A fluorene copolymer, method for preparation thereof, and use thereof are provided. Said fluorene copolymer comprises copolymer represented by formula (I), wherein R1-R2, R5-R8 are selected from H or C1-C20 alkyl, R3-R4 are selected from H, C1-C20 alkyl, C1-C20 alkoxyl, phenyl or phenoxyl, x+y=1, x≠0, y≠0; n is an integer of 1 to 200, Ar1 is thiophene unit-containing group. On account of thiophene unit and thienopyrazine unit, the fluorene copolymer has wide spectrum response range and favorable stability.

Organic material has been the research focus, which popularly used in copolymer material at present. Researches and developments involved in it are increasing. As being a kind of optoelectronic material or semiconductor material, copolymer material is becoming one of hotspots in the field of energy. A typical application is solar cell, for example.
A persistent difficulty and research focus in photovoltaic field is to take advantage of low-priced material to produce low-cost solar cell with high efficiency. Solar cells convert sunlight into electrical energy, which is a feasible and effective method for utilizing solar energy. However, the commercial solar cells nowadays are restricted to silicon substrate and other inorganic solar cells. The high price that most people cannot afford, greatly limits the scope of their use. In order to reduce battery costs and expand the scope of application, it has been a long time that people turned to organic solar cells. Inorganic semiconductor material features limited resources, high price, poisonous, complicated preparation process and high cost. Compared to these, solar cell has some advantages which cannot be matched by inorganic solar cell, such as extensive material source, diversity of controllable structure, low cost, safety, simple process, light quality and it can be flexibly manufactured on a large scale. Possessing important development and application prospects, it can be implemented in building construction, lighting, power generation and other fields. Thus, it draws much attention and investment of many domestic and international research institutions and enterprises.
Nevertheless, efficiency of photon-to-electron conversion of copolymer solar cell is much lower than that of inorganic solar cell so far. Thus, it is meaningful to develop new organic optoelectronic materials for improvement of efficiency of organic solar cell and other semiconductor devices.

Fluorene copolymer, method for preparation and use thereof

Ocean's King Lighting Science & Technology Co., Ltd.


A system includes a scope for obtaining images of an end face of an optical fiber in a fiber optic connector. The system also includes a computing device. The computing device is configured to obtain images of the end face of the optical fiber via the scope, identify surface defects on the end face of the optical fiber based on the images, and determine insertion loss of the fiber optic connector due to the surface defects.

Optical signals that travel from a central office to customer premises over optical fibers (beyond 20˜50 kilometers) will be attenuated due to fiber loss and distorted due to optical dispersion. In some instances, fiber loss occurs when optical signals transition from one optical fiber to another optical fiber via a fiber optic connector that aligns and secures the optical fiber ends. To ensure the integrity of optical signals, an engineer or a technician may test fiber optic connectors for cleanliness of and possible damages to optical fiber ends inside the fiber optic connector.

Processing images of fiber optic connector ends


Methods and apparatus for packing received Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) frames in buffers for transmission to a host system memory. SAS frames are received from another SAS device and stored in a frame buffer memory. User data in the received frames has appended SCSI Data Integrity Fields (DIF information) to enhance reliability. Features and aspects hereof use the DIF information to validate the user data and then strip the DIF information to densely pack the validated user data in a DMA staging buffer for transmission to a host's system buffer memory using DMA features of the SAS device. The DMA circuit is programmed and started when the staging buffer is filled to at least a threshold amount of data to thereby improve efficacy of the DMA transfer performance. Other criteria may also be employed to determine when to start the DMA circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to apparatus for receiving a serial data stream and more specifically relates to efficiently packing received frames of a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) data stream into buffers for efficient transfers from a SAS device to a system memory.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) communications systems, an initiator device (e.g., a storage controller or host system) opens a connection with an identified SAS target device (e.g., a storage device) for purposes of sending data to the target or receiving data from the target. Data is then exchanged over the open connection as frames.
For example, when a SAS target device sends data (i.e., requested read data) to a requesting SAS initiator device, the serial data passes up from the PHY layer (physical layer) of the initiator device to the link layer and so on until eventually, the received data is stored in a memory buffer of the system (i.e., system memory of the initiator device or the host system). This transfer to system buffer memory is typically performed by a direct memory access (DMA) component.
In using a DMA circuit to transfer data, it is common to design the device to set up and start the DMA circuit once some threshold volume of data is received. The overhead processing to set up and start the DMA transfer may be best amortized when the amount of data to transfer is at least as large as the designed threshold value. Otherwise, the device may incur excessive overhead processing by setting up and starting the DMA circuit too frequently for smaller transfers.
For example, in some SAS initiator designs, a DMA threshold may be defined such that the initiator device waits to receive two full frames of data before sending the data, via DMA, to the system memory (i.e., the initiator device's buffer memory). In SAS, a frame may be up to 1024 bytes in length. Thus, a DMA threshold value for such an exemplary initiator device may be 2×1024 or 2048 bytes of data.
SAS (and more generally SCSI) protocols allow for end to end data protection (EEDP) to help assure reliability. In EEDP, data protection information (a data integrity field or DIF) comprising 8 bytes can be inserted/removed/checked for each block of data sent/received from an initiator to a target. The data protection information can be stored/generated/removed/checked in the source/destination device in association with the block of data and is returned/removed with the associated data when the block of data is read back by the initiator device/written to the target device. The sending/receiving device includes a layer of processing that verifies the integrity of the received data (based on the sent/received DIF associated with each block received from the other device). If the blocks of data are properly verified the data (stripped of the DIF field) is then forwarded to the system memory buffer of the receiving device using DMA.
However, where EEDP is used, the DIF information may disrupt the order of the actual user data to be returned to the system buffer memory. Thus, the DMA circuit may be operating in less than an optimal mode due to the non-contiguous nature of the received data (i.e., the received user data with appended DIFs at each data block boundary).
Thus it is an ongoing challenge to efficiently transfer data from a SAS initiator to a system buffer memory using DMA circuits of the initiator device.

Methods and apparatus for packing received frames in buffers in a serial attached SCSI (SAS) device


According to the present invention, there is provided a durable, lightweight disposable container containing a plurality of holders for holding blood product tubes. These tubes are firmly secured in each slot yet can be easily removed from the slot after filling. According to a preferred embodiment, the box can be fixed to a table top or other substantially flat surface in an area where the blood drawing procedure is to occur.

The epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has led health care workers to focus on the risk they face in the hospital and clinic environments. In the United States, nearly 150,000 cases of AIDS in adults and adolescents were reported through July 1990.
In addition to AIDS, hospital workers have reason to be concerned about other illnesses they may be exposed to in the workplace. The Hepatitis Branch of the Centers for Disease Control has estimated that hundreds of health care workers die each year from the direct or indirect consequences of occupationally acquired hepatitis B. Additionally, thousands more become infected with the virus. Other studies have documented the transmission of at least 20 different pathogens by "needlestick" injuries. Needlestick injuries can occur, for example, in the process of collecting and/or transferring bodily fluids.
Despite the presumed widespread knowledge of the potential dangers of needlesticks, the incidence of these injuries is increasing. Furthermore, although the number of incidents of transmission of the HIV virus after a needlestick is relatively low (currently estimated to be less than 4/1000 needlesticks, infections in health care workers have been attributed to needlestick exposures. Not only are the medical consequences of needlesticks worrisome, the psychological consequences of unnecessary needlesticks are ever present for health care workers and their spouses or sexual partners.
Needlestick injuries effect all hospital personnel and occur throughout hospitals. Virtually every type of hospital personnel has sustained a needlestick injury at one time or another. This includes nurses, doctors, technicians, and housekeeping personnel. In addition, virtually every ward and department has been the site of needlesticks. Of further concern is the fact that in one study only 54% of those personnel who were victims of needlesticks reported the incident. In a large majority of cases, accidental needlesticks occurred during blood drawing procedures. In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the risk of needlestick injuries and the concomitant transfer of potentially life threatening pathogens is a constant threat to hospital and clinical personnel.
Attempts have been made to address this problem, especially in the area of transferring bodily fluids from a syringe to a test tube. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,618 issued to Marvel. The Medical Safety Device disclosed in Marvel comprises a round elongated handle sized for being held in the fisted grip of a person. This handle loosely receives a test tube. A shield is positioned on top of the handle and extends radially outwardly therefrom to an extent sufficient to substantially shield the fisted hand of the person gripping the handle. It is further disclosed that there is an opening in the side of the handle to permit the test tube to be contacted to facilitate its ejection from the cavity in the handle, and to permit the test tube to be held in place while a syringe needle is extracted from the test tube to prevent slippage of the tube from the handle. A small opening in the end of the handle prevents a vacuum from forming between the bottom of the test tube and the bottom of the test tube cavity in the handle.
While Marvel provides a certain degree of safety with the shield, additional drawbacks exist. The need to hold the test tube through the opening in the handle can lead to further problems. For example, in the event the user's hand slips, it is possible that a tube could be pulled out of the holder while attempting to extract a needle. This could lead to breakage of the tube and/or spillage of the fluid. Additionally, if too much pressure is asserted on the side of the wall by the user, it is possible that the tube will break causing cuts and a possible transfer of pathogens to the holder of the tube. Also, if any blood is on the outside of the tube undesirable contact can occur. Moreover, this structure necessitates that the user's hand (other than the hand holding the needle) be in the vicinity of the needle which is dangerous even with the shield present. This is obviously undesirable.
Additionally, this structure only enables a single tube to be held. In certain instances, it is necessary or desirable to transfer fluids into or from a plurality of tubes.
A structure similar to Marvel is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,910 issued to Staebler.
In U.S. Pat. 4,982,850 issued to Mears there is shown another hand held test tube holder structure. This device includes a base 12 which is designed to allow the test tube holder to stand independently on "balancing pads 26, 28 and 30. These balancing pads are undesirable since they permit a holder to slide along a surface or allow the holder to be easily knocked over. These are considered undesired movements. Each of the shafts 14-22 which hold the tubes, has a corresponding frontal slot 32-40, respectively. It is specifically disclosed that the shafts have a series of holes 42-50 aligned therewith to enable the test tubes or vials to be loosely inserted into the holder. This is undesirable since a tube can easily slide out of the holder.
It is disclosed that, in use, the user typically receives one or more vials that are already filled with blood samples that may be infected with the AIDS virus, and inserts the vials into the vertical shafts. There, they are stored until the user desires to transfer a fluid sample. After choosing the vial from which or to which a sample is to be transferred, the user places him thumb through the corresponding slot and presses the vial against the back of the corresponding shaft. A sample is removed from that vial by tilting the holder and needle toward one another and inserting the needle into the vial's top. This test tube holder is similar to Marvel in that it provides a safety shield at the top, it is hand held and the user contacts the tubes through a hole in the shaft to hold them in place. In at least one respect it differs from Marvel since it is designed for holding a plurality of tubes.
Therefore, this invention also suffers from many of the drawbacks of Marvel's device since the user must contact the vial to hold it in place while a needle is being withdrawn and further, because it requires a user's hand to contact the tubes and be near the needle, it must be tilted towards the needle and the tubes fit loosely into the vertical shafts.
Of course, various types of test tube racks and holders in general are known in the prior art, but to the knowledge of the applicant, none have been designed in order to facilitate and improve the safety of fluid transfer or address the other objects of the present invention.


