here, the multiple received packets are combined at bit level after demodulation. The bits can be either mapped in the same way onto the modulation symbols as in previous transmissions of the same packet or can be mapped differently. In case the mapping is the same as in previous transmissions also symbol-level combining can be applied. A common combining technique is the addition of calculated log-likelihood ratios (LLRs), especially if using so-called Turbo Codes for the FEC as known for example from C. Berrou, A. Glavieux, and P. Thitimajshima, Near Shannon Limit Error-Correcting Coding and Decoding: Turbo-Codes, Proc. ICC '93, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 1064–1070, May 1993; S. Le Goff, A. Glavieux, C. Berrou, Turbo-Codes and High Spectral Efficiency Modulation, IEEE SUPERCOMM/ICC '94, Vol. 2 , pp. 645–649, 1994; and A. Burr, Modulation and Coding for Wireless Communications, Pearson Education, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-201-39857-5, 2001. Here, after N transmissions the sum of the LLRs of the matching bits is buffered.
Code-Combining
Code-combining concatenates the received packets, in order to generate a new code word (decreasing code rate with increasing number of transmission). Hence, the decoder has to be aware of how to combine the transmissions at each retransmission instant in order to perform a correct decoding (code rate depends on retransmissions). Code-combining offers a higher flexibility with respect to soft-combining, since the length of the retransmitted packets can be altered to adapt to channel conditions. However, this requires more signaling data to be transmitted with respect to soft-combining.
Combination of Soft- and Code-Combining
In case the retransmitted packets carry some symbols/bits identical to previously transmitted symbols/bits and some code-symbols/bits different from these ones, the identical code-symbols/bits are combined using soft-combing as described in the section titled "Soft-Combining" while the remaining code-symbols/bits will be combined using code-combining. Here, the signaling requirements will be similar to code-combining.
It has been shown in M. P. Schmitt, Hybrid ARQ Scheme employing TCM and Packet Combining, Electronics Letters Vol. 34, No. 18, September 1998 that HARQ performance for Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) can be enhanced by rearranging the symbol constellation for the retransmissions. There, the performance gain results from the maximizing the Euclidean distances between the mapped symbols over the retransmissions, because the rearrangement has been performed on a symbol basis. Considering high-order modulation schemes (with modulation symbols carrying more than two bits) the combining methods employing soft-combining have a major drawback: The bit reliabilities within soft-combined symbols will be in a constant ratio over all retransmissions, i.e. bits which have been less reliable from previous received transmissions will still be less reliable after having received further transmissions and, analogous, bits which have been more reliable from previous received transmissions will still be more reliable after having received further transmissions. Generally, HARQ schemes do not take into account the variations in bit-reliabilities. These variations downgrade the decoder performance significantly. Mainly, the variations result from two reasons.
First, the varying bit reliabilities evolve from the constraint of two-dimensional signal constellation mapping, where modulation schemes carrying more than 2 bits per symbol cannot have the same mean reliabilities for all bits under the assumption that all symbols are transmitted equally likely. The term mean reliabilities is consequently meant as the reliability of a particular bit over all symbols of a signal constellation.
Employing a signal constellation for a 16 QAM modulation scheme according to FIG. 1 showing a Gray encoded signal constellation with a given bit-mapping order i1q1i2q2, the bits mapped onto the symbols differ significantly from each other in mean reliability in the first transmission of the packet. In more detail, bits i1 and q1 have a high mean reliability, as these bits are mapped to half spaces of the signal constellation diagram with the consequences that their reliability is independent from the fact of whether the bit transmits a one or a zero.
In contrast thereto, bits i2 and q2 have a low mean reliability, as their reliability depends on the fact of whether they transmit a one or a zero. For example, for bit i2, ones are mapped to outer columns, whereas zeros are mapped to inner columns. Similarly, for bit q2, ones are mapped to outer rows, whereas zeros are mapped to inner rows.
For the second and each further retransmissions the bit reliabilities will stay in a constant ratio to each other, which is defined by the signal constellation employed in the first transmission, i.e. bits i1 and q1 will always have a higher mean reliability than bits i2 and q2 after any number of retransmissions.
Second, employing partly soft-combining, suppose that all transmitted bits would have identical reliability after the first transmission. Even then variations in bit reliabilities would be introduced over retransmissions, because reliabilities for those bits which are retransmitted (and soft-combined) would increase, whereas reliabilities of not retransmitted bits would stay unchanged. Moreover, bits which are not transmitted in the first transmission and then transmitted in retransmissions (transmitting additional redundancy) emphasize this effect.
In co-pending PCT/EP01/01982 a method has been suggested that in order to enhance the decoder performance, it would be quite beneficial to have equal or near to equal mean bit reliabilities after each received transmission of a packet. Hence, the bit reliabilities are tailored over the retransmissions in a way that the mean bit reliabilities get averaged aged out. This is achieved by choosing a predetermined first and at least second signal constellation for the transmissions, such that the combined mean bit reliabilities for the respective bits of all transmissions are nearly equal. I.e. bits which have been highly reliable in the first transmission are mapped in such a way that they become less reliable in the second transmission and vice versa.
Hence, the signal constellation rearrangement results in a changed bit mapping, wherein the Euclidean distances between the modulation symbols can be altered from retransmission to retransmission due to the movement of the constellation points. As a result, the mean bit reliabilities can be manipulated in a desired manner and averaged out to increase the performance the FEC decoder at the receiver.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

ARQ retransmission with reordering scheme employing multiple redundancy versions and receiver/transmitter therefor

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


There is provided a novel process intermediate represented by the general formula (1) or (2):

