An arm exercising device for strengthening a user""s biceps and triceps. The device has an upper arm support platform which is attached to the user""s upper arm. The upper arm platform is hinged to a hand driven arm. The hand driven arm holds a handle so that the handle can slide along the hand driven arm as the exerciser pulls and pushes the hand driven arm with respect to the upper arm platform. Friction is provided at a pivot point between these two members so that the user""s bicep is exercised during the pulling in of the hand driven arm and the tricep is exercised as the hand driven arm is pushed outwardly. The device can also be attached between a user""s chest and an arm and used to exercise deltoid and lateral muscles.

The field of the invention is exercising devices and the invention relates more particularly to exercising devices for exercising a user""s biceps, triceps, deltoids and laterals.
Numerous devices have been devised for arm exercising. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,799. This device utilizes a spring loaded pair of arms pivoted at the user""s elbow. Resistance is created by a spring. As one exercises one""s arm the spring only works the user""s biceps and the device must be reconfigured to exercise a user""s triceps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,665 shows an exercising device which utilizes a breaking system using planetary gears. The device is designed to contact the limbs adjacent a joint and because of the positioning of collars adjacent the joint would exert substantial strain against the limbs. This is because the collars are very close to the joints.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,769 shows a wrist and forearm exercising apparatus which utilizes a spring and pivoted handle. It is limited to the exercising of a forearm.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight device for exercising a user""s biceps, triceps, deltoid and lateral muscles.
The present invention is for an arm exercising device for strengthening a user""s biceps and triceps which device can be placed in an alternative position and used to exercise a user""s deltoid and lateral muscles. The device has an upper arm support platform which is attached to a user""s upper arm against a user""s tricep muscle. A hand driven assembly is pivotally attached to the upper arm support platform. A handle is attached to the hand driven assembly and the handle is fixed so that while the hand driven arm is being pivoted back and forth during exercise the handle will move in and out in an axial direction along the hand driven assembly. Means are provided for adjustably applying friction at the pivot hinge to allow the user to create the desired amount of resistance. The device may alternatively be used to exercise deltoid and lateral muscles. This is accomplished by strapping the hand driven against a user""s side and affixing the upper arm support platform to the user""s upper arm. In this way, as the user""s arm is moved away from his or her body, the user""s deltoid muscle is exercised and conversely, as the arm is brought back toward the body the user""s lateral muscles are exercised. Preferably, the means for adjustably applying friction includes an elastomeric member within a sleeve. The elastomeric member may be compressed or adjustably released to provide more or less resistance against a sleeve at the pivot hinge.


A surface mount power inductor includes a preformed conductive winding clip and first and second-shaped core pieces. The core pieces may be configured to reduce unbalanced force experienced in the power inductor in certain types of power management circuitry. Reduction in the unbalanced force reduces vibration of the power inductor in use, and in turn reduces acoustic noise as the power inductor operates.

Typical inductors may include toroidal cores and shaped-cores, including a shield core and drum core, U core and I core, E core and I core, and other matching shapes. The typical core materials for these inductors are ferrite or normal powder core materials, which include iron (Fe), Sendust (Al—Si—Fe), MPP (Mo—Ni—Fe), and HighFlux (Ni—Fe). The inductors typically have a conductive winding wrapped around the core, which may include, but is not limited to a magnet wire coil that may be flat or rounded, a stamped copper foil, or a clip. The coil may be wound on the drum core or other bobbin core directly. Each end of the winding may be referred to as a lead and is used for coupling the inductor to an electrical circuit. The winding may be preformed, semi-preformed, or non-preformed depending upon the application requirements. Discrete cores may be bound together through an adhesive.
With the trend of power inductors going toward higher current, a need exists for providing inductors having more flexible form factors, more robust configurations, higher power and energy densities, higher efficiencies, and tighter inductance and Direct Current Resistance ("DCR") tolerance. DC to DC converters and Voltage Regulator Modules ("VRM") applications often require inductors having tighter DCR tolerances, which is currently difficult to provide due to the finished goods manufacturing process. Existing solutions for providing higher saturation current and tighter tolerance DCR in typical inductors have become very difficult and costly and do not provide the best performance from these typical inductors. Accordingly, the current inductors are in need for such improvements.
To improve certain inductor characteristics, toroidal cores have recently been manufactured using an amorphous powder material for the core material. Toroidal cores require a coil, or winding, to be wound onto the core directly. During this winding process, the cores may crack very easily, thereby causing the manufacturing process to be difficult and more costly for its use in surface-mount technology. Additionally, due to the uneven coil winding and coil tension variations in toroidal cores, the DCR is not very consistent, which is typically required in DC to DC converters and VRM. Due to the high pressures involved during the pressing process, it has not been possible to manufacture shaped-cores using amorphous powder materials.
Due to advancements in electronic packaging, the trend has been to manufacture power inductors having miniature structures. Thus, the core structure must have lower and lower profiles so that they may be accommodated by the modem electronic devices, some of which may be slim or have a very thin profile. Manufacturing inductors having a low profile has caused manufactures to encounter many difficulties, thereby making the manufacturing process expensive.
For example, as the components become smaller and smaller, difficulty has arisen due to the nature of the components being hand wound. These hand wound components provide for inconsistencies in the product themselves. Another encountered difficulty includes the shaped-cores being very fragile and prone to core cracking throughout the manufacturing process. An additional difficulty is that the inductance is not consistent due to the gap deviation between the two discrete cores, including but not limited to drum cores and shielded cores, ER cores and I cores, and U cores and I cores, during assembly. A further difficulty is that the DCR is not consistent due to uneven winding and tension during the winding process. These difficulties represent examples of just a few of the many difficulties encountered while attempting to manufacture inductors having a miniature structure.
Manufacturing processes for inductors, like other components, have been scrutinized as a way to reduce costs in the highly competitive electronics manufacturing business. Reduction of manufacturing costs is particularly desirable when the components being manufactured are low cost, high volume components. In a high volume component, any reduction in manufacturing cost is, of course, significant. It may be possible that one material used in manufacturing may have a higher cost than another material. However, the overall manufacturing cost may be less by using the more costly material because the reliability and consistency of the product in the manufacturing process is greater than the reliability and consistency of the same product manufactured with the less costly material. Thus, a greater number of actual manufactured products may be sold, rather than being discarded. Additionally, it also is possible that one material used in manufacturing a component may have a higher cost than another material, but the labor savings more than compensates for the increase in material costs. These examples are just a few of the many ways for reducing manufacturing costs.
It has become desirable to provide a magnetic component having a core and winding configuration that can allow one or more of the following improvements, a more flexible form factor, a more robust configuration, a higher power and energy density, a higher efficiency, a wider operating frequency range, a wider operating temperature range, a higher saturation flux density, a higher effective permeability, and a tighter inductance and DCR tolerance, without substantially increasing the size of the components and occupying an undue amount of space, especially when used on circuit board applications. It also has become desirable to provide a magnetic component having a core and winding configuration that can allow low cost manufacturing and achieves more consistent electrical and mechanical properties. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a magnetic component that tightly controls the DCR over large production lot sizes.


A package-integrated EMI compartment shielding structure includes an encapsulating member disposed on a mounting surface of a substrate. The substrate has a ground pad exposedly arranged thereon. The encapsulating member, who defines a peripheral surface, covers the ground pad and encapsulates at least one electronic element. A compartment structure is disposed in the encapsulating member, electrically connecting the ground pad and substantially dividing the encapsulating member into at least two package compartments. The terminal portions of the compartment structure are arranged within the encapsulating member proximal to yet without compromising the peripheral surface. A notch is disposed into the encapsulating member from the peripheral surface corresponding to the location of the terminal portions of the compartment structure to expose the lateral surface thereof across the thickness of the encapsulating member. A conformal shield is disposed on the encapsulating member, electrically connecting the compartment structure through the notch.

As modern electronic devices are geared for ever-increasing speed and performance, the operating frequency of the electronic components hikes considerably in comparison to the devices in the past. Higher operating frequency usually means the generation of stronger electromagnetic (EM) emission. On the other hand, as the desire for device miniaturization becomes a non-stoppable trend, the shrinking physical dimensions of modern electronic devices means that potential crosstalk/interference caused by EM emissions from close neighboring components will become inevitable.
Conventional measures against EMI/crosstalk often involve the provision of metal shielding cases having compartment walls arranged therein, and are often disposed over an electronic package through adhesive. The physical dimension of a separately constructed shielding structure may be too big and heavy for today's miniature electronic devices. Moreover, such conventional arrangement generally lacks structural coherency, and the shielding case is prone to detachment from the package. Other known EMI preventing measures often involve EMI shielding structures whose fabrication require extensive use of expensive equipment.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an EMI compartment structure that is capable of not only offering reliable shielding performance but also being fabricated through cost-effective methods.

