A combined fish scale and catch-and-release device is disclosed. The catch-and-release device hereof has a unique crank and slider mechanism with a self-locking function independent of external resistance, which mechanism reciprocally drives the opposing C-shaped jaws between an open position and a closed position. The closed position is self-locking. The device is housed in an elongated body having a handle at one end from which the crank is operated. The handle has a spring scale housed therein with a scale stem extending from the handle. The spring scale has a separate handle adjacent the catch-and-release handle enabling the user to move between lip-locking and weighing modes without touching the fish. During weighing the fish and the device are suspended from the scale handle and the spring of the scale is compressed, exposing scale markings indicating the weight.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a combined fish scale and catch-and-release device to enable a fisherman to securely grip a fish by the lower lip during the release procedure. Further, the combined fish scale and catch-and-release device reduces the injury to the fish by minimizing the handling of the fish during weighing and the handling of the fish in the release process. In so doing, the natural protective coating of the fish is preserved and the survival rate upon release is optimized.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Today""s sport fishing regulations have evolved so that more and more fisherman are required to catch and release a larger proportion of the fish caught. This is designed to maintain fish and stream environments and to provide, where a particular species needs protection, the necessary level of intervention.
While these regulations did not meet initially with universal acceptance, the catch-and-release mode is now sufficiently integrated into sport fishing that equipment facilitating the procedures is more widely available. For example, the fish handling tool of C. D. Camp, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,585 has been introduced to the market. This prior art device provides a fish handling device in which the gripping pressure of the jaws is increased by the weight of the fish.
When operating in the catch-and-release mode, it is of key importance that the handling of fish caught on the line be in a manner that is least harmful to the fish. Minimally a gripping device is needed which is easy to handle with one hand so that the other hand is free to disengage the fishhook. Such gripping devices nip the lip of the fish between two jaws operating between an open and a closed position.
In the prior art resistance-dependent mechanism, there is a greater possibility of damage to an active fish than there is with a gripping mechanism that is independent of external resistance. With a relaxed fish, there is more likelihood with the prior art device that the resistance to the gripping mechanism is below the level required for self-locking operation. This, in turn, leads to premature release of the fish.
The device of the present invention, as will be seen from the description which follows, overcomes the problems created by a resistance-dependent, self-locking mechanism and exhibits the advantages provided hereinbelow.
The invention disclosed herein is a catch-and-release device that has a unique mechanism with a self-locking function independent of external resistance. The catch-and-release device hereof has opposing C-shaped jaws that are reciprocally driven between an open position and a closed position by a crank and slider assembly. The crank of the crank and slider assembly rotates approximately 90xc2x0 in one direction during closing and locking and rotates approximately 90xc2x0 in the opposite direction during unlocking and opening. The crank arm of the crank and slider assembly is at one end eccentrically mounted to the crank and at the other end flexibly mounted to a reciprocating slider which, in turn, is attached at the other end thereof to the operating arms of the jaws.
The crank arm during the rotation of the crank (in either direction) reaches a position or null point wherein the longitudinal axes of the crank arm and the reciprocating slider are aligned. A spring is secured to the crank and slider assembly that biases the crank arm toward the crank. The spring force with the crank rotating in the direction of closing and locking is initially exerted counter to the closing effort. When this force is overcome and the null point is passed, the spring force is then exerted in the opposite direction and maintains the locking position. Conversely, the spring force with the crank rotating in the direction of opening and unlocking is initially exerted counter to the unlocking effort. When this force is overcome and the null point is passed, the spring force is exerted in the opposite direction to maintain the jaws in an open condition.
The crank and slider assembly is mounted in an elongated or tubular body having a handle portion at one end thereof. Adjacent the handle, a crank slot accommodates the crank on an axis transverse to that of the elongated body. The crank slot also provides limits restricting the rotatory motion of the crank to the approximately 90xc2x0 of rotation described supra. Adjacent the crank slot, the tubular body has on one side thereof a crank arm relief slot which receives the misaligned crank arm when the eccentric mounting point is rotated beyond the null point to the same side of tubular body. As the wall of the tubular body opposite the relief slot is intact, upon the crank arm being misaligned in the opposite direction as just described, the wall acts as a stop or lock with the spring retaining the crank arm in the locked condition.
In the second embodiment, the handle is enlarged to accommodate therewithin a spring scale. The handle portion has the dual function of handle for the catch-and-release device and outer housing of the spring scale. The fish scale operates independently from the catch-and-release function, and, during engagement with the lip of the fish, no forces are exerted upon the spring of the scale. After locking onto the fish, the fish and the catch-and-release device are suspended from the scale handle and the spring of the scale is compressed, exposing on the scale shaft calibrated markings indicating the weight of the fish.
An object of the present invention is to provide a catch-and-release device which combines a unique self-locking mechanism with a pair of gripping jaws enabling the fisherman to nip the lower lip of a fish by a simple one-handed operation and upon detaching the fish hook from a fish releasing the fish to his environment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fish gripping tool which is easy to manufacture and can be made in various lengths for differing applications, e.g. fishing from a riverbank and fishing from a boat.
A further object of the invention is to provide a catch-and-release device which is easy to lock onto the lower lip of the fish and is easy to release the locking mechanism thereof, which device ensures minimal handling by the fisherman of the fish and without interfering with the exterior coating of the fish.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide a fish scale within the handle of the catch-and-release device that operates independently therefrom.
A feature of the present invention is that the crank arm, when positioned on one side of the longitudinal axis, is biased toward the open position; and on the other side, toward the closed position.
This together with other objects and advantages will become apparent in the description which follows.

Combined fish scale and catch-and-release device


A linear radio frequency identification antenna is provided and includes an insulating material, a shielding material, and a conductive wire. The shielding material connects with the insulating material to form a closed body. The conductive wire is covered by the closed body such that the conductive wire, the insulating material, and the shielding material together form a linear-shaped body.

Various electronic products, especially portable electronic products, such as mobile phones, notebook computers, tablet computers/panel PC, personal digital assistants (PDA), barcode identification system devices, radio frequency identification (RFID) system devices, and global positioning system (GPS) devices, are commercially available and in wide use. When compared with its identification-related counterparts, radio frequency identification (RFID) has advantages, such as long service life, high security, and all-weather operation. Radio frequency identification (RFID) advantageously features a longer sensing distance and a higher scanning speed than conventional barcode identification systems do (because barcode tags have to be identified one by one, whereas more than 200 radio frequency identification-enabled tags can be processed simultaneously). Hence, it is even predicted that radio frequency identification (RFID) can gain a portion of the market share otherwise occupied by barcode identification. As regards its system framework, a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an electronic tag, a reader, and a system application. A radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna is installed on the reader and designed to operate by electromagnetic sensing or by microwave technology. In general, no electric wave can penetrate a metallic barrier. Nonetheless, electric wave can divert and form a magnetic field. Hence, the RFID antenna design is typically subjected to a limitation, that is, a magnetic field has to shun any shielding effect that is likely to preclude the formation of the magnetic field, and in consequence it is necessary for the RFID antenna to be equipped with a shielding layer for blocking electromagnetic interference.
Presently, conventional RFID antennas are formed mostly from conventional coils or printed circuit boards (PCB). The conventional RFID antennas formed from coils or printed circuit boards are bulky. However, a conventional RFID antenna is typically installed on a PCB (and thus known as PCB-style RFID antenna) or on a lid (and thus known as coil-style RFID antenna.) Therefore, the RFID antenna installed on a PCB or a lid has to be covered with a large shielding layer for preventing electromagnetic interference, thereby incurring additional manufacturing costs. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an effective way of cutting the costs of a shielding layer used for preventing electromagnetic interference.

Linear radio frequency identification antenna and method for manufacturing the same

Tyco Electronics Holdings (Bermuda) No. 7 Limited


The presently disclosed subject matter is a novel adaptation of a pouch that enables the measurement and dispensing of unit doses of flowable products. Particularly, the pouch comprises a storage compartment that houses a flowable product prior to dispensing. The pouch further includes a dispensing compartment comprising a support member with a fitment to accommodate dispensing out of the pouch. The support member can function to support the pouch, such as for use as a handle or gripping area. Further, the support member allows the structural integrity of the pouch to remain intact. The pouch further includes a dividing seal comprising a one-way channel that facilitates the movement of flowable product from the storage compartment to the dispensing compartment so that dispensing and/or metering can occur.

