The present invention relates to an apparatus which is designed to employ thermal stimulated processes for analyzing relaxation spectra and resonances in materials. The invention is characterized in that at least two coupled excitation fields are applied to the sample of material analyzed along with a programmed temperature variation, to deconvolute during the thermally stimulated recovery stage the global deformation resulting from the excitation stage. In other words, this invention is designed to obtain one by one the individual and elementary relaxation motions responsible for the global deformation, whether these elementary internal motions have a mechanical, electrical or magnetic origin. Moreover, the relaxation spectra for the motions resulting from the coupling between mechanical, electrical and/or electromagnetical excitations are obtained at the same time and are interrelated.

Thermally stimulated processes are documented in the literature (Chapter 10 in the ACS Book Polymer Characterization, "Characterization of Polymers by Thermally Stimulated Current Analysis and Relaxation Map Analysis Spectroscopy, by J. P. Ibar, et al., Polymer Characterization Advances in Chemistry Series No. 227, Edited by Clara D. Craver and Theodore Provder; and for the TSCR: Chapter in the ACS Book Polymer Characterization, "Thermally Stimulated Creep for the Study of Copolymers and Blends" by Philippe Demont, et al.). The aim of such processes, which will be examined in greater detail hereinafter, is to understand the behavior of materials by studying the relaxations and internal motions which take place in order to optimize their mechanical, electrical, magnetic, etc., performances.
More generally speaking, the recovery process of a system applies to the phenomenon of recovering its initial state, after the application of a deformation has taken the system out of equilibrium. The recovery process is stimulated by a (linear) temperature increase, or can occur isothermally over time. Relaxation phenomena in materials during recovery are the results of internal motions due to disturbances either of a mechanical, electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic nature. Materials processed in industry have physical properties which depend on the ability to have local motion within the internal structure irrespective of whether this motion occurs at the level of the molecules, the atoms, or the macromolecules (for polymeric materials), or at the sub-atomic level. Deformation at one level or the other depends upon the type of excitation field involved to bring the material out of its equilibrium state at a given temperature.
Essentially, three types of methods for studying relaxation phenomena and resonances can be distinguished: (1) resonance methods, (2) damping analysis methods and (3) heat stimulated methods. In the resonance method, the material is subjected to a periodic excitation at a fixed frequency of a mechanical, electrical or magnetic nature at a determined temperature and fixed pressure. The periodic excitation frequency can be adjusted to enable the determination of the resonance frequency for this temperature and pressure. The frequency of resonance corresponds to the frequency of the internal motion occurring under these conditions. An alternative method, which is frequently used, consists in subjecting the material to an excitation at a determined frequency and programming a variation in temperature. When the temperature reaches a level capable of allowing the internal movements sought to be characterized, a resonance peak for the selected excitation frequency is observed. It is possible to operate at various (fixed) frequencies and thus analyze the dependence between frequency and temperature which provides access to the mechanism responsible for internal motion under investigation.
In many instances, the internal motion is kinetically controlled, and the variation in the resonance peak frequency (fm) varies with the maximum temperature of the peak Tm, and the results are often collected as the ln (fm) versus 1/Tm, a so-called Arrhenius diagram (Tm is in degrees Kelvin and ln is the natural logarithm). The linearity of the Arrhenius line is indicative of an activated phenomenon. The slope of the straight line in the Arrhenius diagram is related to the activation enthalpy of the process due to internal motions and the intercept is proportional to the activation entropy, i.e., to the jump frequency between the activated states allowing potion. By determining the values of the entropy and enthalpy, one can determine the origin of the movements occurring inside the material irrespective of their origin, whether it is viscous, atomic or sub-atomic. Mechanical deformation fields allow movements of the viscous type to occur in the material (so does ultrasonic excitation) and electrical fields (voltages) applied to the material allow the study of motions related to the electronic interactions between the atoms inside the material. The sub-atomic movements are delocalized by applying electromagnetic excitations.
In the characterization processes which are the subject of this invention, the temperature program is always the same regardless of the origin of the excitation, and consists of exciting the material at a particular temperature, then quenching it, interrupted by partial isothermal relaxation if necessary, and finally heating it up linearly to "develop" the response to the excitation stage during a thermally stimulated return to equilibrium.
The analysis methods using damping in the material consist in the application of a deformation of the material for a given length of time at a given temperature, cutting off the source of the excitation and analyzing the return to equilibrium (recovery curve) at that temperature by recording the freely oscillating damping curve. The equation of the recovery curve gives direct access to the damping factor at that corresponding temperature. The frequency of the oscillation and the damping factor relate to internal friction, and provide the relaxation time at the corresponding temperature. The frequency of oscillation and the damping factor vary with the temperature at which the material is being deformed. This enables the determination of the damping factor at different frequencies and different temperatures. As above, the origin of the internal motions may be found by studying the corresponding Arrhenius diagrams in plots of log of EQU ln (fm) vs. 1/Tm
The so-called "thermal stimulated" methods comprise purely calorimetric methods and methods combining the influence of temperature and a "stimulant" variable which may be a mechanical, electrical or an electromagnetic variable. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) consists in comparing the calorific energy flux supplied to two crucibles located in the same thermostatic atmosphere, a device in which one of the two crucibles contains the material to be analyzed. The temperature in the chamber may be programmed to increase, decrease, or to stay constant (isothermal mode). In a DSC the calorimeter is servo regulated in such a way that the temperature of the two crucibles is exactly the same. The variable energy flux supplied or subtracted from the crucibles is recorded as the temperature of the cell varies, or as a function of time under isothermal conditions. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) is a slight variant of this microcalorimetric DSC process, for which the fine difference in the temperature between the two crucibles is recorded as a function of the cell temperature. The difference in the temperature between the two crucibles changes when there is an alteration in the physical structure or in the physical and/or chemical structure resulting in the variation in enthalpy within the material. In a DSC analysis, the energy flow differential to maintain the two pans at the same temperature is recorded, and a peak is observed when there is a modification in the thermodynamic state of the material. The peak characteristics relate to the state of the material, and transcribe the extent of internal motion and local reorganization, for instance due to molecular relaxations. Differential scanning calorimetry is a rapid and streamlined method of determining phase transitions in materials, for example in order to determine fusion and solidification temperatures, and the glass transition temperature in the case of the amorphous phase of non-crystalline or semi-crystalline materials. It should be noted that in this characterization technique, temperature essentially plays two roles, that of stimulator by contributing thermal energy capable of initiating activated internal motions, and that of sensor, by comparative measurements of the temperature or the flow of energy of the two crucibles, one containing the material to be characterized.
One variant of this process consists in obtaining calorific heat capacity curves as a function of the temperature at different atmospheric pressures.
Atmospheric pressure plays an important role with respect to the kinetics of relaxation phenomena. It is presently known that an increase in pressure is accompanied by a restriction of internal movements, which is observed in differential microcalorimetry by an increase in the temperature at which the internal movements are released during a thermal analysis. Apparatus currently marketed enable microcalorimetry curves to be obtained at pressurized atmospheres. The pressure remains constant during the heating or cooling cycle of these analyses. It is one of the characteristics of the present invention to provide means to submit the crucibles and their content to a pressure history treatment to enable the fine characterization of internal motions inside the material under investigation.
A further important type of analytical instruments for measuring internal movements in materials by the thermal-stimulated effect is described in the works of several authors, and concerns thermal-stimulated current techniques (TSC), and thermal-stimulated creep techniques (TSCR). These techniques are relatively original with respect to the previously described techniques. In these techniques temperature plays the role of developer while the external variables imposed during the excitation stage play the role of "marker".
In a variant of the process, described in further detail hereinafter, temperature also plays the role of "filter" for the relaxation times; this is the "thermal-windowing" filtering method. The aim of the excitation, in the form of a mechanical, electrical or magnetic field, etc., imposed on the material at a given temperature, is to induce orientation, or more generally to cause an imbalance in the system, by the effect of the field on the free activation energy value. The field intensity imposed remains fixed for a given time, the time for the new state of equilibrium to establish itself, and the temperature is lowered very quickly (tempering) to a temperature at which the new thermodynamic state of the material is no longer able to modify itself, for kinetic reasons; consequently a "frozen-in picture" of the state obtained at high temperature is produced. Analysis by the thermal stimulated effect consists in suppressing the field at low temperatures and reheating the material, which is now free of all stresses, and in so doing freeing up the internal motions which are thermally activated to allow their return to equilibrium. The kinetics for the return to equilibrium, induced by the temperature, can be analyzed quantitatively and is a function of the processing parameters of the material and its chemical structure. It is also a function of the morphology.
The thermal stimulated effect reveals all the relaxation modes occurring in a global manner. If the local motions inside the material are not simple in the sense of a pure relaxation of the Debye type, or when there is a large degree of interactive coupling between the relaxation modes responsible for the global response of the material, it is then very difficult to attribute to the recovery curve any particular local motion occurring in the material. Since the entire response of the material to a given excitation is global, it is generally essential to deconvolute the global response and define the relaxation time distribution, corresponding by analogy to different coupled resonators. The coupling between the elementary modes of relaxation is subject to a specific kinetics, itself a function of structural, chemical and morphological parameters. The description of the elementary modes, their thermo-kinetic characteristics (activation energy and entropy) and the description of the coupling is essential for understanding the macroscopic properties of materials. The TSC (thermally stimulated current) and TSCR (thermal stimulated creep processes) are thermal stimulated techniques which use the application of a field, either electrical (for TSC) or mechanical (for TSCR) at a given temperature in order to orient the dipoles in the material (TSC) or the chain segments (TSCR), with the aim of disclosing their individual existence when heated up in a controlled manner after cooling, and after the application of the field has been removed.
The two techniques, TSC and TSCR, have been described in the literature (for the TSC: Chapter 10 in the ACS Book Polymer Characterization, "Characterization of Polymers by Thermally Stimulated Current Analysis and Relaxation Map Analysis Spectroscopy, by J. P. Ibar, et al., Polymer Characterization Advances in Chemistry Series No. 227, Edited by Clara D. Craver and Theodore Provder; and for the TSCR: Chapter in the ACS Book Polymer Characterization, "Thermally Stimulated Creep for the Study of Copolymers and Blends" by Philippe Demont, et al.).
The principle of the thermal stimulated windowing technique is summarized herewith. The technique has been used a great deal by the scientists of the Laboratory of Physique des Solides in Toulouse, France. These researchers, headed by Professor Lacabanne, concentrated on the application of the thermal windowing method with the aim of isolating one by one the individual relaxations making up a cooperative complex spectrum. The method consists in applying an excitation field (electrical or mechanical) to induce orientation in the material at a selected temperature of excitation T.sub.p. The temperature is subsequently lowered by a few degrees, with the field still applied. At that temperature T.sub.d, the excitation field is then removed and the material is free to return to its state of equilibrium at this temperature T.sub.d. However, it can only do so for a small time t.sub.d and therefore the material cannot relax completely at T.sub.d, and the remaining orientation induced in the material is then frozen in by quenching to a very low temperature T.sub.0. The subsequent reheating at a controlled heating speed, discloses the elementary kinetics of the relaxation mode isolated in the window temperature range (T.sub.p -T.sub.d). The curve obtained during this recovery stage at a constant rate of heating is of a Debye nature, which may be analyzed directly and quantitatively according to the Arrhenius formulation to determine the activation enthalpy and activation entropy parameters for this isolated deconvoluted elementary relaxation. By changing the value of T.sub.p around the global temperature peak observed in either TSC or TSCR, all the relaxation modes co-operating in an interactive manner and contributing to the global response observed without thermal windowing can be isolated one by one. This represents the description of the prior art according to the processes described as thermal stimulated processes.
However, these known methods for analyzing and characterizing materials by the thermal stimulated effect have major negative drawbacks: the method using thermal stimulated current cannot be applied to conductors or semi-conductor materials for which the electrical resistance is smaller than 10.phi. ohms/meter of thickness; the method using thermal stimulated creep is not easy to apply to pasty or liquid materials and does not allow temperatures close to the fusion point of the materials to be reached; and there is no simple correlation between the distribution spectra for the relaxation times obtained by TSC and TSCR analysis. This is a major drawback which casts a doubt on the validity of the results obtained by these techniques. The relationship between the mechanical and electrical spectrum of relaxation appears to be complex. In addition, the thermal stimulated method presented in the prior art appears to disturb the structural state of the sample owing to the very nature of the experiment itself: the TSC or TSCR methods consist in applying an electrical or mechanical field at a temperature T.sub.p in the vicinity of the temperature at which the internal motions occur. The effect of bringing the material to this temperature T.sub.p enables the latter to relax from its internal stresses, if there are any present, or to modify its morphology, if it is capable of crystallizing, or even modifying its degree of curing for curable materials and thermoset resins. It is therefore clear that thermal stimulated processes are restricted to the study of internal motions undisturbed by morphological changes at the analysis temperature T.sub.p.
The main disadvantage of differential microcalorimetry or of differential thermal analysis is that the instrument response is a global response which integrates the co-operative plurality of internal relaxations. A further main disadvantage is the low sensitivity in detecting "secondary" internal movements for which the activation enthalpy is low. Finally, this technique also presents difficulties, especially a lack of sensitivity, in studying certain phenomena such as the orientation of plastic materials or the physical aging phenomena. For instance, it is not rare to observe great variations in the mechanical properties of plastic materials and not to lack such evidence of any difference on the basis of the corresponding traces in DSC analyses. Differential microcalorimetry appears not to be very sensitive to internal stresses relaxed kinetically during physical aging.
Another major disadvantage of the thermal stimulated processes described in the prior art is that the sample must be changed for each temperature T.sub.p when the object of the analysis is to study physical aging or internal stresses. This results in a long and expensive analysis process. In the prior art, a technician using the TSC analysis cell or TSCR analysis cell must prepare a variety of samples and introduce them in succession one after the other. The thermal windowing experiments are then run according to the previous description and a new sample has to be entered into the chamber for each T.sub.p since the sample which has been analyzed has lost its initial condition, which is what is being studied. The above procedure is repeated for each excitation temperature T.sub.p with a new sample until the complete relaxation spectrum is obtained. This method of analysis for isolating simple modes in materials having internal stresses requires a large number of samples and a great deal of labor.
Yet another major disadvantage of the prior art is that the TSC and TSCR cells are different and the two techniques cannot be used simultaneously on the same sample.

