Highly uniform microporous foam suitable for medical applications and methods for preparing these foams. The highly uniform microporous foams are of controlled pore size that may be utilized in a variety of applications. In preparing the foams, an organic crystalline polymer is melted and combined with a selected solid crystalline fugitive compound to produce a substantially isotropic solution. The solution is cooled under controlled conditions, which foster solid-solid phase separation by the simultaneous crystallization of the fugitive compound and the polymer, to produce a foam precursor containing the solidified fugitive compound dispersed through a matrix of the organic polymer. Crystals of fugitive compound are then removed by solvent extraction and/or sublimation, or like process to produce microcellular foams having a continuous, open-cell structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to microporous thermoplastic foams and polymeric articles with microporous surface layers and methods for preparing these foams and articles. More specifically, the invention provides a method for producing foams with controlled pore size, chemical reactivity and mechanical properties, as well as microporous surfaces with modulated porosity, lyophilicity and chemical reactivity that may be utilized in a variety of applications, including drug delivery systems, constructs for bone and cartilage regeneration, constructs for organ generation, filters for protein fractionation, matrices for gas and fluid filtration, templates for three-dimensional cell cultures, bioreactor substrate material constructs containing immobilized chemical and biological reagents for use in continuous chemical and biochemical processing, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is expected that there are many potential biomedical applications for microcellular foams although not necessarily disclosed in the prior art. Among the potential uses are, use as timed-release drug delivery systems, neural regeneration pathways, templates for skin generation/regeneration, vascular replacements and artificial bone templates. Specific areas of immediate biomedical significance include use of absorbable microcellular foams for bone and cartilage regeneration applications as well as the use of microcellular foams for organ generation, components of bioreactor cartridges, such as those useful for the production of growth factors, microcellular filters for protein fractionation, microcellular matrices for gas and fluid filtration, and microcellular constructs containing immobilized chemical and biological reagents, as well as living cells, for use in continuous chemical and biochemical processing. Some of these applications are discussed in the patent literature.
For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,456 and 4,906,377 discuss the manufacture of fluorocarbon porous films from poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether) (PFA) or poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP). The porous films are permeable to both liquids and gases and can be used as filtration media. In producing the films, a mixture is formed. The mixture includes between about 10 to about 35 wt. % FEP or PFA polymer with the remainder being a solvent (porogen) chlorotrifluorethylene oligomer which permits liquid-liquid phase separation upon cooling from elevated temperature and subsequent solidification of the polymer. The mixture is heated and extruded to form a film or hollow fibers which are then quenched to effect phase separation of the fluorocarbon polymer from the solvent. The extrudate is quenched by passing it over a chill roller which cools the extrudate to a temperature that causes microphase separation of polymer and solvent. The solvent is separated from the polymer by extraction and the resultant microporous polymeric membrane is dried under restraint in order to minimize or prevent membrane shrinkage and collapse.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,076 relates to hydrophilic flexible foams that are said to be particularly suited for use in external biomedical applications. The polyurethane films are produced by blowing a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) prepolymer with a substantially non-aqueous blowing agent, such as pressurized air. The prepolymer is then polymerized with polyoxyethylene polyol having at least two hydroxyl equivalents per mole. The hydrophilic foam may be extruded, knife coated, or cast into sheets.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,704 relates to specific foams into which a reservoir layer may be incorporated for allowing controlled release of vapors or liquids of an active compound into the surrounding environment. This is accomplished by incorporating a diffusion rate-limiting membrane layer, into a laminate of the foam, which controls the rate at which the active compound diffuses to the surface of the laminate and vaporizes or dissolves into the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,621 relates to flexible foam substrates for selectively releasing and dispensing active ingredients. The composite material includes an open foam substrate containing particles of micropackaged active ingredient liquids or solids, formed with frangible containment walls, for breaking and releasing active ingredients in response to a defined level of stress.
Whereas the above patents indicate methods for making foams, microcellular foams made from biomedically significant polymers are of particular interest. Further, production of polymeric microporous foams having continuous cellular structures has not been exploited to any great extent. Microcellular foams have been produced using various materials and processes, but these foams cannot be produced from biomedically useful polymers, in high quality, uniform structures, using the two traditional methods: low temperature freeze drying and salt leaching, or the more recent technique, thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Salt leaching has several limitations including the fact that it is often difficult to form small micropores with salt and it requires a high salt loading to achieve interpore channeling to produce continuous microporous foams. Further, there is a limited availability of solvents for polymers intended for biomedical use. Freeze drying also has its limitations. Specifically, there is a limited availability of crystallizable solvents that can be sublimed at the low temperatures characteristic of the freeze drying process. Further, the freeze drying process is a batch process which imposes limitations in terms of the size and shape of the foam produced.
Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) is a general process for forming cellular foams. A requirement of this process is that the polymer must be diluted with leachable, low molecular weight organic compounds without experiencing chemical degradation of the polymer chain molecule. Provisions of the TIPS method are that (a) a one-phase polymer-diluent system is cooled to effect phase separation; (b) bicontinuous phases (i.e. two phases completely intermingled with the architecture of a filled foam) are to be maintained before the polymer undergoes vitrification or crystallization; and (c) removal of the diluent does not partially or fully collapse the bicontinuous morphology.
Three types of TIPS have been described in the literature, namely liquid-liquid phase separation, liquid-solid phase separation, and solid-liquid phase separation. In each type of phase separation, the first adjective describes the polymer and the second describes the diluent.
Liquid-liquid phase separation occurs when, upon cooling, the polymer and diluent phase separate prior to solidification of either phase. Liquid-liquid phase separation can be further divided into two types of differing kinetics. One type of liquid-liquid phase separation occurs in the nucleated region which is between the binodal and spinodal boundaries of a polymer-diluent temperature-composition phase diagram. The other type of liquid-liquid phase separation occurs below the spinodal boundary in the region of spinodal decomposition. The nucleated region is characterized by phase separation induced by the nucleation of a second phase. The maxima of the spinodal boundary is the critical point of the polymer/solvent system. To one side of the critical point, the nucleated phase is polymer-rich while it is solvent-rich to the other side. In each case, the energy associated with the interfacial area determines the critical size of the nuclei. Therefore, nucleation occurs following a characteristic lag time during which nuclei grow to a sufficient size for stability.
Liquid-solid phase separation occurs when the diluent solidifies prior to polymer crystallization. Solid-liquid phase separation involves solidification of the polymer prior to diluent solidification.
These methods, liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and solid-liquid, provide cellular structures with irregular morphologies that are highly dependent on concentration of the polymer, polymer-diluent interaction and cooling rate. For the liquid-liquid case, full maintenance of the bicontinuous morphology is essentially unachievable. Therefore, an irregular, rather than highly uniform, cellular structure is realized. A relatively more uniform, in comparison to foams prepared using liquid-liquid TIPS, but still irregular foam morphology can be achieved with liquid-solid and solid-liquid systems, provided that fast cooling rates (or quenching) prevail. Fast cooling rates are required (a) to minimize spherulitic growth of the crystallizing polymer in a solid-liquid system and (b) to allow the diluent to crystallize in the presence of a super-cooled polymer in a liquid-solid system.
TIPS, in concert with low-temperature freeze-drying technology, has been used to produce microcellular foams made of dextran, cellulose and polystyrene. Limitations associated with available materials and sol vents have generally restricted the growth of TIPS foam formation technology. In the TIPS process, the pore formation is preceded by a liquid-liquid, liquid-solid or solid-liquid phase separation that is difficult to control. Further, the TIPS process requires solidifying the solvent-polymer mixture with rapid cryogenic quenching. This type of quenching presents an obstacle to large scale manufacturing processes.
Production of microcellular foams with controlled chemical and mechanical properties and morphology would facilitate the use of biologically safe polymers for the production of microcellular foams for biomedical applications. The growing demand for polymeric microcellular foams in several areas of advanced technology represent an urgent need for developing a method for converting non-bioabsorbable and bioabsorbable polymers, which cannot be processed in a traditional manner, to microcellular foams.
There exists a need for a continuous, open-cell microcellular foam and a process for producing such a foam on a typical manufacturing scale from organic polymers suitable for biomedical applications, without the need for complex new equipment to make the foams. Further, the process should be readily applicable to a broad range of thermoplastic polymers which can be absorbable or non-absorbable. Representative non-absorbable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyamides, aromatic polyesters and polyolefins, while the absorbable type of polymers can be based totally or partially on polymers such as polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyalkylene oxalate, polydioxanone and polyanhydride. Further, the process should allow some measure of control of the size of the open-cell pores or voids so that foams may be custom tailored for particular applications, such as timed-release drug delivery systems, constructs for regeneration of bone, cartilage and a multiplicity of soft tissues (including skin and liver), constructs for organ generation, filters for protein fractionation, matrices for gas and fluid filtration, constructs for use in bioreactor cartridges used for continuous chemical and biochemical processing, and the like. The inner and outer microporous cell surfaces can be chemically activated to allow the creation of chemically active functionalities which can be used to bind biologically active agents ionically or covalently.

