It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method that can reduce generation of a waste toner.

1. Field of the Related Art
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and, more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method that can reduce a waste toner after transfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a reduction in size and improvement of an image quality of electrophotographic apparatuses have advanced and the electrophotographic apparatuses have been used in various places and applications. According to the reduction in size and the improvement of an image quality, importance of replacement work for consumables and maintenance work such as replacement of components has also been increasing. Maintenance most frequently performed by users in the electrophotographic apparatuses is replacement work for toner cartridges followed by disposal of waste toners.
When the users dispose of waste toners, it is likely that soil due to the toners occurs in the work. Moreover, generation of wastes as waste toners adversely affects the environment and is not economically efficient. In this way, the disposal of waste toners gives a negative image for both the users and the society in general.
Thus, as a form specialized in easy maintenance, there is a form of unitizing plural sections of an electrophotographic apparatus with relatively high frequency of maintenance and replacing the sections as a cartridge. In this unitization, a photosensitive member, a developing device, a cleaner, a waste toner box, and the like are unitized as a process unit integrally constituted. This process unit is constituted to be detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus. Consequently, a user intending to perform disposal of a waste toner can dispose of the waste toner simply by replacing the process unit periodically.
However, such a cartridge system also has a problem. Since the process unit is entirely replaced, even components that have not reached the end of replacement cycles and are still usable are replaced with other components.
For example, in the case of a cartridge in which a photosensitive member, a charger, and a cleaner are integrated, if the cleaner are worn, even if the photosensitive member is still usable, all the components are replaced. As a result, cost of consumables increases.
Moreover, in recent years, according to the appearance of a photosensitive member using α-Si and an organic photosensitive member provided with a surface layer with high hardness on the surface thereof, a replacement cycle of the photosensitive member has become longer. On the other hand, in order to extend a life of the cleaner to make a replacement cycle thereof longer, a structure of the cleaner itself is inevitably complicated. Therefore, a size of the cleaner is increased, making it difficult to apply the cleaner to a photosensitive member having a small diameter.
Thus, in a patent document 1 (JP-A-6-118857) and a patent document 2 (JP-A-10-31404), a method of detachably attaching a cleaner to a photosensitive member to allow a user to easily replace the cleaner is proposed.
However, even if the cleaner is replaced in this way, when an amount of waste toner is large, frequency of replacement of the cleaner has to be increased, a size of a cleaner unit itself has to be increased, or the cleaner and a waste toner tank have to be arranged separately to replace only the waste toner tank. Therefore, the problem described above is not still solved.
Further, considering that there is no problem if a waste toner is not generated, a waste-tonerless process is also proposed. In a patent document 3 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,395), a technique for collecting a transfer residual toner in a developing device without cleaning the transfer residual toner to prevent a waste toner from being generated is disclosed.
This is a system referred to as a cleanerless process. However, this system has a problem in that a high image quality is not obtained because a transfer residual toner is a hindrance at the time of exposure. Moreover, paper powder or dust may be mixed in the transfer residual toner. If the paper powder or the dust mixed in the transfer residual toner entirely enters a developing device, the paper powder or the dust could cause deterioration in an image quality. Since the transfer residual toner contains a large quantity of toner with poor performance that could not eventually be transferred, if the toner is entirely collected in the developing device, like the paper powder and the like, the toner causes deterioration in an image quality later.
In a patent document 4 (JP-A-2002-6630), a technique for actively depositing a toner uniformly on a photosensitive member after transfer in order to reduce deterioration in an image quality due to an exposure failure caused by a transfer residual toner is disclosed. In this method, since the toner is uniformly deposited on the photosensitive member, image unevenness undoubtedly becomes less conspicuous.
However, ideally, it is preferable that an amount of toner adhering to a photosensitive member is smaller. Thus, the method of intentionally depositing the toner on the photosensitive member is against the original form of use of the toner. It cannot be said that the method is an efficient method of use of the toner and is a positive solution as measures against deterioration in an image quality due to a residual toner.
In a patent document 5 (JP-A-9-251264), an example in which only a toner with polarity thereof inversed of a transfer residual toner is collected by a bias and a toner charged in a regular polarity is used in a cleanerless process is disclosed. However, in this method, since only the toner inversely charged can be collected, if an amount of transfer residual toner of the regular polarity is simply large, since the toner cannot be collected by a cleaner, image memory occurs to deteriorate an image quality.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes an image bearing member on which a toner image is formed, a cleaner that transfers a toner image formed on the surface of the image bearing member and, then, removes a part of a toner remaining on the image bearing member and allows the remainder to pass as a passing toner, a passing toner amount detecting unit for detecting or estimating an amount of passing toner that passes the cleaner, and a cleaner control unit that sets, on the basis of an amount of passing toner detected by the passing toner amount detecting unit, a target value of the amount of passing toner and controls a cleaning operation by the cleaner.


A cutting method includes: forming a reformed region in a workpiece; and after forming the reformed region in the workpiece, cutting the workpiece along an intended cut line. In the cutting the workpiece, a dry etching process is performed from a front surface toward a rear surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is fixed on a support member at least under its own weight or by suction, to form a groove from the front surface to reach the rear surface of the workpiece.

There is conventionally known a processing method of applying a laser beam while positioning a point of condensation in a workpiece in the form of a plate to thereby form a reformed region, and then performing an etching process on the reformed region. This processing method is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-359475 (PTL 1). In the processing method described in this publication, a wet etching process is used as the etching process performed on the reformed region.

Cutting method of workpiece by forming reformed region and dry etching process


A foldable goal hoop of basket ball is composed of a fastening member, a movable member and a predetermined number of retaining bodies. The fastening member and the movable member are joined together by means of a pivot. The movable member is provided with two folding sides for reinforcing the structural strength of the movable member. The retaining bodies are used to hold securely the movable member at such time when the goal hoop is folded or in use.

The present invention relates generally to a goal basket of basket ball, and more particularly to a foldable goal hoop of basket ball.
Generally speaking, the basket ball goal hoop is fixed to the backboard such that the goal hoop is perpendicular to the backboard. There is nothing wrong with such a basket ball goal hoop as described above. However, from the manufacturer's point of view, an improvement is called for in view of the fact that the basket ball goal hoop is relatively large in size and that its packaging and shipping costs are therefore relatively expensive. Needless to say, the packaging and the shipping costs can be reduced if the size of the basket ball goal hoop can be menaingfully reduced. The reduction in size of the basket ball goal hoop can be attained by making the goal hoop foldable. There are foldable basket ball goal hoops already available in the market; nevertheless they are for use as toys by children.


