A technique for determining conditions downhole in a well, particularly load conditions acting on a well tool, e.g. a bottom hole assembly. The loads acting on a bottom hole assembly or other well tool during a well related operation are measured. Load data is collected and may be transmitted uphole in real time for evaluation at a surface control unit. Based on the load data and other possible data related to the downhole operation, corrective actions can be taken to improve the operation.

A variety of hardware is used downhole to accomplish many types of well related operations. The hardware, e.g. well tool, often is delivered downhole as part of a tool string used to perform the desired operation. For example, well tools can be delivered downhole to perform drilling operations, treatment operations, tool actuation operations, measurement operations, fishing operations and other well related operations. During use downhole, the hardware can be subjected to a variety of loads, including compression loads, tension loads, torsion loads, shock loads, and vibration loads. If the loading becomes excessive, damage can be incurred by the downhole hardware.
Attempts have been made to detect and measure loading that occurs in a downhole environment. For example, downhole sensor packages with local data storage have been used to measure loads experienced by a downhole tool string during coiled tubing operations. The locally stored data is then retrieved for post job analysis. However, the delayed access to data limits the usefulness of the system with respect to making adjustments to reduce detrimental loading during the well related operation. There is no capability for optimizing performance through real time control. Other attempts have been made to send load data to the surface, but available systems have tended to be limited in data transfer capacity and accuracy. Other drawbacks associated with existing systems include relatively large outside diameters that restrict the usefulness of such systems in a variety of downhole operations.

System and method for obtaining load measurements in a wellbore


To provide a technology for performing brightness range expansion processing suitable for a scene change when a scene change occurs. If an expansion coefficient output mode determination module 250 detects a scene change, it changes an expansion coefficient output mode from a normal mode to a scene change mode. An expansion coefficient derivation module 200 outputs an first expansion coefficient Gid(n) if the scene change is detected, and outputs a second expansion coefficient G(n) if the scene change is not detected.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technology for displaying moving images based on moving image data.
2. Related Art
In connection with moving image display devices such as projectors, a technology has conventionally been proposed that increases contrast of an image by performing brightness range expansion processing to widen the brightness range of the image data for one frame of moving image data.
Furthermore, in connection with moving image display apparatuses such as projectors that includes an illumination device, a technology has been proposed that adjusts image brightness by performing light modulation control for the illumination device so as to improve image quality.
However, because brightness range expansion processing of moving image data is typically carried out in the conventional art without taking into account sudden image (that is, image brightness) changes between frames, there is a possibility to deteriorate image quality due to such brightness range expansion processing. In the discussion below, a sudden image change between frames is termed a "scene change", and the period between the occurrence of a scene change and the occurrence of next scene change is termed a "scene". One example of the occurrence of a scene change is a change of scene (situation) in moving images.
In addition, because light modulation according to light modulation control is carried out in the conventional art without taking scene changes into account, there is a possibility to deteriorate image quality due to such light modulation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Moving image display device and moving image display method


A hybridization detecting device, wherein a probe cell has a body of semiconductor material forming a diaphragm, a first electrode on the diaphragm, a piezoelectric region on the first electrode, a second electrode on the piezoelectric region and a detection layer on the second electrode. The body accommodates a buried cavity downwardly delimiting the diaphragm.

As is known, the identification of specific biological materials sequences is of significance in many areas including clinical, environmental and food microbiology diagnosis. In particular, the analysis of gene sequences plays a fundamental role in rapid detection of genetic mutations and infectious organisms. This means it is possible to make reliable diagnosis of diseases even before any symptoms appear.
Typical procedures for analyzing biological materials, such as nucleic acid, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and other biological molecules, involve a variety of operations starting from raw material. These operations may include various degrees of cell separation or purification, lysis, amplification or purification, and analysis of the resulting amplification or purification product.
As an example, in DNA-based blood analyses samples are often purified by filtration, centrifugation or by electrophoresis so as to eliminate all the non-nucleated cells, which are generally not useful for DNA analysis. Then, the remaining white blood cells are broken up or lysed using chemical, thermal or biochemical means in order to liberate the DNA to be analyzed. Next, the DNA is denatured by thermal, biochemical or chemical processes and amplified by an amplification reaction, such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction), LCR (ligase chain reaction), SDA (strand displacement amplification), TMA (transcription-mediated amplification), RCA (rolling circle amplification), and the like. The amplification step allows the operator to avoid purification of the DNA being studied because the amplified product greatly exceeds the starting DNA in the sample.
If RNA is to be analyzed, the procedures are similar, but more emphasis is placed on purification or other means to protect the labile RNA molecule. RNA is usually copied into DNA (cDNA) and then the analysis proceeds as described for DNA.
Finally, the amplification product undergoes some type of analysis, usually based on sequence or size or some combination thereof. A common analysis technique is an analysis by hybridization, wherein the amplified DNA is passed over a plurality of detectors made up of individual oligonucleotide detector fragments that are anchored on suitable substrates. The individual oligonucleotide detector fragments or "probes" may be complementary to the target amplified DNA strands. If the amplified DNA strands are complementary to the probes, stable bonds are formed between them (hybridization). The presence of a double stranded DNA in the mixture is thus indicative of a match and hybridization serves as a sequence detection mechanism.
In standard microarrays, the probes are attached to a solid surface (glass or silicon) using a linker molecule. Probe-target hybridization is usually detected and quantified by fluorescence-based detection. The hybridized detectors can be read using a wide variety of means, including optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or thermal means.
Fluorescence-based detection, however, has several significant drawbacks, since: 1) it requires previous manipulation of the analyte to introduce the optical markers; 2) it requires expensive instrumentation for optical reading. Typical commercial equipments are systems with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) or charge-coupled devices (CCDs), which consume high power and cannot be easily integrated with electronic circuits in an inexpensive way; and 3) its sensitivity may be limited by any lack of homogeneity in the marker distribution.
Recently, the use of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for hybridization detection has been proposed, which avoids the need for radioisotopes or fluorophores. Quartz is one member of a family of crystals that experience the piezoelectric effect (to generate an electric potential in response to applied mechanical stress), and the relationship between applied voltage and mechanical deformation is well known. A QCM measures a mass per unit area by measuring the change in frequency of a quartz crystal resonator, wherein the resonance is disturbed by the addition or removal of a small mass. The QCM can be used under vacuum, in gas phase, and more recently in liquid environments. In liquid, it is highly effective at determining the affinity of molecules to surfaces functionalized with recognition sites, and can be used to detect hybridization of nucleic acids, binding of peptides, and the like. Frequency measurements are easily made to high precision, thus it is easy to measure mass densities down to a level of below 1 μg/cm2.
FIGS. 1a and 1b show a quartz crystal microbalance 1 comprising a quartz disc 2 having gold electrodes 3a, 3b patterned on opposite sides of the quartz disc 2. One electrode 3a is covered by a sensing layer 4 capable of bonding with an analyte of interest (shown as dots 5 in FIG. 1b). The microbalance 1, connected in an oscillating circuit, fixes the oscillation frequency of the system at the natural frequency of the quartz disc 2.
By virtue of the hybridization, the mass of the quartz disc 2 increases and causes a variation in the oscillation frequency of the oscillating circuit, which can be easily measured.
FIG. 2 shows a quartz disc 2, functionalized by a biotinylated DNA probe layer having a high affinity with a previously deposited streptavidin layer. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a microbalance 1 wherein the sensing layer 4 comprises a plurality of single-strand DNA segments 7 functionalized by biotin 8; biotin 8 is bound to a streptavidin layer 9 deposited on the quartz disc 2. In the drawing, the single-strand DNA segment 7 is bound to a target strand 13, forming a double-strand 14.
The basic equation describing the relationship between the change in resonant frequency of an oscillating piezoelectric crystal and the mass deposited on the crystal surface was derived by Sauerbrey in 1959. Let A be the area of the quartz crystal in cm2, ΔM the mass difference due to the hybridization in g, f0 the rest resonance frequency of piezoelectric quartz crystal in MHz before hybridization, it can be obtained:
                              Δ                                                              f                =                              -            2.26                    ×                      10                          -              6                                                                    f              o              2                        A                              Δ                                                              m                                    (        1        )
The sensitivity S of the crystal sensor is given by:
                    S        =                                            Δ                                                                                f                                      Δ                                                                                m                                =                                    -              2.26                        ×                          10                              -                6                                                                                f                o                2                            A                                                          (        2        )
Thus, for a given piezoelectric crystal, the sensitivity of a microbalance can be increased by reducing the dimensions of the electrode surface. Therefore, miniaturization (e.g., silicon integration) will allow the QCM to reach very high sensitivity, so as to be able to detect even very small mass variations.
Semiconductor piezoelectric sensors have been disclosed for a plurality of applications. In particular, bulk-integrated, acoustic wave sensors using piezoelectric layers are known, wherein a piezoelectric layer, sandwiched between two electrode layers, overlies a cavity and forms an acoustic resonator (see, e.g., "Bulk Acoustic Wave Theory and Devices" Joel F. Rosenbaum Artech House Inc, 1988).
These electro-acoustic resonators have been proposed for forming sensors of several types, such as force, pressure, acceleration, weight and chemicals sensors, all of which exploit the variation in the oscillation frequency of the acoustic resonator following a mass variation and/or its geometrical configuration.
Known sensors have cavities formed by bulk micromachining by etching silicon substrate from the back using tetramethylammoniumhydroxide (TMAH, see, e.g. "Sensors and Microsystems: Proceedings of the 10th Italian Conference" A. G. Mignani, R. Falciai, C. Di Natale, A. D′Amico, World Scientific Publishing Company, July 2008—pages 326-331). In particular, according to this known technique, a silicon nitride layer, acting as an etch stop, is deposited on a surface of a silicon substrate. Then a stack of a first aluminum layer (lower electrode), an aluminum nitride layer and a second aluminum layer (upper electrode) is deposited. The substrate is anisotropically etched from the back and the etching stops at the silicon nitride layer. The wafer is then diced. In each die so obtained, the stack forms a diaphragm, whereon a thin layer of a sensitive probe material, such as porphyrin, may be deposited.
This process is not usual in current production lines for integrated circuits.
In addition, this etching technique causes the formation of a cavity having a trapezoidal section, with a shorter base formed by the diaphragm and sloping sides at 40°-60°. Since the thickness of the substrate is generally about 675-700 μm, the longer base of the cavity is longer about 1.2-1.4 mm than the diaphragm. The total area needed for each microbalance is thus much higher than the area of the oscillating region alone. Therefore, the microbalance is, as a whole, cumbersome.
As a consequence, in general, known piezoelectric sensors do not have wide application.
Thus, an aim of the invention is to devise a detector of biological materials that can be easily integrated, has high sensitivity, low manufacturing costs and high reliability.

