An ultrasonic testing device having a variable fluid column height is disclosed. An operator is able to adjust the fluid column height in real time during an inspection to to produce optimum ultrasonic focus and separate extraneous, unwanted UT signals from those stemming from the area of interest.

Composites have many advantages for use as aircraft structural materials including their high specific strength and stiffness, resistance to damage by fatigue loading and resistance to corrosion. Multiple industries, most notably the aircraft industry, continue to increase their use of composite materials, most noteworthy in the arena of principle structural elements. This expanded use, coupled with difficulties associated with damage tolerance analysis of composites, has placed greater emphasis on the application of accurate nondestructive inspection (NDI) methods.
In addition, advances in structural adhesives have permitted engineers to contemplate the use of bonded joints in areas that have long been dominated by mechanical fasteners and welds. The deployment of bonded joints generally requires the use of sensitive nondestructive inspection techniques to ensure the continued integrity of the bond joint. Adhesive bonding is being used in the manufacture of high performance components such as wind turbine blades, civil structures and aircraft.
These components may be formed of highly-attenuative materials of varying thickness. Such high performance applications require highly sensitive flaw detection. However, current quality control relies primarily on the robust control of the production process, the adhesive preparation and/or the careful application of materials. However, there is no practical method currently available to assess the overall quality of the composite structure or adhesive joints with sufficient sensitivity.
Additionally, installed adhesive bonded structures, such as wind turbine blades and aircraft components may incur failure or degradation. A typical aircraft can experience over 2,000 fatigue cycles (cabin pressurizations) and many more flight hours in a single year. Wind turbine blades can experience millions of fatigue cycles in a single year of operation. The unavoidable by-product of this use is that flaws develop throughout the structure's skin and substructure elements. The main causes of structural failure in these components are environmental degradation, adhesive disbonds, interply delaminations, and subsurface fiber fracture due to impact. When these types of damage occur, they may lead to catastrophic failures. By their nature, they occur at an interface and are, therefore, always hidden. A combination of fatigue loads and other environmental weathering effects can combine to initiate these types of flaws. A periodic inspection of composites for disbonds and delaminations (from fabrication, installation, fatigue, or impact damage) is essential to assure the successful operation of the structure over time. The interactions at the bond interface are extremely complex, with the result that the strength of the bond is difficult to predict or measure. Even a partial disbond may compromise the integrity of the structural assembly. Therefore, it is necessary to detect all areas of disbonding or delamination before joint failures can occur.
As the commercial airline industry responds to calls for the ensured airworthiness of global airline fleets, inspection reliability is of growing importance. The development and application of new Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) techniques needs to keep pace with the growing understanding of aircraft structural aging phenomena. Ultrasonic inspection or testing is a nondestructive method in which beams of high frequency sound waves are introduced into materials for the detection of surface and subsurface flaws in the material. In ultrasonic pulse-echo inspections, short bursts of ultrasonic energy are interjected into a test piece at regular intervals of time. In most pulse-echo systems, a single transducer acts alternately as the sending and receiving transducer. Sometimes it is advantageous to use separate sending and receiving transducers for pulse-echo inspection.
The sound waves, normally at frequencies between 0.1 and 25 MHz, travel from the transducer through a water column within the inspection device and into the material with some attendant loss of energy (attenuation) and are reflected at interfaces within the test article. The water column between the ultrasonic transducer and the inspection surface produces the signal coupling needed to interrogate the test article.
The reflected beam is displayed and then analyzed to define the presence and location of flaws. The degree of reflection depends largely on the physical state of the materials forming the interface. Fracture, delaminations, shrinkage cavities, pores, disbonds, and other discontinuities that produce reflective interfaces can be detected. Complete reflection, partial reflection, scattering or other detectable effect on the ultrasonic waves can be used as the basis of flaw detection. In addition to wave reflection, other variations in the wave, which can be monitored, include: time of transit through the structure to be inspected, attenuation, and features of the spectral response.
In traditional ultrasonic inspection devices, the height of the water column (the distance that the sound waves travel from the transducer to the test article or device signal travel distance) is fixed. Depending on the total travel distance (the sum of the fixed transducer travel distance and the penetration depth), the reflected signal may include noise and/or masking signals from harmonics or other undesirable reflections within the part. An operator may use a single or several ultrasonic inspection devices having a selected fixed transducer travel distance or distances to try to minimize noise and/or avoid the presence of masking signals created by signal harmonics or other undesirable reflections.
However, these fixed transducer standoff devices are not capable of adjusting the water path distance to shift the undesirable masking signals away from the true signals of interest. Often, parts being inspected do not have a fixed thickness, where the signals of interest vary and can at certain thicknesses be masked by front surface signal multiples. When inspecting parts of varying thickness, it is necessary to adjust the distance between the ultrasonic transducer and the surface of the test article so that the unneeded harmonic signals do not interfere with the signals of interest. In addition, it is necessary to suspend a water column between the ultrasonic transducer and the inspection surface in order to produce the signal coupling needed to interrogate the test article.
Thus, there is a need for ultrasonic inspection device that can vary the device signal travel distance.

Ultrasonic testing device having an adjustable water column


Process and apparatus are provided for selective heating a portion of a workpiece to achieve improved ausforming and isoforming processes when the workpiece is plastically deformed by mechanical working above the M.sub.s temperature. The process and apparatus includes a preheating step where a larger portion of the workpiece is preheated to less than the austenitic critical temperature while the final heating step conducted at a temperature higher than the austenitic critical temperature heats a smaller portion of the workpiece which is subsequently subjected to plastic deformation.

This invention is particularly applicable to an apparatus and a method for inductively heating a predetermined portion of a ferrous workpiece and thereafter mechanically deforming the workpiece shape of the heated portion to finish-like tolerances while imparting desired physical properties to such workpiece in an interrupted quench process and will be described with particular reference thereto: however, the invention has broader applications and may be used with any apparatus or process which is capable of selectively heating, in a precisely controlled manner, a predetermined portion of a metal workpiece so as to permit mechanical shaping of the heated portion of the workpiece at a predetermined temperature to impart desired physical properties to such workpiece portion in subsequent surface heat treatments thereof.
The invention will be described with reference to a ferrous workpiece and particularly with respect to plain carbon type steels and alloyed steels which have already been subjected to a case hardened heat treat process. In accordance with broader aspects of the invention however, any metal, ferrous or non-ferrous, which is allotropic or polymorphic may have physical characteristics which can be modified by the low temperature thermomechanical treatment used after selective contour heating of the workpiece.
Isothermal time, temperature transformation curves (hereinafter "isothermal transformation curves") for plain carbon and alloy steels have long been the foundation for heat treating processes for such steels to control their physical properties as well as workpiece distortion, dimensional variation, quench cracking, etc. When the workpiece is a gear, cam, bearing, shaft or the like which is subjected to high contact stresses with other parts, an especially hard, tough, smooth surface must be formed on the case and generally, machine finished within close tolerances. Apart from those heat treat operations which change the chemical composition of the case (such as nitriding), such workpieces are generally produced by infusing or dispersing carbon into the case (at least for low carbon steels) in heat treat operations conventionally known as carburizing, and carbo-nitriding which are followed by cooling the workpiece from an elevated temperature above the A.sub.3 -A.sub.cm temperature to some final temperature at a rate determined by the isothermal transformation curve to achieve certain physical properties. As used hereafter, the phrase "austenitic critical temperature" or "austenitic temperature" will mean that stable temperature whereat austenite or gamma iron will exist as a face-centered cubic structure which for iron and carbon irons is shown as the A.sub.3 -A.sub.cm transformation temperature curve on the iron-carbon phase diagram.
To minimize quench cracks, control distortion and obtain certain desired physical properties related to the grain size of the workpiece, several interrupted quench processes, commonly known as austempering and marquenching have heretofore been used after the workpiece has been carburized. In conjunction with such interrupted quenches, it has also been known for some time that the tensile strength and ultimate strength of high hardenability steels can be significantly increased without loss of ductility by mechanically working or deforming the workpiece in the bainite temperature range of the isothermal transformation curve immediately followed by an oil quench to prevent the formation of non-martensitic transformation products. Such treatment is commonly known as the Ausform Process. More recently, an enhancement in the Ausform Process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,973 for carburized gears.
In the '973 patent, a gear steel having certain isothermal transformation curve characteristics, after carburizing, is reheated above the austenitic critical temperature and allowed to cool (at a rate sufficient to pass, without contacting, the "knee" of the isothermal transformation curve, (i.e., the "critical cooling rate") to a temperature just above the M.sub.s temperature (i.e., the temperature at which martensite just begins to form and generally shown as the isothermal transformation curve) in a liquid bath whereat the gear teeth are swage-rolled (mechanically worked) while the gear remains in the metastable austenitic condition (i.e., the "ausrolling" process). Ausrolling provides the necessary plastic deformation of the workpiece which importantly must occur before sufficient time has elapsed (in the bay region of the isothermal transformation curve) to allow any phase transformation. Upon completion of the swage-rolling, the gear is then permitted to air cool or is oil quenched to the martensitic range followed by a conventional tempering process. It was found that in gears which were formed from steels having sufficient isothermal transformation curve characteristics to permit ausrolling, there was a fine dispersion of carbides formed during the rolling/swaging operation and that the grain size of the austenite was stabilized to produce a very high dislocation density in the final martensite which was rather uniformly dispersed throughout the surface. Importantly, the grain size and carbon dispersion produced a very smooth surface which could be closely controlled to finish tolerances. As a result, several finish machining type operations now required to manufacture close tolerance gears could be eliminated.
Heretofore, the ausrolling process was limited to those steels having a sufficiently long metastable austenitic range to permit sufficient swage-rolling of the gear to achieve the desired level of plastic deformation. The deformation level must be substantial, typically in a range in excess of 60%, to achieve the desired characteristics. When the workpiece is through heated or even partially through heated by means of conventional standard atmosphere or vacuum furnaces, to a temperature above the austenitic critical temperature, it is difficult to achieve such level of plastic deformation uniformly throughout the surface of the part. That is, if the swage-rolling or mechanical deformation occurs before the workpiece has attained, throughout its core, the desired temperature beneath the knee of the isothermal transformation curve, the metal at the surface of the part where the mechanical working occurs will press against the yielding hotter metal at the core of the workpiece (since the surface will cool before the core does) and deform in a non-uniform manner. If the swage-rolling operation is delayed until homogenization does occur, the time for the plastic deformation operation is reduced (because the phase transformation will occur at a given time and higher die forming pressures are required with attendant increases in energy costs.

