An environmentally robust joint for use in a lowering pole assembly comprising a lower pole section and an upper pole section. The joint includes a lower adaptor comprising a lower pivot member defining a first central wiring passage and an upper adaptor comprising an upper pivot member defining a second central wiring passage communicating with the first central wiring passage. The upper pivot member is rotationally coupled to the lower pivot member, and sharing a common axis of rotation. At least one of the lower adaptor and the upper adaptor comprises a pole adaptor mounted at an operative angle to the axis of rotation. The pole adaptor includes an open end for receiving an end of a pole section, and an internal wiring tube communicating with the first central wiring passage and the second central wiring passage.

Due to the perils of ladder use in industrial settings and the general inconvenience of maintenance of pole-mounted items, industrial poles (e.g., lighting poles) have been developed that have upper and lower pole sections arranged to be connected by a joint, such as a swivelling or pivot joint, a hinged joint, or a telescoping joint. The principle is that these joints permit a user to lower the remote (e.g., top) end of the pole using the joint. For example, moving the top end to a level closer to the pole base may facilitate changing light bulbs or performing other maintenance.
In the case of a swivelling or pivot joint, the upper pole section is attached to the joint such that upper pole section rotates about an axis of rotation relative to the bottom end of the upper pole section. The axis of rotation is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the pole. Instead, the swivelling or pivot joint is mounted with the axis of rotation at an acute angle to both the upper and lower sections. In this way the nominal top end of the upper pole section travels downward in an arc corresponding to the rotational motion of the swivelling or pivot joint. The system including the joint and the coupled upper and lower sections of the pole may be called a pivoting pole assembly, swivelling pole assembly, etc.
In the case of a hinged joint, the upper pole section is arranged relative to the lower pole section such that it can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole.
In the case of a telescoping joint, the upper pole section is arranged to be moveable in an axial direction relative to the lower pole section, with one of the upper and lower pole sections having a smaller diameter than the other.
Some known systems also have a passage interior to the pole extending from the base end, through the joint, to the remote end, and wiring (wires, cables, etc.) running through the passage to the mounted item to provide power, communications, and so on. This wiring can be subject to damage due to environmental conditions, particularly where the joint permits ingress of water.
The present invention seeks to provide a means of protecting internal wiring within a lowerable pole.

Environmental protection for lowerable pole


A method for coating a polypropylene resin molding is disclosed, comprising irradiating the surface of a molding of a polypropylene resin selected from a polypropylene and a propylene-ethylene block copolymer with an ultraviolet light having an irradiating wavelength in the region of 300 nm or less, coating the irradiated surface with a primer, and further coating the coated surface with a coating material. A method for coating a polypropylene resin molding is also disclosed, comprising coating the surface of a molding of a polypropylene resin selected from a polypropylene and a propylene-ethylene block copolymer with a primer, irradiating the coated surface with an ultraviolet light having an irradiating wavelength in the region of 300 nm or less, and further coating the irradiated surface with a coating material.

Since polypropylene has excellent properties such as moldability, toughness, water resistance, gasoline resistance, and chemical resistance, has a low specific gravity, and is cheap, it has hithereto been widely used as various moldings, films, sheets, etc.
However, polypropylene has difficulties or points to be improved in heat resistance, rigidity, impact resistance, scratch resistance, coating properties, adhesion, printability, etc., and they become an obstacle for developing new uses.
Among them, the points to be improved in the coating properties, adhesion, printability, etc., the method for graft modification of a part or the whole of polypropylene with an unsaturated carboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof such as maleic anhydride is described in, e.g., JP-B-58-47418 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") and JP-A-58-49736 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
However, even in the case of using such modified polypropylene, the impact resistance, heat resistance, rigidity, and other physical properties are not essentially improved.
Also, for improving the compatibility between polypropylene and an adhesive and/or a coating material, a medium which is a so-called primer composed of chlorinated polypropylene and toluene known as a typical composition is usually used as an intermediate layer between them.
However, in the case of coating a primer, a surface treatment such as washing with a vapor of a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane is usually required before coating. However, the use of 1,1,1-trichloroethane is being regulated by an ozone problem which is one of the recent environmental pollutions.
In general, in the case of coating with a coating material after coating a polypropylene resin with a primer, sufficient adhesion is not obtained when no surface treatment with a halogenated hydrocarbon is applied.
Also, a method for improving the coating properties of a polypropylene resin molding by irradiating the surface of the molding with an ultraviolet light for improving the surface thereof is proposed in JP-A-59-147027.
However, such a method by the irradiation with an ultraviolet light, sufficient adhesion is not obtained in the case of coating the molding with a coating material.

Coating method for polypropylene resin moldings


In a memory cell having a first and a second load transistor, a first and a second drive transistor, and a first and a second access transistor, a third access transistor provided between a first bit line and a first memory node and having a gate terminal connected to a first column line and a fourth access transistor provided between a second bit line and a second memory node and having a gate terminal connected to a second column line, are additionally provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a memory cell circuit and a control circuit that is used during a write operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is a known semiconductor memory device in which an access transistor is provided between a memory node of a memory cell and a bit line, and the access transistor is controlled using a word line (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H02-094196 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,313,021).
There is also a known technique in which a path between a P-channel MOS transistor of a memory cell and a memory node is interrupted so as to expand a write voltage operation range of an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,286,390).


A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and access manager device includes providing an initial challenge to a client computing device requesting access to a service. The initial challenge includes one or more of one or more objects, one or more indicative answers, and one or more questions based on the one or more objects. At least one challenge response to the initial challenge is received from the client computing device. A determination is when there is a match between the at least one challenge response to the initial challenge and corresponding response data associated with the initial challenge. One or more actions with respect to the request to access the service are performed based on the determination.

Captcha is a type of challenge-response test used in computing environments to attempt to ensure an entered response is generated by a person and not an automated response generated and entered by a computing device. If these automated responses were not identified and blocked by Captcha, the quality of the service being requested could degrade.
One example of Captcha operates by sending an image with a randomly generated string and added noise which the requesting computing device must key into a field. The noise added to the randomly generated string is designed to prevent automated computing systems from identifying and entering the displayed string. Unfortunately, the added noise can render the Captcha image difficult for the person at the requesting computing device to recognize and correctly enter. Additionally, improving OCR and other image recognition techniques are enabling automated system to identify and enter the string.
Another example of Captcha requires the user at the requesting client computing device to perform and enter the results of certain mathematical operations, although the completion of other types of analytic operations could be required. However, as with the previously described example, automated computing devices are becoming more sophisticated and often are able to scan, execute and correctly enter results for the requested operation.

Methods for confirming user interaction in response to a request for a computer provided service and devices thereof


A wafer is gripped by a chuck part provided at a front end of a slide arm, and the slide arm is moved in the first direction from a reference position, from which the workpiece is transferred to a workpiece cutting part, to a cleansing position, where the cut workpiece is cleansed, so that the wafer can be transferred in the first direction. The wafer is gripped by a chuck part provided at a front end of a rotary arm, which is rotatably supported at a base end by the front end of the slide arm. Then, the slide arm is moved in the first direction and the rotary arm is rotated. Thereby, the wafer can be transferred in the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to workpiece transfer equipment in a dicing machine, and more particularly to workpiece transfer equipment in a dicing machine which efficiently transfers a workpiece to a workpiece cutting part, a workpiece cleansing part, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 60-214911 has disclosed a dicing machine. This dicing machine has a reference position where a wafer which is supplied from the cartridge storing a number of wafers is pre-aligned, a second position where the wafer is loaded and unloaded on and from the cutting table, a third position where the cut wafer is cleansed, and a fourth position where the cleansed wafer is unloaded. The wafer which has been loaded on the cutting table at the second position moves with the cutting table and is finely aligned, and then the wafer is cut into desired semiconductor chips with a diamond cutter, etc. Then, the cut wafer is transferred to the third position, where the wafer is cleansed.
The above-mentioned first, second, third and fourth positions are arranged at apexes of a regular square, respectively. The wafers are transferred at the same time by a cross-shaped rotary arm (a cross arm) which has the rotational axis at the center of the regular square, and extends to the four apexes of the regular square. That is, a wafer chuck for gripping a wafer is provided at each end of the cross arm, and the cross arm is rotated by 90.degree. to simultaneously transfer the wafers from the first, second and third positions to the second, third and fourth positions, respectively.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63-288642 has disclosed a V-shaped rotary arm (a V-shaped arm) which is an improvement of the cross arm disclosed by the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 60-214911. The V-shaped arm is composed of rotary arms which are extended to two adjacent apexes of a regular square. According to the V-shaped arm, there are two wafer chucks of the rotary arm. If there is the wafer chuck at one of the position where maintenance is performed, the wafer chuck can easily retreat by rotating the rotary arm so that a maintenance space can be secured. The V-shaped arm rotates by a predetermined angle to simultaneously transfer the wafers from the first and second positions to the second and third positions, respectively. The wafer which has been cleansed at the third position is transferred at an appropriate time during the cutting of a following wafer. Thus, the wafer does not have to wait at the wafer cutting part where the wafer is transferred from and to the second position. For this reason, the transfer efficiency is substantially the same as that of the cross arm, and one wafer can be machined within the same period of time.
Each of the above-described cross arm and V-shaped arm transfers the wafers to describe a circular arc around the rotational axis, which is located at the center of the first, second, third and fourth positions. For this reason, a broad space is required compared to the case when the wafer is moved straight to the next position. Since the rotational axis is provided at the center of the first, second, third and fourth positions, the maintenance is difficult and the space cannot be saved.
Moreover, since sludge adheres to the wafer which has been cut by the wafer cutting part and has been unloaded at the second position, the sludge also adheres to the wafer chuck of the rotary arm which transfers the wafer from the second position to the third position. For this reason, the rotary arm to which the sludge adheres is used only for transferring the wafer from the second position to the third position, thereby preventing the spread of the sludge. The rotary arm to which the sludge adheres, however, passes over the first, second, third and fourth positions during rotation, and may strew the sludge over these positions.