A grab accepting section receives a request from a grab window to grab a desired key event over a focus window. A grab requesting section which retains key event request sets that may be issued until the time a key event corresponding to the user's operation result is ascertained, requests a window system to notify all of the key events belonging to the key event request set which includes the key event that the grab window desires to acquire. Thus, in a situation where operation results of a key, which is assigned with a plurality of functions, are notified as different virtual key events for the respective functions depending on the manner the key is operated, malfunctioning due to the grab window grabbing a particular key event via the window system is avoided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key event controlling apparatus, and more relates particularly to a key event controlling apparatus for changing the destination to deliver specific key events and performing filtering of key events.
2. Background of the Related Art
In a window system such as XWindowSystem™ (a registered trademark of Massachusetts Institute of Technology), which is a popular mechanism for managing key states and notifying changes in the states, a virtual key event is issued when a modifier key such as a shift key or a control key is combined with another key, in accordance with the key operation (see, for example, "XWindow handbook", ASCII corporation, 1990", Oliver JONES, supervised by Ryo NISHIMURA, translated by Akemi MIURA, (hereinafter referred to as "Non-patent Document 1")).
A technique of event managing on a window system that handles a plurality of windows is a multi-window event management device which realizes automatic switching of a focus window, as a destination to which to notify events, by universally managing information concerning window control (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2-139626 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 1")).
However, the techniques described in Non-patent Document 1 and Patent Document 1 do not take into consideration the case where functional assignments of keys are to be changed based on the periods of time for which the keys are pressed, e.g., a short press (a so-called "click") or a long press (a so-called "hold"), or based on the ways of operating keys, e.g., a half press or a full press.
An example of mechanism for changing functional assignments of keys based on the periods of time for which the keys are pressed, e.g., the short press or the long press, is a mechanism which notifies different events in accordance with the key operation, depending on whether it is a short press or a long press (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-353357 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 2")).
In the situation where different functions are to be assigned in accordance with the key operation depending on whether it is a short press or a long press, there may be a case where it is desirous to suppress short press events once a long press has been ascertained. There may also be a case where short press events need to be notified even after a long press has been ascertained. In the case where a certain operation is to be performed when a key is first pressed, and a next operation is to be performed when a long press is ascertained thereafter, it would be necessary to notify short events even after a long press has been ascertained. One example thereof would be the case where a scroll is begun when a key is pressed, and the scroll speed is increased when a long press has been ascertained (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-162356).
In this case, the key delivering device functioning to notify changes in the states of keys would notify the state of the corresponding key or virtual key in the middle of a key operation, even before a corresponding virtual key is determined following completion of a series of key operations. For example, a sequence in the case where a virtual key "long-pressed key" and a virtual key "short-pressed key" are assigned to a long press and a short press of a given key is shown in FIG. 21, where it is assumed that the key is long-pressed. First, at the time the key is pressed, the key delivering device notifies a change in the state of the "short-pressed" virtual key. Neither the short-pressed key nor the long-pressed key is unequivocally ascertained at the time of this key pressing, since it is still in the middle of the key operation. Thereafter, once a certain period of time elapses with the key being pressed, thereby resulting in the ascertainment of a long press operation, this method notifies a change in the state of the "long-pressed" virtual key. According to the above method, each application receives a notification of a virtual key event even before the ascertainment of a key operation. Therefore, according to this method, a received series of virtual key events are subjected to a comprehensive determination at the application side to determine which key event has been ascertained, and a corresponding process is performed.
As for grabbing of key events, the widely-prevalent XWindowSystem realizes it as follows. When a key that is a target of grabbing is pressed, the destination to which to deliver the key event is switched from an application which is active to that which has requested grabbing, and the delivery path is brought back to normal when the key is released (see, for example, the aforementioned Non-patent Document 1).
There may also be a case where a user performs a process for not only a particular application but all existing applications. A specific example would be the case where all applications close, minimize, or maximize the screens displayed thereby. In such a case, since generally-used window systems do not have a mechanism for delivering key events to all windows, a window manager for managing windows is provided, such that a universal operation request is notified to the window manger, which, having received the above, performs operations to all windows. However, the operations to be performed to all windows by a generally-used window manager, such as FVWM, are limited to operations concerning the windows themselves, e.g., maximize or minimize window, due to the nature of window managing (see, for example, David Fries, et al., "The Official FVWM Homepage", Jul. 20, 2002, searched as of Sep. 9, 2002, <www.fvwm.org>").
As a complement to the above, there exists an input device which, when text characters are to be simultaneously inputted to a plurality of windows, outputs the respective input characters to corresponding windows by referring to a character-window correspondence table which describes correspondence between inputted characters and destination windows where the inputted characters are to be inputted (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-50542).
However, the aforementioned conventional technique has a first problem in that, when a plurality of key events which are issued through a series of key operations are delivered, as a result of grabbing of key events, to both an application which is designated by the user or an application to be the destination of key event delivery (hereinafter referred to as the "active application") and the application which is a recipient of presidential delivery (hereinafter referred to as the "grabbing application"), only a portion of the series of key operations is notified to each application, thereby making it impossible to accurately ascertain the function, so that the system may perform an unexpected operation.
For instance, a sequence in the case where "long-pressed" and "short-pressed" virtual keys are assigned to a given key, and application A is an active application and application B is a grab application for the "long-pressed" virtual key, is shown in FIG. 22, where it is assumed that the key is long-pressed. First, when the key is pressed, a "short-pressed" virtual key press event is notified to application A. Next, a "long-pressed" virtual key press event is notified to application B. Thereafter, when the key is released, a "short-pressed" virtual key release event is notified to application A, and a "long-pressed" virtual key release event is notified to application B. Although the key operation would prove to be a long press once all of the series of four virtual key events are received, application A has only received a notification of the "short-pressed" virtual key event; therefore, it will perform a process corresponding to a short press although the user has not performed a short press operation.
It might be conceivable to solve the aforementioned problem, where "long-pressed" and "short-pressed" virtual keys are assigned to a key, by not issuing a press event at the time the key is pressed because the user's operation result cannot be ascertained, and only issuing a "long-pressed" or "short-pressed" virtual key release event corresponding to the operation result at the time of the key release, when the key operation result becomes ascertained. However, since this method does not issue a keypress event for any key that supports a long press, different types of key event will be issued between keys which do not support long-press operation and keys which support long-press operation. This results in a problem in that, each time a key which supports long-press operation is altered, any application which is to process key events concerning it would also have to be altered. In order to cope with this problem, it might be conceivable to not issue key press events even for keys which do not support long-press operation, but such a method will introduce a delay in the key events for every key, thus detracting from the operability on the part of the user.
There is also a second problem in that, when a specific key is to be grabbed in a generally-used window system such as XWindowSystem, the delivery destination of key events is switched to the recipient of precedential delivery once that key is pressed and until the time it is released. Therefore, depending on the order of virtual key delivery, those key events which are not even the target of grabbing may also be delivered to the recipient of precedential delivery.
For instance, a sequence in the case where "long-pressed" and "short-pressed" virtual keys are assigned to a given key, and application A is an active application and application B is a grab application which grabs the "short-pressed" virtual key, is shown in FIG. 23, where it is assumed that the key is long-pressed. Since the key events from the "long-pressed" virtual key press event to the "long-pressed" virtual key release event are to be delivered to application B, if the virtual key events are issued in the order of a "short-pressed" virtual key press event, a "long-pressed" virtual key press event, a "short-pressed" virtual key release event, and a "long-pressed" virtual key release event, even the "short-pressed" virtual key release event will be sent to application B. This means that no key release will be notified to application A.
A possible method for preventing such an improper delivery of key events due to grabbing might be not performing any grabbing, so that key events are always delivered to the active application, where the active application subjects the delivered key events to a comprehensive determination to switch processing or notify to other applications. However, this has a problem in that, if it is desirous to perform a particular process for a particular key operation over the entire system in a unified manner, it will be necessary for every application which can potentially become an active application to support the above improvement, which would result in an increase in the development overhead. Moreover, in the case where an application which does not support the above improvement is introduced, e.g., an open application which has been developed by a third party, any key operation related to the above improvement will prove invalid on such an application. For example, in the case where the entire system is to universally transition to a manner mode in response to a long press of a manner key, every application will need to handle the processing of manner mode transition in response to the notification of a long press of the manner key. Furthermore, on a downloaded piece of open software which does not include a description of the above processing, the long press of the manner key will be invalid, or a different process may be performed.
There is also a third problem in that, in a generally-used window system such as XWindowSystem, in order to avoid conflicts between grabbings, only the window which was the first to make a request is allowed to become a recipient of presidential delivery for a given key. In other words, it is not possible for a plurality of windows to grab key events concerning the same key at the same time.
There is also a fourth problem in that, in the case where the user wishes to perform a universal process for all windows, with the aforementioned conventional technique in which a window manager is in charge of management and control, it is impossible to perform any process which is not an operation concerning the windows themselves for all windows, e.g., a process of undoing an immediately previous operation and restoring the immediately preceding state, or a data save process.
The earlier-mentioned conventional technique concerning an input device directed to a plurality of windows (e.g., see Patent Document 2 above) only envisages text input; furthermore, a notified text input is delivered to a plurality of windows merely in accordance with a character-window correspondence table. Therefore, in the case where a plurality of key events are generated during the user's key operation process, all of the generated key events will be respectively delivered to the corresponding windows, thus resulting in the aforementioned first problem of the system performing an unexpected operation.


This invention relates to a dietary supplement for use in a weight loss program, which alleviates insulin resistance in the presence of the metabolic syndrome. The dietary supplement includes, in combination, berberine, banaba leaf extract, and inositol. Also provided is a method of treatment in a weight loss program.

