All The Claims

1. A medical imaging and alignment system for use in performing a medical procedure on a patient, comprising:
a manually positionable beam emitter adjustable in more than three degrees of freedom, the emitter including an actuator for performing the medical procedure along an axis of operation;
a generally planar detector that detects a beam from the emitter, the beam oriented along an axis parallel to the axis of operation of the actuator, and generates an original image of a region of interest between the detector and emitter;
a position monitoring system that monitors a position and an orientation of the emitter in the more than three degrees of freedom;
a processor operably connected to the position monitoring system and the detector and configured to execute an image correction algorithm, the image correction algorithm operable to provide a corrected image from the original image, the original image of the region of interest skewed when the axis along which the beam is emitted is at an angle that is not perpendicular to the detector relative to an actual appearance of the region of interest from the angle and the corrected image showing the actual appearance of the region of interest from the angle; and
a video display that displays the corrected image in real-time to a surgeon performing the medical procedure on the patient.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image correction algorithm operates directly on texture coordinates of the original skewed image recorded by the detector using matrix transforms.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the image correction algorithm utilizes rasterization to provide the corrected image.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the position monitoring system is a kinematic or mechanical tracking system.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the emitter is connected to an arm of the kinematic or mechanical tracking system.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the position monitoring system is an optical tracking system.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the emitter is manually positionable in at least 5 degrees of freedom.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the position monitoring system is at least partially located within the emitter.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is selected from the group consisting of a drill, a cutting blade and a needle.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the axis of operation of the actuator and the axis along which the beam is emitted are coaxial.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the actuator that is coaxial with the axis along which the beam is emitted is formed of a material that is translucent to the beam.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the emitter is an X-ray emitter and the detector is an X-ray detector.
13. A method comprising:
providing a system for performing a medical procedure on a patient, the system comprising:
a manually positionable beam emitter adjustable in more than three degrees of freedom, the emitter including an actuator for performing the medical procedure along an axis of operation;
a generally planar detector that detects the beam from the emitter, the beam oriented along an axis parallel to the axis of operation of the actuator;
a position monitoring system that monitors a position and an orientation of the emitter in the more than three degrees of freedom;
a processor operably connected to the position monitoring system and detector that is configured to execute an image correction algorithm; and
a video display; and

providing instructions for using the system to perform the medical procedure on the patient, the instructions comprising:
manually positioning the emitter in more than three degrees of freedom and generating an original image of a region of interest of the patient with the detector, the emitter being aligned along the axis of operation of the actuator at an angle that is not perpendicular to the detector resulting in the original image being skewed relative to an actual appearance of the region of interest from the angle;
viewing a corrected image of the region of interest on the video display showing the actual appearance of the region of interest from the angle, the corrected image resulting from application of the image-correction algorithm to the skewed original image; and
performing the medical procedure on the patient using the actuator along the axis of operation while viewing the corrected image on the imaging system in real-time.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of manually positioning the emitter includes moving the emitter and an arm of a kinematic or mechanical tracking system to which the emitter is attached.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of manually positioning the emitter in more than three degrees of freedom includes manually positioning the emitter in at least five degrees of freedom.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the emitter is an X-ray emitter and the detector is an X-ray detector.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing the medical procedure includes inserting a needle that comprises at least a portion of the actuator into the region of interest.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing the medical procedure includes utilizing a drill assembly that comprises at least a portion of the actuator to drill into the region of interest.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing the medical procedure includes resecting a bone with at least a portion of the actuator.
20. A system for performing a medical procedure on a patient comprising:
means for emitting a beam, the means for emitting being manually positionable in more than three degrees of freedom and including a means for performing a medical procedure on a patient along an axis of operation;
means for detecting a beam from the emitter, the beam emitted along an axis parallel to the axis of operation of the means for performing a medical procedure, and generating an original image of a region of interest between the means for emitting and the means for detecting;
means for generating data representative of the position and orientation of the means for emitting in the more than three degrees of freedom;
processing means operably connected to the means for detecting and the means for generating data representative of the position and orientation of the means for emitting, the processing means configured to execute a means for providing a corrected image from the original image, the original image of the region of interest skewed when the means for emitting is at an angle that is not perpendicular to the means for detecting relative to an actual appearance of the region of interest from the angle and the corrected image showing the actual appearance of the region of interest; and
means for displaying the corrected image in real-time to a surgeon performing the medical procedure on the patient.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for providing a corrected image executed by the processing means operates directly on texture coordinates of the original skewed image detected by the means for detecting using matrix transforms.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for providing the corrected image executed by the processing means utilizes rasterization to provide the corrected image.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for generating data representative of the position and orientation of the means for emitting is a kinematic or mechanical tracking system.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for emitting is connected to an arm of the kinematic or mechanical tracking system.
25. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for generating data representative of the position and orientation of the means for emitting is an optical tracking system.
26. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for generating data representative of the position and orientation of the means for emitting is at least partially located within the means for emitting.
27. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for emitting is manually positionable in at least five degrees of freedom.
28. The system of claim 20, wherein the axis of operation of the means for performing the medical procedure and the axis along which the beam is emitted are coaxial.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the means for performing the medical procedure that is coaxial with the axis along which the beam is emitted is formed of a material that is translucent to the beam.
30. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for emitting a beam emits X-rays and the means for detecting a beam detects X-rays.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A solid light emitting element comprising a light emitting region having at least one layer, wherein at least a portion of a side surface of the light emitting region has surface irregularities thereon.
2. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities comprise curves of varying curvature.
3. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of the side surface having the surface irregularities is tapered at an angle with respect to the light emitting region.
4. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the portion of the side surface having the surface irregularities is tapered at an angle with respect to the light emitting region.
5. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities are formed by etching.
6. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the surface irregularities are formed by etching.
7. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities are formed by patterning of the light emitting region.
8. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the surface irregularities are formed by patterning of the light emitting region.
9. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface irregularities are formed when the light emitting element is separated from another light emitting element.
10. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the surface irregularities are formed when the light emitting element is separated from another light emitting element.
11. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is formed atop a substrate, and the refractive index of the substrate is smaller than the refractive index of the light emitting region.
11. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light emitting element is formed atop a substrate, and the refractive index of the substrate is smaller than the refractive index of the light emitting region.
12. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein each layer formed on the substrate comprises a Group-III nitride compound semiconductor.
13. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 11, wherein each layer formed on the substrate comprises a Group-III nitride compound semiconductor.
14. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a top surface of the light emitting element has surface irregularities thereon.
15. A light emitting element as claimed in claim 14, wherein a top surface of the light emitting element has surface irregularities thereon.

