A method for authenticating a reader to a radio tag includes the following steps, which are implemented by the tag: receiving a piece of information ciphered by a reversible operation, which is parameterized by an authentication coupon for the reader, and a data item allowing determination of an index for identifying the authentication coupon of the reader; calculating a current authentication coupon for the reader as a function of the index; deciphering the received piece of information ciphered by the reversible operation, which is parameterized by the calculated current authentication coupon; and checking the deciphered piece of information that is intended to verify that the calculated current coupon corresponds to the authentication coupon used by the reader in order to parameterize the reversible operation.

Radio identification is a technique for storing and retrieving data remotely by using markers called radio tags (the term "RFID tag" is also used). A radio tag is a small object, such as a self-adhesive tag, that can be stuck on, or incorporated into, objects or products. It comprises an antenna associated with an electronic chip that allows it to receive and respond to radio requests transmitted from a transceiver called a reader. By way of example, radio tags are used to identify persons when the tags are integrated in passports, in transport tickets or in payment cards, or to identify products as with a barcode.
Conventionally, when a tag comes into range of a radio reader, the reader interacts with the tag and interrogates it. During such interrogation, the reader can retrieve information belonging to the tag, such as a tag identifier, or conventionally data that are involved in authenticating the tag to a reader. This faculty for a reader to retrieve information from a tag spontaneously is not without drawbacks in terms of security. The reason is that the reader may be corrupt and under the control of an ill-intentioned person, and in some cases the spontaneous retrieval of information from a tag leads to authentication resources that belong to the tag being exhausted. This can assist carrying out a denial of service attack against the tag. It is therefore beneficial for the tag to be able to distinguish between a corrupt reader and a legitimate, or authentic, reader. Thus, it is beneficial for a tag to be able to authenticate a reader prior to authentication of the tag to the reader.
The document WO2010/149937 discloses a method for mutual authentication between a radio tag and a radio reader. Using this method, the authentication of the tag by the reader is determined by the success of the prior authentication of the reader by the tag. In order to authenticate the reader and in order to authenticate itself to the reader, the tag selects a first index i for a tag authentication coupon xi and sends the reader a data item intended to determine the value of the first index i, and the tag authentication coupon xi. The reader retrieves a precalculated authentication coupon for the reader tj that is associated with a second index j. The authentication coupon tj of the reader is stored in memory by the reader; it has been precalculated by applying to the value j a pseudo random function "PRF" (from the English), which is parameterized by a regeneration key k′. The reader likewise generates a challenge c and sends the tag the challenge c, the authentication coupon of the reader tj and the second index j. The tag calculates a second authentication value for the reader tj′ by applying the pseudo random function PRF that it knows, parameterized by the regeneration key k′ that it has, to the second index j received from the reader. The tag then compares the second calculated authentication value tj′ with the authentication coupon tj received from the reader. If the second calculated value tj′ is identical to that received from the reader then that means that the reader has been correctly authenticated. The authentication of the reader by the tag is based on secret key cryptography. More precisely, the authentication of the reader is based on the use by the tag of the pseudo random function PRF that is used to precalculate the authentication coupons of the reader and on knowledge of the regeneration key k′. The pseudo random function is applied to the second index j received from the reader in order to calculate the second authentication value of the reader tj′ and thus to verify the validity of the coupon received from the reader, thus proving that the reader is a legitimate reader. The success of the authentication of the reader determines the authentication of the tag by the reader. In one embodiment, the authentication of the tag is implemented by the known authentication scheme of public key cryptography "GPS" (or "cryptoGPS"), from the names of the inventors "Girault, Pales, Poupard and Stern" [M. Girault, G. Poupard and J. Stern "On the Fly Authentication and Signature Based on Groups of Unknown Order". Journal of Cryptology, pages 463-488, volume 19, number 4, 2006]. The GPS scheme is a public key authentication scheme based on the discrete logarithm problem in a multiplicative group. GPS is conventionally used so that a device, usually a device that has very little computation power, such as a radio tag, authenticates itself to a second device, typically a more powerful device, such as a radio reader. With GPS, the most costly calculations are performed by the more powerful device. This feature makes the GPS protocol highly suited to the authentication of radio tags to radio readers. In the course of the authentication of the tag, the index i initially transmitted by the tag to the reader is then advantageously used by the tag in order to calculate an authentication response to the challenge c sent by the reader. Thus, the mutual authentication method optimizes the use of the resources of the tag, which are known for being limited.
Once the mutual authentication between the reader and the tag has been performed, any additional information that flows between the tag and the reader is transmitted in plain form. However, it may be necessary to check the transmission of the information between the reader and the tag. By way of example, in the case of tags that are affixed to medicine boxes, such information intended to be read by the reader can provide details of the destination of the medicine by providing pharmacy addresses. Such information, which is sensitive, can thus be intercepted by radio by an ill-intentioned person. The authentication method described previously does not allow protection of the transmission of the information between the reader and a device that is constrained in terms of memory and computation power, such as a radio tag.

Authentication method between a reader and a radio tag


An interface method for inputting operator-selectable values for speed, temperature and time control parameter are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to operator interfacing methods for inputting operator-selectable control parameters to a centrifuge instrument.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A centrifuge instrument is a device operable to expose a liquid sample carried within a centrifuge rotor to a centrifugal force field. The rotor is mounted on the upper end of a drive spindle that projects into an enclosed chamber. Typically, a cooling arrangement is provided whereby the temperature of the sample may be controlled for the centrifuge run.
The most common operator-selectable control parameters of a centrifuge run are: (1) rotor angular velocity ("speed") and its associated parameter (2) relative centrifugal force ("RCF"), (3) sample temperature, and (4) duration of the run. The unit for relative centrifugal force is ("xG"), where G is force due to gravity.
For instruments operating in the so-called "ultra-speed" regime it is common that the angular velocity needed to perform a selected protocol may lie in the range from approximately twenty thousand through approximately eighty to one hundred thousand revolutions-per-minute (rpm). The value of relative centrifugal force to which a sample is exposed during a run is dependent both upon the rotor speed and the distance of the sample from the axis of rotation. Values of this parameter in excess of one hundred thousand xG are common.
For the large majority of protocols (on the order of seventy-five percent) a sample temperature of four degrees (4.degree. C.) is used. A lesser but still significant number of protocols (on the order of an additional fifteen percent) require a sample of temperature twenty degrees (20.degree. C.). The remainder of protocols may require an alternative temperature value between 0.degree. C. and 40.degree. C.
The time duration for a centrifuge run is either implemented using an "elapsed time" mode or an indefinite time ("HOLD") mode. In the former the centrifuge run extends for a time period selected by the operator. The run is automatically terminated at the end of that period. In the latter mode the centrifuge run continues until it is manually terminated by the operator.
Most operator manipulable control panels for centrifuge instruments include a speed parameter function control key, a temperature parameter function control key, a time parameter function control key, and a time "HOLD" parameter function control key. The numeric values for the selected speed parameter, temperature parameter and time parameter are input to the instrument using a ten-digit (zero through nine) control pad. The indefinite time mode is input using the separate "HOLD" function control key. The operator's choices of settings for the various parameters are displayed in respective display fields provided on a visual display. An "ENTER" key transmits a command to the microprocessor-based instrument controller. A "START" key is normally used to execute a run having the selected parameter settings.
Presently, in instruments such as the RC-28S Supraspeed.TM. instrument manufactured and sold by Biotechnology Systems Division of E. I. duPont de Nemours the set value of the speed parameter is input serially, with the entry of each digit shifting the previously-entered digit(s) to the left by one place. All of the digits must be entered, even if the set value is an even multiple of either one hundred or one thousand.
Efforts have been made to simplify the inputting of the various operator-selectable control parameters to the controller.
For example, in the case of selection of rotational speed, an operator interface is used on instruments manufactured by Beckman Instruments and sold as Optima.TM. Series preparative ultracentrifuge. With this interfacing technique, it is presumed that the desired speed parameter is an even multiple of one-hundred, and that regulation of the speed parameter to a resolution finer than one hundred rpm is not desired. Upon entry, each digit of the speed parameter value is initially displayed in the hundred's place on the display field. Prior significant digits are shifted to the left upon the entry of each successive digit.
A variation of the above-described interfacing technique when rotational speed is entered is practiced in the instrument sold by Biotechnology Systems Division of E. I. duPont de Nemours as the RC-M-120 micro-ultracentrifuge. With this interfacing technique it is presumed that the desired speed parameter is an even multiple of one-thousand. Upon entry each digit of the speed parameter value is initially displayed in the thousand's place on the display field. Earlier entered significant digits are shifted to the left upon the entry of each successive digit.
In both of the above-referenced instruments the entry of the time parameter value is set using either the time function control key (followed by the entry of the digits of the desired time value if a predetermined elapsed time value is desired), or, after depressing the time function control key, using the separate "HOLD" function control key (if the indefinite time mode is desired).
In the same instruments the temperature set value is input using the temperature parameter function control key, with the desired temperature value being serially entered.

