Styrene derivatives of formula (1) are novel wherein R.sup.1 is H, F, C.sub.1-20 alkyl or fluorinated C.sub.1-20 alkyl, R.sup.2 in cis or trans conformation is F, C.sub.1-20 alkyl or fluorinated C.sub.1-20 alkyl, R.sup.3 is a phenol protecting group, p, q and r are integers in the range of 0.ltoreq.p<5, 0.ltoreq.q<5, 0<r<5, and 0.ltoreq.p+q<5. ##STR1##. Polymers obtained by polymerizing the styrene derivatives are useful as the base polymer of resist compositions.

In the drive for higher integration and operating speeds in LSI devices, the pattern rule is made drastically finer. The rapid advance toward finer pattern rules is grounded on the development of a projection lens with an increased NA, a resist material with improved performance, and exposure light of a shorter wavelength. In particular, the change-over from i-line (365 nm) to shorter wavelength KrF laser (248 nm) brought about a significant innovation, enabling mass-scale production of 0.18 micron rule devices. To the demand for a resist material with a higher resolution and sensitivity, acid-catalyzed chemical amplification positive working resist materials are effective as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,628 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,619 (JP-B 2-27660 and JP-A 63-27829). They now become predominant resist materials especially adapted for deep UV lithography.
Resist materials adapted for KrF excimer lasers enjoyed early use on the 0.3 micron process, went through the 0.25 micron rule, and currently entered the mass production phase on the 0.18 micron rule. Engineers have started investigation on the 0.15 micron rule, with the trend toward a finer pattern rule being accelerated. A wavelength change-over from KrF to shorter wavelength ArF laser (193 nm) is expected to enable miniaturization of the design rule to 0.13 .mu.m or less. Since conventionally used novolac resins and polyvinylphenol resins have very strong absorption in proximity to 193 nm, they cannot be used as the base resin for resists. To ensure transparency and dry etching resistance, some engineers investigated acrylic and alicyclic (typically cycloolefin) resins as disclosed in JP-A 9-73173, JP-A 10-10739, JP-A 9-230595 and WO 97/33198. With respect to F.sub.2 excimer laser (157 nm) which is expected to enable further miniaturization to 0.10 .mu.m or less, more difficulty arises in insuring transparency because it was found that acrylic resins are not transmissive to light at all and those cycloolefin resins having carbonyl bonds have strong absorption.


There is provided a solid state imaging apparatus, including a plurality of line sensors including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a line, each of the pixels including an amplifier which amplifies a signal corresponding to a charge accumulated in a photoelectric transducer, and signal lines each for reading a signal of each pixel of the line sensors. The plurality of line sensors are discretely arranged, and the signal lines are gathered and wired along a region in which a circuit block including the line sensors is arranged.

The present disclosure relates to a solid state imaging apparatus, an electronic apparatus, and a pixel reading method, and more specifically to a solid state imaging apparatus, an electronic apparatus, and a pixel reading method which can provide suitable line sensors in an AF sensor.
In recent years, a phase difference detection system, which applies the principle of triangulation, has been used by digital single-lens reflex cameras in order to implement an automatic focus (AF) function which automatically adjusts the focus.
A phase difference detection system is a system which acquires two photographic subjects by splitting light made incident to an imaging lens into two light beams with a lens separator, and which controls the driving of the imaging lens to be focused by calculating a deviation amount of the focus from the spacing between these images.
An AF sensor configured to have a plurality of line sensors, in which pixels performing photoelectric conversion are arrayed in a line shape, discretely arranged in accordance with a focal point has been used in an imaging apparatus which provides an AF function using such a phase difference detection system.
For example, a solid state imaging apparatus for AF has been proposed as an AF sensor to increase the reading speed by arranging two output circuits corresponding to two line sensors adjacent to each other (for example, JP 2006-285013A).

Solid state imaging apparatus, electronic apparatus, and pixel reading method


A method and structure for a dual heat dissipating semiconductor device. A method includes attaching a drain region on a first side of a die, such as a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) to a first leadframe subassembly. A source region and a gate region on a second side of the die are attached to a second leadframe subassembly. The first leadframe subassembly is attached to a third leadframe subassembly, then the device is encapsulated or otherwise packaged. An exposed portion of the first leadframe subassembly provides an external heat sink for the drain region, and the second leadframe subassembly provides external heat sinks for the source region and the gate region, as well as output leads for the gate region. The third leadframe subassembly provides output leads for the drain region.

During the design of packaging for semiconductor chips, various aspects such as heat dissipation and electrical performance must be considered. Devices such as power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are susceptible to overheating during device operation due to high current cycling.
To reduce the impact of high thermal output during operation, dual heat dissipating package (i.e. "dual cool") assemblies have been developed. These packages can include a thermally and electrically conductive leadframe subassembly which connects to a source and gate side of the power MOSFET, and a thermally and electrically conductive bridge or clip which connects to a drain side of the power MOSFET. Portions of the leadframe and clip can remain exposed subsequent to an encapsulation process, and thereby function as heat sinks to route heat away from the functioning chip. Additionally, a the leadframe can provide output leads for the gate region, and the drain-side clip or bridge, or another conductive structure connected to the bridge or clip, can provide output leads for the drain.
Some conventional dual cool packages have the drain oriented on the top side of the package facing away from a printed circuit board (or other receiving substrate) for dissipating heat to ambient air. The formation of these devices includes the use of flip chip mounting of the semiconductor die to the leadframe. During this process, a plurality of conventional leadframes are connected in a matrix, and each semiconductor die from a singularized semiconductor wafer is removed from a wafer carrier assembly in turn, and attached to a die pad of the leadframe using a flip chip process. During the process, the die is inverted in flip chip fashion and the source region and gate region are mechanically and electrically connected to the die pad, for example using an infrared alignment system to align the die with the leadframe. Next, an individual clip or bridge is attached to the drain of the die and, depending on the device design, to other conductive structures. The bridge or clip is pre-formed (bent) to route leads to the source side of the device, or to facilitate connection with another conductive structure which will provide output leads from the drain region. A stamping process or a punch process can be used to bend or form the bridge or clip.
During the manufacture of each power MOSFET semiconductor wafer, the plurality of dice are manufactured in a source-up position. During die attach, the flip chip process requires each individual die to be removed from the wafer carrier, and then inverted for attachment to a die pad of the leadframe. The chip can be aligned with the leadframe using an infrared alignment system to position the die relative to the leadframe. Subsequently, each clip or bridge is individually handled and attached one by one to the drain sides of the dice. Conductive die attach adhesive which connects the source region and gate region to the leadframe, and which attaches the drain region to the bridge or clip, is then cured. The dice, leadframe, and clips or bridges are then encapsulated in an epoxy resin material or otherwise packaged, then separated using a singularizing process. During encapsulation, a portion of the leadframe and clip or bridge remains exposed to provide dual heat sinks, at least one for the source side and one for the drain side.

Thermally enhanced low parasitic power semiconductor package


A quantum dot, which is an ultrafine grain, has a core-shell structure having a core portion and a shell portion protecting the core portion. The surface of the shell portion is covered with two kinds of surfactants, a hole-transporting surfactant and an electron-transporting surfactant, which are concurrently present. Moreover, the hole-transporting surfactant has a HOMO level which tunneling-resonates with the valence band of the quantum dot and the electron-transporting surfactant has a LUMO level which tunneling-resonates with the transfer band of the quantum dot. Thus, a nanograin material which has good carrier transport efficiency and is suitable for use in a photoelectric conversion device is achieved.