This invention relates to a dietary supplement for use in a weight loss program, which alleviates insulin resistance in the presence of the metabolic syndrome.
The metabolic syndrome, an increasingly common disorder associated with obesity, is a cluster of metabolic derangements that are associated with a significant increase in risk of cardiovascular disease. The syndrome is linked with primary disturbances in adipose tissue due to an excessive accumulation of visceral (intra-abdominal) fat in genetically susceptible individuals. The increased adipocyte mass assumes the role of an endocrine organ, communicating with other organ systems via a release of hormonal-like chemicals called inflammatory cytokines. The resulting disorders include insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia (elevated blood cholesterol), hypertension and diabetes.
It is generally accepted that, for a diabetic, improved glycaemic control can lower cardiovascular risk. It has, however, also been demonstrated that in most cases diabetic medication, in particular the use of insulin, actually causes weight gain, often in individuals that are already overweight or obese. Clearly, iatrogenic (caused by medication) weight gain is not only unwelcome, but is also counterproductive. Limiting insulin-associated weight gain has therefore become a new treatment challenge.
Different strategies have been proposed to prevent or treat the development of obesity and the consequences of the metabolic syndrome. These include increased physical activity such as cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, and a healthy, calorie-reduced diet. There are studies that support the value of a healthy lifestyle, but it can be argued that these measures are effective in only a minority of people, primarily due to a lack of compliance with lifestyle and dietary changes.
Drug treatment is frequently required. Generally, the individual disorders such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes that comprise the metabolic syndrome, are treated separately. In the absence of diabetes, however, the use of diabetic drugs for the treatment of insulin resistance in an overweight person is still controversial and, to the applicant's knowledge, no product has to date been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Whilst insulin, the sulphonylureas and the thiazolidinediones are known to cause weight gain, metformin does not interfere with body mass and has therefore become a drug of choice.
Various studies have investigated the role that insulin plays in weight gain. In the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), for example, increased weight gain was directly related to improved glycaemic control and intensification of therapy with all pharmacotherapies, with the exception of metformin. However, weight gain was greatest in a group treated with insulin, where patients gained on average 6.5 kg. In addition, data from the Diabetes Control and Complication Trial (DCCT) demonstrated that insulin-associated weight gain was significantly greater in patients receiving intensified insulin intervention, as compared to conventional intervention.
Given that improved glycaemic control also improved the outcome of microvascular disease in the UKPDS and DCCT, it can be argued that the 'price' for improved glycaemic control against weight gain is a fair exchange. However, this historic argument makes a rather simplistic assumption when there is evidence that weight gain adversely affects cardiovascular risk. Excess adipose tissue is associated with increased levels of insulin resistance, which not only contributes to dyslipidaemia, but can also fuel a cycle of beta cell dysfunction, increased insulin resistance, a greater requirement for insulin and, ultimately, further weight gain. Besides potentially undermining the cardiovascular benefits of improved glycaemic control, weight gain is known to accelerate some disease processes that underlie diabetes. In this context, weight gain should be viewed as an undesirable side-effect of insulin and other obesity-promoting oral diabetic agents, making the use of insulin-sparing strategies an attractive option.
Insulin is an important controller of organic metabolism. It acts both directly and indirectly on most bodily tissues. Its actions can be divided into two broad categories:                a) its metabolic effects on carbohydrate, lipid, and protein synthesis; and        b) its growth-promoting effects on DNA synthesis, mitosis and cell differentiation.In general, metabolic effects occur almost immediately after a physiological rise in insulin concentration, whereas the growth-promoting effects require more time (hours and days) after exposure to elevated insulin concentrations to manifest themselves.
Insulin has several different effects that lead to fat accumulation in adipose tissue. Firstly, insulin promotes fat synthesis. When the quantity of glucose that enters the liver cells is more than what can be stored as glycogen, insulin promotes the conversion of excess glucose into fatty acids. These fatty acids are subsequently packaged as triglycerides in very low density lipoproteins and transported to the adipose tissue where they are deposited as fat. However, insulin also increases the utilisation of glucose by most of the body's tissues, which automatically decreases the utilisation of fat, thus functioning as a "fat sparer".
Secondly, insulin plays a role in fat storage. By inhibiting the action of hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that causes hydrolysis of the triglycerides already stored in the fat cells, insulin inhibits the release of fatty acids into the circulating blood stream, thereby promoting obesity. Insulin also promotes glucose transport through the cell membrane into the fat cells in the same way that it promotes glucose transport into the muscle cells. Although some of this glucose is then utilized to synthesize small amounts of fatty acids, the glucose also forms large quantities of glycerophosphate which supplies the glycerol backbone that combines with fatty acids to form triglycerides molecules which are a dominant storage form of fat in adipose cells. Therefore, when insulin is not available, storage of a large amount of fatty acids transported from the liver via lipoproteins is almost totally blocked.
An object of the present invention is to provide a dietary supplement which, in a preferred embodiment, is intended to address at least some of the aforementioned factors.

Dietary supplement for use in a weight loss program


An electronic equipment system includes an electronic device, a loading device for loading into and unloading from the electronic device, a light emitting section in the electronic device corresponding to the loading device, and an optical fiber corresponding to the loading device. The optical fiber transmits light from the light emitting section from a first end to a second end of the optical fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a loading and unloading device (hereinafter referred to merely as "loading device", when applicable), and an electronic equipment system, and more particularly to a loading device, and an electronic equipment system with which the user can recognize the access or non-access to a hard disk device inserted into an electronic device or the error thereof from the display of a light emitting section which is provided in correspondence to the hard disk device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With respect to the loading of a tape cassette in an electronic device or the unloading of the tape cassette therefrom, for instance Japanese Utility Patent Application (OPI) No. Sho.59-180204 has proposed a tape cassette loading display device. The conventional tape cassette loading display device is designed as follows: The reflection of light at the side surface of the tape cassette is utilized. The emitted in the electronic device is transmitted through an optical fiber to the side surface, so that the reflected light is transmitted outside through another optical fiber, thereby to disclose whether the tape cassette has been loaded.
Now, a related art concerning the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional electronic equipment system. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 101 designates an electronic device used for a PC server or the like; 102, an accommodating chassis (hereinafter referred to merely as "a chassis", when applicable); and 103, a loading device which is moved in the directions of the arrow A so that it is inserted into the accommodating chassis 102 or removed from the latter. The device 103 has a hard disk tray 105 which accommodates a hard disk device 104.
Reference numeral 106 designates a back board which is provided on a backside of the accommodating chassis 102 and is connected through a connector or the like to an electrical connecting section (not shown) of the hard disk device 104; 107, a display board secured to the upper portion of the front side of the accommodating chassis 102 with screws or the like; and 108, light emitting sections such as LEDs which are provided on the display board 107 in correspondence to the hard disk devices 104 inserted in the accommodating chassis 102. Accordingly, the light emitting sections 108 correspond the hard disk devices 104 which are inserted right below the light emitting sections 108.
Reference numeral 109 designates a connecting cable which connects the back board 106 to the display board 107 through a connector or the like. The light emitting sections 108 mounted on the display board 107 operate as follows: When the hard disk device 104 inserted in the accommodating chassis 102 is accessed, or when an error occurs with the hard disk device 104, the light emitting sections 108 emit light in response to a signal from the back board 106.
With the above-described electronic equipment system, the user can recognize from the display state of the light emitting sections 108 whether the hard disk device 104 is accessed or whether an error occurs with the hard disk device.
FIG. 8 is a sectional side view showing the construction of another example of the conventional electronic equipment system. In FIG. 8, parts corresponding functionally to those already described with reference to FIG. 7 are therefore designated by the same reference numerals or characters. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 201 designates a relay board which is provided on the side of the back board 106, and secured to the hard disk tray 105 with screws; 202, a connecting cable which electrically connects the relay board 201 to the hard disk device 104; and 203, connecting cables which electrically connect the light emitting sections 108 on the front surface of the hard disk tray 105 to the relay board 201.
The connecting cables 203 of the light emitting sections 108 are provided in the space between the upper surface of the hard disk device 104 accommodated in the hard disk tray 105 and the upper board of the hard disk tray 105. Reference numeral 204 designates a connector which electrically connects the relay board 201 to the back board 106; and 205, a connector which electrically connects the back board 106 to the relay board 201. The connector 204 of the relay board 201 is electrically connected to the connector 205 of the back board 106.
The hard disk device 104 is electrically connected to the back board 106 through the connecting cable 202, the relay board 201, and the connectors 204 and 205. The light emitting sections 108 are electrically connected to the back board 106 through the connecting cables 203, the relay board 201, and the connectors 204 and 205.
In the conventional electronic equipment system, the light emitting sections 108 are directly fitted in the hard disk tray 105 or bonded thereto, and are electrically connected to the back board 106 through the connecting cables 203 set in the hard disk tray 105, and the relay board 201 coupled to the hard disk tray 105. Therefore, in this case, the space in the direction of height on the accommodating chassis is smaller than in the conventional case where, as shown in FIG. 7, the display board 107, the light emitting sections 108, and the connecting cables are arranged on the accommodating chassis 102.
In the conventional electronic equipment system as shown in FIG. 7, the display board 107 is provided on the upper portion of the front surface of the chassis 102, and the light emitting sections 108 are so provided that they correspond to the hard disk devices 104, and the back board 106 and the display board 107 are so arranged on the chassis 102 that the back board 106 is electrically connected to the display board 107 through the connector and the connecting cable 109. Therefore, the space in the direction of height on the accommodating chassis 102 in the electronic device 101 is increased as much as the display board 107, and the light emitting sections 108 and the connecting cable 109 are provided on the chassis 102. Hence, it is rather difficult to make the electronic device 101 compact in arrangement.
Furthermore, in the conventional electronic equipment system shown in FIG. 7, in order that the light emitting sections 107 are located on the front part of the upper surface of the chassis 102, the display board 107 and the connecting cable 109 are employed. Hence, it is intricate in structure, and is much increased in manufacturing cost.
In the conventional electronic equipment system shown in FIG. 8, in order that the light emitting sections 108 and the hard disk device 104 are electrically connected to the back board 106, the relay board 201 is secured to the hard disk tray 105 with screws. Hence, it is intricate in structure, and is increased in manufacturing cost as much.