Electronic detection of biological materials


A power series digital predistorter and a distortion compensation control method for the power series digital predistorter are capable of adjusting the coefficients of a frequency characteristic compensator at high speed. A controller in the power series digital predistorter collectively sets adjustment amounts for the phases in bands in an N-th order frequency characteristic compensator; collectively sets adjustment amounts for the amplitudes in the bands in the N-th order frequency characteristic compensator; determines whether an index indicating the degree of cancellation of a distortion component generated in a power amplifier satisfies a preset condition; and, if the index does not satisfy the condition, performs control such that the adjustment amounts for the phases and the adjustment amounts for the amplitudes are set again.

Nonlinear distortion compensation methods for microwave power amplifiers (power amplifiers hereafter) include a predistortion method. The predistortion method uses a predistorter to add, to a power amplifier input signal beforehand, a distortion compensation component for cancelling out a distortion component generated by the power amplifier.
The power amplifier generally provides high efficiency when it is operated at around the saturation output power. As the power amplifier approaches its saturation output power, the intermodulation distortion (distortion component hereafter) increases because of the nonlinear characteristics. In addition, the distortion component has frequency dependent. Predistorters that can compensate for the frequency dependent distortion component include a power series digital predistorter (digital predistorter hereafter) that compensates for the frequency dependence of the distortion component (refer to S. Mizuta, Y. Suzuki, S. Narahashi, and Y. Yamao, "A New Adjustment Method for the Frequency-Dependent IMD Compensator of the Digital Predistortion Linearizer," IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium 2006, pp. 255-258, January 2006.).
FIG. 1 shows a conventional structure of a digital predistorter 900 and its peripheral equipment. In the example shown, a digital input transmission signal includes an I-phase signal and a Q-phase signal (I/Q signals hereafter). The digital predistorter 900 includes a linear transfer path 901A, a distortion generation path 901B, dividers 902, combiners 903, digital-to-analog converters (DACs) 904, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) 905, an distortion observer 906, and a controller 907. The linear transfer path 901A includes a delay unit 901A1. The distortion generation path 901B includes a distortion generator 901B1, a distortion vector adjuster 901B2, and a frequency characteristic compensator 901B3. The dividers 902 divide the input transmission signal into the linear transfer path 901A and the distortion generation path 901B. The combiners 903 combine the outputs of the linear transfer path 901A and the outputs of the distortion generation path 901B. The digital-to-analog converters (DACs) 904 convert the outputs of the combiners 903 (digital I/Q signals with distortion compensation components added thereto) to analog I/Q signals. The analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) 905 convert the outputs (analog I/Q signals) of a feedback signal generator 960 that takes in a part of the output of an amplifier 950 as a feedback signal to digital I/Q signals. The distortion observer 906 detects a distortion component from the outputs of the ADCs 905. The controller 907 adjusts vector coefficients (amplitude and phase) to be set in the distortion vector adjuster 901B2 and one or more frequency characteristic compensator coefficients (amplitude and phase) to be set in the frequency characteristic compensator 901B3, in accordance with the output of the distortion observer 906.
The amplifier 950 includes a quadrature modulator 951 for performing quadrature modulation of the analog I/Q signals output from the digital predistorter 900, a frequency upconverter 952 for converting the frequency of the modulated output to the carrier frequency, and a power amplifier 953 for performing power amplification of the frequency-converted signal, and supplies the power-amplified signal from an output terminal 970 to an antenna, for example, via a duplexer, not shown.
The feedback signal generator 960 includes a coupler 961 that extracts a part of the output of the amplifier 950 as a feedback signal, a frequency downconverter 962 for converting the frequency of the feedback signal, and a quadrature demodulator 963 for performing quadrature demodulation of the down-converted feedback signal.
FIG. 2 shows an example structure of the frequency characteristic compensator 901B3. The frequency characteristic compensator 901B3 includes a J-point FFT 901B31, a complex multiplier 901B32, and a J-point IFFT 901B33. The FFT 901B31 converts the input signal of the frequency characteristic compensator 901B3 into the frequency domain. The complex multiplier 901B32 multiplies each of M bands formed by dividing the upper band and lower band of the distortion component, as shown in FIG. 3, by a frequency characteristic compensator coefficient given by the controller 907 (phase and amplitude adjustment). The output of the FFT 901B31 outside the divided bands is directly input to the IFFT 901B33, which is not shown in the figure. The IFFT 901B33 converts the output of the complex multiplier 901B32 into the time domain.
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating processing for frequency characteristic compensator coefficients that minimize the distortion component, in the frequency characteristic compensator. The controller 907 specifies one band where the frequency characteristic compensator coefficient is to be adjusted (band specification step S900), adjusts the frequency characteristic compensator coefficient to reduce the power of the distortion component in the specified band to the minimum level (or a target value), and sets the coefficient in the frequency characteristic compensator (frequency characteristic compensator coefficient adjustment steps S901, S902). When the distortion component power in the specified band is minimized (condition 1) and when the distortion component power in each of all bands is minimized (condition 2), the controller 907 ends the frequency characteristic compensator coefficient adjustment process and sets the obtained frequency characteristic compensator coefficients in the frequency characteristic compensator (S903). If the conditions 1 and 2 are not satisfied, the controller 907 goes back to the band specification step and repeats the steps S900, S901, and S902 until the conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied (S903). By adjusting the frequency characteristic compensator coefficients in all bands in accordance with the processing as described above, the frequency-dependent distortion component is compensated for.

Power series digital predistorter and distortion compensation control method therefor


A defect inspecting apparatus includes a first light source, a first image capture device that receives the reflection light emitted from the first light source and reflected by the outer peripheral surface of a lip part to grab the image of the outer peripheral surface of the lip part, a second light source, a second image capture device 8 that receives the reflection light emitted from the second light source and reflected by a load face to grab the image of the load face, a third light source, a third image capture device that receives the reflection light emitted from the third light source and reflected by a thread bottom face inspection zone 106 to grab the image of the thread bottom face inspection zone, and an inspection device for inspecting defects by processing the captured images grabbed by the first to third image capture devices.