A quantum dot, which is an ultrafine grain having a grain size of 10 nm or less, is excellent in confinement of a carriers (electron and hole), and therefore can easily generate an exciton by electron-hole recombination. Thus, emission of light from a free exciton can be expected and light emission with high emission efficiency and a sharp emission spectrum can be achieved. Furthermore, the quantum dot can be controlled over a wide range of wavelengths using a quantum size effect, and thus attention is given to their application to light emitting devices such as semiconductor lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs).
By the way, colloidal quantum dots is chemically synthesized in a liquid phase, and usually covered at the surface with organic molecules of a surfactant so that quantum dots do not agglomerate together. That is, the colloidal quantum dot had the disadvantage that the potential barrier is high potential barrier due to low conductivity of a surfactant caused by organic molecules, and therefore photoelectric conversion efficiency via carriers (holes and electrons) is low.
Furthermore, if a conductive polymer or a metallic material is used as a surfactant, a carrier injected into an electrode by application of a voltage passes through the surfactant from an anode to a cathode or from a cathode to an anode, thus making it difficult to efficiently confine the carrier in a quantum dot.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a photoelectric conversion device on the premise of the use of a conductive surfactant.
The photoelectric conversion device has a quantum dot layer 105 interposed between a hole transport layer 102 formed on the upper surface of an anode 101 and an electron transport layer 104 formed on the lower surface of a cathode 103. The quantum dot layer 105 is covered at the surface with a conductive surfactant 109 so that quantum dots 108 made of a core portion 106 and a shell portion 107 do not agglomerate together. That is, the quantum dot layer 105 has a laminated structure in which a large number of quantum dots 108 are provided in parallel, and the conductive surfactant 109 is interposed between quantum dots 108.
When a voltage is applied between the anode 101 and the cathode 103, a hole is injected into the anode 101 and an electron is injected into the cathode 103. As shown by arrow a and arrow b, the hole and electron as a carrier pass through the conductive surfactant 109, and the hole is transported toward the cathode 103 and the electron is transported toward the anode 101 without being entrapped in the quantum dot 108. That is, if the conductive surfactant 109 is used, the carrier is merely charged, and the carrier cannot be confined in the quantum dot 108.
Thus, techniques for confining a carrier in a quantum dot by using a surfactant having both hole-transporting and electron-transporting ligands have been researched and developed.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a nanograin light emitting material having a surfactant made from at least two ligands localized on the surface of the quantum dot, wherein among the ligands, at least one is a hole-transporting ligand and at least one is an electron-transporting ligand.
In a quantum-mechanical system, the state of energy possessed by a molecule corresponds to a molecular orbital where electrons exist, and can be classified into a ground state which is energetically lowest and stable and an excited state which is energetically higher than the ground state. The molecule is in a ground state before being irradiated with light, and molecular orbitals are occupied by electrons in order with the energetically lowest molecular orbital first. Among the molecular orbitals in a ground state, the highest molecular orbital is called a highest occupied molecular orbital (hereinafter referred to as "HOMO"), and the energy level corresponding to HOMO is a HOMO level. On the other hand, when irradiated with light, the molecule is brought into an excited state and molecular orbitals are brought into an empty state where they are not occupied by electrons. Among these molecular orbitals which are not occupied by electrons, the lowest molecular orbital is called a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (hereinafter referred to as "LUMO"), and the energy level corresponding to LUMO is a LUMO level. Then, the electron moves through a transfer band and the hole moves through a valence band.
In Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 10, the HOMO level 122 of an electron-transporting ligand 121 is made lower than the HOMO level 124 of a hole-transporting ligand 123 and the LUMO level 125 of a hole-transporting ligand 123 is made higher than the LUMO level 126 of an electron-transporting ligand 121 to thereby improve efficiency of injecting a carrier into a quantum dot 127.
Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 11, an electron-transporting ligand 121 is selected such that the HOMO level 122 of the electron-transporting ligand 121 is lower than the highest electron level 128 in the valence band of the quantum dot 127, whereby a hole injected into the quantum dot 127 is blocked by the electron-transporting ligand 121, and a hole-transporting ligand 123 is selected such that the LUMO level 125 of the hole-transporting ligand 123 is higher than the lowest electron level 129 in the transfer band of the quantum dot 127, whereby an electron injected into the quantum dot 127 is blocked by the hole-transporting ligand 123.
FIG. 12 is a view explaining the confinement principle of the quantum dot in Patent Document 1.
That is, the quantum dot 108 is made of a core portion 106 and a shell portion 107 covering the core portion 106, and the shell portion 107 is covered with a surfactant 133. The surfactant 133 has a hole-transporting ligand 133a and an electron-transporting ligand 133b, wherein the hole-transporting ligand 133a is localized on the hole transport layer 102 side and the electron-transporting ligand 133b is localized on the electron transport layer 104 side.
An electron from an electron transport layer 104 is easily injected into the core portion 106 since the LUMO level 136 of the hole-transporting ligand 133a is higher than the LUMO level 137 of the electron-transporting ligand 133b, while the hole-transporting ligand 133a is a barrier to an electron and the electron is confined in the core portion 106 since the LUMO level 136 of the hole-transporting ligand 133a is higher than the lowest electron level 138 in the transfer band of the core portion 106.
Furthermore, a hole from the hole transport layer 102 is easily injected into the core portion 106 since the HOMO level 139 of the electron-transporting ligand 133b is lower than the HOMO level 140 of the hole-transporting ligand 133a, while the electron-transporting ligand 133b is a barrier to a hole and the hole is confined in the core portion 106 since the HOMO level 139 of the electron-transporting ligand 133b is lower than the highest electron level 141 in the valence band of the core portion 106.
That is, the carriers (electron and hole) are confined in the quantum dot 108 by the electron block effect of the hole-transporting ligand 133a and the hole block effect of the electron-transporting ligand 133b.
Thus, in Patent Document 1, the electron and hole are confined in the core portion 106 to thereby cause recombination of the electron-hole in the core portion 106, whereby an exciton is generated to emit light.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-214363 (claim 1, claims 3 to 5)

Nanograin material and photoelectric conversion device


An improved acetabular cup for use in cement fixation has at least one flat area on its generally hemispherical outer surface. The flat area resists rotation of the cup in the cement mantle after implantation while avoiding concentrations of stress in the mantle.

Acetabular cups are well known as a component of prosthetic hips. The cup is inserted in the acetabulum in a prepared cavity and normally fixed in place by a cement mantle.
Loosening of the cup in the cement mantle and subsequent undesirable rotation of the cup in the mantle has long been a problem. Various techniques have been tried in the past to avoid this problem. For example, roughening of the outer surface of the cup to improve adhesion of the cement, the use of spacers to help form a cement mantle of uniform thickness, wire screens which are embedded in both the cement and the cup surface, patches of frit adhered to the cup's outer surface and angular protrusions to resist rotation have all been used with some degree of success.
The use of spacers or studs which are made of a material which is chemically compatible with the cement mantle is known. Coating of the outer surface of the cup with a material which is chemically compatible with the cement is also known. Cement-receiving grooves in the outer surface of the cup and in protrusions on the outer surface of the cup are also known and used.
However, breakdown of the cement mantel and a corresponding loosening of the acetabular cup in the mantel remains a problem. The problem causes pain and discomfort for patients in which the prosthetic acetabular cup has been installed. An installed hip in which the acetabular cup has come lose and rotates must normally be revised, requiring the patient to undergo further surgery.
A cup structure for use in cement fixation which will further reduce breakdown of the cement mantel and avoid the resulting rotation of the cup in the mantle is desirable.


An image transform apparatus for displaying image characteristics of a second display on a first display includes a first transform unit, for transforming a first image signal of the first display to a first output signal according to a second gamma value associated with the second display; a second transform unit, for transforming the first output signal to a second output signal according to a transform gain function associated with the first display and the second display; and a third transform unit, for transforming the second output signal to a second image signal according to a first gamma value associated with the first display.

A backlight component is an indispensable component in a widely-applied liquid crystal display (LCD). FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional backlight display. From edges or the back part of an LCD 10, light from a backlight component 11 passes through a layer of twisted liquid crystals 12 controlled by input data, so that user views content displayed on the LCD 10 by receiving the light.
A so-called "e-paper" display, which is different from the LCD, has recently been developed. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a structure of a conventional e-paper display. Without an embedded backlight component as in the conventional LCD, the e-paper display 20 diffuses and modulates an input light in a substrate 21 by controlling via a controller 25 electronic ink 23 between a transparent upper electrode 22 and a segmented lower electrode 24 of the e-paper display 20 thereby reflecting an output light. Because a light source operating principle applied by the e-paper display 20 is different from that of the conventional LCD, image display quality of the e-pager display 20 is significantly different from that of the LCD 10.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of different image qualities and characteristics of different displays. A character or an image data file, e.g., a PDF file, is transmitted to a first data decoder 10a of the LCD 10 to generate a first decoded image signal, which is outputted to an LCD controller 10b to generate a first image signal that is outputted to an LCD panel 10c to generate an LCD image. The PDF file is transmitted to a second data decoder 20a of an e-paper display 20 to generate a second decoded image signal, which is outputted to an e-page display controller 20b to generate a second image signal that is outputted to an e-paper panel 20c to generate an e-paper image.
However, since the LCD 10 and the e-paper display 20 uses different physical materials and different light source operating approaches, LCD image characteristics, e.g., luminance and chrominance, do not translate well to the e-paper display. Accordingly, an image transfer apparatus for controlling different displays to display identical or similar image characteristics is in need.

Apparatus and method for displaying image characteristics of a second display on a first display


To realize an electromagnetic field generating element, an information recording and reproducing head and an information recording and reproducing device for high frequency magnetic recording and reproducing by the optically assisted magnetic recording and reproduction using near field, which permit attenuation or delay of a magnetic field to be suppressed, the electromagnetic field generating element of the present invention generates a magnetic field in a direction parallel to the surface of a constricting section by supplying current in the conductive member, and applying a laser beam from the side of the substrate to the constricting section, and a surface plasmon is excited by an magnetic field vector vertical to the surface of the constricting section, thereby generating near field from the surface facing the interface between the substrate and the constricting section.