Interfacing methods for use in inputting operator-selectable control parameters to a centrifuge instrument


A method of cleaning a nitric acid absorption column is provided comprising: (a) cleaning its absorption column coil having an access port and an exit port by inserting a pig in the access port; maintaining pressure against the pig sufficient to force the pig through the coil; and capturing the pig after it passes through the exit port, and (b) cleaning the cooling fluid supply manifold headers and header hoses and the cooling fluid return manifold headers and header hoses by operatively connecting a valve means to a high pressure water or similar fluid supply to control the amount of high pressure water or similar fluid flowing through the valve means and into a flexible hose which has been operatively connected to the valve means to receive the high pressure water, operatively attaching a hollow tube having a nozzle provided with reverse direction orifices to the opposite end of the flexible hose to receive the high pressure water from the flexible hose and to allow the high pressure water to exit from the reverse direction orifices, inserting the nozzle into the header or header hose until it emerges into the manifold cavity, opening the valve means to allow high pressure water to flow out said reverse direction orifices, and pulling the nozzle out of the header or header hose.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to methods for cleaning coils and header columns in an absorption column, and more particularly, to methods f or cleaning a nitric acid absorption column.
2. Prior Art
In many industrial processes it is desirable to treat a dilute (20%) nitric acid stream to form a more concentrate (typically 59%, 70%, or 92%) nitric acid stream. This is accomplished through the use of an absorption column. Typically, such columns may be up to 200 feet tall and 10-15 feet in diameter. There will be a sparger assembly at the top of the column to introduce the dilute nitric acid, and a sparger assembly at the bottom of the column to introduce nitrous gases. Inside the column will be a series of bubble cap or sieve trays wherein each tray holds multiple rows of coils and within each row are multitudes of three-quarter inch or one and one-quarter inch inside diameter cooling coils. The number of coils per tray will vary depending on the cooling requirements of the column, and may depend on such parameters as feed stock and column design. Typically, there are 4-36 coils per tray, and 24-48 trays in a column. These coils are connected at one end to a water source such as a water cooling tower and enter from outside the column via a cooling tower vertical inlet header having horizontal branches, and are positioned in the trays and then exit back to the outside of the column to a return header, and then finally back to the water cooling tower to complete the water circulation flow. Water is the usual cooling fluid circulated in the coils, although chilled brine may be used, particularly in the upper section of the column.
Because the efficiency of the absorption tower depends upon control of the heat of reaction taking place within the column it is important that one can control the amount of water circulating within the coils. However, several problems occur which can restrict the control of water flowing through the coils. It is not uncommon that wood splinters and other solid particles in the water cooling tower enter the water stream circulating within the coils. When this happens it is possible f or a coil or coils to become partially or completely plugged. In addition the coils may develop leaks which allow nitric acid to enter the water stream and flow back to the water tower. When this occurs it is usual to add a base or alkaline material to the water to reduce the effects of the acid to other parts of the water cooling tower. These chemicals in turn result in the formation of precipitates such as iron that will coagulate and eventually partially or completely plug various coils within the absorption tower.
After a period of time it becomes necessary to repair leaking coils, as well as to clean out the plugged coils. The two most common methods of cleaning out the plugged coils include (i) accessing the coils one at a time from outside of the column and trying to blow air or fluid through the coil under sufficient pressure to force out any material causing a blockage, and (ii) acid treating the coils by pumping acid through all of the coils at one time. Both methods have significant drawbacks. First, is that both require a shutdown of the absorption tower for long periods of time while the repairs and cleaning are being carried out. In an industrial environment this effectively shuts down a plant or major process operations of a plant. Because there are so many coils in parallel (300-800) and because of the many bends in the coils and the distance the entrapped air must flow to be displaced from the coils, high pressure is required to flush acid through the coils with no assurance of opening the plugged coils. Pumping through all the tubes at once results in the necessity of using large pumps, and creates a dangerous operation because of the possibility that connecting hoses, particularly if they are old hoses, may be blown off by the pressure. As a result of feeding so many coils in parallel, it is common that after an attempted acid cleaning, a substantial amount of acidic sludge may accidentally remain in the coils which then may be difficult to remove.
Testing for leaks on stream creates additional problems, not the least of which is that in many cases it is not readily apparent where a particular leaking coil is located, nor where its outlet exits the column. Thus, to plug-off a particular leaking coil requires that one first determine where the particular coil exits. This can be a very time consuming task when the tower is on-stream considering that there may be up to 36 coils per tray, and as many as 48 trays per column.
Yet another problem has been discovered by applicant and that is the water supply manifold headers and hoses and the water return manifold headers and hoses may also become plugged. Unless these headers and hoses are unplugged, water or other cooling liquid can not efficiently circulate through the coils in the absorption column.

Process for cleaning a nitric acid absorption column


A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor is described. The processor includes a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions and a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads or contexts. The processor also includes a memory control system that has a first memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory and a second memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references. Instructions for switching and branching based on executing contexts are also disclosed.

This invention relates to instructions for computer processors.
Parallel processing is an efficient form of information processing of concurrent events in a computing process. Parallel processing demands concurrent execution of many programs in a computer, in contrast to sequential processing. In the context of a parallel processor, parallelism involves doing more than one thing at the same time. Unlike a serial paradigm where all tasks are performed sequentially at a single station or a pipelined machine where tasks are performed at specialized stations, with parallel processing, a plurality of stations are provided with each capable of performing all tasks. That is, in general all or a plurality of the stations work simultaneously and independently on the same or common elements of a problem. Certain problems are suitable for solution by applying parallel processing.

Processor having a dedicated hash unit integrated within


An optical signal amplifier includes a light source, a depolarizer, and a gain medium that transfers energy from a pump beam output from the depolarizer to the optical signal. The depolarizer may include one or more birefringent optical fibers which support two polarization modes, a fast mode and a slow mode. The light propagates in the fast mode at a higher velocity than the light propagates in the slow mode so as to impart phase delay as the light propagates in the birefringent optical fibers, thereby at least partially depolarizing the beam. A method for using the amplifier with different types of transmission fibers enables the matching of depolarizers with relatively high percentage of degree of polarization, depending on fiber type, while staying below polarization dependent gain requirements.

The present invention relates to fiber optic communications systems, and more specifically, to amplification of optical signals propagating in an optical fiber.
Optical signals for conveying information in a fiber optic communication system experience attenuation as the optical signals are transmitted though an optical fiber over extended distances. The attenuated optical signal can be regenerated using amplifiers such as optical fiber Raman amplifiers, which rely on stimulated Raman scattering to transfer energy to the optical signal. The optical fiber Raman amplifier comprises a fiber that receives two input beams: a pump beam and the optical signal. Energy in the pump beam is coupled into the signal beam through stimulated Raman scattering, and the optical signal is thereby amplified upon passing through the fiber amplifier. The extent of amplification or gain depends on the relation between the polarization of the pump beam and that of the signal beam. If both the pump beam and the signal beam are linearly polarized and have electric fields oriented in the same direction, then the gain is higher than if the electric fields are oriented perpendicular to each other. Disadvantageously, fluctuations in the polarization of the signal or pump beam that cause the relative orientations of the electric fields to vary produce fluctuations in the gain of the amplifier. For example, the gain will decrease for pump and signal beams that initially have electric fields oriented parallel but are reoriented so as to no longer be parallel. Conversely, gain will increase if the beams are initially perpendicular but subsequently contain parallel components. Such fluctuations in the gain cause variations in the intensity of the optical signal, which introduces noise into the signal and thereby increases the likelihood of errors in transmitting information over optical fibers.
In conventional systems designed to minimize fluctuations in gain, the pump beam is provided by two or more semiconductor lasers that output polarized light. The polarized light is directed to a coupler that combines the light from the different semiconductor lasers after first separating the respective beams into perpendicular polarizations. For example, in the case where two semiconductors are employed to pump the fiber amplifier, light emitted from the two semiconductors is input into the coupler. The coupler causes the polarized light beams from the two semiconductor lasers to have electric fields oriented perpendicular to each other and produces a combined beam that is then directed to the optical fiber Raman amplifier.
Although employing a plurality of semiconductor lasers can reduce the fluctuations in gain, requiring more than one semiconductor laser adds to the complexity of the amplifier. What is needed is a design for an optical fiber Raman amplifier that is simpler and less expensive yet that minimizes the fluctuation in gain caused by variations in polarization of the pump and signal beams.


A system and method for wirelessly communicating using beamswitching is provided. A communications system includes a high-power signal cable coupled to a signal amplifier, a radio frequency circuit coupled to the high-power signal cable, and a control unit coupled to the radio frequency circuit. The high-power signal cable conveys a transmission signal produced by the signal amplifier. The radio frequency circuit includes a plurality of antennas, a passive network having a plurality of output ports and a plurality of input ports, each output port coupled to an antenna of the plurality of antennas, and a plurality of switches coupled to the high-power signal cable, each switch coupled to an input port in the plurality of input ports. The control unit produces the control signal based on a specified coupling of the high-power signal cable to the passive network.

