An adjusting mechanism adapted to adjust a position of a projection unit relative to a fixing object is provided. The adjusting mechanism includes a base, a sliding plate, a first screw, and an elastic element. The base is adapted to be fixed to the fixing object. The sliding plate is slidably disposed on the base along a first axis and adapted to be fixed to the projection unit. The first screw is fixed to the sliding plate and screwed to the base, wherein the first screw drives the projection unit to move relatively to the base along the first axis when the first screw is rotated. The elastic element is compressed between the base and the sliding plate along the first axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device and an adjusting mechanism thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a projector and an adjusting mechanism thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A projector is a display device capable of generating large-size images. An imaging principle of the projector is as follows. At first, a light valve converts a light beam generated by a light source module into an image beam. Then, the image beam is projected on a screen or a wall through a lens.
To ensure the projector to accurately project the image beam to the screen or the wall to form an image, mounting members used for mounting the projector to a ceiling or the wall generally have a portion-adjusting function. When a user adjusts a portion of a projector relative to a fixing object (such as an indoor wall or ceiling) in a vertical direction, it is hard to raise the projector because of a weight of the projector.
Taiwan Patent Nos. M287403 and M272012 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,144 disclose the related techniques.

Adjusting mechanism and projector having the same


An improved sterolithography system for generating a three-dimensional object by creating a cross-sectional pattern of the object to be formed at a selected surface of a fluid medium capable of altering its physical state in response to appropriate synergistic stimulation by impinging radiation, particle bonbardment or chemical reaction, information defining the object being specially processed to reduce curl and distortion, and increase resolution, strength, accuracy, speed and economy of reproduction even for rather difficult object shapes, the successive adjacent laminae, representing corresponding successive adjacent cross-sections of the object, being automatically formed and integrated together to provide a step-wise laminar buildup of the desired object, whereby a three-dimensional object is formed and drawn from a substantially planar surface of the fluid medium during the forming process, and further including post processing wheren the object is subjected to additional UV curing while the object is under water.

This invention relates generally to improvements in methods and apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects from a fluid medium and, more particularly, to new and improved stereolithography system involving the application of enhanced data manipulation and lithographic techniques to production of three-dimensional objects, whereby such objects can be formed more rapidly, reliably, accurately and economically.
It is common practice in the production of plastic parts and the like to first design such a part and then painstakingly produce a prototype of the part, all involving considerable time, effort and expense. The design is then reviewed and, oftentimes, the laborious process is again and again repeated until the design has been optimized. After design optimatization the next step is production. Most production plastic parts are injection molded. Since the design time and tooling costs are very high, plastic parts are usually only practical in high volume production. while other processes are available for the production of plastic parts, including direct machine work, vacuum-forming and direct forming, such methods are typically only cost effective for short run production, and the parts produced are usually inferior in quality to molded parts.
Very sophisticated techniques have been developed in the past for generating three-dimensional objects within a fluid medium which is selectively cured by beams of radiation brought to selective focus at prescribed intersection points within the three-dimensional volume of the fluid medium. Typical of such three-dimensional systems are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,041,476; 4,078,229; 4,238,840 and 4,288,861. All of these systems rely upon the buildup of synergistic energization at selected points deep within the fluid volume, to the exclusion of all other points in the fluid volume. unfortunately, however, such three-dimensional forming systems face a number of problems with regard to resolution and exposure control. The loss of radiation intensity and image forming resolution of the focused spots as the intersections move deeper into the fluid medium create rather obvious complex control situations. absorption, diffusion, dispersion and defraction all contribute to the difficulties of working deep within the fluid medium on an economical and reliable basis. In recent years, "stereolithography" systems, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330entitled "apparatus for production of Three-Dimensional ojbects by stereolithography" have come into use. Basically, stereolithography is a method for automatically building complex plastic parts by successively printing cross-sections of photopolymer (such as liquid plastic) on top of each other until all of the thin layers are joined together to form a whole part. With this technology, the parts are literally grown in a vat of liquid plastic. This method of fabrication is extremely powerful for quickly reducing design ideas to physical form and for making prototypes.
Photocurable polymers change from liquid to solid in the presence of light and their photospeed with ultraviolet light (UV) is fast enough to make them practical model building materials. The material that is not polymerized when a part is made is still usable and remains in the vat as successive parts are made. An ultraviolet laser generates a small intense spot of UV. This spot is moved across the liquid surface with a galvanometer mirror X-Y scanner. The scanner is driven by computer generated vectors or the like. Precise complex patterns can be rapidly produced with this technique.
The laser scanner, the photopolymer vat and the elevator, along with a controlling computer, combine together to form a stereolithography apparatus, referred to as "SLA". An SLA is programmed to automatically make a plastic part by drawing one cross section at a time, and building it up layer by layer.
Stereolithography represents an unprecedented way to quickly make complex or simple parts without tooling. Since this technology depends on using a computer to generate its cross sectional patterns, there is a natural data link to CAD/CAM. However, such systems have encountered difficulties relating to shrinkage, curl and other distortions, as well as resolution, accuracy and difficulties in producing certain object shapes.
When object come out of the vat of resin, after being drawn, they are in the green state, partially polymerized. Objects are then post cured to complete the polymerization process. This post curing can be done in two ways: (1) thermal curing, or (2) flood UV curing. This invention reduces the distortion of objects when they are post cured using a UV flood exposure. It also reduces the required UV exposure level and/or cure time.
In a first approach, the part is flood UV cured only. The disadvantage of this procedure is that objects may distort. In a second approach an effort is made to control parameters involved in the flood UV curing process, to control UV intensity and part temperature. The disadvantage of this approach is that general parts have a wide variety of differing shapes so maintaining an ideal particular temperature and exposure level is difficult. This procedure is also time consuming.
Hence, there continues to be a long existing need in the design and production arts for enhanced capability in rapidly and reliably moving from the design stage to the prototype stage and to ultimate production, particularly moving directly from the computer designs for such plastic parts to virtually immediate prototypes and the facility for large scale production on an economical and automatic basis.
Accordingly, those concerned with the development and production of three-dimensional plastic objects and the like have long recognized the desirability for further improvement in more rapid, reliable, economical and automatic means which would facilitate quickly moving from a design stage to the prototype stage and to production, while avoiding the complicated post processing problems of the prior art three-dimensional production systems. The present invention clearly fulfills all of these needs.

