In an X-ray device and workplace for obtaining radiological exposures of the head and jaw region of a patient an X-ray source emits a conical X-ray bundle which is detected at and an X-ray detector to acquire a 3D dataset of the head or jaw region of the patient. The workplace also can include a navigation system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray device for obtaining radiological exposures of the head and jaw region of a patient, of the type having an X-ray source and an X-ray detector for picking up 2D projections of the head or jaw region of the patient. The invention also relates to a medical workplace for diagnostics and for surgical interventions in the mouth, jaw or face region of a patient, employing such an X-ray device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Radiological exposures of the jaw, X-ray projection exposures of individual teeth, X-ray panorama exposures of the jaw or computer tomography exposures for acquiring 3D images of tissue areas of the head or of the jaw are carried out for diagnosis and for planning dental surgical interventions, tooth implants or interventions in the facial region of a patient. For financial reasons, the latter are only prepared in justified individual cases, for example for planning tooth implants or reconstructive interventions in the face/skull region, for which intervention planning on the basis of 3D images is indispensable. An X-ray computed tomography apparatus is a relatively expensive image pickup device, and only very few dental surgeons have such a device, so the planning and implementation of a dental surgical intervention normally requires a number of process steps, which do not follow immediately after one another and which may not all be performable by the dental surgeon. For planning and implementing a tooth implantation, the following is necessary, for example:
a) preparing overview exposures of the jaw at the dental surgeon,
b) if needed, obtain images of the jaw done with an X-ray computed tomography apparatus at a radiologist,
c) transferring the computed tomography data to the dental surgeon,
d) planning the intervention at the dental surgeon
e) performing the intervention on the patient.
For example, German OS 40 12 627, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,501, describes an X-ray device for picking up panoramic X-ray images of a jaw on X-ray film.
German OS 196 36 354 discloses a device for obtaining optical images of a tooth, in particular.
An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray device, and a workplace provided with such an X-ray device, which can be economically produced and with which 3D images of the head and jaw region of a patient can be acquired in a relatively inexpensive manner.
This object is inventively achieved in an X-ray device for obtaining radiological exposures in the head and jaw region of a patient, having an X-ray source and an X-ray detector, which can be arranged or are arranged opposite each another such that the central beam of a conical X-ray bundle originating from the X-ray source strikes the X-ray detector approximately centrally, and having an arrangement for moving the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, by motor-adjustment, around an axis for picking up a series of 2D projections of the head or jaw region of the patient, and having a computer for generating a 3D image dataset from the acquired 2D projections. Similar to rotation angiography devices or adjustable C-arm X-ray devices, the inventive X-ray device has an X-ray source which emits a conical X-ray bundle. The X-ray source can be displaced around an axis of the X-ray device together with the X-ray detector. The head of the patient to be examined is normally supported along this axis. During the adjustment motion around the axis, a series of 2D projections is acquired from different projection angles of the head or jaw region of the patient, so that a 3D image dataset can be acquired from the head or jaw region of the patient. The structure of the X-ray device, for example the distance of the X-ray source from the X-ray detector and the adjustment range of the X-ray source and of the X-ray detector, is adapted to the requirements in the mouth, jaw and face region of the patient. The X-ray device therefore can be kept relatively small. The distance between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector preferably is one meter at a maximum. Since relatively economic and proven components can be used in the inventive X-ray device, the X-ray device can be relatively inexpensively produced. Therefore, the cost for equipping a dental surgical office with such an X-ray device is reasonable affordable, so that a dental surgeon, without time delays due to multiple sessions, can carry out the image pickup, the intervention planning, and the intervention at the patient in steps that directly follow one another.
In a version of the invention, the arrangement for adjusting (positioning) the X-ray source and the X-ray detector has two supports to which the X-ray source and the X-ray detector are respectively mounted, which can be motor-adjusted around the axis of the X-ray device and which can be motor-adjusted relative to one another. Such supports can be guided at a track that runs circularly around the axis and that is mounted to the ceiling, for example. In another version of the invention the X-ray source and the X-ray detector are arranged at a carrier fashioned in a U-shaped or C-arm-shaped manner, and the carrier is rotated by a motor-drive around the aforementioned axis which proceeding extends through the carrier. The carrier can be arranged around a vertically proceeding axis when mounted to the ceiling or can be rotated around a horizontally proceeding axis when arranged at a holding device.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the motor-adjustment of the supports, or the motorized rotation of the carrier, is effected by at least one digitally controlled drive. The drive is preferably software-controlled, and can be a stepper motor in an embodiment of the invention. This allows precise adjustment of the support relative to one another, or precise rotation of the carrier device, so that different positions of the support or carrier can be repeatedly reached with high exactness. Since the X-ray device can be kept relatively small overall, the structure of the X-ray device exhibits a high rigidity, so that the adjustment movements of the X-ray system can be accurately reproduced.
In a further version of the invention the X-ray detector can be adjusted relative to its support, or relative to the carrier, in the direction of the central beam. In this way, the X-ray detector can be placed relatively close to the head of the patient and the size of the image field therefore can be optimally adjusted for the respective examination case. The X-ray source and the X-ray detector therefore normally move asymmetrically around the axis or the head of the patient during the pickup of a series of 2D projections.
The above object also is achieved in a medical workplace for diagnostics and for surgical interventions in the mouth, jaw, or face area of a patient, having an X-ray device as described above, a patient support and an arrangement for determining the positions of the X-ray device and the patient support relative to one another, and wherein the X-ray device and the patient support are arranged relative to one another in a defined way and can be mechanically adjusted relative to one another in a defined way.
The object also is achieved in a medical workplace for diagnostics and for surgical interventions in the mouth, jaw, or face area of a patient, having an X-ray device, as described above, a patient support and a navigation system for determining the positions of the X-ray device and the patient support relative to one another.
Both embodiments of the medical workplace make it possible for the dental surgeon to simply and conveniently transfer the planning results obtained on the basis of the 3D image data immediately to the patient and to carry out the intervention as a result of the knowledge of the spatial relationship between the X-ray device, and therefore the 3D image dataset generated by the X-ray device, and the patient on which the patient is borne, and normally fixed. Given adjustments of the patient support relative to the X-ray device, and therefore relative to the 3D image dataset, the representation of generated 3D images can be automatically adapted to the modified position of the patient in the course of the intervention as a result of the known spatial relationship between the 3D image dataset and the patient support.
In a version of the invention, a navigation system not only determines the position of the X-ray device and/or of the patient support but also determines the position of at least one instrument used during a dental-surgical intervention, so that the imaging of the instrument into an image acquired by the X-ray device is enabled for supporting the surgical intervention. In this way, the surgeon can navigate an instrument introduced into the body of the patient on the basis of the image information displayed at a display unit, so that an expedient support of the surgical intervention is assured.

X-ray device and medical workplace for diagnostics and surgical interventions in the head and/or jaw of a patient