Systems and methods for facilitating and targeting of online ads to voters within a selected political demographic are presented. Audience targeting may be accomplished in several ways including: geo-targeting; contextual targeting; behavioral targeting; site placement; and targeted household television ads. This segment or neighborhood level targeting allows more granularity based upon, for example, hot topics and people interested in those topics based upon where populations of people live (i.e., the location of the household) and voter registration. In this manner, a candidate may delivery an ad in order to influence a select group of people in a particular location. In some embodiments, the ad is delivered by dropping and later reading a tracking cookie that associates the voter's browser with political demographic information.

Traditional political advertising has been done using traditional media, such as print advertising, TV, and radio. With competition for donor resources and limited funds, there remains a need for cost effective advertising techniques. Importantly, campaigns for candidates or other political causes need to use ads in a cost effective manner to have an impact at the polls.
Currently, media consumption is transitioning from conventional communication means—such as broadcast television and radio, print media, and postal mail—to electronic media distributed, for example, over the internet and via electronic mail (i.e., email). However, advertising spending continues to focus heavily on traditional communications means. Web-based and electronic communications are becoming the industry standard for personal and business use. Increasingly, news, advertisements, business communications, personal communications, and other information (collectively hereinafter also referred to as "media consumption") are being created, stored, and transmitted electronically via computing networks, such as the Internet. A computing network, as used herein, refers to a collection of desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones, handheld or mobile computing devices (collectively "personal computing device" or "computing device") interconnected by communication channels that facilitate communications among users and allows users to share resources. At work, employees access such networks, along with their associated corporate computing resources from their local computing-device, on a daily basis in order to perform their jobs. Away from work, people similarly access such networks and resources, typically through home, mobile, or remote connect ions. Numerous types of electronic and network connections and communication channels are ubiquitous in the industry and well known to one familiar with this technology and industry. For example: wired and wireless connections, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), high speed connections of various types, intranets, extranets, the Internet, and the like.
Online advertising often prices ads on a per impression basis, where an impression is a single instance of displaying an ad to an individual. Paying for an impression to an individual that is sot registered to vote, unlikely to vote, or has likely already made up her mind on the issue, may be a wasted impression that costs the campaign precious capital. Furthermore, the ability to serve up individual impressions on a screen to a specific individual presents a unique opportunity and challenge not addressed in traditional media campaigns. As such, there remains a need to create strategies and technologies that deliver individual advertising experiences to voters to support political campaigns.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Targeting online ads based on political demographics


Embodiments included herein are directed towards a robotic system and method. Embodiments may include a transportation mechanism having at least three legs and a computing device configured to receive a plurality of optimization components. Each optimization component may include a plurality of variables and the computing device may be further configured to perform a randomized simulation based upon, at least in part, each of the plurality of optimization components. The computing device may be further configured to provide one or more results of the randomized simulation to the transportation mechanism to enable locomotion via the at least three legs.

Robotic systems are increasingly called upon to perform ever more complicated types of tasks. Such tasks often require complex coordination amongst various elements of a robotic system. However, coordinating control amongst several robotic elements (e.g., a moving arm, tool attached to the arm, mobile base, legs, and so on) has proven difficult and remains computationally intensive. Some have developed single degree of freedom mechanisms that can reproduce walking-type gaits. To date, these have primarily been used for art and performance applications.

Method for optimization of robotic transportation systems


A method for producing permanent magnet alloy particles suitable for use in producing bonded permanent magnets. A melt or molten mass of a permanent magnet alloy having at least one rare earth element, at least one transition element, preferably iron, and boron is produced. The melt is inert gas atomized to form spherical particles within the size range of 1 to 1000 microns. The particles are heat treated in a nonoxidizing atmosphere for a time at temperature to significantly increase the intrinsic coercivity of the particles without sintering the particles to substantially full density. Thereafter, the particles are separated to produce a discrete particle mass. The particles during heat treatment may be maintained in motion to prevent sintering thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing permanent magnet alloy particles of a rare earth element containing permanent magnet alloy, which particles are suitable for use in producing bonded permanent magnets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In various electrical applications, such as in electric motors, it is known to use bonded permanent magnets. Bonded permanent magnets are constructed of a dispersion of permanent magnet alloy particles in a bonding non-magnetic matrix of for example plastic. The permanent magnet particles are dispersed in the bonding matrix and the matrix is permitted to cure and harden either with or without magnetically orienting the dispersed particles therein.
Magnet alloys of at least one rare earth element, iron and boron are known to exhibit excellent energy product per unit volume and thus it is desirable to use these alloys in bonded magnets where low cost, high plasticity and good magnetic properties are required. It is likewise known with respect to these permanent magnet alloys that comminuting of these alloys to produce the fine particles required in the production of bonded magnets results in a significant decrease in the intrinsic coercivity of the alloy to a level wherein the particles are not suitable for use in producing bonded magnets. Hence, it is not possible to produce particles of these alloys for use in the production of bonded permanent magnets by comminuting castings of the alloy.
It is known to produce permanent magnet alloys of these compositions in particle form by inert gas atomization of a prealloyed melt of the alloy. The as-atomized particles, however, do not have sufficient intrinsic coercivity for use in producing bonded permanent magnets.

Method for producing permanent magnet alloy particles for use in producing bonded permanent magnets


