Methods and apparatuses for channel estimation are disclosed. The method includes: converting −1's in a local Barker code to 0's; receiving a first preamble symbol output from a first Barker correlator and a second preamble symbol output from a second Barker correlator with a symbol determination module, the first preamble symbol being adjacent to the second preamble symbol; multiplying a result output from the symbol determination module with a correlation result output from the cyclic Barker correlator by using a multiplication module so as to obtain a channel estimation response; and receiving channel estimation responses with a time-domain channel data storage unit, and averaging them to obtain a noise-reduced channel estimation response. The channel estimation method and apparatus of the present invention can be achieved based on few hardware resources and low computation complexity.

In wireless communication systems, inevitable influence of terrains or obstacles on signals causes the occurrence of multipath distortion. As a time-varying channel impulse response is generally modeled as a time-domain discrete finite impulse response (FIR) filter denoted by
            h                    (                  τ          ;          t                )              =                  ∑        n                                                α            n                                          (            t            )                                            ⅇ                                    -              j                                                                                2                        π                                                                                f              c                                                                  τ                n                                                          (                t                )                                                                      δ                                (                          τ              -                                                τ                  n                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                      )                                ,complex multipath interference always exists in received wideband signals, which appears as frequency selective fading in the frequency domain. For this reason, all receivers need to carry out an equalization operation to eliminate the multipath influence.
Generally, in a multipath channel, there will be a strongest path, called a main-path, which may be the earliest path or a path following several others. Paths earlier than the strongest path are defined as a forward path and those following the strongest path are defined as a backward path. The entire multipath transmission can be regarded as being composed of the forward path, the main-path and the backward path. These three components together determine the transmission performance of the system.
Shown in FIG. 1 is the frame structure of a 802.11b wireless LAN system. The frame mainly includes a preamble sequence, a frame header sequence and a data sequence. The preamble sequence is transmitted at 1 Mbps using differential binary phase shift keying (DBPSK) modulation and Barker code based spectrum spreading, followed by the frame header sequence, which may be transmitted at 1 Mbps using DBPSK modulation and Barker code based spectrum spreading, or at 2 Mbps using differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) modulation and Barker code based spectrum spreading. The portion of effective data may be transmitted either at 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps or 11 Mbps.
In 802.11b systems, channel estimation is often completed during the period of receiving the preamble. There are two kinds of preambles. The first one is referred to as short preamble and the second one is referred to as the long preamble. Duration of the long and short preamble is 144 μs and 72 μs, corresponding to 144 and 72 preamble bits, respectively. Further, preamble bit is composed of synchronous bit and check bit. Synchronous bit of a long preamble consists of 128 consecutive 1's, while that of a short preamble consists of 56 consecutive 0's. The length of check bit is 16 and check bits of a long and short preamble are different with each other. A receiver read a check bit to find whether the end of the current preamble is reached and whether the current preamble is a long or short one. Each preamble bit passes through a scrambling module such that any long string of consecutive 0' or 1' is eliminated and thus randomness of the preamble bit is strengthened. After that, the preamble bit is modulated according to the DBPSK modulation table (referring to Table 1) to generate a preamble symbol which has the same length with the preamble bit. Subsequently, each preamble symbol is spread with an 11-bit Barker code, bk=[+1 −1 +1 +1 −1 +1 +1 +1 −1 −1 −1], and is transmitted thereafter. In such a way, after modulation and Barker code based spectrum spreading, preamble sequences transmitted at a rate of 11 Mbps are obtained from preamble data transmitted at a rate of 1 Mbps.
TABLE 1DBPSK Modulation TableInput Bit01Phase Change0π
In a general case, channel estimation for an 802.11b system is achieved by cross-correlation of barker code, and the standard provides a Barker code auto-correlation function
      R              (      k      )        =      {                                        11            ,                          k              =              0                                                                                -              1                        ,                          k              ≠              0.                                          It could be found that the correlation function will give a peak wherever the start of a local Barker code is aligned with the start of a Barker code of a received sequence, otherwise less correction will be obtained.
Nevertheless, similar to other pseudo-random sequences, and also implied by the above auto-correlation function, a Barker code itself is not completely orthogonal, thus leading to impracticability of obtaining an accurate channel estimation response by directly carrying out the correlation with a local Barker code.

Method and apparatus for channel estimation

Omnivision Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.


A Wi-Fi connected wine preservation and optimization system, device and method. The system offers preservation by the minimization and/or elimination of oxygen, temperature control, inventory tracking, monitoring and reordering through user terminals such as e.g., a Wi-Fi connected tablet (e.g., iPad), smart phones, computers, etc. The data aggregated will be available on a subscription basis available for purchase by the trade, retailers, producers and distributors to enable strong controls on production and inventory resulting in higher profits and lower waste.

Wine begins to oxidize the moment the package is opened resulting in large amounts of spoiled or lost liquid. The current bottle packing is cumbersome and inefficient creating large amounts unnecessary waste. Producers have no visibility of consumer behavior and real time consumption making it impossible for them to both properly project and produce the appropriate volume of product resulting in inefficient farming practices and over-production. Until recently, it has been illegal to ship wine direct-to-consumer creating expensive, laborious and inefficient distribution methods.

System and method for pouring wine by the glass


A full bridge switching circuit includes a converter circuit including first and second converters. The first converter includes a first transformer and a first switching element part to control the first transformer in response to a first switching signal. The second converter includes a second transformer and a second switching element part to control the second transformer in response to a second switching signal. The first and second transformers are controlled by the first and second switching element parts to output first and second feedback signals, respectively. The full bridge switching circuit further includes a third switching element part having a third switching input connected to the first and second transformers, and an IC circuit to generate an OR signal by an OR operation of a first control signal generated from the first feedback signal and a second control signal generated from the second feedback signal.

An electronic device such as a power supply or an inverter to output high electric power typically includes a converter circuit which according to a control signal of a PWM circuit, amplifies the electric power to be delivered to a load. In general, such a converter circuit includes a switching circuit which converts a DC voltage signal into an AC voltage signal under control of the PWM signal. An example of the switching circuit which converts a DC voltage signal into an AC voltage signal may include a half-bridge switching circuit, a full-bridge switching circuit and a push-pull switching circuit. Among these, the full-bridge switching circuit which includes a monopolar power source and four switching elements is a switching circuit which is used for large output capacities and high output voltages.
A single channel full-bridge switching circuit having a single channel is sometimes called a "H-bridge" since a total of 4 switching elements are arranged in the form of an H with a primary coil of a transformer interposed therebetween. Typically, the full-bridge switching circuit controls the output voltage by changing the ON pulse width of each switching element while alternately making the switching elements arranged in the form of an H conductive.
With the increase in size of various electronic devices, two-channel full-bridge switching circuits have been increasingly used in place of single channel full-bridge switching circuits. A conventional two-channel full-bridge switching circuit is generally constructed using two single-channel full-bridge switching circuits, including a total of 8 switching elements. Since each channel in the two-channel full-bridge switching circuit needs to be separately controlled, an integrated circuit (IC) has to control operation of the respective 8 switching elements. However, since such two-channel full-bridge switching circuits have many switching elements, the configuration is complicated which increases the cost and size of the circuit.
Relating to the above problem, in an effort to reduce the number of switching elements, a two-channel full-bridge switching circuit having 6 switching elements has been developed. Such a switching circuit is configured to short-circuit one terminal of each primary coil of the transformers for two channels to form a common node, and use two switching elements connected to the common node commonly for both channels. The switching circuit having such configuration has to control the channels separately and, therefore, employs a phase-shift method to obtain a desired result by controlling the ON/OFF time of the remaining switching elements for circuit operation based on the ON/OFF time of a switching element connected to the common node and a corresponding potential of the common node.
Therefore, there is a need for a two-channel full-bridge switching circuit having 6 switching elements, which is capable of controlling channels separately without using a complicated phase-shift method for control.