Previously, a 3-bromoalkyl-substituted compound (see Non-patent Documents 1 to 3, for example), a 3-chloroalkyl-substituted compound (see Non-patent Documents 4 and 5, for example), a 3-fluoroalkyl-substituted compound (see Non-patent Documents 6 and 7, for example), and the like have been known as a 1,3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-substituent-3-hydroxypropan-1-one compound, and 3-hydroxy-1-(4-methylphenyl)-3-phenyl-4,4,4-trifluorobutan-1-one is distributed by ChemBridge Corporation.
A 3-halo(other than fluorine atom)alkyl-substituted compound (see Non-patent Documents 8 and 9, for example) and the like are known as a 1,3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-substituent-2-propen-1-one compound. A process intermediate of an agricultural chemical 4-(3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-oxo-1-(trifluoromethyl)-1-propenyl)-2-methylphenylcarbamate tertiary-butyl ester (see Patent Document 1) is known as a 3-fluoroalkyl-substituted compound, and other 3-fluoroalkyl-substituted compounds (see Non-patent Documents 10 to 12, for example) are known. Compounds having benzyloxy group on a substituted phenyl are described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 as a 1,3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-substituent-2-propen-1-one compound described as an agricultural chemical.
However, there is no description in the documents regarding a 1,3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-substituent-3-hydroxypropan-1-one compound and a 1,3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-substituent-2-propen-1-one compound, both of which can be used as a process intermediate derivable into a compound described in Patent Document 4, of these compounds described in the documents.
[Patent Document 1]
WO 04/018410 pamphlet
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-11-236363
[Patent Document 3]
EP 811608
[Patent Document 4]
WO 05/085216 pamphlet
[Non-Patent Document 1]
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1-3-bis(substituted phenyl)-3-hydroxypropan-1-one or 2-propen-1-one compound, and salt thereof

Abstract: (where, X represents halogen atom, cyano group or the like, Y represents halogen atom, cyano group or the like, R1 represents C1-C6 haloalkyl group or C3-C8 halocycloalkyl group, R2 represents methyl group, halogen atom, cyano group or the like, m represents an integer of 1 to 5, and n represents an integer of 1 to 4).


A bipolar (dis)charge LED drive method and circuit thereof which is having a diode connected in series of forward polarity with an light emitting diode before being connected in parallel with a bipolar capacitor of the same polarity to constitute the first component, and having a diode, a capacitor and an optional light emitting diode to constitute the second component; the first and second components are connected in series of reversed polarity to be driven by AC, or DC power capable of periodical exchange polarity.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an innovative circuit design of LED drive method and circuit that can be driven by AC or by a DC power source with period of polarity exchange, and more particularly, to one that the operation function is through the capacitor to produce bipolar charging/discharging electric power to drive the light emitting diode, so as to have the advantages of low thermal loss, power consumption, and production cost.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Whereas conventionally a drive circuit in a light emitting diode driven by AC, or by a DC power source with period of polarity exchange has to be always comprised of a bridge rectification and a drop limiting resistance, thermal loss, wasted power, and increased production cost resulted from the light emitting diode has its flaws both of bridge rectification and drop limiting resistance are the flaws found with the LED of the prior art.

Bipolar (dis)charging LED drive method and circuit thereof


In an anisotropic conductive adhesive including a magnetic powder such as nickel-coated resin particles used as conductive particles, the conductive particles are present in an insulating adhesive composition without being aggregated. The magnetic powder used as the conductive particles is at least partially composed of a magnetic material. In this case, demagnetization has been performed on the conductive particles in a powder form that have not been dispersed in the insulating adhesive composition, the conductive particles in a paste obtained by dispersing the conductive particles in the insulating adhesive composition, or the conductive particles in a film formed from the paste, before establishment of an anisotropic conductive connection using the anisotropic conductive adhesive.

An anisotropic conductive film is produced by dispersing conductive particles in an insulating adhesive and forming the resultant adhesive into a film shape. In such a production process, since the pitch of wiring lines is being reduced, conductive particles having smaller diameters are being used. In addition, resin particles coated with a nickel plating coating (hereinafter referred to as nickel-coated resin particles) are widely used because they have conductivity and deformability suitable for anisotropic conductive connection and are available at relatively low cost (Patent Literature 1).

Anisotropic conductive adhesive, method of producing the same, connection structure and producing method thereof


A raw material feeding device for feeding a gaseous raw material formed by sublimating a solid raw material to a film formation system includes a raw material container for holding the solid raw material therein, a first heating unit placed at a first side of the container, a second heating unit placed at a second side thereof, the first temperature control unit for conducting a first process of controlling the first and the second heating unit to make the temperature of the first side higher than that of the second side to thereby sublimate the solid raw material disposed at the first side, and the second temperature control unit for conducting a second process of controlling the first and the second heating unit to make the temperature of the second side higher than that of the first side to thereby sublimate the solid raw material disposed at the second side.

Recently, there has been used a method (e.g., a MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition) method) for forming a film on a target substrate by using, e.g., a metal-organic raw material gas. Many of the metal-organic raw material gases are in a solid state at normal temperature and pressure.
In order to use the solid raw material for the film formation, the solid raw material needs to be sublimated and supplied to a film formation system. The solid raw material is sublimated by, e.g., heating and then, the sublimed raw material is supplied to the film formation system together with a carrier gas.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2004-140328
However, most of solid raw materials are of powder forms having particles of different diameters. Thus, when convection is caused by heating, or when a carrier gas is used, the solid raw materials in the form of powders, especially those having small particle diameters, may be blown away to be supplied to the film formation system.
If the particles are supplied to the film formation system, they may be incorporated into a film during film formation and also may deteriorate quality of the film formation, e.g., a production yield of semiconductor devices or the like.