Microporous polymeric foams and microtextured surfaces


A mounting board for a video display screen housing is a planar sheet having an opening for viewing the video display screen in one portion and other portions adjacent the opening for receiving mounts which can retain objects adjacent the planar sheet. An erasable layer can be laminated on the planar sheet to receive markings. The mounting board is attached to the video display screen housing by stabilizers. The stabilizers can be positioned to accommodate for variations in video display screen housings.

In many situations where a video display screen is a user's primary workstation or desktop, there is a need for a workspace in the vicinity of the video display screen. In an attempt to make important information and frequently used objects easily accessible, users may attach pieces of paper or writing instruments to the housing or the video display screen itself. Photographs and/or personal messages may also be attached to the video display screen or its housing. This has a tendency to clutter the workspace and encroach on or even cover the screen itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,385 issued to Stroll, Jr., discloses a complex glare reduction system for video display monitors in which bulletin boards can be attached to the sides and top of the system. Nevertheless, there still exists a need for a simple mounting board which can be quickly, easily and removably attached to any standard video display screen housing.

Mounting board for video display screen housing


The present invention relates to the use of tropane derivatives having dopamine reuptake inhibitor activity for the treatment of diseases associated with reduced blood flow to the brain or with instances of a temporary break in blood supply to the brain, such as ischemic diseases.

Cerebral ischemia can result in varying degrees of tissue damage. Conditions of severe ischemia can produce irreversible injury, whereas in conditions of moderate ischemia, tissue damage may be reversible. The reversibility of tissue damage—i.a. in the striatum—is important for the development of new therapeutic approaches for treatment.
In connection with an incidence of cerebral ischemia, an excessive amount of glutamate is released from the cortex to the striatum resulting in an excessive depolarization of dopaminergic nerve terminals primarily mediated by sodium influx. This depolarization results in a massive efflux of dopamine, which in turn exerts a neurodegenerative effect in the striatum.
Compounds capable of reducing the striatal dopamine level in such situations would therefore be considered useful for the treatment treatment of diseases associated with reduced blood flow to the brain or with instances of a temporary break in blood supply to the brain, such as ischemic diseases.
It has been mentioned that dopamine release mediated by reversal of the dopamine transporter (DAT) may also be of importance in ischemic conditions in the striatum such that a part of the neurodegenerative changes in the striatum following ischemia results from dopamine release mediated by the dopamine transporter (Leviel V, Neurochemistry International, 38, 83-106, 2001).

Tropane derivatives having dopamine reuptake inhibitor activity for the treatment of ischemic diseases


A structure for altering bus bar circuits includes plural bus bars, a plurality of bus bar boards having plural terminal slots into which are to be inserted respectively and being stacked, a first and second supplemented tab being in the same projecting direction as that of a first and second tab separated from one of the bus bars for altering a circuit, and a supplemented bus bar having the first and second supplemented tab mounted on the same place as the first and second tab of the bus bars.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for altering bus bar circuits which can easily alter a circuit pattern on bus bar circuit boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional electrical junction box 50 which is described in JAPANESE PATENT APPLICATION Laid-open No. 5-49139 comprises plural bus bars arranged on a board (not shown), a plurality of bus bar boards 53 formed by inserting tabs of the plural bus bars into terminal slots of the board respectively, and a bus bar circuit board 54 stacked by a plurality of the bus bar boards 53. The terminal slots are formed through the board. The tabs are projected on fuse inlets 56, relay inlets 57, and connector inlets 58 formed in an upper case 55. The bus bar circuit board 54 means stacked bus bar boards.
For example, when FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram of the bus bar board 54' in the electrical junction box 50, FIG. 7 shows a shape of a bus bar 51' corresponding to a bold line of the circuit diagram.
Even if both a cutting portion 63 and a cutting portion 64 are cut respectively, a remaining circuit after cutting the cutting portion 63 and 64 is electrically linked. So, by merely cutting the cutting portion 63 and 64 respectively, a preferred circuit pattern is made between a point 60 and a point 61.
However, when making another circuit pattern between the point 60 (60') and 62 (62'), there is a drawback that, by merely cutting several portions on the circuit diagram of FIG. 7, another preferred circuit pattern is not made. Because a remaining circuit after cutting several cutting portions is not linked electrically to each other.


A switchable clamp-type locking mechanism with an output shaft (3) that rotates in relation to a housing (1) is provided. Furthermore, clamping elements, in particular clamping balls or clamping rollers (4) are provided that are pushed by a spring force into a clamping gap (16) in their clamped position and are confined by a smooth track (15) on the housing (1) and by locking ramps (13, 14) on the output shaft (3). A drive shaft (2) to rotate the output shaft (3) is provided. The clamping elements are moved into a release position using a device by means of which the clamping elements are freed to rotate the output shaft (3). A slide (7) that is fixed to the output shaft (3) is form-locked to the housing (1) in the clamped position of the clamping elements and is disengaged from the housing (1) in the release position of the clamping elements.

