A control system comprising a device for setting up a short distance wireless second data transmission connection to a wireless communication device when it is within a short distance, the connection being arranged at least for transmitting an identification message to the communication device, the message containing data for identifying the control system; a receiver for receiving messages via a communication channel from a mobile communication network which is arranged to set up a wireless first data transmission connection to the communication device for the transmission of messages, and which mobile communication network also comprises an authentication module for identifying the communication device and for allowing the transmission of messages, and a processor at least for interpreting a control message transmitted from the communication device and received via the communication channel, the message containing at least data for controlling the control system in a desired manner.

From various control and security systems, computer-controlled devices are known which comprise a lock device and a key device for opening said lock device. The key device comprises an identification code which is read by the system by using a reading device and which is used by the system to identify the key device and to control the lock device to open. By means of the control, it is possible in a programmed manner to prevent or allow the use of a certain key device and to enter new key devices in the system. For example, card-like key devices are known which contain a printed, readable bar code for the identification code.
In control systems, also transceivers are used, such as transponders, which contain an individual identification code stored in a read-only memory (ROM). Thus, the identification code is only readable, but transceivers may also contain a random access memory (RAM) for storing variable data. The reading device transmits a signal to the transceiver, e.g. a passive transponder, by means of an inductive coupling. This signal is transmitted, by means of the inductive coupling and after being modulated according to the identification code in the key device, back to the reading device. The typical reading distance of the reading device extends to about 0.1 metres. To some transponders, the reading device transmits a microwave frequency radio signal which is transmitted, after being modulated with the identification code, from the antenna of the transponder back to the reading device. The typical reading distance of the reading device extends to about 4.0 metres, and the reading device can identify several identifications at a time, but the identification also contains a power supply, such as a battery.
Known conventional lock and key devices also include a mechanical lock and key for buildings as well as an infrared transmitter for vehicles, such as automobiles, which is fitted in a mechanical key and which transmits a standardized encoded infrared signal, when needed. The code contained in said signal is received, identified, and the electrical locking system of the automobile releases the locking of the doors and often also releases the immobiliser system. For buildings is also known an electrical locking system which comprises a keypad and an electrically controlled lock device fitted next to a door. By means of the keypad, a code number is entered in the computer-controlled system and is identified, and if the code number is correct, the locking of the door is released and entry via the door is allowed.
However, the use of separate portable keys involves the problem of arranging the delivery of the keys in an efficient way, particularly supplying and dispatching of keys quickly to users or user groups as well as the returning of keys from the users. In particular, it is difficult to quickly serve persons who are occasionally or temporarily in need of keys. The return of borrowed keys to prevent their later use is uncertain and causes delays. Moreover, keys can be copied and used later without an authorization. In addition to this, the manufacture of the keys involves costs and time delays.
Separate keys can be abandoned by giving the users code numbers which are entered via a keypad to a control system. Problems are also involved in arranging the delivery of code numbers, particularly the safe and correct delivery of the code numbers to the users. Similarly, it may be difficult to keep the code numbers safely with the users, and memory-based safekeeping is uncertain. Moreover, as a result of the abundance of information related to the code number, such as encryption and confirmation, as well as the abundance of required code combinations, the length of the code numbers is increased, wherein also the risk of errors in their manual entry and use is increased.

Control system for setting up a short distance second data transmitting connection to a wireless communication device in order to send an identification message


One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for conditioning a signal for transmission in a DMT-based communication system, the method comprising: converting the signal in a digital environment of the DMT-based communication system into a pre-clipped signal to avoid subsequent analog clipping in an analog environment of the DMT-based communication system. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a signal conditioner for conditioning a signal for transmission in a DMT-based transmission system, the signal conditioner comprising: a digital environment configured to convert the signal into a pre-clipped signal to avoid subsequent analog clipping in an analog environment of the DMT-based communication system.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to telecommunications, and more particularly, to transmission techniques that reduce bit error rates associated with analog clipping in discrete multitone-based transmission systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Discrete multitone (DMT) is a standard modulation technique employed in various digital subscriber line (XDSL) communication systems. For example, asynchronous DSL (ADSL) systems commonly transmit data under a DMT modulation scheme. A DMT line code comprises multiple carriers or subchannels implemented through a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). Each subchannel is independently modulated to some carrier frequency. The number of subchannels available to carry information is generally equal to or slightly less than half of the DFT size. Each subchannel of a DMT line code employs a two-dimensional signal (e.g., a phase and amplitude modulated signal) equivalent to that of a passband single carrier system.
Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is a modulation method that is used to encode a variable number of bits into such a two-dimensional signal. A number of bits are mapped into the in-phase and quadrature components of a complex symbol that is typically converted to an analog form, and then transmitted over the corresponding subchannel. The total average power of such a DMT-based system is the average power sum of each carrier as expressed as the sum of the average power of the ith carrier (PTi), from i=1 to m, where m is the number of carriers. Each of these carriers is associated with a crest factor. A crest factor is defined as the ratio of the peak to the root-mean-squared (RMS) level of the signal.
The crest factor for each carrier (the ratio of the carrier""s peak voltage to the RMS level of that carrier) is referred to as PARcarrier, for Peak-Average Ratio. In general, if the peaks of all carriers can be aligned, the peak voltage of a DMT system is equal to the peak voltage sum of all the carriers. Assuming that the average power of each carrier is the same, the crest factor of the DMT line code, referred to as PARDMT, can be calculated       PAR    DMT    =            m        *                  ∑                  i          =                      1                                      xe2x80x83                                    …                                      xe2x80x83                                    m                                    xe2x80x83                                  xe2x80x83                                    PAR                      carrier                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (              i              )                                      .
Clipping of a DMT transmission signal where the peaks of all the carriers are aligned is statistically an expected occurrence. More specifically, signal clipping will occur with a probability determined by the Gaussian distribution of the DMT transmission signal. With this anticipated clipping in mind, the analog line driver circuitry of the transmission path is designed to limit the voltage swing of the line driver amplifier so that only the required peak power is delivered to the transmission line. The result is that the power dissipation in the line driver amplifier is limited to no more that is allowed for a given bit error rate. However, a clipped transmission signal at an analog stage is associated with various problems.
For example, when an analog line driver is driven into an overload condition thereby clipping the signal being transmitted, a recovery period is required as the internal bias circuitry of the driver re-adjusts to linear operation (assuming the input stimulus causing the overload condition is eliminated). Moreover, the transmission signal is distorted during this recovery period. Noise associated with this distortion causes performance degradation (e.g., increase in bit error rate), and inefficient use of the allocated transmission signal power.
One solution for dealing with the problems associated with transmission signal clipping is to increase the voltage swing of the analog line driver. Such an increase allows for an increase in the transmission signal crest factor, which in turn reduces the clipping probability as well as the bit error rate. However, increasing the voltage swing of the analog line driver also increases the total power consumption (e.g., power consumption in the analog line driver increases).
What is needed, therefore, is a technique that provides a solution to the problems associated with analog clipping in a DMT-based transmission system.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for conditioning a signal for transmission in a DMT-based communication system, the method comprising: converting the signal in a digital environment of the DMT-based communication system into a pre-clipped signal to avoid subsequent analog clipping in an analog environment of the DMT-based communication system. In one embodiment of this method, the signal is amplified until it has a shape that defines a linear performance envelope of the analog environment. In an alternative embodiment, the signal is amplified until it has a shape that corresponds to a maximum degree of anticipated analog clipping. The amplifying can be performed, for example, by a DSP process having a gain stage with a digital saturation point. In this embodiment, the digital environment can be associated with one of an overall unity gain or a less than unity overall gain.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system for conditioning a signal for transmission in a DMT-based transmission system, the system comprising: a digital environment configured to convert the signal into a pre-clipped signal to avoid subsequent analog clipping in an analog environment of the DMT-based communication system. In one embodiment of this system, the signal is amplified in the digital environment until it has a shape that defines a linear performance envelope of the analog environment. In another embodiment of this system, the signal is amplified in the digital environment until it has a shape that corresponds to a maximum degree of anticipated analog clipping. The digital environment can include, for example, a DSP process having a gain stage with a digital saturation point for amplifying the signal into digital saturation. In this embodiment, the digital environment can be associated with one of an overall unity gain or a less than unity overall gain.
The features and advantages described in the specification are not all inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

