A semiconductor chip bonding apparatus maintains a semiconductor chip in a parallel state with respect to a lead frame when applying a bonding load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a semiconductor chip bonding apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus to bond a semiconductor chip on a lead frame or a substrate such as a PCB.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices are generally formed by a fabrication (FAB) process which forms electrical circuits on a silicon wafer, an electrical die sorting (EDS) process which tests electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices formed using a fabrication process, and a package process which encapsulates semiconductor devices with synthetic resins and individualizes semiconductor devices.
The package process of a semiconductor chip includes a sawing process which cuts a silicon wafer including circuits of a fine pattern into a chip unit of a predetermined size, a die bonding process which attaches chips to a lead frame, a wire bonding process which electrically connects chips to a lead frame using a conductive wire, a mold process which protects a conductive wire and chips from an external environment, and a forming process which bends an external lead of a lead frame into a predetermined shape.
The sawing process is a process which separates a wafer adhering to a tape into a chip unit of predetermined size using a diamond cutter. As a result of the sawing process, chips of the chip unit including circuits of a fine pattern are provided. The chips separated from the wafer by the sawing process are arranged and transferred to the lead frame. An adhesive such as epoxy spreads on the lead frame and the chips adhere to the lead frame by the adhesive. The chips are pressurized by a bonding load of a die bonder to fixedly adhere to the lead frame.


An integrated circuit structure includes: a semiconductor nanowire extending in a length direction and including a body portion; a gate dielectric surrounding the body portion; a gate electrode insulated from the body portion by the gate dielectric; a semiconductor source portion adjacent to a first side of the body portion; and a semiconductor drain portion adjacent to a second side of the body portion opposite the first side, the narrowest dimension of the second side of the body portion being smaller than the narrowest dimension of the first side. In an embodiment, the nanowire has a conical tapering. In an embodiment, the gate electrode extends along the body portion in the length direction to the source portion, but not to the drain portion. In an embodiment, the drain portion at the second side of the body portion has a lower dopant concentration than the source portion at the first side.

Low bandgap materials can improve field-effect transistor (FET) performance. However, such materials can also suffer from large amounts of band-to-band tunneling (BTBT), which can lead to high off-state leakage.
These and other features of the present embodiments will be understood better by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the figures herein described. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Furthermore, as will be appreciated, the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale or intended to limit the described embodiments to the specific configurations shown. For instance, while some figures generally indicate straight lines, right angles, acute or oblique angles, and smooth surfaces, an actual implementation of the disclosed techniques may have less than perfect straight lines, right angles, and acute or oblique angles, and some features may have surface topography or otherwise be non-smooth, given real-world limitations of fabrication processes. In short, the figures are provided merely to show example structures.

Asymmetrical semiconductor nanowire field-effect transistor


A process for producing a liquid ejection head including a silicon substrate having a supply port to supply a liquid to a flow path, and an ejection-orifice-forming member forming the flow path between the ejection-orifice-forming member and the silicon substrate and having an ejection orifice to eject the liquid in the flow path. The process includes forming an etching protection film so as to cover the ejection-orifice-forming member; forming the supply port passing through the silicon substrate by anisotropic etching using an alkaline aqueous solution; and removing the etching protection film. The etching protection film includes an organic polymer material having a storage modulus at 80° C. of 1.0×106 Pa or higher.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a liquid ejection head.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet recording head applied to an ink jet recording system generally has an ink flow path, an energy-generating section installed in a part of the ink flow path, and a minute ink ejection orifice to eject an ink. As a process for producing such an ink jet recording head, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-286149 discloses a process in which a mold of an ink flow path is patterned with a photosensitive resin material on a substrate on which an electrothermal conversion element serving as an energy-generating element is formed; a coating resin layer to form the ink flow path on the substrate is applied and formed so as to coat the mold pattern; an ink ejection orifice to communicate with the mold of the ink flow path is formed on the coating resin layer; and then the photosensitive material used for the mold is removed.
The ink jet recording head produced by the above process is a so-called side shooter-type ink jet recording head in which the growth direction of a bubble to be the ejection energy is the same as the ejection direction of an ink. In the side shooter-type ink jet recording head, since an ink supply port passing through the substrate needs to be formed in order to supply the ink to the ink flow path, the ink supply port is formed by sandblast processing in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-286149. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-119725 discloses mechanical processing using a drill, processing using a light energy such as laser light and a processing method using chemical etching. Further, a method of forming an ink supply port from the back surface of a silicon substrate by a chemical etching (anisotropic etching) using tetramethylammonium hydride (TMAH) is exemplified.
In the case where an ink supply port is formed from the back surface of a substrate by anisotropic etching, in order to protect an ejection-orifice-forming member already formed on the surface of the substrate from erosion by an etchant, a process of coating the ejection-orifice-forming member with a protection film material can be mentioned. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-119725 discloses a process of using a resin material composed of a cyclized isoprene as a protection film material.

Process for producing a liquid ejection head


An I.V. Flow Controller incorporating an adjustable, differential pressure regulator that provides a constant but adjustable differential pressure across a fixed orifice. One end of the adjustment range provides shut-off and the other end full-flow. The adjustment range covers flow rates from zero to 250 ml/hr. At a given setting, the flow rate is independent of the total hydrostatic head height between the supply reservoir and a patient, provided the head height is greater than the pressure drop across the orifice at the maximum regulated flow rate, plus venous pressure, plus the pressure drop in the indwelling catheter.

With the advent of hypodermic needles and especially stainless steel needle stock, access was provided to the blood system via a vein for performing transfusions, adding plasma, biological saline solution, glucose and drugs to the body. The pressure required to drive the fluid into the vein, overcoming the venous pressure and the pressure drop of the indwelling needle or catheter, is provided by the hydrostatic head produced by raising the supply vessel above the patient. However, for various reasons, the rate of administering the fluid had to be controlled; for instance, when drugs were administered and it was desired to maintain the optimal concentration of drug in the blood system, and when the introduced fluid had a detrimental effect on the vein lining and a slower delivery rate was desired to provide quicker dilution of the drug. These factors gave rise for the need of flow control means
From the beginning of I.V. administration to the present time the predominant flow control means was to partially occlude the supply line by clamping means. Of these clamping means the most accepted was the Roller Clamp. However, this means has a common problem caused by the stress induced plastic yielding of the universally used plastic tubing of the administration sets. When the plastic tubing was partially occluded by clamping, the stresses set up in the tubing are slowly released by plastic flow. The result is that the flow rate changes with time, necessitating readjustment of the flow rate one or more times until an stable condition is reached. Nevertheless, Roller Clamps are presently the most used flow control means.
Other I.V. flow rate control means have come to market. One approach has been via an adjustable flow restrictor, wherein the effective length of the flow passage is changed by the adjustment means. Another approach is the use of a differential pressure regulator that provides a constant differential pressure that is applied to a separate, adjustable flow length restrictor. Adjustment of this flow restrictor varies the length of a variable cross-section channel the fluid must traverse. At one end of the adjustment range the channel is occluded for shut-off, at the other end of the adjustment range the channel is bypassed for full flow. This design appears to fulfill a need, but is limited by its manufacturing cost and a propensity to plug.
Both of the above two approaches suffer from the fact that the flow channel must be sealed on both sides for their entire length to prevent leakage externally or along the sides of the channel thereby decreasing the impedance of the flow restrictor. A tight fit of the mating parts to prevent leakage results in too high a torque for acceptable ease of adjustment and conversely, if the adjustment torque is reduced by easing the interference fit, leakage occurs. The worse case occurs if the controller is mounted close to the supply reservoir, in which case the external pressure is greater than the pressure in the flow controller, resulting in air leakage into the I.V. solution. The window between acceptable adjustment torque and the threshold of leakage is small, resulting in difficultly of manufacturing and increased cost.
The present invention uses an internal, fixed orifice providing a hermetically sealed unit, except for the adjusting stem which is sealed by a silicone coated O-ring that provides a vacuum tight seal.


