An apparatus comprises a fingerprint sensor having a set of capacitive elements configured for capacitively coupling to a user fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor may be disposed under a control button or display element of an electronic device, for example one or more of a control button and a display component. A responsive element is responsive to proximity of the user fingerprint, for example one or both of a first circuit responsive to motion of the control button, and a second circuit responsive to a coupling between the fingerprint and a surface of the display element. The fingerprint sensor is disposed closer to the fingerprint than the responsive element. The control button or display component may include an anisotropic dielectric material, for example sapphire.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This application generally relates to circuits and packaging for fingerprint sensors.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Capacitive sensing of fingerprints provides for collection of fingerprint information in response to distinct measures of capacitance between, on the one hand, one or more capacitive plates in a fingerprint recognition sensor, and on the other hand, ridges and valleys of a user's finger (such as the epidermis of the user's finger, or possibly, subdermal layers of the user's finger).
It sometimes occurs that measurements of capacitance involve introduction of electric charge on the epidermis of the user's finger. This can have the effect that only a small amount of charge can be introduced without the user feeling the charge, sometimes as a tingling or other noticeable effect on the epidermis of the user's finger.
It sometimes occurs that measurements of capacitance involve relatively small differences in capacitance between, on the one hand, the capacitive plates of the fingerprint recognition sensor, and on the other hand, the ridges and valleys of the user's finger. For example, this would involve placing the user's finger as close as possible to the capacitive plates. This can have the effect of limiting the design flexibility for the fingerprint recognition sensor.
It sometimes occurs that measurements of capacitance involve positioning of the user's finger with respect to the fingerprint recognition sensor. For example, the user's finger might have to be placed within a conductive ring, significantly limiting the size and position of the fingerprint recognition sensor. This can also have the effect of limiting the design flexibility for the fingerprint recognition sensor.
It sometimes occurs that measurements of capacitance involve capacitive coupling with a portion of the user's finger other than the epidermis. For example, capacitive coupling (or other fingerprint recognition sensing) might involve as a subdermal layer of the user's finger. This might involve introduction of a relatively greater electric charge to conduct that capacitive coupling. As described in part above, this can have the effect that the user might feel the charge, sometimes as a tingling or other noticeable effect in a portion of the user's finger.
Each of these examples, as well as other possible considerations, can cause difficulty for the fingerprint recognition sensor, and for the device incorporating the fingerprint recognition sensor (such as a computing device using fingerprint recognition for authentication). The fingerprint recognition sensor might be limited in size, or position, or in whether it can be relatively easily incorporated with other elements of the device incorporating the fingerprint recognition sensor. For a first example, this can have the effect that the fingerprint recognition sensor might not be easily incorporated into some types of devices (such as relatively small devices like smartphones and touchpads). For a second example, this can have the effect that the fingerprint recognition sensor might be required to be relatively fragile or otherwise subject to unwanted design constraints.


A method and an electronic device for providing a screen mirroring service are provided. The method includes connecting a control channel to at least one other electronic device when an electronic device executes a screen mirroring service, transmitting screen data comprising an added virtual key, to the other electronic device, and performing a function based on a control signal corresponding to using the virtual key received from the other electronic device over the control channel.

Digital media services, such as videos or games, using a portable electronic device is drawing much attention recently. However, it is not easy for several users to concurrently use digital multimedia data because of screen size constraint of the portable electronic device. More portable electronic devices are released with a Television (TV) TV OUT function, such as screen mirroring, for outputting a digital multimedia signal to a bigger display such as a TV, a monitor, or a projector.
As such, in the screen mirroring, a sync electronic device cannot access a physical key of a source electronic device and thus a user needs to control the source electronic device in person.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.

Method and apparatus for providing of screen mirroring service


An apparatus includes: an electromagnetic waveguide and an iris structure providing an iris in the electromagnetic waveguide. The iris structure defines an iris hole. The apparatus further includes an electric field rotation arrangement configured to establish a 2N-pole electric field around a circumference of the iris hole, wherein N is an integer which is at least two. The electric field rotation arrangement may include at least four iris slots, each in communication with the iris hole, wherein a first one of the iris slots is further in disposed at a first side of the iris hole and a second one of the iris slots is disposed at a second side of the iris hole which is opposite the first side.

Emission spectroscopy based on plasma sources is a well accepted approach to elemental analysis. It is desired that an electrical plasma suitable as an emission source for atomic spectroscopy of a sample should satisfy a number of criteria. The plasma should produce desolvation, volatilization, atomization and excitation of the sample. However the introduction of the sample to the plasma should not destabilize the plasma or cause it to extinguish.
One known and accepted plasma source for emission spectroscopy is a radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, typically operating at either 27 MHz or 40 MHz. In general, with an RF ICP source the plasma is confined to a cylindrical region, with a somewhat cooler central core. Such a plasma is referred to as a "toroidal" plasma. To perform spectroscopy of a sample with an RF ICP source, a sample in the form of an aerosol laden gas stream may be directed coaxially into this central core of the toroidal plasma.
Although such plasma sources are known and work well, they generally require the use of argon as the plasma gas. However, argon can be somewhat expensive and is not obtainable easily, or at all, in some countries.
Accordingly, there has been ongoing interest for many years in a plasma source supported by microwave power (for example at 2.45 GHz where inexpensive magnetrons are available) which can use nitrogen, which is cheaper and more widely available than argon, as the plasma gas.
However, emission spectroscopy systems based on microwave plasma sources have generally shown significantly worse detection limits than systems which employ an ICP source, and have often been far more demanding in their sample introduction requirements.
For optimum analytical performance of the emission spectroscopy system, it is thought that the plasma should be confined to a toroidal region, mimicking the plasma generated by an RF ICP source.
It turns out to be much more difficult to produce such a toroidal plasma using microwave excitation than it is in for RF ICP source. With an RF ICP source, a current-carrying coil, wound along the long axis of a plasma torch, is used to power the plasma. The coil produces a magnetic field which is approximately axially oriented with respect to the long axis of the plasma torch, and this, in turn, induces circulating currents in the plasma, and these currents are symmetrical about the long axis of the plasma torch. Thus, the electromagnetic field distribution in the vicinity of the plasma torch has inherent circular symmetry about the long axis of the plasma torch. So it is comparatively easy to produce a toroidal plasma with an RF ICP source.
However, the waveguides used to deliver power to microwave plasmas do not have this type of circular symmetry, and so it is much more difficult to generate toroidal microwave plasmas.
There is therefore a desire to provide an improved microwave plasma source which can offer performance which approaches that of RF ICP, together with characteristics such as small size, simplicity and relatively low operating costs.

Waveguide-based apparatus for exciting and sustaining a plasma


A patient communication device for advanced patient communication and methods for making and using same. According to one embodiment, a patient communication device comprises a selection input mechanism for generating a message on a display, the message reflecting a patient request and an urgency level associated with the patient request. The selection input mechanism includes one or more of a button, keyboard and a touch screen. Further, the patient communication device includes a transmitter for transmitting the message to a central processing server and a status indicator on the display, the status indicator representing a transmission status associated with the message.