Methods and apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography


In accordance with the present invention, there is provided is provided a tubing arrangement and associated connectors, including a delivery adaptor and a Y-connector, which may be used to facilitate the operative interface of a patient interface to a ventilator within a ventilation system. The delivery adaptor is connected between the outlet connector of the flow generator and the main delivery tube (i.e., the quad-lumen tube) in the ventilation system. The delivery adaptor functions to retain the pneumatic isolation of a sense line of the ventilation system from certain other lumens of the quad-lumen tube, and further connects one of the small lumens of the quad-lumen tube to an external oxygen source or an external humidification source. The oxygen or humidification is delivered to such lumen through the adaptor. The oxygen or humidification is then bled into the air stream at the outlet of such lumen which is at the Y-connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling delivery of a pressurized flow of breathable gas to a patient and, more particularly, to an adapter or attachment for a ventilation system such as an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) system that allows for the delivery of humidification or low pressure oxygen to the patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known in the medical arts, mechanical ventilators comprise medical devices that either perform or supplement breathing for patients. The vast majority of contemporary ventilators use positive pressure to deliver gas to the patient's lungs via a patient circuit between the ventilator and the patient. The patient circuit typically consists of one or two large bore tubes (e.g., from 22 mm ID for adults to 8 mm ID for neonatal) that interface to the ventilator on one end, and a patient mask on the other end. Most often, the patient mask is not provided as part of the ventilator system, and a wide variety of patient masks can be used with any ventilator.
Current ventilators are designed to support either "vented" or "leak" circuits, or "non-vented" or "non-leak" circuits. In vented circuits, the mask or patient interface is provided with an intentional leak, usually in the form of a plurality of vent openings. Ventilators using this configuration are most typically used for less acute clinical requirements, such as the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea or respiratory insufficiency. In non-vented circuits, the patient interface is usually not provided with vent openings. Non-vented circuits can have single limb or dual limb patient circuits, and an exhalation valve. Ventilators using non-vented patient circuits are most typically used for critical care applications.
Vented patient circuits are used only to carry gas flow from the ventilator to the patient and patient mask, and require a patient mask with vent openings. When utilizing vented circuits, the patient inspires fresh gas from the patient circuit, and expires CO2-enriched gas, which is purged from the system through the vent openings in the mask. When utilizing non-vented dual limb circuits, the patient inspires fresh gas from one limb (the "inspiratory limb") of the patient circuit and expires CO2-enriched gas from the second limb (the "expiratory limb") of the patient circuit. Both limbs of the dual limb patient circuit are connected together in a "Y" proximal to the patient to allow a single connection to the patient mask. When utilizing non-vented single limb circuits, an expiratory valve is placed along the circuit, usually proximal to the patient. During the inhalation phase, the exhalation valve is closed to the ambient and the patient inspires fresh gas from the single limb of the patient circuit. During the exhalation phase, the patient expires CO2-enriched gas from the exhalation valve that is open to ambient.
In the patient circuits described above, the ventilator pressurizes the gas to be delivered to the patient inside the ventilator to the intended patient pressure, and then delivers that pressure to the patient through the patient circuit. Very small pressure drops develop through the patient circuit, typically around 1 cmH2O, due to gas flow though the small amount of resistance created by the tubing. Some ventilators compensate for this small pressure drop either by mathematical algorithms, or by sensing the tubing pressure more proximal to the patient.
In patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the clinical evidence for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bi-level PAP as therapy for improving the quality of life is mounting. Over the past few decades, CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea has evolved into more and more sophisticated modes of therapy for various forms of sleep-disordered breathing. CPAP, as the name implies, requires the airway pressure to be constant between inspiration and expiration. In many applications, such a pressure is achieved through the use of an air compressor which is controlled in a manner as maintains the airway pressure as closely to the prescribed pressure despite the pull (inspiration) and push (exhalation) of the patient. Bi-level PAP therapy was originally conceived with the idea of varying the administered pressure between the inspiratory and expiratory cycles. In concept, such a variable pressure setting decreases the amount of pressure against which the patient exhales, thereby decreasing abdominal muscle recruitment and consequent respiratory discomfort during the expiratory cycle. Moreover, during the inspiratory cycle, the greater level of pressure assist would combat the inspiratory flow limitation suffered by the upper airway.
For patients on CPAP or bi-level therapy for OSA, there is often a need to have supplemental low pressure, low flow oxygen. A number of solutions are currently known to provide such oxygen. In one currently known, commonly used solution, the oxygen is bled directly into the mask through connection ports normally supplied in the frame of the mask itself. In another currently known, commonly used solution, the oxygen is bled using an adapter connected between the flow generator device and the usual 22 mm delivery tube.
However, these known solution present certain disadvantages which detract from their overall utility. More particularly, with regard to the former solution, the same has the disadvantage of offering poor oxygen mixing and the continuous delivery of oxygen directly into the mask even when the flow generator device is not working (e.g. stops working because of a fault or is turned off by the patient). Another disadvantage is the presence of an additional oxygen tube that connects to the mask. With regard to the latter solution, though the same has the advantage of offering a convenient location for the oxygen connection, it suffers from the disadvantage of exposing the flow generator to potentially high oxygen concentrations in the case of a high patient tidal volume that results in back flow into the device during exhalation. Normally, standard CPAP or bi-level devices are not designed to operate in an oxygen rich environment which could otherwise lead to a member of problems. The present invention addresses the deficiencies of the prior art by providing an oxygen delivery solution similar to the latter solution described above, but eliminating its aforementioned shortcomings.
For patients on CPAP or bi-level therapy for OSA, there is also often a need to have supplemental humidification provided to the patient. In normal, unassisted respiration, heat and moisture are absorbed from the exhaled air by the inner walls of the oral and nasal cavities of the patient as the air travels from the patient's lungs to the outside environment. This heat and moisture is then transferred to the inhaled air in the next breath, helping to keep the mucus membranes of the patient's lungs humidified and at the proper temperature. Mechanical ventilation bypasses this natural system, often resulting in dry air of incorrect temperature being introduced into the oral and nasal cavities, and hence the lungs of the patient. After a period of time, the respiratory tract of the ventilated patient becomes dried, often causing discomfort. Thus, one of the known disadvantages of conventional breathing circuits is that the air delivered to the patient's lungs is not at the appropriate humidity and/or temperature level.
In order to provide for proper humidity and temperature of the air in ventilator and breathing circuits, it is known to integrate a heat and moisture exchange (HME) device into the breathing circuit. Typically, HME devices are placed into the breathing circuit somewhere within the flow path of the warm, moist air which is exhaled by the patient. The exhaled air enters the HME device, where the moisture and heat are absorbed by those materials used to fabricate the same. These materials then impart the absorbed heat and moisture to the inhaled air in the next breath. The retention of warmth and high humidity helps to prevent the patient's lungs and mucus layers from drying out. Currently known HME devices generally consist of a housing that contains a layer of flexible, fibrous, gas-permeable media or material. As indicated above, this media has the capacity to retain moisture and heat from the air that is exhaled from the patient's lungs, and then transfer the captured moisture and heat to the inhaled air when the patient is inhaling with the assistance of the flow generator. The fibrous material or media in the HME device may be made of foam or paper or other suitable materials that are untreated or treated with hygroscopic material. However, in certain circumstances, the level of humidification imparted by the HME is insufficient for proper patient comfort, thus necessitating that it be supplemented with or replaced by a more robust form of humidification emanating from a humidifier integrated into the breathing circuit. The present invention also addresses the aforementioned humidification deficiencies of prior art HME devices by providing a humidification delivery solution.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method is disclosed for diagnosing the reliability of a pressure sensor disposed in a fuel rail of an internal combustion engine. A control cycle is executed to measure a value of a fuel rail pressure with the pressure sensor, determine a first and a second threshold value of the fuel rail pressure, identify the measured value of the fuel rail pressure as reliable when the measured value is inside an interval of values ranging from the first threshold value to the second threshold value, and identify the measured value of the fuel rail pressure as unreliable when the measured value is outside that interval. The first and the second threshold values may be determined on the basis of a last reliable value of the fuel rail pressure.

It is known that an internal combustion engine usually includes a fuel injection system for injecting metered quantities of fuel into the combustion chambers of the engine. The fuel injection system may include a plurality of fuel injectors, each of which is disposed into a corresponding combustion chamber, and a fuel rail in fluid communication with all the fuel injectors. A rail pressure sensor is provided which measures the pressure in the fuel rail.

Method of diagnosing a fuel rail pressure sensor


An ink jet recording method using ink selected from a group including (A) black ink containing black pigment, (B) mixed color black ink containing black and color pigments, and (C) color ink containing color pigment, in which an ink glossiness at 60° is increased in the order of black ink (A), mixed color black ink (B), and color ink (C), the target recording surface glossiness at 60° in a target recording medium is 40 or more, and at least one of the following is satisfied: (1) A black image is formed using at least a plurality of types of the color ink of (C) and a color image is formed using the color ink of (C), and (2) A black image is formed using the mixed color black ink of (B) and a color image is formed using the color ink of (C).

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method, an ink jet recording apparatus which uses the above recording method, and recorded matter which was obtained by the above recording method or the above recording apparatus.
2. Related Art
In the related art, printing methods which use an ink jet recording method have been executed by causing small droplets of ink to fly and be attached to a target recording medium such as paper. Due to innovative advances in ink jet recording method techniques in recent years, printing methods which use an ink jet recording method have also been used in the field of high resolution image recording (image printing) which up to then had used photographic or offset printing. In particular, various proposals have been made with regard to inks which are capable of obtaining high-quality images with respect to a target recording medium with an ink absorbing property such as plain paper and special paper for ink jet recording (for example, glossy paper).
For example, JP-A-11-320922 discloses an ink jet recording method where, when ejecting a black ink and color inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow, which have a greater permeability to the recording medium than the black ink, from various nozzles, forming a pattern of ink dots with variable sizes on the recording medium, and performing color recording with gradation, the black dots are formed using composite black in a case where at least a part of the black dots overlaps with the dots of colors other than black at positions which are adjacent to the black dots when the black dots are formed, and the black dots are formed with black ink in other cases. In addition, disclosure is made to the effect that, by using the above recording method, it is possible to reduce bleeding in the color boundary portions of the black and the colors (specification of JP-A-11-320922, paragraphs 0025 to 0035).
However, the ink jet recording method which is disclosed in JP-A-11-320922, there is a problem in that gloss unevenness is generated between a black region which is derived from black ink and a color region which is derived from color ink. Therefore, there is a need to improve the quality of the image.

Ink jet recording method, ink jet recording apparatus, and recorded matter


A hydraulic excavator drive system includes: a first pump connected to a boom main control valve and an arm auxiliary control valve by a first pump line; a second pump connected to a boom auxiliary control valve and an arm main control valve by a second pump line; and a controller that does not move the arm auxiliary control valve when arm crowding operation boom raising operations are performed concurrently. The boom auxiliary control valve moves together with the boom main control valve when the boom raising operation is performed. A boom raising second supply line, which connects the boom auxiliary control valve to a boom raising first supply line between the boom main control valve and a boom cylinder, is provided with a check valve that allows a flow from the boom auxiliary control valve toward a head side of the boom cylinder, but prevents a reverse flow.