This invention pertains to a switchable clamp-type locking mechanism. In this type of clamp-type locking mechanism, an output shaft is locked against rotating in either rotational direction with respect to a rotatably fixed part, in particular a housing, when a rotational moment is introduced to the output shaft. These types of clamp-type locking mechanisms often provide a drive means that transmits a rotational moment to the output means so that elements that are connected to the output shaft can be activated. In the transfer of rotational moment from the drive to the output means, the clamped connection between the output shaft and the rotatably fixed part is released in the selected direction of rotation. Switchable clamp-type locking mechanisms can, for example, be used in gear units that have an output shaft fixed in both rotational directions when a rotational moment is introduced to this output shaft. Such gear units are, for example, used in automobile seat adjustment systems or in devices to raise or lower windows in automobiles. In these cases, a rotational moment introduced from the outside to the output shaft, i.e. the load imposed on the seat by a person, for example, is taken up by a housing, for example, so that no rotational motion of the output means occurs.
From WO 96/20352 A, for example, a clamp-type locking mechanism is known that is provided in a seat height adjustment system. The clamp-type locking mechanism has two self-enclosed elements, the outer element of which is designed as a housing having a cylindrical track on its interior wall surface and the other element of which is designed as an output shaft whose external surface facing the cylindrical track is provided with a number of locking ramps with opposite slopes distributed along the perimeter. Each locking ramp forms a wedge-shaped clamping gap with the cylindrical track. A spring force pushes clamping rollers into this clamping gap. Since the virtual peaks of these wedge-shaped clamping gaps either face toward or away from one another, the clamping rollers that are pushed by a spring force into-the clamping gap prevent a rotational motion of the inner element with respect to the outer element in both rotational directions. The clamping rollers are pushed by a spring force into the clamping gap in their clamped position and engage with the locking ramps and the cylindrical track. When the clamping rollers are freed, i.e. when they are located in the released position, only those clamping rollers that are functionally relevant to this rotational direction are freed. The clamping rollers are located in the pocket of a cage with play in the perimeter direction, wherein the cage can be tilted with respect to the inner element just a bit. This tilting path is used to free the clamping rollers from their associated clamping gaps. A rotational moment acts on the inner element, which is caused by a force acting on the seat. In the clamped position, these types of clamp-type locking mechanisms hold the seat in its adjusted height.
Now, it is conceivable that not only static rotational moments can act on these types of clamp-type locking mechanisms in their clamped position, but also oscillating, dynamic loads with alternating rotational moments. If these types of clamping mechanisms are provided in automobiles, for example in seat adjustment systems, vibrations in the internal combustion engine can generate these types of loads. In an alternating load of this type, for example, the clamping force of the above clamp-type locking mechanism that is transmitted from the inner element to the outer element through the clamping rolls in their clamped position is first reduced until the alternating load reaches a value at least approaching zero. The rotational moment imposed between the working shaft and the housing can be reduced under this oscillating load to approximately 18 Nm or less. In this situation, of course, the clamping rollers are still being pushed by the spring force into their clamping gaps by means of the springs provided, but relative shifts are possible here between the inner element and the outer element due to the reduced clamping effect under the alternating load. As a result, an undesired slip can occur. In case of the seat height adjustment system, these types of relative shifts can result in the seat height undergoing an unwanted change.
The object of this invention is thus to securely prevent a slip between the clamped elements in switchable clamp-type locking mechanisms.
According to the invention, this object is met in that a slide that is fixed to the output shaft is form-locked to the rotatably fixed part in the clamped position of the clamping elements and disengages with the rotatably fixed part in the released position of the clamping elements. In the clamped position of the clamping elements, a rotational moment can be introduced to the output shaft and can be transferred through the clamping elements to the rotatably fixed part. In addition to this, a form-locked connection between the output means and the housing exists to prevent an undesired slip, as a result of oscillations, between the output means and the rotatably fixed part, for example the housing. The form-locked connection can be designed for small loads since most of the load is transmitted through the clamp-type locking mechanism and not through the form-locked connection between the output means and the housing. In case of oscillating or alternating loads that approach zero or pass through this value, the form-locked connection will be subjected to these minimum dynamic loads, preferably where zero is crossed. Of course, the form-locked connection can be designed to withstand maximum occurring rotational moments.
In a clamp-type locking mechanism according to the invention, the housing can be provided with a cylindrical track on its inner perimeter and the output shaft can be provided with the locking ramps on its outer perimeter. It is also possible to design the output shaft as a hollow shaft and to design the locking ramps into the inner perimeter of the hollow shaft and to design the cylindrical track at the outer perimeter of a part of the axis of the housing. Furthermore, it is possible for the locking ramps to be designed at the back of the output shaft and for the flat, circular closed track to be designed at the back of the housing. In any case, the track associated with the housing is flat in the sense that it is either flat or has a smooth bend.
A further development according to the invention provides that a mechanism is located between the drive shaft and the slide to convert a rotational motion of the drive shaft into a longitudinal shift of the slide. The rotational motion of the drive shaft is thus first used to release the form-locked connection between the slide and the housing by shifting the slide. The continued rotational motion of the drive shaft is transmitted to the output shaft.
Another further development according to the invention provides that a ramp is provided at the slide and an attachment for the ramp is provided at the drive shaft and at a distance from the rotating axis of the drive shaft. As the drive shaft rotates, the attachment B for example a pin located coaxial to the drive shaft B is turned in the circumferential direction. Since the slide is initially locked to the housing, it cannot follow the turning of the pin in the circumferential direction, resulting in the pin pressing up against the ramp. Under the force of the pin pushing against the ramp, the slide, which can shift lengthwise, now is forced to shift because the rampxe2x80x94and thus the slidexe2x80x94slides along the pin until the slide finally is disengaged from the housing. Then, the continued rotation of the drive shaft can be transmitted to the output shaft. The slope of the ramp determines the length of the path of the slide relative to the amount of the rotational angle of the drive shaft.
The slide can be made to move parallel to the output shaft. In this case, the ramp is provided at the back of the slide. The slide can also be made to move perpendicular to the output shaft. In this case, the ramp is tilted at an angle to the axis along which the slide is shifted. The virtual extension of the ramp then intersects the axis at an angle that determines the ratio between the distance that the slide shifts relative to the rotational angle of the output shaft. Two ramps with opposite slopes can cooperate with the attachment on the drive shaft. This has the advantage in that the slide can be shifted in a common longitudinal direction in both rotational directions of the drive shaft so as to release the form-locked connection between the output shaft and the housing. The ramp can also be provided at the output shaft and the attachment can be provided at the slide. This type of arrangement provides the same advantages described since this case is just the reverse arrangement of ramp and attachment.
Another further development according to the invention provides that the radially moving slide is provided with a triangular cut-out perpendicular to the drive shaft, wherein two abutting walls in the triangular cut-out each form one ramp. The virtual extensions of the ramps intersect the axis along which the slide moves. It is preferred that the ramps intersect this axis at the angle so that these virtual extensions intersect this axis at a common point. As a result, a radial movement of the slide is forced to occur in a common direction from both rotational directions of the drive shaft as has already been described in detail above.
In an advantageous manner, the clamp-type locking mechanism according to the invention can be provided with a spring so that moving the slide to release the form-locked connection occurs against the force of this spring. The advantage in this is that the slide automatically springs back under the return force of the spring and produces a form-locked connection between the output shaft and the housing if no rotational moment is introduced to the drive shaft.
The form-locked connection can, for example, be produced by providing teeth on both the slide and the housing, with the teeth engaging into each other to produce the form-locked connection. The smaller the distance between teeth, the more positions are available for the slide to produce the form-locked connection.


A write power control method of controlling a recording pulse of a laser diode. The method including the steps of: setting, to a target value, a measured value corresponding to an optimum write power determined in an optimum write power determining process performed before recording information; comparing the target value with an output level measured in power control; and controlling an erase power to approach the target value based on a result of the comparison. The recording pulse is a multi-pulse defined by a peak power, the erase power, and a bottom power; and the erase power, at a time when the multi-pulse is not being output, is used in the step of controlling the erase power.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to write power control methods and write power control apparatuses in drive technologies that record information on optical disks such as CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD+RWs, and DVD+Rs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information is recorded on recordable (write once) and rewritable optical disks by applying thereon a dye-based phase change recording material, for example, forming recording marks by irradiating a laser beam while following a groove, and irradiating the laser beam of an erase power so as to erase the recording marks that are previously recorded. In order to stably form recording marks and recording spaces on an optical disk under a certain condition, it is necessary to control the drive current of a LD (laser diode) so that constant laser power is always obtained in accordance with information.
Regarding improving the methods, power control methods in optical disk recording include a method of holding each of peak and bottom values of an optical output pulse, calculating a recording base value based on the held peak and bottom values and the level ratio of the recording base value with respect to predetermined peak and bottom values, and controlling the optical output pulse such that the peak value, bottom value, and recording base value approach respective target values (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-30276).
Although the method described above is effective for a single pulse waveform, the method cannot be applied to a multi-pulse waveform. The recording waveform of a laser beam is a multi-pulse waveform of which signal level, having a peak power, an erase power, and a bottom power, is defined by a predetermined switching timing so that best recording quality is achieved. However, with conventional methods it has been impossible to control a multi-pulse to maintain optimum write power since it is difficult to measure a multi-pulse.

Write power control method, write power control apparatus and information recording apparatus having the same


Various embodiments provide methods and systems for detecting cracks in ceramic electrolytes using electrical conductors. A method for testing an electrolyte material, such as a ceramic electrolyte material for use in a solid oxide fuel cell device, includes providing a conductive path on the electrolyte material, electrically connecting a probe across the conductive path, and measuring a value associated with the conductive path to determine the presence or absence of a crack in the material.

Solid oxide fuel cells ("SOFC's") are solid-state devices which use an oxygen ion conducting ceramic electrolyte to produce electrical current by transferring oxygen ions from an oxidizing gas stream at the cathode of the fuel cell to a reducing gas stream at the anode of the fuel cell. The oxidizing flow is typically air, while the fuel flow can be a hydrocarbon fuel, such as methane, natural gas, pentane, ethanol, or methanol. The fuel cell, operating at a typical temperature between 750° C. and 950° C., enables the transport of negatively charged oxygen ions from the cathode flow stream to the anode flow stream, where the ion combines with either free hydrogen or hydrogen in a hydrocarbon molecule to form water vapor and/or with carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide. The excess electrons from the negatively charged ion are routed back to the cathode side of the fuel cell through an electrical circuit completed between anode and cathode, resulting in an electrical current flow through the circuit. This type of fuel cell is seen as especially promising in the area of distributed stationary power generation.
Fuel cell stacks are frequently built from a multiplicity of cells in the form of planar elements, tubes, or other geometries. Fuel cell stacks, particularly those with planar geometry, often use seals between electrolyte and interconnect surfaces to contain fuel and air at various locations within the stack. The stacks are often internally manifolded for fuel and/or air flow, and the ceramic electrolyte material can include internal openings or holes to accommodate fluid flow within the stack.
Cracks in the ceramic electrolyte used in solid oxide fuel cells are a primary cause of failure of these devices. The fuel riser openings, which may be circular holes, cause stress concentrations in the ceramic electrolyte and many cracks are found in the vicinity of these openings. Currently, fuel cell stacks undergo an elaborate inspection process including electrical measurements as well as visual inspections to detect cracks as early as possible in the manufacturing process and to eliminate defective cells.
The current inspection processes for detecting cracks in the electrolyte are time-consuming and labor-intensive and often fail to adequately detect cracks. An undetected crack can result in catastrophic failure of the fuel cell stack. There is therefore a need for improvements in the detection of cracks in ceramic electrolyte material.

