Devices and methods for implementing cell-based assays and long-term cell culture. The device and method are based on digital microfluidics (DMF) which is used to actuate nanoliter droplets of reagents and cells on a planar array of electrodes. DMF method is suitable for assaying and culturing both cells in suspension and cells grown on surface (adherent cells). This method is advantageous for cell culture and assays due to the automated manipulation of multiple reagents in addition to reduced reagent use and analysis time. No adverse effects of actuation by DMF were observed in assays for cell viability, proliferation, and biochemistry. These results suggest that DMF has great potential as a simple yet versatile analytical tool for implementing cell-based assays and cell culture on the microscale.

The cell is the irreducible element of life and is often studied as a living model of complex biological systems. Cells are often studied in vitro, i.e. in culture, in a homogeneous medium either suspended (anchorage independent cells) or attached to a surface (anchorage dependent cells). The majority of mammalian cells are anchorage dependent, i.e. adherent. In culture, they grow in layers usually attached to plasticware (tissue culture polystyrene) in cell culture growth media under controlled conditions (incubators with humidified atmosphere at 37° C. with 5% CO2). Adherent cells often divide until the surface on which they are attached is fully covered—they divide and cumulate to form a confluent monolayer. Upon reaching confluency, cells are subcultured (i.e., passaged, split), by harvesting and splitting the population of cells into smaller populations that are further cultured. Some cultures are semi-adherent, and grow as a mixed population where a proportion of cells does not attach to the tissue culture flask and remains in suspension. To maintain this heterogeneous population both the attached cells and the cells in suspension must be subcultured.
Cell-based assays are conventionally performed in well plates that enable simultaneous analysis of multiple cell types or stimuli. For such multiplexed analyses, cells are cultured and assayed in wells holding microliter-milliliter volumes. Cell response to stimuli in well plates is often evaluated using microplate readers, which can be integrated with fluid handling and other miscellaneous equipment in a robotic analysis platform. A major drawback of such systems is the expense of the instrumentation and the experimental consumables (e.g., plates, pipette tips, reagents, and cells). The latter is a particular disadvantage for cell-based assays as they are generally more complex and require larger amounts of reagents than cell-free assays.1
Recently, microfluidics has been touted as a solution to the challenges inherent in conducting multiplexed cell-based assays.2 The conventional format for microfluidics, which is characterized by devices containing networks of micron-dimension channels, allows integration of multiple processes on a single platform while reducing reagent consumption and analysis time. There are numerous advantages of using microfluidic based systems for cell assays, some of which are self-similarity in dimensions of cells and microchannels (10-100 μm widths and depths), laminar flow dominance and formation of highly resolved chemical gradients, subcellular delivery of stimuli, reduced dilution of analytes, and favorable scaling of electrical and magnetic fields. For the last ten years, researchers have used microchannels to manipulate and sort cells, to analyze cell lysates, to assay intact-cell biochemistry, and to evaluate cell mechanical and electrical responses. In most of these studies, cells were exposed to one stimulus or to a limited number of stimuli.
There have been just a few attempts to conduct multiplexed assays as it is difficult to control many reagents simultaneously in a complex network of connected channels, even when using microvalve architectures developed for microfluidic devices.3 In addition, there have been only a few microfluidic devices integrated to multiplexed detection instruments such as microplate readers;4 we believe this will be a necessary step for the technology to become competitive with robotic screening systems. Finally, we note that advancements have been made towards long-term cell culture and cell assays in microfluidic systems; however, there are no reports on passaging cells in microchannels or in other microsystems.
A potential solution to the limitations of the channel-microfluidic format is the use of "digital" or droplet-based microfluidics. In digital microfluidics (DMF), discrete droplets containing reagents are manipulated by sequentially applying potentials to adjacent electrodes in an array.5-14 Droplets can be manipulated independently or in parallel on a reconfigurable path defined by the electrode actuation sequence, which allows for precise spatial and temporal control over reagents. As with all microscale techniques, cross-contamination is a concern for DMF, but this phenomenon can be avoided by dedicating separate paths for each reagent. DMF has been used to actuate a wide range of volumes (nL to μL) and, unlike channel devices, there is no sample wasted in creating small plugs for analysis. In addition, each droplet is isolated from its surroundings rather than being embedded in a stream of fluid—a simple method of forming a microreactor in which there is no possibility that products will diffuse away. The preservation of products in a droplet is of great importance in cell assays targeting molecules secreted from cells into extracellular space. In addition, droplets provide mostly static fluid conditions without unwanted shear stress that is inevitable in continuous flow microfluidics. A further advantage of DMF is its capacity to generate nanoliter samples by translating droplets through selective wettability areas on an electrowetting-based platform.15
There is currently much enthusiasm for using DMF to implement multiplexed assays; however, it has only been applied to a few non-cell assays. To the inventors' knowledge, there are no reports of the use of DMF to analyze cells. There are a few studies demonstrating only dispensing and manipulation of droplets containing cells, cell sorting, and cell concentration on a DMF platform. WO 2007/120241 A2 entitled "Droplet-Based Biochemistry"16 discloses dispensing and dividing droplets containing cells, generating droplets with single cells, detecting a type of cell, and sorting cells. US20070148763 A1 entitled "Quantitative cell dispensing apparatus using liquid drop manipulation"17 describes cell droplet handling, to achieve a predetermined number of cells. In a journal paper by Fan et al,18 dielectrophoresis was used to concentrate neuroblastoma cells within droplets on a DMF platform.
It would be very advantageous to provide droplet-based cell culture and/or assays using digital microfluidics in order to enable automated cell micro-culture and high-throughput screening ability for cell analysis. DMF has a high potential to address many problems associated with standard culture and assaying in well-plates or in continuous-flow microfluidic devices.

Cell culture and cell assays using digital microfluidics

The Governing Council of the University of Toronto


A metal automobile frame including a number of extruded, constant-section linear bars welded to one another at structural nodes defined by connecting bodies with pockets for housing the linear bars. A pierced linear bar includes a number of tabs, each of which is located inside the pierced linear bar, extends perpendicularly from a side of the pierced linear bar, and is sized so as not to interfere with the opening in the pierced linear bar.

A metal automobile frame of extruded members comprises a number of extruded, constant-section, linear bars welded to one another at structural nodes defined by connecting bodies with pockets for housing the ends of the linear bars.
The linear bars are hollow, and normally have a closed polygonal cross section. At certain points on the frame, openings must be formed through one or more linear bars to house component parts of the automobile, as, for example, at the attachments for the front or rear suspensions.
Forming an opening in one wall of a linear bar, however, locally reduces the mechanical strength of the bar, which must be compensated by increasing the thickness, and therefore greatly increasing the weight, of the bar.

Metal automobile frame of extruded members


Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide analog to digital conversion of an analog input. A multistage modulator using a feed-forward technique can alternately convert integrated samples of the analog input to digital representations. For example, the modulator is arranged to alternately output the digital representations to form a digital representation of the analog input.

Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) convert time-discrete analog input values to a digital form. A type of ADC, the Σ-Δ modulator, digitizes the analog input values, and then analogizes the digital output signal by means of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), generally feeding the analog value back to at least a subsequent analog input value. Σ-Δ modulators may be operated at a high frequency, making them usable in many communications applications. Accordingly, a distribution of the quantization noise, which results from quantization errors, can be achieved by means of a larger spectral range. The quantization noise can then be better eliminated from the digital output signal with the aid of suitable filters, for example.
One form of noise shaping, in the case of Σ-Δ modulators, includes shaping the quantization noise by feeding back a digital output signal (in analog form) to an earlier stage of the modulator, when the modulator is designed with multiple stages. In some examples, however, the use of multiple stages and/or a network of switched capacitors can result in a level of power consumption that is undesirable.


A method of rapid sample handling in a production environment for laser processing of individual microelectronic die is particularly suited for handling partially fabricated die and die which are susceptible to mechanical and electrostatic damage, such as backside illuminated CCDs requiring backside dopant activation and laser texturing of sidewalls. Securing a die within a modified sample holder provides for electrostatic and mechanical protection during laser processing. Placing the modified die holder onto a feeder base portion that engages a "tractor-feed" translation subsystem protects the die during a translation and positioning of the die below and aligned with a laser processing structure. A window holder is engaged with the die holder to seal the die in a processing chamber and to assure an appropriate pressurizing with a gaseous ambient for a desired processing. Illuminating, repetitively if desired, the die in the chamber with a laser beam of appropriate size, laser fluence, repetition rate and number of pulses processes the die. Next, the processed die is translated from beneath laser processing structure while the next die is correctly positioned for processing.

