An extractive system, such as SPME, has an adsorptive phase in the form of a porous coating that has essentially vertical, mutually supporting, columnar structures with nanospaces at the boundaries of the grains.

Solid phase microextraction (SPME), first introduced by Arthur and Pawliszyn in 1990, is a solvent-free, cheap, fast and easy technique that integrates sampling, isolation and concentration of analytes in one single step. It is widely used to extract an array of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds.
SPME is a sample preparation technique that extracts different kinds of analytes (including both volatile and non-volatile) from different kinds of liquid or gaseous media. In general, the quantity of analyte extracted by the coating is proportional to its concentration in the sample matrix.
SPME is used widely to detect components in a sample in very small and trace amounts. These include, for example, in food analysis, such as for residual contaminants (pesticides/herbicides), quality control, characterization and forensic analysis, in in-vivo analysis, such as diagnostic tests, pharmacokinetic studies, and drug bioavailability in environment samples, such as water or air for contaminants and pollutants, and in biologicals, such as body fluid analysis, and breath analysis.
In an SPME assembly, the coated fiber is inside a septum piercing needle. The septum of a vessel containing the sample is pieced and the coated fiber is extended to expose same to a liquid sample or to air above the sample (headspace). The coating is designed to retain target compounds.
The fiber is then retracted into the microtube. The septum associated with the injection port of a separation/analysis instrument, such as a gas-chromatography system (SPME-GC), is then pierced, the fiber reexposed, and the target compounds are desorbed into a gas stream to form a tight sample plug at the entrance of a relatively cold column. The fiber is then retracted and removed. Using temperature programming, the column temperature is ramped up, hence separating the analytes.
SPME can also be hyphenated to HPLC (High-performance liquid chromatography), CE (Capillary electrophoresis), and other analytical techniques. In case of SPME-LC, for example, the desorption of analytes is achieved via changing the polarity of the mobile phase.
A key component of the fiber, which is often made of silica or metal, is the coating. The coating in current commercial systems is often an absorbent. With absorbent coatings analyte molecules are taken up by the volume and become incorporated into a bulk phase. The coating may be a liquid phase with the absorbed analyte molecules in solution. Commonly used coatings include polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene glycol (PEG, carbowax) and polyacrylate.
Major problems with these coatings involve solvent incompatibilities that may lead to swelling in organic phases. The life of the fiber is often short, due to the fragile nature of the fiber substrate, especially if it is silica. Other problems include high cost, a limited number of compounds that can be extracted into the coating, and the relatively low thermal, and mechanical stability of the coatings. In addition, the coatings may not have strong adhesion to the substrate. This problem has been somewhat mitigated by applying adhesion or bonding layers between the substrate and extraction phase of the coating. However, these problems persist.
Another problem with absorptive coatings is carryover, where analyte is retained from previous uses of the fiber that may show up in subsequent analyses, and, therefore, compromise the results of the subsequent analyses. The desorb conditions are usually designed to desorb analyte as close to 100% as practically possible, but with some coatings significant analyte amounts are retained and carried over into the next sampling.
Adsorbent coatings, in contrast to absorbent coatings, involve retention of analyte molecules to a solid surface (not to the volume) of a solid. Effective adsorbents have a high surface area, which can be provided by solids with high porosity with small pores. Adsorbent coatings have been used in several applications. Solid adsorbent coatings include carbowax-divinylbenzene, PDMS-divinylbenzene, and carboxen-PDMS.
As solid coatings involve adsorption of analytes on a surface, the process is usually faster as compared to liquid coatings. On the flip-side, lower porosity and competitive adsorption may limit the extraction efficiencies of solid phases. Various techniques are now being used to make these solid phases, including sol-gel chemistry, electro-deposition, and attaching nanoparticles to the fiber using thermo-stable adhesives. All of these coatings suffer from various drawbacks, including very long preparation times, limited mechanical, thermal, and solvent stability, the ability to extract limited numbers of compounds, and short lifetimes of the fibers.
In commercial coatings such as CAR-PDMS, PDMS-DVB, particles with adsorptive surfaces have been embedded into absorptive coatings. While these may have modified sorptive properties, they suffer from similar problems as absorption coatings.
In general, there are various methods for applying coatings upon substrates, each with varying properties. One class of coating systems involves physical vapor deposition. This process involves depositing atoms or molecules in the vapor phase on a substrate. Examples include sputter deposition, electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, and pulsed laser deposition.
All physical vapor deposition systems require production of a precursor vapor material that then condenses upon and is retained on a substrate to form a coating. The vapor can be created by, for example, thermal evaporation, electron-beam, evaporation, sputtering, including DC sputtering and, RF sputtering, cathodic arc vaporization, laser ablation, decomposition of a chemical vapor precursor. All of these are contemplated by the present method.
At a relatively higher gas pressure, the ejected atoms from the target can impact with other atoms or molecules on its path and travel to the substrate diffusively, impacting the substrate from random directions. It has already been shown that if atoms impact the substrate obliquely, due to, for example, substrate orientation to the target or to higher pressure, "defects" in the dense coating can occur. At these conditions it has been observed that films with columnar grains of different densities will form.
A method known as glancing angle deposition (GLAD), involves exploitation of the shadowing effect to create deposited films with various properties. The flux of vapor relative to the substrate is oblique, which results in the growth of slanted columnar microstructures. By manipulating the direction of flux during deposition, various columnar shapes have been obtained, with a wide range of porosity.

Solid phase coatings for microextraction


An image display circuit supplies gray scale data according to a video signal to a liquid crystal panel to present a gray-scaled display, and scans the liquid crystal panel N times during one field period of a video signal. The image display circuit includes a table ROM comparing a current video signal with a previous video signal of one frame before, and generates gray scale data for N times in accordance with the comparison result. Gray scale data greater than the gray scale of the current video signal is generated when the comparison result indicates that the gray scale of the current video signal is greater than that of the previous video signal, and gray scale data smaller than the gray scale of the current video signal is generated when the gray scale of the current video signal is found to be smaller than that of the previous video signal. Based on the generated gray scale data, the liquid crystal panel is driven with the proper gray scales.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image display apparatus with a relatively large screen for use in a liquid crystal projector, a liquid crystal television, etc. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an image display apparatus using simple matrix liquid crystal display apparatus, such as an STN liquid crystal display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is required that a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus for a television set should have high performance and good quality, such as high resolution, fine gray scales, quick response and high contrast.
There are two type LCD display apparatus: a simple matrix LCD apparatus and a TFT LCD apparatus. The TFT LCD apparatus is considered to be more excellent in the quality of an image and a response speed. The simple matrix type LCD apparatus has the following two shortcomings:
i) A response speed is low.
ii) Because of high duty, the margin is small and contrast is low.
Particularly, the response speed of the simple matrix LCD apparatus is low. If STN liquid crystal is used, the response speed will be lower even though the contrast is improved.
In a conventional LCD apparatus, since the quality of an image is determined by the number of bits constituting a control signal which defines an image, the circuit scale and the number of wirings have to be increased to acquire a high-quality display. In a liquid crystal driving circuit which displays an image on an LCD with gray scales by means of pulse width modulation, for example, if the number of bits of the control signal can be decreased, the number of wirings and the circuit scale will also be reduced, ensuring a lower cost for the apparatus accordingly. It is however, difficult to improve the quality of an image without reducing the number of bits.


The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery comprising an overdischarge-preventing agent. Particularly, the present invention provides a lithium secondary battery comprising an overdischarge-preventing agent having superior effects for an overdischarge test and showing 90% or more capacity recovery after the test, by introducing lithium nickel oxide into a cathode for a lithium secondary battery comprising a lithium transition metal oxide capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions as an overdischarge-preventing agent to supply lithium ions such that irreversible capacity of an anode can be compensated or better, thereby lowering voltage of a cathode first to prevent voltage increase of an anode during the overdischarge test.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery comprising an overdischarge-preventing agent, and more particularly to a lithium secondary battery that uses lithium nickel oxide as an overdischarge-preventing agent and thus has superior overdischarge effects.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, development of mobile telecommunication and information electronics industries has continuously increased demand for lithium secondary batteries that have a light weight but a high capacity. Conventional lithium secondary batteries are equipped with protection circuits for reasons such as overcharge prevention and overdischarge prevention, etc. However, since conventional lithium secondary batteries are equipped with PTC or thermal fuses and protection circuits for safety of batteries, they are not preferable in terms of cost or volume and weight of battery packs. Accordingly, there is a need for development of novel batteries without protection circuits.
However, in cases so far known of bare cells without protection circuits, if they are charged-discharged after an overdischarge test, capacity rapidly decreases.
Since first cycle irreversible capacity of an anode is larger than that of a cathode in present battery systems, if a battery is continuously discharged with low current or constant resistance to a cell voltage of 0V to result in overdischarge, voltage of an anode that has a larger irreversible capacity increases first. In such a case, if the voltage of an anode reaches a specific voltage area of approximately 3.6V or more when an anode collector copper foil is oxidized, in the case of pouch-shaped, square-shaped, or cylindrical batteries, the cell is damaged due to copper ion dissolution, etc., and thus after overdischarge, charge-discharge does not properly proceed. Therefore, there is a need for development of a novel method for solving this overdischarge problem.
Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,719 has attempted to show a battery capacity increase by adding Li2NiO2 that has a low electrochemical potential (vs. Li) to cathode active material LiNiO2 to give a 3V plateau.

