A locating method applied to an optical touch device is disclosed. The optical touch device includes at least one image detecting component for detecting an imaging position of an object and generating a touch position of the object on a plane according to the imaging position. The at least one image detecting component includes a plurality of pixels. The locating method includes dividing the pixels into a first group and a second group along a first direction, analyzing dimension ratios of a darkness point respectively relative to the first group and the second group when the darkness point formed by the object is simultaneously detected by the first group and the second group, and calculating the imaging position of the darkness point inside the image detecting component according to the dimension ratios.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical touch device and a related locating method, and more particularly, to an optical touch device with preferred coordinates locating accuracy and a related image detecting component and a related locating method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nowadays, a touch operation has been one of necessary functions of the consumer electronic devices. A touch device is an important component to achieve the touch operation. Generally, familiar types of the touch device include, for example, a resistive touch device, a capacitive touch device and an optical touch device. The electronic devices can be equipped with various touch devices in accordance with the various demands.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of an optical touch device in the prior art. The conventional optical touch device 100 includes a light guide module 110, a light source module 120 and an image detecting module 130. The light guide module 110 includes three light reflecting bars 112a, 112b and 112c arranged along three sides of a rectangle track. The light reflecting bar 112a faces toward the light reflecting bar 112c, and the light reflecting bar 112b is connected between the light guide bar 112a and the light reflecting bar 112c. The area inside the rectangle track defines a sensory area 114. The light source module 120 includes two light emitting components 122a and 122b. The light emitting component 122a is disposed on an end of the light guide bar 112a opposite to the light guide bar 112b, and the light emitting component 122b is disposed on an end of the light guide bar 112c opposite to the light guide bar 112b. The light source module 120 is configured for emitting light to the three light reflecting bars 112a, 112b and 112c. The three light reflecting bars 112a, 112b and 112c reflect the light from the light source module 120 to irradiate the sensory area 114. The image detecting module 130 includes two image detecting components 132a and 132b. The image detecting component 132a is disposed on the end of the light reflecting bar 112a opposite to the light reflecting bar 112b, and the image detecting component 132b is disposed on the end of the light reflecting bar 112c opposite to the light reflecting bar 112b. Each of the two image detecting components 132a and 132b includes a plurality of pixels 135 arranged along a straight direction. The pixels 135 detect an object (such ad a touch point) located inside the sensory area 114, and a position (coordinates) of the object can be calculated according to the detected information.
A field of view of the image detecting component 132a covers the light reflecting bars 112b and 112c. It is to say, the pixels 135 of the image detecting component 132a detect the light reflecting bars 112b and 112c. When the object is located inside the sensory area 114, and a darkness point formed by the object is located at the light reflecting bar 112b, the light reflecting bar 112c, or a connecting portion of the light reflecting bar 112b and the light reflecting bar 112c, the darkness point can be detected by a part of the pixels 135 of the image detecting component 132a. Similarly, a field of view of the image detecting component 132b covers the light reflecting bars 112a and 112b. That is, the pixels 135 of the image detecting component 132a detect the light reflecting bars 112a and 112b. When the object is located inside the sensory area 114, and the darkness point formed by the object is located at the light reflecting bar 112a, the light reflecting bar 112b, or a connecting portion of the light reflecting bar 112a and the light reflecting bar 112b, the darkness point can be detected by a part of the pixels 135 of the image detecting component 132b.
Generally, the conventional optical touch device 100 utilizes a medium center calculating method or a gravity center calculating method to calculate the imaging position of the darkness point formed by the object, so as to determine the position of the object. However, positions of the darkness points formed by all objects inside the sensory area 114 cannot be calculated accurately by the medium center calculating method or the gravity center calculating method. For example, in the case of utilizing the medium center calculating method to calculate the imaging position of the darkness point, the sensory area 114 of the conventional optical touch device 100 has an insensitive area 114a. As the object is just located inside the insensitive area 114a, the calculated position of the darkness point by the medium center calculating method generates an error due to a large offset angle of the light. Furthermore, as the imaging position of the darkness point is calculated by the gravity center calculating method, the calculated position of the darkness point by the gravity center calculating method generates an error when the darkness point formed by the object is just located at the connecting portion of two adjacent light reflecting bars.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram of utilizing the medium center calculating method to calculate the darkness point formed by the object inside the insensitive area shown in FIG. 1. The image detecting component 132b is described as an example. When the medium center calculating method is utilized to calculate a position of the darkness point A1 formed by the object A, which is located inside the insensitive area 114a, the n-th pixel 135n to the r-th pixel 135r of the image detecting component 132b detect the darkness point A1 imaged on the light reflecting bar 112a by the object A. The calculated center position of the darkness point A1 by the medium center calculating method is equal to (n+r)/2, which means the center of the darkness point A1 corresponds to the (n+r)/2-th pixel 135m. However, a straight line L passing through the center of the object A and the center of the darkness point A1 is connected to the pixel 135m′, the correct center of the darkness point A1 should correspond to the pixel 135m′ rather than the pixel 135m. Similarly, the image detecting component 132a has the same drawback. Therefore, when the position of the darkness point formed by the object inside the insensitive area 114a is calculated by the medium center calculating method, the calculated position of the darkness point includes an error.
Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram of utilizing the gravity center calculating method to calculate the darkness point formed by the object inside the sensory area shown in FIG. 1. The image detecting component 132a is described as an example to utilize the gravity center calculating method to calculate the darkness point B1 formed by the object B inside the sensory area 114. The x-th pixel 135x to the y-th pixel 135y of the image detecting component 132a can detect the darkness point B1 formed by the object B. A calculating formula of the gravity center calculating method is as follow:
  Cg  =                    ∑                  w          =          x                y                                                                        bg                                            [                w                ]                                      -                          img                                            [                w                ]                                                              ×        w                            ∑                  w          =          x                y                                                        bg                                      [              w              ]                                -                      img                                      [              w              ]                                      
In this formula, w represents the w-th pixel, bg [w] represents a background brightness of the w-th pixel, img [w] represents an image brightness of the image detected by the w-th pixel, and Cg represents the calculated gravity center position of the darkness point B1 formed by the object B. As shown in FIG. 3, when the darkness point B1 formed by the object B is located at the connecting portion of the light reflecting bar 112b and the light reflecting bar 112c, because the conventional optical touch device 100 has weak irradiation at the connecting portion of the light reflecting bar 112b and the light reflecting bar 112c, the background brightness and the image brightness detected by the pixels 135 of the image detecting components 132a are inaccurate. Therefore, the calculated position of the darkness point B1 is different from the actual position of the darkness point B1.
Besides, the sensory area 114 can be divided into a plurality of sensory subareas, and a boundary of the sensory subareas preferably is not disposed on the connecting portion of the adjacent light reflecting bars 112b and 112c (such as being located at the light reflecting bar 112b or the light reflecting bar 112c). When the darkness point B1 formed by the object B is imaged on the boundary of the subareas, the actual imaging position of the darkness point B1 has an apparent error no matter what algorithm (the gravity center calculating method or the medium center calculating method) is utilized to calculate the touch position of the object B by the image detecting component 132a. Therefore, the conventional locating method can not accurately calculate the position of the darkness point formed by the object located inside any part of the sensory area 114. Thus, the conventional optical touch device can not determine the position of the object accurately.

Optical touch device and related image detecting component and locating method


A content access control system of a device determines whether the device is in possession of an owner of the device or another (secondary or non-owner) user and controls access to media content stored on the device based on the determination. The person in possession of the device at any given time is typically the person holding the device in his or her hand(s). If the device is in possession of the device owner, the system allows all media content on the device to be accessed. If the device is in possession of a secondary user, the system restricts access to media content on the device, such as by displaying only media content that has been captured within a threshold amount of time (e.g., the past hour) and that includes both the owner and the secondary user. Other restrictions can also be applied, such as disabling presentation of notifications.

As technology has advanced, people have become increasingly reliant upon a variety of different computing devices, such as wireless devices (e.g., wireless phones or tablets). While these computing devices offer a variety of different benefits, they are not without their problems. One such problem is that given the processing and storage capabilities of current wireless devices, users tend to store a lot of content on their devices, such as large numbers of photos. When a photo is captured in a group setting, members of the group other than the device owner oftentimes like to grab the device in order to view the recently taken photo. However, this allows the other members of the group to view other images and content on the device, whether accidentally or intentionally. This ability for others to view images that the device owner may consider personal and private can lead to user dissatisfaction and frustration with their computing devices.

Controlling non-owner access to media content on a computing device


A wipe pattern generation apparatus that can generate wipe patterns of various shapes at high speed and moreover can be miniaturized. is provided.