Characteristic of cardiothoracic surgery is the post-operative patient who is sent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) intubated due to respiratory requirements. Approximately half of these patients are extubated within their first twenty-four post-operative hours. In most cases these patients are extubated within the first three days. There are some, however, who remain intubated for a significant length of time. When a surgeon identifies a patient who requires intubation longer than seven days, the surgeon will usually decide to perform a tracheotomy on that patient. The breathing support tube enters the trachea rather than entering the mouth for the trached patient. Communication for a intubated or trached patient is minimal due to the inability to speak resulting in the patient, hospital staff and loved ones resorting to the reading of lips, nodding of heads and squeezing of hands to communicate.
Without effective communication, the intubated or trached patient may not receive the standard of care he or she would otherwise receive had he or she been able to effectively communicate. The lack of communication also creates unnecessary levels of anxiety which the patient must endure. Nurses and hospital staff ask many questions from the patient pertaining to their prognosis and progress which may never get fully or even adequately answered. A doctor or nurse is not able to treat a symptom which they know little or nothing about. In addition, other problems arise due to the insufficient communication from the patient. Localized areas of pain are often misdiagnosed, resulting in over-medication generally or the medication of an area which is not the source of pain. Proper and essential treatment given in an adequate and timely manner will help resolve or prevent many post-operative complications and decrease the patient's length of stay in the hospital. This begins with providing the patient a clear and precise means of communication.
Another problem exists in that currently patients are subjected to pushing a button or call light, which turns on a light in the hallway at the doorway to their room. Nurses have no way of identifying whether the patient's need is urgent or non-urgent. Additionally, the nurse is unable to prepare him/herself for the need appropriately before entering the room. Instead, the nurse must go to the patient's room, be informed of the problem or need and then leave the patient's room and retrieve whatever resources are necessary for the nurse to fulfill the patient's need or request. This is extremely time-consuming, wastes precious hospital resources, and can delay meeting the needs of a patient. This problem can be detrimental to the patient when the need is of an urgent matter. Unless the patient can scream loud enough to be heard from wherever help may be, the patient is subjected to wait until someone responds to a common light at the patient's doorway.
Moreover, current systems lack a patient-centric device for the bedside interface (e.g., pillow speaker); and, only a few nurse call systems provide an opportunity for patients to convey specific messages directly to their assigned providers.
Furthermore, eighty percent of hospitals care for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) on a regular basis, and despite advancements in the profession of healthcare interpreting and translation services (also referred to as Language Access Services), patients with language barriers are often left without an effective means to communicate with their providers. While best practice, clinical ethics and legal and regulatory guidelines recommend the use of professional interpreters for all healthcare encounters, logistics and resource capacity make this prohibitive. Reasons cited by hospital staff for not using professional interpreters include: resources available to bridge the language barrier are not user friendly; resources are not easily accessible; and staff are unaware of the resource and have not been trained. Despite these disadvantages, nurse call systems do not provide a means for LEP patients to generate a nurse call request in the patient's preferred language.
Accordingly, it has been estimated that inefficient communication costs U.S. hospitals more than $12 billion annually or $4 million for each 500 bed hospital. In summary, nurse call systems have been the primary means for hospitalized patients to initiate an encounter from the bedside. However, these nurse call patient requests range in urgency, are not differentiated based on skill-set required to fulfill the patient request, and are not equitable for LEP patients. Further, these shortcomings prohibit effective communication with LEP patients and can contribute to poor outcomes relative to their English-speaking counterparts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Patient device for advanced patient communication


A system and method for performing a service discovery on a distributed computer system includes obtaining information of a service that is provided by a host computer in the distributed computer system and embedding the information into a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) data frame to be transmitted from the host computer to another component of the distributed computer system.

Virtualization can associate computing resources with network services. For example, virtual compute instances, such as virtual machines (VMs), can interact with physical networking equipments providing load balancing service, firewall service, etc., physical equipments providing high level application services, such as, web proxy, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) proxy, single sign-on proxy, Web Cache Communication Protocol (WCCP) proxy, Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP) proxy, virtual network appliances providing similar network services to physical networking equipments, and virtual application services that run on an off-the-shelf x86 blade servers.
Virtualization can bring challenges to providers and users of data centers. For example, the interaction between virtual compute instances and resources may require discovery and configuration of the services at management stations in the network. Service discovery and configuration techniques for distributed computer systems with service-consuming clients, such as VMs, are important to ensure that the clients are operating at desired or target levels. However, service discovery and configuration may be a resource and capital intensive operation as it requires multiple organizations inside an enterprise and across different enterprises to interoperate and cooperate with each other and work with all the equipment and virtualization service vendors. In addition, maintaining the service configuration in view of the dynamic nature of the data center service and policy deployment is an increasingly difficult task.

System and method for performing a service discovery for virtual networks


A dielectric waveguide which comprises a first single crystal magnesium oxide block having a surface of face (001), (100) or (010) and a first copper oxide superconducting film formed on the above-described surface in a c-axis crystal orientation perpendicular to the surface, and a method of production thereof are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric waveguide and a method of production thereof to transmit a high-frequency electric signal such as a microwave, quasi-millimeter wave, millimeter wave, sub-millimeter wave, and so on.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a frequency band around a millimeter wave, a circuit using a waveguide, namely, a microwave transmission circuit is often used. Generally, the waveguide can be made small in sectional size with increase of the frequency, based on ½ wavelength as a standard. Further, it is known that it is possible to make the size inside the waveguide as small as ∈r−1/2 times by filling a space of the cavity inside the waveguide with a dielectric substance, thus making it a small size. This is called a dielectric waveguide circuit (The basis of microwave circuit and the application thereof p 239–243, by Yoshihiro Konishi, published by Sogo Denshi Shuppan, in 1990). Here, ∈r indicates a relative dielectric constant of the dielectric substance.
In application of these waveguides to a transmission line, a resonator, and so on, signal energy loss in the electromagnetic field causes a problem. Energy loss in an electric conductor and a dielectric material is predominant in the loss described above. Loss in a conductor increases as surface resistance increases, and loss in a dielectric material increases as dielectric loss (tan δ) increases.
A low-loss waveguide using a metal superconductor or an oxide superconductor as a conductor has been researched and developed, and a waveguide type cavity resonator using niobium has become commercially practical in a particle accelerator.
On the other hand, it is known that on the surface of a MgO single crystal (001) (since it is a cubic crystal system, the faces (001), (010), and (100) have substantially the same physical properties), a copper oxide superconducting film being in a strong c-axis crystal orientation is obtained by a plurality of methods such as a sputtering process, a pulse laser deposition (PLD) process and so on. As a method of depositing film, a method can be cited in which the film is deposited under high temperatures of about 600 to 800° C. on a substrate in a reduced oxygen atmosphere. It is known that it is easy to pass a superconductive current along the film surface direction of a c-axis oriented film under a low temperature of the critical temperature Tc or less, compared with an a-axis oriented film. The critical temperature Tc of the copper oxide super conductor is known to be several tens of Kelvins or more, depending on the material.
A waveguide circuit is generally easily made low-loss but easily becomes large in size compared with a planar type circuit such as a microstrip line type, a coplanar type, and so on.
Formation of a super conductive planar type circuit using a substrate on which a copper oxide superconducting film is formed has been researched and developed in many institutions. It is recognized that these circuits can form a low-loss (high unloaded Q) circuit compared with a similar type circuit which uses copper, gold, silver, aluminum or the like which is an ordinary electrically good conductive material as a conductor for a circuit transmission line in a submicro wave and a microwave.

Dielectric waveguide having a 45° face and method of production thereof


A switch circuit includes n switching elements (n≥2) connected in series between an input node and an output node. A control device is configured to convert DC power in a power storage device into AC power synchronized with AC power supplied from an AC power supply during a normal state and supply the AC power to the output node, by controlling a power converter, when an abnormality of at least one of the AC power supply and the switch circuit is sensed in a state where the control device outputs conduction commands for the n switching elements. The control device is further configured to produce cutoff commands for cutting off the n switching elements during execution of power conversion in the power converter, and sense a cutoff abnormality of the switch circuit based on terminal-to-terminal voltages of the n switching elements during production of the cutoff commands.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. H02-106158 (PTL 1) discloses a power conversion device having a circuit configured by connecting a plurality of self-arc-extinguishing semiconductor switching elements in series. In PTL 1, each semiconductor switching element is provided with detection means for detecting that the semiconductor switching element cannot be cut off. The detection means is configured to detect that the semiconductor switching element cannot be cut off, using a terminal-to-terminal voltage of a GTO (Gate Turn-Off thyristor) serving as the semiconductor switching element.

TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION


A variable power supply technique for use with a high efficiency line driver uses a signal peak amplitude to determine a start of a rise time for a power supply to begin supplying operating voltage to the line driver. This ensures that the voltage supplied to the line driver essentially tracks the output signal. A slew start delay circuit detects when the signal rises above a level that can be supported by a current power supply, and determines a variable delay for switching on a power supply to supply a higher voltage to the line driver. The advantages include reduced power usage, less heat dissipation, and the ability to select a primary power supply that outputs a lower voltage.