A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) 10 across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel 14 controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18). The conversational kernel (14) converts voice requests into queries and converts outputs and results into spoken messages using conversational engines (18) and conversational arguments (17). The conversational application API (13) conveys all the information for the conversational kernel (14) to transform queries into application calls and conversely convert output into speech, appropriately sorted before being provided to the user.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to systems and methods for conversational computing. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a CVM (conversational virtual machine) that may be implemented as either a stand-alone OS (operating system) or as a platform or kernel that runs on top of a conventional OS or RTOS (real-time operating system) possibly providing backward compatibility for conventional platforms and applications. A CVM as described herein exposes conversational APIs (application program interface), conversational protocols and conversational foundation classes to application developers and provides a kernel layer that is responsible for implementing conversational computing by managing dialog and context, conversational engines and resources, and conversational protocols/communication across platforms and devices having different conversational capabilities to provide a universal CUI (conversational user interface).
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, GUI (graphical user interface) based OSs (operating systems) are dominant in the world of PCS (personal computers) and Workstations as the leading architectures, platforms and OS are fundamentally GUI based or built around GUI kernels. Indeed, with the exception of telephony applications such as IVR (interactive voice response) where the UI is primarily voice and DTMF (dual tone multifrequency) I/O (input/output), the most common information access and management applications are built around the GUI paradigm. In addition, other non-GUI based UIs are utilized in connection with older architectures such as mainframes or very specialized systems. In general, with the GUI paradigm, the UI between the user and machine is graphic (e.g., Microsoft Windows or Unix-X Windows) and multi-tasking is provided by displaying each process as a separate window, whereby input to each window can be via a keyboard, a mouse, and/or other pointing devices such as a pen (although some processes can be hidden when they are not directly "interacting/interfacing" with the user).
GUIs have fueled and motivated the paradigm shift from time-shared mainframes to individual machines and other tiers such as servers and backend services and architectures. GUI based OSs have been widely implemented in the conventional PC client/server model to access and manage information. The information that is accessed can be local on the device, remote over the Internet or private intranets, personal and located on multiple personal PCS, devices and servers. Such information includes content material, transaction management and productivity tools. However, we are witnessing a new trend departing from the conventional PC client/server model for accessing and managing information towards billions of pervasive computing clients (PvC clients) that are interconnected with each other thereby allowing users to access and manage information from anywhere, at anytime and through any device. And this access to information is such that the interface to it is the same independently of the device or application that is used. This trends goes in pair with miniaturization of the devices and dramatic increase of their capabilities and complexity. Simultaneously, because the telephone is still the most ubiquitous communication device for accessing information, the same expectation of ubiquitous access and management to information through the telephone becomes even stronger.
Unfortunately, access to such information is limited by the available devices or the interface, and the underlying logic is completely different depending on the device. Indeed, the variety and constraints met in the embedded world have no comparison with what is met in the other tiers, i.e. desktop, workstations and backend servers and, thus, the embedded world poses a real challenge to UIs. Moreover, the increasing complexity of PvC clients coupled with increasingly constrained input and output interface significantly reduces the effectiveness of GUI. Indeed, PvC clients are more often deployed in mobile environment where user desire hand-free or eye-free interactions. Even with embedded devices which provide some constrained display capabilities, GUIs overload tiny displays and hog scant power and the CPU resources. In addition, such GUIs overwhelm and distract the user fighting the constrained interface. Furthermore, the more recently formulated need for ubiquitous interfaces to access and manage information anytime from anywhere through any device reveals the GUI limitations.
Recently, voice command and control (voice C&C) UIs are emerging everywhere computers are used. Indeed, the recent success of speech recognition as shrink wrap retail products and its progressive introduction as part of the telephony IVR (interactive voice response) interface has revealed that speech recognition will become a key user interface element. For instance, telephone companies, call centers and IVR have implemented speech interfaces to automate certain tasks, reduce their operator requirements and operating costs and speed-up call processing. At this stage, however, IVR application developers offer their own proprietary speech engines and APIs (application program interface). The dialog development requires complex scripting and expert programmers and these proprietary applications are typically not portable from vendor to vendor (i.e., each application is painstakingly crafted and designed for specific business logic).
In addition, speech interfaces for GUI based OSs have been implemented using commercially available continuous speech recognition applications for dictation and command and control. These speech applications, however, are essentially add-ons to the GUI based OSs in the sense that such applications allow for the replacement of keyboard and mouse and allows a user to change the focus, launch new tasks, and give voice commands to the task in focus. Indeed, all of the current vendors and technology developers that provide such speech interfaces rely on incorporating speech or NLU (natural language understanding) as command line input to directly replace keyboards or pointing devices to focus on and select from GUI menus. In such applications, speech is considered as a new additional I/O modality rather than the vector of a fundamental change in the human/machine interaction.
The implementation of speech, NLU or any other input/output interfaces as a conversational system should not be limited to superficial integration into the operating system. Nor should it be limited to a ubiquitous look and feel across embedded devices. Instead it should fundamentally modify the design of the underlying operating system and computing functions. Furthermore, flexibility on the input and output media imposes that the most fundamental changes in the operating system do not require speech input/output but can also be implemented with more conventional keyboard, mouse or pen input and display output.
Accordingly, a system that provides conversational computing across multiple platforms, devices and application through a universal conversational user interface, which goes far beyond adding speech I/O or conversational capabilities to existing applications, building conventional conversational applications or superficially integrating "speech" in conventional operating systems, is highly desirable.

Conversational computing via conversational virtual machine

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a multichannel spectrometer (10), in particular for examining moles (16) having an evaluating and display device (14) and optical means (18, 19, 21, 23, 22) to determine and display reflectance spectra of a skin surface on an ascertainable image plane (x,y) while considering white standards (17). In such a spectrometer for the examination of inter alia malignant moles (16), a contactless optical point-by-point scanning of the skin surface is desirable, which is why the optics of the spectrometer (10) comprise a lens system (18, 21, 22) directed on the skin surface and the white standard (17) and a slotted diaphragm (19) succeeded by a diffraction grating (23) directed in accordance with a slot (20) of the slotted diaphragm (19) for the simultaneous production of the reflectance spectrum of the points of a determinable line (25) of the skin surface and of the white standard (17) on the image plane (x,y) connected to the subsequent diffraction grating (23) with the evaluating and display device (14).

Measurements of body colors become increasingly important in many technological fields. In the medical field it is important to obtain objective standards for body colors, for example, to obtain diagnostic information about the skin surface. In the conventional colors measuring apparatuses, the light which is radiated from the skin surface of a body point is analyzed in its spectrum by a monochromator and is then compared with given standard spectral value curves to determine the color coordinates. In the case of non-self-luminous objects there must be started from a given illumination type or the primary light spectrum must be included and the re-emission spectrum of the body point be corrected thereon.
Such a spectrometer is known from DE-OS 27 26 606 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,738 which relates substantially to a so-called medical spectrophotometer having a spacer ring at the end where the objective is positioned to measure the color by means of the spectrometry of reflected light, so of the measurement of the re-emission (reflectance) of, for example, a skin surface, in which as a reference a white standard is used alternately. Such a spectrometer enables the determination of the re-emission spectrum of a point of the surface.
With structured surfaces, for example, of a skin surface with moles or of the surface of a mole itself, it is necessary not only to determine a defined point with respect to its re-emission spectrum, but also to determine this information of a plurality of skin surface points. In the ideal case it is desirable to determine the re-emission spectrum of each point of the skin surface. This requires an expensive point-by-point scanning of the surface. Furthermore, in the examination of in certain circumstances malignant moles a contact-free examination is desirable.
A device for measuring and evaluating natural fluorescent spectra of organic tissue surfaces is known from DE-OS 38 15 743 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,707. In the latter device it is suggested for establishing the spectral distribution of fluorescent light of the skin surface to expose same to a light stripe by projection of an image of a slot on the skin surface. This has for its result that a common spectrum is obtained, which spectrum is the average of the spectra of all points of the slot image projected from the light source on the skin surface. As already explained hereinbefore, a desired optical point-by-point scanning of the skin surface is not possible with this device.


A method for registering a non-patient-characteristic three-dimensional magnetic resonance data set (MR data set) to patient-characteristic data includes: producing or providing a non-patient-characteristic three-dimensional generic model of a body or body part containing body structure data; ascertaining or providing two-dimensional patient-characteristic detection data of a patient; using a transformation protocol for data-linking the body structure data of the three-dimensional generic model to the two-dimensional patient-characteristic detection data to change or adapt the generic model of the body or body part based on the ascertained two-dimensional patient-characteristic detection data, wherein the three-dimensional generic model is at least correlated with a three-dimensional MR reference data set; and changing or deforming at least a part of the three-dimensional MR reference data set by using the transformation protocol to generate a patient-characteristic three-dimensional MR data set that is registered to the fluoroscopic images.

When examining a patient or preparing for surgery, in particular surgery in the region of bones such as, for example, spine, hip joint or knee operations, x-ray recordings or computer tomography (CT) recordings of the affected body structure are taken. From these recordings, the body structures can be clearly displayed. A drawback to such methods, however, is that x-ray radiation used to generate the images can be a burden to the patient's health.
Magnetic resonance or nuclear spin tomography recordings (MR recordings) can be produced without any burden to the health of a patient. Such imaging techniques are suitable for displaying soft tissue. Bone structures, however, generally are poorly identified or not identifiable in MR recordings.
In order to display both bone structures and soft tissues, it may be necessary to register or fuse CT recordings or x-ray recordings to MR recordings of a patient. This, however, can incur significant costs since computer tomographs and magnetic resonance tomographs are very expensive both to purchase, maintain and operate. Further, a plurality of CT recordings typically are produced, which can place a high radiation load on the patient.
Attempts have been made to develop systems that can be used without separately detected patient body structure data, for example on the basis of generic models of image data sets for body structures. However, such systems can lack the required accuracy for the patient to be treated in each case.
EP 1 348 394 relates to a method for computer-assisted, medical navigation in which the current position of a patient or part of a patient's body and the positions of medical treatment apparatus or treatment-assisting apparatus are detected by means of a position detection unit. The detected position data are assigned to body structure data in order to jointly use the body structure data and assigned position data within the framework of treatment assistance. Body structure data are used that are obtained on the basis of a three-dimensional generic model, wherein the model is adapted by data-linking on a two-dimensional plane with patient-characteristic, two-dimensional detection data.
These generic models, however, are not primarily based on MR data sets. Therefore, generic MR data cannot be correspondingly deformed and registered to the fluoroscopic images.

