A method of analyzing biological material by exposing the biological material to a recognition element, that is coupled to a mass tag element, directing an ion beam of a mass spectrometer to the biological material, interrogating at least one region of interest area from the biological material and producing data, and distributing the data in plots.

1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to mapping of cells and tissue and more particularly to imaging mass spectrometry with mass tags.
2. State of Technology
U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,300 for a method and apparatus for imaging biological samples with MALDI MS, issued Sep. 15, 1998 to Richard M. Caprioli and assigned to Board of Regents, The University of Texas System provides the following state of technology information: "The combination of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and mass spectrometry (MS) provides an effective technique for the analysis of femtomole/attomole amounts of proteins and peptides. The low load levels and high separation efficiency of capillary electrophoresis are well suited to the mass measurement capability and high sensitivity of mass spectrometry. A considerable amount of work has been published using electrospray mass spectrometry for on-line coupling to capillary electrophoresis."
U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,586 for methods and apparatus for analyzing biological samples by mass spectrometry, issued Jun. 29, 2004 to Richard M. Caprioli and assigned to Vanderbilt University provides the following state of technology information: "A specimen is generated, which may include an energy absorbent matrix. The specimen is struck with laser beams such that the specimen releases proteins. The atomic mass of the released proteins over a range of atomic masses is measured. An atomic mass window of interest within the range of atomic masses is analyzed to determine the spatial arrangement of specific proteins within the sample, and those specific proteins are identified as a function of the spatial arrangement. By analyzing the proteins, one may monitor and classify disease within a sample."

Imaging mass spectrometer with mass tags

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC


Disclosed is a pipe made of an iron-base material, having a corrosion prevention layer formed on the surface thereof. The corrosion prevention layer includes a Zn—Sn sprayed coating including Sn in a content of more than 1% by mass and less than 50% by mass and the balance composed of Zn. Alternatively, the corrosion prevention layer includes a Zn—Sn—Mg sprayed coating including Sn in a content of more than 1% by mass and less than 50% by mass, Mg in a content of more than 0.01% by mass and less than 5% by mass and the balance composed of Zn. Preferably, the sprayed coating of the corrosion prevention layer includes at least any one of Ti, Co, Ni and P, and the content of each of these elements is more than 0.001% by mass and less than 3% by mass.

Metal pipes practically used as laid underground have been provided with tar or bitumen coating since long ago for the purpose of corrosion prevention. When the coating of a metal pipe is scratched, however, the corrosion of the metal pipe progresses from the scratched portions. For the purpose of solving such a corrosion problem, the following corrosion prevention is widely applied: a metal coating having a higher ionization tendency than the ionization tendency of the material of a metal pipe is formed on the surface of the metal pipe, the metal coating undergoes the generation of a sacrificial anode function due to the ionization tendency difference, and thus the metal coating prevents the corrosion starting from the scratched portions. Zinc is a typical metal having such a sacrificial anode function. A zinc coating is formed on the surface of a metal pipe such as an iron pipe by plating or spraying. Such a coating is used, as it is, as the outermost surface layer, or as it is further overcoated with another layer. Zinc has a high ionization tendency; the electrochemical potential difference between iron and zinc is large, and accordingly, in a case where zinc is used in combination with an iron-base metal, even when some scratches are caused in the coating, the sacrificial anode function is displayed and the corrosion in the scratched portions can be suppressed. In the case of cast-iron pipes widely used as water and sewage pipelines, the coating is covered with a polyethylene sheet referred to as a polyethylene sleeve to block the coating from the external environment, and consequently the corrosion prevention effect is further enhanced.
However, zinc has a high ionization tendency, and hence zinc hardly maintains the sacrificial anode function over a long period of time. As a solution to solve this problem, the increase of the zinc coating amount is an effective technique. However, in this case, in addition to the increase of the material cost, the work time is increased and the production efficiency is also degraded.
Alternatively, as another method, a zinc-aluminum alloy is used (WO94/19640) as the case may be. The addition of aluminum alleviates the ionization, and consequently the retention time of the sacrificial anode effect is maintained over a longer period of time.
However, as for aluminum, health concern is raised from some viewpoints, and the safety of aluminum as a material applied to drink water supply pipes is not established. For example, in a pipe joint having an inserting-receiving structure in which the inside of a socket formed at one end of a pipe receives a spigot formed at one end of another pipe, the outer surface of the spigot is brought into contact with tap water, thus causing a possibility that aluminum is eluted from the outer surface of the spigot.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pipe provided with corrosion prevention layer on the outside surface


Methods for forming a laminate structure comprising a two-component solventless polyurethane adhesive compositions are disclosed. The adhesive composition is formulated such that each component is applied independently to corresponding substrates prior to the substrates being brought together to form the laminate structure. The adhesive compositions are highly-reactive and can comprise amine-initiated polyols or catalysts providing for fast curing. The amine-initiated polyols comprise a functionality of from 2 to 12, a hydroxyl number of from 5 to 1,830, and a viscosity at 40 C of from 500 to 20,000 mPa-s. The catalyst can be bismuth catalysts, zinc catalysts, zirconium catalysts, tin catalysts, and aluminum catalysts. Still further, a laminate formed according to the methods is disclosed.

Adhesive compositions are useful for a wide variety of purposes. For instance, adhesive compositions are used to bond together substrates such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, metal, paper, or cellophane to form composite films, i.e., laminates. The use of adhesives in different end-use applications is generally known. For example, adhesives can be used in the manufacture of film/film and film/foil laminates used in the packaging industry, especially for food packaging. Adhesives used in laminating applications, or "laminating adhesives," can be generally placed into three categories: solvent-based, water-based, and solventless. The performance of an adhesive varies by category and by the application in which the adhesive is applied.
Solventless laminating adhesives can be applied up to one hundred percent solids without either organic solvent or an aqueous carrier. Because no organic solvent or water has to be dried from the adhesive upon application, these adhesives can be run at high line speeds and are preferable in applications requiring quick adhesive application. Solvent and water-based laminating adhesives are limited by the rate at which the solvent or water can be effectively dried and removed from the laminate structure after application of the adhesive. For environmental, health, and safety reasons, laminating adhesives are preferably aqueous or solventless.
Within the category of solventless laminating adhesives, there are many varieties. One particular variety includes premixed two-component polyurethane-based laminating adhesives. Typically, a two-component polyurethane-based laminating adhesive includes a first component comprising an isocyanate-containing prepolymer and/or a polyisocyanate and a second component comprising a polyol. The prepolymer can be obtained by the reaction of excess isocyanate with a polyether and/or polyester containing two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule. The second component comprises a polyether and/or polyester functionalized with two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule. The two components are combined in a predetermined ratio, or "premixed," and then applied on a first substrate ("carrier web"). The first substrate is then brought together with a second substrate to form a laminate structure. The first and second substrates must be brought together within the pot-life of the adhesive composition, usually less than thirty minutes.
Additional layers of substrate can be added to the structure with additional layers of adhesive composition located between each successive substrate. The adhesive is then cured, either at room temperature or elevated temperature, thereby bonding the substrates together.
Further processing of the laminate structure depends upon the curing speed of the adhesive. The curing speed of the adhesive is indicated by the time in which the mechanical bond between the laminated substrates takes to become sufficient to allow for further processing and the laminate is in compliance with applicable regulations (e.g., food contact regulations). Slow curing speed results in lower conversion efficiency. Premixed two-component solventless laminating adhesives, compared to traditional solvent-containing adhesives, exhibit weak initial bonds and slow curing speed. The general trend in the converting industry is towards faster curing laminating adhesives. Faster curing improves the operational efficiency for converters. Specifically, quickly moving finished products out of a warehouse increases production capacity and flexibility for handling last minute orders (e.g., retailer promotional campaigns). In order to increase operational efficiency, an adhesive composition with a reactivity much higher than existing adhesive compositions should be used to form laminates. However, such an adhesive composition would provide a challenge for traditional adhesive application technologies.
Accordingly, faster and more efficient methods for forming a laminate comprising two-component solventless polyurethane-based laminating adhesive compositions are desirable.

Method for forming a laminate comprising a two-component solventless adhesive composition including an amine-initiated polyl


This invention provides compositions and methods for detecting Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a sample. This invention also provides related reaction mixtures, kits, systems, and computers.