The exponential increase in the demand for high-speed access to the Internet and other telecommunications services has created a significant demand for reliable equipment to provide such services. One of the most important classes of high-speed access communications equipment is digital subscriber line (DSL) equipment, used to offer a number related services collectively referred to as xDSL. The xDSL services include Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL), Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL), and Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL). The xDSL services are provided using twisted pair copper loops commonly referred to as "subscriber loops". The xDSL transceivers typically convert a digital signal to be transmitted to an analog signal that is processed and coupled to the subscriber loop by a line driver.
In order to transmit signals at high speed, it is essential that the line driver introduce very little distortion in a signal transmitted on the subscriber loop. This is especially important if a multi-carrier modulation technique such as discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulation is used to transmit the signal. Energy conservation is also becoming increasingly important and it is therefore important that line driver circuitry dissipate as little waste energy as possible.
High efficiency line drivers are known in the art. Applicant's co-assigned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/209,294 entitled DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT WITH SELECTABLE VOLTAGE SUPPLIES was filed on Dec. 11, 1998. That application describes a technique in which a power supply for a DSL line driver is switched when an amplitude of the signal crosses a predefined threshold. Due to an inherent delay between switching on the power supply and an output of a drive voltage, the power supply must be switched on before the signal to be transmitted arrives at an input stage of the line driver. However, if the power supply is switched on too abruptly the switching mechanism may inject noise into the signal at the output of the driver. To avoid this problem, the slew rate of the switching mechanism is decreased. Consequently, the higher voltage supply must be turned on sooner, which results in less power savings because the higher voltage remains on longer.
Most xDSL signals have peaks that are nearly Gausian in their distribution. Consequently, very few peaks are at full scale. Therefore, if power supply switching is based on when an amplitude of the signal crosses a threshold, regardless of the peak amplitude of the signal, surplus power may be dissipated because the higher voltage power supply is kept on longer than required by the peak amplitude of the signal.
There therefore exists a need for a supply voltage control circuit for selecting one of 2N (N.gtoreq.1) power supplies to supply voltage to a line driver that is more energy efficient than control circuits described in the prior art.

Variable power supply technique for use with a high efficiency line driver


In a digital image processing system, an A/D converter digitizes an input analog 2-field (i.e. 525 lines NTSC) video signal into first and second digital video field data components of a digital video frame, and the data of the first and second fields is stored in an image memory. Under control command, the first digital video field data is read-out of the image memory, switched to a data output and D/A converted into a first analog video field for supplying the first field component of an analog video still frame, and simultaneously the first digital video field data is also stored in a field memory. The second digital video field data is then read-out of the image memory into one input of an adder while the first digital video field data is read-out of the field memory into another input of the adder, whereby the first and second digital field data is digitally summed, then passed through a divider to provide the digital average of the data of the first and second digital video fields. The averaged digital video field data is then switched to the data output and D/A converted for supplying the second field component of a 2-field analog video still/freeze frame. Flicker due to relative motion occurring between the two fields of the input analog video frame is reduced by one-half in the output analog video frame due to the digitally performed averaging operation, providing an improved still/freeze frame video picture.

As for the digital image system, that is a system which can convert analog image signals into digital image signals so that the digital image signals can be stored in an image memory, and which, if necessary, can reproduce it, such as digital VTR, image filing system, digital television and the like.
Generally the frames reproduced through the television system are successively scanned 30 times per second and one frame is scanned by dividing into two field scannings, thereby causing an effect which appears as if 60 frames are scanned. That is, in case of the television system in Korea, one frame consists of 525 scanning horizontal lines, of which odd horizontal scanning lines and even horizontal scanning lines are separated from each other, each of which is called one field, and one frame is completed by both fields to be scanned separately, one by one.
The interlaced scanning method as described above is also employed in a video camera producing the image signal. Therefore, the image signals consisting of one frame are not associated with the transient images, but the image signals corresponding to each one of the scanning lines are associated with the images having a time interval therebetween each other. Accordingly, the image signals constituting one frame do not constitute simultaneous instant pictures such as photographs but constitute continuously changing. Therefore, if one frame of scenes, in which the object to be pictured is moving, is repeatedly seen, it is found that the flicker phenomenon, in which the frame fluctuates or flickers, is caused by the time difference in one still picture frame constituted by two fields.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional digital image processing system, in which an A/D converter 2 receives analog video signals to converted into digital signals at a predetermined sampling frequency from a controller 1. Then, controller 1 applies the address signals and the write control signals to an image memory 3 to store the digital signals in image memory 3, and in case of reproduction of them applies the read control signals and the address signals thereto. Since in image memory 3 one frame or one field of picture data is stored, upon reproduction of the still picture frame the stored picture data are reproduced as analog videp signal through a D/A converter 4 by the read control of controller means 1.
Therefore, the conventional system has problems in which, upon reproduction of the still picture frame, if one field of picture data is stored in image memory 3, then the number of horizontal scanning lines constituting the picture frame is reduced by half so that the picture frame is rough and its quality deteriorates by repeatedly reproducing a picture frame with only one field (odd or even horizontal scanning lines), and if one frame of picture data is stored in image memory 3, then the flicker phenomenon in which the picture frame fluctuates or flickers, is caused by the time difference between two fields constituting one picture frame as described above.

Apparatus and method for reducing flickering in a still video frame in a digital image processing system


A system having a plurality of printed circuit broads each one having an electrical component thereon. A backplane carries a signal indicative of a performance characteristic of the electrical components on the plurality of printed circuit boards plugged into such backplane. The performance characteristic may be, for example component speed, operating protocol, etc. System start-up is interrupted upon detection of such incompatibility. After start up, upon plugging an additional printed circuit broad having an electrical component thereon with an operating incompatible with the electrical components on the plurality of printed circuit boards into the backplane, the electrical component on such additional printed circuit will not be electrically coupled to the electrical component on the additional printed circuit board from the electrical components of the plurality of printed circuit boards.

As is known in the art, large host computers and servers (collectively referred to herein as "host computer/servers") require large capacity data storage systems. These large computer/servers generally include data processors which perform many operations on data introduced to the host computer/server through peripherals including the data storage system. The results of these operations are output to peripherals, including the storage system.
One type of data storage system is a magnetic disk storage system. Here a bank of disk drives and the host computer/server are coupled together through an interface. The interface includes "front end" or host computer/server controllers (or directors) and "back-end" or disk controllers (or directors). The interface operates the controllers (or directors) in such a way that they are transparent to the host computer/server. That is, data is stored in, and retrieved from, the bank of disk drives in such a way that the host computer/server merely thinks it is operating with its own local disk drive. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,939, entitled "System and Method for Disk Mapping and Data Retrieval", inventors Moshe Yanai, Natan Vishlitzky, Bruno Alterescu and Daniel Castel, issued Apr. 27, 1993, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
As described in such U.S. patent, the interface may also include, in addition to the host computer/server controllers (or directors) and disk controllers (sometimes also referred to as directors), addressable cache memories. The cache memory is a semiconductor memory and is provided to rapidly store data from the host computer/server before storage in the disk drives, and, on the other hand, store data from the disk drives prior to being sent to the host computer/server. The cache memory being a semiconductor memory, as distinguished from a magnetic memory as in the case of the disk drives, is much faster than the disk drives in reading and writing data.
The host computer/server controllers, disk controllers and cache memory are interconnected through a backplane printed circuit board (i.e., backplane). More particularly, disk controllers are mounted on disk controller printed circuit boards. The host computer/server controllers are mounted on host computer/server controller printed circuit boards. And, cache memories are mounted on cache memory printed circuit boards. The disk directors, host computer/server directors, and cache memory printed circuit boards plug into the backplane.
As is also known in the art, the directors and the memories must operate under compatible conditions, such as, for example, speed, operating protocol, etc. Thus, for example, while the interface is designed to operate at a particular speed, such as for example, 1.25 Gbit/seconds, it is also expected that enhancements in technology will quickly push this interface speed to say, for example, 2.5 Gbits/second and beyond. Since all director-memory interfaces must operate at the same speed within the system, in the past it has been necessary to the memory board and the director board to maintain speed compatibility.

System having backplane performance capability selection logic


Some embodiments include patterning methods. First and second masking features may be formed over first and second regions of a semiconductor base, respectively. A protective mask may be formed over the second masking features. First and second spacers may be formed along sidewall edges of the first masking features and along lateral edges of the protective mask, respectively. The protective mask and the first masking features may be removed without removing the second masking features, without removing the first spacers, and without removing the second spacers. The first spacers may be third masking features that are at a tighter pitch than the first masking features. Patterns of the second masking features and the third masking features may be transferred into the semiconductor base. Some embodiments include patterned semiconductor bases.