An integrated circuit for streaming media over wireless networks is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes a media module that is designed to process media data. When non-media data is in, switching means is provided to avoid the non-media data being processed in the media module. One of important features in the integrated circuit is the underlying designs that are capable of facilitating wireless communication in different wireless networks. In one embodiment, a baseband processor is provided to facilitate wireless communications in more than one standard. The baseband processor is uniquely designed to facilitate wireless communications in a Wi-Fi network as well as a WiMAX network. As a result, same chips may be used to stream media data across different wireless networks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the area of integrated circuit designs. More particularly, the present invention is related to architecture of an integrated circuit for streaming media over different wireless networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless network is becoming more and more popular with the introduction of various wireless devices. One of the important applications is the distribution of media data over a wireless network. The media data may include news, various footage, pictures, and up-to-date data in the form of video and/or audio.
To facilitate the exchange of media data between two devices, a common practice is to provide a media chip that is coupled to a baseband processor that is further coupled to a RF chip. As a result, a PC board in a wireless device is often employed with multiple chips. Not only is the high cost associated with such multiple chips on a board, but different wireless standards can lead to different designs of the board, incurring high cost in engineering and extending the development cycle.
It is well known that there are many wireless standards or protocols being adopted to facilitate wireless communication between devices. Examples of such standards include 806.11a, 806.11b, 806.11 g, 802.16d and 802.16e. Depending on actual applications, it is not possible to conclude one standard is better than another standard. To make a wireless device capable of communicating in more than one wireless standard, it would be desirable to integrate a number of baseband chips, each supporting one wireless standard. However, such solution would be costly and may increase the complexity of the wireless device.
There is, thus, a need for an integrated circuit architecture that integrates media functions and wireless functions provided in more than one standard by using common functional blocks so that the resultant chips can support media applications in more than one wireless standard without significantly increasing the design complexity of the chips as well as the devices.

Architecture of an integrated circuit for streaming media over wireless networks


A field device for process instrumentation having an interface for connecting a two-wire cable and for outputting measurement values, wherein the interface comprises a series circuit having a transistor circuit by which the loop current is adjustable as a function of a control signal, a power supply, and a device by which the loop current can be captured as an actual value that is fed by a first feedback coupling to a regulator having integrated behavior. The regulator compares the actual value to a target value, and generates a control signal for the transistor circuit. The actual value is fed by a second feedback coupling to a summation point as a compensation signal for generating an input signal for the transistor circuit as a function of the control signal and the compensation signal to suppress interference coupled into the two-conductor line.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to process instrumentation and, more particularly, to a field device for process instrumentation, which has a standardized 4-20 mA interface for outputting measured values.
2. Description of the Related Art
Versatile field devices are used for process instrumentation for controlling processes in process installations. Measurement transducers are used to detect process variables, such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, filling level, density or gas concentration of a medium. The process sequence can be influenced by actuating elements, as a function of detected process variables, corresponding to a strategy which, for example, is predetermined by a control station. A control valve, a heater or a pump are examples of actuating elements. Particularly in process installations, pressure measurement transducers represent major sensor components for the purposes of automated production sequences. High-quality measurement transducers, which produce disturbance-free measured values, with little susceptibility to errors or faults, even in extreme conditions, are required for an optimum installation behavior and high product quality all the time.
Siemens Catalogue "ST FI 01-2008", Chapter 1 discloses a pressure measurement transducer for process instrumentation, which is equipped with a standardized 4-20 mA interface for outputting a measured value, for example, to a control system. The parameterization is performed digitally using the HART protocol. The measured values of the pressure to be measured are in contrast transmitted as an analogue current.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional design of the output stage for production of the analogue current signal in the 4-20 mA interface of a conventional pressure measurement transducer. A two-wire line, which is not illustrated in the figure, can be connected to two connecting terminals 1 and 2, by which two-wire line the measurement transducer in a process installation can be connected, for example, to a controller station or to an automation appliance. In the output stage, a loop current I is passed via a series circuit that consists of a transistor circuit 3 of an electrical power supply 4 and a measurement resistor 5. The transistor stage 3 is operated by a regulator 6 with a control signal 7.
The loop current I, which is adjusted by the transistor circuit 3, therefore depends on the magnitude of the control signal 7. The electrical power supply 4 supplies the measurement transducer with the power required for its operation. The available power is governed by the magnitude of the loop current I and the voltage U_IN that is dropped across the electrical power supply 4. A portion of the loop current I is supplied through the electrical power supply 4 to a downstream DC/DC converter 8, which uses this to produce voltages 9 that are suitable for operation of the electronic circuits in the measurement transducer. These are not illustrated in FIG. 1, for the sake of clarity.
The high-precision measurement resistor 5 is used to detect the loop current I, and converts this to a voltage signal, which is supplied as an actual value U_ACT to the regulator 6 in a first feedback path 10. The regulator 6 ensures that the detected actual value U_ACT is regulated at a nominal value U_NOM, which is generated, corresponding to the measured pressure, by a microcontroller, which is not illustrated in FIG. 1. The regulator 6 is a regulator with an integrated behavior, which therefore forms a control error from the nominal value U_NOM and the actual value U_ACT, and integrates this control error. The symbol for the regulator 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 shows only its central element, an operational amplifier, for illustrative purposes.
The measurement transducers, in particular, are subject to ever more stringent requirements for measurement accuracy and functional scope. The increasing requirements also have effects on the design of the output stage of the 4-20 mA interface. The requirements relating to the accuracy of the output measured value are, for example, influenced directly by the setting accuracy of the loop current I with the aid of the measurement resistor 5, the regulator 6 and the transistor circuit 3. An operational amplifier that is highly precise and has a low offset voltage is required in particular for the implementation of the regulator 6. Furthermore, the output stage of the interface has to manage with a very low current draw in order that sufficient operating power is available to provide the desired functional scope for the other electronic circuits of the measurement transducer. Particularly with regard to the choice of the operational amplifier and transistor circuit, this means that only components that draw very little current may be used. Furthermore, the output circuit must be distinguished by a high level of EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) or immunity to noise. This means the capability of the output stage to withstand disturbance variables of a specific level without malfunction. According to Criterion A of NAMUR Recommendation NE21, no identifiable adverse effect on the function should be caused by specific disturbances. For example, NE21 specifies as a disturbance radio-frequency injection in the frequency range from 10 kHz to 80 MHz, and an amplitude of 10 V, or application of rapid transients (burst) at 1 kV via the two-wire line. The current output of the field device with a 4-20 mA interface and a class accuracy of 0.5% must not differ from the nominal value by more than 0.16 mA under a disturbance influence, when the actual output value is 12 mA.
In terms of the stated requirements, the known output stage has the following disadvantages:
The gain of the transistor circuit 3 is limited, because only a single PNP power transistor is used, which has a gain in the order of magnitude of 50. This requires a relatively high drive current for the transistor, which flows away to ground GND. The drive current is therefore no longer available for producing the power required for operating the measurement transducer. The power available for the electronics is therefore reduced by about 3%.
In order to compensate for disturbances that are injected into the output stage via a two-wire line connected to the connections 1 and 2, the regulator 6 must have, in addition to the required accuracy for the adjustment of the loop current I, a high operational speed. This can be achieved only by an operational amplifier that has a comparatively high power consumption. In comparison to the use of an ultra-low-power version, this results in a reduction in the power available for supplying the electronics by a further 3%.
6% of the available operating power is therefore actually consumed in the known output stage. With the continuously more stringent requirements for field devices in terms of their performance with respect to measurement rate, functional scope, graphics display, display lighting, SIL (Safety Integrity Level) in accordance with IEC/EN61508, etc., it is becoming increasingly necessary for the electrical power, which is urgently required to supply the electronics for providing the large number of functions, to no longer be lost to this extent in the output stage.

Field device for process instrumentation


A foam spray can comprises a motor pump, a foaming tube and a nozzle. The motor pump can be used to suck air and solution and pump out the liquid-gas mixture. One end of the foaming tube is connected to the motor pump for transmitting the liquid-gas mixture pumped by the motor pump and fully mixing the air with the solution to produce foam. The nozzle is connected to the other end of the foaming tube to spray foam. The length of the foaming tube is between 10 to 500 cm, the tube inner diameter is between 0.8 to 20 mm, and the pressure of the liquid-gas mixture in the tube is between 8 to 32 PSI, thereby to provide sufficient time, space and conditions for the mixing of the air and the solution in the foaming tube to fully mix the air and the solution, and then to spray abundant foam from the nozzle.

