A modular plastic conveyor belt formed of rows of plastic belt modules pivotally interlinked by transverse pivot rods and specially adapted for following a curving conveyor path. The modules include a top, product-conveying surface and a bottom, sprocket-driven surface. A central elongate element extends across the width of each module transverse to the direction of belt travel. The elongate element is formed by a thin, corrugated strip forming a series of regularly spaced alternating grooves and ridges. Link ends extend outward from the ridges on each side of the corrugated strip. Each link end has a thick portion at the end of the link end distant from the corrugated strip. Transverse holes in the link ends are aligned to accommodate a pivot rod. When the link ends of consecutive rows of side-by-side modules are intercalated, the pivot rod serves as a hinge pin in a hinged joint between consecutive interlinked rows. To permit the belt to flex sidewise, the holes in the link ends extending from one side of the corrugated strip are slotted longitudinally in the direction of belt travel. The thick end portions of the link ends include a chamfered surface for engagement by the tooth of a rotating sprocket. The outer edges of the belt are formed by edge modules characterized by an outer sidewall having a cylindrical groove terminating in an angled occlusion to confine headless pivot rods in position between adjacent belt rows. Other versions of the belt are constructed with various edge modules, each including provisions for preventing the belt from rising up out of a conveyor tray as the belt rounds a turn. Various edge modules include one or more integral projections extending outward from a sidewall for engaging a conveyor side rail or tabbed projections extending downward from the bottom surface of the module for engaging support surfaces beneath the conveyor carryway.

This invention relates to conveyor belts and, more particularly, to modular plastic conveyor belts formed of rows of plastic belt modules pivotally interlinked by transverse pivot rods.
Because they do not corrode and are easy to clean, unlike metal conveyor belts, plastic conveyor belts are used widely, especially in conveying food products. Modular plastic conveyor belts are made up of molded plastic modular links, or belt modules, that can be arranged side by side in rows of selectable width. A series of spaced apart link ends extending from each side of the modules include aligned apertures to accommodate a pivot rod. The link ends along one end of a row of modules are intercalated with the link ends of an adjacent row. A pivot rod journalled in the aligned apertures of the side-by-side and end-to-end connected modules forms a hinge between adjacent rows. Rows of belt modules are connected together to form an endless conveyor belt capable of articulating about a drive sprocket.
In many industrial applications, conveyor belts are used to carry products along paths including curved segments. Belts capable of flexing sidewise to follow curved paths are referred to as side-flexing, turn, or radius belts. As a radius belt negotiates a turn, the belt must be able to fan out because the edge of the belt at the outside of the turn follows a longer path than the edge at the inside of the turn. In order to fan out, a modular plastic radius belt typically has provisions that allow it to collapse at the inside of a turn or to spread out at the outside of the turn.
Apertures slotted in the direction of travel of the belt are commonly provided in the link ends on at least one side of the modules to facilitate the collapsing and spreading of the belt.
The requirement of following a curved path causes problems not found in straight-running belts. As one example, radius belts, especially if tightly tensioned or running fast and lightly loaded, tend to rise out of the conveyor carryway around a turn. As another example, because belt pull is concentrated in the outer portion of the belt as it rounds a turn, outer link ends are more likely to fail unless otherwise strengthened or bolstered.
One modular plastic radius belt design is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,742,907 and 5,181,601. Various versions of the design include: a) integral guides depending from the belt and engaging a lateral surface of a supporting wearstrip at the outside of a turn to guide the belt around the turn; b) holddown tabs extending from the guides to hold the belt down as it rounds turns; c) heavy integral sideplates at the belt edge to withstand the increased stress experienced by the edge of the belt at the outside of a turn; and d) special high-strength, press-fit pivot rods.
Another modular plastic radius belt having internal modules with link ends of varying shapes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,439. The belt is driven off a curved drive bar central to each module. Special edge modules have closer link end spacing and tapered slots for pivot rods. Various rod retention schemes are shown, including plugging and press-fitting. Projections from the edge modules engage a side guide rail of the conveyor to prevent the belt from rising as it rounds a turn.
Conventional sprocket-driven conveyor belts include a drive surface engageable by the tooth of a sprocket about which the belt articulates. In many belts, such as the radius belts described in the previously mentioned patents, drive surfaces are formed along transverse elements disposed more or less midway between the link ends and connecting theta together. As a belt articulates about a sprocket, the teeth of the sprocket can rub against the drive surface as the tooth slides into and out of full engagement with the drive surface. This frictional rubbing, often referred to as scrubbing, causes wear on the drive surface and especially on the sprocket teeth. The problem of sprocket wear is often dodged through the use of beefy plastic sprockets or even metal sprockets.
Straight-running conveyor belts that are hinge-driven at a link end surface, rather than centrally driven along a surface between the link ends, are exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,870,141 and 5,156,262. Neither belt, however, is capable of radius operation. The modules shown in the latter patent are hingedly interconnected by headless pivot rods. Belt edge structure can be flexed in and out of an occluding position restraining the pivot rod to permit its insertion or removal.
Because of the convenience of headless pivot rods, their use in conveyor belts is desirable. Many schemes for retaining headless rods include the use of retention clips that can be inserted and removed from a position occluding at least a portion of the aligned apertures. If such clips work their way out of their occluding position, they can contaminate the conveyed product or be lost. Other schemes for retaining headless rods are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,264. The techniques, however, require special rod treatment, such as tapering of the rod ends, or manual flexing of belt edge structure to admit the rod. Too much flexing of the belt edge structure can weaken the flexible joint.
There are other problems with some common belt designs. For example, stresses can be molded into the plastic modules during the molding process. Sharp, as opposed to curved, junctions between molded features on a belt module are more likely to form concentrated stress regions. When such modules make up a conveyor belt, operation of the belt increases the stress in those regions. In a radius belt, in which the pulling load is unevenly distributed across the width of the belt as it rounds a turn, the problem is exacerbated. One way to solve the problem is to add more material to the belt, but that makes the belt heavier and closes in some of the desirable open area that allows for drainage or air flow.
It is also advantageous to subject belt elements, especially protrusions such as link ends, to compressive rather than tensile forces, which tend to pull the elements apart. In the radius belts previously mentioned, consecutive link ends forming a pocket with the transverse drive element to accommodate a sprocket drive tooth are put in tension by the driving action of the tooth on the drive element.
Asymmetrical belts, especially belts having protrusions extending beyond the planes of the top and bottom belt surfaces, present handling problems. Such belts are not easy to roll up. Fewer linear feet of belt can be fit in a given box for shipment. The protrusions are more susceptible to damage, both during belt operation and in handling. An asymmetrical belt cannot be turned inside out (flipped top to bottom) to increase its useful life. Because asymmetrical belt modules are generally of a more irregular design, it is not so straightforward a process to cut them to specified widths for custom applications. Consequently, more molding tools are required and more module types must be kept in inventory.


Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for controlling titanium-tungsten (TiW) target nodule formation. In some embodiments, a target includes: a source material comprising predominantly titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W), formed from a mixture of titanium powder and tungsten powder, wherein a grain size of a predominant quantity of the titanium powder is less than or equal to a grain size of a predominant quantity of the tungsten powder.

Tungsten and titanium films are frequently used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, for example as diffusion barriers between silicon substrates and aluminum alloy metallizations. The titanium-tungsten (TiW) films are formed by sputtering titanium-tungsten targets.
During the sputtering process, titanium-tungsten material is sputtered from the surface of the target and deposited onto a substrate disposed opposite the surface of the target. However, the inventors have observed that nodules may form on the sputtering face of the target as material from the central portion of the target is sputtered and redeposited on the outer peripheral edge of the target face rather than on the substrate. Furthermore, the nodules have a tendency to flake and generate particles that can contaminate and adversely affect the quality of the deposited titanium-tungsten film on the substrate.
Accordingly, the inventors have provided improved methods and apparatus for controlling titanium-tungsten (TiW) target nodule formation.

Methods and apparatus for nodule control in a titanium-tungsten target


A switch panel having a touch plate, image generator, imaging system and light source is disclosed. The touch plate includes an optically transparent layer having first and second surfaces in which a light signal is trapped by internal reflection. The image generator displays an image that includes a plurality of button positions to a person viewing the touch plate from the first surface. When the user touches the front surface at one of the button positions, light from a multi-LED light source that generates the trapped light signal is caused to escape the touch plate at a point corresponding to the point of contact. The light leaving the touch plate is imaged by the imaging system and used to determine the location of the point of contact. Images taken with different LEDs in the light source are used to make the contact determination to reduce the effects of ambient light.