A defect inspecting apparatus for inspecting a defect on the outer peripheral surface of a pipe has been disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The defect inspecting apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a light source for illuminating the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, an image capture device for grabbing the image of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe by receiving the reflection light reflected by the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, and an inspection device for inspecting a defect on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe by processing the captured image grabbed by the image capture device.
Pipes subjected to such a defect inspection may include a steel pipe for oil well casing, tubing and drilling (hereinafter, referred to as an oil well steel pipe) as shown in FIG. 10. In the end portion of an oil well steel pipe 200, an external thread part 201 and a lip part 202 are provided in that order from the inside in the pipe axis direction. The lip part 202 is tapered such that the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis direction decreases outwardly (to the pipe end side) in the pipe axis direction.
In using the oil well steel pipe 200, two or more pipes are joined by a joint 210. On the inner peripheral surface of the joint 210, an internal thread part 211 capable of threadedly engaging with the external thread part 201 of the oil well steel pipe 200 and a no-thread part 212 are provided. When the external thread part 201 of the oil well steel pipe 200 and the internal thread part 211 of the joint 210 are threadedly engaged with each other, the outer peripheral surface of the lip part 202 comes into close contact with the no-thread part 212 of the joint 210. By the close contact of the outer peripheral surface of the lip part 202 with the no-thread part 212, oil leakage from between the oil well steel pipe 200 and the joint 210 is prevented when two or more oil well steel pipes 200 are joined in use.
If a defect is present on the outer peripheral surface of the lip part 202, which is in close contact with the no-thread part 212, oil leakage may occur from between the oil well steel pipe 200 and the joint 210. Also, in the case where the oil well steel pipes 200 are joined in use, a high stress may develop on a load face 203 of the external thread part 201 and in a thread bottom face inspection zone 206. The load face 203 is an inside face (on the side opposite to the pipe end side) of opposing side faces in the pipe axis direction of a thread ridge part 207. The thread bottom face inspection zone 206 is a zone of a thread bottom face 204 ranging from a boundary part 205 between the load face 203 and the thread bottom face 204 to a portion 208 of the thread bottom face 204 spaced apart inwardly by a predetermined distance from the boundary part 205 in the pipe axis direction. Since a high stress develops on the load face 203 and in the thread bottom face inspection zone 206 as described above, if a defect is present on the load face 203 or in the thread bottom face inspection zone 206, the oil well steel pipe 200 may be damaged.
For this reason, any defect on the outer peripheral surface of the lip part 202, on the load face 203, and in the thread bottom face inspection zone 206 must be inspected with high accuracy.
As shown in FIG. 10, some oil well steel pipes 200 have the load face 203 inclined inwardly in the pipe axis direction relative to the vertical plane perpendicular to the pipe axis direction. As shown in FIG. 11, the direction of the optical axis of an image capture device 222 that the apparatus of Patent Literature 1 has coincides with the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis direction. The image capture device 222 of the apparatus of Patent Literature 1, in which the direction of optical axis coincides with the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis direction, cannot grab the image of the load face 203 inclined inwardly in the pipe axis direction. Therefore, the apparatus of Patent Literature 1 cannot inspect a defect on the load face 203 inclined inwardly in the pipe axis direction.
Also, if the load face 203 is inclined inwardly in the pipe axis direction, in the pipe axis direction, the load face 203 is present at the same position as a portion close to the boundary part 205 of the thread bottom face inspection zone 206. Due to the presence of the load face 203, the reflection light reflected to the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis direction by the portion close to the boundary part 205 of the thread bottom face inspection zone 206 enters the load face 203. Therefore, the image capture device 222 of the apparatus of Patent Literature 1, in which the direction of optical axis coincides with the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis direction as described above, cannot grab the image of the entire zone of the thread bottom face inspection zone 206 (i.e. cannot grab the image of the portion close to the boundary part 205 of the thread bottom face inspection zone 206). Therefore, the apparatus of Patent Literature 1 cannot inspect a defect over the entire zone of the thread bottom face inspection zone 206 if the load face 203 is inclined inwardly in the pipe axis direction.
Furthermore, Patent Literature 1 does not describe the inspection of any defect on the outer peripheral surface of the lip part 202.

NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION


A semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cell mats, a plurality of sub-word driver regions and a plurality of sense amplifier regions, a plurality of intersection regions, a sub-amplifier, and a start signal (a control signal) supply circuit (a sub-amplifier control circuit). A plurality of sub-word driver regions and a plurality of sense amplifier regions are disposed adjacent to the plurality of memory cell mats. A plurality of intersection regions are intersection regions between the plurality of sub-word driver regions and the plurality of sense amplifier regions. The sub-amplifier is disposed in a first intersection region among the plurality of intersection regions. The start signal supply circuit is disposed in a second intersection region among the plurality of intersection regions, and supplies a start signal (a control signal) of the sub-amplifier to the sub-amplifier based on a sub-amplifier timing signal supplied from the extending direction of the sub-word driver region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-279745, filed Oct. 30, 2008, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor memory device comprising a sub-amplifier which amplifies a signal of a sense amplifier is well known. In such a semiconductor memory device comprising a sub-amplifier, a control signal of a sub-amplifier circuit is input from the direction of column decoder in order to easily match the timing of the control signal to that of a column selection signal (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. H11-214652). Patent Document 1 discloses that matching the timing between a control signal DREADT of the sub-amplifier circuit and a column selection signal YS is easier when the control signal DREADT of the sub-amplifier circuit is input from the side of a column decoder region 3.

Semiconductor memory device capable of matching the timing between sub-amplifier control signal and column selection signal


In a thread-wound golf ball comprising a thread-wound core and a cover, the cover is formed of a vulcanized rubber composition comprising a base rubber containing at least 30% by weight of transpolyisoprene and has a vulcanizing sulfur content ratio between radially outer and inner half regions of from 1/2 to 4/1. Sufficient vulcanizing sulfur available throughout the cover renders the cover to be resistant to cut and shear so that the ball becomes durable.

Thread-wound golf balls having a balata cover are well known in the art. They are generally manufactured by winding a length of thread of high quality natural rubber or synthetic rubber on a solid center of high repulsion synthetic rubber or a liquid center. The resulting thread-wound core is enclosed in a balata cover. The assembly is shaped in a mold through the application of heat and pressure to form dimples in the cover surface. Then the cover is vulcanized by an immersion or gas vulcanization methods. The immersion vulcanization method is to immerse the ball in a solution of a vulcanization accelerator. The gas vulcanization method is to maintain the ball in an atmosphere of a vulcanizing agent gas.
Many skilled players and professional golfers favor these thread-wound golf balls having a balata cover because they offer a pleasant feel upon hitting, improved directional control and spin properties so that they can be controlledly hooked or sliced.
The thread-wound golf balls having a balata cover, however, suffer from the problem that the cover is less resistant to cut and shearing (chipping and peeling) and thus less durable. It is thus desired to improve their durability, especially the cut and shear resistance of the cover.


An LCD panel monitor having a LCD panel which displays a video image simulating a photographic print which is to be created by the photographic printer. The LCD panel is mounted on a panel frame which is held by a holding portion to permit inclining the panel frame at an appropriate angle. The LCD panel monitor is provided with a sight member and a target mark used for determining a normal eye position of a viewer relative to the LCD panel. In the normal eye position, the viewer can view the video image displayed on the LCD panel in a direction perpendicular to the LCD panel and the image will not be dim or blurred.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel monitor for displaying a video image simulating a positive image of a photographic print to be created by means of a photographic printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photographic printer with a monitor has been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,266 (corresponding to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-298339), in which an imaging device is incorporated for detecting a video signal from an original frame recorded on a photographic film, so that a video image simulating a finished condition of a photographic print to be made from the original frame is displayed on the monitor to permit inspecting the print position of the original frame as well as the density and color of the finished print.
On the other hand, color LCD panels have recently become readily available due to recent improvements in liquid crystal technology. LCD panels have a small thickness or depth and hence can provide a thin and compact display device as compared with cathode ray tubes. Additionally, LCD panels operate at a low voltage and thus consume less electrical power. Because of these advantages, such an LCD panel would be preferable as a monitor for a photographic printer.
However, the contrast of an image displayed on the LCD panel varies depending upon the direction from which the panel is observed, that is, the position of the viewer relative to the panel. Therefore, the viewer must fix the position of his/her eyes at a predetermined angle relative to the panel front surface. Otherwise the image on the panel will not be bright or will look burred. For this reason, it is necessary, when using an LCD panel as a simulation monitor of a photographic printer, to determine a normal eye position where the image has no color blur. However, because each person has a different physical constitution, a fixed standing position does not always define an optimum eye position for everybody. Accordingly, such an LCD panel monitor for a photographic printer would have to be adjusted for each individual viewer.


The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell which contains an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, where at least one of the electrode contains a wash-coat composition that improves the performance of the solid oxide fuel cell. Also provided is a method for making the solid oxide fuel cell.