The genus Neisseria consists of Gram-negative aerobic bacteria including the human pathogen N. gonorrhoeae, which is the causative agent of gonorrhea. N. gonorrhoeae infections, which have a high prevalence and low mortality, are generally acquired by sexual contact and typically affect mucous membranes of the urethra in males and the endocervix in females. However, the infection may also spread to other tissues. For example, a genital infection in males can ascend the urethra and produce symptoms of prostatitis, whereas in females, an N. gonorrhoeae infection of the cervix may spread to the fallopian tubes and ultimately cause sterility among other conditions, if untreated. The pathogenic mechanism of N. gonorrhoeae involves the attachment of the bacterium to nonciliated epithelial cells via pili. The mechanism also includes the production of endotoxin and IgA proteases.
Co-infection of N. gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis is frequently observed. Both infections are two known causes of ectopic pregnancy and can also lead to infertility if untreated. They are also known causes of the acute clinical syndromes of mucopurulent cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Therefore, the detection of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis infections, which can be asymptomatic, especially in females, is of consequence to individuals in need of treatment and to broader populations at risk of acquiring and further propagating the infections.
The detection and identification of bacterial infections has traditionally been accomplished by pure culture isolation and determination procedures that make use of knowledge of specimen source, growth requirements, visible growth features, microscopic morphology, staining reactions, and biochemical characteristics. For example, pre-existing methods of detecting and identifying N. gonorrhoeae infections, include Gram-staining, culturing on selective agar media, and cytochrome oxidase and carbohydrate utilization testing. Serological assays, including coagglutination and fluorescent antibody staining have also been described for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae. Culture-based methods, while relatively sensitive, are generally slow to perform, often including overnight incubation, and are labor intensive. The Gram-stain and antibody-based tests typically provide results in less than one hour, but are generally of lower sensitivity than culture-based methods.
The use of specific polynucleotide sequences as probes for the recognition of infectious agents is one alternative to problematic immunological identification assays and other pre-existing methodologies. For example, nucleic acid probes complementary to targeted nucleic acid sequences have been used in hybridization procedures, such as Southern blots and dot blots, to detect the target nucleic acid sequence. Many of these hybridization procedures have depended on the cultivation and/or enrichment of the organism and, thus, are unsuitable for rapid diagnosis. The advent of techniques for the rapid amplification of specific nucleic acid sequences, such as the polymerase chain reaction among many others, have provided a mechanism to use sequence specific probes directly on clinical specimens, thereby eliminating enrichment and in vitro culturing of the pathogen prior to performing the hybridization assay. Thus, amplification-based hybridization assays can provide simple and rapid diagnostic techniques for the detection of pathogens in clinical samples.
Many probes used to date lack sufficient specificity to differentiate between pathogenic agents having highly homologous nucleic acid sequences, such as N. gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis, and the like. This can lead to biased assay results, including false positives. One consequence of such misdiagnosis may be the administration of an inappropriate course of treatment to a patient.


While a damper elastically supports, from below, the center of gravity of a water tub, a suspender also elastically supports it, from above, by suspending a front part of the water tub rearward-upward and a rear part thereof frontward-upward. Even when a rated capacity of laundry is put into a drum, although the damper simply elastically supports the center of gravity of the structural load from below, the water tub is prevented from sinking too far, and a door gasket is saved from being damaged from overdeformation.

Drum-type washing machines are widely used especially in Europe. Commercially available drum-type washing machines typically perform a laundering process, including a washing process and a rinsing process, in both of which a rotary drum is rotated at low speed, and a spin-drying process, in which the rotary drum is rotated at high speed, often followed by a air-drying process.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show a conventional drum-type washing machine. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the conventional drum-type washing machine as seen from a side, and FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the conventional drum-type washing machine as seen from the same side but at a different cross-section. A cabinet 201 has, open in a front face thereof, a laundry opening 201a that can be opened and closed with a door 202. Inside the cabinet 201, a cylindrical water tub 203 is provided that has a water tub opening 203a open toward the laundry opening 201a. With respect to a horizontal axis, the cylinder axis of the water tub 203 is so inclined as to be increasingly low rearward. The laundry opening 201a and the water tub opening 203a are connected together by a tubular connecting member 204 that forms a watertight passage between them. The connecting member 204 has part thereof formed into a bellows portion 204a that makes the vibrations of the water tub 203 less likely to conduct to the cabinet 201.
Inside the water tub 203, a cylindrical drum 205 is provided that has a drum opening 205a open toward the water tub opening 203a. With respect to a horizontal axis, the cylinder axis of the drum 205 is so inclined as to be increasingly low rearward. All over the cylindrical circumferential surface of the drum 205, a large number of small holes 205b are formed. Through the small holes 205b, air and liquid pass between inside the water tub 203 and inside the drum 205. On the inner wall surface of the drum 205, baffles 205c are provided that protrude toward the cylinder center axis of the drum 205.
From the center of the rear surface of the drum 205, a drum shaft 205d protrudes rearward. The drum shaft 205d is fitted so as to penetrate the rear surface of the water tub 203, and is, via a bearing 207, rotatably supported on a bearing housing 206. The drum 205 is coupled, via the drum shaft 205d, directly to a motor 208 fitted on the rear surface of the water tub 203. As the motor 208 is driven, the drum 205 is driven to rotate.
In a front part of the drum 205, a balancer 209 is provided that has a movable material sealed therein. The balancer 209 reduces the swings of the drum 205 when it is driven, and thus contributes to reduced generation of vibrations. The balancer 209 itself is a weighty member, and thus contributes to an enhanced rotation balance.
At a bottom part of the water tub 203, as shown in FIG. 14, a water drain duct 210, a water drain valve 211, and a water drain hose 212 are provided. When the water drain valve 211 is opened, water inside the water tub 203 is drained out of the cabinet 201 via the water drain duct 210 and the water drain hose 212.
Over a rear to upper and to front part of the water tub 203, a warm air feeding device 213 is provided. The warm air feeding device 213 includes a warm air return port 214, a heat exchanger 215, a coupling duct 216, a fan device 217, a duct 218, a heating device 219, and a duct 220. One end of the duct 220 is connected to a warm air discharge port 204b formed in the connecting member 204, so as to lead into the water tub 203. During an air-drying operation, the warm air feeding device 213 sucks in the air inside the water tub 203 via the warm air return port 214, and circulates it through the heat exchanger 215, the coupling duct 216, the fan device 217, the duct 218, the heating device 219, and the duct 220 to return it, via the warm air discharge port 204b, into the water tub 203. In this way, the air inside the water tub 203 is warmed and is subjected to heat exchange (dehumidification).
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 13, at a front upper part of the water tub 203, a counterweight 221 is fitted, and, at a front lower part of the water tub 203, another counterweight 222 is fitted. These counterweights 221 and 222 are for adjusting the center of gravity of a structural load 223, which will be described later. By varying the weights of the counterweights 221 and 222 and the fitting positions thereof on the water tub 203, it is possible to easily vary the center of gravity and the weight of the structural load 223, leading to higher freedom in design.
The water tub 203 is supported inside the cabinet 201 by suspensions 224, restricting springs 225 and 227, and a coupling member 226. The suspensions 224, of which one is provided at the left side and the other at the right side, supports the water tub 203 from below. The restricting spring 225, which is a tension coil spring, applies a front/rear-direction tensile force between a front upper part of the water tub 203 and a front upper part of the cabinet 201. The restricting spring 227, which also is a tension coil spring, applies a front/rear-direction tensile force between the coupling member 226, which is fixed to a middle upper part of the cabinet 201, and a front upper part of the water tub 203.
Here, the suspensions 224 and the restricting springs 225 and 227 bear the structural load 223 of, and thereby support, the following components: the water tub 203, the drum 205, the drum shaft 205d, the bearing housing 206, the bearing 207, the motor 208, the balancer 209, the heat exchanger 215, the duct 216, the fan device 217, the duct 218, the heating device 219, the duct 220, and the counterweights 221 and 222. The two, left and right, suspensions 224 support the water tub 203 at one position in the front/rear direction, and are located substantially at the center of gravity g of the structural load 223 in the front/rear direction.
Different processes included in a laundering process, namely a washing process, a rinsing process, and a spin-drying process, and also an air-drying process, are all performed by driving with the motor 208 the drum 205 to rotate, with the drum 205 in a state containing a laundering load 228, which includes laundry put into the drum 205 as articles to be processed plus washing water to be used to process the laundry. In a washing process, the motor 208 is driven to rotate intermittently, alternately in the forward and reverse directions, at comparatively low rotation speed so that the drum 205 rotates intermittently, alternately in the forward and reverse directions. In the spin-drying process, the motor 208 is driven to rotate continuously in one direction at high rotation speed so that the drum 205 rotates at high speed.
In the drum-type washing machine constructed as described above, when the drum 205 is driven to rotate in a washing process, the suspensions 224 are located substantially at the center of gravity g of the structural load 223, resulting in a good rotation balance. Moreover, the provision of the restricting springs 225 and 227, which elastically restrict the front/rear-direction swings of the structural load 223, helps reduce the front/rear-direction swings of the structural load 223, effectively reducing the vibrations generated in the cabinet 201.                [Patent Publication 1] JP-A-2000-262796


A decanting apparatus for wine and the like and method of use thereof wherein a source vessel is compressed within a cradle having an open end where the lip of the mouth of the source vessel communicates with the lip of a decanting receptacle. A pair of adjustable vertical support members are hinged to the open end of the cradle. The apparatus has a drive mechanism for tilting the vessel relative to the vertical support members and a control unit for operatively controlling the means for tilting, allowing for an unattended decanting operation.

