A mobile terminal for providing a video sharing function in a multi-party call state and its video sharing method are disclosed. When a video sharing menu is selected while a user is performing individual call communication or multi-party call communication, one or a plurality of video share keys in relation to a user selected for video sharing are displayed, so that the user can select a desired one of the displayed video share keys to share video with the selected user. In addition, a video share authority change key is disposed on the screen of a terminal set as a video share authority (chief authority) change target, so that a corresponding terminal can select the video share authority change key during individual or multi-party video sharing to acquire the authority of video sharing (chief authority) from a terminal currently having the authority of video sharing, thus perform bi-directional video sharing in real time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal providing a video sharing function in a multi-party call communication state, and its video sharing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile terminal is a device that can be carried around and has one or more functions such as voice and video call communication, inputting and outputting information, storing data, and the like.
A mobile terminal may be configured to perform diverse functions. Such diverse functions may include a data and voice communication function, a function of capturing a photo image or video through a camera, a voice storage function, a music file reproducing function through a speaker system, an image or video display function, and the like. Some mobile terminals include an additional function allowing playing games, and other mobile terminals are implemented as multimedia players. Recently, mobile terminals allow users to receive broadcast or multicast signals to view video or television programs.
Efforts are ongoing to support and increase the functionality of mobile terminals. Such efforts include software and hardware improvements, as well as changes and improvements in the structural components which form the mobile terminal. Among such functions, a touch function of a mobile terminal allows the user who is not familiar to button/key inputting to conveniently operate the terminal by using a touch screen, taking a hold as an important function of the terminal along with a UI beyond its simple inputting.
Recently, a mobile terminal provide a video sharing call (VSC) function of transmitting a previously stored image or a video signal captured by a camera to a counterpart terminal in real time in a call mode in which a voice signal is transmitted or received. In this case, the mobile terminal uses a real time protocol (RTP) for transmitting voice data and uses a packet data protocol (PDP) for transmitting video data.
Accordingly, the mobile terminal establishes a session (or a call) with another party by using a session initiation protocol (SIP), a signaling protocol, and then performs the VSC function based on an IP allocated from an access point name (APN) of an IP-based multimedia subsystem (IMS) according to the PDP.
However, the VSC function currently provided as an IMS service in the mobile terminal is supported in only one-to-one communication, not in 1:M call communications such as multi-party call communication (or conference call). Thus, if a different call comes to establish another call communication during one-to-one call communication, because the VSC function is not supported for the different user, video sharing is not effectively performed.

Mobile terminal and video sharing method thereof


The present technology is directed toward a resistor and method of manufacturing the resistor. One or more layers of insulative material are formed on a length of resistive material. Portions of the one or more layers insulative material are removed from the resistive material in a pattern based on a predetermined approximate dimension and predetermined approximate resistance value. A first set of one or more conductive layers are formed on the portions of the resistive material exposed by the insulative coating to form a plurality of conductive pads on the resistive material between the patterned insulative material. The sets of conductive pads are probed to measure a preliminary resistance value between the sets of conductive pads. For one or more sets of conductive pads, a calculated amount of additional insulative material adjacent the respective conductive pads is removed based upon the preliminary resistance value between the corresponding set of conductive pads and a final resistance value to exposed additional portions of resistive material. The conductive pads and resistive material is cut at substantially the middle of each conductive pad to form pieces. A second set of one or more conductive layers are formed on the first set of one or more conductive layers at opposing ends of each piece, and the additionally exposed portions of the resistive material.

Surface mount resistors are widely utilized in electronic devices. One common type of surface mount resistor is the metal strip resistor. A surface mount metal strip resistor may have a value that ranges between 100 micro-Ohms (μΩ) and 10 Ohms (Ω). One exemplary, but non-limiting, use of low ohmic value surface mount metal strips resistors is in current sensing applications. In such applications, the ohmic value of the resistor needs exhibit a relatively precise value.
Conventional techniques for manufacturing surface mount metal strip resistors with relatively precise ohmic values typically suffer from low material utilization, complex manufacturing processes, and the like. Therefore, there is a continuing need for improved manufacturing techniques for surface mount metal strip resistors exhibiting a relatively tight tolerance in their ohmic value.


There are provided a system and method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment. The method comprises: generating packet signatures SGD and SGA respectively for departing and arriving data packets; maintaining a first data structure comprising records related to departing packets associated with a first virtual function (VF), each record informative of SGD and registered departure time TD of a given departing packet; responsive to registering arriving time TA of a given monitored arriving packet SGA associated with a second VF, searching the first data structure for a record matching a matching condition SGD=SGA; modifying the matching record to become informative of latency ΔT=TA−TD and adding the modified record to a second data structure; and using data in the second data structure for assessing latency of forwarding packets from the ingress virtual port to the egress virtual port.

Traditionally, network functions (e.g. firewalls, Load Balancers, Deep Packet Inspectors, Network Address Translators, etc.) have been provided as Physical Network Functions (PNFs) on dedicated hardware appliances that typically require physical installation at each site where such PNFs are needed.
Network Functions Virtualization is an emerging approach to transform network functions (NFs) previously performed via proprietary hardware appliances into Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). A network function (NF) is a functional building block within a network infrastructure, which has well-defined external interfaces and a well-defined functional behavior. In accordance with Network Functions Virtualization approach, NFs can be implemented as application software which can be run on a range of standardized, high-volume servers, switches, and/or storage that can be located, for example, in datacenters, network nodes, end user premises, etc.
Virtualization of NFs enables a standardized execution for VNFs and sharing of physical hardware by multiple VNFs. Implementing of Virtual Network Function decouples the software implementation of the network function from the infrastructure resources it runs on. Thereby, NF virtualization enables a much more flexible and dynamic network than a legacy communication network.
Architecture of telecom services based on Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is detailed, for example, in a series of documents published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
Problems of managing services in NF Virtualized networks have been recognized in the conventional art and various techniques have been developed to provide solutions, for example:
US Patent Application No. 2014/0317261 discloses a method of defining interdependent virtualized network functions for service level orchestration. The method can comprise: identifying, by an orchestrator executed by a physical machine, a plurality of virtualized network functions required for implementation of a virtualized network service for a customer, each virtualized network function having a corresponding and distinct virtualized container specifying attributes for defining execution of the corresponding virtualized network function within one or more physical machines; and setting by the orchestrator an interdependency indicator within each virtualized container based on association with the virtualized network service, enabling identification of each of the virtualized network functions as interdependent for coordinated execution of the virtualized network service.
International Patent Application No. WO15/126430 discloses a method of managing virtual network functions for a network. The method includes providing a virtual network function (VNF) including a number of virtual network function components (VNFCs) of a number of different types, each VNFC comprising a virtual machine (VM) executing application software. The method further includes creating for up to all VNFC types a number of deactivated VMs having application software, monitoring at least one performance level of the VNF, and scaling-out the VNF by activating a number of deactivated VMs of a number of VNFC types when the at least one performance level reaches a scale-out threshold.
US Patent Application No. 2015/0082308 discloses a method for implementing an entity of a network by virtualizing the network entity and implementing it on one or more servers each acting as an execution unit for executing thereon one or more applications running and/or one or more virtual machines running on the execution unit. Each of the application programs or virtual machines running on a server and implementing at least a part of the functionality of the network entity being called a virtual network function VNF module, wherein a plurality of the VNF modules together implement the network entity to thereby form a virtual network function VNF. The method comprises: obtaining m key performance indicators (KPI) specifying the required overall performance of the VNF, obtaining n performance characteristics for available types of execution units, determining one or more possible deployment plans based on the obtained m KPI and n performance characteristics, each deployment plan specifying the number and types of execution units, such that the joint performance of VNF modules running on these execution units achieves the required overall performance of the VNF.
US Patent Application No. 2015/0142940 discloses a technique for analyzing virtualization-related information related to a telecommunications network for managing network virtualization. A system for analyzing virtualization-related information can include an information concentrator. The information concentrator can include a first interface for receiving the virtualization related information and an analysis engine for collecting and analyzing the received information, for determining a set of network virtualization related data based on the information, and for directing the network virtualization related data set to a node for making virtualization decisions.
The references cited above teach background information that may be applicable to the presently disclosed subject matter. Therefore the full contents of these publications are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.
General Description
In accordance with certain aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment. The method comprises: upon specifying a transmitting monitoring point associated with a first virtual function (VF) corresponding to an ingress virtual port of a virtualized platform (VP) running on the computing platform and a receiving monitoring point associated with a second VF corresponding to an egress virtual port of a virtualized platform (VP) running on the computing platform, generating packet signatures (SGs) for at least part of data packets eligible for monitoring, thus giving rise to monitored departing packets, each uniquely characterized by respective departing packet signature SGD and to monitored arriving packets each uniquely characterized by respective arriving packet signature SGA. The method further comprises: maintaining a first data structure comprising a plurality of records related to monitored departing packets associated with the first VF, each record among the plurality of records further informative of, at least, SGD and registered departure time TD of a given departing packet, wherein departure time TD is indicative of departure time of the given departing packet from the first monitoring point Tx; responsive to registering arriving time TA of a given monitored arriving packet SGA associated with the second VF, searching the first data structure for a record matching a matching condition, wherein the matching condition at least comprises requirement that SGD=SGA, and wherein arriving time TA is indicative of arriving time of the given arriving packet at the receiving monitoring point; modifying the matching record, when found, to become informative of latency ΔT=TA−TD and adding the modified matching record to a second data structure storing one or more modified records, each informative of latency measured for forwarding a respective packet from the first monitoring point to the receiving monitoring point; and enabling using data in the second data structure for assessing latency of forwarding packets from the ingress virtual port to the egress virtual port of the virtualized platform.
By way of non-limiting example, Virtualized Platform can be a virtual machine, a virtualized container, a group of virtual machines and/or virtualized containers, a chain of virtual machines and/or virtualized containers.
The matching condition can further comprise a requirement that the given departing packet has departed from the transmitting monitoring point associated with a predefined first VF while the given arriving packet has arrived at the receiving monitoring point associated with a predefined second VF.
The method can further comprise: identifying all VPs involved in data processing related to a certain virtual network function (VNF); specifying the transmitting and receiving monitoring points in accordance with identified VPs; and assessing VNF latency-related characteristics using latencies assessed for forwarding packets from the ingress virtual port to the egress virtual port of each of the involved VP.
In accordance with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a network interface module operative in data communication with a computer configured to run at least one VP, the module being capable of providing I/O virtualization for the at least one VP and being configured to perform the method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment as disclosed above.
In accordance with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a computing platform comprising a computer configured to run at least one VP and a network interface module configured to provide I/O virtualization for the at least one VP, the module being further configured to perform the method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment as disclosed above.
In accordance with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a computing platform comprising a computer configured to run at least one VP, a network interface card (NIC) configured to provide I/O virtualization for the at least one VP and a latency measurement module operatively connected to the NIC and being configured to perform the method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment as disclosed above.
In accordance with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided computer program product implemented on a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein to cause the computer to perform the method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment as disclosed above.
In accordance with further aspects and, optionally, in a combination with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, the records in the first data structure can further comprise data derived from transport headers of respective departing packets and/or data derived by deep packet inspection. The records in the second data structure further can comprise data derived from transport headers of respective departing packets and/or data derived by deep packet inspection. Optionally, latency can be assessed in consideration of data derived from transport headers of respective departing packets and/or data derived by deep packet inspection.
In accordance with further aspects and, optionally, in a combination with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, the monitoring points can be specified as a pair constituted by the transmitting monitoring point associated with a predefined first VF and the receiving monitoring point associated with any second VF. Alternatively, the monitoring points can be specified as a pair constituted by the transmitting monitoring point associated with a predefined first VF and the receiving monitoring point associated with a predefined second VF.
Optionally, the ingress virtual port and the egress virtual port can correspond to ingress and egress directions of the same virtual port, and the first virtual function and the second virtual function correspond to ingress and egress directions of the same virtual function.
In accordance with further aspects and, optionally, in a combination with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, all arriving packets can be configured as eligible for monitoring.
In accordance with further aspects and, optionally, in a combination with other aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter, only part of the departing packets can be configured as eligible for monitoring, the part is defined by a predefined downscale ratio. Additionally or alternatively, only departing packets associated with a predefined traffic protocol can be configured as eligible for monitoring.
Among advantages of certain embodiments of presently disclosed subject matter is capability of latency assessment for services, virtual network functions and/or components thereof based on real-time passive measurement, without a need for test traffic insertion.

