The present invention relates to Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) fusion proteins (GPVI-fusion proteins) comprising a tag like myc, GST, HA, FLAG, STREP but preferably a Immunoglobulin molecule (Ig), more preferably a Fc portion of said Ig and a protein or oligopeptide having the biological activity of GPVI (GPVI-like protein) which is binding to collagen and their use in methods and kits for the screening of potential agonists or antagonists for GPVI-colagen and/or platelet-collagen interaction is disclosed. Further, pharmaaceutical compositions and therapeutic methods are provided comprising such GPVI-fusion proteins for the treatment of thrombotic and cardiovascular events and disorders related to GPVI-collagen and/or platelet-collagen interactions.

The adhesion and activation of resting, circulating platelets at a site of vascular injury is the first step in a process leading to the formation of a thrombus, which is converted into a hemostatic plug. Collagen is one of the major components of the vessel wall responsible for platelet activation. Many types of collagen exist, and seven of these are found in the subendothelial layers. Several different receptors for collagen have been identified on platelets including CD36 (Matsuno, et al., Br. J. Haematol. 92, 960-967, 1996) and a p65 collagen type I specific receptor (Chiang et al., J. Clin. Invest. 100, 514-521, 1997), but the major ones are now considered to be integrin α2β1 and the nonintegrin GPVI. It was determined about 20 years ago that GPVI is a major platelet glycoprotein with a molecular mass in the 60-65-kDa range and an acid pl (Clemetson et al., J. Clin. Invest. 70, 304-311, 1982) which forms a complex together with the Fcγ common subunit. The GPVI subunit contains the collagen binding site and the Fcγ subunit is responsible for signalling. The complex forms one of the major collagen receptors on the platelet surface, critical for platelet activation in response to collagen. Its role as a putative collagen receptor was established following the identification of a patient in Japan with a mild bleeding disorder whose platelets had a specific defect in response to collagen and lacked this receptor (Moroi et al., J. Clin. Invest. 84, 1440-1445, 1989). This patient had also developed autoantibodies to the deficient receptor, and these were used to characterize the molecule further (Sugiyama et al., Blood 69, 1712-1720, 1987). It was also demonstrated that the recognition sequence on collagen for GPVI is a repeated Gly-Pro-Hyp (Hyp=hydroxyproline) triplet within the collagen triple helical structure and that synthetic peptides based on this structure could be used as specific GPVI-directed agonists (Mortonet al., Thromb. Res. 72, 367-372, 1993). The GPVI/FCγ complex was shown to signal to the platelet interior by an immune receptor-like mechanism, involving activation of p72syk and leading by a cascade of kinase/phosphatase/adaptor protein interactions to activation of PLCγ2 and hence to release of granules and platelet aggregation.
Thus, it is clear from the prior art that GPVI-like proteins are very interesting compounds either as tool for the screening of potential agonists or antagonists of the GPVI-collagen interaction or as active principle.
In WO 00/68377 DNA coding for GPVI or biologically fragments thereof, recombinant human GPVI and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are disclosed. Further, the application describes the use of recombinant GPVI as a screening tool for detecting specific inhibitors or activators of platelet-collagen interactions. However, because of its transmembrane domain the recombinant protein is not secreted in the extracellular medium and so it is difficult to purify. Therefore the whole cells expressing this protein have to be used in a screening assay. Further, in view of GPVI as active agent, it is known that recombinant proteins often have a reduced circulating half-life, which leads to a need of frequent application of the drug and therefore results in high costs for the therapy.
Therefore, it was the goal of the present invention to provide molecules with the biological activity of GPVI having the following improved properties: high expression level in the host cell, secretion into the extracellular medium and easy purification, enhanced circulating half-life and, with respect to the use as screening tool, easy detectability by commercially available antibodies.


Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for lining a wellbore. In certain aspects, the systems and methods comprise providing a fluid composition that is solidifiable or gellable on exposure to actinic radiation of a predetermined wavelength at the wall of open-hole wellbore and providing actinic radiation at the predetermined wavelength to solidify or gel the composition. The predetermined wavelength lies in a range from 100 nm to 1500 nm.

As a general method of forming a wellbore, e.g. for extraction of oil or gas from a formation, a drilling operation typically involves mounting a drill bit on a drilling assembly (the "bottom hole assembly") at the lower end of a drill string and rotating the drill bit against the bottom of a hole to penetrate the formation, thereby creating a wellbore.
A drilling fluid, such as a "drilling mud", typically circulates down through the drill string, passes via the drill bit, and returns back to the surface, usually in the annular portion between the drill string and the wall of the wellbore. The drilling fluid serves a number of purposes, including lubricating the drill bit and cooling the drilling assembly. However, the drilling fluid can also be suitably pressurized to provide sufficient hydrostatic pressure at the wellbore wall to prevent the flow of fluids into the wellbore from the surrounding formation.
Such relatively high pressure can produce undesirable mechanical forces on the formation, which may lead to wellbore damage. In particular, as the wellbore deepens the hydrostatic pressure at the lower end of the wellbore can be significantly higher than the pressure near the entrance aperture of the wellbore.
Accordingly, in the past, it has been necessary periodically to halt the drilling operation and to provide a casing within the wellbore to provide structural support, the casing typically being cemented in place to the wall of the wellbore. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,760,882, 4,547,298 and 4,768,593 describe such a process in more detail.
In particular, in the method disclosed in these patents a cement mixture is located in the annular region between the casing and the wall of the wellbore and is set (solidified) in situ by exposure to gamma-radiation produced by e.g. a Co-60 source lowered down the encased wellbore on a probe.
However, to be able to drill a deep wellbore or a wellbore in a relatively unstable formation (e.g. a shale or clay formation), the drilling operation must be halted repeatedly to allow the wellbore to be so encased. This has disadvantages in that it delays the extraction of valuable oil and/or gas from the well and consequently has a negative economic impact.
GB Patent No. 2 363810 recognizes this disadvantage and discloses a method of lining a wellbore during the drilling operation. The method allows a material to form a layer supported by a wall of the wellbore, where the material is selected so that the shear modulus of the layer is smaller than the shear modulus of the formation forming the wall of the wellbore. When the wellbore is sufficiently deep, a casing can be cemented in place in the wellbore in the usual way.
GB Patent No. 2420572 discloses a process of forming a layer on the wall of a wellbore when drilling through a shale and/or clay formation. The interaction of water with a shale and/or clay wellbore wall can cause the shale and/or clay to swell, thereby contracting the wellbore and possibly leading to softening and disintegration of the wall of the wellbore. The lining disclosed in GB Patent No. 2420572 is intended to prevent absorption of water into the shale and/or clay, rather than to provide the wellbore wall with mechanical support.
The process of GB2420572 includes the steps of bringing a drilling fluid which includes a graft polymer into contact with the clay or shale wall of the wellbore and letting the graft polymer form a layer on the wall. The graft polymer is a copolymer, formed by the reaction of an oligomeric or polymeric substrate with at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The reaction to form the graft polymer, e.g. performed in a reaction chamber, is conducted in the presence of a type II photo initiator and by the action of actinic radiation. The resulting graft polymer being suitable for adding to a drilling mud for use as described above.
However, the use of such a process has its disadvantages. The extent of mechanical support offered by a layer of graft polymer is likely to be small. The graft polymer is relatively indiscriminate, and it is therefore likely to be difficult to control accurately the thickness or location of the layer which it forms on the wall of the wellbore.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A label for a skein of yarn includes a main portion of generally quadrilateral shape for encircling the skein. A projection is integrally formed with the main portion and extends outwardly from a side of the main portion and is bent to pass through the ends of a loop of yarn formed inwardly of one end of the skein thereby keeping the loop opened. An enlarged tab is integrally formed at an outward end of the projection and is turned downward against the main portion to secure the tab in position through the ends of the loop so that the label resists slipping along the length of the skein.