Loading device and electronic equipment system


An optoelectronic semiconductor device is disclosed. The device comprises a plurality of stacked p-n junctions (e.g., multi junction device). The optoelectronic semiconductor device includes a n-doped layer disposed below the p-doped layer to form a p-n layer such that electric energy is created when photons are absorbed by the p-n layer. Recesses are formed on top of the p-doped layer at the top of the plurality of stacked p-n junctions. The junctions create an offset and an interface layer is formed on top of the p-doped layer at the top of the plurality stacked p-n junctions. The device also includes a window layer disposed below the plurality stacked p-n junctions. In another aspect, one or more optical filters are inserted into a device to enhance its efficiency through photon recycling. The device can be fabricated by epitaxial growth on a substrate and removed from the substrate through a lift off process.

The present disclosure generally relates to optoelectronic semiconductor devices, and more particularly to multi junction optoelectronic devices.
There is a need for providing optoelectronic devices that have increased efficiency when compared to conventional devices. These devices should, however, be cost effective, easily implemented and adaptable to existing environments. The present disclosure addresses such a need.


A capacitor is formed utilizing a plasma deposited capacitor dielectric wherein the plasma deposition is a two-component reaction comprising a silicon donor, which is non-carbon containing and non-oxygenated, and an organic precursor, which is non-silicon containing and non-oxygenated. The plasma deposition produces a capacitor dielectric that can exhibit a low dielectric constant and, in selected depositions, a response to photo-oxidation induced by exposure to radiated electromagnetic energy in the presence of oxygen. Photo-oxidation of selected depositions can be used to alter the dielectric constant of the capacitor dielectric after the capacitor has been fabricated. The capacitor may be used in precision filter applications.

One type of solid state capacitors, known as Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitors, are basically formed from a dielectric disposed between two electrical conductors or electrodes, which can be layered as part of a semiconductor microchip. The area of each conductor, and the thickness and dielectric constant (k) of the dielectric, primarily establish the capacitance of the resulting capacitor. The process of forming the dielectric controls both the thickness and the dielectric constant for the dielectric. Generally once a dielectric is formed, its dielectric constant and the capacitance of the formed capacitor are fixed. Consequently, inefficient techniques for trimming capacitance after fabrication of the capacitor are employed. For example, multiple interconnected capacitors can be incorporated into a solid state structure and selectively cut out of the active circuit to trim the overall value of capacitance. This process, at best, provides a stepped value of capacitance trimming.
Known dielectrics for MIM capacitors are spun-on glasses, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)/ozone films deposited at atmospheric or sub-atmospheric pressures, plasma deposited films either from silane (SiH4)/oxygen or TEOS reactions, or more recently, SiO2 films deposited by high density plasma chemical vapor deposition. The fixed dielectric constant of these deposited materials can range anywhere from 3.9 to approximately 5.0, largely depending on their density and how much moisture they absorb. Typical ranges for dielectric constants are: between 3.9 and 4.1 for plasma deposited silane oxides; between 4.1 and 4.3 for TEOS generated oxides; and 4.5 or higher for TEOS/ozone films.
It is known that introduction of fluorine in the above processes can produce dielectrics with a lower k value. This approach results in a fluorinated oxide, sometimes called fluorosilicate glass or, more accurately, a silicon oxyfluoride. Although there is a distinct tradeoff between the amount of fluorine added and the stability of the dielectric, the process can produce stable dielectrics with a k value around 3.5.
Most dielectrics with a k value less than 3.0 (low k dielectrics) fall into one of the following basic categories: fluorinated polyimides; non-polyimide C—H polymers; fluoro-polymers and siloxane polymers. Fabrication processing temperatures place additional limitations on low k dielectric selections from these categories at higher processing temperatures.
With respect to organosilicons that might serve as dielectrics, despite intensive research on the plasma deposition of amorphous silicon from monosilane (SiH4), there have been only a few reports exploring the formation of Si—Si bonded polymers from monosubstituted organosilanes. Haller reported an example of selective dehydrogenative polymerization, but no photochemical studies were described. See Haller, Journal of the Electrochemical Society A, Vol. 129, 1987, p. 180, and Inagaki and Hirao, Journal of Polymer Science A, Vol. 24, 1986, p. 595. Studies on the plasma chemistry of methylsilane (MeSiH3) have involved higher radio-frequency powers and temperatures which promote formation of amorphous silicon carbide (SiC) rather than reactive polymeric product. See Delpancke, Powers, Vandertop and Somorjai, Thin Solid Films, Vol. 202, 1991, p. 289. Low power plasma polymerization of tetramethylsilane and related precursors has been proposed to result in the formation of Si—C—Si linkages. See Wrobel and Wertheimer, Plasma Deposition, Treatment and Etching of Polymers, Academic Press, New York, Chapter 3. Such materials lack sufficient absorption in light above approximately 225 nm wavelength, but have been studied as far ultraviolet (193 nm wavelength) resists by Horn and associates. See Horn, Pang and Rothschild, Journal of Vacuum Science Technology B, Vol. 8, 1991, p. 1493. Polymer chemistry teaches the use of the basic silanes are insignificant as a monomer for polymerization type of polymer. Furthermore, polysiloxanes are differentiated from the basic silanes, and contrasted as being very important in terms of monomers for polymerization. See Stevens, Malcom P., Polymer Chemistry, An Introduction, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1975: p. 334.
Work has been reported on the synthesis of soluble poly-alkylsilyne network polymers ([SiR]n) which exhibit intense ultraviolet absorption (associated with extended Si—Si bonding) and may be photo-oxidatively patterned to give stable siloxane networks. See Bianconi and Weidman, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 110, 1988, p. 2341. Dry development is accomplished by selective anisotropic removal of unexposed material by chlorine or hydrobromic acid reactive ion etching. See Hornak, Weidman and Kwock, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 67,1990, p. 2235, and Horn, Pang and Rothschild, Journal of Vacuum Science Technology B, Vol. 8, 1991, p. 1493. The exposed, oxidized material may be removed by either wet or dry fluorine based chemistry. Kunz and associates have shown that this makes polysilynes particularly effective as 193 nm wavelength photoresists. See Kunz, Bianconi, Horn, Paladugu, Shaver, Smith, and Freed, Proceedings of the Society of Photo-optical and Instrumentation Engineers, Vol. 218, 1991, p. 1466. The high absorbability and the wavelength limits photo-oxidation to the surface, eliminating reflection, and the pattern is transferred through the remainder of the film during the reactive ion etch (RIE) development. Studies of organosilicon hydride network materials containing reactive R—Si—H moieties have found that such high silicon compositions as [MeSiH0.5]n exhibit superior photosensitivity and function as single layer photodefinable glass etch masks. See Weidman and Joshi, New Photodefinable Glass Etch Masks for Entirely Dry Photolithography: Plasma Deposited Organosilicon Hydride Polymers, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 62, No. 4, 1993, p. 372. However, cost and availability of the exotic organosilicon feedstocks have significantly inhibited the transfer of such photosensitive organosilicon hydride network materials into microcircuit fabrication. Further, films deposited from single component organosilicon feedstocks possess limited latitude in alteration of deposited film characteristics, such as the radiation frequency of photosensitivity and selectivity during etch processes.
An object of the present invention is a capacitor with a plasma deposited dielectric that has a low dielectric constant and good thermal stability at higher processing temperatures. Another object of the present invention is a capacitor with a plasma deposited dielectric that has a dielectric constant, and therefore, a value of capacitance, that can be changed after deposition of the dielectric or fabrication of the capacitor. Such capacitors are of particular advantage in the formation of electrical filters, among other applications, that require on-chip formation of precision value capacitors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Capacitor with plasma deposited dielectric


In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a trunk service unit and at least one logical multimedia terminal adapter (L-MTA). The trunk service unit may be configured to provide session initiation protocol (SIP) service to at least one subscriber equipment in a subscriber network. Each subscriber equipment may have an associated subscriber equipment identifier. The trunk service unit may provide subscriber-facing signaling to communicate with the subscriber network and network-facing signaling to communicate with a stimulus-based network. The L-MTA may be associated with the stimulus based network and may be configured to obtain service from a call management server (CMS) in the stimulus-based network. Each L-MTA may have an associated L-MTA equipment identifier, where the network-facing signaling of the trunk service unit being used to control the at least one L-MTA.