Traditionally, wine has been decanted before serving to separate the wine from its sediment. Older, heavy-bodied wines accumulate sediment during the aging process. This sediment when mixed with the wine can cause the wine to have a bitter, astringent flavor.
Decanting wine also causes the wine to mix with oxygen. Younger wines often come to life when aerated. The mixture of the wine with oxygen allows the wine to develop, improving its subtlety and complexity. Thus, a younger wine's flavor can become enhanced with aeration.
Proper decanting requires a slow, steady flow to prevent turbulence which will stir up the sediment, clouding the wine. Achieving this slow, steady flow is a skill, requiring patience and attention often left to a Sommelier in a busy restaurant or wine tasting room. An improperly decanted wine may be distasteful or unfit for the level of quality expected and thus wasted. Wine connoisseurs typically understand and appreciate the need for decanting, as well as the interval of time required to properly decant. When preparing to enjoy an expensive wine that has been purchased and aged specifically for an occasion, the decanting is as much a part of the ceremony as is the libation itself.
The use of filters, pumps, and tubing alleviate the need for a server to pour the bottle and maintain the mouth of the bottle in a proper position relative to the mouth of the decanting receptacle, allowing even the unskilled to decant properly. In addition, filters, pumps, and tubing reduce the interval of time required to decant. However, filters, pumps, and tubing in contact with wine are anathema to most fine wine enthusiasts.
A number of products have been developed in an attempt to decant wine. One known product and accompanying method for decanting wine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,421 issued to Morrison on Jul. 30, 2002. Morrison's apparatus includes a pump unit and a fluid withdrawal unit. Also, included is a support unit that is dimensioned to receive a wine bottle in a tilted orientation with the upper portion of the wine bottle at an angle of inclination such that the sediment tends to collect at the lowest point within the peripheral well of the wine bottle. In Morrison's disclosure, the wine is siphoned out of the bottle into a decanting receptacle and the sediment is shifted to a concentrated location away from the fluid withdrawal unit. As such, Morrison's apparatus and method for decanting wine removes almost the entire fluid volume of a bottle of fine vintage wine, while employing the use of a filter, a pump, and tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,480 issued to Fischer on Jun. 25, 1991 discloses a decanting apparatus that attempts to automatically transfer the flowable contents of one vessel into another vessel within a short interval of time. Fischer's apparatus includes a carrier in the form of a cradle or balance beam that rocks back and forth in response to the flow of red wine from a wine bottle on one arm of the carrier into a decanting receptacle on the other arm of the carrier. The disclosure also incorporates a candle for illuminating the transfer so that a server can observe the quantity of flowable substance and prevent residue or sediment from being transferred. In Fischer's disclosure, the server nearly empties the entire fluid contents of the first vessel by manually tilting the carrier beyond its further point of inclination while attempting to ensure that no sediment is transferred with the fluid contents of the first vessel into the second vessel.
Reference can also be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,047 issued on Feb. 25, 1975 to Bersano. In Bersano's disclosure, the wine bottle is supported by a cradle that is pivotally attached to a frame. Shafts rotatably support both the frame and the bottle and provide a point of pivot at a location along the length of the cradle's longitudinal axis. A means for gradually tilting the wine bottle is provided so that a server can manually turn a crank to bring the bottle into its wine pouring position. Throughout the cranking operation and resultant tilting maneuver, the server positions a receiving receptacle to receive the wine by engaging the receiving receptacle to the mouth of the wine bottle. With the pivot point located along the length of the cradle's longitudinal axis, the neck and mouth of the bottle are forced in a downward direction during the cranking operation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,047 further discloses a means for projecting a beam of light through the neck of the wine bottle so that the server can observe if sediment is being poured with the wine during the decanting operation.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus for decanting wine which controls the rate of pour of the wine and the tilt of the wine bottle in a manner which leaves the sediment in the bottle without requiring skill and constant attention from the server. Such an apparatus must be of relatively straightforward, compact design and construction to maximize its automatic operation, while employing a precise pour to transfer nearly the entire fluid content of the bottle. The wine bottle must be positioned and steadied during the tilting actuation so that in its final position of inclination the sediment remains in the bottle. The decanting operation must be achieved hands-free, without having to attend to the receiving receptacle and the repositioning thereof, as the wine is poured from the bottle into the receiving receptacle. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to various types of wine decanting apparatuses, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such apparatuses, and in this respect, the present invention addresses the need and interest. None of the known disclosures are believed to detract from the described and claimed embodiments of the present invention.

Wine decanting appliance and method for decanting


An optical wireless communication method and apparatus that uses Manchester code via a connector connected with a personal computer. The Manchester data from the computer are converted to NRZ transmission data to be temporarily stored and read out. A frame of the read out data is appended with a head leader identifying a sender and end data at the head and end of the frame to be converted to the DMI transmission optical data. The optical data inserted between the head leader and END data are receivable being distinguished from the optical signal of the sender and optical noises. The DMI entitative data removed from the head leader and end data are converted to data of the Manchester code in the reverse course to the sender to be delivered as the Manchester data via a connector. As the optical data with the head leader and end data are distinguishable from the optical signal of the sender and optical noises, high sensitive optical receivers are available.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical wireless communication method and apparatus.
The invention is particularly concerned with a method and an apparatus for constructing a local area network (LAN) using optical transmission in space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Local area networks are employed not only in offices but factories or in the open air for the data communications, because the optical LANs are unaffected by electromagnetic noises.
In the LANs called Ethernet (registered trade mark), a code called a header is appended at the front of the original data to be transmitted. In the header, "10101010" is repeated seven times (seven bytes) and "10101011" indicating the start of the original data is transmitted one time (one byte). Thereafter, the original data are sent out.
There are shown in FIG. 1 internal elements of a prior art optical wireless communication apparatus.
In FIG. 1, there are an optical receiving window 303 to receive optical signals, an optical transmitting window 304 from which the optical signal is transmitted and a connector opening 305. There are printed circuit boards 308 and 310 inside a housing 302.
A photo diode PD and many light emitting diodes LEDs are mounted on the printed circuit board 308. A connector 311 and many parts are mounted on the printed circuit board 310. The optical wireless communication apparatus 300 transmits and receives optical signals of the Manchester code by using the photo diode PD and light emitting diodes LEDs.
There is shown in FIG. 2 an optical wireless communication apparatus 300 connected with a personal computer 320 by a connection cable 315. The personal computer 320 is communicatable with the others by using the optical wireless communication apparatus 300. In the data communication between the apparatus 300 and the computer 320, the Manchester code is used in the same way as the data communication in space.
There are shown in FIG. 3 many pairs of personal computers 320 and optical wireless communication apparatuses 300. The computer 320 can communicate with each other via a satellite 316 fixed on the ceiling 317. Therein the Manchester code is used for multi-accessible data communications.
Many pairs of personal computers 320 and optical communication apparatuses 300 make up an optical wireless LAN. The computers 320 can communicate with each other using the Manchester code.
There are shown in FIG. 4 several kinds of codes. In FIG. 4, (a) indicates an original data to be transmitted to a receiver. FIG. 4 (b) denotes the data encoded from the original data of (a) to the Manchester code called the dipulse code. In the same manner, (c) represents the data encoded from original data of (a) to the NRZ (i.e., nonreturn-to-zero) code, and (d) designates the data encoded from the original data of (a) to the DMI (i.e., differential mode inversion) code.
Each of codes has merits and demerits. The Manchester code is used in the communications between optical wireless communication apparatuses 300 and personal computers 320 in FIG. 3, too, because synchronizing signals are easily detectable. The spectrum of the NRZ code spreads in lower frequency ranges than that of the Manchester or the DMI code. Therefore, the NRZ code is suitable for use in internal circuits of the apparatus. However, the NRZ code is unsuitable for AC amplifying, because the NRZ code has the DC ingredient.
As the DMI and Manchester codes have no DC ingredient, the codes are suitable for AC amplifying. However, when many "1s" or "0s" continue in the DMI and Manchester codes, it is difficult to obtain synchronization signals. Therefore, in case of employing the DMI or Manchester code, some measures are needed to protect occurrences of unsynchronized states. As the Manchester code has no redundancy in its construction, it is difficult to obtain functions of the transmission line watch to prevent occurrences of error data.
In the LAN of FIG. 3, the Manchester code of 10 Mbps, for example, is employed as the optical wireless signals. Therein if one of optical wireless communication apparatuses 300s has high optical receiving sensitivity, the apparatus 300 detects incorrect data by receiving external optical noises in spite of no LAN signal.
Receiving incorrect data, the apparatus 300 can not transmit any optical signal because of the collision avoidance function. As the apparatus 300 has to try the transmission again after no existence of the incorrect data, it is impossible to obtain the high communication efficiency.
Therefore, the optical communications are executable by employing low sensitive optical receivers not to operate the collision avoidance function. By the employing such receivers, wide enough optical LAN service area is unobtainable.
As the number of apparatuses included in the optical LAN service area is reduced by the scale-down of the service area, it is unexpected to obtain the high efficiency and excellent optical data communications.
Let it be supposed that the optical stable communicable distance in a straight line i.e., the mutual distance between optical apparatuses is 10 meters, for instance, the optical energy is reflected at an attenuation rate of 10 percent from the ceiling of the reflection coefficient of 10 percent.
Therefore, the transmittable distance of about 3 meters being the square root of 10 meters is obtained. The distance between the apparatus and the ceiling is limited within 1.5 meters accordingly. The optical apparatus of the communicable straight line distance of 30 meters has to be employed to obtain the effective transmittable distance of 10 meters using the reflection of the ceiling. The directivity of an angle of about +/-20 degrees is needed to obtain some extent of communicable area.
In view of such a situation, however, the optical apparatuses having the directivity of the angle of +/-1 degree, for example, are used to obtain the long distance communications. As those have the sharp optical directivity, the multi-access operation is unexpected. The communication is limited between the specific two apparatuses.
In the optical LAN of FIG. 3, when many apparatuses 300s transmit optical signals simultaneously, the satellite 316 receives collided optical signals. Not detecting the ordinary optical signal, the satellite 316 transmits the collided optical signals to many apparatuses 300 as the received signals. It is therefore, difficult to avoid occurrences of collisions, unless the communication efficiencies are remarkably reduced by the sacrifice of the data bit rate.
In the optical LAN of FIG. 3, the communications use the Manchester code of 10 Mbps. The communications can be occasionally interrupted by the collision avoidance function caused by optical noises, because of a communicable distance that is too short or an optical receiving sensitivity that is too high. It is thereby unexpectable to obtain high efficient optical communications.
In such a case, the measures that the transmission rate of 10 Mbps is reduced to 1 Mbps are executable to get a higher S/N (signal to noise ratio). As the transmission rate is temporally reduced, big capacity memories and complicated controls are needed. They cause high cost.
In a LAN system, each of optical apparatuses granted addresses can efficiently receive only optical frames appended with self-address. The LAN system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-23047.
In another LAN system, a network hierarchy includes repeaters connected with optical LANs. The optical LAN frames are appended with hierarchy addresses. The hierarchy system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-123052.