Apparatus for analyzing relaxation spectra and resonances in materials by thermal stimulated recovery


A conforming radar reflector that includes a thin, metallic reflector layer with a plurality of corner reflectors formed or molded. The shape and orientation of the corner reflectors on the reflector layer produce a strong radar return signal and enable the reflector to bend and conform to the shape of a support object or surface. The corner reflectors are recessed cavities with three converging reflecting surfaces oriented 90 degrees apart from each other and attached at their adjoining edges. Adjacent corner reflectors are rotated and offset approximately 60 degrees. When viewed from the front, six adjacent corner reflectors are aligned in radial pattern each with one vertex pointing to a common center. Disposed between the outer perimeter edges on adjacent corner reflectors is flexible intermediate section that acts as a living hinge that enables the reflector layer to be bent along the intermediate section to conform to an outer surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to radar reflectors and more particularly, low profile radar reflectors designed to conform to the shape of any surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corner reflectors are commonly used on ships and large boats to reflect radar signals back to a radar source. To be effective, relatively large corner reflectors were used in the prior art to produce strong returns on radar source screens.
A typically corner reflector includes three reflective surfaces oriented 90 degrees apart from each other and attached at their adjoining edges. When an incoming radar wave reaches one of the reflective surfaces, it is reflected to one of the other reflective surfaces and back to source along a path parallel to the incoming radar wave.
To reflect radar waves coming from any direction, multi-directional radar reflectors have been developed. On one version, the radar reflector includes eight corner reflectors placed in a back-to-back arrangement forming an octahedron shape. Because only eight corner reflectors are used, each corner reflector must be relatively large to produce a strong return signal. The overall size of the radar reflector is large and requires rigid structures and surfaces to hold them in a fixed position. Because of their size, they are unsightly and create significant wind resistance or drag. In some instances, they may also interfere with standing and running rigging.
What is needed is a lightweight, low profile radar reflector that produces a strong return signal that can be manufactured in different sizes and flat and curved shapes that enable it to be mounted on different support surfaces.


A sensor assembly for electric field sensing is provided. The sensor assembly may include an array of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based resonant tunneling devices. A resonant tunneling device may be configured to generate a resonant tunneling signal in response to the electric field. The resonant tunneling device may include at least one electron state definer responsive to changes in at least one respective controllable characteristic of the electron state definer. The changes in the controllable characteristic are configured to affect the tunneling signal. An excitation device may be coupled to the resonant tunneling device to effect at least one of the changes in the controllable characteristic affecting the tunneling signal. A controller may be coupled to the resonant tunneling device and the excitation device to control the changes of the controllable characteristic in accordance with an automated control strategy configured to reduce an effect of noise on a measurement of the electric field.

Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of electric field sensing, and more particularly to resonant tunneling based electric field sensors.
Stand-off sensing of an electric field may be required in certain applications. For example, non-invasive sensing may be required so that the electric field is not disturbed by the presence of an external body (sensing device). In one example application, the electric field to be sensed may be in a range from about 10 microvolt per meter to about 100 microvolts per meter at a stand-off distance of about 1 cm. Application specific frequency ranges may be in a range from about 0.5 Hz to about 30 Hz with bandwidth bins of about 5 Hz.
Conventional approaches to stand-off electric field sensing include optical approaches, capacitive approaches and approaches employing a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). SQUID requires cryo-cooling, hence, is not considered viable from a monetary and space point of view. Optical approaches for stand-off electric field sensing rely on electro-optic effects. Optical devices for such optical approaches can meet sensitivity requirements, however, these optical devices face challenges with regard to packaging requirements from a size, weight and cost perspective. Capacitive approaches provide a global optimum with respect to stand-off distance, however, disadvantageously, the capacitive devices, such as capacitive sensors suffer from low frequency electronic noise.
Accordingly, there is a need for electric field sensing devices that have reasonable sensitivity and are easy to package.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

MEMS-based resonant tunneling devices and arrays of such devices for electric field sensing


A drive circuit of a liquid crystal display device performs line inversion drive based on a correction video signal V. A look-up table (12) includes two types of tables having stored therein correction values for use in overshoot drive. Based on a current-frame video signal X, a previous-frame video signal Y stored in a frame memory (11), and a polarity-reversing signal REV, a correction process portion (13) reads a correction value from the look-up table (12), and outputs the correction value being read as the correction video signal V. In such a manner, a correcting circuit (10) is used to control the degree of overshoot in accordance with the polarity-reversing signal REV. Thus, it is possible to suitably control the change in pixel brightness regardless of the polarity of the applied voltage, thereby preventing any fringes from being generated while displaying moving images.

When a voltage with the same polarity is continuously applied to pixels, liquid crystal display devices might suffer some failure, such as burn-in, and therefore they employ drive methods in which the polarity of the voltage applied to the pixels is changed every predetermined period. Examples of the methods used include frame inversion drive in which the voltage polarity is changed every frame, line inversion drive in which the voltage polarity is changed every line or every several lines, and dot inversion drive in which the voltage polarity is changed for each pixel. Also, in order to improve response speed, some liquid crystal display devices perform overshoot drive (also referred to as "overdrive" or "overdriving"), applying a voltage higher or lower than the voltage that should be applied to pixels based on a video signal for the current frame and a video signal for the previous frame.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a conventional liquid crystal display device that performs line inversion drive and overshoot drive. In FIG. 13, a correcting circuit 90 includes a frame memory 91, a look-up table 92, and a correction process portion 93. The frame memory 91 stores a video signal of one frame, and the look-up table 92 has stored therein correction values emphasizing temporal signal change. Based on a video signal X for the current frame supplied from a signal source S and a video signal Y for the previous frame stored in the frame memory 91, the correction process portion 93 reads a correction value from the look-up table 92, and outputs the correction value being read as a correction video signal V.
A display control circuit 1, a scanning signal line drive circuit 2, and a data signal line drive circuit 3 drive scanning signal lines G1 to Gn and data signal lines S1 to Sm based on the correction video signal V, and a control signal C1 supplied from the signal source S by way of the correcting circuit 90, thereby performing line inversion drive on a pixel array 5 including pixels 6. A common electrode drive circuit 4 applies a common electrode voltage Vcom to a common electrode 7 provided in the pixel array 5.
Referring to FIGS. 14A to 14D, effects of overshoot drive will be described. FIGS. 14A to 14D show changes of the voltage applied to the pixels and changes in pixel intensity in the case where the intensity is increased from an initial value Li to a target value Lt within one frame period from time t1 to time t2. When overshoot drive is not performed, a voltage Vt corresponding to the target value Lt for the intensity is applied to the pixels during the period from time t1 to time t2 (FIG. 14A). Accordingly, the intensity approximates the target value Lt at a certain speed (FIG. 14B). However, depending on the combination of the initial value Li and the target value Lt for the intensity, the intensity might not reach the target value Lt within one frame period. At time t2 in the example shown in FIG. 14B, the intensity only reaches a level that is lower than the target value Lt by ΔL.
On the other hand, when overshoot drive is performed, a voltage Vo higher than the voltage Vt is applied to the pixels during the period from time t1 to time t2 (FIG. 14C). Accordingly, the intensity approximates the target value Lt at a higher speed than when overshoot drive is not performed (FIG. 14D). Therefore, by applying a voltage at a suitable level in accordance with the combination of the initial value Li and the target value Lt for the intensity, it becomes possible to allow the intensity to reach the target value Lt within one frame period. At time t2 in the example shown in FIG. 14D, the intensity coincides with the target value Lt. Note that when the target value for the intensity is lower than the initial value, a voltage lower than the voltage corresponding to the target value for the intensity is applied to the pixels.
Overshoot drive is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses technology for passive-matrix liquid crystal display devices having their response speeds changed according to the polarity of an applied voltage, in which two types of signals are used to generate a pixel signal for maximizing a torque applied to liquid crystal molecules during switching.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-265298
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-54972

Liquid crystal display device and method for emphasizing temporal signal change on a video signal based on at least a polarity for the video signal


A thermal imaging apparatus comprises a housing defining an entrance pupil for ingress of imaging radiation. At least one light sensor is positioned forward of the entrance pupil. An electronic imaging device such as a focal plane array is located in the housing rearward of the entrance pupil for converting imaging radiation to electrical signals for further processing. The apparatus further includes a shutter having an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the shutter is located between the entrance pupil and the electronic imaging device so as to inhibit exposure of the electronic imaging device to incident radiation. Circuitry is provided for selectively operating the shutter to be in the closed position based on signals produced at the light sensor.

The present invention relates generally to thermal imagers. More particularly, the invention relates to a thermal imager having a mechanism for protecting internal components from damage due to sunlight and other high energy radiation sources.
Thermal imaging cameras are widely used in a variety of applications, such as predictive maintenance in industrial facilities. While past imagers often utilized a scanning technique, modern imagers generally incorporate an infrared (IR) focal plane array (FPA) for producing the thermal image. Focal plane arrays have many advantages, such as the speed at which successive images can be produced for display.
One drawback of current focal plane arrays is their susceptibility to damage when exposed to high radiation sources such as sunlight. For example, a user may inadvertently damage the focal plane array (and thus the overall imager) by waving the imager's lens in a direction toward the sun. Thus, a need exists to provide methods of protecting the focal plane array from sunlight exposure.