System and method of assessing latency of forwarding data packets in virtual environment


The present invention relates to an add drop multiplexer related to the synchronous multiplexing method, and includes a pass-through line connecting unit, which is driven by a timing signal extracted from a signal received through a transmission line and effects branching and insertion of the line as well as connection of pass-through lines at multiplexed levels; an office line connecting unit having an office interface function for each of other devices in a same office; a first frame aligner connecting multiplex branched signals from the pass-through line connecting unit with the office line connecting unit; and a second frame aligner connecting multiplex inserted signals from the office line connecting unit with the pass-through line connecting unit. In this way, since the whole pass-through line connecting unit can be driven only with the timing signal extracted from the received signal from the transmission line and the frame aligner can be removed from the path of the signal through the pass-through lines, it is possible to reduce the signal delay in the pass-through lines within the add drop multiplexer.

The present invention relates to an add drop multiplexer (ADM) related to a synchronous multiplexing method and in particular, to an add drop multiplexer suitable for the case where it is required that the signal delay produced in the path line be small.
A prior art add drop multiplexer is disclosed in a report published in IEEE GLOBECOM' 86, No. 33.5.1-No. 33.5.5 pp. 1195-1199. In this multiplexer, as indicated in FIG. 1, signals in a high speed highway are branched to a low speed highway and signals in the low speed highway are inserted in the high speed high way. The add drop multiplexer in the literature stated above is applied to the 3rd order group of synchronous transmission lines in North America indicated in FIG. 2. The transmission lines are classified into 3 ranks, i.e. 1st order group, 2nd order group and 3rd order group, increasingly numbered with increasing bit rate, which are multiplexed at 1.544 Mb/s, 6.312 Mb/s an 45 Mb/s, respectively.
In prior art synchronous multiplexers there are disposed frame aligners in the receiving interface section in order to absorb fluctuations in phase (wander) having a long period in the received signal, accompanied by elongation and contraction of transmission lines due to fluctuations in temperature around the transmission lines and relays, and to match the phase of the received signal with the working phase in the multiplexer. In the case described in the above literature, in order to realize the functions stated above, an elastic store memory, (ES), which is a first-in-first-out memory is disposed as the frame aligner in the receiving interface section.
The add drop multiplexer is described in "Foreign Communication Techniques", December 1985, pp. 33-34, published by NTT.
According to the prior art techniques the frame aligner is disposed on the signal transmission line in the receiving interface section to absorb the wander produced on the signal transmission line and to effect the phase matching of the received signal with the working phase in the multiplexer. Consequently, a signal delay is added at the frame aligner section, until the signal received through the transmission line is sent to the transmission line as the pass-through line signal as it is.
FIG. 3 is a scheme for explaining the construction of a ring type transmission line, conceivable as a topological construction, to which a multiplexer according to the present invention is applied.
Among the nodes connecting a ring type transmission line transmitting signals only in one direction in FIG. 3, there are nodes 200-212, from which the transmission line goes out only in two directions, and nodes 100-102, from which the transmission line goes out in three directions to connect it with another ring type transmission line. The application of the add drop multiplexer according to the present invention is contemplated for the nodes 200-212, from which the transmission line goes out in two directions in these two kinds of nodes.
In FIG. 3, A and C represent ring type transmission lines in use and B and D represent spare ring type transmission lines, which are turned-on, when the transmission lines A and C are out of order, respectively, to be used instead thereof. When a signal is transmitted from the node 200 to the node 201, it is sent in the direction indicated by an arrow through the transmission line A. On the contrary, when the signal is transmitted from the node 201 to the node 200, it is sent through the nodes 202, 203, . . . , 206 and 100, making almost one turn.
In the ring type transmission line, as indicated in FIG. 3, since the signal delay due to the multiplexers installed in the nodes 200 to 212 is added to the signal propagation delay on the transmission line, even if it serves as a pass-through line, it is required to reduce the signal delay due to the multiplexer installed in each of the nodes. However, the add drop multiplexer according to the prior art techniques as described above has a problem that the signal delay due to the frame aligner inserted in series in the signal transmission line is predominant in the signal delay within the multiplexer and that it is so great that it cannot be neglected with respect to the signal propagation delay on the transmission line.