Method and apparatus for selectively heating a workpiece subjected to low temperature thermomechanical processing


A signal delay circuit including a clock transfer control circuit configured to transmit or block a clock signal, and a pulse signal generation circuit configured to delay a first pulse signal in response to the transmitted clock signal to generate a second pulse signal which has a longer active period than the first pulse signal.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a technology for changing a width of a signal and controlling a transmission of a clock signal.
Semiconductor devices and Integrated Circuits (ICs) have been continuously improved to increase not only the degree of integration but also the operation speed. Many semiconductor devices and ICs operate in synchronization with a periodic pulse signal such as a clock signal, in order to increase the operation speed and perform an internal operation effectively. Therefore, such semiconductor devices and ICs operate in response to a clock signal supplied from outside or an internal clock signal generated therein.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional semiconductor device includes a delay unit 11 and a logic circuit 11_2.
The delay unit 11 is configured to delay a first pulse signal PULSE_IN in response to a clock signal CLK. The logic circuit 11_2 is configured to perform an OR operation on the first pulse signal PULSE_IN and a signal P_DLY outputted from the delay unit 11, and outputs a second pulse signal PULSE_OUT. Here, the second pulse signal PULSE_OUT becomes activated at an activation time of the first pulse signal PULSE_IN, and has a longer active period than the first pulse signal PULSE_IN.
Meanwhile, the delay unit 11 may include a plurality of D flip-flops which are enabled by a clock signal CLK, and the number of the D flip-flops corresponds to a delay value for delaying the first pulse signal PULSE_IN. At this time, since the clock signal CLK continuously toggles, the clock signal CLK may continue to consume current because transistors within the D flip-flops become continuously charged and discharged. Such current consumption may occur even while no signal is inputted to the D flip-flops, as well as even in a stand-by state.
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram illustrating the internal operation of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 1 may be described as follows.
The first pulse signal PULSE_IN is inputted to the delay unit 11, then the delay unit 11 delays the first pulse signal PULSE_IN to output a signal P_DLY in synchronization with the clock signal CLK. Then, the logic circuit 11_2 performs an OR operation on the first pulse signal PULSE_IN and the delayed signal P_DLY, and outputs a second pulse signal PULSE_OUT which has a longer active period than the first pulse signal PULSE_IN.
At this time, the clock signal CLK continuously toggles regardless of the input of the first pulse signal PULSE_IN. Therefore, as described above, the clock signal CLK continues to consume current because the transistors within the D flip-flops which constitute the delay unit 11 are continuously charged and discharged. Such current consumption may occur even while no signal is inputted to the D flip-flops. Therefore, it may be one of the factors which increase the current consumption regardless of the internal operation.

Signal delay circuit, clock transfer control circuit and semiconductor device having the same


An antenna having an extended operation frequency bandwidth that includes: a feed, and a plurality of radiators which are connected to the feed to receive current and divided at the feed. Accordingly, the RFID radio signals and the mobile communication radio signals can be transmitted and received via the single antenna because the frequency bandwidth is expanded. Therefore, the efficiency of the antenna can be improved and the mobile communication terminal can be miniaturized. Furthermore, since the antenna obtains the increased gain, the communication quality of the antenna can be enhanced and the power consumption can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to an antenna having an extended operation frequency bandwidth. More particularly, the present invention relates to an antenna having an extended operation frequency bandwidth, which enables transmission and reception of RFID signals and radio signals via a single antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, ubiquitous sensor network (USN) is attracting attention as a basic infrastructure for realizing a ubiquitous society which is becoming extremely important in the area of information technology.
The USN is a technique that attaches a communicable tag to all objects: detects environment information based on recognition information of the objects, which is acquired from using the tags; and manages and utilizes this detected information over networks. The core of the USN is a radio frequency identification (RFID) system. The RFID system includes: a reader, an antenna, a tag, a server, and a network. The reader is responsible for reading and storing information to and from the tag. The antenna is responsible for exchanging the data stored from the tag in a certain frequency according to a certain protocol.
Convergence of the RFID system and mobile communication produces a new technique and service called a mobile RFID (mRFID). The mRFID includes: a tag, a reader, an antenna, and a processing module mounted to the mobile communication terminal. This mRFID technique provides useful information services to a user by reading out information from other tags, or forwarding information from the mobile communication terminal to another device using the tag of the mobile communication terminal.
Meanwhile, an RFID antenna adapted to the mRFID technique transmits and receives radio signals in the band of 908.5˜914 MHz, whereas a communication antenna dedicated to the mobile communication terminal transmits and receives radio signals in the band of 824˜896 MHz. There is a small difference between the bands for the RFID radio signals and the mobile communication radio signals. However, since a mobile communication antenna of a conventional mobile communication terminal uses the narrowband, it is difficult to effectively transmit and receive even the RFID radio signals. Hence, the conventional mobile communication terminal separately employs and uses the RFID antenna and the mobile communication antenna in order to implement the mRFID technique.
As such, when the RFID antenna and the mobile communication antenna are provided separately, the increased size of the mobile communication terminal is inevitable. This size increase is contrary to the technological advancements in mobile communication terminals for making mobile communication terminals smaller through miniaturization and integration of the mobile communication antenna.
Therefore, it is possible to avoid the size increase of the mobile communication terminal, due to the plurality of antennas having to be mounted, by transmitting and receiving both the RFID radio signals and the mobile communication radio signals via a single antenna.

Antenna having extended operation frequency bandwidth

Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University


A reacher has a near end with a handle and a trigger. A reacher has a far end. An intermediate extent is provided between the near end and the far end. A sock aide is removably coupled to the reacher adjacent to the far end. A shoe horn is slidably supported on the reacher adjacent to the far end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-in-one health care system and more particularly pertains to assisting physically challenged people to put on and remove shoes and socks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of health care aides of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, health care aides of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of assisting physically challenged people through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,008 issued Apr. 23, 1974 to De Lettre relates to a Tool for Putting Socks on Feet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,316 issued Oct. 30, 1990 to George relates to a Shoe Horn and Cane Apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,800 issued Feb. 28, 1995 to Sergi relates to a Multi-Purpose Cane Device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,683 issued Nov. 25, 2003 to Hooks relates to a Method for Carrying a Reacher on a Walker and Apparatus Therefor. U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,129 issued Sep. 13, 2005 to Ferrailoi relates to a Footwear Donning Device. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,252 issued Aug. 23, 2005 to Simmons relates to a Device to Allow Physically Limited Persons to Put on or Remove Socks.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a three-in-one health care system that allows assisting physically challenged people to put on and remove shoes and socks.
In this respect, the three-in-one health care system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of assisting physically challenged people to put on and remove shoes and socks.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved three-in-one health care system which can be used for assisting physically challenged people to put on and remove shoes and socks. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A corona charging device for charging a surface of a moving member, the device including a plurality of wire electrodes for generating corona discharge at a high voltage applied thereto, and a grid electrode located between the moving member and the wire electrodes, wherein a distance between the grid electrode and the moving member is shortest immediately below the wire electrode located most downstream in the moving direction of the moving member.

