A flat-panel display unit including a basic clock pulse generator which produces a basic clock pulse having an oscillation frequency equal to an integer multiple of a dot clock-pulse frequency of the image data signal. The flat-panel display unit also includes a horizontal synchronizing signal detector which converts an input horizontal synchronizing signal to a pulse synchronous with the basic clock pulse, and a dot clock pulse generator which divides the basic clock pulse into clock pulses having a period equal to the dot clock pulses of the image data signal using an output of the horizontal synchronizing signal detector as a synchronous reset signal. The image data signal is sampled using the output of the sampling clock pulse generator.

This invention relates to a flat-panel display unit which is connected to equipment such as a personal computer which generates image information through digital processing, and more particularly to a flat-panel display unit which samples an image data signal from equipment such as a personal computer and stores the sampled data in an image memory.
It is a recent trend that a display unit having a flat display screen, e.g., a liquid crystal panel or an EL (electroluminescent) panel, is used in connection with a personal computer or the like. In such flat-panel display units, it is necessary to decrease the cycle of driving the display screen to obtain sufficient contrast. However, the scanning period of display signals sent from a personal computer is not always coincident with the scanning period of the display unit. To decrease the duty cycle, the display unit can be divided into two areas, i.e., upper and lower areas, which are driven separately. Accordingly, when the display unit receives image data for one picture to be displayed, which data is outputted from the personal computer, the image data are divided into two parts, i.e., upper area data and lower area data to be scanned respectively in the upper and lower areas. As a result, the scanning period of the signal from the personal computer is not coincident with the scanning period of the display unit.
Thus, it is necessary to carry out conversion of the scanning period by some appropriate means, and conversion of the scanning period is usually carried out using an image memory. To be more specific, in the display unit, an image data signal is sampled, then stored in the image memory, and read out with the read-out timing being adjusted to the scanning timing of the display unit.
Each different model of personal computer or the like generally has its own unique dot clock pulse rate, image data being sent to the associated display unit synchronized with the dot clock pulse. Accordingly, in order to sample the image data in the display unit, it is required to sample the image data with a sampling clock pulse synchronized with the dot clock pulse from the personal computer or the like. If synchronization is not achieved, the quality of the displayed image becomes low due to drop-out or doubling of the data to be displayed.
In addition, a sampling clock pulse generator for generating a sampling clock pulse for sampling the data signal is provided. It is conventional to use a generator such as that shown in FIG. 1, which is disclosed in a publication entitled "Digital Technology in Broadcasting" (published by Japan Broadcasting Publishing Co., Ltd.. on Dec. 20, 1982, pages 164-165).
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 31 denotes a phase comparator; 32 denotes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO); 33 denotes a divider; 11 denotes a synchronizing signal and 14 denotes a sampling clock pulse for sampling an image data signal. Given that the period of the horizontal synchronizing signal is 800 times the period of the dot clock pulse, the sampling clock pulse 14, which is an output of the VCO 32, is divided in frequency by a factor of 1/800 by the divider 33, then is inputted to the phase comparator 31, and a phase difference between it and the horizontal synchronizing signal is detected. The VCO 32 is controlled so as to reduce the phase difference by the output of the phase comparator 31 and, as a result, a sampling clock pulse 14, synchronized with the horizontal synchronizing signal 11 is generated. This method is the so-called PLL (phase-locked-loop) method.
The PLL method is widely used to obtain a signal synchronous with an external signal, but the signal produced using this method is very sensitive to variations in external factors such as ambient temperature, ambient noise, etc. Accordingly, a problem exists in that disturbances of the oscillating frequency, phase jitter and the like can occur easily due to unlocking of the loop, which results in drop-out or doubling of the data on the display screen of the display unit.
FIG. 2 is a view explaining how the above problem occurs. Under the normal operation of the sampling clock pulse generator, the N-th image data 15 are supposed to be sampled by the rising edge of the N-th sampling clock pulse 14 as shown in the drawing, and the N+1-th image data 15 are sampled by rising edge of the N+1-th pulse 14. However, in the event that the N-th pulse is dislocated or shifted to a position shown by the broken line due to variations in external factors as described above, the N+1-th data 15 are sampled instead of the N-th image data, and consequently the N-th image data 15 are not sampled at all. As a result, problems such as drop-out are manifested on the display screen of the display unit.

Flat-panel display unit for displaying image data from personal computer or the like


Some embodiments relate to a vehicle corner module (VCM) connectable to a VCM-connection interface of a reference-frame of a vehicle platform (e.g. for regulating motion of a vehicle). Some embodiments relate to a multi-interface connection-element for connection of multiple electronic or flow vehicle subsystems of a vehicle to a Vehicle Corner Module (VCM). Related methods are disclosed herein.

With the future of automotive ownership becoming less privately-owned and more fleet-based and shared-mobility based, maintenance of such future vehicles is becoming a major factor in the profitability of vehicle fleets. Vehicle platforms designed for electric propulsion can include axle-less wheel assemblies, which have independent suspension, drivetrain, braking and steering subsystems between wheel assemblies assembled on a platform of the vehicle.
Connection or removal of the subsystems associated with the wheel assemblies to and of the vehicle platform can be a complex and specialized job.
There is therefore a need for systems and methods for simple and quick installation and removal of one or more wheel assemblies on and off a reference frame of a vehicle.

Vehicle corner module and methods for installation thereof


A sump filter assembly wherein a filter element that may or may not be removably disposed in a filter housing is sealingly engaged with the filter housing by way of a sealing member to separate the filter housing cavity between dirty and clean spaces. The filter element is provided with filtration material with a portion thereof embedded in the filter element, the filter element is further provided with a sealing member retaining shoulder to ensure proper placement of the sealing member in the assembly, with the sealing member being an O-ring or gasket member, among other things, and a bypass valve for cold flow of transmission fluid is optionally provided.

Since the advent of motor vehicles with automatic transmissions using transmission fluids, there has been a need to provide filtered fluid to the automatic transmission assembly. This is because an automatic transmission assembly includes frictional units that couple rotatable members to one or more planetary gear set members, and typically includes one or more fluid actuating devices such as a piston in order to engage and disengage the frictional units, for example. Such an automatic transmission assembly requires not only tight tolerances between components, but also necessarily requires a source of clean lubricating fluid, also known as automatic transmission fluid, for effective and efficient operation.
Various transmission fluid sump filters have been devised to provide a source of automatic transmission fluid that is free of debris or other material deleterious to the proper operation of motor vehicle automatic transmissions. The current desire to minimize the size of sump areas, due to the general desire to reduce the size of all motor vehicle components to lighten motor vehicles for environmental and fuel consumption concerns is at odds with providing a space of sufficient magnitude for a filter surface area sufficient to provide for a source of clean transmission fluid for the serviceable life of the vehicle under various operating conditions including in cold weather. In this latter operating condition, it has been found that the higher viscosity and other properties associated with cold flow of transmission fluid creates an undue and disadvantageous pressure differential across the filtration media that may result in damage to the filtration media and/or filtration assembly that affects its operational functionality and operating life. Consequently, there is a need to provide a transmission fluid sump filter assembly that maximizes the filter surface area under the condition of a reduced sump size, and which is effective for filtering transmission fluid over various operating conditions, including cold flow conditions, and yet relatively economical to fabricate, assemble, and install, and otherwise suited to its intended purpose as an automatic transmission sump filter. This need is of particular significance where a transmission fluid sump is configured as a small space and yet the filtering and dirt holding capacity of the sump filter is expected to match or exceed existing sump filters that are not dimensionally constrained over a variety of operating conditions, including cold flow conditions.

Sump filter with filter element cartridge


A keyboard having a housing, a palm rest platform movably coupled to the housing and a lift mechanism configured to adjust the palm rest platform is described. Through use of hot keys on the keyboard or a user interface on the computer, the palm rest can be automatically adjusted to preferred positions for a number of users by a motor.

Users of computers often spend significant periods of time on a daily basis typing on keyboards. For example, a palm rest is a feature that will sometimes be utilized with a keyboard to provide comfort and ergonomic correctness. Additionally, certain keyboards will have contours designed to fit the hands and arms of the average human body. Many keyboards have manually extendable legs to let users utilize the keyboard in either flat or inclined position/configuration. Moreover a keyboard with increased comfort and ergonomics is still desired.


A photoelectric conversion element, a photoelectric conversion element, a dye-sensitized solar cell and a dye solution, having an electrically conductive support, a photoconductor layer containing an electrolyte, a charge transfer layer containing an electrolyte, and a counter electrode, wherein the photoconductor layer contains semiconductor fine particles carrying a metal complex dye; and wherein the metal complex dye has at least a carboxyl group and a salt of the carboxyl group, the salt being selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt, a lithium salt, and a cesium salt, and the ratio α of the number of the salt of the carboxyl group divided by the total number of the carboxyl group and the salt of the carboxyl group to be found in one molecule of the metal complex dye, lying in the range of 0.1 to 0.9.