Control systems for various apparatuses rely on a plurality of switches to input data to the apparatus. Switch arrays based on mechanical switches mounted on a surface are well known in this regard. Simulated switch arrays that utilize touch screens are also well known. Mechanical switch panels are difficult to reconfigure, and hence, tend to be customized for each application. This substantially increases the cost and product cycle time of devices that utilize such panels.
Input devices based on touch screens provide a convenient method for inputting commands in a manner that is easily reconfigurable. In such devices, the button pattern is displayed on the screen and the user selects a "button" by touching the screen over the button image. Touch screens, however, are significantly more expensive than conventional switches, and hence, are not always feasible for many applications. In addition, the ambient light intensity can interfere with the display that prevents the user from seeing the simulated buttons. Furthermore, the device cannot distinguish between an accidental light touch and an intended button push, since the screens do not provide a measure of the pressure with which the user has pressed his or her finger on the screen.
Many touch screen designs depend on detecting a change in some electrical parameter such as resistivity or capacitance that varies with the location on the screen at which the user touches the screen. Since the observed changes depend on the shape of the screen, custom screen sizes are limited and can require special programming.
A generic switch panel that significantly reduces these problems is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/810,157, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In that system, a switch panel is constructed from a touch plate, image generator, and imaging system. The touch plate includes an optically transparent layer having first and second sides. The optically transparent layer having an index of refraction greater than that of air. A light source generates a light signal that is reflected between the first and second sides of the touch plate within the transparent layer. The imaging system records an image of the first surface of the touch plate. When a user presses a finger on the touch plate, a portion of the internally reflected light is reflected toward the second surface at an angle greater than the critical angle and the light escapes the second surface. The location of the bright spot created on that surface is recorded by the imaging system. A simulated button push is then generated based on the location of the detected bright spot.
The light seen by the camera is the sum of the ambient light that passes through the transparent layer and the light from the light source that is reflected out of the transparent layer. In the embodiments discussed in the above-described patent application, the light source and camera are monochromatic. The background is differentiated from the light source by turning the light source on and off, and then creating a difference image by subtracting the image seen by the camera when the light source is off from that seen by the camera when the light source is on. Unfortunately, in environments having high ambient light, this procedure is not always sufficient.

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


The inkjet recording sheet substrate of the present invention comprises a cellulosic sheet support, e.g., paper, having on at least one surface thereof a base coating comprising pigment and binder. The preferred pigment component is a 50/50 mixture of kaolin clay and calcined clay, and the preferred binder component is polyvinyl acetate. This combination of binder and pigment has been found to possess a high absorption capacity for the vehicle of an inkjet ink and good compatibility with ink receptive top coatings applied over the base coat.

The present invention relates generally to a paper substrate for an inkjet recording sheet, and more particularly to a basecoated paper substrate designed to accommodate an ink receptive coating.
Conventional inkjet recording sheets are prepared by coating a paper surface with a coating composition containing a porous fine pigment in a binder capable of accepting and retaining the ink on the surface of the paper, while the paper absorbs the ink vehicle. However, in some instances the paper is unable to instantaneously absorb the entire amount of the ink vehicle. This drawback often results in spreading of the ink drops, which creates resolution and sharpness defects, and unduly long drying times.
It is known that inkjet recording paper may be -improved by first applying a suitable base coat having good absorption characteristics to the paper, before applying the ink receptive top coat. Such base coatings must possess a balance between good coating holdout and adequate water absorbency. It has also been discovered that such basecoats must be compatible with the subsequently applied ink receptive top coatings for good runnability and performance during manufacture.
Substrates for inkjet recording sheets must rapidly absorb the vehicle of the inks to reduce drying time with little or no backside show-through. Further, the substrate plays a role in preventing diffusion of ink laterally on the surface of the recording sheet in order to achieve high resolution without blurring. Thus, for obtaining color images having good color density and resolution, with good absorptivity and water fastness as well as optical brightness, the substrate plays an important role. Paper substrates for ink receptive coatings are generally made from bleached chemical pulp to which fillers, dyes, and if required, sizing agents and strength enhancers are added. An example of a typical paper substrate for use in the manufacture of an inkjet recording sheet is disclosed in pending U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,414, owned by the present assignee herein.
It is also known that paper substrates for inkjet recording can be improved by applying a basecoat to the paper before applying the ink receptive top coating. Such base coats generally comprise a pigment and binder to provide a surface having a porous structure which has good absorptivity for the ink vehicle. Examples of base coatings for inkjet recording sheets are disclosed, for example, in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,474,847; 5,171,626; 5,670,242; 5,747,148; and 5,759,673. In particular, the '242 patent discloses typical examples of the materials useful for the base coatings of inkjet recording sheets to include various known pigments used in ordinary coated papers, such as kaolin clay, calcined clay, amorphous silica, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, satin white, aluminum silicate, smectite, magnesium silicate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium oxide and others. However, in practice, the most often used pigments for such basecoats comprise clay, calcium carbonate, amorphous silica and aluminum oxide. Another requirement of the basecoat is that the coating components not interfere in any way with the top coatings which provide the ink receptive surface for such products. Where adverse reactions occur, the base coat components must be changed or altered.

Basecoated substrate for an inkjet recording sheet


A method and system for finding in a DNA sequence, a gene represented by an ordered set of marker strings is disclosed. Sub-strings in the DNA sequence matching each marker string are identified. In a set ordered via occurrence of the marker strings in the ordered set of marker strings, the score and position of each sub-string whose score satisfies a matching constraint is recorded. For each except the last marker string, directed links are created between each identified sub-string that matches the marker string and any identified sub-strings that match the subsequent marker string, subject to the directed links satisfying an inter-marker length constraint. Traced are all paths that connect each identified sub-string that matches the first marker string to an identified sub-string that matches the last marker string using the directed links. The paths satisfy a sequence length constraint and are stored in memory of a computer system.

Gene expression is a biological process by which a DNA sequence generates a protein. The process involves two steps, namely transcription and translation. Transcription produces a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence using the DNA sequence as a template. The subsequent process, called translation, synthesizes the protein according to information coded in the mRNA. In eukaryotes (higher organisms), the region of the DNA coding for a protein is usually not continuous but comprises alternating stretches of introns (non-coding parts) and exons (coding parts that result in the production of a part of the protein). Six reading frames exist, of which only one contains the gene sequence. Hence, genes cannot generally be read directly from a DNA sequence.
There are more than 3 billion bases of human DNA sequences. In the human genome, only 2%-3% of the sequences comprise coding. As a consequence of the size of the database, manual searching for genes that code for proteins is not practical. A need thus exists for an automated method of finding genes.
Chris Burge and Samuel Karlin, in a paper entitled "Prediction of Complete Gene Structures in Human Genomic DNA", Journal of Molecular Biology (1997) 268, pp. 78-94, discuss a probabilistic method to predict sequences which code for proteins (i.e. find gene sequences). However, this method is not optimised for finding a specific gene.
Mikhail S. Gelfand, Andrey A. Mimov, and Pavel A. Pevzner, in a paper entitled "Gene Recognition via Spliced Sequence Alignment", Proceedings National Academy of Science (USA), August 1996, Volume 93, pp. 9061-9066, present a technique of finding high scoring blocks. The blocks are then combined to form a sequence, the weight of which is the optimal alignment score of the sequence with the target sequence. The blocks can be combined in many ways and the complexity of the problem increases with the number of blocks. Moreover, the second stage of finding the optimal alignment score increases the time required for completion of the algorithm. The technique does not take into account the presence of synonyms and consequent effects on the alignment scores.
International Patent Publication No. WO/9966302, published on 23 Dec. 1999, by the MUSC Foundation for Research and Development, and entitled "Recognition of Protein Coding Regions in Genomic DNA Sequences", describes the use of neural networks to identify coding regions. Disadvantages associated with neural networks include the time necessary to train a network and the fact that information is stored in a form that is not easily understood by humans, restricts further analysis. In applications where target marker strings change rapidly, neural networks are not the best choice, given the time and effort required in training (both positive and negative samples are necessary).
Ron Shamir, in a lecture handout entitled "Algorithms for Molecular Biology", Lecture 7, Tel Aviv University, dated "Fall Semester 2001", discusses general concepts and algorithms relating to gene finding.
Rainer Sprang and Martin Vingron, in a paper entitled "Statistics of Large-Scale Sequence Searching", published in Bioinformatics, Volume 14, No. 3, 1998, pp 279-284, discuss the statistical significance of scores in the context of a database search.
Samuel Karlin and Stephen F. Altschul, in a paper entitled "Methods for assessing the statistical significance of molecular sequence features by using general scoring schemes", Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA), March 1990, Volume 87, pp. 2264-2268, present a theory that provides precise numerical formulas for assessing the statistical significance of any region in a sequence with a high aggregate score. The object is to identify whether particular sequence patterns occur simply by chance.
In another paper entitled "Applications and statistics for multiple high-scoring segments in molecular sequences", Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA), June 1993, Volume 90, pp. 5873-5877, Samuel Karlin and Stephen F. Altschul discuss score-based measures of molecular sequence features as an aid in the study of proteins and DNA. In particular, the paper discusses potential problems encountered when using score-based techniques to identify similar sequences.
In a paper entitled "Statistical Significance of Probabilistic Sequence Alignment and Related Local Hidden Markov Models" and published in the Journal of Computational Biology, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2001, pp 249-282, Yi-Kuo Yu and Terence Hwa propose a modified "semi-probabilistic" alignment consisting of a hybrid of the Smith-Waterman alignment. Specifically, the proposed method uses Hidden Markov Models to predict coding regions, rather than automaton's, profiles and scores for matching.