Lithium secondary battery comprising overdischarge-preventing agent


The present invention relates to an apparatus for influencing a light beam arrangement comprising a plurality of light beams (4) arranged alongside one another, wherein provision is made of at least one optical element (5, 15, 25) which is movable transversely with respect to the light beams and by which the light beams can be influenced if the light beams pass through the optical element, and which has at least one light-absorbing region (9, 19, 29), wherein the apparatus comprises a drive device for the optical element, a measuring device for detecting the light of the light beam and a control unit, wherein the control unit is designed such that the drive device is controlled in a manner dependent on the position of the light-absorbing region. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising a multi-mirror array, in which the corresponding apparatus can be used, and to a method for operating the corresponding apparatus or the projection exposure apparatus.

The disclosure relates to an apparatus for influencing a light beam arrangement that includes a plurality of light beams arranged alongside one another, and to a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography that includes a multi-mirror array, which is illuminated by a plurality of light beams. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a method for influencing a light beam arrangement including a plurality of light beams arranged alongside one another, more particularly influencing with regard to changing the polarization direction.
Projection exposure apparatuses for microlithography are used for producing structures having extremely small dimensions in microelectronics or in nanotechnology. Accordingly, it is desirable that structures can be imaged with extremely high accuracy. For this purpose, actuators often have to be used in projection exposure apparatuses for microlithography in order to position specific components exactly.
One example is afforded in the case of an illumination unit in which a multiplicity of light beams arranged alongside one another in two dimensions are directed onto an array of micro mirrors of a multi-mirror array, which are likewise arranged alongside one another two-dimensionally here, in order to shape a corresponding illumination beam. In an illumination unit of this type, the polarization direction of the individual light beams is intended to be altered. For this purpose, polarizers, for example in the form of polarization rotator plates, have to be positioned in the beam path of the light beam arrangement or in the beam paths of the individual light beams.
The exact positioning of corresponding components in optical apparatuses described above can involve highly complex solutions and thus high costs.


A silicon member and a method of producing the silicon member are provided. Cracking is suppressed in the silicon member even if the silicon member is used in a condition where it is heated. The silicon member 10 includes a coating layer 11 that coats a surface of the silicon member 10, wherein the coating layer 11 is composed of a product of silicon formed by reaction of the silicon on the surface, and a thickness of the coating layer is 15 nm or more and 600 nm or less. It is preferable that the coating layer is a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silicon member, which is placed in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a heat treatment apparatus, or the like, and used in a condition where it is heated, and a method of producing the silicon member.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-067952, filed Mar. 28, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when panels such as the liquid crystal are manufactured, the deposition treatment or the heat treatment is performed on the panels occasionally. In the deposition and heat treatments, a holding plate for holding the panel is needed. Conventionally, quartz, which is inexpensive and has excellent heat resistance, has been used as the holding plate. However, quartz has a poor thermal conductivity; making it difficult for the entire panel to be heated evenly. Therefore, usage of quartz as the holding plate causes a deteriorate in-plate uniformity, which leads to possible reduction of quality and yield. In addition, in order to improve quality by equalizing the temperature within a predetermined range, it is necessary to set a longer period of time for the pre-deposition process and the heat treatment itself, which leads to a reduced productivity.
For example, in order to circumvent the above-mentioned problem, usage of silicon plate as the holding plate for holding panels is disclosed recently in Patent Literature 1 (PTL 1) (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2008-138986). Since thermal conductivity of the silicon plate is higher than that of quartz, the overall temperature uniformity is improved. Thus, usage of the silicon plate has advantages, such as characteristics at the central and outer peripheral parts being almost equal, during manufacturing a large-sized panel.
Also, in addition to the above-mentioned silicon plate, large numbers of silicon members which are used in the condition where they are heated at a high temperature, such as the silicon ring material, silicon disc material, silicon plate material, or the like placed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and the silicon-made rectangular pillar material, bar material, bulk material, or the line used in the heat treatment apparatus, are provided. One of the reasons for the usage of them is that the silicon members have a higher thermal conductivity than quartz-made members.

Silicon member and method of producing the same


A tumbler pin lock system comprises a lock mechanism and a key. The lock mechanism has an outer tubular casing mounted to a frame of a computer or similar electrical device. The tubular casing has an eccentric through hole for rotatably receiving a locking spindle. The locking spindle includes a driver pin sleeve having a set of bore holes, each for receiving a driver pin. A rotating shaft protrudes from a first side of the driver pin sleeve, and a protrusion with a keyway slot protrudes from a second side of the driver pin sleeve. A tumbler sleeve is provided on the rotating shaft and is fixed to the tubular casing. The tumbler sleeve has a distributed annular set of blind holes, each for receiving a tumbler spring and a tumbler pin, which are alignable with the bore holes in the driver pin sleeve. The key comprises a flattened key handle and a cylindrical portion. A set of annularly disposed semi-cylindrical slots are formed on an outer periphery of a first end of the cylindrical portion to engage with corresponding driver pins disposed in the bore holes in the driver sleeve. A key guide lug is formed inside the set of the semi-cylindrical slots to engage with the keyway slot to turn the rotating shaft relative to the tumbler sleeve to provide a locking or unlocking function. A cutout portion is formed in a middle portion of the cylindrical portion.

The present invention relates to a tumbler pin lock system, and more particularly to a tumbler pin lock system for computer, in which some of its drivers are partially or completely shielded by an outer cap to prevent an unauthorized person from using the computer.
Conventionally, tumbler pin locks are provided on computers or other electrical devices. A disadvantage 1 of such tumbler pin locks is that their driver pins are exposed such that an unauthorized person may find another key (for example, a skeleton key) to pick open the lock and use the computer. There is a risk that the secret information stored in the computer may be copied or destroyed by an unauthorized person.
The present invention intends to provide a tumbler pin lock to mitigate and/or obviate the above-mentioned problem and other problems which may be encountered in prior tumbler pin locks.

No. 5, Li Hsing Lane, Chung Cheng Rd., Hsin Chuang City


A condiment grinder has a body for containing condiment seeds, a grinding mechanisms located at an open end of the body through which condiment seeds ground by the grinding mechanism may be dispensed, and a drive mechanism for turning an operating shaft of the grinding mechanism to operate the grinder. The grinding mechanism includes a female grinder and a male grinder, which is supported co-axially in the female grinder for rotation relative to the female grinder, for grinding condiment seeds. The two grinders are spaced apart by an annular gap in which condiment seeds are ground. The drive mechanism has an operator supported for reciprocating motion relative to the body, and a motion translator for translating the reciprocating motion into uni-directional rotary motion driving the operating shaft.

Pepper grinders of the type that employs a pair of co-axial inner and outer grinders as the grinding mechanism typically incorporate a turning knob for operating the grinding mechanism to provide a rotary grinding action. Such grinders require both hands for operation and this can be cumbersome on occasion, though grinding mechanisms of this type work most effectively.
There are also features that permit adjustment of the grinding size. The grinding mechanisms of relatively more sophisticated pepper grinders are usually adjustable so as to provide different grinding sizes. In a known construction of the rotary grinding type, the adjustment is enabled by a disc that can be turned like a dial by its rim, which is however inconvenient to use.
The invention seeks to mitigate or to at least alleviate one of more of these problems or shortcoming by providing a new or otherwise improved condiment grinder.