Workpiece transfer equipment in dicing machine


Techniques for facial expression capture for character animation are described. In one or more implementations, facial key points are identified in a series of images. Each image, in the series of images, is normalized from the identified facial key points. Facial features are determined from each of the normalized images. Then a facial expression is classified, based on the determined facial features, for each of the normalized images. In additional implementations, a series of images are captured that include performances of one or more facial expressions. The facial expressions in each image of the series of images are classified by a facial expression classifier. Then the facial expression classifications are used by a character animator system to produce a series of animated images of an animated character that include animated facial expressions that are associated with the facial expression classification of the corresponding image in the series of images.

Animating virtual characters has become a critical task in the production of movies, television shows, computer games, and many other types of digital media. Performance-driven character animation enables users to create expressive results by performing the desired motion of the character with their face and/or body. In most performance driven systems, the continuous motion of the user is directly transferred to the virtual character. While this approach is suitable for some animation scenarios, continuous motion alone is not sufficient for all styles of animation. In particular, cutout character animation combines continuous transformation of visual elements with discrete replacements of artwork. Most existing systems do not support performance-based triggering of artwork replacements, and cannot directly support the creation of cutout character animations.

Facial expression capture for character animation


A touch sensor having an acoustic substrate, an acoustic transducer, and an acoustically diffractive grating is provided. The grating is disposed between the transducer and the substrate, so that acoustic energy from the transducer is coupled to an acoustic wave propagating along the surface of the substrate. If used in a display device, the combination of the transducer and grating may provide a low profile that allows the assembly to be more easily placed between the acoustic substrate and a bezel placed in front of the substrate. No acoustic components need be mounted on the rear surface of the substrate, allowing the acoustic substrate to be formed on the front surface of the display device.

Touch sensors are transparent or opaque input devices for computers and other electronic systems. As the name suggests, touch sensors are activated by touch, either from a user's finger, or a stylus or some other device. A transparent touch sensor, and specifically a touchscreen, is used in conjunction with a display device, such as cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, electroluminescent, or other type of display, to form a touch display. These touch displays are increasingly used in commercial applications, such as restaurant order entry systems, industrial process control applications, interactive museum exhibits, public information kiosks, pagers, cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and video games.
The dominant touch technologies presently in use are resistive, capacitive, infrared, and acoustic technologies. Touchscreens incorporating these technologies have delivered high standards of performance at competitive prices. All are transparent devices that respond to a touch by transmitting the touch position coordinates to a host computer. Acoustic touchscreens, also known as ultrasonic touchscreens, have competed effectively with these other touch technologies. This is due in large part to the ability of acoustic touchscreens to handle demanding applications with high transparency and high resolution touch performance, while providing a durable touch surface.
Typically, an acoustic touchscreen comprises a touch sensitive substrate in which an acoustic wave is propagated. When a touch occurs on the substrate surface, it results in the absorption of at least a portion of the wave energy being propagated across the substrate. The touch position is determined using electronic circuitry to locate the absorption position in an XY coordinate system that is conceptually and invisibly superimposed onto the touchscreen. In essence, this is accomplished by recording the time the wave is initially propagated and the time at which a touch induced attenuation in the amplitude of the wave occurs. The difference in these times can then be used, together with the known speed of the wave through the substrate, to determine the precise location of the touch.
A transparent touch sensor, and specifically a touchscreen, is generally placed over a display device, such as cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, electroluminescent, or other type of display. Alternatively, the touchscreen can be constructed directly on the front surface of the display device, so that the surface of the display device is touch sensitive. This latter construction is desirable because it eliminates a piece of glass or other material between the viewer and the display device, increasing the perceived display brightness and contrast ratio. Also, there are economic advantages in dispensing with an overlay glass and not having to modify the chassis of the display device to make room for the overlay glass.
The acoustic touchscreen comprises an acoustic substrate and transducers, which are elements that convert energy from one form to another. For example, a transmit transducer may receive a tone burst from associated electronic circuitry and then emit an acoustic wave across the substrate. A receive transducer may receive a transmitted acoustic wave from the substrate and generate an electronic signal that is transmitted to associated electronic circuitry for processing.
Various types of acoustic transducer assemblies are known. The most common types used in acoustic touchscreens are wedge transducer assemblies, grating transducer assemblies, and edge transducers.
FIG. 1(a) illustrates a typical wedge transducer assembly 10a, which utilizes the phenomenon that acoustic waves are refracted when they are obliquely incident on a boundary surface of different media with appropriately differing wave velocities. Based on this principle, the wedge transducer assembly 10a consists of a plastic wedge 12 with its hypotenuse adhered to the front surface 18 of the acoustic substrate 16, which is composed of a different material than that of the wedge 12, e.g., glass. The wedge transducer assembly 10a also comprises a transducer, and specifically a piezoelectric element 14, mounted to a side of the wedge 12 other than the hypotenuse. As illustrated by the arrows, the piezoelectric element 14 couples to a bulk wave in the wedge 12, which propagates at the critical angle, i.e., the "wedge angle," to refract to or from a horizontally propagating wave in the substrate 16.
FIG. 1(b) illustrates a typical grating transducer assembly 10b, which comprises a grating 22 composed of perturbation elements 24, which are aligned in parallel strips along front substrate surface 18. The grating transducer assembly 10b also comprises a transducer, and specifically a piezoelectric element 26, mounted on a rear surface 28 of the substrate 16 opposite the front substrate surface 18. As illustrated by the arrows, the piezoelectric element 26 couples to a bulk wave in the substrate 16. This bulk wave couples, via the grating 22, to two oppositely traveling horizontally propagating waves in the substrate 18. Further details regarding the structure and use of grating transducers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,406, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1(c) illustrates a typical edge transducer 10c, which comprises a piezoelectric element 32 mounted directly on an edge 34 of the substrate 16 in such a manner that an acoustic wave with appreciable power at the front substrate surface 18 is generated. The interface thus serves the mechanical function of connecting the piezoelectric element 32 to the substrate 16, as well as the acoustic function of coupling to a horizontally propagating wave in the substrate 16, as illustrated by the arrows. Further details regarding the structure and use of edge transducers to excite horizontally polarized shear waves are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,327, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Ultimately, the selection of which transducer type to use will depend, at least in part, on the structural environment in which the touchscreen is to be mounted. For example, selection of the transducer type may depend on whether the acoustic substrate is either overlaid on the front panel of a display device to form a separate faceplate, or incorporated directly into the front panel of the display device. Selection of the transducer type may also depend on the shape of the acoustic substrate, e.g., whether it is curved or flat.
For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a touch display 50 that comprises a display device 52 and an acoustic substrate 54 that is overlaid onto the display device 52. The display device 52 has a curved front panel 56, such as in a typical cathode ray tube, and the acoustic substrate 54 has a corresponding curved shape. Due to the curved geometry of the acoustic substrate 54, a space exists between the substrate 54 and a bezel 58 covering the periphery of the substrate 54. In this case, a wedge transducer assembly 10a, even with its relatively high profile, can be conveniently mounted on the front surface 60 of the substrate 54 within this space. Thus, wedge transducer assemblies 10a may be used where it is possible or desirable to mount a transducer on the front surface 60 of the acoustic substrate 54.
FIG. 3 illustrates a touch display 70 that also comprises a display device 72 and an acoustic substrate 74 that is overlaid onto the display device 72. The display device 72, however, has a flat front panel 76, such as a liquid crystal display, a flat CRT or a plasma display, and the acoustic substrate 74 is also flat. As a result, there is no or very little clearance between the substrate 74 and the bezel 58. In this case, a grating transducer assembly 10b can be used despite the minimal clearance provided. The gratings 22 of the transducer assembly 10b, which have a relatively low profile, can be located on the front surface 80 of the substrate 74 within the minimal space provided between the bezel 58 and the substrate 74. The piezoelectric element 26 can be located on the rear surface 82 of the substrate 74. The rear substrate surface 82 may be beveled or inclined in order to provide clearance between the piezoelectric element 26 and the front panel 76 of the display device 72.
In touch displays where there is peripheral space available between the bezel 58 and the edges of the acoustic substrate, an edge transducer 10c can be mounted to the substrate in this space. However, the requirement of a carefully machined vertical surface may add significant cost to this approach. Furthermore, if coupling to Rayleigh waves is desired, edge transducers become more complex and thus less desirable.
Although a touchscreen manufacturer can typically find a viable solution when selectively incorporating the above-described transducers 10 within an acoustic substrate that forms a separate faceplate, such may not be the case when the acoustic substrate forms the front panel of the display device, i.e., the display device, itself, has a touch sensitive front panel. For example, the piezoelectric element of a grating transducer assembly must be placed on the rear surface of the acoustic substrate—an option not available when the substrate forms the front panel of the display device. In the case where the display device has touch sensitive front panel that is flat, e.g., a CRT or 50″ plasma-display, mounting of a wedge transducer assembly on the front surface of the display may be difficult, often resulting in mechanical interference between the bezel and the transducer. This interference may impede the proper functioning of the transducer, or worse yet, damage either the transducer or the bezel. Much more so than the case where the acoustic substrate forms a separate faceplate, it may be very difficult to provide a vertical machined surface for an edge transducer.
Often, a touchscreen manufacturer does not have the option to modify the housing in which the display device is enclosed. In building a touchscreen that forms the faceplate of a display device, the touchscreen manufacturer normally does not manufacture the display device itself. Rather, the manufacturer works with the display device, as supplied by a monitor manufacturer. Since it is often impractical for the touchscreen manufacturer to replace the supplied housing with a new housing, the manufacturer must adapt to whatever space is available between the supplied housing and the display device for accommodating the touchscreen elements. Even where the touchscreen manufacturer has design control over the bezel, mechanical interference with the transducers often forces a reduction in the dimensions of the bezel opening that prevents one from utilizing the full available display area of the display device.
There thus remains a need to provide a relatively low-profile transducer that can be mounted on the front surface of an acoustic substrate.