Gene finding using ordered sets of distinct marker strings

International Business Machines Corporation


An object of the present invention is to provide a polymerizable liquid crystal composition incorporating a polymerizable liquid crystal compound which displays a low nematic phase temperature, displays excellent compatibility with other polymerizable liquid crystal compounds, and furthermore yields a product following polymerization, of good transparency and high mechanical strength. A polymerizable composition is provided which displays a liquid crystal phase, and moreover incorporates a liquid crystal backbone with two or more ring structures and a compound with a partial structure represented by the general formula

The present invention relates to a polymerizable liquid crystal composition incorporating a polymerizable liquid crystal compound useful in applications such as optical phase retardation plates, polarizing plates, polarizing prisms, optical wave guides, piezoelectric elements, nonlinear optical elements, a variety of optical filters, liquid crystal pigments which utilize the selective reflection of cholesteric liquid crystal phases and the like, liquid crystalxe2x80x94resin composite displays, holographic liquid crystal displays, polymer stabilized liquid crystal (ferroelectric liquid crystal, antiferroelectric liquid crystal) displays, and as a coating for optical fibers or the like.
If a liquid crystal compound with a polymerizable functional group (hereafter referred to as a polymerizable liquid crystal compound), or a polymerizable liquid crystal composition incorporating this type of compound is aligned in the liquid crystal state, and subsequently irradiated with an activated energy beam such as ultraviolet light or the like, then a polymer can be prepared in which the aligned state of the liquid crystal molecule is fixed. Because polymers prepared in this manner display anisotropy of physical properties such as the refractive index, dielectric constant, magnetizability, modulus of elasticity and thermal expansion coefficient, they can be readily applied as optical phase retardation plates, polarizing plates, polarizing prisms, optical wave guides, piezoelectric elements, nonlinear optical elements, a variety of optical filters, liquid crystal pigments which utilize the selective reflection of cholesteric liquid crystal phases and the like, and as a coating for optical fibers or the like.
An example of a polymerizable liquid crystal composition used for such applications is provided in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei-8-3111, in which a polymerizable liquid crystal composition incorporating a liquid crystal compound with one (meth)acrylic group in each molecule is disclosed. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition disclosed in this application has the distinction of displaying liquid crystallinity at room temperature, although problems exist in that both the transparency following polymerization and the mechanical strength of the polymerized product are inferior.
Published Japanese Translation No. Hei-6-507987 of PCT International Publication (U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,665), Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei-10-310612 (EP-A 869112), Published Japanese Translation No. Hei-11-513360 of PCT International Publication (U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,880), DE-A 4226994, GB-A 2306470, and Int. Pat. Application 98-23580 disclose liquid crystal compounds with two polymerizable functional groups such as a (meth)acrylic group within a single molecule, and polymerizable liquid crystal compositions incorporating such liquid crystal compounds. The compounds disclosed in these publications have a partial structural feature wherein at least one of the two polymerizable functional groups is connected to a ring A through a linking chain such as an alkyleneoxy group, and this ring A is then connected to a separate ring B, either directly, or through an ether coupling, a thioether coupling, an alkylene group, an oxyalkylene group, an alkyleneoxy group, a carbonyl group, an ester coupling, a thioester coupling, a vinyl group, a vinyl carbonyl oxy group, a vinyl alkylene group, an alkylene vinyl group, a methylimino group, an azo group or an amide group.
Of these compounds, those compounds with no ring substitution groups have a lower limit temperature for the nematic phase of at least 100xc2x0 C., whereas a portion of those compounds with a substituted group on the ring such as a fluorine atom, a methyl group, a methoxy group or a methyl carbonyl group, display a lower limit of the nematic phase temperature which has been reduced to approximately 60xc2x0 C. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition is aligned uniformly while in the liquid crystal state, and with this liquid crystal state maintained, is subsequently irradiated with an energy beam such as an ultraviolet light beam to effect a photopolymerization and semi-permanently fix the uniformly aligned state. Consequently, if the lower limit temperature for the nematic phase is higher than room temperature, then heating is required to maintain the liquid crystal state and ensure the uniform alignment, and as a result of this heating, unintended thermal polymerization will also be induced, in addition to the photopolymerization resulting from the energy beam irradiation, and such thermal polymerization can cause an undesirable loss of the uniformly aligned state of the liquid crystal molecules, meaning a non-uniform alignment state different from the desired state of uniform alignment will be fixed. In addition, a further problem arises in that in order to use these materials to prepare a polymerizable liquid crystal composition which displays a nematic phase within a highly workable temperature range from room temperature to approximately 40xc2x0 C., where thermal polymerization is not induced, a combination of a large variety of liquid crystal compounds must be used. Furthermore, compounds with substituted groups on the ring are complicated to synthesize, and also display inferior adhesion to substrates, particularly in the case of compounds with a fluorine atom on the ring.
Furthermore, the compounds described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei-10-310612 (EP-A 869112) and Int. Pat. Application 98-23580 comprise a plurality of cross-linkable intermediate phase (liquid crystal phase) forming residues within each molecule, and consequently suffer from a tendency to solidify into a glass like form. Moreover, because the molecular weight is large at 1000 to 3000, the viscosity is also high, and so these compounds also suffer from a lack of compatibility with other polymerizable liquid crystal compounds.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei-9-40585 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,733) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei-9-52857 (EP-A 755915) disclose compounds comprising a structure in which two cross-linkable intermediate phase (liquid crystal phase) forming residues are bonded to positions 1 and 2 of a six membered ring. These compounds do not display a nematic phase, and a portion of the compounds disclosed display a smectic A phase, although this smectic A phase suffers from a high viscosity and poor alignment.
Moreover, xe2x80x9cLiquid Crystalsxe2x80x9d, (Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 375-379, 1998) discloses an impurity generated during synthesis of 2-(alkenyloxyphenyloxy)-5-(hydrothioalkyleneoxy phenyloxy) toluene, with a structure in which the hydrothio group of the compound and 4-hydrothioalkyleneoxy benzoic acid are bonded together. However in this document, disclosure is limited to the specifying of this compound as an impurity, and absolutely no comment is made regarding the use of this compound specified as an impurity for application to polymerizable liquid crystal compositions.
An object of the present invention is to provide a polymerizable liquid crystal composition incorporating a polymerizable liquid crystal compound which even without the introduction of ring substitution groups such as fluorine atoms, displays a low nematic phase temperature, displays excellent compatibility with other polymerizable liquid crystal compounds, and furthermore yields a product following polymerization of good transparency and mechanical strength.
On the basis of extensive research on the correlation between the chemical structure of liquid crystal compounds with polymerizable properties and the physical properties of such compounds, the inventors discovered that by using a liquid crystal compound comprising a ring (A) to which a polymerizable functional group is bonded and a ring (H) which is connected to the ring (A) through either a carbonyloxyalkyleneoxy group or an oxyalkylenecarbonyloxy group (D), the problems outlined above could be resolved, and were consequently able to complete this invention.
In other words, in order to resolve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides (A) a polymerizable composition which displays a liquid crystal phase, and moreover incorporates a liquid crystalline backbone with two or more rings, and a compound (I) with a partial structure represented by the general formula
P1xe2x80x94S1xe2x80x94A1xe2x80x94D1xe2x80x94E1xe2x80x94
[wherein P1 represents a polymerizable functional group;
S1 represents a linkage chain selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94(CH2)wxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CH2)wxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wOxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wC(xe2x95x90O)Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wOC(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)O(CH2)wxe2x80x94 and xe2x80x94OC(xe2x95x90O)(CH2)wxe2x80x94 (wherein w represents an integer from 1 to 20);
A1 and E1 each represent, independently, a hydrocarbon ring or a hetero ring, although E1 is a ring incorporated within the liquid crystal backbone.
and D1 represents a linkage chain represented by xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, or xe2x80x94O(CH2)mxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 (wherein m represents an integer from 1 to 15)].
Furthermore, in order to resolve the aforementioned problems, the present invention also provides (B) an optically anisotropic film comprising a polymer obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition according to (A) above.
In addition, in order to resolve the aforementioned problems, the present invention also provides (C) an optical low pass filter comprising an optically anisotropic film according to (B) above as a structural element.

Polymerizable composition showing liquid-crystal phase and optically anisotropic object made with the same

Abstract: [wherein P1 represents a polymerizable functional group; S1 represents xe2x80x94(CH2)wxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CH2)wxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wOxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wC(xe2x95x90O)Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2)wOC(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)O(CH2)wxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94OC(xe2x95x90O)(CH2)wxe2x80x94 (w: 1 to 20); A1 and E1 each represent a hydrocarbon ring or a hetero ring, although E1 is a ring incorporated within the liquid crystal backbone; and D1 represents xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, or xe2x80x94O(CH2)mxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 (m: 1 to 15)].


