The system has a catalytic combustion burner which comprises on its upper part a peripheral zone supporting a catalyst and a central zone without a catalyst creating a vaporisation zone. The system further comprises a sleeve made of porous material comprising a cavity substantially axial designed to tightly hold a wick purposed to carry a combustible composition to the burner. The sleeve is placed in line with the lower part of the burner so that the combustible composition can move from the pores of the upper part of the sleeve towards the pores of the lower part of the burner.

This invention relates to a catalytic combustion burner system comprising a catalytic combustion burner and constituting a development in catalytic combustion burners known to date. It also relates to a flask fitted with such a burner system.
Catalytic combustion burners used to date are made in porous material and have, on their upper part, a peripheral zone, for example ring shaped, which bears a catalyst and a central zone without a catalyst creating a vaporisation zone.
By way of example, the burners described in the documents EP 0 277 875 B1 and WO 99/63267 under the applicant's name can be quoted.
This type of burner equipped with a wick is generally placed on the neck of a flask containing the combustible composition, the wick being immersed in the said combustible composition.
The combustible composition carried by the wick penetrates via capillarity into the pores of the porous material of the burner.
A certain amount of this composition thus enters into the peripheral zone bearing the catalyst and is subjected therein to catalytic combustion which keeps this peripheral zone at a high temperature.
Another amount of this combustible composition passes through the central zone without a catalyst and is subjected to diffusion via vaporisation therein.
However, it is noted that this diffusion as far as the peripheral and central zones is not ensured in a constant manner whilst in use and that it depends, through experience, to a large extent on the amount of combustible composition in the flask.
This diffusion can also be modified, if need be, following a possible carbonising of the wick which could have created particles that could block some of the pores of the burner.
By experience it is accepted that diffusion, in order to observe a deodorization and a purification of the ambient air, is satisfactory when the consumption of combustible composition is regular and constant.
Now, if regular and constant values of consumption are actually reached with the current catalytic combustion burners, they are principally reached when the flask is about two-thirds filled with combustible composition.
On the other hand, below and above this two-thirds proportion, there is a large variation in the consumption of combustible composition.
When the flask is completely filled up with combustible composition, the supply of combustible composition to the burner is too great and could result in limiting the operating of the burner even to the point of stopping it.
On the contrary, when the flask is no more than a quarter filled with combustible composition, the wick, which is usually made from cotton, no longer ensures the diffusion, in satisfactory operating conditions, of the combustible composition in the burner. Low consumption is then observed.
In addition, when the burner is kept operating until the combustible composition is all used, the wick is modified via carbonisation. Repeated use in such circumstances can still accelerate the ageing of the burner.
It is therefore noted, in every case, whether the flask is insufficiently filled up or, on the contrary, whether it is completely filled up, that the consumption of combustible composition varies significantly and thus restricts the performance in terms of the quality of perfuming, disinfecting and destroying molecules and that a deterioration of the burner can occur.

Catalytic combustion burner system and flask fitted with such a system


The device relates to reconstructive surgery and orthopedics, and includes a central rod introducible into medullary canals of bone fragments of a bone, and a tubular element fittable on the rod at the place of the missing portion of the bone, the tubular element being equidimensional with the missing portion of the bone. The tubular element is shaped as a shell made of biocompatible polymers, and a layer of a porous polymer material is insertable between the rod and the shell incorporating a biomass of homogenized bone tissues. The invention is used for restoration of missing portions of bone which have been lost due to extensive injuries or wounds or as a result of pathologic changes of the bone tissue (such as may be caused by tumors or tuberculous infections).

Problems of bone tissue restoration include avoiding free space between bone fragments, avoiding filling the space previously occupied by lost bone with connective tissue, and controlled evacuation of the space to leave room for the newly growing tissue.
Solution of the problem lies in the development of biocompatible polymers biodegradable under the action of body fluids within preset periods of time and technological processes for making diversely shaped finished products from such polymers, as well as technology for imparting therapeutic properties to such polymer products.
Known structures made of biologically inert materials are aimed at permanent replacement of a missing portion of bone and thus render it completely impossible to form fresh bone tissue of the patient's own making at the place involved.
A prior-art device for external immobilization of bone fragments (cf. I. A. Moshkovich, Operative Orthopedics, 1983, Meditsina Publishers, Moscow, pp. 224-225 (in Russian)) has a number of rings inter connected through rods and provided with intramedullary pins. Application of this device enables one to elongate a human limb by daily repeated gradual extension of the bone fragments by gradually increasing the distance between the rings. An extension cycle lasts from 20 to 80 days.
Such a device, however, is suitable for stretching sound limbs only. Besides, its application involves much work by medical staff for a prolonged period of time. Also, there is a source of permanent danger of infection at the place of introduction of the transverse pins, which may also cause contraction of ligaments. The device cannot be used where there are extensive total bone defects due to a complicated injury or gunshot wounds.
A state-of-the-art device for restoration of a missing portion of a tubular bone (cf. Biomekhanika, 1975, Riga, V. K. Kalnberz, et al. Clinico-biomechanical requirements imposed on the endoprosthesis of the femoral diaphysis, pp. 365-366 (in Russian)) is known to comprise a central metallic rod and a tubular element based on biologically inert composite materials, such as polymers or inorganic substances, the tubular element being fitted on the rod. The configuration and dimensions of the tubular element correspond to the missing portion of bone. During surgery, the rod is introduced into the medullary canals of the tubular bone fragments, then the tubular element is installed on the rod at the place of the missing portion of bone and fixed to the bone fragments. However, such a tubular element is very difficult to make according to the individual dimensions of patient's injury. It is extremely difficult to combine an artificial bone with the bone matrix; the bone tissue is liable to resorb at the place of contact with the artificial bone and the reaction to a large foreign body manifests itself continuously after implantation of the artificial bone. The possibility of replacement by genuine bone of the patient is ruled out completely.

ulitsa Krasny Kazanets, 19, korpus 1, kv. 283

ulitsa Tsakovskogo, 26, korpus 2, kv. 159.


Implementations relate to systems and methods for processing workflow data and providing location-based and/or entity-based workflow statistics. A processing module or other logic can receive workflow data related to operations of vehicles though a supply chain network comprising a set of locations. The processing module can process the workflow data by generating various context views, filtering out some of the data, and other functions. A user or entity can request the processing module for different views or results of the workflow data to gauge efficiencies or inefficiencies in the supply chain. The user or entity can perform modifications to components of the supply chain based on results of the workflow data.

Supply chain management refers to the management of businesses and organizations involved in the provision of product and service packages required by end customers. Proper supply chain management is essential to the success of businesses and organizations that deal with the transportation of goods and products over a wide geographic area. Transport and logistics management is a part of supply chain management that provides for the organized movement of goods and products in a supply chain, from their point of origin to their point of use. Effective transport and logistics management enables an efficient flow of goods and products in a supply chain in order to satisfy customer needs and reduce overhead costs.
Transport and logistics providers, such as trucking companies and other types of transporters, have to deal with inefficiencies in trip planning and supply chain logistics. Presently, those providers that rely on and/or provide transport and logistics services can utilize supply chain monitoring tools to collect and determine the physical location and status of goods through a supply chain. For example, goods and/or conveyances of goods can be tagged using radio frequency identifiers or other tagging technologies, such as global positioning satellite technology. The physical location of the goods or conveyances thereof can then be tracked, thus allowing for timely access to location information and status of the goods in the supply chain. Stoppage time or time required to perform workflow tasks at physical locations in the supply chain can also be tracked.
However, current supply chain monitoring tools only track stoppage time or time required to perform workflow tasks, and do not provide sufficient information for a transport and logistics provider, or other entities, to determine and/or remedy actual causes of delays or inefficiencies in the supply chain. Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods for attributing workflow activities and stoppage time to relevant locations or entities in a supply chain and providing workflow statistics specific to the locations and/or the entities.

Systems and methods for processing location-and entity-based workflow data


A stripper/packer includes first and second packing elements, which are interchangeable to alleviate inventory concerns. The upper actuating hydraulic piston is the same diameter as the lower piston, which allows the operator to utilize the same amount of pressure to maintain a seal during transition between packing elements. Both packing elements are separately actuated from the lower side allowing the wellbore pressure to assist the seal.