Acoustic touch sensor with low-profile diffractive grating transducer assembly


This invention provides an improved anti-theft label and its assembly method. It uses paper box and paper sealing gasket to replace PVC box and PET sealing gasket. The anti-theft label applying the technical scheme of this invention is nontoxic and does no harm to human health. It can be used safely, and is the new generation of anti-theft label that is good for environment protection and represents the main developing trend of future anti-theft labels. Moreover, in the improved anti-theft label in this invention, we use double-sided gummed paper that can easily get from market to replace self-adhesive glues which needs to be sprayed. The assembling techniques are simpler; consequently the production efficiency can be significantly improved.

This invention refers to an anti-theft label and its assembly method.
Presently, in libraries, bookstores or supermarkets, magnetic anti-theft labels are commonly used on books or other commodities in order to prevent them from being stolen. Generally speaking, anti-theft labels are fixed on books or other commodities by means of "sticking".
The existing anti-theft labels, whose configuration as shown on PIC-1 and PIC-2, are composed by PVC vented box 1′, where polarizer 2′ and polarizer 3′ are placed inside. The opening part of the PVC vented box 1′ is covered with PET sealing gasket 4′. PET sealing gasket 5′ is pressed on the upper part of PET sealing gasket 4′, while magnetic bias 6′ is set between sealing gasket 4′ and sealing gasket 5′, whose position corresponds with that of polarizer 2′ and polarizer 3′. The surface of sealing gasket 5′ is coated with self-adhesive gules 7′, and on the self-adhesive gules release paper 8′ is overcastted. While assembling, firstly, place polarizer 2′ and polarizer 3′ inside the PVC vented box 1′, press magnetic bias 6′ in between PET sealing gasket 4′ and sealing gasket 5′, then bring PET sealing gasket 4′ and sealing gasket 5′ together by Heat Press and fix magnetic bias 6′, enabling it correspond to polarizer 2′ and polarizer 3′. Afterwards, place PET sealing gasket 4′ at the opening part of PVC vented box 1′ by Heat Press, then spray self-adhesive glues 7′ on the surface of PET sealing gasket 5′, and finish assembling by covering release paper 8′ on self-adhesive glues 7′. This type of anti-theft label and its assembly method has the following disadvantages: {circle around (1)} the vented box uses PVC materials, which is one of plastic products that cause severe pollution to environment and damage to human health. Moreover, PVC is non-recyclable material, once burnt, will produce dioxin and furan, which have very strong toxicity and Carcinogenicity. Nowadays PVC as a raw material is prohibited in many fields. {circle around (2)} the techniques of spraying self-adhesive glues on PET sealing gaskets are very complicated, resulting in low efficiency.

Anti-theft label and its assembly method


A method, computer program product and system for handling the use of multiple 802.11n channels in a location where there are a small number of available channels. An access point (“access point A”) having a client (“client A”) located solely within its coverage area and another client (“client B”) located within its coverage area and a coverage area of an adjacent access point (“access point B”) may receive a request to hold back 802.11n traffic from client B. Client B sends such a request since it is prevented from communicating with access point B using the 802.11n standard due to the interference from access point A communicating with client A using the 802.11n standard. As a result, access point A switches its standard of operation from using the 802.11n standard to communicate with client A to a standard that uses a bandwidth of 22 MHz (e.g., 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g standards).

The current development towards truly mobile computing and networking has brought on the evolvement of various access technologies which provide the users with access to the Internet when they are outside their own home network. At present, wireless Internet access is typically based on either Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology or mobile networks, or both.
Wireless LAN systems are typically extensions of a wired network, providing mobile users with wireless access to the wired network. In wireless LAN technology, two basic network topologies are available for network configuration: an ad-hoc network and an infrastructure network. An ad-hoc network is formed by two or more independent mobile terminals (commonly referred to as "clients") without the services of a base station, i.e., in an ad-hoc network the terminals communicate on a peer-to-peer basis. An ad-hoc network is normally formed for temporary purposes. The infrastructure network, in turn, comprises one or more wireless base stations, called access points, which form part of the wired infrastructure. In this type of network, all traffic goes through the access points, regardless of whether the traffic is between two terminals or a terminal and the wired network, i.e., the mobile terminals do not communicate on a peer-to-peer basis. The mobile terminals are provided with wireless LAN cards, whereby they can access the wired network, such as the Internet, through said access points, which are mainly located in various hot spots, such as airports, convention centers, railway stations, or shopping malls.
The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has developed a set of Wireless LAN standards for over-the-air modulation techniques used in Wireless LAN systems. These standards are referred to as "IEEE 802.11" (commonly referred to as the "Wi-Fi" standard). The 802.11 standards are actually a family of versions that have developed over the years since 1997. For example, the original version of the standard IEEE 802.11 (commonly denoted as "802.11") was released in 1997 followed by amendments to the standard IEEE 802.11, which are indicated by "802.11b", "802.11a" and "802.11g." These standards (802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g) use either the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) band or the 5 GHz band. Further, these standards (802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g) divide the frequency spectrum into a particular number (e.g., 14) of overlapping, staggered channels. Only selected channels (e.g., channels 1, 6 and 11) are used by these standards, which are spaced apart from one another in a manner that reduces the likelihood of interference. Typically, these standards (802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g) use a bandwidth of 22 megahertz (MHz). That is, the channels that they use are 22 MHz wide channels.
In January 2004, IEEE announced that it had formed a new 802.11 Task Group (TGn) to develop a new amendment to the 802.11 standard for Wireless LAN. The new standard is referred to as "802.11n." 802.11n builds upon previous 802.11 standards by adding multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), which uses multiple transmitter and receiver antennas to allow for increased data throughput through spatial multiplexing and increased range by exploiting the spatial diversity, perhaps through coding schemes like Alamouti coding. 802.11n, by definition, must be backward compatible with the prior versions 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g, which are defined to use 22 MHz wide channels in either the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band. There are two competing proposals for meeting the 802.11n specifications: WWiSE (World-Wide Spectrum Efficiency) and TGn Sync. TGn Sync has proposed using 40 MHz wide channels in order to meet the 802.11 specifications. That is, TGn Sync has proposed using 40 MHz wide channels in order to handle the additional data being transmitted and received. However, by using 40 MHz wide channels instead of using 22 MHz wide channels in the 2.4 GHz band, interference (illustrated and discussed further below in connection with FIG. 1) will result between multiple channels being used to support the 40 MHz wide channels. Because there will be interference between the multiple channels being used to support the 40 MHz wide channels, there may be interference between mobile terminals (clients) accessing the Wireless LAN through adjacent access points where the clients are in the same coverage area of a particular access point. Such interference resulting from having 40 MHz wide channels is illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a plot of frequency versus radio strength illustrating the use of both 22 MHz wide channels and 40 MHz wide channels for the 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g and 802.11n standards. As stated above, 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g standards use 22 MHz wide channels. FIG. 1 illustrates these standards using channels 1, 6 and 11 in the 2.4 GHz (2400 MHz) band where each of these channels is 22 MHz wide as indicated by the non-shaded area. In particular, these standards may use channel 1 (centered at 2412 MHz) with a bandwidth of 22 MHz ranging from 2401 MHz to 2423 MHz. These standards may further use channel 6 (centered at 2437 MHz) with a bandwidth of 22 MHz ranging from 2226 MHz to 2448 MHz. These standards may further use channel 11 (centered at 2462 MHz) with a bandwidth of 22 MHz ranging from 2451 MHz to 2473 MHz.
As further stated above, the 802.11n standard is proposed to use 40 MHz wide channels. FIG. 1 illustrates the use of 802.11n standard using channels 3 and 8 (use these channels in order to support a bandwidth of 40 MHz) that are 40 MHz wide as indicated by the shaded area. As illustrated in FIG. 1, there is an overlapping of channels 3 and 8 (near channel 6) when 40 MHz wide channels are used in the 802.11n standard. However, there is no overlapping of channels 1, 6 and 11 when 22 MHz wide channels are used for the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g standards. Hence, there will be interference between multiple 802.11n channels if 40 MHz wide channels are used using the same band as the previous 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g standards. Because there will be interference between multiple 802.11n channels, there may be interference between mobile terminals (clients) accessing the Wireless LAN through adjacent access points using the 802.11n standard where the clients are in the same coverage area of a particular access point.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for handling the interference between multiple 802.11n channels in a location where there are a small number of available channels.