A method is disclosed for the treatment of a powder by use of a plasma reactor under atmospheric pressure, comprising the steps of providing a reaction chamber having first and second electrodes covered with a dielectric, an upper gas exhaust means and a lower gas inlet means, feeding a fluidizing gas comprising a rare gas, a monomer gas or a mixture thereof through said gas inlet means into said chamber to agitate a powder to be treated in said chamber, concurrently removing said gas from said chamber through said gas exhaust means; and generating a glow plasma under atmospheric pressure in said chamber by applying a voltage to said first electrode and grounding said second electrode whereby said powder is provided with an anticorrosive surface treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for utilizing a plasma reaction under atmospheric pressure, and more particularly to a method for utilizing plasma reaction under the atmospheric pressure which can apply an anticorrosive effect to surfaces of pigment, dye, and cement powders by treating with high efficiency the surfaces thereof by utilizing a highly stabilized glow discharge plasma under atmospheric pressure.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
In general, a plasma is in a high ionization state of ions and electrons and thus in a neutral state. It is well known that such plasma is different from a neutral gas. This plasma can be artificially obtained by a gaseous discharge.
A film forming method and a surface improving method which utilize a low pressure glow discharge plasma have been generally known in art of application, and such methods have been applied in various industrial fields. One of the surface treatment methods utilizing the low pressure glow discharge plasma is the so-called organic plasma method which can effect thin film forming and surface treatment by forming an organic compound gas into a plasma. Further methods for producing a diamond powder and a super-fine powder or a method for surface improvement utilizing plasma in a vacuum chamber have been proposed.
However, in such a conventional surface treating method utilizing the low pressure glow discharge plasma, disadvantages are that a low pressure vacuum device or equipment is required on account of a reaction under a vacuum of 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-3 Torr, and a long time and high cost are required for production due to a discontinuous treatment (batch treatment).
Further drawbacks are that the equipment, treating time, and treating processes become substantially complicated and an additional step for treating a waste fluid is required, since in the surface treating method by means of the powder or the like, it is necessary to treat the surfaces of the pigment or the like in a wet process with a resin, various acids, alkalies, aerosol containing a surface active agent solution and the like, and to dry, grinding, and classification.
Heretofore, various methods for achieving the anticorrosive effect have been proposed.
(a) Descaling operation
Mechanical operation: improvement of metal itself, special chemical treatment, electrical treatment, forming of passive state compounds and the like; PA1 Chemical operation: pickling (nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid); PA1 Blasting treatment, removing treatment of rubbishes, dusts, salts, acid vapors; PA1 Use of poisonous pigment (lead, mercury, arsenic); PA1 Anticorrosive paints, painting treatment (under coat, intermediate coat, top coat treatment).
(b) Surface preparation
(c) Anticorrosive operation
There are problems of poisoning due to dangers of intoxication by poisonous metals and solvents or dangers due to dust in the above operations. Further, the anticorrosive painting treatment requires an under coating. However, the middle painting and upper painting require various limitations and complicated steps. The pigment, metal powders, and the like are used as the paints. In particular, a white pigment and the like are subjected to treatment with acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid to increase a whiteness degree. Also, an organic acid treatment is carried out to increase dispersion of the pigment. However, these treatments have an adverse effect in preventing corrosion.

Method for utilizing a plasma reaction under an atmospheric pressure


Methods, systems and storage media are disclosed for enhanced system boot processing that authenticates boot code based on biometric information of the user before loading the boot code to system memory. For at least some embodiments, the bio-metric authentication augments authentication of boot code based on a unique platform identifier. The enhanced boot code authentication occurs before loading of the operating system, and may be performed during a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) boot sequence. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Relatively portable computing systems, such as tablets, notebooks, laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks, cell phones, smart phones and other handheld devices, are often susceptible to theft. In some cases, the purpose of the theft may be to take ownership of the device for the thief's use, or to sell the device to others. In order to protect against the situation where the thief desires to re-purpose the use of a stolen device, it would be desirable to prevent boot of the device by anybody other than the original owner.


A robot hand moved by a robot to grip an object to be gripped includes a plurality of bar-like placing sections on which the object to be gripped is placed, a plurality of plate-like pressing sections paired with the plurality of placing sections and configured to press side surfaces of the object to be gripped, a space adjusting section configured to move the plurality of pressing sections to bring the pressing sections into contact with a plurality of contact sections, a first strain gauge configured to detect a distance between the placing section and the pressing section and an angle of the pressing section with respect to the placing section, and a second strain gauge configured to detect a distance between the placing section and the pressing section and an angle of the pressing section with respect to the placing section.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a robot hand, a robot, and a control method for the robot hand.
2. Related Art
A robot that grips an object to be gripped is utilized in work such as assembly work and classification work. A user desires to cause the robot to grip various objects to be gripped. JP-A-2011-73099 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a gripping device that can grip objects ranging from a very hard object to a soft object. According to Patent Literature 1, the gripping device includes a pair of pads, the distance between which can be changed. Opposed surfaces of the pads maintain a parallel state. The gripping device holds both sides of an object to be gripped using the pads to grip the object to be gripped.
Besides, JP-A-2010-36328 (Patent Literature 2) discloses a robot hand that lifts and grips an object to be gripped. According to Patent Literature 2, thin plate-like claw sections are set at the distal ends of fingers of the robot hand. The robot hand inserts the claw sections between the bottom surface of the object to be gripped and a plane on which the object to be gripped is placed and lifts the object to be gripped. In this method, since the robot hand supports the object to be gripped on the bottom surface, the robot hand can grip even a soft object to be gripped.
The gripping device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 holds a soft object using the side surfaces of the pads. Therefore, when the soft object is deformed by the pressing of the pads, the gripping device cannot grip the soft object. The robot hand disclosed in Patent Literature 2 cannot insert the claw sections when the distance between adjacent objects to be gripped is small. Therefore, there is a demand for a robot hand that can stably grip an object to be gripped even when soft objects to be gripped are located side by side.

Robot hand, robot, and control method for the robot hand


An improved crayon composition is disclosed, comprising a base wax binder component having a melting point in excess of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, from about 5.0 to about 50.0 weight percent of an emulsifying agent, and from about 0.01 to about 5.0 weight percent of a reflective flake.

Crayon marking devices have been used for decades for the artistic enJoyment of young and old. Typically, crayons are manufactured by mixing together a moderately high melting point wax binder with an appropriate pigmentation material, in the molten state, casting or extruding the molten mixture into the desired shape and cooling to room temperature for solidification. The resulting crayon marking device, when drawn along an appropriate surface, leaves a residue of pigmented wax on the surface.
Many improvements have been made to the crayon marking device since their inception. More and better binder materials have been developed, such that the traditional natural waxes used in crayons, such as carnauba waxes and the like, have been improved and in some instances replaced by synthetic binders that provide more uniform distribution of pigments therethrough and allow a greater diversity of surfaces on which the crayon will deposit its residue.
More and better pigmentation agents have been developed which provide a vast array of vivid colors for use in crayon compositions. The availability of a wider range of colors and hues has actually increased the demand for further improvements in the medium available through crayons, with artists young and old seeking special effects that may be attained through special crayon medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,806, introduced a fluorescent effect to crayons, wherein the a particular crayon composition was disclosed which had the ability to act as a carrier for various fluorescent pigments, particularly the dyed thermoplastic pigments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,214, disclosed a crayon comprising a latent image development system, which allowed the colored development of latent, metal salt, images contained on a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,087, disclosed a reflex-reflecting coating composition which comprised a binder, transparent glass beads and non-metallic pigment particles. The composition was seen as having utility being applied by a brush, knife coat, spray methods and the like.
One particular effect that has been absent from the available crayon medium has been a glitter effect, which might result from the random refraction of light waves of various color from multiple randomly directioned reflective surfaces contained in a crayon residue left on a marked surface
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a novel composition for use in crayons to achieve a glitter effect.
It is another object of the invention to provide crayon marking devices having randomly distributed throughout, particulate glitter effect inducing materials.
It is a still further obJect of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a crayon marking device having a glitter effect inducing material therein.
These and other obJects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


An LED lighting driver has a switched mode power supply which generates an auxiliary power supply. The auxiliary power supply circuit has a first power supply inductor and a second power supply inductor in series with each other. The second power supply inductor is selectively switched into or out of the auxiliary power supply circuit, thereby varying a transformer ratio to the main energy storage inductor. The switching may be made based on a light output mode or a standby mode being in operation. The standby mode then enables more efficient generation of an auxiliary supply voltage.