Laser processing of materials has exhibited enormous growth since the commercial availability of the excimer laser in the late 1970s. Materials processing has been investigated in the realm of organic polymers, ceramics, metals and semiconductors. Semiconductor processing of silicon for VLSI applications range from laser-assisted etching, as disclosed in S. D. Russell et al's. "Excimer Laser-Assisted Etching of Silicon Using Chloropentafluoroethane," in R. Rosenberg et al., eds., In-Situ Patterning: Selective Area Deposition and Etching, Mater. Res. Soc. Proc., vol. 158 (1990), p. 325; chemical vapor deposition (CVD), in the article "Laser-Induced Plasmas for Primary Ion Deposition of Epitaxial Ge and Si Films by D. Lubben et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, Vol. 3 (1985), p. 968; and alloy formation, see J. R. Abelson et al., "Epitaxial Ge.sub.x Si.sub.1-x /Si (100) Structures Produced by Pulsed Laser Mixing of Evaporated Ge on Si (100) Substrates", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 52 (1988), p. 230; to name a few. Laser activation of ion implanted dopant has long been known as an alternative to conventional furnace annealing, as discussed in A. E. Bell's "Review and Analysis of Laser Annealing," RCA Review, vol. 40 (1979), p. 295; and L. D. Hess et al.'s "Applications of Laser Annealing in IC Fabrication", in J. Narayan et al., eds., Laser-Solid Interactions and Transient Thermal Processing of Materials, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., vol. 13 (1983), p. 337. Techniques such as Gas Immersion Laser Doping (GILD) have proven valuable in the formation of shallow junctions in bulk silicon; refer to R. J. Pressley's, "Gas Immersion Laser Diffusion (GILDing)", in C. C. Tang, ed., Laser Processing of Semiconductor Devices, Proc. SPIE, vol. 385 (1983), p. 30. In addition, examination of excimer laser annealing of implant damage in bulk silicon has been demonstrated in D. H. Lowndes et al.'s "Pulsed Excimer Laser (308 nm) Annealing of Ion Implanted Silicon and Solar Cell Fabrication" and disclosed in J. Narayan et al., eds., Laser-Solid Interactions and Transient Thermal Processing of Materials, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., vol. 13 (1983), p. 407. Excimer lasers recently have been used in the fabrication of complex devices such as the bipolar transistors applications, see K. H. Weiner et al.'s "Thin-Base Bipolar Transistor Fabrication Using Gas Immersion Laser Doping", IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., vol. 10 (1989), p. 260; and S. D. Russell et al.'s, "Bipolar Transistors in Silicon-On-Sapphire (SOS): Effects of Nanosecond Thermal Processing", in IEEE SOS/SOI Technology Conference Proceedings (1990). Excimer lasers also recently have been used in the fabrication of backside illuminated CCDs as described in the pending patent applications referred to above.
Processing of semiconductor compounds often involves the use of toxic, corrosive, flammable, and pyroforic gases. This adds enormous constraints on the processing techniques and sample handling involved in order to provide equipment and operator safety. Laser processing complicates these issues by the requirement of a contained processing environment to meet OSHA regulations for class IV lasers. The prior art in microelectronics laser processing has met these requirements using complex systems which can introduce a variety of gases into a processing chamber at a predetermined pressure, with subsequent evacuation of the effluent. Such a system is described in detail in the pending patent application of S. D. Russell et al.'s "Excimer Laser-Assisted Etching of Silicon Using Halocarbon Ambients", U.S. Ser. No. 07/501,707. However, this typical research type vessel is inappropriate for high volume production sample handling. Similar complex chambers have been reported by S. Palmer et al. in "Laser-Induced Etching of Silicon at 248 nm by F.sub.2 /Ne," Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Technical Digest Series 1988, vol. 7 (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1988), p. 284. In addition to inefficient sample exchange, handling of microelectronic die that are highly susceptible to mechanical damage, such as backside illuminated CCDs which have thin membranes, about 10 microns in thickness, and devices which are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, cannot be readily handled with these designs, even in low volume research environments.
Alternative techniques have been used for laser processing in applications that do not require the use of dangerous gases. Two examples are laser activation of ion implanted dopant and laser ablation of polymers. The procedure used for the former process involves the use of a single wafer holder, which is evacuated to a base pressure (nominally 20 millitorr) and backfilled to atmospheric pressure in an inert ambient such as argon. Ablation of polymers may take place in air; therefore, exhaust schemes are used to remove particulates from the sample being processed. One technique has been marketed by Image Micro Systems. The complexities in imaging an excimer laser to a small uniform spot for ablation applications requires careful integration of the optics, sample positioning, and exhaust system. Such a commercially available system utilizes a microscope stage for micropositioning of the sample, but is not designed for rapid sample exchange or handling. Wafer handling prevalent in the semiconductor industry has been incorporated into some systems, for example, the excimer laser planarization system by XMR. In the above systems, generally, single sample handling is involved and there are no obvious modifications for handling mechanically and/or electrostatically fragile die for laser processing. Schemes using complex optical recognition with robotic pick-and-place methods would still be difficult with the mechanical and ESD constraints
Thus, it is evident that advances in laser processing has moved this technique into the realm of a production tool and the need is apparent for novel sample handling techniques which can combine rapid sample handling with the optical, mechanical and gas handling constraints unique to this technique. A need exists for a method of rapid sample handling in a production environment for laser processing of individual microelectronic die in an inert or nontoxic/non-corrosive ambient which is particularly suited for handling partially fabricated die, and die which are susceptible to mechanical and electrostatic damage. It is particularly applicable for backside illuminated CCDs requiring backside dopant activation and laser texturing of sidewalls as described in the above referenced pending patents.

Method of rapid sample handling for laser processing

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


A method for producing colloidal graphene dispersions comprises the steps of: (i) stirring graphite oxide in an aqueous dispersion medium to form a dispersion; (ii) determining if the dispersion is optically clear in a light microscope at 1000 fold magnification after 1 to 5 hours of stirring, and, if not clear, removing any undissolved impurities in the dispersion, in order to form a colloidal graphene oxide dispersion, or a multi-graphene oxide dispersion, that is optically clear in a light microscope at 1000 fold magnification; and (iii) thermally reducing the graphene oxide, or multi-graphene oxide, in dispersion in the aqueous dispersion medium at a temperature between 120° C. and 170° C. under pressure in order to ensure that the dispersion medium is not evaporated to form a stable colloidal graphene dispersion or a stable multi-graphene dispersion. Using the method used for the preparation of the starting dispersion a graphene or a multi-graphene dispersion is obtained that can be further processed to multi-graphene with larger inter-planar distances than graphite. Such dispersions and multi-graphenes are suitable materials in the manufacturing of rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

The term graphene designates a one atom thick planar sheet of sp2-hybridized rings with 6 carbon atoms. Perfect graphenes consist exclusively of hexagonal cells. Cylindrical graphene layers are termed carbon nanotubes. The term graphene may also be used when features of single layers in graphite are discussed. Such features are, e.g., reactivity or undergone reactions, respectively, or structural relations.
Graphene layers may be produced by suitable abrasion, mechanical exfoliation or chemical vapour deposition. One such method is the so-called Scotch-Tape-Method [10]. In this method single layers are removed from a graphite crystal and transferred to a sample holder.
In a recently described chemical vapour deposition method is disclosed, wherein, prior to being able to generate a graphene layer, a SiO2/Si substrate has to be covered with a thin Ni layer, and this coated substrate has to be subjected to a specific gas treatment. For making the graphene layer usable to coat other substrates, the Ni or the SiO2 layer has to be dissolved. Such graphene films had very good electrical, optical and mechanical (e.g. bending) properties [9].
Another method is to heat silicon carbide to high temperatures (1100° C.) to reduce it to graphene. This process produces a layer, the extent of which is dependent on the size of the SiC substrate used, and, due to the expensive starting material, is quite expensive and also limited in use due to the high temperature needed.
Graphene is quite different from most solids. Graphene behaves as a semi-metal or "zero-gap" semiconductor and has a remarkably high electron mobility at room temperature.
Aqueous dispersions of carbonaceous material, such as graphite, graphene or carbon nanotubes, are described in the literature. The production of aqueous graphite dispersions from graphite with preferred particle sizes between 1 μm and 50 μm or 100 μm, respectively, stabilized by various dispersants, has been described (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,580 and WO2007/031055). Up to 20% by weight or up to 70% by weight, respectively, graphite may be dispersed in water.
Dispersions of carbon nanotubes with a nanotubes content of 2% are, e.g., obtainable by stabilization with the dispersing aid polyethylene glycol [1] or via chemical functionalizing of the carbon nanotubes [2].
WO2008/048295 describes a method for stabilizing graphene layers in a solvent by means of polymer coating. An about 0.065% by weight graphene based material is obtained. The colloidal graphene dispersion is provided by reduction of dispersed graphite oxide using hydrazine hydrate.
Dan Li et al. [3] describe that the aqueous solution may be electrostatically stabilized by ammonia resulting in a graphene based material with graphene content of about 0.015% by weight. Also Dan Li et al. prepared the colloidal graphene dispersion from a graphite oxide dispersion by reduction with hydrazine hydrate. The reduction with hydrazine hydrate as disclosed in the state of the art results in a C/O ratio of below 13.5, meaning that at most about 80% of the oxygen has been removed [4, 5, 6].
Another method for reduction of graphite oxide is thermal reduction. Dependent on the desired production conditions, purity conditions and reduction conditions, the thermal reduction of graphite oxide powder is slow up to a temperature of about 200° C., and then becomes boisterous [7]. Reduction at this temperature results in an elimination of about 65% of the oxygen, 10% of the carbon, and most of the hydrogen, due to the formation of CO, CO2 and water. Heating to higher temperatures results in continuous further reduction. A temperature of about 1000° C. is required for removal of about 90% of the oxygen. Thus produced graphite material can no longer be dispersed in water to form a colloidal dispersion.
Hence, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a method for producing stable colloidal dispersions of graphene in solution, in particular, colloidal graphene dispersions that do not need any dispersant.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide stable dispersions of single and multiple graphene layers.
It is also an object of this invention to provide uses of such graphene dispersions.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-graphene with improved intercalating features that may, e.g., advantageously be used for the production of electrodes in rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