Handling the use of multiple 802.11n channels in a location where there are a small number of available channels


A pneumatic/hydraulic riveter includes a valve unit formed of a socket set and a control valve movable relative to the socket set to provide a forward rotation control air loop, a pulling control fluid loop, or a reverse rotation control air loop in such a manner that when one loop is provided the other two loops are closed, so that the riveting unit is controllable to perform a forward rotation action, a pulling action and a reverse rotation action in proper order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to riveters and more particularly, to a single valve type pneumatic/hydraulic riveter.
2. Description of the Related Art
An industrial or upholstery rivet-riveting riveter is a tool for use to fasten plate members with rivets. When the shank of a rivet is inserted through holes on plate members into the riveting mechanism of the riveter with the factory formed head of the rivet stopped at one side of one plate member, the lever of the riveter is operated to pull the shank of the rivet, thereby deforming the plain end of the rivet to form another head at the opposite side of the opposite plate member, and therefore the plate members are fastened together.
There is another kind of industrial or upholstery nut-riveting tool called nut-riveting riveter that is intensively used in the assembling of avionic products, computers, communication products, vehicles, machineries, and etc. to rivet blind nuts, securing parts, sheet members or pipe systems together. When using a nut-riveting riveter to fasten two plate members, a blind nut is mounted between the plate members, and then the front extension screw rod of the pull rod of the riveter is threaded into the blind nut (forward rotation action), and then the lever of the riveter is pressed to move the pull rod backwards (pulling action), thereby deforming the two sides of the blind nut to fasten the two plate members. After riveting, the pull rod is rotated in the reversed direction (reverse rotation action) to disconnect the front extension rod from the riveted nut.
A nut-riveting riveter and a rivet-riveting riveter works in a different way. A rivet-riveting riveter pulls the shank of the blind rivet backwards, thereby deforming the plain end of the rivet to form a head. A nut-riveting riveter must perform a forward rotation action, a pulling action, and a reverse rotation action in proper order when riveting a blind nut. Therefore, a riveter for riveting rivets cannot be used to rivet a nut. On the contrary, a riveter for riveting nuts is not practical for riveting rivets. Further, conventional nut-riveting riveters commonly use two valves to control the forward rotation action and the reverse rotation action respectively. According to this design, the mechanism may be not well retracted after riveting, and the user may waste much time to remove the riveted nut from the riveter.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a riveter that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.


A method for producing ductile iron in a single reactor without the utilization of further processor like converters, tundishes, plunging etc. is disclosed. The method is applied in a modified induction furnace with a removable bottom injection device stainless steel tuyere type wherein it is possible to inject different gases like nitrogen, argon, chlorine, natural gas and solids like Magnesium, alloying, innoculants, desulfurization agents etc. through pneumatic transportation.

Most all the actual methods for producing ductile iron involve two, three or more reactors specially for magnesium alloying. This results in a high production cost.
A single reactor method is desirable for reducing energy consumption, pollution, labor and the elimination of complementary equipment for desulfurization and nodulization, as is the optional capability of using high manganese raw materials to reduce iron through chlorine gas injection. Furthermore, the presence of pollution it is desirable to use the existing very acceptable melting facility of all induction furnace. Storing gas stirring gives extra savings in power consumption, yields and better uniformity of chemical composition.

Simplified method for producing ductile iron


A DC machine having a primary and a secondary for generating electromagnetic movement of the secondary. The primary incorporates a plurality of parallel conductive segments arranged side-by-side along the direction of secondary movement. As the secondary moves with respect to the primary, commutating strips mounted on the secondary commutate the conductive segments of the primary according to a sequence in which successive groups of the conductive segments are interconnected to form series or parallel excitation windings. The succession of excitation windings serves to induce continuous electromotive force between the secondary. The arrangement is especially suited for a linear motor having non-returning armature windings, but may be in rotary machines as well.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to DC machines, and more particularly, to a DC machine having a primary (or stator) of infinitely extendable length (or circumference), and even more particularly, to a DC machine wherein a primary (or stator) is furnished with conductive segments forming non-closed loop excitation coils, each coil having two spaced-apart ends.
2. Description of the Background
The armatures of traditional DC machines are generally furnished with either lap windings or wave windings. No matter which one of these two types of windings are furnished, the ending lead will return to the starting lead to form a closed loop. This constraint renders it impractical to use these traditional windings in certain situations. For example, lap windings or wave windings are impractical in linear motors because the coils begin and end at remote positions along an elongate primary core. Hence, it would be awkward to bring the ending lead back to the starting lead in order to form a closed loop.