A method for peeling off a thin film semiconductor element over an insulating surface by using a void, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by transferring the peeled semiconductor element. According to the peeling method of the invention, a first base layer having a plurality of recessed portions is formed over a substrate, and a second base layer having a plurality of voids is formed on the recessed portions of the first base layer. On the second base layer, a third base layer is formed and a semiconductor element is formed thereon. Then, by separating the second base layer at an intersecting surface with the voids, the semiconductor element is peeled off from the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for peeling off a semiconductor element formed on an insulating surface and to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by using the peeling method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic equipment typified by a mobile phone, an electronic notebook and the like require multiple functions such as sending and receiving e-mail, voice recognition, taking-in images by a small camera as well as a flat panel display for displaying images. On the other hand, reduction in size and weight of the portable electronic equipment is still sought for satisfying the user needs. Therefore, as many ICs having larger circuit scale and memory capacity as possible are required to be mounted on the narrow space of the portable electronic equipment. It is an essential part to make a flat panel display to be mounted as thin and light as possible in order to achieve the reduction in size and weight of the portable electronic equipment while making space for mounting ICs. Reducing the thickness of a glass substrate used for forming a display panel is likely to be the most effective means of reducing the thickness and weight of the portable electronic equipment. However, there is a limit in reducing the thickness of a glass substrate when the mechanical strength of the display panel is considered. For instance, in the case where barium borosilicate glass, aluminum borosilicate glass and the like are utilized, a 3 inch square panel has a thickness of approximately 1 to 2 mm and a weight of approximately 10 g at least.
In view of the foregoing, a flat panel display using a plastic substrate instead of a glass substrate has been actively researched and developed. A plastic substrate having flexibility exhibits an excellent resistance to vibration and shock as compared with a glass substrate. In addition, a plastic substrate can be easily reduced in thickness and the material itself is light. Therefore, a plastic substrate is considered to be effective for forming a thin and light flat panel display. However, in many cases, the heat resistance of a plastic substrate is not high enough to withstand a heat treatment during manufacturing steps of a semiconductor element. Thus, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor element is suggested in which another substrate having a high heat resistance is prepared and a semiconductor element is formed thereon, then the semiconductor element is peeled off from the substrate and attached on a plastic substrate. A specific method of the peel-off varies according to manufacturers and each manufacturer exercises its ingenuity in their peeling method.
In Patent Document 1 (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-223165), a manufacturing method of nitride semiconductor is disclosed. According to this manufacturing method, after a porous GaN layer having a lot of fine voids on the surface is formed on a substrate by photo etching, a GaN epi layer is formed on the porous GaN layer by epitaxial growth. Then, the porous GaN layer having voids is dissolved and fractured by selective etching, high-pressure water, GaAs jet, laser and the like so that the GaN epi layer is peeled off from the substrate and attached to another substrate.
According to the peeling method disclosed in Patent Document 1, before forming a semiconductor layer, voids are formed between a substrate and the semiconductor layer. Hence, after forming the semiconductor layer, a heat treatment, an irradiation of laser beam and the like do not have to be performed on the semiconductor layer with the intention of facilitating the peel-off. Thus, the peeling method above has the advantage that the semiconductor layer is not damaged and the stress within the semiconductor layer can be reduced due to the voids.
However, since the voids are formed by photo etching according to the peeling method disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is a limit in making larger voids. Therefore, it is not possible to appropriately enlarge the voids in order to reduce the time required for dissolution and fracture of a layer on which the voids are formed or to reduce the stress of a semiconductor layer when peeled off. Moreover, although a peeling method of a single crystalline semiconductor layer is disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is no specific description of a peeling method of a thin film semiconductor element on an insulating surface by the use of voids.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the invention to provide a peeling method of a thin film semiconductor element on an insulating surface by the use of voids, and it is another object of the invention to provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device by transferring the peeled semiconductor element.

Method for peeling off semiconductor element and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method, apparatus and system relate to detecting an interfering device in a wireless network such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). In wireless networks using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and adaptive bit loading (ABL), adaptive modulation information should be somewhat symmetric in uplink and downlink directions. By comparing modulation adaptations in the uplink and downlink directions of a communication channel between at least two terminals, identified differences can indicate the presence of a potential interferer in the wireless network. A location of the potential interferer can be estimated if a location of one or more network terminals experiencing interference is known or can be determined. An exemplary implementation for a device of the invention may be as an Access Point (AP) in the WLAN.

The embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for detecting interfering devices in a wireless network. More particularly, but not exclusively, the embodiments relate to detecting sources of radio interference in a wireless local area network (WLAN).
Wireless communication systems pose unique problems not typically associated with wired systems. For example, many devices in wireless networks (e.g., WLAN) broadcast and/or receive signals using omnidirectional antennas. Omnidirectional signal transmissions are used to provide simultaneous coverage between multiple user stations without concentrating transmitted power to any one particular user. This may often result in unequal reception of transmitted signal energy between users due to distance, obstacles, signal scattering and/or signal reflections. Accordingly, components of a signal arriving at a receiver in a wireless network may often be spread out over a longer period of time than is desirable.
Additionally, wireless networks, for example those utilizing unlicensed frequency spectrums such as WLAN or Bluetooth, may experience interference from other non-network wireless devices using similar frequency bands within range of the wireless network. Non-network wireless devices may attempt to use the same channel resources used in the wireless network and thus create interference within the wireless network. It is therefore desirable to be able to detect and/or locate the interfering device(s) so they may be turned off, moved to another non-interfering location, and/or changed to utilize a different frequency spectrum.

Locating interfering devices in wireless networks using channel adaptation metrics


An optical film includes a substrate, several prism bars, and several connecting parts. The substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The prism bars are disposed on the second surface of the substrate. Each prism bar has a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion of each prism bar is disposed on the second surface of the substrate, and each top portion has an edge. Each connecting part includes a flexible pillar and a connecting enlarged part. Each flexible pillar has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of each flexible pillar is disposed on one of the edges. Each connecting enlarged part is disposed on the second end of each flexible pillar. The outer width of each connecting enlarged part is larger than that of the cross-section of each flexible pillar.

The conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight module not only has light emitting diode (LED) as the light source, but also has light-guide panel, diffuser plate, prism sheet, reflector, and some other components. The manufacturers have already been developing a type of optical film with several prism bars disposed on the substrate and also integrating two optical films into one in order to achieve a thinner design on the film. When this type of optical films is to combine with other components to form an optical film assembly, connecting adhesive is usually used to connect the components. One side of the connecting adhesive connects with the prism bars of one optical film, and the other side of the connecting adhesive connects with the substrate of another optical film. Some optical equipments may adjust the effect of the light with this optical film assembly.
However, the backlight module of the LCD tends to generate heat during its operation, and the optical film assembly is then heated by the heat. Since the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the connecting adhesive and those of the different layers of the optical films are different, the change of temperature may cause deformation on the prism bars of the optical film because of the change of tension from the connecting adhesive, thereby affecting the light effect of the optical film and causing the light to be inaccurate.

Optical flim, optical film assembly using the optical film, and manufacturing method of the optical film


Systems and methods for managing airflow for cooling computing devices (e.g. in a data center) in normal and cold environments are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises positioning the computing devices on a plurality of racks with air barriers to create hot and cold aisles. The computing devices may be configured in a first mode to draw in cool air the cold aisles and exhaust heated air into the hot aisles. Temperatures in the cold aisles may be periodically measured. In response to temperatures below a predetermined threshold, one or more of the cold aisles may be converted into a temporary hot aisle by adjusting ventilation openings and configuring a subset of the computing devices to temporarily draw in warm air from the temporary hot aisle.

This background description is set forth below for the purpose of providing context only. Therefore, any aspect of this background description, to the extent that it does not otherwise qualify as prior art, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the instant disclosure.
Many blockchain networks (e.g., those used for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin) require computationally difficult problems to be solved as part of the hash calculation. The difficult problem requires a solution that is a piece of data which is difficult (costly, time-consuming) to produce, but is easy for others to verify and which satisfies certain requirements. This is often called "proof of work". A proof of work (PoW) system (or protocol, or function) is a consensus mechanism. It deters denial of service attacks and other service abuses such as spam on a network by requiring some work from the service requester, usually meaning processing time by a computer.
Participants in the network operate standard PCs, servers, or specialized computing devices called mining rigs or miners. Because of the difficulty involved and the amount of computation required, the miners are typically configured with specialized components that improve the speed at which mathematical hash functions or other calculations required for the blockchain network are performed. Examples of specialized components include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphics processing units (GPUs) and accelerated processing unit (APUs).
Miners are often run for long periods of time at high frequencies that generate large amounts of heat. Even with cooling (e.g., high speed fans), the heat and constant operation can negatively impact the reliability and longevity of the components in the miners. ASIC miners for example have large numbers of hashing chips (e.g., 100's) that are more likely to fail as temperatures rise.
Many participants in blockchain networks operate large numbers (e.g., 100's, 1000's or more) of different miners (e.g., different generations of miners from one manufacturer or different manufacturers) concurrently in large data centers. Many data centers face cooling challenges, and data centers housing large numbers of miners or other CPU- or GPU-based systems used for compute intensive workloads (e.g., rendering, AI, machine learning, scientific simulation, data science) have even greater cooling challenges. This is due to the significantly higher density, power usage, heat generation, and duty cycle common to these devices and workloads.
The heat in data centers can often exceed the cooling ability of a computing device's built-in fans, which force air across heat sinks on the computing device in order to extract and exhaust the waste heat. Traditional methods for improving cooling of computing devices in data centers include mixing in refrigerated air to reduce the temperature of the air that is forced across the computing device by its built-in cooling fans. A significant drawback to this approach is that refrigeration uses significant amounts of energy on top of the energy already used by the computing devices themselves.
For these reasons, new data center architectures have been designed to dramatically improve airflow so that ambient air can be used for cooling most if not all of the year based on the location of the data center. One drawback to these improved airflow designs occurs during winter when the ambient air temperature drops so low that the computing devices begin to perform poorly. Some data centers may use heat pumps or furnaces to preheat the air incoming to the data center or mixing chambers with recirculating ductwork and valves that mix of the exhaust heat from the computing devices with the incoming air to raise the temperature. However, heating the air with heat pumps or furnaces is not energy efficient, and using mixing chambers with recirculating ductwork can negatively impact airflow.
For at least these reasons, there is a desire for a solution that efficiently cools computing devices and efficiently maintains temperatures above undesirable levels when ambient temperatures are low.