Photolithography is commonly utilized during integrated circuit fabrication. Photolithography comprises patterning of photoresist by exposing the photoresist to a pattern of actinic energy, and subsequently developing the photoresist. The patterned photoresist may then be used as a mask, and a pattern may be transferred from the photolithographically-patterned photoresist to underlying materials.
A continuing goal in semiconductor processing is to reduce the size of individual electronic components, and to thereby enable smaller and denser integrated circuitry. A concept commonly referred to as "pitch" can be used to quantify the density of an integrated circuit pattern. A photolithographic technique will tend to be constrained by a minimum pitch below which the particular photolithographic technique cannot reliably form features. The minimum pitches associated with photolithographic techniques present obstacles to continued feature size reduction in integrated circuit fabrication.
Pitch multiplication, such as pitch doubling, is one proposed method for extending the capabilities of photolithographic techniques beyond their minimum pitch.
In some applications, it is desired to form different levels of pitch multiplication across different regions of a semiconductor substrate. For instance, it may be desired to perform pitch-doubling along one region of a semiconductor substrate, and to perform pitch-quadrupling along another region of a semiconductor substrate. It can be advantageous to utilize common process steps when forming the different levels of pitch multiplication in that such may improve economy associated with a fabrication process. However, it can be difficult to develop appropriate processing to combine steps of the different levels of pitch multiplication without also introducing other complexities into the fabrication process which offset the gains achieved from the combined steps.
It is desirable to develop new methodologies for pitch multiplication, and to develop processes for applying such methodologies to integrated circuit fabrication. It is further desirable to develop methodologies for pitch multiplication which may efficiently enable multiple common steps to be performed while achieving different levels of pitch multiplication across different regions of a semiconductor substrate.


The present invention provides a circuit applied to a bio-information acquisition system, wherein the circuit includes a terminal, an output circuit, a feedback circuit and a calibration circuit. In the operations of the circuit, the terminal is arranged to receive an input signal, the output circuit is configured to generate an output signal according to the input signal, the feedback circuit is configured to receive the output signal to generate a current signal to the terminal, and the calibration circuit is configured to generate a control signal to control the feedback circuit to determine a level of the current signal according to the output signal.

A conventional medical device generally uses large dry electrodes or wet electrodes to measure physiological signals to obtain physiological features such as bio-impedance or body fat. Recently, personal biosensors such as portable/wearable medical devices become popular for providing physiological information at all time for the reference to the user. Considering the use and design of these portable medical devices, smaller dry electrodes are more appropriate. However, smaller dry electrodes means worse electrode impedance, and quality of the signals may be worsened to influence the accuracy of the physiological information.

Circuit applied to bio-information acquisition system


A system that allows users to display valid identification via a mobile device. Authentic and valid IDs and secure folders are verified by a certificate authority. Statistical techniques are applied to automatically determine the consistency and reliability of user data. Context is automatically determined to display data according to the context.

As mobile computing devices have become more central to users' everyday lives, it is not uncommon for a user to carry his/her mobile computing device nearly everywhere him or her. For example, users often carry their mobile computing devices with them at home, at work, church, and at social events.
Also, it is common for users to carry many identification cards because it is very common for certain environments (e.g. commercial or governmental) to require valid identification.
Various systems exist that allow users to store credit cards or other identification cards on their cellular phone. However, these systems do not synchronize with databases of qualified certificate authorities for authorizing an identification card using a user's device. For example, using current systems, a virtually stored driver's license cannot be presented as a valid ID if the original and physical ID card is not present.
Therefore, there exists a need for a mobile identification card system that allows users to carry valid identification through their personal electronic devices.

Officially authorized virtual identification cards


A thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate has a plurality of pixel units. A plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines are formed on the substrate. Each of the plurality of paired and adjacent signal lines and each of the plurality of scanning lines are arranged in a matrix form to define each pixel unit. Each pixel unit includes at least two pixels, which are abreast of the paired and adjacent signal lines. This structure thereby provides a TFT array substrate with high aperture ratio pixel structure.

(A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a TFT array substrate with high aperture ratio pixel structure.
(B) Description of Related Art
Currently, liquid crystal display (LCD), having the advantages of low power consumption, being thin type, light weight and having low driving-voltage, has been put to practical use, such as in personal computers, archival treatments, navigation systems, projectors, view finders and portable machines (watches, electronic calculators and televisions). The applied electric field on the LCD changes the alignment of liquid crystals that possess the characteristics of dielectric anisotropy and conducting anisotropy, and then the accompanied optical effects will be transformed into visional variation. A LCD employing a thin film transistor (TFT) as an active device is named TFT-LCD, which is good for low power consumption, is thin type, light weight and has low driving-voltage.
FIG. 1A is a top view showing a pixel structure of conventional TFT-LCD. The scanning lines 110 and the signal lines 120 are arranged in a matrix form. Thin film transistor (TFT) 130 is disposed over the scanning line 110, and a pixel electrode 140 is electrically connected to the TFT 130. A black matrix 150 (as shown in FIG. 1B) has a window 152 pervious to light. FIG. 1B is a sectional view showing the structure along the line A-Axe2x80x2 of FIG. 1A. The scanning line 110 (not shown in FIG. 1B), signal lines 120 and pixel electrode 140 are formed on the lower substrate 102. The black matrix 150 and the window 152 are formed on the upper substrate 104. Because the light passing through the edge of the pixel electrode 140 is shielded by the black matrix 150 to avoid light leakage, the transmittance area I is only just as broad as the window 152. In other words, the aperture ratio is reduced. Therefore, another proposal of improved pixel structure is disclosed.
FIG. 2A is a top view showing another pixel structure of conventional TFT-LCD. Two floating electrodes 160 are disposed on the lower substrate 102 (as shown in FIG. 2B) to shield the leakage light passing through from the edge of the pixel electrode 140 near the signal lines 120. FIG. 2B is a sectional view showing the structure along the line B-Bxe2x80x2 of FIG. 2A. Therefore, the window 154 of the black matrix 150 is broader than the window 152 shown in FIG. 1B. In another word, the transmittance area II is bigger than the transmittance area I (as shown in FIG. 1B) so the aperture ratio of pixel structure is improved. Moreover, the aperture ratio of the pixel structure shown in FIG. 2A is increased about 3% comparing to the pixel structure shown in FIG. 1A.
However, the aperture ratio of FIG. 2A is still decreased under a misalignment assembly process. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state of misalignment assembly of conventional TFT-LCD. The upper substrate 104 is shifted along the direction of an arrow 180 under the misalignment assembly process, and the black matrix 150 following the upper substrate 104 is also shifted. Therefore, the transmittance area is decreased from II to IIxe2x80x2, and the improved aperture ratio is reduced again. According to actual experiment result, shifting the black matrix 150 1 xcexcm decreases the aperture ratio 1% the aperture ratio 1%. For this reason, if the black matrix 150 is shifted more than 3 xcexcm, the aperture ratio will be reduced more than 3%. Consequently, the improved aperture ratio will be canceled out completely.
The object of the present invention is to provide a TFT array substrate with high aperture ratio pixel structure to solve the problems caused by above conventional TFT-LCD.
This TFT array substrate with high aperture ratio pixel structure comprises a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines formed on the substrate. Each paired and adjacent signal lines and each scanning line are arranged in a matrix form to define each pixel unit, each pixel unit includes at least two pixels, and the two pixels are abreast the paired and adjacent signal lines. Each pixel includes at least a thin film transistor disposed on the scanning line. A first floating electrode is disposed parallel to the signal lines and located on a side of the pixel adjacent to the signal line. A second floating electrode is located on the opposite side of the pixel and stretches over to the adjacent pixel. A pixel electrode is formed partially overlapping the first floating electrode and the second floating electrode, and is electrically connected to the thin film transistor.
According to this TFT array substrate of the present invention, each paired and adjacent signal lines and each scanning line are arranged in a matrix form to define each pixel unit, and each pixel unit includes at least two pixels. Therefore, at least one of the aperture ratios of the two pixels is fixed under a misalignment assembly process. For this reason, the whole aperture ratio of each pixel unit is still improved under the misalignment assembly process.
The other object of the present invention is to provide a thin film transistor liquid crystal display using above TFT array substrate, comprising a first substrate and a second substrate. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A plurality of pixel units are formed on the first substrate, and includes a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines. Each paired and adjacent signal lines and each scanning line are arranged in a matrix form to define each pixel unit. Each pixel unit includes at least two pixels, and the two pixels are abreast the paired and adjacent signal lines. Each pixel at least comprises a thin film transistor disposed on the scanning line. A first floating electrode is disposed parallel to the signal lines, and located on a side of the pixel adjacent to the signal line. A second floating electrode is located on the opposite side of the pixel and stretches over to the adjacent pixel. A pixel electrode is formed partially overlapping the first floating electrode and the second floating electrode, and is electrically connected to the thin film transistor. A plurality of black matrixes are formed on the second substrate, wherein the plurality of black matrixes have a plurality of windows, and each window corresponds to a space between the first two floating electrodes in each the pixel units.


A locking and opening device for an injection moulding die, particularly for processing highly liquid melted plastic material, provides a technically simple, low cost mechanism to lock the die and limit elements located above workbench level or mould level, when the device is arranged vertically. To achieve this, clamping pins hold one moulding die in a closed position in relation to an overlying moulding die and which can be axially displaced into a closed or open position by means of a sliding element associated with each clamping pin.