In recent years, the optically assisted magnetic recording has been viewed with interest as a promising technique for next generation high intensity magnetic recording. In this optically assisted magnetic recording, a magnetic recording is performed with respect to a magnetic recording medium, which has high coercive force and high resistance against thermal fluctuations. Specifically, a light beam is focused on the surface of the magnetic recording medium to locally raise the temperature of the magnetic recording medium. At the heated portion of the magnetic recording medium, the coercive force is reduced, and thus a magnetic recording can be performed using a generally used magnetic head. To realize a still higher density magnetic recording, it is necessary to reduce the size of a focused light spot. In response, the technique of using near field, which permits a smaller focused light spot than a diffraction limit of light has been proposed. For example, Japanese unexamined patent application 2001-319365 (Tokukai 2001-319365; published on Nov. 16, 2001) discloses a technique that permits an optically assisted magnetic recording to be realized using the near field by providing a magnetic gap at a yoke extended section from a thin film transducer.
According to the foregoing conventional magnetic recording and reproducing using a magnetic gap at the yoke extended section from the thin film magnetic transducer, a problem of attenuation or delay of the magnetic field at the yoke extended section occurs, which hinders its application to a high frequency magnetic recording and reproducing.

Electro magnetic field generating element, information recording and reproducing head and information recording and reproducing device


The present invention relates to a method of operating a burner, which comprises at least one first fuel supply conduit (5) with a first group of fuel outlet openings (6), essentially arranged in the direction of a burner longitudinal axis (3), for a first premix fuel quantity and one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits (7) with a second group of fuel outlet openings (8), essentially arranged in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis (3), for a second premix fuel quantity, it being possible to admit fuel to the second fuel supply conduits (7) independently of the first fuel supply conduit (5). In the method, both fuel supply conduits (5, 7) are operated with the same fuel. By means of the present method of operating a burner, optimum mixing conditions can be set even in the case of different loads, gas qualities or gas preheat temperatures.

The present invention relates to a method of operating a burner, which has at least one first fuel supply conduit with a first group of fuel outlet openings, essentially arranged in the direction of a burner longitudinal axis, for the introduction of a first premix fuel quantity into a swirl space and one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits with a second group of fuel outlet openings essentially arranged in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis, it being possible to admit fuel to the second fuel supply conduits independently of the first fuel supply conduit. The invention also relates to a burner which can be advantageously operated by means of the method. The combustion spaces of gas turbines are a preferred field of employment for such burners; in addition such burners are, for example, also employed in atmospheric boiler firing systems.
A conical burner consisting of a plurality of shells, a so-called double-cone burner, is known from EP 0 321 809. A swirl flow in the interior space of the cone enclosed by the conical partial shells is generated by the conical swirl generator composed of a plurality of shells. Because of a cross-sectional step at a combustion-space end of the burner, the swirl flow becomes unstable and merges into an annular swirl flow with reverse flow at the core. This reverse flow permits stabilization of a flame front at the burner outlet. The shells of the swirl generator are combined in such a way that tangential air inlet slots for combustion air are formed along the burner longitudinal axis. Supply conduits for a gaseous premix fuel are provided at the inlet flow edge of the conical shells formed by this means. These supply conduits have outlet openings, distributed in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis, for the premix gas. The gas is injected transverse to the air inlet gap through the outlet openings or holes. In association with the swirl, generated in the swirl space, of the flow of combustion air and fuel gas flow, this injection leads to good mixing of the fuel gas or premix gas with the combustion air. In such premix burners, good mixing is the precondition for low NOx values during the combustion process.
For further improvement to such a burner, a burner for a heat generator is known from EP 0 780 629, which burner has an additional mixing section, which abuts the swirl generator, for further mixing of fuel and combustion air. This mixing section can, for example, be embodied as a downstream tube, into which the flow emerging from the swirl generator is transferred without appreciable flow losses. By means of this additional mixing section, the degree of mixing can be further increased and, therefore, the pollutant emissions reduced.
WO 93/17279 shows a further known premix burner, in which a cylindrical swirl generator with an additional conical inner body is employed. In this burner, the premix gas is likewise injected into the swirl space by means of supply conduits with corresponding outlet openings, which are arranged along the axially extending air inlet slots. In the conical inner body, this burner has, in addition, a central supply conduit for fuel gas, which can be injected for pilot operation into the swirl space near the outlet opening of the burner. This additional pilot stage is used for starting the burner. The supply of the pilot gas in the outlet region of the burner leads, however, to increased NOx emissions because it is only inadequate mixing with the combustion air which can take place in this region.
EP 0918191 A1 shows a burner, of the generic type, for operating a heat generator which, parallel to a first supply conduit for fuel, also has a second supply conduit for another type of fuel, which supply conduit is matched to the other type of fuel. The two supply conduits can be initiated independently of one another. By means of this design, the burner can be operated, without modification, on different types of fuel.
In all the burners presented, the injection of the premix gas in the air inlet gap takes place by means of supply conduits with outlet openings essentially arranged in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis. In consequence, the characteristics of the injection are predetermined with respect to penetration depth, mixing of the gas jets and the fuel distribution along the air inlet slots or the burner longitudinal axis. The arrangement of the outlet openings has therefore already determined the quality of mixing of the gas and the combustion air and the fuel distribution at the burner outlet. These parameters are, in turn, decisive for the NOx emissions, for the flame-out and flash-back limits and for the stability of the burner with respect to combustion pulsations.
In the case of different loads, gas qualities or gas preheat temperatures, however, different upstream gas pressures occur at the outlet openings and these, in turn, lead to different premixing conditions and mixture qualities at the fuel outlet. The different premixing conditions then result in different emission values and stability conditions, which depend on the load, the gas quality and the gas preheating. The known burners can therefore only be operated optimally for quite specific value ranges of these parameters.
A problematic feature in the operation of premix burners, particularly in gas turbines, is the part-load range because, in this range, the combustion air is mixed with only comparatively small fuel quantities. In the case of the complete mixing of the fuel with the whole of the air, however, a mixture occurs which is no longer capable of being ignited, particularly in the lower part-load range, or is only capable of forming a very unstable flame. This can lead to damaging combustion pulsations or to the flame becoming completely extinguished.
In order to match the known burners to certain emission values or to a certain stability window in the case of different loads, environmental conditions, gas qualities and preheat temperatures, the possibility currently exists of, on the one hand, staging the premix gas supply to individual burner groups in cases where multiple burner arrangements are employed. This, however, is only possible in the case of multi-row burner arrangements. In the case of single-row annular combustion chambers, this technology has the disadvantage that a temperature profile, which is non-uniform in the peripheral direction, appears at the combustion chamber outlet.
Another possibility, as already sketched above, is to equip burners with a so-called pilot fuel supply. The burners are then operated as diffusion burners at very high excess air numbers. This results, on the one hand, in superior flame stability but, on the other, in high emission values and further technical disadvantages in operation.
The object of the present invention consists in providing a burner operating method and a burner, by means of which the burner can, as far as possible, be stably operated in premix operation at approximately constant NOx emission values, even in the case of changes to the load, the gas quality or the gas preheat temperature.
The object is achieved by means of the method according to claims 1 and 7 and the burner according to claim 8. Advantageous designs and developments of the burner and the method are the subject matter of the subclaims.
In the present method, a burner with swirl body and swirl space is employed which has at least one first fuel supply conduit, with a first group of fuel outlet openings essentially arranged in the direction of a burner longitudinal axis, for the introduction of a first premix fuel quantity into the swirl space and one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits with a second group of fuel outlet openings essentially arranged in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis, it being possible to admit fuel to the second fuel supply conduits independently of the first fuel supply conduit. In order to operate the burner, the supply of the fuel via the first fuel supply conduits is controlled, in an open-chain or closed-loop manner, separately from the supply of the fuel via the second fuel supply conduits, the same fuel being supplied to the first and second fuel supply conduits. By controlling the mass flow ratio between the first fuel quantity supplied via the first fuel supply conduits and a fuel quantity supplied via the second fuel supply conduits during the operation of the burner, the burner can be stably operated with approximately constant NOx emission values even in the case of changes to the load, the gas quality or the gas preheat temperature.
In the preferred embodiment, the fuel is then employed as a premix fuel and is divided at variable mass flow ratio between the first and second supply conduits. The feed of premix fuel differs from the feed of pilot fuel, i.e. of fuel for realizing a pilot stage, in that premix fuel is introduced into the swirl space with a higher inertia, preferably transverse to the flow of the combustion air. When, on the other hand, the fuel is introduced as pilot fuel, the burner is operated in a diffusion mode.
The fuel is preferably introduced into the burner in such a way that it is distributed between the first and second fuel supply conduits as a function of the load.
In a further preferred mode of operation of the burner, in a first operating condition, the whole of the fuel quantity is essentially supplied via the first fuel supply conduit or conduits and is introduced into the combustion airflow via the first group of fuel outlet openings and, in a further operating condition, at least a part of the total fuel quantity is introduced into the combustion airflow via at least one of the second fuel supply conduits with the second group of fuel outlet openings.
If the burner is operated in a heat generator, the total fuel can, in a partial load condition of the heat generator, be supplied via the first fuel conduits and, in full-load operation of the heat generator, the fuel can be divided between the first fuel supply conduits and one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits.
In addition to the above-mentioned load-dependent distribution of the fuel between the first and second fuel supply conduits, the distribution can also be controlled according to other operating parameters. As an example, the fuel can also be distributed between the first and second fuel supply conduits as a function of measured combustion chamber pulsations of a gas turbine, of pollutant emissions, of measured material temperatures, of the flame position recorded by a flame position sensor or of other measured or operating parameters.
The one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits, by means of which the quantityxe2x80x94and therefore also the upstream fuel pressurexe2x80x94of premix fuel which is injected into the swirl space via the second group of fuel outlet openings can be set independently of the quantity of premix fuel which flows via the first fuel supply conduits, make possible a simple matching of the mixture distribution and the mixture quality to different boundary conditions. In addition, this design also makes it possible to achieve compensation for different Wobbe indices by, for example, the first fuel supply conduits supporting a certain power or a certain volume flow and the rest of the power or the volume flow being operated by means of the second fuel supply conduits. The axial and radial fuel distribution in the burner can be favorably influenced by appropriate arrangement of the second fuel supply conduits, with the corresponding second group of fuel outlet openings, relative to the first fuel supply conduits, with the first group of fuel outlet openings. It is therefore possible to achieve a specified enrichment of the mixture with fuel in certain regions of the burner outlet, during part-load operation, in order to improve the flame stability. At high burner load, the fuel can then be uniformly distributed, which results in low emissions.
By means of a design, in which premix fuel can also be admittedxe2x80x94and is admittedxe2x80x94to a plurality of second fuel supply conduits independently of one another, an even more finely staged matching of the mixture distribution and the mixture quality to different boundary conditions can be undertaken.
In addition, the invention also includes designs such as those in whichxe2x80x94in addition to first and second fuel supply conduitsxe2x80x94third, fourth etc fuel supply conduits are also present and can have fuel admitted to them independently.
The present burner consists of a swirl generator for a combustion airflow, a swirl space and means for introducing fuel into the combustion airflow, the swirl generator having combustion air inlet openings for the combustion airflow entering tangentially into the swirl space, which comprise means for introducing fuel into the combustion airflow of one or a plurality of first fuel supply conduits with a first group of fuel outlet openings, essentially arranged in the direction of a burner longitudinal axis, for a first premix fuel quantity and the burner has one or a plurality of second fuel supply conduits with a second group of fuel outlet openings essentially arranged in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis, for a second fuel quantity, preferably a premix fuel quantity, it being possible to admit fuel to these second fuel supply conduits independently of the first fuel supply conduit or conduits. In the preferred variant described, the burner is characterized by an inner body being arranged in the swirl space, the fuel outlet openings of at least one second fuel supply conduit being arranged on the inner body, essentially distributed in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment, the inner body is a fuel lance, which is arranged in the swirl space on the burner longitudinal axis.
One or a plurality of the first groups of fuel outlet openings are preferably arranged in the region of at least one of the combustion air inlet openings.
In the present application, an arrangement essentially in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis is to be understood as an arrangement on longitudinal axes which extend parallel to or at an angle of  less than 45xc2x0 to the burner longitudinal axis.
In a possible embodiment of the present burner, some of the second fuel supply conduits are also arranged immediately adjacent to the first fuel supply conduits, preferably parallel to the latter. In this arrangement, at least one second fuel supply conduit should be provided adjacent to each first fuel supply conduit.
It is, however, obvious per se that the second fuel supply conduits can also be provided in symmetrical arrangement on the swirl generator, independently of the first fuel supply conduits. In this case, the geometry of the swirl generator is unimportant. As an example, conical swirl generators, such as are known from the publications, mentioned at the beginning, of the prior art, for example with two, four or more air inlet slots, can be employed. Other geometries, such as cylindrical swirl generators or cylindrical swirl generators with conical or cylindrical inner bodies can also be employed.
In one embodiment of the burner, some of the second fuel supply conduits are arranged on the outer shell of the swirl body and in particular, in this arrangement, on the air inlet slots along the latter. In the present burner, the essential feature is that the second fuel supply conduits have a plurality of fuel outlet openings, which are essentially distributed in the direction of the burner longitudinal axis, in order to permit the achievement of adequate premixing. The outlet openings arc usually located on longitudinal axes extending parallel to the burner longitudinal axis or on longitudinal axis at an angle to the burner longitudinal axis predetermined by a conical shape of the swirl generator or inner body.
Depending on the possibilities desired for influencing the premixing, the second fuel outlet openings of the second fuel supply conduits can have different distances between them or flow cross sections, as compared with the first fuel outlet openings. Particularly in the case of an arrangement in which at least one second fuel supply conduit is also provided immediately adjacent to a first fuel supply conduit, the respective fuel outlet openings can also have the same distances between them, but be arranged offset relative to one another. This leads to a uniform injection of the premix fuel into the swirl space. In addition, the first fuel outlet openings can, for example, be arranged over the whole of the axial extent of the combustion air inlet openings, but the second fuel outlet openings being only arranged within a certain partial axial region. In a similar manner, it is also possible to provide the first fuel outlet openings in a first axial partial region only and the second fuel outlet openings only in a second axial partial region abutting the first partial regionxe2x80x94or vice versa. Different possibilities for influencing the operation of the burner on the basis of these different design possibilities, to whose combination no practical limits are set, can be taken from the exemplary embodiments.
For mutually independent admission of the premix fuel to the first and the second fuel supply conduits, the latter are equipped with different connections. Additional means are preferably provided for the mutually independent closed-loop or open-chain control of the premix fuel supply to the first and the second fuel supply conduits. The different supply can, for example, be controlled by an suitable control valve.

