An optical recording medium recording and reproducing apparatus for recording information on an optical recording medium and/or reproducing information therefrom by irradiating the optical recording medium with laser light by the use of a two-group objective lens composed of at least first and second lenses. This apparatus is provided with: a light source for emitting laser light; a first lens for converging laser light emitted from the light source; a second lens interposed between the first lens and the optical recording medium; a detecting unit for detecting a kind of the recording medium; and a movement unit for changing the distance in the direction of an optical axis between the first and second lenses by causing a relative movement between the first and second lenses. Further, the distance between the first and second lenses is changed by the movement unit, which causes the second lens to move, according to a result of a detection, which is performed by the detecting unit. Thereby, the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens is increased. Moreover, the influence of aberration is mitigated. Consequently, the high-density recording and reproducing of information signals can be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method of recording data on and reproducing data from a recording medium and, more particularly, to recording medium recording and reproducing apparatus and method, by which the distance between an objective lens and an auxiliary lens is arbitrarily changed correspondingly to the thickness of a substrate of a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, techniques of recording information or data on a recording medium and of reproducing information or data therefrom by compressing video signals and audio signals at high densities in compliance with MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) system or the like have been being put into practical use. In the field of AV (audio visual) techniques, DVD (namely, a digital video disk (or disc)) attracts attention as a next-generation information recording medium of an optical disk unit. Further, in the field of computer technology, an optical disk of the magneto-optical recording type and an optical disk of the phase change type receive attention as such next-generation information recording media. Moreover, it has been proposed that video signals and audio signals are recorded on DVD in compliance with MPEG system and that mass data, which is an extremely large amount of data as never recorded on a single optical disk, is recorded on a recordable optical disk.
Thus, in the case of disk-like optical recording media, such as DVD, which aim at increasing storage capacity to an extremely large capacity, it is necessary to record digital data on the disk at high density to decrease the spot size of a light beam in such a manner as to be smaller than the spot size of a light beam used to record data or information on a conventional recording medium (for instance, CD (namely, Compact Disk)).
Here, let R, .theta. and .lambda. denote the radius of a spot caused by a light beam, an angle of emission of an objective lens and the wavelength of the light beam, respectively. Generally, the radius of a spot of a light beam is given by the following equation (1): EQU R=0.32 .lambda./SIN.theta. (1)
As is understood from the equation (1), it is sufficient for decreasing the (spot) size of the spot caused by the light beam to reduce the wavelength .lambda. of the light beam and/or increase the numerical aperture NA (namely, SIN.theta.(=n*SIN.theta. (incidentally, a refractive index n is 1 in the air)) of the objective lens.
Further, it is sufficient for increasing the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens to increase the diameter of the objective lens. However, if the diameter of the objective lens is increased, not only the size but also the mass of an optical head, which is used for recording information on a disk and for reproducing information therefrom, should be increased. Consequently, it becomes difficult to perform a focus control operation and a tracking control operation.
Thus, there has been proposed a (conventional) system adapted to irradiate a disk with optical beams, which are used for recording or reproducing information, by utilizing a solid immersion lens (namely, what is called a hemispherical lens), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,750.
In the case of the proposed system, light beams are converged by an objective lens L1 and are then incident on a solid immersion lens L2, which has an incidence surface formed as a spherical surface and further has an emission surface formed as a flat surface, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Incident light coming from the object lens L1 is incident on the solid immersion lens L2 in a direction perpendicular to the spherical surface of the solid immersion lens L2. Thus, the light beams are converged or focused on the center of the flat emission surface of the lens L2.
In the case that the refractive index of the solid immersion lens L2 is n, the numerical aperture is nSIN.theta.. Thus, as compared with the case of a system which is not provided with the solid immersion lens L2, the numerical aperture of the objective lens of the proposed system is substantially n times that of an objective lens of the system which does not employ the solid immersion lens L2. Therefore, a high numerical aperture can be realized without increasing the diameter of an objective lens by using a two-group (namely, a doublet lens) composed of the objective lens L1 and a solid immersion lens L2. Namely, the radius of the spot obtained from the light beam is (1/n) the radius of a spot in the case of using the objective lens singly. Thus, information can be reproduced from a recording medium (namely, a disk) having recording density which is n.sup.2 times the recording density in the case of using the objective lens singly.
Incidentally, actually, there is the necessity of converging light beams, which are emitted from the solid immersion lens L2, on a disk (not shown). Thus, the thickness of the solid immersion lens L2 is set at a value, which is smaller than an original value by the thickness of the disk substrate, so that an actual converging point is located on the disk.
Further, to obtain a further larger numerical aperture NA, it is devised that light beams emitted from the objective lens L1 are used in such a manner as to be somewhat refracted on the spherical surface of the solid immersion lens L2 as illustrated in FIG. 7.
Meanwhile, in the case of applying such a two-group lens to an optical head, for example, it is devised that the objective lens L1 and the solid immersion lens L2 are provided in such a way as to be integral with each other and are mounted on a floating head (namely, a flying head) and that the distance between the floating head and a disk is controlled according to a floating amount (of the disk). The floating amount is, however, controlled according to the linear velocity of the disk. Thus, the floating amount changes according to the linear velocity of the disk. It is, therefore, expected that a change in the distance between the disk and the solid immersion lens L2 causes spherical aberration which acts as a disturbance to reproduction (or reproducing) signals and that thus, it is difficult to obtain favorable reproduction signals.
Moreover, there are variations in the thickness of each of a light-transmissible substrate and a solid immersion lens, which compose a disk. The variations cause the spherical aberration. In this case, the conventional system has a problem that it is difficult to record information on or reproduce information from a recording medium.
The present invention is accomplished in view of such a situation or problem of the prior art.

Optical recording medium recording and reproducing apparatus and optical pickup device


A binaural hearing system includes a first hearing device and a second hearing device, each of which comprising: an input transducer; a transducer audio signal processor configured to provide a processed input transducer audio signal; an ear canal microphone; an ear canal audio signal processor configured to provide a processed ear canal audio signal; a first signal combiner configured to combine the processed input transducer audio signal with the processed ear canal audio signal to obtain an output transducer audio signal; a signal level detector configured to determine a signal level of (1) the output transducer audio signal or (2) an audio signal included in formation of the output transducer audio signal; and an output transducer; wherein the binaural hearing system further comprises a binaural excessive level detector connected to the first hearing device's signal level detector and the second hearing device's signal level detector.

The occlusion effect is the changed perception of sound generated inside the body of a human, e.g. by the human's own voice, jaw motion, impact sound, e.g. caused by walking or running or hitting something, caused by inserting a mould or a shell into the human's ear canal that occludes the ear canal. When sound is generated inside the body of a human, e.g. when the human speaks, the soft tissue in the ear canal is excited by vibration energy propagated by the skull and jaw, and since the energy cannot escape the ear canal due to the occlusion or partial occlusion, the vibrating soft tissue generates an increased sound pressure within the ear canal relative to an open ear canal.
Depending on individual geometry, the occlusion effect may cause amplification of low frequencies, e.g. below 1 kHz, of up to 30 dB.
For open fits, i.e. moulds or shells that allow air passage through or around them when inserted in the ear canal, occlusion is not a problem. However, there may be situations where open fits are not feasible, e.g., due to gain or output power limitations, or when the ear canal must be sealed for protective purposes.
When conventional solutions (larger vents, deep fitting, etc.) fail, Active Occlusion Cancellation (AOC) may be a viable alternative.
Hearing aids with AOC are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,925, EP 1 129 600, WO 2006/037156, WO 2008/043792, U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,738, US 2008/0063228, WO 2008/043793, EP 2 309 778, Mejia, Jorge et al., "The occlusion effect and its reduction", Auditory signal processing in hearing-impaired listeners, 1st International Symposium on Auditory and Audiological Research (ISAAR 2007), ISBN: 87-990013-1-4, and Meija, Jorge et al., "Active cancellation of occlusion: An electronic vent for hearing aids and hearing protectors", J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 124(1), 2008.
Common for these approaches is that, an "ambient sound" received at the ambient microphone, is processed by a hearing loss processor to compensate for the hearing loss of a user to generate a desired sound, is combined with an compensation signal captured by a microphone in the user's partly or fully occluded ear canal volume in such a way that the sum of these signals suppresses the perceived excess body conducted sound.
EP 2 434 780 A1 discloses a hearing aid with a receiver (a small loudspeaker is denoted a receiver in accordance with hearing aid terminology) having a low cut-off frequency, e.g. less than 10 Hz, or being capable of holding a static pressure in a sealed volume in order to perform AOC at very low frequencies for cancellation of high amplitude subsonic signals in the residual volume of the occluded ear canal primarily due to jaw motion. Jaw motion changes the shape and thus volume of the residual volume of the ear canal, generating undesirable subsonic pressure signals that can have extremely high amplitudes. These signals may overload the output amplifier or receiver when the AOC circuit attempts to cancel them, creating audible artefacts, and wasted battery energy. Even if overload does not occur, these large signals waste the dynamic range of the output amplifier and receiver that are needed for effective occlusion cancellation.
Evidence suggests that occlusion related complaints are significant contributors to dissatisfaction with hearing aids as well as reasons for not acquiring hearing aids.
In Jespersen, Charlotte Thunberg, et al. "The occlusion effect in unilateral versus bilateral hearing aids." Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, Volume 17, Number 10, 2006: 763-773, it has been shown that subjective occlusion is worse for bilateral than for unilateral fittings.
Users of hearing devices, such as protection devices, hearing aids, headsets, etc., typically experience subjective occlusion.