Raw material feeding device, film formation system and method for feeding gaseous raw material


The present invention provides a vacuum stage device that moves a substrate to be processed in a vacuum environment. In a substrate transfer device in accordance with the present invention, a wafer mounted to a wafer platen is moved in a vacuum processing chamber. This substrate transfer device includes a first driving mechanism for moving the wafer platen in a Y1 direction, and a second driving mechanism that is provided in the vacuum processing chamber and linearly reciprocates the wafer platen in X1 and X2 directions at a high speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vacuum stage devices, and, more particularly, to a vacuum stage device that moves a substrate to be processed in a vacuum environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
To produce a semiconductor device, a number of manufacturing processes are carried out on a wafer (i.e., a semiconductor substrate), and there exist many kinds of semiconductor manufacturing processes that are carried out in a vacuum environment (i.e., in a vacuum processing chamber).
Specific examples of these semiconductor manufacturing processes include: a sputtering process for physically forming a thin film on a wafer; a CVD sputtering process for forming a thin film on a wafer by a chemical vapor technique; a lithography process for shaping thin films formed on a wafer; an impurity adding process for adding impurities to layers formed on a wafer that is an ion implantation process; an etching process for performing various etching operations on thin films formed on a wafer; an electronic beam process for performing a fine shaping operation on the surface of a wafer with an electronic beam; and an ion beam process for performing a fine shaping operation on a surface of the wafer with an ion beam. All of these processes are carried out in a vacuum environment.
When the above processes are carried out, it is necessary to move the wafer with precision in a vacuum processing chamber. Therefore, a transfer device for moving a stage (a base), to which the wafer is to be mounted, with precision in a vacuum processing chamber is provided for a processing device that carries out the above processes. In accordance with a process to be carried out for the wafer, the transfer device can selectively perform a moving operation in X-Y-Z directions, a tilting operation for tilting the wafer in relation to an electronic beam or the like, or a rotating operation for rotating the wafer.
Conventionally, a transfer device of this type for moving a wafer inside a vacuum processing chamber normally has a stage driving mechanism placed outside the vacuum processing chamber, for the following reasons:    1) It is difficult to employ a driving mechanism that generates heat, because the vacuum processing chamber does not contain a heat releasing medium (such as air) for releasing the heat generated by the driving mechanism to the outside.    2) As the volume of the vacuum chamber is reduced, the time required for obtaining a predetermined degree of vacuum can be shortened, and the throughput in the wafer processing can be increased. However, if the vacuum processing chamber is made smaller, the driving mechanism provided inside the vacuum processing chamber also becomes smaller. As a result, the driving force is lowered. For this reason, a wafer cannot be moved at a high speed inside the vacuum processing chamber, resulting in a reduced throughput.    3) Where a linear motor is employed as the driving mechanism, the wire rods that form the coil of the linear motor should be covered with a resin material for insulation purposes. Also, the coil is impregnated with resin and is thus solidified firmly, so as to prevent deformation due to a strong magnetic force between the wire rods or magnets. However, the heat, which is generated from the coil at the time of driving of the linear motor, generates outgas from the resin that is employed as the covering and solidifying material. As a result, the degree of vacuum inside the vacuum processing chamber is considerably lowered.
For the above reasons, the conventional stage driving mechanism is placed outside the vacuum processing chamber. In such a structure, it is necessary to introduce a stage driving force into the vacuum processing chamber from the outside. To do so, a vacuum sealing process needs to be carried out for the driving force introducing unit. As a result, the entire transfer device, as well as the vacuum processing chamber, becomes larger, and the production costs become higher.
Furthermore, if the stage inside the vacuum processing chamber is far apart from the stage driving mechanism placed outside the vacuum processing chamber, vibration and reaction force may be caused anywhere in the driving force transmission system that ranges from the stage driving mechanism to the stage. Because of this, it is difficult to move the stage at a high speed. If the moving speed of the stage (or the wafer) is reduced, however, the throughput of the wafer processing will drop considerably.