Method for operating a burner and burner with stepped premix gas injection


An image projection system having a laser projector that projects two differently polarized images on a display region is disclosed. The laser projector enables viewing the two differently polarized images as a three-dimensional image. The image projection system includes a planar lightwave circuit-based beam combiner that enables multiple colors of laser light having different polarization modes to be combined in a single output beam that is scanned over the display region at video rates to produce the two polarized images.

Systems for displaying images that appear three-dimensional ("3D") have been available for many years. Typically, in order to create a 3D image, two separate single color, two-dimensional images are projected onto a screen, which is viewed by a viewer wearing goggles or glasses having right and left color filters. The right filter passes the first color (e.g. red) of the image to the right eye while the left filter blocks the red light from reaching the left eye. Meanwhile, the left filter passes the other color (e.g., blue) to the left eye while the right filter blocks the blue light from reaching the right eye. As a result, the viewer's eyes see different images, which the brain interprets as a single image having depth (i.e., the third dimension).
An alternative technique for displaying a 3D image projects two separate images, each having a different polarization mode, on the screen. In this case, the viewer's glasses have polarization filters that enable slightly different images to reach the viewer's eyes. As with color-based projection systems, the viewer's brain interprets the different images as a single image having depth. Polarization-based 3D projection systems typically provide better color reproduction than color-based 3D projection systems; however, the polarization filters block as much as 50% of the light reaching each eye. As a result, the images are typically projected at high intensity to offset the loss.
Unfortunately, conventional 3D projection systems are typically large, expensive, and include optical systems that require complex alignment to attain and maintain quality images. As a result, an improved 3D projection system that is cheaper to make, smaller, optically efficient, and less complex is desirable.


Embodiments of the inventive concept include a multi-platform omni-channel content creation and distribution system. The system includes a multi-platform media content data and logic structure, a user interface logic section configured to interface with a user and the multi-platform media content data and logic structure, and a multi-sectional view configured to be shown on a display. The multi-sectional view includes a metadata section in a first section thereof and a simulated true-to-life preview section in a second section thereof. The user interface logic section receives metadata information from the user. The metadata section displays the metadata information. The multi-platform media content data and logic structure causes the simulated true-to-life preview section to show a piece of content with exact proportional dimensions and appearance as it would appear under actual non-simulated real-world circumstances for a particular media platform and associated physical device.

It is challenging for businesses to create and distribute coherent and effective branding messages or other information to their customers because of the disparate nature of the various media platforms. Maintaining consistent brand messaging across disparate channels (e.g., social, email, web, print, retail, billboard, or the like) and keeping up with the total volume of content created are difficult tasks when relying on conventional tools. Each channel can have various media platforms with different layouts, which can even vary within a particular platform across different kinds of devices such as a smart phone, a tablet, or a desktop computer. The complexity of the media environment often results in duplicated efforts, misaligned or sloppy content, and ineffective campaigns. Building and maintaining a loyal customer base can therefore be a monumental task using conventional techniques.
Accordingly, a need remains for improved methods and systems for multi-platform media content creation and distribution. Embodiments of the inventive concept address these and other limitations in the prior art.
The foregoing and other features of the inventive concept will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Multi-platform omni-channel content creator


In an embodiment, a system for land vehicle navigation includes: a GNSS receiver providing GNSS data, a set of sensors positioned on a wheel of a vehicle and on board the vehicle; and a processing unit. An on-wheel unit is located on the wheel of the vehicle, the on-wheel unit including a first subset of sensors. An on-board unit includes a second subset of sensors configured to generate a second sensor data. The processing unit is configured to process the first and second sensor data to obtain the distance and the attitude of vehicle and to perform a fusion with the GNSS data.