The present disclosure is directed, in part, to a disposable garment having a front region, a back region, and a crotch region extending between the front region and the back region. The disposable garment comprises a chassis in the front region, the back region, and the crotch region. The chassis comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The disposable garment comprises a pair of ear panels extending laterally outward from the chassis in the front region or the back region, a seam panel extending laterally outward from at least one of the ear panels, and a tab formed with the seam panel and extending laterally outward from the seam panel.

Infants and other incontinent individuals wear disposable garments such as diapers to receive and contain urine and other body exudates. Disposable pull-on garments having fixed sides, which are also called "pant type" garments, have become popular for use on children able to walk and often who are toilet training. These pull-on garments have side panels with edges that are seamed together to form two leg openings and a waist opening. In order to contain body exudates as well as fit a wide variety of body shapes and sizes, these pull-on garments need to fit snugly about the waist and legs of the wearer without drooping, sagging or sliding down from its position on the torso. Examples of these pull-on garments are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,239 issued to Igaue et al. on Dec. 15, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,681 issued to Strohbeen et al. on Sep. 9, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued to Van Gompel et al. on Jul. 10, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,433 to issued Hasse et al. on Sep. 21, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,234 issued to Buell et al. on Oct. 29, 1996; and WO 96/31176 (Ashton) published on Oct. 10, 1996.
To prevent pull-on garments from drooping, sagging or sliding down from the torso of wearer, it is believed that a proper force should be generated at the waist and side panel areas of pull-on garments and applied to the torso of the wearer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,649 issued to Watanabe et al. on May 16, 1995, discloses the use of elastic members which have different expanding stresses to provide a better fit to body. Another example is EP 0547497B1 (Van Gompel et al.) published on Mar. 26, 1997. This publication discloses a disposable training pant which has stretch gradient side panels to provide an improved fitness. Those conventional pull-on garments try to provide an improved fitness to the body of wearer by controlling forces applied to the waist and leg areas of wearer. However, the improvement in fitness may cause a red marking problem at those areas.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication H8-38546 published on Feb. 13, 1996 discloses a pant type disposable diaper which has a slit formed by not connecting leg portion elastics at the leg opening, to prevent marking of the skin by the leg portion elastics. However, this pull-on garment has a unextensible backsheet in the side panels, which tends to prevent the pull-on garment from providing an improved fitness.
Thus, none of the existing art provides all of the advantages and benefits of the present invention.

Disposable pull-on garment having improved protection against red marking and method for making the same


The present invention relates to chimeric protein vaccines and methods of use thereof in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of generating an immune response in a mammal, that includes administering to the mammal, a composition having a chimeric protein having at least one of: a portion of a cholera toxin, a portion of a heat-labile toxin, and a portion of a shiga toxin; and an antigen having at least one of: an antigenic material from S. aureus and an antigenic material from a S. aureus-specific polypeptide.

The present invention relates to infectious diseases and, more particularly, to chimeric protein vaccines and methods of use thereof in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections and represents an important public health threat. S. aureus can cause nosocomial (hospital) and community-acquired infections including impetigo, cellulitis, food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, invasive necrotizing pneumonia, and endocarditis. S. aureus is also the most common species of staphylococci to cause Staph infections. Currently, it is one of the top causes of infectious disease deaths in the United States.
S. aureus also causes mastitis, which is a major problem in dairy cows with considerable economic implications. For example, mastitis in dairy cows is most commonly caused by S. aureus and is one of the most common diseases infecting dairy cattle in the United States. S. aureus causes a persistent, inflammatory reaction of the udder tissue that can lead to chronic infections that result in the cow being culled from the herd. Milk from cows with mastitis also typically have higher somatic cell count, which generally lowers the milk quality. It is estimated that mastitis may cost the dairy industry billions of dollars per year in economic losses.
A growing concern in the treatment of S. aureus is that the bacterium is often resistant to multiple antibiotics. Roughly half of the nosocomial isolates in the United States are methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus is also sometimes referred to as "multidrug-resistant" S. aureus or "oxacillin-resistant S. aureus." MRSA bacterium is generally resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, which include the penicillins (e.g., methicillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, etc.) and cephalosporins. Currently, a vaccine that prevents staphylococcal disease is unavailable.
A possible approach for staphylococcal vaccine development is to target virulence factors such as toxins, enzymes, polysaccharide capsules, adhesive factors, and the like. A key to the possible vaccine approach may be that the anterior nares of humans are known to be an important niche for S. aureus. It is believed that nasal carriage is a major risk factor for invasive infection.
One potential S. aureus virulence factor is the iron-regulated surface determinant A (IsdA). IsdA is an S. aureus surface adhesin protein that may be immunogenic in certain organisms. IsdA can bind to human desquamated nasal epithelial cells and is believed to play a critical role in nasal colonization.
However, a major obstacle in vaccine development of S. aureus is the lack of immunostimulatory adjuvants that can function from mucosal surfaces. While certain toxins (e.g., cholera toxin and heat-labile toxin) have the ability to induce mucosal and systemic immune responses to co-administered antigens, these bacterial proteins are generally too toxic for human use.

Cholera toxin chimera and its use as a staph vaccine


A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) device (PD) having a controller to receive signals over a first cable having twisted pair wires from at least one of a network element and a gateway where the network element is associated with a service provider where the gateway is associated with a premises and where the service provider provides network communications to the premises, adjust the signals, transmit the adjusted signals over a second cable having twisted pair wires to at least one of the network element and the gateway, and receive power from at least one of the network element and the gateway, where the power is received over at least one of the first and second cables, where the power is received according to PoE protocol, and where the PD is positioned between the network element and the gateway. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Service providers rely upon various types of infrastructure to deliver media services, including voice, video and data, to their users. Optical fibers which transport optical signals and twisted pair lines which transport electrical signals are utilized both independently and in combination with each other to connect premises with service provider networks. The choice of the type of infrastructure to utilize in order to connect a premises can depend upon a number of factors including the type of service and the location of the premises.

Apparatus and method for providing network communications


A rigid spine-reinforced microelectrode array probe and fabrication method. The probe includes a flexible elongated probe body with conductive lines enclosed within a polymeric material. The conductive lines connect microelectrodes found near an insertion end of the probe to respective leads at a connector end of the probe. The probe also includes a rigid spine, such as made from titanium, fixedly attached to the probe body to structurally reinforce the probe body and enable the typically flexible probe body to penetrate and be inserted into tissue, such as neural tissue. By attaching or otherwise fabricating the rigid spine to connect to only an insertion section of the probe body, an integrally connected cable section of the probe body may remain flexible.

Microelectrode neural probes are an essential tool in neuroscience. They provide a direct electrical interface with the neurons of a biological entity's nervous system. Such neural probes can target the neuronal activity of neurons, enabling researchers and clinicians to better explore and understand neurological diseases, neural coding, neural modulations, and neural topologies. Moreover, the ability to analyze neuronal activity using neural probes has led to the development of new neuro-therapeutic devices implemented through brain-machine interfaces. These interfaces use neural probes implanted to bypass damaged tissue and stimulate neural activity, so that a patient can regain lost communication and/or control with respect to some aspect of the patient's nervous system.
One of the most recent types of neural probes are thin-film micromachined probes fabricated on silicon substrates using MEMS fabrication techniques. Signal recording sites of such silicon probes typically comprise exposed metal pads located on rigid silicon shanks that are connected, via interconnection traces, to output leads or to signal processing circuitry on a monolithic substrate. Silicon is the most widely used substrate for this type of microprobe because of its unique physical characteristics and widespread use in the microelectronics industry. These probes generally provide more control over the size and electrical properties of the recording and stimulating sites or drug delivery channels. Furthermore the silicon substrate allows integration of active circuitry that improves the quality of recording and stimulation applications as well as sensors, actuators, and even valves.
Despite the advantages of using a silicon substrate for neural probes, concerns exist about the mechanical strength of silicon substrate and its suitability for chronic biological applications due to the fact that bulk silicon substrate is a hard, fragile, brittle material and subject to breakage, especially during insertion where a silicon probe can break into several large or small pieces at the point of fracture. In case of a fracture, there is some risk that small pieces of silicon might remain in and damage the neural tissue or might migrate down into the brain. Even if the surgeon removes the body of the microprobe, he/she might not see all small fragments or may cause significant damage to the surrounding tissue if he/she tries to pull them out, since they usually have several sharp edges. Even if multiple insertions and removals are possible, the use of silicon may still remain a safety issue due to accumulated stress, fatigue, and microfractures from the prior insertions and removals.
Attempts to increase the mechanical strength of silicon probes have involved making the probe thicker and wider, which can also be problematic because of the possibility of severing or otherwise damaging the nerve tissue. In particular, the probe width and thickness cannot be increased to more than a few tens of microns due to risk of physical tissue damage. And another method of attempting to mitigate this risk of silicon breakage is to make the substrate of the microelectrode array flexible by utilizing thin-metal electrode sites and enclosing the wiring between polymer materials. The resulting electrode array is completely flexible, thereby providing needed strain relief. However, this design prevents direct insertion of the probe into brain tissue. Instead, with this type of probe, an incision much be first created to effect implantation. This typically results in increased tissue damage. Still other example approaches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2005/0107742 disclosing a shatter-resistant microprobe, and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0299166 disclosing a MEMS flexible substrate neural probe.
What is needed is a microelectrode array probe that is sufficiently resistant to fracture and breakage into independent pieces upon insertion and implantation, especially one that is capable of withstanding multiple insertions and removals without buckling and breakage, i.e. having a buckling strength that is significantly greater than the force needed to penetrate that specific tissue and overcome the friction applied to the moving probe shank during insertion and removal. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a microelectrode array probe capable of mitigating tissue damage during implantation, and that also can be relatively easily and efficiently fabricated in large numbers.