Crack detection in ceramics using electrical conductors


A method and apparatus for securing images from unlicensed appropriation on a computer system. Prior art graphics security measures, such as encryption, cease to protect the images once the images are deciphered and loaded into the video adapter memory. In the present invention, unlicensed transfers of image data from the video adapter to other storage means are substantially prevented by intercepting data transfer requests to the operating system and identifying whether the image is one to be protected. If the image is one that is marked for protection, the region of the data transfer incorporating the protected image is blacked out or replaced with a specified pattern or message. A preferred embodiment provides a library of software routines that are utilized by image display applications. These routines interface with the computer memory and the video display memory to block the copying of designated images by means of "hooks" into the operating system or operating environment. By means of these hooks and routines, the present invention identifies all regions on the video device that contain a protected image and exclude these regions from any operation that transfers data from the video display memory. Any attempts to transfer the designated regions result in an image containing "blacked out" regions in their place. The preferred embodiment includes an encryption scheme for image security prior to display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer image display, and in particular, to image protection.
2. Background Art
In the growing multimedia industry, a critical concern to image creators and image applications developers is image misappropriation, or piracy. Several pre-existing methods for protecting images from piracy have been developed, including watermarks, encryption and proprietary formats.
Watermarks are intentional imperfections in an image before or after it is converted to digital form. The resultant lack of quality in the image mitigates the desire to copy the image. However, watermarking is not satisfactory for imaging and multimedia products as it does not provide the high image quality required for marketable applications.
A more common method of image protection is encryption. Image encryption typically involves taking image data that exists in a standard format, such as GIF or BMP, and converting it into an unrecognizable data file through the use of a mathematical encryption algorithm. Prior to display, the encrypted image is passed through a deciphering process to regenerate the image data in a displayable format. The decrypted data is then placed in the video adapter's memory for use by the display unit.
Without encryption, image files in standard formats are recognized by a broad range of image processing applications. For this reason, unencrypted images can be copied and manipulated through unsanctioned applications. By encrypting computer files, use of the computer files can be restricted to only those applications provided with the deciphering scheme. Image files are therefore substantially protected from misappropriation up until the moment they are deciphered and placed in the video adapter's memory, where a video adapter is any device connected to the computer's data bus, including any local bus, that has its own memory or uses the computer's main memory to render images on a video display device. Once the image is present in the video memory in a standard display format, the image is again susceptible to piracy. Therefore, encryption is a necessary but incomplete protection scheme.
Proprietary formats are image data formats created for use in applications unique to the developer. These formats differ from an encryption scheme in that there often exists a one to one mapping between the source image file and the stored image file. Therefore, an expert may be able to recognize the nature of the data (i.e. that it is image data). In some cases, it is possible to reverse engineer the proprietary format and obtain the images. Further, some proprietary formats are available as part of developer tool kits. The format can be incorporated into a new application that is able to read or transfer proprietary image files.
Regardless of what encryption schemes or proprietary formats are used, an image file must eventually be translated into a standard image file format when it is supplied to the memory for the display unit. Once displayed, the image data sheds all security features. An end user can pirate the image by copying it from the video adapter's memory and storing it in any format. The pirated image data can then be distributed to other destinations.
For example, in the Windows.TM. operating environment sold by Microsoft Corporation, a user may pirate an image by pressing a "PRINT SCREEN" button on a computer keyboard and storing a bit-mapped image of the screen in a "clipboard." From the clipboard, the image can be "pasted" into an image processing application and stored for eventual unlicensed distribution. Therefore, though current encryption methods and proprietary formats are useful for securing image files, they are insufficient for protecting image files once they are provided to a video adapter's memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,415 to Masaki et al. discloses an apparatus for selectively masking portions of visual output. The apparatus contains a first memory for storing information code signals convertible into visible information and a second memory containing specific code signals in locations corresponding to the code signals in the first memory which selectively are not to be visualized. Signals from each memory are read simultaneously. When the device is in mask mode and a specific code signal is detected in the second memory, the corresponding information code signal in the first memory is masked, either by omission or replacement with a special mark. The Masaki patent does not suggest use of this apparatus in any security scheme.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,100 to O'Connell discloses an image formatting apparatus for use in changing image contrast or providing masked borders around selected images. The apparatus is not designed for security purposes. Further, it does not act to blank the selected image, but to blank the areas around it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,584 to Elam et al. discloses an auxiliary circuit for remote control of television receiver blanking by digital code words transmitted as part of the video signal. The circuit allows the end user to determine what video signals to blank from the display unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,179 to Vincent discloses a method of controlling the unauthorized disclosure of classified data in a calendar application. Only those having a clearance code equivalent to or higher than the specified clearance code for the information can receive the calendar information. No apparatus is disclosed for preventing the copying of calendar images already present on the screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,053 to Fruhauf et al. discloses a safety device for preventing unauthorized detection of protected data in a memory chip by the use of current sensing approaches. Random current generators within the chip produce random current values on output pins of the chip to conceal actual current values that may indicate memory data values.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,537 to Jeffers et al. discloses a method for blocking out video signals in a television receiver. No means are disclosed to prevent copying of images that are allowed to reach the receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,576 to Nadan discloses a key security system for selectively providing restricted information to video displays. An encoder transmits display update data and a key to a plurality of decoders. The decoder that matches the key receives the update data and places it in the picture store for a video display. No means are suggested for preventing the copying of images stored in the picture store of the video display.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,664 to Esserman et al. discloses a secure communication network serving a plurality of terminals grouped into different security categories. A headend device has several encryption algorithms stored. In addition, each terminal is coupled to a security element providing a decryption algorithm associated with one of the encryption algorithms stored in the headend. When security is breached, the headend switches to a new encryption algorithm and the security elements are replaced with new elements having a new decryption algorithm corresponding to the new encryption algorithm used in the headend. The object is to achieve inexpensive security system replacement in the event of a breach. The subject of copying images is not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,857 to Lebrat discloses a method for scrambling and unscrambling image data by using the discrete cosine transform on blocks of data and by mixing these data blocks. The scrambled images must be unscrambled before being displayed in a video display unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,227 to Aoki et al. discloses a graphic display system capable of cutting out a partial image. The system includes image storage means, outline drawing means, mask data generator means, and partial image write means for writing into the image storage means only a portion of the source image which is not masked by the mask data. No means are described to prevent the copying of these stored images.

Method and apparatus for copy protection of images in a computer system


In a printing system and method, job data is distributed in segments to a plurality of downstream processors. The segments are processed in respective downstream processors to provide printable frames, which are stored in respective print queues that each supply one of a plurality of printheads. Printing is initiated. Prior to completion of the printing, a job halt request is received. Disable commands are transmitted to the downstream processors responsive to the job halt request. Acknowledgements of respective disable commands are sent from the downstream processors. The downstream processors are grouped following the sending of respective acknowledgements. The print queues are emptied using the grouped, multi-tasking downstream processors.

In commercial printing, it can be beneficial if an operator can efficiently halt a print job while the job is being printed. In some cases, the operator would check something and then resume the printing of that particular job. In other cases, the print job would be aborted and printing is resumed with the next print job in a queue. In either situation, it is desirable that time is not wasted resuming printing.
Very high speed commercial digital presses print variable data at rates of thousands of pages per minute. Typically, the receiver that is printed is in the form of a web that is transported past stationary printheads. During transport, the web has considerable inertia and cannot be readily subjected to rapid changes in speed. It is desirable to continuously transport the web at a constant speed or with relatively slow speed adjustments. The result is a disincentive for the operator to halt a print job, since there is a considerable loss of time, if the web is stopped, or of receiver, if the web is not stopped.
The continuous transport of receiver also necessitates a continuous supply of data in the form of printable frames. This data must be buffered so as to be available as needed, since any delay would result in blank pages if the receiver were not stopped. A further constraint is that considerable time is required to fill a buffer with the printable frames, since the print job is initially supplied in a different form and is converted. That conversion is typically in the form of raster image processing and is performed by one or more downstream processors. The processing speed that defines the sustained output speed of each of the downstream processors is generally limited by the content of the input data, since the time to raster image process a frame tends to be highly data dependant. It is possible to define frames that take a substantial amount of time to prepare for output. Another limitation that affects the raster image processing is the supply of input data to the downstream processors. Variable data supplied by a secondary source can be subject to limitations of communication bandwidth or the processing capability of a host computer. With many print jobs, different portions of the job are simultaneously buffered, being raster image processed, and not yet delivered to the raster image processor. When a print job is halted and is then resumed, the previously buffered data could be used, if available. When a print job is halted and is not resumed, the previously buffered data is no longer needed and must be replaced in the buffer by the next print job. Replacing the data in the buffer imposes another time constraint, particularly if the data is only replaced after the operator makes a decision on whether to proceed with the completion of the original print job. The net result is a further disincentive for the operator to halt a print job. U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,116 discloses an approach to queue management in a high speed printer that includes cancellation of print jobs.
It would thus be desirable to provide improved systems and methods.