EMI compartment shielding structure and fabricating method thereof

Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.


A thermoplastic resin film manufacturing method and manufacturing device are disclosed wherein an air volume sprayed by the auxiliary cooling device onto the surface of the film on the opposite side thereof to the cooling drum side thereof is set to be larger than the suction amount by an exhaust mechanism between nozzles, to avoid the suction of the air containing the high concentration of oligomer around the extrusion die into the auxiliary cooling device, thereby preventing precipitation and deposition of the oligomer onto spraying nozzles within the auxiliary cooling device and the suction surface of the exhaust mechanism between nozzles.

In recent years, while various display members represented by liquid crystal displays (LCD) and plasma display panels (PDP) are being reduced in weight and cost, the market for optical films as important members of displays are being expanded. Optical films use various transparent films made of thermoplastic resins such as polyesters like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylic polymers and polycarbonates (PC) as base materials, and in order to impart functionality to the base materials, for example, protective films (hard coating layers) for preventing defects, anti-reflection layers (AR layers), light-condensing/diffusing layers, polarizing sheets and the like are laminated on the base materials as various surface treatments, for obtaining the optical films. The base films are strongly demanded to be transparent. On the other hand, when the optical films are assembled into large displays and the like, thick films with thicknesses of 150 μm and larger are preferentially used since sufficient strength is requested.
A process for producing such a film includes the steps of extruding a molten thermoplastic resin from an extrusion die and cooling, and in order to produce an excellently transparent film, it is important to quickly cool the extruded thermoplastic resin to a desired temperature. A general method for quickly cooling a thermoplastic resin is a method of bringing the thermoplastic resin into contact with a cooling drum, and in the case where a thick film with a thickness of 150 λm or larger is produced, it is necessary to cool the film also on the film surface not kept in contact with the cooling drum (called the anti-cooling drum-side surface). The reason is that in the case where a thick film is cooled by a cooling drum only, the film temperature of the anti-cooling drum-side surface does not easily decline to a desired temperature. Especially in the case of a film made of a crystalline resin such as a polyester, unless the cooling rate near the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin is high enough, the crystallization of the thermoplastic resin progresses to lower the transparency of the film as a result. As a method for quickly cooling the anti-cooling drum-side surface, known is a method of installing an auxiliary cooling device on the side of the counter-cooling drum-side surface, to promote the cooling of the aforementioned molten thermoplastic resin. The auxiliary cooling device is generally constituted by nozzles (hereinafter referred to as spray nozzles) for spraying cool air toward the thermoplastic resin on the anti-cooling drum-side surface (for example, patent document 1).
However, a thermoplastic resin, for example, a resin like a polyester has a nature that a low molecular weight substance such as an oligomer volatilizes from the surface of the molten resin film while the film is being cooled and solidified. For this reason, the oligomer volatilizing around the auxiliary cooling device is precipitated, for example, on the surfaces of the spray nozzles of the auxiliary cooling device, the surface of the exhaust mechanism, etc. The oligomer precipitated on the surface of the auxiliary cooling device may be guided by the air sprayed from the auxiliary cooling device, to fall and be deposited on the surface of the film, thereby making foreign matter defects. In the case where a distance is taken between the thermoplastic resin film and the spray nozzles in order to prevent that the oligomer precipitated on the surface of the auxiliary cooling device is deposited on the surface of the film, the cooling rate does not rise and the transparency of the film declines. On the other hand, if the tip faces of the spray nozzles are brought as close to the thermoplastic resin film as possible, the cooling rate rises, but the oligomer is precipitated on the auxiliary cooling device and sprayed to the thermoplastic resin film, to be deposited on the surface of the thermoplastic resin film, thereby causing foreign matter defects and other troubles in the subsequent steps.
To address such a problem, known is a method for producing a thermoplastic resin film, in which in the case where a molten thermoplastic resin is cast on a cooling drum, to be cooled and solidified on the cooling drum, for forming a thermoplastic resin film, an air supply means containing spray nozzles extending in the transverse direction of the aforementioned cooling drum is used to spray cooling air toward the film on the side of the anti-cooling drum-side surface of the film, while an inter-nozzle exhaust mechanism containing multiple shielding plates with exhaust holes formed therein is used for sucking and discharging the air near the film, wherein the air supply means and the exhaust means are alternately disposed in the film flow direction (for example, patent document 2).
Further, known is a cooling method, in which in the case where a molten thermoplastic resin is cast on a cooling drum, to be cooled and solidified on the cooling drum, for producing a thermoplastic resin film, spray nozzles of cooling air and the suction faces of an exhaust mechanism are alternately installed along the rotating direction of the cooling drum, wherein the ratio between the total amount of air sucked by all the suction faces and the total amount of air of all the spray nozzles is set at 3.4 to 4.5, in order to positively remove the air in the oligomer atmosphere. Furthermore, known is a technique in which a heater for preventing the precipitation of the oligomer is installed at least on the wall face inside the first suction face of the exhaust mechanism for the oligomer existing around the auxiliary cooling device (for example, patent document 3).
However, the method of positively discharging the air near the film by installing a suction/discharge mechanism in such a manner as to keep portions of the mechanism disposed between respective spray nozzles as described above not only has a problem of sucking the oligomer air near the film and volatilizing at the spray nozzle portions but also the following problem. If the temperature of the molten thermoplastic resin is higher, the oligomer is generated by a larger amount, to form an atmosphere having a high oligomer concentration in the proximity of the aforementioned extrusion die. Since the auxiliary cooling device exhausts a larger amount of air than a sprayed amount of air, highly concentrated oligomer air is also positively sucked. Therefore, as the cooling device is used for a longer period of time, the amount of the oligomer precipitated on the suction faces of the exhaust mechanism increases, and the precipitated oligomer falls on the surface of the thermoplastic resin film, to thereby cause foreign matter defects. As a result, the foreign matter defects increase with the lapse of time, to incur a loss due to the defects caused by use of the auxiliary cooling device, thereby lowering the productivity.
Further, in the case where heaters are installed inside the suction faces of the exhaust mechanism in order to prevent the precipitation of the oligomer on the suction faces, heating the suction faces to such a temperature as to prevent the precipitation of the oligomer is required to lower the cooling efficiency of the spray nozzles near the suction faces, thus causing cooling fluctuation and crystallization defects due to partial crystallization on the surface of the thermoplastic resin film. This, for example, raises the problem of degrading the transparency of the film required to be transparent. Further, even if the suction faces are heated to such an extent of not inhibiting the cooling function, the suction faces of the exhaust mechanism are very likely to have the oligomer precipitated and deposited thereon after use for a long period of time, and it is difficult to achieve both the requirements of sustaining the cooling efficiency and preventing the oligomer contamination.
As described above, the conventional methods did not allow an excellently transparent optical film to be produced while achieving both the requirements of sustaining the cooling rate and reducing the foreign matter defects caused by the dropping of the oligomer precipitated in the auxiliary cooling device.

Apparatus for producing a thermoplastic resin film


A system, method and computer program product for determining an accuracy of a reconstructed image relative to a reference image. The method includes decomposing a reference image into a plurality of basis functions; reconstructing the image using the plurality of basis functions; determining differences between the reference image and reconstructed image; using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) to quantify existence of statistically significant regions of excursion in the determined differences; determining, based on the quantified regions of excursion, a minimum number of basis functions to reconstruct the image; and storing the determined number. The difference image is used as input to a univariate statistical test at every pixel to calculate an image of the test statistic which is then modeled as a multiGaussian random field. Quantities are calculated from the test statistic image for comparison to expected values to determine if the reconstructed image is an accurate representation of the reference image, or whether the number of basis functions used in the reconstruction is to be increased.

Complex images can be transformed into a more compact representation by mapping of the image using orthogonal basis functions. As an example, principal component analysis (PCA) is a mathematical procedure that transforms a number of, possibly, correlated variables into a (smaller) number of uncorrelated variables (i.e., independent, orthogonal, variables) called principal components. The first principal component accounts for as much of the variability in the data as possible, and each succeeding component accounts for as much of the remaining variability as possible. A principal component analysis can be considered as a rotation of the axes of the original variable coordinate system to new orthogonalaxes, called principal axes, such that the new axes coincide with directions of maximum variation of the original observations.
Image decomposition using orthogonal basis functions has many practical applications including image reconstruction, signal de-noising, blind source separation and data compression.
The question remains as to how many principal components (basis functions) need to be retained for accurate image reconstruction. A critical component is the appropriate choice of cutoff number N that provides the desired dimensional reduction without loss of relevant data. Many methods, both heuristic and statistically based have been proposed to determine the choice of cutoff number N.
Representative methods include: the broken-stick model, the Kaiser-Guttman test, Log-Eigenvalue diagram, cumulative percentage of total variance, Velicer's partial correlation procedure, Cattell's scree test, cross-validation, bootstrapping techniques, and Bartlett's test for equality of eigenvalues. Most of the aforementioned techniques suffer from an inherent subjectivity and Jolliffe, (2005) observes that "attempts to construct rules having more sound statistical foundations seem, at present, to offer little advantage over simpler rules in most circumstances".
Additionally, many of these techniques provide a single measure of the accuracy of the image reconstruction, but do not provide information on the spatial structure of the reconstruction errors.