The present invention relates generally to the field of stripper/packers on well heads.
A known stripper/packer shown in FIG. 1 has one packing element and a hydraulically actuated window that closes downwardly to provide access to the packer element so that a worn packer element can be replaced. The upper region of the stripper/packer includes a significant amount of wasted space, in which guide bushings must be provided to contain coiled tubing as it is guided through the stripper/packer.
The stripper/packer is installed to contain wellbore pressure and fluids during coiled tubing operations. The stripper/packer provides a means to effect a dynamic seal around moving tubing. A seal is accomplished by an annular packing element being adjustably compressed around the tubing by a hydraulic piston.
As coiled tubing moves through the stripper/packer in contact with the packer element, it wears away the material of the packing element. Thus, the working lifetime of the packing element is of primary concern to operators of coiled tubing systems. The packing element must be replaced when frictional wear has abraded the material to a point that a seal can no longer be accomplished. When the packing element is worn to the point where it can no longer hold a seal (and preferably before this occurs), the packing element must be replaced.
To increase the time between packing element changes, operators have employed two stripper/packers mounted in tandem, effectively doubling the time between packing element changes. The disadvantages of using two stripper/packers are readily apparent, including such drawbacks as added weight, length, and cost. Furthermore, only the upper stripper/packer can be used when snubbing the coiled tubing (i. e. inserting the coiled tubing into the hole) because the coiled tubing typically buckles under compressive stress if the lower stripper/packer is used.
Thus, there remains a need for a stripper/packer which includes two independently replaceable packing elements in the same form factor which currently retains a single packing element.
The present invention addresses this need in the art by adding a second packing element within the same stripper/packer. This invention provides a second packing element, which is interchangeable with the first packing element, thereby minimizing inventory concerns. The actuating hydraulic piston is the same diameter as the lower piston, which allows the operator to utilize the same amount of pressure to maintain a seal during transition between packing elements. Both packing elements are separately actuated from the lower side allowing the wellbore pressure to assist the seal.
In another aspect of the present invention, operators will sometimes allow wellbore fluid to leak by to lubricate the packing element in an effort to extend packer element life. This invention allows the operator to separately apply a small amount of pressure to the upper packing element to act as a wiper and allow the wiped fluid to be collected through the wellbore access port to alleviate environment concerns.
Thus, the present invention provides two independently replaceable packing elements in the same size body as previously used for a single packing element. This structure save size and weight associated with coupling two stripper/packers in tandem. Further, because the upper portion of the stripper/packer body includes a packing element, the upper element can be effectively used during snubbing operations without concern that the coiled tubing will buckle.
These and other features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following description along with the accompanying drawings.


An endoscopic imaging system for use in a light deficient environment includes an imaging device having a tube, one or more image sensors, and a lens assembly including at least one optical elements that corresponds to the one or more image sensors. The endoscopic system includes a display for a user to visualize a scene and an image signal processing controller. The endoscopic system includes a light engine having an illumination source generating one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation and a lumen transmitting one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation to a distal tip of an endoscope.

Advances in technology have provided advances in imaging capabilities for medical use. An endoscope may be used to look inside a body and examine the interior of an organ or cavity of the body. Endoscopes may be used for investigating a patient's symptoms, confirming a diagnosis, or providing medical treatment. A medical endoscope may be used for viewing a variety of body systems and parts, including for example, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, the urinary tract, the abdominal cavity by way of a small incision, and so forth. Endoscopes may further be used for surgical procedures, such as plastic surgery procedures, procedures performed on joints or bones, procedures performed on the neurological system, procedures performed within the abdominal cavity, and so forth.
Endoscopes have also been used in non-medical fields for viewing and inspecting spaces that may be inaccessible or difficult to see. For example, endoscopes may be used by planners or architects for visualizing scale models of proposed buildings or cities. Endoscopes may be used for visualizing an internal space of a complex system such as a computer. Endoscopes may even be used by law enforcement or military personnel for conducting surveillance in tight spaces or examining explosive devices. Further, endoscopic imaging may be used by a computer-implemented program for executing robotic medical procedures. Particularly in such implementations, it may be beneficial to track the position of an object during endoscopic imaging. The object may include the endoscope itself, a medical device, a tissue or structure in the body, and so forth.
Among the various uses for endoscopes, it may be beneficial to view a space in color. A digital color image may include at least three layers, or "color channels," for each pixel of the image. Each of the color channels measures the intensity and chrominance of light for a spectral band. Commonly, a digital color image includes a color channel for red, green, and blue spectral bands of light (this may be referred to as an RGB image). Each of the red, green, and blue color channels include brightness information for the red, green, or blue spectral band of light. The brightness information for the separate red, green, and blue layers may be combined to create a digital color image. Because a color image is made up of separate layers, a digital camera image sensor commonly includes a color filter array that permits red, green, and blue visible light wavelengths to hit selected pixel sensors. Each individual pixel sensor element is made sensitive to red, green, or blue wavelengths and will only return image data for that wavelength. The image data from the total array of pixel sensors is combined to generate the RGB image.
In the case of endoscopic imaging for medical diagnostics or medical procedures, it may be beneficial or even necessary to view a body cavity with color images. For example, if an endoscope is used to view the abdominal cavity of a body, a color image may provide valuable information to help identify different organs or tissues within the abdomen, or to identify certain conditions or diseases within the space. As discussed above, a digital camera capable of capturing color images may have at least three distinct types of pixel sensors to individually capture the red, green, and blue layers of the color images. The at least three distinct types of pixel sensors may consume a relatively significant physical space (when compared with a color-agnostic pixel array) such that the complete pixel array cannot fit on the small distal end of the endoscope that is inserted into the body. Because color digital cameras may include the at least three distinct types of pixel sensors, the total pixel array (i.e. the image sensor) is commonly located in a hand-piece unit of an endoscope that is held by an endoscope operator and is not placed within the body cavity. For such an endoscope, light is transmitted along the length of the endoscope from the hand-piece unit to the distal end of the endoscope that is placed within the body cavity. This endoscope configuration has significant limitations. Endoscopes with this configuration are delicate and can be easily misaligned or damaged when bumped or impacted during regular use. This can significantly degrade the quality of the images generated by the endoscope and necessitate that the endoscope be frequently repaired or replaced.
Endoscopic imaging may be used to guide a medical practitioner during a medical procedure such as a diagnostic imaging procedure or a surgical procedure. Further in some implementations, it may be desirable to execute a computer-implemented robotic surgery using endoscopic imaging and endoscopic medical devices. In both instances it may be desirable to determine precise measurements indicating distances and/or angles between, for example, structures in the body, devices or tools in the body cavity, and critical structures in the body. Such measurements can improve the outcome of endoscopic procedures and may be necessary in the case of robotic endoscopic procedures.
Various measurement systems and methods exist in the art for applications in archaeology, geography, atmospheric physics, autonomous vehicles, and others. One such system includes light detection and ranging (LIDAR), which is a three-dimensional laser scanning system. LIDAR has been applied in navigation systems such as airplanes or satellites to determine position and orientation of a sensor in combination with other systems and sensors. LIDAR may use active sensors to illuminate an object and detect energy that is reflected off the object and back to a sensor. Laser scanning technology has been applied to airborne and terrestrial settings. Airborne laser scanning has been used by an aircraft during flight to generate a three-dimensional point cloud of the aircraft's surrounding landscape. Terrestrial laser scanning has been used to survey stationary or mobile objects on the surface of the Earth for use in topography, monitoring, and location determination.
However, applications of laser scanning technology known in the art typically require highly specialized equipment that may not be useful for additional applications. Further, laser scanning technology provides a limited view of an environment and typically must be used in conjunction with multiple separate systems. For example, autonomous vehicles deploy LIDAR systems in conjunction with multiple imaging cameras, radar sensors, ultrasound sensors, and others. The numerous sensors and imaging systems required by an autonomous vehicle or other system may be very costly and may consume significant physical space. In the context of medical imaging procedures, such as medical endoscopic imaging, all sensors must fit within a small physical area within a body cavity. In some instances, for example in imaging of joints or organs, the geographic area may be exceptionally small and may only accommodate a very small tip of an endoscope. As such, medical endoscopes are necessarily small and cannot accommodate multiple distinct imaging and ranging systems.
In certain implementations, it may be desirable to deploy an endoscopic imaging system for generating an image of a body cavity and further for determining measurements within the body cavity. Such images and measurements may be provided to a user for viewing the body cavity and/or used by a computer-implemented program for executing a robotic system.
This disclosure relates generally to electromagnetic sensing and sensors that may be applicable to endoscope imaging. The disclosure also relates to low energy electromagnetic input conditions as well as low energy electromagnetic throughput conditions. The disclosure relates more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to a system for producing an image in light deficient environments and associated structures, methods and features, which may include controlling a light source through duration, intensity or both, pulsing a component controlled light source during the blanking period of an image sensor, maximizing the blanking period to allow optimum light, and maintaining color balance.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Hyperspectral imaging with tool tracking in a light deficient environment


A control device for rotary machine includes: a voltage instruction generation section for generating a voltage instruction; a voltage application section for applying voltage to a rotary machine based on the voltage instruction; a current detection section for detecting rotary machine current of the rotary machine; and an inductance calculation section for calculating an inductance of the rotary machine from the voltage instruction and the rotary machine current. The voltage instruction generation section generates voltage instructions of constant DC voltages. The voltage application section applies voltages to the rotary machine based on the voltage instructions. The inductance calculation section calculates the inductance from a voltage instruction for measurement arbitrarily selected from the voltage instructions, and the rotary machine currents detected by the current detection section before and after application of the voltage instruction for measurement.