In general, wireless communications systems using beamforming make use of a number of transmit and/or receive antennas and signal processing to create fixed or adaptive transmit/receive beampatterns. The beampatterns may have a directional nature that may result in a performance improvement when compared with unidirectional transmit and/or receive antennas. The use of the beampatterns may yield a transmit/receive gain over wireless communications systems using unidirectional transmit and/or receive antennas.
In addition to increased computational requirements arising from the signal processing, wireless communications systems that use beamforming require multiple transmit and/or receive antenna. With each transmit and/or receive antenna, there is a number of electronic circuitry and components required to support the antenna, with a power amplifier (PA) used to amplify a signal to be transmitted and high-power signal cabling used to connect the PA to an antenna potentially being the most expensive. For example, the high-power signal cabling may be on the order of several inches in diameter to minimize signal loss.
The sheer physical size and weight of the high-power signal cabling may also present a problem with implementation. Typically, a communications tower may be owned by a tower company and leased to one or more service providers who install their communications equipment on and around the communications tower. Usually, a communications tower may be rated by weight loading and wind loading factors. Therefore, a communications tower may be capable of supporting a finite number of antennas, high-power signal cables, and so forth. For example, a communications tower may be capable of supporting 18 high-power signal cables. However, since the communications tower may be leased to three or more service providers, each service provider may only have six (6) high-power signal cables on the communications tower. Furthermore, given that most communications systems use sectored antennas (with three sectors being a commonly used number), each service provider may only have two high-power signal cables per sector. This may restrict the service provider to having only two transmit/receive antennas per sector or one transmit and one receive antenna per sector, which may limit the service provider's ability to use beamforming.
Therefore, there is a need to provide beamforming like performance improvements while minimizing the number of antennas, PAs, high-power signal cabling, and so forth, to reduce costs. Furthermore, by minimizing the number of antennas, PAs, high-power signal cabling, and so forth, existing communications towers may be used, further reducing the cost of implementing a wireless communications system.

System and method for wireless communications


The present invention is a dispenser adapted to be coupled to a fluid container. The dispenser comprises a dispensing head, an energy source, and a fluid pathway. The dispensing head includes a fluid pump, a motor adapted to power the pump, a trigger adapted to control the motor, and a nozzle orifice in fluid communication with a discharge end of the pump. The fluid pathway has one portion in fluid communication with an intake end of the pump and another portion inside the container.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for dispensing substances. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices and methods for dispensing fluids and to a powered dispenser for attachment to a reservoir containing a fluid to be dispensed.
Hand operated sprayers are often mounted on containers of household liquids such as window and bathroom cleaners or ARMOR ALL®. A household liquid is dispensed from the hand-operated sprayer by repeatedly squeezing a lever on the sprayer. This can be tiresome. Consequently, powered sprayers have been previously developed to replace the hand-operated sprayers.
These previous powered sprayers suffer from several drawbacks. First, they often cannot be mounted on an off-the-shelf container of household liquid, instead relying on a special reservoir that must be refilled by the user. This can be messy and/or inconvenient for a user.
Second, the previous powered sprayers have spray heads or housings that are substantially larger and heavier than the standard hand operated sprayers. As a result, the previous powered sprayers tend to be top heavy and unwieldy. They tend to be expensive in comparison to non-powered sprayers and, for at least these reasons, are not optimally marketable.
There is a need in the art for a powered sprayer that has a spray head or housing that is similar in size and configuration to a standard hand operated sprayer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A shaving-mirror apparatus that is attachable to and readily removable from both the bottom of a shaving cream/gel container and the top of a shaving gel squeeze bottle, and a method of manufacturing the shaving mirror apparatus. The shaving mirror apparatus may comprise a flat mirror or a convex mirror, and the mirror may further comprise anti-fog and water repellant properties.

The practice of shaving facial hair with shaving cream/gel and a razor is an almost daily occurrence for many individuals. Effective shaving requires a mirror. Generally, most individuals shave in front of a mirror above the bathroom sink—a time-consuming and somewhat cumbersome task because it requires individuals to rinse their face with water prior to shaving, continually rinse the razor in the sink throughout the shaving process, rinse/clean their face and razor after finishing, and then clean the area free of facial hair, water, and used shaving cream afterwards. Alternatively, shower mirrors currently in the market enable one to shave while in the shower, eliminating certain inefficiencies and the cumbersome nature of traditional shaving.
However, shower mirrors are awkward to use, unappealing, take up precious real estate in small showers, and are inconvenient to use. For example, existing support apparatuses of shower mirrors, such as suction cups or wire frames, are often in the way, poor quality at best, and ineffective at worst. They fail to attach to walls and rarely have universal application due to the wall material varying from bathroom to bathroom. Some are not very effective when the anti-fog treatment wears off and may pose safety risks if dropped. Many are made from plastic and are not durable or reliable. And none are conducive to being portable such that they're used both in and out of one's home. As a result, any benefits gained from the use of existing shower mirrors are outweighed by overall inconvenience.
Thus, what is needed is a new and improved shaving mirror that provides the benefits of a shower mirror without any of the existing common drawbacks or disadvantages. Ideally, such a shaving mirror is durable, portable for use in and out of one's residence, convenient to use in the shower, compatible with both cans and squeeze bottles, reusable, requires no additional space for placement, and comprises a fogless, safe, high-resolution mirror.


A brightness enhancement film is provided, which comprises a substrate with a light diffusion layer having a convex-concave structure on one side of the substrate. The brightness enhancement film of the present invention can be used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) as a light diffusion brightness enhancement film.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a brightness enhancement film, and more particularly, to a light-diffusion brightness enhancement film suitable for use in a liquid crystal display (LCD).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally speaking, the structure of a liquid crystal display (LCD) mainly comprises two parts, i.e., a panel and a backlight module, where the panel includes, for example, an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) conductive glass, liquid crystals, an alignment film, a color filter, a polarizer, and a driving integrated circuit, and the backlight module includes, for example, a lamp, a light guide, and various optical films. In order to make an LCD exhibit desired viewing angles and colors, many attempts have been done in this regard. For example, it is known that the luminance of an LCD panel may be enhanced by increasing the number of lamps. Nevertheless, the increase in the number of lamps would result in the storage of an excess of heat in the structure so as to adversely-affect the shelf life and quality of other parts in the LCD. Moreover, it is necessary to consume more electricity, and this is not suitable for those information goods relying on battery power to provide to the required electricity. Up to now, there have been various optical films which can be used in back light modules to enhance the luminance of LCD panels and increase the efficiency of the light source, without the need of changing the design of the parts or consuming excess energy. Thus, the use of an optical film became a more economic and convenient approach for increasing luminance.
A brightness enhancement film, which is also known as a prism film, has a fine prism structure formed on a polyester optical film having a thickness of only 50-200 μm by curing a special acrylic resin with a high energy UV light on the polyester optical film. The main function of the brightness enhancement film is to collect the disordered light emitted from a light guide to various directions by refraction and total internal reflection, and direct the light to an on-axis direction of about ±35 degrees, so as to enhance the luminance of the LCD.
There are many patents disclosing the utilization of a brightness enhancement film in a backlight module. For example, WO 96/23649, filed by 3M Company, discloses a method for preventing the vertex angles of a condensing prism structure from collapsing and sinking, which method comprises heating a completed prism film to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the resin, so as to increase the hardness of the vertex angles of the condensing prism structure. However, the brightness enhancement film disclosed in WO 96/23649, as shown in FIG. 1, has a condensing structure on only one surface and the other surface is smooth, which cannot effectively diffuse and then condense evenly the light from a light source, and thus results in a poor uniformity of light.
A common solution to the above problem used in industry is to place a diffusion film under the brightness enhancement film. However, this solution faces the disadvantages that the manufacture cost is increased and the backlight module becomes more complex. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional backlight module for condensing light. As shown in FIG. 2, a diffusion film (2) is disposed between a light source (1) and a brightness enhancement film (3). In view of the above, the present invention provides a brightness enhancement film for overcoming the above disadvantages. For example, according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a resin mixed with plastic particles is coated on the back surface of a brightness enhancement film of WO 96/23649, and then, the resin is molded by curing. With the brightness enhancement film of the present invention, the light is uniformized by the resin mixed with plastic particles and then condensed by the prism structure, thereby achieving a better light uniformity.


A single sheet photostimulable phosphor screen, wherein the screen contains in consecutive order (1) a support, (2) a continuous phosphor-containing layer, and permanently and contiguously united therewith (3) a grid structured phosphor-containing layer containing a phosphor different from the phosphor contained in the continuous phosphor-containing layer (2), the grid structured layer.(3) containing parallel rows of phosphor-containing stripes, and the different phosphors have a different X-ray absorption capacity with respect to different energy levels of X-ray radiation.