Spray can is a common and practical spraying appliance, which is widely used in different places such as home, office, school and so on because of its small size, small footprint, easy to portability and hand-held operation. Spray can is often used in scenes such as air humidification, water spraying for plant irrigation, and spraying of disinfectant and cleaning liquids. When cleaning and washing objects, the liquid sprayed by the spray can contains certain detergent or disinfectant, and the liquid will produce a certain amount of foam. At this time, the spray can is used as a foam spray can.
In the cleaning and washing of objects, such as vehicle cleaning, glass cleaning, the liquid sprayed by the foam spray can is required to have relatively rich foam and easy to use and operate. The existing foam spray can is usually filled with dense sponge in the nozzle part, and with the pores on the sponge, the liquid can be mixed through the sponge to produce rich foam. However, after a long time of use, the sponge will absorb impurities in the liquid and block some of the pores in the sponge. Moreover, in order to produce a large amount of foam, it is necessary to pack a denser sponge in the nozzle. However, in order to make the liquid pass through the dense sponge, it is necessary to increase the pressure of water injection, that is, the pressure in the foam spray can needs to be increased. The common design will increase the pressure in the pot by high-pressure gas injection into the foam spray can, but this will bring some security risks and inconvenience to its use.
Furthermore, although the existing foam spray can has a way of injecting gas into the pot to obtain rich foam, it needs to use a large amount of detergent, and is not environmentally friendly in use.
Therefore, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a foam spray can which can generate rich foam without using high-pressure gas injection and use less detergent to solve the above-mentioned problems.


An optical waveguide device includes, a substrate, an optical waveguide arranged on the substrate, an optical element arranged on the substrate and optically coupled to one end part of the optical waveguide, a flame retardant adhesive layer covering the optical waveguide, and a connector portion adhered to other end part of the optical waveguide by the flame retardant adhesive layer.

Recently, the development of backbone communication lines mainly based on optical fiber communication technologies is proceeding steadily and, in such a situation, the transmission speeds of electric signals in electrical devices and information terminals are becoming a bottleneck. Against such background, instead of the conventional electric circuit substrate in which all signal transmissions are made by using the electric signal, the optoelectronic composite substrate of the type that transmits high-speed parts by the light has been proposed, in order to compensate the limit of transmission speed of the electric signal.
In the optoelectronic composite substrate, a light signal is transmitted by an optical waveguide which is constructed such that a core layer is surrounded by cladding layers. Then, the light which is propagated through the core layer is reflected in the vertical direction by a light path conversion mirror which is provided to the end part of the optical waveguide to thereby convert the light path.
A related art is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-180794, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-75688.

Optical waveguide device and method of manufacturing the same


An OCB mode liquid crystal display panel comprises a pair of electrode substrates, a liquid crystal layer which is held between the pair of electrode substrates and has liquid crystal molecules whose alignment state is controlled within a display area by a drive voltage applied from the electrode substrates, and a pair of alignment films which are disposed on the electrode substrates in contact with the liquid crystal layer and whose rubbing directions are set parallel to each other. The display area includes a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, and the rubbing directions of the alignment films are substantially opposite to a scanning direction in which rows of the pixels are sequentially selected for application of the drive voltage in a display operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel having an optically compensated bend (OCB) mode and a method for driving the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display panels have widely been used as image displays for computers, automobile navigation systems, monitors and TVs. TN and STN modes using nematic liquid crystals are popular as liquid crystal display modes for the liquid crystal display panels. Other liquid crystal display modes using ferroelectric liquid crystals and the like are also known and provide a higher response speed and a wider viewing angle. These display modes, however, require further improvement in impact resistance and thermal properties. In contrast, as an optically compensated liquid crystal display mode that provides a higher response speed and a wider viewing angle, there is an OCB mode in which liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel without being twisted. This OCB mode is focused on use in video equipment and active development thereof has been carried out.
In general, an active matrix liquid crystal display panel has a structure in which a liquid crystal layer is held between an array substrate and a counter substrate. The array substrate includes a plurality of pixel electrodes arrayed substantially in a matrix, a plurality of scanning electrodes disposed along rows of the pixel electrode, a plurality of data signal electrodes disposed along columns of the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of switching elements disposed near intersections between the scanning electrodes and the data signal electrodes, for example. Each of the switching elements is formed, for example, of a thin-film transistor (TFT), and turns on to apply the potential of one data signal electrode to one pixel electrode when one scanning electrode is driven. On the counter substrate, a counter electrode is disposed to face the plurality of pixel electrodes arrayed on the array substrate. A pair of pixel and counter electrodes forms one pixel together with a pixel area of the liquid crystal layer, and the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules within the pixel area is controlled by the electric field corresponding to the drive voltage held between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.
In an OCB mode liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal molecules are in a splay alignment before supply of power. This splay alignment is a state where the liquid crystal molecules are laid down, and obtained by alignment films which are disposed on the pixel electrode and the counter electrode and rubbed in parallel with each other. A display operation of the liquid crystal display panel begins after an initialization process for applying a transfer voltage to the liquid crystal layer upon supply of power to transfer the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules from the splay alignment to a bend alignment by a relatively strong electric field corresponding to the transfer voltage. The alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules is maintained in the bend alignment during the display operation, so as to attain the higher response speed and wider viewing angle peculiar to the OCB mode.
In addition, the alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules is inverse-transferred from the bend alignment to the splay alignment when a long period has elapsed in a no-voltage-applied state or a voltage-applied state where a voltage is applied but this voltage is below a level at which the energy of the splay alignment and the energy of the bend alignment are balanced. In the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel, black insertion driving is employed as a driving system for preventing the inverse transfer. In black insertion driving, an inverse-transfer preventing voltage and a display voltage corresponding to a video signal are alternately applied to the liquid crystal layer as the drive voltage at every frame cycle to maintain the bend alignment. Since the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel is a display panel of a normally white mode, the inverse-transfer preventing voltage corresponds to a voltage for a black display. Thus, this driving scheme is called black insertion driving. Further, the ratio of a period of applying the inverse-transfer preventing voltage to the total period of applying the display voltage and the inverse-transfer preventing voltage is called black insertion ratio.
In manufacture of the liquid crystal display panel, as shown in FIG. 5A, after an array substrate 1 and a counter substrate 2 are individually formed, rubbing treatment is applied to the alignment films on the array substrate 1 and the counter substrate 2.
Thereafter, the array substrate 1 and the counter substrate 2 are bonded by use of a sealing resin layer 3. The sealing resin layer 3 is applied to surround a liquid crystal filling space and form an open part left as an inlet 4. Driver circuit elements are disposed along a first side of the array substrate 1, and the inlet 4 is disposed near a second side of the array substrate 1 that is opposed to the first side. The rubbing treatment for each alignment film is carried out in the same direction from the second side to the first side so as to avoid electrostatic destruction of the driver circuit elements. In FIG. 5A, RD1 denotes the rubbing direction of the alignment film on the array substrate 1, and RD2 denotes the rubbing direction of the alignment film on the counter substrate 2. A liquid crystal material is applied from the inlet 4 to the liquid crystal filling space as the liquid crystal layer LQ, and the inlet 4 is sealed with a sealing member 5.
It is inevitable that impurity ions get into the liquid crystal layer LQ during the above-mentioned manufacturing process. Specifically, the sealing member 5 is the main impurity ion source that supplies a significant quantity of impurity ions to the liquid crystal layer LQ. Such impurity ions decrease the insulation resistance of the liquid crystal. Thus, the display characteristics are impaired due to decreased voltage retention. Further, upon application of the drive voltage, the impurity ions are moved in the liquid crystal layer LQ. When the impurity ions are distributed unevenly, an image fault such as non-uniformity in display occurs. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-54325 discloses a technique of providing an ion trap electrode in addition to electrodes arranged in one direction on a substrate and sequentially applying a high potential pulse to the electrodes to prevent uneven distribution of the impurity ions. However, it is difficult to use this technique as a solution to the problem occurring in the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel.
In the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel, liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal layer LQ are set in a bend alignment to perform a display operation. The orientation angle of each liquid crystal molecule significantly changes between a white display state in which a small voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer LQ and a black display state in which a large voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer LQ. The change in the orientation angle causes drifting of the liquid crystal molecules. Thus, a flow of the liquid crystal molecules in the drift direction occurs in the liquid crystal layer LQ. The direction of this flow coincides with the rubbing directions of the alignment films for aligning the liquid crystal molecules in the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel. When impurity ions are moved by the flow in the rubbing directions RD1 and RD2 shown in. FIG. 5A, the impurity ions DF having high concentration in the vicinity of the inlet 4 are diffused in the liquid crystal layer LQ as shown in FIG. 5B. Further, non-uniformity in display occurs because the electric charge retention is locally decreased as a result of continuous black insertion driving. This can be confirmed, for example, by an operation of continuously displaying an image of a test pattern shown in FIG. 5C in the form of black insertion driving and then displaying an image of a whole black pattern. In this case, the later image is not displayed entirely in black, and gray stripes shown in FIG. 5D are observed as burn-in portions. As shown in FIG. 5C, the impurity ions drift from the white display regions and concentrated in the black display regions. The gray stripes are created in portions where the electric charge or applied voltage retention is locally decreased by the concentrated impurity ions.
It is difficult to solve the burn-in problem occurring in the OCB mode liquid crystal display panel by applying a high potential pulse in the same manner as the above-mentioned technique.