Solid state lighting units, and in particular LED-based (retrofit) lamps, are used more and more in home buildings and offices. Besides their high efficiency they also attract consumers due to new design features, different color temperatures, dimming ability etc.
To fit LED lighting to existing mains lighting fixtures, each LED light unit makes use of a converter circuit, for converting the AC mains into a DC drive signal, and also for reducing the voltage level.
The converter circuit typically comprises a rectifier and a switched mode power converter.
There are various possible designs of switched mode power converter. A low-cost switched mode power converter is a single stage converter, such as a buck converter or a buck-boost converter. In both cases, there is a main inductor which controls the delivery of energy to the load. A main power switch controls the supply of energy from the input to the main inductor.
The timing of operation of the main power switch, in particular the duty cycle, controls the energy transfer. A ringing choke converter (RCC) is a typical self-oscillation converter in which the cyclic operation of the switching is self-controlled, and is widely used as a low-cost LED driver. Alternatively, an IC-based converter has control of the main power switch using an IC. This IC may then implement additional functionality, such as dimming control.
There is a desire to reduce the size or number of components within the driver circuit, since there is limited PCB space within an LED light unit, as well as to reduce cost. For a dimmable LED, local control circuitry is also needed.
To reduce the costs of a dimmable solution, integration of an auxiliary power supply with the already-needed switched mode power converter has been proposed. An auxiliary power supply can be generated using a flyback auxiliary supply.
One approach to the generation of a stable auxiliary supply is to provide a controlled voltage for the auxiliary supply and a controlled voltage for the main load. However, this is not the cheapest and most efficient implementation for connected lamps. Especially for a single stage, single string LED implementation, current control is desired for the LED load and voltage control is desired for the auxiliary supply.
It is desired to provide high efficiency at all dimming levels as well as during a standby (off) state. However, the combination of LED current control with an auxiliary power supply which remains efficient even during standby in a low-cost switched mode converter (such as a buck converter) is not straightforward. In the standby state, the LEDs should be turned off, so the output voltage of the switched mode power supply should be low but the auxiliary power supply (for a microcontroller unit, MCU) should remain at the same level. If the transformer for the auxiliary supply achieves this aim, it means that in the on state, the voltage of the auxiliary supply is likely to be too high.
Thus, the transformer ratio for the auxiliary power supply is not ideal for both states. In a standby mode, the output voltage would ideally be lower than half of the LED forward voltage. This means the auxiliary supply output voltage doubles during normal operation compared to during the standby mode. This gives rise to significant losses. The capacitive load on the main output also makes the control of the auxiliary supply difficult.
There is therefore a need for a low-cost driver architecture which enables efficient generation of an integrated auxiliary power supply during all operational modes of the main LED lighting load.
US 2014/0239829 discloses an LED driver including: a first and a second auxiliary windings connected in series with each other; a first rectifying device coupled with a terminal of the first auxiliary winding while the other terminal is coupled with the second auxiliary winding; a second rectifying device coupled with a terminal of the second auxiliary winding; a first voltage regulator coupled with the first rectifying device; an unidirectional conducting device having a positive and a negative terminals; and a DC output terminal coupled with the negative terminal of the unidirectional conducting device and configured to provide required DC electricity to a control circuit in the LED driver. The LED driver can guarantee that V cc voltages provided under a heavy or light load state can always meet the DC power supplying requirements of respective control devices in the driver and meanwhile losses can be reduced.


A retrieval and display device includes an ascending-direction reading out section and an descending-direction reading out section, which read outs a folder name from a folder-name storing section, in response to an operating-direction signal from a storing and operation direction discriminating section and a display-linage signal stored in a display-linage section; and a mark-position changing section, which changes the position of a mark according to whether an operation is done in the ascending direction or in the descending direction. A display folder-name creation processing section places the mark on a folder name desired to be selected in the top line at the operating direction, and creates a display folder name such that the next candidate folder is displayed in the display screen.

This type of retrieval and display devices includes a retrieval and display device reading out a folder name belonging to the next level lower than that to which a desired folder name belongs, from a storing means, and displays a list of the folder names belonging to the level, in order to select a desired folder name from among enormous numbers of folder names stored in hierarchy of folders (see Patent Document 1, for example).    Patent Document 1: JP-A2003-084877 ([0112] and FIG. 3)
Since the conventional retrieval and display device is arranged as mentioned above, it must include a mass storage medium and a display having a large screen, in order to display the list of the folder names belonging to the hierarchy.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a retrieval and display device that facilitates a user to select a desired folder name by displaying the next candidate folder name along an operating direction together with the selected desired folder name within the limited display screen.


A modular conveyor belt forming a hinge between consecutive belt rows hingedly connected by a two-part hinge pin. Hinge eyes along the forward and rearward ends of each row of belt modules include aligned openings for the hinge pins. The belt rows are arranged end-to-end with the hinge eyes of adjacent rows interleaved. The hinge pins are inserted in the passageway formed by the aligned openings of the interleaved hinge eyes. The hinge pins include first and second hinge pin members, such as flat strips. The openings in the hinge eyes are characterized by a narrow slotted portion for restraining the first hinge pin member against rotation within the slotted portion and a wider sector-shaped portion that allows the second hinge pin member to rotate relative to the first hinge pin member.

The invention relates generally to power-driven modular plastic conveyor belts and, more particularly, to modular plastic conveyor belts hingedly interconnected row to row by two-part hinge pins.
Conventional modular conveyor belts and chains are constructed of modular links, or belt modules, arranged in rows. Spaced apart hinge eyes extending from each end of the modules include aligned openings. The hinge eyes along one end of a row of modules are interleaved with the hinge eyes of an adjacent row. A pivot rod, or hinge pin, journalled in the aligned openings of interleaved hinge eyes, connects adjacent rows together end to end to form an endless conveyor belt capable of articulating about a drive sprocket or drum.
Because they do not corrode and are easy to clean, modular plastic conveyor belts are often used instead of metal belts. Usually, the hinge pins in plastic belts are also made of plastic. The hinge pins are typically circular in cross section and reside in circular openings in the hinge eyes. Relative motion between the hinge pins and the walls of the hinge eyes as the belt articulates about sprockets tends to wear both the hinge pin and the hinge eye wall. In abrasive environments, such as in conveying potatoes and other agricultural produce, this wear is accelerated by the intrusion of dirt and grit into the hinges of the belt.
Metal hinge pins are sometimes used to increase the wear life of the pins. But that does not do away with the relative motion between pin and hinge eye wall, and belt module wear at the hinge is still a problem.
Non-circular hinge strips made of a flexible material have been proposed to resist wear. Hinge eyes forming slots with flared ends permit the confined hinge strip to flex a limited angle without frictionally rubbing with the hinge eyes as the belt articulates. Such an arrangement is effective in increasing wear life, but the flexible hinge strip is inherently weak in shear strength and unsuitable for carrying heavy loads.
Some power transmission chains constructed of metal components use a pair of pins in each joint between consecutive groups of links. At each joint, one pin is wedged into the openings of one group of links and another pin, in rocking engagement with the first pin, is wedged in the openings of the adjacent group of links. In this way, relative motion is confined to the rocking surfaces of the metal pins. But transmission chains and modular conveyor belts operate in different environments and serve different purposes. Power transmission chains often are used in well-lubricated environments, relatively free of abrasives, as in internal combustion engines and other machinery in which the use of gears is impractical. Modular conveyor belts, on the other hand, are frequently used in very abrasive, non-lubricated environments to move various products over long distances.
Thus, there is a need for a modular plastic conveyor belt that can resist wear at the hinge for a long operating life even in abrasive environments.
This need and others are satisfied by a modular plastic belt having features of the invention. The belt is formed of a series of rows of belt modules having a conveying surface. Each row includes one or more belt modules extending from a forward end to a rearward end in the direction of belt travel. A first set of hinge eyes is arranged along the forward end, and a second set of hinge eyes is arranged along the rearward end. Openings formed in the hinge eyes extend from a first end to a second end. The openings are narrower at the first end than at the second end. The rows are arranged end-to-end with the first set of hinge eyes of a row interleaved with the second set of hinge eyes of an adjacent row. The rows are hingedly connected together to form a conveyor belt by a plurality of hinge pins, each of which is divided lengthwise into two parts: a first hinge pin member and a second hinge pin member. The first hinge pin member is disposed in the first end of the openings in the first set of hinge eyes of a row and in the second end of the openings in the interleaved second set of hinge eyes of the adjacent row. The second hinge pin member is disposed in the second end of the openings in the first set of hinge eyes of the row and in the first end of the openings in the interleaved second set of hinge eyes of the adjacent row. In this way, the first hinge pin member is restrained in the narrow first end of the opening from rotational motion with respect to the first set of hinge eyes of the row, but is free to roll or rotate relative to the second hinge pin member and to the second set of hinge eyes in the adjacent row. With the elimination of the relative sliding or scrubbing motion between pin and hinge eye and the introduction of rolling motion between the first and second hinge pin members, wear life is increased, especially in abrasive conditions.
In preferred versions of the conveyor belt, the hinge pin members are of identical cross-section. This reduces the number of unique parts and makes for easier assembly and repair, when needed. In one version, the hinge pin is divided into identical hinge pin members, such as flat strips. In another version of the invention, the hinge pins are formed as a single piece with a frangible region between the first and second hinge pin members to allow the unitized hinge pin to be inserted easily into the hinge eye openings. Subsequent flexing of the belt at the hinge breaks the frangible region and separates the unitized hinge pin into the first and second hinge pin members.
Confronting faces on the first and second hinge pin members that bear against each other may be parabolic, hyperbolic, ellipsoidal, circular arcs, V-shaped, or a combination of flat and curved surfaces, for example. To prevent the confronting faces of the hinge pin members from wearing quickly, the hinge pins can be made of durable materials, such as polyurethanes, polyamides, polyvinylchlorides, fluorocarbons, and stainless steel.
In another version, the hinge pin is manufactured with a flexible bridge connected between the first and second hinge pin members to form a living hinge in the pin between the two hinge pin members. Such a pin can be made by co-injection molding or co-extrusion, for example.
In another version, the openings are formed with a slotted portion at the narrow first end to restrain the hinge pin member confined therein and a sector-shaped portion of the second end to allow the associated hinge pin member freedom to rotate relative to the restrained hinge pin member. The openings may be oriented with an axis of symmetry in the direction of belt travel or oblique to the direction of belt travel.
Thus, a conveyor belt embodying features of the invention eliminates relative rubbing contact between hinge pin and belt module, thereby making such a conveyor belt particularly long-lasting in abrasive environments.