The present invention relates generally to a charging device for charging a moving member as it travels pass the device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a corona charging device adapted for use in electrophotographic systems, wherein the corona charging device includes a plurality of corona discharge wires and a grid electrode, which is interposed between the wires and a photosensitive drum (hereinafter referred to as the PC drum).
It is known in the art to employ a plurality of discharge wires in electrophotographic systems so as to increase the efficiency of charging devices.
A typical example of the known charging devices is shown in FIG. 9, in which a plurality of discharge wires (in FIG. 9 they are represented by two wires a and b) are equally spaced from a PC drum, the wires being extended in parallel with each other. There is provided a grid electrode G between the discharge wires a, b and the PC drum, the grid electrode being made of stainless steel meshwork or lath. The grid electrode G is extended in parallel with a plane including the discharge wires a, b. FIG. 10 shows another example which is provided with a grid electrode G.sub.W extended in parallel with the PC drum. Each charging devices of FIGS. 9 and 10 are provided with a covering plate S above the discharge wires a, b.
The ultimate surface potential on the PC drum depends upon the porosity or degree of openness of the grid electrode, the grid voltage or the varistor voltage induced when the grid electrode is grounded through the varistor, and the distance between the grid electrode and the PC drum. Especially it is important what a distance the grid electrode and the PC drum are spaced from each other immediately below the discharge wires.
In FIG. 9 the distance d between the grid electrode and the PC drum immediately below the discharge wires a, b is larger than the distance .alpha. therebetween below a middle point between the two wires a and b. the d>.alpha. relationship results in the low ultimate surface potential. As a solution the grid electrode is placed closer to the PC drum. However, the closer placement of the grid electrode to the drum is likely to cause leaks therebetween.
The disadvantage of the device of FIG. 10 is the difficulty of extending a plurality of grid wires w at equal intervals and under equal tension, and maintaining an equal distance from the PC drum. The assembling of the device requires an experience and skill, which reflects in the production cost.

Charging device for electrophotographic systems


A system is provided. The system includes a vertical axis wind turbine comprising a plurality of support arms, a housing coupled to the arms, a bridging connector having a first end portion and a second end portion, a blade coupled to the second end portion, and an electric generator housed within the housing. The first portion is coupled to the housing. The blade vertically extends along the housing. The generator operative based at least in part on the housing vertically rotating between the arms via the blade.

In the present disclosure, where a document, an act and/or an item of knowledge is referred to and/or discussed, whether directly and/or indirectly, then this reference and/or discussion is not an admission that the document, the act and/or the item of knowledge and/or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge and/or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions and/or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
Identification of new non-fossil fuel based energy sources, which are both commercially viable and/or environmentally benign, has become an important national security and/or technological need. With increasing domestic energy consumption, such technological development not only enhances national security, reduces visual pollution, fuels economic growth, creates jobs and/or contributes to global environmental sustainability, but also reduces foreign energy dependence.
Many countries and/or businesses often commit to make better use of renewable and/or nonpolluting energy sources. Wind energy is a popular source explored by many not just because wind energy is renewable and/or nonpolluting, but also because wind energy is free. Although wind farms with acres of large wind turbines have proved relatively successful, such wind farms are relatively rare and/or generally involve substantial economic investment, visual pollution and/or contentious land use issues. A broader, simpler, more visually appealing and/or geographically universal wind turbine construction and/or management approach may be required to bring wind energy to its full potential.
Also, in United States, utility poles are ubiquitous and/or often include power transmission capabilities. In fact, miles of open roads, spreading through wide-open spaces, are lined with a seemingly endless amount of utility poles. A significant amount of wind energy, which often encounters these poles, remains underutilized. Thus, by better utilizing already existing utility poles for wind energy generation, increasing domestic energy consumption can be more effectively managed without substantial economic investment.
Additionally, some electric utility companies, such as electric distribution cooperatives, do not generate electric power. Rather, these companies purchase electricity from another entity. Thus, these companies are caught in the middle of a vibrant energy supply and/or demand market and, generally, do not have control over rising energy costs. Similarly, these companies also often face arbitrary political mandates and/or unreasonable customer demands for prompt provision of renewable energy without having any control over how to provide such energy.
Accordingly, there may be a need to more efficiently create and distribute renewable energy, decrease dependency on centralized electric energy generation, lessen fossil fuel use in electricity generation, minimize foreign energy dependence, reduce the price of electricity, create a new renewable energy business model, while implementing a job creating solution using an already existing infrastructure.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed. The claims may encompass one and/or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention discloses a backlight module and display device. The backlight module includes a front bezel and a frame. The frame includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member located on two opposite sides of a frame body of the frame. Each of the first connecting member and the second connecting member has a trench on the inner side. The front bezel includes a first side frame and a second side frame located oppositely. The first side frame and the second side frame are correspondingly plugged into the trenches of the first connecting member and the second connecting member. The front bezel is fixed to the frame through a third side frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to LCD, and more particularly, to a backlight module and display panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the population of the display devices, the demands for the functions of the components in the display device are more restricted.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a diagram showing a cross-section view of a convention edge-lit light emitting diode (LED) backlight module. The LED backlight module comprises a front bezel 11 and a frame 12.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a diagram showing the front bezel 11 shown in FIG. 1. In order to fix the front bezel 11 and the frame 12, conventionally, the shape of each side frame 111 of the front bezel 11 is designed as the reversed "L" shape. In this way, each side frame 111 can be fixed with the frame 12 through screws (not shown).
Unfortunately, the above-mentioned fixing mechanism has some problems. First of all, the side frame 111 of the front bezel 11 need to be manufactured through a pressing process to form the reversed "L" shapes. This manufacturing process is complicated and costs much because it needs a lot of metals. Furthermore, the side frames 111 needs to be fixed by humans. This also raises the costs. In addition, the curved front bezel 11 occupies the space of the backlight module, and this is not good for a narrow-side-frame design.
Therefore, a solution is needed to solve the above-mentioned problem.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A device detects a quantity of waste liquid without using a special sensor by subtracting total use of liquid from total consumption of liquid and regarding the differential as the quantity of waste liquid. The device includes a first unit for accumulating liquid consumption for a period from the start of using a liquid container up to the present to obtain and store total consumption, a second unit for accumulating liquid quantity used for the operation by the operation unit for the period to obtain and store total use, a third unit for subtracting the total use from the total consumption to obtain the waste liquid quantity, a fourth unit for comparing the obtained waste liquid quantity with a predetermined upper limit on waste liquid quantity, and a fifth unit for informing that the waste liquid quantity exceeds the upper limit.

1. Field of the Invention
When liquid is supplied from a liquid container to an operation unit and is consumed, the liquid is partially wasted without being used for the operation. The present invention relates to a method for detecting quantity of the waste liquid and a liquid discharging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The hitherto known ink jet printer has a so-called serial type print head, which is shorter than the width of the printed area of a recording sheet and reciprocates in the widthwise direction of the recording sheet to perform printing.
Such an ink jet printer performs nozzle cleaning in order to prevent clogging of ink discharging nozzles and defective printing caused thereby. For the nozzle cleaning, a waste ink receiver and a head cap with an ink sucking mechanism are provided laterally away from the recording sheet. The print head moves to the waste ink receiver to discharge ink thereto in vain. In addition, the print head moves to the ink sucking mechanism to allow ink to be sucked.
Such nozzle cleaning is easily performed by the ink jet printer with a serial type print head. Since the number of nozzles is small, the quantity of ink received by the waste ink receiver is small. Therefore, the waste ink becomes dry easily, and it is not necessary to replace the waste ink receiver regularly.
Recently, a so-called full-line type print head has been provided. It has a length that allows it to cover the entire width of a recording sheet (for example, an A4 recording sheet).
The full-line type print head has a row of ink discharging nozzles having substantially the same length as the width of the printed area of the recording sheet. If an ink jet printer having the full-line type print head performs the above-described nozzle cleaning, the quantity of ink received by the waste ink receiver is greater than that of the ink jet printer having the serial type print head. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the waste ink receiver regularly.
In this case, it is necessary to inform the user of time to replace the waste ink receiver. A technology for informing the user of time to replace the waste ink receiver is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2755791 (p. 1, FIG. 5). In the technology, the accumulated number of times of nozzle clearing operation is counted, and the counted number of times is stored. Before every nozzle clearing operation, the stored number of times is read out, and it is determined whether the waste ink receiver is still capable of accommodating the waste ink to be discharged in the nozzle clearing operation. If the determination is negative, a warning is given to urge the user to replace the waste ink receiver.
However, this technology has a problem in which the structure is complex and the cost is expensive because it is necessary to provide the waste ink receiver with a special sensor for counting the accumulated number of times of nozzle clearing operation.