A currently leading technology for positioning applications in the automotive market is Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), with conventionally used navigation systems including navigation and telematics. In the near future, emerging applications such as autonomous driving, car to car (and to infrastructure) communication may provide for further technological challenges.
A GNSS receiver provides an absolute position reference, while possibly exhibiting one or more drawbacks. For example, a GNSS receiver relies on a satellite signal, which may be unavailable (e.g., indoor, tunnels) or corrupted (e.g., urban environments, reflections, and/or multipath).
In order to overcome these limitations, a solution may involve merging GNSS technology with other navigation technologies, to facilitate generating a redundant system wherein a component is able to overcome the disadvantages of one or other type of components.
Examples of technologies complementary to GNSS include inertial sensors, e.g., Inertial Measurement Units, (3-axes) gyroscopes, (3-axes) accelerometers, odometers, compasses, and/or barometers.
An aim of such merged or coupled systems, is therefore to exploit the features of each navigation technology in order to facilitate providing accurate information, possibly switching seamlessly to inputs from the GNSS system or the inertial system. The science studying methods to merge GNSS and other sensors, exploiting their complementary features, is called sensor fusion. In the automotive field, for example, sensor fusion frameworks may include Dead Reckoning (DR), where a GNSS system is complemented with a gyroscope (e.g., for yaw rate detection), an odometer or a velocity sensor (e.g., for a travelled path). Also, with the addition of a 3-axes accelerometer to the sensors, DR systems may become tri-dimensional (3D), i.e., a sensor-based height calculation may be possible.
Integrating a 3-axes accelerometer may lead to the development of another fusion technology: Inertial Navigation System (INS), based on calculation of travelled distance directly from an accelerometer, through a double-integration of measured accelerations. Although the processing framework therein appears to be complex, their functionality may be summarized stating that they calculate travelled distance from accelerometer by double integrating its signal. Such systems may provide position with increased availability and accuracy in respect of standalone GNSS receivers, and without vehicle connection (e.g., an odometer is virtually replaced by the accelerometer). Since odometer/velocity sensors are superfluous, the unit may be disconnected from the vehicle or may not receive any data from it, making it more suitable for e.g., aftermarket projects or situations where the final user or installer may find it difficult to retrieve a vehicle connection (which may be a confidential information exclusive of the vehicle producers).
Nevertheless, the accuracy level is inferior to connected DR systems due to the complex accelerometer signal integration. For example, the accelerometer does not only assess vehicle accelerations, but also gravitational acceleration, which means that potentially if one was able to completely separate the two accelerations, one would obtain an accurate travelled distance estimation.
However, such separation is not possible in practical application, and, although mitigated, a fraction of gravitational acceleration may occur in an integrated accelerometer signal, yielding to a velocity and position error increasing with time. Additionally, the Bill Of Materials (BOM) for such systems is higher than in the previous cases, e.g., the cost of combined GNSS, gyroscope and accelerometer.
A conventional positioning system may include one or more of the components described in the following. The positioning system may include a GNSS receiver block, implemented either in hardware or software, which may be used for receiving satellite signals from one or more Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), for calculating absolute user position, velocity, heading, travelled distance and time, and for transmitting raw GNSS measurements (pseudo-ranges and frequency of tracked SV—Satellite Vehicles) and/or Position Velocity and Time (PVT).
Also, an Internal Measurement Unit (IMU) may be provided, including e.g., a 3-axes gyroscope and/or a 3-axes accelerometer, which may be composed by two separate sensors (3+3-axes) or by a single package containing both sensors (6 axes). The block may be implemented in hardware and it may include a 3-axes gyroscope, used to assess angular rates, and a 3-axes accelerometer, used to assess accelerations (the axes of each sensor being perpendicular to one another, i.e., oriented like a classic xyz reference frame). Independently of its arrangement, an output of the IMU block may be generated, at each epoch, by the motion of a vehicle on which it is mounted, e.g., using three angular rates and three accelerations.
These measures are referred to as "raw" sensor data, which may imply that: the data are not calibrated for known error sources (conventionally, sensitivity and bias); and/or the data are related to a reference frame centered and fixed in the sensor itself, conventionally referred to as sensor (or body) frame.
With respect to angular rates and accelerations physically acting on the vehicle, the angular rates and accelerations which may be relevant to a navigation application are related to a frame centered and fixed to the vehicle; the frame being conventionally referred to as vehicle (or navigation) frame.
As previously mentioned, GNSS and IMU systems may be integrated in the same device, insofar as the benefit of one compensates the drawbacks of the other: in fact, GNSS is a technology with an accuracy possibly influenced by environmental aspects (e.g., reflected signal), hence being highly space correlated and poorly time correlated. In other words, GNSS may be inaccurate in a short term scenario (or at high frequencies), but it may be accurate in a long term scenario (or at low frequencies).
On the other hand, IMU and in general motion sensors show inherent errors, independent from the surrounding scenario (e.g., inaccuracy in calibration), causing an error that integrates over time; they are accurate short term (at high frequencies) and may diverge in a long term scenario (at low frequencies).
Another component that may be included in a DR system (e.g., connected to a vehicle) is the vehicle interface processor, introduced to manage a connection with, while possibly decoding, vehicle data.
The outputs of IMU and GNSS components flow into a main processor block, which implements, either in hardware or in software, an operation which is referred to as sensor fusion, i.e., merging the contribution of each block in order to overcome the limitations of each technology and generating a (possibly seamless) integration of the two, with the aim of providing as an output continuous and accurate position, velocity/speed and attitude. The quantities (i.e., position, velocity and attitude) may then be transferred from the main processor block to its final application.
For example, in case of a navigation system, the final application may include a mapping unit aimed to match a calculated position on a map, and use it to guide a user toward a selected destination. In a telematics system, a PVT output may be sent via a wireless link (e.g., 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, BT) to a service provider, such as an insurance company which aims to monitor the travelled distance or the driving style or a transportation company which aims to track its fleet, or other internet of things (IoT) style examples.
As previously mentioned, the most popular way to provide a standalone positioning capability is a GNSS receiver, namely a unit/box capable of receiving (via an antenna) GNSS signals and of using them to calculate a user position, velocity and time. However, GNSS receivers are accurate only as long as the signal conditions are good.
Moreover, the cost of the GNSS receiver may vary depending on features (i.e., precise positioning/RTK—Real Time Kinematic—raise the cost). However the BOM of a standalone solution may be conventionally lower than a BOM for a solution integrated with other technologies. On the other hand, such standalone units may exhibit the drawback of being highly inaccurate in reflective or obstructed environments (e.g., urban scenarios) and their service may be unavailable indoor (e.g., in tunnel or parking areas) where GNSS signals are difficult to receive.
As previously mentioned, to overcome standalone GNSS limitations, position units including DR technology were introduced, including components as set forth previously. The unit augments performance through the integration of angular sensors (e.g., gyroscope, differential velocities) and distance sensors (e.g., odometer, tachymeter). This makes it possible to provide an accurate position independently from GNSS availability, because, in the (at least partial) absence of satellite signals, such units continue, possibly seamlessly, to provide position calculating the relative motion using as a starting point a last valid GNSS calculated point, with distance and angular sensors providing linear and angular motion, respectively.
In this case, the positioning quality depends on the quality of the sensors, insofar as the accuracy of a relative motion depends solely on type and calibration thereof, i.e., on sensor grade: military-grade IMUs (i.e., embedding gyroscopes and accelerometers) may show virtually no error, while mid/low cost sensors conventionally used in commercial applications exhibit a progressive error accumulation when GNSS is unavailable.
Another drawback of DR includes the use of a wired connection to a vehicle to calculate a travelled distance, conventionally assessed through sensors of wheel motion (e.g., a magnetic encoder). In particular, there are two conventional techniques that may be used to transfer data across a vehicle:
Analog or Discrete Odometer: an analog signal transmits raw pulses generated by the wheel encoder sensor, i.e., velocity is directly proportional to pulses rate of the sensors; and/or
a standard cable which may be connected to an electronic device through a standard General Purpose I/O (GPIO), e.g., it may be loaded on a vehicle information system such as the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. In this case, the information is pre-processed and encoded in a binary format, proprietary of the car maker (the velocity, on a CAN bus, may be already pre-calculated).
Concerning the automotive field, such a limitation may be detrimental for after-market and commercial applications (e.g., telematics insurance boxes, vehicle tracking systems), where the positioning unit is sold separately from the vehicle itself and may be installed on the vehicle either by a third party or the user itself. Under these premises, it may be difficult to connect the unit to the travelled path source of the vehicle. For example, in case of an analog odometer, the point that may be used to connect with a cable may be unknown, or it may change for different manufacturers and/or vehicles.
Also, connecting to the cable may involve unmounting a part of the vehicle dash, an operation that is hardly suited to an end user and may require the involvement of a professional with a specific background. This is not only costly, but it may also be detrimental for a consumer aftermarket application (e.g., if buying a device implies tweaking a car, then an end user might not want to buy it).
Also, in case of CAN bus, even if the CAN bus is accessed, the information is possibly encrypted; a decoding key is a proprietary information of a car manufacturer, that may be conservative and not willing to disclose it, in order not to provide an advantage to competition. Information may be shared, e.g., with key industrial partners which may imply an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business model. In conclusion, for an aftermarket or consumer application, it may be difficult to obtain access to vehicle data.
In addition to this, the BOM for such systems appears to be higher than for GNSS systems, as the IMU poses an additional cost.