Binaural hearing device system with binaural active occlusion cancellation


An method for analyzing irreversible apneic coma (IAC) for determining the presence of irreversible apneic coma (IAC) by analyzing the heart rate variability of a brain traumatic patient, thereby providing a physician a reference index to determine whether brain death has occurred. This method includes, at first, recording an electrocardiogram (ECG) from a subject. Then, analyzing R-R interval in said electrocardiogram (ECG), and plotting said R-R interval into Poincaré plot, wherein the X coordinate in said Poincaré plot represents R-R interval(n), and n is a 1˜data number. Y coordinate in said Poincaré plot represents RR(n+1). And, finally, quantifying said Poincaré plot, and obtaining semi-major axis (SD1), semi-minor axis (SD2), and SD1/SD2 of said Poincaré plot, as well as Poincaré plot area.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for analyzing irreversible apneic coma (IAC), and in particular, a method for analyzing irreversible apneic coma (IAC) based on the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) by means of Poincaré plot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an intensive care unit, a patient with irreversible apneic coma (IAC) has a great risk of developing brainstem failure. Brainstem sites governing functions of the heart and of other physiological functions tend to undergo a secondary pathological change, and, causing "brain death" after a certain period time where functions of breathing and heart beating are lost. The patient's life would be irremediable when his condition passes the "irreversible point" of dying.
This condition happens generally to a patient of severe head trauma and bleeding beneath arachnoid membrane [1-2]. Clinically, IAC patient would be considered legally brain dead based on legally established standards and procedures. Inconsistencies do exists in different countries in their established standards and procedures to determine brain death, but they are based commonly on two tests, namely, the disappearance of brainstem reflexes and the apnea test [3]. The result of brainstem determination can confirm that the "irreversible point" has been reached. Nevertheless, there has been no sufficient amount of data in relative studies to accurately determine the exact point where the "irreversible point" occurs.
In Taiwan, the established standard and process for determining brain death on an IAC patient is very lengthy. When an attending physician makes a brain death determination on an IAC patient, there has to be an observation period of 12-72 hours prior to the brainstem functional test. Thereafter, the first brainstem reflexes test and an apnea test is performed to ascertain whether the patient exhibits the absence of brainstem reflexes and absolute apneal. The same two tests are repeated four hours later. The patient can be considered brain dead if the results of the repeated second set of tests confirm the absence of brainstem reflexes and absolute apnea. Due to such lengthy procedure, the patient may die halfway through the test, or before tests can be performed to determine legal brain death.
The current legal brain death determination process can not completely differentiate whether a patient has clinically reached the state of brain death. For example, because the determination of brain death needs to test whether the function of brainstem has the ability of spontaneous breathing, the precondition for an apnea test would be the normal operation of the lungs in the patient. Unfortunately, because of the absence of brainstem reflexes and already failing lung functions in many IAC patients, no apnea test can be performed on these patients. Consequently, many physicians believe this kind of IAC patients may have already achieved the state of clinical brain death.
A sympathetic storm is a hyperactive phenomenon occurring in the cardiovascular system in the event of cerebral stem infarction. In the event of cerebral stem infarction, there will be a local ischemia in cerebrospinal nerve, and in turn the sympathetic nerve can not respond to reflective stimulation, which result in tachycardia and the raise of mean arterial blood pressure, and hence into hyper-excitability [4]. In studies of organ donation patients, sympathetic storm is a common phenomenon [4-6]. Based on clinical observations, it has been found that tachycardia and hypertension can cause dramatic blood vessel constriction in IAC patients [5]. Additional studies also pointed out that studies on the heart beat variation in sympathetic storm show may have potential for facilitating the diagnosis of IAC patients [7]. So far, unfortunately, studies on sympathetic storm had been carried out merely in organ transplantation and in the laboratory. No study has yet been done applying heart beat variation in sympathetic storm on the diagnosis of clinical IAC patients.
Thus, it can be seen that the above-described brain death determination process and standard exhibits many disadvantages. It will be conducive to the established standard and procedure of determining brain death if there exists an effective analytical method specifically for IAC patients. Not only will such analytical method facilitate a physician in determining brain death of an IAC patient, it will also help in making timely arrangement of subsequent hospice care or organ donation.
Electrocardiography (ECG) had been introduced by Willem Einthoven, a Holland physiologist, to measure electric current changes during systolic phase by means of a string galvanometer, and record its changing profile on a chart. This technique was later developed into the electrocardiography (ECG) extensively used in modern medical diagnosis. The constriction of cardiac muscles is caused by a string of processes comprising polarizing, depolarizing and re-polarizing of cardiac muscles. The electric current generated during this process can distribute throughout the body such that it can be sensed by electrode patches adhered to the patient's skin. The electric current is plotted mechanically and displayed as a wave, called an electrocardiogram (ECG). Electrocardiography (ECG) depicts the initiation, order, direction, magnitude and the length of the duration of the cardiac muscle systolic current, as well as the condition of the cardiac physiological activities.
Because the frequencies of human heart beat is not very rhythmic, even at very calm and steady state, the observed interval between heart beats exhibits a variation of tens of milliseconds, which is called heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a fluctuation that is produced from the action of cardiovascular contrition and dilation nerve center in the brain. Heart rate is influenced primarily by two factors, of which one is the constant discharge frequency of the sinoatrial pacemaker cell; the other is the control of autonomic nervous system (ANS) including sympathetic nerve system that increases heart beat and parasympathetic nerve system that suppresses heart beat [8].
Since characteristics of HRV can be changed instantly due to external environmental stimulations (e.g., postural changes, drug action, nursing activities, etc.) and intrinsic physiological mechanism (e.g., angry, happy, tension, etc.), and its length of duration of each heart beat can be affected by factors such as blood pressure change (blood pressure reflective regulation), breath (response to parasympathetic nerve from the chest pressure sensor), body temperature regulation (body temperature regulation mechanism response to the sympathetic nerve and influencing blood flow) and the circadian rhythm, long-term observation on heart beat signals can be used to monitor abnormal physiological phenomena of the heart (arrhythmia, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, etc.). And, therefore, HRV can be developed into a physiological monitoring index. In the electrocardiogram, the easiest measured parameter is the most significant peak-to-peak interval of R wave. Accordingly, the heart beat duration is determined generally based on the peak-to-peak interval of R wave, which is referred also as heart beat interval or R-R interval. In present researches, R-R interval is analyzed commonly with frequency domain and time domain.
The frequency domain analysis of HRV [9] is based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) performed on R-R intervals, in which signals that are varied with time are converted into spectra of heart beat interval. A spectrum is a function of frequency; its intensity is the square of the sinusoidal amplitude of this frequency. A relative intensity can be quantified into a power spectral density (PSD). In a characteristic spectrum of a heart beat variation, two kinds of spectral peaks can be observed generally—a low frequency band and a high frequency band. There are different definitions on a low frequency band and a high frequency band in research literatures, and the most widely used definitions are low frequency in the range of 0.04˜0.15 Hz and high frequency in the range of 0.15˜0.40 Hz [9]. In the study of Akselrod et al. [9], it is pointed out that the extremely low frequency part of a spectrum governs the temperature regulation in a human body, which is within the control of sympathetic nerve, while the high frequency part manages breathing, which is within the regulation of parasympathetic nerve. The ratio between the extremely low frequency and the high frequency can be used to describe the equilibrium condition of the automatic nerve system. Further, a frequency domain marker can be utilized to measure one's psychological stress, since a psychological stress is generated from the activation of high-level cardiovascular never center and is displayed in the low frequency domain of a heart beat spectrum. The spectral analysis of a heart beat variation facilitates further identification on body temperature regulation mechanism, peripheral vessel contrition nerve, adrenaline angiotensin, and the like [9, 10].
Since the 1981 disclosure by Akselrod et al. that heart beat spectral characteristics can be used to differentiate actions between sympathetic nerve and parasympathetic nerve [9, 10], a number of different signal procession methods have been applied to resolve the interrelation between HRV and the action of automatic nerve system, as well as for assessing the action of automatic nerve system on the change of heart beat regulation under various pathological conditions [11, 12]. Instant characteristics can be utilized to monitor meanings represented by the characteristic change of heart beat induced through stimulations on the automatic nerve system under various conditions, including detecting the occurrence of local ischemia in a patient with myocardial infarction [13], evaluating the physiological condition of patients under dizziness or narcosis [14].
D'Addio et al. had analyzed the HRV of a patient with cardiac failure by means of a nonlinear analytical method, Poincaré plot, and had divided roughly the geometrical shape of a Poincaré plot into four types: comet, torpedo, fan, and complex [15, 16]. In addition, D'Addio et al. had postulated that the comet type stands for a lower heart beat and the increase of HRV; the torpedo type is narrower than the comet type and approaches a diagonal line, and represents a small difference between contiguous heart beats. In the fan type, not only is the difference between contiguous heart beats small, but contiguous heart beats as a whole is also restricted within a small range, while the complex type represents a combination of several heart beat intervals. Later, D'Addio et al. further proposed concept of 3D Poincaré plot which considered the Z axis as frequency at the same point, and presented a concept of density as well as relative parameters for 3D quantification [17]. Furthermore, Tulppo et al. [18] had proposed a way to quantify a 2D Poincaré plot, comprising an ellipsoid approach to Poincaré plot, and calculating by standard deviation the SD1 and SD2 as the major axis and minor axis, respectively, and involving parameters of SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2, and area.
Viewing that brainstem failure of a IAC patient can induce the uncontrollability of an automatic nerve, and might cause further cardiac pathological changes, the inventor believes that heart rate variability should change dramatically before and after the occurrence of a sympathetic storm in such patient, and had analyzed the heart rate variation of patients and normal peoples in order to develop an efficient IAC analytical method.