An optical sensor device, system, and method are described that include a substrate, an electronic device disposed on the substrate, a molding layer, a lens, and a light-emitting diode (LED) package disposed on the substrate and at least partially over the sensor and molding layer. The LED package can include an LED substrate, an LED, a lens disposed on the LED, and electrical interconnections for coupling the LED to the substrate. In implementations, a process for fabricating the optical sensor device includes backgrinding a sensor die to a slim profile; attaching the sensor die onto a substrate; placing a molding layer on the sensor die; forming a lens on the molding layer; and placing an assembled light-emitting diode package on the substrate and at least partially over the sensor die and molding layer, where the assembled light-emitting diode package includes a 3D substrate.

Electronic devices, such as smart phones, tablet computers, digital media players, and so forth, increasingly employ light sensors to control the manipulation of a variety of functions provided by the device. For example, light sensors are commonly used by electronic devices to detect ambient lighting conditions in order to control the brightness of the device's display screen. Light sensors often employ photodetectors such as photodiodes, phototransistors, or the like, which convert received light into an electrical signal (e.g., a current or voltage).
Light sensors are commonly used in Infrared (IR)-based sensing devices, such as gesture sensing devices. Gesture sensing devices enable the detection of physical movement (e.g., "gestures") without the user actually touching the device within which the gesture sensing device resides. The detected movements can be subsequently used as input commands for the device. In implementations, the electronic device is programmed to recognize distinct non-contact hand motions, such as left-to-right, right-to-left, up-to-down, down-to-up, in-to-out, out-to-in, and so forth. Gesture sensing devices have found popular use in handheld electronic devices, such as tablet computing devices and smart phones, as well as other portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers, video game consoles, and so forth.


A method for processing a touch instruction, an electronic device and a storage medium, related to the fields of Internet of Things, intelligent transportation, and the like, are provided. The method includes: detecting a type of a received touch event; in a case where the type of the touch event is a predetermined type, acquiring a number of fingers which execute the touch event of the predetermined type each time; and determining a touch instruction by utilizing a change situation of the number of fingers which execute two adjacent touch events of the predetermined type. According to the solution, the number of fingers which execute the touch event can be determined by utilizing the change situation of the number of fingers corresponding to two adjacent touch events conforming to the predetermined type.

A vehicle machine refers to a short name of a vehicle-mounted information entertainment product installed at a vehicle side, and the vehicle machine is functionally capable of realizing information interconnection between a person and a vehicle, as well as a vehicle and an intelligent terminal such as a mobile phone and the like.
In a scene of information interconnection between a vehicle and an intelligent terminal such as a mobile phone and the like, it includes operations of receiving an instruction by a vehicle machine and transmitting the instruction to the intelligent terminal.

Method for determining touch instruction, electronic device and storage medium


A toothbrush includes a head with a new design and a handle that operates to move the head. The toothbrush head has multiple types of purpose-designed bristle-bundles precisely mapped to target specifically all dental-gingival surfaces and anatomically niches, including various dead-corner niches/surfaces that are usually not accessible by currently existing toothbrushes. Each cluster of bristle-bundles contains bristles of different sizes, diameters, hardness, lengths, angulations and colors. The head is designed to be inclined to accommodate both lingual and palatal surfaces. This toothbrush head also functions uniquely by coupling over dental arches and rotating so that the brush does not need to be lifted during movement from one end to the other. Further, moving the handle with respect to the brush head causes the width of the brush head to change to accommodate the different widths of the teeth along the dental arch.

A toothbrush is an oral care product that every person should use daily. In fact, it is the most common and essential oral hygiene aid for oral health and general wellbeing. Effective tooth brushing is therefore a must in everyone's daily life worldwide, as a way to clean the teeth by removal of dental plaque biofilms. It is evident that uncontrolled plaque biofilms critically account for the onset and development of the most common oral diseases in humans (i.e. decay/caries and gum/periodontal disease).
However, brushing in the wrong way can lead to periodontal (gum) diseases, as opposed to preventing them, and most people brush their teeth in the wrong way, i.e., in such a way that plague along the teeth and gums is not removed properly. Therefore, this dental plague along the teeth and gum, if not controlled, causes gum disease. When periodontal disease becomes severe, it will cause permanent tooth loss, and the process is irreversible. Indeed, severe gum disease is the major cause of multiple tooth loss in adults worldwide.
The toothbrush usually includes a head with rows of bristles and an appropriate handle. Over the years, there have been various attempts to upgrade and refine the forms of classical toothbrushes to facilitate users' brushing action. For example, toothbrushes with three bristle surfaces directed to the top and both sides of the tooth are disclosed in China patent No. 2013/23994Y, European Patent 0611282 B1, US Published Application US20110113576 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,481. See also US Design Pat. D585,648, U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,329 and US Published Application No. 2011/0308024. These attempts have often been inappropriately undertaken by the public. A major limitation of these prior toothbrushes is a lack of precisely purpose-designed bristle-bundles that specifically target all dental-gingival surfaces and niches.
Therefore, various other oral hygiene aids, such as dental floss, interdental brushes and single-head brushes have been developed and widely utilized to make up for the deficiencies in prior and current toothbrushes. It is obvious that an ideal toothbrush could, to a great extent, function to effectively control plaque biofilms at the tooth/gum line and at dead-corners and niches in the surfaces of the teeth, so as to eliminate the need for these hygiene aids.


When an image is recorded on a recording medium conveyed by a conveyance mechanism, prescribed information is set in accordance with an interval between a first medium detection unit that is provided between a supply mechanism that supplies the recording medium and the conveyance mechanism and a second medium detection unit that is provided above the conveyance mechanism, one of the first and second medium detection units is selected on the basis of the prescribed information and detection information of each of the first and second medium detection units, and image recording is controlled on the basis of the detection information of the selected one of the first and second medium detection units and conveyance information of a conveyance information generation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium that is conveyed by a conveying mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-203009 discloses an image recording apparatus. FIG. 9 shows a configuration of the image recording apparatus of the Publication. Referring to FIG. 9, a recording means 31 includes recording heads 31C, 31M, 31Y and 31B of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y and black B. A conveyor belt 32 is provided under the recording means 31. The conveyor belt 32 is pulled by four rollers 32a and moved by each of the rollers 32a. A recording medium P is placed on the conveyor belt 32. As the conveyor belt 32 moves, the recording medium P is conveyed to pass the recording heads 31C, 31M, 31Y and 31B in the order designated. If the recording medium P is conveyed in this direction, the recording head 31C is located upstream in the conveyance direction, while the recording head 31B is located downstream therein. When the recording medium P is conveyed under the recording heads 31C, 31M, 31Y and 31B, an image is formed on the recording medium P through the recording heads.
An adsorption roller 33 is provided the most upstream in the conveyance direction. A detection means is provided on the upstream side of the recording means 31. The detection means detects the rotation and displacement of a spur 34. The detection means includes an encoder plate, an optical sensor, a spur holder 35, a shaft 36 and a microswitch 38. The spur 34 has a number of teeth 34a that are projected from the rim thereof. The encoder plate is provided on the rotating shaft and rotates together with the spur 34. The optical sensor senses the encoder plate that is rotating. The spur holder 35 holds the spur 34 rotatably at one end and has a tensile spring 37 at the other end. The other end of the spur holder 35 is urged by the tensile spring 37. The shaft 36 swingably supports the spur holder 35. The microswitch 38 detects one of the ends of the spur holder 35.
With the above detection means, the adsorption roller 33 adsorbs the recording medium P on the conveyor belt 32. The teeth 34a of the spur 34 are brought into contact with the recording medium P by the urge of the tensile spring 37. Thus, the spur 34 rotates in response to the conveyance of the recording medium P. The encoder plate rotates together with the spur 34. The optical sensor senses the encoder plate that is rotating, and outputs an encoder pulse.
In response to the encoder pulse, the recording heads 31C, 31M, 31Y and.31B are controlled to jet out ink or the like. The ink jet out of these recording heads is laid on the recording medium P. Accordingly, an image is formed on the recording medium P.
While the recording medium P is moving, the optical sensor outputs encoder pulses at regular intervals. It is therefore determined that a trouble occurs in the conveyance of the recording medium P if no encoder pulses are output at regular intervals. Accordingly, the microswitch 38 detects a float or a jam of the recording medium P.