The present invention relates to a label intended for an assembly of yarns folded over themselves in several turns (hereafter, called a xe2x80x9cskeinxe2x80x9d) and allowing the said yarns to be neatly separated by creating a loop made in the skein (small hank).
According to another aspect of the invention, it relates to a device for supporting the skein provided with this label, saving time and allowing the user to handle it more easily.
Wool yarns, silk yarns, cotton yarns, etc. are generally presented either in the form of a skein held in position by means of two labels going around the latter in its upper and lower parts, or in the form of reels or balls. Presentation in the form of skeins allows the product to be easily handled and transported.
When using this product, the consumer is required either to remove the labels from the skein before winding it up on a support of the type comprising a piece of cardboard or the like, before being able to start to work, or to pull the necessary yarn while ensuring that the coils as they are do not drop. It will be easily understood that the latter step is irksome.
Moreover, after the labels have been removed from the skein, the yarns which are no longer held in place by the latter tend to entangle, which does not facilitate the user""s task.
Finally, once the yarn has been wound onto its work support, it is necessary to copy down the color number of the yarn, which number is generally written on one of the labels for holding the skein in place, without which, when the shades of color are highly varied, the user can no longer identify the colors that he has to use.
The present invention therefore aims to alleviate such drawbacks by providing a label with a tab for holding the skein in place, which allows neat separation of the yarns by creating in a definitive manner a loop made in the skein.
For this purpose, the label intended to go around a skein of yarns or the like according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a projecting part extended by a tab which can be folded down inside a loop of the said skein so as to neatly separate the said yarns by creating the said loop in a permanent way, and to limit any relative slip of the label with respect to the said skein.


In toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, at least an organic charge-controlling agent having a BET specific surface area of 15 to 80 m.sup.2 /g and inorganic fine particles having a BET specific surface area of 10 to 150 m.sup.2 /g are fixed and/or film-formed on the surface of core particles mainly composed of thermoplastic resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to toner used for developing an electrostatic latent image in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and more particularly, to toner in which fine particles for surface treatment such as a charge-controlling agent are fixed and/or film-formed on the surface of core particles mainly composed of thermoplastic resin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a variety of types of toner have been conventionally used in developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member.
In recent years, it has been desired to enhance the image quality of an image formed by the above-mentioned image forming apparatus. Correspondingly, it has been positively considered that toner having a small particle diameter is used.
When the toner having a small particle diameter is thus produced, it is difficult to uniformly disperse additives such as a charge-controlling agent in its toner particles, so that the additives are contained in the toner particles in an unevenly dispersed state. As a result, the chargeability or the like of the toner becomes unstable. When an image is formed using the toner, the following problems arise. For example, the image formed is fogged, and the toner is scattered from a developing device to contaminate the inside of the image forming apparatus by the toner.
In recent years, therefore, toner has been produced by fixing or film-forming fine particles for surface treatment such as a colorant or a charge-controlling agent on the surface of core particles by mechanical energy or heat energy mainly comprising an impact force.
However, a kind of charge-controlling agent is not fastened to the surface of the core particles in a uniformly dispersed state, so that the charge-controlling agent may adhere to the surface of the core particles in an unevenly dispersed state, and the charge-controlling agent may be separated from the surface of the core particles to gregate.
As a result, the toner produced in the above described manner varies in composition and characteristics. Particularly, the toner greatly varies in charge controllability, so that the chargeability or the like of the toner is still unstable. When an image is formed using the toner, the following problems still exist. For example, the image formed is fogged to lower the image quality thereof, and the toner is scattered to contaminate the inside of the image forming apparatus by the toner.

Toner for developing electrostatic latent image


A software development practices expert system and method is described. The expert system utilizes control systems engineering designs, as well as dynamic systems models to inform and guide the selection, assembly, composition, publishing and presentation, enactment, assessment, learning and analysis, refactoring, improvement and simulation of software development practices into approaches or methods to software development. The expert system collects software endeavor result data to correlate efficacy of software development practice usage, and to recalibrate dynamic systems models and control systems engineering design parameters. Such designs and models configure and improve an inference-based rule engine to provide advice to users contained within a rule repository and knowledge base.

The development of software applications has historically yielded poor results related to customer's expectations for cost, time-to-market or quality of the delivered product. To improve perceived and actual success rates related to software development, it would be advantageous to employ software development method/approach analysis and construction strategies which address the fundamental complexity of selecting and deploying the optimal software development practice(s) and associated knowledge base at the correct time during a software development endeavor. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to automate the knowledge of how to make such a software development practice selection or set of selections using an expert system made widely available across the interne or similar computer network to dramatically lower the cost of software development project/endeavor improvement industry-wide.
A knowledge base contains encoded knowledge. In a rule-based expert system, the knowledge base typically incorporates definitions of facts and rules along with control information. An inference engine (sometimes referred to as a rule interpreter or rule engine) provides a reasoning mechanism in an expert system. In a rule based expert system, the inference engine typically implements forward chaining and backward chaining strategies. Forward chaining is a process of applying a set of previously determined rules to the facts in a knowledge base to see if any of them fire and thereby generate new facts. In essence, all derivable knowledge is derived in forward chaining. Backward chaining is goal-driven and used to process some queries against the knowledge base. A query is considered a goal and the knowledge base is searched for facts supporting that goal. Inference engines designed for expert systems are increasingly used in business automation.
A software development approach, also synonymous in industry with "method", can be specified, described and documented using a set of practices as the components or "chunks". A practice can be defined simply as the codified knowledge of a technique or set of techniques that together have proven effective in prior usage. Common industry approaches to software development include Lean, Agile, Lean-Agile, XP (eXtreme Programming), Scrum, DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method), RUP (Rational Unified Process), Unified Process, Agile-Unified Process, Kanban and the like.
A common aspect of each of these approaches to software development is that they can be decomposed into practices, each describing some experience on effective software development technique based on the context by which they emerged. Usage of these practices, whether considered individually or as part of a broader method or practice-set exhibit effectiveness in certain software development projects/endeavors and not in others. The context for such effectiveness serves as a basis for categorizing the appropriateness of the choices made to apply practices/sets of practices with typical categories being size, geographical distribution, domain/problem type and complexity, technical complexity, enterprise specialization, compliance/regulatory requirements, contractual constraints and requirements, criticality and loss-of funds or lives, time-to-market and corporate culture. While retroactive categorizing of the appropriateness of practices to context has been studied and documented in some instances, proactive determination of appropriateness and risk associated with combinations of practices has been historically complex, fragmented and limited in industry. Complicating this further is the historical norm to consider and categorize appropriateness of pre-defined sets of practices labeled as named or branded container methods for such evidence and not practices on their own.
The field of Situational Method Engineering has for some time struggled with the capabilities of how to select, assemble, compose, publish and present and enact methods based on the specific situation or set of contextual factors in which a software development endeavor exists. However, an underlying sound and credible basis for the aforementioned capabilities has eluded industry. Similarly, a sound and credible basis for correlating evidence of effectiveness to practice usage has suffered from a lack of an underlying model that enables the assessment, learning, refactoring, improvement, simulation and enactment of methods such that the performance and the risks that can be expected from such practice choices made on a software development project can be understood.
One common practice that has shown consistent performance correlation on software development projects is iteration or "iterative development". While the software development industry generally agrees on the efficacy of this practice, what is not intuitive is the rationale. Specifically, what parameters applied to this practice make it effective and which do not, independent of the various synonyms given to essentially the same practice. What is non-obvious is that the central reason for such success can be modeled and explained as representing negative feedback within a closed-loop system configuration commonly leveraged in the field of Control Systems Engineering for influencing physical world dynamic system response problems.
Control Systems Engineering refers to a sub-field of General Systems Theory and is the engineering discipline that applies control theory to design systems with predictable behaviors. Control Theory is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and mathematics that deals with the behavior of dynamical systems. Designs of system configurations within this field include but are not limited to Proportional-Integral-Derivative Control designs, Adaptive Control designs, Cascade Control designs, Optimal Control designs, Non-Linear Control designs and Stochastic Control designs.
Common study and design of the aforementioned system configurations is performed using Dynamic Systems modeling. Dynamic Systems models refer to time or frequency domain models of Single-Input-Single-Output (SISO) and Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems which includes but are not limited to Differential Equations, Laplace Transform or Fourier Transform representations, Transfer Function representation, Bode Analysis, Root Locus analysis, Nyquist Plots, Nichols Analysis, Pole placement analysis, and State-Space matrices.
Feedback within a closed-loop system provides customers and managers the ability to adjust course so as to achieve expected results and feedback has been studied and modeled extensively in the Control Systems Engineering field. It is to be recognized by the skilled artisan that all software development practices can be mapped onto such a model, with each practice concretely implementing one or more of a set of universally present generic practices that map to components that make up such system configurations. In other words, all software development practice knowledge can be reduced to a set of finite universal practices, which when specialized using concrete specific practices in various permutations and combinations covers all known software development methods. By combining practices together using control Systems Engineering designs, the resultant socio-technical system can be further modeled to explain practice choice implications. Such an observation also makes implementing an automated expert system feasible. It is non-obvious that practice advice and guidance can be achieved by leveraging Control Systems Engineering system designs and related bodies of knowledge. Such a design/set of designs provides a credible basis for providing advice on the composition, assessment, learning, improvement and simulation of software development approaches made up of practice building blocks.
In U.S. Pat. No. 20080097734 to David M. Raffo. for SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING GLOBAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (hereinafter Raffo), a methodology, computer program and system is disclosed which relates to the simulation of global software development projects using a plurality of System Dynamics/Discrete Event models. The usage of models are further calibrated and improved by project result data as provided through the disclosed computer system program. In Raffo, what is claimed is specific usage of system dynamics/discrete event models in the embodiment described therein. However, such modeling approaches differ from Dynamic Systems modeling as commonly utilized within the field of Control Systems Engineering, generally seen as the ancestor to the modeling approaches used in Raffo. System Dynamics and Discrete Event models, while typically used for the simulation of systems and their dynamic responses, including socio-technical systems as described in Raffo through reference to Global Software Development projects, are time-domain models only and are more complex, containing a large number of model elements that suffer from intractability to common software development practitioners for the purposes of visualization and learning. Moreover, models used in the method and system of Raffo do not lend themselves to construction of a system of practices leveraging what is known from the Control Systems Engineering field.