Modular conveyor belt with two-part hinge pin


There is provided an illuminator to emit trichromatic light. It includes a lamp (1) which emits trichromatic light including components whose wavelengths correspond to three primary colors, respectively, and a wavelength-selective optical aperture filter (22) provided at the side of the lamp (1) from which the light of three primary colors go out and consisting of zones working as predetermined optical apertures of which one selectively attenuates or shields a component included in the trichromatic light and having a wavelength corresponding to at least one of the three primary colors while the others allow the light components whose wavelengths correspond to the other primary colors to pass through.

The present invention relates to an illuminator which emits trichromatic light including components whose wavelengths correspond to three primary colors: red, green and blue, respectively, and a projector type image display apparatus which projects the trichromatic light emitted from the illuminator to display a color image.
Heretofore, there have been proposed projector type image display apparatuses in which white light is separated by color separation mirrors (dichroic mirror) into components of three primary colors: red (R), green (G) and blue (B) and these R, G and B light components are incident upon three image display panels, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, respectively, the light components having passed through the image display panels are combined to produce synthetic light, and the synthetic light is projected onto a screen.
In the above projector type image display apparatuses, it is possible to adjust the white chromaticity or white balance of the projected light by adjusting the ratio in amount among the primary-color light components. One of the methods of adjusting the ratio in amount among the primary-color light components is to vary the electrically driven level of the display device for each primary-color channel from one channel to another.
However, this method is not advantageous in that it is necessary to lower the electrically driven level of the display device for a channel to be attenuated and the contrast of the channel for which the driven level has been lowered will be lower.
To prevent the contrast from being lower, it has been proposed to provide a transmissive filter such as ND (neutral density) filter in the optical path of a channel to be attenuated. In this case, the contrast can be made higher than by the above-mentioned electrical adjustment since it is unnecessary to lower the electrically driven level of the display device for any channel not to be attenuated.
However, the above method needs as many optical attenuation means such as ND filters as the channels to be attenuated, which will result in a complicated construction of the apparatus, that is, in a larger number of parts and number of manufacturing steps. Also, it is not expectable that an image can be displayed with any higher contrast than that which can be assured when the electrically driven level of the liquid crystal panels is not lowered.
Therefore, there have not yet been implemented any illuminator and projector type image display apparatus, simply constructed and capable of adjusting the white chromaticity of a projected light and displaying an image with an improved contrast.
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the related art by providing an illuminator and projector type image display apparatus, simply constructed and capable of adjusting the white chromaticity of a projected light and displaying an image with an improved contrast.
The above object can be attained by providing an illuminator which emits trichromatic light including components whose wavelengths correspond to three primary colors, respectively, the apparatus including according to the present invention:
a light source to emit the trichromatic light; and
a wavelength-selective optical aperture filter formed from a plurality of lens elements, being provided at the side of the light source from which the trichromatic light goes out, and which consists of zones working as predetermined optical apertures, of which one selectively attenuates or shields a component of the trichromatic light, whose wavelength corresponds to at least one of the three primary colors, while the other zones allow the light components whose wavelengths correspond to the other primary colors to pass through.
The illuminator constructed as above uses the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter formed from a spectral filter such as a dichroic filter designed to have an optical aperture variable correspondingly to a wavelength of illumination light, and can thus limit a component of the illumination light, whose wavelength corresponds to a specific primary color, and freely adjust the intensity of that primary-color light.
Also the above object can be attained by providing an illuminator which emits trichromatic light including components whose wavelengths correspond to three primary colors, respectively, the apparatus including according to the present invention:
a light source to emit the trichromatic light;
a pair of fly-eye lenses each formed from a plurality of lens elements and which separates the trichromatic light emitted from the light source into primary-color light components and allows the separated primary-color light components to pass through the plurality of lens elements, thereby uniformizing the trichromatic light output; and
a wavelength-selective optical aperture filter provided adjacent to one of the fly-eye lenses that is farther from the light source and which consists of zones working as predetermined apertures, of which one selectively attenuates or shields a component of the trichromatic light, whose wavelength corresponds to at least one of the three primary colors, while the other zones allow the light components whose wavelengths correspond to the other primary colors to pass through.
The illuminator constructed as above uses the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter formed from a spectral filter such as a dichroic filter designed to have an optical aperture variable correspondingly to a wavelength of illumination light, and can thus limit a component of the illumination light, whose wavelength corresponds to a specific primary color, and freely adjust the intensity of that primary-color light.
Also the above object can be attained by providing a projector type image display apparatus including according to the present invention:
an illuminator including:
a light source to emit trichromatic light; and
a wavelength-selective optical aperture filter provided at the side of the light source from which the trichromatic light goes out and which consists of zones working as predetermined apertures, of which one selectively attenuates or shields a component of the trichromatic light, whose wavelength corresponds to at least one of the three primary colors, while the other zones allow the light components whose wavelengths correspond to the other primary colors to pass through; and
a color separation means for separating the trichromatic light output from the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter into components whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively;
three image display panels to modulate, according to a video signal, the light components separated by the color separation means and whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively;
a color synthesis means for combining together the light components modulated by the three image display panels and whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively, to produce synthetic light; and
a projection lens to project the synthetic light from the color synthesis means onto a screen.
In the projector type image display apparatus constructed as above, the illuminator uses the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter formed from a spectral filter such as a dichroic filter designed to have an optical aperture variable correspondingly to a wavelength of illumination light, and thus can limit a component of the illumination light, whose wavelength corresponds to a specific primary color, and freely adjust the intensity of that light.
Also the above object can be attained by providing a projector type image display apparatus including according to the present invention:
an illuminator including:
a light source to emit trichromatic light;
a pair of fly-eye lenses each formed from a plurality of lens elements and which separates the trichromatic light emitted from the light source into primary-color light components and allows the separated primary-color light components to pass through the plurality of lens elements, thereby uniformizing the trichromatic light output; and
a wavelength-selective optical aperture filter provided adjacent to one of the fly-eye lenses that is farther from the light source and which consists of zones working as predetermined apertures, of which one selectively attenuates or shields a component of the trichromatic light, whose wavelength corresponds to at least one of the three primary colors, while the other zones allow the light components whose wavelengths correspond to the other primary colors to pass through; and
means for splitting the trichromatic light output from the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter into components whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively;
three image display panels to modulate, according to a video signal, the light components separated by the color separation means and whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively;
a color synthesis means for combining together the light components modulated by the three image display panels and whose wavelengths correspond to the three primary colors, respectively, to produce synthetic light; and
a projection lens to project the synthetic light from the color synthesis means onto a screen.
In the projector type image display apparatus constructed as above, the illuminator uses the wavelength-selective optical aperture filter formed from a spectral filter such as a dichroic filter designed to have an optical aperture variable correspondingly to a wavelength of illumination light, and thus can limit a component of the illumination light whose wavelength corresponds to a specific primary color, and freely adjust the intensity of that primary-color light.
These objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Lighting device and projection type image display device


A valve assembly for use with an aerosol container for controllably dispensing a substance disposed within the container under pressure of a propellant also contained therein. The valve assembly provides a high degree of precision control in the dispensing of the substance using a rotary actuator cooperatively engaged with a camming arrangement which transfers large rotary motion into small valve displacing linear motion. The valve is sealed by a resilient gasket which is protected from the deteriorating effects of chemicals in the substance and/or propellant by a flexibly deformable Teflon liner.