Segmented armature winding for a DC motor


In a still-image camera for taking a plurality of still-images of divisions of an object area and synthesizing the still images to obtain a highly fine image, an improvement is made to realize reduction in memory capacity and in processing time for image synthesizing, thus assuring real-time image processing at a reduced cost. The still-image camera includes an image input portion for picking-up a plurality of still-pictures of divisions of an object area, a divided image compressing portion for generating compressed divided-area images by compressing the divided still-images input from the image input portion, and a synthesizing information extracting portion for extracting information necessary for image synthesizing from the divided-area images input from the image input portion before compression. The still image camera further includes a compressed divided-image storage for storing therein compressed divided-area images and a compressed divided-image synthesizing portion for synthesizing compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-image storage to a compressed entire-area image according to the synthesizing information extracted from the divided-area images by the synthesizing information extracting portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a still-image taking camera and, more particularly, to a still-image taking device which is capable of taking still-images of a plurality of areas of which a portion of an object is divided and of synthesizing a plurality of still-images into a highly fine still-image.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, still-image taking cameras provided with solid-state image sensors have small size and low energy consumption and are broadly used in video still cameras, digital still cameras, image scanners, facsimiles and so on.
Solid-state image sensors for domestic use conventionally use about 400 thousand pixels for area sensing and about 2000 pixels for line sensing. Recently, to meet an increasing demand for obtaining high resolution images, there have been manufactured high-resolution image sensors of several million pixels for area sensing and of 5000 to 10000 pixels for line sensing.
Such high-resolution solid-state image sensors, however, are very expensive and can not be expected to be available at a reduced cost in the near future.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 3-240372 and No. 5-260264 disclose a still-image taking camera which, instead of such an expensive image sensor, uses a relatively cheap image sensor for obtaining a high resolution image in such a manner that a still-image is taken from each of divided areas of which a specified portion of an object is divided and then a plurality of the still-images of the divided areas are synthesized to form a high-resolution still-image.
In a conventional still-image taking camera, an image input portion divides a specified portion of an object into a plurality of areas and takes a still-image of each area. A solid-state image sensor is installed on an X-Y-movable table or manually held and is moved in a two-dimensional plane when taking still images of the divided areas of the object. Still-images as taken are partially overlapped with each other for assuring easy synthesizing thereafter.
Divided-area images taken by the image input portion sequentially enter into a divided-image storage.
A synthesizing information extracting portion extracts information necessary for image synthesizing from each divided-area image stored in the divided-image storage. The synthesizing information may include various kinds of information, e.g., information on motion vectors between divided images, information for correcting image-to-image brightness, magnification ratios of multi-focused images, deformation correcting information for images taken at an upward angle and so on. The synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion is transferred to an image synthesizing portion.
The image synthesizing portion generates an entire area image by synthesizing divided-area images stored in the divided-image storage according to their synthesizing information.
For instance, in a process of synthesizing divided-area images on the basis of synthesizing information on image-to-image motion vectors, an area of an object is divided into some sub-areas and respective still-images are taken as partially overlapped with each other and are then stored in the divided-image storage.
Image-to-image displacement values may not be constant because of movement error of the moving table or hands. Therefore, the divided images can not be matched with each other without using motion vectors extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion. If the divided images are synthesized by the image synthesizing portion without using image-to-image motion vectors, an obtained entire area image lacks continuity and has separated lines between the synthesized divided images therein.
On the contrary, divided images are taken from respective divided-areas of an object portion in such a way that they may be partially overlapped with each other, and then a specified block (searchable block) is set in each overlapped portion of each divided-image by the synthesizing information portion. Motion vectors can be extracted from each divided image by detecting movement of searchable blocks. This method is a so called block matching method, by which divided images are well matched with each other. Namely, an entire area image of satisfied continuity can be reproduced by synthesizing the divided images by the image synthesizing portion using the matching method.
The entire area image generated by the image synthesizing device is transferred and stored in the synthesized image storage. This image may be outputted by the synthesized image output portion directly to a printer or a display unit if necessary. It may be compressed to be recorded in a memory card or the like.
In the conventional still-image taking camera, divided images taken by the image input portion are stored in the divided image storage which therefore must have a large memory capacity and may be very expensive. Furthermore, the image synthesized by the image synthesizing portion as obtained is stored in the synthesized image storage which, therefore, must have a large memory capacity and may also be very expensive.
For example, to obtain a highly fine image of A4 size (JIS: Japanese Industrial Standards), it is needed to use a divided-image storage having a capacity of 16 Megabytes (MB) to store only divided-area images and practically having a capacity of 24 MB to store divided-area images plus overlaps for matching images.
A storage having such large memory capacity may be very expensive even if it is constructed as a DRAM type which is currently available at lowest cost. Such a storage is, therefore, unsuitable for use in home-electronic devices. The use of large capacity memory may also hinder the development of goods which are more miniaturized and consume less electric energy. Goods with a large capacity memory may thus be limited in its field of application.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, a still-image taking camera may be so modified that an image compressing unit is provided between the image input portion and the divided image storage so as to compress each divided image input by the image input portion and then store the compressed image in the divided image storage and to compress the entire area image synthesized by the image synthesizing portion and then store the compressed synthesized image in the synthesized image storage. This modification may reduce the required capacity of the divided image storage and the required capacity of the synthesized image storage.
However, each divided image, if simply compressed, may have uneven compression even in one line and, therefore, may not allow the extraction of information necessary for synthesizing it together with other compressed divided images. Consequently, the compressed divided images may not correctly be synthesized by the image synthesizing portion.
Accordingly, the compressed divided-area images stored in the divided image storage are extended into their original state allowing extraction of synthesizing information therefrom, then they are synthesized into an entire area image according to the extracted synthesizing information.
This method, however, requires that every divided-area image must be extracting entirely for extending therefrom necessary synthesizing information and an entire-area image synthesized from the extended divided-area images must be compressed again to be stored in the synthesized image storage if its memory capacity shall be reduced. These time-consuming operations much decrease the effectiveness of real-time image processing.


In methods of manufacturing a variable resistance structure and a phase-change memory device, after forming a first insulation layer on a substrate having a contact region, a contact hole exposing the contact region is formed through the first insulation layer. After forming a first conductive layer on the first insulation layer to fill up the contact hole, a first protection layer pattern is formed on the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer is partially etched to form a contact and to form a pad on the contact. A second protection layer is formed on the first protection layer pattern, and then an opening exposing the pad is formed through the second protection layer and the first protection layer pattern. After formation of a first electrode, a phase-change material layer pattern and a second electrode are formed on the first electrode and the second protection layer.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing a variable resistance structure and a method of manufacturing a phase-change memory device using the same. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing a variable resistance structure having improved electrical characteristics and a method of manufacturing a phase-change memory device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, semiconductor memory devices are classified into volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) devices or static random-access memory (SRAM) devices, and non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as flash memory devices or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) devices, according to whether data stored in the memory devices is erased or not when power is turned off. Non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, for example, flash memory devices, have been widely employed in portable electronic devices, such as digital cameras, cellular phones, MP3 players, etc. However, since the flash memory device requires a relatively long time to write data or to read stored data, new non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as ferroelectric random-access memory (FRAM) devices, magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) devices, and phase-change random-access memory (PRAM) devices, have been developed.
Among the non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, a PRAM device may store data by utilizing a resistance difference between an amorphous phase of a chalcogenide compound and a crystalline phase of the chalcogenide compound. That is, the PRAM device may store the data in states of "0" or "1" using a reversible phase transition of the chalcogenide compound, such as germanium-antimony-tellurium (Ge-Sb-Te; GST), in accordance with the length and width of a pulse applied to the PRAM device. In other words, a reset current required to form the amorphous phase having a relatively high resistance, and a set current required to form the crystalline phase having a relatively low resistance may be transmitted from a transistor to the phase-change material layer through a lower electrode having a relatively small size to generate the phase transition of the chalcogenide compound. An upper portion of the lower electrode is connected to the phase-change material layer and a lower portion of the lower electrode is connected to a contact making electrical contact with the transistor. Here, the contact may be an ohmic contact without a resistance defect. Conventional PRAM devices are disclosed in Korean Patent No. 437,458, Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-31160, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/02,348,957 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,612.
FIGS. 1A to 1E are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing a conventional PRAM device.
Referring to FIG. 1A, after a first insulating interlayer 3 of oxide is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 having contact regions (not shown), the first insulating interlayer 3 is partially etched to form first and second contact holes 6 and 7 that expose the contact regions, respectively.
A first contact 9 and a second contact 10 are formed in the first and the second contact holes 6 and 7. The first and the second contacts 9 and 10 make contact with the contact regions of the semiconductor substrate 1.
Referring to FIG. 1B, after a second insulating interlayer 12 of oxide is formed on the first and the second contacts 9 and 10 and the first insulating interlayer 3, the second insulation interlayer 12 is etched by a photolithography process so that first openings that expose the first and the second contacts 9 and 10 are formed through the second insulation interlayer 12.
A first conductive layer 15 of tungsten is formed on the first and the second contacts 9 and 10 and the second insulating interlayer 12 to fill up the first openings.
Referring to FIG. 1C, the first conductive layer 15 is polished by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process until the second insulating interlayer 12 is exposed, to thereby form a pad 18 and a lower wiring 19. The pad 18 is positioned on the first contact 9 whereas the lower wiring 19 is positioned on the second contact 10.
A nitride layer 21 and an oxide layer 24 are sequentially formed on the second insulating interlayer 12, the pad 18 and the lower wiring 19.
After the oxide layer 24 and the nitride layer 21 are partially etched through a photolithography process to form a second opening 27 exposing the pad 18, a spacer 30 is formed on a sidewall of the second opening 27.
Referring to FIG. 1D, a second conductive layer is formed on the pad 18 and the oxide layer 24 to fill up the opening 27.
The second conductive layer is polished by a CMP process until the oxide layer 24 is exposed, thereby forming a lower electrode 33 filling the second opening 27 on the pad 18. The spacer 30 is positioned between the lower electrode 33 and the sidewall of the second opening 27.
Referring to FIG. 1E, a phase-change material layer pattern 36 and an upper electrode 39 are sequentially formed on the lower electrode 33 and the oxide layer 24.
A third insulating interlayer 42 of oxide is formed on the oxide layer 24 to cover the upper electrode 39.
After an upper contact 45 making contact with the upper electrode 39 is formed through the third insulating interlayer 42, an upper wiring 48 is formed on the upper contact 45 and the third insulating interlayer 42.
In the above-mentioned method of manufacturing the conventional PRAM device, after the first openings are formed through the second insulating interlayer 12 and the first conductive layer 15 is formed on the second insulating interlayer 12 to fill up the first openings, the pad 18 is formed by the CMP process to fill up the first opening. However, a seam or a void may be generated at a central portion of the pad 18 by a growth of tungsten in the processes for forming the first conductive layer 15 and the CMP process.
FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating defects of a metal layer generated in a CMP process. In FIG. 2, "I" indicates corrosion of a metal layer pattern generated in the CMP process, and "II" indicates an over-corrosion of an edge portion of the metal layer pattern in the CMP process.
Referring to FIG. 2, when the metal layer is polished by the CMP process to form the metal layer pattern such as the pad 18, a seam or a void is generated due to the corrosion (I) or the over-corrosion (II) of the metal layer pattern. A size of the seam or the void generated in the metal layer pattern may be greatly increased in a subsequent etching and cleaning processes.
FIGS. 3A to 3C are electron microscopic pictures illustrating a seam generated in a pad of a conventional phase-change memory device. FIG. 4 is an electron microscopic picture illustrating a cross section of the conventional phase-change memory device.
As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, although an initial diameter of the seam generated in a pad 18 is about 30 nm, an intermediate diameter of the seam becomes about 42 nm after an etching process. Further, a final diameter of the seam is about 42 nm after a cleaning process. When the seam having an increased size is generated at a central portion of the pad 18, a resistance defect may be generated between the pad 18 and a lower electrode formed on the pad 18. Therefore, electrical characteristics of the PRAM device may be considerably reduced. For example, the number of defects caused by the seam or the void in the pad 18 may make up about 25 to about 80 percent of the total number of defects generated in the PRAM device.