Signal conditioning techniques in DMT-based transmissions


A pole anchor footing system for effectively supporting a post structure within a ground surface. The pole anchor footing system includes a resilient body having a neck portion and a base portion, and an elongate member extending into the body from an upper end of the body. The body is securely positionable within a ground surface. The neck portion receives a coupler that mechanically connects a post to the body. The base portion has an upwardly tapered structure with the lower end having a broad structure. A plurality of engaging members may extend outwardly from the body for providing additional gripping while positioned within the ground surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to post supports and more specifically it relates to a pole anchor footing system for effectively supporting a post structure within a ground surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Post structures have been in use for years. Conventional posts are typically comprised of wood, metal or other structure that is directly inserted into the ground surface. Regardless of the material utilized to construct the post, the post typically has a uniform cross sectional shape (e.g. square, rectangular, circular) and size.
The main problem with wood posts is that they are treated with potentially toxic and hazardous chemicals that can enter the ground. A further problem with wood and metal posts is that they can be relatively expensive to construct with sufficient length to be inserted into the ground surface. Another problem with wood and metal posts is that they deteriorate over extended periods of time. A further problem with wood and metal posts is that they tend to "climb" upwardly out of the ground and twist within the ground particularly in unstable ground surfaces (e.g. sand, wet, soft, etc.). Another problem with wood and metal posts is that they are relatively rigid providing little deflection when the post encounters above-ground forces such as wind, snow and other forces.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for effectively supporting a post structure within a ground surface. Conventional posts do not efficiently and effectively support themselves within various ground surface conditions.
In these respects, the pole anchor footing system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively supporting a post structure within a ground surface.


The invention provides an end effector, comprising a mounting portion and an execution portion, and the execution portion including at least a package placement platform configured to movably coupled to the mounting portion. With the help of the package placement platform, the end effector of the invention can receive the packages of different types or different sizes or different material so as to sort and transport all kinds of packages.

In the automation of the logistics industry, industrial robots can perform the sorting of goods. The end of the robot arm of the industrial robot is equipped with an end effector which is configured to perform the pick-up and placing operation of the goods. Existing end effectors have various structures such as suction cups, claws, dexterous hands, and other special structures for specific items.
However, in the process of package sorting, it is found that the diversity of package categories is inevitable for the cargo sorting system, while the end effector of existing robots can just only grasp a cargo of certain type or specific size or specific material.

End effector, robot and package sorting system


The invention is an improved security and product display system for use by retailers who sell hand-held electronics in stores. The system includes a combination of a mobile, hand-held electronics device (e.g., cell phone or like), a mounting member, and an adaptor cable that electrically connects the device to the mounting member. The device has power detection circuitry adapted to detect a break in the power circuit between device and mounting member. Detection of a circuit break causes the device to output a security alarm.

Cell phones, tablet devices, and other kinds of hand-held devices are commonly displayed for sale as an array of products at "Big Box" retail locations and in cell phone stores. Theft prevention and/or theft security is an ongoing issue for the merchants who sell these devices to the general public.
Theft security in the hand-held market has evolved over the years. A review of the prior art reveals that theft security for countertop displays of hand-held electronics probably commenced with the use of mechanical tethers (steel cables on reels or tether cords) that tied a large camcorder, or the like, to a countertop. Since then, anti-theft systems have become more sophisticated and often use tethered mounting members or "pucks" for mounting the hand-held (the hand-held is attached or sits on the puck). The puck is a mini-platform that may house its own electronics control board (ECB) for carrying out power (passing through power to the hand-held) and security functions.
In modern security systems, the tether is often a cord with one or more wires for providing device power to the puck and, also, power for security sensors to the puck. Short adaptor cables are then used to connect the power jack on the device to a similar fitting on the puck. It is common to use security sensors at the physical interface where the device contacts the puck. These sensors may take different forms, but in many cases, they consist of a spring-loaded push-button that is released when the device is removed from the puck. The button's release breaks an electric circuit that triggers an alarm. Sometimes, separate or "secondary" sensor cables, with similar sensors, connect the puck to other kinds of device parts that have the capability of being independently removed from the device, without removing the device from the puck (e.g., a removable camera lens).
Regardless of specific form, these sensors commonly involve triggering a switch or breaking a circuit during a theft or other unauthorized event that involves removing the hand-held from the display. It is common that the security breach signal is communicated to under-the-counter control electronics that output an alarm—the alarm could be audio or visual, or some other combination that warns the retailer of the security breach. However, whatever form the alarm actually takes, the under-the-counter system provides the alarm functions in response to a circuit break between the under-the-counter system and the puck or a circuit break occurring at the puck level.
Those familiar with retail theft security systems will immediately recognize the types of systems generally described above. These systems typically fill a niche that is unique to the display of large numbers of hand-held electronic devices in the retail market.
For those who supply security systems of this kind, one of the ongoing challenges relates to the fact that hand-held technology is continually evolving. Therefore, it is an ongoing challenge to build retail displays that offer security and yet can adapt to the retailer's need to swap-out new versions of hand-helds, as they come onto the market, in a way that is easy for the store manager to manage.


In general, the invention facilitates diagnosing fault conditions, such as flapping, by permitting users to request information for specific components in a network device such as a router. The invention also facilitates the diagnosis of other fault conditions, including, but not limited to, excessive numbers of dropped packets, hard drive crashes, high temperature readings, and inactive interface cards. A user may obtain a targeted log containing information relating to selected fault conditions or other network device events, rather than a system log containing information relating to all network device events, some of which may not be of interest to the user. The targeted log may be parsed and analyzed with greater ease than the system log.

A computer network is a collection of interconnected computing devices that can exchange data and share resources. In a packet-based network, such as the Internet, the computing devices communicate data by dividing the data into small blocks called packets, which are individually routed across the network from a source device to a destination device. The destination device extracts the data from the packets and assembles the data into its original form. Dividing the data into packets enables the source device to resend only those individual packets that may be lost during transmission.
Certain network devices, such as routers, maintain tables of routing information that describe routes through the network. A "route" can generally be defined as a path between two locations on the network. Upon receiving an incoming data packet, the router examines destination information within the packet to identify the destination for the packet. Based on the destination, the router forwards the packet in accordance with the routing table.
Routers and other network devices can exhibit faults and fail to operate properly for various reasons, including, for example, environmental factors, network attacks, or component failures. When a router exhibits a fault, it can provide useful information, such as operational and configuration information, to a network administrator or other user. For instance, the router may store a system log that contains fault information that can assist the user in detecting faults. In many cases, however, the system log is difficult to parse, as it generally does not provide any prioritization or organization among various types of fault conditions. Rather, the system log is typically organized chronologically and can be somewhat random in the way in which it records fault information.
One fault condition of particular interest to a user is known as "flapping." Flapping occurs when a router enters a fault condition and exchanges information with peer routers that rely on it for routes after temporarily ceasing communication with them. When a router restarts after a fault condition, it exchanges large amounts of information with its peer routers. This information may include configuration and security information, as well as routing table information. Routing tables in large networks may take a long period of time to converge to stable routing information after a network fault due to temporary oscillations in the routing information.
These oscillations in routing information, i.e., changes that occur within the routing tables until they converge to reflect the current network topology, are often referred to as "flaps." These oscillations can cause significant problems, including intermittent loss of network connectivity as well as increased packet loss and latency. When flapping occurs, it is often informative to analyze communication between the routers, e.g., via the border gateway protocol (BGP), to determine which routers are causing the flapping and the conditions under which the flapping is occurring. Because the contents of the system log are not easily analyzed, however, the root cause of a flapping episode, and necessary remedial action, can be difficult to identify.


A swing chamber pump can be situated within a horizontal wellbore for pumping wellbore fluids to surface using a power gas. The pump has two fluidly independent and separate pump chambers, each having a self-orienting gas valve and a self-orienting fluid outlet. A switch alternately directs the power gas into a chamber for conveying stored fluid therein to a production string, while the other chamber passively fills with wellbore fluids. A latency device converts a continuous motion into a sudden snap actuation of the switch and controls a period of delay between the actuation of the switch.