Substances showing the phenomenon of luminescence under the influence of X-rays are called phosphors.
According to a classical method of recording and reproducing X-ray images X-ray absorbing phosphor particles are used in phosphor panels or screens to form radiographs in photographic silver halide emulsion materials sensitive to the fluorescent light promptly emitted by the phosphors where struck by X-rays.
In another radiographic method the principles of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,527 photostimulable phosphors are used. Said method comprises the exposure to X-rays of a photostimulable phosphor panel which phosphor stores at least part of the energy of the incident X-rays. At some interval after the exposure, a beam of visible or infra-red light scans the panel to stimulate the release of stored energy as light that is detected and converted into sequential electrical signals which are processable to produce a visible image.
According to the periodical Radiology, September 1983, p. 834 the imaging plate containing a photostimulable phosphor can be used repeatedly to store X-ray images simply by flooding it with light in order to erase the residual energy contained.
In the medical X-ray field it is often necessary to provide information on soft tissue structures and bone-like structures simultaneously. For that purpose "dual-energy" techniques operating in a single shot X-ray exposure with a low energy absorbing front screen and a high energy absorbing back screen separated by X-ray beam hardening filter have been used in classical screen-film assemblage exposure as well as in X-ray imaging with photostimulable storage phosphor screens (ref. Dev P. Chakraborty and Gary T. Barnes in Med. Phys. 16 (1). Jan/Feb 1989. p. 7).
The production of low- and high-energy images that are acquired simultaneously avoids image misregistration between the low- and high-energy exposures that could occur by patient-motion.
For the front screen preferentially absorbing the low-energy X-ray photons, useful in the imaging of the structure of soft tissue, low atomic number phosphors are used, whereas the higher energy part of the X-ray beam giving more information on the bone structure is absorbed or stopped in a back screen containing a higher atomic number phosphor.
In the above mentioned periodical Med. Phys. 16 (1). p. 7-8 an energy sensitive cassette for dual-energy mammography has been described wherein the back imaging plate contains a commercial barium fluorobromide phosphor and the front plate contains a similar but no commercially available strontium fluorobromide phosphor. The selection of these phosphors has been made in view of the K edges of Ba and Sr being respectively 37.4 and 16.1. The K edge of Ba ensures high absorption efficiency of the barium fluorobromide phosphor above 38 keV, whereas the strontium fluorobromide is absorbing effectively in the X-ray region with energies from 15 to 25 keV.
In order to make that the lower energy X-ray radiation cannot interfere with the Ba-type phosphor an interscreen filter, also called midfilter in the form of a copper sheet is used (ref. Medical Physics, Vol. 17, No. 4, Jul/Aug 1990, p.667).
The following phosphor combinations for classical screen-film dual energy X-ray recording were considered : SrFBr/BaFBr. Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S/Gd.sub.2 O.sub.2 S and Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S/LuTaO.sub.4.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,589 a stimulable phosphor sheet suited for subtraction radiography is described wherein different stimulable phosphors are mixed together or take the form of a layer, wherein at least a first stimulable phosphor is represented by the formula GdOCl:Ce and a second stimulable phosphor is represented by the formula SrFCl:Eu.sup.2+. Said phosphors have different X-ray absorption characteristics which represent different absorptivity with respect to energy levels of X-ray radiation and have different response speeds with regard to stimulating rays which cause them to emit light in proportion to the amounts of X-ray energy stored.
In published European patent application 0 112 469 corresponding with U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,598 an X-ray pattern subtraction method is described comprising the steps of :
(i) obtaining at least two X-ray images of an object including a specific structure exhibiting radiation energy absorption characteristics different from the radiation energy absorption characteristics of the other structure in said object. PA1 (ii) extracting an image of said specific structure by subtraction of one of said images from the other one, characterized by PA1 (iii) simultaneously exposing a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets (A,B; A,B,B'; A,B,C) which are overlaid one upon another to provide a composite member, to the X-ray radiation passing through said object, to store radiation images in the respective stimulable phosphor sheets (A,B; A,B,B'; A,B,C) so that image information is recorded in a stimulable phosphor sheet (B; B,B';B,C) positioned farther from said object in such a way that, at least at the area of the record corresponding to said specific structure, a low energy component of the radiation is recorded at a lower intensity than in a stimulable phosphor sheet (A) positioned closer to said object, PA1 (iv) scanning the respective stimulable phosphor sheets (A,B; A,B,B'; A,B,C) with stimulating rays to sequentially release the radiation energy stored in the stimulable phosphor sheets as light emission. PA1 (v) photoelectrically detecting the emitted light and converting it to digital image signals representing the respective X-ray radiation images, PA1 (vi) providing at least two sets of digital image signals, representing at least two respective X-ray radiation images, for use in subtraction processing, and PA1 (vii) extracting an image of said specific structure by subtraction processing of said sets of signals, i.e. multiplying digital image signals of corresponding picture elements by weight factors and subtracting said weighted signals. PA1 (1) exposing a single sheet phosphor screen to an X-ray pattern obtained by passing X-rays of different energy level through an object, said phosphor screen being a phosphor screen according to the present invention as described above, PA1 (2) separately scanningwise photostimulating the different phosphors in said single sheet phosphor screen, PA1 (3) separately photo-electronically detecting the fluorescent light emitted by said different phosphors and providing two sets of digital image signals corresponding with the detected fluorescent light levels, and optionally PA1 (4) extracting an image of specific structure by subtraction processing of said sets of signals.
For the use in image subtraction of weight factors for bones and soft tissue reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,748.
As described by John M. Boone, Melvin Tecotzky and Guillermo M. Alexander in the article "Binary Screen Detector System for Single-Pulse Dual-Energy Radiography" published in the periodical Radiology, June 1992; p. 863 the read out and digitization of images obtained from stacked detector screens during imagewise X-ray exposure proceeeds after separation of the stacked elements. During that separation and separate read out the spatial alignment between the images and detectors may be lost.
Published European patent application 0 126 564 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,557 relates to a radiation image storage panel and its preparation in which a photostimulable phosphor is provided on a substrate with a honeycomb structure constituted of a number of cells partitioned by wall members filled with the stimulable phosphor. According to said documents the radiation image storage panel can give images of markedly improved sharpness.
The use of said panel in separately recording a higher and lower energy level pattern from a single X-ray pattern has neither been disclosed nor suggested in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,557.

Photostimulable phosphor screen suited for dual energy recording


A monoclinic CeTi2O6 thin film and a sol-gel process for the deposition of CeTi2O6 thin films, which has applications as passive counter electrodes in electrochromic devices, sensors and photocatalytic agent is presented. This film can be obtained by spin coating a solution, which comprises both titanium and cerium precursors on to electrically conducting or insulating glass substrates and annealing at a temperature of 600° C. for 5 min. in air. The Ce:Ti mole ratio in the deposition sol for the preparation of the film is identified in the range of 0.4:1 and 0.6:1.