Liquid crystal display panel and method for driving the same

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A semiconductor substrate with anode pattern is anodized to be shaped into an optical lens. The anodization utilizes an electrolytic solution which etches out oxidized portion as soon as it is formed as a result of the anodization, to thereby develop a porous layer in a pattern in match with the anode pattern. After being removed of the porous layer, the substrate is treated to smooth out minute projections remaining in the top surface of the substrate, thereby obtaining the lens of good transmissivity.

Japanese patent publication No. 2000-263556 discloses a process of making a mold for a micro optical lens. The mold is fabricated by steps of preparing a semiconductor substrate, providing a dielectric mask on a top surface of the substrate, forming one or more openings in the mask, placing the substrate in an electrolytic solution, and anodizing a portion in the top surface not covered by the mask to convert the portion into a porous zone. Thereafter, the porous zone is removed to leave a rounded convex in the top surface of the substrate. An ultraviolet curable resin is placed in the convex and is cured therein to obtain a convex lens. Although the prior art discloses the formation of the porous zones, the process relies upon the mask with the opening so that the porous zone develops isotropically from the center of each opening. Accordingly, the resulting rounded convex is limited to have substantially a uniform radius of curvature. With this limitation, the process cannot be not adapted to fabricate optical lens having non-uniform radius of curvature or sophisticated surface profile.
Further, it is found that the rounded convex revealed by removal of the porous zone suffers from minute projections due to the fact that the porous zone leaves a relatively irregular interface with the semiconductor substrate. This irregularity may detract from lens transmissivity and is desired to be smoothed out when fabricating the lens of good transmissivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process of making a semiconductor optical lens and a semiconductor optical lens fabricated thereby


An apparatus, method and computer program product for repairing security vulnerabilities of an application running on a mobile device. The method comprises: monitoring, by a hardware processor running a mobile device application, an application program interface (API) request associated with a data access operation, the data access operation associated with a security vulnerability. The method determines one or more private values provided by the data access operation and tracks, for each determined private value, a use of the private value by the mobile device application. Further, the method determines from the tracked usage, whether a private value has been transformed in a manner associated with the security vulnerability. For each private value that has been transformed, using the processor to modify the private value deemed a security vulnerability prior to an access by the mobile device application.

Many mobile applications available for download on mobile devices at "app" stores, such as Apple's App Store and Google Play™, have security vulnerabilities, which exploited, may threaten the privacy of their users; e.g. see www.appthority.com/risky-apps. This happens because many mobile programmers are not security experts, and also because checking a mobile application for security vulnerabilities is a time consuming and highly nontrivial task.
Moreover, automatically repairing privacy vulnerabilities is a highly nontrivial task. Not one existing system can correctly fix applications with privacy issues.
To protect the mobile users, it is therefore critical to design techniques that can be used to enhance the security of mobile applications in an automated way.

Value based information tracking for security enforcement

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a television tuner capable of receiving television broadcasting, CATV and satellite broadcasting. The television tuner includes a double superheterodyne tuner for receiving television signals, having an up-converter, a down-converter and a coupler for coupling the up-converter and down-converter, and the television tuner also includes a BS second mixer portion and a FM demodulator, for receiving signals from a broadcasting satellite. The double superheterodyne tuner, the BS second mixer portion and the FM demodulator are disposed in a housing, a combination of the up-converter and the BS second mixer portion is desiredly separated from the down-converter, the coupler is disposed in a space between the combination and the down-converter, and the FM demodulator is disposed in the remaining space of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a television tuner and in particular to a television tuner which is capable of receiving general television broadcasting, CATV, and satellite broadcasting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an advance in audio and visual technology has been drastic. An increase in the number of broadcasting channels and a further improvement in picture quality have been demanded. A development for providing more compact satellite broadcasting receiving systems and for incorporating the satellite broadcasting receiving system into a television system has become more active.
It is advantageous to adopt a double superheterodyne system for a TV tuner in consideration of multi-channel reception and necessary band pass characteristics for each channel.
A conventional double superheterodyne type television tuner will be described with reference to the drawings.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the structure of a conventional double superheterodyne type television tuner. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1 though 3 denote input band pass filters, each having different frequency characteristics; reference numeral 4 denotes a broad band amplifier (RF amplifier); 5 denotes a first mixer; 6 denotes a first local oscillator; 7 denotes a first intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier; 8 a band pass filter (BPF); 9 a second mixer; 10 a second local oscillator; 11 a second IF amplifier and 14 a prescaler.
The operation of the thus formed tuner shown in FIG. 1 will now be described. A high-frequency signal is inputted into the input band pass filters 1, 2, and 3 provided for each band (for example VHF, CATV and UHF) through a terminal A. The signal which has passed through the filters 1, 2 and 3 is amplified by the broad band amplifier 4 and is then inputted to the first mixer 5. The signal is mixed with an oscillation signal from the first local oscillator 6 in the first mixer 5 from which a signal having a difference component therebetween is outputted as a first IF signal. The IF signal is then amplified. Only the first IF signal is selected by the band pass filter 8 and is then inputted to the second mixer 9 in which the inputted signal is mixed with a second oscillation signal from the second local oscillator 10. A signal having a difference component is outputted from the second mixer 9 as a second IF signal. The second IF signal is inputted to a terminal B through the second IF amplifier 11. The first local oscillator 6 is supplied with a local oscillation tuning voltage. The local oscillation signal from the first local oscillator 6 is frequency-divided by the prescaler 14 from which the frequency-divided output is fed to a channel selector circuit (not shown) from a terminal E.
In the afore-mentioned arrangement, any one of the first IF amplifier 7 and the band pass filter 8 may be preceded by the other according to the design.
The first half of the tuner before the band pass filter 8 in FIG. 1 will be referred to as an up-converter meaning a portion which converts the inputted signal frequency into an IF frequency higher than the inputted signal frequency. The latter half of the tuner after the band pass filter 8 in FIG. 1 is referred to as a down-converter meaning a portion which converts the first IF signal frequency into a second IF frequency lower than the first IF frequency.
A conventional example of a satellite broadcasting receiving tuner (referred to as a BS tuner) will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows a portion of the BS tuner referred to as a BS second mixer portion comprising an input filter 21, a BS first IF amplifier 22, a mixer 23, a local oscillator 24, a BS second IF amplifier 25, and a prescaler 26. FIG. 3 shows an FM demodulator for the BS tuner comprising a BS second IF amplifier 30, a band pass filter 31, another BS second IF amplifier 32, a phase comparator 33, a loop filter 34, a direct current amplifier 35, a base band amplifier 36, and an oscillator 37.
The operation of the thus formed mixer and FM demodulator shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described. In FIG. 2, a signal from a broadcasting satellite (1.0 to 1.3 GHz) is block-converted into the first intermediate frequency (referred to as BSIF) at a pre-stage, and the converted signal is inputted into a terminal C. The band pass filter 21 passes only a BSIF and inputs the BSIF signal to the mixer 23 through the BS first IF amplifier 22. The BSIF signal is mixed at the mixer 23 with an inputted signal from the local oscillator 24. The mixer 23 outputs a difference signal as a BS second IF signal having a frequency of 403 MHz to a terminal D through the BS second IF amplifier 25. A tuning voltage is applied to the local oscillator 24 from a terminal F' and the local oscillation signal is also applied to the prescaler 26 from the local oscillator 24. The applied signal is frequency-divided and applied to a channel selection circuit (not shown) from the terminal E'.
The BS second IF signal which has been inputted to the terminal D is then inputted to a terminal E in FIG. 3 and amplified in the BS second IF amplifier 30 and is passed though the 400 MHz band pass filter 31 and then inputted into an FM demodulator through the BS second IF amplifier 32. The FM demodulator comprises a phase comparator 33, a loop filter 34, a direct current amplifier 35, and an oscillator 37 which form a phase-locked loop (PLL) for PLL detection. The FM demodulated output from the FM demodulator is inputted to the base band amplifier 36 which provides an amplified demodulated signal to a terminal F.
A conventional example of the structure of a double superheterodyne tuner will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5. FIGS. 4A and 4B show an arrangement of a housing for a double superheterodyne tuner and a satellite broadcasting receiving tuner, respectively. FIG. 4A shows an arrangement of the double superheterodyne tuner shown in FIG. 1 comprising an up-converter 50, an up- and down-converter coupling filter 51, a down-converter 52 and an antenna input terminal for VHF and UHF signals. FIG. 4B shows an arrangement of a satellite broadcasting receiving tuner shown in FIG. 2 comprising a BS second mixer portion 54, an FM demodulator 55 and a BSIF input terminal 56.
FIG. 5 shows the up- and down-converter coupling filter (up- and down-converter coupler) 51 forming a low pass filter comprising feed-through type capacitors 61 and 62 disposed on the up- and down-converter sides, respectively and a air-cored coil 63. On the both sides of the up- and down-converter coupling filter 51, there are disposed circuit boards 64 and 65 with respective shield plates 66 and 67 for the up- and down-converters. The air-cored coil 63 is disposed in a space between the shield plates 66 and 67. The opposite ends of the air-cooled coil 63 are soldered to the leads of the feed-through type capacitors 61 and 62 secured to the shield plates 66 and 67, respectively to form the filter. The purpose of the shield plates and the low pass filter is to prevent spurious signals from being generated at the down-converter output due to an interference between the local oscillation signals in the up- and down-converters.
In order to provide a tuner which is capable of receiving both a general television signal and a satellite broadcast signal, it is necessary to provide separate housings as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and to provide a space for a filter like the filter 51 in the television tuner as shown in FIG. 4A to prevent spurious radiation from being generated. A configuration like this makes it difficult to utilize the space effectively since circuit boards for up- and down-converters have to be separated from each other, and besides, it necessitates lengthy manufacturing steps.