Method of manufacturing a variable resistance structure and method of manufacturing a phase-change memory device using the same


A physiologic test, and a system for implementing this test, including, from a methodologic point of view, (a) illuminating the central field in a test subject's eye with a relative-motion test image produced on an image display structure by a motion-image-creation structure, (b) by such illuminating, creating a related, subject-perception image, (c) requesting a subject report describing the observed presence and nature, if any, of a distortion, relative to the test image, in the perception image, and (d) thereafter utilizing such a report to assess a test subject's physiologic condition involving macular, paramacular, and neural-pathway physiologic degeneration. A preferred test image, which is fully adjustable by a test administrator with respect to substantially all of its image parameters, takes the form of an image field of elongate, spaced, parallel lines, having edges which distinctly contrast with a background field, and which move smoothly and linearly across the image field.

We have recently discovered that certain important physiologic conditions associated with vision, including very early degradation stages of macular metabolic condition, and/or of related neuron-path malfunction, may be detected through the implementation of a simple and easily applied eye test using a special form of moving-pattern, or moving-element, image projected onto an eye's central field to illuminate that field.
The present invention involves that discovery, and relates to features of and in a system and a methodology for implementing the discovery.
Specifically what we have learned is that when the central field of the eye in a subject, also referred to herein as a test subject, is illuminated with certain, predetermined, defined-configuration motion imagery, a patient's perception of this imagery may possess a patient-reportable distortion—a change in the perception image in relation to the source projection image, which change is interpretable specifically to indicate malfunctioning, and especially early-stage malfunctioning, of the macula/paramacula and/or the associated neural pathways. Experimental testing of this methodology has established, as suggested above, its capability for furnishing early warnings about (indications of) degradations in the physiologic condition of these two, vision-communication structures—degradations which are clearly associated with the health of an eye and of the eye's associated communication to the brain.
More specifically, our invention is based upon the discovery that a specially-controlled moving test image (a source image) of spaced, contrasting, alternately light and dark lines which is caused to impinge/illuminate the central field in a person's eye may generate, for the person who's eye is being tested, a changed or distorted perceived, or perception, image possessing an image-regional distortion, or change, that appears to be based effectively upon a time delay in the communication to the brain of a portion (typically within the macula) of the central field which is illuminated by the test image.
In the disclosure of the present invention herein, the term "central field" is employed to refer to the collected structures of the macula and the paramacula in an eye. This central field, which is generally circular in perimetral outline, will be referred to as having a central axis that, essentially, may be visualized as being an axis of revolution of the central-field outline. The neural pathways which are referred to herein are to be understood as being those communication pathways that extend between (a) the structural elements which make up the central field, and in particular, those which make up the macula/paramacula, and (b) the brain.
The term "macula" herein should be understood to include reference to the paramacula.
The term "illuminating", etc., also referred to as "impinging", etc., refers to placing a test image onto an eye's central field. Such an image is referred to herein as possessing a predetermined, stable spatial configuration, and this phraseology is intended to refer to a source test image which, while being selectively adjustable to possess different specific characteristics, has a "stability", or consistency, with regard to those characteristics in relation to its being directed onto, to illuminate, an eye's central field.
The term "perception image", etc., refers herein to that image which a test subject "sees" when an eye's central field is illuminated with a stable test image. This perception image may vary from the stable test image by appearing to be changed, or distorted. Such a change, or distortion, will typically have a particular lateral boundary which resides with a particular lateral shape, and a particular position, within the overall perceived field of the illuminating test image.
With regard to the creation, projection, and interpretive use generally of a special, moving test image, practice of the invention, as will be explained below, contemplates allowance for the selective changing and manipulation of various projectable test-image parameters. For each test image employed, the person tested is asked to describe, and preferably also to sketch an outline, and identify the location, of any perceived image distortion. As will be seen, this reported information may be used to characterize and locate an eye's central-field/neural pathways disfunctionality issues. Different test images, as will be mentioned again below, are useful in furnishing "different points of view" regarding any such issues.
Adjustments of and changes in the mentioned test image may also be performed, typically though not necessarily manually, in a kind of feedback manner, based upon a person's reported, perceived image difference or distortion, to effect counteractive changes in the character per se of a new original, source test image—all for the purpose of creating, for the person under test, an end-result perceived image which is deemed, by that person, as exactly as possible to replicate what is understood to be an otherwise "unmodified" (i.e., non-feedback-manipulated) source test image. Thus, and in this context, the invention contemplates allowing for the performance of image-control processing in relation to the generation of a source test image, whereby, as far as the patient (or person)-perceived image is concerned, that image has all previously reported distortion effectively removed from it. This capability of the methodology and systemic structure of this invention allows for the obtaining of quantitative data which is useful in describing and understanding the nature of any macular, and/or related neural pathway, deficiencies that may be responsible for perception-image distortion.
These and other important features and advantages which are attained by the structure and the practice of the present invention will become more fully apparent as the detailed description of the invention which shortly follows below is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Eye-administered, moving-image physiologic test system and method