Previously, the only way to deploy an application-layer control protocol service such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) within a stimulus-based network was to have a Call Management Server (CMS) support SIP, and provide interwork SIP line signaling with either Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) trunk signaling or Network-Band Call Signaling (NCS). Enterprise and Service Provider Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) deployments are increasingly using SIP, as the session protocol of choice. These sessions may include Internet telephone calls, multimedia distribution, and multimedia conferences.
However, SIP is a text-based protocol, and the parsing and building of messages may put a heavy processing or throughput load on various network elements. As the number of SIP sessions increases, so too the processing load on various devices may also increase. This increase can create a bottleneck in some deployments. Worse, some non-terminal, or intermediately positioned network devices like Session Border Controllers handling SIP-to-SIP calls may actually handle two related instances of SIP sessions, one sending and one receiving, thus leading to a rapid increase in processor and memory utilization. This processing and parsing burden may negatively impact system scalability, and/or reliability. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide SIP services that are scalable, reliable, and that reduce the processing load on intermediate network elements.
Embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in the figures.

Session initiation protocol communication with endpoints managed by a call management server in a stimulus based network


An output buffer circuit includes an operational amplifier configured to generate an amplifier output voltage signal based on an input voltage signal and on a compensation current, a slew rate compensating circuit configured to generate the compensation current to increase a slew rate of the amplifier output voltage signal based on a difference between the input voltage signal and a feedback voltage signal, an output path circuit connected between the operational amplifier and an output pad, the output path circuit configured to transfer the amplifier output voltage signal to generate a pad output voltage signal through the output pad, and a feedback path circuit, the feedback path circuit connected between the slew rate compensating circuit and a feedback input node that is on the output path circuit, the feedback path circuit configured to generate the feedback voltage signal.

Some example embodiments relate generally to semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly to an output buffer circuit and/or a source driver of a display device including the out buffer circuit.
Power consumption of a display device is increasing as a resolution, a size and/or an operation speed of the display device increases. Recently a frame rate of 120 Hz is applied to mobile devices such as smartphones, and power consumption of a display driver integrated circuit (DDI) is significantly increased. The DDI may be divided into an analog portion and a digital portion. The power consumption of the analog portion occupies about 66% of entire power consumption of the DDI, for example, in Wide Quad High Definition (WQHD) products. The power consumption of the analog portion may be divided into power consumption of a source driver and power consumption of the other components such as voltage regulators, charge pumps, Low Temperature Polysilicon (LTPS) drivers, etc. The source driver of the DDI include a huge number of source amplifiers or output buffers, for example, 2880 output buffers in case of the WQHD products, and the power consumption of the source driver occupies 46% of the power consumption of the analog portion.

Source driver having an output buffer circuit with slew rate compensation and display device thereof


Provided is an organic light-emitting display device that can display a full color image by forming a simple structure of light-emitting layers and a method of manufacturing the same. The organic light-emitting display device includes a substrate; a first electrode layer formed on the substrate; a second electrode layer which is formed above the first electrode layer and faces the first electrode layer; and a light-emitting layer interposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein the light-emitting layer comprises first and second light-emitting layers respectively corresponding to first and second pixels having different colors from each other, and the first light-emitting layer is commonly formed in the first and second pixels, and the second light-emitting layer is formed in the second pixel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an organic light-emitting display device that can readily realize a full color image and a method of manufacturing the same using a simplified mask patterning process.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An organic light-emitting display device has a structure in which a light-emitting layer is interposed between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and realizes a full color image by forming the light-emitting layer to realize red, green, and blue color, or yellow, magenta, and cyan color for emitting white color, etc.
The light-emitting layer of an organic light-emitting display device must be patterned with pixels composed of the above colors. However, the patterning process of the light-emitting layer is very difficult since the light-emitting layer is very sensitive to moisture and oxygen.
A simple method of patterning the light-emitting layer involves depositing the light-emitting layer using masks in which a region corresponding to a pixel of a specific color is opened and regions corresponding to pixels of other colors are shielded.
However, in this method, each color needs a patterned mask. That is, many patterned masks are required corresponding to the number of colors, thereby increasing manufacturing costs.

Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same


A program processing device comprises a CPU for carrying out predetermined processing according to a program; an internal memory storing the program and data generated by the CPU by carrying out the program, and a data acquiring circuit connected to an external program processing device, for acquiring the program from the external program processing device to write into the internal memory, wherein the CPU, the internal memory, a debug processing circuit, and the data acquiring circuit are integrally mounted on the same semiconductor substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program processing device and a program processing method for preferably acquiring a program such as a firmware or the like from an external program processing device and carrying out predetermined signal processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an LSI having a CPU and a signal processing circuit both mounted on the same chip is used. For example, in an LSI having a chip having a CPU and a signal processing circuit for signal processing such as sound signal decoding, both mounted thereon, the CPU controls the operations of the signal processing circuit and other peripheral circuit (for example, an interface circuit or the like) and also carries out processing other than the processing carried out by the signal processing circuit, according to a program.
FIG. 4 shows a structure of a conventional program processing device 300. The program processing device 300 comprises a CPU 302 for carrying out predetermined processing according to a program and an internal RAM 308 for storing the data generated by the CPU 302. The program processing device 300 is connected to a program memory 318 via an input/output interface 316, the program memory 318 storing a program to be carried out by the CPU 302. The program processing device 300 additionally comprises a debug processing circuit 310 for monitoring at least one variable contained in a program and carrying out predetermined processing according to the result obtained in the monitoring, and a debug interface 312 for sending a result of the processing carried out by the debug processing circuit 310 to a personal computer 200 which contains a debug tool 210.
After initialization of the CPU 302, a program is read from the program memory 318 via an external bus 320 and the input/output interface 316, and the CPU 302 carries out predetermined signal processing according to the program. The internal RAM 308 stores intermediate data or the like generated during the execution of the program. While the program processing device 300 includes a signal processing circuit (not shown), the CPU 302 controls the operation of the signal processing circuit according to the program.
An LSI having a signal processing circuit and a CPU integrally mounted on a single chip has a problem of low efficiency in verifying (debugging) a program in a development stage as the CPU bus and a controller are intensively accommodated inside the chip. In order to address the above, the program processing device 300 comprises a debug processing circuit 310 and a debug interface 312.
In debugging, the debug processing circuit 310 carries out a process, including initialization, suspension of the ongoing execution of a program, and resuming of a program on hold, relative to the program processing device 300, based on an instruction from the debug tool 210. Also, the debug processing circuit 310 stores a variable of the program in a register (not shown) of the debug processing circuit and monitors the variable by monitoring the internal bus 322. The debug processing circuit carries out predetermined processing according to the result obtained through the monitoring. The result obtained in the processing carried out by the debug processing circuit 310 is sent via the debug interface 312 and a debug communication line 220 to a personal computer 200. The developer of a program can check the result obtained by monitoring the variable, using the personal computer 200 which contains the debug tool 210, to verify the program.
The conventional program processing device 300 obtains a program from the program memory 318 connected thereto, and carries out predetermined signal processing. However, system diversification brings about the need for signal processing according to a program obtained from other than the program memory 318, though a conventional program processing device 300 connected to a program processing device other than the program memory 318 cannot carry out signal processing according to a program obtained from the program processing device connected.

Program processing device and program processing method which is able to control writing into an internal memory

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


Disclosed are an optical interconnection network and process, having a phase-conjugate mirror and input and output side channels. In the network, time-reversed wave, of a light beam propagated through the output side channel, is generated in the phase-conjugate mirror to cause an interconnection between the input side channel and the output side channel. The energy of the time-reversed wave comes from a light beam propagated through the input side channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical interconnection networks or optical crossbar switches and processes using a purely optical means for performing the switching of a signal between an input and output. The switching involves not only that of a one-to-one connection type between any selected input and output, but also those of a one-to-multiple connection or broadcasting type and a multiple-to-one connection type.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, an electric crossbar switch has been used as an interconnection means between the input and the output of a non-closed type information network. In the electric crossbar switch, however, the number of electric switches increases in proportion to the product of the number of input and output terminals. As a result, problems such as a shortage of transmission bands, the physical complexity of the system, the large size of the system, and similar problems are more likely to occur as the scale of the system becomes larger. Hence, it was difficult to make the scale of the system large.