A control device for drive-controlling a rotary machine needs the value of an electric constant (resistance or inductance) of the rotary machine.
In conventional measurement of an inductance constant of a rotary machine, AC power is applied with a rotor of the rotary machine fixed by a restraining tool, to measure the inductance constant. However, in a rotary machine connected to some machine, there is such a problem that the connected machine is damaged when the rotary machine rotates upon electric constant measurement. Therefore, a control device for rotary machine and an electric constant measurement method that are capable of measuring an electric constant with no rotation, are required.
As constant measurement device and method for rotary machine with no rotation, the following method is proposed. That is, respective voltage instructions when two levels of large and small DC currents are flown to a current control section are stored, a voltage value based on the larger one of the two levels of DC currents is sharply changed to a voltage value based on the smaller one, a time taken until the current change at this time reaches a predetermined value of the current step width between two levels is measured, and the measured time is divided by a measured value of a winding resistance, thereby calculating a d-axis inductance (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In addition, the following control method and device are proposed. That is, a q-axis current instruction and a d-axis current instruction are set at a first q-axis current instruction value and a first d-axis current instruction value, a d-axis current step instruction having a predetermined height is given to the control device, voltage corresponding to voltage drop due to a primary resistance of an electric motor is subtracted from a d-axis voltage instruction value generated in response to a deviation of a d-axis current detection value with respect to the step instruction, the voltage value obtained by the subtraction is integrated over a predetermined first integral time to generate a d-axis integral value, a d-axis change amount of a d-axis current detection value at the integral end point with respect to the d-axis current detection value at the integral start point is generated, similar calculation is performed for q-axis to generate a q-axis integral value and a q-axis change amount, an inductance ratio K is defined as K=(q-axis integral value/d-axis integral value)×(d-axis change amount/q-axis change amount), and a q-axis inductance is calculated by expression Lq=K×Ld (for example, see Patent Document 2).
In addition, the following control device and method are proposed. That is, voltage for causing DC excitation is applied to an induction electric motor, the induction electric motor is maintained in a stopped state, a signal for slightly changing secondary magnetic flux due to the DC excitation by using a sine wave, a triangle wave, or a saw-tooth wave having a low frequency is superimposed onto a voltage instruction or a current instruction, and a mutual inductance is calculated based on a current detection value and a voltage instruction or a voltage detection value (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Control device for rotary machine and inductance measurement method for rotary machine


In order to provide a stage apparatus with high speed stability in addition to being able to achieve positioning with a high degree of accuracy, and a sample observation apparatus, such as an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope, including the stage apparatus, the stage apparatus and the sample observation apparatus of the present invention correct a command voltage value of standard waveform data or an output timing of a command voltage value such that a difference between a first time history response and a second time history response is reduced to zero, the first time history response for displacement or speed when the stage mechanism is driven with use of the standard waveform data showing the command voltage value at each predetermined time and the second time history response for displacement or speed when a speed of the stage mechanism is constant, to be set as drive waveform data to be outputted to a drive unit of the stage mechanism.

A scanning electron microscope (hereinafter, referred to as SEM) which is a representative charged particle beam apparatus is used for observation of defects or faults in a semiconductor pattern. In recent years, with miniaturization of semiconductor processes, in the SEM, observation at higher magnification is required. The SEM emits an electron beam (primary electron beam) onto the surface of a sample to be observed while scanning in a two-dimensional shape, and sets the intensity of a secondary electron and a reflection electron (hereinafter, referred to as secondary particle) secondarily generated from the sample as a luminance modulation input of an image scanned and generated in synchronization with scanning of the primary electron beam, thereby obtaining an image (SEM image) to be observed of the sample surface. At this time, a sample surface to be observed is selected by moving a stage with a sample mounted on the stage provided in the SEM. Usually, an operator operates operation input means, such as a trackball, while viewing the SEM image, and moves the stage until an intended sample surface portion is obtained as a SEM image. In this case, in order for the operator to easily recognize a current observation position, it is preferable to move the stage at constant speed such that the SEM image moves at constant speed. When observing a sample, such as a semiconductor wafer, in which the same fine patterns (cells) are continuous, a method which measures the number of cells (cell count) passing across a SEM screen using visual observation or image processing, and determines whether or not an intended portion has been reached is used. In this case, it is necessary to move the stage at constant speed such that the SEM image is moved at constant speed without oversight of cells. As described above, not only positioning with a high degree of accuracy is required so as to observe at high magnification, but speed stability is also required.
In a conventional stage mechanism, a positioning apparatus has been widely used, the positioning apparatus in which the ball screws are rotated by a stepping motor to move a stage through the nuts attached to the ball screws. However, in this mechanism, errors in the engagement between the ball screw and the nut, elastic deformation of the ball screw, errors in rotation of the stepping motor, etc. cause occurrence of so-called backlash immediately after the time when the movement direction of the stage is reversed, the stage is not moved in response to a command for movement of the stage, or the movement is smaller than a value by the command even if the stage is moved. As a result, the positioning with a high degree of accuracy cannot be obtained, thereby leading to one of causes which hinders the operability of the stage.
In order to solve such errors in the positioning, there has been disclosed a method in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-288918 (Patent Document 1) in which an ultrasonic motor composed of a piezoelectric element (electrostrictive element) is attached directly to a lower surface of the movable table to directly drive the stage, instead of a conventional stepping motor. Patent Document 1 discloses a drive system in which a piezoelectric element is pressed against a drive transmission surface provided to a lower surface of the stage, and accordingly, the drive transmission surface is linearly moved in the direction of movement of the stage with use of the shearing deformation of the piezoelectric element when a power voltage is applied, thereby driving the stage.

Stage apparatus and sample observation apparatus


An expression vector for eukaryotic cells comprising a gene which codes for a protein of interest, functionally linked to a hamster-ubiquitin/S27a-promoter and a gene which codes for a fluorescent protein. Preferably the expression vector also contains an amplifiable selectable marker gene. The invention also describes host cells, preferably mammalian cells, which have been transfected with the expression vector, processes for producing heterologous gene products and a method of selecting high-producing cells.

