Author: claimsbot

1. A battery electrode, comprising:
an active material layer,
wherein the active material layer is formed on a collector surface, and
the active material layer comprises an active material and a block copolymer having a vinyl alcohol polymer block wherein said vinyl alcohol polymer block is produced by saponifying a vinyl ester polymer and has a saponification degree of from 75 to 99.95 mol %.
2. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the vinyl alcohol polymer block has a saponification degree of from 80 to 99.92 mol %.
3. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the vinyl alcohol polymer block has a polymerization degree of from 200 to 3000.
4. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the block copolymer further comprises:
a polymer block comprising a constituent unit selected from the group consisting of an acrylic acid unit, an acrylate salt unit, an acrylate ester unit, a methacrylic acid unit, a methacrylate salt unit and a methacrylate ester unit.
5. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the active material layer comprises the block copolymer in an amount of from 1 to 10% by mass.
6. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the active material comprises graphite.
7. A lithium ion secondary battery having a laminate structure, the lithium ion secondary battery comprising:
a pair of electrodes comprising an active material layer disposed such that active material layers face each other via a separator, and
an electrolyte composition comprising a lithium-containing electrolyte salt fills gaps between the pair of electrodes and the separator,
wherein at least one of the pair of electrodes is the battery electrode as claimed in claim 1.
8. The lithium ion secondary battery according to claim 7,
wherein the electrolyte composition comprises propylene carbonate.
9. The battery electrode according to claim 1,
wherein the block copolymer further comprises:
a polymer block comprising a constituent unit selected from the group consisting of an acrylate ester unit, a methacrylic acid unit, a methacrylate salt unit and a methacrylate ester unit.

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 of treating a pelvic floor disorder with a sacrocolpopexy procedure, comprising:
providing an implant having an anterior vaginal mesh portion, a posterior vaginal mesh portion and a sacral mesh extension portion;
creating an incision;
attaching the anterior vaginal mesh portion to the anterior vaginal wall;
attaching the posterior vaginal mesh portion to the posterior vaginal wall;
attaching the sacral mesh extension portion to sacral fascia; and
adjusting the tension of the implant.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the mesh extension portion to the sacral fascia includes attaching the mesh extension portion to the anterior longitudinal ligament.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the mesh extension portion to the sacral fascia includes attaching the mesh extension portion to sacral soft tissue.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating an incision includes creating an abdominal incision.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating an incision includes creating a vaginal incision.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the anterior vaginal mesh portion to the anterior vaginal wall includes attachment with one or more sutures.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the posterior vaginal mesh portion to the posterior vaginal wall includes attachment with one or more sutures.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the anterior vaginal mesh portion is a substantially flat mesh portion.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the posterior vaginal mesh portion is a substantially flat mesh portion.
10. A method of treating a pelvic floor disorder with a sacrocolpopexy procedure, comprising:
providing an implant having an anterior vaginal mesh portion, a posterior vaginal mesh portion and a sacral mesh extension portion;
creating an incision;
suturing the anterior vaginal mesh portion to the anterior vaginal wall;
suturing the posterior vaginal mesh portion to the posterior vaginal wall;
affixing the sacral mesh extension portion to the longitudinal ligament of the sacral fascia; and
tensioning the implant.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein affixing the mesh extension portion to the longitudinal ligament of the sacral fascia includes affixing the mesh extension portion to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacral fascia.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein creating an incision includes creating an abdominal incision.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein creating an incision includes creating a vaginal incision.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the anterior vaginal mesh portion is a substantially flat mesh portion.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the posterior vaginal mesh portion is a substantially flat mesh portion.