Optical wireless communication method and apparatus


Semiconductor wafers are leveled by position-dependent measurement of a wafer-characterizing parameter to determine the position-dependent value of this parameter over an entire surface of the semiconductor wafer, etching the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer simultaneously under the action of an etching medium with simultaneous illumination of the entire surface, the material-removal etching rate dependent on the light intensity at the surface of the semiconductor wafer, the light intensity being established in a position-dependent manner such that the differences in the position-dependent values of the parameter measured in step a) are reduced by the position-dependent material-removal rate. Semiconductor wafers with improved flatness and nanotopography, and SOI wafers with improved layer thickness homogeneity are produced by this process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for leveling a semiconductor wafer by means of an etching treatment with locally different removal of material. The invention also relates to both a semiconductor wafer with improved flatness and nanotopography and to an SOI wafer with a homogenous layer thickness which are obtainable by the method.
2. Background Art
A semiconductor wafer, in particular a single-crystal silicon wafer for use in the semiconductor industry, has to have a high flatness, in particular in order to meet the requirements for the production of integrated circuits. A generally recognized rule of thumb states that the SFQRmax value of a semiconductor wafer must be no greater than the line width of the components which are to be produced on the semiconductor wafer. To allow the integration of the maximum possible number of circuits, the required flatness must moreover extend as close as possible to the edge of the front surface, the front surface being defined as the surface on which the components are to be produced. This means that the measurement of flatness must be carried out with only a very small edge exclusion, and the specified flatness values need to be satisfied not only by what are described as the full sites, but also by the partial sites. Full sites are surface elements on which complete components can be produced, whereas partial sites are surface elements at the edge of the wafer, on which there is insufficient space for complete components.
In defining the flatness of semiconductor wafers, the SEMI standard M1-94 draws a distinction between global flatness and local flatness. The global flatness relates to the entire wafer surface minus an edge exclusion which is to be defined. It is described by the GBIR ("Global Back Surface-Referenced Ideal Plane/Range"), which is a range of the positive and negative deviation from a back surface-referenced ideal plane for the entire front surface of the semiconductor wafer, which corresponds to the term TTV ("Total Thickness Variation") which was previously customary. The local flatness relates to a limited area on the semiconductor wafer, which generally corresponds to the area of the component to be produced thereon. It is often expressed as the SFQR ("Site Front Surface Referenced Least Square/Range"), a range of the positive and negative deviation from a front surface, defined by error square minimization, for an area of defined dimensions. The variable SFQRmax represents the highest SFQR value for all the component areas on a defined semiconductor wafer. In the case of SFQR, it is always necessary to state the area to which the value given relates, for example an area of 26×8 mm2 in accordance with the ITRS Roadmap.
A further flatness parameter is what is known as the nanotopography. This is defined as the peak-to-valley deviation in a predetermined surface element, e.g. 2×2 mm2. The nanotopography is measured using measuring units such as ADE CR 83 SQM, ADE PhaseShift Nanomapper, or KLA Tencor SNT.
The flatness in the edge region of a semiconductor wafer is crucially influenced by what is known as the "edge roll off". "A New Method for the Precise Measurement of Wafer Roll off of Silicon Polished Wafer", Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 38 (1999), 38-39 describes how to measure the "wafer roll off", or edge roll off. Edge roll off can occur both on the front surface and on the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. It can have a crucial influence on the SFQR values of the area elements located at the edge of the wafer. An edge roll off is disruptive in particular in the case of semiconductor wafers which, for example to produce SOI wafers, are bonded to a further semiconductor wafer, since the edge roll off of the wafer surfaces which are to be bonded to one another has a considerable influence on the bonding quality at the edge of the wafer.
Currently, semiconductor wafers which are used as substrates for the production of microelectronic components are generally produced by the following conventional process sequence: sawing, lapping and/or grinding, wet-chemical etching, stock-removal polishing and mirror polishing. It has been found that this process sequence is unable to ensure the flatnesses required for the ever-decreasing line widths.
In EP 798 766 A1, a vapor-phase etching step using PACE (plasma assisted chemical etching) process followed by a heat treatment is inserted between stock-removal polishing and mirror polishing in the conventional process sequence, in order to improve the flatness of the semiconductor wafer. It is demonstrated on the basis of processing of silicon wafers with a diameter of 200 mm, that the process sequence described allows GBIR results of 0.2-0.3 μm. The document does not give any local flatness data. Furthermore, it does not state the size of the edge exclusion for the flatness measurement. EP 961 314 A1 describes a similar method. After sawing, grinding, PACE and mirror polishing, GBIR values of at best 0.14 μm and SFQRmax values of at best 0.07 μm are achieved.
The PACE process, as proposed in EP 961 314 A1, leads to a deterioration in the roughness of a polished wafer, which can be partially reduced by a hydrophobizing step immediately before PACE. PACE has to be carried out in vacuo, which makes the process complex in terms of the equipment required. Moreover, the semiconductor wafer is contaminated with the decomposition products of the gases used for etching, requiring an additional cleaning step, as described in EP 1 100 117 A2. Also, this process is not carried out over the entire surface, but rather by scanning the semiconductor wafer. This is, on the one hand, very time-consuming, and on the other hand, leads to problems with regard to the nanotopography in the scanning overlap region and to problems with regard to flatness (SFQRmax and edge roll off) in the outer region of the semiconductor wafer, up to a distance of approx. 5 mm from the edge of the wafer. One possible cause is the increased suction at the edge of the semiconductor wafer and therefore a reduction in the etching medium, since work is carried out in vacuo. The required overlap during scanning has an adverse effect in particular on the nanotopography at the overlap positions. The larger the diameter of the nozzle which is used to supply the etching medium, the worse the deterioration becomes. However, for economic reasons the nozzle diameter cannot be selected to be as small as may be desirable.
Consequently, the methods which are known in the prior art are unable to satisfy the geometry requirements for components with line widths of less than or equal to 65 nm, that is to say SFQRmax values of at most 65 nm. In this context, the most serious problems occur in the edge region of the semiconductor wafer, since the edge exclusion of currently 3 mm (for line widths of 90 nm) is reduced to 2 mm or 1 mm for the future line widths of 65 nm or less, and the partial sights are also taken into account when assessing the flatness.
An additional problem arises in the case of what are known as SOI wafers. These semiconductor wafers have a semiconductor layer which is located on a surface of a base wafer or handle wafer. The thickness of the semiconductor layer varies as a function of the components to be processed. In general, a distinction is drawn between what are known as "thin layers" (thickness less than 100 nm) and what are known as "thick layers" (from 100 nm to approx. 80 μm). The base wafer may either consist entirely of an electrically insulating material (e.g. glass, quartz, sapphire) or may, for example, consist of a semiconductor material, preferably silicon, and merely be separated from the semiconductor layer by an electrically insulating layer. The electrically insulating layer may, for example, consist of silicon oxide.
SOI wafers are very important for the production of microelectronic components. The semiconductor layer of an SOI wafer has to have a very homogenous thickness all the way into the outermost edge region. In particular in the case of semiconductor layers with a thickness of 100 nm or less, the transistor properties, for example the threshold voltage, vary very considerably in the case of inhomogeneous layer thicknesses. The absolute thickness tolerance for SOI wafers with thin and thick semiconductor layers depends on the layer thickness. The measurement method used to measure the layer thickness is preferably spectroscopic ellipsometry, reflectometry or interferometry.
To allow the integration of a maximum number of circuits, moreover, the required layer thickness homogeneity has to extend as close as possible to the edge of the front surface. This in turn means a very small edge exclusion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,730 relates to a standard process for producing SOI wafers, in which hydrogen ions are implanted to a predetermined depth into a silicon donor wafer or top wafer, the implanted donor wafer is bonded to a base wafer and then the bonded wafers are separated along the layer of implanted hydrogen. By controlling the implantation depth, a layer thickness homogeneity (standard deviation from the mean layer thickness) of 0.47 nm for a layer thickness of 130 nm is achieved after separation. Immediately after separation, however, the surface of the silicon layer has a high roughness. Consequently, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) step has to be carried out after separation, and after any further steps for thinning the silicon layer. This chemical mechanical polishing step on the one hand reduces the roughness, but on the other hand also has a significant adverse effect on the layer thickness homogeneity, in particular at the edge of the wafer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,730 B2 does not disclose either the layer thickness homogeneity for the polished end product or an edge exclusion for the intermediate product following separation.
Methods for the aftertreatment of an SOI wafer with a view to improving layer thickness homogeneity are also known. These are generally local etching methods involving scanning the SOI wafer, with greater amounts of material being removed by etching at locations where the layer thickness is higher. In accordance with US 2004/0063329 A1, the surface of the SOI wafer is scanned in a dry etching process by a nozzle which is used to locally supply a gaseous etching medium. EP 488 642 A2 and EP 511 777 A1 describe methods in which the semiconductor layer of the SOI wafer is exposed to an etching medium over its entire surface. However, this etching medium has to be locally activated by a laser beam or a light beam from a light source focused using an optical system scanning the surface (photochemical etching).
All methods in which the surface of the semiconductor layer has to be scanned in order to achieve a locally different removal of material by etching are very time-consuming and therefore expensive. Moreover, the scanning requires a complex motion on the part of the light source or the nozzle, on the one hand, or the SOI wafer, on the other hand.
Moreover, additional inhomogeneities in the layer thickness occur in particular in the edge region of the wafer, i.e. in a region up to 5 mm from the edge of the wafer, and in the regions in which the overlap occurs during scanning. Given a layer thickness of 520 nm, according to EP 488 642 A2, a layer thickness homogeneity of 10 nm is achieved, without any details being given as to the edge exclusion. According to EP 511 777 A1, with a layer thickness of 108 nm, a layer thickness homogeneity of 8 nm is achieved, although again no edge exclusion is indicated.
Therefore, despite the complex methods, the required layer thickness homogeneities are not achieved, in particular in the edge region of the SOI wafer.

