Watermark encoders and decoders can be integrated into operating systems, Internet browsers, media players, and other applications and devices. Such integration enables the watermark-enabled application or device to provide additional functionality and information available via the watermark. The watermark, for example, may link to metadata or actions related to a media object. To exploit this watermark enabled functionality, the integrated application uses a watermark decoder to access the related metadata and actions. The user interface of the integrated application is enhanced to present metadata and actions linked via the watermark. Similarly, watermark encoders may be integrated into applications to convert media objects into enhanced, watermarked objects. A variety of other arrangements and features are also detailed. Many arrangements can be implemented using object identifiers other than watermarks.

In one aspect, the technology detailed below relates to arrangements that take action based on a watermark output and a derived identifier.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements employing a digital watermark detector during a device's boot process.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements employing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in conjunction with digital watermarks.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements that take an action with audio or visual information, in accordance with information received in response to a digital watermark decoded from such audio or visual information.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements involving repeated checking of audio or visual content for the presence of digital watermark information.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements that store attribute data relating to digital watermark process of plural content objects.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements for restoring metadata to content objects from which metadata has earlier been lost.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements that modify content objects in accordance with identifiers derived therefrom.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements that identify rendering control instructions by reference to an identifier derived from a content object.
In another aspect, the technology relates to controlling or restricting a content object in accordance with data obtained by reference to an identifier derived from the content object.
In another aspect, the technology relates to content searching arrangements.
In another aspect, the technology relates to arrangements involving delayed responses based on content objects. and
In another aspect, the technology relates to file browser systems employing file browser extensions.
Digital watermarking is a process for modifying physical or electronic media to embed a machine-readable code into the media. The media may be modified such that the embedded code is imperceptible or nearly imperceptible to the user, yet may be detected through an automated detection process. Most commonly, digital watermarking is applied to media signals such as images, audio signals, and video signals. However, it may also be applied to other types of media objects, including documents (e.g., through line, word or character shifting), software, multi-dimensional graphics models, and surface textures of objects.
Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: an encoder that embeds the watermark in a host media signal, and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected of containing a watermark (a suspect signal).
The encoder embeds a watermark by altering the host media signal. The reading component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present. In applications where the watermark encodes information, the reader extracts this information from the detected watermark.
A great number of particular watermarking techniques are known. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the literature in this field. Particular techniques for embedding and detecting imperceptible watermarks in media signals are detailed in the present assignee's copending application Ser. No. 09/503,881. Other watermarking techniques are known from published patents to NEC (inventor Cox et al), IBM (inventors Morimoto and Braudaway et al), Dice (inventor Cooperman), Philips (inventors Kalker, Linnartz, Talstra, etc. Audio watermarking techniques are known from published patents to Aris (inventor Winograd, Metois, Wolosewicz, etc.), Solana (inventor Lee, Warren, etc.), Dice, AudioTrack, Philips, etc.
Further features of the technology will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Decoding a watermark and processing in response thereto


A temperature detecting circuit includes a temperature detecting unit that generates a first temperature detecting signal according to a temperature. A temperature information control unit generates a control signal by the first temperature detecting signal, supplies the control signal to the temperature detecting unit, and generates a second temperature detecting signal by the control signal and the first temperature detecting signal. A temperature information output unit generates a temperature information signal in accordance with the second temperature detecting signal and the control signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly, to a temperature detecting circuit that is installed in a semiconductor integrated circuit.
2. Related Art
In general, in semiconductor elements, for example, transistors, operation characteristics thereof are changed according to temperature. In particular, in semiconductor memory apparatuses, such as DRAMs, since data leaks as time elapses, a refresh operation needs to be performed. A refresh characteristic depends on the temperature.
Accordingly, in recent years, a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a temperature detecting circuit estimating a data leaking speed and a refresh timing according to the detected temperature.
A conventional temperature detecting circuit may include a temperature detecting unit and an output unit. The temperature detecting unit detects the temperature data and generates a temperature detecting signal according to the temperature data. The output unit generates a temperature information in response to the temperature detecting signal.
However, as a semiconductor memory apparatus operates with low power, an amplification voltage, which is supplied by the output unit, does not reach a desired potential level. That is, even when the change in the temperature is detected and the temperature is converted and amplified into a potential level, the potential level is amplified at low power. As a result, the change in the temperature is not reliably represented by a potential level. Thus, the conventional temperature detecting circuit cannot reliably reflect the change in the temperature in the semiconductor integrated circuit.


An impact diverting mechanism having a top layer and a bottom layer is provided. The two layers are connected such that the top layer is configured to move in relation to the bottom layer when impacted, and therefore is able to divert impact and reduce rotational and linear acceleration on the bottom layer. The impact diverting mechanism may be attached to, or configured to attach to, an object in need of protection, such as a helmet.

There are varieties of helmet designs. Each of them is suitable for a specific group of activities. In general, a helmet structure consists of a rigid outer shell, an impact absorbing liner, fitting padding, and a retention system. The outer shell's role is to avoid any penetration to the interior of the helmet as well as to distribute the impact load uniformly over the liner. The liner's function is to absorb the energy of impact. Spreading out the impact load increases the energy absorption capacity of the liner. When an impact takes place, the outer shell stops instantly. However, inside the helmet the head keeps moving until it collides with the liner. The liner's role is to bring the head to a "gentle" stop. In other words, the liner's major role is to reduce the absolute value of translational acceleration of the wearer's head. A stiffer liner results in more impact load on the brain during an accident, while a softer liner transmits less impact to the brain.
Present helmets focus primarily on reducing translational acceleration upon impact. However, rotational acceleration may also prove to be injurious. In fact, recent studies have shown that rotational acceleration is a principal cause of head injury. It has been proven that without exceeding the thresholds for head injury with respect to translational acceleration, the rotational acceleration can reach injurious magnitudes. Therefore, it is necessary to improve helmet design to not only reduce the translational acceleration, but also to reduce rotational acceleration.
WO 2010/151631 A1 defines a protective headgear with an outer shell rotatable relative to an inner shell regardless of the direction of an impact load via an intermediate layer disposed between the inner shell and outer shell. The intermediate layers are comprised of a substantially isotropic yielding material that deforms continuously and nonlinearly in the tangential or shear direction. The layer deforms during an impact to allow rotation of the inner shell relative to the outer shell to reduce rotational acceleration of the user's head.
WO 03005844 A1 discloses a protective headgear, which has a feature to reduce rotational acceleration of a user's head during occurrence of an impact. The invention comprises a shell of typical headgear and a single elastomeric outer membrane (the single layer may comprise composite or laminate material), which overlies the outwardly facing surface of the headgear shell. The single elastomeric outer membrane comprises closed cell plasticized polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate co-polymers. In addition, a lubricant material may be provided between the shell and outer membrane. As the outer membrane experiences friction force during an impact with an obstacle, the received force causes the outer membrane to move relative to the headgear shell. Since the lubricant material minimizes the friction between the shell and outer membrane, the headgear slides with respect to the impact surface and the membrane. The invention simulates the protective movement of the human scalp relative to the skull. The outer membrane is designed to mimic the scalp, which is not attached firmly to skull, but is instead free to move a limited distance relative to the skull. This mechanism is described as mitigating the injurious effect of the tangential component of the impact force during an impact, and reduces the rotational (i.e., angular) acceleration of the wearer's head.
WO09019667A introduces a coating for a cap of a helmet, wherein the coating comprises a first layer of resilient material having a first surface arranged to be secured to the cap with an adhesive means and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a coating layer, secured with the adhesive means to the second surface of the layer of resilient material. This improves helmet capabilities for safe protection and the coating is easily adaptable on different sizes of helmets.
In general, available helmets provide no protection against rotational accelerations. Therefore, there is a need for an impact diverting mechanism as an effective add-on layer that can be easily installed on the outer shell of almost any type of safety equipment such as helmet by the users or manufacturers.


Arc plasma torch generated by a torch module installed on the bottom wall in the narrow section of a tapered S-band rectangular cavity, is used to seed microwave discharge where the microwave electric field is maximum. This tapered cavity is designed to support TE103 mode. With seeding, only low Q cavity and moderate microwave power (time average power of 700 W) are needed. The microwave-enhanced discharge increases the size, cycle energy, and duty cycle of the seeding arc-torch plasma considerably. This torch can be run stably without introducing gas flow or run just using airflow. Adding airflow can increase not only the size of the torch plasma but also its cycle energy, which may reach a plateau of about 12 J/per cycle for the airflow rate exceeding 0.393 l/s. This microwave plasma torch may have a radius of about 1.25 cm or more, a height of about 5 cm, and a peak electron density exceeding 5×1013 cm−3. This torch may produce an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen, and therefore may be used in applications for rapidly destroying a broad spectrum of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents.

