A collating apparatus generates a sparse state transition table by reducing the amount of data indicating a specific transition operation and a shift operation in a state transition table in which a collating operation corresponding to each symbol contained in one or more retrieval keys is defined. Then, the collating apparatus stores the table after compressing it into an array format, and retrieves the keys in the file to be retrieved while referring to the compressed state transition table. This collating apparatus is applied to a word processor, database system, full-text search system, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method, for use in a character string retrieving device, etc., of collectively determining whether or not at least one symbol string exists in data in a given text, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, users require a process of collectively determining whether or not symbol strings exist in data in a given text, etc. A symbol string refers to a sequence of characters and other symbols. That is, a character string is a variation of a symbol string. The determination function is often referred to as a multi-string matching or a multi-string retrieval.
Efficient methods used with a conventional multi-string matching apparatus can be the Aho Corasick (AC) method suggested by Aho et al.(A. V. Aho and M. J. Corasick: "Efficient String Matching: An Aid to Bibliographic Search" CACM Vol. 18 No. 6 1975), the method of structuring a Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA) corresponding to the AC method, and the Flying Algorithm for Searching Terms (FAST) method suggested by Uraya ("High-speed Character String Collating Algorithm FAST" published in Information Processing Academy Publication Vol. 30 No. 9 1989, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication S64-74619, Japanese Patent Application S62-231091).
Described first are the AC method and the multi-string matching algorithm obtained by formatting the AC method as a DFA.
The AC method collates character strings using deterministic finite automaton called Pattern Matching Machine (PMM).
The collating operation according to the AC method is described as follows.
First, a state number is set to 1 as an initial value. Then, symbols are read character by character from an input text. It is next determined to which state the current state is switched by an input symbol. When a transition is not assigned to the current state using the input symbol, it is assumed that the collation has failed and a transition is directed to a possible state in case of transition failure (a failure state) from the current state. If a transition is not assigned to the possible state using an input symbol, then a transition is directed to a further possible state in case of transition failure.
Since transitions are assigned for all symbols from the initial state 1, the transition failure stops at the initial state at worst. Thus, the transition is repeated for each input symbol from the text. When a symbol string to be accepted is defined for a state, the symbol string and its position in the text are output.
FIG. 1A shows the PMM of the AC method in which three symbol strings {ab, bc, bd} are used as retrieval keys (keys). The PMM shown in FIG. 1A contains 6 states, that is, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Solid line arrows show a next transition state. Broken line arrows show possible states in case of transition failure. " a,b" indicates an input symbol other than a and b. The states 4, 5, 6, (s4, s5, s6) are assigned "ab", "bc", and "bd" as output keywords respectively.
FIG. 1B shows the operations of the PMM responsive to the input symbol string "cabcz". When the symbol c is input, it corresponds to an input symbol other than a and b. Therefore, the next state remains 1 and no output is generated. Next, when the symbol a is input, the current state is switched to the next state 2. When the symbol b is input, it is switched to the next state 4. At this time, the symbol string "ab" defined for the state 4 is output.
However, since the state 4 is not assigned its next transition state, it is temporarily switched to a possible state 3 in case of transition failure when the symbol c is input, and then a next transition state is searched for. Since the state 5 is defined as the next state by the symbol c, the transition is directed to this state and the symbol string "bc" is output. When the symbol z is next input, the transition is directed to the state 1, thereby terminating the entire operation.
Thus, according to the AC method, the transition is repeated each time a transition failure occurs by an input symbol for which the next state is not defined. Therefore, n input symbols bring less than 2n transitions using a finite state machine (finite state automaton). Normally, the probability that the leading character of a key makes a hit increases with an increasing number of keys. Since the number of transition failures increases correspondingly, the collating speed in the AC method gradually becomes slower with the increasing number of keys.
As described above, the process speed of the AC method is slowed by a transition failure for which the next state is not specified. According to the DFA method, a next state is uniquely determined in response to an input symbol. Therefore, n input symbols constantly bring n transitions using a finite state machine and a collation is performed at a high speed. Aho, et. al disclose the method of converting the state transition machine of the AC method into the DFA method.
FIG. 1C shows the finite state machine corresponding to the state transition machine in the AC method in response to the symbol string {ab, bc, bd}. In FIG. 1C, the "state" indicates the current state, and the "next" indicates the next state reached when the symbol in the "input" is entered. States s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, and s6 respectively correspond to states 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. For example, the representation ".right brkt-top.a,b" indicates symbols other than a or b.
FIG. 1D shows the operations for the input symbol string `cabcz` of the finite state machine. The initial state is 1. No transition failures as shown in FIG. 1B are detected in the state transitions shown in FIG. 1D. The number of state transitions matches the number 5 of the symbols contained in the input symbols "cabcz".
Also in the FAST method known as a high-speed collating method, character strings are collated as in the AC method by preparing a PMM for an input key set. The collating operation according to FAST method is described as follows.
First, the state number is set to 0 as an initial state. The collation start position in the input text is set at a position apart from the beginning of the text by a shortest key length, with the length of the shortest key in an input key set defined as the shortest key length.
Next, data is read character by character from the collation start position to the left on the text. It is determined according to the input symbol to which state the current state is switched. If the transition is not defined, the collation start position is shifted to the right by a predetermined amount corresponding to an input symbol, and then the collation is restarted.
Thus, the text is scanned from right to left as long as the state transition is defined for an input symbol. Then, the pattern of a character string is extracted. When the transition is not defined, the collation start position is shifted to right in the text by the amount of shift defined for the input symbol.
FIG. 2A shows the PMM of the FAST method in which three symbol strings {state, east, smart} are used as retrieval keys. The PMM shown in FIG. 2A comprises 14 states, that is, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. Solid line arrows indicate a transition direction, and broken line arrows indicate a shifted direction.
A state transition is defined in reverse order of the sequence of symbols contained in each retrieval key. The "Depth" indicates the depth of each state of the PMM. For the states 5, 9, and 13 (S5, S9 and S13), the symbol strings "state", "east", and "smart" are respectively defined as output keywords.
FIG. 2B is a table showing next transition states and the amount of shift when a symbol is input to each state of the PMM. In FIG. 2B, the number in the first row indicates the state number, and the symbol in the first column indicates an input symbol. The "(Other)" indicates an input symbol other than a, e, m, r, s, and t. On this table, a positive number element indicates the state number of a next transition state corresponding to the input symbol. A negative number element indicates the amount of a shift obtained through a corresponding input symbol.
FIG. 2C shows the operation of the PMM corresponding to the input symbol string `aaseastate`. The initial state is 0. In this case, "east" is the shortest symbol string of the symbol strings "state", "east", and "smart". Since its length is 4 characters, the shortest key length is 4. Thus, a collation process is performed from right to left with the position t the shortest key length of 4 characters away from the rightmost point of the input symbol string defined as a collation start position.
If the collation process fails, then an absolute value of the amount of the shift is calculated by multiplying the amount of the shift defined for the input symbol by -1, and the collation start position is shifted to the right by the resultant amount. Then, the state number is set to 0 and the collation is resumed.
When the symbol t is entered at the initial state 0 written at the position of the symbol t of the input symbol string shown in FIG. 2C, a transition is directed to the state 6 according to the table of FIG. 2B. When the symbol s is input, a transition is directed to the state 7. Next, when the symbol a is input, a transition is directed to the state 8. When the symbol e is input, a transition is directed to the state 9 and the symbol string "east" defined for the state 9 is output.
When the symbol s is input next, the collation start position is shifted to the right by 7 because--7 is set in the state 9 as the amount of a shift instead of a next transition state. Then, control is returned to the initial state 0 and the collation is resumed with the position of the symbol e after a shift operation as a new collation start position. The collation process continues as described above, and the symbol string "state" is output when a transition is directed to the state 5.
The above described process of retrieving multiple character strings is performed for a database, a word processor, and a device such as a full-text search device, etc.
A full-text search device refers to an apparatus for retrieving a character string to check whether or not a retrieval result is correct when data is retrieved using a full-text search index. A full-text search index refers to an index for use in a retrieval process through which returned data is not always a correct answer to a key word containing an input index such as a signature file, an inverted file having no word appearance positions in text, etc.
For example, assume that a keyword `John Smith` is retrieved from an English index. Since an index is a collection of words delimited by a space, `John Smith` is equal to `John AND Smith`. However, if a document is searched with a search condition of `John AND Smith`, the retrieval result also contains `John` and `Smith` which appear separately, thereby obtaining excess results. In this case, whether or not the result is correct can be checked by retrieving a character string.
A problem with the above described conventional character string collating method arises in a speed-capacity relation in a portion corresponding to the state transition of the PMM.
In the AC method, the storage capacity can be reduced using a list structure to represent a state transition portion. However, pointers should be sequentially traced in the list structure, and therefore data are slowly accessed and the collating operation is performed at a lower speed.
Although the collation speed of the DFA-processed AC method is high, the table structure as shown in FIG. 1C should be used to indicate all state transitions defined for all input symbols. However, this requires a considerable storage capacity.
Assume that there are 256 (8-bit code) types of input symbols with the number N of states and 4-byte pointers. In a table form, a state requires 256 pointers to the next state, one pointer to a possible state in case of transition failure, and one pointer to an output symbol string. Therefore, a storage capacity of N.times.(256+1+1).times.4 bytes is required.
Normally, since the number of states N increases with the number of retrieval keys, a required storage capacity becomes large when the number of keys is large. Therefore, it is not practical to design a character string collating device based on the DFA processed AC method.
Since the state transition or shift is similarly defined for all input symbols in the FAST method, the table structure as shown in FIG. 2B is required. Therefore, with the configuration of the character string collating apparatus based on the FAST method, a considerably large storage capacity is also required.