Rigid spine reinforced polymer microelectrode array probe and method of fabrication


A compressor includes a compressing mechanism, a discharge chamber, a housing accommodating the compressing mechanism and the discharge chamber, a discharge port communicating with the discharge chamber through a discharge passage and also with an external refrigerant circuit, a muffler formed by an expanded space disposed on the discharge passage, and a check valve disposed on the discharge passage. The pressure loss caused by the discharge passage is less than that in the known compressor. The check valve is disposed in the muffler to open and close an inlet of the muffler, and the muffler is formed by the housing and a cover independent of and connected to the housing.

Patent document 1 teaches a compressor comprising a compressing mechanism, a discharge chamber, a housing accommodating the compressing mechanism and the discharge chamber, a discharge port communicating with the discharge chamber through a discharge passage and also with an external refrigerant circuit, a muffler formed by an expanded space disposed on the discharge passage, and a check valve disposed on the discharge passage, wherein the check valve is disposed in an accommodation chamber formed in the housing and adjacent to the discharge chamber.
In the aforementioned compressor, the check valve prevents back flow of high-pressure refrigerant gas from the external refrigerant circuit to the compressor during the stop period of the compressor.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-315785


A USB host controller for embedded systems employing batched data transfer. The system batches up to 16 individual transactions in a single batch to reduce the number and frequency of interrupts to the microprocessor and to increase USB data throughput.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electronic devices and the transfer of data there between and, in particular, to providing a host controller and host controller driver interface to microprocessor based embedded systems for interconnecting devices via a serial bus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) host controller and host controller driver interface for embedded systems that employ batched data transfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices are often electrically connected to one or more other electronic devices. For example, microprocessor based systems, such as personal computers, are often connected to one or more peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, graphics tablets, digital cameras and the like. The connection to peripheral devices can take place via a number of known serial or parallel interfaces.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is one standardized serial interface that has been developed to offer flexible, high, moderate and low-speed interconnections between a host device and external, peripheral devices. USB was developed to accomplish three main goals: connection of a microprocessor based system to a telephone system, plug-and-play of peripheral devices in a hot swappable manner, and ready expansion of a microprocessor based system""s peripheral connectivity.
USB employs a four-wire connector. Two wires supply power (up to 500 mA at 5 vdc) and the other two wires form a twisted-pair, differential data line. USB employs a master-slave architecture with a tiered-star topology. One or more hubs can be connected to a host or root tier to expand the capacity of a USB system. Hubs can also be connected to other hubs to further expand the system. A single USB host can support up to 127 separate devices.
USB currently supports data transfer at a high speed of 480 Mbps, a full speed of 12 Mbps, and a low speed of 1.5 Mbps data rate. There are four types of USB transfers: isochronous, bulk, interrupt and control. Isochronous transfer is not error checked as the need for uninterrupted data transfer at a given data rate overrides the need for error-free transmission. The other three types of transfer contains error-checking mechanisms, data sequence toggle sequences and retry sequences to guarantee error-free data transfer.
A USB system has a single USB host. FIG. 1 shows four layers of a typical USB system. These areas are the Client Software/USB Driver, Host Controller Driver (HCD), Host Controller (HC), and USB Device. The Client Software/USB Device and Host Controller Driver are implemented in software. The Host Controller and USB Device are implemented in hardware. The Host Controller Driver and Host Controller work in tandem to transfer data between client software and a USB device. In the prior art, as described in the two industry standard host specification, the xe2x80x9cUniversal Host Controller Interface (UHCI) Design Guidexe2x80x9d Revision 1.1 published by the Intel Corporation, and the xe2x80x9cOpenHCI: Open Host Controller Interface Specification for USB,xe2x80x9d (OHCI) Revision 1.0a, published by Compaq, Microsoft and National Semiconductor, to achieve high transfer rates on USB, the Host Controller requires a bus interface with bus master capability, such as a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) bus, to interface with the CPU. Bus mastering requires that more than one device be able to control the data over a bus. Generally, a microprocessor must relinquish control of the bus to another device to allow this to occur.
However, there is a need for a USB Host Controller for embedded systems and microprocessors which do not have a bus interface with bus mastering capability such as a PCI bus. Such a USB Host Controller is referred to as an embedded USB Host Controller which can be interfaced via a standard processor bus interface to any microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, FPGA processor or any other processor (hereafter referred to as microprocessor). In the prior art, these embedded Host Controllers suffer the shortcoming of low data transfer rate and frequent interrupts to the microprocessor because the microprocessor is interrupted every transaction. Without the bus mastering capability, prior art embedded USB host controllers interrupt the microprocessor for each transaction to report the status of the transaction to the microprocessor, and for the microprocessor to process the just finished transaction, read data from and/or write data into the USB host controller, and prepare and dispatch the next transaction.
Moreover, each interrupt of the microprocessor involves an interrupt latency period. The latency period is the time during which the microprocessor stores the data and status conditions related to task at hand, before it can attends to the request of the USB host. An example timing diagram for the interaction of the microprocessor and a prior art embedded USB host controller showing the interrupt latency period is illustrated in FIG. 2
The interrupt latency period and the interrupt recovery period waste the microprocessor""s time. The USB bus is idle during both the interrupt latency period and the period for the microprocessor to process the current transaction and prepare for the next transaction. That is, there is no data on the USB bus, which results in very low data throughput. The process also slows the microprocessor system as the microprocessor must cease operating on whatever task before the interrupt, attends to the USB host controller, and then recover its working environment to pick up again where it was before.
More specifically, the microprocessor must typically take time to store the registers and context it was working on when it received the interrupt and subsequently retrieve the registers and context and resume processing it upon completion of the task requested by the USB interrupt. The time to cease operation, store the registers and context, and then later retrieve the registers and context and resume processing contributes greatly to the increased inefficiency of the microprocessor during USB interrupts. This can significantly reduce the throughput of the USB connection, as well as the performance of the microprocessor system, below optimum.
OHCI and UHCI host controllers overcomes this problem using reverse bus mastering, such as that provided by a known PCI bus, and equip the host controller with the capability to process sequentially one-by-one a list of transactions scheduled in the microprocessor""s system memory. In this method, upon each transaction, the USB host controller uses the reverse bus master mechanism to access the system memory, processes the transaction, exchanges data with the system memory, and start the next transaction, all without interrupting the microprocessor. While this method does significantly improve the throughput of the USB, it is not applicable to many embedded systems where there is no reverse bus mastering mechanism either due to cost reasons, architectural or software considerations.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a system that permits more efficient USB transfers in an embedded system. To this end, there is a need for an improved system that reduces the interrupts to microprocessor and improves the data throughput on USB for a host system having an embedded USB architecture.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the present invention which in one aspect comprises a USB host controller system for interfacing between at least one USB device and a host processor. The system comprises a host controller that transfers USB transactions between at least one USB device and a host processor. The system further includes at least one memory associated with the host controller, wherein the host controller stores the information indicative of a plurality of USB transactions in the memory and executes a plurality of stored USB transactions in a single batch so as to reduce the overall resource demands on the host processor to execute the USB transactions and to increase data throughput on the USB.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of interfacing a plurality of USB device with a host processor. The method comprises assembling a first batch of USB transactions in a memory, sequentially executing each of the USB transactions of the first batch in the memory and sending an interrupt signal to a host processor indicating that the first batch of transactions has been completed so that the host processor is interrupted less thereby reducing the overall resource demand on the host processor during execution of the first batch.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a USB host controller that is adapted to receive and assemble information indicative of a plurality of USB transactions from a host processor wherein the USB host controller executes an assembled batch of a plurality of USB transactions upon meeting a certain condition and wherein the host processor is informed of the availability of the status of the plurality of transactions upon completion of the batch to thereby reduce the overall resource demand on the host processor during execution of the batch of USB transactions.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a USB system that comprises a host microprocessor, at least one memory associated with the host microprocessor and an embedded microprocessor bus whose bus master for memory access is the host microprocessor. In this aspect, the USB system further comprises an embedded USB host controller that sends interrupt signals to the host microprocessor such that the host microprocessor in response to the interrupts manipulates data in the at least one memory such that the USB host stack associated with the USB system that is designed to be used with a bus that is controllable by the USB host controller can be mused with the embedded USB host controller.