Waste liquid quantity detecting method, waste liquid quantity detecting device, and liquid discharging apparatus


An emergency flotation device includes water-proof housings that are secured to a selected portion of the vehicle such that the housings are mounted medially of the vehicle's tires. Selectively inflatable flotation bags are operably coupled and permanently conjoined to the housings. The flotation bags are deployable downwardly and outwardly wherein lateral portions of the flotation bags wrap beneath and around the tires such that a bottom half of the tires are completely encapsulated by the flotation bags. Each tire receives one flotation bag thereabout. A pneumatic mechanism is included for automatically inflating and deflating the flotation bags. The pneumatic mechanism is disposed within the housings and is spaced from the tires. A mechanism is included for sensing a water level engaged with the tires. The water level sensing mechanism is connected to the pneumatic mechanism for instructing the pneumatic mechanism to inflate and deflate the tires during emergency situations.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to flotation devices and, more particularly, to a flotation safety device for vehicles.
2. Prior Art
It is unfortunate to hear of a person or persons loosing their life because they were trapped in a sinking vehicle that has become submerged in a body of water. When a vehicle is submerged under water the external pressure exerted on the doors by the water greatly exceeds the pressure inside the vehicle, such that the occupants are unable to open the vehicle's doors and thus escape. In theory, a person can wait until the interior of the vehicle has filled with water, at which point the internal and external pressures become equal, and then attempt to open the door. However, the stress and panic associated with being trapped in a submerged car often causes a person to forget about this fact, and in their state of panic they end up drowning regardless.
Even in the very fortunate event that an individual manages to wait in the vehicle and subsequently escape once the interior and exterior pressures are equalized, the vehicle is still lost. As is well known, vehicles are not inexpensive and thus a person may find that they are unable to replace their lost or water logged automobile. It has been discovered that when flood water levels are at about one foot or greater above ground level, the average vehicle, such as a car or a pickup truck, in a flexible waterproof container will float, thus it is possible to maintain the vehicle above the water level.
Accordingly, a need remains for a flotation safety device for vehicles in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a flotation device that is easy to operate, is automatic in function, and provides peace of mind to concerned motorists. Instead of being trapped within a suddenly sinking automobile, the flotation device causes the car to float due to the buoyancy provided by the air bags. This stabilizes the vehicle, allowing any occupants to safely escape therefrom. The system thus prevents unnecessary loss of live and vehicular damage from occurring. In addition, the flotation device is hidden from a person's direct line of sight and is adaptable to a variety of different vehicles.


A test circuit and a test method capable of easily and accurately determining the presence or absence of a defect as well as defective points. The test circuit of the invention has a plurality of shift registers, a plurality of latch circuits, a plurality of first NOR circuits, a plurality of second NOR circuits, a plurality of first NAND circuits, a plurality of second NAND circuits, and a plurality of inverters. A plurality of source signal lines provided in a pixel area are connected to the respective plurality of latch circuits, and a test output is outputted from the inverter of the last stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test circuit provided in a display device having a pixel area where pixels are arranged in matrix, and to a test method of the display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and electroluminescence (EL) displays have been increased in screen size and resolution, and highly integrated circuits have been developed by integrating a pixel portion and periphery circuits for controlling the pixel portion over the same substrate.
If an element is damaged in manufacturing steps due to shape defects, electrostatic discharge damage (ESD) or the like, a display device itself cannot operate normally and thus should be removed by quality control. In general, the quality control of a display device is performed for such a module 1200 as shown in FIG. 14A, which is completed by attaching an opposite substrate 1202 to a TFT substrate 1201 over which a source driver 1203, a gate driver 1204, a pixel area 1205, a signal input terminal 1206 and the like are formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 14B, a signal is inputted to the module 1200 using a jig or the like, and images (test pattern 1212 and the like) are actually displayed to determine the presence or absence of a defect by viewing a screen.
However, such a method is disadvantageous in that the display device is tested when it is almost completed as the module 1200, and thus the module determined to be defective costs much. In other words, since defects due to circuit malfunction are caused only by the TFT substrate 1201, steps of attaching the opposite substrate 1202 and the like are not necessary. There is also a case where only a substrate (TFT substrate) over which a pixel portion and a periphery circuit are formed using TFTs and the like is produced and shipped as a semi-finished product. In this case, however, quality control cannot be performed by actually displaying images, and a means for determining whether a circuit over a TFT substrate operates normally is required.
FIG. 13 shows an example of a configuration to achieve such quality control. A digital source driver 18 having a shift register (SR), a NAND circuit, a latch, a D/A converter (DAC) and the like, a gate driver 5, a pixel area where pixels 3 are arranged in matrix, and a test circuit having a driver circuit 30, an analog switch 25, a test line 27, a test terminal 28 and the like are formed over a substrate.
In the display device shown in FIG. 13, each gate signal line 6 controls pixels connected to the line, and a video signal is inputted to the digital source driver 18, outputted to a source signal line 9, and written to each pixel.
In the test circuit, the analog switch 25 is controlled by the driver circuit 30, and charges held when a video signal is written to a pixel are outputted to the test terminal 28 through the test line 27, thereby determining whether writing to the pixel is good or bad (see Patent Document 1). There is another test method where a test pad is provided for each source signal line 9 and output is tested by applying a probe to each pad (see Patent Document 2).
As a test method performed before a TFT substrate is attached to an opposite substrate, there is a method where a test capacitor is provided to be connected to a drain region of a driving TFT in a pixel portion, and the charging and discharging of the test capacitor are checked to determine whether the driving TFT operates normally (see Patent Document 3). As another method, electromagnetic induction from a coil is used to drive a circuit over an element substrate, and an electromagnetic wave or an electric filed generated in the circuit is monitored (see Patent Documents 4 and 5).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-116423    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 2618042    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-032035    [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-350513    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-031814

Test circuit and display device having the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method, a remote access server and a system for configuring a QoS parameter are provided. In the method, the RAS and the system, when performing QoS configuration, a first network sends data traffic description information of a data traffic to be transmitted to a second network, so that the second network may perform QoS configuration of the second network according to the data traffic description information; and after completing local configuration, an RAS of the first network directly returns a configuration completion response to a QoS management device of the first network without waiting for a configuration completion message returned by the second network, so that the QoS management device of the first network continues performing the QoS configuration of the first network, thereby achieving parallel QoS configuration of the first network and the second network, reducing the delay of the QoS configuration.

With the development of digital home, and the universal digitization of consumer electronic products, more and more digital entertainment devices and home appliance products are occurring in home. These home network devices are connected to form a home network in a wired or wireless manner, so as to achieve functions such as content sharing or mutual control, which is the digital home network concept that the industry is conceiving and striving to achieve.
In order to achieve interworking and control of various different home devices, more and more home network devices support Universal Plug and Play (Universal Plug and Play, UPnP). In a UPnP system, a user controls a home device through a control point (Control Point, CP) in the home network, and the control point adopts a UPnP protocol, reads status information of a UPnP device in the home network, and controls the UPnP device to execute a corresponding operation by invoking a control command (action) relevant to the UPnP device.
The UPnP defines a standard relevant to remote access (Remote Access, RA), which is used to perform remote access on a device in the home network when the home network device is moved out of the home network, such as upload/download of a media file, and remote control. The UPnP remote access further supports home-to-home (Home-to-Home, H2H) remote access, so as to achieve applications such as media content sharing of two home networks.
In order to improve remote access quality and user experience, establishment of Quality of Service (Quality of Service, QoS) between a local network and a remote network should be further considered. The UPnP defines a QoS standard, which is used to configure and establish QoS of a data traffic of a home network. However, the standard is only used in the home network, but cannot be applied to a remote network device for the remote access, and cooperative QoS configuration of two networks cannot be achieved in the remote access case, so that the remote access QoS and the user experience cannot be ensured technically.

Method, remote access server and system for configuring a quality of service parameter


A strategic board game is disclosed. Two players, utilizing fifteen playing pieces each, engage in a battle on an original game board. The object of the game is for the King and his Warriors to defeat the Wizard and his Beasts; and vice versa. The game board consists of 108 alternately shaded squares. A meadow, a castle, a cave and two sets of tunnel ingresses/egresses are delineated on said squares. The movement of the above playing pieces on the game board must be in accordance with an original set of rules. The game ends when either of the King or Wizard is killed. The rules of the game, the thirty playing pieces and their movement abilities, and the game board together form a novel and challenging strategy game similar to the traditional game of Chess.