1.0 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mechanism for locking and opening an injection mold, more particulary for processing low-viscosity molten plastic.
2.0 Discussion of Related Art
Injection molds are available in various forms. For example, it is known, even in the processing of low-viscosity molten plastic, that the upper half of a mold, for example, can be moved downwards by a closing cylinder onto the lower half, and then held under pressure in the closed position, with pressures of 6,000 to 7,500 N being applied. It is also possible to assemble a casting mold by hand via a drawer system and then insert it into clamps which lock the mold halves and fix them in relation to an injection nozzle.
It is also known that mold halves can be guided on slide elements for opening and closing, and kept in the closed position by toggle levers. If closing cylinders, toggle levers or the like are used, comparatively high outlay for equipment is involved. In addition, space has to be created for the closing mechanism, for example above a worktable, if the upper mold half is moved by a cylinder into the working position on the lower half and held in that position.

Injection moulding die locking and opening device

Optimel Schmelzgusstecgnik GmbH & Co. KG


A tool for the containment and dispensing of materials on a work site comprises a containment body with an orifice and at least one tubule for dispensing contained material on the site. In the preferred embodiment, the tool terminates with a plurality of tubules forming a brush for the distribution of the dispensed material. Fibrous filaments may be intermingled with the tubules for increased brushing effectiveness.

Brushes with a reservoir or container of a material to be dispensed are known in the prior art. Typically, such brushes channel the contained material into an orifice at the base of the spreading means, usually bristles or a foam pad. As such, the material must work through the spreading means to reach the work area. Other such brushes force material onto the spreading means, which must then be employed to administer the material onto the worksite. Some brushes have bristles or other fibrous means protruding from a syringe filled with the material. These present a disadvantage as they may only handle low viscosity fluids. If a fluid presents too high a viscosity or is any viscosity suspension, the brush clogs. Therefore, most practitioners use an applicator syringe and a separate brush.
The present invention is a tool for applying material directly to a worksite from a contained reservoir. As such, material may be applied exactly where a user desires and then spread or specifically positioned as the user needs.
The present invention represents a departure from the prior art in that the tool of the present invention allows for direct application of a material to a work site from a reservoir through at least one tubule forming the brush end. This is particularly advantageous for work sites which are hard to access with a conventional brush. As such, the user needs only one tool, where in the prior art two would be necessary, particularly with higher viscosity fluids and suspensions.


The invention provides a correction implant for the human vertebral column which is simply structured and consists of only a few parts. The correction implant according to the invention can be simply implanted and effectively fixes reset vertebra bodies in a selected position. The correction implant includes pedicle screws having slots for the accommodation of rods. The rods serve for the bracing of pairs of pedicle screws in a crosswise manner. The longitudinal connection between pedicle screws takes place by use of plate-shaped elongated elements having openings through which the pedicle screws are extended, with at least one opening being elongated so that the pedicle screws can be screwed in an accurate position.

The German patent specification 26 49 042 discloses an implant for the human vertebral column including pedicle screws to be threaded into a verebra body and having an open-ended slot in the screw for the acccommodation of a compression rod. The compression rod is fixed to the screw head by nuts on the compression rod on both sides of the screw head. A pressure distribution plate is located below the screw head and is matched to the shape of the vertebra body. Frequently, the known implant is used pairwisely on both sides of the vertebra body, with the compression rod being adapted to the curvature of the vertebral column by bending it correspondingly. The stability of the compression rod is relatively low. A mutual bracing of the pairwisely located implants is not provided.
The German patent specification 32 19 575 discloses a correction implant for human vertebral columns using bone screws. The bone screws are connected with corner pieces interconnected in turn by a tension lock. By means of the tension lock, the distance between the bone screws can be varied. It is also known to tighten pairwisely arranged implants by tension wires. It is known that wires can be only loaded with tension and not with thrust or torsional forces. It is further disadvantageous with the known implant that the screws have to be actuated from different directions of access.
From the German patent specification 38 23 737, a correction and retaining means for the vertebral column is known, wherein pedicle screws are linked to support parts interconnected by a first and a second pair of threaded rods. The first pair of threaded rods interconnects the pedicle screws on one side of the vertebral column while the threaded rods of the second pair are crossing. The structure of the known correction implant is relatively expensive. The actuation of the screws takes place from different directions which means an additional difficulty for the surgeon.

Correction implant for the human vertebral column


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates optimizing content delivery on a network. During operation, the system receives an item of content at a first client. During the download of the content or after downloading the content, the first client receives a broadcast request for the content from a second client on the same local subnet. Upon receiving the broadcast request, the first client sends a broadcast response to the local subnet, wherein the broadcast response identifies a multicast address to which the first client will deliver the content. The first client then delivers the content to the multicast address so that the second client and any other interested clients on the local subnet can receive the content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems that communicate across computer networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for optimizing content delivery on local subnets.
2. Related Art
In the recent past, the majority of local area networks were shared carrier networks. These shared carrier networks were typically unswitched, half-duplex networks. If one node on the network wanted to download a piece of content while all of the other nodes were inactive, the one node enjoyed virtually 100% of the available network bandwidth. However, if the one node was competing with another node on the local subnet for bandwidth, the bandwidth would theoretically be split between the two nodes, and the one node would see a transfer rate of about 50% of the previous transfer rate. The problem, however, is worse than this because each additional node on the network requires an increasing amount of network overhead to handle collision detection and collision avoidance.
With the emergence of low cost switches and increasing Ethernet speeds, these problems seem to have disappeared. On a switched network, traffic is routed to only the portions of the network where it is intended. Thus, two nodes on a switched network transferring files between themselves typically do not affect other clients on the same subnet.
Recent times, however, have brought new wireless networking technologies to the market place. While the majority of wireless networks provide a large number of benefits, they have at least one major drawback. Most wireless networks are shared carrier networks. This means that the bandwidth that each nodes consumes on the network decreases the bandwidth available to other nodes by at least that amount. While operating in "infrastructure mode," when a first node on a wireless network communicates with a second node, the first node typically transmits data to an access point which relays the data to the second node. Thus, when two nodes are communicating on a wireless network in this way, they are able to use less than half of the theoretical capacity of the network. Add a handful of additional nodes to the mix, and it is easy to see how quickly the network performance deteriorates.
Businesses, which have been some of the earliest adopters of wireless networks, often encounter a situation where many clients on the same subnet require the same content. For example, when a company releases a new presentation or a software update, that content is often distributed to virtually all of the nodes on the network. Moreover, businesses often employ a subscription-based delivery service in which every node that will eventually need a specific item of content has a subscription to a category that the content belongs. Each node checks at random intervals to see if there are new pieces of content for their subscription categories. After a new item of content becomes available, each node will eventually perform its content check and will subsequently download the new item of content. In this way, each node will independently download the same item of content, which consumes a large amount of wireless networking bandwidth. For example, if there are 10 nodes on a wireless subnet, trying to access the same 100 MB file, the 100 MB may have to be downloaded 10 separate times across the wireless network. From this example it is easy to see how quickly the wireless subnet can be overwhelmed with traffic.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for distributing content to clients on a local subnet in a manner that minimizes the problems described above.

Method and apparatus for optimizing content delivery on local subnets


A multi-layer device including device layers connected by an interposer. For example, an electronic display may include a light emitting diode (LED) layer including LEDs and a control circuitry layer to provide control signals to the LEDs. The electronic display further includes an interposer positioned between the LED layer and the control circuitry layer. The interposer includes a substrate and an array of conductive pillars extending through the substrate. The conductive pillars electrically connect the LED layer with the control circuitry layer. Bonding layers may be formed on the interposer and a corresponding side of a device layer to facilitate a hybrid bonding process that electrically connects contacts of the device layer to the conductive pillars and joins the bonding layers to attach the device layer to the interposer.

The present disclosure relates to an electrical interconnection that improves the thermal and mechanical properties of a final assembled component.
Electronic displays can include digital components, and analog components of different voltage levels. For example, displays may use a planar architecture where light sources, backplane electronics, and driving circuitry are positioned on the same substrate. A planar architecture can result in a large form factor, which can be undesirable in head-mounted displays, mobile devices, etc. Furthermore, placing various different types of components of the electronic display on different chips can result in performance degradation, such as may be caused by signal delays and synchronization issues between the chips. As the feature sizes becomes very small, in the range of a few microns to sub-micron, electrical conductivity decreases (increasing series resistance).