Recently, horizontal wells are preferred over vertical wells due to their larger reserve exposure and higher production rate, which together lead to better economic reward and possible higher recovery of the natural resources. In some cases, heavy oil is effectively produced through injection of a hot fluid, such as steam, to reduce viscosity of the heavy oil and to help drive the heavy oil to a nearby production well.
A proven and practical technology for in-situ operations to produce the larger reserves of heavy oil, such as Canadian bitumen from oilsands, is steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). Steam is injected downhole to reduce the viscosity and mobilize heavy oil for recovery at a production well. Downhole pumps, that operate at steam temperature, at large flow rates and at low bottom hole pressures, pump the heavy oil through the production well to the surface. Typical performance characteristics of a suitable SAGD pump can include: fluid lifting rates greater than 1200 m3/d, operating temperatures greater than 250° C., capability of landing at true 90 degrees horizontal sections, a high tolerance of well bore trajectory for running into hole and operation, controllable, stable and low downhole pressure for less back pressure to reservoir, less reservoir sand interruption, a high tolerance of vapor content especially when hot fluid changes phase, a long service life and reasonable installation costs.
To date, production capacity of about 1000 m3/d from a hot SAGD well has been constrained by the capacity of downhole pumps, despite higher maximum reservoir delivery capability.
Further, producing heated heavy oil or bitumen from downhole has been very challenging. The industry in general has not been satisfied with the available hot fluid downhole pumps, in particular for large rate SAGD wells.
Accordingly, attempts to meet the horizontal well and SAGD production have been mainly limited to modification of existing downhole pumps, such as electrical submersible pump (ESP), namely modified for higher temperature application. Other pumps which have been tried include metal on metal progressive cavity pumps (PCP).
Some producers are still using large sucker rod beam pumps, with the increased risks including jeopardizing the productivity and steam chamber growth in exchange for longer pump run life and lower cost when compared to the more expensive high temperature ESP. However, sucker rod pumps which use surface drive reciprocating pumps and PCP's are often challenged by mechanical stress fatigue and other mechanical issues when used in horizontal wells, particularly in changes in well direction.
Other attempts and trials include the use of gear pumps, twin screw pumps and hydraulic gas pumps which are still under development.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,973 to Weatherford discloses a hydraulic gas pump (HGP) which utilizes natural gas as a power gas drive for pushing liquid from a chamber landed in horizontal well. After the gas drives the accumulated fluid uphole, the chamber is cycled for fluid charging. For the HGP to function properly, the HGP must land in a particular orientation once it reaches depth. Incorrect orientation of the HGP renders the pump inoperable.
In long horizontal wells, the orientation of the pump chamber is random due to the unpredictable and unavoidable rotation and twisting of the production tubing. As a consequence, there is no assurance that the HGP will function correctly when it is landed at its desired location downhole. As far as Applicant is aware, the HGP pump has so far not been practically used for horizontal producers.


A thin film transistor array substrate having spacers formed without sacrificing an aperture ratio and a method for fabricating the same. The thin film transistor array substrate according to the present invention includes a gate line on a substrate; a gate insulating film on the gate line; a data line on the gate insulating film, the data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel region and the gate insulating film between the gate line and the data line, wherein at least one of the gate line and the data line includes a protrusion; a thin film transistor at a crossing the gate line and the data line; a pixel electrode at the pixel region, the pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; and a spacer within the protrusion dispensed by an ink-jet system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method for fabricating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin film transistor array substrate having spacers formed without sacrificing an aperture ratio.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) control light transmittance of liquid crystal material by using an electric field to display a picture. The liquid crystal display, in which a common electrode formed on an upper substrate and a pixel electrode formed on a lower substrate are arranged with the two electrodes facing each other, drives a liquid crystal by an electric field formed between the common electrode and the pixel electrode.
The liquid crystal display has a thin film transistor array substrate (a lower substrate) and a color filter array substrate (an upper substrate) with the two substrates facing each other and being bonded together, spacers for uniformly maintaining a cell gap between the two substrates and a liquid crystal in the space provided by the spacers.
The thin film transistor array substrate includes a plurality of signal lines, a plurality of thin film transistors, and an alignment film applied for a liquid crystal alignment thereon. The color filter array substrate includes a color filter for representing colors, a black matrix for preventing a light leakage and an alignment film applied for a liquid crystal alignment thereon.
The spacers are classified into ball spacers formed by a scattering method and pattern spacers formed by a photolithography technique.
The ball spacers are scattered on a substrate using a scatter to maintain the cell gap between the upper and lower substrates. However, it is difficult to uniformly scatter the ball spacers. Further, the ball spacers move around between the upper and lower substrates, which results in a ripple phenomenon.
The pattern spacers are formed on a substrate with a pattern by a photolithography technique such that they are fixed at a specific location to maintain the cell gap between the upper and lower substrates. However, because the pattern spacers are formed by the photolithography technique, an additional mask process is required. Moreover, when forming the pattern spacers by a photolithography technique, only a small fraction of the spacer material is actually used to form the pattern spacers, and most of the spacer material, more than 95%, is removed from the substrate, thereby increasing the production cost.
In order to solve these problems, a thin film transistor array substrate having spacers formed by an ink-jet device has been suggested.
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a related art thin film transistor array substrate in which spacers are formed by an ink-jet device, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the thin film transistor array substrate taken along the line I-I′ in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art thin film transistor array substrate includes a gate line 2 and a data line 4 formed on a lower substrate 1 in such a manner to cross each other, a thin film transistor 30 formed at each crossing, a pixel electrode 22 in a pixel region 34 defined by the crossing, a storage capacitor 28 formed at an overlap between the gate line 2 and a storage electrode 24, and a spacer 32 overlapping the storage capacitor 28.
The gate line 2 supplies a gate signal to a gate electrode 6 of the thin film transistor 30. The gate line is formed to have a first width W1 at an area where the gate line 2 and the data line 4 overlap each other with a gate insulating film 12 therebetween, and is formed to have a second width W2, which is wider than the first width W1, at an area between the pixel electrodes 22. That is, the gate line 2 has a relatively narrow width at an area that is overlapped with the data line 4. Thus, the signal interference caused by a coupling between a pixel signal supplied to the data line 4 and a gate signal supplied to the gate line 2 can be reduced.
The data line 4 is formed to have a third width W3 and supplies a pixel signal to the pixel electrode 22 via a drain electrode 10 of the thin film transistor 30.
The thin film transistor 30, in response to the gate signal of the gate line 2, charges the pixel signal of the data line 4 to the pixel electrode 22. To this end, the thin film transistor 30 includes the gate electrode 6 connected to the gate line 2, a source electrode 8 connected to the data line 4, and a drain electrode 10 connected to the pixel electrode 22. The thin film transistor 30 further includes an active layer 14 overlapping the gate electrode 6 with the gate insulating film 12 therebetween and defining a channel between the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 10. On the active layer 14 is an ohmic contact layer 16 for making an ohmic contact with the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 10.
The pixel electrode 22, which is connected to the drain electrode 10 of the thin film transistor 30 via a first contact hole 20a passing through a passivation film 18, is formed in the pixel region 34.
Accordingly, an electric field is formed between the pixel electrode 22 to which the pixel signal is supplied via the thin film transistor 30 and the common electrode (not shown) to which a reference voltage is supplied. When such an electric field is applied, the liquid crystal molecules arranged in a predetermined direction between the thin film transistor array substrate and the color filter array substrate rotate due to a dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal molecules. As a result, the light transmittance at the pixel region 34 differs in accordance with an amount of the rotation of the liquid crystal molecules, and thereby pictures can be displayed.
The storage capacitor 28 includes the gate line 2, the storage electrode 24 overlapping the gate line 2 with the gate insulating film 12 therebetween, and the pixel electrode 22 connected, via a second contact hole 20b passing through the passivation film 18, to the storage electrode 24. The storage capacitor 28 allows a pixel signal charged in the pixel electrode 22 to be stably maintained until the next pixel signal is charged.
The spacer 32 maintains a cell gap between the thin film transistor array substrate and the color filter array substrate. The spacer 32 is formed by an ink-jet device at a region of the thin film transistor array substrate that is overlapped with a black matrix (not shown) of the color filter array substrate. That is, the spacer 32 is formed to overlap the TFT 30 or the storage capacitor 28 formed on the thin film transistor array substrate.
A method of fabricating the spacer 32 with an ink-jet device will be explained in detail in conjunction with FIGS. 3A to 3C.
As shown in FIG. 3A, an ink-jet device 40 is aligned on the lower substrate 1. A spacer material 33 is then dispensed on the TFT 30 or the storage capacitor 28 of the lower substrate 1 using the aligned ink-jet device 40, as shown in FIG. 3B. That is, when a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element of an ink-jet head 44, a physical pressure is generated. This physical pressure causes a conduit employed to connect the tank 42 containing the spacer material 33 with a nozzle 46 to contract and relax repeatedly so that the spacer material 33 is dispensed on the lower substrate 1 through the nozzle 46.
The spacer material 33 dispensed on the lower substrate 1 through the nozzle 46 of ink-jet device 40 thereafter undergoes an exposure to a ultraviolet ray radiated from a light source 48 or a firing process as shown in FIG. 3C. In this way, the spacer 32 is fixed on the lower substrate 1 with a predetermined width W and height H.
During the formation of the spacer 32 using the ink-jet device in accordance with the related art, the spacer material 33 of low viscosity experiences the gravity via the nozzle while being dispensed on the substrate 1. Accordingly, the spacer material 33 becomes spread out widely, making it difficult for the spacer 32 to locate at a predetermined position. In other words, the spacer 32 has to be formed at areas on the lower substrate that can be covered by the black matrix of the upper substrate in order not to sacrifice the aperture ratio of the LCD, with those areas including the TFT 30, the storage capacitor 28, the data line 4, and the gate line 2. With the spacer 32 being spread out, the spacer 32 is undesirably formed on the pixel electrode, which is a non-overlapping area with the black matrix, thereby sacrificing the aperture ratio, and the spacer 32 appear as a stain on the pixel electrode 22.