The invention disclosed hereinafter is an intellectual game where each move of a playing piece generates varying combinations of alternative countermoves. It may be categorized with the traditional game of Chess. However, when a detailed comparison is made, the novelty of the present invention is clearly evident. For example, the game board differs by:
a. the number and arrangement of squares used, PA0 b. the existence of a castle, a cave, and two tunnels, and PA0 c. the physical appearance of the shaded sqares: predominantly light and dark greens representing an open meadow; shades of gray in the castle, cave and tunnel ingress/egress areas. PA0 a. the number of playing pieces, PA0 b. the starting position of the playing pieces, PA0 c. the names and shapes of the playing pieces with the exception of the name "King", and PA0 d. the movement of each playing piece as described hereinafter by the "Abilities of the Playing Pieces" and the "Rules of the Game".
Furthermore, the playing pieces differ by:
The novelty of the present invention lies within the concepts of the game playing rules, the number and types of playing pieces, the elements of the game board and the combined balance of all of the aforementioned.

Method of playing a strategic board game


Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for fulfilling a service chain request. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to collect network data of a plurality of instances of services and connections between the plurality of instances of services and redefine service chains to direct flow to an alternative instance of a service responsive to determining that an instance of a service in a service chain has become inaccessible. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to fulfill a service chain request and avoid one or more instances of services (and/or connections there between) that could cause a delay between transmitting data packets through the service chain.

A data processing environment comprises a variety of hardware, software, and firmware networking components. A physical network, also called an underlay, is a network defined using such components. An example of a networking component in a physical network is a computing node. A computing node is a device that can offer a service (e.g., compression, encryption, firewall, decryption, etc.) and channel incoming data from any of multiple input ports to the specific output port that will take the data toward its intended destination. Multiple computing nodes can form a service chain.
Techniques are available presently to construct a logical network, also known as a software defined network (SDN) overlay (hereinafter interchangeably, "SDN" or "overlay"), from networking components of a physical network. Essentially, networking components are abstracted into corresponding logical or virtual representations, and the abstractions are used to define the SDN. In other words, an SDN is a logical network formed and operated using logical representations of underlying networking components.
Physical networks usually exist within the demarcated boundary of the data processing environment whose networking components are utilized in the physical network. Unlike a physical network, an SDN can be designed to span across one or more data processing environments. For example, while a physical network may be contained within a datacenter, an SDN may span across one or more datacenters.
As an example, a logical representation of a hypervisor can participate in an SDN, such that a function attributed to the logical representation of the hypervisor in the SDN is actually performed by the underlying hypervisor component in the underlay. Similarly, a logical representation of a networking gateway can participate in an SDN, such that a function attributed to the logical representation of the networking gateway in the SDN is actually performed by the underlying networking gateway component in the underlay.
In an SDN, because the actual networking components that perform the networking functions are abstracted into logical entities representing the networking functionality offered by those components and not the actual implementations of those functionalities, something is needed to direct those networking functionalities into a functioning logical network. An SDN controller is a component that manages and operates the logical networking components within an SDN. For example, an SDN controller manages flow entries of computing nodes forming a service chain in an underlay network.

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to an outrigger for securing a longitudinal spinal rod, preferably a horizontally offset spinal rod, with respect to a bone anchor. The outrigger may include a housing having a first throughbore to receive the bone anchor and a second throughbore to receive the spinal rod, a cam for surrounding the bone anchor, the cam being disposed within the first throughbore, and a collet having a passage for surrounding the spinal rod, the collet being disposed within the second throughbore. The cam may be moveable from a first position to a second position such that, in the first position, the spinal rod and bone anchor are free to move with respect to the housing and in the second position, the spinal rod and collet are secured with respect to the housing. The collet may be moveable between a first configuration to a second configuration such that movement of the cam from the first position to the second position causes the collet to move from the first configuration to the second configuration. The cam preferably may move into contact with the collet when the cam is moved into the second position. The collet preferably may be compressible into the second configuration. The cam may also include an intermediate position wherein in the intermediate position, the spinal rod is free to translate with respect to the housing but is prevented from articulating with respect thereto.

Spinal fusion is a procedure that involves joining two or more adjacent vertebrae with a bone fixation device to restrict movement of the vertebra with respect to one another. For a number of known reasons, spinal fixation devices are used in spine surgery to align and/or fix a desired relationship between adjacent vertebral bodies. Such devices typically include a spinal fixation element, such as, for example, a relatively rigid fixation rod, a dynamic or flexible spinal rod, etc., that is coupled to adjacent vertebrae by attaching the spinal fixation element to various bone fixation elements, such as, for example, hooks, bolts, wires, screws, etc. The bone fixation elements may commonly include heads with channels in which the spinal fixation element is inserted and subsequently clamped by a set screw or closure cap. Surgeons may commonly choose to install multiple bone fixation elements, as well as multiple spinal fixation elements, to treat a given spinal disorder. The spinal fixation elements may have a predetermined contour, and once installed, the spinal fixation element may hold the vertebrae in a desired spatial relationship, either until desired healing or spinal fusion has taken place, or for some longer period of time.
Surgeons have often encountered difficulty installing such devices because of trouble aligning the spinal fixation element(s) with the channels in the heads of the bone fixation elements. For example, the heads of bone fixation elements may often be out of vertical and/or horizontal alignment with one another because of the curvature of the spine or the size and shape of each vertebra.
The process of positioning and setting known bone fixation elements may be tedious and relatively time-consuming, typically requiring more than one surgical tool to clamp the spinal fixation elements and the bone fixation elements in desired positions. Even with a high degree of skill and care, the process of positioning an assembly of known bone fixation elements and spinal fixation elements, and clamping said bone and spinal fixation elements in place can take more time than desired during a surgical procedure, and may even result in spinal fixation elements, bone fixation elements, or both moving out of position before clamping is completed.
Thus, it is desirable to have a spinal fixation device that can secure spinal fixation elements and bone fixation elements in place with a minimum amount of time and a minimal number of surgical tools. It is also desirable to have a spinal fixation device that can secure a spinal fixation element at an axis that is offset from the axis of the bone fixation element.


A developing device 10 has a voltage application member 18 which is in contact via a toner layer with a developing roller 14 that rotates while holding the toner layer on its outer peripheral surface. To the toner layer, the voltage application member 18 applies a relatively low voltage in an upstream-side contact portion with respect to a rotational direction of the developing roller 14, and applies a relatively high voltage in a downstream-side contact portion thereof.

The present invention relates to a developing device to be used for electrophotographic image formation apparatuses such as printers and copiers.
In electrophotographic image formation apparatuses such as printers and copiers, there has conventionally been used a developing device which develops with toner an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoconductor to visualize the image. This developing device generally has a developing roller or developing sleeve which rotates while holding charged toner on the outer peripheral surface in a thin layer state, so that toner is fed onto the photoconductor from the developing roller or the like.
Meanwhile, as printers have been wide-spreading in offices rapidly in recent years, users have been becoming increasingly more conscious of image quality and cost. One of image noise is 'fogging' which occurs due to deposition of the toner at portions other than the latent image on the photoconductor. This occurs more often due to a deterioration of toner charge amount resulting from a deterioration of the toner within the developing device during endurance time. The deterioration of toner charge amount due to endurance causes not only image deteriorations but also increases in toner consumption, which substantially causes larger burdens of cost on users.
For electric charging of the toner in the developing device, as is a general method, a blade-like member is brought into press contact against the developing roller, and the toner held on the developing roller in a thin layer state is frictionally rubbed by the blade-like member, thereby electrically charged. However, a nip width formed between the blade-like member and the developing roller, if small, would make it hard to impart a sufficient charge amount to deteriorated toner. Thus, For obtainment of larger nip widths, there have been proposed methods for bringing a film-like member into press contact with the developing roller in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. S63-155065, H05-11583, H10-31358, H10-133474 and H11-272069.
However, in the case where the nip width is broadened by using a film-like member, there is a tendency that although the toner charge amount gradually increases while passing through within the nip, yet the toner becomes less charged in downstream-side part within the nip with respect to the rotational direction of the developing roller, so that the charge amount reaches the ceiling and a desired charge amount cannot be obtained. This tendency is considerable particularly with deteriorated toner, causing a problem that the fogging involved in endurance cannot be improved.