System and method for providing expert advice on software development practices


A system and method for tuning a speech recognition engine to an individual microphone using a database containing acoustical models for a plurality of microphones. Microphone performance characteristics are obtained from a microphone at a speech recognition engine, the database is searched for an acoustical model that matches the characteristics, and the speech recognition engine is then modified based on the matching acoustical model.

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technologies enable microphone-equipped computing devices to interpret speech and thereby provide an alternative to conventional human-to-computer input devices such as keyboards or keypads. Many telecommunications devices are equipped with ASR technology to detect the presence of discrete speech such as a spoken nametag or control vocabulary like numerals, keywords, or commands. For example, ASR can match a spoken command word with a corresponding command stored in memory of the telecommunication device to carry out some action, like dialing a telephone number. Also, an ASR system is typically programmed with predefined acceptable vocabulary that the system expects to hear from a user at any given time, known as in-vocabulary speech. For example, during a voice dialing mode, the ASR system may expect to hear keypad vocabulary such as "Zero" through "Nine," "Pound," and "Star," as well as ubiquitous command vocabulary such as "Help," "Cancel," and "Goodbye."
ASR systems use microphones. And different microphones have a wide range of frequency response and sensitivity characteristics. The frequency response and particular sensitivity performance depends upon the microphone manufacturer, but significant differences exist even between seemingly identical microphones made by the same manufacturer. Due to existing tolerances in microphone production methods, differences exist between what would appear to be the same microphone. To compensate for the different microphones, ASR systems are programmed to process a wide spectrum of signals from microphones having a great variety of sensitivities and frequencies. For instance, while the ASR system may receive a signal from a particular microphone having a narrow frequency range and/or limited sensitivity, the ASR system will nevertheless operate as though the microphone provided a wide frequency range and great sensitivity. The ASR system operates in this manner because the system is unaware of the characteristics of the particular microphone. In short, compensating for various microphones involves an ASR system searching for sounds outside the performance characteristics of a microphone. As a result, the ASR system engages in needless processing that consumes energy and decreases response time and speech recognition accuracy.

Method of using microphone characteristics to optimize speech recognition performance


Disclosed are a scene video switch system and a scene video switch method. The system comprises an input unit configured to input an image currently captured by a video capture unit to serve as a current image; a detection unit configured to detect all of interesting elements and latent elements in the current image so as to determine a maximum possible existing area of the interesting elements; a state switch unit configured to carry out, by using a predetermined finite state machine, switching between scene states of the maximum possible existing area according to predetermined different scene states and switching conditions; and a display unit configured to extract, based on a current scene state switched by the state switch unit, an area of concern coinciding with the current scene state from the maximum possible existing area to serve as a scene video for display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scene video switch system based on dynamic detection of an area of concern and a scene video switch method based on the dynamic detection of the area of concern.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the developments of video compression techniques and video enhancement techniques, remote video systems have been widely used (particularly in the business field) in recent years. A typical representative of the remote video systems is, for example, a remote video conference system or a remote medical care system in which a video capture unit and a video display unit are placed in at least two terminals, respectively, and the terminals are made able to communicate with each other by employing a wired or wireless communication unit so that users of the terminals may acquire real-time or off-line videos from each other. In an application of the remote video system, by dynamically detecting an area of concern and emphasizing the scene of the area of concern, it is possible to dramatically improve the user-friendly interaction of the remote video system.
Up to now, the following techniques have been proposed with regard to changing a displayed scene by dynamically detecting an area of concern.
According to the technique proposed in the below cited reference No. 1, an area of concern is dynamically detected and optimally displayed, whereas display of an area of unconcern is omitted. In this technique, based on different contents of an area of concern, a size ratio of a display area may be automatically adjusted. However, in this reference, an area of concern is just limited to a human face; that is, the size of an image is proportional to the size of the human face, and scene states in a video conference are not classified. On the other hand, if the size of an area of concern is relatively small, the video quality may be negatively influenced when only carrying out equal proportional enlargement.
The below cited reference No. 2 provides a technique of utilizing a full-angle camera head to capture a conference and being able to provide real-time and off-line video display for users. This technique includes an automatic camera head management system for controlling the camera head and an analysis module for positioning those who are present (i.e. attendees). However, in this reference, it is necessary to use a full-angle camera head or an array formed of plural general camera heads to provide a video of each of the attendees; as a result, this is a very heavy burden on the aspect of hardware apparatus. Furthermore the users may only carry out switching between videos of a single attendee so that important information of areas of concern of other attendees may be lost.
The below cited reference No. 3 utilizes a video detection technique to carry out detection of attendees in a video captured by a camera head, and then based on the detected positions and size information of the attendees, automatically adjusts the orientation and zoom proportion of the camera head so that a best video including all of the attendees may be provided. However, this reference may only provide a video including all of the attendees; in other words, there is a limitation on the aspect of a video of one single attendee. Furthermore, in this reference, departure of some of the attendees may be effectively detected. However, as for attendance of new attendees, this technique carries out audio information positioning outside the detection area; as a result, there is a certain limitation too.
The below cited reference No. 4 provides a method of tracking plural attendees in a video conference. This method includes a step of monitoring the video conference; a step of creating video positioning information; a step of creating audio positioning information; and a step of adjusting parameters of a camera head based on the video positioning information and the audio positioning information. In this reference, only switching between a scene video of a speaker and a scene video of all the attendees may be carried out, and only by carrying out detection and positioning with regard to the video and audio of the speaker, the video may be switched to the speaker. In addition, since this method cannot carry out dynamic detection and switching between areas of concern, and cannot provide extension of a scene, in a case where new attendees enter or present attendees leave the conference, this method cannot carry out automatic adjustment on the video.
Since an area of concern of users is changeable during a video conference, all of the techniques described in the above relevant references cannot provide a best video for the users during the whole conference. For example, the reference No. 4 may only provide two selectable scene videos, but cannot carry out dynamic detection of an area of concern and the corresponding scene state switching. The reference No. 2 may provide videos of difference scenes, but this calls for dramatically increased hardware at the same time; also dynamic detection of an area of concern and the corresponding scene state switching cannot be carried out. In addition, although the reference No. 1 mentions video display based on an area of concern, the defined area of concern is limited, dynamic detection of the area of concern and the corresponding scene state switching cannot be carried out, and the visual quality of the scene video is not ideal in some cases.
Cited Reference No. 1: US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0103245 A1
Cited Reference No. 2: U.S. Pat. No. 7,580,054 B2
Cited Reference No. 3: US Patent Application Publication NO. 2009/0015658 A1
Cited Reference No. 4: U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,281 B2