Thermal imager having sunlight exposure protection mechanism


A liquid crystal display device includes first substrate having an active region and a non-active region along a peripheral portion of the active region, a second substrate facing and spaced apart from the first substrate, and having an active region and a non-active region along a peripheral portion of the active region, a seal pattern between the first and second substrates disposed along a border of the active and non-active regions, a gate line on an interior surface of the first substrate and crossing the seal pattern, a data line crossing the gate line and the seal pattern, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, a common electrode on an interior surface of the second surface, a first step-compensating pattern adjacent to the seal pattern and the gate line, a second step-compensating pattern adjacent to the seal pattern and the data line, and a liquid crystal material layer between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal panel having a step-compensating pattern and a fabricating method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device makes use of optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal molecules have a definite orientational alignment that results from their thin, long shape. The alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by application of an electric field to the liquid crystal molecules. Accordingly, as an intensity of the applied electric field changes, the alignment orientation of the liquid crystal molecules also changes. Since incident light through a liquid crystal material is refracted due to an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules resulting from the optical anisotropy of the aligned liquid crystal molecules, an intensity of the incident light can be controlled and images can be displayed.
Among the various type of LCD devices commonly used, active matrix LCD (AM-LCD) devices where thin film transistors (TFTs) and pixel electrodes connected to the TFTs are disposed in matrix have been developed because of their high resolution and superior display of moving images.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel for a liquid crystal display device according to a related art. In FIG. 1, a liquid crystal panel includes an active region "I" and a non-active region "II" disposed at a peripheral portion of the active region "I." First and second substrates 10 and 30 face each other, and a seal pattern 40 for attaching the first and second substrates 10 and 30 is formed between the first and second substrates 10 and 30. A liquid crystal material layer 50 is disposed at an interior region of the seal pattern 40, and is formed by injecting liquid crystal material through an injection hole 42 of the seal pattern 40. After injecting the liquid crystal material, the injection hole 42 is closed with a bonding seal 44 to prevent a leakage of the injected liquid crystal material.
A plurality of gate lines 12 and a plurality of data lines 14 are formed at the active region "I," to cross each other, a thin film transistor (TFT) "T" is disposed at a cross of the gate line 12 and the data line 14, and a pixel electrode 16 is connected to the TFT "T." Although not shown in FIG. 1, a color filter layer, which includes red, green, and blue sub color filters, a black matrix, which is formed at a borderline between the adjacent sub color filters and a non-pixel region, and a common electrode are all formed on an interior surface of the second substrate 30.
The non-active region "II" is classified into a first non-active region "IIa" and a second non-active region "IIb," wherein the first non-active region "IIa" is disposed on the first substrate 10 and the second non-active region "IIb" is disposed on the second substrate 30 to be surrounded by the first non-active region "IIa." A gate pad 18 that connects the gate line 12 and an external circuit, and a data pad 20 that connects the data line 14 and an external circuit are formed within the first non-active region "IIa."
Array patterns, such as the gate line 12 and the data line 14, are formed through a photolithographic process where the same photoresist (PR) patterns as the array patterns are obtained by selectively exposing the PR of a photosensitive material using a photo mask. Chemical and physical process steps are repeated during the photolithographic process. As the number of the process steps increases, fabrication costs and possibilities of damage to the array patterns also increase. Accordingly, a fabricating process using a reduced number of masks has been developed. Thus, a five mask process that includes steps of forming a gate line, a semiconductor layer, a data line, a contact hole, and a pixel electrode may be replaced with a four mask process where the steps of forming the semiconductor layer and the data line are combined into a single step.
FIGS. 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views showing forming of a thin film transistor portion, a gate line portion, and a data line portion of a liquid crystal panel using a four mask process according to the related art, respectively. In FIG. 2A, a gate electrode 60 is formed on a substrate 1, a gate insulating layer 62 is formed on the gate electrode 60, and a semiconductor layer 64 and source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 are sequentially formed on the gate insulating layer 62. The gate electrode 60, the semiconductor layer 64, and the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 compose a thin film transistor (TFT) "T." A passivation layer 72, which includes a drain contact hole 70, is formed on the TFT "T," and a pixel electrode 74 is formed on the passivation layer 72. The drain contact hole 70 exposes the drain electrode 68 and the pixel electrode 74 is connected to the drain electrode 68 through the drain contact hole 70. The semiconductor layer 64 includes an active layer 64a of pure amorphous silicon (a-Si) and an ohmic contact layer 64b of impurity-doped amorphous silicon (n+ a-Si). The ohmic contact layer 64b between the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 is eliminated, and the active layer 64a under the eliminated ohmic contact layer 64b is exposed to form a channel region "ch" of the TFT "T." In a four mask process where the semiconductor layer 64 and the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 are etched at one time, the channel region "ch" is formed by using a diffraction mask where light transmittance is adjusted by diffraction.
In FIG. 2B, a gate line 76, a gate insulating layer 62, and a passivation layer 72 are sequentially formed on a substrate 1, and the gate line 76 is simultaneously formed with formation of a gate electrode 60 (in FIG. 2A).
In FIG. 2C, a gate insulating layer 62 is formed on a substrate 1, and a semiconductor 64 and a data line 78 are sequentially formed on the gate insulating layer 62. The data line 78 is simultaneously formed with formation of the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 (in FIG. 2A),and a passivation layer 72 is formed on the data line 78.
In general, since the steps of forming the semiconductor layer and the data line are performed at one time using a single photo mask in a four mask process, the semiconductor layer 64 has the same pattern as the data line 78 and the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68. Accordingly, a first accumulated thickness D1 (in FIG. 2B) of a gate line portion is different from a second accumulated thickness D2 (in FIG. 2C) of a data line portion. The difference between the first and second accumulated thicknesses "D1" and "D2" results from a difference between the thickness of the gate line 76 (in FIG. 2B) and the thickness of the semiconductor layer and the data line 64 and 78 (in FIG. 2C). For example, when the gate line has a thickness of 2700 Å, the gate insulating layer has a thickness of 4000 Å, the semiconductor layer has a thickness of 2000 Å, the data line has a thickness of 1500 Å, and the passivation layer has a thickness of 2000 Å. Accordingly, the first accumulated thickness D1 of the gate line portion is 8700 Å and the second accumulated thickness D2 of the data line portion is 9500 Å. The difference between the first and second accumulated thicknesses "D1" and "D2" is 800 Å. This difference creates a cell gap difference at a peripheral portion of the seal pattern, whereby non-uniformity of the cell gap creates spots in displayed images.

Liquid crystal display device including step-compensating pattern and fabricating method thereof


A CO2 laser system which includes the CO2 laser unit, a microscope for receiving the laser beam and directing the beam to the infected area; a modified air cystoscope which further comprises a first primary member having a shaft portion with a continuous bore therethrough; a flare neck portion, and a handle member attached to the flared neck member; a secondary member, further comprising a primary shaft portion and enlarged cone portion, and a rear handle portion, with the outer diameter of the cone being of substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of the shaft member, so that upon being inserted into the shaft member the cone would protrude out from the shaft member and serve as a means for directing the shaft into the female urethra opening thus eliminating the blunt end of the shaft making contact therewith. There would further be included a means for removing the secondary member from the bore in the shaft, to expose the urethra wall or trigone area for visualization through the bore in the shaft, and means for further directing a laser beam through the opening in the shaft for making direct with the infected area either on the trigone or the wall of the urethra, depending on the area to be treated.

1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to laser surgery. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus, or modified air cystoscope utilized in a system for the treatment of the female urethral and trigone portion of the bladder using the CO2 laser primarily for eradicating urethral and trigonal condylomata acuminata.
2. General Background
In the treatment of diseases concerning the female urethral and the floor of the bladder, or trigone, visualization of the infected areas has been undertaken by the use of an apparatus known as a Kelly Air Cystoscope. Such a device included a handle member attached to a hollow shaft portion which terminated in a flared neck to which the handle was attached. There is included a second portion comprising a primary shaft with a cone on the forward portion of the shaft, and a handle portion on the rear portion of the shaft, with the second member insertable into the bore of the shaft so that once fully inserted the cone portion would protrude out from the distal end of the shaft, and the handle portion could be grasped together with the handle portion at the primary member. The device was of a particular length and diameter so that it could be inserted into the urethra opening of the female bladder, and when the secondary portion was then removed from the shaft, one could visually inspect through the bore the trigone area of the bladder, or the wall of the urethra opening, in order to determine whether infections or the like are present in these areas. This tool was used primarily, but not exclusively, as a visualization tool, prior to treatment of these areas in the most common manner.
With the on-set of the use of laser treatment of infected areas, such as bladder or urethra infections, one of the more particular problems in the treatment of these areas with the laser, is the ability to direct the laser beam directly to the infected area so that the beam is not hindered in it's passage through the urethra opening. This problem is an on-going problem and was heretofore unsolved until the use of the combination of the laser beam with the modified cystoscope as heretofore as described, by the present inventor.
The prior art would disclose the Kelly Cystoscope in all of the classic literature in the area of urethra or trigone infections, and the Kelly Air Cystoscope is a known apparatus used widely over many years in the medical field. Further, there are patents which were found as a result of a search conducted in the U.S. Patent Office, which address the type of an apparatus which may be used in the similar manner as a Kelly Air Cystoscope, these patents which are as follows:
______________________________________ PATENT NO. PATENTEE TITLE ______________________________________ 2,279,714 Meyerhof "Cystoscope" 2,487,498 Wallace "Cystoscope" 4,211,229 Wurster "Laser Endoscope" 4,266,548 Davi "Apparatus For And Method Of Utilizing Energy To Excise Pathological Tissue" 4,313,431 Frank "Endoscopic Apparatus With A Laser Light Conductor" 4,557,255 Goodman "Urethroscope" 4,630,598 Bonnet "Uretero-Renoscope" 4,760,840 Fournier, Jr. "Endoscopic Laser Instrument" 4,881,524 Boebel "Instrument For Guiding A Laser Light Transmitting Fiber" 4,899,734 Gelley "Speculum With Arresting Device" ______________________________________

System for laser treatment of the female urethra and bladder


A merchandise display security tether includes a mounting base, a releasable adhesive for releasably attaching the mounting base to an article of merchandise, and a housing configured to be positioned over the mounting base and a releasing portion of the releasable adhesive. The housing is secured to the mounting base by a tamper-proof fastener to prevent access to the releasing portion of the releasable adhesive. The security tether further includes a security cable having a first end attached to the housing and a second end for attachment to a merchandise display. The housing is removable by a special tool to expose the releasing portion of the releasable adhesive. The releasing portion is pulled to release the mounting base and the article of merchandise without damage to the merchandise and without leaving an adhesive residue on the merchandise.