For example, in video produced as a moving image like TV broadcasting, usually a large number of frame images consecutive in time series are switched in sequence at given time intervals (for example, 1/60-second frame period) for output. However, to switch a scene in the same program or to switch the program, the continuity of the frame images output in sequence is interrupted suddenly and thus there is a possibility that an unnatural sense may be given to the viewer. In such a case, gradual switching is performed from a frame image of the preceding scene to a frame image of the following scene, whereby the viewer can be reliably informed of scene transition.
At the switching time, two areas are formed in the same screen and the frame image of the scene before the switching is displayed in one area and the frame image of the scene after the switching is displayed in the other area, whereby it is made possible to inform the viewer of scene switching more clearly. As the boundary of more than one area on such a screen, it is possible to use a straight line as a simplest example, but effective scene switching can be accomplished by selectively using patterns of various shapes. To generate such a boundary pattern, a wipe pattern generation apparatus is used.
For example, an art disclosed in patent document 1 is known as an art concerning a wipe pattern generation apparatus in a related art. This kind of wipe pattern generation apparatus switches two video inputs for display in response to the value of the comparison result between the distance of each position from the center coordinates on the screen and a threshold value using coordinate information representing each position on the display screen as polar coordinates.
The wipe pattern generation apparatus in the related art includes a polar coordinate conversion section 803, pattern memory 806, a multiplier 808, and a comparator 809, for example, as shown in FIG. 26. Coordinates representing a scan position on a display screen as shown in FIG. 27 are input to the polar coordinate conversion section 803 as a combination of an x coordinate 801 and a y coordinate 802. The x coordinate 801 represents a pixel position in a horizontal direction on the screen and the y coordinate 802 represents a pixel position in a vertical direction on the screen.
In fact, scanning is executed in the order of (1), (2), (3), and (4) about each scan line shown in FIG. 27 and the current scan position is input to the polar coordinate conversion section 803 as a combination of the x coordinate 801 and the y coordinate 802. The polar coordinate conversion section 803 converts the input combination of the x coordinate 801 and the y coordinate 802 into position information of polar coordinate representation.
In the wipe pattern generation apparatus, in the polar coordinate representation, the coordinates of each position are represented by angle θ and distance r. That is, with a predetermined polar coordinate origin 811 as the center, the coordinates are represented by a combination of a θ coordinate 804 of the angle θ representing an inclination relative to the reference axis and an r coordinate 805 representing the distance r from the polar coordinate origin 811 to each position, as shown in FIG. 28.
The pattern memory 806 retains information of the r coordinate 805 representing the distance r from the polar coordinate origin 811 in each address associated with the θ coordinate 804. That is, the pattern memory 806 retains as pattern data corresponding to a predetermined pattern the value corresponding to the distance r from the polar coordinate origin 811 to each point on the contour of a wipe pattern to generate the pattern for each angle θ. Therefore, if the θ coordinate 804 is input to the pattern memory 806 as a read address, the pattern data representing the distance in the corresponding direction is read from the pattern memory 806.
The multiplier 808 multiplies the pattern data representing the distance read from the pattern memory 806 by an externally input coefficient 807 to scale up/down a generated wipe pattern and outputs the result. The comparator 809 makes a comparison between the value output by the multiplier 808 and the value of the r coordinate 805 output from the polar coordinate conversion section 803 and outputs the comparison result as wipe pattern output 810. The wipe pattern output 810 output from the comparator 809 is binary data and represents which of the outside and the inside of the wipe pattern contour the position of each point exists in.
For example, if data representing a pattern of a triangle is stored in the pattern memory 806, the pattern data representing the distance from the polar coordinate origin 811 to each point on the contour of the triangle pattern is read from the pattern memory 806 in response to the input value of the θ coordinate 804, as shown in FIG. 29. Since the pattern data read from the pattern memory 806 is multiplied by the coefficient 807 by the multiplier 808, pattern scaling up or down processing can be performed by the multiplication.
In fact, a display screen is scanned in sequence and position information of each scan position is input to the polar coordinate conversion section 803 as a combination of the x coordinate 801 and the y coordinate 802 and therefore the wipe pattern output 810 output from the comparator 809 becomes as shown in FIG. 30. That is, whether the position of each point is in the inside or the outside of the contour with the contour of the triangle pattern as the boundary is determined and the display screen is partitioned into two regions as indicated by hatch lines and a white background in the figure.    Patent document 1: JP-A-10-65966

Abstract: A wipe pattern generation apparatus 100 includes a sin θ generation section 101 for calculating sin θ from input angle information θ; a multiplier 103 for multiplying the calculation result of sin θ by a first coefficient; a cos θ generation section 102 for calculating cos θ from the angle information θ; a multiplier 104 for multiplying the calculation result of cos θ by a second coefficient; a multiplier 106 for multiplying the result of adding output of the multiplier 103 and output of the multiplier 104 by a third coefficient and outputting as the reciprocal of the distance from the polar coordinate center to an arbitrary line on a display screen; a multiplier 107 for multiplying output of the multiplier 106 by distance information r; and a comparator 108 for making a comparison between output of the multiplier 107 and a fourth coefficient, and generates wipe pattern output data 110 from the angle information θ and the distance information r.


The organic photosensitive material for electrophotography in accordance with this invention is characterized in that a non-symmetrically substituted diphenoquinone derivative represented by the following formulae ##STR1## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represents an alkyl or aryl group, R.sub.2 having larger carbon atoms than R.sub.1, is used as an electron transporting agent. This photosensitive material has a residual potential limited to a low level, and shows excellent sensitivity in both positive charging and negative charging.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic organic photosensitive material to be used in a copying machine, a laser printer, etc. More specifically, it relates to an electrophotographic organic photosensitive material capable of positive charging or both the positive and the negative chargings and having an improvement in sensitivity and residual potential.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For electrophotographic copying using a digital optical system a light source having a wavelength of usually at least 700 nm is used. Organic photosensitive materials (OPC), amorphous silicon (.alpha.-Si) and some selenium photosensitive materials are known as photosensitive materials having a sensitivity in this wavelength region. From the overall viewpoint of sensitivity and cost, OPC is used mostly in this field.
Although there are many so-called function separation-type organic photosensitive materials, i.e. laminated-type photosensitive materials, obtained by laminating a charge generating layer (CGL) and a charge transporting layer (CTL) as organic photosensitive material, there has been already known a single layer dispersed type organic photosensitive material wherein a charge generating substance is dispersed in a medium of a charge transporting substance.
A charge generating substance of this kind of photosensitive material having a high carrier movability is required. But since the charge transporting agent having a high carrier movability are mostly a positive hole transporting, what is actually used is limited to negative chargeable organic photosensitive materials. However, as the negative chargeable organic photosensitive materials utilizing a negative polarity corona discharging, there is much ozone development and it contaminates the environment. A problem of degradation of the photosensitive materials also arises. To prevent them, particular charging systems are required such as a particular charging system of not generating ozone, a system of decomposing the generated ozone and a system of evacuating ozone within the apparatus, and this has the defect of complicating the process or systems.
There has been proposed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 206349/89 a compound having a diphenoquinone structure as a charge transporting agent for an electrophotographic sensitive material which is exemplified as a rare charge transporting substance having an electron transportability.
The diphenoquinone mentioned above has good compatibility with a binder resin, and is said to show good electron transporting ability. However, the laminated photosensitive material having this diphenoquinone derivative still is defective of not having either a high residual potential or a sufficient sensitivity for practical application.
On the other hand, as regards the charging polarity of a photosensitive material, if it can be used both in positive charging, further, if it can be used in both the positive charging and the negative charging, the range of application of the photosensitive material can further be broadened, and it may be markedly advantageous in removing many above-mentioned defects. Furthermore, if the organic photosensitive material can be used in a single layer dispersion-type, it facilitates a production of the photosensitive material and many advantages can be achieved in preventing the occurrence of film defects and improving optical characteristics.

Electrophotographic organic photosensitive material with diphenoquinone derivative


Isolated DNAs encoding the enzyme I-SpomI and its recognition and cutting site are provided. The DNA sequences can be incorporated in cloning and expression vectors, transformed cell lines and transgenic animals. The vectors are useful in gene mapping and site-directed insertion of genes.