Registering MR patient data on the basis of generic models


A container for storing a food product, the container including a top opening for receiving a material, a side portion extending between the top opening and a bottom of the container. The container provides an inward projecting rib disposed on the side portion having an upper portion having a radius of curvature smaller than a bottom portion of the rib. The rib provides for increased hoop strength and facilitates product evacuation below the rib.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container having ribs designed to improve product evacuation from the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
When certain products are stored in plastic containers, these products become oxygen scavengers. This scavenging induces a vacuum that can cause the side surface of the container to collapse or buckle. Peanut butter and mayonnaise are examples of such products. One solution is to add more weight or thickening ribs to prevent collapse to improve the vacuum performance. Other approaches include a circumferential thickness of material, which creates an internally protruding rib. However, these solutions undesirably increase the container weight.
Another solution may be to provide ribs having about the same thickness to provide a structure to prevent buckling. However, these sort of ribs, by convention, have a symmetrical top to bottom profile. Further, to provide adequate hoop strength to prevent collapse, these ribs have tight corners leading into and out of the profile. While these ribs are used to resist internal pressures on the bottle, they have some drawbacks. In particular, products such as peanut butter, mayonnaise, and other food products are scooped or spatulated from their packaging for final use. The profile and blends (radii) make it difficult to evacuate product, especially products with higher viscosity. That is, it creates a profile below the rib, which makes it difficult to remove all of the product from the package using typical utensils.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved container that provides a structure for good vacuum resistance and product evacuation performance without undue increases in container weight.


A method for forming an interconnect device is provided by the present disclosure. The method includes providing a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming openings in the dielectric layer to expose a portion of a surface of the substrate at a bottom of each opening and forming a metal layer to fill up the openings. The method also includes forming a semiconductor cover layer on the metal layer and on the dielectric layer, and performing a thermal annealing reaction to convert portions of the semiconductor cover layer that are on the metal layer into a metal capping layer. The method further includes performing a nitridation process on the metal capping layer and a remaining semiconductor cover layer to convert the metal capping layer into a metal nitride capping layer and the remaining semiconductor cover layer into a semiconductor nitride layer.

As very large-scale integrate (VLSI) circuits advance, dimensions of semiconductor devices have been shrinking, and performances of semiconductor devices have been improved accordingly. Due to dimension shrinking of the semiconductor devices, dimensions of interconnects may have to be decreased and consequently may have to carry higher electric current. On the other hand, interconnects are required to have short response time. As a result, conventional interconnect devices are not able to meet the demands on performance of semiconductor devices.
Compared to aluminum (Al), copper has lower resistivity and better resistance to electromigration. Using copper interconnects, resistive-capacitive (RC) delay of interconnects can be reduced. Copper interconnects can also improve electromigration and device reliability of the semiconductor devices. Therefore, copper interconnects are replacing conventional Al interconnects in the semiconductor industry.
However, copper interconnects also have deficiencies. Metallic copper has a high electromigration rate, so copper can diffuse fast in Si, SiO2 and most dielectric materials. Once copper atoms diffuse into semiconductor substrate or dielectric layers, lifetime of minority carriers can be adversely affected and junction leakage current can increase. As a result, circuit failure may occur and reliability of the semiconductor device can be adversely affected.
To solve the problems caused by copper diffusion, a capping layer is often formed on the surface of a metallic layer to prevent copper from diffusing upward into the dielectric layer. Although the capping layer can reduce copper diffusion to a certain extent, performance and reliability of conventional interconnects still need to be improved.

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (BEIJING) CORPORATION

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


Embodiments relate to address mapping including generic bits. An aspect includes receiving an address including generic bits from a memory control unit (MCU) by a buffer module in a main memory. Another aspect includes mapping the generic bits to an address format corresponding to a type of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a memory subsystem associated with the buffer module by the buffer module. Yet another aspect includes accessing a physical location in the DRAM in the memory subsystem by the buffer module based on the mapped generic bits.

The present invention relates generally to computer memory, and more specifically, to address mapping including generic bits in a computer memory.
Contemporary high performance computing main memory systems are generally composed of one or more memory devices, which are connected to one or more memory control unit (MCUs) and/or processors via one or more memory interface elements such as buffers, hubs, bus-to-bus converters, etc. The memory devices are generally located on a memory subsystem such as a memory card or memory module and are often connected via a pluggable interconnection system (e.g., one or more connectors) to a system board (e.g., a PC motherboard).
Overall computer system performance is affected by each of the key elements of the computer structure, including the performance/structure of the processor(s), any memory cache(s), the input/output (I/O) subsystem(s), the efficiency of the memory control function(s), the performance of the main memory devices(s) and any associated memory interface elements, and the type and structure of the memory interconnect interface(s).
Extensive research and development efforts are invested by the industry, on an ongoing basis, to create improved and/or innovative solutions to maximizing overall system performance and density by improving the memory system/subsystem design and/or structure. High-availability systems present further challenges as related to overall system reliability due to customer expectations that new computer systems will markedly surpass existing systems in regard to mean-time-between-failure (MTBF), in addition to offering additional functions, increased performance, increased storage, lower operating costs, etc. Other frequent customer requirements further exacerbate the memory system design challenges, and include such items as ease of upgrade and reduced system environmental impact (such as space, power and cooling). In addition, customers are requiring the ability to access an increasing number of higher density memory devices (e.g., DDR3 and DDR4 SDRAMs) at faster and faster access speeds.
In view of varying cost, capacity, and scalability requirements, a wide number of memory system options may need to be considered. Often a choice needs to be made between using an asynchronous boundary between a processor and memory buffer chips or designing a fully synchronous system. An asynchronous design allows the flexibility of running the processor at a fixed frequency, while memory buffer chips can be programmed to varying frequencies to match the desired memory components. For example, if cost is most important, a slower more widely available dual in-line memory module (DIMM) can be used. In contrast, if performance is paramount, then a leading edge technology DIMM can be used. This type of memory system architecture may work well in systems where each memory channel runs independently. However, this approach typically falls short in high-availability systems.
Redundant array of independent memory (RAIM) systems have been developed to improve performance and/or to increase the availability of storage systems. RAIM distributes data across several independent memory modules, where each memory module contains one or more memory devices. There are many different RAIM schemes that have been developed, each having different characteristics, and different pros and cons associated with them. Performance, availability, and utilization/efficiency (e.g., the percentage of the memory devices that actually hold customer data) are perhaps the most important. The tradeoffs associated with various schemes have to be carefully considered because improvements in one attribute can often result in reductions in another. Examples of RAIM systems may be found, for instance, in U.S. Patent Publication Number 2011/0320918 titled "RAIM System Using Decoding of Virtual ECC", filed on Jun. 24, 2010, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and in U.S. Patent Publication Number 2011/0320914 titled "Error Correction and Detection in a Redundant Memory System", filed on Jun. 24, 2010, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
High availability systems, such as RAIM systems, can include a number of clock domains in various subsystems. Efficient integration of subsystems including different clock domains presents a number of challenges to establish synchronization timing, detection of synchronization issues, and recovery of synchronization.
A computer memory may comprise dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology. The size and capability of the physical DRAM hardware used for the main memory in a computer system may contribute to increased performance and capacity in the computer system. However, DRAM may also be relatively expensive with respect to cost and power consumption. DRAMs may vary significantly in terms of price and capabilities across different types and vendors. There are many sizes and configurations of DRAM chips available. DRAM size indicates how much memory is packaged on a particular DRAM chip, for example, 1 gigabit (Gb), 2 Gb, 4 Gb, 8 Gb, or more. Memory organization (for example, x4, x8, x16) reflects how the addressing and data are sliced within a DRAM, and may influence the capacity of the DRAM, as well as reliability, availability, and serviceability, and power consumption. A DRAM may also implement a particular industry standard architecture, for example, double data rate 3 (DDR3) or DDR4. Flexibility regarding the type of DRAM that may be used in a computer system allows adaptation to changing market needs and supply constraints.
DRAM chips may be packaged on DIMMs that are used in conjunction with buffer chips that act as an interface between a MCU in the computer processor and the DRAM on the DIMM. A buffer chip may comprise a dumb buffer chip, in which case the MCU is fully aware of the memory topology (e.g., size, organization, and generation) of the DRAM on the DIMM in order to communicate with the DRAM. In other types of computer systems, the MCU function may be moved entirely to a smart buffer chip. The computer processor sends a physical address to the smart buffer chip, and the smart buffer chip performs address mapping of the physical address to an actual location in the DRAM on the DIMM. However, there are some types of computer systems where the memory mapping cannot be entirely owned by a smart buffer chip. For example, in a computer system that implements an error correction scheme such as RAIM or error correcting code (ECC) in which the data and error correction are sliced across multiple channels, some memory operations need to be controlled by a MCU in the computer processor, as error correction may be dependent on the specifics of DRAM topology.

Address mapping including generic bits for universal addressing independent of memory type


A method for making a honeycomb composite structure wherein the method allows for fluid flow from cells of a honeycomb core during a cure process. More specifically, the method involves forming one or more vents in a skin of the structure, which are preferably filled with venting wicks, to allow for fluid flow before being sealed by the polymer matrix during a skin bonding process. Additionally, the structure preferably comprises a scrim that allows for fluid flow between multiple cells of the honeycomb core. The honeycomb composite structure produced according to this process comprises, among other things, a sealed venting region that comprises a polymer matrix and fibers that are transverse to the skin.