Although most existing devices are rigid containers, flexible packaging is increasingly becoming one of the primary forms of consumer packaging for flowable products. Packages of this kind include a wide variety of containers, from simple packages to sophisticated contoured designs that function as stand-up pouches, flat pouches, or even box shapes. These flexible packages are economical packaging solutions that allow compact shipping to the filler, can include improved barrier or other film qualities, and are suitable for high-quality printing and finishing. In addition, flexible packaging (as compared to relatively rigid packaging, such as cartons) take up very little volume until after the package is filled, providing a significant storage advantage. Further, after the flexible package is emptied of its contents, it readily collapses, thereby reducing its volume to approximately that of the unfilled package, which proves to be a considerable benefit.
For many applications, the entire contents of a flexible package can be used at one time. For other applications, only a small amount of product is required for an application, such as washing detergent, bleach, fabric softener, and the like. In cases where only a small amount of the product is required, there is generally a need to measure the amount of the product to be dispensed in each application.
Commonly, users are required to utilize a package cap as the measuring device. The cap can have a built-in cup with various graduations or "fill lines" representing different fluid volumes. Where the measuring aids are not incorporated into the package itself, users utilize other methods to measure the amount of flowable product necessary for a specific application. The extra time and effort needed to find and utilize a suitable measuring device presents added difficulties. The procedure of pouring the product from the package to a measuring container, and then transferring from the measuring container to an end use is a tedious and time-consuming process. In addition, because of the variations in size and shape, such sight-measuring aids can yield inaccurate and imprecise results.
There are many different containers that dispense flowable products in measured amounts, where the container holds a substantially greater amount of product relative to the dispensed amount. Many of these devices have the capacity to store, measure, and dispense fluids without the need for sight measuring. Such characteristics are desirable, especially when contact with the packaged product can be harmful, such as with poisons, bleach, etc. Typically, however, prior art devices capable of dispensing a measured volume of fluid are unduly complex in design and manufacture, are undependable, and can be expensive.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a flexible metering package that lacks the negative characteristics noted in the prior art.

Pouch with metering handle for dispensing flowable products


A high-voltage transformer winding bobbin made from a heat-resisting, insulative plastic material through the process of injection molding, which includes a plurality of square flanges equidistantly spaced around the hollow, cylindrical, square body thereof and a plurality of winding grooves respectively defined between each two adjacent square flanges for winding an enamel wire, wherein the square flanges except the last one, have each a V-shaped wire guiding notch on a respective peripheral edge. The V-shaped wire guiding notches on the square flanges are respectively aligned for guiding an enamel wire into each winding groove. In an alternate form, the V-shaped wire guiding notches on the square flanges of odd numbers are aligned and respectively disposed diagonal to the V-shaped wire guiding notches on the square flanges of even numbers.

The present invention relates to a high-voltage transformer winding bobbin which has a plurality of winding grooves separated by square flanges for winding an enamel wire into separate windings efficiently.
A high-voltage transformer according to the prior art is generally comprised of a core having a plurality of windings wound thereon one around another and respectively separated from one another by a respective sheet of insulator paper. According to this arrangement, the impedance of the windings is directly proportional to the distance from the core. Therefore, an outer winding produces a relatively higher impedance. Because increasing the impedance of a winding simultaneously increases its temperature, an outer winding may be burnt down easily. Because the windings are wound on the core one around another, longer enamel wires is used for making a transformer of the same capacity and much labor is required for winding the windings and the sheets of insulator paper. After the process of winding, the whole assembly is attached with silicon steel core brade and dipped in a varnish solution for coating. If the sheets of insulator layer are not properly wrapped, the quality of the transformer is greatly affected. Furthermore, the use of the sheets of insulator paper greatly increases the size of the winding assembly and the silicon steel core brades, and therefore the total weight and manufacturing cost of the transformer are relatively increased.

Horizontal compartmentized square bobbin of high-voltage transformer


A method and mechanism for managing dynamically allocated memory. Portions of memory which are available for allocation have additional information stored in association with each portion which indicates whether the portion has been previously identified as being prematurely freed. In addition, a checksum is stored with each portion of memory. In response to a request for deallocation of a portion of memory, the portion of memory is not deallocated if it is identified as having been prematurely freed. Otherwise, the a checksum is calculated for the portion and it is freed. In response to an allocation request, a candidate portion of memory is identified for allocation and a checksum is calculated for the candidate portion. If the calculated checksum does not match a checksum previously stored for the candidate portion, the portion is identified as having been prematurely freed and is not returned for allocation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computing systems and, more particularly, to detecting and fixing prematurely freed objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer programming languages such a C and C++ allow programmers to manage memory by enabling them to explicitly allocate and free portions of memory during execution of a program. While this ability to explicitly allocate and free memory may simplify many programming tasks, it does present certain challenges as well. For example, once memory has been allocated, the programmer must ensure that it is not freed again until the program is done using it. Freeing a portion of memory before the program is done using it is sometime referred to as a "premature free". In addition, once the program is finished using allocated memory, it should be freed and not retained in an allocated state. Otherwise, the memory which was allocated will remain unavailable for reuse by that or other programs.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a variety of factors may increase the difficulty of avoiding errors in the management of memory. For example, the difficult in properly managing memory may increase as the size of a program grows. In addition, memory may be allocated in one module of a program, used in other modules of the program, and freed in still other modules. The fact that these modules may be written by different programmers can further complicate matters. Further, the difficulty in managing memory may also increase as a program ages. Most programs undergo revision in order to fix bugs or add new features. Given that the people who do the revisions may be different from those who wrote the original program, the manner in which the revised program manages memory may be different from that contemplated by the original authors of the program.
One way of solving some of the problems posed by programs which manage their own memory is to reserve all freeing of memory to a special program called a garbage collector which frees blocks of memory that are no longer being used by a program. Generally speaking, garbage collectors work by detecting portions of memory that no longer have pointers pointing to them (i.e., are "unreachable"). In this manner, the garbage collector may identify and help resolve memory leaks. However, while the use of automated garbage collectors may ease some of the problems of managing memory, garbage collection mechanisms—when they are available—may involve a significant amount of overhead. Consequently, it may not be desirable to use automated garbage collection for a particular application.
In addition to the above, garbage collectors generally do not address the problem of prematurely freed memory. As noted above, a premature free results when a portion of memory is freed while the portion of memory is still in use by the program. Once memory is free, it generally becomes part of the system heap and is made available for reallocation. A subsequent attempted access to memory that has already been freed may access data in an unrelated part of the program. Consequently, premature frees may result in corrupted data. In addition, locating the root cause of such data corruption can be very difficult to debug.
Accordingly, an effective method and mechanism for managing premature frees is desired.


A mortuary human removal system with battery powered stairclimbing capability is disclosed having a mortuary body glide board, riveted to a top side of a commercially available battery powered stairclimbing hand truck. A multi-stage two wheeled prop stand is coupled to an opposing side of the hand truck longitudinal rails, which is designed to create two automatically latching positions of separation between the wheels and the hand truck rail. The shorter separation is used as an aid to safely lifting a human body on the mortuary human removal system to a first height above the ground. The second position is at a predetermined height for use as a fulcrum to tipping the foot end up and into an ambulance, hearse or other vehicle and be automatically folded up as the mortuary human removal system is pushed all the way into the vehicle.

Often the first call upon mortuary personnel is to remove a deceased person from a location requiring the use of stairs. Unfortunately, this is sometimes done by sliding the body down stairs or dragging it up stairs. For many reasons, these simple approaches can be less than optimal. Mortuary personnel are often at risk of slips, falls, and injuries to their backs, etc. Also, bereaved observers can be unnecessarily left with a feeling that their deceased love one has not been treated with proper respect, potentially creating a lasting negative impression of the mortuary providing these services.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and apparatuses for efficiently and safely transporting a deceased person in a controlled and dignified manner over stairs and into a vehicle.

System and method for electrically assisting in removal of deceased humans up and down stairs and into a vehicle


A capsule and method for delivery for an active ingredient in the oral cavity that has a pH sensitive encapsulant shell and is associated with an adhesive. The pH sensitive shell dissolves at a pH in the oral cavity while the adhesive allows dissolution at the selected tissue.

Encapsulation processes have been developed to make capsules containing a selected ingredient or mixtures of ingredients coated with a layer of another composition. Capsules can be made in many sizes. Small capsules come in various size ranges from about 1 micron to several millimeters. The smallest capsules can be used in emulsion formulas. The smaller capsules are sometimes referred to as microcapsules.
Some microcapsules are designed to break under pressure so that the internal ingredient is released when rubbed over a surface. Microcapsules have been made containing therapeutic agents to be ingested coated with films broken down because of pH changes in the gastric system. Other films or shells on capsules are soluble in particular solvents. Release of the internal component is controlled generally by solubility characteristics and the thickness of the shell.
The microcapsules are made by methods well known in the art and have been used in numerous industrial and commercial applications. Typical processes are centrifugal extrusion, pan coating and air suspension methods. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,692,690; 3,015,128 and 3,310,612 are exemplary of encapsulation techniques known and practiced in the art. In addition to those illustrated by the patents, other techniques are available. The present invention can utilize any of the available methods for preparing capsules or microcapsules.