Interposer for multi-layer display architecture


An image processor reads an original that includes an original image and an attribute instruction image, for designating the contents of the image processing that is performed on the original image. This ensures that image processing is performed in consonance with the contents of the attribute instructions that are indicated by the attribute instruction image. A scanner reads a format original wherein instructions for data attributes, such as a range for a character frame and a character color, are expressed with a bar code. The pattern of the read bar code is analyzed, and the attribute instruction data, such as the range for a character frame and a character color, are temporarily stored in a RAM. An original to be output is read by the scanner and is stored as image data in the RAM. Image processing (color conversion, etc.) that correspond to the attribute instruction data is performed on the image data, and a printer prints image data obtained by performing all of the instructed image processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus by which image processing is performed on a read image.
2. Related Back Ground Art
Copy machines are known that read an image of a document, such as a photograph, perform desired image processing on the read image, and print the image. With such a copy machine, to make copies while a specific portion of the document image is masked, first, the image is copied and a coordinate input device is used to designate a portion to be masked by referring to the copied image. In a personal computer, etc., to mask a document image, the image is first read by a scanner and is displayed on a display device, such as a monitor or a liquid crystal display, a display screen is then covered with a desired masking pattern to select a masking process.
As described above, since conventionally the masking is performed on image data by either printing a document image and designating a location for masking, or by displaying an image to be processed on a screen and designating a masking position, an output device, such as a printer or a display, is required. Accordingly, the cost and size of the apparatus increases, and its operation becomes complicated.
To overcome the above shortcomings, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby a sheet, on which information instructing a processing method of a document image is described, is read by an image input section and the instructed image processing on the sheet is performed to output resultant image data, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby the reading of a sheet on which a mask position is indicated and the reading of a document image are performed by a common reading section and the document image is output, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby an image processing position is designated by using a mark sheet, image processing is preformed on the designated document image position and the resultant image is output, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby a position for image processing and the number of copies are designated by using mark sheets that ensure the output of a designated number of sheets of desired image data, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
Conventionally, in an image processing apparatus that employs a color scanner to read a color document image and processes the read document, various procedures are performed with the input color image data before the resultant image is output.
Color image data at a high resolution, for example, is superior in image quality to color image data at a low resolution. When color image data are processed at a high resolution, however, the processing volume is increased as the amount of data involved is significantly larger, and as a result the memory capacity required for storing the image data also increases.
To read and process a color document including both characters and photographs, the required processing time increases as the data amount involved increases. However, although a significant amount of time is spent in performing various procedures, smudges occur in the image of characters that are reproduced and printed.
To resolve the above described conventional problems, it is a fifth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby input character data are binarized and input photographic data are processed by using multi-bit data at a low resolution to reduce the total amount of image data, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby processing time for character data is reduced to shorten the total processing time required for a synthesis image, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is a seventh object of the present invention to provide an image processing method for the reproduction of desirable character images, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is an eighth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method for binarizing character images and for processing photo images at a lower resolution to reduce the total time required for processing image data, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
Conventionally, an image processing apparatus that performs superimposition of characters, images and illustrations reads, for example, images and illustrations by using an image reader, such as a scanner, to perform superimposition of them.
Therefore, for removing a stain from an image or for correcting a blank area, the read data must first be displayed on a display device, and a user must then designate a range in the data and remove the stain or compensate for the blank area. Such a correction can not be permitted by a dedicated apparatus such as this apparatus.
In addition, although the dedicated apparatus can be connected to a plurality of readers, it must select only one at a time and must read data by switching readers. Further, as means for combining a color image and an illustration into one, documents to be printed must be prepared according to colors. Moreover, when data are to be output to a plurality of different devices, the connections to output devices must be switched, or a user must switch the output devices that are connected via a selector.
Therefore, a conventional apparatus requires a display device and a pointing device, such a keyboard, that designates a range in the data to correct an image; accordingly, the cost of such an apparatus is high. Also, processes requiring an operator, such as delicate correction that is performed after an image has been enlarged, are needed.
To change the connection of input/output devices, an operator must remove a currently connected device and connect a new one or must operate a selector, which reduces the efficiency of the entire processing operation.
To overcome these conventional shortcomings, it is a ninth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method wherein a symbol and a corresponding process are input with an image and are set in as apparatus in advance, to reduce interference by an operator during the procedures that are performed for image processing and to increase the efficiency of the processing, and to provide an apparatus for performing image processing.
It is a tenth object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby by reading how to cope with stains or blank areas when an image is read, the stains and the blank areas can be handled according to the read-out processing method and an image can thus be easily corrected without requiring interference by an operator, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.
It is an eleventh object of the present invention to provide an image processing method whereby, by reading, at the same time that a document is read, previously recorded symbols that represent an input and an output device, a switching operation for the input/output devices is not required and the operating efficiency can therefore be increased, and to provide an apparatus for performing such image processing.

Image processing method and an image processing apparatus


An image capturing device/system is provided with attention directing functions for directing attentions of imaging targets. In particular, the image capturing device may include a presentation device, such as a visual or an audio presentation device. The presentation device may be provided on a side of the image capturing device facing the imaging targets when the image capturing device captures the images of the imaging targets. The presentation device may be configured to display or output a presentation before and/or during an image capturing process to direct the attentions of the imaging targets toward the image capturing device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image capturing device, and in particular, an image capturing device with presentation functions for directing the attention of imaging targets.
Related Art
A user of an image capturing device may use the image capturing device to capture images of various imaging targets including persons. When capturing images of persons, it is often preferable that the persons look in the directions of the image capturing device. However, the persons (e.g., children) may not be interested in looking in the direction of the image capturing device or may not know when to look at the image capturing device. As such, it may be difficult for the user of the image capturing device to capture satisfactory images of the persons. Thus, there is a need for an improved image capturing device that includes functions for directing the attention of imaging targets.
Embodiments of the present disclosure 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 one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

Systems and methods for providing attention directing functions in an image capturing device


A brake apparatus includes: a master cylinder generating a master cylinder fluid pressure; a wheel brake device applying a braking force to the wheels; a control fluid pressure generation device including a fluid pressure control valve and a fluid pressure pump; an electric motor driving the fluid pressure pump; a control fluid pressure setting unit setting a control fluid pressure; wherein the control fluid pressure generation device rotates the electric motor to circulate a brake fluid and applies a control current to the fluid pressure control valve to thus generate the control fluid pressure in the fluid pressure control valve, and a target rotation number setting unit configured to calculate a pump-necessary discharge flow rate and a brake fluid amount, and set a target rotation number of the electric motor based on the pump-necessary discharge flow rate.

The invention relates to a brake apparatus for a vehicle that generates a control fluid pressure braking force for compensating for a deficiency of a braking force to be applied to wheels in response to a brake operating state.
For example, JP-A-2006-21745 discloses a brake apparatus for a vehicle having a fluid pressure brake apparatus and a regenerative brake device. The fluid pressure brake apparatus generates a basic fluid pressure corresponding to a brake operation by a master cylinder, and applies the generated basic fluid pressure to wheel cylinders of the respective wheels connected by an oil path having the master cylinder and a fluid pressure control valve, thereby generating a basic fluid pressure braking force for each wheel. The fluid pressure brake apparatus drives an electric motor in response to a control fluid pressure command value to thus drive a fluid pressure pump provided to the fluid pressure control valve and to thus generate a control fluid pressure and applies the generated control fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders, thereby generating a control fluid pressure braking force for each wheel. The regenerative brake device generates a regenerative braking force corresponding to a brake operating state for any one of the wheels.
In the brake apparatus for a vehicle, when the regenerative braking force varies in response to a driver-request braking force and thus proves deficient, the deficiency of the regenerative braking force is compensated by the control fluid pressure braking force. That is, the electric motor is driven at high rotation number all the time to thus increase a discharge flow rate of a fluid pressure pump and a brake fluid having an unnecessary flow rate part regarding a necessary flow rate part is made to escape from the fluid pressure control valve to the master cylinder, thereby adjusting the control fluid pressure. According to the above brake apparatus for a vehicle, it is possible to cope with a situation where the regenerative braking force proves deficient with respect to the request braking force, with good responsiveness, as required.
JP-A-10-119748 discloses a brake apparatus for a vehicle having a device that controls a motor rotation number to thus change a discharge flow rate of a pump and thus controls a control fluid pressure. According to this brake apparatus for a vehicle, when it is required to increase flow rate consumption of a brake fluid pressure due to an operation of rapidly pedaling a brake, it is possible to enhance the responsiveness by increasing the motor rotation number to thereby increase the discharge flow rate of the pump.
In the brake apparatus for a vehicle having the fluid pressure brake apparatus and the regenerative brake device, the durability of the electric motor, which drives the fluid pressure pump for generating the control fluid pressure frequently operating in a brake region, is important. According to the brake apparatus for a vehicle disclosed in JP-A-2006-21745, the electric motor should be driven at high rotation number all the time, so that the lifespan of the electric motor may end at an early stage. According to the brake apparatus for a vehicle disclosed in JP-A-10-119748, since the motor rotation number is controlled so as to change the discharge flow rate of the pump, it is possible to increase the durability of the electric motor. However, since the pedaling degree of the brake pedal varies every moment, the load to be applied to the fluid pressure pump is also varied. Regarding this, it is not suggested how to control the motor rotation number at this situation.