Method and apparatus for leveling a semiconductor wafer, and semiconductor wafer with improved flatness


A semiconductor package comprises a controlled voltage domain (CVD) and a master voltage domain (MVD). The MVD comprises an error-tolerance control (ETC) circuit. A basic execution block in the CVD generates a basic output value, based on at least two input values. A test execution block in the CVD generates a test digital root, based on digital roots of the input values. A digital root comparator in the CVD determines whether a digital root of the basic output value matches the test digital root. An error reporter in the CVD sends an error report to the ETC circuit in response to a determination that the digital roots do not match. The ETC may automatically adjust at least one power characteristic of the CVD, based on the error report. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

For circuit design in computing and communications architectures, the required level of hardware reliability is fixed at design time to ensure deterministic circuit behavior. A typical requirement for hardware reliability is for the hardware to have a probability of error that is less than 10−15. For purposes of this disclosure, a probability of error of 10−15 may be referred to as the "standard error probability" or as "standard reliability."
Hardware designers generally make trade-offs between power and performance to achieve standard reliability. In particular, to achieve standard reliability, a circuit typically requires at least a particular supply voltage and is limited to a particular maximum operating frequency.
However, at runtime, many applications can run effectively on hardware that has less than standard reliability. For example, applications which provide for computer vision and graphics, for wireless signal processing functions such as forward error correcting codes, or for artificial neural networks may operate effectively with a probability of error that is significantly greater than the standard error probability,
On the other hand, some applications require more than standard reliability. For example, applications which provide for the operation and management of cloud computing servers and databases, or applications in fields such as aerospace, autonomous vehicles, and deep space, may require a probability of error that is significantly less than the standard error probability.
A conventional approach to achieve more than standard reliability is to use redundant hardware and computations. For instance, applications that require extremely high levels of reliability (e.g., application for satellites and other space-based systems) may use redundant hardware and computations to improve hardware reliability. However, using redundant hardware and computations to improve hardware reliability entails significantly increased overhead, relative to systems with less redundancy or no redundancy.

Error-tolerant architecture for power-efficient computing


An image display game apparatus has a display screen which displays randomly selected five cards with their faces up. Based on the player's evaluation of the cards, the player selectively presses a first group of push buttons to select unwanted cards and indicate replacement of the cards. When the player presses a push button in a second group, the selected unwanted cards are replaced with new cards. If the new combination of the cards achieves a prize-winning hand, then the player wins and is awarded a credit based on odds for the prize-winning hand. The player then pushes another push button in the second group to receive medals corresponding to the credit. The image display game apparatus has an odds display device which displays a present prize-winning hand and odds thereof, a possible prize-winning hand and odds thereof, and other prize-winning hands and odds thereof in respective display modes, e.g., color shades, different from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display game apparatus which can be operated by the player to play an image display game, e.g., a card game such as a poker game, by displaying the rank markings of cards on a display screen, replacing a selected one or ones of the displayed cards based on player's evaluation of the displayed rank markings, and determining whether the resulting combination of displayed cards makes up a prize-winning hand or not, and more particularly to such an image display game apparatus having an odds display device for displaying presently achieved, possible, and impossible prize-winning hands and their odds in different display modes for easy visual recognition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One conventional image display card game apparatus for playing a card game, typically a poker game, is disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 7-39650, for example.
When the card game starts being played by the player on the conventional image display card game apparatus, the apparatus displays on a display screen a plurality of, e.g., five, randomly chosen cards, with their faces up. Depending on the evaluation of the cards, the player selects desired cards from the displayed cards and replaces unwanted cards with new cards in an attempt to achieve a prize-winning hand. If a prize-winning hand is achieved by the replacement of the cards, then a payoff is determined according to odds predetermined for the prize-winning hand. Available prize-winning hands and odds are displayed as an odds table on the display screen. The player carries out the card game while confirming the odds for the prize-winning hands.
In the conventional image display card game apparatus, the information of the odds table is displayed uniformly, and do not assist the player in avoiding replacement of a card or cards due to a wrong decision, possibly resulting in a failure to achieve a desired prize-winning hand. Furthermore, with the uniformly displayed information of the odds table, it will take a long period of time for a player who is not familiar with the card game to become accustomed to the card game. Therefore, the player may possibly lose interest in the card game played on the conventional image display card game apparatus.

Gaming apparatus and method that indicates odds for winning card hands


Controllable directional antenna apparatus and method preferably includes structure and/or steps whereby a Yagi antenna array has a first driven element, a first reflector, and plurality of first directors disposed on a common substrate. The first reflector is bent such that (i) an unbent length thereof is longer than a length of the first driven element, but (ii) a bent length thereof is shorter than the length of the first driven element. A second driven element is also disposed on the common substrate but is angled with respect to the first driven element. A second reflector and a plurality of second directors are also disposed on the common substrate. The second reflector is bent like the first reflector, to reduce the footprint of the array on the substrate. Preferably, the Yagi antenna elements are printed on a printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication and smart antennas. More specifically, the present invention relates to smart antennas for wireless local area network ("WLAN"), Wi-Fi, and pico-cellular wireless communications systems, including IEEE 802.11 systems. In particular, the present invention provides an innovative Yagi antenna array, which is controllable, and has particular utility as a wired, controllable antenna array for multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) telecommunications systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, a Yagi antenna is a directional antenna having a driven element (typically a dipole or folded dipole) and additional parasitic elements (usually a reflector and one or more directors). The Yagi design operates on the basis of electromagnetic interaction between the parasitic elements and the driven element. The reflector element is typically slightly longer than the driven element, whereas the directors are typically somewhat shorter. This design achieves a substantial increase in the antenna's directionality and gain compared to a simple dipole. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,922, incorporated herein by reference. Such Yagi antennas are often referred to as beam antennas due to their high gain over a narrow bandwidth, making them useful in various telecommunications systems. However, the beam is fixed due to the linear geometry of the driven element, the reflector, and the director(s).
Means for switching the directionality of Yagi antennas is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,602,340, incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 46 depicts a structure by which the antenna beam can be switched by 180 degrees. When a positive voltage is applied to the parasitic elements 101, one of them is brought into conduction with the auxiliary elements 103 provided at the respective ends thereof, to thus act as a reflector. The remaining parasitic element 101 is not brought into conduction with the auxiliary elements 103, to thus act as a director. Therefore, the antenna exhibits directivity in the direction of the parasitic element 101 that remains out of conduction with the auxiliary elements 103. When a positive voltage is applied to the parasitic elements 101, the opposite occurs and the beam is switched by 180 degrees. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the first ground conductor 5 and the parasitic element 6 are provided co-planar with the radiating element 3. The switches 7 are short-circuited by means of a control signal output from the control circuit 10, to bring the first ground conductor 5 and the parasitic element 6 into electrical conduction with each other. That is, the radiating element 3 is enclosed by the ground conductor, as shown in (2) of FIG. 2(a). As shown in (2) of FIG. 2(b), the antenna thus exhibits directivity where the maximum radiation arises in directions ±Z. However, when the switches 7 are opened by the control signal output from the control circuit 10; i.e., when a portion surrounding the radiating element 3 is separated from the ground conductor as shown in (3) of FIG. 2(a), the parasitic element 6 acts as a director. As shown in (3) of FIG. 2(b), the antenna becomes unidirectional and exhibits the maximum radiation in a direction +X. Thus, the directivity of the antenna can be 20 switched through about 90 degrees by means of short-circuiting or opening the switches 7. A problem with these approaches is that complicated switching circuitry is required, and antenna beam steering by only 90 degree increments is achieved.
Another useful antenna array for telecommunications is disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 13/871,394, filed Apr. 26, 2013 for "MULTI-BEAM SMART ANTENNA FOR WLAN AND PICO CELLULAR APPLICATIONS", also incorporated herein by reference.
With the proliferation of wireless local area networks or WLANs, there has been an increase in requirements to find cost effective means to deploy small, efficient access points having MIMO capabilities. In such systems, plural differently-oriented Yagi antennas would enable multi-directional coverage, but would require very many Yagi antennas to cover a wide (e.g., 360 degree) field. Additionally, since each reflector is longer than the driven element, such a multi-Yagi array would have a very large footprint.
The present invention provides method and apparatus to enable a Yagi antenna array to compress the side(s) of reflectors, so that multiple Yagi antennas can be compactly integrated into a single array of elements. The present invention additionally improves the bandwidth of the antenna to enable good return loss across the entire 5 GHz band. Further, the present invention provides unique Yagi and non-Yagi antenna arrays.