A detergent composition which can effectively cleanse electronic and precision parts and produces waste effluent water which is very easily treated is disclosed. The detergent composition comprises one or more nonionic surface active agents and, when diluted with water to a concentration of 5%, the aqueous solution has a cloud point of 5.degree.-100.degree. C. Disclosed is also a process for cleansing electronic and precision parts comprising the steps 1) to 3): 1) cleaning the electronic and precision parts with a detergent composition comprising one or more nonionic surface active agents and wherein a 5% by weight of aqueous solution of said detergent composition has a cloud point of 5.degree.-100.degree. C., or with an aqueous solution of this detergent composition, at a temperature below said cloud point, 2) rinsing the electronic and precision parts with a rinse water resulted in step 1) at a temperature of 5.degree.-100.degree. C., and 3) heating the rinse waste water to a temperature above its cloud point; thereby separating the oil components contained therein.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a detergent composition for removing stains of oils and fats, machine oils, cutting oils, grease, liquid crystals, rosin-type fluxes, and the like attached to the solid surfaces of articles such as electronic and precision parts, and tools used for the assembly or fabrication of these parts (such parts and tools herein collectively called "electronic and precision parts"), and to a process for cleaning the electronic and precision parts using said detergent composition, which is characterized by the ease in treating the waste water discharged therefrom.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, hydrocarbon solvents, e.g. kerosene, benzene, xylene, etc.; chlorine-containing solvents, e.g. trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, etc., Freon-type solvents, e.g. trichlorotrifluoroethane, etc.; aqueous type detergents comprising surface active agents, builders, etc.; and the like have been used for removing stains, of which the major components are oils and fats, machine oils, cutting oils, greases, liquid crystals, rosin-type fluxes, and the like, attached to the solid surfaces of precision parts and tools. In particular, Freon-type solvents and chlorine-containing solvents are used for removing stains on electronic, electrical, and machinery parts owing to their high detergency and flame retardance.
The detergent compositions containing a chlorine-containing solvent or a Freon-type solvent, however, have crucial problems in terms of the safety, toxicity, environmental pollution, and the like. Among hydrocarbon solvents, benzene and xylene are both specified as hazardous compounds under the Law Concerning Industrial Hygiene and Workmen's Safety because of their high toxicity, and are therefore undesirable solvents for use in a detergent composition. Special consideration must be given to avoid risks involved in handling these solvents.
Aqueous type detergents, on the other hand, are less hazardous and toxic than solvent type detergents. High detergency can be provided by properly selecting detergent components such as surface active agents, builders, and the like.
Aqueous type detergents containing various types of surface active agents are usually abundantly soluble in water. This is the cause of the drawback of these aqueous type detergents; i.e. difficulty in the treatment of waste water. The treatment of a detergent liquid after removing stains and the treatment of the waste water used to rinse the detergent liquid from the parts to be cleaned (such waste water herein called "rinse waste water") have conventionally been carried out by coagulation and sedimentation, pressure flotation, activated sludge treatment, or activated carbon treatment, or by the combination of two or more of these. These treatment processes, however, require large facilities involving enormous investment and operating costs.
The object of the present invention is therefore, with due consideration to the above problems and drawbacks in aqueous-type detergent compositions or the detergent composition of the type in which water is used for the rinse after washing, to provide a detergent composition of which the rinse waste water can easily be treated and which can effectively remove stains of oils and fats, machine oils, cutting oils, greases, liquid crystals, rosin-type fluxes, and the like from the solid surfaces of electronic and precision parts. Another object of the present invention is to provide an industrially advantageous process for cleaning electronic and precision parts without requiring large facilities involving huge investment cost and high operating costs.
The present inventors have undertaken extensive studies and have found that the above objects can be achieved by a detergent composition comprising, as a detergent ingredient, one or more nonionic surface active agents, of which a 5% by weight aqueous solution has a cloud point of 5.degree.-100.degree. C.
The present inventors have further found that the rinse waste water after cleaning the electronic and precision parts with the detergent composition and after rinsing at a temperature of 5.degree.-100.degree. C. can easily separate out the oil components contained therein, such as oil stains and detergent components, if heated to a temperature above the cloud point, thereby remarkably improving the waste water treatment process and ensuring recycling of the rinse water from which the oil components have been eliminated.

Process for cleaning electronic or precision parts and recycling rinse waste water


The differential trans-impedance amplifier uses trans-resistance(s) connected between the input nodes of a first differential amplifier, to implement a trans-impedance differential amplifier in a differential fashion and has two identical resistances, each connected between the photodiode and a respective DC voltage rail of a common bias network of the photodiode adapted to reverse bias the photodiode. The biasing resistances may be much larger than the trans-resistance(s) to prevent drawing any significant signal current from the photodiode. The amplifier may retain the advantages of a classical differential topology while effectively overcoming drawbacks that arise in high data rate applications.

Optical-Electrical (O-E) interfaces are used in high speed communication systems to convert the incident light signal into an electrical signal. Typically, the O-E interface is made up of a photodiode (PD), to convert the incident light power into a current, and a Trans-Impedance Amplifier (TIA), to convert the photocurrent into a voltage of large enough amplitude to be managed by the following electronic stages. The TIA is generally followed by additional amplification stages to reach the desired output level and to drive the output load.
The TIA is typically considered an important block in high data rate (DR) applications since it ensures a large analog bandwidth (BW) in order not to degrade the Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) of the received bit stream but, at the same time, it may desirably have a large enough gain to provide at its output a manageable voltage for the following stages. It should also typically maintain a low integrated noise at its output so as not to degrade the overall Signal-to Noise Ratio (SNR), that directly impacts the output Bit Error Rate (BER).
Two TIA architectures are typically used, the feedback one and the open-loop one. The feedback architecture makes use of an amplifying stage fed back in an inverting configuration and fed at the input by the PD photocurrent iPD (FIG. 1a). The feedback impedance ZT realizes the desired trans-impedance gain. On the other hand, the open-loop architecture realizes the desired trans-impedance gain by injecting the photocurrent directly into an impedance ZT, and uses an open-loop amplifier to increase the voltage level up to the desired level (FIG. 1b).
The feedback architecture is generally preferred in presence of large input capacitances because for a given input sensitivity and a desired BER it provides a larger BW. The advantage in terms of bandwidth (BW) directly depends on the gain A of the amplifying stage (e.g. this advantage can be quantified into a factor sqrt(A+1) in the most simplified model, assuming infinite BW and null output impedance for the amplifying stage). This advantage is achieved at the expense of a more complex architecture, that intrinsically dissipates a larger power, and that may be prone to non idealities and to stability issues. These effects may become more and more important as the data rate increases (typically >10 Gbps) due to high frequency parasitic effects. In addition, a large gain A at frequencies in the range of tens of GHz is generally difficult to achieve, especially in low supply amplifiers, and this may reduce or even nullifies the advantages of a feedback architecture.
To extend data rates beyond 10 Gbps, equalization techniques are typically used, and particularly feed-forward equalization based on inductive peaking (Mohan 2000). The purpose of these techniques is to enlarge the bandwidth of the amplifying stage by emphasizing specific frequency components of the received signal (typically the high frequency components), while maintaining unmodified the other spectral components. Depending on the amount of equalization needed, this operation can be either concentrated into a single stage (typically the TIA) or distributed over several stages of the receiver chain. In most applications a programmable equalization is used, to ensure proper operation and/or uniform performance over Process Voltage and Temperature (PVT) conditions.
FIGS. 1a and 1b show typical TIA topologies with a single-ended PD connection. However, a differential topology has been recently proposed and applied to an open-loop TIA architecture (FIG. 2) (Kucharsky 2010).
This topology may be particularly suitable for silicon photonics applications: in fact, these can make use of a balanced waveguide PD integrated on the same silicon substrate as the electronic circuits (or on a separate silicon substrate, similar to the one used for electronic circuits). A differential topology intrinsically offers two advantages compared to a single-ended one: a 3 dB better SNR and a higher rejection of supply noise. The topology proposed in (Kucharsky 2010) implements the desired trans-resistance using two equal resistances RT, PD, connected to VPD+ and VPD− respectively to properly bias the PD, and AC-coupled to the following stage, as shown in FIG. 2, to allow proper bias of the stage itself (typically implemented by a differential pair). However this topology faces intrinsic limits discussed below, especially when extended to high DR applications.
1) Even if the topology is differential, the PD generated photocurrent is forced over a single-ended path through the two RT,PD trans-resistances before being converted into a differential voltage. This may be undesirable at frequencies in the range of tens of GHz, since the path between VPD+ and VPD− is generally a good short circuit only at low frequencies, but it is not well characterized at frequencies in the range of tens of GHz. This effect can be modeled by two parasitic impedances ZPD1,2 in series with RT,PD, as shown in FIG. 3.
2) Any undesired noise coupled on the PD supplies can significantly degrade the jitter performance at the TIA output.
3) Any asymmetry in the values of the two ZPD1,2 impedances moves the behavior of the circuit far from the ideal balanced one.
4) If the photodiode (PD) is not integrated on the same die of the TIA, this topology may suffer from the parasitic capacitances added at the PD anode/cathode by the interconnects between the PD and the TIA. In particular, this topology may not allow simple implementation of ESD protection (that may be required if the PD is not integrated on the same die of the TIA), without penalizing the BW.
5) The latter issue (4) is hard to address in this topology when implementing a programmable equalization operation joined with the trans-impedance operation. Therefore the equalization operation is carried out in the amplifying stage following the trans-resistance. The reason is that programmable peaking uses active components, that are unavoidably asymmetrically biased due to the asymmetric connection of RT,PD (to VPD+ and VPD−, respectively). For example, in a CMOS implementation this means that PMOS transistors are used on one branch and NMOS transistors on the other one, and this, in turn, may lead to higher mismatches between the two branches, especially over PVT variations.