Increasing demand for convenient, reliable, and clean energy systems has drawn much attention to the development of fuel cells.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity by controlling the flow of atoms and electrons during a reaction between a fuel and an oxidant to make use of the exchange of electrons associated with such reactions. The fuel is typically hydrogen, natural gas, coal gas, or other hydrocarbon-based fuel, and the oxidizer is typically air, oxygen, or other oxidizing composition.
A typical fuel cell generally contains a cathode, anode, electrolyte, and interconnect. The electricity-generating electrochemical reaction is carried out in a fuel cell in a controlled, stepwise manner. For example, the cathode causes oxygen to be reduced to oxygen ions. The solid electrolyte regulates the flow of molecules, acting as a barrier to all but oxygen ions. In addition, the anode catalytically extracts electrons from the fuel. And the interconnect transports the electrons from the anode to the cathode to complete the process and energy generated may be harnessed for various applications, such as powering an automobile.
Several families of fuel cells are known in the art. Although the basic components and function of each family is similar, the details of operation and the materials used in construction, however, are significantly varied. The present invention relates, generally, to fuel cells utilizing a solid electrolyte, i.e., SOFC.
A typical SOFC contains a solid, oxygen-ion conducting electrolyte separating a fuel electrode (anode) from an air electrode (cathode). During operation, electrons are released and the electrochemical potential (e.g., on the order of 1 volt for a single fuel cell) of the reaction draws the electrons through a circuit, preferably, an external circuit, where this electromotive force is utilized. Because the voltage/power output of a single fuel cell is relatively low, a typical unit targeted for commercial sale would include a plurality of fuel cells connected in series, parallel, or combinations thereof, through an electrical interconnect. This combination of fuel cells is known in the art as a stack.
Currently, zirconia is a generally the material of choice for the electrolyte. However, zirconia has a relatively low ionic conductivity, therefore it is often impregnated with yttria which introduces increased ionic conductivity (hereafter referred to as YSZ or yttria stabilized zirconia). The anode is typically made of a Ni/YSZ cermet and the cathode, a perovskite composition.
There are generally three types of SOFC: tubular, planar, and monolithic SOFC. Each of these fuel cells is similar in basic structure (anode, cathode, solid electrolyte, etc.), but differs substantially in geometry. Furthermore, each type of SOFC may further have a variety of different configurations. For example, a SOFC may be an electrolyte-supported type SOFC, where a dense electrolyte is used as supports and electrodes are applied on each side of the electrolyte (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,837 to Aitken et at. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,920 to Bedding et al.). A SOFC may also be an air electrode-supported type SOFC, where the air electrode contains an inner porous impregnated-lanthanum manganite substrate subsequently coated with a gas-tight electrolyte layer, anode, and interconnect coatings (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,850 to Carlson et at. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,634 to Isenberg). Additionally, a SOFC may be a fuel electrode-supported type SOFC, where the anode cermet acts as the support and the electrolyte layer underlying the air electrode is coated as a thin film (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,056 to Divisek et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,521 to Kim et al.).
The output power of a SOFC is a function of the operating temperature, the area specific resistance (ASR) of the fuel cell, and the overall ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and the electrodes. The ASR and ionic conductivity are traditionally optimized by adjusting the starting compositions of the materials in the electrode and/or the electrolyte, and then further refined by adjustment of particle size and sintering conditions to give the desired morphology.
The area specific resistance (ASR) of the anode, for example, may be influenced by the Ni content of the electrode. For example, lower Ni content gives more stable electrode structures with better thermal expansion characteristics. However, to achieve good electrical conductivity and a low ASR, the Ni must form a coherent conducting "network" which generally requires a higher Ni content.
The ionic conductivity of the electrode also has, a major influence, on the power produced. The electrochemical reactions that drive the fuel cell are conventionally considered to occur at or around the three phase boundary (TPB), where the electrolyte meets the electrode and the electrode is in contact with the reactant gas. This area is generally considered to exist at the actual interface between the electrolyte and the electrode. If the ionic conductivity of the electrode could be substantially increased without detrimentally affecting the electrical properties, then substantial power increases may be obtained. This increased conduction of oxygen ions through the actual electrode may also reduce carbon deposition.
The operating temperature of the fuel cell may be controlled by limiting heat loss through the internal walls of the stack compartment and by transferring a fraction of the latent heat to the incoming fuel and air streams. During start-up, the stack may be heated via an external heat source such as electrical heating or via an internal heat source, such as combustion of a proportion of the available fuel. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte is a function of temperature. Therefore, it is imperative that the desired operating temperature is reached as rapidly as the fuel cell and stack components will allow.
Operating temperature may be an important design parameter. High temperatures add complexity to the overall design, e.g., affecting the type of seals that may be employed. Operating temperature may also affect the efficiency of the fuel cell. SOFCs are generally operated at temperatures ranging from 800° C. to 1,100° C., which are required to overcome the high resistance of the electrolyte and polarization losses of the air electrode encountered at low temperatures. Recently developments that lead to lower temperature operation may be useful when the system operates on hydrogen, but are generally not practical when certain hydrocarbon based fuels are used as the fuel until more efficient low temperature reforming catalyst are developed.
One of the inherent advantages of the SOFC is its potential to operate on a variety of fuels, including hydrocarbon fuels. These fuels should either be reformed directly at the anode, or in-directly in a reforming unit within or near the stack. Reforming is traditionally accomplished at elevated temperatures, and thus integration within the stack produces a more efficient overall system design.
Direct reforming is preferred over in-direct or external reforming as benefits from coupling exothermic fuel cell reactions and endothermic reformer reactions increase efficiency and the integrated design greatly simplifies and reduces the size of the system. Unfortunately, the anode electrode known in the art is susceptible to carbon deposition when operating on hydrocarbon fuels.
SOFCs are being developed by numerous groups and hold great promise for commercial success due to their many potential benefits. Among these, the possibility of operating on a variety of fuels, efficient energy conversion, and low pollution are primary motivators. Multi-fuel capability is an important characteristic, considering that hydrogen is not widely available at present, nor is it expected to be easily accessible for many years.
However, successful commercialization demands a system that may be manufactured consistently, and that it is reliable, efficient, and requires simple or little maintenance. To date, several problems associated with SOFCs remain a barrier to its successful commercial use. For example, current art has not completely overcome efficiency losses due to poor ionic and electronic conductivity. Electrode structures which may produce ideal electrochemical characteristics are not always stable and may be susceptible to sintering. Whereas, electrodes that have a stable morphology often have a low surface area and may have a high ASR. Additionally, to develop a commercially viable SOFC, it is necessary to produce a fuel cell with consistent power density and stability in a variety of operating environments. To date, manufacturers have had a difficult time making reproducible fuel cells, sometimes scraping a majority of them due to poor performance. Issues that may arise include: inconsistent electrode thickness, non-homogenous mixing of materials, and non-uniform coatings, which contribute to variations in fuel cell performance. Temperature variants within the calcination furnace may also cause deviations in fuel cell power output. Several additional factors may affect the operating life of a SOFC, including carbon fouling and densification of the anode. Carbon fouling takes place when the fuel stream includes carbon (e.g., when a hydrocarbon fuel such as propane is used). Deposition may lead to loss of performance and eventually a catastrophic fuel cell failure. Furthermore, commercially available hydrocarbon fuels often contain other chemicals, such as sulfur, which may poison the fuel cell by blocking active sites. Densification, or sintering, may occur within the fuel cell during operation, and aggravates with increasing temperature. This is most significant on the anode side where a metal is generally incorporated into the design. In addition, for some applications, the time required to reach substantially full power output is a significant concern. For example, it is extremely important for the automotive industry, where "instant-on" is a strict requirement for commercial success. For SOFCs, the start up time is dictated by the rate of temperature increase, as the fuel cell output is controlled by the temperature of the fuel cell. Systems using battery and super capacitor support have been proposed, but the volume occupied by such a system that generates an equivalent power is prohibitive for the applications. It is therefore desirable to have processing technology and a fuel cell that increases both electrons and ionic conduction while increasing resistance to carbon formation and sulfur poisoning.
Several attempts have been made to-overcome the aforementioned problems, such as conductivity losses, and resistance to carbon formation and sulfur poisoning in SOFCs.
One approach to increase ionic conduction is through the use of non-zirconia based electrolytes. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,851,303 and 5,134,042 disclose a variety of non-zirconium solid electrolytes, having a polycrystal or single crystal structure, such as lanthanum strontium lithium fluoride, calcium uranium, SrC12KCI, and others. The use of non-zirconia based electrolytes introduces significant challenges to the design of the integrated SOFC system and is not widely accepted, as witnessed by the relatively few efforts on non-zirconia systems, as compared to zirconia based electrolyte development. Thermal expansion matching of the electrodes and interconnect is one area that is complicated by the use on non-zirconia electrolytes. Furthermore, some non-zirconia electrolytes; such as some ceria-based electrolytes, exhibit electronic conduction in fuel atmospheres, resulting in excessive fuel consumption.
The use of a thin film YSZ electrolyte, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,753,385 and 6,007,683, is another approach to reduce ionic losses. Vapor deposition techniques are employed to produce the thin films in both patents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,424 discusses an alternative process for production of thin film YSZ electrolytes, comprised of atomic layer deposition, wherein alternating vapor-phase pulses of constituent materials are fed into a reaction space and contacted with a substrate. While thin films are successful in reducing the resistance of the electrolyte by limiting the path length, the reliability of the fuel cell is compromised, as the structural integrity is significantly impaired. Gas leakage through the thin sections is another consideration, as it may result in degraded efficiency. In addition, manufacturing cost may be considerably higher with vapor deposition techniques, as compared to the powder processing approaches that are typically employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,989 discusses an interfacial layer of terbia-stabilized zirconia between the air electrode and the electrolyte that may be employed to reduces losses and operate over a wide range of temperatures. By incorporating the layer, some control of interaction between the air electrode and electrolyte and a reduction of polarization loss may be achieved. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,311, a Smaydia-stabilized zirconia electrolyte having high electrical conductivity is discussed, where the electrolyte material may be a very thin layer. Although the approaches discussed in the above patents may be used to reduce losses, the addition of an intermediate layer adds complexity, and therefore cost, to the manufacturing process. In addition, thin electrolytes are fragile and may result in an unreliable fuel cell.
Commercially viable manufacturing of SOFCs requires a process that is capable of producing a large quantity of fuel cells with consistent power density and stability in a variety of operating environments. Such a process is difficult to achieve with existing techniques. Furthermore, currently, once a fuel cell is sintered, very little if anything may be done with the fuel cell if its performance was not up to that of the others in the batch.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a robust SOFC that may be manufactured in a reliable and consistent manner, and undergoes high efficiency operations and has an extended operational life. There also is a need in the art for a low cost process to produce such an SOFC, in such a way that it may be applied to a wide variety of electrolyte, anode, and cathode materials, and that is easy to, incorporate into existing manufacturing processes for a wide variety of SOFCs.