A cable connector includes an insulative body having a plurality of spaced apart parallel grooves formed in one face thereof, and a plurality of terminals which extend through the insulative body and include soldering pins extending out of the insulative body through the face on two sides of the parallel grooves. The soldering pins are bent to be received respectively within the grooves. The insulative body is mounted within a connector housing. Wires of a bus cable are stripped and received in the respective grooves over the soldering pins for solder connection with the soldering pins. The connector provides reliable connection between terminals and wires, reduces the height of the connector, and lower production costs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an SCSI (small computer systems interface) bus cable connector having bent soldering pins soldered to the wires of a bus cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the fast development of the information industry, use of a large amount of storage devices is becoming popular. The transmission and communication of data in the hardware requires use of SCSI bus cable connectors. In this era of high speed transmission, commonly used cable connectors are configured as a piercing type which includes an insulating housing with a plurality of spaced-apart insert holes provided for retaining signal terminals. The signal terminals are respectively provided with fork-like clamping ends used to clamp and pierce respective signal wires. The connection of the signal wires with the signal terminals is similar to that in a household telephone connection in which the plastic skin in the wire end of each signal wire need not be stripped off, and in which the insulative plastic skin of the signal wire is directly pierced by the clamping end of the respective terminal to permit contact between the terminal and the conductor of the signal wire. Since the signal wires of the bus cable connector are clamped in a piercing manner, each wire conductor is in point contact with the respective signal terminal. Moreover, since only the clamping points on two sides of each wire conductor serve for electrical contact, the stability of signal transmission thereof is more or less unreliable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,329B1 discloses a connector having a connector housing which is provided, at one end face thereof, with a plurality of parallel grooves to receive and align bent soldering sections of signal terminals. Wire conductors of a bus cable are placed within the respective grooves and are soldered to the respective signal terminals received in the grooves. This connector eliminates the use of the piercing type signal terminals. However, since the wire conductors are soldered to the signal terminals directly at the end face of the connector housing, the entire body of the connector housing has to be fabricated from a special high heat-resisting plastic material that can endure the heat generated during the soldering process, thereby increasing costs for producing the connector. On the other hand, the aforesaid U.S. patent was filed later than the priority date of the basic application (U.S. patent application Ser. No. No. 09/991,677) of this application.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector in which signal terminals are provided with bent soldering pins for soldering connection with wire conductors, thus eliminating the need to use piercing and clamping ends to pierce the signal terminals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector including signal terminals with bent and laid down soldering pins for soldering connection with wire conductors, thus lowering the height of the connector.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector in which terminals having solder pins are mounted on an insulative body which is a separate piece from a connector housing, thus permitting the connector housing to be produced from a material which has less heat resistance and inexpensive.
Accordingly, a cable connector in the present invention comprises: an insulative body including two opposite first and second faces, and a plurality of spaced apart parallel grooves formed in the first face; a plurality of terminals extending through the insulative body and including contact portions extending out of the insulative body through the second face, and soldering pins extending out of the insulative body through the first face on two sides of the parallel grooves, the soldering pins being bent to be received respectively within the grooves; a a connector housing for receiving the insulative body; and a plurality of wires including end portions which are stripped and are respectively received within the grooves over the soldering pins for electrical connection with the soldering pins.

Bus cable connector having bent soldering pins soldered to wire conductors


A powered apparatus for fluid applications includes a housing dimensioned and configured for mounting in a fluid conduit. The apparatus includes a generator for generating power. The apparatus also includes a power storage device for storing the generated power. The housing, generator and storage device comprise an integrated unit. The apparatus also includes a device connected to be powered by the generated power, for example, LED or OLED lighting. In certain embodiments, the apparatus can be mounted in a fluid conduit of a water feature. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a microprocessor for controlling at least one of power storage, wireless communication, and monitoring of a parameter associated with the fluid. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller and a power storage device and does not include a generator. The apparatus may further include a docking station for charging the power storage device.

This invention relates in general to powered apparatuses for fluid applications, and in particular to powered apparatuses for applications such as water features, irrigation systems, plumbing systems and others.
It is common to include water features on properties for recreational or decorative purposes. For example, pools, spas and hot tubs are very popular for recreation and entertainment. Landscapers often use water features such as fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls or streams to improve the decorative or aesthetic aspects of properties.
The water features often include powered devices for improving their appearance or usefulness, or related to their operation. For example, the devices may relate to illumination, monitoring, testing or control of the water features. The inclusion of lighting can both improve the appearance of the water features and extend their useful operating period into the evening hours. Water features often include equipment or complete automation systems for testing, monitoring and/or controlling aspects such as water quality, flow, level, filtration, pumping, and/or the addition of chemicals.
Current powered devices or their alternatives for water features come with some drawbacks. Typically water feature illumination devices are manufactured and sold in a form that requires an external electrical power source with very expensive purchasing/installation costs. Water testing and monitoring has been a problem requiring either inconvenient/inaccurate test strips or very expensive instrumentation meters. Other types of equipment for testing, monitoring and/or control are expensive to purchase and install and require an external source of power.
It would be desirable to provide an improved powered apparatus for fluid applications such as water features and others that can overcome some of the drawbacks associated with current devices.

Powered apparatus for fluid applications


A solid state imaging device is provided and includes: a semiconductor substrate a photoelectric conversion element including a pair of electrodes and a photoelectric conversion layer sandwiched between the pair of electrodes; a signal output circuit including an MOS transistor for outputting a signal responsive to an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion layer; a first electric charge storage section which is provided in the semiconductor substrate and in which the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion layer is directly stored; a second electric charge storage section provided in the semiconductor substrate and connected to a gate of an output transistor in the signal output circuit; and an electric charge transfer section that transfers the electric charge, stored in the first electric charge storage section, to the second electric charge storage section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid state imaging device including: a photoelectric conversion element including a pair of electrodes stacked over a semiconductor substrate and a photoelectric conversion layer sandwiched between the electrodes; and a signal output circuit for outputting a signal responsive to an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion layer.
2. Description of Related Art
JP-A-2005-268477 discloses a solid state imaging device including: a semiconductor substrate on which a signal reading circuit including an MOS transistor circuit is formed; a photoelectric conversion film which is stacked over the semiconductor substrate, and through which a signal electric charge responsive to an incident light amount is generated; a connection section which is provided at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and to which wiring for guiding the signal electric charge to the surface of the semiconductor substrate is connected; a potential barrier means which is provided so as to be adjacent to the connection section, and serves as a constant potential barrier for an electric charge of the connection section; and an electric charge storage section which is provided so as to be adjacent to the potential barrier means, and is connected to a gate of an output transistor constituting the signal reading circuit.
In such a structure, a photoelectric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion film is allowed to smoothly flow to the gate of the output transistor, and in terms of the gate of the output transistor, an effective capacitance of a signal electric charge storing section is reduced, and a signal voltage is increased, thus making it possible to obtain a high-sensitivity output signal.
FIG. 17 is a diagram for describing how the solid state imaging device disclosed in JP-A-2005-268477 operates, in which there is shown a cross-sectional potential within a semiconductor substrate.
In order to obtain a signal from one pixel of the solid state imaging device, first, an electric charge stored in the electric charge storage section is discharged to a reset drain to trigger a reset (time T0). At this time, as shown in the diagram, a reset noise N1, which is a noise electric charge generated with a reset operation, is stored in the electric charge storage section. Upon completion of the reset, the light exposure of the photoelectric conversion film is started, and a signal electric charge Q, generated by this light exposure, is allowed to go through the potential barrier from the connection section, and is stored in the electric charge storage section (time T1). Then, a signal, responsive to an electric charge amount stored in the electric charge storage section during this light exposure period, is outputted from the signal reading circuit. After the signal has been outputted, a reset operation is performed again as indicated by a time T2, a reset noise N2 is stored in the electric charge storage section, and the next light exposure is started in this state.
A signal processing circuit for processing a signal outputted from the solid state imaging device includes a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit for performing a correlated double sampling process on the signal. In this CDS circuit, sampling is performed on two types of signals, i.e., a signal responsive to a reset noise and a signal responsive to a signal electric charge including the reset noise, and a difference between both the signals is determined, thus removing the reset noise.
A signal responsive to the reset noise N1, which has been obtained at the time T0, is subtracted from an imaging signal obtained at the time T1, thereby making it possible to completely remove the reset noise. In order to perform such a process, it is necessary for the CDS circuit to perform sampling on a signal outputted from the solid state imaging device at the time T0 (sampling SP1), and sampling on a signal outputted from the solid state imaging device at the time T1 (sampling SP2) to determine a difference between both the signals. However, the time period from the sampling SP1 to the sampling SP2 is identical to the light exposure period, and the CDS circuit has to sequentially process signals from all pixels; therefore, if the signal sampling is performed at such a time interval, it becomes impossible for the processing to keep up with the signals outputted from the solid state imaging device.
Therefore, a signal subjected to sampling (sampling SP3) at the time T2 has conventionally been subtracted from a signal subjected to sampling at the time T1, thus removing the reset noise. Since the time interval between the sampling SP2 and the sampling SP3 is sufficiently shorter compared with the light exposure period, a CDS process can be performed on signals from all pixels without problems.
However, the reset noise generated by a reset operation is not constant but is varied; therefore, the reset noise cannot be properly removed by performing a process of subtracting the reset noise, generated by the reset operation at the time T2, from the signal including the reset noise generated by the reset operation at the time T0.