An apparatus and a method for controlling recordings in accordance with the remainder of a recording medium are disclosed. The recording state is adjusted in accordance with the remainder of the recording medium so that a maximum amount of the images intended to be recorded can be recorded within the limited remainder of the recording medium. If the remainder of the recording medium is insufficient, and thus if the total number of images cannot be recorded even by using a long-play recording mode, then a result of comparing audio and brightness signals input to a signal processing section with reference levels, is supplied to a microcomputer. The microcomputer controls the operations of the recording section and the driving section in accordance with the comparison result. If the images look darker than a reference level, or if the sounds are too weak, then the recording operation is temporarily stopped so that the maximum number of images can be recorded onto the remainder of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling recordings. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling recordings in accordance with the remainder of a recording medium, in which the recording state is adjusted in accordance with the recordable remainder of the recording medium so that a maximum number of the intended images can be recorded in the limited remainder of the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, recording controlling apparatuses such as a video cassette tape recorder (VCR) and the like have been widely used for appraising movies or video articles. Such a recording controlling apparatus reproduces still pictures or moving pictures from a recording medium to output them to a screen. Such an apparatus can also record the pictures onto the recording medium.
Such a recording medium usually consists of a magnetic tape, and is classified into the following types: 60-minute, 90-minute and 120-minute. Usually, recording is carried out in a "standard recording" mode.
However, if the remainder of the recording medium is insufficient to record the entire recording, the apparatus is shifted to a "SLP mode" or a "LP mode", so that the images can be recorded in a compressed manner, or compress-recorded. Thus, a large number of images can be recorded in spite of the shortage of the recording medium.
FIG. 1 illustrates the above described conventional recording controlling apparatus. Roughly, the conventional recording controlling apparatus includes a signal processing section 10 and a recording section 20.
The signal processing section 10 includes: a band pass filter 11 for detecting carrier chroma signals from incoming video signals; an automatic chroma gain controller (ACC) 12 for controlling the carrier chroma signals detected by the band pass filter 11, to have a certain amplitude; and a balanced modulator 13 for carrying out balanced modulation on the amplitude-controlled carrier chroma signals of the ACC 12. The signal processing section 10 also includes: a low pass filter 14 for detecting brightness signals from the incoming video signals; an automatic gain controller (AGC) 15 for controlling the detected brightness signals of the low pass filter 14 to have a certain amplitude; a frequency modulator 16 for modulating the frequency of the amplitude-controlled brightness signals of the AGC 15; and an adder 17 for mixing together the brightness signals of the frequency modulator 16, the carrier chroma signals of the balanced modulator 13 and separately input audio signals, so as to output recording signals.
The recording section 20 includes: a recording switch 21 for supplying the recording signals output from the signal processing section 10; a recording output device 22 for generating electric currents in a coil 23 in accordance with the recording signals supplied by the recording switch 21; and a recording head 24 for recording data on a recording medium 30 by generating magnetic fields in cooperation with the coil 23.
The recording controlling apparatus further includes: a key input section 40 for inputting a recording starting time and a consumption time period; a remainder detecting section 50 for detecting the remainder of the recording medium 30; a driving section 70 for driving or stopping the recording medium 30, and for adjusting the recording speed; and a microcomputer 60 for controlling the operations of the recording section 20 and the recording medium driving section 70 in accordance with the output signals of the key input section 40 and the remainder detecting section 50.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart for recording images onto a recording medium by using the apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrate the recording state of data recorded in accordance with the remainder of the recording medium based on the conventional method.
In the conventional recording controlling apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, if video signals are input into the signal processing section 10, those signals pass through the band pass filter 11 and the low pass filter 14 and are detected by being separated into carrier chroma signals and brightness signals.
If the brightness signals detected by the low pass filter 14 have a value greater than a regulated value, the AGC decreases the value of the signals. On the other hand, if the brightness signals detected by the low pass filter 14 have a value less than the regulated value, the AGC increases the value. Thus, the brightness signals are controlled to a certain amplitude. The signals are then supplied to the frequency modulator 16, and thus, the brightness signals are frequency-modulated.
Meanwhile, the carrier chroma signals detected by the band pass filter 11 are supplied to the ACC 12 so they can be controlled to a certain amplitude. Then the signals undergo a balanced modulation through the balanced modulator 13.
Thereafter, the brightness signals, the carrier chroma signals and the audio signals are added together by the adder 17. Thus, those added signals are output as recording signals.
The recording signals are supplied through the recording switch 21 to the recording output device 22 so as to be converted into electric currents. These electric currents flow through the coil 23 which is wound on the head 24. Thus owing to the electric currents flowing through the coil 23, the head 24 generates magnetic fields so that the video signals are recorded onto the recording medium 30.
In this conventional recording controlling apparatus, the recording method is controlled in accordance with the remainder of the recording medium, or recordable remainder, that can be recorded on, as shown in FIG. 2.
That is, when a recording starting time and an expected consumption time period are input through the key input section 40 (101), the microcomputer 60 compares the expected consumption time period with the result detected by the remainder detecting section 50, to detect the recordable remainder of the recording medium (102).
Thereafter, a judgment is made as to whether the total number of images can be recorded at the standard speed within the limits of the remainder of the recording medium 30 (103). If it is possible, then the microcomputer 60 drives the recording medium 30 according to a "standard recording" mode by driving the driving section 70.
On the other hand, if it is impossible to record in "standard recording" mode the total number of images within the limits of the remainder of the recording medium 30, and if it is possible to record the total number of images by employing a combination of "standard recording" and "long play recording" (105), then "standard+long play recording" is carried out (106). Otherwise, "long play recording" is carried out (107).
The procedure of "standard+long play recording" will be described in detail referring to FIG. 3. For example, it will be assumed that the expected consumption time is 50 minutes, and that a 30-minute portion is the remainder of the recording medium 30. In this case, a standard recording operation is carried out for the first 20 minutes, and then a long play recording operation is carried out for the last 10 minutes. During the long play recording, the images are recorded in a compressed state, thereby solving the problem of having an insufficient remainder of the recording medium 30 to complete recording the images.
However, in this conventional recording controlling apparatus, if the remainder of the recording medium is very insufficient compared with the expected consumption time period, then the total number of images cannot be completely recorded even if a long play recording operation is employed for the entire remainder of the recording medium.

Apparatus and method for controlling recording in accordance with a remainder of a recording medium


An aerodynamic component disposed on a side face of an upper rear part of an automobile vehicle body and reduces a lift coefficient of a vehicle body rear part, includes a plate-shaped base part and a fin projectingly provided on a front face of the base part, wherein the base part gently increases in thickness from a front edge side to a rear edge side, and has at the rear edge a shape that rises steeply with respect to the side face of the upper rear part of the vehicle body.

An arrangement in which a flow-alignment fin having a predetermined shape is provided on a side part of a vehicle body of an automobile, the flow-alignment fin aligns the flow of air therearound to thus increase the flow velocity, and the main flow around the vehicle body is thus made to be closer to the side part of the vehicle body thereby improving the stability and reducing the air resistance is known from Patent Document 1 below.


A method and system for graphic manipulation is provided. The graphic manipulation can be performed using a graphic manipulator that can have three mutually perpendicular axes indicators and a plurality of action icons associated with one or more of the axes. The graphic manipulator can be oriented with respect to axes of the object being manipulated. Based on the specific orientation of the graphic manipulator, and based on the selection of portions of the manipulated object some of the axis indicators and the plurality of action icons can be displayed and/or not displayed.

This disclosure relates in general, but not by way of limitation, to graphic manipulation.
During the graphical design process, objects are created and modified. In some systems, an object is modified by selecting portion of the object and modifying it by, for example, moving it, rotating it, or resizing it. In some systems, a manipulator is used to modify the object. The manipulator may have graphical indicators representing options for modifying the selected object.

Object manipulator and method of object manipulation


A method of controlling a reheat furnace to deliver pieces at an aim discharge temperature comprises the steps of determining the ratio between calculated reheat furnace discharge temperatures and measured temperatures of pieces in a rolling mill receiving the output of the reheat furnace, filtering this ratio based upon time in the rolling mill to provide the current filtered relationship between calculated discharge temperatures and said measured temperatures to provide filtered ratios, comparing desired temperatures in the rolling mill with said measured temperatures of pieces in the rolling mill to establish error values, filtering the error values based upon time in the mill to provide filtered error values, and processing the filtered error values and the filtered ratios to establish a short-term bias to the aim extract temperature.