System for land vehicle navigation and corresponding method


An AlGaInPAs-based semiconductor laser device includes a substrate, an n-type clad layer, an n-type guide layer, an active layer, a p-type guide layer composed of AlGaInP containing Mg as a dopant, a p-type clad layer composed of AlInP containing Mg as a dopant, and a p-type cap layer composed of GaAs. Further, the semiconductor laser device has, between the p-type guide layer and the p-type clad layer, a Mg-atomic concentration peak which suppresses inflow of electrons, moving from the n-type clad layer to the active layer, into the p-type guide layer or the p-type clad layer.

Semiconductor laser devices are used as light sources of an optical disk and the like. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a semiconductor laser device including a p-type cap layer to which C is added, and a p-type clad layer to which Mg, Zn, or Be is added. Also, Patent Literature 2 discloses a semiconductor laser device including a p-type clad layer to which Mg is added, and a p-type contact layer to which C is added.

AlGaInPAs-based semiconductor laser device and method for producing same


A cleaning device (1) comprising a handle (2). The handle (2) is formed by a tube (3), which defines a liquid reservoir (4). A nozzle unit (5) is arranged at one end of the handle and a hand grip (6) is arranged at the other end of the handle. An operating device (7) for the nozzle unit (5) is associated with the hand grip (6) The operating device (7) is connected to the nozzle unit (5) by an operative connection (8) arranged in the tube (3).

Cleaning devices with a handle and a fluid tank fastened thereto are known from prior art. The tank is frequently removable so that it is easier to fill. The fluid is usually applied to a floor to be cleaned via an outlet by opening a valve. It is disadvantageous that these cleaning devices are unwieldy due to the attached tank. Moreover, the cleaning fluid exits in a free outflow from the valve, i.e., influenced only by gravity. This results in a spray jet with a short range and little scattering. A cleaning device having a handle formed from a tube that defines a fluid reservoir is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,005. An actuating device that can be pushed into the handle is inserted into the handle at the upper end. The space defining the fluid reservoir is reduced due to the insertion, and the fluid is compressed. Thereby the fluid flows out of the nozzle unit under high pressure and is finely atomized. It is disadvantageous in this configuration that the cleaning device is complicated to maneuver because the actuation device for expelling the fluid must be moved up and down while simultaneously the cleaning device must be guided in circular movements over the floor to be cleaned.


An optical semiconductor element (14) of the cap sealing type is aligned with an optical axis of an optical part contained in a resin housing (12), and mounted on the resin housing. In this case, the upper surface of a cap of the optical semiconductor element is butted to the end face of the housing, and bonded to the latter (by ultraviolet curing adhesive 20). In the optical module body having such a structure, the surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element and at least a part of the side surface of the housing may be covered with a casing, and a clearance formed therebetween may be sealed with resin.

The present invention relates to an optical module having a reduced diameter structure in which an optical semiconductor element of the cap sealing type is butted and joined to a housing containing an optical part in a state that an optical optimal position relation holds therebetween.
An optical module is a device in which an optical semiconductor element (such as a semiconductor light emitting device, e.g., a laser diode or a semiconductor light receiving (detecting) device, e.g., a photo diode) and an optical part (such as a lens and an optical fiber ferule) are held while being aligned with each other. An array module (an optical module unit) is also available, in which a plurality of such optical modules are arrayed.
An optical module used in the optical communications field includes, for example, an optical semiconductor element (an optical semiconductor device), a lens, and a housing which holds the optical semiconductor element and the lens, and fittingly receives a ferule of an optical plug of a mating connecting member. When the optical plug is connected thereto, the optical semiconductor element is optically coupled with the optical fiber of the ferule through the lens. The optical coupling to the optical fiber is usually based on a mechanical structure constructed according to the standard on various optical connectors.
A spherical lens is widely used for the lens assembled into the optical module for the following reasons. It is manufactured highly accurately by only machining work. This results in cost reduction of the product. Further, it has no directivity. Because of this, in assembling the lens, there is no need for its orientation adjustment, and hence the assembling work is easy. An aspherical lens, a gradient index rod lens or the like is also used for the lens of the optical module. A metallic housing was widely used for the housing for holding the optical semiconductor element and the lens. In recent days, a resin housing is frequently used for the same for the following reasons. The resin housing allows the lens to be put thereinto by insert molding. Alternatively, the lens can be held with a plurality of pawl-like protruded pieces. Accordingly, the manufacturing is smooth and easy, and the cost to manufacture is reduced. The optical semiconductor element widely used is of the so-called cap sealing structure type in which an element body is sealingly mounted within a cap having a window.
In the usual manufacturing of the optical module, the optical semiconductor element, the lens and the optical fiber are aligned with one another in an optically optimal position relationship, and then the optical semiconductor element is fastened to the housing containing the lens. In a case where the optical semiconductor element is a laser diode, the laser diode is driven to emit laser light, the laser light is input to the optical fiber, and the laser light emitted from the optical fiber is monitored. At a position where the outgoing laser light is maximized in intensity, the optical semiconductor element is fastened to the housing.
In the optical module using the optical semiconductor element of the cap sealing type, the housing is designed so that the cap of the optical semiconductor element is insertable into the housing, and accordingly, the stem part of the optical semiconductor element is joined to the end face of the housing. In a case where the housing is made of resin, any of various types of adhesives may be used for the bonding, and where it is made of a metallic material, the YAG welding is often used for the bonding. In either case, those are joined together in a state that the side surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element is entirely covered with a part of the housing.
Recently, with increase of optical communications capacity, the need of mounting the optical fibers at high density increases in the optical transmission device and the like. Accordingly, further size reduction of the optical module mounted thereon is also required. Specifically, the market demands the development of the optical module which is adaptable for the LC, MU and other types of small optical connectors, while the conventional optical module is satisfactory if it is adaptable for the SC type connector.
In the optical module using the optical semiconductor element of the cap sealing type, the outer diameter of the optical module is inherently larger than the diameter of the stem part of the optical semiconductor element. In this respect, limitation is put on the size and diameter reduction of the optical module.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a small optical module.
Another object of the invention is to provide an optical module which is adaptable for the small optical connectors of the LC, MU and the like type.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a small optical module which is readily applied to the optical module of the tablet type or the like.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical module in which an optical semiconductor element of the cap sealing type is mounted on a housing to be aligned with an optical axis of an optical part contained in the housing. The optical module is characterized in that the upper surface of a cap of the optical semiconductor element is bonded to the end face of the housing. With such a construction, the maximum outer diameter of the optical module can be within the maximum outer diameter of the optical semiconductor element.
Examples of the optical parts contained within the housing include a lens and an optical fiber ferule. The optical part contained within the housing may be not only a single optical part but also a plurality of optical parts. The housing may be structured to contain only the lens. The housing may have a structure for fittingly receiving a ferule of an optical plug of a mating connecting member, in addition to the lens built-in structure. In the latter case, the cap sealing type optical semiconductor element is aligned with the optical axes of the lens and the ferule, and then fixedly mounted on the housing. The present invention may be applied to the optical module of the type in which the optical semiconductor element is directly bonded to the ferule bore. Usually, the housing is made of synthetic resin. Ultraviolet curing adhesive is preferably used for joining the upper surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element to the housing. Any other suitable adhesive may be used for the joining, as a matter of course.
In the optical module, the surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element and at least a part of the side surface of the housing may be covered with a casing, and a clearance formed therebetween may be sealed with resin. In the optical module thus structured, it is preferable that the upper surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element and the end face of the housing are bonded by ultraviolet curing adhesive, and a clearance between the inner surface of the casing, and the side surface of the cap of the optical semiconductor element and at least a part of side surface of the housing is sealed with thermosetting resin. Accordingly, the time taken for the bonding operation using the ultraviolet curing adhesive is extremely short. As a result, the coupling work of the optical optimal position is easy. With the sealing using the thermosetting resin, the bonding strength and the anti-weatherability are improved.
According to another aspect, there is provided an optical module wherein a plurality of optical modules constructed as described above are arrayed in juxtaposition and covered with a single casing, and a clearance formed therebetween is sealed with resin. A typical example of such is an optical module of the tablet type in which semiconductor light emitting elements and semiconductor light receiving elements are formed as sets in a single unit.

Optical module for coupling an optical semiconductor element having a sealing cap with an optical fiber


A cupholder, which is mountable to a wall of a basket of a shopping cart, comprises a continuous wire having two lowermost portions, between and to which the outer mounting plate is mounted, two intermediate portions, which define a cup-supporting level and on which a cup-supporting plate is seated, and an uppermost portion, which is shaped to embrace a cup being held by the cupholder. The continuous wire has two lower connecting portions, each of which connects one of the lowermost portions to one of the intermediate portions, and two upper connecting portions, each of which connects one of the intermediate portions to the uppermost portion.