Retailers routinely display articles of merchandise, such as portable computers (e.g. notebooks, laptops, tablets, etc.), e-readers, media players, and the like for customers to evaluate before making a purchase. These articles of merchandise are continually being made smaller and lighter in weight due to advances in technology and materials. As a result, such merchandise is increasingly vulnerable and susceptible to theft. At the same time, the retail price and profit margin for such merchandise continues to decline. Accordingly, these articles of merchandise need to be secured by a security device that effectively and cost efficiently protects the merchandise from theft.
Merchandise display security devices for displaying and protecting articles of merchandise attached to a mechanical tether are known. However, the known devices are not configured to be removed quickly and easily without causing damage to the article of merchandise and without leaving an adhesive residue on the merchandise that requires subsequent cleaning.
Known merchandise display security devices include a security tether consisting of a vinyl covered steel cable that is configured to attach at one end to an opening, recess or slot provided on a laptop computer. The other end of the tether is looped around a secure fixture, such as a bar, post, table leg or the like, or alternatively, is anchored, for example by a mechanical fastener, to a tabletop, counter, shelf or other display surface used in retail sales. It is also known to secure the other end of the tether to a mounting base that is in turn attached to the tabletop, counter, shelf or other display surface by means of a relatively strong adhesive.
A particular merchandise display security device configured to protect portable computers and like articles of merchandise is available from InVue Security Products Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., USA, and commercially known as the LTO Series 940 alarming module. The LTO Series 940 alarming module includes a tether having an anchor at one end and an alarm module at the other end. The anchor is configured to be quickly and easily anchored to a display surface, such as a tabletop, counter, shelf or the like used to conveniently display the portable article of merchandise for retail sales. The alarm module is configured to be quickly and easily attached to a relatively flat surface on the article of merchandise, for example to the rear surface of the display screen or video monitor of a laptop computer. The tether further includes a sense loop so that the alarm module will activate an alarm if the tether is cut, severed or decoupled from the anchor or the alarm module. The alarm module also activates the alarm if the anchor is removed from the display surface, or alternatively, if the alarm module is detached from the article of merchandise. The alarm module is typically attached to the article of merchandise by means of a relatively high-strength adhesive, for example a double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), so that the alarm module remains attached to the article of merchandise during an attempted theft and continues to alert store personnel to the location of the merchandise. As a result, it is nearly impossible to remove the alarm module from the article of merchandise without damaging the merchandise and without rendering the merchandise unsuitable for sale as a result of the adhesive residue that remains on the article when the alarm module is detached from the merchandise.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved merchandise display security device for protecting an article of merchandise from theft. There exists a further and more specific need for a merchandise display security tether including a releasable adhesive for attaching the tether to an article of merchandise. There exists another further and more specific need for a merchandise display security tether including a housing and at least one releasable adhesive strip, wherein the housing is configured to prevent access to a mounting base that is securely attached to the article of merchandise by means of the releasable adhesive strip. There exists yet another further and more specific need for a releasable adhesive that permits a merchandise display security tether to be quickly and easily removed from an article of merchandise without causing damage to the merchandise and without leaving an adhesive residue on the merchandise that requires subsequent cleaning.

Merchandise display security tether including releasable adhesive


A technique is provided that involves: configuring a clock generation circuit to output a first signal having a first frequency that is one of a plurality of frequencies that are different; generating in a clock section of a further circuit as a function of the first signal a second signal having a second frequency that is one of the plurality of frequencies other than the first frequency; and configuring the clock section to supply to the further circuit a clock signal that is one of the first and second signals.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are a well-known type of integrated circuit that can be programmed to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the field programmable gate array (FPGA), typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, input/output blocks (IOBs), configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated random access memory blocks (BRAM), multipliers, digital signal processing blocks (DSPs), processors, clock managers, delay lock loops (DLLs), and so forth.
Each programmable tile typically includes both programmable interconnect and programmable logic. The programmable interconnect typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by programmable interconnect points (PIPs). The programmable logic implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that can include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect and programmable logic are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
Another type of PLD is the Complex Programmable Logic Device, or CPLD. A CPLD includes two or more "function blocks" connected together and to input/output (I/O) resources by an interconnect switch matrix. Each function block of the CPLD includes a two-level AND/OR structure similar to those used in Programmable Logic Arrays (PLAs) and Programmable Array Logic (PAL) devices. In CPLDs, configuration data is typically stored on-chip in non-volatile memory. In some CPLDs, configuration data is stored on-chip in non-volatile memory, then downloaded to volatile memory as part of an initial configuration (programming) sequence.
For all of these programmable logic devices (PLDs), the functionality of the device is controlled by data bits provided to the device for that purpose. The data bits can be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static memory cells, as in FPGAs and some CPLDs), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.
Other PLDs are programmed by applying a processing layer, such as a metal layer, that programmably interconnects the various elements on the device. These PLDs are known as mask programmable devices. PLDs can also be implemented in other ways, e.g., using fuse or antifuse technology. The terms "PLD" and "programmable logic device" include but are not limited to these exemplary devices, as well as encompassing devices that are only partially programmable. For example, one type of PLD includes a combination of hard-coded transistor logic and a programmable switch fabric that programmably interconnects the hard-coded transistor logic.
Within an FPGA, different portions of the circuitry disposed at different locations may need clock signals with respective different frequencies. This presents issues as to how to distribute clock signals from a central clock generator to the various locations where different clocks are needed. On the one hand, it would be possible to distribute one or more clock signals having the highest frequency required anywhere. However, a higher frequency signal increases power consumption, and increases the potential for jitter and/or system noise. One cause of increased jitter is that fact that the shape of a high frequency signal may deviate farther from an ideal square wave than the shape of a lower frequency signal. An alternative approach is to distribute one or more clocks having a frequency lower than the highest required frequency, and then locally increase that frequency where a higher frequency is needed. However, variation in the duty cycle of one or more lower frequency clocks can potentially introduce jitter into higher frequency clocks that are generated from the lower frequency signals. Consequently, designing a system that distributes high frequency clocks can be advantageous for some applications but not other applications, whereas designing the system to distribute lower frequency clocks can also be advantageous for some applications but not other applications. Therefore, while existing clock distribution arrangements have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been satisfactory in all respects.

Method and apparatus for distributing clock signals


A peak detector circuit operates to charge a capacitor to a level proportional to the peak input signal level. The charging circuit includes an emitter follower driver. The response time of the charging circuit is enhanced by coupling a constant current to the emitter follower output. The constant current acts to lower the emitter follower source impedance which operates to increase the rate of capacitor charging.

In a typical peak detector circuit, a storage capacitor (SCAP) is charged by an emitter follower driver transistor which acts as a low impedance source of signal. Even with such a source, a finite time is required for the capacitor charge to rise to the peak value of the signal. In the interests of accuracy, the SCAP should be as large as possible. However, as the size of the capacitor is increased, it takes longer for it to reach its peak charge value. Therefore, the peak detector design must be a compromise that attempts to optimize the circuit characteristics in terms of the overall function. It is to be understood that a peak detector produces a DC output which is proportional to the AC peak signal input value. As long as such proportionality is maintained, the DC output need not actually equal the peak signal input. However, if such equality is necessary, there are circuits that can provide it.
The present invention relates to a gated peak detector. Such circuits include means for electronically turning the circuit on and off in response to a gate control signal. Upon receiving the turn-on signal, the circuit output will rise up to a d-c level proportional to the a-c peak input. However, a finite time is required for the output to achieve its peak-related level and this time interval is called the response time. This response time interval can be undesirably long. It would be desirable to include means for electronically controlling the response time in the peak detector circuit.

Electronic control of peak detector response time


A cable-tow system including a skiing surface. A drive tower, including a drive pulley, and a support tower, including a return pulley, are positioned on a periphery of the skiing surface. The cable-tow system further includes a stationary support cable spanning a first distance between the drive tower and the support tower. A movable drive cable spans a second distance between the drive pulley and the return pulley. The movable drive cable travels in an orbital fashion between the drive pulley and the return pulley. A truck is connected to the movable drive cable and includes at least one race pulley. The at least one race pulley engages the stationary support cable. A tow rope is connected to the truck and includes a handle for towing a skier. Movement of the movable drive cable moves the truck along a length of the stationary support cable.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to cable-tow systems and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to cable-tow systems utilizing a stationary support cable under high tension and a moving drive cable under low tension.
2. History of the Related Art
Water sports such as, for example, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and the like are popular recreational activities. However, pursuit of these activities can be difficult due to prohibitive expenses associated with required auxiliary equipment. Most notably, participation in most water sports generally requires the use of a boat, purchase, maintenance, and storage of which involves a considerable expense. Furthermore, good safety practices dictate that participation in water sports such as, for example, waterskiing or wakeboarding requires an experienced driver and spotter positioned in a rear region of the boat in addition to a skier. In addition, the boat, when moving at a requisite speed for waterskiing or wakeboarding, causes turbulent surface conditions in a body of water thereby increasing a level of difficulty and potential safety risk.
Cable-tow systems have been developed to allow skiers to enjoy water sports without a need for a boat. Cable-tow systems are typically disposed around a body of water and involve circulating highly tensioned cables in an orbital fashion. The requisite tensioning of moving cables presents several maintenance and safety problems.