Method for analyzing irreversible apneic coma (IAC)


A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes dividing a layout area in which a wiring pattern is disposed, into a plurality of division areas, determining a dummy pattern disposition area provided in each of the plurality of division areas, adding a dummy pattern to the dummy pattern disposition area of each of the plurality of division areas, and combining division areas to which the dummy pattern is added. The dummy pattern disposition area is arranged away from at least one of boundaries between a corresponding division area of the plurality of division areas and adjacent division areas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit. In particular, the invention relates to a technique for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit including dummy patterns.
2. Description of Related Art
If a semiconductor integrated circuit is designed, then areas having dense wiring patterns and areas having sparse wiring patterns may be generated therein. In other words, areas having high wiring pattern densities (hereafter referred to as a "pattern density") and areas low wiring pattern densities may be generated. Such uneven pattern densities may cause various problems in the manufacturing process of a designed circuit.
For example, when a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is performed, there occur differences in polishing characteristics between areas having high pattern densities and areas having low pattern densities. As a result, there occurs a phenomenon, called "dishing," in which a surface of wiring (e.g., Cu wiring) is recessed in the form of a dish (e.g., a concavity). Dishing means a reduction in flatness of wiring and a reduction in film thickness and causes uneven wiring resistances and an increase in wiring resistance.
In order to suppress generation of such a defect in the manufacturing process, it is important to make pattern densities as uniform as possible in the stage of circuit design. For this reason, "dummy patterns" as well as wiring patterns (signal wiring, power supply lines, ground lines, etc.) of the circuit are generally added to a design layout (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). A dummy pattern is a wiring pattern unnecessary for functions of a designed circuit and is also called as dummy wiring or a dummy metal. Addition of dummy patterns makes pattern densities more uniform, thereby suppressing generation of dishing or the like.
Described in Patent Document 1 is a technique for improving local uniformity in wiring pattern. For that purpose, a layout area is divided into multiple division areas and a dummy pattern is inserted between designed patterns in each division area.
Described in Patent Document 2 is a method for forming a dummy pattern having highly uniform cover rates. According to this method, a dummy pattern formation area is divided into multiple dummy pattern formation unit areas. Subsequently, multiple check ranges having an area larger than the dummy pattern formation unit area are set. The multiple check ranges overlap each other. Subsequently, a temporary cover rate of a dummy pattern to be formed in a dummy pattern formation unit area in each check range is calculated. By averaging the calculated temporary cover rates, a final cover rate is determined. A dummy pattern having an area corresponding to the final cover rate is formed in each dummy pattern formation unit area.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-39951    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-60051
As described above, in order to improve the yield of a semiconductor integrated circuit, it is important to previously dispose a dummy pattern in the design stage. However, the time required to perform a dummy pattern disposition process is increased as the size of a designed circuit is increased. This increases the design TAT (turn around time). For this reason, it is considered to divide a layout area into multiple division areas and then perform dummy pattern disposition processes "simultaneously" with respect to the multiple division areas so as to reduce the design TAT.
Here, the inventor was focused on the following point. That is, if a layout area is divided carelessly and dummy pattern disposition processes are performed with respect to the multiple division areas separately, then the following problems may occur.
For example, a dummy pattern disposed in a division area may excessively come close to a wiring pattern in an adjacent division area. That is, a design rule error (spacing error) may occur between the patterns in the adjacent division areas. This is because dummy pattern disposition processes are performed on the division areas separately.
In order to stabilize the electric properties of a dummy pattern to reduce noise, it is desirable to couple a disposed dummy pattern to a power supply line or a ground line. Here, a case is considered where a first dummy pattern is disposed in a division area, a second dummy pattern is disposed in an adjacent division area, and the first and second dummy patterns are coupled to a power supply line and a ground line, respectively. In this case, it is considered that the first and second dummy patterns make contact with each other or overlap each other on the boundary between the division areas. Thus, a short circuit occurs between the first and second dummy patterns.

Method and system for designing semiconductor integrated circuit providing dummy pattern in divided layout region