Controlled-release PH sensitive capsule and adhesive system and method


A method for lining a branch pipe comprising the steps of: preparing a tubular liner bag by sewing a rectangular nonwoven resin-absorbent fabric into a tubular shape with one end closed; attaching an impermeable plastic film over the external surface of this tubular liner bag; soaking the nonwoven resin-absorbent fabric with a hardenable fluid resin; everting the liner bag into the branch pipe until the eversion head of the liner bag is stopped by the inner wall of the main pipe; forcing the eversion head of the liner bag to turn downstream in the main pipe, thus allowing the the liner bag to evert entirely; hardening the hardenable fluid resin while inflating the liner bag; and removing that portion of the liner bag which protrudes into the main pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for lining a pipe by applying a lining material on the inner wall of the pipe, and in particular the invention relates to a method for lining a branch pipe branching off a main pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When an underground pipe, such as pipelines and passageways, becomes defective or too old to perform properly, the pipe is repaired and rehabilitated without digging the earth to expose the pipe and disassembling the sections of the pipe. This non-digging method of repairing an underground pipe has been known and practiced commonly in the field of civil engineering. Typically, the method is disclosed by Japanese Provisional Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 60-242038.
According to this publication, this method of pipe repair comprises inserting a sufficiently long tubular flexible liner bag into the pipe to be repaired by means of a pressurized fluid, like air and water. The tubular liner bag is made of a flexible resin-absorbent material impregnated with a thermosetting resin, and has the outer surface covered with an impermeable plastic film. More particularly, according to the publication, the tubular flexible liner bag is closed at one end and open at the other; the tubular flexible liner bag is first flattened, then, the closed end of the tubular liner bag is tied to a control rope; the open end of the tubular liner bag is made to gape wide and hooked (anchored) at the end of the defective or old pipe in a manner such that the wide-opened end of the liner completely and fixedly covers and closes the pipe end; a portion of the liner is pushed into the pipe; then, the pressurized fluid is applied to the said portion of the tubular liner such that the fluid urges the tubular liner to enter the pipe. Since one end of the tubular liner is hooked at the end of the pipe, it remains there while the rest of the flexible liner bag is turned inside out as it proceeds deeper in the pipe. (Hereinafter, this manner of insertion shall be called "everting". ) When the entire length of the tubular liner bag is everted (i.e., turned inside out) into the pipe, the control rope holds the closed end of the tubular liner bag to thereby control the length of the tubular liner in the pipe. Then, the everted tubular liner is pressed against the inner wall of the pipe by the said pressurized fluid, and the tubular flexible liner is hardened as the thermosetting resin impregnated in the liner is heated, which is effected by heating the fluid filling the tubular liner bag by means of a hot steam, etc. It is thus possible to line the inside wall of the defective or old pipe with a rigid liner without digging the ground and disassembling the pipe sections.
This method is applicable to a pipe branching out from a main pipe as well, and how it is conducted will be described next with reference to FIG. 12.
FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of a sewerage site, showing the conventional method of lining a pipe 103 branching out from a main pipe 101. The branch pipe 103 is normally tilted, rather than vertical, in a manner such that the flow of the liquid down the branch pipe 103 acquires a momentum to rush downstream when it enters the main pipe 101. In other words, of the two supplementary angles formed between the branch pipe and the main pipe, the one on the downstream side of the main pipe is greater. Therefore, in FIG. 12, the downstream of the main pipe 101 is to the left. As shown, a flexible tubular liner bag 104 is everted in the underground branch pipe 103 from the ground by means of the pressure of the water supplied from a water hose 108. When the length of the tubular liner bag 104 is substantially greater than the length of the branch pipe 103, then the head of the tubular liner bag 104 hits upon the inner wall of the main pipe 101 and is thus prevented from everting longer. As a result, there occurs an uneverted portion 104a of the liner bag 104. That part of the liner bag 104 which entered the main pipe 101 is removed by cutting operation.


There is provided a method for resizing a network connection in an optical transport network that supports protection switching and receives a flexible Optical channel Data (ODUflex(GFP)) signal. In addition, Hitless Adjustment of ODUflex(GFP) (HAO) procedure includes Suppress Bandwidth Resize (SBR) information that prevents a Bandwidth Resize (BWR) protocol from being initiated. Based on the SBR information, only the LCR protocol is executed at nodes located on a protection path for protection switching, except for the BWR protocol. On the other hand, both the LCR protocol and the BWR protocol are executed at nodes located on a working path.

1. Field
The following description relates to a method for resizing a network connection in an optical transport network, and, more specifically, to a method for resizing a network connection in an optical transport network that supports protection switching.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical transport network boasts a wide bandwidth, high reliability and a well-developed protection switching function, and supports Operations Administration and Management (OAM) technologies. To effectively receive packet data, the amount of which is now explosively increasing, there are many attempts to develop a method for transporting packet data in an optical transport network. International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication standardization sector (ITU-T), which is an international organization in charge of standardization work, has standardized a technology for more effectively receiving Ethernet data in an optical transport network. In an effort to flexibly receive a client signal, especially a packet signal, with high transmission efficiency, the ITU-T, defines a flexible Optical channel Data Unit (ODUflex) signal which refers to a Generic Framing Procedure (GFP)-encalsulated packet signal that adds ODUflex overhead to ODUflex payload. In general, the ODUflex signal is used as an ODUflex(GFP) signal.
In addition, the ITU-T has developed a resize protocol that can increase or decrease a size of the ODUflex(GFP) signal without affecting a network. Specifically, the resize protocol is defined as ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) standard or an Hitless Adjustment of ODUflex(GFP) (HAO) procedure. The ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) stand or the HAO process is a resize procedure for increasing or decreasing a network connection. Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0127077 introduces a dynamic packet transmission technology titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING PACKET IN OPTICAL TRANSPORT NETWORK" that solves the drawbacks of an existing HAO protocol to increase or decrease the amount of packet to be transmitted without packet loss regardless of a size of packet frame.
In this reference, it is assumed that actual packet data is transmitted, and a dynamic resize procedure for a path on which the packet data is transmitted is defined. In addition, for swift restoration at an occurrence of any error or fault in a network that support protection switching, a protection path is set in advance. The HAO protocol according to the ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) stand may be applied in a procedure for changing a bandwidth of a working path in an optical transport network receiving an ODUflex signal, but may be difficult to be applied in a procedure for changing a bandwidth of a protection path.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for resizing network connection in the optical transport network supporting protection switching

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A process for the preparation of a chalcogenide alloy which comprises the evaporation of a mixture of a chalcogenide alloy and a metal oxide. Also, there is disclosed a process for controlling the fractionation of chalcogenide alloys which comprises providing a mixture of chalcogenide alloy, and a metal oxide; and subsequently subjecting the resulting mixture to evaporation; and a process for controlling the fractionation of selenium alloys which comprises providing a selenium alloy; admixing therewith a metal oxide; and subsequently subjecting the resulting mixture to evaporation.