§ 1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns atmospheric pressure plasma generation devices (or "plasma sources"). In addition, the present invention also concerns applications for this microwave plasma torch as well as the feasibility of enlarging the device for generating multiple torches simultaneously.
§ 1.2 Background
Atmospheric pressure plasma sources may be used in applications requiring plasmas to be exposed directly to the open air. The applications include spray coating and materials synthesis (See, e.g., the articles: M. I. Boulos et al., "Thermal Plasma Fundamentals and Applications," Vol. 1, Plenum Press, 1994, pp. 33–47 and 403–418 (hereafter referred to as "the Boulos article"); and "Thermal Plasma Torches and Technologies," Vol. 1, O. P. Solonenko, Ed., Cambridge: Cambridge Int. Sci. Publ., 2001 (hereafter referred to as "the Solonenko article").), microwave reflector/absorber (See, e.g., the articles: R. J. Vidmar, "On the use of atmospheric pressure plasmas as electromagnetic reflectors and absorbers," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., Vol. 18, pp. 733–741, 1990 (hereafter referred to as "the Vidmar article"); and E. Koretzky and S. P. Kuo, "Characterization of an atmospheric pressure plasma generated by a plasma torch array," Phys. Plasmas, Vol. 5, pp. 3774–3780, 1998 (hereafter referred to as "the Koretzky article").), shock wave mitigation for sonic boom and wave drag reductions in supersonic flights (See, e.g., the articles: V. P. Gordeev et al., "Plasma technology for reduction of flying vehicle drag," Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 31, pp. 313–317, 1996 (hereafter referred to as "the Gordeev article"); S. P. Kuo et al., "Observation of shock wave elimination by a plasma in a Mach-2.5 flow," Phys. Plasmas, Vol. 7, pp. 1345–1348, 2000 (hereafter referred to as "the Kuo article"); and Daniel Bivolaru and S. P. Kuo, "Observation of supersonic wave mitigation by plasma aero-spike," Phys. Plasmas, vol. 9, 721–723, 2002 (hereafter referred to as "the Bivolaru article").), and sterilization and chemical neutralization (See, e.g., the articles: M. Laroussi, "Sterilization of contaminated matter with an atmosphere pressure plasma," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., Vol. 24, pp. 1188–1191, 1996 (hereafter referred to as "the Laroussi article"); J. R. Roth et al., "A remote exposure reactor (RER) for plasma processing and sterilization by plasma active species at one atmosphere," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., Vol. 28, pp. 56–63, 2000 (hereafter referred to as "the Roth article"); and H. W. Herrmann et al., "Decontamination of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ)," Phys. Plasma, Vol. 6, pp. 2284–2289, 1999 (hereafter referred to as "the Herrmann article").).
Different applications have different requirements on the plasma parameters, such as its density, temperature, volume and flow rate. For spray coating application, a plasma jet is used for heating and acceleration of particles injected into the jet. Thus a high enthalpy jet having large plasma flow rate and density is desirable. Dense, uniform, low temperature, and large volume plasma is desirable for microwave reflector/absorber applications. Used for decontamination of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents, a plasma source is aimed at producing chemically active species, such as molecular oxygen in metastable states and atomic oxygen. These reactive species are capable of rapidly destroying a broad spectrum of CBW agents. Some of the applications also favor that the sources can be easily transported.
Dense atmospheric-pressure plasma can be produced through dc/low frequency capacitive or high frequency inductive arc discharges. This technique requires adding gas flows to stabilize the discharges and to carry the generated plasmas out of the discharge regions to form torches. The inductive torch (See, e.g., the article: T. B. Reed, "Induction-coupled plasma torch", J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 32, pp. 821–824, 1961 (hereafter referred to as "the Reed article").) and non-transferred dc torch (See, e.g., "the Boulos article" and M. Zhukov, "Linear direct current plasma torches", Thermal Plasma and New Material Technology, Vol. 1: Investigations of Thermal Plasma Generators, O. Solonenko and M. Zhukov, Ed. Cambridge Interscience Publishing, pp. 9–43, 1994, (hereafter referred to as "the Zhukov article").) employ high current power supply and require very high gas flow rate to achieve stable operation. Consequently, the structures of these torches are relatively large and are therefore unsuitable for certain applications.
Torch modules such as those described in the article S. P. Kuo, et al., "Design and electrical characteristics of a modular plasma torch," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 752–758, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,628 titled "Methods and Apparatus for Generating a Plasma Torch," ("the '628 patent") can be run in dc or low frequency ac mode and can produce low power (hundreds of watts) or high power (a few kW in 60-Hz periodic mode or hundreds of kW in pulsed mode) torch plasmas. However, the size of the torch plasma produced by such modules may be limited by the gap between the electrodes and may depend strongly on the gas flow rate.
In view of the foregoing deficiencies of known plasma torches, there is a need for a plasma source that is portable and that can generate a stable and sizable plasma torch independent of the gas flow rate.

Portable arc-seeded microwave plasma torch


Biologically active deletion and substitution mutants of hIL-3 are provided. Preferred mutants are those having one or more deletions at the N-terminus (amino acids 1-14) and/or the C-terminus (amino acids 116-133, 120-130 and/or 130-133). Preferred substitution mutants include Cys16 xe2x86x92Ala16 and/or Cys84xe2x86x92Ala84, Glu50xe2x86x92Lys50 and Lys79 xe2x86x92Glu79. These mutants can be used to formulate pharmaceutical compositions. Also disclosed are antibodies directed against specific epitopes localized between amino acids 29 and 54.