Defining basis function requirements for image reconstruction

International Business Machines Corporation


A fluid sprayer is provided and includes a fluid pump assembly having an outlet path and a motor assembly configured to drive the fluid pump assembly to pressurize fluid. The motor assembly is controlled by a throttle mechanism. The fluid sprayer also includes a fluid pressure control assembly including a mechanical pressure transducer configured to be displaced as a function of fluid pressure in the outlet path. The fluid pressure control assembly is configured to control the throttle mechanism as a function of displacement of the mechanical pressure transducer.

Fluid sprayers include mechanisms for generating source(s) of pressurized fluid material and/or atomizing air. For example, airless fluid sprayers typically include a fluid pump assembly that operates to pressurize fluid material (e.g., paint) to be sprayed from an output nozzle or tip. A source of power (e.g., an electric motor, a gasoline engine, etc.) is configured to drive the fluid pump assembly. In one particular example, an internal combustion engine can be employed to drive a reciprocating piston pump that pressurizes fluid to be sprayed.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Pressure control for a paint delivery system


In a male connector (10), a lance housing (50) including locking lances (27) is provided separately from a housing main body (20) and a retainer including terminal locking portions (78) to be located in deformation spaces (63) for the locking lances (27) in a properly assembled state is provided separately from the lance housing (50). A projection (75) projects backward from the retainer (70), and a receiving hole (69) for receiving the projection (75) is formed in the front surface of the lance housing (50) to penetrate the lance housing (50). The lance housing (50) is positioned with respect to the retainer (70) by inserting the projection (75) into the receiving hole (69).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H09-161875 discloses a connector that has a housing formed with cavities for receiving terminal fittings. Resiliently deformable locking lances project at inner surfaces of the cavities for locking the terminal fittings in the cavities. A retainer is arranged on the front surface of the housing and has terminal locks that fit into deformation spaces for the locking lances. The terminal locks of the retainer restrict resilient deformations of the locking lances to achieve double locking of the terminal fittings. A guide projects from the front surface of the housing and a fitting portion penetrates the retainer. The guide is inserted into the fitting portion as the retainer is assembled.
Resin flowability decreases during molding a housing for a multipolar connector. Therefore it is difficult to mold a unitary housing that has small locking lances and the like.
The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to allow a connector to have an improved moldability while having a good operability.

Connector having separately made lance housing and retainer


A non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to display electronic content, associate a subset of the electronic content with a comment from a user and submit the subset of the electronic content and the comment to a forum accessible by a plurality of users.

There has been a growing increase in the use of electronic devices to assist in the learning process. In some cases, traditional classroom learning has been completely replaced by online classes where there is no face-to-face interaction at all. Even in cases where classroom learning is utilized, additional electronic devices and media are typically used to supplement traditional classroom learning.
In both the educational arena and other areas where electronic content is consumed, it is useful to have ways to increase the social bonds and sharing between users of the electronic content. Some mechanisms are available to facilitate interaction, such as systems that allow users to subscribe to class lists to receive distributed class material and systems that allow users to share content. However, there is still a need for more targeted interactions based on electronic content. For example, although a class thread or discussion forum is useful, there is still a level of separation from the referenced electronic content. Consequently, there is a need for a more integrated approach to social learning.

Apparatus and method for augmenting digital educational content with social learning tools


Various systems, non-transitory computer readable media, and methods reorganize data records of a database in response to an efficiency parameter. A system may use an efficiency parameter that indicates a satisfactory level of organizational efficiency of at least a portion of a database table having a group of rows stored using a plurality of data blocks. The system may determine an efficiency of the group of rows based on a number of data block changes that occur during a sequential access of the group of rows. When the determined efficiency is less than the efficiency indicated by the efficiency parameter, the server may generate a control card to reorganize the group of rows when the efficiency is not satisfactory. The control card is used by an online reorganization process that reorganizes the group of rows.

Relational database management systems provide data row storage options that allow data row storage to be varied from a selected native key sequence. Various data storage options may be utilized, for example, "clustered" (which attempts to place the data rows in native key sequence but allows some deviation if space becomes a concern), "sequential" (which places new data rows at the end of the existing space and when space is exhausted, wraps back to the front of a table and begins adding data rows there), "random" (which places data rows wherever there is available space). The "random" option is most commonly used because it consumes the least amount of resources.
For most indexed access of data rows, the actual data row order in the table has no effect on the performance of the database or the accessing application. However, various applications require access to large segments of data rows using a sequential (read next) process. In these cases, the native key sequence may be selected to access the data rows.
Over a period of time with additions and deletions of data rows from the database table, the data row sequence becomes disorganized. When this disorganization occurs, the application accessing the data rows according to native key sequence slows because the database management system is required to perform substantially more physical IOs to retrieve the data rows in the native key sequence.
In order to re-order the data rows according to the native key sequence, database reorganization processes may be regularly scheduled. However, database reorganizations may be resource-intensive and in some cases unnecessary. In these cases, database resources may be wasted when reorganizing database tables that do not need reorganization. Furthermore, when reorganizations are necessary, oftentimes such reorganizations are not performed due to inaction by system administrators for various reasons. Thus, what is needed is a low cost (resource-wise) way to determine whether at least a portion of a sequential-access database will benefit from reorganization. What is also needed is an ability to specify when the database table should be reorganized and a level of reorganization that should take place. What is further needed is an ability to automatically initiate reorganization of the table when it is determined that the table should be reorganized.
These and other drawbacks exist.

System and method for automated online reorganization of sequential access databases


A frequency translating repeater (200) for use in a time division duplex radio protocol communications system includes an automatic gain control feature. Specifically, a received signal (330) is split to provide signal detection paths (331, 332) wherein detection is performed by amplifiers (301, 302) filters (311, 312), converters (313, 314) and a processor (315). Delay is added using analog circuits such as SAW filters (307, 308, 309, 310) and gain adjustment provided by gain control elements (303, 304, 305, 306).