This invention relates generally to the valve art and more particularly to a valve for use with an aerosol container. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a novel valve assembly for use with an aerosol container for attaining a high degree of control in the dispensing of a substance disposed within the container under pressure.
Currently, many products are available in an aerosol dispensing package for consumer convenience. Such products permit dispensing from the container in which the product is stored and provides the additional advantage of convenient use or application of the product. For example, many paints are sold in an aerosol sprayable paint form which permits the user to apply the paint without the complication or mess of using a brush or other application device and the product is stored in the container from which it is dispensed.
The dispensing mechanism used with an aerosol product container is very important since this is an interface element of the product which helps determine whether or not the consumer will continue to use the product. If a dispensing mechanism is difficult to control or operate, or messy to operate, a consumer may discontinue use of such a product. Therefore, it is very important to provide a well engineered dispensing mechanism considering the human factors required to operate the mechanism. An additional factor to consider is how the dispensing mechanism operates in the controlled dispensing for an appropriate amount of product.
While many aerosol products merely require an on/off type valve, such that ether the valve is on and a continuous emission of product is released or the valve is off and no product is released, certain products, including aerosol foam require a high degree of precision or control in dispensing the product. For example, polyurethane foam sealants or other foam products are the type or products which require more precision in their application than merely an on/off type valve. Typically, these foam products are dispensed through the use of a tilt valve, however, the degree of control provided by the tilt valve is generally insufficient wherein precision control is necessary, unless the operator is highly skilled. The tilt valve does not provide sufficient magnification of the valve displacement to dispensing ratio and therefore provides a dispensing rate of product that is difficult to control. Nevertheless, the tilt valve has found use in the dispensing of aerosol foam products since more efficient alternatives have not been available, or were not economically feasible.
Further, polyurethane foam products swell substantially upon discharge from the container and therefore it is very important to provide precision control of the product to avoid waste, mess and damage resulting from too much product being dispensed and swelling within a confined area. The polyurethane foam product is a sticky material once dispensed which is capable of adhering to almost any surface and can be very difficult to remove especially since water actually accelerates the curing time of the product. Also, the muscle group used to control a tilt valve, either an index finger not in opposition with the thumb or a thumb not in opposition with an index finger, is not conducive of high precision control.
Generally, tilt valves and other aerosol valves are configured with a resilient gasket positioned between the valve and a top portion of the container to operatively seal the container yet permit unseating a portion of the valve when dispensing a product from the container. The ingredients in the liquid form of the polyurethane foam used in this application as well as the compatible propellants used with this product, in combination or alone, tend to have a deteriorating effect on the resilient gasket material. Deterioration of the gasket is manifested in hardening of the gasket which substantially reduces the shelf life of the product because once the gasket hardens (one to two months), the valve is no longer functional and the container may leak the polyurethane substance, propellant or both. While rigid materials have been found which are inert to commonly used propellants, resilient gasket material generally are not inert to such propellants, resilient materials which are inert to the propellants are deteriorated by the chemicals in the polyurethane substance.
Prior art valves have not provided solutions to the above-noted problems for the application of aerosol products in general and more specifically for the application of polyurethane foam products. Further, it was thought that the shelf life of polyurethane foam products could not be extended since many types and combinations of gasket materials have been tried in an attempt to overcome the deterioration problem caused by the chemicals in the liquid polyurethane material and the compatible propellant. However, the present invention has now solved the problems noted above in the dispensing of aerosol products.
The present invention, as will be detailed more fully hereinafter, overcomes the above-described problems. More specifically, the present invention provides a novel valve for use with an aerosol container for controllably dispensing a substance disposed within the container which is under pressure of a propellant also disposed within the container.

Actuating valve for aerosol foam product


A method of communicating with an ingestible capsule includes detecting the location of the ingestible capsule, focusing a multi-sensor acoustic array on the ingestible capsule, and communicating an acoustic information exchange with the ingestible capsule via the multi-sensor acoustic array. The ingestible capsule includes a sensor that receives a stimulus inside the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, a bidirectional acoustic information communications module that transmits an acoustic information signal containing information from the sensor, and an acoustically transmissive encapsulation that substantially encloses the sensor and communications module, wherein the acoustically transmissive encapsulation is of ingestible size. The multi-sensor array includes a plurality of acoustic transducers that receive an acoustic signal from a movable device, and a plurality of delays, wherein each delay is coupled to a corresponding acoustic transducer. Each delay may be adjusted according to a phase of a signal received by the corresponding acoustic transducer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical device communication, and in particular, to communication with ingestible medical diagnostic devices.
2. Background Art
The population of the United States is aging. The first wave of the 78 million "Baby Boomers" is beginning to turn 60 years old. Coinciding with this aging of population is a rising concern regarding the public health, and a generally more educated patient in technology awareness. There has been an explosion in diabetes cases, estimated at 194 million cases worldwide today, and predicted to be 350 million cases by year 2025. Obesity currently affects two thirds of the U.S. population. There is a rising incidence of cardiac problems for women (the #1 cause of death for women). Hepatitis C will soon reach epidemic levels, infecting nearly 5 million people, more than the number of approximately 1.2 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Celiac disease affects approximately 2.2 million people in the U.S., with about 97% being undiagnosed. The prevalence of further serious conditions, such as colon cancer, other cancers, ultra- or ulcerative-colitis, lactose intolerance, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, etc., indicate that there is a need for simple and easy diagnostic techniques, especially because many of these diseases are chronic, requiring repeat testing over time. Some conditions, such as cancer, are most responsive to treatment if caught in the early stages. Cancer, for example, is best detected in the digestive tract. Given that cancerous growth can occur in as little as one to two years, it is essential to detect cancer or cancerous precursors at least annually, or preferably biannually. Physician and health care resources are currently already stretched and will fail if the current technology, process and procedure are not altered to suit the needs of the baby boomer market of the near future. Time-saving and simple solutions to diagnostics are needed.
The current population desires speedy testing and fast answers to their health questions. Many current testing and monitoring systems are limited by old technology and processes that take days, if not weeks, for results. These test methods, if not inconvenient and potentially embarrassing, are at least in most cases intrinsically painful or risky to patients.
One ingestible diagnostic device in the market today is a disposable RF camera pill or capsule camera, which captures images of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract as it passes through. Current camera pill usage by patients and physicians is limited in many different ways. First and foremost, the current technology is very large in comparison to most ingestible medicines and nutritional supplements. The excessive size is in large part a result of the selection of power-inefficient communication methods. The large size mandates pre-screening of patients (an additional process, inconvenience, and cost). The large size also leads to a reasonably high potential that the device can become lodged within the GI tract. This may lead to a highly invasive surgical removal requirement, which carries all the risks associated with surgeries.
Additionally, the current camera pill systems require a bulky reading device worn as a belt around the waist and adhesive sensors attached to the body to capture the electromagnetically-coupled signal sent from the pill. The patient is required to report to a physician's office for prescreening, to initiate use of the camera pill, and to be fitted with the belt reader. The belt reader is worn for 24 hours, during which time the camera pill captures images and transmits the images via radio frequencies (RF) to the belt reader. At the end of a diagnosis period, the patient (and belt reader) must return to the physician. The physician is first required to download images from the belt reader and the analyze the images. The physician may analyze the images and discuss the results with the patient at yet another appointment during a subsequent visit. Thus, current camera pills require three, four, or more trips to the physician's office, as well as the wearing of a cumbersome belt reader with leads attached to the skin.
This diagnostic process is both inconvenient and uncomfortable. It also carries a risk of surgical removal, due to the size of the current camera pills. Current technology does not offer a recorded position within the body associated to the specific image taken. Physicians must achieve a location of an image of interest through yet another procedure. Furthermore, the current camera pills are expensive devices, and are resorted to when other bowel disease diagnostic techniques, such as endoscopy and colonoscopy (each of which are extremely intrusive), present results that need further investigation. Further, the electromagnetic signals used to transmit the images may harm the sensitive tissue they pass through in order to be detected outside the body. Therefore, the current ingestible camera pill has significant deficiencies.
What is needed are diagnostic devices, services and processes that are convenient, simple, relatively inexpensive, comfortable, take less time, directly detect specific compounds or indicators to disease, and have more applications.

Method for acoustic information exchange involving an ingestible low power capsule


A three-level infra-red bolometer includes an active matrix level, a support level, a pair of posts and an absorption level. The active matrix level includes a substrate having an integrated circuit, a pair of connecting terminals and a protective layer covering the substrate. The support level includes a pair of bridges, each of the bridges being provided with a conduction line formed on top thereof, wherein one end of the conduction line is electrically connected to the respective connecting terminal. The absorption level includes a serpentine bolometer element surrounded by an absorber made of silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) or silicon oxy-nitride (SiO.sub.x N.sub.y). Each of the posts includes an electrical conduit surrounded by an insulating material and is placed between the absorption level and the bridge, in such a way that the serpentine bolometer element is electrically connected to the integrated circuit through the electrical conduit, the conduction line and the connecting terminal.