An apparatus comprises a plurality of selectable gain stages connected in parallel between a first bias voltage and ground, wherein each selectable gain stage comprises an amplification portion and a current steering portion, and wherein the current steering portion comprises a first selectable signal path connected between an output of the amplification portion and a signal output terminal, and a second selectable signal path connected between the output of the amplification portion and ground through a shunt device.

Wireless communication systems are widely used to provide voice and data services for multiple users using a variety of access terminals such as cellular telephones, laptop computers and various multimedia devices. Such communications systems can encompass local area networks, such as IEEE 801.11 networks, cellular telephone and/or mobile broadband networks. The communication system can use one or more multiple access techniques, such as Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) and others. Mobile broadband networks can conform to a number of standards such as the main 2nd-Generation (2G) technology Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), the main 3rd-Generation (3G) technology Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), the main 4th-Generation (4G) technology Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5th-Generation (5G) technologies.
A wireless network may include a wireless device and a plurality of base stations. The wireless device may be a notebook computer, a mobile phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a media player, a gaming device or the like. The base stations communicate with the wireless device over a plurality of wireless channels coupled between the wireless device and the base stations (e.g., a downlink channel from a base station to a wireless device). The wireless device may send back information, including channel information, to the base stations over a plurality of feedback channels (e.g., an uplink channel from the wireless device to the base station).
The wireless device may include a transceiver coupled between an antenna and a baseband processor. The transceiver may comprise an amplifier and a first mixer coupled to a local oscillator. The amplifier is employed to convert a radio frequency voltage signal to a radio frequency current signal. The first mixer receives the signal from the amplifier and generates a signal at an intermediate frequency suitable for the baseband processor. After being processed by the first mixer, an in-phase (I) signal having the intermediate frequency is generated and sent to the baseband processor.
The transceiver further comprises a second mixer coupled to the local oscillator through a phase shifter. The phase shifter adds a 90 degree phase shift to the signal generated by the local oscillator. The second mixer generates a quadrature (Q) signal for digital signal processing in the baseband processor.
The wireless device often includes a front-end transconductance amplifier converting an input radio frequency voltage signal to a radio frequency current signal for driving the mixers. Programmable gain amplifiers are required to adjust the signal range so as to generate a suitable radio frequency current signal for the downstream devices.
It would be desirable to have a high performance amplifier exhibiting good behaviors such as high linearity, good compression performance, good gain step accuracy, low input impedance variations and the like under a variety of operating conditions.

Programmable gain amplifier apparatus and method


The present invention relates to digital rights management (DRM) for content that may be downloaded and securely transferred from one storage to another storage. The storage may be a disk drive, or network attached storage. The storage performs cryptographic operations and provides a root of trust. The DRM system enables secure copying or transfer of content from one storage device to another storage device. In this embodiment, a trusted server that is authenticated and trusted by both storage devices brokers the transfer of content. The trusted server may be a separate entity of the DRM system or may be a component or function of an existing server of the DRM system. In another embodiment, the storage devices may transfer content in a peer-to-peer fashion. The transfer of content may be authorized and controlled based on a digital certificate associated with the content.

Many different digital rights management ("DRM") systems have been proposed and implemented on various platforms. In general, DRM refers to technologies that are used to control the use of digital content and devices. For example, DRM is commonly used to prevent unauthorized copying of digital content.
Today, there exists a wide variety of computing devices that enable users to copy and distribute digital content, especially content that has been downloaded or stored on a storage device, such as a hard disk. Furthermore, most DRM systems to date have security weaknesses and have been circumvented. Unfortunately, due to these weaknesses of current DRM systems, content companies have limited their offerings or have employed DRM systems that are difficult to use.

Digital rights management system transfer of content and distribution


The disclosure describes a motion-responsive entertainment garment, including apparatuses and methods, for wearing and hands-free use by a user in connection with the playing of a game and that detects and identifies pre-defined movements, or pre-defined patterns of movements, of the user's arms and/or hands associated with the game and produces corresponding pre-defined sound and/or lighting effects in response thereto. According to an example embodiment, the motion-responsive garment comprises a garment having an electronic controller with a speaker for producing pre-defined sound effects, one or more accelerometers communicatively connected to the controller and configured to produce output data in response to and representative of movement of the garment user's arms and/or hands, and one or more light emitting devices configured to produce pre-defined lighting effects. By producing the sound and lighting effects, the garment enhances the game not only for the garment's user, but also for the other game participants.

With the advent of motion-based technology, accelerometers have become commonly used in many devices. Accelerometers measure forces (often referred to as "G forces") produced by motion of the devices in one, two or three axes. Data and information from the accelerometers representative of the forces may be input to a microprocessor, which upon executing appropriate programming and through use of various assumptions, can determine how the accelerometers and, hence, the devices are being moved. The data and information may also be used, in connection with a microprocessor, to detect the starting or stopping of such motion. When a microprocessor is additionally programmed with and executes game software, the microprocessor can utilize the generated knowledge related to the motion of a device to enable and provide interaction with the game software. Current examples of such use of accelerometers and devices in conjunction with game software include the Wii™ entertainment console and remote controller of Nintendo of America, Inc., and the iPhone® and iPad® of Apple, Inc.
Unfortunately, the Wii™ remote controller, iPhone® and iPad® are not worn by a user and generally require a user to hold them directly in the user's hand(s) or indirectly via an interface device (such as a toy steering wheel, tennis racket, golf club, or fishing rod) that is held in the user's hand(s). Regardless of whether an interface device is employed or not, the user's hand(s) are generally not usable for any other purpose while playing a game. Additionally, visual output in connection with a game being played and in response to motion of the user's hands is typically limited to changes in video or images being displayed a display or television screen. Thus, there is no visual output changing the way in which another game participant actually and physically perceives the user.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a wearable entertainment garment that frees a user's hands for other uses while playing a game, detects and senses motion of a user's hands, and responds to such motion by providing visual output that changes the way in which other game participants actually and physically perceive the user.


A switch module in an instrument panel of a motor vehicle contains multiple switch assemblies connected by wiring to a controller. Multiple devices controlled by the switch assemblies are connected by wiring to the controller. The controller has a programmed matrix correlating a switch input from each particular switch assembly in the module with a particular device to place each particular device under control of the corresponding switch assembly.

This invention relates generally to motor vehicle electrical systems, and is particularly directed toward a controller having a programmable matrix for correlating control of electric devices in a motor vehicle with switches of a switch module in an instrument panel of the vehicle.
An instrument panel of a motor vehicle contains electric switches for operating various devices in the vehicle. For any of various reasons, such as limitations on space available for the number of switches that are desired to be used in a particular instrument panel, it may be important to use switches that are relatively compact in package size. It may also be desirable to group the switches into modules, or clusters.
Instrument panel switch modules that have identical switch groupings, or clusters, but are designed for use in different vehicle models, may utilize switches that are in particular locations in the switch cluster in different ways depending on the particular vehicle model. A customer may desire that certain devices in a vehicle be controlled by switches in certain positions in a switch module.
The present invention relates to an electrical system of a motor vehicle that allows functions controlled by switches in a switch module to be correlated with the switches in a more efficient manner than by hard wiring of a device to a switch in the module. In this way many components of a switch module may be mass-produced so as to be potentially useful in any switch module. A switch module may be rendered unique to requirements of a particular vehicle model or requirements of a particular customer by particular indicia on a switch actuator and appropriate programming of a matrix in a controller that interfaces the switches in the module with the devices controlled by the switches.
In one respect the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a controller, a switch module containing multiple switch assemblies connected by wiring to the controller, and multiple devices connected by wiring to the controller. The controller comprises a programmed matrix correlating a switch input from each particular switch assembly in the module with a particular device to place each particular device under control of the corresponding switch assembly.
In another respect the invention relates to a method of electrically associating switch assemblies of a switch module in an instrument panel of a motor vehicle with devices in the vehicle through an electrical system of the vehicle that has a controller interfacing the switch module and the devices. The method comprises providing each switch assembly with indicia related to a respective device controlled by the switch assembly, disposing each switch assembly in a location in the module that is electrically connected to a particular input of the controller, and programming the controller with a matrix that correlates each input of the controller with a device that corresponds to the indicia for the respective switch assembly connected to the respective input.
The foregoing, along with further aspects, features, and advantages of the invention, will be seen in the following disclosure of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention depicting the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention. The disclosure includes drawings, briefly described as follows.