The present invention relates generally to wireless local area networks (WLANs) and, particularly, the present invention relates to extending the coverage area associated with a WLAN repeater using Automatic Gain Control (AGC).
Several standard protocols for wireless local area networks, commonly referred to as WLANs, are becoming popular. These include protocols such as 802.11 (as set forth in the 802.11 wireless standards), home RF, and Bluetooth. The standard wireless protocol with the most commercial success to date is the 802.11b protocol although next generation protocols, such as 802.11g, are also gaining popularity.
While the specifications of products utilizing the above standard wireless protocols commonly indicate data rates on the order of, for example, 11 MBPS and ranges on the order of, for example, 100 meters, these performance levels are rarely, if ever, realized. Performance shortcomings between actual and specified performance levels have many causes including attenuation of the radiation paths of RF signals, which for 802.11b are in the range of 2.4 GHz in an operating environment such as an indoor environment. Access point to client ranges are generally less than the coverage range required in a typical home, and may be as little as 10 to 15 meters. Further, in structures having split floor plans, such as ranch style or two story homes, or those constructed of materials capable of attenuating RF signals, areas in which wireless coverage is needed may be physically separated by distances outside of the range of, for example, an 802.11 protocol based system. Attenuation problems may be exacerbated in the presence of interference in the operating band, such as interference from other 2.4 GHz devices or wideband interference with in-band energy. Still further, data rates of devices operating using the above standard wireless protocols are dependent on signal strength. As distances in the area of coverage increase, wireless system performance typically decreases. Lastly, the structure of the protocols themselves may affect the operational range.
Repeaters are commonly used in the mobile wireless industry to increase the range of wireless systems. However, problems and complications arise in that system receivers and transmitters may operate at the same frequency in a WLAN utilizing, for example, 802.11 WLAN or 802.16 WMAN wireless protocols. In such systems, when multiple transmitters operate simultaneously, as would be the case in repeater operation, difficulties arise. Typical WLAN protocols provide no defined receive and transmit periods and, thus, because random packets from each wireless network node are spontaneously generated and transmitted and are not temporally predictable, packet collisions may occur. Some remedies exist to address such difficulties, such as, for example, collision avoidance and random back-off protocols, which are used to avoid two or more nodes transmitting packets at the same time. Under 802.11 standard protocol, for example, a distributed coordination function (DCF) may be used for collision avoidance.
Such operation is significantly different than the operation of many other cellular repeater systems, such as those systems based on IS-136, IS-95 or IS-2000 standards, where the receive and transmit bands are separated by a deplexing frequency offset. Frequency division duplexing (FDD) operation simplifies repeater operation since conflicts associated with repeater operation, such as those arising in situations where the receiver and transmitter channels are on the same frequency for both the uplink and the downlink, are not present.
Other cellular mobile systems separate receive and transmit channels by time rather than by frequency and further utilize scheduled times for specific uplink/downlink transmissions. Such operation is commonly referred to as time division duplexing (TDD). Repeaters for these systems are more easily built, as the transmission and reception times are well known and are broadcast by a base station. Receivers and transmitters for these systems may be isolated by any number of means including physical separation, antenna patterns, or polarization isolation. Even for these systems, the cost and complexity of a repeater may be greatly reduced by not offering the known timing information that is broadcast, thus allowing for economically feasible repeaters.
Thus, WLAN repeaters operating on the same frequencies have unique constraints due to the above spontaneous transmission capabilities and therefore require a unique solution. Since these repeaters use the same frequency for receive and transmit channels, some form of isolation must exist between the receive and transmit channels of the repeater. While some related systems such as, for example, CDMA systems used in wireless telephony, achieve channel isolation using sophisticated techniques such as directional antennas, physical separation of the receive and transmit antennas, or the like, such techniques are not practical for WLAN repeaters in many operating environments such as in the home where complicated hardware or lengthy cabling is not desirable or may be too costly.
One system, described in International Application No. PCT/US03/16208 and commonly owned by the assignee of the present application, resolves many of the above identified problems by providing a repeater which isolates receive and transmit channels using a frequency detection and translation method. The WLAN repeater described therein allows two WLAN units to communicate by translating packets associated with one device at a first frequency channel to a second frequency channel used by a second device. The direction associated with the translation or conversion, such as from the frequency associated with the first channel to the frequency associated with the second channel, or from the second channel to the first channel, depends upon a real time configuration of the repeater and the WLAN environment. The WLAN repeater may be configured to monitor both channels for transmissions and, when a transmission is detected, translate the received signal at the first frequency to the other channel, where it is transmitted at the second frequency.
The above described approach solves both the isolation issue and the spontaneous transmission problems as described above by monitoring and translating in response to packet transmissions and may further be implemented in a small inexpensive unit. However, a WLAN repeater, in order to be legally compliant, must transmit within the power and spectrum limitations promulgated by, for example, the FCC. Difficulties arise however in that a received signal may have a widely varying power level requiring precise compensation for factors contributing to disruptions and failed or suboptimal signal retransmission caused by interference and the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wireless local area network repeater with automatic gain control for extending network coverage


A child toy includes a substantially annular base section that has a planar top surface and an outer edge portion integral therewith. The base section includes a plurality of spaced support members extending upwardly from the top surface and further has an inner perimeter spaced inwardly from the outer edge portion. The base section further includes a seat and a foot plate for supporting a foot of a user at an elevated position above ground level. The present invention further includes a substantially annular top section connected to the plurality of support members, and is spaced at a predetermined height from the base section for allowing a child to enter and exit the toy. The toy also includes a plurality of casters connected to the base section and extending downwardly therefrom.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a riding toy and, more particularly, to a novelty riding toy for children with educational and entertaining purposes.
2. Prior Art
Numerous examples of toy vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, ambulances, racing cars and the like can be found in the art. The primary purpose of these toys is to provide means for children to entertain themselves. Some of these toy vehicles are designed to be ridden by the children. They can be propelled by pushing the toy or by pushing pedals which in turn drive the toy. These toys which a child pushes by placing his or her feet on the ground while sitting on the toy and pushing with his or her legs can be dangerous because other children may push the toy while the rider's feet are on the ground, causing the rider's feet to be caught under the toy and injured. These riding toys do not have any means to prevent children from being injured in this manner.
Toy vehicles generally are not designed to serve an educational purpose, even though there is an increasing focus on this function. For example, some dolls are designed to teach infants how to dress themselves and some electronic toys are designed to teach children to associate animals with the sounds they make or to learn addition or spelling.
Toy vehicles found in the prior art, however, are only intended to amuse children, and not to teach them. However, it has been found that children often tend to quickly lose interest in walker toys of this type and that as a result, they often prefer to crawl rather than working toward the development of early walking skills. Although toy vehicles exercise children's imaginations and sometimes their bodies, they do not attempt to teach children in the same sense as "educational" toys.
Accordingly, a need remains for a novelty riding toy for children, which overcomes the above-noted shortcomings.


The present invention relates to water-based, latex aerosol paint compositions.

Previously, aerosol paint products were organic solvent-based, and thus were generally highly flammable, toxic and/or environmentally unfriendly; or were dispensed by propellants such as fluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons that were suspected of depleting the earth's ozone layer.
More recent developments in the aerosol dispensed paint products area have included attempts to develop non-flammable and non-ozone depleting products. Generally, such attempts have used water-based polymer systems and dimethyl ether propellants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,797 teaches an aerosol paint formulation comprising a propellant such as n-butane, isobutane, propane, ethane or dimethyl ether and a water-based concentrate containing a film-forming acrylic polymer and a lower monohydric alcohol. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,661 teaches an aerosol water-based paint composition comprised of an aqueous emulsion of a film-forming polymer which is emulsified into an aqueous solution of dimethyl ether using a nonionic surfactant. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,968,735 and 5,071,900 teach water-based aerosol paint compositions which use dimethyl ether as a propellant and which require a particular type of aqueous thickener.
It is very difficult to formulate a water-based aerosol paint composition which is stable in the can, low in flammability, low in ozone depletion, easily sprayed, produces a uniform, glossy surface and which does not run or drip from the substrate. Prior art attempts to formulate water-based, low flammability, low ozone depleting aerosol paints have suffered from at least one or more of the above deficiencies.
The present invention teaches a water-based latex aerosol composition which is stable in the can, lower in flammability than organic solvent based systems, low in ozone depletion, is easily sprayed, produces a uniform, glossy surface, and which does not exhibit unacceptable run or drip from the surface. All of this is accomplished without the use of any added thickener to the aerosol composition. The present invention is clearly an improvement over the prior attempts to formulate water-based aerosol paints.


A method for deterministic auto-configuration of a device upon connection to an apparatus includes as a first step, during a first-time connection of the device to the apparatus, a generation of a device-specific configuration data structure, wherein this configuration data structure identifies the configuration data of the device and/or the apparatus, which configuration data was determined during a first-time connection of the device to the apparatus. The next step is storing of the configuration data structure in the device and/or in the apparatus. During a renewed connection of the device to the apparatus, the first-time configuration data of the device and/or the apparatus is determined by means of the configuration data structure, and the device and/or the apparatus correspondingly furnishes the first-time configuration data. The system is equipped in such a way as to execute the stated method.

An automatic configuration of a device in the course of connection to another device or an apparatus, which is also designated as plug-and-play functionality, is known in the case of computers, which are supplemented, for example, by additional internal or external components, such as, for example, a memory expansion, a hard drive, or a computer mouse. An automatic configuration of devices via an IP-based network is also known, for example under the designation "universal plug-and-play". However, autoconfiguration, or plug-and-play functionality, also plays an important role in automation systems. By the autoconfiguration of field and control devices an automation system can easily be set up. DE 10 2010 063 437 A1 describes, for example, a method for the configuration of one or a plurality of devices in an Ethernet-based communications network with which a location-dependent automatic configuration of the devices is enabled in a simple manner.
There exists on the other hand, however, the requirement that an automation system, for example, or even a train control and train communications system, functions reliably. For this purpose a fixed configuration would be advantageous. Regulations can also require that only one particular inspected and approved configuration is used in regular operation.
To utilize the requirements for stable network operation with functioning or else authorized configurations for devices that are only plugged into an apparatus or connected to the latter temporarily, and may also be required to be plugged into various apparatuses a number of times, the previous autoconfiguration methods are not suitable. For example, in some operating systems, such as Windows 7, or firmware, such as for example, the BIOS, a non-volatile database is used for extended system configuration data (ESCD), which stores plug-and-play configurations. The said ESCD database is used by the operating system to allocate resources and configuration data for devices such as expansion components. The operating system updates such a configuration database whenever the hardware configuration alters after a new allocation of resources is determined. Thus, in the event of a temporary unplugging and a later reconnection of the device to the apparatus, an automatic configuration of the device is not ensured that the device is connected with the same configuration that was used previously.