Methods for the electrochemical optimization of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes


Reagents and methods for using automated laboratory equipment to determine whether the specific gravity of a urine sample is out of normal range as an indication of adulteration. The sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) normally found in a urine sample can be used as markers. A sodium-potassium dependent β-galactosidase can be utilized with o-nitrophenylgalactoside (o-NPG) which is cleaved into o-nitrophenol, which turns the sample yellow. The sample can be analyzed by spectrophotometry methods utilized in most clinical analyzers at a pre-determined primary wavelength to obtain a Specific gravity Index (SGI). Measurements of the SGI that are outside a known normal range can indicate that the sample integrity has been compromised.

Drug abuse is a critical problem throughout the world. Commonly abused drugs include cocaine, cannabinoids, amphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP), as well as designer drugs such as 3,4-methelenedioxyamphetamine ("meth") and 3,4-methelenedioxy-methamphetamine ("Ecstasy").
On Sep. 15, 1986, President Ronald Reagan issued Executive Order No. 12564 directing federal agencies to achieve a drug-free work environment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed guidelines and protocols for drugs-of-abuse testing. It is estimated that approximately 20 million employees are screened each year for illicit drug use. Drug testing programs in the United States can be classified as mandatory or non-mandatory. In the mandatory programs (e.g., the Department of Transportation), a regulated employer is required by federal regulation to test employees. In the non-mandatory programs, employers choose to test for reasons other than federal regulations.
Persons using drugs may attempt to adulterate urine specimens to avoid detection. Adulterants are substances that can be added to, for example, a urine sample to change the integrity of the sample. Some other types of adulterants can be used to mask that a sample has been diluted and can cause a laboratory test to fail in detecting that the sample was diluted. These adulterants are often oxidants that have been shown to destroy, or to partially destroy, evidence of drugs of abuse (DOA) in a urine sample. Thus, both screening and confirmatory tests can be rendered negative.
Oxidant adulterants include potassium nitrite (e.g., "Klear" and "Whizzies"), potassium chlorochromate (e.g., "Urine Luck™") and hydrogen peroxide/peroxidase (e.g., "Stealth") and are readily available, usually at low cost. Household bleach is also an effective adulterant that can cause negative DOA results. Adulterants can degrade and disappear in a sample within hours after being added, making them difficult or impossible to detect. Further, specific tests have to be conducted to detect each type of adulterant.
DOA testing often involves several steps, which can include: (a) sample collection, (b) sample integrity testing, (c) DOA screening, and (d) confirmatory testing. These steps may: (a) occur at different locations, (b) be conducted by personnel with varying qualifications, (c) be conducted by different institutions, and/or (d) be conducted sequentially at different times. For example, confirmatory tests are conducted after the screening tests and often require that the sample be transported from one institution or laboratory to another. The steps leading to the confirmatory testing step may occur over one or more days.
Laboratories typically screen samples using commercially available Enzyme Immunoassays (EIA) and related methods and reagents. These screening methods are not always specific, as there can be cross-reacting substances that cause false positive results. Consequently, cut-off values or minimum concentrations for each drug have been established, whereby assay values below the cut-off value are considered negative results. If a positive result is obtained by the EIA screen, the sample can be sent to a confirmatory testing laboratory where Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry equipment is often utilized for the confirmatory test.
Generally, the cut-off values used for the confirmatory test are lower than the values used for the initial screening (e.g., the EIA). In general, only initially positive screening tests are submitted for confirmatory testing and the confirmatory test results are considered conclusive. Because of the cut-off value criteria used to establish a positive result, adulterants only need to lower the tested value of the urine sample below the cut-off level to produce a negative result.
Clinical laboratory professional organizations have called attention to the problems with adulterated urine samples for illicit drug testing, but detecting an adulterated urine sample is difficult. The American Journal of Clinical Pathology concluded that new adulterants can produce false negative results for DOA. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that of 6,320,000 samples tested in 2013 one of every 300 was invalid. If the adulterant testing procedures failed to detect "disappearing" adulterants, that number may have been even higher. The invalid tests may also be much higher in non-mandated labs or other labs not performing adequate tests for adulterants.
Manual spot tests have become available to test for the presence of adulterants in a sample. Although a step in the right direction in detecting adulterants, these tests can be laborious and expensive to perform and primarily provide only qualitative results, which may still result in under-detection or false positives. The high cost of these manual tests may lead non-mandated laboratories to take short cuts in adulterant testing, partially because reimbursement for adulterant testing has at times been insufficient. Adulterant testing products and labor can be costly, and the cost is escalating, causing non-mandated laboratories to forego adulterant testing. Ironically, clinical laboratory testing costs in general are one of the few areas in health care where costs of an individual diagnostic test have declined since the 1950's. That reduction in cost has been brought about by laboratory automation and the integration of the automation with laboratory/hospital information systems. The use of automated systems and methods, and the use of reagents, combined with automated sample identification and documentation by an integrated Laboratory Information System computer would enable the costs to be reduced to a fraction of the costs of manual adulteration spot test, if a reagent were available.
Several sample integrity tests are recommended by laboratory professional organizations and government oversight groups. These tests are intended to detect adulteration that destroys drugs, adulteration that interferes with testing, and adulteration by dilution or sample substitution. The principal tests recommended are: temperature measurement—intended to detect sample substitution; pH measurement—intended to detect substances that interfere with testing; specific gravity—intended to detect sample dilution and substances that interfere with testing; and creatinine assay—intended to detect dilution. Additionally, oxidant and aldehyde tests are intended to detect substances known to destroy drugs of abuse.
All of these tests have specific purposes in detecting adulteration of samples. The purpose of the specific gravity test is typically to corroborate the results of prior tests that indicate one of many substances may have been used to adulterate the sample. One of the most common tests for specific gravity involves measuring weight per unit volume (w/v), usually using a mechanical hydrometer placed in an aliquot of the sample. Refractive Index based Specific gravity detectors are also available; however, both of these methods tend to be cumbersome and labor intensive. None of these methods can be used with standard automated laboratory equipment or clinical analyzers. Important record keeping is also laborious, prone to errors, and expensive.
Water is the most common adulterant or dilution agent used to lower levels of drugs in a sample, thereby causing a false negative drug test. Water may be added at the time of collection or by ingestion of a liter or more of water prior to sample collection. The components in urine found in the highest concentrations and that contribute most to the specific gravity of urine are sodium chloride and potassium chloride salts. Urea is also a major contributor to the specific gravity of urine. Specific gravity testing, which relies on one or more of these components, has been shown to be a poor test for detecting sample dilution, particularly in comparison to methods that utilize creatinine measurement. This is because the addition of simple table salt to a urine sample can sufficiently mask the effects of dilution.
In addition, confirmatory laboratory tests are often conducted one or more days following the initial screening test. Urea is known to degrade over a period of one or more days. This degradation involves converting one molecule of urea into two molecules of ammonia and one molecule of carbon dioxide. This degradation can increase the specific gravity of a urine sample, which can also mask any prior dilution of the sample with water.
Recently, reagent strips have become available that can provide an index of specific gravity by measuring the sodium content of the urine. These strips may be less sensitive to ammonia from urea degradation; however, the sodium-detecting reagent strips typically employ a pH indicator dye, which is affected significantly by change in pH resulting from the levels of ammonia. While the strips do not measure the ammonia released by urea degradation, the pH change associated with the urea degradation can affect results, particularly in tests conducted later by confirmatory laboratories. Further, tests performed with reagent strips must be done manually, not with automated laboratory equipment, and the strips do little to solve the testing accuracy and data management costs of conducting tests.
There are commercially available reagents that can be used in automation equipment or clinical analyzers for conducting specific gravity testing on urine samples. These reagents usually depend upon the detection of chloride to derive an index of specific gravity, or a specific gravity derived from just the chloride constituent in a urine sample. Although chloride detection can provide a reasonably accurate index of specific gravity on normal or unadulterated samples, the use of chloride detection to derive specific gravity can be a poor indicator of adulterated samples. This is because some of the most common adulterants contain no chloride and produce no change in the chloride concentration in the sample. Therefore, while the specific gravity of the sample may change, the change will not be detected by these types of chloride-detecting reagents.
Some of the principal adulterants known to affect specific gravity are baking soda (sodium bicarbonate/sodium carbonate), liquid drain openers (sodium hydroxide), Klear (potassium nitrite), and Urine Luck™ (potassium chlorochromate), none of which contain chloride.
Other reagents used in automated analyzers to determine a specific gravity index contain ferric perchlorate or mercury, which is highly toxic. Perchlorate can also be combustible. These issues raise serious questions as to the safety and effectiveness of using these reagents in automated analyzers for the detection of adulteration.
The use of DOA continues to be a problem around the world. The ability to determine whether an individual is using or has used a DOA can be a critical safety issue. Acquiring a urine sample from individuals to be tested is the most expedient and least invasive way to obtain a testable bodily fluid. While there are a variety of screening tests that can be conducted to try to detect DOA in a urine sample, many are inaccurate or are not sufficiently reliable to be considered undeniable confirmation. Confirmatory testing can be used to try to corroborate samples with a positive screening test. One of the most common tests conducted by confirmatory laboratories is measuring specific gravity or, more specifically, an index of specific gravity based on one or more constituents in the urine. Unfortunately, these tests have not been entirely reliable and changes in the urine sample over time can affect the results of testing for an index of specific gravity.
Compounding the historical reliability questions surrounding the use of prior specific gravity tests is the fact that drug users wanting to subvert DOA sample integrity testing receive advice from internet sites. Most DOA testing labs currently perform creatinine assays as a means of detection invalid sample integrity due to dilution. Commonly, specific gravity tests are only performed if the creatinine concentration of a sample is below 20 mg/dL. Although creatinine has historically been the gold standard for the detection of dilution, new subversion techniques, such as in vivo dilution, are now being used to subvert detection. The technique of in vivo dilution was first discovered in studies athletes and body builders who often take, a.k.a. "load", supplemental creatine to increase muscle mass. Creatine is converted in muscle to creatinine, which is excreted in the urine. [Schedel J, Tanaka M, Tanaka H, Kiyonaga M. et al. Consequences of one-week creatine supplementation on creatinine levels in athletes' serum and urine, Schweizerische Zeitschrift für <<Sportmedizin and Sporttraumatologie>> 2000; 48: 111-116.] Information can also be obtained from the World Wide Web that provides advice about how to "load" with creatine and protein, consume large amounts of water prior to the test, and perform exercise to obtain both a normal urine creatinine and specific gravity while still diluting DOA below detection cut off levels. There remains a need for safe, effective reagents for measuring specific gravity of a urine sample. Furthermore, the ability to use such reagents in automated clinical analyzers would provide a quicker and more cost effective method for conducting confirmatory urine tests to detect DOA.