USB host controller for systems employing batched data transfer


A spool is transitionable between an operable (i.e., cable ready) state and a stowed (i.e., return ready) state. In the operable state, the spool is configured to receive and hold a coil of cable. In the stowed state, the spool has a reduced three-dimensional footprint compared to the operable state, thereby facilitating storage and return of the spools. The spool can be releasably locked in the operable state. When the lock is released, the spool can be freely transitioned between both states to facilitate reuse of the spool.

Communications cable (e.g., fiber cable, coaxial cable, twisted pair cable, and power cable) is typically packaged on spools and shipped to installation sites. Larger spools tend to be made robust (e.g., out of metal or plastic) and hence are reusable. However, storage and shipping of these spools can be costly and/or wasteful of space. Smaller spools tend to be made of cardboard and are intended for single use. When the cable has been deployed from such spool, the spools tend to be discarded, thereby creating waste.
Improvements are required.


A thin film transistor of this invention has a structure obtained by sequentially stacking, on an insulating substrate, a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film, a polysilicon thin film with a channel region and source and drain regions facing each other via the channel region, an insulating film, and a gate electrode. The boron concentration decreases from the channel region toward the silicon nitride film in the silicon oxide film region between the channel region and the silicon nitride film. The silicon oxide film region between the channel region and the silicon nitride film is made up of a first region which is in contact with the channel region and has a boron concentration of 1.times.10.sup.16 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more, and a second region between the first region and the silicon nitride film, which has a boron concentration of less than 1.times.10.sup.16 atoms/cm.sup.3. The first region has a thickness of 200 .ANG. or less.

The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to a polysilicon thin film transistor formed on an insulating substrate such as a glass substrate, and a method of manufacturing the same.
In a thin film transistor having a polysilicon channel region, the field-effect mobilities of electrons and holes are larger than in a thin film transistor having an amorphous silicon channel region. The polysilicon thin film transistor therefore has a high current drive capability and is being used in liquid crystal display apparatuses and the like.
Regardless of its excellent characteristics, however, the polysilicon thin film transistor suffers the following problem.
More specifically, in the polysilicon thin film transistor, its characteristics and particularly its threshold voltage are greatly influenced by defects, impurities, and the like in the channel region. As a result, the threshold voltage may greatly shift from a value necessary for the operation of the transistor circuit. For example, in an n-channel transistor, the threshold voltage shifting to the negative side with respect to 0V makes the transistor have normally ON characteristics, failing normal switching.
To solve this problem, the threshold voltage is controlled by implanting, e.g., boron ions in the channel region using an ion implanter or an ion doping apparatus. According to this method, however, ion implantation or ion doping must be performed in addition to formation of the channel region. Accordingly, the number of steps of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device or the like increases, and the throughput as the productivity per unit time decreases. In addition, this method requires another apparatus, and thus the manufacturing cost increases.
The amount of boron ions implanted in the channel region to control the threshold voltage is very small. However, when an ion implanter or ion doping apparatus is used, the boron dose cannot be accurately controlled, and the thin film transistor cannot be manufactured with high reproducibility and high stability.
For example, boron ions are implanted in the channel region using an ion implanter or an ion doping apparatus in manufacturing a thin film transistor having a structure in which a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film, and a polysilicon thin film forming the channel region are sequentially stacked on a glass substrate. In this case, the boron concentration distribution shown in FIG. 1 is generally obtained.
FIG. 1 is a graph showing the boron concentration distribution obtained when a thin film transistor is formed by a conventional method. In FIG. 1, the abscissa represents the boron dose, and the ordinate represents the distance from the glass substrate.
As is often the case with the conventional method, the boron concentration in the silicon oxide film gradually decreases from the polysilicon thin film toward the silicon nitride film as shown in FIG. 1. It is noted that a high boron concentration is obtained in not only the polysilicon thin film but also the interface region between the silicon oxide film and the silicon nitride film. This is because the surface of the silicon nitride thin film is contaminated before forming the silicon oxide film.
The threshold voltage does not greatly vary between thin film transistors as far as the amount of boron ions implanted in the silicon oxide thin film and the silicon nitride thin film is very small or constant.
However, when an ion implanter or ion doping apparatus is used, it is difficult to prevent a non-negligible amount of boron ions from being implanted in the silicon oxide thin film and the silicon nitride thin film. The amount of boron ions implanted in the silicon oxide film and the silicon nitride film greatly depends on implantation conditions such as the boron ion acceleration voltage, and these implantation conditions cannot be kept unchanged. For this reason, in the conventional method, the threshold voltage greatly varies between thin film transistors.

Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same


In a method for printing a three-dimensional (3D) parts with an additive manufacturing system, a developed layer of an electrically charged powder material is produced on a transfer medium using an electrophotographic (EP) engine. The transfer medium and the developed layer are fed in a feed direction. A position of the developed layer on the transfer medium is detected using a first sensor having a first output that indicates the position. A position of a moveable build platform is adjusted relative to the transfer medium to reduce one or more overlay errors between the developed layer and an intermediate build surface of a three-dimensional structure retained on the moveable build platform based on the first output. The developed layer is transferred to the intermediate build surface using a pressing element.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) parts, and more particularly, to additive manufacturing systems and processes for building 3D parts and their support structures.
Additive manufacturing systems are used to build 3D parts from digital representations of the 3D parts (e.g., AMF and STL format files) using one or more additive manufacturing techniques. Examples of commercially available additive manufacturing techniques include extrusion-based techniques, ink jetting, selective laser sintering, powder/binder jetting, electron-beam melting, and stereolithographic processes. For each of these techniques, the digital representation of the 3D part is initially sliced into multiple horizontal layers. For each sliced layer, a tool path is then generated, which provides instructions for the particular additive manufacturing system to form the given layer.
For example, in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, a 3D part or model may be printed from a digital representation of the 3D part in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a flowable part material. The part material is extruded through an extrusion tip carried by a print head of the system, and is deposited as a sequence of roads on a substrate in an x-y plane. The extruded part material fuses to previously deposited part material, and solidifies upon a drop in temperature. The position of the print head relative to the substrate is then incremented along a z-axis (perpendicular to the x-y plane), and the process is then repeated to form a 3D part resembling the digital representation.
In fabricating 3D parts by depositing layers of a part material, supporting layers or structures are typically built underneath overhanging portions or in cavities of objects under construction, which are not supported by the part material itself. A support structure may be built utilizing the same deposition techniques by which the part material is deposited. The host computer generates additional geometry acting as a support structure for the overhanging or free-space segments of the 3D part being formed, and in some cases, for the sidewalls of the 3D part being formed. The support material adheres to the part material during fabrication, and is removable from the completed 3D part when the printing process is complete.
In an electrophotographic 3D printing process, each slice of the digital representation of the 3D part and its support structure is printed or developed using an electrophotographic engine. The electrophotographic engine generally operates in accordance with 2D electrophotographic printing processes, using charged powder materials that are formulated for use in building a 3D part (e.g., a polymeric toner material). The electrophotographic engine typically uses a support drum that is coated with a photoconductive material layer, where latent electrostatic images are formed by electrostatic charging following image-wise exposure of the photoconductive layer by an optical source. The latent electrostatic images are then moved to a developing station where the polymeric toner is applied to charged areas, or alternatively to discharged areas of the photoconductive insulator to form the layer of the charged powder material representing a slice of the 3D part. The developed layer is transferred to a transfer medium, from which the layer is transfused to previously printed layers with heat and/or pressure to build the 3D part.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Registration and overlay error correction of electrophotographically formed elements in an additive manufacturing system


In a method to help a user determine a formula, (e.g., a fact, rule, or principle expressed in scientific, mathematical, technical, etc. symbols), a user may input an indication of the formula in an imprecise syntax. The inputted indication may be in ASCII text, for example, and may include technical shorthand, technical abbreviations, pseudocode, etc. In response, one or more formulas corresponding to the user's input are determined. Optionally, other outputs related to the determined formula(s) may be generated. In one implementation, software programming code corresponding to the formula is generated. Then, the formula(s) and the output(s) are presented to the user.