1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to honeycomb core stiffened composite structures and a method for making the same and, more particularly, to a method for making such structures that allows for fluid flow from cells of a honeycomb core during a cure process. Advantageously, the method of the present disclosure may be used to effectively bond the components of such structures using heat and vacuum, and not super atmospheric pressure, which eliminates the need for bonding the components in an autoclave.
2. Description of Related Art
Honeycomb core sandwich panels or composite structures, which typically comprise composite laminate skins co-cured with adhesives to the honeycomb core, are widely used in the aerospace applications, among others, because of their high stiffness-to-weight (i.e., "specific stiffness") and strength to weight (i.e., "specific strength") ratios.
Honeycomb core composite structures may be fabricated utilizing various composite forming methods. The most commonly employed technique involves the use of a vacuum bag molding assembly wherein an impervious membrane or "vacuum bag" is employed for consolidating the composite skins or layers and ensuring proper adhesion thereof to the centrally disposed honeycomb core. More specifically, the lower or base composite skin, the honeycomb core, and the upper or face composite skin are sequentially laid in a rigid mold member so that the honeycomb core is overlaid or covered by the upper and lower composite skins. The upper and lower composite skins are typically formed from uncured "prepreg" or "B-stage" laminates that comprises a fiber reinforcement such as graphite, aramid, or fiberglass fibers (e.g., linear, weaves, or both) disposed in a binding polymeric matrix such as epoxy, phenolic, or other similar organic resinous material. Film adhesive typically forms the bonds between the upper and lower composite skins and the honeycomb core. A vacuum bag is disposed over the rigid mold member and seals thereto thereby forming a mold cavity that is occupied by the uncured/unbonded composite lay-up. The mold cavity is then evacuated to subatmospheric pressure within the mold, superatmospheric pressure is applied to the exterior (in an autoclave oven), and the temperature of the composite lay-up is increased while in the autoclave oven to cure the lay-up. The combination of subatmospheric internal pressure and superatmospheric external pressure tend to consolidate the composite skins, remove air and volatiles from the resin binder, and apply the necessary compaction pressure to ensure full and uniform adhesion of the lay-up.
The use of an autoclave during the formation of the composite structure may, in certain circumstances, be less than desirable. For example, the use of superatmospheric pressure on the composite during the cure is more likely to result in shifting, distortion, or both of the honeycomb core (typically near the edge) in the direction generally transverse to the cells. Additionally, using superatmospheric pressure during the formation of relatively large structures (e.g., having a size, e.g., a length and width, that is greater than about 1 m2) requires unusually large and costly autoclaves. Without superatmospheric pressure, it has been difficult, if not impossible, to produce structures with sufficient strength and ruggedness because of inadequate compaction of the laminate layers, inadequate bonding of the honeycomb core and skins, or both. This is believed to be due, at least in part, to the increased gaseous pressure within the structure during the process of curing bonding, or both. Specifically, in addition to the expansion of the air in the cells according to universal gas equation (PV=nRT), the evolution of volatiles from, for example, the polymeric matrix of the lay-up or absorbed moisture within the honeycomb core, tend to increase the pressure within the cells, which tends to separate the skin(s) and the honeycomb core. Thus, a need exists for a method of forming honeycomb composite structures, especially those greater than about 1 m2 in size, that does not require the application of superatmospheric pressure and still provides for adequate bonding of the skin(s) and the honeycomb core.

Low temperature, vacuum cure fabrication process for large, honeycomb core stiffened composite structures


The present invention relates to novel antibodies, antibody fragments and antibody conjugates and single-chain immunotoxins reactive with human carcinoma cells. More particularly, the antibodies, conjugates and single-chain immunotoxins of the invention include: a murine monoclonal antibody, BR96; a human/murine chimeric antibody, ChiBR96; a F(ab').sub.2 fragment of BR96; ChiBR96-PE, ChiBR96-LysPE40, ChiBR96 F(ab').sub.2 -LysPE40 and ChiBR96 Fab'-LysPE40 conjugates and recombinant BR96 sFv-PE40 immunotoxin. These molecules are reactive with a cell membrane antigen on the surface of human carcinomas. The BR96 antibody and its functional equivalents, displays a high degree of selectivity for carcinoma cells and possess the ability to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity. In addition, the antibodies of the invention internalize within the carcinoma cells to which they bind and are therefore particularly useful for therapeutic applications, for example, as the antibody component of antibody-drug or antibody-toxin conjugates. The antibodies also have a unique feature in that they are cytotoxic when used in the unmodified form, at specified concentrations.