The present invention relates to mutants of colony stimulating factors, obtained by recombinant DNA techniques. More specifically, the invention relates to mutants of interleukin-3, containing one or more deletions and/or one or more substitutions, with interesting pharmacological properties.
Historically, factors affecting hematopoietic cells have been detected in an assay measuring the proliferation and/or differentiation of bone marrow cells in soft agar cultures. The factors showing this activity have been collectively called colony-stimulating factors (CSFs). More recently, it has been found that a variety of CSFs exist which, in part, can be classified by the hematopoietic lineages that are stimulated.
In human and murine systems, these proteins include G-CSF and M-CSF. These proteins stimulate the in vitro formation of predominantly neutrophilic granulocyte and macrophage colonies, respectively. Interleukin-2 (xe2x80x9cIL-2xe2x80x9d) stimulates the proliferation of both activated T-cells and activated B-cells, but is not considered a colony stimulating factor.
GM-CSF and interleukin-3 (xe2x80x9cIL-3xe2x80x9d, also known as xe2x80x9cMulti-CSFxe2x80x9d) stimulate the formation of macrophage and both neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocyte colonies. In addition, IL-3 stimulates the formation of mast, megakaryocyte and pure and mixed erythroid colonies (D. Metcalf, xe2x80x9cThe hematopoietic colony-stimulating factorsxe2x80x9d, 1984, Elsevier, Amsterdam, and D. Metcalf, Science 299 (1985) 16-22).
Growth factor-induced cell proliferation is a complicated process. Following highly specific binding of the growth factor to its receptor at the cell surface, the complex is internalized by endocytosis and induces an intracellular response often preceded by phosphorylation of the receptor (Sibley e al., Cell 48 (1987) 913-922). These intracellular signals result in specific gene transcription and finally in DNA synthesis and cell replication.
There is considerable interest in the CSFs, since they may be therapeutically useful for restoring depressed levels of hematopoietic and lymphoid stem cell-derived cells.
Human IL-3 (xe2x80x9chIL-3xe2x80x9d) is such a CSF. Mature hIL-3 consists of 133 amino acids; the protein contains one disulfide bridge and has two potential glycosylation sites (Yang et al., Cell 47 (1986) 3-10). It has inter alia the following activities:
1) stimulation of colony formation by human hematopoietic progenitor cells wherein the colonies formed include erythroids, granulocytes, megakaryocytes, granulocyte macrophages, and mixtures thereof; and
2) stimulation of DNA synthesis by human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) blasts.
Useful agonists and antagonists of a proteir can be created once the structure-function relationship of the molecule is understood. Generally, this relationship is studied by modifying, replacing or deleting amino acids. In this way, information can be obtained about the importance of each of the amino acids for the activity of the protein. Important domains of proteins may be the active site, metal and cofactor binding sites, receptor binding sites, the amino acids involved in subunit interactions, and the antigenic determinants.
Once the primary sequence of a protein has been determined, various procedures can be employed to study the above-mentioned characteristics. For example, if primary structures of homologous proteins from other species are available, the sequences can be compared. Conserved sequences are often indicative of the importance of certain amino acids.
Secondary structures can be predicted with the use of known algorithms. See, e.g., Hopp and Woods, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78 (1981) 3824-3828, Garnier et al., J. Mol. Biol. 120 (1978) 97-120, Biou et al., Prot. Eng. 2 (1988) 185-191, Carmenes et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 159 (1989) 687-693.
If interspecies homology between homologous proteins is high and the 3-D structure of one of them is known, important amino acids can also be deduced from this structure.
Primary and/or spatial-structure data can be used to make an educated guess for mutagenesis experiments. Expression of mutagenized proteins and the testing of these muteins in biological assays provides information about the relative importance of certain amino acids.
The aim of the present invention is to provide IL-3 mutants with similar or improved pharmaceutical properties with respect to the native IL-3, preferably using the procedures mentioned above.
In 1984, cDNA clones coding for murine IL-3 were isolated (Fung et al., Nature 307 (1984) 233-237 and Yokota et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81 (1984) 1070-1074). This CDNA would not hybridize with human DNA or cDNA clones. Thus, it was speculated that a human counterpart for murine IL-3 (mIL-3) did not exist. This belief was reinforced by the wide spectrum of activities of the human GM-CSF. Finally, in 1986, a gibbon cDNA expression library provided the gibbon IL-3 sequence. This sequence was subsequently used as a probe against a human genomic library. This provided evidence for the presence of IL-3 in human beings (Yang et al., Cell 47 (1986) 3-10).
Meanwhile, Dorssers et al., Gene 55 (1987) 115-124, found a clone from a human cDNA library that surprisingly hybridized with mIL-3. This hybridization was the result of the high degree of homology between the 3xe2x80x2 noncoding regions of mIL-3 and hIL-3.
Moonen e al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84 (1987) 4428-4431 describe the production of human GM-CSF by several recombinant sources including E. coli, yeast and animal cells. Partially purified expression products from yeast and animal cells were assayed for the effect of deglycosylation. The immunoreactivity was increased 4- to 8-fold upon removal of the N-linked oligosaccharides. The specific biological activity was increased by a factor of 20, both in the chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and in the human bone marrow assay.
Kaushansky e a., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86 (1989) 1213-1217, tried to define the region(s) of the GM-CSF polypeptide required for biological activity. Since human and murine GM-CSF do not cross-react in their respective colony-forming assays, the approach was based on the use of hybrid DNA molecules containing various lengths of the coding regions for h- and mGM-CSF. After expression in COS cells, the hybrid proteins were tested in both human and murine colony-forming assays. Two regions of GM-CSF were found to be critical for hematopoietic function. These regions are structurally characterized by an amphiphilic helix and by a disulfide-bonded loop.
Gough et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 169 (1987) 353-358, describe internal deletion mutants of murine GM-CSF. None of the mutants is reported to show biological activity.
Kuga et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com. 159 (1989) 103-111, describe mutagenesis of human G-CSF. The results indicate that most of the expression products with mutations localized in the internal or C-terminal regions abolish hG-CSF activity. On the other hand, N-terminal deletion mutants missing 4, 5, 7 or 11 amino acids, out of a total of 174 amino acids, retained activity. Some of the N-terminal amino acid mutants showed increased activity.
Deletion mutants of human interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been created using available endonuclease restriction sites and expression in eukaryotic cells. The carboxyl terminal third (63 amino acids) of the polypeptide contains the active site (Makino et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84 (1987) 7841-7845). A recent study on IL-1alpha and IL-1beta shows that 140 and 147 amino acids, respectively (out of a total of 153 amino acids), are required for full biological activity (Mosley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84 (1987) 4572-4576). Single amino acid changes at both termini result in significant decrease of biological activity. However, no detailed information with respect to the receptor-binding domain of IL-1 has been obtained from these studies.
Activity of human interleukin-2 was shown to be severely inhibited by removal of both Cys58 and Cys105 whereas deletion of the third Cys residue (125) had no effect (Wang et al., Science 224 (1984) 1431-1433; Cohen et al., Science 234 (1986) 349-352). All substitutions resulting in a disturbance of helical folding of this protein were found to give significant reductions of biological activity. The potential receptor binding site of IL-2 has been mapped on an eleven amino acid long peptide. Individual amino acid substitutions in this region had dramatic effects (Cohen et Al., (supra); Zurawski and Zurawski, EMBO J. 7 (1988) 1061-1069). Mutational analysis further revealed that different domains of IL-2 are involved in high and low affinity binding of the IL-2 receptor complex (Robb et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 5654-5658; Collins et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 7709-7713).
Clark-Lewis et Al., Science et al., (1986) 134-139, performed a functional analysis of synthetic murine IL-3 analogs. They concluded that the stable tertiary structure of the complete molecule was required for full activity. A study on the role of the disulfide bridges showed that replacement of two of the four Cys residues by Ala (Cys79, Cys140xe2x86x92Ala79, Ala140) resulted in increased activity (Clark-Lewis et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 7897-7901).
Literature on proposed and actually performed modifications of hIL-3 is scarce. International Patent Application (PCT) WO 88/00598 discloses a Ser27xe2x86x92Pro27 replacement. (It should be noted that the numbering of amino acids in WO 88/00598 includes the signal peptide of 19 amino acids.) Furthermore, suggestions are made to replace Cys with Ser, breaking the disulfide bridge, and to replace one or more amino acids at the glycosylation sites (Asn34cys35Ser36 and Asn89Ala90Ser91).
EP-A-0275598 (WO 88/04691) illustrates that Ala1 can be deleted while retaining biological activity. Some mutant hIL-3 sequences are provided, viz. two double mutants, Ala1xe2x86x92Asp1, Trp13xe2x86x92Arg13 (pGB/IL-302) and Ala1xe2x86x92Asp1, Met3xe2x86x92Thr3 ((pGB/IL-304) and one triple mutant Ala1xe2x86x92Asp1, Leu9xe2x86x92Pro9, Trp13xe2x86x92Arg13 (pGB/IL-303).
WO88/05469 describes deglycosylation mutants and mutants of Arg54Arg55 and Arg108Arg109Lys110 (converted to the same numbering as in EP-A-0275598). The latter are suggested in order to avoid proteolysis upon expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by KEX2 protease. No mutated proteins are disclosed. Glycosylation and the KEX2 protease activity are only important, in this context, upon expression in yeast.
Finally, EP-A-0282185 describes various mutants that may be conformationally and antigenically neutral. To achieve this, a series of synonymous amino acid substitutions are suggested. The proposed changes are aimed at keeping the structure and charge distribution of the IL-3 molecule unaltered. However, the only actually performed mutations are Met2xe2x86x92Ile2 and Ile131xe2x86x92Leu131. It is not disclosed whether the contemplated neutralities are obtained.
No known extensive mutagenesis experiments on hIL-3 have been disclosed to date.
The present invention provides new classes of pharmacologically interesting compounds, viz. deletion and substitution mutants of hIL-3, showing biological activities similar and in some cases possibly antagonistic to those of hIL-3.
In one aspect of the invention, biologically active polypeptide analogs of human interleukin-3 (also referred to hereinafter as xe2x80x9chIL-3 mutantsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmuteinsxe2x80x9d) are provided having a deletion of at least two amino acids.
Preferred mutants are those having one or more deletions at the N-terminus (amino acids 1-14) and/or the C-terminus (amino acids 120-130 and/or 130-133).
In another aspect of this invention, substitution mutants of hIL-3 are disclosed having at least one of the following substitutions:
Asp21Glu22xe2x86x92Lys21Arg22
Asp36xe2x86x92Arg36
Glu43Asp44xe2x86x92Lys43Arg44
Arg54Arg55xe2x86x92Glu54Asp55
Asp46xe2x86x92Lys46 or Arg46
Glu50xe2x86x92Lys50 or Arg50,
Glu59xe2x86x92Lys59 or Arg59
Glu59xe2x86x92Gly59 or Pro59,
Arg63Ala64xe2x86x92Pro63Gly64
Glu75xe2x86x92Arg75 or Gly75
Lys79xe2x86x92Glu79
Arg94xe2x86x92Pro94
His98Lys100Asp101xe2x86x92Glu98Asp100Gln101
Glu106xe2x86x92Lys106
Arg108Arg109Lys110xe2x86x92Glu108Asp109Glu110,
Phe113Tyr114xe2x86x92Ala113Thr114
Cys16xe2x86x92Ala16
Cys84xe2x86x92Ala84
Cys16 Cys84xe2x86x92Ala16 Ala84
In yet another aspect of this invention, antagonists of hIL-3 are disclosed. These antagonists are substitution mutants of hIL-3 that are more potent in receptor binding than in stimulation of DNA synthesis. More specifically, the antagonists are single or double Cys mutants. Preferably Cys is replaced by Ala (Cys16xe2x86x92Ala16, Cys16Cys84xe2x86x92Ala16Ala84). Other mutants having an antagonistic effect are Glu50xe2x86x92Lys50 and Lys79xe2x86x92Glu79.
The polypeptides are obtained through expression of suitably modified DNA sequences. Thus, the present invention also provides suitable expression vectors and host cells compatible therewith.
In yet other aspects, the invention comprises pharmaceutical compositions that include biologically active peptide analogs of hIL-3 as described above, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Finally, the present invention discloses monoclonal antibodies aimed at an epitope localized between amino acids 29 and 54.
Other embodiments of the subject invention are readily determined by one skilled in the art.