The MATHEMATICA® software system available from Wolfram Research, Inc. is a powerful computational tool that can evaluate general symbolic expressions, as well as mathematical and numeric expressions. MATHEMATICA® is an interpreted language, with a notion of "evaluation" of symbolic expressions. Evaluation consists in applying to any symbolic expression all transformation rules that fit that expression.
In the MATHEMATICA® software system, a user can create interactive electronic documents referred to as "notebooks." Various expressions, including numeric and symbolic expressions, can be entered into a notebook via a keyboard, for example, and a user can cause the expression to be evaluated. As a simple example, a user could first set a function ƒ equal to x2 by typing "f=x^2" and then pressing "Enter" while holding down the "Shift" key (i.e., "hitting Shift-Enter"). Then, the user could have the MATHEMATICA® software system evaluate the integral off with respect to x by typing "integral[f,x]" and then hitting Shift-Enter. Of course, the MATHEMATICA® software system permits users to evaluate much more complex expressions and to analyze complex mathematical and scientific problems.
Input to the MATHEMATICA® software system must be in a particular syntax or MATHEMATICA® will not recognize what the user intended. For example, if a user wants to utilize a built-in function of the MATHEMATICA® software system, such as the function "integral", the user must correctly type in the word "integral." Additionally, the expression that is to be integrated must be included within brackets subsequent to the word "integral". For example, to evaluate the integral of ƒ with respect to x, the text "integral[f,x]" must be typed. If the correct syntax is not followed exactly, the MATHEMATICA® software system will not recognize what the user had intended. For example, if a built-in function or a user-defined function is misspelled, MATHEMATICA® will not recognize that the user intended to use the function. Similarly, if a bracket, comma, parentheses, etc. is erroneously omitted or misplaced, MATHEMATICA® will not recognize what the user intended.
Various currently available on-line calculators utilize formulas to generate numerical results based on user-provided parameters. As an example, a website may provide a mortgage payment calculator that uses a mathematical formula to calculate a monthly mortgage payment based on various parameters such as a mortgage amount and an interest rate. A user can input values of the parameters by typing numbers into various text boxes on the web page. For example, the user can input a mortgage amount, an interest rate, number of years, etc. Then, the user can select a "Calculate" button on the web page to generate a mortgage payment, which is presented to the user via a different web page.
Search engines, such as Internet search engines, have been in use for some time. Such search engines permit the user to form a search query using combinations of keywords to search through a web page database containing text indices associated with one or more distinct web pages. The search engine looks for matches between the search query and text indices in the web page database, and then returns a number of hits which correspond to URL pointers and text excerpts from the web pages that represent the closest matches.
Some Internet search engines analyze the context of keywords in order to narrow the number of matches. For example, if a search query includes the words "yellow" and "pages," a search engine may recognize that the phrase "yellow pages" has a particular meaning and it may therefore note that web pages including the phrase "yellow pages" may be a closer match than web pages merely containing the word "yellow" and/or the word "pages."
Some application programs, for example, a word processor, may have a help tool that allows a user to enter a word or phrase and will display help topics containing that word or phrase, from which the user can make a selection.

Methods and systems for determining a formula


A method and apparatus for projecting illumination patterns from barcode readers. The apparatus includes a housing, an invisible illumination light source, and a visible illumination light source. The housing comprises a first window located in a generally horizontal plane and a second window located in a generally upright plane that intersects the generally horizontal plane. The invisible illumination light source is operative to project an invisible illumination pattern that is at least partially incident upon the first window or the second window after the invisible illumination pattern is projected out of the housing. The visible illumination light source operative to project a visible illumination pattern out of the housing, and the visible illumination pattern has a visible center ray propagating in a direction different from the invisible center ray of the invisible illumination pattern.

Various electro-optical systems have been developed for reading optical indicia, such as bar codes. A bar code is a coded pattern of graphical indicia comprised of a series of bars and spaces of varying widths, the bars and spaces having differing light reflecting characteristics. The pattern of the bars and spaces encode information. Bar code may be one dimensional (e.g., UPC bar code) or two dimensional (e.g., DataMatrix bar code). Systems that read, that is, image and decode bar codes employing imaging camera systems are typically referred to as imaging-based bar code readers or bar code scanners.
Imaging-based bar code readers may be portable or stationary. A portable bar code reader is one that is adapted to be held in a user's hand and moved with respect to a target indicia, such as a target bar code, to be read, that is, imaged and decoded. Stationary bar code readers are mounted in a fixed position, for example, relative to a point-of-sales counter. Target objects, e.g., a product package that includes a target bar code, are moved or swiped past one of the one or more transparent windows and thereby pass within a field of view of the stationary bar code readers. The bar code reader typically provides an audible and/or visual signal to indicate the target bar code has been successfully imaged and decoded. Sometimes barcodes are presented, as opposed to be swiped. This typically happens when the swiped barcode failed to scan, so the operator tries a second time to scan it. Alternately, presentation is done by inexperience users, such as when the reader is installed in a self check out installation.
A typical example where a stationary imaging-based bar code reader would be utilized includes a point of sale counter/cash register where customers pay for their purchases. The reader is typically enclosed in a housing that is installed in the counter and normally includes a vertically oriented transparent window and/or a horizontally oriented transparent window, either of which may be used for reading the target bar code affixed to the target object, i.e., the product or product packaging for the product having the target bar code imprinted or affixed to it. The sales person (or customer in the case of self-service check out) sequentially presents each target object's bar code either to the vertically oriented window or the horizontally oriented window, whichever is more convenient given the specific size and shape of the target object and the position of the bar code on the target object.
In a multi-camera workstation, each imaging camera is operative to capture an image from a predetermined field of view. The multi-camera workstation generally also includes one or more illumination light sources operative to project illumination patterns in a plurality of predetermined directions. The light intensities of these illumination patterns can be very bright. In certain circumstances, some of the project illumination patterns can be reflected by the windows of the workstation, and the reflected illumination patterns can be annoying to the people positioned near the workstation. Accordingly, it is desirable to find a better method to minimize user exposures to the bright light projected from the multi-camera workstation.

Method and apparatus for projecting illumination patterns from barcode readers


An apparatus and method of making a filamentary pad for improved mist elimination and mass transfer comprising a plurality of layers of mesh, each layer of mesh having a plurality of mesh openings defined therein. A plurality of preferential gas flow openings, each having an area larger than any of the areas of said mesh openings absent said preferential gas flow openings, are defined within at least two layers of mesh. The plurality of layers of mesh are vertically stacked to form the filamentary pad. The preferential gas flow openings provide preferential low-resistance paths for gas flow.

Industrial filamentary pads used for inter-phase mass transfer contacting and/or for mist elimination are typically pads that are fabricated of multiple layers of knitted or woven metal or plastic filaments. Industrial woven or knitted-mesh pads are typically made from 4- to 11-mil diameter filaments. For fine drop removal in mist elimination, or for use as liquid-liquid coalescers, composite materials containing 10 to 50 micron diameter fiberglass or plastic filaments co-knitted with a heavier metal or plastic mesh framework are used.
In the manufacture of knitted mesh pads, the knitting machine typically knits a fabric of interlocked wire loops in the form of a continuous tube or cylinder. The mesh cylinder is utilized in a flattened form and in the case of metal wire filaments, the flattened mesh is typically crimped or corrugated to form a three-dimensional layer. Commercial filamentary pads for use in mist elimination or mass transfer are made by assembling a stack of individual layers of knitted mesh or woven filaments to form a pad of the desired depth.
The gas flow capacity limit of a filamentary pad used for mist elimination or for counter-current gas/liquid contact is set by either the flood point or re-entrainment penetration point. For the purpose of this specification, the re-entrainment penetration point is generally defined as the point at which spray generated by gas bubbling through the continuous liquid layer within the filamentary pad penetrates the upper surface of the pad.
The flood point is generally defined as the combination of gas and liquid rates at which the liquid begins to rapidly accumulate within the pad with a correspondingly rapid rise in gas pressure drop across the pad. Because entrainment carryover is frequently deleterious to process operation, re-entrainment may be considered as the limiting operating condition for a demisting or mass transfer filamentary pad system. Typically, for a given pad, the re-entrainment point occurs at lower gas and liquid loadings than does the flood point.
Conventional knitted-mesh filamentary pads used for mist elimination are comprised of mesh layers with a uniform knitted pattern with limited variation in mesh opening sizes. In the typical multi-layered mesh pad used in mist eliminator or mass transfer applications, the medium that the gas "sees" is therefore a substantially homogeneous three-dimensional network with little or no variation in fluid flow resistance. This is also true of woven-mesh mist eliminators pads, such as Pedersen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,596.
At low liquid loadings and gas velocities in conventional filamentary pads, used for mist elimination or mass transfer, separate flow channels for the gas and liquid establish themselves. At moderate and high gas velocities and/or mist loads, the flow capacities of the respective channels utilized at low fluid flows are exceeded. The upwardly flowing gas is then forced to rise through some of the same mesh areas that the liquid is using in a downward flow. This competitive counter flow situation impedes liquid drainage flow and typically results in the formation of a liquid layer at the bottom of the pad through which the gas bubbles.
Related references for increasing liquid and gas flow capacity of filamentary pads has focused on methods and apparatus for removing the bottom liquid layer in the filamentary pad by augmenting liquid drainage. Typical of this art is Lerner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,593, and Ozolins, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,806. Lerner, '593 and Ozolins, et al., '806, both provide preferential discharge paths to drain the liquid from the filamentary pad to avoid liquid flow interference with gas flow paths in the pad. Lerner provides external filamentary drainage rolls that act as appended liquid downspouts. Additionally, the drainage rolls employ the Coanda effect to inhibit formation of the bottom liquid layer in the pad.
Ozolins, et al. uses mesh sections of different densities so placed that they form defined substantially vertical zones of varying density, i.e., controlled density zones in the direction perpendicular to gas flow. Higher pad densities correspond to higher liquid capillarity and higher gas flow resistance; so that the vertical high-density pad sections define preferred liquid drainage paths. The structured mesh pads of Ozolins, et al., cannot be made by the conventional stacked horizontal layer assembly method. They are best made by spiral or annular assembly construction methods, which are complicated and expensive to build and are therefore limited to smaller pads sizes. The drainage roll appendages of Lerner also require additional fabrication steps beyond a conventional layered pad assembly that add to the cost and complexity of construction.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the related art as described below.