Optical interconnection networks and processes


A method of making a lead-acid battery includes providing continuous lengths of end separator stock, positive plate stock, intermediate separator stock and negative plate stock with optional use of end separators. The separators, positive plates and negative plates are individually severed from the continuous length of stock and sequentially formed into an assembly. The assembly is introduced into a battery cell container. A plurality of assemblies may be established prior to introduction into the battery cell container. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly zone moves relative to the cutting stations for the respective continuous lengths of stock and facilitates sequential establishment of the assembly without intermediate storage of the individual separators and elements.. The apparatus includes equipment for supplying continuous lengths of end separator stock, positive plate stock, intermediate separator stock and negative plate stock. An assembly zone is adapted to receive the individual separator end plates from which the assembly may be introduced into a battery cell container. In one embodiment, a separator and an associated positive or negative plate may be cut substantially simultaneously. In another embodiment, they are cut individually.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an improved method for the assembly of lead-acid batteries and an apparatus related thereto. More specifically, the invention relates to a flexible, high speed method for the manufacture of lead-acid batteries in a wide variety of sizes and configurations from continuous lengths of battery plate stock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional lead-acid storage batteries generally consist of a plurality of alternating flat pasted positive plates and flat pasted negative plates which are electrically insulated from one another by a porous separator material. The cell assembly so constituted is placed into a suitable container in which the positive and negative plates are brought into contact with a sulfuric acid electrolyte. In batteries containing free electrolyte, the cell assembly is generally fully immersed in the sulfuric acid. In batteries containing no free electrolyte, the sulfuric acid is fully absorbed in the plates and separator material.
The manufacture of storage batteries of the type described hereinabove, generally involves alternately stacking cured pasted positive plates and cured pasted negative plates to form a cell assembly in which each positive plate is separated from each negative plate by a porous separator material. The cell components are aligned such that all of the positive current collecting lugs are aligned with one another. All of the negative current collecting lugs are aligned with one another in a zone significantly separated from the plane of the aligned positive lugs. The porous separator material overlaps the plates on four sides to provide effective electrical insulation. The positive lugs are electrically connected to one another and the negative lugs are electrically connected to one another by means of separate electrically conductive plate straps. The completed cell assembly is placed in a battery container. If the battery contains more than one cell, intercell electrical connections are then made and the battery container and cover are sealed together. The sulfuric acid electrolyte is next added to the battery and the plates are electrochemically formed. Following electrochemical formation, the acid used for formation may be removed from the battery and replaced with sufuric acid of a different specific gravity. The battery is then washed and dried, vent caps are installed, and the final production steps are completed.
An alternative method of manufacture involves the use of individual positive and negative plates that have been electrochemically formed, washed and dried prior to cell assembly. This method eliminates the need to electrochemically form the plates in the battery container, thereby increasing the speed and minimizing the cost of final assembly. These cost savings are generally offset, however, by the added cost of additional handling of the very large number of individual plates involved prior to the cell assembly operation.
Generally, pasted battery plates are cured and, if electrochemically formed prior to assembly, formed as "doubles", i.e., two attached plates which must be separated prior to the cell assembly step. One method of separating paired battery plates which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,257, involves a rotary cutting blade which separates a stack of paired plates into two stacks of individual plates of the same polarity which represent the starting material for commonly used cell assembly processes, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,784,380, 4,720,227, 4,728,093, 4,534,549, 4,168,772, and 3,982,624. All of these methods and related apparatus utilize feedstock consisting of stacks of singular negative plates, stacks of singular porous separator pieces, and stacks of singular positive plates which are automatically combined on a conveyor to progressively form cell assemblies containing the desired number of positive plates, negative plates, and separator pieces which normally overlap the positive and negative plates on four sides. The battery cell assemblies so produced must be removed from the conveyor and the positive and negative plate lugs aligned in a separate operation prior to the subsequent production steps of forming the positive and negative plate straps and inserting the completed cell assembly into the battery container.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,479,300, 4,510,682, and 4,583,286 describe alternative methods and apparatus for the production of a lead-acid battery cell assembly which involve building a cell assembly from a plurality of positive plates obtained from a source of individual positive plates, a plurality of negative plates obtained from a source of individual negative plates, and a continuous length of porous separator material containing accordion-type folds. In this construction, the positive and negative plates are located within accordion folds and are on opposite sides of the separator from one another. The cell assemblies so produced are subjected to additional production steps in which the positive plate lugs and negative plate lugs are properly aligned, the cell assembly is taped together to hold the alignment during the subsequent and separate production steps of forming the plate strap and inserting the taped cell assembly into the battery container.
Another known method for the production of lead-acid battery cell assemblies from stacks of singular positive plates, stacks of singular negative plates, and a continuous length of porous separator material involves properly locating a positive plate on top of a piece of separator material cut from said continuous length such that the length of the cut piece is at least twice the height of said positive plate, folding the separator material over the bottom of said positive plate and sealing it on both sides to form a 3-sided envelope, properly positioning said negative plate relative to the envelope containing the positive plate, and repeating these steps until the cell assembly contains the desired number of positive and negative plates. A rotary apparatus utilized in this production method, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,834, removes the aforesaid battery plates from the stacks of individual plates of singular polarity and positions the plates relative to the separator and each other.
Cell assemblies produced in accordance with the above method and apparatus must be physically removed from the apparatus and subjected to separate production steps in which the positive and negative plate lugs are aligned, the plate straps are formed, and the cell assembly is inserted into the battery container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,307 describes a method and apparatus for automatically transporting and aligning said cell assemblies prior to subjecting them to a means for forming the positive and negative plate straps.
All of the hereinbefore described methods and apparatus involve extensive and costly handling of paired and singular plates prior to cell assembly and each requires additional production steps to align the plate lugs and insert the cell assembly into the battery container. Further, each requires a significant expenditure in dust control equipment in order to comply with mandated lead-in-air standards when as-cured plates are being handled.
A method and apparatus for the production of lead-acid battery cell assemblies from continuous lengths of cured battery plate stock and continuous lengths of separator material, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,482. In this method, the required lengths of a plurality of cell components: e.g. a length of cured positive plate stock, a length of porous separator material, a length of cured negative plate stock, and a second length of porous separator material, all of which represent only a portion of the total number of cell components in the completed cell assembly, are indexed into a cutting chamber and simultaneously cut to length by a single cutting mechanism. The subassembly so produced is next transported to a stationary accumulation chamber where it is stored to await the cutting and transport of the remaining portions of said cell assembly. The process is then repeated until all of said portions are in the stationary accumulator chamber after which the components are moved as a unit into an alignment chamber in which the positive and negative plate lugs are aligned and the desired degree of separator overlap relative to each plate is achieved. The final cell assembly also contains two rigid end-plates, each containing outwardly projecting "wings", which are taped tightly circumferentially in a separate step and which, together with the plate and separator assembly, make up a rigid self-contained unitized cell module which can be easily handled during subsequent manufacturing steps which include insertion of the cell assembly into the battery container, formation of the positive and negative plate straps, formation of intercell connectors, sealing of the top cover to the cell container, addition of electrolyte, and electrochemical formation of the plates in the container. Upon completion of formation, the battery is washed and dried and final assembly is completed.
Although the above method eliminates the heretofore described economic and ecological problems inherent in the cutting and handling of singular and paired battery plates, it still requires that a plurality of cell sub-assemblies be fabricated and transported to, and accumulated in, a stationary chamber; the final cell assembly be realigned after all sub-assemblies have been accumulated; separate rigid winged end-plates provide cell compression and hold the cell firmly in the container, and that the cell assembly be rigidized by taping in order to facilitate handling during transport to, and insertion of the completed cell assembly into, the battery container. Further, the need to electrochemically form the cured plates in the battery container prior to final assembly interrupts the smooth flow of the subsequent assembly steps and increases the cost of manufacture.
None of these prior art cell assembly methods are adapted to achieving the required alignment of the cell components during the cell assembly operation, building a cell stack and inserting the stack into the battery container in a single continuous operation, and continuous "downstream" assembly operations that are uninterrupted by the need to electrochemically form the plates after insertion of the cell assembly into the battery container. There remains, therefore, a need for a practical method of properly aligning the positive and negative plate lugs during the cell assembly process, placing the completed cell stack directly into the battery container as the last step in the cell assembly process, and eliminating the need to electrochemically form the plates in the battery container. A process incorporating these improvements would substantially reduce the cost of producing lead-acid batteries and greatly improve worker safety.

Method for the assembly of lead-acid batteries and associated apparatus


An image processing apparatus includes a display control unit configured to cause a display device to display a map image that indicates a layout of a plurality of cameras, an identification unit configured to identify one or a plurality of cameras that can capture an image of a designated region designated on the map image and can perform predetermined detection processing on the captured image, a processing unit configured to perform a display control for distinguishably indicating the one or plurality of cameras identified by the identification unit, among the plurality of cameras included in the map image, and a setting unit configured to make settings for causing at least one camera selected from the one or plurality of cameras identified by the identification unit to perform the predetermined detection processing.

Field
The present description relates to a display control apparatus capable of displaying a map of a predetermined area.
Description of the Related Art
Capabilities of recent cameras are not limited to acquisition of videos and recording of video data. For example, there is a conventional camera capable of detecting and tracking a moving object based on image analysis and recognition techniques. Further, it is conventionally known to display a map indicating a layout of cameras.
As discussed in Japanese Patent No. 05238880, not only displaying a view field range of each camera on a map but also displaying a character string associated with the camera opposite the view field range is conventionally known.
However, there is a case where performing settings relating to the detection processing for a detection apparatus based on an operation applied to the map becomes difficult.
For example, if positional information on a map is not associated with positional information about an imaging region of a camera that is functionally operable as the detection apparatus, it is unable to set a detection processing range of the camera according to an operation performed on the map. Further, if detection processing currently performed by a camera displayed on the map cannot be identified, it is difficult to determine a camera to be used for new detection processing.