Television tuner unit having shield housing

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a dielectric elastomer composition which has a sufficient dielectric property as a high-frequency electronic component material and to which an excellent flame retardance can be imparted as necessary in consideration of an influence on environment and the high-frequency electronic component material formed by molding the dielectric elastomer composition. The dielectric elastomer composition of the present invention comprises an elastomer to which (A) carbon black and (B) at least one powder selected from among magnesium hydroxide powder and dielectric ceramic powder is added. An average particle diameter of the carbon black is 50 to 200 nm, and 5 to 40 parts by weight thereof is added to 100 parts by weight of the elastomer. In the magnesium hydroxide powder, a content of ferric oxide is not more than 0.02 wt %. In at least one measuring condition selected from among a measuring condition (1) in which a frequency is 400 MHz and a temperature is 30° C. and a measuring condition (2) in which a frequency is 5 GHz and a temperature is 25° C., a dielectric constant is not less than three, and a dielectric dissipation factor is not more than 0.01.

In recent years, with a remarkable spread of mobile phones, cordless phones, patch antennas for RFID, lens antennas such as a radio telescope, a millimeter-wave radar, and the like and significant progress of satellite communication apparatuses, a communication signal is demanded to have a high frequency, and a communication apparatus is demanded to be more compact. As the dielectric constant of a material for an antenna incorporated inside the communication apparatus becomes higher, the communication signal is allowed to have a higher frequency, and the communication apparatus is allowed to be more compact. The dielectric constant and the dielectric dissipation factor are parameters indicating the extent of a polarization inside a dielectric and the loss of an energy generated by a polarization inside the dielectric or by application of conductivity thereto respectively. Therefore the use of the material for the antenna having a high dielectric constant allows the communication signal to have a higher frequency, circuits to be shorter, and the communication apparatus to be more compact. In addition, as the use form of the communication apparatus diversifies, the material for the antenna is demanded to have a low degree of a change in its electrical characteristic at low to high temperatures, to have a low extent of dependence on a frequency in the electrical characteristic thereof, and be excellent in its flame retardance. When the material for the antenna has a low dielectric dissipation factor, power consumption at a communication time can be suppressed.
As a material for obtaining an antenna showing a high dielectric constant and a having a low dielectric dissipation factor in a wide temperature range from a low temperature to a high temperature, a dielectric elastomer composition is known. The dielectric elastomer composition contains the elastomer such as ethylene propylene rubber mixed with the barium.neodymium ceramic powder having the temperature coefficient α (unit: 1/° C.) of the dielectric constant in the range of (−200 to 100)×10−6 in the temperature of −40° C. to 100° C. (see patent document 1).
A highly dielectric elastomer composition in which dielectric ceramics and carbon black are essentially added to an elastomer whose dielectric dissipation factor is not more than 0.007 is known. In the highly dielectric ceramics, 600 to 1400 parts by weight of the dielectric ceramics and 5 to 40 parts by weight of the carbon black are added to 100 parts by weight of the elastomer (see patent document 2).
But in the patent document 2, the kind (particle diameter and the like) of the carbon black to be added to the elastomer is not specified. Further the details of the carbon black to be added to the elastomer to obtain a material showing a high dielectric constant and a low dielectric dissipation factor is described insufficiently.
As a measure for improving the flame retardance of the material for the antenna, it is known that the material for the antenna contains a halogen flame retardant such as a brominated flame retardant or a chlorinated flame retardant, for example, polybrominated diphenyl ether (hereinafter referred to as PBDE), polybrominated biphenyl (hereinafter referred to as PBB). To improve the flame retardance, antimony trioxide is usually used in combination with the brominated flame retardant other than the PBB and the PBDE.
It is known that to improve the flame retardance of the elastomer material, in addition to the halogen flame retardant, the elastomer material contains a metal hydroxide, expanded graphite. It is known that the metal hydroxide is contained in the elastomer material composing a transfer belt and the like of an electrophotographic apparatus (see patent document 3).
The dielectric elastomer composition disclosed in the patent document 1 has a low degree of a change in its electrical characteristic from low to high temperatures and an excellent dielectric property, but does not contain the flame retardant. Therefore the dielectric elastomer composition disclosed in the patent document 1 cannot be used for applications demanded to have the flame retardance.
In using the halogen flame retardant as the flame retardant to improve the flame retardance of the dielectric elastomer composition, there is a fear that at a disposal time, dioxin is generated from the halogen flame retardant. Thus the use of the halogen flame retardant is unpreferable. The PBB and the PBDE cannot be used for electric and electronic products in accordance with the RoHS directive (directive of restricting the use of certain hazardous materials in electric and electronic apparatus) issued by the European Union (EU) and enacted in January of 2003.
Although the use of the brominated flame retardant other than the PBB and the PBDE is not prohibited, as described above, the antimony trioxide is used in combination therewith. The use of the antimony trioxide is unpreferable because the antimony trioxide contains a slight amount of lead, mercury, hexavalent chrome, and cadmium as impurities. When the material for the antenna contains the expanded graphite, the flame retardance of the material is improved, but the dielectric property thereof deteriorates extremely, which is unpreferable.
When the metal hydroxide is used, as described in the patent document 3, it is difficult to obtain the flame-retardant effect unless the elastomer material contains a large amount of the metal hydroxide. When the elastomer material contains a large amount of the metal hydroxide, normally the dielectric dissipation factor becomes high. Thus it is not known to use the metal hydroxide for the material of the antenna or the like in which a low dielectric dissipation factor is demanded. When the metal hydroxide contains a large amount of impurities such as ferric oxide, calcium oxide, silicon dioxide, and the like, the dielectric dissipation factor becomes high, which is unpreferable.
As a result of the present inventors' various investigations, they have found that when the mixing amount of the metal hydroxide is large, a foaming phenomenon occurs in a molding in dependence on a surface treatment state of the metal hydroxide. When the molding foams, there occur problems that the dielectric constant fluctuates and the adhesiveness of the molding to an electrode deteriorates.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-1989
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-290939
Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-97493