Stable dispersions of single and multiple graphene layers in solution


Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide the improvement or recovery of a duty cycle of a clock signal. One embodiment of the present invention receives a clock signal that may have a degraded duty cycle. The frequency of the clock signal is divided by two. The frequency-divided signal is delayed in order to generate two signals that are phase shifted from one another by 90 degrees. These signals are then exclusive-ORed together to generate a recovered clock. A control loop is provided to adjust the phase shift between the signals to be approximately 90 degrees.

The present invention relates to clock circuits for integrated circuits generally, and more particularly to circuits for improving the duty cycle of clock signals on integrated circuits.
Digital and mixed signal integrated circuits use clock signals to transfer data from one circuit block to another, to time data, to ensure that data flows through the chip in an orderly sequential manner, and for other purposes.
The duty cycle of these clock signals should generally be close to 50 percent to ensure optimum circuit performance. That is, for each cycle, the clock signal should be at a logic low level and a logic high level for nearly equal durations. This promotes reliable clocking of circuits and their data. A clock signal having a duty cycle that deviates far from 50 percent may have such short high or low times that the clock signal is not seen by a circuit being clocked. Also, some circuits transfer data on each edge of a clock signal, that is, on each rising and falling edge. Other circuits clock data on a rising edge but communicate with another that clocks data on the falling edge—if the edges are too close data may not transfer from one circuit to the next.
The duty of a clock may become distorted by many circuit phenomena. For example, the edge rates provided by a driving circuit may be mismatched due to process variations or other mismatches. That is, a clock driver may provide rising edges that are faster that its falling edges. Also, the trip point or threshold may not be centered for a driving circuit that is receiving and amplifying a clock signal. Capacitive loading and inductive effects can also distort a clock signal's duty cycle.
Traditional solutions include circuits such as phase-locked loops that can recover or regenerate a clock signal's duty cycle. But these circuits are large and tend to consume a great deal of power and die area.
Thus, what is needed are circuits, methods, and apparatus for recovering or regenerating a clock signal's duty cycle without the use of complicated circuitry.


An implantable medical device (30) for treating aortic dissections includes a stent graft part (34) having a bulbous section (48) of greater radial diameter than the radial diameter of first and second sections (60,62) of the stent graft part (34). The bulbous section (48) is able to close off the false lumen (10) of an aortic dissection, thereby to prevent any fluid backflow into the false lumen (10). Radiopaque markers (70) may be provided for orientation and deployment purposes. The device (30) is able to treat chronic dissections and reduce false lumen backflow, which remains otherwise an unresolved issue in the endovascular treatment of false lumen aneurysms.

An aortic dissection is a form of aneurysm which often occurs in the descending aorta, in which the wall of the vessel tears to such an extent that blood under pressure passes between inner and outer layers of the torn wall to expand part of the wall into an inflated sac or path of blood, referred to as a false lumen. The false lumen so formed may extend some distance along the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta and open out into the aorta again further down from the tear.
It has been found that dissections may self-heal if the proximal entry tear is covered to prohibit blood flow and pressure connection between the true and the false lumen at the proximal part of the dissected aorta. Consecutively the inner, separated, layer of vessel wall is pressed against the outer layer and the vessel wall may remodel over time. This can usually be achieved by the use of a stent graft positioned in the true lumen covering the proximal entrance to the false lumen and by means of a stent graft disposed along the length of the inner layer. The stent acts to cover intimal tears, which are connections between the true and the false lumen. They also press the inner wall layer against the outer wall layer and secure patency of the true lumen. It has been found, however, the vessel wall can remodel, that is become unitary again more likely if the wall layers are pressed together shortly after having separated. Once the dissection has become chronic, that is, it has existed for any length of time, it becomes less likely to achieve remodelling of the vessel wall. In such a circumstance, the wall layers remain separate and the false lumen persists. Dissections may remain undetected in a patient for significant periods, in which case they may be treated before becoming chronic.
While there is a false lumen in the vessel there is the risk of blood backflow through the downstream opening into the false lumen. This backflow maintains pressure in the false lumen and in particular between the inner and outer vessel wall layers. Such backflow contributes to a failure to close off the false lumen, aneurysmal widening of the false lumen and eventual risk of rupture of the outer vessel wall.
An example of a known dissection device and method is disclosed, for instance, in WO-2011/0270377.

Device and method for treating vascular dissections


An apparatus for releasably attaching a fiber optic module to equipment is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a latch configured to releasably attach the fiber optic module to equipment. The apparatus further comprises a pushrod configured to deactivate the latch from a back end of the fiber optic module, wherein the fiber optic module is released from the equipment. In one embodiment, the fiber optic module is a high-density fiber optic module. The pushrod may be further configured to maintain a position of the latch. The pushrod may also be further configured to be positioned in a groove disposed in a side of a main body of the fiber optic module, wherein the pushrod and the groove are configured to prevent the pushrod from binding while moving within the groove.

Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to fiber optic modules and fiber optic modules that releasably latch to equipment racks or cabinets.
Technical Background
Benefits of optical fiber include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise transmission. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to, broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Fiber optic networks employing optical fiber are being developed and used to deliver voice, video, and data transmissions to subscribers over both private and public networks. These fiber optic networks often include separated connection points linking optical fibers to provide "live fiber" from one connection point to another connection point. In this regard, fiber optic connection equipment, which is also referred to as fiber optic equipment, is located in data distribution centers or central offices to support interconnections.
The fiber optic equipment is customized based on application need. The fiber optic equipment is typically included in housings that are mounted in equipment racks for organizational purposes and to optimize use of space. One example of such fiber optic equipment is a fiber optic module. A fiber optic module is designed to provide cable-to-cable fiber optic connections and manage the polarity of fiber optic cable connections. A fiber optic module may be mounted to a chassis or housing which is then mounted inside an equipment rack or cabinet. The fiber optic modules may also contain components including optical components. Due to increasing bandwidth needs and the need to provide a larger number of connections in data centers for increased revenue generating opportunities, a need exists to provide fiber optic modules that can facilitate larger numbers of fiber optic connections in a given space.
In order to facilitate larger numbers of fiber optic connections in a given space, fiber optic equipment supporting high-density fiber optic modules that support a high fiber optic connection density and bandwidth in a 1-U or 1-RU space (U and RU hereinafter referred to as "U") may be used. In this environment, high-density fiber optic modules have a limited form factor in order to fit in the small 1-U space, which limits the interior space of the high-density fiber optic modules. It may be advantageous to maximize the limited interior space of the high-density fiber optic modules.

Fiber optic modules with pushrod activated latches and apparatuses for releasably attaching fiber optic modules to equipment


The invention comprises a process for the preservation of timber, wood or wood based products with a boron based preservative. The preservative comprises a mixture of boric acid or boron oxide with one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of methanol and ethanol.

Compounds of boron have been used as preservatives for timber for many years. Typically such compounds of boron are applied to timber to be treated by dipping of the timber in a bath or the like comprising of an aqueous solution of the boron compound. After, dipping the timber must remain under non-drying conditions for sufficient time for the boron to diffuse into the timber, which can be of the order of weeks or some months, and thus the preservation process is relatively time consuming. In commercial terms it is desirable to minimise standing time for timber stocks.
The more rapid preservative treatment of timber with a boron compound by treating the timber with the boron preservative in the vapour phase is known. Some compounds of boron are either low boiling point liquids or gases. When placed in contact with timber or wood-based products, selected compounds undergo chemical reaction with the wood or residual wood moisture whereby boron as compounds of boron is deposited in the timber. For example, on contact with wood trimethyl borate reacts, it is believed with wood moisture, to deposit in the wood material as boric acid.

New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd.