Programmable matrix controller for correlating electric devices in a motor vehicle with switches of a switch module

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC


A system and method for providing low interaural coherence at low frequencies is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a reverberator and a low-frequency interaural coherence control system. The reverberator may include two sets of comb filters, one for the left ear output signal and one for the right ear output signal. The low-frequency interaural coherence control system can include a plurality of sections, each section can be configured to control a certain frequency range of the signals that propagate through the given section. The sections may include a left high-frequency section for the left ear output signal and a right high-frequency section for the right ear output signal. The sections may also include a shared low-frequency section that can output signals to be combined by combiners of the left and right high-frequency sections.

Virtual environments are ubiquitous in computing environments, finding use in video games (in which a virtual environment may represent a game world); maps (in which a virtual environment may represent terrain to be navigated); simulations (in which a virtual environment may simulate a real environment); digital storytelling (in which virtual characters may interact with each other in a virtual environment); and many other applications. Modern computer users are generally comfortable perceiving, and interacting with, virtual environments. However, users' experiences with virtual environments can be limited by the technology for presenting virtual environments. For example, conventional displays (e.g., 2D display screens) and audio systems (e.g., fixed speakers) may be unable to realize a virtual environment in ways that create a compelling, realistic, and immersive experience.
Virtual reality ("VR"), augmented reality ("AR"), mixed reality ("MR"), and related technologies (collectively, "XR") share an ability to present, to a user of an XR system, sensory information corresponding to a virtual environment represented by data in a computer system. Such systems can offer a uniquely heightened sense of immersion and realism by combining virtual visual and audio cues with real sights and sounds. Accordingly, it can be desirable to present digital sounds to a user of an XR system in such a way that the sounds seem to be occurring—naturally, and consistently with the user's expectations of the sound—in the user's real environment. Generally speaking, users expect that virtual sounds will take on the acoustic properties of the real environment in which they are heard. For instance, a user of an XR system in a large concert hall will expect the virtual sounds of the XR system to have large, cavernous sonic qualities; conversely, a user in a small apartment will expect the sounds to be more dampened, close, and immediate. Additionally, users expect that virtual sounds will have inherent spatial effects. For example, a user standing at the front of the room will expect that virtual sounds originating from a source located close by appear to be coming from the front of the room, and virtual sounds originating from a source located far away appear to be coming from the back of the room. In this manner, the user can distinguish between, e.g., a person having an arm's reach conversion and music playing in the background.
Some artificial reverberators may use a frequency dependent matrix. The frequency dependent matrix can be a 2×2 matrix that injects a left reverberator output signal and a right reverberator output signal, where the right reverberator output signal is a scaled copy of the sum of the left reverberator output signal and the right reverberator output signal. In some embodiments, using the frequency dependent 2×2 matrix may have a detrimental effect on the timbre quality of the left reverberator output signal and the right reverberator output signal at certain frequencies due to destructive and constructive interferences.
Therefore, alternative systems and methods for achieving high interaural coherence at low frequencies are desired. Additionally or alternatively, systems and methods for achieving low interaural coherence at mid and/or high frequencies are desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Low-frequency interchannel coherence control


A coolant circulation system for an engine efficiently cools the engine to prevent the capacity of an electronic water pump from being excessively increased. The system includes: a water pump; a cylinder block; a cylinder head; an intake block water jacket formed on one side of the cylinder block; an exhaust block water jacket formed on another side of the cylinder block; an intake side chamber provided on one surface of the cylinder block in a length direction of the engine about which a plurality of cylinders are arranged in parallel; an exhaust side chamber provided on the other surface of the cylinder block; and a head water jacket formed in the cylinder head to allow the intake block water jacket and the exhaust block water jacket to communicate with each other and the intake side chamber and the exhaust side chamber to communicate with each other.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a coolant circulation system for an engine, and more particularly, to a coolant circulation system for an engine in which a cross flow is implemented.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, circulation of a coolant for cooling an engine is performed through a water jacket. Further, the water jacket is formed in a cylinder block and a cylinder head so as to circulate the coolant primarily upward and downward of the engine.
However, when a cooling scheme of circulating the coolant upward and downward of the engine through the water jacket is used, a complicated shape of the water jacket acts as resistance to the flow of the coolant and several cylinders of the engine are not easily uniformly cooled, and as a result, cooling efficiency may be degraded.
In recent years, an electronic water pump (EWP) has been used to efficiently cool the engine. The capacity of the electronic water pump may depend on a required cooling level. That is, an electronic water pump having a large capacity may be used in order to increase cooling efficiency.
However, the electronic water pump having a large capacity increase the weight of a vehicle to thereby conflict with a purpose of the electronic water pump to improve fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


A method and device index resource content in a computer network. The computer network includes at least a first computer as a search engine and at least a second computer as a resource content site where a resource content of a user is stored. A determination is made as to whether the resource content is linked to a user-defined indexing code. The user-defined indexing code is used to process the resource content to obtain a set of information describing the resource content. The user-defined indexing code is executed in response to determining that the resource content is linked to the user-defined indexing code. The set of information describing the resource content is obtained as an indexing result in response to the executing.

With the advancements of computer and Internet technology, search engines have become an important tool for Web client (e.g., computer) users to acquire information. A traditional search engine, such as Inktomi, Excite, Lycos, Infoseek and FAST, normally comprises a router for transmitting and receiving message packets between the Internet and a Web crawler server, an index server, and a Web server. The search engine uses the Web crawler (also known as a Web spider or Web robot) to access Web pages resources located by URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) on a regular basis, extracts textual information and other related attributes of the Web pages, and stores such information so that the index server may process the retrieved data. The index server parses the documents and creates a document index by applying an indexing algorithm, which normally involves creating a priority-ordered index based on keywords or other attributes of each document.
The Web server comprises a search application for processing search requests applied to the search engine. Generally, based on a keyword of interest provided by a user to the search engine, the search application makes use of the indexer to retrieve a pre-built index database to provide a keyword results page to the user, so as to help the user find and visit new URLs.
Search engines use various algorithms to create indices. A modem search engine may create an index based on both document contents and linkage information (e.g., Google's PageRank). When trying to find a document that is most relevant to a user query, the search engine applies a search algorithm to the document index and returns a match result. Generally, a search engine uses the same set of algorithms to rank documents. Most importantly, these algorithms are designed and maintained by a search service provider (e.g., Google or Yahoo!) itself. With respect to Web content owners, all they can do is to provide Web pages and leave the search engine to determine how a document index is created according to the content of the Web pages.

Method and device for indexing resource content in computer networks

International Business Machines Corporation


Described are a hydroxyethylstarch, a process for the preparation thereof, a pharmaceutical formulation containing such a hydroxyethylstarch, and the use of the pharmaceutical formulation for the preparation of a volume replacement, a plasma replacement or a plasma volume expander, as well as the use of the pharmaceutical formulation for maintaining normovolemia and/or for improving the macro- and microcirculation and/or for improving the nutritive oxygen supply and/or for stabilizing hemodynamics and/or for improving the volume efficiency and/or for reducing the plasma viscosity and/or for increasing anemia tolerance and/or for hemodilution, especially for therapeutic hemodilution in disturbed blood supply and arterial, especially peripheral arterial, occlusive diseases.