The invention provides a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in a unit and being thermally stable and capable of arbitrarily controlling physical properties, and a producing method thereof. According to the invention, there are provided a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer including a 3-hydroxy-ω-bromoalkanoic acid unit represented by a formula—[OCH((CH2)nBr)CH2C(O)]— (n=1 to 8) (1) and a unit represented by a formula —[OCH((CH2)mR)CH2C(O)]— (2) within a same molecule, and a method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer by microorganisms, utilizing a ω-bromoalkanoic acid represented by a formula Br(CH2)pCH2CH2COOH (p=1 to 8) (20) and a compound represented by a formula R(CH2)qCH2CH2COOH (21) as raw materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing a novel unit and a producing method therefor utilizing microorganisms.
2. Related Background Art
"Biodegradable Plastics Handbook", edited by Biodegradable Plastics Association, N.T.S.Co., p 178–197 (1995) reports that various microorganisms produce poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) or other polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and accumulate such products therein. Such microorganism-produced polymers, for example PHA, can be utilized for producing various products, for example, by fusion, like the conventional plastics. Also, the microorganism-produced polymer, such as PHA, is biodegradable, and has an advantage in that it can be completely decomposed by the microorganisms. Therefore, polyhydroxyalkanoate produced by the microorganisms, when discarded, unlike the various conventional synthesized polymers, does not contaminate the environment. The polyhydroxyalkanoate produced by the microorganisms generally shows satisfactory compatibility with living tissues and is expected to be useful for medical applications as a soft material.
Such microorganism-produced PHA is known to assume various compositions or structures depending on the kind of microorganism, composition of the culture medium and culturing conditions employed for production. Various researches have been conducted to control such composition and structure, principally for improving the physical properties of PHA.
In one type of such researches, a microorganism production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate having an aromatic ring in the unit has been actively investigated in recent years.
(a) PHA containing phenyl group or a partially substituted group thereof:
Makromol. Chem. 191, 1957–1965 (1990) and Macromolecules, 24, 5256–5260 (1991) report that Pseudomonas oleovorans produces PHA containing 3-hydroxy-5-phenylvaleric acid as a unit, from 5-phenylvaleric acid as substrate.
Also Macromolecules, 29, 1762–1766 (1996) reports that Pseudomonas oleovorans produces PHA containing 3-hydroxy-5-(p-tolyl)valeric acid as a unit, from 5-(p-tolyl)valeric acid as substrate.
Also Macromolecules, 32, 2889–2895 (1999) reports that Pseudomonas oleovorans produces PHA containing 3-hydroxy-5-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)valeric acid and 3-hydroxy-5-(p-nitrophenyl)valeric acid as units, from 5-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)valeric acid as substrate.
(b) PHA containing phenoxy group or partially substituted group thereof:
Macromol. Chem. Phys., 195, 1665–1672 (1994) reports that Pseudomonas oleovorans produces a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer containing 3-hydroxy-5-hydroxyvaleric acid and 3-hydroxy-9-phenoxynonaic acid as the units, from 11-phenoxyundecanoic acid as substrate.
Also, Japanese Patent No. 2989175 discloses inventions relating to a homopolymer formed by a 3-hydroxy-5-(monofluorophenoxy)pentanoate (3H5(MFP)P) unit or a 3-hydroxy-5-(difluorophenoxy)pentanoate (3H5(DFP)P) unit; a copolymer containing at least a 3H5(MFP)P unit or a 3H5(DFP)P unit; a novel strain of Pseudomonas putida capable of producing these polymers; and a method for producing the aforementioned polymers utilizing the Pseudomonas genus. This patent specification teaches, as the effects of such inventions, that PHA polymer having a phenoxy group substituted with 1 or 2 fluorine atoms at the end of the side chain can be biosynthesized from a long-chain fatty acid having a substituent and that such a polymer has a high melting point and is capable of providing stereoregularity and water repellency while maintaining satisfactory working properties.
In addition to the fluorine-substituted PHA having a fluorine substitution on an aromatic ring in a unit, there is also investigated a polyhydroxyalkanoate in which an aromatic in the unit is substituted with a cyano or nitro group.
Can. J. Microbiol., 41, 32–43 (1995) and Polymer International, 39, 205–213 (1996) report production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing 3-hydroxy-6-(p-cyanophenoxy) hexanoic acid or 3-hydroxy-6-(p-nitrophenoxy) hexanoic acid as the monomer unit by Pseudomonas oleovorans ATCC 29347 strain and Pseudomonas putida KT2442 stain, from octanoic acid and 6-(p-cyanophenoxy) hexanoic acid or 6-(p-nitrophenoxy) hexanoic acid as substrate.
A polyhydroxyalkanoate including a unit having an aromatic ring provided with a substituent constitutes a polyhydroxyalkanoate of multiple functions, including novel functions resulting from the substituent present on the aromatic ring, while retaining polymer properties of a high glass transition point and a satisfactory working property, resulting from the aromatic ring.
On the other hand, active investigations are conducted to obtain a polyhydroxyalkanoate of multiple functions, based on polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in the unit and introducing an arbitrary functional group into a side chain of the produced polymer, by a chemical conversion utilizing such a bromo group.
Macromol. Rapid Commun., 20, p. 91–94 (1999) reports producing polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in a side chain by Pseudomonas oleovorans and modifying the side chain with a thiolated product of acetylated maltose, thereby synthesizing a polyhydroxyalkanoate different in solubility or hydrophilicity.
As described in the foregoing references, a bromo group has a high reactivity in an addition reaction or the like, and can be used for introducing various functional groups or for chemical conversion. It can also constitute a cross-linking point, which is a starting point of a cross-linking reaction of the polymer. Consequently, the presence of a bromo group in a unit constituting a polyhydroxyalkanoate can be considered very useful in conceiving applications of the polymer as a functional material.
Such a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in the unit has been biosynthesized from ω-bromoalkanoic acid only as the raw material, or in co-existence of a straight-chain alkanoic acid.
Macromolecules, 25, p. 1852–1857 (1992), reports that the Pseudomonas oleovorans strain produces a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing a 3-hydroxy-ω-alkanoic acid, unit in the co-existence of an ω-bromoalkanoic acid such as 11-bromoundecanoic acid, 8-bromooctanoic acid or 6-bromohexanoic acid and n-nonanoic acid.
In addition to the foregoing, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-288256 is cited in the present application.
However, thus obtained polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in the unit is usually a copolymer including a straight-chain 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid unit. Such PHA has a glass transition temperature of −20° C. to −30° C., so that the application as a polymer is limited. Because of this limitation, a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a bromo group in the unit, which is thermally so stable as to expand the field of application as a polymer and which also allows to arbitrarily control physical properties, and a producing method therefor are desired.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer including unit having bromo group in side chain and method for producing the same


An array of light beams is swept along a main scan direction and dithered in a sub-scan direction to generate a treatment pattern of spots. The array is elongated along the sub-scan direction and the dithering has a travel that is significantly less than the length of the array in the sub-scan direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an array of light beams used to generate a pattern of spots, for example as can be employed in laser surgery and laser dermatology.
2. Description of the Related Art
In laser surgical applications, for example in laser dermatology, an optical system generates a light beam(s) of a desired size and energy and this light beam is used to treat a selected region of the patient's body (i.e., the treatment area). For example, in many dermatology applications, a hand piece is used to guide the laser beam to the treatment area. The hand piece is typically attached to one end of an articulated arm, which transmits the laser beam to the hand piece and also supports a wide range of motion for the hand piece.
A physician typically treats the treatment area by sweeping the laser hand piece back and forth over the treatment area. In many cases, the physician is guided by an aiming line, which may be generated by the hand piece. The sweeping may be either manual or automated. Automated sweeping can be achieved by mounting the laser or other light source on a movable carriage. Whatever the mechanism, as the laser beam is swept over the treatment area, the physician typically pulses the laser beam on and off, either manually or via automatic means, thereby regulating the exposure of the treatment area and creating a pattern of treatment spots over the treatment area.
Many laser technologies for dermatology use a single high power beam that is scanned across the treatment area to create a pattern of exposed areas or spots. In many cases, the spots overlap sufficiently that the entire treatment area is exposed. The treatment rates achievable by scanning a single beam in this manner can be sufficiently fast when a high power laser (typically>10 W) is used with a large diameter beam (typically 2–6 mm).
However, new treatments can use smaller spot sizes and more spots. For example, see co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 10/367,582, "Method and Apparatus for Treating Skin Using Patterns of Optical Energy," filed on Feb. 14, 2003; and Ser. No. 60/486,304, "Method and Apparatus for Fractional Phototherapy of Skin," filed Jul. 11, 2003; both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Traditional laser systems are not well suited for these applications because the laser beams generated by traditional systems typically are too large and too energetic. Traditional systems also are typically based on more expensive types of lasers and do not take advantage of lower power, cheaper semiconductor lasers. In addition, the single laser beam generated by traditional systems would have to be individually positioned to generate each of the spots in the overall pattern and, since there typically are a large number of spots in the pattern, the required scan time becomes unacceptably long.
Hence, there is a need for devices and methods that can generate a pattern of spots on a treatment area, preferably in an efficient manner.

Multi-spot laser surgical apparatus and method


Systems and methods are discussed for providing a sensor enhanced employee safety evaluation system. Sensors that monitor employee behavior are placed at the workplace of an insured entity. Data from the sensors are processed to obtain a safety evaluation. Based on the safety evaluation, the insurance provider can adjust the terms of the insurance policy to accurately reflect the risks associated with the insured entity. Feedback based on the safety evaluation is also provided to the insured entity and the employees of the insured entity to promote improvements in safe behavior.

Many insurance companies are considering offering, or do offer, discounts or variable pricing for automobile insurance based on data collected from vehicle telematics. Safety in the workplace includes perils beyond driving, including environmental conditions, physical stress and strain, and dangerous equipment. Sensors on the marketplace and in development can identify dangerous scenarios, including environmental conditions, worker behaviors, use or lack of use of proper safety equipment, and interactions with dangerous machines, substances or areas.
Workers' compensation insurance provides compensation for workers that are injured on the job. This compensation may include medical expenses, death benefits, and payments in lieu of lost wages. Workers' compensation insurance is state-mandated for most employees and is generally provided by private insurance companies, though some states operate a state fund.
Rates for workers' compensation insurance are set by state and are based on industry and job classification. Workers' compensation rating starts with a base rate, derived for each of some 600 classifications. This base rate is not modified for the smallest businesses, but for others, it is. These modifications include a mandatory application of an experience rating credit or debit, depending on a business's claims history compared to the average in that business class. Also, discretionary pricing modifications can be applied by the carrier depending on its underwriting evaluation of the account. Many large accounts share in the funding of their claims via large deductibles, policyholder dividends and retrospectively rated programs. These kinds of programs are generally referred to as "risk share" plans. For those businesses that are subject to experience rating or a "risk share" plan, their net cost of workers' compensation insurance is decreased to the extent they can either prevent, or mitigate the value of, claims.
Most insurance carriers that sell workers' compensation insurance provide professional services that help businesses prevent or mitigate the values of claims, primarily by reviewing the business's exposures and current controls, and by assessing the causes of prior claims and subsequently recommending and implementing solutions. Again, to the extent that these solutions reduce the number and dollar amount of claims, overall, the premium paid by the business will also be reduced. Loss control services are generally available to all businesses, but are most cost-effective for larger businesses.
Typically, loss control services are part of the basic product sold by an insurance carrier. However, loss control services may be made more effective and efficient by appropriately utilizing technology. In particular, sensor technologies that allow insured businesses to quickly identify unsafe situations, thereby providing the businesses with opportunity to correct them, and technologies that give insurance carriers automatic feedback and information on the safety performance of their policyholders, may beneficially contribute to a streamlined workers' compensation insurance evaluation system and advantageously decrease the risk of accidents in the workplace.