In general, a hydraulic excavator drive system includes a slewing motor, a boom cylinder, an arm cylinder, and a bucket cylinder as hydraulic actuators. These hydraulic actuators are supplied with hydraulic oil from two pumps. Normally, each of the slewing motor and the bucket cylinder is supplied with the hydraulic oil from one of the pumps via one control valve, whereas each of the boom cylinder and the arm cylinder is supplied with the hydraulic oil from both of the pumps via two control valves.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a hydraulic excavator drive system 100 shown in FIG. 6. The drive system 100 is configured to be able to prevent a large amount of hydraulic oil from flowing into one of the arm cylinder and the boom cylinder whose load pressure is lower when an arm crowding operation and a boom raising operation are performed concurrently.
Specifically, in the drive system 100, a boom main control valve 120 is connected to a boom cylinder 140 by a boom raising first supply line 121 and a boom lowering supply line 122, and a boom auxiliary control valve 130 is connected to the boom raising first supply line 121 by a boom raising second supply line 131. An arm main control valve 150 is connected to an arm cylinder 170 by an arm crowding first supply line 151 and an arm pushing first supply line 152. An arm auxiliary control valve 160 is connected to the arm crowding first supply line 151 by an arm crowding second supply line 161 and connected to the arm pushing first supply line 152 by an arm pushing second supply line 162.
The boom main control valve 120 moves in accordance with a pilot pressure outputted from a boom operation device 125, which is a pilot operation valve. On the other hand, the boom auxiliary control valve 130 is controlled by a controller 180 via a solenoid proportional valve 135. Similarly, the arm main control valve 150 moves in accordance with a pilot pressure outputted from an arm operation device 155, which is a pilot operation valve. On the other hand, the arm auxiliary control valve 160 is controlled by the controller 180 via a pair of solenoid proportional valves 165.
When a boom raising operation is performed without an arm crowding operation being performed, the controller 180 moves the boom auxiliary control valve 130 together with the boom main control valve 120. When a boom raising operation is performed concurrently with an arm crowding operation, the controller 180 does not move the boom auxiliary control valve 130. Similarly, when an arm crowding operation is performed without a boom raising operation being performed, the controller 180 moves the arm auxiliary control valve 160 together with the arm main control valve 150, and when an arm crowding operation is performed concurrently with a boom raising operation, the controller 180 does not move the arm auxiliary control valve 160. Owing to this configuration, when an arm crowding operation and a boom raising operation are performed concurrently, a first pump 111 can be used dedicatedly for the boom cylinder 140, and a second pump 112 can be used dedicatedly for the arm cylinder 170. Accordingly, as mentioned above, a large amount of hydraulic oil can be prevented from flowing into one of the arm cylinder 170 and the boom cylinder 140 whose load pressure is lower.


A semiconductor device comprising at least one modified cell block that includes a modified abutment region in which is provided a first continuous active region arranged along a first axis parallel to a vertical abutment edge for positioning adjacent other cell blocks to form a vertical abutment, including non-standard, standard, and modified cell blocks. The structure provided within the modified abutment region improves a structural and device density match between the modified cell block and the adjacent cell block, thereby reducing the need for white space between vertically adjacent cell blocks and reducing the total device area and increasing cell density.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has continued to experience rapid growth with technological advances in IC materials and design producing successive generations of ICs, each new generation having smaller geometries and more complex circuits than the previous generation. The complexity of the associated layout, device structures, and manufacturing processes for producing each new generation of ICs has increased correspondingly in order to provide the designed functional density.
The performance of advanced patterning and etching processes are affected by density gradient effects (DGE) associated with the particular IC device layout configuration being manufactured. Consideration and adjustment of the relative placement, height, and density of the functional and non-functional structures during IC device layout mitigate some of the DGE and improve the uniformity and performance of the resulting ICs and allow for reductions in chip area and increases in chip density.

Reduced area standard cell abutment configurations

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


The specialized glove apparatus has a plurality of fingers, a thumb, a thumb side, a finger side, a backhand, a forehand, a wristband disposed most downwardly, a reinforced panel disposed on the finger side below the fingers, the reinforced panel beginning proximal to the fingers, an abbreviated, substantially stubby spike disposed upwardly and laterally on the reinforced panel, a cutter disposed on the backhand substantially below the thumb, the cutter comprising, a triangulated clam shape, an opened deep recess, a blade disposed completely within the deep recess, a fat lip guide disposed medially on the cutter, at a beginning of the deep recess, a thin upturn disposed laterally on the cutter, the thin upturn opposite the fat lip guide, across the deep recess, and a wrist pad disposed adjacent to the reinforced panel, the wrist pad extended to the wristband.

Experience in EMS and rescue and like activities has taught the importance of tools, especially tools that are quickly utilized in saving lives, where time is of dire criticality. Picture, for example, a rescue worker pulling a fire hose to douse a flaming car, and needing to access the interior of the car quickly in order to save a life. Such situations call for tools at the ready, especially when hands and body are already fully occupied and can only spare seconds or even fractions of a second. The need to break glass is often paramount in such extrication situations. The need to cut through materials such as seatbelts is often required. Such actions must often be performed instantaneously and, again, while typically fully occupied in other needed activities. Further, such actions must not endanger the user unnecessarily. The present apparatus provides a wearable solution to such problems.


‘MACGER001’ is a new and distinctive variety of Geranium hybrid plant which is characterized by dark greyed-green foliage that is suffused with bronze and vibrant red-purple flowers with very dark purple venation and floral eye. The new variety propagates successfully by stem cuttings and tissue culture and has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Parentage: 'MACGER001' is the result of a controlled cross-pollination breeding program carried out by the inventors at their commercial nursery in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, in the summer of 2015. The inventors performed a controlled cross-pollination of the emasculated seed parent, an unnamed Geranium pratense plant (unpatented), with an unnamed Geranium psilostemon plant (unpatented), the pollen parent. Said pollination was performed in an insect proof environment. Seed from said cross was harvested, then germinated, and the resulting seedlings were then grown to a mature size in a protected poly tunnel greenhouse. In October of 2015, the inventors selected the new Geranium cultivar for its unique flower color and dark foliage. This new and distinctive cultivar was given the name 'MACGER001'.
Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of 'MACGER001' was first accomplished in October of 2015 by way of vegetative division and subsequently by way of meristematic tissue culture micro propagation at a laboratory in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. Four successive generations have shown that the unique features of the instant cultivar are stable and reproduce true to type.


A transaction system and method of performing a transaction by using a peripheral device are provided. The method includes receiving transaction information from an external device, searching for a peripheral device when the transaction information is received, and performing the transaction with a transaction server by using information received from the searched peripheral device and the transaction information.

As functions of devices improve, and communication technology develops, devices are enabled to perform various functions via a network. In particular, in order to purchase a product, a user may perform a transaction with various transaction methods by using various devices via the network.
However, when a user cannot immediately perform a transaction, or a user under age has to perform a transaction after receiving approval from parents, the user may not perform the transaction by using the user's device. Also, when an employee performs a transaction using the employee's device to purchase a product at the expense of a company, the company has to separately manage the expense due to the purchase of the product.
Accordingly, there is a need for a user who has a difficulty in performing a transaction needs to safely perform a transaction by using transaction resources of another user, without using a device of the user. Also, there is a demand for a technology for allowing a transaction to be safely performed although a device for requesting a transaction or another device for performing a transaction has been stolen.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Transaction system and method performed by using peripheral device


An intraocular lens includes a polymeric lens material formed from a polymerizable composition. The polymerizable composition includes: (a) a single aromatic acrylate monomer which is an aromatic-ring containing acrylate; (b) an alkoxyalkyl methacrylate monomer having an alkoxyalkyl group with 4 or less carbon atoms; (c) an alkyl acrylate monomer having an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms; (d) a hydrophilic monomer; and (e) a crosslinkable monomer.

Cataracts occur when the crystalline lens of the eye becomes cloudy. The cataracts may be in both eyes, and may cause fading vision and eventual blindness. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40, and the condition is the principal cause of blindness in the world.
Cataracts must be surgically removed to eliminate the cloudiness and restore vision. During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens, which is inserted into the lens capsule through a small incision.
As developments have been made in the field of small-incision cataract surgery, the size of the surgical incision has been decreased to promote shorter healing times, in particular, to enable out-patient surgeries. To deliver an intraocular lens through such a small incision, the lens material should be foldable and exhibit favorable shape recoverability. Accordingly, in addition to having optical properties necessary for a lens, soft materials that are flexible and foldable have been investigated for suitability in producing intraocular lenses.
Acrylic materials have a high refractive index and will slowly unfold after being implanted into the eye to recover the original lens shape, and thus are desirable candidates for polymeric lens materials. However, as the shape recoverability of the lens material is increased, the elongation percentage is generally reduced. A material with poor elongation percentage is fragile and easily tears, and thus cannot be reliably folded and unfolded for delivery via a small incision site without cracking or tearing. Accordingly, shape recoverability and elongation percentage are competing properties.
As an example of an acrylic lens material, a polymer can be obtained by polymerizing a hydrophilic monomer including a hydroxyl group-containing alkyl (meth) acrylate, a (meth) acrylamide monomer, and N-vinyl lactam to produce a polymer having a water absorption rate of 1.5 to 4.5% by mass (for example, refer to JP-A-11-56998). Although this material is flexible, ester linkages in the polymer structure undergo hydrolysis, and the hydrolyzate can then be eluted from the lens, potentially causing contamination and chemical irritation of the surrounding eye structure.