1. A method for adapting a hand-held communication device to include an auxiliary input apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a sensor assembly comprising a plurality of pressure sensors and a plurality of outputs, wherein the sensor assembly is adapted to receive tactile inputs from a user;
providing an electrical interface along at least one exterior surface of the device, wherein the electrical interface is adapted for mating with the sensor assembly;
attaching the sensor assembly to the at least one exterior surface of the device, such that the outputs of the sensor assembly are electrically coupled to the electrical interface; and
performing an assignment procedure wherein specific tactile inputs to the sensor assembly are assigned to specific predefined functions of the device, such that the device is operable to perform each of the specific predefined functions in response to specific tactile inputs being applied to the sensor assembly;
wherein the hand-held communication device is a cellular telephone; and
wherein the specific predefined functions of the device include at least one of:
a speed-dial function, wherein the cellular telephone dials a pre-assigned telephone number in response to a specific tactile input;
a phone directory review function, wherein the cellular telephone audibly announces a list of stored names in response to a specific tactile input;
a combined phone directory review and speed-dial function, wherein:
(i) in response to a first specific tactile input, the cellular telephone audibly announces a list of stored names; and
(ii) in response to a second specific tactile input that is received while the telephone is audibly announcing the list of stored names, the cellular telephone speed-dials a telephone number corresponding to the last stored name that has been audibly announced at the time when the second specific tactile input is received; and

an expedited menu access function, wherein the cellular telephone displays a pre-assigned screen menu in response to a specific tactile input.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a customization procedure, wherein specific tactile inputs to the sensor assembly are assigned to specific predefined functions of at least one software application installed in the device, such that the software application and the device are operable to perform the predefined functions in response to corresponding tactile inputs being applied to the sensor assembly.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
ascertaining a user’s hand grip position; and
in response to a wireless signal having a field-strength intensity of less than a predetermined level, performing at least one of the following steps:
(i) informing the user of a need to alter the hand grip position; and
(ii) selecting and operating with an appropriate antenna from a plurality of antennas within the device such that the field-strength intensity of the wireless signal is increased.

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. An optical waveguide element comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
optical waveguides formed in the substrate;
a buffer layer formed on the substrate; and
modulation electrodes comprising a signal electrode and a ground electrode that are formed on the buffer layer and that modulate optical waves propagating through the optical waveguides,
wherein a charge diffusion layer that diffuses charges generated in the substrate is formed between the substrate and the buffer layer,
the charge diffusion layer is comprised of low-refractive index material having a lower refractive index than a refractive index of the optical waveguide,
a part of the charge diffusion layer is under the signal electrode and a part of the charge diffusion layer is under the ground electrode separately at least in a mutual action region in which an electric field formed by the modulation electrodes is applied to the optical waveguides,
the part of the charge diffusion layer under the ground electrode is electrically connected with the ground electrode,
the part of the charge diffusion layer under the signal electrode and the part of the charge diffusion layer under the ground electrode are electrically connected with each other through a member having a higher resistance value than the charge diffusion layer.
2. The optical waveguide element according to claim 1,
wherein the member having the higher resistance value is comprised of a semiconductor material.
3. The optical waveguide element according to claim 1,
wherein the member having the higher resistance value is comprised of low-refractive index material that is the same as the material of the charge diffusion layer under the signal electrode and of the charge diffusion layer under the ground electrode, and
a film thickness of the member is thinner than a film thickness of the charge diffusion layer under the signal electrode and of the charge diffusion layer under the ground electrode.
4. The optical waveguide element according to claim 1,
wherein the charge diffusion layer is a conductive film or a semiconductor film.
5. The optical waveguide element according claim 2,
wherein the charge diffusion layer is a conductive film or a semiconductor film.
6. The optical waveguide element according to claim 3,
wherein the charge diffusion layer is a conductive film or a semiconductor film.
7. The optical waveguide element according to claim 4,
wherein a film thickness of the charge diffusion layer is in a range of 0.05 \u03bcm to 0.6 \u03bcm.
8. The optical waveguide element according to claim 5,
wherein a film thickness of the charge diffusion layer is in a range of 0.05 \u03bcm to 0.6 \u03bcm.
9. The optical waveguide element according to claim 6,
wherein a film thickness of the charge diffusion layer is in a range of 0.05 \u03bcm to 0.6 \u03bcm.
10. The optical waveguide element according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
wherein electric connection between the charge diffusion layer and the ground electrode is constituted by any of a via connection penetrating through the buffer layer, a conductive film provided on a substrate-side surface, and a connection layer disposed by removing a part of the buffer layer between the ground electrode and the charge diffusion layer under the ground electrode.