Apparatus and method of multi-string matching based on sparse state transition list


A magnetic resonance (MR)-radiotherapy (RT) hybrid system for treating a patient is disclosed. The MR-RT hybrid system comprises: an MR imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising bi-planar magnets configured to generate a magnetic field; a radiation source configured to supply a radiation beam to treat the patient; a gantry configured to couple the MR apparatus at a first end and the radiation source so that they can rotate in unison; a treatment support configured to support the patient; a motor configured to move the treatment support; and a controller. The controller comprises a processor and memory having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the motor to move the treatment support in order to avoid collision between the MRI apparatus and the patient when the MRI apparatus is rotated. A method for positioning the treatment support within the MR-RT hybrid system is also disclosed.

Most modern radiotherapy (RT) treatments are delivered "isocentrically", where a target volume in a patient is placed at an isocentre of the radiotherapy apparatus. The target volume can then be irradiated from multiple gantry angles without needing to move the patient in order to realign the target volume to the beam axis. The isocentre is often an intersection of a gantry axis and a beam axis of the radiotherapy apparatus. An example of a radiotherapy apparatus is a linear accelerator.
More recently, hybrid magnetic resonance (MR)-RT systems have been used to provide MR guided RT treatments. For example, the systems by ViewRay® and Elekta AB both provide MR guided radiotherapy systems. However for these systems it is difficult, if not impossible, to position the patient so that a peripherally located tumour, such as a breast or lung tumour for example, is at the isocentre without coming into contact with the magnet. This, in turn, reduces the gantry angles from which the tumour may be irradiated thereby inhibiting the effectiveness of the treatment. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate this disadvantage.


A towing device, adapted to be mounted to a chassis of a vehicle, features a bi-planar rotation mechanism which allows a telescoping beam to dynamically pivot about two orthogonal axes. The towing device includes a sub-frame mounted to the chassis. An underframe is pivotally attached to the sub-frame to move between a retracted position, adjacent to the sub-frame, and an extended position, distal from the sub-frame. The telescoping beam extends from the underframe and terminates in a carriage, which is adapted to support the wheels of a towed vehicle. In this fashion, the telescoping beam allows the towed vehicle to dynamically pivot about two orthogonal axes which avoids "high centering" of the towing vehicle.

Devices for towing vehicles are well known in the art and generally consist of a wheel lift system attached to a towing vehicle. The wheel lift system is adapted to support the wheels of a vehicle to be towed. One end of the towed vehicle is then elevated by a hydraulic mechanism, with the longitudinal axis of the towed vehicle forming an obtuse angle with respect to the ground. Vehicle towing devices may be organized into two categories, commercial and consumer. Commercial vehicle towing devices are commonly associated with tow trucks and are mounted so that the towing devices extend from the towing vehicle on a continuous basis. This facilitates quick and easy access to the towing devices which makes the business of towing more profitable by reducing the time necessary to attach and detach vehicles to the towing device.
Consumer vehicle towing devices are, on the other hand, not typically designed to extend from the towing vehicle on a continuous basis. This results from both the periodic nature of the use of consumer vehicle towing devices, as well as the desire to avoid the driving difficulty presented by having the same extending from the towing vehicle. Further, vehicle towing devices often detract from the aesthetics of the towing vehicle. Thus, most consumer towing devices are designed to be removably mounted to the towing vehicle so that they may be easily removed. An example of a prior art consumer towing device is a removable two-ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,911 to Grant discloses a commercial towing device that comprises of a mobile crane for a towing truck. The crane includes, inter alia, a boom that is operably connected to hydraulic rams to vary the boom's longitudinal and angular positions. The boom is pivotally mounted to a mast structure. Both the hydraulic rams and the mast structure are braced against a pivot structure that is secured to the bed of the truck. In this fashion, horizontal components of forces produced during lifting and towing of a load, and imposed by the hydraulic rams, is offset by the opposing horizontal components of forces imposed upon the braces by the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,078 to Van Staveren discloses another commercial towing device that is a combination portable hoist, crane and vehicle towing apparatus. As a portable hoist, a vertical mast and hydraulically actuated boom are mounted on a standard support having support legs oriented in a "V", with the hoist boom positioned between the support legs. As a portable crane, the mast and boom are mounted onto a platform attached to a truck bumper to allow 360.degree. rotation about an axis of the vertical mast. In this configuration, the portable crane can load and remove objects to/from a bed of a truck. As an automobile towing mechanism, the mast and boom are locked in position within the plane of movement of the boom normal to the vehicle bumper. A typical automobile bumper and axle attachment towing device is attached to the boom chain. Stabilizer bars orient the bumper and axle attachment towing device parallel to and spaced-apart from the vehicle bumper. This allows the tow vehicle to elevate one end of a towed vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,802 to Bell discloses still another commercial towing device for a motorcycle which includes a wheel lift adapter kit having, inter alia, a plurality of rigid bars which form a pair of spaced cradles, each of which is attached to a cross bar assembly. The cross bar assembly is attached to one end of a retractable boom. The opposite end of the boom is attached to the rear of a towing vehicle. The boom is telescoping and may be pneumatically or hydraulically extended or retracted. The boom is pivotally mounted to the rear of the vehicle so that it may be lowered to the ground or raised therefrom, elevating a motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,216 to Russ discloses a commercial vehicle towing device for trucks which includes, inter alia, a frame having a pair of spaced-apart channels terminating in a tail positioned at the rear of the truck. A base is movably mounted within the channels. The base includes a subtending pivoting arm. The arm extends from the base, terminating in a telescoping housing. The housing is positioned to extend from the rear of the truck to which it is attached and terminates in a support member that extends transverse to the telescoping housing. Each end of the support member terminates in a wheel mount adapted to selectively engage the wheels of a vehicle to be towed. A first hydraulic mechanism is connected between the tail mount and the base to move the base along the channels. A second hydraulic mechanism is connected between the tail mount and the telescoping housing to lower and raise the housing closer to and farther from the ground. A third hydraulic mechanism is connected between the wheel mounts to vary the distance therebetween.
A major concern with a towing device concerns avoiding damage to the towed vehicle, the towing vehicle and the towing device when crossing over uneven terrain, e.g., a dip in the ground, a ramp or a drive-way. When the rear end of the towing vehicle, and front end of towed vehicle traverse opposing sides of a recess in the ground, the rigidity of the towing device may cause the rear wheels of the towing vehicle to be lifted off the ground, referred to as "high centering". This may subject the towing device to undue strain, resulting in catastrophic failure of the same.
It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a towing device that facilitates traversing uneven terrain by avoiding high centering of a towing vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight towing device that is easily stored underneath the towing vehicle.


A sideport connector for an IV catheterization system is disclosed in which a secure connection can be maintained with standard Y-shaped sideport connectors, such as a septum-type connector. The connector of the present invention comprises a clip having a collar which slidably and, optionally, rotatably engages the septum in order to prevent accidental disengagement. The clip is prevented from disengaging motion by, preferably, a ratchet-pawl mechanism. In another embodiment, the clip can be mounted on the branch of the Y-shaped sideport. The connector also comprises a needle shield or, optionally, a cap to prevent self-injection and contamination.