This invention pertains to rolling mills for the production of metal products. An exemplary rolling mill would be a hot strip mill in which steel slabs are converted to sheet and strip products. This invention also relates to other rolling mills in which the products are, for example, plates, bars, structural shapes and rails and in which case the starting shapes are referred to as slabs, blooms, billets, etc. Usually, the output of the hot strip mill is further processed by cold rolling. The hot strip mill is preceded by a reheat furnace for raising the temperature of the slabs prior to entry into the hot strip mill. The hot strip mill is comprised of a roughing mill and a finishing mill. Control of the temperature of the slab throughout the hot rolling mill is essential. Three temperatures are considered of particular importance; the temperature of the slab as it exits the furnace, the temperature of the slab exiting from the roughing mill and the finishing temperature at the end of the finishing mill. Throughout the hot rolling process, there is a large drop in temperature. While the specific temperatures depend upon the grade and size of the product, hot rolling usually begins near 2200.degree. F. (1200.degree. C.) and finishes well above 1300.degree. F. (700.degree. C.). The function of the reheat furnace is to bring the slabs to the correct temperature to begin the hot rolling process.
Control of the reheat furnace to deliver the slabs at the desired starting temperature (herein the steel "discharge temperature") is no simple matter. It is very difficult to accurately measure the temperature of the slabs in the reheat furnace or even immediately after extraction. The slabs are covered with scale and do not have a uniform temperature through their thickness. Moreover, few mills have the luxury of continuously processing slabs of identical size and grade. These are constantly changing making control of the extract temperature more difficult. Other factors are also variable such as the rate at which the slabs are moved through the reheat furnace and the temperature of the slabs entering the reheat furnace.
Computer control has been implemented in mills for controlling the reheat furnaces, the roughing mill, and the finishing mill. Often each area has its own computer control coordinated by a central computer so that the product has the desired thickness, width and temperature. The desired or aim furnace discharge temperature (herein the "aim discharge temperature") is established so that under the expected operating conditions of the roughing mill, the slab will have a desired temperature on leaving the roughing mill (herein the "rougher exit temperature"). This invention relates to methods of improving the reliability of the discharge temperature. In other words, it relates to insuring that the actual discharge temperature (which cannot be directly measured) will result in the aim rougher exit temperature.
Mill practice tables exist for the roughing and finishing mills that establish for a given grade and size of slab and the desired finishing temperature, the aim discharge temperature and the aim rougher exit temperature. These tables are stored in the central computer, for example. Hence, as soon as a slab enters the reheat furnace on it way to the rolling mill, these aim temperatures are established by reference to the mill practice table.
To bring the slab to the aim discharge temperature, various heating zones of the reheat furnace are individually controlled. The control of the various zones to bring about the aim discharge temperature is based upon a reheat furnace model that is theoretically and empirically developed. The model is used two ways. It is used to established the desired time and temperature in each zone of the reheat furnace as the slab passes therethrough to bring about the aim discharge temperature. Because the control of the heating zones of the reheat furnace is not perfect, the model can be used to calculate or predict the discharge temperature based upon the measured conditions in each zone as the slab passes therethrough. It is practically impossible to perfectly predict the slab temperature within the furnace since conditions within and around the furnace are constantly changing. Seasons change, linings wear, gas pressures vary, thermocouples drift, etc. Moreover, the size and composition of the product may vary. These uncontrolled and unaccounted for conditions may be short-term or long-term changes that make the reheat furnace model less accurate than desired for predicting the actual discharge temperature.
Also, the conditions in the rolling mill itself may vary day to day or from operator to operator. Water sprays may be turned on or off, certain roughing mill stands may be bypassed for repair, etc. This can change what is required as an aim discharge temperature in order to achieve the aim rougher exit temperature.
The first temperature in the hot mill that can be accurately measured is the rougher exit temperature. An optical pyrometer is the usual device to measure this temperature. It has already been proposed to use a measure of this temperature to tune the operation of the reheat furnace. See "Automatic slab heating control at Inland's 80-in. hot strip mill," Veslocki et al., AISE Year Book, 1986. The procedure described therein requires the use of a roughing mill model to predict the rougher exit temperature of a slab given the discharge temperature provided by the reheat furnace model and times in the various mill stands and other measurable parameters of the roughing mill. The difference between the measured rougher exit temperature and that predicted by the roughing mill model is used as feedback for correcting the discharge temperature predicted by the reheat furnace model. This method, however, does not attempt to control an aim rougher exit temperature. It only attempts to "improve" the calculated furnace discharge temperature based upon measured rougher exit temperature and the roughing mill model. Unfortunately, roughing mill models, like all models, are subject to short and long term drift due to unmeasured parameters. As with reheat furnace models, there are many different roughing train models in use, each with its own drawbacks.


A PC module assembly, comprising a PC module support, the PC module support comprising a bottom wall and a first side wall, the first side wall being provided with a first air outlet, an air inlet of a heat dissipation structure communicatively connected to the first air outlet. When mounting of a PC module, the PC module is mounted on the bottom wall, enabling the position of an air outlet of the PC module to correspond to the position of the first air outlet. When the PC module is in an operating state, hot air flow formed by the heat generated inside the PC module enters the first air outlet, and is diverted through the heat dissipation structure, so that the heat is dissipated from the inside of the PC module, thereby allowing the PC module to operate in a stable manner.

With the advance of science and technology and people's need, the function of interactive smartboards has become more powerful. Interactive smartboard is an integrated device that controls the content displayed on the display flat screen using touch technology, thus realizing human-computer interaction operations. The interactive smartboard may integrate the functions of a TV, a computer, a projector, an electronic whiteboard, an audio/video conferencing terminal, etc. To implement the functions of the interactive smartboard, different functional modules, such as a PC (Personal Computer) module, need to be installed in the interactive smartboard.
Since the PC module is generally installed inside the interactive smartboard, when the PC module is in an operating state, a large amount of heat may be generated, thereby producing a hot air flow. If the hot air flow cannot be timely diverted from the inside and around the PC module, the stable operation of PC module and further the stable operation of the interactive smartboard will be affected.