The invention is directed to a reinforced nose bridge structure, eyeglasses employing the reinforced nose bridge structure, and methods of making reinforced nose bridge structures and eyeglasses. A reinforced nose bridge structure includes an elongated body and a wire extending along the body for most of its length. The ends of the wire project from the body to form a pair of spaced-apart nose pad supports. Respective nose pads are mounted at the ends of the wire forming the nose pad supports. The nose bridge may be attached directly to eyeglass lenses or to complete or partial frames for the lenses.

There are presently a wide variety of styles for eyeglasses available for a wearer to choose from. Some of the eyeglasses employ a frame that includes lens holders for supporting a pair of lenses joined together with a nose bridge. Other types of designs for eyeglasses use a rimless frame, and join the pair of lenses together with a nose bridge. Regardless of the particular type of frame, the nose bridge spans the space between the lenses, and, when the eyeglasses are positioned on the wearer's head, nose pads attached to the nose bridge or frame contact the sides of the wearer's nose to help support the eyeglasses in a desired position on the wearer's face.
One conventional design for a pair of eyeglasses is shown in FIG. 1. Eyeglasses 100 includes a pair of lenses 102 that are interconnected with a nose bridge 104. The nose bridge 104 has a pair of nose pad supports 105 that are molded inside of the nose bridge 104. Each of the nose pad supports 105 extends inside of the nose bridge 104 along only a small portion of its length, and projects downwardly so that respective nose pads 106 mounted to each of the nose pad supports 105 will bear against the sides of a wearer's nose when the eyeglasses 100 are worn by the wearer. The eyeglasses 100 further includes a pair of temples 108 that are pivotally attached to the lateral sides of each of the lenses 102 using respective hinges 110. The temples 108 extend rearwardly away from each of the lenses 102 and are configured to fit along the sides of a wearer's head so that the eyeglasses 100 are retained on the wearer's head.
One problem associated with the eyeglasses 100 is that the nose bridge 104 may not be sufficiently sturdy, or, if it is sufficiently sturdy, the nose bridge 104 must be undesirably thick to impart the requisite strength. Another problem associated with the eyeglasses 100 is the strength of the attachment between the nose pad supports 105 and the nose bridge 104 may not be sufficient to prevent the nose pad supports 105 from separating from the nose bridge 104. This problem may be exacerbated by making the nose bridge 104 relatively thin, which is often desired for styling reasons.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional design for a pair of eyeglasses. Eyeglasses 110 includes a pair of lenses 112 that are mounted to a frame 113. The frame 113 includes lens backing portions 114 that extend along the length of the upper portion of each of the lenses 112. The frame 113 further includes a nose bridge 116 that is integrally formed with each of the lens backing portions 114. The nose bridge 116 includes a pair of nose pads 118 that are mounted on a portion of the nose bridge 116. A pair of temples 120 are hingedly attached to the frame 113, and extend rearwardly away from each of the lenses 112.
One problem with the eyeglasses 110 is that the nose pads 118 are not adjustable to accommodate a variety of nose sizes. Therefore, the eyeglasses 110 use a nose bridge 116 that is designed to fit a specific nose size or a range of nose sizes, and will not properly fit certain nose sizes. Furthermore, the frame 113 including the nose bridge portion 116 may need to be undesirably bulky in order to provide sufficient structural support.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a nose bridge for a pair of eyeglasses that is not undesirably bulky, while still providing a sufficient amount of strength. Furthermore, it would be desirable that the pair of eyeglasses include adjustable nose pads so that the eyeglasses can be adjusted to fit a range of nose sizes.

Reinforced nose bridge and eyeglasses utilizing same


A method and apparatus for transmitting data from a transmitter device to one or more receiver devices connected to the transmitter device via a respective wire connection, the transmitter device being operable to transmit signals onto the wire connections and a further wire connection at different tones, the method comprising: for each tone, measuring electromagnetic coupling between the further wire connection and each of the wire connections and using the measurements, identifying a wire connection that most strongly receives crosstalk interference from the further wire connection; based on the identifications, for each tones, allocating signals transmitted on the further wire connection as supporting signals for a particular wire connection; transmitting a first signal onto the particular wire connection that has been allocated a supporting signal; and transmitting a second signal onto the further wire connection, thereby to cause crosstalk interference in the particular wire connection transmitting the first signal.

DSL technology takes advantage of the fact that although a legacy twisted metallic pair (which was originally installed to provide merely a Plain Old Telephone Services (POTS) telephony connection) might only have been intended to carry signals using differential mode at frequencies of up to a few Kilohertz, in fact such a line can often reliably carry signals at much greater frequencies. Moreover, the shorter the line, the greater is the range of frequencies over which signals can be reliably transmitted (especially with the use of technologies such as Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT), etc.). Thus as access networks have evolved, telecommunications network providers have expanded their fibre optic infrastructure outwards towards the edges of the access network, making the lengths of the final portion of each connection to an end user subscriber (which is still typically provided by a metallic twisted pair) shorter and shorter, giving rise to correspondingly greater and greater bandwidth potential over the increasingly short twisted metallic pair connections without having to bear the expense of installing new optic fibre connections to each subscriber. However, a problem with using high frequency signals is that a phenomenon known as crosstalk can cause significant interference reducing the effectiveness of lines to carry high bandwidth signals in situations where there is more than one metallic pair carrying similar high frequency signals in close proximity to one another. In simple terms, the signals from one channel can "leak" onto a nearby channel (which may be carrying similar signals) and appear as noise to that nearby channel. Although crosstalk is a known problem even at relatively low frequencies, the magnitude of this effect tends to increase with frequency to the extent that at frequencies in excess of a few tens of Megahertz (depending on the length of the channels in question), the indirect coupling can be as great as the direct coupling.
In order to alleviate the problems caused by crosstalk (especially Far End Cross Talk or "FEXT" as it is known) a technology known as vectoring has been developed in which knowledge of the signals sent over crosstalking lines is used to reduce the effects of the crosstalk. In a typical situation a single DSLAM acts as a co-generator of multiple downstream signals over multiple cross-talking channels and also as a co-receiver of multiple upstream signals from the same multiple cross-talking channels, with each of the channels terminating at a single Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) modem such that no common processing is possible at the CPE ends of the channels. In such a case, downstream signals are pre-distorted to compensate for the expected effects of the cross-talking signals being sent over the neighbouring cross-talking channels such that at reception at the CPE devices the received signals are similar to what would have been received had no cross-talking signals been transmitted on the cross-talking channels. Upstream signals on the other hand are post-distorted (or detected in a manner equivalent to their having been post-distorted) after being received at the co-receiver (the DSLAM) in order to account for the effects of the cross-talk which has leaked into the signals during their transmission.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for transmitting signals over wire connections

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company


Method for automatic detection of inflammation or functional disorder according to temperature asymmetry estimation in contralateral body parts is presented. Simultaneously recorded thermogram and the optical image of the inspected and contralateral body parts are sent to the processing unit, where they are stored, processed, and analyzed. Method automatically detects outlines of body parts in thermograms and optical images. Grid of points of interest is distributed inside the inspected and the contralateral body part's outline. Temperature maps are calculated according to both grids points and the temperature disparity map is estimated. The set of inflammation regions is obtained by analyzing the temperature disparity map and collecting adjacent points containing temperature differences surpassing the threshold. This is non-invasive and non-contact inspection method, suitable for real world environments with natural home or health care institutions background.