An automatic sample pretreatment device is provided which is capable of conducting a series of treatments or reactions from pretreatment to measurement automatically in a short time by employing a separate reaction system from the reaction system for measurement. The automatic sample pretreatment device comprises a sample rack, a pretreatment vessel and a measurement vessel, a liquid dispenser, a first vessel-transfer apparatus having a vessel holder for holding and transferring the vessels, a pretreatment vessel feeding apparatus for feeding the pretreatment vessel to the vessel holder of the first vessel transfer apparatus, a measurement vessel feeding apparatus for feeding the measurement vessel to the vessel holder of the first vessel-transfer apparatus, a vessel discarding hole for discarding the vessel after use, a second vessel-transfer device for transferring the used vessel held at the vessel holder of the first vessel-transfer apparatus to the vessel discarding hole, an incubator equipped with a measurement device for measuring a sample, and a third vessel-transfer device for transferring the vessel held by the vessel holder of the first vessel-transfer apparatus to the incubator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic sample pretreatment device of an automatic analysis apparatus for a specific component in a sample. The automatic sample pretreatment device is preferably integrated into the automatic analysis apparatus, and serves to dilute a sample and/or to cause a pretreatment reaction automatically prior to the measurement. Particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic pretreatment device for dilution or pretreatment reaction of a sample, integrated into a biochemical analysis apparatus such as an automatic immunoassay apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clinical diagnosis of some specific diseases is conducted by measurement of a specific substance in a body fluid such as blood. For example, immunoassay with an antibody for a specific substance, which can be conducted readily with relatively high sensitivity, is widely employed in clinical test nowadays.
In biochemical or immunological measurement, the sample is usually pretreated, prior to the measurement, for dilution of the sample containing a high concentration of the objective substance to bring the concentration to the analysis range of the measurement apparatus, or pretreated for improvement of measurement sensitivity or measurement precision by canceling the influence of a coexisting substance in the sample or activating the objective component. The reaction for the pretreatment includes heating treatment of the sample to denature protein in the sample or to inactivate or activate a specific component; and addition of a pretreatment reagent other than the measurement reagent. More specifically, in immunoassay of a protein-bonded low molecular component in a sample, the protein is denatured preliminarily by application of heat, or addition of an acid or alkali to dissociate the low molecular component from the protein, and subsequently the immunoassay is conducted.
As described above, the pretreatment including dilution, and pretreatment reaction including addition of a denaturing reagent, agitation, incubation, and addition of an neutralizing agent is conducted manually in most cases by taking a long time. Therefore, measurement of a large number of samples is time-consuming, troublesome, and less reproducible, disadvantageously.
Various methods are proposed to solve the above problems. In one method, a pretreatment reaction apparatus is provided separately. In another method, a sample and a pretreating reagent are allowed to react in a reaction cuvette of an automatic analysis apparatus, and subsequently a measurement reagent is added thereto to conduct measurement. By such a method, the pretreatment operation can be simplified, and the measurement reproducibility can be improved. However, the use of a separate pretreatment reaction device requires transfer of the sample to the measurement apparatus after the pretreatment reaction, producing another problem that the entire operation from the pretreatment to the measurement cannot be automated.
The above second method, in which a sample and a pretreatment reagent are introduced into a reaction cuvette of an automatic analysis apparatus to cause a pretreatment reaction, involves the problem that the practicable pretreatment reactions are limited. Further, in this method, the reaction cuvette for the pretreatment reaction is usually replaced with a new one and is discarded after the pretreatment reaction of each sample in order to prevent contamination by other samples. Therefore, when plural kinds of measurement are conducted with the one pretreatment reaction product, the pretreatment reaction should be repeated for each of the measurements, requiring a lager amount of the sample, or requiring longer time for the pretreatment, disadvantageously.
A sample which contains the objective substance of the measurement at a concentration exceeding the scale range of the measurement apparatus should be diluted before the measurement. In this case, the non-diluted sample is firstly subjected to measurement, then the sample is diluted manually or by use of a dilution device, and the diluted sample is subjected again to the measurement. The concentration is calculated by multiplying the measured value by the dilution factor. Otherwise, non-diluted samples are successively measured, and samples falling outside the measurable concentration range are diluted in an off-line process of the measurement apparatus and are measured again by inputting the dilution factor. Alternatively, samples found to be outside the measurable range are diluted on-line during the measurement to obtain the concentration by multiplication of the inputted dilution factor.
However, the dilution including manual dilution, and automatic dilution by an off-line process by the measurement apparatus requires operations of sample dilution, sample resetting, apparatus operation condition setting, and so forth, which cannot be automated, and requires longer time for measurement. Furthermore, with automatic preliminary on-line dilution by an analysis apparatus, although the dilution is conducted automatically and the measurement time is shortened, the measurement speed is still low disadvantageously.
It was considered by the inventors of the present invention that the above problems encountered in the prior art are caused by the practice of the pretreatment (including a pretreatment reaction and dilution) and measurement in the same measurement vessel in a measurement reaction system. For example, a measurement apparatus equipped with an automatic on-line dilution device comprises a pretreatment vessel for dilution or the like and a measurement incubator for immune reaction, enzyme reaction or the like in integration, and uses one cuvette for each measurement item for each sample. Such an apparatus requires repetition of the same dilution for each of plural measurements for one and the same sample.
Therefore, comprehensive studies have been made on an efficient automatic pretreatment device for dilution, pretreatment reaction, and other pretreatment.

Device and method for automatic sample pretreatment


A sensor chip includes a substrate, a relief structure composed of protruding sections formed so as to be arranged on a surface of the substrate to have a lattice shape and a recessed section between the protruding sections, and fine metal particles arranged along upper ridge lines of the respective protruding sections of the relief structure, the protruding sections being adjacent to each other, having a minute gap with which the surface plasmon resonance occurs. By irradiating the gap between the fine metal particles with a laser beam, the localized surface plasmon resonance occurs more efficiently. As a result, the sensor chip capable of taking out the surface enhanced Raman scattering to thereby detect the substance with high sensitivity can be realized.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sensor chip, a detection device using the sensor chip, and a method of manufacturing the sensor chip.
2. Related Art
Recent years, demand for sensors used for medical diagnostics or inspections of food and drink has increased, and further, development of a sensor and a detection device small in size and capable of performing sensing at high speed has been demanded. In order to meet such demand, a variety of types of sensors such as a sensor using an electrochemical process have been studied. Among these sensors, sensors using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have been receiving increasing attention on the ground of possibility of integration, low cost, and applicability in all measurement environments.
Due to the background described above, with a goal of improvement in sensor sensitivity, there has been proposed a sensor utilizing localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) using fine metal particles or a fine metal particles. For example, there is a sensor for detecting a variation in medium in the vicinity of a fine metal particle to thereby detect adsorption or deposition of a target substance (detection target substance) by irradiating a transparent substrate having the fine metal particles fixed on the surface to form a film with a light and then measuring the absorbance of the light transmitted through the fine metal particles (see, e.g., JP-A-2000-356587 (Document 1)).
In Document 1 mentioned above, it is difficult to manufacture the fine metal particles so as to have a uniform size (dimension and shape), and to regularly arrange the fine metal particles. If the sizes and the arrangement of the fine metal particles fail to be controlled, variations are also caused in absorption and resonant wavelength generated by the surface plasmon resonance. Thus, it results that the width of the absorbance spectrum is broadened, and the peak intensity is decreased. Therefore, the signal variation for detecting the variation in the medium in the vicinity of the fine metal particle is low, and the improvement in the sensor sensitivity is limited.

Sensor chip, detection device, and method of manufacturing sensor chip


A motor operator for a circuit breaker has a motor driven carriage which engages a circuit breaker handle and drives it between an on position and a reset position beyond off. When the carriage drives the handle to the on position, an on limit switch is actuated to deenergize the motor. A fastener releasably secures a bracket slidably mounted on the carriage to a fixed member when the carriage reaches the on position of the handle so that if the circuit breaker is not reset and rebounds toward a trip position, the bracket is extended and maintains actuation of the on limit switch. Hence, the motor is not repeatedly energized and burned out in unsuccessful attempts to turn on the circuit breaker. A similar arrangement prevents the motor from cycling when the off relay is latched.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to motor operators for electrically positioning the handle of an electrical switch such as a circuit breaker. More particularly, it relates to such a motor operator with a device which prevents repeated unsuccessful attempts to turn on a circuit breaker that has not been reset.
2. Background Information
Electrical switches, such as circuit breakers, typically have a handle by which the contacts of the circuit breaker can be manually opened and closed. They can also be automatically opened, or tripped, in response to currents which exceed defined amplitude/time-characteristics. In many such circuit breakers, the handle must be moved beyond the off position to a reset position following a trip before the handle can be returned to the on position. Often, the handle is spring biased to a position between off and on when the circuit breaker is tripped to provide a visual indication of the tripped condition.
In many applications, a motor operator is provided to position the circuit breaker handle. The motor operator makes it easier to operate large circuit breakers and also provides the capability for remote operation of the circuit breaker. An example of a common type of motor operator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,658. Such motor operators have a carriage which engages the handle of the circuit breaker. The carriage is reciprocally driven to move the handle to the on and off/reset positions by a threaded shaft which is rotated by an electric motor in response to the operator's activation of a latched relay which energizes the motor. The power circuit for the electric motor includes on and off limit switches which are actuated when the carriage has driven the handle to the on and off/reset positions respectively to terminate energization of the motor. In certain cases, the motor does not have sufficient torque to reset the circuit breaker when starting from the tripped position. In these cases, the handle should be first moved to the on position so that the motor operator generates sufficient inertia to reset the circuit breaker. If the circuit breaker is not reset, the springs biasing the handle to the intermediate tripped position cause the carriage to rebound from the off/reset position toward the trip position by a distance which results in deactuation of the off limit switch. This results in reenergization of the motor with a polarity which again drives the carriage toward the off/reset position. Again, this results in reactuation of the off limit switch to deenergize the motor, but since the motor lacks sufficient torque to reset the circuit breaker, the carriage again rebounds deactuating the off limit switch. Thus, the motor repetitively tries to reset the breaker eventually causing burn-out of the motor. patent application Ser. No. 08/699,305 cited above, addresses this problem and provides an override which maintains the off limit switch in an activated condition if the carriage rebounds from the off/reset position toward the trip position.
A related problem has been identified where a circuit breaker fails to reset and the motor operator is activated to turn on the circuit breaker. If the circuit breaker is not reset, the springs biasing the handle to the intermediate tripped position cause the carriage to rebound from the on position toward the trip position by a distance which results in deactivation of the on limit switch. This results in reenergization of the motor with a polarity which again drives the carriage towards the on position. This can repeatedly occur, and thus can similarly result in burn-out of the motor.
There is a need therefore for an improved motor operator for operating the handle of electrical switches such as circuit breakers.
More particularly, there is a need for such an improved motor operator which does not permit cycling of the motor operator in either direction if the circuit breaker does not reset.