Bolometers are energy detectors based upon a change in the resistance of materials (called bolometer elements) that are exposed to a radiation flux. The bolometer elements have been made from both metals and semiconductors. In case of the metals, the resistance change is essentially due to a variation in the carrier mobility, which typically decreases with temperature. In contrast, greater sensitivity can be obtained in high-resistivity semiconductor bolometer elements wherein the free-carrier density is an exponential function of temperature; however, thin film fabrication of semiconductor elements for the construction of bolometers is a difficult task.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown a perspective view and a cross sectional view illustrating a three-level bolometer 100, disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/102,364 entitled "BOLOMETER HAVING AN INCREASED FILL FACTOR". The bolometer 100 comprises an active matrix level 110, a support level 120, at least a pair of posts 170 and an absorption level 130.
The active matrix level 110 has a substrate 112 including an integrated circuit (not shown), a pair of connecting terminals 114 and a protective layer 116. Each of the connecting terminals 114 made of a metal is located on top of the substrate 112. The protective layer 116 made of, e.g., silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x), covers the substrate 112. The pair of connecting terminals 114 are electrically connected to the integrated circuit.
The support level 120 includes a pair of bridges 140 made of silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x), each of the bridges 140 having a conduction line 165 formed on top thereof. Each of the bridges 140 is provided with an anchor portion 142, a leg portion 144 and an elevated portion 146, the anchor portion 142 including a via hole 152 through which one end of the conduction line 165 is electrically connected to the connecting terminal 114, the leg portion 144 supporting the elevated portion 146.
The absorption level 130 is provided with a serpentine bolometer element 185 made of titanium (Ti), an absorber 195 made of silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x) and an IR absorber coating 197 formed on top of the absorber 195. The absorber 195 is fabricated by depositing silicon nitride before and after the formation of the serpentine bolometer element 185 to surround the serpentine bolometer element 185.
Each of the posts 170 is placed between the absorption level 130 and the support level 120. Each of the posts 170 includes an electrical conduit 172 made of a metal, e.g., titanium (Ti), and surrounded by an insulating material 174 made of, e.g., silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x). Top end of the electrical conduit 172 is electrically connected to one end of the serpentine bolometer element 185 and bottom end of the electrical conduit 172 is electrically connected to the conduction line 165 on the bridge 140, in such a way that both ends of the serpentine bolometer element 185 in the absorption level 130 is electrically connected to the integrated circuit of the active matrix level 110 through the electrical conduits 172, the conduction lines 165 and the connecting terminals 114. When exposed to infra-red radiation, the resistivity of the serpentine bolometer element 185 changes, causing a current and a voltage to vary, accordingly. The varied current or voltage is amplified by the integrated circuit, in such a way that the amplified current or voltage is read out by a detective circuit (not shown).
There are certain deficiencies associated with the above described three-level bolometer 100. When selecting the material for the absorber 195, it is important to consider the fabrication conditions, e.g., deposition-temperature, and the material characteristics, e.g., heat-conductivity. In the above described three-level bolometer 100, since silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x) can be formed only at a relatively high temperature, e.g., over 850.degree. C., titanium (Ti) constituting the serpentine bolometer element 185 gets easily oxidized during the formation of the absorber 195, which will, in turn, detrimentally affect the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) thereof. Further, silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x) has a relatively high heat-conductivity, reducing the thermal isolation effect of the absorber 195 in the bolometer 100.

Bolometer including an absorber made of a material having a low deposition-temperature and a low heat-conductivity