Trans-impedance amplifier for high speed optical-electrical interfaces


The present invention relates to antibodies to NOGO, pharmaceutical formulations containing them and to the use of such antibodies in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of neurological diseases/disorder.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the Western World. There is no approved therapy for the treatment of stroke other than tissue plasminogen (t-PA) which has to be administered within 3 hours of onset following a computer tomography (CT) scan to exclude hemorrhage. To date most therapeutic agents directed towards the treatment of acute stroke (i.e. neuroprotection), have predominantly involved targeting glutamate receptors and their down stream signalling pathways known to be involved in acute cell death. However to date these strategies have proved unsuccessful in clinical trials and are often associated with dose-limiting side effects (Hill & Hachinski, The Lancet, 352: (suppl III) 10-14 (1998)). Therefore there is a need for novel approaches directed towards the amelioration of cell death following the cessation of blood flow. Neuroprotection is the ability of a treatment to prevent or ameliorate neuronal cell loss in response to an insult or disease process. This may be achieved by targeting the neurons directly or indirectly by preventing glial (including oligodendrocyte) cell loss.
Following the onset of stroke, some degree of spontaneous functional recovery is observed in many patients, suggesting that the brain has the (albeit limited) ability to repair and/or remodel following injury. Agents that have the potential to enhance this recovery may therefore allow intervention to be made much later (potentially days) following the onset of cerebral ischaemia. Agents which are able to offer both acute neuroprotection and enhance functional recovery may provide significant advantages over current potential neuroprotective strategies.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by the presence of two diagnostic features of pathology. These are amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of aggregated beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ40 and Aβ42) and hyperphosphorylated tau respectively (Dawbarn & Allen 2001 Neurobiology of Alzheimer's Disease OUP).
A comprehensive study has shown a strong link in patients between beta-amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline (Naslund et al, JAMA, Mar. 22/29, 2000, Vol. 283, No; 12, page 1571-1577). This is consistent with genetic and epidemiological studies that suggest that some mutations in APP and presenilin genes can predispose to early onset AD, which mutations also enhance the levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptide, including the ratio thereof.
Cleavage of the type I transmembrane amyloid precursor protein (APP) by two distinct proteases designated beta- and gamma-secretase is necessary for the formation of beta-amyloid peptide. The molecular identity of beta-secretase as the aspartyl-protease Asp2/BACE1 has been confirmed (Hussain et al Mol. Cell. NeuroSci. 16, 609-619 (2000); Vassar et al, Science (1999), Oct. 22; 286 (5440):735-741). The nature of gamma-secretase remains the source of some debate and is likely to consist of a high molecular weight complex consisting of at least the following proteins: presenilins, Aph1, Pen2 and nicastrin (reviewed in Medina & Dotti Cell Signalling 2003 15(9):829-41).
The processing of APP within the CNS is likely to occur within a number of cell-types including neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and microglia. While the overall rate of APP processing in these cells will be influenced by the relative level of expression of APP, BACE1/Asp2, presenilin-1 and -2, Aph1, Pen2 and nicastrin.
Furthermore, additional factors regulating the subcellular location of APP can also influence its processing as shown by the finding that mutation of the YENP motif in the APP cytoplasmic domain which blocks its endocytosis reduces beta-amyloid production (Perez et al 1999 J Biol Chem 274 (27) 18851-6). Retention of the APP-beta-CTF in the ER by the addition of the KKQN retention motif is sufficient to reduce amyloid production in transfected cells (Maltese et al 2001 J Biol Chem 276 (23) 20267-20279). Conversely, elevation of endocytosis, by overexpression of Rab5 is sufficient to elevate amyloid secretion from transfected cells (Grbovic et al 2003 J Biol Chem 278 (33) 31261-31268).
Consistent with these findings further studies have shown that reduction of cellular cholesterol levels (a well known risk factor for AD) reduced beta-amyloid formation. This change was dependent on altered endocytosis as demonstrated by the use of the dominant negative dynamin mutants (K44A) and overexpression of the Rab5 GTPase activating protein RN-Tre (Ehehalt et al 2003 J Cell Biol 160 (1) 113-123).
Cholesterol rich microdomains or rafts are also an important cellular site of beta-amyloid production and APP, BACE1 and components of the gamma-secretase complex have all been shown to transiently reside within rafts. Antibody cross-linking of APP and BACE1 towards cholesterol rich rafts was able to elevate beta-amyloid production (Ehehalt et al 2003 J Cell Biol 160 (1) 113-123). Expression of GPI-anchored BACE1, which is exclusively targeted to lipid rafts, is similarly able to elevate APP cleavage and beta-amyloid production (Cordy et al 2003 PNAS 100 (20) 11735-11740).
The mechanisms underlying functional recovery after a stroke or other neurodamaging event or disease, are currently unknown. The sprouting of injured or non-injured axons has been proposed as one possible mechanism. However, although in vivo studies have shown that treatment of spinal cord injury or stroke with neurotrophic factors results in enhanced functional recovery and a degree of axonal sprouting, these do not prove a direct link between the degree of axonal sprouting and extent of functional recovery (Jakeman, et al. 1998, Exp. Neurol. 154: 170-184, Kawamata et al. 1997, Proc Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 94:8179-8184, Ribotta, et al. 2000, J. Neurosci. 20: 5144-5152). Furthermore, axonal sprouting requires a viable neuron. In diseases such as stroke which is associated with extensive cell death, enhancement of functional recovery offered by a given agent post stroke may therefore be through mechanisms other than axonal sprouting such as differentiation of endogenous stem cells, activation of redundant pathways, changes in receptor distribution or excitability of neurons or glia (Fawcett & Asher, 1999, Brain Res. Bulletin, 49: 377-391, Horner & Gage, 2000, Nature 407 963-970).
The limited ability of the central nervous system (CNS) to repair following injury is thought in part to be due to molecules within the CNS environment that have an inhibitory effect on axonal sprouting (neurite outgrowth). CNS myelin is thought to contain inhibitory molecules (Schwab M E and Caroni P (1988) J. Neurosci. 8, 2381-2193). Two myelin proteins, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and NOGO have been cloned and identified as putative inhibitors of neurite outgrowth (Sato S. et al (1989) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 163, 1473-1480; McKerracher L et al (1994) Neuron 13, 805-811; Mukhopadhyay G et al (1994) Neuron 13, 757-767; Torigoe K and Lundborg G (1997) Exp. Neurology 150, 254-262; Schafer et al (1996) Neuron 16, 1107-1113; WO9522344; WO9701352; Prinjha R et al (2000) Nature 403, 383-384; Chen M S et al (2000) Nature 403, 434-439; GrandPre T et al (2000) Nature 403, 439-444; US005250414A; WO200005364A1; WO0031235).
Three forms of human NOGO have been identified: NOGO-A having 1192 amino acid residues (GenBank accession no. AJ251383); NOGO-B, a splice variant which lacks residues 186 to 1004 in the putative extracellular domain (GenBank accession no. AJ251384) and a shorter splice variant, NOGO-C, which also lacks residues 186 to 1004 and also has smaller, alternative amino terminal domain (GenBank accession no. AJ251385) (Prinjha et al (2000) supra).
Inhibition of the CNS inhibitory proteins such as NOGO may provide a therapeutic means to ameliorate neuronal damage and promote neuronal repair and growth thereby potentially assisting recovery from neuronal injury such as that sustained in stroke. Examples of such NOGO inhibitors may include small molecules, peptides and antibodies.
It has been reported that a murine monoclonal antibody, IN-1, that was raised against NI-220/250, a myelin protein which is a potent inhibitor of neurite growth (and subsequently shown to be fragment of NOGO-A), promotes axonal regeneration (Caroni, P and Schwab, M E (1988) Neuron 1 85-96; Schnell, L and Schwab, M E (1990) Nature 343 269-272; Bregman, B S et al (1995) Nature 378 498-501 and Thallmair, M et al (1998) Nature Neuroscience 1 124-131). It has also been reported that NOGO-A is the antigen for IN-1 (Chen et at (2000) Nature 403 434-439). Administration of IN-1 Fab fragment or humanised IN-1 to rats that have undergone spinal cord transection, enhanced recovery (Fiedler, M et al (2002) Protein Eng 15 931-941; Brosamle, C et al (2000) J. Neuroscience 20 8061-8068).
Monoclonal antibodies which bind to NOGO are described in WO 04/052932 and WO2005028508. WO 04/052932 discloses a murine antibody 11C7 which binds to certain forms of human NOGO with high affinity.
Patent application WO05/061544 also discloses high affinity monoclonal antibodies, including a murine monoclonal antibody 2A10, and generally discloses humanised variants thereof, for example H1 L11 (the sequences for the H1 and L11 are provided in SEQ ID NOs. 33 and 34 respectively (VH or VL sequences only)). The antibodies disclosed bind to human NOGO-A with high affinity. The murine 2A10 antibody (and CDR-grafted humanised variants thereof) are characterised by the following complementarity determining region (CDR) sequences (as determined using the Kabat methodology (Kabat et al. (1991) "Sequences of proteins of immunological interest"; Fifth Edition; US Department of Health and Human Services; NIH publication No 91-3242)) within their light and heavy chain variable regions:
TABLE 1Antibody 2A10 light chain CDRsCDRSequenceL1RSSKSLLYKDGKTYLN (SEQ ID NO: 4) L2LMSTRAS (SEQ ID NO: 5) L3QQLVEYPLT (SEQ ID NO: 6)
TABLE 2Antibody 2A10 heavy chain CDRsCDRSequenceH1SYWMH (SEQ ID NO: 1) H2NINPSNGGTNYNEKFKS (SEQ ID NO: 2) H3GQGY (SEQ ID NO: 3)
WO05/061544 further discloses "analogues" of the antibodies that comprise the CDRs of Tables 1 and 2 above, such "analogues" the have same antigen binding specificity and/or neutralizing ability as the donor antibody from which they were derived.
Despite the art providing high affinity anti-NOGO antibodies, it remains a highly desirable goal to isolate and develop alternative, or improved, therapeutically useful monoclonal antibodies that bind and inhibit the activity of human NOGO.
The process of neurodegeneration underlies many neurological diseases/disorders including, but not limited to, acute diseases such as stroke (ischemic or haemorrhagic), traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury as well as chronic diseases including Alzheimer's disease, fronto-temporal dementias (tauopathies), peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Schizophrenia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and inclusion body myositis. Consequently the anti-NOGO monoclonal antibodies, and the like, of the present invention may be useful in the treatment of these diseases/disorders. Antibodies for the treatment of the above mentioned disease/disorders are provided by the present invention and described in detail below.