A rotating lamp comprises a translucent globe, a shaft portion, arranged in the globe, made of a material containing metal, an LED device provided on the shaft portion, a rotatable support member rotatably set along the outer peripheral direction of the shaft portion, a reflecting mirror supported by the rotatable support member for reflecting light received from the LED device, a driving portion rotating/driving the rotatable support member and a heat radiating portion provided on the shaft portion. Thus, heat generated in LED devices can be discharged and a problem resulting from heat can be solved.

A rotating lamp employing an incandescent lamp for a light source is known in general. However, the rotating lamp employing an incandescent lamp is disadvantageously burned out in a short period, consumes high power and requires much labor for maintenance/management.
Therefore, an LED device has recently been increasingly employed as the light source for a rotating lamp. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-163903 (Patent Document 1) describes an exemplary rotating lamp employing LED devices as a light source.
In the rotating lamp described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-163903, a plurality of LED devices are radially arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of a discoidal holder for forming a light source, and a rotating tapered annular reflector is provided around this light source.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-163903


An implantable device is described. An implantable transducer converts between electrical energy and acoustic energy. An implantable electronics module is in communication with the transducer and processes electronic data signals associated with the transducer. A fluid filled catheter has a proximal end coupled to the transducer, and a distal end having a distal opening to cerebrospinal fluid in an implanted patient.

The following discussion of implantable devices uses the specific example of the auditory system and cochlear implants. But the present invention is not limited to that specific application and is extensible to other implantable systems and devices, including without limitation brain-related functioning and corresponding cranial implants.
FIG. 1 shows the anatomy of a normal human ear. A normal ear transmits sounds through the outer ear 101 to the eardrum 102, which moves the three bones of the middle ear 103, which in turn excites the cochlea 104. The cochlea, or inner ear, 104 includes an upper channel known as the scala vestibuli 105 and a lower channel known as the scala tympani 106, which are connected by the cochlear duct 107. In response to received sounds, the stapes, a bone of the middle ear 103, transmits vibrations via the fenestra ovalis, (oval window) 114, to the perilymph (cerebrospinal fluid) of the cochlea 104. Vibrations in the cerebrospinal fluid are dissipated out of the fenestra rotunda (round window) 115. As a result, the hair cells of the organ of Corti are excited to initiate chemical-electric pulses that are transmitted to the cochlear nerve 113, and ultimately to the brain.
Some patients may have partially or completely impaired hearing for reasons including: long term exposure to environmental noise, congenital defects, damage due to disease or illness, use of certain medications such as aminoglycosides, or physical trauma. Hearing impairment may be of the conductive, sensory neural, or combination types.
There are several types of middle- and inner-ear implants that can restore a sense of partial or full hearing. Implants often include various electromagnetic transducers that may function as an actuator, a sensor, and/or a switch. An example of an implant with an electromagnetic actuator is a middle ear implant which mechanically drives the ossicular chain, the three bones of the middle ear that mechanically connect the eardrum to the oval window. Another example of an implant with an electromagnetic actuator is a middle ear implant that mechanically drives the tympanic membrane.
Another type of implant relies on direct electrical stimulation of the nerves in the inner ear. For example, intra-cochlear electrodes can restore some sense of hearing by direct electrical stimulation of the neural tissue in proximity of an electrode contact. These electrodes are typically located on the end of an electrode carrier that is threaded into the cochlea. The electrodes are connected to, for example, an implanted signal processor which communicates with an external signal processor that produces an electrical stimulation signal for the implanted electrodes to stimulate the cochlear nerve.
In order to treat certain inner ear disorders, it is often necessary to deliver therapeutic agents directly into the cochlea. An example of a system for delivering therapeutic agents to the inner ear is a catheter that is inserted into the cochlea via the round window. The end of the catheter might be infused with a therapeutic agent that is released into the cerebrospinal fluid. The catheter might also include a fluid reservoir with a solution of the therapeutic agent that is in fluid communication with the cerebrospinal fluid. Alternatively, the catheter might include a fluid filled lumen containing a solution of the therapeutic agent that is in fluid communication with the cerebrospinal fluid. Delivery of therapeutic agents to the cochlea is described further in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/374,505, filed Mar. 13, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Remote sensing and actuation of fluid in cranial implants


A GPS receiver having a fast time to lock to a GPS signal by storing a time period of an incoming GPS signal in a signal memory and rapidly comparing the signal memory against locations in a replica memory having stored GPS signal replicas. The GPS receiver includes a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory for storing a millisecond of a digitized GPS signal, a replica memory section for storing replicas representative of the digitized GPS signal for all possible frequency differences between the GPS carrier frequency and a local reference frequency and phase offsets between the GPS code phase and a local reference time, and a GPS memory comparator for comparing the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in replica memory and issuing an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to spread spectrum receivers and more particularly to a GPS receiver and a method using memory comparisons to achieve a fast acquisition of a GPS signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When first locking to a global positioning system (GPS) signal, a GPS receiver contains uncertainties as to the exact carrier frequency and code phase transmitted from any particular GPS satellite. The carrier frequency uncertainty is due to the unknown difference in frequency between the clock in the GPS receiver and the clock in the particular GPS satellite and the Doppler frequency shift due to their relative motion. The code phase uncertainty is due to the unknown time offset between the GPS receiver and the particular GPS satellite. In order to acquire the GPS signal and achieve lock on the GPS signal, the GPS receiver must resolve both of these uncertainties.
Typical existing GPS receivers perform a trial and error search algorithm in which a code tracking module generates a replica code signal based upon an assumption of the GPS carrier frequency, typically termed a frequency bin, and the GPS code phase; and compares the replica signal to the incoming GPS signal over a period of the GPS code. If the replica and the incoming GPS signal match, the GPS signal is said to have been acquired. If they do not match, the replica code is shifted by one chip and compared again until all possible code phases have been tried. If match has been found after all code phases have been tried, the frequency bin is changed and the code phase shifting and replica comparisons are performed again, and so on until a match is finally found or the GPS receiver concludes that the GPS satellite having that code is not visible. Because each incoming C/A code period is one millisecond long and there are 1023 possible code phases it take about one second to search through all code phases. A typical GPS receiver may require forty frequency bins resulting in a total of about forty seconds to search the GPS signal for a single GPS. There are thirty-two GPS satellites so the total time to acquire and lock to the GPS signal from one GPS satellite may be several minutes. This is considerably longer than is desirable for some GPS applications. For example, when first turned on or when coming out of a tunnel or a parking garage, a GPS receiver having a fast time to first fix begins providing useful information sooner than a slower GPS receiver. Or, a battery operated GPS receiver having a fast time to first fix will operated longer on its battery than a slower GPS receiver. Existing GPS receivers increase the speed of GPS signal acquisition by using multiple replica signals generated in parallel. However, such parallel processing increases expense and power consumption.
Once the GPS receiver acquires and locks to one GPS satellite the number of frequency bins that must be searched to acquire and lock to the GPS signal from additional GPS satellites is reduced because the carrier frequency from the first GPS satellite may now be used as the frequency reference in the GPS receiver. Once the GPS signal from four or more GPS satellites are acquired and locked, a first fix for a GPS-based location and time is derived from information in the GPS signal.
Several workers have developed schemes to improve the time to first fix. For example, Rodal et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,453 describes a GPS receiver having a rapid acquisition of GPS satellite signals and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,708 describes a GPS receiver having an initial adjustment for compensating for drift in reference frequency. Niles in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,593 describes a method and apparatus for accelerating code correlation searches in initial acquisition and Doppler and code phase in re-acquisition of GPS satellite signals. However, there continues to be a need to improve time to first fix by reducing the time to acquire to the GPS satellite signal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a receiver having a fast time to acquire a desired incoming signal by storing and then comparing a certain time period of an incoming signal to stored replicas of the desired signal having modulations of the desired signal, likely modulation phase differences between the desired signal and local receiver clocks, and likely carrier frequency differences between the desired signal and the local receiver clocks; and then adjusting the local receiver clocks according to the particular stored replica that matches the stored period of the incoming signal.
Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, a spread spectrum receiver stores and compares a single period of the repeating spreading code of a digitized incoming signal to stored digital replicas of the desired signal having all desired spreading codes and all likely code phase and carrier frequency differences between the desired signal and the local receiver clocks. The stored incoming signal period is played against the stored replicas until a match is detected. Acquisition of the incoming signal is achieved by adjusting phase and frequency of the local receiver clocks according to the particular stored replica that matches of the incoming signal.
A GPS receiver of the present invention includes an antenna for receiving a GPS signal, a filter/LNA for filtering and amplifying the GPS signal received by the antenna, a downconverter for frequency downconverting the filtered and amplified GPS signal, an intermediate frequency (IF) processor for digitizing the downconverted signal, a synthesizer for generating local oscillator signals for the downconverter and IF processor and providing frequency and time references, a C/A code tracking module for tracking the GPS signal once it has been acquired, a microprocessor system for interfacing and controlling the elements of the GPS receiver, and a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory, a replica memory, and a GPS memory comparator. The signal memory stores one millisecond of the digitized GPS signal. The replica memory stores replicas representative of one millisecond of the digitized GPS signal where the replicas have the pseudorandom (prn) codes for the GPS system for all phase offsets in increments of one chip between the time for the GPS code phase and the reference time and all likely frequency differences in increments of one kilohertz between the GPS carrier frequency and the reference frequency. The GPS memory comparator compares the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in the replica memory and issues an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold. Information for the particular replica that causes the acquisition signal is then used by the microprocessor system to adjust the frequency and time references in the C/A code tracking module to match the frequency and time of the incoming GPS signal, thereby acquiring the GPS signal.
An advantage of a GPS receiver of the present invention is that a GPS signal is acquired at least an order of magnitude more rapidly than it is acquired in a GPS receiver using the traditional method of comparing a single phase and frequency of a GPS replica to one millisecond of the incoming GPS signal, shifting the phase or frequency and comparing to the next millisecond of the GPS signal, and so on until a match is found.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various figures.