A patient's response to anti-arrhythmic drug changes can be monitored using cardiac activity information, such as using cardiac electromechanical time intervals adjusted for heart rate. A cardiac electromechanical time interval can include an R-S2 interval or an S2-R interval. Tracking changes in cardiac electromechanical time intervals adjusted for heart rate can be used to provide information about a patient, including anti-arrhythmic drug effect information and patient condition information.

Anti-arrhythmic drugs (also referred to as "anti-arrhythmic agents" or "antiarrhythmic drugs") are a group of pharmaceuticals that may be used to suppress abnormal heart rhythms (also referred to as "cardiac arrhythmias"). Examples of types of cardiac arrhythmias may include ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmias, such as non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions, long Q-T syndrome, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and premature atrial contractions.
Anti-arrhythmic drugs may be classified, such as based on exerting inhibitory activity on different phases of the cardiac action potential. Anti-arrhythmic drugs may include Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs (also referred to as "Type III"). The mechanism of action of Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs may include inhibiting potassium channel outflow, which may increase the refractory period of the cardiac action potential.
An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) represents an intrinsic electrical cardiac signal, which includes atrial and ventricular depolarizations. Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs may prolong the Q-T interval of the EKG. Class ill anti-arrhythmic drugs may have other effects, such as slowing heart rate, slowing atrioventricular nodal conduction, and prolonging refractoriness. Examples of Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs may include amiodarone and dofetilide. Amiodarone may have other effects, and thus may be included in Classes I, II, and IV. Because amiodarone may prolong the Q-T interval, it may be considered pro-arrhythmic.
Patients with cardiac arrhythmias may be treated using anti-arrhythmic drugs, medical devices, other therapies, or any combination thereof. Medical devices may be ambulatory or non-ambulatory. Ambulatory medical devices (AMDs) may be used to monitor and/or treat patients with cardiac conditions. Examples of AMDs may include subcutaneous and other implantable medical devices (IMDs), wearable medical devices and other external medical devices. IMDs may include pacemakers (also referred to as "implantable pulse generators" (IPGs) or "artificial pacemakers").

Sensor guided response to anti-arrhythmic changes


Disclosed are a concentrated beverage composition for hair health care, a method of manufacturing the concentrated beverage composition, and a natural tea comprising the same. The concentrated beverage composition for hair health care comprises 100 parts by weight of water, 10 to 20 parts by weight of Pleuropterus multiflorus extract, 5 to 20 parts by weight of Sophora flavescens extract, 1 to 5 parts by weight of black bean extract, 5 to 10 parts by weight of African black sesame extract; 1 to 10 parts by weight of pomegranate extract; 5 to 10 parts by weight of Oenothera odorata seeds extract; and 5 to 10 parts by weight of Sophora japonica extract.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beverage composition, a method of manufacturing the beverage composition, and a natural tea comprising the same, and more particularly, to a concentrated beverage composition for hair health care, a method of manufacturing the concentrated beverage composition, and a natural tea comprising the same, which may improve the health status of hair and obtain aesthetic effects.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, beverages may contain fruit juices, various additives, and the like, and can relieve people's thirst and instantaneously satisfy a variety of tastes of people using the above ingredients. Recently, as people's interest for health and beauty is increased, functional beverages having added functions such as preventing a hangover, improving blood circulation, increasing beauty and the like as well as an inherent capability of thirst relief are being focused on.
Meanwhile, people's hair may consist of a cuticle, cortex, and medulla which function to protect the human body. The importance of the hair gradually increases even in view of aesthetic aspects.
However, the people's hair may be easily damaged by external factors such as environmental pollution, and internal factors such as nutrient deficiency, excessive stress, and the like, and further cause even hair loss.

Concentrated beverage composition for hair health care, method of manufacturing the concentrated beverage composition and natural tea comprising the same


A method is used to identify a single panel or proof copy that has a printed image of defective quality on printed material that includes several such panels or proof copies. An image of at least part of the printed material is captured photographically. Data, that correlates with the captured image, is analyzed to determine if a defect exists which reduces the quality of the printed image on the printed material. Information with respect to the specific location of the proof copy which contains the defect is determined by comparing the data which correlates with the captured image, to an electronically generated data record which includes information, with respect to the arrangement, form or size of the individual panel that is located on the printed material. An image processing system may perform the comparison of the data record for the form of the individual panel or proof copy on the printed material. That data record may originate from a punching die which is used for separating the individual panels or proof copies of the printed material.

A printing press, and in particular a sheet-fed offset printing press, is known from DE 200 10 920 U1 and EP 1 167 036 A1. To determine the quality of a printed image which is arranged on the imprinted material, an image registration device registers the imprinted material. An evaluation device, which is connected with the image registration device, compares the image of the imprinted material, which was registered by the image registration device, with a reference image. The imprinted material is covered with a plurality of identical printed images. The evaluation device only evaluates a part of the printed images on the image of the imprinted material. In the case of an agreement of the evaluated partial amount with the reference image, the evaluation device issues a signal to a counting device for registering the partial amount.
A method for identifying a single proof copy, which contains a printed image of defective quality on an imprinted material containing several proof copies is known from DE 44 32 371 A1. An inspection system takes a picture of the imprinted material with a camera and processes data from the picture taken in an image processing system. The image processing system compares the data from the picture taken with a single proof copy in a data set relating to the imprinted material.
The technical article by Dieter Kleeberg "The Linked Printing Plant," in the supplement to the company publication KBA Report No. 14 of Koenig & Bauer AG, Wurzburg, 2000, pp. 4, 6, 7, discloses that it is known to combine positional data for further processing, and data for inline quality control into a data set by the use of a uniform data file, such as, for example, CIP3-PPF-data files. By proceeding the data in this way, it is only necessary to compile a data set once for use in the identification of individual error-containing proof copies and for further processing.
An image inspection system for a printing press is known from DE 203 03 574 U1. The imprinted material, which was imprinted with proof copies, is recorded by an image recording system. The image signals so obtained are processed in a downstream-connected image processing arrangement. A printing device, which can be controlled in accordance with the image signals, is arranged downstream of the image recording system. By use of the printing device, markings for identifying areas determined to be in error can be created at predetermined locations of the imprinted material. As a result of those markings, misprinted proof copies can be removed in an appropriately embodied further processing device.
A method for use in determining the position and/or the shape of at least one marker on a web to be imprinted is known from the later published EP 1 403 045 A2. The position and/or the shape of that at least one marker in the image to be printed is determined by the use of pre-press data.

Method for identifying a single panel comprising a printed image of defective quality on printed material comprising several panels


A liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device are provided. The liquid crystal display device includes: a thin film transistor substrate, a color filter substrate on the thin film transistor substrate, a transparent conductive plate on the color filter substrate, a pad portion on the thin film transistor substrate, a static-electricity transmission electrode on a region of the pad portion adjacent to the color filter substrate, a conductive member configured to electrically connect the transparent conductive plate and the static-electricity transmission electrode to each other, and a plurality of lattice patterns on the static-electricity transmission electrode.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As the information society spreads, the requirements for display devices are varied and gradually increasing. In accordance therewith, a variety of display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panels (PDP), electro-luminescent display (ELD) devices, vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) devices, and so on, have been researched. Furthermore, some display devices already have been applied to many appliances and devices.
More specifically, the LCD devices are rapidly replacing cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and are used most often as a portable image (or picture) display device, because they have features such as superior picture quality, light weight, slimness, low power consumption, and so on. These LCD devices are being developed in a variety of shapes which are applied to computer monitors, television display screens, and so on, as well as to portable notebook computer monitors.
In this manner, many technologies allowing the LCD device to be used in a variety of fields as an image display device had been developed. However, technologies for enhancing image quality of the LCD device can affect realization of the above-mentioned features.
In order to apply the LCD device to a variety of fields as a general image display device, the LCD device must display high quality images while realizing the features of light weight, slimness, and low power consumption. In other words, the LCD device must further provide the features of high definition, high brightness, large size, and so on.
For reference, the configuration of a related art LCD device will now be briefly described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an LCD device of the related art.
With reference to FIG. 1, the related art LCD device includes an LCD panel 310 configured with a thin film transistor substrate 311 and a color filter substrate 321.
The LCD panel 310 may be received into and fastened to a bottom cover 313. A transparent conductive plate 323 may be formed on the color filter substrate 321. A static-electricity prevention tape 331 is connected between the bottom cover 313 and the transparent conductive plate 323. Static-electricity generated in the manufacturing process of the LCD device and during the use of the LCD device can apply a large amount of energy to the LCD device within a short period (several tens of nanoseconds). Due to this, elements (for example, thin film transistors) included in the LCD device may be seriously damaged. The static-electricity being generated in the manufacturing process of the LCD device and during the use of the LCD device may be discharged toward the exterior via the transparent conductive plate 323, the static-electricity prevention tape 331, and the bottom cover 313.
A recent trend of a thin LCD device forces a bezel portion to be narrowed. As such, the margin of the static-electricity prevention tape 331 being used to discharge static-electricity is gradually reduced. Due to this, a process yield can decrease and a fault generation ratio may become higher.

Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same


A variable margin pricing system and method that generates retail prices based on customer price sensitivity. Products are grouped into pools from a first pool for most price sensitive products to a last pool for least price sensitive products. A logical relationship between margins and the customer price sensitivity is determined for the products. Based on this logical relationship and each product's pool assignment, the system and method calculate each product's margin and corresponding retail price. The method is also used to generate retail price labels having retail prices based on customer price sensitivity for the products to which the labels are to be affixed or located proximate.

Many years ago dealers typically had a constant margin on every SKU in stock. Some merchants had been increasing their margins by a few percent to account for larger freight bills or to increase net profit. As the flood of big discounters and other large inventory warehouse-type stores began to change the market, dealers of smaller stores reacted by reducing those flat store margins and found that it only significantly reduced their profit margins. Even with a reduced constant margin, the high end prices were still too high. The discounters had created their image by using very low margins on higher priced merchandise and recovered margin on the low priced stock keeping units (SKUs).
In recent years, trade journals have discussed highly sensitive prices on a few dozen SKUs. The believers of this theory state that the public has memorized the price of the leader SKUs found in the big discounters, and other stores must match these prices or be subject to "bad price image." As a result, the small store dealers have attempted to guess what those highly-sensitive SKUs are and have changed them individually on their products over and over again, depending on trade circulars and customer complaints.
Trade journals also discuss a philosophy that gross profit margins should decline as prices increase. These journals, however, do not elaborate on how to accomplish this on a typical inventory of 15,000 SKUs. Apparently, the journals discussing this philosophy believe that prices can be changed one at a time and then maintained.
Many dealers have attempted the above theories and found that they could not keep the typical systems offered by wholesalers under control. A perfectly set up system to manage prices according to these theories would slowly "slide away" from manageable pricing, because there was no underlying logic in the system to correct for the unavoidable changes in products and competition. Many of these pricing systems, for example, simply use the computer as a large electronic filing cabinet which does nothing more than store millions of little individual decisions regarding each retail price. These systems do not have the unifying thread of mathematics and logic that makes it possible to answer the question: where do retail prices come from or, more particularly, how are they logically related to customers' purchasing decisions?
These existing systems become complicated and unmanageable for small independent dealers who wish to take significant control over their own prices. They have no option except to individually price their entire inventory. Since there are inevitable changes in the merchandise, the dealers are forced into spending a large portion of their time in system maintenance due to the required individual adjustment of prices. The dealer is forced to make the same decisions over and over again in a never ending cycle. The dealers are manually attempting to adjust prices, instead of using the computer to determine a logical relationship between price and customers' purchasing decisions and automate the calculation of retail prices.


Generally, a processing system for polishing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor substrate or wafer, is provided. The system generally includes a first set of load cups that are nested with a second set of load cups. The second set of load cups are disposed adjacent one or more polishing pads. A first and a second polishing head are coupled to a carrier. The carrier is coupled to a drive system that is adapted to move the first and second polishing heads between positions above the first set of load cups, the second set of load cups and a polishing media.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a substrate planarization system and a method for processing a substrate.
2. Background of Invention
In semiconductor wafer processing, the use of chemical mechanical planarization, or CMP, has gained favor due to the enhanced ability to stack multiple devices on a semiconductor workpiece, or substrate, such as a wafer. As the demand for planarization of layers formed on wafers in semiconductor fabrication increases, the requirement for greater system (i.e., process tool) throughput with less wafer damage and enhanced wafer planarization has also increased.
Two exemplary CMP systems that address these issues are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,507, issued Sep. 8, 1998 to Perlov et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,574, issued Apr. 15, 1998 to Tolles et al., both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Perlov et al. and Tolles et al. disclose a CMP system having a planarization apparatus that is supplied wafers from cassettes located in an adjacent liquid filled bath. A transfer mechanism, or robot, facilitates the transfer of the wafers from the bath to a transfer station. The transfer station generally contains a load cup that positions the wafer into one of four processing heads mounted to a carousel. The carousel moves each processing head sequentially over the load cup to receive a wafer. As the processing heads fill, the carousel moves the processing head and wafer through the planarization stations for polishing. The wafers are planarized by moving the wafer relative to a polishing pad in the presence of a slurry or other polishing fluid medium.
The polishing pad may include an abrasive surface. Additionally, the slurry may contain both chemicals and abrasives that aid in the removal of material from the wafer. After completion of the planarization process, the wafer is returned back through the transfer station to the proper cassette located in the bath.
Optionally, one of the planarization stations may be a buffing station. The buffing station also processes the wafer in a motion similar to the planarization station. The buffing station removes surface contamination, such as loosely adhered particles, so that the wafer may be cleaned more effectively after polishing in a cleaning module that may be located adjacent to or remotely from the CMP system.
Another system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,530, issued Jun. 1, 1999, to Hoshizaki et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference, teaches an apparatus for planarizing wafers wherein the wafer is subjected to uniform velocity across the wafer surface with respect to the abrasive surface. The wafer""s motion is provided by a first linear drive and a second linear drive configured to provide x/y motion to a wafer carrier coupled to one of the linear drives. In one aspect, the wafer can be moved in an orbital pattern.
A polishing head is coupled to the wafer carrier to retain the wafer during polishing. Generally, the wafer is positioned in the polishing head by a dedicated load cup that also receives the polished wafers from the polishing head after processing. The polishing head generally stands idle while finished wafers are removed from the load cup and replaced with unpolished wafers.
Since the wafer does not rotate during polishing, all the points on the wafer are subject to a uniform velocity relative to the polishing surface. The uniform velocity across the wafer surface coupled with a multi-programable planarization pattern results in a uniform rate of material removal from the wafer surface. In addition, Hoshizaki et al. provides a number of optional routines that allow a user to fine tune material removal from the wafer.
The systems described above can generally utilize polishing pads with and without abrasive finishes. The polishing pads may be stationary or move relative to the wafer. Additionally, abrasive slurry, de-ionized water and other fluids may be delivered to the polishing pad during wafer processing.
While both the rotational and linear planarization systems have proven to be generally robust polishing platforms, the elimination of the dwell time associated with loading and unloading a polishing head would improve the routing time required to process each wafer, and yield a corresponding increase in wafer throughput (i.e., the number of wafers processed in a unit of time). The increase in wafer throughput has an advantageous effect on both the manufacturing cost of devices fabricated on the wafer, and the cost of ownership associated with the polishing system.
Additionally, compact tool footprints (i.e., the operational area a tool occupies including hardware, access areas and safety buffers) are also desirable. Generally, compact (i.e., small) footprints allow for more processing equipment to be utilized in a given manufacturing area, thus contributing to lower factory overhead and greater wafer throughput.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that provides higher throughput by minimizing the dwell times during wafer transfer between system components while minimizing tool footprint.
One aspect of the present invention generally provides a processing system for polishing a substrate. In one embodiment, a processing system includes a first set of load cups that are nested with a second set of load cups. The second set of load cups are disposed adjacent one or more polishing pads. A first and a second polishing head are coupled to a carrier. The carrier is coupled to a drive system that is adapted to move the first and second polishing heads between positions above the first set of load cups, the second set of load cups and the polishing media. Additionally, a transfer station is provided adjacent the loading cup in at least one embodiment.

