Author: claimsbot

1-25. (canceled)
26. In a microfluidic in-vitro diagnostic device comprised of a base having at least one fluid channel within which a fluid sample to be assayed passes from an inlet port to a detection zone, the improvement comprising said at least one fluid channel being enclosed by at least one enclosure surface wherein at least one surface of the fluid channel comprises either a hydrophilic heat-sealable adhesive or a hydrophilic pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein the hydrophilic adhesive increases the surface energy of a fluid flow path through the channel and wherein the hydrophilic adhesive decreases the surface tension of a biological fluid flowing through the channel.
27. The microfluidic device of claim 26, wherein said enclosure surface is heat-sealed to said base to seal said at least one fluid channel by the hydrophilic heat-sealable adhesive.
28. The microfluidic device of claim 26, wherein the surface of said enclosure surface comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive.
29. (canceled)
30. The microfluidic device of claim 26, wherein said enclosure surface is comprised of a low fluorescent material.
31. The microfluidic device of claim 26, wherein said enclosure surface is comprised of a polymeric material with which a surfactant is admixed to provide hydrophilic surface properties.
32. The microfluidic device of claim 26, wherein said enclosure surface is comprised of a polymeric material having a surfactant applied to a surface thereof.
33. The microfluidic device of claim 31, wherein said surfactant is a non-ionic or anionic surfactant.
34. The microfluidic device of claim 33, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, nonylphenol ethyoxylate and polyalkylene-oxide modified heptamethyltrisiloxane.
35. The microfluidic device of claim 33, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium or ammonium salts of nonyl phenol ethoxyl sulfonic acid, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate and sodium dioctylsulfo succinate.
36. The microfluidic device of claim 33, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of the ionic salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid, N-vinyl caprolactam, caprolactone acrylate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and sulfate and acrylic monomers.
37.-51. (canceled)
52. A biological detection device comprising:
a substrate providing a surface to carry a fluid from a first end of the substrate toward a detection zone along a fluid flow path, a portion of the substrate surface comprising a hydrophilic heat-sealable adhesive or a hydrophilic pressure sensitive adhesive wherein the hydrophilic adhesive increases the surface energy of the fluid flow path across the portion of the substrate surface comprising the hydrophilic adhesive and wherein the hydrophilic adhesive decreases the surface tension of a biological fluid flowing along the fluid flow path across the portion of the substrate surface comprising the hydrophilic adhesive.
53. The device of claim 52, wherein the hydrophilic adhesive comprises a polymeric material and at least one surfactant, wherein the surfactant increases the hydrophilicity of the polymeric material.
54. The device of claim 53, wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, ammonium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate, sodium octyl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol sulfate, nonyl phenol ethoxylate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol ether sulfate, polyalkylene oxide modified heptamethyl trisiloxane, sodium dioctyl sulfo succinate, and sodium salt of 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propane sulfonic acid.
55. The microfluidic device of claim 31, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, ammonium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate, sodium octyl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol sulfate, nonyl phenol ethoxylate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol ether sulfate, polyalkylene oxide modified heptamethyl trisiloxane, sodium dioctyl sulfo succinate, and sodium salt of 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propane sulfonic acid.
56. The microfluidic device of claim 32, wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, ammonium salt of sulfated nonylphenol ethoxylate, sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate, sodium octyl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol sulfate, nonyl phenol ethoxylate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium nonylphenol ether sulfate, polyalkylene oxide modified heptamethyl trisiloxane, sodium dioctyl sulfo succinate, and sodium salt of 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propane sulfonic acid.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

Now, therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A system for detecting defects within circuits, the system comprising:
a circuit;
a power supply unit, said power supply unit configured to transmit supply current to said circuit;
a current meter configured to receive said supply current and to transmit a first signal and a second signal respectively indicating a first value and a second value of said supply current; and
an analyzer configured to receive said first and second signals, to determine a threshold value based on said first signal, to compare said second signal to said threshold value, and to determine whether said circuit is defective based on a comparison of said second signal to said threshold value.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said threshold value is unique to said circuit.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said analyzer is further configured to detect a defect in said circuit when said second signal is greater than said threshold value, to determine a lower threshold value based on said first signal, to compare said second signal to said lower threshold value, and to determine that said circuit is defective when said second signal is less than said lower threshold value.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said analyzer is further configured to detect a defect in said circuit when said second signal is less than said threshold value, to determine an upper threshold value based on said first signal, to compare said second signal to said upper threshold value, and to determine that said circuit is defective when said second signal is greater than said upper threshold value.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first signal indicates a minimum value of said supply current when said circuit is in defect free states.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said analyzer is further configured to determine, based on said first signal, a signal value indicating a maximum value of said supply current when said circuit is in said defect free states.
7. A method for detecting defects within circuits, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a circuit;
measuring a value of a supply current associated with said circuit when said circuit is in a first state;
determining a threshold value based on said value of said supply current measured in said measuring step;
receiving a signal indicating another value of said supply current when said circuit is in a second state;
comparing said signal to said threshold value; and
detecting a defect in said circuit based on said comparing step.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
determining a second threshold value based on said value of said supply current measured in said measuring step; and
comparing said signal to said second threshold value.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of refraining from determining a value of said signal.
10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
receiving signals indicating values of said supply current when said circuit is in a plurality of states;
analyzing values of said received signals;
determining which of said values analyzed in said analyzing step is a minimum value; and
selecting said first state in response to a determination that said first state is associated with said minimum value.
11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of circuits;
receiving signals indicating values of supply currents associated with said plurality of circuits for a plurality of states;
selecting ones of said received signals;
determining constant values based on values of said selected ones; and
utilizing said constant values to determine said threshold value in said determining step.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
receiving signals indicating values of supply currents for a plurality of circuits at a plurality of states;
selecting a respective first signal and a respective second signal for each of said circuits; and
determining said threshold value based on values of said signals selected in said selecting step.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:
determining a new respective threshold value for each of said plurality of circuits; and
utilizing said constant values to determine said new respective threshold values.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:
removing outliers of said values of said selected ones via regression techniques.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:
plotting said values of said selected ones; and
fitting a curve to said values plotted in said plotting step.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein said first signal is associated with a maximum supply current value for a respective one of said circuits and said second signal is associated with a minimum supply current value for said respective one of said circuits.
17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:
plotting a value of said first respective signal versus a value of said second respective signal for each of said circuits in a graph;
performing a regression of said graph; and
removing outliers from said graph.
18. A method for detecting defects within circuits, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of circuits;
producing signals indicating values of supply currents associated with said circuits;
analyzing values of said signals;
determining a constant value based on said analyzing step;
selecting a circuit;
placing said circuit into a first state subsequent to said determining step;
producing a first signal indicating a first value of a supply current of said circuit when said circuit is in said first state;
determining a threshold value based on said constant value and said first signal;
placing said first circuit into another state;
producing a second signal indicating a second value of said supply current when said circuit is in said other state; and
determining whether a value of said second signal exceeds said first threshold value.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
determining a second threshold value for said circuit based on said first signal; and
determining whether said value of said second signal exceeds said second threshold value.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a first respective value and a second respective value of said signals analyzed in said analyzing step for each of said plurality of circuits;
plotting said first respective value versus said second respective value; and
performing a regression of said values plotted in said plotting step.

What is claimed is:

1. A GUI-equipped terminal apparatus which is connected to another terminal device through a network, and forms a distributed software environment, comprising:
GUI display means;
a virtual language environment which is a program execution environment in which a program code generated in a predetermined language can be executed independent of a specific type of apparatus;
access limit confirmation means of operating in another execution environment different from said virtual language environment; and
network IF means, wherein:
said network IF means exchanges information with another terminal device through the network;
said GUI display means displays an application GUI at an instruction from an application executed in said virtual language environment, and displays an access limit confirmation GUI at an instruction from said access limit confirmation means; and
said access limit confirmation means receives an access confirmation message encrypted by another terminal device through said network IF means, and transmits an encrypted access confirmation reply message to said other terminal device through said network IF means.
2. The GUI-equipped terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means of displaying an image drawing signal output from said GUI display means on a monitor, wherein:
said GUI display means has an external output terminal;
said GUI display means displays the application GUI at an instruction from an application executed in said virtual language environment only on said display means or both said display means and said external output terminal; and
when an instruction from said access limit confirmation means is received, said access limit confirmation GUI is displayed only on said display means, and not on said external output terminal.
3. A resource control terminal apparatus which is connected to another terminal device through a network, and forms a distributed software environment, comprising:
a virtual language environment which is a program execution environment in which a program code generated in a predetermined language can be executed independent of a specific type of apparatus;
access limit search means of operating in another execution environment different from said virtual language environment; and
network IF means, wherein:
said network IF means exchanges information with said another terminal device through said network;
said access limit search means receives and encrypts an access limit search request from an resource control program code executed in said virtual language environment, and transmits the access confirmation message to said other terminal device through said network IF means, receives and decrypts an encrypted access confirmation reply message from said other terminal device through said network IF means; and
said access limit search means answers said access limit search request from the resource control program code according to said decrypted access confirmation reply message.
4. The resource control terminal apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:
said access limit search means receives an access limit search request specifying an optional program ID from said resource control program code;
said access limit search means retrieves said other terminal device in which a program having said program ID is being executed;
said access limit search means transmits said encrypted access confirmation message to said retrieved other terminal device through said network IF means;
said access limit search means receives an encrypted access confirmation reply message from said retrieved other terminal device through said network IF means, and decrypts said encrypted access confirmation reply message; and
said access limit search means answers an access limit search request from said resource control program code according to said decrypted access confirmation reply message.
5. The resource control terminal apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:
said access limit search means receives an access limit search request specifying a profile ID from said resource control program code;
said access limit search means retrieves a terminal device having a permission right corresponding to said profile ID;
said access limit search means transmits an encrypted access confirmation message to a terminal device having said permission right through said network IF means;
said access limit search means receives an encrypted access confirmation reply message from the terminal device having said permission right through said network IF means, and decrypts said encrypted access confirmation reply message; and
said access limit search means answers an access limit search request from said resource control program code according to said decrypted access confirmation reply message.
6. A network system, comprising:
at least one GUI-equipped terminal apparatus connected to a network; and
at least one resource control terminal apparatus connected to said network, wherein:
said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus and said resource control terminal apparatus form a distributed software environment;
said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus comprises:
GUI display means;
a first virtual language environment which is a program execution environment in which a program code generated in a predetermined language can be executed independent of a specific type of apparatus;
access limit confirmation means of operating in another execution environment different from said first virtual language environment; and
first network IF means, wherein:
said resource control terminal apparatus comprises:
a second virtual language environment which is a program execution environment in which a program code generated in said predetermined language can be executed independent of a specific type of apparatus;
access limit search means of operating in another execution environment different from said second virtual language environment; and
second network IF means, wherein:
said first network IF means exchanges information with said resource control terminal apparatus through said network;
said second network IF means exchanges information at least with said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus through said network;
said access limit search means receives an access limit search request from a resource control program code executed in said second virtual language environment, and encrypts the request, and transmits said access confirmation message to said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus through said second network IF means;
said access limit confirmation means receives said encrypted access confirmation message from said access limit search means through said first network IF means, decrypts said access confirmation message, and outputs the decrypted message to said GUI display means;
said GUI display means displays an application GUI at an instruction from an application executed in said first virtual language environment, and displays an access limit confirmation GUI upon receipt of said access confirmation message from said access limit confirmation means;
said GUI display means outputs an input to said access limit confirmation GUI to said access limit confirmation means;
said access limit confirmation means generates an access confirmation reply message from said input and encrypts the message, said encrypted access confirmation reply message is transmitted to said resource control terminal apparatus through said first network IF means; and
said access limit search means receives the encrypted access confirmation reply message from said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus through said second network IF means, decrypts the message, and answers the access limit search request from said resource control program code according to said decrypted access confirmation reply message.
7. The network system according to claim 6, wherein:
plurality of said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus is connected to a plurality of said networks;
said resource control terminal apparatus broadcasts an access confirmation message to said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus;
when said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus is directly operated by a user, does not receive another access confirmation reply message in response to said access confirmation message from said other GUI-equipped terminal apparatus, and receives said access confirmation message transmitted from said resource control terminal apparatus, said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus transmits an access limit confirmation receipt message, performs a GUI display, confirms a request of the user, and broadcasts an access confirmation reply message.
8. The network system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein:
said access confirmation message transmitted from said resource control terminal apparatus contains bit map data of a GUI image for a user selecting information about access limit requested from said application;
said access confirmation reply message transmitted from said GUI-equipped terminal apparatus contains coordinates of a position at which the user performs an action on said bit map data of said GUI image;
said resource control terminal apparatus confirms selection of a user for information about said access limit based on said coordinates of the position, and answers the access limit search request from said application based on said selection of the user.
9. The network system according to claim 8, wherein said resource control terminal apparatus changes a position or an expression of a GUI unit forming bit map data of a GUI image contained in said access confirmation message each time said resource control terminal apparatus transmits said access confirmation message.
10. The resource control terminal apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said resource control program code comprises the steps of:
transmitting said access limit search request when an access request is received from another program;
receiving a reply to said access limit search request; and
determining according to said reply whether or not said access request can be accessed.
11. The resource control terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said resource control program code comprises the steps of:
specifying a program ID indicating the other program to said access limit search means when an access request is received from the other program;
transmitting said access limit search request; receiving a reply to said access limit search request; and
determining whether or not access at said access request can be accepted according to said reply.
12. The resource control terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said resource control program code comprises the steps of:
specifying said profile for said access limit search means when receiving an access request from another program;
transmitting said access limit search request;
receiving a reply to said access limit search request; and
determining whether or not said access request can be accepted according to said reply.
13. The resource control terminal apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said resource control program code comprises the steps of:
performing an access limit search request in a same procedure as an access confirmation request issued from a current program when receiving an access confirmation request from another program; and
determining whether or not the access confirmation request can be accepted according to a reply to the request.
14. A computer-processible medium storing a program andor data used to direct a computer to perform all or a part of functions of all or a part of means of the resource control terminal apparatus or the GUI-equipped terminal apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
15. An information aggregate which is a program andor data used to direct a computer to perform all or a part of functions of all or a part of means of the resource control terminal apparatus or the GUI-equipped terminal apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
16. A computer-processible medium storing the steps of all or a part of said resource control program code of said resource control terminal apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A load sensor comprising:
a detection element configured to detect at least compression load; and
a structural member including a first member, a second member, and a preload adjusting member,
wherein the first member has a surface provided with the detection element,
the first member and the second member are connected with each other and configured to transmit load to the detection element,
the preload adjusting member has a tip end configured to apply compression load to the detection element,
the second member has a screwed portion, which has an inner periphery defining a thread groove and configured to be screwed with the preload adjusting member, and
the second member is configured to elastically deform to cause change in preload applied to the detection element in response to adjustment of screwing of the preload adjusting member,
the load sensor further comprising:
a buffer member interposed between the preload adjusting member and the detection element.
2. The load sensor according to claim 1, wherein the buffer member is integrated with the second member.
3. The load sensor according to claim 1,
wherein the first member and the second member therebetween interpose the detection element in an interposing direction, and
rigidity of the structural member in the interposing direction is smaller than rigidity of the structural member in other directions.
4. The load sensor according to claim 1,
wherein the buffer member is in contact with a contact portion of the detection element,
the contact portion is formed from ceramic,
the buffer member is formed from stainless steel, and
the second member is formed from carbon steel.
5. The load sensor according to claim 1,
wherein the detection element has a matrix, which is formed from glass, and conductive particles, which are distributed in the matrix and formed from RuO2 having electrical conductivity,
the detection element includes a pressure-sensitive element, which changes in electrical property in response to application of stress, and insulative members, which are electrically insulative, and
the insulative members are integrally formed respectively on opposed surfaces of the pressure-sensitive element.
6. The load sensor according to claim 1, wherein the buffer member is fixed to the second member.
7. The load sensor according to claim 1,
wherein the structural member therein defines an inner space, which has a first length in an axial direction of the structural member,
the inner space has a second length in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and
the first length is smaller than the second length.
8. The load sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first member, the second member, and the buffer member are integrally formed with each other.
9. A method for manufacturing the load sensor according to claim 1, the method comprising:
locating the detection element between the first member and the buffer member; and
screwing the preload adjusting member into the screwed portion so as to apply preload to the detection element via the buffer member, which is fixed to the second member, such that a load detection signal outputted from the detection element becomes predetermined value.
10. The method according to claim 9,
wherein the press-fitting further includes:
monitoring the load detection signal outputted from the detection element.