Receiver having a memory search for fast acquisition of a spread spectrum signal


The present invention relates to a liquid crystal alignment agent, a liquid crystal alignment film made by the liquid crystal alignment agent and a liquid crystal display element having the liquid crystal alignment film. The liquid crystal alignment agent includes a polymer (A) and a solvent (B). The polymer (A) is synthesized by reacting a mixture that includes a tetracarboxylic dianhydride compound (a) and a diamine compound (b). According to the specific diamine compound (b) and an amount of the same, the aforementioned liquid crystal alignment agent has better pretilt angle stability.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal alignment agent, a liquid crystal alignment film and a liquid crystal display element having thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates a liquid crystal alignment agent that has excellent pretilt angle stability, a liquid crystal alignment film formed by the liquid crystal alignment agent, and a liquid crystal display element comprises the liquid crystal alignment film.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there is a requirement of the wide view angle of the liquid crystal display element, thus the requirements of the electrical properties and display properties have become stricter. In wide view angle liquid crystal display element, the vertical alignment liquid crystal display element is widely studied. For meeting better electrical properties and display properties, liquid crystal alignment film becomes one of the important factors.
The liquid crystal alignment film of the vertical alignment liquid crystal display element is used to regularly align the liquid crystal molecules with a larger pretilt angle when the electrical field is not applied. For producing the aforementioned liquid crystal alignment film, a liquid crystal alignment agent having polymers such as polyamic acid or polyimide is firstly coated on a surface of the substrate, being subjected to a thermal treatment and an alignment treatment, thereby obtaining the liquid crystal alignment film.
JP Patent No. 2893671 discloses a polyimide for producing the liquid crystal alignment agent of vertically aligned liquid crystal display element. The polyimide is synthesized by polymerizing a tetracarboxylic dianhydride compound and a diamine compound having a cholesterol skeleton.
The aforementioned liquid crystal alignment film can keep the liquid crystal molecules at 88° to 89° of the high pretilt angle to achieve excellent liquid crystal alignment properties. However, the liquid crystal alignment film still has a defect of lower pretilt angle stability, thereby drastically reducing the display quality of the liquid crystal display element.
Accordingly, there is a need to improve the aforementioned disadvantages for meeting the requirements of the liquid crystal alignment agent.

Liquid crystal alignment agent, liquid crystal alignment film and liquid crystal display element having thereof


The present invention provides a method for detecting the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample, said method comprising: a porous surface to which particles having attached thereto a binding substance, analyte and binding substance coated label particles are added. If said analyte is present in the sample an immuno- or chemical reaction occurs in the liquid phase. The separation of bound complex from unbound material is achieved by using said surface where the separation occurs mainly two dimensionally on the surface of the porous surface (e.g. grid). Interestingly, the disclosed surface enables a separation where said complexes are distributed two dimensionally on the porous surface (e.g. grid), whereas unbound materials are distributed three dimensionally. Accordingly, said surface enables both a two and a three dimensional separation.

Several methods use immunoassay techniques for detection and quantification of antigen in a specimen. Two types of immunoassay systems are currently used. In a homogeneous system, the assay is performed in a single phase. In a heterogeneous system, the immunoassay is performed in two steps. The additional step is needed to separate bound material from unbound. Typically, a solid support surface is used as a bound phase, to which antibody or antigen is attached via adsorption or chemical bonding. Many kinds of solid support surfaces have been developed to improve the performance of an immunological reaction and the efficacy of the separation step.
Particles have been used as a mobile solid phase in agglutination assays to improve the efficiency of the immunological reaction between antibody and antigen. In said system, soluble antigens/antibodies will combine with specific antibodies/antigens bound onto the particles resulting in precipitates of insoluble antigen-antibody immunocomplexes on the surface of the particles. In solid phase immunoassays, the sensitivity of the assay can be increased by washing the solid phase bound immunocomplex, which results in more complete separation of unbound material and thus in increase of signal to noise ratio. Additionally, microparticles of various compositions have also been used in an effort to increase the surface area of the solid support.
Particle based agglutination assays are well-known for those skilled in the art. The original agglutination assays exploited single sized particles as polystyrene particles i.e. latex particles. A method to overcome the low sensitivity of the agglutination assay especially when assaying small quantities of an analyte is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,617, where two different coated particulate reagents are used. Said particles may be of different size. Said method does not involve a separation of unbound material from the agglutinate using a filtration process.
Prior art documents acknowledge a number of publications disclosing assay techniques which rely on the use of a porous member such as a membrane, filter or other matrices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,901, EP-B-180638 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,019 disclose a member to which is bound a receptor for the target analyte and a second member to draw liquid added to the first member. When a liquid sample is added, the liquid flows through and the receptors in the member bind the analyte present in the sample. After the addition of the sample, another receptor for the analyte which is labelled is added to permit detection. Suitable labels being an enzyme, radionuclide or fluorescent label. When an enzyme label is used a disadvantage is that a colouring forming substrate must be added to the membrane.
EP-B-253579 discloses a further embodiment of the above mentioned member-based technique. The embodiment takes advantage of microspheres which are entrapped within the interstices of the porous membrane in order to embrace a means for fixing receptor or anti-receptor to the porous member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,056, EP-B-389003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,080 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,622 disclose membrane based flow through assays exploiting particles onto which antibodies or antigens have been retentioned. The size of the particles is not critical although it is preferred that the size is smaller than the average pore size of the fibrous matrix.
Three dimensional membranes are commonly used for separation of immunocomplex from unbound material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,949 discloses an immunoassay using finely divided particles as a solid phase for the first binding component (substance). The soluble, second binding components are labelled with a signal generating material. The soluble, non-particle bound, labelled binding component used in this method has lower specific activity compared to binding component labelled with a particle bound label. This results in the loss of sensitivity of the assay. The method uses a three dimensional membrane for filtering the immunocomplex and separating the unbound material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,335 discloses an immunoassay where a biological specimen, colloidal gold labelled ligand or anti-ligand, and solid phase capture particles coated with ligand or anti-ligand are applied on a porous film. The particles captured on the membrane are visually inspected for colour.
GB Application No. 2123146 describes an assay method accomplished in a dual channel optical-electrical cell counter or in a fluorescence microscope. The disclosure involves first and second microscopic particles having different detectable properties by performing said assay methods. Said application does not disclose any separation of unbound material from agglutinate using a filtration process. A biological fluid is intermixed with particles, whereafter their different properties are measured.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,366 comprises a method where a test mixture is formed by contacting a sample with coloured particles which bear on their surface receptors specific for the ligand. When the test mixture is passed through a filter having apertures larger than the particles but smaller than the aggregates, the aggregates are removed from the filtrate and the colour of the filter/filtrate is analysed. The document discloses that the used small particle size is more advantageous with regard to aggregate formation than larger particles used in prior art techniques. However, the use of small particles is disadvantageous since the consumption of ligand or anti-ligand on the particle is higher the smaller the particles are.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,222 discloses a different approach where microparticles are attached to nanoparticles labelled with fluorescence dye. The particles are attached to each other by their surface functional groups. This invention comprises a core or carrier particle having on its surface a plurality of smaller polymeric particles. When different fluorescence dyes are used, multiple fluorescence emission is obtained by a light source excitation. By varying the quantity and ratio of different populations of nanospheres, it is possible to establish and distinguish a large number of discrete populations of carrier particles with unique emission spectra. This approach is useful for multiplex analysis of a plurality of analytes in a sample.
As disclosed in the above review of prior art, particles alone or together with different applications of three dimensional membranes have been used to separate desired analytes from a sample. However, there is often unspecific binding of labelled binding substance due to the porosity of the membrane. Thus, the signal to noise ratio is low, due to a high background signal, when using three dimensional membranes. Hence, three dimensional membranes require considerable washing to reduce unspecific binding.
In addition to the methods disclosed above, assays exploiting, for example, magnetic beads are also well known for those skilled in the art.
The methods disclosed in the above prior art documents rely mainly on visual detection of analyte and are, therefore, not sensitive enough to measure low concentrations of analyte. Moreover, the level of signal created by the label is not, in all circumstances, intensive enough.
More sophisticated methods in the art apply the change in electrical current to indicate presence of analyte in sample. Field effect transistors coated with a layer of antibody in the gate region are utilised, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,757 to detect antigen-antibody reaction by a change of charge concentration of the transition.
A tagged reagent which reacts with the analyte-reagent complex or with the reagent to change the electrical reactance of the surface is added in U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,335.
An immunologic reaction can also be measured by a voltameric immunoassay as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,144, where one immunoreactant is labelled with an electroactive substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,646 discloses a method where an antigen-antibody layer is sandwiched between two conducting layers and where the electric capacitance of the resulting laminate is measured.
Another type of capacitance-measuring technique which exploits a pair of electrodes coated with a substrate and immersed in a medium containing a material which specifically binds with the substrates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,576.
It is also possible to combine a change effect signal detection with an enzyme immunoassay technique as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,300.
However, the above electrical methods did not meet the needs of a simple, fast, sensitive, inexpensive and easy-to-use method to perform an immunodiagnostic assay.
A method intended to solve the above mentioned disadvantages is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,748 where antigen or antibody-labelled colloidal gold particles are employed optionally with silver enhancement in a new immunodiagnostic method. The complex so formed causes full or partial completion (closing) of an essentially open electrical circuit. A further embodiment comprises a pair of spaced-apart electrical conductors, particularly conductive layers disposed on a substantially non-electrically conductive base. There is a space between the conductors defined as a path or channel. Means forming an electrical circuit is contacted to each of the conductors so that the channel constitutes a break in the circuit. The binding reaction between the pair of substances is responsible for fully or partly bridging the break in the circuit. One such means involves adhering one of the substances to the surfaces of electrically conductive particles.