Disclosed is a phase angle data-trigonometric function value converter circuit for computing a trigonometric function value corresponding to an angle that an angle of 360 degrees is divided into n equal parts, where n is an integer, which has: means for converting the integer n into angle data represented by binary system; a sine value data memory which stores sine values corresponding to the angle data from zero degree to 90 degrees and outputs sine values corresponding to the angle data to be input thereto; a cosine value data memory which stores cosine values corresponding to the angle data from zero degree to 90 degrees and outputs cosine values corresponding to the angle data to be input thereto; a selector to which the sine values output from the sine value data memory and the cosine values output from the cosine value memory are input and which selects the sine values or the cosine values according to the angle data and outputs them; and means for adding a polarity sign to the sine values or cosine values output from the selector according to the angle data.

In conventional radio communication devices which employ a composite diversity reception system that radio-wave signals modulated by a quadrature phase shift keying(QPSK) manner are received by a plurality of antennas and composed, means for converting phase difference angle data into trigonometric function values is used to compute the phase difference data of received radio wave by converting from a polar coordinates system to a rectangular coordinates system.
Conventionally, to compute a trigonometric function value from angle data, a method of computing the trigonometric function value by CPU is used for unpredictable inputs. On the other hand, typically used for predictable inputs is a conversion manner that calculation results are registered in a ROM table etc. and a calculation result written therein is accessed and output according to an input address related to an angle data.
FIG.1 shows an example of such a conversion manner, where sine values are stored corresponding to angles in a sine-wave table and cosine values are stored corresponding to angles in a cosine-wave table. When an angle data is input, a sine value and a cosine value are output corresponding to an address related to the angle data.
Japanese patent application laid-open No.7-307724(1995) discloses a diversity device which employs a like conversion manner that, when composite diversity is conducted, a trigonometric function value is calculated from a value previously stored in ROM after a phase difference of input wave is calculated.
However, it is not desirable that the method of computing the trigonometric function value by CPU is used for predictable inputs, since the manufacturing cost of the device is increased and the scale of the circuit is enlarged. On the other hand, the conversion manner with a storage medium like ROM is suitable for providing a low-cost device and a smaller circuit. However, a large storage medium is required when the angle data to be input is fractionized to improve the precision. For example, when it is fractionized to one degree, a storage capacity of 360 words is necessary.

Phase angle data-trigonometric function value converter circuit and composite diversity receiver


A new cultivar of Cuphea named ‘FLAMENCO RUMBA’ that is characterized by open upright habit, dark yellow-green foliage, and large light red flowers that bloom continuously through spring, summer and fall. In combination these traits set ‘FLAMENCO RUMBA’ apart from all other existing varieties of Cuphea known to the inventor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cuphea that is grown for use as an annual plant for container or for use as a perennial plant for the landscape in frost-free regions. The new cultivar is known botanically as Cuphea llavea×procumbens and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'FLAMENCO RUMBA'.
The new Cuphea cultivar 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' is a hybrid plant that resulted from the induced cross-pollination conducted by the inventor in June 2001 at the inventor's nursery in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' was selected by the inventor in December 2003 based on light red flowers and open upright habit.
The inventor cross-pollinated an individual plant of the seed parent, Cuphea llavea 'Tiny Mice' (unpatented) and an individual plant of the pollen parent Cuphea procumbens (species, not a cultivar, unpatented). Observing that the resulting seedlings exhibited a range of flower colors and flower shapes, the inventor set aside several hundred of these seedlings for further growth trials in order to select the most promising combination of uniqueness of flower shape, flower color, and compactness of plant habit. Three, individual and distinct clones were selected from the seedling population by the inventor, in 2003. One selection constitutes the present invention, 'FLAMENCO RUMBA'. The other two selections are the subject of the inventor's co-pending applications, 'FLAMENCO TANGO' U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/334,620 and 'FLAMENCO SAMBA' U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/334,128.
'FLAMENCO RUMBA' exhibits open upright habit, large hairy flower buds, large light red flowers, and dark yellow-green foliage. Propagation is accomplished using vegetative cuttings. The closest comparison plant known to the inventor is the inventor's co-pending variety 'FLAMENCO SAMBA', which exhibits dark red flowers and dense upright plant habit. 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' is distinguishable from the comparison plant by light red flowers and open upright habit.
The new cultivar 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' is distinguishable from the seed parent by flower color, and lobes on an individual flower. The seed parent 'Tiny Mice' bears small orange flowers that individually exhibit two identical, fused lobes, whereas 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' bears light red flowers that individually exhibit six sub-equal lobes. 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' is distinguishable from the pollen parent by flower color and plant habit. Cuphea procumbens exhibits a spreading habit and bears purple flowers, whereas 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' exhibits an upright open habit and bears light red flowers.
The first asexual propagation was accomplished by the inventor in 2003 at the inventor's nursery in Brisbane, Australia. The method of propagation used was vegetative cuttings. Since that time, the distinguishing characteristics of 'FLAMENCO RUMBA' have been determined stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a first diamond semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type including a main surface having a first plane orientation; a trench structure formed in the first diamond semiconductor layer; a second diamond semiconductor layer formed on the first diamond semiconductor layer in the trench structure and having a lower dopant concentration than the first diamond semiconductor layer; a third diamond semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on the second diamond semiconductor layer and having a higher dopant concentration than the second diamond semiconductor layer; a first electrode electrically connected to the first diamond semiconductor layer; and a second electrode electrically connected to the third diamond semiconductor layer.