During everyday conditions, a body temperature of a person is higher than ambient temperature. With certain techniques, such as infrared thermal imaging, temperature maps of human or other animal body parts could be obtained. When some disease or functional change of person body arises at a specific area, the temperature of the affected body part of the human or other animal could change significantly compared with normal tissue. Inflammation, pre-cancerous tissue formation, tumor growths, or other factors could increase the temperature, while diseases such as vasculitis or artery sclerosis could decrease the temperature of the affected body part.
For example, diabetic foot wounds, or diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are among the most common foot complications that critically affect about 15% of the diabetic population. The risk factors leading to the development of foot ulcers are primarily neuropathy and arterial disease in the lower limbs. For diabetic persons with neuropathy, DFUs may develop after minor wounds or skin lesions on the lower limb. DFUs are difficult to diagnose early, and even more difficult to treat. Delayed diagnosis, treatment, and other factors may contribute to further complications of the ulcer, which often lead to the need for surgical interventions and even amputations. Evaluation of DFU requires a multidisciplinary foot care team. Such evaluation may include the medical history of the human or animal, laboratory test results, and dermatological, musculoskeletal, neurological and vascular status. Self-inspection of the feet is an important part in detecting diabetic complications in early stages, but this is often impeded by health impairments related to diabetes and other comorbidities, such as eyesight, limited mobility, or social impairments. An alternative to self-evaluation is frequent examination by health professionals, but this is costly, time-consuming, and not a common option for many people. Thus, an advanced home assessment tool to monitor the feet of people with diabetes is needed. Numerous studies have indicated that a localized temperature change in the foot is a clear precursor to a diabetic foot ulcer. However, the temperature differences for DFU regions are small, challenging to monitor, and difficult to determine using analogue means, and are not widely monitored in current medical practice for DFU diagnosis.
The infrared thermal imaging is a preferable and useful way to record temperature maps because it is a non-invasive and non-contact technology that acquires thermal images based on the emitted heat (thermal energy) from the body. Thermal radiation is electromagnetic waves from the Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) range 0.000314 inches to 0.000551 inches (8 micrometers (8 pin) to 14 pin)). The infrared techniques allow rapid capturing of large number of pixels or picture elements. The individual pixels at the respective points denote the local temperature, and the collection of these pixels create an image illustrating the surface temperature distribution. Infrared thermal imaging has made it possible to measure any increased temperature that occurs in some regions within the foot. It was determined that a 1.8 degree Fahrenheit (1.8° F.) to 3.6° F. (1° Celsius (c) to 2° C.) temperature increase within the foot, compared to the contralateral foot's mean temperature requires an accurate assessment in order to decide whether it is a normal increase or an occurrence of foot ulcers. Moreover, temperature differences of more than 3.96° F. (2.2° C.) between a region on one foot and the same region on the contralateral foot are considered hyperthermia. Monitoring such differences through thermal images captured with the use of infrared thermography devices proved to be an efficient way of detecting diabetic foot ulceration.
Patent document US20100191124A1 (application filing date of 2008 Apr. 15) provides a system and a method for using three-dimensional infrared imaging to provide psychological maps of individuals. Calibrated infrared and range imaging sensors are used to produce a true-metric three-dimensional (3D) surface model of any region of the body within the fields of view of both sensors. Curvilinear surface features in both modalities are caused by internal and external anatomical elements. Features are classified by origin, location, and characteristics to produce annotations that are recorded with the images and feature maps in reference image libraries. However, the method is not sensitive enough to detect minor changes in person's body temperature, such as inflammation or diabetic foot ulceration. Also, the method does not use both left and right feet, arms or other body parts temperature data values for comparing the temperature differences. Therefore, it is not suitable for detecting inflammation, diseases or functional disorders.
Patent document US20190021649A1 (application fling date 2017 Jul. 24) describes a medical diagnostic apparatus, comprising a controller; a user interface configured for user interaction with the medical diagnostic apparatus; a platform comprising a horizontal surface, wherein at least a portion of the horizontal surface is transparent to visible light; a weight measurement system coupled to the platform; and at least one visible light image sensor positioned below the horizontal surface that is capable of producing a diagnostic visible light image of a bottom portion of a foot or feet positioned on the horizontal surface. The document also provides a method for automated diagnosis of a diabetic foot condition, where the method comprises capturing optical image data of a target area of a foot; collecting, by a touch sensitivity testing device of the medical diagnostic apparatus, physical touch sensitivity data for the target area of the foot; transmitting, by the medical diagnostic apparatus, the optical image data, the physical touch sensitivity data, or a combination of such data to an analysis engine; and outputting, by the analysis engine, one or more indications of a diabetic foot condition. However, the medical diagnostic apparatus uses optical image data and the determination of foot conditions data is collected by contact of feet with the platform. Even if the apparatus could comprise at least one infrared image sensor, the infrared imaging makes only a supplementary role, the infrared imaging quality is not developed in detail. Moreover, the differences of the temperature due to the functional disorders are small, and the problems of an infrared spatial resolution and the determination of a body part outline is not solved at all.
Current technologies, which use non-contact thermal imaging of the person's body parts for detection of inflammation, do not have an automatic way of distinguishing the person's body parts outline from the surrounding background. They use such solutions as covering non-monitored person's body parts with a damp cold towel, placing the person in a large box, etc. Existing methods don't allow to monitor and detect inflammation, diseases or functional disorders which have slightly increased local temperature maps.
Therefore, there is a need for a system, method, and apparatus, whereby:                optical and thermal imaging could be performed simultaneously;        thermal imaging of both left and right body parts could be performed simultaneously;        the method could automatically evaluate the presence of an inflammation or functional disorder, inform the person and make recommendations;        the outline of person's body parts could be detected automatically;        exact comparison between slightly different (assymetric) body part outlines could be performed;        the exact area of an inflammation or functional disorder could be mapped;        small changes in the body part temperature could be detected;        the apparatus should be non-invasive, non-contact, portable, and could be used both at home or at a clinical institution;        the apparatus should have a database of stored thermograms, which could be viewed distantly by healthcare professionals or the administrator;
The present disclosure describes a system, an apparatus, a new method, and uses of the system, apparatus, and method which satisfy the above mentioned requirements.

System, method, and apparatus for temperature asymmetry measurement of body parts


The image printing system of the present invention includes an image editing device that carries out editing and printing of images; a link processing device that allows obtaining a desired image by linking to a WWW server that provides the image to be edited and printed in the image editing device; a record search device that tabulates records of editing and printing processing that has been carried out using the image editing device on the images obtained from the WWW server; and a link destination selection device that selects link destinations in the link processing device based on the tabulation results of the record search device and reports this to the link processing device. The link processing device sets the link destinations based on the link destinations reported from the link destination selection device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image printing system, an image printing method, and an image printing program wherein the printing of an image is carried out by using the Internet.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-370063, filed Dec. 20, 2002, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, the capacities of color printers have been dramatically improved, and at the same time, prices have declined. Thus, a user can purchase a color printer and print images that he has produced himself by using the color printer at a lower cost than requesting printed material from a professional printer.
However, in this case, there is the problem that for a non-professional user the production of the desired printed material is difficult. There are a variety of choices of printing environment, material used for in the printed material (photographic images, illustrations and the like), character fonts, editing, types of colors and the like, and for the user side to carry out all the layout production for these, heavy burdens are placed on the operator who carries out layout production and the computer system that is used. In particular, in the editing of image data, heavy processing steps become necessary, for example, to expand completely the compressed image data that represents the material to be used.
In order to solve this type of problem, a system has been proposed wherein an environment is built in which the layout operation is easily carried out using the image desired by the user, and an image that has been edited according to the layout operation is delivered to the user (refer to Citation 1, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2002-244827). This system executes on the client a user editing application delivered by the server depending on the layout operation request from the client, and displays a screen for reading new image information not stored on the server. When the layout operation using the image data supplied from the server and the new image data is carried out, the image editing is carried out on the server based on the operation content, and this resulting edited image is delivered to the client.
In the current situation, the opportunities for using a color printer purchased by an individual are almost completely limited to printing New Year greeting cards and Christmas cards. At the same time, for the manufactures that make and sell the color printers, there is a need to expand the market for sales of consumable goods by increasing the opportunities for producing printed material and increasing the utilization of color printers purchased by individuals.
However, while the manufactures that make and sell color printers can provide systems such as the one disclosed in Citation 1 that can easily produce printed materials, there are limits to providing all the various types of content that will satisfy the needs of the users. At the same time, in recent years the Internet has been used to promote sales of products such as toys and food. The delivery content for introducing products has become widespread, and it is possible to introduce products with a high efficiency by having this content printed on the printers of individual users. However, for the manufacturers of toys, food and the like, there is the problem that carrying out production of printed material having a high quality requires much labor and cost.
In consideration of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image printing system, an image printing method, and an image printing program that increases the rate of utilization of printers, and at the same time makes possible carrying out highly efficient product introductions easily.

Image printing system, image printing method, and image printing program


Initiating actions for mobile devices prior to a mobile user entering problem zones. A position and a route of a user are identified. A database is accessed to retrieve data identifying problem zones in a communications network. The position and route of the user are compared to the retrieve data identifying problem zones. A determination is made to identify when the user is approaching a problem zones. An action is performed to compensate for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone when the user enters the problem zone.