Cable-tow system having a stationary support cable


A system and method for providing a device profile using a device identifier are disclosed. The system for providing a device profile using a device identifier includes: a mobile terminal that provides a device identifier having information regarding a hierarchical structure of a server and a model name; a plurality of servers that analyze the device identifier to recognize the lowermost server when the device identifier is queried, acquire a device profile corresponding to the device identifier through the lowermost server, and provide the acquired device profile; and an application server that connects to one of the plurality of servers, queries the device identifier, and is provided with a device profile corresponding to the device identifier. Device description of various mobile terminals can be more effectively managed and used in a mobile environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device description system and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing a device profile using a device identifier capable of effectively managing and using a device description of various mobile terminals in a mobile environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile terminal has diverse hardware and software characteristics, and even after the mobile terminal is rolled out as an early product, its device description may be dynamically altered due to external factors such as variations (i.e., transformations) between mobile communications providers, variations between national communications networks, the downloading of an application program, an addition of a new input/output device, and the like.
In order to provide an optimized service suitable for various mobile terminals, a system for effectively searching for and utilizing a device description is required.
However, the current device description management method, with respect to mobile terminals, simply allows for the static management of profile information, making it difficult to effectively search and utilize dynamically varying device descriptions as mentioned above.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the process of the related art method for providing a device profile in a mobile environment.
With reference to FIG. 1, a mobile terminal 11 transmits a Web address (URL) (e.g., 11.exam.com.1xml) for acquiring its terminal information and a standardized device profile information file known as a UA profile by using an HTTP header known as HTTP_X_WAP_PROFILE, while requesting the providing of a particular uniform resource identifier (URI) (S1).
Then, an application server 12 is connected to a UAP server (e.g., 11.exam.com) of a manufacturer having the Web address (URL) which has been provided by the mobile terminal 11, requests an XML file corresponding to the terminal information 1xml of the mobile terminal 11, and receives the same (S2 and S3).
The application server 12 parses the received XML file to extract a UA profile (S4), analyzes the HA profile to acquire device characteristics of the mobile terminal 11 (S5), adjusts contents or an application to be provided to the mobile terminal according to the acquired device characteristics, and provides the adjusted contents or application (S6 and S7).
In this manner, in the related art method for providing a device profile, the device description is statically stored in the particular server and accessed.
Namely, the mobile terminal device description is managed in a centralized manner, or is separately managed, according to device manufacturer, independently of other mobile terminal device descriptions.
Such a method only allows for the management of an initial mobile terminal device description, forbidding multiple variations or having difficulty in maintaining consistency between transformed information items.
In addition, the current method does not allow for providing of dynamic profile information altered after an initial product is rolled out.

System and method for providing device file using device identifier

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


Disclosed is a process for the preparation of a 1-benzylimidazole compound represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.2 represents a lower alkyl group or phenyl group, and R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,. which comprises heating and to react a 1-unsubstituted imidazole compound represented by the following general formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 are as defined above, with benzyl alcohol in the presence of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic anhydride, a benzyl ester thereof or a lower alkyl ester thereof, and neutralizing the reaction product with an alkali.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a 1-benzylimidazole compound by benzylation of a 1-unsubstituted imidazole, and also to a novel 1-benzylimidazole compound. The 1-benzylimidazole compound is valuable as a curing agent and a curing promoter for a polyepoxy resin.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A process for reacting a 1-unsubstituted imidazole compound with benzyl chloride, cooperating with an HC acceptor in an appropriate solvent having no active hydrogen atom is known [see, for example, Recl. Trev. Chim. Pays-Bas, Vol. 91, No. 12, 1383-1392 (1972)].
This benzylation process, however, involves the following problems. Namely, the 1-imidazole compound formed by the reaction between the 1-unsubstituted imidazole compound and benzyl chloride is likely to react further with unreacted benzyl chloride to form a 1,3-dibenzyl imidazolium chloride compound, and therefore, the unnecessary imidazolium chloride is formed as a by-product in a large quantity. Moreover, benzyl chloride is difficult to handle because of the lacrimatory property.

Process for preparation of 1-benzylimidazole compound


A network communications tunnel is established by assigning a unique label to each communications link between adjacent nodes in a pre-defined network path. A node""s unique label is used to forward a data packet to the adjacent node in the pre-defined path. The unique labels for all the nodes in the pre-defined path are stored by each node in the tunnel. A bypass tunnel to bypass a node in the pre-defined path may be established to reroute data packets around a failed communication link in the tunnel. The bypass tunnel may be established before the communication link failure providing fast tunnel restoration.

There is a growing need for realtime data transfer on the Internet to support realtime applications such as, teleconferencing and live video. However, the Internet is not designed for realtime data transfer. Data is transferred on the Internet using Transmission Control Protocol (xe2x80x9cTCPxe2x80x9d)/Internet Protocol (xe2x80x9cIPxe2x80x9d). TCP/IP includes four layers, the application layer, the transport layer, the network layer and the link layer.
Data originates in the application layer, for example, the application data may be frames of a live video to be transmitted from a source node to a destination node. The transport layer includes the TCP protocol. The TCP protocol in the source node processes the frames of the live video into TCP data packets and assigns a sequence number to each packet of data. The TCP protocol in the destination node reassembles the TCP data packets transmitted by the source node using the data packet""s sequence numbers.
The network layer includes the IP protocol. The IP protocol adds an IP address for the destination node to each TCP data packet. The size of the IP address added is dependent on the version of the IP protocol used. Version 4 of the IP protocol (xe2x80x9cIPv4xe2x80x9d) adds a 32 bit IP address to each TCP data packet. Version 6 of the IP protocol (xe2x80x9cIPv6xe2x80x9d), adds a 128 bit IP address to each TCP data packet. The link layer in the source node sends the TCP data packets including IP addresses over the physical medium. The link layer in the destination node receives the TCP data packets sent by the source node over the physical medium.
By dividing the application data into TCP data packets and providing the IP address for the destination node on each TCP data packet, each TCP data packet may travel on a different path between the source node and the destination node. Due to congestion in nodes along paths from the source node to the destination node, TCP data packets sent on different paths may not arrive in order.
For real-time data, for example, a live video the application can not wait until all the data packets are reassembled because the data packets are used as soon as they arrive at the destination node. If a data packet does not arrive at the destination node in time this delayed packet may be noticeable, for example, a delay in a data packet for live video may result in a loss of one or more frames of the video.
Extensions to TCP/IP have been proposed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (xe2x80x9cIETFxe2x80x9d) to add support for realtime data transfer. One proposed extension to provide in-order delivery of data packets for realtime data transfer between a source node and a destination node is Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) described in xe2x80x9cA Framework for Multiprotocol Label Switchingxe2x80x9d by Callon et al. in a Network Working Group Internet Draft published at http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-mpls-framework-02.txt on May 21, 1998 incorporated herein by reference. MPLS adds a label to a data packet to guide the data packets through nodes along a pre-defined path in a network. The pre-defined path is called a Label Switched Path (xe2x80x9cLSPxe2x80x9d)Tunnel. LSP tunnels may be established using the Resource ReSerVation Protocol (xe2x80x9cRSVPxe2x80x9d) described in xe2x80x9cResource ReSerVation Protocol (RSVP) Version 1 Functional Specificationxe2x80x9d by Branden et al. RSVP, Network Work Group, Request for Comment, 2205 published at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2205.txt on September 1997 incorporated herein by reference.
A xe2x80x9ctunnelxe2x80x9d in general, therefore, as used herein refers to a pre-defined path through networks. The xe2x80x9ctunnelxe2x80x9d may be established by RSVP or any other protocol now or hereafter established to support real time data transfer.
A tunnel failure may occur, for example, due to a hardware failure in one or more nodes or a communication link between nodes, requiring a new tunnel to be established to restore data packet transfer to transfer data. Until the new tunnel is established, data packets for the realtime application such as, live video are not being transmitted to the destination node.
The present invention provides a mechanism for quickly repairing a failure in a communications link and has particular application to failed communications links in tunnels established for realtime data transfer. The tunnel is established by assigning a label to each communication link. A plurality of labels for each communication link is stored in a node prior to any communication failure. The node may determine the label assigned to a communication link from the stored labels. After the detection of link failure the tunnel is repaired by redirecting data transfer for the tunnel around the failed communication link. The data transfer is redirected on an established bypass tunnel.
The labels are stored in the node by forwarding a message with a label table to each node in the tunnel. The node adds its address and the label for its communication link for the tunnel to the label table and stores a copy of the label table.
The nodes through which data transfer for the tunnel is to be directed may be determined before the communications link failure is detected. The bypass tunnel for redirecting data transfer for the tunnel may be established before the communications link failure is detected.