An improvement in electrode reliability is realized by preventing over-etching on a peripheral lower portion of an electrode while maintaining the flow of steps of roughening a surface after forming the electrode on a semiconductor substrate. After a P-side electrode 4 is formed on a main surface 3a of a semiconductor substrate 3, a surface of the P-side electrode 4 is selectively covered with a protective film 12, after the semiconductor substrate 3 is cut into chips, the surface is roughened from above the protective film 12, the main surface 3a around the P-side electrode 4 and a side surface are roughened with a non-chemical treatment region 10 which is a non-roughened surface region being left in a peripheral portion of the P-side electrode 4 covered with the protective film 12, and thereafter the protective film 12 is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor light-emitting element in which a roughened surface region which suppresses internal reflection of light is formed on a main ice of a semiconductor substrate from which light is taken out, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The brightness is increased by forming a roughened surface which suppresses internal reflection of light on a main surface of a semiconductor light emitting element from which light is taken out (See Patent Document 1, for example).
FIG. 3 shows an example thereof. This semiconductor light-emitting element (light-emitting diode) includes an AlGaAs semiconductor substrate 3, for example, composed of a P-type semiconductor region 1 and an N-type semiconductor region 2, a P-side electrode 4, and at least one of N-side electrodes 5. A PN junction 6 at an interface between the P-type semiconductor region 1 and the N-type semiconductor region 2 extends parallel to one and the other main surfaces 3a and 3b of the semiconductor substrate 3.
The P-side electrode 4 is placed in one main surface (upper surface) 3a of the semiconductor substrate 3, in a central portion thereof for example, and connected to the P-type semiconductor region 1. At least one of the N-side electrodes 5 is formed in a lattice pattern or in a dot pattern, for example, and connected to the other main surface (lower surface) 3b of the semiconductor substrate 3, that is, to the N-type semiconductor region 2. The formation of at least one of the N-side electrodes 5 in a lattice pattern or in a dot pattern as described above makes it possible to efficiently reflect light, which is emitted from the PN junction 6 and heads for the lower surface, toward the upper surface in portions where no N-side electrode 5 is provided.
Light is taken out from the semiconductor light-emitting element in FIG. 3 in a direction toward the upper surface, and light emitted upward from the PN junction 6 out of the light to be taken out is taken out from a region of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 where the P-side electrode 4 is not formed. In this semiconductor light-emitting element, the region of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 from which the light is taken out is a roughened surface (minutely uneven surface, roughened surface region) 7. This roughened surface 7 is provided so as to reduce the probability of total reflection of the light emitted from the PN junction 6 to take out the light to the outside satisfactorily, thereby realizing higher brightness. This roughened surface 7 is formed by selectively forming the P-side electrode 4 almost at the center of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 and thereafter subjecting the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 to etching (chemical treatment) or the like.
Incidentally, when such a semiconductor light-emitting element is formed as described above there sometimes occurs so-called over-etching (also called side-etching) in which etching progresses as far as a peripheral lower portion of the P-side electrode 4 as shown in FIG. 4 at the time of etching for forming the roughened surface after the electrode is formed. If such over-etching occurs, adhesion of a peripheral portion of the P-side electrode 4 to the semiconductor substrate 3 lowers, involving the problem such that the electrode peels off due to stress when resin molding or wire bonding is performed on the semiconductor light-emitting element, which has an influence upon the reliability of the electrode.
Hence, in an art described in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to inhibit the lowering of the adhesion of the peripheral portion of the P-side electrode 4 to the semiconductor substrate 3, a mirror surface 8 and the roughened surface 7 are formed in advance on the upper surface of the P-type semiconductor region 1 of the semiconductor light-emitting element, and when the P-side electrode 4 is formed on the mirror surface 8, the peripheral portion of the P-side electrode 4 is formed so as to partially cover the roughened surface 7, thus increasing the adhesion of the peripheral portion of the P-side electrode 4 to the semiconductor substrate 3 is realized.
(Patent Document 1)
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-200162
In the art described in Patent Document 1, electrode adhesion is increased by previously performing a surface roughening treatment to increase the brightness of the semiconductor light-emitting element in a range extending to a peripheral lower portion of a place where the electrode is formed and thereafter forming the P-side electrode 4 in such a manner that the peripheral portion thereof covers the roughened surface 7. Namely, the surface roughening treatment is performed in a stage prior to an electrode forming process. Therefore, a conventional order of steps in which the surface roughening treatment is performed after the electrode forming process needs to be greatly changed, which causes a problem that the burden of changing the steps is large.

Semiconductor light-emitting element and manufacturing method thereof


An information processing method and apparatus, a storage medium and an electronic device are provided. A first preset area is provided on a graphical user interface (GUI). A virtual joystick control is provided in the first preset area. In response to a first touch operation in the first preset area, the virtual joystick control is controlled according to the first touch operation. In a process of executing the first touch operation, in response to at least one second touch operation in the first preset area, an initial position of the at least one second touch operation is acquired. When the initial position is located in a second preset area, it is determined that the at least one second touch operation is an invalid operation. When the initial position is located in a third preset area, the virtual joystick control is controlled according to the at least one second touch operation to control the movement of the virtual character. The present disclosure improves the operation efficiency of a game as well as the experience of a player during game playing.

In various types of games currently running on mobile devices, players control the movement of virtual characters in the games by finger-based touch operations on interfaces. In order to give the players sufficient visual feedback, a virtual joystick 200 is usually arranged on the interface as shown in FIG. 1, so as to control the movement of a virtual character A.
For the joystick control of a mobile game in the related art, it is generally prohibited to operate the joystick through multi-touch. For example, when a finger triggers a touch area on a screen of a mobile terminal, the joystick is controlled by the touch operation. As long as the touch operation is not ended, that is, the finger does not release, any other multi-touches located in a touch area will not be respond.
It is to be noted that the information disclosed in the Background is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure, and thus may include information that does not constitute the conventional art known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Information processing method and apparatus, storage medium, and electronic device


Provided is a mercury removal system 1 provided in a powder supply system including a pulverizing machine 118 that pulverizes a hydrocarbon raw material, the mercury removal system including: a removal agent supply device 11 which supplies a mercury removal agent; and a mercury removal agent dust collector which collects the dust of the mercury removal agent, wherein a gas discharge line to which the dry flue gas is supplied is connected to the mercury removal agent dust collector, wherein the removal agent supply device includes a mercury removal agent supply line which supplies the mercury removal agent, and wherein the mercury removal agent supply line is connected to the upstream side of the mercury removal agent dust collector in the circulation direction of the dry flue gas.

Hitherto, a removal agent that removes gaseous mercury is known (for example, see Patent Literature 1). The removal agent is used to remove gaseous mercury contained in a gasified gas generated by gasifying coal or the like or to remove gaseous mercury contained in a flue gas generated by burning coal or the like.

Mercury removal system, gasification system, gasification combined power generation system and mercury removal method


A massage tool for use in performing an ice massage including an anchor extending from the bottom of a base for extending into a mold for receiving a block of ice. The massage tool includes a handle by which the tool can be manipulated, which provides thermal isolation from the ice attached to the tool. The tool is weighted to reduce the amount of additional force needed to apply the desired pressure during the massage, thereby reducing hand and muscle fatigue of the therapist providing the massage.

Therapists apply various techniques when treating an individual, dependant upon the condition of the individual. Some techniques can require persistant application, which can be quite taxing on a therapist, especially therapists who provide treatment generally unassisted.
Some therapists have made use of various tools designed to more effectively and/or more easily apply certain techniques. Different tools have had varying degrees of success. Some tools may improve some aspects related to applying a particular therapy, while sometimes making other aspects worse. Other tools may fall short of the desired effect, or may be the victim of ever increasing demands that they were never intended to meet and/or address. Consequently, there is an ever increasing demand to develop more effective techniques, some of which may only be possible with an appropriate tool. Furthermore, there is a demand to increase the effectiveness of existing tools.
Several techniques require the targeted application of pressure and/or force. At least a couple of examples include muscle stripping, trigger point, friction, and effleurage. Furthermore, the addition of force to other types of therapies can sometimes improve their effectiveness. However, the persistent application of force can, in some instances, be taxing on a therapist. Consequently, techniques and/or tools, which can assist in the application of force or can more effectively apply an existing force can serve to relieve some of the strain on a therapist applying a particular technique.
Furthermore, tools which help combine the effective application of force with other therapies may also be beneficial. For example, ice treatments have historically been used to stop bleeding and correspondingly reduce swelling, thereby correspondingly limiting the further trauma to an area. More recently, ice massages have been used to more effectively apply a chill to an area, and enable the temperature effects to penetrate deeper and more quickly. It is believed that applying a force during an ice massage further enhances the penetration of the chilling effects.
Still further, techniques or tools that help to eliminate other impediments to the application of an effective treatment, either to the recipient of the treatment, or the person applying the treatment, would additionally be beneficial.

Massage tool for use in applying a cold treatment


The present invention relates to an apparatus or computer executable method of detecting and repairing corrupt data in a RAID data storage system. In one embodiment, parity and checksum data are stored in the RAID data storage system for each stripe that stores data. The parity data is used to determine whether data in the corresponding stripe is corrupt. If stripe data is determined to be corrupt, the checksum data is used to correct the corruption.