1. Monoclonal Antibodies Directed Against Cell Membrane Antigens
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to human tumor-associated differentiation antigens offer promises for the "targeting" of various antitumor agents such as radioisotopes, chemotherapeutic drugs, and toxins. Order, in "Monoclonal Antibodies for Cancer Detection and Therapy", Baldwin and Byers, (eds.), London, Academic Press (1985)!.
In addition, some monoclonal antibodies have the advantage of killing tumor cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) in the presence of human effector cells or serum Hellstrom et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:7059-7063 (1986)!, and there are a few monoclonal antibodies that have a direct antitumor activity which does not depend on any host component Drebin et al., Oncogene 2:387-394 (1988)!.
Many monoclonal antibodies reactive with carcinoma-associated antigens are known see, e.g., Papsidero, "Recent Progress In The Immunological Monitoring Of Carcinomas Using Monoclonal Antibodies", Semin. Surg. Oncol., 1 (4):171-81 (1985); Schlom et al., "Potential Clinical Utility Of Monoclonal Antibodies In The Management Of Human Carcinomas", Important Adv. Oncol., 170-92 (1985); Allum et al., "Monoclonal Antibodies In The Diagnosis And Treatment of Malignant Conditions", Surg. Ann., 18:41-64 (1986); and Houghton et al., "Monoclonal Antibodies: Potential Applications To The Treatment Of Cancer", Semin. Oncol., 13(2):165-79 (1986)!.
These known monoclonal antibodies can bind to a variety of different carcinoma-associated antigens including glycoproteins, glycolipids and mucins see, e.g., Fink et al., "Monoclonal Antibodies As Diagnostic Reagents for The Identification And Characterization Of Human Tumor Antigens", Prog. Clin. Pathol., 9:121-33 (1984)!.
For example, monoclonal antibodies that bind to glycoprotein antigens on specific types of carcinomas include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,579 (monoclonal antibodies to non-small cell lung carcinomas), U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,894 (monoclonal antibodies to human breast cancer), U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,827 (monoclonal antibodies to human gastrointestinal cancer), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,352 (monoclonal antibodies to human renal carcinoma).
Monoclonal antibody B72.3, which is one of the antibodies studied the most, recognizes a tumor-associated mucin antigen of greater than 1,000 kd molecular weight that is selectively expressed on a number of different carcinomas. Thus, B72.3 has been shown to react with 84% of breast carcinomas, 94% of colon carcinomas, 100% of ovarian carcinomas and 96% of non-small cell lung carcinomas see Johnston, "Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies In Clinical Cytology As Exemplified By Studies With Monoclonal Antibody B72.3", Acta Cytol., 1(5): 537-56 (1987) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,282, issued to Schlom et al.!. Another patented monoclonal antibody, KC-4, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,930!, recognizes an approximately 400-500 kd protein antigen expressed on a number of carcinomas, such as colon, prostate, lung and breast carcinoma. It appears that neither the B72.3 nor KC-4 antibodies internalize within the carcinoma cells with which they react.
Monoclonal antibodies reactive with glycolipid antigens associated with tumor cells have been disclosed. For example, Young et al., "Production Of Monoclonal Antibodies Specific For Two Distinct Steric Portions Of The Glycolipid Ganglio-N-Triosylceramide (Asialo GM.sub.2)", J. Exp. Med., 150: 1008-1019 (1979) disclose the production of two monoclonal antibodies specific for asialo GM.sub.2, a cell surface glycosphingolipid antigen that was established as a marker for BALB/c V3T3 cells transformed by Kirsten murine sarcoma virus. See, also, Kniep et al., "Gangliotriasylceramide (Asialo GM.sub.2) A Glycosphingolipid Marker For Cell Lines Derived From Patients With Hodgkin's Disease", J. Immunol., 131(3): 1591-94 (1983) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,391 (monoclonal antibody to human malanoma).
Other monoclonal antibodies reactive with glycolipid antigens on carcinoma cells includes those described by Rosen et al., "Analysis Of Human Small Cell Lung Cancer Differentiation Antigens Using A Panel Of Rat Monoclonal Antibodies", Cancer Research, 44:2052-61 (1984) (monoclonal antibodies to human small cell lung cancer), Varki et al., "Antigens Associated with a Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Defined by Monoclonal Antibodies", Cancer Research 44:681-87 (1984); (monoclonal antibodies to human adenocarcinomas of the lung, stomach and colon and melanoma), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,827 (monoclonal antibodies to human colon adenocarcinoma). See, also, Hellstrom et al, "Antitumor Effects Of L6, An IgG2a Antibody That Reacts With Most Human Carcinomas", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:7059-63 (1986) which describes the L6 monoclonal antibody that recognizes a carbohydrate antigen expressed on the surface of human non-small cell lung carcinomas, breast carcinomas and colon carcinomas.
Antibodies to tumor-associated antigens which are not able to internalize within the tumor cells to which they bind are generally not useful to prepare conjugates with antitumor drugs or toxins, since these would not be able to reach their site of action within the cell. Other approaches would then be needed so as to use such antibodies therapeutically.
Additional monoclonal antibodies exhibiting a high specific reactivity to the majority of cells from a wide range of carcinomas are greatly needed. This is so because of the antigenic heterogeneity of many carcinomas which often necessitates, in diagnosis or therapy, the use of a number of different monoclonal antibodies to the same tumor mass. There is a further need, especially for therapy, for so called "internalizing" antibodies, i.e., antibodies that are easily taken up by the tumor cells to which they bind. Antibodies of this type find use in therapeutic methods for selective cell killing utilizing antibody-drug or antibody-toxin conjugates ("immunotoxins") wherein a therapeutic antitumor agent is chemically or biologically linked to an antibody or growth factor for delivery to the tumor, where the antibody binds to the tumor-associated antigen or receptor with which it is reactive and "delivers" the antitumor agent inside the tumor cells see, e.g., Embleton et al., "Antibody Targeting Of Anti-Cancer Agents", in Monoclonal Antibodies For Cancer Detection and Therapy, pp. 317-44 (Academic Press, 1985)!.
2. Immunotoxins
Immunotoxins have been investigated as a new approach for treating metastatic tumors in man Pastan and FitzGerald, Science 254:1173-1177 (1991); FitzGerald and Pastan, Seminars in Cell Biology 2:31-37 (1991) and Vitetta et al., Science 644:650 (1987)!. Pseudomonas exotoxin A ("PE") is a cytotoxic agent produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that kills cells by ADP-ribosylating elongation factor 2, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis Iglewski et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 72:2284-2285 (1975)!.
PE is a polypeptide comprising three domains Allured et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:1320-1324 (1986)!.
Domain I encodes the cell-binding ability; domain II encodes the proteolytic sensitivity site and the membrane translocation ability; and domain III encodes the ADP-ribosylation activity of the toxin Hwang et al., Cell 48:129-136 (1987), Siegall et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264:14256-14261 (1989)!. By removing domain I from PE, a truncated 40 kDa toxin is formed ("PE40") Kondo et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:9470-9475 (1988)!.
PE40 is weakly toxic to cells because it lacks the cell binding domain for the PE receptor Id.! For conjugation of this molecule to an antibody, the amino terminus of PE40 is modified to include a lysine residue to form "LysPE40" Batra et al., supra!. Immunotoxins using PE, have shown promise in preclinical models using human tumor xenografts in nude mice Batra et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8545-8549 (1989); and Pai et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:3358-3362 (1991)!.
Several internalizing antibodies reacting with lymphocyte antigens are known. In contrast, such antibodies are rare when dealing with solid tumors. One of the few examples of an internalizing antibody reacting with carcinomas is an antibody disclosed in Domingo et al., "Transferrin Receptor As A Target For Antibody-Drug Conjugates," Methods Enzymol. 112:238-47 (1985). This antibody is reactive with the human transferrin-receptor glycoprotein expressed on tumor cells. However, because the transferrin-receptor is also expressed on many normal tissues, and often at high levels, the use of an anti-transferrin-receptor antibody in an antibody-drug or antibody-toxin conjugate may have significant toxic effects on normal cells. The utility of this antibody for selective killing or inhibition of tumor cells is therefore questionable. Another internalizing antibody is BR64 (disclosed in co-pending patent applications U.S. Ser. No. 289,635, filed Dec. 22, 1988, and Ser. No. 443,696 filed Nov. 29, 1989, and incorporated by reference herein), which binds to a large spectrum of human carcinomas.
3. Chimeric Antibodies
The cell fusion technique for the production of monoclonal antibodies Kohler and Milstein, Nature (London) 256:495 (1975)! has permitted the development of a number of murine monoclonal antibodies reactive with antigens, including previously unknown antigens.
However, murine monoclonal antibodies may be recognized as foreign substances by the human immune system and neutralized such that their potential in human therapy is not realized. Therefore, recent efforts have focused on the production of so-called "chimeric" antibodies by the introduction of DNA into mammalian cells to obtain expression of immunoglobulin genes Oi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:825 (1983); Potter et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:7161; Morrison et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:6581 (1984); Sahagan et al., J. Immunol. 137:1066 (1986); Sun et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:214 (1987)!.
Chimeric antibodies are immunoglobulin molecules comprising a human and non-human portion. More specifically, the antigen combining region (variable region) of a chimeric antibody is derived from a non-human source (e.g. murine) and the constant region of the chimeric antibody which confers biological effector function to the immunoglobulin is derived from a human source. The chimeric antibody should have the antigen binding specificity of the non-human antibody molecule and the effector function conferred by the human antibody molecule.
In general, the procedures used to produce chimeric antibodies involve the following steps:
a) identifying and cloning the correct gene segment encoding the antigen binding portion of the antibody molecule; this gene segment (known as the VDJ, variable; diversity and joining regions for heavy chains or VJ, variable, joining regions for light chains or simply as the V or variable region) may be in either the cDNA or genomic form; PA1 b) cloning the gene segments encoding the constant region or desired part thereof; PA1 c) ligating the variable region with the constant region so that the complete chimeric antibody is encoded in a form that can be transcribed and translated; PA1 d) ligating this construct into a vector containing a selectable marker and gene control regions such as promoters, enhancers and poly(A) addition signals; PA1 e) amplifying this construct in bacteria; PA1 f) introducing this DNA into eukaryotic cells (transfection) most often mammalian lymphocytes; PA1 g) selecting for cells expressing the selectable marker; PA1 h) screening for cells expressing the desired chimeric antibody; and PA1 i) testing the antibody for appropriate binding specificity and effector functions.
Antibodies of several distinct antigen binding specificities have been manipulated by these protocols to product chimeric proteins e.g. anti-TNP: Boulianne et al., Nature 312:643 (1984); and anti-tumor antigens: Sahagan et al., J. Immunol. 137:1066 (1986)!. Likewise, several different effector functions have been achieved by linking new sequences to those encoding the antigen binding region. Some of these include enzymes Neuberger et al., Nature 312:604 (1984)!, immunoglobulin constant regions from another species and constant regions of another immunoglobulin chain Sharon et al., Nature 309:364 (1984); Tan et al., J. Immunol. 135:3565-3567 (1985)!.
4. Modifying Genes in Situ Encoding Monoclonal Antibodies
The discovery of homologous recombination in mammalian cells permits the targeting of new sequences to specific chromosomal loci. Homologous recombination occurs when cultured mammalian cells integrate exogenous DNA into chromosomal DNA at the chromosome location which contains sequences homologous to the plasmid sequences Folger et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 2:1372-1387 (1982); Folger et al., Symp. Quant. Biol. 49:123-138 (1984); Kucherlapati et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:3153-3157 (1984); Lin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:1391-1395 (1985); de Saint Vincent et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:2002-2006 (1983); Shaul et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:3781-3784 (1985)!.
The potential for homologous recombination within cells permits the modification of endogenous genes in situ. Conditions have been found where the chromosomal sequence can be modified by introducing into the cell a plasmid DNA which contains a segment of DNA homologous to the target locus and a segment of new sequences with the desired modification Thomas et al., Cell 44:419-428 (1986); Smithies et al., Nature 317:230-234 (1985); Smith et al., Symp. Quant. Biol. 49:171-181 (1984)!. Homologous recombination between mammalian cell chromosomal DNA and the exogenous plasmid DNA can result in the integration of the plasmid of in the replacement of some of the chromosomal sequences with homologous plasmid sequences. This can result in placing a desired new sequence at the endogenous target locus.
The process of homologous recombination has been evaluated using genes which offer dominant selection such as NEO and HPRT for a few cell types Song et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:6820-6824 (1987); Rubinitz and Subramani, Mol. Cell Biol. 6:1608-1614 (1986); and Liskay, Cell 35:157-164 (1983)!. Recently, procedures for modifying antibody molecules and for producing chimeric antibody molecules using homologous recombination to target gene modification have been described Fell et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8507-8511 (1989); and co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 243,873 filed Sep. 14, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,244 and Ser. No. 468,035 filed Jan. 22, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,238, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, all of which are incorporated by reference herein!.
5. Monoclonal Antibodies in Therapy
The most direct way to apply antitumor monoclonal antibodies clinically is to administer them in unmodified form, using monoclonal antibodies which display antitumor activity in vitro and in animal (such as humans, dogs, cows, pigs, horses, cats, rats, and mice) models. Most monoclonal antibodies to tumor antigens do not appear to have any antitumor activity by themselves, but certain monoclonal antibodies are known which mediate complement-dependent cytotoxicity (complement-dependent cytotoxicity), i.e. kill human tumor cells in the presence of human serum as a source of complement see, e.g. Hellstrom et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:1499-1502 (1985)!, or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity) together with effector cells such as human NK cells or macrophages.
To detect antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity monoclonal antibodies are tested for lysing cultured .sup.51 Cr-labeled tumor target cells over a 4-hour incubation period.
Target cells are labeled with .sup.51 Cr and then exposed for 4 hours to a combination of effector cells (in the form of human lymphocytes purified by the use of a lymphocyte-separation medium) and antibody, which is added in concentrations varying between 0.1 .mu.g/ml and 10 .mu.g/ml. The release of .sup.51 Cr from the target cells is measured as evidence of tumor-cell lysis (cytotoxicity). Controls include the incubation of target cells along or with either lymphocytes or monoclonal antibody separately.
The total amount of .sup.51 Cr that can be released is measured and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is calculated as the percent killing of target cells observed with monoclonal antibody plus effector cells as compared to target cells being incubated along. The procedure for complement-dependent cytotoxicity is identical to the one used to detect antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity except that human serum, as a source of complement, (diluted 1:3 to 1:6) is added in place of the effector cells.
Monoclonal antibodies with antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity are considered for therapeutic use because they often have anti-tumor activities in vivo. Antibodies lacking antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity in vitro, on the other hand, are commonly ineffective in vivo unless used as carriers of antitumor agents.
The ability of a monoclonal antibody to activate the host's complement may prove to be therapeutically beneficial not only because tumor cells may be killed, but also because the blood supply to tumors may increase, thus facilitating the uptake of drugs see Hellstrom et al., "Immunological Approaches to Tumor Therapy: Monoclonal Antibodies, Tumor Vaccines, and Anti-Idiotypes, in Covalently Modified Antigens and Antibodies in Diagnosis and Therapy", Quash & Rodwell, eds., Marcel Dekker, pp. 15-18 (1989)!.
Among mouse monoclonal antibodies, the IgG2a and IgG3 isotypes are most commonly associated with antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Antibodies having both antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity have high selectivity for killing only the tumor cells to which they bind and would be unlikely to lead to toxic effects if non-specifically trapped in lung, liver or other organs. This may give such antibodies an advantage over radiolabeled antibodies or certain types of immunoconjugates.
Therapeutic modalities directed to treating tumors are commonly available. For example, chemotherapy is an effective treatment for selected human tumors. However, with chemotherapy only modest progress has been made for treating the majority of carcinomas, including carcinomas of breast, lung, and colon.
The introduction of monoclonal antibody (MAb) technology in the 1970s raised hopes that tumor-specific MAbs could be used to target anti-tumor agents and provide more effective therapy (K. E. Hellstrom, and I. Hellstrom, in: Biologic Therapy of Cancer: Principles and Practice, V. T. DeVita, S. Hellman, and S. A. Rosenberg, Eds. (J. P. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa., 1991) pp. 35-52).
6. Immunoconjugates in Therapy
Various immunoconjugates in which antibodies were used to target chemotherapeutic drugs (P. N. Kularni, A. H. Blair, T. I. Ghose, Cancer Res. 41, 2700 (1981); R. Arnon, R. and M. Sela, Immunol. Rev. 62, 5 (1982); H. M. Yang and R. A. Resifeld, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 85, 1189 (1988); R. O. Dilman, D. E. Johnson, D. L. Shawler, J. A. Koziol, Cancer Res. 48, 6097 (1988); L. B. Shih, R. M. Sharkey, F. J. Primus, D. M. Goldenberg, Int. J. Cancer 41, 832 (1988); P. A. Trail, et al., Cancer Res. 52, 5693 (1992)), or plant and bacterial toxins (I. Pastan, M. C. Willingham, D. J. Fitzgerald, Cell 47, 641 (1986); D. D. Blakey, E. J. Wawrzynczak, P. M. Wallace, P. E. Thorpe, in Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Prog. Allergy, H. Waldmann, Ed. (Karger, Basel, 1988), pp. 50-90) have been evaluated in preclinical models and found to be active in vitro and in vivo.
However, activity of these MAbs was usually assessed against newly implanted rather than established tumors and was typically superior to matching, but not optimal, doses of the unconjugated drug.
Although conjugates have been described with anti-tumor activity against established tumors that were superior to that of an optimal dose of unconjugated drug, the therapeutic index was low and superior activity was achieved only at or near the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the conjugate (P. A. Trail, et al., Cancer Res. 52, 5693 (1992)).
The results of clinical studies of drug and toxin conjugates (i.e., immunoconjugates) have also been disappointing, particularly for solid tumors (E. S. Vitetta, R. J. Fulton, R. D. May, M. Till, J. W. Uhr, Science 238, 1098 (1987); H. G. Eichler, Biotherapy 3, 11 (1991); E. Wawrzynczak, Br. J. Cancer 64, 624 (1991); G. A. Pietersz and I. F. C. McKenzie, Immunol. Rev. 129, 57 (1992)).
Very few antibodies are able to kill tumor cells by themselves, that is, in the absence of effector cells or complement as in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or complement-dependent cytotoxicity. BR96 is such an antibody, because it can kill cells by itself at an antibody concentration of approximately 10 .mu.g/ml or higher. Such antibodies are of particular interest since they can interfere with some key event in the survival of neoplastic cells.
Presently, chemotherapeutic agents, by themselves, do not distinguish between malignant and normal cells. They are absorbed by both cell types. Tumors that are detected early on such as acute lymphocytic leukemia and lymphomas are highly susceptible to drugs.
Tumors that are hidden until growth has reached a plateau, such as cancer of the lung and colon, have little sensitivity to drugs. Normal cells with high growth fraction are inevitably attacked by today's anti-cancer drugs, explaining the prevalence of severe side effects in the gastrointestinal tract and of hair loss. This holds true whether the cytotoxicity of the drug is due to alkylation, intercalation, or disruption of biosynthesis/antimetabolites.
The molecules of the invention, e.g., the immunotoxins, are homogeneous molecules that retain the specificity of the cell binding portion with the cytotoxic potential of the toxin.
It is thus apparent that antibodies, antibody conjugates and immunotoxins that display a high degree of selectivity to a wide range of carcinomas, have anti-tumor activity, and are capable of being readily internalized by tumor cells, may be of great benefit in tumor therapy.