Consumers are using mobile devices more frequently for streaming media such as audio or video or fetching other useful data such as maps, etc. while in motion. One common limitation, though, when using mobile devices in this manner is that wireless "dead zones" (zones where there is not sufficient wireless signal strength or bandwidth) cause an interruption in streaming-type services. In addition, driving from areas with less network congestion (for example, the suburbs) to areas of greater network congestion (e.g. urban centers) may also cause an interruption in streaming content due to the over-congested networks. Other examples of reception limitations involve situations where interference with other cell sites occurs or where the radio signal is interrupted or attenuated by local topography. Since cell phones rely on radio waves, and radio waves travel through the air and are easily attenuated, other factors may cause cell phones to be unreliable at times. Areas that exhibit such limitations may commonly be referred to as problem zones that represent areas of unfavorable network conditions.
Streaming applications require uninterrupted playback that is isolated from the vagaries of network jitter, interference or signal loss/attenuation. Thus, the above-mentioned problem zones can cause an interruption in streaming data. Many application programmers or mobile device manufacturers try to compensate for problem zones by "buffering" content delivery or downloading data in advance. This is commonly achieved using a playback buffer. However, buffering, as currently implemented in most streaming service applications, is only intended to cover brief interruptions or interference of service (usually 30-60 seconds), such as when a mobile device is "handed off" from one tower to another, when going through a short tunnel, when available bandwidth is momentarily reduced due to network congestion, or under similar brief conditions. Once the mobile device leaves a problem zone, a buffer manager replenishes the buffer to a minimum level by varying the rate of transmission from the server as necessary. Nevertheless, this type of buffering is unsuitable when driving through areas with very large problem zones where the mobile device may be located for extended periods of time.
Another scenario for additional buffering may be where a network carrier wishes to minimize the use of a roaming partner's network to avoid paying data roaming costs. For example, if network operator A and network operator B have reciprocal roaming agreements, it still may be financially advantageous for network operator A to have their customers pre-fetch a large quantity of data from streaming services before roaming onto network operator B's network so that network operator A does not have to pay roaming data charges to network operator B.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that uses specific knowledge about network conditions to prompt actions for mobile devices prior to encountering problem zones.

System, method and device for initiating actions for mobile devices prior to a mobile user entering problem zones


A motion transmitting assembly (10) for transmitting motion in a curved path by a core element (12) is movably supported in a conduit (14) which is, in turn, supported by a ferrule (16). A slotted swivel tube (24) is supported by the ferrule (16) and a terminal (24) is slidably disposed in the swivel tube (24). The assembly is characterized by the terminal (28) having a cross pin bore (30) and a cross pin (32) disposed in the cross pin bore (30), the cross pin (32) having a hole (34) extending transversely or diametrically therethrough with the core element (12) extending through the hole (34) to retain the cross pin (32) in the bore (30). The cross pin (32) extends through the cross pin bore (30) and out of each of the slots (26). A crimped section (36) of the terminal (28) is deformed into gripping engagement with the core element (12) to retain the terminal (28) to the core element (12).

Sometimes such remote control assemblies include a tube extending from the support ferrule at one end of the conduit with a rod slidably supported in the tube, the rod being adapted to be connected to a member to be controlled. Frequently, the tube has a swivel connection to the ferrule so that it may swivel in an arc. One such assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,348 granted Sep. 7, 1982 to Bennett et al and assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. Sometimes, however, the space restraints will not permit the full extension of the rod form the swivel tube. There remains a need for the full action of the terminal to remain within the length of the swivel tube. An example of such an assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,590,724 granted Jun. 29, 1926 to Caretta; however, that assembly is not easily or economically fabricated.

Method of fabrication of a slotted swivel tube


Methods and systems for index-based querying of archived data sets are disclosed. A plurality of indices are generated, each comprising a plurality of pointers to storage locations of a plurality of updates to a document. A query request is received after generating the plurality of indices. The query request comprises an identifier of the document and a specified time range. A subset of the indices that comprise the identifier of the document within the specified time range are determined. From the subset of the indices are retrieved a subset of the pointers to the storage locations for one or more of the updates to the document within the specified time range. The one or more updates to the document within the specified time range are retrieved using the subset of the plurality of pointers.

Electronic catalog servers, such as those associated with large e-commerce sites, often store large quantities of catalog data to which updates are frequently made. The updates may be received over an extended period of time, such as several months or years, and the quantity of the updates over time may be sufficiently large to require the use of archive storage systems in addition to a live data store. Users and administrators of electronic catalog systems may seek to access the updates made to the catalog data, e.g., for various troubleshooting or marketing purposes. In order to facilitate access to the updates, there may be live or dynamic indexing performed on the live data store. However, such dynamic indexing may affect the throughput and performance of the electronic catalog systems, and may also require increasingly larger storage space for the dynamic index over time.
Archive storage systems may work well for storing hundreds or thousands of objects that are on the order of multiple megabytes. However, such storage systems often do not work as well for storing hundreds of millions to billions of very small records (e.g., kilobytes in size). Additionally, when querying archived data, retrieving the desired archived data is often a challenge that requires a separate search of the archive media itself.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have techniques for querying archived data sets in an efficient manner.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning "having the potential to"), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning "must"). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean "including, but not limited to."

Index-based querying of archived data sets


Embodiments of the present invention provide a single coolant loop (40) that can be used for cooling at least two systems (100, 26) that are generally operable at two different temperatures. Rather than providing two separate cooling loops that can provide the two different cooling temperatures, there is provided a single cooling loop (40) that can route, harness, and mix heated coolant so that the two system can be served by a single loop.

Vast numbers of people travel every day via aircraft, trains, buses, and other vehicles. Such vehicles are often provided with components that are important for passenger comfort and satisfaction. For example, passenger aircraft (both commercial and private aircraft) can have catering equipment, heating/cooling systems, lavatories, water heaters, power seats, passenger entertainment units, lighting systems, and other components. A number of these components on-board an aircraft require electrical power for their activation. Although many of these components are separate from the electrical components that are actually required to run the aircraft (i.e., the navigation system, fuel gauges, flight controls, and hydraulic systems), an ongoing concern with these components is their energy consumption. Frequently, such systems require more power than can be drawn from the aircraft engines' drive generators, necessitating additional power sources, such as a kerosene-burning auxiliary power unit (APU) (or by a ground power unit if the aircraft is not yet in flight). Energy from these power sources may have to travel a significant distance to reach the power-consuming components, resulting in loss of power during transmission and a reduction in overall efficiency of power systems. The total energy consumption can also be rather large, particularly for long flights with hundreds of passengers, and may require significant amounts of fossil fuels for operation. Additionally, use of aircraft power typically produces noise and CO2 emissions, both of which are desirably reduced.
The relatively new technology of fuel cell systems provides a promising cleaner and quieter way to supplement energy sources already aboard commercial crafts. A fuel cell system produces electrical energy as a main product by combining a fuel source of liquid, gaseous, or solid hydrogen with a source of oxygen, such as oxygen in the air, compressed oxygen, or chemical oxygen generation. A fuel cell system has several outputs in addition to electrical power, and these other outputs often are not utilized and therefore become waste. For example, thermal power (heat), water, and oxygen-depleted air (ODA) are produced as by-products. These by-products are far less harmful than CO2 emissions from current aircraft power generation processes.
However, fuel cell systems and their related electronic components need to be cooled at some points during their use to prevent overheating. It has commonly been the case to provide two separate cooling loops—one for the fuel cell system and one for its related electronic components. However, this adds weight and additional complexity to aircraft systems, which is undesireable.

Fuel cell system with a single coolant loop


When a start key is operated, an inferring process of estimating a demand of a user is executed on the basis of preset situation data, a user profile, and situation data manually input via a situation setting key. Based on the inference result, a genre list and a contents list are reconstructed so that genres and contents items are arranged in order of the degree of a demand of the user. The top three genres extracted from the reconstructed genre list are associated with three selection keys, and the names of the associated genres or labels of the genres are displayed in genre name display parts. It enables the user to easily and instantaneously select one of contents items to be processed.