Redundant array of inexpensive (or independent) disks (RAID) is an evolving data storage technology that offers significant advantages in performance, capacity, reliability, and scalability to businesses that have demanding data storage and access requirements. In 1988, a paper was published by Patterson, Gibson, Katz, entitled "A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)," International Conference on Management of Data, pages 109-116, June 1988. This paper laid the foundation for use of RAID data storage that would not only improve the data input/output (I/O) rate over that of a comparable single disk data storage system, but would also provide fault tolerance, i.e., the ability to reconstruct data stored on a failed disk.
RAID data storage systems are configured according to any one of a number of "RAID levels." The RAID levels specify how data is distributed across the disks in the array. In the paper noted above, the authors describe RAID level 1-RAID level 5. Since the publication of the paper mentioned above, additional RAID levels have been developed.
RAID data storage systems include an array of data storage disks. These data storage disks may take form in magnetic or optical data storage disks, or combinations thereof. RAID data storage systems may also include a RAID controller, although the term RAID data storage system should not be limited to a system that includes a RAID controller. The RAID controller is an electronic circuit or series of electronic circuits that provides an interface between a host computer and the array of disks. From the viewpoint of the host computer, the RAID controller makes the array of disks look like one virtual disk that is very fast, very large, and very reliable.
RAID levels are typically distinguished by the benefits included. These benefits include increased I/O performance and fault tolerance as noted above. Increased performance is achieved by simultaneous access to multiple disks which result in faster I/O and faster data access requests. Fault tolerance is typically achieved through a data recovery method in which data of a disk can be reconstructed in the event of failure of the disk. Fault tolerance allows the disk array to continue to operate with a failed disk.
Data recovery is accomplished, in many RAID levels, using parity data. The parity data is typically stored on a dedicated disk, or distributed over several disks within the array. When data on a disk is inaccessible due to, for example, hardware or software failure, the data sought can be reconstructed using the parity data. Reconstruction can occur as data is requested. Reconstruction can occur without a substantial degradation in system I/O performance. RAID controllers may reconstruct all data of a failed disk onto a spare disk, so that the data storage system can survive another disk failure.
RAID data storage system employ data interleaving in which data is distributed over all of the data disks in the array. Data interleaving usually takes form in data "striping" in which data to be stored is broken down into components called "stripe units" which are then distributed across the array of disks. A stripe unit is typically defined as a bit, byte, block, or other unit of data. A "stripe" is a group of corresponding stripe units. Each disk in the array stores one stripe unit from each stripe. To illustrate, RAID level 5 uses data interleaving by striping data across all disks. RAID level 5 also distributes parity data across all disks.
Reconstruction of data in RAID data storage systems using parity data is a procedure well known in the art. Parity data for each stripe is typically calculated by logically combining data of all stripe units of the stripe. This combination is typically accomplished by an exclusive OR (XOR) of data of the stripe units. For a RAID level 5 data storage system having N disks, N−1 of the N disks will receive a stripe unit of the stripe, and the Nth disk will receive the parity data for the stripe. For each stripe, the disk receiving the parity data rotates such that all parity data is not contained on a single disk. I/O request rates for RAID level 5 are high because the distribution of parity data allows the system to perform multiple read and write functions at the same time.
As noted, should a disk fail on a RAID data storage system, the RAID controller can reconstruct data using corresponding parity data. Using a parity data reconstruction algorithm well known in the art, data of a stripe unit in the failed disk can be reconstructed as a function of the parity data and data of stripe units corresponding to the stripe unit of the failed disk.
Disk failure is one problem in RAID data storage systems. Another problem relates to data corruption. Data corruption has many sources. To illustrate, suppose the RAID controller of a data storage system receives new data Dnew from a computer system coupled thereto. This new data Dnew is to replace existing data Dold of stripe unit B1 of stripe S. Before the RAID controller overwrites the existing data Dold of stripe unit B1, the RAID controller must update exiting parity Pold for stripe S. To this end, the RAID controller reads existing parity Pold for stripe S and existing data Dold of stripe unit B1. Thereafter, the RAID controller generates new parity Pnew for stripe S as a function of existing parity Pold, the new data Dnew, and existing data Dold. The RAID controller successfully overwrites existing parity Pold for stripe S with the newly generated parity Pnew.
Unfortunately, because of improper operation of hardware or software, existing data Dold of stripe unit B1 may not get overwritten with the new data Dnew. For example, the new data Dnew may get inadvertently written to a disk track adjacent to the disk track that stores the existing data Dold of the stripe unit (i.e., mis-tracking). When this happens, two tracks of the disk contain invalid or corrupted data. But the RAID controller believes the existing data Dold of the stripe unit has been properly overwritten with the new data Dnew. If the RAID controller receives a subsequent request from the computer system to read data of stripe unit B1, Dold will be returned rather than Dnew. The computer system or application requesting the data may employ a data consistency checking algorithm and recognize that the returned data is not what is expected. If it is recognized that the data returned is invalid, the computer system may be able to send a second read request for the same data. This approach has a chance of recovering proper data contents in some mirrored (RAID-1) configurations, by causing the read to happen from an alternate mirror; and in some configurations where data is stored directly on raw disks additional attempts to read corrupted data may result in the disk's own error correction logic repairing data. Unfortunately, in the mis-tracking error situation described above, the RAID controller will once again return the corrupted contents of Dold in response to the second request.
Another form of data corruption can occur if disk drive's firmware doesn't write the data to the disk platter, but reports successful completion of the write. In that case, the data stored in the disk block may be internally consistent, but "stale" and there for considered corrupted.
Yet another form of data corruption can occur if a faulty software or hardware component corrupts the data "in flight" by improperly copying or transmitting one or more bits of the data (bit-flipping).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated recovery from data corruption of data volumes in RAID storage


Instruments of an instrumentation set may be used to prepare a disc space and to insert an implant into the prepared disc space. The instruments may include fixed tip distractors and/or modular tip distractors. The instruments may include a chisel. The chisel may allow simultaneous removal of a desired amount of bone from each of a pair of vertebrae. The instruments may include an implant inserter. The implant inserter may grip sides of an implant. A portion of the implant inserter may fit within grooves of the implant to minimize or eliminate portions of the implant that extend beyond side surfaces of the implant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of instruments for preparation of a space and insertion of bone implants into a patient. The present invention also generally relates to instruments and methods for preparing disc spaces and inserting spinal implants between vertebrae.
2. Description of Related Art
An intervertebral disc may degenerate. Degeneration may be caused by trauma, disease, and/or aging. An intervertebral disc that becomes degenerated may have to be partially or fully removed from a spinal column. Partial or full removal of an intervertebral disc may destabilize the spinal column. Destabilization of a spinal column may result in alteration of a natural separation distance between adjacent vertebrae. Maintaining the natural separation between vertebrae may prevent pressure from being applied to nerves that pass between vertebral bodies. Excessive pressure applied to the nerves may cause pain and/or nerve damage. During a spinal fixation procedure, a spinal implant may be inserted within a space created by the removal or partial removal of an intervertebral disc between adjacent vertebrae. The spinal implant may maintain the height of the spine and restore stability to the spine. Bone growth may fuse the implant to adjacent vertebrae.
A spinal implant may be inserted during a spinal fixation procedure using an anterior, lateral, or posterior spinal approach. A discectomy may be performed to remove or partially remove a defective or damaged intervertebral disc. The discectomy creates a disc space for a spinal implant. The amount of removed disc material may correspond to the size and type of spinal implant to be inserted.
Spinal surgery may be complex due in part to the proximity of the spinal cord and/or the cauda equina. Preparation instruments and spinal implants may need to be carefully inserted to avoid damage to nerve tissue. Alignment and spacing of a spinal implant that is to be inserted into a patient may be determined before surgery. Achieving the predetermined alignment and spacing during surgery may be important to achieve optimal fusion of adjacent vertebrae.
Bone graft and/or bone implants may be used to promote bone growth that will fuse vertebrae together. Bone graft may be autogenic bone, allogenic bone, synthetic material, xenogenic bone or combinations thereof. Autogenic bone is bone obtained from another location of a patient. Allogenic bone is bone derived from the same species as the patient. Xenogenic bone is bone derived from a species other than that of the patient. Implants may be formed of metal, polymers, ceramics, autogenic bone, allogenic bone, xenogenic bone, or combinations thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,084 to Grivas et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, describes diaphysial cortical bone dowels. The dowels are obtained from transverse plugs across the diaphysis of long bones. The natural intramedullary canal of the source bone may form a cavity through the dowel perpendicular to the length of the dowel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,538 to Yaccarino, III, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, describes a composite allograft bone device. A first bone component is formed with a plurality of grooves. A second bone component is formed with a plurality of protrusions that mate with the grooves of the first bone component. A pin positioned at an oblique angle through the bone components joins the components together to form the composite allograft bone device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,033 to Paul et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, describes an allogenic intervertebral implant. The intervertebral implant is an annular plug that conforms in size and shape to end plates of adjacent vertebrae. Top and bottom surfaces of the implant have teeth to resist expulsion and to provide initial stability.