Developing device having a voltage application member for applying varied voltages

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An enclosure or display cabinet for displaying heated objects (such as a food display module or container) using heat-sensitive lighting is disclosed herein. The heat-sensitive lighting may be, for example, an LED lighting unit. LED lighting is inefficient and tends to degrade or fail when operating at higher temperatures. However, LED lighting may be preferred as it is typically more energy efficient than other lighting options (such as incandescent bulbs). The lighting unit includes a thermally insulated space, shelf, or gap for housing the lighting and a system for reducing heat generated by the display or the lighting unit.

Like many types of lighting, LED diodes generate heat when at a brightness appropriate for lighting. Heat can also be a problem for LED diodes and circuitry. LED lighting becomes less efficient when the junction temperature increases. Higher junction temperature also tends to degrade the life or performance of LED lighting over time. Junction temperature is a function of the ambient temperature surrounding the LED, the current through the LED, and the presence and quality of a heatsink in or around the LED. Because of the role ambient atmospheric temperature plays in LED efficiency, LED lighting is generally prescribed for low temperature environments with application to higher temperature environments to be avoided.
A solution is needed for using LED lighting within heated enclosures.

LED lighting system for heated enclosure


A brightness compensation method for a display apparatus, and a display apparatus are disclosed. The brightness compensation method includes: for each row of display units, turning on the row S times during a display time of one frame; inputting, to each display unit in the row a pixel data signal of the frame corresponding to the display unit, when the row is turned on for the i-th time; inputting, to a to-be-compensated display unit in the row, a compensation signal, and controlling other display unit than the to-be-compensated display unit in the row to present black, when the row is turned on for each time other than the i-th time; wherein both S and i are integers, S≥2, 1≤i≤S; for every two adjacent rows of display units, a time interval of same turning-ons of the latter and the former is the same.

Organic light emitting diode (abbreviated as "OLED") displays have been widely used in various electronic devices including electronic products such as computers, mobile phones, etc., due to their advantages such as self-luminescence, light weight and small thickness, low power consumption, high contrast, high color gamut, and capability of flexible display.
A display panel in an OLED display apparatus mainly relies on OLED devices to emit light so as to achieve normal image display. However, due to differences in fabrication process and differences in characteristics of the OLED devices themselves, the OLED devices at difference positions of the display apparatus may have different luminous efficiencies, and thus, non-uniformity in light emission from the display apparatus is likely to occur.

Brightness compensation method for display apparatus, and display apparatus

HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A hold-down mechanism for a steerable spacecraft appendage, the appendage being coupled to a spacecraft structure with a positioning mechanism, is configured (1) to support, when in a hold-down mode, the appendage at a first position substantially fixed with respect to the spacecraft; (ii) release, upon receipt of a signal, the appendage, thereby enabling the positioning mechanism to steer the spacecraft appendage; and (iii) retract from the appendage without regard to whether the appendage remains substantially in the first position. The first position may result in the spacecraft appendage being aligned in a nominal operating location and orientation, so that the antenna positioning mechanism is not required to initially deploy or otherwise reorient the appendage.

The assignee of the present invention manufactures and deploys spacecraft for communications and broadcast services. Such spacecraft commonly include various appendages, such as, for example, antenna reflectors, that may need to be deployable and/or steerable after the spacecraft is deployed on orbit. It is known in the art to provide an antenna positioning mechanism (APM), for example, to enable the appendage to be rotated with respect to the spacecraft about one or more axes for deployment and/or steering. On orbit, therefore, the APM may be the primary, or only, mechanical interface between the appendage and the spacecraft. Such mechanisms, however, are not commonly able to withstand launch environments when loaded with the appendage. Instead, hold-down mechanisms are conventionally provided which support the appendage during launch. Once the spacecraft has achieved orbit, the hold-down mechanism is "released" by, for example, severing a mechanical rod or bolt attaching the hold-down mechanism to the appendage, or by actuating a non-pyrotechnic release device such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,818, to Hsieh, et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Once the hold-down mechanism is released, the APM is enabled to deploy and/or steer the reflector or other appendage.
An example of a conventional hold-down mechanism 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Mechanism 100 includes frame 101 that may be attached to a spacecraft (not shown) by way of hinges 103. Prior to release of the hold-down mechanism, an attachment member 110 of a spacecraft appendage (not shown) is secured to the spacecraft by hold-down mechanism 100. Rod 105, for example may connect attachment member 110 to frame 101. When hold-down mechanism 100 is to be released, release device/cutter 106 releases or severs rod 105, thereby permitting attachment member 110 and the spacecraft appendage to be deployed away (vertically, in the illustrated view) from the hold-down mechanism 100. Thereafter, frame 101 may be retracted by rotating frame 101 about an axis of hinges 103 so that frame 101 is folded against a sidewall of the spacecraft, thereby expanding the range of motion available to the spacecraft appendage.

Hold-down mechanism for a spacecraft appendage


The present invention provides screening methods for GPCRs based on the discovery that the affinity of a receptor agonist for a GPCR (such as the parathyroid hormone receptor) when not bound to a G-protein is correlated with the length of time over which the agonist is effective, independently of its pharmacokinetic properties. The invention also provides PTH- and PTHrP-derived polypeptides.

In general, the invention relates to a screening method for agonists of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with prolonged or short-lived activity. More specifically, the invention is related to parathyroid (PTH) hormone or PTH-related protein (PTHrP) ligand analogs that have either more prolonged or shorter-lived activity on the PTH receptor (PTHR) than does PTH(1-34). The invention also relates PTHR ligands identified using the methods of the invention and uses of such ligands in treating disease.
GPCRs are large group of membrane receptors which, in response to activation by an agonist, activate G-proteins which then, in turn, cause activation of at least one signaling cascade, such as the cyclic AMP/protein kinase A cascade. This large groups of receptors is found in organisms ranging from bacteria to man, and are involved in, for example, hormonal, neuronal, and olfactory signal transduction.
The parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR, SEQ ID NO:1 for human and SEQ ID NO:2 for rat) is the endogenous receptor for both PTH and PTH related protein (PTHrP), yet each ligand has a distinct biological function. PTH regulates calcium and phosphate homeostasis and acts as a gland-secreted endocrine hormone on target cells in bone and kidney. PTH also reduces the reabsorption of inorganic phosphate (Pi) largely through its effects on sodium-dependent phosphate transporters (NaPi-IIa and NaPi-IIc) located in renal proximal tubule (PT) cells. PTHrP regulates cell proliferation and differentiation programs in developing tissues, and is secreted and acts in a paracrine fashion within tissue primordia (Kronenberg, H. M. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1068:1-13 (2006)).
PTH (SEQ ID NO:3) and PTHrP (SEQ ID NO:4) are most homologous in their amino-terminal (residues 1-14) signaling domains (eight amino acid identities), and show moderate homology in their 14-34 binding domains (three identities). It has been generally inferred that the fully active (residues 1-34) portions of PTH and PTHrP interact with the PTHR via largely identical mechanisms (Caulfield et al., Endocrinology 127:83-87 (1990); Abou-Samra et al., Endocrinology 125:2215-2217 (1989)). This mechanism is thought to consist of two principal components: an interaction between the carboxy-terminal binding domain of the ligand and the amino-terminal extracellular (N) domain of the receptor, and an interaction between the amino-terminal signaling domain of the ligand and the juxtamembrane (J) region of the receptor, which contains the intracellular loops and seven transmembrane helices (Hoare et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276:7741-7753 (2001); Castro et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102:16084-16089 (2005); Witelsberger et al., Biochemistry 45:2027-2034 (2006); Shimizu et al., J. Biol. Chem. 280:1797-1807 (2005); Gensure et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 328:666-678 (2005)). However, the extent, if any, to which the precise mechanisms of binding used by the two ligands differ remains to be determined.
In humans, PTH(1-34) (SEQ ID NO:5) has potent, bone-anabolic effects, and induces marked increases in bone mineral density and bone strength. Indeed, recombinant human PTH(1-34) is now considered to be one of the most effective treatments for osteoporosis (Tashjian and Gagel, J. Bone Miner. Res 21:354-365 (2006)). Importantly, hPTH(1-34) must be administered in a pulsatile fashion (e.g., once daily subcutaneous injection) in order for its bone-forming effects to be realized. With more prolonged administrations, as with a sustained infusion pump mechanism, PTH(1-34) exerts a net catabolic effect on bone, due to a greater activation of the bone-resorptive responses mediated by the osteoclasts, relative to the bone-forming responses mediated by the osteoblasts. The duration of exposure of the PTH receptor in bone to a PTH ligand is thus a key determinant of the overall bone-formation response achieved by that ligand, and thus its effectiveness as a treatment for osteoporosis.
Clinical studies have shown that PTHrP(1-36) (SEQ ID NO:6) can also increase bone mineral density in humans, and can do so approximately to the same extent as does PTH(1-34), although higher doses are required (Horwitz et al., J. Endocrinol. Metab. 88:569-575 (2003). Importantly, even at such higher doses, PTHrP(1-36) did not stimulate the adverse, bone resorptive and hypercalcemic responses that would be expected for equivalent doses of PTH(1-34) (Horwitz et al., J. Endocrinol. Metab. 88:569-575 (2003); Horwitz et al., J. Bone Miner. Res. 20:1792-1803 (2005); Horwitz et al., Osteoporosis Int. 17:225-230 (2006)). The difference in biological activity of the two peptides is not due merely to a difference in pharamacokinetics. A direct comparison of the two peptides using steady-state infusions methods showed that PTHrP(1-36) is markedly less efficacious than PTH(1-34) for stimulating the renal synthesis of 1,25-(OH)2vitamin D3 (Horwitz et al., J. Bone. Mineral. Research. 20:1792-1803 (2005)).
In addition to osteoporosis, hPTH(1-34) (SEQ ID NO:5) has been shown to be effective in treating conditions of PTH deficiency, namely hypoparathyroidism. Thus, PTH(1-34) was shown to be a safe and effective alternative to calcitriol therapy and was able to maintain normal serum calcium levels without hypercalciuria in patients with hypoparathyroidism (Winer et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 88:4214-4220 (2003)). The peptide had to be injected at least twice daily, and the authors recognized the need in this disease for a long-acting PTH(1-34) analog (Winer et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 88:4214-4220 (2003).
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for PTH or PTHrP analogs that have longer- or shorter-lived actions on the PTH receptor than does PTH(1-34). There also exists a need for assays that allow one to distinguish between PTH peptides that have short-versus long-acting effects.