Diamond is attracting attention as a material for a semiconductor device because it has excellent semiconductor characteristics in addition to its mechanical, chemical and thermal characteristics. In particular, since diamond has a band gap of about 5.5 eV at room temperature, it is expected to be used as a material for an ultraviolet emission device and an electron emission device using negative electron affinity. Also, since diamond has high breakdown voltage, it is expected to be used as a material for a power device. In addition, since diamond has solid crystallinity, it is expected to be used as a material for an environment-resistant device that is used particularly in severe environments such as high temperature or radiation.
Recently, a diamond power device is actively developed, and a report is made on a Schottky barrier diode having a Schottky junction, a device having a PIN structure, and a device having a combination of a Schottky junction and a PN junction, and the like.
Also, it is known that the dopant incorporation efficiency in the formation of a diamond semiconductor layer depends strongly on the plane orientation of an underlayer.


An optical film comprises a transparent support and a polarizing layer. The polarizing layer selectively transmits polarized light, and selectively reflects or scatters other polarized light. The polarizing layer contains a compound represented by the formula (I) of Ar1—C≡C—Ar3—C≡C—Ar2. In the formula (I), each of Ar1 and Ar2 independently is a monovalent aromatic group, and Ar3 is a divalent aromatic group.

Light emitted from natural light sources such as the sun or from artificial ones such as lamps is generally non-polarized (randomly polarized). A polarizing plate can convert such non-polarized light into polarized light (linearly, circularly or elliptically polarized light). The thus-converted polarized light can be used in various optical instruments. For example, a liquid crystal display widely used nowadays is an instrument that utilizes characters of polarized light to display an image.
The term "polarizing plate" in a broad sense includes linearly, circularly and elliptically polarizing plates. However, that term usually means (in a narrow sense) only a linearly polarizing plate. Also in the present specification, the simple "polarizing plate" means a linearly polarizing plate.
A linearly polarizing plate is a basic polarizing plate. For example, a circularly polarizing plate is generally a layered composition of a linearly polarizing plate and a λ/4 plate, and also an elliptically polarizing plate is generally a layered composition of a linearly polarizing plate and a phase retarder other than the λ/4 plate. Therefore, the optical character of linearly polarizing plate is important for various kinds of polarizing plates (in a broad sense).
A linearly polarizing plate generally used is a polarizing plate of light-absorbing type made of polyvinyl alcohol. For preparing the polyvinyl alcohol polarizing plate, a polyvinyl alcohol film is stretched and made to adsorb iodine or a dichromatic dye. The thus-prepared plate has a transparent axis (polarizing axis) perpendicular to the stretching direction.
The polarizing plate of light-absorbing type transmits only a light component polarized parallel to the polarizing axis, and absorbs a perpendicularly polarized component. Therefore, usable light through the plate is theoretically 50% or less (practically less by far) of the original light.
In order to increase the amount of usable light (efficiency of light), it is proposed that a polarizing plate of light-scattering type be used in place of or in addition to that of light-absorbing type. The polarizing plate of light-scattering type also transmits only the light component polarized parallel to the polarizing axis, but scatters forward or backward the perpendicularly polarized component. Consequently, the plate of light-scattering type improves the efficiency of light.
There are some mechanisms in which the polarizing plate of light-scattering type improves the efficiency of light. The mechanisms (A) to (C) are described below.
(A) Depolarization of Front Scattered Light
The polarizing plate of light-scattering type scatters forward or backward the light component polarized perpendicularly to the polarizing axis. The light component scattered forward (front scattered light) is depolarized to rotate the polarizing direction. The thus rotated direction is different from the polarizing direction of the incident light, and hence the scattered light has a light component polarized parallel to the polarizing axis of the plate. Consequently, the component polarized in the polarizing direction of the plate is increased. If the polarizing plate contains many particles in the thickness direction, multiple scattering occurs to enhance the depolarization. In this way, the efficiency of light is improved by the depolarization of front scattered light if the polarizing plate of light-scattering type is used, as compared with the efficiency when the polarizing plate of light-absorbing type is used alone.
(B) Reuse (Depolarization) of Back Scattered Light
The component scattered backward (back scattered light) is depolarized when it scattered. The back scattered light is reflected by a metal reflector placed behind the backlight (light source), and again enters the polarizing plate of light-scattering type. Since the depolarized light (back scattered light) has the light component polarized parallel to the polarizing axis of the plate, a part of the reentering light passes through the plate. The scattering on the polarizing plate and the reflection on the reflector are repeated in this way to improve the efficiency of light.
(C) Reuse (Rotation of Polarizing Direction) of Back Scattered Light
In an optical system comprising a λ/4 plate and a metal reflector, incident light linearly polarized at 45° to the slow axis of the λ/4 plate is reflected to rotate its polarizing direction by 90°. For applying this effect, a λ/4 plate is provided between the polarizing plate of light-scattering type and the metal reflector (placed behind the backlight) so that the slow axis of the λ/4 plate may be placed at 45° to the polarizing axis of the polarizing plate.
The light scattered backward has a component polarized perpendicularly to the polarizing axis of the polarizing plate in a large amount. Accordingly, the light having passed through the λ/4 plate, reflected by the metal reflector and reentering the polarizing plate has a component polarized parallel to the polarizing axis of the polarizing plate in a large amount. Since the light component parallel polarized can pass through the polarizing plate, the efficiency of light can be improved by the λ/4 plate provided between the polarizing plate of light-scattering type and the metal reflector.
The polarizing plate of light-scattering type is described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 8(1996)-76114, 9(1997)-274108, 9(1997)-297204, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 11(1999)-502036, 11(1999)-509014, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,783,120, 5,825,543 and 5,867,316.
The known polarizing plates of light-scattering type disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 8(1996)-76114, 9(1997)-274108, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 11(1999)-502036, 11(1999)-509014, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,783,120, 5,825,543 and 5,867,316 are stretched polymer films like the known polarizing plates of light-absorbing type. In the polarizing plates, the refractive induces of the binder and the dispersed particles should be highly adjusted. In more detail, the difference between the refractive induces of the binder and the particles should be small at the side of transmitting polarized light. On the other hand, the difference should be large at the side of scattering polarized light. The known plates described in the prior art references are insufficient for the above-described optical characteristics. Therefore, the improvement of the efficiency of light is insufficient.
The polarizing plate of light-scattering type disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 11(1999)-502036 is a polymer film containing dispersed liquid crystal molecules (optically anisotropic molecules), which are aligned by applying an electric or magnetic field. However, it is practically difficult to apply the electric or magnetic field evenly to a large area, and accordingly it is difficult to obtain an even scattering character in a large area. Unevenness of the scattering character in the plane of the polarizing plate induces unevenness of brightness in the plane of a liquid crystal display.