The invention relates to a tuneable phase shifter and/or attenuator comprising a waveguide having a channel and a piece of photo-responsive material (18) disposed within the waveguide along an internal wall of said channel, a light source disposed outside the waveguide to emit light through an aperture (30) of said internal wall to impinge on at least part of an outside surface of said piece of photo-responsive material (18).

As far as the sub-millimeter range is concerned, terahertz technology been primarily been used in the fields of terrestrial astronomy and earth observation. However, many materials that are opaque in the optical and infrared regions are transparent to terahertz waves (0.1 THz to 10 THz). Applications for terahertz technology have thus recently expanded to include areas such as aerial navigation where terahertz waves are able to penetrate clouds and fog, medical imaging where body tissue can be examined without using potentially harmful ionizing radiation, and non-invasive security systems for use at airports and ports in which the terahertz waves are able to pass through clothing and materials normally opaque to infrared.
Due to the sub-millimeter wavelengths of terahertz waves, the required dimensions and accuracy of components such as antennas, waveguides, lenses, mirrors etc. make fabrication difficult and costly using conventional manufacturing techniques.
In the millimeter waveband, ferroelectric phase shifters are often employed in which the phase of the signal is shifted by varying the permittivity of the ferroelectric material by means of an applied electric field. However, ferroelectric phase shifters suffer from substantial power losses, signal distortions and noise, and offer only discrete steps.
An optically activated waveguide type phase shifter and/or attenuator has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,214 (ROSEN et al.). This device comprises a semiconductor slab that is attached to an inside wall of a waveguide and which receives light from an illumination source disposed in an aperture of an inside wall opposite inside wall. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,570 (DE FONZO), a piece of semiconductor material is attached to an inside wall of a waveguide and an inside surface of said piece is lit from outside by a light source through an aperture in a wall opposite inside wall.
In these prior art documents, where illumination is from the opposite waveguide wall, a lossy resistive layer forms inside the waveguide at a distance from the inside wall that is equal to the thickness of the semiconductor piece or slab, which means that the insertion losses will be always high, and that a high level of light is necessary to obtain a significant phase shift or attenuation. Namely, this light level should be generally high enough to generate a high density of carriers to place the photo-sensitive material (Si) in a metallic or semi-metallic state.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tuneable phase shifter and/or attenuator capable of operating at microwave, millimetric and/or sub-millimetric wavelengths with an improved tuneability. According to the invention, this is obtained by a positioning of a light source and/or a photo-responsive material spaced relatively to the waveguide, and by providing a modification of the carrier concentration within a photo-responsive material by the illumination of light.

Tuneable phase shifter and/or attenuator using photoresponsive-material in a waveguide


A multi-source optical transmitter includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a plurality of semiconductor optical sources suitable to provide optical signals having respective wavelengths defining base colors for the formation of colored images in said visualization device. The sources are arranged according to a matrix pattern on one face of the substrate.

As in many other fields, the arrival of digital technology has brought numerous innovations also to the field of visualization devices. For example, the normal cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, even though they can still offer high quality images, are now generally considered as too sensitive to disturbances and aesthetically unpleasant, heavy and cumbersome. In fact, the depth of the cathode ray tube increases proportionally to the diagonal size of the display.
For this reason, the CRT displays are today considered less attractive than the plasma or liquid crystal display (LCD) visualization devices which, on the contrary, can be made with a much greater diagonal screen size than that of a cathode ray display, while at the same time maintaining a reasonable depth. Therefore, they can be inserted easily into any environment, offering images without the deficiencies associated with CRT displays.
Today an innovative generation of visualization devices is being developed and experimented with which operate according to a working principle different from the working principles of the visualization devices made with LCD technology or plasma technology. These new generation visualization devices, which may be defined as "photonic" visualization devices, provide for the use of an innovative optic type technology which, to form images on the display, provides for the deflection of numerous modulated optical signals output from respective optical fibers fed by optical signal sources.
In these photonic visualization devices, a large sized screen is divided into a plurality (e.g., 6 or 12) of smaller sized screens or sub-screens, each comprised in a respective visualization unit.
With reference to FIG. 1, a visualization unit 1 is shown which includes a sub-screen 8 on which an image is formed by means of optical signals output from the end sections of two groups 9 of optical fibers. The end sections of each group 9 of optical fibers are inserted into suitable perforated mechanical supports 2.
The optical signals output from the two groups 9 of fibers are optically processed by first optical means, e.g., they are collimated by means of lenses 3, then deviated by reflecting elements 6 and then again collimated by further lenses 4 before being deviated by a rotating mirror which projects said beams on to the portion of the screen 8. Further optical processing means 7 (post-processing means) can be provided. on the optical path between the rotating mirror 5 and the portion of screen 8 on which the images are formed.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a perforated mechanical support 2 into which the end sections of optical fibers 10, 11, 12 of a single group of fibers 9 are inserted. For simplicity, only three optical fibers 10, 11, 12 are shown in the figure while, in reality, the support 2 is intended to receive a much greater number of fibers.
The reference number 13 indicates a group of holes vertically aligned in three columns. Each column of the group 13 includes 32 holes for the insertion of a corresponding number of optical fibers. Thus, each support is intended to accommodate 96 end sections of respective optical fibers. The number of optical fibers necessary, therefore, for the manufacture of a photonic visualization device comprising twelve visualization units is equal to approximately 2300.
As a result of the large number of fibers, the manufacturing of a photonic visualization device has the disadvantage of being in practice, a very long, complex and delicate operation.
Apart from these practical difficulties, the presence of optical fibers poses a more serious problem due to the difficulty of using an automated industrial process for large scale production.

Multi-source optical transmitter and photonic visualization device


Systems of automatic transfer switches (ATS) are disclosed herein. One apparatus includes at least two automatic transfer switches coupled together. Each automatic transfer switches has contacts to couple a power source to a load. For each switch, an electromagnetic force biasing the contacts to each other is present if an electrical current flows through the switch. The automatic transfer switches may be on separate cassettes or on a single cassette. The power source of each switch may be the same or different.

An automatic transfer switch is used to switch an electric load back and forth between power sources (e.g., a primary power source, such as a utility, and a secondary power source, such as a generator). Transferring power from the primary to the secondary source happens, for example, when the utility experiences a blackout. When the power outage is over, the automatic transfer switch switches the power source back to utility power.

Low profile blow-on force automatic switch


A method for repairing an HVAC system is disclosed. The method includes monitoring a plurality of sensors positioned throughout the HVAC system and receiving data associated therewith, determining whether the data received from the plurality of sensors is within corresponding predetermined operational parameters, analyzing data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters to diagnose a malfunction of the HVAC system, accessing an on-board bill of materials to determine a proper replacement part to correct the malfunction, automatically ordering the replacement part, and automatically dispatching a service technician to install the replacement part.

Commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, such as aptly named "rooftop units," are often assembled onto the flat roofs of structures such as supermarkets, office buildings and other commercial structures.
Chillers, or chilled water units, are cost-effective systems that utilize both water or other suitable liquids and refrigerants. Chillers cool the water or other liquid, then circulate the cooled water to other components in the system, such as an air handling unit. Chillers are typically located in equipment rooms such as in basements or at other remote locations of large buildings. Water is an excellent secondary coolant because it is readily available, inexpensive, non-toxic and substantially non-corrosive. It also has a favorable specific heat value. Other secondary coolants can also be used, depending upon the application. These include calcium chloride or sodium chloride brines, methanol, propylene glycols, ethylene glycol and glycerin. Chillers are frequently used for commercial air conditioning and industrial process cooling as well as for low temperature refrigeration. While there are various types of chillers, which may include many different components, a chiller typically includes a compressor, a motor and a control center, which may be in the form of a microprocessor control. A chiller can also include, in addition to the above equipment, a condenser, an evaporator and a metering device.
Due to their sometimes difficult-to-reach locations, servicing chillers and rooftop units can be time consuming and inefficient, particularly if a service technician must make multiple trips to diagnose and later return with proper parts to effect a repair. However, most current methods of monitoring the operation of chillers, rooftop units of air conditioning systems, or other HVAC systems do not provide the capability to diagnose an existing problem or anticipate the occurrence of a problem that could result in shut down or improper operation of equipment and to arrange for that problem to be repaired.
What is needed is a system for monitoring an HVAC system that utilizes information from the control center of the unit to automatically identify a malfunctioning part causing a problem, place an order for that part, and dispatch a service technician to install the replacement part upon its arrival.