Dielectric elastomer composition and high-frequency electronic component material


In an exposure apparatus, on a substrate holder, a plurality of grating areas is arranged mutually apart in the X-axis direction, and a plurality of heads that irradiates a measurement beam with respect to the grating area and can move in the Y-axis direction is arranged outside of the substrate holder. A control system controls movement of the substrate holder in at least directions of three degrees of freedom within an XY plane, based on measurement information of at least three heads of the plurality of heads facing the grating area and measurement information of a measurement device that measures position information of the plurality of heads. The measurement beam of each of the plurality of heads, during the movement of substrate holder in the X-axis direction, moves off of one of the plurality of grating areas and switches to another adjacent grating area.

Conventionally, in a lithography process for producing electronic devices (micro-devices) such as a liquid crystal display device or a semiconductor device (such as an integrated circuit), exposure apparatuses are used such as an exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan method (a so-called scanning stepper (also called a scanner)) that transfers a pattern formed on a mask irradiated with an energy beam, while a mask (photomask) or a reticle (hereinafter collectively called a "mask") and a glass plate or a wafer (hereinafter collectively called a "substrate") are moved synchronously along a predetermined scanning direction (scan direction).
As this type of exposure apparatus, an exposure apparatus equipped with an optical interferometer system is known that obtains position information within a horizontal plane of a substrate subject to exposure using a bar mirror (long mirror) that a substrate stage device has (for example, refer to PTL 1).
Here, in the case of obtaining position information of the substrate using the optical interferometer system, influence of the so-called air fluctuation cannot be ignored.
While the influence of air fluctuation mentioned above can be reduced using an encoder system, due to the increasing size of substrates in recent years, it is becoming difficult to prepare a scale that can cover the entire moving range of the substrate.

Exposure apparatus and exposure method, and flat panel display manufacturing method


A highly reliable light-emitting device, a light-emitting device which can be formed without using a metal mask, or a light-emitting device in which a voltage drop due to the resistance of an upper electrode layer is suppressed is provided. When an EL film is formed over a conductive connection electrode layer having an uneven shape, a surface of the conductive connection electrode layer cannot be fully covered. Subsequently, a conductive film to be an upper electrode layer of an EL element is formed thereover; thus, a region in contact with the conductive connection electrode layer is formed. Further, a structure is provided in a position on a counter substrate, which overlaps with the conductive connection electrode layer, and then substrates are bonded to each other so that the structure is physically in contact with the upper electrode layer over the conductive connection electrode layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting device including an organic EL element and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic EL element has been actively researched and developed. In the fundamental configuration of the organic EL element, a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound is provided between a pair of electrode layers. By voltage application to this element, light emission from the light-emitting organic compound can be obtained.
The organic EL element can be formed into a film shape; thus, a large-area element can easily be formed. Accordingly, the organic EL element has a high utility value as a surface light source that can be applied to lighting or the like.
For example, a lighting equipment including an organic EL element is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
As for an organic EL element, there are a top emission type in which light is extracted to the side of a substrate, on which an organic EL element is formed; a bottom emission type in which light is extracted to the side of the substrate, which is opposite to the side on which the organic EL element is formed; and a dual emission type in which light emission is extracted to the both sides.

Light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


There is generally provided a hosted question-and-answer system utilising machine learning semantic analysis and other computational techniques including to intelligently optimise query uniformity, automate answering and optimise answer quality. In one form, there is provided a system comprising: an interface for receiving a query string from an electronic device; a query semantic correlator controller configured for: generating a query semantic representation of the query string; and correlating the query semantic representation with earlier query semantic representations, and if a matching query semantic representation is found, sending a query string associated with the matching query semantic representation to the electronic device; an answer semantic correlator controller configured for: correlating the query semantic representation with earlier answer semantic representations, and if a matching answer semantic representation is found, sending an answer string associated with the matching answer semantic representation to the electronic device; and a profile correlator controller configured for: if no matching answer semantic representation is found, correlating the query semantic representation with user profile data representations, and if a matching user profile data representation is found, sending the query string to an electronic device associated with a user profile associated with the matching user profile data representation.

Question-and-answer Internet platforms exist in the prior art such as, for example, Yahoo Answers wherein users may post publicly viewable queries for answering by registered users.
We have identified that such platforms are deficient in several respects including query duplication, appropriate answer finding inability and answer quality.
The present invention seeks to provide a system, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

System for the automated semantic analysis processing of query strings


An automatic ice cream scooper. A cylinder of ice cream is placed vertically within a refrigerated container on a slicer having a disc shape. The slicer includes an angled slicing blade for removing ice cream. The slicer is rotated by a motor to remove the ice cream. The slicer has an upstanding edge with the screw thread formed thereon for removing the sidewall of the ice cream container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ice cream scooper and more particularly to an automatic ice cream scooper which cuts and removes the container wall as the ice cream is removed.
2. Discussion of the Background
Traditionally, ice cream is packed in three to five gallon cylindrical cardboard containers. In order for the ice cream to be removed, it is common to use a hand scooper to remove one scoop at a time, and to place the scoop into a cone, a dish, or a container for making a shake. However, this hand operation is slow and causes the hands and wrists of the person doing the scooping to be subjected to stress. In addition, there is some concern for contamination of the product since the hand scooper is often used repeatedly.
A number of devices that have been suggested in the past to make this operation automatic and to reduce the stress on the hands of the merchant or his employee making the scoop and to make the operation faster for the convenience of the customer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,077 shows one such device where a brick of ice cream is unwrapped and placed in a container vertically. A cover 36 is allowed to slide horizontally in and out so as to remove a slice of the ice cream without being handled by any person.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,163 shows another arrangement where a cylindrical tub of ice cream is placed vertically between two posts and clamped into place. A motor rotates the tub while a knife assembly 60 is placed against the container wall. The container is first cut by the knife assembly and then a slice of ice cream having a similar thickness is cut using a wire 42.
Another arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,107 where a tub of ice cream B is placed on rotatable table 17 and the table is driven by a motor and gearing arrangement. Cutting elements 23 cut into the surface of the ice cream as the table is rotated. The ice cream which is removed slides down chute 25 and is fed by screws 27 and 30 into a smaller container which is sold to the customer.
While each of these devices provides a system for moving the ice cream without using a hand scooper, they have generally been found to be unsatisfactory in terms of ease of use, speed of operation and effectiveness. Accordingly, systems which overcome these difficulties are desirable.