Scene video switch system and scene video switch method


Simplifying the controller of hybrid type drive unit. The output of a generator driven by engine is connected directly to a motor 7 through a converter or switching circuit 10 without being charged on any battery. The output of each phase of the generator is inputted to the converter 10. A timing controller 126 controls the conduction phase of a thyristor bridge 101 in the converter 10 so as to adjust the quantity of output power. A synchronous standard for phase control is formed based on output wave of an auxiliary winding 26 of the generator. A voltage detector 124 detects an applied voltage on the motor 7 as a motor rotation speed and the conduction angle is increased or decreased so as to maintain a detected voltage at a target value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid type working machine that is equipped with an engine and an electric power-driven motor (motor) each of that serves as the power source, and more particularly to a hybrid type working machine that is constructed so that the output of a generator that is driven by the engine may be supplied directly to the motor without the intermediary of a battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have in recent years been proposed so-called hybrid type working machines that use both of the engine and motor as the power source in the way that they are used as hybridization. For example, a Japanese official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-161114 discloses a car type farming working machine wherein a working machine is mounted to an automotive vehicle for travel, in which to a driving system for the working machine side and that for the generator that has been loaded on the automotive vehicle for travel there is transmitted the power that is delivered from the engine. And, when the load that is applied to the engine from the working machine is small in magnitude, the generator is driven by the surplus power of the engine, and the surplus energy is accumulated in a relevant battery as the electric power. This car type farming working machine is a hybrid type working machine that attaches importance to the efficient use of energy so that the load to the engine may be maintained within a proper range of values; and that the battery may be able to be used as the source of driving the motor.
In a Japanese official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-161104, there is disclosed a hybrid type managing machine (working machine) wherein for driving the travel of a managing machine main body and for driving the generator there is used an engine power, whereby the managing machine main body is driven using a motor the power source of that is a battery that has been electrically charged by the generator. This hybrid type managing machine has been improved in operating efficiency with conceiving the easy controllability of a motor enabling simplifying the complex working-machine operation mechanism.
The above-described conventional hybrid type working machine and control unit absolutely require a battery for accumulating a generated output of the generator driven by the engine. Therefore, even a small working machine cannot avoid increase in the size and weight by the same amount as a loaded battery. Particularly because if the output capacity of a generator is small, a fluctuation in power source is likely to occur due to a change in the load, the battery suppresses this fluctuation in power source. Therefore, if no battery is provided, the output is likely to be instable when the fluctuation of load is large.


A folding motor vehicle immobilizer and chase inhibitor to surround both the front and rear of the tire of a motor vehicle that has been stopped for investigation by law enforcement officers to prevent the vehicle and its operator from fleeing the scene of the stop so as to avoid the risks inherent with a high speed chase. The chase inhibitor includes a frontal member that is located against the outside of the tire to be surrounded and a pair of outwardly projecting spike supports that are pivotally connected to opposite ends of the frontal member. Each of the spike supports carries a set of sharp hollow spikes that are aimed at and adapted to puncture and deflate the tire should the vehicle drive off in either the forward or the reverse direction. The spike supports are rotatable from an unfolded configuration projecting from the frontal member and disposed in parallel alignment with each other during deployment to a folded configuration disposed opposite the frontal member in axial alignment with each other to establish a compact assembly suitable for transport and storage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor vehicle immobilizer and chase inhibitor to surround both the front and rear of a tire of a motor vehicle that has been stopped by law enforcement officers to prevent the vehicle from driving away from the scene without suffering damage (i.e. puncture wounds) to the tire. The motor vehicle immobilizer is adapted to be rotated from an unfolded configuration suitable for deployment in surrounding relationship with the tire to a compact folded configuration suitable for storage.
2. Background Art
From time-to-time, it becomes necessary for law enforcement officers to stop a motor vehicle for the purpose of inspecting the vehicle and/or investigating the operator. Once the investigation has been completed without incident, the vehicle and its operator are allowed to drive away from the scene of the stop. However, on certain occasions, a suspect wishing to avoid capture or the inspection of his vehicle may flee the scene of the stop prior to completion of the investigation. In this case, the fleeing vehicle will be pursued, usually at high speed, by one or more law enforcement vehicles until the suspect is caught. As a consequence of this high speed chase, often covering long distances, the law enforcement officers, innocent motorists traveling on the roadway, and even the suspect will all be susceptible to the risk of injury to themselves and their property.
To prevent a fleeing suspect and his vehicle from escaping, vehicle immobilizer devices have been proposed by which to inflict damage to a tire of the vehicle so as to cause the tire to deflate and thereby limit the ability of the suspect to evade capture. Such vehicle immobilizer devices are typically spike strips which include a set of spikes to be placed across a roadway and aimed at and adapted to puncture a tire of an oncoming vehicle. However, the conventional vehicle immobilizer devices are characterized by several shortcomings which reduce their effectiveness for preventing a vehicle from driving away from the scene of a stop. In particular, the typical vehicle immobilizer device includes a set of spikes that is positioned to engage either the front or the rear of the tire. Thus, there is nothing to prevent the vehicle from fleeing in an opposite direction, whereby to completely avoid driving over the spikes and damaging the tire. The typical vehicle immobilizer is fairly large and bulky so as to be inconvenient to transport and difficult to store in a small space prior to deployment, such as in the trunk of a law enforcement vehicle. In this same regard, when not in use, the sharp spikes associated with the vehicle immobilizer may accidentally damage government property or injure those individuals who are in charge of handling the device.
Examples of conventional motor vehicle immobilizers (e.g. spike strips) like those described above are available by referring to one or more of the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
In general terms, a motor vehicle immobilizer and chase inhibitor is disclosed that is capable of being moved into surrounding relationship with a tire of a motor vehicle that has been stopped for investigation by law enforcement officers to prevent the vehicle from being driven away from the stop without sustaining damage to the tire. The chase inhibitor includes a handle support channel to which a handle is attached to enable the chase inhibitor to be easily lifted and carried from place-to-place. A pair of fold-up braces are pivotally connected to respective opposite ends of the handle support channel. A first spike support is hingedly connected to one of the pair of fold-up braces, and a second spike support is hingedly connected to the other fold-up brace. Each of the first and second spike supports carries a spike strip from which a set of sharp hollow spikes projects for the purpose of damaging and deflating the tire to be surrounded by the chase inhibitor should the vehicle flee the scene of the stop without permission.
In the unfolded configuration suitable for deployment, the handle support channel and the pair of fold-up braces pivotally connected to opposite ends thereof are axially aligned with one another to be positioned adjacent to the outside of the tire to be surrounded. The first and second spike supports project outwardly from the fold-up braces so as to lie in parallel alignment with each other adjacent the front and rear of the tire. Accordingly, the sets of hollow spikes that are carried by the spike supports will be aimed at the front and rear of the tire so as to inflict a puncture wound and thereby cause the tire to deflate should the vehicle drive away from the stop in either a forward or a reverse direction. In the compact folded configuration suitable for storage, the first and second spike supports are initially rotated from their outwardly projecting position in parallel alignment with each other to a position adjacent the pair of fold-up braces so as to lie in axial alignment with each other. The pair of fold-up braces are then rotated upwardly and off the roadway from their position in axial alignment with each other at opposite ends of the handle support channel to a position alongside the handle so as to lie in parallel alignment with each other and the handle. Therefore, the size of the chase inhibitor can be reduced so as to conveniently fit within the trunk of a law enforcement vehicle to await a future deployment.

Folding motor vehicle immobilizer and chase inhibitor


A pet toy infusing device includes a base, a removeable cover and a porous insert. The base includes a cavity, and has an opening configured to enable access to the cavity. The removable cover is configured to cover the cavity. The porous insert is removably disposed inside of the cavity between the base and the cover, the porous insert having an interior surface defining a pet toy holding area, and being configured to prevent a material disposed inside the cavity of the base from entering the pet toy holding area, while enabling a pet toy disposed in the pet toy holding area to be infused with the material.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pet toy infusing device. In particular, the present invention relates to a device that quickly and effectively infuses a material to a pet toy without contaminating the toy.
Background Information
Some animals enjoying playing with toys that include an attractant, such as nepetalactone ("catnip"). Nepetalactone can used as a recreational substance for pet cats' enjoyment, and catnip and catnip-laced products designed for use with domesticated cats are available to consumers. Nepetalactone can be disposed inside or on the toy. Some toys can be refillable with the attractant.