Hitherto, in an information device, to select contents items (including various applications and information) to be processed, a number of operation buttons are provided. Contents items are assigned to the operation buttons. A menu is displayed on a display screen, so contents items can be selected on the screen with a jog dial, or the like while switching a display state.
When the operation buttons are correspond to contents items, the following problem takes place. In short, since the space for the operation buttons is limited in a portable device or a device installed in a limited space such as a vehicle, it cannot handle many contents items.
When a menu is displayed on a display screen by using a hierarchical menu, selection can be made from a large number of contents items. However, this requires much effort (many operations) to reach a target function or information.
There are known apparatuses solving the problems: an apparatus of setting display conditions for each piece of information and giving permission to display only information whose display conditions are satisfied by an operation of the user, thereby automatically narrowing information to be displayed (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1); and an apparatus enabling a target contents item to be specified by a small number of operations (utterance) without performing hierarchical selecting operations by using speech recognition (refer to, for example, Patent Document 2).                Patent Document 1: JP-2000-112604 A        Patent Document 2: JP-2000-20090 A
In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the number of pieces of information displayed in a menu of each levels of the hierarchy is reduced, the selecting operation in each level is easy. However, a number of operations are still necessary to reach target information and the apparatus has a first problem such that the apparatus is not suitable for an environment in which the highest priority is placed on safety as in an in-vehicle device.
The user has to check the display screen many times and perform a necessary operation each time to reach target information. While the user performs the operation, attention to driving may deteriorate.
In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, since speech recognition is used, erroneous recognition of voice cannot be avoided. The apparatus has a second problem that the user has to repeat the same operation (utterance) many times in some instances.
Meanwhile, a rule-based inferring system is known as a system used for an apparatus for selecting contents items to be selected and the like is known (refer to, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).
This system expresses the knowledge of an expert in a rule form (If-Then form) and a rule is applied to a given question, thereby obtaining a solution.
An example of a rule used in an inferring system of this kind is shown as follows (1). The rule is used at the time of determining a destination adapted to a situation statement given on the basis of the destination description.IF {(season=summer) AND (weather=clear) AND (hobby=swimming)}THEN {sea}  (1)
In a condition clause of the rule, a logical determination on a situation statement of whether each of attributes to be considered (in this case, "season," "weather," and "hobby") satisfies a linguistic or numerical condition (in this case, "summer," "clear," and "swimming") or not is described. In the case where the condition described in the condition clause is satisfied, one determination ("sea" in this case) to be made by the system is described in a dependent clause of the rule.
As one of applications of such an inferring system, a system of executing a control (for example, "transmission of an emergency message from the system to a center," "playing of music," "switch-on of a TV to show news," and "preparation of a bath") in accordance with a result of inference obtained by the inferring system is known.
In an inferring system, in some cases, a plurality of rules which hit (satisfy the conditional clause) exist (that is, a plurality of inference results are obtained) in a given situation depending on the way of making rules. In such a case, for example, in the application apparatus, a control may be executed only on a rule which is hit for the first as a rule satisfying the conditional clause or a control may be executed on all of hit rules in order of hit.
In this case, however, there is a possibility that a rule having higher propriety is hit after a rule having low propriety. In this case, the inferring system makes a decision which is not always optimum (or which is erroneous in some cases). When it is in an optimum value search question, it corresponds to local optimization.
To solve such a problem, all of a rule group has to be constructed so that one situation description hits only one rule.                Non-Patent Document: Yoji Masubuchi, "A research and development of Mobile Workflow System for Field Service with Case and Rule Based Reasoning)" the 43rd groupware and network service workshop of Information Processing Society of Japan, GN-43-20 (2002).
However, it has to be constructed so that logics of conditional clauses of the rules are contrary to each other (it corresponds to direct sum division of the space of situation description). It is requested to describe situations so as to be completely divided in hierarchy.
FIG. 24 shows a table of rules in a hierarchy. When it is assumed that N attributes of a situation description exist and the resolution of each attribute i (i=1 to N) is Mi, the number of situations, that is, the number of rules Ns obtained by logical combinations is expressed by Equation (2).NS=M1×M2× . . . ×MN  (2)
The more various conditional descriptions such as the environment, situation, requirement, and state of the user are reflected in a conditional clause, the number of attributes increases. The more the precision of determining each of attributes is improved, the higher the resolution Mi becomes. As a result, the number of rules described becomes enormous. There is a third problem such that the number reaches a level which cannot be realized in some cases.
In this case, there is also a fourth problem such that, as understood also from Equation (2), when an attribute of situation description is added (N is added) later, an enormous number of rules has to be also added and rules cannot be added so easily.
Further, in the case of forming all of possible combination conditions into rules and describing all of the conditions, since a number of conditions having no noticeable characteristic and unrealistic conditions are included, there is a fifth problem such that it is not efficient to describe rules by the method.
Although the number of rules can be reduced by implementing only rules which seem to be important in application, in such a case, a sixth problem occurs such that fine inference cannot be made and it is difficult to determine an important rule (attribute).

Interface device, inferring system, and visual expression method


Disclosed is a zoom lens, which includes, in sequence from an object side to an image side, a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, a positive fourth lens group, a fifth lens group, a negative sixth lens group and a positive lens group. The first, third, fifth and seventh lens groups are fixed. When the zoom lens is made to zoom from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the second and fourth lens groups move toward the third lens group, while the sixth lens group moves toward the seventh lens group. The absolute value of the ratio of the focal distance of the second lens group to that of the sixth lens group is within a range between 0.1 and 0.5.

In order to realize convenient photography operation, various digital cameras adopt optical zoom lens. The optical zoom lens can effectively change the focal length of photography while maintains a good imaging quality thereof. The optical zooming is different from digital zooming whose imaging quality will be adversely affected when the focal length of photography is changed.
U.S. patent application No. US2005/0099700A1 discloses a compact zoom lens comprising four lens groups with positive, negative, positive and positive refraction powers, respectively. When the zoom lens is zoomed from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the first and third lens groups remain fixed, while the second lens group moves toward an image side thereof. Although this known zoom lens is relatively compact, it does not provide a high magnification.
A conventional optical zoom lens with a high magnification normally needs a space with a relatively long length for change of focal length. A telescopic lens is such a kind of zoom lens whose lens can be outstretched beyond the body of the camera accommodating it. Most of the digital cameras available on the market use a telescopic zoom lens. The telescopic lens normally adopts one negative lens group, two positive lens groups and three positive lens groups among which a retractable lens group is arranged for zooming operation and this arrangement provides a compact structure. However, the distance required by such a telescopic lens to zoom is inevitably quite long if it aims to acquire a high magnification. Thus, the requirement of the miniaturization cannot be fully met.
A periscope-type zoom lens is another kind of zoom lens having a retractable and extendable lens, which does not need to extend out of the camera accommodating it. The periscope-type zoom lens works in such a way that a light beam entering the lens does not travel along a linear path, and instead, the beam is reflected by a mirror and then refracted into the camera. The lens moves within the camera for zooming or focusing, but does not extend out of the camera. Therefore, the size of a digital camera adopting the periscope zoom lens is much smaller and the camera lens can be effectively protected as there is no need to stretch the lens out of the camera.
Hence, a periscope-type zoom lens is an optimal solution to solve the conflictive and simultaneous requirements of high magnification and miniaturization.
The present invention is thus aimed to provide a novel periscope-type zoom lens.


This application provides a signal receiving method and a terminal device, to improve user experience. The method is applied to a terminal device provided with a plurality of subscriber identification module SIM cards, the terminal device is provided with a plurality of receive antennas, and the method includes: switching from a first mode to a second mode when a channel environment of a first SIM card meets a preset condition, where the first SIM card is a SIM card configured to receive a high-priority signal, the high-priority signal includes a paging message, a system message, or downlink signaling in a signaling interaction procedure, and a quantity of receive antennas configured for the first SIM card in the first mode is different from a quantity of receive antennas configured for the first SIM card in the second mode.

A dual-SIM phone is a terminal device widely used currently. A dual-SIM mode means that two subscriber identification module (SIM) cards may be used concurrently in a same mobile phone, in other words, in a same terminal device. With development of technologies, a terminal device with more SIM cards may appear.
However, in consideration of costs, limited radio frequency resources and baseband resources in a terminal device are used to receive and send a signal. The dual-SIM mobile phone is used as an example. Two SIM cards in a same mobile phone may share radio frequency resources and baseband resources in some cases, but in some other cases, need to exclusively occupy resources to receive and send a signal.
Therefore, how to properly allocate hardware resources to SIM cards to improve user experience becomes an urgent technical problem to be resolved.

Signal receiving method and terminal device


A wiring substrate is provided, including an insulating resin layer which is provided on both surfaces of a sheet-like fibrous body and with which the sheet-like fibrous body is impregnated, and a through wiring provided in a region surrounded by the insulating resin layer. The through wiring is formed using a conductive material, the conductive material is exposed on both surfaces of the insulating resin layer, the sheet-like fibrous body is positioned in the conductive material, and the sheet-like fibrous body is impregnated with the conductive material. A manufacturing method of the wiring substrate is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring substrate which electrically or mechanically connects a semiconductor integrated circuit or a circuit substrate, and a semiconductor device using the wiring substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prepreg in which a sheet-like fibrous body as a reinforcing material is impregnated with a thermosetting resin and the thermosetting resin is made in a semi-cured state has been used as a member of a circuit substrate and the like. For example, prepreg is known in which a conductor passes through an insulating layer and which is formed by opening a through hole in a predetermined position and filling the through hole with a conductive paste to become the conductor by hot pressing (see Patent Document 1). In this case, the through hole is opened in the prepreg by a laser, a drill, a punching machine, or the like.
Further, prepreg used as a sealing material of a semiconductor device is disclosed (see Patent Document 2).