A fabrication device includes a build surface for production of a 3-dimensional solid component, a material delivery system configured to deposit one or more build materials on the build surface, at least one of the one or more build materials being a photocurable material, a first imaging component having a first resolution, and a second imaging component having a second resolution different from the first resolution. In this configuration, the first imaging component and the second imaging component are operable individually and in combination together to selectively irradiate the photocurable material to at least partially solidify successive layers of the 3-dimensional solid component In one example, the lower resolution imaging component solidifies bulk interior regions and the higher resolution component solidifies detailed borders.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as solid freeform fabrication (SFF), 3D printing (3DP), direct digital manufacturing (DDM), and solid imaging, has increasingly become a widely adopted method of prototyping both visually demonstrative and functional parts. In some instances, this has become a cost effective means for production manufacturing as well. A wide variety of means for producing components based on digital models exist, and all have reduced the time and cost required for a complete design cycle, which has improved the pace of innovation in many industries.
Generally, SFF is accomplished in a layerwise fashion, where a digital model is split into horizontal slices, and each slice is produced as a 2D image on a build surface. The sequential fabrication of these slices produces an aggregate collection of thin layers which collectively compose the 3 dimensional object represented by the digital model. In contrast to traditional fabrication techniques, such as Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machining, injection molding, and other means, SFF has markedly reduced production time and cost, and as such has been widely adopted for research and development purposes where low volume production with traditional means would be exceedingly expensive. Additionally, SFF devices generally require less expertise to operate when compared to CNC machines. The cost of individual parts produced from CNC machines is generally higher, owing to longer setup times and higher costs of machine operation. CNC-produced parts will often have stronger and more detailed features than SFF-produced parts, which may make them desirable for some applications. Until SFF techniques can produce parts with the resolution and functionality of CNC-produced parts, the usage of SFF in part production will remain constrained.
Some of the most common techniques for SFF include stereolithography (SLA), selective deposition modeling (SDM), fused deposition modeling (FDM), and selective laser sintering (SLS). These approaches vary in the type of materials they can use, the manner in which layers are created, and the subsequent resolution and quality of parts produced. Typically, layers are produced in a bulk material deposition method, or in a selective material deposition method. In techniques that employ a bulk deposition method for layer production, layer imaging is typically accomplished by a thermal, chemical, or an optical process.

Method and apparatus for solid freeform fabrication of objects with improved resolution


A detection device for simultaneous in-situ measurement of dissolved oxygen at different submerged plant leaf-water interface levels. The detection device includes a dissolved oxygen micro-optrode host. A plurality of detection probes are externally connected to the dissolved oxygen micro-optrode host and can extend out probes. The detection device includes a leaf clamp having an upper clamping head, a lower clamping head, a hinged shaft and a clamping handle. Each of the upper and lower clamping head includes a plurality of water passing cavities penetrating through the back and the front thereof. Each of the upper and lower clamping head includes a plurality of slots horizontally extending inwardly of the corresponding clamping head. The detection device includes a plurality of insertion pieces having a probe groove. The detection probe is locatable in the respective probe groove for fixation. The insertion pieces are insertable and fixable in the slots.

Dissolved oxygen micro-optrode belongs to the technology of one-dimensional microprobes for implementing measurement of a dissolved oxygen concentration at a certain point of submerged plant leaves. It is an optical fiber information exchange sensor based on the fluorescence quenching principle. As oxygen is the natural quenching agent for some fluorescent indicators, an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator is made into an oxygen sensing film that is then coupled with an end portion of an optical fiber. High-brightness light-emitting diodes are adopted as a light source and a miniature photodiode test system. Then, oxygen concentrations can be determined according to optical fiber conducted florescence quenching intensities. Ruthenium complexes are applied most extensively so far because of their characteristics of insensitivity to stirring, inactivity to interferences of H2S, CO2 and salinity, and the like.
The existing method for detecting dissolved oxygen at the submerged plant leaf-water interface using the dissolved oxygen micro-optrode is to put submerged plant leaves to be tested in a test container first, then retain a dissolved oxygen detection probe to the top of the container, control a fluorescent probe on the dissolved oxygen detection probe to extend downwards until being positioned around the submerged plant leaves, and emit laser to the probe by the dissolved oxygen micro-optrode, thereby measuring the dissolved oxygen in water at the end portion of the probe under the fluorescence quenching principle.
The method has the following defects:
1. It fails in realizing in-situ measurement, and requires a submerged plant leaf sample for putting into the test container, which may easily cause a change to the natural environment around the submerged plant leaves, leading to inconsistency of the dissolved oxygen condition of the sampled submerged plant leaves with the actual condition.
2. Only one dissolved oxygen micro-optrode could be controlled each time to detect the dissolved oxygen condition at a certain level in a certain position of the submerged plant leaves, and for the submerged plant leaves, the dissolved oxygen conditions at other levels in the position can be obtained only through multiple measurement which, however, has a large span in time and fails in reflecting the actual conditions.
3. Single measurement can only be performed on one side of the submerged plant leaves, and the dissolved oxygen conditions on both front and back sides of the submerged plant leaves cannot be measured simultaneously.

Detection device and method for simultaneous in-situ measurement of dissolved oxygen at different submerged plant leaf-water interface levels

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, P.R.C.

Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences


A method is provided for determining an identity of a browser in an Java environment in which an intermediary program masks the browser""s identity. The method begins by querying an operating system process table for information identifying the browser. Thereafter, a Java properties table including the information from the process table is set. In response to a request from a calling program (e.g., an applet class) for the browser identity, a getProperty method is then called to retrieve the browser identity from the properties table. The browser identity is then returned to the calling program.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to techniques for determining a browser type in a Java runtime environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Java, originally developed by Sun Microsystems, is a known software programming environment in which software programs, known as Java applets or applications, are developed, tested and maintained. Java programs have found extensive use on the World Wide Web, which is the Internet""s multimedia information retrieval system.
To have Java applets that provide interesting browser-side functionality usually requires extra-sandbox privileges or security exemptions. In the prior art, applet developers requiring security had two choices when creating applets. They could write two applets that individually exploited the functionality of the different web browsers (i.e. Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer) or they could create one applet that generically called the security methods available in each browser. In either case, however, the applet would be tied to the version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) shipped with the browser. Thus, applet developers have been unable to take advantage of new JREs and the functionality that they contain.
Recently, however, Sun""s JavaSoft introduced the Java 2 development platform. The Java 2 Java runtime environment (JRE) includes a plug-in that allows developers and users to run applets in their web browsers with different JREs. Using JavaSoft""s Java Plug-in, applets can be run in Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator using a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) selected by the user. This enables applets to run in an open Java environment, namely, one that is not tied to proprietary classes and methods provided by the browser.
One problem with this scenario is that the true identity of the browser is masked by the Java Plug-in and there is no way to determine the actual browser environment. In particular, Java 2 does not provide any core Java class to consult for parent process information. Knowing the operating environment becomes important if applet or Java core classes need to perform operations in one environment but not in the other. For example, it may be desirable to emulate Microsoft interfaces in an Internet Explorer environment but not in Netscape; likewise, it may be desirable to emulate Netscape interfaces when running in Communicator but not in Internet Explorer.
In a native browser environment, a number of Java properties reflect the browser identity. The value of various Java properties in different operating environments is quite varied, and the Java Plugin masks the running browser""s true identity. It is known in the prior art how to determine the browser environment when the browser""s native JVM is being used. In the past, this has been accomplished by querying a java.vendor property or by making various calls to the netscape.javascript package (which is supported by Internet Explorer). However, there is no method known in the art for determining the browser environment when the browser has loaded a nonbrowser JRE via the Java Plugin.
Thus, there is a need to provide a technique to determine a browser identity while operating, for example, in the Java Plugin open environment. The present invention solves this problem.
In a preferred embodiment, a method is provided for determining an identity of a browser in an Java environment in which an intermediary program masks the browser""s identity. The method begins by querying an operating system process table for information identifying the browser. Thereafter, Java properties including the information from the process table are set. In response to a request from a calling program (e.g., an applet class) for the browser identity, a getproperty method is then called to retrieve the browser identity from the properties table. The browser identity is then returned to the calling program.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, a trusted Java class is modified according to the present invention to include several operations in its static initialization. The trusted class loads a native method dynamic link library (.dll) and calls an appropriate method that returns the current process name. The process name is then used by a given method (e.g., System.setProperty method) to set a set of Java properties, e.g., java.vendor, browser.vendor and browser. When an applet or core Java class needs to know its true browser environment, that class can call a public method (e.g., System.getProperty) with one of the properties to determine the browser type.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects and features of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention as will be described. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.

Determining browser type in an open Java environment

International Business Machines Corporation


Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a steam generator and a car washer with the steam generator. The steam generator includes: a boiler having a combustion chamber. The steam generator further includes: a windproof cover, at least a part of an ignition device of the steam generator being located in the windproof cover; an igniting cover, at least a part of the igniting cover being located in the combustion chamber, and an outlet of the windproof cover being located in the igniting cover; an air inlet grating, the air inlet grating being provided around the windproof cover and connected with the windproof cover, and the air inlet grating being located on an inner side of an air inlet of the igniting cover, to prevent airflow in the igniting cover from flowing out from the inlet of the igniting cover.