A cylindrical shaft which is formed in a cylindrical shape by pressing process in a state in which a pair of ends are opposite to each other is disclosed. A joint is formed between the pair of ends, and includes a plurality of intersection portions extending in a direction intersecting with an axial direction of the cylindrical shaft, a first straight portion connecting the ends of one side each of the pair of adjacent intersection portions, and a second straight portion connecting the ends of the other sides of the pair of adjacent intersection portions and being shorter than the first straight portion. A distance between the pair of ends at the first straight portion is shorter than a distance between the pair of ends at the second straight portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cylindrical shaft, a transport roller, a transport unit and a printing apparatus.
2. Related Art
Up to now, various printers have been provided as a printing apparatus. Such printers are adapted to transport a recording medium, such as paper or the like, to a printing unit by a transport roller (a paper feed roller) and a driven roller, print the recoding medium, and then eject the recording medium by a paper ejection roller (a driving roller) and a driven roller (a knurled roller).
In this printer, the paper is pinched between the transport roller and the driven roller, and if the transport roller is rotated in that state, the paper is moved in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a moving direction of a carriage. Accordingly, the paper is transported to a recording position with high precision, and is sequentially sent according to printing speed. Therefore, high transport power is required.
In order to enable the transport roller to sustain high frictional force, Japanese Patent No. 3,271,048 discloses a technique of forming a plurality of bosses on a circumference of a metal rod by perforation processing.
However, since the bosses are formed on the surface of a shaft shape (a cylindrical column shape) along a circumferential direction, there is a problem in that the workability is bad. Further, there is another problem in that cost is increased due to the use of a solid material.
Under these circumstances, JP-A-2006-289496 discloses a shaft (a cylindrical shaft) of a cylindrical shape (a hollow shape) formed by bending a metal sheet which is used as a solid metal rod member, for the purpose of cost reduction.
That is, the cylindrical shaft formed by a metal sheet, of which a pair of opposite ends are joined, is provided in JP-A-2006-289496, each end including a convex portion protruding from the end and having a portion of which a width is widened as it becomes more distant from the end, as well as a concave portion depressed from the end and having a portion of which a width is widened as it becomes more distant from the end. The convex portion and the concave portion of the end at one side are fitted to the concave portion and the convex portion of the end at the other side.
However, in the case in which the cylindrical shaft, as shown in JP-A-2006-289496, is applied to a transport roller in order to promote reduction in cost or weight, it is difficult to provide the transport roller with high frictional force.
For example, it is considered that the surface is punched by pressing process to form the bosses shown in Japanese Patent No. 3,271,048; however, there is a problem in this case in that it is likely to deform because of the hollow.
Further, in the cylindrical shaft disclosed in JP-A-2006-289496, the pair of opposite ends are provided with the convex portions and the concave portions which are formed along the entire region (the whole length) in a longitudinal direction thereof, the convex portion and the concave portion of the pair of ends being respectively fitted into each other. That is, a joint between the pair of ends is provided with a fitting portion of the convex portion and the concave portion continuously formed over the entire region (the whole length) in a longitudinal direction thereof.
However, if the fitting portion by a concavity and a convexity is formed on the entire region or partial region of the joint, it is difficult to fit the concave-convex portion at the fitting portion as the design. For example, it is difficult to place a leading end of the convex portion near the corresponding concave portion in plane, without unevenness between the convex portion and the concave portion. As a result, deformation or distortion is likely to occur over the entire cylindrical shaft, and it is difficult to obtain good precision regarding the shape or dimension, for example to obtain circularity or tremor of above a predetermined value.
As described above, if the cylindrical shaft having insufficient precision regarding the shape or dimensions is applied to the transport roller, it plays a role in causing transport irregularity. Further, in a so-called ink jet printer which ejects fin droplets to form an image, since it requires very high paper feeding precision, the occurrence of the transport irregularity becomes an especially significant problem.

Cylindrical shaft, transport roller, transport unit and printing apparatus


In a nonvolatile memory, the select gates (144S) are formed from one conductive layer (e.g. polysilicon or polyside), and the wordlines (144) interconnecting the select gates are made from a different conductive layer (e.g. metal). The wordlines overlie an interlevel dielectric (310) formed over control gates (134). The dielectric thickness can be controlled to reduce the capacitance between the wordlines and the control gates. In some embodiments, the floating gates (120) are fabricated in a self-aligned manner using an isotropic etch of the floating gate layer.

The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly to nonvolatile memories.
FIG. 1 illustrates an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory array (EEPROM) described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,231 issued Jul. 16, 2002 to Harari et al. and incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the array. Each memory cell 110 has two conductive floating gates 120 positioned side by side in the X direction (row direction) over planar top surface 124T of silicon substrate 124. The floating gates are insulated from the substrate. In the Y direction (column direction), the adjacent floating gates are separated by field oxide regions 130. The floating gates are formed from the first polysilicon layer.
Steering gates 134 are formed from the second polysilicon layer and are insulated from the floating gates. Each steering gate extends in the Y direction between two columns of memory cells 110 and overlies two adjacent columns of floating gates 120. Bitlines 138 are diffusion regions in substrate 124. Each bitline 138 runs in the Y direction between two adjacent columns of floating gates 120. In each row, a bitline 138 provides two source/drain regions to respective two adjacent memory cells 110.
Wordlines 144, formed from the third polysilicon layer, overlie the steering gates and extend in the X direction. Wordlines 144 may also be formed from polycide. The wordline layer also provides select gates 144S (FIG. 1) for the memory cells.
Metal strap lines (not shown) reduce the resistance of the polysilicon elements and diffusion elements of the array.
The memory operates as follows. Each cell 110 can be represented as having two floating gate transistors 110L, 110R (FIG. 2) separated by a select gate transistor 110S (a transistor with gate 144S). The floating gate of transistor 110L is selected for reading or programming by placing a sufficient voltage on the steering gate 134 above the floating gate of transistor 110R to turn on the transistor 110R regardless of the charge on its floating gate. Likewise, the floating gate of transistor 110R is selected for reading or programming by placing a sufficient voltage on the steering gate 134 above the floating gate of transistor 110L to turn on the transistor 110L regardless of the charge on its floating gate. Each floating gate can be read by providing a voltage difference between the respective bitlines 138 and sensing the state of one of the bitlines. A negative charge can be written to a floating gate by source side hot electron injection. The floating gates can be erased through wordlines 144 or substrate 124. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,278 issued Jul. 24, 2001 to Harari et al. and incorporated herein by reference.
As noted above, floating gates 120 are made from the first polysilicon layer, steering gates 134 are made from the second polysilicon layer, and wordlines 144 are made from the third polysilicon layer or a polycide layer which also provides the select gates 144S. Alternative fabrication techniques are desirable.

Fabrication of conductive lines interconnecting conductive gates in nonvolatile memories, and non-volatile memory structures


A fixing device for securing into a hole in plasterboard 23, comprising: a body 1 having an anchor receiving aperture 3, and a passage 37a that extends within the body, spaced from the anchor receiving aperture 3; a shaft 5a provided within the passage 37a, the shaft 5a being rotatably movable within the passage 37a, independent of axial movement within the passage 37a; and a retaining member 19a coupled to the shaft 5a and configured to be movable between an extended position, in which the device is retainable in said hole, and a retracted position, in which the fixing device is removably insertable into said hole.

Plasterboard fixings presently available require a minimum cavity behind the plasterboard of 17 mm for light loads below 10 kg, such as pictures, wall mirrors, coat hooks and light fixings. For medium loads between 10 kg and 20 kg, such as shelves, floor supported cupboards and heaters, radiators and lighting tracks, a minimum cavity depth behind the plasterboard of 36 mm would be required. For heavy duty loads between 20 kg and 50 kg, such as wall mounted cupboards and heaters, hand rails and televisions, a minimum cavity depth behind the plasterboard of 50 mm would be required.
It is known, for instance in GB2297595A, to provide fixing means for anchoring an article to a wall, comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion comprising a central internally threaded hole. Directly either side of the hole are a pair of internally threaded holes of slightly smaller diameter. Within these holes are respective bolts, which project out of the rear face of the body portion at their tip. Firmly attached (e.g. by gluing) to the tip of each bolt is an elongate arm. The arms can be rotated relative to the body by turning the bolts such that the elongate arm projects further from the centre of the body portion. These arms engage the rear surface of a wall into which the fixing means is placed, thereby preventing removal of the fixing means from the structure.
GB2297595A seeks to improve on over-complex arrangements; however, the fixing means described is awkward to manufacture and assemble and suffers from various other shortcomings. A new fixing device is therefore sought that is easier to manufacture and assemble.


In accordance with the present invention there is provided a device for stabilizing moving tissue, such as a beating heart, so as to facilitate surgical procedures on such tissue. The device includes a tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween. The tube has a flexible hose extending through the lumen of the tube between its distal and proximal ends. The hose having a proximal end connected to a suction source so as to draw air through the tube from its distal end to its proximal end. The tube is made up of a plurality of segments which are detachable from one another. The device further includes at least one foot connected to the distal end of the tube. The foot extends laterally from the tube. In a preferred embodiment the device includes a pair of feet which are spaced apart laterally from each other. Each foot has a proximal surface, and a distal surface for making contact with the tissue.

There are many types of surgical procedures where the surgeon must perform various operations on moving organs or tissue within the human body. For example, there has recently been an effort to perform coronary artery bypass surgery on a beating heart, without using cardiopulmonary bypass and a heart-lung machine. During a typical coronary bypass procedure, a bypass graft is used to help reestablish coronary artery circulation when a portion of the coronary artery is stenosed. Typically the graft vessel used in bypassing the stenosed portion of the coronary artery comprises one or more segments of the patient's saphenous vein or internal mammary artery.
Once the graft vessel is harvested and prepared, one end is sutured to the aorta, near its base, and the other end is attached to the coronary artery, just distal to the blockage. Some surgeons choose to complete all the proximal anastomosis, to the aorta, before commencing the distal anastomosis to the coronary arteries. In contrast, others choose to complete the distal anastomosis first. Regardless of the order, when undertaking the distal anastomosis to the coronary artery, it is important that the vessel graft be held steady and adjacent the coronary artery, with a minimum of vascular trauma and a minimum of visual and surgical obstruction by instruments in the narrow operative field.
The speed of performing such anastomosis can become extremely critical as well, especially during procedures where the heart is kept beating. Often the coronary artery is occluded during the procedure to reduce blood loss through the arteriotomy. It is very important to reconnect the supply of blood to the artery as soon as possible in order to minimize or prevent damage to the patient such as damage to the myocardium. Blood vessels are now normally anastomosed end-to-end or end-to-side by suturing techniques. Conventionally, to suture two vessels together, a surgeon passes the pointed tip of a curved suturing needle, having a suture attached to the blunt end, through the coronary artery, into the lumen of the vessel and back out through the graft vessel. Then, the surgeon grasps the tip of the needle which has been forced through the tissues with fingers or a needle holder and pulls the needle through the tissues, wherein the suture follows the curved path of the needle. Usually a knot or button is present at the trailing end of the suture to anchor the first stitch. After the surgeon has pulled the suture entirely through the tissues to tension the first stitch, he or she then forces the tip of the needle through the coronary artery again, at a location spaced from the first stitch, until the needle again goes through the coronary artery, into the lumen of the vessel and back out through the graft vessel. Again, he grasps the tip of the needle which has been forced through the tissues, applies tension to the needle pulls the entire suture through the tissues to complete the second stitch. This process is repeated again and again, with the surgeon tensioning the suture after each stitch to draw the tissues together thereby creating a running or continuous stitch, composed of individual thread loops, which extends around the graft vessel.
Needless to say, performing vessel anastomosis, such as described above, can become very difficult, especially when performed on a beating heart. Suture anastomosis procedures on non-beating hearts generally take the skilled surgeon anywhere from ten to twenty minutes to complete for each anastomosis. Therefore, there has been some attempts to provide a device for stabilizing or immobilizing a portion of the heart, preferably a portion near the anastomosis site, so that the surgeon can more readily complete the bypass procedure. In the past the surgeon would use a pair or forceps or a metal fork-type device to push against a portion of the heart, near the anastomosis site to keep the heart relatively still so that bypass procedure could be performed.
Another type of stabilization device is called a "vacuum based" device. The benefit of vacuum based devices is that they have members which grab onto a portion of the heart by suction and lift it up in order to immobilize it. This is often a better method of stabilizing the beating heart. An example of such a device is given in PCT International Publication Number WO 97/10753, published on Mar. 27, 1997 and which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. However, this device has many disadvantages, including a low integrity vacuum seal between the device and the heart caused by any number of reasons including particulate being trapped in the vacuum tube.

Tissue stabilization device for use during surgery having a segmented shaft


A system and method that tests an IP component of a hardware design generates an abstract model of the IP component based on knowledge of the design and one or more protocols implemented with the IP component. A generic driver and associated interfaces are additionally generated or selected to test the IP component within the hardware design.

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to the field of integrated circuit design, and in particular to techniques for verification and debug of such designs.
Hardware designers, for example integrated circuit (IC) designers, do not always design every component of a new hardware device. While designers may design one or more components of a particular device, they often employ component designs (also known as intellectual property, or design IP) from one or more third-party providers. Using components from third-party providers can facilitate the design by avoiding the need for the designer to design every aspect of the device's functionality. The design IP implemented in a device typically provide operations consistent with a standard protocol or with a proprietary protocol of the design IP provider.
Multiple aspects of a design typically may be tested. For example, a hardware design may undergo architectural simulation and analysis and debugging where the functionality of each component being implemented in the design is tested, for example, with transaction level modeling (TLM) or bus functional modeling. The hardware design may additionally undergo circuit simulation and analysis where the signals between components are tested, for example using register transition level (RTL) analysis. Other steps may include: design simulation, for example to model the components of a design together; design and software emulation, for example to model execution of software elements executing on a modeled design; FPGA prototyping; hardware and software co-verification; and post-silicon validation.
Each of these testing stages typically utilizes different verification platforms and/or different interface and driver tools, therefore limiting the reuse of verification methods, and tools relevant to verification. For example, hardware designers may employ a hardware based verification platform to perform certain tests on a completed design. Hardware verification platforms typically enable testing of the various components of the design which facilitates design analysis and debugging operations to identify and fix defects that are encountered. Such testing may require the creation of device specific drivers to verify that the inputs and outputs over a communication medium conform to a standard or predefined protocol. These drivers, sometimes referred to as firmware, are software stacks created to manage the design IP.
However, driver development is error-prone and time consuming. Conventionally, the drivers and tools necessary to test the design IP of a device are not implemented until after the design IP has been completed and further may require rewrites whenever a design IP is changed. Where the design IP is only a partial implementation of the protocol, the driver for the design IP will be incomplete. In such cases, the reuse of the driver for the next revision of the design IP becomes difficult. Because the driver is often developed based on the completion of the design IP, the testing process is significantly delayed because it is not parallelized with the design IP development. Additionally, the driver interface between an operating system and a device under test are often provided to the designer by the design IP developer in the context of a specific operating system information that is often proprietary, incomplete or ambiguous. As a result, the operating system and the driver may not function correctly together. Additionally, it is difficult to test the developed driver under all operating conditions of the design. For example, it is not possible to create all the relevant conditions during driver validation and many device protocol related conditions are not handled in the driver. Currently, testing of design IP is executed with a limited software stack. For example, the bare-metal driver sequences are developed to provide only limited testing from a software perspective. Once the particular test is complete, these sequences are typically discarded.
Accordingly, the art requires a system to efficiently test design IP, the design that contain the design IP, and the related drivers before the design under test is available.


A webbing insertion member is formed of a metal body having a through opening with an edge, a slip piece attached to the edge of the through opening for allowing a webbing to pass through the through opening above the slip piece, and a molding resin for fixing the slip piece to the metal body. A first engaging member is formed on one of the metal body and the slip piece, and a second engaging member is formed on the other of the metal body and the slip piece and engages the first engaging member so that the slip piece is securely engaged with the metal body.

The present invention relates to a webbing insertion member, such as a deflection fitting or shoulder anchor, for a shoulder webbing of a seat belt device.
As well known in the art, a seat belt device is installed in a high-speed vehicle, such as automobile and aircraft, for protecting an occupant by means of a webbing. For example, as for a seat belt device for a front seat of an automobile, the webbing is hooked by a deflection fitting or shoulder anchor disposed on a B-pillar of the automobile.
A deflection fitting of a known type comprises a plate-like metal body made of metal, a slip piece attached to the metal body, and a synthetic resin mold covering the metal body and the slip piece together.
The metal body has a bolt hole formed in an upper portion thereof for installation to the B-pillar and a webbing through opening formed in a lower portion thereof.
The slip piece has a groove in which an edge portion of the through opening is fitted, and a curved surface for guiding the webbing.
In a state that the edge portion of the webbing through opening is covered by the slip piece, the synthetic resin mold is formed by insert molding, thereby manufacturing a deflection fitting. The synthetic resin may be polyamide, such as nylon.
The deflection fitting employing such a slip piece has a problem that the slip piece easily slides off or comes off the metal body due to adverse factors, such as vibration, when the metal body with the slip piece is set in a mold for injection molding, especially in case of using an automatic molding apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a webbing insertion member with a structure for fixing a slip piece and a metal body and preventing the slip piece from sliding off the metal body even with adverse factors, such as vibration.
A webbing insertion member or shoulder anchor of the present invention has an opening through which a webbing is inserted. The webbing insertion member comprises a metal body formed with a through opening, a slip piece attached to an edge of the through opening, and a molding resin for fixing the slip piece to the metal body. In the webbing insertion member, one of the metal body and the slip piece has a first engaging member or convexity thereon, and the other of the metal body and the slip piece has a second engaging member, i.e. concavity or hole, engaging the first engaging member.
In the webbing insertion member of the present invention, since the convexity formed on one of the metal body and the slip piece is fitted in the concavity or hole formed in the other one, and the convexity is designed to hardly come off the concavity, there is no possibility that the slip piece slides off or comes off the metal body even with adverse factors, such as vibration, after the slip piece is attached to the metal body until the resin molding is completed.