Photoelectric conversion elements are used in various photosensors, copying machines, solar cells, and the like. These photoelectric conversion elements have adopted various systems to be put into use, such as elements utilizing metals, elements utilizing semiconductors, elements utilizing organic pigments or dyes, or combinations of these elements. In particular, solar cells using non-exhaustive solar energy do not necessitate fuels, and besides can utilize an inexhaustible clean energy; full-fledged implementation thereof is being highly expected. Among these, research and development of silicon-based solar cells have long been in progress. Many countries support the silicon-based solar cells in policy-wise considerations, and thus they are progressively prevailed. However, silicon is an inorganic material, and hence it has its own limitations in terms of improving throughput, cost, and the like.
Under such circumstances, research is being vigorously carried out on dye-sensitized solar cells. Especially, the research results by Graetzel et al. of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland is recognized as a turning point. They employed a structure in which a dye formed from a ruthenium complex was fixed at the surface of a porous titanium oxide thin film, and realized a conversion efficiency that was comparable to that of amorphous silicon. Thus, the dye-sensitized solar cells that can be produced even without using an expensive vacuum apparatus instantly attracted the attention of researchers all over the world.
Hitherto, as metal complex dyes to be used in photoelectric conversion elements, dyes generally called as N3, N719, Z907, and J2 have been developed.
Recently, a Ru metal complex dye is proposed, having a particular substituent-having [4-styryl-2-(3-trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-yl] pyridine of a bidentate ligand and 4,4′,4″-tricarboxy-terpyridine of a terdentate ligand (see Patent Literature 1). A novel metal complex is also proposed, having a particular 2,6-bis(nitrogen-containing aromatic ring) pyridine of a terdentate ligand and 4,4′,4″-tricarboxy-terpyridine of a terdentate ligand (see Patent Literature 2).
Further, N719, Black Dye is proposed, having a carboxyl group neutralized with an alkali compound in order to prevent dye association, the carboxyl group playing as a roll of adsorbing it on the surface of semiconductor fine particles (see Patent Literature 3).

Metal-complex dye, photoelectric conversion element, dye-sensitized solar cell, and dye solution containing metal-complex dye


A CMOS imaging array includes a plurality of individual pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each pixel is constructed the same and includes a photodetector (e.g., photodiode) receiving incident light and generating an output. A first, relatively lower gain, wide dynamic range amplifier circuit is provided responsive to the output of the photodetector. The first circuit is optimized for a linear response to high light level input signals. A second, relatively higher gain, lower dynamic range amplifier circuit is also provided which is responsive to the output of the photodetector. The second circuit is optimized to provide a high signal to noise ratio for low light level input signals. A first output select circuit is provided for directing the output of the first circuit to a first output multiplexer. A second output select circuit is provided for directing the output of the second circuit to a second output multiplexer. Thus, separate outputs of the first and second circuits are provided for each of the individual pixel sensors of the CMOS imaging array. Alternative embodiments incorporate two ore more photodetectors and two or more amplifier circuits and output select circuits. Three photodetectors and three amplifier circuits are useful for an embodiment where the sensor includes a three-color filter matrix.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solid state electronic image sensors and in particular to a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) array with a pixel design which improves the operational dynamic range of the sensor. It is particularly suitable for application to airborne imaging systems, such as military aerial reconnaissance image sensors.
B. Description of Related Art
Image sensors for capturing electronic representations of images in the visible wavelengths have been around since about 1970, when the silicon charge coupled device (CCD) was invented. Over the years, CCDs have become the standard for visible spectrum electronic imaging, replacing film in most applications. Various architectures have been developed to make CCD operation more effective for the specific application. Such architectures include the full frame, frame transfer, and interline transfer CCD.
The processes related to silicon CCD manufacturing have always been reasonably expensive and complex, with the implementation technology of choice being N type metal oxide (NMOS). The associated costs and operational characteristics of NMOS CCDs, and later P type (PMOS) CCDs, eventually persuaded designers to seek an image sensor solution using the more easily manufactured CMOS technology. CMOS had become the technology of choice utilized by most foundries for making computer integrated circuits.
The advantages of using CMOS for image sensors included having a wider selection of foundries, lower manufacturing costs, lower power /voltage operation, and especially the ability to add peripheral CMOS circuitry on the image sensor substrate, the later feature being attractive for developing an image sensor on a single chip. CMOS imagers therefore could have active circuitry added within the picture sensing element structure (pixel). These imagers became known as Active Pixel Sensors (APS). The APS CMOS image sensor (CIS) became feasible approximately ten years ago when CMOS processing technology advanced to the point of enabling minimum feature sizes small enough to meet the required pixel circuit density, while maintaining adequate optical aperture for a small pixel (diffraction limited) visible image sensor.
As CMOS image sensor technology continues to progress, the comparison of performance between the CCD and the CMOS image sensor has become an important topic of discussion by designers and end users. Today, CMOS imager development has yielded a sensor with characteristics close to that of the CCD, but still lacking in some respects. Overall, the CMOS APS has the advantage of lower cost and design flexibility, but has yet to fully match the performance of the CCD.
Currently, foundry-based CMOS image sensor technologies largely focus on manufacturing of low cost visible sensors for use in high volume consumer products, such as cell phones, PC cameras, toys, automotive sensors, camcorders and low cost SLR cameras. Consequently, the CMOS manufacturing technologies are largely the same as those used in manufacturing of high volume computer memory or mixed signal products. Few, if any, high volume commercial grade CMOS imaging products are manufactured using uniquely customized image sensor specific processes or complex pixel design technologies.
Although some CMOS imager foundries have begun to support unique process modifications to create specific process and design features for application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) clients, in nearly every case the custom CMOS image sensor technologies that enable these high performance applications are unique to the ASIC client, and not accessible to other users.
As will be explained in further detail below, in one aspect of this invention, improvements are provided in an APS CMOS imager which improve the dynamic range of the CMOS image sensor such that it meets or exceeds current customer expectations for imager sensitivity, response and signal to noise ratio such that it can be used for airborne imaging, especially in a military reconnaissance application.
The performance requirements for aircraft based Visible and Near Infra-Red (Vis and NIR) wavelength imaging systems mandate that solid state Vis/NIR focal plane technology enable unique capabilities unlike most commercial or consumer applications of imaging technology. Historically, CCD image sensor technology has provided the needed critical performance and configuration demanded by airborne imaging applications. However, as airborne reconnaissance systems begin to incorporate additional functionality and interoperability through reductions in size, weight, power, and cost, it is becoming increasingly difficult for CCD technology to support these objectives, due to limitations in the fundamental fabrication and operational principles of the CCD image sensor itself. Although present CMOS image sensor technology does not support the broad, demanding performance requirements currently provided by the CCD, the successful evolution of airborne reconnaissance imaging systems will rely on the adaptation of CMOS image sensor technology to enable the improvements necessary to advance the art. The present invention provides for CMOS imager design aspects which enable this result to be achieved.
In order to achieve both the stringent and contradictory performance requirements of the airborne reconnaissance grade Vis/NIR image sensor in a CMOS technology, customization of both the CMOS process and the pixel design technologies is required. To further understand the problem, it will be noted that optimum sensor performance requirements include seemingly contradictory aspects. On the one hand, each pixel in the focal plane must have a large full well electron capacity for shot noise (thermal) limited high background, large signal performance, as would be expected during the daytime with full scene illumination. However, on the other hand, each pixel must have high sensitivity and low noise for small signal extraction, in order to provide for reconnaissance capability in low light level situations, such as when shadows are present in the field of view. Therefore, aspects of the present invention provide for a novel, modified pixel design to satisfy this dynamic range dilemma.
Furthermore, present CMOS imaging technologies are optimized for photoresponse in the visible band from 450 nm to 700 nm, with the desired NIR response filtered or dramatically reduced. Customization of the CMOS process is therefore also needed to further extend the sensor response from 700 nm to 950 nm for airborne reconnaissance applications.
The embodiments of the present invention are intended to solve the contradictory dynamic range dilemma of the airborne CMOS image sensor by providing a pixel design, which achieves large well fill performance as well as high sensitivity and a high signal to noise ratio (SNR) while preserving linearity of response.
It is known in the art that CMOS active pixel sensors rely on each pixel having a charge to voltage conversion amplifier to create local voltages representative of the signal value illumination recorded at the pixel. A representative prior art CMOS pixel 10 is shown in FIG. 1A. Incident radiation 12 impinges on a photodetector 14. Collected charge is supplied to an amplifier 16. A gate 18 is clocked to direct a voltage signal on the output of the amplifier to an output multiplexer (not shown) along conductor 24. A reset gate 20 resets a transistor 22 at the output of the photodetector 14 as shown.
The typical prior art (FIG. 1A) teaches that a CMOS APS pixel contains one detector 14 and one amplifier circuit 16 per pixel. The performance of the pixel is determined by the detection, amplification, and noise performance of the single detector, single amplifier combination. Typically, most imaging applications will either fall in the category of still or video photography, or controlled light source photography. Prior art pixel design has not previously been required to provide both high sensitivity and signal to noise ratio for small signals while simultaneously providing good contrast signal to noise for small signals buried within high background illumination scenes.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a CMOS image sensor 30 having an array 32 of CMOS pixel sensors 10, one of which is shown enlarged. The array 32 is arranged in rows and columns of pixels, perhaps 25 or 50 million in all. FIG. 2 shows a column amplifier 36 which amplifies the output voltage from the pixel sensors 10. The amplified signals are supplied to a multiplexer 34. The multiplexed output signals are amplified by an amplifier 38. The amplified signal is supplied to A/D converters and signal processing circuitry which is conventional.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a four transistor prior art CMOS Active Pixel sensor. This design includes a global shutter transistor 40, reset transistor 22, amplifier transistor 16 and select transistor 18. By controlling the biasing of the shutter transistor 40, the accumulated charge on the photodiode detector 14 is selectively applied to the charge to voltage conversion amplifier transistor 16.
FIG. 4 is another prior art four transistor CMOS pixel design. It includes a transfer transistor 42, a reset transistor 44, charge to voltage conversion amplifier 16 and a select transistor 18 transferring the voltage signal from the output of the amplifier 16 to the conductor 24. The transfer gate transistor 42 acts in a similar fashion to the shutter transistor 40 of FIG. 3.
Prior art pixel design has addressed the extension of CMOS pixel dynamic range to accommodate large background signals by compressing the response to large signals with non-linear amplification or by subtracting signal values through down stream signal processing. The compressed response to large signals degrades the contrast signal to noise ratio for the airborne reconnaissance imaging application by reducing the contrast between the small signals present in the large background signal and the background signal itself. The associated graph shown in FIG. 1B illustrates the compromised signal handling capacity and the non linearity of the response as the illumination increases and is compressed. For example, in region 26, there is very little increase in the output signal on conductor 24 as illumination increases.
Various other methods have been employed to compress the input dynamic range including the utilization of variable detector voltage values, multiple storage of lines of signal integrated with different integration times then subtracted, logarithmic response amplifiers, anti-blooming structures to limit collected signal charge, pixel level analog to digital conversion (ADC) and gain adjustment, as well as other concepts.
Typically, the response of a visible detector is linear with respect to optical signal input to the point of either pixel well saturation or full signal swing of the detector sense node. Beyond the saturation illumination level, the response curve becomes essentially flat. See FIG. 1B. The prior art methods to extend detector dynamic range do not preserve the linear response of the detector while maintaining signal integrity for both high and low scene illumination levels.
The full well capacity of a CCD image sensor pixel is generally limited by the charge handling capacity of a gated potential well that usually has an antiblooming feature to avoid signal charge from mixing with adjacent pixels when a pixel that has reached its well saturation limit. Conversely, the saturation limit of a CMOS image sensor is typically more a complex function of the floating diffusion sense node voltage swing, photodiode storage capacity, and additional capacitances added to the pixel amplifier circuit. The critical relationship for the saturation value of a CMOS sensor pixel is CV=Q, where V=the useful linear voltage swing allowed at the detector sense node (reset node typically), C=the capacitance of the sense node (amplifier 16 input node) (including all parasitics), and Q=all photogenerated and thermally generated signal electrons collected and incident on the sense node.
The voltage limit at the sense node is determined by the supply voltage and the threshold of the reset transistor 22 of FIG. 1A. The largest voltage swing at the sense node for an N-channel transistor is Vdd-Vt. The practical reality is that the sense node is typically coupled to the gate of a source follower circuit, which has a range of useful input voltages for operation. Typically, the maximum useful voltage swing at the sense node of a CMOS image sensor is <60% of Vdd.
In general, the P/N junction diode photodetectors have a much higher limit for charge storage capacity than the voltage swing at the sense node will allow. The photodiode typically begins to forward bias when over-illuminated such that excess charge is swept into the substrate, thus creating a built-in antiblooming circuit.
The relationship that describes the conversion of signal charge to useful voltage signal is determined by the sense node capacitance or qe/Cnode (microvolts per electron). As the node capacitance increases, the charge to voltage gain decreases, but the dynamic range of the allowable input signal increases as Vmax is reached more slowly.
Increasing the node capacitance is the simple method for increasing the saturation charge limit for the CMOS sensor pixel. Increasing the maximum voltage swing in the sense node is another method. Unfortunately, the maximum voltage swing is limited by the maximum allowable Vdd voltage for the CMOS process design rules being used. Smaller dimension design rules dictate smaller voltages. For circuits that require small geometries for packing density and/or low voltages for low power operation, the maximum Vdd supply value scales to ever-lower values.
The effect of increasing the capacitance at the sense node is to decrease the signal to noise ratio by 1/√C. Hence, for small signals, it is desirable to minimize the sense node capacitance. However, in the airborne imaging and reconnaissance application, it is also necessary to have a large charge handling capacity to improve shot noise limited signal to noise ratio (varies as Vsignal/√Vsignal) for scenes with high background signal and low contrast between target features and the background signal. For the case of optimized small signal gain, adding gain (g) to the sense amplifier while decreasing the sense node capacitance results in an increase in the signal to noise ratio proportional to √g√C (in simplistic terms).
A critical requirement for airborne reconnaissance imaging systems is to have high signal to noise ratios, for both small signal and high background signal imaging conditions. As previously stated, this creates a conflict for conventional pixel design. Small node capacitance favors better small signal SNR, while large node capacitance favors better SNR for large signals. The present invention describes methods for achieving both SNR goals by utilizing novel CMOS image sensor pixel designs.
The paper "Large Area TDI Image Sensor for Low Light Level Imaging," M. Farrier and R. Dyck, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. ED-27, No. 8 (August 1980), discloses a dual amplifier in an image sensor for the purpose of increasing the useful input dynamic range. The paper discusses the development of a CCD TDI image sensor capable of imaging in very low light conditions (starlight at 0.001 lux) to full daylight scene illumination. The image sensor utilizes CCD technology (not CMOS technology) with a pixel a storage capacity of approximately 1 million electrons, which is adequate for high background imaging conditions. To achieve low light level imaging with low noise performance, the CCD output shift register is created with two floating gate type sense nodes and two output amplifier structures. The large capacity sense node is positioned upstream and signal charge is transferred through the floating gate and detected by the second small signal (low capacitance) floating gate sense node. The excess signal beyond the well capacity of the small floating gate node is drained away, effectively clipping the large signals to 10% of the total full well value of the sensor.
The amplifiers attached to the two floating gate nodes both have inverter gain stages. The wide dynamic range amplifier is designed to operate over a wide input range with a lower charge to voltage conversion. The second amplifier attached to the small capacitance sense node is designed to provide high conversion gain with a limited output swing. System operation allows for recording signal from both amplifiers nearly simultaneously such that small signals can be extracted at the same time large signals are accommodated.
The patent literature describes various attempts to increase the dynamic range of a CMOS imager. See the following patents, which are incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,486,504; 6,011,251; 6,757,018; 6,734,905; 6,710,804. See also Wide Intrascene Dynamic Range CMOS APS Using Dual Sampling, O. Y. Pecht, et al., IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 44, No. 10 (October 1997). None of the art of which the inventor is aware teaches or suggests the novel CMOS APS features of this invention.