Mammalian cells are the preferred host cells for the production of complex biopharmaceutical proteins as the modifications carried out post-translationally are compatible with humans both functionally and pharmacokinetically. Commercially relevant cell types are hybridoma, myeloma CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells and BHK (Baby Hamster Kidney) cells. The cultivation of the host cells is increasingly carried out under serum- and protein-free production conditions. The reasons for these are the concomitant cost reduction, the reduced interference in the purification of the recombinant protein and the reduction in the potential for the introduction of pathogens (e.g. prions and viruses). The use of CHO cells as host cells is becoming more widespread as these cells adapt to suspension growth in serum- and protein-free medium and are also regarded and accepted as safe production cells by the regulatory authorities.
In order to produce a stable mammalian cell line which expresses a heterologous gene of interest, the heterologous gene is generally inserted in the desired cell line together with a selectable marker gene such as e.g. neomycin phosphotransferase by transfection. The heterologous gene and the selectable marker gene can be expressed either together by a single vector or by separate vectors which are cotransfected. Two to three days after transfection the cells are transferred into medium containing a selective agent, e.g. G418 when using neomycin phosphotransferase-gene, and cultivated for some weeks under these selective conditions. The emergent resistance cells can then be isolated and investigated for expression of the desired gene product. As a result of the random and undirected integration into the host cell genome a population of cells is obtained which have completely different rates of expression of the heterologous gene. These may also include non-expressing cells in which the selectable marker is expressed but not the gene of interest. In order to identify cell clones which have a very high expression of the heterologous gene of interest, it is therefore necessary to examine and test a large number of clones, which is time consuming, labour intensive and expensive.
Gene amplification is a widespread phenomenon in animal cell cultures, which is used for the production of recombinant biopharmaceutical proteins. The gene amplification drastically improves the originally relatively low productivity of numerous mammalian cell lines. One amplification technique which is widely used is dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)-based gene amplification system which is very often used in DHFR-deficient Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. The DHFR-deficient CHO cells, e.g. CHO-DUKX (ATCC CRL-9096) or CHO-DG44 (Urlaub, G. et al., Cell 1983, 33, 405-412), are transfected with a suitable vector system which codes for DHFR and the protein of interest. Then the transfectants are selected in a medium without glycine, hypoxanthine and thymidine. The amplification and hence the establishment of highly productive cell lines is achieved by the increasing addition of methotrexate (MTX), an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (Kaufman, R. J. et al., J Mol Biol 1982, 159, 601-621; U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,134). The subsequent selection of the highly productive cells obtained is also subject to the principle of chance and is based on probabilities, as a result of which this selection step is highly labour-intensive and time-consuming.
All kinds of methods have been developed for monitoring gene transformation and expression better and more rapidly. These include, first of all, the use of reporter molecules such as chloramphenicol-acetyltransferase, luciferase, β-galactosidase or fusion proteins which contain the coding regions of β-galactosidase or luciferase. The disadvantage of these reporter gene assays is that the cells have to be fixed or lysed and have to be incubated with exogenously added substrates and co-factors. Thus, further cultivation of the analysed cells is out of the question. A more recent method based on the co-expression of the E.coli enzyme β-galactosidase does indeed allow lysed cells to be sorted using a FACS apparatus (Nolan, G. P. et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1988, 85, 2603-2607), but hypotonic pretreatment is required in order to charge the cells with the fluorogenic substrate. This activity also has to be inhibited before the FACS-based sorting.
With the introduction of green fluorescent protein (GFP) from Aequorea victoria and the GFP mutants developed therefrom as reporter molecule it became much easier to identify cells which express a heterologous gene. Co-expression of GFP allowed real-time analysis in vivo and sorting of transfectants on the basis of their fluorescence without the need for additional substrates or co-factors. The use of GFP as a reporter molecule for monitoring gene transfer has been described in various publications. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,491,084 and 6,146,826, Chalfie et al. described a method of selecting cells which express a protein of interest. This method comprises co-transfection of cells by a DNA molecule which contains the coding sequence for the protein of interest, and a second DNA-molecule which codes the GFP-gene. Then the GFP-expressing cells are selected. Gubin et al. investigated the stability of GFP expression in CHO cells in the absence of selective growth conditions (Gubin, A. N. et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997, 236, 347-350). The cells were transfected with a plasmid which contained both GFP and neomycin phosphotransferase. Mosser et al. used a plasmid which contained a bicistronic expression cassette coding for a GFP and a target gene (also known as the gene of interest) to identify and select cells which expressed inducible product (Mosser, D. D. et al., BioTechniques 1997, 22, 150-161). The target gene was under the control of a regulatable promoter. The coupling of the GFP and target gene expression was achieved using a viral IRES (Internal Ribosome Entry Site) element, as a result of which a bicistronic mRNA which coded for GFP and the protein of interest was expressed. The plasmid used did not itself contain any selectable marker gene. This was therefore introduced by a second plasmid in a co-transfection or in a subsequent transfection. By contrast, Levenson et al. used retroviral vectors with a bicistronic expression cassette in which the gene of interest can be cloned in front of the IRES sequence (Levenson, V. V. et al., Human Gene Therapy 1998, 9, 1233-1236). The sequence following the IRES sequence, on the other hand, coded for a selectable marker gene, this being a marker which conferred resistance to G418, puromycin, hygromycin B, histidinol D or phleomycin, or it was GFP.
Vectors have already also been described which contain an IRES element from the family of the picorna viruses, the IRES element being positioned between the product gene and a selectable marker gene (Pelletier, J. et al., Nature 1988, 334, 320-325; Jang, S. K. et al., J Virol 1989, 63, 1651-1660; Davies, M. V. et al., J Virol 1992, 66, 1924-1932).
GFP has also been successfully fused with resistance marker genes. For example, Bennett et al. describe a GFP/zeomycin fusion protein (Bennett, R. P. et al., BioTechniques 1998, 24, 478-482). This bifunctional selectable marker was successfully used to identify and select transfected mammalian cells. Primig et al. on the other hand used a fusion protein of GFP and neomycin phosphotransferase for their enhancer studies (Primig, M. et al., Gene 1998, 215, 181-189).
In the publication by Meng et al. and in International Patent application WO 01/04306, an expression system in which the gene of interest was expressed together with the amplifiable selectable marker gene DHFR and a GFP gene from a single vector was used to select and identify cells with a high expression of a recombinant protein (Meng, Y. G. et al., Gene 2000, 242, 201-207). The three genes were either combined in one transcription unit or divided between two units. This spatial and transcriptional linking of all three genes in a single expression vector was intended to increase their probability of co-amplification under selection pressure and thus identify and select high producing clones. The best clones which were isolated by using the combined selection by means of amplifiable DHFR selection markers and GFP-based FACS sorting expressed the protein of interest in an order of magnitude of not more than 3 to 4.5 pg per cell per day. The experiments were carried out with adherent cells and in serum-containing medium, i.e. with cells and under conditions which are known to be substantially more robust and are characterised by higher basic productivities.

Expression vector, methods for the production of heterologous gene products and for the selection of recombinant cells producing high levels of such products

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co., KG


A circulator may include a first port having a first port impedance matching circuit defining an impedance of the first port, a second port having a second port impedance matching circuit defining an impedance of the second port, and a third port having a third port impedance matching circuit defining an impedance of the third port. In an example embodiment, the impedance of the first port may be provided to match an impedance of a first external circuit, the impedance of the second port may be provided to match an impedance of a second external circuit, and the impedance of the third port may be provided to match an impedance of a third external circuit. The impedance of the third port may be different than the impedance of the first port.

A circulator is a fundamental component of RF and microwave equipment such as, for example, transmitter multi-couplers that allow radio transmission sites to operate reasonably free of interference. Circulators such as ferrite circulators typically include at least three terminals or ports at which an external waveguide or transmission line connects to the circulator. A signal entering in any port can be transmitted only to the next port in rotation. Moreover, a circulator is a three (or four) terminal, non-reciprocal device that permits RF or microwave energy to flow between two adjacent ports in only one direction.
When only two terminals of the circulator are used, an isolator may be formed. Thus, for example, if one port of a three-port circulator is terminated in a matched load, the circulator may operate as an isolator, allowing signals to travel only in one direction between the two remaining ports.
Impedance matching is an important consideration when connecting a circulator/isolator to external equipment. In the past, circulators/isolators have generally been provided with a junction impedance of 50 ohms. The provision of a stable and precise 50 ohm junction impedance for each port of the circulator/isolator, has been adopted as an industry standard so that each port can have a predictable impedance. However, a byproduct of this standard has been that in many cases, loads that may need to be served could have impedances of something other than 50 ohms.
Given that the natural impedance of a circulator/isolator is much less than 50 ohms, most circulators/isolators employ some form of impedance transformation circuitry to generate a final impedance of 50 ohms at the connector port. Accordingly, when an external device having an impedance of less than 50 ohms is to be coupled to the circulator/isolator, further impedance transformation must be employed to transform the impedance back down to the impedance of the external device. The result may be a complex series of cascading impedance transformers that may add to the cost and complexity of the devices.


A unique hardware architecture that combines short pulse, stepped frequency and centerline processing. The inventive architecture implements a radar system having a transmitter for transmitting short pulses, each pulse being stepped in frequency and a receiver receiving the pulses and providing an output signal in response thereto. In the illustrative embodiment, the transmitter includes a frequency source, an RF switch coupled to the source and a controller for controlling the RF switch. The receiver includes a signal processor implemented with a center line roughing filter. The signal processor has multiple channels each of which has a range gate and a digital filter. The digital filter includes a Fast Fourier Transform adapted to output a range Doppler matrix.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical and electronic circuits and systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to radar systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
See or Sense Through-the-wall (STTW) sensors and technologies are needed to satisfy current and future operational requirements for an enhanced capability to detect, locate, identify, and classify moving and stationary people or objects through walls, for clearing an urban facility in connection with military, police, security and/or commercial applications. The STTW sensor could be employed by soldiers or by robotic assets (air and ground) to provide detailed information on an occupied or unoccupied environment.
Prior approaches have involved impulse radar and swept frequency radar (CHIRP). Impulse radar transmits an ultra short pulse and can be processed with incoherent processing (detector) or coherent processing. The disadvantages of impulse radars are low average power and limited dynamic range. In addition coherent processing requires a tremendous processing load.
Swept frequency radar uses a mixing technique to convert range to frequency. This preserves an extremely high bandwidth (fine range resolution). Analog to digital bandwidth becomes range coverage and range resolution is the chirp frequency sweep bandwidth. Unfortunately high bandwidths require long frequency sweeps. This creates a minimum standoff range. To address this problem the linear frequency sweep is gated to create stepped frequency radar. One disadvantage of stepped frequency waveforms or any coded waveform is range sidelobes. Unfortunately, to discriminate small radar cross-sections that are close to large objects requires large dynamic range and low range sidelobes.
Finally, continuous wave radar systems have not proved effective for STTW applications. Hence, a need remains in the art for an improved radar for See Through the Wall applications.