A method and a device for operating a vehicle allow a torque of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle to be measured. A torsional angle at at least one drive shaft of the vehicle is measured, and the torque transmitted via the at least one drive shaft is ascertained as a function of the measured torsional angle.

Methods and devices are known for operating a vehicle in which a torque of the vehicle is ascertained.
Today an engine control unit manages the drive train of the vehicle. Not only are the driver's intentions detected and the engine of the vehicle correspondingly controlled, but also torque requirements or limits of other components of the drive train, such as the driving dynamics control or the vehicle transmission, are taken into account. The engine control unit calculates the torque at various locations on the drive train of the vehicle, such as at the output from the engine, the output from the transmission, and/or at a wheel of the vehicle. These torques are measured during an application phase and stored in characteristic maps. The actual torque present is no longer measured during operation of the vehicle.

Method and device for operating a vehicle


A system and method for packaging a plurality of sections of bed dividers which form a boundary between adjacent landscaping areas. Each section includes an elongated divider structure having an enlarged upper portion and a flange portion extending lengthwise along the upper portion and depending downwardly therefrom for insertion in the ground. A plurality of the bed divider sections are arranged in an elongated stack of juxtaposed sections. Another of the bed divider sections is arranged lengthwise along at least one side of the stack in such a manner that its flange portion is generally perpendicular to the flange portions of the plurality of bed divider sections in the stack. All of the bed divider sections are held in this arrangement whereby the stack of bed divider sections rigidify the package in one transverse direction, and the side bed divider section rigidifies the package in the opposite transverse direction.

It long has been the practice to separate various areas of a lawn, garden or other landscaping areas by means of gravel, rocks, bricks or other suitable means arranged to form a boundary between the particular landscaping area and adjacent areas. The lawn often is separated by a flower bed or garden by a brick coping or curb, or the space adjacent the base of a tree often is separated from the lawn in the same general manner. As frequently happens, plant life such as grass or the like roots through or between the coping and into the area which is desired to be separated from the lawn. Consequently, a bed divider is provided to prevent such grass rooting and spreading.
Bed divider structures presently available usually include an enlarged upper portion such as of a tubular configuration and a flange portion extending lengthwise along the upper portion and depending downwardly therefrom for insertion in the ground, whereby the upper portion is located above the top surface of the ground and the flange portion forms a barrier between adjacent landscaping areas. Often, means such as outwardly projecting lips are provided on the flange portion to facilitate securing the flange portion in the ground. An example of such a landscaping bed divider structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,473, dated Aug. 4, 1981, and of which I am a co-inventor. The landscaping bed divider structure of that patent also includes a unique means, in the form of corrugations, provided on the flange portion for reinforcing the same in a vertical direction to facilitate inserting and maintaining the bed divider in the ground. Water irrigation delivery systems include similar structures with the upper tubular portions having apertures or soaker holes for irrigating the adjacent ground.
Bed divider structures of the character described above are provided in elongated sections, such as in ten-foot or twenty-foot lengths. The sections usually are extruded of plastic material. With the above general description of such structures, it can be understood that the bed divider sections are generally rigid in their structural "planes" but are fairly flexible transverse to their planes so that the divider sections can be bent around landscaping area contours, such as a circular area about the base of a tree. The term "plane" of the divider section or structure is used in a general sense, since, as described above, the structure is not actually flat, but it certainly does have a plane for reference purposes in comparison to its extended length and its overall composite dimensional thickness transverse to the flange portion of the structure. In other words, the "plane" of the structure is generally defined by the flange portion of the structure which is embedded in the ground.
There are continuing problems in packaging, handling, storing and displaying such elongated but flexible structures as defined above. The most common form of packaging is to wind each divider section or length into a spiral or coil configuration and contain the section within a cardboard box-like container. This creates a number of problems, including the varied cost of the container itself in comparison to the relatively inexpensive cost of the divider structure. In addition, the dimensions of the spiralled divider sections and their resulting boxed size are not amenable to storage or display in a hardware or garden supply store on conventional shelving. This is particularly true when popular twenty-foot sections are packaged. The resulting boxed product projects considerably outwardly from a conventional display shelf; they often cannot be displayed in "library book" fashion because of limitations on the vertical distances between display shelves; and simply stacking the boxes on shelves results in an exorbitant amount of shelf space required which is not justified for the return on sales of the product.
Consequently, the landscaping bed dividers often are displayed in stores by stacking the boxed product somewhere on the floor which many times is not justified, interferes with traffic patterns and, in some instances, the product ends up being displayed in some area remote from other landscaping or garden supplies which is quite undesirable.
In view of the above problems, demands are being made to package landscaping bed divider sections in their original elongated configurations (i.e., uncoiled). It immediately can be seen that such packaging results in a ten-foot or twenty-foot or other, rather long saleable product. In other words, a plurality of bed divider structures simply are arranged in an elongated stack of juxtaposed sections and held together by retaining means, such as strapping. This method of packaging solves some of the above problems, but magnifies other of the problems and creates still further problems.
More particularly, arranging the divider sections in elongated packages allows the sections to be displayed on standard shelves, such as is done with ordinary copper or galvanized pipes, without projecting outwardly into the aisle. However, it immediately can be seen that ten or twenty linear feet of shelving is required for such a bulky product which does not have the monetary justification as with more expensive compact pipes or other elongated products. This elongated packaging arrangement is amenable to display in "bins", such as is done with lumber in larger material supply stores, but the problem is that such bins usually are located remote from other garden or landscaping products.
It has been attempted to display elongated packages of landscaping bed divider sections "on end" as is done with such elongated products as metal pipes, lightweight wood molding strips and the like. However, it can be noted that such products have their own rigidity and can stand fairly erect. To the contrary, because of the flexible nature of the extruded bed divider sections, long lengths of the divider structures are "limp" in a direction transverse to their flange portions as described above. Consequently, packages of stacked sections are prone to bend and fall over with even the slightest movement away from a vertically supported orientation. This problem could be solved by packaging the entire stack of elongated sections in a cardboard box-like package, but the cost of the packaging material simply would be prohibitive.
Still a further problem with packaging the divider sections in elongated stacked arrays is that, because of their limp nature, such packages are extremely difficult to handle and, in the case of popular twenty-foot lengths, two people are needed to carry the sections without dragging and marring the structures, even though they are light in weight.
It can be seen that a total myriad of problems have been encountered in the total marketing concept of landscaping bed dividers and, today, an actual dilemma exists. This invention is directed to solving these problems by an extremely simple, cost effective packaging system wherein the very nature of the bed divider structure is used to its advantages.

Packaging system for landscaping bed dividers


A rolling bearing such as a rolling bearing for an alternator of an automobile, the life period of which is prevented from being shortened due to the temporal reduction of a radial internal clearance even in a high temperature environment. The rolling bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements rotatably arranged between an inner race and an outer race, and at least the inner race and the outer race are made of a steel material. An austenite residual rate of the inner race is smaller than an austenite residual rate of the outer race. The amount of dimensional expansion of the outer race due to the martensite transformation of residual austenite is larger than that of the inner race, so that the occurrence of clearance loss is suppressed even when dimensional expansion of the rolling elements occurs.