In the developmental process of WO3 based transmissive ECDs, we are concentrating our efforts for developing ion storage counter electrode films with a high transmittance for visible light both in the charged and discharged state and an ion storage capacity exceeding 20 mCcm−2 or comparable to WO3 to provide sufficient number of ions for deep colouration. Therefore, work has been undertaken in this direction for the synthesis of CeO2 precursors doped with TiO2 via a wet chemistry route.
Counter electrodes in transmissive electrochromic devices (ECDs) can be of two types. The first one involves an electrochromic (EC) layer, which is complementary with the chosen electrochromic material. The combination of WO3 with NiOxHy is such typical example. The second possibility is an optically passive counter electrode, which remains colorless in both oxidized and reduced states.
Whether active or passive the counter electrode has also to balance the charge shuttled from the active EC film through the ionic conductor—the electrolyte-layer. Thus the ion storage capacity of the counter electrode should equal the ion storage capacity of EC WO3. Good cycling stability within the operational voltage and temperature range of the ECDs and high transmittance are other requirements of a counter electrode.
Among optically passive counter electrode materials In2O3: Sn has been reported as a candidate. Although it can be used also as a transparent conducting electrode its intercalation reaction is only partially reversible. Another material, which has been investigated extensively, is vanadium pentoxide (V2O5). It has high Li+ storage capacity, reversible intercalation kinetics for lithium, but the transmission in its bleached state is low. Tin oxide doped with different dopants like Mo and Sb has also been studied as a candidate for a passive counter electrode, but instability of SnO2 towards Li+ intercalation and the likely reaction leading to the formation of SnO, Sn and Li2O prompted exploratory work on other suitable materials for ECDs.
In comparison with the above-mentioned materials, CeO2 appears to be more promising optically passive counter electrode material. The reversibility of the lithium ion intercalation reaction in CeO2 is reasonably good but the reaction kinetics is very slow as shown by D. Keomany, C. Poinsignon, D. Deroo. in Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 33 (1994) 429-44. Several attempts have been made in order to improve the reaction kinetics by way of mixing the oxide with other materials such as Ti, Zr, V, Sn, Mo and Si individually or with their mixtures.
Films of pure and doped CeO2 have been made by different techniques. Sputtering technique has been adopted by M. Veszelei, L. Kullman, C. G. Granqvist, N. V. Rottkay, and M. Rubin in Appl. Opt., 37 (1998) 5993-6001 and the films thus obtained have been extensively studied. The potential of such films as passive counter electrodes has been reported. However, these authors have not obtained and reported the formation of CeTi2O6 compound in the thin film form. It is noteworthy that the application of CeO2—TiO2 mixed oxide films as passive counter electrodes has been shown by several authors. However, the potential of CeTi2O6 thin films as passive counter electrodes has never been reported earlier. Therefore, the present invention is the first report on the application of these films as passive counter electrodes for electrochromic devices.
The widely used sol-gel process offers numerous advantages over the other conventional deposition techniques, which include tailor making of the film's properties, introduction of porosity in the films, low process cost and possible processing at low temperature. Preparation of CeO2 based films by sol-gel technique has been attempted following various routes. The use of alkoxides, the most popular precursor material in sol-gel processing has been reported by D. Keomany, C. Poinsignon, D. Deroo. in Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 33 (1994) 429-441. Alternately salts of cerium like CeCl3.7H2O, [(NH4)2{Ce(NO3)6}] in combination with Ti alkoxides have been shown by A. Makishima, M. Asami and K. Wada, in J. Non-Cryst. Solids 121 (1990) 310-314 as one of the routes to get CeO2—TiO2 films. Based on the earlier reports on these materials, A. Makishima, M. Asami and K. Wada, in J. Non-Cryst. Solids 121 (1990) 310-314 have performed a study in which the type of alkoxyl group of titanium alkoxide and the kind of catalyst have been varied in order to study their influence on the properties of the films. The films deposited by the authors have been annealed at 500° C. and the XRD patterns of the films are characterized by the appearance of diffraction peaks of the CeO2 phase alone.
Metal oxide semiconductors are used for gas sensing due to the dependence of their electrical conductivity on the ambient gas composition. They offer the possibility of "tailoring" the sensitivity and selectivity towards specific gas species. Gaining increased attention are mixed metal oxide compounds whereby varying the composition of the constituents, the sensor performance can be modified, i.e. improvement of sensitivity and selectivity, fabrication of n- and/or p-type semiconductor and modification of the sensor resistance for ease of electronic interface. Because of its chemical stability and high diffusion coefficient of oxygen vacancies, CeO2 is a promising material for fast oxygen gas sensing at high temperatures as reported by F. Millot, De Mierry in J. Phys. Chem. Solids 46 (1985) 797-801. TiO2 has been widely reported by A. Rothschild, F. Edelman, Y. Komen, F. Cosandey, in Sensors and Actuators B 67 (2000) 282-289, N. O. Savage, S. A. Akbar, P. K. Dutta, in Sensors and Actuators B 72 (2001) 239-248 and C. Garzella, E. Comini, E. Tempesti, C. Frigeri, G. Sberveglieri in Sensors and Actuators B 68 (2000) 189-196 for its gas sensing properties towards oxygen, carbon monoxide, methanol and ethanol and humidity. Mixed CeO2—TiO2 films deposited using a sol-gel process involving ceric ammonium nitrate and titanium butoxide have been reported to be oxygen gas sensors by A. Trinchi, Y. X. Li, W. Wlodarski, S. Kaciulis, L. Pandolfi, S. Viticoli, E. Comini, G. Sberveglieri in Sensors and Actuators B 95 (2003) 145-150.
Photocatalytic reaction sensitized by TiO2 and other semiconducting materials has attracted extensive interest as a potential way of solving energy and environmental issues. Several cerium titanates in the powdered form have been investigated for photocatalytic activity. Yellow colored cerium titanate, CeTi2O6 with mainly Ce4+ state is known to cause photobleaching of methylene blue aqueous solution with irradiation of Xe discharge light as reported by S. O-Y-Matsuo, T. Omata, M. Yoshimura in J. Alloys and Compounds, 376 (2004) 262-267. Mixed CeO2—TiO2 films deposited using R.F and D.C sputtering are reported by Q. N. Zhao, C. L. Li, X. J. Zhao in Key Engineering Materials 249 (2003) 451-456 to decolorize methyl orange solutions upon irradiation of the UV light.
Brannerite, UTi2O6 is an accessory phase in the titanate-based crystalline ceramics of synroc as reported by A. E. Ringwood, S. E. Kession, N. G. Ware, W. Hibberson, A. Major in Nature (London) 278 (1979) 219. The high U-content of brannerite (up to 62.8 wt. %) and its potential as a nuclear waste form for the immobilization of actinides have emphasized the importance of understanding radiation damage effects and their relation to composition and structure. The ideal formula of natural brannerite is (U,Th)1−xTi2+xO6 with a deficiency in uranium and excess titanium. Many cation substitutions have been identified for both uranium (Pb, Ca, Th, Y and Ce) and titanium (Si, Al, Fe) in natural brannerite. Ideally, stoichiometric brannerite is monoclinic with space group C2/m. There are two different distorted octahedra in the structure. Distorted TiO6 octahedra form a zigzag sheet by sharing common edges, and each Ti octahedron shares three edges with titanium octahedral and three corners with uranium octahedra. The sheets of TiO6 octahedral are identical with those of the anatase structure parallel to (101) plane. The large cations (Th,U) are located at the interlayer sites and connect adjacent sheets. Each uranium octahedron shares two common edges with neighboring UO6 octahedra and four corners with TiO6 octahedra. Oxygen atoms exist in a distorted HCP (hexagonal closely packed) array. Ce can substitute onto the U-site with little distortion of the octahedra. Ce is commonly used to estimate the properties of solids containing plutonium owing to their similar ionic radii (Ce(IV)=0.087 nm; Pu(IV=0.086 nm)). The compound CeTi2O6 is isostructural with PuTi2O6. As has been reported by K. B. Helean, A. Navrotsky, G. R. Lumpkin, M. Colella, J. Lian, R. C. Ewing, B. Ebbinghaus and J. G. Catalano in J. Nucl. Mater. 320 (2003) 231-244, CeTi2O6 in the powdered form prepared by sintering in air at 1350° C. for>100 h a pellet containing stoichiometric portions of the oxides, CeO2 and TiO2 is used to estimate the properties of PuTi2O6.
In the present invention, the CeTi2O6 phase has been achieved in thin film by the sol-gel technique, which represents a reliable, low-cost chemical route. In comparison to the powdered CeTi2O6 material, which is formed at 1400-1500° C., the corresponding thin film is prepared by the sol-gel process at 600° C. in the present invention. Our literature survey has shown that the preparation of CeTi2O6 in thin film form has never been carried out before. CeTi2O6 in powdered form has applications in areas of e.g. immobilization of nuclear waste form and photocatalytic activity. However, the same material in thin film form is useful in applications such as passive counter electrodes, sensors and photocatalytic activity. We have prepared CeTi2O6 films with a high transmittance for visible light both in the charged and discharged state and an ion storage capacity exceeding 20 mCcm−2. Using cerium chloride heptahydrate and titanium propoxide precursors, we have reported earlier in Sol. Ener. Mater. Sol. Cells 86 (2005) 85-103, the formation of a mixed compound of CeO2 and TiO2 i.e. CeO1.6.2TiO2 at annealing temperature of 500° C. from the Ce:Ti compositions, 4:1 and 2:1. It is evident from the chemical formula of the aforesaid compound that the oxygen content and thus the stoichiometric compositions of the two compounds i.e. CeO1.6.2TiO2 and CeTi2O6 are different. A comparative chart showing the results reported in the published papers and the present patent is given in Table I.
TABLE IA comparative chart showing the process steps, products obtained and the application of the films derived fromdifferent Ce:Ti compositions.Ce:TimoleratioProcess stepsProduct(s) obtainedApplication(s)  4:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Prior-art)As a passiveabsolute ethanol;CeO2 and CeO1.6•2TiO2counterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a(crystallite size: 6.2 nm)electrode.final solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 4:1;{A. Verma, S. B. Samanta,c)stirring the mixture obtained in b);N. C. Mehra,d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinA. K. Bakhshi, S. A.coating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideAgnihotry in Sol. Ener.glass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;Mater. Sol. Cells 86e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 min. annealed the film in(2005) 85-103,air at 500° C.A. Verma, Amish G. Joshi,A. K. Bakhshi,S. M. Shivaprasad, S. A.Agnihotry in Appl. Surf.Sci. (article in press)}.  2:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Prior-art)As a passiveabsolute ethanol;CeO2 and CeO1.6•2TiO2counterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a(crystallite size: 9.2 nm)electrode.final solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 2:1;{A. Verma, S. B. Samanta,c)stirring the mixture obtained in b);N. C. Mehra,d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinA. K. Bakhshi, S. A.coating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideAgnihotry in Sol. Ener.glass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;Mater. Sol. Cells 86e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 min. annealed the film in(2005) 85-103,air at 500° C.A. Verma, Amish G. Joshi,A. K. Bakhshi,S. M. Shivaprasad, S. A.Agnihotry in Appl. Surf.Sci. (article in press)}.1.33:1 a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Prior-art)As a passiveabsolute ethanol;CeO2 and CeO1.6•2TiO2counterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a{A. Verma, S. B. Samanta,electrode.final solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 1.33:1;N. C. Mehra,c)stirring the mixture obtained in b);A. K. Bakhshi, S. A.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinAgnihotry in Sol. Ener.coating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideMater. Sol. Cells 86glass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;(2005) 85-103}.e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 min. annealed the film inair at 500° C.  1:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Prior-art)As a passiveabsolute ethanol;Amorphouscounterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a{A. Verma, S. B. Samanta,electrode.final solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 1:1;N. C. Mehra,c)stirring the mixture obtained in b);A. K. Bakhshi, S. A.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinAgnihotry in Sol. Ener.coating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideMater. Sol. Cells 86glass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;(2005) 85-103,e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 min. annealed the film inA. Verma, Amish G. Joshi,air at 500° C.A. K. Bakhshi,S. M. Shivaprasad, S. A.Agnihotry in Appl. Surf.Sci. (article in press)}.0.33:1 a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Prior-art)As a passiveabsolute ethanol;Amorphouscounterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a{A. Verma, Amish G. Joshi,electrode.final solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 0.33:1;A. K. Bakhshi,c)stirring the mixture obtained in b);S. M. Shivaprasad, S. A.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinAgnihotry in Appl. Surf.coating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideSci. (article in press)}.glass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 min. annealed the film inair at 500° C.0.6:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Present invention)a) As a passiveabsolute ethanol;a) Amorphous atcounterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain aannealingelectrode uponfinal solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 0.6:1;temperature ofannealing atc)stirring the mixture obtained in b) for a period of 5 min;500° C.500° C.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinb) CeTi2O6 phase atb) As passivecoating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideannealingcounterglass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;temperature ofelectrode,e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 and 15 min, annealed600° C.sensor, and athe film in air at 500 and 600° C. respectively.photocatalyticagent upon theformation ofCeTi2O6 phaseat annealingtemperature of600° C.0.5:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Present invention)a) As a passiveabsolute ethanol;a) Amorphous atcounterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain aannealingelectrode uponfinal solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 0.5:1;temperature ofannealing atc)stirring the mixture obtained in b) for a period of 5 min;500° C.500° C.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinb) CeTi2O6 phase atb) As passivecoating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideannealingcounterglass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;temperature ofelectrode,e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 and 15 min, annealed600° C.sensor, and athe film in air at 500 and 600° C. respectively.photocatalyticagent upon theformation ofCeTi2O6 phaseat annealingtemperature of600° C.0.4:1a)preparing an 0.22 M alcoholic solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate in(Present invention)a) As a passiveabsolute ethanol;a) Amorphous atcounterb)adding the solution prepared in step a) to titanium propoxide to obtain aannealingelectrode uponfinal solution containing Ce:Ti mole ratio of 0.4:1;temperature ofannealing atc)stirring the mixture obtained in b) for a period of 5 min;500° C.500° C.d)after aging the solution as obtained in c) for a period of one week, spinb) CeTi2O6 phase atb) As passivecoating the solution on electrically conducting substrates and micro slideannealingcounterglass at 3000 rpm for a duration of 35 s;temperature ofelectrode,e)after initially drying the film deposited in d) for 5 and 15 min, annealed600° C.sensor, and athe film in air at 500 and 600° C. respectively.photocatalyticagent upon theformation ofCeTi2O6 phaseat annealingtemperature of600° C.