Method and a system for the deterministic autoconfiguration of a device


An ion beam blocking array configured to provide a mechanical means for adjusting the beam current profile of an ion ribbon beam by blocking the beam current at one or more locations across the ribbon beam. The ion beam blocking array includes a drive motor, an axle connected to the drive motor and a plurality of profile wheels disposed along the axle where each of the profile wheels is configured to rotate when the axle rotates. Each of the profile wheels is disposed across a width of the ribbon beam and has a position corresponding to a location along the width of the beam.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of semiconductor device fabrication. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for controlling ribbon beam uniformity in an ion implanter by adjusting the beam current profile along the beam path.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Ion implantation is a process used to dope impurity ions into a semiconductor substrate to obtain desired device characteristics. An ion-beam is directed from an ion source chamber toward a substrate. The depth of implantation into the substrate is based on the ion implant energy and the mass of the ions generated in the source chamber. One or more ion species may be implanted at different energy and dose levels to obtain desired device structures.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ion implanter 100 including an ion source chamber 102. A power supply 101 supplies the required energy to source 102 which is configured to generate ions of a particular species. The generated ions are extracted from the source through a series of electrodes 104 and formed into a beam 10 which passes through a mass analyzer magnet 106. The mass analyzer is configured with a particular magnetic field such that only the ions with a desired mass-to-charge ratio are able to travel through the analyzer for maximum transmission through the mass resolving slit 107.
Ions of the desired species pass from mass slit 107 through a deceleration stage 108 comprising multiple electrodes with defined apertures that allow the ion beam to pass through. By applying different combinations of voltage potentials to the multiple electrodes, the deceleration stage 108 manipulates the ion energies. A corrector magnet 110 shapes or collimates the ion beam generated from the deceleration stage 108 into the correct form for deposition onto a wafer or substrate. In particular, the corrector magnet receives a divergent ion beam and collimates the beam. Corrector magnet 110 is energized to deflect ion beamlets in accordance with the strength and direction of the applied magnetic field to provide a ribbon beam targeted toward a work piece or substrate positioned on support (e.g. platen) 114. In addition, the corrector magnet 110 filters out any ions from the beam that may have been neutralized while traveling through the beamline. In some embodiments, a second deceleration stage 112 may be disposed between corrector magnet 110 and support 114. The ions lose energy when they collide with electrons and nuclei in the substrate and come to rest at a desired depth within the substrate based on the acceleration energy.
Generally, beam current, energy contamination and beam uniformity (current density and angle of implantation) are the parameters that jeopardize device throughput during semiconductor manufacturing processes. For example, if the beam current is too low, this will reduce the throughput of the implanter for a given total ion dose. Energy contamination occurs when there is a small fraction of the ion beam that is at a higher energy than desired which rapidly increases the depth of the desired junction that is formed in the substrate when creating an integrated circuit. This leads to degraded performance of the desired circuit profile.
Beam uniformity is determined, in part, by the profile of the ion beam used for ion implantation. The beam profile is a map of ion beam intensity in a plane orthogonal to the direction of beam transport. The beam current may vary over the cross-sectional area of the ion beam, particularly in the case of large area beams such as ribbon ion beams. Furthermore, the beam profile may vary with implant conditions, such as dopant species, energy and current, and with time. These variations can compromise the desired device characteristics which produce lower manufacturing yields and lead to higher processing costs. Accordingly, it is desirable to measure and, if necessary, adjust the beam profile in order to enhance ion implanter performance before the ribbon beam is incident on the surface of a wafer or substrate.

Apparatus and system for controlling ion ribbon beam uniformity in an ion implanter