A “loose ACK” method by which a radio access network of a cellular network monitors wireless transmission of packets according to a layered protocol including a radio layer (near the physical layer) and an upper layer, the method including: a step (23) of slow release—in what is called normal buffer management—in which the upper layer removes from a buffer maintained by the upper layer the oldest packet in the buffer when the buffer is full and a new packet arrives, and does so independently of whether the packet being removed has been acknowledged by the radio layer of the terminal; and a step (24) of local acknowledgement in which the radio layer sends an acknowledgement to the upper layer on the occurrence of a predetermined event. The local acknowledgement can trigger either special mode buffer management or release of the buffer to a target (entity or layer).

Radio frames (also called packets) in a buffer in a mobile phone are transferred from the mobile terminal to the target Access Point (AP), called more often a Node B in 3G, an Access Point in Wireless LAN, and in 2G more often called the Base Transceiver Station. The buffer is maintained by a radio (protocol) layer. It holds all unacknowledged radio frames, whether transmitted or not. When the target AP signals an ACK for a radio frame, the radio layer relays the ACK to an upper layer of the radio protocol, and removes the radio frame from the buffer.
In many radio communication systems of today, a radio layer uses an automatic repeat request (ARQ) method to ensure that transmitted radio frames have been received by the receiving end, i.e. if a radio frame is not acknowledged it is automatically (without a repeat request having been made) re-transmitted. The radio layer therefore maintains the above-mentioned buffer for holding radio frames until they are acknowledged.
Higher data rates envisioned in future wireless technologies impose heavier buffering requirements on the radio layer. In addition, radio frames are radio technology specific (in a multiple radio technology environment), and may be adapted to best suit current radio link conditions, which potentially makes the radio frames in the radio layer between the source and target AP incompatible. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have the buffer maintained not in the radio layer, but in some upper protocol layer, where the data units being transmitted can (and typically do) exist as radio technology independent packets. Further motivating such a change is the observation that upper layer handover occurs less often than radio layer handover, so that it would be necessary to transfer the buffer less often if maintained by an upper layer.
Cellular/wireless handover procedures cause a break in communication sometimes leading to loss of data. In order to minimize or prevent data losses in providing communication for a mobile during a handover, an operator network must know the most recent data that was successfully transmitted to the mobile so that any lost packets can be retransmitted. Although as described above it is beneficial to have buffering at an upper layer, on the other hand to ensure lossless handover one would need an ACK-based scheme between the radio layer and the upper layer. The upper layer would buffer a packet and remove it only when it received a local ACK (an ACK from the radio layer to the upper layer). But the use of a tight local ACK procedure (i.e. one in which every packet must be ACK-ed) would add significant overload to the network and would lead to inefficiency, especially at the higher data rates envisioned in the future.
The invention introduces the use of what is here called a "loose" ACK scheme as a way to provide a lossless handover procedure. In contrast to the prior art—current radio technology uses radio layer buffering (after segmentation and concatenation), e.g. as explained in 3GPP TS 25.322—the loose ACK scheme provided by the invention does not require a tight local ACK procedure (in which the radio layer signals ACKs to the upper layer for each successfully transmitted packet). The loose ACK scheme of the invention is also of use in support of lossless packet delivery during poor radio conditions.

Method and equipment for lossless packet delivery to a mobile terminal during handover


A safety system for powering an outdoor light is provided. The system includes a breakaway cable which runs from the luminaire pole to the junction box. The breakaway is connected to a switch which is opened when the breakaway cable is pulled, for example when the luminaire pole is struck. The device may also include a visual indicator at the junction box which indicates whether power is being supplied to the luminaire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to street and outdoor lighting. More particularly, the invention relates to safety systems for supplying electrical power to luminaire poles used for street lighting.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,160 to Savoca discloses a luminaire power system that is intended to stop the flow of power to the luminaire pole in the event of the abrupt displacement of the pole. Such a displacement can occur if a motor vehicle strikes the pole. However, Savoca does not provide a visual indicator so that emergency or maintenance personnel who arrive at an accident scene can ascertain whether power is being supplied to the luminaire. Additionally, Savoca uses only a single unplugging action to stop power from reaching the luminaire pole. Another shortcoming of Savoca is that the fuse in Savoca is part of the load cable. Therefore in the Savoca device, power could still be running in the junction box in the event of a short somewhere in the Savoca load cable.
Because the Savoca fuse assembly is located in the load cable, one can have the situation in which the luminaire has been displaced (but with no shorting) thereby unplugging the Savoca load cable, yet power will still be throughout the length of the load cable. This power in the load cable can still create a dangerous situation for emergency and maintenance personnel, especially without any visual indicators to indicate the power status in the load cable.
The prior art demonstrates a need for a power supply system that does not endanger rescue and maintenance personnel, that provides clear cessation of power if the luminaire pole is displaced from its foundation, and that provides an indicator of whether power is being supplied.


A spacer assembly for a series damper, including: at least one fastening element with protrusions arranged to be fixedly secured to first and second cover plates for the damper; and at least one spacer element fixedly secured to the at least one fastening element and arranged to be axially disposed between the second cover plate and a flange for the damper. The at least one fastening element is arranged to be partially rotatable with respect to the flange. A damper assembly, including: a first damper with first and second cover plates and a flange; and a modularity spacer assembly including at least one fastening element fixedly secured to the first and second cover plates and partially rotatable with respect to the flange and at least one annular spacer element fixedly secured to the at least one fastening element and axially disposed between the second cover plate and the flange.

It is known to shape the flange for one of the dampers in a series damper, in particular, a distal radial end of the flange, to enable a specific position of the flange with respect to a cover plate for the damper, for example, positioning the flange to enable friction between the flange and the cover plate or to prevent friction between the flange and the cover plate. Unfortunately, the same shaped flange is generally not usable for friction and non-friction configurations for the damper, decreasing the modularity of a particular flange and increasing the cost and complexity of producing the friction and non-friction configurations for the damper. In like manner, the same shaped flange may not be usable between different series damper configurations.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of prior art series damper 300 in a torque converter and is an example of a damper with a flange shaped and positioned to provide friction between the flange and a cover plate. Specifically, to provide a hysteresis force for damper 302 in the series damper, flange 304 is stepped in region 306, for example, the flange is bent in direction 308, so that portion 310 is substantially in contact with cover plate 312. Then spring 314 urges the flange against the cover plate to provide the desired hysteresis force for damper 302. In some series damper configurations (not shown), for example, a turbine damper configuration in which the cover plate that is equivalent to cover plate 312 is connected to a turbine hub, the cover plate is located closer to the turbine. Thus, to maintain contact between the flange and the cover in this configuration, it is unfortunately necessary to modify the flange, for example, to increase the step in the flange equal to the amount by which the cover plate is moved closer to the turbine. For example, flange 304 cannot be used in this configuration, since there will be gap between the flange and the cover plate and subsequently, there will be no friction between the flange and the cover plate. Thus, the same flange cannot be used for both the configuration shown in FIG. 4 and for the re-configuration noted above, which, unfortunately, limits the modularity of the flange and increases the cost and complexity of fabricating the series damper.
Thus, the differences in spacing between the flange and the cover plate inherent in various damper configurations unfortunately requires that differently stepped flanges be used in the respective configurations depending on the desired performance of the dampers, for example, with or without friction forces between the flange and the damper.
Thus, there is a long-felt need for a means of increasing the modularity of component parts for a series damper to increase the usability of the component parts among a greater variety of series damper configurations.


A security tag is provided that includes a housing, an electronic sensor held within the housing, an accessory pin provided with the housing and a lock assembly held within the housing. The accessory is pin provided with the tag housing and may be moveable with respect to the housing between locked and unlocked positions. When the accessory pin is in the locked position, the tag housing is secured to the accessory. When the accessory pin is in the unlocked position, the tag housing is disengaged from the accessory. The lock assembly may include a magnetically influenced (MI) member which is movable from a biased position to a relaxed position in the absence of the selected magnetic field to lock the accessory pins.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic article surveillance (EAS) and more particularly to systems and methods for securing of an EAS to an accessory.
An EAS system is designed to prevent unauthorized removal of an item from a controlled area. A typical EAS system may comprise a monitoring system and one or more security tags. The monitoring system may create a surveillance zone at an access point for the controlled area. A security tag may be fastened to the monitored item, such as a garment or article of clothing. If the monitored item enters the surveillance zone, an alarm may be triggered indicating unauthorized removal of the monitored item from the controlled area.
Security tags may generally comprise one of two types. One type of security tag may be designed for reuse. For example, a security tag may be detached from the monitored item at the point of sale in a manner that does not substantially harm the integrity of the security tag, either externally or internally. Once detached, the reusable tag may be reattached to another item. Another type of security to may be designed for single use. For example, a security tag may be detached from the monitored item at the point of sale in a manner that typically harms the integrity of the security tag. Once detached, a single-use security tag cannot be reattached again to another item.
Both types of security tags may be unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. For example, conventional reusable security tags may be relatively expensive since they are made to be durable enough to withstand the rigors of continuous attaching and detaching from monitored items. Single-use security tags, however, may not be economical, or secure enough to meet the design constraints for a given security system. Consequently, there may be a need for an improved EAS system to solve these and other problems.
Another application for security tags is to be reusable with very small items, like and accessories. The tag should be small, light weight, not interfere with merchandise display, difficult to defeat and easy to attach and detach.