Short pulse/stepped frequency radar system


At least one of an ink for inkjet printing and an inkjet recording material contains a compound represented by formula (A):

Recent rapid progress of information technology and industry has stimulated development of various information processing systems, and recording methods and recording apparatuses matching such information processing systems have also been developed and commercialized.
Among these recording methods, an inkjet recording method is utilized widely not only in offices but also in so-called home use, because of advantages of possibility of recording on various recording materials, inexpensiveness and compactness of hardware (apparatus), and excellent quietness of recording.
In the inkjet recording method, there are known a method of applying a pressure by a piezoelectric element thereby discharging a liquid droplet, a method of generating a bubble by heat thereby discharging a liquid droplet, a method utilizing ultrasonic wave, and a method of discharging a liquid droplet by attraction with an electrostatic forced. For these inkjet methods, there is employed an aqueous ink, an oily ink or a solid (fusible) ink. Among these, aqueous ink is used principally in consideration of manufacture, handling, smell, safety etc.
A colorant to be employed in such ink for inkjet printing is required to have a high solubility in a solvent, a high density in recording, a satisfactory hue, an excellent fastness to light, heat, air, water and chemicals, a satisfactory fixability to an image receiving material without blotting, an excellent storability in the ink, no toxicity, a high purity, and inexpensive availability. It is however extremely difficult to find a colorant meeting these requirements at a high level.
Various dyes and pigments have already been proposed for use in inkjet recording and are already used in practice, but in fact a colorant satisfying all these requirements have not been found. In already known dyes and pigments such as those represented by color index (C. I.) numbers, it is difficult to obtain a hue required for the ink for inkjet printing and a fastness at the same time. Dyes having a satisfactory hue and a fastness have been investigated and developed for a satisfactory colorant for inkjet printing. However such materials have been found to be significantly inferior in fastness to ozone and to light in comparison with the silver halide-based photograph.
On the other hand, with a recent progress of the inkjet printer toward a higher resolution, it has become possible to obtain so-called photo-like recording of high image quality, and various inkjet recording sheets are being developed, matching such progress in hardware (apparatus).
Properties required for such recording sheet for inkjet printing generally include (1) rapid drying (high ink absorbing speed), (2) appropriate and uniform ink dot diameter (no blotting), (3) satisfactory granularity, (4) high dot circularity, (5) high color density, (6) high saturation (not turbidity in color), (7) satisfactory resistance to water, light and ozone in printed part, (8) high whiteness of recording sheet, (9) satisfactory storability of recording sheet (no yellowing in prolonged storage and no image blotting in prolonged storage (satisfactory blotting resistance in time)), (10) satisfactory dimensional stability without deformation (sufficiently small curl), and (11) satisfactory running ability in hardware.
Also in photo glossy paper used for obtaining so-called photograph-like recording of high quality, there are required a luster, a surface smoothness and a photographic paper-like texture similar to a silver halide-based photograph, in addition to the foregoing properties.
Aiming at improvements in the aforementioned characteristics, an inkjet recording material having an ink receptive layer of a porous structure is recently developed and commercialized. Such inkjet recording material, owing to such porous structure, has a satisfactory ink receiving property (rapid drying property) and a high luster.
For example, JP-A-10-119423 and JP-A-10-217601 propose an inkjet recording material including, on a substrate, an ink receptive layer containing fine inorganic pigment particles and a water-soluble resin and having a high pore rate.
Such inkjet recording material, particularly an inkjet recording material having an ink receptive layer of a porous structure utilizing silica as the inorganic pigment particles, shows a satisfactory ink absorbing property by the structure thereof, thus providing a high ink receiving ability capable of forming an image of a high resolution and also a high luster.
However, trace gases in the air, particularly ozone, may constitute a cause of fading of the recorded image in time. The aforementioned recording material, having the ink receptive layer of the porous structure, is susceptible to fading of the recorded image by ozone gas in the air, because it contains many pores. Therefore, for the aforementioned recording material having the ink receptive layer of the porous structure, a resistance to ozone in the air (ozone resistance) is a very important property.

Ink for inkjet printing, ink set for inkjet printing, inkjet recording material and producing method for inkjet recording material, and inkjet recording method

Abstract: wherein R1, R2 and R3 each represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, and at least two of R1, R2 and R3 are mutually connected to form a cyclic structure; L represents a divalent connecting group; and at least one of R1, R2, R3 and L is a group having 8 or more carbon atoms.


The present invention discloses an object image detection method, which uses a coarse-to-fine strategy to detect objects. The method of the present invention comprises steps: acquiring an image and pre-processing the image to achieve dimensional reduction and information fusion; using a trained filter to screen features; and sequentially using a coarse-level MLP verifier and a fine-level MLP verifier to perform a neural network image detection to determine whether the features of the image match the features of the image of a target object. The present invention simultaneously uses three mainstream image detection methods, including the statistic method, neural network method and adaboost method, to perform image detection. Therefore, the present invention has the advantages of the rapidity of the adaboost method and the accuracy of the neural network method at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detection method, particularly to an object image detection method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Object image detection technologies have been applied to many technical fields. The parameters used in an object image detection method should vary or be modified with the detected object. The most common object image detection methods include the statistic method and the neural network method recently. These two common object image detection methods are further discussed below.
Face detection technologies are used to exemplify the statistic method, wherein Principle Component Analysis (PCA) is adopted. In one application thereof, a face training sample and a non-face training sample are respectively divided into a plurality of clusters and the clusters are compared with each feature of an object image to determine the distance therebetween. In the distance evaluation, the feature vectors of all the clusters are first worked out; next, the Mahalanobis distances between the object image and the feature vectors are calculated to determine the similarities between the object image and the clusters. Next, the object image is projected to each cluster to calculate the distance between the object image and the cluster center. When most features of the object image meet the face training sample, the object image is determined to be a human face. When most features of the object image meet the non-face training sample, the object is determined to be not a human face. In another application, the face detection technology is based on the Bayesian image analysis, wherein the features of an object image are first obtained from 1-D Haar transform images perpendicular to each other, and the projected histograms. Next, the probability density functions of a face sample and a non-face sample are constructed. Next, based on the face and non-face probability density functions, the image features are converted into input vectors. Then, whether the input image is a human face is determined with the Bayesian method.
In the neural network method, every pixel of an image is usually as an input to train the neural network classifier. In such an approach, what is input is the original image. In other words, the image without feature extraction is used to train a neural network classifier. Therefore, the complexity of calculation increases, which impairs applications needing a high speed image processing. To solve such a problem, there is another approach of the neural network method, wherein local features of an image are modularized beforehand. The modularized features are input to separately train different neural network classifiers. Although the modularized features come from an identical image, no connection exists between them in training. Therefore, a special module is used to integrate the modularized features to complete the image detection task. For example, when the object is a human face, the modularized features may be: eyes, mouth, nose, etc. In such a case, the special module integrating the modularized features may be a complexion-filtering module. When a neural network classifier identifies a human face, the modularized features of eyes, mouth, and nose, together with the complexion-filtering module, are used in comparison to determine whether the input image is a human face.
Besides the abovementioned two object image detection methods, the adaboost algorithm, support vector machine (SVM), multi-information objection methods also prevail in industrial and academic fields. Among them, the adaboost algorithm is particularly popular because it has a very fast detection speed. However, the adaboost algorithm needs a very long training time because a great number of features need screening in training. Thus, the training results are unlikely to be fast obtained, and the usefulness of the adaboost algorithm is decreased.
As the statistic method filters out unnecessary data beforehand, it has shorter training time. However, the statistic method has lower detection accuracy and lower detection efficiency. For the neural network method, the training efficiency correlates with the complexity of the object image. A simpler object image needs less training time and detection time but has lower detection accuracy. A more complicated object image needs more detection time but has higher detection accuracy. The adaboost algorithm has higher detection speed but needs longer training time. Thus, the conventional statistic method, neural network method and adaboost algorithm respectively have their weaknesses and strengths. However, generally to speak, they are all unlikely to extensively apply to realtime object detection systems.
Accordingly, the present invention proposes an object image detection method, which integrates the conflicting strengths to simultaneously achieve the speed and accuracy of object detection.


A method for determining blemishes in or on the transmissive surface of an image sensor package and determining if such blemishes are acceptable for use of the image sensor package including capturing a digital image of a predetermined scene using the image sensor package and storing such digital image in a memory, identifying blemishes formed in or on the transmissive surface by processing the digital image data using a series of image processing functions, and classifying the blemishes from the digital image and determining if the image sensor package is acceptable for use.

There are a couple different types of image sensor packages. Types of image sensor packages include CCD image sensor packages and CMOS image sensor packages. In the preferred embodiment, a full frame CCD sensor is studied and used for the purpose of explaining how to detect scratches, digs, and dirt. A full frame image sensor is basically a two dimensional array of pixel sensing elements. Full frame CCD image sensors capture light and store the resulting signal electrons in the individual pixel sensing elements. The pixels are vertically shifted down each column in parallel by one row, with the last row being shifted out and filling a horizontal shift register. These pixels in the horizontal shift register are then shifted out one at a time (serially) until the horizontal shift register is completely empty. At this time, the sensor is ready to fill the horizontal shift register again, and the process of parallel to series shift explained above is repeated one row at a time until all rows of the sensor have been transported out of the sensor. The output pixels are then reconstructed to form a digital image that can be processed and analyzed for scratches, digs, and dirt.
In typical image sensor packages, there is a transmissive surface that protects the image sensor and often has coatings on it for the purpose of cutting down on reflectance or blocking infrared radiation. If this transmissive surface contains blemishes that obstruct or distort light coming through it, then the resulting image is of a lesser quality. These blemishes are classified into three different types: dirt, which can be removed by cleaning; scratches, which are usually long and narrow; and digs, which are usually small and more circular in nature. These blemishes are characteristics of the transmissive surface that is attached to and covers the image sensor. The shadows cast by these blemishes appear on the sensor elements when the incoming light passes through the transmissive surface, and thus appear on the resulting image. Scratches, digs, and dirt are typically created during the handling and packaging in the manufacturing process of the image sensor packages, but are also created later during the assembly in the final product, such as a digital camera. A certain level of corruption in digital image would be acceptable. In the past, the detection of blemishes on the transmissive surface has been done under a microscope or by viewing an image of the transmissive surface on a screen. These techniques are subjective, time consuming, and inaccurate.
These blemishes are different from the corrupted data classified as pixels, columns, and defective cluster pixels as referenced in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/100,723 filed Mar. 19, 2002 by Timothy G. Wengender, et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The way in which corrupted data is differentiated is through focusing or defocusing the lens aperture 51. To detect sensor defects such as pixels, columns, or clusters, the lens aperture 51 is defocused as much as possible by placing the aperture at it's minimum setting (a small f-number is a large diameter aperture). At this setting the light that passes through the transmissive surface is diffused and any scratches, digs, or dirt are blurred and become unnoticeable on the image sensor package. To detect scratches, digs, or dirt, the lens aperture 51 is focused by placing the aperture at or near it's maximum setting (a large f-number is a small diameter aperture). At this setting, the light that passes through the transmissive surface is not diffused and any scratches, digs, or dirt are focused and become noticeable on the image sensor.
Such scratches, digs, or dirt will cause corrupted data in the digital image after it is read out of the image sensor package. To produce the highest quality image, the scratches, digs, or dirt need to be identified during the manufacturing and assembly process so that image sensor packages can be accepted or rejected in the final assembly.