Antibody conjugates reactive with human carcinomas


An information storage device having a uniaxial tracking mechanism as a pickup which can perform a stable track pull-in operation is provided. A deceleration pulse amplitude á supplied to a tracking actuator is determined from a linear function á=K(V−V0) of a detected movement velocity of a beam in the vicinity of a target track. The deceleration pulse amplitude is divided into two, and is supplied to the tracking actuator on two different occasions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to information storage devices, and, more particularly, to an information storage device having a uniaxial tracking mechanism as a pickup.
When performing a pull-in operation to move from a seek control operation to a track following control operation in an optical disk device, the velocity of the objective lens is measured to determine a deceleration current. The deceleration current is then outputted so that the velocity is lowered enough to perform a stable track pull-in operation. After that, the operation is switched to the track following control operation.
Meanwhile, to lower the cost of the device, a digital servo system using MPU or DSP is used for controlling a beam-spot tracking mechanism, and a uniaxial system is employed for the tracking mechanism.
In view of this, it is necessary to develop a control method suitable for sampling operations, and also, it is necessary to achieve steadier track pull-in operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
As mentioned above, in a pull-in operation to move from a seek control operation to a track following control operation in an optical disk device, the velocity of the objective lens is measured to determine a deceleration current. The deceleration current is then outputted so that the velocity is lowered enough to perform a stable track pull-in operation. After that, the operation is switched to the track following control operation.
To perform a stable track pull-in operation, the pulse height of a deceleration pulse, i.e., an acceleration á, and the pulse width, i.e., a time t, can be determined using the following equations:t=2d/v  (1)á=v2/2d  (2)
wherein d is the remaining distance to a target track, and v is the velocity at the time of pull-in start. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 3-37876 discloses this method in detail.
In recent years, a tracking control operation for an optical disk device has been performed more and more often by a digital arithmetic unit, such as DSP (Digital Signal Processor), to lower the cost. In such a case, control output is carried out in predetermined sampling cycles. Even if the pulse width t is determined from the velocity v at the pull-in starting time, the resolution is determined by the control sampling cycles of the DSP.
For instance, in a case where a deceleration pulse is outputted at v=8.3 mm/s and at a point half a track before a target track in a 1.1-μm track-pitch optical disk medium, the deceleration pulse height, i.e., the acceleration á, can be determined from the equation (2) as:á=−62.6 [m/s2]
The deceleration pulse width, i.e., the time t, can be determined from the equation (1) as:t=132.5 μs
If sampling is performed at a frequency of 60 kHz, the time t is equivalent to 7.95 cycles. Accordingly, a 7-cycle deceleration pulse is outputted.
Since 7 cycles are equivalent to the time t=116.7 μs, only a deceleration velocity v=át=7.3 mm/s is obtained. For an intended deceleration velocity v of 8.3 mm/s, a residual velocity of 1.0 mm/s is caused. This residual velocity adversely affects the stability in the track pull-in operation.
In an actual device, the velocity v is determined by measuring the cycle T of a tracking error signal and dividing the track pitch p by the cycle T. Accordingly, the velocity v can be expressed as:v=p/T  (3)
From the equation (3), the time t can be expressed as:T=2dT/p  (4)
From the equation (4), the acceleration á can be expressed as:á=p2/(2dT2)  (5)
If noise exists in a tracking error signal, an error is caused in a measured value of the cycle T. The error of the cycle T affects the pulse width t of the deceleration pulse based on the equation (4) and also the acceleration á based on the equation (5). Here, the acceleration á is in inverse proportion to the square of T. For this reason, the error greatly affects the acceleration á, and hinders accurate control operations. Conventionally, a decelerating operation is carried out by a single deceleration pulse having the pulse width t and the pulse height a determined by the equations (4) and (5).
A suitable point to detect the present position of a beam spot in the vicinity of a target track in a seek control operation is half a track before the target track. In a case where the medium has a 1.1-μm pitch, for instance, the suitable beam-spot detecting position is 0.55 μm before a target track.
In a case where the velocity v at the starting time of a track pull-in operation is 8.0 mm/s, to reduce the velocity v to 0 mm/s while moving half a track, a deceleration pulse having a pulse width of 137.5 μs and a pulse height of 58.2 m/s2 is required. In a uniaxial tracking mechanism, the acceleration ability is low, and it is extremely difficult to obtain such a high acceleration. To lower the acceleration, the velocity v at the starting time of a track pull-in operation must be lowered. However, if the velocity is too low, the seek velocity control becomes unstable.
There is a method in which a remaining distance d to a target track is made longer so as to maintain allow acceleration, i.e., a pull-in deceleration pulse is outputted one track or 1.5 tracks before the target track. For instance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-81940 discloses a method in which deceleration is started one track before a target track. In such a method, however, the deceleration pulse width t is larger, and if there is an error in the acceleration mechanism of the tracking actuator or if turbulence is externally caused during a decelerating operation, any of those changes cannot be accommodated. To solve such a problem, there is a method in which a deceleration pulse having a smaller width t is employed. However, this method also has a problem that the residual velocity at the starting time of a deceleration pulse cannot be made high enough to perform stable seek operations. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-102135 suggests a method in which a deceleration pulse is outputted one track before a target track, and the height of the deceleration pulse is then corrected half a track before the target track. In this method, however, an accurate velocity cannot be detected from a tracking error signal half a track before a target track, because deceleration is caused by the deceleration pulse. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-102135, for instance, the track pitch is divided by the zero-cross cycle of a tracking error signal to obtain a velocity detection value VDET. However, since the obtained VDET is the mean velocity between the zero-cross cycles, the instantaneous velocity at the detection point of the latest zero-cross cannot be accurately measured when acceleration is caused.
As described so far, the problems with the prior art are that the deceleration of the beam spot cannot be made high enough after a seek velocity control operation, and that the beam spot velocity used for pulse height correction cannot be accurately measured. Also, with a pulse width and pulse height determined by the equations (4) and (5), the resolution of the pulse width deteriorates due to the sampling, and the height of a deceleration pulse, i.e., the high acceleration á, results in unstable track pull-in operations.