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research


An improved portable device for start-up of a computer system is disclosed. This portable device for externally starting up a computer system comprises a connection interface to the computer system and a data medium comprising data and executable codes of a host operating system that can be activated by a start-up program of the computer system and configured to automatically detect hardware and/or software elements of the computer system and to activate the corresponding computer drivers. The data medium further comprises data and executable codes of a management software interface, configured to present the computer drivers activated by the host operating system in the form of at least one predetermined generic computer driver, and data and executable codes of a guest operating system that can be activated by the management software interface and configured to manage the hardware and/or software elements on the computer system using the predetermined generic computer driver.

A computer system generally comprises at least one internal hard disk and a motherboard fitted with a microprocessor and RAM (Random Access Memory) for the purpose of executing computer programs stored on the hard disk. The microprocessor is typically suitable to execute a start-up program of the computer system, the start-up program typically comprising the instruction statements to run an operating system. The computer system's internal hard disk stores such a start-up program and which is typically associated with a predetermined operating system.
A start-up program and a predetermined operating system may also be available on an external data medium, such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) provided with the computer system when it is fitted with a corresponding drive, or via another type of medium that can be connected to the computer system, via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port for example.
An initial start-up strategy applied by the microprocessor can also be defined in a Basic Input/Output System, commonly called a BIOS, which resides in a read-only memory (ROM) on the motherboard. The BIOS can establish a hierarchy for the choice of a start-up, giving, for example, priority to the CD-ROM start-up program, if it is properly positioned in the computer system's drive and if its start-up program is ready to be executed, then to the start-up program on another medium, if it is connected to a USB port on the computer system and if its start-up program is ready to be executed, and then by default to the start-up program on the internal hard disk.
Moreover, even if the start-up strategy applied by the microprocessor places a priority on executing the start-up program of the internal hard disk of the computer system, it typically can be configured through the BIOS, or in other selectable ways such as by switches, to activate an operating system stored on an external device, for example a portable device connected to the USB port of the computer system.
Booting a computer system from a portable device can provide advantages for computer users in that a computer user can walk up to a computer with his or her own working environment carried in their pocket including for example the user's data, the user's programs, the user's operating system, the user's environmental parameters, or other data and/or code of use by the holder of the portable device. The computer can then potentially be booted and can present to the user the environment desired.
Relative to the problem of providing a portable device for carrying out such a booting operation, reference is made to the pending U.S. patent application of FILEE, Alain, and MARTIN, Rene. Entitled "DEVICE, SYSTEMS, AND METHOD FOR SECURELY STARTING UP A COMPUTER INSTALLATION" filed on Jan. 7, 2009, and assigned to the same assignee as named herein. This application is on file in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as patent application Ser. No. 12/319,444, still pending and which document, in its entirety, is hereby incorporated by reference.
This application discloses a device for secured startup of a computer installation that includes means for securing use of data and executable codes from the device to the computer installation. However, the patent application does not address the problems described herein of accommodating variations in the environments or operating systems of computer systems.
Hardware elements of a computer system are not however standardized and may vary widely from one computer to another, even computer systems used within the same company. For example, a Personal Computer may be required to support attachment of hardware and/or software elements from hundreds or even thousands of manufacturers. Interface to this hardware is typically provided to an operating system or other program through "low level" programs called "drivers". These hardware and software specific driver programs are typically written by the manufacturers of the computer hardware or software elements.
The need for driver programs by an operating system is not easily anticipated because of the large number and types of hardware and software elements which might need to be supported. Also, even on a specific computer system, the list of attached hardware components may change from day to day, or even more frequently. Detecting the attached hardware components of a specific computer system also takes time. Keeping within the operating system, a known list of attached hardware components may decrease the time to boot a machine because time is not needed to "detect" all of the attached hardware components. For these reasons, some popular operating systems have "installed" as a part of the operating system only those drivers currently needed by the operating system, or only the most commonly used drivers.
This presents a potential problem in booting any selected computer system from a single portable device with a user's desired "guest" operating system. If the guest operating system does not include all the drivers necessary to support the selected computer system's currently attached hardware, and/or if the guest operating system does not provide for automatic installation of drivers for any attached hardware, then it may be difficult or impossible to complete the booting of the selected computer with the desired guest operating system and desired user environment, and also with support for the attached hardware.

Portable device and method for externally generalized starting up of a computer system


A common-rail fuel injection system includes a common rail, an injector, a control device and a pressure sensor. The common rail stores the high-pressure fuel. The injector injects the fuel stored in the common rail. The control device obtains an injection quantity from the injector in accordance with an operating state so as to control and on-off valve of the injector based on the injection quantity. The common-rail pressure sensor detects a common-rail pressure of the fuel stored in the common rail. The control device includes correction means for, obtaining a pressure drop quantity of the common rail pressure upon establishment of a predetermined learning condition, obtaining a leakage quantity change of the injector, and correcting the injection quantity based on the leakage quantity change.

A common-rail fuel injection system that leaks a part of a high-pressure fuel supplied to an injector to a low-pressure side is known as a type of common-rail fuel injection system.
Since a leakage quantity to the low-pressure side in the injector affects a pressure of the high-pressure fuel supplied to the injector, it consequently constitutes a factor of varying an actual injection quantity from the injector.
The injector is fabricated so that its leakage quantity falls within a predefined range.
As a conventional common-rail fuel injection system, the following common-rail fuel injection system is known. A leakage quantity in an injector is estimated in a control device from a speed of revolution of a supply pump (generally, a speed of revolution of an engine), a temperature of a fuel supplied to the injector, a pressure of a common rail (hereinafter, referred to as a common-rail pressure) and the like. An injection quantity from the injector is corrected by the control device based on the estimated leakage quantity (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2000-18068 and 2000-257478).
(Drawbacks in the Conventional Techniques)
In the conventional techniques, the leakage quantity is estimated from an operating state (the speed of revolution of the supply pump, the fuel temperature, the common-rail pressure, and the like) while a basic leakage quantity of the injector itself is being kept constant. Therefore, a fluctuation in the basic leakage quantity caused by the change of the injector with elapse of time, for example, injector wear and the like has not been taken into consideration. Specifically, the conventional common-rail fuel injection systems do not have any means of detecting a fluctuation in the basic leakage quantity caused by the change of the injector with elapse of time.
As described above, the conventional common-rail fuel injection systems do not have any means of detecting a fluctuation in the basic leakage quantity generated by the change of the injector with elapse of time. Therefore, when the basic leakage quantity of the injector itself increases as indicated with a solid line A in FIG. 3 due to the change of the injector such as wear of a sliding part or a closed part with elapse of time, a fuel pressure applied to a nozzle of the injector decreases. As a result, as indicated with a solid line B in FIG. 3, even if an injection quantity directed by the control device is constant, an actual injection quantity from the injector decreases with the increase in the basic leakage quantity.
Moreover, since the conventional common-rail fuel injection systems do not have means of detecting a fluctuation in the basic leakage quantity generated by the change of the injector with elapse of time, abnormality cannot be detected even when the basic leakage quantity excessively increases.
On the other hand, the injector is fabricated so that the leakage quantity falls within a predefined range as described above. In other words, the leakage quantity varies between injectors within a defined range.
Therefore, in addition to a variation in leakage quantity between injectors, variations between devices such as a variation in other injector elements between injectors, a variation between supply pumps and a variation between pipes are offset by the combination of assembled elements (components and the like). Furthermore, a variation between devices is corrected by the control device so as to obtain specified injection.
As described above, various variations between devices are offset by the combination of assembled elements. Furthermore, the correction is performed so as to obtain specified injection. Therefore, the conventional common-rail fuel injection systems do not have a function of automatically correcting the injection quantity from a median difference in leakage quantity between injectors (a design target value) and a variation in leakage quantity between injectors.