Thin film transistor array substrate and fabricating method thereof


Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a computerized method of selecting an optimal medication for a patient, comprising: providing a user with communication access to a central server having in memory a database of a rule set associated with a list of medications available, the rules set numerically ranking the suitability of a medication for a patient; allowing upload of at least a portion of an electronic medical record for an identified patient; allowing input of a patient diagnosis, and receiving a search request for a suitable treatment medication; comparing the rules set, with the uploaded electronic medical record; determining (e.g., scoring and calculating) the suitability of medications from the list of medications available; providing a displayable list of medications suited for the patient, wherein the list is ranked according to the preference of the medications for the patient.

A plethora of medications exists to treat common diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. These medications may differ in many factors such as dosage, length of effect, release time, mechanism, and known side effects.
Even when a diagnosis is immediately clear, a physician needs to spend several minutes of each patient visit reviewing the medical record to ensure the correct medication is prescribed. Medications typically have contraindications that limit prescription to patients who do not fit the recommended parameters, due to their overall medical condition, BMI, or blood test results such as kidney function, lipid profile, hemoglobin level, etc. Additionally, patients with chronic diseases may have a plurality of medical conditions that contraindicate prescription of one or more medications that would have otherwise been suitable. In today's HMO model of health care, physicians are required to limit the time spent with any individual patient. Other factors that can affect the selection of the most appropriate medication may be that medical boards in some countries place different emphasis on contraindications for specific medications. Cost may also be a factor in selecting a generic medication over a more expensive, original version. Each medication has advantages and disadvantages, which might not always be considered when choosing the best treatment. Related art documents include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,155,993 and 8,032,394.
Acknowledgement of the above related art documents is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

System and method for selecting optimal medications for a specific patient


An initiator nanoconstituent comprises a nanoparticle covalently bonded to a group having a free radical. The nanoparticle may be bonded to the group via an ether group or an amide group. The initiator nanoconstituent may be formed in situ, in a mixture comprising an elastomer material to be crosslinked. The initiator nanoconstituent is formed from an organic nanoconstituent compound that includes the nanoparticle and an organic group that does not include a free radical at the time the mixture is formed. At least one chemical bond of the organic nanoconstituent compound may be ruptured, in situ, to form the initiator nanoconstituent, which may then bond with polymer molecules of the elastomer material and form a crosslinked elastomer material. Downhole tools or components thereof may include such crosslinked elastomer material.

Elastomers are useful as materials of construction of elements for a variety of downhole applications, particularly those that require the sealing off of a portion of a borehole or that require constricting the space around an element, whether coaxial with the borehole or otherwise. Elastomers are also useful as coating materials to protect the surfaces of downhole tools.
Polymer compounds of elastomers are often crosslinked to improve the strength of the elastomer material. Some commercial elastomers also include filler materials, such as particles or fibers, to provide additional strength or abrasion resistance in the elastomer material. However, improvements in the abrasion resistance and strength of elastomers used in downhole applications are desirable.

Initiator nanoconstituents for elastomer crosslinking and related methods


The invention provides a kettle having a body and a spout with an entrance end and an exit end. A coarse filter is located across the entrance end and a separate fine filter is detachably attached to the exit end. The fine filter assembly forms a seal with the surface of the spout at the exit end and is a push fit or snap fit, preferably incorporating an elastic sealing member, on the exit end.

It is well known that when water is boiled in a kettle, solid scale tends to form inside the kettle. It is known for a single filter to be located in the kettle spout to prevent at least the large bits of scale leaving the kettle and entering, for example, a drink being made with water which has been boiled in the kettle. Such filters can become quickly clogged and are often difficult to remove and clean.
GB Specification 2308055 describes a single filter element, screw fitted into the open end of a kettle.

Kettle and filter attachment for a kettle


An integrated circuit device for a switching regulator, includes: a controller configured to generate a digital duty signal for a current mode control of the switching regulator based on an output voltage to be supplied from the switching regulator to a load circuit; and a switching pulse generating section configured to set a time ratio of a switching pulse signal for controlling turning-on and turning-off of a switching circuit which is provided in the switching regulator, based on the digital duty signal. The controller is a digital circuit which operates based on a master clock of the same frequency as a switching frequency of the switching circuit.