The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of chalcogenide alloys and to processes for suppressing the fractionation of chalcogenide alloys. More specifically, the present invention relates to processes for controlling the fractionation of chalcogenide alloys during, for example, the vacuum deposition thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a process for controlling and suppressing the fractionation of chalcogenide alloys which comprises adding to the source material selected, such as a source alloy, metal oxides thereby enabling, for example, desirable chalcogenide alloys possessing homogeneous distributions of the chalcogens throughout the product obtained. The products resulting from the process of the present invention can be selected as photoconductors or photoreceptors in electrophotographic imaging systems, including xerographic imaging and printing methods.
Chalcogens and chalcogenide alloys, and their use in electrophotographic processes is well known. Generally, the aforementioned photoconductors are prepared by known vacuum deposition, flash evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition methods. These methods possess disadvantages in some instances, thus for example with vacuum deposited chalcogenide alloys the products obtained usually lack controllable reproducibility in their homogeneity thereby adversely effecting the electrophotographic electrical characteristics thereof. As the elements selected in the source alloy for vacuum deposition usually have different vapor pressures, such elements tend to separate during the vacuum deposition process causing undesirable inhomogeneity, or fractionation thereof. Also, with vacuum deposition processes the components with high selenium content tend to evaporate first and thus are not subsequently available for deposition. Accordingly, the final photoreceptor will contain less selenium at the top surface thereof which adversely affects electrical characteristics thereof, and adds significantly to the cost of photoreceptor manufacturing or preparation primarily as a result of a reduction in total yield loss. With the processes of the present invention these and other disadvantages are avoided.
Electrophotographic photoconductive imaging members containing amorphous selenium can be modified to improve panchromatic response, increase speed and to improve color copyability. These members are usually comprised of binary and ternary chalcogenide alloys such as alloys of selenium with tellurium and/or arsenic with and without halogens. The selenium imaging members may be fabricated as single layered devices comprising a selenium-tellurium, selenium-arsenic, selenium antimony, selenium tellurium arsenic, selenium tellurium bismuth, selenium tellurium arsenic chlorine, selenium-tellurium-antimony or selenium-tellurium-arsenic alloy layer which functions as a charge generation and charge transport medium. The selenium electrophotographic imaging members may also comprise multiple layers such as, for example, a selenium alloy transport layer and a selenium alloy generator layer.
One known process for the preparation of photoreceptor comprises the vacuum deposition of a selenium alloy on a supporting substrate such as aluminum. Tellurium can be incorporated therein as an additive primarily for the purpose of enhancing the spectral sensitivity thereof. Also, arsenic can be incorporated as an additive for the primary purpose of improving wear characteristics, passivation against crystallization and improving electrical performance of the resulting photoconductor or photoreceptor. Generally, the tellurium addition can be incorporated as a thin selenium-tellurium alloy layer deposited over a selenium alloy layer to achieve the benefits of photogeneration and charge transport characteristics. Fractionation of chalcogenide alloys during the vacuum evaporation process results in an undesirable concentration gradient of, for example, tellurium and/or arsenic in the deposited photoconductor. Accordingly, there results inhomogeneities (fractionation) in the stoichiometry of the vacuum deposited thin films. Fractionation occurs, it is believed for example, as a result of differences in the partial vapor pressure of the molecular species of the solid and liquid phases of binary, ternary and other multicomponent alloys. An important aspect in the fabrication of chalcogenide based photoreceptors resides in controlling the fractonation of alloy components such as tellurium and/or arsenic and the like during the evaporation of source alloys. More specifically, tellurium and/or arsenic fractionation control is particularly important since the tellurium and/or arsenic concentration at the top surface of the resulting photoreceptor affects xerographic sensitivity, charge acceptance, dark discharge, copy quality, photoreceptor wear, cost of fabrication, crystallization resistance, and the like. For example, in single layer lower arsenic selenium alloy photoreceptors arsenic enrichment at the top surface caused by fractionation can also cause severe reticulation of the evaporated film. Further, in single layer tellurium selenium alloy photoreceptors, tellurium enrichment at the top surface due to fractionation can cause undue sensitivity enhancement, poor charge acceptance and enhancement of dark discharge. Also, in two layer or multilayer photoreceptors where low arsenic alloys may be incorporated as a transport layer, arsenic enrichment at the interface with the layer above can lead to residual cycle up problems. Moreover, in two layer or multilayer photoreceptors where tellurium alloys may be incorporated as a generator layer, tellurium enrichment at the upper surface of the charge generator layer can result in similar undue sensitivity enhancement, poor charge acceptance, and enhancement of dark discharge.
One specific method of preparing selenium alloys for evaporation comprises the grinding of selenium alloy shots (beads) and compressing the ground material into pellet agglomerates, typically from about 150 to about 300 milligrams in weight, and having an average diameter of about 6 millimeters (6,000 micrometers). The pellets are then evaporated from crucibles in a vacuum coater in a manner designed to minimize the fractionation of the alloy during evaporation. One disadvantage of the aforementioned vacuum deposited photoconductors, such as selenium-tellurium alloy layer, is the crystallization of the selenium-tellurium alloy at the surface of the layer when exposed to heat. To retard premature crystallization and extend photoreceptor life, the addition of up to about 5 percent arsenic to the selenium-tellurium alloy can be beneficial without impairment of xerographic performance. For example, when the photoreceptor comprises a single layer selenium arsenic alloy, about 1 about 2.5 percent by weight arsenic, based on the weight of the entire layer, at the surface of the alloy layer there is provided protection against surface crystallization. When the concentration of arsenic is greater than about 2.5 percent by weight, electrical instability risks increase.
Also, in deposited layers of selenium tellurium alloys the amounts of top surface tellurium present can cause excessively high photosensitivity. This photosensitivity is variable and changes as the surface of the layer wears away. Surface injection of corona deposited charge and thermally enhanced bulk dark decay involving carrier generation cause the toner images in the final copies to exhibit a washed out, low density appearance. Excessive dark decay causes loss of high density in solid areas of toner images and general loss of image density.
There were located as a result of a patentability search U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,964; 4,013,463; 4,540,652; 4,554,230; and 4,019,902. In the '964 patent, there is disclosed mixing or melting selenium with a predetermined amount of selenium dioxide, reference, for example, the Abstract of the Disclosure and column 2. In the '463 and '902 patents, there are disclosed durable photoreceptors having improved flexibility comprising a metal or metal coated flexible substrate and an organic photoconductive layer wherein the photoreceptor is obtained by initially bombarding the metal substrate as an electrode with both negative and positive ions or an inert gas, reference the Abstracts of the Disclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,652 discloses a material of an electrically conductive support and a dielectric layer containing a binder of a certain percent therein, and 20 to 83 of a finely divided mixed pyrogenic silicon and titanium oxide containing between 10 and 50 percent by weight of titanium, see the Abstract of the Disclosure, for example. The '230 patent illustrates an imaging member, and indicates in column 6 that the selenium-tellurium alloy generating layer can be prepared in one preferred embodiment by grinding and following the other steps stated, which are designed to minimize the fractionation of the alloy during evaporation, reference column 6, lines 15 and 16.
One known method for attempting to control fractionation is the selection of shutters for incorporation over the evaporation crucibles. Shutters are normally selected after evaporation is substantially completed to avoid the coating of, for example, tellurium and arsenic rich species on the photoreceptor. This can result in a photoreceptor or photoconductor with a top surface containing desired levels of tellurium and arsenic. Further, shutters can be utilized at initiation of evaporation of elements from the crucible to avoid sputtering. The aforesaid shuttering is generally costly, usually requires incomplete evaporation, and further the crucibles selected have to be cleaned after each evaporation. Furthermore, with shuttering generally a substantial amount of the source material is lost during the process.
Accordingly, a problem encountered in the fabrication of chalcogenide alloy photoreceptors, such as known selenium alloy photoreceptors, is the fractionation or preferential evaporation of a component whereby the resulting film composition is not equivalent to the source component, such as the source alloy, thus the deposited film or layer does not have a uniform composition extending from one surface (top) to the other surface (bottom). For example, with selenium tellurium alloys containing from about 10 to about 60 percent by weight of tellurium, the tellurium concentration is high at the top surface and very low, that is it approaches almost zero, at the bottom of the vacuum deposited layer. This problem is observed with, for example, alloys of Se-Te,Se-As,Se-As-Te,Se-As-Te-Cl, mixtures thereof, and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,965, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a process which includes heating an alloy comprising selenium and from about 0.05 percent to about 2 percent by weight arsenic until from about 2 percent to about 90 percent by weight of the selenium in the alloy is crystallized, vacuum depositing the alloy on a substrate to form a vitreous photoconductive insulating layer having a thickness of between about 100 micrometers and about 400 micrometers containing between about 0.3 percent and about 2 percent by weight arsenic at the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer in a direction facing away from the conductive substrate, and heating the photoconductive insulating layer until only the selenium in the layer adjacent the substrate crystallizes to form a continuous substantially uniform crystalline layer having a thickness up to about one micrometer. A thin protective overcoating layer can then be applied on the photoconductive insulating layer. The selenium-arsenic alloy may be partially crystallized by placing the selenium alloy in shot form in a crucible in a vacuum coater and heating to between about 93.degree. C. (200.degree. F.) and about 177.degree. C. (350.degree. F.) for between about 20 minutes and about one hour to increase crystallinity and avoid reticulation. Preferably, the selenium-arsenic alloy material in shot form is heated until from about 2 percent to about 90 percent by weight of the selenium in the alloy is crystallized. The selenium-arsenic alloy material shot may be crystallized completely prior to vacuum deposition to ensure that a uniform starting point is employed. However, if desired, a completely amorphous alloy may be used as the starting material for vacuum deposition. In Examples II and V of this patent, halogen doped selenium-arsenic alloy shot contained about 0.35 percent by weight arsenic, about 11.5 parts per million by weight chlorine, and the remainder selenium, based on the total weight of the alloy, was heat aged at 121.degree. C. (250.degree. F.) for 1 hour in crucibles in a vacuum coater to crystallize the selenium in the alloy. After crystallization, the selenium alloy was evaporated from chrome coated stainless steel crucibles at an evaporation temperature of between about 204.degree. C.