Wiring substrate, manufacturing method thereof, semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof


As Mobile Subscribers increasingly employ their Wireless Devices to perform an ever expanding array activities an element that may reside in various portions of a messaging infrastructure and which efficiently and flexibly supports enhanced message address resolution capabilities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications services. More particularly, the present invention relates to capabilities that enhance substantially the value and usefulness of various messaging paradigms including, inter alia, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), etc.
2. Background of the Invention
As the 'wireless revolution' continues to march forward the importance to a Mobile Subscriber (MS)—for example a user of a Wireless Device (WD) such as a mobile telephone, a BlackBerry, a computer, etc. that is serviced in some way by a Wireless Carrier (WC)—of their WD grows substantially.
One consequence of the growing importance of WDs is the resulting ubiquitous nature of WDs—i.e., MSs carry them at almost all times and use them for an ever-increasing range of activities.
Over the past many years various factors (including the ubiquitous nature of WDs) have driven a steady annual increase, year over year, in the number of SMS, MMS, etc. messages that have been exchanged by and between WDs. That steady increase shows no sign of abating. For example, as reported by the industry group CTIA (see ctia.org on the World Wide Web) in the U.S. there were over 363 billion SMS messages sent during 2007 (up from 158 billion SMS messages sent during 2006) and there were over 2.7 billion MMS messages sent during 2006 (representing a 100% increase over 2005).
As the volume of SMS, MMS, etc. messaging has increased in the past, and at present continues to increase, it has become more and more important for all of the different entities that process messages—e.g., WCs, intermediaries, enterprises, Content Providers (CPs), Service Providers (SPs), etc.—to route messages in the most efficient, expeditious, flexible, etc. manner possible.
A message may contain among other things a destination address—i.e., the address to where the message should be delivered—e.g., for a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) SMS message perhaps the Telephone Number (TN) of the recipient MS' WD; for an Application-to-Peer (A2P) SMS message perhaps a Short Code (SC) that is associated with a particular service (such as for example an advertising campaign); etc.
The routing of a message may involve a number of operations including possibly inter alia the resolution of the message's destination address—i.e., the authoritative identification of the entity (e.g., WC, landline carrier, etc.) that, at the moment that the message is being routed, services or that is otherwise associated with the address.
In the past the resolution of a message's address may have entailed multiple (possibly inter alia expensive, time-consuming, etc.) lookup operations against one or more internal and/or external data repositories. Worldwide the introduction of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regimes, Number Resource Optimization (NRO) programs such as TN pooling, etc. complicated significantly the operation, administration, etc. of such lookup operations. Additionally, in high message traffic environments the resolution of a message's address may have employed specialized (e.g., large data set, high volume, etc.) facilities such as for example IBM's Transaction Processing Facility (TPF).
The challenges that were described above highlight the need for a more generalized infrastructure that offers, possibly among other things, enhanced address resolution capabilities.
The present invention provides such an infrastructure and addresses various of the (not insubstantial) challenges that are associated with same

System and method for enhanced address resolution


A common-mode detector includes a first difference amplifier that is connected to compare a first input voltage with a feedback voltage to provide a first result, a second difference amplifier that is connected to compare a second input voltage with the feedback voltage to provide a second result, and a feedback amplifier that is connected to drive the feedback voltage to a level that is substantially the average of the first and second input voltages in response to receiving the first and second results.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic systems and, more particularly, to common-mode detectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic test equipment (ATE) is used to test electric circuits prior to completing their manufacture. Although differential component detectors are relatively common in ATE, the use of common-mode detectors is relatively new. One such common-mode detector is described by C. Bishop in U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,699. A window comparator generates an output indicative of whether the common-mode signal is above, within, or below predetermined thresholds to determine a common-mode component. Two buffers and a resistor pair are provided with the window comparator to extract the common-mode signal and reduce loading effects on input signals from a device under test (DUT).
Unfortunately, a substantial current can flow through the resistor pair when the comparator's input signals are separated by a large differential voltage. Thus, the buffers should be designed to source and sink the maximum expected current that can flow. Additionally, the resistors must be made low in value in order to operate the circuit with high bandwidth. This adds to the problem of excessive current flow and can also cause significant nonlinearity in the response of the buffers.
There still exists a need, therefore, for a common-mode detector that does not suffer from large currents resulting from large input differential voltages and which does not suffer from high output impedance that precludes high bandwidth operation.

Method and apparatus for measuring the common-mode component of a differential signal


A method is disclosed of using external polymeric analytical techniques to predict in-vivo polymeric performance, more particularly, viscoelastic property characterization for performance modeling of biomedical devices that incorporate a polymeric component and are load-bearing during service. Time-Temperature Superposition can be used to accelerate external testing of pertinent properties. Boltzmann's superposition provides a mathematical methodology for determining the time-dependent strain that develops in response to an imposed stress history. The modeling of the present invention provides an opportunity to describe and predict behavior of the device during in-vivo service, as well as it providing a basis for evaluating alternate “candidate” polymers for use in the construction of the device.

Polymers have transformed material science in the past seventy years. Medical science has benefited from the rheology and morphology of polymers for the construction of prosthetic medical devices and implants.
Any medical device for mammalian usage requires extensive screening of performance to assure safety and efficacy of use. Stages of clinical trials proceeds from animal patients to human patients. The opportunity cost of such clinical trials is significant in terms of risk, expense, and time.

Method of prediction of in-vivo polymer performance by external experimentation


An automated collaborative filtering (ACF) system for recommending at least one item to a first user based on similarity in preference of the user as compared with other users. The ACF system stores rating data for items provided by users of the system. Upon request of the first user, the system determines similarity values for the first user as compared with other users that have provided rating data for items that the first user has also rated. Based on the similarity values, a subgroup of users is selected that is then used to provide recommendations to the first user.

The enjoyment or dislike of particular goods and services is a subjective judgment made by individuals based on any number of criteria. The ability to make reliable recommendations to a particular person for a given item, such as a movie for example, would be useful. Such information would enable someone to avoid such items that would not be enjoyable and choose such items as would be pleasing.
There is often information of how well received an item is with respect to the general population, such as a popular movie or book. However, such information does not provide a means to determine to what extent or even if a particular individual will like the movie, or book. Such generalized information only provides the likelihood that a randomly selected individual will appreciate a particular item such as a given movie.
There are many critics that rate movies and the like. An individual can try to identify such a critic with preferences that are at least somewhat similar after much experimentation, time and money spent viewing movies. However, such a process is neither reliable nor repeatable on a regular basis and does not take into account particular likes and dislikes.
There exists, however, a class of systems referred to as automated collaborative filtering (ACF) systems which provide recommendations to a user based on ratings of items by other system users. ACF systems include the entry and storage of ratings data by users of the system to generate customized ratings. The ratings of items stored in the system reflect an individual user's personal tastes. An ACF system attempts to find users with similar preferences as a particular user and provide recommendations to that user based on those similar preferences.
As mentioned above, prior art ACF systems have attempted to provide recommendations to a user based on ratings for items provided by the user as compared with other users. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,642 to Hey and 1994 MIT Media Lab Master's Degree thesis of Upendra Shardanand. However, these recommendation systems fail to take into account the probability that a random user will provide a given rating. Thus, information showing unusual similarity in preferences for particular users is not utilized. Furthermore, these prior art systems also do not provide recommendations with statistically meaningful confidence levels as the number of items that both the user and a respective recommending user have provided ratings for increases.