The present invention provides an array substrate for an IPS-LCD device. The array substrate has an image display area and an image non-display area. A first auxiliary line that receives a signal applied to a plurality of common electrodes is arranged in the image non-display area. A second auxiliary line that receives a signal applied to a gate line is also arranged in the image non-display area. The first and second auxiliary lines has the opposite polarity direct electrical currents, and thus, both negative and positive ions from sealant and overcoat layer are trapped in these first and second auxiliary lines. Accordingly, the deterioration of the liquid crystal layer is prevented, thereby increasing the reliability of a liquid crystal display device.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2000-42534, filed on Jul. 24, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid crystal display devices. More particularly it relates to liquid crystal display devices implenting in-plane switching (IPS) where an electric field to be applied to liquid crystals is generated in a plane parallel to a substrate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device uses the optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules to produce an image. Liquid crystal molecules have a definite orientational alignment as a result of their long, thin shapes. That orientational alignment can be controlled by an applied electric field. In other words, as an applied electric field changes, so does the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules. Due to the optical anisotropy, the refraction of incident light depends on the orientational alignment of the liquid crystal molecules. Thus, by properly controlling an applied electric field a desired light image can be produced.
Of the different types of known LCDs, active matrix LCDs (AM-LCDs), which have thin film transistors and pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix form, are the subject of significant research and development because of their high resolution and superiority in displaying moving images.
LCD devices have wide application in office automation (OA) equipment and video units because they are light and thin, and have low power consumption characteristics. The typical liquid crystal display (LCD) panel has an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The upper substrate, commonly referred to as a color filter substrate, usually includes a common electrode and color filters. The lower substrate, commonly referred to as an array substrate, includes switching elements, such as thin film transistors (TFTs), and pixel electrodes.
As previously described, LCD device operation is based on the principle that the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is dependent upon an electric field applied between the common electrode and the pixel electrode. Thus, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is controlled by the application of an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. When the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is properly adjusted, incident light is refracted along the alignment direction to display image data. The liquid crystal molecules function as an optical modulation element having variable optical characteristics that depend upon polarity of the applied voltage.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional LCD cell in an active matrix LCD. As shown, the LCD cell 20 has lower and upper substrates 2 and 4 and a liquid crystal (LC) layer 10 interposed therebetween. The lower substrate 2 has a thin film transistor (TFT) xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d as a switching element that switches a voltage that changes the orientation of the LC molecules. The lower substrate 2 also includes a pixel electrode 14 that is used to apply an electric field across the LC layer 10 in response to signals applied to the TFT xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d. The upper substrate 4 has a color filter 8 for producing a color, and a common electrode 12 on the color filter 8. The common electrode 12 serves as an electrode that produces the electric field across the LC layer (with the assistance of the pixel electrode 14). The pixel electrode 14 is arranged over a pixel portion xe2x80x9cP,xe2x80x9d i.e., a display area. Further, to prevent leakage of the LC layer 10, a pair of substrates 2 and 4 are sealed by a sealant 6.
As described above, since the common and pixel electrodes 12 and 14 of the conventional LCD panel are positioned on the upper and lower substrates 4 and 2, respectively, the electric field induced between them is perpendicular to the lower and upper substrates 2 and 4. The described liquid crystal display device has advantages of high transmittance and a high aperture ratio. Furthermore, because the common electrode 12 on the upper substrate 4 acts as a ground, the liquid crystal is shielded from static electricity.
However, the conventional LCD panels having the longitudinal electric field has a drawback in that they have a very narrow viewing angle. In order to solve the problem of narrow viewing angle, in-plane switching liquid crystal display (IPS-LCD) devices have been proposed. The IPS-LCD devices typically include a lower substrate where a pixel electrode and a common electrode are disposed, an upper substrate having no electrode, and a liquid crystal interposed between the upper and lower substrates.
A detailed explanation about operation modes of a typical IPS-LCD panel will be provided referring to FIGS. 2 and 3A to 3D.
As shown in FIG. 2, lower and upper substrates 30 and 32 are spaced apart from each other, and a liquid crystal 10 is interposed therebetween. The lower and upper substrates 30 and 32 are often referred to as array substrate and color filter substrate, respectively. On the lower substrate 30 are a pixel electrode 34 and a common electrode 36. The pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36 are aligned parallel to each other. On a surface of the upper substrate 32 is a color filter layer 42 that is commonly positioned between the pixel electrode 34 and the common electrode 36 of the lower substrate 30. An overcoat layer 44, which protects the color filter layer 42, is formed on the color filter layer 42. A voltage applied across the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36 produces an electric field 35 through the liquid crystal xe2x80x9cLC.xe2x80x9d The liquid crystal xe2x80x9cLCxe2x80x9d has a negative dielectric anisotropy, and thus it aligns parallel to the electric field 35. An edge sealant 40 is formed around the edges of the lower and upper substrates 30 and 32, and bonds the upper substrate 32 to the lower substrate 30 to prevent leakage of the liquid crystal xe2x80x9cLCxe2x80x9d.
FIGS. 3A to 3D conceptually help illustrate the operation of a conventional IPS-LCD device. When no electric field is produced by the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36, i.e., off state, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the longitudinal axes of the LC molecules xe2x80x9cLCxe2x80x9d are parallel and form a definite angle with the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36. For example, FIG. 3B shows a common angle of 45 degrees between a line that is perpendicular to the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36 and the longitudinal axes of the LC molecules.
On the contrary, when an electric field is produced by the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36, i.e., on state, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, because the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36 are on the lower substrate 30, an in-plane electric field 35 that is parallel to the surface of the lower substrate 30 is produced. Accordingly, the LC molecules xe2x80x9cLCxe2x80x9d twist to bring their longitudinal axes into coincidence with the electric field. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3D, the LC molecules align with their longitudinal axes parallel with a line perpendicular to the pixel and common electrodes 34 and 36.
In the above-mentioned IPS-LCD panel, there is no common electrode on the color filter. Furthermore, since the above-mentioned IPS-LCD panel has the pixel electrode and the common electrode on the array substrate, it uses the parallel electric field to the array substrate.
Now, referring back to FIG. 2, the overcoat layer 44 is formed on the color filter layer 42 so as to cover and protect the color filter layer 42. Further, the edge sealant 40 is formed around the periphery of the IPS-LCD panel. However, there are some problems in the edge sealant 40 and the overcoat layer 44.
In general, a number of ions are contained in the edge sealant 40. As time passes, these ions migrate into the liquid crystal layer 10 after the LCD panel is complete. In other words, since the edge sealant 40 is formed of a epoxy-based resin that has a great water resistance, the edge sealant 40 includes sodium ions (Na+), chlorine ions (Clxe2x88x92), potassium ions (K+) and/or fluorine ions (Fxe2x88x92), and these ions flow out as time passes. As these ions migrate through the liquid crystal layer 10, they deteriorate the liquid crystal layer 10 and act as defects therein, thereby shortening life of the liquid crystal layer 10.
Furthermore, the color filter layer 42 contains a number of ions, but the overcoat layer 44 prevents these ions from coming out from the color filter 42. However, the overcoat layer 44 also contains a number of ions. The ions in the overcoat layer 44 also migrate into the liquid crystal layer 10 as time passes, thereby accelerating the deterioration of the liquid crystal layer 10. Since the overcoat layer 44 is commonly made of an acryl-based resin, this overcoat layer 44 contains sodium ions (Na+), potassium ions (K+), iron ions (Fe2+/Fe3+), aluminum ions (A13+), etc.
When the liquid crystal layer contains ions as described above, the driving voltage used to create the electric fields in the liquid crystal during operation of the liquid crystal is changed because of the presence of these ions. Accordingly, quality of the liquid crystal panel display degrades as the liquid crystal panel is used over time.
To overcome the display degradation caused by the migration of ions into the liquid crystal, an auxiliary line is used in a non-display area of the array substrate. FIG. 4 is a plan view of an array substrate illustrating a conventional in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device that has such an auxiliary line. As shown in FIG. 4, the array substrate is divided into a pixel area and a non-pixel area. In the pixel area, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs), a plurality of pixel electrodes and a plurality of common electrodes 50 are arranged. On the other hand, a electrostatic discharge device 54 and an auxiliary line 52 are arranged in the non-pixel area. The auxiliary line 52 receives a signal that is applied to the common electrodes 50.
Still, referring to FIG. 4, since the signal applied to the auxiliary line 52 is a direct electrical current with a potential of several volts, an electric field is generated around the auxiliary line 52. Therefore, the ions permeated through the liquid crystal layer from the edge sealant and overcoat layer gather around the auxiliary line 52. However, in this case when the auxiliary line 52 receives the direct electrical current, the auxiliary line 52 catches only the ions that have a polarity opposite to the polarity of that direct electrical current. Namely, since the signal applied to the auxiliary line 52 commonly has a positive polarity, the auxiliary line 52 attracts the negative ions. Accordingly, positive ions still exist in the liquid crystal layer, thereby deteriorating the liquid crystal layer and decreasing the display quality of the liquid crystal panel.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an array substrate for an LCD device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an LCD device having a stable image display.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an array substrate for an LCD device, which has a structure that prevents a liquid crystal layer from deteriorated.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
In order to achieve the above object, an embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes first and second substrates that are divided in a display area and a non-display area; a plurality of switching devices on the first substrate; first and second lines that apply signals to each switching device; a plurality of electrodes on the first substrate; a first auxiliary line arranged in the non-display area, the first auxiliary line receiving a first signal; a second auxiliary line arranged in the non-display area, the second auxiliary line receiving a second signal; and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
The switching device includes a thin film transistor. The first line includes a gate line, while the second line includes a data line. The electrodes include a pixel electrode. A plurality of second electrodes includes a common electrode.
The plurality of the second electrodes receives the first signal, while the first line receives the second signal. The first auxiliary line is parallel with the first line, while the second auxiliary line is parallel with the first line.
The first auxiliary line includes a common line. Further, the second auxiliary line receives a signal having opposite polarity to a signal applied to the first line.
The liquid crystal display device further includes a plurality of pad portions in the non-display area and a plurality of electrostatic discharge device in the non-display area.
In another aspect, the principles of the present invention provide an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device, which includes a substrate having a display area and a non-display area; a plurality of switching devices arranged in the display area of the substrate; first and second lines that apply signals to each switching device; a plurality of electrodes on the substrate; a first auxiliary line arranged in the non-display area, the first auxiliary line receiving a first signal; and a second auxiliary line arranged in the non-display area, the second auxiliary line receiving a second signal.
The second auxiliary line receives a same signal as the first auxiliary line. Further, the first line is a gate line.
Furthermore, the second auxiliary line receives a periodically contrary signal from the first auxiliary line.
A plurality of the second electrodes receive the first signal, while the first line receives the second signal.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Array substrate for liquid crystal display device


A method of measuring pore depth on the surface of a polishing pad during processing. In the present invention, a planar ultrasound sensing device is disposed a predetermined distance above the surface of a polishing pad. The planar ultrasound sensing device sends out a plurality of ultrasound signals to the surface and the pores therein, and receives a plurality of reflected signals from the pad surface and constituent pores. The difference between pore depth and the surface is determined to establish first depth difference data according to the time delay in the reflected signals. The polishing pad is rotated to obtain second to Nth depth difference data. A relational image relative to the surface and the pores of the polishing pad is obtained according to the first to Nth depth difference data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a measuring method, and in particular to a method of measuring pore depth on the surface of a polishing pad during processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the manufacture of integrated circuits it is necessary to polish a thin wafer of semiconductor material to remove material and dirt from the surface thereof. Typically, a wet chemical abrasive or slurry is applied to a motor driven polishing pad while a semiconductor wafer is pressed against it in a process well known as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The polishing effects on the wafer result from both the chemical and mechanical actions.
The polishing pad contacts the wafer surface while both wafer and pad are rotating on different axes. The rotation facilitates the transport of the abrasive-containing polishing slurry between the pad and the wafer. The condition of the polishing pad directly affects the polishing rate of material removal and uniformity of the removal from the semiconductor wafer. Pad conditioning may take place during or after the polishing process. The most common method of pad conditioning is a mechanical abrasion of the pad surface. Materials such as steel blades or abrasive wheels are often used. While conditioning of the pad surface improves polishing uniformity and rates, it has the detrimental effect of removing a quantity of pad material. However, the polishing removal rate is still diminished, since the pores on the surface of the polishing pad retain particles within the slurry. Therefore, the polishing removal uniformity is degraded.
Presently, the only means available to measure pad condition is destructive to the polishing pad, such as cutting a piece from the pad and using a micrometer to measure surface depth. Thus, pad destruction may result and downtime is increased.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to measure pore depth and size on the surface of a polishing pad during processing without pad destruction.
According to the above mentioned objects, the present invention provides a method of measuring pore depth and size on the surface of a polishing pad during processing.
In the method of the present invention, a planar ultrasound sensing device is disposed a predetermined distance above the surface of a polishing pad. The planar ultrasound sensing device sends out a plurality of ultrasound signals to the surface and the pores therein, and receives a plurality of reflected signals from the pad surface and constituent pores. The difference between pore depth and the surface is determined to establish first depth difference data according to the time delay in the reflected signals. The polishing pad is then rotated to obtain second to Nth depth difference data. A relational image relative to the surface and the pores of the polishing pad is obtained according to the first to Nth depth difference data.
Also, the present invention displays the relational image relative to the surface and the pores of the polishing pad.
Also, the present invention computes a relationship between size and depth of the pores on the polishing pad according to the first to Nth depth difference data.
Also, the present invention calculates the pore size per unit surface area of the polishing pad according to the pore size and surface area of the polishing pad.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Method of measuring pore depth on the surface of a polishing pad