(400.degree. F.) and about 288.degree. C.( 550.degree. F.).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,386, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a process wherein the surfaces of large particles of an alloy comprising selenium, tellurium and arsenic, the particles having an average particle size of at least 300 micrometers and an average weight of less than about 1,000 milligrams, are mechanically abraded while maintaining the substantial surface integrity of the large particles to form between about 3 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight dust particles of the alloy based on the total weight of the alloy prior to mechanical abrasion. The alloy dust particles are substantially uniformly compacted around the outer periphery of the large particles of the alloy. The large particles of the alloy may be beads of the alloy having an average particle size of between about 300 micrometers and about 3,000 micrometers or pellets having an average weight between about 50 milligrams and about 1,000 milligrams, the pellets comprising compressed finely ground particles of the alloy having an average particle size of less than about 200 micrometers prior to compression. In one embodiment, the process comprises mechanically abrading the surfaces of beads of an alloy comprising selenium, tellurium and arsenic having an average particle size of between about 300 micrometers and about 3,000 micrometers while maintaining the substantial surface integrity of the beads to form a minor amount of dust particles of the alloy, grinding the beads and the dust particles to form finely ground particles of the alloy, and compressing the ground particles into pellets having an average weight between about 50 milligrams and about 1,000 milligrams. In another embodiment of the patent, mechanical abrasion of the surface of the pellets after the pelletizing step may be substituted for mechanical abrasion of the beads. The process includes providing beads of an alloy comprising selenium, tellurium and arsenic having an average particle size of between about 300 micrometers and about 3,000 micrometers, grinding the beads to form finely ground particles of the alloy having an average particle size of less than about 200 micrometers, compressing the ground particles into pellets having an average weight between about 50 milligrams and about 1,000 milligrams, and mechanically abrading the surface of the pellets to form alloy dust particles while maintaining the substantial surface integrity of the pellets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,712, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated processes for controlling fractionation. More specifically, there are disclosed in this patent processes for crystallizing particles of an alloy of selenium comprising providing particles of an alloy comprising amorphous selenium and alloying component selected from the group consisting of tellurium, arsenic, and mixtures thereof, said particles having an average size of at least about 300 micrometers and an average weight of less than about 1,000 milligrams, forming crystal nucleation sites on at least the surface of said particles while maintaining the substantial integrity of said particles, heating the particles to at least a first temperature between the about 50.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C. for at least about 30 minutes to form a thin, substantially continuous layer of crystalline material at the surface of the particles while maintaining the core of selenium alloy in said particles in an amorphous state, and rapidly heating said particles to at least a second temperature below the softening temperature of said particles, the second temperature being at least 20 .degree. C. higher than the first temperature and between about 85.degree. C. and about 130.degree. C. to crystallize at least about 5 percent by weight of said amorphous core of selenium alloy in the particles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,307, entitled Processes for Preparing and Controlling the Fractionation of Chalcogenide Alloys, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,559, entitled Processes for Suppressing the Fractionation of Chalcogenide Alloys, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated, for example, processes for the control of fractionation by adding to a source alloy, amorphous or crystalline selenium, such as trigonal selenium; or by effecting the crystallization of the source alloy. More specifically, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,559 a process for the preparation of chalogenide alloy compositions which comprises providing a chalcogenide alloy; admixing therewith crystalline or amorphous selenium; and subsequently subjecting the resulting mixture to evaporation; and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,307 a process for the preparation of chalcogenide alloys which comprises providing a chalcogenide alloy source component; crystallizing the source component; and evaporating the source component in the presence of an organic component.
There is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,098 a process wherein a powdery material of selenium alone or at least with one additive is compacted under pressure to produce tablets, the tablets being degassed by heating at an elevated temperature and below the melting point of the metallic selenium, and thereafter using the tablets as a source for vacuum deposition. The tablets formed by compacting the powdery selenium under pressure may be sintered at a temperature between about 100.degree. C. and about 220.degree. C. Typical examples of sintering conditions include 210.degree. C. for between about 20 minutes and about 1 hour and about 1 about 4 hours at 100.degree. C. depending, for example, upon compression pressure. Additives mentioned in the '098 patent include Te, As, Sb, Bi, Fe, Tl, S, I, F, Cl, Br, B, Ge, PbSe, CuO, Cd, Pb, BiCl.sub.3, Sb.sub.2 S.sub.3, Bi.sub.2, S.sub.3, Zn, CdS, CdSe, CdSes, and the like.
Illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,605 is a multilayered electrophotographic imaging member wherein one of the layers may comprise a selenium-tellurium-arsenic alloy prepared by grinding selenium-tellurium-arsenic alloy beads, with or without halogen doping, preparing pellets having an average diameter of about 6 millimeters from the ground material, and evaporating the pellets in crucibles in a vacuum coater. Other prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,424, which describes a process for preparing a photoreceptor wherein selenium-tellurium-arsenic alloy shot is ground, formed into pellets and vacuum evaporated; U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,230, which discloses a method for fabricating a photoreceptor wherein selenium-arsenic alloy beads are ground, formed into pellets and vacuum evaporated; U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,754 directed to a process for preparing a photoreceptor wherein selenium-arsenic-antimony alloys are ground into fine particles and vacuum evaporated; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,442 relating to an arsenic-selenium photoreceptor, wherein the concentration of arsenic increases from the bottom surface to the top surface of the photoreceptor, that the arsenic concentration is about 5 weight percent at a depth about 5 to 10 microns on the top surface of the photoreceptor and is about 30 to 40 weight percent at the top surface of the photoreceptor, which photoreceptor can be prepared by heating a mixture of selenium-arsenic alloys in a vacuum in a step-wise manner such that the alloys are consequentially deposited on the substrate to form a photoconductive film with an increasing concentration of arsenic from the substrate interface to the top surface of the photoreceptor. In one specific embodiment, a mixture of 3 selenium-arsenic alloys are maintained at an intermediate temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. to 130.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to dry the mixture. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,608 there is disclosed the heat treatment of single crystal super alloy particles by using a heat treatment cycle during the initial stages of which incipient melting occurs within the particles being treated. During a subsequent step in the heat treatment process, substantial diffusin occurs in the particle. In a related embodiment, single crystal particles which have previously undergone incipient melting during a heat treatment process are prepared by a heat treatment process. In still another embodiment, a single crystal composition of various elements, including chromium and nickel, is treated to heating steps at various temperatures. Other prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,585,621; 4,632,849; 4,484,945; 4,414,179; 4,015,029 and 3,785,806; Swiss Patent CH 656486 A5; and Japanese Patents 60-172346 and 57-91567.
There is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,031 a process for the formation of an alloy layer on the surface of a substrate, which for example comprises forming in a vessel a molten bath comprising at least one varporizable alloy component having a higher vapor pressure than at least one other vaporizable alloy component in the bath, forming a thin substantially inert liquid layer of an evaporation retarding film on the upper surface of the molten bath, the liquid layer of the evaporation retarding film having a lower or comparable vapor pressure than both the vaporizable alloying component having a higher vapor pressure and the other vaporizable alloying component, covaporizing at least a portion of both the vaporizable alloying component having a higher vapor pressure and the other vaporizable alloying component whereby the evaporation retarding film retards the initial evaporation of the vaporizable alloying component having a higher vapor pressure, and forming an alloy layer comprising both the vaporizable alloying component having a higher vapor pressure and the other vaporizable alloying component on the substrate, see column 3, lines 33 to 54, for example. Examples of vaporizable alloying components include selenium-sulfur and the like, and examples of vaporizable alloying components having relatively low vapor pressures which include tellurium, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, and the like are illustrated in column 4, reference for example lines 41 to 50. Examples of suitable evaporation retarding film materials are outlined in column 4 at line 54, and continuing onto column 5, line 36, such materials include inert oils, greases or waxes at room temperature which readily flow less than the temperature of detectable deposition of the vaporizable alloying components having higher vapor pressures in the alloying mixtures, and may include, for example, long chain hydrocarbon oils, greases, and waxes, lanolin, silicone oils such as dimethylpolysiloxane, branched or linear polyolefins such as polypropylene wax and polyalpha olefin oils, and the like, see column 5. According to the teachings of this patent, optimum results are achieved with high molecular weight long chain hydrocarbon oils and greases generally refined by molecular distillation to have low vapor pressure at the alloy deposition temperature, see column 5, lines 32 to 36. It is believed with the aforementioned process that the levels of organics, which are incorporated into the resulting alloy film, are sufficiently high causing negative adverse effects in the electrical properties of the resulting photoreceptor, for example dark decay and cyclic stability are adversely effected.