The use of intravascular fluid is among the most important measures in the prophylaxis and therapy of hypovolemia, irrespective of whether the hypovolemia results from the immediate loss of blood or body fluids (in acute bleedings, traumas, surgery, burns), from disturbed distribution between macro- and microcirculation (such as in sepsis), or from vasodilation (e.g., during the initiation of anesthesia). Infusions suitable for such indications are supposed to restore normovolemia and maintain the perfusion of vital organs and the peripheral blood flow. At the same time, the solutions must not stress the circulation excessively, and they must be possibly free from side effects. In this respect, all the currently available volume replacements have benefits and drawbacks. Although so-called crystalloid solutions (electrolyte solutions) are essentially free from immediate side effects, they ensure only a short-term or inadequate stabilization of the intravascular volume and the hemodynamics. In case of pronounced or persisting hypovolemia, they must be infused in excessive amounts because they do not exclusively remain in the intravascular compartment but quickly dissipate in the extravascular space. However, a fast flow-out into the extravascular space not only limits the circulation-filling effect of crystalloid solutions but also involves the risk of peripheral and pulmonary edemas. Apart from the vital threat which a lung edema can represent, it additionally leads to a deterioration of the nutritive oxygen supply, which is also affected by peripheral edemas.
In contrast, colloidal volume replacements, whether the colloids contained therein are of natural or synthetic origin, have a much more reliable effect. This is due to the fact that, because of their colloid-osmotic effect, they retain the supplied liquid longer in the circulation as compared to crystalloids and thus protect them from flowing out into the interstice. On the other hand, colloidal volume replacements cause a higher extent of undesirable responses as compared to crystalloid solutions. Thus, the natural colloid albumin, like all blood or plasma derivatives, involves the risk of infection with viral diseases; in addition, it may result in interactions with other drugs. e.g., ACE inhibitors; finally, the availability of albumin is limited, and its use as a volume replacement is disproportionately expensive. Further doubts as to the use of albumin as a volume replacement are due to the inhibition of the endogenous synthesis of albumin if it is added exogenously and due to its ready extravascularization. This means the passage from the circulation into the extravascular space, where undesirable and persistant liquid accumulations can occur because of the colloid-osmotic effect of albumin.
In the synthetic colloids, severe anaphylactoid responses and a massive inhibition of blood coagulation have caused dextran preparations to disappear almost completely from therapy. Although hydroxyethylstarch (HES) solutions also have the potential for triggering anaphylactoid responses and affecting blood coagulation, this is to a lesser extent as compared with dextran. Severe anaphylactoid responses (responses of severity III and IV) are observed extremely rarely with HES solutions, in contrast to dextran, and the influence on blood coagulation, inherent to the high-molecular weight HES solutions, could be significantly reduced in recent years by the further development of HES solutions. As compared with gelatin solutions, which also find use as plasma replacements and leave blood coagulation essentially unaffected, HES solutions, at least their high- and medium-molecular weight embodiments, have the benefit of a longer plasma residence time and effectiveness.
EP-A-0 402 724 discloses the preparation and use of a hydroxyethylstarch having an average molecular weight, Mw, of from 60,000 to 600,000, a molar substitution, MS, of from 0.15 to 0.5, and a degree of substitution. DS, of from 0.15 to 0.5. The disclosure deals with the rapid (6 to 12 hours) and complete degradability of the hydroxyethylstarches to be employed as plasma expanders. Within the preferred range of average molecular weights of from 100,000 to 300,000, a hydroxyethylstarch having an average molecular weight of 234,000 was explicitly examined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,043 discloses the use of hydroxyethylstarches having an average molecular weight, Mw, of from 110,000 to 150,000, a molar substitution. MS, of from 0.38 to 0.5, and a degree of substitution. DS, of from 0.32 to 0.45 for improving microcirculation in peripheral arterial occlusive disease. In addition, the document teaches the use of low-molecular weight (Mw 110,000 to 150,000) hydroxyethylstarches which, due to their low molecular weight, keep the plasma viscosity low and thus ensure an improvement of microcirculation in the blood flow. However, this document advises against the use of higher-molecular weight hydroxyethylstarches, such as a hydroxyethylstarch with an Mw of 500,000, because they increase plasma viscosity and thus deteriorate microcirculation despite their low molar substitution (MS=0.28).
Worldwide, different HES preparations are currently used as colloidal volume replacements, which are mainly distinguished by their molecular weights and additionally by their extent of etherification with hydroxyethyl groups, and by other parameters. The best known representatives of this class of substances are the so-called Hetastarch (HES 450/0.7) and Pentastarch (HES 200/0.5). The latter is the currently most widespread "standard HES". Besides, HES 200/0.62 and HES 70/0.5 play a minor role. The declared information relating to the molecular weight as well as that relating to the other parameters are averaged quantities, where the molecular weight declaration is based on the weight average (Mw) expressed in Daltons (e.g., for HES 200,000) or mostly abbreviated in Kilodaltons (e.g., for HES 200). The extent of etherification with hydroxyethyl groups is characterized by the molar substitution MS (e.g. as 0.5 such as in HES 200/0.5; MS=average molar ratio of hydroxyethyl groups to anhydroglucose units) or by the degree of substitution (DS=ratio of mono- or polyhydroxyethylated glucoses to the total anhydroglucose units). According to their molecular weights, the HES solutions in clinical use are classified into high-molecular weight (450 kD), medium-molecular weight (200-250 kD) and low-molecular weight (70-130 kD) preparations.
As to the coagulation effects of HES solutions, a distinction is to be made between non-specific and specific influences. A non-specific influence on blood coagulation results from dilution of the blood (hemodilution), which occurs during the infusion of HES solutions and other volume replacements into the circulation. Affected by this hemodilution are also coagulation factors, whose concentrations are decreased depending on the extent and duration of the dilution of the blood and the plasma proteins due to the infusion. Correspondingly large or persisting effects may result in a hypocoagulability which is detectable by laboratory diagnostics and, in extreme cases, clinically relevant.
In addition, hydroxyethylstarch may cause a specific influence on blood coagulation, for which several factors are held responsible. Thus, under certain conditions or with certain HES preparations, a decrease of the coagulation proteins factor VIII (F VIII) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) is found which is larger than the general decrease of the plasma proteins due to hemodilution. Whether this larger than expected decrease is caused by a reduced formation or release of F VIII/vWF, such as by coating effects on the vascular endothelium caused by HES, or by other mechanisms is not quite clear.
However, HES influences not only the concentration of the coagulation factors mentioned but evidently also the function of platelets. This is completely or in part due to the binding of HES to the surface of the platelets, which inhibits the access of ligands to the fibrinogen receptor of the platelets.
These specific effects of HES on blood coagulation are particularly pronounced when high-molecular weight HES (e.g. HES 450/0.7) are employed while they do not play such a great role for medium-molecular weight (e.g. HES 250/0.5) or low-molecular weight HES (e.g., HES 130/0.4 or HES 70/0.5) (J. Treib et al., Intensive Care Med. (1999), pp. 258 to 268; O. Langeron et al. Anesth. Analg. (2001), pp. 855 to 862; R. G. Strauss et al., Transfusion (1988), pp. 257-260; M. Jamnicki et al., Anesthesiology (2000), pp. 1231 to 1237).
If the risk profile of high-molecular weight HES is compared with that of the medium- and low-molecular weight preparations, a clear reduction of the risks can be established in the latter, i.e., not only with respect to the interaction with blood coagulation but also with respect to particular pharmacokinetic properties. Thus, the high-molecular weight HES solutions show a high accumulation in the circulation while this drawback is reduced in medium-molecular weight HES and virtually absent in low-molecular weight preparations. The fact that no more accumulation occurs with low-molecular weight HES solutions, such as HES 130/0.4, is a relevant therapeutic progress because the plasma levels of HES cannot be determined in clinical routine, and therefore, even extreme concentrations, which can be obtained within a few days with the high-molecular weight solutions, remain undiscovered. In this case, the amount of "residual HES" accumulated in the circulation is unknown to the user but it nevertheless influences the kinetics and behavior of the HES which was additively infused, not knowing the amounts still present in the circulation. Therefore, the effect of high-molecular weight HES according to the prior art is not calculable; it remains longer in the circulation than would be required or desired for therapeutic reasons in most cases, and its metabolic fate is unclear.
In contrast, low-molecular weight HES will disappear completely from the circulation within about 20 to 24 hours after the infusion. This avoids backlog effects, and no accumulation occurs, especially for repeated infusions. The pharmacokinetic behavior of low-molecular weight starch, in contrast to high-molecular weight starch, is calculable and therefore can be easily controlled. Too high a load on the circulation or the clearance mechanisms does not occur.
However, this behavior of low-molecular weight HES as compared to high-molecular weight preparations, which is advantageous as such, is purchased at the expense of a significantly shorter plasma half life. The plasma half life of low-molecular weight HES is only about half that of HES 200 or less (J. Waitzinger et al., Clin. Drug Invest. (1998), pp. 151 to 160) and is in the range of the half life of gelatin preparations, which are to be rated as decidedly short-term effective. Although a short half life of a volume replacement need not be categorically disadvantageous, because it can be compensated for by a more frequent or more highly dosed administration of the volume replacement in question, in severe or persisting hypovolemia, a volume replacement with a short half life and short effective period involves the risk of insufficient circulation filling (much like with crystalloid solutions) or, when the dosage is correspondingly increased for compensating for this drawback, the risk of interstitial liquid overload.


A bolometric detector of a terahertz radiation, including an assembly reflective for said electromagnetic radiation; at least one bolometric microbridge suspended above the reflective assembly and including a first bowtie antenna, a resistive load coupled with said antenna, and a thermometric element coupled with the resistive load. The reflective assembly includes a reflective layer; an insulating layer on the reflective layer; a periodic array of metallic patterns on the insulating layer, the thickness and the dielectric permittivity of the insulating layer, and the pitch and the filling factor of the array being selected to obtain a constructive interference at the level of said microbridge.