Instruments and methods for inserting a spinal implant


An apparatus and method for implementing multi-traffic load monitoring and prediction in a CDMA cellular mobile communication system includes a received signal strength indication (RSSI) measuring unit for measuring total interference power and processing a measured value to eliminate jitters; a parameter accounting or statistic unit for accounting for some traffic parameters associated to the load monitoring and prediction; a load monitoring unit for calculating the load monitoring based on the measured value and statistic results; and a load prediction unit for calculating an increased amount of an up link load after receiving or accessing new traffic and a total load value after receiving or accessing the new traffic based on parameters requested by the new traffic and calculation results transmitted in real time by the load monitoring unit.

Because the same frequency band is used commonly by neighboring cells in a CDMA cellular mobile communication system, the practical capacity of a certain cell (the ability of a radio load of the cell) will be varied due to the strength variation of the interference of the neighboring cells. Particularly, under multi-traffic condition, because the burst feature of data traffic, the interference from the neighboring cells will cause the practical load ability of the present cell to change severely. Under a condition that the interference strength of the neighboring cells changes randomly, it is desired to accurately monitor the present load condition of the cells and predict the variation of the loads of the cells after receiving a new traffic so as to sufficiently utilize radio resources and ensure the quality of communication.
Monitoring system load of a CDMA system and analyzing capacity of a CDMA system are both closely related to interference power (or transmission power). However, the following important distinctions exist between them:
1) The objectives are different: a system capacity analysis is to obtain the extreme value of capacity under some assumptions, while load monitoring is to obtain in real time the practical extreme value of the capacity of the system, the occupation amount of an extreme value of the capacity, and the residual amount of the extreme value of the capacity in the practical operating system; and
2) The methods for processing the parameters are different: the model used for a system capacity analysis has explicitly ideal characteristics; and selected system parameters, acceptance or rejection of the parameters, and the like, are more or less impractical; and the parameters selected for system load monitoring have to include two features: (1) they would reflect a current load condition of a system in real time; and (2) they are operable in a practical system.
Accordingly, due to the above distinctions, the idea, analysis model and interference processing method used for system capacity analysis cannot be used for load monitoring. It is desired that load monitoring has its own analysis idea, analysis model, interference processing method, and parameter selection method.
A radio load monitoring method for a CDMA mobile communication system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,171 monitors load from an aspect of a granted access control. The method includes the following steps:
1) Measuring interference strength received by a base station;
2) Subtracting the measured interference strength from permitted total interference strength to obtain an interference tolerance value;
3) Calculating whether the interference produced after receiving new traffic exceeds the interference tolerance value obtained in step 2); and
4) Permitting access if the interference produced does not exceed the interference tolerance value; otherwise, rejecting access.
The above granted access method is based on load monitoring and prediction. However, the method does not address how to perform the load monitoring of multi-traffic and calculate interference produced after receiving new traffic.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,852 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,534 submitted by Nokia disclosed a load control system which is composed of two parts of load control and load monitoring, in which a load control stratagem, such as granted access control, re-consultation of QoS, increasing of the delay of data traffics, and the like, is implemented in-real time (up to a measuring interval of 10 ms for providing the load condition of a cell, and a load control unit is based on an output of a load monitoring unit and incorporates the load condition of the neighboring cells) by the load monitoring for the load monitoring unit. The base station checks the current capacity (that is the actual capacity of the base station under interference condition, and the actual capacity can be indicated by traffic code rate and interference power) of the cell for each radio frame. Particularly, the permitted interference power of data traffics of the present cell is calculated by a load monitoring unit according to a frame period. If the interference of circuit traffics or the interference of neighboring cells changes, packet traffic load of a present cell is adjusted.
However, the above system does not implement the prediction under multi-traffic and lacks specific schemes of a load monitoring method for distinguishing traffics having different priorities.
The objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for implementing multi-traffic load monitoring and prediction in a CDMA cellular mobile communication system to monitor in real time the loads of different traffic types or the loads of the same traffic type having different priorities, to predict in real time the load of newly received traffic, to utilize radio resources sufficiently, to ensure system stability, and to improve quality of communication.

Apparatus and method for implementing multi-traffic load monitoring and prediction


The present application discloses anti-GPNMB antibodies and methods of using the same. The antibodies are selected to bind to an epitope located in a C-terminal fragment of the protein and are selected for specificity in immunohistochemical assays. The antibodies are useful in, for example, immunohistochemical methods of detecting GPNMB-positive cells in tumors.

GPNMB is a 572 amino acid single pass type I membrane protein that is upregulated in various cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme, aggressive melanomas, and breast cancers. Tse et al., Clinical Cancer Research 12 (4): 1373-82 (2006); Kuan et al., Clinical Cancer Research 12 (7 Pt 1): 1970-82 (2006); and Rose et al., Molecular Cancer Research 5 (10): 1001-14 (2007). In glioblastoma, over-expression of GPNMB is linked with a significantly higher risk of death. Clinical trials are currently underway testing anti-GPNMB antibodies-drug conjugates as a therapeutic in patients with melanoma and breast cancer.

Anti-GPNMB antibodies and diagnostic uses thereof


An exemplary lens module includes a barrel, a holder, an optical assembly, an image sensor, at least one permanent-magnet, a number of electromagnets, and a control unit. The barrel is threadedly engaged in the holder. The barrel is capable of being linearly movable relative to the holder. The optical assembly is received in the barrel. The image sensor is received in the holder and is configured for capturing images. The at least one permanent magnet is mounted on the barrel. The electromagnets are mounted on the holder and surround the barrel therein for magnetical interaction with the permanent magnet. The control unit electrically is connected to the electromagnets and is configured for changing the magnetic polarities of the electromagnets adjacent to the permanent magnet to create a combined magnetic torsional force applied onto the permanent magnet, thereby rotating the barrel relative to the holder.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to lens modules, particularly to a lens module that is capable of auto focusing.
2. Description of Related Art
Auto focus techniques have been widely employed in various imaging systems, including, e.g., still camera systems and video camera systems. Nowadays, there are two main auto focus methods: one is an active focus (i.e., distance metering) method, and the other one is a passive focus (i.e., focus detecting) method. In particular, the passive focus method mainly employs a charge-coupled device (CCD) and works by evaluating the amount of contrast or the phase difference in a scene. The active focus method usually utilizes an infrared light or an ultrasound emitter and a corresponding receiver in a triangular surveying system. Data generated by the triangular surveying system is converted by a microprocessor into information about a moving distance of a lenses assembly of an auto-focus imaging system, thereby enabling automatic focusing of the auto-focus imaging system.
Generally, a typical auto focus lens module includes an optical imaging assembly, an image sensor, a control unit and an actuator. The optical imaging assembly usually includes a movable lens assembly. The actuator commonly includes either a stepper motor or a voice motor, and a driving circuitry. The driving circuitry, regulated by the control unit, can drive the stepper motor or the voice motor to perform a rotational movement. In order to carry out the position adjustment of the movable lens assembly in an automatic focusing process, a mechanism (e.g., a gear assembly) has necessarily been employed to transform the rotational movement of the stepper motor or the voice motor into linear movement. However, the existence of the actuator and the gear assembly generally makes the typical auto focus lens module unduly bulky.
What is needed, therefore, is an auto focus lens module having a compact configuration.


A method of improving the strength, temper and water resistance of leather utilizing selected amphiphilic copolymers is provided. The amphiphilic copolymers are formed from a predominant amount of at least one hydrophobic monomer and a minor amount of at least one copolymerizable hydrophilic monomer. The method is particularly useful as a one step substitute for conventional retanning and fatliquoring treatment steps. In a preferred embodiment the amphiphilic copolymers also provide a significant degree of water resistance to the leather.