Processes for the preparation and processes for suppressing the fractionation of chalcogenide alloys


Configuration spaces facilitate the useful presentation of data, particularly configuration data used for representing configured products. Products include features and common features can be grouped by families. For example, an automobile can include a transmission family. The transmission family could include features such as automatic transmission and 4-speed manual transmission. Configuration spaces can be achieved by consolidating selected data without loosing useful information. The degree of consolidation achieved can be significant enough to permit display of data using conventional display technology. Configuration spaces break down the “universe” of possible configurations into constituent spaces defined by groups of rules for a selected feature. Common dependencies between the selected feature and related features can be consolidated to produce a more minimal form of the data used for representing the selected features and related features. Configuration spaces can provide a useful graphical view of the breakdown of all rules written for a single feature or multiple features. The data present in this view can be analyzed to, for example, study the dependency paths of an existing configuration and better understand the impact of revising configuration relationships. Thus, configuration spaces aid in the creation and modification of configuration models.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information processing, and more specifically to a system and method for representing and modeling the configuration of products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Configurable products can be described by sets of selectable features that make up the product. A feature represents an option that can be ordered on a product. For convenience, selectable features are generally grouped by families. Families are typically classified as groups of features with the same functional purpose. Example families for an automobile are "version," "trim package," "exterior package," "drives," "engines," "series," "tires," "markets," "wheels," "seats," and "transmissions." An example feature from the engines family is a "4.5 liter V8." Features relate to each other via configuration rules. A rule can be characterized as generally including a 'left hand side', (LHS), a 'right hand side' (RHS), and a specified relationship between the LHS and RHS. Each LHS feature may be associated with one or more RHS features, which indicates that a single feature in the LHS may be constrained or otherwise qualified by one or more RHS features. The RHS describes when a rule is in effect and what features are particularly affected. For example, a rule with a RHS of "XA, XB" means that the rule is in effect in cases where you have at least XA and XB in a buildable configuration, and XA and XB are features particularly affected by the rule along with the LHS feature. Configuration rules include optionalities that define a relationship between the LHS and RHS. Example optionalities include "S," "O," and "N," which translate to "standard," "optional," and "not available," respectively. A specific example of a rule containing an optionality would be "the 4.5 liter V8 engine is standard on the XL trim." In general, a feature is related to another feature if a rule has been written for the selected feature that references another feature. For example, for the above rule, "4.5 liter V8 engine" forms the LHS, "XL trim" forms the RHS, and "standard" specifies the relationship between the LHS and RHS of the rule. The collection of product configuration rules is generally referred to as a product's configuration model.
As rules are developed to define valid product configurations, dependencies arise between various families and features of families. For example, the presence of a particular wheel in a product may depend upon the particular version of the product. A chain of dependencies often arise. For example, the choice of a particular wheel may depend upon the "version" and the "trim package" may depend upon the "transmission," and the "transmission" may depend on the "market," etc. Although a product may include many features, features are not related if there is no dependency path that defines a relationship. For example, there may be no relationship between the choice of a wheel and the choice of a transmission or seat.
It is often useful to select a particular feature of a configurable product and analyze all the other features that the selected feature depends upon in order to be part of a valid, i.e. buildable, configuration. For example, a user, such as a configuration modeler, may want to know what features of an automobile have a dependant relationship with a selected feature. Table 1 sets forth all the features of families that have a relationship to the Engine family on an example automobile:
TABLE 1Features Relating toFamilythe Engine FamilyMarketUSA, Mexico, Canada,Europe, South America(S.A.)TrimXA, XB, XCEngineV4, V6
If a user would like to, for example, display the relationships between the V4 engine feature and features relating to the V4 engine, a grid could be displayed as in FIG. 1 that depicts the relationships between the selected V4 engine and the related families of Table 1 for the example automobile, e.g. the V4 engine is optional with Trim XA in the USA. The display of FIG. 1 is not particularly complicated and cumbersome.
However, as revealed in Table 2, when the number of related families and features increases displaying the relationships between features becomes very difficult when using normal sized displays, such as a 15-20 inch monitor. Table 2 sets forth the families and the number of features (the "feature count") therein that have a relationship to the wheel family of the example automobile.
TABLE 2FamilyFeature CountVersion5Trim Package5Exterior Package5Drives2Engines6Series3Tires15Markets40Wheels12
The feature count in Table 2 represents 32,400,000 configuration combinations and resulting data cells. The explosion of the number of data cells stems from the fact that conventional configuration analytical methods produce all possible combinations of the dependent features. All these combinations are studied to ensure there are no overlaps and/or missing data for possible buildable product configurations. Viewing configurations, as in FIG. 1, presents an excellent way to permit a user to analyze feature relationships in a configuration model. However, once the number of combinations increases sufficiently to preclude normal viewing, visual analysis is precluded due to the user confusion caused by the amount of data represented.

Configuration representation and modeling using configuration spaces


A backlight module and a liquid crystal display are provided. The backlight module includes an optical film, a reflection member and a light-emitting unit. A reflection surface of the reflection member includes multiple side edges. The light-emitting unit is disposed on one intersection position formed by the side edges of the reflection surface, and a light-emitting direction of the light-emitting unit faces the reflection surface. The reflection surface has a default track, whereby the lights emitted from the light-emitting unit can be projected to the reflection surface, and then uniformly entering into the optical film after being reflected by the reflection surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal displaying technology field, and more particularly to a backlight module and a liquid crystal display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the continuous development of a liquid crystal display, the demand for the function of every component of the liquid crystal display becomes more and more high.
Please refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a top plane schematic view of a backlight module of the prior art.
The backlight module includes an optical film 11 and light sources 12. The light sources 12 may be evenly arranged near one side edge or multiple side edges of the optical film 11 according to the actual optical needing. FIG. 1 only shows that the light sources 12 are arranged near one side edge of the optical film 11.
Obviously, the above arrangement of the light sources 12 needs to employ more light sources 12, so this arrangement not only increases cost, but also can increases the length or width of the backlight module and limit the developing trend of the narrow frame backlight module because the multiple light sources 12 are in parallel arranged near one side edge of the optical film 11 and occupy a large space.
Moreover, for the light sources 12 of the prior art, generally, only one or two LEDs (Light-emitting Diode) can satisfy the requirement of luminous flux of the backlight module.
Hence, it is one research direction in the liquid crystal displaying technology field that how to reasonable arranging the light sources for not only reducing the number of the light sources, reducing cost and saving space, but also ensuring to accord with the requirement of the luminous flux of the backlight module.

Backlight module and liquid crystal display

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD.


A device for recirculating exhaust gas during the operation of multi-cylinder internal combustion engines. The cylinders of the internal combustion engine are divided into two groups. The waste gas of one group, preferably of one cylinder, can be supplied to the suction line of the internal combustion engine via an exhaust gas recirculation line. The exhaust gas recirculation line is controlled by a controllable valve in said recirculation line. A non-return valve which is preferably configured as a non-return flap in the exhaust gas collector line of the internal combustion engine automatically closes or opens a passage between two regions of the exhaust gas collector line according to the position of the valve device in the exhaust gas recirculation line. The non-return valve can be easily integrated into the exhaust gas collector line without the need for a specific control, even when there is very little room available.

The invention relates to a device for recirculating exhaust gas during the operation of multi-cylinder internal-combustion engines.
Exhaust gas recirculation is an effective measure for lowering the nitrogen oxide emissions of internal-combustion engines. A device for recirculating exhaust gas is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,976. There, the cylinders of a supercharged internal-combustion engine are divided into two groups. The waste gas of one group, preferably of a cylinder, is fed by way of an exhaust gas recirculation line, to the intake line of the internal-combustion engine. The waste gas of the other cylinder group is collected in an exhaust gas collection line and is fed to the turbine of an exhaust gas turbocharger. The exhaust gas recirculation line and the exhaust gas collection line are mutually connected by way of a connection line and a valve device which controls a flow cross-section of the connection line.
An analogous device is also illustrated in German Patent Document DE 39 30 243 A1, where a 3/2-way valve is used for switching off exhaust gas recirculation when the internal-combustion engine is cold and the load is low. When the exhaust gas recirculation is switched off, the exhaust gas of the cylinder connected with the exhaust gas recirculation line is directed to the exhaust gas collection line connected to the remaining cylinders. This type of device, which divides the cylinders into two groups, one of which is provided for the exhaust gas recirculation, presents the problem that an arrangement of a valve device is required in the region of the exhaust gas collection line having limited installation space. When the exhaust gas collection line is cooled, the passing of the drive shaft through the water cooling jacket can, in addition, be achieved only at high constructive expenditures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,382 discloses another device that uses a group of exhaust gas cylinders for recirculating exhaust gas. Here, a valve device having two valves is used for controlling the exhaust gas flows. In an embodiment described in the document, a non-return valve is used to prevent combustion air from the air supply line from entering the exhaust gas recirculation line.
German Patent Document DE 19521573 A1 shows a supercharged internal-combustion engine with an exhaust gas recirculation which contains a non-return flap in the exhaust gas recirculation line and a valve for switching off the exhaust gas recirculation. The recirculated exhaust gas is taken from an exhaust gas collection line to which all cylinders of the internal-combustion engine are connected. The disadvantage of this construction is that the exhaust gas composition of the recirculated gas cannot be optimally adjusted because each cylinder cannot be controlled to influence the exhaust gas quality of the recirculated exhaust gas.
The invention addresses the problem of providing a valve device for the exhaust gas recirculation, which requires low constructive expenditures in the region of the exhaust gas collection line. The valve is used for internal-combustion engines having two groups of cylinders, one of which (xe2x80x9cdispenser cylindersxe2x80x9d) provides the exhaust gas for exhaust gas recirculation.
This object is achieved by a valve device described as follows. A nonreturn valve, preferably a flap with a restoring spring divides the exhaust gas collection pipe into two sections. The integration of a non-return valve with a control in the exhaust gas collection line presents no constructive problems even under limited space conditions. The recirculated exhaust gas flows are controlled by a controllable valve in the exhaust gas recirculation line. The arrangement of a controllable valve, together with the drive shaft and the servo motor, in the exhaust gas recirculation line, will cause no problem because of the space available there. In this manner, a solution is achieved which is favorable with respect to the constructive expenditures and the cost.
The invention will be explained in detail by means of an illustrated embodiment.