There is provided a nonaqueous electrolyte that can suppress swelling of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 contains a lithium salt, vinylene carbonate, and a compound represented by general formula (1) below. In the general formula (1), X is an alkylene group with 2 to 4 carbon atoms that may have a substituent. Rf is a fluorine-containing linear or branched alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms. R is a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms that may have a substituent.

Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as lithium secondary batteries have been widely used in electronic devices such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and PDAs.
In general, a carbon material such as graphite is used for a negative electrode active material of nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. However, when a carbon material is used for a negative electrode active material, an organic solvent or the like contained in a nonaqueous electrolyte is decomposed by reduction at a surface of an electrode in the charge−discharge process of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, resulting in the generation of gas and the deposition of decomposed products. This poses problems such as the decrease in charge−discharge efficiency and the degradation of charge−discharge cycle characteristics.
For example, PTL 1 discloses, as a method that overcomes the above problems, a method in which vinylene carbonate is added to a nonaqueous electrolyte.

Nonaqueous electrolyte and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery


A secure browsing manager intercepts load calls, and determines whether intercepted load calls are attempting to load code into the browser. When the secure browsing manager detects that a load call is attempting to load code into the browser, it determines whether that code is trusted. The secure browsing manager processes the attempt to load the code into the browser according to whether or not the code is trusted. If the secure browsing manager determines that the code is trusted, it allows the code to be loaded into the browser, thereby securely allowing the benefits of loaded code. If the secure browsing manager determines that the code is not trusted, it blocks the attempt to load the code into the browser, or alternatively takes other actions, such as allowing the code to be loaded into the browser, but blocking certain user initiated activity.

Various browsers support the loading of third party code into the browser to add additional functionality and customize the browsing experience. For example, Microsoft's Internet Explorer® supports Browser Helper Objects (BHOs), which are specialized dynamic link libraries that supplement and customize the browsing functionality.
While code loaded into a browser such as a BHO can be used constructively, such code can also be used maliciously, for example as a vehicle for crimeware. Since BHOs and the like are loaded as part of the browser, they have complete access to the contents of the browser, and thus can access confidential information transmitted to web sites, such as passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.
What is needed are methods, systems and computer readable media for allowing only trusted code to be loaded into a browser, thereby allowing the benefits of loaded third party code without compromising security.


A method and apparatus for configuring an electronics device. The method includes receiving, by the electronics device, a request for a command to perform a predetermined operation by the electronics device and sending the command in response to receiving the request. The electronics device then receives a signature based upon the command, whereupon the electronics device verifies the signature by the electronics device and, following an affirmative verification, executes the command for performing the predetermined operation. In this way, the electronics device may be reconfigured remotely without knowledge of the particular command for performing the predetermined operation by the electronics device.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to configuring or reconfiguring characteristics of an electronics device, and more particularly to securely configuring the electronics device without knowledge of the configuration command therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's electronics devices are sophisticated machines, performing numerous operations oftentimes through use of a controller executing embedded firmware. There are times when it is desired to change specific sensitive settings in an electronics device in a secured and controlled fashion in order to protect the device from unauthorized attacks by hackers. In the case of an imaging device such as a printer, it may be desirous to change the region setting or cartridge set that is accepted by the printer. Due to the advanced state of reverse engineering, storing a symmetric key or private key on the printer or on a client machine's disk greatly reduces the complexity involved in stealing the key. Therefore, a secure signing system should be put in place in order to protect the stored key(s). Flexibility and additions drive additional cost in new infrastructure or in the printer's components. In this specific case, adding a new printer model/Network Protocol Alliance (NPA) command would require an infrastructure change.
In protocols commonly used today, a piece of data is signed by one party and then verified by another party in order to be authentic. In this case, both parties need to know the data that is being transferred. For example, a printer (the device) may be initially configured to be a printer for a first OEM customer and therefore only accept cartridges from the first OEM. To change that printer to accept cartridges from a different OEM customer, a command (xxyyzz) is sent to the printer. To verify that the command is valid and sent from a known source, the command is signed and then sent to the printer using a private and public key pair. Upon reception of the signature, the printer then verifies the validity of the signature and changes its configuration to accept different OEM cartridges.
To further improve the security, the printer's unique serial number can be used which binds the signature to only that specific printer. To perform this operation, the signing party must know the command that the printer accepts and read the serial number from the printer. This requires knowledge of the commands the printer accepts and how to read the serial number. Specifically, knowledge of what data is to be changed, the new data values and the command to perform the change are necessary for each particular configuration capable of being changed. For a number of different models of devices provided by a manufacturer, the knowledge necessary to be able to suitably configure each device of each device model becomes a significant undertaking.
Based upon the foregoing, there is a need for an improved process for configuring an electronics device, such as a printer.

Method and apparatus for configuring an electronics device


Techniques for enabling secure communications between IM modules are provided. An IM is received from a first IM client for a second IM client at a first IM module. It is determined if the second IM client can receive IMs through a second IM module that is capable of receiving secure communications from the first IM module. If the second IM module is capable of receiving secure communications from the first IM module, an encrypted IM is sent from the first IM module to the second IM client. The encrypted IM is received at the second IM module, which decrypts the IM and sends the decrypted IM to the second IM client.

The present invention generally relates to instant messaging (IM) and more specifically to systems and methods for providing secure IM communications over IM networks.
With the advent on the Internet, users have been provided with a fast electronic means of communicating with each other. For example, instant messaging (IM) allows users to interact in real-time by trading text messages or any other messages (e.g., file transfers, images, etc.) through the Internet. IM is commonly performed over public instant messaging (PIM) networks. For example, a Yahoo! IM client can send text messages to other Yahoo! IM clients through a public instant messaging network maintained by Yahoo!. These IM communications are typically not encrypted (and hence not secure).
When IM communications are not secure, the text messages (also known as "IMs", for short) can be intercepted by unintended parties. For example, IMs may be sniffed by third parties as the messages traverse a PIM network. Accordingly, entities, such as businesses, may not wish to adopt IM applications for the fear that privacy/confidentiality may be compromised during IM communications among their employees and between the employees and customers, partners, family, friends, and others. Thus, these businesses are unable to take advantage of the convenience and efficiency that instant messaging provides.
One method that has been developed for sending encrypted IMs is encrypting an IM at an IM client. This solution includes many disadvantages. For example, it is very time consuming and error prone to configure every IM client in a business organization with the special module that encrypts IMs sent from the IM client and decrypts IMs received by the IM client. Additionally, it is very expensive to procure and maintain a certificate used for encrypting IM messages for each IM client installation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for secure IM communications using an IM module


The present disclosure teaches a device and method for simulating energy consumption by a multi-functional printing device. The device includes a processor and a computer readable memory, the memory including instructions for causing the processor to perform the method. The method includes loading an activity log comprising a plurality of jobs, loading a first strategy from a plurality of strategies, simulating each of the plurality of jobs at the printing device according to the first strategy, determining a first amount of power required by the printing device to perform the plurality of jobs, determining a second amount of power consumed by the printing device between performing the plurality jobs, creating a report including estimated power consumption by the multi-functional printing device to complete the plurality of jobs according to the first strategy, and causing the report to be displayed.