A window glass dew-point compartment interior absolute humidity Xrmax is acquired, and a temporary compartment interior set absolute humidity Xset (temporary Xset) is determined from a compartment interior set temperature Tset. A smaller one of Xrmax and (temporary Xset) is used as a compartment interior set absolute humidity Xset. An outlet air required absolute humidity Xao required to obtain Xset is calculated taking into account the humidity of exterior air introduced into the passenger compartment. Using Xao and an outlet air required temperature Tao required to obtain Tset, a control temperature Tea for controlling a compressor is determined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular air conditioner for controlling a cooling means and a heating means to adjust the temperature and humidity in a passenger compartment without fogging the window glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicular air conditioners have in combination an evaporator for cooling and dehumidifying air by utilizing the heat of vaporization of a refrigerant and a heater for heating air with the heat of an engine coolant to adjust the temperature and humidity in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
If the vehicular air conditioner is controlled to lower the cooling ability of the evaporator at a low atmospheric temperature, then since the dehumidifying ability of the evaporator is also lowered, the water vapor in the passenger compartment is possibly condensed on the window glass, etc. when the atmospheric temperature is low and the atmospheric humidity is high.
To eliminate the above drawback, a conventional vehicular air conditioner for keeping a sufficient dehumidifying capability to prevent the window glass from fogging due to condensation, and also for preventing unnecessary cooling thereby to save energy has been developed (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3298151 for details).
The conventional vehicular air conditioner estimates the temperature of the surface of a window glass and calculates a necessary humidity of ejected air which represents the humidity in the passenger compartment that will not cause window condensation at the estimated temperature. Further, the conventional vehicular air conditioner determines a dew point of air which represents the calculated necessary humidity of ejected air, and sets a lower temperature of a necessary temperature of ejected air and the dew point as a control temperature of the evaporator for controlling the temperature in the passenger compartment at a preset temperature. The conventional vehicular air conditioner uses a preset humidity in the passenger compartment and humidity in the passenger compartment which is detected by a humidity sensor installed in the passenger compartment for the calculation of the necessary humidity of ejected air.
If the temperature of ejected air that is necessary for controlling the temperature in the passenger compartment at the preset temperature is lower than the temperature of ejected air that produces the humidity in the passenger compartment that will not cause window condensation, then since the humidity in the passenger compartment is high even if the temperature in the passenger compartment is close to the preset temperature, the passengers in the passenger compartment may feel uncomfortable.
If the humidity in the passenger compartment is lower than the humidity which causes window condensation, and the temperature is lower than the present temperature entered by the passengers, and the humidity is lower than the humidity which makes the passengers feel uncomfortable, then since the passenger compartment does not need to be further cooled or dehumidified, there the cooling ability of the evaporator may further be controlled in order to save energy.
If the humidity of exterior air that enters the passenger compartment is not taken into account in the process of determining the temperature of ejected air that produces the humidity in the passenger compartment that will not cause window condensation, because the necessary humidity of ejected air cannot be calculated highly accurately on account of a humidity change caused by the humidity of introduced exterior air, the cooling ability of the evaporator may possibly be excessively controlled or the necessary amount of dehumidification cannot be obtained.

Air conditioner for vehicles and method of controlling same


A pressure accumulator having an accumulator housing (10) in which a movable separating element (16) separates a gas chamber (12) filled with a working gas from a fluid chamber (14) in a fluid-sealed manner. A monitoring device (46) is provided, which, in the event of a fault impairing the sealing effect of the separating element (16), provides an optically discernible indication and has an inspection window (54), through which an indicator can be observed. The monitoring device is connected to the gas chamber (12) and changes optical properties discernibly when wetted with the fluid. The indicator changing its optical properties is accommodated in a capsule (48) with a capsule wall (50) permeable to the passage of the fluid and arranged between the inspection window (54) and the separating element (16) in the accumulator housing (10).

Such a pressure accumulator is known from WO 2015/113731 A1, for instance. The monitoring device permits the functionality of the pressure accumulator to be checked, while the system is in operation without the pressure accumulator having to be removed from the system and be subjected to an external functional test. Advantageously, a sample quantity of special glass fiber wool is used as an indicator, which is white in the non-wetted state and visibly discernible changes color when wetted with fluids of different kinds. The glass fiber wool is arranged in a drilled hole leading through the wall of the housing to the gas chamber between a threaded insert containing the inspection window and a screen body at the inner end of the drilled hole. With regard to the good discernibility of the indicator after an indication of a fault, a simplified handling and a space-saving structure, the known solution still leaves a lot to be desired.

Pressure accumulator having a monitoring device


Systems and methods for performing shading operations of a three-dimensional model, such as a three-dimensional model of a geographic area, are provided. According to aspects of the present disclosure, shading operations can be performed based on a curvature of the polygon mesh such that smooth surfaces still appear smooth after shading and such that sharp edges still appear sharp after shading. In particular, a curvature-driven normal is used for shading operations that takes into account the local curvature of the polygon mesh. A curvature factor can be obtained for each vertex in the polygon mesh. The curvature factor for each vertex can be a scalar value that describes the degree of local curvature in the mesh polygons connected at the vertex. The curvature-driven normal for each fragment can be determined based on the curvature factors associated with the vertices in the polygon mesh.

Computer graphics applications can be used to render a three-dimensional model. For instance, an interactive geographic information system can be used to present an interactive three-dimensional model of a geographic area to a user in a suitable user interface, such as a browser. A user can navigate the three-dimensional model by controlling a virtual camera that specifies what portion of the three-dimensional model is rendered and presented to a user. The three-dimensional model can include a polygon mesh, such as a triangle mesh, used to model the geometry (e.g. terrain, buildings, and other objects) of the geographic area. Geographic imagery, such as aerial or satellite imagery, can be texture mapped to the polygon mesh so that the three-dimensional model provides a more accurate and realistic representation of the scene.
Shading operations can be performed on the three-dimensional model to adjust the appearance of the three-dimensional model, such as to add surface lighting for sunlight, shadows, and atmospheric effects. A shading operation applies light or color within a computer graphics pipeline to change the appearance of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional model. Shading operations are typically performed using normal information determined for the polygon mesh. The normals determine how much light or color is applied to each point on a surface of the polygon mesh.
Determining good normals for generating realistic shading effects can be difficult because the polygon mesh only provides an approximation of the true surface modeled by the polygon mesh. For example, using vertex normals for shading operations can result in smoothing of sharp features in the three-dimensional model (e.g. building edges) represented in the polygon mesh. Using face normals for shading operations can result in the three-dimensional model looking triangulated or faceted with discontinuities between the polygon faces, which can disrupt the appearance of smooth features (e.g. smooth terrain) in the three-dimensional model.

Curvature-driven normal interpolation for shading applications


A label is operable to be adhesively applied to a substrate to carry publicly displayed indicia on one side and hidden indicia on a second, opposite side. The label includes top and bottom label plies, with the top label ply having the publicly displayed indicia and the bottom label ply having the hidden indicia. The top label ply has a top adhesive layer applied thereon, and the bottom label ply has a bottom adhesive layer applied thereon.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to multiple ply labels. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention concern a multiple ply label including top and bottom label plies, with top and bottom adhesive layers being applied between the label plies.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Many types of business forms are designed to be adhesively attached to a substrate, such as a product or a product container. For instance, shipping labels are often adhered directly to a box, envelope, or other packaging for shipping a product. Conventional shipping and packing labels are provided as separate labels for each shipping package, with the packing label normally being held by the shipping label so that the contents indicia printed on the packing label are hidden from view. Some prior art shipping labels have been produced in the form of a duplex printed label with shipping indicia on one side and package contents indicia on the other side, and these labels are printed by a conventional duplex printer. The duplex label is also affixed to the package so that the contents indicia is hidden.
Conventional adhesive business forms, including adhesive shipping labels, suffer from various undesirable limitations. For example, conventional labels fail to efficiently use space on a package surface while being configured for efficient printing and package application.