Automated part procurement and service dispatch


A tail pipe assembly for a vehicle includes a tail pipe mounted to a muffler of the vehicle and discharging exhaust gas and condensation water to an outside, and at least one main collecting element that is mounted within the tail pipe, suppresses flow of the condensation water and temporarily stores the condensation water.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention is related to a tail pipe assembly for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tail pipe assembly for a vehicle which may collect condensation water and temporarily store the condensation water.
2. Description of Related Art
A muffler, which is used for an exhaust system of a vehicle, is a device for suppressing exhaust noise, such as decreasing the sound level of escaping gases of an internal-combustion engine by lowering temperature and pressure of the exhaust gas.
The muffler shaped as a pipe has divided sections and noise may be reduced while traveling through the sections with interference of sound wave, reduction of pressure fluctuation, reduction of exhaust gas temperature and so on. In this situation, condensation water is formed within the muffler due to cooling of the exhaust gas.
Recently, a GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine is applied to a vehicle worldwide, and the vehicle with the GDI engine may generate soot within the exhaust gas considerably. The soot of the exhaust gas may be mixed with condensation water formed within the muffler and thus the condensation water becomes darker. When the vehicle with the GDI engine is in idle, the dark condensation water is drained to ground and the ground where the vehicle stayed is contaminated. And thus the dark condensation water becomes the cause of pollution.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


A multi-function circuit has as single input/control pin, to which respectively different values of a control input may be applied. A multi-function signal generation section is coupled to the single input/control pin and is operative to controllably generate a plurality of respectively different functional outputs, including a decoded address bit-representative output, a soft-start oscillator signal output, and a reset output, in response to application of respectively different values of the control input.

In addition to the standard set of driver functions of control/driver circuitry for establishing the switching times of the output devices (MOSFETs) of a DC-DC converter power supply system, such as a synchronous rectified buck mode DC-DC converter, there are additional or auxiliary functions that may be desired for some control/driver applications. In today's driver integrated circuit (IC) market, an eight-pin SOIC package is typically employed for half-bridge driver implementations. Unfortunately, this eight pin constraint means that only a single pin is available for auxiliary functions, such as allowing the customer to specify a '1' or '0' value for the least significant bit (LSB) of the device's address. The driver's remaining six address bits are internally hard coded in accordance with a standard seven bit addressing scheme, and the remaining pins of the SOIC package are already taken for the basic operation of the driver IC. The problem is how to interface additional signals to the control/driver IC, in the face of the unavailability of one or more pins for the purpose.

Circuit for generating precision soft-start frequency for either value of address bit applied to external reset pin


Embodiments of the present invention provide a transmitter of a semiconductor device, which can output signals corresponding to input signals having various common mode levels and amplitudes. The transmitter may include a pre-driver unit, main driver unit, and a control circuit. The pre-driver unit modifies a common mode level and the amplitude of first internal output signals to generate internal output signals in response to driver control signals. The main driver unit modifies the common mode level and the amplitude of the second internal output signals. The control circuit detects the common mode level and the amplitude of a connected circuit. The common mode level and the amplitude of the output signals may then automatically be adjusted to be the same as the common mode level and the amplitude of this connected circuit High speed signal conditioning may be accomplished.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-0071223, filed on Sep. 7, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a transmitter of a semiconductor device that can adjust and output signals to match the common mode level and amplitude of a connected circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system including a conventional multi-port multimedia semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a first circuit block 110, a second circuit block 160, and a multi-port multimedia semiconductor device 140.
The semiconductor device 140 may be, for example, a memory device such as a DRAM. The semiconductor device 140 employs a specific signaling system for data communication with the first and second circuit blocks 110 and 160. An example of the data communication is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0137676, and the signaling system is defined by a direct current (DC) (or average) level and amplitude (or swing range) based on the DC level. The DC level is called as a common mode level.
To transmit data between the semiconductor device 140 and the first and second circuit blocks 110 and 160 at a high speed, the semiconductor device 140 and circuits of the first and second circuit blocks 110 and 160 include additional input/output (I/O) circuits 114, 115, 116, 118, 120, 141 through 148, and 161 through 164, which appropriately convert the signaling system of a connected I/O circuit to the signaling system of the semiconductor device 140 or the first or second circuit blocks 110 or 160. Each of the I/O circuits 114, 115, 116, 118, 120, 141 through 148, and 161 through 164 includes a transmitter (or an output buffer) and/or a receiver (or an input buffer).
The first circuit block 110 includes an audio input circuit 111, a video input circuit 112, a digital media processing circuit 113, an audio output circuit 117, and a video output circuit 119.
The audio input circuit 111 processes an audio input signal Ain and transmits the processed audio input signal to the I/O circuit 141 of the semiconductor device 140. The I/O circuit 141 converts the processed audio signal into a signal having the common mode level and the amplitude used by the semiconductor device 140.
The video input circuit 112 processes a video input signal Vin and transmits the processed video input signal to the I/O circuit 141 of the semiconductor device 140. The I/O circuit 141 converts the processed video signal into a signal having the common mode level and the amplitude used by the semiconductor device 140.
The digital media processing circuit 113 transmits/receives signals to/from the I/O circuits 141, 142 and 143 of the semiconductor device 140 via the I/O circuits 114, 115 and 116.
The audio output circuit 117 converts the common mode level and the amplitude of the signal transmitted from the I/O circuit 144 of the semiconductor device 140 using the external I/O circuit 118 and processes the signal having the converted common mode level and amplitude to output the signal as an audio output signal Aout.
The video output circuit 119 converts the common mode level and the amplitude of the signal transmitted from the I/O circuit 144 of the semiconductor device 140 using the internal I/O circuit 120 and processes the signal having the converted common mode level and amplitude to output the signal as a video output signal Vout.
The second circuit block 160 may be a circuit block having elements similar to the elements of the first circuit block 110, a memory device, or a memory controller. The second circuit block 160 includes the I/O circuits 161 through 164 used in communications with the I/O circuits 145 through 148 of the semiconductor device 140.
As described above, to transmit signals between the semiconductor device 140 and the first and second circuit blocks 110 and 160 at a high speed, additional I/O circuits converting a signaling system are required. Such additional I/O circuits may increase the cost of the entire system. Also, the number of additional I/O circuits is increased according to an increase in the number of circuits of the first and second circuit blocks 110 and 160, thereby increasing the cost of the system.


A light guide plate structure, for use with a back light module of a liquid crystal display, has a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end portion, a second end portion which is opposite the first end portion, and a plurality of substantially paralleled V-shape grooves formed on the bottom surface and extending from the first end portion to the second end portion. Each of said V-shape grooves comprises a top angle with a continuous variation from the first end portion to the second end portion. The present invention gets rid of the dark areas of an LCD that appear adjacent to one of the end portions in conventional models, thus enhancing the uniformity in its brightness levels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light guide plate; more particularly, to a light guide plate for use with an edge type back light module of a liquid crystal display (LCD), and an LCD comprising the light guide plate.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are mainstream products on the display market. Not only does it save power and emit low radiation, it is also lightweight and portable. It is widely used on appliances such as televisions, general monitors, laptops, global position systems (GPS), and mobile communicating devices. That being said, conventional monitors are gradually being replaced by LCDs.
The backlight module is one of the key components for providing uniform and sufficient lights for an LCD panel. A conductive type backlight module primarily comprises a lamp, lens sheet (or prism sheet), light guide plate, diffusion sheet, reflect sheet, protective film, and optical film.
Backlight modules are divided into two categories, namely, direct types and edge types. An illumination device for use with the edge type backlight module is disposed on the outer edge of the light guide plate. A reflector is disposed under the light guide plate for gathering and reflecting lights through the panel. In comparison, the edge type backlight module has the benefit of being slimmer than the direct type. Moreover, the edge type also has fewer heat problems.
A backlight module demands uniform and high brightness levels, low cost, and light weight. Thus, the market is apt to employ the edge type backlight module because certain dimensions of LCDs comprising the edge type module have those advantages. However, a conventional light guide plate that forms uniform V-shape grooves for guiding lights to a light output plane tends to cause dark areas adjacent to the light input plane. The uniformity of the overall brightness is, therefore, hard to control.
FIG. 1A is a conventional light guide plate that has uniform V-shape grooves (i.e. the top angles of the V-shape grooves are equivalent between the two opposing end portions of the light guide plate, i.e. y1=y20). FIG. 1B is a schematic view illustrating the dark areas adjacent to the light input portion in view of FIG. 1A. An illumination device 1 (preferably a tube lamp) emits lights into the light guide plate 2 through a first end portion 24 of the light guide plate 2. Initially, the lights in the light guide plate 2 usually travel in a total-reflections manner, following Snell's Law. Soon after, the total-reflections gradually diminish and the lights continuously travel in reflection and refraction paths, wherein the refractive lights emit from a top surface 22 as visible lights. Accordingly, the more frequently the total reflections occur in the light guide plate 2, or the more delay time between reflection and refraction paths, the less frequently the refractive lights will emit from the effective displaying area. It follows that the dark areas will increase and the high performance visible region will decrease, which means that the brightness of the overall display is not uniform. FIG. 1B shows the dark areas occurring at the light input portions according to the above-mentioned problems. These problems negatively affect the products' performances in brightness and quality.
To diminish total reflections early on when the lights travel in the light guide plate, a design that modifies this light guide plate (as shown in FIG. 2) so that it has a tapered shape (as shown in FIG. 3) is further created to initially introduce the lights refracting out of the light guide plate, thereby reducing the undesired dark areas adjacent to the illumination device 1.
Other similar designs have been developed as well. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,354 discloses a light guide plate that has a uniform thickness and a plurality of V-shape grooves formed thereon with equivalent top angles. The V-shape grooves are formed parallel to the light input plane (which is adjacent to the tube lamp). The light guide plate, therefore, transmits the lights from the tube lamp to the light output plane. Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,887, discloses a gradually tapered light guide plate that has a plurality of trapezoidal grooves formed parallel to the light input plane (which is adjacent to a tube lamp). Likewise, the light guide plate transmits the lights from the tube lamp to the output plane.
However, too many total-reflections still exist in the light paths that run within the light guide plate in the mentioned conventional designs. These problems do not match the needs of a high quality product that demands uniform brightness in the overall display area.
Thus, a novel structure that further reduces the dark areas on the edges, widens the viewing angles, and improves the overall uniformity in brightness, is required in this field.