As exemplified in prior patents including, among other patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,306, 5,938,091, 6,186,382, 6,644,524, and 6,832,768, it has been known to provide handles, seat bases of child seats, and other components of shopping carts with cupholders, which shoppers can use to hold cups containing coffee, soft drinks, or other beverages.

Cupholder for mounting on basket of shopping cart


A method implemented by an application (app) store system for providing apps to one or more users through a network, the method comprising managing, by the app store system, a multi-screen application (MSA) package that comprises a set of related apps, wherein one or more relationships among the set of related apps are pre-defined, receiving, by the app store system, a request from a first user device via the network to download at least part of the MSA package; and causing, by the app store system, the set of related apps to be downloaded to a plurality of user devices including the first user device according to the one or more relationships among the set of related apps in response to the request.

Multi-screen applications (MSAs) are getting increasingly popular, but there still lacks a reliable way for purchase and distribution of bundled applications (apps). For example, a user may wish to use multiple related apps or different versions of the same app on multiple user devices or screens (e.g., a control app on a smartphone or a tablet, a display app on a television, and a mini-version of the control app on a smart watch).
Current app stores may be designed for a single operating system (OS), such as IOS® and ANDROID®, with similar screens. Popular app stores such as GOOGLE PLAY® (offered by GOOGLE® Inc.) and AppStore (offered by Apple® Inc.) may be mainly used for single OS app distributions. As a result, using existing technologies, a user may need to separately buy and download apps for different screens, which may run on different OS (e.g., a smartphone running ANDROID® and an IPAD® running IOS®). In addition, sometimes it may be difficult for a user to find an exact match for MSAs (e.g., what television app corresponds to a smartphone YOUTUBE® app?). When the amount of related apps increases, the user may get especially confused as to which app to use. Thus, it is desirable to develop app store features that support distribution of apps on multiple user devices and matching of related apps to improve user experience.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multi-screen application enabling and distribution service


The present disclosure relates to a novel hydrogel, and to method of making and using the novel hydrogel. The novel hydrogel is a reaction product of a water soluble laccase cross-linked arabinoxylan and an acid, and has a pH value of 1.5-2.5.

This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
Hydrogels are three dimensional hydrophilic or amphiphilic polymer networks that are capable of retaining large amounts of water or biological fluids. Polymer interactions that lead to the formation of hydrogels include hydrogen and ionic bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and covalent crosslinks. For example, high-methoxyl pectin forms a gel when sufficient sugar and acid are present to reduce hydration and negative charge, and promote hydrophobic interactions. In gelling of sodium alginate, addition of calcium ions create ionic bridges with acid groups to form an irreversible gel. Chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol form gels in the presence of glutaraldehyde as the covalent crosslinking agent.
Food polysaccharides are non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, either water-soluble or extractable in food-grade solvents, and generally have high swelling ability. These are properties that make them well suited for food uses, as well as for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. Arabinoxylan is a type of plant polysaccharide found in cell walls of endosperm and bran tissues of cereals and other monocot seeds. They are either soluble in water or extractable in dilute alkali. Arabinoxylans consist of a linear backbone chain of β-D-xylopyranosyl residues linked through (1,4) glycosidic bonds with various compositions of branched structures. α-L-Arabinofuranosyl residues are attached to some or most of the Xylp residues at O-2, O-3, and/or O-2,3 positions. Arabinoxylans can be neutral or acidic depending whether they contain 4-O-methyl-D-glucuronopyranosyl or D-glucuronopyranosyl substituents. Ferulic acid is commonly esterified on the O-5 position of arabinose branches. It was reported that there are about 75 ferulic acid residues esterified to one corn bran arabinoxylan (CAX) polymer that has a degree of polymerization of about 2000, with many of the residues participating in diferulate crosslinks that makes CAX largely insoluble in the cell wall matrix. De-esterification using alkali (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to remove crosslinks brings these polymers into solution, and residual bound ferulic acid plays an important role in the functionality of CAX. CAX solutions can form gels through oxidative crosslinking of bound ferulic acid moieties, and gel strength is associated with the ferulic acid content of arabinoxylan. A strong gel was formed by the crosslinking action of laccase in CAX extracted with mild alkali that removes diferulate crosslinks, but retains much of the uncrosslinked bound ferulic acid. When treated with high concentration of alkali, no arabinoxylan gel formed due to low ferulic acid content; and bound ferulic acid content was associated with the structural properties of the gel, including pore size and crosslinking density.
Although there are certain reported hydrogel materials, there are still need for low pH low sugar gels as food polysaccharides in food product s, as well as in other food gels and as a drug delivery matrix.


An organic electroluminescence element is disclosed which comprises a cathode, a light emission layer containing a host compound and a dopant compound, and at least one first layer provided between the cathode and the light emission layer, wherein the dopant compound is a phosphorescent compound, and the first layer is comprised of a first material having a molecular weight of from 500 to 2000, a maximum fluorescence wavelength of not longer than 415 nm, and an F to (H+F) ratio F/(H+F) of from 0 to 0.9 in which F and H represent the fluorine atom number and the hydrogen atom number in the molecule of the material, respectively.

This invention relates to an organic electroluminescence element and a display, and particularly to an organic electroluminescence element excellent in luminance of emitted light and lifetime and a display comprising the organic electroluminescence element.
As an emission type electronic displaying device, there is an electroluminescence device (ELD). As elements constituting the ELD, there is an inorganic electroluminescence (hereinafter referred to also as inorganic EL) element or an organic electroluminescence (hereinafter referred to also as organic EL) element. The inorganic electroluminescence element has been used for a plane-shaped light source, but a high voltage alternating current has been required to drive the element. An organic electroluminescence element has a structure in which a light emission layer containing a light emission compound is arranged between a cathode and an anode, and an electron and a hole were injected into the light emission layer and recombined to form an exciton. The element emits light, utilizing light (fluorescent light or phosphorescent light) generated by inactivation of the exciton, and the element can emit light by applying a relatively low voltage of from several volts to several decade volts. The element has a wide viewing angle and a high visuality since the element is of self light emission type. Further, the element is a thin, complete solid element, and therefore, the element is noted from the viewpoint of space saving and portability.
However, an organic EL element for practical use is required which efficiently emits light with high luminance at a lower power.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,796, there is disclosed an element in which stilbene derivatives, distyrylarylene derivatives or tristyrylarylene derivatives are doped with a slight amount of a fluorescent compound.
An element is known which comprises an organic light emission layer containing an 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum complex as a host compound doped with a slight amount of a fluorescent compound (Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 63-264692), and an element is known which comprises an organic light emission layer containing an 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum complex as a host compound doped with a quinacridone type dye (Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 3-255190).
When light emitted through excited singlet state is used, the upper limit of the external quantum efficiency (xcex7ext) is considered to be at most 5%, as the generation ratio of singlet excited species to triplet excited species is 1:3, that is, the generation probability of excited species capable of emitting light is 25%, and further, external light emission efficiency is 20%. Since an organic EL element, employing phosphorescence through the excited triplet, was reported by Prinston University (M. A. Baldo et al., Nature, 395, 17, p. 151-154 (1998)), study on materials emitting phosphorescence at room temperature has been actively made. (M. A. Baldo et al., Nature, 403, 17, p. 750-753 (2000), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,147 etc.) As the upper limit of the internal quantum efficiency of the excited triplet is 100%, the light emission efficiency of the exited triplet is theoretically four times that of the excited singlet. Accordingly, light emission employing the excited triplet exhibits the same performance as a cold cathode tube, and can be applied to illumination.
Several proposals with respect to the phosphorescent material were made in xe2x80x9cThe 10th International Workshop On Inorganic and Organic Electroluminescence (EL ""00, Hamamatsu). For example, Ikai et al. use, a hole transport compound as a host compound of a phosphorescent compound, M. E. Tompson et al. use, as a host compound of a phosphorescent compound, various kinds of electron transporting compounds doped with a new iridium complex, and Tsutsui et al. obtain high luminance due to introduction of a hole blocking layer (an exciton blocking layer). Pioneer Corporation proposes a hole blocking layer employing a certain kind of an aluminum complex. Ikai et al. disclose a hole blocking layer (an exciton blocking layer) employing a fluorine-containing compound in Appl. Phys. Lett., 79, 156 (2001), whereby high light emission efficiency is obtained.
However, the techniques described above do not provide an organic EL element providing both high emission luminance and long emission lifetime.
An object of the present invention is to provide an organic electroluminescence element improved both in emission luminance lifetime and emission lifetime, and a display employing the organic electroluminescence element, which emits light with high emission luminance at reduced power.

Organic electroluminescence element and display


A method for proactively providing information to a user about an event involving the user includes receiving user input indicating a request to display a search page and displaying the search page in response to the user input. In addition, event information may be automatically obtained and displayed on the search page in response to the user input. Some examples of event information that may be provided include participant information about a participant in the event other than the user, file information about a file that is relevant to the event, and conversation information about a conversation that is relevant to the event.