In an abnormal shadow detecting system, a characteristic value on the shape and/or the density of a prospective area of a micro calcification shadow set in an image of an object is extracted on the basis of image data representing the image of the object, and whether a micro calcification shadow really exists in the prospective area is determined on the basis of the calculated characteristic value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for detecting an abnormal shadow in a radiation image, and more particularly to a system for detecting a micro calcification shadow on the basis of image data representing a radiation image of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, to find a diseased part of a patient or to observe a diseased part of a patient and diagnose progress of disease by reading a radiation image of the object (patient) has been a common operation. However, radiation image reading often depends upon experience and abilities of the reader and is not necessarily objective.
For example, it is necessary to find an abnormal shadow representing a growth and/or a micro calcification representative of a cancerous part in a mammogram (a radiation image of a breast) taken for the purpose of a breast cancer examination. However, depending on the reader, the abnormal shadow range cannot be properly detected. Accordingly, there has been a demand to properly detect an abnormal shadow including shadows of a growth and a micro calcification.
In order to meet this demand, there have been proposed abnormal shadow detecting systems (computer-aided image diagnosis systems), for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 8(1996)-294479 and 8(1996)-287230, in which an abnormal shadow is automatically detected by the use of a computer on the basis of image data representing a radiation image of the object. In the abnormal shadow detecting system, an abnormal shadow is automatically detected by the use of an iris filter processing which is mainly suitable for detecting a growth shadow and/or a morphology filter which is mainly suitable for detecting a micro calcification shadow.
The morphology filter processing will be briefly described hereinbelow. A morphology filter is a filter for removing or extracting from an image noises and/or shadows smaller than a structural element of a predetermined size, and is employed to smoothen image signals or to extract a micro calcification shadow representative of a cancerous part. The morphology filter processing is a method for detecting a micro calcification shadow representative of breast cancer through comparison of the output value of a morphology operation using a structural element larger than a micro calcification shadow (a discrete micro calcification shadow like a small point) to be detected with a predetermined threshold value.
(The Fundamentals of Morphology Operation)
Though the morphology operation is generally developed as a set theory in a N-dimensional space, it will be discussed here on the basis of a two-dimensional tone image for the purpose of simplicity of understanding.
It is assumed that a tone image is a space in which a point (x, y) has a height corresponding to a value of density f(x, y). Further it is assumed that the value of density f(x, y) is represented by a high brightness, high level signal in which as the value of density decreases (the value of brightness increases when displayed on a CRT), the level of the signal becomes higher.
For the purpose of simplicity, a linear function f(x) corresponding to a cross-section of the image is first discussed. It is assumed that a structural element g employed in the morphology operation is a function which is represented by the following formula (1), is symmetrical about the origin, and is 0 in value in a domain represented by the following formula (2).gs(x)=g(−x)  (1)G={−m, −m+1, . . . , −1, 0, 1, . . . , m−1, m }  (2)At this time, the fundamental form of the morphology operation is very simple as shown in the following formulae (3) to (6).dilation: [f⊕Gs](i)=max {f(i−m), . . . , f(i), . . . , f(i+m) }  (3)erosion: [f⊕Gs](i)=min {f(i−m), . . . , f(i), . . . , f(i+m) }  (4)opening: fg=(f⊖gs)⊕g  (5)closing: fg=(f⊕gs)⊖g  (6)
That is, the dilation processing is processing for searching a maximum value in the area whose width is ±m (a value determined according to the structural element B) and whose center is at the pixel of current interest, see FIG. 7A, and the erosion processing is processing for searching a minimum value in the same area, see FIG. 7B. The opening processing corresponds to searching a maximum value after searching a minimum value, and the closing processing corresponds to searching a minimum value after searching a maximum value. In other words, the opening processing smoothens the density curve f(x) from the low brightness side by removing protrusions in density (the portions which are higher in brightness than the surroundings) which are narrower than the mask size 2 m (see FIG. 7C), whereas the closing processing smoothens the density curve f(x) from the high brightness side by removing recesses in density (the portions which are lower in brightness than the surroundings) which are narrower than the mask size 2 m (see FIG. 7D).
In the case of a high density, high level signal in which as the value of density increases, the level of the signal becomes higher, the value of image signal for the value of density f(x) is reverse to that of a high brightness, high level signal. Accordingly, the dilation processing for a high density, high level signal corresponds to the erosion processing (FIG. 7B) for a high brightness, high level signal. Similarly, the erosion processing for a high density, high level signal corresponds to the dilation processing (FIG. 7A) for a high brightness, high level signal, the opening processing for a high density, high level signal corresponds to the closing processing (FIG. 7D) for a high brightness, high level signal, and the closing processing for a high density, high level signal corresponds to the opening processing for a high brightness, high level signal (FIG. 7C). Description will be made only on the high brightness, high level signal here unless otherwise mentioned.
(Application to Detection of a Micro Calcification Shadow)
As a method of detecting a calcification shadow, a subtraction method in which a smoothened image is subtracted from an original image is conceivable. Since it is difficult to distinguish a calcification shadow from an elongated non-calcification shadow (e.g., of a mammary gland, a blood vessel, and a mammary gland supporting tissue) by a simple smoothening method, there has been proposed morphology operation processing based on opening operation using multiple structural elements as represented by the following formula (7). See "Extraction of Microcalcifications on Mammogram Using Morphological Filter with Multiple Structuring Elements" (Journal of Academy of Electronics/Information/Communication D-II, vol. J75-D-II No. 7, pp. 1170 to 1176, July 1992) and "Basic Theory of Mathematical Morphology and its Application to Mammograms Processing" (MEDICAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY, Vol. 12, No.1 January 1994)
                                                                        P                =                                  f                  -                                                            max                                              i                        ∈                                                  (                                                      1                            ,                            …                                                                                ,                            M                                                    )                                                                                {                                                                        (                                                      f                            ⊖                                                          B                                                                                i                                                                                )                                                ⊕                                                  B                                                                                i                                                                    }                                                                                =                                  f                  -                                                            max                                              i                        ∈                                                  (                                                      1                            ,                            …                                                                                ,                            M                                                    )                                                                                {                                              f                                                  B                                                                                i                                                                    }                                                                                (        7        )            wherein Bi (i stands for 1, 2, 3 and 4) are four linear structural elements Bi shown in FIG. 8. When the structural elements Bi are larger than the micro calcification shadow to be detected, calcification shadows which are signal protrusions narrower than the structural elements Bi (a part of image the image signal of which fluctuates in a range spatially narrower than the structural elements B) are removed by opening processing. On the other hand, an elongated non-calcification shadow is left there as it is after the opening processing (calculation of the second term in formula 14) so long as it is longer than the structural elements Bi and its inclination (the direction in which the shadow extends) conforms to any one of the four structural elements Bi. Accordingly, by subtracting the smoothened image (the image removed with the calcification shadow) obtained by the opening processing from the original image f, a micro-structural image P containing therein only a small calcification shadow is obtained. This the concept of formula (7).
In the case of a high density, high level signal, closing processing is applied according to the following formula (8) in place of opening processing.
                                                                        P                =                                  f                  -                                                            min                                              i                        ∈                                                  (                                                      1                            ,                            …                                                                                ,                            M                                                    )                                                                                {                                                                        (                                                      f                            ⊕                                                          B                                                                                i                                                                                )                                                ⊖                                                  B                                                                                i                                                                    }                                                                                =                                  f                  -                                                            min                                              i                        ∈                                                  (                                                      1                            ,                            …                                                                                ,                            M                                                    )                                                                                {                                              f                                                  B                                                                                i                                                                    }                                                                                (        8        )
However, a non-calcification shadow equivalent to a calcification shadow in size can partly remain. In such a case, non-calcification shadows contained in the micro-structural image P obtained from formula (7) are further removed by the use of differential information based on a morphology operation according to the following formula (9).Mgrad=(½)×{f⊕λB−f⊖λB }  (9)As the value of Mgrad increases, the probability that the shadow is of a calcification increases. Accordingly, a prospective calcification image Cs (an image formed by extracted prospective points of micro calcification) can be obtained according to the following formula (10).If P(i, j)≧T1, and Mgrad(i, j)≧T2Then, Cs(i, j)=P else Cs(i, j)=0  (10)T1 and T2 are empirically determined threshold values.
Since a non-calcification shadow different from a calcification shadow in size can be removed only by comparison of the micro-structural image P obtained according to formula (7) and the threshold value T1, only the condition of the first term of formula (10), P(i, j)>T1 has to be satisfied in the case where there is no possibility that a non-calcification shadow equivalent to a calcification shadow in size remains.
Finally, the cluster area Cc of the calcification shadow is detected by a combination of a multi-scale opening operation and closing operation represented by the following formula (11).Cc=Cs⊕λ1B⊖λ3B⊕λ2B  (11)λ1 and λ2 are respectively determined by the maximum distance between calcification shadows to be fused and the maximum radius of an isolated shadow to be removed, and λ3=λ1+λ2.
In the case of high density, high level signal, the relation between the opening operation and the closing operation in formulae (9) and (10) is reversed.
In the morphology filter processing, whether each extracted point is correctly of a micro calcification shadow or a point extracted wrong is determined on the basis of density. That is, an extracted point which is low in density (an isolated shadow) is regarded as noise or the like and omitted, whereas an area solely consisting of high-density extracted points is detected as a cluster area of the micro calcification shadow.
However, there still remain a possibility that noise or the like is included in high-density extracted points and that there is a non-calcification shadow in detected cluster areas.
Further, a low-density micro calcification shadow can be included in an isolated shadow. Such a low-density micro calcification shadow will be referred to as "isolated micro calcification shadow", herein below. In the conventional system where the extracted point is correctly of a micro calcification is determined on the basis of the density, it has been impossible to determine whether an isolated shadow is of noise or the like, or isolated micro calcification. Accordingly, it has been impossible to extract only isolated micro calcification shadows.
Further, conventionally, whether a micro calcification shadow really exists in a prospective area in an image of a breast detected by the morphology filter processing is determined on the basis of whether the number of the prospective points included in the prospective area is not smaller than 10% of the total number of the prospective points included in the overall image of the breast.
That is, since in a micro calcification shadow, fine calcic blocks irregular in shape are densely distributed, cluster areas in which the number of prospective points included therein is smaller than a predetermined threshold value (in proportion) are omitted.
Further, it has been known that micro calcification shadows in an image are irregular in size and density whereas noises are relatively regular in size and density.