Light guide plate, and backlight module and liquid crystal display comprising the same


Provided is a dielectric/barrier rib composition for a plasma display panel, comprising a compound 1 of the formula

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric/barrier rib composition for a plasma display panel, and more particularly to a composition used for forming a transparent dielectric layer and a barrier rib on an electrode for a plasma display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A transparent dielectric for a plasma display panel is disposed on a front panel having an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) and metal electrode patterned thereon and is made by calcining glass paste, including glass powder having a maximum particle size smaller than an average thickness of a film thereof, to form a film having a thickness of 20 μm to 40 μm, in order to secure high transparency. The glass paste is a mixture of PbO—B2O3—SiO2 based glass powder containing an excess amount of PbO and a filler, an organic solvent and a polymeric resin. The dielectric film is made by forming a thick film on the glass substrate by a screen printing method using the glass paste followed by calcination at a high temperature of 500° C. to 600° C. To obtain high transparency in the dielectric film, it is important to remove bubbles contained in the dielectric layer. It is also important to precisely control composition, particle size, conditions for manufacturing and calcination of glass powder, etc.
A front panel dielectric of an alternating current type plasma display panel forms a wall charge, thereby maintaining discharge-holding voltage, and serves to protect the electrode from ion bombardment occurring upon discharging. Conventionally, the dielectric layer needs to have a thickness of about 40 μm, transmittance of more than 80%, and DC breakdown voltage greater than 5 kV.
Breakdown voltage of front panel dielectric is a very critical factor in driving the plasma display panel. For the dielectric utilizing glass paste, the breakdown voltage is decreased due to bubbles produced by calcining conditions and surface conditions of the glass powder. Also, metal Pb remaining inside the film after calcination lowers the breakdown voltage of the dielectric layer, thus resulting in deterioration of dielectric performance.
When utilizing a frit containing a low melting point glass as a main component, it is still difficult to obtain a low temperature calcination type transparent dielectric material without addition of an excess amount of Pb. Similarly, the low melting point glass paste also requires high temperature calcination at a temperature of 550° C. to 580° C. A thermal hysteresis process at high temperature of more than 500° C. causes many disadvantages such as changes in the dimensions of the glass substrate, patterns that cross each other which results in defective display panels, and difficulty in realizing a large screen of the panel.
The low melting point glass containing primarily Pb has disadvantages such as a high dielectric constant of 10 to 12 and increased power consumption of the device due to generation of high current upon discharging. In particular, the manufacturing of the barrier rib of the back panel produces a large amount of waste materials, thus increasing environmental contamination and waste material disposal costs. Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Nos. Hei 9-199037 and 9-278482 propose Na2O—B2O3—SiO2 based glass and Na2O—B2O3—ZnO based glass, having lower dielectric constants than conventional compositions and softening points of 500° C. to 600° C. Both glass compositions contain no Pb component. These glass compositions contain a softening point lowering component composed of an alkaline metal oxide such as Na2O, K2O and Li2O added thereto, and thus it is possible to perform calcination of the dielectric layer at a relatively low temperature. However, when glass to which a softening point lowering component has been added is used in the dielectric layer, there is a possibility of yellowing in the dielectric layer or front glass panel. Glass compositions containing a softening point lowering component base limit the use of general substrates such as inexpensive soda lime glass or plastic substrate due to the high calcination temperature of more than 500° C.
Further, International Patent Application PCT/JP2002/006666 proposes zinc oxide, boron oxide, lithium oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, rubidium oxide, cesium oxide, copper oxide, silver oxide, manganese oxide(IV), cerium oxide(IV), tin oxide(IV), and antimony oxide(IV) as components constituting the dielectric, in order to reduce yellowing occurring in Na2O—B2O3—SiO2 based glass and Na2O—B2O3—ZnO based glass. These materials also require a high calcination temperature of more than 500° C.
Screen-printing is usually used to form the dielectric layer employing the low melting point glass paste, but this process is very complicated due to formation of a thick film by repeated printing more than two times. In particular, the barrier rib of the back panel requires a relatively thick film as compared to the dielectric layer, and requires printing about eight times. However, the film utilizing glass paste shows changes in the flatness of the surface thereof depending on calcination conditions, thus careful attention is required in performing the process. In order to complement such a disadvantage seen in this screen printing method, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 97-102273 discloses a process for preparing a plasma display panel comprising applying a glass paste composition on a support film, drying the coated film to form a material layer for forming a film on the support film, transferring the material layer thus formed onto the surface of the glass substrate having an electrode fixed thereon, and calcining the transferred film-formation material layer to form the dielectric layer on the surface of the glass substrate (Dry Film Process). This transfer method using a dry film simplifies the process, however, defects still occur in the dielectric due to calcination conditions because of the use of the conventional low melting point glass paste.
In addition, high power consumption of the plasma display panel functions as a disadvantage compared to a liquid crystal display (LCD) or organic OLED display device. High power consumption is due to the high dielectric constant of the dielectric layer (more than 10). Lowering the dielectric constant below 5 can reduce power consumption.
International Patent Application PCT/JP2001/02289 and Korean Patent Application 2002-46902 propose a dielectric and barrier rib composition capable of calcining even at a significantly lower temperature than a conventional low melting point glass containing Pb, and having a dielectric constant of less than 5, by using a silicon resin and inorganic/organic hybrid materials. This application also proposes a variety of processes for forming the dielectric, such as spin coating, bar coating and application in addition to a conventional printing method. Additionally, this technique has advantages in that it is highly applicable to the transfer method by the above-mentioned dry film and can reduce the decreased breakdown voltage due to bubbles upon calcining. When the silicon based resin or inorganic/organic hybrid material is used as the dielectric composition, conventional problems such as environmental contamination due to Pb component, deterioration of dielectric functions, high power consumption due to high dielectric constant, variations in precise dimensions due to high calcination temperature and substrate limitation can be resolved. In particular, low temperature calcination allows using plastics or soda lime glass substrate, thus being capable of lowering production costs of the plasma display panel.
Barrier rib material used in the back panel of the plasma display is prepared by adding a white or black pigment to the dielectric composition conventionally used in the front panel. Processes for preparing a variety of barrier rib shapes relative to the composition thereof have been proposed. The barrier rib structure is a structure formed on the dielectric covering a conventional electrode that is formed on a back panel glass having an address electrode patterned in parallel thereon. The barrier rib is disposed to maintain a discharge distance within the panel and prevent electrical and optical interference between adjacent cells. In some embodiments, it has a width of 70 μm to 100 μm and a height of 120 μm to 200 μm. In the case of 42 inch panels, conventionally, the dielectric layer corresponding to the total height of the barrier rib is made using the screen-printing method and then a barrier rib structure is formed using a sandblasting method. However, in preparing a HDTV grade plasma display panel having a size greater than 60 inches, smaller pitches between the structures and very low surface roughness are required, the screen printing through multi-layer printing or the sandblasting method is not suitable for preparing complex structures having precise dimensions.
In order to resolve complexity of the process due to the complicated multi-layer screen printing and the problems associated with uniform formation of the barrier rib dielectric over the entire panel, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Nos. Hei 9-102273 and Hei 9-101653 suggest forming the barrier rib layer in a single process through the above-mentioned transfer film (a composite film composed of a film forming material layer obtained from the glass paste composition and support film, and a cover film laminated on the surface of the film forming material layer so as to be easily peeled off therefrom). Even though this method can simplify the process, it is not possible to avoid disadvantages such as limitation of substrate represented by the calcined low melting point glass, difficulty in patterning a microstructure, surface flatness, and the production of a large amount of environmental contamination waste material. Therefore, development of a material capable of obtaining high thickness in a single process and easy micropatterning is necessary for preparing a large screen high definition plasma display panel.

Dielectric/barrier rib composition for plasma display panel and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract: or at least one compound belonging to a polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (compound 2) having R6SiO1.5 as a repeating unit, or comprising inorganic/organic hybrid materials having compounds 1 and 2 as a monomer, wherein X is an integer inclusive 0, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C12 hydrocarbon group containing one or more alkyl, alkoxy, ketone, acryl, methacryl, allyl, aromatic, halogen, amino, mercapto, ether, ester, sulfone, nitro, hydroxyl, cyclobutene, carbonyl, carboxyl, alkyd, urethane, vinyl, nitrile, hydrogen, or epoxy functional group, and A is oxygen or NH. The inorganic/organic hybrid materials can be a material composed of an extended matrix, containing silicon and oxygen or nitrogen atoms, and having at least one silicon fraction directly bonded to a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atom.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A magnetic write head is fabricated with its driving coil formed as a vertical coil, with a series of spiral turns continuously connected to form a multiple turn helix that fits within even a write head with a short yoke length of approximately 2 microns. The vertical coil shape allows the effects of coil resistance to be decoupled from the number of coil turns so that pole tip protrusion caused by Joule heating can be significantly reduced even if the writing current is increased. The vertical coil shape allows higher frequency writing as well as a reduction in wide area track erasures (WATE).