Methods, systems, and computer program products for re-sampling terrain data in a vehicle from latitude/longitude format into a Cartesian format. The present invention permits incremental updates of the terrain elevation map as the vehicle travels. The present invention includes memory for storing terrain elevation data, a navigation component for generating aircraft position information, and a processor in communication with the memory and the navigation component. The processor retrieves terrain elevation data from the memory based on the generated aircraft position information, and generates a Cartesian coordinate-referenced terrain elevation map based on the retrieved terrain elevation data and the aircraft position information.

Terrain elevation maps are frequently used in aviation for purposes of maintaining pilot spatial situation awareness, and for other purposes that include airborne radar signal processing. For display, or for processing purposes, the map of terrain is represented on a two dimensional planar display in an x/y Cartesian format, even though the terrain is superimposed on the spherically curved earth surface. Because the radius of curvature is large, and the size of the region represented by the map is small with respect to the radius of the earth, the "flat earth" representation of the terrain elevation map is acceptable.
The use of terrain elevation data in a Cartesian format is complicated by the fact that terrain data is typically provided as points uniformly sampled in latitude and longitude. It is often the practice to present terrain data in the latitude/longitude format as an approximation to the desired x/y format. This representation of terrain elevation in the latitude/longitude format is reasonably good at latitudes near the equator. However, terrain elevation data represented in the lat/long format presents some processing anomalies at other latitudes.
Typically, a terrain elevation map in an aircraft, or in any moving vehicle, represents the terrain over a limited size region in the vicinity of the vehicle. The size of the region depends on display, or other, requirements. As the vehicle moves, it is necessary to update the map data to incorporate the new terrain. If the map is maintained with an orientation referenced to true north, the reference frame of a generated map has to rotate to maintain the orientation to true north as the vehicle travels. This will occur at any latitude except at the equator. As a result, if the map is maintained referenced to north, a map update that includes this reference frame rotation must consist of re-building the entire map in order to maintain the north reference. This is necessary despite the fact that new terrain entering the mapped region may constitute a relatively small portion of the map. Re-building the entire map can result in substantial computation burden and cost.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide a terrain elevation map that does not introduce excessive distortion, and which permits an incremental update to the map as the vehicle moves that prevents the need to periodically re-build the map.

Methods and systems for generating a terrain elevation map in a cartesian format


A wideband piezoelectric filter with a ladder-type is provided, which is composed of a plurality of first resonators connected in series, a plurality of second resonators connected in parallel, an impedance matching device disposed near the input terminal or the output terminal of the filter, and at least one special parallel ground path led out from serial nodes. The special parallel ground path at least comprises one inductor having a larger inductance value, and a resonator having the same resonant frequency as a serial branch or a capacitor, wherein the larger inductor is connected to the resonator or capacitor in series in the parallel path. The ladder filter according to the invention can have a bandwidth which is more than twice that of the conventional ladder filter, and also has excellent out-of-band rejection characteristics.

With the rapid development of wireless communication terminals and devices, the frequency band partition for wireless communication becomes more and more complicated. Multimode and multi-band have become the mainstream trend of the development of the current wireless communication terminals. There is an increasingly growing demand for small-sized, lightweight, high-performance high-frequency filters without significant change in the size of the terminal.
At present, the small-sized intermediate frequency and radio-frequency filters used in communication terminals are mainly piezoelectric acoustic wave filters. Resonators constituting such acoustic wave filters mainly include a FBAR (Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator), a SMR (Solidly Mounted Resonators) and a SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave). The topological structures of the filter circuit designed using the resonators mainly include a ladder-type and a lattice-type. The ladder filter is mainly used for a single-ended (unbalanced) filter having a single input port and single output port, and the lattice structure is mainly used for a filter of which at least one end is a dual port/differential (balanced). Since it is more convenient to use single-ended filter in the radio-frequency chains, most of the high-performance acoustic filters and duplexers are designed in ladder-type.
FIG. 11 (a) shows electrical symbols of a piezoelectric acoustic resonator, FIG. 11 (b) is an equivalent circuit diagram of the piezoelectric acoustic resonator, and the electrical model is simplified to be a resonant circuit consisting of Lm, Cm and C0 without considering the loss. According to the resonance conditions, there are two resonant frequencies for the resonant circuit, that is, one is fs at which the impedance of the resonant circuit reaches the minimum, fs being defined as the series resonant frequency of the resonator, and the other is fp, at which the impedance of the resonant circuit reaches the maximum, fp being defined as the parallel resonant frequency of the resonator, wherein,
            f      s        =          1              2                π                                                    L              m                                                  C              m                                            ,            f      p        =          1              2                π                                                    L              m                                                                                C                  0                                                                  C                  m                                                                              C                  0                                +                                  C                  m
In addition, fs is lower than fp. Moreover, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (Kt2eff) of the resonator is defined, which can be expressed by fs and fp:
      Kt    eff    2    =            π                    /                          2        ·                  f          s                                  /                          f        p                    tan                    (                  π                                /                                          2            ·                          f              s                                                      /                                          f            p                          )
FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the resonator impedance and fs and fp. At a particular frequency, the greater the Kt2eff is, the larger the frequency difference between fs and fp will be, that is, the further the distance between the two resonant frequencies will be.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a common ladder-type piezoelectric band-pass filter 100 in the prior art. 131 is an input terminal of the filter, and 132 is an output terminal of the filter. Between 131 and 132, there are a plurality of first resonators 101, 102, 103, 104 located in serial path and connected in series and a plurality of second resonators 111, 112, 113 located in parallel path and grounded in parallel with some of the nodes in the serial path. These first resonators have a first series resonant frequency fs1 and a first parallel resonant frequency fp1, and these second resonators have a second series resonant frequency fs2 and a second parallel resonant frequency fp2. Moreover, auxiliary inductors 121 and 122 are added in order to connect the first resonators to the input and output terminals of the filter, and auxiliary inductors 123, 124 and 125 are added in order to connect the second resonators to ground. These auxiliary inductors may be bonding wires for connecting the chip to the package carrier, or may also be metal conductors for flip-chip bonding the chip onto the package carrier, such as a copper pillar, a solder ball, and their inductance values are typically in a range from 0.1 nH to 2 nH, such as from 0.1 nH to 0.8 nH.
FIG. 13 (a) shows relationships among the first series resonant frequency fs1 and the first parallel resonant frequency fp1 of the first resonator and the second series resonant frequency fs2 and the second parallel resonant frequency fp2 of the second resonator in the prior art, that is, fs1<fp1, fs2<fp2, and fs1 is approximately equal to fp2. For the FBAR or SMR, a mass load can be added on the second resonator such that the first resonator and the second resonator can satisfy the above-described frequency characteristics. For the SAW, an interdigitated finger length, gap, distribution, thickness of transducers of the first resonator and the second resonator can be adjusted such that the first resonator and the second resonator satisfy the above-described frequency characteristics.
Thus, for the ladder-type filter 100, there are three representative frequencies. In the following, how the three special frequencies constitute a piezoelectric band-pass filter is illustrated according to impedance voltage divider. When the frequency is equal to fp1, the impedance of the first resonator in the serial position reaches the maximum, and the impedance of the second resonator in the parallel position is much lower than the impedance of the first resonator. Most of the signals inflowing from the terminal 131 flows into the ground via the second resonator and cannot reach the terminal 132, and the filter 100 presents a characteristic of signal-blocking. When the frequency is equal to fs1 or fp2, the impedance of the first resonator in the serial position reaches the minimum, and the impedance of the second resonator in the parallel position reaches the maximum. Most of the signals inflowing from the terminal 131 flows through the serial path via the first resonator and reaches the terminal 132, and the filter 100 presents a characteristic of signal-passing. When the frequency is equal to fs2, the impedance of the second resonator in the parallel position reaches the minimum, and the impedance of the first resonator in the serial position is much greater than the impedance of the second resonator. Most of the signals inflowing from the terminal 131 flows into the ground via the second resonator and cannot reach the terminal 132, and the filter 100 presents a characteristic of signal-blocking.
If the entire frequency band is analyzed in a similar way, an amplitude-frequency response curve of the filter 100 similar to FIG. 13 (b) can be obtained, the frequency band beyond fs2 or fp1 is the stop band of the filter, and the frequency band near fs1 or fp2 is the pass band of the filter.
As can be seen from the above description, the bandwidth of a ladder filter such as 100 depends mainly on the difference between the series resonant frequency and the parallel resonant frequency of the resonator contained in the filter, in other words, depends on the Kt2eff of the resonator in the filter. In order to obtain a filter with a wider bandwidth, there is a need to improve the Kt2eff of the resonator. However, the electromechanical coupling coefficient is related to many factors and cannot be increased unlimitedly according to the user's requirements. For example, a FBAR resonator that adopts Aluminum nitride (AlN) as a piezoelectric material has an Kt2eff of up to about 7.2%, and the relative bandwidth of a band-pass filter that can be manufactured is typically up to about 4.5%.
However, in order to meet the requirements of high cell capacity and high data transmission rate for some communication frequency bands, a wider communication frequency band is required to be allocated. For example, the 41th band (Band 41) allocated according to the 3GPP protocol has a pass-band range from 2496 MHz to 2690 MHz, with a bandwidth of 194 MHz, a relative bandwidth of up to 7.5%, and is also required to have a certain degree of suppression on the communication signals at the low frequency side, such as WLAN (from 2402.5 MHz to 2481.5 MHz), Band 40 (from 2300 MHz to 2400 MHz), etc. In this case, expanding the application bandwidth of the filter using the conventional method of increasing the electromechanical coupling coefficient is no longer effective, and there is a need for a special method to realize such band-pass filter with requirements of wide bandwidth and high rejection.