Inventors knows that, a car washer is a machine using a computer to control a brush and high-pressure water to clean cars. The car washer is mainly composed of a control system, a circuit, an air channel, a water channel and a mechanical structure. The car washer has the characteristics of simple operation, elegant appearance, and small damage to car paint. In recent years, the car washer has been widely used in an automobile service industry.
With the improvement of international energy conservation and environmental protection mechanism and awareness, a way known to the inventors of using high-pressure water to wash car causes massive wastewater pollution and has other disadvantages; steam car washing just solves those problems, and steam car washing will become a new trend of development.
The main concept of steam car washing is that: first of all, the steam thoroughly cleans all parts of the car; and most importantly, steam car washing is not just a process of using high-pressure cold water to wash, but through the drying property of the steam, every small part of the car is thoroughly cleaned, sterilized, disinfected and deodorized at right pressure and temperature, so that a better car washing cleanliness is achieved. To improve simple cleaning to fine cleaning is closely related to the car owner's health.
However, airflow backflow easily occurs in the car washer known to inventors, that is, the airflow entering an igniting cover of the car washer easily flow out from an inlet of the igniting cover, which affects the normal ignition of the car washer.

Steam generator and car washer with steam generator

Zhuhai Gree Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd

Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai


Provided are microbiocidal solutions comprising an aryl alkanol solvent and a microbiocidal compound dissolved therein. The solutions may be used to impart microbiocidal properties to polymer compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to liquid microbiocidal solutions containing an aryl alkanol and a microbiocidal compound dissolved in said aryl alkanol.
This invention also relates to compositions comprising a polymer processing aid and a microbiocidal compound dissolved in an aryl alkanol.
This present invention further relates to a process for imparting microbiocidal properties to polymer compositions comprising adding to the polymer composition a liquid microbiocidal solution comprising an aryl alkanol and a microbiocidal compound dissolved therein.
This invention also relates to a process for imparting microbiocidal properties to a polymer composition comprising adding to the polymer composition a composition comprising a polymer processing aid and a microbiocidal compound which is present in the polymer processing aid as the solute in an aryl alkanol solvent.
This invention further relates to compositions comprising a solution of a liquid plasticizer for vinyl resins and a microbiocidal amount of a microbiocidal compound dissolved in an aryl alkanol.
This invention further relates to vinyl resin compositions comprising an admixture of a vinyl resin and a vinyl resin plasticizer containing, in an amount sufficient to impart microbiocidal properties to the vinyl resin composition, a microbiocidal compound dissolved in an aryl alkanol.
2. Prior Art
It is presently common practice to protect polymer or plastic compositions from microbial, e.g. bacterial or fungal, attack by incorporating a microbiocidal composition into the polymer or plastic. The resulting polymer compositions prevent the deterioration of articles formed from the polymer compositions due to microbiological attack on the plasticizers or other polymer additives which are normally incorporated into the polymer to impart desirable physical properties to the article and to facilitate forming of the article.
Many of the available microbiocidal materials are solid and, in order to incorporate them homogeneously in the polymer composition, it is necessary to first mix them with a liquid which solubilizes or disperses the material uniformly and thereafter, mix the thus-formed liquid composition with the polymer. Unfortunately, the solubility of many of the microbiologically active materials in the more common solvent materials is quite low. Therefore, it is either difficult to incorporate a sufficiently high concentration of the microbiocidal material with the polymer or, if sufficiently high concentrations of the microbiocidal material can be incorporated in the polymer, an undesirably high concentration of the solvent must also be incorporated in the polymer with the resultant deterioration of the desirable characteristics of the polymer composition.
Attempts to solve these problems have met with varying, often limited, success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,288,674 issued Nov. 29, 1966 to Yeager and U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,449 issued Sept. 5, 1972 to Yeager and Wilson disclose the use of solvents having a labile hydrogen, preferably nonyl phenol, to dissolve microbiocidally active phenoxarsine compounds, the resulting solution being subsequently incorporated into resin compositions. Unfortunately, the solubility of the phenoxarsine in nonyl phenol is limited to low concentrations which necessitates incorporating nonyl phenol in the resin at higher concentrations that desirable in order to attain the desired phenoxarsine levels in the resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,431 issued Dec. 1967 to Yeager discloses the use of labile hydrogen-containing solvents, preferably nonyl phenol, to dissolve microbiocidally active arsenobenzene compounds for subsequent addition to resin compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,822 issued Sept. 20, 1977 to Rei and Wilson discloses microbiocidal phenoxarsines dissolved in glycyl phosphites or glycyl phosphonates, the resulting solution being subsequently incorporated into resin compositions.

Microbiocidal compositions comprising an aryl alkanol and a microbiocidal compound dissolved therein


A memory/logic cell layout structure includes a pair of memory/logic cells formed on a substrate. Each memory/logic cell (102, 104) can include a pair of memory areas to store data (106-0/106-1, 106-2/106-3), and a logic portion (108-0, 108-1) that receives the data stored therein. Memory areas and the logic portions of each memory/logic cell can be arranged on the substrate in a shape of an L, U, S, T, or Z to form a pair of interlocking memory/logic cells.

Integrated circuit devices can include arrangements in which memory elements are utilized in conjunction with logic elements. For example, content addressable memory (CAM) devices can include CAM cells having one or more storage circuits that operate in conjunction with compare logic for determining whether one or more bits stored in the CAM cell match one or more compare data bits. Along these same lines, programmable logic devices can include storage circuits that store configuration information that can establish the functionality of corresponding logic circuit.
CAM devices can allow for a simultaneous search access to each entry stored in an associative memory cell array. Built-in compare circuitry within a CAM device can compare a specific pattern of bits, commonly known as a search key or comparand or compare data, against a large number of bit patterns stored in the associative memory cell array. Thus, an entire associative memory cell array can be searched essentially in parallel. Because of this parallel search capability, CAM devices are used in a growing number of applications, such as in network search engines (NSEs). NSEs can use CAMs to provide fast searches of a database, list, or pattern.
Typically, a memory cell array of a CAM device can be built from a large number of single CAM cells. A layout for a prior art single ternary CAM (TCAM) cell is shown in FIG. 11 and designated by the general reference character 1100. Generally, the conventional single TCAM cell can include a "stack" 1102 containing compare circuitry that is physically situated between two static random access memory (SRAM) cells (1104 and 1106). Each of the SRAM cells (1104 and 1106) can store bits of data (called X-value and Y-value). Such an X and Y value can be compared by transistors in the stack 1102 against external comparand data supplied to the TCAM cell via inputs. Such compare data is commonly labelled as compare data (CD) and an inverse compare data, or compare data "bar" (CDB). A stack 1102 can consist of four to six metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors (in the example shown, n-channel transistors) placed adjacent to SRAM cells (1104 and 1106).
A conventional TCAM device, like that described above, can suffer from a number of problems, the most notable being a size limitation. Common TCAM applications can require a large depth or size in the number of entries (data) that may be formed in an array of memory cells. However, for a given TCAM memory cell array size, as width of the array (or the number of bits in each entry) increases, depth (or number of entries) can decrease correspondingly. Thus, to increase capacity of a memory cell array there is a need to increase the number of individual TCAM cells that can be formed in a single TCAM device. However, because each individual conventional TCAM cell can require a relatively large area on the substrate or die on which the TCAM device is formed, there is a relatively low limit to the size of a TCAM array, or number of TCAM cells, that can be implemented in a single TCAM device.
Accordingly, there is a need for some way of increasing the number of cells that may be included in memory cell array. For example, it would be desirable to arrive at a more compact layout that can reduce the area occupied by a memory/logic CAM cell on a die or substrate. It would also be desirable if such an approach was compatible with both "tapped" well and body bias approaches, in the event such a device is implemented in complementary device technology (e.g., CMOS).

Interlocking memory/logic cell layout and method of manufacture