Safety evaluation and feedback system and method


According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises a wireless communication device configured to conduct wireless communication with an external apparatus, a switch connected to a radio frequency circuit of the wireless communication device, and configured to couple an RF signal input and output port of the radio frequency circuit to one of a wireless communication antenna and a cable connected to the external apparatus, and a control module configured to control the switch to switch a mode of conducting communication with the external apparatus between a wireless communication mode and a wired communication mode, a wireless signal being transmitted and received between the external apparatus and the wireless communication device through the wireless communication antenna in the wireless communication mode, the wireless signal being transmitted and received between the external apparatus and the wireless communication device through the cable in the wired communication mode.

1. Field
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having a wireless communication function, a computer system, and a communication control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been developed various portable personal computers such as a laptop personal computer and a notebook personal computer. An extension unit called a docking station is also developed as an external apparatus which extends a function of the portable personal computer.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-108521 discloses a system including an extension unit and a computer. In the system, a wired LAN controller is incorporated in the extension unit, and a wireless communication unit is incorporated in the computer. The computer is wirelessly connected to an access point by the wireless communication unit in an undocked state, and the computer is connected to a network through the wired LAN controller in the extension unit in a docked state.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-309749 discloses a camera system including a digital camera and an extension unit. In the camera system, an electric power is supplied from the extension unit to the digital camera through a cable, and data communication is conducted between the extension unit and the digital camera through the cable.
However, both in the systems disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 2002-108521 and 2003-309749, the electronic apparatus such as the computer and the camera and the extension unit thereof are connected in a wired manner. The wired connection becomes a factor for losing portability of the electronic apparatus such as the computer and the camera or a factor for restricting a point of use of the electronic apparatus.
When a wireless connection is established between the electronic apparatus and the extension unit thereof, the functional extension of the electronic apparatus can be realized without losing the portability of the electronic apparatus. However, usually there is a limitation to the number of usable frequency channels in a short-range wireless communication system in which devices are wirelessly connected. Therefore, in the particular point of use such as an office, when some devices already conduct the wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication system, the unused frequency channel runs out to hardly start the new wireless communication. Even if the unused frequency channel exists, sometimes wireless communication cannot normally be conducted depending on the surrounding radio wave environment.
Accordingly, even if the wireless communication units for the short-range wireless communication are mounted on the electronic apparatus and the extension unit, the wireless communication cannot always be conducted between the electronic apparatus and the extension unit.
Therefore, even in a situation in which the wireless communication cannot be conducted, there is a need for realizing a new function of being able to conduct the communication between the electronic apparatus and the external apparatus such as the extension unit.

Electronic apparatus, computer system, and communication control method


An optical body cavity probe (110, 310, 1200, 1300) is provided with a disposable flexible comformable sheath (120) having an optical window (220), or a disposable rigid sheath (320, 1210, 1310) having an optical window (420). The electronic system includes optical sources for generating the illuminating electromagnetic energy, filters or spectrum analyzers for isolating returned wavelengths of interest, and a computer for processing the returned wavelengths of interest to determine the tissue properties of interest as well as to calibrate the system. For calibration purposes, a removable calibration body (510, 910, 1010, 1220, 1330, 1430) bearing a fluorescence pattern resides on the outside of the optical window (500, 900, 1000, 1210, 1310, 1420) so as to be in the field of view of the probe when the sheath is installed over the probe. The calibration body is maintained in contact with the optical window during a calibration sequence using an adhesive, an endcap, shrink wrap material, or other suitable means. After the system is calibrated, the calibration body is removed and discarded and the investigation is begun. Once the investigation is completed, the sheath containing the optical window is removed, if present, and discarded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for calibrating an optical probe, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for calibrating an optical probe using a disposable calibration body.
2. Description of Related Art
Various optical probes are available for investigating properties of animal tissue in vivo and in vitro. In spectroscopy, various illuminating wavelengths are applied to the tissues of an animal body, typically through the probes but also through ambient light or through separate light sources. The probes receive optical activity resulting from application of the illuminating energy for detecting properties of the animal body. Typically, a probe is part of a diagnostic or screening system that includes electromagnetic sources for generating the illuminating energy, filters or spectrum analyzers for isolating wavelengths of interest, and computers for processing the wavelengths of interest to determine the tissue properties of interest.
System calibration is performed to minimize the impact of system variations and perturbations and to ensure the most accurate determinations possible. Calibration reduces the effects of variations in the dimensions and optical characteristics of different probes, compensates for drift and other instabilities over time in the electronic detection system caused by various environmental factors and aspects of the systems, including heat, humidity, voltage fluctuations, component aging, cable displacements, accumulated contamination, and the like, and compensates for various system and component failures.
One calibration technique used in fluorescent spectroscopy involves dipping the probe into a fluorescent solution such as Rhodamine, or placing the probe directly against a calibration cell containing the fluorescent solution. While generally effective for calibration purposes, the use of such liquids has several disadvantages which limit their usefulness for operational deployment in a clinical setting. Some of the fluorescent liquids raise safety and usage issues of toxicity, leakage, spillage, and the like. Some of the fluorescent liquids have a short lifetime and must be replaced on a preventive maintenance schedule or after each use. Where the probe is placed against a glass or plastic vial which contains the fluorescent liquid, measures must be taken to eliminate interference reflection and interaction with room lighting. Moreover, the result of calibrations with vials can be operator-dependent. Where the probe is immersed in the fluorescent liquid, calibration in the exam room involves awkward procedures.
Accordingly, methods and apparatus are desired that do not have the disadvantages of the liquid and vial calibration procedures.

Method and apparatus for calibrating an optical probe


A method wherein an access point authenticates itself with neighboring access points and establishes secure and mutually authenticated communication channels with its neighboring access points. When an access point learns of a neighboring access point, it initiates an authentication with an authentication server through the neighboring access point. Once access points have mutually authenticated each other, whenever a station authenticates itself with a first access point, the first access point communicates the station's authentication context information, for example session key and session identifier, to each neighboring access point. Thus, when the station roams to a neighboring access point, the neighboring access point presents the station with a reauthentication protocol, for example LEAP reauthentication, and if the reauthentication is successful, communication between the station and the neighboring access point takes place immediately and no new EAP authentication needs to occur.

The present invention relates generally to authentication protocols for roaming clients, and more specifically to a protocol for use by 802.11 wireless stations to quickly associate with a new access point while roaming.
Most current 802.11 network-level authentication protocols require a substantial amount of real time to re-establish a wireless station's connectivity to the network after that station roams from one access point (AP) to another access point. Typically, when a station associates with a first access point, it has to be authenticated through a central authentication server. When the station roams to a new access point, the station must again authenticate itself with the authentication server which does a full challenge request and response. A new accounting session is then established. This method relies on the initial authentication as a means for key rotation and generates a new accounting session for each roam, causing an unnecessary session teardown and restart.
This delay in re-establishing connectivity greatly impacts 802.11 Quality of service (QoS) to the point that some upper-level protocols, such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP), actually fail. Furthermore, each roam commonly necessitates interaction with a site's Authentication, Accounting, and Authorization (AAA) servers, resulting in a significant increase in server load, to the point at which some servers fail to provide the necessary rate of authentications requests for the 802.11 stations.
Other attempts to resolve this issue have utilized a variety of approaches. One approach is to use AP to AP communications to forward station AAA data, but these fail to use strong authentication between the APs. Another approach is to use "proxy" AAA servers closer in the network to the APs and stations, but these approaches generally require the addition of new network infrastructure devices at each network subnet. For some sites, this is an unacceptable cost, and other sites may not be able to incur the additional management burden.
Thus, the need exists for a secure method for authenticating a station when the station roams from one access point to another that decreases traffic to the authentication server.

Method for fast, secure 802.11 re-association without additional authentication, accounting, and authorization infrastructure