The present invention relates to a rolling bearing, and more particularly to a rolling bearing which is effectively used in an environment where the bearing temperature becomes high, such as a rolling bearing for an alternator (an AC generator) in an automobile.
In recent years, in accordance with the requirements for smaller size and reduced weight and for higher output of an automobile, an alternator is used at high-speed rotation with increasing a pulley ratio. In order to prevent slippage of a belt from occurring, the belt tension tends to be increased.
In a rolling bearing used in such an alternator, action of an offset load and vibrations due to high belt tension occur. The rolling bearing is used at high-speed rotation in such a condition, so that the bearing temperature is raised. It is known that, when a rolling bearing made of a steel material, such as a rolling bearing for an alternator, is used at a high temperature for a long time period, the bearing dimensionally expands.
It is known that the dimensional expansion is caused by transformation of austenite remaining in the steel material into martensite. The radial internal clearance of the rolling bearing is reduced by the dimensional expansion. The reduction of the radial internal clearance causes a problem in that, in a bearing used in an environment with relatively large vibrations, e.g., for supporting a rotation shaft of an auxiliary machine for an engine, the reduction may shorten the life period. In the case where a lubricant is deteriorated, particularly a radial internal clearance which is excessively small significantly affects the reduction of the lubrication life period. Thus, it is necessary to avoid the reduction of the radial internal clearance in a long-term use as much as possible.
For such a purpose as described above, and for preventing white layer peeling from occurring, a steel material in which the residual rate of austenite is reduced to be lower than 10% by volume by performing heat resistance treatment in which high-temperature tempering is used in combination with subzero treatment is conventionally employed in a race of a rolling bearing for which high-speed rotation is-required in a high temperature environment, such as a bearing for an alternator (see Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. HEI7-72565). In this connection, in the case where usual-thermal treatment is performed, the residual austenite rate is 10 to 14% by volume. As described above, by using a race in which the amount of residual austenite is small, it is possible to suppress the dimensional change due to the transformation of austenite into martensite in the use at a high temperature.
When the service environmental temperature is 180xc2x0 C. or higher, however, the expansion of rolling elements, i.e., balls, cannot be disregarded. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the amount of expansion of the balls by changing thermal treatment conditions, e.g., by raising the tempering temperature. However, as for the production of balls, one lot includes a huge number of balls as compared with a race. When the process is changed only for balls of heat resistant specification, therefore, the cost is increased. Thus, it is difficult to practically adopt such balls of heat resistant specification. In view of the situations described above, a conventional rolling bearing of such a type employs balls which are subjected to standard thermal treatment (tempering at 180xc2x0 C), and hence in which the residual rate of austenite is about 10 to 14%.
In a recent alternator of high-temperature and high speed specification (to be used in such environments where the dmn value is 400,000 or more, the revolution reaches 18,000 rpm, and the temperature exceeds 180xc2x0 C. (which is the standard tempering temperature), however, the dimensional expansion due to the transformation of austenite into martensite in the steel material of the balls cannot be disregarded, as described above. For example, as for balls of model No. 6202, the expansion of about 10 xcexcm occurs for one ball, so that a predetermined clearance (+3 to 18 xcexcm before incorporation, and xe2x88x925 xcexcm to +10 xcexcm as a residual clearance after incorporation, where a tolerance is included) cannot be maintained due to the relative contraction of the race with respect to the balls. Thus, there arises a problem in that clearance loss may be caused and the life period is shortened.
The invention has been conducted in view of the above described circumstances.
It is an object of the invention to provide a rolling bearing such as a rolling bearing for an alternator in which, even when the bearing is used in a high temperature environment, the life period can be prevented from being shortened due to the temporal reduction of a radial internal clearance, without particularly increasing the cost as compared with a conventional rolling bearing of such a type.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, the rolling bearing of the invention includes a plurality of rolling elements rotatably disposed between an inner race and an outer race, and at least the inner race and the outer race are made of a steel material, an austenite residual rate of the inner race is smaller than an austenite residual rate of the outer race.
In the invention, a configuration in which the austenite residual rate of the outer race is 10% by volume or more, and the austenite residual rate of the inner race is 6% by volume or less can be preferably adopted. A more preferred range of the austenite residual rate of the inner race is 3 and by volume or less. In the invention, in order to realize the configurations of the austenite residual rates of the inner race and the outer race described herein, a configuration in which, among the inner race, the outer race, and the rolling elements, heat resistance treatment is performed only on the inner race may be adopted.
As the heat resistance treatment performed for the inner race, treatment including high-temperature tempering at 200 to 270xc2x0 C. or higher may be used.
The invention is intended to attain the above mentioned object by setting the amount of dimensional expansion of the outer race to be larger than the amount of dimensional expansion, of the inner race by anticipating dimensional expansion of each member due to the martensite transformation of residual austenite in the steel material.
Specifically, when the residual austenite rate of the outer race is set to be larger than the austenite residual rate of the inner race, amounts of dimensional expansion of respective members caused by transformation of residual austenite into martensite because of the use in a high temperature environment of the outer race are larger than those of the inner race. As a result, it is possible to suppress the reduction of the radial internal clearance due to the dimensional expansion.
In one embodiment of the invention, the austenite residual rate of the outer race is 10% or more and the austenite residual rate of the inner race is 6% by volume or less. When, for example, a rolling bearing having a size similar to that of model No. 6202 is used for a long time period in an environment exceeding 180xc2x0 C., and when a steel material which is subjected to usual treatment is used for rolling elements, an amount of dimensional expansion caused by the transformation of residual austenite into martensite is about 10 xcexcm, and an amount of dimensional expansion of the outer race is about 20 to 30 xcexcm, but a small dimensional change occurs in the inner race. Even if the rolling bearing is used for a long time period in such an environment, therefore, the occurrence of clearance loss can be effectively prevented from occurring.
In another embodiment of the invention, the austenite residual rate of the inner race is smaller than that of the outer race and this can be attained by performing heat resistance treatment only on the inner race among the inner race, the outer race, and the rolling elements. Accordingly, the above-mentioned functions and effects of the invention can be attained by performing usual heat treatment on the outer race and the rolling elements. Thus, the production cost will not be increased as compared with a conventional rolling bearing for an alternator or the like.
As the heat resistance treatment for setting the austenite residual rate of the inner race to be 6% by volume or less, and more preferably 3 and by volume or less, treatment including high-temperature tempering treatment at 200 to 270xc2x0 C. or higher, or, in addition to the treatment, subzero treatment is further performed, is suitable.


A retaining means is provided for retaining plastic fibers washed out of textiles during a washing process. The retaining means is designed as a laundry bag that holds at least one textile to be washed during a washing process and that can be closed in a suitable manner. The laundry bag is produced of a plastic woven screening fabric having an average mesh width in the range between 5 μm and 200 μm.

Many of the textiles and clothing items sold nowadays, especially outdoor wear or other functional garments consisting of synthetic fibers comprising plastic fibers in a not unsubstantial proportion. These textiles have the disadvantage that plastic fibers or fragments of plastic fibers are washed or dissolved out while they are being laundered and are released together with the wastewater into the environment. Since the washed-out plastic fibers are quite generally very small and are short fibers or fiber fragments, conventional wastewater filters of washing machines are not capable of holding back the said fibers to a noteworthy extent. Sewage treatment plants are certainly able to hold back a certain proportion of the plastics found in wastewater, but as in the past they likewise still pass a large part of such fibers, which therefore contribute in a not inconsiderable extent to contamination of rivers and oceans, where they ultimately end up in the food chain again via the food intake of animals.
Obviously it is desirable that washing machines, sewage treatment plants, etc. be equipped with suitable microplastic filters, but obviously this is not yet comprehensively possible.


A brake system for a vehicle having a VIS actuator of an intake manifold, a vacuum pipe connected to the VIS actuator, and a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum pipe may be provided, which includes a vacuum hose having one end connected to the vacuum pipe to generate additional negative pressure, wherein the vacuum hose may be connected to a vacuum chamber. The brake negative pressure may be supplemented without increasing the capacity of the vacuum pump to improve the braking performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a brake system for a vehicle, which can supplement brake negative pressure without increasing the capacity of a vacuum pump.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, as a vehicle becomes large-sized and has high speed, a brake booster is used in a brake pedal in order to ensure a braking force of the vehicle. The brake booster has a power piston that is installed separately from a mast cylinder, and high pressure is generated by applying a differential pressure between vacuum and atmospheric pressure to the power piston or by increasing the force applied thereto.
Such a brake booster may be classified into a vacuum brake booster that uses a differential pressure between vacuum and atmospheric pressure and a compressed air brake booster that uses compressed air pressure. The vacuum brake booster is a device that applies large force to the brake by applying a differential force between negative pressure that is generated from an intake manifold of an engine or a vacuum pump and atmospheric pressure to the booster.
In the case of using such a vacuum pump, negative pressure that is generated from the intake manifold of the engine is typically used. FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a brake system in the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 3, according to a brake system 200 in the related art, in order to generate negative pressure, a VIS (variable induction system) actuator 210 of an intake manifold is connected to a VIS vacuum pipe 230 through a VIS valve 220. The VIS vacuum pipe 230 is connected to a vacuum pump 250 through a brake nipple 240. The vacuum pump 250 generates and applies necessary negative pressure to a brake booster.
In the brake system 200 in the related art, however, the whole negative pressure that is required in the engine is generated by the vacuum pump, and if the negative pressure is insufficient, it is necessary to increase the capacity of the vacuum pump 250. In the case of increasing the capacity of the vacuum pump 250, frictional force is increased depending on the increase of a driving force of the vacuum pump 250, and thus load sharing occurs for the driving force of the weighted vacuum pump 250 to deteriorate the fuel efficiency and engine output torque. Further, in the case of using the negative pressure that is generated in the intake manifold of the engine, the generated negative pressure is not uniform, but varies depending on the surrounding environment, such as low air density in the high elevated areas, resulting in that it is difficult to ensure uniform negative pressure that is necessary for the booster.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.