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


To provide a drive method for finding out an optimum storage period quickly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a MOS sensor and its drive method. More specifically, the invention relates to a technique for determining the optimum storage period in a MOS area sensor.
2. Related Art
In recent years, information devices such as the personal computers have spread so widely as to enhance the desire to read various informations as electronic informations in the personal computers. Therefore, the digital still cameras have been highly noted in place of the silver salt cameras of the prior art, and the scanners have also been highly noted as the means for reading prints from paper.
In the digital still cameras, there has been used the area sensor in which the pixels of an image sensor unit are two-dimensionally arrayed. In the scanners or copying machines, there has been used the line sensor in which the pixels of the image sensor unit is linearly arrayed.
In these image reading devices, the CCD sensor is mainly used as the image sensor. In the CCD sensor, the photodiode of each pixel performs the photoelectric conversion, and its signal is read by using the CCD. In the recent years, however, the MOS sensor made of a single-crystalline silicon substrate has shown the symptom of partial spreading because a peripheral circuit can be built in, it can be made into one chip, it is suitable for the real time signal processing, and its power consumption is low, and so on. These spreading situations of the MOS sensor have been described on pp. 119 of "Nikkei Electronics", Jul. 14, 1997 (Revived MOS Solid Image Pickup Element—Spreading Its Applications with Arms of Low Power Consumption). At the research level, however, there has also been developed the MOS sensor which is made of TFTs over a glass substrate. In these MOS sensors, the signals of individual pixels are read out by the photoelectric conversions through the photodiodes of each pixel and by the switches formed of the MOS transistors.
First of all, therefore, here will be schematically described the MOS sensor, followed by the CCD sensor.
As the pixel construction of the MOS sensor, there have been developed a variety of types. These types can be coarsely classified into two kinds: a passive sensor and an active sensor. The passive sensor is a sensor having no signal amplifying element on each pixel, whereas the active sensor is a sensor having a signal amplifying element on each pixel. The active sensor has a merit of a higher strength against noises than the passive sensor because the signal is amplified in each pixel.
FIG. 3 shows a circuit example of a pixel in the passive sensor. The pixel 305 is constructed to include a switching transistor 301 and a photodiode 304. This photodiode 304 is connected with a power reference line 306 and the source terminal of the switching transistor 301. The switching transistor 301 is connected at its gate terminal with a gate signal line 302 and at its drain terminal with a signal output line 303. The photodiode 304 performs the photoelectric conversion. Specifically, the photodiode 304 generates an electric charge according to an incident light and stores it therein. By controlling the gate signal line 302, moreover, the switching transistor 301 is turned conductive so that the electric charge of the photodiode 304 is read out via the signal output line 303.
In the passive sensor, the switching transistor 301 is turned conductive to read the charge of the photodiode 304 as the signal. Moreover, the photodiode 304 is connected with the source terminal of the switching transistor 301. When the signal is read, therefore, the photodiode 304 changes its state (e.g., the charge or the potential). In other words, the signal of the photodiode 304 cannot be read without changing its state. Therefore, it can be said that the reading by the passive sensor is a destructive one.
Also, it is ordinary that the signal of the pixel is read and outputted for each row or pixel. On the other hand, the storage period has to be equal for all pixels. It is, therefore, necessary to perform the resetting for each row or pixel. As a result, the timings for the resetting and the signal outputting are different for the individual rows (or pixels). Therefore, the storage periods are equal for all rows, but the storage timings are not. With these restrictions, however, the signals of the individual rows (or pixels) can be randomly read out on principle. Therefore, this reading method is called the "random reset/read method".
There are a variety of types of constructions of the pixels of the active sensor. On pp. 17 (CMOS Image Sensors, Electronic Camera On a Chip) of IEDM95 or on pp. 201 (CMOS Image Sensors—Recent Advances and Device Scaling Considerations) of IEDM97, there are introduced the pixel constructions and actions of photo diode type and photo gate type. On pp. 180 (A ¼ Inch 330k Square Pixel Progressive Scan CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor) of ISSCC97, the pixel construction is classified from the viewpoint of a pixel selecting method. Specifically, there are described the case of using transistors and the case of using capacitors. Thus, there are various numbers of transistors which construct one pixel. In JIEC Seminar: Survey of Development of CMOS Cameras of Feb. 20, 1998, there has been widely introduced the general view of the CMOS sensors, and there has also been described the logarithmic conversion type for outputting logarithmic signals of the optical intensity by connecting the gate electrodes and the drain electrodes of resetting transistors.
The pixel construction of the active sensor, as most frequently adopted, is of the type in which one pixel 408 is composed of three N-channel transistors and one photodiode, as shown in FIG. 4. A photodiode 404 is connected at its P-channel terminal with a power reference line 412 and at its N-channel terminal with the gate terminal of an amplifying transistor 406. The drain terminal and the source terminal of the amplifying transistor 406 are connected with a power line 409 and the drain terminal of a switching transistor 401. This switching transistor 401 is connected at its gate terminal with a gate signal line 402 and at its source terminal with a signal output line 403. A resetting transistor 407 is connected at its gate terminal with a reset signal line 405. The source terminal and the drain terminal of the resetting transistor 407 are connected with the power line 409 and the gate terminal of the amplifying transistor 406.
In the case of the area sensor, one signal output line 403 is connected with not only one pixel 408 but also many pixels. However, only one biasing transistor 411 is arranged for one signal output line 403. The biasing transistor 411 is connected at its gate terminal with a bias signal line 410. The source terminal and the drain terminal of the biasing transistor 411 are connected with the signal output line 403 and a bias side power line 413.
Here will be described the basic actions of the pixel 408.
At first, the resetting transistor 407 is turned conductive. The photodiode 404 is electrically connected at its P-channel terminal with the power reference line 412 and at its N-channel terminal with the power line 409. The power reference line 412 has a potential at the reference potential of 0 V, and the power line 409 has a potential at a power potential Vdd. Therefore, a reverse bias voltage is applied to the photodiode 404. From now on, the action, in which the potential of the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is charged to the potential of the power line 409, will be called the "reset". After this, the resetting transistor 407 is turned nonconductive. Then, an electric charge is generated by the photoelectric conversion when the photodiode 404 is irradiated with light. As the time elapses, therefore, the potential, as charged to the potential of the power line 409, at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is gradually lowered due to the charge generated by the light. After a lapse of a predetermined time, moreover, the switching transistor 401 is turned conductive. Then, the signal is outputted through the amplifying transistor 406 to the signal output line 403.
When the signal is outputted, however, the potential is applied to the bias signal line 410 so that the electric current flows in the biasing transistor 411. Therefore, the amplifying transistor 406 and the biasing transistor 411 act as the so-called "source-follower circuit".
In FIG. 4, the wiring line connecting the P-channel terminal of the photodiode 404, i.e., the power reference line 412 may be called the "photoelectric conversion element side power line". The potential of this photoelectric conversion element side power line changes with the direction of the photodiode 404. In FIG. 4, the photoelectric conversion element side power line is connected with the P-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 and has the reference potential of 0 V. In FIG. 4, therefore, the photoelectric conversion element side power line is called the "power reference line".
Likewise, in FIG. 4, the wiring line connecting the resetting transistor 407, i.e., the power line 409 maybe called the "reset side power line". The potential of this reset side power line changes with the direction of the photodiode 404. In FIG. 4, the reset side power line is connected through the resetting transistor 407 with the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 so that it has the power potential Vdd. In FIG. 4, therefore, the reset side power line is called the "power line".
To reset the photodiode 404 is to apply the reverse bias voltage to the photodiode 404. According to the direction of the photodiode 404, therefore, there changes the magnitude relation of the potential between the photoelectric conversion element side power line and the reset side power line.
Next, FIG. 5 shows an example of the most basic source follower circuit. In FIG. 5, there is shown the case in which the N-channel transistor is used. The source follower circuit could be constructed by using the P-channel transistor. An amplification side power line 503 is fed with the power potential Vdd. A bias side power line 504 is fed with the reference potential of 0 V. An amplifying transistor 501 is connected at its drain terminal with the amplification side power line 503 and at its source terminal with the drain terminal of a biasing transistor 502. The source terminal of the biasing transistor 502 is connected with the bias side power line 504. The biasing transistor 502 is fed at its gate terminal with a bias potential Vb. Therefore, a bias current Ib flows into the biasing transistor 502. The biasing transistor 502 basically acts as a constant current source. The gate terminal of the amplifying transistor 501 acts as an input terminal 506. Therefore, the amplifying transistor 501 is fed at its gate terminal with an input potential Vin. The source terminal of the amplifying transistor 501 acts as an output terminal 507. Therefore, the source terminal of the amplifying transistor 501 takes an output potential Vout. The input/output relation of the source follower circuit at this time is Vout=Vin−Vb.
Comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the amplifying transistor 406 corresponds to the amplifying transistor 501. The biasing transistor 411 corresponds to the biasing transistor 502. It can be thought that the switching transistor 401 is omitted from FIG. 5, because the conductive state is imagined. The potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 corresponds to the input potential Vin (i.e., the gate potential of the amplifying transistor 501 or the potential at the input terminal 506). The potential at the signal output line 403 corresponds to the output potential Vout (i.e., the source potential of the amplifying transistor 501 or the potential at the output terminal 507). The power line 409 corresponds to the amplification side power line 503.
In FIG. 4, therefore, a relation of Vout=Vpd−Vb is deduced by setting the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 to Vpd, by setting the potential of the bias signal line 410, i.e., the bias potential to Vb, by setting the potential of the signal output line 403 to Vout and by setting the potentials of the power reference line 412 and the biasing power line 413 to 0 V. When the potential Vpd at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 changes, therefore, the potential Vout also changes so that the change in the potential Vpd can be read as the signal to read the optical intensity.
Next, the signal timing chart at the pixel 409 is illustrated in FIG. 6. At first, the resetting transistor 407 is turned conductive by controlling the reset signal line 405. Then, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is charged up to the power potential Vdd or the potential of the power line 409. In short, the pixel is reset. Then, the reset signal line 405 is controlled to turn the resetting transistor 407 nonconductive. After this, the photodiode 404 generates the electric charges according to an optical intensity if irradiated with light. Therefore, the electric charge stored by the resetting action is gradually released. In other words, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 becomes lower. Where a dark light is irradiating, the discharging rate is also low so that the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 does not become so low. Where a bright light is irradiating, the discharging rate is so high that the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 drops at a high changing rate.
At an instant of time, the switching transistor 401 is turned conductive to read the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 as the signal. This signal is proportional to the intensity of the light. Then, similar actions are repeated by turning the resetting transistor 407 conductive again to reset the photodiode 404.
Where a very bright light is irradiating, however, the electric charge of the photodiode 404 is released so much that the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 becomes to a very low level. However, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 does not become lower than the potential at the P-channel terminal of the photodiode 404, i.e., the potential of the power reference line 412. When an intense light irradiates, therefore, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 becomes low. When this potential becomes lower and lower down to the potential of the power reference line 412, it does not change any more. This situation is called the "saturation". In this saturation, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 does not change so that the correct signal, i.e., the signal according to the optical intensity cannot be outputted. Within the normal action range, therefore, it is necessary to prevent the photodiode 404 from being saturated.