Usually, a resistive bolometric detector measures the power of an incident radiation in the infrared range. For this purpose, it comprises an absorbing resistive bolometric element, which converts the light flow into a heat flow, which generates a temperature rise of said element with respect to a reference temperature. This temperature increase then induces a variation of the electric resistance of the absorbing element, thus causing voltage or current variations thereacross. Such electric variations form the signal delivered by the sensor.
However, the temperature of the absorbing element is usually highly dependent on its environment, and especially on the temperature of the substrate which comprises the electronic read circuit. To desensitize as much as possible the absorbing element from its environment, and thus increase the detector sensitivity, the absorbing element is generally thermally insulated from the substrate.
FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of an elementary resistive bolometric detector 10 of the state of the art illustrating this thermal insulation principle. Such an elementary detector, appearing in the described example in the form of a suspended membrane, conventionally belongs to a one- or two-dimensional array of elementary detectors.
Detector 10 comprises a thin membrane 12 absorbing the incident radiation, suspended above a substrate-support 14 via two conductive anchoring nails 16, having said membrane attached thereto by two thermal insulation arms 18. Membrane 12 usually comprises a layer of electric insulator, such as for example SiO2, SiO, SiN, ZnS or the like, which ensures the mechanical stiffness of membrane 12, as well as an electric metal interconnection layer deposited on the insulator layer.
A thin layer 20 of resistive thermometric material is further deposited at the center of membrane 12 on the metal interconnection layer, especially a layer made of a semiconductor material, such as strongly or weakly resistive polysilicon or amorphous p- or n-type silicon, or a vanadium oxide (V2O5, VO2) formed in a semiconductor phase.
Finally, the substrate-support 14 comprises an electronic circuit integrated on a silicon wafer, usually known as a "read circuit". The read circuit comprises, on the one hand, the excitation and read elements of thermometric element 20 and, on the other hand, the multiplexing components which enable to serialize the signals originating from the different thermometric elements present in the array detector.
In operation, membrane 12 heats up under the effect of an incident electromagnetic radiation and the generated thermal power is transmitted to thermometric material layer 20. Periodically, the read circuit arranged in substrate 14 polarizes membrane 12 by submitting nails 16 to a polarization voltage, and collects the current flowing through thermometric element 20 to deduce therefrom a variation of its resistance, and thus the incident radiation having caused said variation.
For brevity, since the arrangement and the operation of such a detector are conventional, it will not be explained in further detail. It should however be noted that membrane 12 fulfils, in addition to the thermal insulation function, three main functions: an antenna function to receive the radiation, a function of conversion of the received electromagnetic power into thermal power, and a function of thermometric measurement of the generated thermal power. Since it is used as an antenna, membrane 12 has dimensions which are accordingly selected to be of the same order of magnitude as the wavelength of the radiation intended to be measured.
Now, in the terahertz range, wavelengths may reach one millimeter, which thus requires a membrane of the same order of magnitude. However, for such dimensions, the thermal mass, the mechanical hold, and the radiation loss of the membrane are such a problem that, in the end, they adversely affect the detector efficiency.
This is why, for such a frequency range, the radiation receive function is decoupled from the other functions. The receive function is thus ensured by a planar antenna, and the function of conversion of the electromagnetic power into thermal power is ensured by the resistive load of the antenna. The load dimensions conventionally fulfill the impedance matching conditions, which depend on the geometry of the antenna and on the nature of the layers supporting it, to obtain an optimal conversion. The resistive load is further in thermal contact with a thermometric element for the measurement of the generated thermal power. The assembly then forms a bolometer with an antenna.
Document US-A-2006/0231761 describes a "direct resistive coupling" bolometer with an antenna 30 operating in the millimetric range, for example, in the range from 1 to 10 THz, and provided with a bowtie antenna 32, simplified perspective and cross-section views thereof being respectively illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bolometer is made in the form of a membrane 34 suspended above a substrate-support 36 via two conductive anchoring nails or "holding arms" 38, to which it is attached by two thermal insulation arms 40. Membrane 34 comprises bowtie antenna 32, a resistive load 42 in the same plane as bowtie antenna 32 and in contact therewith, as well as a thermometric element 44 formed on and/or under resistive load 42 and in contact therewith. Resistive load 42 has a sheet resistance optimized to obtain a maximum resistive coupling with the antenna, especially a sheet resistance ranging between 100Ω and 200Ω. An explanation of the bowtie antenna can for example be found in R. PEREZ's thesis, which can be consulted on the following site: http://www.unilim.fr/theses/2005/sciences/2005limo0053/perez_r.pdf.
A simple antenna cannot absorb all the incident power and part of the incident power is transmitted to the rear of the antenna. More specifically, part of the absorbed incident power is reemitted to the rear of the antenna. To enhance the general absorption, a reflective assembly 46 is provided in substrate-support 36 above read circuit 48 comprising on the one hand the excitation and read elements of thermometric element 44, and on the other hand the multiplexing components which enable to serialize the signals originating from the different thermometric elements present in the array detector.
Reflective assembly 46 comprises a reflective layer 50 on which is deposited a dielectric material layer 52 satisfying the following relation:e=λ/(4n)  (1)where λ is a wavelength for which, and around which a resonance phenomenon is desired, e is the thickness of layer 52, and n=√{square root over (∈)}, with ∈ standing for the dielectric permittivity of the material forming layer 52. A quarter-wave cavity is thus obtained.
In such a configuration, the thermometric element is independent from the antenna, and its size then no longer depends on the incident wavelength but on factors determining the intrinsic performance of the detector (sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, etc. . . . ), in accordance with the requirements of the targeted application, for example, active imaging or passive imaging.
Further, in most cases, the incident electromagnetic radiation is not polarized, whereby its reception by a single antenna does not enable to capture the entire electromagnetic power. However, a non-polarized radiation may be considered as resulting from the superposition of two components linearly polarized in two orthogonal directions, each of these components transporting half the power of the wave. As known per se, an efficient way to capture an incident electromagnetic radiation is to use two crossed bowtie antennas.
However, the use of two crossed bowtie antennas suspended on a membrane induces a substantial decrease of the thermal resistance of the membrane since one of the bowtie antennas inevitably crosses the thermal insulation arms.
Referring to the simplified top and cross-section views of FIGS. 4 and 5, document U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,655 describes a bolometer 60 with an antenna, operating in the millimetric range and provided with two crossed bowtie antennas 62, 64, which overcomes this problem.
The principle of bolometer 60 is based on the capacitive coupling achieved between antennas 62, 64, arranged on a substrate-support 66, and a resistive load 68, arranged in a suspended membrane 70 and having a thermometric element 72 placed thereon.
Resistive load 68, which takes the form of a square layer arranged vertically above the center of antennas 62, 64, has a surface opposite thereto and thus forms a capacitance with antennas 62, 64. The radiation captured by antennas 62, 64 is thus transmitted to load 68 by capacitive coupling.
The resistance of load 68 and the value of the capacitance that it forms with antennas 62, 64 are selected to establish a high capacitive coupling, advantageously to fulfill at best the following relation, which achieves an optimal impedance matching between antennas 62, 64 and resistive load 68, and thus the optimal capacitive coupling:
                              (                      1                          π              ·              f              ·              C                                )                2            +                        (                      R            ·            C                    )                2              ≈      100                          Ω  where f is the radiation frequency, C is the value of the capacitance formed between antennas 62, 64 and resistive load 68, and R is the value of the resistance of resistive load 68. The characteristics of the capacitive coupling thus especially set, via the value of capacitance C, height ebolometer—cavity of the cavity separating membrane 70 from substrate-support 66.
Finally, for the previously-discussed reasons, to enhance the general absorption of the radiation, a reflective assembly 72 is provided in substrate-support 66 above read circuit 74, comprising, on the one hand, the excitation and read elements of thermometric element 68, and on the other hand the multiplexing components which enable to serialize the signals originating from the different thermometric elements present in the array detector.
Reflective assembly 72 comprises a reflective layer 76 having a quarter-wave cavity formed by a dielectric material layer 78 deposited thereon, fulfilling previously-described relation e=λ/(4n). Together, reflective assembly 72 and antennas 62, 64 form a resonant cavity.
The principle of a resonant cavity for the thermometric detection is described in relation with FIG. 6. As known per se, a resonant cavity is formed by establishing a constructive interference between a monochromatic radiation I, of wavelength λ, incident on an absorbing element, especially antennas, and radiation R reflected by the reflective assembly formed of a metallic reflective layer 82, having material layer 80 deposited thereon, dielectric permittivity ∈ and thickness e of layer 80 being selected according to relation (1) to adjust the resonance to the desired wavelength. The absorbing element is formed on layer 80, as illustrated by element 90 and/or suspended thereabove, as illustrated by element 92.
Thereby, the phase shift between incident radiation I and reflected radiation R is zero at distance e from reflective layer 82, so that a constructive interference is obtained at this distance, which provides an optimal absorption of the power of the incident electromagnetic field. As previously mentioned, layer 80 is currently called a "quarter wave cavity" due to relation e=λ/(4n).
An optimal arrangement of a suspended bolometric membrane and of a quarter-wave cavity is achieved when layer 80 preferentially is a layer of vacuum, or even of a gas of low thermal conductivity, and the bolometric membrane is placed at distance e from reflective layer 82, which is then deposited on a substrate 84 comprising the read circuit of the membrane. In such a case, the membrane is both insulated from substrate 84 and placed at the location where the electromagnetic field power absorption is maximum.
This type of layout is for example currently used for infrared thermometric detection, for which thickness e ranges between 2 micrometers and 5 micrometers, which distance allows a mass production of suspended membranes having a high-quality mechanical hold. Indeed, as known per se, to form a membrane suspended above a support, a sacrificial layer is first deposited on the reflective layer, after which the membrane is constructed on the sacrificial layer. Once the membrane has been formed, the sacrificial layer is removed so that the membrane is suspended, generally in vacuum, above the support. By providing the support with a reflective layer and by selecting a sacrificial layer having the desired thickness e, a quarter-wave cavity is thus obtained with the membrane placed at thickness e from the reflective layer.
This layout is however difficult to achieve for a terahertz detection. Indeed, for such a wavelength range, thickness e is greater than 10 micrometers, or even greater than 30 micrometers. First, support pads having such a height do not provide a high-quality mechanical hold of the suspended membrane. Second, problems of separation of the sacrificial layer can be observed for such thicknesses due to the residual stress generated during the deposition that it undergoes on manufacturing of the membrane, which stress increases as the sacrificial layer thickness increases.
This is why a state-of-the-art reflective assembly 46, 72, such as for example illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, is made of a solid material 52, 78, and bolometric membrane 34, 70 is suspended above reflective assembly 46, 72 by a few micrometers for its thermal insulation, by means of thermal insulation arms having an appropriate thickness, width, and length. This space above the reflective assembly is created by the deposition of a sacrificial layer having a thickness which must remain compatible with its mechanical stability during the microbolometer manufacturing method and further be compatible with the forming of contacts between the suspended bolometric membrane and the substrate comprising reflective assembly 46, 72.
This enables to have support pads of reasonable height and avoids sacrificial layer separation problems. The membrane suspension height is then no longer imposed by the thickness of the reflective assembly and can thus be much smaller. It can thus be noted that bolometric membrane 34, 70 is no longer optimally placed with respect to reflective assembly 46, 72, but at a distance of a few micrometers thereabove, taking advantage of the fact that there still is a phenomenon of optimization of the electromagnetic field power at this distance, as illustrated in the diagram of the left-hand portion of FIG. 6. This drawing illustrates the intensity of the electromagnetic field, which decreases as the distance from reflective layer 82 increases. The state-of-the-art layout for terahertz detection thus is a compromise between the technical feasibility of a membrane suspended above a reflective assembly for which the quality factor is desired to be optimized.
Such a layout however poses a number of specific problems.
First a solid layer 52, 78 of large thickness requires contact recoveries between the read circuit and the bolometric membrane, which are difficult to form, especially causing efficiency drops. For example, for a detector intended to detect a radiation around 700 GHz, the thickness of reflective assembly 46, 72 comprising a layer of silicon oxide (one of the materials most currently used in microelectronics) is approximately 33 micrometers. Now, to manufacture at a large scale a layer of such a thickness crossed by connection vias, at least three deposition steps, each associated with the forming of a portion of the vias, have to be implemented.
Finally, layer 52, 78 is deposited on a metal layer to which it may not adhere sufficiently to avoid any risk of separation during subsequent manufacturing steps.
To decrease the thickness of layer 52, 78, a dielectric of high dielectric permittivity may be used to comply with relation (1), and thus at least partially solve these problems. However, as the dielectric permittivity increases, electromagnetic phenomena appear, which may adversely affect the operation of bowties antennas, especially causing an increase of the coupling between antennas, which alters the quality of the detection. The selection of the reflective assembly thus generally results from a compromise between several antagonistic phenomena.