The treatment of hides and skins to form leather involves a number of interdependent chemical and mechanical operations. These operations may be divided into a sequence of wet end steps followed by a sequence of dry steps. A typical leather making process involves the following sequence of wet end steps: trimming and sorting, soaking, fleshing, unhairing, baiting, pickling, tanning, wringing, splitting and shaving, retanning, coloring, fatliquoring and setting out. These wet end steps are followed by a sequence of dry steps such as drying, conditioning, staking, buffing, finishing, plating, measuring and grading. A description of each of these operations is provided in Leather Facts, New England Tanners (1972).
The present invention is involved with the wet end operations which take place after primary tanning; namely retanning and fatliquoring. The object of primary tanning is to convert the hide or skin to a stable non-spoilable material. This is accomplished by converting raw collagen fibers in the hide or skin into a stable product which is non-putrescible or in other words will not rot. In addition, tanning improves a number of properties of the hide or skin such as for example, dimensional stability, abrasion resistance, resistance to chemicals and heat, improved flexibility, and the ability to endure repeated cycles of wetting and drying. The principal method used to tan hides and skins is known as "chrome tanning". This employs a basic chromium sulfate, often referred to simply as "chrome", which is prepared by the reaction of a chromium salt, like sodium bichromate, with a sugar-like substance and sulfuric acid. The chrome penetrates into the skin producing a bluish-green color. The color change is used to assess the extent of penetration or degree of tanning. In addition, the shrinkage temperature is used to measure the rate and degree of tanning. Untanned leather will shrink significantly when subjected to hot water, as for example 140.degree. F. water, while properly chrome tanned leather can withstand higher temperatures, such as for example 212.degree. F. water, without shrinking. For a description of chrome tanning see U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,997. Hides and skins may also be tanned using vegetable extracts for example extracts from trees and shrubs such as quebracho, wattle, sumac, hemlock, oak and spruce.
After tanning, the leather is retanned, colored and fatliquored. This three step operation is often considered together as one step since all three operations may be carried out sequentially in one drum Chrome-tanned stock, also referred to as "blue stock", retains much of the uneven fiber structure pattern in the skin on the animal. Some areas of the skin possess a dense structure while other portions are loosely fibered and some portions may be undesirably thin and papery. Since the tanner desires to produce a uniform piece of leather, a second tanning step, known as "retanning" is employed to improve both aesthetic and physical properties. These properties include, for example, improvements to the fullness of the leather, the tightness and smoothness of the grain, the break, the levelness and intensity of the dye shade, better uniformity in temper or flexibility, better wettability and additional stability against water and perspiration. Retanning can be accomplished using a variety of naturally derived materials including extracts from vegetables or plants, and synthetic tanning agents known as "syntans", or combinations thereof. Historically, extracts from trees and shrubs like quebracho, wattle, sumac, hemlock, oak and spruce were used as retanning agents. Over the past 50 years many man-made syntans were developed and these are used extensively today, especially for manufacturing soft-leather and making white or pastel color leathers. Retanning is typically conducted at temperatures of from about 80.degree. F. to about 120.degree. F. using from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of retanning agent on the wet weight of the tanned leather. In some instances the hide may be chrome retanned before the regular retanning step to fully tan any previously untanned portions and to level out the chrome especially in the grain for more uniform dyeing. Retanning typically takes on the order of 1 to 2 hours, while the entire retanning, coloring and fatliquoring sequence usually takes from about 4 to 6 hours. After retanning the hide is colored using either a surface type dye or a penetrating dye. In general, acidic dyes penetrate through the hide while basic dyes are used to color only the surface.
After retanning and coloring the hide is then subjected to the fatliquoring step. Fatliquoring imparts the desired properties of stength and temper to the leather. The fatliquor lubricates the leather fibers so that after drying the fibers are capable of sliding over one another. In addition to regulating the pliability of the leather, fatliquoring contributes greatly to the tensile and tearing strength of the leather. Fatliquoring also affects the tightness of the break or in other words the crease pattern formed when the grain surface is bent inward; the object being to produce a leather which leaves no or few fine wrinkles when it is bent.
The basic ingredients used in fatliquoring are water insoluble oils and fatty substances such as raw oils and sulfated and sulfited oils. Typically the weight percent of fatliquor oil on weight of leather ranges from 3 to 10 percent. The manner in which the oil is distributed throughout the leather affects the character of the leather and subsequent finishing operations. To obtain a uniform oil coating over a large surface of leather fibers it is necessary to dilute the oil with an organic solvent or preferably to disperse the oil in an aqueous system using emulsifiers. See Leather Technician's Handbook, J. H. Sharphouse, Leather Producers' Association (1971) chapters 21 and 24.
While techniques directed to controlling the degree to which the emulsion penetrates the leather before breaking and depositing as oil on the fibers have been employed to make leathers softer and more flexible, long term water resistance or waterproofness has not been successfully accomplished using conventional fatliquors alone.

Leather treatment selected amphiphilic copolymer


The present invention is a system which includes an interposer. The interposer may include a mounting plate for mounting the interposer to a fuselage of an aircraft. The interposer may interface with the fuselage to form a seal for maintaining pressure within the aircraft. The system may further include an antenna module. The antenna module may include a ground plane, an aircraft antenna, and a radome. The ground plane may be connected to the aircraft antenna and may be configured for allowing the antenna module to be mounted to the interposer. The radome may be connected to the ground plane to form an enclosure for housing the antenna. The antenna module may be removably connected to the interposer. The system may further include an interconnect for electrically connecting the antenna module to electronics located within the aircraft. The antenna module may be disconnected from the interposer without breaking the seal formed between the interposer and the fuselage.

A number of current RF devices (ex. —antennas/antenna modules/antenna systems) for aircraft may have structural characteristics which make them cost-inefficient and less than desirable for implementation with the aircraft.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a system for providing an antenna which obviates the problems associated with current antennas.

System for providing a pressure vessel, radome, RF sub-system box and electrically small, wideband omni and/or adaptable beam antenna


A method of enhancing the tantalizing appearance of a covered female breast by placing a nipple enhancer between the breast and an article of clothing covering the breast in the absence of any adhesive so as to produce the appearance of an erect nipple through the article of clothing covering the breast.

The invention relates to simulated nipples and nipple prosthesis.
Women occasionally seek to enhance their appearance and sensuousness, including an enhancement in the appearance of their breasts and/or nipples.
Wide varieties of surgically implantable prosthetic nipples are known. One example of a surgically implantable prosthetic nipple is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,465 issued to Wilkins. While generally effective for enhancing the sensuousness of the breast and nipple, the use of such surgically implantable devices has declined significantly over the years due the expense of implanting the prosthetic nipples, the relative permanency of the enhancement, and the health risks associated with the implanting and removal of such breast implants.
One temporary method of enhancing the appearance and sensuousness of the female breasts and/or nipples is through the use of a nipple fashion bra comprised of a bra configured with an attachment mechanism for accommodating attachment of a simulated nipple. One example of such a nipple fashion bra is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,083 issued to Schmidt. While significantly less expensive than surgically implanted prosthetic nipples and permitting a rapid return to the unenhanced appearance, such devices require the purchase and use of a specialty bra along with a supply of simulated nipples in order to achieve the desired appearance.
Externally positioned, temporary stand-alone prosthetic nipples are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,321 issued to Davis describes a prosthetic areola and nipple held in place over the natural areola and nipple of a female breast by an adhesive. While avoiding the drawbacks associated with implantable prosthetic nipples and nipple fashion bras, the stand-alone prosthetic nipples of Davis are cumbersome to use, uncomfortable to wear and difficult to remove due to the adhesive.
Accordingly, a need exists for a means by which a woman can simply, quickly, comfortably and inexpensively enhance the appearance and sensuousness of her breast and/or nipples while allowing a quick return to the unenhanced look and appearance of her breasts and/or nipples.
The invention is directed to a method of enhancing the tantalizing appearance of a covered female breast by producing the appearance of an erect nipple through the article of clothing covering the breast.
In a first embodiment, the method comprises the steps of (i) obtaining a pliable nipple enhancer wherein the nipple enhancer includes at least, (a) an areola portion having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface configured and arranged to resemble the areola of a female breast, and (b) a nipple portion comprising a protuberance resembling the nipple of a female breast protruding from proximate the center of the outer surface of the areola portion of the nipple enhancer, (ii) donning an article of clothing, such as a bra, so as to cover at least a portion of at least one breast, and (iii) placing the nipple enhancer between the article of clothing and the breast with the inner surface of the areola portion of the nipple enhancer in direct physical contact with the breast in the absence of an adhesive. The nipple portion produces the appearance of an erect nipple through the article of clothing.
In a second embodiment, the method comprises the steps of (i) obtaining a pair of pliable nipple enhancers wherein each nipple enhancer includes at least, (a) an areola portion having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface configured and arranged to resemble the areola of a female breast, and (b) a nipple portion comprising a protuberance resembling the nipple of a female breast protruding from proximate the center of the outer surface of the areola portion of the nipple enhancer, (ii) donning an article of clothing, such as a bra, so as to cover at least a portion of both breasts, and (iii) placing a first of the nipple enhancers between the article of clothing and a first breast and a second of the nipple enhancers between the article of clothing and a second breast with the inner surface of the areola portion of each nipple enhancer in direct physical contact with the breast in the absence of an adhesive. The nipple portion of each nipple enhancer produces the appearance of an erect nipple through the article of clothing.
In a third embodiment, the method comprises the steps of (i) donning an article of clothing which directly contacts the breast, such as a bra, and (ii) placing an adhesive free areola and nipple prosthesis between the article of clothing and the breast with the prosthesis in direct physical contact with the breast. At least the nipple portion of the prosthesis extends sufficiently from the outer contour of the breast to give the appearance of an erect nipple through the article of clothing.