Optical film comprising support and polarizing layer


A holder for a string of electric lights of the type having a plurality of lamps and corresponding lamp sockets connected at spaced intervals to electrical wiring. The holder is made up of connected upper and lower relatively thin elongated mounting plates along the sides of which are provided uniformly spaced alternating tabs and open ended slots. The upper and lower mounting plates and slots are aligned. Each one of the lower slots is for receiving wiring emanating from the base of a corresponding one of the lamp sockets and each one of the upper slots is for receiving a corresponding one of the lamps, the corresponding lamp sockets then being confined therebetween the upper and lower mounting plates. Two or more of the holders may be connected side by side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to holders for storing and/or displaying electric lights. More specifically, the present invention pertains to holders for storing and/or displaying strings of electric lights such as those used for Christmas decorations.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of electric lights are manufactured which include a plurality of lamps and corresponding lamp sockets connected at spaced intervals to electric wiring. The lamps may be connected in series of parallel. Typical of such lights are the kind sold for Christmas or other festive occasions which allow a multiplicity of lights to be strung around a Christmas tree or other object as decoration.
Some type of holder or container is usually provided to display and/or store strings of electric lights. If not, the wire and lamps may become entangled and if an attempt is made to untangle them there may be damage to the wiring, the lamps or the sockets in which the lamps are placed, rendering the light string useless. For this reason, strings of electric lights are typically placed on a cardboard or plastic holder in some organized fashion and placed in a box. The box may be provided with a window or opening so that the purchaser or user may see the type of lights he is purchasing or using without having to remove the lights therefrom. Such boxes are relatively bulky, easily damaged and not easy to reuse. Since these boxes are relatively bulky, they may require more storage and display space than necessary.
With the increased popularity of electric lights, particularly those having miniature lamps, improved packaging and storage is being sought. Holders for electric light strings should be compact, easy to store, rugged yet with good sales appearance. In addition, light string holders which are easy to use and reuse are needed.


A wireless camera remote control apparatus comprises a transmitter unit for transmitting an activating pulse and a plurality of code pulse signals corresponding to given operations of the camera; and a receiver unit responsive to a code defined by the plurality of code pulses for causing the camera to execute a given operation. The wireless camera remote control apparatus has an immunity to disturbance noise and a reduced power consumption.

The wireless remote control apparatus used for home electronic appliances generally uses infrared rays having a wave length on the order of 900 to 950 nm. A transmitter of the remote control apparatus transmits a signal which has been modulated at about 40 kHz with a code to be transmitted. On the other hand, a receiver detects the signal to demodulate it for eliminating the 40 kHz component in the carrier to obtain data (refer to a brochure "Countermeasure for preventing malfunction of infrared remotely controlled home appliances" published by a Foundation Kaden Seihin Kyokai, July, 1987).
In general, the wireless remote control apparatus for a camera intermittently emits infrared light as is done similarly with an electronic flash to increase an effective range of the infrared light having flash intervals representative of transmission data unlike the modulation system of the remote control for home appliances.
However, remote control apparatus using a modulation system for home electronic appliances requires a modulation circuit for modulating a signal with a transmission code and a demodulating circuit for demodulating the modulated code for transmitter and receiver, respectively. These circuits are complicated and large in size, so that they are very cumbersome for a compact camera having a restricted component installation area and cost.
On the other hand, since flash type of remote control apparatus which is used for remotely controlling the camera includes a transmission circuit similar to an electronic flash circuit, the circuit components are large in size and scale. Accordingly, it is hard to adopt such a flash type of remote control apparatus for a camera in which a camera body and a remote control unit are integral with each other during normal picture taking and the remote control unit is removed from the camera body for taking a picture using the remote control. Since the flash interval represents transmission data in this flash type remote control, complicated codes can not be transmitted. In addition the camera sometimes malfunctions on exposure to light from other electronic flash and a fluorescent lamp, for example.
Furthermore both types of remote control have a common problem that a receiver circuit consumes power on standby while waiting for a signal from a transmitter, which power is the the same as that consumed on reception of a transmitted signal. Even during normal picture taking mode, the remote control circuit continues to operate, resulting in wasteful consumption of power. This will be a cause of premature depletion of batteries in a system which uses batteries.

Wireless remote control apparatus for camera


An electrical type grid electrostatic collector/separator removes particles from an air stream. The apparatus includes multiple parallel grids that act as the porous material, enclosed in a sealed compartment so that the entrained air flows parallel and between one or more centrally located grids. A direct current high voltage field is established between the grids with the polarities alternating between facing grids. Finer particles may be temporally collected on plate or grid assemblies that are located out of the airflow. When non-conductive particles are present, external methods of pre-charging by corona discharge are preferably used. When non-conductive particles are present, both internal and external methods of pre-charging by corona discharge are used with the external method being preferred.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of separator apparatuses. More particularly, the invention pertains to an apparatus that can function as a filter unit as a precipitator or as a separator of materials that have different electrical properties.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,028 discloses an electrostatic sieve having parallel sieve electrodes that are either vertical or inclined. The particles are normally introduced into the electric sieve under the control of a feeder that is placed directly in front of the opposing screen electrode. The powder is attracted directly from the feeder tray to the opposing screen electrode by induced electric field that exists between the tray and the screen electrode. This system is a static air system.
Prior art precipitators have difficulty collecting highly conductive and very poorly conductive particulates.

Grid type electrostatic separator/collector and method of using same