Apparatus for chemical mechanical planarization having nested load cups


A portable tracking array to be used in a system for determining the track nd/or the range of a target vehicle. The array includes a fiber optic hydrophone for acquiring acoustic signals from the target vehicle. The fiber optic hydrophone is encapsulated within a plastic material such as polyurethane. The array further includes a fiber optic cable for transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from the fiber optic hydrophone, which fiber optic cable has an end encapsulated within a termination coupling, and a length of perforated material extending between the terminal coupling and the plastic material encapsulating the fiber optic hydrophone to allow water entry and to substantially eliminate air cavities which interfere with acoustic performance.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical range tracking array for receiving acoustic tracking signals and to a system for tracking vehicles using said optical range tracking array.
(2) Description of Prior Art
Optical acoustic sensors are known in the art and have been used in a number of different environments for a number of different purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,185 to Chovan; 4,320,475 to Leclerc et al.; 4,422,167 to Shajenko; 4,751,690 to Krueger; 4,799,202 to Assard; 4,882,716 to Lefevre et al.; 4,893,930 to Garrett et al.; 5,155,548 to Danver et al.; 5,155,707 to Fisher; and 4,688,200 to Poorman et al. illustrate various types of optical acoustic sensors known in the art and their uses.
The Chovan patent relates to an acoustic vibration sensor employing a pair of single mode optical fibers, optically coupled by a path whose length is varied by the acoustic vibrations. The sensor further includes a partially reflecting discontinuity at the sensitive end of each fiber. Optical signals of one frequency are supplied to one fiber, and of another frequency to the other fiber. Optical signals of the same difference frequency emerge from the dry end of each fiber. When these two emergent signals are photodetected, and the phase or frequency difference is obtained, the acoustic vibration is sensed.
The Leclerc et al. patent relates to a monomodal optical fiber hydrophone operating by the elastooptical effect. The hydrophone has an interferometer structure incorporating a measuring arm in which is provided a very long monomodal optical fiber immersed in the interaction medium in which is propagated the acoustic wave. A phase displacement is induced on the optical wave by the elastooptical effect and said wave is propagated in the fiber by the acoustic wave which creates an acoustic pressure field in the medium. A reference arm establishes a reference optical path and the phase displacement: linked with the acoustic wave is detected by interferometry between the two optical waves emerging from the two arms.
The Shajenko patent relates to a wide area acousto-optic hydrophone which uses signal and reference laser beams together with interferometric methods for detecting underwater acoustic signals. The signal beam is distributed across the wide sensing area of the hydrophone using beam folding techniques while being directly transmitted through a sensing chamber filled with an optically transparent bulk material, the refractive index of which varies with the incident acoustic pressure thereby modulating the signal beam. Concurrently, a reference beam of equal length and folded in an identical pattern is directly passed through an adjacent chamber filled with the same bulk material. A microhole joins the two chambers to expose the reference beam to the same static pressure and temperature fluctuations as the signal beam, thus serving as a low pass filter. The modulated signal beam and the unmodulated reference beam are then combined and superimposed on the surface of a photodetector, the output of which is proportional to the phase shifts produced by the incident acoustic signal.
The Krueger patent relates to a fiber optic interferometric hydrophone based on the change in optic path length of optic fibers bonded to both sides of a bending beam which acts as an acoustically sensitive diaphragm. The bending beam is segmented into an even number of segments, acoustic windows are arranged such that opposite sides of the beam see the acoustic field in adjacent segments, and the optic fibers cross from one side of the beam to the other to maintain the phase of strain signal for the two fibers, one on each side, along the full length of the bending beam.
The Assard patent relates to a cylindrical interferometric hydrophone having an axial hollow free-flooded volume which includes an outer fiber wrap for a sensor leg and an inner fiber wrap for a reference leg. Both inner and outer fiber wraps are wound on elastomers and exposed to a fluid medium for sensing acoustic signals.
The Lefevre et al patent relates to an optic fiber hydrophone which comprises a wide spectrum optical source, a super-luminescent diode associated with an optical fiber assembly comprising chiefly a side-hole optic fiber, subjected to the field of pressure, forming a sensor, transmitting the optic radiation in the slow and fast modes respectively, and a second fiber, not subjected to the field of pressure, the neutral axes of which are oriented with respect to the neutral axis of the first fiber so that the wave transmitted in slow mode in one fiber is transmitted in fast mode in the other fiber. The two fibers may be connected by a polarization maintaining fiber, which enables the creation of interferences, in the event that the sensor is offset with respect to the source.
The Garrett et al. patent relates to a multiple axis, fiber optic interferometric seismic sensor. The mechanical vibration transducer includes a seismic mass supported by a plurality of cylindrical silicone rubber mandrels. Each mandrel is wound with a length of optical fiber which has a reflective end and a transmissive end. A case surrounds the assemblage and is connected to the supports. When the case is displaced, the supports change diameter in response to the relative motion between the seismic mass and the case. This change in diameter is translated to a change in length of the optical fiber. By using the fibers as arms of a Michelson interferometer, a sensitive instrument responsive to displacing vibrations is obtained. This instrument is energized entirely by light transmitted through optical fiber waveguides and whose information is transmitted to the observer using only light waves in optical fibers.
The Danver et al. patent relates to a mismatched path length fiber optic interferometer which is optically coupled to an optical fiber and configured to form an omnidirectional acoustic sensor. A second mismatched path length fiber optic interferometer is optically coupled to the optical fiber and configured as a first gradient sensor. A second fiber optic gradient sensor is also optically coupled to the optical fiber. A detector optically coupled to the omnidirectional acoustic sensor and to the gradient sensors converts optical signals output therefrom to electrical signals indicative of the magnitude and direction of changes in an acoustic field. The omnidirectional acoustic sensor may include a length of optical fiber wrapped around the housing while the gradient sensors are mounted inside the housing. The housing has a volume that is adjustable for controlling the buoyancy thereof. Each gradient sensor preferably comprises a pair of mandrels formed to enclose chambers. Optical fiber coils are formed on the mandrels. Both the chambers are filled with a fluid and placed in fluid communication through a tube that defines a sensing axis between the mandrels such that acceleration of the housing along the sensing axis causes a fluid pressure differential on the first and second optical fiber coils.
The Fisher patent relates to an omnidirectional hydrophone having a pair of fiber optic windings wrapped around a resilient ball to form a spherical acoustic sensor. The fiber-optic pair has a first fiber which has a bonded jacket and a second fiber which has an unbonded jacket. The fiber with the bonded jacket is sensitive to both vibrations of the mounting structure and impinging acoustic signals. The fiber with the unbonded jacket is sensitive to vibrations but insulated from impinging acoustic signals. The hydrophone detects acoustic signals by detecting the phase difference between the two fibers.
The Poorman et al. patent relates to an optical system for detecting acoustic wave energy in a fluid medium in which coherent radiation from a laser is coupled to unequal length optical paths exposed to modulation by the acoustic energy weave generated by the sound source. The reflected beams from the paths are crosscoupled to generate interference fringes in two output beams out of phase with each other. The fringes in one output beam are counted in an up/down counter to determine the magnitude of the pressure as a function of time. The direction of the pressure change is determined by examination of the phase relationship between the fringes in the output beams. Peaks and valleys in the pressure are detected as phase reversals between the fringes in the output beams by detecting the beginning and end of a fringe in one beam without detecting the beginning or end of a fringe in the other beam therebetween. The direction of counting of the counter is reversed upon detection of a peak or valley in the modulating pressure to maintain the count as an accurate representation of the magnitude of the pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,753 to Shajenko discloses a fiber-optic acoustic array using optic hydrophones in which sound waves are sensed and displayed as modulated light signals. The light signals so generated are transmitted along the fiber-optic bundles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,391 to Gilmour illustrates a passive. fiber optic sonar system wherein first and second optical fibers are wound on a common mandrel and provided with a light energy beams. An acoustic signal differentially varies the index of refraction of the optical fibers to result in an interference pattern dependent upon the frequency of the received acoustic signal or signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,529 to Avicola relates to a multi-channel fiber optic sensor system including two or more sensors formed on an optical fiber and a phase sensitive detector. Each sensor includes two reflectors separated by a section of the fiber. Each reflector may be activated so that when an interrogating light signal propagates in a first direction past the activated reflector, a portion of the interrogating light signal will be reflected back into a direction opposite the first direction. Each reflector may also be deactivated so that the interrogating signal may propagate unhindered past the deactivated reflector. Variations in the optical path length between the reflectors of a sensor, due to changes in an external parameter of interest, will cause phase modulations that are extracted in the phase sensitive detector by homodyne or heterodyne techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,965 to Poorman relates to an acousto-optical seismic sensor array including a distributed set of optical fiber sensing coils. A light pulse is launched through the sensing coils in serial order. The light pulse is cumulatively data-modulated by the respective sensing coils and is returned as a time division multiplexed pulse train. The pulse train is split into a first pulse train and a retarded second pulse train. The retardation time equals the travel-time delay of a light pulse between sensors. The retarded pulse train is compared with the first pulse train to determine the phase shift therebetween for consecutive pulses. The phase shift is an analog of the quantity being sensed.
In past designs, portable shallow water tracking sensor arrays have consisted of electrical, mechanical and/or optical components. The electronics perform the complex function of interfacing to an acoustic sensor and transmitting information to the processing system. The fact that electronics were required, complicated the design in the following technical areas. By forcing water tight integrity of the electronic components, the mechanical housing had to be designed and fabricated such that no sea water intrusion occurs at the hydrostatic pressure where the system will be used. Further, the housing must remain dry at all times.
With the advent of optical long haul communications technology into undersea range tracking systems, the in-water design is further complicated. The hydrophone sensor node interconnect and trunk cable designs are also complex because of the joining and terminating of the electrical, mechanical and optical properties required in the cable. Termination of the cable is a perplexing task involving several intricate steps in order to keep the sea-water from intruding into the system. All these processes increase the overall system cost, the labor and skill required to perform the assembly processes due to the complex designs.
There are times when portable shallow water tracking sensor arrays are to be installed in harsh ocean environments due to testing requirements. The harsh shallow water ocean environments include areas of rough bottom types such as coral and where local bottom fishing operations occur. In such environments loss of part of the system is a real possibility during the course of the installation period. It would be a big advantage to develop a system that was as inexpensive as possible so that the financial loss of equipment would be minimized.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


According to some example embodiments, systems, apparatus, methods, computer readable media, and computer program products are provided for implementing an item pusher apparatus with channel-based shuttle displacement detection. One example method includes determining a position of a channel engagement member affixed to a shuttle, where the shuttle is movable and configured to at least exert a force on an item to urge the item towards a stopping member. The channel engagement member is configured to at least physically interface with as channel defined such that movement of the shuttle alone a defined movement path causes movement of the channel engagement member in a direction that is nonparallel to the defined movement path in at least one plane. Example systems apparatuses, methods, computer readable media, and computer program products are also provided.