Solid state imaging device and imaging apparatus


A cup holder for vehicles provided by the present invention enables stable positioning of a beverage container within a vehicle regardless of the container's shape or size and allows the beverage container to be readily inserted or removed as one desires.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cup holder. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cup holder that can accommodate beverage containers of various shapes and sizes and provide stability in the positioning of the container within a vehicle.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, vehicles are equipped with cup holders as a means by which beverage containers, e.g. beverage can, cup, bottle, can be held in place while the vehicle is in motion or otherwise. A cup holder is commonly attached to a console within the vehicle, the back side of a seat, or a predetermined location that is accessible to the vehicle's occupants. The structure of a cup holder typically includes a hole or cavity in which a beverage container can be inserted.
However, cup holders of the prior art are ill-suited for holding containers of various shapes and sizes, oftentimes leaving spaces between the cup holder and a given beverage container that has been inserted therein. This poor fit between the cup holder and a beverage container can result in spillage of the beverage or dislodgement of the entire container when the vehicle is in motion or subjected to vibrations or noise, e.g. when the vehicle is driven over unpaved or poorly surfaced roads.
FIGS. 5A-C provide examples of cup holders of the prior art, wherein rubbers 120 or supporting members 200 are attached to a interior wall of an insertion hole 110 of a main body portion 100. Where the beverage container 400 is held in place by the rubbers 120, as shown in FIG. 5A, permanent deformation of the rubbers 120 can occur with repeated use, resulting in their loss of function. In the case where the beverage container 400 is held in place by elastic supporting member 200, as shown in FIG. 5B, the supporting member 200 can be broken or reversibly bent when a beverage container 400 with a protruding lower portion is drawn out from the cup holder, causing said lower portion to jam against the supporting member 200. Additionally, where the supporting members 200 are mounted under hinges 300, as shown in FIG. 5C, the beverage container has a tendency to fall downwards. As such, there is a need for a cup holder that sidesteps the pitfalls described above, accommodates beverage containers of various shapes and sizes, and provides stability in the positioning of the container within a vehicle.
The above information is presented solely to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an admission of such as prior art.


An adjustable apparatus for stabilizing an eyeball suitable for use during surgical or transplant procedures is disclosed. Furthermore, an associated method is also provided.

Precision and stability are of paramount importance during any surgical or transplant procedures. Because of the delicacy and intricate nature of the human eye, these factors become especially important during any ocular procedures, including removal of the cornea. However, for the same reasons, stability can be difficult to achieve when dealing with even donated eyeballs.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method for adequately stabilizing a human eyeball during corneal cutting and similar procedures, which is also suitably designed so as to avoid or reduce damage to the rest of the eyeball.

Eyeball stabilizing apparatus and method of use


A personal protection and ventilation system is provided. The system includes a gown having front and rear panels, a hood, and visor; a fan; an air tube; and a helmet. The fan is positioned between the wearer and a body-facing surface of the rear panel. The front panel and at least a portion of the hood are formed from a first material including a first spunbond layer, a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond laminate, and a liquid impervious elastic film disposed therebetween. The first material has an air volumetric flow rate of less than about 1 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm). The rear panel is formed from a second material including a nonwoven laminate having an air volumetric flow rate of about 20 scfm to about 80 scfm. Therefore, the fan is able to intake a sufficient amount of air from the environment through the rear panel to provide cooling/ventilation to the hood.

Surgeons and other healthcare providers often wear a combination of a surgical suit or gown, a hood, and an air cooling or ventilation system during operating procedures, particularly orthopedic total joint replacement surgeries such as arthroplasties and revisions of the knee, hip, and shoulder, in order to ensure sterile conditions in the operating room, protect the wearer, and create a comfortable environment for the wearer in terms of ventilation and cooling. Such a total protection suit can include a surgical gown, a hood with a viewing visor, and a ventilation system that can include a fan and battery. However, the ventilation systems associated with currently available systems are noisy, causing communication problems and preventing the wearer from fully utilizing the cooling air capacity because as it is turned up to full capacity, the wearer is unable to hear others or communicate effectively with others in the operating room. Moreover, currently available systems utilize a non-disposable, heavy helmet structure where the fan and other components of the ventilation system are incorporated into the helmet structure, as the air intake for the fan is usually pulled in from the hood, which is formed from a breathable filtration-type material since the surgical gown itself is typically not breathable and is instead impervious to air due to the requirement that it be a barrier to fluids such as blood. Such a design where the fan is incorporated into the helmet structure can lead to head and neck strain and "bobble headedness" due to the top-heavy nature of helmets where the fan is incorporated into the helmet design. Moreover, because currently available systems are expensive to manufacture and are thus reused by hospital staff, the maintenance, cleaning, and tracking of the numerous pieces of equipment associated with such systems is expensive, time consuming, and requires the use of additional hospital resources.
Further, in order to prevent the spread of infection to and from the patient, the surgical gowns that are part of the aforementioned systems function to prevent bodily fluids and other liquids present during surgical procedures from flowing through the gown. Disposable surgical gowns are typically made entirely from fluid repellent or impervious fabrics to prevent liquid penetration or "strike through." Various materials and designs have been used in the manufacture of surgical gowns to prevent contamination in different operating room conditions. While gowns made from an impervious material do provide a high degree of protection, gowns constructed of this type of material are typically heavy, restrictive, expensive, and uncomfortably hot to the wearer. While efforts have been made to utilize a lighter weight material in order to provide for better breathability and help reduce the overall weight of the gown, the higher the breathability of the material, the lower the repellency of the material, where the material may not meet the minimum guidelines that have been created for the rating of the imperviousness of surgical gowns.
Specifically, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has proposed a uniform classification system for gowns and drapes based on their liquid barrier performance. These procedures were adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and were recently published as ANSIA/AAMI PB70: 2012 entitled Liquid Barrier Performance and Classification of Protective Apparel and Drapes Intended for Use in Health Care Facilities, which was formally recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2004. This standard established four levels of barrier protection for surgical gowns and drapes. The requirements for the design and construction of surgical gowns are based on the anticipated location and degree of liquid contact, given the expected conditions of use of the gowns. The highest level of imperviousness is AAMI level 4, used in "critical zones" where exposure to blood or other bodily fluids is most likely and voluminous. The AAMI standards define "critical zones" as the front of the gown (chest), including the tie cord/securing means attachment area, and the sleeves and sleeve seam area up to about 2 inches (5 cm) above the elbow.
As such, a need exists for an economical disposable personal protection and ventilation system that can be discarded after just a few uses or as little as a single use and that provides sufficient cooling to the wearer without causing head and neck strain. In addition, a need exists for a surgical garment (e.g., a surgical gown) that meets the AAMI level 4 standard while at the same time being stretchable, soft, breathable, and cool to maximize the comfort for the wearer (e.g., medical care providers).

Personal protection and ventilation system