Bolometric detector of an electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range and detector array device comprising said detectors

Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


The present invention provides an improvement of a 4-quadrant clock phase interpolator design to allow independent rotation of the output clocks in steps of 90°. This feature is useful in clock/data recovery where the 90° “jumps” can be used as a coarse control to re-align the data capture clock to achieve any desired data word alignment and/or receive bus clock alignment. The phase interpolator has a switching circuit comprising a single level of switches; a set of four transistor loads; and a set of four current sources operable to be switched by the switching circuit through to any of the set of four transistor loads.

The generic structure of a 4-quadrant phase interpolator as disclosed in the Applicant's prior patent no. GB2415101, is shown in FIG. 1, and consists of a set of 4 differential amplifiers driven by quadrature clocks Clk0 & Clk1 and their complements Clk2 & Clk3 (i.e. 4 quadrature phases in total). The four differential amplifiers effectively operate at 90° intervals and each is connected to a current source device whose bias voltage is controlled in order to adjust the phase of the outgoing clock to the desired alignment.
There is now a need for an improvement of the prior art 4-quadrant clock phase interpolator design to allow independent rotation of the output clocks in steps of 90°.

Phase interpolator with independent quadrant rotation


A sensing system, including: a sensing assembly, the sensing assembly having: a trim resistor; and a controller removably secured to the sensing assembly, the controller being configured to determine a resistance value of the trim resistor; a database in operable communication with the controller, the database having a plurality of resistance values, each identifying a pair of compensation values; a microprocessor receiving the resistance value of the trim resistor, a first signal and a second signal, the resistance value of the trim resistor being used to define a selected pair of compensation values from the database, one of the selected pair of compensation values is used to adjust the first signal and the other one of the selected pair of compensation values is used to adjust the second signal.

The present invention relates to sensing elements and trim resistors and methods of using the same.
Sensors are positioned to monitor variables such as exhaust gases of an exhaust system. In most applications the sensors, which are exposed to the exhaust gases are typically associated with a controller comprising microelectronics in order to receive signals from the sensors and provide signals and/or commands to components of another system. Some sensors require a compensation resistor or trim resistor to be associated with the sensor and the electronics of the system in order to provide signals to the controller of the system in order to compensate for part-to-part variability in the sensor itself.
For example, and since some sensors cannot be made accurate enough to be used as made, a trimming resistor is employed to inform the controller how a particular sensor varies from the ideal sensor. Accordingly, the sensor with the trim resistor allows the system to accurately measure a particular constituent (e.g., sensor+trim resistor+controller).
In the past, there have been two ways to do this. The first being the incorporation of a trim resistor into the interface circuit of the microprocessor of the sensor system such that the circuit topology of the sensor system and the interface together includes the trim resistor as part of the active circuit that is amplifying the sensor signal. The trimmed resistor can then change a gain, offset or time constant in the interface to match the electronic interface performance to a specific sensor. This method is traditionally used in a purely analog interface.
The second method is more typically associated with an interface that utilizes a digital signal processing approach. In this method the actual sensor outputs are read by the digital interface in their raw, uncorrected form and then these raw values are normalized by a correction algorithm. In this application the trim resistor is read in as a separate input and its value is used as an input in a correction algorithm, which is performed by software. In this application, the trim resistor controls the correction however, it is not part of the main signal path from the actual sensor inputs.
In both of the aforementioned methods and/or processes one trim resistor is used for each parameter to be normalized. Thus, multiple trim resistors are required for multiple sensor inputs.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a sensor wherein two or more compensation values may be determined with a single trim resistor.

Apparatus and method for trimming multiple sensing elements with a single trim resistor