Technical solutions for a motor assembly for an electric power steering system are provided. The motor assembly comprises a motor configured to rotate a motor shaft to apply a drive torque to an output shaft of a steering column. The motor assembly also comprises a circuit card assembly including a torque and angle sensor disposed upon a printed circuit board and configured to measure a differential angle between rotational positions of the output shaft and an input shaft. The printed circuit board of the circuit card assembly is disposed perpendicular to a rotational axis of the steering column. The motor assembly also comprises an enclosure coupled to the motor and containing the circuit card assembly and a worm shaft coupled to rotate with the motor shaft and having a worm disposed helically thereabout for driving a worm gear coupled to the output shaft.

The present application is generally related to a motor for an electric power steering (EPS) system and, more particularly, an integrated control system for a torque sensor, an angle sensor, and a motor position sensor.
Motor assemblies, and especially motor assemblies for EPS systems that include a brushless motor, can be relatively large and present packaging challenges. EPS systems generally also include torque and angle sensors that must be accommodated in the mechanical packaging of the EPS system. The combination of large size motor assemblies and separate sensors can interfere with other vehicle components, resulting in limited positioning options, little to no versatility from one platform type to another, high cost, and complex installation.

Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation


A micro-sensor package is provided that includes a micro-sensor and printed circuit board (PCB), or that includes an array of micro-sensors and PCB. The micro-sensor includes a first substrate having opposing front and back surfaces, a sensing element on the front surface of the first substrate, and a through-chip via disposed within the first substrate and electrically connected to the sensing element. The PCB includes a second substrate to which the back surface of the first substrate is bonded. The second substrate defines a recess within which a bond pad is disposed, and the through-chip via of the micro-sensor is electrically connected to the bond pad of the PCB. The micro-sensor package may further include a shim bonded to the PCB, and that may surround an outer boundary of the micro-sensor and have approximately the same thickness as the micro-sensor.

The measurement of physical quantities is often performed to determine and understand the behavior of physical phenomena. For example, the measurement of noise and the sources or causes of noise is often performed to understand the physics behind the generation of noise. For example, a measurement may be performed to identify where the noise is coming from.
This type of analysis may be performed in the testing of devices. For example, noise data may be collected for an aircraft engine, such as a jet engine. The noise data collected may be analyzed to determine what components within and exterior to the jet engine contribute to the noise. These different components may also be referred to as component noise sources.
Different structures or components in a jet engine or in the jet exhaust generated by a jet engine may contribute different noises at different frequencies. For example, different surfaces within ducts and inlets of a jet engine may contribute noise during the operation of the jet engine. For example, the high speed exhaust flow of a jet engine may contribute noise during the operation of the engine.
Surfaces may be treated with various compounds or components in an effort to reduce noise. With this type of example, the jet engine may be tested with the different types of surfaces to determine whether a noise contribution from those surfaces is reduced with the different treatments.
Currently, arrays of microphones may be used to collect noise data. This noise data may be processed to produce a "picture" of where the noise is coming from, and to determine the intensity of the radiated noise. In obtaining this data, sound sensor units, such as microphones, may be placed at different locations. With current array designs, hundreds or thousands of array locations are needed to cover all the sound propagation paths formed by connecting hundreds of candidate noise source locations to dozens of measurement points of interest.
A number of different types of microphones have been investigated for use in aeroacoustic applications in which the microphones should satisfy a number of requirements. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones are among the latest type of microphones showing promise. However, there is currently no known way to cost-effectively package MEMS sensors that meet the requirements of aeroacoustic applications. Therefore, it may be desirable to have a micro-sensor package and associated method of fabricating the same that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.

Micro-sensor package and associated method of assembling the same

University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated


An information processing apparatus includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to control, in an event of access to personal data of a user in a case where personal data is stored in a data region for each individual user, an access right to access the personal data of the user for an account that accesses the personal data of the user, based on a relation between the account and the user and a situation in which the account accesses the personal data of the user.

There has heretofore been a "personal data store (PDS)" that is a mechanism capable of collecting personal data (personal information) on a person distributed on a network under the control of the person himself/herself and using and applying the collected data by distributing the data among various services, as well as a service on the cloud providing such functions, an apparatus or a system that provides the service.
As a related art, there is a technique that enables appropriate determination of the role of a user authorized by another apparatus on a provided service (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-182460). There is also a technique that provides services more efficiently by use of an authorization token containing role information (see, for example, International Publication No. WO 2015/125290).
However, in the related art, when each individual has his/her own data region and a data user is different from a data holder, data of the data holder may not be used by the data user unless the data holder gives an access right to the data user. In this case, the data user makes a request for an access right and is given the right to use the data by the holder giving approval to the request for the access right. This leads to a problem that it is cumbersome for the holder to give approval to every request for the access right.

Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing program


A shunt valve for a bidet includes a valve body and a valve core. The valve body is provided with a water inlet port and a water outlet port. The valve core includes a movable valve plate and a fixed valve plate. The movable valve plate and the fixed valve plate abut against each other, and are rotatably matched with each other. The water outlet port includes a washing water outlet port and a self-cleaning water outlet port. The fixed valve plate is provided with a washing water outlet hole communicating with the washing water outlet port and a self-cleaning water outlet hole communicating with the self-cleaning water outlet port. The movable valve plate is provided with an overflowing hole communicating with the water inlet port. A toilet cover plate including the shunt valve is provided.

A toilet cover plate for washing the human body is generally provided with a bidet. The bidets are typically designed to provide a washing function for a feminine's vulva, a buttock washing function and a self-cleaning function. Water flow through the bidet is directed by a shunt valve having different valve groups to achieve the different washing/cleaning functions.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3, prior art shunt valve for a bidet includes the valve body 1, the washing mode valve group 2 and the self-cleaning mode valve group 3. The washing mode valve group 2 is configured to direct and control the on/off function of the feminine and buttock washing water passages. The self-cleaning mode valve group 3 is configured to control the on/off self-cleaning water passage. Referring still to the prior art, both of the two valve groups are independent modules, wherein the fixed valve plate 2-1 of the valve core of the washing mode valve group 2 is provided with the feminine washing water outlet hole 2-11, the buttock washing water outlet hole 2-12 and the water stop portion 2-13. When the movable valve plate (not shown) on the washing mode valve group 2 is located at a middle position, the overflowing hole on the movable valve plate corresponds to the water stop portion 2-13, and the water passage is turned off. When the movable valve plate on the washing mode valve group 2 is rotated 120 degrees in the positive-rotation direction, the overflowing hole on the movable valve plate communicates with the buttock washing water outlet hole 2-12, and the water flows from the buttock washing water passage. When the movable valve plate on the washing mode valve group 2 is rotated 120 degrees in the counter-rotation direction, the overflowing hole on the movable valve plate communicates with the feminine washing water outlet hole 2-11, and the water flows from the feminine washing water passage. When cleaning the nozzle, the washing mode valve group 2 must be closed while the self-cleaning mode valve group 3 is opened, so that the water flows from the nozzle self-cleaning water passage. The prior art shunt valve is difficult to operate effectively, has a complex structure and is expensive to manufacture. It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved shunt valve for a bidet. The new shunt valve should be easy to operate effectively, have a simple structure and be inexpensive to manufacture.