A cooling system for an electric vehicle is provided, wherein an exhaust air duct extending into a box is disposed in an air outlet of the box disposed in a lower portion of the vehicle interior; an air discharge port of the fan case coupled to the air outlet portion of the cooling duct faces an air inlet of the exhaust air duct with a predetermined gap therebetween in a direction of air flow; and when the air discharge port of the fan case is projected on a plane including the air inlet of the exhaust air duct, the air discharge port of the fan case is opened inside the air inlet of the exhaust air duct and a predetermined gap is formed in a transverse direction to the air flow between the air discharge port of the fan case and the air inlet of the exhaust air duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling system for an electric vehicle, and more particularly relates to a cooling system for an electric vehicle with improved cooling performance for an air-cooled electrical component mounted on the electric vehicle and a cooling method for the electrical component.
2. Description of Related Art
An electrical component such as a high-voltage battery, a charger, and a DC/DC converter is mounted on an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle and a plug-in hybrid vehicle. These electrical components generate heat during operation and hence need to be cooled by a cooling system.
A conventional cooling system for an electric vehicle cools an electrical component in such a manner that the electrical component having a heat dissipating fin is disposed inside a box having an air inlet and an air outlet located in substantially the same position; a cooling duct covering the heat dissipating fin of the electrical component is attached thereto to form a substantially U-shaped air passage; and air is circulated through the air passage by an air blowing fan connected to the air inlet (see JP 2000-40535 A).
As disclosed in JP 2000-40535 A, the cooling system for an electric vehicle forcibly circulates air through and over the heat dissipating fins contacting a heat generating portion of the electrical component by the fan for cooling.
The cooling system for electrical components can cool the portions subjected to high temperature simply by circulating air through the heat dissipating fins. However, in a case in which the electrical component is disposed inside the box, the air inside the box is heated to high temperature by heat dissipation from a portion other than the heat dissipating fins of the electrical component. Then, when the electrical component is exposed to high temperature air, the thermal burden imposed on the electrical component increases.
In order to prevent a rise in air temperature around the electrical component, it can be considered to add not only a fan for cooling the electrical component but also a ventilation fan to ventilate the inside of the box. Unfortunately, addition of another ventilation fan is disadvantageous in that the mounting space and costs are increased.

Cooling system for electric vehicle and cooling method for electrical component


A solar water heater comprising a water tank, a solar heating compartment for heating water, and an air pump. The water tank and the solar heating compartment are both substantially cylindrical, and the bottom surface of the heating compartment overlaps the top surface of the water tank. The solar heating compartment has an upper surface and a side surface which are substantially constructed from transparent materials. The heating compartment contains water tubing in communication with water in the water tank and at least one stainless steel parabolic reflector positioned for reflecting incident sunlight upon the water tubing for absorption. The water tubing terminates in at least one hot water outlet. The air pump is in communication with the water tubing within the solar heating compartment. Operation of the air pump causes a stream of water to continuously flow from the water tank to the hot water outlets by the siphoning effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to heating apparatus and, more particularly to a solar water heater with an integrated storage tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,515 to Page appears to show a solar heater comprised of a parabolic reflector for concentrating solar energy to heat a fluid. However, Page contemplates preheating of the fluid in one compartment and principal heating of the fluid in a second compartment. Accordingly, Page does not provide a solar water heater which reflects all incident sunlight onto a single compartment for conversion into heat energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,047 to Kleinwachter appears to show a solar water heater with a tilted, flat solar radiation absorber panel and a storage tank that performs thermosiphoning when the tank is full, whereby hot water will rise relative to cooler water. However, Kleinwachter contemplates heating cold water by direct absorption of solar energy, and subsequently circulating the heated water by thermosiphoning. Accordingly, Kleinwachter does not provide a solar water heater in which reflected sunlight is directed to a single location.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,682 to Hazan appears to show a solar water heater with a tilted, flat solar radiation absorber panel. However, Hazan contemplates two conduits for fluid communication between portions of the absorber panel and the storage tank to complete a thermosyphonic path between the absorber panel and the tank. Accordingly, Hazan does not provide a water heater in which reflected sunlight is directed to a single location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,979 to Frank appears to show a solar water heater capable of being used in conjunction with an existing hot water heater. However, Frank comprises a flat absorber panel and does not contemplate a solar water heater which focuses light reflected from a parabolic reflector onto tubing which contains water.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
It is an object of the invention to produce a solar water heater which produces a sufficient amount of hot water for a variety of activities. Accordingly, the solar water heater has a parabolic reflector which focuses solar energy onto tubing which contains water, and thereby produces a sufficient amount of hot water for a variety of activities.
It is another object of the invention to produce a solar water heater which is energy-efficient and environmentally safe. Accordingly, the water heater is powered by solar energy, and does not need electricity to operate.
It is yet another object of the invention to produce a solar water heater which is portable. Accordingly, the solar water heater is available in sizes which are small enough to be easily transported by an average user.
It is still yet another object of the invention to produce a solar water heater which is not unduly expensive. Accordingly, the solar water heater is constructed from plastic, stainless steel, and copper and its cost is not prohibitive.
It is an additional object of the invention to produce a solar water heater which may be used to provide hot water in emergency situations. Accordingly, the solar water heater may be a component of emergency survival kits and is capable of providing hot water in emergency situations.
The invention is a solar water heater comprising a water tank, a solar heating compartment for heating water, and an air pump. The water tank and the solar heating compartment are both substantially cylindrical, and the bottom surface of the heating compartment overlaps the top surface of the water tank. The solar heating compartment has an upper surface and a side surface which are substantially constructed from transparent materials. The heating compartment contains water tubing in communication with water in the water tank and at least one stainless steel parabolic reflector positioned for reflecting incident sunlight upon the water tubing for absorption. The water tubing terminates in at least one hot water outlet. The air pump is in communication with the water tubing within the solar heating compartment. Operation of the air pump causes a stream of water to continuously flow from the water tank to the hot water outlets by the siphoning effect.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.


Providing a mechanism which can eliminate an influence of residual strain in a piezoelectric thin film, having excellent piezoelectric strain characteristics.. No or few foreign substances exist or an abundance of foreign substances is low at grain boundaries, which are boundaries between crystal grains of the piezoelectric thin film, even after performing polarization processing (poling) on the piezoelectric thin film component. The width of the grain boundary is 5 nm or less. The crystal grain boundary is a discontinuous layer which does not continue the orientation of adjacent crystal grains.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric thin film component and the manufacturing method thereof. The present invention also relates to an inkjet-recording head using the piezoelectric component, and an inkjet printer using this head. The present invention more particularly relates to a new improvement of a piezoelectric thin film component where residual strain is minimized.
2. Description of the Related Art
An actuator using a piezoelectric thin film component, which converts electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa, is used for a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an inkjet type recording head, and for other purposes. In the inkjet type recording head, a piezoelectric thin film component is used as an actuator to be the drive source of ink ejection.
This piezoelectric thin film component generally comprises a piezoelectric thin film comprised of polycrystalline substances, and a top electrode and bottom electrode which are disposed sandwiching the piezoelectric thin film. The composition of the piezoelectric thin film is generally a binary system in which the main component is lead zirconate titanate (hereafter "PZT"), or a ternary system where a third component is added to the binary system.
The piezoelectric thin films with such composition are generated, for example, by a sputtering method, sol-gel method, MOD process (Metal Organic Decomposition process), laser ablation method and CVD method. For example, a ferro-electric substance using the binary system PZT is noted in "Applied Physics Letters, 1991, Vol. 58, No. 11, pp. 1161.about.1163". Also, piezoelectric materials using the binary system PZT is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-40035, and in the "Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 1973, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 91.about.96".
When a piezoelectric thin film component is applied to an inkjet type recording head, for example, a piezoelectric thin film (PZT film) with a 0.4 .mu.m.about.20 .mu.m film thickness is appropriate. The piezoelectric thin film needs a high piezoelectric charge constant, therefore it is normally necessary to perform heat treatment at a 700.degree. C. or higher temperature to grow crystal grains of the piezoelectric thin film.
When a piezoelectric thin film (PZT film) with a 0.5 .mu.m or higher film thickness is formed, performing heat treatment to obtain a high piezoelectric charge constant causes cracks inside the film, which is a problem.
A method disclosed in "Philips J. Res. 47 (1993) pp. 263.about.285" is creating a sol or gel composition, baking at high temperature to crystallize the piezoelectric thin film, and repeating this process to increase the film thickness of the piezoelectric thin film.
The piezoelectric thin film created by this method, which has a multi-layered interface, cannot present good piezoelectric characteristics, and processability is poor. Repeating the heat treatment also leads to deterioration of piezoelectric characteristics, such as crystals losing orientation.
A piezoelectric thin film is normally formed on a bottom electrode, which is formed on a substrate, and heat treatment performed to form the piezoelectric thin film causes curvature and strain on the substrate, which is a problem. Also good adhesion is required between the bottom electrode and the piezoelectric thin film.
So the present inventor and others considered various ways to increase the piezoelectric charge constant of a piezoelectric thin film, and discovered that it is effective if the crystals of the piezoelectric thin film have a predetermined crystal orientation and columnar structure, and also have a crystal structure with a grain size of 0.1 .mu.m to 0.5 .mu.m (Japanese Patent Application No. 9-288757).
However, the present inventor and others further examined and discovered the following problem. When an electric field is applied to a virgin state piezoelectric thin film component, residual strain and polarization strain remain in the piezoelectric thin film component, even after the electric field is removed, and good piezoelectric strain characteristics (displacement characteristics) cannot be obtained. In other words, if an electric field is applied to a piezoelectric thin film and this is polarized, the domain (crystal grains) of the piezoelectric materials creating the piezoelectric thin film moves such that the polarization axis matches with the direction of the electric field. Then cavities are generated in the grain boundaries of the grains, which seems to be causing residual strain.

Piezoelectric thin film component, injet type recording head and inkjet printer using this (piezoelectric thin film component), and method of manufacturing piezoelectric thin film component


A customized automobile having a rear window and a top including a plastic cap overlying the rear window and a portion of the top and one or more sections provided in partially overlapping relation. The plastic cap and sections are provided with a cloth covering. In one form, each section includes a transverse raised portion to simulate the support structure of a convertible. The cap and sections may be provided in a kit so that the plastic cap maybe used alone or together with one or more section.

It is common in automobiles to provide a customizing of the rear window and top utilizing a plastic cap which is thereafter covered with a cloth covering. It has further been known to provide integral transverse ribs on the cap so that the final covering produces a simulated convertible top.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a customized automobile and a method of making the customized automobile together with customized kit which provides the option of producing either an entire top covering or a partial top covering for the automobile.
In accordance with the invention a customized automobile is provided having a rear window and a top including a plastic cap overlying the rear window on a portion of top the and one or more sections provided in partially overlapping relation. The plastic in sections are provided with a cloth covering. In one form, each section includes a transverse raised portion to simulate the support structure of a convertible. The cap and sections may be provided in a kit so that the plastic cap maybe used alone or together with one or more sections.

Evans Automotive, Division of Evans Industries, Inc.


An apparatus for applying interconnect bumps to an integrated circuit comprising a wedge bonder assembly (10) including a bonding tool (14) adapted to be selectively moved relative to the integrated circuit (42) and to transmit ultrasonic force to bond wire or ribbon (62) located between the bonding tool (14) and the integrated circuit (42) to the integrated circuit and form an interconnect bump (63), the bonding tool (14) defining a passage (44) through which wire or ribbon (50) is passed to be brought into contact with the integrated circuit (42) and an edge (38) positioned and adapted to weaken wire or ribbon (50) as the bonding tool (14) is moved to the point at which the bonding tool (14) is closest to the integrated circuit (42), the wedge bonder assembly being adapted to move the bonding tool (14) so as to separate the interconnect bump (63) from the wire or ribbon (50) proximal of the bump.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for applying interconnect bumps to an integrated circuit. More specifically, this invention relates to apparatus including a wedge bonder assembly with a new bonding tool and to methods employing such tool for applying interconnect bumps or pads to an integrated circuit or an integrated circuit die.
2. Description of Related Art
Semi-conductor or integrated circuit (IC) elements conventionally have raised input/output contact points, normally called interconnect bumps. Such bumps serve as terminals for attaching interconnect leads from the integrated circuits or integrated circuit dies to conductors on a substrate or circuit board. As used herein the term "integrated circuit" refers to both integrated circuits and integrated circuit dies.
Current methods of applying the bumps include relatively complicated electroplating methods for depositing the bump material, and conventional ball bonder methods for applying ball bumps. These methods often involve several steps. For example, such electroplating methods include photo etching of various materials to obtain a correct masking for the desired circuit design and one or more electroplating steps. These electroplating methods are relatively expensive to practice and can be accomplished only when adequate facilities and equipment are available. Ball bonder methods for applying bumps to integrated circuit chips include subjecting the initial ball bumps to planarization or tamping to provide the final ball bumps with flat top surfaces. This additional planarization or tamping operation limits speed, and increases cost. Further, the ball bumps may have varying diameters/sizes depending on the amount of material/wire remaining after being terminated and tamped into the bumps. Depending upon the application, variances in bump size may be unacceptable. In addition, the minimum size of the ball bumps is limited by the ball size. Thus, consistent ball bumps of less than about 3 mils (0.003 inches) in diameter are difficult to achieve.
Conventionally, wedge bonders are used to provide wire or ribbon connections between two points, for example, on the surface of an integrated circuit. Thus, the wedge bonder is used to make two discrete bonds with a wire or ribbon being attached or bonded to a first point and the wire ribbon being looped and then bonded to a spaced apart second point. Such wedge bonders have heretofore not been suggested for use in applying interconnect bumps to integrated circuits.
It would be advantageous to provide simplified and cost and time effective systems for applying interconnect bumps to integrated circuits.


Apparatus for converting a small trampoline into a ball player's pitchback device for the practice of pitching and fielding. Members fastened to the legs of the trampoline support it on an edge so that its resilient surface is presented at any of various desired angles to the pitcher. The members include a U-shaped supporting member having two parallel legs and a cross leg connecting the two legs at one end thereof. The other free end of each parallel leg is pivoted to a respective first and second trampoline leg. Two brace members are pivoted to a respective third and fourth trampoline leg. The parallel legs are selectively connectible to different locations along a respective brace member to adjust the angle of the trampoline.

The skills of pitching and catching a ball ordinarily require a considerable amount of practice to perfect. Where a number of players are practicing these skills together a pair may reciprocally throw the ball to each other so that each practices both skills. But if a single player needs to practice, he cannot practice catching a ball unless it is thrown at him by some means, and he cannot easily practice pitching since after each pitch the ball must be retrieved.
To ameliorate this difficulty, devices have been designed which are intended to return a ball thrown at them, back to the approximate vicinity from which the ball was thrown. Some of such pitchback devices are complex and therefore expensive. Others are simpler, having a resilient surface, typically netting, which merely bounces the ball back. A problem with these simpler devices is that the surface is seldom resilient enough to return the ball for a great distance. Another problem is that even such simple devices, being usable for only a single purpose, are inherently uneconomical, especially when a number of them are needed in an athletic program.
My invention solves these problems by providing a means to convert an ordinary small trampoline so that its resilient surface is used for a pitchback device. Such a surface has proven to be superior, in the pitchback mode, to many previous such surfaces currently in use. In addition, the trampoline may be converted easily back to its original use whenever desired, so that it becomes a multipurpose piece of equipment. Thus superior economy results, since the apparatus of my invention, which is used to effect the conversion, is extremely simple to construct and maintain. It is easy for even children to use. Moreover, the angle from the vertical of the resilient surface, and thus the pitchback angle, is easily adjusted.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new multi-purpose athletic device which may be used either as a trampoline or as a pitchback device.
A further object of my invention is to provide a means by which a trampoline may be converted into an effective pitchback device.
Yet another object of my invention is to provide a pitchback device in which the pitchback angle may be readily adjusted to create a variety of return flight trajectories.


A full swing CMOS output buffer circuit (20,30,40,50) isolates incompatible power supply circuits such as 3.3 v standard and 5 v standard subcircuits, and isolates power supply rails of quiet or powered down buffer circuits from the common external bus. The pullup output transistor (PMOS1) is fabricated in a well (NWELL) of N type carrier semiconductor material formed in a substrate (PSUB) of P type carrier semiconductor material. A P channel NWELL isolation switch transistor (PW1) has a primary current path coupled between the well (NWELL) and high potential power rail (VCC) and a control gate node coupled to the control gate node of the pullup output transistor (PMOS1) for operating substantially in phase. The NWELL isolation switch transistor (PW1) isolates the pullup output transistor (PMOS1) well (NWELL) from the high potential power rail (VCC). An N channel control node isolation transistor (N1) has a control node coupled to the high potential power rail (VCC) for isolating the control nodes of the output transistors (PMOS1,NMOS1) from each other during power down. A P channel feedback turn off transistor (PP1) has a control node coupled to the high potential power rail (VCC) for turning off the output transistor (PMOS1) in response to a higher potential level signal at the output (V.sub.OUT). A delay discharge circuit (DDC) discharges transient charge from the high potential power rail (VCC) during power down.

In conventional output buffer circuits coupled to a common external bus, a problem occurs during "power down" and "power up" of the power supply rails of selected buffer circuits and during "hot insertion" of the output buffer circuits. During partial system power down of selected output buffer circuits, the output bus may remain active, driven by other output buffer circuits. In NWELL CMOS technology, the high potential level signals appearing at the output of a powered down output buffer circuit may forward bias the parasitic PN junction diode between the P type substrate PSUB and the NWELL of the P channel or PMOS pullup output transistor. The NWELL of the PMOS pullup transistor is in turn coupled to the powered down high potential power rail VCC. This leakage current may recharge the high potential power rail and turn on the output buffer circuit or selected internal nodes providing paths to the low potential power rail GND or high potential power rail VCC through the output buffer circuit. The undesirable results include loading the external bus, causing "bus contention", degrading signals, and causing possible false signals on the external output bus. Ideally, the powered down output buffer circuit should remain a high impedance at the output, isolating the external bus from the powered down output buffer circuit power rails.
A disadvantage of existing solutions for avoiding this leakage path to the VCC power rail for powered down output buffer circuits is that they prevent the use of full swing CMOS buffer circuits. According to one solution, bipolar transistors are used for the output pullup transistors in a bipolar or BICMOS output buffer circuit. While the bipolar output pullup transistors isolate internal nodes from the external output bus, they are not capable of pulling the output node to the power rail potential levels. As a result the noise margins of the system are reduced and additionally, the bipolar transistors consume static current. According to another solution an enhancement mode N channel or NMOS transistor is used for the output pullup transistor instead of a PMOS transistor. The enhancement mode NMOS pullup transistor similarly introduces a threshold voltage drop and is unable to pull the output node to the voltage level of the high potential power rail VCC.
A similar problem is encountered in multiple output buffer circuit systems with mismatched or incompatible power supplies. Some of the subsystems and output buffer circuits driving the external output bus are coupled to a first power supply while other subsystems and output buffer circuits are coupled to a second power supply at a different voltage level. A current problem exists in systems combining 5 volt standard power supply circuits with the new JEDEC Standard 8-1A 3.3 volt power supply circuits. A 5 volt signal on the common bus driven by a 5 volt standard output buffer circuit may cause a leakage current path to the lower potential 3.3 volt power rail of the 3.3 v standard output buffer circuit through the PN junction at the drain to NWELL forming a parasitic P+D/NWELL diode through the PMOS output pullup transistor. Similar problems may occur in 3.3 v/5 v and 5 v/3.3 v translators incorporated in the multiple power supply system.
To provide further background, in 1992 the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) of the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) adopted a new low voltage integrated circuit standard based on a 3.3 v power supply. This new low voltage standard is designated the JEDEC Standard 8-1A and is commonly known as the 3 v standard. The new JEDEC Standard 8-1A at nominal 3.3 v is to be contrasted with the conventional integrated circuit JEDEC Standards 18 and 20 for a 5 v power supply. The 3.3 v and 5 v standards are incompatible with respect to voltage levels of the respective power supplies and the logic high and low potential level signals generated by the two different circuits.
For the conventional 5 v standard and the new 3.3 v standard, the respective CMOS output buffers generally pull the output to the respective rail voltages for logic high and low potential levels under zero load or lightly loaded conditions at the output. Because of the incompatibly of the 3.3 v and 5 v standard supply voltage levels and the respective CMOS logic high and low potential level signals, translation is required for communication between 3.3 v and 5 v standard subcircuits. The new low voltage standard for a power supply at nominal 3.3 v is applicable as well for CMOS, bipolar, and BICMOS technology IC's.
Applications for the new 3.3 v standard include notebook sub-notebook, power book, hand held, and pen based portable and mobile personal computers, generally referred to as personal digital assistants or PDA's. The 3.3 v standard requires less power dissipation from the battery power supplies for longer operating life. Another advantage of the new low voltage standard is that the new CMOS logic signal high and low potential levels are compatible with bipolar TTL circuit logic signal potential levels. A difficulty with application of the new 3.3 v standard in notebook and PDA computers however is that all of the computer subsystems cannot necessarily be converted to the 3.3 v standard. For example available disk drives continue to operate on the basis of the 5 volt standard and the disk drive subsystem including the disk controller must therefore be based on the 5 v standard circuits.
In such a notebook or other PDA computer, the system board or motherboard includes the 3.3 v microprocessor (.mu.P) computer system and a plurality of ports for controlling peripherals such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) port, communications port RS232, power supply port, and external memory port. The disk drive port however may communicate with a 5 volt subsystem, namely the disk controller which operates the hard disk drive. A translator is therefore required between the 3.3 v .mu.P system and the disk drive port and 5 v disk drive controller subsystem. Such a 3.3 v to 5 v translator is provided for example by the National Semiconductor Corporation translator device LVX4245 (TM).
A problem comparable to the "power down" problem occurs with the new combined multiple power supply systems such as the combined 3.3 v and 5 v power supply subsystems and translators with multiple incompatible power supply output buffer circuits coupled to a common bus. Parasitic leakage paths may develop from the higher voltage level power supply signals applied to the output bus by an active buffer circuit to the lower voltage power supply rail of quiet output buffer circuits on the common bus. Isolation is also required to prevent power supply contention within translator circuits.

Full swing power down buffer circuit with multiple power supply isolation


A circuit arrangement is for operating a load having a reactive characteristic on an AC power supply. The circuit arrangement enables the best possible reactive power compensation, that is, enables operation close to a cos θ of 1, in order to increase the overall efficiency of the arrangement or to achieve optimal energy savings. In order to control critical operating states, a feedback loop is provided that supplies a control current to a further reactive circuit element. This further circuit element is arranged parallel to the load or to the power factor correction capacitor, and is acted upon by a control current such that the control current counteracts a change in the reactive component of the load. The control current is derived from the load current as a variable proportional to the load current. In this way, a reactor for optimizing electromagnetic consumption is created.

As is known, the basic idea of reactive power compensation is that the reactive power component required by the load need not be provided by the power supplier, which would create a greater burden on the grid, but instead, this reactive power effectively fluctuates back and forth between the load and a reactive compensation element solely on the consumption side.
A disadvantage of known arrangements for reactive power compensation is that these arrangements are not, or are only insufficiently able to respond to changes in the reactive power requirement of the load. In other words the compensation of the reactive power is only designed for a steady operating state of the load, and therefore the compensation itself is static. In so doing, a cos 0 from 0.85 to 0.95 is generally desired.

Circuit arrangement for operating a load having a reactive characteristic


Embodiments of this application provide a method and apparatus for determining a transport block size. The method includes: obtaining a target overhead value based on a target time-frequency resource and one or more of at least two overhead values, where the target time-frequency resource is used for uplink data transmission or downlink data transmission and includes one or more time-frequency resource units, and each overhead value is corresponding to at least one time-frequency resource unit; and determining a transport block size based on the target overhead value. It can be learned that, according to the method and apparatus for determining a transport block size provided in the embodiments of this application, a corresponding target overhead value may be determined for each of different target time-frequency resources. This is not only applicable to a scenario in which a dynamic time-frequency resource is scheduled, but also improves accuracy of determining the transport block size. Therefore, transmission performance is improved.

Generally, to effectively complete data transmission, a network device and/or a terminal device need or needs to accurately determine a transport block size (TBS) before data transmission is performed.
With development of communications technologies, there are different quantities of available resource elements (RE) on different time-frequency resources.
Therefore, how to accurately determine a TBS in a communications system is an urgent problem to be resolved.

Method and apparatus for determining transport block size