The ability to introduce genes into the germ line of organisms, for example mammals, is of great interest in biology. The propensity of mammalian cells to take up exogenously added DNA and to express genes included in the DNA has been known for many years. The results of gene manipulation are inherited by the offspring of these animals. All cells of these offspring inherit the introduced gene as part of their genetic make-up. Such animals are said to be transgenic.
Transgenic mammals have provided a means for studying gene regulation during embryogenesis and in differentiation, for studying the action of genes, and for studying the intricate interaction of cells in the immune system. The whole animal is the ultimate assay system for manipulated genes, which direct complex biological processes.
Transgenic animals can provide a general assay for functionally dissecting DNA sequences responsible for tissue specific or developmental regulation of a variety of genes. In addition, transgenic animals provide useful vehicles for expressing recombinant proteins and for generating precise animal models of human genetic disorders.
For a general discussion of gene cloning and expression in animals and animal cells, see Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3 ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2001, and Green et al., Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1997.
Transgenic lines, which have a predisposition to specific diseases and genetic disorders, are of great value in the investigation of the events leading to these states. It is well known that the efficacy of treatment of a genetic disorder may be dependent on identification of the gene defect that is the primary cause of the disorder. The discovery of effective treatments can be expedited by providing an animal model that will lead to the disease or disorder, which will enable the study of the efficacy, safety, and mode of action of treatment protocols, such as genetic recombination.
Homologous recombination (HR) between chromosomal and exogenous DNA is at the basis of methods for introducing genetic changes into the genome (Capecchi, Science 244: 1288-1292, 1989; Smithies et al., Nature 317: 230-234, 1985). Parameters of the recombination mechanism have been determined by studying plasmid sequences introduced into cells (Bernstein, et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 12: 360-367, 1992; Brenner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 83: 1762-1766, 1986; Lin et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 10:113-119, 1990; Lin et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 10: 103-112, 1990) and in in vitro system (Jessberger and Berg, Mol. Cell Biol. 11: 445-457, 1991). HR is promoted by double-strand breaks in DNA
Among endonucleases, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial endonuclease I-Sce I (Jacquier and Dujon, Cell 41: 383-394, 1985) has characteristics, which can be exploited as a tool for cleaving a specific chromosomal target and, therefore, manipulating the chromosome in living organisms (U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,896). I-Sce I protein is an endonuclease responsible for intron homing in mitochondria of yeast, a non-reciprocal mechanism by which a predetermined sequence becomes inserted at a predetermined site. It has been established that endonuclease I-Sce I can catalyze recombination in the nucleus of yeast by initiating a double-strand break (Plessis et al, Genetics 130: 451-460, 1992). The recognition site of endonuclease I-Sce I is 18 bp long, therefore, the I-Sce I protein is a very rare cutting restriction endonuclease in genomes (Thierry et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 19: 189-90, 1991). In addition, as the I-Sce I protein is not a recombinase, its potential for chromosome engineering is larger than that of systems with target site requirements on both host and donor molecules (Kilby et al., Reviews 9: 413-421, 1993).
The yeast I-Sce I endonuclease can efficiently induce double-strand breaks in a chromosomal target in mammalian cells and the breaks can be repaired using a donor molecule that shares homology with the regions flanking the break resulting in site-specific recombination, gene replacement, or insertion (U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,896). The enzyme catalyzes recombination at a high efficiency. This demonstrates that recombination between chromosomal DNA and exogenous DNA can occur in mammalian cells by the double-stand break repair pathway (Szostak et al., Cell 33: 25-35, 1983).
I-SceI has been used for many different applications. Such applications have involved the study of double-stranded breaks, the investigation of chromosome structure, the study of transposition, inducing gene replacement in mammalian and bacterial cells, gene targeting by homologous recombination in Drosophila, and the production of chromosomal breaks in plants. Anglana and Bacchetti, Nucl. Acids Res. 27: 4276-4281, 1999; Bellaiche et al., Genetics 152: 1037-1044, 1999; Choulika et al., CR Acad. Sci. III 317: 1013-1019, 1994;Choulikia et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 15: 1968-1973, 1994;Cohen-Tannoudji et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 18: 1444-1448, 1998; Liang et al. and Garrard, Methods 17: 95-103, 1999; Machida et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 8675-8680, 1997; Melkerson-Watson et al., Infect. Immun. 69: 5933-5942, 2000; Mogila et al., Methods Mol. Biol. 113: 439-445, 1999; Monteilhet et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 18: 1407-1413; Nahon and Raveh, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 451: 411-414, 1998; Neuveglise et al., Gene 213: 37-46, 1998; Nicolas et al., Virology 266: 211-224, 2000; Perrin et al., Embo J. 12: 2939-2947, 1993; Posfai et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 27: 4409-4415; Puchta, Methods Mol. Biol. 113: 447-451, 1999; Rong et al., Science 288: 2013-2018; Thierry et al., Nucl Acids Res. 19: 189-190; and A. Plessis et al., Genetics 130: 451-460, 1992.
Group I introns are widespread in many evolutionary phylums because of their efficient propagation mechanism. Some of them encode homing endonucleases, which recognize the intron insertion site in an intronless cognate DNA-sequence and introduce double-strand breaks in the DNA near that site. Afterwards, the intron-containing gene acts as template for the repair of the cleaved recipient allele, in a gene conversion process, which leads to the duplication of the intervening sequence (1-4). In contrast to the group I intron homing, group II intron mobility is based on a retrohoming mechanism promoted by the intron encoded protein bound to the intron lariat, forming a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particle. The RNP particle results in intron integration into the DNA target site by reversed splicing and reverse transcription of the intron RNA (5). In addition to this, the protein component is endowed with endonucleolytic activity, which cuts the antisense strand. After the RNA is positioned on the DNA it integrates into the sense strand before the antisense strand is cleaved by the protein part (6). Thus, both intronic RNA and protein component of the RNP particle are involved in the recognition of the intron target site. The latter element is also essential for DNA-unwinding (7). But not only group I- and group II-introns undergo homing. Some DNA sequences encoding inteins, polypeptides that are postranslationally removed, propagate in the same manner described for group I-introns. Inteins contain endonucleases of the LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17) family or of the H-N-H family (3,8-12). It is likely, that these enzymes have evolved by invasion of an endonuclease gene into a preexisting intein carrying the protein splicing activity (13). Structural examinations on the crystals of the intein endonucleases PI-SceI and PI-PfuI strongly suggest that, in contrast to group I intron endonucleases, they use an additional DNA-binding domain to enhance their specificity. In PI-SceI, the DNA recognition region (DRR) establishes specific substrate contacts about two helical turns distant from the cleavage site (14), while in PI-PfuI the stirrup domain fulfills the same purpose (15).
LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17) homing endonucleases produce 4bp 3′-OH overhangs near the intron insertion site (16-18). Conditions for optimal activity depend on the enzyme. For example, I-SceII prepared out of mitochondria (19) prefers temperatures around 30° C. and neutral pH whereas I-DmoI (18,20) prefers temperatures around 70° C. and alkaline pH- values. Unlike bacterial Type II restriction enzymes, homing endonucleases must have a very high recognition sequence specificity to exclude noxious effects on the host genome because no cognate modification system exists. Therefore, their recognition sites are much longer (14-30bp, up to 40bp for some intein encoded endonucleases). As it has been shown for the crystallized enzymes I-CreI (21), PI-SceI (22), I-DmoI (23) and the His-Cys box homing endonuclease I-PpoI (24), intron encoded homing endonucleases rely on β-sheets to make their contacts with the DNA major groove. Hence their profile is very flat and they cover a wide area on the DNA (23,25), whereas the globular restriction endonucleases (26) usually interact via side chains from their α-helices with the target sequence (4). Known homing endonucleases were classified into four families depending on the occurrence of consensus motifs (LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17), GIY-YIG, H-N-H and His-Cys box). The latter two groups are now classified on a structural basis into a single group, the ββα-Me group (27). Members of the bacterial type II restriction enzymes are more divergent in contrast to this. The endonucleases belonging to the LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17) protein family are the most common representatives. The main characteristic of this class is a dodecapeptide motif, which occurs one or two times in the protein.
Endonucleases with one motif bind their substrate as homodimers, whereas the enzymes with two LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17) motifs tend to act as monomers. Exceptions are I-SceII, encoded by intron aI4α of the cox1 gene in S. cerevisiae, and I-SceIV from intron cox1I5α of the same organism. I-SceII possesses two dodecapeptide motifs but is active as a homodimer (19). I-SceIV acts as a heterodimer (28). It was assumed that two-domain enzymes like I-SceI (29) or I-DmoI (18) arose from the one-domain homing endonucleases like I-CreI (17) and I-CeuI (30) by a gene duplication event (3,4,21,23,31).
Some proteins with two LAGLIDADG (SEQ ID NO: 17) motifs are involved in splicing of their intron RNA. They are termed maturases (32,33). Maturases act as cofactors and stabilize the catalytic core of the intronic RNA structure for the splicing event (34,35). Some dodecapeptide endonucleases also bear a latent maturase activity, which can be revealed by mutation of a few amino acids (36-38). Only few of them reveal both activities simultaneously, as it was reported for I-AniI (39,40) and I-ScaI (41-43).
In the mitochondrial cox1 gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe up to 4 group I-introns were found (44). Two of them contain open reading frames encoding proteins of the dodecapeptide family (45,46).
In summary, there exists a need in the art for reagents and methods for providing transgenic animal models of human diseases and genetic disorders. The reagents can be based on a restriction enzyme, especially with high specificity, its corresponding restriction site, and the gene encoding this enzyme. In particular, there exists a need for reagents and methods for replacing a natural gene or fragment thereof, with another gene or gene fragment that is capable of alleviating the disease, or is capable, by modifying the cell or animal, to offer molecular tools to study such diseases.

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI)


A power transmission device of a press machine comprises a rotary shaft rotated around a first axis by the rotation of a flywheel and an arm mounted on the rotary shaft and pivotally connected to a first link. A second link is pivotally connected to the first link so as to be rotated around a second axis, eccentric from the first axis, by the rotation of the arm. A lever is pivotally connected to the second link so as to be rotated around the first axis by the rotation of the second link and is also connected to a crankshaft so as to rotate the crankshaft. A rotor and guide constrain the rotary motion of the second link relative to the second axis to movement along a hypothetical circle centered on the second axis. The second link is engaged with the rotor at an engagement portion moved along the hypothetical circle in accordance with the rotation of the second link, whereby a uniform rotary motion is converted into a non-uniform rotary motion without using any gear and without making rotation axes of input and output shafts eccentric from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a power transmission device for a press machine for transmitting the rotary motion of a fly-wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As for one of power transmission devices for a press machine for converting the uniform rotary motion of a fly-wheel into a non-uniform rotary motion and transmitting the non-uniform rotary motion to a crankshaft, there is a device comprising a pinion rotated around a rotation axis of a fly-wheel upon receipt of the rotation of the fly-wheel, a main gear geared with the pinion, and a pair of links for transmitting the rotation of the main gear to the crankshaft (refer to, e.g., Japanese Patent Public Disclosure (KOKAI) No. 60-124498). One of the links is pivotally connected to an eccentric portion of the main gear at one end thereof, and the other link is pivotally connected to the other end of the one link and fixed to the crankshaft.
In the conventional power transmission device using gears, however, the rotation axes of both gears are separated from each other, and therefore, an unbalanced force acts between both gears, resulting in the generation of vibration. In addition, the power transmission device is larger than the dimension corresponding to the distance between the rotation axes of both gears, and, what is more, complicated.
As for the other one of the power transmission devices for a press machine for converting the uniform rotary motion of a fly-wheel into a non-uniform rotary motion and transmitting the non-uniform rotary motion to a crankshaft, there is a device comprising a rotary shaft rotated by a fly-wheel, a first arm mounted on the rotary shaft, a second arm mounted on the crankshaft, and a link pivotally connected to first and second arms at different portions (Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure (KOKAI) No. 1-108365) issued May 2, 1991, no. 3-47686.
In the conventional power transmission device using the arms and the link, however, both arms are just pivotally connected by the link and the rotation axis of an input shaft (the rotary shaft mentioned above) cannot be substantially coincided with that of an output shaft. As a result, vibration is generated due to the eccentricity between the rotation axis of the input shaft and that of the output shaft (a shaft rotated by the second arm), and a casing for supporting the input shaft is required. Suppose the rotation axis of the input shaft is coincided with that of the output shaft in this conventional device, the uniform rotary motion of the input shaft is only transmitted to the output shaft as it is and the uniform rotary motion cannot be converted into any non-uniform rotary motion.

Power transmission device for press machine


The present invention may be utilized as a single station integrated with a standard form, fill and seal machine wherein at least two containers are conveyed along the machine simultaneously. The present invention is able to retrieve fitments from a source, apply the fitments to the containers, and seal the fitments to the container at a single station. The design of the present invention requires only minimal space on a form, fill and seal machine. In practicing the present invention, at least two anvils retrieve fitments from a source and then undergo offset rotation into the interior of two containers. The anvils, with the fitments attached, are then moved translationally to insert the fitments through incisions in the respective containers. Once the fitments are positioned therethrough the incision, sealers permanently attach the fitments to the containers. The anvil then reverses its translational motion with one of the anvils moving a greater distance than the other anvil thereby positioning the anvils for offset rotation out of the interior of the containers. By inserting and sealing fitments to containers at a single station, the present invention is able to substantially diminish any opportunities for the fitments becoming disengaged from the containers prior to sealing of the fitments to the container. Also, the offset rotation allows for a rotating anvils to be used for multiple container processing machines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for applying fitments to a container. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process and apparatus for simultaneously applying fitments to two cartons.
2. Description of the Related Art
Forming, filling and sealing machines have been used for decades in the food packaging industry to package items such as milk for distribution to retail outlets such as grocery stores. Generally these machines are fed a paperboard sheet laminated with heat-sealable plastic which is formed to a container configuration, filled with a specific contents and then sealed for distribution elsewhere. A gabled top milk carton is a specific example of the containers formed, filled and sealed by these machines.
Previously, the contents of these containers were dispensed by tearing open one side of the top of the carton to form a pourable spout. However once open, the carton was unable to be tightly resealed to prevent spillage of the contents or the ingress or egress of gases. To alleviate these problems, the packaging industry devised a new generation of cartons integrated with fitments in order to dispense the contents in a resealable manner. This has forced the packaging industry to either design completely new forming, filling and sealing machines to accommodate the application of the fitment with the container, or design a fitment applicator as an add-on component for existing machines.
Most of the fitment applicators were designed to place the fitment in a pre-cut hole of the container at one station in the machine and then to attach the fitment to the container through ultrasound, heat or the like at another station in the machine. One clearly apparent disadvantage of such a dual station fitment applicator is the space requirement for two additional stations on an already crowded forming, filling and sealing machine. Another critical disadvantage to dual station fitment applicators is the potential for displacement of the fitment from the container during transportation from the insertion station to the attachment station. Still another critical disadvantage to dual station fitment applicators is the necessity to index the conveyance of the containers to two additional stations. Recent fitment applicators have attempted to respond to some of these disadvantages, however, there is still a need for a fitment applicator which alleviates all of the disadvantages of the dual station applicators.
Additionally, current multiple container processing packaging machines such as TETRA REX.RTM. packaging machines available from Tetra Pak, Incorporated of Chicago, Ill., have created difficulties in the use of rotating anvils such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,374. Multiple container processing machines index two or more containers simultaneously along the container path from one station to the next. Current rotating anvils cannot clear the walls of adjacent containers thereby preventing the use of rotating anvils on multiple container processing machines.

Offset rotary anvils for applying fitments to carton


An improved machine includes a combination of elements of a rotary electric machine and an air compressor, such as in a turbocharger, and provides an improved turbocharging device for enhancing turbocharged internal combustion engine performance. The improved turbocharger includes a plurality of magnets which are mounted in a generally circumferential arrangement about the back face of the compressor wheel. A stator winding is mounted in opposing relation to the motor magnets. Torque can be applied to the magnets and hence to the compressor wheel when the stator is energized by an appropriate energizing circuit, thereby improving engine performance especially at low engine speeds.

Turbochargers are well known and widely used with internal combustion engines. Generally, turbochargers supply more charge air for the combustion process than can otherwise be induced through natural aspiration. This increased air supply allows more fuel to be burned, thereby increasing power and torque obtainable from an engine having a given displacement. Additional benefits include the possibility of using lower-displacement, lighter engines with corresponding lower total vehicle weight to reduce fuel consumption, and use of available production engines to achieve improved performance characteristics. Some turbocharger applications include the incorporation of an intercooler for removing heat (both an ambient heat component and heat generated during charge air compression) from the charge air before it enters the engine, thereby providing an even more dense air charge to be delivered to the engine cylinders. Intercooled turbocharging applied to diesel engines has been known to at least double the power output of a given engine size, in comparison with naturally aspirated diesel engines of the same engine displacement.
Additional advantages of turbocharging include improvements in thermal efficiency through the use of some energy of the exhaust gas stream that would otherwise be lost to the environment, and the maintenance of sea level power ratings up to high altitudes.
At medium to high engine speeds, there is an abundance of energy in the engine exhaust gas stream and, over this operating speed range, the turbocharger is capable of supplying the engine cylinders with all the air needed for efficient combustion and maximum power and torque output for a given engine construction. In certain applications, however, an exhaust stream waste gate is needed to bleed off excess energy in the engine exhaust stream before it enters the turbocharger turbine to prevent the engine from being overcharged. Typically, the waste gate is set to open at a pressure below which undesirable predetonation or an unacceptably high internal engine cylinder pressure may be generated.
At low engine speeds, such as idle speed, however, there is disproportionately little energy in the exhaust stream as may be found at higher engine speeds, and this energy deficiency prevents the turbocharger from providing a significant level of boost in the engine intake air system. As a result, when the throttle is opened for the purpose of accelerating the engine from low speeds, such as idle speed, there is a measurable time lag and corresponding performance delay, before the exhaust gas energy level rises sufficiently to accelerate the turbocharger rotor and provide the compression of intake air needed for improved engine performance. The performance effect of this time lag may be pronounced in smaller output engines which have a relatively small amount of power and torque available before the turbocharger comes up to speed and provides the desired compression. Various efforts have been made to address this issue of time lag, including reductions of inertia of turbocharger rotors.
In spite of evolutionary design changes for minimizing the inertia of the turbocharger rotor, however, the time lag period is still present to a significant degree, especially in turbochargers for use with highly rated engines intended for powering a variety of on-highway and off-highway equipment.
Furthermore, to reduce exhaust smoke and emissions during acceleration periods when an optimal fuel burn is more difficult to achieve and maintain as compared with steady-speed operation, commercial engines employ devices in the fuel system to limit the fuel delivered to the engine cylinders until a sufficiently high boost level can be provided by the turbocharger. These devices reduce excessive smoking, but the limited fuel delivery rate causes a sluggishness in the response of the engine to speed and load changes.
The turbo-lag period can be mitigated and, in many instances, virtually eliminated by using an external power source to assist the turbocharger in responding to engine speed and load increases. One such method is to use an external electrical energy supply, such as energy stored in d.c. batteries to power an electric motor attached to the turbocharger rotating assembly. The electric motor can be external and attached to the turbocharger rotor through a clutching mechanism, or it can be added onto the turbocharger rotating assembly and energized and de-energized through the use of appropriate electronic controls.
Turbocharging systems with integral assisting motors are more completely described in our pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/529,672.
Other patents disclosing turbocharger-electrical machine combinations include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,406,797; 5,038,566; 4,958,708; 4,958,497; 4,901,530; 4,894,991; 4,882,905; 4,878,317 and 4,850,193. More particularly, U.S. Patent No. 5,406,797 discloses turbocharger with a rotary electric machine which is added to the rotatable shaft of a turbocharger. Power for operation of the rotary electric machine is provided by an a.c. electric generator held in engagement with the flywheel of the engine. An inverter converts the a.c. electric power produced by the electric generator to an a.c. output having a predetermined frequency, the inverter including a rectifier for rectify the generated a.c. electric power to d.c. electric power, and yet another power device is required for converting the d.c. electric power to a.c. electric power having the predetermined frequency to energize the rotary electric machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,708 discloses another rotary electric machine which is added to the turbocharger shaft to which the intake air compressor and exhaust turbine are affixed. The rotary electric machine of this patent comprises a rotor composed of permanent magnets and a stator with polyphase windings driven from an invertor/controller.
The attachment of the permanent magnets to the turbocharger shaft has a major disadvantage in that the magnets are subjected to heat which is conducted along the shaft from the hot turbine wheel of the turbocharger. This can present a significant problem in that the permeability of the magnets may be reduced by such heating to a level which may be unacceptable for efficient operation of the rotary electric machine. This becomes a serious problem when the turbocharged engine is subjected to a hot shutdown and the oil flow through the bearings and over the shaft is interrupted. A steep temperature gradient will exist for a significant length of time while the hot parts of the turbocharger are drained of their heat content.
Notwithstanding the efforts to develop motor-assisted turbocharger systems, there is still a need for an improved turbocharger which improves the performance and low-speed response characteristics of the conventional internal combustion engine and for an improved motor-assisted supercharging apparatus, such as motor-driven compressor.

Motor-assisted supercharging devices for internal combustion engines


A quantum coherent switch having a substrate formed from a density wave (DW) material capable of having a periodic electron density modulation or spin density modulation, a dielectric layer formed onto a surface of the substrate that is orthogonal to an intrinsic wave vector of the DW material; and structure for applying an external spatially periodic electrostatic potential over the dielectric layer.

Electronic switches, oscillators, and amplifiers are often formed using a field effect transistor (FET). The FET has three basic parts; a gate comprising a single metal pad, a thin insulating layer underneath the gate, and a channel, made from a semiconducting material, underneath the insulating layer. The application of a voltage to the gate results in an electric field that, depending on its sign, either accumulates carriers at the semiconductor-insulator interface or depletes them from this region. The former process increases the electrical conductivity of the semiconducting layer; the latter decreases it. These effects enable the FET to act as an amplifier or switch and enable it to be used as a component in an oscillator source producing oscillatory electrical currents or voltages.
The body of the FET is conventionally a doped semiconductor. The doping defines a necessary reference level against which the electric field provided by the gate acts. Technically, this is known as "pinning the Fermi energy of the semiconductor". Because a major change in the carrier density at the semiconductor-insulator interface is required for operation, the FET suffers from time lags due to the capacitance associated with the dopants and with moving the charge carriers within the thickness of the device. The operating speed of the FET is limited by associated effects: the carrier mobility and the capacitance of the depletion layer.
Another, less closely-related device is the bipolar transistor, which also acts as a switch, amplifier, or oscillator. In addition to being speed-limited by carrier mobility, it also relies on minority carriers and is limited in speed by carrier recombination times.
A recent improvement in FET technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,724,056, issued Apr. 20, 2004, where the conventional dielectric material between the gate and the semiconductor material is formed from a charge or spin density wave (CDW or SDW, respectively, material). This device used the high value of the real part of the dielectric constant for these materials, i.e., the insulating value, to make the gate structure ultra-sensitive.
In accordance with the present invention, the semiconductor of a conventional FET is replaced by a charge or spin density wave (CDW or SDW, respectively) material, and, secondly, the continuous gate of a FET is replaced by periodic electrode structure or some other means of applying a periodically-varying electric field. In a CDW or SDW material, interactions between the conduction electrons result in the material spontaneously changing from a metal (i.e. an electrical conductor) to a quantum coherent state (the density wave) that is an electrical insulator. A defining characteristic of the latter insulating state is a periodically-modulated charge—(in the case of a CDW) or spin—(in the case of an SDW) density. The periodic electrode structure enables this process to be controlled through the application of a matching periodic electrostatic field that either destroys the density wave, or enhances its formation.
This results in an electronic device, called herein a "quantum coherent switch" (QCS) that may exhibit electrical switching action, amplification, or oscillation. Because the density-wave (DW) state is a cooperative phenomenon, i.e., an effectively instantaneous, self-reinforcing transition driven by the mutual interactions between the conduction electrons, the speed of the device is not limited by carrier recombination times, carrier mobility or capacitative effects. Moreover, the QCS does not require the use of a conventional semiconductor or the addition of doping. The periodic electrostatic field can be applied by an insulated periodic metallic gate electrode structure or by a standing electromagnetic wave, for instance within a resonant cavity.
One advantage inherent in the elimination of doping is that the QCS may be made arbitrarily small; in a conventional FET, a relatively large volume of doped semiconductor is required to adequately pin the Fermi energy. Another advantage is that, by exploiting the intrinsically long phase correlation length of DWs, the energy density involved in switching is much smaller than with conventional semiconductor devices, such as FETs. The required signal voltages are at least an order of magnitude smaller. Further, because the DW substrate material is subjected to a spatially modulated electric field, as opposed to one that is uniform, the total change in carrier concentration induced in the DW material is zero. Hence, there are no capacitative effects associated with moving large quantities of charge around. The switching speed will instead be determined by the frequency corresponding to the energy gap of the DW, which may greatly exceed 1 THz.
Because DW formation is a bulk cooperative phenomenon, the system is able to undergo abrupt transitions from metallic to insulating behavior (or vice versa) upon being subjected to only very weak perturbations. Such perturbations can be in the form of an electrostatic potential, or additionally a change in temperature or magnetic field; the timescale for such transitions will be determined by the characteristic quantum-mechanical energy scale of the DW, which will typically fall in the 10 s-100 s of THz frequency range.
The theory of density wave materials is well known; see, e.g., R. E. Thorne, Charge Density Wave Conductors, Phys. Today, p. 42 (May 1996) and references cited therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,737, issued Jan. 13, 1987, to Bhattacharya et al., describes a device using a density wave material, where the oscillating properties of a charge density wave conductor are used to form a demodulation device. U. S. Pat. No. 6,735,073, issued May 11, 2004, describes capacitive devices using the high dielectric values of DW materials to yield high capacitance devices. These devices do not use a periodic spatial electrostatic potential applied to the material surface to provide switching or amplification.
Various objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Quantum coherent switch utilizing commensurate nanoelectrode and charge density periodicities


A package that is opened by deforming or bending the package along the die cut on the surface of the package is disclosed. The package will fracture or break at a die cut providing an opening in the package to access the contents inside. The package is formed with a semi-rigid layer affixed to a flexible backing layer forming an inner cavity. A die cut extends from at least an area adjacent one edge of the semi-rigid layer to at least an area adjacent another edge of the semi-rigid layer to provide a fracture point for the package to break. At least a portion of the die cut extends along both the lateral width and the longitudinal width of the semi-rigid layer to allow a greater surface area of the substrate to be accessible. Thus, dispensing of the substrate is easier for the user.

There exist several small packages and sachets for storing and packaging numerous consumer products, including liquids, powders, pastes, and solid objects such as tissues. Frequently, there is a consumer desire to have a package that is highly portable and suitable for placement in the car, the home, a purse, a diaper bag, or other luggage. These packages are small enough to be used in a portable manner. These packages are also generally designed for single use of the contents stored within. However, many of these packages have significant disadvantages.
For example, often packages for use with personal care products such as wipes or tissues require a user to use two hands to open the package. One hand must be used to hold the package while the second hand is used to grip and tear the package. Many people who use these personal care products are care givers. The contents of the dispenser need to be readily accessible without an undue struggle to access the contents when needed. For example, wet wipes are used to clean up spills or during diapering of a child. The dispenser's ease of use is important for these tasks when speed or the capability to open the package using only one hand is an advantage. If the package may be opened with one hand, the process is simpler and the user can use their other hand for other safety or caretaking tasks.
In addition, packages exist that allow for one-handed access to the contents by bending the package to open along weakened lines and gain access to the product. These packages are often used for liquid products that can then be squeezed from the package onto a surface. However, the current packages do not adequately dispense solid products such as wipes or tissues. The weakened lines are straight lines that do not provide adequate space when open to allow a user to grab the wipe and pull from the package. Thus, use of these types of packages may be difficult for a user.
Thus, there is a need for a package that provides adequate access to the contents of the package with the use of only one hand.

Break-open package with shaped die cut for storing and dispensing substrates


A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes a power module, a constant current driving module, and an LED light bar coupled to the power module. A light-bar-voltage collecting module is coupled to an output end of the LED light bar and outputs a first comparison voltage. A power-voltage collecting module is coupled to an output end of the power module and outputs a second comparison voltage. The constant current driving module includes a switching unit and a control unit. The control unit adjusts an output voltage of the power module. A preset reference voltage is sent to the switching unit. When an absolute value of a difference between a preset reference voltage and the first comparison voltage exceeds a preset range of a voltage, the switching unit outputs the first comparison voltage to the control unit.

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a backlight module including a light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit. The LED backlight driving circuit includes a power module, a constant current driving module, and an LED light bar coupled to the power module. In a typical three-dimensional (3D) display control of the LED backlight driving circuit, feedback information is according to an output voltage of the LED, which may result in a current overshoot, thereby causing an abnormal output current and an output voltage with an overhigh ripple.

LED backlight driving circuit, LCD device, and method for driving the LED backlight driving circuit


In order to provide a pipette device which is easier and more accurate to use than those using known pipette fillers, a piston (2), which is preferably flexible, is provided to fit into the pipette bore (6). The plastics piston rod (1) sits conveniently in a guide cap at the mouth of the pipette tube and the piston rod is operated by stroking its upper surface, which is serrated along its length, with a digit; thus dispensing by a positive displacement method.

In laboratories, pipettes are often used in conjunction with pipette fillers. Pipette fillers are commonplace titration aids which comprise a mechanism that is fitted over the end of the pipette and is operated manually to control the dispensing of the titrating fluid.
The pipette filler also protects the health and safety of the operator by removing the necessity for the operator to place their mouth over the non-dispensing end of the pipette is order to suck up the fluid; operators can pass on infections and harmful chemicals may be accidentally sucked into the mouth.
However, these known pipette fillers are relatively expensive. Moreover, they are prone to malfunction caused by leakage through their simple valve mechanisms. When fitted to the pipette, the known pipette fillers make the dispensing equipment top heavy, preventing the equipment being left to stand safely in smaller sized graduated cylinders. Also, the vacuum release principal on which the known pipette fillers work is an indirect control method, which results in poorer control of the dispensing process than is achievable by positive displacement methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,777 discloses a pipette for receiving and dispensing liquid wherein a plunger in a cylinder is connected to a plunger rod guided in the cylinder and the free end of the rod is U-shaped with a free end having a projection thereon to be engageable in any one of a series of grooves provided at spaced intervals along the outside of the cylinder so as to provide a detent system for dispensing of liquid, the U-shaped portion of the plunger rod having two corrugations to be engaged by the thumb of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,704 discloses a portable syringe with a U-shaped thin flexible plunger stem which can be bent over to lie upon the outside of a body of the syringe, the plunger stem having closely spaced teeth thereon engaged by a screw driven by a motor to cause dispensing of liquid.


The current subject matter describes a delivery of medication to a patient based on a scan of a medication container by a scanner implemented on an infusion system. The medication can include oral medications, injection medications, patches, and/or medication drops. The scanner can scan a machine-readable representation (for example, a barcode) on the medication container to obtain recommended delivery data. A user interface device of the infusion system can display the recommended delivery data on a graphical user interface. Based on the recommended delivery data and based on a patient diagnosis by a clinician, the clinician can determine actual delivery data. Based on the determined actual delivery data, the medication can be delivered to the patient via a non-infusion channel. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Conventional infusion pumps are known to infuse liquid medications into a body of a patient. These infusion pumps are not designed to deliver non-intravenous medications, such as oral medications, injection medications, patches, and/or medication drops to the patient. To infuse a medication such as oral medications, injection medications, patches, and/or medication drops, a clinician typically delivers the medication to the bedside in a container, such as an intravenous bag. Additionally, the clinician rolls in a conventional computer and a barcode reader. The clinician uses the barcode reader to scan the barcode on the container, wherein the barcode data specifies the name of the medication. The barcode reader sends the barcode data to the computer, which then displays the barcode data. Using this barcode data, the clinician delivers the medication to the patient, and manually notes the details of the delivery on the computer. In this configuration, the clinician is required to use multiple separate devices, such as the infusion pump, the computer, and the barcode reader. These multiple devices occupy a significant amount of physical space. Moreover, it is difficult and inconvenient for the clinician to move and manage these devices.

Infusion system housing medication scanner and user interface device displaying delivery data


A method for controlling the position of a probe location relative to a fixed reference point of a probe processing apparatus is described. Initially, an optical laser apparatus is coupled to the probe processing apparatus. The position of the probe location is set to fall within a predetermined converging range of a positioning laser beam coming from the optical laser apparatus. The positioning laser beam is then split into a probe beam and a reference beam. The probe beam and the reference beam are polarized in different directions with respect to each other. The reference beam is subsequently combined with a reflected beam formed by the probe beam reflected from the probe location. The phase difference between the reference beam and the reflected beam is detected, and a table on the probe processing apparatus for supporting the probe is adjusted to minimize the detected phase difference.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of optical probe surface inspection by interferometry, and in particular to a method and apparatus for fine-controlling the position of a predetermined probe location relative to a fixed reference point of a probe processing apparatus fixedly coupled to an auxiliary optical laser apparatus in which method the position is controlled with optical means.
2. Description of the Related Art
One prior art system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,259 to IBM Corporation, Armonk, USA. In the disclosed system a surface profile interferometer is used as a device for determining the roughness of a surface or the height of a step change in the thickness of a part being measured. Such a step change may be caused, for example, by the application of a metal film to a substrate in the manufacture of a printed circuit board or an integrated microcircuit. In general terms, an interferometer is an optical instrument in which two beams of light derived from the same monochromatic source are directed along optical paths of different length, in which the difference in length determines the nature of an interference pattern produced when the light beams are allowed to interfere. Since the beams of light are derived from the same monochromatic source, they are identical in wavelength. At equal path distances from the source, they are also in phase with one another. Phase differences between the beams therefore result only from differences in path length.
The phenomenon of light wave interference results from the mutual effect of two or more waves passing through the same region at the same time, producing reinforcement at some points and neutralization at other points, according to the principle of superposition.
With a photoelectric shearing interferometer, the height of a step change in a test surface may be measured using polarized light passed through a slit, through a Wollaston prism, and through a microscope objective lens, to form two images of the slit, with one image on each side of the step change. The beams reflected by the test surface pass through the lens and the prism, with an image being formed by two orthogonally polarized beams. The phase difference between these beams, which is determined by the height of the step, may be measured by the linear movement of a weak lens in a lateral direction (transverse to the beam) until the phase difference is exactly cancelled, as determined by the use of an electro-optic modulator, an analyzer, a photomultiplier, and a phase-sensitive detector, which are used together to detect the phase equality of the two interfering beams. The accuracy of the system depends on the precision to which the linear movement of the weak lens can be measured.
In the above-referenced United States patent, a separate autofocus system is required for maintaining the focus of the main imaging path of the interferometer. This is done by a separate arrangement according to confocal technique, i.e. to control the intensity of a target spot and maintaining the intensity at the maximum level. A disadvantage is that too many optical elements are used which makes the autofocus system difficult to adjust and renders it error-prone.
It is thus an objective of the present invention to provide a method and respective system for positioning a predetermined probe location in an automated way and avoiding the disadvantages of confocal autofocus systems.

Method and apparatus for controlling the position of a probe location relative to a fixed reference point of a probe processing equipment

International Business Machines Corporation


A small item pneumatic diverter for high speed diversion of articles, such as fruit, from a moving conveyor in a product handling system. The pneumatic diverter is particularly suited for diversion of small, relatively fragile articles after they have been optically scanned for size, weight, quality or other characteristics. The diverter has a nozzle connected to an electrical solenoid controlled air valve that is connected to a source of compressed air and a computer for controlling the release of air to the nozzle. The nozzle has a plurality of small discharge ports at one end for discharging air towards an article on the moving conveyor. In one configuration, the nozzle discharges air across the top of a small article to provide lift and against the article to off-load it from the conveyor. A delay mechanism is utilized to selective discharge an article after it has been scanned.

A. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to conveying systems wherein the conveyor is actively operative to off-load products from the conveying surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to such conveying systems that utilize pneumatic diverters to selectively off-load products from the conveying surface. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such conveying systems and diverters that are specially configured for use with small and easily damaged products, such as small spherical and ovular shaped fruit and the like.
B. Background
As is generally known, many products are available in different sizes, shapes and levels of quality. This is particularly true with regard to food products, including fresh, dried or processed fruit and vegetables, which must be sorted into different classifications with regard to various specific characteristics for the different types of food products. In general, product handling and sorting activities for the discrimination of individual product units have been in use for some time, particularly in the food product industry. Discrimination of product units in the food industry is generally based on certain selected product qualitites, including such qualities as the size, ripeness and color of the product and/or the amount and type of blemishes and the like on the product. Until somewhat recently, the handling and sorting of products, particularly food products, was primarily accomplished through the use of manual labor by having products conveyed past workers at individual work stations so the workers could review and separate products based on the selected criteria for that product. A principal benefit of manual labor is the versatility of the worker in being able to handle and make selections for different types of products. As is well known in the food industry, however, such labor has become generally more expensive and, due to its seasonal nature, it can be somewhat unreliable with regard to consistency. Due to the difficulties in finding experienced seasonal workers and the normal administrative problems associated with a fluctuating work force, there has been a need for less labor intensive systems.
With regard to automated product handling systems for the food industry, the nature, volume, relative unit cost and variety of different types of food products severely inhibit the ability to design product handling equipment that is uniformly applicable to different foods. Naturally, due to the nature of food products, particularly most fresh fruit and vegetables, the products must be handled with great care to avoid damage to the product that would reduce its market value or, in some cases, its ability to be sold. In addition, the perishable nature and large quantities of products that need to be processed in a short period of time after harvesting makes rapid processing of the food products an economic necessity. However, due to the varied nature of food products, it is difficult for the average food processor to economically justify food processing equipment that is suitable for processing only a very limited type of food product (i.e., one type of fruit or vegetable). As a result, it is generally preferred that any automated food handling equipment which is intended to replace the versatility of the human worker must be configured for use with a number different types of food products. Unfortunately, due to the varied characteristics of food products, this places great demand for versatility on the equipment.
The availability of relatively inexpensive yet high powered computers and computer related and controlled equipment and the ability to use such equipment with ever improving optical sensing equipment has benefitted numerous product handling industries, including the food industry. The use of these computers and optical sensors, and the relatively sophisticated software available for such computers and sensors, has vastly improved the capability for detecting the size and condition of individual product units and distinguishing between the units based on the desired selection criteria. This equipment is used with conveyor lines that move the product into position for scanning and then move the product to a storage or shipping container that is appropriate for the category of product (i.e., based on the selection criteria). In conjunction with the equipment to optically scan and characterize products, the handling equipment requires the use of responsive mechanisms that rapidly respond to commands from the computerized equipment so as to off-load products from the conveyor system into the appropriate container. If the product fails to meet the minimum allowable criteria, it is generally conveyed to a separate container or location for discarding.
Automated responsive mechanisms suitable for off-loading products in response to commands from the computer and optical scanning equipment require a somewhat exacting placement of individual product units relative to the responsive mechanism, sufficient separation of product units from each other, proper orientation, and if necessary reorientation, of the product unit relative to the responsive mechanism and an ability to quickly separate the product unit from the conveying line. In separating the product from the conveying line, it is generally necessary that this be done with some care relative to the product so as not to damage the product. This is particularly a concern in the food industry and, even more particularly, with certain types of foods. In general, responsive mechanisms for larger fruit and vegetables, such as citrus, apples and tomatoes, have been in use for some time. The ability to properly handle certain types of food products, such as cherries and the like, in an automated handling system has been very limited due to their small size, relative fragility and characteristics of the product (i.e., long stems).
With regard to the typical food product handling system for fresh fruit, the products are loaded into multiple single file lanes, each consisting of linear pockets that are typically mounted on a roller chain or cables. Being generally spherical in shape, each individual fruit product will generally find a pocket for itself. This process is generally referred to as "singulation." Typically, the lanes are separated from each other by a gap so that any excess fruit will fall onto a return belt. The fruit lanes proceed through an inspection box, where the fruit is illuminated by radiation, typically by fluorescent lamps, and inspected by sensors, which are typically black and white or color area array video cameras of medium resolution. If the pockets comprise rotatable rollers, the fruit may be rotate during the inspection process to allow different sides of the fruit to be analyzed. The camera video signal is digitized and analyzed by a computer. The fruit pockets are tracked by the computer using a shaft encoder monitoring the progress of the pocket lanes. The images are analyzed to obtain the diameter/size, average color (i.e., green, yellow, orange), surface defects and/or other information pertinent to the particular fruit. The operator of the system has a console where he or she selects which combinations of size/color/defect grade are to go to each output belt on the grader. These output belts generally pass perpendicularly under the lanes such that when the fruit/pocket reaches the proper output belt, a computer controlled electrical device is activated to trigger the responsive mechanism so that it lifts, pushes or drops the fruit out of the pocket where it falls onto the moving output belt.
Referring to the related patents discussed below, various responsive mechanisms evolved to remove the fruit from the lane. For larger fruit, the generally preferred system has flippers and a connected lever arm that is mounted between each roller at the bottom of the pocket. When the fruit is at the ejection point, a solenoid actuator trips the lever arm into a different channel such that the chain motion causes the flipper to rotate up from one side, thereby pushing the fruit off the other side of the pocket and onto the belt.
An early automatic sorting system for handling of products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,628 to Warkentin et al., which describes a plurality of cups arranged on a chain conveyor for holding individual product units. Solenoids act to dump selected cups for product separation responsive to discriminating sensing and electronic commands. U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,489, also to Warkentin, discloses a product handling system having a conveyor that includes elements capable of tipping to off-load individual units of a product being processed. The nature of the conveyor permits some variety in shapes and sizes, including elongated products. However, a range of round or oval products in smaller sizes is not as easily accommodated by this system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,167, also to Warkentin, discloses an off-loading conveying system having off-loading elements mounted to endless roller chains. The off-loading elements include levers to pivot paddles extending between bow tie rollers so as to remove the product at the appropriate stations. The system is particularly configured to handle small, easily damaged spherical and ovular shaped product units in a high-speed, electronically controlled processing stream of product units. U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,091 to Scopatz et al., describes an article diverter having an ejector lever member for rapidly and gently diverting articles such as fruit from a moving conveyor.
Other product handling systems include devices for batting, tipping, pushing, dropping, blowing or otherwise depositing selected product units from the lane conveyors to the output belts or containers. The use of a pneumatic air system to blow large fruit of the side of cables with a single port nozzle has been tried. However, this system is believed to have failed because the air damaged the larger fruit and the amount of air needed to operate the system required unfeasibly large compressors. Others, such as Key Technology and SRC Vision have used a horizontally space air nozzle array to divert small items falling off the end of the conveyor. Blueberry Equipment Incorporated has an electronic sorter that ejects defective units, such as blueberries and cranberries, by blowing them straight up as they pass by between two cables. A single port nozzle is used between each cable. Because this could harm some fruit, they are generally only used for good versus bad separation.
With regard to certain types of products, however, the mechanical devices typically utilized have certain problems. For instance, cherries typically have one to two inch long stems that can become caught in mechanical diverters, such as the chain mounted removal mechanisms. Consumer market cherries are generally sized into four different sizes. Because of the long stems, a special sizing system for cherries has been developed and is now used universally. This sizer organizes the incoming cherries in rows and each row enters the valley formed by two long tubes about six to eight ft long. The axis of each tube is about 45 degrees downward, so the cherries then tumble down. The spacing between the tubes widens as they tumble down, with the smaller ones (smallest size) passing through first, onto a belt, and so on. The rolls are also counter rotating to keep cherries from jamming. There are several variations of this basic two tube system designed to improve the sizing accuracy, which is particularly difficult, as the diameter of each packed size are quite close to each other. For instance, the smallest size for Bing type cherries is 12 Row, with a minimum diameter of 54/64 inch, the minimum for a 11½ Row is 57/64 inch and the 11 Row is 61/64 inch. The other complicating thing is that the cherry diameter is the maximum diameter as viewed by looking straight down from the stem end. In most cases, this diameter is the largest width on the cherry, as they are three dimensional fruit. In general this diameter is not what is actually measured by the mechanical cherry system used as described above. Electronic sizing systems using video cameras could find the correct diameter more reliably.
Although the prior art discloses product handling systems for handling and sorting small, somewhat delicate fruit such as cherries and the like, none of the presently known product handling systems provides a responsive mechanism or diverter particularly suitable for sorting small, relatively delicate products, such as cherries and the like, into closely separated categories according to selected characteristics of the products (i.e., size, color, quality and etc.). The known mechanical devices and pneumatic devices do not function as desired. What is needed, therefore, is a small item diverter mechanism suitable for rapidly responding to electronic commands to cause products to be sorted according to selected criteria.


A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory transistors, a plurality of insulating layers disposed over the transistors, and a plurality of metal layers. Each of the metal layers is disposed on one of the insulating layers. The device also includes a plurality of metal plugs disposed over corresponding memory transistors. Each of the metal plugs filling in a contact hole formed in one of the insulating layers and electrically connecting the metal layers disposed on a top side and a bottom side of the corresponding insulating layer. A top metal layer of the plurality of metal layers is configured to provide bit lines that correspond to the memory transistors, the metal plugs are vertically aligned, and one of the insulating layers is configured so that whether one of the memory transistors is connected to a corresponding bit line is determined by whether a metal plug corresponding to the memory transistor exists in the insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, specifically to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device to which a multi-layer metal process is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Mask ROM (Read Only Memory) which is programmed by modifying a mask has been known as a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. There are several programming methods for the Mask ROM including the following.
(1) Diffusion mask programming method in which a memory transistor is connected or disconnected to a bit line according to whether a diffusion layer is provided or not provided.
(2) Ion implantation mask programming method in which conduction of a memory transistor is altered according to whether ions are implanted or not implanted into a channel region of the memory transistor.
(3) Contact hole mask programming method in which a memory transistor is connected or disconnected to a bit line according to whether a contact hole is provided or not provided.
TAT (Turn Around Time) of a Mask ROM can be made shorter when a programming process step is closer to the final step in manufacturing the Mask ROM, since the programming process step is applied on the Mask ROM after receiving a purchase order from a customer in general. That is, a period of time from the receipt of the purchase order to delivery of the Mask ROM can be reduced.
Among the programming methods of the Mask ROM mentioned above, the diffusion mask programming method is least advantageous to reduce the TAT, because the diffusion process is in an early stage in the manufacturing process of the Mask ROM.
The ion implantation process can be performed at a later stage in manufacturing process of the Mask ROM, thus the TAT can be reduced with the ion implantation mask programming method. However, when the ion implantation mask programming method is adopted into the Mask ROM to which the multi-layer metal process is applied, implanting ions into channel regions of memory transistors requires implanting ions with acceleration energy high enough to penetrate stacked multi-layer insulating layers or implanting ions after etching the insulating layers to some extent so that ions can be implanted with relatively low acceleration energy, resulting in increased complexity of the manufacturing process.


An existing stacked capacitor fabrication process is modified to construct a three-dimensional stacked container capacitor. The present invention develops the container capacitor by etching an opening (or contact opening) into a low etch rate oxide. The contact opening is used as a form for deposited polysilicon that conforms to the sides of the opening walls. Within the thin poly lining of the oxide container a high etch-rate oxide, such as ozone TEOS, is deposited over the entire structure thereby bridging across the top of the oxide container. The high etch-rate oxide is planarized back to the thin poly and the resulting exposed poly is then removed to separate neighboring containers. The two oxides, having different etch rates, are then etched thereby leaving a free-standing poly container cell with 100% (or all) of the higher etch rate oxide removed and a pre-determined oxide surrounding the container still intact.

In dynamic semiconductor memory storage devices it is essential that storage node capacitor cell plates be large enough to retain an adequate charge or capacitance in spite of parasitic capacitances and noise that may be present during circuit operation. As is the case for most semiconductor integrated circuitry, circuit density is continuing to increase at a fairly constant rate. The issue of maintaining storage node capacitance is particularly important as the density of DRAM arrays continues to increase for future generations of memory devices.
The ability to densely pack storage cells while maintaining required capacitance levels is a crucial requirement of semiconductor manufacturing technologies if future generations of expanded memory array devices are to be successfully manufactured.
One method of maintaining, as well as increasing, storage node size in densely packed memory devices is through the use of "stacked storage cell" design. With this technology, two or more layers of a conductive material such as polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon or poly) are deposited over an access device on a silicon wafer, with dielectric layers sandwiched between each poly layer. A cell constructed in this manner is known as a stacked capacitor cell (STC). Such a cell utilizes the space over the access device for capacitor plates, has a low soft error rate (SER) and may be used in conjunction with inter-plate insulative layers having a high dielectric constant.
However, it is difficult to obtain sufficient storage capacitance with a conventional STC capacitor as the storage electrode area is confined within the limits of its own cell area. Also, maintaining good dielectric breakdown characteristics between poly layers in the STC capacitor becomes a major concern once insulator thickness is appropriately scaled.
A paper submitted by N. Shinmura, et al., entitled "A Stacked Capacitor Cell with Ring Structure," Extended Abstracts of the 22nd International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, 1990, pp. 833-836, discusses a 3-dimensional stacked capacitor incorporating a ring structure around the main electrode to the effectively double the capacitance of a conventional stacked capacitor.
The ring structure and its development is shown in FIGS. 1(c) through 1(g), pp. 834 of the article mentioned above. FIG. 1(a ), on the same page shows a bird's eye-view of storage electrodes. The storage node is formed by two polysilicon layers that form a core electrode encircled by a ring structure. Capacitor dielectric film surrounds the whole surface of the storage node electrode and then is covered with a third polysilicon layer to form the top capacitor electrode and completes the storage cell. The design can be fabricated using current methods and increases storage capacitance by as much as 200%.
Also, in  a paper submitted by T. Kaga, et al., entitled "Crown-Shaped Stacked-Capacitor Cell for 1.5-V Operation 64-Mb DRAM's," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. VOL. 38, NO. 2, February 1991, pp. 255-261, discusses a self-aligned stacked-capacitor cell for 64-Mb DRAM's, called a CROWN cell. The CROWN cell and its development are shown in FIGS. 7(d) through 7(f), pp. 258 of this article. The crown shaped storage electrode is formed over word and bit lines and separated by a  an oxide/nitride insulating layer with the top insulating layer being removed to form the crown shape. Capacitor dielectric film surrounds the whole surface of the storage node electrode and the top capacitor electrode is formed to complete the storage cell.
The present invention develops an existing stacked capacitor fabrication process to construct and optimize a three-dimensional container stacked capacitor cell. The capacitor's bottom plate (or storage node plate) is centered over a buried contact (or node contact) connected to an access transistor's diffusion area. The method presented herein provides fabrication uniformity and repeatability of the three-dimensional container cell.

Optimized container stacked capacitor DRAM cell utilizing sacrificial oxide deposition and chemical mechanical polishing