In order to attain a stable operation of an apparatus mounted with ICs and a microcomputer, a direct current (DC) voltage is necessary which is stabilized to prevent any voltage drift. Recent years, in most of the electronic apparatuses, a switching regulator is adopted for supplying the stabilized DC voltage.
The switching regulator has features which are small in size and light in weight and functions as a DC-DC converter with good efficiency. Therefore, the switching regulator is widely used as a power supply for a microcomputer and a personal computer which are incorporated into various equipments. In these personal computers, a power consumption amount in a high-speed operation tends to increase. Also, the power consumption amount increases and decreases abruptly according to a processing load in the personal computer.
Also, in one feature, the switching regulator is possible to operate in a wide input voltage range. Therefore, the switching regulator is used as a power supply, which is operable in both of the area of 100V and the area of 200V in household voltage, and in which a specification range of input voltage is wide.
The switching regulator must stably control an output voltage to a target voltage according to change of the load of the personal computer. Moreover, in the switching regulator, even when the output voltage makes a transient response to a rapid change of load current and input voltage, it is required to quickly recover to the stable state of output voltage.
As methods of controlling the switching regulator, there are a voltage mode control and a current mode control. In the voltage mode control, switching is executed based on a pulse control signal generated through comparison of a triangle wave signal and an error control signal which is equivalent to a difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage, in order to stabilize output voltage. In the current mode control, the switching is executed based on an inductor current in addition to the error control signal, in order to further stabilize the output voltage.
In the voltage mode control, a phase margin must be secured at a point that the phase characteristic changes rapidly near a resonant frequency of an inductor and an output capacitor. Therefore, there is a problem that the power supply characteristic becomes unstable. On the other hand, in the current mode control, because a feedback circuit for controlling the inductor current and a current loop circuit which contains the inductor operate as an equivalent current source, the inductor characteristic does not have an influence on the power supply characteristic such as the frequency characteristic. As a result, the larger phase margin can be obtained in the current mode control, compared with the voltage mode control. Moreover, in the current mode control, from the above-mentioned reasons, it is possible to attain the current mode control in a wide bandwidth while maintaining the phase margin by extending a frequency band of the feedback circuit. Therefore, in the current mode control, the response characteristic to a load change can be improved compared with the voltage mode control.
A control system which executes the current mode control contains a voltage feedback system for stabilizing an output voltage and a current feedback system for controlling an inductor current. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the measure to restrain an influence by external noise and switching noise in each feedback system. Also, in the current feedback system of an analog circuit, a current detection resistance, an I-V converting circuit, and a slope compensation circuit need to be provided for the current mode control. Here, the current detection resistance and the I-V converting circuit are used to detect the inductor current. Therefore, the control system which executes the current mode control is larger in circuit scale than the control system which executes the voltage mode control, and it requires a complicated timing control. Therefore, in the switching regulator which realizes the current mode control, a peripheral circuit becomes large, and the number of parts on a printed circuit board and the mounting cost sometimes increase.
Moreover, a power loss by a current detection resistance becomes large to an unignorable extent as the output current of the switching regulator becomes large. As a technique to solve such a problem, a control unit for the switching power supply which can execute the current mode control without actually detecting the inductor current and a switching power supply are known (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of the control unit for a switching power supply disclosed in Patent Literature 1. In the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the current mode control is realized by the control unit for the switching power supply without detecting the inductor current. Referring to FIG. 1, the control unit for the switching power supply is provided with an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 111 which A/D converts the output voltage Vo of the switching power supply, and a controller IC 118. The controller-IC 118 is provided with a difference circuit 112 which subtracts the output signal of the A/D converter 111 from a reference digital signal Vref and outputs an error signal, a gain circuit 170 which has a gain of the factor of G, a PWM signal generating section 128 which generates a PWM signal PS, and a feed-back circuit 129 which provides a current estimation function.
The PWM signal generating section 128 is provided with a voltage comparing circuit 124, an R-S flip-flop 127 and an AND circuit 172. A feed-back circuit 129 which provides the current estimation function is provided with an up and down counter 173, a low pass filter 174, a reset generating circuit 175 and a difference circuit 176. The difference circuit 176 subtracts the output signal DC of the low pass filter 174 from the output signal PC of the up and down counter 173.
In the control unit for the switching power supply disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a drive pulse PS is fed back to the current estimation function, and the inductor current in the switching power supply is estimated based on the drive pulse PS by using the current estimation function, to generate an estimated current signal PC. Moreover, in the control unit for the switching power supply disclosed in Patent Literature 1, by a DC component removal function, a DC component DC is extracted from the estimated current signal PC and the DC component DC is removed from the estimated current signal PC by the difference circuit 176.
The controller IC 118 is configured from a digital circuit operating with a master clock having the frequency of 10 MHz to 100 MHz and controls the switching power supply. The error signal as a difference between the A/D-converted digital output voltage Vo from the A/D converter 111 and the reference voltage Vref is amplified to the gain of G times according to P (proportion) control to generate a control signal CS.
Also, the PWM signal PS is negatively fed back and the estimated inductor current signal PC is generated by the feedback circuit 129.
FIG. 2 shows timing charts in the operation of the controller IC 118 disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The PWM signal PS is supplied to the up and down counter 173. The up and down counter 173 counts up according to the coefficient of "a" when the signal level of the PWM signal PS is H (High), and counts down according to the coefficient of "b" at the time of L (Low). These coefficients show increment/decrement rates of the inductor current. By the low pass filter 174 and the reset generating circuit 175, an error component (DC component) DC superimposed on the estimated inductor current signal PC is extracted and the estimated inductor current signal PC′ is generated by correcting the error component DC.
Moreover, the control signal CS and the estimated inductor current signal PC′ are compared by the voltage comparing circuit 124 and the PWM signal PS is generated based on the comparison result CO.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a digital PWM wave generating apparatus which makes the frequency of the PWM signal constant surely. The digital PWM wave generating apparatus is provided with a digital triangle wave generating section, a digital threshold value outputting section and a digital comparator. The digital triangle wave generating section outputs a digital triangle wave. The digital threshold value outputting section outputs a digital threshold value. The digital comparator compares the digital triangle wave and the digital threshold value and outputs the PWM signal. The time change rate of the digital threshold value when the digital threshold value outputting section changes the digital threshold value from a first constant value to a second constant value is set to a value equal to or smaller than a time change rate of the digital triangle wave.
Citation List
[Patent Literature 1]: JP 2004-282961A
[Patent Literature 2]: JP 2001-111396A

Integrated circuit device for switching regulator having the same clock frequency as the switching frequency


This specification describes a method comprising selecting at least one content stream from a plurality of content streams based on at least one detected characteristic associated with the content streams or an intended viewer of the content streams, wherein each content stream is captured by a corresponding recording device and at least one of the plurality of content streams is not selected, and compressing data representing the at least one selected content stream such that the content of the at least one selected content stream has a lower quality compared to the content of the at least one non-selected content stream.

In the field of audio/video recording, it is often necessary to handle relatively large quantities of data. In particular, when audio/video content is obtained from a number of recording devices, there is a need to handle even larger quantities of data. This brings new challenges in relation to managing the large quantities of data in a reliable, efficient and user-friendly manner.

Methods and apparatuses relating to the handling of a plurality of content streams


A guidewire includes a core shaft, and a coiled body wound around the outer circumferential surface of the core shaft. A bulged portion is provided at the tip portion of the core shaft. The front end of the coiled body is bonded to the front end of the core shaft with a bonding portion. The bonding portion is provided to enclose the bulged portion provided at the tip portion of the core shaft.

In the related art, various types of guidewires have been proposed which are used for guiding, for example, a medical device to a target site by being inserted into a tubular organ such as a vessel, a digestive tract, and an ureter, or an intracorporeal tissue.
In the guidewire described in, for example, JP-UM-A-6-81547, a head portion is provided at a front end of a core, and is bonded to a front end of a coil with brazing metal.
In the guidewire described in JP-A-2010-214054, a core wire is bonded to a front end of a coil spring with Au—Sn-based solder. Also, resin is filled inside this guidewire.


Aqueous-based functional products or corrosive products such as cleansers, household products, commercial products, and personal care products are thickened or viscosity-modified by the addition of at least a small, but effective, amount of at least one crystalline mixed metal hydroxide conforming substantially to the formula EQU Li.sub.m D.sub.d T(OH).sub.(m+2d+3+n.a) A.sub.a.sup.n.xH.sub.2 O. where m is zero to one, D is a divalent metal, d is from zero to 4, T is a trivalent metal, A represents at least one anion or negative-valence radial of valence n, where n is 1 or more, (m+2d+3+n.a) is equal to or greater than 3, (m+d) is greater than zero, and xH.sub.2 O represents excess waters of hydration.

Thickeners or other viscosity-modifiers are often used in aqueous-based functional products, e.g. household products, commercial products, cleansers, disinfectants, bleaches, and the like and in personal care products, such as soaps, lotions, face creams, hand creams, toothpaste, and the like. Thickeners that have been used in these applications include such things as natural and synthetic water-sensitive organic polymers, or other water-sensitive organic substances. Also, inorganic substances, such as natural clays, refined clays, synthetic clay-like materials, silicates, and aluminates have been used. As used herein, a "functional" product is one which is applied to, or mixed with, or added to a substance which is desirably and beneficially affected by the thickener, such as cleaning solutions, bleaches, lotions, creams, corrosive fluids, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, alkali solutions, amine solutions, phenolic solutions, and chemical solutions not lower than about pH 4.5 preferably not lower than about pH 5.
Natural clays and refined natural clays may vary from one mining location to another and the performance obtained with one batch may not exactly match the performance of another batch: the color may not match and the effect on viscosity may not match. The natural clays, and even refined natural clays, may contain impurities which can produce non-uniformity among batches and may create side-reactions with other ingredients in a formulation to which the clay is added. Clays are normally anionic and can react with ingredients which are cationic, such as cationic surfactants used in hair conditioners or in cleansers and the like.
Polymers or other organic thickeners are often subject to microbial attack and may lose their effectiveness if not protected with a preservative. Polymerics often have a gooey, tacky, and/or slippery feel on the skin which is unpleasant. Some polymers do not typically have a true yield point which is required to indefinitely suspend solids. Many of the polymeric thickeners also contain functional groups which are adversely attacked by the chemicals in bleaches or other formulations, and this can cause a loss or diminishment of either the desired viscosity control or the effectiveness of the chemical.