Display control apparatus and display control method


Compositions may include a tactile polymer composition prepared from a mixture of polyolefin and a rubber component, wherein the mixture is prepared in a post-reactor process, and wherein the tactile polymer composition has a complex viscosity at 0.10 rad/s according to ASTM D4440 in the range of 1,000 to 40,000 Pa·s. Methods may include preparing a tactile polymer composition by combining a mixture of polyolefin and a rubber component at elevated temperature to produce a blended polymer composition; wherein the tactile polymer composition has a complex viscosity at 0.10 rad/s according to ASTM D4440 in the range of 1,000 to 40,000 Pa·s.

Polyolefin copolymers are a manufacturing feedstock that may be used to produce a a varied range of articles, including films, molded products, foams, and the like. In general, polyolefins are widely used plastics worldwide, given their versatility in a wide range of applications. While polyolefins may have characteristics such as high processability, low production cost, flexibility, low density and recycling possibility, physical and chemical properties such as rigidity, poor texture, and lackluster visual qualities of the material may not be ideal for point of sale applications, and uses where enhanced sensorial properties are desired.

Polyolefin compositions with improved soft touch properties


A process of producing a polyimide gas separation membranes comprising adding an oligomeric or polymeric aromatic epoxy resin to the dope solution, the resin being soluble in the polyimide or polyamic acid precursor, the solvent and the final membrane and the membrane comprising a blend of the polyimide and the resin.

It is well known that an aromatic polyimide dense film or asymmetric membrane has utility in separating gases. Such polyimide membranes have an imide linkage in the polymer backbone. They are taught in U.S. Patent Re. 30,351, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,540; U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,394 and co-pending application Ser. No. 07/418,838, which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose preferred polyimide membranes.
The polyimide membranes can be produced by casting films or extruding hollow fibers from dope solution of aromatic polyimide or corresponding polyamic acid precursors in a solvent mixture and evaporating the solvent (or, in the case of the asymmetric membrane, evaporating a portion of the solvent from one side of the film or the hollow fiber and quenching with a nonsolvent). Such processes are taught in the above references as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,370,290; 4,474,662; 4,485,056; and 4,528,004, which are incorporated by reference. In the case of the polyamic acid, cyclizing by a suitable treatment such as the application of heat is needed.
The preferred asymmetric membrane is characterized by a thin skin of polymer supported by a generally cellular structure. The thin skin is preferred since it allows high flux or permeation of gases. Forming a highly permeable membrane also leads to formation of submicroscopic holes which pass gases indiscriminately causing the membrane to have an effective separation value for most pairs of gases which is less than the intrinsic separation value of the polymer from which the membrane is made. Posttreating is typically used to heal the holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,290 discloses an aromatic polyimide porous fiber produced from a spin dope solution of a polymer material consisting of at least one polyimide in a solvent comprising, as a main component, at least one phenolic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,662 discloses an aromatic polyimide porous membrane produced by drying a thin layer of dope solution containing an aromatic polyamic acid in a mixed solvent of polar organic compounds which evaporate at different rates and in which the polyamic acid is soluble to different extents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,056 discloses an aromatic polyimide membrane produced by forming a thin film of a dope solution containing aromatic polyamic acid in a polar organic solvent, coagulating the thin dope solution film in a coagulating liquid containing water and lower aliphatic alcohols, drying the coagulated membrane and heating it to convert it to an aromatic polyimide membrane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,004 discloses an aromatic polyimide porous membrane substrate with at least one surface coated from a dilute solution of aromatic polyimide or polyamic acid dissolved in one or more organic liquids. Prior to applying the dope solution, the porous membrane may be immersed in a treating liquid of at least one member selected from lower aliphatic alcohols, lower aliphatic ketones, benzene-type liquid compounds.
Co-pending patent application Ser. No. 07/418,838 discloses aromatic polyimide membranes compositionally containing phenylindane functions.
It would be desirable, particularly in the case of asymmetric membranes, if processing improvements could be made and if a membrane with fewer defects could be made prior to posttreatment.

Production of aromatic polyimide membranes


The present invention provides a method for screening a cytostatic agent characterized by determining an effect of inhibiting intracellular signaling mediated by a remaining fragment of a cell membrane-anchored growth factor, and the cytostatic agent. In growth factors of the EGF family, the physiological significance of the remaining fragment is clarified, and a method for controlling its action is searched, and thus a novel pharmaceutical can be provided.

A large number of cell membrane-anchored growth factors that are synthesized in vivo as a cell membrane-anchored precursor, become soluble in response to cleavage by a processing enzyme (shedding) and express their actions are known.
For example, a heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), amphiregulin, epiregulin, transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) and the like are members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family, and it has been clarified that all of the growth factors that belong to the EGF family are biosynthesized as a cell membrane-anchored precursor and become soluble in response to processing. It is known that in general, the solubilized growth factor is then bound to a receptor of the ErbB receptor family in an activated form so as to express the action of a growth factor.
It is known that similarly to these growth factors of the EGF family, tumor necrosis factors (TNF-α) express a large number of physiological actions in an activated form after the cell membrane-anchored precursor has been subjected to processing by proteases.
However, in any case, the role of a fragment that is left in the cell surface (hereinafter, referred to as "remaining fragment") after the activated form is released by processing has not been known.
On the other hand, the mechanism in which a membrane-anchored receptor releases a signal transducer (second messenger) in response to extracellular stimulations and transduces external signals to a cell is well known. In recent years, a signaling mechanism (regulated intramembrane proteolysis; RIP) has been presented and gained much attention, in which processing of an extracellular domain of a membrane-anchored protein causes a remaining fragment to be translocated into the nucleus, after being subjected to further processing in some cases, and to regulate the transcription of a gene (M. S. Brown et al., Cell, 100, 391-396(2000)).
However, in this as well, only the fact of signaling into the nucleus has been identified, but the meaning of the signal, and the physiological significance such as the subsequent phenomenon caused by the transduced signals have not been clarified yet.
Furthermore, at least regarding HB-EGF, the behavior itself of the remaining fragment after processing has not been known at all
Cell, 100, 391-396 (2000) (M. S. Brown et al.)

Method of screening cell growth inhibitor and cell growth inhibitor


A gas storage and production system decreases production of formation sand and permits high gas flow rates in storing and producing operations. In a described embodiment, different flowpaths are used for injecting and withdrawing gas from a subterranean formation. In another embodiment, a gravel pack is confined to a set volume, so that it is not expanded when gas flows at a relatively high rate therethrough.

The present invention relates generally to gas storage in subterranean formations and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a gas storage and production system.
Natural gas stored underground is typically stored in leached out salt dome caverns or in depleted hydrocarbon-bearing formations. Where depleted formations are utilized, the formations are generally unconsolidated or poorly consolidated sandstones, which makes it possible to flow gas into and out of pores of the formations at high flow rates.
To prevent production of formation sand when gas is withdrawn from the formations, gravel packing is typically used. In a gravel packing operation, gravel (e.g., sand, ceramic or bauxite proppant, etc.) is placed in an annulus between a sand screen and a wellbore intersecting a formation. The gravel provides structure against which the formation sand bridges off, thereby preventing migration of the formation sand through the gravel, while permitting gas to flow therethrough.
In a common method of injecting gas into, and withdrawing gas from, a storage formation, a single tubing string is used for both the injecting and withdrawing operations. That is, the same tubing string is used to store the gas in the formation as is used to produce the stored gas from the formation. Thus, gas is alternately flowed from the surface through the tubing string into the formation, and from the formation through the tubing string to the surface.
Unfortunately, several problems are associated with this method. One problem is that only a single wellbore is available for both storage and production operations. Another problem is that when operations shift between storage and production, a flow reversal is experienced at the gravel pack in the wellbore. This flow reversal disturbs the gravel and the formation sand bridges therein, thereby escalating the migration of formation sand through the gravel.
Yet another problem with gravel packs in gas storage wells has to do with the high flow rates generally used in these wells. Typical gravel packs have an open upper end, and so the gravel is not fully contained. High gas flow rates through these gravel packs cause the gravel to move about, xe2x80x9cfluffingxe2x80x9d the gravel so that it has more open space between its grains. This makes it easier for formation sand to migrate through the spaces between the grains of gravel.
When formation sand migrates through a gravel pack, it enters the production flowpath and erodes equipment, plugs passages and must be separated from the produced gas. Each of these undermines the profitability of the operation. Therefore, it may be seen that it would be highly advantageous to provide a gas storage and production system which addresses some or all of the above problems.
In carrying out the principles of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment thereof, a gas storage and production system is provided which enhances the profitability of subterranean gas storage by preventing or at least substantially decreasing migration of formation sand through a gravel pack.
In one aspect of the invention, a gas storage and production system is provided. The system includes a gas storage formation, a production and storage wellbores and a junction between the storage and production wellbores. The system is of the type wherein gas is stored within pores of formation rock, such as in a depleted hydrocarbon-bearing formation.
The production wellbore extends into the formation for withdrawing gas from the formation. The storage wellbore also extends into the same formation for injecting gas into the formation. In this manner, it is not necessary for a single wellbore to be used for both injecting and producing the gas.
In another aspect of the invention, a gas storage and production system is provided wherein production and storage wellbores extend from a wellbore junction at a main wellbore. The main wellbore extends from the earth""s surface to the wellbore junction. The storage and production wellbores each extend from the wellbore junction into a gas storage formation. Gas is injected from the main wellbore into the formation via the storage wellbore, and gas is withdrawn from the formation into the main wellbore via the production wellbore.
In yet another aspect of the invention, various means may be utilized for delivering gas to the storage wellbore for injection into the formation, and for delivering gas from the production wellbore to the earth""s surface. For example, a single tubular string may be used to deliver the gas to the storage wellbore, and the gas may be received from the production wellbore into an annulus between the tubular string and the main wellbore for flowing to the earth""s surface. As another example, a single tubular string may be used for alternately delivering gas to the storage wellbore and receiving gas from the production wellbore. As yet another example, separate tubular strings may be used for delivering gas to the storage wellbore and receiving gas from the production wellbore.
Also provided is a method of gravel packing a wellbore, which is particularly useful in high flow rate gas production of the type typically experienced in gas storage and production systems. The method includes the steps of positioning a sand control device in the wellbore, placing gravel in an annulus formed between the sand control device and the wellbore, and flowing a retainer material into the annulus. The retainer material prevents displacement of the gravel in the annulus.
These and other features, advantages, benefits and objects of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the detailed description of representative embodiments of the invention hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings.