A heater is provided, including an insulating substrate and a heating resistance, wherein the temperature on the heating face is easily controlled without providing a separate temperature controlling member. The heating resistance includes at least one parallel-connected portion which includes a plurality of heat generating parts connected in parallel. At least one of the heat generating portions has a resistance adjusting means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heaters.
2. Related Art Statement
In systems for producing semiconductors, ceramic heaters have been used to heat a wafer (substrate) so as to deposit a semiconductor thin film on the wafer from gaseous raw materials such as silane gas by means of thermal CVD or the like. In such heaters, it is necessary to maintain a high temperature on the heating face and to assure the uniformity of the temperature on the heating face so as to prevent semiconductor defects. Such ceramic heaters, however, are generally made of a ceramic substrate and a heat generator embedded in the substrate, so that some degree of temperature difference is usually observed on the heating face.
Japanese patent publication 6-53, 145 A discloses a technique for improving the temperature uniformity on the semiconductor heating face of a ceramic heater. That is, a disk-shaped ceramic heater with a heating face for heating a semiconductor is produced. The temperature distribution on the heating face is then observed with a thermograph. The thus observed temperature distribution is then subjected to image processing to obtain image-processed data. A reflector is provided on a position opposing the back face of the ceramic heater. Heat radiated from the back face of the ceramic heater is reflected by the reflector and irradiated into the heater again. The temperature distribution of the reflector is controlled based on the image-processed data. In a region where a lower temperature is observed on the heating face, the thermal absorptance of the reflector is reduced, so that heat reflected by the reflector into the heater may be increased. The temperature in the region with a lower temperature observed can thus be increased. The surface of the reflector is subjected to sandblasting to control the surface roughness and to thus control the reflectance of the reflector.
The inventor has studied the above technique in Japanese patent publication 6-53, 145 A and has encountered the following problems. That is, it is necessary to fix a reflector in a specific position opposing the back surface of the heater in a semiconductor chamber. After fixing the reflector, the distribution of the thermal absorptance (or thermal reflectance) on the reflecting face of the reflector needs to be accurately matched with the temperature distribution on the heating face of the ceramic heater before fixing the reflector. It is difficult, however, to adjust the positions of the heating face of the heater and of the reflecting face of the reflector, for the following reasons:
(1) The center of the circular heating face of the ceramic heater needs to be accurately matched with the center of the circular reflecting face of the reflector; and
(2) The angle and diameter of each position of the heating face with respect to the center needs to be accurately matched with those of each position of the reflecting face with respect to the center.
Furthermore, even if such adjustments of the two-dimensional position are successfully performed, such adjustments are insufficient for obtaining temperature uniformity on the heating face within a particular specification for the following reasons. That is, the distance between the back face of the heater and the reflecting face of the reflector is also important. Specifically, the thermal absorptance of each point on the reflecting face is calculated and designed on the provision that a distance between the reflecting face and the back face of the heater is a specific value "α." When the distance between the reflecting face and back face is smaller than "α," heat transmitted from the reflecting face to the back face of the heater is increased so that the temperature on the heating face of the heater may be increased. The following adjustments (3) and (4) are thus needed:
(3) To control the distance between the back face of the heater and the reflecting face of the reflector at a specific value "α"; and
(4) To make the back face of the heater and the reflecting face parallel with each other over the entire back face.
It may be difficult to set and fix the reflector in a semiconductor chamber while maintaining the above four geometrical conditions. Furthermore, a fixed reflector may require a complicated structure, which may cause deterioration of the reflector, fracture or warping of the reflector due to thermal stress and may have an adverse effect on the flow of process gas.


To extend the service life of a latch of a plug housing and facilitate assembly and aligning operations of an optical connector. The optical connector includes a latch provided in a cantilever form on an external surface of the optical connector and deformable for attachment/detachment with respect to an adaptor, and an excessive deformation preventing unit that prevents excessive deformation of the latch. Furthermore, the optical connector comprises: a ferrule including a flange having a largest width portion having directionality in a circumferential direction and a conical portion continuous to the front of the largest width portion; and a housing including a cavity having a cylindrical portion through which the largest width portion can pass freely, a housing unit arranged in front of the cylindrical portion for housing the largest width portion, and an inclined surface that is arranged at a junction between the cylindrical portion and the housing unit and inclines inward in the radial direction from the cylindrical portion toward the housing unit, wherein the point of the ferrule is protruded from the point of the housing by a predetermined amount and held, in the state that the ferrule is inserted into the housing from a rear end of the cylindrical portion and the largest width portion of the flange is housed in the housing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector fitted to an end of an optical fiber and attached to or detached from an adaptor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the above type of optical connectors include one which is fixed to the adaptor by a latch projected outward in a cantilever form on an external surface of the connector.
A conventional optical connector 101 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a ferrule 110 formed of a ferrule body 111 and a flange 115, and a plug housing 120. The optical connector 101 includes a latch 121 deformable for attachment/detachment with respect to the adaptor, on the external surface of the plug housing 120 in the cantilever form.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference sign 140 denotes a spring, 150 denotes a stop ring, 155 denotes a retention member, 160 denotes a clip sleeve, 165 denotes a heat shrinkable tube, and 170 denotes a hood.
The optical connector is disclosed in Japanese patent No. 3066322, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-113762, Japanese patent No. 3103773, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-327855.
However, the conventional optical connector has the following problems.
That is, when the connector is attached to and detached from the adaptor repetitively about 500 times, the latch 121 of the plug housing 120 is broken, and cannot maintain the function as the connector.
When the connector is assembled, it is difficult to insert the ferrule 110 in the plug housing 120.
Furthermore, in an aligning operation, such a state that the ferrule 110 retracts and does not return to an original position occurs.


A plurality of peer network devices are configured to load-balance data transmitted between them on a point-by-point basis. Each peer device has a team of network resources coupling it to a local area network. A peer device transmitting data to one of the other peer devices load-balances the data over the team of resources of the receiving one of the peer devices. Each peer device multicasts to the other peer devices a data frame from that includes peer data defining attributes of the team of the multicasting peer device. The multicast data frame is updated with new peer data whenever one or more of the attributes of the team of the multicasting peer device are changed.