Shunt valve for a bidet and a toilet cover plate including the shunt valve


Apparatus and method for harnessing heat energy uses at least one thermally conductive material in communication with a heat collecting material in order to conduct heat from a first region of the heat collecting material to a second region of the heat collecting material. The thermally conductive material can be interspersed within the heat collecting material and/or applied externally to the heat collecting material. Heat drawn from the second portion can be stored and/or converted into another form of energy for providing power to a structure or vehicle. Conversion can use the differential between the temperature of the second region and the temperature of a cold sink. Additional heat can be added to the heat collecting material.

As an alternative to powering vehicles using the internal combustion engine, designers have experimented with batteries, fuel cells, and solar panels.
These experiments have been motivated, in large part, by a concern that gases emitted by internal combustion engines could harm humans by adversely affecting their environment. Motivated by these concerns, lawmakers have passed laws governing vehicle emissions.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for sources of power that can supplement or replace the internal combustion engine as a source of power for vehicles.
For similar reasons, there is a need for alternative stationary sources of power, that reduce harmful environmental effects associated with the combustion of fossil fuels.


A method for converting a public switched telephone network call to a data network call. In one approach, the method includes receiving the public switched telephone network call from an origination phone at a destination phone and then identifying a caller identifier for the public switched telephone network call. The call is then rejected and a call placed to a network service provider. Once connected to the network, the network address for the origination phone is determined and the call is completed across the data network. Alternatively, a PSTN call is placed from an origination phone to a destination phone. The origination phone detects a rejected call from the destination phone and places a call to a network service provider. Once connected to the network, the network address for the destination phone is determined and the call is completed across the data network. A network phone capable of acting as either a destination phone or an origination phone is also discussed.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to voice over data network calling, more particularly to voice over data network calling that does not require an out of band communication to connect.
2. Background
The ability to make phone calls across data networks has become more prevalent. The technique is typically referred to as Voice over IP (Internet Protocol), Voice over FR (Frame. Relay), or Voice over ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), as examples. Generally, these technologies will be referred to as Voice over X (VoX).
Typically, when two users want to communicate using VoX, they make arrangements in another medium to connect the VoX call. They have to contact each other 'out of band,' meaning that they need some other way to communicate prior to making the VoX call. They may send each other an e-mail, fax or phone call using PSTN (public switched telephone network) to arrange the VoX call.
Once the call is arranged, the phone call can be initiated in a number of ways. In a first example, the users are both already connected to the network before the call is connected. In another, one user is connected to the network and initiates the call through the network. The network then has to convert the VoX call data back to voice and initiate a PSTN dialout from the network to the destination phone. Alternatively, the destination phone has to have a pre-assigned network address, allowing the caller to identify the phone by its address. Another alternative is to have the phone permanently connected to the network, so it can always be contacted across the network.
None of these solutions are optimal for wide spread use of network calling. The arrangements to connect by VoX make the VoX call redundant and eliminate the cost savings available by using bandwidth for which payment has already been made. PBX servers must be available for the network to perform dialing out of the network to make contact with the PSTN. Preassigned network addresses are not usually scaleable, limiting the number of devices that can be on network hubs, as well as being wasteful of unused or little used addresses. Finally, permanently connecting phones to the network is more expensive and again does not capitalize on the advantages of network calling.

Method and apparatus for network telephony


A light scanning device that projects light beams modulated in response to image signals. The light scanning device includes: a light source that emits the light beams; a scanner that scans the light beams from the light source in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; a pixel-timing-signal generating section that generates a pixel timing signal indicative of a timing at which the light beam enters for every pixel region to be formed in response to the image signals; a pulse-signal generating section that generates a pulse signal having a pulse width corresponding to time shorter than the shortest of the time during which the light beam passes through the pixel region on the basis of the pixel timing signal; and a driving-signal generating section that generates a driving signal for driving the light source in accordance with the pulse signal and the image signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a light scanning device, a method for controlling the light scanning devices and an image display device and, in particular, to a technique for light scanning devices that scan laser light modulated according to image signals.
2. Related Art
Laser-light scanning devices are generally used in image display devices that display images with scanned laser light. The light scanning devices emit laser light modulated in response to image signals in two dimensions. The image display devices display images on screens or the like with laser light scanned from the light scanning devices. An example of the techniques of light scanning devices for displaying images with laser light is disclosed in Patent Document 1: JP-A 2003-207730.
Light scanning devices generate light-source driving signals using pixel timing signals indicative of timings at which laser light enters for every pixel region. The use of the pixel timing signals allows laser light modulated in response to image signals to enter correct positions even if the linear velocity of the laser light changes. However, even when an approximately even amount of laser light is emitted in the case where the linear velocity of the laser light changes, the amount of laser light radiated to a target region shows an uneven distribution. When a light source is driven by an analog system in which the pulse amplitude is controlled in response to image signals, the brightness changes irrespective of the pulse amplitude because of changes in laser-light irradiation time per pixel. For example, when laser light is reciprocated in one dimension of two dimensions, laser-light scanning is slower at both ends and faster in the center, which shows such a distribution of light that it is light at both ends and dark in the center. Also when a light source is driven by a digital system in which the pulse width is controlled in response to image signals, the brightness changes irrespective of the pulse width because of changes in laser-light irradiation time per pixel. Furthermore, the digital system may sometimes cause the problem that the pulse width modulation (hereinafter, referred to as PWM) cannot keep pace with the pixel timing signals. Means for preventing such a problem includes controlling the driving of the light source to changes in the linear velocity of the laser light. In this case, the driving of the light source is controlled on the basis of the linear velocity of the laser light which is determined for each pixel by calculation, which requires complicated control of the light source. As described above, the known technique has the problem of difficulty in emitting light beams with a preferable distribution by simple control.

Light scanning device, method for controlling light scanning device, and image display device


The present invention is directed toward an apparatus and methods for detection and identification of target radionuclides and threatening radionuclides that may be present in a sample volume. One aspect of the invention provides a digital computational apparatus that determines similarity or identity to a target radionuclide or a threatening radionuclide. In another aspect, the invention provides a high throughput apparatus for detection of a target radionuclide in a sample volume, or for identifying a target radionuclide present in a sample volume. In a further aspect the invention provides a high throughput apparatus for communicating the presence of a target radionuclide in a sample volume, the identity of a target radionuclide in a sample volume, or both to appropriate personnel.

Modern society, in the past one to two decades, has become subject to antisocietal activities of groups such as terrorist organizations, freedom fighters, individuals of radical persuasion, and individuals holding to anarchist or nihilistic philosophies. Such groups and individuals consider several potential means for physically attacking the fundamental structures of civilized societies. These include deployment and use of weapons of mass destruction, among which are nuclear devices.
Nuclear devices include those which upon triggering produce a fissioning nuclear explosion or a fusion thermonuclear explosion, and a so-called "dirty bomb". In a dirty bomb, an explosion is triggered with the objective of dispersing various toxic or radiologically hazardous radionuclides into an environment with the intent of causing radioactive contamination in a wide physical area. Although only a few selected radionuclides are of use in preparing a fission bomb and in providing the trigger for a fusion bomb, a wide range of radionuclides may potentially be included in a dirty bomb. Radionuclides that are candidates for use in antisocietal devices such as fission bombs, thermonuclear bombs and dirty bombs are termed "threatening" herein. It is believed that the choice of threatening components includes radionuclides with long half-lives for radioactive decay, as well as radionuclides such as those used in medical diagnostics and various research endeavors, which generally have short half-lives. It is important in screening operations to have the capability of detecting and identifying any of the radionuclides potentially usable in a nuclear device.
Since nuclear devices such as those described above may be assembled or deployed at any location within the geographical boundaries of a nation, it would be advantageous for governmental authorities to have the capability of screening for component radionuclides at widely dispersed locations. Common nonlimiting examples of such locations include automotive highways, airports, train stations, municipal mass transit systems, governmental buildings and freight handling facilities. Beneficially the screening installations would be automated and able to operate free of human intervention as long as no radionuclides are detected, but to alert appropriate authorities when a positive detection and/or identification of a specific radionuclide deemed to be a threat is made.
In summary there remains a need for a system and methods to detect and/or identify any of a wide range of radionuclides. There is further a need for such systems and methods to operate rapidly, automatically and independently of human intervention. There remains a need for detection and/or identification systems and methods capable of operating at high volume, and with high throughput. There furthermore remains a need for a system and methods to detect and identify a particular radionuclide from among a set of candidate radionuclides that an antisocietal group or individual might deploy. The present invention addresses these outstanding needs.

Miniature multinuclide detection system and methods