Viscosity-modifiers for aqueous-based functional products containing mixed metal hydroxides


The present invention relates to new copolymers and use of such copolymer as a resin binder component for photoresist compositions, particularly chemically-amplified positive-acting resists. Polymers of the invention include repeat units of 1) meta-hydroxystyrene groups, 2) para-hydroxystyrene groups, and 3) photoacid-labile groups.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new copolymers and use of such copolymers as a resin binder component for photoresist compositions, particularly chemically-amplified positive-acting resists. Polymers of the invention include 1) photoacid-labile groups, 2) meta-hydroxphenyl groups, and 3) para-hydroxyphenyl groups.
2. Background
Photoresists are photosensitive films used for the transfer of images to a substrate. A coating layer of a photoresist is formed on a substrate and the photoresist layer is then exposed through a photomask to a source of activating radiation. The photomask has areas that are opaque to activating radiation and other areas that are transparent to activating radiation. Exposure to activating radiation provides a photoinduced chemical transformation of the photoresist coating to thereby transfer the pattern of the photomask to the photoresist-coated substrate. Following exposure, the photoresist is developed to provide a relief image that permits selective processing of a substrate.
A photoresist can be either positive-acting or negative-acting. For most negative-acting photoresists, those coating layer portions that are exposed to activating radiation polymerize or crosslink in a reaction between a photoactive compound and polymerizable reagents of the photoresist composition. Consequently, the exposed coating portions are rendered less soluble in a developer solution than unexposed portions. For a positive-acting photoresist, exposed portions are rendered more soluble in a developer solution while areas not exposed remain comparatively less developer soluble. In general, photoresist compositions comprise at least a resin binder component and a photoactive agent.
More recently, chemically-amplified-type resists have been increasingly employed, particularly for formation of sub-micron images and other high performance applications. Such photoresists may be negative-acting or positive-acting and generally include many crosslinking events (in the case of a negative-acting resist) or deprotection reactions (in the case of a positive-acting resist) per unit of photogenerated acid. In the case of positive chemically-amplified resists, certain cationic photoinitiators have been used to induce cleavage of certain xe2x80x9cblockingxe2x80x9d groups pendant from a photoresist binder, or cleavage of certain groups that comprise a photoresist binder backbone. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,199; 4,968,581; 4,883,740; 4,810,613; and 4,491,628, and Canadian Patent Application 2,001,384. Upon cleavage of the blocking group through exposure of a coating layer of such a resist, a polar fictional group is formed, e.g., carboxyl or imide, which results in different solubility characteristics in exposed and unexposed areas of the resist coating layer. See also R. D. Allen et al., Proceedings of SPIE, 2724:334-343 (1996); and P. Trefonas et al. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Photopolymers (Soc. Of Plastics Engineers), pp 44-58 (Oct. 6, 1997).
While currently available photoresists are suitable for many applications, current resists also can exhibit significant shortcomings, particularly in high performance, applications such as formation of highly resolved sub-half micron and sub-quarter micron features.
The present invention provides novel copolymers and photoresist compositions that comprise a photoactive component and such copolymers as a resin binder component. The copolymers of the invention in general comprise at least one repeating unit that is a meta-hydroxyphenyl derivative, at least one repeating unit that is a para-hydroxyphenyl derivative and one or more photoacid-labile groups.
We have found that resists that contain a resin of the invention can exhibit excellent properties thereby enabling formation of highly resolved resist images. Resists that have too high of a dissolution rate can exhibit relatively decreased resolution, particularly when printing micron or sub-micron features. It has been particularly found that addition of a meta-hydroxyphenyl unit to a polymer containing para-hydroxy and acid labile units can quite favorably impact solubility differentials between exposed and unexposed regions of a resist coating layer that contains the polymer.
Particular preferred copolymers of the invention include units provided by polymerization of a meta-hydroxy vinylphenyl compound (such as meta-hydroxy styrene or meta-hydroxy a-methylstyrene), para-hydroxystyrene (such as para-hydroxy styrene or para-hydroxy xcex1-methylstyrene) and an acrylate ester to provide photoacid-labile groups. Polymers of the invention also may contain other units, such as optionally phenyl groups (e.g. as may be provided by copolymerization of a styrene compound), cyano (as may be provided by provided by copolymerization of acrylonitrile), etc.
The invention also provides method for forming relief images, including methods for forming a highly resolved relief image such as a pattern of lines where each line has essentially vertical sidewalls and a line width of about 0.40 microns of less, or even about 0.25 microns or less. The invention further provides articles of manufacture comprising substrates such as a microelectronic wafer or a liquid crystal display or other flat panel display substrate having coated thereon the photoresists and relief images of the invention.
Unless otherwise indicated, the term xe2x80x9ccopolymerxe2x80x9d refers herein to polymers other than homopolymers, and thus includes terpolymers, tetrapolymers, etc. Additionally, references herein to xe2x80x9cmeta-hydroxyphenylxe2x80x9d groups or xe2x80x9cparahydroxyphenylxe2x80x9d groups or other similar terms are inclusive of groups that may have phenyl ring substituents in addition to a hydroxy group at the specified position. Generally preferred meta-hydroxyphenyl groups of copolymers of the invention do not have hydroxy substitution at the para position, and more preferably only have a single hydroxy substitution at a meta position. Generally preferred para-hydroxyphenyl groups of copolymers of the invention do not have hydroxy substitution at a meta position, and more preferably only have a single hydroxy substitution at the para position.
Other aspects of the invention are disclosed infra.

Hydroxyphenyl copolymers and photoresists comprising same


A small, mobile, tool caddy is provided, characterized by having an on-board generator so that the power tools carried in the caddy can be operated anywhere. The caddy comprises a wheeled frame with some type of superstructure which will hold the power tools and hand tools needed in a particular profession, with the preferred or illustrated embodiment being a utility box mounted in the frame. The utility box has tool mounting brackets on its sides, front, and top, and also mounts a collapsible cloth refust bag just behind the utility box.

People in many different trades, as well as homeowners, are faced with the problem of providing power to an area remote from the house or building power that is available. In general, there are two choices available to them. First, they can use a series of long extension cords, with perhaps several hundred foot cords plugged in together, or, they can use gasoline powered tools.
Obviously, it is a nuisance to connect hundreds of feet worth of extension cords together to reach from available power to remote locations. The other alternative, of using gas powered tools, is multi-fold in nature. First, gasoline-powered tools are considerably more expensive than their electric counterparts. Secondly, gasoline powered tools make a lot more noise and are often irritating to neighbors when, for example, they are awakened at 7:00 A.M. by a gas-powered chain saw.
Third, electric appliances are considerably more reliable than gas-powered appliances, and they are also easier and cheaper to fix.
For these reasons, many people, such as gardeners, carpenters, and construction workers, must make a choice between two imperfect alternatives.
There is a need for a solution to this problem wherein electric power can be provided at a remote location in a convenient fashion, beyond the mere possibility of using a mobile gas-powered generator.


An image encoding/decoding apparatus for performing encoding/decoding while predicting an image between different views using a reference image for a view different from a processing target image and a reference depth map which is a depth map for an object of the reference image when a multi-view image including images of a plurality of different views is encoded/decoded includes a reference depth region setting unit configured to set a reference depth region which is a corresponding region on the reference depth map for decoding target regions into which the processing target image is divided, and an inter-view prediction unit configured to generate an inter-view predicted image for the processing target region from the reference image using depth information in the reference depth region as depth information for the processing target region.