As one might expect, retail product sales are detrimentally impacted by the products simply being unavailable to customers on the sales floor. In some instances, replacement stock may be as nearby as a stock room. However, store personnel may be unaware of out-of-stock conditions on the sales floor, and therefore shelves or other product displays can remain empty for extended periods of time and potential sales can be lost.
The issues involved in the availability of stock to customers on the retail sales floor are commonly referred to as On-Shelf Availability (OSA) issues. Some studies of OSA have shown that many customers will not choose a replacement product when their desired product is not available on the sales floor and those customers may even leave the store without making a purchase. Further, in some instances, customers may not return to the store if the out of stock conditions recur. As such, considering OSA issues and counteracting out-of-stock conditions on the sales floor can lead to improved sales and profits for retailers.
Additionally, retailers can suffer substantial financial losses as a result of retail theft. It is becoming increasingly common for shoplifters and thieves to implement organized and coordinated plans involving multiple individuals to steal large amounts of high priced goods from retail establishments. To protect against such losses, store owners have installed various systems that operate to deter theft through the use of alarms and other prevention mechanisms. However, as thieves become more sophisticated, theft deterrent systems may be circumvented by new techniques and equipment. As such, the technology used for theft prevention must continue to evolve to meet and exceed the increasing sophistication of organized theft techniques.

Item pusher apparatus with channel-based shuttle displacement detection and associated methods


A non-contact type potentiometer with high resolution of rotation amount detection applicable to endlessly multiple rotations. The potentiometer has an endlessly rotatable first shaft, a first detection unit that magnetically detects a rotation angle of the first shaft in a non-contact manner, an endlessly rotatable second shaft, a second detection unit that magnetically detects a rotation angle of the second shaft in a non-contact manner, a transmission unit that decreases the speed of the rotation of the first shaft and transmits the rotation to the second shaft, and an output unit that outputs an electric signal proportional to a rotation amount of the first shaft based on detection signals from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

The present invention relates to a potentiometer, and more particularly, to a potentiometer which generates an electric signal corresponding to a shaft rotation amount.
A potentiometer is used when an electric signal indicating the amount of displacement of an object is required. The potentiometer has a shaft which rotates by an external force and a converter which converts a rotation amount of the shaft to an electric signal.
In a potentiometer using a slide resistor for conversion of a rotation amount to an electric signal, as abrasion of a slide part degrades performance and operational stability with time, a non-contact type potentiometer is employed to avoid these inconveniences.
A non-contact type potentiometer utilizing magnetism is known. The potentiometer of this type has a magnet attached to an end of a shaft, and a sensor to detect a magnetic flux of the magnet as an electric signal. As the sensor, a Hall device or an inductance device is used (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2 respectively.)
As a potentiometer in which the amount of plural shaft rotations is converted to an electric signal in a non-contact manner, known is a potentiometer in which a screw stock to linearly move in correspondence with shaft rotation is provided inside of the shaft and the position of the end of the screw stock is magnetically detected. (for example, see Patent Document 3).
[Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,695 (column 2-4, FIGS. 1-3)
[Patent Document 2] U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,710 (column 1-3, FIGS. 1-2)
[Patent Document 2] U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,082 (column 2-3, FIG. 1)
In the constructions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, merely a rotation amount for one or smaller shaft rotation is detected. Further, the resolution of rotation amount detection is low. In the construction described in Patent Document 3, a rotation amount for plural shaft rotations can be detected, however, the maximum rotation amount is limited.

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


Devices and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. A representative device includes a complaint wafer-level package having one or more lead packages. A representative lead package includes a substrate having a plurality of die pads disposed thereon and a plurality of leads attached to the plurality of die pads. In addition, the lead package includes a plurality of pillars made of a low modulus material. Each pillar is disposed between the substrate and at least one lead, and each lead is disposed upon one of the pillars that compliantly support the lead.

Conventional chip manufacturing is divided into front-end, back-end, and tail-end processing. Front-end of the line (FEOL) processing refers to the fabrication of transistors, while back-end of the line (BEOL) processing describes wafer metallization. Tail-end of the line (TEOL) processing refers to the packaging of the individual dice. Generally, the final wafer-level process step is the fabrication of vias through a passivation layer to expose the die pads, which serve as the interface between the die and the package. Each individual die, while still part of the wafer, is then functionally tested to identify known good die (KGD) followed by wafer singulation. The KGDs are then shipped to a packaging foundry where they are individually placed in a temporary package for burn-in. The dice that pass this test are then individually packaged into their final package and tested again for functionality. This final step concludes tail-end processing and the functional packaged dice are finally ready for system assembly.
The mechanical performance of a package is important for wafer-level testing, protection, and reliability. Wafer-level testing of electrical devices requires simultaneous reliable electrical contact across a surface area. Typically, neither the wafer nor the testing substrate is planar enough to enable this reliable temporary electrical contact. In-plane (i.e., x-y axis) compliance is generally required to account for potential problems such as, for example, thermal expansion between the chip and printed wiring board and probe contact with leads. Wafer-level testing and burn-in demands significant out-of-plane (i.e., z-axis) compliance in order to establish reliable electrical contact between the pads on the non-planar wafer and pads/probes on the board surfaces. Non-compliance of the input/output (I/O) interconnects/pads out-of-plane, as well as in-plane (i.e., x-y axis), can cause difficulties in performing wafer-level testing.
Unlike conventional packaging, wafer-level packaging (WLP) is a continuation of integrated circuit manufacturing. In WLP, additional masking steps can be used after BEOL processing to simultaneously package all dice across the wafer. A unique class of WLP is called compliant wafer-level packaging (CWLP). In CWLP, additional masking steps can be used following BEOL to batch fabricate compliant x-y-z axis I/O leads between the die pads and the board pads. A mechanically x-y-z flexible lead is formed between the die pad and the bump interconnection that would be joined with the board. The compliant lead allows the interconnection of chips to boards with a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch and, as a result, no underfill is needed. In addition, the compliant interconnect allows wafer-level functionality testing as well as wafer-level burn-in to identify known good packaged die (KGPD). WLP allows the semiconductor industry to extend the economic benefits of wafer-level processing to chip I/O interconnection (i.e., cheaper packaging).
The surface area of a WLP is exactly equal to the area of a die, and thus, the net area available for the design/fabrication of x-y-z-compliant leads is predefined. Thus, it is important to develop a lead design that allows very high compliance and high I/O density. The cost, size, weight, and performance of electronic packages significantly influence the overall cost, weight, size, and performance of electronic systems.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for x-y-z compliant leads that provide high density, high electrical performance, low cost, and the ability of batch fabrication. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Devices having compliant wafer-level packages with pillars and methods of fabrication


A data backup system is provided that when coupled to a data source, such as a personal computer, and a media player, such an Apple Computer IPod media player, the data backup system blocks certain communications between the data source and the media player thus preventing the data source from recognizing the media player as such thereby avoiding the launching of synchronization software for the media player, the data backup system also causing the automatic launching of a backup application stored on the data backup system so that data files can be located on the data source and then backed up to the media player.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of digital data management and more particularly to systems for data backup applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Digital content, represented by digital data files of various file types, is rapidly replacing other forms of content. Documents, presentations, photos, movies, and music, for example, are increasingly produced and stored digitally. A problem for many individuals and organizations is that digital content, typically stored on a computer hard drive, can be poorly organized and needs to be archived to be protected against accidental loss. For example, digital photo files on a personal computer (PC) are likely to be found in numerous folders—photos transferred from a digital camera are stored in one set of folders, photos received as e-mail attachments are stored in other folders, and photos downloaded from websites are stored in still other folders.
One approach to archiving digital content is to periodically backup all of the data files on the computer, preserving the existing organizational structure. While this technique is effective to preserve digital content against accidental loss, the technique has several shortcomings. For one, the resulting copy is no better organized than the original, so misplaced or disorganized content remains misplaced or disorganized. Also, backing up all data files requires substantial memory capacity to copy numerous files that are otherwise already preserved elsewhere. Application specific files, for example, originally loaded onto the computer from a compact disc (CD) are already archived on the CD and therefore do not need to be backed up.
The necessary storage capacity for a complete backup can be obtained with writable data storage media, such as hard disc drives (HDDs), however, these require device installation and software set-up when first connected to a system. In order to complete these steps, a user may have to provide information about the existing system, which the user may not readily know. Also, the user may have to make decisions regarding the configuration of the device and the backup software. The number of steps involved with installation and set-up, as well as the complexity of some of the steps, dissuades many users from bothering with backup applications. The expense of a writable data storage media with enough capacity to perform a complete backup can also dissuade users from performing complete backups. Furthermore, some users, having bought and installed the necessary storage capacity, are dissuaded from performing frequent backups due to the length of time the system is tied up while performing a complete backup.
Alternately, a user can manually select a set of files from a directory and copy the selected files to a storage device. While this alternative may allow usage of a smaller memory device that does not require installation and set-up steps, manually selecting files is time-consuming. Also, manually selecting files creates the possibility of an accidental omission of some files.
Further, many users already own and use media players such as the IPOD media player by Apple Computer which contain hard disk drives or flash memory. And it is known that these devices can be used to store data files in addition to the media content which is their primary intended use. However, using such devices for storing data files typically requires configuring the media player in a special fashion which is beyond the knowledge, capabilities or interest of a typical user. For this reason, media players are rarely used for data storage purposes by the typical user.
What is needed, therefore, is the ability to backup digital content to a media player in a manner that is inexpensive, convenient, and complete.

Systems and methods for converting a media player into a backup device