A computer implemented method of cleaning electrodes (such as wires) is used in a toner-based electrostatic printing device. The electrodes produce an environment containing charged toner particles to assist in electrostatic printing. The method automatically monitors at least two printing parameters that are unrelated to signals and voltages provided to the electrodes (using a processor of the electrostatic printing device). Further, this method also uses the processor automatically infers a toner contamination of the electrodes from the printing parameters. This allows the processor to automatically adjust the printing the used by the electrostatic printing device during electrostatic printing to maintain the contamination of the electrodes below a threshold.

Embodiments herein generally relate to printing devices and more particularly to printing devices that use wires or other toner charging devices used to create a cloud of toner during the printing process.
Development housings within electrostatic printing devices can use AC and DC biased wires to launch a toner cloud for non-contact development to a photoreceptor (PR). However, in such systems the wires can sometimes become polluted with toner constituents, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the cloud.
Some methods of managing wire pollution are based on non-nominal fleet operation data, in which wire cleaning set points are selected based on average or worst-case wire pollution stress conditions. These set points may not be optimal for the non-stress conditions, and the performance of cleaning operations on printing devices that experience non-stress conditions can be wasteful.
For example, a wire cleaning cycle can be performed, which involves pressing the wire against the donor roll to remove pollution on the wire. This can be run at cycle up and cycle down. This routine is used to change the charge and shake the wire, and is a successful method of removing the toner build-up on the wire. This is not currently performed during printing run, because it would cause sudden color shifts during the run. This wire cleaning cycle can cause huge transients in development and causes color shifts if run infrequently. Therefore, this is not a good solution to wire pollution if performed infrequently or mid-job. This method also adds stress to the wire.
Also, a periodic toner purging can be preformed during a "deadcycle" (time of non-usage of a printing device) to decrease toner age and reduce wire contamination. For example, the periodic toner purge can be preformed on every machine in every condition when toner age reaches a threshold. However, for printing machines that are not experiencing wire contamination, this fleet-wide toner purge process can waste time, electricity, and toner. Further, a minimum area coverage (MAC) patch can be used to slow the rate of toner aging in the sump, to reduce wire contamination. Again however, this treats all machines in a fleet equally when it comes to managing toner age, and can be wasteful on printing machines that are not experiencing wire contamination.

Inferring toner contamination of electrodes from printing parameters


An electronic device 1 has a first semiconductor substrate 2 on which a bonding projection section 42 is projected via an insulation film 41, a second semiconductor substrate 3 that is bonded by welding the bonding projection section 42 of the first semiconductor substrate 2 via conductive bonding material, a through hole 54 that is formed to penetrate the bonding projection section 42 and the insulation film 41 in a bonding direction, and a conduction wiring section 44 that is formed by the conductive bonding material filled in the through hole 54 at a time of bonding by welding and conducts the first semiconductor substrate 2 with the second semiconductor substrate 3 to have same electric potential.

Generally, there has been known an electronic device in which a MEMS element (semiconductor substrate) formed with MEMS structures therein and a semiconductor element (semiconductor substrate) formed with integrated circuits therein are bonded in an insulation state and are electrically connected by bonding wires from the semiconductor element to the MEMS element (see Patent Document 1).
In the electronic device, a plurality of bonding wires are connected from a back surface of the semiconductor element having a smaller diameter than that of the MEMS element to electrodes exposed to a front surface of the MEMS element, and the MEMS element, the semiconductor element and the bonding wires are sealed by mold resin or the like to be packaged.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2010-067853

Electronic device and fabrication method thereof


A tape carrier for semiconductor apparatus and a method of manufacturing the tape carrier includes three or more layers and contact holes of small size. A peelable agent is applied to a planar substrate made of glass or the like, and plural insulating layers and plural conductive layers are alternatingly formed thereon in predetermined patterns. The peelable agent is then removed to peel the tape carrier from the substrate. The tape carrier includes the insulating layers and the conductive layers and has projection electrodes but no tape base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape carrier and a method of manufacturing the tape carrier for use with semiconductor apparatus, and more particularly to a tape carrier for the TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) technique and a method of manufacturing the tape carrier.
2. Related Prior Art
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional tape carrier for semiconductor apparatus and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 11. In these drawings, a tape base 1 of the tape carrier is formed of, for example, polyimide resin with a thickness on the order of 75 .mu.m to 125 .mu.m. The tape base 1 has formed therein device holes 3 in the form of openings where semiconductor elements (not shown) are placed, and perforations 2 as positioning holes used to transport the tape carrier. Inner leads (and wirings) 4 to be connected with electrodes of the semiconductor element have one end projecting into each of the device holes 3 and another end connected to test electrodes 5 used for testing the semiconductor element. The inner leads 4 and the test electrodes 5 are formed of a material such as Cu and bonded to the tape base 1 by an adhesive 6, with Sn, Ni/Au or the like plated on their surfaces.
Conventional tape carriers are constructed as stated above, and the tape carrier shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is manufactured through the steps shown in FIGS. 13 to 16. First, an adhesive 6 is applied to the tape base 1 shown in FIG. 13, as shown in FIG. 14. Next, the device holes 3 and the perforations 2 are cut as shown in FIG. 15 by punching using dies or the like. Then, a metal foil 7 made of Cu or the like is pasted in place as shown in FIG. 16, following which the metal foil 7 is subjected to photoengraving, etching, etc. to form the inner leads 4 and the test electrodes 5 as shown in FIG. 12. Finally, Sn, Ni/Au or the like is plated on the surfaces of the inner leads 4, thereby completing manufacture of the tape carrier.
Another tape carrier shown in FIG. 17 basically has the same construction as that shown in FIG. 12 except that, in the tape carrier of FIG. 17, the inner leads 4 are directly attached to the tape base 1 without using the adhesive 6. A method of manufacturing the tape carrier shown in FIG. 17 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 18 to 23. First, a metal thin film 7a of Cu or the like is formed by sputtering on the tape base 1 of FIG. 18, as shown in FIG. 19. Next, the device holes 3 and the perforations 2 are formed as shown in FIG. 20 by photoengraving, etching, etc. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 21, a photoresist pattern 8 is formed at locations other than those where the inner leads 4 are to be provided, following which a metal thin film 7b of Cu or the like is disposed to a thickness on the order of 20 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m by a process such as electrolytic plating as shown in FIG. 22. Then, the photoresist pattern 8 is removed as shown in FIG. 23 and extra thin film portions 9 are etched away to produce the tape carrier shown in FIG. 17. Finally, Sn, Ni/Au or the like is plated on the surfaces of the inner leads 4, thereby completing manufacture of the tape carrier.
In the above tape carriers, with an increase in the number of pins and the processing speeds of semiconductor elements, there has not only become stronger a demand for a reduction in the component size of the tape carriers, but also a demand for increasing the number of layers of the tape carriers in order to reduce the inductance of the wiring. Because of the foregoing construction, however, the conventional tape carriers have difficulties meeting these demands.
More specifically, in the case of the tape carrier shown in FIG. 12, since holes cannot be formed in the tape base 1 by etching, it is not possible to form openings having dimensions less than 100 .mu.m.phi.. As regards to the multi-layer structure, a two-layer tape carrier can be manufactured by forming conductor patterns on the rear side of the tape base 1, but tape carriers having three or more layers have been difficult to manufacture. Further, metal foils of Cu or the like as thick as 20 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m must be etched, which leads to difficulties in etching those metal foils with a line width of 20 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m, for example, and hence a problem in reducing the pattern size.
In the case of the tape carrier shown in FIG. 17, there has been a problem that with patterns of small size, adhesion between the photoresist and the underlying metal layer is poor and the underlying metal layer tends to peel off. Particularly, if the underlying metal layer is as thin as 50 .mu.m to 75 .mu.m and hence weak in mechanical strength, the underlying metal layer may peel off while being transported for the purpose of etching the tape base 1. Further, although the two-layer structure is feasible from the viewpoint of practical construction, there have similarly been difficulties in realizing three or more layers because the tape base is too thick to form openings small in size.

Tape carrier for semiconductor apparatus


Described herein is a technology for facilitating deformable model-based segmentation of image data. In one implementation, the technology includes receiving training image data (202) and automatically constructing a hierarchical structure (204) based on the training image data. At least one spatially adaptive boundary detector is learned based on a node of the hierarchical structure (206).