Screening methods using G-protein coupled receptors and related compositions


A pneumatic disc brake device for a railway rolling stock which can produce two times the conventional braking force when the brake cylinder diameter is the same comprises first and second brake levers (1, 2), a pair of brake pads (4) which are mounted through brake heads (5) at one end of the brake levers so as to oppose to a brake disc, and a brake cylinder (6) disposed between the other ends of the first and second brake levers, wherein the brake cylinder (6) comprises a first cylinder part (6a) and a second cylinder part (6b) disposed in series.

By decreasing the size of a pneumatic disc brake device (caliper brake device) used on a railway rolling stock, it is possible to reduce the overall aerodynamic resistance of a railway rolling stock by decreasing the weight and installation space of the brake device. For this reason, there is a great need for reductions in the size of a brake device particularly for high speed railway rolling stocks.
As shown in FIG. 9 of Patent Document 1 (JP 2008-296756 A) (that figure being attached hereto as FIG. 3), a conventional pneumatic disc brake device for a railway rolling stock has a pair of brake levers 22 and a pair of brake pads 24 disposed on both sides of a brake disc 25. Each of the brake pads is mounted on a brake head 23 which is pivotably mounted on one end of a brake lever 22 such that the pad opposes the brake disc 25. A pneumatic brake cylinder 21 is disposed between the other ends of the brake levers 22. In the figure, 26 indicates a link member which connects the pair of brake levers to each other, 22a indicates the fulcrum (pivoting point) of each brake lever, 22b indicates the center of support of the brake heads, and 25a indicates the frictional surfaces of the brake disc.
At the time of brake operation, compressed air is supplied to the brake cylinder from an unillustrated compressor to extend the brake cylinder 21. As a result, a force in the opposite direction, namely a contracting force acts on the other ends of the brake levers 22 on which the brake pads 24 are mounted, through the brake levers 22 having their fulcrums 22a which are fixed in space, and the brake pads 24 are pressed against the frictional surfaces 25a of the brake disc 25, thereby generating frictional resistance between the pads and the brake disc 25 and obtaining a braking force.
With such a pneumatic disc brake device, if the maximum pressure of compressed air which can be supplied to the brake cylinder is increased, a large pressing force can be produced using a brake cylinder with a small effective diameter, and a decrease in the size of the brake cylinder and accordingly of the disc brake device can be realized.
However, the maximum pressure of compressed air which can be supplied to the brake cylinder is determined by the capacity of the compressor mounted on the railway rolling stock, and usually it is limited to at most 1 MPa. Accordingly, there is a limit to the extent to which the size of the brake device can be decreased by increasing compressed air pressure.
Patent Document 2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,499) proposes a disc brake device which has the object of achieving a decrease in size by decreasing the effective diameter of a brake cylinder. However, the disc brake device proposed in Patent Document 2 uses a complicated special link mechanism so as to generate a large braking force by the lever principle. Therefore, it had the problems of an increase in cost due to an increase in the number of parts and an increase in maintenance costs.

Pneumatic disc brake device for railway rolling stock

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation


Traditional systems and methods of billing for text messages for prepaid customers are improved by offering a service provider a series of features relating to intelligent and customized billing. These features include the ability to determine priority of messages sent for certain purposes such as SMS Voting, participating in contests, and other uses, and subsequently processing the billing requests generated by these messages in a dynamic manner in real time or close to real time through dynamic late-billing. The service provider has the option of arranging relevant billing requests in queues and queue groups, and allocating system resources for processing billing requests in order of priority. The end result is increased revenue for the mobile operator and greater customer satisfaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to text messaging. Specifically, the present invention relates to the real time billing process for text messaging over mobile networks.
2. Background of the Invention
Wireless messaging is fast becoming a primary mode of communication between users. The increasing popularity and social acceptance of text messaging over mobile telephones has resulted in many other uses for such messaging, such as text message voting, e.g. for reality television shows. However, large volumes of time-sensitive text messages are often processed before they are billed for, especially for pre-paid subscribers. In some cases subscribers do not have sufficient funds in their pre-paid accounts to pay for the text messages being sent. If these text messages are not billed for, there is a loss of revenue for the mobile operator or service provider. Additionally, some subscribers impose a Smart-Limit (SL) on their usage. During spikes in usage, text messages may be submitted, processed, and delivered before the billing server (or similar server) has an opportunity to impose the smart limit. This results in higher than expected bills for the customer, thus lower customer satisfaction. What is needed is a more efficient system or method capable of handling large volumes of real time billing requests, including prepaid and SL, in real or close to real time.
Wireless text messaging is a huge market with tremendous revenues. Globally, the volume of text messages sent from mobile phones is worth around US$80 billion per year, and continues to grow especially in developing countries and for premium-rate services. The ubiquity of text messaging allows it to be used for a plethora of activities, receiving news, purchasing items, and getting involved in TV and radio entertainment. One example of the latter is the enormous success of reality TV programs, like American Idol or Big Brother, that combine live action with interactive texting from viewers to determine the outcome. The final of the 2005 UK edition of Big Brother generated some 6.4 million texts in a single night, at a premium rate of 50 p each, generating revenues of £3.2 million (US$ 5.9 million), to be split between the production company, the broadcaster, and the mobile service provider. Additionally, there is increasing popularity in TV programs that encourage feedback from viewers in the form of text messages. Viewers may vote for certain characters being eliminated from a TV show, or may vote for the show to take a certain direction when there is a fork in the storyline. Subscribers are willing to pay for these interactive services and thus there is potential for large amounts of revenue from offering diverse text-messaging services.
However, there are certain limitations in the existing text messaging infrastructure that prevent service providers from collecting this tremendous revenue. In a real-time prepaid messaging infrastructure today, a prepaid billing request is sent to a billing system, or a mediation gateway, for billing processing before the message is delivered by the messaging server. Sometimes the messaging server fails to receive a response for the billing request from the billing system in a timely matter. This could happen for a number of reasons including but not limited to long latency processing billing request, a billing request timeout due to overload on the billing server, etc. In this case, the prepaid billing request is logged into a file for later processing, or post-processing. The message is still delivered by the messaging infrastructure, and the billing requests in the log file are processed at regular intervals, perhaps daily or similar.
This separate process is called "late billing", and it has several drawbacks. For one, it happens too infrequently, for instance, one to two times per day. Consequently, many logged prepaid billing requests are processed too long after the message has been delivered. This does not come even remotely close to real-time billing. Additionally, there is a big risk for revenue loss when it is determined later during a late-billing process that a prepaid subscriber's account is lacking funds. The message is delivered but the revenue from this process is lost. This also applies to Smart Limits (SL) and other similar future prepaid-like messaging services where time restriction or billing processing must be handled in real time before a message can be delivered by the messaging server.
One specific example of this loss in revenue is exemplified by the trend of voting via messaging or Short Message Service (SMS). In the present SMS infrastructure, SMS voting is handled and operated individually by SMS voting complexes, similar to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) but dedicated to SMS voting. During peak voting periods such as for TV audiences, the billing process for prepaid messaging and restriction checking for Smart Limit (SL) messaging is unable to keep up with the volume of messages being processed. For prepaid subscribers, the votes get delivered but the related billing requests are not processed until a later time via the late billing process. Thus, it is possible that prepaid subscribers get free text message votes when their accounts may be empty. In addition to reduced efficacy of the process, this causes revenue loss for the service provider.
Also, for SL messaging users, when the message is late-billed, the message is delivered before the smart-limit restriction is checked. Some postpaid subscribers invoke SL, which involves time restrictions checking on the messages for both the sender and receiver before they are delivered. Subscribers usually purchase this as part of family plans to limit the number of messages that are sent or received uncontrollably. When a SMS from a SL subscriber's device is late-billed, or post-processed, the SMS is delivered regardless of the restrictions set by the subscriber. This results in larger-than-expected bills for the owner of the account, and overall reduction in customer satisfaction.
Thus, as more applications for text messaging gain popularity such as voting, etc., and there is increased government recognition and potential usage for election purposes, there is a growing need for a more robust and reliable real-time billing mechanism for high-volume usage. What is needed is a method or system that efficiently processes a realtime billing request from a message with minimal dependence on the late billing process, or at least more efficient and smarter recognition and processing of billing requests associated with high-volume and time-sensitive messages.