A method for producing a bioactive bone cement and a bone cement kit for anchoring artificial joints and for filling out bone defects. The method avoids polymerization-linked by-products and disadvantageous effects, while at the same time providing the bone cement with long-term stability. The inventive method uses a monomer-free polymethylmethacrylate, which is mixed with a suitable non-toxic solvent, and a bioactive, vitreous-crystalline material with a particle size ranging from >20 to 200 μm, having 15–45 wt. % CaO, 40–45 wt. % P2O5, 10–40 wt. % ZrO2 and 0.7–3.5 wt. % fluoride, having apatite and calcium zircon phosphate as main crystal phases and a glass phase as an auxiliary component until a flowable mixture is obtained. The invention also relates to a bone cement kit having said components.

Bone cements for anchoring joints and repairing other bone defects consist of a synthetic material which as a rule is based on methylmethacrylate or related substances, in some cases with the addition of further esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. Such bone cements are described e.g. in DE 196 41 775 A1. Frequently, a combination of benzoyl peroxide and dimethyl-p-toluidine is used as a catalyst in the liquid monomer, which is pointed out as a disadvantage in DE 196 35 205. Bone cements are usually prepared by mixing two components. One component contains the liquid monomer, the other is made up of a powdery polymer provided in the form of spherical particles having a diameter of approx. 100 μm.
X-ray contrast media are added for achieving the X-ray opacity required for control purposes. Known X-ray contrast media are BaSO4 and ZrO2, which are added in amounts ranging between 7 and 30%.
Currently, a great variety of bone cements are used, they do, however, still have disadvantages.
A general problem consists in that heat is exothermally released during polymerization. However, the bone cells which are in contact with said bone cements are damaged if the temperature rises above 50° C. The actual thermal stress put on body cells within the zone of contact with the polymerizing bone cement can only be predicted very inaccurately. It depends on the thickness of the cement layer applied, on the thermal conductivity via the prosthesis components as well as on the bone itself. Laboratory tests have shown that maximum temperatures of up to 110° C. may occur during the polymerization of commercially available cements under certain conditions, causing burns as a consequence. Improvements seem to be necessary in this respect.
Another problem of the bone cements known so far is that residual monomer which is always contained therein as well as other additives, e.g. the stabilizer hydroquinone (toxicity class 3) and the accelerator N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (toxicity class 2), may dissolve out, thus causing damage.
Furthermore, the shrinkage resulting from polymerization may have a disadvantageous effect which may, in the end, lead to a loosening of the prosthesis.

Method for producing a bioactive bone cement and bone cement kit

BAM Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und - pruefung

Humboldt-Universitaet Berlin, Charite Universitaetsklinikum (CCM) Medizinische Fakultaet der Humbolt-Universitaet


The present invention relates to lactic acid fermented Galgeuntang, and a composition comprising the said lactic acid bacteria fermented Galgeuntang or Galgeuntang as an active ingredient, more particularly, to lactic acid fermented Galgeuntang prepared by the steps of inoculating lactic acid bacteria to Galgeuntang, culturing thereof, and fermenting thereof, and a composition for preventing or treating liver toxicity comprising the said fermented Galgeuntang or Galgeuntang. The composition of the present invention has treatment effect on liver toxicity, so that it can be effectively used as a liver function recovering agent or health food for liver function recovery.

Galgeuntang is a kind of oriental medicine prescription prepared by boiling down such herbs as galgeun (Puerariae radix), mahuang, ginger, jujube, licorice, peony, and gyeji (Cinnamomi ramulus), which has been prescribed for treating stiff-neck and waist, feeling chills, cold without sweating and with feeling like avoiding getting caught in wind, shivering with chills, fever, congestion, cold without sweating but with stiff-body and back, inflammation in eyes, ears, and nose, rash, and asthma, etc.
There are those methods to prepare valuable materials for human body by fermenting medicinal herbs after adding a microorganism for fermentation. For example, there is a method to create synergy effect in relieving intestinal disorders comprising the steps of co-culturing lactic acid bacteria having excellent growth rate and flavor with medicinal herb extract and fermenting the said mixture (Korean Patent No. 185619). There is another method to double the effect with maintaining the original characteristics of each raw material comprising the steps of fermenting the whole raw materials using fermented soybeans with selected grains and medicinal herbs by aging at low temperature (Korean Patent Publication No. 2004-0078030). However, there are no reports yet in relation to fermented Galgeuntang.
Thus, the present inventors performed the experiment, in which liver toxicity was induced in rats by treating carbon tetrachloride and then completed this invention by confirming that the liver toxicity could be treated by administering lactic acid bacteria fermented Galgeuntang or Galgeuntang itself.

Composition for preventing or treating liver toxicity comprising Galgeuntang or lactic acid bacteria fermented Galgeuntang


A signal processing unit performs, on the basis of a received electric field signal from an antenna by which a beam is scanned within a predetermined azimuthal angle and a signal of an azimuthal angle of the scanned beam, a Fourier transform on a distribution function of the received electric field signal into a frequency domain of the azimuthal angle, divides a signal according to a first spectral function by a signal according to a second spectral function, the first spectral function being obtained by performing the Fourier transform, the second spectral function being obtained by performing a Fourier transform on an antenna pattern of the antenna into a frequency domain of the azimuthal angle, and subjects the divided signal to fitting by using Prony's method with exponential functions including real parts and imaginary parts in arguments.

For example, for observing objects to be observed at a radar, there is employed a method in which a beam direction of an antenna beam is rotated by rotation of an antenna or the like and intensity of received electric field signals from the antenna is observed.
Conventionally, there is known a method of determining a distribution function of radio wave sources by using a deconvolution method to thereby improve the resolution.
However, in the method using the deconvolution method, there is a problem that radio wave source information cannot be directly extracted because it is merely given as functional values with respect to an azimuthal angle.
In this view, the present inventor has proposed a method of directly determining radio wave source information by using Prony's method (see Patent Literature 1). In this method, the radio wave source information is extracted on the basis of both A and an argument (−jθ0) of an exponential function (A*exp(−jωθ0) of a signal subjected to fitting by using Prony's method. Where "A" denotes an amplitude, "j" denotes an imaginary unit, "w" denotes a spatial frequency, and "θ0" denotes an azimuthal angle.

Observation apparatus, observation method, and program


A rotation detecting device capable of outputting information on the absolute angle using an ABZ phase signal and without extra operation and procedures required, and a bearing assembly having this rotation detecting device incorporated therein are provided. The device includes an absolute angle detecting sensor unit for detecting the rotation angle of a rotating member as an absolute angle and a rotation pulse signal generating section for generating a rotation pulse signal including an index signal corresponding to a zero phase of the absolute angle detecting sensor unit and a pulse signal of a constant interval, based on the absolute angle detected by the absolute angle detecting sensor unit. The rotation pulse signal is outputted in an absolute angle output mode, under which the rotational pulse signal is outputted from a time the index signal is outputted to the current absolute angle.

1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to a rotation detecting device for use in various machines and equipments, for example, a rotation detecting device for detecting the rotation angle for the purpose of controlling the rotation of, for example, a small size motor, and a detector equipped bearing assembly having such rotation detecting device incorporated therein.
2. (Description of the Prior Art)
The rotation detecting device has been suggested in, for example, the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-37133, hereinafter referred to as the Patent Document 1, which is of a design capable of incorporating in a small size machine or equipment and also capable of detecting the rotation angle with high precision and which utilizes a magnetic sensor unit made up of magnetic sensor arrays. This magnetic sensor unit includes, as shown in FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings, a plurality of magnetic sensor arrays each made up of a plurality of magnetic sensor elements (MAGFETs), which are integrated on a sensor chip 42 together with a circuit unit 46 including, for example, a signal amplifying circuit, an analog-to-digital converting circuit and a digital signal processing circuit, with the sensor chip 42 being arranged in opposition to a magnet 44 that is mounted on a rotating member 41. In this case, the magnet 44 is of a kind having an anisotropy in a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation O and, on the sensor chip 42 referred to above, the magnetic sensor arrays 45 are arranged in a square pattern, with each array occupying one of four sides of the imaginary square shape.
With the rotation detecting device 43 so constructed as hereinabove described, respective outputs from the magnetic sensor arrays 45, each positioned along one side of the imaginary square shape, are read out by the signal amplifying circuit and the analog-to-digital converting circuit to detect a distribution of magnetic fields emanating from the magnet 44 and, based on a result of such detection, the rotation angle of the magnet 44 is calculated by a digital signal processing circuit.
Although different from the rotation detecting device 43 disclosed in the Patent Document 1, another rotation detecting device (such as, for example, a rotary encoder commercially available under the trade name of "LSI" manufactured by AMS Corp.) is also suggested, which makes use of magnetic sensor elements such as, for example, Hall elements so that the position of a magnet, fixed to a rotary body, and the movement of such magnet can be detected by calculating respective output signals from those magnetic sensor elements.

Rotation detector and rotation detector-equipped bearing