This application claims the benefit of priority under U.S.C. §120 from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/917,677, filed Aug. 13, 2004.
Computers and other devices are commonly interconnected to facilitate communication among one another using any one of a number of available standard network architectures and any one of several corresponding and compatible network protocols. One of the most commonly employed of such standard architectures is the Ethernet® network architecture. Other types of network architectures that are less widely used include ARCnet, Token Ring and FDDI. Variations of the Ethernet® standard are differentiated from one another based on characteristics such as maximum throughput (i.e. the highest data transmission rate) of devices coupled to the network, the type of medium used for physically interconnecting the devices (e.g. coaxial cable, twisted pair cable, optical fibers, etc.) and the maximum permissible length of the medium. Ethernet® is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation.
Packet switched network protocols are commonly employed with architectures such as the Ethernet® standard. These protocols dictate the manner in which data to be transmitted between devices coupled to the network are formatted into packets for transmission. One commonly used protocol is the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). TCP/IP is typically used in Internet applications, or in intranet applications such as a local area network (LAN). The data packets received through a network resource of the destination device are processed in reverse according to the selected protocol to reassemble the payload data contained within the received packets. In this manner, computers and other devices can share information in accordance with these higher level protocols over the common network.
One of the most basic and widely implemented networks is the Local Area Network (LAN). In its simplest form, a LAN is a number of devices (e.g. computers, printers and other specialized peripherals) connected to one another by some form of signal transmission medium such as coaxial cable to facilitate direct peer-to-peer communication there between. A common network paradigm, often employed in LANs as well as other networks, is known as the client/server paradigm. This paradigm involves coupling one or more large computers (typically having very advanced processing and storage capabilities) known as servers to a number of smaller computers (such as desktops or workstations) and other peripheral devices shared by the computers known as clients. The clients send requests over the network to the one or more servers to facilitate centralized information storage and retrieval through programs such as database management and application programs stored on the server(s). Servers may also be used to provide centralized access to other networks and various other services as are known to those of skill in the art. The servers provide responses over the network to the clients in response to their requests. Clients and/or servers can also share access to peripheral resources, such as printers, scanners, and the like over the network.
LANs are often coupled together to form even larger networks, such as wide area networks (WANs), or they may be coupled to the Internet. LANs may also be segmented into logical sub-networks called virtual LANs (VLANs), and a particular network device's access to the segments is controlled by a switch that can be programmed in real time to couple network resources of that device to one, some or all of the VLAN segments.
Network interface resources are required to couple computers and other devices to a network. These interface resources are sometimes referred to as network adapter cards or network interface cards (NICs), each adapter card or NIC having at least one port through which a physical link is provided between the network transmission medium and the processing resources of the network device. Data is communicated (as packets in the case of packet switched networks) from the processing resources of one network device to the other. The data is transmitted and received through these interface resources and over the media used to physically couple the devices together. Adapter cards or NICs are commercially available that are designed to support one or more variations of standard architectures and known topologies.
Each of the network devices typically includes a bus system through which the processing resources of the network devices may be coupled to the NICs. The bus system is usually coupled to the pins of edge connectors defining sockets for expansion slots. The NICs are coupled to the bus system of the network device by plugging the NIC into the edge connector of the expansion slot. In this way, the processing resources of the network devices are in communication with any NICs or network adapter cards that are plugged into the expansion slots of that network device. As previously mentioned, each NIC or network adapter must be designed in accordance with the standards by which the network architecture and topology are defined to provide appropriate signal levels and impedances (i.e. the physical layer) to the network. This of course includes an appropriate physical connector for interfacing the NIC to the physical transmission medium employed for the network (e.g. coaxial cable, twisted-pair cable, fiber optic cable, etc.).
It is desirable that certain connections (e.g. access by clients to network server(s)) be as reliable as possible. It is also desirable that some network devices (e.g. network server(s)) be able to receive and respond to numerous incoming requests from other devices on the network (such as clients) as quickly as possible. As processing speed continues to increase and memory access time continues to decrease for a network device such as a server, the bottleneck for device throughput becomes pronounced at the interface to the network. While network architectures and associated network adapters are being designed to handle ever-increasing throughput rates, the price for implementing interface resources supporting the highest available throughput is not always cost-effective.
In light of the foregoing, it has become common to improve the reliability and throughput of a network by coupling some or all of the network devices to the network through redundant network resources. These redundant links to the network may be provided as a team by a plurality of single-port NMCs, a single NIC having more than one port or a combination thereof. Teaming of network interface resources is particularly common for servers, as the demand for throughput and reliability is typically greatest for servers on a network. Resource teams are typically two or more NICs (actually two or more NIC ports) logically coupled in parallel to appear as a single virtual network adapter to the other devices on the network. These resource teams can provide aggregated throughput of data transmitted to and from the network device employing the team and/or fault tolerance (i.e. resource redundancy to increase reliability).
Fault tolerant teams of network resources commonly employ two or more network adapter or NIC ports, one port being "active" and designated as the "primary," while each of the other members of the team are designated as "secondary" and are placed in a "standby" mode. A NIC or NIC port in standby mode remains largely idle (it is typically only active to the limited extent necessary to respond to system test inquiries to indicate that it is still operational) until activated to replace the primary adapter when it has failed. In this way, interruption of a network connection to a critical server may be avoided notwithstanding the existence of a failed network adapter card or port.

Automated configuration of point-to-point load balancing between teamed network resources of peer devices

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A double-port energy storage system includes a bi-directional power conversion circuit, a DC-AC inverter circuit, an electric energy storage facility, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a first AC port and a second AC port. The double-port energy storage system controllably provides various classifications of power supply quality by controllably switching on or off some of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch the fourth switch via the first AC port and the second AC port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a double-port energy storage system (ESS) and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to the double-port energy storage system and the control method thereof for flexibly supplying various power qualities and simplifying the entire structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a conventional energy storage system operated in a power storage state. Referring initially to FIG. 1, the conventional energy storage system 1 mainly includes a bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 and an electric energy storage facility 12. The bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 has an AC side and a DC side. The AC side of the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 connects with a utility power source 10 via an AC switch 14 while the DC side of the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 connects with the electric energy storage facility 12. The AC side of the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 further connects with a load 13.
Still referring to FIG. 1, when the utility power source 10 stays within its normal tolerance and it is in an off-peak time period, for example, for an electric energy rate, the AC switch 14 is selectively switched on as a close state. Accordingly, an AC power supplied from the utility power source 10 is converted into a DC power by the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11 and the DC power is stored in the electric energy storage facility 12, as best shown in a lower dotted line and a directional arrow thereof in FIG. 1. The electric energy storage facility 12 comprises several batteries or DC power sources. The utility power source 10 does not further supply the AC power or any charging energy when the electric energy storage facility 12 is completely charged. In addition, the utility power source 10 will selectively supply the AC power into the load 13, as best shown in an upper dotted line and a directional arrow thereof in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the conventional energy storage system, which corresponds to that in FIG. 1, operated in a power release state when the utility power stays within its normal tolerance. Referring to FIG. 2, when the utility power source 10 stays within its normal tolerance but it is in a peak time period, the AC switch 14 is selectively switched on as a close state. The utility power source 10 selectively supplies the AC power into the load 13, as best shown in an upper dotted line and a directional arrow thereof in FIG. 2. In addition, the electric energy storage facility 12 of the conventional energy storage system is changed into the power release state and a DC power of the electric energy storage facility 12 is converted into an AC power supplying to the load 13 via the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11, as best shown in a lower dotted line and a directional arrow thereof in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the electric energy storage facility 12, which stores electric energy during the off-peak time period, accomplishes supplying the power to the load 13 as a part of power consumption at the load 13.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of the conventional energy storage system operated in another power release state, which corresponds to that in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, when the utility power source 10 is out of tolerance or failure, the AC switch 14 is selectively switched off as an open state to disconnect with the utility power source 10. The electric energy storage facility 12 of the conventional energy storage system is still operated in the power release state and the DC power of the electric energy storage facility 12 is still converted into the AC power supplying to the load 13 via the bidirectional power conversion circuit 11, as best shown in a dotted line and a directional arrow thereof in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the electric energy storage facility 12 supplies entire power requirement to the load 13.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,911,187 entitled "Energy storage system", discloses an energy storage system including a battery charger and energy storage devices. The battery charger is connected to a DC/AC current source. The energy storage devices are coupled between the battery charger and subsystems respectively. Each of the energy storage devices includes a magnetic capacitor (MCAP) and an over current protection device (OCPD). MCAPs are charged by the battery charger and supply the electric power to subsystems connected the energy storage devices. OCPDs detect current from MCAPs to subsystems and protect subsystems from excessive currents of voltages.
Another U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20100327806 entitled "Monitoring cells in energy storage system", discloses a system for monitoring an energy storage system composed of multiple cells connected in series has a chain of monitors including at least first and second monitors. The first monitor is configured for monitoring at least a first cell in the energy storage system to produce first monitored data. The second monitor is configured for monitoring at least a second cell in the energy storage system to produce second monitored data. The first monitor is further configured for transferring the first monitored data to the second monitor for delivery to a controller.
Another U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20110296218 entitled "Battery management system, method of controlling the same, and energy storage system including the battery management system", discloses a battery management system (BMS), a method of controlling the same, and an energy storage system including the battery management system. The BMS may reduce costs by stably supplying power to an insulating unit in a power-saving mode even when an isolator has no built-in direct current (DC)-DC converter.
However, the conventional energy storage system only provides a single AC port and a single function thereof but it fails to provide double AC ports and functions thereof. Disadvantageously, the functions and operations of the conventional energy storage system are however limited and inflexible. The above-mentioned patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the situation of the art.
As is described in greater detail below, the present invention intends to provide a double-port energy storage system and a control method thereof. A first AC port, a second AC port and a plurality of switches are arranged in the energy storage system on which to form double AC ports for supplying the stored power by controllably operating the switches. A first power quality (e.g. voltage or frequency) supplied at the first AC port depends on that of a utility power source and a second power quality supplied at the second AC port is independent from the utility power source such that the double-port energy storage system is capable of supplying various levels (or classifications) of power quality via the first AC port and the second AC port. Advantageously, the double-port energy storage system of the present invention is successful in flexibly supplying various levels (or classifications) of power quality. In addition, the double-port energy storage system of the present invention provided with two AC ports supplies various levels of power quality without installing two conventional single-port energy storage systems. Advantageously, the present invention successfully simplifies the entire structure of double-port energy storage systems.