Computing technology has changed, and continues to change, our world in many important ways. Among other things, modern computing technology has significantly increased the amount of information that is available to many people. This has produced tremendous benefits for society. For example, learning about a new topic has become greatly simplified because of the amount of educational and reference material that is available via the Internet. In addition, people have more options for news sources than ever before. Communication technology has also increased the speed at which information may be exchanged with others. Instead of waiting days for documents to be received by a colleague in a far-away location, people all over the world may now exchange files in a matter of seconds via the Internet.
Notwithstanding these benefits, the surging volume of available information has a downside as well. The term "information overload" is often used to describe what happens when people are presented with more information than they are able to process effectively. Many people experience information overload when they consider how many messages (e.g., email messages, text messages, voice messages) they receive on a daily basis and how many additional sources of information (e.g., websites, blog posts, books) are available that are related to work or other interests. Social media also contributes to information overload as many people feel pressure to read and comment on social media posts made by friends, family, and co-workers. Current research suggests that information overload can adversely affect not only personal well-being but also decision making, innovation, and productivity.
Some people use software to manage information related to their work and other aspects of their lives. One type of software application that is widely used today is often referred to as a personal information manager. A personal information manager facilitates the recording, tracking, and management of certain types of information about a person's life. A personal information manager may include one or more of an email client, a calendar, a contacts manager, a tasks manager, and note-taking functionality.
The use of a personal information manager, however, does not necessarily solve the problem of information overload. Consider a simple example in which a worker is invited to attend a meeting. The meeting's organizer may send the worker an email message that includes a calendar invitation for the meeting, and when the worker accepts the calendar invitation the meeting may be automatically scheduled as an event on the calendar within the worker's personal information manager. However, after the worker accepts the calendar invitation, a barrage of additional information (including email messages, text messages, phone calls, and social media notifications) may distract the worker. This may cause the worker to forget about the meeting entirely, or at least prevent the worker from preparing for the meeting (e.g., by reviewing relevant documents or email messages). Even if the calendar event includes a reminder, such a reminder is typically only provided a few minutes before the meeting begins. By that point it may be too late for the worker to adequately prepare for the meeting.

Proactively displaying relevant information related to an event on a search page


A scalable cross-protocol mechanism is provided for describing, transmitting and checking large lists of authorizations for operations on network resources. At an authorization server, data is stored that represents operations that can be performed on a plurality of resources of a service provider at the request of one or more users. A set of {resource,operations} tuples is generated, wherein a resource describes an endpoint for a network service and operations is a list of operations that are authorized on an endpoint. The set of {resource,operations} tuples is partitioned into one or more subsets. A subset of the set of {resource,operations} tuples is combined into a string according to a predetermined rule. A hash is then computed, according to a hash function, to generate hash results. Hashes are passed instead of the lists themselves to minimize data transfer and latency.

When running a large Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, there are often many services created by disparate teams running over different network protocols that need to appear as a coherent set of products/services to customers, partners, and the larger developer community that will use that set of subservices as a platform. A primary challenge for some SaaS providers is obtaining a centralized identity service, so that there is one user name and authentication mechanism (e.g., password) that works across all of the subservices. Once a user is identified, the next hurdle is to determine which, if any, services the user is authorized to access.
Several authorization systems that have been built in the past assume that if a user can access the service, there are a very fixed set of static permissions for which pieces of the service the user is entitled to use. This approach does not always work well, particularly for enterprises which prefer very fine-grained control over which users can use each feature of a service. Often, these enterprises like to use groups or roles to assign similar permissions to sets of users.
For security reasons, authorization decisions are performed server-side, since client applications are under control of untrusted parties, perhaps having been written entirely by untrusted parties in a fully-realized developer community scenario. However, clients often want to know what operations they are allowed to perform, so that they can disable or remove the portions of the user experience that the user is not allowed to access, rather than waiting for the user to try something that is going to fail.
In many enterprises, there are hundreds of millions of users and thousands of servers. With aggressive virtualization, services may be distributed across hundreds of thousands of servers. Therefore, complex, tightly-coupled, or centralized processing is best kept to a minimum. In particular, on the server side, the latency requirement dictates that processing can be simplified and calls to other internal services can be kept to a minimum.

Scalable fine-grained multi-service authorization


The present invention relates to an siRNA inhibiting expression of the OTUB1 protein and a composition for preventing or treating cancer containing same as an active ingredient. In accordance with the present invention, cancer cell growth can be remarkably inhibited by inhibiting OTUB1 expression using the siRNA of the present invention.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an siRNA inhibiting expression of OTUB1 and a pharmaceutical composition containing same.
(b) Background Art
Division, growth, differentiation and necrosis of cells are regulated by complicated processes and abnormality of these processes leads to cancer owing to unregulated cell proliferation. In particular, abnormality of cell division is thought as the direct cause of cancer and substances that regulate cell division are considered as targets for prevention and treatment of cancer.
Cell division occurs during the cell cycle consisting of G1, S, G2 and M phases. A checkpoint exists in each phase and regulates the progress of the cell cycle. The activity of the proteins involved in the regulation of the cell cycle is mainly controlled through phosphorylation by kinases and degradation by ubiquitination.
Together with ubiquitination, deubiquitination also plays an important role in the regulation of cell division. Usp44 regulates anaphase initiation by deubiquitinating cdc20 (Stegmeier F, Rape M, Draviam V M, et al. Anaphase initiation is regulated by antagonistic ubiquitination and deubiquitination activities. Nature 2007; 446: 87681) and Usp1 and Usp7 are known to regulate DNA damage checkpoint (Nijman S M, Huang T T, Dirac A M, et al. The deubiquitinating enzyme USP1 regulates the Fanconi anemia pathway. Mol Cell 2005; 17: 3319, Huang T T, Nijman S M, Mirchandani K D, et al. Regulation of monoubiquitinated PCNA by DUB autocleavage. Nat Cell Biol 2006; 8: 33947). Also, Usp7 is known to regulate stabilization of p53 by deubiquitinating Mdm2 (Brooks C L, Li M, Hu M, Shi Y, Gu W. The p53-Mdm2-HAUSP complex is involved in p53 stabilization by HAUSP. Oncogene 2007; 26: 72626) and Usp16 is known to regulate chromosomal segregation during mitosis by deubiquitinating histone H2A (Joo H Y, Zhai L, Yang C, et al. Regulation of cell cycle progression and gene expression by H2A deubiquitination. Nature 2007; 449: 106872).
Ovarian tumor domain-containing proteases (OTUs) are one of deubiquitinating enzyme families. The OTU family includes OTUB1, OTUB2, A20, etc. and shares the OTU domain consisting of 130 amino acids. OTUB1 is the first known member of the OTU family proteins and is known to be uniformly distributed in all tissues. Unlike other deubiquitinating enzymes, OTUB1 is reported to inhibit DNA damage in a non-catalytic manner by binding to the E2 enzyme UBC13 rather than directly deubiquitinating its substrate (Nakada S, Tai I, Panier S, Al-Hakim A, Iemura S, Juang Y C, O'Donnell L, Kumakubo A, Munro M, Sicheri F, Gingras A C, Natsume T, Suda T, Durocher D. Non-canonical inhibition of DNA damage-dependent ubiquitination by OTUB1. Nature 2010 Aug. 19; 466 (7309): 941-6). It is also reported to regulate deubiquitinating enzymes by binding to UbcH5, UBE2D and UBE2E (Juang Y C, Landry M C, Sanches M, Vittal V, Leung C C, Ceccarelli D F, Mateo A R, Pruneda J N, Mao D Y, Szilard R K, Orlicky S, Munro M, Brzovic P S, Klevit R E, Sicheri F, Durocher D. OTUB1 co-opts Lys48-linked ubiquitin recognition to suppress E2 enzyme function. Mol Cell 2012 Feb. 10; 45 (3): 384-97). As such, although researches on the function of OTUB1 are reported recently, there are few reports on its direct relationship with cancer.
The inventors of the present invention have found that the expression of the OTUB1 protein is remarkably increased in lung cancer cells when compared to in normal lung cells and inhibition of OTUB1 in the lung cancer cells with siRNA leads to inhibited cell growth.
Throughout the specification, a number of publications and patent documents are referred to and cited. The disclosure of the cited publications and patent documents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to more clearly describe the state of the related art and the present invention.

siRNA for inhibition of OTUB1 expression and pharmaceutical composition containing the same

Korean Institute of Science and Technology


An atomizing device is provided. The atomizing device includes a heating member and a temperature control switch. The temperature control switch is positioned adjacent to the heating member or the heating member is sleeved on the temperature control switch. Both of the heating member and the temperature control switch are electrically coupled to a power supply device. An electronic cigarette including the atomizing device is also provided.

An electronic cigarette, also known as a virtual cigarette, is used for replacing a normal cigarette. The electronic cigarette has a similar taste as a cigarette. However, with increasing of an output power of a cell assembly of the electronic cigarette and decreasing of a resistance of a heating member of a atomizing device for the electronic cigarette, a temperature of the heating member can become too high. An excessively high temperature of the heating member may lead the smoke liquid, the wax or the tobacco producing and releasing some substances, which are harmful to health.

Atomizing device and electronic cigarette having same

Joyetech (Changzhou) Electronics Co., Ltd.