Conventionally, multi-view images each including a plurality of images obtained by photographing the same object and background using a plurality of cameras are known. A moving image captured by the plurality of cameras is referred to as a multi-view moving image (multi-view video). In the following description, an image (moving image) captured by one camera is referred to as a "two-dimensional image (moving image)," and a group of two-dimensional images (two-dimensional moving images) obtained by photographing the same object and background using a plurality of cameras differing in a position and/or direction (hereinafter referred to as a view) is referred to as a "multi-view image (multi-view moving image)."
A two-dimensional moving image has a high correlation in relation to a time direction and coding efficiency can be improved using the correlation. On the other hand, when cameras are synchronized, frames (images) corresponding to the same time of videos of the cameras in a multi-view image or a multi-view moving image are frames (images) obtained by photographing the object and background in completely the same state from different positions, and thus there is a high correlation between the cameras (between different two-dimensional images of the same time). It is possible to improve coding efficiency by using the correlation in coding of a multi-view image or a multi-view moving image.
Here, conventional technology relating to encoding technology of two-dimensional moving images will be described. In many conventional two-dimensional moving-image encoding schemes including H.264, MPEG)-2, and MPEG-4, which are international coding standards, highly efficient encoding is performed using technologies of motion-compensated prediction, orthogonal transform, quantization, and entropy encoding. For example, in H.264, encoding using a temporal correlation with a plurality of past or future frames is possible.
Details of the motion-compensated prediction technology used in H.264, for example, are disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1. An outline of the motion-compensated prediction technology used in H.264 will be described. The motion-compensated prediction of H.264 enables an encoding target frame to be divided into blocks of various sizes and enables the blocks to have different motion vectors and different reference images. Using a different motion vector in each block, highly precise prediction which compensates for a different motion of a different object is realized. On the other hand, prediction having high precision considering occlusion caused by a temporal change is realized using a different reference frame in each block.
Next, a conventional encoding scheme for multi-view images or multi-view moving images will be described. A difference between the multi-view image coding scheme and the multi-view moving-image coding scheme is that a correlation in the time direction is simultaneously present in a multi-view moving image in addition to the correlation between the cameras. However, the same method using the correlation between the cameras can be used in both cases. Therefore, a method to be used in coding multi-view moving images will be described here.
In order to use the correlation between the cameras in coding of multi-view moving images, there is a conventional scheme of encoding a multi-view moving image with high efficiency through "disparity-compensated prediction" in which the motion-compensated prediction is applied to images captured by different cameras at the same time. Here, the disparity is a difference between positions at which the same portion on an object is present on image planes of cameras arranged at different positions. FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the disparity occurring between the cameras. In the conceptual diagram illustrated in FIG. 15, image planes of cameras having parallel optical axes face down vertically. In this manner, the positions at which the same portion on the object are projected on the image planes of the different cameras are generally referred to as a corresponding point.
In the disparity-compensated prediction, each pixel value of an encoding target frame is predicted from a reference frame based on the corresponding relationship, and a prediction residual thereof and disparity information representing the corresponding relationship are encoded. Because the disparity varies for every pair of target cameras and positions of the target cameras, it is necessary to encode disparity information for each region in which the disparity-compensated prediction is performed. Actually, in the multi-view moving-image coding scheme of H.264, a vector representing the disparity information is encoded for each block using the disparity-compensated prediction.
The corresponding relationship provided by the disparity information can be represented as a one-dimensional amount representing a three-dimensional position of an object, rather than a two-dimensional vector, based on epipolar geometric constraints by using camera parameters. Although there are various representations as information representing a three-dimensional position of the object, the distance from a reference camera to the object or a coordinate value on an axis which is not parallel to an image plane of the camera is normally used. The reciprocal of the distance may be used instead of the distance. In addition, because the reciprocal of the distance is information proportional to the disparity, two reference cameras may be set and a three-dimensional position may be represented as the amount of disparity between images captured by the cameras. Because there is no essential difference regardless of what expression is used, information representing three-dimensional positions is hereinafter expressed as a depth without such expressions being distinguished.
FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram of epipolar geometric constraints. According to the epipolar geometric constraints, a point on an image of another camera corresponding to a point on an image of a certain camera is constrained to a straight line called an epipolar line. At this time, when a depth for a pixel of the image is obtained, a corresponding point is uniquely defined on the epipolar line. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 16, a corresponding point in an image of a second camera for the object projected at a position m in an image of a first camera is projected at a position m′ on the epipolar line when the position of the object in a real space is M′ and projected at a position m″ on the epipolar line when the position of the object in the real space is M″.
In Non-Patent Document 2, a highly precise predicted image is generated and efficient multi-view moving-image coding is realized by using this property and synthesizing a predicted image for an encoding target frame from a reference frame in accordance with three-dimensional information of each object given by a depth map (distance image) for the reference frame. Also, the predicted image generated based on the depth is referred to as a view-synthesized image, a view-interpolated image, or a disparity-compensated image.
Further, in Patent Document 1, it is possible to generate a view-synthesized image only for a necessary region by initially converting a depth map for a reference frame into a depth map for an encoding target frame and obtaining a corresponding point using the converted depth map. Thereby, when the image or moving image is encoded or decoded while a method of generating the predicted image is switched for every region of a frame serving as an encoding or decoding target, a processing amount for generating the view-synthesized image or a memory amount for temporarily accumulating the view-synthesized image is reduced.

Image encoding method, image decoding method, image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, image encoding program, and image decoding program

Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation


A hydraulic remote control (HRC) valve including a main spool valve and a pilot pressure control valve. A lever is operatively connected to the pilot valve whereby to provide "finger tip" control of the main spool valve. The HRC has an inverting output, whereby movement of the lever away from a neutral position causes a decrease in hydraulic pressure supplied to a hydraulic clutch. In practice, two HRC's according to the invention are embodied in a single housing. The HRC of the invention is of use in controlling the hydraulic steering clutches of tracked vehicles.

This invention relates to hydraulic control means and more especially to a hydraulic remote control (HRC) valve. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to the control of hydraulic clutches employed on tracked vehicles such as earth-working equipment (bulldozers, etc) and military tanks.
As is well known, a tracked vehicle is steered by reducing or fully interrupting the drive to one or other of the two tracks, according to the change in direction required. This is achieved by reducing or interrupting the hydraulic supply to one or other of the clutches associated with tracks. Typically, this control of the hydraulic supply to the clutches is effected directly by the operation of levers acting on hydraulic valves but the torque involved is relatively high, thus requiring considerable manual effort on the part of the vehicle driver.


A semiconductor package singulation process is disclosed. The process comprises the step of using at least a portion of a reference fiducial formed on at least one package in a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected packages, the fiducial used to monitor and to control the semiconductor package singulation process.