Double-port energy storage system and control method thereof


Systems, devices and methods are described including starting a gesture recognition engine in response to detecting an initiation gesture and using the gesture recognition engine to determine a hand posture and a hand trajectory in various depth images. The gesture recognition engine may then use the hand posture and the hand trajectory to recognize a dynamic hand gesture and provide corresponding user interface command.

User experience is an important factor in the design of computing products (e.g., smart phones, media tablets, smart televisions, laptop computers, and so forth), and people usually prefer to purchase devices with improved user interfaces (UIs). Given the importance of user experience, many compelling UIs have been incorporated in personal mobile devices and electronic devices in recent years providing human-machine interaction, including, for example, body control, hand/finger gesture, voice command, facial expression, and the like. For example, touch screen UIs provide click, zoom in/out, rotate (two point touch), fling, scroll and the like. Though many existing products provide long-range touch-free gesture control (e.g., game consoles employing body control and the like) or touch-screen gesture control, conventional products do not incorporate short-range touch-free gesture control.

Dynamic gesture based short-range human-machine interaction


An apparatus is described for assessing plant status using biophysical and biochemical properties of the plant remotely sensed by the invention thereby allowing selective monitoring, elimination or treatment of individual plants. In a preferred embodiment, a single polychromatic emitter provides coincident light beams; one beam substantially in the visible portion of the spectrum (400 nm to 700 nm) and the other in the near infrared (NIR) portion of the spectrum (700 nm to 1100 nm). This light beam illuminates a small surface area on the ground, which may be bare ground, desired plants or undesired weeds. The beam of light may be focused, collimated or non-focused. A detector array, usually composed of a visible detector and a NIR detector, detects portions of this polychromatic light beam reflected by the surface area and provides a signal indicative of whether the detected light was reflected by a plant or by some non-plant object such as soil. A controller analyzes this signal and, assuming a plant is detected, responds by activating a device to take some action with respect to the plant or stores the analyzed signal with corresponding DGPS position in the controller's memory for later analysis. A number of actions may be taken by the controller. For instance, if the plant is a weed, the desired action might be to spray herbicide on the weed. Or, if the plant is a crop that is determined to be lacking in nutrient, the desired action may be to apply fertilizer. Additionally, if the plant under test is a turf landscape, such as found on golf courses and sporting fields, plant biomass may be mapped and geo-located using GPS for later, comparative analysis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure and a method for the detection of objects in particular the determination of plant status via remote sensing of plant biomass and plant biochemical properties for the purposes of mapping and applying agricultural products e.g. nitrogen based fertilizer.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to manage our natural resources in an efficient and cost-effective manner, producers and turf professionals need a way in which to measure and assess the health and performance of their landscapes. For example, the need to know when and how much fertilizer (nitrogen) and other nutrients to apply to a plant to elicit the appropriate growth response is primarily guess work to the producer. Because nitrogen is required by the plant in the greatest quantities and because nitrogen is rather mobile in soils, producers have practiced a one time application of nitrogen to cover the crops need for the entire growing season. However, over application of nitrogen on agricultural and commercial landscapes has resulted in the contamination of ground and surface waters. The primary vectors for water contamination are run-off and leaching. Nitrate-nitrogen is the most common contaminant found in U.S. groundwater. Nitrate contamination is increasing both in area and concentration, particularly beneath landscapes dominated by corn production. It is estimated that 1.8×109 kilograms of nitrates wash into the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River basin each year. Of this amount, 55% of the nitrogen released into the basin can be attributed to agricultural fertilizers with only a 3% contribution attributable to non-agricultural fertilizer application primarily on turf for lawns and recreational land (CAST, 1999).
Techniques to remotely measure crop status include the use of a spectroradiometer and other instruments (Bausch et al. 1994; Chappelle et al. 1992; Maas and Dunlap, 1989), aerial photography (Benton et al, 1976), and satellite imagery.
The techniques listed above are not without their limitations. For example, early research by Resource21™ determined that during the optimal fly over times between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for satellite imaging, cloud cover had adverse affects on visibility. It was found that during the 10 am to 11 am time frame, fields in Colorado were visible approximately 80% of the time while eastern Nebraska fields were visible approximately 50% of the time. This trend in decreased visibility continued the farther east that data was collected. Also, spatial resolution for satellite imagery is poor (Landsat, 20 meter and panchromatic, 10 meter). Similar problems plague aerial photographic methods as well. While aerial imagery has better spatial resolution (typically less than 3 meters) than satellite imaging, partial cloud cover can shade sections of fields giving biased or incorrect reflectance measurements. Both techniques, however, suffer from the need for extensive data processing (performed by third party providers at high cost and long lead time) and geo-referencing issues. Even with spectroradiometric methods using sunlight as the ambient light source, cloud cover and time of day (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) demands limit the mainstream acceptance of the technology for addressing the nitrogen rate over-loading problem. What is needed is an on-the-go type sensor that overcomes the time of day and fair-weather issues surrounding the aforementioned measurement techniques.
In certain crops or plant varieties, nutrient deficiencies constitute only part of the management problem. In particular, the basic problem of determining or monitoring plant status with respect to stress whether it stems from nutrient, water, pest, disease, or otherwise is of primary concern. For instance, turf stress determination is of major concern for the turf manager. Earlier detection can protect the health of the grass but also reduce the cost of restoring the badly damaged turf to good health. Turf stress can be due to many causes such as water, pest, nutrient, heat, disease, and the like. By detecting changes in the turf landscape early, turf quality can be maintained and costly restoration operations can be reduced or eliminated. On the other hand, being able to control the degree of stress is important for some producers. Grape producers, for example, like to control the degree of water stress prior to harvesting in order to control disease and increase the sugar content of the grape.

Light sensing instrument with modulated polychromatic source


A method for preparing dehydrocavidine, dehydroapocavidine and their respective composition is provided. The composition is first prepared by isolating and purifying the quaternary ammonium alkaloid components from the medicinal plant “Yan Huang Lian” (Corydalis saxicola Bunting) through the processes of solvent extraction, water-phase organic extraction, crystallization and recrystallization, and then drying to obtain said composition containing dehydrocavidine and dehydroapocavine. When necessary, the composition or their crude extracts can be separated by chromatography to obtain dehydrocavidine or dehydroapocavidine. Dehydrocavidine, dehydroapocavidine or their respective composition can be used in manufacturing medicines for treating viral hepatitis, hepatic injury, influenza, AIDS, tumors or arrhythmia.