Method of gravel packing for a gas storage and production system


A system and method for enabling computer users to design and simulate a fireworks show is disclosed. A particular embodiment includes storing firework data in a database, the firework data including firework specification data including parameters corresponding to attributes of a particular firework; using a processor to automatically construct in a user interface a visual firework simulation from the firework data, the visual firework simulation including visual elements that are also part of the user interface, the visual firework simulation depicting a sky field representing a location of a fireworks show and the spatial location of visual elements therein, the visual elements including fireworks, launch positions, and trajectories being simulated by the visual firework using the user interface to directly manipulate the visual elements of the visual firework simulation, including dragging the visual elements in the sky field of the visual firework simulation: using the processor to automatically adjust the firework data according to the user's direct manipulation of the visual elements; and using the processor to automatically update the visual firework simulation and the visual elements in real time in response to the user's direct manipulation of the visual elements and the adjustment of the firework data.

Fireworks shows have become very popular at holiday events, entertainment venues, or other outdoor gatherings. These fireworks shows involve the launching of a sequence of fireworks in various patterns, angles, heights, and timings to produce an optimal visual experience for an audience. Sometimes, the fireworks show is synchronized to a sound track. In some cases, manual launch boards are used to launch and detonate a series of fireworks in a desired sequence at a desired pace. In more sophisticated systems, computerized launching systems are used to enable computer control of the launch sequence. In either case, it is beneficial to be able to generate and simulate a fireworks show in a software system prior to the launch of any actual fireworks. The software fireworks simulator allows a designer to choreograph a fireworks show in various ways. However, currently available fireworks show simulators are difficult to operate because the user interface and editing operations are decoupled from the visual simulation.

System and method for designing and simulating a fireworks show


A determining apparatus performs emulation of an attack code included in an attack request that is addressed to a web application (web server), based on the attack type of the attack code, and extracts a feature that appears in a response issued by the web application when the emulation results in a successful attack. The determining apparatus determines that the attack has succeeded if the feature is included in a response from the web application, and determines that the attack has failed if the feature is not included.

While web applications are used in many services, web applications are characterized in their risks to exposure to attacks, because web applications permit accesses of a large number of public users. An attack can be detected using devices such as a web application firewall (WAF) and a network-based intrusion detection system (NIDS), while a large number of alerts need to be investigated and verified manually to determine whether the attack has succeeded. A possible solution to this issue is to use technologies such as a host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS), a stateful IDS (see Non Patent Literatures 1 to 3), a correlation analysis with vulnerability information (see Non Patent Literature 4), and an attack code emulation (see Non Patent Literature 5) in determining the success of an attack.

Determining apparatus, determining method, and determining program

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A cover device which is removably fitted over an endoscope to cover an insert part of the endoscope and a control part connected to the proximal end of the insert part. The cover device includes a tubular sheath for covering the insert part so as to isolate it form the outside, and a control part cover for wrapping the control part. The control part cover is separate from the sheath and spreadably provided in contiguity with the proximal end of the sheath. In addition, a fluid supply tube is disposed such that one end portion of the tube extends through the sheath to communicate with the distal end of the sheath. The other end portion of the tube extends from the proximal end of the sheath along the outside of the control part cover.

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent applications No. 3-187112 (filed on Apr. 24, 1991) and No. 3-228165 (filed on May 31, 1991), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover device used for an endoscope to prevent the endoscope from coming into direct contact with the patient's body during inspection of a hollow organ of the body.
It is necessary to prevent the contagion of bacteria and viruses from one patient to another, or from a patient to a doctor through an endoscope. It has recently been proposed to fit a cover device over an endoscope so as to prevent the patient and the doctor from direct contact with the endoscope during endoscopic inspection (endoscopy), and to replace the cover device with a new one for each endoscopy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a cover device for an endoscope needs a sheath for covering the insert part of the endoscope and a cover for wrapping the control part of the endoscope. In a conventional cover device, a cylindrical cover for the control part is secured to the proximal end of the sheath, so that the cover device has an integral structure as a whole.
To remove such a conventional cover device from the endoscope, after the completion of an endoscopy, the sheath and the control part cover cannot be removed separately. Accordingly, it has been conventional practice to first remove the control part cover from the control part and turn it over toward the sheath, and then pull the sheath off the insert part of the endoscope, together with the control part cover that is turned thereover.
However, it is not easy to smoothly turn over the control part cover fitted over the control part of the endoscope, so that filth, such as mucus or blood, which is attached to the outer surface of the control part cover, may be scattered contaminating the surroundings during the operation of turning over the cover.
When pulled off the insert part of the endoscope, the sheath is accompanied by the control part cover, which is relatively large in size and unstable in form. Therefore, the insert part of the endoscope and the surroundings may be contaminated during the removal of the sheath.
In addition, an endoscopy, that is conducted with the cover device fitted over the endoscope, also needs to spurt air and water from the distal end portion of the endoscope, and to eliminate mucus and blood from a hollow organ of the patient's body by suction in the same way as in the case of the ordinary endoscopy. Accordingly, tubes for air and water supply and suction are needed.
Hitherto, such tubes are passed through the sheath and the control part cover. The channels of the tubes are opened and closed by control valves provided in the control part.
To remove such a cover device from the endoscope after the completion of an endoscopy, the tubes are disconnected from the control part after the control part cover has been removed from the control part.
In consequence, the tubes must be disconnected from the control part with the contaminated hands (gloves) that have touched the control part cover contaminated during the use. Thus, the contaminated hands must touch the control part during the disconnection of the tubes, resulting in contamination of the control part.


An analog-to-digital converter apparatus for analog source signals of one polarity, includes one comparator formed from transistors, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set a reference voltage of the comparator, an asynchronous n-bit digital counter, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set the potential to be applied to the signal source, a digital control unit, a block storing the calibration data for an input capacitor of the comparator, and a base-2 multiplier block, being interconnected by lines, including a line connecting the input analog signal to the drain of a pass transistor, a line connecting the block of voltage sources to be connected to the signal source, a line connecting the digital control unit to transistor gates, and a line carrying the signal Vref from the block of digitally addressed voltage sources to the comparator.

Co-pending application Ser. No. 11/418,119 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,423 describes a new implementation of the methodology introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 7,068,206, resulting in more compact circuitry, capable of operating in multiple modes. The versatility of the new implementation of the ADC was applied to CMOS image sensors comprising a matrix with avalanche pixels, resulting in novel capabilities for image sensing and formation.
The present invention describes new variations for the implementation of the ADC, and associated devices for its application as column-parallel A-to-D circuitry of image sensors, that was introduced in co-pending application Ser. No. 11/418,119 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,423. The present invention introduces additional configurations for column-parallel circuitry, matrix controller, peripheral circuitry, and overall system architecture of CMOS image sensors, resulting in novel capabilities for image sensing and formation, as well as power generation from operating the image sensors as pixelated solar cells. In addition, new configurations of the ADC circuitry are also suitable for direct RF digitization.

Multi-mode ADC and its application to CMOS image sensors