Automated collaborative filtering system


A device for fabricating a lead frame, by press forming, provided with a die having a flat face, on which a lead frame to be fabricated by press forming is to be placed, and a concavity, which is dented relative to the flat face, the die possessing a fabricating face extending from the bottom of the concavity to the flat face through a slant, which is interposed between the bottom of the concavity and the flat face, the fabricating face contributing the fabrication of a lead frame by press forming, and a punch having punching faces formed so as to be opposite to the fabricating faces of the die for the fabrication of the lead frame by press forming, at least one of the die and the punch being movable so as to hold the lead frame between the fabricating face of the die and the punching face of the punch for the fabrication of the lead frame by press forming, wherein the bottom of the concavity of the die has a bottom concavity formed therein, which is dented relative to the bottom, and the punch has a front end opposite to the bottom of the concavity of the die, the front end being formed so as to have a portion partially spreading over the bottom concavity. A method for fabricating a lead frame by press forming using such a device and a resultant lead frame are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a method for fabricating a lead frame by press forming, and a lead frame fabricated using such a press-forming fabrication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known technique, a lead frame W having a die-pad Wa, on which a semiconductor chip is to be mounted, and inner leads Wc inwardly extending toward the periphery of the die-pad Wa, as shown in FIG. 3, is fabricated by press forming a plurality of support bars Wb connected to the periphery of the die-pad Wa and supporting it, to thereby form a difference in level between the die-pad Wa and the inner lead Wc of the order of the thickness of the semiconductor chip to allow the chip to be stably mounted on the die-pad Wa while decreasing the difference in level and the distances between the external terminals of the semiconductor chip and the inner leads Wc to facilitate the bonding thereof.
A conventional device and method for fabricating a lead frame by press forming is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-27580 (JP 9-27580 A). The device described in this document performs the press forming of a lead frame W by holding the lead frame W between a die 2 and a punch 6 and forming the lead frame W to provide it with a shape along the die 2 and the punch 6, as seen from FIG. 1 of the document.
In the conventional device for fabricating a lead frame by press forming as described in JP 9-27580 A, there are problems such that the bent portions of the fabricated lead frame revert (a phenomenon of so-called spring-back), and the depth and the angle of the bending are uneven, leading to increased variation in fabricated shapes of products (lead frames).
To solve the problems, Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd., Nagano, Japan has developed a device Y for fabricating a lead frame by press forming, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The device Y is provided with a die 92 having a flat face 94a, on which a lead frame to be fabricated by press forming is placed, and a concavity 92a, which is dented relative to the flat face 94a, the concavity having a fabricating face 94 extending from the bottom 94c of the concavity 92a to the flat face 94a through a slant 94b, which is interposed between the bottom 94c and the flat face 94a, and the fabricating face 94 contributing the fabrication of a lead frame. The device Y is also provided with a punch 96, which can be relatively moved toward the die 92 and which has punching faces 98 formed so as to be opposite to the fabricating faces 94 of the die 92. The concavity 92a is formed such that when a lead frame W is placed on the flat face 94a, the die-pad Wa thereof is located over the concavity 92a and the respective support bars Wb straddle the margins of the concavity 92a. The fabricating faces 94 are formed at the locations of the concavity 92a which the support bars Wb straddle.
The device Y for fabricating a lead frame by press forming can fabricate the respective support bars Wb of the lead frame W by holding the support bars Wb between the fabricating faces 94 of the die 92 and the punching faces 98 of the punch 96 when the punch 96 is come close to the die 92.
In the device Y, the front ends 98a of the punch 96 opposite to the bottom 94c of the concavity 92a have an area smaller than the area of the bottom 94c of the concavity 92a, and somewhat squash the vicinities of the inner sides of the bent portions of the lead frame W (the support bars Wb), which are located between the front ends 98a of the punch 96 and the bottom 94c of the concavity 92a, during the fabrication by press forming. The shoulders 98b of the punching faces 98 opposite to the flat face 94a of the die 92 somewhat squash the vicinities of the outer sides of the bent portions of the lead frame W (the support bars Wb), which are located between the shoulders 98b of the punching faces 98 and the flat face 94a of the die 92, during the fabrication by press forming.
In the case of the use of the device Y for fabricating a lead frame W by press forming in FIG. 8, squashing the vicinities of the bent portions of the lead frame W by press-forming fabrication can prevent the spring-back of the fabricated lead frame W, and can render the depth and the angle of the bending even, resulting in the reduced variation in fabricated shapes of products (lead frames).
However, there is still a problem that the lead frame W having diagonally opposite support bars Wb, which has been press-formed by the conventional device described in JP 9-27580 A or the device Y of FIG. 8, is curved such that the intermediate section between the bent portions opposite to each other, including parts of the support bars Wb and the die pad Wa, is warped up at the side thereof having been in contact with the punch 96 during the fabrication.
Particularly recent miniaturization and increased integration of semiconductor devices has led to the increased demand for the formation of lead frames having very small thicknesses, such as 0.15 millimeter or smaller. The smaller the thickness of a lead frame, the larger the curvature of the lead frame. On the other hand, standards of planarity of a lead frame tend to be severe year by year. For example, a standard specifying a displacement of a die-pad and support bars by curvature of 0.015 millimeter or smaller has been established. However, there is a problem that conventional devicees for fabricating a lead frame by press forming cannot satisfy such a standard in some cases.

Device and method for fabricating lead frame by press forming


Methods and apparatus are taught for selectively oxidizing carbon monoxide in a source of gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen is fed into a membrane reactor (10, 50, 60) capable of selectively absorbing the carbon monoxide. Preferably, the reactor comprises a substantially defect-free zeolite membrane (4) having at one metal that acts as an oxidation catalyst. The zeolite membrane (4) may be supported on a porous ceramic support (2, 52, 61) and the average pore diameter is preferably between about 0.3 nm and about 1.0 nm. Moreover, the substantially defect-free zeolite membrane (4) preferably has a thickness between about 0.1 micron and about 50.0 microns. The at least one metal is preferably capable of selectively oxidizing the carbon monoxide and is preferably platinum. Preferably, the temperature of reactor housing is maintained at about 200-300° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to zeolite membranes impregnated with one or more oxidation catalysts. Such zeolite membranes are capable of selectively oxidizing and/or removing carbon monoxide and other oxidizable gas molecules contained in a hydrogen gas source. In one preferred aspect, the present invention also relates to devices for producing a hydrogen gas source that is substantially free of carbon monoxide, which hydrogen gas source may be utilized with a fuel cell for generating electric energy, such as a fuel cell for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Fuel cells are currently being developed in order to more efficiently utilize hydrocarbon resources and such fuel cells are expected to be utilized in environmentally friendly fuel cells, such as e.g., electrically powered vehicles. Such fuel cells typically utilize hydrogen that is produced by a steam reforming reaction, for example, of methanol (CH3OH+H2O→CO2+3H2) in a reformer. However, the reformed gas produced by the reformer also usually contains a small amount of carbon monoxide (usually 1-2%) that is produced by a reverse shift reaction (CO2+H2→CO+H2O). Because many current fuel cell designs utilize a platinum electrode catalyst, the presence of carbon monoxide in the reformed gas will poison the platinum electrode catalyst and can substantially reduce the efficiency of the fuel cell. Therefore, it is highly desirable to deliver a hydrogen gas source to the fuel cells that is substantially free of carbon monoxide (i.e. less than 50 ppm of carbon monoxide and more preferably less than 10 ppm of carbon monoxide).
Micro-porous hydrogen separation membranes consisting of a thin film of palladium have been utilized to prepare substantially pure hydrogen gas sources. Such palladium thin films selectively allow hydrogen gas to pass through the film, but do not permit other molecules to pass. Therefore, highly pure hydrogen gas sources can be produced with such palladium thin films. However, palladium is a precious metal and such palladium films can be very expensive to produce. Therefore, such palladium films are not economical for use in fuel cells that may be utilized, e.g., in automobiles.
A zeolite membrane has also been proposed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication no. 10-36114, which zeolite membrane is formed on a porous support. This zeolite membrane was successfully utilized to selectively separate carbon dioxide gas from a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases. It is believed that such zeolite membranes may have higher retention times for polar gases than for non-polar gases.
Zeolite catalysts impregnated with platinum have also been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,702,838, 5,874,051 and 5,955,395 for selectively oxidizing carbon monoxide in a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. However, these publications describe a bed reactor, in which a zeolite powder is packed into a carrier structure. Although good results are described with these techniques, bed reactors are inherently inefficient, because the gas mixture can pass over the catalyst without being forced to contact the catalyst. Thus, such catalytic systems will have difficulty to produce hydrogen gas sources that are substantially free of carbon monoxide (i.e. less than 50 ppm of carbon monoxide). Also, in order to increase the opportunity for the gas mixture to contact the catalyst, such bed reactors require a relatively large amount of precious metals and thus, are not cost-effective.
Zeolite membranes impregnated with noble metal catalysts have been suggested in several references, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,618,435, 5,716,527, 5,779,904, 5,871,650, 5,895,769, 5,849,980 and 5,942,119. However, none of these references suggests the use of such zeolite membranes for selectively oxidizing carbon monoxide in a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. Further, none of these references teaches an example of the actual preparation of such a zeolite membrane impregnated with a noble metal catalyst, or has described the properties of such a zeolite membrane.

Zeolite membranes for selective oxidation of carbon monoxide in mixed hydrogen gas source