The present disclosure relates to simulating energy consumption. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to simulating energy consumption and determining one or more strategies for energy conservation.
Many office devices such as printers, copiers and multifunction devices (e.g., a single device capable of scanning, printing, faxing and/or copying) are capable of operating in one or more modes. For example, when a device is not used for a given period of time, the device may enter a "sleep" mode. During a sleep mode, various components in the device go into low power operation or are turned off completely. For example, a copier's fuser may be turned off, motor drives and controllers may be shut off, and communication interfaces may be put into a low power, low speed mode. Once the device receives a request to perform a specific function, the device may exit sleep mode and operate as normal.
Some office devices may also include one or more energy saving modes that are designed to use less power and other resources than normal operating mode while attempting to reduce any impact on the productivity of the office device. For example, an office device may include an economy print mode where less ink or toner is used. Similarly, an office device may include a batching print mode where a print job is only processed once a set number of print jobs (e.g., 20) print jobs are received by the device. This limits the number of times the office device is functioning in print mode, thereby reducing the overall power consumed and resources used.
During energy saving modes, the device uses less overall power as compared to normal operating mode and, thus, saves energy costs and various other resources. However, a user of the device has to endure performance losses associated with production losses from energy saving mode. In some instances, the production losses may be of a larger value than the energy or resource savings. As such, a user or an administrator for the device may disable energy saving mode as a means to reduce lost productivity.
Additionally, a multi-function device is capable of performing various tasks such as printing, scanning, faxing, and other similar tasks. To complete each task, the device progresses through various states. For example, a device in a sleep mode may receive a request to print a document. To print, the device must first exit or awake from sleep mode into an idle state where the request is processed. The device can then start printing the document. Once printing is complete, the device returns to idle mode for a period of time. If during the period of time no additional requests are received, the device returns to sleep mode.
Many modern office devices include sophisticated drivers or software configured to operate various functions of the device. Often, one or more drivers monitor energy consumption and power used by the device. However, the energy consumption is related solely to energy consumed performing a task. There is no measurement of the energy used or wasted during the transitions between the various states.

Power consumption simulator for multi-function devices


A radar level gauge (RLG), intended for measuring with a close-range low-power radar a distance to a content surface in a container relatively to a measuring position, which is located above the surface and fixed in relation to a lower boundary of said container. The RLG comprises a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic transmitter pulse, a signal medium interface connectable to means for directing said transmitter pulse towards said surface and for receiving a reception pulse reflected back from said surface, and a receiver for receiving said reception pulse. A switch connects said signal medium interface to said transmitter while said transmitter pulse is transmitted, and said signal medium interface to said receiver while said reflected pulse is received, the switch having a switching time short enough to enable short distance detection.

Pulsed RLG (radar level gauging) is becoming a more widely spread method for industrial level gauging, due to its simple and cost effective microwave components. The pulse in a pulsed RLG can be modulated by a carrier frequency (typically 6 or 24 GHz), or be an unmodulated DC pulse. In the latter case, it is common to use some kind of transmission line (coaxial line, twin line, etc.), sometimes referred to as a probe, is usually used to guide the electro-magnetic signal through the material in the tank where it is reflected by one or more interface surfaces (such as air/liquid) between different parts of the tank content. In the former case a transmission line or wave guide can also be used, but generally an antenna is used to form a vertical radar beam which is reflected at possible interface surfaces.
Pulsed radars typically apply different types of directional coupling. An example of a directional coupler including high speed sampling capabilities is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,198. Directional coupling divides the available power between transmission line and receiving line, thus introducing significant attenuation of both transmitted and received signals, degrading the sensitivity of the system. This is in particular a problem for systems using a DC pulse, since the choice of directional coupler is limited by the extreme bandwidth of such a pulse, which includes also large wavelengths.
For this and other reasons, pulsed systems therefore typically have lower sensitivity compared to frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The sensitivity (ability to detect weak reflections) is an important virtue for any RLG as a high sensitivity may enable the use of a smaller antenna or a longer transmission line, all other parameters held constant.
One way to provide a directional coupling without sensitivity losses is to use a circulator, such as a ferrite circulator. However, such solutions are expensive, and their performance is typically temperature dependent, making them unsuitable for use in radar level gauges.

Radar level gauge with switch for selecting transmitter or receiver mode

Abstract: According to this design, signal losses can be reduced significantly compared to prior solutions.


An LED is provided. The LED includes at least two light emitting units located on a same plane. Each light emitting unit includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer stacked in that order. Each light emitting unit further includes a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer respectively. The active layer of each light emitting unit is spaced from the active layers of other light emitting units. A distance between adjacent active layer ranges from 1 micron to 1 millimeter.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a light emitting diode (LED).
2. Discussion of Related Art
LED modules are widely used as light sources in optical imaging systems, such as displays, projectors, and so on.
A conventional LED commonly includes an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The active layer is located between the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer. The second electrode is located on the P-type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is located on the N-type semiconductor layer. Typically, the second electrode is transparent. In operation, a positive voltage and a negative voltage are applied respectively to the P-type semiconductor layer and the N-type semiconductor layer. Thus, the holes in the P-type semiconductor layer and the electrons in the N-type semiconductor layer can enter the active layer and combine with each other to emit visible light.
However, the efficiency of LEDs is limited by several factors including the visible light emitted from sidewalls of the LEDs cannot be used. Therefore, an external quantum efficiency of LEDs is low.
What is needed, therefore, is to provide a light emitting diode, which can overcome the above-described shortcomings.


A printer comprising a key-in unit, a cartridge detecting unit, a data storage, a ROM, a font memory, a display control unit, a display, a print control unit, a printing unit, and a controller. When a cartridge which contains a printing medium is placed in the printing unit, the color of the printing medium is then determined through the cartridge detecting unit. The user inputs character data, etc., without specifying any print colors from the key-in unit. The input character data is then stored in the data storage. When such input character data is printed, the controller automatically sets the color of a character printing pattern at a color predetermined in correspondence to the color of the printing medium determined through the cartridge detecting unit. The printing unit prints the character data, etc., in the color set by the controller.

The present invention relates to printers capable of performing color printing, and more particularly to a printer capable of performing color printing by means of a simple operation.
Conventionally, tape printers are known which produce a label by printing input character, symbol, and figure data on a tape-like printing medium and which cut the printed tape portion.
One conventional tape printer produces a label by setting a tape cartridge which contains a printing tape and an ink tape in the printer and transferring ink in the ink tape to the printing tape. Thus, the printing colors transferred to the label tape are limited to the color of the ink tape contained in the tape cartridge. Thus, the characters, character ornaments, etc., are all printed in the same color and hence the expression force can be insufficient.
Since a combination of colors of label and ink tapes is fixed for each tape cartridge, a tape cartridge is required to be prepared for each combination of colors of a label and characters to be printed on the label and to be replaced with another, if required. Thus, operation is complicated.
In order to solve such problems, the use of a printing tape cartridge which contains a multi-color printing ink tape could be considered. In this case, even when any one of monochromatic and color printing tape cartridges is set, it is desired to print characters, symbols, etc., appropriately.
It is not preferable to specify a print color when data, for example, on characters to be printed are input with a monochromatic printing tape cartridge having been set because only monochromatic printing can be performed on the tape of the cartridge.
In some cases, data having no color information input in a state where a monochromatic printing tape cartridge is set can be printed in a state where a color printing tape cartridge is set. In this case, there are two possible measures to be taken, one of which is displaying an error message and then stopping the printing, and the other of which is printing all the data in black.
When the printing is stopped, it is required to cause the user either to specify newly a print color or to exchange the set tape cartridge with a conventional one, which is troublesome for the user. The measure to taken to print all data in black nullifies the purpose of using a color printing tape cartridge and only produces the same result of printing as the conventional method.
It is desired that the tape printer should be small and lightweight so as to be easy to carry and inexpensive from a standpoint of its character. Thus, a portable tape printer is only capable of mounting thereon a display having a small display screen in which the number or quantity of data to be displayed is limited. Thus, even when the user tries to set print colors, using this small display screen, it is difficult for the user to finely set the colors of data to be printed and hence the color setting work is troublesome. Therefore, it is difficult to produce a label with an ideal combination of colors. As the case may be, characters and their background can be specified in the same color, which can lead to a failure in which a label on which characters can not be discriminated could be produced.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printer capable of printing input data in appropriate colors even when no print color of the data is specified.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of easily printing data in an expressive colorful manner.