Hepatitis is one of the most harmful infectious diseases in the world, and is also related closely to the onset of liver cancer. According to statistical data from the World Health Organization (WHO), presently there are 350 million chronic hepatitis sufferers or asymptomatic patients infected by hepatitis viruses all over the world. All of these chronic hepatitis patients are at high risk of developing hepatocirrhosis and liver cancer. Over one million people die of diseases related to hepatitis, hepatocirrhosis and liver cancer each year. The incidence of hepatitis cases in China is high, and data shows that 90 percent of liver cancer patients were infected by the hepatitis viruses. Currently liver cancer is the second-most fatal tumor disease. To prevent and treat such a common, frequently occurring and refractory disease, researchers inside and outside of China have been focusing on and conducting clinical and pharmacological studies in liver protection and detoxification. Most countries treat chronic hepatitis B with a-interferon whose main effect is immunoregulation. Presently there are no specific drugs that can effectively treat hepatitis B and C caused by their respective viruses. The drugs against hepatitis B viruses are mostly the anti-HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors and anti-herpes viruses DNA polymerase inhibitors. These two types of virus enzyme inhibitors are the target of anti-hepatitis B virus. The drugs used to fight hepatitis C viruses are mostly the broad-spectrum anti-virus drugs or RNA-virus inhibitors, and the immunoregulators having the activity of anti-viruses. However, the general problem with drugs currently available to use against hepatitis is that they are subject to drug-resistance.
Yan Huang Lian (Corydalis saxicola Bunting [Corydalis thalictrifolia Franch. Non Jameson ex Regel]), is a whole plant belonging to the family of papaveraceae. It is also known as Yan Hu (Guizhou), Yan Lian (Sichuan, Yunnan), Ju Hua Huang or Tu Huang Lian (Guangxi). Native residents in Guangxi use the roots of the plant as a pain killer, for detumescence, for drawing out pus and for treatment of scabies and swelling. Its current clinical application includes the use of its alkaloid extracts to treat hepatitis and hepatocirrhosis (Editorial Board of China Herbal. 1999. State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. China Herbal, Vol. 3. Shanghai Science and Technology Press: Shanghai; 638-640).
In 1982, Chongyang Chen et al (Chen C Y, 1982. Pharmacological study of dehydrocavidine, the major constituent in Yan Huang-lian (Corydalis, saxicola Bunting). Trad Chin Med 7: 31-34.) investigated the pharmacological activity of dehydrocavidine which is the main constituent in Corydalis saxicola Bunting, and the results indicated that dehydrocavidine had sedative effects on the central nervous system; antispasm effects on the smooth muscles of the intestines; antibacterial effect in vitro; no effects on the blood sugar levels in normal mice; and effect on increasing the production of glycogen in vivo. In 1984, Qili Ye (Ye Q L. 1984. Anti-bacterial effect of dehydrocavidine from Corydalis saxicola. Gaungxi Zhongyiyao 3: 48-49.) investigated the anti-bacteria activity of dehydrocavidine in vitro, and the experiment proved that the dehydrocavidine had certain inhibitory effect on gram-positive bacterium. In 1996, Peishan Xie, et al. (Xie Peishan et al, "Screening tests of Chinese traditional medicines or herbal medicines in antitumor activity." Shizhen Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Vol. 7, no. 1, 1996, pages 19-20), reported that their anti-tumor experiment with this herb proved that the total alkali of Corydalis saxicola Bunting had a 30 percent inhibition rate on S180 carunclesarcoma at the dose of 1.6 mg/kg. In the past 10 years, some studies have indicated that the total alkali of Corydalis saxicola Bunting had an enhanced effect on the immune functions of mice, and certain inhibitory effects on the metabolism of DA and 5-HT in the rat's brain.
Yan Huang Lian (Corydalis saxicola Bunting) is clinically used as a supplementary therapeutic treatment of hepatitis. A study conducted by Zhongxuan Ren (Zhongxuan Ren, the efficacy analysis of 33 hepatitis cases treated with Yan Huang Lian (Corydalis saxicola Bunting), Clinical Focus, 18 (2): 94-95, 2003) showed that the injection of Yan Huang Lian (Corydalis saxicola Bunting Injecta) could effectively improve the clinical symptom of acute and chronic hepatitis. The Yan Huang Lian Injection combined with Shengmai injection have a distinct curative effect on hepatocirrhosis. Yan Huang Lian Injection combined with Danshen injection can effectively improve liver function, and relieve and inhibit liver fibrosis.
Although Corydalis saxicola Bunting has good clinical effects, the active constituents of this plant are still unclear and there are no practically feasible quality standards because of the lack of in-depth research on chemical constituents and the lack of sufficient screening of pharmacological activities.

Methods for preparing dehydrocavidine, dehydroapocavidine or their composition, their use and medicinal composition containing them


The object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element which can produce a semiconductor element provided with a semiconductor layer having a high carrier transport ability, a semiconductor element manufactured by the semiconductor element manufacturing method, an electronic device provided with the semiconductor element, and electronic equipment having a high reliability. In order to achieve the object, the present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element having an anode, a cathode, and a hole transport layer provided between the anode and the cathode, the method comprising steps of: a first step for forming layers mainly comprised of a hole transport material having polymerizable groups X on the side of one surface of the anode and on the side of one surface of the cathode, respectively, and a second step for obtaining the hole transport layer by integrating the two layers together by polymerizing the hole transport materials via a polymerization reaction through their polymerizable groups in a state that the layer on the side of the anode and the layer on the side of the cathode are made contact with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor element, an electronic device, and electronic equipment, and more specifically relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor element manufactured by the semiconductor element manufacturing method, an electronic device provided with the semiconductor element, and electronic equipment provided with the electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a semiconductor element having a plurality of organic layers, there are known an organic electroluminescent device (hereinafter, simply referred to as an "organic EL device") and an organic thin film transistor and the like.
In particular, the organic EL devices have been extensively developed in expectation of their use as solid-state luminescent devices or emitting devices for use in inexpensive large full-color displays.
In general, such an organic EL device has a structure in which a light emitting layer is provided between a cathode and an anode. When an electric field is applied between the cathode and the anode, electrons are injected into the light emitting layer from the cathode side, and holes are injected into the light emitting layer from the anode side.
The injected electrons and holes are recombined in the light emitting layer, which then causes their energy level to return from the conduction band to the valence band. At this time, excitation energy is released as light energy so that the light emitting layer emits light.
In such organic EL devices, it has been known that a layered device structure, in which organic layers formed of organic materials having different carrier transport properties for electrons or holes are provided between a light emitting layer and a cathode and/or an anode, is effective in obtaining a high-efficiency organic EL device with high luminance.
For this purpose, it is necessary to laminate a light emitting layer and organic layers having different carrier transport properties (hereinafter, these layers are collectively referred to as "organic layers") on the electrode. In the conventional manufacturing method of an organic EL device, a laminate in which such organic layers are sequentially laminated is first formed on an anode by means of a liquid phase process, and then a cathode made of a metal material is formed on a surface of the laminate which is opposite to the surface thereof on which the anode is provided by means of a liquid phase process, to thereby form an organic EL device.
However, in such a manufacturing method, it is difficult to form a laminate by laminating respective organic layers so that each layer has an uniform film thickness, and in particular it is difficult to form a cathode having an uniform film thickness on the laminate by means of a liquid phase process.
Further, when such a cathode is formed by means of a liquid phase process, the laminate which has been in advance formed is likely to be degraded or deteriorated due to a high energy applied upon the formation of the cathode. As a result, variations in the film thicknesses of the respective organic layers and formation of pin holes are likely to occur, thereby leading to the case that properties of the organic EL devices such as luminescent efficiency and the like are lowered.
In order to solve the above described problems, there are known the following methods (which are disclosed in JP-A No. 9-7763 and JP-A No. 2002-203675). Specifically, these publications disclose a method of forming an organic EL device which comprises the steps of: (I) organic layers are laminated on an anode and a cathode, respectively, (II) the surfaces of these organic layers which do not face the anode and the cathode are made contact with each other, and (III) the surfaces of the organic layers are bonded so that they are integrated.
More specifically, in the method disclosed in JP-A No. 9-7763, a curing resin is added to a constituent material of the organic layers to be bonded so that the curing agent functions as a resin binder, to thereby bond the organic layers together.
However, this method involves a problem in that a carrier transport ability of the organic layers is lowered due to the affect of the added resin binder.
Further, in the method disclosed in JP-A 2002-203675, after organic layers to be bonded are melted in a state that these layers are in contact with each other, these organic layers are cured again so as to bond the organic layers.
However, this method involves a problem in that a sufficient adhesion cannot be obtained between the bonding surfaces so that a carrier transport ability of the organic layers can not be sufficiently improved.
The problems described above may also been raised in organic thin film transistors.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor element, semiconductor element, electronic device, and electronic equipment


In a method, computer program and system for determining an operational limit of a power transmission line, time-stamped current phasor information and voltage phasor information for a first end and a second end of the line are determined, an ohmic resistance of the line is computed from the phasor information, and an average line temperature is computed from the ohmic resistance. This allows to determine the average line temperature without dedicated temperature sensors. The average line temperature represents the actual average temperature and is largely independent of assumptions regarding line parameters.

Electric power transmission and distribution systems or networks comprise high-voltage tie lines for connecting geographically separated regions, medium-voltage lines, and substations for transforming voltages and for switching connections between lines. Power generation and load flow in a network with several substations is controlled by an energy management system. For managing the network, it is desirable to determine a state of the network, in particular load flows and stability margins. Measurements of average RMS (root mean square) values of voltages, currents, active power and reactive power flowing in the network and/or measurements of voltage and current phasors are made at various places in the network and collected by substation automation (SA) systems and by a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. In recent times, devices and systems for measuring voltage and current phasors at different locations of a network at exactly the same time and for collecting them at a central data processor have become available. Phasors collected from throughout the network in combination provide a snapshot of the electrical state of the network.
In order to maximally utilise a line, it is desirable to maximise the amount of transmitted power. This amount is limited by several factors, in particular a thermal limit and an electrical limit. Currently, these limits are taken into account by making assumptions about the electrical parameters of the line and by calculating a maximum power flow. A temperature of the line, which depends on weather conditions, may be measured by temperature sensors distributed along the line. Such measurements are however not representative for the entire line. Due to the shortcomings of existing systems, power lines are operated with overly conservative limits on transmitted power.

Determining an operational limit of a power transmission line