The present invention relates to a sideport connector for use in conjunction with standard catheterization systems and components, and, more particularly, to a connection system which provides secure connections at such sideport locations with respect to septum-type connectors.
It is very common in the treatment of hospitalized and home healthcare patients to utilize intravenous ("IV") catheters to introduce certain fluids and medications directly into the bloodstream of the patient. Such procedures are becoming more common outside of the hospital as the high cost of hospital medical care has brought about the advent of neighborhood outpatient clinics and home healthcare.
In IV catheterization, a supply fluid is maintained in a container which is located at a height higher than the patient. The catheter tubing flows from the supply container to the location of introduction (or "injection site") into the patient where it is attached to a catheter extending into the vein of the patient. This location is typically the back of the patient's hand or a vein on the inside of the arm. Typically, a needle or other stylet is first introduced to the cannula portion of the catheter and then into the skin of the patient at the desired location. The needle is then removed, leaving the cannula in place in the vein. The fluid then flows directly into the blood vessel of the patient by gravity and/or by the pressure generated by the head of the fluid above the height of the patient.
In common practice, a single fluid supply line is established by means of such IV catheterization. However, it is frequently desirable to introduce a second fluid into the bloodstream of the patient or to administer to the patient smaller doses of medication by means of manual injection. In order to avoid a second IV wound, the established IV line is usually provided with a Y-shaped connector, frequently termed a "sideport." For example, a second fluid can be merged with the first fluid by connecting the tubing of the second container at the sideport so that the two fluids mix together as they are introduced into the bloodstream of the patient through the single, downstream IV tubing. Likewise, manual injections can be administered at the sideport location in order to avoid the pain and discomfort of an injection directly into the patient.
The connection at the sideport can be one of a variety of standard type connectors such as a luer-type or septum cap connector. One advantage of the septum cap is that it permits both types of sideport connections, e.g., a second IV fluid or manual injections. The septum cap connector (also commonly referred to as a "heparin lock" or "buff cap") is comprised of a cylindrical tube which extends from a Y-shaped connector in the main IV line. The open end of the tube is provided with a rubber septum cap which is stretched over the tube or inserted within it to completely cover the opening. A beveled needle, which can either be attached to the end of an IV line or to a manual injection device, is inserted through the rubber material of the septum and into the lumen on the other side of the septum in order to permit the confluence of fluid into the main IV line. Once the needle is withdrawn, the rubber material of the septum cap is self-sealing in that the puncture area is automatically closed. Thus, the septum cap advantageously provides rapid access for injections or secondary IV attachments. The top surface of the septum can be easily cleaned and sterilized.
Although this type of connection has several advantages, it also presents a few problems. The mechanical security of the connection is poor. The needle simply is securely retained by the thin rubber sheet forming the septum cap. Patients receiving this type of IV therapy are often ambulatory thus increasing the degree of movement and motion of the IV tubing and the risk of accidental disconnection. Furthermore, long-term infusion is becoming more prevalent, again increasing the risk of disconnection. There is also a significant risk of accidental self-injection by the needle and there is no means to prevent contamination of the connection at the sideport.
Accordingly, nurses and others who must utilize this type of IV therapy typically attempt to secure the connection by means of surgical tape. However, this method has been shown to be less than desirable because it is time consuming and still does not prevent contamination. Furthermore, existing products which have attempted to solve this problem have done so by providing two separate customized connectors, one at the sideport and one on the IV tubing, which must be joined together. In other words, such previous products are not compatible with standard septum or luer connectors, but are only compatible with connectors manufactured by the same company. This is very inconvenient to the user and also increases the cost of such standard IV therapy. Other connectors are available which attach to both the sideport and the distal end of the IV tubing; however, they have proven to be awkward and cumbersome and not much of an improvement over the use of surgical tape.

Sideport connector for catherization system


Apparatus for securing a seal to a substrate includes a plurality of swage dies having overlapped side surfaces configured to prevent clamp ring fold up between the swage dies.

This invention relates to swage apparatus for swaging a clamp ring against seal material to secure the seal material to a substrate.
Current apparatus for compressing seal material against an underlying substrate for producing a leak proof path therebetween, includes an apparatus having a plurality of pie-shaped swage segments that are operated by hydraulic or mechanical force to move the segments from a radially outwardly released position to a radially inwardly located force application position in which arcuate segments on each of the swage elements are mechanically forced against the outer circumference of a clamp ring for swaging the clamp ring into a compressed relationship with the seal material for securing it to a substrate such as a shaft.
The problem with such prior art arrangements is that a minimum clearance is provided between the opposed edges of the segments to insure that the hydraulic or mechanical force for swaging acts to compress the clamp ring rather than compressing the swage dies together. Such clearance can result in a plurality of circumferentially located folds or flashes in the resilient material clamped against the substrate.
The problem with such flash material is that it restricts the swage dies from fully closing to a desired dimension or force that will cause the clamp ring to be plastically deformed so as to reduce its inside diameter to compress the seal material between the clamp ring and the substrate. Such under swaging of a clamp ring can cause a fold up section of clamp and seal material to create a leakage path at the clamp ring.
The present invention solves the problem of such material clamp or seal material fold up by configuring the swage dies with a side edge configuration that will assure that the application of compression forces against each of the swage dies will be applied uniformly around the full circumference of a clamp ring so that it will be frilly plastically deformed in all sections of its inner diameter so as to prevent the problem of clamp ring fold-up or under compression of the seat material at folds between the clamp ring and the underlying substrate.
A feature of the invention is to provide apparatus for swaging clamps to secure seal material to an underlying substrate by uniform deformation of a ring clamp wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of swage dies arranged circumferentially of a clamp ring and having side surfaces thereon and the invention characterized by each of the plurality of swage dies having variable width side surfaces thereon that are overlapped for producing a uniform circumferential swaging force on the clamp ring during compression thereof against a seal material.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide such apparatus wherein the swage dies are even numbered.
A further feature is to provide such swage dies having truncated tapered face portions including side edge surfaces increasing in width toward the radially inner end of each of the swage dies; and wherein adjacent ones of the swage dies are alternately arranged to cause the overlapped surfaces to lie in substantially the same plane while providing an unrestricted radially inwardly and outwardly directed movement of each of the swage dies without application of compressive forces therebetween.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide apparatus having such swage dies wherein the swage dies have opposite faces thereon and wherein each of the opposite faces have one of the variable width side surfaces thereon and wherein the swage dies are even numbered.
A still further feature of the invention is to provide such apparatus wherein each of the dies have opposite faces thereon and each of the opposite faces have one of the variable width side surfaces thereon and swage dies are an odd number.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus wherein each of the swage dies are pie-shaped and have overlapping side surfaces formed either partly along or fully along the full radial edge of each of the swage dies; and wherein the side surfaces of adjacent swage dies are overlapped to provide for uniform application of compression forces on the clamp ring without applying compressive forces between adjacent ones of the overlapped surfaces of each of the swage dies.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the type set forth in the proceeding type wherein each of the overlapped side surfaces form a lap joint.
Still another feature is to provide such apparatus wherein the overlapped surfaces are substantially V-shaped.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide such apparatus wherein the overlapped surfaces are formed as a tongue-in-groove joint.


A conducting strip for a connection device comprises a first conducting strip, a second conducting strip, and an elastic clipping element. One side of the second conducting strip is contacted with one side of the first conducting strip, and the two contacted sides are clipped by the elastic clipping element so that the first conducting strip and the second conducting strip can be connected movably to provide conductive purpose and assembled easily to reduce costs.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a conducting strip for a connection device, and more particularly to a conducting strip, which is installed in outlets or plugs so as to not only provide conductive purpose but also can be rotated and moved freely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Outlets and plugs are adapted to connect sources of various electric instruments. Due to intensive competition in the market of the electric instruments, new outlets and plugs are being launched to enhance complete functions. And existing outlets and plugs have rotatable function to be adjusted in different angles according to actual requirements. For example, the conventional rotatable outlet set, as the TW Patent M267717 is published in 11 Jun. 2005.
The conventional outlets and plugs all have conducting strips, are also called cooper scraps or terminals, therein to obtain conductive effect. In order to provide rotatable outlets or plugs, the conducting strips have been designed in two-piece type, and the two conducting strips are pivotally engaged mutually by a pivot so as to adjust the outlets or plugs in different angles. However, it is inconvenient to assemble the conducting strips to increase costs.
The inventor of the present invention recognizes the above shortage should be corrected and special effort has been paid to research this field. The present invention is presented with reasonable design and good effect to resolve the above problems.


A Stirling cycle type cold air generating device comprising a Stirling module having a module cylinder and a module piston disposed in the module cylinder to be vertically reciprocated, a magnetic pole piston extending downwardly from a lower end of the module piston, the magnetic pole piston being moved integrally with the module piston, a pump cylinder disposed beneath a module cylinder of a module and isolated therefrom, and a pump piston disposed in the pump cylinder to be vertically reciprocated, the pump piston defining an upper pumping chamber for pumping the heat transfer medium and a lower pumping chamber for pumping the brine in the interior of the pump cylinder. The magnetic pole piston and the pump piston are magnetically connected by means of a magnetic coupling disposed around both the module cylinder and the pump cylinder to move vertically therealong. The magnetic coupling has an upper end serving as an electromagnet for applying a magnetic attraction to the magnetic pole piston and a lower end serving as an electromagnet for applying a magnetic attraction to the pump piston.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cold air generating device, and more particularly to a cold air generating device of Stirling cycle type in which a brine for transferring cold air and a heat-discharging heat transfer medium are circulated to achieve a heat transfer therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a refrigerator equipped with a conventional Stirling cycle type cold air generating device. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator comprises a Stirling module (a freezer) 1 for generating a cooling effect according to the Stirling cycle, a heat-absorbing heat exchanger 3 for heat-exchanging cold air generated from a heat absorber (a cold air generating unit) 2 with air in a refrigerator, a brine serving as an operating medium for feeding cold air to the heat-absorbing heat exchanger 3 and having a characteristic of not freezing at a low temperature, and a heat-absorbing-side circulation pump 4 for circulating the brain. The refrigerator also comprises a heat-discharging heat exchanger 6 for discharging heat radiated from a radiator 5 of the Stirling module 1 at air in a room at which the refrigerator is installed, a liquid, for example, water, serving as an operating medium for transferring heat from the radiator 5 to the heat-discharging heat exchanger 6 and having a high specific heat and a high convection heat transfer coefficient, and a heat-discharging-side circulation pump 7 for circulating the liquid. In addition, the refrigerator comprises a cold air circulating unit 8 for feeding air cooled upon passing the heat-absorbing heat exchanger 3 to required parts of the refrigerator, and a temperature sensor 9.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 13 denotes a linear motor, 14 a piston, 15 a displacer, 16 a regenerator, 17 a compression chamber, 18 a reaction space, 19 a voltage controller, 20 a microcomputer, 21 a voltage controller and 22 a cylinder.
In such a conventional Stirling cycle type refrigerator, a cooling effect is generated at the heat absorber 2 of module 1 and an expansion chamber 10, by the module 1 operating in the Stirling cycle. The generated cooling effect is transferred to the brine filled in a shell 11 of the heat absorber 2. The cooled brine is fed to the heat-absorbing heat exchanger 3 by the heat-absorbing-side circulation pump 4, so that it exchanges heat with air in the refrigerator to generate freezing and refrigerating effects of the refrigerator and circulates continuously. The heat radiated from the radiator 5 of the Stirling module 1 is transferred to the liquid having high specific heat and heat transfer coefficient and filled in a shell 12 of the radiator 5. The heated liquid is then fed to the heat-discharging heat exchanger 6 by the heat-discharging-side circulation pump 7 so that it discharges heat at air in the room at which the refrigerator is installed. By such a heat discharge, the liquid is cooled by itself. The liquid returns to the radiator shell 12 and then circulates continuously.
The above-mentioned conventional cold air generating device includes two pumps one being the heat-absorbing-side circulation pump 4 for circulating the cooling effect generated at the Stirling module 1 to the heat-absorbing heat exchanger 3 by means of the brain and the other being the heat-discharging-side circulation pump 7 for transferring the heat radiated from the radiator 5 of module 1 to the heat-discharging heat exchanger 6. This construction results in a complexity of the overall construction of freezing system and an increase in cost. For obtaining sufficiently an advantageous capacity control being a characteristic of the Stirling freeze, respective capacities of the heat-absorbing-side circulation pump 4 and the heat-discharging-side circulation pump 7 should be varied to correspond to the variation in capacity of the module 1. As a result, a pump with variable capacity is required. There is also required an accessary device for sensing the variation in capacity of the module 1 and controlling the pump according to the sensed variation. These devices make the refrigerator increase in cost.


Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to the present invention, wherein a wafer is divided into individual fractions by a diamond blade, the entire surface of the wafer, which include gaps between the respective fractions, is thereafter sealed with a resin, and the wafer is divided into individual fractions again by a diamond blade narrower than another diamond blade in width, whereby a chip size package in which the resin is being left on one sides of a chip, can be obtained. According to the method referred to above, a chip size package in which chip sides are also sealed with the resin, can be easily manufactured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a resin-sealed semiconductor element, and particularly to a chip size package substantially identical in size to an LSI chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique employed in this field, there has heretofore been one wherein leads are formed on a semiconductor element, bumps are formed on portions of the leads respectively and the semiconductor element is resin sealed or molded in a state in which the back or reverse side thereof is being exposed. This type of technique has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-306853.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


The active matrix display device has a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode, which is provided with a pixel voltage through the thin film transistor, for each of pixels. A supplemental pixel electrode, which is connected to the pixel electrode of one of the pixels adjacent to each other, and which extends to the region between the two pixels adjacent to each other, is also disposed. The supplemental pixel electrode enables the region between the pixels to be used as a part of the display region. The liquid crystal of this region is also driven by the voltage same as the pixel electrode. The configuration of the peripheral circuit of the pixel portion is simplified, reducing the framing area of the panel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an active matrix display device, specifically to an active matrix display device with an improved display quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flat panel display device including a reflection type active matrix liquid crystal display device (referred to as LCD hereinafter) can be thin, small and light, and it operates with low-power consumption. The LCD has been used as a display part in various devices such as mobile information device. The LCD, whose pixel has a switching element and a thin film transistor, is known as an active matrix type. The panel of the active matrix display device is highly reliable for maintaining displayed contents of the pixels, which provides the active matrix display device with high display quality.
FIG. 7 shows an equivalent circuit of a pixel in the active matrix LCD. Each pixel has a thin film transistor (TFT) 11 connected to a gate line and a data line. When the TFT is turned on by a selection signal outputted to the gate line, the data corresponding to the display content is supplied to a liquid crystal capacitance 12 (Clc) from the data line through the TFT. It is necessary to accurately keep the display data from the time when the TFT is first selected for writing to the time when the TFT is selected again in the next sequence. Therefore, a storage capacitance 13 (Csc) is connected to the TFT in series with the liquid crystal capacitance Clc.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the configuration of the pixel portion on a TFT forming substrate (a first substrate 100 in FIG. 9) of the conventional LCD. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the LCD configuration along with the X-X cross sectional line in FIG. 8. The LCD has a first substrate and a second substrate with the liquid crystal between them. In the active matrix LCD, the TFTs 11 and pixel electrodes 74 are arranged in a matrix configuration on the first substrate 100. A common electrode 56, to which a common voltage Vcom is supplied, and a color filter 54 are disposed on the second substrate 500, which is disposed facing to the first substrate 100. The voltage applied between the pixel electrode 74 and the common electrode 56, which are facing each other with the liquid crystal between them, drives the liquid crystal capacitance Clc.
The TFT disposed for each of the pixels on the first substrate 100 side is a top-gate type TFT, whose gate electrode is located above an active layer 64, as seen from FIG. 9. The active layer 64 of the TFT is patterned on the substrate 100 as shown in FIG. 8. A gate insulating layer 66 is disposed covering over the active layer 64, and the gate line, which also functions as a gate electrode, is disposed on the gate insulating layer 66. The part of the active layer 64 facing against the gate electrode is a channel region. A drain region 64d and a source region 64s with an impurity doped are formed at the corresponding sides of the channel region.
The drain region 64d of the active layer 64 is connected to the data line, which functions also as a drain electrode 70, through a contact hole formed in an interlayer insulating layer 68 covering the gate electrode.
Also, a flattening insulating layer 72 is disposed covering the data line and the drain line 70. The source region 64s of the active layer 64 is connected to pixel electrode 74 made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) on the flattening insulating layer 72 through a contact hole.
The source region 64s of the active layer 64 functions also as a first electrode 80 of the storage capacitance Csc disposed for each of the pixels and extends further, as shown in FIG. 8, from the contact region of the pixel electrode 74. A second electrode 84 of the storage capacitance element Csc is formed simultaneously with and in the same layer as the gate electrode as seen from FIG. 9, but it is formed in a region away from the gate electrode, keeping a certain distance between them. The gate insulating layer 66 also works as a dielectric between the first electrode 80 and the second electrode 84. The second electrode 84 of the storage capacitance element Csc, are not independently disposed for each of the pixel as seen from FIG. 8. But it is disposed in the pixel region along the row direction of the matrix in the same manner as the gate line 60. A predetermined storage capacitance voltage Vsc is applied to the second electrode 84.
The storage capacitance element Csc disposed for each of the pixels maintains the electric charge corresponding to the display contents, which should be applied to the liquid crystal Clc, when the TFT is not selected. Therefore, the voltage change of the pixel electrode 74 can be maintained, enabling the display contents to be kept unchanged during one sequence.
The gate line 60 and the second electrode 84 (a storage capacitance line) for forming the storage capacitance element Csc are disposed in parallel. The location of these two lines with respect to the location of the pixel electrode 74 is shown in FIG. 10. The gate line 60 and the second electrode 84 (a storage capacitance line) are disposed in the layer under the pixel electrodes 74, adjacent to each other. The portions of the lines between the pixels shown as shaded areas in the figure are not covered by either of the pixel electrodes 74.
The liquid crystal corresponding to the portions of the lines shown as shaded areas occasionally shows white light. This is often observed when the adjacent pixels appear as black elements. When white light is observed, the display quality is deteriorated.
The gate line 60 and the second electrode 84 (the storage capacitance line) are usually made of reflecting material such as aluminum, molybdenum and chrome, which reflect light. Therefore, because the pixel electrodes 74, which control the reflection of the light, do not exist at the upper layer of the lines (shaded in the figure) in the conventional device, the alignment of the liquid crystal corresponding to this portion can not be controlled. This leads to a frequent white light observation. Although this problem can be solved by disposing a black matrix (BM), the aperture ratio would be reduced.
Therefore, this invention is directed to prevent the abovementioned problem and to offer the active matrix display device of high quality display.

Active matrix display device with floating electrode between adjacent pixels


Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for staggering the timing of targeted refresh operations. A memory device may include a number of memory banks, at least some of which may be simultaneously entered into a refresh mode. A given memory bank may perform an auto-refresh operation or a targeted refresh operation, which may draw less power than the auto-refresh operation. The timing of the targeted refresh operations may be staggered between the refreshing memory banks, such that a portion of the refreshing memory banks are performing a targeted refresh operation simultaneously with a portion of the refreshing memory banks performing an auto-refresh operation.

Information may be stored on individual memory cells of the memory as a physical signal (e.g., a charge on a capacitive element). The memory may be a volatile memory, and the physical signal may decay over time (which may degrade or destroy the information stored in the memory cells). It may be necessary to periodically refresh the information in the memory cells by, for example, rewriting the information to restore the physical signal to an initial value.
As memory components have decreased in size, the density of memory cells has greatly increased. An auto-refresh operation may be carried out where a sequence of memory cells are periodically refreshed. Repeated access to a particular memory cell or group of memory cells (often referred to as a 'row hammer') may cause an increased rate of data degradation in nearby memory cells. It may be desirable to identify and refresh memory cells affected by the row hammer in a targeted refresh operation in addition to the auto-refresh operation. The targeted refresh operations may occur with timing interspersed between the auto-refresh operations.

Apparatuses and methods for staggered timing of targeted refresh operations


An integrated device having a configuration, in which a cantilever and a light source are integrated on a single substrate, and applicable to a variety of fields, for example, ultra-fine quantity sensors, and a method for fabricating such a device. The light source such as LED, LD or SEL and the cantilever are integrated together on a single substrate in such a manner that they are arranged in proximity because the distance between the light source to the cantilever has no influence on the amplification rate. Accordingly, the device of the present invention requires no additional alignment for its constituting elements. In accordance with this configuration, it is possible to greatly reduce the space occupied by the constituting elements. It is also possible to reduce the limitation on the focusing of light. Since the integrated device of the present invention can accurately measure a micro displacement of the cantilever, it can be applied to micro physical quantity sensors. The device can also be used to measure displacement of a SPM tip. In addition, the device of the present invention may be used to achieve an alignment required in optical devices and LD's.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated device having a configuration, in which a cantilever and a light source (LED, LD or SEL) are integrated on a single substrate, and applicable to a variety of fields, for example, ultra-fine quantity sensors, and a method for fabricating such a device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional atomic force microscope (AFM) using a light source and a cantilever.
AFM's are adapted to analyze the surface of a sample using a force effecting between atoms in order to observe the sample surface in an atomic magnification. Such AFM's have an advantage in that a variety of samples such as conductors, semiconductors, magnetic substance and dielectric substance can be easily observed in the atmosphere, irrespective of the conductivity of the sample because those AFM's utilize a force effecting between an atom in a local portion of the sample and an atom on the tip of a cantilever. Since the cantilever is constituted by a soft spring, it is bent during its sample scanning operation by a force effecting between the atom on the tip of the cantilever and atoms of the sample. The force causing the cantilever to be bent is measured using an appropriate method. The measured value is then converted into an electrical signal which is, in turn, processed in a reverse feedback manner. Using the resultant signal, it is possible to obtain three-dimensional information about the surface of the sample.
In the case of the AFM shown in FIG. 1, a light beam emitted from a light source 11 is reflected from a cantilever 13 and then incident on a position photodetector 12, so that the position photodetector 12 senses the incident light beam. As shown in FIG. 1, a tip 14 is provided on the lower surface of the cantilever 13 at the free end of the cantilever 13. When the tip 14 approximates to the surface of a sample to be observed, the cantilever 13 is bent due to an attractive force effecting between the sample surface and the tip 14. As a result, a displacement occurs in the cantilever 13. This displacement results in a shift of the light beam which is reflected from the cantilever 13 and then incident on the position photodetector 12. The position photodetector 12 senses such a shift of the incident beam corresponding to a displacement of the cantilever 13. In such a manner, the position photodetector 12 detects even a micro displacement of the cantilever 13.
However, in the case of the conventional AFM, it is difficult to focus the light beam and to align the light source 11 and cantilever 13 with each other because the light source 11 and cantilever 13 are spaced apart from each other. There is also a problem in that a certain space is required because the light source 11 and cantilever 13 should be spaced apart from each other.
Meanwhile, assuming that "L1" and "L2" represent the distance from the light source 11 to the cantilever 13 and the distance from the cantilever 13 to the position photodetector 12, respectively, the amplification rate used in the conversion of a micro displacement of the cantilever 13 into a shift of the light beam is proportional to "L2" while being irrespective of "L1".
In other words, an increase in the distance L2 from the cantilever 13 to the position photodetector 12 results in an increase in the amplification rate. In this case, the micro displacement of the cantilever 13 is correspondingly amplified. Accordingly, the shift of the light beam caused by the displacement of the cantilever 13 is also amplified, so that it is accurately detected by the position photodetector 12. However, the distance L1 between the light source 11 to the cantilever 13 has no influence on the amplification rate.
Therefore, where the light source 11 and cantilever 13 are integrated together on a single substrate while reducing the distance L1 therebetween, it is unnecessary to make a separate effort to align the light source 11 and cantilever 13. In this case, the space occupied by the light source 11 and cantilever 13 is also reduced. Since the light source 11 and cantilever 13 are approximate to each other, the limitation in focusing the light beam is reduced.

Integrated device of cantilever and light source

Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology


An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for connecting and disconnecting daughter cards. A handle urges a locking member toward a base comprising a stop and a channel. The channel may direct the locking member to a specified position. The locking member biases the catch and the biased catch engages with the stop. The stop and the channel of the base secure the locking member to the base. In addition, the handle urges the locking member away from the base. The handle also urges an actuator to unbias the catch. The handle further disconnects the locking member from the base as the unbiased catch does not engage the stop.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to retaining a circuit card and more particularly relates to connection and disconnecting a circuit card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circuit cards are typically retained within an enclosure or system using one or more retention devices such as brackets or the like. The retention devices may direct the circuit card to a connector, easing the engagement of the circuit card with the connector. In addition, the circuit card may provide physical support to the circuit card.
Circuit cards are often retained using industry standard retention devices. For example, industry standards such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect ("PCI") defined by the Peripheral Component Interconnect Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group of Wakefield, Massachusetts may define connection standards. In addition, standards may specify retention devices. For example, the PCI Mezzanine Card ("PMC") standard P1386.1 defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers of New York specifies retention devices and criteria for circuit cards employing the PCI standard.
Unfortunately, a system or enclosure may need to retain a circuit card in a configuration not supported by a suitable industry standard retention device. For example, the system may not be able to retain and connect a daughter card on a mother card that does not support industry standard retention devices because of space or other considerations. The daughter card must instead be connected without the benefit of direction from retention devices to align a daughter card connector with a mother card connector. In addition, the daughter card may be inadequately retained such that forces exerted on the daughter card may damage the daughter card or the mother card.
Circuit cards may also be difficult to connect and disconnect. For example, a circuit card may be difficult to align and secure to a connector. In addition, a user may have difficulty disconnecting and removing a properly secured circuit card because of problems releasing any mechanisms securing the circuit card. Connecting and disconnecting the circuit card may be a particular problem when for a daughter card connected to a mother card as the mother card may be less tolerant of the physical forces required to connect and disconnect the daughter card.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that retain circuit cards in non-standard configurations and that allows easy connection and disconnection of the circuit cards. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would connect, retain, and disconnect circuit cards including when standard retention devices are unavailable.

Apparatus, system, and method for connecting and disconnecting a circuit card


An inventory storage and retrieval system and method are provided for a shipping or storage facility. In an embodiment, the system includes: (a) a mobile computer and radio on a load-handing vehicle; (b) sensors on the vehicle to determine the ground location and orientation of the vehicle; (c) encoders that determine the position of a lifting mechanism relative to a chassis of the vehicle; and (d) a base computer and radio that communicates with the vehicle. The system maintains an inventory database of items and their respective storage locations in three dimensions as a result of the loading activity of the vehicle. The data can be used to guide the vehicle for ground movement generally to a storage location, appropriately orient the vehicle, and then to move the lifting mechanism of the vehicle to deposit or retrieve the item at a particular storage location.

A guidance system for a gantry crane is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 10/298,487, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The guidance system of that application uses GPS technology to determine the ground position and orientation of a gantry crane, thereby providing directional data useful for automatically or manually driving a vehicle such as a gantry crane to a desired location.
Various load handling systems are known, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,902, 6,266,008, and 6,577,921, and in International Publication No. 98/34127.
A need exists for an improved system and method for utilizing a guided vehicle to handle items in an inventory.

Inventory storage and retrieval system and method with guidance for load-handling vehicle


A game controller system for electronic games includes a two-hand operated game pad that has a pair of pistol-like grips extending from opposed ends of a central housing bearing player input buttons, triggers analog sticks, and digital pad. A wrist support panel extends laterally from the bottom of each grip to provide a rest for the blade portion of the gripping hand. A plug connector disposed on the housing releasably connects to any one of several modules, such as mouse, joystick, and steering units to enable a user to reconfigure the assembly for different games and purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for peripheral input devices designed for computers and video game consoles.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a large variety of peripheral computer and game console input devices. They range from typical mouse/keyboard setups to hand held game pads, joysticks, d-pads, and track ball devices, along with a number of other such devices.
With the emergence of computer and console video games, however, there are a number of inherent limitation in regard to the video game controllers themselves and their related input components. These limitations range from functionality and adaptability, to general ergonomics. For instance, a typical flight controller yoke, which generally comprises a hand operated joystick with a plurality of analog and/or digital buttons, functions well in a video gaming environment that require slow steady directional changes or similar aiming functions. By nature of its construction the base element of the flight yoke sits atop a fixed working surface. This provides an optimum leverage point. What is more the hand operated joystick component of the device requires the participation of the entire limb of the user for manipulation during operation within the gaming environment. The accompanying electronics further dampen the degree of sensitivity so as not to produce extreme or erratic motion. This makes for a very precise method of operation in its particular field of application within the video gaming environment. This device, however, by nature of its construction cannot provide quick reflex aiming such as that which is possible with a mouse input device, and therefore is limited to slower steadier applications.
The computer mouse and keyboard combination, on the other hand, provides excellent quick reflex aiming. This is due to the inherent nature of the method of operation associated with the computer mouse. By gliding over a fixed surface and using the entire limb of the user to manipulate it within the video gaming environment the computer mouse makes for a very precise method of operation. There is no separation between the motion of the user's hand and the corresponding movement of the cursor or pointing reticle within the gaming environment. The accompanying electronics further allow for a higher degree of sensitivity which results in very quick reflex aiming ability. It is noteworthy to mention that the keyboard is generally a poor choice as a video gaming input device because it lacks the quick reflex, finger tip functionality such as that found on video game pads for instance. This is due to the scattered layout of those buttons designated as active for any particular game. However, currently the keyboard is the principle device that works in conjunction with the computer mouse. What is more the computer mouse by nature of it construction cannot provide slower steadier aiming such as that which is possible with a flight yoke/joystick and therefore is limited to quick reflex aiming applications.
Another popular input device is the handheld game pad. These controllers have integrated a number of input components into a single body. They typically contain a digital 8-way directional pad, one or more thumb operated analog joysticks and a plurality of digital and/or analog buttons. The game pad offers excellent finger tip functionality in regard to a plurality of analog and/or digital buttons laid out in a very user friendly and accessible fashion on the surface of a hand held gaming controller. However it lacks the slow steady aiming abilities of the hand operated joysticks, primarily due to the fact that the thumb operated joysticks on a typical game pad are too responsive and lack the control of an entirely hand operated joystick. Moreover, the game pad also lacks the quick reflex aiming ability associated with the mouse because the analog joysticks typically provided are not responsive enough and again fail to use the entire hand of the operator while being used in the gaming environment.
In this regard while all of these input devices have their strengths, in particular applications they also have inherent weaknesses in regard to functionality in certain computer gaming environments and thus are a compromise to the overall skill level possible by the user within the said video gaming environments.
The second area of the limitations inherent to these devices comes as a result of the fact that there are a wide variety of video games on the market. These games range from Role Playing Games, Strategy Games, Flight Simulation Games, Other Simulation-type Games, First and third Person shooting games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Puzzle solving games, etc. These games are played in both two dimensional as well as three dimensional computer generated environments. With such a wide variety of games the difficulty comes in finding a single device or controller system that plays all these games well without compromising associated functionality. In this regard the current input devices lack adaptability.
For instance, a flight yoke controller is typically used to play Flight Simulation video games. This type of controller, while very effective for manipulation within a flight simulation video gaming environment, fails to meet the highest standards of manipulation requirements of, for example, an action/adventure video game or a First Person Shooter video game. Another example would be a standard mouse/keyboard input combination. First Person Shooter video games played on personal computers are typically played with the standard mouse and key board setup. This system, while adequate for first person shooter video games, doesn't represent the best controller solution for flight simulation video games.
As a final example there is the hand held game pad device. These devices, perhaps the most versatile of input gaming devices, still have inherent limitations in there adaptability. They are typically well-adapted to play action/adventure video games. They can even be adapted to play Role Playing Games, First person Shooter Games, even Flight Simulation and other Simulation type games. However they fail to allow the user to play such video games with the highest degree of skill level possible primarily because the components of the hand operated game pad are tailored for general purpose use and not specific applications like the mouse/keyboard or the dedicated flight yoke/joystick. While being the most adaptable of video game controllers hand held game pads also compromise on functionality to a greater or lesser degree.
In this respect all these devices have failed to be completely versatile in terms of adapting to the widest variety of video games on the market or to meet the absolute highest standards as to the degree of skill possible in their use.
Finally in regard to ergonomics these devices fail to meet the variety of needs associated with the video gaming public. Firstly there has been much documentation regarding the stresses and fatigue placed upon computer users who play games with mouse input devices on a regular basis. Carpal tunnel syndrome and related health risks are often symptomatic. Stress to the joints and ligaments and tendons of the shoulder, arm, forearm, hands and wrists are common. As a result there is a definite need for improved ergonomics in relationship to a device which has a computer mousing element. The distance and separation of the mouse from the keyboard is a major part of the problem. The transference of motion back and forth has been determined to be a root cause of the aforementioned problems. A second problem with current mouse functionality is the fact that most mouse devices work on the basis of one handed operation. The load is therefore placed on a single limb. And a final problem with current mouse functionality is the prone posture of the hand. The hand is laid flat, often without appropriate support to the hand, wrist, and limb. As a consequence these members are subjected further to the aforementioned stresses. There have been a number of attempts at improving the ergonomic form function of the mouse but they have not sufficiently addressed all these problems.
Another logistic limitation in all these devices is that their design requires a fixed method of use. For instance, the mouse functions only on a stable flat working surface. The hand operated joystick is also limited to use on a stable flat working surface. At times this may be the preferred method of operation but at other times this method of use may not serve the preferences or needs of the user. The hand held game pad on the other hand is strictly a hand supported device. It works in positions remote from a stable flat working surface. Again this may be the preferred method of use but at other times this may not serve the needs or preferences of the user or the demands of the game being played.
While these limited methods of operation at times improve the overall functionality of the input devices in question, on occasions when such functionality would not be required they limit the options of the user to operate the gaming controller device either on a fixed working surface or in a hand supported position remote from a fixed working surface. There is also an economic limitation to the use of distinct and separate game controllers. The need to have a multitude of input devices to play all existing computer and console video games can become financially burdensome to the consumer. And requiring the game-playing user to change game controllers and readjust and become reacquainted with different controllers diminishes playing skills until the player can act and react without having to think about the controller being used.

Apparatus and system for reconfigurable two-hand game controllers


A transceiver circuit with a heterodyne receiver circuit is provided. Output signals of first and second local oscillator 103, 104 are mixed by a local frequency converter 105. An output signal of the converter 105 passes a filter 106 and inputs a modulator 111 of a transmitter circuit 101 as well as a first frequency converter 122 of a receiver circuit 102. The second local oscillator 104 comprises a frequency synthesizer whose output signal varies for a transmission or a receiving mode. The output signal of the second local oscillator 104 also inputs the second frequency converter 124 of the receiving mode. A reference frequency of the second local oscillator 104 is set higher than a frequency step between communication channels so that a quick switching of the frequency is performed. Thus, the transceiver circuit of this invention is suitable for a compact size and hardly generates unwanted spurious components at transmission mode.

In the prior art, a heterodyne transceiver circuit changes a communication frequency by changing an output frequency of a first local oscillator. The transceiver circuit has two second local oscillators for receiving and transmitting whose output frequencies are fixed.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the heterodyne transceiver circuit in the prior art. This transceiver circuit has a transmitter circuit 901, receiver circuit 902, a first local oscillator 903, a second local oscillator for transmitting 904, a second local oscillator for receiving 905, a diplexer 907, and an antenna 908.
The transmitter circuit 901 has a modulator 911, a filter 912, a frequency converter for transmitting 913, a filter 914, and an amplifier 915. The modulator 911 modulates the output signal of the second local oscillator for transmitting 904 with a base band signal. The output signal of the modulator 911 is provided to the frequency converter for transmitting 913 after passing the filter for reducing unwanted frequency components. The frequency converter for transmitting 913 produces a converted signal having a transmitting frequency by using the output signal of the first local oscillator 903. The output signal of the frequency converter for transmitting 913 is amplified by the amplifier 915 after unwanted frequency components of the signal are reduced by the filter 914. The amplified signal passes through the diplexer 907 and radiates from the antenna 908.
The receiver circuit 902 has a low-noise amplifier 921, a first frequency converter 922, a filter 923, a second frequency converter 924, a filter 925, and a demodulator 926. A signal received by the antenna 908 passes a diplexer 907 and is an input to the low-noise amplifier 921. The output signal of the low-noise amplifier 921 is provided to the first frequency converter 922, which produces a first intermediate frequency using the output signal of the first frequency local oscillator 903. The output signal of the first frequency converter 922 is provided to the second frequency converter 924 after unwanted frequency components of the signal are reduced. The second frequency converter 924 converts the output signal of the filter 923 into a second intermediate frequency using the output signal of the second local oscillator for receiving 905. The second intermediate frequency signal is demodulated by the demodulator 926 after unwanted frequency components of the signal are reduced by the filter 925.
However, the above transceiver circuit in the prior art needs two second local oscillators for receiving and transmitting. Therefore, this transceiver circuit is not suited for a portable transceiver that should be compact in size. The transceiver circuit in the prior art has another disadvantage. It has a tendency to generate unwanted spurious components due to the output signal of the second local oscillator at the transmission mode, as both second local oscillators are enabled during communication operation.

Transceiver circuits for TDMA system with variable frequency second local oscillator

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A porous absorbent material that comprises a water-insoluble, water-swellable absorbent polymer. The absorbent material comprises a polyether and/or a polycation bonded to the absorbent polymer whereby the contact angle of blood on a surface of the absorbent material attains from about 0 degree to about 40 degree. Because of the improved wettability with liquids as well as the porous structure, the absorbent material can provide higher absorbent characteristics with liquids, in particular with blood.

Water-insoluble, water-swellable, hydrogel-forming absorbent polymers are capable of absorbing large quantities of liquids such as water, blood, body exudates (e.g., urine, menstrual fluid), industrial fluids and household fluids and are further capable of retaining such absorbed liquids under moderate pressures. The absorption characteristics of such polymer materials make them especially usefull for incorporation into absorbent articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, and the like.
In general, conventional absorbent polymer materials have good or required absorption characteristics to water and urine; however, there still remains poor distribution and dispersion with certain liquids. In particular, they have poor absorption characteristics for certain liquids, specifically for blood or menstrual fluid. More specifically, upon contacting blood or menstrual fluid, absorbent polymer materials do not show enough absorption characteristics, especially the rate of blood absorption due to their poor distribution and dispersion of blood.
Such poor distribution and dispersion of blood is mainly caused by poor wettability with blood. In general, ability of the distribution and dispersion of blood can be evaluated by measuring the contact angle of blood on the surface of absorbent polymer material. Since contact angles of conventional absorbent polymer materials are in the range of from about 30 degree to about 90 degree or more, desired wettability with blood cannot be obtained whereby the poor distribution and dispersion of blood are caused in the absorbent polymer materials.
One attempt to improve such absorption characteristics is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,563 (Rosley et al.), issued Feb. 20, 1980, wherein the wettability with blood is improved by surface treatment of particulate absorbent polymer materials using polyethers. The disclosed absorbent polymer materials can be effectively wetted with blood; however, the distribution and dispersion of the blood into and among the absorbent polymer materials is not fully improved because of their high resistance to liquid flow within the polymer materials due to lack of capillary or liquid transport channels, and insufficient specific surface area of the polymer materials. Therefore, the absorption characteristics with blood is not satisfactory and there remains a need to improve further the distribution and dispersion of blood through and among absorbent polymer materials.
In addition, since the polyether are just coated or physically bonded on the surface of absorbent polymer materials, such polyether can be washed away from the absorbent polymer materials by succeeding application of liquids.
Consequently, there remains a need for further improvements in such absorbent materials.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a porous absorbent material which has improved absorption characteristics with liquids.
Another object of the present invention is to improve distribution and dispersion of liquids in an absorbent material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to improve the rate of absorption of an absorbent material, especially for blood.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent material which is not affected by succeeding application of liquids.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for making such absorbent materials.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide absorbent disposable articles, such as diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, and the like, which have improved absorption characteristics with body exudates.

Porous absorbent materials having modified surface characteristics and methods for making the same


A multiport RAM comprises a memory section formed of many unit memory cells which are positioned to an orderly matrix of M columns by N rows, a write address designation section for designating the unit memory cells on the prescribed rows, a write clock signal by which the input data is synchronized in the write operation that the data is written in the unit memory cells designated by the write address designation section, a read address designation section for designating the unit memory cells on one or more prescribed rows, and a read clock signal by which the output data is synchronized in the read operation that the data is read out from the unit memory cells designated by the read address designation section, having no relation with the write private clock signal.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a multiport RAM in which the read/write operation is capable even if one clock signal for deciding a read timing has no relation with another clock signal for deciding a write timing in the frequency and synchronization and an information processing unit in which data are transmitted through the multiport RAM between two apparatuses.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, the operation that a data provided from an apparatus A is once memorized in a multiport RAM and the memorized data is read out and provided to an apparatus B is often carried out when the data transmission is carried out between the apparatus A and the apparatus B in the information processing unit.
For example, a conventional structure for carrying out the above mentioned data transmission is explained with reference to FIG. 1 as follows.
FIG. 1 shows that a data memorized in one apparatus A operated by a clock signal CK1 is transmitted to another apparatus B operated by a clock signal CK2 having no relation with the signal CK1 and is memorized into a dual port RAM 1 to use the data for the processing in the apparatus B. Also, FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a timing chart of the signals shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus A is provided with a register RA for providing a 16 bits data to the apparatus B in synchronization with the clock signal CK1. Also the apparatus B is provided with the dual port RAM 1 formed of a 32 bit by 16 word array as a register file. The dual port RAM 1 processes a 32 bit data in synchronization with the clock signal CK2 which is formed by demultiplying the clock signal CK1 to a half frequency in a frequency divider 2. In other words, the 32 bit data which is 2 times as wide as the 16 bit data in the apparatus A is processed in a half processing speed in comparison with a processing speed in the apparatus A.
To match the timing in the data transmission between the apparatus A and the apparatus B, the apparatus B is also provided with buffer registers R1 and R2 in parallel with each other for matching the data width and the operational timing. The 16 bit data, which are memorized into the register RA and are provided to the buffer register R1, R2 by turns in synchronization with the clock signal CK1.
In addition, the apparatus B is provided with a control section 3 for controlling the 16 bit data transmission from the buffer register R1 and R2 to the dual port RAM 1 and the 32 bit data transmission from the dual port RAM 1 to the apparatus B. The control section provides a write signal W1 synchronized with the clock signal CK2 to the buffer register R1 and also provides an inverted signal W2 of the write signal W1 to the buffer register R2. Therefore, the first prescribed 16 bit data D1 memorized in the register RA is at first provided to the buffer register R1 in synchronization with a leading edge of the write signal W1. And then the write operation is completed in synchronization with the first trailing edge of the write signal W1 after the leading edge while the second 16 bits data D2 memorized in the register RA is provided to the buffer register R2 in synchronization with the leading edge of the inverted write signal W2.
The data respectively memorized in buffer registers R1 and R2 are read out in synchronization with the write signal W1 and the inverted write signal W2 in turn and are coupled with each other to make up the 32 bit data provided to the input port of the dual port RAM 1. Thereafter the 32 bit data is memorized in the dual port RAM 1 in synchronization with the clock signal CK2 and under control of a read enable signal RE and a read address signal RA to use for the processing in the apparatus B.
However, elements such as the buffer registers R1 and R2 for constructing the above mentioned system are necessary to match the timing of the data transmission when the data transmission is carried out through the dual port RAM 1 between the apparatuses A, B which are respectively operated in accordance with the clock signals CK1, CK2 having no relation with each other.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 1, showing another conventional system in which the data transmission is carried out through the dual port RAM 1 between the apparatuses A and B which are respectively operated in accordance with clock signals CKA, CKB having the same frequency and no synchronization with each other. Also FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are respectively a timing chart of the signals shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, a 32 bit data memorized in a register RA of the apparatus A is transmitted to the apparatus B. To match the timing in the data transmission between apparatuses A and B, the apparatus B is provided with prebuffers PB1, PB2 in series with each other in the upstream of the dual port RAM 1 and the data transmission is carried out in a so-called hand shaking method.
In the apparatus A, a write go signal WG for requesting the write operation to the prebuffer PB1 is provided to a control section 5 in the apparatus B from a control section 6 in the apparatus A in synchronization with a leading edge of the clock signal CKA to transmit the 32 bit data memorized in a register RA to the apparatus B.
In the control section 5, the write go signal WG is sampled in synchronization with a leading edge timing T1 of a high frequency clock signal CKB4, which has a frequency 4 times the frequency of clock signal CKA or CKB, to detect a phase shift between the clock signals CKA and CKB. Then a write signal W1 is provided to the prebuffer PB1 when the output of the write go signal WG is detected.
In the prebuffer PB 1, the 32 bit data D1 is taken out from the register RA in synchronization with a leading edge timing T2 of the next pulse in the clock signal CKB4 in accordance with the write go signal W1. Also, an acknowledge signal AK is provided to the control section A from the control section B to stop the output of the write go signal WG in a prescribed timing after the write signal W1 is provided to the prebuffer PB1 from the control section 5. A write enable signal WE is provided to the dual port RAM 1 from the control section 5 in a prescribed timing after the write signal W1 is provided to the prebuffer PB1. Therefore, the data D1 is provided to the prebuffer PB2 after holding in the prebuffer PB1 to be provided to the input port of the dual port RAM 1 in synchronization with the clock signal CKB, and then the data D1 is memorized in the dual port RAM 1 in accordance with a write address signal WA provided from the control section 5.
The timing that the write enable signal WE is provided to the dual port RAM 1 is changeable in accordance with the timing that the write go signal WG is sampled and detected so that two kinds of the timing that the write go signal WG is sampled and detected are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. In FIG. 4, the write go signal WG is sampled at the first leading edge timing of the clock signal CKB4 occurred after a leading edge timing of the clock signal CKB. On the other hand, the write go signal WG is sampled at the third leading edge timing of the clock signal CKB4 occurred after a leading edge timing of the clock signal CKB in FIG. 5.
Accordingly, when the data transmission is carried out through the dual port RAM 1 between the apparatuses A and B respectively operated by the clock signals CKA and CKB having no relation with each other, elements such as the prebuffers PB1, PB2 for constructing the above mentioned system are necessary to match the timing of the data transmission even if the data in the apparatus A has the same bit number with the data in the apparatus B.
As mentioned above, the elements such as buffers are necessary to match the timing of the data transmission in an inlet of a multiport RAM when the data transmission is carried out through the multiport RAM between the apparatuses respectively operated by the clock signals having no relation with each other. This means that the timing of the output processing depends on the timing of the input processing in the multiport RAM. In other words, it is impossible to control the input processing (the write operation) and the output processing (the read operation) independently each other because the timing of the input/output can not set up freely.
Accordingly, in the information processing unit in which the multiport RAM is used for a so-called pipeline processing as a register file, the stage number of the pipeline processing is increased by the number of the elements added for matching the timing of the data transmission. Therefore, the structure of the system is in a large scale while the processing speed is lowered, and the design for matching the timing is complicated.
Therefore, the conventional multiport RAM controlled the input/output processing by a single clock signal is not suitable for the data transmission in the information processing unit mentioned above.

Multiport RAM and information processing unit

230.05;189.04;233
FSS DIG. 1 MS File
FSS 425 MS File;550 MS File


The present invention relates to an apparatus and methods for performing image restoration. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and methods which are capable of quickly restoring various sizes of selected areas of an image. In one embodiment, a user may select or mark a target region in an image which is to be restored. A source window may then be generated and a pixel from within the target region may be selected for restoration. The intensity distribution of pixels surrounding the selected pixel may be compared with other pixels in the image and a pixel to be used for restoration of the selected pixel may be chosen based on the comparison of the intensity distributions. Once a pixel is chosen for restoration, the selected pixel and its surrounding pixels may be restored using the intensity distribution of the chosen pixel and its surrounding pixels. The method may continue in this manner until all pixels within the target region have been restored.

Generally, the processes of image inpainting, image restoration and texture synthesis are used for changing an image so the change is typically not noticeable by an observer. In most processes, the selection of a region which is to be changed must first be selected. Next, color/intensity information from a suitably chosen neighborhood in the image outside the selected region may be propagated into the selected region to alter the selected region.
In the past, these processes were performed by skilled artists for the restoration of damaged paintings. More recently, the processes are being implemented in algorithms which may be used to edit, repair or correct scanned or digital images. For example, an individual may desire to remove red eyes from a digital photograph or may wish to hide blemishes, scratches or stains which may appear in a scanned image. Further, an individual may wish to remove an undesirable portion of an image.
However, many of the previous image inpainting, image restoration and texture synthesis algorithms are limited as far as the type of region which may be selected or by the size of the region which may be selected. For example, one previous algorithm operates by clearing all the color information in the selected region and then repeatedly uses color/intensity information from pixels adjacent to the selected region to diffuse known image information into the pixels in the selected region. However, this algorithm results in a blurry finished product unless a user manually selects a small image area (no thicker than 10-15 pixels).
While some previous algorithms are capable of processing larger image areas, they are typically quite slow and thus are incapable of processing the selected region at real-time, or even near real-time, speed. For example, one previous algorithm creates two separate functions to represent the selected image, processes the two functions separately and then sums the functions to arrive at the final image. The processing in this technique requires the steps of image decomposition, partial differential equation ("PDE") based image inpainting and multi-level texture synthesis. As a result, the algorithm requires approximately 5-10 minutes to process a selected region which covers only 4-6% of the pixels in the original image.
Thus, there is a need for an algorithm which is capable of quickly restoring various sizes of selected areas of an image.

Apparatus and methods for image restoration