A driver assistance device for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a risk of departure from the lane or from the lane is described, having at least one image-transmitting sensor, an evaluation device, connected to the image-transmitting sensor, for detecting edge-of-lane and/or lane markings and/or edges of lanes in the area sensed by the image-transmitting sensor, and a warning device which is connected to the evaluation device, in which driver assistance device in addition at least one distance-transmitting sensor is connected to the evaluation device, with which sensor the distance from objects which are elevated with respect to the surface of the lane can be determined in the region of the edge of the lane, in particular of a structural boundary of the edge of the lane.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a driver assistance device for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a risk of departure from the road or from the lane.
2. Related Art of the Invention
Modern driver assistance devices for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a risk of departure from the lane or the lane, known as a lane-departure warning system, contribute considerably to increasing road safety through the detection of hazardous situations by outputting acoustic or optical warning signals when there is the risk of departure from the lane or the lane.
Contemporary lane-departure warning systems usually have an image-transmitting sensor for lane detection and lane detection, which sensor is connected to an evaluation device which detects lane markings, edge-of-lane markings and, in some cases, structural boundaries of the edges of the lane as edge-of-lane markings in the area sensed by the image-transmitting sensor. Such lane-departure warning systems typically warn the driver when the motor vehicle enters into contact with or passes beyond the edge-of-lane marking which is detected as the edge of the lane by means of a warning device which is connected to the evaluation device. In such a case, the warning device may both cause a warning signal to be output and bring about an automatic braking or steering intervention.
However, lane-departure warning systems which are equipped with only one image-transmitting sensor are not capable of differentiating between edge-of-lane markings and a structural boundary at the edge of the lane, for example kerb stones, crash barriers or concrete walls so that in particular in sections of a road in which no edge-of-lane markings are provided and a structural boundary forms the edge of the lane these do not reliably and adequately warn of a risk of departure of the motor vehicle from the lane. If, for example, a kerb is detected by such a lane-departure warning system as an edge-of-lane marking, damage to the tyres or the rims of the motor vehicle already occurs if a warning of a risk of departure of the motor vehicle from the lane is not issued until the motor vehicle enters into contact with or passes beyond the supposed marking. This damage and the associated hazard situation, together with the resulting loss of confidence of the driver of the motor vehicle in the reliability of the lane-departure warning system, have an adverse effect on the road safety of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, as a result of faults in the evaluation of the data supplied by the image-transmitting sensor incorrect warnings may easily occur, in particular in regions without edge-of-lane markings.
Furthermore, driver assistance devices are known which have at least two forwardly directed, image-transmitting sensors with which distances can be measured in particular from vehicles travelling ahead or from objects on the lane, in particular so that a vehicle travelling ahead can be followed at a constant distance, or so that, if appropriate, collision prevention measures can be taken by observing the change in the distance. Such driver assistance devices are known, for example, as Adaptive Cruise Control, abbreviated to ACC. The image-transmitting sensors of such ACCs are basically also suitable for detecting the lane markings or edge-of-lane markings, with a reliable distinction between a structural boundary of the edge of the lane and an edge-of-lane marking being impossible owing to the viewing direction of the forwardly directed image-transmitting.
DE 37 38 221 A1 discloses a method and a device for detecting the state of a road, in particular unevennesses on the surface and the edge of a lane, using electromagnetic waves such as light, according to the principle of transit time measurement, with a transmitter emitting measurement beams and a receiver receiving reflected measurement beams which produce signals which are to be evaluated on reception. In this context, by splitting the reflection into component surfaces the useful signal is separated and evaluated by forming differences between the respective transit times of the back-scattering to the receiver. The intention is that, by evaluating the differences between the back-scattered signals of a plurality of transmitters and receivers, a geometric relationship between the change in the signals, and thus also the edge of the lane, is to be formed so that unevennesses on the lane can be differentiated from those at the edge of the lane in order to set chassis properties such as, for example, damper response behaviour to the unevennesses detected on the surface of the lane.
EP 1 245 443 A2 has disclosed a driver assistance device for early detection of possible collisions of a motor vehicle, in particular with animals such as elks or bears, in which forwardly directed, image-transmitting sensors are used to determine the position and the distance from an object and the relative velocity between the motor vehicle and the object, and to acquire the probability of a collision therefrom, on the premise that the relative velocity is near to the motor vehicle's own velocity. The image-transmitting sensors are provided here for sensing objects which are located at a large distance ahead of the motor vehicle.
WO 00/77736 discloses a method for detecting objects in the surroundings of a road vehicle up to large distances, in which method the distance between a moving vehicle or stationary vehicle and one or more objects is calculated by distance-based image segmentation by means of stereo image processing, and properties of the detected objects are acquired by object detection in the segmented image areas. Image areas of elevated objects and/or flat objects are acquired and elevated objects and/or flat objects are detected by combining 3D points according to predetermined criteria, with elevated objects being determined by means of features with similar distance values, and flat objects by means of features with similar height values. As a result, other vehicles, for example parked vehicles, guideposts, bridge pillars, and lampposts can be differentiated from structural lane boundaries such as for example kerb or crash barriers.
DE 199 49 409 A1 discloses a method and a device for detecting objects having at least two distance-resolving sensors which are mounted on a motor vehicle and whose detection ranges at least partially overlap, with the relative positions of possible detected objects with respect to the sensors being determined using the triangulation principle in the overlapping region, and possible virtual objects, which arise as a result of the determination of objects, being acquired by means of dynamic consideration of objects. In this context, objects can be detected only within the overlapping region located in front of the vehicle in its direction of travel.
DE 102 60 855 A1 discloses a method for detecting object configurations by means of distance signals of at least two sensors, in which method the distance signals of a plurality of the sensors are subjected to a pattern detection by comparison with reference patterns which correspond to predefined model configurations. The method is provided for use in conjunction with ACCs, with motor vehicles which are travelling ahead being characterized by reflection points which remain the same in relation to one another on a group basis, and being detected as such by comparison with reference patterns so that of the plurality of reflection points which represent a motor vehicle that has been detected it is possible to consider exclusively the reflection point which is at the shortest distance from the actual motor vehicle in order to prevent a collision.
WO 2004/055547 A1 discloses a method and a device for detecting objects with vehicle-bound sensors whose sensing ranges overlap at least partially. In this context, signals from at least two sensors with essentially congruent sensing ranges and additional signals of a further sensor whose sensing range overlaps only partially with the sensing ranges of the other sensors are evaluated. An object is detected as relevant if it is detected by at least two sensors. This information is provided for further processing in an ACC, with relevant objects being motor vehicles which are located ahead of the actual vehicle on the same lane or an adjacent lane.
DE 101 14 932 A1 discloses carrying out three-dimensional sensing of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, for example in order to detect a parking space, by means of a distance sensor which emits radiation in one plane and is arranged on a motor vehicle, by recording the distance profiles during the movement of the motor vehicle. In this context, a three-dimensional image of the surroundings is generated by means of a distance sensor which generates a two-dimensional distance profile, and from a data processing means and a storage unit which processes successive distance profiles and stores them, and from a concatenation of a set of successive distance profiles.
According to the prior art, it is consequently not known to differentiate a structural boundary of the edge of the lane from an edge-of-lane marking by means of suitable sensors and to use this information to improve the method of operation of a lane-departure warning system.

Lane-departure warning system with differentiation between an edge-of-lane marking and a structural boundary of the edge of the lane


A therapy head for use in HIFU procedures is described. The therapy head has an enclosure with a window, an energy applicator and a means of moving the energy applicator within the enclosure. The therapy head uses motors and actuators to move the energy applicator, usually an ultrasound transducer, inside the enclosure. A controller is provided either internally or externally that allows the therapy head to identify and distinguish locations where the therapy head should be to radiate energy into a patient. The controller uses the motors and actuators to move the energy applicator into the desired locations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handheld medical device for delivering energy in precise locations into the human body. The device is principally for non-invasive therapies.
2. Background of the Present Invention
A general problem in the application of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for therapeutic purposes is that it is often necessary to hold the therapeutic means stationary for some significant amount of time over the tissue to be treated. Alternatively, it may be necessary to scan the therapy beam at a slow, constant rate through the tissue to be treated. Both of these requirements present a barrier to a hand-held therapeutic device, as it is often difficult or impossible for a person to either hold the device steady, or to scan at an acceptably slow and steady rate for the desired therapeutic effect.
A HIFU procedure may require that the ultrasound beam be scanned over the treatment volume at a constant rate (e.g. 5 mm/sec +/−1 mm/sec) to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Additionally, the treatment volume must be scanned so that there is never more than a 2 mm spacing between adjacent focal lines of treatment. These requirements are beyond the capabilities of human beings. The solution in the past has been to incorporate a computer controlled motion device rigidly mounted to something that is stationary with respect to the patient (e.g. the floor, wall or bed). Such a device is either absolutely stationary, or is able to scan at a precise rate in a precise pattern without any human intervention. Such an arrangement has the disadvantages of size and bulk, complexity and reliability of the overall device.
Thus there remains a need in the art for a HIFU applicator that can be easily manipulated by a user while still providing reliable and uniform treatment.
There is also a need for a HIFU transducer that can keep track of the tissue volumes treated so as to prevent re-treatment of those same volumes.
There is still further a need for a therapy device that can assist the operator in identifying regions of tissue to be treated.

Ultrasound therapy head with movement control