Intelligent real time billing for messaging


This disclosure relates to image processing and in particular to super-resolution of mosaic images. An image processor receives a low-resolution mosaic input image and applies a trained neural network to the low-resolution mosaic input image to generate output data of the neural network. Then, the processor creates a high-resolution mosaic output image based on the output data of the neural network. Each of the low-resolution mosaic image and the high-resolution mosaic image is represented by two-dimensional image data comprising, for each pixel, intensity values of different spectral bands arranged adjacent to each other in two dimensions such that each intensity value has a unique location in the two-dimensional image data.

Real-time snap-shot mosaic image sensors are a category of imaging devices that encompass modern RGB and multi-spectral cameras. In fact, RGB cameras are a sub-category of multi-spectral cameras, only being capable of measuring three spectral channels red, blue and green. The recent improvements have given rise to multi-spectral cameras with the performance comparable to modern RGB cameras in terms of size, portability and speed.
Despite the great interest in these devices, with applications ranging from astronomy to tracking in autonomous vehicles, they suffer from an inherent constraint: a trade-off between the spatial and the spectral resolution. The reason is the limited physical space on 2D camera image sensors. A higher spatial resolution (smaller pixel size) reduces the number of possible wavelength channels on the image sensor, and thus creates a limitation in certain applications where the size and portability are essential factors, for instance, on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A more portable (smaller and lighter) camera suffers more from lower spatial and spectral resolution. The spectral and spatial constraints of mosaic imaging devices leads to the desire for super-resolution (SR) algorithms that take a low-resolution input image from the camera sensor and create a high-resolution output image for further analysis and/or display.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation


A lancet assembly includes a lancet, a lancet engaging part, and a lancet case housing the lancet and the lancet engaging part. In the lancet assembly of the present invention, the lancet engaging part and the lancet cap are disposed such that they are capable of making contact with each other. When the lancet engaging part is forced to move forward with respect to the lancet in a pricking direction, the lancet cap is pressed by the lancet engaging part, and thereby the bridging component is broken so that the lancet cap is separated from the lancet body. When the lancet engaging part is forced to further move forward, the separated lancet cap moves to the position off a pricking pathway of the pricking component within the lancet case.

In order to measure a blood sugar level of the patient with diabetes, it is required to take a sample of the blood from the patient. The pricking device is generally composed of a lancet and an injector wherein the lancet has a pricking component capable of puncturing a predetermined region of the patient's body. The injector has a function of launching the lancet toward a predetermined region. The pricking device can be set up for use by loading (or charging) the lancet into the injector. Due to an expansion of the compressed spring of the injector, the lancet is launched toward the predetermined region, and thereby the predetermined region is pricked.
Pricking operation by using the pricking device requires the following nine steps from the loading of the lancet into the injector until the taking out the used lancet from the injector:
(1) Removing an injector cap from the injector;
(2) Setting the lancet into the injector;
(3) Removing a lancet cap from the lancet so as to expose the tip of the pricking component;
(4) Putting the injector cap (which has been removed in step (1)) onto the injector;
(5) Cocking the injector to put the lancet in the loaded state (i.e., make the lancet ready to be launched);
(6) Applying the front end opening of the injector onto a region to be pricked, and then pressing a trigger button to launch the lancet;
(7) Removing the injector cap from the injector;
(8) Putting a protective cap on the exposed tip of the pricking component so as to shield the tip of the pricking component from its surroundings; and
(9) Ejecting the lancet from the injector, and then disposing of the used lancet.
Carrying out the above nine steps sequentially is cumbersome and thus it is desired to reduce the number of the steps.
When taking a sample of the blood by using a pricking device, a particular attention must be paid to the handling of the used lancet. In the used lancet, the tip of the pricking component is exposed on the front end of a lancet body, and there may be the patient's blood adhered to the pricking component (particularly the tip of the pricking component) due to the pricking. If the body of a person other than the subject of the blood sampling (for example, a nurse or medical practitioner who collects the blood sample) accidentally should touch the tip of the pricking component, the body of such person may be pricked by the pricking component. This will result in a wound of the body through which the patient's blood may enter the body (i.e., the body of the nurse or medical practitioner), and thus posing a risk of the infection disease.
The presently-used pricking devices are not necessarily designed with due consideration with respect to the handling of the used lancet. It has been proposed to cover the exposed tip of the pricking component with a protective cap after the pricking component is used (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,571). However, the covering the tip of the pricking component with the protective cap in itself will carry risk. That is, the lancet with the exposed tip of the pricking component has to be handled when the protective cap is placed thereon. Therefore the risk as described above is still not avoided.
As can be seen from the above, the pricking device requires utmost attention in handling the used lancet. Therefore, there is a demand for a pricking device in that it is allowed to be disposed of in safety after use (i.e., after the pricking operation).


A capacitive type humidity sensor is provided, where a sensor chip substrate, with a sensor section where electrostatic capacitance changes in accordance with humidity, a reference section where electrostatic capacitance does not change, and a plurality of pads which are output terminals of each section, and an IC substrate, which is electrically connected to the pads and which outputs the difference in capacitance between the sections as a voltage, are fixed to the same support substrate, where a protective member, which forms a sealed region surrounding the sensor section and which covers the reference section, is provided on the sensor chip substrate, the support substrate is covered by a sealing resin except for the region which is covered by the protective member, the sensor section is exposed to air at the region which is surrounded by the protective member, and the other constituent elements are covered by the sealing resin.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a capacitive type humidity sensor with a humidity-sensitive polymer film as dielectrics and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Humidity sensors, which uses a measurement of humidity change, include an electrostatic capacitive type humidity sensor with a humidity-sensitive polymer film, where a permitivity changes in accordance with the amount of moisture which is absorbed or released, as dielectrics. The capacitive type humidity sensor is provided with the humidity-sensitive polymer film and a sensor section formed of a pair of electrodes which are covered with the humidity-sensitive polymer film and which detect electrostatic capacitance, and it is possible for pads which are provided at an edge portion of the pair of electrodes to be electrically connected to an external circuit using wire bonding. A capacitive type humidity sensor such as this is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-107166.
In the structure in the related art described above, there is a problem in that the humidity-sensitive polymer film and the bonding wire become exposed and the bonding wire is susceptible to impact and corrosion. In particular, in a structure where a control IC which is an external circuit is provided on the same support substrate as the sensor section, there is a desire to seal the entire substrate so as to protect the control IC and the wire bonding section from damage due to impact and corrosion, but it is necessary that the humidity-sensitive polymer film of the sensor section is exposed to air and it is not possible to perform a sufficient seal.
In addition, among the capacitive type humidity sensors, there is a type where a sensor section where the electrostatic capacitance changes in accordance with humidity and a reference section which maintains a constant electrostatic capacitance irrespective of humidity are provided on the same substrate and the difference in capacitance between the sensor section and the reference section is converted into a voltage and output the voltage. In this type, there is a concern that, if the substrate surface is exposed and the humidity-sensitive polymer film of the sensor portion is exposed to air, it may not be possible to obtain sufficient sealing of the reference portion.

Capacitive type humidity sensor and manufacturing method thereof