Detecting and classifying blemishes on the transmissive surface of an image sensor package


A dual reservoir fluid dispensing apparatus for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as antibiotics, analgesics and like medicinal agents from either or both of the device reservoirs. The fluid dispensing apparatus includes novel fill means for selectively filling each of the reservoirs with the same or different medicaments that are to be dispensed to the patient. Stored energy sources are provided in the form of a pair of constant force spring members of novel design that provide the force necessary to continuously and substantially uniformly expel fluid from the reservoirs. The apparatus also includes novel adjustable flow rate assemblies that are disposed intermediate the outlet port of the fluid reservoirs and the outlet port of the device for precisely controlling the rate of fluid flow from the outlet port toward the patient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid delivery devices. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved, dual reservoir apparatus for controllably mixing various medicinal agents and then delivering the agents into an ambulatory patient at specific rates over extended periods of time. One embodiment of the invention includes a novel adjustable flow rate control means for precisely controlling the rate of fluid flow from the reservoir of the device toward the patient.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many medicinal agents require an intravenous route for administration of the medicament. The delivery device for delivering the medicament, while not an active pharmacologic agent, may enhance the activity of the drug by mediating its therapeutic effectiveness. Certain classes of new pharmacologic agents possess a very narrow range of therapeutic effectiveness, for instance, too small of a dose results in no effect, while too great of a dose results in a toxic reaction.
In the past, prolonged infusion of fluids has generally been accomplished using gravity flow methods, which typically involve the use of intravenous administration sets and the familiar bottle suspended above the patient. Such methods are cumbersome, imprecise and require bed confinement of the patient. Periodic monitoring of the apparatus by the nurse or doctor is required to detect malfunctions of the infusion apparatus. Devices from which liquid is expelled from a relatively thick-walled bladder by internal stresses within the distended bladder are well known in the prior art. Such bladder, or "balloon"-type, devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,578, issued to Bierman and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,400, issued to Perry.
One of the most versatile and unique fluid delivery apparatus developed within recent years is that by one of the present inventors described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,820. The components of this novel fluid delivery apparatus generally include a base assembly, an elastomeric membrane serving as a stored energy means, fluid flow channels for filling and delivery, flow control means, a cover, and an ullage which comprises a part of the base assembly.
Another prior art patent issued to one of the present applicants, namely U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,879, discloses an injectable medicament dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments such as insulin, anti-infectives, analgesics, oncolylotics, cardiac drugs, biopharmaceuticals, and the like from a pre-filled container at a uniform rate. The dispenser, which is quite dissimilar in construction and operation from that of the present invention, includes a stored energy source in the form of a compressively deformable, polymeric, elastomeric member that provides the force necessary to controllably discharge the medicament from a pre-filled container, which is housed within the body of the device. After having been deformed, the polymeric, elastomeric member will return to its starting configuration in a highly predictable manner.
Another important prior art fluid delivery device is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,059 also issued to one of the present inventors. This device, while being of a completely different construction from the device of the present invention, embodies a compressible-expandable stored energy source somewhat similar to that used in the apparatus of the present invention.
As will be appreciated from the discussion which follows, the apparatus of the present invention is uniquely suited to provide precise, continuous fluid delivery management at a low cost in those cases where a variety of precise dosage schemes are of utmost importance. An important aspect of the apparatus of the present invention is the provision of dual reservoirs and novel means for filling the reservoirs with the same or different medicinal agents. One form of the invention includes a pair of rotatable fluid flow rate control means, each of which includes uniquely formed, multichannel flow rate control channels which enable precise control of the rate of fluid flow of the medicaments from either or both of the fluid reservoirs to the patient. More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention includes novel, adjustable fluid flow rate control mechanisms which enable the fluid contained within each of the fluid reservoirs of the device to be precisely dispensed to the patient at various selected rates. The apparatus also includes a reservoir selector means for selecting the reservoir from which the fluid will be removed and delivered to the patient via the flow rate control mechanisms.
Advantageously, the apparatus of the present invention can be used with minimal professional assistance in an alternate health care environment, such as the home. By way of example, devices of the invention can be comfortably and conveniently, removably affixed to the patient's body or clothing and can be used for the continuous infusion of antibiotics, such as, for example, an antibiotic sold by Abbott Laboratories under the name and style ANCIF and by Rosche under the name and style ROCEPHIN. The devices of the invention can also advantageously be used for the delivery of various analgesics such as morphine and like medicinal agents.
Additionally, the apparatus of the invention is useful in the mixing and delivery of various types of adjuvant drugs. Adjuvant therapy, which is additional treatment given after surgery, may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or biological therapy. Adjuvant drugs are generally defined as auxiliary drugs used concurrently with nonopioid or opioid analgesics. Several types of adjuvant drugs play important roles in cancer pain management. Some, such as, laxatives, antiemetics, antinausea drugs, and stimulants, treat symptoms, such as constipation, vomiting, nausea, and sedation that may contribute to pain or develop as a side effect of therapy. Other adjuvant drugs enhance the pain-relieving effects of opioids, or independently provide relief for certain types of pain. Anticonvulsants, for example, can be used with opioids and are prescribed to treat neuropathic pain, especially pain that has an electric shock-like nature. Antidepressants, which are also coanalgesics for opioids, are prescribed for neuropathic pain that is experienced as a hot, burning sensation. Some other commonly prescribed adjuvants are antihistamines, anxiolytics, corticosteroids, local anesthetics and stimulants. Some of the more commonly used adjuvant analgesics include corticosteroids, nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants and bisphosphonates.
Thromboembolic disease may, by way of example, be treated by chemohormonal therapy using cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, vincristine, prednisone, doxorubicin and tamoxifen.
The apparatus of the invention is also particularly useful in polychemotherapy which is defined as the use of more than one chemotherapy drug. Such treatment is generally considered to be substantially more effective than using a single agent. Giving more than one medication increases the odds of destroying all the cancer cells and the development of this strategy has accounted for major advances in cancer treatment. Tumors in their early stages grow rapidly because they have a high growth fraction. Over a period of time, as the number of cancer cells grows and the tumor burden increases, the tumor's growth fraction begins to decrease. Cell-cycle specific and cell-cycle non-specific drugs are given in combination, because the cell-cycle specific drugs reduce the tumor growth factor, and cell-cycle non-specific drugs help to reduce the tumor burden. Combination chemotherapy is typically given in courses or cycles. The number of courses varies depending on the type of cancer, the cytotoxic drugs used, and the patient's response to therapy. Combination therapy protocols are usually described by abbreviations that use the first letter of each drug in the protocol. For example, CAF (Cyclophosphamide+Adriamycin+Fluorouracil) is a combination protocol used to treat breast cancer.
There are several advantages of using a combination of drugs rather than a single agent. For example, combining drugs that act in different phases of the cell-cycle increases the number of cells exposed to cytotoxic effects. Similarly, combining drugs decreases the incidence and severity of side effects of therapy and decreases the possibility of drug resistance. Further, combinations of drugs are often effective in patients with large tumors containing a small number of cells that are reproducing. In this instance, one of the drugs kills a high proportion of tumor cells and stimulates the remaining tumor cells to start reproducing. The other drugs in combination therapy can then attack newly reproducing cells.
By way of summary, the apparatus of the present invention uniquely overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a novel, disposable dispenser of simple, but highly reliable construction. A particularly important aspect of the apparatus of the present invention resides in the provision of novel, self-contained energy sources which are in the form of expandable-retractable spring members that provide the force necessary to selectively and substantially uniformly dispense various solutions from the dual reservoirs of the device. Because of the simplicity of construction of the apparatus of the invention and the straightforward nature and operational reliability of the energy sources, the apparatus can be manufactured and maintained at low cost without in any way sacrificing accuracy and reliability.

Fluid delivery and mixing apparatus with flow rate control


A method and system for customizing e-mail transmissions based on content detection determines when an e-mail user likely intends to customize an e-mail message and prompts the user to customize the e-mail message if they have not done so. A parser parses the e-mail message (including the subject line) for clues that indicate that the sender likely intends to customize the message in a particular manner, then the e-mail program prompts the user to perform the customization. The prompt may be generated in response to the e-mail program detecting that customization settings have not been entered or may be generated unconditionally upon detecting a clue. The parser may also decompose sentences to provide matching of common phrases or meanings with phrases or meanings that indicate that the sender likely intends to perform a particular customization. The e-mail program may further “jump” to the appropriate input area for the customization in response to detecting an associated clue or the e-mail program may skip on or both of jumping and prompting in certain cases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic mail systems, and more specifically, to a method and system for customizing e-mail transmissions by prompting a user based on content of an electronic message.
2. Background of the Invention
Present-day network systems communicate through a variety of channels in order to interconnect computers. Electronic mail is in widespread use as a mechanism for communicating messages and for transferring documents, images and other media such as sound files.
E-mail programs and other programs such as Internet browsers having e-mail capability permit a computer user to create a message that is sent to an e-mail server for the recipient of the message. Typical e-mail programs provide a variety of features for customizing an e-mail message. For example, attachment lists permit the computer user to attach documents such as word-processor output files, encoded images such as scanned photographs that are rendered in a data storage format such as the joint photography and electronics group (JPEG) format and other media such as sound files. E-mail programs also permit the setting of priority level so that a recipient may be notified of the urgency of a message without reading the content and/or flagging an e-mail message as personal, private or confidential. Further, the above-described e-mail programs permit copying (cc:) and blind-copying (bcc:) additional intended recipients of an e-mail message, adding an electronic signature, and/or encrypting e-mail content for security.
Often, a computer user generating an electronic mail message will intend to customize an e-mail message, but forget some or all of their intended customizations.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and system for customizing an e-mail transmission by using information contained within the e-mail message to prompt the user to customize the message.

Method and system for customizing e-mail transmissions based on content detection


An electrical cable splice includes a housing having a channel configured to hold a first signal conductor of a first electrical cable therein. The channel is configured to hold a second signal conductor of a second electrical cable therein in electrical engagement with the first signal conductor such that the first and second signal conductors are electrically interconnected. The second electrical cable has a greater diameter than the first electrical cable. A ground shield external to the housing such that the ground shield extends at least partially around the first and second signal conductors. The ground shield is electrically connected to electrical ground conductors of the first and second electrical cables.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical cables that interconnect various electrical devices.
Electrical cables and connectors are used to transmit data in various industries. The electrical cables span the distance between the electrical devices to provide electrical paths between the electrical devices. The electrical connectors terminate the electrical cables and mate with complementary connectors of the electrical devices to interconnect the electrical devices via the electrical pathways provided by cables.
The termination interface of some connectors where the connector terminates multiple cables may have a relatively high density of electrical connections and therefore a relatively tight grouping of the cables, for example because of the small form factor and/or number of signal paths of many contemporary connectors. The termination interface of some connectors therefore may only accommodate electrical cables up to a certain diameter in size. In other words, the termination interface of some connectors may only accommodate relatively small diameter cables. But, such small diameter cables may not be suitable for spanning some distances between electrical devices because of the loss rate of the small diameter cable. Specifically, the loss rate for cables that have a sufficiently small diameter to fit within the termination interface of the connector may be unacceptably high. Conversely, larger diameter cables that have acceptable loss rates for the given distance between the electrical devices are too large to be grouped within the termination interface of the connector.
Accordingly, a need remains for a lower loss electrical cable that can be terminated to a connector having a termination interface with a relatively high density of electrical connections.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An depth sensing (AF) module including a depth sensing (DS) lens, DS image sensor, a prism array, and a DS controller is disclosed. The DS module may be configured to provide a control signal to an electromechanical device, such as a voice coil motor (VCM), of an image capture module to move a lens assembly to focus an image of an object to be imaged onto a primary image sensor. The DS module may direct the capture of an image for depth sensing by the DS image sensor and perform a depth sensing (DS) technique on the captured DS image to identify a focus point of the lens assembly. The DS technique may identify a magnitude of a split in segments of the DS image, where the segments correspond to light refracted through different prism elements of the array of prism elements. This determined focus point may be used to displace the lens assembly relative to the primary image sensor to achieve focus of the object onto the primary image sensor.

Imaging systems with semiconductor image sensors (e.g., charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, etc.) may use a variety of mechanisms for autofocus of an image to be captured. These mechanisms may use, for example, a sweep through a range of the focal lengths to find an appropriate focal length that produces a sharp image. These types of mechanisms may require a relatively long time to find the appropriate focal distance and may lead to a relatively poor user experience. Other mechanisms may include using phase detection (PD) where some of the pixels of the image sensor may be devoted to identifying a focal length and/or the focal displacement, or split screen autofocus, where vernier mechanisms may be used to achieve autofocus.


An improved photovoltaic cell and a method for making such cells is provided. In a generic sense, the preferred method comprises the step of (1) applying a coating of an aluminum metal paste onto the rear surface of the substrate in a suitable rear contact pattern, (2) applying a layer of a glass frit paste so as to envelop the rear contact, and (3) firing those pastes so as to form a rear contact protected by a glass overcoating. A front contact also is formed by applying a silver metal/glass frit paste onto the anti-reflection coating in a related front contact pattern. The front and rear contacts may be fired simultaneously or in two different steps. However, a single firing method is preferred because thicker aluminum contacts are possible.. In a preferred embodiment, the cell provided by the invention includes (1) a silicon substrate having a shallow p-n junction adjacent its front surface, (2) a plurality of silver soldering pads bonded to the rear surface of the substrate, (3) an aluminum contact on the rear surface of the substrate having openings that expose at least portions of said silver pads, (4) a silver contact surrounded by an anti-reflection coating on the front surface of the substrate, and (5) a glass layer overlying the aluminum contact so as to protect it against oxidation and corrosion. The glass layer has windows exposing portions of the soldering pads for solder attachment of connecting wire ribbons.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to photovoltaic cells. More particularly, the invention relates to the formation and protection of metallization layers on such photovoltaic cells.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Silicon photovoltaic cells essentially comprise a semiconductor substrate of one conductivity type having a shallow p-n junction formed adjacent one surface thereof.
One method of making photovoltaic solar cells involves provision of semiconductor substrates in the form of flat sheets or wafers having a shallow p-n junction adjacent one surface thereof (commonly called the "front surface"). Such substrates, which may include an insulating anti-reflection ("AR") coating on their front surfaces, are commonly referred to as "solar cell blanks". The anti-reflection coating is transparent to solar radiation. In the case of silicon solar cells, the AR coating is often made of silicon nitride or an oxide of silicon or titanium. Preferably, but not necessarily, the silicon nitride is formed by a plasma deposition process.
A typical solar cell blank may take the form of a rectangular EFG-grown silicon substrate of p-type conductivity having a thickness in the range of 0.012 to 0.016 inches and a p-n junction located about 0.5 microns from its front surface, and also having a silicon nitride coating about 800 Angstroms thick covering its front surface. Equivalent solar cell blanks also are well known, e.g. those comprising single crystal silicon substrates and cast polycrystalline silicon substrates.
The cells require electrical contacts (sometimes referred to as "electrodes") on both the front and rear sides of the semiconductor substrate in order to be able to recover an electrical current from the cells when they are exposed to solar radiation. These contacts are typically made of aluminum, silver, or nickel. For example, a common arrangement with solar cells having a silicon substrate is to make the rear contact of aluminum and the front contact of silver.
The contact on the front surface of the cell is generally made in the form of a grid, comprising an array of narrow fingers and at least one elongate bus that intersects the fingers. The width, number, and arrangement of the fingers is such that the area of the front surface adapted for exposure to solar radiation is maximized. Further to improve the conversion efficiency of the cell, an AR coating as described above is applied at least to those areas of the first side of the cell that are not covered by the front contact.
Aluminum is preferred for the rear contact for cost and other reasons. The rear contact may cover the entire rear surface of the solar cell blank, but more commonly it is formed so as to terminate close to but short of the edges of the blank. However, the exposed surface of an aluminum contact tends to oxidize in air, making soldering difficult. Therefore, to facilitate soldering, it has been found useful additionally to provide apertures in the aluminum coating, with silver soldering pads being formed in those apertures so as to slightly overlap the adjacent aluminum layer. These silver pads form ohmic bonds with the underlying substrate and also low resistance electrical connections with the aluminum contact, and are used as sites for soldering the connecting copper ribbons to the rear contact. This latter arrangement is more efficient than soldering the copper ribbons directly to the aluminum contact. Such a contact arrangement is disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO 92/02952, based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/561,101, filed Sep. 1, 1990 by Frank Bottari et al. for "Method Of Applying Metallized Contacts To A Solar Cell" (U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,386, issued 29 Sep. 1992). The front and rear contacts may be formed in various ways, but preferably they are formed by a paste printing/firing technique which involves printing a selected metal-containing paste or ink onto each surface of the solar cell blank and then firing that paste or ink in a suitable predetermined atmosphere so as to cause the metal constituent of the paste or ink to bond to the blank and form an ohmic contact therewith. The paste or ink comprises an organic vehicle in which particles of the selected metal are dispersed, and the firing is conducted so that the vehicle's components are removed by evaporation and/or pyrolysis.
The printing may be conducted in various ways, e.g., by silk screen printing, ad printing or direct write printing techniques. One suitable pad printing technique is disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO 92/02952, supra. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 666,334, filed 7 Mar. 1991 by Jack I. Hanoka and Scott E. Danielson for "Method And Apparatus For Forming Contacts" (U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,377, issued 29 Sep. 1992), discloses an improved method for direct writing a thick ink film onto the front surface of a solar cell blank. The teaching of those patents are incorporated herein by the foregoing reference thereto.
For purposes of clarification and definiteness, as used herein the terms "ink" and paste" are to be construed as essentially synonymous terms for describing fluid printing materials since they are used interchangeably by persons skilled in the art, although the term "ink" suggests a lower viscosity than the term "paste". In this connection, it is to be appreciated that the viscosity of the fluid material is adjusted according to the manner in which it is applied, e.g., silk screen printing, pad printing, and direct write printing. Also, the terms "metal paste" and "metal ink" are to be construed as denoting a metal-rich fluid comprising a selected metal in the form of discrete particles dispersed in an organic vehicle that is removable or destroyable on heating, e.g., via evaporation and/or pyrolysis. The metal paste may optionally contain a glass frit. The vehicle typically comprises an organic binder and a solvent of suitable properties, e.g., ethyl or methyl cellulose and Carbitol or terpineol. Thus, the term "aluminum metal paste" is to be construed as denoting a fluid aluminum-rich composition comprising aluminum particles dispersed in an organic vehicle. Further, the term "glass frit paste" denotes fluid compositions comprising a selected glass frit dispersed in an organic vehicle of the type previously described, and the term "metal/glass frit paste", e.g., a silver metal/glass frit paste, is to be construed as a metal paste that essentially comprise a selected glass frit in a predetermined amount on an eight percent basis.
Heretofore a preferred method of forming aluminum back contacts by the paste printing/firing technique has been to coat the rear side of the solar cell blank with an aluminum metal paste co-rising an aluminum powder dispersed in an organic vehicle so that the total weight of the aluminum powder in the paste applied to the blank is between about 0.8-2.0 mg/cm.sup.2 of coated substrate surface, and then firing that material (with or without a previous drying procedure) in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, e.g., nitrogen, under conditions adequate to evaporate and/or pyrolyze the organic vehicle and also cause the aluminum to alloy and fuse to the silicon substrate.
The alloying process involve melting the aluminum particles and the adjoining region of the substrate, and then cooling the solar cell blank to effect re-crystallization of the melted region of the substrate. The re-crystallized region comprises silicon highly doped with aluminum. The firing and cooling produces an aluminum contact on the rear surface of the substrate that is mechanically and electrically bonded to the re-crystallized region of the silicon substrate.
The grid-shaped contact on the front surface has been formed in various ways. For example, in some cases the grid contact is formed by a paste printing/firing method, and then covering at least those portions of the front surface of the substrate not covered by the grid contact with an AR coating.
Another approach comprises first coating the semiconductor substrate with an AR coating, and thereafter forming the grid contact. This latter approach has been practiced in two different forms. One way involves chemically etching away portions of the anti-reflection coating so as to expose areas of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate in the desired grid electrode pattern, and then forming the grid contact on the front surface in the region where the anti-reflection coating has been etched away.
The second way of forming the front contact utilizes the so-called "fired-through" method. That method utilizes a solar cell blank having an AR coating on its front surface and comprises the following steps: (1) applying a coating of a metal/glass frit paste to the surface of the AR coating in a predetermined pattern corresponding to the configuration of the desired grid electrode, and (2) heating the coated solar cell blank to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the metal/glass frit composition to dissolve and migrate through the anti-reflection coating and then form an ohmic contact with the underlying front surface of the substrate.
The "fired through" method of forming silver contacts is illustrated by PCT Patent Application Publication WO 89/12312, published 14 Dec. 1989, based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 205,304, filed 10 Jun. 1988 by Jack Hanoka for an "Improved Method of Fabricating Contacts or Solar Cells". The concept of firing metal contact through an anti-reflection dielectric coating also is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,197, issued to Y. Nagahara et al. for "Solar Cell with Paste Contact".
In one prior art method of manufacturing solar cells having aluminum back contacts a so-called "double-fire" process is utilized. In that process, an aluminum metal ink is deposited on the rear surface of a solar cell blank in the desired pattern of the rear contact, the solar cell blank having an AR coating (preferably silicon nitride) on its front surface. Then, the solar cell blank is fired in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature and for a time adequate to produce an aluminum contact alloyed to the underlying silicon substrate in the manner described above. Thereafter, a silver metal/glass frit paste is coated onto the AR layer so as to define a suitable grid contact pattern, as discussed above, following which a second firing operation is conducted in air to form a silver grid contact bonded to the front surface of the solar cell blank.
When the double fire process involves forming silver soldering pads in opening in the aluminum back contact, the blocks or segments of silver metal paste used to form the pads are fired at the same time as the silver metal paste used to form the front grid electrode. Typically, the silver metal paste used to form the soldering pads contain a glass frit, as does the silver metal paste used to form the front contact that is fired through the AR coating. See International Application No. PCT/US91/06445, filed 6 Sep. 1991 for "Electrical Contacts And Method Of Manufacturing Same", based on U.S. application Ser. No. 586,894, filed 24 Sep. 1990, by David A. St. Angelo et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,362, issued 2 Jun. 1992), which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.
The so-called "double-fire" process is costly because of the steps and equipment involved. Hence, efforts also have been made to develop a successful so-called "single-fire" process in which the aluminum back contact and a grid-like silver front contact are fired simultaneously.
A primary concern of solar cell manufacturers is the need to decrease contact corrosion and increase reliability and useful life of solar cells and solar cell modules and panels. Although solar cell modules, i.e., modules comprising a plurality of solar cells connected in a suitable series and/or parallel circuit matrix, are made so that the solar cells are sealed between substantially rigid front and back support sheets, with at least the front sheet being transparent, the solar cells are subject to deterioration because of some leakage of outside atmosphere through the protective module encapsulation. Such leakage tends to result in cell deterioration, in part by oxidation and corrosion of the aluminum contacts. Oxidation of the aluminum back contact reduces cell efficiency and also shortens the useful life expectancy of the cells and modules.
Moreover, problems have been encountered in simultaneously firing the paste used to form the silver front contacts and aluminum rear contacts in the same atmosphere. The silver paste must be fired in air. Unfortunately, aluminum oxidation is accelerated when the aluminum-containing coating is fired in an oxygen-containing atmosphere, resulting in a porous aluminum contact on the rear side of the substrate. This porous aluminum metallization tends to degrade rapidly during conventional accelerated testing. Furthermore, there is a strong tendency for the aluminum to form what have been variously referred to as "balls" or "bumps" when fired in air. These anomalies in the rear contact tend to result in an increase in cell breakage in the course of interconnecting and encapsulating a plurality of cells together in a module.
Further, with respect to the single fire process, where silver soldering pads are provided in apertures in the aluminum contact with the silver pads overlapping edge portions of the aluminum layer, it has been found that the silver overlapping the aluminum tends to flake off after firing. Obviously, this poor mechanical adherence between the silver and the aluminum is undesirable.
The prior art also tends to suggest that increasing the thickness of the aluminum contact on the rear side of the solar cell may result in an improvement in overall cell efficiency. The reason for this is not fully understood, but it is believed that since a thicker aluminum contact can be achieved by increasing the amount of aluminum paste applied to the substrate, firing of the thicker paste layer will result in formation of a thicker aluminum metal contact, and also in formation of a thicker aluminum-rich (P.sup.+) region or zone between the aluminum metal contact and the underlying substrate. The latter result provides an improved back surface field, resulting in improved cell efficiency. In this context, what is meant by a "thick" aluminum contact is one with a thickness on the order of 25 microns, in contrast to prior "thin" aluminum contacts which are characterized by a thickness not exceeding about 8 microns. By way of example, a "thick" aluminum contact may be obtained by coating an aluminum paste so as to provide 4.6-8.0 mg of aluminum per cm.sup.2 of coated substrate surface, while a "thin" aluminum contact is produced if the paste is applied in a thickness providing aluminum in an amount equal to between 0.8-2.3 mg/cm.sup.2 of coated substrate surface.
However, it has been determined that providing thick aluminum contacts on thin polycrystalline solar cell blanks, e.g., blanks comprising substrates made by the EFG crystal growth process, is not feasible when using the double fire process, because such thick aluminum contacts have been found to so warp the underlying semi-conductor substrates as a consequence of the double firing as to cause breakage of the cell.