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to the fabrication of magnetic read/write heads that record at high data rates. More particularly, it relates to such a structure that incorporates a main writing pole that is activated inductively by a vertical coil.
2. Description
With growing demands for cloud storage and cloud-based network computing applications, high and ultra-high data rate recording becomes important for high-end disk drive applications. It is essential to design perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writers that can achieve such optimum high data rate performance.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown schematically a vertical (x-direction) cross-sectional view (x-z plane) of a PMR writer with a pancake (flat) coil design. The ABS plane of the writer (1) is the x-y plane. The plane of the pancake coil is the y-z plane. The y-axis is the cross-track direction and the x-axis is the down-track direction.
The PMR writer includes a main pole (4), denoted MP, with a small surface area at its tip, which emerges at the ABS plane (1). A trailing shield (6), also denoted PP3, serves to channel the flux that emerges from the main pole and passes through the recording medium back through the writer to complete the induced flux loop. The MP and the PP3 are connected together by a yoke (5), denoted TY. The PP3 is also coupled at its ABS end to a write shield (7), which we will denote as WS, to enhance the flux intensity and shield other portions of the writer from its flux. The magnetic flux that emerges from the MP (4) is generated by a driving coil (3a & 3b). The driving coil is shown in cross-section as three rectangles (3a) on the ABS side of the TY and three rectangles (3b) on the opposite side of the TY. These rectangles are the plane cross-sections through the coil. The driving coil is a horizontal, planar spiral, i.e., a "pancake," with its continuous coil turns being wound about the TY. A bucking coil (2a & 2b), is like a mirror image of the driving coil and is formed beneath the driving coil The driving coil is wound in series with the bucking coil, but is wound in an opposite direction, and the two coils are connected through a connector (8). The purpose of the bucking coil is to minimize the inductive coupling between the current in the coils and PP3. The yoke length of the writer configuration is defined as the distance from the ABS (1) to point A, which is at the inner corner where PP3 (6) joins the TY (5).
Referring next to FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic illustration, in a top view (y-z plane), of the spiral configuration that forms either (3a) and (3b) of FIG. 1. Note that the spiral turns are narrow and compressed at the ABS end (3a), so they can fit within the confines of the writer that is defined by the yoke length. The configuration is denoted as having 3+3 turns, (3+3)T, to indicate the three turns of the driving coil and the three turns of the bucking coil.
For a write head to operate at high speed, three issues must be addressed: intrinsic yoke flux response; write current response and magnetization current response. Short yoke length (SYL) and narrow main pole and yoke width have been identified as key dimensions for improved data rate performance because they can reduce eddy current damping and improve intrinsic yoke flux response. As yoke length is reduced, coil height and width must shrink in order to fit into the reduced available space. As a result of this reduction in coil size, the coil resistance increases. High coil resistance is not desirable as Joule heating of the coil by the write current (Iw) may induce large write pole tip protrusion (IwPTP) caused by thermal expansion. As writing frequency increases, Joule heating also increases in proportion to the frequency. The challenge then becomes: how to reduce coil resistance without any penalty to high data rate performance, or to even gain high data rate performance. These issues have been addressed in various ways by Khizroev et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,876,518), Wang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,102,854), Shukh et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,007), Golgolab et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,505,231), Huang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,081,401). Additional background material is found in J. Jury et al. "Design of a single turn microstrip write head for ultra-high data rate recording" IEEE Trans. On Magnetics, Vol. 35, No. 5, September 1999. However the approaches advocated in these teachings do not deal with the challenges in the manner to be discussed herein nor do they obtain results that offer such significant improvements.

Vertical coil (VC) design for short yoke length perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer


A method and apparatus for cleaning and disinfecting a milk line system and for determining the extent to which a milk line system is rinsed with a cleaning fluid, whereby in one or more places in the milk line system the electric conductivity if the cleaning fluid is determined. More in particular, according to the invention, the electric conductivity is measured in places which are difficult for the cleaning fluid to reach or at places in the milk line system which are more likely to harbor undesirable microbes. The cleaning solutions may be an alkali, detergent, hydrogen peroxide, or acid including peracetic acid, ozone, an alcohol, an aldehyde including formaldehyde, phenol and ethylene oxide, to the extent that these substances do not adversely affect materials such as the compositions of the teat cups.

Milk line systems of dairy farms should be cleaned periodically to prevent milk discharged by the milk line system from being contaminated. With conventional milking machines, the milk line system is cleaned after the herd has been milked. However, with an automated milking system wherein the milking is accomplished with a milking robot, the milk line system is cleaned after a predetermined period of time has elapsed or a predetermined number of animals has been milked. Furthermore the milk line system may also be cleaned when it has been ascertained that milk produced by an animal which is infected with mastitis is being discharged by the line.
The cleaning of the milk line system is divided into three phases which comprise: the pre-rinsing, the main cleaning and the post-rinsing. The pre-rinsing serves to remove the milk residues as much as possible from the lines and the equipment prior to the main cleaning. Consequently, the main cleaning will require less detergent or other cleaning materials. To achieve this, the pre-rinsing step should not be a circulation rinsing. For the pre-rinsing step the water temperature is in the range of 40° C. to 60° C. The pre-rinsing step is succeeded by the main cleaning step. The main cleaning step serves to clean and disinfect the milk line and the milking equipment. This result is obtained by circulating cleaning fluid through the lines and the milking equipment. The main cleaning is normally effected with an alkali having a cleaning and disinfecting function. To avoid formation of scale in the milk line system, said system is normally further cleaned from time to time with an acid. With the acid, scale formed in the milk line system, such as on the electrodes of a milk conductivity sensor, can be dissolved and thus removed from the milk line system. After the main cleaning, the milk line system is normally cleaning by a third step of post-rinsing. This is to prevent residues of the cleaning fluid from coming into the milk. The post-rinsing is generally effected with tap water and the post-rinsing water should preferably not be circulated.
In practice the cleaning of the milk production equipment including milk lines is not carried out correctly as a result of which the equipment and lines are cleaned insufficiently and consequently the germ count of the milk often more than doubles. This may be caused by an insufficient quantity of alkali or acid, or by the insufficient post-rinsing, or by the fact that certain places are not reached by the cleaning fluid, because, for example, a tube is pinched off.
The invention is to provide a method, in which the above-mentioned drawbacks do not occur or are of at least minimized to a considerable extent.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a milk line system


A dynamic multi-dimensional code generation and recognition apparatus in which time information and visual recognition information are combined, and a method thereof are provided. According to the present invention, a dynamic multi-dimensional code or a time-variant code including visual recognition information which is associated with source information and changed over time is provided. Accordingly, users may easily ascertain existence of the multi-dimensional code and intended contents of the source information.

1. Field
The following description relates to an information protection and computerization technique, and more particularly, to a technique of generating and displaying multi-dimensional codes, and recognizing the displayed multi-dimensional codes.
2. Description of the Related Art
To visually transmit information and recognize the transmitted information, techniques using multi-dimensional codes are proposed. The multi-dimensional codes are obtained by coding numbers, characters, special characters, and the like using a combination of white and black bar widths, matrixes, figures, patterns, colors, and the like so that the coded numbers, characters, special characters, and the like are easily read in an optical manner. The multi-dimensional codes may integrate data at a high density, and thereby be applied to various fields concerning distribution, identification, medicine, marketing, air carrier, manufacturing, administration, and the like. In addition, the multi-dimensional codes may be a next-generation expression technique which is expected to provide convenience to peoples lives such as in e-commerce using portable multi-functional devices such as a smart phone, etc., internet banking, and the like.
Initial multi-dimensional codes focused on industrial distribution information processes, or applicability in achieving goals such as marketing, etc., through transmission of simple Web addresses, information storage addresses, and the like. However, with the explosive spread of smart phones in recent years, the multi-dimensional codes have been widely used even in application fields involving processing of very complex and high-capacity information such as photos, pictures, bio information, audio information, high-capacity text, moving images, etc.
A variety of multi-dimensional codes are known around the world. QR code in Japan (Denso Wave), PDF417 in US (Symbol Technologies), Data Matrix (International Data Matrix), MaxiCode (UPS), and the like have been adopted as international standards. In order to transmit information using a multi-dimensional code image, low-capacity data of less than several tens of kilobytes may be transmitted using a one-time still image. To transmit large-capacity data of more than several megabytes, hundreds or thousands of multi-dimensional codes or time-variant codes may be used.
Korean Patent No. 10-0455802 discloses a method and apparatus for displaying a time-varying code on a handheld terminal, and a method and apparatus for approval and authentication processing by using the same, and Korean Patent No. 10-0786347 discloses an animation color code providing apparatus and method thereof.

Apparatus and method for dynamic multi-dimensional codes with time and visual recognition information

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE