Author: claimsbot

1. A breast pad comprising:
a core containing absorbent material; and
a liquid impermeable cover disposed on an outer side of the core;
wherein an inner surface of the core contains a wax-like medicament in a limited region thereof, such that the inner surface allows for absorption into the breast pad through a remaining medicament-free region of the inner surface of the core.
2. The breast pad of claim 1 comprising between about 0.03 and 0.15 grams of medicament.
3. (canceled)
4. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein the medicament-free region comprises between about 30 and 50 percent of a total exposed surface area of the inner surface.
5. (canceled)
6. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein at least about 50 percent of a total exposed surface area of the inner surface is medicament-free.
7. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein the limited region of medicament includes a central portion of the breast pad.
8. The breast pad of claim 7 wherein the medicament is distributed uniformly within the central portion.
9. The breast pad of claim 8 wherein the central portion is surrounded by the medicament-free region.
10. The breast pad of claim 9 wherein the medicament-free region has a width of at least about 15 millimeters.
11. The breast pad of claim 7 wherein the central portion includes both medicament and medicament-free areas.
12. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein the medicament is in the form of a coating on the inner surface.
13. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein the medicament is in the form of a dispersion on the inner surface.
14-17. (canceled)
18. The breast pad of claim 1 wherein the medicament comprises lanolin.
19. A breast pad comprising:
an inner surface for contacting a mammary gland;
wherein the inner surface has a first region with a wax-like medicament and a second region that is free of wax-like medicaments; and
wherein the second region is permeable to fluids and permits absorption of mammary into the breast pad.
20. The breast pad of claim 19 comprising between about 0.03 and 0.15 grams of medicament.
21. (canceled)
22. The breast pad of claim 19 wherein the region that is free of wax-like medicaments comprises between about 30 and 50 percent of a total exposed surface area of the inner surface.
23. (canceled)
24. The breast pad of claim 19 wherein at least about 50 percent of a total exposed surface area of the inner surface is the region that is free of wax-like medicaments.
25. The breast pad of claim 19 wherein the medicament is in the form of a coating on the inner surface.
26. The breast pad of claim 19 wherein the medicament is in the form of a dispersion on the inner surface.
27-29. (canceled)
30. The breast pad of claim 19 wherein the medicament comprises lanolin.
31. A method of absorbing mammary fluids while soothing skin, the method comprising
providing a breast pad having an inner surface with a first region containing a wax-like medicament, and a second region that is free of wax-like medicaments and is permeable to permit absorption of mammary fluid into the pad; and
placing the breast pad on a human mammary gland, with the first region contacting at least a portion of an areola of the mammary gland and the permeable second region contacting the mammary gland for absorption of fluids.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein the first region of the inner surface comprises between about 0.03 and 0.15 grams of medicament.
33. The method of claim 31 wherein the first region of the inner surface is fluid impermeable.
34. The method of claim 31 wherein the medicament comprises lanolin.

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 method for encryption key management, the method comprising:
accepting authenticated unencrypted data into a processor of a server computing device, wherein the processor is configured as a private key secure processor vault, the operation of which is isolated from other components of the server computing device, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the processor and the data contents therein;
encrypting the authenticated unencrypted data based on an existing private key stored in the processor, thereby converting it to encrypted data; and
transmitting the encrypted data out of the processor.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticated unencrypted data is identified by a label represented by one or more bits included in the authenticated unencrypted data, and the label is removed before the authenticated unencrypted data is encrypted.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is one of a plurality of synergistic processor cores integrated within a multi-core processor supervised by a primary processor core.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the encrypted data includes transmitting the encrypted data to a client computing device via a communications network.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to encrypting the authenticated unencrypted data, the authenticated unencrypted data is processed by the execution of a program code also contained within the processor.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the entry of the authenticated unencrypted data into the processor and the exit of the encrypted data from the processor to insure a one-to-one correspondence of data-flow through the processor.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticated unencrypted data includes a re-key instruction to replace the existing private key, the method further comprising:
generating a new private key;
encrypting the new private key based on the existing private key; and
transmitting the encrypted new private key to a client computing device via a communications network.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
accepting the encrypted new private key into a processor of the client computing device;
decrypting the encrypted new private key with the existing private key, thereby obtaining the new private key;
replacing the existing private key stored on the client computing device with the new private key; and
destroying the existing private key stored on the client computing device.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
monitoring for the receipt of an acknowledgment transmitted from the client computing device to the server computing device to acknowledge the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device;
assuming, in response to not receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was unsuccessful and issuing a new re-key instruction from the server computing device to replace the existing private key; and
assuming, in response to receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was successful and destroying the existing private key in the processor of the server computer device.
10. A system for encryption key management, comprising:
a server computing device including a processor configured as a private key secure processor vault that operates in isolation from other components of the server computing device, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the processor and the data contents therein;
an encryption module operating within the processor and configured to accept authenticated unencrypted data into the processor, encrypt the authenticated unencrypted data to convert it to encrypted data, and transmit the encrypted data out of the processor; and
a key module operating within the processor in communications with the encryption module and configured to provide encryption key data to the encryption module for the encryption of the authenticated unencrypted data.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein:
the encryption module is further configured to accept authenticated unencrypted data that includes a re-key instruction to replace an existing private key, encrypt a new private key based on the existing private key, and transmit the encrypted new private key to a client computing device via a communications network; and
the key module is further configured to generate the new private key and provide existing private key data to the encryption module for encryption of the new private key.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the client computing device includes a processor configured to accept the encrypted new private key, decrypt the encrypted new private key with the existing private key to obtain the new private key, replace the existing private key stored on the client computing device with the new private key, and destroy the existing private key stored on the client computing device.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the key module is further configured to destroy the existing private key, and the system further comprises a monitoring module operating within the processor and configured to:
monitor for the receipt of an acknowledgment transmitted from the client computing device to the server computing device to acknowledge the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device;
assume, in response to not receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was unsuccessful and cause the server computing device to issue a new re-key instruction to replace the existing private key; and
assume, in response to receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was successful and signal the key module to destroy the existing private key in the processor of the server computer device.
14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a monitoring module configured to monitor the entry of the authenticated unencrypted data into the processor and the exit of the encrypted data from the processor to insure a one-to-one correspondence of data-flow through the processor.
15. A computer program product for encryption key management, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to:
accept authenticated unencrypted data into a processor of the computer, wherein the processor is configured as a private key secure processor vault, the operation of which is isolated from other components of the computer, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the processor and the data contents therein;
encrypt the authenticated unencrypted data based on an existing private key stored in the processor, thereby converting it to encrypted data; and
transmit the encrypted data out of the processor to a client computing device via a communications network.
16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the authenticated unencrypted data is identified by a label represented by one or more bits included in the authenticated unencrypted data, and the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, further causes the computer to remove the label from the authenticated unencrypted data.
17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the processor is one of a plurality of synergistic processor cores integrated within a multi-core processor supervised by a primary processor core.
18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, further causes the computer to monitor the entry of the authenticated unencrypted data into the processor and the exit of the encrypted data from the processor to insure a one-to-one correspondence of data-flow through the processor.
19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the authenticated unencrypted data includes a re-key instruction to replace the existing private key, and the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, further causes the computer to:
generate a new private key;
encrypt the new private key based on the existing private key; and
transmit the encrypted new private key to the client computing device via the communications network.
20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, further causes the computer to:
monitor for the receipt of an acknowledgment transmitted from the client computing device to the server computing device to acknowledge the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device;
assume, in response to not receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was unsuccessful and issue a new re-key instruction to replace the existing private key; and
assume, in response to receiving the acknowledgment, that the replacement of the existing private key with the new private key on the client computing device was successful and destroy the existing private key in the processor of the computer.

1. A semiconductor device having bit line expanding islands, comprising:
a semiconductor layer in which an isolation region and an active region are defined;
an insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer;
a plurality of bit lines formed on the insulating layer; and
one or more bit line expanding islands formed inside the insulating layer, which are electrically connected to a lower portion of at least one of the plurality of bit lines.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bit lines have substantially equal widths, keep a predetermined distance from one another, and are expanded in a first direction.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands electrically connect at least two of the plurality of bit lines to each other.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of bit lines are expanded in a first direction, and the bit line expanding islands are expanded in a second direction crossing the first direction.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands and the plurality of bit lines comprise a same material.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands and the plurality of bit lines comprise different materials.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands are disposed on the active region of the semiconductor layer and are electrically connected to the active region.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands are disposed on the isolation region of the semiconductor layer and are electrically insulated from the semiconductor layer disposed underneath the isolation region.
9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the bit line expanding islands are disposed on gate structures formed on the active region of the semiconductor layer or on gate structures formed on the isolation region and electrically insulated from the gate structures.
10. A semiconductor device having bit line expanding islands, comprising:
a semiconductor layer;
an insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer;
a plurality of first bit lines formed on the insulating layer and keep a first distance from one another;
a plurality of second bit lines formed on the insulating layer, disposed among the plurality of first bit lines, keep a second distance from one another, and keep a third distance from the plurality of first bit lines, wherein the third distance is less than the first and second distances; and
a plurality of bit line expanding islands formed in a portion of the insulating layer, each of which is disposed underneath a lower portion of one of the plurality of first bit lines and a lower portion of one of the plurality of second bit lines, and which electrically connect the plurality of first bit lines to the plurality of second bit lines.
11. A semiconductor device having bit line expanding islands, comprising:
a semiconductor layer in which a first cell region, a peripheral region, and a second cell region are defined;
an insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer;
a plurality of third bit lines formed on the insulating layer and span across at least portions of the first cell region and the peripheral region and keep a fourth distance from one another;
a plurality of fourth bit lines which are faulted on the insulating layer and span across at least a portion of the second cell region and keep a fifth distance from one another; and
a plurality of bit line expanding islands which are formed in a portion of the insulating layer, each of which is disposed underneath a lower portion of one of the plurality of third bit lines and a lower portion of one of the plurality of fourth bit lines, and which electrically connect the plurality of third bit lines to the plurality of fourth bit lines.

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. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye comprising:
a primary emitter of a light beam imaged by optical elements to form a secondary retinal light source from said light beam on said eye’s retina;
a photodetector comprising a light detector for measurement of at least a first retinal image and a second retinal image of said secondary retinal light source as observed by said photodetector respectively at proximal and distal positions relative to said secondary retinal light source and generation of signals proportional to the measured images said photodetector being positioned,
optically beyond said first retinal image in a near beam to detect diminutions of light in various meridians of said near beam, and
optically beyond said second retinal image in a far beam to detect diminutions of light in various meridians of said far beam,
wherein all elements of the detector system are in a straight line optical path, and
computation means responsive to said signals for calculating said spherocylinder measurement of said eye.
2. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1, wherein said photodetector further comprises a detector pupil conjugate lens.
3. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1, wherein said photodetector further comprises a beam splitter and a mirror assembly.
4. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1 wherein said photodetector further comprises an array of light detectors spatially arranged to detect light at said distal position in various meridians of a far beam and an array of light detectors spatially arranged to detect light at said proximal position in various meridians of a near beam.
5. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 4,
wherein said diminutions of light in various meridians of said far and near beams are caused by staggered opaque meridians;
whereby in response to said diminutions of light said photodetector generates said signals for calculating said spherocylinder measurement of said eye.
6. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 4 wherein said arrays of light detectors disposed in both said distal and proximal positions are arranged in rows such that light signals from parallel rows in the first and second retinal images may be summed and compared to find meridional power at right angles to the rows and further comprising there being a sufficient number of parallel rows at different angular orientations to allow the complete spherocylinder power of the eye to be determined.
7. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1, further comprising:
said primary emitter being spatially modulated;
said diminutions of light in various meridians in said far and near beams being caused by staggered opaque meridians; whereby in response to said diminutions of light said photodetector generates signals for calculating said spherocylinder measurement of said eye.
8. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1 further comprising:
said lenses causing light beam from said emitter to be focused at optical infinity;
said light beam being directed via a beam splitter to a cornea of said eye such that said cornea produces a reflection showing optical center of said eye;
said reflection being returned to said lens and therethrough to said beam splitter directed to said photodetector, said photodetector located at such distance from said lens so that said reflection from said eye is in focus on said photodetector;
whereby said signal generated in response thereto by said photodetector further indicates location of said reflection and said optical center of said eye thus facilitating alignment of said eye with optics of an optical instrument.
9. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1 wherein said photodetector comprises a CCD photodetector or a photodiode.
10. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1, wherein said primary emitter comprises a laser diode emitter producing a narrow beam in conjunction with a beam splitter, whereby sharpness of said secondary retinal light source on said retina is enhanced.
11. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 5, further comprising said straight-line optical path comprising at least one block of transparent material employing air spaces, whereby reflection, transmission, and refraction of an impinging light beam is caused by appropriately shaped air spaces of said block.
12. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of blocks of transparent material fixed together to form a single composite block, whereby shaped interfaces at the junctions between adjacent blocks cause refraction of an incident light beam.
13. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 1, further comprising an illuminated pinhole cooperative with an emitter, beam splitters and lenses for locating the optical center of an eye, such together forming a compact apparatus to track said optical center of said eye while causing relaxation of said eye’s accommodation.
14. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 9, further comprising at least two color emitters emitting light beams at different wavelengths from each other, said emitters illuminated alternately and emitting at infrared wavelengths such that said retina and other structures of said eye are imaged in infrared light, and said detector comprising a black and white CCD, whereby visible color imaging of an eye’s retina can be achieved using said black and white CCD.
15. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 9, further comprising means for collection of light for said photodiode, said means comprising a cone-shaped optical guide, whereby said photodiode active area may be of small dimensions.
16. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 4, wherein light sensitive elements of said arrays comprise light sensitive plates, said plates generating electrical signals when impinged on by a light beam.
17. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 5, further comprising means for angularly rotating opaque blockers, whereby the number of measured meridians is multiplied.
18. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 7, wherein spatial modulation comprises dispositions of a rotating aperture, which said aperture is a rotor of a motor, in cooperation with said emitter.
19. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 7, wherein spatial modulating comprises disposing multiple emitters illuminated sequentially, whereby modulation is achieved with no moving parts.
20. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 7, wherein said detector of diminution of light comprises optical blockers inserted in a solid block of transparent material, whereby alignment of said blockers is fixed.
21. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 20, wherein said optical blockers are arranged in a straight path, whereby the number of optical elements is minimized.
22. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 8, wherein said optical instrument for facilitation of alignment of said eye comprises a screen to visibly show location of said optical center of said eye, said optical instrument further being manually moveable to achieve optical alignment between said eye and said instrument.
23. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 22, wherein means for manually moving said instruments comprises a tiltable plate, whereby tilting of said plate allows steering of an emitter beam and provides optical alignment between said eye and said instrument.
24. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 23, wherein said tiltable plate and a moveable beam splitter are disposed such that movement of said beam splitter in an axis parallel to beam direction and tilting of said plate in a second axis allows steering of an emitter beam in two axes and provides optical alignment between said eye and said instrument.
25. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 22, wherein said screen on which said reflection from said eye visibly appears is formed a first geometric figure, which said first geometric figure can be fitted onto a second geometric figure also formed on said screen, whereby said second geometric figure represents the optical center of said optical instrument and said first geometric figure represents the optical center of said eye, and coincidence thereof on said screen indicates achievement of optical alignment between said eye and said instrument.
26. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 22, wherein on said screen an image of said eye and an image of said reflection produced by said eye appear, and superimposition of said reflection from said eye on said image of said eye indicates achievement of optical alignment between said eye and said instrument.
27. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 26, wherein a color geometric figure formed on said screen represents said reflection produced by said eye.
28. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 26 further comprising indicia formed on said screen instructing a user how to move said instrument to obtain said superposition.
29. Apparatus for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 26 further comprising geometric figures in motion on said screen indicate spatial location of said instrument.
30. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye comprising:
creating an optical light path by causing a primary emitter of a light beam imaged by optical elements to form a secondary retinal light source from said light beam on said eye’s retina;
disposing a photodetector comprising a light detector in said optical light path for measurement of at least a first retinal image and a second retinal image of said secondary retina light source as observed by said photodetector respectively at proximal and distal positions relative to said secondary retinal light source and generation of signals proportional to the measured images said photodetector being positioned,
optically beyond said first retinal image in a near beam to detect diminutions of light in various meridians of said near beam, and
optically beyond said second retinal image in a far beam to detect diminutions of light in various meridians of said far beam,
wherein all elements of the detector system are in a straight line optical path, and
calculating from said signals said spherocylinder measurement of said eye.
31. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 30 wherein optical properties of said eye modify and direct light rays in said optical light path such that the luminous irradiance comprising pixels impinging on said photodetector varies in response to said optical properties of said eye.
32. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 31 further comprising from said measurement determining a correct prescription for the adjustment of said eye to emmetropic vision.
33. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurements of an eye as in claim 31 further comprising disposing in said optical path two photodetectors and wherein said optical properties of said eye modify and direct light rays in said optical light path such that the luminous irradiance comprising pixels impinging on said two photodetectors varies in response to said optical properties of said eye.
34. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 33 further comprising from said measurement determining a correct prescription for the adjustment of said eye to emmetropic vision.
35. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurements of an eye as in claim 31 further comprising disposing in said optical path a beam splitter and a mirror assembly and wherein said optical properties of said eye modify and direct light rays in said optical light path such that the luminous irradiance comprising pixels impinging on said photodetector varies in response to said optical properties of said eye.
36. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 35 further comprising from said measurement determining a correct prescription for the adjustment of said eye to emmetropic vision.
37. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 30 further comprising spatially modulating said light beam.
38. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 37 further comprising from said measurement determining a correct prescription for the adjustment of said eye to emmetropic vision.
39. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 30 further comprising disposing as part of said photodetector a detector pupil conjugate lens.
40. A method for obtaining spherocylinder measurement of an eye as in claim 30 further comprising disposing as part of said photodetector a beam splitter and a mirror assembly.