1. A kind of assessorial handle fixing base, which can be installed on the conventional bicycle handle, in the course of locking the front middle of the handle in the arc groove positioned at the front end of the handle standpipe by means of corresponding to the arc groove to another arc groove with many screws. The present invention mainly is composed of an assessorial handle, two cushions for elbow’s relaxation, and fixing bases, featuring that: to make the lower section of the fixing base be an arc position sheet, and make the radian of the position sheet same with the one of the outside pipe at the front middle of the handle. At the same time, joint the sheet on the outer edge of the pipe at the front middle of the handle; additionally, a position hole is designed on the center of the upper section for the insertion of the end of the assessorial handle and combination and locking with the screws; moreover, a position base is designed respectively on the two sides of the position hole, on which many adjusting holes are available for locking the cushions together and adjusting the distance between cushions. Thus, according to the foregoing structure, the fixing base for fixing the assessorial handle can be combined at the locking position section of the handle and standpipe and an assessorial handle can be installed on the conventional bicycle handle while locking the front middle of the handle in the arc groove positioned at the front end of the handle standpipe by means of corresponding to the arc groove to another arc groove with many screws. Furthermore, based on the same radian of the position sheet at the lower section of the fixing base and the outside pipe diameter at the front middle of the handle, the assessorial handle can be adjusted upwards or downwards properly depending on user’s demands.
2. The Assessorial Handle Fixing Base for Bicycle, as recited in claim 1, wherein we can make the lower section of the fixing base for fixing the assessorial handle added on the common bicycle handle be arc position sheets and make the radian of the position sheet same with the one of the outside pipe at the front middle of the conventional bicycle handle, and redesign the upper section as a position pipe after jointing the sheet on the outer edge of the pipe at the front middle of the handle, so that some meters for measuring time or speed, or other articles can be laid on the outer edge of the position pipe.

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 making a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor wafer;
forming a plurality of conductive vias into the semiconductor wafer;
removing a portion of the semiconductor wafer so the conductive vias extend above a surface of the semiconductor wafer;
forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor wafer and conductive vias;
removing a first portion of the first insulating layer while leaving a second portion of the first insulating layer as guard rings around the conductive vias;
forming a second insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor wafer, guard rings, and conductive vias; and
removing a portion of the second insulating layer to expose the conductive vias.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of conductive vias includes:
forming a plurality of vias through the semiconductor wafer;
forming a third insulating layer in the vias; and
depositing a conductive material in the vias.
3. The method of claim 2, further including forming a conductive layer over the third insulating layer.
4. The method of claim 1, further including forming a conductive layer over the conductive vias.
5. The method of claim 1, further including removing the portion of the second insulating layer to expose the guard rings.
6. The method of claim 1, further including removing the first portion of the first insulating layer by laser direct ablation.
7. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor die;
forming a conductive via through the semiconductor die with a portion of the conductive via extending above a surface of the semiconductor die;
forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor die and conductive via; and
removing a first portion of the first insulating layer while leaving a second portion of the first insulating layer as a guard ring around the conductive via.
8. The method of claim 7, further including:
forming a second insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor die, guard ring, and conductive via; and
removing a portion of the second insulating layer to expose the conductive via.
9. The method of claim 8, further including removing the portion of the second insulating layer to expose the guard ring.
10. The method of claim 8, further including removing the portion of the second insulating layer over the conductive via by laser direct ablation.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the conductive via includes:
forming a via through the semiconductor die;
forming a second insulating layer in the via; and
depositing a conductive material in the via.
12. The method of claim 11, further including forming a conductive layer over the second insulating layer.
13. The method of claim 7, further including forming a conductive layer over the conductive via.
14. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor die;
forming a conductive via through the semiconductor die with a portion of the conductive via extending above a surface of the semiconductor die;
forming a guard ring over the surface of the semiconductor die around the conductive via;
forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor die, guard ring, and conductive via; and
removing a portion of the first insulating layer to expose the conductive via and guard ring.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the guard ring includes:
forming a second insulating layer over the surface of the semiconductor die and conductive via; and
removing a first portion of the second insulating layer while leaving a second portion of the second insulating layer as the guard ring around the conductive via.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the conductive via includes:
forming a via through the semiconductor die;
forming a second insulating layer in the via; and
depositing a conductive material in the via.
17. The method of claim 14, further including forming a conductive layer over the conductive via.
18. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor die;
a conductive via formed through the semiconductor die with a portion of the conductive via extending above a surface of the semiconductor die;
a guard ring formed over the surface of the semiconductor die around the conductive via; and
a first insulating layer formed over the surface of the semiconductor die and conductive via to expose the guard ring and conductive via.
19. The semiconductor device of claim 18, further including a second insulating layer formed around the conductive via.
20. The semiconductor device of claim 18, further including a conductive layer formed over the conductive via.