Reagents and methods of use with automated analyzers for obtaining a specific gravity index for urine


A head suspension assembly in a rigid disk drive having a load beam with a mounting region, a rigid region and a spring region located between the mounting region and rigid region. The mounting region includes an integral boss tower having attachment features. A method of making a multi-piece head suspension for a rigid disk drive is also disclosed. The method includes providing a first layer including a mounting region with an integral boss tower attached to a stiffener by one or more positioning tabs; attaching a second layer including a spring region to an interface between the mounting region and the stiffener; attaching a flexure to the stiffener; and removing the positioning tabs. The flexure can optionally be a portion of the second layer.

The present invention is directed to a head suspension assembly having a mounting region with an integral boss tower and to a multi-piece head suspension assembly with an integral boss tower.
In a dynamic rigid disk storage device, a rotating disk is employed to store information. Rigid disk storage devices typically include a frame to provide attachment points and orientation for other components, and a spindle motor mounted to the frame for rotating the disk. A read/write head is formed on a xe2x80x9chead sliderxe2x80x9d for writing and reading data to and from the disk surface. The head slider is supported and properly oriented in relationship to the disk by a head suspension that provides both the force and compliance necessary for proper head slider operation. As the disk in the storage device rotates beneath the head slider and head suspension, the air above the disk also rotates, thus creating an air bearing which acts with an aerodynamic design of the head slider to create a lift force on the head slider. The lift force is counteracted by a spring force of the head suspension, thus positioning the head slider at a desired height and alignment above the disk that is referred to as the xe2x80x9cfly height.xe2x80x9d
Head suspensions for rigid disk drives include a load beam and a flexure. The load beam includes a mounting region at its proximal end for mounting the head suspension to an actuator of the disk drive, a rigid region, and a spring region between the mounting region and the rigid region for providing a spring force to counteract the aerodynamic lift force generated on the head slider during the drive operation as described above. The flexure typically includes a gimbal region having a slider-mounting surface where the head slider is mounted. The gimbal region is resiliently moveable with respect to the remainder of the flexure in response to the aerodynamic forces generated by the air bearing. The gimbal region permits the head slider to move in pitch and roll directions and to follow disk surface fluctuations.
In one type of head suspension, the flexure is formed as a separate piece having a load beam-mounting region that is rigidly mounted to the distal end of the load beam using conventional methods such as spot welds. Head suspensions of this type typically include a load point dimple formed in either the load beam or the gimbal region of the flexure. The load point dimple transfers portions of the load generated by the spring region of the load beam to the flexure, provides clearance between the flexure and the load beam, and serves as a point about which the head slider can gimbal in pitch and roll directions to follow fluctuations in the disk surface.
The actuator arm is coupled to an electromechanical actuator that operates within a negative feedback, closed-loop servo system. The actuator moves the data head radially over the disk surface for track seek operations and holds the transducer directly over a track on the disk surface for track following operations.
The preferred method of attaching the head suspension to the actuator arm is swaging because of the speed and cleanliness of the swaging process. Swaging also provides a strong joint that resists microslip. The swaging process has been in use in rigid disk drives since the late 1960s for attaching head-suspension assemblies to actuator arms.
FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a conventional head stack assembly 10 including a load beam 12, an actuator arm 32 and a discrete base plate 24 with a boss tower 28. The head suspension assembly 10 includes a load beam 12 with a flexure 16 to which a head slider 20 having a read/write element or head is to be mounted. The load beam 12 includes a mounting region 14 at a proximal end, a rigid region 22 adjacent to a distal end, and a spring region 18 between the mounting region 14 and rigid region 22. Spring region 18 is relatively resilient and provides a downward bias force at the distal tip of load beam 12 for holding the read/write head near a spinning disk in opposition to an upward force created by an air bearing over the disk. The flexure 16 is to allow pitch and roll motion of head slider 20 and read/write head as they move over the data tracks of the disk. The head suspension assembly 10 is typically coupled to the actuator via the actuator arm 32 that is attached to the mounting 14 region of load beam 12.
A swage type attachment is used to couple the mounting region 14 of the load beam 12 to the actuator arm 32. To swage load beam 12 to actuator arm 32, actuator arm 32 and mounting region 14 include apertures 34 and 26, respectively. The base plate 24 having a boss tower 28 with a swage hole 30 extending therethrough and, typically, a square flange 36 is welded or otherwise attached to a bottom face of mounting region 14 of load beam 12. Boss tower 28 is then inserted through actuator arm aperture 34. One or more swage balls are then forced through swage hole 30 in boss tower 28 causing boss tower 28 to expand in actuator arm aperture 34. This expansion creates a frictional attachment interface between outside surface 66 of boss tower 28 and interior surface 68 of actuator arm aperture 34. The load beam 12 typically includes one or more processing holes 38 useful for aligning the load beam 12 with the base plate 24 and/or actuator arm 32. The base plate 24 and/or actuator arm 32 may optionally include corresponding processing holes 38a, 38b to facilitate alignment.
The design of the swage joint has been reduced in size to keep up with the miniaturization of disk drives. As the industry pushes to decrease disk spacing and to increase aerial spacing, the thickness of the base plate 24 and actuator arm 32 are constantly being decreased. However, recent moves to disk-to-disk spacing of under two millimeters have presented a severe problem. Miniaturization of the swage plates is not satisfactory because the torque-out capability that the swaged system drops too low to be useful.
What is needed is an attachment system that reduces head stack thickness without compromising torque-out capabilities.
The present invention is directed to a head suspension assembly with a mounting region comprising an integral boss tower. The integral boss tower can be formed from material comprising the mounting region or as a separate component attached directly to the mounting region without a base plate. The integral boss tower eliminates the base plate and reduces the size of the head stack assembly, and hence, reduces disk spacing. The elimination of the base plate also reduces mass and inertia of the head suspension. The present integral boss tower can be used to mount a head suspension assembly to an actuator arm using industry-accepted standards.
The head suspension assembly comprises a load beam having a mounting region, a rigid region, and a spring region located between the mounting region and rigid region. The mounting region comprises an integral boss tower having an attachment feature. The integral boss tower can be formed from the material comprising the mounting region or attached directly to the mounting region without a base plate.
The mounting region, the rigid region, and the spring region can be a unitary structure. Alternatively, the mounting region and the rigid region can be separate components.
The present invention is also directed to a multi-piece head suspension assembly with an integral boss tower. In one embodiment, the mounting region and the rigid region comprise a first layer, and the spring region comprises a second layer in a multi-piece suspension. In another embodiment, the mounting region and the rigid region comprise a first layer, and the spring region and a flexure comprise a second layer in a multi-piece suspension. In yet another embodiment, the mounting region and the rigid region comprise a first layer, the spring region comprises a second layer, and the flexure comprises a third layer in a multi-piece suspension.
The boss tower can be a separate component attached to mounting features located in the mounting region, such as by welding, adhesive bonding or injection molding the boss tower in place over formed or etched mounting features. The mounting features can be a variety of structures, such as tabs or holes. For example, the mounting features can be a plurality of radial tabs formed adjacent to an aperture in the mounting region comprising at least one bend.
The present invention is also directed to a head stack assembly in a rigid disk drive. The head stack assembly includes an actuator arm and a head suspension assembly comprising a load beam having a mounting region, a rigid region, and a spring region located between the mounting region and rigid region. The mounting region comprises an integral boss tower having an attachment feature.
The present invention is also directed to a method of forming a multi-piece head suspension for a rigid disk drive comprising the steps of providing a first layer including a mounting region with an integral boss tower attached to a stiffener by one or more positioning tabs; attaching a second layer including a spring region to an interface between the mounting region and the stiffener; attaching a flexure to the stiffener; and removing the positioning tabs. The flexure can be a portion of the second layer or a third layer.
The present invention is also directed to a method of forming a multi-piece head suspension for a rigid disk drive having a load beam with a mounting region, a rigid region and a spring region located between the mounting region and rigid region, comprising the steps of creating a plurality of tabs adjacent to an aperture in the mounting region; and making at least one bend in one or more tabs to generate an integral boss tower. The tabs can optionally be created to extend radially inward toward a center of the aperture or a variety of other configurations.
The present invention is also directed to a method of forming a head suspension for a rigid disk drive having a load beam with a mounting region, a rigid region, and a spring region located between the mounting region and rigid region. The method comprises the steps of locating a plurality of mounting features adjacent to an aperture in the mounting region; and attaching a boss tower to the mounting features. In one embodiment, the step of attaching a boss tower to the mounting feature comprises molding the boss tower in place.


Estimating a location of a device indoor by measuring a location of a terminal based on a starting point using a sensor, receiving a signal from the device located in the room through short-range communication, storing a plurality of first locations in which the signal is received from the device and an intensity of the signal, determining a center point of a plurality of second locations in which the intensity of the signal is equal to or greater than a reference value at a corresponding location among the plurality of first locations or belonging to a higher reference range are selected in descending order of the intensity of the signal from the plurality of first locations, and determining an estimated location for the device using a probability distribution model.

1. Field of the Invention
The following description relates to a location estimation technique for devices located indoors.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Recently, various indoor devices capable of constant communication have emerged in the field of smart home or the like. In addition, various Internet of things (IoT) devices being disposed within structures such as buildings in IoT environments are emerging. Estimation of the locations of devices located indoors is required to control the devices and provide a user interface for the devices. Various studies for estimating the locations of indoor devices are being conducted.

Location estimation method for indoor device

Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University


The invention provides a method of forming thin layers of superconducting materials and a superconducting device. In accordance with the invention, such layers are formed by the epitaxial growth, on a substrate, of the different constituent elements by regulating the admission of the different constituents so as to obtain a superconducting layer whose mesh parameter substantially matches that of the substrate. Epitaxying may also be carried out directly from a superconducting material.

The invention relates to a method of forming thin layer devices from superconducting materials on a substrate. 1t relates to thin layer superconducting devices.
The invention relates more particularly to a method of preparing thin layers of oxides which are superconducting at a high critical temperature. The superconducting properties of these compounds being intimately dependent on the crystalline structure, this is obtained directly during epitaxial growth on an appropriate substrate.
Superconducting oxides are revolutionizing the field of superconductivity and its applications. The first reference thereto was made by J. G. Bednorz and K. Muller in the document Z. Phys. B 64, 1986, pages 189 to 193 relating to a barium doped compound LA-Cu-O in which the beginning of superconducting transition is observed at about 35K. Doping with strontium raises this temperature slightly and makes this superconductivity more massive. Finally, the substitution of yttrium tor lanthanum gives rise to a critical temperature of 93.degree. kelvin, as was reported by M. K. Wu et al in the document Physical. Review. Letters 58, 1987, pages 908 to 910.
The existence of materials which are superconducting at temperatures higher than that of liquid nitrogen (77K) makes it possible to do away with the need for working in liquid helium, a requirement which greatly limited up to now the development of superconductivity applications. Among these latter, a large proportion (junction devices, IR absorbents, memories, . . . ) must be formed from thin layers. The preparation of the superconducting material in this form is thus essential.
All of the known superconducting oxides have a narrow correlation between the superconducting properties and the crystallographic structure. This is always true for the perovskite type. In the La.sub.2-x Ba.sub.x CuO.sub.4-y and La.sub.2-x Sr.sub.x CuO.sub.4-y systems, the structure is of K.sub.2 NiF.sub.4 type, as described for example by N. Nguyen, F. Studer and B. Raveau in the document Journal. Physical. Chemical. Solids, 44, 1983, pages 389 to 400. In the YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-y system, the structure is slightly different but still of perovskite type, as is reported for exampIe by T. Siegrist et al, Physic Review B 35, 1987, pages 7137 to 7139.
Apart from the structure, the other fundamental parameters for obtaining superconducting properties in these systems is the oxygen content, as described for example in the article by R. J. Cava et Coll, phys. Rev. Lett, 58, 1987, pages 408 to 410.
The whole of the results reporled up to now relate to materials prepared in the form of sintered powders, which may be described as a juxtaposition of small crystalline grains. The appropriate oxygen proportion is obtained by annealing in an oxygen atmosphere. The invention relates to the preparation of these materials in the form of thin layers epitaxied on substrates chosen so that the structure corresponding to the superconducting properties will be obtained.

Method for forming a thin layer of superconducting material on a substrate and article produced thereby


A brushless DC motor driving system, in which the duty cycle of the PWM control signals for the duty cycle generator is determined by a speed control circuit, a feedback comparator, and the set and reset signals of a S-R Flip-Flop, wherein the PWM control signals pass through the Hall synthesis circuit, the logic control circuit to drive the coil by the drive current generated, and the duty cycle of the PWM control signals is further adjusted by means of the feedback sensing voltage obtained from the driving current and sensing resistance and fed back to the feedback comparator, the stability and linear stability of the input voltage and the driving current being achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a brushless DC motor driving system, and more particularly, to a brushless DC motor driving system having good linearity, which is used to achieve good low rotation-speed output performance and linear motor rotation speed control, thus enabling the application of such brushless DC motor driving system in Blue-Ray DVD ROM or Light Scribe DVD Player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Regarding the previous technology for the three-phase motor driving method, related patents such as patents No. CN1989689A and No. CN1914789A have described the motor control method and peek current protection circuit, wherein the synthesis circuit generates different phase modulation signals by phase modulation of the input PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control signal, and then the PWM output comparator amplifies the phase modulated signal and outputs the amplified signal to the motor control circuit to drive the outside power driving transistor; finally the function of motor control is achieved by driving the motor coil circuit. In addition, for the stability of the rotation speed of motor to be achieved, when the current on the motor coil increases, the rotation speed of motor also increases. Then the Hall elements would sense the current on the coil, transform the sensing current to the sensing voltage, feed back the sensing voltage to the Hall differential control circuit, and adjust the PWM control signals. Meantime, the detection voltage would compare with the reference voltage and input rotation speed control voltage through the feedback comparator, and stable rotation speed control can be achieved.
As shown in FIG. 1, the motor control circuit using a known PWM control method, which comprises a driving motor 2, a power driving transistor 7 and PWM driving control circuit 6, in which the PWM drive control circuit 6 consists of the hall differential amplifier 16, PWM synthesis circuit 17, PWM comparator amplifier 18, reference voltage comparator 24, input rotation speed comparator 13, current detection resistance 12, oscillation prevention capacitor 22, and motor driving control circuit 20. The characteristic of the motor control circuit is to use the PWM signal of the input motor driving control circuit to minus the output RL of the reference voltage comparator and obtain the more real PWM drive control signal for the reason of eliminating the additional conduction time generated by the delay from the oscillation prevention capacitor. The output RL of the reference voltage comparator is generated from the difference between the output of the peek retention circuit and reference voltage, and the input voltage of the peek retention circuit is determined by the current detection resistance 12 and the conduction current controlled by the PWM control signals. During the turn on time of the PWM control signals, the peek retention circuit determines the detection value of the peek voltage, and is discharged with a certain time constant during the off time of the PWM control signals.
Moreover, the input terminal of the input rotation speed comparator 13 is connected with peek detection voltage, reference level voltage, and input control voltage (SIG), so that the lower square wave of the reference level voltage and input control voltage (SIG) is compared with the peek detection voltage. When the input control voltage (SIG) is higher than the peek voltage of the peek retention circuit 14, the output voltage will increase as output voltage (U,V,W) of the synthesis circuit also increases, and then the turn on time of the output PWM control signals of the PWM output comparator 18 in duty cycle also increases. The PWM control signals then pass through the motor driving control circuit 20 to the power driving transistor 7 and drive the three-phase coils on the driving motor, and therefore the driving current on the coil increases and the rotation speed of the motor also increases. Then the driving current passes through the current detection resistance 12 and generates a voltage to be compared with the rotation speed control voltage. After a sequence of feedback control steps, the peek voltage and rotation speed control voltage will become stable.
And vice versa, when the input control voltage decreases, the rotation number of the driving motor 2 also decreases, and the decreased peek voltage will become in accordance with the rotation speed control voltage after the above sequence of control steps is repeated.
However, when the driving motor 2 is overloaded, the rotation number detected by the rotation speed counter decreases. In order to increase the rotation speed of driving motor, the input control signals will be intensified, and the rotation speed of the drive motor 2 also increases, which results in abnormal increase of the rotation control voltage. When the rotation speed control voltage exceeds the reference control voltage, the reference voltage will replace the rotation speed control voltage and become the object of comparison of the input peek voltage of the rotation speed comparator 13, the highest rotation speed thus being limited to avoid excessive driving current which leads to burning out of the current coil of the driving motor. In addition, when the rotation speed voltage exceeds the determined value, once the output voltage of the peek retention circuit becomes higher than the reference voltage, the output of the reference voltage comparator will be at high level, and the additional output turn on time of the PWM output signals of the motor driving control circuit is eliminated. The stability is further strengthened for the rotation speed control voltage and rotation speed of the drive motor.
As in the above-mentioned prior art, the duty cycle of the PWM control signals is determined by the difference between the input control signal (SIG) and the output voltage of the peek retention circuit, and the turn on time of the high electric level is determined by the difference between output voltage of the peek protection circuit and the reference voltage, and finally the consistency is achieved between the duty cycle of PWM control signals and the expected output rotation speed. However, the signal source and signal difference of the PWM control signals synthesized from the difference of the input control signal (SIG) and peek retention circuit and the Hall differential signal are inputted from different feedback paths. Although the input signal of the motor driving control circuit 20 can eliminate the excess delay time of the PWM control signals, the signal is easily induced by the non-linear distortion because of the noise source from different feedback paths.
Since the Blue-Ray DVD ROM is becoming the main stream in the future market, the system requirements on the precision of servo control of the Blue-Ray DVD ROM is higher than those of traditional CD and DVD in regard of the advancement of compression technology and increase of storage capacity. Overall, the control system of the Blue-Ray DVD ROM mainly includes the optical pickup system, servo control, and optical system design. As the servo control is related to the stability of the spindle motor driving system for driving the rotation of the disc and the control of motor driving rotation speed, the circuit design for the motor driving of Blue-Ray DVD ROM of higher storage capacity becomes more important. And more particularly, in the process in which the Blue-Ray DVD ROM picks up signal, higher and stable pick-up speed is needed to facilitate data processing in the optical pick-up process, and the motor must also keep at high driving speed and maintain certain linearity. Since the Blue-Ray DVD ROM needs lower and relatively more stable control in the process of light scribe, particular emphasis needs to be lay on the stability of linearity of the motor driving circuit.
In order to overcome the non-linear distortion problem of the feedback path described above, the present invention provides a brushless DC motor driving system which uses the difference between the input signal and the reference voltage to determine the duty cycle and the turn on time of the PWM control signals; at the same time, the feedback controls of the rotation speed are on the same path, and therefore the best linear ratio of the input voltage to the output rotation speed is obtained.


A method for determining a radionuclide concentration of a material is provided. The method comprises placing the material to be analyzed into a vessel, wherein the material comprises a radionuclide, wherein the material has a known volume, and wherein the vessel has a fixed geometry. The method further comprises weighing the material to be analyzed and measuring the moisture content of the material to be analyzed. The method additionally comprises placing a protective structure in the material and placing a detector in the protective structure, wherein the detector is coupled to a single-channel analyzer. The method also comprises counting the emitted radiation having a known energy over an interval of time to produce a count per time, wherein the emitted radiation is emitted from the radionuclide and then dividing the count per time by the weight of the material to produce a count per time per weight.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of radionuclide detection and characterization; and more specifically to the quantification of radionuclides by measurement of single-energy gamma rays in a fixed-geometry system.
Background of the Invention
A number of industries, including oil and gas production, rare earth mineral processing, and phosphate rock processing, generate waste contaminated with radioactive materials. These radioactive materials are generally referred to as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) or technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM). NORM and TENORM are not man-made radioactive materials and are not produced by splitting atoms in a nuclear reactor or by bombarding atoms with subatomic particles in accelerators. In the case of TENORM, the radionuclides may be enhanced by man, for example, by concentration of the radionuclides, but like NORM, TENORM is not produced by man. Some of the radioactive materials in NORM and TENORM may be subject to environmental regulations and require special disposal. NORM and TENORM may include radionuclides such as U-238, U-235, Th-232 as well as their respective progeny radionuclides (e.g., Ra-226, Po-210, etc.). As U-238, U-235, Th-232 and the unstable isotopes of their progeny decay; alpha, beta, and gamma radiation may be emitted. Radiation may continue to be emitted until a stable isotope in the chain of decaying progeny is reached, for example, Pb-206 is a stable isotope and the end product of the U-238 decay chain. The emitted radiation from the unstable radionuclides may be detected and used to calculate the concentration and activity of the unstable radionuclides, and more particularly, those unstable radionuclides which are subject to environmental regulation.
Present techniques for the detection of NORM and TENORM involve extracting samples from a suspect material (e.g., a waste) and then sending each individual sample to a laboratory for analysis, or performing gamma spectroscopy in the field. Laboratory analysis may be costly in both time and expense. For example, a typical laboratory analysis of a sample may take weeks and require expensive and rigorous sample processing. Further, during the time in which a sample is being analyzed, the remainder of the suspect material may be moved to and stored in a holding facility until the laboratory has completed the sample analysis. Also, as discussed above, each and every sample may be sent to the laboratory for analysis. Thus, any time a new waste material is produced or a NORM/TENORM survey is needed for any other reason, samples may be extracted and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
Alternatively, field analysis may be done using specialized equipment. For example, the activity of radionuclides may be measured using a multi-channel analyzer that scans a wide range of gamma ray energies, allowing for the identification and quantification of photons with energies corresponding to the applicable radionuclide progeny. This, multi-channel analysis for gamma radiation (gamma spectroscopy) may require careful sample preparation, and may include drying the sample, weighing a measured amount for analysis, and counting using a gamma spectroscopy system for a time ranging from several minutes to many hours. This technique is complex and may require an involved sample preparation procedure. Further, multi-channel analyzers used to capture multiple emitted gamma rays at once are expensive. Lastly, the operation of multi-channel analyzers is complex and may require trained personnel to operate in order to produce accurate measurements, for example, some radionuclides may emit radiation of an energy which obscures or may be confused with the emitted radiation of another radionuclide desired for analysis. Without proper training, it may be difficult to distinguish between the two activities of the radionuclides and thusly, an inaccurate measurement may be produced.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved radiation survey process for a practical cost-effective method of quantifying the amount of radionuclides in a waste sample in the field.


A plurality of like, thermoformable plastic laminate articles and a method of making same in which a substantially flexible plastic sheet is bonded to a substantially rigid thermoformable plastic core. The sheet has markings disposed on one face thereof, and the markings are disposed at the same predetermined location with respect to the core for all of the plurality of articles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a polymeric laminate material containing printed matter which may be thermoformed into various shapes.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, laminated materials for ultimate use as containers, trays, etc. are known in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,974,057 discloses plasticized films comprising a rigid polymeric self-supporting sheet of plasticized polyvinyl chloride polymer and a coating of a cellulosic polymer and an acrylate. The rigid self-supporting sheet material may optionally contain printed matter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,560 discloses a heat-formable sheet material comprising a core layer, a protective skin layer on one side of the core and an outer coating layer on the opposing side of the core. The core layer of this patent comprises a gum-plastic, such as a rubber or a resin based on acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. The protective skin layer is a mixture of a butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber and a polyvinyl chloride resin and the outer coating layer is disclosed as being a blend of a polyvinyl halide polymer, styrene and methyl methacrylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,095 discloses a synthetic resin laminate comprising a center core layer of an unsaturated polyester with one or more multifunctional monomers and a second layer comprising a synthetic resinous thermoplastic polymer bonded to at least one face of the core. The resinous thermoplastic polymer used in the laminate of this patent may comprise polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyethylene and related materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,817 discloses lined, hollow plastic articles and a method of making the same. The articles of this patent comprise an outer pressure molded first portion of a transparent plastic material and a drawn inner second portion of a plastic material. The inner material may be any one of acetal polymers, polyolefins, etc., while the outer thermoplastic layer must be transparent or translucent and may comprise polyolefins, polystyrene, etc. This patent is related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,717,544; 3,719,735; 3,787,157 and 3,939,239.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,158 discloses a plastic laminate adapted for use as a food package comprising an exterior polypropylene layer, a middle polyvinylidene chloride layer and an inner ionomer resin layer. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,443,507 and 4,873,137 disclose examples of laminated polymeric materials which comprise layers reinforced with fibers and glass flakes, respectively.
Although laminated polymeric materials are known in the art, the known materials have demonstrated drawbacks, such as difficulties with or a complete inability to print the material, delamination of the layers, etc. Therefore, there is a need for a thermoformable laminate material which is satisfactory in all respects.
Another problem of known polymeric laminate articles was the inability to precisely print information and designs on the articles. For example, the plastic articles discussed in the patents noted above had markings randomly located with respect to the article shape. This is disadvantageous, for example, in the food packaging art wherein markings such as a bar code, a trademark, a list of ingredients, depictions of food products, etc., are desired to be precisely located on each package to produce an attractive and easily marketable package. The ability to specifically register the markings with respect to predetermined locations on the thermoformable articles is a very desirable feature in a thermoformable plastic laminate article.

Thermoformable laminate material with registered print and method of making the same