The present invention relates generally to the preparation of semiconductor packages. In one aspect, the invention relates to singulation of a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages into separate semiconductor packages. In another aspect, the invention relates to singulation of semiconductor packages using a reference fiducial, and more particularly, to the use of a reference fiducial to control and monitor singulation of a semiconductor package.
Chips that are to be used in a circuit or electronic product typically have metal interconnects that are fragile and thin (often on the order of 1.5 xcexcm in thickness or less). As such, chips are typically attached to a semiconductor package. Packages permit the chip to be connected to a printed circuit board (PCB). Packages also serve to prevent chip breakage and contamination (for example, from substances such as sodium, chlorine and the like), and provide protection from shock and harsh environmental effects, such as moisture. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, packages serve to dissipate heat. In short, packages serve many important and varied functions, and thus, great care must be given to ensure their proper preparation.
Packages must be produced efficiently. Typically, substantial savings of time and money can be achieved in the production of semiconductor packages by handling a plurality of such packages while they are still interconnected as an elongated panel (also called a xe2x80x9cpackage panelxe2x80x9d).
While packages are often attached to one another when handled, they typically function or are otherwise used individually. As such, any panel of interconnected packages must be singulated (i.e., separated) into individual packages. A variety of processes exist to singulate such package panels into individual packages. Exemplary processes include: shearing, routing, break-away methods using, for instance, routed tabs as described below, scoring, perforation, dicing, sawing and various punch and die techniques.
A variety of package types exist for connecting chips to a PCB. A dual in-line package (DIP) is probably the most common design. Other packages can be used as well, including, for example: quad packages, thin packages, chip-scale packages, pin grid array packages, and ball grid array (BGA) packages. Packages typically include a chip/package connection area to permit the chips to be connected to the lead system of a package via such items as bonding wires, pads, or a series of balls. Selection of the appropriate package depends on a variety of factors. Yet, as electronic devices and the chips that drive their function become more complex, so too must packages increase in their complexity, in order to accommodate such chips.
Ball Grid Array packages are one type of package that can house complex chips. As such, for purposes of this application, xe2x80x9cpackagexe2x80x9d shall refer to a Ball Grid Array (or BGA) package. However, it is understood that any package capable of accommodating a similarly complex chip is within the scope of the invention. As the name indicates, a BGA package uses a series of metal solder balls or bumps attached to the bottom side of the package to connect the package to a PCB or electronic device. The number (e.g., 50, 60, 100) and arrangement of balls used in an array (e.g., rectangular array) can vary to convenience depending on a variety of factors, for instance, overall chip or package part complexity.
In the past, the balls of a ball grid array itself have been used as a reference for purposes of singulation, both in terms of determining paths of singulation (also referred to herein, when use in the context of a sawing-type singulation, as xe2x80x9csaw streetsxe2x80x9d). More Specifically, it has been a standard in industry to utilize the balls (or the ball pads to which they are attached) of a ball grid array as a means of comparison vis-a-vis the edge of the package (also called the xe2x80x9cball to edgexe2x80x9d standard). In this way, the xe2x80x9cball to edgexe2x80x9d standard comparison or test has been used to ensure that overall singulation quality characteristics, for example, edge straightness, precision, accuracy, and ball to edge (or ball pad to edge) offset, are being achieved.
Unfortunately, the balls of the ball grid array can melt or otherwise deform during, for example, package preparation processes. Further, the balls typically tend to stick to the bonding pads, and further still, they tend to deform, then taking on an almost oval or xe2x80x9cegg-likexe2x80x9d shape. In addition, when the balls are joined to their corresponding ball pads, the ball pads are no longer visible for purposes of control or monitoring. Complicating matters further, the balls can be misplaced ever so slightly, resulting in an inaccurate reference point from which to measure package singulation quality characteristics (again, for instance, edge straightness) within, of course, certain pre-determined tolerance levels. Finally, since balls serve primarily to connect the chip to the PCB, a function wholly separate from singulation, ball placement cannot be adjusted for purposes of singulation alone.
Accordingly, there is a need in the semiconductor industry to provide a singulation method that ensures the production of high quality, precisely sized and shaped, and highly dependable packages, packages having requisite singulation quality characteristics, and the method achieved in a cost-effective and easily-reproducible manner.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, disclosed herein is a semiconductor package panel singulation method using a reference fiducial, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages, at least one of the packages having a reference fiducial formed thereon;
singulating a semiconductor package panel along a path of singulation; and
using the reference fiducial formed on the at least one package to monitor and control the singulating of the semiconductor package panel along the path of singulation.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, disclosed herein a semiconductor package panel singulation process using a reference fiducial, the process comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages, at least one of the packages having a reference fiducial formed thereon;
singulating a semiconductor package panel; and
using the reference fiducial formed on the at least one package to monitor and control the singulating of the semiconductor package panel;
wherein the steps of singulating the panel and using the reference fiducial are performed substantially simultaneously.
In still another embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor package singulation method is disclosed, the method comprising the step of:
using at least a portion of a reference fiducial formed on at least one package in a semiconductor package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected packages, the fiducial used to monitor and control the semiconductor package singulation method.
In yet still another embodiment of the present invention, a singulation method is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor package panel having interconnected first and second semiconductor packages;
forming a reference fiducial on at least one of the semiconductor packages;
singulating the package panel into singulated semiconductor packages; and
using the reference fiducial to monitor at least one of a plurality of singulation quality characteristics.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a fiducial for a singulation method is disclosed, the fiducial comprising:
a metal strip placed on a semiconductor package panel, the package panel comprising a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages and a support substrate for supporting the metal strip;
wherein the fiducial is structured to ascertain and verify one or more singulation quality characteristics.
In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor package singulation method is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor package panel, the semiconductor package panel comprising a support substrate for supporting a plurality of interconnected semiconductor packages thereon, at least one of the plurality of packages having at least one reference fiducial formed thereon;
singulating the package panel along at least one singulation path; and
adjusting the at least one singulation path with respect to the at least one reference fiducial.

Use of a reference fiducial on a semiconductor package to monitor and control a singulation method


The present invention relates to the medical field. In a first aspect the present invention relates to novel water soluble cyclodextrin-curcumin complexes having a pharmacological activity, in particular an anti-tumor and/or anti-inflammatory activity, and improved physico-chemical properties. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparation of said water soluble curcumin derivatives. The invention further relates in a third aspect to a pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of said water soluble curcumin derivatives. In a fourth aspect, the present invention concerns the use of said water soluble cucumin derivatives as a medicament and the use of said water soluble curcumin derivatives for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. In a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a pharmaceutical composition comprising said water soluble curcumin derivatives in the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases and to a new pharmaceutical composition comprising said water soluble curcumin derivatives.

Curcumin is the major curcuminoid of the Indian curry spice turmeric. Curcumin is known for its anti-oxidant, anti-arthritic, anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, over recent years, activity of curcumin against various types of cancer have been widely documented (Rao C. V. et al, Cancer Res. 55, 259-266, 1995, Kawamori et al, Cancer Res. 59, 597-601, 1999).
While curcumin exhibits promising anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory properties, one of its major drawbacks relates to its absorption, distribution and excretion in vivo. It has been described that blood levels of curcumin are always low after per os (oral) administration while they rise through intravenous injection. Besides that, it has been described that curcumin is totally metabolised in half an hour and that curcumin does not induce toxicity (Wahlström B. et al, Acta pharmacol. et toxicol. 43, 86-92, 1978; Pan M. H. et al, Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 27, 486-494, 1999, Ireson C. et al, Cancer Res. 61, 1058-1064, 2001).
Although the level of activity found for curcumin and curcuminoid derivatives was and continues to be of high interest, this administered material does have significant deficiencies which indicates the continuing need for curcumin-complexes with improved properties. In the first place, curcumin was found to be insoluble in the majority of usual solvents. In addition, the plasma concentrations of curcumin after per os administration are either undetectable or very weak whatever the dosage level. Also, it seems that curcumin is quickly reduced (tetrahydrocurcumin, hexahydrocurcumin, hexahydrocurcuminol) and/or transformed (glucuronides or sulphates) in vivo. Thus, while curcumin and curcuminoid derivatives show significant biological activity, they do not have physico-chemical properties suitable for further clinical development. The same shortcomings were observed for cyclodextrin complexes of curcuminoid derivatives as for salts of curcuminoid derivatives.
In addition, although the pre-clinical activity of anti-proliferative agents such as curcumin itself or curcuminoid derivatives against certain forms of cancers can be shown, improvement in tumour response rates, duration of response, decrease of toxicity and ultimately patient survival are still sought.
Clinical data has furthermore indicated that patients displaying pulmonary inflammatory diseases have a higher incidence of developing lung tumours. This suggests that a persistent pulmonary inflammation might alter the organ's properties to develop tumours, although the exact mechanisms connecting chronic inflammatory processes to cancer are not yet well known. Until today, no treatment for precancerous lesions in the lungs exists. There is also no treatment available which can stop or slow down the formation of lung cancer in patients displaying an inflammatory disease in the airways.
There is therefore an urgent need for identifying new active molecules displaying a potential interest for the treatment of inflammatory, precancerous or cancer diseases.
There is also a need in the art for improving the efficacy of anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory treatments in humans and animals by providing suitable combinations of new drugs with conventional anti-neoplastic and/or anti-inflammatory agents.
In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of most of the agents used today in hospitals to treat cancer patients or patients with inflammatory disease, of known curcumin and curcuminoid derivatives, of salts of curcuminoid derivatives and of cyclodextrin complexes of curcuminoid derivatives, there is a need in the art for new curcumin-derived compounds having enhanced physico-chemical properties and demonstrating a more promising activity/side effects balance.
The aim of the present invention was therefore to provide a new potential anti-proliferative and/or anti-inflammatory agent that is suitable for per os administration. Simultaneously, said new agents were evaluated for their ability to modulate pulmonary inflammation and/or lung cancer progression through trans-tracheal administration (e.g. inhalation).
Our findings suggest that new curcumin-derivatives of the present invention are interesting candidates for therapy against both proliferative and/or inflammatory disorders. Especially the increased solubility and prolonged stability of the curcumin-derivatives according to the invention and their surprising activity via per os administration is very interesting and unexpected.

Water soluble curcumin compositions for use in anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory therapy