Wideband piezoelectric filter with ladder-structure


A score-keeping product for an anagram game that has a pouch for storing a plurality of anagram game cubes therein; a pair of slide members that each can be linearly moved between open and closed positions with each slide member, in an at least partially open position, enabling access to the interior of pouch so that the anagram game cubes can be stored or removed therefrom for the purpose of playing the game cubes with each of the slide members including a scoring pointer; and a pair of scoring indicia on the pouch and each disposed along a linear locus that extends respectively along side of a corresponding slide member with each scoring indicia provided with a series of score markers. The slide members are selectively movable so that the corresponding scoring pointer can be progressively moved to align with one of the series of score markers in scoring the game.

A pouch or the like container has been used for the storage of game pieces. For example, reference may be made to the Campbell U.S. Publication No. 2005/0230914 or to the Nathanson Design Pat. No. U.S. D551,451. Other prior art exists relating to score keeping. In this regard reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,324 to Vanderpool; U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,623 to Poffenberger and U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,900 to Saqui.
However, nothing presently exists in the prior art in which a pouch or the like can be used, not only for the storage of game pieces, but also as a means for score keeping.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game piece storing and scoring apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a game piece storing and scoring apparatus in the form of a pouch or the like that, when at least partially open, enables access to the pouch so that the game pieces can be stored therein or removed therefrom for the purpose of playing the game pieces.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a score keeping product for an anagram game that includes a pouch for storing a plurality of anagram game cubes that can be either stored or removed from the pouch for the purpose of playing the game cubes.


An analyte meter is configured to digitally test for the presence of a test strip in the meter and for the presence of a sample in the test strip prior to activating an analog current measurement circuit of the meter. A test strip port connector having a plurality of contacts receives an inserted test strip in which the contacts electrically connect to electrodes on the test strip for digitally detecting both the presence of a test strip and a sample added to the test strip. A control circuit monitoring the contacts maintains the analyte meter in a low power mode until detecting both the test strip and the sample, whereupon the control circuit activates the meter and enables an analog analyte measurement circuit.

Blood glucose measurement systems typically comprise an analyte meter that is configured to receive a biosensor, usually in the form of a test strip. Because many of these systems are portable, and testing can be completed in a short amount of time, patients are able to use such devices in the normal course of their daily lives without significant interruption to their personal routines. A person with diabetes may measure their blood glucose levels several times a day as a part of a self management process to ensure glycemic control of their blood glucose within a target range. A failure to maintain target glycemic control can result in serious diabetes-related complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and blindness.
There currently exist a number of available portable electronic analyte measurement devices that are designed to automatically activate upon insertion of a test strip. Electrical contacts, or prongs, in the meter establish connections with contact pads on the test strip while a microcontroller in the meter determines, based on electrical signals from the test strip, whether the test strip is properly inserted. This activation typically powers the entire device, including analog components, in preparation for receiving a sample applied to the test strip from the user. The analog circuit components consume power while waiting for a sample to be applied by a user, which may take several minutes. During this waiting time the battery lifetime is shortened unnecessarily. Occasionally, users may decide not to provide a sample at all and may remove the test strip after some time, which again needlessly consumes battery power. Because analog circuits typically consume significantly more power than digital based circuits, it would be advantageous to detect the application of a sample in a test strip using a digital circuit and to delay powering on the analog circuit components until the sample is applied.


The working clearance height of a high-clearance vehicle is normally established by four main suspension spindles that are respectively received for reciprocating within upright journals provided at the opposite ends of front and rear axle assemblies of the vehicle main frame, with the bottom end each of the main spindles being received in a bore at the top of an associated wheel motor housing that serves also as a wheel hub mounting bracket. In order to increase the working clearance height of the vehicle, an optional elongate spacer assembly is mounted between the bottom of each elongate main suspension spindle and the associated wheel motor housing. Each main suspension spindle is inclined slightly outwardly relative to a vertical plane extending in the direction of travel of the vehicle and, in order for the spacing between tires at opposite sides of the vehicle to remain the same, with or without the usage of the spacer assemblies, each spacer assembly includes a coupler spindle extending parallel to, and offset inwardly from, a pivot axis of the associated main suspension spindle by a distance calculated to result in the desired tire spacing, this coupler spindle being received in the bore at the top of the associated wheel motor housing.

Currently, there is a trend for application of late season fungicide to corn crops. The height of the corn crop during this time requires that the chemical be applied by via airplane sprayers or by self-propelled high-clearance agricultural sprayers having a ground-to-under frame clearance of about 76 inches to ensure minimal damage to crop. While there are commercially available sprayers that have the required clearance, these machines compromise stability, from a tip over standpoint, since side-to-side wheel spacing must be maintained in order to match conventional corn row spacing.
The high clearance for a known agricultural sprayer is provided by coupling elongate spindles between the main frame of the sprayer and each of four wheel support and motor housings, with each spindle being mounted for sliding in upright journal areas of knee joints, that form an integral part of an axle assembly, and with each spindle having an airbag suspension mounted to an upper end of the spindle. U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,717 discloses a high-clearance sprayer having spindles mounted in this fashion so as to provide the operating clearance.
The problem to be solved then is to provide a high-clearance sprayer vehicle which demonstrate desired stability from a tip over standpoint during the majority of the spraying season but which has sufficient clearance for applying chemicals to corn plants later in the spraying season.

High-clearance vehicle suspension with spacer arrangement mountable between spindle and wheel hub mounting bracket for adjusting working clearance


A sound characteristic parameter is obtained for an audio signal to be analyzed by analyzing the signal by means of a sound characteristic parameter analyzing section arranged upstream relative to a similarity determining section. A sound signal operation as retrieving key is read out from a retrieving key storage area of a retrieving key memory by a retrieving key audio signal reading section and analyzed by a retrieving key sound characteristic parameter analyzing section to obtain a retrieving key sound characteristic parameter. The similarity determining section compares the sound characteristic parameter obtained from said sound characteristic parameter analyzing section and the retrieving key sound characteristic parameter obtained from said retrieving key sound parameter reading section and determines the similarity of them to retrieve a part of the audio signal to be analyzed that resembles the audio signal operating as retrieving key and obtained from the sound source of the retrieving key.

There may be needs, for example, for retrieving a specific part of the audio signal representing the recorded discussion of a conference.
Conventionally, for instance, a specific part of the audio signal representing the recorded discussion of a conference and wanted by the user of the record can be retrieved by putting a maker to the specific part at the time of recording so that the user may easily retrieve that part the record any time he or she wants.
There is also known a method of recording a sound signal with counter readings or timings (normally expressed in terms of seconds, minutes and hours) from the start of the recording so that any part of the sound signal has a corresponding numerical value attached to it.
However, the user has to select any of the above methods, be it a method of putting markers or that of recording counter readings, considering what part of the recorded audio signal he or she will have to retrieve and use later. Therefore, these methods are accompanied by the following problems.    1. The user has to carry out an independent and cumbersome operation of putting markers or recording counter readings or timings.    2. The user cannot retrieve any part of the audio signal at which no marker is put or no counter reading is recorded.    3. The part of the signal of a speech of a specific speaker of a conference or a tune of a specific instrument of a concert cannot retrieved. In other words, the speeches of a specific speaker of a conference or the tunes of a specific instrument of a concert cannot be sorted out.    4. Since the proper audio signal has to be recorded with markers or counter readings, it is not possible to retrieve and sort a part of an audio signal by means of a plurality of retrievers without recording it.

Information retrieving method, information retrieving device, information storing method and information storage device