A surface acoustic wave filter includes, on a piezoelectric substrate, longitudinally coupled resonator type surface acoustic wave filter sections, including interdigital transducers, each having a narrow-pitched electrode finger portion in an area where interdigital transducers are adjacent to each other, first surface acoustic wave resonators, between the surface acoustic wave filter sections and an input terminal, and second surface acoustic wave resonators between the surface acoustic wave filter sections and output terminals. The resonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonators falls within the passband of the surface acoustic wave filter sections, and the antiresonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonators is in the vicinity of the high frequency side of the passband.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave filter and, more particularly, to a surface acoustic wave filter including a surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series with a surface acoustic wave filter section.
2. Description of the Related Art
Surface acoustic wave filters are commonly used as bandwidth filters in an RF stage in a mobile telephone.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-30367 discloses this sort of surface acoustic wave filter. FIG. 41 illustrates the arrangement of the electrodes of the disclosed surface acoustic wave filter. In a surface acoustic wave filter 2001, a surface acoustic wave resonator 2003 is connected in series with a serially coupled 3-IDT (interdigital transducer) resonator type surface acoustic wave filter section 2002. The antiresonance frequency of the surface acoustic wave resonator 2003 is on a high frequency side of the passband of the longitudinally coupled resonator type surface acoustic wave filter section 2002, while the resonance frequency of the surface acoustic wave resonator 2003 is within the passband. Since the antiresonance frequency of the surface acoustic wave resonator 2003 is on a high frequency side of the passband of the longitudinally coupled resonator type surface acoustic wave filter section 2002, attenuation in the vicinity of the high frequency side of the passband is increased. Since the resonance frequency falls within the passband, the transmission characteristic within the passband does not substantially suffer from degradation.
If the surface acoustic wave filter 2001 is used as a wideband filter such as a DSC filter having a wide passband width, the VSWR (Voltage-Standing-Wave Ratio) in a high-frequency region of the passband is not high enough. The effect of parasitic capacitances generated in a piezoelectric substrate and a package is predominant in a high frequency region of the filter, and the impedance of the filter is capacitive if a wideband filter feature is implemented.
This trend becomes pronounced in the high frequency region of the passband. A threefold mode filter is typically used to widen the band width. However, the frequency separation between three resonance modes naturally increases in an attempt to achieve the wideband feature. On the other hand, to balance impedance matching within the passband, the impedance matching is performed on a center resonance mode of the three resonance modes. The two remaining resonance modes in a low frequency and a high frequency region are thus not matched. In high frequency applications in particular, the effect of capacitance in the resonance mode in the high frequency region is pronounced. The impedance of the filter is inductive on the resonance mode in the low frequency region while being capacitive on the resonance mode in the high frequency region. The resonance mode in the high frequency region suffers from the effect of capacitance and thus, experiences the above-mentioned problem.
To overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a surface acoustic wave filter which includes a surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series with a surface acoustic wave filter section and which has an outstanding VSWR in a wide passband.
In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a surface acoustic wave filter includes a surface acoustic wave filter section including a piezoelectric substrate, at least two IDTs arranged in a direction of propagation of a surface acoustic wave on the piezoelectric substrate, each of the IDTs having a narrow-pitched electrode finger portion at one end of the IDT including electrode fingers arranged at a pitch narrower than that of electrode fingers in the remaining portions thereof, at an area where the IDTs are adjacent to each other, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and one of an input signal terminal and an output signal terminal. The surface acoustic wave filter section is a threefold mode surface acoustic wave filter section of a longitudinally coupled resonator type, and impedance of the surface acoustic wave filter section is capacitive in a resonance mode in the highest frequency region of three resonance modes. The resonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonator is within a passband of the surface acoustic wave filter section, and the antiresonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonator is in the vicinity of the high frequency region of the passband of the surface acoustic wave filter section. The surface acoustic wave resonator is arranged such that the impedance in the resonance mode in the highest frequency region is close to an impedance matching point.
Preferably, at least a portion of the IDT is weighted in an area where a plurality of IDTs are disposed adjacent to each other in the surface acoustic wave filter section. Weighting the portion of the IDT improves the out-of-passband characteristics of the filter. An unbalance-balance converting function compensates for an amplitude deviation and a phase shift from a phase difference of 180xc2x0 in a signal output from a circuit between an unbalanced signal terminal and one of the balanced signal terminals with respect to an input signal to a circuit between the unbalanced signal terminal and the other of the balanced signal terminals.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter section includes an odd number of IDTs, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator is connected between the surface acoustic wave filter section and one of the input signal terminal and the output signal terminal having a greater number of IDTs connected thereto. The VSWR is thus further improved.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave resonators include at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and the input signal terminal, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and the output signal terminal. The VSWR is thus further improved.
In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, a surface acoustic wave filter includes a surface acoustic wave filter section including a piezoelectric substrate, at least two IDTs arranged in a direction of propagation of a surface acoustic wave on the piezoelectric substrate, and a reflector arranged between adjacent IDTs and having a plurality of electrode fingers at an electrode finger pitch that is different from the finger pitch of the IDTs, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and one of an input signal terminal and an output signal terminal. The surface acoustic wave filter section is a longitudinally coupled resonator type, threefold mode surface acoustic wave filter section, and impedance of the surface acoustic wave filter section is capacitive in a resonance mode in the highest frequency region of the three resonance modes. The resonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonator is within a passband of the surface acoustic wave filter section, and the antiresonance point of the surface acoustic wave resonator is in the vicinity of the high frequency region of the passband of the surface acoustic wave filter section. The surface acoustic wave resonator is arranged such that the impedance in the resonance mode in the highest frequency region is close to an impedance matching point.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter section includes an odd number of IDTs, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator is connected between the surface acoustic wave filter section and one of the input signal terminal and the output signal terminal having a greater number of IDTs connected thereto. The VSWR is thus further improved.
The surface acoustic wave resonators preferably include at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and the input signal terminal, and at least one surface acoustic wave resonator connected in series between the surface acoustic wave filter section and the output signal terminal. The VSWR is thus further improved.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter includes a plurality of surface acoustic wave resonators connected between the surface acoustic wave filter section and at least one of the input signal terminal and the output signal terminal.
At least one of the input signal terminal and the output signal terminal preferably includes a pair of balanced signal terminals.
Preferably, the input signal terminal and the output signal terminal function is an unbalance-balance converter with one of the input signal terminal and output signal terminal being a balanced signal terminal, and the other of the input signal terminal and output signal terminal being an unbalanced signal terminal.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter section includes a first surface acoustic wave filter block and a second surface acoustic wave filter block, each outputting an output signal different in phase by 180xc2x0 from a signal input thereto. Ends of the first and second surface acoustic wave filter blocks are connected together and function as an unbalanced signal terminal, and the other ends of the first and second surface acoustic wave filter blocks and function as balanced signal terminals.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter section includes a single surface acoustic wave filter block, terminals of the surface acoustic wave filter block function as a pair of balanced signal terminals, and the other terminal of the surface acoustic wave filter block functions as an unbalanced signal terminal.
At least one IDT of the surface acoustic wave filter section preferably includes first and second separate IDT sections split in a direction across the electrode finger or in a direction of propagation of a surface acoustic wave.
The surface acoustic wave resonator and the surface acoustic wave filter section are preferably provided on the same piezoelectric substrate. The surface acoustic wave resonator is thus produced as a single chip component.
Preferably, the surface acoustic wave filter further includes a case plate, wherein the piezoelectric substrate is mounted on the case plate such that the side of the piezoelectric substrate having the surface acoustic wave filter section and the surface acoustic wave resonator provided thereon faces the case plate. In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, a surface acoustic wave filter device having a surface acoustic wave filter element mounted on the case plate is preferably manufactured using flip-chip technique.
In a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a communication apparatus includes the surface acoustic wave filter according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. The communication apparatus of the present invention includes a surface acoustic wave filter having a wide bandwidth and excellent VSWR.
Other features, elements, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

Surface acoustic wave filter with a threefold mode filter section and a resonator


The invention provides a light guide element comprising a light guide and a layer element, wherein the light guide comprises a light guide face and wherein the layer element comprises an optical layer, wherein said optical layer is in contact with at least part of the light guide face, wherein the optical layer has a first index of refraction (n1) smaller than the refractive index of seawater, wherein the light guide comprises a UV radiation transmissive light guide material.