In recent decades, segmentation methods have become increasingly important in facilitating radiological and diagnostic tasks. Segmentation methods may be used to automatically identify regions of interest, such as bones or organs, in medical images acquired by various imaging modalities (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography). Therefore, it is not surprising that there have been a multitude of segmentation methods developed in recent years.
In spite of the availability of these segmentation methods, it is generally not easy to apply a particular method to another structure and/or imaging modality. Generic segmentation of organs in medical images is a very challenging task, due to the changing characteristics of different organs, large variations of deformable organs, strong dependence on prior knowledge, different imaging properties of multiple modalities, and many other factors. As a result, each segmentation method is typically tailored towards a specific anatomical structure (e.g., prostate or heart) and specific imaging modality (e.g., computed tomography). Key parameters in the deformable model have to be adjusted in order for the method to work in another specific application.
These manual adjustments are often very time consuming and ineffective. Therefore, there is a need to provide a more generic segmentation model that is directly applicable to different imaging modalities and different surfaces or structures, without the need to make major adjustments to parameters of the segmentation model when used in another application.

Hierarchical deformable model for image segmentation


A woven fabric for a seat belt comprises warp and weft yarns which are combined to constitute a woven base which extends in a given way, and extra yarns which are held in the woven base and extend substantially straightly along the given way. The extra yarns are constructed of a material whose extensibility is lower than that of materials of the warp and weft yarns and whose tensile strength is higher than that of the materials of the warp and weft yarns.

1. Description of Prior Art
The present invention relates in general to supplemental restraining systems of motor vehicles, and more particularly, to safety seat belts for restraining passengers upon a vehicle collision or the like. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with woven fabrics for use as a belt proper of the seat belts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, various types of woven fabrics for the safety seat belts have been proposed and put into practical use in the field of motor vehicles and the like. Some of such prior art woven fabrics are of a shock absorbing type which is constructed to absorb shocks applied thereto. That is, as is shown in FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings, such shock absorbing woven fabric 1 comprises generally warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3 which are woven in 2/2 or 4/4 twill weaving fashion.
Usually, the warp yarn 2 has a fineness of about 1000 to about 1500 denier, a breaking strength of about 8 to about 10 g/denier and an extensibility of about 10 to 20% in elongation percentage, while, the weft yarn 3 has a fineness of about 500 to 750 denier, a breaking strength of about 5 to about 7 g/denier and an extensibility of about 15 to about 25% in elongation percentage.
Some of such prior art shock absorbing fabrics are disclosed in Japanese Patent Second Provisional Publication 54-20732 and Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication 60-261474. The fabric shown in the 54-20732 publication uses two or more kinds of warp yarns at least one of which is constructed of aromatic polyamide fiber or copolymer fiber of aromatic polyhydrazide-polyamide. The fabric shown in the 60-261474 comprises base yarns and extra yarns which are combined, so that when a shock is applied to the fabric, the base yarns are deformed much greater than the extra yarns.
However, due to the inherent construction, the above-mentioned woven fabrics have failed to exhibit a satisfied initial restraining ability when used as a seat belt. That is, when, due to a vehicle head-on collision of the like, a big force is applied to the seat belt by a belt wearer, the belt is subjected to a considerable elongation causing the belt wearer to largely incline forward. This will be understood from the graph of FIG. 8 in which the relationship between the force applied to the belt 1 and the elongation of the belt 1 is shown. That is, upon application of the force of about 1100 Kg which is common upon a vehicle collision, the belt is subjected to elongation of over 15%.
As is known, the large forward inclination of the belt wearer at such initial stage of the vehicle collision is undesired because of possibility of collision of the belt wearer against a front rigid member. Furthermore, a considerable elongation of the seat belt at such initial stage of the vehicle collision tends to affect the shock absorbing ability possessed by the belt itself.


Techniques for automated transactions are provided. A customer pre-stages a financial transaction with a financial service. Subsequently, the customer visits an ATM and automatically acquires a code from the ATM that is then sent to a mobile transaction service for verification and to identify the staged financial transaction. The ATM interacts with the customer via the mobile device and interacts with the financial service to complete the transaction for the customer at the ATM.

Consumers are increasingly using kiosks to conduct business with enterprises. The kiosks come in a variety of sizes and are used for a variety of purposes. Some kiosks are drive through, such as fast food establishments, pharmacies, banks, and the like. Other kiosks are stationary located in gas stations, airlines, grocery stores, department stores, and the like.
In addition, what is considered a kiosk is evolving with today's technology. For example, digital signs now provide advertisements and mechanisms for users to interact with the displays to perform transactions. Such mechanisms include blue tooth communication, Near Field Communication (NFC), Quick Response (QR) code scanning, WiFi communication, and the like.
So, increasingly customers are engaging in a variety of technologies to automatically interact with enterprises to perform transactions. The transactions may result in purchases or may result in such things as registration for loyalty programs, enrolling in promotional events, requesting additional information for a good or service, and others. That is, the transactions via these kiosks are not strictly tied to purchases although some transactions are purchase related.
On particular type of kiosk that everyone is familiar with is the traditional Automated Teller Machine (ATM). These are situated these days at locations where consumers often need some cash. They also appear outside of enterprises, such as banks and grocery stores, or even inside stores and venues. In fact, ATM's are ever present these days in society.
Of particular concern with the ATM is security. The main security deterrents used in the industry are related to physical lighting located around the ATM's and cameras that are embedded in the machines and that may even surround the machines. This type of security still has drawbacks because thieves are getting smarter and have devices that can detect the passcode entered for ATM cards used by consumers at an ATM, or even duplicate the card. In fact, in crowded venues someone can simply look over the shoulder of a customer and detect a pass code being entered. Banks and financial institutions are always looking for ways to thwart these electronic and human eavesdroppers.

Techniques for automated teller machine (ATM) transactions


High power white light LEDs are distributed within a thin reflective cavity. The cavity depth may be less than 3 cm and, in one embodiment, is about 1 cm. A light output surface of the cavity is a flat reflector with many small openings. A small plastic lens is positioned over each opening for causing the light emitted from each opening to form a cone of light between approximately 50-75 degrees. Alternatively, each hole may be shaped to be a truncated cone to control the dispersion. The light emitted by the LEDs is mixed in the cavity by reflecting off all six reflective walls of the cavity. The light will ultimately escape through the many holes, forming a relatively uniform pattern of light on a surface to be illuminated by the luminaire.

Fluorescent light fixtures are the most common type of light fixture for office and shop lighting. Fluorescent light fixtures are also used under shelves, in or under cabinets, or in other situations where a relatively shallow, elongated light is desired. A fluorescent light bulb is typically housed in a diffusively reflective rectangular cavity with an open top. A clear plastic sheet with a molded prism pattern is affixed over the opening. The plastic sheet somewhat diffuses the light and directs the light emission downward onto the surface to be illuminated. Since fluorescent bulbs are generally greater that one-half inch in diameter, such fixtures typically exceed one inch in depth. For small areas to be illuminated, the depth of a fluorescent fixture becomes unsightly.
It would be desirable to substantially reduce the thickness of a white light source for replacing such fluorescent light fixtures.

Thin luminaire for general lighting applications


Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same, which prevent image-quality defects due to charge variation. In the method of driving the liquid crystal display device including a pixel consisting of first to third sub-pixels which share one data line and are connected to first to third gate lines, one sub-pixel is turned off on a per frame basis, another sub-pixel is charged with a polarity inverted data voltage for a first charge time including a charge time of the turned-off sub-pixel, and the other sub-pixel is charged with a data voltage having the same polarity as a previous data voltage for a second charge time less than the first charge time. The turned-off sub-pixel, the sub-pixel charged with the polarity inverted data voltage, and the sub-pixel charged with the polarity maintained data voltage alternately vary on a per frame basis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same, which may prevent image quality defects due to charge variation in a liquid crystal panel having a reduced number of data lines.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display devices display an image using electrical and optical properties of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals have anisotropy in which, e.g., refractive indices and dielectric constants are different between the major axis and the minor axis of molecules. The molecular arrangement and optical properties of liquid crystals are easily adjustable. Liquid crystal display devices display an image by varying the arrangement direction of liquid crystal molecules depending on the magnitude of an electric field to adjust transmittance of light passing through a polarizing plate.
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix form, and drive circuits including a gate driver to drive gate lines of the liquid crystal panel and a data driver to drive data lines of the liquid crystal panel.
To reduce the cost of the liquid crystal display device, it has been contemplated to reduce the number of output channels of the data driver by reducing the number of data lines while maintaining resolution of the liquid crystal panel.
For example, a Double Rate Driving (DRD) model or Triple Rate Driving (TRD) model liquid crystal display device has been proposed, in which two or three horizontally adjacent sub-pixels are connected to a single data line and are sequentially driven by different gate lines, whereby the number of data lines and the number of output channels of the data driver may be reduced to one half or one third compared to existing data lines and output channels. The TRD model liquid crystal display device may reduce the number of data lines and the number of output channels of the data driver more than the DRD model liquid crystal display device, thereby advantageously achieving lower manufacturing costs.
A TRD liquid crystal display device of the related art mainly adopts horizontal 3-dot inversion driving in order to minimize flickering and reduce power consumption. In this case, high-charge sub-pixels, to which a data voltage having the same polarity as a previous data voltage is supplied, and low-charge sub-pixels, to which a data voltage having an inverted polarity opposite to that of a previous data voltage is supplied, may be divided on a per horizontal or vertical line basis or on a per color basis, which may cause image quality defects, such as horizontal or vertical linear spots, due to charge variation.
For example, in the TRD liquid crystal display device of the related art using 3-dot inversion driving, only a data voltage to be supplied to a Red (R) sub-pixel is polarity inverted as compared to a previous data voltage, which results in the low-charge R sub-pixel. Therefore, charge variation between the low-charge R sub-pixel and high-charge Green (G)/Blue (B) sub-pixels causes low-temperature reddish phenomenon.

Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same


A system and method are provided for exposing Internet users to advertisements together with the distribution of media content in a manner which is germane to conventional syndicated broadcast agreements. The system includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The system further includes software means operable on the processor and memory device. The software means is operable on the processor for obtaining a user specific set of data prior to distributing a media package. The software means is operable for selecting a number of advertisements from a data bank containing a plurality of advertisements based on the user specific set of data. The software means is operable for combining the selected number of advertisements with a requested set of media content to form the media package. The software means is further operable for distributing the media package. In this manner a regional broadcasting station can preserve its investment in purchasing national syndicate broadcast rights by ensuring regional advertisers a penetration of their advertisements across a regional Internet audience. Methods for performing the same are similarly included.

Many national television and radio programs are distributed to local broadcasting stations through an arrangement of syndication in the form of either live or recorded feeds. These feeds include program content with breaks for the insertion of local commercials, news highlights, station identification or other localized information. Under the syndication arrangement, the local television and radio stations purchase the national program content and may broadcast, or re-broadcast the program feed with inserted localized content to an agreed upon geographic area.
Syndication agreements are founded on a simple principle: National content produced or hosted by entertainment industry superstars attract large audiences. Local stations do not have the resources to hire superstars and produce high-budget shows on their own so syndicators produce the big name shows and resell the feed, or content, to local stations for broadcast to an agreed upon geographic area. Local stations, in turn, purchase this content with the intent of attracting a large audience, which attracts a large base of advertisers, which creates a revenue stream to recoup the original cost of purchasing the syndicated content. To protect the purchaser's investment, syndicated shows are necessarily licensed to only one broadcaster in any given geographic market.
This principle does not apply to nationally televised programs, such as the Olympic Games, because the sponsors are advertising nationally. In other words, a viewer in Los Angeles will see the same commercials as a viewer in New York.
As technology progresses and media content distribution moves from traditional analog, radio frequency based broadcasts, to a digital, and inevitably, Internet based broadcast schemes, there is a need for allowing syndicated television and radio shows to be transmitted via the Internet while protecting the interests of the local stations purchasing syndicated content. The strength of a radio or television broadcast currently serves as an automatic enforcer of syndication agreements. Unlike Internet broadcast and distribution technology, radio and television signals have a range limited by output power and topography. The ever-increasing power of the Internet as a tool for distributing both audible and visual information is a strong catalyst for the inevitable convergence of the traditional television with the personal computer.
For many reasons, syndicated feeds may not be available to certain audiences: rural broadcasters may not be able to justify the cost of the feeds to a limited audience and advertiser base, remote locations may fall outside of the broadcasting range of the nearest station, or local stations may have simply chosen not to carry the syndicated feed. Recent legislation, which mirrors rural electrification acts of the 50's, coupled with advancements in communication technology, have made the Internet available in even the most rural areas of the US. This availability has created a media distribution network capable of filling in the gaps left by traditional broadcast technology.
Providing access to radio and television shows on the Internet, therefore, would likely increase the size of a syndicated show audience beyond that of the existing, traditional audience. Thus, there is a need to integrate national advertisements, featured in conventional original broadcasts, into potential Internet transmissions of the same syndicated transmissions. There is also the need for the creation of a currently non-existent market for local advertisers to a currently unreachable audience.

System for transmitting syndicated programs over the internet


It is an object to provide a gas sensor which is formed by a simple manufacturing process. Another object is to provide a gas sensor whose manufacturing cost is reduced. A transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with a gas and which serves as a detector element of a gas sensor, and a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with a film having a gas barrier property and which forms a detection circuit are formed over one substrate by the same process, whereby a gas sensor using these transistors may be formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas sensor configured to detect a gas. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing the gas sensor configured to detect a gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gas sensor configured to detect a gas in an atmosphere is used in various fields from household to industrial products, such as an air contamination monitor including a gas-leakage alarm or an air purifier, a function of automatic ventilation control of an automobile, and a breath analyzer.
A generally-known gas sensor is a resistant gas sensor using a resistance change due to an adsorption reaction or the like of a gas included in a metal oxide conductor.
A humidity sensor, which is one of gas sensors can detect moisture (water vapor) in an atmosphere and is used for a wide range of application from an air conditioning apparatus used for cooling and heating, humidification, dehumidification, and the like, a refrigerator, and a clothes dryer, to a weather reconnaissance aircraft, and a medical device.
Known humidity sensors are a resistant humidity sensor using a resistance change of metal or metal oxide conductor due to a difference in humidity (Patent Document 1), a capacitive humidity sensor using a permittivity change of an insulating film provided between electrodes (Patent Document 2), and the like.
A gas sensor generally has a structure in which a detection portion where electrical characteristics (e.g., electric resistance or permittivity) are changed by the gas adsorption action or the like and a circuit portion that converts the change of the electrical characteristics into an electrical signal (e.g., voltage change) and outputs the electrical signal are combined.
On the other hand, a technique in which a semiconductor device is formed using a semiconductor film formed over a substrate is known. For example, a technique in which a transistor is formed over a glass substrate using a thin film containing a silicon-based semiconductor material is known.
Amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and the like are known as semiconductor materials. Although transistors including amorphous silicon have low field effect mobility, a larger substrate can be used in the case of using amorphous silicon. Meanwhile, although transistors including polycrystalline silicon have high field-effect mobility, they need to be subjected to a crystallization step such as laser annealing and have characteristics such that they are not always suitable for larger substrates.
As another material, an oxide semiconductor has attracted attention recently. For example, a transistor whose active layer includes an amorphous oxide containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) and having an electron carrier concentration of less than 1018/cm3 is disclosed (see Patent Document 3).

Gas sensor and method for manufacturing the gas sensor

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A series-connected multi-level power conversion device according to an aspect of embodiments includes a multi-winding transformer and a power conversion unit. The multi-winding transformer has a relationship that n secondary windings respectively connected to n single-phase power converters in the same output phase have a voltage phase difference of 60/n degrees and a relationship that the m secondary windings respectively connected to the m single-phase power converters corresponding to the m output phases have a voltage phase difference of 60/m degrees.

As a conventional power conversion device, there is known a series-connected multi-level power conversion device that has a plurality of output phases each of which is constituted by serially-connected power conversion cells. The series-connected multi-level power conversion device includes a multi-winding transformer and a plurality of single-phase power converters. The multi-winding transformer transforms a multiphase alternating input voltage into a primary winding and outputs the transformed voltage to a plurality of secondary windings. The plurality of single-phase power converters are respectively connected to the secondary windings of the multi-winding transformer.
In the series-connected multi-level power conversion device, the secondary windings of the multi-winding transformer output voltages whose phases are different from one another in order to reduce a harmonic current in the primary winding. More specifically, there has been proposed a method in which, when the series-connected multi-level power conversion device includes nine single-phase power converters, secondary windings connected to three single-phase power converters that constitutes one of U, V, and W phases have a voltage phase difference of 20 degrees and all the secondary windings have a voltage phase difference of 20/3 degrees. This method has been known as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-295149.

Series connected multi-level power conversion device


The present invention relates to a motion control system and method using detection of motions in a video, and the motion control system includes: a video processing device for decoding encoded video to extract motion vectors and residual values of effective macroblocks, producing motion codes using the extracted motion vectors and residual values of the effective macroblocks, reproducing the decoded video, and transmitting the produced motion codes and the time codes corresponding to the video being reproduced to a motion control device; and the motion control device for receiving the time codes and motion codes from the video processing device and controlling motions of actuators according to the motion codes if the time values of the time codes and motion codes correspond to each other.

In a video playing facilities like movie theaters, only a video is provided for theater customers in conventional practices, but recently, a variety of effects are provided for them, while the video is being played at a theater.
Generally, a theater, at which a general video is played, is called a 2D theater, and a theater, at which a specially photographed video is played to make theater customers feel reality when they see the video, is called a 3D theater. Further, a theater, at which the theater customers's smell and touch are stimulated together their sight and hearing to make them feel their five senses, is called a 4D theater.
In the 4D theater, a motion base is disposed on the underside of a chair to move the chair, and moreover, special effect mechanisms for providing a variety of effects for theater customers are mounted on the chair and the inner walls or ceiling of the theater.
While the theater customers are seeing the video at their chair, in this case, they directly feel the motions synchronized with the video and various effects like water, wind, smoke, light, heat and so on, thereby allowing them to have lots of fun and enhancing their sense of involvement in the video.
In the video playing facilities, further, chairs are moved up and down, left and right, and back and forth, by actuators, thereby making the theater customers to feel as if they really move. The motions of the actuators are controlled by a motion control device.
So as to control the motions of the actuators, the motion control device previously stores the motion codes corresponding to time codes before the video is played and controls the motions of the actuators according to the previously stored motion codes if the video is played.
In the conventional practices, however, the motion control device has to store the motion codes in advance so as to drive the actuators, so that disadvantageously, the motion codes should be made separately before the video is played.

Motion control system and method using detection of motion in a video


A method involving: providing an optical waveguide made of a semiconductor material and having a region that is doped by a deep level impurity which creates deep level states in a bandgap in the semiconductor material, the deep level states characterized by an occupancy; passing an optical signal through the optical waveguide and between the region doped by the deep level impurity; and modulating the occupancy of the deep level states to thereby modulate the optical signal.

Optical detection via defect-enhanced carrier generation in SOI ridge waveguides is now established as a viable method for sub-bandgap optical to electrical conversion. (See: A. P. Knights et al. "Silicon-on-insulator waveguide photodetector with self-ion-implantation engineered-enhanced infrared response." J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A24, 783-786 (2006); M. W. Geis et al. "CMOS-compatible all-Si high-speed waveguide photodiodes with high responsivity in near-infrared communication band." IEEE Photonics Tech. Lett. 19, 152-154 (2007); and Y. Liu et al. "In-line channel power monitor based on Helium ion implantation in silicon-on-insulator waveguides." IEEE Photonics Tech. Lett. 18, 1882-1884 (2006).) In the previously reported work, defects are introduced into the waveguide through ion implantation (with or without a post-implantation thermal anneal), which increases the optical absorption for wavelengths around 1550 nm through the (essentially) mid-gap divacancy or interstitial cluster level (see, H. Y. Fan and A. K. Ramdas "Infrared absorption and photoconductivity in irradiated silicon." J. Appl. Phys. 30, 1127-1134 (1959)). Integrated p-i-n diode structures are used to extract the optically generated carriers from the device volume supporting the optical mode, thus allowing for signal detection directly from the waveguide. The degree of absorption may be changed by varying the concentration of defects, and thus the amount of signal that is sampled may be varied from a few percent to virtually the entire signal. As a result, defect-enhanced photodetectors may be implemented as both in-line power monitors and as end-of-line signal detectors. Their potential advantages over competing technologies rely on the fact that they are fabricated entirely using standard silicon processing methods and do not involve hybrid integration or the hetero-growth of germanium.
The photodetectors reported to date are fabricated in the intrinsic (or low-doped) silicon overlayer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure, and therefore the influence of background dopant concentration on device performance has not been studied. In the case of carrier generation via the divacancy defect, the background dopant concentration will affect the charge state of the divacancies, which in turn will influence the defect mediated absorption. Evidence consistent with this postulate has been reported previously (see, C. S. Chen & J. C. Corelli "Infrared spectroscopy of divacancy-associated radiation-induced absorption bands in silicon." Phys. Rev. B 5, 1505-17 (1972)), and has recently been demonstrated using a waveguide geometry (see, D. Logan et al. "The effect of doping type and concentration on optical absorption via implantation induced defects in silicon-on-insulator waveguides." in COMMAD 2008 IEEE Proc. Conf. on Optoelectronic and Microelectronic Materials and Devices. (Sydney, Australia, 2008). pp. 152-5).
The divacancy has a deep-level situated in the band gap at Ec-0.4 eV and as such, light at a wavelength of 1550 nm may cause charge excitation from the valence band or from the deep-level to the conduction band, albeit at significantly different rates (see, E. Simoen et al. "Impact of the divacancy on the generation-recombination properties of 10 MeV proton irradiated Float-Zone silicon diodes." Nucl. Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A. 439, 310-318 (2000)). The variation in cross-section for these two processes results in a measurable difference in absorption coefficient as background doping type and concentration is changed, but there is no doping concentration at which the absorption coefficient related to the defect is reduced to zero (see, Logan, supra.).

Optical modulators employing charge state control of deep levels


A valve (20) comprises a housing body (22) with a discharge channel (34), whereby an elastically-deformable membrane (24) is provided in the housing body which seals off the discharge channel. The membrane is sealed at the front end thereof and is arched to form a dome.

The invention relates to a valve for the application of liquid health care products or of health care products dissolved in liquids, in particular of eye drops.
Dropper systems for drop application are known as components of medication packagings in a variety of embodiments. It is disadvantageous with the hitherto known dropper systems that, after a first use, contamination of the liquid to be applied cannot be effectively prevented since, when the screw cap has been removed, germs can enter into the health care product supply through the discharge passage. For this reason, preservatives have hitherto been added to the health care product which are intended to prevent the contamination of the health care product over a limited discharge period. Such preservatives can, however, cause allergic reactions in the user such that it is desirable to omit such additives.


Unsaturated imidosilanes which are essentially free of siloxanes are taught herein for use surface treatments for inorganic solid materials. Novel methods to make such silanes, which do not yield water or siloxanes as a by-product are also taught. Compositions consisting essentially of imidosilane treated inorganic solid materials, resinuous materials and optionally a free radical generator, especially glass fiber reinforced composites, are taught.

Organofunctional silane compounds have been employed in the treatment of a variety of surfaces, such as metal oxides, silicates, particulate siliceous fibers and pigments, and fibers such as glass fibers, steel fibers and aluminum fibers. (Metal surfaces are regarded as oxide surfaces because they are oxidized even though their subsurfaces are not.) Some organofunctional silane treatments involve coating such a surface with an organic, an aqueous-organic or aqueous solution of the silane either alone or in conjunction with other chemicals.
These treatments enhance bonding between the inorganic oxide and resinous media. Consequently, the silanes have utility as components in primers in the application of coatings, adhesives and sealants to inorganic oxide surfaces and as a filler pretreatment to improve the strength and structural integrity of filled resin composites such as those incorporating glass fibers. Such organofunctional hydrolyzable silanes are termed "Coupling Agents" or "Adhesion Promoters".
The efficacy of the organofunctional silane is dependent in large part on its ability to react chemically or bond with the resinous media. During the curing reactions of thermosetting resins, the reactivity of the organofunctional group needs to match the reactivity of the thermosetting resin or the curing agent. It must become part of the organic polymer that makes up the resinous media. In fabricating thermoplastic articles, the organofunctional silane also needs to become part of the resinous media, either by reacting with organofunctional groups on the polymers or grafting onto the polymer backbone.
The organofunctional silane need not react with all of the resinous media to achieve the enhancement in structural integrity of the article incorporating it. Often, the enhancements can be achieved if the silane reacts with only a part of the resinous media or with additives that are compatible with the resinous media. For example, virgin polypropylene destined for glass fiber reinforcement typically is compounded with maleated polypropylene (a.k.a. coupled polypropylene) as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,547. Maleated polypropylene refers to a graft or co-polymer of propylene and unsaturated organic acids or their anhydrides. For example, maleic anhydride commonly is reacted with propylene to make maleic anhydride-propylene co-polymers. The two polypropylenes, virgin and maleated, along with glass fibers are co-fed into a compounding extruder and pelleted. Glass fibers for this process are manufactured with surface treatments (sizing) to include silanes chemically compatible with the maleic anhydride. An amino silane, such as SILQUEST.RTM. A-1100.TM. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, would be an example of a maleic anhydride compatible silane. The silane on the glass fibers and the maleated polypropylene form chemical bonds during compounding (extrusion). The silane does not react with the virgin polypropylene. This chemical bonding of the glass fiber to the maleated polypropylene is responsible for the performance advantages of the glass fiber reinforced polypropylene. One disadvantage of using maleated polypropylene is its cost relative to that of uncoupled or virgin polypropylene. Another disadvantage of using maleated polypropylene is that the maximum enhancements in structural integrity and strength are not achieved. The maleated polypropylene mixing or dispersion into the virgin polypropylene may not be uniform. Its ability to react chemically with the organofunctional group of the silane on the inorganic surface is inhibited by the presence of the virgin polyproplyene. The maleic functional groups of the polypropylene that do not react with the silane can contribute undesirable properties to the composite, such as making the resinous media more hydrophilic and, therefore, less resistant to degradation due to moisture. Achieving increased performance with glass fiber reinforced virgin polypropylene, by providing a glass fiber reactive toward the uncoupled (virgin) polypropylene, would be useful.
Moreover, other organic resins (e.g., nylon) used in conjunction with inorganic materials often have insufficient or non-reactive functional groups. New silanes that are effective at bonding with these materials are required (needed) to enhance the organic resin's properties when used with inorganic materials. Imidosilanes, when used alone or in combination with free radical generators are unique in their ability to couple with or bond to various resinous media.
Imidosilanes are known, see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,755,354 and 3,249,461 and EP Patent No.0 50861, but these imidosilanes are problematic in that the presence of water is inherent in the method of manufacture of said silanes. Water causes hydrolysis of the silane to form siloxanes and turns the silanes from a liquid to a paste, which is unsuitable for uses in coating or sizing formulations that require the silane to be soluble and flowable over the surface of the inorganic surface. See, e.g., Example 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,354. Other synthetic methods result in the presence of chloride, which degrades the composite matrix.