CMOS active pixel sensor with improved dynamic range and method of operation


A propulsion air stream deflecting apparatus for an air cushion vehicle having a hull, an air duct mounted on the hull and a propeller fan, includes a plurality of rudders, each mounted on the hull adjacent to the rear open end of the duct for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. The rudders are adapted to close the rear open end of the air duct. A rudder control mechanism is operatively connected to the rudders for controlling the pivotal movement of the rudders to selectively provide a propulsion thrust and a steering thrust to the hull and to provide a closed position in which the rear open end of the air duct is closed by the rudders. A flap is pivotably mounted at the rear end thereof to the duct such that the flap closes an opening, formed at the rear end of the air duct, at a closed position thereof where the inner face of the flap is substantially flush with the inner surface of the air duct. The flap turns outwardly to open the opening due to an increase in pressure in the duct in the closed position of the rudders, for deflecting the air stream, passing out the opening, forwards to provide a forward thrust to the hull for braking, stopping or rearwardly moving the hull. A flap urging spring urges the flap to close the opening.

The present invention relates to a propulsion air stream deflecting apparatus of an air cushion vehicle (hereinafter referred to as ACV) for controlling the direction of a pressurized air stream, produced by a propeller, that provides a propulsion thrust or a steering thrust to the ACV.
Air cushion vehicles are provided with a pressurized air stream deflecting apparatus using a pair of rudders for producing a propulsion thrust, as disclosed in Japanese Patent (Unexamined) Publication No. 52-81,815 published July 8, 1977. The apparatus has a horizontal cylindrical air duct mounted on the rear part of the vehicle hull and extending in the fore-to-aft direction. A propeller fan is installed in the air duct. The air duct is provided with vertical rudders at the rear end thereof, and the vehicle is steered by turning the rudders to the port or starboard side.
To brake the vehicle moving forward, the rudders are moved to close the rear open end of the air duct. When the air duct is closed at the rear end, a substantially annular air guide installed around the rear end of the air duct operates to receive the air stream and direct it in the reverse direction, that is, forwardly of the vehicle, as will be described hereinafter in more detail. The reverse air stream is, however, produced to some degree, even when the vehicle is advancing, thus decreasing the propulsion thrust. Moreover, the guide broadens the cross-sectional area of the path of the pressurized air through the air duct so that the resistance to the air stream is increased and eddy currents are created to generate noise.

Propulsion air stream deflecting apparatus for air cushion vehicle


The present invention relates to a process for carrying out olefin ring-closing metathesis (RCM) wherein compressed carbon dioxide (gaseous, liquid or supercritical) acts as solvent for the liquid or solid reactant and the products obtained therefrom, while additionally one or more ionic liquids are introduced as the 2nd phase in which homogeneous olefin metathesis catalysts are immobilised.

Ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) has in the mean time advanced to become one of the most successful synthesis methods by which cyclic structures of all sizes and with a plurality of functional groups can be efficiently synthesised. This property has made this transformation of substances a central tool in the modern chemistry of natural substances, which constitutes a reliable criterion for its exceptional usefulness in synthesis (a) R. H. Grubbs and S. Chang, Tetrahedron, 1998, 54, 4413; b) A. Fürstner, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2000, 39, 3012; c) S. J. Connon, S. Blechert, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2003, 42, 1900).
Hitherto, only homogeneous catalysts (predominantly Ru complexes) have been considered for the transformation of functionalised olefins, as they have a far higher group tolerance than their heterogeneous metal oxide-based analogues. However, the concentrations of the homogeneous catalysts used are typically in the one-digit molar percentage range, which makes it essential to separate them efficiently from the product for economic and toxicological reasons.
The state of the art is the immobilisation of the homogeneous catalysts on solid carrier materials which can be separated off by filtration after the reaction has taken place, or the separation and recycling of the homogeneous catalyst by multi-phase catalysis, a process in which the catalyst is immobilised in one phase (stationary phase) and the products may be obtained from the other phase (known as the mobile phase in the continuous process). Two special issues have already been published on the subject of two-phase catalysis and related technologies: a) Catalysis Today 1998, 42, issue 2; b) Chem. Rev. 2002, 102, October issue). The latter strategy has been very successfully implemented in the Shell Higher Olefin Process or in the Ruhrchemie-Rhöne-Poulenc Process. The two processes are characterised in that only gaseous starting materials are used which are converted into liquid products. These can then be separated off as a phase in their own right.
However, this method is by no means generally applicable, as the chemical-physical properties of starting materials and corresponding target molecules are often very similar. This is true particularly of olefin ring-closing metathesis. In addition, reactants which are liquid and solid at ambient temperature—the aggregate states of nearly all fine chemicals—are far more difficult to react efficiently in multi-phase catalysis, essentially because an additional solvent has to be used. This is needed in order to intensify contact with the catalyst phase and produce a suitable concentration of the substrates at the reaction site. Precisely for efficiently performing ring-closing olefin metathesis both functions of the solvent are of fundamental importance for a high throughput and selectivity (cyclisation vs. oligomer formation). The incorporation of another solvent phase, however, leads to a number of problems:                1. The products have to be freed from the solvent, a process which generally exposes them to thermal loading, which often reduces the yield.        2. It often proves very difficult to remove the last traces of solvent from the product, and this is a particular problem for pharmaceutical production lines.        3. The widely used metathesis catalysts have insufficiently selective distribution coefficients for conventional two-phase systems (liquid-liquid systems), with the result that there is undesirable leaching of catalyst into the substrate/product phase. As a result of this extractive removal, not only is the activity of the catalytic system reduced but there is also contamination of the product with catalyst, which is unacceptable in many branches of fine chemistry.        4. Particularly the mobile solvent used for a continuous process must be extremely clean, as otherwise impurities from it build up in the catalytically active phase, and in this way catalyst deactivation may be accelerated. However, highly pure organic solvents are very expensive and hence uneconomical. There is also the factor than in ring-closing metathesis of rings of average size (8-11 ring members) and large size (greater than or equal to 12 ring members) it is essential to work with very high dilutions so as to counteract reactions of oligomerisation.        5. In view of their flammability and high volatility conventional solvents constitute an additional potential risk.
The aim of the present invention was therefore to solve the problems mentioned above and to provide a process which is suitable for the continuous olefin ring-closing metathesis of both liquid and solid substrates.
Supercritical carbon dioxide has already proved itself as a solvent for olefin metathesis reactions of a whole range of cyclisable substrates. It is not only very good value (even in highly pure form), non-toxic and non-flammable but also allows controlled manipulation of the monomer-oligomer equilibrium in RCM, by varying the fluid density used ((a) A. Fürstner, L. Ackermann, K Beck, H. Hori, D. Koch, K. Langemann, M. Liebl, C. Six, W. Leitner, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 9000-9006, b) Fürstner et al., Selective Olefin Metathesis of Bifunctional or Polyfunctional Substrates in compressed Carbon Dioxide as Reaction Medium, U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,551; c) DeSimone et al., Olefin Metathesis Reactions in Carbon Dioxide Medium, U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,820). When compressed carbon dioxide is used on its own as the reaction medium, two properties in particular are problematic for the ring-closing olefin metathesis.                1. On the one hand, the supercritical carbon dioxide does not have good dissolving properties on the currently most active metathesis catalysts, with the result that the conversion rates are correspondingly low. Quite apart from olefin metathesis this has led to the development of homogeneous catalysts with solubilising perfluorinated chains ((a) S. Kainz, D. Koch, W. Baumann, W. Leitner, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1997, 36, 1628-1630; b) Holmes et al., Use of Compressed CO2 in Chemical Reactions, U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,985 B1). However, such catalysts are complicated to synthesise and are therefore very expensive.        2. The solubility of the currently most active metathesis catalysts under reaction conditions which are suitable for efficiently reacting non-volatile substrates is still high enough to require separation of the catalyst from the product. But this cannot be done without additional adjuvants in subsequent processes. This is also the reason why immobilisation on a solid phase was developed for reactions in compressed carbon dioxide, the solid phase containing both CO2-philic and CO2-phobic parts of the molecule, so as on the one hand to achieve good transportation of the substance at the catalytically active centres while on the other hand ensuring efficient separation. (DeSimone et al., Carbon Dioxide-Soluble Polymers and Swellable Polymers for Carbon Dioxide Applications, U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,179 B1). As a limiting factor it must be stated, however, that the catalytic effectiveness of this concept is in no way characterised in the above-mentioned patent.
Ionic liquids are also described in the chemical literature as potential reaction media for carrying out olefin ring-closing metathesis reactions. Their major advantage is in their lack of volatility below their decomposition temperature and in their non-flammability. In addition, many examples are immiscible with conventional solvents, thus enabling the product to be easily isolated by extraction ((a) R. C. Buijsman, E. van Vuuren, J. G. Sterrenburg, Org. Lett. 2001, 3, 3785-3787, b) Gürtler et al., α, ω-Diene Metathesis in the Presence of Ionic Liquids, U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,500 B1). The most widely used Grubbs catalysts however exhibit significant leaching during extractive working up with conventional organic solvents, with the result that they can be recycled a maximum of once or twice. Building on this experience, in two independent studies imidazolium fragments were integrated in the most active catalyst structures currently known, which for the first time synthesised a precatalyst which can be recycled in ionic liquids (a) N. Audic, H. Clavier, M. Mauduit, J.-C. Guillemin, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 9248-9249; b) Q. Yao, Y. Zhang, Angew. Chem Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 3395-3398). Apart from the use of highly volatile, combustible and in some cases toxic solvents for the extractive working up, however, there are also other disadvantages:                1. In a fast chemical reaction at the catalyst centre (which is dissolved in the ionic liquid) the mass transfer frequently limits the speed of the reaction as a whole. This problem is generally considerably more serious than in reactions in the two-phase system with two organic phases or one organic and one aqueous phase, as the relatively high viscosity of the ionic liquid leads to a low coefficient of diffusion and relatively large droplets in the stirred system. Both these effects undesirably influence the mass transfer of the educt to the catalyst centre.        2. Ionic liquids are significantly more expensive than water and the majority of organic solvents. From the point of view of the industrial user, this demands total recovery not only of the transition metal catalyst used but also of the ionic liquid used in the system. Against this background, the greater or lesser cross-solubility of ionic liquids in the organic educts and products is problematic, and is particularly serious when educts and products themselves have a certain polarity. In a continuous process, there may thus be a constant loss of ionic liquid and catalyst into the products.
In 1999 the Brennecke and Beckman research groups described the phase characteristics of two-phase mixtures of ionic liquids with supercritical carbon dioxide (L. A. Blanchard, D. Hancu, E. J. Beckman, J. F. Brennecke, Nature 1999, 399, 28-29). They were able to show that supercritical CO2 dissolves easily in some ionic liquids, while the same ionic liquids have no detectable solubility in supercritical CO2. Moreover, in this publication, the authors described the possibility of extracting high-boiling substances from ionic liquids, using supercritical CO2. No contamination of the extract with ionic liquids could be detected.
The Jessop working group used extraction with supercritical CO2 to isolate the products from ionic liquids following a hydrating reaction with neutral ruthenium catalysts (R. A. Brown, P. Pollett, E. McKoon, C. A. Eckert, C. L. Liotta, P. G. Jessop, J. Am Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 1254). This concept was expanded by Baker and Tumas, who described the successful hydrogenation of cyclohexene and 1-decene using the neutral Wilkinson catalyst RhCl(PPh3)3 in the two-phase system of [BMIM][PF6]/supercritical carbon dioxide. However, comparison tests carried out by these authors showed that in the presence of supercritical CO2, generally lower or, at best, equally high activities are found for the catalysts. The conversion rates in the [BMIM][PF6]/supercritical carbon dioxide system correspond in favourable cases to the values achieved in the [BMIM][PF6]/n-hexane system (F. Liu, M. B. Abrams, R. T. Baker, W. Tumas, Chem. Commun. 2001, 433). Another catalytic study in a two-phase system consisting of supercritical carbon dioxide and an ionic liquid was published by Cole-Hamilton and colleagues (Cole-Hamilton et al., Catalysis in an Ionic Fluid, Supercritical Fluid Two Phase System, WO 02/02218 A1; M. F. Sellin, P. B. Webb, D. J. Cole Hamilton, Chem Commun. 2001, 781). The group investigated the hydroformylation of 1-hexene, 1-octene and 1-nonene with anionic Rh complexes. However, their method is restricted to systems in which there is at least one reactant which is gaseous under normal conditions.
Definition of Terms in the Figures:    Umsatz=conversion    Reaktionstemperatur=reaction temperature    Edukt-beladener CO2-Strom=educt-charged CO2 current    SFC-Pumpe=SFC pump    Edukt-Reservoir=educt reservoir    Kohlendioxid=carbon dioxide    unbeladener CO2-Strom=uncharged CO2 current    pneumatisches Ventil (elektromagnetisch schaltbar)=pneumatic valve (electromagnetically controlled)    Reaktor=reactor    Produkt=product

Process for continuous ringclosing metathesis in compressed carbondioxide


A method and system are provided including a search module; a display; a memory storing processor-executable steps; and a search processor coupled to the memory, and in communication with the mapper module and operative to execute the processor-executable process steps to cause the system to: present a user interface on a display, the user interface including a user-entry field to receive a query, wherein the query includes one or more terms; receive the query in the user-entry field; in response to the received query, parse the query; determine whether any of the one or more terms of the parsed query are object candidates; determine, for each object candidate, one or more available actions for the object candidate; generate a list of one or more selectable objects; and display the list of one or more selectable objects on a user interface. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Data plays an important role in the operation of organizations, and may be used across all operational processes. Operational processes may cover different areas of an organization, such as Sales, Project Management, Procurement, etc. Conventionally, each area may use its own self-defined work list specific to that area. As such, it may be difficult for a user associated with one area to access attributes associated with the work list of a different area.
Systems and methods are desired which support efficient selection of attributes for searching and analyzing stored data.

Simplified access for core business with enterprise search


An auxiliary electronic device attachable to a wearable electronic device. The auxiliary device includes a housing, electronic circuitry within the housing, and an attachment mechanism configured to attach the auxiliary electronic device to the wearable device while the device is being worn by a user. In some embodiments the electronic circuitry includes a power transmitting unit that can wirelessly transmit power to charge a rechargeable battery within the wearable electronic device. In some embodiments the attachment mechanism includes a pair of lugs that extend, from opposite ends of the housing, above the housing towards a center of the auxiliary device and are adapted to fit within corresponding recesses of the wearable electronic device.

A variety of wearable electronic devices have been developed recently that include one or more sensors to measure various characteristics of the environment the device operates in. For example, electronic devices that can be worn on a user's wrist and do much more than act as a simple time piece are growing in popularity. Such devices may include a display to indicate the time and date. The devices may also include accelerometers and one or more sensors that enable a user to track fitness activities and health-related characteristics, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, among other information. The devices also typically include a rechargeable battery that powers the electronics within the device.
Battery life is an important consideration for such wearable devices as the devices may not function properly without sufficient battery power. One manner in which the rechargeable battery within a wearable device can be charged is by connecting the device to a dedicated charger such as a docking station or charging stand much the same way a user may charge a smart phone or laptop computer. Such charging methods work quite well, but some user's may prefer to wear their wearable electronic devices all day and not take the devices off for the time it takes to charge the battery with a docking station or similarly device. Additionally, some functions performed by any given wearable electronic device may be limited or optimized such that the functions are best performed when the device is worn by the user based on the particular sensors, circuitry and other hardware of the electronic device as manufactured.

Auxiliary electronic device attachable to a wearable electronic device


A store (1) for individual products (10) has an input station (2) and an output station (3) which can be actuated independently of each other. A storage line (8) with a variable receiving capacity is provided as well as carrier plates (11) for receiving the individual products. The carrier plates (11) can move freely within the store (1). A first input elevator (4) is provided in the area of the input station (2) and an output elevator (5) in the area of the output station (3) for building or working through full stacks (26) of carrier plates (11). The storage line (8) between the elevators (4, 5) is designed for the joint conveying of the full stack (26) congested in front of the output elevator (5) allocated to the output station (3).A transfer belt (6) and a return conveyor for full stacks (26) is located between each elevator and the storage line (8). Separate drives are provided for the elevators (4, 5), the transfer conveyor (6), the return conveyor and the storage path (8).

With the production and packaging of, in particular, confectionery, for example, large and small chocolate bars, the problem ensues that the production machine is operated continuously for technical production reasons, while the packaging machine or plant is shut down for bridging over intermediate periods. Such intermediate periods can be caused by breaks prescribed for the operatives in the packaging plant or through a fault, for example, changing a roller, at one or several packaging machines in the packaging plant. During all these intermediate periods, the individual products supplied by the production machine must be transferred to a store. The store is then able to be emptied again outside the intermediate periods in that the unpacked individual products are fed to the packaging plant.
A store of the above-mentioned type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,776. The essential component in this store is an endless chain which is wound around chain wheels. One part of the chain wheels is fixed locally, while other chain wheels, assembled in pairs, are arranged so that they can move vertically. An input station and an output station, separate from said input station, are built onto the store and can be operated independently of each other, i.e. the store can be filled or emptied according to requirements. Therefore, the store can either be just filled or just emptied. In addition, it is possible to empty while filling, whereby completely different speeds can also be used. The known store has a relatively large dead area, i.e. roughly 50% of its volume serves only to merely convey the individual products through the store. Before the first individual item can be picked off again from the output station, the store must be filled to approximately up to half its volume. Only the remaining half of its volume forms the storage line with variable receiving capacity. If one of the essential properties of a store is to be able to allow removal at any time or to make this possible in a relatively short time, then the ratio of storage lines with variable receiving capacity to the ratio of the dead space serving only the conveying is relatively unfavourable. This means that such a store needs to be built relatively long and high if its storage line with variable receiving capacity is to be or needs to be sufficiently large. The endless chain has carrier plates for receiving the individual products and a conveying facility for transporting the carrier plates on the chain in a roughly circular motion through the store is provided, whereby the individual drive wheels form a part of this conveying facility. Owing to the arc-like change of direction of the endless chain at the chain wheels and the step-wise or jog-wise transfer of the chain at the various positions, forces ensue at the change of direction positions which act on the individual products in a direction parallel to the main lengthwise plane of the carrier plates. In order that the individual products do not slip off the carrier plates and drop down, the carrier plates must either have an appropriate shape or other measures must be applied. It is clear that the peripheral speeds at the chain wheels are limited. The performance of such a store is thereby limited.
Stores operating on the same priniciple are known from DE-PS 31 48 473, DE-AS 17 56 268 or also from DE-AS 25 02 386. The advantages of these stores are that the input station and the output station can be operated independently of each other. Furthermore, these stores have a speciality in that the individual products can be removed again in the same sequence as they were fed in, i.e. the first individual item fed into the store is the first one to be taken out again.
For applications involving the storing of confectionery, in particular large and small chocolate bars, it is known, based on the principal arrangement of the store described above, to use gondolas which are connected via an articulated joint with the endless chain. These gondolas have a certain number of carrier plates above one another, for example, five carrier plates, whereby each carrier plate is designed and built to receive a row of confectionery items. The separation between the carrier plates within a gondola is, therefore, smaller than the distance of the lowest carrier plate of a first gondola from the uppermost carrier plate of a following gondola. The larger difference at this point is designated as a gondola jump. On the other hand however, this enables the gondolas to be able to negotiate the change of direction at the chain wheels, whereby the carrier plates always remain in the horizontally-aligned position. As the naked, unpacked items of confectionery are slid onto flat carrier plates, it is not possible to vary the shape of the carrier plates. The articulated suspension of the gondolas allows, on the one hand, the change of direction around the chain plates and on the other hand, the negative influence of the accelerating forces upon further movement of the endless chain is reduced. The disadvantage with such gondolas is that the steps in which the endless chain moves to the next stage, for example, in the area of the input station, must be large. The larger path corresponds to the gondola jump and this gondola jump thereby determines the performance of the store because this movement represents the greatest load (stress) on the items of confectionery. No item of confectionery may fall from the carrier plate at the gondola. To bridge over the separation between the carrier plates of a gondola, a similarly large timespan as with overcoming the gondola jump is ready, so that a comparatively low speed can be used here.
The other disadvantage of such stores equipped with gondolas is that owing to the way the change of direction is effected, the store needs to be built very large although its storage line with variable receiving capacity is relatively small. The sliding of the confectionery items onto the carrier plates in the area of the input station and the sliding off from the carrier plates in the area of the output station puts corresponding loads on the items of confectionery because sliding friction has to be overcome here. Incidentally, the push-on process must be so performed that the item of confectionery lies symmetrical about the hinge point of the gondola, or rather a vertical plane which passes through this hinge point. This means that with alternating confectionery formats, different paths have to be traced during the push-on process and/or carrier plates and gondolas matched to the format and shape of the respective case in question need to be used on such stores.
A further disadvantage is that all gondolas in the store must be moved during certain operating conditions. For example, this is the case when a completely empty store with respect to its dead space, i.e. with respect to its storage line with constant receiving capacity, is to be filled.
Furthermore, it is a disadvantage that with the known stores, the carrier plates fixed to the gondolas can only be cleaned with difficulty. This is practically impossible during normal, continuous production. Only if the store and the associated plant is shut down is it possible to carry out tedious cleaning.


A conveyor-type oven is particularly well suited for cooking food products such as pizza. The oven may comprise a housing defining a baking chamber, and a primary chamber that is positioned beneath the baking chamber, the housing having an opening at each of the two longitudinal ends of the baking chamber. A continuous conveyor belt transports food to be cooked through the baking chamber, and a source of hot air is arranged to introduce hot air into the primary chamber. An upper plenum assembly is disposed in the baking chamber and includes a plurality of orifices from which to discharge hot air downwardly towards the conveyor belt, while a lower plenum assembly is disposed in the baking chamber and includes a plurality of orifices from which to discharge hot air upwardly towards the conveyor belt. Ducting interconnects the primary chamber with the upper and lower plenum assemblies, and one or more fans are operable to transport hot air from the primary chamber through the ducting to the upper and lower plenum assemblies. The conveyor-type oven enables fast, even cooking of food products while maintaining a relatively small floor-space footprint.

Conveyor-type ovens are often used in the commercial food and hospitality industries for baking food products in a fast, reliable and consistent manner. The prepared, uncooked food is loaded on a conveyor belt on one side of the oven, and the conveyor belt transports the food through the baking chamber at a selected speed. The cooked food arrives at the opposing side. These types of oven are often used for baking pizzas in commercial quantities because there is minimal user intervention required during the cooking process, once the baking chamber conditions and conveyor belt speeds have been set.
Conveyor-type ovens cook food using either by radiant heat transfer that is generated by resistive heating elements in the baking chamber, or by convective heat transfer via hot air that is generated by a source and supplied to the baking chamber. Typically, convective heat transfer conveyor-type ovens have a gas burner, and fans and ducting that transports the exhausted hot gases to the baking chamber.
The evenness of temperature in the length and width directions of the baking chamber has a significant impact on the cooking performance of a conveyor-type oven. When used in cooking pizza, variations in temperature can affect the colour and/or "doneness" of the pizza exiting the baking chamber. Considerable effort is made by manufacturers and users of conveyor-type ovens to provide even temperatures. To this end, manufacturers have provided conveyor-type ovens with a high degree of customization so that, in turn, users can "tweak" the oven, with the aim to provide a suitably cooked product, in the shortest time possible.
In addition, conveyor-type ovens tend to have a large footprint. For many shop owners, the allocation of floor space in their shop is a significant consideration, as this affects the business overheads. The oven installation may represent a substantial portion of that floor space, and also places constraints on the movement of staff within the store. Thus, for many shop owners, it is desirable that the footprint of the oven is minimized.
Accordingly, it is desired to address one or more of the above issues, and/or at least provide a useful alternative.


A catheter pump includes a catheter channel communicating with a distal end portion of the catheter for alternatingly leading fluid in proximal and distal directions. At least one outlet passage is distally spaced from the inlet passage or passages. The catheter pump further includes a displacement structure communicating with the proximal end portion of the catheter for alternatingly applying suction and pressure for driving the fluid displacement. At least in operating condition, the inlet passage or passages are continuously open. A catheter and fittings for such a catheter pump and method of using a catheter pump are also described.

From U.K. patent specification 1,370,546 a heart assist catheter pump is known which includes a catheter having a distal end for insertion from the aorta past the aortic valve into the left ventricle. The distal end has inlet openings. Spaced from the distal end, the catheter has outlet openings and a set of check valves for allowing outward flow. Valves are provided for controlling the direction of the flow. A fluid displacement device communicating with the proximal end of the catheter alternatingly generates a suction causing blood to be withdrawn from the left ventricle into the catheter and to the displacement device and an excess pressure causing blood to be expelled from the catheter downstream side of the aortic valve.
Later catheter pumps for assisting the left ventricle heart by pumping blood from a distal catheter tip portion to an outlet spaced from the distal tip are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,995,617, 4,014,317, 6,007,479 and 6,398,714. U.S. patent application 2002/0123661 discloses the use of a catheter pump with an inlet distally from the outlet for causing blood pressure pulsations in the aorta, for instance in addition to a non-pulsatile flow maintained by a heart lung machine.
However, for some clinical applications, blood is pumped through the catheter in opposite direction, i.e. from an inlet in a position spaced from the distal tip towards the distal tip.
One example of such a clinical application is assisting the function of the right ventricle of the heart. Devices for assisting this function are known as Right Ventricular Assist Devices (RVAD). An example of a RVAD in the form of catheter pump is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,014 in which the catheter is a double lumen or coaxial channel catheter and the pump a roller pump. Examples of single lumen catheter pumps for use as a RVAD are disclosed in International patent applications WO99/26677 and WO00/13736.
Another example of a clinical application in which blood is pumped from an inlet in a position spaced from the distal tip to the distal tip is proposed in International patent application WO99/26676. According to this document, the catheter is inserted through an incision in the left ventricle and advanced until the distal end is in the aorta while a more proximal portion including an inlet is in the left ventricle. The catheter then functions as a left ventricular assist device.
An important problem associated with pumping blood is that blood cells are easily damaged in the valves, where the blood experiences abrupt changes in either the rate or direction of its flow under influence of mechanical forces and that, at the valves, the risk of thrombosis is increased. In International patent application WO 98/57698, the problem of blood cell damage is addressed and special valves are proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,714 discloses to reduce the risk of thrombosis by providing a single valve that alternatingly closes off a passage in the wall of the catheter and the lumen of the catheter. However, these solutions are still relatively complex and specifically suitable for catheters in which blood is displaced away from the tip towards an outlet more spaced from the tip than the inlet.

Catheter pump, catheter and fittings therefore and methods of using a catheter pump


In first aspect of the invention, driving methods of gate interlaced scanning for color LCD are disclosed. This interlaced scanning involves powering odd gate lines sequentially first and then powering even gate lines sequentially, which can minimize the voltage polarity swing to reduce power consumption in source output block. In second aspect of the invention, driving methods of FSCLCD having an RGB LED backlight unit scanning with an increased LED lamp turn on time and reduced potential non-uniformity near modular light guid panel are disclosed. Novel driving methods of variabnt sub-color frame periods are also disclosed with various color sub-frames. In third aspect of the invention, a dual common electrode color LCD with a source driver IC block with lower driving voltage and lower power consumption in the display panel is disclosed, wherein each common electrode voltage has opposite voltage phase to reduce the source driving voltage.

In recent years, liquid crystal displays (LCD's) have become widely available as computer monitors, television panels, cellular phone screens, and other display applications. Although the price of manufacturing an LCD panel continues to fall, and the energy efficiencies of powering the LCD panel continues to improve, there may be numerous areas of further evolution in energy efficiencies and manufacturing cost reductions for LCD's.
In general, active matrix type liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have an active element (e.g. a thin-film transistor, TFT) on a per-pixel basis for performing switching operations. The LCD controls light transmittance of liquid crystal material in accordance with a video signal so that a picture corresponding to the video signal can be displayed on the LCD panel. The LCD includes an LCD panel having liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix shape, and driving circuits for driving the LCD panel. In the LCD panel, a plurality of data lines and a plurality of scan lines intersect, and pixel-driving TFT switches are provided at respective intersections. The driving circuits of the LCD include a source driver for supplying signals displaying the picture to the data lines, and a gate driver for supplying signals turning on/off the TFT switches to the scan lines.
One area of design improvement in LCD panels is related to energy inefficiencies arising from inversion methods in LCD's. Dot inversion (i.e. sub-pixel inversion) method has been a pervasive inversion method used in the display industry to provide excellent display qualities for today's LCD panels. Related dot inversion methods used in the industry include, but are not limited to, a dot inversion, a 1+2H dot inversion, 1+alpha*H dot inversion, 1+2V dot inversion, 1+alpha*V dot inversion, alpha*V dot inversion, or alpha*H dot inversion.
However, the dot inversion method consumes substantial amount of power and hampers energy efficiency for a typical LCD panel. If novel scanning and driving methods can be more energy efficient while retaining much of excellent display qualities of the dot inversion method, display manufacturers and consumers may benefit from significant energy efficiency achieved by these novel scanning and driving methods for an LCD panel.
Another area of design improvement in LCD panels is related to backlight unit turn-on time in a field sequential color liquid crystal display (FSCLCD). Field sequential color LCD (FSCLCD) minimizes the power required to produce color images relative to conventional color filter-based LCD's. In one example of an FSCLCD, each 16.67 ms frame is further divided into three equal time intervals, or "sub-frame" of 5.56 ms each.
During each sub-frame, a high-efficiency colored light source is used to backlight the liquid crystal display panel, and different color lights may be turned on per sub-frame. For example, a red light may be turned on for a first sub-frame, a green light may be turned on for a second sub-frame, and a blue light may be turned on for a third sub-frame in sequence.
FSCLCD's may be more efficient than other conventional CF-TFTLCD's because no color filters are used and each color component of the backlight is allowed to pass through the entire pixel area, instead of a mere sub-pixel fraction of each pixel. Because the human eye cannot distinguish these fast changes of colored sequences, it visualizes the colored sequences as integrated colors within each frame. What is perceived is a pixel having the desired composite color and brightness.
In a FSCLCD, access to each cell in the matrix is enabled by a vertical column, with a pulse of such amplitude to produce a desired gray level being applied via a horizontal row. This pulse is used to charge the cell. The charging of cells is performed one gate line (row or column) at a time, from top to bottom or left to right on the matrix at landscape display LCD. The gray levels are set first, followed by the backlighting of the cells that have their gray levels set, using a specific colored LED lamp, then extinguishing of that specific colored LED lamp, followed by resetting of gray levels for the next specific colored LED lamp. Typically, with a three color Red, Green, Blue backlighting system, the light sources or LEDs of one color are interposed with the others as follows: Red, Green, Blue, Red, Green, Blue, Red, etc., resulting in a fairly complex backlighting system.
For the FSCLCD, very fast response time liquid crystal is necessary in general to prevent abnormal color mixing between sub-color sequential periods. The RGB LED turn on time will be very short because LED needs to be turn on after all the pixel data from 1st gate line to last gate line must be written, and transited from one sub-color data to another next sub-color data. The total transition time includes display RGB data writing time which means 2.78 ms when RGB data writing time is ⅙ frame, half of sub-color frame period is the sub-color scanning (writing) time except for LC (liquid crystal)'s transition. Therefore it may be beneficial to increase LED turn on time by reducing the waiting time after sub-color writing time.
Another area of design improvement in LCD panels is related to lowering source driving voltages. In conventional LCD panel designs, a single common electrode in an LCD panel is used for dot (sub-pixel) inversion or similar inversion method to improve optical performance. Because the source driving voltage is around over 6V˜15V or more in these inversion methods, it is not easy to use lower voltage semiconductor fabrication process when fabricating source driver IC. Furthermore, it is hard to integrate source driver block to TCON (timing controller) using lower voltage semicondcutor process. Therefore, methods and apparatuses which lower the source driver voltage and enable lower-cost usage of semiconductor processes for lower voltage IC's may be highly beneficial for cost reductions and energy efficiency.

Cost-effective display methods and apparatuses


A toilet assembly having a combined automatic ventilation and flushing system, which comprises a returnable solenoid member, a trap way, a trap way valve member, a multifunctional tube member, and a motion sensor whereby while the user sits on the toilet seat ring, the objectionable odor is effectively ventilated and when the user stands up, the toilet assembly is automatically flushed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet assembly having a combined automatic ventilation and flushing system and more particularly, a toilet assembly including a returnable solenoid member, a trap way, a trap way valve member, a multifunctional tube member, and a motion sensor whereby while the user sits on a seat ring, any objectionable odor is ventilated and when the user stands up, the toilet assembly is automatically flushed.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of non-siphon type ventilating toilets are generally known in the art to be utilized with a fan for ventilating contaminated air through a separate exhaust duct. Several types of non-siphon type ventilating toilets are known in the art as a European type toilet to be utilized with a gas exhaust conduit disposed adjacent to a toilet stool and connected to a sewer discharge line and a fan/motor connected to an on/off switch of a light of the toilet.
However, these toilets suffer from a number of problems such as, for example, (1) the waste product and associated objectionable odor does not clearly discharge directly to the sewer discharge line since the ventilating conduit is directly connected to the sewer discharge line, (2) these conventional toilets are very complicated in structure, expensive to manufacture, and difficult to use, (3) since the flush water can flow into the ventilating conduit, the amount of water and the water pressure of the flush water are minimized so that these toilets cannot effectively achieve the flushing purpose thereof, and (4) since such toilets are utilized with relay type or an on/off switch for activation of the fan, this switch may be out of order frequently. Furthermore, such toilets may not employ the use of a water overflowing system and even if the system were used, it may be very complicated in structure and inefficient in use.
Such toilets are described in Baither, U.S. Pat. No. 2,227,920; Baither, U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,935; Sanford, U.S. Pat. No. 2,329,221; Fitzgerald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,705; Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,778; Fitzgerald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,099; Shay, U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,682; Taggart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,282; Ikehata, U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,304; Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,129; Beeghly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,406; Williams et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,192; Sanstrom, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,361; Drummond, U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,255; and Higgins, U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,664.
In order to avoid these problems, U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,222, issued to the present inventor, discloses a toilet assembly which includes a toilet stool having a ventilation conduit disposed adjacent to the back wall portion of the toilet stool wherein the ventilation conduit extends angularly around a siphon conduit at the point where they communicate with a sewer discharge line, a fan member disposed in the lower portion of the ventilation conduit, a toilet water holding tank having a motion sensor disposed on the front exterior thereof and free of interference from the opening and closing of a toilet seat cover, a multifunctional tube having a U-shaped configuration and disposed in the toilet holding tank, and a movable ball valve disposed to move in the multifunctional tube for allowing exhaust gas to flow from a flush ring to the ventilation conduit or flush water to flow from the toilet holding tank to the toilet bowl, whereby upon opening the toilet seat cover, while the user sits on the seat ring, the motion sensor actuates the fan member allowing the objectionable odor to be ventilated, and in turn when the user stands up and flushes the toilet assembly, the motion sensor deactivates and simultaneously the flush water discharges the waste products and associated objectionable odor directly to the sewer discharge line.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,782 issued to the present inventor, discloses a toilet assembly which includes a toilet stool having ventilation conduit disposed adjacent to the back wall portion of the toilet stool and a gas exhaust duct connected to the ventilation conduit and having a raised portion disposed at the interior surface thereof for allowing exhaust gas to flow from a flush ring to the ventilation conduit, said raised portion being provided with a water exiting tube for preventing the flush water from the water exiting tube from flowing into the ventilation conduit, whereby the flush water discharges the waste products and associated objectionable odor directly to the sewer discharge line.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,131 issued to the present inventor, discloses a toilet assembly which includes a toilet stool having a ventilation conduit disposed adjacent to the back wall portion of the toilet stool and a U-shaped exhaust duct disposed in the toilet holding tank and connected to the ventilation conduit for allowing exhaust gas to flow from a flush ring to the ventilation conduit, whereby the flush water discharges the waste product and associated objectionable odor directly to the sewer discharge line.
Still another U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,039 issued to the present inventor, discloses a non-siphon type ventilating toilet assembly which includes a U-shaped ventilation tube disposed in the toilet holding tank for ventilating objectionable odor from the toilet bowl. The ventilation tube contains a cap valve which moves upwardly and downwardly along an outer-screwing shaft of an upper motor and a fan of a side motor. Both motors are connected to a motion sensor, whereby upon opening the toilet seat cover having a sensor aperture and sitting by the user on the seat ring, the motion sensor actuates, allowing both motors to be operated and simultaneously open the cap valve so that the objectionable odor is ventilated. In turn when the user stands up and flushes the toilet assembly, the motion sensor deactivates, allowing both motors to be stopped and simultaneously closing the cap valve and the flush water discharges the waste products to the sewer discharge line.
However, these toilet assemblies do not achieve a perfect discharge of the objectionable odor and are somewhat complicated in construction. In addition, these toilet assemblies do not disclose or suggest the use of an automatic flushing system with an automatic ventilation system.

Toilet assembly having a combined automatic ventilation and flushing system


A shaving razor that offers a closer shave is provided. The shaving razor can include a biasing member producing a progressively increasing return torque on the razor cartridge that forces the cartridge into flat contact with the skin as the cartridge pivots, thus improving glide and shaving closeness. In addition, the shaving razor can include a razor handle configuration that reduces the propensity for the shaving razor to roll in a user's hand and improves the maneuverability of the razor cartridge during shaving.

This invention relates to a wet shaving razor comprising a cartridge that includes a shaving blade with a cutting edge which is moved across the surface of the skin being shaved by means of an adjoining handle. Conventional safety razors have a blade unit connected to a handle for a pivotal movement about pivotal axis which is substantially parallel to the blade or the blade edge. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,197,825 and 5,787,586 disclose such a razor having a blade unit capable of a pivotal movement about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the blade(s). The pivotal movement about the single axis provides some degree of conformance with the skin allowing the blade unit to follow the skin contours of a user during shaving. Such safety razors have been successfully marketed for many years. However, the blade unit can fail to remain flat and often disengages from the skin during shaving due to the blade unit's limited ability to pivot about the single axis combined with the dexterity required to control and maneuver the razor handle. The combination of these deficiencies can affect the glide and overall comfort during shaving.
There have been various proposals for mounting a cartridge on a handle to enable movement of the cartridge during shaving with the aim of maintaining conformity of the skin contacting parts with the skin surface during shaving. For example, many razors currently marketed have cartridges which are pivotable about longitudinal axes extending parallel to the cutting edges of the elongate blades incorporated in the cartridges. There is an increasing need to provide a shaving consumer with a closer, more effective shave. Applicant has attempted to provide this in its commercially available Fusion® razor which incorporates a spring in its following system to bring about a reduced cartridge to skin angle, which has been found to lead to a better shave. Similarly, others have attempted to manipulate the biasing mechanisms of their commercial razors. For instance, US Patent Publication 2005/0241162 A1 discloses a biasing assembly for a wet shave razor wherein the assembly includes 1) an abutment surface defined by a cartridge and located on the underside of the cartridge and 2) a biasing member extending outwardly from the handle and having an end which when the cartridge is coupled to the handle is in sliding engagement between the neutral and fully-rotated positions. The biasing member exerts a variable torque against the abutment surface. The reference, however, focuses primarily on a low spring force to prevent the cartridge from lifting off of the skin and does not focus on the effect that the biasing member has on maintaining the cartridge flat relative to the skin during shaving strokes and corresponding shaving closeness.
In addition, current shaving razors found on the market typically include handle configurations that are variations of an 'L' shape where the longitudinal axis 30 of the handle 14 is offset from the razor cartridge 12 such that it intersects the cutting plane 122 behind the cartridge 12 as shown in FIG. 1. This configuration has the effect of pushing the razor cartridge 12 through the shaving stroke which can make it difficult to maneuver and can require a steady hand to steer the razor cartridge 12. In addition, the shaving razors have an axis of roll 36 (interchangeably referred to hereinafter as axis of roll 36 and handle roll axis 36) that extends between the free end of the handle 14 and a point on the cartridge where the forces are balanced. The axis of roll 36 is the line about which the razors spin in the direction shown in FIG. 1 when in a user's hand. For the L-shape configuration shown, this arrangement has a shortcoming. Since the handle longitudinal axis 30 extends above the axis of roll 36, instability is introduced during shaving, similar to a top heavy scenario that a user must compensate for when handling the razor. Hence, additional effort is required by the user to maintain stability of the razor during shaving.
In pursuit of an improved shaving product, there is a need for a shaving razor that can maintain the blade unit of a razor cartridge flat against the skin throughout a shaving stroke. Particularly there is a need for a shaving razor having a biasing member producing a progressively increasing return torque on a cartridge forcing the cartridge into contact with the skin throughout the shaving stroke. In addition, there is a need for a handle geometry that provides the user with improved control while shaving.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Shaving razor including a biasing member producing a progressively increasing cartridge return torque


A solid state fuel cell for oxidation of CH.sub.4 includes a solid state electrolyte that is preferably formed by YSZ (yttrium stabilized zirconium oxide). A surfactive metal oxide is applied onto the electrolyte followed by application of a thin layer of CeO.sub.2 -based ceramics serving as an anode. If desired, MgO can be added in order to improve the volume stability.

A conventional solid state fuel cell comprises a solid state electrolyte, a solid state cathode, and a cermet anode. The operating temperature of a stack of solid state cells is approximately 1000.degree. C. The electrolyte contains usually a Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 --ZrO.sub.2 mixture oxide, a so called yttrium oxide stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ). The cathode is usually composed of LaMnO.sub.3 doped with Sr, Mg or Ca, and the anode is usually composed of a mixture of fine Ni-particles and YSZ. The nickel-YSZ-oxide cermet anode is usually produced by mixing NiO with YSZ (Zr.sub.1 -x Y.sub.x O.sub.2 --x/2). The latter oxide mixture is sintered on the electrolyte. When the fuel cell operates, and H.sub.2 or CH.sub.4 is transferred to the anode, NiO is reduced to Ni. Such a cermet anode must be porous in such a manner that the fuel gas can escape and react with O.sup.-- -ions from the YSZ electrolyte at the same time as it releases electrons to the nickel metal. Accordingly, the anode reaction can only take place in a transition area between the three phases YSZ, Ni, and fuel gas. The anode reaction is as follows: EQU CH.sub.4 (gas)+4O.sup.-- (YSZ electrolyte).fwdarw.CO.sub.2 (gas)+8e.sup.31 (in the Ni metal).
A conductive path or percolation path must be provided through the Ni-phase in order to allow removal of the electrons, the path being ensured by the % by volume of Ni exceeding 35%.
However, when CeO.sub.2 -based anodes are used, a reduction by way of H.sub.2 or CH.sub.4 results in formation of understoichiometric CeO.sub.2-x capable of conducting both electrons and oxygen ions. An oxidation of H.sub.2 or CH.sub.4 can on such an anode be carried out on the entire surface, i.e. the gas transition zone, e.sup.- and O.sup.-- simultaneously being available everywhere on the surface. The latter is of particular importance in connection with oxidation of CH.sub.4 presenting the main component in natural gas. The surface density, i.e. the reaction rate, in connection with understoichiometric CeO.sub.2-x is up to a 100 times higher than in connection with a Ni--YSZ cermet anode.
According to a conventional way of adhering a thin layer of ceramics, such as CeO.sub.2, onto another material, such as YSZ, the CeO.sub.2 powder is suspended in a suitable, viscous liquid spread over the already produced YSZ followed by heating to 1200.degree. to 1600.degree. C. for 1 to 5 hours. Subsequently, the CeO.sub.2 powder is sintered to an approximately compact layer capable of adhering to YSZ. During the heating, the CeO.sub.2 and YSZ diffuse into one another, CeO.sub.2 diffusing faster than YSZ, whereby porosities arise about the original YSZ surface due to the so called Kirkendall effect. The porosities reduce the mechanical strength with the result that the structure cracks. When the sintering temperature is kept low and the sintering period is short, the formation of porosities can indeed be reduced, but the sintering of the CeO.sub.2 electrode is, however, poor and results in a mechanically weak structure.
The diffusing of CeO.sub.2 into YSZ involves the additional problem that a poor electrical conductivity is achieved in the CeO.sub.2 --YSZ mixture area. Accordingly, a voltage drop arises in the area due to the high resistance.

Solid state fuel cell and process for the production thereof


An ORing element for use in a power supply and/or power system. The ORing element may include a field effect transistor (FET), a first bi-polar transistor and a second bi-polar transistor. The FET may be electrically connected between an input and an output. The first bipolar transistor may have an emitter electrically connected to the source of the FET and a collector electrically connected to a gate of the FET. The second bi-polar transistor may be diode connected, with its emitter electrically connected to its base. The emitter of the second bi-polar transistor may also be electrically connected to the base of the first bi-polar transistor. The collector of the second bi-polar transistor may be electrically connected to the drain of the FET.

The structure of many electrical power systems includes multiple power modules joined in parallel by a common power bus. ORing circuit elements are typically included between the power supply module's output and the power bus to prevent a failure of one power supply module from drawing down the power bus and leading to a complete failure of the power system. There are several common ORing element designs, each having certain disadvantages.
One common ORing element is a simple diode placed in series between a power supply module's output and the power bus. When the output voltage of the power supply module is sufficiently greater than the voltage at the power bus, the diode is forward-biased, allowing current to flow from the power supply module to the power bus. If, however, the output of the power supply module drops below the output of the power bus, then the diode will be reverse biased. When the diode is reverse biased, the power supply module is essentially prevented from drawing reverse current from the power bus, thereby preventing a potential failure of the power system.
An ideal diode would be an ideal ORing element but real diodes have significant forward drop voltages and for many applications the associated power dissipation makes the use of simple diodes unattractive. Accordingly, it has become common practice to use one or more field effect transistors (FETs) as the ORing element in some applications. One FET or multiple FETs are chosen based on some combination of criteria, voltage rating, cost, size, etc., with sufficiently low on-resistance to result in acceptable power dissipation under appropriate conditions of output current.
Another common ORing element design includes a FET or FETs controlled by a comparator circuit. The comparator circuit senses the difference between the output voltage of the power supply module and the voltage at the power bus, and turns the FET on or off accordingly. That is, when the voltage difference between the power supply module and the power bus is greater than a threshold voltage the FET(s) is (are) turned on. The output current is then allowed to flow from the power supply module to the power bus with a voltage drop essentially equal to the product of the magnitude of the output current and the on-resistance of the FET (or effective resistance of paralleled FETs). When the voltage difference is less than the threshold voltage, the FET is biased off.
Comparator circuits used to control FET-based ORing elements have disadvantages that stem from the fact that real comparators have finite offset voltages associated with their input circuitry. The offset voltage means that there will always be some error in setting (or determining) the threshold voltage at which the control function will turn the FET on or off. If the threshold is positive the comparator could oscillate between on and off for some sufficiently low output current and cause a step voltage on the power bus. For this reason comparator based ORing control circuits typically are designed to have a small but always negative threshold. If the threshold is negative a significant reverse current, from the power bus to the power supply, will be allowed to flow before the voltage drop is high enough in this reverse direction to trip the threshold an cause the FET(s) to be shut off.
As an example, the typical threshold for commercially available ORing FET integrated circuits is −10 milli-volts. In a typical system that employs 100 A power supplies (or power supply modules) the paralleled ORing FET resistance might be 500 micro Ohms or less. A reverse voltage of −10 milli-volts would correspond to the undesirable situation of at least 20 amps of current flowing from the power bus to the power supply before the FETs are turned off.

Controller for ORing field effect transistor