Here, the period from the time when the pixel is reset to the time when the signal is outputted is called the "storage period". In short, the storage period is the time period, for which the signal is being stored by irradiating the light receiving unit of an image sensor with the light, and is called the "storage term" or the "exposure period". For the storage period, the photodiode 404 is storing the electric charge generated by the light. For the different storage periods, therefore, the totals of the electric charges, as generated with the light, are different even for an identical light intensity, so that the signal values become different. For example, a bright light causes a saturation for a short storage period. Even a dark light will cause a saturation if the storage period is long. In short, the signal is determined by the product of the optical intensity and the storage period.
FIG. 6 illustrates the case of one pixel. Here will be described the case in which the pixels are arrayed in a matrix shape. In this case, the signals of the pixels are read out as outputs for each row. On the other hand, the storage period has to be equal for all pixels. Therefore, the resetting has to be done for each row. As a result, the timing for the resetting and the timing for outputting the signals are different for the individual rows. Therefore, the storage period is equal for the pixels of all rows, but the storage times are different. With these restrictions, however, the signals of the individual rows can be read out at random. Therefore, the reading method of this case is the random reset/read method.
In the pixel 408, on the other hand, the switching transistor 401 is turned conductive to read the signal from the photodiode 404. However, the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is connected with the gate terminal of the amplifying transistor 406. Even if the signal is read, therefore, no change occurs in the state (e.g., the charge or potential) of the photodiode 404. In other words, the signal of the photodiode 404 can be read many times without changing the state of the photodiode 404. Therefore, it can be said that the reading in the active sensor is a non-destructive reading.
Here will be described the transistors in the pixel 408. On the polarity, the transistors are frequently of the N-channel type. It is rare, but the resetting transistor is of the P-channel type (as should be referred to FIG. 11 of pp. 9 of JIEC Seminar: Survey of Development of CMOS Cameras, Feb. 20, 1998). On the other hand, the amplifying transistor and the selecting transistor, which are both N-channel types, are frequently arranged, as shown in FIG. 4, by connecting the power line 409 and the amplifying transistor 406, by connecting the amplifying transistor 406 and the switching transistor 401, and by connecting the switching transistor 401 and the signal output line 403. The arrangement is rarely effected by using both the transistors of the N-channel type to connect the power line 409 and the switching transistor 401, the switching transistor 401 and the amplifying transistor 406, and the amplifying transistor 406 and the signal output line 403 (on pp. 180 of ISSCC97: A ¼ Inch 330k Square Pixel Progressive Scan CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor).
The MOS sensor has been described hereinbefore. Here will be described CCD sensor.
At first, the CCD sensor can be coarsely classified into two in accordance with the signal transfer method in the CCD. One is the frame transfer type CCD, and the other is the interline transfer type CCD. Basically, both the CCDs act in the bucket relay method. Specifically, a signal is transferred to an adjoining pixel, and another signal is received from another adjoining pixel. These actions are repeated. These actions are made for all pixels and are repeated to transfer the whole signals. Only a signal of a certain pixel cannot be read by itself but is transferred to an adjoining pixel at all times.
The frame transfer CCD shares the light receiving unit and the signal transferring unit. In the actions, the light receiving unit performs the photoelectric conversion to store the electric charge and transfers the signal to an adjoining light receiving unit (i.e., transfers a signal to an adjoining pixel and receives another signal from another adjoining pixel). In this method, an electric charge is mixed, if generated by a new light while the signal is being transferred, into the signal being transferred. This makes it necessary to shut the light while the signal being transferred. Therefore, a mechanical shutter is used to shut the light.
In the interline transfer CCD, the transfer CCD is arranged separately from the light receiving unit. The action is to transfer the signals, which are stored in the light receiving unit, all at once to the transfer CCD. After this, the transfer CCD transfers the signals (i.e., transfers a signal to an adjoining pixel and receives another signal from another adjoining pixel). The interline transfer CCD is shut from the light, and the light receiving unit and the CCD unit are separated. Even if the light is produced in the light receiving unit while the signal is being transferred, therefore, it is not mixed into the signal being transferred. Therefore, no problem arises even if the light is irradiating while the signal is being transferred.
The timing of the resetting of the CCD sensor is different from that of the case of the MOS sensor. In the case of the MOS sensor, the signals are read out one by one or row by row from the pixels so that the resetting is done one by one or row by row. In the CCD sensor, on the other hand, the reading is started all at once from all pixels. In order to equalize the storage periods, therefore, it is necessary to reset the pixels all at once. As a result, all the pixels are reset simultaneously and the singles are outputted from all the pixels simultaneously. Therefore, the storage periods are equal for all pixels, and the storage times are identical. Thus in the CCD sensor, the pixels are reset all at once and are read all at once. Therefore, this reading method is called the batch reset/read method.
In the CCD sensor, on the other hand, the electric charge, as stored by the light receiving unit, is transferred. After the signal has been once read, the state (i.e., the charge or potential) of the light receiving unit changes. In other words, the signal of the light receiving unit cannot be read without changing the state of the light receiving unit. Therefore, it can be said that the reading in the CCD sensor is a destructive reading.
On pp. 47 (CCD for Digital Camera Steered from Exclusive Devotion to Pixel Number to Improvement in Sensitivity) of Nikkei Electronics (No. 732), Dec. 14, 1998, and on pp. 159 (Appearance of CCD Directed to Personal Computer Camera) of Nikkei Electronics (No. 634), Apr. 24, 1995, there is introduced the method of the CCD sensor. On pp. 261 of Nikkei Electronics (Solid Image Pickup Element Cameras Having Been Reported These 18 Years) of Nikkei Electronics, Sep. 14, 1992, there have been introduced differences between the MOS sensor and the CCD sensor.
Here will be described the sensor unit for the photoelectric conversion. The CCD sensor and the MOS sensor have no special difference in the sensor unit. Usually, a PN type photodiode is used to convert a light into electricity. The sensor unit is further exemplified by a PIN type diode, an avalanche diode, an npn buried type diode or a Schottky diode. Another sensor unit may be a photoconductor for an X-ray or a sensor for an infrared ray. This sensor unit is described in "Fundamentals of Solid Image Pickup Element—Device of Electronic Eyes" of Nippon Rikoh Shuppankai written by Takao Ando and Hirohito Komofuchi.
Here will be described appliances suited for the sensor. This sensor is used not only in the ordinary digital still camera or scanner but also in the X-ray camera. This camera may use a photoconductor for converting the X-ray directly into electric signals or may read the light which has been converted from the X-ray by a fluorescent material or a scintillator. On pp. 203 of Euro Display 99 (X-ray Detectors based on Amorphous Silicon Active Matrix), there has been described the case in which the X-ray is converted into the light by the scintillator and the light is read out. On pp. 21 of IEDM 98 (Amorphous Silicon TFT X-ray Image Sensors), it has been reported that the light is read by means of amorphous silicon. On pp. 45 of AM-LCD99 (Real-Time Imaging Flat Panel X-ray Detector), it has been reported that the light is read by means of the photoconductor.
Next, it will be considered what range the optical intensity of an image falls under when the object is to be read by using the CCD or MOS image sensor.
In the first case of the digital still camera, the optical intensity of the object ranges from the black state to such a bright state as experienced by observing the sun directly. Thus, the optical intensity of the object can take a range from 0 to infinity. Therefore, the image sensor to be employed here is required to have a wide dynamic range for the incident light. As a matter of fact, however, the image sensor has a limited dynamic range so that the imaging has to be done for a standard object illuminance. If the object illuminance is improper, a flash is frequently used. Alternatively, the shutter is used to adjust the exposure time. The shutter of the digital still camera has two kinds: a mechanical shutter and an electronic shutter. The mechanical shutter shuts the optical slit mechanically as in the case of the silver salt camera. The electronic shutter changes the storage period by adjusting the drive signal of the image sensor.
On the other hand, the scanner is mostly prepared with a dedicated light source. Even if the object had a reflectivity of 100%, therefore, the range of the intensity of the light to enter the image sensor is known in advance. In other words, a more intense light than that of the dedicated light source will not enter. Thus, the storage period may be so set that the output signal may be saturated where the reflectivity is the highest (as usually experienced by the white paper).
The potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 hardly changes, when the optical intensity is low, but highly changes when the intensity is high. Where the optical intensity is extremely high, however, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 drops as low as the potential at the P-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 and may be saturated. The potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 does not change any more, if saturated, so that the image cannot be correctly read. Even in the high optical intensity, therefore, the storage period has to be so shortened for adjustment as to prevent the saturation.
If the storage period is excessively shortened, however, it may end although the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 changes a little. In this case, the signal amplitude is reduced to degrade the image quality.
It is, therefore, desired to prevent the saturation and to enlarge the signal amplitude even where the optical intensity is high. This desire can be satisfied if the storage period is so adjusted that the signal to be outputted may take a value just before the saturation. It is found from the description thus far made that the optimization of the storage period is important.
It is, therefore, assumed that the image is taken for examining the optimum storage period. This image pickup will be called the "trial imaging".
In the case of the CCD sensor, the reading method is the batch reset/read method, by which the signals are transferred as if they were relayed in buckets. This method makes it impossible to reset or to read out the signals for every pixels. In other words, it is impossible to use the random reset/read method. Where the signals of one frame are read, therefore, the storage periods of all pixels are equalized. In one image pickup, the storage periods cannot be changed for every pixels. Because of the destructive reading, on the other hand, the image pickup has to be done over again after one trial.
It is assumed in the situations described above that the trial imaging is done by setting the storage period to a value and by reading the signals of one frame. In this case, however, the signals may have been saturated already. Then, the trial imaging has to be redone. Moreover, it is necessary to set the tentative storage period again. In this case, however, it is unknown what value the tentative storage period has to be set to. What is known is that the tentative storage period may be shorter than the storage period at the time of the first trial imaging. If the storage period is shorter, the signal amplitude may be so small that it cannot be correctly read out. If the storage period is still longer, the trial imaging has to be done once more.
Here will be illustrated an example of the case described above. FIG. 7 illustrates a change in the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode after reset. Since the period just before the saturation is the optimum storage period, it is found from FIG. 7 that the storage period is optimum at the period 10 till the reading.
In order to find out the optimum period, a first trial imaging is done. Since the optimum storage period is absolutely unknown at this time, it is assumed that the trial imaging is done for a storage period of 20. At this time, however, it is found from FIG. 7 that the saturation has been already completed. Therefore, a second trial imaging is done for a storage period of 15. However, the saturation has been still completed. Therefore, a third trial imaging is done over again for a storage period of 8. Then, the saturation is not completed so that the signal value according to the optical intensity is outputted. The storage period is analogized from the signal value at this time.
In this example, the trial imaging is done three times. The time period necessary for the trial imaging is as long as 20+15+8=43, as shown in FIG. 8.
Thus, for the CCD sensor, it is seriously difficult to find out the optimum storage period.
Thus, there has been described the storage period for preventing the signals from being saturated. Here will be described the difficulty for the signals to be precisely read where the object to be imaged has close graduations (or brightnesses).
FIG. 9 shows a signal timing chart at the pixel 409. At first, the resetting transistor 407 is turned conductive by controlling the reset signal line 405. Then, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is charged to the power potential Vdd or the potential of the power line 409 so that the pixel is reset. Then, the resetting transistor 407 is turned nonconductive by controlling the reset signal line 405. After this, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 becomes lower if the photodiode 404 is irradiated with a light. Where the photodiode 404 is irradiated with a dark light, the amount of the discharge is so little that the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 does not become so low. Where photodiode 404 is irradiated with the bright light, the amount of the discharge is so much that the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 becomes extremely low.
At a point of time, moreover, the potential at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 is read out as the signal by turning the switching transistor 401 conductive.
Here, it is assumed that the photodiode 404 is irradiated with lights of similar intensities. The potentials at the N-channel terminal of the photodiode 404 in this case are so close, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Therefore, it is made difficult by the influences of noises or dispersions to detect the potential difference.

Abstract: In the method for driving the MOS sensor having a plurality of pixels, after all the plurality of pixels are simultaneously reset, signals are then sequentially outputted from said plurality of pixels. The period from the reset time to the time just before said plurality of pixels output saturated signals is termed as the storage period.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Provided is a charged particle beam device or charged particle microscope permitting observation of even a large-sized specimen in the air atmosphere or a gaseous atmosphere.

In order to observe a microscopic region of an object, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or transmission electron microscope (TEM) is employed. In general, in these devices, a second housing in which a specimen is disposed is evacuated in order to bring a specimen atmosphere to a vacuum state, and the specimen is then imaged. There is an intense need for observation of a specimen, which is damaged with vacuum or has the state thereof changed with vacuum, such as a biochemical specimen or liquid specimen using an electron microscope. In recent years, an SEM permitting observation of an object-of-observation specimen under the atmospheric pressure, a specimen retention device, or the like has been developed.
The foregoing devices have, in principle, a thin film or a microscopic through hole, which can transmit an electron beam, disposed between an electron optical system and a specimen so as to partition a vacuum state and atmospheric state. The devices have in common the thin film disposed between the specimen and electron optical system.
For example, patent literature 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-245944) has disclosed an invention of an environmental cell in which a specimen to be observed is stored in a petri dish-like cylindrical container having an aperture, through which an electron beam is passed, formed in the top side thereof, the cylindrical container is put in a second housing of an SEM, a hose is joined with the cylindrical container from outside the second housing, and the interior of the container can thus be sustained in the air atmosphere on a pseudo basis. Herein, the "pseudo basis" signifies that when the interior of the second housing is evacuated, since a gas flows out through the aperture, observation is not strictly performed under an atmospheric-pressure environment.
Patent literature 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-294365) has disclosed an atmospheric pressure SEM having an electron source side of an electron optical lens barrel oriented downward and an objective lens side oriented upward, and having a thin film, which can transmit an electron beam, formed over an exit hole for the electron beam at the distal end of the electron optical lens barrel with an O ring between them. According to an invention described in the literature, an object-of-observation specimen is placed directly on the thin film, a primary electron beam is irradiated from the undersurface of the specimen, and reflected electrons or secondary electrons are detected for SEM observation. The specimen is retained using an annular member disposed around the thin film. The atmospheric pressure SEM preferable for observation of, especially, a liquid specimen is realized by the invention disclosed in the patent literature 2.
Patent literature 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-188821) has disclosed an invention of a small-sized SEM, which permits SEM observation without use of a second housing by retaining a compact electron optical lens barrel in a shroud and overlaying the shroud undersurface with a vacuum seal material so as to bring the entire shroud into close contact with an object of observation, other than an invention of an atmospheric pressure SEM.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device that adopts a thin film which partitions a vacuum atmosphere and the air atmosphere (or gaseous atmosphere) includes a charged particle optical lens barrel in which a charged particle optical system is stored, a housing in which a route along which a primary charged particle beam emitted from the charged particle optical lens barrel reaches the thin film is sustained in the vacuum atmosphere, and a mechanism that bears the charged particle optical lens barrel and first housing against a device installation surface. As the bearing mechanism, a housing having an opening through which a large-sized specimen is carried in or a mechanism having a shape other than the shape of the housing, such as, a post is adopted.


The present disclosure discloses a logistics information acquisition method and system for transnational transport. The method and system of the present invention provide a user with a one-stop full-logistics query service, unify full-logistics information of transnational transport into one query portal for query, thus a user simply needs to query once to acquire transnational transport information from shipped to final delivery between a transporter in country of origin, one or more of transporters in transit countries, and a transporter in final destination country. With the method in the present disclosure, it eliminates the need for the user to query logistics information of transnational transport on each respective of websites of the transporters in all countries, thereby greatly reducing logistics query time, and improving logistics query efficiency, and having significant meanings for the related practitioners in cross-border eCommerce industry.

The domestic parcel distribution market is mature, but in order to meet the requirements of the cross-border eCommerce business and the demand of the global society, the emerging multinational markets continue to grow. The national postal company is a postal system that operates primarily in a specific country, such as the United States Postal Service Corporation or the Italian Postal Group. At present, most of the national postal companies around the world do not provide global visualization for end-to-end distribution services. As a result, companies and individuals must rely heavily on other transporters to distribute parcels internationally. A similar situation exists in the commercial logistics industry, since receiving points/delivering points in transnational transport is widely distributed, and it is impossible for an independent commercial logistics company to complete the whole process of the transnational transport, even for DHL, the world's leading mail and logistics company, a part of transnational transport is performed by a cooperative relay station.
For example, although the national postal company is allowed to be used for international distributions on for example e-commerce sites, the international logistics tracking and payment capabilities of the services provided by the national postal company are limited and uncoordinated. This is because most postal companies offer domestic postal and commercial logistics options rather than the complete "postal service options" from one country to another country. As a result, the buyers are forced to rely on private shipping companies, which normally provide international shipping with expensive shipping rate. In addition, buyers also may find it difficult to pay in the seller's currency.
The global postal companies are only responsible for the domestic part of transport while the foreign part of transport will be taken on by each respective country's postal company. Therefore, the parcel information mostly includes a process of the domestic transport rather than a process of the foreign postal company, and similarly, some commercial logistics also only include a process of the domestic transport.
It is such a great challenge for the postal companies who are participating in cross-border logistics to provide the tracking information query of the parcels they carry. Today, postal companies only have limited capabilities for tracking parcels between countries, as each domestic postal company may use various of different query methods and/or codes.
A very important feature of the transnational transport is the difference in logistics environments of different countries, especially the difference of logistics soft environment. Under the laws applicable to different logistics in different countries, the complexity of transnational transport is much higher than that of the domestic logistics in one country, and the transnational transport may be even blocked. In different countries, different economic and technology development levels, the transnational transport is supported by different technology conditions, and even some technologies simply cannot be applied to some regions, which reduces a whole level of the transnational transport system. Due to the fact that different countries have different standards, it is difficult to realize transnational logistics integration, which makes it difficult to establish a transnational transport system. The transnational transport is also limited due to customs and culture of different countries. In addition, different transporters differ in query methods, like different languages, as well as different description methods of information and different ways of presentation, which makes the query process cumbersome, difficult and not easy to understand or the like.
Information described in the background part is only intended to provide an understanding for an overall background of the present disclosure, rather than being regarded as admitting or implying that the information is the conventional technology known by those skilled in the art in any manner.

Logistics information acquisition method and system for transnational transport


A wearable garment includes sensor device of well-know design that are selectively pressed against the skin of the wearer when it is desired to obtain sensor readings, such as heart rate or temperature, or to apply treatment such as electrical pulses for defibrillation purposes. The garment incorporates one or more bands of flexible material that circumscribe portions of the wearer's body, with at least one sensor device positioned on the garment between the band and the wearer's body. To assure the comfort of the wearer, the circumference of the band can be shortened selectively from a first dimension, which loosely circumscribes a desired portion of the wearer's body, to a second, lesser dimension, which more tightly circumscribes the wearer's body and presses the sensor-securely into contact with the wearer's skin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sensors used in the electrical treatment and monitoring of human and animal bodies. More specifically, the invention relates to wearable garments that allow sensor devices to be pressed selectively against the skin of the wearer when it is desired to obtain medical information or to apply treatment by contact with the surface of the skin.
2. Description of the Invention
Sensing and treatment devices for contacting the surface of the skin are well-known in the art. It is also well-known that such devices require tight-fitting, e.g. elevated unit pressure, contact with the skin. However, the incorporation of such sensors into wearable garments that provide for applying sensors to the skin of a wearer with selective and/or variable pressure, is not well-known.
In the prior art, sensors are either adhered directly to the skin of the wearer using well-known types of adhesive materials or, they are tightly strapped to the user's body using suitable straps or bands having buckles or other clasping mechanisms adapted to the purpose. Such prior art apparatus for affixing sensors to the skin of a user do not take the user's comfort into consideration by allowing the pressure of the sensor against the skin to be increased easily only when the sensor is in use.
The present invention overcomes these problems and limitations of the prior art by allowing sensors to be pressed against the skin of a wearer selectively, only when needed or desired. The sensors are mounted on the inside of a wearable garment, and the garment incorporates circumscribing bands that can be reduced in diameter, selectively, to press the sensors against the skin of one wearing the garment.

Selectively applied wearable medical sensors