Filamentary pad for improved mist elimination and mass transfer


In order to overcome the relatively short battery life and the relatively long delay between the activation and the actual functioning of a typical mobile computing system, the mobile computing system is provided with a personal computer (PC) architecture system and a personal digital assistant (PDA) architecture system, and a common display and shared peripherals. Interfacing to the systems is a super input output or embedded controller (SIO/EC) that acts as a slave device to whatever system has control of computing system. The SIO/EC controls a quick switch which blocks or allows communication along communication busses connecting the systems to the SIO/EC. A user can selectively change, by way of a user interface to the SIO/EC, to whatever system that is desired by the user.

This disclosure relates generally to a computing system, and more particularly to a mobile computing system integrating dissimilar systems within a system. In general, mobile computing systems provide either specialized functionality and relatively long interval between battery charges, or the mobile computing systems provide full range functionality with relatively short battery charge lifetime. In addition, the mobile computing system with specialized functionality is available for user interaction immediately upon activation of the system.
There are currently two popular types of mobile computing systems. The mobile Personal Computer (PC) system is a fully functional data processing system, typically having the same functionality as a desktop PC or a workstation PC. The mobile PC system is typically referred to as a notebook or laptop computer. The mobile PC system type runs under any number of standard operating systems, such as one of the releases of Windows(copyright) by the Microsoft Corporation. In implementing the mobile PC in a mobile computing system, several relatively undesirable features are apparent. First, the batteries of the portable mobile PC device must be recharged after a relatively short time, typically, in the order of a few hours. Despite improvements in battery technology, the quest for lighter and more compact portable units have tended to reduce the space allocated to the batteries so that time between charging of the batteries has not been significantly improved. The batteries used in the portable mobile PC devices, however, are capable of relatively rapid charging. As with the desktop PC unit and the workstation PC from which they are derived, the operating system needed for the mobile PC system requires a relatively long time from the activation of the power switch to the time when the processing system is available for actual computation. The mobile PC systems, however, have remarkable flexibility and can provide processing capability of extraordinary power.
More recently the personal digital assistant (PDA) system has been developed to take advantage of operating systems (OS) such as Palm(copyright) OS and Windows(copyright) CE. These operating systems, in conjunction with a PDA system, permit a reduced or specialized functionality computing system.
Typically, these PDAs are relatively small and can perform a variety of useful functions such as arrange calendars; schedule appointments; send and receive e-mail; provide presentations; create documents; and provide communications. The PDA operating systems can permit exchange of files between the PDA systems and a mobile PC system with Microsoft Windows(copyright) files. While the reduced functionality can be a disadvantage of the PDA system, this system has several advantages. An advantage is the time between charging of the batteries can be greatly extended, a result of the reduced functionality and the absence of disk storage units. A PDA system has considerable flexibility with respect to expansion. However, as the system is expanded, the power requirements increase, and the battery charging cycle is decreased. The time for charging the batteries, at least on the presently available PDA systems, requires a relatively long period. Another advantage is the PDA system has the memory loaded in the memory circuit, such as a flash memory, as contrasted with a disk drive for the mobile PC devices. Compare this process to the time of activation for a mobile PC. For reasons related to testing, to flexibility and to backward compatibility, a relatively large amount of time elapses between the activation of a mobile PC device and when the device is functional. In contrast, the PDA system is fully functional from the time that it is activated.
A need has been felt for a mobile computing system having the desirable features of both the mobile PC systems and of the PDA systems. In particular, the mobile computing system would have the feature of an expanded time between battery charges. Another feature of the mobile computing system would be the availability for performing user-directed processing functions as soon as the power is applied to the processing unit made available by a PDA system. Another feature of the portable processing unit would be the capability of performing essentially all of the processing functions available to the full-function PC system. Still another feature would be a low-power, reduced functionality mode of operation and an increased power, full functionality mode of operation. Yet another feature of the portable data processing system would be the ability to control mode of operation, i.e., a low power, reduced-functionality mode or a high power, full-function mode of operation.
The aforementioned and other features are accomplished, according to the present disclosure, by providing a mobile computing system that includes a PC system and a PDA system which can share common resources within the mobile computing system and a communication bus.
For applications not requiring the full functionality of the mobile PC system, a user can select the PDA system in conjunction with a common display and shared peripheral devices, providing a reduced power mode operation of the computing system. When expanded functionality is required of the computing system, the mobile PC system is activated or given control. The user has selectable control over whether the PC system or the PDA is activated.
The user has the option of transferring control of the common display and control of the shared peripheral devices. During power-up, the PDA system, common display and shared peripheral devices are automatically activated, thereby providing an instant-on function. The user, however, has the option as to how to configure the data processing system default parameters.
The user enters a command as to which system is to have control over the common resources. The PC system or PDA system processes this command and initiate transfer of the common display and shared peripheral devices to the other system. When the PDA system is given control, the communication bus to the PC system is blocked, allowing the PDA system control over the shared peripherals. The PDA is also given control over the common display device. The PDA system contains individual memory storage, including memory related to start-up instructions.
While the PDA system is in control, the PC system operates in one of several restricted modes. Some of these modes include a power off state where all PC system only devices are powered down, a suspend state where the PC system does not execute and has a limited number of devices in a low power mode, or full power but cripled state where the shared resources and the PDA system are not available to the PC system.
When the PC system is given control, the PDA system becomes a slave resource of the PC system and the PC system is given control over the shared peripheral devices. The PC system is also given control over the common display device. The PC system has individual memory storage which includes start-up instruction code.
Control over which system has control over the shared resources can be done by a shared resource such as an Embedded Controller (EC). The EC acting under direction of either the PC system or the PDA system, directs control of the shared peripheral devices to the correct system.
The EC also controls the routing of the shared communication channel to allow the logical, electrical, and/or functional isolation needed for the correct operations of the mobile computing system.

Combination personal data assistant and personal computing device


A power regulating ballast for gaseous discharge lamps operated from a source of high-frequency power incorporates a method in an apparatus which utilizes a distributed capacitance in combination with an inductor and includes a current feedback derived from charges in the current flow through the lamp.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods of operation of gaseous discharge lamps and is more particularly directed to methods and apparatus for the operation of gaseous discharge lamps in systems incorporating high-frequency energy.
2. Prior Art
In addition to the prior art cited in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,918 issued Apr. 4, 1989 for HIGH-FREQUENCY LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR GAS DISCHARGE LAMPS, I am aware of various and sundry lamp-ballast combinations which are and have been used in the high-frequency lighting field. I am unaware of any lamp/ballast which provides starting under below zero temperature conditions and the regulation and power factor characteristics of my invention as will be set forth below.

Regulating ballast with power factor correction for high-frequency gaseous discharge lamps


There are times when a first user may wish to distribute an excerpt of a protected digital content to a second user, for example for criticism. The protected digital content is divided into a plurality of parts, each part being encrypted using a control word specific for the part, wherein each control word can be generated from a master control word for the protected digital content. A device belonging to the first user selects the parts of the excerpt; generates the control words for the selected parts from the master control word; generates a license for the selected parts, the license comprising the control words for the selected parts; and transmits the selected parts and the license to the receiver of the second user. Also provided is the device of the first user.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
DRM solution are often considered as user unfriendly, a common complaint being that DRMs prohibit fair use as defined by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 1998 [see http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf]. Among the many things considered as part of fair use is the right of an end user to cite or use an excerpt of a work, i.e. content item, for criticism, scholarship and so on. This is however not possible with the prior art DRM solutions.
It will therefore be appreciated that there is a need for a DRM solution that can:                Protect a content item against illegal or unauthorized use.        Allow an end user to extract a portion of the content item and redistribute the portion to other end users who may then access the portion, regardless of whether or not these end users have access rights to the entire content item.        Make it difficult for colluding end users to distribute an entire work freely by concatenating a set of excerpts of the work.
The present invention provides a part of such a solution: to wit, it enables an end user to extract an excerpt of the content item and send the excerpt to another end user that may then access the excerpt.