Anti-biofouling methods are known in the art. US2013/0048877, for instance, describes a system for anti-biofouling a protected surface, comprising an ultraviolet light source configured to generate ultraviolet light, and an optical medium disposed proximate to the protected surface and coupled to receive the ultraviolet light, wherein the optical medium has a thickness direction perpendicular to the protected surface, wherein two orthogonal directions of the optical medium orthogonal to the thickness direction are parallel to the protected surface, wherein the optical medium is configured to provide a propagation path of the ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light travels within the optical medium in at least one of the two orthogonal directions orthogonal to the thickness direction, and such that, at points along a surface of the optical medium, respective portions of the ultraviolet light escape the optical medium.
US2013/048877 A1 describes a system including a UV light source and an optical medium coupled to receive UV light from the UV light source. The optical medium is configured to emit UV light proximate to a surface to be protected from biofouling.
US2004/022050 A1 describes that the index of refraction of a light guide for transmitting light outputted from a primary light source is ng, and the light guide has a light input end face, a light output surface from which the transmitted light is outputted, and a back surface opposed to the light output surface. A leaky ray modulator is provided to at least either the light output surface or the back surface. The leaky ray modulator has a composite layer provided on the light output surface or the back surface and composed of first refractive index regions having a refractive index n1 (ng>n1) and second refractive index regions having a refractive index n2 (n2>n1) and a third refractive index layer provided on the composite layer and having a refractive index n3 (n3>n1). A reflecting plate is provided adjacent to the back surface of the light guide.
WO2012/125271 A1 (D3) describes methods and compositions for forming porous low refractive index coatings on substrates. In one embodiment, a method of forming a porous coating on a substrate is provided. The method comprises coating a substrate with a sol-gel composition comprising at least one self-assembling molecular porogen and annealing the coated substrate to remove the at least one self-assembling molecular porogen to form the porous coating. Use of the self-assembling molecular porogens leads to the formation of stable pores with larger volume and an increased reduction in the refractive index of the coating. Further, the size and interconnectivity of the pores may be controlled via selection of the self-assembling molecular porogens structure, the total porogen fraction, polarity of the molecule and solvent, and other physiochemical properties of the gel phase.
WO2014/188347 A1 describes a method of anti-fouling of a surface while said surface is at least partially submersed in an liquid environment, comprising: providing an anti-fouling light; distributing at least part of the light through an optical medium comprising a silicone material and/or UV grade fused silica; emitting the anti-fouling light from the optical medium and from the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,257 B1 describes a liquid light guide for transmitting UVC radiation formed of concentrically arranged Teflon light guide tube having an internal totally reflecting coat of a fluoropolymer layer within a sheath having water or another aqueous solution disposed between the sheath and the light guide tube. The light guide tube contains an aqueous solution of NaH2PO4. Also disclosed is a method of making the device.

Light guides with low refractive coating to be used in water


Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring distributed storage system resources for a distributed storage system. Examples of the storage system resources include a plurality of network segments, one or more network devices coupled to the network, and multiple nodes coupled to the network, the nodes including both frontend and backend nodes. Upon receiving, by a given frontend node in the distributed storage system, an input/output (I/O) request, one or more of the distributed storage system resources required to process the I/O request are identified, and a respective load that the I/O request will generate on each of the identified distributed storage system resources is calculated. The distributed storage system processes the I/O request upon detecting that the respective loads are less than respective available capacities of the identified distributed storage system resources.

A distributed storage system (also known as a distributed data store) store is a computer network where data is stored on more than one node, often in a replicated manner. A distributed storage system can be implemented as a clustered file system, which is shared by being simultaneously mounted on multiple servers (also known as nodes). Clustered file systems can provide features like location-independent addressing and redundancy which improve reliability or reduce the complexity of the other parts of the cluster.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

Preventing input/output (I/O) traffic overloading of an interconnect channel in a distributed data storage system

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Disclosed is a multiple sensor system including a plurality of different sensor devices to acquire respective signals sensed from a single signal source, and a signal acquisition apparatus to recover an original signal generated from the signal source. The signal acquisition apparatus recovers the original signal by applying joint recovery, based on characteristics and correlations between the respective sensor devices, to compressive sensing signals independently compressively sensed and transmitted from the respective sensor devices. At this time, a sensing matrix F prearranged with the respective sensor devices and channel information C between the original signal and each sensor device are used for joint recovery.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a signal acquisition apparatus and method for distributed compressive sensing and joint signal recovery. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a signal acquisition apparatus and method for recovering an original signal from compressive sensing signals acquired by a plurality of sensor devices.
The present disclosure was derived from research as a part of big-jump research (or challenge research) support program of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology [Project management No. NN05850, Project name: coding theoretic compressive sensing for multiple sensor systems].
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiple sensor systems are systems for observing a physical phenomenon that satisfies a specific purpose using a number of sensors distributed in a certain space. For example, multiple sensor systems include a low-power ecological monitoring system, a marine information gathering system, a low-power wireless surveillance and reconnaissance system, and a multi-view video system.
Such a multiple sensor system can acquire more accurate sensing data than that observed by a single sensor, since many sensors observe a phenomenon occurring in a limited space or having a common feature and gather the respectively acquired sensing data.
However, in view of information theory, there is a limit to the total amount of information owned by an arbitrary sensing object. As such, the multiple sensor system gathers the limited information through various sensors, so that redundant information is likely to occur. That is, there is a high correlation between signals sensed by the sensors, and an 'intra-sensor correlation' may occur within a signal acquired by each sensor or an 'inter-sensor correlation' may occur between the acquired signals.
The successive redundancy of information becomes an important factor that shortens the lifespan of a network. Furthermore, wireless transmission of data having considerable redundancy results in ineffective use of energy accumulated in a battery and causes deterioration in frequency efficiency.
To solve such problems, a joint compressive sensing theory has been proposed. According to the joint compressive sensing theory, compressive sensing signals are subjected to a compression process based on a correlation between signals, whereby limited resources (e.g., energy and a bandwidth) can be efficiently utilized between signals having a high correlation in order to accurately recover an original signal.
However, the conventional joint compressive sensing theory employs the correlation information (inter and intra-sensor correlation information), which is obtained by analyzing signals exchanged between the sensors for a long period of time. Thus, communication between the sensors is needed to obtain the correlation information.
Accordingly, the joint compressive sensing is effective when a distance between sensors is short, but has a problem in that power for transmission/reception is used for signal compression. This acts as significant overhead in light of total power consumption, thereby causing efficiency deterioration.
Moreover, since the respective sensors of the multiple sensor system are basically realized to provide minimum performance, joint compressive sensing is too complicated to be carried out by such small sensors. Accordingly, conventional joint compressive sensing is not a practical alternative due to its low effectiveness.

Signal acquisition apparatus and method for distributed compressive sensing and joint signal recovery

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology


Provided is a handover apparatus and method for a terminal based on a received signal strength (RSS) and a radial velocity. The handover method may measure an RSS from a currently accessed base station and RSSs from candidate base stations for handover, may measure a radial velocity with respect to the currently accessed base station and radial velocities with respect to the candidate base stations for handover, and may perform a handover by determining a base station for handover based on the measured RSSs and the measured radial velocities when the RSS from the currently accessed base station is less than or equal to a reference RSS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of measuring a mobility of a terminal based on a received signal strength (RSS) in a wireless communication system, and a method and apparatus for handover based on the measured mobility.
2. Description of the Related Art
A terminal using wireless communication may move in any direction within a scope of a communication service. However, when the terminal desires to be out of the scope of a network currently accessed by the terminal, the terminal may require a handover so as to continuously perform communication although the terminal is out of the scope. In this example, when the mobility of the terminal is measured, a target base station to which the terminal is to be handed over may be determined in advance, so that the target base station may readily prepare radio resources to be allocated to the terminal, in advance. Also, a number of handovers completed to a network of an undesired base station may be reduced.
A ping-pong effect refers to a case where a terminal, which stays in a cell edge after being handed over to a predetermined network, is handed over back to a previous network or to a case where handover of a terminal placed at a cell edge is repeatedly performed since a handover determining index moves back and forth over a threshold. When the ping-pong effect occurs, a load in a network may increase due to a path update and signaling based on frequent handover. Also, when a handover is performed before the path update associated with a previous handover is completed, a delay and loss of packet may occur.
A ping-pong effect refers to a case where a terminal, which stays in a cell edge after being handed over to a predetermined network, is handed over back to a previous network or to a case where handover of a terminal placed at a cell edge is repeatedly performed since a handover determining index moves back and forth over a threshold. When the ping-pong effect occurs, a load in a network may increase due to a path update and signaling based on frequent handover. Also, when a handover is performed before the path update associated with a previous handover is completed, a delay and loss of packet may occur.
The third generation partnership project (3GPP) provides a handover hysteresis margin (HOM) scheme and a handover time-to-trigger (TTT) scheme so as to reduce a drawback caused by the ping-pong effect in a long-term evolution (LTE)-Advanced network, which is a next generation mobile communication standard. However, both the HOM scheme and the TTT scheme may not include a mobility of a terminal.

Apparatus and method for handover using received signal strength and radial velocity in terminal

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration